Survivors Ready? Less Than Two Weeks to Fiji!

Yep, the new season is almost upon us. Graphics artist Zoetawny has made me a new logo - have I mentioned lately that she rocks?

Survivor 14: Fiji begins on Thursday, February 8th, at 8 PM ET/PT. As it always has been (and we always complain), the season premiere is an hour, not the 90 minutes or two hours we often see with other reality television shows.

Similar to last season's diverse cast, we're in for a heck of a lot of diversity this year ranging from age to color to culture and beyond. I personally support this kind of mix on the show because, to me, it's more like the real world in which I live. Perhaps other areas of the country are different, but I live in a huge mix of cultures and colors within the Greater NYC Metropolitan Area. I love the mix and would find it a boring world if everyone looked alike, held the same beliefs, etc. I outlined the cast with bio information and photos in four separate entries - Part One, Part Two, Part Three, and Part Four.

As I tend to do, I've been poking about the Internet in search of more information and any spoilers I can find regarding the upcoming season. The biggest spoilers I really know come from my Unknown Castaway contact, but I'm not at liberty to divulge all that I know about that castaway. I made a few corrections to that initial article here.

I found several sources which reveal the reason we're seeing the odd number of 19 castaways at the start of the season. There were actually 20 castaways as they flew off to Fiji, but one dropped out before they were placed on the island. In stead of replacing her with an alternate (Sundra, an alternate, made it to the Final Four last season), they decided to leave it be and work around it.

In my travels, I visited one of my favorite Survivor sites, Survivor Fever. They always have some great pre-show footage and photos, as well as a spoilers area and cool things like a peek at the Survivors Base Camp for the production staff. Of particular interest to me on my latest visit was an interview with Jeff Probst originally posted by The Slug.

An excerpt from the interview (go to The Slug for the whole interview):

The Slug: Now there was some criticism about your influence during "Cook Islands," specifically when you pointed out Yul brought Jonathan his hat to Tribal Council. When is too much, you know, too much?
Jeff Probst: It's a fine line I walk. The line is being a moderator on the show and being an instigator. That fine line is when you start influencing the game too much. It's always a judgment call. It's never really any formal discussion about it. We all know that line. There's a lot of trust in me to not step over it. I'm sure at times I do, and I have. I'm sure there are times when I've been too heavy handed or hard on somebody. I usually can justify it in my head.

There was a time in the Cook Islands when Yul had skated through Tribal Council after Tribal Council and never really got hammered on anything. There was a point where he had revealed he had the Idol, he had revealed he was in control of the game and after that.

At the next Tribal Council, I felt like there were certain questions the audience was gonna want to know, which was "Why would you let a guy rule the game like this, have the Idol, let him tell you he has the Idol, let him tell you he's in control of the game and not try to stop it? Are you just gonna let him waltz to the finish line?" And Yul got upset. He's like, "Jeff, why are you picking on me?" And I said, "Yul, you've had a free pass for the last several Tribal Councils. I'm saying everything that everybody's thinking." So that's how I look at it.

I know there was controversy here on this blog and elsewhere about Jeff's "interference" in that incident. I see his reasoning, but I still think he went a bit further than he should at the Tribal Council. What do you think?

There are mild show spoilers in regard to how the show starts out and the have/have not theme comes into play, but nothing within the article spoils beyond the premise of the season.

I think we're in for another great season. Survivors ready?

TV Newsy Bits - Saturday, January 27, 2007

As I walked to the corner store yesterday afternoon (in the freezing cold, I might add), there was a Comcast van stopped at the red light with its window down. That's odd enough when the windchill is around 0.

What's even odder (more odd?) is that I could hear the voice of Ian Bernardo (American Idol reject) blasting from the van. Thankfully, he was talking and not singing. Oh, he was on the van's radio, not in the driver's seat. Although, now that I think of it, he reminds me of the last time I dealt with a Comcast customer service representative!

In a related note, but much friendlier, I received an email from American Idol NYC Auditions male singer with the beautiful woman's voice, Christopher Henry. He seems to be a nice guy. He's a music theater major who has no desire to sing in drag, but that's a comfort point for his singing voice. He said that if he knew then what he knows now, he would have chosen another song. But he's doing well and has had positive reaction from show fans as well as in radio and television interviews. I missed his Larry King interview the other night. Now, he can't be compared to the likes of an Ian Bernardo. He wasn't right for the competition, perhaps. But he does have a music background and a true interest in the field. I wish him the best of luck!

In other TV Newsy Bits:

• I caught a bit of I Love New York on VH1 last night for the first time. Eep. Omarosa (The Apprentice) was on it. Yikes.
• Ohhh! There's an insider peek into Survivor 14: Fiji contestant Edgardo Rivera from his college sports coach. He has a temper, huh? I wonder how that will work out on the show. Earrings, a tongue ring, and a bad attitude? But, but... he's so good-looking and clean cut in the CBS promo photos!
• There's yet another interview with one of my newly-found favorite television actors. Masi Oka (Hiro on Heroes) was recently interviewed here. I find him a fascinating and entertaining guy. He makes me smile and, to me, is the hit of the show.
• Celebrity Spider has the goods on the American Idol schedule. The top 24 singers will be revealed on February 14 (Valentine's Day) and the top 12 finalists will perform for the first time on Tuesday, March 13. We have three more audition shows to go through - Birmingham, San Antonio, and Los Angeles. Then, on February 7th, there will be a special "Rest of the Best" auditions show. On February 13th, it's onto the Hollywood rounds. Check out the article I linked for more details.

In the Spoiler Zone - Websites to Peruse (No Spoilers in Article Itself)

I only post the mildest non-really-spoiling show spoilers here on this blog, mainly because there's no way I can "hide" the information from those readers who don't want spoilers.

Sure, I'll post that I have inside information that the upcoming Survivor 14: Fiji was filmed entirely in HD (and that info is just starting to hit the web a few weeks after I posted it)... but I won't post the rumored final four in the upcoming Amazing Race 11: All Stars.

Just because I don't post the information doesn't mean I haven't come across some cool spoilers, foilers, and Internet rumors about shows as I scout about the Web. But, since I don't feel comfortable posting information which may "spoil" a show or information which could very well be just rumors, I'll let the readers decide. I'll give you some of the best spoiler sites and you can choose to go there or not... and to believe the spoilers or not.

One of the best and most comprehensive TV show spoiler sites out there is SpoilerFix. They cover almost every show you may want to know about. Want the latest spoilers on Grey's Anatomy? Well, it's updated today on the site. Another "overall" spoiler site I recommend is the Ask Ausiello column on the TV Guide website. That site has lots of insider information that a mere mortal like myself can't get without Hollywood connections. It's a weekly column and you can subscribe to it... if you want to know the skinny, that is. Kristin over at E!Online always has some good gossip and a few spoilers, too.

