The Daily Trap
14 Jan 2013
Golden Globe Roundup

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If you need something to cure your Monday morning blues, escape to the Hollywood world of fun and fancy by catching up on what happened at last night’s Golden Globe Awards. It’s the official kickoff to awards season in my book and the Globes are often the most entertaining to watch because the stars are actually allowed to eat, drink, and be merry. Less stuffy than the Oscars, better fashion than the Emmys, and this time with hosts Tina Fey and Amy Poehler - you can’t go wrong.

Find out who won, who was robbed, who had the best acceptance speech, and see all the best and worst fashion in the aptly-named Golden Globes Trap. And let the countdown to the Oscars begin.

-Kelly

5 Dec 2012
Trapit’s Top Picks of 2012

It’s nearing the end of 2012 (and the Mayan Calendar) and it’s been a great year at Trapit. How could it not have been? We launched an iPad app! And while that was certainly a highlight, Trapit’s given us more than that. For your reading pleasure, please enjoy Trapit staff’s top picks of 2012—the discoveries, Traps, and stories that distracted us from the toil of QA presented in no particular order.

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NASA’s Perpetual Ocean animations visualize the flow of the ocean.

Laura’s Picks:

Feminism: This was the Trap I was most inclined to lose hours to (thank stars for our iPad app). The feminist blogosphere is full of witty, thoughtful, and feisty ladies and gents. And with politicians providing plenty of grist for the mill this year—there was rarely a dull moment. 

Garlic Scapes: They’re curly, they’re tasty, they popped up in the grocery aisle this spring (and many a garden). Allegiances aside, Trapit’s my go-to source for finding recipes for new/strange/routine ingredients. My Garlic Scapes Trap did not disappoint

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15 Aug 2012
Trap of the Day: Robert Pattinson

Oh, Hollywood scandal. Just when we thought we were seeing Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart begin to actually acknowledge their years-long relationship to the public, scandal stepped in. Unfortunately for Twilight fans, who seem to want the couple together in real life almost as much as they do in the movies, it may be the end for the affectionately-termed Robsten couple. In case you missed it, Kristen Stewart was recently photographed kissing and canoodling with her married Snow White & the Huntsman director Rupert Sanders. Word on the street is that Kristen is inconsolable and ashamed of her mistake but that Rob has dumped her in light of the cheating scandal.

Now, we’re not taking sides here (there is a Kristen Stewart Trap, too), but Rob has an extra-bright spotlight on him because he has a new movie coming out called Cosmopolis. That’s the trouble with Hollywood scandals. Even after your dirty laundry has been aired to the world, there are press tours (possibly with your ex), premieres, and interviews to be done. Have you ever want to be interviewed after a breakup? Didn’t think so.

Regardless of what I think about the situation, people want to know the details. So, for that we have The Robert Pattinson Trap, where one can find the full video of his interview with Jon Stewart (spoiler: they bond over breakup ice cream), see how he looked at the Cosmopolis premiere, or hear about how “egoless” the lovable Brit is in real life from his costar. Despite the fact that we don’t really know whether or not Pattinson and Stewart have broken up, Forbes has taken the issue into its own hands and dropped the duofrom the magazine’s couples list. Burn. 

-Kelly 

18 Jul 2012
Trap of the Day: Frank Ocean

 
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You’ll probably be hearing the name Frank Ocean a lot in the near future. I won’t claim to be a well-informed insider - the buzz is already abundant – but if you haven’t heard the story about Ocean and his music yet, the new Frank Ocean Trap is a good place to start. The young hip hop singer has made waves in the music industry this month for both his impressive debut album Channel Orange and his courageous recent blog post in which he came out as bisexual to his fans.

The blog post has prompted a particularly interesting conversation about the politics of LGBT rights within the hip hop community, which has notoriously been seen as more homophobic than other areas of the music industry or country as a whole. Many celebrities, including rapper 50 cent, have come out in support of Ocean and praised his honesty. What’s amazing is that the singer’s album is getting just as much praise. His writing is described as “organic and exposed” and his songs showcase his mellow and smooth singing style.

