SNL's 34th season kicks off on September 13th, and the first hosting gig of the season will rest on the shoulders of the much beloved Michael Phelps, America's golden boy (many times over).
This is way more fun than a Wheaties Frosted Flakes box. Phelps has been talking a lot about using his celebrity status to grow the sport of swimming, and this seems like a good component of that plan.
Here's hoping he's as funny as Peyton Manning.
Fox plans to shake up the norm a bit this TV season by premiering the new series Fringe and the season opener of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles on air and online. The catch? The only viewers able to tune into the online broadcast will be those on college campuses.
Many networks have adopted online viewing systems, allowing those of us without a DVR or Tivo to catch full episodes of our favorite shows online a day or two after they originally air, but Fox's decision to put Fringe and Terminator online at the same time they are aired signals shifts in the digital viewing process.
Fox made the decision when they noticed that a good deal of their site traffic comes from .edu addresses. It's a pretty cool way to make sure that your target audience doesn't miss your new show just because they don't have a TV in their tiny shoebox of a dorm room.
The new strategy may also help minimize illegal downloads of these shows, since .edu users are also one of the largest culprits of online pirating. It will be interesting to see what other networks follow Fox's lead on this one and put forth that extra effort to catch the college crowd.
...it's not going to happen, Blayne!
This season, Project Runway seems to have an overwhelming number of contestants trying to emerge as "characters." Characters and Project Runway go hand-in-hand, but these people are crashing right out of the gate, trying to prove themselves the next Santino, Andre, etc.
Blayne is perhaps the worst offender of the bunch. From episode one, he was trying to weave his ludicrous catchphrases (girlicious, really?) into every other sentence he spoke, prancing around the work room like the most hyper tanorexic in Manhattan. After the success of last season's fierce winner Christian Siriano, and the attention that his catchphrases earned, Blayne's no dummy to try to fill the void.
He's simply a failure. The best part about Christian's delightfully bitchy persona last season was the fact that it just felt real. He may have been playing up his diva tendencies for the camera, but he only called something a hot mess if it was a hot mess.
Besides, Blayne's catchphrases are just lame.
This week, when the TV Guide came, I sat down with it (like I always do) to see if anything seemed interesting enough to read. Practically screaming out to me from page 18 was the following headline: "Want to Be the Next Heidi and Spencer?" The sub-heading? "A new reality-TV school teaches the tricks of the trade."
What tricks of the trade? Isn't mindless self-promotion one of those skills you're just kind of born with, like singing or the ability to moon walk? Robert Galinsky, the creator of the New York Reality TV School, doesn't think so.
At the school, "students learn how to audition, create an on-air persona and parlay 15 minutes of fame into a career."
Has it come to this? Have we finally stopped pretending that reality shows are reality and not simply an excuse for networks to save the money they would otherwise spend on good actors and smart writers? I love my reality indulgences just as much as the next girl (cough**Rock of Love**cough), but if we live in a world where someone's goal is to become the next Speidi, maybe it's time to call the whole thing off.
While Kathy Griffin's beloved Shmemmys may be a little more exciting than the primetime telecast, the nominations for that show don't receive quite as much attention as the real deal.
The noms for the big-dog categories are out today, and they're not too bad. You can see the full list over at EW.com. For me, the glaring exception is that John Krasinski has once again been overlooked in the category of Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy. I'm not sure how this outrage has continued for so long, but perhaps his time will come next year.
Our big Emmy nom lesson this year is that your best Emmy bet as a guest star is to appear on 30 Rock. Seven of the eleven Guest on a Comedy Series nominations were mined from Tina Fey's brainchild, which took the award for Best Comedy last year.
Overall, this year's nominations seem mostly fair, but a little boring. Perhaps it's because the TV season was hacked up by the strike, but something's just not the same.
Doesn't look like that Office spinoff is happening any time soon. I can't say I'm disappointed, since I was worried from the get-go. No reason to go all Private Practice on one of the best comedies currently on television.
The new plan, a show by Office executive producer Greg Daniels that's built around Amy Poehler, could be great. Poehler is one funny lady, and without the pressure of protecting the Office brand with his new show, Daniels could build some totally new funny. If the show happens, maybe they can even get Poehlers hi-larious husband Will Arnett to make an appearance.
