We've Moved!

Henceforth, I will be blogging with my usual regularity (roughly every solstice) here:

Miss Mackadoo's My Space space

Now I am like every other 14-year-old in the world.

Brother, Can You Spare a Blog?

See, I knew I was going to be one of those deadbeat bloggers. I started this blog because I was pissed off that the film I directed got a crappy review from one of the trades. Does the fact that I'm not blogging much mean that I'm over it? No. It just means that I started a writing job on a show that I am not going to mention, and at the end of the day, I don't have any more words. I have a lot of thoughts, most of them random and non-sensical, but I'm too tired to write them down. That's probably a good thing.

Did I mention that I'm not a big fan of the "holidays"? They annoy me. I like giving gifts, but I hate shopping for them. Thank god for amazon.com. Of course, I love going to the Apple Store, I'm still a proud iHo, and I'll take any excuse to make that trip. Let's just say there were a lot of arm bands and other iPod accessories given away this Christmas.

Oh, can I just say that the video iPod is crazy cool? I downloaded the entire season of "Commander in Chief" and it's just horrible. But I can't wait for the new episodes because I am compulsive that way. I will watch the dumbest shows just so I can see how they end. I wonder if it's any better when the screen is bigger than a postage stamp? Probably not.

"The Office" holds up on the small small screen. I've also converted some movies and I'm carrying them around with me. Makes me happy.

I also like my new cell phone. I'll write more about that later. I'd hate to let all the cats out of the bag at once...

R.I.P. Richard Pryor

Gutsy and nutsy, there will never be another Richard Pryor. His concert films changed an industry, and changed my life. I hope he is at peace.

Thankful, But Still Pissed

When I think of things that I'm thankful for this year, I don't have far to reach. The first one would be that my dad is recovering so well from the traumatic brain injury that he sustained in July. And actually, everything after that is a distant second.

Yesterday was Thanksgiving, and, as I usually do, I spent it with my in-laws. Now, don't you just hate it when you sit down to have a nice family dinner and someone starts telling racist Asian jokes and doesn't stop for a really long time? Yeah, I hate that, too. We got a little lost and arrived somewhat late, so everyone was seated by the time we got there. In other words, we didn't sneak in - it was a loud and warm "hello!" when we walked in. The mood was jovial, with heartfelt toasts and hearty laughs, and then one of their longtime family friends launched into his bottomless bag of Asian jokes. I'm convinced that he is so stupid that what happened was that he took one look at my little Asian face and subliminally thought, "Oh, that's right, I've got some chinky jokes" and then just ran his ignorant fat motor mouth. I swear, I was not two bites into my meal when he started. I immediately turned to my husband, who was deep in conversation with his cousin, and said, "Are you hearing this?" And as this jerk went on and on about how Asians can't drive and blah blah blah, I was just doing a running commentary to my husband about how ridiculous this was. I suppose the only good news was that he wasn't calling us "Orientals."

I'm fairly sure that under any other circumstance I would have said something to this guy. Oh, it probably would have been witty, but it would have been right to the point. It would have been something like, "When racist open mic night is over, please call me, and I will come back to the table." But I didn't say anything, and neither did anyone else. We just let it pass. Thankfully, my husband's uncle had a list of back "knock-knock" equivalent jokes from Yahoo that he was dying to tell.

After dinner, I found that I was really angry with myself for not saying anything. I'm an adult and I have a good, oh, 500 I.Q. points on this guy. The fact that he is stupid, or that he is from another generation, or that any-other-excuse-that-I've-heard-my-entire-life-for-racism is NO LONGER AN EXCUSE. I mean, I suppose that he has the freedom to tell any racist joke he wants, as long as he wants, but I don't have to listen to it. And I did. And I'm mad at myself for that.

Earlier that day, my friend called and said that she wanted to hang out with us that night. So, she came over and cooked another meal, which I actually ate, and I told her about what happened. She looked at my husband and said, "Why didn't YOU say anything?" And I totally understand why he didn't. It's the same reason why I didn't. We didn't want to make a scene at the table. We didn't want to make the family uncomfortable.

