The Bad Girls Club throws down in Miami

You would think that over-the-top cat fights, prima donna tantrums, and excessive screaming and crying would eventually annoy the typical reality show junkie, but not when it comes to Oxygen’s reality hit Bad Girls Club. You cannot expect anything less dramatic when you shack up a group of rowdy, alpha dog young women in a mansion smack-dab in the middle of the L.A. or Miami party scene. Throw in some alcohol, boys, and PMS, and you have a beautiful disaster just waiting to happen – a disaster that brings in better reviews and more followers with each new season.

The first season of Bad Girls Club, filmed in L.A. in 2006, started off with a bang when one girl got into such a drunken frenzy, she attacked two of her fellow housemates, tearing apart the clothes of one and pouncing like a rabid animal on the other while she was asleep. Numerous backstabs and hair-pulls later, Bad Girls Club is now in its fifth season, with the objective of the show remaining the same – fight, drink oneself into a stupor, hook up with random guys, fight again, throw glasses, pass out, repeat. However embarrassing or repetitive, such a concept never seems to get old or fails to entertain.

Moved from L.A. to Miami, Bad Girls Club season 5 already sees drama break out in its first episode, when a group of girls gang up on one specific (and very much conceited ) house member, packing up her things and locking the bags outside while she is out partying. The girls continue to upset and harass her so much it causes her to throw a tantrum and consequently leave the Bad Girls house only after one night. Every night the fights get louder and gaps between enemies of the house grow wider, sometimes calling for production and security to intervene before things get too out of hand. The major appeal of such debauchery is that one is not directly involved in the chaos, but can safely watch and laugh from the couch at home while these young women – in their booty shorts and hair extensions – fight to claim the title of Queen Bitch of the Bad Girls house.

The Bad Girls Club perfectly combines the right amount of sugar and spice to keep both self-proclaimed bad girls and even those considered goody-two-shoes amused and coming back for more. Just goes to prove that yelling and making an overly-dramatic scene really can get you what you want in the end.

Check out the wild antics of the girls on Bad Girls Club, Tuesdays at 9 p.m. (ET/PT) on Oxygen.

Animal House still Big On Campus

Before Jason Biggs made it so people could never look at an apple pie the same way again in American Pie. Before Will Ferrell made heavy drinking while simultaneously streaking naked down the street funny again in 2003’s Old School. Before these modern-day college favorites was 1978’s ultimate frat boy classic National Lampoon’s Animal House.

Staring the legendary John Belushi as the sloppy, Jack Daniels-totting “Bluto” and Tim Matheson as the smooth-talking and flirtatious “Otter,” Animal House highlighted the crude and crazy lifestyles of the boys of Delta Tau Chi outside of the college classroom. With its crude humor (Otter pretends that a recently deceased college girl is his fiancé in order to get gullible sorority sisters to go out with him and his friends) and pure laugh-out-loud fun (Bluto pretends he’s popping a zit with his mouth, spewing chewed up food everywhere and causing mass hysteria in the cafeteria) Animal House makes for a classic that the college kids of today and the alumni of yesterday can both enjoy.

Directed by John Landis, Animal House received mixed reviews upon its first release in theaters, but over time has grown to become an American comedy icon, grossing over $141 million including video and DVD purchases. No matter how many times one watches this film, withholding smiles and laughs is simply impossible. Belushi makes for the perfect degenerate college kid, drinking and eating his days away instead of going to class, resulting in a 0.0 GPA. Stephen Furst makes for great fresh meat as “Flounder,” the stereotypical freshman and fraternity pledge, trying to please everyone while making a complete fool of himself in the process. The closing scene, where the whole fraternity crashes the annual homecoming parade, makes one want to get up and cheer for the underdog good guys who get the last laugh in the end. Who would not want to seek revenge on the town and school board after Bluto’s impassioned speech, where he proclaims, “Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?! Hell No!” What makes this comedy come full circle in the end is learning that each “bad seed” in Delta Tau hits it big later in life, with Bluto becoming a US Senator and Otter becoming a successful gynecologist in Beverly Hills.

