Love Actually

I know I posted him last week, but I had to post Roderigo Santoro again in preparation for my movie night tomorrow. I'll be watching "Love Actually" again in hopes of refreshing my memory about the sexy love story between Laura Linney and Mr. Santoro that I clearly missed the first time around. I was probably busy fuming over how annoying Keira Knightley was in that movie. I have learned the error of my ways - if you spend too much time getting angry about things that you can do nothing about, you may just miss some amazing shirtlessness. Now that I take yoga 4 times a week, I feel that I am better equipped to accentuate the positive, and I would say that Mr. Santoro is very, very positive.

You may wonder why I am planning a Netflix evening on a Saturday night since I'm such a sassy gal about town. The truth is that I will be working at the Tribeca Family Festival tomorrow from 6am until 8pm, and after spending 14 hours on my feet, I will want nothing more than a glass of wine, some excellent take-out, and the ability to fast forward Ms. Knightley in favor of Mr. Santoro. While I have often been accused of being a high-maintenance woman, I have to say that I think I am really quite easy to please. Truly, how many people are happy with Thai food and a Netflix queue? But I digress. The festival should be a terrific event on a finally beautiful day in New York, and I am hoping that a few men might be inspired to take off their shirts during the course of it. Until then, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Model Shirtlessness

Every so often one needs the comfort of a good underwear ad to make things better. I don't know why it is 50 degrees and raining a few days before the beginning of May, but I do know that Calvin Klein consistently has excellent shirtless ads for their male underwear line. I take consistency where I can get it. Congratulations to Calvin Klein also for using Mehcad Brooks in this ad series because I've been thinking he should be shirtless often ever since his turn on DH four seasons ago. Thank you, Calvin!

I spent the weekend in Washington DC and then managed to book a job for early this morning almost immediately after I purchased a ticket to come home this morning. I wonder if I would work more if I simply made more plans to travel? In any case, I enjoyed my two day break from the city which included 70 degree temperatures on Sunday afternoon. No one took their shirt off, but I was okay with that. Especially because every friend and family member that I visited served me cake. The cake did make riding a bus home at 2am all worth it somehow.

Because of my last minute bus change, I was not able to watch the shows, but I will catch up and make it happen. I don't suspect that Evil Eddie will be taking his shirt off on DH, not that I would wish for such a thing. I'm just hoping the Shirtless Scotty campaign will have spread to Gilles and Rob Lowe in B&S. Such simple hopes and dreams! I also wish that Spring would come to New York and stay. Until then, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Brazilian Shirtlessness

Last weekend as word of my blog spread amongst the cast of "13," I began to receive some interesting emails. One of my cast mates sent me the name Rodrigo Santoro and suggested I look him up. Thank you, Ms. Chung, because Rodrigo did not disappoint. Apparently, his shirtless scene in "Love Actually" must have overwhelmed me to the point of amnesia because I have no recollection of it at all. I saw the movie. I remember things like Hugh Grant dancing and Kiera Knightley making a horsey face. Why do I not remember this Brazilian hottie taking off his clothes and having his way with Laura Linney? Amnesia. That's the only explanation. Suffice it to say "Love Actually" has been placed at the top of my Netflix queue.

The evening was jam packed with other theatrical business and so I was unable to watch the new GA episode tonight. Hopefully there's something juicy there for next week. I did catch up on my Sunday night tv and am happy to report that the "Shirtless Scotty" campaign has resulted in lots of shirtlessness for Mr. Macfarlane. Strangely enough Gilles Marini kept on all of his clothes, but I won't complain because they let him speak in this episode. I would listen to him read the phone book out loud. Granted, I'd like it better if he were shirtless while he did it, but I'd listen nonetheless.

I'm off to DC for the weekend and will have to post late on Monday. But I'm hoping that the Southern locale will yield some good new shirtlessness. Until then, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

More Known Shirtlessness

This weekend has been a wonderful one for the President of IMS. Not only did I get to participate in a theatrical extravaganza at the Walkerspace in Tribeca as part of 2g's "13: Instant Vaudeville" with some of the most generous actors and directors that I have ever worked with, but I also bore witness to some excellent shirtlessness when the final act of the night was a monologue about the difficulties of growing up a little bit different that culminated in the actor ripping off his shirt and dancing a jig. Literally. He ripped his shirt off his body and broke into some amazing Irish step dancing which was shocking in itself because the actor was Asian. The audience went crazy, and frankly, I almost passed out. But even in my weakened state, I rejoiced knowing that the work of IMS has allowed such an evening to happen. And it was good. And there were three shows which meant three shirtless jigs. Does it get any better than this?

