
[In this feature, we will periodically check in to see what is up with Topher Grace.]
Since for some reason or another this feature tends to be where I write about whatever book I happen to be reading at the time, this seems like the most appropriate place to announce the Unofficial Videogum Book Club. The club is For Monsters By Monsters, and will be monitored/managed/whatever by An American Patriot. In the event that someone says something really terrible to someone else and hurts their feelings, or it becomes riddled with graphic pornographic images, Videogum is in no way responsible. But it seems like a nice idea. Books are nice. There’s a post up right now where you can make your suggestions for the first pick. I’m not entirely clear on how things will play out from there, but you should check it out if you’re interested. Speaking of reading, I just finished Joshua Ferris’s And Then We Came to the End, which I had been studiously avoiding for a very long time, because there was something about a wry comic novel about the quotidian nature of modern office life that did not interest me in the least. Perhaps it hit a little TOO CLOSE TO HOME. Who can know. But it turns out that book is really good, and that the people who kept saying it was really good were being honest and truthful. Now I am reading Lonesome Dove, and that’s EVEN BETTER. Did you know it won the Pulitzer Prize? I didn’t know that. I had always sort of thought of it as a ripped-bodice airport novel set in Deadwood, or whatever, but it’s just tremendous. Admittedly, I’m only about a quarter of the way through, so there’s plenty of time for it to slip the rails and devolve into a real piece of shit, but I have every confidence that it won’t.
Speaking of people who can read (I assume) and have been in airports, what’s up with Topher Grace?
As a working actor in Hollywood, California, one often doesn’t know what one will be doing from one project to the next. It’s exciting but I bet it can also be very nerve-wracking! In any case, working actor Topher Grace can breathe a little easier for a little while, because he has been cast in a major motion picture! Slashfilm reports:
Topher Grace, Paul Rudd, and Kristen Wiig are reportedly set for the indie comedy Bobby Blue Sky, written by Parks and Recreation’s Emily Kapnek. The film is about “three dysfunctional siblings coming to terms with the way their baby brother’s accidental fame as a character in their father’s children’s book series warped their lives.”
Can you step into my office for a second? Close the door, please. Um, that movie sounds great! OK, that will be all. Back to work.
Another movie starring Topher Grace, which he WROTE (!!!!), and which we have talked about before, Kids in America, may finally be released. That’s nice! I cannot imagine writing, selling, producing, and starring in a movie, only to have that movie gather dust in some Hollywood vault while everyone is out having cocaine omelets and Red Bull bloody marys. New York magazine reports:
Topher Grace, Anna Faris, and Michelle Trachtenberg have all been in movie limbo for the last three years, but they’re about to be liberated! Three years ago, Grace — having just left That ‘70s Show — embarked on a new career in screenwriting. It didn’t go so smoothly. In 2007, he starred in and executive produced Kids in America, an eighties period drama he’d co-written about a recent MIT grad so disgusted by the rampant materialism of the era that he bails on a high-paying entry-level job at a laboratory to become a video-store clerk. Heavyweights Ron Howard and Brian Grazer produced.
Update: Relativity confirms they’ll release it in March of next year.
This movie also stars Dan Fogler from Balls of Fury and Good Luck Chuck!
OFF THE SET, JustJared has some new photos of Topher hanging out with Camilla Belle, another working actor in Hollywood, California. As you can see, they are definitely walking down the street.

Scandal?! THEIR HANDS ARE ALMOST WITHIN DOZENS OF INCHES FROM EACH OTHER AND THEIR FACES ARE IN THE SAME TOWN. We will have to wait and see how this one SHAKES THE WORLD.
Meanwhile, if you’re a Topher Grace fan, there is now a place for you to share some of your enthusiasm and Topher Grace info with other Topher Grace fans on Facebook.com:

It’s also a great way to learn about upcoming correspondence courses in office management!
Speaking of office management, why not spruce up your office, or anywhere, really, with another excellent Ebay purchase:

This photo is VERY candid, but even more than that, it is sexy. Buy it now
And, of course, That ’70s Show remains popular in syndication.
There you go. That is what is up with Topher Grace. Send your Topher tips to tophergracenews@videogum.com. See you next time!
