Jump Your Bones

So. This poster is just awesome.

Word on the street is that this is the new Bones poster for Comic Con, and it is making me even more excited for season 7 to start up ... in freaking November. TOO LONG.

E

Something Magical is Happening on Nick!

My show - THE WINX CLUB - is finally premiering on Nickelodeon tonight at 8:00pm EST!

I worked with the production team all last year, formatted over 50 of the scripts, and even wrote two of them! This show was my first look into the television realm and gave me my first writing credits, so - needless to say - I really can't wait to see the final product!

Tonight episode is the first of four Specials that will be running all summer long and then followed up by the season started this October. I have never seen the final cut of tonight's run - only the drawing board frames - so even I am in for a a big surprise.

Check out the preview:


-E

Big Apple or Golden Coast?

Lately it seems to feel like time is spinning on this rotating dial, constantly reminding me that my childhood is quickly dwindling into a thing of the past. I've just had my last midterm critique of my art school education and the calendar keeps reminding me that commencement is just around the corner. But what comes next? What is the logical course of action?

I have come to call New York my home, I've even vowed that I will never leave, and yet the more I look for jobs the more I am led towards LA. Is the move worth it? After applying to eight - yes eight - jobs at various production companies in Burbank and Santa Monica, the idea slowly began to grow on me. I began furiously checking Craig's List and the LA Times for real estate quotes and I did the math on how much gas would cost; I could rent a house for what I pay per month ... in Brooklyn.

It went without saying that the cost of living was lower out in La-La Land, but at what price? What about my life back home, where does it all go?

I then couldn't help but wonder, is the industry really only one sided? Is one side of the coin better than the other?

In Honor of HP7 ...

and the fact that I work for MTV and love Josh Horowitz ... I hope you laugh and I hope you enjoy.

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

Who do you think was the best?

-E

Glee: That's More Like It!

I know, I've become known as a Glee Basher as of late, and that's completely fair. But this week, I am whistling a different tune. Why, you might ask? Because Glee actually did something right.

I don't know how often they switch up the writers, but whoever writes the non-preachy episodes should get a raise. You see, that's become my main gripe about the show - that it is too much of an afternoon special knocking the audience over the head with a message (ie. "I'm in a funk. Don't you like funk? Give up the funk.").

Tonight's episode really showed more of Kurt and hit on current events that are so important right now. Everything really touched on the topic of bullying and how it can play out in all different medians, and, to top it off? The music was unrelated. They sang songs to sing songs, and they were beautiful.

I really don't think I can find one thing to really harp on in the entire episode, and that is no small feat. My roommate will be the first to tell you that I like to pick, prod, judge, and critique just about everything I watch and read, so, this just might be a first.

-E

The Rocky Horror GLEE Show

Can someone please, for the love of Pete, tell me what is going on with Glee?This week's episode was just ... just ... I am at a loss for words. A literal loss for words. And that's saying something. I'm freaking opinionated!

Jezebel says it perfectly, in my opinion.

And if you don't want to read, this picture says it all:

There were only two highlights of the entire episode (and this is coming from a Rocky Horror fan):

1. Mr. Shue being shirtless - simply because I like to objectify men (as the Cheerios do to the guys in this episode) and stare at pretty things.

2. Uncle Jesse singing - this could have only been improved by a cameo of Brian Wilson ... and the Olsen Twins.

Thoughts on Tuesday night's episode?

-E

Banksy Tags The Simpsons

Street artist Banksy took it to the 20th Century Fox studios for an October episode of The Simpsons, where he was given the opportunity to storyboard and direct the intro. My thought: how did he get away with this? More importantly, why did they let him do this? Honestly, I found it mildly offensive, that whole portrayal of child and factory labor and all.

Thoughts?
-E

Billy O'Reilly Is Crazy; The View: Case In Point

There are just so many things wrong with what Bill O'Reilly is saying in this clip, beginning with how he nose-dives into a discussion about 9/11. Word to the wise, Mr. O'Reilly, don't mess with the ladies of The View. So let's start with a brief, quoted, annotation:

"Listen to me, because you'll learn."
Just stop now. You are not a professor or some holier-than-thou figure, so get over yourself and your ego.

"Americans wanted to know what his (President Obama's) opinions are on the issue."
Screw what his opinion is. The President's job is to act as an unbiased party and make sure that the law is upheld. I don't care if he does or doesn't want the mosque near Ground Zero. The fact of the matter is, they have a right to build it there, and the President is protecting that right.

"70% of Americans don't want that mosque down there."
Show me the numbers. Show me that poll. I don't know if that is true, so even if it is - why is that? Someone explain to me, PLEASE, how building a mosque in Manhattan is "inappropriate."

"Muslims killed us on 9/11!"
I don't even know where to start on this one, because it is just straight out wrong. No. Muslims did not attack us that day. No. Just no. They were terrorist extremists that happened to be Muslim. Good God, man! Learn to have a little religious tolerance.

The ignorance of people really baffles me. Truly, it does. Was walking off set the most appropriate thing to do? No. But at least they had they stood up (literally) for what they believed in.

Immediately following this clip, Barbara Walters apologized for their actions, and the proceeded to give Mr. O'Reilly a good talking to about how HE was inappropriate. A peaceful discussion is all well and good, but when how long do you endure listening to hate?

-E

Words From A Sudo-Pretentious Writer ...

I go to art school, I've gone to Tisch, and therefor I have a defacto air of pretension surrounding me. As much as I hate it, it is something that I am aware of and embrace wholeheartedly, but I do attempt to do everything in my power to supress my "know it all" urges.

This is not one of those times.

