'The Amazing Race 11: All Stars' - Ep. 5 -or- "We didn't come here to be sissyfoots."

Each week I'm reminded why I like Oswald and Danny so much. Even when they bicker a bit (like they did tonight), they can be a hoot and deliver some of the best lines in the show.

On the other hand, every week I'm reminded more and more why Charla and Mirna irk me so. In my book, Mirna is more irksome than Charla. I honestly think I'd take to Charla much better if she had a different partner.

Seven teams remain. Who will be eliminated next?

The teams started out from their last Pit Stop at the "End of the World." This is the closest we've seen the race actually get to Antartica, which is kind of cool in and of itself. Heck, not cool... outright cold! Teri and Ian were shocked that Romber was eliminated while Mirna seemed to take credit for the elimination. Oswald and Danny, the first team to arrive, left first at 12:02 AM. In last place, Charla and Mirna left at 2:41 AM, almost a three-hour gap betwixt first and last. Will it matter? Of course not. It's the Amazing Race!

While Team Guido (Joe and Bill) promised they were going to show a "kinder and gentler Guido," we see them provoked later on in the leg. The teams had to travel to a glacier where they received one avalanche beacon and were directed to follow the signal to find a buried beacon with their next clue. It all started out with an 8 AM opening, thus a bunching point.

The more I see Eric, the more he irks me, too. Perhaps he should team up with Mirna. He deliberately tried to annoy the Guidos and seems to have some problems with both gay and older folks on the whole. The Guidos walked away refusing to let him instigate problems which may make them look bad.

Once the gates to the glacier were opened, some teams zoomed right through the task. Others had issues. For example, once again Dustin and Kandice blew by a clue. But they caught themselves this time and went back before losing too much time. Charla/Mirna took a long time, but Danny and Oswald took forever. The ChaChas also took turns being cranky about it.

After completing the glacier task, teams had to fly 7,000 miles to the town of Maputo in Mozambique. Any plane tickets have to be purchased through travel agents as the airport can't sell them. The show has back-up tickets which would get them in at 3 PM if teams cannot obtain earlier flights. But all the teams, including the lagging ChaChas, managed to get on the same flight and their arrival time was 9:40 AM.

Once in Maputo, the teams had to get in marked cars with drivers and head to APOPO Training Field. Again, there was a bunching point and Eric called the Guidos "freaks." It was there that they faced a Roadblock (a task only one member of a team can do) and one of the coolest ones I've ever seen. Rats! Oh, I'm not talking the rats running around KFC/Taco Bell in the Village. I'm talking working rats. These rats have been trained to detect explosive landmines and work with trainers. It's fascinating to read about and gives us a whole new insight of a much-detested animal. Well, I never detested them. I just don't want them in my abode... or where I eat. Pet rats have always been okay with me.

Not only did I think the challenge was fun and really interesting, but Charla's rat was more interested in grooming for the cameras than finding the landmine/clue. The name of the Roadblock was "Who Smells a Rat?" I couldn't help but compare Mirna to them each time they showed her. During the task, one of the ChaChas promised their rat, Nelson, that if he finds the clue, "We'll take you to a nice lab where they'll apply make-up on you." Ian gave his Cagney impersonation, "You dirty rat."

Once the rats did their thing for the teams, they had to travel 50 miles back into Maputo, but it wasn't as easy to get to the location as they thought. The road sign must have loved the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz. "Some people go this way, and others go this way." The road sign indicated Maputo was either to the left or straight ahead. The teams going straight ended up lost. Or, was it the teams who went left who got lost? All I can say was one way was better than the other and shifted the dynamics of who was leading the pack.

Once they finally got to the next clue, it was a Detour. Both choices were ways folks make a living in the area. In Pamper It, the teams had to go to a market stall where they had to sell nail-painting to locals. Men in the area both do the painting and have their nails painted. Once they earned a certain amount, they would receive their next clue. In Porter It, teams had to load ten bags with coal, sew them shut, then lug a single bag by foot to a location in town.

The Guidos were running in first place at the time and chose Porter. Hey, Eric can say what he may, but there are two male gay teams in the race. Both chose the physical task of Porter It. Alas, they should have chosen Pamper It. Mirna and Charla, way behind the other teams, finished that one in short order. So did the Beauty Queens (Dustin and Kandice), who even took the time to paint a young girl's nails even though she had no money. Geez, Ian and Teri were headed to Porter, but accidentally ended up in Pamper and they nailed the task, too! (Get it? Nailed the nail task. I kill myself sometimes.)

Ahem.

But all the teams faced with the Porter task found it dirty, time-consuming, and probably the wrong choice. Uchenna and Joyce fell way behind as they got lost while lugging the bag of coal around.

Here's the order at the Pit Stop in Fortaleza, Maputo:

1. Charla and Mirna - Their first time (and hopefully last time) in first place ever on the show. They won a trip to Aruba.
2. Dustin and Kandice
3. Teri and Ian (who were shocked they did so well)
4. Oswald and Danny - Oswald promptly chased Phil around wanting to hug him with his coal-covered hands. That was a hoot! When Phil commented about them taking the coal task, one of them said, "Hey, we didn't come here to sissyfoot!" (Ah, but I bet they will shop again sometime!)
   
5. Joe and Bill - They beat Eric and Danielle in a close footrace which prompted Eric to blame Danielle and later fuss that they were "beat by a bunch of queens." You go, Queens!
6. Eric and Danielle
7. Uchenna and Joyce

As it was one of the three planned non-elimination legs, Uchenna and Joyce are still in the race. However, they are marked for elimination. They must come in first place on the next leg or suffer a thirty-minute penalty which theoretically could make them lose the race.

I still hold with wanting Charla and Mirna gone, but Eric is about on par with them. Danielle, I have nothing against. Well, other than the fact that she's running the race with Eric. I'm liking the Guidos and ChaChas more each week and have to say the same for Teri and Ian. Dustin and Kandice are a strong team in many ways, but this is the second time they've gone by a clue. They have to pay more attention. I liked Uchenna and Joyce in their season, but they are dragging a bit this season. I did smile at Joyce's reaction to the rat... "Oh, he's cute!"

Who are you cheering on?

East Coast Update - 'Amazing Race 11: All Stars' - Pit Stop Order - 03/18/07

I guessed it right - a non-elimination leg.

The Pit Stop arrival order was:

1. Charla and Mirna (ew) - Won a trip to Aruba
2. Dustin and Kandice
3. Teri and Ian
4. Oswald and Danny
5. Joe and Bill
6. Eric and Danielle
7. Uchenna and Joyce (Still in, but targeted for elimination - must come in 1st place or suffer a 30 minute penalty)

A full review/recap will be posted later tonight. Stop on back!

Tonight's 'Amazing Race 11: All Stars' Blogging Plan

As I post this, the show is about ready to start here in the NYC area (darn March Madness). In about an hour (9:45 or so EDT), I'll post the East Coast Update with the finish order at the Pit Stop and Philimination (or not - we're due a non-elimination leg). A full review/recap will be posted late tonight.

What's Happening With CourtTV These Days?

I'm lucky enough to get some press releases and such from the good folks at CourtTV. Although I don't think I've ever watched more than a few minutes of live trial happenings, CourtTV (or Animal Planet) is often where I hang out during phases of channel surfing.

One new show I won't catch while channel surfing because I'm now a Black Donnellys watcher is a new series which premieres tomorrow night -- 'Til Death Do Us Part. No no no, unlike the sitcom with the similar name, this one sounds very intriguing and promises to be extremely quirky. I mean, we're talking John Waters as the Groom Reaper. Yes, I'm talking John Waters of Hairspray, Pink Flamingos, and Serial Mom fame. He has a seriously twisted sense of humor and I'll be taping the back-to-back episodes which start at 10 PM ET/PT on Monday.

In other CourtTV news, I received a press release which says that CourtTV will be getting a new name, a new logo, and a new look. They'll be airing quarterly specials from The Smoking Gun, a site I've peeked in on a lot over the years. After all, they get the quickest and best dirt on reality show contestants. The re-branded network isn't slated to launch until January, 2008. I just hope they don't stop showing old COPS reruns. Yeah, call it guilty pleasure television.