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Topher was gone, but 3 minutes later he is back. HE IS RISEN!
Woah, Double-Complete voting ability! What does it mean?
THERE ARE SO MANY THUMBS!
that’s what she said.
I don’t know if I should like or dislike this comment, because yes, there are too many thumbs, you’re right! But also, I don’t like this many thumbs…DO I LIKE IT OR DISLIKE IT? HOW DOES THIS WORK? I liked it.
I don’t know if I like or dislike this thing.
Oops. Sorry for the downvote this one. It let me up vote and then down vote the same comment. What does it mean?
I know. Was anyone here confused about how to interpret the direction of the thumbs?
I preferred the notion of “agree/disagree”. I am already seeing comments with which you agree in a way, but “like” would make the wrong impression. Also, why twice?!
#scaredofchangegum
Two thumbs good. Four thumbs bad. #terribleorwellmisquotes
Yeah, can’t the Videogum Comments section be apply for Landmark Status and be exempt from all this shifting and changing?
“be apply”? I guess with the new layout comes the new grammar.
I don’t like the yellow. Only complaint. (so far)
and the reply button is wonky. Right now it’s saying I’m reply to Werttrew but the comment box is under MY comment which is the comment I’m trying to reply to.
and also i don’t want to know that one person did not like my “The Liz” comment on the Best New Party Game…Though now you might as well tell me who it was so I can find them and MAKE THEM PAY! …for the emotional damages?
I still don’t like the yellow. #morecomplaints
I think knowing how many downvotes I get is going to give me a nervous complex. But: never forget:

There is no situation in which that little guy doesn’t work. You go, guy!
PS-The Liz was awesome.
Robot Jox?
Yep!

Prepare for me to make this joke 74 (precisely 74) times:
♥~ ♥~ pReS ♥tHuMbS ♥ uP ♥ iF ♥ u ♥ GoT ♥ tHaT ♥ bIeBeR ♥ fEvEr ♥~ ♥~
I did not thumbs up, but I did not thumbs down. It turns out I am Bieber 98.6 degrees.
thing is, 5 thumb-up’s meaning “Well-loved” might be fine for ihateeverythingandyoupeopleareallgayandretardedgum*, but here, in the land of sunshine and double rainbows, where the air is clean and wild SteveWinwoods roam free, EVERYTHING is a 5+ comment or a reply to one, thus yellow overload
so, make it harder, Lawnmower Man! make us sweat for it!**
*AKA stereogum
**twss
You have to go into Settings and uncheck the box that says “Conjoined Twins”
Notsewfast’s new nickname: Well-Loved
Steve Winwood’s New nickname: Hot debate
This new voting system really adds new context to the comments

Technology continues to rocket forward at a terrifying, breakneck speed.
Differentiating thumbs are the first signals that SKYNET has become aware.
Why are some comments highlighted?? I’m so confused! I’m gonna go back to look at the pictures of Christina Hendricks to calm down.
You made it into the “Going the Distance” side bar! Congrats!
Oh it’s not there anymore! Now I’ll never figure out how far I would have made it! I could have been KING of Videogum, I’m sure.
Is this abolishing of the harmful method of minus votes for the reason that I hear it is disruptive to the learning of young Monsters minds?
Always POSITIVE GUYS!
I know how to fix this…

Yay for bookgum! Unfortunately I can’t read, so that may be difficult. Also, T-Dog AND Paul Rudd in the same movie? Sounds like an instant Videogum Movie Club right there!
On another note, what’s the deal with the like and dislike things, is Videogum now Facebook? Although I have to admit seeing how much comments are upvoted and downvoted in your profile is quite nice.
If Heaven exists….This is what it will be like.
Like! Like! Like! Paul Rudd, some day you will be mine.
FYI, I took the MODERATION off simply BECAUSE it was getting TIRESOME approving all THE SUBMISSIONS. BUT IF people START to take that comment FREEDOM for granted AND ABUSE it, IT WILL be taken AWAY.
That said I’M PRETTY excited, and I HOPE it turns OUT well. LIke I SAID, suggestions for THE FIRST 6 will be OPEN UNTIL next week, AND THEN we’ll start VOTING on said suggestions and FIGURE IT all out.
