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For those of us diehard Buffy/Angel fans who can’t seem to get over the fact that so far nothing can truly replace Buffy and Angel (and probably Spike, too), at least on the small screen, and for those of us who revel in a good dose of the paranormal now and again (and again and…

We here at Idol Chatter can fulminate all we want about media coverage of Owen Wilson’s suicide attempt, but Therese Borchard over at Beyond Blue, a blog all about mental health, can actually speak to how we can process and understand this sad news. Check out her post here. The most instructive part of her…

As a child, I remember hearing adults talk about the day JFK was shot, recounting with vivid detail where they were when they heard the news. I knew, even as a child, that the death of the president had been a historic tagedy, but sensed that there was an emotional resonance I couldn’t connect with;…

In between all of the big-budget action adventures and horror films in theaters earlier in the year, one thriller slipped under the radar, but resurfaced on DVD a few weeks ago. “The Lookout” could have been nothing more than another cat and mouse crime caper, but this movie surprised me with a fresh premise, some…

I was probably the biggest cheerleader here at Idol Chatter last season for NBC’s small town football drama, “Friday Night Lights.” I appreciated the intelligent way it dealt with serious teen issues as well as how it incorporated small moments of grace and faith into the storylines. But if you are one of those few…

Many of us cheered when NBC renewed “Friday Night Lights” for a second season. The primetime high school football drama is heavy on great acting, inspirational and real storylines, and great characters. But before settling into the bleachers (or your sofa) for season two, check out the Panthers’ debut season DVD. And check out these…

Sometimes, arguing about a movie or TV show becomes a debate over some aspect of faith, society, and life. So much for dismissing entertainment as “just a movie/TV show” that is inherently lacking in larger meaning. The best debates on Idol Chatter take just this route, and there’s a fascinating one happening in response to…

Back when the problems of the pop-tart phenoms were mostly restricted to their over-revealing fashion choices, my then Beliefnet colleague and now co-blogger Ellen Leventry and I had the same question for every new outrage: “Where’s her mother?” Britney, Christina Aguilera, even Mariah of the old days–they all have parents, right? Isn’t their job, or…

I am not easily offended or disgusted by the media. I peruse US Weekly, regularly log on to TMZ.com, and love reality television. Admittedly, I feel an impish glee when I see on the cover of Star or The Enquirer that celebrities have cellulite, too. But the suicide attempt of comedic actor Owen Wilson is…

Rilo Kiley seems like a weird choice for burn-or-burn scrutiny: Nobody from the band has publicly claimed to be religious, and they’re kind of potty-mouthed. But band member Jenny Lewis’ solo album, last year’s “Rabbit Fur Coat,” was mostly about the difficulty of being agnostic, the tension between nonbelief and the desire for faith and…
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