Now that I've commited to showing a Scrubs clip every Saturday until it premieres I'm wondering if there will truly be enough quality clips on YouTube to last until NBC deems us worthy for the new season. I promise you now that I will put quality over quantity but thankfully I found another one of my favorites today. YouTube is the bomb yo!
Friday, September 29, 2006
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Runway Roundup: Week Ditto?
Project Runway returned to us Wednesday after a week off and I can't believe what happened…nothing.
In an exercise of absolute stupidity the producers and judges decided to take the last elimination and eliminate it. That's right our group of four is still four. Now the fan in me is happy because one of my favorites would have been out if they'd gone ahead with the normal format but the reality show fan in me is pissed because this is the kind of twist that just doesn't work. Pretty much Bravo said not only will we take a week off, but then we'll show pretty much a place holder episode and then another place holder episode next week when we have the reunion show. Maybe next week they'll fool us again and not have an actual reunion on the reunion show.
I guess I should be happy that my favorite designers Michael and Jeffrey are still heading to fashion week. Shockingly Laura not only made it but wasn't even in the final two (I was so sure that outfit would get her the boot). I was NOT surprised however to hear Heidi say she'd wear everyone of Laura's outfits so far. Heidi, I know you're a supermodel and can make pretty much anything look good but seriously if you think Laura's outfits are nice then that must mean you pick out the outfits you wear during the runway portion of the show. I found it extra funny that someone who wore a milk maid outfit just a few weeks ago criticized Jeffrey for his. Seriously Heidi you sit next to Michael Korrs and Nina Garcia every week, you should ask one of them for some help.
Speaking of Jeffrey, I rather liked his outfit but I agree the word provocative did not come to mind even when worn in a rickshaw.
Michael's dress looked bad but not bad enough to leave. The gang got it right when they told him to stick to sportswear.
Uli deserved the win but an evil part of me really wanted her to stick to the muumuu design she had going on early. I think if she had shown that the judges would've decided to give the Elle photo shoot to no one.
We've got 3 more episodes:
The Reunion which looks like it will be a war of words between Heidi and Anthony Michael Hall or whatever his name was who got booted for cheating. (How quickly we forget)
The first part of the finale which if history tells us anything will be filled with Tim Gunn making his way across the country to visit the designers in their home environment. I can't wait until Laura's five maniac children act out in front of Tim and he offers Laura some parenting advice.
Then the big finale at Fashion Week. I must admit I did see 4 pics from the designers shows in my EW this week but I'm going to try and stay away from the blogs that have the whole shows. My money is still on Michael or Jeffrey. I can't believe that either Uli or Laura will be able to create a variety of looks at their show.
So try and wash the taste of last night out of your mouth and enjoy these last 3 weeks because then you're Runway free for a few months, at least until Heidi pops out her latest kid.
In an exercise of absolute stupidity the producers and judges decided to take the last elimination and eliminate it. That's right our group of four is still four. Now the fan in me is happy because one of my favorites would have been out if they'd gone ahead with the normal format but the reality show fan in me is pissed because this is the kind of twist that just doesn't work. Pretty much Bravo said not only will we take a week off, but then we'll show pretty much a place holder episode and then another place holder episode next week when we have the reunion show. Maybe next week they'll fool us again and not have an actual reunion on the reunion show.
I guess I should be happy that my favorite designers Michael and Jeffrey are still heading to fashion week. Shockingly Laura not only made it but wasn't even in the final two (I was so sure that outfit would get her the boot). I was NOT surprised however to hear Heidi say she'd wear everyone of Laura's outfits so far. Heidi, I know you're a supermodel and can make pretty much anything look good but seriously if you think Laura's outfits are nice then that must mean you pick out the outfits you wear during the runway portion of the show. I found it extra funny that someone who wore a milk maid outfit just a few weeks ago criticized Jeffrey for his. Seriously Heidi you sit next to Michael Korrs and Nina Garcia every week, you should ask one of them for some help.
Speaking of Jeffrey, I rather liked his outfit but I agree the word provocative did not come to mind even when worn in a rickshaw.
Michael's dress looked bad but not bad enough to leave. The gang got it right when they told him to stick to sportswear.
Uli deserved the win but an evil part of me really wanted her to stick to the muumuu design she had going on early. I think if she had shown that the judges would've decided to give the Elle photo shoot to no one.
We've got 3 more episodes:
The Reunion which looks like it will be a war of words between Heidi and Anthony Michael Hall or whatever his name was who got booted for cheating. (How quickly we forget)
The first part of the finale which if history tells us anything will be filled with Tim Gunn making his way across the country to visit the designers in their home environment. I can't wait until Laura's five maniac children act out in front of Tim and he offers Laura some parenting advice.
Then the big finale at Fashion Week. I must admit I did see 4 pics from the designers shows in my EW this week but I'm going to try and stay away from the blogs that have the whole shows. My money is still on Michael or Jeffrey. I can't believe that either Uli or Laura will be able to create a variety of looks at their show.
So try and wash the taste of last night out of your mouth and enjoy these last 3 weeks because then you're Runway free for a few months, at least until Heidi pops out her latest kid.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
I thought I moved North not South or Help I Now Live In a Red State
Those of you who are frequent readers know I’m a Daily Show viewer. Tonight my fellow Minnesotan Al Franken was the guest. I like Al. He’s funny...like me. He worked for the late great Paul Wellstone...like me. He’s a bleeding heart liberal with an overly sarcastic wit... like me. He’s Jewish...well not like me but people ask me if I am sometimes when my hair gets long.
I didn’t make it past the first 30 seconds of the interview though because Jon Stewart’s first question was about the 2008 Republican National Convention being held in Minneapolis/St. Paul. Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa? I knew MY Twin Cities were in the running for both parties conventions but come on we neither have the hotel space or adequate convention space to really lure these things, right? Immediately I paused the ol’ TiVo and went running to the news sites and sure enough we’re slated to be overrun by inbred wealthy rednecks in August 2008.
My first thought was shit, this fucking sucks.
My second thought was, have there been advancements in rubber bullet technology since the last time I protested.
This will obviously be a financial boon to my hometown but I could care less. It’s not like I’ll see any of it. Instead I’ll be forced out of my restaurants, bars, highways, and stores while all the fat honkeys from Alabama wander aimlessly around downtown.
But after a few minutes, I guess I’m beginning to see this as an opportunity, for me. Always thinking of myself, this could be something to get me off my ass. After the 2004 election I was full of piss and vinegar. I declared to anyone who would listen that my next job was going to be in the political/non profit arena and I was going to work to get America right or in my case left. Instead I spent the next 2 years prepping for a move to Minneapolis where I’m currently working for a temp agency. It’s not like the country has gotten better, in fact it’s gotten worse, it’s that like most people I tend to talk loud but act little.
Tonight I’m not saying I’m recommitting myself to my 2004 goal because honestly in a few days I’d probably be back to normal. No, tonight I can honestly say that I do plan on being an active dissenter when that week in August 2008 rolls around. Sure I may not accomplish much in the big picture but at the very least I can feel like I’m doing something (again, me=selfish). Perhaps it will be protesting at the protest zone the city will set up 30 miles away for the convention. Perhaps it will be not holding an elevator for a 90 year old delegate from Florida. Perhaps it will sneezing on the buffet table at our local casino as a line of high rollers from Texas line up behind me. Or maybe just maybe it will be finding a candidate for US Senate or President that I can actually believe in and going out everyday to make sure my once proud state doesn’t become synonymous with Utah, Indiana and Ohio. Maybe a candidate like Al Franken.
