(Mari) Is BJD really considered a "Hollywood" movie, and if so, why? (Karen) I DON'T think it will be even though Working Title is owned by Universal. I recall the articles at the time said that WT boys' agreement gave them quite a bit of autonomy. You're right, Karen, as I recall WT had carte blanche on all projects up to a certain ceiling (for some reason $30 million sticks in my mind, but maybe not that high). Anyway, according to one of the sites today, BJD is an $8 million film. Which brings up another observation: RZ had to have come a lot cheaper than some of the others mentioned; could be that budget was one of the considerations also. Is WT actually owned by Universal? You know who owns Universal, right? Seagram's. And Seagram's is . . .a Canadian company! Let's blame the Canadians! LOL! (Don't anybody get offended; I just think it's funny how in this world of mega-conglomerates, it is difficult to trace back exactly who controls what.) LOL over your BJ/4Weddings/Notting Hill "script." Ann, I can understand your wanting the lead to go to an English actress, I really do. It's like, why do we have to get our hands into everything. Please don't think we're insensitive; over here, we're perhaps more used to lots of British actors and actresses coming over to play Americans (just look at the Oscar noms, for example), and nobody here gives it a second thought, so to us it doesn't seem like a big deal when the reverse happens. BTW, a spring start date for filming is now reported. Ok, let's see CF's name on that cast list!;-)

(Mari) BTW, a spring start date for filming is now reported. Where? Let's hope that CF hasn't booked himself solid with commitments for one day here, one day there television work cause he had nothing better to do. ;-)

$8.Mil? That's not much.They'll have to enlist the underling crowd from Notting Hill. Let's hope that CF hasn't booked himself solid with commitments You mean so he'll have a good excuse not to take it;-)

I saw it on the Mr. Showbiz site and they cited Variety so I figured all the sites had it. Anyway, the paragraph in question: "First-timer Sharon Maguire will direct the film, which Universal will distribute. Bridget is set to start shooting this spring, with an estimated budget of $8 million, according to Variety." That figure struck me as low, too, Evelyn, which is why I was speculating that budget entered into the decision. Hey, at least Eileen won't have to worry that Jim Carrey will show up--that's his tip money.;-)

I'm getting very nervous for you all. Looks like the casting of Mark must be announced soon. Will there be mass hari kari on the board if our own DB is not named? I'm standing by with the stretchers. Let our a sigh of relief with Zellweger being named. Never would have dreamed it I agree with most here that it's a very good choice. You'd have had to drag me to the theatre if Cameron Diaz had been Bridget.

You'd have had to drag me to the theatre if Cameron Diaz had been Bridget. And if Colin isn't MD, I won't fly to Dallas. But expect me for Sunshine, Sue;-)

(Heide) Will there be mass hari kari on the board if our own DB is not named? I'm standing by with the stretchers. LOL! I'm glad someone is thinking ahead, Heide. I do promise not to be the one who passes out the kool-aid.;-)

The more I think about RZ, the happier I am - an inspired bit of casting (unless she fouls up the accent or something). And I even liked Moon's ensemble list!

(Mari) Hey, at least Eileen won't have to worry that Jim Carrey will show up--that's his tip money.;-) Too true. *wipes brow in relief* Let him stick to the Grinch and Cindy Lou Who (now, that's inspired casting). (Karen) Let's hope that CF hasn't booked himself solid with commitments (Evelyn) You mean so he'll have a good excuse not to take it;-) Hee hee! I agree--despite all this "mooted" and "tipped" stuff, CF as MD is not a given. We should hear something very soon, I would think. I know! Let's call his agent, that warm, outgoing, font of knowledge (has this guy ever admitted that CF was doing anything? Seems to me all he/his reps ever say is "no, "not yet," and "never heard of it.").

(Eileen)...has this guy ever admitted that CF was doing anything? Seems to me all he/his reps ever say is "no, "not yet," and "never heard of it."). Or...."he's reading scripts". All the agents do that.They feel that's in the realm of a publicist..and CF doesn't have one.I found a nice PA who likes the internet and occasionally comes through with news about JE...but "not always"

