The Craigy's Twenty Sixteen!

Live from Craig's Dining Room comes the twenty sixteen Craigy Awards! Can you believe it has been a year already?! I know I can't. We have truly been blessed with some of the television we have recieved over the last twelve months. I like to champion those shows that may not get recognitions they derserve [cough - The Emmys - cough] and also some of my own damn favourites that I would like to give awards to to show my love.  So let's get on to our first category and here to present it is ... the voice in your head whilst you read it.

The Nominees

Love

Orange is the New Black

Stranger Things

Doctor Who

Pretty Little Liars

Scandal

Empire

iZombie

Girls

The Winner

Orange is the New Black

The Nominees

Veep

The Big Bang Theory

Bob's Burgers

New Girl

The Mindy Project

Baby Daddy

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Broad City
Crazy Ex Girlfriend

The Winner

Baby Daddy

The Nominees

Jean-Luc Bilodeau - Baby Daddy

Finn Wolfhard - Stranger Things

Max Greenfield - New Girls

Peter Capaldi - Doctor Who

Jake Johnson - New Girl

Paul Rust  Love

Tituss Burgess - Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

Simon Helberg - The Big Bang Theory

The Winner

Max Greenfield

New Girl

The Nominees

Lena Dunham - Girls

Winona Ryder - Stranger Things

Abbi Jacobson - Broad City

Gillian Jacobs - Love

Ellie Kemper - Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
Rachel Bloom - Crazy Ex Girlfriend

Lori Petty - Orange is the New Black

Ilana Glazer - Broad City

Jenna Coleman - Doctor Who

The Winner

Lori Petty

Orange is the New Black

The Nominees

Orange is the New Black

Scandal

Broad City

Doctor Who

Stranger Things

Baby Daddy

The Big Bang Theory

New Girl

The Winner

Stranger Things

The Nominees

Ellen's Design Challenge

The Great British Bake Off

Masterchef US

Ink Master

The Next Food Network Star

The Amazing Race

RuPaul's Drag Race

Big Brother Canada

The Winner

RuPaul's Drag Race

The Nominees

The Bad Girls Club

Catfish

MTV: Suspects

The Real Housewives of New York

Mob Wives

Keeping Up With The Kardashians

Dance Moms

The Real Housewives of Atlanta

The Winner

The Real Housewives of New York

The Nominees

Emma Willis

Arisa Cox

Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins

Caroline Flack

RuPaul

Ant and Dec

Julie Chen

Ryan Seacrest

The Winner

Emma Willis

The Nominees

Bob the Drag Queen - RuPaul's Drag Race

Sonja Morgan - Real Housewives of New York

Kourtney Kardashian - Keeping Up with the Kardashians

Kim Chi - RuPaul's Drag Race

Tiffany Pollard - Celebrity Big Brother

Nadiya Hussain - The Great British Bake Off

Nikki Grahame - Big Brother Canada

Bethenny Frankel - Real Housewives of New York

The Winner

Bob the Drag Queen

RuPaul's Drag Race

The Nominees

Ellen Degeneres

Jimmy Fallon

Seth Meyers

James Corden

Samantha Bee

Graham Norton

Chelsea Handler

The Cast of The Talk 

The Winner

Samantha Bee

The Nominees

American Idol - The Finale

The Brit Awards

Grease Live

Super Bowl Halftime Show

The Oscars

Eurovision

The Winner

Eurovision

The Nominees

Willam

Grace Helbig

Jenna Marbles

Mamrie Hart

Trixie Mattel & Katya Zamolodchikova

Jeffree Star

Hannah Hart

Colleen Ballinger

Drew Monson

The Winner

Trixie Mattel & Katya Zamolodchikova

Congratulations to all the winners!

Super Women - International Women's Day 2016

In honour of International Women's Day 2016 I thought I would talk about five women that have inspired me, entertained me and who I think are just five amazing people. There are thousands, millions of women to choose from, but I tried to limit it to five women from the world of entertainment that have impacted on me personally.

Beyoncé

I have been a major fan of this woman since the first time I heard 'No No No (Part 2)'. She has been a trailblazer in the music industry for nearly 20 years, she has shown strength in the face of adversity and she goes out and gets what she wants. You think everything in her life was handed to her? No, how wrong you are. She is one of the most hardworking women in the industry; a legion of fans, a discography to rival your favourites, an IMDb page filled with great roles and hands in multiple other pots testify to that. She never shies away from controversy, but she never creates it for petty matters. It is time to get in formation behind this great women and to enjoy the show.  She has taught me to be myself, I don't need to bend to public opinion because whatever you do you will always have people that love you, and those are the only people that matter.

