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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This could be interesting, eh?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I guess he's a man of mystery.

For now, at least.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

New Promo for 'Big Brother 8'

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

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

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

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

'Big Brother 8' - New House Photos Online

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

After all, we have to talk about this.

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

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

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

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

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

Your thoughts on the new house decor?

TV Newsy Bits - Tuesday, June 26, 2007

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

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

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

In other real TV Newsy Bits:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"____ me senseless!" screamed Ramsay.

So, they did.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

That's where we stand at this time.

I'm ready.

Has the 'Big Brother 8' Cast Been Leaked?

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

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

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

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

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

Tiffany Dalton - oldish black woman

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

Carol Ricardi - older woman (mother figure)

Gabby Ngyugen - young Asian girl. huge smile.

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

Mitchell “Mitchy” Vance- Good looking younger male.

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

Jared Pfifer - good looking....Spanish?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here's the guest list for the upcoming week:

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

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

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

Argh.

The TV Weekend

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What are your plans for the weekend?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

'Big Brother 8' RealPlayer Superpass Now Available

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I can't wait!

TV Newsy Bits - Tuesday, June 19, 2007

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

In other real TV Newsy Bits:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What's that, you ask?

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

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

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

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

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

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

'Big Brother 8' - Still in Anticipation

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

TV Newsy Bits - Saturday, June 16, 2007

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Going home are: Ashlee and... Ricky.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What's your television schedule look like this evening?

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

TV Newsy Bits - Wednesday, June 13, 2007

It's June 13... do you know where your children are?

Tonight's a night which will be mostly filled with So You Think You Can Dance for me. Right now I'm not sure if I'll be writing an entry about the show or not. But keep in mind that there's a blog discussion post for the show right here. The season premiere of Last Comic Standing goes for two hours starting at 9 PM tonight, but I'm going to pass on that this year. I haven't enjoyed it so much since my local dude Rich Vos got booted. Um, yeah. We're talking the first season, I think.

In today's TV Newsy Bits:

• Oh, I know we have some Blake Lewis (American Idol) fans in attendance here. People.com has a nice video highlighting his "sensitive side."
• According to this AOL Television News article, Sopranos series creator David Chase says that a movie isn't a sure thing. Well, he didn't say "fuggedaboudit."
• The Futon Critic is posting that America's Got Talent won its Tuesday night slot. I recorded the first hour as I watched On the Lot, but watched the second. It is indeed entertaining!
• The Celebrity Spider has an article about the return of Jericho on CBS -- these are rebroadcasts of the first season and are scheduled to start the day after Big Brother 8 begins. (Does everyone know that date?)
• Speaking of BB8... if memory serves, the initial cast announcements are usually made around the 20th of June. Hey, we're talking next Wednesday!

Yipes... Hok is going to dance! I must watch!

Ah, The Memories of 'Big Brother'

What's in store for us this season? Three weeks (and a day) to go! Meanwhile, let's remember Will's Internet Love. ;-)

Live Blogging - 'On the Lot' - June 12, 2007

Tonight's guest judge is David Frankel who's accompanying Garry Marshall and Carrie Fisher. This entry will be updated throughout the airing of the show here on the East Coast. Comments welcome!

One of the five whose films aired last week will be sent packing. Adam is safe, Shaline is safe. Sam is safe. It's down to Trever and Hilary. (I didn't like Hilary's film.) The announcement will be made at the end of the show.

Andrew's film is up. He was the barfing aliens guy. His film is "Polished." Looks like we have a proud janitor. Uh-oh... a spill! Aw, poor janitor dude. He may as well be invisible to the office staff. The messy office staff, that is. Super wax! Buff, butt. Uh-oh. He seems delirious with power. He hangs a free burgers at noon sign up and everyone runs... and they're sliders! No, not White Castle... the staff is all sliding right on by. He's now a happy guy.

Carrie - Vengeance is for the people without patience for karma. Good. David doesn't think it's the best film he's ever done... a bit slow. Garry thinks revenge works. "Polished" was quite polished according to Garry.

