secret diary of a call girl-related stories
Posted Nov 16th 2009 1:30PM by Brad Trechak
Filed under: OpEd, Celebrities, Obituaries, Reality-Free
The anonymous blogger "Belle Du Jour" whose career as a call girl spawned the British and Showtime TV series
Secret Diary of a Call Girl has outed herself. Apparently she wanted to do it because an ex-boyfriend threatened to do it for her. Her real name is Brooke Magnanti and she's a child health researcher at the University of Bristol. She worked as a escort for over a year while pursuing her Ph.D.
Thankfully, her university has said her past was not relevant to her current job. I wonder if an American university would be as supportive of such a decision, given the taboo of sex work and sex in general in the U.S.
On the other hand, now she can start publishing more books under her real name. If she makes enough (or possibly gets another TV deal), she wouldn't need to worry about who would hire her or not.
Posted Jun 29th 2009 6:00PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: TV on DVD, Reality-Free
Here are the new TV DVDs, in stores tomorrow.I've been trying to figure out which
Swiss Family Robinson is being released this week. It's not the 1960 movie with James MacArthur, and it's not the 1975 series that starred Martin Milner, Helen Hunt, Willie Aames, and Cameron Mitchell. It's at 1976 series from Canada. Not sure if I've ever seen that.
Another blast from the TV past:
Parker Lewis Can't Lose!
- Eastbound & Down - Season 1
- Entourage - Season 5
- Eureka - Season 3
- The IT Crowd - Season 2
Continue reading New TV on DVD releases this week
Posted Aug 5th 2008 8:38AM by Kristin Sample
Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, OpEd, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
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S01E08) Like so many of the episodes this season, this one felt too short. The show is good but when it feels too short, it often feels underdeveloped too. Despite the lack of development in places, Belle did get some closure. And I think it's pretty obvious that closure in a season finale is important. I, for one, was glad to see her satisfied with her situation at the end.
Tonight Belle tried her hand at being a courtesan. Wow, semantics makes all the difference, huh? There's your street-walking hookers, your pimped out prostitutes, high class escorts, and your professional courtesans. As she explained how courtesans were different than even highly paid call girls like herself, I thought of one of her very first asides on
Secret Diary of a Call Girl. In the season premiere Belle told us that it didn't matter which way you slice it or what you call it, she gets paid to have sex.
Continue reading Secret Diary of a Call Girl: Episode 1-08 (season finale)
Posted Jul 29th 2008 8:42PM by Kristin Sample
Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, OpEd, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(
S01E07) So that was a pointless episode. And to think, I was just complimenting the show on how they are using their twenty-two minutes wisely and balancing character development with intriguing bits about call girl life. I'm actually glad that next week is the season finale. If next Monday wasn't the last episode and we had say, three or four more to go, I would be abandoning
Secret Diary of a Call Girl. My feeling is that some of you readers have already done so.
For those of you who enjoyed last night's episode, sorry, but my review doesn't get any better after the jump...
Continue reading Secret Diary of a Call Girl: Episode 1-07
Posted Jul 21st 2008 11:32PM by Kristin Sample
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, OpEd, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(
S01E06) Let's start with the very end of tonight's
Secret Diary of a Call Girl. The previews from next week look insane! I shall even resort to using tweeny-internet speak here as I declare "ZOMG!" about next Monday's episode. Ben and Hannah are taking their already unusual relationship to a whole other level of weird.
But that is a whole week away, I know. I'll quit now and save my commentary for next time. Tonight's episode of
SDCG was another good one, much like
last week's. Once again the show mixed stories about Hannah's personal life and relationships with her exploits as a London prostitute. As I mentioned last week, when the show gives equal attention to both these aspects of Hannah's / Belle's character, it is truly entertaining.
However,
SDCG took a long time getting to this point. I fear that some people may have given up on the show after
episodes 1-02 and
1-03 failed to deliver. What do you think?
Continue reading Secret Diary of a Call Girl: Episode 1-06
Posted Jul 14th 2008 11:35PM by Kristin Sample
Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, OpEd, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
"Ashok? Every-second-Wednesday-since-I-started-Ashok?" --Belle/Hannah to her agent Stephanie
Belle had to share her first and most loyal client, Ashok, with another woman this week. While she was a bit surprised that her luscious self wasn't enough to satisfy her favorite regular, she ended up having fun during with the ménage à trois. Can this call girl truly learn to share?
