The Blog's 'Big Brother' Favorites

This seems like it might be fun. A few folks in this entry told us their favorites as per the list that the new houseguests have to answer.

Here's my list -- if you want to play, jump in with yours in the comments!

FILMS: Any films directed by Alfred Hitchcock, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Fallen, Rocky Horror Picture Show (only in theaters, though), The Thin Man (1934)

TV SHOWS: Heroes, Survivor, Big Brother, Lost, C.S.I, all Law & Order, The Amazing Race, The Late Show with David Letterman, Hell's Kitchen, The Wire, more and more.

ACTORS: Tom Hanks, I get a kick out of Bruce Willis... anyone but David Caruso.

ACTRESSES: Meg Ryan, Meryl Streep, more.

HOBBIES: Reading, writing, photography, music, messing around with my collection of computers and related gadgets.

SPORTS TO PLAY: Pretending my knee still works here... skiing, rollerskating, basketball, softball, bowling.

SPORTS TEAMS: New York Yankees, New Jersey Devils, no basketball or football faves at this time. I used to like the Knicks but they need some tough love now.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES: Again, pretending the knee isn't wrecked -- Hiking, camping, mountain climbing, hangliding, spelunking, whitewater rafting/canoeing.

BANDS/MUSICIANS: Dave Matthews Band, Blue Man Group, Simon & Garfunkel, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, Tom Waits... more and more and more.

SONGS/CDS: Too many to name. I love some of all types of music and my collection shows it.

FOODS: Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, meats, potatoes, vegies, seafood.

CEREALS: I'm cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs but don't have them often.

COOKIES: Freihofer or Entenmann's chocolate chip, my own chocolate chip cookies fresh from the oven, my own double chocolate cherry bourbon balls, Girl Scouts Thin Mints.

CANDY BARS: Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, any good quality dark chocolate bars

ALCOHOLIC DRINKS: Screwdriver, rum and Coke, frozen strawberry daquiri

NON-ALCOHOLIC: Trader Joe's Expresso soda, milk, white grape juice, water, ginger beer.

Uh-oh. It appears I have a huge chocolate problem, don't I?

'Big Brother 8' - CBS Show Website Now Updated

The official CBS Big Brother 8 show website has been updated, but I don't think it's quite finished right now.

However, they have the favorites lists up for the new hamsters!

So, let's take a gander...

I'm finding this all a bit odd. Usually when the website pops up, it looks complete. This season, it's going up piecemeal for some reason. There also seems to be a huge difference between the hamsters themselves.

For example, Amber's page versus Carol's page. Amber's is to the point of being loquacious while Carol has barely answered the questions. Also, what's the "bio_soft" in the URL? I've never seen that during previous seasons. Will we have a "bio_hard" soon?

Eric seems to be a reality television show buff and I like his choice of cookies. I always look at their cookies, y'know. I find them very telling. Entenmann's chocolate chip is a fine choice indeed. Anyone liking them (or Freihofer's of the same ilk) has to be a good person. Right? With the exception of listing Pee Wee's Big Adventure in his film choices, he's fairly spot on with some of my own favorites.

Although she's the odd man out (or woman, that is), Kail lists Big Brother in her favorite shows. She might know what she's getting into. But, I don't know. She also lists "work" as her favorite hobby. So it's unlikely that she has been into the whole aspect of the show from the feeds standpoint. I've never just watched the show -- I've always had the feeds from the house, too. If she's just watched the show on television due to her personal love of work, she may be in for a surprise. Right now, she's a bit like a fish out of water -- conservative, married and a mother, and older (if you can be "older" at 37). I think she's going to be one to watch. She'll either really clash and crash, or she'll be so out of any in-fighting that she'll go under the radar.

I find Jameka's favorite list interesting. She lists Big Brother in capital letters, no less. She's also a big reality television buff with some of the shows I enjoy. Looking at her list, I see a lot of diversity. I think perhaps the promos might have overplayed the "99%" of interactions with only black folks angle. I mean, sheesh... she likes John Mayer and The Golden Girls. She'll do fine interacting with any normal white folks, I'm sure.

But then there's Dick. Oh, my. His favorites list looks fairly normal. But I've read his MySpace page -- this guy is the one who's "out there." If you go to the MySpace page, beware... there's very adult content there. How can he look so normal on his Big Brother page? He even lists Cocoa Pebbles as a favorite! What an innocent, huh?

Now, Executive Producer Allison Grodner said that Joe is the one who's "out there." Other than some bands and musicians I've never heard of, Joe's favorites list is rather tame. In lieu of Cocoa Pebbles, he likes Fruity Pebbles. He seems to be into the clubs scene, but that's not surprising me.

I'll be looking more into these favorite lists as time goes on. I may have to do personality profiles from their favorite cereals. That, of course, is quite a science in and of itself.

'Big Brother 8' - The Official CBS Site is Live, Plus a Spoiler for You!

Finally, the CBS Big Brother 8 website is up and running. Right now there's very little there -- photos of the new houseguests with less information than I posted about many of them, an explanation of the "America's Player" twist, and the information about the "enemy" twist almost verbatim from the press release I posted yesterday. There's a cute little Fun Facts section with four fun facts. I see no linkage for previous houseguests blogging, nor the HOH blog. There are no favorites lists or any other information regarding the houseguests... and no last names.

You can still get the feeds on the Early Bird Special at real.com. I don't have a deal with the feeds for you, but I recommend getting them through the hamsterwatch.com site if you're so inclined. That Dingo runs a tremendously creative and thorough site each year and getting the feeds through there helps support the site. Oh... and before you ask, no. I'm not affliliated with That Dingo, just an admiring addict of hamsterwatch.

Oh, yeah. I promised you a spoiler, didn't I? Remember when I said that Daniele had to have something to do with the twist because she's too young? Well, Internet scouts found the answer. Her name is Daniele Donato. Dick is Dick Donato. On his MySpace page, there are a few messages from Daniele, his estranged daughter. This could be a bit too uncomfortable.

And, thanks to the Jokers site, I found out that Dustin is indeed gay. Although living in Chicago (same as Joe), he's originally from Minnesota. Lots of Minnesota going on as in Nick, too. Hmmm... the plot thickens. Jokers also has a cute foiler-take on the enemies twist. Jessica's a Crip and Joe's a Blood? Who woulda thunk it, eh?

Now that you know a bit about the cast (a very little bit, yes)... who do you think is our mole? I mean, our America's Player?