Animal House has made it on the New York Times’ The 1000 Best Movies Ever Made and Bravo’s 100 Funniest Movies. With its wacky cast and its vile yet hilarious humor, Animal House remains a favorite among college campuses nationwide, with the Delta toga party theme still in full force.

The Jersey Shore fist-pumps its way to Miami, bringing “GTL” with it

GTL – Gym, tan, laundry. Just one of the many phenomenons made mockingly famous by the now infamous crew of MTV’s The Jersey Shore. With Nichole “Snooki” Polizzi’s fuzzy orange slippers and drunken escapades and Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino’s excessively flaunted six-pack, it seems that the so-called “guido” and “guidette” cast of seven always manages to find a new and wild way to entertain. But with the second season already headed into its fourth episode of the summer, it remains to be seen whether the instant fame and fortune brought by the show’s overall success will overshadow the raw and unscripted amusement which first embodied the allure of The Jersey Shore.

In The Jersey Shore’s first season – filmed in Seaside Heights, NJ – some of the footage and events captured were so hilarious and jaw-dropping that it was stuff even the hot-shots at MTV could not make up. Snooki gets punched in the face by a grown man, The Situation and his sidekick Paul “DJ Pauly D” DelVecchio give unattractive girls they encounter the nickname “grenade” – both examples of some of the rather embarrassing but still hugely entertaining things that went down at the Jersey Shore in 2009. Many make fun of the cast and detest them for bringing an even bigger bad rep. to the Jersey Shore, but the show is like a bad train wreck; something that people do not wish to enjoy, but still cannot tear their eyes away from.

Now in its second season, the crazy kids of The Jersey Shore return to wreck havoc and turn heads in Miami, FL. Things do not seem to be much different – with petty cat fights still breaking out in the house and random, hilarious, drunken hook-ups taking place every night – but with the cast now open to fame and attention, Jersey Shore fans can only hope that Snooki and her pals continue to keep it real and “Jersey” in front of the cameras.

The second season was filmed this past winter and the third season is already in the works back in Seaside Heights – the problem being that The Jersey Shore crew is so recognizable and widely known that they now cannot walk down the boardwalk without a mob of crazed beach tourists or fans following their every move. Snooki’s arrest for disorderly conduct in late July was already broadly covered on many entertainment blogs and outlets. Seaside Heights is a notorious hangout for young partiers and it is not uncommon to find intoxicated individuals roaming the boardwalk at all times of the day. Could it be that things got out of hand and Snooki happened to be the one arrested due to the swarms of people taking note of her every move, drawing the cops’ attention to her “situation”?

The third season already sees house frenemy Angelina Pivarnick replaced with Snooki’s friend and partner in crime Deena Cortese, but if MTV hopes to keep the legend of The Jersey Shore alive, it might be time to sadly retire the old cast and bring in a crop of freshly tanned newbies. It does not seem that the success of The Jersey Shore will continue if the cast believes themselves to be as popular as Jersey’s own Bon Jovi.

Check out how The Jersey Shore fist pumps its way through Miami on Thursdays at 10 p.m. (ET/PT) on MTV.

Green Day brings their 21st Century Breakdown to the Stage

Even after 22 years, Green Day proves their rock ‘n’ roll talent and wisdom on their latest world tour installment, 21st Century Breakdown. Frontman Billie Joe Armstrong’s crude humor and energetic stage presence – not to mention his insane guitar riffs and smooth vocals – makes for an entertaining, jam-packed show of great music and impromptu acts of rebellion. Just be sure to get front row seats if one hopes to truly experience the glamour of a 21st century Green Day performance.

Armstrong and drummer Tre Cool heavily rely on the crowd’s energy and enthusiasm when it comes their elaborate stage acts, marked by timed pyrotechnics and confetti storms. At the beginning of their set at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, NJ, the sold-out crowd was lacking in this much needed audience participation. As the night grew on, however, Green Day did what they do best – pump up the crowd and make for one unbelievable live music experience. Good thing that the band not only has strong onstage charisma, but also pure talent when it comes to the music. Billie Joe seemed to cater primarily to the first few rows of the audience, pulling kids onstage to sing along and to take pictures with the band. Although it was fun to watch a rowdy preteen get kicked in the behind by Armstrong while attempting a stage dive, having the show interrupted by constant audience participation eventually got somewhat frustrating, especially for those sitting in the lawn section with no chance of getting close to the stage. However, Armstrong’s exceptional vocals, especially on songs including “21 Guns” and “Good Riddance,” along with solos by veterans Tre Cool and bassist Mike Dirnt, provided a unique performance experience for both front row and nosebleed-seated individuals alike.

