Full House

I have to say, choosing a particular topic to blog about this week was quite difficult. Several recent stories stood out for me and I couldn't limit myself to just one topic to comment on. Therefore, I decided that I would list these stories and give a quick opinion on all of them. Enjoy!

1. Expand your options

During the middle of the week, Australian actor Firass Dirani (who is of Lebanese heritage) claimed that mainstream Australian TV shows are 'too white' and that there is a total lack of cultural diversity within their casts. Popular shows such as 'Winners & Losers', 'Home & Away', 'Packed To The Rafters' and 'Neighbours' feature a virtually all-caucasian cast whereas shows that do feature a more diverse cast such as 'The Slap', 'East West 101' and 'The Straits' are relegated to the ABC and SBS channels. Dirani argued that the more popular shows do not reflect the Australia of today and in 2008 'Neighbours' was criticised by UK viewers for the lack of cultural diversity in the cast.

Well, this might be the first time I've heard an actor actually having the balls to bring this matter to light. He does have a point. You look at most TV series from the US and the UK and there are a mixture of Caucasians, African-Americans, Asians, Latinos etc in there interacting with one another. I don't know if Dirani also noticed this but even Australian TV advertisements are also 'too white'. Most of the characters in these ads are caucasian. It certainly does not reflect the multicultural society that Australia is now.

The good news, according to Equity Australia is that the actors' guild, along with the Screen Producers Association, Live Performance Australia and the ABC had worked to encourage more diversity in casting. It is their hope that the networks will pick up on this.

2. 'Tatts' not on

Pubs and bars are now moving to ban people with excessive visible tattoos from entering their premises, stating that people should try to look classier and respectable when entering such establishments.

Well, I'd say it's quite unfair to tattooed folks, seeing as how not all of them are the rough types who start unsavoury riff-raff as some people believe they do, but the tragedy here is a sign outside the Australian hotel and Brewery in Rouse Hill, Sydney: 'No Visable Tattoo's'. What kind of establishment would allow a person who can't spell to make their signs? Not a good image for the pub. Heck, I'd hate to see how many errors this person's resume has.

Back to the issue: Not all people with excessive tattoos are thugs and troublemakers like some people presume. But if these people want to keep their establishments classy and force visitors to cover their body art, then that's their decision. But they need to be prepared for any backlash from offended customers.

3. Valentines Day hijinks goes wrong

An American couple, Nikolas Harbar and Stephanie Pelzer, decided to play a role-playing game on Valentine's Day. Sounds simple enough, but it went haywire after a passer-by saw Steph bound and gagged naked in the back of a car then called the cops, believing she was a kidnap victim. When the couple arrived back to Harbar's home, the police were waiting and despite Steph telling them that it was all a big misunderstanding she and Nik were arrested and charged with second-degree disorderly conduct.

Forget about not coming to work after Valentine's Day due to sex injuries, this is the ultimate Valentine's Day-related humiliation. Getting caught with your pants down and walking away with a criminal record for your troubles? Yeah, that's got to hurt!

All you couples out there, doing all this role-playing, kinky stuff is totally ok. Hell, if it'll help your relationship then by all means, go nuts. But please make sure that you both won't end up looking like complete idiots if it ever goes awry because nothing screams embarrassment more than getting caught with your pants down. Literally.

4. No laughing matter.

He performed at the ceremony and even won the award for 'Best R&B Album'. It seems the event organisers have forgiven him for the beating he put on then-girlfriend Rihanna in 2009. Nonetheless, his appearance at the awards was met with criticism and he did himself no favours by taunting his 'haters' with a profane message on Twitter.

Even more disturbing, however, are the Twitter reactions from his female fans. One tweeted, 'Call me crazy, but I would let Chris Brown beat me up any day!' Another posted, 'Everyone shut up about Chris Brown being a woman beater. Shit, he can beat me up all night if he wants to!' And yet another squealed, 'Like I've said multiple times before, Chris Brown can beat me up all he wants, I'd do anything to have him, oh my!'

Wow. Just, wow. And here I thought Justin Bieber's gaggle of screaming, psychotic little monsters were scary. Advocating violence against women just because the guy you like committed the crime? Really!!?? I've heard girls loving the whole bad-boy thing but this is something else. How would they like it if they actually got involved with a cute guy who beats up on them just for kicks? It would not be fun or pretty.

If they want to swoon and get all googly-eyed all over Brown, then that's fine. But making fun of what he did as if it were nothing? That is a slap in the face not just for victims of this crime, but for all women in general. No pun intended.

5. Whitney Houston found dead in her hotel room.

Well, this one certainly took me by surprise. I know she hadn't been well for while but I was still shocked when I heard on the radio that she had passed away.

The story of Whitney Houston is a tragic one, indeed. Once a superstar with a breathtaking voice, she spent her final years broke, washed-up and clearly her long battle with drugs and alcohol had taken its toll. Who could forget people walking out of her Australian shows two years ago, where she huffed, puffed and struggled to hit the high notes that once blew her listeners away.

Such a shame when people fall prey to their demons and pay the ultimate price for it. As much as people can blame Bobby Brown and others for her troubles, it was her bad choices that ultimately led to her untimely end.

May she Rest In Peace.

Oh well, that's it for this week. Let's see what other headlines and bits of weird news is in store this coming week. Bye for now.