I like some of the individual show spoiler sites, but they're sometimes as lacking in knowledge as I can be myself. So, what you read there sometimes has to be taken with a grain of salt. It could be show fans following rumors or foilers-believers spreading the news. But, still, they can be an interesting read.

Lost spoilers can be found on these sites:

• LOST - The TailSection always has some good show spoilers and lots of show speculation.
• Although dependent on fellow show fans for spoilers, the Lost Spoilers Blog is always a good place to check in on.
• In addition to a huge plethora of show info, Lost-Media.com has spoilers.

The Amazing Race 11: All Stars is out there in the Spoilers Zone. As they filmed the season, there were fans around the globe reporting on the teams as they traveled. Now, the spoilers at this site are major. I can't actually vouch for their truthfulness as I didn't see the teams race through New Jersey. Beware that the final group of teams competing may be spoiled for you as will the route followed. Don't go to the site if you don't want to know. You've been warned. It's now up to you. (Please don't discuss the findings in comments as I'm sure some folks really, really don't want to know.)

Whatever Will I Watch on TV Tonight? Thursday, Jan. 25, 2007

After two nights of American Idol auditions, it seems a bit odd that they're not on this evening. It can be a good thing. After two rather intense nights of note-taking, camera-shooting, photo-editing, and writing extended entries, I can actually relax a bit.

What will I be watching (or not) this evening? Here's some of what's on:

At 8 PM ET/PT, it looks like almost everything on the basic networks is a repeat. Ugly Betty, C.S.I.: Miami, My Name is Earl, The Office... all repeats.

:::I interrupt this blog to bring an important news update. If you live in New Jersey, please limit your consumption of squirrels, especially ones found near the toxic waste sites near Ringwood. This came from the WNBC4 news I have on in the background as I write this. Hey, you over there with the squirrel in the oven, take heed! We return to the regularly scheduled blog entry at this time.:::

Back to the 8 PM slot -- over on the CW, Smallville is new. Oh, and CourtTV has on new Hot Pursuit shows back-to-back. Woowoo, pull it over! I think I'll reserve the hour for reading or writing endeavors.

At 9 PM ET/PT, there are some new episodes of some popular shows. C.S.I. is new on CBS and Grey's Anatomy is new on ABC (check the sidebar of the blog for the GA discussion post). Scrubs and 30 Rock are repeats. One show I see listed which would catch me if I didn't want to watch something else is the Winter X Games on ESPN. Although my ski-racing and adrenalin-rushing days are over, I love to watch that stuff... and preferably from inside where it's warm. Also at 9 PM, although I'll catch the later airing of it, BET is showing The Wire. I'm hooked on that one now that it's being shown off of HBO, but I want to watch C.S.I. Oh... and The O.C. is in its death stages, but it's also new this week on FOX. The CW is airing a new Supernatural.

The 10 PM ET/PT time slot is Repeat City with the exception of Men in Trees on ABC. Hmmm... TBS is showing Dumb and Dumber. I've never seen that one. It couldn't dumb me down any more than American Idol does, right?

What are you watching tonight?

TV Newsy Bits - Thursday, January 25, 2007

Here I am expecting an artic cold snap, but I laugh at the ill winds as I quaff my hot chocolate. Please note I don't have any outdoor plans, though. I'm still catching up on my books pile, now reading Ten Little New Yorkers by Kinky Friedman, about time I got to it! I have my TV, music, and books to keep me warm. That's all I need. Well, those and two not-so-aloof cats.

In TV Newsy Bits (and a Bit o' Blog Bits), here's the latest:

• I just received a note from one of my friends at Turner Broadcasting. I'm not all that into NBA games, but now I have the overwhelming need to watch TNT's promos for NBA All-Star 2007 (Feb. 16-18). Why, you ask? Because Jeremy Piven (hot) and, more dear to my heart, the Blue Man Group are to be featured. The Blue Man Group! It's enough to make me watch the game... almost! Great marketing, I must say.
• I mentioned that I filled out the job application for Primatech Paper (Heroes) in a previous post here. I received another note from Primatech today. They said " We are always interested in unique individuals with special abilities to help us provide the best service to our many clients." They promised a Primatech representative will be contacting me with further instructions. I'm not sure where this is leading, but it's intriguing. I hope they realize I'm just an observer-type. I don't want to be on the show or anything. My biggest super-power is my ability to eat large amounts of gourmet chocolate ice cream.
• Please remember that I've taken early peeks at the casts of The Amazing Race 11: All Stars and Survivor 14: Fiji. If you missed them, they're listed on the right sidebar.
• Reality News Online (RNO) have been giving their take on the Top Thirty Reality TV Contestants of 2006. Although I admit to watching a lot of television, perhaps even with a focus on the reality TV genre, I couldn't make such a list as my time (and interests) rule out so much of the genre. It's an interesting take - their number one choice was actually a duo. Well, um... one of them made my personal list.
• The New York Post extended American Idol wannabe Ian Bernardo's fleeting fame. Actually, I was surprised that he brought up a bit of a serious side in the interview.
• Huh, I didn't know that the actress who plays the Niki/Jessica role on Heroes, Ali Larter, was a Jersey Girl. Yes, from Cherry Hill which is over towards the Philadelphia area. [I'm more towards NYC. If I go atop the local "mountain," I can see the Manhattan skyline.]

'American Idol 6' - The New York City Auditions

"If I can be weird here, I can be weird anywhere... New York, New York."

It was another long two days for the judges as they faced the masses in New York City or, more accurately, East Rutherford, New Jersey. Although there were tons of street scenes from the city, the actual auditions were in the Continental Airlines Arena... Joisey. It's otherwise known as The Meadowlands and is the home stadium of the NY Giants, as well as the large rock concert tour circuit. There have been rumors for decades that Jimmy Hoffa is buried under the concrete there. I vividly recall the August days when the auditions were going on. With the local news coverage, it seemed like a mini-season all on its own.

The show started off with an oddity, thus promising it might be an entertaining evening. Yes, there was some talent, too. There were sob stories and crushed dreams, but not everyone can be an American Idol, right? Guest judge Carole Bayer Sager might not have realized what she got herself into.

Tonight's Most Notable of the Odd

Oh, snap! It's Ian Bernardo! I remember when he was a contestant on So You Think You Can Dance. He can't dance. Now he thinks he can sing. Nope, he definitely can't! I think Ian's true calling is to be a character actor playing a gay street punk in bad movies.

I'll give him credit for one thing, though. I think he came up with the best line of the night on the show while he ranted about Simon and company. "Hollywood is New Jersey with celebrities." Now, that cracked me up. I refused to watch the local FOX news afterwards to see more rants of his. He had his five minutes of fame with me this year. Next.