Pants Madness - This Week on 'The Late Show with David Letterman' - March 19-23, 2007

Huh. Once again, I try to report on this week's guests and the show's website isn't updated as of yet. What's up with that? Oh, well... there are listings available for me to check on the guest list to report here in a timely manner, at least.

Here are the guests we can expect to see this week:

• Monday, March 19: Bernie Mac, American Idol judge Paula Abdul, and music guest Joss Stone. Now, of course I'll have to watch for Paula's state of mind. And what's she doing in NY when she has to be in CA for the live show on Tuesday? We'll have to see if she falls under the table during the show!
• Tuesday, March 20: Adam Sandler promoting his new movie, Reign Over Me, race-car driver Danica Patrick, music guest Lucinda Williams.
• Wednesday, March 21: Jack Black, journalist Lara Logan, and (get this) inventor of the beer-launching refrigerator, John W. Cornwell.
• Thursday, March 22 and Friday, March 23: No show listings at all due to March Madness basketball. There aren't even any repeats listed. So, I predict an earlier bedtime for me! New shows resume Monday and the ones listed for this week (above) are new, not repeats. I guess he just has a short week, eh?

But, if I can get this written every Sunday morning, I'm not sure why the paid person for the show's website can't get the information out there!

Another NYC CBS2 News Change

Well, at least it doesn't look like he's being wished to the cornfield as was Roz Abrams and many others. However, meterologist Jeff Berardelli is leaving WCBS2 (NYC) to work for a CBS affiliate in Miami. He seems to be happy about the decision, saying how much he loves to dive and hike. And, of course, the hurricane area is exciting for a meterologist. But, I'll always think of him as the guy who lived his dream of working his chosen field in the city where he was raised. I'll think of the Staten Island boy who had his mom out in the yard measuring the snow and reporting via telephone on the depth.

Jeff will still be involved in the Tunnel to Towers run, so we'll see him then. Although I may be a bit ignorant about news markets, it would seem that the NYC location is a bit higher up the career ladder than Miami. On the other hand, in NYC he's always under the shadow of John Bolaris and the opportunity may offer him chances not available at Channel 2.

I enjoyed Jeff and will miss him here, but wish him the best.

In another NYC news related bit, Duke Castigliano is over at FOX 5 with sports these days. What comes around, goes around. If you're interested in the other WCBS2 news change stories, just hit the New York City TV link at the bottom of this post.

TV Newsy Bits - Saturday, March 17, 2007

Happy St. Patrick's Day to everyone! While years ago I would be skiing the green-tinted slopes at Kelly's Irish Alps in the Berkshires, now I'm just slogging through 6 inches of ice pellets to get to the store.

Here are the TV Newsy Bits I found out on the Internet as I huddle with my computer for warmth:

• Celebrity Spider has a sneak peak into the route for Sunday's Amazing Race episode.
• The latest fired Apprentice, Surya, sounds off in this TVGuide.com article.
• Survivor Richard Hatch isn't surviving his prison time all that well according to this article.
• For those who love Dancing With the Stars, AOL has a new feature page for the show. You don't have to be an AOL member to access it and it should have all the show information you'll ever need!

'Lost' - "Par Avion"

Yet another good Lost episode. I think they're trying to spoil us. What do you think?

The past few weeks have seen the show move more forward in story than I feel the entire "fall" season did. Oh, yeah... there are some new mysteries. But, at least I'm finding the show interesting once again.

This episode was basically Claire-centric, but once again running a bit light on the flashbacks. Light in the amount of time spent, not on the news contained within them, that is.

The Flashbacks
A younger Claire, sporting dyed black hair and even a punkish look about her, crashed her car while driving with her mother. Her mother wasn't expected to live and Claire went through a major guilt trip over it all. Not helping that guilt trip was her Aunt Lindsay, who seemed to bear a grudge against Claire even before the accident.

Oh, wait, we've seen her before. We saw her some episodes back yelling at Jack's father, Christian Shepard! Could they be? Would they be? Yes, they are! Claire and Jack are half-siblings. But I'm getting a bit ahead of myself here. Back to the story...

Claire and her aunt find out that a mysterious benefactor has told the hospital he'd pay all the bills. It's pretty obvious that Claire's mother will probably remain in a vegetative state for the rest of her life with no chance of recovery.

Then Claire comes across Dr. Shepard in her mother's room. He admits to being her father, said he spent a lot of time with her when she was very young. But her mother (and aunt) didn't like the idea that he had another family, thus they became estranged. She made peace with her mother before boarding Flight 815, but wanted nothing to do with her father.

The Island - Sayid, Locke, Kate Storyline
Sayid, Locke, Kate, and the captured Mikhail (eye-patch dude) followed the electrical wiring map Sayid had found at the Flame Station. Locke is still acting a bit out-of-character, bickering with Sayid. Locke and Rousseau both think that Mikhail should have been shot, that he's of no use to them. And, of course, Mikhail himself would rather be dead than captured.

Kate asked Rousseau why she didn't ask her more about her daughter, Alex. Rousseau's answer was odd. She said something about if Jack were missing six years, not knowing him, didn't want to know. Hey, don't ask me. It was almost as if she was avoiding the question or frightened about what Alex may have become... or worried that Alex had forgotten her.

Mikhail told them that they had arrived on the island by submarine, but that an electromagnetic pulse two weeks ago had destroyed almost all of their technology. Kate angrily started questioning him. He told her that they (Sayid, Locke, Kate) were "not on the list." According to him, they were flawed -- angry, weak, frightened. He started to say "Ben is not..." before trailing off. Not the leader? In reference to Locke, he also trailed off. "I know he was para..." Paralyzed, for sure.

They came across what appeared to be some sort of electronic barrier fence doohickey to the Barracks, their planned destination. It looked like fat short telephone poles with metal spheres separated by open space.

Mikhail (remember, he wants to die), told them the fences were defunct along with all of their equipment. He told them the barrier surrounds the entire barracks area. Locke freaked, saying not to touch the poles or go through the open area. Then he shoved Mikhail through.

Mikhail said, "Thank you." He then immediately started foaming at the mouth and blood spurted from his ears. Poof, the Patch is dead.

Sayid questioned whether Locke was there for Jack or not. "Of course, I'm here for Jack. Why else?" Locke is still acting weirder than Locke normally acts. Sayid found some C4 explosive in Locke's bag. Now, Locke had told him earlier that he wouldn't have followed "Enter 77" had he known about the explosive. Yet he knew and took some. "It never hurts to have some C4."

They decided they could climb over the barrier and, using some logs, did so. They sneaked up on the Barracks... and there was Jack. Jack was having a good ol' time playing football with his friends. So, perhaps Rousseau thought brainwashing? I don't know.

The Island - Claire, Desmond, Charlie, Etc. Storyline
Charlie decided to "seize the day" and take Claire on a picnic. Of course, we know that when Desmond approached and suggested he join him on a hunt, that he would be saving Charlie from yet another death. But Claire doesn't know about that.

Claire saw some migratory birds fly above and thought that if they could capture one, they could send a "rescue us" note with it. But Desmond was pretty insistent. Charlie knew what had to be up, so he went with Desmond. Claire was really ticked off and enlisted Jin and Sun to help her with the birds.

Just as they were about to catch one using chum, Desmond shot and scared the birds away. He claimed he was following a boar. Claire thought he didn't want her catching the birds for some reason.

Claire followed Desmond as he went along the beach, climbing some rocks, then rescued a bird. When she confronted him, he told her about "his gift." He also told her that Charlie died (again) right on the rocks by where he picked up the bird.

Aw, Claire and Charlie got all lovey-dovey once again, attached a note to the dove's leg and set it into the sky.

And, there ya go...

'American Idol 6' - East Coast Update - 3/14 Results Show

So far, they've announced two of the bottom three...

Brandon Rogers (not unexpected by me)
Phil Stacey (a bit of a surprise, but I'm not thrilled by him)

Remaining to choose from, we have Sanjaya Malakar and Haley Scarnato. Of course, they're dragging this out. I will return to update this once more is known. Stop back!

UPDATE: Sanjaya added to bottom three. Brandon and Sanjaya bottom two.

Brandon leaves, Sanjaya is safe.

Did I call that last night or what?