'Big Brother 8' - Julie Chen on 'The Late Show with David Letterman'

Now that Robin Williams took up the major portion of the show (after the regular tomfoolery), it's time for the Chenbot.

Er, that's after a dozen commercials. At least one was for Big Brother 8 with the new houseguests.

Or not... now Robin Williams is doing an Alan Kalter skit. Hey, Dave... ten minutes to go. I want Julie Chen! Well, not on a personal level, y'see. I want her to be on the show already!

More commercials. I't now 12:29. The show ends at 12:37 here. Argh.

Sheesh. This is going to be an almost bump by the time the commercials end. It's now 12:32.

Finally...! Paul is playing Stevie Wonder's "Big Brother." They're talking about seasickness. Why are they talking cruises? Doesn't she have a show to promote? The show now. "Mostly felons, right?" Dave asks. "Just that one year."

Brief talk about the house. Two twists. She's telling about the person designated America's Player. She suggested something like the viewers wanting so-and-so to start a showmance as an example. Feed talk now. A schedule mention and that's it. She didn't even mention the "enemies" twist.

If you missed it, don't feel bad. I knew Robin Williams would monopolize the time.

'So You Think You Can Dance' Results Show - East Coast Update - 6/28/07

Keep returning to this entry -- I'll be updating it throughout the show.

They opened with an African group dance. I couldn't help but notice Cedric was a bit out of step.

Lauren and Neil and Lacey and Kameron were brought to the stage first. Lacey and Kameron are safe; Lauren and Neil are in the bottom three couples and will have to dance for their lives.

Jaimee and Hok are safe. Sabra and Dominic and Jesus and Sara are awaiting their fates. Sabra and Dominic are safe. Jesus and Sara are in the bottom three.

Jessi has been cleared by the doctors and will automatically dance for her life. Jessi and Pasha are performing the cha-cha we missed out on last night. Nice! It turns out that she was very dehydrated and it threw her EKG results off. Pasha himself is safe!

Shauna and Cedric and Anya and Danny are on stage now. One of the couples will be in the bottom three.

Say what? Shauna and Cedric are safe. Anya and Danny are in the bottom three couples and must dance for their lives. "What an interesting night tonight. Five million people voted and five million got it wrong," says Nigel.

Lauren is dancing her solo. A strip act? (Covering my eyes.) Huh. I'm not overly impressed. Neil is doing ballet/acrobatics. A lot of energy, I'll say. Sara is up doing freestyle breaking. Jesus now dancing to The Romantics "What I like About You." A good job.

Jessi is up now - a robot/hip-hop mix. Well done! Now Danny is up making Neil's leaps look like an amateur. I think he's great! Anya is up, love the colors on her costume. I think she did well.

My guess right now, GUESS, would be Neil and Lauren leaving. But that's purely my personal guess as right now Fergie and Ludacris are singing "Glamorous."

The judges are up now. They aren't unanimous according to Nigel. He said none of them did well enough. Jessi is going home. Aw, she's really sweet on Pasha.

Now it's to the guys... Neil, Danny, and Jesus. The decision is unanimous according to Nigel. Neil was outstanding, so was Danny. Jesus has been outstanding all season, but because of the other two guys tonight... Jesus is going home.

Bye-bye Jesus and Jessi... and, boy, my guess was off, eh?

TV Newsy Bits - Thursday, June 28, 2007

There's no word on whether Jessi from So You Think You Can Dance will be able to perform tonight. If she's physically able, she'll have to dance for her life.

I'll be live-blogging the important results as the show airs here on the East Coast. It doesn't start until 9 PM ET, so please stop back to check for a post started around that time. That, but of course, would be 6 PM PT.

In other TV Newsy Bits:

• Tons of Big Brother 8 news is out and about today. For the lowdown, use this link to bring up all of my entries about the upcoming season.
• According to ET Online, Apolo Ohno will join the dancing tour for Dancing With the Stars. He'll only be on the tour for five performances.
• Celebrity Spider reports that Jack Osbourne is being sued by a Muncie woman for his "work" on Armed and Famous. Apparently her home was mistakenly raided. She must be after the bucks, eh? Otherwise, she should be suing the Muncie Police, not Osbourne.
• The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that America's Got Talent is a ratings winner for NBC.

'Big Brother 8' - CBS Press Release Tells Us More

You'll probably want to read the entire CBS press release, but this excerpt caught my attention...

On premiere night, Thursday, July 5 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT), Houseguests will learn that some of them will be sharing the house with an enemy, a rival or someone with whom they have unfinished business -- in short, someone from their past who they had hoped never to see again or someone with whom there is an extreme amount of tension.

In addition to the surprise twist of an unwelcome person from their past, the premiere episode will reveal a new interactive element that will give viewers the most control they've ever had over someone in the BIG BROTHER house. For the first time...America is in the house.

One participant has been selected to be "America's Player." At the conclusion of every episode, beginning Sunday, July 8 (8:00-9:00 ET/PT), a question will be asked of viewers where they will vote on an important assignment that "America's Player" must complete. It could be a strategic move or a personal action. They must attempt to do what viewers request, including voting out a specific Houseguest. And, they can never tell anyone in the house that they are working on behalf of the viewers. But, they need to be careful...just like their fellow Houseguests, they can be voted out at any time. If "America's Player" successfully accomplishes these assignments, they will be financially rewarded. Viewers will be able to vote on cbs.com or via text messaging on a mobile phone and will choose from multiple choice answers on each question. The prevailing vote must be completed by "America's Player" in order for him or her to be rewarded.

Oh! I like the idea of this America's Player!

'The Early Show' Exposes New 'Big Brother 8' Houseguests

Can you feel the tension building? Julie Chen, affectionately known as The Chenbot, introduced the houseguests this morning on The Early Show. Well, all but one, that is. For some odd reason not known to me, the houseguest listed as Carol, age 21, a student from Lawrence, Kansas, wasn't featured at all on today's show.

You can watch the video on today's Early Show segment here -- you'll need to play in either Windows Media Player or through your RealPlayer.

Here's what they look like, what they had to say about themselves on the show, and whatever else I could dig up about them as I write this:

Amber is a 27-year-old cocktail waitress at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas. She says she can "weasel her way with anybody" but that she's charming and she'll weasel them without them knowing it.

At this time, I can't find a last name on her, nor any other information.

My first impression was that she briefly reminded me of a younger Jerri Manthey from Survivor: Australia.

Hey... 20 years old? The minimum age is supposed to be 21. So I can only guess that Daniele is in the show as part of the "enemies" twist.