The members of Green Day live and breathe rock and punk music, and they focus all their energies onstage towards the crowd, drawing from it and making sure everyone gets what they pay for. They are seasoned performers when it comes to playing as a band, and every rhythm and beat is hit on time with precision and strength. Armstrong, Cool, and Dirnt sometimes make it look too easy, given their amazing camaraderie and passion. It would almost be satisfying for the band to go back to their hardcore punk roots of the 90s, with more rawness, edge and grunge. Armstrong still enjoys showing his true colors, however, as he proved by pulling down his pants and mooning the crowd on more than one occasion throughout the night.

A highlight of the night included Green Day’s rendition of The Isley’s Brother’s “Shout,” with Tre Cool jumping from his drum set and stealing the microphone from Armstrong, dressed in a bright red bra and a large lady’s hat. Armstrong finished off the song with a combination of chorus lines from other classic rock bands, including Guns N Roses, ACDC, and The Rolling Stones. Even with a strong performance marked by all the band’s hits both old and new, Green Day is sure to throw in one stunner to really keep the crowd on their feet.

Check out Green Day as they continue touring with opening band AFI on the 21st Century Breakdown Tour. Also check out Green Day music on Broadway in the show “American Idiot,” which includes all songs from 2004’s American Idiot along with many others from the album 21st Century Breakdown.

Lohan set for Beach Recovery after Jail Stint

It seems that the hardcore party life of a young, Hollywood starlet proves too much for good-girl-gone-bad Lindsay Lohan. After many troubles dealing with drugs and alcohol and her rather haughty attitude (on and off the set), Lohan has found herself in the same predicament as fellow Hollywood wild child Paris Hilton and rebel Khloe Kardashian – behind bars with pending plans to enter rehab upon release.

In May of this year, Lohan failed to show up in court for a scheduled hearing on her DUI progress report from incidents dating from May 2007, in which she was charged twice with the misdemeanor of driving while under the influence of alcohol. Small amounts of cocaine were also found in her possession at these times. After a small stint in jail (lasting less than two hours) and many failed attempts at rehabilitation, Lohan seemed to understand that she needed to get her life back in order and sober up, but the fast life and glamour offered in Hollywood still got the best of her in the end.

After a July 6 hearing that determined Lohan had indeed violated terms of her probation by not showing up to her scheduled alcohol education classes, the judge sentenced Lohan to 90 days at the Lynwood Correctional Facility in California beginning July 20. After serving her time Lohan will then be required to enter a rehab facilitation for another 90 days. According to LA County Sheriff officials, in order to prevent jail overcrowding, Lohan will probably only serve 13 of her 90 days sentence, given the nature of her non-violent crime. Lohan is set to be released the beginning of August.
The main question now is what rehab center will be lucky enough to supply treatment to the controversial, rebel princess of Hollywood. According to TMZ and other sources, Judge Marsha Revel has ordered Lohan to enter a satellite compound in Costa Mesa – an extension of the Morningside rehab facilitation centered in Newport Beach, CA after jail.

Although a huge paparazzi affair, Lohan’s stint in jail may prove to be the dose of reality that she needs to turn her life around. Lohan hoped to get some time off between jail and rehab in order to spend time with family, but Judge Revel has ordered that Lohan only have one day to check into rehab after leaving Lynwood. Although there are rumors abound that Lohan has been given special treatment while in jail, her sentencing and seemingly concrete recovery regimen makes it appear as if Lohan will not get off the hook so easily this time around. Hopefully the sun and sand with rehab by the beach will not overplay Lohan’s need for strict treatment and recovery. It’s time for the star of Mean Girls to get her head back on her shoulders and come back to Hollywood a healthier and more motivated celebrity.