Whatever Will I Watch Tonight? - Wednesday, March 14, 2007

It should go without saying (so don't read this out loud) that I'll be watching the American Idol results show tonight as it airs here on the East Coast at 9 PM. And, but of course, I'll post an East Coast Update about the voted-off contestant as soon as the information airs.

I won't be reviewing the show, per se. I can see that now - "Diana Ross sang. So-and-so got voted off. All cried and hugged. Then So-and-so was forced to sing in front of millions at the worst time of his/her life." But, especially if you're in another time zone and just have to know or want to chime in with your two cents -- stop back about 9:30 EDT for the update.

At 8 PM ET/PT, there is a new Jericho on CBS. I've missed the episodes since the end of the show's hiatus, so I'm not sure if I'll watch it or not. There's also a new episode of Bones on FOX. That's more likely to catch my attention at this point. I feel like I'm watching too many ongoing must see every episode type of shows and Bones isn't a demanding constant watch. NBC has a repeat Dateline, while ABC has a new George Lopez followed by a repeat According to Jim.

At 9 PM, it's American Idol vote results show for the first half hour. FOX is following it with 'Til Death which I absolutely don't want to watch. CBS has a repeat Criminal Minds for the hour while NBC is airing a new Crossing Jordan. That doesn't help me with my half-hour dilemma. ABC has a new According to Jim followed by a new In Case of Emergency. I might turn to the latter for the odd half-hour. I saw the show once before and wasn't too impressed. But I think it's better than 'Til Death.

At 10 PM, you know my must-see show is Lost. Alas, because of its late hour, I won't be able to do a proper review/recap until I return from work tomorrow. CBS has a repeat C.S.I.: NY and NBC has a repeat Medium. A&E has its Sopranos episode running at that time, but I've given up trying to catch up with that show. I'm struggling to keep up with the times I've been catching up on The Wire on BET (tomorrow I'll actually watch that one at 9 PM for the first time ever) and, as I mentioned before, I have too many can't-miss-an-episode-or-I'm-lost shows on my TV platter. The Sopranos had to go.

What will you be watching tonight?

Catching Up With 'The Black Donnellys'

I apologize that I'm a bit late reporting on this week's show. I've had a rather odd week myself, perhaps not like Tommy Donnelly's latest, but odd enough. Two friends died, one by murder, the other a natural death but still awaiting an autopsy for exactly why it happened.

Then, yesterday, getting off the train from my work commute, I stepped pretty much smack-dab into a murder scene. Future trains were held back, but all the cops were still arriving, emergency folks were trying to save a man shot several times in the chest... in broad daylight, in a busy downtown area I consider very safe at that hour of the day.

There was mass confusion on the scene and although I was five minutes from home, I got home over an hour later. No, I didn't see the shooters. It apparently happened just prior to when I arrived. I did see the victim from a distance. It brought back to me how precious life really is and unpredictable things really are. I had planned to write up my Black Donnellys report upon my return home from work yesterday, but it felt almost disrespectful to write about fictional mob stories after going through that.

Oh... and everyone I know seems to have caught the latest norovirus (stomach flu) that's going around. I've escaped so far, but live in fear. It would be a shame to waste paid sick days being ill, wouldn't it?

But life does go on. And, I definitely want to touch on Monday's episode of The Black Donnellys. Although the episode didn't have as much humorous interaction between the characters, it also didn't have a horrifying gory mob hit scene, either.

It seems that Tommy leads a bit of a charmed life. Think about it. He killed the leader of the Irish mob and then gets asked to host the wake in the bar owned by his brother. And, he carries it off? Even though the lead mobster's revengeful brother has an inkling that Tommy had something to do with the death, he carries it off!

But the price seems to be unrequited love as Jenny Riley just can't take having the goings-on in her life.

The Mob brother took Jenny down to the basement of the bar to get Tommy and his brothers (sans Sean in the hosptal still) down there for "questioning." Put in mobspeak, that would be busted kneecaps. (Why do these guys use an ax? I've never known mobsters to use axes on a regular basis. What are they, lumbermen?) Kevin freaked and ran, so it was up to junkie wild-card Jimmy and Tommy to face the mob dudes. Tommy's quick talking saved them. He told them how he was the last to see the murdered mobster because he asked for his help to save them from the Italian mobsters after murdering one in that very basement. Blood in the drain saved their butts.

As I mentioned before, I'm finding this show intriguing. Although this recent episode wasn't action-packed, didn't provide much dark humor either... it made me actually respect the character of Tommy Donnelly a bit more. It touched on his past and how the past has affected the present.

Did you watch the show? What did you think?

'American Idol' - The Final 12 on the Big Stage

Tonight was the first outing for the final twelve contestants. All are winners as all will participate in the tour, so their lives have certainly already been changed. [Update note: Apparently only the top ten go on tour, but the exposure the top twelve get is life-changing nonetheless.]

I know I've voiced my own opinions on who I think should win and once again tonight, those thoughts were also voiced by Simon. To me, it's the Melinda Doolittle and Lakisha Jones show.

But tonight, it was also the Diana Ross show. I grew up on old school Motown and have observed and listened to Diana Ross throughout her career. The last time I saw her live was at a very rainy free concert in Central Park (NYC) some long years ago. I thought that she may have gotten a bit "odd" over the years since. After all, much of what we've seen connected with her in the last decade or so was Michael Jackson related. Ah, but not so! I thought her advice to each contestant was the most spot on that we've ever seen in this situation. She rocks!

Alas, some of the contestants, not so much.

First up was Brandon Rogers. I want to like him for some reason. However tonight, I just couldn't. He sang "You Can't Hurry Love." He forgot some of the words and didn't recover all that well. It was just kind of boring. Yes, it was better than I can sing, but...! Randy said he had to be a lot better and it was boring. Paula thought his nerves got to him. Simon said it was a complete letdown, not star quality, not good enough, sorry. Sigh, Simon said it.

Then there was Melinda Doolittle. I swear this woman has magic to do songs I don't even like well enough to enamor me with her voice and stage presence. She sang "Home" from The Wiz. I really don't like that song. I don't like it at a show. I don't like it in the snow. I just don't like it, don't you know. But I sat there and admired her talent. Paula sobbed through the performance. Randy called it hot and exciting. It gave Paula goosebumps. Simon said she made a boring song fantastic and likened her to a young Gladys Knight. Pip Pip Hooray for Doolittle!

Then I was let down by my favorite male singer on the show... Chris Sligh. Now, Diana told him to follow the melody. He didn't. He wanted to "hip" up "Endless Love." He didn't wear his glasses and looked even pastier than usual. Oh, he was better than Brandon, but he let me down nonetheless. Randy called it a mess. Paula told him he tried to be hip and cool with a classic song and he didn't need to do it that way. Simon said the arrangement ruined it and to keep his glasses on. Come back, Chris!

Gina Glocksen chose to sing "Love Child." I think it was a good song choice for her. Diana told her to pronunciate and project, tell the story. I thought she did okay, but nothing to write a blog about. Randy, who was very hoarse this evening, said it was pitchy with no excitement. Paula said she was better than how she sang. Simon declared it okay, not terrible, not fantastic... a middle-pack performance.

Next up was Sanjaya Malakar. I'm going to keep messing with photos of him until he goes away. Diana thinks he's "love." Blech. He sang "Ain't No Mountain High Enough." Now, there was a boring rendition. I don't care how much he smiles to the camera while he sings. Randy said it was weak, but his hair looked good. Paula told him he must explode and get into his songs, but he's adorable. Simon said that a wail will be heard somewhere in Beverly Hills when Diana hears what he did to her song. To say something nice, he said Sanjaya was brave.

Haley Scarnato took the stage next singing "Missing You." Diana said that Haley has a recording studio voice moreso than a live performance one. I think she may have something there. I thought she came across as a bit mumbly and she forgot some of the lyrics. At times, the tone in her voice was very nice, but the flaws were many and obvious. Randy said it was a valiant effort, she forgot the words and it was pitchy. Paula told her she looked lovely, but forgot the words and was pitchy. Simon said he didn't think it was all that bad and she had a real stage presence.

