This Thing's Wonderful


Carrie Fisher is just delightful. Unbelievably un-affected and generous with her life's cliff jumps. She's completely comfortable showing us her own scabs and scars and more that happy to expose the untidy life of her entire family.. going way back. This documentary rivals Joan Rivers' documentary (which I highly recommend) Both women give us a real glimpse behind the scenes well, actually, it's more of a "Hey Gang, Let's Rip This Curtain Down and See What's Back Here!"
Carrie don't care. She so obviously un-contrived and she's like a crazy neighbor.
Beverly Hills White Trash, Indeed!
She talks quite candidly about everything!
This documentary is very informative.
I am loving it.

"All our best men are laughed at in this nightmare land"
~Jack Kerouac~

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Agreed. I loved every minute of it!

Don't trouble yourself Doctor. I'm a celebrity -- I'll write my own prescription.

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Carrie is always wonderful at whatever she does. Trying to watch it On Demand was a bit of a problem though.

After the end of a 2 or 3 min section of her show, then you'd have to go back to the beginning again, select the premium, then the HBO selection, then the comedy selection, then her show, then the several other parts of her show that are all divided up.

It would be nice if they had a "View All" of them selection, so that you could also watch "all of them" without having to keep going back and having to push through all of the other steps again ?







Gina to Paul: You begin by questioning your value as a therapist - you end by questioning mine.

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Who knew she could be so funny? I've seen her of course in the 3 Star Wars movies she was in, but never paid any attention to her otherwise. I'm glad to see her so down to earth and INTERESTING, unlike many children of celebrities who grow up in the spotlight and can't handle being famous.

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"Club sandwiches not seals" - http://www.protectseals.org

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Well dear, Carrie's had several nervous breakdowns, spent months in nuthouses and in rehab facilities because she couldn't handle the spotlight and all the things that came with the spotlight. The only difference between her and the ones who are now underground is that she's still above ground. If you live long enough even the most traumatic of experiences take on that perverse comedic bent that's comes off as true to everyone who draws breath. Those electro shock treatments she speaks about are not just words. She says she likes'em. I don't like forgetting who I am. I don't like'em

"All our best men are laughed at in this nightmare land"
~Jack Kerouac~

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Yeah, the subtext of these stories too me is chilling.
That Carrie had the guts to pull the curtain a little back on the Hollywood
celebrity life and also on American life and society is pretty brave.
It is just rotten that her parents were so obtuse as to have children.
The story about Debbie trying to get Carrie to have her child is pretty
amazing if you think about it ... what a sick disgusting thing for a mother to do,
pimp her own daughter out. It just seems like she is a ghost living an amazing
life that she had no clue about or understanding of. How could anyone help
her to understand?

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Have you seen "Postcards from the Edge?" It's a funny movie about Carrie's life starring Meryl Streep as Carrie. Shirley MacLaine also plays the part of her mother Debbie (who drinks and wrecks her car).

Debbie also has a Welcome Home party (supposedly for Carrie) after she gets out of Rehab, but Debbie (as Shirley) also steals the limelight by singing a song about how she's still here (called "I'm still here).

Postcards is also based on one of the many books Carrie has written.

Carrie also did another interesting show about her mother - where her mother meets her fans - after the show - and poses for photos with them.

Carrie also did a talk show on Oprah's network, where she interviews other Celebrities (including her mother).

Carrie and her Mom are always funny together (sorta like watching George Burns and Gracie Allen). But most people probably also don't remember them? Perhaps there are also clips of them you can watch at You Tube?

This is what happens whenever you know someone for a very long time. You can really zoom in on stuff that you know about them, and present whatever it is that you know about them to someone else in a very amusing way.





Gina to Paul: You begin by questioning your value as a therapist - you end by questioning mine.

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I just watched it with my husband. We laughed so freaking hard!!! Loved it!!!!

PEEK A BOO!!!!!!!!!

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This review is spot on and is the only great thing about the dreadful wishful drinking:

"And that's all Carrie Fisher does here: bitch! Bitch about her father leaving her mother. Bitch about her mother's second husband (and overall taste in men). Bitch about her father's second wife (and overall taste in women). Bitch about being a cog in the most lucrative franchise in movie history. Bitch about her ex-husband. Bitch about the father of her daughter leaving her for another man; after 90 minutes of listening to this self-absorbed child of Hollywood royalty bitch, who can blame him?

I could not understand what Fisher has to complain about. By any measure, she has had a charmed life. So her father left her mother. Earth to Carrie: men walk out on their families all the time -- what makes you so damn special?! Watching this, it was only too-obvious that her "problems" have been of her own making.