I somehow missed Antonio's age, but he looks at least 45 to me. Coming out in a black suit with a fedora to sing "New York, New York" is always a bit gimmicky at the New York City auditions. Frank could carry it off, but Antonio certainly can't. It would help if he didn't blatantly sing "New Yor, New Yor."

In some ways he reminds me of Joe Pesci. I have an idea! While Ian is playing a gay street punk, Antonio can be a two-bit thug. It could be American Idol Wannabes Story... like West Side Story, only different. They could "sing" each other to death!

Chris looks normal enough and indeed doesn't seem to be any sort of whacko. They decided he looked like Simon Cowell, which I'm not really seeing. Chris mentioned George Michael, too. That I see a bit.

But what he didn't mention is that he sings with a beautiful woman's voice. I closed my eyes and could have sworn it was a woman. Perhaps Simon shouldn't have made the comment about the stilettos and dress. However, I think the guy could make a killing in drag singing in shows. I don't think he would work in well in American Idol.

Sarah looks normal, doesn't she?

She's got a problem.

She can't sing. She knows she can't sing and tells the judges that she's tone-deaf. What's she doing auditioning to become the American Idol? Well, she wants them to teach her how to sing! She wants them to mold her into a pop star from the get-go. It ain't gonna happen, Sarah. And, you shouldn't have gotten as upset as you did about the rejection.

She wants to be called Isadora. Ryan Seacrest kept calling her "Julie." I call her performance tonight's Most Notable of the Odd.

Words cannot describe her performance. (Well, maybe if I spelled them wrong and changed fonts throughout each word...!)

Voulez-vous couchez avec moi, ce soir? Non.

There Were Some Good Ones

Jenry (pronounced Henry) is amazing. It should be illegal that this kid is only 16-years-old. He's charismatic, extremely good-looking, mature, and he can sing well. Paula called him "easy on the eyes" and I must agree.

A few folks from previous seasons returned to the New York City auditions. Ashanti had gone to Hollywood twice, but didn't make it. Yet fellow ex-Hollywood level singer from last year, Nick Pedro, stunned me again with his voice. Last season, he quit when he forgot the lyrics in the group round. He's going to Hollywood once again.

Best friends and Jersey Girls, Amanda Coluccio and Antonella Barba both made the cut. Nineteen-year-old Sarah Burgess sneaked away from both her parents and school to audition. She didn't think her father would support her dream. She was wrong and she's going to Hollywood.

Kia Thornton is heading there as is Jory Steinberg. Chris Richardson, a bit reminiscent of Justin Timberlake in both looks and voice is heading to Hollywood. A young girl who's on an opera scholarship, Rachel Zevita, came across as a character, but her opera is amazing and she can even sing rock. When asked about herself, she told Simon she's a singer, songwriter, and rock star. Simon told her all of them can go to Hollywood.

Paula seemed coherent for the NYC auditions and Simon went missing for the first part of the second day. One of the ranters (Sarah Goldberg), claimed the judges were out until three in the morning before the second day. All I can say is they weren't here with me.

In the two days in New York City (Jersey), 35 went through to Hollywood. That's the most we've seen from any audition. I think we need a group hug for NYC!

The next auditions come to us from Birmingham, Alabama. Will they bring it and sing it?

TV Newsy Bits - Wednesday, January 24, 2007

It's chilly out there, but warm in here. A bit too warm in some places nearby me, I might add. I hear there's a four-alarm apartment building fire about ten blocks away from me and a restaurant I like to frequent has been destroyed by an overnight fire. So, I'd say "keep the home fires burning," but don't... please.

I have a few days off from my day job, as you might be able to tell from the times I've been posting articles. I also have had some time to catch up on my book-reading and taped-shows watching. Woohoo!

Here are some of the TV Newsy Bits I found out on that Big Bad Web this morning:

• USA Today has an article about the fifteen minutes of fame that comes with being an American Idol reject, especially one who has endured the Wrath of Simon Cowell. Huh. Kenneth Briggs told The Today Show his name is Kenneth Swale. It seems the viewing audience may be more upset than the Idol rejects.
• What's two-timing Survivor Stephenie LaGrossa up to these days? The Asbury Park Press spills the beans on her latest adventures.
• Lost returns on February 7th at 10 PM ET/PT. In case you've forgotten where Lost left off, they'll be airing a Lost Survivor Guide prior to the new episode.
• BuddyTV has an article about the new hero introduced in the online graphic novel for Heroes, but not yet seen on the show. I'm not talking about the Invisible Guy.
• Speaking of Heroes, Celebrity Spider has a rather in-depth look at next week's episode. Sulu, beam me up. (Okay, I know that should be Scotty, but he passed away some time ago.)
• TV Tattler has a Katharine McPhee interview in which she tells of her upcoming Ugly Betty role and catches us up on what's she's been doing since coming in second on last season's American Idol.
• Is your favorite show on the list? AOL Television has listed last week's twenty top-rated shows according to the Nielsens. Their list certainly differs from my own! Football is number one? Yikes, not with me!
  

'American Idol 6' - The Memphis Auditions

Now, I know these auditions were taped months ago. But, it's as if the judges could hear the uproar last week over their "mean" ways. Tonight was a kinder and gentler American Idol audition. No one was called a bush baby and most who cried shouldn't have been there in the first place. Both Simon and Randy lightened up their treatment of the failures and the oddities weren't the focus for the most part. Many of the Notable of the Odd weren't even named -- they were in an Elvis "Hunk of Burning Love" montage.

The show started out with a male cheerleading captain, accompanied by his squad (is that what it is?) and marching band. Frank Byers, Jr., wasn't horrible as he sang "I Heard it Through the Grapevine." He was just a bit too much. Don't save the cheerleader... please.

There were some not-so-good contestants (who really shouldn't have tried out) like Timika Sims shyly singing with a voice which seemed to come from deep within her nasal cavities. There was Wandera Hitchye, a woman who really doesn't sing well, was let down very nicely by the judges, yet ranted and raved.

Tonight's Most Notable of the Odd

Many of tonight's Most Notable of the Odd were never shown in an actual audition, as I mentioned above. The center girl, Alexis Partee, decided to semi-strip her sweater and don't ask me what she was up to! The one on the left was never named, yet said, "I forgot my medication." And, Hunka Hunka was almost X-rated while wearing a huge baby bonnet. Eep.


Janita Burks claimed to be conservative and sexy. Neither, I say! SHe could have teamed up with Hunka Hunka and we would have had Porn Idol. Simon said she was a handful. I say they could have used that American Idol emblem over her chest at times. I have no idea what was going on with the one in the middle. Her audition, with the exception of the montage, was never shown. Robert Lee Holmes started it all. He thinks he does a good Elvis. He does not. Trust me on this one.

There were a few other notables like Travis McKinney and Christopher McCain. Travis sang some bizarre song he claimed would fill the stage with emotion. If you call annoyance emotion, he did his job. Christopher had a crush on Paula and, since he recently broke up with his wife, he's available. Paula looked like she'd rather hear from Corey Clarke again. Thankfully, Christopher's singing wasn't much better than his possibilities with Paula.

