It's Cinco de Mayo! A time for festivities, tacos, and even parades. I know there are lots of activities going on in this area and it's likely there's something happening in your neck of the woods, as well. Here in the Northeast, the weather is perfect for outdoor doings, whether it's checking out cultural celebration or just enjoying the day itself. Sieze the day, I say.I want to express my gratitude for the readers and the commenting community here on the blog. I know many of you started reading the Big Brother live feeds either on this blog or the one before it, then you stayed. Big Brother 8 is in casting mode at this time. They historically wrap things up only a few weeks before we see the first show. The cast is put in sequester about ten days before they go into the house. The season usually starts for us during the first week of July, and that seems to be the schedule this year, too. I'm watching for news and will let you know when I hear something concrete. And, yes... I'll be covering the feeds once again this season.
In other TV Newsy Bits:
- Paris Hilton's Simple Life is going to get a lot more simpler -- she's heading to jail for 45 days for violating her probation.
- In Survivor news, Jeff Probst is very impressed with Yau-Man Chan according to this Reality TV World article. Reality News Online (RNO) has an interview with Alex, the most recent castaway, as well as a transcription of his The Early Show appearance. "You can be a Ninja by yourself. You can't be a Ninja with Mookie."
- Kristine Lefebvre, a candidate on the recent The Apprentice: L.A. bares it all for Playboy according to E! Online and TMZ.
- Reality TV World says that Stephanie Wilhite, recently ousted on The Bachelor: Officer and a Gentleman, saw it coming. Another contestant on the show, Amber Alchalabi, saw her boss resign over her leave of absence to appear. Yikes! Sheesh, it's one thing for reality show contestants to lose their own jobs in pursuit of a dream, but for a boss to be in hot water and blow her career?
- Billy Ray Cyrus' wife claims that he's happy to remain on Dancing With the Stars in this Reality TV Magazine interview.
- Can't get enough of Sanjaya Malakar? Celebrity Spider has the list of concert tour dates for the American Idol Top Ten contestants. Um... no. I won't be going.
- This week we'll see BeeGee Bro Barry Gibb coaching the American Idol contestants. I think that's fitting, don't you? At this time, the four all want to be "Stayin' Alive."
- In other American Idol news, Reality TV World says that Chris Richardson "knew" he was heading home this week. "I seen the band setting up, and the guitar player grabbing a 12 string guitar, and I'm the only person with a 12 string guitar, so you put it together," said Chris. Why am I not surprised that he said "I seen." Saw, Chris... you saw! AOL Television has an interview with both Phil Stacey and Chris Richardson, as well as other exit interviews with previously dismissed contestants.
- We can expect Lost to last for two more seasons according to E! Online and discussed in this TVSquad article. The good news is that this will give the show's creators a timeline in which to address issues raised. The bad news is that once this season ends, we won't see the show again until January. I personally think long hiatus periods hurt shows. I know that I lost interest in Jericho when it went away for so long and haven't watched it since its return. I know they can't run new shows for forty episodes a year, but I think they have to come up with a better plan. The show should move back to the 9 PM slot once it reappears.
- AOL Television has a feature page for May Sweeps and May finales. Check it out and mark your calendars!
37 comments:
Well,I read some bad news in the paper yesterday. Gilmore Girls is really finished and will be over after the next two episodes. I am really sad,I have watched this show from the beginning and I love the characters.
Not much on tonight,it's usually my "Netflix" night,but there is an interesting program on the Hallmark Hall about two transplant patients falling in love and forming a bond with a little girl.It has to do with the theory of cell memory and since I have had a liver transplant,I am very interested in it.
BTW,Jackie,have you or do you watch CBS at 9AM every Sunday morning? They have an excellent show on with Charles Osgood that is fascinating. Try it,I think you might get hooked(if you are up at that time on Sunday).
Sharon - It's part of my Sunday routine to watch the show. The second I hear that opening music, I'm hooked. I love the diversity of the topics covered and especially enjoy the closing nature scenes each week!
Regarding number of new episodes a year - why can't they have 40 new episodes a year? Soaps have 260 new hour long episodes a year (52 weeks times 5 days a week) so what's the big deal with 40 (or even 52) new episodes a year? Is it laziness? Lack of strong plots? We're lucky to get 13 new episodes of anything nowadays. I know we used to get 26.
