Jenna Coker-Jones and Christopher Kale Jones star in Ford Theatre's Little Shop of Horrors

Earlier this week this blogger/video producer/stage manager got a real treat- a behind the scenes look at Ford’s Theatre.

Perhaps most famous as the site where President Lincoln was shot, Ford’s Theatre continues to operate as a performance venue and looks better than ever after re-opening from renovations two years ago. I was excited to walk on the theatre’s plush red carpeting and see this iconic space for myself.

I walked past the house lobby into the theatre where I walked by a sign that read no firearms (oh if they only had that back in the day…) as well as a sign that said no food or drink. I tucked my water bottle into my blazer and hoped the Ranger on duty didn’t notice (I paid $.89 for that bottle and it was still full! Dont’ worry guys I wasn’t going to open it and ruin a National landmark.)

The theatre was smaller than I thought it would be- but then again performance spaces of the 19th century probably weren’t very large. As I sat down in the balcony I looked to my right and saw the Presidential booth, draped in flags with a portrait of Lincoln George Washington hanging outside the front of the box. To my left I saw another box and to my immediate left I saw the lighting designers programming cues. The light board rested above wooden planks place across the front row- a juxtaposition of old history and modern age technology.

It was a technical rehearsal not unlike the ones I’ve been through as a stage manager. The actors of the show stood around in place as the stage manager, director, and music director moved through the script and worked out specific technical cues. The only difference between this production and the productions I’ve managed is that everybody was calm, efficient, and professional at this rehearsal. Let’s just say I’ve been through worse technical rehearsals.

Little Shop of Horrors Set Design Sketch (Scenic design by Court Watson)

I got a great view of the set, very similar to the original design sketches shown here. Audrey II, the giant plant that the show is most well known for, was on stage and looked terrific as I saw it “eat” lead actress Jenna Coker-Jones over and over again. The overall look of the show appears to stay true to the show’s reputation as an Americana cult classic. Coker-Jones plays the role of Audrey and Christopher Kale Jones (Jenna’s husband) plays Seymour. The husband/wife duo is supported by a cast of other local DC actors, many of which you can see on Jenna & Christopher’s behind-the-scenes videos. For more behind the scenes look check out Katie Brobst’s blog where she chronicles her experience learning about the show from an outsider’s view.

From the sneak peak of the show last night I am definitely interested in seeing the show- and with the theatre’s under-35 special I am definitely going to make it out! Patrons under 35 can get tickets for only $10 on Mondays starting March 22nd.  Just use the code UNDER35 at checkout.

Little Shop of Horrors
March 12 – May 22, 2010
Ford’s Theatre
511 10th Street NW
Washington, DC 20004
202-347-4833
http://www.fords.org

He's got 99 problems but Obama ain't one.

Last week during a concert at the Verizon Center, Jay-Z made reference that he visited the White House earlier that day. Looks like the rapper got free reign as this photo of him chilling in the White House situation room was leaked.

His main squeeze Beyonce was on hand as well.

Look Beyonce was there too!

h/t Politico Click, TWS

Only three more episodes of Real World DC? What will I do with my Wednesday nights? Where will I go to get my daily dose of DC B-Roll shots and rampant drinking & drama?

I will say one thing, I’ll have a lot more free time on Thursday mornings.

Drama In DC

Panda In Love?

Panda love

Right off the bat we are introduced to Andrew Leigh, a model that Andrew met at Fly Lounge. The two appeared to hit it off, perhaps all too quickly. Given that she’s ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS, some are wondering if she wasn’t a plant from the show considering she previously auditioned for Real World DC. MTV provides some comments from the roommates about her intentions and they have her back- but a part of me can’t help but think how convenient it is that the guy who’s storyline has mostly been about getting action finds a really hot girl to make his girlfriend.