Yesterday, Amy Wilkinson wrote a fun PopWatch post about being a Pop Culture Bully (PCB). I've made an effort on this blog to poke fun at my own pop culture indulgences that may rate high on the lameness scale. Some of the most entertaining pop culture is of the so-bad-its-good variety, and there's not really any point in pretending we don't like it.
That being said, since my sister is one of the half-dozen or so readers of this blog, I can't, without consequences, say that my inner PCB doesn't emerge from time to time. She can give prime examples of me as both The Manhandler and The Insulter.
The Manhandler is clearly the more forgivable of the two PCB personae, and can truly be used for good. I try not to foist my every pop culture discovery onto others, only those that are actually fantastic and seem to fit that specific person. This is how I was turned on to Arrested Development (thanks, Kimberly!), Vampire Weekend (thanks, Jenny!), and many other lovely things that I can't recall right now. Since others passed those gems on to me, I see Manhandling as my pop culture duty, as long as I perform that duty responsibly (just how Spider-Man would expect me to).
The Insulter, however, is the persona I try very hard to contain. The Insulter is my inner Mr. Hyde, lurking, waiting to attack my poor friends and family when they try to rent a Larry the Cable Guy movie. I stand by my loathing of all things Larry, but perhaps I shouldn't be so mean to my dad about it.
Let's remember that the PCB is not always a menacing figure, as long as the PCB is thoughtful, not mean. I'll be a thoughtful PCB right now, and send you over to Act One of Joss Whedon's fantastical treat, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. And click quickly, friends. The Sing-Along will only hang around the web until Saturday. After that you'll have to track down the DVD.
After the torment that was the writer's strike, the news that an actor's strike may be unavoidable is pretty depressing. I've been avoiding reading any articles that would share such news, so I'm not quite up-to-speed on all the details.
From what I have gathered, things don't sound good. The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) can't agree on their goals for negotiating with the AMPTP. The divide only benefits the AMPTP, giving them the upper hand in negotiations.
The unions will be voting soon on whether or not to strike. If things don't work out, fall TV could consist of mostly reality shows and reruns, and the 2009 movie calendar could get pretty slim. Let's hope things don't come to that, and the 72% of actors who make less than $5,000 a year don't suffer in the process.
Amy Ryan will appear in at least five episodes of The Office in the show's upcoming fifth season. The actress appeared in the season finale of the show this year as Holly, the replacement for Michael's HR nemesis, Toby.
Can't wait to see where Amy Ryan's character goes. Holly's potential to drag Michael into a normal relationship was a completely unexpected element of the season finale. She actually found some of his antics charming, and inspired him to shelve some of his less-successful courtship rituals (with help from Jim, of course). While Jan (Melora Hardin) is always a kick, watching Michael try to reign himself in could be make for some pretty funny material. And, as the show gets older, new story lines will be a must.
No word on what's going to happen to Paul Lieberstein, who plays Toby. The actor also works as a writer on the show, so even if he's strictly behind-the-scenes for a while, he'll be around.
Today's new trailer is not for a movie, but still has the potential to rescue us from the doldrums of summer TV. It's for a web-only series by Buffy creator Joss Whedon, and looks fantastically awesome for many reasons.
First, you have Neil Patrick Harris. Even when you don't count Doogie Howser, the guy is just pretty cool. One of the most self-mocking, fun-loving celebrities out there. And, he's playing a super villain. Yeah, I'm sold.
The goodness doesn't end there, since Nathan Fillion is also on board. If you haven't seen Fillion in the movie Waitress yet, I strongly recommend you do so immediately. He's just the sort of charming actor who can bump up the credibility of any project.
These two fantastic actors, combined with Joss Whedon's trademark snappy dialogue and self-aware humor, have me ready and waiting for the debut. I can't seem to pin down a date, but keep your eyes on the show's MySpace page if you're interested.
Teaser from Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog on Vimeo.
Did everyone notice that the green screen at the start of the trailer said "Approved by the Motion Picture Association of My House"? Priceless!
Hat-tip to Pop Watch!