Victoria Beckham

As an original Spice Boy I feel I have the right to talk about my Queen Victoria. I was there from the beginning when she was still Victoria Adams and 'a real lady' ('Wannabe' reference). She has since made the jump from international pop star to fashion darling. It can be quite shallow to say but I really believe she has it all. This isn't said to diminish the work it took, but I look on her with her beautiful children, happy husband and ever growing empire and I can't help but turn green with jealousy. Back when my sexuality was a grey area she was my ultimate crush, she is classy, smart, funny and savvy. I would lay my coat over a puddle for my Queen V. She has always been an inspiration to me because when she made the career swap it could have failed, she worked hard - not to change people's opinions, she worked hard to achieve her dreams and it just so happened that people loved it.

Amy Poehler

Amy was well on her way to the top of her outstanding career way before she was on my radar. I was slightly late to the SNL party and she was on her way out when I fell in love. Then came 'Parks and Recreation', and I don't think it would be naive to say that it was one of the best television shows to grace our screens - a jewel in the new golden age of television's crown we are currently experiencing. Her book (Yes Please) is one of the best memoirs I have ever read and it is filled with great life advice and mantras we should all be saying to ourselves everyday. I still get excited about any project I see her name connected to and I can't see it ever changing - I am shaking with excitement for whatever she does next. There are so many things to learn from Amy but I think she says it best herself; 'There's power in looking silly and not caring that you do'.

Taylor Swift

When I first saw her music video for 'Tim McGraw' way back in 2006 I suddenly fell. There was this young 16 year old women, writing her own songs and spilling her emotions out to the world, I was intrigued from the get go. It was just when I first started getting in to country music, she was the perfect bridge in to the genre as it was easy listening with the country grace that I have come to love. She has since evolved into an international pop star, she made the leap from country to pop with huge success. In a selfish way I am gutted I will never get another country album from her ('Fearless' is still one of my favourite albums of all time) but I am so happy for her and what she has achieved. What I have learnt from her is that you should never give up, people will try and put you in a box but that is what they want, doesn't mean it has to be something you want. 

Lena Dunham

It seems like Lena is in pop culture news a lot lately, just today she has apparently took a stance and decided she never wants to be photoshopped again - she wants to see herself whilst looking at herself. And bravo to her. There is one quality I have always admired about Lena and it is her courage. I don't think it is unfair of me to say, or even that she would disagree, that she doesn't fit the mold of what a TV star normally is. She didn't break the mold, she just took a left and ignored it. People were shocked when she revealed herself on her hit HBO show 'Girls', some people found it weird because it was so rare to see a 'normal' woman in a state of undress, having sex and not just been the 'best friend' or the girl who takes her glasses off to reveal the hot girl she always was. She is unapologetically herself through and through. She sees a problem and she addresses it, I crave her confidence - I am guilty of seeing something and not saying anything. I want her career, I want her bravery, I want her talents and most of all I want to be comfortable just once not to edit my own photos. 

The Show That Everyone Should Be Watching! Broad City!

I have heard a bit of buzz around this show, a few blogs and vlogs I follow are just in love with this show. So of course I had a peek. I WATCHED THE ENTIRE FIRST SEASON IN ONE SITTING! I was instantly obsessed with these two women. For me, if I had to capture it in a few words it would be that it is like a more realistic 'Girls', with a lot of pot and whole lot more laughs.

Yes, there is a lot of a recreational drug use - one episode even focuses on Abbi trying to be a grown up and source her own pot dealer, but don't think this is just a stoner show. It so isn't. For me the best thing about this show is the friendship. The friendship is extreme, loving, inconveniente and special. I have close friends but my god they take it to another level, they set new friendship goals.

The show started out as a YouTube series, and the wonderful (Future Mrs Craig) Amy Poehler saw it, and ran with it. Shopped it around to a bunch of networks and found them a home at Comedy Central, I will be forever thankful. The show is still up on YouTube in 5 minute manageable bites. There is so much to say about this show that I find that I can't think of anything (you know how that happens).

I could talk about Ilana's allergy to shellfish, Abbi's determination to be a fitness instructor, the measures they go to buy Lil' Wayne ticket's, Ilana's f-buddy/dentist, Abbi's roommate's boyfriend, Ilana's immigrant gay roommate, the episode where they try and work out who pooped in the shoe, Abbi's alterego Val who is a famous lounge singer for the elderly, Abbi's reaction to medication after dental surgery, Ilana's crazy mother who buys counterfeit handbags every time she visits New York from the China Town underground, their amazing fashion, Abbie melting her lover's dildo in the dishwasher, the time Abbi danced naked to 'Edge of Glory' (and the fact Lady Gaga tweeted about it), their love for 90's hip hop ....