Oh, There Were a Few Notable Good Ones in Memphis!

Sundance Head may not look like a contender, but he certainly is one. He's the son of singer Roy Head, a fairly popular singer in the mid-sixties. I remember the songs, but I liked The Beatles more. (Yes, I'm that old... got a problem with it? To be honest, I was pretty young at the time and listened to the records of older people. Yeah, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.)

Sundance belted out "Stormy Monday" like he was born to sing the blues. It'll be interesting to see him adapt to other styles and see what they do with his "look" if he makes it into the 12 finalists.


I found Melinda Doolittle not only a singing powerhouse, but she was also a refreshing delight to watch. She's a background singer for someone else and her shyness has kept her from stepping out and singing on her own.

Wow. She can sing!

She needs to gather some self-confidence, but I feel this girl's a winner nonetheless. It was nice to see someone who doesn't think they're "all that." I hope she goes far.

Yes, I know he looks more like he should be in Tonight's Most Notable of the Odd, but he's going to Hollywood. Sean Michel is actually kind of cute under all that hair. He has a nice smile and a decent voice.

He received comments like "wow" and "soulful" from the judges. He's also going to be another one to watch what they do with his looks if he makes it into the finalists.

In the two days of Memphis auditions, cut to one hour here on the East Coast (and elsewhere? I don't know), they put through 22 more to Hollywood. Tomorrow is home territory for me... the New York City auditions. Yes, I remember when they were holding them. No, I didn't try out.

A Tale of Two Swords...

Oh, my goodness, I don't think I've ever had such a sword-filled Monday evening.

First there was How I Met Your Mother. The friends found a nude painting of Marshall that Lily had painted when they were in college. Although there was another storyline in which Ted was trying to fire his ex-boss Hammond Druthers, the painting was the true fun instigator of the episode.

When they "told" Marshall about finding the painting, the hints revolved around "I have a new dart." New dart, of course, is nude art. Yeah, it's a bit sophomoric, but funny nonetheless. Barney talked Lily into painting him nude; Lily and Marshall demanded money. In the end, Barney got the Ken Treatment. Little Barney never showed. But, his stance with the sword leads me into...

...Heroes!

Here's a quick bullet-point update on last night's Heroes (not necessarily in the order of occurrence) followed by some of my thoughts (feel free to share your own thoughts or ideas):

• Niki/Jessica is in jail. She turned all Jessica on the guards and eventually ended up in the good ol' padded cell.
• Micah still wants his Mom, D.L. isn't so sure.
• Matt Parkman, the mind-reading cop, teamed with his FBI buddy to raid HRG's (Mr. Bennett's) paper company in search of Sylar.
• Either HRG or The Haitian blocked their thoughts from Matt and the raid was a bust.
• Claire met up with The Haitian wanting him to restore Zach's memories of her. We find he can only erase memories, not restore them.
• Hiro, Ando, Isaac, Simone, and Nathan all met up at Isaac's studio.
• Peter was comatose at the beginning of the show, probably due to absorbing so many powers from his Sylar encounter, as well as with others.
• Sprague, the radioactive-hands dude, is in a shack in the desert.
• Sylar is indeed still alive and still a captive of Mr. Bennett and Company. He's not doing so well and there's huge cockroach crawling around in his "room." I'm talking one of those really huge ones like a Madagascar hissing cockroach or something.
• Mr. Bennett met up with Suresh in NYC and they both lamented over Eden. Suresh is leery of him.
• Hiro and Ando found the sword Hiro sought in a museum. Hiro slowed down time all around him to steal it only to find it was a replica, not a real sword at all. And, not only that, but a replica donated by the notorious Mr. Linderman. The incident showed that Hiro's encounter with the dinosaur took place in the museum, not back in time.
• Claire either tried to jolt Zach's memory or create a new knowledge of her powers by re-enacting the falls from the building videotape - "this is my first attempt."
• Peter's coma and fever broke and he ran from the hospital (really ticking off his mother).
• Peter started roaming the streets of Manhattan trying to make arrangements to fly to Las Vegas to a desert area as he's sure he'll be combusting soon.
• As he walked along, he spotted the newest hero - an invisible man (played by Christopher Eccleston of Dr. Who fame). Like Jessica of Jessica/Niki, he wasn't using his powers for good. He was pickpocketing and stealing. They struggle, Peter's eyes light up once more.

Okay, those were the basics of this episode, "Godsend."

First, I want to know more about the mysterious, yet notorious, Mr. Linderman. I'm beginning to get the feeling he may be Mr. Bennett's boss, but I could be off-base. Also, the sword replica. As you see in the photo of it, it bears the same design as the tattoos on Jessica and Matt Parkman (other places, too). What's the significance? It looks like the mangling of a Japanese character or perhaps the mix of two.

Remember the business card Mr. Bennett passed to Matt during the raid? Well, I went to the URL they listed for Primatech Paper - "Paper, People, Performance. Primatech, since 1962." There are a few things about this... first, if you call the toll free phone number on the card and then ask for the hiring department, you'll be given a code to open the application on the site. I did so and completed my application. I got a brief note back telling me they were reviewing my qualifications. On the phone they said they were looking for "motivated people with abilities to fit our needs." Huh, you don't say. On the application there's a place to sign up for newsletters or text messages. I signed up for the email newsletters.

The second thing about Primatech I'm wondering is the date. 1962. Is there any significance to that? Could it have been the year Suresh's Dad started his research? Or, perhaps the year that HRG (Horn-Rimmed Glasses, now known as Mr. Bennett) was born? I don't know. I can't recall any specific references to that year.

As for the characters, I'm so loving Hiro! I even like Ando; he plays so well off of Hiro. I'm glad that Nathan is perhaps not a bad guy, but bad gal Jessica can go far away. I'm not thrilled with that whole storyline although I enjoy Micah and D.L. I wish that Eden had stayed around instead of Jessica/Nikki, though. I'm hoping that Claire (whom I enjoy) can get Zach's memory back or rebuild the knowledge - I like Zach although he seems to be non-gay now. (That was a brouhaha before the hiatus!)

What will the new hero bring to the mix? Other than his invisibility, that is. He was shocked that Peter could see him. Now, if Peter hooks up with him, he can be invisible, too.

Peter Petrelli - Peter Parker -- coincidence or not? With great power comes great responsibility.

I'm looking forward to next week's show as the story is...
.... to be continued.

TV Newsy Bits - Monday, January 22, 2007

Did you know that today is Blue Monday, supposedly the most depressing day of the year? Well, it's not for me as Heroes returns this evening!