Hi Jackie -- I could swear E! News said just last night the Lost was not coming back for another season... maybe they meant they had a final date and somehow that's been determined to be 2 seasons more. I trust your research most, but I thought of you all here when I heard i
I don't think there's anyway networks can afford to pay actors on some of the more popular shows the money it would cost to do 40 episodes. What I wish they would do is shorten the 'season'. Why not give us 15-17 straight episodes without any repeats and be done with the show. Then put on another show for 15-17 straight episodes without repeats. Then you can schedule your summer hit shows...and start all over again in the fall.
I love Jericho. Just as I started to get into it, boom...hiatus time. I almost didn't come back to watching it but I've given up on tooooo many shows and made it my mission to give it a chance. I gave up on Lost in the middle of season 2, and gave up on Heroes after about the 4th episode. I'm glad I stuck with Jericho, it was well worth it to me. Shows like Lost and Heroes, I'll have to get from Netflix when I can watch them without waiting.
Beverly
Sorry to hear you didn't go back to Jerico Jackie cause it has gotten better than when it took it's leave of absence. I almost didn't start watching it again also, but so glad I did.
I think Lost is getting so much better that it's hard to believe that they know already it will only be on for two more seasons. I hope they mean it will be on for at least two more seasons.
Thanks for the info Jackie. I've been with you since two seasons ago of BB. I don't know what I'd do without your blog and all the comments of everybody here. It's like having a whole new group of friends.
I agree with that last line too Meb. Sometimes I wish that we could all meet somewhere in the center of the US for coffee, just to see each others faces!
Thank you Jackie for all your work that brings it all together, and for creating the side "chat rooms" for shows that aren't your cup of tea but that we wanted to check in about! You're the best!
Great idea Sydney... I saw a show once where a number of couples who were strangers were given the task of meeting in certain cities at a certain time but weren't told where ...they had to figure it out. The couple who was told to meet in New York ultimately found the other couple in the Empire State Building... (which wasn't that hard to figure, but some of the other cities weren't that obvious).
I've often thought it would be fun to pick a place and time and say "lets meet" and then see how many of us show up.
There's possibly a down side to this idea tho. I had an acquaintance who said they decided to go meet the people they play a game with on-line, a place was picked to meet... they traveled over 4 or 5 states and then only two other people showed up and when plans were made to meet for dinner, no one showed. That's just mean. (You'd have to know my acquaintance...I wouldn't have gone back once I met with her either). LOL
Anyway...it's still a good idea. If no one showed up we'd still have had a nice trip..right?
By the way... Sharon and Jackie... Sunday morning's Charles Osgood has been a regular for me for years. Used to be a different Charles who hosted it (can't remember his name of course) and when he retired Osgood pretty much kept the same format.
I too love the serenity of the nature scenes at the end.
Meb - Was it Charles Kuralt ??
I agree would fun to meet all. Center of country....no Vegas baby. Nice to have friends all over the country and to meet up here with "Jackie", what would we do without her?
I have been with Jericho since the beginning, did not like the break, but kind of a primer for when and if something like that happens. We all pray it does not, but who knows in this world.
Great TV week ahead, gotta love sweeps.
Glad you agree Delee and Meb -- And believe it or not, I saw that show about the couples! Somehow I think this group would indeed show up. Maybe we have something here. I was picturing Chicago as a central point, maybe at the opening of the first Big Brother --- or else the final show? LOL!
I have gathered where so many live but not sure about Sharon, Joy, or Holly to name a few. Anyway, maybe we have something going here!!! :-D
Susan in Fl... yes... I just came in to say I remembered. I was watching the show and his name popped back into my head.
Delee we could always ask where everyone is from and pick a place convenient... it really would be fun wouldn't it...
Susan in Fl -- I think you're right.
Hey Sydney... wonder if anyone has ever done this before. I doubt it, and we can thank Jackie once again for her blog which allows most of us to feel the camraderie. I'm in NC...
