Once again, seeing Christian and Sean in their new Hollywood surroundings hit home for me. Our TV Guide corporate offices are directly across the street from Grauman's Chinese Theatre, so we see those celebrity look-alike characters every day. As soon as I saw Fat Elvis appear in this episode, I said out loud: "Yes! Fat Elvis!" Coincidental side note: I shared an elevator with Fat Elvis this morning - I swear (but the one used in the show was a different one, played by actor James Price). So having McNamara/Troy treat dueling
Marilyn Monroes? Genius. I would've died if it were dueling Spider-mans because we've got them here on Hollywood Blvd., one much more in shape than the other. And yes, Chewbacca is there, too.
Susan Griffiths and
Merilee Brasch were fabulous as Joyce and Sharon, respectively. But I'd like to point out that they should've switched roles since I thought Susan as Joyce played the better Marilyn, even though they mentioned several times that Sharon was better. Uh-uh.
Last week we only got a brief glimpse of
Paula Marshall's character Kate, the female star of "Hearts 'n Scalpels." This week, we found out she's a New York theater-trained actress and a TV newcomer. How appropriate for her to come to Sean for a consult since she knew a nude scene was inevitable. You knew something was up when she refused to disrobe during that hilarious opening scene with
Bradley Cooper as Aidan quickly tearing his scrub-shirt off, using it as a tourniquet to stop a patient's bleeding since no one had a necktie: "Oh no - it's casual Friday!" Tell me you laughed like I did when he then took his scrub-pants off and stood there doctoring in only his boxer briefs. As soon as he realized he was the only one sans clothes: "Cut!" And how about Sean's face later when Kate showed him her gastric-bypass scars after losing 100 pounds? Anyone else immediately think of
Star Jones and
Carnie Wilson? Earlier in the episode, Paula did a great acting job after Sean kissed Kate for the first time and she started crying, followed by: "You should go" and she slapped him. After first hoping Sean would say "
Kiss Me Kate," I wanted him to borrow
Stockard Channing's classic line from
Grease and reply with: "Some people are so touchy!" Seems Kate freaks out when guys first come on to her because she feels they're only into her because she's famous. Oh, Kate. You should know that Sean is no star f--ker.
I've been enjoying seeing Sean and Christian switch roles. Did we ever think we'd see Christian be so jealous of Sean? Cue Fiona to the rescue. Luckily Christian performed a mea culpa on Fiona after she found out he leaked Carly's face-lift to
US Weekly. Last thing you want to do in this town is to cross a powerful publicist. Reminded me of how protective Pat Kingsley was of Tom Cruise.
Lauren Hutton is continuing to kick ass as Fiona. What a perfect solution for Christian's inferiority complex: Fiona got him to pose for
Playgirl. So many funny scenes and comments come to mind relating to that photo shoot:
- At least George on
Seinfeld was able to blame it on being in cold water ("I was in the pool!"). Fiona discovered that Christian is a grower not a shower.
- Fiona is still good for the growing. She can now add "visual fluffer" to her list of special skills on her résumé.
- "Don't You Want Me" by Human League was playing while Christian struck his poses.
P.J. Bloom, you are my hero.
- That was
Leslie Bega from
The Sopranos as the photographer, but I will always remember Leslie from way back in
Head of the Class.
-
Playgirl needs to change its "Entertainment for Women" motto. The fact that the centerfold spread caused Christian to get loads of new patients was just what he was hoping for. The fact that all of those new appointments were gay men was not.
- Nurse Linda said it best when she told Christian he was booked solid: "I guess they want to know who the big d--k is."
More highlights unrelated to Christian being a nudie patootie:
- The nicely subtle way they introduced Julia's new love interest... Ollie aka Olivia, played by
Portia De Rossi. After four seasons of her frequent whining and never seeming to be truly content in her life with the men she was with, having Julia (
Joely Richardson) be a lesbian did not exactly come out of left field. Hearing her say, "I don't know if it's a question of being gay or not - I just fell in love with her" was very reminiscent of Celestia, I mean,
Anne Heche back in her
Ellen days. Ironic much? Ellen's current other half is Portia. Plus, Anne guested on
Nip/Tuck two seasons ago. "This week, on a very special episode of
Gays of Our Lives.... "
- Sean's initial reaction to Julia dating a woman (to Christian): "My wife went from dwarf-humping to carpet munching." Kudos to another terrific
Ryan Murphy script.
- Speaking of which, how about Christian apologizing to Fiona? "You're right. I'm an a--hole." Fiona: "This town is full of a--holes. What makes
you so special?"
- That the dueling Marilyns, who only got paid via tips, both wanted breast-enhancement surgery: "Bigger boobies, bigger tips." I bet that was the edited version of the line.
- That Kate kept losing out to
Mariska Hargitay for all the awards and that "Hearts 'n Scalpels" was beaten by, of course,
Grey's Anatomy. Back to Mariska, another random irony is that she is the daughter of the late
Jayne Mansfield, who was a dead (pardon the pun) ringer for... Marilyn Monroe.
- Christian seeing a parallel between the two competing Marilyns (Joyce being more in the limelight than Sharon after Joyce's boob job), and him and Sean. Sharon: "McNamara/Troy did her boobies. Chewbacca told me so. Help me stay in the game."
- Sean apologizing to Kate in front of the movie-set backdrop that made it look as though they were conversing in a wooded park à la
When Harry Met Sally.
- Another perfect song choice, Mr. Bloom: "Can't Stand Losing You" by
The Police was heard during Kate's surgery. As the layers of fat were removed, we heard: "I can't, I can't, I can't stand losing, I can't, I can't, I can't stand losing.... "
- Sean one-upping Christian yet again by being included in
People's 50 Most Eligible Bachelors.
- Liz's comeback line after Sean and Christian were arguing over the last Yoplait in the fridge (and Sean reminding Christian that he's lactose-intolerant): "I am a--hole intolerant. Take your argument outside."
- Christian giving the People's Choice Awards tickets back to Sean so Sean could go with Kate: "She's your's, not mine."
- That Kate and Sean skipped the awards and stayed at her place since Kate wasn't in the mood for "actors competing against each other for a meaningless trophy."
- That the two Marilyns decided to make their act a duo: "Two Marilyns are better than one."
- And can we talk about that closing scene with Christian in bed with both of them, whispering: "Make me feel like a star," followed by the gals singing "I Wanna Be Loved by You"? The camera slowly going in for a close-up of
Julian McMahon with that demented look on his face hinted of the dark shape of things to come that I've been reading about. Color me intrigued.
Thanks for your comments last week - keep 'em coming. You can check out Nip/Tuck-
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Once again seeing Christian and Sean in their new Hollywood surroundings hit home for me Our TV Guide corporate offices are directly across the street from Graumans Chinese Theatre so we see those celebrity look-alike characters every day As soon as I saw Fat Elvis appear in this episode I said out loud Yes Fat Elvis Coincidental side note I shared an elevator with Fat Elvis this morning I swear but the one used in the show was a different one played by actor James Price So having McNamaraTroy treat dueling Marilyn Monroes Genius I wouldve died if it were dueling Spider-mans because weve got them here on Hollywood Blvd one much more in shape than the other And yes Chewbacca is there too Susan Griffiths and Merilee Brasch were fabulous as Joyce and Sharon respectively But Id like to point out that they shouldve switched roles since I thought Susan as Joyce played the better Marilyn even though they mentioned several times that Sharon was better
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