TV Newsy Bits - Saturday, April 7, 2007

Is anyone out there watching Raines? I caught the show last night and even though I'm not really all that into the "ghost genre" in TV shows as of late, I found it quirky and fun. I'll be checking it out again.

On Thursday night I watched the second season opener of The Wire on BET (10 PM). I'm a bit disappointed that the network went from 90 minutes to 60 minutes with the show. I know they had added airing time to air more (annoying) commercials, but now I can't help but wonder what bits of the show may be cut. Sigh... one of these days when it's in my budget, I guess I'll have to spring for the DVD of the show.

In other TV Newsy Bits:

• Celebrity Spider has mild spoilers for the next episode of Survivor 14: Fiji. No boot news, but it sounds like it's going to be interesting!
• RNO (Reality News Online) has transcribed recent Survivor castaway Lisi's appearance on The Early Show. What's interesting is that she contradicts some of what she said in an interview with RNO. Dang, she's still fickle, eh? I'm so glad she got the boot.
• It will be a Latin-themed week this week on American Idol as Jennifer Lopez coaches the contestants. Maybe Sanjaya will do the macarena? Eek.
• Celebrity Spider (great site that it is) has a blurb about the next Lost episode. Who comes down with a life-threatening disease?
• Reality TV World has an interview with Blakeney Rowe about her brief experience on The Bachelor.

'Survivor 14: Fiji' - Ep. 8 -or- "You're all losers! Why are you sending me home?"

Oh, there were some cool happenings in tonight's episode!

Let's see... last week we got rid of Rocky, someone who annoyed me to no end. The only other ones on the show who really irk me are Lisi and Dreamz. Will my own dreamz come true tonight?

Eleven are left. Who will be voted out tonight?

The show opened at the Ravu Camp on Day 20. As Dreamz and Lisi slept in the daytime sun, Edgardo, Alex, and Mookie were following the Exile Island hidden Immunity Idol clues that Lisi had given Edgardo and Alex. They were digging quietly, but Mookie could barely stifle his whoop when he found the matching turtle to the one Yau-Man found at the Moto Camp.

With lots of shushing, the three tribe-mates checked out the Idol nearby the camp. They decided they wouldn't tell Lisi they found it as Edgardo thought she was "unstable." Similar to the Earl/Yau-Man agreement, they decide that it will be used if any one of the three needs it.

But, in confessional, Mookie tells us he found it and it's in his pocket. He may not be as willing to share as his buddies think he is. He knows that coming from the original Ravu, he's outnumbered. Actually, I think he's wise to think he has first rights to its use.

Mookie returned to the area where he found the Idol and was trying to hide the evidence of digging. Lisi awakened and asked him if he was digging for the Idol and he admitted he was. "You have to wake up pretty early to fool an old cat like me," Lisi told us. Mookie offered to help her dig around for the Idol. Oh, I'd call that fooled, wouldn't you?

When tree mail (wicker basket mail) was checked at the Moto Camp, it told them they were to be coached on a traditional Fijian dance. One member would have to sit out. Yau-Man said he has no rhythm and I believe him, so he sat out.

At the Reward Challenge, both tribes were dressed in native garb, make-up and all. I guess maybe it's more war paint than make-up. The tribes had to dance the dance taught to them being judged by three Fijians on three separate criteria -- appearance, authenticity, and spirit.

Lisi seemed to take the whole thing as a joke when her tribe practiced, but it looked like Moto was really pulling together and getting in the spirit of things. And, that effort showed in the performance.

I'm no Fijian war dance judge and I could see a clear difference between the performances. Earl was magnificent and all of Moto danced in unison as if they had been doing the dance for years. Meanwhile, Ravu was out of step and just didn't have the It Factor. (Oh, wait... wrong show.) The judges thought both tribes did well in appearance and spirit, but Moto was a clear winner for authenticity.

Moto won a Fijian feast with chicken, pork, and fish as well as the company of locals. They sang, danced and had a good time all around. Poor Lisi (heh) was chosen by Moto to go to Exile Island once again. She moped, fussed, whined, and cried. Oh, no... she wants to quit again!