In TV Newsy Bits I found peeking about the big bad Internet:

• TMZ has the scoop on the cast for the spring edition of Dancing With the Stars. What? No Fergie?
• The New York Daily News has reported that Simon Cowell apologized for referring to Kenneth Briggs as a "bush baby" during the Seattle American Idol auditions. Well, kind of, sort of apologized. I was just happy they weren't overly cruel to Jonathan Jayne in that bit - Kenneth seems to be made of tougher stuff.
• Actor Ron Carey, remembered fondly by me for his role as Officer-wannabe-Detective Levitt in Barney Miller, passed away at the age of 71. Rest in peace, Mr. Carey - you brought some smiles into my life.
• Paula Abdul denies ever being drunk. Ever, I say. At the same time, Randy Jackson claims there's "nothing" in the Coke cups. Then what's up with her? And, if the cups are indeed empty, why are they sipping from them? Oh, wait, he admits there's Coke in them. Never mind.
• BuddyTV has an exclusive interview with Michelle "I Quit" Sorro who left The Apprentice: L.A. last night.
• It's been reported (and is old news at this point, but I haven't mentioned it until now) that the soap opera Passions will be ending in order for The Today Show to run another hour. Now, I don't watch Passions (soaps are on my never watch list), but I think that's a bit too much for The Today Show. It's interesting at times, but four hours?

Whatever Will I Watch on TV Tonight?

The cold weather may make me want to stay inside my warm apartment and, as luck has it, some of my favorite television shows return tonight and others have new episodes slated. Oh, TV life is good sometimes, isn't it?

For me, tonight's huge draw is the return of Heroes. Yes! We're talking 9 PM on NBC in most viewing areas. Tonight's episode is entitled "Godsend" and the blurb on the listings is: "Nathan seeks Simone's help to save comatose Peter; Hiro and Ando go in search of the sword in Isaac's painting; Jessica struggles with Niki's decision to turn herself in to the police; a new hero makes a shocking debut." Ack! Peter's comatose? We saw the promos where he seems to combust, but...! Oh, I'll be watching this one and I'm so psyched that it's returning.

But I'm getting ahead of myself here. The 8 PM ET/PT time slot is also all new shows, or new episodes, I should say. CBS will have me for the new episodes of How I Met Your Mother and The Class, the first one being my "must watch" show while the latter is more because it's there and follows HIMYM. NBC is airing a new Deal or No Deal (a show which has never interested me) while ABC has a new Wife Swap (a show I've watched now and then). FOX has a new episode of Prison Break in the slot. Everybody Hates Chris is also new this week on the CW Network.

In the 9 PM ET/PT slot, against Heroes, there's a new 24 on FOX; new epsiodes of Two and a Half Men and the New Adventures of Old Christine on CBS; and Supernanny on ABC. I can bet the last one will be trailing in the ratings.

The 10 PM ET/PT time slot is my down time as far as major network television goes. CBS has a new episode of C.S.I.: Miami, but that's the one show of the franchise I just can't get into due to my dislike of David Caruso's "acting" skills. Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (NBC) and What About Brian (ABC) are both new episodes, but once again, shows I have tried and don't care to watch. But, if any are your cup of tea, they're new this week. I'll probably watch The Sopranos over on A&E. I'm still catching up with that show as I don't get HBO with my cable television package.

What will you be watching tonight?

You Asked?

Sometimes folks ask questions or email me questions (about television, of course). Well, sometimes I get asked other questions, but let's stick to TV, please! Here are a few questions I've been asked lately and my answers to the best of my research and/or knowledge.

Has Cash Cab been canceled?

There is no official notice on the website that the show has been canceled although it has indeed been removed from the current schedule. The show's website page still exists with no mention of cancelation. It went from being shown in the early evenings (Discovery Channel) to a kiss-of-death slot in the mornings at 9 and 9:30. The show had been in reruns until last week and it just doesn't exist this week in television listings. The message forum for the show has conflicting information. On host Ben Bailey's website page, he mentions canceling some comedy shows on February 1-3 for Cash Cab filming. Since that section of his website is updated, we can only hope the show is just on a hiatus until new episodes are in the can. And, of course, I hope it's brought back to the early evening slot.

What the heck is going on at WCBS2 News in New York City?

I've posted a few articles about the changes in the news staff - WCBS-TV (NYC), Darn You! last spring and more recently WCBS News Wishes Another to the Cornfield? In addition to the names listed, also wished to the cornfield recently were tech editor Brett Larson (last seen in December) and news anchor Reid Lamberty. Rumors have it that Cindy Hsu's contract is ending soon and she too will be banished from the Magic Kingdom. The missing already include Roz Abrams, Mario Bosquez, Vanessa Alfano, Audrey Puente, Shon Gables and more. Don't ask me why... that WCBS2 would have to answer.

'The Apprentice: L.A.' - Ep. 3 -or- "You can't fire me. I quit."

You know, this season isn't doing too much to redeem itself. Yes, I know this is only the third episode. I believe some key factors are coming into play which could very well spell out the end to the Trump era in reality television. The move to Los Angeles puts the focus on many minutes of surfing and palms. Why so much? Once you've seen the two guys lugging the surfboards, need it be shown each week? Maybe if it tied in with the show itself, it would be okay. Yeah, put them in Carey's pink skimpy suit. That's the ticket.

The new "twist" with the losing team living in tents, albeit fancier than in my own camping days, is wearing thin on both the candidates and me as a viewer. Oh, let them go rough it in an EconoLodge or Motel 6. I'm sick of hearing them fuss and Michelle is right - it's not what she signed up for when she applied. These folks didn't sign up to be on a pampered Survivor. They want to be corporate leaders. Whoever came up with the tent bit should be fired, I say. Perhaps it wouldn't be too bad if the same team didn't lose every week, but that's been the case so far. It's knocking their morale down and annoying me. Make it stop.

And, my last rant before I talk a bit about what happened in tonight's episode - I miss Carolyn and George. With nepotism ruling, Trumpette and Trumpling (Ivanka and Donald, Jr.), the show has changed from mature professionals judging tasks to kids born with silver spoons in their mouths working for Daddy and passing judgment on folks who may know more than them about life in corporate settings. Yes, I'm sure they're both bright kids and even good kids. Nonetheless, they're Trump's kids working for him and now on television. How would they be doing in another job working for anyone else? Oh, well, they have job security, I guess.

Tonight's show had a twist within the twist, if you can follow that. Last week's winning team (Kinetic with Heidi as permanent Project Manager as long as the wins keep happening) didn't take part in tonight's task. Instead, they got massages and spent the day in luxury at the Loew's Hotel in Santa Monica.

The losing team, Arrow, was split into two separate teams. Although Aaron jumped to be the Project Manager for one team, Trump pretty much put Michelle on the spot for the second slot. She reluctantly accepted and chose Tim, Nicole, and Frank to be on her team. Since Aaron was the second to make his first pick, he ended up with a three-person team instead of four. His team included himself, James, and Stefani.