From The Independent (25 Feb 2000): V. Tall, V. Blonde and V. Flattering: Star from Texas to Play Bridget The search to find an actress to play the angst-ridden, fag-smoking, chardonnay-guzzling thirtysomething Bridget Jones in the eponymous film could be compared with the worldwide hunt for Scarlett O'Hara in the 1930s. Nearly every well-known British actress, and some Australian ones, too, have been touted for the part. Helena Bonham Carter was said to be "too cold" and Kate Winslet could not find time in her diary. There is no industry gossip consensus on why Cate Blanchett and Emily Watson were turned down. But, after countless auditions and an 18-month search, a Bridget has finally been found. A tall, blond American actress, who bears little resemblance to the dark-haired woman on the cover of the books, has landed the coveted role. Renee Zellweger, who made her name starring opposite Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire, was yesterday said to be "honoured". Ms Zellweger is a clean-living American, so it is unlikely that she smokes or drinks. She is also reportedly on the verge of becoming what Bridget would call a smug-married, as her boyfriend, the actor Jim Carrey, has just bought her a pounds 130,000 ring. None the less, the film's director, Sharon Maguire, insisted Ms Zellweger was the right Bridget. "She has the correct degree of vulnerability mixed with inner strength, and a perfect comic instinct," she said. Ms Zellweger, who is 29 and has, therefore, yet to experience the life of a single thirtysomething, said: "The diary is an amazing evocation of the life of a single girl. It reads like Jane Austen, with comic and ironic twists and turns." Eric Fellner, the producer of Bridget Jones's Diary, who made Notting Hill (famous thirtysomethings), Four Weddings and a Funeral (rich thirtysomethings) and Fargo (murderous thirtysomethings), said the search for the perfect Bridget had been exhaustive. He had been urged by Helen Fielding, the author of the Bridget Jones books, to cast an unknown actress, but said that Ms Zellweger had been chosen because she was funny. "Renee is one of the best comic actresses of her generation," he said yesterday. Rumours that Colin Firth, aka Mr Darcy in Pride and Prejudice and the object of Bridget's slavering affections, will play the love interest Mark Darcy remained unconfirmed yesterday. His agent said simply: "I have no idea." A spokesman for Working Title said no other parts had been cast as they had concentrated on finding Bridget first. Bridget Jones was born in the pages of The Independent in 1995 and became an essential read for all young women (and some of their boyfriends, too). She received Valentine cards from desperate swains and single-handedly made it cool to be uncool in relationships. The following year Ms Fielding turned the column into a novel, which sold more than four million copies worldwide. The book's cover followed the paper's column and featured Susannah Lewis, a former secretary at The Independent. Ms Lewis subsequently ran off to Madrid to live with her Cuban boyfriend. The sequel, which was published last year, has remained at the top of the UK bestseller lists since it was released. But the last word on the casting of Bridget should go to her creator. Ms Fielding, who has left the bartenders and off-licences of Notting Hill bereft since she moved to Los Angeles (where smoking is certainly not permitted), said simply: "Vg."

Rumours that Colin Firth, aka Mr Darcy in Pride and Prejudice and the object of Bridget's slavering affections, will play the love interest Mark Darcy remained unconfirmed yesterday. His agent said simply: "I have no idea." ROTFLOL!!! Put that giant joint down and smell the coffee! If he has no idea who does? Come on Colin, put the guy out of his misery. ;-)

I think he read the little slip of paper that Eileen handed him. ;-) Interesting info about the woman on the bookcover I thought.

His agent said simply: "I have no idea." Thanks for the article, Karen. This is so funny/sad in light of the posts just prior to this one! I think the agent's new line should be "Colin's mooted . . .and I'm mute." Evelyn, he does have an L.A.-based publicist--or at least he did back in late '97. Not sure if he deals/dealt just with the U.S. media or not.

The font of knowledge speaks, right on cue. At least he didn't say "never heard of it." no other parts had been cast as they had concentrated on finding Bridget first. Aargh! Will the suspense ever end? Ms Zellweger /.../ said: "The diary is an amazing evocation of the life of a single girl. It reads like Jane Austen, with comic and ironic twists and turns." Gee, I wonder why it reads like Jane Austen. This article calls her tall, too. Jim Carrey must be a giant then--doesn't he tower over her? (Karen) Interesting info about the woman on the bookcover I thought. Well, the eyelashes were dark.

Rumours that Colin Firth, aka Mr Darcy in Pride and Prejudice and the object of Bridget's slavering affections, will play the love interest Mark Darcy remained unconfirmed yesterday. His agent said simply: "I have no idea." J-ee-z...just how casual a response is that? A spokesman for Working Title said no other parts had been cast as they had concentrated on finding Bridget first. I find this difficult to believe.....the success of the movie will depend on good ensemble playing as much as an effective Bridget. And good actors have commitments...are they suddenly going to start ringing round? They must have some ideas and have put out feelers!!! Well, I hope "mooted" means "sign on the dotted line", but sometimes I hae mae doots. But with HF, Andrew Davies and David Parfitt (producer of SIL, now producing BJD) all involved, CF must be the front runner. Yes? Hey, Mr Agent....let us know, pl-ee-ase! I think that the RZ announcement was timed to coincide with HF's new book coming out in the States. Good publicity.

.... And good actors have commitments...are they suddenly going to start ringing round? Just what I was thinking. Filming to begin this summer? Or is it spring? What are they gonna do...check out the unemployed actors'roster?

Let the media blitz begin! Helen Fielding will appear on The Early Show (Bryant Gumbel, Jane Clayson) this Tuesday, February 29. Starting to see some reviews for Edge Of Reason: one in Mirabella (excellent), and one in Entertainment Weekly (not v.g.). Guess which one was written by a man? If you said the excellent one . . .you'd be right.

Here's the publisher's website with info on the book: http://www.penguinputnam.com/bridgetjones/book.htm Tour Dates...so far New York, NY 03/01/00 12 noon Book Signing and Reading Borders Books World Trade Center New York, NY 03/01/00 7:30pm Book Signing and Reading Barnes & Noble Union Square Bethesda, MD 03/02/00 Book Signing and Reading Barnes & Noble Baltimore, MD 03/03/00 Book Signing and Reading Bibelot Nashville, TN 03/07/00 Book Signing and Reading Davis-Kidd Booksellers Atlanta, GA 03/08/00 Book Signing and Reading Chapter 11 Dayton, OH 03/10/00 Book Signing and Reading Books and Company Houston, TX 03/10/00 Book Signing and Reading Brazos San Diego, CA 03/13/00 7:30pm Book Signing and Reading Warwicks Los Angeles, CA 03/14/00 Book Signing and Reading Vroman's

The cover of the US version is different from the UK one. I guess, they thought Americans would be corrupted by Bridget smoking;-)

I have the British paperback and all you see is the close-up of the face not a brunette. So, any news on casting?