Day 21 brought about an early morning meeting with Earl and Michelle. They're close and Earl tends to think of her as his spy. Michelle has her own agenda, though. She wants to push for Stacy to leave as she thinks that she and Stacy are pretty much carbon copies of each other. She feels she would be stronger on her own. Earl was thinking Boo would be more of a problem than Stacy, but Michelle convinced him otherwise.

I liked the Immunity Challenge... perhaps because Yau-Man strutted his stuff. The challenge was in three rounds -- a blow dart, then spear, then bow and arrow. Each tribe member went in turn trying to make the closest mark to the bulls-eye on their target.

The first round was worth one point for the winner, the second two points, and the third three points. If there was a tie, there would be a sudden-death round.

Now, here's where Yau-Man proved his worth. While Edgardo had told us in confessional that he was proficient at archery, Yau-Man just studied the the scene. He found the straightest arrow. He thought of the trajectory of the arrow and placed himself accordingly. He was the only one who thought to get a running start for more power for the spear-throw. He's the Man!

Once again, Moto wins Immunity! Before the tribes split up, I hated when Moto won all the time. But now that my two favorite players are on the tribe (Yau-Man and Earl), winning is a good thing. Gee, too bad there's no Rocky to have a fit about the loss.

Wait! There's Lisi to have a fit. She told us in a confessional that her tribe-mates are all losers. She told them she wanted to quit. She told them they were losers. She's surrounded by losers, y'know. Well, guess what? I think she's the losiest loser on the tribe. Yeah, I know that losiest isn't a word, but I'm coining it just for Lisi.

Dreamz thinks all is perfect as Lisi asked to be voted off. But then Lisi changed her mind once again while talking to Alex. I can't believe how this woman flip-flops. She thought she could get Alex and Edgardo to vote out Dreamz, but she was too fickle too much. As Edgardo said, she's unstable.

At Tribal Council, they all voted for her to go. They had enough. Dreamz had one vote for him to leave, coming from Lisi. You just can't cry wolf, let them know you're weak, Lisi. And, Lisi... you're a loser. Your tribe-mates have the Idol you should have found because you blabbed the clues. It's your own darn fault you got the boot. And you have the nerve to be bitter about them?

There. Now I feel better. Sweet Dreamz, Lisi.

'Survivor 14: Fiji' - East Coast Update - 04/05 - Voted Off

Lisi is the 8th person voted out and the second member of the jury.

A full review/recap will be posted later tonight. Stop on back -- I'd love to read your take on the show!

'Survivor 14: Fiji' - East Coast Update - 04/05 - Immunity

Yau-Man, Moto won Immunity again!

'Survivor 14: Fiji' - East Coast Update - 04/05 - Reward Challenge

Moto won Reward - a Fijian feast with singing. They sent Lisi to Exile Island. She will return in time for the Immunity Challenge.

'Survivor 14: Fiji' - East Coast Update - 04/05 - 2nd Hidden Idol Found

Mookie, Alex and Edgardo, using Lisi's clues dug for the Ravu camp hidden Idol while Dreamz and Lisi slept. Mookie found it and all three are keeping it a secret.

Stay tuned for more East Coast Updates and a full review/recap will be posted late tonight!

'Lost' - "Left Behind"

We seem to be in a fluff/not fluff episode pattern as this winter/spring season goes on. Last week's episode, while a bit disturbing at the end, really didn't advance the actual story much at all. This week the story advanced, we learned a few more things, and a few new questions arose.

That's Lost for you.

Last night's episode was Kate-centric and we learned a bit more about her background.

In Flashbacks:
Kate's in Iowa where her car has broken down. She introduced herself to the tow truck driver as Lucy. Once they arrived at the service station, the owner was about to call the police on a woman selling jewelry as he suspected a scam. Lo and behold, that woman was none other than Cassidy. You remember her, right? She's the woman who fell for Sawyer, became pregnant, and he took off with all her money.

Kate saved Cassidy from the cops being called when she claimed to know jewelry, then quickly bought a necklace and declared the goods the real thing. As the two women were left along, Kate told Cassidy she wanted her money back. Cassidy knew from instinct that Kate didn't just do her a good deed for nothing; Kate did herself a good deed. Kate didn't want the police to see her.

Kate admitted to Cassidy that she had killed her stepfather and was in Iowa to talk to her mother. She wanted to know why her mother turned her in to the police and knew the feds were watching. Cassidy told Kate her story -- how she was pregnant by a man she loved who stole her life savings.