She's a server at Hooters. 'Nuff said.

Daniele is from Huntington Beach, California. She's single.

Um... not sure what to say about her, so I'll move along to the next houseguest.

Dick, age 44, is from Los Angeles and is currently a bar manager. In his clip he said he's run both bars and nightclubs and that he might win because "manipulating girls is a way of life" for him.

Okay. Why am I thinking middle-aged dude reliving the glory days? He thinks he's a wild and crazy guy, for sure. He's the oldest one of the mostly-twenties cast. I think his persona could very well put a target on his back. But I could be wrong.

Dustin is a salesman from Chicago. He thinks he can sell himself to complete strangers and that's his plan to win.

In light of the "enemies/bullies" twist, we should note that both Dustin and Joe are only a year apart in age and both are from Chicago. Joe (scroll down) claimed gay in his clips while Dustin sets off my gaydar although he didn't mention his sexual orientation.

I don't have a last name on him at this time.

Eric is a talent management assistant from New York City, New York.

He thinks he has charisma which will have folks rallying around him... then he'll cut their throats. Eep, bad memories of Justin Sebik from BB2 shot through my mind! I don't think he's Justin-like, though. He seems to have a bit of a mind and didn't come across as a thug.

Yet again, I have no last name on him at this time. Next?

Jameka is the sole person of color in this year's cast. What's going to make it even tougher for her has to do with what she said about herself in her clip this morning.

"I've been around only black people for 99% of my life." Uh-oh, culture shock time, I guess!

She's a 28-year-old school counselor hailing from Temple Hills, Maryland.

Jen is the type of gal who wears a t-shirt with her name upon it. In her clip she said she's a bikini model and a computer nerd. She's single.

I found a last name on her -- she's Jen Johnson. She's a model and has lots of small TV parts listed in her resume.

But I can't help but think she better not wear her name on her chest all season. After a week or so, I'll remember their names. I don't need the reminder, thank you.

Jessica, from Haysville, Kansas, is a college student. In her clip she said she thinks she's smart and competitive. She's loyal unless she's backstabbed, then beware!

Just judging from her clip this morning, I think she's the one whose voice will pierce through my head forcing me to turn down the volume on the feeds in the middle of the night. Not quite as bad as Holly's voice, I think if she shrieks a lot, we're in trouble.

She's another houseguest without a last name right now.

Then there's Joe from Chicago. According to Allison Grodner (Executive Producer), he's 6'4" and "over the top."
"What's gay and has two thumbs?"

Well, gee... could it be Joe? In his clip, he had some concern about the bully angle. I think he may have bullied, but I don't know for sure. Remember, he's the one I'm tying in with Dustin (above). He's a receptionist and he's single.

Kail probably usually has her eyes open. But seeing what she's about to do... maybe it's best she goes in with them closed.

Kail Harbick is a conservative Republican from McKenzie Bridge, Oregon. She's the only married houseguest and is also a mother, a broker, and restaurant owner.

This could be interesting, eh?

Next up is Mike Dutz who just happens to have a MySpace page. While he claims to be a 26-year-old single painting contractor from Three Lakes, Wisconsin... this MeetUp page claims differently. He lives in Placentia, California and he's a model.

Oh, he mentions the painting contractor and Wisconsin bit on the MySpace page, but I think the model work is what he wants to do. He's appeared on the show Gay, Straight or Taken, amongst other ventures. In his clip this morning, he didn't say much other than "I'm a painting contractor."

Nick Starcevic was captured in a timeline of football pictures on this JokersUpdates post.

He thinks he's good-looking and will charm the ladies. He obviously likes to show his muscles.

He's single, 25, and comes to us from Kimball, Minnesota. Although preliminary information had him as a former pro football player, it seems that should be college level.

Zach is a bit quiet. In his clip he said he was an alumni of Florida State and gave a "Go Seminoles."

He's a 30-year-old single graphic designer from Burbank, California.

I guess he's a man of mystery.

For now, at least.

The real person of mystery is Carol, age 21, a single student from Lawrence, Kansas. They may have flashed some images of her in the segment this morning, but they didn't talk with (or about) her at all.

I'm Bustin' with 'Big Brother 8' News, Bustos!

Yes. Julie Chen introduced the cast today on The Early Show. Yes, it seems the "bully" aspect of the rumor mills may be true -- the hamsters are in the house with their "worst enemies." As I write this, the official website hasn't been updated, but it's sure to be up there sometime today.

There's a new article this morning at the TVGuide.com site - Big Brother is Racier and More Interactive Than Ever! Although I recommend reading the whole article, I want to mention a few things right here.

"This year, there will not be an America's Choice because America will be able to participate in the game like they never have before," Grodner teases. "It will be revealed at the end of the first episode, and you can hop on [the Internet] and get involved. I promise you, you've never heard of an interactive opportunity like this on a television show, because we're the only show — in the way that we are structured, being almost live — that can pull this off."

Ohhh... sounds good to me! Whatever could it be? I've read hints that the internet (and I imagine text message folks) will be able to vote on cash or prizes, make the houseguests do stuff to win them, and such. I guess we'll have to wait until the end of the premiere to get the real skinny.

Also mentioned in the TVGuide.com article is the fact that PB&J is out and BB Slop is back in for the season. Blech. The HOH and POV system will remain intact this season.

Ah, but you want the real deal on the houseguests, right?

I'm working on that next! Stay tuned...

'Big Brother 8' - The New Cast? Really, This Time... I Think

That lovable Dingo over at Hamsterwatch has the new houseguest list up! As I type this, the official CBS website hasn't been updated. But the houseguests will be introduced on The Early Show this morning.

I'll be checking these folks out and reporting back later with my thoughts!

New Promo for 'Big Brother 8'

Uh-oh. I'm watching Letterman and a new promo just showed for Big Brother 8.

"Fourteen new houseguests will be moving into the house. Little do they know, but so will their enemies."

Now, I just paraphased that, but it confirms the fourteen picture frames on the memory wall. And, alas, it sure sounds like the bully rumors that have been around for a while may have some truth to them.

Uh-oh. I thought the house pictures (see previous entry) were intriguing, but I'm not too keen on a school bullies angle. Why can't they just be strangers in a house?

'Big Brother 8' - New House Photos Online

As we near the big press day which seems to be tomorrow by all indications, the TVGuide.com website has posted pictures of the new Big Brother 8 house. Due to copyright issues, I don't dare copy the photos here, but you can take a look at them, then come on back here.

