A little bit more Americana: 2011's Ten Best

Earlier today I featured my first relic from 2011 Americana, but around the same time I also acquired the base set. Here are the 10 best cards, in my opinion, from the most recent release.

Before I start, I want to say that this year's photos seem better by leaps and bounds to prior releases. All the subjects are looking at the camera, and even if the photos were taken at an event, you can't really tell. The gray background is kind of monotonous, but welcome from the over/underexposed paparazzi shots used in the past.

 

Like her or hate her, Pamela Anderson is the biggest name in the set. I liked her better when she was the tool girl, clean and cute, instead of this trashy look.

She didn't flinch.

 Selma Blair may not be a big name, but she's got her own attractiveness. Plus, do you remember Cruel Intentions? The movie was amazing, especially for a "teen" feature. And then there was the kiss:

Cinema gold.

 Whoever Michael Madsen is (okay, Reservoir Dogs, but has he done anything important since then?) this card is awesome if only for the hair, open shirt with the gold chain necklace, and the leather jacket. I feel like I'm looking at a promo headshot for a local production of Grease or Hairspray.

 I met David Carradine a few years ago. He seemed frail, tired, and not quite all there. This was soon after the Kill Bill movies came out. I have his autograph from that encounter - a move I'm very glad to have made.

Matrix style, baby!

 This is a great picture of Christina Applegate. She's about to turn 40, and she's showing her age, so seeing her in her prime is always a plus.

Haha. I never watched Married With Children.

 Speaking of prime, Emmanuelle Chriqui is everything Megan Fox wants to be. She just exudes class and beauty, and she isn't above doing a comedy (You Don't Mess with the Zohan, anyone?). We can excuse that she's from Quebec.

There are sexier videos out there, but yeah.

 Americana includes a handful of national heroes, including astronauts and a few Olympic medalists. Katie Hoff has three Olympic medals, and might compete next year. She's also from Palo Alto, which is fairly local for me.

 Leslie Nielsen was a talented actor. I mean, what can I say about him that hasn't been said? Forbidden Planet was one of his oft-forgotten serious roles, and he had talent in that area. His strength was comedy, and that's where I remember him. The Naked Gun series, Airplane!, Spy Hard, and his appearance the Scary Movie series (he was in 3 and 4) all stand out as classics.  I was lucky to pick up his autograph from an Upper Deck release last year, and it's one of the favorites of my collection.

See? C l a s s i c.

 You have to wonder what Tommy Chong wanted to accomplish with this look. If it wasn't for the "Volunteer Tour Guide" patch on his shirt, you would think he was on vacation in the Caribbean. The only part missing from this card is Cheech Marin. Where is the dual celebrity card?

Last, but not least, Robert Carradine, half-brother to David (above) and the youngest of the Carradine brothers. My generation and younger will probably remember him from the Revenge of the Nerds series, while younger readers know him as Lizzy McGuire's father. The Revenge of the Nerds series is one of my favorites, ranking up there with Naked Gun and Scary Movie mentioned above, and of course the Police Academy series.

I want that as my ringtone. Though my cousin got a kick out of my Angry Birds ringtone (I have a Blackberry).