Did I say girlfriend? Yes Andrew and Andrea spend the entire episode doing cute things like cuddling and painting nails. Somewhere along the way however Andrew strays off the path when he and Josh bring home a couple of girls. Sure we know that Josh is a beast that cannot be tamed but is Andrew? While Josh is having his way with his girl Andrew is left entertaining a girl in the confessional… and we know things happen in the confessional…

Just in the nick of time Andrea arrives from her night out and an awkward moment is had as she spies some other woman all over Andrew. Mike plays damage control upstairs while this other chick is trying to convince Andrew that Andrea isn’t even pretty. What? What planet are you from? Well Andrea and Andrew eventually patch things back up and become an official item. Of course I don’t think couples are official until it’s on Facebook- but that’s just me. Over at Elizabethany’s RWDC chat they already came-up with a pet name for the two: Pandrea. It sounds like a mix between a bread shop and the blue planet in Avatar.

Regardless of Andrea’s intentions I do have to say Andrew is my new hero- he proves that you can be quirky and weird and still land a model- it does help if you look cute however. Looks like I still have a long way to go…

Erika Is Jealous of Everyone

Erika's ready to smack someone

Erika is just a Debbie downer all episode. First she fails to appreciate one of DC’s biggest sports: soccer. The cast gets to sit in the loud and rowdy Barra Brava section of the stadium and Erika fails to get excited about the game. Hey put a few beers in me and I’ll be ok with bouncing around and screaming. Next she has a phone interview with NPR, which I found weird because most other employers gave cast members face-to-face interviews. Maybe it’s a radio thing.

Well she decides to play phone queen and rags on Mike when he is on the phone with his boy crush before the scheduled interview. Now maybe a simple, “get off in five” note would suffice, but she instead writes a long note about how NPR may call early- may call late- and how she only has one chance to get this right.

Kinda melodramatic right?

Well looks like she was right about one thing- she talked with NPR but later found out she won’t be able to work with them after-all. Cue downward spiral of self loathing and whining.

She tries to write some music to help feel better but instead makes me feel worse because she sounded terrible. I don’t know who’s worse- her or Josh? Maybe a trip to a trendy place like Busboy and Poets might cheer her up? Not really- she sees the lovely Alyssa Suede on stage and you can read the jealousy in her eyes. Later on Callie’s photography is featured on the front page of The

Everybody is happy about Callie's photo... except Erika

Washington Blade and everybody looks happy…except Erika.

Everybody is working hard and earning success, while Erika appears to be working not as hard (or at all) yet failing to gain anything from it.

Things are heading towards an early exit as Erika considers going back home where she can truly be happy and do what she wants (wait what is it that she can’t do here in DC to make her happy? She’s done nothing but moped and cried.) Callie doesn’t take this news well and amongst a heated discussion blurts out, “No one is scripting us, no one is telling us what to do!”

Um Callie… YOU ARE ON THE REAL WORLD. You life right now is far from unscripted.

So is Erika bound to leave? Probably. Are we going to care? I hope you don’t because I don’t.

Memorable Quotes

More on Andrew’s type of girl: “She has so many problems and I love girls with problems.”

Andrew’s true talent: “I’m good for multiple orgasms, its my lot in life.”

One Up

Callie

The more I talk to others about this show the more we can all agree on one thing: Callie is the most normal person in the house. She doesn’t get into trouble and she listens a lot. She did a lot of that this episode.

One Down

Erika

Move out already- I’m tired of your whining- I’m glad Ashley kept her mouth closed this episode or else I’d have her down here too.

Hey I Know That Place!

RFK Stadium: Home of DC United and the Eagle Bank Bowl

Sweetgreen: Still haven’t eaten a salad there.

Bodega: You know this had to be a big date for Andrew- he didn’t take her to Buca.

Busboys and Poets: Some people love it, some people hate it I don’t mind going there with my netbook for all day blogging sessions.

Final Word

I really don’t have a final word for today- but I will repeat what I said earlier: Andrea is really hot.

I was in the middle of writing today’s Real World DC post when I got an urgent call on my phone. It was my co-worker Clarence who had very important news.

Conan O’Brien is coming to town- and the entire office already bought tickets.

At 10 AM today tickets went on sale for Conan O’Brien’s 30-city tour, “The Legally Prohibited From Being Funny On Television Tour.” Sidekick Andy Richter and the former Tonight Show band will join O’Brien for what he calls “a night of music, comedy, hugging and the occasional awkward silence.”