After all, we have to talk about this.

Look at that memory wall. There are 14 frames, not the 12 which have been in the promos. That tells us it won't be a short season, it's unlikely that a previous houseguest will unexpectedly return, and there will probably be a typical double eviction week (or two).

Enchanted Forest? Purple touches throughout? A bedroom in which you feel very big and one in which you feel very small? Shades of Alice in Wonderland, according to executive producer Allison Grodner.

A quote from the site: "Claustrophobia alert! This two-sizes-too-small room has five beds that are only 5 feet long and is filled with low-to-the-ground child-size chairs 'Essentially [they'll be] living in a dollhouse,' says Grodner." Meanwhile, the "big" room has shoulder-height beds.

Oh, no! It sounds like that bad BB take-off they use in an old commercial where a couple is living in a tiny house! Ah, but topiaries in the yard are cool.

I'm not quite sure what to make of this. I feel like I've had some kind of mushroom...

Your thoughts on the new house decor?

TV Newsy Bits - Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Okay, it's official. I've given up on On the Lot. I still haven't watched last week's show I taped and didn't bother taping it this week.

I've gotten myself hooked on America's Got Talent. Tonight was the NYC auditions and there were some great ones! My personal favorite was a rabbit who took over the act from his handler. And, shocking as it is, I actually know one of the acts who appeared this evening.

Well, I don't really know him, per se. He's a street performer I've seen around the fountain at the 72nd Street entrance of Central Park for years now. I used to go to the Skate Circle nearby (Central Park Skate Dancers - check out the video, then you know why my knees are shot now) and he was there more often than not. I'm talking Thoth... the dude in Native American garb with the odd opera and violin. And, yes. He's that weird... um... unusual, unique. If you're in Central Park on a weekend, walk on by Thoth and follow the music to the Skate Circle. You'll be entertained very well there. If you skate, bring your skates - inline or old school. It's all free.

In other real TV Newsy Bits:

• I have watched my screener of Saving Grace due to premiere on TNT in just a few weeks. I'm suitably impressed and will be writing more about the show soon. But I received a press release from TNT today - the premiere date for Saving Grace has been changed from July 18 to July 23. It will be following The Closer on Monday evenings at 10 PM ET/PT. Heartland will be seen for the next three weeks following The Closer, then will move to Thursday evenings. I personally think it's a good move. Saving Grace is good and TNT will build a nice block with those two shows every Monday night.
• Reality Check by Gina has an interview with Vinnie Fama, last night's boot on Hell's Kitchen. If you want to learn to cook via Vinnie, check out his own website. Yikes.
• The Idol Thoughts site lists the dance styles chosen for the couples on tomorrow evening's So You Think You Can Dance.
• My favorite Survivor 14: Fiji guy, Yau-Man Chan, recently appeared at a local (to him) food bank's fundraiser and there's a nice write-up in the Vellejo Times Herald.

That's all for now. Is it hot enough where you live?

'Hell's Kitchen' - A Quick Take on Episode 4

Remind me to never visit the restaurant which receives a chef from this season's show. Each season it's a comedy of errors, but this season takes the cake. Oh, and said cake will probably have too much pepper in it or something else odd.

The show opened with Vinnie continuing to harp on Jen's using pasta from the trash bin. Yeah, that struck a nerve with me, too. But Vinnie, on a people skills level, should learn when to stop. Although Gordon Ramsay is no poster child for people skills, they do count for the contestants on the show.

The chef wannabes first experienced a blindfolded taste test to check out those determining palates. Most of the foods seemed like they should be rather simple. I know I would have had problems with a few, but I'd certainly recognize boiled carrot and hard-boiled egg yolks!

Once again, the women (Red Team) won the challenge. As a reward, they went with Ramsay to dine at Opaque. Now, Opaque is one of those "dining in the dark" restaurants similar to the Dark Dining Projects here in the NYC area. As I understand it, the sense of taste is heightened in the dark. But for me... I'd probably miss my mouth and wear my dinner.

Meanwhile, the losing team (Blue men, but not to be confused with Blue Man Group), had to work on their palates by suffering through large amounts of variety meats and other not-so-popular dishes. After eating what looked like a few meals each, they then had to prep both their own kitchen and the Red Team's kitchen, too.

Then came the service... or, once again, the lack thereof. This time around, the winning team would be determined by the comment cards filled out by the patrons. Both teams were in trouble. From what I could see, the only "stable" one on the Blue Team was Rock. Had Julia not burned the scallops, she would have been best on the Red Team. Bonnie and Vinnie were both bimbos although Ramsay only called Bonnie a bimbo.

"____ me senseless!" screamed Ramsay.

So, they did.

Tonight's episode was yet another night where the kitchen was shut down and the service wasn't complete. The patrons said that what food they had was good. But 65% percent said they wouldn't return because of the time spent waiting. That's not good, not at all.

Ramsay declared there was no winning team. He chose Rock and Jen to choose a lamb (goat, whatever) to be led to his slaughter. Well, okay... just to be a candidate to be booted from the show.

I knew Rock would make the wrong choice. He's really not surrounded with any talent -- Josh, Vinnie, and Brad. Out of those, Vinnie is the one who screws up most consistently. But Rock has it out for both Josh and Brad more than he does for Vinnie. He's more interested in eliminating the competition he may face rather than the worst chef. He chose Josh.

I don't think I can ever have any faith in Jen since she took the pasta out of the trash to serve. Julia's name didn't come up in her decision, which I felt was right for this week. Her choice had to be between Bonnie and Melissa. I could tell that Bonnie was upsetting Ramsay more than Melissa. Thinking more with her heart than her mind, she chose to nominate Melissa.

Ramsay overruled both choices and replaced them with Vinnie and Bonnie. (Can I say I told you so now?) I figured he'd kick out Vinnie because of his attitude. Oh, Bonnie will go soon enough. She's to the point where she realizes she's out of her league and even wants to go home. But she's not surly to Ramsay when Vinnie comes across as surly and sneaky.

But it wasn't Bonnie's choice to make. Ramsay booted Vinnie.

As I said, though, none of these "chefs" seem worthy of any fine dining establishment.

That said, tonight I had steak with onions, baked potato, steamed asparagus, and cantaloupe for dessert. I gave myself a good comment card, but mentioned the wait staff was a bit lacking.

The New Latest News as We Wait For 'Big Brother 8'

The supposed cast "leak" that I mentioned in this entry was apparently a rumor. Both Jokers and WeLoveBigBrother.com have a note from the casting director, Robyn Kass, stating she's never heard of the folks on that list and they are not the cast we'll see. However, it is noted that we can expect the cast announcements to be made this week.

