Last month I went to my first ever roller derby. It's not a particularly mainsteam sport here in the UK, so don't worry if you don't know what it is - learn about it here and look at some pics here!
London Roller Girls were hosting some bouts in Tottenham Green Leisure Centre and I went expecting plenty of tackling, brusies, blood and broken bones. And a bit of roller skating action. With an ambulance parked right by the entrance and derby names like Grim Rita, Kamikaze Kitten and Correctional Felicity it was looking promising. But this time around the audience only got treated to the occasional pile-up of bodies (with plenty of knickers on display as the butts went into the air). Oh, and London kicked Leeds' ass!
Now it looks like the sport will be getting a higher profile thanks to Drew Barrymore, who is making her directorial debut with Whip It, a movie based on the novel Derby Girl about a teenage runaway who joins a roller girl team in Texas. Ellen 'Juno' Page is starring alongside Drew, and Juliette Lewis will no doubt tackle some girlie butt as the villain in the roller-drama. They're in the middle of shooting and some cool pics have just been released from the set. I thoroughly look forward to this chick-flick!
Last week, I went to see Public Enemies and really liked it, especially the bits featuring Johnny Depp (most of the movie). But I have to admit that I had never heard of John Dillinger. Then I read that Marion Cottilard had never heard of him either. But after a bit of Google and a sprinkling of Wiki, I was enlightened. (And while I was at it, I also had to look up Joan Jett since Kristen Stewart is playing her in rock biopic The Runaways and I'd never heard of the woman. I think that kind of music is just too cool for me.)
Also in the news this week is of course Daniel Radcliffe, what with the latest Harry Potter movie premiering earlier this week. But he has also announced that he'd like to get in touch with his feminine side and "would love to play a drag queen or a transvestite" so that he can dress up and wear eye make-up, which he claims he looks great in. Dan is also taking ballet lessons with the excuse that it'll make him more appealing to casting directors. Ok, the kid is either trying to hijack the West End part of Billy Elliot, or he just likes to wear tights. Your thoughts?
Johnny Depp already has some experience of cross-dressing after playing Ed Wood in the 1994 movie. He said in a recent interview that he'd love to have a go at playing American Broadway singer and actress Carol Channing because it would test his versatility.
If anyone doesn't http://youtube.com/v/DrjIVhIeGnw