Oh yay book club! When we finish reading can we turn those books into personal pan pizzas somehow?
And can the Ninja Turtles be involved?
Yay for Book It! I was such a total Book It nerd. Also, I ate a lot of pizza. In a related story, I wonder why I didn’t get a lot of dates in high school? Detective Peggy is on the case! (Spoiler alert: it’s because I didn’t use Pond’s.)
#insidejokesgum
Anampat, you truly are a hero amongst monsters. I am in a tizzy about bookgum!
Spoiler alert Gabe: Gus falls in love with Clara’s baby and then EATS A PLACENTA.
WHAT?! Hidden comment due to hating Twilight. Super zowey Captain Caveman!
… aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand son!
I wonder if half of us vote a comment up, and the other half vote it down, if we can get a new Monster’s Ball category for Most Contentious comment. Let me try:
I love kittens and Hitler!
as long as i alternate blue/pink thumbs, it’s letting me vote infinite times
Kittens OR Hitler. Hot debate, indeed.
I love how the kitten/Hitler debate is in pink
I love how, so far, monsters love kittens more than they hate Hitler.
Without the thumbs up/thumbs down tally, now it just looks like Monsters have the mildest of feelings about the kitten/Hitler debate.

Also, how did someone not already do this?
KITLER!
Does Camilla Belle have baby bump??? Could Topher be the baby-daddy???
I should add…
PSYCHE!!!!! I don’t even care. When are we going to have “Hey, What’s Up With Jessica Alba?”?????? -Steve Winwood
I would enjoy a blog series on a pretty lady of that caliber
I know, Steve. I would love a feature on any of the hotties that are in my celeb top five, but sometimes we just have to face the grim reality: We can’t always get what we want. We just have to deal with the Topher updates, and I must say that it is a completely righteous blog series, friend.
What is the name of the dirty dancing / ferris bueler actress you use as her avatar? she was pretty before all that plastic surgery. we could have a blog post series on her
That would be Jennifer Grey. However, I think it would be more interesting if there was a series on Rolfe DeWolfe.
when I was a child – a period of time known as this actress’s “hey day” (dirty dancing/ferris beullers day off) – I was uncomfortable and confused about my level of attraction to this unconventionally attractive actress but in my later years as an adult man I discovered that it was precisely this uniqueness and break from conventional beauty standards that made such an impression on me. And then she went and destroyed her gifts with this mangled awful plastic surgery. Sometimes, the Lord giveth, the Devil aka human pride and vanity taketh away
btw, who are the hotties in your celeb top five? just curious
Steve, you asked me this in another thread a few weeks ago, but I will tell you again:
Ryan Gosling
Jon Hamm
Dave Grohl
Paul Rudd
Ryan Reynolds
#6 Steve Winwood
-This is My Nightmare 1985-2012
DS3M, Steve is a strong #6…How did you know?
I liked the way the old site looked:
I’m curious as the descriptor for something that is downvoted to hell. Not so Well-Recieved? Winwoodesque?
“Good Personality”?
i am godzilla.
i prefer the term ‘adored.’
Seriously: I started reading And Then We Came To The End in May of 2008 … and I still haven’t found the initiative to finish this hopelessly boring, cutesy and tediously un-funny novel. As someone who suffered a significant job loss in the dot com bust and also suffered other things depicted in this story that should have made me the target demo for this book, I feel like I should have liked this. But the emperor (this novel) wears no clothes (is no good). Look no further than the fact that Gabe had NOTHING to say about this terrible book other than he liked it generally and thinks its neat and terrific in general, in a vague undefined way that he has nothing to say about. Is it the worst book ever? No, but all the hype and praise this book has received makes no sense what so ever. I doubt I will ever finish it. I’m past the half way point which feels like I went too far to give up but when am I going to finish this? Never, probably.
Oh and Topher Grace remains unpopular in Steve Winwood’s syndicated commentary posts on videogum.
The End.
Hot debate happening here folks!
No it’s not!
FUCK THIS NOISE.
Hot Debate My ASS!