Meb --funny you were writing the same time I was and we posted at the same time about trying to meet up. I'm getting hitched sometime in June or early July, then planning a long trip from end of Oct thru Thanksgiving so I'm tied up in fall. Whenever I figure out the darn date we'll elope, I could plan something around it maybe mid-July....is that a hideous time for all to travel for a quick weekend?
If not Chicago for it's central location, we could pick someplace temperate, near the water, like California... Gotta be easy to get to. Maybe we all just go to NYC and hope we can buy Jackie a cocktail on some weekend. Any suggestions all?
I love the New York idea Sydney, then we would almost be assured Jackie could make it.
Jackie are you in for it?
Maybe if we really had enough people agree to meet, we should have Jackie give us another site to leave our comments. Those not interested might prefer not having to read our plans.
OK guys... who's in for a visit?
My granddaughter just got married and they are in Italy and Greece on their honeymoon... NZ sounds exciting too. They are having the time of their lives. But, the reason I mention this is that I can tell already there will be people who will join us of all ages... that's even better!
This could really work... I'm excited.
Sydney - Not sure why you removed your comment, but I think you were spot on about the production costs making series run shorter these days.
And to all - A good part of what keeps me doing the blog is the community which has formed here. I know that when BB starts up, it can get a bit wild, but I've also noticed a few new folks stay around after the season each time. I spent years hosting message boards on AOL and it's the community which is always special, no matter the topic. And, I think folks enjoy an environment where things aren't always flame wars. That's what developed here over time - folks generally getting along well even if they have different tastes in shows and a genuine respect for each other. I love it! It's a great group of regular commenters and I couldn't ask for anything more.
As for a meet-up, I've often met with others I've befriended online and it's never failed to be a good time. I can't guarantee any real travel plans at the present time -- I have two older cats (14 years next month) which would freak out if boarded, thus limiting time away from home to just a few days tops. However, NYC is is always doable for me on a 20-minute notice. If folks wanted to do something in NYC or perhaps Philadelphia (a bit further, but semi-local), I'm sure to be up for it!
Also... I'm glad someone came up with Charles Kurwalt. I knew it, used to watch him, but was having a brain freeze.
And, as for today's show, I don't think I want my ashes made into a goblet or ashtray. Maybe the space thing! ;-)
Hey Jackie -
Well, I removed it becasue it was so long and I thought it might be boring for others, as I wrote so much about the industry as reasons for how things got to be from a full fall to spring season of old shows to this choppy stuff now. So I just re-copied the first paragraph and let the rest go. If you have it and think it's of interest, it's fine if you want to put that part back on here somehow.
As to the meet up trip, maybe NYC is the way to go. Is it best to have one of us give a real e-mail address and those interested could correspond with each otherthat way to work out details -- off the blog?
YAY Jackie!!! So glad to hear you'd be up to a meet. Let's bring it on. Sydney, Delee, everybody... let's talk!
Jackie... I agree... I wouldn't want to be made into anything either. I'm being cremated (later...not soon I hope) and my daughter asked me what I wanted done with my ashes. I told her to flush them down the toilet... they ain't me anymore. After picking her up off the floor I agreed she should spread most out on the Chesapeake Bay where I was born and dig a small hole near my mom and dad's grave and pore me in. Done! No diamonds for me either!
I've seen people with a little vial of ashes hanging from their keychain ??? to each his own!
Hope we can all come up with a good time and place to meet. NYC or Philadelphia sounds good to me too.
Meb - died laughing at your post! Still am.
Sydney - I saw the comment yesterday and knew you didn't say anything bad! :-)
I looked into creating a private blog for meet-up discussion. While you can do one on Blogger, it appears the content can still be found via excerpts on the Internet. I know I could create a private journal on AOL which would be only open to those invited, but I'm not sure if an Internet search would pick it up or not and I believe readers would need AOL or AIM. There are free boards like proboards you can set to allow certain folks in, but I've never used them, so I'm a bit ignorant about them.
My email address (one of them) is in the sidebar here. We could talk about meeting via email.
Anyone have a better idea? It's one thing to have my blog email out in public, but I don't want to get too much personal info of the readers (or me) out to the whole world.
Jackie, you said you've met with people before... how did you communicate with each other? It's sad we even have to concern ourselves with this side of it, but you're right... What would you suggest as the best option.