I didn’t make it past the first 30 seconds of the interview though because Jon Stewart’s first question was about the 2008 Republican National Convention being held in Minneapolis/St. Paul. Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa? I knew MY Twin Cities were in the running for both parties conventions but come on we neither have the hotel space or adequate convention space to really lure these things, right? Immediately I paused the ol’ TiVo and went running to the news sites and sure enough we’re slated to be overrun by inbred wealthy rednecks in August 2008.
My first thought was shit, this fucking sucks.
My second thought was, have there been advancements in rubber bullet technology since the last time I protested.
This will obviously be a financial boon to my hometown but I could care less. It’s not like I’ll see any of it. Instead I’ll be forced out of my restaurants, bars, highways, and stores while all the fat honkeys from Alabama wander aimlessly around downtown.
But after a few minutes, I guess I’m beginning to see this as an opportunity, for me. Always thinking of myself, this could be something to get me off my ass. After the 2004 election I was full of piss and vinegar. I declared to anyone who would listen that my next job was going to be in the political/non profit arena and I was going to work to get America right or in my case left. Instead I spent the next 2 years prepping for a move to Minneapolis where I’m currently working for a temp agency. It’s not like the country has gotten better, in fact it’s gotten worse, it’s that like most people I tend to talk loud but act little.
Tonight I’m not saying I’m recommitting myself to my 2004 goal because honestly in a few days I’d probably be back to normal. No, tonight I can honestly say that I do plan on being an active dissenter when that week in August 2008 rolls around. Sure I may not accomplish much in the big picture but at the very least I can feel like I’m doing something (again, me=selfish). Perhaps it will be protesting at the protest zone the city will set up 30 miles away for the convention. Perhaps it will be not holding an elevator for a 90 year old delegate from Florida. Perhaps it will sneezing on the buffet table at our local casino as a line of high rollers from Texas line up behind me. Or maybe just maybe it will be finding a candidate for US Senate or President that I can actually believe in and going out everyday to make sure my once proud state doesn’t become synonymous with Utah, Indiana and Ohio. Maybe a candidate like Al Franken.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
The Return of the Point Game
Just because we haven't done this for awhile let me remind you how it works. In my infinite wisdom I award points to places, people and things that have made a positive or negative impact on me. (In other words, it's a great excuse when I don't have a lengthy topic to write on.)
-4: USA International Athletes- I swear I just deducted points a few months ago for this very same thing. Not to be outdone by the Olympic, World Baseball Classic, and World Cup teams, the US Ryder Cup, Davis Cup, and men and women's World Basketball Championship teams all fell short in the last month. The most recent failure was the Ryder Cup, where on Sunday the Us finished with it's 3rd consecutive loss while also failing to score double digits. For those unfamiliar with the format not scoring double digits is the equivalent of being swept in the baseball playoffs and being outscored 32-1. I'm not usually one for flag waving but there is something about cheering on your nation in these events that can spur even me to chant USA, USA, USA! However if this keeps up soccer won't be the only sport were I adopt another country's team.
+2: KFC- After my brief affair with the KFC Mashed Potato Bowl this summer I decided to swear off KFC for a while. My will power is being strongly tested by their new Cheesy Snacker. It's just their 99 cent mini chicken sandwich with a cheddar jack cheese sauce but good god I'm fascinated. During Sunday football my friend and I reached the conclusion that KFC is the best fast food advertiser because they spend all their time focusing on the food in their commercials. Hell I almost wanted to run out and buy a "choose your own bucket" at one point on Sunday. Thankfully I haven't identified where my local KFC is since I moved so my arteries are safe…for now.
-1: Jay Z- Usually I'd rip into someone for announcing their unretirement but was J ever really gone? You knew he'd be back but my worry is that he'll be more like Jordan on the Wizards then Jordan on the Bulls part 2. He's faced with topping the perfect goodbye CD (The Black Album) while proving he still belongs on top. I'm not going to bet against him but I'm anxious none the less.
-7: Fox Movie Studio- In a move to change their name to Irony Studios, Fox execs have acted like idiots and shelved the movie Idiocracy (unless you lived in 3 towns for one weekend). This is the long awaited second live action film from Mike Judge (Office Space). It's a basic "modern man gets frozen by army and wakes up many years in the future" story with the twist being that the future is dominated by a society that is even dumber then ours today. Now I haven't seen the film but I've been jonesing for it ever since word started to leak out about it. It could be horrible but it's one I'd like to find out about for myself. Judge made Fox truckloads of cash when Office Space became a cult hit (not to mention his King of the Hill TV show) so you'd think they'd give him a little better treatment. Now, like Office Space before it, Idiocracy will have to find it's voice on DVD.
-5: John Madden- Dear John, not only are you way past your prime as an announcer but your video game has become the bane of my fantasy football season. I'm not usually one for curses but it's getting to be ridiculous when it comes to the players that adorn the cover of your video game box. Look at the list of players you've harmed: Barry Sanders, Daunte Culpepper, Eddie George, Marshall Faulk, Michael Vick, Ray Lewis, Donovan McNabb, and now Shaun Alexander. In the last 4 years the only time I lost my fantasy football league was when Vick went down in '03. Now I've lost Alexander thanks to your curse and that's not cool man.
+5: The Madden Video Game Curse- Dear Curse, thank you for providing me with ready made excuses whenever I fail to win my fantasy football league. Love, Elliot
-4: USA International Athletes- I swear I just deducted points a few months ago for this very same thing. Not to be outdone by the Olympic, World Baseball Classic, and World Cup teams, the US Ryder Cup, Davis Cup, and men and women's World Basketball Championship teams all fell short in the last month. The most recent failure was the Ryder Cup, where on Sunday the Us finished with it's 3rd consecutive loss while also failing to score double digits. For those unfamiliar with the format not scoring double digits is the equivalent of being swept in the baseball playoffs and being outscored 32-1. I'm not usually one for flag waving but there is something about cheering on your nation in these events that can spur even me to chant USA, USA, USA! However if this keeps up soccer won't be the only sport were I adopt another country's team.
+2: KFC- After my brief affair with the KFC Mashed Potato Bowl this summer I decided to swear off KFC for a while. My will power is being strongly tested by their new Cheesy Snacker. It's just their 99 cent mini chicken sandwich with a cheddar jack cheese sauce but good god I'm fascinated. During Sunday football my friend and I reached the conclusion that KFC is the best fast food advertiser because they spend all their time focusing on the food in their commercials. Hell I almost wanted to run out and buy a "choose your own bucket" at one point on Sunday. Thankfully I haven't identified where my local KFC is since I moved so my arteries are safe…for now.
-1: Jay Z- Usually I'd rip into someone for announcing their unretirement but was J ever really gone? You knew he'd be back but my worry is that he'll be more like Jordan on the Wizards then Jordan on the Bulls part 2. He's faced with topping the perfect goodbye CD (The Black Album) while proving he still belongs on top. I'm not going to bet against him but I'm anxious none the less.
-7: Fox Movie Studio- In a move to change their name to Irony Studios, Fox execs have acted like idiots and shelved the movie Idiocracy (unless you lived in 3 towns for one weekend). This is the long awaited second live action film from Mike Judge (Office Space). It's a basic "modern man gets frozen by army and wakes up many years in the future" story with the twist being that the future is dominated by a society that is even dumber then ours today. Now I haven't seen the film but I've been jonesing for it ever since word started to leak out about it. It could be horrible but it's one I'd like to find out about for myself. Judge made Fox truckloads of cash when Office Space became a cult hit (not to mention his King of the Hill TV show) so you'd think they'd give him a little better treatment. Now, like Office Space before it, Idiocracy will have to find it's voice on DVD.