While the entire event has spread like wildfire on Twitter- I haven’t heard about it until today, probably because it wasn’t announced til today. Way to pull a fast one on us Conan. It’s not like he needed any publicity ahead of time, his profile has never been higher and I think this is a great move for him since he is legally obligated to stay off the air. He has a lot of free time. He’s already taken to Twitter to pass the time and decided to follow one lucky girl.

So upon hearing that on June 8th he will be at DAR Constitution Hall I did what any normal person would do- dropped everything and bought two tickets.

Tickets are available via Ticketmaster. Get yours today- I just did.

I’m not from the most culturally diverse place.

Despite this however sometimes I’m surprised at the selection of eateries in Washington D.C.’s “Chinatown.” I find it funny that I can find numerous Mexican, steakhouse, and fast food cuisine- with an Asian restaurant mixed in the mis-matched bunch. Chinatown back in my hometown of Boston blows DC’s version out of the water.

Granted there are some Asian touches that I suppose makes Chinatown a Chinatown: Asian lettering on the Ruby Tuesday’s, shady “trading company” stores where my friend Adam can buy herbal remedies made out of bee venom and tiger balm, and I suppose that big ol’ arch also effectively marks the neighborhood as Chinatown-like. Still I’m not too experienced when it comes to eating Chinese food in Chinatown.

So when I found myself in Chinatown after the Georgetown game this past Saturday, my friend Adam and I decided to actually find a Chinese food restaurant to have some lunch. After consulting Yelp we settled on Full Kee, who’s reviews were more polarizing than Avatar. We knew we were going to eat at the best, or the worst restaurant in Chinatown. It was a risk I was ready to take for my friend, and my loyal readers.

We were lucky to grab a table before the post-game rush came through the door. The cozy little place isn’t very pretty, but most restaurants in a Chinatown type district aren’t. The place fit the typical Chinatown image- complete with a butcher at the front window chopping up ducks.

While we ordered and waited for our meals my friend Wendi stopped in, hoping to get lunch before a Chinatown bus ride. She told me Full Kee was her favorite place and that we made a great choice. Her opinion was backed up by the long line that had already formed out the door.

The food was everything I expected out of a Chinese food restaurant: the chicken was covered in some sort of brown sauce, the duck was crispy, and the whole meal was certainly fat and greasy. It certainly wasn’t bad but I may need a repeat visit to decide if it is particularly good.

What do you think? Is Full Kee the best Chinatown has to offer or is there another place I should try?

Full Kee
509 H St NW
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 371-2233
http://www.fullkeedc.com

I like to consider myself the head of my household.

Even though I live with two very beautiful roommates, I take charge of utilities and dealing with the landlord- so when I saw a letter addressed to the “The Resident At,” I grabbed it and opened it up to see it was a lovely letter from the U.S. Census Bureau. The letter was warning me that the 2010 Census form will soon be coming my way in about a week. It was short, to the point and had instructions for reaching the 2010 Census website in many languages.

I could go visit the site and play with the 2000 Census map to see how my neighborhood did the last time this happened (Arlington had 72% participation in 2000) or learn why it’s actually important, but I was too lazy to do all that work- so I asked my high school friend Mike. He moved down here a couple of years ago to get a job working for the… you guessed it, Census Bureau.

His three things you should know about this year’s Census:

1. More than 400 billion dollars in federal funds are allocated every year based on census population data.
2. It’s quick and easy- 10 minutes, 10 questions.
3. For every 1% increase in the participation rate, it saves the federal government 90 million dollars in taxpayers dollars.

That last point was interesting, when I asked him about saving money he explained that those that don’t fill out the form can expect a knock on the door, from a Census enumerator looking for the info. It costs $25  for the government to send an enumerator out to count a person, while it only costs the government $.42 to buy a stamp when you send the form back in the pre-paid envelope after you’ve answered the questions.

What kind of questions will be on the form? Mike told me you can check it out online which I did and it’s pretty basic stuff- nothing too revealing just stuff about who lives there. I mean a Census is just about counting people right?

Well thanks to my pal Mike I’m all briefed and ready to fill out that bad boy when it comes in the mail- will you be?