Phil Stacey sang "I'm Going to Make You Love Me." I thought it was perhaps my favorite performance of his so far this season although it was a bit boring. Just going on the voice, he did well. Presentation, not so hot. Randy thought the vocals were hot, but the overall song was on the boring side. Paula said he needed to up the tempo a bit. Simon said the tempo was fine, but he has to watch not to shout the big notes. He said it was better than last week. I agree.

We found that Lakisha's nickname is Kiki. I like it. She sang a song that seems like it's been in my life all my life - "God Bless the Child." I have the original Billie Holiday, the Diana Ross from Lady Sings the Blues, and even Blood, Sweat and Tears cover. There's something about that song which has always touched a chord with me. And, for Lakisha Jones, one of my two favorites to sing it? Wow. She added a bit of herself into the song, yet remained true to the original. Wow.

Randy said it was a perfect song choice and sensational. Paula called the performance beautiful. Simon told her that you've either got it or you don't... and she has it. He once again said that Lakisha and Melinda are in a different league from the others. He's so right.

I have to give Blake Lewis some credit for being into some of the technical aspects. He tech'd up "You Keep Me Hanging On." The judges didn't care for it, but in a way I did. That's a song which has been covered by many artists, as well.

From the real dragging version by Vanilla Fudge to the more up tempo Supremes. No, I wouldn't go out and buy it, but I did find it interesting. Had he been strictly adhering to the original, I think it would have been boring. Simon didn't "get it" at all, but I kind of did. It's no Melinda or Lakisha, but definitely on the interesting side.

Stephanie Edwards sang "Love Hangover." And she skipped the disco part! Blasphemy! I thought she looked attractive and sang quite nicely at times although she's another one who forgot the words at one point. Diana Ross said she had star quality in the pre-performance taped segment. I think she does. But, this performance didn't do it for me. Randy mentioned forgetting the lyrics. Paula told her to strive to be better. Simon said it was if she just sang the intro to the song and that it was the wrong song.

Chris Richardson didn't impress me with his version of "The Boss." I thought he sounded nasal and it was my least favorite performance of his so far. Randy thought he overdid it a bit. Paula thought he nailed the blend between contemporary and the original. Simon said the vocals were dreadful and terrible. I have to go with Simon on this one.

Jordin Sparks closed the show "If We Hold On Together," not really a favorite song of mine. But, wow. She nailed it. I can't believe this kid is only seventeen! She has a good voice and poise. She makes her age-counterpart Sanjaya look like a silly kid. (Oh, wait... he is!) Randy declared it a three-girl race. Paula gushed. Simon called it a "gooey song." (Yes!) But he said it was a good vocal and thinks she has a shot at the finals.

So, who's going home? Of course, I want it to be Sanjaya, but I think the teenybopper vote will keep him in longer. I think we may say goodbye to Brandon tomorrow night. I think all of the girls are safe although Haley might be on the edge.

TV Newsy Bits - Monday, March 12, 2007

No Heroes tonight. Yikes! At least there are two new episodes of The New Adventures of Old Christine and, later on, The Black Donnellys.

It's going to be an odd week -- no Survivor either (on Thursday). Oh, but fear not... I'm sure I'll have something to watch!

Here are the TV Newsy Bits I found out and about the Internet today:

• "If You're Female, it's Over," claims Rita, the recently booted Survivor contestant in an interview on Reality News Online. She has a point.
• In Amazing Race bits, David and Mary are featured in a recent interview. Surprisingly, they don't think much of Mirna and Charla (heh). They wanted Rob and Amber to win. Speaking of Romber, Reality TV World has an interview with them posted. As I mentioned in my review/recap of last night's show, the end was nowhere near as close as editing made it appear. Rob said in the interview that there was a good 10-15 minutes between Charla/Mirna and them. The other team was at the mat before Rob finished reading his letter.
• According to Celebrity Spider, Josh Holloway (Sawyer of Lost) thinks the local police target show stars.

East Coast Update - 'The Apprentice: L.A. - Firing 03/11

Although I'm no longer doing full reviews of the show, here's the East Coast lowdown:

• The teams had to create a halftime show promoting GNC for a pro soccer game.
• Kinetic, led by Kristine, won.
• The reward was golf with Trump and golf clubs.
• Surya brought Tim and James to the Boardroom
• Surya got fired.
  

'The Amazing Race 11: All Stars' - Ep. 4 -or- Sometimes "Next" Means "Tonight"

Thanks to graphic artist Zoetawny, I have a new image for the TAR entries!


Well, we can't trust Phil Keoghan, we just can't. Last week I mentioned how he opened the show with "who will be eliminated tonight?" This week, it was phrased differently leading me to believe it would probably be a non-elimination leg. After all, we're due one. Ah, but not this week and it was a shocker indeed.

"Eight teams remain. Who will be eliminated next?" (See the difference?)

Rob and Amber, the first-place finishers for the first three legs we've seen so far this season, left the Pit Stop at 6:11am. The last team to arrive at that Pit Stop, Charla and Mirna, left at 8:11am, thus a perfect two hour between first and last place at the starting gate for the new leg.

The teams had to fly to Punta Arenas, Chile, then travel by taxi to find the Lord Lonsdale shipwreck. As they arrived early and had tickets for the earliest flight, Rob and Amber thought to do an online search for the site of the wreck thinking that would give them a head start.

Although the airport scene seemed a bit less than other weeks, we still had to waddle through some drama and trauma. The ChaChas (Oswald and Danny) are determined not to leave their sense of style behind. Mirna thinks she constantly has to "make up for the shortcomings" of her team and that she's the hardest working person running the race. (Can I get an eyeroll here, please?) Mirna doesn't trust the Team Guido (Joe and Bill). Well, duh. They were one of the sneakiest teams ever in their season. Why would anyone trust them? It's just common sense! Silly (and annoying) Mirna.

Although the Guidos tried to get the airport to hold the plane, they didn't make it on the first plane. But, in the end, it didn't really matter as it often doesn't matter in the grand scheme of a leg. However, Uchenna and Joyce were on the same plane as Rob and Amber. Now, Uchenna asked the stewardess to write him directions to the shipwreck. Rob claims the woman gave it to him while Uchenna insists Rob "stole" the note from her. Who's right? I just don't know. But it was Rob who ended up with the note in question and was giggling about it.

The Detour was Magellan-related as he's important to the history of the area. The teams could either Detour It or Sign It. In Detour It teams had to navigate the city by map and compass to find the Nautilus Building where they would receive the next clue. In Sign It teams had to erect a sign post with all of Magellan's stops. The cities didn't have to point the right direction, but all must be spelled right.

That was the beginning of the end for a fan favorite team or one that folks loved to hate. Either way, a team who maked this race more interesting started what would do them in at the end by choosing the wrong task. The teams who chose Navigate It seemed to sail through while the teams choosing Sign It fell further and further behind.

While Uchenna and Joyce, Rob and Amber, and later Charla and Mirna, struggled with the sign task, the ChaChas, Eric and Danielle, and Teri and Ian made it to the next point on the race. They snagged the first charter plane of three leaving three hours apart on their way to Playa Larga in Ushuiai, Argentina. Amber tried to convince Rob to go to the other task, but he was determined. Finally, Romber teamed up with the Beauty Queens (Dustin and Kandice) to do Navigate It. Even Charla and Mirna switched to that after horribly trailing the other teams.

I have to mention how nasty Mirna's treatment of Charla was tonight. That woman is condescending, mean, evil and outright mean to her very own cousin. She creeps me out. I so want her gone.

But, back to the race at hand... Rob, continuing his streak of bad decisions, led the BQ to the wrong building, thus increasing the lead the other teams had on them. As one of the Beauty Queens later said, "Rob and Amber weren't very helpful." Amber teased Rob to admit he was upset because he wanted to come in first again. Rob sheepishly turned to the camera in the cab, "I want to be in first." Aw. They later lied to Charla and Mirna and had all the other teams laughing about it. Alas, the cousins caught up.

After the charter flight, teams had to take boats which left every 20 minutes to the Isle of Redonda or, as it's known, the end of the world. It's a longitudinal thing. After they got to that point, they faced a Roadblock at the local post office. One member of each team had to search through a huge bag of letters for one addressed to their team. The letters were from a team which had raced the race with them in their own seasons.

