ANTHONY MACKIE By Ture Lillegraven For Mens Health, 2019.

ANTHONY MACKIE by Ture Lillegraven for Men’s Health, 2019. 

Kristen Bell on the Final Season of 'The Good Place' and That Shocking 'Veronica Mars' Ending

Kristen Bell talked about how why NBC's 'The Good Place' is coming to an end, that shocking 'Veronica Mars' ending, 'Frozen 2' and more.

Also, the one thing that I struggled with was why people were so upset when she turned down Logan’s proposal. Humbly, I’m so happy being married with two kids. I love the white picket fence that I’ve got. But I’m Voltaire about the fact that’s not right for everyone. I may not agree with what you say, but I’ll fight to death for your right to say it. Not everyone wants to have kids. Not everyone wants to get married. Veronica does not want to get married, right now. She is not ready, and that is her choice. And I didn’t love that people were like, “Why can’t she just marry Logan?” Well, because she doesn’t need a man to fix all her problems. She hasn’t had good examples of marriage. She’s not ready to commit. The true test of feminism is whether or not you’re gonna agree with her, or whether or not you think she should have something different because society states she should. So, it was interesting to me to see so many people upset about that because I thought we had distanced ourselves from John Cusack with the boombox outside our window being right for everyone. It’s not a love story that’s wrapped in a perfect bow. It’s okay for Veronica to have complex feelings about marriage because she’s being honest with herself.

I’ve avoided posting or discussing articles by cast/ crew which which I don’t agree, because everyone’s entitled to their own opinion. But I feel this statement is a deliberate PR misdirect ploy, meant to reframe the backlash as ‘fans being silly’, and KB keeps repeating it in every interview. So, to refute:

1) No fan I know is mad that Veronica turned down Logan’s proposal initially. Pretty much everyone thinks the choice was in character. Veronica’s first line in her first scene, season 1, was something along the lines of ‘I’m never getting married’ and she stated it as an absolute.

2) Veronica DID want to get married and commit in the end, though. You know how I know? Because she did get married. To Logan. By her own choice. In a scene which KB presumably remembers, because she filmed it.

3) How is it distancing the show from ‘John Cusack with the boombox outside our window’ to promote the new season’s theme song with…John Cusack Rob outside KB’s window? This season’s promotional material was 100% tropes she claims they eschew. Which makes their PR a beyond-cynical bait-and-switch con, designed to trick fans into watching something sure to upset them.

The talking point in this interview is a straw man argument, formulated to make the speaker seem more rational and progressive than her opponent. The real reason fans are mad is because the male co-lead was fridged to re-traumatize our heroine–the writers think V’s only interesting when she suffers. And that viewpoint is not feminist or progressive at all.

Here is another update to the list of  Veronica Mars Podfics (available on AO3):

Counsel for the Defence, by @5mallestviolin // Podfic by @chikabiddy

Flight 311, by @amypc1 // Podfic by @amypc1

Trick Play, by @ayy-ohh // Podfic by @his-beautiful-girl

The Phenomenal Pixie - Interlude #1 - "Bugs", by @best-laid-plaids​ // Podfic by @amypc1

Stay, by @bryrosea // Podfic by @ayy-ohh

Looking for Some Hot Stuff, by @cheshirecatstrut // Podfic by @amypc1

BELOVED TROPES, by @cheshirecatstrut // Podfic by NorCal91

A New Path, by @cubbiegirl // Podfic by NorCal91

Blazing A Trail, by @cubbiegirl // Podfic by NorCal91

Extracurricular Activities, by @cubbiegirl // Podfic by NorCal91

Let's Get Physical, by @cubbiegirl // Podfic by NorCal91

Not In A Million Years, by @cubbiegirl // Podfic by NorCal91

Our Hallmark Ending, by @cubbiegirl // Podfic by NorCal91

Road to Recovery, by @cubbiegirl // Podfic by NorCal91

The Hat Trick, by @cubbiegirl // Podfic by @ayy-ohh

My Secret Love's Not Secret Anymore, by @elliebear75 // Podfic by @amypc1

This Tornado Loves You, by @elliebear75 // Podfic by NorCal91

So Much For Secrets, by @heavenli24 // Podfic by @amypc1

I'm Here, I'm Your Family, by @marshmellowbobcat // Podfic by @amypc1

Another Second Last Chance, by @nevertothethird // Podfic by @amypc1

There Would Still Be You and Me, by @saoirsekonstantin  // Podfic by @his-beautiful-girl

It Was a Shit Show, by @thelillykane // Podfic by NorCal91

Secrets Kept, Secrets Shared, by @therealcactusbetty // Podfic by @amypc1

Chicago Layover, by @troublescout // Podfic by @amypc1

Beach Casual, by @vmsteenbeans // Podfic by NorCal91

Please respond via comments or DM if you know of additional VM Podfics.

