A Night with the Cast of House MD. Part I.

Last night was amazing. I had never been to the John H. Mitchell theater, home of the Paley Center for Media, but it did not disappoint. Rather, its my new favorite setting for these types of events. If you have looked through my gallery, the photos can say all I can't about the theater.

Enough about that though... Let's get on to the cast!

I still wasn't a true fangirl about Hugh Laurie until last night. I was a flip flopper; "ok, I could see his attraction and he is a great actor, but..." I had that hesitation. Not anymore. I love him and will probably do anything to sit in on another panel with him. I think he's more attractive in person actually. Hell, even my Mum agreed. He's so personable and is a very nice man. We didn't get to take photos with him because there were too many people at the stage and the Paley staff were trying to usher us out of the room. I was content. I loved how attentive he was to the questions. I've been to many of these things before and the actors tend to give the shortest answer or explanation possible. Yes, they have time restraints, but they do the ability to string together better stuff. Hugh Laurie was not one of those actors. He apologized for talking so long. The audience scoffed at him and told him to go on! We were eating it up! What type of audience doesn't love to here from the main actor himself? Laurie spoke about how he was cast and how he had also read for the part of Wilson.

"But once I read about Wilson having a boyish face I knew I wouldn't be cast," he remarked while pointing to his face. Robert Sean Leonard laughed. Leonard did not look like he was comfortable at all being there. He wasn't abrasive but he looked bored. He even zoned out a bit.

Moderator: "So what is your favorite episode?"
RSL: "Of what? House?"

That got giggles and laughs from everyone in the room. He turned slightly red and asked to think about it a while. He is really handsome with that boyish charm. Omar Epps was very quiet, but unlike Robert, he paid close attention. His answers were clearly heartfelt. I wish he did speak more, but he looked shy. [I can't understand a shy actor. Its an oxymoron to me.]

Lisa Edelstein. I'm a straight woman, but hot damn! The only other woman that had that much real beauty and had me gobsmacked, was Gillian Anderson. Lisa is a fan favorite and I could see why. She's adorable and hilarious. She was not afraid or shy to talk about sex scenes and making out with Hugh Laurie. Laurie on the other hand blushed and was horribly embarrassed. She brought up the make-out when the moderator asked if the cast had any stories in particular they'd like to share or some random anecdote they thought was interesting.

Lisa: "I got to make out with Hugh." She had the chesire-cat grin in place. Everyone got a laugh. "Clarify!" Hugh shouted over the din. I'm betting he didn't want the missus or the public (mainly the dreaded paparazzi) to misinterpret that statement. Lisa did explain the scenes. Everyone in the crowd cheered for "Huddy" action. To Laurie, it was "odd."

"It was odd... doing that with a friend I've known for the past five years."

"Odd? I would have used some word like passionate!" Lisa goaded him. She was playfully offended and tried to get him to use some other adjective rather than odd. I truly believe she has a crush on him or at least is an admirer. The way she smiled and whispered together really spoke volumes. The chemistry is there and plays out well on screen. I can't wait for season six!

So there are a ton more things I'd love to write but I shall continue with this later on today. It's almost noon and I unfortunately have to return to reality. Feel free to check out anything in the gallery and download the photos! I should a couple more up soon. Someone apologized for leaving a ton of comments earlier and thought they were spamming my inbox. Quite the contrary! I only consider comments spam if they have nothing to do with the photo being commented on (Example being, talking about Daniel Radcliffe while viewing the Alan Rickman photos. That's spam [and blasphemy]). Like my profile says, I like my ego stroked.

My All Time Favorite Fictional Couples *Slightly Spoilery*

I've seen and read hundreds of these. Most are quite good but they tend to stick to the "mainstream" television/literary/whatever couples. The Geek sector is overlooked. As an intense member of the "Geek faith" (saw this earlier and made my day), I have to add my two cents in. These couples are tragic and dysfunctional and just oh so much fun to watch and/or read. So here's my list of the best couples ever: [Disclaimer: I took major liberties with some of these "couples" since I know a couple of them were just "friends." Haha, yeah right!]

Bill Compton and Sookie Stackhouse ("True Blood" and the Stackhouse Books)

This was a doomed romance from the beginning a la Romeo et Juliet. He's a vampire, ousted from society for being dead. She's a hick waitress with an unusual "gift." Bill doesn't really get being "human" anymore since he's been a vampire for over a century. Sookie is all human and more so with her compassion and understanding. Her friends are against her dating Bill and the vampires Bill associates with, don't get why he's trying to go "mainstream." I won't spoil the story since season 2 of "True Blood" hasn't even started, but if the books are any indication, Bill and Sookie have a long way to go.

Hannibal Lecter and Clarice Starling (Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal, etc)

Everyone, and I mean Everyone, knew there was something between the FBI student trainee and the cannibal when Lecter ever so slyly brushed his finger against hers when she was handing him the file on serial killer Buffalo Bill in the movie "Silence of the Lambs." The tension in rooms and movie theaters was electric! Just that little contact caused the whole chemistry between them to change. The sequel "Hannibal" did a good job with keeping up that strange, dark attraction, but Ridley Scott should have kept the original book ending... Yes, audiences would have been thrown into the 8th ring of Hell shrieking, but it would have worked better than the lukewarm ending they used.

