The Hook interviews Alan Ball

When Alan Ball wrote the satirical screenplay American Beauty, he didn't specifically mean it as a scathing commentary on suburban life.

"I happen to live in suburbia," Ball, 52, told the Hook recently. "And I like it."

His script dealt more with the zeitgeist of suburbia, and he intended his account of middle-class dad Lester Burnham's dissolution "to be an indictment of the shallowness of American values that [Americans] are basically conditioned from birth to accept as gospel," he explains.

"In that regard," he says, "I don't know if there is any more scathing indictment of American culture than American culture itself."

Ball's targets seem peculiarly ironic— but not illogical-- considering that his prior writing background was mainly in pure Americana: sitcoms. But his days of unrewarding toil on shows like Grace Under Fire soon ended: American Beauty won him the 1999 Academy Award for best original screenplay, among numerous other laurels.

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http://www.readthehook.com/stories/2009/11/05/FILM-alan-ball-A.aspx

Queen of Louisiana Charlaine Harris !

True Blood vampires and the explicit TV sucking the innocence out of our children

yow! Daily Mail Uk is very concerned

Any parent with a teenager will be painfully aware that for impressionable young TV viewers, there's nothing sexier than a vampire - and it's got nothing to do with Halloween.

Channel 4's latest attempt to seduce us with a mixture of swearing and sex comes in the form of True Blood, the latest in the long line of sexually explicit, violent and vulgar programmes that have, sadly, become the norm on British television.

True Blood is a shocking tale of depravity, explicit sexuality (bordering on pornography) and vile language.

Even before the opening credits have rolled in the first episode, we see a young woman pleasuring a young man while driving her car.

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True Blood Music Video of the Day: Forgotten people by the Thievery Corporation

Forgotten people by the Thievery Corporation

Thanks, AnullAlaniss

Vampires Take Over The Paley Center!

Think Halloween is over? Think again. From Friday, November 13 to Sunday, November 15, our friends at the Paley Center in NYC are hosting a selection of fangtastic screenings and events. Paley’s vampire weekend events are free to Paley Center members and $10 for non-members. Here’s the menu…


Friday Screenings, 2:00 to 4:30 pm
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Reunion (2008) - The cast and creative team of Buffy the Vampire Slayer reunite to discuss the groundbreaking series. With Sarah Michelle Gellar and Joss Whedon.

Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horrors (1922) - The German Expressionist silent vampire classic -- on the big screen!


Saturday Screenings, 12:00 to 2:30 pm
Angel (2001) - Angel’s actors, writers, and producers on everybody’s favorite brooding Irish bloodsucker. With David Boreanaz and Joss Whedon.

True Blood (2009) - The cast and creators of television’s hottest vampire series take you behind the scenes of steamy Bon Temps. With Alan Ball, Anna Paquin, and Stephen Moyer.


Saturday Event, 2:30 to 4:00 pm
TV Vampire(s)Takedown - Our panel of expert fans will debate the relative merits of different vampires across media in an appropriately spirited and irreverent fashion. Special attention will be paid to the rankings of TV vamps determined by the Paley Center's TV Vampire Poll (Spike won!). Come argue for your vamp of choice. Trivia, special gifts, and a bloody good time for all!

Panels: Angel Cohn, Senior Editor, Television Without Pity, Sammy Buck, Blogger, tvland.com, Chelsea Doyle, Freelance Writer, Starpulse.com , and Jim Pierson, Author/Producer, Dark Shadows DVD releases. Moderator: Ken Tucker, Editor-at-Large, Entertainment Weekly

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Why teenage girls are suckers for vampires...

From The Irish Independent

Isn't it time vampires went back in the coffin? Our fanged friends are in serious danger of outstaying their welcome.

A new Twilight movie is almost upon us (wasn't the last one in cinemas, like, the other week?); the hilariously over-sexed vampire soap True Blood just started on terrestrial television and has critics foaming at the chops; and vampire novels continue to swamp our bookstores with over-written prose and stilted dialogue .

In other words, vampire mania is approaching saturation point. Frankly, somebody ought to stand up and yell 'stop' (preferably while twirling a string of garlic and hefting a hammer and stake) Actually, someone has.

The prominent comic book and horror novelist and screenwriter Neil Gaiman -- his most recent movie, Coraline, was recently released on DVD -- has expressed the wish that vampires would do the decent thing and disappear from the cultural landscape for a quarter century or so.

"Vampires go in waves," he says. "And it kind of feels like we're now finishing a vampire wave, because we're at the point where they're everywhere, it's probably time to go back underground for another 20 or 25 years."