(Mari) Starting to see some reviews for Edge Of Reason: one in Mirabella (excellent), and one in Entertainment Weekly (not v.g.). Guess which one was written by a man? If you said the excellent one . . .you'd be right. Interesting. The People review was written by a woman and is also not v.g. Does say, "Some of Bridget's escapades are laughable (botching an important interview with a famous actor by flirting with him...)" but no mention of the film's casting. ;-)

(People reviewer) "Some of Bridget's escapades are laughable (botching an important interview with a famous actor by flirting with him...)" When will these serious, career-minded People get a sense of humor? ;-)

fixed

I expect the reviews will be mixed, as they were for the first one (NY Times flamed it) and as they were for this one in Britain. Some folks just don't appreciate HF's humor! But the rest of us will make it a bestseller.

At least the EW reviewer gets his name in there: "Sent on a dream magazine assignment to Rome to interview actor Colin Firth--Pride & Prejudice's Mr. Darcy himself--the professional journalist misses her plane, misses her deadline, and misses the point of the assignment." Seems she loved the first book, and is disappointed that Bridge, finally "in possession of a good man," has fallen into sequel-itis where apparently "possession is nine tenths of a bore" with Mark and Bridget "barely allowed a slap and a tickle" before Fielding steers BJ "away from the experience of a rewarding releationship and onward to ever more inane behavior and goofy misadventure."

Prozac is mainly for chronic depression, which is not, I think what Donavan was suffering from. I don't know -- he might have been bipolar (manic-depressive) in which case they had probably used lithium (which he has to continue taking). But all these are mood alterers which wouldn't completely do the trick. I truly believed he had to go through intensive "counseling" (read brain-washing) to completely change his reactions to things, his attitudes towards them. He had to be taught to hate and fear....again.

I believe KJ's comments belong on the Spoiler topic...so will move them. Or is this somehow related to Bridget? ;-)

Or is this somehow related to Bridget? ;-) vvg!

Did you know that it is a tradition for women to ask men to marry them on Feb. 29? This is from the E.Telegraph: MOST women keep a sliver of their heart for some man they always hoped to marry, who never asked them. But next week, the nation will echo to the sound of tables turning, as lovelorn women get their four-yearly chance to ask him to marry them - on leap year Tuesday, February 29. A rising number of women take the opportunity - around 7,000 each leap year, according to the latest reports. "I can't see anything dangerous for the relationship in a woman asking a man," says Suzy Powing of the counselling service Relate. "These days, the decision to marry is mutual, anyway." He's free to say no. But in times past, coy refusals weren't allowed. "Accept her, or pay a swingeing �1 fine," decreed Queen Margaret of Scotland in 1288, ordering eligible bachelors to accept any single woman who asked on February 29. Perhaps she was honouring the broken heart of St Brigid, who proposed to St Patrick and was refused. Brigid meet Bridget. ;-)

Did you know that it is a tradition for women to ask men to marry them on Feb. 29? You betcha! I've heard it called Sadie Hawkins Day. Don't be surprised if I have a new last name on March 1. Now where is my multi-millionaire? Not! ;-)

Hope this is new news. Note paragraph four - Murph By ANITA GATES -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BRIDGET JONES The Edge of Reason. By Helen Fielding. 338 pp. New York: Viking. $24.95. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- When last we saw Bridget Jones, she was in a suite at Hintlesham Hall with Mark Darcy, celebrating Christmas with vast quantities of Champagne and sex in a four-poster bed. Bridget was satisfied with her diet too, having gained 74 pounds during the calendar year and lost 72. A happy ending, however, is no excuse for forgoing a sequel. Especially when it comes to ''Bridget Jones's Diary,'' Helen Fielding's fabulously best-selling novel, the one that introduced the terms ''singleton'' and ''smug marrieds'' into the language. Said sequel, ''Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason,'' necessarily lacks the joy of discovery that accompanied the original, but its heroine is still great company -- at least in the abstract. Many things about Bridget haven't changed. She still begins her diary entries with her weight; daily calorie, tobacco and alcohol intake; and other quantitative assessments of her progress toward becoming an ''assured, receptive, responsive woman of substance.'' She still lives in fear of dying alone and ''being found three weeks later half eaten by an Alsatian,'' which is why she hates being in her 30's and single. She still procrastinates madly, infers life lessons from ''Thelma and Louise'' and gets hangovers. And her mother still seems the same too, regularly advising, ''Don't say 'What?' Bridget, say 'Pardon?' '' But time waits for no woman, even the chronically self-monitoring. By Page 12, Bridget is already worried about losing Mark. She soon spends a weekend at a ''country cottage'' (with stables, outbuildings, a pool and its own church) that belongs to the parents of her potential rival, Rebecca. She becomes a bridesmaid. Gary the builder knocks a hole in the wall of her flat. She goes on holiday in Thailand and at one point has reason to make a list of good things about being in jail (weight loss, not spending money, restoration of natural oils to hair because of infrequent shampoos). Her career prospects brighten with the opportunity to interview the actor Colin Firth, but her Mr. Darcy fixation gets the best of her. (Firth starred in a BBC production of ''Pride and Prejudice.'') Her non-Darcy-related questions include ''What is your favorite color?'' and ''Do you think the book of 'Fever Pitch' has spored a confessional gender?'' As Firth fictionally responds, ''Excuse me?'' Yes, the secret Fielding's sequel reveals is this: Bridget may not be terribly bright. We know this because her ex-beau Daniel Cleaver says of her, ''How can you go out with someone who doesn't know where Germany is?'' This is not totally fair because she does know that it's in Europe. And she has some knowledge of its affairs. After a ''motorway signpost debacle,'' she muses parenthetically, ''If war today, better, surely, to confuse Germans by leaving signposts up?'' Later a rival suggests that Bridget believes Rimbaud was a character played by Sylvester Stallone. How can a reader not love this woman -- not in spite of her faults but because of them? Bridget tries so hard. Her days are made up of glorious surges of hope followed by instant defeat or rash interpretations, or both. (Dare we compare her to Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway?) She knows the darkest despair. Reading a self-help book, she comes across ''Feelings of unworthiness? A belief that you are unlovable?'' and quickly answers: ''Huh. Is not belief is fact.'' Yet her spirit soars with the possibility of change. Reading Hello! magazine, she concentrates on pictures of Prince William. ''Cannot, though, ignore impression of great things fermenting around in young royal brain,'' she observes, ''and sense that, at maturity, will rise up like ancient knight of Round Table thrusting sword in air and creating dazzling new order.'' Well, yeah, but will he be a singleton?

