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Linda Holmes

Credit Chris Hartlove
for NPR

Linda Holmes writes and edits NPR's entertainment and pop-culture blog, Monkey See. She has several elaborate theories involving pop culture and monkeys, all of which are available on request.

Holmes began her professional life as an attorney. In time, however, her affection for writing, popular culture and the online universe eclipsed her legal ambitions. She shoved her law degree in the back of the closet, gave its living-room space to DVD sets of The Wire and never looked back.

Holmes was a writer and editor at Television Without Pity, where she recapped several hundred hours of programming — including both High School Musical movies, for which she did not receive hazard pay. Since 2003, she has been a contributor to MSNBC.com, where she has written about books, movies, television and pop-culture miscellany.

Holmes' work has also appeared on Vulture (New York magazine's entertainment blog), in TV Guide and in many, many legal documents.

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Monkey See
5:56 am
Mon February 4, 2013

That Was A Great Blackout Last Night

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Credit Ezra Shaw / Getty Images
Kicker David Akers of the San Francisco 49ers waits during a power outage that occurred in the third quarter that caused a 34-minute delay during Super Bowl XLVII.
Credit Bruce Bennett / Getty Images
The San Francisco 49ers mascot stands in the tunnel during the power outage. Please imagine his instructions: "Even in case of emergency, the foam head STAYS ON."
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Originally published on Mon February 4, 2013 8:38 am

Great blackout last night, right?

It's been clear for some time that substantially more people watch the Super Bowl than have the slightest interest in watching the actual football game. That's why there's such hubbub over the halftime show and the commercials — it gives non-football types something to pay attention to instead of football.

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Monkey See
5:23 am
Sun February 3, 2013

Choosing Sides: How To Pick Between The Ravens And The 49ers

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Credit Doug Pensinger / Getty Images
Sourdough Sam, the mascot for the San Francisco 49ers, looks on in January 2012.
Credit Larry French / Getty Images
Poe, the mascot of the Baltimore Ravens, cheers on the team during the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in December 2010.
Credit Scott Halleran / Getty Images
Randy Moss of the San Francisco 49ers addresses the media on Jan. 31.
Credit Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images
Head coach John Harbaugh (Suit-Wearing Brother) of the Baltimore Ravens and Head coach Jim Harbaugh (Hat-Wearing Brother) of the San Francisco 49ers speak to the media on Feb. 1.
Credit Joe Klamar / AFP/Getty Images
This is Sandra Bullock at the 2012 Oscars. Sunday, she's watching the Super Bowl.
Credit Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images
Practice squad player Nate Stupar and guard Leonard Davis of the San Francisco 49ers celebrate during the NFC Championship game on January 20.
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Originally published on Sun February 3, 2013 7:13 am

Headlines were circulating last week about how, as Slate put it, "almost everybody" is rooting for the San Francisco 49ers over the Baltimore Ravens in Sunday's Super Bowl. Of course, it turns out that what this actually meant was more like "substantially more than half of the area of the country is included within counties in which more people like the 49ers on Facebook than like the Ravens on Facebook."

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Monkey See
1:54 pm
Thu January 31, 2013

Doing The Work: What '30 Rock' Meant For Women On Television

Credit Ali Goldstein / NBC
Tina Fey as Liz Lemon.
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Originally published on Thu January 31, 2013 9:04 am

I have never considered Liz Lemon a feminist icon of any kind, nor have I ever considered 30 Rock especially strong when it comes to gender politics.

I don't care for the obsessive joke-making about how Liz is ugly/mannish/old/awkward, and I haven't always been comfortable with the way some of the "she's baby-crazy!" or "she's relationship-crazy!" comedy has played. I was ambivalent about the way the Jezebel parody and the "women aren't funny" storylines were executed.

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Monkey See
9:13 pm
Sat January 19, 2013

