LOST Correction: Ben and his motives

Yesterday I wrote my theory as to why Ben stayed behind (instead of "moving on"). I incorrectly assumed that meant he was waiting on Danielle and Alex Rousseau to die, too. In reality (the Island reality, that is), Alex was already dead, as was Danielle, if I'm not mistaken.

So, the Rousseaus are already dead, as is Ben, in the Sideways World. Maybe he's just waiting on them to have their "awakenings" or maybe he just wants to have a life with them, even if it is in the Sideways World.

Either way, consider this my correction of yesterday's flawed conclusion about Ben and his motives.

Reaction: The Lost Series Finale

It's been less than 12 hours from the time we learned the fate of the Losties. And the more I think about it, the more I am OK with it.

At first, the whole sort-of-Purgatory thing was contrived. The producers said way back when that the Losties were not dead and not in Purgatory. They should have added a "...yet." But I supposed that would have spoiled the surprise(s).

Either way, the finale worked for me. Sure, there were a few other things I would have liked answered, but I supposed I would have to turn in my Lost Lover Card for asking for answer to EVERYthing.

Here's what I would have liked to know more about:

> Vincent (so, he really was just a dog?)
> Walt (he was special but never to return?)
> Eloise Hawking (she knows all the answers and can live in both worlds?)
> What, exactly, is the Smoke Monster (and why so mechanical-sounding? was that supposed to be something we could/should know?)

My thoughts on the ending. The Sideways World was the sort-of-Purgatory, and the Island was the real world. Just like Christian explained to Jack, everyone died ... eventually. Whether they were on the plane with Lapidus, already off the island or hanging out with Hugo, they all had to die; that's life. Once each person died, he or she started their own Sideways life. So, when we saw Jack and Rose talking to each other on the plane after the turbulence stopped, they were already dead. I'm not suggesting they died in the crash in the "Pilot." The crash and the non-crash are completely unrelated; they just happen to be a similar moment in both lives.

The part that clinched (né explained) the ending for me was Ben and Locke's conversation outside the church. The fact that Ben stayed back signaled that it was the "In Waiting" world. Ben, ultimately, is waiting for Alex and Danielle Rousseau to die, so he can "move on" with them, as one, big trigger-happy family.

All of this, of course, occurred to me after some thought on the subject, given that my jaw was dropped in confusion/slight anger immediately following the closure of Jack's eye.

I guess what I am saying is that, for all the questions it left hanging, this was still one of the better, more memorable series finales I have ever seen. Maybe because it was the only appointment TV I've had in years, or maybe just the 5.5 hours worth of show and fanfare. Either way, this blows the more recent event finales (Friends comes to mind, 24 still to come) WAY out of the water.

Taps and the City

So I turned on "TAPS" on FMC because I wanted to catch the scene that is used in the Scene It board game. What I found out while watching was that--brace yourself--Harry Goldenblatt once had hair! I know! Oh, and that was also 28 years ago. Quite the career, I'd say, Mr. Handler.

For the uninitiated, Harry Goldenblatt is Charlotte's husband, in "Sex and the City."

I'm still working on a screenshot of him in "TAPS," but I'll get it posted once I get one.

Actor: Evan Handler
Previous work: "Sex and the City" and "Californication"
Fun(ny) fact: He used to have hair. Who knew?

The Gooch says Go Meat!

But, of course, she is playing a ukulele while saying "Go Meat!" Do you think she was talking about Ted (from "Scrubs") when she was thinking of meat? My guess is no, but she was his love interest, so anything is possible.



Actress: Kate Micucci
Commercial(s): Hickory Farms "Go Meat"
Previous work: "Scrubs" and "Rules of Engagement"

Spring Awakening Likes TV Peeps

"Spring Awakening" is a musical set in 1890s Germany and deals with subjects like abortion, masturbation, rape and suicide. Awesome, right? Well, it turns out it is. Last year the show picked up eight Tony Awards, one of which was Best Musical.

Not only that, but it also is attracting some relatively recognizable names. For instance, Silas from "Weeds" and the late Karl from "Lost."

And who knew they could sing?!

Actor: Hunter Parrish (Silas)
Previous work: "Weeds" and "Freedom Writers"

Actor: Blake Bashoff (Karl)
Previous work: "Lost" and "One Tree Hill"

Doctor-cop Extraordinaire

He generally plays some kind of medical professional (law enforcement-related or otherwise).

He has been on "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" three times, and has played a different detective each time.

Actor: C.S. Lee
Monk episode: "Mr. Monk is on the Run, Part 1"
Previous work: "Dexter" and "The Sopranos"

Holiday In Living Color

She's generally a nerdy, almost-mothering figure. But she is mostly known for her work on "In Living Color." And actually, you might even remember her as one of the women in the divorcee circle in "Jerry Maguire."



She's the frizzy-haired blonde who stabs Jim Carrey.

Actress: Kelly Coffield
Commercial(s): Holiday Inn Express breakfast bar ("Pick Up"- WMV, Quicktime)
Previous work: "In Living Color" and "College Road Trip"

Sex with Seacrest (??)

Well, not really. But you know that Scope White commercial with Ryan Seacrest and Josie Maran? This actor is the producer or AD getting Seacrest set for the interview with Maran. He was also Skipper in the early episodes of "Sex and the City." Hence, the title.



Actor: Ben Weber
Commercial(s): Scope White (Seacrest); FedEx (where the guy cannot locate China on a map); and Top-Flite golf balls (with Kenny Mayne)
Previous work: "Everwood" and "The West Wing"

Sex and the Monk

Most women, and probably many men (including me), will know him immediately as Steve (Miranda's husband). But, ladies, in this episode, Steve had a grayish goatee. It looked kind of strange.