Forgot the say the above is from tomorrow's NY times book review. Murph

Sorry. Break time from class :-( KJ

Thanks for the NYTimes review, Murph. Glad to see it's a good one; so many people read the Times book reviews. USA Today gives the book a thumbs up too: By Deirdre Donahue, USA TODAY Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason By Helen Fielding Viking, 352 pp. List price: $24.95 One of the most enchanting heroines ever to overdraw her bank account, the good-hearted if utterly neurotic Bridget Jones returns in Helen Fielding's just-published Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (Viking, $24.95). Like its best-selling 1998 predecessor, Bridget Jones's Diary, the story is presented in journal form, complete with Bridget's daily tally regarding her weight, cigarette intake and love life. "Minutes since had sex 16,005,124 (must, therefore do something about this)." Unlike the first book, which focused on Bridget's search for love, Edge opens with the delectable and eligible Mark Darcy parked in Bridget's bed. As the first line of her diary reads, "Hurrah! The wilderness years are over." But love trouble veers into sight. Specifically in the shape of the man-poaching Rebecca, she with the "thighs of a baby giraffe" and an enormous country house. Ever at the ready with bad advice and alcoholic libations stands "the dating war command," Bridget's friends Sharon, Jude and Tom. Bridget continues to display the habits that made her so lovable in the first place: an insatiable appetite for useless self-help books, continual communing about men with her friends, a constant striving to be a good daughter to her demented parents. Always one product from greatness, Bridget blithely embraces all sorts of crackpot ideas, from tourniquet underwear to building an addition to her apartment. Her global appeal stems directly from everyone's secret hope that they are loved as much for their faults as for their virtues. One of the most appealing aspects of Bridget' s world is that workaholics do not dominate it. People have time to commiserate and lament, except the Smug Married Magda, who spends her time shrieking: "Mummy will smack" while potty-training her children. Bridget's job as a London TV researcher/occasional on-camera reporter continues to be a source of humiliation mixed with merriment. Bridget also spends time with Mark Darcy's very upper-crust "clinking and braying" legal set. OK, it is true: Edge's plot is a bit over the top. Foreign intrigue plays a role. And there are those who might find Bridget's constant dwelling and obsessing to be, well, pathetic and silly. But she does grow up a bit by the end of the book. But the truth must be told. This reader had to be evicted from the ladies' room where she was reading the book behind locked doors. Her mad howls of laughter were frightening co-workers. It's that funny.

It's that funny. It is, isn't it? :-)

The Wall St. Journal trashed BJ: The Edge of Reason. It was in Friday's edition. Only skimmed article. Art thought vvf as everyone goes nutso over BJ. I tend to like WSJ reviews. But this one was harsh.