Well in fact, it does. Last week, I posted IMS Mystery Man who was kind enough to send me his shirtless pic because he wanted to be on the blog. I'm hoping that some of you will guess who he is or at least what major blockbuster he is a part of given his spectacular back tatoos. Then I realized that I actually know more shirtless actors than I thought. Above, please see Mr. Ato Essandoh, practicing some good shirtlessness in "Nights in Rodanthe" with Diane Lane and Richard Gere. I saw this movie on a plane and nearly woke everyone up when I saw my friend crossing shirtless in this scene. Also, please note another great accessory to good shirtlessness that he is holding for his date - a cocktail. Thanks to Mr. Essandoh for not only demonstrating how it's done, but also continuing to accessorize his shirtlessness with kindness and consideration.

I look forward to your guesses on the IMS Mystery Man and his movie, almost as much as I look forward to getting a forward-facing still from his publicist. I'm also excited about finding more shirtless actors in my immediate acquaintance, especially as the weather gets warmer. The dream is coming true. As it does, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

The Benefits of Presidency

Well, my friends, the dream is finally coming true. Pictured above is a mystery actor who actually sent this picture to me after reading the blog. Granted, I know said actor because I am working with him right now in a theatrical extravaganza called "13: Instant Vaudeville" for Second Generation Theater, but honestly, I told him about my blog before rehearsal on Wednesday night and found this photo in my inbox on Thursday morning. Membership does have its privileges! In any case, I am very pleased to report that the above pictured actor not only adheres to the Two Point Standard of Good Male Shirtlessness (Fitness and Seeing the Sun) but also has my favorite accessory to good shirtlessness - a kind and thoughtful personality. I am going to keep his identity a secret for a little while longer because 1) I can and 2) it's fun, but I will tell you that you will be able to catch him this summer in a major movie from which this still was taken. I'm pretty sure he turns around, too!

So while there was no new tv last night, and I can't report on Ugly Betty because I'm so behind and didn't want to watch the series finale without seeing the other episodes, I am happy to report that this blog is taking it to the next level by reporting on people that I actually know. It comforts me to know that there is actual good shirtlessness all around me, waiting to reveal itself at any moment. I encourage all of you to reflect on the good shirtlessness that you may have in your lives and feel grateful.

And I will shamelessly plug my show again because I suspect that several members of the cast are hiding good shirtlessness under their button-downs. In rehearsal, I attempted to encourage shirtlessness, but no one really ran with that idea. I think an audience full of IMS members yelling "Take off your shirt" could change that. Just an idea. In any case, I'm so happy to be working with such a talented group of actors, writers, and directors, and hope that if any of you are in Tribeca this weekend, you will consider making an appearance at 13. Until then, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Shirtlessness. Period.

Although I did not find a friend with Showtime in time to watch the season premier of "The Tudors," I thought I should post a little bit of shirted shirtless action from Jonathan Rhys Meyers who seems to understand that he should be shirtless in at least one scene of every movie or tv show he does. I call this the Eric Dane Understanding. I'm glad he has it. Gilles Marini also has it, although sometimes, it seems that the producers and costumers around him don't. Anyway, with the aid of this blog, I have located a Showtime-receiving IMS member and will hopefully be able to report on "The Tudors" soon. I have to say that the idea of Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Henry Cavill discussing their old age makes me giggle a little bit, but I guess that's television.

I was mistaken about new tv this week, as in fact there was a two-hour movie of B&S last night. Did anyone else feel like it was actually one episode worth of material stretched out into two hours by making all of the characters repeat everything twice? I still don't know what Narrow Lake is, and after last night's episode, I am seriously beginning not to care. I only wish it were a beautiful body of water that Luc could jump into without his shirt. That would make it interesting. And where was Luc? Sarah was having a family crisis, and Luc was no where to be seen, although next week we will get a juicy monologue from her about how she can't live without him. Note to writers: long monologues about how one character cannot live without another do not ring true when we never see these characters in the same scene. And also, I'm disappointed in Kitty's cancer story line. She made it look so easy - suffering with cancer for three episodes and then back to a full head of hair and a clean bill of health in three months. While no one expects realism from tv, I hope that sometimes television can provide comfort or illumination of a real situation or problem. I think this was a missed opportunity for B&S to say something worthwhile rather than continuously harping on what a terrible father William Walker was. Oh B&S, I wish I could stop watching.