Here is a list of Podfics featuring characters from Veronica Mars (available on AO3):

11 Characters That Never Were The Slayer, by crackers4jenn // Podfic by blackglass

A Moment’s Notice, by rottweilersatemylaptop // Podfic by rottweilersatemylaptop

A Strange New Story Every Time, by @gyzym // Podfic by @podklb, swiiftly, & were_duck

Backwards Take, by @bryrosea​ // Podfic by @starlightafterastorm​

Broken, by Mercury32 // Podfic by froggyfun365

Collecting Kisses, by @vmsteenbeans​ // Podfic by silvergrrrl

Four Times Parker Got Away from Veronica, and One Time She Didn’t, by scintilla10 // Podfic by greedy_dancer

Hacker’s Delight, by @machawicket​ // Podfic by blackglass

Haunted, by @scandalpantsstuff​ // Podfic by silvergrrrl

Heard the Old Man and the Sea Singing Low, by @ghostcat3000​ // Podfic by silvergrrrl

Lessons on Appropriate Timing, by @machawicket​ // Podfic by silvergrrrl

lifetime piling up, by thingswithwings // Podfic by @analise010​

lifetime piling up, by thingswithwings // Podfic by knight_tracer

Mexicali Blues, by flyingcarpet // Podfic by @fieldtoolarge​

Nothing Like You and I, by BlackEyedGirl // Podfic by knight_tracer

Onwards and Upwards, by @gingersnapwolves​ // Podfic by Opalsong  

Rich Dirt, by theohara // Podfic by @podklb​

Sixteen Candles, by amathela // Podfic by @luvtheheaven​

The Inner Moonlight, The Holy Dark, & The Evening Shadows and the Stars, by @theawkwardterrier​ // Podfic Pt(1) Pt(2) Pt(3) by silvergrrrl

The Ingenue, by emmaliza // Podfic by froggyfun365

The Radio Game, by TheLastGoodGoldfish // Podfic by @luvtheheaven​

Three Emails Sent Across Continents (And Possibly Five Text Messages), by Care // Podfic by knight_tracer

Time to Land, by @pollychurchill​ // Podfic by @ofjustimagine​

With Friends Like These, by @gingersnapwolves // Podfic by Opalsong

Please respond via comments or DM if you know of additional VM Podfics. Thx! H/T to @chickabiddy for the post inspiration.

@nicemom93 💖

People like that… corporations like that, they have all the money, they have all the power, and they use it to make people like you go away. Right now, you’re suffering under an enormous weight. We provide… leverage.

LEVERAGE (2008-2012)

Oh, hey. So. What about a continuation of Come Rain or Shine? “You’re Carrie’s Logan?” “Lilly’s Veronica?” Ummmm ya we need more of that world.

Title: Happy Together, Unhappy Together (a continuation from this fic I wrote five years ago, holy moly what is time??!!) Rating: PG-13 for some swears and kinda some smut glitter Pairing: Logan Echolls/Veronica Mars (mentions of Lilly Kane/Carrie Bishop) Additional Tags: Logan and Veronica probably being schmoopier than acceptable, pillow talk and nonsense Word Count: 910   *** This one is dedicated both to @ayy-ohh​ and @jjmazzy because in a total brain meld they each requested it approximately 10-minutes apart from one another. It was very difficult to reacquaint myself w/ this little universe so I worry L/V are totally different people from the first fic, but *shrugs*. 

Also, there is a lot I left on the cutting room floor (approximately 2,000 words worth) because most of it was trash. I’ll post little snippets of the cuttings in my author room on the VM Fic Club discord if you’re interested.

Have I stalled enough?  *** Carrie and Lilly’s wedding ceremony begins at 5:00 PM. By 5:33 PM, vows are exchanged. The first platters of champagne make their rounds in the largest ballroom at the Neptune Grande at 6:30 PM. Right around 6:55 PM, Veronica Mars makes a terrible first impression (or, depending on who you ask, second impression) on Logan Echolls. And by 10:41 PM, her bra is off, her dress is hitched up around her waist, and Logan has her pressed up against the wall of his hotel suite. 