Blake and Paige wrote a nice note to the ChaChas. Jeremy and Dani, the previous partners of Eric and Danielle, wrote to them. Ian and Teri got a note from Flo and Zach. Frank, who hated the Guidos in their season, wrote to them. Lyn from Bama actually wrote a nice note to the BQ. Susan and Patrick wrote a nice note to Uchenna and Joyce while writing a nasty letter to Rob and Amber. Lance and Marshall wrote to Mirna and Charla.

After the teams found and read out loud their letter to their team mate, they had to find the Pit Stop on foot. It's not a big island, of course. Here's where things got worse for Rob and Amber. Why the heck was he so lackadaisical while going through the mail? He was so sure they could beat Mirna and Charla in a footrace that he didn't even seem concerned. ACK. Sure enough, Mirna and Shmirna found their letter and made it to the Pit Stop before Romber. I repeat... ACK.

Here's the order of arrival to the Pit Stop:

1. Oswald and Danny - they won a trip for two to Maui
2. Eric and Danielle
3. Teri and Ian
4. Team Guido, Joe and Bill
5. Dustin and Kandice
6. Uchennal and Joyce
7. Charla and Mirna
8. Rob and Amber -- Philiminated (sigh)

Although they showed Uchenna helping Charla and Mirna to the mat, I got the feeling that Rob and Amber weren't exactly right on top of them at the finish. I think they were a good bit behind, more than a helping hand to the mat would accomplish.

I'm going to miss Rob and Amber on the race. I've mentioned that neither thrilled me on Survivor, but I liked them as a team on The Amazing Race. I really would like to see Mirna and Charla out of the show. While Rob is entertaining, they're annoying.

Oh, well... it's back to cheering on Oswald and Danny... or even the Guidos. Heck, Teri and Ian. Anyone but Charla and Mirna, mainly due to Mirna.

'The Amazing Race 11: All Stars' - East Coast Update... OMG

The arrival at the Pit Stop:

1. Oswald and Danny'
2. Eric and Danielle
3. Teri and Ian
4. Joe and Bill
5. Dustin and Kandice
6. Uchenna and Joyce
7. Charla and Mirna
8. Rob and Amber -- ELIMINATED.

I'm in shock.

Tonight's 'Amazing Race' Blogging

The show will be starting here on the East Coast in a few minutes. Around 9 PM EDT (ick), I'll post the finish order at the Pit Stop and Philimination or not. Late tonight I'll get a full review/recap up.

It sounds like it should be a good episode just judging by the promos!

Daylight Savings Pants - This Week on 'The Late Show with David Letterman' - Mar. 12-16

Did you "spring forward" an hour? If not, you're going to be an hour out of step with the rest of the world. Me? I've always thought I was more than an hour out of step, but yeah... I messed with my clocks.

After last week's repeats, can we expect a fresh Letterman week ahead of us? Well, at least the first part of the week is fresh. Here's the skinny on the guests we can expect to see:

• Monday, March 12: Chris Rock promoting his new movie I Think I Love My Wife, Sandra Oh from Grey's Anatomy, and Amy Winehouse whose new CD is Back to Black.
• Tuesday, March 13: Jeff Goldblum, Barbara McQueen, and music guest The Good, The Bad, and The Queen (they have a self-titled CD out).
• Wednesday, March 14: Richard Gere promoting The Hoax and music group Aqualung (CD is Memory Man).
• Thursday, March 15: Oh, no! Beware! Beware of the Ides of March! Hmmm... the show's website list the guests as TBA.
• Friday, March 16: Also TBA. I think what we should be aware of is March Madness

The AOL TV Listings are also showing no information for Thursday and Friday evenings, so those shows will be Mystery Pants, I guess. They should be repeats and probably on very late.

TV Newsy Bits - Friday, March 9, 2007

It's Friday, a rather boring television evening for me. So, it was out to a rather late dinner and a return home to peek about the Internet to see what TV Newsy Bits can be found.

Of course, living in NJ, all of the newspapers have abundant Antonella Barba American Idol boot news. I skimmed a few articles and thought they didn't tell me anything I didn't already know. At this point, I'd just as soon forget about her. Now, if I could only forget Sanjaya Malakar.

In other TV Newsy Bits:

• I've been seeing television commercials seeking applicants for Big Brother 8. No, I'm not applying. The application link is available on the CBS website in case you want to apply!
• Rita Verreos, the latest castoff from Survivor 14: Fiji, was interviewed by Buddy TV.
• Alex Angarita, still on the Survivor show, is in deep hot water according to this Reality TV Calendar article. An excerpt: "According to the official complaint he is accused of threat and violence against the police officers. The charges include two felony counts of resisting arrest, one felony count of battery with injury on a peace officer and one misdemeanor count of possession of marijuana." And, as you might remember, he's a lawyer. It sounds like he needs one now.
• Art featured on the show Heroes, painted by character Isaac Mendez on the show, but actually painted by graphic artist Tim Sale, will be auctioned by NBC. The proceeds will be donated to the Epilepsy Foundation.
• In local news around here, the NJ town of Bloomfield has finally given in... the final episode of The Sopranos will be filmed there. They had been holding out because they didn't care for how the show depicted Italian-Americans. However, they found out that they couldn't deny the filming on content. The final scene of the show will be filmed at an ice cream shop in town.

'Survivor 14: Fiji' - Ep. 5 -or- "It's Not Instant Coffee?"

Always so close, then the win slips away. I'm so ready for the merge or something to change this season.

Having the one tribe at such a disadvantage makes them spiral downwards more each episode. Of course, it works to put the fan base solidly in the camp of the wretched, but we can only sit and watch.

Fourteen are left. Who will be voted out tonight?

The show started on Night 11 in the Ravu camp. Since Yau-Man and Earl each know some clues to where the hidden Immunity Idol is from their stays on Exile Island, they decide to work together. Well, Earl volunteered to steer the other tribe members away while Yau-Man tried to dig for the Idol. The main problem is that they have no shovel. In the morning, Earl led the others away on the pretense of looking for fruit. Alas, digging with a machete, Yau-Man tried to find the Idol but was unsuccessful.

The editors of the show make the Moto camp seem even more luxurious with a bouncy musical background. Feh. We join them as the tribe is looking through a book they received in tree mail. It's pictures of rewards they can choose. Each tribe must make two choices. Moto, lacking nothing in the survival goods, decided on coffee and toiletries. Flip back to Ravu and we see Earl speaking practicality. Sure enough, they thought smart by choosing fishing gear and potatoes.

The Reward Challenge was a physical one. Each tribe member had to face-off one at a time with a member from the opposing tribe. They were on a platform in water and had to joust with large padded bags. If his body was as strong as his mouth, Rocky (James, Boston, Whatever) would have taken all of Moto on. But his beef was with Dreamz (Andre, Dre, Whatever). The more I see of Rocky, the more I'm glad I don't know him. Dreamz isn't much better. I wanted them both to fall in, but it turned out Rocky went. Yau-Man actually won his bout. Yikes!

But it wasn't enough for Ravu to win. The rich get richer and Moto won the challenge. Not only did they get their two choices, but it was winner takes all. They also got (more) fishing gear and potatoes. They chose to send Earl to Exile Island. He would return before the Immunity Challenge.

Then it was Drama Time, the gap between Reward and Immunity. Over at Ravu, Rocky was freaking out about how the women were driving him crazy. He must be crazy as he was even confiding in Anthony (who drove him crazy in the last episode). I swear that guy is way too antsy about everyone and everything. He's like a loaded gun walking around.

On Moto, Dreamz throws the coffee in a cup thinking it's instant. Rita was very condescending as she explained how to make coffee. I personally thought that he would wonder why they gave him a coffee press for instant coffee, but that may just be me. Alex tried to pull everyone together as he thought of the numbers. He knows that most of the tribe doesn't care for either Cassandra or Dreamz... Cassandra because she's not a strong player, Dreamz due to the annoyance factor. After Alex smooths things over, a confessional with Dreamz told us that he and Cassandra plan to defect to the Ravu side after the merge. Huh. So they don't like them, either.

The Immunity Challenge wasn't physical at all, but the Ravu tribe is so out of it that a mental one isn't going to any easier at this point. The tribe members were faced with 30 flipboards. Each one had a number or a word on it. There were four dummy boards which matched nothing, but the others were all pairs. The castaways had to make matches and the first team with seven matches won.