It’s the mother of all Presential impressions in Funny of Die’s latest video. An true all-star cast of SNL alumni come together to reprise their past roles lampooning the Presidents of the United States. Amongst some of more current impressions (Fred Armisen as President Obama, Will Farrell as President G.W. Bush, and Darrell Hammond as President Clinton) are some classic blasts from the past (Dana Carvey as President George H.W. Bush, Dan Aykroyd as Jimmy Carter, Chevy Chase as Gerald Ford.) One notable absence is Phil Hartman as Ronald Reagan, but Jim Carrey steps in and gives a wonderful performance.

All these comedic greats come together for Main Street Brigade’s effort for a formation of a Consumer Financial Protection Agency which is a bill in congress.

Regardless of the political message the video is hilarious- check it out:

Click the photo to view the video!

I'll call 911 right after I bitch out Ty

I should of expected a letdown.

When I said that an episode is the best ever- I am also saying that no other episode could top it. And just like Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen, this week’s episode was a minor disappointment compared to last week’s action.

What made last week’s episode so epic?

• Andrew trying to  hit on women to varying results
• Watching Josh creep up on girls and continue to think it’s ok to cheat on his girlfriend with Kelly Ann Collins
• Fighting between Ty and Emily reaching a good balance of drama where it’s not overwhelming but provides another level of complexity in the storylines
• Cliffhanger ending

What did we get last night?

• A storyline dominated by the cliffhanger to the point where it quickly overstayed it’s welcome
• Ty and Emily reaching new levels of annoyance

That’s about it.

Drama In DC

Andrew Suffers From Acute Reality Star Syndrome

The neck collar was a nice touch for someone that was diagnosed with alochol poisoning.

So is Andrew ok? Is Ty going to get kicked out of the house? What happened between Andrew an Ty? So many questions left after last week’s ending, but the show does do a good job in tying up almost all the loose ends.

It appears that there’s no fear of major injury with Andrew since everybody was drunk nonchalant about the situation. While it was reliving to see that Andrew got back up and was able to move all his extremities, Callie does bring up a good point that there’s a risk of a concussion. However we do know that his mind is somewhat in good shape- he doesn’t stop dropping the lines for one moment. So the 911 call is made and DCFD are quickly on the scene. The first responders decide to play it safe and take him to the hospital where he is diagnosed with acute alcohol poisoning-  isn’t that fancy speak with getting really really drunk? I mean what reality show doesn’t end up getting really drunk on TV? In fact you could probably say that being on The Real World DC is a risk factor for acute alcohol poisoning.

At least he was wheeled away with some mementos (which Andrew thinks will get him chicks.) Sorry to tell you Andrew, but chicks don’t dig neck collars like they dig scars.

Oh and for those wondering what really happened between Ty and Andrew that caused the fight can listen to Elizabethany’s The Real Worl DC As We Saw It Podcast for the answers.

Ty Is Still A Dick, Emily Still Hates Him

Ty and Emily fight, house watches- been there, done that.

While Andrew was still himself during the whole ordeal after the fall, so was Ty. The house was quick to turn against him as he was still acting like a jerk while Andrew was being cared to. At the house meeting after the incident the roommates turn against Ty and his “aggressiveness” and blame his drinking. I blame the fact that Ty was simply fulfilling his role as the token angry black guy on the show. I don’t knwo what he didn’t play that card. Nevertheless, under the pressure of the roommates he agrees to never drink again.

Really? There was no way that was going to happen.

And of course it doesn’t, and Ty starts to drink again and talks to the boys about it, who agree that perhaps a no-drinking punishment was a bit too harsh. I agree, the root of the problem is that Ty is just an aggressive, angry person- and we’ve see him like this when he’s drunk or not. What the roommates should of said (or what Ty should of agreed to) was to try an control his temper- and not put him into a position where he is likely to fail. Of course Emily becomes the head referee and is quick to call for his head because he is still drinking, yet still in control.

The rest of the house has also mellowed out on their edict- leaving Emily the sole protester. This is where she got way too annoying for me.

The last scene at the end where she almost has a nervous breakdown at Ty convinced me that this is indeed about more than his drinking. This incident was Emily’s excuse to get one up on him, to get a sense of control.

I hate that. Just as much as Emily hates Ty.

