• When Bradford postpones the wedding, Wilhemina keeps her cool.  He asks her if she’s sure she’s all right.  Wlhelmina says everything’s fine, but as she does so the flames in the fireplace rise.  She then proceeds to bash the mannequins on the roof with a baseball bat!
• Justin telling his mother about the Mode Cafeteria, and their famous “Naomi Campbell Tuna Meltdown”.
• Alexis, suffering from amnesia, but now aware that she had gone through a sex change, squeezing her own boobs and giving Daniel/Betty an approving thumbs up.
• “I can’t believe we’re in Lucifer’s chamber…Beelzebub’s lair…the devil’s rumpus room…Oh, look!  A picture of Wilhelmina with Dick Cheney!”  (Cut to a photo of just that).
• My absolute favorite was the sublime moment when Wilhemina is confronting Betty on the roof, she says, “I think you forgot something!”, and we hear thunder.  Betty looks to the perfectly blue sky in puzzlement, then turns to see Marc wiggling a piece of sheet metal to make a thunder sound.  It was so silly and out of place, it was perfect for this show.  I’m still laughing about it a day later!

There were a few more honorable mentions: Betty telling Henry, “We were young and innocent then. Ah, youth!” .  Betty sarcastically saying “Down with babies!”, and a mother looking aghast at her.  Christina: “Ten bucks says there’s a coat in there made of dalmatian puppies”.  Betty and Christina hiding under the bed while Wilhelmina and Dwayne have an “Afternoon Delight”.  Betty texting (somebody) saying”I have to pee”.

Every single scene with Halston, the ugly dog.

There were touching moments as well: Justin at the convenience store where his father was killed, Ignacio helping Hilda to let go of Santos’ stuff, Bradford reconnecting with Alexis.

But, we’ll stick with the comedy.  What, to you, was the best (funniest) moment in the episode?

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Vanessa Williams was spotted on the set taping a wedding scene for Ugly Betty.  So, I guess we know that Wilhelmina’s wedding to Bradford will at least start, but I have a feeling it won’t make it through to the end.   It’s just a hunch I have, based on interviews with Williams and others.

But, I think Vanessa is absolutely gorgeous in a wedding dress.

Source: Young, Black, and Fabulous

Post from: Ugly Betty News

“She’s got talent and she’s professional, and those are the things that’ll help her survive in life,” Williams, 44, said at the ET/PEOPLE Emmy party on Sunday. “You know, welcome to the lesson of hard knocks. She got her first big one right now.”

Times, of course, have indeed changed since Williams lost her Miss America crown:

The fallout after the nude pic “taken privately” of Hudgens, 18, surfaced on several Web sites on Sept. 6 was minimal. The young star apologized to fans and has kept a low profile the past few weeks, but Disney stands behind the actress and she has not lost any of her endorsement deals.

“I met her and she’s a very sweet talented girl and I’ve seen High School Musical 2 a zillion times because of my kids … and she’ll be fine,” Williams said.

I sense a mentoring situation. Maybe even a guest starring role on Ugly Betty. Hey, don’t count it out, considering the Disney/ABC connections. But is Hudgens now too big for Ugly Betty? Or vice-versa?

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About the upcoming Emmys, Ferrera had this to say:

America also revealed she’s anxious about this weekend’s Emmy’s. 

“You turn on the TV to watch what everyone’s wearing and oh my gosh did she gain five pounds, did she lose five pounds, look at that dress, look at her hair, oh my gosh her toenail looks really weird coming out of her Jimmy Choo’s,” she said.

I’d get a pedicure before getting into Jimmy Choos,myself.  Anyway, she does address (a little bit), the recent firestorm about her retouched photo on the cover of Glamour:

“I don’t ask questions,” she said. “So I just tell myself that is totally me and I walk away and I don’t ask any questions. If you don’t know then you can’t be blamed for it!”

Plausible deniability.  I like it.

Now get this: Vanessa Williams revealed a spoiler we were all guessing about.  Read on for details!