-5: John Madden- Dear John, not only are you way past your prime as an announcer but your video game has become the bane of my fantasy football season. I'm not usually one for curses but it's getting to be ridiculous when it comes to the players that adorn the cover of your video game box. Look at the list of players you've harmed: Barry Sanders, Daunte Culpepper, Eddie George, Marshall Faulk, Michael Vick, Ray Lewis, Donovan McNabb, and now Shaun Alexander. In the last 4 years the only time I lost my fantasy football league was when Vick went down in '03. Now I've lost Alexander thanks to your curse and that's not cool man.
+5: The Madden Video Game Curse- Dear Curse, thank you for providing me with ready made excuses whenever I fail to win my fantasy football league. Love, Elliot
Friday, September 22, 2006
Saturday Scrub Fix
I know a lot of you are as sad as me about Scrubs not coming back until mid season so I'm going to give all you scrubbies or scrubheads or whatever you call yourselves a weekly fix thanks to the magic of YouTube. This week my favorite musical clip of all time from a comedy that uses music better then anyone. I give you Men at Works' Colin Hay.
Fall TV Preview: Friday Plus Your TiVo Ready Guide
So I couldn't find anything for Saturday but I did find 2 returning Friday night shows, all be it on cable, that I'd classify as required viewing:
Doctor Who- 7pm CST/Sci-Fi: This is the beginning of the second season that has already wrapped up on the BBC. I must say this new series captures a lot of the humor I loved from the original series as a kid but it's also stepped up the special effects which even as a kid where laughable on the original. There's a new Doctor this season but the rest of the supporting cast remains so it should be worth checking out…if you're a supergeek.
Battlestar Galactica- 8pm CST/ Sci-Fi: On a slightly less geeky point you've got Battlestar. A critics top 5 the last two years the show enters season 3 after finishing last year with an Alias like fast forward. The fact that this is a sci fi show is completely secondary to the character drama. If you haven't checked out this show do it…now.
All right with that said I've but together my own viewing schedule for the prime time viewing hours. In cases where the show is TiVo'd you'll find a notation.
Sunday:7pm: Sunday Night Football
8pm: Sunday Night Football
9pm: Sunday Night Football
Monday:7pm: The Amazing Race (TiVo)
8pm: The Simpsons (TiVo)
8:30pm: Family Guy (TiVo)
9pm: Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
Tuesday:7pm Gilmore Girls
8pm: Veronica Mars
9pm: Nip/Tuck
Wednesday:7pm: Jericho
8pm: Lost
9pm: The Nine
Thursday: 7pm: Survivor
8pm: My Name is Earl (TiVo)
8:30pm: The Office (TiVo)
9pm: The OC (TiVo)
Friday: 7pm: Doctor Who
8pm: Battlestar Galactica
9pm: Heroes (TiVo)
Saturday: 7pm: 30 Rock (TiVo)
7:30pm Notes From the Underbelly (TiVo)
8pm: Kidnapped (TiVo)
Now I'm not that anal that I'll stick to this, and some of the shows you'll notice are ones that I simply said are worth checking out so they might not last long plus who has all the time to watch all this and Runway, Laguna, Two a Days etc.
Makes me miss the unemployed days.
Doctor Who- 7pm CST/Sci-Fi: This is the beginning of the second season that has already wrapped up on the BBC. I must say this new series captures a lot of the humor I loved from the original series as a kid but it's also stepped up the special effects which even as a kid where laughable on the original. There's a new Doctor this season but the rest of the supporting cast remains so it should be worth checking out…if you're a supergeek.
Battlestar Galactica- 8pm CST/ Sci-Fi: On a slightly less geeky point you've got Battlestar. A critics top 5 the last two years the show enters season 3 after finishing last year with an Alias like fast forward. The fact that this is a sci fi show is completely secondary to the character drama. If you haven't checked out this show do it…now.
All right with that said I've but together my own viewing schedule for the prime time viewing hours. In cases where the show is TiVo'd you'll find a notation.
Sunday:7pm: Sunday Night Football
8pm: Sunday Night Football
9pm: Sunday Night Football
Monday:7pm: The Amazing Race (TiVo)
8pm: The Simpsons (TiVo)
8:30pm: Family Guy (TiVo)
9pm: Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
Tuesday:7pm Gilmore Girls
8pm: Veronica Mars
9pm: Nip/Tuck
Wednesday:7pm: Jericho
8pm: Lost
9pm: The Nine
Thursday: 7pm: Survivor
8pm: My Name is Earl (TiVo)
8:30pm: The Office (TiVo)
9pm: The OC (TiVo)
Friday: 7pm: Doctor Who
8pm: Battlestar Galactica
9pm: Heroes (TiVo)
Saturday: 7pm: 30 Rock (TiVo)
7:30pm Notes From the Underbelly (TiVo)
8pm: Kidnapped (TiVo)
Now I'm not that anal that I'll stick to this, and some of the shows you'll notice are ones that I simply said are worth checking out so they might not last long plus who has all the time to watch all this and Runway, Laguna, Two a Days etc.
Makes me miss the unemployed days.
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Fall TV Preview: Thursday
Thursday is still Must See TV for me, so there’s nothing in the Worth Checking Out category just some high quality shows that demand your viewing.
Survivor- 7pm CST/CBS: Okay I’m not that big of a fan of Survivor Race War but as I’ve said time and again, somehow Survivor always finds a way to make these new wrinkles work. Based on the first episode I’m slightly encouraged by the contestants attitudes about the whole thing. Plus did anyone else notice that we started off with 20 contestants and only 1 was eliminated week 1. This makes it the biggest cast yet but since they’re still only out there for 39 days I’m guessing we’ve got some multiple vote offs in our future.
My Name is Earl- 7pm CST/NBC: When I heard about Earl last year I thought I’d check it out solely on my man crush for Jason Lee. The guy is one of the most under appreciated actors out there from his work in Kevin Smith’s films to his quality performances in crap like Vanilla Sky. Still I thought a new show from the creator of Yes Dear didn’t exactly sound like a good vehicle. One season down and I’m a believer. Earl is the kind of comedy that should last for years. It’s a classic sitcom in that you are basically watching the same episode every week and you don’t even care or notice. Hopefully they’ll keep the quality this season but I hope they watch the guest stars so they don’t become the new Will & Grace.
The Office- 7:30pm CST/NBC: While Earl is classic sitcom, The Office is another trailblazer. First for it’s doc style and second for the fact that it successfully took an English concept and translated it to the USA. Now entering its 3rd season the US Office has already produced more episodes then their British counterparts so the question begs where do we go from here. Personally I’d love to see a jump ahead in time much like the Brits did in between season 2 and the X-Mas special. Everyone knows if you put Jim and Pam together and happy right now the show will struggle so they need some angst.
The O.C.-8pm CST/FOX: I was ready to give up on Ryan and the gang this time last year but surprise, surprise they pulled out a great season. Of course they could have done shit and I still would have given the show a thumbs up thanks to killing off Marissa in the finale. So now the show enters college. This has derailed shows like 90210, Saved by the Bell and other high school shows in the past so it will be interesting to see how they handle it. Obviously I’m expecting Marissa’s less annoying little sister to hang around and probably introduce some new kids but everyone else in the cast is back so it will be interesting to see how everyone’s doing spread around the country. Of course I’m sure they’ll all end up in the OC by episode 4 but still worth watching.