Sure enough, when Cassidy dressed as Kate, U.S. Marshals immediately surrounded her. Kate told Cassidy that her stepfather beat her mother and that she (Kate) blew up the house with him inside after taking an insurance policy on the dwelling. She just had to know why her mother betrayed her. After all, she's her daughter and did it all for her.

In the diner where Kate's mother worked, Cassidy accidentally spilled a dish on the mom so that she would go into the ladies room where Kate was waiting. Kate asked her why and her mother would only say, "I loved him. You burned him alive. You did it for you. You did it for yourself." She told Kate she wouldn't tell the two men who are in the diner watching for her, but she never wanted to see her again.

As Cassidy and Kate split up, Kate wanted to know the name of the man who did Cassidy wrong. Cassidy didn't tell her even though Kate offered to go after him. Of course, it would have been interesting if Kate had learned exactly who Cassidy's man was, eh?

On the Island:
Kate's still handcuffed in the billiards room of the Others. Locke came it to say goodbye to her. He told her he was leaving with the Others and Jack would stay behind. When Kate asked if he was going home, he told her he didn't want to go home. And, he added that she could never come with them. They told him all about her, who she is and what she had done. There was no forgiveness. He left and Juliet arrived to deliver a sandwich. Kate tried to attack her, but Juliet's one tough cookie... she knocked her to the floor.

After getting up Kate saw the Others, including John Locke, rapidly packing and then putting on gas masks. Gas masks? Wham! A cannister of gas is thrown into her room.

She awoke outside in a field handcuffed to Juliet. Yes, you heard me right. As she tried to get a knife from Juliet's pocket, Juliet awoke. Neither knew what had happened and Juliet was unaware that the Others went away (and left her behind) until Kate told her.

As they discussed heading back, Juliet told Kate that Ben plays mind games with people -- it's his thing. A violent thunderstorm approached, so they took cover. Juliet told Kate that Jack had told her not to come back for him and, by doing so, she had ruined his chance to get off the island.

The somewhat mechanical stomping noises started as the monster, perhaps not exactly the smoke monster, went after them. So they ran and hid some more.

Juliet told Kate she wasn't aware of that monster. She also dislocated her shoulder for the fourth time. Since Kate was still going on about Jack, Juliet told her that Jack saw her with Sawyer on the monitors. It broke his heart. Juliet went on to say that Kate doesn't even know Jack, but she knows everything about him.

Then it was time for the smoke monster to chase them. They headed to the Barracks, but Kate stopped at the barrier fence. Juliet told her the fence had been deactivated, but Kate was leery

All of a sudden, Juliet magically had handcuff keys, unlocked her cuff, and headed to a power box on the fencepost. She got Kate through, then activated the fence. She said the smoke monster couldn't go through it, and she was indeed right.

When Kate questioned her about having the key all along, Juliet told her that she handcuffed herself to her because she had been left behind. She thought if they were stuck together, they may possibly overcome the past and she wouldn't be left behind by them, too.

They went on to rescue Sayid and Jack, also left behind by the Others. Kate went for Jack and cried about him not needing her help and how she screwed up things for him. She told him the Others had left without him. "Even Juliet?" "No, they left her behind, too."

"Now what?" "Now we go back."

Island Fluff Stuff:
Hurley, the devious rotund fellow he is, came up with a scheme to encourage Sawyer to be a nicer person. He told him that the folks on the island were planning to hold a vote to banish him (Sawyer) as he created so many problems. Sawyer fell for it and ran around being nice to Claire and Aaron, apologized to Hurley for calling him rotund, tried to gut a fish he caught on his own, went hunting with Desmond, killed a wild boar, threw a picnic... and so forth.

He found out it was all a hoax thanks to Charlie. "You tricked me into being decent!," he shouted at Hurley. Hurley told him that he was the best choice for the next leader as Jack, Locke, and Sayid were all gone. Sawyer said he didn't want to be a leader. Hurley pointed out Jack never wanted to be a leader, either.

And that was what happened. Now, it seems that the two monsters are definitely different. The first sounded mechanical and sort of stomped. The second was the actual smoke monster. Juliet knew the barrier fence would repel the smoke monster. What else does she know?