Wow… and everyone accuses ME of being a troll. Look, if I’m the only one besides your precious “Gabe” who has bothered to read this book, that’s one thing (subliterate jack asses disconnected from the literary zeitgeist of our times, etc), but to then troll me with lazy provocations? I say: No.
We got the Three Billy Goats Gruff over here, folks, won’t stop goin on about trolls.
Something tells me a lot of SW’s comments are going to be HOT DEBATES, if only bc he has dedicated haters and dedicated lovers. I’m not naming names.
That said, I have had somewhat of an awakening as far as winwood is concerned. I am no longer a Hater. I am not a lover of the SW commentary all the time, in fact, he is boring and trite with the repeated catch phrases etc. The fact others parrot his work in Boring Fashion is annoying, sometimes it makes sense and is funny, most times its GIMME SOME VOTES.
But in either case, I think steves been bringing it on the comments when he actually gives a shit, and he’s doing alright even when he doesn’t. We just need to let Steve be great, and lets all continue the HOT DEBATE
um, hi. i have actually read the book and would heartily support it for bookgum.
the author is hot (although sadly married), it made me Laugh Out Loud, the middle section with lynn was at first jarring, but then becomes touching, and yes, then i cried. bawled, really. for me, “the collective we” worked. the last line of the book really did it for me.
maybe i have a high capacity for boredom? i read 2666 and infinite jest with zeal (although i’ve never finished a pynchon novel). this was one of the most entertaining literary novels i have read.
perhaps you could finish the novel as a whole and then give your critique?
Bookgum!!!!!
Well shit. My mad gif skills have failed me.
Everybody likes the word “bookgum” though.
Something tells me this new voting system is going to make Werttrew’s life more difficult.
Sorry to everyone I’ve randomly down-voted on this thread; I was simply clicking every button possible to see what would happen. What is the yellow? Most thumbed?
Hidden due to low comment rating. Click here to see
Leave my wwwest alone. We enjoy soccer chats and swapping our Snazzys and POGS! #soccergum
Trans-Atlantic high five!
That’s impossible due to that award’s non-existence. Nice attempt to troll, bro.
Dad?
Well liked or a reply to a well-liked comment, I think?
Did these comments just go through a cloud of fog?
I know! I saw that too and was like, why are some foggy and some clear?
Time to wrap up in my Snizzo snazzy and listen to some Snoop Dogg while sippin’ on gin and juice
I think that there’s never a debate about gin and juice.
Or the D-O-double-G, for that matter.
I just finished Then We Came To The End as well. It was good!
Ferris’ Dinner Party story in the NYer is the best thing he’s ever done. http://www.newyorker.com/fiction/features/2008/08/11/080811fi_fiction_ferris
Can’t wait for the day we can see who upvotes or downvotes us! Imagine the chaos that will ensue.
Junior high school all over again.
Makeouts! Probably.
I’m not sure how I feel about this Videogoro voting system.
[img]http://www.dragoart.com/tuts/pics/5/1294/how-to-draw-goro-from-mortal-kombat.jpg[/img]
Goro gives that image attempt four thumbs down!
OK, how many penises are there in Goro’s hands? It’s not just me, is it? All I see is a sweet codpiece and Edward Penishands up there.
Penises shouldn’t have such large, dark Urethras
Whoa. That is not what I meant to do at all.
Burgy, I am seriously lol’ing IRL at this poster. Well done.
Are we ever going to be able to see replies to our comments on our profiles, Gabe?
Here’s what I say: let’s take videogum to the next level and have our profile pages set up almost like myspace or friendster pages, or facebook pages. You can see not just the most recent comments, but ALL of that person’s comments archived, plus what movies and books he/she likes, etc. Could be a rad web development for this little neck of the e-Woods in my opinion. In this economy we need to find ways to maximize page views as we continue to monetize online efforts and verticals.” – Gabe pretending to be Mr. Corporate Douche chill with a blue tooth in his ear like a cyborg or some shit. Ka-ching? $
I #FB Like This
….an alliance….?
I am also a recent grad disgusted by rampant materialism, but without any video-store clerk jobs to run to, I just look for really good sales. Any Heavyweights interested in bankrolling this brainchild?