Ocean has posed for celebrity photographer Terry Richardson, appeared on Jimmy Fallon, and will be appearing at this summer’s Lollapalooza Music Festival. Discussions continue about whether his coming out will liberate his hip hop-loving fans and the suspect reasons behind Target deciding to not sell Ocean’s debut album.

It’s an interesting media story, to be sure, but it seems like Frank Ocean has the talent to stick around long after the buzz has died down.

-Kelly 

27 Jun 2012
Trap of the Day: The Newsroom


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If you’ve been keeping up with entertainment buzz lately, you’ve probably heard about HBO’s latest show, written by the famous Aaron Sorkin. He seems to be a love-him or hate-him type of character, and one of the few writers in Hollywood that has made a big name for himself. His new show, The Newsroom, depicts a veteran national news anchor, the drama behind the scenes of each broadcast, and all the speedy and speech-y dialogue of a typical Sorkin creation. While it debuted to some solid ratings, the reviews are mixed and have plenty of people talking.

Whether or not you like the show will most likely depend on whether you like Sorkin’s style or not. I was a West Wing fan myself growing up, so I’m familiar with the witty banter and heartstring-pulling of a Sorkin drama, and I’m ok with liking it, but many others can’t get over the “pipe-dreamyidealism” and I can certainly see why. Sorkin isn’t afraid of longwinded speeches by his characters. Others are hammering the show’s treatment of the real-life BP oil spill or saying that the show means good things for the country’s conservatives. There’s also a fun youtube video floating around showing off Sorkin’s penchant for reusing his own dialogue.

The show is certainly a hot button right now, which can really only be a good thing for HBO. So maybe all that Sorkin controversy will pay off in the end? All I know is that the premiere episode pulled me in enough, preachy moments and all, to give it at least a few more episodes of a chance. 

-Kelly 

16 May 2012
Trap of the Day: Young Hollywood


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I will admit that I have had a longstanding addiction to Perez Hilton ever since I had an early-morning dance studio job years ago that left me alone with my computer for hours. After that summer, I was sucked in for life. I wouldn’t say I fall into the extreme, gossip-crazy camp, but I don’t mind a good US Weekly and like to keep up with big celebrity news. Luckily for me, that’s a plus as the Lifestyle and Entertainment Editor. Since a general celebrity gossip trap might get a little crazy, we decided to section off a particularly fun Hollywood set to follow – the young up-and-comers. There are the former Disney gals (Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Selena Gomez), the young Brits (Robert Pattinson and Emma Watson), and some youthful stars with serious acting chops (Chloe Grace Moretz, Elizabeth Olsen, Emma Stone) on our list of ones to watch.

Movies and gigs abound with a few scandals, all of which is worthy of a read if keeping up with young Hollywood is on your to-do list. You can find out more about Robert Pattinson’s newmovie, see what his girlfriend Kristen Stewart wore to her Snow White and the Huntsman premiere (we have a trap on that, too!), or pass judgment on whether Hunger Games star Josh Hutcherson’s nose job was medical or cosmetic. If you’re into airport arrivals and street style paparazzi shots, you can see Miley and Elle carrying on with their everyday lives. It must be tough to be a Hollywood starlet, no? I kid. And although I’m sure that fame does come with its downsides, these youngin’s have the whole world at their feet, so we might as well see what they do with it. 

-Kelly 

11 Apr 2012
Trap of the Day: Coachella


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It’s almost that time of year when celebs, hipsters, and hippies alike shell out unreasonable amounts of cash to see their favorite indie bands and sweat in the oppressive heat of Indio, California. The Coachella music festival will begin this weekend and although I will not be attending (the heat and price tag kept me away), I will be keeping up with the best performances, eyeing the most stylish ensembles, and doing my best not to be jealous.

This year the festival will play host to Radiohead, The Black Keys, M83, Bon Iver, AVICII, Cat Power, St. Vincent, Explosions in the Sky, Miike Snow, Justice, Florence and the Machine, and a long list of other bands. The lineup has some winners, to be sure, so if you are going to the festival you can get pumped up this week by checking out Coachella-themed playlists on Spotify or creating your own. Whether looking stylish is your number one priority or not, it’s important to pack everything you might need for the crazy hot days and long nights of partying and camping. Take the practical packing list route, or daydream about what trendy bohemian outfits you’ll take with you. The fashion is almost as important as the music, after all.