Not only will she [Williams] star alongside her ex-husband, Rick Fox, but she’ll be hopping into bed with him!

“One of the executive producers said, ‘We’ve got this idea, how do you feel about having Rick play your bodyguard?’” she explained. “I said, ‘Sure, I’ll give him a call,’ and he said, ‘Well you’re going to have to sleep with him’ and I said, ‘That’s okay we’ve done that before!’”

So, Vanessa sleeps with her ex (on camera, at least).  Wilhelmina sleeps with her bodyguard.  I wonder what Bradford Meade thinks of that!

Source: ExtraTV

Post from: Ugly Betty News

 Vanessa Williams, native New Yorker and mother of four, is the voice of Mama the Elephant in the new PBS/National Geographic series “Mama Mirabell’s Home Movies“. 

“Mama the Elephant shows movies in which every episode is about different creatures that live in the water or on the savanna, and then her posse of little animals asks questions at the end,” says Williams, a native New Yorker and mother of four. “I didn’t even know how to pronounce some of the animals, so it was an educational process for me, too.”

This seems like an awesome show – when my kids were little they would have LOVED “Mama Mirabelle”.

Williams recently spoke to the New York Daily News about the series and the joys of parenting:

Q: Tell me about Mama, the soulful elephant you voice in the series.

V: It was a chance to do animation again and I loved the plans for the series. Plus I got a chance to do some singing with kids … songs are sprinkled throughout each episode.

What will kids learn from the show?

The show is situated in the African savanna, but kids will be seeing clips of National Geographic’s footage of animals from all over the world. The series allows parents and kids to see the different ecosystems and how important a beetle is in the African savanna as well as a polar bear trying to survive. It’s very cute and an entertaining way for kids to learn more about specific animals and the environment. They will also learn basic life lessons, such as respect – in terms of taking care of each other and what the Earth needs.

Have you been to Africa?

I’ve been to Africa twice – South Africa and Kenya, and seeing African elephants in the wild was terrific!

How do these lessons correlate to the values parents are teaching their kids?

It’s completely topical because there’s so much more attention on the Earth and how we can preserve it. It’s right on-board with the movement of people being considerate about their environment.

What do you feel are the three most important things parents should teach their kids?

Respect for others, as well as for the environment, various cultures and different religions. The other two would be tolerance and preservation of the environment and traditions, across the board for all nationalities. We are all one on this planet and this theme is really coming to the forefront now, because we are realizing just how small the planet is.

What do you like to do with your family in New York?

We see a lot of Broadway shows, but we also stay close to home and barbecue and hang out by the pool in the backyard.

What do you like most about being a parent?

It’s the most rewarding job that you can have that never ends. When you see them blossom each day and accomplish things such as reading a paper they’ve written, performing in a dance recital, and trying to achieve their black belt it’s amazing. You watch them struggle and achieve and win and that is wonderful.

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This is going to be good! So many questions…

Why is Betty wearing an eyepatch?
Why is Marc dressing like Wilhelmina?
Alexis is in a coma? Or just resting peacefully in the hospital?
BBW Amanda?
Shirtless Henry?

Oh, come on September 27th, I can’t wait!

Post from: Ugly Betty News

Anyway, I absolutely love “hometown” interviews, because they give you a far better insight than anything you’d get from the Hollywood press. Here are some highlights:

Q. Obviously you’re staying fit for yourself. But it’s also important for Wilhelmina to look fabulous. Why do you think the show is so popular?

America Ferrera [who plays Betty] is just so phenomenal, so approachable, and so talented. She is likable; people feel they have a kinship with Betty. She is very sensible and always does the right thing. Plus the timing was perfect. The film version of The Devil Wears Prada happened to come out before we debuted. We shot the pilot before the movie came out, so we had no idea what kind of phenomenon the show would capture. It’s a cross between a soap opera and telling tales. And it’s fun. People say to us, “It looks like you guys are having fun”—and we are. So they tune in because of that.