But she said, "I would have said something." And she would have. Right there on the spot. She would not have hesitated, she would have not done the math about who was there and who might have been offended. She would have said something. And it would have been witty and right to the point -- and done without hesitation. Because that's who she is. She is incapable of letting things like this go.

And so I am thankful. I'm thankful that I have friends like that. I'm thankful that I learned that I can walk away gracefully and without making a scene -- and thankful that I know that next time I will. But I'm mostly thankful that I will never have to eat a meal with that asshole again.

Any Asian In A Storm

If you know me, you'll see that something is wrong with this grouping of pictures.

If you don't know me, you probably won't catch it.

As for myself, I don't think I'll stop laughing for a long, long time.

Can We Terminate Him Already?

On October 7, 2005, our Governator signed SB 861, which is a breed-specific law, targeting pitbulls in California. (Gavin Newsom, one of my S.F. heroes supported this -- how could you?) Details are here.

Ok, so this is not an all-out ban like in Ontario, Canada, but it's a toe-hold. I think it's a good idea to spay and neuter dogs, and we always do, but to FORCE owners with a specific breed to do so is discriminatory. Also, if you read the law, it's a little vague. It basically states that if you own a pitbull -- or a breed that looks like a pitbull -- this law applies to your dog.

Also, these breed-specific laws are the first step to stronger restrictions. Try getting homeowners insurance if you own a pitbull. It's nearly impossible in California. We are punishing an entire breed for being the choice of bad dog owners. It is a small step from SB 861 to a total ban, and that's not paranoia, it's history.

This one, I can't blame 100% on the Governator, because ignorance about this breed spreads far and wide. It's just unfortunate that our law-makers have caught the bug. Maybe I'll start tapping into the demographic that people really listen to -- celebrities. I have a camera, a microphone and some webspace. Maybe it's time for some PSA's.

Let's Get R-O-W-D-Y!

I don't know why this story of two Carolina Panther cheerleaders having sex in a bathroom stall makes me laugh so hard. Maybe it's the level of shock and outrage that is surrounding this incident. If it were a cheerleader and a football player (given that the cheerleader was female), then it would not be FRONT PAGE NEWS. It would be downright passe.

But maybe I'm just laughing because I can only imagine these two drunken cheerleaders spelling to each other as they do the nasty. "Say my name B-I-T-C-H!" or "Oh yeah, I like it like T-H-A-T!" or everyone's favorite "Be aggressive, B-E aggressive."

Get over it everyone. If you can't get drunk and screw your friend in college, why go?

Comeback "Comeback"

Ok, I hope Bruce was playing a mean joke when he told me that HBO cancelled "The Comeback." Yes, it did have a perfect ending, but I want more. Actually, I think I NEED more.

Am I alone in this universe? None of my friends really got into this show, the way we all got into "Six Feet Under" or "The Office." "Too insider," they would say. And to that I say, "Um, we all work in this business. If we don't get the joke, who will?"

I never watched "Friends." I've seen bits and pieces of it here and there, but have never seen an entire episode. Nothing wrong with it, but I just wasn't interested. However, I think Lisa Kudrow is a genius. Anyone who knows me knows that "Romy and Michele's High School Reunion" is one of my favorite movies, and I don't even consider it a guilty pleasure. It's simply good. And Lisa Kudrow makes me laugh all the way through it. But in "The Comeback," that pained/strained smile that signals that she's thisclose to "thar she blows!" is just too funny. I loved the character of Valerie Cherish. This show was closer to a documentary that most documentaries I've seen. It never let me down.

Well, I guess I'll have to settle for watching the American version of "The Office," which I love. Oh, and I'll wait for "The Sopranos" and "The L-Word" to roll back around.

And please, someone, put "The Comeback" on dvd. I'll buy it the day it comes out. I'll pre-order it even. Thank you.