Category Archives: Celebrity and Entertainment Blogs

Baby Love: The Play

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I always like to see an off-off-Broadway show when I am in NYC. The dark, little out of the way black box theaters remind me of the years I spent performing in such houses. They may not be glamorous, but you can find some good shows and, of course, some awful ones.

The other week I took Mark to see Baby Love, a one-woman show by Christen Clifford. It was right up my alley. A free spirited, sexually open woman becomes a mother. In the process she falls in love with her child and can barely remember what an orgasm is. The lady spoke truths! And she did it in 60 minutes which is as long as I like to sit.

Baby Love the Play

I even got a sex toy from Christen. I don’t think she saw a fellow traveler. She just asked who was a new mom and no one else raised their hand, so I thought, well, “newish”. A locaI store, babeland, had donated the goods. What’s also cool about the show is she performs while she is presently with child again.

If you get to New York, see this show. It’s rare to see someone talk about that deep sensual satisfaction that loving a child can bring you. Because it makes you sound like a nut, but we know it’s true.

(For the non moms it’s not a Michael Jackson thing, it’s a feeling thing)

Joely Fisher: Funny Mom

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I’ve always had a soft spot for funny women. Since I like to think of myself as one of them, and I know that women in comedy don’t always get a fair shake. Cheri Oteri doesn’t get a movie deal and Jimmy Fallon does?

Joely Fisher co-stars with Brad Garrett in ‘Til Death on Fox. She plays a mom with teenagers, but in real life she has two young-adult stepkids (I can relate) and two young girls. She was on “The Fashion Team” yesterday and Lawrence and I loved her!

She had the usual earmarks of a good guest – amiable and up for anything. Sure, she’d chat about swimsuits and scented candles! But she brought her own unique bawdy sense of humor. Lawrence is known to be affectionate with our female guests and always has at least one segment where he dances and cuddles. Bless her heart when it was Joely and my turn to begin a segment together she said, “Let’s cuddle, too.” We discussed if she should cup my breasts as well, but nixed it for camera. Love someone who is so unafraid and takes risks with comedy which is crucial. Made me step up my game.

I already knew her darling sister Trisha from one of my favorite hangs, Treehouse Social Club. A brilliant place for moms where kids can play and take classes while moms get to eat real food! Like with a waitress and everything. For months, our Mondays were Miss Merideth ballet for Viv while Rayna the dear waitress brought me an espresso and a smoothie. Treehouse is where Vivien had her first ballet recital

I asked Joely for one bit of mom advice she would pass on to others. She said when her 7 year old daughter and 2 and half year old get into it, she leaves them alone. Or at least tries not to interfere. She thinks it’s better for them to work out their conflicts and relationship themselves. This resonated with me as so often my mom friends and I try to be UN Ambassadors a bit too much in play dates. My siblings and I beat each other up and now they are my best pals.

This “Lost” Star Is a Cool Mom

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In my job as one of the hosts of “The Fashion Team” on TV Guide Channel – or, as I like to call it, “deep cable” – I meet various celebrities. One of the great aspects of motherhood is the insta-connection you can make with people of all stripes. Between takes on my show, it’s best to chat with your guest, get to know them, make them comfortable, distract them so they don’t notice it’s taking 20 minutes to set up a shot. Some are more fun than others.

Elizabeth Mitchell, “Juliet” on “Lost,” was a recent fave. We all loved her. I remember her from 10 years ago as Angelina Jolie’s girlfriend in “Gia” (hot!). It took us about 10 seconds before we were chatting about our kids, who are only a couple weeks apart. Mitchell’s not a Hollywood mom; she lives in Hawaii for the show half the year, and Seattle is her homebase and she doesn’t have a nanny. Her husband and relatives help her out. Love a Mister Mom!

I asked her what’s one of the beauty rituals that’s gone out the window with motherhood. She said, “I’m doing it.” She said she only puts nail polish on the toes that peek out of her pumps and since she doesn’t wear those much (for motherhood or “Lost”), she doesn’t bother with a full pedi – it’s outfit dependent. Good tip! (No pun intended.)

She gained 70 pounds with her pregnancy. Wow, that’s a lot of girl. She is tall so she could carry it better than I – I would have been a perfect circle. She’s lovely now, so I asked her how she lost it: “Nursing and running.” We chatted about how nursing peels off the pounds. I have the knees of 60-year-old, so the running isn’t happening for me anymore.

I asked her if I could quote her on my blog. Being Ms. Perfect, she said (paraphrasing), “Oh, yeah, I think motherhood can be really hard, all that goes with it, and I like to demystify it.”

I gazed at her, “You had me at the toenails.”

Baby Mama

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Yum, yum, I love a female comedy that actually makes money. Women in comedy have always been told they are not funny, that no one wants to see a female lead comedy. Well, as Tina Fey said, “Bitches get things done,” and she and Amy Poehler did it. “Baby Mama” was number one at the box office last weekend.

I never see movies, since I feel guilty leaving my kid or I’m too tired. But I just played hooky and saw it. Loved it! All that talk of getting pregnant made me want to be pregnant. Of course, Fey making out with Greg Kinnear also reminded me of how fun it is the first time you have sex with a new boyfriend. Hmm, being pregnant or shagging it up with dream-boat guy? Which would you rather do?

I give “Baby Mama” two pacifiers up!

Dancing with a Toddler

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Here’s what a dork I am. I just frittered away a good ten minutes of my life looking up the bios on Dancing with the Stars, and not just the celebs but the dancers and the judges too. I mean who is Carrie Ann Inaba anyway? I also wanted to know who that hot Latin “star” was. He was in the first season of Ugly Betty. He played the photographer who pretended to be in love with Alexis the transgender sister of Daniel.

As a host I can be very critical of my brethren. Initially I thought Tom Bergeron was a generic, white man, tool. But, he has impressed me with his ability to improvise. Samantha Harris is annoying just because she has great arms and a tiny figure 4 minutes after giving birth. Her job is kind of thankless. How many times can you ask, “The judges were kind of hard on you out there. How do you feel?”

I love DWTS. It’s a show I can watch with my daughter because it’s not scary (she can’t distinguish botched plastic surgery) and we often get up and dance during the show. Lately, DWTS and Ugly Betty are the only shows Vivien allows me to watch –with humans–without whining. It’s hard for me to even get to American Idol this season. After 5 minutes she says, “Momma, I no like this show.” And my old favorite Hardball? Forget about it! Not enough movement.