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3 Awkward Scenarios and a Relatable Breakup Speech From This Week's Girls

Tara Block — Mon, 07 May 2012 11:35:00 PDT

From penis pics to sexual harassment to a deflowering disaster, there's a lot to talk about from last night's Girls episode "Hannah's Diary." The show mainly focuses on Marnie's boyfriend, Charlie, and his buddy reading Hannah's diary and finding out from it that Marnie isn't happy in the relationship. This results in a very-hurt Charlie and his friend singing excerpts from the diary at an open mic night, causing Marnie to be angry at Hannah - instead of the guys who violated their privacy - for writing her brutally honest thoughts on the couple. We'll have to wait 'till next week to find out the fate of Marnie and Charlie (and if Marnie hooks up with sexy artist Booth Jonathon). But what really got us talking today were the super awkward sex-related moments from the episode. Here are the three scenarios that had us cringing, including one that involves a breakup speech we can relate to:

The penis pic: The episode begins with Hannah's pseudo-boyfriend Adam sending her a photo of his penis, then following it up with a text that said, "SRY. That wasn't meant for you." Despite Marnie telling Hannah that she shouldn't respond when he basically is telling her he sends dick pics to other girls, Hannah sends him a photo of her boobs back. Eventually though, Hannah realizes she wants more from the arrangement than he does, and she gives him a great breakup speech that actually came from a real breakup email Lena Dunham wrote. She tells him, "I don't even want a boyfriend . . . I just want someone who wants to hang out all the time, and thinks I'm the best person in the world, and wants to have sex with only me." The breakup backfires, but we liked seeing Hannah sort-of stick up for herself for once.
A touchy boss: Hannah starts a new nameless job, and right off the bat her old, overweight boss turns an unwelcome back massage into a boob massage. After that incident and a butt pat, Hannah finds out from her fellow female co-workers that he does it to everyone. And they basically tell her to just let him sexually harass her since he's a good boss and a nice guy. Um, gross! From the way they "fixed" her eyebrows (see above picture), Hannah should know better than to take advice from her new office mates.
Deflowering gone awry: As the only virgin in the group, Shoshanna is feeling left out from the sexually active bunch, and she's desperate to remedy her situation. She has high hopes in the episode when she bumps into a cute guy from her past who asks her to dinner, but things go from awkward to disastrous during the date. First he tells her she can touch his penis, and she responds with "not until we've kissed." Then after he starts taking off her clothes in the bedroom she asks him if they can have sex. But before they do she tells him she's a virgin, and he tells her he doesn't do virgins because they bleed and get too attached. She counters with, "I so don't get attached when I bleed. You know, it's like amazing. I'm like totally not an attached bleeder." Poor Shoshanna - better luck next time!

What did you think of the episode?

Photo courtesy of HBO

HBO Renews Girls and Veep

Maggie Pehanick — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 13:14:54 PDT

HBO has renewed its fledgling series' Girls and Veep. The network has given each show the green light for second seasons, with ten episodes apiece. Since their respective premieres this past month, the shows have provoked a lot of critical attention, though not all of it positive. With its controversial story lines and realistic sex scenes, Lena Dunham's Girls has put itself at the epicenter of racial and gender debates on television, which possibly contributed to its second season pickup. The political satire led by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep, on the other hand, has enjoyed generally positive, though less explosive, feedback since its first episode two weeks ago. Have you been tuning in to either of these shows?

Link Time - Girls Share Their Baggage on Girls

Annie Scudder — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:50:14 PDT

HBO's Girls takes on HPV and gay exes in best episode yet - The Frisky
The secrets to online dating - YourTango
10 types of sex you should be having - CollegeCandy
What does the cast of Step by Step look like today? - theBERRY
12 percent of women would sleep with the president - The Jane Dough
RuPaul is an evil genius - The Daily Beast
Why did those Secret Service agents risk their jobs to buy sex? - Huffington Post
Who's the hottest guy in The Avengers - BuzzSugar
Marrying up is on the way down - Em & Lo
The best songs about redheads - The Hairpin