I just couldn't sell this show enough and I have a feeling it will be huge come award season next year. The two girls are the creators and writers for the show, Amy Poehler is the producer and I recommend it - what more could you want?!

The Craigy's 2014

It is that time once again ladies and gentleman.  Welcome to the 2014 Craigy's! An award celebrating the shows that may get overlooked or for the simple reason I love them. I feel over the years I have become an opinion on TV as I have put more hours into it then most will in their life time.

I have limited each category to 7 nominees each, this was tough as I feel I may have missed a few, but I am not as flawless - so take your drama outside.

Congratulations to all the winners.

 

The Power Of No

Recently I have discovered the word 'No'. I have been saying it for years, especially when it comes to things such as salad and exercise, but now I realise the power that comes from it. You can say it to things that are expected of you. You can say it to things that people want you to do. It is your life and you get to decide how it goes.

In recent months I have been struggling with certain aspects of my life. I accepted them for what they were and just went along with them. It came to a point where I was miserable, so one day I just said 'no'. The weight that felt lifted from my shoulders was glorious. Yes, I have let people down and haven't met expectations, but who the hell cares? I am going to do what I want to do from now on. I only get one chance to do what I wanted to do and I took it. With most things in life you can go back, if you feel like you made a mistake later down the line it is never too late. So right now I made a decision which will impact certain things but I am so much happier from it.

We are stuck in a society that expects certain things from us. We are expected to go to school, get a job and live happily ever after in an existence that might not be for you. You stick to the status quo and everyone is happy. Well not me, I don't want a life that is already mapped out. I don't want to do what everyone else does. I don't have a 5 year plan, hell I don't even know what I am doing next week - and I love that. I like the unpredictable and unexpected. This is where 'no' has become so important. I have said 'no' to things that should automatically be a 'yes'.

I am not standing here on my little soap box asking you to follow my lead. The way I like to do things may not be what everyone likes. People may find happiness and security in knowing what to do in their lives. Sometimes I wish I could aswell, but I always yearn for something else. My Dad has always said when I start something new 'I give it 3 weeks'. This is so true because thats when I start to get bored and I want to move on. I am a restless person, I just want to live a life filled with spontaneity, adventure, beauty and creativity.

'I don’t wanna do it. It’s really liberating to say no to shit you hate. So you go ahead, you go live your truth. I’ll be here living my truth.' - Lena Dunham, Girls

8 TV shows you aren't watching but should be.

I watch a whole lot of TV, a lot more than a human should. So it pains me when I can't talk to people about my interests, my acquaintances are just not on my level (perhaps they have a social life). So, as I am a giver, I thought I would talk about 8 TV shows that people should be watching so I won't feel like such a loser.

Bates Motel 
'Psycho' is one of my favourite films of all time. It is genius and has more than stood the test of time. So when it was announced a TV show would be made that was inspired by it  I jumped on it. At first I was sceptical because I am a firm believer that some things should be left alone - boy was I wrong. This show tells the story of Norman Bates before 'Psycho' but it has been set in modern times. The star of the show for me is Norma Bates played amazingly and perfectly by Vera Farmiga. Freddie Highmore plays Norman extremely well and I applaud the show for showing us the early signs of his crazy in such a great way. Watch it!

Impractical Jokers
In a nut shell this is a prank show. I don't normally watch these shows since 'Jackass' as I didn't think they could be topped, and they all seemed like copycat shows trying to best the best. Boy am I glad I gave this one a chance. It features 4 life long friends from New York, they are middle aged with an amazing sense of humour and lack of shame. The difference about this show is that they don't try and humiliate people, they strictly humiliate themselves. The tasks will make you cringe and crease with laughter. Watch it!

RuPaul's Drag Race
I have done a whole post before dedicated to this show, but I feel I should mention it again. Basically it is a drag version of a talent show. It is perfect. We have drama, touching moments and what I feel every show should have - lip synch battles!!! It has introduced the world to an art form often mocked and misunderstood, along with laughs-a-plenty plus fabulous men with a talent we should all see and admire. Watch it!

The Following
Nowadays there is a cop show for everyone. Any angle of the justice system you want to watch you can. This show concentrates more on the crime then the technique to catch the bad guy. The story is about a mass-murderer who has a cult following, so whilst the killer is behind bars his wishes are still being granted by the masses. SPOILER ALERT the bad guy escapes prison with a vendetta against the guy who captured him. Plus the show stars Kevin Bacon who we all love (except from those dreadful phone adverts) so this show is great. Watch it!