My message to Emily: chill out, I know things aren’t going to work between you and Ty but why become a pariah over the issue? Bottom line is that I can only take so much for Ty, Emily drama and it appeared that Emily was perpetuating it more at the end than Ty, so she leaves a sour taste in my mouth.

Memorable Quotes

Expert medical analysis from Josh: “They discharged him because he’s hydrated and not so intoxicated.”

One Up

Callie

Besides her freak-out when Ty called him fat, she’s clearly the most normal person in the house. Mike is there too but he’s got that whole sexual confusion deal going on.

One Down

Emily

I want to put Ty down here but Emily’s freak-out at the end actually raised my stock in Ty (but not by much.) That’s how annoying she got- I actually started to feel bad for Ty.

Hey I Know That Place!

Kettler Capitals Iceplex: Located in my hood of Arlington, VA; it is the home of the offices of the Washington Capitals where Ty recieves an internship.

Capitol Skyline Hotel: Need a pool? Need a party? They got both.

Garrett’s: Real World tested, MTV approved (which means they probably can’t go anywhere else on M street besides Rhino and Garrett’s.)

Final Word

What else happened on this episode? We meet Andrew’s brother. You can tell that Andrew’s not playing it up- his entire family is just weird.

That family has great fashion.

I give the Washington Post credit for occasionally posting lighter stories going on around the DC area- like this one that caught my eye:

A resident reported that a white dog appeared to be stuck in heavy snow in a yard; it had not moved in some time, and the caller feared for the animal’s safety. An officer entered the yard and discovered that the “dog” was a metalized nylon balloon with the face of a white dog on it. The balloon had become lodged in the snow.

At least the resident meant well.

Photo courtesy Flickr user Rafael Robayna

As you know I am a fan of ESPN’s Bill Simmons and the B.S. Report podcast. Part of the excitement of covering the Real World DC this year was feeling included on Simmon’s podcasts on reality TV that he often does with Dave Jacoby, a fellow ESPN producer. Early on the season things looked bleak as Simmons considered the cast of this year’s season too young- struggling to get into the latest chapter of the granddaddy of all reality TV. However last week’s episode did enough not only to rekindle Simmons’ interest in the season, but to call up Jacoby to do an “emergency podcast” in order to dish about the episode. Here are the bullet points of the 2/26 podcast:

• Jaocby compares The Real World DC to the 2009 New York Jets season: lacking until last week’s turning point.
• Is there a theme of male vs. female relations?
• Emily is described as, “tough on the outside, hollow on the inside”
• The two watched Ty throw Andrew off the porch, “700-800 times” in order to get it straight
• Ty has a charm with women similar to Mike Tyson
• The cameramen never seem to get the best shots on reality TV- just the surveillance cameras
• The two would love to see a show just of surveillance footage of convenience store hold-ups
• Is there a conspiracy that MTV is holding out on some of the footage?
• Josh really can’t sing (and I totally agree)
• They love Callie, the kind of girl that’s pretty but has no self esteem and loves to drunk dial guys
• Emily will dominate the RW/RR challenges

You can listen to the podcast over at the ESPN Podcenter Archives.

And now an MTV post that’s not about Real World DC.

The Buried Life, another MTV series focuses on the journey of four guys traveling the country to complete their “bucket list.” While they are out crossing off items on their list they return the favor by helping a stranger complete an item on theirs. It’s a pretty neat idea and I’ll admit, something I wouldn’t of expected on MTV.

Of course to make it more MTV the four guys are skater types who stereotypically, “life live on their own rules.”

Well anywho this past week’s episode featured the crew visiting DC to attempt item #95: Play Basketball with Obama. Quite the task for four young adults with no DC connections at all. However thanks to their gumption ( or magic of MTV) they get in with some big DC people. They talk to a number of congressmen including Baron Hill of Indiana and Missouri Senator (and Twitter fan) Claire McCaskill.

Sure sending e-mails to Rahm really isn’t getting close but somehow the crew gets into the office of Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood. There the secretary shoots the breeze with them and makes a call over to the White House. Clearly this segment was done over the summer- right now LaHood is busy with Metro and Toyota troubles.