That’s it for Thursday, I’ll see if I can scrape together any Friday or Saturday shows and then I’ll give you my ideal line up for your TiVo.
Survivor- 7pm CST/CBS: Okay I’m not that big of a fan of Survivor Race War but as I’ve said time and again, somehow Survivor always finds a way to make these new wrinkles work. Based on the first episode I’m slightly encouraged by the contestants attitudes about the whole thing. Plus did anyone else notice that we started off with 20 contestants and only 1 was eliminated week 1. This makes it the biggest cast yet but since they’re still only out there for 39 days I’m guessing we’ve got some multiple vote offs in our future.
My Name is Earl- 7pm CST/NBC: When I heard about Earl last year I thought I’d check it out solely on my man crush for Jason Lee. The guy is one of the most under appreciated actors out there from his work in Kevin Smith’s films to his quality performances in crap like Vanilla Sky. Still I thought a new show from the creator of Yes Dear didn’t exactly sound like a good vehicle. One season down and I’m a believer. Earl is the kind of comedy that should last for years. It’s a classic sitcom in that you are basically watching the same episode every week and you don’t even care or notice. Hopefully they’ll keep the quality this season but I hope they watch the guest stars so they don’t become the new Will & Grace.
The Office- 7:30pm CST/NBC: While Earl is classic sitcom, The Office is another trailblazer. First for it’s doc style and second for the fact that it successfully took an English concept and translated it to the USA. Now entering its 3rd season the US Office has already produced more episodes then their British counterparts so the question begs where do we go from here. Personally I’d love to see a jump ahead in time much like the Brits did in between season 2 and the X-Mas special. Everyone knows if you put Jim and Pam together and happy right now the show will struggle so they need some angst.
The O.C.-8pm CST/FOX: I was ready to give up on Ryan and the gang this time last year but surprise, surprise they pulled out a great season. Of course they could have done shit and I still would have given the show a thumbs up thanks to killing off Marissa in the finale. So now the show enters college. This has derailed shows like 90210, Saved by the Bell and other high school shows in the past so it will be interesting to see how they handle it. Obviously I’m expecting Marissa’s less annoying little sister to hang around and probably introduce some new kids but everyone else in the cast is back so it will be interesting to see how everyone’s doing spread around the country. Of course I’m sure they’ll all end up in the OC by episode 4 but still worth watching.
That’s it for Thursday, I’ll see if I can scrape together any Friday or Saturday shows and then I’ll give you my ideal line up for your TiVo.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
10 Things I Learned While Busting My Vegas Cherry
Before we jump into the last few days of the Fall TV preview I wanted to share ten things I learned about Las Vegas now that I’ve returned from my first trip.
1. They’ll put anything on a slot machine these days. While in Vegas I saw an Alien machine, a That Girl slot, Wheel of Fortune, Beverly Hillbillies, Twilight Zone, Clint Eastwood and the greatest slot machine ever Star Wars.
2. The only thing better then the odd slot designs were the prices. I’d never played penny slots but this is clearly where it’s at. Nothing like winning 14 cents at a time. Seriously if they had penny blackjack I’d so be there.
3. Mike Tyson is still one of the most magnetic personalities in sport. I saw him work out at the Aladdin on Friday and while the size of the crowd was impressive, the cheers we gave him were even more so.
4. Monorails are awesome.
5. Playing a Vegas poker room is really all that its cracked up to be. Its fun to play with strangers but make sure you sit at a table stacked with at least 3 suckers so you can stay around a bit. I’m thinking only penny slots and poker next time I venture out there.
6. The best bar/restaurant in Vegas is not Bobby Flay’s or Wolfgang Puck’s, it’s Quarks at the Star Trek Experience. I’m not a trekkie but I will become one as long as they keep the giant drinks coming. Oh and if you go please order the Sulu Toss cause George Takai needs the action. (No joke that’s the actual name of the meal)
7. If you meet one professional whore on your trip, soon every woman in the casino will look like they have some whorish qualities.
8. The Bellagio is very surreal. Not only did I feel out of place with some of the people but for a few seconds I actually forgot I was in Vegas. The garden exhibit offered about 1 minute of tranquility that almost made up for the fact that the fountain show was canceled due to wind.
9. The doors in Las Vegas are very difficult to operate. Not only did my face meet glass in the biggest revolving door ever but many in my group had difficulty with the push pull doors as well. I figure its just that no casino really wants you to leave.
10. I was made for Vegas or vice versa. Despite spending too much cash and not getting more then 10 hours sleep over 3 nights I love that town. Perhaps a slightly shorter trip next time and it must not be for at least another year but good golly I think I found my own private heaven. (and when I say private I mean me and about 1,000,000 of my closest friends)
1. They’ll put anything on a slot machine these days. While in Vegas I saw an Alien machine, a That Girl slot, Wheel of Fortune, Beverly Hillbillies, Twilight Zone, Clint Eastwood and the greatest slot machine ever Star Wars.
2. The only thing better then the odd slot designs were the prices. I’d never played penny slots but this is clearly where it’s at. Nothing like winning 14 cents at a time. Seriously if they had penny blackjack I’d so be there.
3. Mike Tyson is still one of the most magnetic personalities in sport. I saw him work out at the Aladdin on Friday and while the size of the crowd was impressive, the cheers we gave him were even more so.
4. Monorails are awesome.
5. Playing a Vegas poker room is really all that its cracked up to be. Its fun to play with strangers but make sure you sit at a table stacked with at least 3 suckers so you can stay around a bit. I’m thinking only penny slots and poker next time I venture out there.
6. The best bar/restaurant in Vegas is not Bobby Flay’s or Wolfgang Puck’s, it’s Quarks at the Star Trek Experience. I’m not a trekkie but I will become one as long as they keep the giant drinks coming. Oh and if you go please order the Sulu Toss cause George Takai needs the action. (No joke that’s the actual name of the meal)
7. If you meet one professional whore on your trip, soon every woman in the casino will look like they have some whorish qualities.
8. The Bellagio is very surreal. Not only did I feel out of place with some of the people but for a few seconds I actually forgot I was in Vegas. The garden exhibit offered about 1 minute of tranquility that almost made up for the fact that the fountain show was canceled due to wind.
9. The doors in Las Vegas are very difficult to operate. Not only did my face meet glass in the biggest revolving door ever but many in my group had difficulty with the push pull doors as well. I figure its just that no casino really wants you to leave.
10. I was made for Vegas or vice versa. Despite spending too much cash and not getting more then 10 hours sleep over 3 nights I love that town. Perhaps a slightly shorter trip next time and it must not be for at least another year but good golly I think I found my own private heaven. (and when I say private I mean me and about 1,000,000 of my closest friends)
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Runway Roundup: Quick I'm about to leave for Vegas Edition
Ok so the TV preview is on hold for a few days as I try to cram as many sins as possible into a 3 night visit in Vegas but before I leave here's some quick thoughts on last night's Runway.
* I kind of like brining back designers who had won a challenge and giving them a second chance. Anyone can have an off challenge and this gives the judges a chance to make sure they made the right choice. Thankfully Angela and Vincent proved the judges right.
* Couldn't they have brought Bradley back if just for the comedy? Can't wait for the reunion special.