I look forward to your patronage, backstagebethy.
This new system is only going to make me more angsty about upvotes…now I can see that 34 people upvoted me and 1 downvoted, and it makes me want to know why that one person didn’t think I was as funny as the other 34.
Then again maybe I should stop caring so much about made up points on a website and just go back to watching made up vampires on a website. TRUE BLOOD 4 LYFE.
Shut up, at least you can manage 30 votes period. I on the other hand…. Never made the top 5.
It is total freak chance. Two of my comments I thought were just meh got 30+ and 50+ upvotes, and some of the ones I thought were in perfect Videogum comment humor style got completely ignored. So I give up on trying to appease you nuts and just post whatever.
Now You Know How I roll. I got confused about what this community finds funny, so only 1 in 10 of the things I put up here are THE OFFiCIAL VGUM JOKES versus my own shit. I guess a lot of times I find my own work as funny as you find yours, and end up confused by the results (starting my centuries old quest for metrics, which was fulfilled briefly yesterday, and then snatched cruelly away).
In any case, yeah, keep Fucking that Chicken, do it Your Way like Frankie, and Keep Being Next Level
Can somebody explain to me where you can see how many upvotes and downvotes a comment gets? I still only see the total.
Never mind. Should have read the whole thread.
Some things I’ve noticed:
Downvotes are much less common than I thought.
Looking in the archives, downvotes used to be much more common.
Most very low rated comments have a decent number of upvotes.
Very high rated usually accrue more downvotes when they get near 100.
There aren’t any commenters who routinely receive more than a single downvote without some type of provocation, whether it be crassness, rudeness, politics or using an overused joke.
People need to upvote me more.
Also, you can now see comment voted without having to log in!
Oh so that’s the thought process, to encourage newbies to enroll in the program. Smart.
And also when you’r not logged in: vote… sorry I mean like or dislike comments, but just some of them? Is this real life? Why is this happening to me? Is this gonna be forever?!?
Godsauce? More like Needs-to-get-a-life Sauce. Ahhhh?
Awww I’m just playin’ friend. Just messin’ with yoooooooouuuuuuuu
WE GET THIS CAAAARAAAAAZZZY NEW RATING SYSTEM AND I DON’T GET MY VERY REASONABLE REQUEST FOR OPENING LINKS IN NEW TABS?!!!!! WHAT GIVES, GABE?
PS I HELD THE SHIFT KEY DOWN THIS WHOLE TIME. NO CAPS LOCK. THAT’S HOW MAD I AM!
The crazy comment voting changes you are seeing is a bug. We’re working on it…
should be all fixed now.
For some reason,the new voting format instantly made me think of one thing:
“Double voting-thumbs, all the way! What does it MEAN??”
My Brain: It’s Complicated.
And, of course, it gets fixed while I was reading the thread. I should refresh more, but I like to live dangerously.
OMG I love Lonesome Dove. When i was lonesome, probably summer 06, it was the dove that brought peace to my studio apartment. Just an epic story of rollercoaster-style fun. It starts out with a pig eating a rattlesnake, how can you not like?
Double comment voting is fixed now. Back to work, monsters!
Thanks, Scott. I liked the idea, but the visual layout was a nightmare. Thanks for being so attentive, How about All Delighted People? Pretty goshdarn great, right? Sorry, sometimes I forget that I can actually comment on Stereogum now.
I just tried to comment on Stereogum and it wouldn’t let me. It said, “No OLDS!”
I will be commenting daily for this GOLD STAR Business.
I wasn’t joking about the gold star.
Hopefully Taylor Momsen will cover Dominant Legs next week so you monsters can be summoned again soon.
Nice backwards hat, Mr. Cool.
I love him …i loved him lip syc-ing to barry white in win a date with tad hamilton …
http://ezinearticles.com/?Very-Early-Signs-of-Pregnancy—Do-You-Know-the-11-Pregnancy-Signs?&id=4917255
Gus McCrae, motherfuckers, Gus McCrae!!!
(Lonesome Dove is the most enjoyable book I’ve read in years, Gabe, I’m so excited you’re reading it.)