From the L.A. Times: Tuesday, February 22, 2000 'Bridget' Creator Discovers Fertile Ground in L.A. Helen Fielding says she's more relaxed here than in London and finds the SoCal obsession with self-image provides plenty of new material. By MARJORIE MILLER, Times Staff Writer For the record, Helen Fielding had zero alcohol units and zero cigarettes at a Sunset Boulevard lunch, during which there was no calorie counting and no boyfriend talk. In other words, the bestselling novelist is not Bridget Jones incarnate, even if some people do mistakenly call her by her 30-something heroine's name, and despite the fact she has just had a very Bridget-like experience with the roof of her new Hollywood house springing leaks in the manner of a garden hose ravaged by a great Dane. "I am sure it will all be sorted out soon," Fielding said with the kind of optimism she admires in Californians. Fielding, whose second diary, "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason," is to be published in the United States at the end of the month, recently moved to Los Angeles to the chagrin of her British friends and fans. It is tempting to ask how she could possibly trade Notting Hill chic at 192--Bridget's favorite hangout--for L.A. hip at Cafe Med, except that we are seated outdoors on a spectacularly bright, sunny day in the middle of what only Californians could call winter. "I love it here. Look at it, it's February. I swam this morning. It's half an hour to the beach and 40 minutes to the Wild West. I can be in the desert in 2 1/2 hours, and Mexico is two hours away on the plane. It's brilliant," Fielding said. "Especially for a writer, to come to L.A., well, even if things go wrong, there is so much to write about," she enthused. Fielding finds it amusing that Angelenos complain about traffic--which does move, after all, and hardly compares to London gridlock. Or the way Californians go to pieces in the rain and refuse to come see her new house because it is wet outside, a condition that would turn Britain into an entire nation of shut-ins. Then there is the positive, good-natured character of Californians, America's alternative to the stiff upper lip. "As I was leaving a hotel in the desert, I told the woman working there that, by the way, the toilet is broken in the room. And she said, 'Oh, thank you, thank you so much for telling me.' I imagine I could have said that my friend died and I left the body in the room, and she still would have said, 'Oh, fantastic, thank you, thank you so much,' " Fielding said with a laugh. * * * Fielding clearly is having a v. good time. And why shouldn't she? "Bridget Jones's Diary" sold 4 million copies in 30 countries, and the British edition of "The Edge of Reason" has sold nearly 500,000 since it was published in November. She is collaborating on the screenplay of "Bridget Jones's Diary," to be directed by her friend Sharon Maguire for Working Title, which brought out "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and "Notting Hill." "Bridget" has spawned a slew of knockoff books, none of them as successful, and has added several words to the vocabulary of Chardonnay-chugging, urban singletons who identify with this bundle of insecurities trying to live up to impossible standards. In her new diary, Bridget has traded diet books for self-help books and has a boyfriend, the rich and handsome Mark Darcy, whom she is trying to hang on to against the advances of gorgeous Rebecca, a villain "with thighs like a baby giraffe." Telephone-addicted Bridget juggles her relationship with Mark along with the full-time demands of a manic boss, friends Shazzer, Jude and smug married Magda, and a zany mother who goes off to Africa to bring home a tribes man named Wellington. Bridget then heads for Thailand, where she and Shazzer are conned by a Harrison Ford look-alike. She ends up in jail on drug charges, comforted only by the thought that she is shedding pounds. Bridget II offers the same mix of neurosis and parody that attracted and irritated so many women, from London to Los Angeles to Tokyo, the first time around. But what exactly is it, Fielding is asked over salad and scallops, that makes so many women identify with Bridget? "It is the gap between how you are and how you feel you are expected to be," Fielding said. "There are so many confusing images--wife, mother, Cosmo girl and career woman with the body of an anorexic teenager. Even high-powered New York women in business suits identify with her not being able to find a pair of tights in the morning. "This feeling of not being as you are supposed to be seems to be pretty universal," she said. Many professional women in their mid-30s have had to make difficult choices in their lives, among them, perhaps, the decision not to marry, she said. "For these women to then be subjected to comments from an uncle like, 'What, still not married?' or about being on the shelf past your sell-by date, it's just not fair." * * * While the plot of the first book comes from Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice," the second borrows heavily from "'Persuasion." Both stories, Fielding noted, were "well market-researched over a number of centuries." But many feminists who love Jane Austen hate "Bridget Jones," which portrays modern women squandering their hard-fought freedom on worrying about thigh size and sell-by dates. "I don't think it's good, but it's true," Fielding said. "If it hadn't hit a true note, the book wouldn't have sold as it did. But the women buying it are not anti-feminist. It's a mark of strength to laugh at yourself." Besides, she noted with characteristic irony, her weightier endeavors on refugee camps in Africa--her first book, "Cause Celeb"--and a proposal on cultural clashes in the Caribbean have not been as popular. Not to mention those sincere newspaper articles she used to write on the future of the British countryside. The British press reported that Fielding did not want to write a sequel to "Bridget Jones" but caved in to her publishers. Fielding said she was not opposed but feared she might not be able to sustain the character who sprang out of a newspaper column in 1995 without any expectations. She squeezed the writing into a frenetic schedule of publicity trips to Spain and Japan and delivered the manuscript 77 weeks late. * * * Part of the appeal of Los Angeles for Fielding is that it offers her a calmer lifestyle than London does after the intensity of Bridget's success. "I really like it. All of the phone calls [from London] stop at 10 a.m. and I can start writing," she said. Fielding had planned to take a break, but Los Angeles is proving too fertile a ground. "I can't help it. I already have got piles of notes and interesting characters to think about," she said. "There are all these man-women walking around with the bottom half of a boy and then these enormous breasts. How can it be? I feel I am from a different species. "If you order potatoes au gratin or something like that in a restaurant, the waiter will look at you"--and here Fielding gives a look as if you are about to imbibe motor oil--"and he'll say, 'You know, that contains dairy.' " This, of course, is hilarious to someone from a country that offers up a "chip sandwich," which is white bread smeared in butter and filled with French fries cooked in beef fat. So where does all this lead? What is Fielding working on now? "Oh," she said, "getting the roof fixed."

Thanks for this article, Mari. "I can't help it. I already have got piles of notes and interesting characters to think about," she said. "There are all these man-women walking around with the bottom half of a boy and then these enormous breasts. How can it be? I feel I am from a different species. LOL! "getting the roof fixed." Better not call your friend Colin (when he's in town), Helen. He's not too handy around the house.

Hilarious. Thanks, Mari :-)

Helen hasn't lost a beat! LOL! Loved the bit about Californians not coming over if it's wet outside or the waiter questioning your order. Too good. Probably won't be another Bridget book, but who cares. Thanks, Mari.

Thanks, Mari! "I love it here. Look at it, it's February. I swam this morning. It's half an hour to the beach and 40 minutes to the Wild West. I can be in the desert in 2 1/2 hours, and Mexico is two hours away on the plane. She is there for all the right reasons, but I wonder how permanent her move is, since there are plenty of handsome men but most of them gay. (Was that v. bad of me?) ;-)

v. bad, Moon. Am sending Rupert over to chain you up and administer some behavior-modification techniques. ;-)

Am sending Rupert over to chain you up and administer some behavior-modification techniques. ;-) Oh, goody! Maybe I can share the room with Daniel Quinn! ;-) PS. In an interview to the Miami Herald Madonna said that Rupert is not your typical gay guy, he is very butch. :-D (That MUST be the attraction)

Yes, but can he possibly be more butch than Madonna? And I am by no means implying that Rupert is a sissy.