I actually liked this week's task more than the first two tasks. The teams had to come up with a Starline double-decker bus tour and it was the customers who would fill out surveys at the end to decide the winner. Now, I've never taken a tour bus like this, but I see the Big Apple Tour Buses all the time. I know they're popular and, with the right stuff to get the tourists, they're probably a lot of fun.

Once again, it was obvious that one team "got it" and the other team was doomed to failure. In this case, it was Aaron's team who really delved into the task. They came up with the idea of Laker Girls and "Famous Places, Beautiful Faces" thanks to a bit overly-enthusiastic James. But, they did it. They lined up the talent, researched an existing tour to see what tourists liked or not, and then spent more time fact-checking for along their route.

Michelle's team just wasted time. Michelle and Tim drove around Los Angeles trying to come up with a route that way. How foolish is that method, I ask? They're not familiar with the territory and didn't have a clue. My own thought would be to Google "Hollywood Landmarks" or something similar, then plan the route from there... not waste time driving around looking for landmarks. (Yes, I'm rolling my eyes here.) The friction between Michelle and her team members continued. Their theme was "The Lives of the Rich and Famous" but they would have done better with "Seedy Sections of Hollywood."

The big event came and even though James was a bit out there and may necessitate me to rename him Excitable Boy instead of Frank, they did well. Ivanka actually smiled. Over at Michelle's bus, it was a disaster. They didn't have facts, their microphones were constant feedback, and all went downhill from there.

In the boardroom, the Arrow team divided faced Trump and the TrumpKids. Both sides seemed to think they did pretty well until Trump focused on Michelle's team. Frank got in one "at the end of the day" during the session. (Remember, I'm keeping count.) Trump got the whole team pretty much tanking Michelle before they even announced the results of the customer surveys.

Not unexpectedly, Aaron's team received an 82% approval rate while Michelle's team only earned a 58%. Sympathy votes must have pushed them that high. Their tour was a disaster.

Before things could go any further, Michelle quit. Yes, the second in the history of the series to drop out. In Season 3, Verna Felton quit saying she was tired. In Michelle's case, while she doesn't rock my world as a candidate, I think she has a valid point. She didn't sign up to live in a tent and play Survivor in Beverly Hills. That has never been how the show worked in the past and the candidates were not told of the changes before coming aboard. No matter how much Trump tries to gloss over things, quitting is a smart move, I think. If she faced the boardroom, she surely would have been fired. She had nothing to lose but her dignity as the show continued. I say kudos to her for quitting, kudos!

I myself am pondering quitting if this show continues to follow this path. What would Trump say about me? Nyah, he's not the boss of me!

Dollar bills, y'all...

'Survivor 14: Fiji' - The Castaways, Part 4

Survivors ready? The new season will premiere Thursday, February 8th at 8 PM ET/PT. Although I haven't seen confirmation, I'm sure it's only going to be an hour as it has been in past years. So, (at least) one of the 19 castaways will be gone before we even get to know him... or her.

I previously listed the other castaways in Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3. For easy referencing, I'm also going to add these entries in their own section in the blog's sidebar. Then, as the series airs, I can see exactly how wrong I was in my predictions. Hey, I'm just an avid fan of the show; I'm not omniscient. I refuse to place wagers. In making my predictions and observations, I'm using the bios and favorites listed at the official CBS Survivor 14: Fiji website.

The Last Four Castaways in This Series

Stacy was born in South Korea, adopted at the age of six months, and raised in Montpelier, Vermont. She chose to move to Miami sight unseen at the age of 17, attending the Ai Miami International School of Art and Design, interning, and working full-time. She sounds like a go-getter, doesn't she?

From her bio page: "Kimball enjoys knitting, making jewelry and cooking. She describes herself as resourceful, optimistic and good-humored. Whether living in Vermont, Miami or Boulder, she is most proud of her ability to adapt to her surroundings." She's single and her birth date is October 1, 1979.

What do her Favorites tell about her?

• For a favorite color, she likes "baby pink." Is that a real color? Is that a new crayon or something? [I'll always miss raw umber and burnt sienna.]
• She likes backgammon, but lists no video games.
• Her most common answer throughout the listing is "no favorite." She either likes too many to list or likes none at all, I guess.
• No favorite TV show, no favorite sport. No Survivor listed. Does she even know the show? I don't know.
• She likes horseback riding. That's always a good skill for the show, right?
• Well, she likes Sinatra and lounge music. That's not quite what I expected from her.

Gee, I don't know about this girl. Her favorites don't tell me much about how she'll do on the show while her bio itself shows she might be strong. Her possibilities could go either way, but I doubt she'll win it all or even come close.

Next up to the plate is Mookie Lee. I had to say that as the only other "Mookie" I've ever heard of was a baseball player. This Mookie was born in Seoul, Korea, moved to Connecticut, and raised in Northbrook, Illinois. His Bachelor's is in Actuarial Science and Finance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

From his bio page: "Lee enjoys traveling, playing competitive sports (particularly basketball and volleyball) and spending time with his friends and family. He is a die-hard Chicago Bears fan and is a season ticket holder. He describes himself as outgoing, humorous, strong-minded, competitive and athletic." Mookie is single, currently living in downtown Chicago, and his birth date is November 10, 1981.

So far, so good. Taking a gander at his Favorites:

• Favorite colors are black and blue. I hope he doesn't bruise easily.
• Another Monopoly player. [I swear that often that's the only board game folks can think of when asked. Me? I'd say Scrabble.]
• Yet another new castaway not listing Survivor amongst favorite television shows. What's up with that? He lists Seinfeld, CSI, SportsCenter, Entourage, and 24.
• An interesting (and different) choice of magazines including SmartMoney and Money. In his favorite books I see Confessions of an Economic Hit Man. I'm sensing some sort of pattern here, aren't you?
• He likes Bacardi and Jagermeister Bombs.

Mookie looks like he may be a strong contender - young, in good physical shape and such. But my Survivor-sense isn't tingling. I just don't get the feeling that he'll make the Final Four. Don't ask me why... and I could be totally off-base.

Ah, the "older woman" of the cast. Can she break free of the fate of previous Survivor Women in their 50s? (I think of MadDog and the singing one, Wanda...!) Sylvia was born in Hong Kong, but moved to Los Angeles when she was eight years old. After high school, she moved up the coast and earned her degrees (Bachelor's and Masters) at the University of California at Berkeley. She's the founder and Chairman of a renowned architectural firm in San Francisco.

From her bio page: "Kwan describes herself as creative, energetic and determined, and according to her husband, holds the unofficial title of “Ultimate Consumer.” In her spare time, Kwan plays tennis, skis, hikes and plays golf. She’s also happy that she finally learned how to swim, because it was sink or swim as a Survivor contestant. Kwan's never met an exercise routine she didn’t like, keeping in shape with Pilates, yoga, Tai Chi, and any new type of gym equipment introduced." She lives with her husband of 26 years, has two children, and her birth date is August 18, 1954.