 

Q. How does this compare to other things you’ve done professionally?

I’ve played evil women before, and I always get a lot of attention for them. I did A Diva’s Christmas Carol, and I played a witch in Into the Woods on Broadway. So I’ve had practice playing women who are temperamental and larger than life. As an actress, that’s a lot of fun.

 

If I had to choose between TV, film, and Broadway, I would say I enjoy Broadway most of all because it allows me to sing, dance, and act in front of a live audience. But we may do a musical episode on Betty, which would be a scream.

 

Q. So you’re happy you’re doing the show?

Yes, I love the role of Wilhelmina! And I received my first Emmy nomination, so I’m very happy I’m doing it. Shooting the show in L.A.—that’s another story. I have to travel a lot more.

 

Q. Westchester to L.A.—that’s quite a Commute.

Yes. Last year it was very tough. I had four kids in four different schools, and it was not a good transitional year for any of them. The oldest, Melanie, was in her first year at F.I.T. Jillian was a senior in high school, Devin was finishing eighth grade, and the youngest, Sasha, was finishing Montessori. It was the worst year to move anybody anywhere. So I decided when school started that I would commute. It was grueling.

 

Q.  How do you make it work?

I am home on most weekends. It is written into my contract that I always have either Friday or Monday off, so I always have a three-day weekend. So, for example, I’ll fly home on a Thursday night and go back to L.A. on the red-eye on Sunday night to be at work on Monday.

 

Q. Who helps you keep your home life running while you’re gone?

I have my mom in the next town, Millwood, and my nanny, Kathy, has been with me for eighteen years. She went to high school with me at Horace Greeley, so she knows the area. She is part of the extended family. My ex-husband [Ramon Hervey, the father of Williams’s three older children] still lives in Chappaqua, and our kids spend time with him every week because we have shared custody. [She is also divorced from her second husband, Rick Fox, Sasha’s father.] So they have a village of people taking care of them, and they fly out to see me on weekends sometimes, too. They’re used to jumping on flights.

…

Q. Back to your work on Ugly Betty for a minute. There is a message that the show sends in that Wilhelmina has a very high-powered career, but her personal life is not so good. She has a difficult relationship with her father and is not close to her daughter. What is your comment on that, and how would you compare yourself to her?

 

Wilhelmina as a character is one of those people for whom there is never enough. Nothing is ever good enough. And you got a little flash of that when her father was introduced on the show and all her awards meant nothing to him. You can see that wound, and you can see her trying to fill a bottomless pit that she’ll never be able to fill. I can understand the drive that she has. But my love of family is so much different. That is my haven and my support. Her haven is really the office: that’s where she thrives, that’s where she knows she rules. For twenty years, she has worked really hard to make the magazine what it is. She is the creative talent behind its success, and she can never let go of it. If my career were to slip away, as  multi-faceted as it is, I know that I would have a family and a community that would fill my time and I would find other things to do. That is not the case with Wilhelmina.

 

The interview lists some of Williams’ local secrets, giving some interesting insight into her life:

Yoga teacher:“Helena Mertens, formerly of Westchester Center for the Arts and now at Women for Fitness in Bedford.”

 

Workout wear: “It’s a variety. Nike sneakers and gear are durable wash after wash. And I love cotton because it breathes.”

 

Nutrition strategies:“I have my food delivered to me in L.A. by Chef Paola Petrella. It’s low-fat, high-fiber, and loaded with flavor and variety. In New York, I shop organically at Mrs. Green’s, limit my sugar, try to avoid starches and refined carbs. Juicing is also a great way to start the day: carrot, celery, and beet with lemon and ginger.”

 

Skincare regimen:“I use Proactiv Deep Cleaning wash and toner, Mario Badescu eye cream, and Mila Moursi moisturizing oil.”

 

Hair: “A bit of a shocker, but I do get my hair relaxed at Sears at the Galleria Mall in White Plains. I have followed my stylist, Anetta, from JC Penney to Bloomingdale’s and now to Sears. It’s almost always open, and someone is almost always available at the last minute.”