My review of
Secret Diary of a Call Girl is after the jump.
Continue reading Secret Diary of a Call Girl: Episode 1-05
Posted Jul 7th 2008 11:03PM by Kristin Sample
Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, OpEd, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(
S01E04) This episode of
Secret Diary of a Call Girl had everything I've been wanting in this show: Intriguing tidbits about the adventures of a London prostitute, well-delivered quips and situations ripe with comedy, and insight into why we should like / care about the other side of Belle ... Hannah.
All elements came together so seamlessly that I'm already wanting to see what happens next Monday night. (Yes, I have the screeners, but I try to watch only one a week so I keep those viewers seeing the show for the first time. I actually haven't seen Episode 1-05 yet.)
My review of tonight's
Secret Diary of a Call Girl is after the jump.
Continue reading Secret Diary of a Call Girl: Episode 1-04
Posted Jun 30th 2008 11:04PM by Kristin Sample
Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, OpEd, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(
S0E03) "If you ask them first, 90% of them will say 'No.' But hey, once it's up there..." -- Belle
Ahh, the pitfalls of being a London call girl. I'll have to remember Belle's trick for when I'm stuck with a marathon runner and I'm on someone else's clock. That someone else is Ashok. We met Belle's
very first client tonight. I already hope we see more of him.
My review of
Secret Diary of a Call Girl is after the jump.
Continue reading Secret Diary of a Call Girl: Episode 1-03
Posted Jun 24th 2008 7:39AM by Kristin Sample
Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, OpEd, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(
S01E02) "Sometimes I get
paid to do the things I've always wanted to do." -- Belle
Like have sex with old Scottish men who have a penchant for horses? No, wait, that was
last week. This week Belle went to an exclusive adult party (think
Eyes Wide Shut, but not as creepy) and meet her favorite author. She also got to wear a black wig (think
Chicago) and some feathers around her neck (think Big Bird).
Check out my review of
Secret Diary of a Call Girl after the jump. I promise, no more references.
Continue reading Secret Diary of a Call Girl: Episode 1-02
Posted Jun 16th 2008 11:33PM by Kristin Sample
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, OpEd, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free
(S01E01) Right after
Weeds, we got our first look at Showtime's new original comedy series
Secret Diary of a Call Girl. The half-hour show stars Billie Piper as Belle du Jour, a high-class London call girl. Tonight we got to meet Belle, who is Hannah the legal secretary by day, her agent Stephanie, her best friend Ben and a few of her clients.
We also got to hear Belle's rules: keep her two lives completely separate and stay in control. (There were others but those were the important ones.)
Then we got to see Belle break said rules.
Continue reading Secret Diary of a Call Girl: Episode 1- 01 (series premiere)
Posted Jun 16th 2008 4:00PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Programming, What To Watch Tonight, Reality-Free
At 8, ABC has two new episodes of The Bachelorette, then a new episode of The Mole. - NBC has a new American Gladiators at 8, followed by new episodes of Nashville Star and Dateline.
- ABC Family has the series premiere of The Middleman at 8 (repeated at 9).
- At 9, USA has a new Monday Night RAW.
- Lifetime has the movie The Memory Keeper's Daughter at 9.
- Food Network has a new Unwrapped at 9.
- At 9:45, HBO has a First Look at the Get Smart movie.
- At 10, Showtime has the season premiere of Weeds, then the series debut of Secret Diary of a Call Girl.
Check your local TV listings for more.
Posted Jun 13th 2008 11:03AM by Kristin Sample
Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, OpEd, Early Looks, Reality-Free
Showtime has a new original comedy series premiering next week called
Secret Diary of a Call Girl. I watched five of the eight half-hour episodes slated for season one (Showtime has ordered eight more for next year). In fact, I watched four episodes in one sitting. That should give you an idea of how much I enjoyed the show. It's easy to watch, well-acted, and the subject matter is well...interesting to say the least.
Take an early look at
Secret Diary of a Call Girl after the jump.
Continue reading Secret Diary of a Call Girl -- An early look
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