Remember, Julie Chen's appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman will take place this Thursday evening, not tonight as originally announced!

That's where we stand at this time.

I'm ready.

Has the 'Big Brother 8' Cast Been Leaked?

This could all just be rumors or even outright falsehoods for all I know. But I feel obligated to bring you the latest buzz on the 'net.

Over on one of my personal favorite websites for the Big Brother summers, JokersUpdates.com, a poster has posted his "inside peek somehow unexplained" of the houseguests we can expect to see this season.

The poster is a first-timer for Jokers, yet has a track record for accurately posting pre-release cast information over on the SurvivorSucks site. So, it's possible that this information, albeit a bit sketchy, may indeed be right.

Here's what he has to say:
Cast list leaked from a call sheet. I only got a few minutes glance at the list but this is what I got from it. no pictures sorry. short bios were underneath their pictures. and for anyone that doesn’t know POSSIBLY spoilers follow.

Tara Bourke - young good looking has an extremely nice body --- youngest houseguest

Tiffany Dalton - oldish black woman

Rodger (No last name)- older Asian male. Teacher at some school.

Carol Ricardi - older woman (mother figure)

Gabby Ngyugen - young Asian girl. huge smile.

Amanda Adams - late twenties blonde woman. looks like some celebrity. Former cheerleader apparently?

Mitchell “Mitchy” Vance- Good looking younger male.

Robby Williams or Wallace - young very young. apparently is apart of some organization group for gay teens.?

Jared Pfifer - good looking....Spanish?

David Mertz - Good looking man in his fortiesAndi (no last name) - blonde girl early twenties

Morgan (no last name) -older gay male...possibly not gay?

Melanie (no last name) - no information. I’m not even sure if she was a final houseguest as she had no number just a name and a location where she lives. Florida.

Unidentified male - Couldn’t find anything about this guy (possibly no 14th houseguest?) There was a blank spot for him on the sheet with a number....but nothing else.

some houseguests know each other from high-school. some listed the same high school that they attended. from what I remember

David and Carol know each other or did...
Robie and jarred know each other or did....
Mitchell and Amanda know each other or did...
Gabby and Tara know each other or did

That's all! Dont ask how I got it...just passing on the information i got. I’m a long time Survivor cast spoiler and usually get it right each time...post a sucks under ghostie....take this list for what it is. Never know what could happen in the next fourteen days.

********************************
Okay, this is me again. I found a few of the names listed on various sites (not BB-related) on the web and what little information here seems right. Gabby make actually be spelled wrong as this site fits a bit to profile. If the information leaked is right, then there could very well be a high school "bully" type theme this season. Tied in with the promo in which Janelle says, "What comes around goes around" and Julie Chen's emphatic agreement... it's beginning to look more and more like that's the case.

I'm having nightmares of Carrie and the prom scene...!

Share Those Pants! - This Week on 'The Late Show with David Letterman' - June 25-29, 2007

Dave had his week off, but he'll be back full-force on Monday. Hopefully, his broken nose is feeling up to snuff and he's learned a lesson about rough-housing with a three-year-old. The kid always wins against the "old guy."

Here's the guest list for the upcoming week:

• Monday, June 25: This is the show of the week for me. Bruce Willis (always a lot of fun when he's on with Dave), diving dogs out on 53rd Street, Morrissey, and... although I don't see her name listed on the official show website, Julie Chen (the host of Big Brother 8) was originally scheduled for the show.
• Tuseday, June 26: Paula Abdul, John Krasinski promoting License to Wed, and Bryan Ferry.
• Wednesday, June 27: Claire Danes (Evening), Keith Obermann & Dan Patrick, and Ryan Adams.
• Thursday, June 28: Robin Williams also promoting License to Wed
• Friday, June 29: Senator Dennis Kucinich, Shia LeBoeuf (Transformers), and comedian Brian Kiley.

Uh-oh... we have a big discrepancy here! I see on the Yahoo TV Listings that they have Julie Chen listed for Thursday night with Robin Williams. For some odd reason, I can't get AOL TV Listings to show after Wednesday night, so I can't confirm it there. Onto the TVGuide.com listings... yep, they also have Julie Chen listed for Thursday night. The official Late Show website only has Robin Williams listed, but he can't be the only guest on the show.

So, it should be Thursday night for Julie Chen instead of Monday. Oh, well... what's a few more days, eh?

Argh.

The TV Weekend

Well, isn't this weekend just ducky for television viewers?

Um, no. It's not. It's a good thing the weather is gorgeous here in the NYC/NJ area. Watching the ducks and geese at the park could be better than the television. I took this photo in nearby Westfield at the park often featured in the show Ed.

Thankfully, I have a screener of the pilot episode of the new TNT series Saving Grace which I'll watch over the weekend. I should be reporting back to you on that sometime tomorrow. I'm also playing FedEx tag with a package which I suspect is from either TBS or TNT, so I'll have to see what that is during the week ahead.

We're at the calm before the storm on the Big Brother 8 front. Things should kick off in the week ahead starting with Julie Chen's appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman this Monday evening. I've noticed new commercials almost daily for the show, all featuring past houseguests (of course). The new hamsters should have been "kidnapped" by now and held in sequester. We should be seeing some new faces on commercials perhaps by the end of the week. It's almost here!

But, then there's this weekend on television. Oh, my... perhaps it's time to check out some movie rentals!

If we're talking new episodes, there isn't much happening. There's a new Cops on tonight at 8 PM ET/PT and then a new America's Most Wanted at 9 PM ET/PT. The Cartoon Network has new programming on starting at 9 PM ET/PT. Oh... Bravo has not-so-new Pulp Fiction! Ah, but I have that on DVD. AMC is airing Braveheart, but I'm not sure my attention span will be up for that tonight. Zoolander is on Comedy Central.

Tomorrow night, Sunday, isn't much better. I see FOX has new episodes of The Loop on at 8:30 and 9:30 PM ET/PT with a repeat The Family Guy sandwiched in the middle. In this area, WNET (PBS) has a new Mystery! starting at 9 PM ET/PT. TBS is airing Men in Black II back to back through the evening. WGN has an American Idol Rewind on at 8 PM ET... I may check that out to see what season they're into on the show these days. The History Channel has a new Ice Road Truckers on at 10 PM ET/PT.