Yes, but can he possibly be more butch than Madonna? And I am by no means implying that Rupert is a sissy. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Check out Vanity Fair. GREAT pic of Madonna and RE on cover. Just bought it today. RE is drop-dead gorgeous, and Madonna since having Lola has softened up a bit.

Lola? Is that what she's called?

(Karen) Loved the bit about Californians not coming over if it's wet outside or the waiter questioning your order. Too good. Probably won't be another Bridget book, but who cares. Exactly. The L.A. experience will keep Helen in material for quite awhile! Did anyone see her interviewed on The Early show this a.m.? She was bright and funny as usual. Nothing mentioned about the movie. (Gi)Lola? Is that what she's called? Yes, Lourdes is called Lola by her mom. (Deeply ashamed that I keep up with these things;-)

(Mari)Deeply ashamed that I keep up with these things;-) Don't be! How else could you tell me about them? ;-)

...and I was ready to get a dig in at Laura, who lives and breathes the trashy celeb columns! *rats* ;-)

and I was ready to get a dig in at Laura, who lives and breathes the trashy celeb columns! *rats* ;-) ] Hee hee:)

I saw HF this morning...she already looks like a Californian with a mini-skirted pastel (light blue)suit..bomber style jacket with matching turtleneck. Forget London black!Looked younger and prettier too.

Personally I don't think anyone can possibly be more butch than Madonna; not even Mike Tyson. I couldn't really get into BJD, but if CF is in the movie I'll see it. Not that I thought it a bad book, not at all. I just couldn't relate to it. Actually I do think CF we be in the movie, playing himself if nothing else.

(Cheryl) I do think CF we be in the movie, playing himself if nothing else. Absolutely! Nobody could ever play CF I mean who matches up... that voice, those eyes? *dark thought* You never know with these Hollywood types they'll cast Danny DeVito you just watch :-o

(Cheryl) I do think CF we be in the movie, playing himself if nothing else. (Tracy)Absolutely! Nobody could ever play CF I mean who matches up... that voice, those eyes? You mean like hallucinatory flashbacks,... Or dream-like squences? "The Cameo Kid strikes again". (Godferbid)

(Cheryl) Actually I do think CF we be in the movie, playing himself if nothing else. Wouldn't it be fun if he were to play Mark Darcy as well as himself?

If the movie included the sequel, then Colin could actually do 3 parts. They would use BBC clips for the Mr. Darcy stuff, but Colin would be himself for the interview segment and then they'd dye his hair dark to be Mark Darcy. I think it would be a riot.

I think it would be a riot. More like a dream come true. :-D

Follow-up news item today: LONDON (AP) - Britons adopted a wait-and-see attitude when American actress Gwyneth Paltrow was cast as oh-so-English Lady Viola in the film "Shakespeare in Love." But some newspaper columnists already are sharpening their perfectly manicured fingernails over the casting of yet another beautiful American blonde - 29-year-old Renee Zellweger - as angst-ridden, calorie-counting Londoner Bridget Jones. Jones, a self-obsessed thirtysomething in search of Mr. Right, is the creation of British author Helen Fielding, whose novel "Bridget Jones' Diary" has sold 4 million copies worldwide. So what do calorie-counting, thirtysomething British journalists think about Zellweger for the film role? Too young, too pretty, too American. "Of all the clunking, Hollywood idiocy," wrote columnist Zoe Williams in the Evening Standard. "Casting her as a young and perfect thing is like remaking 'The Elephant Man' with Jude Law." "Ms. Zellweger is a clean-living American, so it is unlikely that she smokes or drinks," sniffed Kate Watson-Smyth in The Independent. "She is also reportedly on the verge of becoming what Bridget would call a smug-married." "The only good thing, I suppose, is it isn't Meg Ryan," added Suzanne Moore in her Mail on Sunday column.

"Ms. Zellweger is a clean-living American, so it is unlikely that she smokes or drinks," sniffed Kate Watson-Smyth in The Independent. "She is also reportedly on the verge of becoming what Bridget would call a smug-married." One word: AARGH. Anyone have Zoe's e-mail address? I'd like to send her the definition of that oh-so-complex, abstract term called ACTING. Sheesh. Guess I missed all the fallout when Cate Blanchett was cast as Elizabeth. Horrors! An Australian! What did *she* know about being a queen? *shaking my head*

(Karen)If the movie included the sequel, then Colin could actually do 3 parts. If they don't get off the dime soon, Colin can play Colin (BJ's dad;-) Actually that would be a great question to pose to Helen on her book tour, and one that she would probably answer (unlike casting questions)--is the script more 1st book, or a combo of the two? Unfortunately, I don't know of anyone who is going. :-(

(Karen)"The only good thing, I suppose, is it isn't Meg Ryan," added Suzanne Moore in her Mail on Sunday column. (Mari)If they don't get off the dime soon, Colin can play Colin (BJ's dad;-) I don't know which of these made me LOL more :-)

