Snaps

for whoever created this.

Bad Romance

Just about everyone has covered this Gaga tune -- from Jared Leto to Joseph-Gordon Levitt and from Courtney Love to the cast of Glee -- but in my opinion, no one quite as well as the incomparable Hayley Williams. She always kills covers, but this slowed-down, shortened version of Bad Romance is her best; tough and delicate all at once (not unlike the singer herself).

The Drums on "Juliet Doesn't Live Here Anymore"

The one good thing about tonight's episode of Gossip Girl:

Best of the West Wing!

Criminal that "In the Shadow of Two Gunmen Part Two" and "Noel" are not on this list...but "17 People" at number two almost makes up for it.

C-Love

You must read this fantastic New York Times article on Courtney Love today. I am a huge fan of hers, so there's not much I can say about her that hasn't already been said by others like me -- she is as brilliant as she is troubled, and so it is that we as fans are cursed with always hoping for the best for her and at the same time expecting the worst from her. The article acknowledges this, and paints quite a poignant portrait of the artist herself, acknowledging that her life has been equal parts humor and tragedy -- both largely by her own making.

VOTE FOR VINCENT

John Noble is a revelation on Fringe. I watched the show in its first year, and I would be the first to tell you that. But Vincent Kartheiser's performance on Mad Men cannot not go unnoticed any longer! I love Hamm, Hendricks, Moss, and even Slattery just as much as the next Mad Men fanatic, but from the pilot to the incredible season four finale a few weeks ago, Kartheiser's portrayal of oft-jilted ad man Peter Campbell has been pitch perfect. Pete has gone from being a man-child to a blackmailing deviant to a danger to German babysitters everywhere, but as a viewer, I didn't really care which Pete I was watching. I just wanted to watch him. And it's because Kartheiser is so adept at displaying every single facet and subtlety of Pete's personality; he knows the character to his very core. Maybe Pete infuriates you -- but he's the very darkest (and sometimes the best!) parts of you, and that's why. Vincent for Prez (of this EW bracket game)! Vote now.

Just in time for Halloween...

a creepy Pretty Reckless video to go with their creepy-good song.



Okay, yes, I do experience some serious discomfort when the teenage Miss Momsen strips down to her skivvies. Insert necessary "where are her parents?" here. But her voice is fantastic, reminiscent of Courtney Love on the first few Hole records, and the bridge (which begins at 2:25) is a delicate and welcome change from the rest of the song -- worth skipping straight to. Even though Momsen is clearly going through her ex-child star rebellion phase (almost a cliche by now), you have to give her credit for making and writing music on her own. She could have capitalized on her Disney and CW roots and had three albums and a clothing line by now. Instead, she didn't, and we got this -- an angsty, imperfect album -- but it's authentic, and that's not something we see often (if ever) coming from teenage celebrities.

Happy Halloween to all -- that's it for now.