Being a writer is hard. It is work. End of story. It is something that you have to study and work at every day. It takes talent and skill and discipline, so it angers me when people think that they can do it, too. What has prompted my frustration, you might ask? Well, it's been a general mash-up of things, honestly. It's the pre-med student that thinks putting sentences together is easy, the architect that insists Waiting for Godot is a spiritual metaphor, or the uncle/aunt/insert-elder-here that says, "Oh, I've lived a crazy life, if I could I'd take 6 months off and write a novel." Yes. Because writing is that easy. I want to tell that person, "You do that. In fact, why don't we switch places, and while you're taking that six months off I'll go run your investment firm on Wall Street."

People forget that writing is actually a field of work, an art form. There is a reason I am earning a Bachelors of Fine Arts IN Writing. It is because I have worked and studied the craft for four years, just as a doctor has studied medicine and a business executive has studied business. So yes, I find it insulting when someone else says that they can do it too, "if only they had the time." We would all do anything if we had the time. I would be a surgeon - if I had the time - but you don't see me cutting into people just because I've watched the Health Channel one too many times.

Get into a conversation about a story or a novel or a movie with a writer and chances are you will get a debate. It's not a conscious thing; that's the way our brains work. We analyze and judge and criticize anything that makes an attempt at telling a story. If someone out there has found a way to turn that part of their brain off, then please, let me know! I do not say that a TV show/movie/book sucks because my life goal is to rain on your parade or because I think that I am smarter or more intelligent. I say that a TV show/movie/book sucks because it is conventional or stock or unintelligent. I say that a plot is cliche because it is, and nine times out of ten, I've seen Faulkner, Joyce, Saunders, O'Connor, Murakami, Marquez, Pamuk, MacDonagh, Wilder, or Beckett do it better.

-E

Glee: Stop Ruining Good Music!

The more I watch Glee, the more is aggravates me, and tonight's episode only helped fuel my disappointment. This week's after school special was focused on the ever tricky subject that is religion. Now, I give them props for even trying to cover the topic, it's a risky one that can backlash in an instant if not done well. So, how did it fare? In my opinion, not so well.

I have become continuously more irritated with the "here's our theme for the week so let's shove it down your throat" concept since the Back-9 episodes premiered last spring, and it seems to be getting perpetually worse. I appreciate a little consistency, and mathematically it would be assumed that I would love this episode (they did sing 2 of my favorite songs), however ...........

let's rehash:
Only The Good Die Young -- Puck, I love you and I think you're gorgeous, HOWEVER, you just butchered Billy. I mean butchered. The beat and the pacing was all wrong, his voice was no where close to competeing with Billy's rough beautiful, and the over all introduction of the song was pathetic, lame, and contrived.
Papa Can You Hear Me -- Rachel. You are not Babs. You will never be Babs. Get over yourself and stop ruining her music, especially songs from Yentil.
I Want To Hold Your Hand -- I don't tend to support Beatles covers, but I thought that Kurt did a wonderful job. The flashback images of an identicle baby Kurt playing with Papa Hummel didn't hurt.
I Look To You -- Mercedes, that was actually a beautiful cover. Clap on the back.
Bridge Over Troubled Water -- NO NO NO NO NO. That song is slow and painstackingly poignant for a reason. It is two men and a piano for a reason. That is one of the only songs in the world that it will never be OK to cover. NEVER.
What If God Was One Of Us -- Actually, this one wasn't too bad. It was catchy, I'd listen to it on my iPod. And Mike Chang had more screen time, so I was happy.

The only moments that saved the episode involved one Sue Sylvester, primarily because I am putty in her hands when she has moments of pure emotion. The plot with her sister is wonderful, and the times when She shows true compassion are gorgeous.

A friend of mine wrote a really killer link for Death and Taxes, and lately, I can't help but agree with her. Has Glee already seen it's hay day?

Oh, and my top 5 songs, if I had to choose?
1. Thousands Are Sailing - The Pogues
2. Only The Good Die Young - Billy Joel
3. Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon and Garfunkel
4. Losing My Religion - REM
5. For Emily, Where Ever I May Find Her - Simon and Garfunkel

-E

Oh, and PS: My friend at work just sent me this link, and I think it's amazing...

Shouldn't our President, oh, I don't know ... be in his office or doing work?

I like Obama - for the most part - I'd be lying if I said otherwise. I went to a freaking rally in Union Square on Election Night for crying out loud. But seriously? SERIOUSLY? He could take the time to hang out on a talk show but he can't go down to the boarders to help figure things out? I would be also lying if I said that I hated The View. Quite the contrary, actually. I even spent every morning last summer watching the freaking show! But still ...

I get that he has to keep up public appearances and make nice with the media, get a good face out there, yada yada yada. I get it. But there are a lot of things going on in our country right now that are a hell of a lot more important than his public image.

I don't have a solution for the boarder problem or the oil spill or the war. I don't know what needs to happen to fix things because whatever is going on in Arizona is unethical and obviously not working. But something needs to happen. Something needs to be done, and I'm pretty positive that our Commander in Chief chatting it up with the Chatty Four isn't it.

-E

Updates, updates, updates galore!

I've been updating my website like a madwoman lately, so check it out!

www.emventker.com

More writing samples, etc. should be posted by the end of the week. Until then, I've posted a sneak peak at a TV pilot that I've been working on. Let me know what you think!

-E

Carrie Fisher Roasts George Lucas at AFI Life Achievement Award

This is just amazing.

-E

Bad things happen when I am bored in suburbia.

Like I watch TV.
More specifically, I watch real estate and home shows.
More specifically, Selling New York has become my newest television addiction.
This is not good.

CHECK IT OUT NOW!

-E