Will the survivors of Flight 815 believe that Juliet was really abandoned by her comrades? Where did they all go? And, what's Locke's position with them? All in all, a good episode! What did you think?

'American Idol 6' East Coast Update - April 4, 2007

Three groups of three.

Sanjaya, Chris, Blake - Middle Three
Phil, Haley, Gina - Bottom Three
Melinda, LaKisha, Jordin - Top Three

Return to this post as I'll update as the show unfolds.

UPDATE: Tony Bennett has the flu, so Michael Buble is performing in his place.

UPDATE AGAIN: Phil is safe.

GOING HOME TONIGHT: Gina Glocksen

Yes, I'm Still Watching 'The Black Donnellys'

Blog reader TBC asked if I was still doing The Black Donnellys.

Although I haven't taken on the show as a full blogging endeavor, I am still watching it each week. I'm hooked, but it's more of a time element (another 10 PM show which is fine to watch, but would keep me up too late to write up as I have to get up early for work) thing than anything else which keeps me from writing about it on a regular basis.

I'm intrigued by the main storyline of the show, but a few things are bugging me about it. How can either the bar or Jenny's diner make any money when they never have customers? Now, remember, I know the real bar used for the show. It has a solid business and its upstairs rocks with live bands. The show bar may or may not get a jukebox. Skip that, just get some customers! And, the deposits that Jenny's ill father made in the mailbox instead of the night deposit couldn't add up to $13,000 in a year because... there never are any customers in the diner!

Also, I found an article on Jonathan Tucker, Tommy Donnelly on the show, in his hometown (Boston) news. His overacting on the show is beginning to bug me a bit and, according to the article, he seems to have this thing about acting in movies rather than television. So, he thinks he's all that, eh? Well, I'm kind of tired of his facial expressions. He's beginning to remind me of David Caruso -- posing for effect. I did find it interesting that he's a ballet dancer. (Tucker, not Caruso.) And, that scar on his chin? A motorcycle accident a couple of years ago and 62 stitches. Yikes.

But, yeah. I'm watching.

Welcome to the Sanjaya Universe... As If!

Tonight I'll post East Coast Updates on the results of the voting on American Idol as it airs here in the NYC area. We all seem resigned that the Reign of Sanjaya Malakar will continue on for at least a few more weeks.

Just what is it that he's got? Well, he certainly has attention. He has the Fanjayas, the support of shock jock Howard Stern and Vote for the Worst. He's got rhythm. Oh, wait... he has no rhythm. I've seen him dance. Last night when Simon tried a different tactic and just said, "Incredible!" -- Sanjaya's comment to him was "Welcome to the Sanjaya Universe." Whoa, a bit cocky for a kid who was so shy and polite at his audition, huh?

I believe we've created a monster.

According to the AOL American Idol Poll, which called the Chris Sligh boot last week (as did I when I feared we'd lose him), Sanjaya is Number Two in the polls this week. What? Only Number Two? Oh, don't tell us that means he'll try harder (to annoy us) next week! Their latest is a bottom three of Phil, Gina, and LaKisha this week. Hmmm... I think that Haley is going to be in there. At least, she should be. Oh, d'oh! If Sanjaya is Number Two, then Haley's legs and cleavage probably are getting big voting numbers, too. Silly me! At least the Number One is spot on with my own tastes -- Melinda Doolittle.

AOL also has a rather tongue-in-cheek tribute to Sanjaya with their photo page Top Reasons We Love Sanjaya. You can tell they don't have me editing the photos!

Fan sites have sprung up all over the place and girls have gone wild. Some men, too, I would think. I'd say we live in scary times, but then I think back to Leif Garrett and "Greg Brady" singing as "Johnny Bravo" on The Brady Bunch. The more things change, the more they remain the same.

Remember, the results show airs here tonight starting at 9 PM EDT. As they make vital announcements, I'll be posting them here on the blog and updating the entry as the show goes on. It's only a half-hour show, so the boot will be posted by 9:30 PM EDT. Who are your bottom three?

'American Idol 6' - The Top Nine Sing the Classics

Tony Bennett likes all of the contestants. Tony Bennett even admires Sanjaya.

Uh-oh.