Her pathetic bid for approval (which she got from the, no doubt, bought-off audience of sycophants) may make for an interesting doctoral thesis on celebrity narcissism, but it makes for lousy television."

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You should have started a new thread with that negative review. Why drag me back here for something like this? I have nothing to say. i've already given my review -- above. I enjoyed the entire history of her family. I guess "the reviewer" saw it from the other direction.

Do you have your own words to discribe the show, or do you always use someone else's words?

"All our best men are laughed at in this nightmare land"
~Jack Kerouac~

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I agree with realsurfgal. It's not very fuuny to me. It starts out with her asking for pity because some guy she knew died in her bed 5 years prior. Then she goes on to belittle her parents and everyone else, whilst bitching about her poor poor lifestyle. She seems very ungrateful. A spoiled brat. That poor guy in her bed probably died from boredom. She ought too give her Mom a big hug and try to forgive Debbie for not being as perfect as Carrie needs. I'm sure Carrie is a great parent. But, if she's not, she can always blame it on someone else.

“Wait a minute, wait a minute. You ain’t heard nothin’ yet!”

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surfgal didn't say anything to agree with pete.

All they did was post something someone else is suppose to have said without even saying who said it.

Whoever said it also supposedly said this:

Watching this, it was only too-obvious that her "problems" have been of her own making.


So how the hell could Carrie being Bi Polar be her own fault?

That's the main theme of the show. Her "Mental Illness" or her being Bi Polar.

The drugs she takes were probably also an attempt at self medication?

She's making fun of herself. Look at the way she tells the person who interviews her on the TV show about the "hallucinations" she had where she sees Futuristic Cities (maybe one's like we see in Star Wars)?

She was also making fun of the way the cop who's there about the death of her friend was more interested in what a nice home she had.

Unless someone has an appreciation for Irony, of course they're also not going to be able to understand the more "subtle" kind of humor that's being directed your way.

So you'd probably also be better off sticking with films that star someone like John Carey - who's more into slapstick kind of stuff - than the more "intellectual" type of stuff that seems to fly right past you and over your head?






Gina to Paul: You begin by questioning your value as a therapist - you end by questioning mine.

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"So you'd probably also be better off sticking with films that star someone like John Carey - who's more into slapstick kind of stuff - than the more "intellectual" type of stuff that seems to fly right past you and over your head?"


Thanks Pubbly. Well, I guess I stand corrected. This is probably very halarious but I'm just not intelligent enought to understand. But, I do wish I was smarter so I could laugh at this pathetic cry for attention. It must be very hard being the offspring of extremely talented parents. Especially if you have very little talent yourself. Carrie has my sympathy for that, but it made me uncomfortable to watch and I felt sorry for Debbie Reynolds. I do like the Three Stooges through so you probably have a point. I'm also happy, so the old saying must be true "Ignorance is bliss". I'll go watch cartoons now. Thanks for educating my dumb self.


“Wait a minute, wait a minute. You ain’t heard nothin’ yet!”

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If you've got a dead body (the body of a close friend) laying in your bed, and someone else (a stranger that you don't even know) comes into your home and tells you what a "Nice home" you have, how would you feel about that?

At that time, you'd probably feel as if your home was a "House of Horrors," rather than a "Nice" place?

Because not only is your friend dead (which is stressful enough), but the cops are there, who may also suspect that friend died from an overdose (due to your also being a famous celebrity who is also well known for having a drug addiction problem)?

So the cops may also be there in her home because an autoposy will be performed on the body of the former freind - to make sure Carrie had nothing to do with their death?

Carrie's entire life has been a "Comedy of Errors."

She's almost like Murphy's Law incarnate - (if something bad can go wrong it will)?

Have you see "Postcards from the Edge?" It's a film starring Meryl Streep as Carrie, and Shirley Maclaine as her mother Debby.

Carrie wrote the book that this autobiographical film is based upon. It was a wonderful film. Carrie is also an "Extremely" talented writer.

Anyone who watches that movie can also see that.

Carrie also had a "Talk show" where she did a series of interviews. Those interviews were also "The Best" that I've ever seen (due to the way the questions Carrie asked her guests also got right to the "Heart of the Matter" in a way that other people have not).

So its also untrue that Carrie has no talent. She has many talents.

And what it looks like is a couple of people here - who don't even know her - or very much about her life - also chose to judge her for her celebrity status - and not even try to understand her life - or the rest of what's she's done with it?

It takes lots of "Guts" to get up in front of an audience and Air your "Secrets" or share your "Dirty Laundry" with them. It was also a very generous thing for Carrie to have done. Because by sharing her messed up life with us, it also educates us, and lets us know that contrary to the opinions of some of us, walking along the pathway of life also hasn't been an "Easy Street" for Carrie.