 

Nails:“I go to Ana’s Nails on King Street in Chappaqua. She’s warm, inviting, and a master at mending a broken nail.”

 

Massage:“Nordic Therapy Spa on Route 120/Bedford Road in Chappaqua gives a great deep-tissue massage in a relaxing atmosphere.”

 

Waxing:“For anyone adventurous enough, Shine Salon on Main Street in Ossining gives the best Brazilian.”

 

Shopping:“A few of my favorite stores are Lilies & Lace in Armonk, Chiara Scura Shoes in Mount Kisco, and Phyllis’s Leather Shop in Chappaqua for handbags.”

 

Coffee or Tea:“I’m regularly at Dragonfly Caffe on Wheeler Avenue in Pleasantville for my daily Chai tea—a cozy, eclectic ambiance for a chat or computer use.”

 

Catering:“I just hosted an eighteenth birthday/graduation party for my daughter and used Thai at Home by Nisa Lee. She’s Westchester-based, but her food is Asian-inspired. The party felt like you went to visit a faraway land.”

 

Recent read: “The best book of the summer was Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.”

 

Tech gadget:“I can’t function without my BlackBerry. I have all my contacts, school schedules, appointments, and photos on it. It’s the way I stay in touch with my nanny, assistant, and kids. It’s life changing.”

You heard that right; she gets her hair relaxed at Sears.  That, my friends, is of the cool.

The rest of the interview is fascinating, detailing her strenuous workout (being very close in age to Williams, I can tell you, it’s hard. That woman is in shape.  Here are some of the photos of her workout routine:

Post from: Ugly Betty News

Click the “More” link to see all the Vanessa goodness:

Source: Celebutopia.

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It’s finally here!  Ugly Betty – The Complete First Season is now available (I’ll be getting mine during lunch hour). 

Last night, all the stars of the show came out to Sunset Strip for the DVD release party.  As told on ETOnline:

AMERICA FERRERA and her fellow cast members hit the famed Sunset Strip in Hollywood Monday night for the “Ugly Betty” season one DVD release party.

“I crack up the most, and I am kind of useless when I am behind the camera if anybody else is in front of the camera, because if they are doing something funny, I can’t contain it. I am the worst. I make them do like 50 takes,” America admits to ET.

Those outtakes are part of the special bonus features included in the DVD set, which also takes a look at how to get “Bettyfied.”

Which leads into the next tidbit about those very famous pearly whites:

Which brings up the rumor that America’s smile is insured for $10 million big ones!

“I don’t think so anymore,” she explains. “It was only during the time that I was doing a campaign with Aqua Fresh to benefit a charity called Smiles for Success, so it was part of the campaign to bring attention to the charity.”

ET has video of that interview in the page for this story. 

Wow!  Aqua Fresh must really  like America’s teeth!  It was for charity, of course, but great googly moogly – I couldn’t get my own teeth insured for $100!  However, she has the most luminescent smile in television; I just use mine to eat steak.  More on the party:

Also on hand for the swanky shindig were VANESSA WILLIAMS, REBECCA ROMIJN, ERIC MABIUS and ANA ORTIZ, who told us that America was a surprise guest at her June 9th wedding to NOAH LEBENZON.

“I was getting ready, putting on my wedding dress and all of a sudden America walks into my bridal suite and I just couldn’t believe it,” Ana says. “She flew in from Greece.”

And America explains, “I was shooting a movie over the hiatus in Greece, and I didn’t know if I was going to be able to make it, but then I did. That was really a wonderful experience to be there for Ana.”

You can’t help but get the feeling that the cast of this show gets along very well.  This is absolutely KEY to chemistry in a TV show, I believe.  It’s either there, or it’s not, and from what I’ve seen, the cast of Ugly Betty is becoming a family.

All right now, if you’ve never seen the show, or if you’d really just like a refresher, the first season DVD is out, so run on out and get yours!  I want you to have your Betty knowledge up to speed, because we’re going to be getting into some hardcore UB topics in the next few weeks.

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Source: Celebutopia

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