Who won? Why, Moto, of course.

Back at the camp, Rocky freaked out. (What is new?) Yau-Man told Mookie he wanted either Rita or Anthony out. Earl thought Rocky was volatile and they should think of getting him out. The only problem with that is that he's one of the stronger members in the weakest tribe. In the end, it was Rita voted out. She and Michelle voted for Anthony while the rest of the tribe all voted for Rita.

Apparently March Madness will affect the scheduling for the next few weeks. The next episode will air on Wednesday, March 21. The promos make it sound like Ravu may finally get something, but I wouldn't count on it. It's a shame. I think this is a good cast, but with the sides being in such different circumstance, I feel it's hurting the season on the whole.

Your thoughts?

'Survivor 14: Fiji' - East Coast Update - 03/08 - Booted

Rita was voted out. A full review/recap will be posted later tonight.

The final results are in on the American Idol vote East Coast Update right here.

'Survivor 14: Fiji' - East Coast Update - 03/08 - Immunity

Once again, Moto wins. Sigh.

The American Idol East Coast Update on the voting is here.

'Survivor 14: Fiji' - East Coast Update - 03/08 - Reward/Exile

Moto won Reward again - fishing gear, potatoes, coffee, toiletries.

They sent Earl to Exile Island. He isn't immune and will go to Tribal Council if Ravu loses Immunity.

If you're looking for the American Idol voted off East Coast Update, that post is here. That entry will be updated as they get voted off.

'American Idol 6' - East Coast Update - Voted Off 03/08

Jared is the first voted off.
Antonella is going home (yay)
Sabrina is gone.
Sundance is history.

The big announcement was that when it's time for the Final 6, there will be a huge star-studded charity benefit, voting proceeds, etc., going to help poverty victims in Africa and America. Bono is involved with many others.

East Coast Updates Planned - 'American Idol' and 'Survivor'

Yep, here's your home for East Coast Updates on the voted off American Idol contestants and important Survivor 14: Fiji happenings (and the boot). As the shows air here in the NYC area, I'll post the updates for those in other time zones or those who wish to comment on the events.

I won't be doing a full review/recap of tonight's American Idol, but I'll still do the full reviews of the Tuesday and Wednesday night shows. Late tonight, a full review/recap of tonight's Survivor will be posted.

'Lost' - "Enter 77"

Last week's episode was fun fluff. This week's episode was intense. Lots of action, some mysteries addressed to an extent, new territory explored (and exploded) -- it was the type of episode I like to see. Graphic artist Zoetawny created a new Lost tag for me. She rocks, y'know!

Although the episode was Sayid-centric this week, it seemed to me that there wasn't as much focus on him as many of the others received during their character-specific shows. Usually the flashbacks are about even with the new show content, but there was overwhelmingly more new show stuff tonight rather than focusing on the past.

The Flashbacks
Sayid was working as a sous-chef in Paris under the name Najeev when a customer complimented him on the meal he cooked and offered him a job. It turned out to be just a ruse to capture him. The husband believed that Sayid was the Iraqi who tortured his wife and burnt her arms. He decided to torture Sayid as Sayid had done to his wife.

Sayid kept denying he was responsible until confronted alone by the wife. Then he weeped and admitted his guilt. "Yes, I remember you. Your face has haunted me." With a cat on her lap, she told him that since she was burned, she refused to leave her home. Some children were torturing the cat in the alley below and she left to save it. She claimed it gave her reason to leave. While the cat clearly adores her, it sometimes bites or scratches. She believes it does so because it forgets that it's safe. She knows what it's like to never feel safe.

After he admitted guilt and apologized, she planned to let him go. She told him she'd tell her husband that she was mistaken... he wasn't the one who tortured her. She refuses to be one who will torture, do that or be like that.

On the Island
The beach scenes were basically fluff with no mention of the DHARMA bus from last week. This week Hurley found a ping-pong table. (He's finding a lot of stuff lately, isn't he?) He came across Sawyer who's still fussing about his missing stuff. The never-introduced to us due to a cut scene Paulo told him that everyone shared everything. And, the writers must read our thoughts... Sawyer turned to him and said, "Who the hell are you?"

It turns out Sawyer had the ball and would only give it if he could play for the return of his stuff. Jin and Sun decided if he loses, no nicknames for anyone for a week. Little did he know, Hurley is practically a pro at ping-pong. So, no nicknames for a week and there was our fluff.

Meanwhile in the woods, Kate, Sayid, Locke, and Rousseau were on their mission to save Jack. Sayid saw a horse and a structure with a satellite dish through the trees. He gave the others his gun and tried to approach. As he went by the horse, they showed a camera shot of the saddle and stirrups, but I didn't understand then why they showed it. I would soon enough. Rousseau had left Locke and Kate to wait by the stream as she "avoids confrontations like this." She had never seen the place before.

As Sayid approached the structure which was more like a shack than a house from the outside, he passed a sitting cat. The cat looked just like the one from the flashback. [Cue LOST thunk] Before he could walk to the door, the Eye Patch Dude we saw on the monitor some episodes back shot him in the shoulder. Sayid insisted he was unarmed. The man shouted, "You crossed the line! We had a truce! You said I could stay here and you'd leave me alone!"

Sayid, joined by Locke and Kate, convinced the Patch Dude that they had crashed on a plane and they weren't the "hostiles" he thought them to be. He told them his name was Mikhail Bakunin and that he was the last living member of DHARMA. He told them after he left the Soviet Army, he joined DHARMA by replying to a newspaper advertisement which read "Would you like to save the world?" (Shouldn't they save the cheerleader first? Oops, wrong show.)

Mikhail said that he refused to go to war with the "hostiles" -- his name for the Others. DHARMA lost the purge and he was offered a truce. He couldn't go into the valley and they wouldn't cross the line where he was stationed. His place is known as the Flame Station. It was the center for communication with the outside world, yet the equipment didn't work. He also told them that the hostiles were on the island before DHARMA.

He gave Sayid medical aid, removing the bullet from his shoulder with skill and ease. As Kate explored around, she found odd things like huge sides of beef in industrial sized refrigerators. (Or.. people! Soylent Green... it's people! Okay, I think it was beef.) Locke found a computer room with a chess-playing program all in motion as if it was waiting for him.

Mikhail offered to cook them dinner and advised Locke that the computer cheats and always wins. Locke balked at that saying only humans cheat. He told them the doppelganger-cat was named Nadia after Nadia Comaneci, the gymnast. What Locke and Kate didn't realize was that Sayid knew Mikhail wasn't being honest and most certainly, wasn't alone. Those horse stirrups were the clue that tipped him off... they were set too short for a man Mikhail's size.

While Locke messed with computer (why does he do that?), Mikhail realized that Kate and Sayid were onto him. They captured him and knocked him unconcious. Then Locke peeked in. (What is with him?) Sayid and Kate went to search for the other person and anything else of interest, leaving Locke in charge of the captive Mikhail.

They noticed a basement hatch and explored where it led, coming across explosives and DHARMA manuals, as well as a map. The whole place is rigged with C4 explosives set to detonate. Oh... they also found the other Other, a woman that Kate recognized from the dock kidnapping, Miss Klugh.

Oh, but that silly Locke. The computer was prompting him to take his chess turn, so what does he do? He takes his eyes off of his prisoner and plays chess! Argh. He wins and is very satisfied that the computer didn't cheat, he was right. But then the computer went into some kind of overide mode. "Enter 38 for Mainland Communications." "Enter 56 for sonar access." So, he did. The computer said that communications and access were both down. "Enter 77 for invasion of hostiles." All of the time, the DHARMA training tape was cutting in and out.

Bam! Mikhail grabs Locke. When Kate and Sayid get upstairs, they have a stand-off outside of the station. They have a gun on Miss Klugh and Mikhail has one on Locke. Klugh spoke very heatedly to Mikhail in Russian, apparently telling him to shoot her. So, he did.

Oh, but what had Locke done? He hit the darn ENTER 77! Argh again. Before they could grab anything out of The Flame Station, it blew sky-high. At least Sayid had the map to the Barracks with him. He said he would decide the fate of Mikhail. They met up with Rousseau by the stream leaving Nadia the Cat looking just a bit forlorn.