HBO's Girls Tackles Abortion

Tara Block — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:55:42 PDT

Last night was the second episode of Lena Dunham's new HBO show Girls, and the entire plot of the episode - fittingly titled "Vagina Panic" - centered around Jessa's impending abortion. Jessa dropped the bomb at the end of the Girls premiere that she was back in New York because she was pregnant, so it was a bold move to start off the second episode with Hannah announcing matter-of-factly that her day's activities included taking Jessa to the abortion clinic. When Hannah tells her "boyfriend" that she doesn't know if abortions should be a big deal, he accuses her of being too blasé regarding them (which is ironic, since he doesn't take things like condoms and STDs seriously). And later Jessa tries to blow off the procedure when talking to Hannah, but when she brings up how she wants kids in the future and how she'll be a great mom some day, it's clear that she's more nervous about it than she wants her friends to know she is. She even avoids the procedure altogether by having a drink at the bar (and hooking up with a guy) while all her friends are waiting for her in the clinic. When Marnie is upset that Jessa is late to her own abortion, Hannah quips with "How could she ruin the beautiful abortion you threw?" But Marnie chides Hannah for taking it too lightly, saying, "it's about the most traumatic thing that could ever happen to a woman."

I thought the episode did a good job of showing how the different characters processed the implications of both having an abortion and becoming a mom, while struggling with just how big of a deal it really is for women. They voiced some of the concerns many young women today have when it comes to our choices about having kids. Like when Jessa said, "I don't like women telling other women what to do or how to do it or when to do it. Every time I have sex, it's my choice." While it's important for women to honestly open up about abortion, there is a fine line between getting the dialogue going and joking about serious issues, like when Sarah Silverman apologized last week for her abortion joke. Did you think Girls handled the abortion issue well?

Photo courtesy of HBO

Lena Dunham on Sex Scenes: "I'm Being Poked by Somebody's Weird Penis in a Bag"

Tara Block — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 09:50:00 PDT

Lena Dunham isn't afraid to open up about her revealing sex scenes on Girls, the new Judd Apatow-produced HBO show she writes, directs, and stars in. And she didn't hold back last night when she chatted with Chelsea Handler about her show. Even Chelsea, who's usually pretty shameless, tried to find a polite way to describe the "toochy" or "rear-end" sex that occurs in the premiere episode. Something that Lena explained was quite uncomfortable, adding, "I'm being poked by somebody's weird penis in a bag." She also admits that she's naked so much on set, her bare body parts have no effect on the crew. Watch two of our favorite funny ladies chat about sex scenes and nudity now!

5 Dating Don'ts From the Girls Premiere

Tara Block — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 10:56:00 PDT

HBO's new show Girls premiered last night, and while we enjoyed seeing this modern, messier take on the Sex and the City formula - group of female friends deal with dating and relationship drama in New York City - sometimes the realities of the dating world can be a bit cringe-inducing (albeit relatable). In this inaugural episode we meet two main couples: Hannah (Lena Dunham) and the guy she's dating Adam, and Hannah's roommate Marnie (Allison Williams) and her boyfriend Charlie. Both pairs have some major issues that portray what not to do in a relationship. So here are some dating don'ts from last night's Girls:

Don't keep dating someone just because he's really into you. Marnie has completely fallen out of love with her boyfriend Charlie, so much so that the thought of him touching her grosses her out. But he absolutely adores her, and it seems like this is what prevents her from breaking up with him. When a relationship is this off-balance, you owe it to the guy to let him go and find someone who returns his affections. If the roles were reversed, wouldn't you want to be cut loose?
Don't be a guy's booty call if you want more. Hannah continues to go back to Adam even though the only time he contacts her is to get some. If this was a mutual friends-with-benefits relationship, that'd be one thing. But Hannah's clearly really into him, and it's not OK for her to be taken advantage of in this way. A guy that only uses you for sex isn't going to change and suddenly be boyfriend material, and you're worth way more than that.
Don't tell your loudmouth friends about your sex life. Charlie invites his friend Ray over for a group dinner night, and at one point Ray makes a comment in front of everyone that alludes to Charlie and Marnie's current dry spell. Choose the friends you open up to wisely; the last thing you want is you and your man's bedroom woes broadcasted in front of a group. It'll be embarrassing for you both, and your man is sure to be upset to find out that you're sharing all your personal moments with your girlfriends.
Don't lose all the mystery. The morning after sleeping over (and even worse, not in the same bed), Charlie lets Marnie put her retainer in his hand. They joke about it, but we can't help but think that kind of moment is a little too comfortable. Obviously, there comes a point in a relationship when you and your man know almost all each other's dirty secrets, but you'll keep some of the sexy spark if you don't put it all out there - and that includes handing your guy your saliva-filled retainer.
Don't sleep with a guy who refuses to wear a condom. Adam is just an all-around jerk, and he really seals the deal when Hannah asks him to wear a condom before sex but he doesn't. He even acts like he is going to put one on, and it's not until he's literally inside her that she realizes he didn't use one. The sad part is, she continues to have unsafe sex with him. A guy that doesn't respect your wishes to wear protection should be kicked to the curb, and preferably kicked in the balls. This kind of behavior is never acceptable, and is a huge, blaring, red flag.