* Michael was robbed of the win by Mommy Dearest Laura. Seriously folks my final 3 from a few weeks back is looking pretty solid with Michael, Uli, and Jeffrey. Laura has a chance but I think this week was an abboration not the norm.
* Was anyone else waiting to hear how much Vincent was "getting off" over his second chance?
* Michael Korrs seems especially katty lately while Nina has been pretty quiet. Do you think the two of them decide ahead of time which one get's to be the diva?
* Last night featured another classic Tim Gunn moment when he invoked the name of the son of God after seeing Kayne's use of white in his white and black dress. Sadly that moment has not reached YouTube immortality yet but I did stumble across some classic Tim stuff to share with y'all. Have a good weekend and make it work!
* I kind of like brining back designers who had won a challenge and giving them a second chance. Anyone can have an off challenge and this gives the judges a chance to make sure they made the right choice. Thankfully Angela and Vincent proved the judges right.
* Couldn't they have brought Bradley back if just for the comedy? Can't wait for the reunion special.
* Michael was robbed of the win by Mommy Dearest Laura. Seriously folks my final 3 from a few weeks back is looking pretty solid with Michael, Uli, and Jeffrey. Laura has a chance but I think this week was an abboration not the norm.
* Was anyone else waiting to hear how much Vincent was "getting off" over his second chance?
* Michael Korrs seems especially katty lately while Nina has been pretty quiet. Do you think the two of them decide ahead of time which one get's to be the diva?
* Last night featured another classic Tim Gunn moment when he invoked the name of the son of God after seeing Kayne's use of white in his white and black dress. Sadly that moment has not reached YouTube immortality yet but I did stumble across some classic Tim stuff to share with y'all. Have a good weekend and make it work!
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Fall TV Preview: Wednesday
Worth Checking Out:
The Nine-9pm CST/ABC: Yet another so called Lost derivative. This one picks up the lives of 9 hostages from a bank robbery and how their lives change and are connected after said robbery. Like Lost it sounds like some flashbacks are in order. It also sounds a bit like the Spike Lee joint Inside Man but honestly when a show sounds similar to other things with a high pedigree it might be worth a look.
Jericho-7pm CST/CBS: The premise of a small town being cut off from the rest of the world thanks to what they think is a nuclear war is fascinating. The fact that this comes from the creator of Crossing Jordan is worrisome. Again like The Nine this premise makes the show worth checking out.
Required Viewing:
30 Rock- 7:30pm CST/NBC: In addition to Studio 60 (also on NBC) we have a sitcom from Tina Fey that’s also set behind the scenes of a late night sketch comedy show. I say the more the merrier as long as the creative people behind them include Sorkin and Fey. Joining Tina are ex-SNLers Tracy “I’m Brian Fellows” Morgan and Debbie Downer herself Rachel Dratch. Throw in the king of the Baldwins (yes Alec himself) and you’ve got a great cast. Supposedly the pilot is not very good but subsequent preview episodes have received great word of mouth.
Kidnapped-9pm CST/NBC: I already gave a brief review of this new show when I got a preview disc of the pilot from Netflix but I must say I’ve been thinking about the show ever since. The best sign for a series that’s built on a who/why-dun-it premise is that the audience can’t wait for the next clue and I’ve been suffering for damn near 3 weeks now. Here’s another series filled with quality actors from both the tele and the big screen including an award winning turn in the pilot by Delroy Lindo.
Lost- 8pm CST/ABC: I just got down watching some of last season’s eps on DVD and I think when watched together without huge breaks in between, last season was better then the first. This year the producers have worked out a schedule with less breaks. Think season 3.1 and 3.2. Obviously we have plenty of new questions that will take weeks to find out half answers. I’m curious about whether Jack, Sawyer and Kate actually had a plan in case they got captured. I’m convinced they did after watching the looks exchanged right before they’re taken off to Others-town. October 4th is not too far away Losties so get hatching on those theories (no pun intended, well maybe but only if it made you smile).
The Nine-9pm CST/ABC: Yet another so called Lost derivative. This one picks up the lives of 9 hostages from a bank robbery and how their lives change and are connected after said robbery. Like Lost it sounds like some flashbacks are in order. It also sounds a bit like the Spike Lee joint Inside Man but honestly when a show sounds similar to other things with a high pedigree it might be worth a look.
Jericho-7pm CST/CBS: The premise of a small town being cut off from the rest of the world thanks to what they think is a nuclear war is fascinating. The fact that this comes from the creator of Crossing Jordan is worrisome. Again like The Nine this premise makes the show worth checking out.
Required Viewing:
30 Rock- 7:30pm CST/NBC: In addition to Studio 60 (also on NBC) we have a sitcom from Tina Fey that’s also set behind the scenes of a late night sketch comedy show. I say the more the merrier as long as the creative people behind them include Sorkin and Fey. Joining Tina are ex-SNLers Tracy “I’m Brian Fellows” Morgan and Debbie Downer herself Rachel Dratch. Throw in the king of the Baldwins (yes Alec himself) and you’ve got a great cast. Supposedly the pilot is not very good but subsequent preview episodes have received great word of mouth.
Kidnapped-9pm CST/NBC: I already gave a brief review of this new show when I got a preview disc of the pilot from Netflix but I must say I’ve been thinking about the show ever since. The best sign for a series that’s built on a who/why-dun-it premise is that the audience can’t wait for the next clue and I’ve been suffering for damn near 3 weeks now. Here’s another series filled with quality actors from both the tele and the big screen including an award winning turn in the pilot by Delroy Lindo.
Lost- 8pm CST/ABC: I just got down watching some of last season’s eps on DVD and I think when watched together without huge breaks in between, last season was better then the first. This year the producers have worked out a schedule with less breaks. Think season 3.1 and 3.2. Obviously we have plenty of new questions that will take weeks to find out half answers. I’m curious about whether Jack, Sawyer and Kate actually had a plan in case they got captured. I’m convinced they did after watching the looks exchanged right before they’re taken off to Others-town. October 4th is not too far away Losties so get hatching on those theories (no pun intended, well maybe but only if it made you smile).
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Fall TV Preview: Tuesday
Worth Checking Out:
Notes From the Underbelly-7:30pm CST/ABC: Although this show is preempted until November thanks to Dancing With The Stars I plan on sitting through the wait. Why you ask? Well...honestly...just because it costars Rachel Harris. You might recognize Harris from guest spots on other shows, stand up specials or the vast number of VH1 shows including Best Week Ever and I Love the (name that decade). I’ve developed quite the crush on her with her blatant sarcasm and bewitching eye glasses. She’s like the hot nerd girl that’s more hot then nerd. Anyway early word of mouth on this sitcom is very positive. The pilot was one of the critics’ darlings during preview week. The show sounds like light chick lit as it follows new mother’s who can’t let go of their pre child life...and that’s why it only rates a “worth checking out”.
Nip/Tuck- 9pm CST/FX: For the purposes of this preview I’m only highlighting cable shows that are kicking off new seasons at the same time as the broadcast channels and Nip/Tuck is one of those shows. I’ve been told by friends that I’d love this show and last season there seemed to be an article a week in my Entertainment Weekly about some facet of the show so I broke down and watched the last 4 or 5 episodes. I obviously was a little lost but series creator Ryan Murphy promises this season is a back to basics approach that will build on the future instead of dwelling on past seasons. Last week brought the season premiere and I can say it certainly held enough of my interest to come back for another week so we shall see.