Harumpf! I really should cancel my subscription to Time. That predictable bunch of humorless feminist editors and writers. They hated BJD and now the sequel. Phoo Meander Miss Jones Bridget's still hapless, but she's not so cute by Elizabeth Gleick Oh, dear, oh dear. By the time Bridget has landed in a Thai prison (don't ask) more than halfway through Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, the reader is beyond caring. Hapless is one thing--as the tremendous popularlity of Bridget Jones's Diary showed, hapless can be endearing. But hapless with no sign of a learning curve, in a sequel that has none of the novelty of the original yet is much longer--now that will try the patience of even a Bridget fan. [how would this writer know, as she is not?] Bridget Jones's Diary, originally a column by Helen Fielding in Britain's Independent newspaper (and soon to be a movie) [soon? see, writer does not know beans], was one fo the publishing phenomenons of the 1990s. It has sold 4 million copies worldwide to date and been published in 30 countries. A very funny account of the minor woes and epiphanies of a 30-ish single woman living in London, it spawned [maybe, spoored?] a host of pale imitations and a humorless debate about Bridget's supposedly debilitating effect on the progress of women. (My two cents: Fielding is a wonderful comic novelist who obviously struck some vein of truth. To condemn Bridget for being a more pathetic version of the rest of us is to miss the point.) [Keep your two cents; you have missed the point.] But some hits cry out for sequels, whereas other books are fine just as they are. We may occasionally wonder what happens after Elizabeth Bennett [sic] marries Mr. Darcy (after all he's kind of difficult), but Jane Austen's subsequent novels are variations on a theme, not repetitions of one. [Ms. Gleick really MUST publish.] With her modern-day version of Pride and Prejudice, on the other hand, Fielding got caught in the vise of a lucrative contract and a punishing deadline, and the new book has an air of desperation. With the diary format, complete with alcohol and cigarette logs, and the same wacky circle of friends, Bridget seems to be living in her own private Groundhog Day, unable to learn from her mistakes, move forward or pull herself together the tiniest bit. The plot--and is there ever a plot--is driven by her on-again, off-again romance with Mark Darcy. The fact that the reader is so much smarter and more observant than Bridget is, this time round, irritating rather than suspenseful. Gaa!

I have to agree with the reviewer, I got tired of Bridge always getting into trouble and MD right there to save her.

Veronica Chambers' review in last week's Newsweek was much the same. Excerpts: "Like a relationship in its sixth month, 'The Edge of Reason' challenges our affection. All of Bridget's faults--the obsessive calorie counting, the addiction to self-help books--that seemed charming in the first book grow tired here." "On far too many occasions, Fielding doesn't take her character seriously enough. The gags, like the one about her parents' African houseguests, are too one-note." "...and her beau, Mark Darcy, is back in full swing--still smoldering from afar...Fielding is afraid of exploring a full relationship between Bridget and Darcy, so she keeps them apart for most of the book. As Bridget would say, she should feel the fear and do it anyway. Darcy and Bridget are a wonderful pair. They'd give Smug Marrieds a good name." Oh, well. I started it the other day and I can say with certainty that it makes me laugh 'til I cry. Loved this: "Whilst v. much grateful for being brought skiing, could not believe nightmare of getting up on to hill in first place, baffled by what was point of clunking through giant concrete edifices full of grilles and chains like something out of concentration camp, with half-bent knees and equivalent of plaster cast on each foot...Worst of it is hair has gone mad in altitude, forming itself into weird peaks and horns like bag of Cadbury's Misshapes...Also three-year olds keep whizzing by without using any poles, standing on one leg performing somersaults, etc."

Letter-writing time to these publications. Am I the only one who liked The Edge of Reason more than BJD? It stood on its own...didn't seem like a sequel to me. IMO, however, it will be an incredibly difficult screenplay to put over.Bridgets thoughts are funnier than what she does.He actions could come over as a bit "chaplinesque".

(Evelyn) Am I the only one who liked The Edge of Reason more than BJD? *hand raised high in air* I liked the second book more as well. (Time Austen Scholar) We may occasionally wonder what happens after Elizabeth Bennett [sic] marries Mr. Darcy Enough so that an entire cottage industry of Austen-related sequels exist and the web is full of Austen fan fic. Did Ms. Scholar not read the article in the NYTimes about Austen and the web? (TAS) With her modern-day version of Pride and Prejudice Hadn't she noticed that this one was based on Persuasion? Or did she consider that a "variation" on the P&P theme as well? (TAS) Fielding got caught in the vise of a lucrative contract and a punishing deadline, and the new book has an air of desperation. Some punishing deadline. Book was like a year and half overdue. And if she really wants to sample "desperation," try reading the columns in the Telegraph, where Fielding didn't know what she writing from week to week. What I like best about the book, is how well she sorted the columns out. During HF's tour last year, she sounded so down about Bridget and Mark, that the relationship was not going to work out. Remember all the discussions we had about how unbelievable certain columns were? As I read the sequel, I was constantly amazed at how she had patched up huge holes in logic and believability.

Newsflash Read this at Pemberley: There will be an online chat with Helen Fielding at CNN.com at 1 pm EST on Wednesday, March 8. The subject will be BJD and The Edge of Reason. Here's the link: http://www.cnn.com/chat/ ~~~~~~ Remember when we all went on line before to ask HF and Nick questions? What fun!!

Remember when we all went on line before to ask HF and Nick questions? What fun!! Yeah....I think that was two years ago.And when she started the book junket,the poor woman was bombarded with questions by droolies all across the country!

Thanks, Karen! I am relying on finally getting an answer to the big question...is he or not. Somebody must drag it out of her non-commital answers. Can someone ask who her PR person is? They are doing a v.g. job. Since it is Ash Wed. and if I get a chance to log on, I will ask if MD is a Catholic. ;-D Hey, she would know right?