Oh, heck. I may just end up either reading a book or watching old Law and Order: Criminal Intent reruns on Bravo all evening. Or, maybe I'll turn to my DVD collection -- watch a movie or rewatch some Homicide: Life on the Street.

Folks can say what they want about Big Brother. But when the feeds are live, I always have some sort of background entertainment.

What are your plans for the weekend?

'So You Think You Can Dance' - Results Show East Coast Update 6/21/07

I'll be updating this as the show progresses here on the East Coast, so check on back!

Lauren and Neil are safe. Pasha and Jessi are are in the bottom three and will have to dance for their lives. ACK! I thought they were great! Hok and Jaimie are safe.

Lacey and Kameron are safe. Anya and Danny are safe. Sabra and Dominic are safe.

Jesus and Sara are safe. Shauna and Jimmy are bottom three. Faina and Cedric are also in the bottom three.

So... dancing for their lives are Jessi, Pasha, Shauna, Jimmy, Faina, and Cedric. Let the dance battle begin!

Faina is going home. Jimmy is going home after a long talk about Nigel regarding unique vs. talent.

The Best? The Worst? 7000 Channels and Nothing Good On TV?

Oh, I know the photo has nothing to do with television, but I always feel I should have some kind of image there. And, the model was kind enough to sit still for me to take it.

Later on tonight, I'll be posting the East Coast Update for the So You Think You Can Dance results show. It starts in about an hour here (9 PM ET) and I'll have the results posted by 10 PM ET for those who wish to discuss the show or those folks from other time zones who just can't wait to know who got the boot this week. I personally think Cedric, although he's a dear, might be going. But I haven't a clue about the girls.

However, that's not why I brought you here. No, really. Hey, look at the title of the entry! AOL had one of their polls about the best and the worst on television this past season. TV Squad picked up on that with an article. I thought it would be interesting to see what you guys thought as compared to both AOL and TV Squad readers. My own favorites certainly differ from their results.

For Best Drama, the AOL visitors chose House (29%) with Grey's Anatomy on its tail (28%). Heroes and Lost tied at 17% each. The Sopranos got a paltry 9%. Hmmm... I think my favorite drama this year was my workplace. Er... ahem. No, my personal favorite drama this season was Heroes. Lost lost out because the "fall season" was not so good for me.

In the Best Comedy category, AOL visitors chose Ugly Betty (30%), The Office (28%), Two and a Half Men (26%), How I Met Your Mother (9%), 30 Rock (7%). My own personal sitcom watching is a bit at a low ebb the last several years, but I'd have How I Met Your Mother on the top of my list. Neil Patrick Harris as Barney is a hoot! Suit up as we head to the next category!

Ohhh.... Best Reality Show! AOL visitors chose American Idol (39%), Dancing With the Stars (28%), The Amazing Race (15%), America's Next Top Model (10%), Project Runway (8%). What? No Survivor? Oh, no they didn't...! I think this season's Survivor: Fiji was one of the best in years and I have to put my Yau-Man Chan in there. I wasn't so thrilled with The Amazing Race this season as I'm not too keen on "all-stars" versions of reality shows, nor was I overly thrilled with the "all-stars" they chose.

Best New Show was next. Well, the AOL visitors got one right, methinks. They chose Heroes (38%) and so do I. Ugly Betty (32%), Jericho (12%), Friday Night Lights (11%), and 30 Rock (6%) filled out the poll. Gee, where's National Bingo Night on the list? I mean, that's such a fascinating show! (You should read that with sarcasm, of course.)

The Worst New Show, deemed as such by AOL visitors, was Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search for the Next Doll. Also on the list were 'Til Death, The Game, Happy Hour, Twenty Good Years. I don't think I can argue with their choices although the only show on that list I've seen at all is 'Til Death. That top worst one sounds like a doozy. I'm glad I didn't see it.

Best Season-Ending Cliffhanger is an interesting category. There surely were some good ones this year. Lost (32%) tops their list, as well as my own personal list. Then came C.S.I., Heroes, Ugly Betty, Battlestar Galactica. I think the C.S.I. one was better than Heroes, too. I was so psyched for a major showdown between Peter and Sylar on Heroes that I felt a bit letdown.

Best Villain chosen on the AOL poll was Ben (28%) from Lost. The order of the other top-runners was: Sylar from Heroes (26%), Tony from The Sopranos, The Miniature Killer from C.S.I., and Cheng from 24. You know, I don't think I could call it between Ben and Sylar. I think they're the best villains we've had in years on television. Both are quietly creepy. I like that in my villains, don't you?

The AOL poll strayed a bit with "What Heroes power do you wish you had?" Time travel won their poll. Me? I don't know. Maybe I'm getting old. But as a veteran of knee surgeries and odd new aches and pains each year.... Claire's healing power looks awfully good to me!

They have a lot more on the poll itself, but I thought those were the most interesting categories. How would you answer?

'Big Brother 8' RealPlayer Superpass Now Available

Oh, no... no feeds yet, but Real.com has the information for ordering the SuperPass with Big Brother 8 in mind. (You can always get the SuperPass -- I didn't cancel last year because I've been taking advantage of the Music Store free monthly downloads from Rhapsody which are tied to the account, as well as some other content. The music credit alone pretty much equals what I pay for the SuperPass.)

As always, they have some special deals for the Big Brother season -

• The three-month season for only $29.99
• The six month special for $44.99
• Monthly for $12.99 a month

The prices listed are what they're quoting as "Early Bird" specials, are available if you sign up before July 4, and come with a free three-day trial period.

Heh -- I see they have a disclaimer on the bottom of their page which includes "The live and on-demand content (the "Content") may contain elements offensive to some users and inappropriate for users under 21. Certain Content may be delayed, edited and/or blacked out at various times at our sole discretion."

Heck, we're Big Brother fans. We know it can be offensive! We need someone we can love to hate! Unfortunately, we all too well also know about the black-outs when the houseguests sing or talk about someone who hasn't signed a release. I hope they bring back the Fish Cam this season instead of the abrupt loud BB theme music and angry clouds.

I haven't really checked too much into the Big Brother After Dark feeds show which will air nightly on ShoToo, a sister station of the Showtime network. I know it will be on nightly from 12 AM - 3 AM here on the East Coast and will be one live feed. I don't get that station and I'm not about to increase my overly-expensive cable bill just to get it as I will have all four feeds 24/7, not one for three hours a night. If you already have the station, you should check out the feed once it starts. If you don't have it, weigh the costs against getting the SuperPass. Real.com may be cheaper and you have it all... or what they allow us to see.