Great episode!

'American Idol 6' - Eight Gals Take the Stage

I have a confession to make. I've watched every season of American Idol, but I've yet to buy any music by any of the contestants. Oh, I've had my favorites and I've even liked some of the songs they went on to sing after success on the show. But none enough to actually lay down the bucks.

Until now. I would love to buy Melinda Doolittle's version of "My Funny Valentine" and the song she sang tonight. Get it done, America. This woman must make a record!

Jordin Sparks started out the night telling her little "secret" that she wanted to be a football player for a while and is a wild football fan. Then she belted out Pat Benetar's "Heartbreaker" putting all of the guys to shame... and she's the same age as Sanjaya.

She's not my favorite in the competition. But, for a teenager, she's got a powerful voice and will only improve as she gets older. The judges thought along the same lines with Randy calling her energetic. Simon said she was a bit manic and shrieky, but 100% she will make the cut.

Sabrina Sloan's little secret was that for years she wanted to be the "next Katie Couric." The clips were funny. It's a good thing she switched to singing. She sang En Vogue's "Don't Let Go." I think that if not for Lakisha and Melinda, it would be a competition between Sabrina and Stephanie. A solid voice, a good stage presence, but Simon called the "robotic" bit right. I think that can be addressed, though. This wasn't my favorite performance of hers, but she's light-years ahead of the guys. Randy and Paula gave favorable comments.

Then there was Antonella Barba. Someone remind me why she's there again? Please? She sang Corinne Bailey Rae's "Put Your Records On." I didn't care much for the song or her performance of it. The judges were far kinder than I. Apparently the buzz about her naughty photos is known as Simon made a reference to "rough week" and "talk about her." I don't care. Make her go away. Oh, I almost forgot her thing we didn't know about her. She plays violin and teaches it, too. Go back to that, just get off the show... please.

Haley Scarnato was an active gymnast until injuries sidelined her. She sang Melissa Manchester's "If My Heart Had Wings." Technically, I thought she did okay. I wish she'd stop that silly bouncing as she sings. Randy declared it just okay, no pizzazz, no yo. Paula reverted to one of her "you're pretty" comments. Simon asked who she was. He also said it was horrible. I don't think it was as bad as Antonella's performance, but I think she bought her ticket home tonight.

Stephanie Edwards said that while she loved to sing at home, she was shy and would cry as a child when asked to sing for others. I found that interesting as I think she's one of the ones with a very professional stage presence about her. She sang Chaka Khan's "Sweet Thing." (Chaka Khan, Chaka Khan... had to do it.) I thought she was very good. Paula danced, Randy yo'd. Paula thought it was darn near flawless although Randy thought less of it and said it was a valiant effort. Simon called it one of the best but noted the "copycat" factor.

Lakisha Jones is terrified of animals, all animals. Yikes. But she sure can sing, so I don't mind. I've mentioned that Whitney Houston isn't a favorite of mine. So, what does Lakisha do? She sings a Whitney song, "I Have Nothing." She sang it very well, very powerfully. But it wasn't my favorite performance of hers.

Randy said it wasn't her best, but it was great. Paula thought she was working on being the next American Idol. Simon said she brought passion, talent, and believability. He also mentioned she looked very pretty tonight. I think Simon was right on all counts.

Gina Glocksen was up next telling about her lucky charms - a mini-troll, stuffed pickle, and a pillow. She sang "Call Me When You're Sober" by Evanescence. I don't care for the song, but it's perfect for her style. I thought she did well with it and it seemed more true to her own roots. I noticed the arm tattoos are still missing, though. Randy, Paula, and Simon were thrilled that she's "back."

We found out that Melinda Doolittle has a bit of an OCD thing going. To me, it was symmetry-related, but she said it was equality. If she touches something cold with one hand, she must do it with another and so on. Odd, but I love her anyway.

She sang Peggy Lee's "I'm a Woman." Wow. Like I mentioned at the start of this... if she were to release a CD with this song, the one from last week, the many more she'll sing before she wins... I'd buy it. And, that would be a first for me with any contestant from the show. The judges were ecstatic. So am I.

Who will leave us tomorrow? I'm thinking it should be Antonella and Haley. If Antonella stays, it's due to something other than her singing. What do you think?

More 'Black Donnellys'

Although I'm still struggling a bit to get the brothers straight, I'm finding this show more and more intriguing.

Now, let's see... Tommy's the easy brother to identify. He's basically the protagonist in this cast -- the brother who feels responsible to rescue his petty-thievin' three brothers, the brother who went on the straight and narrow after accidentally hitting one brother while driving a stolen car in his pre-teen days. Tommy's the brother with the art talent and the brains, the one who could make something of himself. Tommy's the brother who gets drawn into the mob scene when his only goal is to save his brothers. Tommy's the one destined to be the leader.

Sean is the brother beaten by mobsters and recovering in the hospital. He's the one who drives the girls wild. We'll see if the beating took any toll on his looks as he recovers. Jimmy is the one who's in jail, a drug addict, and the one who Tommy hit with the stolen car causing a lifelong limp. But, at least he can walk. Oh, Tommy's guilt! Then there's Kevin, a kind of bumbling hapless kind of guy and the only one Tommy can really team up with as Sean and Jimmy aren't quite available to hide the evidence.

Oh, and then there's Joey Ice Cream. Now, I think we've all known a tag-along like him at some time or another in our lives. He wants to be in with the In Crowd. In his case, that crowd is the Donnelly brothers and the periphery of the Irish mob scene in New York City. It's Joey who narrates the show as he tells two cops the story from his jail cell. Why's he in there? I don't know. Why's he talking? I'd say he's trying to get a deal from the cops for his own case, whatever that is. Plus, Joey's a bit star-struck.

New York City? Why not Boston? I don't know. Well, wait... actually I do know. The series creators grew up in Hell's Kitchen, an area of the city which is now more politically correctly called Clinton. It's more gentrified these days, yet the series beckons more to the area as it was a few decades back.

Although this show has the most discombobulated Manhattan scenes I've ever seen, I'm loving the street shots. There is no elevated subway track in Hell's Kitchen, nor on the Lower East Side where the bar owned by the brothers actually exists. And every time I see the bar shots, I know I've sat at the table by the window under the flaking piano keys on the wall. I know I've played pool on the faded red-flannel covered pool table under the fake Tiffany lamp. It's all so odd, but I'm waiting for them to show the sign in the Ladies Room which reads "Friends don't let friends bring home ugly people." (Yes, that sign exists in the bathroom of the Parkside Lounge, the bar used in the series.)

This week's episode included the New Jersey swamp areas I see from the train whenever I head into the city. I always look out on those swamps and think that they must contain mob victims or perhaps those of serial killers. When I saw the brothers were trying to dump a body there, I thought "that's as good a place as any."

The Black Donnellys is dark. It's darkly shot and dark in mood. Yet there is some humor coming from Joey Ice Cream and sometimes within the interactions of the brothers. It's not going to be everyone's cup of tea. I like dark crime-related dramas and even I found the scene where Tommy had to make the body fit in the barrel a bit disturbing. Powerful, very intense for television, but disturbing. On the other hand, I could have told the boys how to get those sensor tags off without breaking the ink. (No, I'm not a shoplifter.)

I'm going to keep watching this show. At this point, I'm still too easily confused to really do a proper job blogging about it. But I was also at that point with Heroes... a show I now love and have the characters down pretty well. As long as NBC gives this series a real chance, I'll get to know these characters better. Currently, I'm finding it very intriguing.

Right now the official website for the show has a full online-only episode they deem "too explosive" for television. You can access that episode with this link.

Are you watching the show?

'American Idol 6' - Seven Men and a Boy Singing

Oh, I'm not feeling the excitement from these guys for the most part. I enjoy a few and I certainly think some are talented. But, will any make it to the top two? I doubt it. I think we're going to see a showdown with the women this season.

Tonight was the night for the guys to put out their best to make it in the final 12. After all, the final 12 are the ones who go on tour, get the huge exposure and more. I just don't think the guys really brought it tonight... once again. At least I enjoyed the "one thing folks don't know about me" bits more than last week's teary dedications.