The Bad Girls Club
This is another show I cannot shut up about and have also dedicated an entire post to. This show has everything. It has drama, it has comedy, it has tragedy, it has fighting, it has making up, it has ratchetness and it also has some classy girls. Basically 7 self confessed 'bad girls' are put into a house. Nothing else to it - they just have to live together. Watch it!

Parks And Recreation
It baffles me that this show isn't bigger than what it is. It stars the amazing Amy Poehler as Lesley Knope, she is the assistant manager of the parks department in her local council. I laugh out loud at every episode. A quick hint - don't watch the first season first, I love this show but it definitely hit its stride in season 2 (watch season 1 after, you will just understand it more then). It is shot in a documentary style so there are lots of awkward moments caught which I love. Its one of those comedies with a heart and those are my favourite kind. Watch it!

Orange Is The New Black
Anyone with out a Netflix account is seriously missing out. This show is genius. It centres around a pretty middle class woman being sent to jail for drug charges she received 10 years prior. The show has its funny moments as well as its sad moments. It comes with drama and an extreme sense of sisterhood. I wasn't sure how great a TV show could be that was made for the internet, but I was extremely pleasantly surprised. I fell in love and binge watched it in a day. Watch it!

Girls
I'm pretty sure everyone has heard of this show now, its just no one seems to be talking about it with me - and I have a lot to talk about. The show centres around 4 young women finding their way through Brooklyn, New York. It is a realistic approach at how women of this age think and act. Lena Dunham created and stars in this show, she is genius. I laugh with them in their awkward moments and cry with them in their sad moments. Plus I live for Shoshanna, she is everything. Watch it!

Watch them all, thank me later with money and food.

And the best supporting actress is ...

Main characters are great, but the characters I enjoy the most are the supporting roles. I think this because they are allowed to be the eccentric ones, the crazy characters that can say and do anything they want. In any show you need the comic relief, if it was left to the main characters then shows would be pretty boring and we would get over them pretty fast. So as the ever helpful person who is obsessed with lists I have taken the time to talk about 10 of my favourite supporting actresses (my top 10 male supporting actors might follow later).

1. Shoshanna Shapiro (Girls)

I know we are supposed to believe that all four 'Girls' are the main characters but lets face facts - Lena Dunham's favourite character is Hannah! She gives her own character about 80% of the screen time (I'm not mad about it at all - the show is amazing). My favourite character is definitely Shoshanna, to describe her in a sentence I would probably say she is woman with a unique look on the world, slightly naive, slightly immature but extremely loveable and hysterical. If you want a sneak peak of how great this character is then watch season 3 episode 2 - she was perfect.

2. Bonnie Wheeler (Baby Daddy)

Probably a show you have never watched or even heard of. It came out in 2012 in America and it is rather funny. The basic premise is that a young guy has a one night stand and 9 months later the mother drops off a baby and then she bolts. This show has many good moments and about 99% are Bonnie's. She is the Grandmother to the baby. She has no inhibitions, reckons herself as a bit of a cougar and she is absolutely hilarious. I hope to be as shameless as her as I age.

3. Amy Farrah Fowler (The Big Bang Theory)
Why this character was not written in from the start I will never know. She is perfection. I will forever be looking for my own Amy. She is a sexually frustrated scientist on her way to been comfortable in social situations. Her personality is flawless and her wit is beautiful. I love you Miss Fowler.

4. Dalia Royce (Suburgatory)
She is the dry, emotionless ultimate mean girl. She is played perfectly by Carly Chaikin. She makes me laugh every time she in screen. She doesn't care who she upsets aslong as she gets what she wants - and she always gets what she wants. There are so many great supporting female characters on this show but she is my favourite. She also has her moments where she touches you and she has brought a tear to my eye a few times.

5. Christina Yang (Grey's Anatomy)
For me she is the star of the show. Playing best friend to the title character can put her in a box of being the supporter and confidant - however she broke the mould. She is a sarcastic, straight talking son of a gun. She takes no shit and knows what she wants. My favourite thing will always be her wit, she just doesn't care.

6. Carol Miller (The Millers)
She could probably be considered a main role but lets be honest - its all about Will Arnett on that show. Carol plays his mother who is currently going through a divorce and she moves in with him. Cut to a montage of them being on the treadmill together - talk about laughing out loud, it got me. My favourite scene, possibly of any show, has to be when she and her kids almost re-enact the famous speech from 'A Few Good Men' - video below.

7. Karen Walker (Will & Grace)

The ultimate supporting character in my books. The bitch with a heart. She is the funniest character from any show. My love for her is unconditional - I don't know what else to say.