While some of the contestants I perceive as the weaker amongst powerhouses performed well tonight, I feel this is still a powerhouse race. It's also a girl-fueled powerhouse race, I think. The girls out in the lead would be Melinda, Jordin, and LaKisha. I think the only guy at this point with any chance of getting near the finals at all would be Blake. That is if the voters actually stop voting for Sanjaya!

Blake Lewis chose "Mack the Knife," a song which really hit for Bobby Darin. For me, no one will ever be able to out-do his version. But I thought it was a good choice for Blake. Tony gave him some advice I don't think he heeded too much -- it's a song about killing and such. I found Blake's version interesting, but he seemed to come across a bit too soft.

The judges were wowed, though. Randy thinks he's funky jazzy cool. Paula called him a hepcat. Simon thought the song choice was good and that he sang well, but judged the band better than Blake. So did I. The band was hot!

Phil Stacey was up next with a Frank Sinatra hit, "Night and Day." It didn't move me. Phil doesn't move me even though Tony Bennett thinks his voice is so fantastic. It was a dull rendition and he ain't no young Sinatra. Randy thought there was no connection, no passion, and he came across as disconnected. Paula thought he was reminiscent of a young Frank Sinatra which got a look of shock from Simon. Simon called it "reminiscent of a funeral parlor, gloomy, dark, no life." Simon called it right.

Melinda Doolittle sang "I've Got Rhythm." Once again, I'm awed by her. An excellent performance and tremendous vocals. Randy said she could give the other contestants a lesson in singing. Paula said she was "master class" and flawless. Simon said the problem is they can't criticize her (because there's nothing to criticize). Of course, he's crestfallen at the missed opportunities.

Chris Richardson chose Duke Ellington's "Don't Get Around Much Anymore." I still think his voice is too nasal-sounding and he doesn't thrill me at all. But, that said, I think this may have been a personal best for his run on the show. I wasn't as impressed with his performance as the judges, but he did well for him.

Looking at this photo I took, he's reminding me of Lee Harvey Oswald. Oh, my. That's not a good thing. It was better when he reminded me of Justin Timberlake. Hopefully it's just the hat of the era and that particular facial expression. Randy thought it was his personal best of the season. Paula said he has artistic integrity. Simon thought it was very good and one of the strongest performances so far of the evening. Say what?

Then Jordin Sparks hit the stage. Like Melinda and LaKisha, she's one who wows me. At seventeen, she has the performance skills of someone who's been singing to audiences for years. She sang "On a Clear Day." She was once again, simply delightful. Randy thought she was hot. Paula called her a "magnet of joy" -- whatever that may mean.

Gina Glocksen chose Charlie Chaplin's song, "Smile." I'm not a big Gina fan, but I thought she really looked pretty tonight and performed very well. I think the song choice showed she can sing songs besides hard rock. I don't think she's up there with my top three women, but I was pleasantly surprised by her this evening.

Randy thought she nicely-controlled her voice. Paula said "flawless" once again. Simon told her that Melinda and Jordin out-sang her. Well, they always will. They're better at singing and performing. But Gina did well tonight.

And, then there's Sanjaya Malakar. I'm just sort of speechless. Tony Bennett thinks he's interesting, terrific, dares to be different, and can sing. Um, okay. He's different and he's certainly a lot more brave each performance. He chose to sing "Cheek to Cheek." He played all the girls in the audience and whirled around Paula (who I noticed was shoved to dance by Simon and Randy).

Oh, I just had to edit his photo a smidgen. I don't know what came over me. Randy said he was an entertainer. Paula thought he was charming. Simon said he was going to go for a different tactic this week... "incredible!"

Haley Scarnato, dressed in an extremely revealing low-cut skin-tight green dress (can't wow them with the singing talent, go for the sex appeal), sang "Ain't Misbehavin'." Okay, she can go away. It was like she vamped the whole song. The judges commented on her looks rather than her singing. And, as we all know, this is a singing contest.

LaKisha Jones was the last performer, singing "Stormy Weather." With her voice and that particular song, she couldn't go wrong. And, once again, she didn't. I haven't cared too much for her song choices the past few weeks, so I totally understood when Simon said she was back on form. Randy loved it and said it was "the bomb." Paula said she looked gorgeous and Simon also said she was sassy and delivered a great performance. She did.

I think Haley and Phil are in deep doo-doo this week and one of them will go home. We all know Sanjaya should go, but probably won't. Who do you think will be voted out tomorrow night?