As you would expect, his comments were greeted with shrieks of fury from vampire devotees, who, as is the way with geeks with too much time on their hands, have lit up the internet with their criticisms. But that doesn't mean he hasn't got a point.

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12 big-ass spoilers for True Blood season 3

From Scifiwire -these are ones we already know !

It'll be a while before HBO's True Blood comes back for its third season and we all find out what happened to Bill (Stephen Moyer). But if you can't wait that long, we talked to executive producer Alan Ball and writers Raelle Tucker and Alexander Woo, who probably told us more than they should have about what's going to happen:

We spoke to the writers before they participated in a panel at at the Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Spoilers ahead!)

http://scifiwire.com/2009/11/12-big-ass-spoilers-for-t.php

THG's Top 10 Favorite TV Couples: Sookie and Bill & Stefan and Elena

From The Hollywood Gossip

4. Bill and Sookie (True Blood)

This HBO twosome definitely wins most R-rated! Sookie (Anna Paquin) and Bill (Stephen Moyer) have lots and lots of sex. They may be madly in love, although another vampire, Eric (Alexander Skarsgard) poses a potential threat.

Stephen Moyer and Anna PaquinAn Impossible Love

Two very different but equally appealing vampire couples make our list.


3. Stefan and Elena (The Vampire Diaries)

Mystic Falls high school student Elena (Nina Dobrev) is attracted to Stefan, a vampire more than 150 years old (Paul Wesley) but after Elena learns what he really is, she recoils. There's enough tension here to carry The Vampire Diaries for years!

Charlaine Harris in Houston: Books, authors and fun

From Houston Chronicle

Bookworms had reason to boogie Sunday at the Houston Chronicle’s 30th annual Book & Author Dinner. (And we’re not just referring to the cocktail and book-signing music by bluesman Milton Hopkins and cheeky dinnertime oldies by the El Orbits.)

More than 400 fans of the written word turned out for the event at the Hilton Americas grand ballroom, which raised funds for the Houston Public Library Foundation and the Readers are Leaders Foundation.

Authors Lee Child, Oscar Casares, Julie Powell and Charlaine Harris entertained with witty insights into their lives as authors. Sponsors got more than the usual thank-yous from the podium when the other featured author, stand-up comedian David Cross, turned the program listings into his, uh, remarks. Mayor Bill White voiced his support for journalism as well as libraries, and Chronicle editor Jeff Cohen, the night’s emcee, bridged it all with good humor.

Susie and Joe Dilg, Jesse H. Jones II and Chronicle publisher Jack Sweeney co-chaired.

Also in the crowd: Spectra Energy’s Greg Ebel, E. Fred Aguilar and Jennifer Miller, Ed Smith, Susan Bischoff and Jim Barlow.

Everett shows True Blood in concert

From Daily 49

People who craved post-Halloween music watched Jace Everett perform at Alex’s Bar in Long Beach.

More than 100 people came to watch Everett perform Sunday night, including the theme song of the HBO show about vampires, “True Blood.”

Alex’s Bar, also known as Fangtasia on the HBO series, is a punk rock/dive bar and is definitely not where just-turned-21 youngsters will be found.

It is a great bar where people can go to drink a good beer or cocktail and listen to live music. It has an original autographed portrait of Johnny Cash and a portrait of the king of rock and roll, Elvis.

Everett’s performance in the bar, filled with fans dressed up as “True Blood” characters, felt like an alternative world where vampires hung out.

“It was good timing,” said June Bonakdar, a fan of the show. “I am a big fan and we have wanted to come to Fangtasia for a while.”

Everett’s music has an irresistible charm that will make people want to sway or tap their feet to the music. He sings like Chris Isaak and
he knows how to control his baritone voice to hit high and low notes.

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True Blood Music Video of the Day: The funeral by Band of horses

The funeral by Band of horses

Thanks, smvgrey74 |

Pam of 'True Blood' Says Yes to Lesbian Story

From Ace Showbiz

Queen of Louisiana Sophie-Ann may not be the only lesbian on "True Blood". After creator Alan Ball projected his thought of having other characters to have a same-sex relationship, actress Kristin Bauer has stepped forward to express her willingness to participate in that storyline.

Bauer plays Pam the sidekick of Eric and the screener of Fangtasia. Ball said he thinks Pam has a "lesbian vibe", explaining further, "I don't know that that's all she is, but she certainly does seem to appreciate the women."

