ORF (Obsessive Rule-Follower)

On Monday, I entered a contest to name Duane Swierczynski's upcoming tour for his book, The Blonde. The winner would receive the first-ever signed copy.

Duane stipulated:

To enter, send me an email with the subject line, "I'll Name Your Friggin' Tour" and then give me a suggestion or two. Also, include your mailing address. You don't have to play on the word "blonde," but it might help.

So, I emailed Duane two suggestions: The Natural Blonde Killer Tour and Duane Swierczynski's Tour to Dye For.

I didn't win, but neither did anyone else, really. Duane's picky, and he should be. The tour name should really come from him. In the meantime, he awarded the book to Christopher Swan, who submitted the most (13) suggestions.

Some people say creativity shouldn't depend on rules, but the imagination can be unfocused without them. I enjoy the challenge of expressing myself within the rules:

I find it very, very easy to be true
I find myself alone when the day is through.
Yes, I'll admit that I'm a fool for you.
Because you're mine, I walk the line

WENN: Affleck Swears Off Superheroes

Ben Affleck will never play a superhero again, after being "humiliated" wearing a costume in Daredevil three years ago. Speaking at the London premiere of Hollywoodland, which sees Affleck playing TV Superman actor George Reeves, the actor admits he hates wearing tight lycra. He says, "By playing a superhero in Daredevil, I have inoculated myself from ever playing another superhero. Wearing a costume was a source of humiliation for me and something I wouldn't want to do again soon." Starring in Daredevil wasn't all bad for Affleck - he met his now-wife Jennifer Garner on the set of the action movie.

As a Daredevil fan I liked Affleck in the role, but he had to know he'd be wearing one of the more ostentatious costumes: red leather armor and a mask without eyeholes—DD doesn't need to see, after all—decorated with devil's horns. If you really love the character, there's no humiliation. It's the costume from the comics as opposed to the black spandex ninja outfit Rex Smith wore in The Trial of the Incredible Hulk. (I liked Smith's performance, too.)

Schooling House

House returned to FOX's schedule last night, introducing David Morse (late of Hack) as a cop who, after a visit to the clinic, takes it upon himself to humble House.

Morse can play warmth as well as menace. His performance cast Greg House in a different light. I considered that maybe he does push people too far, not just to give them reality checks. A humble House is a less functional House, though. He needs to stay on the highwire. Plus, I object to any one person trying to "straighten out" another.

Morse would play Spenser well if Spenser were still menacing. He's reportedly signed for a six-episode arc on House. I wonder how it will play out.