Our Royalty: Bangs Aren't All Michelle Obama And Kate Middleton Have In Common

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Credit Jae C. Hong / AP
First lady Michelle Obama waves after addressing the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., on Sept. 4.
Credit Chris Jackson / AFP/Getty Images
Diplomacy with style: The Obamas pose with Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip at Buckingham Palace ahead of a state banquet on May 24, 2011. Michelle's gown was designed by American fashion designer Tom Ford.
Credit Charles Dharapak / AP
In the garden: Michelle holds up broccoli as she participates in the White House Kitchen Garden Fall Harvest with students on the South Lawn of the White House on Oct. 20, 2010.
Credit Charles Dharapak / AP
Typical American: Michelle leaves a Target department store in Alexandria, Va., after doing some shopping on Sept. 29, 2011. Her style choices range from expensive, high-end designers to discount stores like Target.
Credit Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP
Let's move: Michelle and a group of children try to break the Guinness World Record for the most people doing jumping jacks in a 24-hour period, at the White House on Oct. 11, 2011. Michelle's anti-obesity campaign, Let's Move, focuses on teaching children good nutrition and regular exercise.
Credit Alex Brandon / AP
Aww: Obama sneaks an extra smooch after kissing Michelle for the "Kiss Cam" at the basketball game between U.S. and Brazil, on July 16, 2012, in Washington, D.C.
Credit Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images
First family: Obama walks on stage with his family to deliver his victory speech on election night on Nov. 6, 2012, in Chicago.
Credit Jae C. Hong / AP
First lady: Michelle Obama waves after addressing the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C., on Sept. 4, 2012.
Credit Alan diaz / AP
On the campaign trail: Michelle greets supporters at Broward College in Davie, Fla., on Oct. 22, 2012, where she rallied grass-root supporters and spoke of what's at stake in the election for Floridians. Michelle was seen as an asset on the campaign trail, where she often drew large crowds.
Credit Mark Wilson / Getty Images
First dance: Newly sworn in President Obama and the first lady dance during the inaugural ball on Jan. 20, 2009, in Washington, D.C.
Credit Jewel Samad / AFP/Getty Images
First lady Michelle Obama paints a bookshelf at Burrville Elementary School in Washington, D.C., as part of the National Day of Service on Saturday.
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Originally published on Tue January 22, 2013 9:28 am

Ask yourself this question: How weird would it be if you changed your hair and it was on the news?

No, seriously. Pull back from everything you know about celebrity and pretend it's about you. You change your hair. You decide, "Hey, you know what? It's been long for a while; what if I went a little shorter?" And so you go a little shorter. And then it is on the news.

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Monkey See
9:13 am
Tue January 15, 2013

Lance Armstrong And The Cheapening Of Indignation

Credit Tom Pennington / Getty Images
Cyclist Lance Armstrong addresses participants at a Livestrong event in October.
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Originally published on Tue January 15, 2013 10:22 am

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Movies
9:11 am
Thu January 10, 2013

Oscar Nominees Announced: 'Lincoln' Leads With 12

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Originally published on Thu January 10, 2013 12:04 pm

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

And this morning here in Los Angeles the nominations for the 85th Academy Awards were announced. The movie with the most nominations: Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln," with 12 nods.

(SOUNDBITE OF MOVIE, "LINCOLN")

DANIEL DAY-LEWIS: (as Lincoln) Euclid's first common notion is this: Things which are equal to the same thing are equal to each other. That's a rule of mathematical reasoning. It's true because it works.

(SOUNDBITE OF MOVIE, "LIFE OF PI")

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Monkey See
5:56 am
Fri January 4, 2013

In NFL Football, As In Hollywood, Does Anybody Know Anything?

Credit Alex Trautwig / Getty Images
Head coach Andy Reid of the Philadelphia Eagles looks on during a game against the Washington Redskins on Dec. 23, 2012 in Philadelphia.
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Originally published on Fri January 4, 2013 10:30 am

Baseball: The San Francisco Giants, in winning the 2012 World Series, participated in 16 playoff games — and they'd have had more, had they not swept Detroit 4-0 in the World Series itself.

Football: The San Francisco 49ers played 16 games in their entire regular season. Three more wins would make them Super Bowl champions.

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Monkey See
6:55 am
Tue January 1, 2013

2012 In Review: 50 Wonderful Things From The Year In Pop Culture

Credit AMC
Don Draper (Jon Hamm) and Peggy Olson (Elisabeth Moss) in the pivotal Mad Men episode, "The Other Woman."
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Originally published on Tue January 1, 2013 7:08 am

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Monkey See
8:04 am
Thu December 13, 2012

The 'Calm Act' Will Quiet Down Commercials, So What Should Congress Do Next?

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COME RIGHT DOWN RIGHT NOW BUY SOME FURNITURE EVERYTHING MUST GO WE ARE LIQUIDATING MERCHANDISE FOR THE THIRD TIME SINCE LAST FEBRUARY AND THIS TIME WE REALLY MEAN IT WE ARE GOING OUT OF BUSINESS ANY REASONABLE OFFER WILL BE ACCEPTED OR MY NAME ISN'T CRAZYPANTS MCGILLICUDDY.*

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Monkey See
1:07 pm
Mon December 3, 2012

PBS Remixes 'Reading Rainbow,' Delights Map And Book Nerds Everywhere

Credit AP
LeVar Burton and 7 year old Shane Ammon exploring the all Reading Rainbow adventure app at the "Reading Rainbow Relaunch" event in June.
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Originally published on Tue December 4, 2012 1:48 pm

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