Smart IS Sexy

more cat pictures


First and foremost, if you haven't already cast your vote for the Hot 100 at AfterEllen.com what are you waiting for?

Second, in case you were waiting on divine guidance, I thought I'd share my list with you.

This year that sneaky Sarah Warn employed all sorts of blocks and 'rules' to limit each person to casting one ballot of her top 10 hottest. I've already cast my ballot, after substantial consideration, and these are the ladies who made my list:

1. Tegan Quin
2. Ellen Page
3. Missy Higgins
4. Kate McKinnon
5. Jessica Valenti
6. Bridget McManus
7. Jennifer Biesty (from Top Chef)
8. Kate Walsh
9. Erin Foley
10.Tina Fey

now, the rules of the Hot 100 simply say it can be anyone, presumably in the public eye by some definition, whom you think is super hot. I tend to have different standards for hot, and while all of the ladies on my list are beautiful, their looks aren't the only reason I voted for them. Ex. Jessica Valenti, founder and editor of Feministing.com. Not only is she a warrior and incredibly intelligent, she's also gorgeous. She makes the list. Another is Jennifer Biesty - she's pretty freaking hot, but she also knows her way around a professional kitchen. And you can't turn away the lady hawk. She makes the list. I think the musician/comedienne/tina fey factor speaks for the rest of the list.

Ultimately, the idea of the AfterEllen Hot 100 was to give notice to the beautiful women out there that Lindsay Lohan isn't everyone's ideal concept of hotness. Within that, I think it's doubly important with all the press AfterEllen gets that we not only focus on stereotypical "hotness" but also the notable and often exceptional qualities that most other women possess that make them attractive besides their bodies.

Surely when you are attracted to a person in your life, their physical appearance isn't the only thing you care about. If you decide to vote, take that into consideration, and let's get some SMART and sexy ladies at the top.

Wrist-Cuffy!

Okay.
so a few days ago i started writing this post, and originally i was going with the theme of 10 Women You Should Know. Really though, who am i kidding? the only reason that I picked the number 10 was so that I could feed you more of my teganquin/ellenpage gospel. You don't need that.

What you do need is the reformed version of this post -

Lately, I'm into comedy. A LOT. Since I have a close friend who is in the business, and since I like to laugh, I've compiled a list of the funniest Comediennes I know of. See below, and please check them out. For the sake of your health, and their careers!
Additionally, if you're faint of heart or spirit, or are prone to say "that was so inappropriate" then consider this a content warning. :)

The Comediennes

Kate McKinnon - the first of two 20-something comics who would like to grow up to be Ellen Degeneres. Kate is currently a very popular figure on the Big Gay Sketch Show (which airs on Logo, but is MUCH cheaper on itunes) and on a new Vlog at AfterEllen.com with her BGSS costar Julie Goldman. Kate is 24, a theater grad from Columbia, and very very very funny. Definitely on my hot list right now. Website
Here's a taste of her genius work (and please, if you aren't fond of the Fitzwilliam character, which happens to be her most popular, go do a youtube search and check out some of her other stuff):








Lianna Carrera - will probably be the next Ellen. Will definitely be famous. Is fucking hilarious. and one of my best friends. Sorry I stole your headshot, Li. But hey, free press for you? Website
here's part of a show she did -







Erin Foley - you probably recognize her. you probably don't remember where you've seen her though. That's okay (I love cream cheese even more, thanks to you Erin). I bet you also probably didn't know she's a hilarious comedienne!!!!!!! She's up and coming (aren't we all?!). Website
The best of her videos couldn't be embedded, but you can see a clip of Erin in action here: http://www.logoonline.com/?popThis=popVideo(127093)





Bridget McManus - I love her so much that she is the first face I see on sunday morning. In fact, I eat brunch with her once a week. And you can too, because Bridget has her own weekly vlog called Brunch with Bridget on AfterEllen. (I'm not giving you the link because you're lazy and need to learn to look it up yourself.) I will, however, give you this sample of her comedy - *warning, mature content. this ain't no middle school slumber party, hey?*








Julie Goldman - has been around longer than anyone else on this list, and has developed a sweet report with, well, everyone. I mentioned her earlier as she currently costars with Kate McKinnon on The Big Gay Sketch Show and also on an AfterEllen weekly vlog. She's done plenty of independent work, including a movie with wolfe films, a whole slew of "Celesbian Interviews" for Logo, and lots of regular standup gigs. She's amazing. Website
Check her out:

Life Sucks; Have a Pint!

So you know how when you go out with a guy, there are all these rules of etiquette about what not to do on the first date, and when to make a move, and what everything means?

yeah, me neither.
anyway, i stumbled across this post on afterellen today that i just love. To me at least, it's a phenomenal concept that lesbians seem to either be oblivious to or be actively ignoring: dating etiquette.
and yeah, i mean surely lesbian dating etiquette is different but how's a girl to know? I'm not the one to tell you, being one of the 'younger' of my amazing group of friends (who are pretty much all gay now. yep, no one in our crowd will ever be without toast..) and actually I'm frequently the one taking notes or being embarassed because I "didn't know". Yes, I admitted it. enjoy it while it lasts.

my point is, i'm interested to know what women's concepts of dating etiquette are, and how they differ. The whole idea of dating etiquette in the heterosexual relationship comes from courting, and the idea of chivalry. It seems like a lot of lesbians, myself included, avoid the standard masculine/feminine, dominant/submissive typical relationship labels (without which chivalry is..um..dead?). We've got a whole unique sort of subculture because we defy all of those disney ideas about relationships that everyone gets so set on. So what's the deal?
Does a kiss on the cheek or forehead still mean friends, whereas a kiss on the mouth means it's more? (don't start..i watch too much tv.) Or are we doing things differently?

I'm interested to know where the thread goes. Generally I don't worry about what I'm 'supposed' to be doing, in any sense nevermind dating. But it will be interesting to see what women have to say.


In other news, the organization I worked for this summer (ahem*SHAMELESSPLUG*ahem) has been named by some of the most prominant GOP/Conservative Blogs as the "second most dangerous organization in America". Second only to the ACLU. HA!
Here is one of the blogger stories
and here is the website for the amazing, nation-changing Progressive Majority
LOVE.


Note to self: work for them again. :)



Finally, I would just like to add my voice to the choir screaming for an online version of the L Word chart. I know we've got OurChart but please, that's just like myspace.