TV series - "Entourage" - Season 1 ****

I thought I would hate this series picturing it as a smug piece full of in jokes with celebs desperate to do cameos for their street cred, and slouch-featured Adam Greiner. But I loved it - it has real soul, because the entourage people are genuine mates, Adam Greiner is really likeable (he plays against his looks, and is a dopey trusting star); the lead guy E (Kevin Connolly) is trying to do the right thing, give his mate good advice - but they don't deify him, he makes mistakes and at the end of the day he's as big a parasite as anyone else; the agent (Jeremy Piven) is a prick but very smart, a worthy adversity, tries to do his best for his client in his own way; the brother (Kevin Dillon) is an unemployed actor, the desperate face of Hollywood (I kept thinking of Scott Coffey or someone like that); Turtle is useful comic relief. Its terrific with some really really stunning women - the Britney type (who promises Greiner her virginity but he has to work for it - he replies he became a film star so she wouldn't have to work - then she says she would have given him the best head he ever got); the vegan; the girl who turns down Turtle because she's hoping ot bang Greiner; Jessica Alba. Great exchanges eg Ari to E after E says he reads the NY Times - Ari asks if he reads the New Republic, E says no, so Ari quotes the new republic; Ari extolling his assistant to fight on the beaches at Malibu. Funny scripts, good heart, short episodes. No phoney Hollywood morality about Hollywood - being in an entourage looks like a lot of fun.