The next film is coming from David. "Love at First Shot" is his film. It's about a guy who's uncomfortable with girls. Okay, a geeky guy talking about space and wormholes on a date. He's kind of cute, though! A cell phone call from a guy who claims love is war and thinks he's needed. Oh, it's Cupid! The arrow keeps missing. Taking a waiter's clothes, he tries to get close to the table. Cupid is getting frustrated - "Let her talk for a minute." "What do you love?" It works! Cupid is no longer needed. A very cute film.

Carrie thinks it's derivative. David thinks it didn't come out right... mixed genres, ambiguity is the enemy of comedy. Garry thinks it wasn't paced right. He thought it was beautiful to look at. Huh. I liked it better than they did!

The third film of the night is from Shira-Lee. Her son is in her cast. What a cutie! The film, "Beeline," is about a single mom getting back into the dating world. It seems she's been just a bit busy as she arranges cover stories with her beaus to shield her son from knowing about her sexual escapades. Heh... the kid seemed to have it all planned so he'd get a PlayStation 3.

Carrie thinks it can be called "Slut Mom." Good, not great. David said it made him laugh. He liked it. Best so far. Garry thought the kid shouldn't smile while acting. Good one for the girls! Excellent job.

Marty is up next - he's the one who made a trailer instead of a film before. His film is "Dance With the Devil." Marty exudes confidence and thinks he's heads above the rest. I'm not understanding it so far. Green tint, woman and man. Then she's ill. Then she's not. She trusts him. I'm very confused. And, did I mention it's all in a green tint? The guy gets money hidden in a cabinet while men hold his girl hostage. They shoot her. "Was it worth it? You don't dance with the devil if you can't stand the heat."

Carrie thinks it's a victory of style over substance. Very distracting. Marty's defensive. OHH... "You're a big fan of yourself so maybe you don't need me," from Carrie. David said the film played more like his trailer and he liked the previous trailer more. Garry said it worked for him. Go deeper into the characters. I tend to agree with Carrie.

Kenny of "Whack Alley Cab" fame is up next. He seemed reluctant when they earlier asked who wanted to go up against the filmakers already on tonight. His film is "Edge on the End" - a film about a kid whose father died of alcoholism. Okay, Dad is definitely dead. Suspense music to rock. The kid is stumbling, climbing in snow. Narrated oddly. Various effects. The kid drinks, then drives, This is reminding me of an acid trip back in the sixties or something. Lesson learned? He throws out the bottle, two roses and flashes betwixt Dad and Son.

Carrie thinks it was stylistically distracting. She thinks he's cute. David admired the ambition and powerful imagery. Both Carrie and David think it's more of a music video. Garry says he "has new eyes." Stay unique and stay crazy. Carrie thinks the host has a crush on Kenny. I think the host's dress couldn't be cut any lower.

Final vote on last week... right after the break.

Yikes... Hilary is safe and Trever is going home. I honestly thought Hiary would be the one to go.

The voting is on. I liked "Polished" and "Beeline" the best. Your favorite? Who do you think will go home next week? My thoughts would be either Marty or Kenny will go.

'Hell's Kitchen' - A Quick Take on Episode 2

What a difference a week makes, eh?

Last week it seemed that the women, the Red Team, were doomed. This week it was the men (Blue Team) who couldn't get their act together.

And, those men so not got their act together in such a fashion that Gordon Ramsay kicked them out of the kitchen and had the women finish their serving. Of course, the promos had us expecting something Ramsay had never done before and showed an ambulance. The promos indicated that someone would stand up to him.

Bah, never happened. On the Blue Team, Aaron the older out-of-condition Asian cowboy, was feeling ill, dizzy, and generally hindering the progress of his own team. Vinnie from Joisey talks a good game in his camera time with us, but doesn't speak up to Ramsay. Eddie is woefully out of his league and talks about talking up. Josh is just self-righteous. Rock seems to be the most professional on the team.

The Red Team, after bickering like my brother and me when we were young'uns, actually worked together. I think it was Jen giving the lead and doing it very well. Hmmm... maybe it was Melissa. It wasn't Bonnie, the one Ramsay referred to as a dumb blonde and a ****** Barbie. Even Joanna, the Evil Queen from last week, showed some emotion, worked better with others, and just worked.