8. April Ludgate-Dwyer (Parks and Recreation)

The Queen of deadpan comedy and witty one liners. In a show with Amy Poehler in, it has been a challenge for me to notice other people (my love for Amy is deep and its real) but April stood out from the get-go. I think I resonate with April quite a lot as I have similar attitude as in I don't like doing what I should be doing, I question and moan whenever I am forced to do something. The fact she found love with Andy just multiplied my admiration for the girl.

9. Madison Montgomery (American Horror Story: Coven)

In a show jam packed with amazing actresses it was hard to choose one. I am so happy Ryan Murphy cast Emma Roberts in this role. She plays the heartless bitch flawlessly. She has been through a lot of shit in the show (been killed probably was the lowest point) but she got back up again (literally) and stuck a middle finger up to the world because at the end of the day its her world and we are just living in it. I really hope she is the Supreme.

10. Bonnie Plunkett (Mom)

She is the mother of the main character Christy. Bonnie is an ex-alcoholic and ex-drug addict, who has changed her ways and is now living on her daughter's couch. She is blunt, honest and  a strong willed woman. She takes no flack and will fight for everything that is important to her, plus she does it with hilarity and style. Her one liners make this show for me and she is with no doubt my favourite character from the show.

Crazy Crushes - Female Edition

We all have them. We question them a lot. There are a number of reasons why we have them and why we question them. I call them crazy crushes. Crazy because it will never happen, there could be a million excuses as to why, you have accepted these reason - but the heart doesn't stop beating for them. You wish them all the best in life; but don't lie to yourself - you are gutted when they are happy with someone else.

I thought I would share my celebrity crazy crushes (we are not close enough, or drunk enough for me to reveal my real life tragic crazy crushes). I will also try to grade our chance of love out of 10 should I ever become a Hollywood stud muffin.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus
I have loved her since The New Adventures of Old Christine but it became real after watching Veep. It could be her character that started the crush, but her face cemented it. She is beautiful. However, she has been married for 26 years and has 2 children
Chance of love - 0/10

Amy Poehler
Comedic Goddess and I am not just talking about her amazing role of Leslie in Parks and Rec. Everything she touches turn to comedy gold. She has 2 children, but has recently got divorced.
Chance of love - 1/10

Tina Fey
Another genius of comedy (I'm starting to see a pattern in my tastes). Beautiful, smart and rocks those thick framed glasses. However, she is married and has 2 kids
Chance of love - 0/10

Mindy Kaling
A huge turn on for me (you listening ladies *wink wink*) is awkwardness. I don't understand why but it warms my heart watching someone be awkward. She is wonderfully awkward (sorry Zooey). She also wrote her own show and stars in it - she got some balls. Not married and no kids.
Chance of love 1/10

Ellen DeGeneres
I often get caught in what us fans call the 'Ellen Trap'. Its where you watch one video of hers on YouTube and before you know you have watched 25 videos and you wonder where your life went. However one word ruins the dream - Lesbian.
Chance of love - 0/10

Victoria Beckham
She is everything. I LOVE HER. She is perfect and I will scratch the eyes out of anyone who says otherwise. She was always my fave Spice Girl. Now she is in the fashion world and her designs (even her haters can't deny) are amazing. However - David, David, David how could anyone compete? And 4 children!?
Chance of love 0/10

Adele
She is hilarious, she makes me cry and she has a truckload of record sales. Her music is beautiful but what attracts me the most to Miss Adkins is her personality. She is so funny, so real and not to sound nasty because I never could be against Adele - she is common as muck - and I love her. However, she just knocked out a kid and she is in a happy relationship. Guess I'll just have to wait for the music.
Chance of love 1/10

The Girls of 'Girls'
This show is amazeballs. So funny and so real. I love all the main girls for individual reasons.
Hannah (Lena Dunham) - her self confidence in her writing met with her self doubt in life make her special. Lena's portrayal of her in the second season with the OCD was amazing to watch.
Marnie (Allison Williams) - she is desperate to be loved but is scared when it happens. Her fashion choices are great (plastic dress?!?) and her singing was beautiful (Stronger?!?)
Jessa (Jemima Kirke) - I am envious of her hippy/gypsy lifestyle. She goes and does whatever she wants. I want to follow.
Shoshanna (Zosia Mamet) - her kid like, Charlotte-from-sex-and-the-city-innocence meets up-tightness make her one of my faves on the show. She is adorable and hilarious.
However, I will never be cool enough to be in the same room as these ladies - ever. I don't even think I am cool enough to go to Brooklyn.
Chance of love - 0/10