Wanted comes out next Friday, which means that James McAvoy is busy making the publicity rounds. I hope that my love for him does not equate bias, but I must say he gives some of the best interviews in Tinseltown. Here he is on last night's Leno.
Wilmer Valderrama, best known as quirky foreign-exchange student Fez on That 70's Show, may be returning to Fox in the fall. The network has acquired the script for a new hour-long comedy, The Emancipation of Ernesto, with Valderrama attached as star and co-executive producer.
The show will follow Valderrama, as Ernesto, as he avoids the temptations of L.A. and searches for his father.
I love That 70's Show, and still watch the reruns all the time in syndication, but I don't know if I see Valderrama as someone you can take in hour-long doses. Especially when he's the focus of the entire show and not part of a larger ensemble. Time will tell.
Last year, Katherine Heigl was on top of the world when she took 2007's Emmy award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama.
This year? She's made the following statement to explain why she her name is not on the list of Emmy submissions:
I did not feel that I was given the material this season to warrant an Emmy nomination and in an effort to maintain the integrity of the academy organization decided against competing.Her press release goes on to say that she did not want to take away from other actresses who were given the type of material deserving an Emmy this season.
I'm doing a summer installation of my campus newspaper column this week, so I thought I'd go ahead and post all the little news tidbits I dug up but didn't devote prior posts to. Here's lots of info-tainment nuggets to get you through your Thursday afternoon! Bonus for online readers? Links!
Since I'm acting as bridesmaid in a wedding this weekend (and love making lists), I thought I'd post five great wedding scenes from TV or films.
The Princess Bride: The wedding in this one is technically unofficial (she didn't say "I do"), but since the officiant is the best in film history, that's ok.
Love Actually: It's just such a great use of "All You Need is Love."
In Her Shoes: A great laid back wedding with a poem that gets me every time. (sorry about the subtitles, it was hard to pin down a good clip for this one!)
The Office: Toby may be really proud of himself in this scene from Phyllis's Wedding (his date catches the bouquet), but we all know the real MVP is Ryan. He is so desperate to keep Kelly from the flowers that he runs interference.
And, unfortunately, my grand finale clip cannot be found. I planned to end with a great Sex and the City wedding moment. The four girls are gathered at a wedding, the bouquet is tossed, and they all simply watch it hit the floor. Carrie simply says, "Ok girls, see you tomorrow." Check out the link for a picture to help you visualize.
You Tube and I have a tenuous relationship, for sure. More often than not, when I give into my complete weakness for random videos, it can throw off even the best-intentioned study session. It's not You Tube's fault, I know. I'm the one that can't stop searching for favorite shows from my childhood, my favorites clips from current shows, and plain ole' funny shiz.
The thing is, sometimes it really comes through for me. I know I'm still wasting time when I search Jim + Pam, or Ephram + Amy, etc., but You Tube has introduced me to some kind of kick-ass music this way. It's a pleasant by-product of my time-wastage.
Without it, Mat Kearney may have taken me a lot longer to find. And the latest song I can't stop listening to, "So Contaigious" by Acceptance? Totally You Tube! There have been dozens of other songs or artists, too many to give credit where credit is due.
I'm at the point now where I'll search the TV couple videos just hoping for a song title or artist I've never heard before, eager to be wowed. The point? Even something that drives me nuts and may be causing the downfall of humanity has it's advantages...
9:00 - Has anyone figured out what this Ruben Studdard song means? Oh well, whatever. I'll allow him to celebrate me out of this live blog. Goodnight!
8:58 - If Simon really means that the show is about finding a great performer, is Archie really the best? His stage moves haven't changed since the first round, he often sounds as if he's running out of breath during song verses, and he's kind of awkward. Cook has faults too, but in the contemporary music market, whose CD will really sell? Anyone out there reading, please weigh in on this one. I would buy a CD by a David Cook. I wouldn't buy a CD by a David Archuleta. And that is just the honest to blog truth.
8:56 - Archie's performance helps me remember that, before choosing to ignore some of his later faux pas, the judges were right saying that David Archuleta has a great voice.
8:51 - Um, gross. Did someone actually lose the tip of his thumb in someone's food on tonight's Hell's Kitchen? That promo makes me glad I don't watch that show.