They even somehow get in touch with Reggie Love who tries but ultimately can’t fit the boys in for a game of hoops.

With Obama in the White House DC has become an even more popular place to shoot reality shows. Real Housewives of DC is the next big series to hopefully make a TV debut; Blond Charity Mafia, the first DC reality show that I wrote about last year, has been relegated from the CW to MTV UK. Ouch.

What will the next big DC reality show be? Let’s hope it’s something besides rich people acting all snobby in Georgetown.

Best Episode Ever.

Ya I went there- I’ll go ahead and say it. Last night’s episode had everything I would be remotely interested in when it comes to The Real World: girls, drunken behavior, and more girls. The fights and drama? It was present and did enough to make things interesting, but not overbearing- like the perfect pinch of salt.

If the rest of the season holds up to this standard I may half enjoy watching it.

Drama In DC

Push Comes To Shove For Emily And Ty

The honeymoon is over

So the showmance between the two have cooled- does that mean they will be able to live as roommates amicably? Hell no.

Ty decides to constantly push Emily’s buttons through physical and verbal teasing, once again proving that the two are pretty much married. Even when they “aren’t together” they fight- the tension is so thick you would half expect them to stare each other down before a violet orgy of make-up sex. In some sort of drunken interpretation of The Bro Code, Ty stands his ground when Emily wants to break up yet another instance of Josh cheating on his girl (more on that later.) Emily is visibly shaken when the drunk Ty pushes her around.

Judgment? Well Ty is fully embracing his angry man role on the show. He’s not getting what he wants so he’s going to take it out by getting drunk and angry. The once cool and confident Ty has been replaced by a whiny, tantrum-prone baby. Ty’s angry black man-ness comes to a head when he throws Andrew off the front porch at the end of the show. Will Andrew be alright? Oh no, “to be continued!”

Will Emily and Ty be alright?I’m not holding my breath.

Pimpin’ Panda Finally Gets Laid

Watch out: this beast has been unleashed

The show finally gets back to Andrew’s quest to get laid. He tries his hand at a women that he describes as similar to Erika because she has lots of ink. Then she meets the one… as in the one that will finally sleep with Andrew. You can tell the lady is a true DCist, she gives him her business card before she walks out the door. With a new found sense of pride, Andrew does what any guy would do: go on a ladies blitz of man-whore like levels.

The girl up? Emily. Not not roommate Emily, I’m talking about a girl he met at Rhino Bar. He seals the deal to the dismay of his roommates who would like to see him settle down and date one girl, not “love them all” as Andrew says. Well Andrew does decide to do a little romancing and asks Emily out on a date. The date didn’t really start off on the right foot (Emily admits she considered standing him up) and never really got off the ground (Andrew: she was blabbing about something.)

So that’s 2 for ladies he’s slept with and 0 on dates that have led to second dates.

Josh Does His Best Tiger Woods Impression

Aw man if I was only hot I could have all the ladies line-up for me and my friends.

Remember that time Josh cheated on Ashley with Kelly Ann Collins? You would think that after my blog helped her catch his infidelity he would be more careful.

You were wrong. the beast is out of the cage now and it is all over Washington, DC.

After bringing home yet another girl to hook-up with, Ashley makes a late night phone call that Josh takes with another lady in his bed. On that call he claims that he’ll,  “try and be faithful for the rest of my time.” Of course it’s all B.S. Just like the excuses he makes to her that he can’t help himself. In his defense, it’s not like his own mom is helping him, she tells him to forget about your girlfriend down there. Good to see it all runs in the family. Don’t worry Mrs. Conlon Josh should be making you proud as he and all the other boys in the house are making out with girls up against the walls of Rhino Bar.

We also see two of Josh’s women return back into his life. Ashley visits him and pretty much plays out the same way it did last time:

1. Cuddle/hook-up in bed

2. Ashley says how much she loves Josh

The old home wrecker is back!

3. Ashley leaves

4. Josh cheats on her with Kelly Ann Collins

That’s pretty much what happened except this time Ashley dyed her hair back to brown. Also does Josh feel a bit of guilt that he likes the woman Erika describes as “old” and “a home wrecker?” Possibly- he decides to break up with her after Kelly Ann’s return visit.

