I can always appreciate an actress who chooses roles for a reason other than their ability to perform at the box office. Zooey Deschanel is that kind of girl (as in, my kind of girl.) Her bit part in Almost Famous led to several other projects that were both bigger and smaller, from indie projects to major motion pictures. It's almost like she cares about the craft or something!

Seriously though, my own love for her aside, Zooey is a talented actress who went from playing a small town Gothic sales clerk in The Good Girl to a narcissistic singing Santa's helper in Elf. From there she was a depressed actress (Winter Passing), a creative teacher (Bridge to Terabithia), and, oddly enough, Sarah Jessica Parker's roommate in Failure to Launch (which I couldn't bring myself to see, but I'm sure she was as good as you could be in such a train wreck of a film.)

This summer, Zooey stars alongside Mark Wahlberg in M. Night Shyamalan's thriller, The Happening. She plays Alma, Marky Mark's wife who is somewhat aloof and charming in an otherwise quite upsetting film about apocalyptic violent suicide.

I must admit, she was one of the main reasons I went to see the film. She has a great track record so far (I forgive her misstep in Failure to Launch) so I gave her the benefit of the doubt. As to not ruin it for those who have yet to see the film, I will say that at least Zooey's big eyes are wide and intense a lot and she doesn't have any intimate scenes with Mark or any other males (because suicide isn't sexy and neither are dudes.) … continue reading

It's time for another awkwardly adorable episode of your flavorite drinky thinky kitchen table comedy chat show! This week on This Just Out, Liz crushes hard, dares to be different and celebrates her friends in a totally platonic way, mostly. You'll meet a beautiful bisexual organizer named Fay and you'll be treated to the always rad recommendations of Raimy!

Then, Liz "interviews" Emily Deschanel (Bones) and things get pretty hot in the kitchen!

Liz is performing on Tuesday, June 3rd in Los Angeles, and then catch Liz performing live in NY in Julie Goldman's Offensive Women show on June 11th at the Slipper Room. Go to Liz's myspace page for all the info! Also, Liz's award-winning short film My First Time Driving is playing at NewFest in NY on June 14th. Go to newfest.org for tickets and info.

And to keep your finger in the v-hole of pop-culture visit Raimy's blog, muthafunka.blogspot.com.

Spoiler Alert: If you haven’t watched last night’s episode of Bones, stop reading or don’t blame me when I ruin the surprise. OK, are they gone? Great, cause we’ve got to talk. So, was it good for you? The inevitable happened on Bones last night as Brennan and Booth had their first kiss. The show’s Christmas episode made good use of mistletoe for the silly yet surprisingly sweet installment.

Sure, the kiss wasn’t exactly passionate. Or romantic. Or done of their own free will. But Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz still played it off pretty perfectly, mixing stoic professionalism with confused chemistry. And the gum thing was priceless. … continue reading

It’s T-minus seven days to Halloween weekend, and you know what that means, right? It means that it’s time to find a costume. But before you grab that bed sheet and just pass yourself off as Casper again, why not take a cue from the stars instead? Look, wasn’t it nice of Bones stars Emily Deschanel/Wonder Woman and Michaela Conlin/Cher (with Catwoman Tamara Taylor hiding in the background) to model their outfits in advance for us?

It’s easier to look like a famous star than you might think. Here is a quick do-it-yourself guide to dressing up like your favorite celebrity this Halloween, complete with a handy checklist of supplies you’ll need for each look. … continue reading

I love crime procedurals. They require just enough brain power to keep me interested but not so much that I need a flow chart and CliffsNotes from the previous week to keep up. Also, I love it when smart women in lab coats squint at things.

So I was interested to see these new promo shots for the third season of Bones. I’ve watched, on and off, since the first season and have enjoyed the sexy-meets-silly-and-marries-smart chemistry between Dr. Temperance Brennan (Emily Deschanel) and Special Agent Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz). The pair is like the love child of Scully/Mulder and Maddie/David (from Moonlighting; please be old enough to remember Moonlighting).

Now, in the interest of full disclosure, one of the cast members is the sibling of one of my close friends, so I could be biased. But I think the show has really come into its own and found a happy place between hardcore crime drama and whimsical romantic comedy. Plus, as a Buffy and Angel fan, I’m eternally inclined to root for David. And, well, getting to stare at Emily every week doesn’t hurt either. … continue reading

Last night’s Teen Choice Awards could have been called the More Evidence That High School Musical Is Taking Over the Universe Awards. But I guess that would be too long to fit on the trophies. While South of Nowhere lost the Choice Breakout TV show award to Heroes, fellow AfterEllen.com reader favorite Degrassi won the Choice Summer TV award. See the complete list of winners here. In the interest of full disclosure, I’ll admit that I did not watch the show. I’m so far out of the teen demographic that to tune in would have been mildly creepy. However, I have no problem scanning the pictures afterward. Voyeurism, journalism — it’s a thin line. And with that, I give you my completely unprofessional, randomly snarky thoughts on the stars of the Teen Choice Awards.

Hilary Duff and Eve: Is this too much back and front for these ladies to be showing at a show for teenagers, or am I just a being a prude?

Ashley Jensen and America Ferrera: These two are causing me to have some decidedly R-rated thoughts during an entirely PG-rated show.

… continue reading