Actor: David Eigenberg
Monk episode: "Mr. Monk Makes a Friend"
Previous work: "Sex and the City" and "The Mothman Prophecies"

Xeroxing Cheese

She's been in a lot of TV shows, but more recently has been appearing in commercials. But mostly, she's probably more remembered for her "correspondent" position on "The Daily Show."

Actress: Beth Littleford
Commercial(s): Xerox (broken mute button) and Laughing Cow Cheese
Previous work: "The Daily Show" and "Drillbit Taylor"

Carl Winslow

Ha! I'm hoping that headline was enough to grab you. Just seeing him on TV again, regardless if it was a bit part, was enough to get me excited. I blinked several times to be sure it was him. Carl Winslow, playing a remarried widow on "Monk." And yet, since I saw him in "Die Hard" just a couple days ago, I thought of him in that film first.

Note: Although most people would know him immediately from either "Family Matters" or "Die Hard," I still felt the need to post this, if for no other reason than posterity.

Actor: Reginald VelJohnson
Monk episode: "Mr. Monk and the Class Reunion"
Previous work: "Family Matters" and "Die Hard"

No. 2 on Pop Candy

This What's His Face? is the one that finally kicked me in to gear to start doing this blog.

While watching "Lost" last week, the guy playing Kate's attorney was bothering me. I knew him from somewhere, so I checked IMDb. Turns out, the guy was in the film "Frequency" and played a character named--wait for it--Jack Shepard. (For those who don't watch "Lost," Matthew Fox also plays Jack Shephard). Granted, the spellings are different, and the names might not mean anything in the long run, but surely this wasn't just a happy accident. There's no such thing on this show.

http://blogs.usatoday.com/popcandy/2008/02/lost-in-a-fla-2.html

For the record...

Actor: Shawn Doyle
Previous work: "Frequency" and "Big Love"

Note: I altered the image above to save space and get everything on the same page. Also, I blurred my username for safety's sake, although you can view it if you go to the blog itself.

Gus' Nicknames

Burton Guster (Gus) is the sidekick to Shawn on "Psych." This is a list of his nicknames, as given to him by Shawn.

Lavender Gooms
Ovaltine Jenkins (my personal favorite)
Nick Knack
Silly Pants Jackson
The SuperSniffer
Magic Head
Spellmaster
Weepy Boy Santos
Schoonie "U-Turn" Singleton
Gus T.T. Showbiz
Chocolate Columbo
Burton "Oil Can" Guster
Big Head Burton
Dr. Mc[click][cluck][click]Toock
Tan (of Black & Tan)
Schmuyel Cohen
Francois
Vernus Lambert Watkins
Shutterfly Simmons
Galileo Humpkins
Convertible LeBaron (it was more of an adjective, not a nickname, but I liked it)

... more to come as the show continues.

Domino's Cures the Munchies

… I'm told. Anyway, I was just sitting here watching "Monk," and a Domino's commercial comes on. The delivery person is finding her stride as a new mom who helps distribute marijuana alongside Conrad and Heylia on "Weeds."

Actress: Indigo
Commercial(s): Domino's (Sharpied eyebrows)
Previous work: "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Family Guy"

Hertz Donut

When most people see this guy, they generally say, "He looks like Chris Farley." Well, that's probably because he is Chris's younger brother. He can now be seen as an undercover agent who infiltrates Hertz rental cars.

Actor: Kevin P. Farley
Monk episode: "Mr. Monk is on the Air"
Commercial(s): Hertz ("Well, I'm not a spy!")
Previous work: "2Gether" and "Black Sheep"
Bonus material (from "2Gether"): http://314degrees.blogspot.com/2008/02/getting-2gether-on-hgtv.html

Getting 2Gether on HGTV

You plus Me equals Us. Turns out, calculus is pretty easy. Why didn't anyone explain it like this before?

This guy was the "leader/heartthrob" of 2Gether (remember, from MTV), but now is more known for hosting home design/improvement shows like "FreeStyle" on HGTV.

Actor: Evan Farmer
Previous work: "2Gether" and "While You Were Out"

And because this one is so exciting, here's some bonus material. It's kind of blurry and I don't know who this Mikey guy is at the start of the video, but, damn, if this isn't awesome:

Big Fish in the Office

He played Roy, Pam's boyfriend/fiancé who wanted to kill Jim, as well as a deaf football player and a gay bartender. That's quite the spectrum of roles, wouldn't you say?

Actor: David Denman
Previous work: "Big Fish" and "Out Cold"

Best Chappelle's Show Ever

Chad: "You stabbed my dad!"
Tron: "I mean, really, Chad, we could just f--k you up."
He's also a mainstay on most of the VH1 shows where people say funny things about stuff that happened this week or in the '80s or '90s.



Actor: Christian Finnegan
Previous work: "Comedy Central Presents" and "Chappelle's Show"

[Expletive deleted] Begins with Kay

He played Adam Davies, Drama's agent on "Entourage," before Ari was fired. You'll also see him in the Journey diamond necklace commercial from Kay Jewelers (the one with the first kiss, love kiss and baby kiss--or something like that).

Actor: Jordan Belfi
Commercial(s): Kay Jewelers Journey diamond necklace
Previous work: "Entourage" and "Smallville"

Un-pimped Out Auto

They're the commercials where the "German" guy and the hot assistant (still working on who she is) smash a ridiculously pimped-out car. You probably know him better as the rarely clean-shaven, hobo-looking Russian bad guy. But in actuality, the actor is Swedish.

Actor: Peter Stormare
Commercial(s): VW Mark 5
Monk episode: "Mr. Monk Paints His Masterpiece"
Previous work: "Fargo" and "Prison Break"