Required Viewing:
Scrubs- ???/NBC: So once again we have to wait until January for another season of Scrubs. You would think with it’s Emmy nomination for Best Comedy, NBC would finally push the show, maybe pairing it up with The Office and My Name is Earl. Sadly though it’s back to a midseason replacement. Zach Braff has been pretty public that this is his last year on the show which most likely means it’s the last season period. When we left off JD had just found out he was going to be a papa, joining Dr Cox and Turk on the baby making mobile. If you need your Scrubs fix in the meantime, season 4 hits DVD on October 10th and starting next week Comedy Central will start airing the show at 6pm CST for an hour a day.
Gilmore Girls-7pm CST/ The CW: Last spring brought the horrible news that series creator Amy Sherman-Pallidino and her co-producer husband were leaving the show. Now as we enter the potential final season the big question is will the Gilmore Girls still sound like the Gilmore Girls? Early reviews say yes and it should not be a complete shock as the new show runner was a writer and producer with the show for years. If it is the final year it will be interesting to see if the independent women the show has been designed around give up their independence and settle down with their respect men. In the meantime I just hope they keep the smart and the funny coming.
Veronica Mars-8pm CST/ The CW: So here’s my Arrested Development of this year. My lost cause which I will champion for however many time slot changes, and episode cuts I need to suffer through. I will do it all because V Mars is a top five show. I was a late comer myself. After reading the enthusiastic endorsements from Kevin Smith and Joss Whedon I caught the first season on DVD about 8 months ago. Instantly I was hooked and started catching up on the second season. Not since Buffy has there been a truer depiction of teen life and while there are no vampires, the mysteries Veronica deals with would but Nancy Drew to shame. The 3rd season, as dictated by the network, will feature shorter mysteries that will wrap up sooner rather then later. That’s probably a good thing since the show only has an initial order of 13 episodes. So please, please give Veronica and her crew a chance.
Notes From the Underbelly-7:30pm CST/ABC: Although this show is preempted until November thanks to Dancing With The Stars I plan on sitting through the wait. Why you ask? Well...honestly...just because it costars Rachel Harris. You might recognize Harris from guest spots on other shows, stand up specials or the vast number of VH1 shows including Best Week Ever and I Love the (name that decade). I’ve developed quite the crush on her with her blatant sarcasm and bewitching eye glasses. She’s like the hot nerd girl that’s more hot then nerd. Anyway early word of mouth on this sitcom is very positive. The pilot was one of the critics’ darlings during preview week. The show sounds like light chick lit as it follows new mother’s who can’t let go of their pre child life...and that’s why it only rates a “worth checking out”.
Nip/Tuck- 9pm CST/FX: For the purposes of this preview I’m only highlighting cable shows that are kicking off new seasons at the same time as the broadcast channels and Nip/Tuck is one of those shows. I’ve been told by friends that I’d love this show and last season there seemed to be an article a week in my Entertainment Weekly about some facet of the show so I broke down and watched the last 4 or 5 episodes. I obviously was a little lost but series creator Ryan Murphy promises this season is a back to basics approach that will build on the future instead of dwelling on past seasons. Last week brought the season premiere and I can say it certainly held enough of my interest to come back for another week so we shall see.
Required Viewing:
Scrubs- ???/NBC: So once again we have to wait until January for another season of Scrubs. You would think with it’s Emmy nomination for Best Comedy, NBC would finally push the show, maybe pairing it up with The Office and My Name is Earl. Sadly though it’s back to a midseason replacement. Zach Braff has been pretty public that this is his last year on the show which most likely means it’s the last season period. When we left off JD had just found out he was going to be a papa, joining Dr Cox and Turk on the baby making mobile. If you need your Scrubs fix in the meantime, season 4 hits DVD on October 10th and starting next week Comedy Central will start airing the show at 6pm CST for an hour a day.
Gilmore Girls-7pm CST/ The CW: Last spring brought the horrible news that series creator Amy Sherman-Pallidino and her co-producer husband were leaving the show. Now as we enter the potential final season the big question is will the Gilmore Girls still sound like the Gilmore Girls? Early reviews say yes and it should not be a complete shock as the new show runner was a writer and producer with the show for years. If it is the final year it will be interesting to see if the independent women the show has been designed around give up their independence and settle down with their respect men. In the meantime I just hope they keep the smart and the funny coming.
Veronica Mars-8pm CST/ The CW: So here’s my Arrested Development of this year. My lost cause which I will champion for however many time slot changes, and episode cuts I need to suffer through. I will do it all because V Mars is a top five show. I was a late comer myself. After reading the enthusiastic endorsements from Kevin Smith and Joss Whedon I caught the first season on DVD about 8 months ago. Instantly I was hooked and started catching up on the second season. Not since Buffy has there been a truer depiction of teen life and while there are no vampires, the mysteries Veronica deals with would but Nancy Drew to shame. The 3rd season, as dictated by the network, will feature shorter mysteries that will wrap up sooner rather then later. That’s probably a good thing since the show only has an initial order of 13 episodes. So please, please give Veronica and her crew a chance.
Monday, September 11, 2006
Fall TV Preview: Monday and a few thoughts on 9/11
Worth Checking Out:
Heroes- 8pm CST/NBC: Think X-Men meets Lost and that’s supposedly what you have here. Random people around the world wake up with superpowers while the connections that bind them slowly come to the surface. On paper this sounds like a great premise but luke warm preview screenings have diminished my excitement. Still I figure it might be worth taking a look at.
Required Viewing:
24-8pm CST/FOX: Sure it doesn’t come back until January but who isn’t jonesing for their Jack Bauer fix. Will he be all Manchurian Candidate if and when the Chinese release him? Will Audrey still be waiting now that she’s on another show? Will the ghost of Soul Patch Tony return to haunt CTU? So far the only news that’s come out is that DB Woodside who plays President Palmer’s brother will be back for another day. Could we be looking at another Palmer in the White House?
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip-9pm CST/NBC: If you’re new to the blog then you’ve missed me pimping this show hard for the last 6 months. A new Aaron Sorkin show is just what the doctor ordered for the new season and after previewing the pilot thanks to Netflix all my pimping was well deserved. Look for Matthew Perry, Bradley Whitford and Amanda Peet to claim Emmy’s next year because it’s just that good. Plus, it should be a blast to see a rotating list of celebs play fake guest host every week ala SNL.
So today’s the 5 year anniversary of 9/11. I think most of us will always remember where we were that day. I was at work at the Credit Union in the basement of the Supervalu Foods warehouse when employees slowly started passing along info. Being that I lived the closest I ran home to grab my portable TV and bring it back to the office. While I was at home I saw the first tower collapse. I think I stood there for at least 10 minutes before I realized I should probably get back to work. My then wife called me and said her bank was closing up and that she was on her way home and within an hour my work shut down as well. Like all of us I spent the next week on CNN overload. I consumed every new detail as they came in. My parents were on vacation in Paris at the time and thanks to all the travel restrictions were actually trapped there for an extra week. I know, Paris what a horrible place to be “trapped” in. Still I had worry for them because nothing felt safe in those first few days. I remember trying to get a hold of my friends in New York. I didn’t know anyone that worked at the WTC but still until you heard from them the question of safety was out there.