The women won the challenge tonight in addition to winning the service. The teams had to prep Dover sole which included skinning and removing the roe. Although Josh shined at the task, that's the only good thing he did all night. While the women went off deep sea fishing with Gordon Ramsay, the men had to skin and de-roe all of the fish for the service.

The men couldn't seem to do anything, not one single bit, of the service right. As I mentioned above, Ramsay kicked them out of the kitchen. Aaron, odd man out, was de-boning the fish into filets at the tables and did that wrong. The one who did the least wrong, Rock, was chosen by Ramsay to choose two to leave.

Eddie, the Little Dude, approached him and said his choices were himself (Eddie), Josh, and Aaron. Since Aaron is definitely losing it, he approached Rock and gave him the choices of "me and me." But he said he'd like to remain. Josh thinks he did okay, would do better.

In the end, Rock chose Eddie and Josh. Now, I wonder what Ramsay would have done with a choice of Aaron and Eddie. With the choices as presented, he kicked Eddie out. But I think that if Aaron had been up on the plate (so to speak) with Eddie, it may have been Aaron gone. Either way, they were both doomed. It's just a matter of when. Neither of the two could ever handle the high stress and pressure work that would come with a win.

A few miscellaneous notes: This show always has more smokers than I've ever seen on any reality show. I've never worked in the restaurant business, but is there a higher percentage of smokers in that line? And, where do they find so many places not delegated to the outdoors to smoke anyway? It's slim indoor pickings for smokers in California. My other note: why do so many guys on television and the movies named Vinny or Vinnie hail from Jersey? I've lived here about 13 years and have met two guys named Vinnie (or Vinny) in all that time.

Your thoughts on the latest episode?

The Latest 'Big Brother 8' News and Rumors (More Rumors)

Lots of news, although there are a lot of rumors, too!

Our friends over at Buddy TV have an interesting article posted today. I urge you to check out the whole thing (and tell them I sent you), but here's the rough skinny...

While I'll have the live feeds and be feeding you with reports at least three times a day, some of you might be able to watch the uncensored action yourselves! Well, except when they sing. Or talk about someone who hasn't signed a release. Or stuff like that. Oh, and it's only for three hours each night. Oh, and it will be only one feed, not multiple cameras. Oh... and it's going to be on the premium cable station ShoToo, the sister station of Showtime. Heck, unless you already have the station, it may be cheaper just getting the feeds and having them season-through, 24/7. The three-hour live show dubbed Big Brother: After Dark premieres on July 5. It will air starting at 9 PM ET/12 AM PT.

The Jokers site has an article about this new news, too. They also mention (although I knew it and you probably guessed it) that RealNetworks will be offering the live feeds once again. They have the two week trial listed this year, but don't go for it until the season starts. I have my SuperPass and have been checking for news on that front. They have a teaser, but no news, per se. The CBS Internet talk show Housecalls will be returning with Gretchen Massey, but no mention of Marcellas Reynolds.

Rumors are still coming through several grapevines that there will be a "high school bully" theme this season. Various folks claiming to have been turned down by casting are posting throughout the web that they were asked many, many questions about their high school days. Plus, the quote on a recent TV promo for the season from Janelle could be linked to such a theme. But there's nothing concrete. So, for right now, that's all rumors, perhaps foilers.

TV Newsy Bits - Monday, June 11, 2007

Greetings! Happy Monday to y'all. Well, if there is such a thing as a "happy" Monday. I suppose it could be an oxymoron like "jumbo shrimp."

Do you realize that by this time next month we'll have already picked our favorites on Big Brother 8?

Here are today's TV Newsy Bits...