(Okay, so that leaves almost four hours unaccounted for. She realizes that. It’s just that Logan’s mouth is doing something pretty great at the juncture between her neck and shoulder and—holy shit did she just moan?—so she can’t really be expected to give an accurate accounting of every minute of the wedding reception. Can she?) 

She wakes up the following morning to the sight of Logan’s naked back, his limbs akimbo and cheek pressed into his pillow. It is painfully cute and Veronica has every intention of doing something about it but first, bathroom. She brushes her teeth, pulls her hair back into a messy top-knot, and helps herself to one of the bathrobes hanging on the door. Back in the suite, Logan hasn’t moved. She stands by her impulse from when she first woke up. The impulse that was something along the lines of again, now! 

It’s just—

She also wants breakfast. 

She’s perusing the room service breakfast menu when there’s a knock on the suite door. She ensures her robe is tied and by the time she makes it to the door, looks through the little peephole, there’s a breakfast cart waiting for her to collect. 

Well, she’s not going to say no to that. 

Logan wakes up as she pours herself coffee. 

“Morning,” he says. His voice is deliciously gruff and reminds her of the aforementioned again, now! thought. Then there’s the hair which sticks up ten different ways. He runs a hand through it, making it even more of a mess. 

(There was a moment last night, where he was propped up against the headboard, she was in his lap, fistfuls of his hair in her grip as he—)

She focuses on her coffee, stirring the cream and sugar until it’s the perfect color of brown. “When did you manage this?” she asks. 

“When you were in the shower last night.” 

“God, you’re good.” 

“I know.” 

“Conceited.” 

“Self-assured.” Logan gets out of bed and settles behind her. He rests one hand on her hip and uncovers the breakfast plates. “Sweet or savory?” 

“Sweet.” 

The hand on her hip bunches up her robe, and she feels Logan press his smile into the crook of her neck. God. This is going to be a problem. He is going to be a problem for her. 

Breakfast is a peculiar affair. Peculiar in that Veronica would never think to describe morning afters as easy. But this one is. 

She eats blueberry pancakes and bacon, all while she and Logan joke and jibe about the wedding the night before. They can’t joke about how happy both Lilly and Carrie looked, though. 

“They’re going to make it. Right?” 

Logan nods as he takes a sip of his coffee. “They’re going to make it.” 

“Speaking of couples—”

“—Oh, you already think of us as a couple?”

“Logan.” 

“Do I get a pin or a letterman’s jacket?” 

She pinches his nipple. 

“Ouch,” he says, batting her hand away. “You’re a pest.” 

She shrugs, not denying it. “Speaking of couples,” she tries again, “word is going to get back to Lilly and Carrie about what we told Duncan.” 

“Oh no, Sandy! Whatever will we do?” She goes to pinch him again and he smacks her hand away. “Be nice.” 

“You don’t think that is a problem? That our best-friends are going to hear we told my ex we were dating?” 

“We’ll explain it to them.” 

“Oh.” She runs a finger through the syrup on her plate. “Yeah, that’s logical.” 

“And you find logic to be disappointing?” 

She sighs. “I think I like you.” 

Logan moves the plate away from where it sits separating them and scoots closer. Their knees touch and he runs his hands over her bare thighs, up under her robe. “I would hope so.” He tucks a strand of hair that’s fallen from her top knot behind her ear. “Because if what you did to me last night is what you do to people you don’t like?” 

She pushes at his shoulder and he reaches up to keep her hand there. “Veronica.” She curls her fingers like a fist. Presses that fist into Logan’s skin. 

Her name on his lips is sotto voce. Like a secret. She leans forward and rests her forehead on his chest. “What?”

“Maybe let’s try?” 

“I live in San Francisco,” she tells his sternum.

“I know that.” 

“You live in San Diego.” 

“I also know that.” She looks up at him. “I also know that I am very rich.” 

“Why do I know so many rich people?” 

“It’s a 90 minute flight.” 

“Think of the greenhouse gas emissions.” 

“Veronica.” The way he says her name is part rebuke, part plea. It’s tempting to ignore it. Insist it’s a dumb idea to start a relationship with 500 miles between them. Only, she doesn’t want to. 

“Okay.” She kisses the space above his heart. “Maybe let’s try.”

Fiona Apple wearing suit of armor on a subway by Joe McNally