"I wouldn't be surprised," Bauer told E! about Ball's plan to have Pam swinging the other way. "I think she's pansexual." One character that she pointed out to be her potential love interest was Ginger. "There are so many hot ones, but I'll pick Ginger. Ginger's hot. Ginger's fun. She's a screamer and she's a blood donor," the actress stated her reason.

The show is indeed no stranger to GLBT characters. Lafayette, who is the flamboyant cousin of Tara, will be getting a new love interest in the third season, Ball confirmed. Beside, the new character King of Mississippi aka Russell Edgington who is played by actor Denis O'Hare will also be gay. He has a long-term partner named Talbot.

The third season of "True Blood" arrives in June 2010.

http://www.aceshowbiz.com/news/view/00028557.html

Four Fangs Up To New Book 'Vampire Taxonomy' For Teaching Us How To Date A Bloodsucker

Our good friend Meredith gets a great write up by MTV
GOOO Meredith

Attention Vampire fanatics: For those looking to fill the void before "New Moon" opens, the next season of "True Blood" and "The Vampire Diaries" latest episode, check out "Vampire Taxonomy: Identifying and Interacting with the Modern-Day Bloodsucker," by Meredith Woerner. One part witty how-to interaction guide and two parts vampire glossary, this book is a humorous, yet authoritative look at pop culture's current fixation on all things fang-tastic.

"Taxonomy" begins with an overview of vampire origins, and then delves right into the gory detail of five definitive vampire types: Romantic (aka Edward Cullen, Bill Compton — see an illustration after the jump), Villainous (Count Orlok, Dracula), Tragic (Angel, Jasper Cullen), Halfies (Blade). We like the Tragic vamps best, in large part due to an adolescent crush on "Buffy" heartthrob Angel (it wasn't the same after he left!), and also because we are suckers for those tortured souls. Er, tortured soul-less? Ha. Who knew there were so many puns to be had in writing about vampires? Anyway, moving on.

http://hollywoodcrush.mtv.com/2009/11/03/four-fangs-up-to-new-book-vampire-taxonomy-for-teaching-us-how-to-date-a-bloodsucker/

True Blood to resurrect its vampire sheriff?

Vampire sheriff Godric was one of my favorite characters from True Blood's second season. As played by Allan Hyde, Godric was a wise, sensitive and progressive bloodsucker who felt compelled to atone for his sins and for the sins of his people. Last time we saw the peaceful vamp, he was bursting into flame on top of a Houston high-rise.

"That's too bad," I thought at the time. "I really liked that guy."

Did anyone else feel the same way? If so, head after the jump for some spoilery news that's sure to make you smile.

It looks like we might see more of Godric in True Blood's third season. E!'s Kristen says the show's writers are considering exploring Godric's 1,000-year history with Eric though flashbacks.

This sounds like a great idea. I'd love to see how the wicked and feral Godric we saw in last season's flashback became a stoic and merciful leader. And I'd love to see Eric in the role of naïve student learning from one of the oldest vampires on the show

http://www.tvsquad.com/2009/11/03/true-blood-to-resurrect-its-vampire-sheriff/

“Twilight” Parody “Nightlight” Mocks All Things Vampire

From Wall Street Journal ..

When pale and klutzy Belle Goose moves to Switchblade, Oregon, she becomes awestruck by Edwart Mullen, a computer geek who has no interest in girls and can play a mean triangle. So begins “Nightlight,” a parody of Stephenie Meyer’s “Twilight” written by The Harvard Lampoon. The book loosely follows Meyer’s storyline (girl meets boy, girl “unconditionally, irrevocably, impenetrably, heterogeneously, gynecologically, and disreputably” kissed by vampire-like boy), but adds a satiric twist. (Sample dialogue: Bella asks Edward, sorry, Edwart, why a giant wooden cross at the Mullen’s house is ironic. He replies: “Because we’re Jewish, of course–nonpracticing.”)

Though the Lampoon, which is run by Harvard students, publishes a humor magazine five times a year, “Nightlight” is the organization’s first novel parody in 4o years, the last book being “Bored of the Rings,” a send-up of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings.”

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Got a burning question for Charlaine ?

Tell Cassie what to ask..maybe a question about what Alan Ball said about "killing Bill " ? Just saying :)

Hey there Shallow Enders.

I'm interviewing True Blood/Sookie Stackhouse author Charlaine Harris this week.

If you want me to ask her a particular question, leave a comment below.

Post it here http://blogs.abc.net.au/theshallowend/2009/11/true-blood.html

True Blood Music Video of the Day: Touched by Vast

Eric and Sookie (True Blood) - Touched from Lorien Urbani on Vimeo.

Touched by Vast LYRICS

Thanks, LorienGaladriel