If you’re curious, you can also check out how Coachella and other popular festivals got their wacky names. Whether you are getting amped up to attend the festival or just keeping your eyes and ears open for celebrity sightings and live show reviews, we’ll have it all covered before and after the festival begins in The Coachella Trap

-Kelly 

28 Mar 2012
Trap of the Day: Hunger Games

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If you haven’t heard of The Hunger Games, chances are strong that you have either been living under a rock or have not been using the Internet. The young-adult novel-turned-film that is the talk of the town portrays heroine Katniss Everdeen as she participates in a barbaric competition with 23 other young citizens where only one can come out alive. These carefully orchestrated “games” are a concoction of a futuristic and dystopian version of the U.S. and are watched by everyone like a reality show. With a cast full of young, fresh faces like Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth, and more established players like Donald Sutherland, Stanley Tucci, and Elizabeth Banks, it’s no wonder that the movie was a huge hit in its first weekend.

Not only did loyal fans of the book praise the film’s adaptation (despite a few omissions), but the film has had the  3rd best opening weekend at the box office of all time. Of course there are comparisons to Twilight, but in my eyes it’s no contest. Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss is a strong and powerful character against Bella Swan’s damsel in distress. I saw the movie opening weekend (full disclosure: I have not read the books) and absolutely loved it. Lawrence puts up a stellar performance (she’s definitely a new “It-girl”) and the film is an edge-of-your-seat action thriller with well-developed characters and beautiful cinematography to boot. So, if you’re not into the buzz yet, I’ll be the first to say that yes, even with all the hype, it’s worth seeing. I’m no fangirl, but I do wish that I had thick enough hair to rock an awesome tribute braid

-Kelly 

7 Mar 2012
Trap of the Day: The Bachelor

I will admit right out front that I am an avid fan of The Bachelor, but I will also say that there are plenty of more high-brow selections to choose from on my nearly-full DVR. With that out of the way, we can get to all the dirty details of the current season, starring floppy-haired sensitive guy (or so we thought) Ben Flajnik.

While the producers of the show say that almost every season is, “the most controversial ever,” I might actually agree with them this time. If you’ve been watching the current season you’ll know that controversy surrounds the show’s villain and bully, Courtney Robertson making it to the finale and luring Ben in with her less-than-classy tactics along the way. While it hasn’t exactly made the fans happy watching the contestant that everyone loves to hate make it to the end, it has been an entertaining ride. Robertson has managed to alienate almost every fellow contestant with her name-calling, gloating, and generally manipulative behavior over the course of the show. When there were still about 10 girls left in the running, Robertson lured Ben into a skinny-dipping make-out session (or more, who knows) in the waters of Puerto Rico. Classy, right? 

Monday was the always-entertaining ”Women Tell All” episode that pits the rejected women against each other and the final two contenders in a gabfest with host Chris Harrison. Naturally, most of the women were angry (that’s an understatement) at Courtney, and in a surprise move, the model showed up to defend herself and offer a teary apology. I tend to think that this was just a move to repair her damaged image, but you can make your own opinion about her sincerity.

With rumors of Ben choosing Courtney, reports that they’ve already broken up, cheating buzz, and photos of Courtney trying on wedding dresses in public, I don’t know what to believe. Interestingly, there are no rumors that Ben chooses horse-loving girl next door Lindzi. I’m betting on him picking the villain or going home empty-handed. We’ll find out for sure next Monday when the highly-anticipated finale airs and the drama of Ben’s season comes to a close.

You can keep up with all of this season’s drama as well as Bachelor-alum news (Ashley and JP are happy and moving!) with The Bachelor Trap.

-Kelly 

1 Mar 2012
Trap of the Day: Davy Jones, RIP

It’s the new equivalent of the, “what were you doing when”—a big event happens, everyone tweets about it, and the media makes lists of what famous people tweeted. This is, I guess, unsurprising as increasingly social media is where folks learn about famous deaths (“where were you when you learned?” = “I was on Twitter”).  

 

But really, with all the famous RIPs clogging up the tubes it’s the music and film that is worth paying attention to. Crafted though they were, the Monkees drove the kids wild back in the day and continue to inspire. It’s a sad day for a leap year.

RIP Davy.

-Laura