MEB - Different ways for different folks. More private doings were email, in the "old" days there were the CompuServe forums where we arranged meetings around events and such, sometimes AOL message boards (for example, a regular group of Apprentice posters met up at Trump's World Bar to watch the show a few seasons ago) and then there's things like the NYC Fotologgers who have a regular meet-up monthly at a set location.
Circumstances are a bit different here as this forum is more open to the world and emails (other than my own) aren't posted. The main problem is that, while I'm not all that concerned with an ax-murderer showing up at the meeting, I don't want folks spammed for posting their email addresses here. My gmail account is fantastic at blocking spam, but not everyone should have to worry about that.
Huh. I guess that could be a good thing, right? I'm more worried about spam issues than someone creepy showing up at a meeting! I've never had a bad experience with meeting folks online with the sort of venues I do. It's not like the whacko stuff at all.
Added note - if any of you wish to have a gmail account (free email with great storage capabilities), email me and I'll send you an invite.
NYC kind of costly.....Philly sounds good or Atantic City..... I am in central PA so can move around and just throw rabbit in kennel. Unless I can make daughter take him back when she moves into a house, end of May. Let's keep planning. A BB night or two would be great, but I feel Jackie would have withdrawal as she never seems to sleep watching the feeds. Do not know how she does it.
Hi all!
I would definitely be up for NYC or West Coast if my schedule permits!! This is funny, as I was recently thinking that it would be terrific to put faces with names...
Hey jackie --
What if we say whomever is interested should then write to you at the personal gmail account you list on the blog page in the next 10 days or some limited time period.
It would be understood that any if the regulars here write in, they are saying they'd would be OK with the rest having their personal e-mail. People can make up a free gmail or aol account just for this purpose if you are REALLY concerned. And I bet Jackie can tell if someone is not a regular and not include them.
After the 10 day time, you write one general message to those personal e-mails, ccing us all, so we all have eachothers e-mails. I guess that e-mail would have to inclued who is who. Like Sydney is really Beth at XX@aol.com.... so we'd know, as my name is not Sydeny (or Beth, lol). If we don't use last names for now, maybe that will be even better?
From there anyone in the group can go about planning and whomever writes will include all in every comunication to each other so essentially it reproduces what we have here.
I've already written a few folks here (and know some, including myself, have written you personally) and it has worked out fine.
Not trying to create more work for you Jackie. I'd be happy to do this but just thought you might know who is who more easily?
PS: JUST CLARIFYING... what I mean by Jackie being able to tell who was not a regular and not including them, I'm not talking about excluding anyone so much as addressing that element of concern mentioned here by someone.
I may have misunderstood what sounded like a concern Jackie had. I'm not really worried about meeting.
Whatever is decided, keep me in the loop. I'm all for a meet.
I don't think we'd have any issues with who might possibly come. But, for planning stages, I'd suggest a more private format mainly so email accounts which aren't presently public, don't go public.
I think the regular commenters here would respect each other in that they wouldn't publicly post email addresses or other information. If you wish to email me at the blog address and either set up a gmail account (which is easy) for this purpose, or use your own choice of emails... just mention who you are on the blog and I can get a mail list going.
That way the email addresses aren't out there for every spammer in the world to annoy. As for the event itself, once it's set up, perhaps we could do a more public announcement or something for those not in the small email planning group. Wherever we go, we'll be in public places and in a group, so I'm not worried about anything "dangerous." I doubt my blog stalker from Indianapolis could get permission from his parents to travel. ;-)
Jackie -
Maybe we could meet in Indy so that the stalker can make it. Hey, would make a short drive for me also :) Unfortunately, I could not come if too far away. My car is awful and flying is out of the question. But maybe I can live through you guys and read all about it.
Hey everybody! The plans sound great, but like Jennifer, I'd have to experience it through your recollections afterwards. My car, too, is to old to travel very far and planes would be out of the question for me, too. (Health reasons) But just so you know, I'm from a small town in upstate New York, about 20 miles east of Rochester. If it happens, I would love to hear about your experiences. Thanks Sydney, for including me in your thoughts on the subject!
Jennifer -- That's too funny!
Post a Comment