8:49 - Instead of picking a song he'd already done so well on, I think Archuleta should have given one of his missteps another shot (even though the judges commentary this season would hardly allow you to think he'd had any). We'll see how "Imagine"-redux goes soon enough.
8:48 - Why is Simon hardcore pimping lil' Archie tonight? And did he just wink at Cook?
8:47 - He's standing in his truth? What does that mean, Paula!?
8:46 - Yet another subdued final note for Cook. Nice job. This song choice was much better than last week's Switchfoot song. And he always gets me with those tears.
8:43 - I hope Cook keeps it acoustic.
8:42 - Who is that boxing guy, and why are they giving Andrew Lloyd Webber, the worst guest judge of the season, more screen time?
8:36 - I won't fault Archie for the awfulness that was that song. He didn't have anything great to choose from, I get it. I am so sick of hearing Randy saying this kid can sing the phone book. I for one would not pay to hear that. Or anything else that he puts out, but that's just me. It's surprising to me that Simon would prefer yet another sappy ballad out of the AI winner to something uptempo.
8:35 - Did anyone else just see those tickety-tack fake nails some girl in the pit was wearing? They were on extreme close-up, so they were hard to miss.
8:28 - I'm afraid Cook may have given off a bit to much of an 80's vibe with this "Dream Big" song, but the simple fact that he didn't sing it as a ballad is a MAJOR improvement over the past six Idol winner songs.
8:24 - Interesting spin on the song competition. The Davids get to choose which of the entries sucks the least. And, based on Slezak's review of the entries, sucks least is about the truth.
8:19 - Side note. Archie should now be considered part of the four-way song showdown over "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me." Was he better than Clay Aiken, Bo Bice, or Justin Guarini? I don't know, and I certainly don't have the energy to watch all three of their performances to decide.
8:17 - Archie has a nice voice, but is he interesting? That performance doesn't have me convinced that he is.
8:16 - That faraway shot of Archie all alone on the steps was kind of sad.
8:13 - Pretty solid start for Cook. Resisted the urge to put forth his typical power note at the end. Moved around the stage instead of sticking like glue to the mic stand. All in all, he looks good up there.
8:11 - U2 for Cook and Elton John for Archie? Not your best work, Clive.
8:10 - Let's get this party started. Clive Davis better have some good stuff picked out for these guys.
8:05 - David Archuleta may not have made the best decision. Going after David Cook will only work if David Cook doesn't flip whatever crap song they've got to sing this year into something kind of awesome.
8:00 - Super cheesy boxing-style intro? Totally unnecessary.
Only a few more hours until the Davids take the stage to sing this year's embarrassingly cheesy winner's ballad. As we near the 8 o'clock hour, here's some fun stuff to get you prepped and ready for go-time.
Hear what Slezak & co. over at EW.com have to say on the latest episode of Idolatry about who should win.
AOL.com has a ton of interesting stuff to check out on their Idol page. Click through the gallery to see the results of fan polls. David Cook beats out Archuleta for the best performance vote, and doesn't land on the worst performance poll at all even though Archie claims third place on that list for his mediocre take on "You're the Voice."
Greetings all! David Archuleta and David Cook (hereafter referred to as "the Davids") wound up doing exactly what they were expected to last night, and were named the final contestants of this season of American Idol. While it's not surprising they nabbed the final spots, figuring out which one of them will come out on top is nearly impossible.
I won't be posting again this week, but come back for my Tuesday night live blog during the showdown of the Davids. I'll be attempting to put my biases aside for the night to give each David a fair shake...let's see how that goes.
On The Daily Show with Jon Stewart last night, Republican Presidential nominee John McCain announced that he'd like someone very special to be his running mate: Dunder Mifflin Scranton's third in command, Dwight Schrute.
As surprised as I am that McCain watches The Office, I have to give him credit. The Daily Show audience is the perfect group to lay that punchline on.
There's really only one problem with this match up. To quote Dwight (discussing his fantasy appointment of 24's Jack Bauer as his second in command), Dwight is "unavailable. Fictional. And overqualified."
Hat tip to Office Tally for the link, and check out the first link to The Caucus for some other highlights from the McCain interview.