Karen, love the [interpolations]! If Ms Gleick publishes, I shall send in a review to Time. Someone please ask if BJD has spoored a host of pale imitations? And what is Helen's favourite colour? not really

And please don't forget to ask my personal favorite: "What is neacher?" ;-) Seriously, if any of us can get on, we should ask if the screenplay is based mostly on the first book. And also the obvious question (which she probably won't answer;-)

(Evelyn) IMO, however, it will be an incredibly difficult screenplay to put over. Bridgets thoughts are funnier than what she does ...which is why they had to call all the king's horses and all the king's men to put the screenplay together again. I agree with what you're saying, though. I think the movie will be v. different than the book(s). I can see a few scenes translating intact (tarts and vicars party, dinner party), but as for the rest, I keep feeling a gravitational pull towards 4W&AF and Notting Hill. Don't know why...:-P Am taking my time with EOR, but thus far I can see what some of the reviewers are saying. I'm finding Bridget to be more predictable this time (heck, it is a sequel); however, this book is funnier. Helen's wit is sharper than ever.

Helen Fielding Online Chat Today It's at 4:00 pm ET at the CNN site shown below. Previous post said a different time, but the ROP poster must have been giving her "local" time. Go here: http://www.cnn.com/chat/qa.html

There will also be another online chat at bn.com (Barnes & Noble) on Monday, March 13, at 7:00 pm ET. http://www.barnesandnoble.com/community/community.asp?userid=4V3K48R6XI&srefer=

Converted time for Europe: 8 p.m. GMT, or 9 p.m. CET. Will try to log in.

I mean today. Sorry.

Isn't it 9:00 pm GMT?

Karen, the CNN chat message access seems to be about Super Tuesday. Will we only be able to log on at the moment? I thought we were able to send our questions in advance. I admit I am a novice at this.

You can go into chat Q&A at anytime, but it will be real time. So you can't send you message in advance.

It's at 4:00 pm ET at the CNN site I'll be there:-) Yes, it is 9 PM GMT.

In that case I won't be able to log in :,-(

The CNN chat was slightly less than a half hour. Questions were typed in online and some seemed to be be coming from elsewhere. Not sure what/where is CNNI (interactive). Tineke was there too. A lot of silly irrelevant questions. She did answer mine about whether the movie was to be based on just the first book or would include the sequel. She said *first book only* but little bits that appear in both and gave the example of Magda potty training her kid. Tineke asked "who should play Mark Darcy?" No real answer there. There was a general question about casting and she answered that it hasn't been done yet. Another person asked "who was going to direct?" (you see what I mean?) and she answered about her friend Sharon but added that Sharon really knows Bridget's world. Helen tossed in her new soundbites from LA (about the restaurant and chip butties). Let's try again next Monday on bn.com

Hey...Springhost_USA saw you in the CNN Chat just now. Along with Tineke. I was guest #20683. Couldn't get my name in that box...wouldn't take it. Anyway, it was great fun to lurk.She didn't say anything startling..."no other casting"...except RZ.I liked her answer to:"Do you stand up to defend 'shagging'"...."I always stand -up"! Proud of our Firthfans who repped us. Thanks kids.

Just watched the chat (that's one step below lurking). Saw we were well represented by Tine and Springhost aka 'Mark's Towelrack' :-P I was glad to see Helen pick up your question, Karen.

I tried to copy off the chat dialogue to another document, but it didn't seem to work. Oh well, you've gotten the gist of it.

Will the interview with Colin be in the movie? Did anybody get the chance to ask ?

(Karen) She did answer mine about whether the movie was to be based on just the first book or would include the sequel. She said *first book only* Thanks for getting that one in there, Karen. Something concrete, finally. Not exactly the answer I wanted to hear given MD's limited appearance in the first book, but as it is the one based on P&P maybe CF has a better shot at the role. If he even wants it.;-) I wasn't able to log on--couldn't get past the opening screen.

(Mari) I wasn't able to log on--couldn't get past the opening screen. Really? Is it because of the java?

(Gi) Will the interview with Colin be in the movie? Not likely since, as Karen found out, BJD movie will be based solely on BJD book with bits from EOR (e.g., "in the potty! In the potty!").

(EileenG)Not likely since, as Karen found out, BJD movie will be based solely on BJD book with bits from EOR Well, the interview could be one of those "bits", maybe...?

She does bring up CF's affair w/ JE in the first book, hmmm....

Let's get a list of questions going to ask her on Monday night on the B&NChat. She does bring up CF's affair w/ JE in the first book, hmmm... Never mind that one, Laura, ...it's old news anyway;-) ~~~~~~~ 1. Will you include in the film the interview with Colin Firth in Rome?

2. Will she include the affair between JE and CF:)

Will she include the affair between JE and CF:) "It wasn't an affair....we were together for almost a year..." said 'The Great One' in an interivew.

3. Is she having any input into the film's casting? (And yes, Karen, I think my problem with connecting was the java.)

Methinks question 3 should be moved to question 1.

Article on Helen in the Atlanta paper: Asked about the casting controversy, Fielding is unflustered and, well, un-Bridget-like. "She was very good in 'Jerry Maguire.' She had that thing of being able to look both beautiful and ordinary," said Fielding, who wrote two early versions of the script for the movie, then lessened her involvement this year because of the demands of promoting the sequel. "Besides, I can't be involved with things like casting. It hits too close to home. I've got my own picture of how everybody looks, and they don't exist." Full article here: http://www.accessatlanta.com/partners/ajc/epaper/editions/today/features_1.html

Cute interview, Karen...UK publications must be giving her a hard time over RZ. (They'd give any American actress a hard time, let's face it. Why not? Lots of British actresses need a job.)But this gives ODB a better chance at making the cut. OK, Eileen....that seems to take care of question #3.

Mixed reviews don't seem to be slowing Helen down. The Edge Of Reason is the # 3 bestseller in the U.S., according to Publisher's Weekly.