By the way KAC isn’t too insulted by Erika’s comments according to Twitter.

Memorable Quotes

Josh’s is allowed to cause drama: “James Bond got a license to kill, rock stars have a license to be outrageous.”

Andrew reaffirming previous stated qualities in women: “I like em young, blond, and ditzy.”

If Andrew was a superhero: “It’s hard when you are this good looking- girls just beg to just come back to sleep with you: it’s your curse, your power, your responsibility.”

The best RWDC house guest quote ever:

Emily (from the bar): “Guys I’m not going to be in the hot tub – I refuse to be one of those girls.”

Chelsea: “It’s too late dude.”

One Up

Josh

I was considering making him my down this week but I’ve come to realize that the show is more enjoyable with him causing trouble on it.

One Down

Ty

Throwing Andrew off the balcony? Not cool, even if half of America wanted to do it after episode 1.

Hey I Know That Place!

Third Edition: I’ve never been but I hear it’s kinda snobby.

Rhino Bar: Where you show up and make-out with women up against the wall. Also how many times can they show this place in one episode?

Kid Power: Where Emily goes to interview for an internship- located in Chinatown.

Buca di Beppo: The official date restaurant of The Real World: Washington D.C.

Edmund Burke School: Where Emily teaches poetry and where people underestimate kids all the time (but not really since Edmund Burke is a co-ed independent school- if it was a DC public school then maybe.)

Final Word

Look I understand Emily that you are teaching poetry but really with the snapping? Where are we,  in a 1995 coffee house?

Sure the Winter games maybe in full swing but I remain vigilant to my duty to provide you with the weekly breakdown of Real World DC. That and I’m not really watching the games at all (has Lindsay Vonn won a gold medal for her SI spread yet?)

Anyways I’m happy that the show has taken a break from the stupid, pointless fight storylines to provide something with a little more substance.

Drama In DC

Mike Comes Out Of The Closet (But Which One?)

Wearing a suit was a wise move for Mike

The episode starts with Mike visiting his local congressman, Representative Jared Polis. Polis is the first is the first openly gay man elected to the House as a freshman according to Wikipedia, which makes him a no-brainer appearance for the show.  His meeting with Mike made for one of the more serious and well-done scenes of the entire series. Mike who has been in confusion of his sexuality meets a person that he can look up to as he catches the political bug that bites almost everybody that lives in DC.

Two other notes about this visit:

1. Good thing he learned from his earlier job interview that you should put on a suit when you are meeting somebody important.
2. It’s cool that Polis has appeared on the cover of Metro Weekly, but why take a photo of the framed cover when you could grab a photo of the actual man?

Mike realizes his true love is back home

Meanwhile, Mike’s casual relationship with Eric is great but he is slowly realizing that Tanner (boyfriend back home) is really the guy for him. He attempts to call him to patch things up but has to talk to him through their friend Meghan. Really? Not that I don’t think Tanner was too upset to talk to him, I just think it’s really dramatic to have somebody else act as a negotiator between the two. Regardless the two patch things up and Tanner agrees to visit- but not before Mike’s own family stops by.

Awkward gay kiss

Mike’s family flies in from Colorado and visits the house. Mike takes his little brother out to Adams Morgan (pretty much the place you should take out-of-towners visiting) and shows off his “bi-ness” by making out with Callie.

Ya it must of been as awkward as it looked on TV, however I can relate to him for having the feeling that he has to prove something in front of his family. I may or may not have gone on rampant displays of affection to show my friends I’m a ladies man.

Mike’s tension with his family over his sexuality come to a head when his mom and him have lunch with his HRC bosses. Mike’s Mom learns of his work and his passion for LGBT issues and tells him how proud she is in a teary exchange.

While the moment is reality TV gold I have trouble with he fact we only assume he is coming out of the closet that he’s gay. We don’t see Mike clearly admitting that he’s gay- only his mom talking about his son as a gay man. So there’s still a little bit of ambiguity on the issue. Is Mike truly out of the closet as a gay man or as a bi man?

Battle Of The Band Between Josh And Erika

The two musicians in the cast finally get a storyline as they both try and start a band to varying degrees of success.