Josette DuPre and Barnabas Collins (Dark Shadows)

Love really does make you do the wacky to borrow from another hit vampire show. You just knew Josette and Barnabas were meant for each other but they would not be able to be together due to Angelique's resentment toward Barnabas. If Barnabas had only kept himself in check... Josette's death is really the breaking point for Mr. Collins who turns into the blood thirsty, insane vampire after being the first sympathetic, self-loathed creature most vampires are portrayed as now. I'm dying to see who is the lucky actress to be chosen to play Josette in Johnny Depp's "Dark Shadows."

Jenny Calendar and Rupert Giles (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

You're still in a love with a guy who had raised a demon decades ago and then possessed you, making you torture said guy? You forgive the woman who practically destroyed your surrogate daughter's love life in one fell swoop and lied to you about practically everything, even her true name? Don't forget she shot you with a crossbow, too. Giles and Jenny were the nerdy couple that I seriously thought were going to break the Hellmouth's hold on relationships. He was the bumbling librarian, brave and stalwart when facing evil. She was the computer nerd, quick witted and beautiful. They learned that neither of them were perfect but they loved each other regardless. Giles finding Jenny's dead body in his bed was the most horrifying, tear-jerking scene I've seen in a while. I still haven't seen anything so sad. Giles was never the same afterwards. In my book, that proved she was his soul mate.

Severus Snape and Lily Potter nee Evans (Harry Potter series)

After reading "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" you have got to be crazy to argue this couple with yours truly. Yes, they weren't together romantically, but damn it! Snape did anything and everything to avenge her death! Almost two decades went by with Snape mourning and planning in his own sadistic mind. He risked his life and swallowed his pride to help the "Chosen One" even though he wanted nothing to do with him. I would be as hateful and resentful as Snape if I had to look into the eyes of the person I loved, shinning through on the person I hate most's face. He died for her. To take a quote from Marryanne (Sense and Sensibility), "what's more glorious than dying for love?" Plus, even if you hated Snape and think he was the world's biggest bastard, you know you balled your eyes out when, after Dumbledore asked if he was still in love with Lily, he replied, "Always."

Fox Mulder and Dana Scully (The X Files)

There is nothing like a good extraterrestrial event to bring opposites together. From the pilot to the last (awful) episode, Mulder and Scully were the "it" couple. From the moment they met, you knew they were destined to be together. I think audience's fell in love with that tension that always surrounded them and that indecision on both their parts. When they finally got together in season six and seven, I think the writer's relied too much on the fan's expectations instead of letting the characters grow naturally.

Doctors Gregory House and Lisa Cuddy

These two are the Mulder and Scully of the medical world. Bickering about anything and everything, they just can't stand each other. But they can't keep away from each other either. We really don't their history, but we do know they've known each other since their college days. The deception of the season five finale though has me questioning my own sanity on whether they really were as "friendly" as we all thought. Hopefully we won't have to wait long to see where their relationship goes.

Let Me Hear that Triumph Purr.

Has it been so long since I have written anything of substance? Yes, I believe so, but that is not directly my fault. Blame it on higher education and its insane need to preach the inane and prove that ineptness is not cured by a doctorate or bar exam. After two years of law classes, I never will be a lawyer. You truly sell your soul and I cannot even fathom some of the moral ambiguities that have presented themselves this quarter. Plus, personally, they are miserable people. Anyway, that is my gripe.

To the fun stuff...

Due to the persistence of a Ms. Sanchez, I finally gave in a several weeks back and gave House, MD. a chance. I've always liked Hugh Laurie but never was really a fangirl. I was more enamored with Stephen Fry and his quick wit. Anyway, I ended up watching all five seasons. My sleeping pattern has well and truly gone to Hell. Sarcasm and satire are my favorite types of comedy. I'm a fan of "bad good guys" (example: I'd pick Batman over nancyboy Superman any day). The tragic/conflicted "hero" types are so much more interesting. So now, I'm officially a House fan.

Did I mention Ms. Sanchez and myself are seeing Mr. Laurie in person? No?

Well then, thanks again to the Paley Center for Media, we'll be at a panel where Hugh Laurie, David Shore and Katie Jacobs will be speaking on the creative process of House. Paley has the best presentations. This panel will be held at the John H Mitchell Theater instead of the Arclight. I was surprised but after seeing the room its going to be held in, elated. The room is tiny! It holds only 150 guests which means I was pretty damn lucky to get tickets in the first place. Never having been in that theater, I'm praying they allow photography. Hugh Laurie is a nice addition to my gallery. Worse comes to worst, I'll find the backdoor. There is always a backdoor. Additional panelist are to be announced so says the Paley website. Bryan Singer, Lisa Edelstein and Robert Sean Leonard better show up! My Mum will be on hand to make sure I don't give my famous portrayal of a "deer-in-the-headlights" if we're allowed to rush the stage. Oh Dear God, will I ever let that go?!