Most of all I remember the anger that I felt. Who were these terrorists and how can we hurt them? I’m about as liberal as they come and I’ve never felt that any of the military activities our country has embarked on in my lifetime were righteous but when the Afghanistan invasion started I cheered on our troops with a vicious tenacity. As a country we felt united and strengthened but then it all went to hell. The Patriot Act, and the inevitability of the Iraq war ruined any patriotic fervor I had. How GW could take the tremendous amount of good will towards America from the world and poison it is still amazing to me. What about the goodwill inside of the country? The very idea that these attacks would have spawned conspiracy theories connecting our own leaders to the attack seemed ludicrous five years ago. A competent and open investigation should have been done but thanks to this presidency there is now a cloud of suspicion that really has no right being there. Do I believe our government perpetrated these attacks? No, but the fact that some legitimate questions have still not been answered are inexcusable.
Bush has ridden 9/11 to reelection, 2 wars with no end in sight, massive changes in our privacy, and an imperialistic presidency. Say what you will about dumb George, but the man certainly knew how to pull the public’s strings in the months and years following the attack. Now we sit here 5 years later and our safety seems no better or worse then it did back then. 9/11 has been reduced to just another unofficial holiday filled with retrospectives, merchandise, and yes even bar specials. One of my local watering holes is giving away free flags and $4 pitchers all day long. USA! USA! USA!
I actually sat down last night and watched the 9/11 documentary by the 2 French brothers who happened to be doing a doc on one of the nearby firehouses when the attacks happened. It’s one of the truest pieces of work about the attacks because it captures what we should remember: the terror, the fear, the humanity, and the heroism. Watching that film you remember the heroism and unity the attacks spawned in our country and it pains me that all of that has been lost just 5 short years later.
Heroes- 8pm CST/NBC: Think X-Men meets Lost and that’s supposedly what you have here. Random people around the world wake up with superpowers while the connections that bind them slowly come to the surface. On paper this sounds like a great premise but luke warm preview screenings have diminished my excitement. Still I figure it might be worth taking a look at.
Required Viewing:
24-8pm CST/FOX: Sure it doesn’t come back until January but who isn’t jonesing for their Jack Bauer fix. Will he be all Manchurian Candidate if and when the Chinese release him? Will Audrey still be waiting now that she’s on another show? Will the ghost of Soul Patch Tony return to haunt CTU? So far the only news that’s come out is that DB Woodside who plays President Palmer’s brother will be back for another day. Could we be looking at another Palmer in the White House?
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip-9pm CST/NBC: If you’re new to the blog then you’ve missed me pimping this show hard for the last 6 months. A new Aaron Sorkin show is just what the doctor ordered for the new season and after previewing the pilot thanks to Netflix all my pimping was well deserved. Look for Matthew Perry, Bradley Whitford and Amanda Peet to claim Emmy’s next year because it’s just that good. Plus, it should be a blast to see a rotating list of celebs play fake guest host every week ala SNL.
So today’s the 5 year anniversary of 9/11. I think most of us will always remember where we were that day. I was at work at the Credit Union in the basement of the Supervalu Foods warehouse when employees slowly started passing along info. Being that I lived the closest I ran home to grab my portable TV and bring it back to the office. While I was at home I saw the first tower collapse. I think I stood there for at least 10 minutes before I realized I should probably get back to work. My then wife called me and said her bank was closing up and that she was on her way home and within an hour my work shut down as well. Like all of us I spent the next week on CNN overload. I consumed every new detail as they came in. My parents were on vacation in Paris at the time and thanks to all the travel restrictions were actually trapped there for an extra week. I know, Paris what a horrible place to be “trapped” in. Still I had worry for them because nothing felt safe in those first few days. I remember trying to get a hold of my friends in New York. I didn’t know anyone that worked at the WTC but still until you heard from them the question of safety was out there.
Most of all I remember the anger that I felt. Who were these terrorists and how can we hurt them? I’m about as liberal as they come and I’ve never felt that any of the military activities our country has embarked on in my lifetime were righteous but when the Afghanistan invasion started I cheered on our troops with a vicious tenacity. As a country we felt united and strengthened but then it all went to hell. The Patriot Act, and the inevitability of the Iraq war ruined any patriotic fervor I had. How GW could take the tremendous amount of good will towards America from the world and poison it is still amazing to me. What about the goodwill inside of the country? The very idea that these attacks would have spawned conspiracy theories connecting our own leaders to the attack seemed ludicrous five years ago. A competent and open investigation should have been done but thanks to this presidency there is now a cloud of suspicion that really has no right being there. Do I believe our government perpetrated these attacks? No, but the fact that some legitimate questions have still not been answered are inexcusable.
Bush has ridden 9/11 to reelection, 2 wars with no end in sight, massive changes in our privacy, and an imperialistic presidency. Say what you will about dumb George, but the man certainly knew how to pull the public’s strings in the months and years following the attack. Now we sit here 5 years later and our safety seems no better or worse then it did back then. 9/11 has been reduced to just another unofficial holiday filled with retrospectives, merchandise, and yes even bar specials. One of my local watering holes is giving away free flags and $4 pitchers all day long. USA! USA! USA!
I actually sat down last night and watched the 9/11 documentary by the 2 French brothers who happened to be doing a doc on one of the nearby firehouses when the attacks happened. It’s one of the truest pieces of work about the attacks because it captures what we should remember: the terror, the fear, the humanity, and the heroism. Watching that film you remember the heroism and unity the attacks spawned in our country and it pains me that all of that has been lost just 5 short years later.
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Runway Roundup: Week 9
We interrupt my Fall TV preview for another edition of Runway Roundup. Last night saw Michael steal the show with a line, that while not as good as Captain Save-a-ho, easily made the episode when he said "I'm sweating like a whore in church." He certainly deserved to be sweating. In one week Michael went from odds on favorite to win the whole thing to a contestant clinging to the edge. Honestly only 2 of the designers turned in quality work and any of the other four could have been out. Thankfully Michael stayed on probably because of the quality he's shown in the other challenges. Obviously most of us thought this would be Kayne's final night but while he made another gaffe and was told by Michael Korr's that his middle name must be "too much", Kayne managed to survive. In the end it was Vincent's time but not before he stuck his head so far up the Parisian judge's ass that she started wearing glasses. I think he sealed his fate when he added an Angela type rosette to the back of his dress. It was almost like she never left. Vincent was my darkhorse in these final weeks but because of his me against the world attitude and the love affair he had with himself it was time for him to go. At least we won't have to hear anymore about how hard he is for fashion or how certain outfits get him off.
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Fall TV Preview: Sunday
First time the new TV season rolls around while I'm doing my blog. I'm not going to break down every show just the one's I deem worthy. I'll have two categories: Worth Checking Out and Required Viewing.
Let's start with Sunday a day that's mostly meant for football and hangovers in my house. I try to keep the required TV viewing to a minimum but sometimes the TV God's defy me. Thankfully this looks like a light night for me.
Worth Checking Out:
The Simpsons-7pm CST/FOX: For me the show has been on a bit of down turn the last 4 or 5 years but then again it's been on for 18 seasons. Occasionally they still hit the mark so if you're watching FOX and the game shuts off maybe stick with Homer and see what happens. Perhaps with the movie on the horizon we'll see another creative rebirth.
Sunday Night Football-7pm CST/NBC: I was always a huge fan of NBC's football coverage when I was a wee lad cheering for AFC powerhouses like Dan Fouts and the Chargers or Mark Duper and the Dolphins. However that's also the last time anyone was watching NBC Sports coverage. Aside from the Olympics, NBC is clearly in 4th when it comes to broadcast networks and sports. So they put all their money into the NFL, hired away Al Michels, John Madden and the entire Monday Night production team. I for one will be watching depending on the match up. When Sunday nights were on ESPN the game was often a mismatch or a snoozer, obviously NBC is hoping their match ups payoff.