In other news, I have completed the first draft of my first shirtless short play. Hey! It has some work to be done, but I feel confident that I will be responsible for some good male shirtlessness on the stage before the year's end. The IMS President's work is never done. I continue to be...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Back-up Shirtlessness

Anyone who has been in the NYC subway recently will notice the cute mug of Alex O'Loughlin on posters of the new J Lo film, "The Back-up Plan," which I believe is in every single station. I don't know why they show just his face in the posters because obviously this shot would have a stronger pull with IMS audiences. No offense to Mr. O'Loughlin because his face is very cute, but check out the whole package! The trailer does not completely convince me that this movie is good given the extended scene with the dog, but it does convince me that this movie contains plenty of good male shirtlessness, making it a definite on my must-see list. And unlike my last post, Mr. O'Loughlin is old enough to ogle at without feeling like a pedophile.

This week once again is without new television on network, but if I can just find someone with Showtime, I might be able to get my fix on the season premier of "The Tudors" which airs on Sunday. The Great Recession caused many of my friends to dump their Showtime, and I never had it in the first place. But hopefully, on Sunday night I will be sitting somewhere happily with my new best friend enjoying my two favorite things, costume drama and male shirtlessness. If not, I will probably be at the movies, checking out the delightful chest of Mr. O'Loughlin. Until then, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

Thanks to the VP!

Okay, I did not actually go to the Miley Cyrus movie this weekend, although apparently a lot of other people did, but I had to post this picture of Liam Hemsworth as a thank you to the IMS VP for being such a great friend. After a trying weekend, I think it is good form to thank the people who hold your hand with some good shirtlessness, if that is the kind of thing that they would appreciate. Mr. Hemsworth is a bit young for me, and I am definitely skeptical of showmances such as those between him and his co-star, Ms. Cyrus, but his appeal is certainly undeniable. Maybe in a few years I'll be able to look at him with some seriousness.

While it appears that there will be no new television and therefore no new shirtlessness for a few weeks, the good news is that the weather has been so glorious in New York that the likelihood of spontaneous shirtlessness is high. Walking through the Park on both Saturday and Sunday revealed many such occurrences. Notice how I am not calling any of this good shirtlessness because most of these men have not seen the sun in a very long time and therefore cannot uphold the second point of the Two Point Standard. But in early April, I will give everyone a break and say "Take your shirts off while the sun shines!" It's going to be 85 degrees on Wednesday, and I truly cannot wait! Until then, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS

A Castle of Shirtlessness

I have found myself strangely drawn to ABC's "Castle" on Monday nights in spite of myself. Another show set in New York, shot in LA, which seems strangely devoid of people of color, and yet, I can't help but enjoy the witty banter between Nathan Fillion and Stana Katic. He's kind of lovable and exasperating, and she's just trying to get her work done while maintaining killer hair and wearing very tight clothes. I don't know but something about it resonates for me. Anyway, Mr. Fillion has not yet taken off his shirt on the show, but I feel that he should.

I'm glad to see that GA has gotten back to basics and managed to make Eric Dane take of his shirt at least once every episode for a while. Did anyone else think that the final shot was Lexi instead of Sloan? The blond hair is very confusing to me, and I do wish that the show would allow Ms. Leigh to dye her hair back. I'm a little freaked out by the pro-baby messaging in last night's episode - read: you'll end up alone and sad if you don't have children. Having recently spent some time in an assisted living home, I would say that there is a good chance of ending up alone and sad even if you do marry and have children, and probably the best remedy for sadness and loneliness is to nurture the relationships in your life, not just make babies willy-nilly.

I look forward to some Easter shirtlessness although with no new episodes until mid-April, I'm not sure how I am going to get it. Perhaps, I'll be forced to go to the Miley Cyrus movie. Hopefully a better option will reveal itself. Until then, I am...

Yours in shirtlessness,
Nandita
President
IMS