Time to glean more insight from her Favorites:

• In most categories, she lists multiple favorites. That means she enjoys life or that she's indecisive, I say.
• She likes Scrabble! And Apples to Apples, whatever that is.
• She enjoys hiking, jogging, and running. [I would think the last two similar interests, but I never got into either.]
• Once again, no Survivor listed in favorite TV shows. She likes Jeopardy, The Apprentice, and Shark.
• She has a lot of favorite fruits, but likes sugarless candybars? Oh, the horror! But she redeems herself by liking dark chocolate.

In looking at her favorites, Sylvia seems very health-conscious. She also seems very intelligent. Will those aspects help her make it to be the Sole Survivor? Can she beat the older-woman odds of the show? I think she may do better than some in the past, but I'm not getting winner vibes from her. I hope I'm wrong - it would be cool for a 52-year old woman to win. Yeah, Tina Wesson won one season and she was an "older" woman, but Colby Donaldson handed that win to her on a silver platter. (That's my own personal opinion, of course.)

Last, but certainly not least as he just happens to be the last man on an alphabetical level, we have Yau-Man. Fun to say, isn't it? Yow, man! Yau-Man Chan is originally from Malaysian Borneo (ringing a Survivor bell with me) and moved to the United States where he earned his degree at M.I.T. Then he went on to earn a Masters at the University of California at Santa Barbara. While he's currently the Director of Information Systems for the College of Chemistry at the University of California at Berkeley, he's worked menial jobs while coming up - including dishwasher and house painter.

From his bio page: "Chan enjoys playing table tennis, bicycling, woodworking and reading. He is a member of the USA Table Tennis Association. He describes himself as intellectual and contemplative. He considers himself a natural leader, a good organizer, very skilled with his hands, very resourceful and feels he possesses a keen intellect." Yau-Man Chan has been married for 23 years, has two children and he was born on August 26, 1952.

Oh, but what about his Favorites?

• On quick glance, I see his favorites are short and to-the-point.
• No favorite board games, but enjoys the Atari classic games and Mrs. Pac-Man.
• He's not into team sports at all. [Does that mean he's not a team player?]
• He likes to watch the news and 60 Minutes. Not a single reality show listed and, more importantly, no Survivor listed. Yikes.
• He enjoys classical music and reads The Economist.
• He likes shrimp chips as a snack. Hmmm... never noticed them on the shelves. They sound tasty to me!
• So many one-word answers.

Oh, Yau-Man seems to have a lot working against him - his age, the fact that he seems so "serious" in his Favorite listings, his lack of knowledge (so it seems) regarding Survivor itself. But, then again, he grew up in Borneo, a key Survivor territory. I'm going to go out on a limb here and give a strong player prediction. I think he might just make Final Four. Don't ask me why - it could be because I like to say his name. And, of course, I have nothing to lose. I'm not placing any wagers.

It's Pants-olicious! - This Week on 'The Late Show with David Letterman' - Jan. 22-26

Last week I mentioned changes in the official website for the show. The Dave himself mentioned the changes during the week. If you're a Late Show fan, or even if you're just interested in some of the past guests, you should take a peek at the official site as there are tons of video clips in the archives and lots o' neat stuff. You could spend hours going through it all, so grab yourself a cup of joe and prepare to settle in.

My only complaint about the page is that it no longer lists the upcoming guests for the week. In a way that's okay as the website listings were notoriously obsolete for some time now. So, it's off to the listings for the show elsewhere...

• Monday, January 22: Actor Kevin Spacey, musician Alicia Keys, Nellie Kay and the Broadway Philharmonic perform. Oh, I always enjoy Kevin Spacey's appearances on the show. He's interesting and witty. What more could I want?
• Tuesday, January 23: Actors Forest Whitaker and Ricky Gervais with musical guests The Shins. Sounds good to me!
• Wednesday, January 24: Impressionist Frank Caliendo spoofs sports commentator John Madden, actress Mandy Moore and Rosanne Cash performs. Um, okay. For some reason Wednesday night shows aren't hitting with me so much lately. However, the monologue and other happenings keep me tuned in.
• Thursday, January 25: What? From the listings I see, this one is a repeat. Howard Stern (promoting himself and Sirius, as usual) and Gwen Stefani. The Stefani performance is excellent.
• Friday, January 26: Another repeat? Dave must have some wild plans for an extended weekend or something, eh? But, if you missed Clint Eastwood's appearance on the show in December, you'll want to check it out. Plus, actor Matthew Fox from Lost.

There you go. Pantsolicious, of course.

TV Newsy Bits - Saturday, January 20, 2006

Baby, it's cold outside. To me, this is the kind of weather that makes me want to stay inside... watching TV or DVDs, of course! Well, if my knee was better, skiing may be on the menu. But that's not the case.

There's no American Idol on this weekend, which could be a good thing. But there's a lot of other stuff! I've marked my own calendar to watch The Wire at 9 PM ET/PT on BET. I'm so glad I discovered the show there since I don't have HBO. And, what's even better is that time slot. None of my "have to see" shows are on at that time... until now with The Wire.

Here are the TV Newsy Bits I found while peeking around the Internet:

• TMZ broke the news that American Idol Hollywood choice Tommy Daniels has a criminal record. (He's the 'fro dude.) Meanwhile, Rosie has a new target.
• Heroes will return Monday night and the viewers will experience a TV 360 experience with interactive activity according to this Celebrity Spider article.
• Shhh... Milo Ventimiglia of Heroes reveals a few spoilers.
• Will Rob and Amber hit the "end of their shelf life" after the upcoming season of The Amazing Race? Entertainment Weekly seems to think so.
• CW has renewed Everybody Hates Chris for another season. I don't talk about the show so much, but the episodes I've seen, I've liked. Actor Todd Bridges, a survivor of Diff'rent Strokes, will be a guest star on Monday's episode.
• CBS has ordered/renewed Survivor through 2007-2008 - two more seasons in addition to the upcoming Survivor 14: Fiji.

What's on Television Tonight?

There's no American Idol to tie up the hours, but there are plenty of new episodes of other shows on tonight.

At 8 PM ET/PT on ABC, it's an all-new Ugly Betty while ABC has new episodes of My Name is Earl and The Office. Since CBS is showing a repeat in the slot, it's a great opportunity to check out the other shows. Oh... and Fox has new episodes of 'Til Death and The War at Home. CW has a new Smallville on.

