Hedonistic America Loves Sex

Surprise! Americans love sex but are not so hot on marriage.

If that doesn't come as such a shock... well... it shouldn't. A new study from the Parents Television Council complains that network TV focuses too much on the acts of sex and kinky seduction.

Marriage gets little respect on network TV shows that instead revel in the pleasures of extramarital and even kinky sex, according to a study released Tuesday.

The study by the Parents Television Council includes a strongly worded condemnation of prime-time TV, contending it "seems to be actively seeking to undermine marriage by consistently painting it in a negative light."

The effect on young viewers is dire, the Parents Television Council contends.

Behavior that once was seen as "fringe, immoral or socially destructive have been given the imprimatur of acceptability by the television industry" and children are absorbing or even imitating it, the report contends.

Unfortunately, the finger-pointing watchdog group continues giving more credit to television when it comes to shaping childrens' views of the world, rather than the rest of society and the parents themselves. Where is the parental control, people?

It's actually a case of 'art imitates life'. In 2005, a census study found that the divorce rate in America was on the decline but so was marriage, which suffered a 50% drop! Prior to that, the divorce rate hit staggering, high numbers.

People cohabitating is clearly not the same as being married. Just ask anyone in favor of gay marriage. Which brings up an excellent question: If marriage rates are at a low and divorce rates are relatively stagnant, how would gay marriage hurt this so-called (and frequently bastardized) "sacred institution"?

Meanwhile, the vicious cycle of the blame game continues. Conservative parents blame the entertainment industry while actively ignoring the factors they can personally control in their kids' lives.

Whiners? Complainers? Or just fans of emotional instability?

Johnny Depp & Angelina Jolie: Batty for Follow-Up to "The Dark Knight"?

It looks like the rumor mill continues to churn out a delicious dish of fodder for fans of Christopher Nolan's revamped and revitalized Batman series.

Over at Yahoo! Buzz there's speculation that Johnny Depp might be the caped crusader's next villian... the Riddler. There's no doubt the always-a-bridesmaid-never-a-bride Oscar nominee would do the part justice, but it might be difficult to eclipse Jim Carrey's spot-on performance as the fittingly over-the-top, mad scientist -- one of the only highlights of Batman Forever.

There's also word that Angelina Jolie is mulling over the idea of playing Catwoman. Fanboys (in unison): "Me-OW!" Christian Bale and Jolie duking it out with a "should-they-or-shouldn't-they?" backstory could be highly entertaining. Not to mention that Jolie is absolutely no stranger to action flicks. And, she has Julie Newmar's backing.

Finally, Yahoo! mentions Philip Seymour Hoffman as a possible Penguin. It's a fitting concept since it's the type of character he seems drawn to these days. Does anyone want to see Truman Capote in Penguin form? Hm.

Oliver Stone's "W" Poster Unveiled

Over at The Politico, Anne Schroeder put up the "W" movie poster. Seems as though the studio went for a slightly understated image. Perhaps they were simply trying to capture the angle that Josh Brolin looks most like George W.

There has been a lot of anticipation for Oliver Stone's latest project, which is rumored for release prior to election day.

The actors have even found themselves at the center of a bar-room brawl. Since the film does follow the George W. saga through his youth, maybe some cast members wanted to experience reckless behavior as part of their character study...

Will a Hollywood "bio-pic" about the lame duck President actually make a dent in the box office? And more importantly, will anyone care?

Next time, the studio should pull a page from The Gossip Girl campaign. Talk about sparking all kinds of buzz!

Sex Licenses Promote Unsafe Sex

The NY Daily News may win the prize for best headline of the week -- American Sexpress Card: Don't jump in bed without it.

However, the accompanying article is horrendous and lacks any actual journalism. It's practically a PR fluff piece for STFree, a new program that gives members sex licenses.

"Manhattan-based company STFree Certifications provides its health-conscious customers a sexual history "license" with a phone number on the back that enables them to prove their testing backgrounds to potential partners."

The problem is that this program leaves so many loopholes, and in turn, it simply promotes unsafe behavior (especially the concept of protection-free intercourse). Where was the reporter when it came to asking the important questions like: How frequently do members get re-tested? Does STFree hold itself accountable if someone gets an STI (note: they aren't really referred to as "diseases" anymore, but rather infections) right after getting the card, and then unknowingly passes it on to someone else who trusted the program?

STFree is a great concept... idealistically. However, there's no way for it to achieve its goals, especially since the program is so small-scale and privately run. A brand like STFree requires ultimate trust and a hefty helping of government susidies aimed at STI prevention. The company began 4 years ago and is only now receiving any public attention. In a city that's home to millions, it's 15,000 registered members is the equivalent of zero on a grand scale. It took them 4 years to reach out to such a small group? They're not off to a good start at all.

And as NYMagazine points out, there's never a good time to just whip out a card and make a phone call in the heat of the moment.