Blake Lewis showed his improv skills. Um, let him stick to beatbox and singing, please. He sang "All Mixed Up" by 311. I thought he did it well although I'm not familiar with the song. I think he's a given for the final 12. The judges agree with me (as they should). This guy has a lot of talent and he's different.

Sanjaya Malakar knows how to do the hula. I know how to distort photos. He knows how to distort this competition and stay in the running. I want him to go away. He seems like a nice kid and all. And, yes, he has a pleasant enough voice. But when compared to the others, he's a kid playing amongst adults.

He sang John Mayer's "Waiting for the World to Change." Now, I'm not a huge John Mayer fan, but that's one of his songs I like. Sanjaya did okay if it were a school performance. Simon said it wasn't as ghastly as last week. Well, yeah... there's that. He should leave, but I bet we're stuck with him in the finals. Hey, don't blame me.

Sundance Head's secret is that he's thin in real life. I give him credit for making me smile. He sang Pearl Jam's "Jeremy." I thought he did well with it, but it's not the song I would have chosen for him for tonight. Randy liked it, as did Paula. Simon said it was a "generic bar singer" performance and an indulgent song. I'd have to go with Simon on this one. It didn't do much for me. Is Sundance on thin ice? I think he could very well be. This guy runs too hot and cold in addition to not making good song choices every other week.

Chris Richardson shared that he used to be chunky and played college football. He sang Keith Urban's "Tonight I Wanna Cry." I enjoyed the performance and the change from him. How un-Justin Timberlake of the guy! The judges were favorable and I'm sure we'll see him next week.

Jared Cotter told us he was a college basketball player. I'm not surprised. He sang Stevie Wonder's "If You Really Love Me." He did it well enough, but I'm getting tired of his same moves, his same dancing, his same mugging to the camera and acting like he's the sexiest man alive. Randy liked it, Paula thought he needs to "color up" the way he sings. (I believe she means along the lines of "make it your own" and add something to the song.) Simon said it wasn't very original and he was slightly disappointed. He said there was no "wow factor." Wow, he got that right. I don't think Jared is a shoe-in to make the cut.

Brandon Rogers was next up. His secret is that he plays classical piano. Cool, I say. Now, maybe I'm biased, but I enjoy this guy. He sang Rare Earth's "I Just Want to Celebrate." I don't think it was an earth-shattering performance, but he did it well. Randy thought it was good, Paula said it was solid. Simon said he needed more memorable songs. I hope Brandon makes the cut. I don't think this was his best performance.

Phil Stacey, looking much better in a hat, explained he used to have long hair. He then had to cut it short for a group he was in, then decided to shave his head. I think he should grow his hair back, but that could just be me. He sang LeAnn Rimes' "I Need You." I thought the start was horrible. He redeemed himself some through the song, but I didn't care for it.

Randy said it was an interesting song choice and his lower notes are "weird." Paula said it had a "chancy start" and was an odd choice. Simon didn't get it at all. Now that I think of it, neither did I.

Chris Sligh's secret was about the opposite of Phil's. He used to always have very short hair and decided to grow it to see what it did. It curled. He's never had a perm and it's all natural.

Chris sang D.C. Talk's "Wanna Be Loved." I still think his voice is one of the best amongst the guys. I'm not familiar with the song, but enjoyed the performance. I personally thought it to be the best vocal of the night. Randy agreed with me. Paula thought he should take more risks and Simon said he'll make it through to the finals. I surely hope so.

So, who's going home on Thursday? I definitely want Sanjaya out of there, but I think he'll have votes. I think Blake, Chris R. and Chris S. are going to be in the Top 6 guys. That leaves Phil, Jared, Sundance, and Brandon on the possibly may go list. Of those, I'd like to see Brandon stay... I'm ambivalent about the rest.

Your thoughts?

'Heroes' - "Parasite" - A BulletPoint Report

This Heroes report is dedicated to the memory of Sara Emiliano, a real life hero herself although she may not have thought herself one. Fighting Crohn's Disease, she died violently over the weekend. She was good people, funky boots and all. Forever 21, she'll be missed. Rest in peace, Sara.

Sigh... onto the show. Yet another action-packed episode...

• Isaac blames Peter for Simone's death even though he pulled the trigger.
• Hiro is in Las Vegas trying to meet Linderman so he can get his Kensei sword.
• Mr. Bennet, whose memory was wiped by the Haitian last week, wants his daughter back. His boss reminds him that Claire was an "assignment." Matt Parkman (Mind Reading Ex-Cop) listened and affirmed that Bennet doesn't know where Claire is. The boss had made a deal to let him go for "eavesdropping," but left him there.
• The Haitian told Claire that she must leave the country because what they (Papertech) would do to her, not even she could recover from.
• Nathan is working with the FBI to set up Linderman. Peter was invisible and eavesdropping as he met with the agents. Peter told Nathan that Simone is dead and he feels responsible. Nathan told him to call Suresh.
• Mr. Bennet came home from the hospital. All of a sudden, his wife knows all that's going on? She told him he told her all about Claire, his job and more in the shower. Something's up, I say.
• The woman from Primatech (can't recall her name) arrived at the Bennet's home to take Bennet away as there was a "paper emergency."

• Sylar, still posing as Zane Taylor, is working with Suresh. He volunteers to call Isaac Mendez, but said the line was busy. "Who else from the list should I call?" "No one. I already have you, Mr. Sylar." Yep, Mohinder finally caught on and figured Sylar out. He put curare in his tea to render his powers useless.
• Nathan and Hiro bump into each other in Vegas. Nathan knows Hiro wants the sword and helps him through to the museum curator.
• Claire's new identity is Vivian Lewis from Canada. But when she and the Haitian go through boarding at the airport, Claire stole his papers so he couldn't board. But she already blew it - she told him she wanted to go see Peter Petrelli.
• Bennet's Primatech Woman (ack, name... I need her name) and Bennet showed up at Isaac's in NYC. She morphed into Simone when the NYPD knocked on his door investigating gunshots and bearing a Simone photo.
• Mohinder has decided Sylar is a parasite feeding off the powers of others. He wants to kill him for killing his father. Sylar told him that his father told him everything about his sister, how he didn't want to work with Mohinder because he was too delicate, etc. Mohinder said Sylar was called Patient Zero by his father and he needed spinal fluid before killing him.
• Back in Vegas, Hiro delivered the ripped Isaac painting to the curator, then tried to steal the sword when he left for a moment. The curator caught him and called security. The security guard turned out to be Ando, who had been following Hiro. Hiro got the sword and his powers back. He teleports himself and Ando to escape the other Linderman guards.
• Oh, no. They teleport into the future, landing on the Deveaux Building roof which is wrecked, as is the city around them. Hiro thinks he failed to save the world.
• Back in vegas again, Jessica killed the FBI agents working with Nathan. But then Nikki showed up to tip off Nathan. She told him that he can't kill him, he must make a deal with him. She told him that Linderman knows he turned on him.
• Meanwhile, Sylar was able to stop his IV as Mohinder said he needed four genes. He asked Mohinder for salvation. When Mohinder had what he needed, Sylar stopped the bullet shot at him and escaped his bonds. He told Mohinder he wasn't begging for his own life, he was offering him his.
• Back at the Bennet's home, it turns out that Bennet's wife is actually morphed Primatech Girl and the boss turns up. "He is going to be a problem." Uh-oh.
• Isaac took drugs to paint more.
• Claire went to Peter's apartment where her grandmother (remember, she doesn't know Nathan is her father) answered the door. Oops, the Haitian is there and she's in cahoots with it all, too.
• Nathan went to kill Linderman, an unlikely evil older man in a restaurant kitchen cooking. Linderman gave him a speech about how you can have a life of happiness or a life of meaning, but you can't have them both. If you choose a life with meaning, you'll wallow in the past and worry about the future. He told Nathan he can win the election and be near the White House in just two years - a life of meaning.
• Nathan didn't shoot him.
• Peter arrived looking for Mohinder. Mohinder had been stuck on the ceiling (I'd say velcro!) by Sylar. Sylar started to cut Peter's head with his super-finger to steal his brain. The last shot was that silly lock of hair falling on the floor with blood drops.

Heroes goes on hiatus returning April 23rd. They say they've saved the cheerleader, when they return it'll be time to save the world. I'll have to go through Heroes withdrawal, how about you?