Only 10 minutes til the Big Ring. I wonder if I’ll be able to hear it from here?

I first read about the furor over Fay Weldon’s new book “The Bulgari Connection” yesterday. I’ve only read a little of her stuff (back on the Oz trip; Mama Snookums is a big fan), but I liked what I read. I think it’s ridiculous that people are making such a big deal out of it. If you haven’t heard, she was contacted by the Bulgari jewelry company and asked to write a limited edition novel that they were going to give to some of their special clients. She had total artistic control, but she had to mention the name “Bulgari”, like, a dozen times. Fine. She did it. It turned out to be really good, though, so now her publishers have decided to release it to the world. And all these hoity-toity authors are up in arms over her perceived selling out. Whatever. Artists have had patrons since the beginning of civilization. Playwrights have had works commissioned. Artists have been paid to paint flattering portraits of rich men’s wives. Musicians have licensed their songs to sell cars and tennis shoes. I don’t see the problem here. Snookums and I watched the Channel 4 News anchorman interview Weldon last night, and it was just ridiculous the way he kept trying to get her to admit that she was “ashamed” of putting commerce before her “art.” She held up pretty well, though. I just wish the self-appointed moral critics of the world would mind their own business and leave the rest of us alone.

“Prince Charles meets women in bras.” So what? I’m sure 99% of the women he meets every single day are wearing bras. Sure, they’re wearing clothes over them, which is a little different…

Someone has written a review of the first draft screenplay for “Rent”. I think I’ve mentioned my obsession with the musical before. I wasn’t thrilled to hear they would be filming it, but when I heard Spike Lee and Robert DeNiro might be involved, I thought it could be okay. Unfortunately it’s since fallen into Development Hell and it doesn’t look like it’ll ever get made. This script makes it sound like it could’ve been something special. (Although I’m disappointed that they’ve turned “Light my Candle” into dialogue rather than a song. I love that bit.)

Dark Horizons has an interview with John Cusack, who my sister loves with the intensity of one billion white hot suns.

Okay, Anne Heche says sexual abuse made her ‘insane’. I don’t doubt that she really is a loony, and I don’t doubt that something in her childhood might’ve really messed her up. I’m just sad that some people are going to look at her (and her weird-ass David-Copperfield-lookin’ husband) and think: “Of course, she was only gay because she was crazy. Now that she’s sane she’s got a man. Hence gay = stark raving mad, and sane = hetero happiness.” Whatever.

Tara D finally has her pictures from the Madonna concert up. I especially like the last one, where her view of the stage is obscured by a glittery silver cowboy hat. (TD – What, did you guys sit above the stage or something? Those give me vertigo!)

Roger Ebert’s reaction to Pauline Kael’s death is up now. He makes me want to go buy all of her books.

Some people get “squicked” by the idea of Harry Potter slash (i.e. fan fiction that involves same-sex romantic episodes). I’m not. After you’ve sampled some fan fic, you realize that using well-known characters is just a handy shortcut for the writer to dispose with introductions and get on with other things (be that plot, humor, or sex). In grade school, I used to write tons of stories that involved my friends and classmates. No, nothing sexy, but just adventures and things. Instead of spending my time thinking up names and describing my characters, I could just say “Erin and Seth” and everybody knew exactly who I was talking about. Then I could get on with the plot and illustrations, which were my favorite part. That’s all fan fic writers are doing, and I wish the original artists wouldn’t get so upset. These writers aren’t debasing Harry Potter. If anything, they’re acknowledging the fact that the characters are more well-written than anything they could come up with themselves. If a couple people want to fantasize about Harry and Draco gettin’ it on in the Forbidden Forest (and they’re not making any money off it), who cares? Last I heard it wasn’t illegal to have an imagination. And besides, Harry Potter takes place at an English boarding school! Considering some of the stories Alex has told me about his formative education, I don’t think that slash stuff is far off the mark. (Link courtesy of Meg.)

A few minor changes are at w-g. First, I’ve removed the links to my CV and Portfolio. I’m not looking for a job, and having them there just makes me worry that somebody from my office could see it. Things in the tech industry aren’t so hot right now (there’s the understatement of the year), and if I wanna talk frankly about my job I should at least not make it obvious which company I work for. (Bad news of the week: my good friend eMan, the french guy I went to EuroDisney and Paris with, has quit. He’s moving to Canada with his girlfriend. Very sad.) In other news, I’ve updated the StorTroopers on my About Me page to more accurately reflect Snookums’s and my current appearance. My hair is redder and skin paler, and his hair a bit bigger.