Required Viewing:
Amazing Race 10- 7pm CST/CBS: One of my favorite reality shows and one of the rare ones that does not need cheap gimmicks to keep it fresh. While I've never been overseas I love to watch the travel and cringe when a contestant gets all ugly American. After last fall's horrible family edition the show has returned to it's regular format and last spring's show was solid. No reason we should expect any less this year.
Family Guy-8pm CST/FOX: When Family Guy rose from the ashes I was in heaven. Finally a show that deserves a 2nd chance and gets it. The results from the first year and a half were a little mixed. All of the episodes were watchable but some of them lagged quite a bit. Still with Seth McFarlene supposedly focusing more on Family Guy and less on American Dad you best line up in front of the TV and enjoy the Griffins.
Let's start with Sunday a day that's mostly meant for football and hangovers in my house. I try to keep the required TV viewing to a minimum but sometimes the TV God's defy me. Thankfully this looks like a light night for me.
Worth Checking Out:
The Simpsons-7pm CST/FOX: For me the show has been on a bit of down turn the last 4 or 5 years but then again it's been on for 18 seasons. Occasionally they still hit the mark so if you're watching FOX and the game shuts off maybe stick with Homer and see what happens. Perhaps with the movie on the horizon we'll see another creative rebirth.
Sunday Night Football-7pm CST/NBC: I was always a huge fan of NBC's football coverage when I was a wee lad cheering for AFC powerhouses like Dan Fouts and the Chargers or Mark Duper and the Dolphins. However that's also the last time anyone was watching NBC Sports coverage. Aside from the Olympics, NBC is clearly in 4th when it comes to broadcast networks and sports. So they put all their money into the NFL, hired away Al Michels, John Madden and the entire Monday Night production team. I for one will be watching depending on the match up. When Sunday nights were on ESPN the game was often a mismatch or a snoozer, obviously NBC is hoping their match ups payoff.
Required Viewing:
Amazing Race 10- 7pm CST/CBS: One of my favorite reality shows and one of the rare ones that does not need cheap gimmicks to keep it fresh. While I've never been overseas I love to watch the travel and cringe when a contestant gets all ugly American. After last fall's horrible family edition the show has returned to it's regular format and last spring's show was solid. No reason we should expect any less this year.
Family Guy-8pm CST/FOX: When Family Guy rose from the ashes I was in heaven. Finally a show that deserves a 2nd chance and gets it. The results from the first year and a half were a little mixed. All of the episodes were watchable but some of them lagged quite a bit. Still with Seth McFarlene supposedly focusing more on Family Guy and less on American Dad you best line up in front of the TV and enjoy the Griffins.
Friday, September 01, 2006
Finally the VMA’s have come back to NYC!
Naive as I am, I actually thought moving the MTV Video Music Awards back to New York from Miami would solve all the ills it has suffered from the last 2 years. Sadly the show overall was flat and unsurprising. The VMAs have been the best award show spectacle for most of my lifetime and I expect more than what we got last night. Here are some thoughts on the evening:
* The pre-show was actually worth watching. Fergie looked hot and pseudo performed as she lip synched some portions while singing others. Thought the My Chemical Romance performance on the roof was alright and hands down the best part of the pre-show was watching the ageless John Norris deal with Diddy’s spokesperson as Puff was mute on the red carpet.
* I actually like a catchy pop song now and again but I just don’t get the Justin Timberlake. However, I am glad he’s bringing sexy back (most overused line of the night by the way).
* Jack Black looked lost out there even when he was trying to look that way during his opening bit. After being spoiled by Conan’s clinic in hosting at the Emmy’s, it was painful to watch Jack stumble through the night. His style wasn’t exactly doing it for the celebs or the 14 year olds in the pit.
* Lil’ Kim looked extra thick last night but still sexy as all hell.
* Not only did Jack Black lack the funny but so did Sarah Silverman. For whatever reason all the jokes from the night felt like they were written on the spot or the night before.
* Try as I might, I just can’t dislike Beyonce the performer. She always pulls out all the stops on shows like this and her performance was one of my favorites.
* Glad to see the Video Vanguard Award go to Hype Williams. Sure you can blame him for glorifying all that’s wrong in rap but the man was a visionary video director that took rap videos to a whole new viewership and prominence. Plus the presentation included the only two surprise performances of the night when Busta and Missy came out and did abbreviated versions of some classic old school tracks.
* I’m convinced Al Gore is running in ‘08. You just don’t show up to the VMAs, get that kind of response and sit on it at home.
* JLO looked horrible but clearly not pregnant while Brittney actually looked good while pregnant and on camera with K-Fed.
* I liked the ending filled with mustaches as Axl Rose introduced the Killers. Axl showing up must mean the new GNR album will be out soon. I mean it’s not like he’s showed up to the VMAs and given us hope before right? Oh well at least the KIllers put on a great performance.
* The best performance of the night goes to OK GO! Sure they didn’t sing or play instruments which bugged me at first but the challenge of pulling off their treadmill video live won me over. Clearly it won over the crowd too because I think that was the loudest ovation of the night. I couldn’t help but think that somewhere Jamiroqui is thinking about suing for royalties.
* The pre-show was actually worth watching. Fergie looked hot and pseudo performed as she lip synched some portions while singing others. Thought the My Chemical Romance performance on the roof was alright and hands down the best part of the pre-show was watching the ageless John Norris deal with Diddy’s spokesperson as Puff was mute on the red carpet.
* I actually like a catchy pop song now and again but I just don’t get the Justin Timberlake. However, I am glad he’s bringing sexy back (most overused line of the night by the way).
* Jack Black looked lost out there even when he was trying to look that way during his opening bit. After being spoiled by Conan’s clinic in hosting at the Emmy’s, it was painful to watch Jack stumble through the night. His style wasn’t exactly doing it for the celebs or the 14 year olds in the pit.
* Lil’ Kim looked extra thick last night but still sexy as all hell.
* Not only did Jack Black lack the funny but so did Sarah Silverman. For whatever reason all the jokes from the night felt like they were written on the spot or the night before.
* Try as I might, I just can’t dislike Beyonce the performer. She always pulls out all the stops on shows like this and her performance was one of my favorites.
* Glad to see the Video Vanguard Award go to Hype Williams. Sure you can blame him for glorifying all that’s wrong in rap but the man was a visionary video director that took rap videos to a whole new viewership and prominence. Plus the presentation included the only two surprise performances of the night when Busta and Missy came out and did abbreviated versions of some classic old school tracks.
* I’m convinced Al Gore is running in ‘08. You just don’t show up to the VMAs, get that kind of response and sit on it at home.
* JLO looked horrible but clearly not pregnant while Brittney actually looked good while pregnant and on camera with K-Fed.
* I liked the ending filled with mustaches as Axl Rose introduced the Killers. Axl showing up must mean the new GNR album will be out soon. I mean it’s not like he’s showed up to the VMAs and given us hope before right? Oh well at least the KIllers put on a great performance.
* The best performance of the night goes to OK GO! Sure they didn’t sing or play instruments which bugged me at first but the challenge of pulling off their treadmill video live won me over. Clearly it won over the crowd too because I think that was the loudest ovation of the night. I couldn’t help but think that somewhere Jamiroqui is thinking about suing for royalties.
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