A new C.S.I. starts at 9 PM ET/PT and we'll the new boss taking Grissom's place. Kemper. Kempler? Simon Templar? Whatever. NBC has new episodes of Scrubs and 30 Rock while ABC is showing a new Grey's Anatomy (check out the blog discussion post to talk about the show). FOX is showing a new episode of the dwindling down The O.C. CW has a new Supernatural and A&E has a new The First 48 (which is an interesting real action police investigation show). BET is showing The Wire (repeated late Saturday night).

At 10 PM ET/PT, NBC is showing an E.R. repeat while ABC has a new Men in Trees and CBS has a new Shark. Over on MTV, there's a new Real World.

'American Idol 6' - The Seattle Auditions

The smile on Simon's face that you see in the photo didn't stay around too long as the auditions hit Seattle. Not to worry, Minneapolis, Seattle brought about even a worse day of auditions according to Simon. In one day, Minneapolis put through 17 contestants to Hollywood. In two days in Seattle, only 14 made the cut.

A few things remained constant between both audition cities. The level of the talents, both the highs and the lows, are a bit disappointing for me this season. Why the heck are they keeping the left door of the double doors locked in place? It was another evening of "the other door." Not everyone is righthanded, American Idol. I was waiting for someone to run out in horror after a Simon scowl, hit the locked lefthand door, and slither down to the floor like in a cartoon.

There were no guest judges on the panel and Paula seemed to hang in through both days without really odd behaviors. The niceness that Simon seemed to exhibit last night was gone for the most part and Randy wasn't as harsh. Well, except for the ones who really didn't have a clue or were silly to even think of auditioning. I felt sorry for some of the contestants, as I did last night. But, when you think about it, they know the show. They chose to go on national television. They signed releases for the footage to be shown. Me? I'd never want to be a star that bad... and I know I can't sing. Or dance. I shouldn't even really hum.

Tonight's Most Notable of the Odd

Oh, how apt is this? A candidate for the Darwin Awards in relation to American Idol, we endured Darwin "Misha" Reedy accompanied by her Mom. Holding to the idea that she was bringing sexy back, I think her shirt was too sexy for her and not vice versa. And, it was a huge floppy shirt. Like mother, like daughter and she performed much like she portrays herself. She frightened me. Justin Timberlake may never sing his song again if he saw her mention of it.

I have no idea what's going on with this woman's skin color, but it can't be healthy. They asked her if it was a sunburn, but she didn't really say much. But, since she dressed the way she did, she knew it would be commented upon. She's Melissa "Carlene" Stavros and Simon basically said she sounded like a goat. What did goats ever do to Simon?

Her performance didn't really remind me of a goat. I thought more along the lines of a cacophony of sound and motion. If she had been on much longer, my head may have started to spin.


Nick Zitzmann (pictured on left) brought about thoughts of a young Kyle Secor gone bad. Now, I like Kyle Secor, but not when he's gone bad and thinks he can sing.

He tried to sing "Unchained Melody" which is a tough song even if you can sing. Oh, my. He may think he's a leader, be he ain't no singer. While Simon referred to him as possibly not human, I think he's wrong. This could be a zombie situation. You may want to alert the GhostBusters. Even Nick said watching the performance might scare himself.

Hopefully it will be a lasting friendship between Jonathan Jayne and Kenneth Briggs. Neither should have tried out for the show, Jonathan more so than Kenneth. I'm glad the judges weren't cruel to Jonathan and I'm also glad that Kenneth (for the most part) took Simon's comments in stride. And, he knows a bush baby is a kind of monkey! These two are the Odd Couple of Tonight's Most Notable of the Odd.

Why, oh why am I hearing "Dueling Banjos"? Like a character from Deliverance, Stephen Thoen likes to try "cro-akie." He likes to be called "Red." See, he's not representative of all redheads. My hair is a similar color (thankfully a different style and I have no beard) and I always hated to be called "Red."

He likened himself to Freddie Mercury and absolutely slayed "Bohemian Rhapsody." He also seemed just a tad dangerous. He was the last contestant of the day and I bet the judges had security escort them out.

There were other bad acts, but they didn't make my Most Notable list. Brandon Groves, the one who sang "I Shot the Sherriff" while dressed as a cop last year returned this season all decked out like the Apollo Creed guy in Minneapolis sans boxing gloves. David Mills had an epiphany and a wake-up call. There was a Taylor Hicks clone, Eric Chapman, who couldn't sing a lick.

Friends and relatives of AI wannabes, please don't let your loved ones think they have talent when they don't! Stop them before they sing again! I beseech you, I beg you... confine them to the shower. I beg you, tell them. Spare them the public humiliation. Friend don't let friends go without talent on American Idol.

There Were Some Good Ones

Tommy Daniels has tried twice before to make it on the show. He slept by trashcans awaiting his Seattle audition. He fluffed his 'fro and he put on a show. Blake Lewis, a champion beatboxer, showed off his "skillz" and proved he can sing, too. The Malakar siblings (brother and sister) both made it through shining. I liked how Sanjaya wouldn't admit that the judges said he has a better voice than his sister.

Rudy Cardenas took a chance with a Journey song (Randy was a band member) and was passed through to Hollywood by Randy and Paula, but not Simon. Anna Kearns, a lofty lady at 6'3" without heels, passed through although I wasn't too impressed with her singing. 16-year old Jordin Sparks whose father is NFL's Felipe Sparks, is going to Hollywood.

Me? I'm just waiting for the Memphis auditions we'll see next week.

TV Newsy Bits - Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Are you ready for another night of American Idol auditions? Tonight we'll see the Seattle auditions and I'll be posting an entry complete with screencaps of some of the events. In a newsy note, last night over 37 million folks watched the AI season premiere. Yet so many claim to never watch it, eh?

Due to my lengthy entries of today, well... two lengthy Amazing Race entries here and here in addition to my to-be-lengthy American Idol review/recap I'll be writing later tonight, I'm holding off on my final Survivor 14: Fiji cast entry. You can expect that in the next day or two. If you missed any of the first three parts, they'll be listed on the sidebar of the blog once I complete the final one.

In other TV Newsy Bits:

• The good folks over at Court TV let me know that a series I found very intriguing - Murder by the Book - is going to be renewed and this time will feature one of my favorite authors in the mystery genre. The series features an author looking into a case which has caught their own interest. The new shows will include authors David Baldacci, Sandra Brown, Lee Child, Harlan Coben, Linda Fairstein, and Kinky Friedman. Which one is one of my favorite authors? Well, the Kinkster, of course. That man can turn a phrase and I love the way he works his words. Plus, he's a character literally as well as figuratively. He stars in his own novels. As soon as I know the date, I'll be chatting this one up!
• The Court TV folks also dug up the real dirt behind the OJ failed novel. Was it a confession?
• Was Paula Abdul drunk, stoned or otherwise incapacitated on last night's show and various interviews? Celebrity Spider posted her side. Me? Something's way off with that gal, but I don't know what. She was definitely getting worse as the show went on.

Check back later tonight for the latest on American Idol!