Entertainment

You would be hard put to find a set of athletic skills more impressive than that wielded by acrobat and aerialist Lisa Whitmore, a formidable truth inescapably apprehended when viewing samples of her work:

Lenda Murray, eight-time Ms. Olympia, the greatest female bodybuilder ever, seems to have a talent for dance too, as seen here in video taken at the 2009 Lenda Murray Bodybuilding Championships. Perhaps a stint on DWTS (which, boo! doesn't have a female athlete this season) is next?

As a rule I don't pay much attention to the photoshopped creations of fanboys. More often than not they look horribly disarranged, as should be expected. This work by "LEEE777" is a striking exception, however. It has a naturalness to it (as long as you don't look too close, that is). Moreover, it captures the essence of Wonder Woman, she standing strong after what was no doubt a great ruckus.

But the credit, I suspect, goes mostly to the star of this digital embellishment. We talked before about Jodi Lyn O'Keefe; her name comes up often when the subject is a live-action Wonder Woman film. Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos seem to have destined O'Keefe to play the mighty Amazon, so ideally suited is she for that role.

We are told that soon we can expect (fingers crossed!) to finally learn of definite plans for a Wonder Woman film. Rumors will fly once the casting frenzy starts, most awful to imagine being true. But Jodi Lyn O'Keefe should not be overlooked, for she is among a select few qualified to assume the mantle of Wonder Woman.

A remarkable performance by a sister-brother act, recorded live for The Good Old Days (circa 1981). Notice who is doing most of the heavy lifting:

I'm fascinated by female aerialists, and with good reason. Their strength is unsurpassed; their grace, undeniable. Erna Sommer, the star of today's post, is another aerial conjurer of that wondrous athleticism and mystical beauty which leaves mortals like yours truly spellbound. Enjoy!—

I was fortunate to catch martial arts champion (many times over) Mindy Kelly on National Geographic Channel's Fight Science the other night. Pretty cool stuff:

An aphorism of James Thurber's (a takeoff on Wordsworth's "All good poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquillity") fittingly introduces this post. Now that the brouhaha over the Lindsey Vonn Sports Illustrated cover has calmed somewhat (but only for a time, I predict), perhaps we are in a better place to enjoy a little satire, this cute video produced by "Mom2nat":

When last we saw bodybuilder Kathy Bertram she was snapping a baseball bat. In today's bit of fun we find her doing dishes, that is, in her own eccentric strongwoman way:

My little contribution to a "Best of '09" series by Women Talk Sports bloggers is a selection of favorites from this blog. I don't expect you'll find a particular mood or theme, less so a standard of quality, but rather, I hope, a few morsels that provoke reflection or simply entertain:

The story of Tina Lockwood

A Kind of Grace

Super shenanigans

Esther Williams

A lesson from the past

Athlete or sex symbol? A false dichotomy

A Wonder Woman of color?

Aneta Florczyk: setting records, inspiring women

Female Muscle: a little schooling for its detractors

Ruminating on the big fight

DC shakeup. The ugly paradox

The Body Issue

Advancing women's sports: largely a bootstrap process

Bridgett "Baby Doll" Riley and her art of violence


Happy New Year!


More "Best of '09" from other WTS bloggers:

Best of '09: Forming a community, WomenTalkSports.com

The "Best" of 2009 and the State of Girls & Women in Sports

Best of '09: A Fresh Meat’s Perspective

Best of '09 – A Year for Women in Wake

2009 Salute to Women in Sports

Victories and Failures in Women's Sports in 2009, or #FTW and #FAIL (Hot or Not for us old-timers)

Best of 2009: The Humble Emergence of Tanisha Wright

Best of the Best of 2009

A "Christmas spectacular" starring members of the University of Calgary basketball team:




Have a safe and happy holiday!

During this season of giving we shouldn't forget to consider where our kindness is needed most. Today, I share with you a gentle reminder that arrived in my Inbox earlier this week.

Rebecca Welsh, nee Neuenswander, is a former taekwondo champion well on her way to a brilliant acting career. But what so obviously matters most to her is HALO, the foundation she started to help orphans worldwide. My plan is to honor this Holiday appeal from her, and my hope in sharing it is that you will do the same:

Dear HALO Supporters,

Thank you for your continued support in 2009! This year we have added 4 new orphanages to the HALO family. Each of our 13 homes and programs serves as a safe haven from the streets to suffering children. As the Holiday season approaches, the needs of our orphanages continue to grow. Please kindly consider making a donation to help us meet these needs. Join us in giving the gift of a brighter future - from food to medical care to providing mentors for the children. With your help we can continue to provide a bright future for the parentless.

If you would like to make a donation in honor of someone you love, you will receive a HALO Holiday Card that you may present to them as a gift. Simply click on the link below to donate and type their name in the "In Tribute to" box.

You may also donate by sending a check to: The HALO Foundation, 1600 Genessee #528 Kansas City, MO 64102 or by calling 816.472.4256

Click here to donate

Please consider sharing this email with your loved ones and asking them to make a donation in your name as your Holiday gift. Its the gift that makes a difference in the life of a needy child.

We are very grateful for your generosity. You have given us the tools to build a bridge between the fortunate and the unfortunate.

Warmest Holiday Greetings,

Rebecca Welsh
Founder, The HALO Foundation

This week brings us to the holiday season. For many, The Nutcracker is a tradition this time of year. Everywhere young ballerinas prepare earnestly for school and community productions of the popular ballet. But their practice sessions aren't always innocent; now and then things go wrong, as here with "Waltz of the Flowers":




Have a wonderful holiday!

A display of wanton violence seems in order this Friday. I feel mischievous and want to see someone, better yet make that plural, get an ass kicking. My search for this entertainment leads, perhaps inevitably, to Bridgett "Baby Doll" Riley. One of few athletes to have captured world titles in both boxing and kickboxing, Riley is a combat sports legend. She is also an actress and stuntwoman, which steers us to today's fun.

Captured in this video is a rehearsal for the famous bar fight in Serenity. Much as I like Summer Glau and think her execution of the movie's version brilliant, it doesn't match the speed, precision, and intensity seen in this "rehearsal" starring Riley. Enjoy!—

Female athletes and women's sports have been this blog's focus lately, but I don't want to neglect too much our cinematic heroines. So whilst I have a moment and the subject is on my mind, I will call attention to three films you might find interesting.

Amelia — A biopic of aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart. Starring Hilary Swank (you remember her). In theaters now:



Avatar — The latest creation from James Cameron (Terminator, Aliens). Gale Anne Hurd (his second wife) is quoted about him thus in a recent New Yorker article: "He felt that they [women] were underutilized in sci-fi, action, and fantasy, and that just about everything you could explore in a male action hero could be explored better with a woman." You'll recognize some welcome faces in the trailer as well. Set for a December 18 release:



Salt — Angelina Jolie continues her vocation as action star. To be released July 23, 2010:

Methinks I'm overdue to post something frivolous (but with a nub all the same). Enjoy!—