Since I have my spiffy new computer, I plan on getting the BBReloader this season and posting some videos to YouTube as the season goes on. This will be in addition to the Live Feed Reports, screen caps, live-blogging on show nights in East Coast time, etc.

I can't wait!

TV Newsy Bits - Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Uh-oh. Regular readers may be wondering where my On The Lot report is tonight. Oops. I got watching America's Got Talent in its entirety and recorded On The Lot. I'll have to get back to you on it. But there's something about America's Got Talent that just draws me in. Tonight was the Chicago auditions and I'm looking forward to next week in New York!

In other real TV Newsy Bits:

• There's still no new news on the upcoming Big Brother 8 show. There are some articles out there which may interest you -- Reality TV Calendar has an All About the Competitions article and a pre-season primer, Everything You Want to Know About Big Brother.
• Actor John Cryer of Two and a Half Men got married in Mexico over the weekend.
• The estate of Dr. Seuss wouldn't allow ABC to use the name Sam I Am for a scheduled fall series, so it's been changed to Samantha Be Good. Of course, we all know Sam I Am from Green Eggs and Ham. No, I don't like them either, Sam I Am.
• The third season premiere of The Closer did very well. TNT sent me this same press release, but I found it online at the Futon Critic, too.

Yikes, thunderstorms are rolling in here... gotta go!

'Hell's Kitchen' - A Quick Take on Episode 3

Say it ain't so! Some of the things I saw the "chefs" doing tonight shocked me! I may never eat in a restaurant again. Eep.

The first part of the episode gave Julia a chance to shine and show that she can be a leader. Remember, she's the one who's maligned because she comes from a Waffle House instead of a fancy-schmancy "real" restaurant.

The task was to serve breakfast to the military. Well, not the whole military, of course! The Red Team (women) had to serve to 50 Army soldiers while the Blue Team (men) had to serve to 50 Navy sailors. Julia was in her element and her team actually took well to her lead, but the guys fell apart.

Gordon Ramsay even called Julia's efforts exceptional. I thought lightning could very well strike him, didn't you? The women went off for a day on the Midway with Ramsay. The men stayed behind to do KP duty -- peel over a ton of onions and potatoes... fun, fun, fun! Heck, they couldn't even agree who would chop the ends off of the onions, silly men.

As we all could have guessed, the ambulance shown in the promos carted Aaron away. He fainted, apparently at the thought of the KP as I don't think he had done any actual work. He was removed from the show with a "serious illness" not disclosed to us. The guys, mainly Josh and Brad, decided that Brad would be the leader of their team as Ramsay said someone had to lead. Rock wasn't too keen on that, but said he'd go along... and told us he'd just have to out-think them down the line.

Then there was the dinner service or lack thereof. Both teams were horrible. Joanna thought she'd shine on the appetizers and Ramsay ended up kicking her off that station. Brad burned his Wellington and tried scraping off the burnt bottom when Ramsay caught him. Joanna tried to serve some crab dish with rancid crabs.

But the worst of all was Jen. She threw what she thought was excess pasta in the trash bin. Almost immediately there was a need for pasta. So she took it out of the trash and boiled it to "kill any bacteria." ACK! To me, that was an unthinkable sin in the kitchen. Yeah, Joanna somehow didn't notice the smell of the crabs, but we didn't see any deliberate move on her part. (And I don't like her, but I'm talking pasta from the trash here!)

Ramsay ended up closing down the kitchen early with almost all of the patrons not served. He said there were no winners. There weren't, really... no winners here! He thought the Blue Team was the worst and told them to decide who would be chosen to stand before him.

Now, in this bit I almost found myself liking Joanna as she stuck up for Julia against the ones who think she's out of her league. Joanna admitted she herself should be selected. When Jen started on the Julia kick, Julia told them about the garbage bin pasta incident. Still, the women chose Julia and Joanna.

But upon facing Ramsay, Jen put her name in the ring of fire with Julia and Joanna. Thankfully, Ramsay told Julia to go back with her team. Then he chose Joanna to leave Hell's Kitchen. He mentioned that both should go home. I think he should have stuck with that thought.

You do NOT take food out of the trash to serve folks at a restaurant! You just don't!

There was a promo for a new Gordon Ramsay FOX fall show -- Kitchen Nightmares. No, it's not going to be a show about my personal kitchen. Sheesh! Ramsay is going to go to restaurants and shape up their kitchens.

No, he's not welcome here. Before the show, I made a fine dinner of salmon loaf, Trader Joe's Garlic Mashed Potatoes (mmm!), and cauliflower. And I timed it so all was ready at the same time, plus I didn't take any food out of the trash. So there, Gordon Ramsay!

Sneak Peek: TNT's New Medical Drama 'Heartland'

Tomorrow night, after the season premiere of The Closer, will be the debut of Heartland.

What's that, you ask?

Heartland is the latest entry into original drama series for TNT, the network who knows drama. I've watched the first two episodes and, although I'm not a huge medical drama buff, I found them intriguing.

First off, the star of the show is Treat Williams. I've always liked him and he's been scarce for a number of years. So, I can forget that they even sent me a pair of nifty Heartland scub pants and just declare it a Treat of my own, eh?

Although a heart-rate increasing medical drama about organ transplants, the show is just as much about its lead characters -- Treat Williams as Dr. Nathaniel Grant (an organ transplant surgeon who's willing to take risks to give his patients a "second chance"), Kari Matchett as his ex-wife who has to work with him in her capacity of an organ donor coordinator. their teenaged daughter, his latest dating experiences (or are they experiments?), and the doctors, staff, and hierarchy of the hospital itself.

The organ donor angle is a story which needs to be told. And medical dramas often snag the interest of audiences. I think that folks who like a good medical drama, well-written, good characters, and not of the ilk where if you miss one show you're lost... Heartland may be just the show for you. The main storyline each episode wraps up (for good or bad) at the end of each hour and it's easy to get involved with watching.

Oh... did I mention it has Treat Williams?

Check it out tomorrow night - Monday, July 18 at 10 PM ET/PT on TNT.

'Big Brother 8' - Still in Anticipation

There isn't much new news to share about the upcoming season. Someone put in a Wikipedia entry that Rob Mariano (Boston Rob) was going to be on the show, but that's what happens when anyone can update an entry on Wikipedia. I strongly doubt that he'll be on the show.