If you watched the Girls premiere, share your thoughts on the show below.

Photo courtesy of HBO

What Did You Think of Girls?

Shannon Vestal — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 05:30:00 PDT

HBO's latest series Girls premiered this week, with Lena Dunham leading a pack of 20-something ladies as Hannah, a young woman figuring out her personal life and career in New York. In the first episode, we're introduced to her and her friends Marnie (Allison Williams), Jessa (Jemima Kirke), and Shoshanna (Zosia Mamet), and the variety of challenges in their lives. I got you up to speed on the Girls pilot beforehand, but now that you've had a chance to see it for yourself, I want to know what you think. Are the characters compelling enough for you to want to keep up with? Are the dating situations funny, or are they a little too uncomfortable? Let me know what you thought of Girls, and whether you'll be tuning in again next week.

Photo courtesy of HBO

Pilot Scoop: Girls

Shannon Vestal — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 10:14:27 PDT

HBO is supplementing its Sunday night lineup with Girls a new series from writer/director Lena Dunham that explores the lives of a group of women in New York City. Despite the shared network and premise, Girls is a long way from Sex and the City. For starters, these ladies are in their 20s, and they're far from settled in their careers or their skin. Read on to find out if the new comedy sounds like it might be worth the space on your DVR.

What it's about: 24-year-old aspiring writer Hannah (Dunham) has just been cut off by her parents, making her existence in Manhattan pretty tough. Tougher than it already is, that is; Hannah struggles with everything from work (she's an unpaid intern) to dating (the boy she likes rarely texts her back, but has no problem using her for sex). Her friends have problems too; Marnie (Allison Williams) is no longer in love with her boyfriend, and free-spirit Jessa (Jemima Kirke) has a secret that could severely limit her social life.
Where it works: The dialogue is cutting, funny, and refreshingly honest. Dunham seems unafraid to put herself in uncomfortable situations or make the characters stumble in an effort to show that they're real and imperfect.
Where it doesn't: The characters are hyper-developed in the pilot, and each comes on a little strong, especially Hannah, who's exaggeratedly spoiled and insecure. Plus, it's a bit too self-aware of the Sex and the City comparisons, like when one character rattles off a whole monologue about being a Carrie and a Samantha.
When it's on: Sundays on HBO at 10:30 p.m. starting on April 15
You might like this show if: You want to see a different, candid perspective of what it's like to be a female 20-something - and you're OK with awkward sex scenes.

To watch a preview and see some pictures from Girls, just keep reading.

Lena Dunham Talks Awkward Sex Scenes in Girls and Flirty Texting

Tara Block — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 10:45:00 PDT

Funny lady Lena Dunham - the writer, director, and star of the new HBO show Girls - chatted with Conan O'Brien last night on what it was like filming awkward sex scenes. Lena said she couldn't blame anyone else for all the intimate and unflattering moments in the show, telling Conan, "I'm the person holding myself in sexual slavery." She also added that executive producer Judd Apatow had some brutally honest feedback on her onscreen lovemaking. Watch the clip now to hear Lena open up on her new show - which is being compared to Sex and the City - as well as her nonsexy attempts at flirting via text now!

Video: Is HBO's Girls the New Sex and the City?

Karli Bulnes — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 16:20:58 PDT

HBO rolled out the red carpet in New York Wednesday night for the premiere of its new comedy Girls. The show follows the lives of four women living in the Big Apple, so we asked the stars about how it stacks up to Sex and the City. Hear what they had to say in today's PopSugar Rush.