What you saw as a cry for attention, I saw as Carrie reaching out to others to let them know life isn't very easy for anybody.



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OK fine. You know and love Carrie. Good for you. It's just my (unbias) opinion that this is not very funny. It's only my "two Cents". I'm sure there are things we both like and things I like that you don't get. These boards are for us to opine. That's all I'm doing. People will read our posts and decide for themselves. I'm not trying to sell them one way or another. I find this show pathetic and unfunny. Oh and she can't sing. I did see Postcards from the Edge which I also didn't enjoy. As far as the cop commenting on her house. All I can say is people sometimes say the wrong things during akward situations. It happens. Have a good day.

“Wait a minute, wait a minute. You ain’t heard nothin’ yet!”

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I don't know Carrie. I know about her - about other things she's done with her life - like her wonderful Talk Show - where she interviews several other celebrities - which, imo, proves she has talent that you chose not to see.

She also did another very interesting documentary film about her mother, as she was doing a show, and meeting with other people back stage (where Debbie's fans pose for a picture with Debbie - by sitting beside Debbie).

So you don't find it amusing that the Doc who pumps Carrie's stomach wants to take her out on a date?

You didn't find it funny the way Carrie asked him if she needs to be there after he tells her he's about to pump her stomach?

Carrie has a "Unique" way of looking at the world. If you don't enjoy her perspective, or the way she sees things. Fine.

But it's also not fine or fair for you to claim she has no talent - simply because you don't happen to like her sense of humor - one that other's also find facinating?

I also can't stand Miria Carrie sp? or the other famous female that sang the Dolly Pardon song (I'll Always Love You). Can't recall her name now. She was also in a movie with Kevin Costner who plays the part of her body guard?

So while many others would disagree, and say they enjoy the singing styles of these other two women, like the case with you, my opinion that they can't sing would also be in the minority?

And it also isn't a matter of Miria not being able to sing, as much as its a matter of my simply not liking her singing voice - or the lame way she sings - and holds onto high notes for waaaaayyyyyy too long?

But doing that also seems to turn some people on, whereas it feels like my ear drumbs are bursting open?

High notes (Sopranos) bother me. A deep voice like Carrie has (and Judy Garland had) are much more pleasing to my ear.

So doesn't it also sound silly for me to say Miria can't sing, when what I really mean is I don't like her singing style?

You say you didn't "enjoy" Postcards. Why not also say you don't "enjoy" Carrie's singing voice? Perhaps that would also be a more accurate way to assess the situation?

Whatever the case may be, don't both the Cop and the Doc who pumps her stomach in Postcards seem to have said the "wrong things" to Carrie during "awkward situations?"

Perhaps that also has something to do with the fact that Carrie's a Celebrity?

And if she had not been someone famous, maybe neither the Cop nor the Doc would have said the things they said to her?

So once again we're also back to Carrie's generousity - in sharing with us what a "pain in the butt" and strange thing it can be to be a Celebrity?

Whereas you and the other poster also seem to share the same point of view - that because she's a famous person - Carrie has no right to be unhappy about her life - a fact which you also feel should make her happy - and gives her no right to complain about some of the strange and horrible things that have happened in her life?



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The serious criticism of this cracks me up. Carrie Fisher is well known as a dry sarcastic anti establishment let it all hang out accomplished writer & actress. I didn't realize until I saw her on Oprah how bi-polar had affected her life, so for her to just be functioning is great. But she is hilarious!

Kudos to her for losing weight - she may be as hot as she was 30 years ago & still be hilarious.

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So... if you were born with bipolar disorder, and were a brilliant writer who was overshadowed by your famous mother and the legend of your famous father who left your mother when you were a year old for the even more famous legend Elizabeth Taylor, and it was publicized in every newspaper in the world... and then you were lucky enough to be cast in a movie that ended up being one of the most successful franchises of all time, but people still told you you weren't pretty enough to be in the movies, and you were too fat... and your husband left you for a man... you'd consider that to be a charmed life?

Fascinating.

Do you also believe that money buys happiness? Because I can assure you, it does not.

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I was impressed with her candid ability to open up and talk about everything with a smile.
I hadn't ever really thought much about how daunting it could be to have yourself immortalized as a youthful sex symbol for almost 4 decades, and beyond then have to deal with people who expect you to be the exact same.

She definitely seemed quite personable, and the kind of person you wouldn't mind getting to know.
Despite everything she has a lovely personality.

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I posted that review in here because it conveyed my opinion perfectly and at the time this was the only thread in the program's forum.

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Carrie really does, shoot from the hip. What a marvelous piece of work. She's funny, knows how to write, and you get her point.
And if I tell you just what that is, then you didn't get it.

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Right on!

Carrie is an inspiration.

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