Over at the Hamster Watch site run by my favorite That Dingo, it's mentioned that something is actually coming across on the live feeds link. So, I checked it out as my SuperPass is active. Yep... a sign of things to come! "I'm sorry. The Big Brother 8 live stream you're trying to access isn't available at this time. Please try later." Ohhh... white words on a black background! But, hey... it's a step in the right direction!

Puffin' Pants - This Week on 'The Late Show with David Letterman' - June 18-22, 2007

Oh, no! It's another week of repeats for Pants Man Dave!

What am I going to do? Well, I'll probably rewatch them but I'll warn you now... I'll be reading books with the show playing in the background. So there, Dave.

• Monday, June 18: Mike Myers (Shrek The Third) and America Ferrara (Ugly Betty).
• Tuesday, June 19: Jack Hanna (YAY), Katherine Heigl (Grey's Anatomy), and Patti Griffin whose latest CD is Children Running Through.
• Wednesday, June 20: Matt Damon (Ocean's Thirteen), Indy 500 Winner Dario Franchitti, musical guest Bright Eyes (CD is Cassadaga)
• Thursday, June 21: Johnny Depp and the Spinners. (No, Johnny Depp isn't the lead Spinner although that would be interesting.)
• Friday, June 22: Charles Barkley, Seth Rogan (Knocked Up), Michael Martin Murphey (best remembered for "Wildfire" but his latest CD is Heartland Cowboy: Cowboy Songs, Vol. 5)

Ah, we just have to wait until next Monday (June 25) on The Late Show with David Letterman. What's happening then? It's a new show! Bruce Willis is on! Diving dogs (always amusing) are on out on 53rd Street! But... most important to the Big Brother fans... it's the annual pre-season Julie Chen appearance on Letterman! Woohoo! We're getting near!

TV Newsy Bits - Saturday, June 16, 2007

Wasn't last night one of the more lackluster evenings in television history? Yes, there was the Daytime Emmy Award Show, or you could "attend" National Bingo Night. But neither of those rocked my socks. I ended up watching some odd show about the hippie era on the History Channel while reading a book.

Well, there was also the Subway Series game between the Yankees and the Mets. I had to share my train ride home from work with raucous fans. But the Mets won and broke the Yankees winning streak! Eek! I'm glad I didn't watch that!

Here's what I found out there on the web for this edition of TV Newsy Bits:

• Although I'm posting this a bit after the fact, the prison escapee who had plotted to kidnap David Letterman's son Harry is once again back behind bars. Good.
• Marcellas Reynolds from Big Brother has announced that he won't be co-hosting the Internet show Housecalls this year. In his forum, he cites his ever-busy career as one of the reasons. Um. Okay. He also mentions budget cuts and a format change. I previously posted on the blog that I saw Gretchen Massey's name, but no Marcellas. There is no Marcellas. It's a bit of a shame because he asked the questions fans wanted to ask and really understands the whole thing better than Gretchen.
• A commenter asked in a previous about the ad mentioning that The Black Donnellys were returning. From my understanding, it will be the rest of the season that had already been filmed. NBC yanked the show after showing a handful of episodes. It's some HD channel which is airing it. I don't get the channel, so I've lost my Donnellys.
• American Idol season one winner Kelly Clarkson has canceled her scheduled concert tour. She recently fired her manager and poor ticket sales were listed amongst other reasons for the decision.
• Director Wes Craven will be the guest judge on On the Lot next week (June 19). Ohhh... I wonder if they'll have to make scary movies!
• MSNBC has an intriguing article about reality television mogul Mark Burnett's hits and misses. In the article Burnett mentions that the 10 PM Sunday night time slot played a role in the demise of The Apprentice. I beg to differ. I think the change to L.A., the rich/poor gimmick, and the change away from George and Caroline to the TrumpKids had more to do with it. The time slot change was perhaps the final nail in the coffin to put the show out of its misery.
• The Fans of Reality TV forum has an interview with ousted from Hell's Kitchen little dude Eddie Langley. Eddie says that if he hadn't gone home he would have won. Okaaay...

That's it for now. When does Big Brother 8 start again? Where are we on our countdown? I need my live feeds for the down times of summer television!

'So You Think You Can Dance' - 6/14/07 Results Show - East Coast Updates

Tonight the three couples voted in the bottom, er... well, three... will have to "dance for their lives" solo. One male and one female will go home.

This entry will be updated with important results as the show airs here, so check back for the couple voted off! Remember, it's not a couple, per se. If one member of a couple dances well enough in the solo, he or she will go on.

Dominic and Sabra are bottom three. Ashlee and Ricky are also bottom three. The final three is rounded out with Faina and Cedric.

Going home are: Ashlee and... Ricky.

Whatever Will I Watch Tonight? - Thursday, June 14, 2007

Today is June 14. Do you know where your flag is?

Tonight's television is a mixed bag. In the 8 PM ET/PT hour on CBS, there's a new Pirate Master. Now, I've tried with the show, but pirates were never my thing and the show isn't doing anything to change my opinions, me mateys.

Oh, but ABC has the entire primetime block filled with basketball special shows and then a game. Hmmm.... NBA or pirates? FOX has a new Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader. Yes, I am. And I won't watch that. NBC has repeats of My Name is Earl and 30 Rock. CW has a repeat Smallville.

Court TV has two new back-to-back episodes of Speeders in the 8 PM ET/PT hour. Laugh if you must, but I may watch that. The network sent me a sampler of the show and, if nothing else, it's fast-paced. You also must remember that Cops is a guilty pleasure show of mine. This is along the same lines with speeders and their excuses trying to get out of tickets.

At 9 PM ET/PT, my definite choice is the So You Think You Can Dance results show. I'll be posting an East Coast Spoiler entry about the boot for those who wish to peek in from another time zone or those who just want to talk about the show.

Also on in that hour -- C.S.I. is a repeat on CBS, The Office and Scrubs are repeats on NBC. The CW is airing a Supernatural repeat. USA has a new Starter Wife episode and TLC has a new American Chopper.

At 10 PM ET/PT, while ABC is still playing the NBA, NBC has a new Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. CBS has a Shark rerun scheduled. TLC has a new Wrecks to Riches. Animal Planet is airing a new Animal Precinct (about time!). But I know I won't watch any of those. I'm catching The Wire on BET. Since I don't have HBO, I've become addicted to BET's airing of the series. I know I'll eventually catch the Animal Precinct episode as they air them for years in between new episodes!

What's your television schedule look like this evening?

(And remember to stop back for the So You Think You Can Dance East Coast Update which I should be posting shortly before 10 PM ET!