The beast is unleashed, but can't sing

Josh quickly finds a group of musicians to start a band with, with him as the front man and singer. He admits that he’s front man material because he attracts attention- interesting to say when you only been in two of the eight episodes so far, sounds like you need to work on attracting the attention of the producers.

However he does have the look of a front man and probably would make a great one- except he doesn’t know that he’s missing a key ingredient: the ability to sing. Through practices we hear that Josh can’t really hold down a tune. During a practice at the house he admits he was off because he skipped a line- I don’t know if skipping a lyric can account for the fact you are tone deaf. Will Josh’s new band, Wicked Liquid, take off? Well so far they have been using the attention from the show to get gigs but will they keep coming now that we see that they have a front man who can’t sing?

Erika only wants one thing for X-mas: a band

Erika on the other hand is more talented but is a diva, drama queen, and can’t find a band (or isn’t trying hard enough.)

She spots a violin/duo that she’d love to work with, but after their car breaks down on the morning of their first rehearsal she refuses to work with them. Sounds a little harsh considering they e-mailed later expressing their continued interest.

Even though she wants to be in a band so bad she doesn’t seem to be doing anything to fix it besides whining. Mike suggests posting ads but she counters with, “it didn’t work in Chicago- why would it work in DC?” Maybe because they are different cities with different scenes and needs in the community. Wow Erika- way to be a go-getter. Also she cites that only 20% of the music industry is women, a fact I can’t really confirm but she is right that women are a small piece of the music industry.

Erika doesn't understand why Ian won't answer his phone after 14 calls

When Erika isn’t whining about her music she’s whining about missing her boyfriend Ian. She gets jealous that Ian is in a room with other women (OMG!) It’s not like Erika is not surrounded by other men when the cast goes out to the DC hotspots. Later in the episode she finally starts to reveal her psycho side when she can’t get a hold of Ian and ends up calling him 14 times.

I knew that the girl was a crazy bitch.

Memorable Quotes

Erika on how often cars break down: “People’s cars just don’t break down  like the morning that it’s supposed to happen.”

Josh on how he’s front man material: “You just take one look at me and that’s about it- that’s all you need.”

Josh on his music making process: “That’s what we do- we make hits, we make magic and we’ll have a solid album in like a matter weeks.”

One Up

Josh

Sure he can’t sing for the life of him but he’s always good for great quotes.

One Down

Erika

Sure she can sing but she’s slowly revealing that she is nothing but trouble.

Hey I Know That Place!

Office of Jared S. Polis: L0cated in the Canon House Office Building.

Washington Sports Club: Apparently there is a gym on 15th & P that’s really gay, Vida Fitness? Results Gym? I wonder which one he’s talking about.

Tom Tom: Ya maybe if I was at Tom Tom I’d want to prove my masculinity as well.

HRC: We finally get the name of the mysterious handler/co-worker that always is in any HRC scenes- his name is also Mike.

Final Word

I love ridiculous action in the background of shots- like a shot of The Situation making out with a girl during a Ronnie scene on Jersey Shore. That being said did anybody see Emily sleeping at the keyboard when Mike went to talk on the phone?

Emily can't you find another place to take a nap?

Wow. Have we all survived Snowmageddon? Snowpocalypse 2? Snoverkill? Well, we can certainly give ourselves an extra pat on the back, since it is officially the snowiest winter on record. All three major airports (DCA, IAD, BWI) reported record snowfall during the past week of blizzards.   Amusingly, NBC4 ran this tidbit on their chyron the other day, noting that the DC record was 126 years old instead of 111; this year’s total beats out the winter of 1898-99.  I’m not criticizing, though!  They were tired after providing us with not one but two non-stop snow-coverage days inside of a week.  The recordkeeping dates back 126 years, so it’s not like the number came out of nowhere, after all.

The streets were downright Zhivago-esque

How did you cope, DC?  Did you shovel snow for yourselves and your neighbors?  Participate in a snowball fight?  Go sledding?  Go skiing?  Go to some other part of the country?  I’m one of those psychotic snow-lovers, so I have thoroughly enjoyed myself.  Each day I went for a walk around my neighborhood, taking in the sights and the quiet that only a thick blanket of snow can provide.