• Remember... The Closer third season premiere is next Monday, June 18 at 9 PM ET/PT on TNT. Did you miss some episodes of the second season? Not to worry! TNT is holding a fifteen-hour The Closer marathon starting at 6 AM leading into the season premiere. All of the second season will be shown. And, thanks to TBS, I was given a screener copy of the premiere episode -- it's a mind-boggler indeed.
• Yikes! There was a bit of controversy over the Sopranos finale, eh?
• Hide Harry! The man who was jailed in a kidnap plot to abduct David Letterman's son has escaped from prison. Don't go to Montana, Dave. Stay here on the East Coast and give us fresh pants.
• Speaking of late-night television hosts, it's dawning on me who Lonnie Quinn -- ex-soap opera actor, transplant from a Florida station, dubiously credentialed meteorologist (certifcate, no degree) new WCBS2 (NYC) evening "meteorologist" -- reminds me of... Conan O'Brien with blondish hair. Ack.
• Are you a fan of body art? Tomorrow night at 10 PM ET/PT, TLC will air the season premiere of Miami Ink. The show seems to be more about the art behind the tattoos than folks getting them. Check out the website for lots of cool show-related doings!
• Oh... those poor Law and Order: Criminal Intent stars! According to this AOL TV News article, the show's major actors including Vincent D'Onofrio, will be returning next season without a raise. For some odd reason, I think they're still in a higher salary tier than most folks.

Pants To Make Your Butt Look Big - This Week on 'The Late Show with David Letterman' - June 11-15, 2007

It's a new week and it's a new list o' guests!

Fresh pants!

Here's who's scheduled to be on the show this week:

• Monday, June 11: Denis Leary promoting the new season of Rescue Me, Flight of the Conchords (HBO's Flight of the Conchords).
• Tuesday, June 12: Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer), Sir Richard Branson, Maroon 5 (latest CD is It Won't Be Soon Before Long).
• Wednesday, June 13: Bear Grylls (Man vs. Wild), Jeremy Piven (Entourage), Elvis Perkins (CD is Ash Wednesday).
• Thursday, June 14: John Cusack promoting 1408, musical guest Pink Martini (CD is Hey, Eugene).
• Friday, June 15: Michael Moore promoting Sicko and comedian Bill Burr.

'Big Brother 8' Programming Schedule Announced

According to The Futon Critic, Big Brother 8 will return to the same scheduled evenings as last season -- the season premiere will be Thursday, July 5 at 8 PM ET/PT. On Sunday evenings, the show will air at 8 PM ET/PT while the Tuesday night show will start at 9 PM ET/PT, an hour later than last year.

Pirate Master will follow BB8 on the premiere night, then settle into the 10 PM ET/PT slot on Tuesday evenings. It seems that it's been cast adrift, mateys.

There's still no casting news, nor news on the live feeds.

TV Newsy Bits - Thursday, June 7, 2007

Whoa... lots of news out there today!

Unfortunately, no new news on the upcoming Big Brother 8 cast, twists, or air times...!

There's good news, bad news, and odd news.

Here we go:

• Jericho fans can rejoice! Due to pressure from the fan community, CBS has ordered seven more episodes of the show after making the announcement that the show was cancelled. The New Jersey Star Ledger is just one of the sources for this story. So, it's true -- fan reaction actually mattered for once!
  


• It appears that someone has broken the non-disclosure clause of their contract over in Hell's Kitchen. Online betting venues have stopped action on the show due to "suspicious patterns." This Reality TV World article has more, but be warned -- the spoiler for the possible/probable winner is within the article. If you don't want the show spoiled for you, don't read the article.
  


• Nicole Ritchie was on The Late Show with David Letterman last night. He gave her a bit of the third degree (justifiably) about getting arrested, possible jail time down the road and more. What world does this girl live in, I ask? She thinks "everyone goes to jail." Say what? I have never been in jail and I'm twice her age. I even did some stupid things in my more youthful years and managed to not get arrested and not go to jail. AOL TV's Top Five has a clip of her appearance on the show. I'm still scratching my head over the girl.


• While you're at the AOL Top Five clips page, check out the one for So You Think You Can Dance. Twitch was amazing!
  
  
• In more So You Think You Can Dance news, here's Hok's MySpace page.
  

'Big Brother 8' News (And Lack Thereof) and Rumors

Thanks to graphic artist Zoetawny, I have a new fancy Big Brother 8 graphic! So, I'm ready for the season. Now, where's the news? What's the skinny on the show?

Alas, more of the news out there right at the moment is rumor and/or speculation rather than anything concrete.

If we go by the history of the show, it's likely that the houseguests themselves don't know if they made the cut or not. It's usually not until mid-June, a bit later even, when the houseguests are whisked away to sequester pre-show, pre-entering the Big Brother house.

So, cast announcements probably won't be made before the third week of June or thereabouts. But usually there's more news at this time, at least about the schedule of the show. For some reason this year, CBS is being mum about things. We know that Julie Chen (the Chenbot) will be hosting again. We know that Arnold Shapiro stepped out and Alison Grodner will be the sole executive producer. We know the premiere date -- Thursday, July 5.

But... but... what about Pirate Master? Our friends at Buddy TV asked the very same question in this article. After all, that airs in the same Thursday night slot where BB usually resides. Perhaps C.S.I reruns will be bumped for the summer? I doubt that as even the reruns are a cash cow for CBS.

The TV Grapevine website has the rumor that this season's twist is going to revolve around high school bullies. I hope that's just a rumor -- that wouldn't be my idea of good television. The MSNBC site has a blurb mentioning the show (with a pic of Mike Boogie), but tells us nothing new besides the fact that Rock Star doesn't seem to be returning.

So, that's where we stand. Rumors, speculation, but all we really know for sure is that July 5 we'll be watching the show. As news about the feeds is released, as well as news about the cast or showtimes or twists, I'll let you know!

Whatever Will I Watch Tonight? - Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Once again, I know this isn't my usual graphic. It's a ladybug on clover in bright sunshine -- you can click on it to see it in its full bug-glory. I'm still playing with the new camera and new computer. Of course, these will be my only major expense playtoys for the year, but the digital camera I had was over four years old and had been dropped a lot. With the new computer, I don't even have to hook (either) camera up to the computer to download the photos -- it has card-reading slots for almost every media there is and treats them like a separate drive.

One thing I have to do is go out and get amplified/powered speakers for the new computer, though. I have two sets of computer speakers which have always worked fine. I never really depended on my computer for fine stereo sound. But the speakers are operating at such low volumes that I can barely hear them now.

And the computer was overdue, too. I still have working computers in Windows 95 (yikes), Windows 98, and Windows XP... but the first two can only do dial-up without major work. And the most recent, the XP OS, is almost seven years old and was starting to flake out a bit.

The new computer, after rebates, is only costing me around $500 compared to the really wimpy Windows 95 machine which cost me over $2,500 about 13 years ago. The XP 'puter was a good deal -- an open box buy at $500 which should have gone for $1200. So, I have a TriGem (heh), Compaq, and two HP Pavillions spread out over the years. I'm not mentioning the strictly DOS ATT 'puter from the 80s. That one never did online other than local BBS stuff and used 5.25" floppies. Yes, I'm a geekette, I guess.

But with Big Brother 8 on the horizon, I had to get myself up to snuff. I can't be breaking down amidst the live feeds, can I?

Enough about computer doings... what will I be watching tonight?

The 8 PM hour (ET/PT) is a bit slim pickings for me. I don't want to watch hockey on NBC. So You Think You Can Dance is a repeat in that hour on FOX, but it's a maybe with me. Doubled-up repeats of The King of Queens on CBS just don't make the grade with me. ABC has a new The Next Best Thing. That'll be a maybe. I have no interest in CW's new Hidden Palms, but it is indeed something new. I guess I'll decide what I'm watching at 7:59 PM.

In the 9 PM ET/PT hour, I have a definite will-watch show - So You Think You Can Dance in a new episode on FOX. There's a new American Inventor on ABC, but the show lost me last season. I doubt I'll watch it at all this season unless there's nothing else on I remotely want to see. CW has a new One Tree Hill episode, but I've never watched the show... don't believe I'll start now. TBS has new back-to-back episodes of House of Payne. If you're a Tyler Perry fan, check 'em out! Since I've already seen the episodes in screener versions, they're a maybe for me for recording. It's always interesting to see the differences between the screeners and the aired versions.

In the 10 PM ET/PT hour, there's a new Traveler on ABC. I know the show should be something I like, but I couldn't get into it when I tried to watch it last week. Instead, I'm going to watch two back-to-back new episodes of Cash Cab on the Discovery Channel. I may record Traveler to give it another shot, but new Cash Cabs I just can't not watch! There's a new Top Chef on Bravo, too. With that network and show, they re-air the shows often enough to keep up with them. I'll just have to check future listings or record that instead of the Traveler. Decisions, decisions.

What will you be watching tonight?