Whatever Will I Watch Tonight? - Tuesday, April 3, 2007

Well, you know me. Of course, at 8 PM ET I'll be watching American Idol. This week's pro/mentor is Tony Bennett. Whenever I think about that, I wonder if the kids on the show or following it even have a clue why Tony Bennett is "anyone." I could burst into song... "I left my heart in San Francisco..." After the show, I'll post an entry with the lowdown of the events.

I know many folks are into Dancing With the Stars. The results show airs at 9 PM ET tonight. You're all invited to head to the blog discussion post for DWTS, post the results and talk it up with fellow show fans. It's a real good bunch of fans there and the posting is friendly!

At 8 PM ET/PT: CBS has a new NCIS episode. There's a new Dateline NBC (guess what network). American Idol is the new live show for an hour on FOX. ABC has a repeat episode of George Lopez followed by a repeat According to Jim. CW has a repeat Gilmore Girls.

At 9 PM ET/PT: CBS has a new episode of The Unit. I'll be watching a new episode of Law and Order: Criminal Intent on NBC. FOX is airing a new episode of House. The Dancing With the Stars results show is on ABC. The CW has a new Pussycat Dolls episode.

At 10 PM ET/PT: There's a repeat C.S.I.: Miami on CBS, a new Law and Order: Special Victims Unit (my viewing choice) on NBC, and a new Boston Legal on ABC.

What will you be watching tonight?

TV Newsy Bits - Monday, April 2, 2007

Just a reminder - if you wish to talk about Dancing With the Stars with a cordial group of folks, there is a blog discussion entry for the show.


In other TV News Bits:

• Buddy TV has an exclusive interview with Joe and Bill, Team Guido, eliminated on last night's The Amazing Race 11: All Stars.
• Reality News Online has an interview with America's Next Top Model's Diana.
• TVGuide.com has an interesting interview with ousted American Idol finalist, Chris Sligh.

'The Apprentice: L.A.' - East Coast Update - 04/01

Arrow lost and Tim got fired.
That's all I have to say. ;-)

'The Amazing Race 11: All Stars' - Legs 7 and 8 -or- "One Really Long Show"

Now, this should be Episode 7, but I think it's both Episode 7 and 8. Yes, it was two, two, two episodes in one. It wasn't a to-be-continued bit; it was actually two separate legs of the race. If memory serves, it was the first time I've seen them do this with the exception of season premieres or finales.

We last left the teams in Zanzibar with a sixteen-hour difference between the first place (Charla and Mirna) and last place team (Joe and Bill).

For their own probably nefarious reasons, Charla and Mirna waited for Danny and Oswald, then shared a cab with them. Poor Danny and Oswald, eh? The teams had to fly to Warsaw, Poland. This time, so unlike the last leg, the show had back-up flight tickets set for the teams although they could buy other tickets if they found earlier flights.

The teams had plenty of time to try to get tickets through a travel agent and we once again saw how rude and off-putting Charla and Mirna can be under stress. I have no clue why, but Danny and Oswald just let them speak for them. Yikes! The travel agent looked very offended and it certainly didn't help them win friends and influence people. Mirna went as far as saying she was having a heart attack. And, of course, this was with the silly fake accents all along! Argh!

Dustin and Kandice (Beauty Queens) got on the first flight out while Uchenna and Joyce lucked out on a second flight. Charla/Mirna and the ChaChas were on a flight together. Eric and Danielle and Team Guido were together and missed their connection, so the last got further behind. Danielle fussed she wanted to quit and go home and a Guido exploded in fury. Oh, not at Danielle -- at watching the flight they just missed leave the tarmac. Eric thinks that Joe and Bill are just Nervous Nellies. There's an expression I haven't heard in years!

Once in Warsaw, teams had to find the Czapski Palace where a musician would be playing Chopin on a grand piano. The clue received there led to a Detour -- Perfect Pitch or Perfect Angle. (No, not Perfect Angel as Joyce called it.) In Perfect Pitch, a nod to Frederic Chopin, teams had to tune an off-key string on a grand piano to the satisfaction of a pianist. In Perfect Angle, a nod to Marie Curie, teams had to select a mannequin, lug it to an x-ray lab place, then find a clue within it by placing it at the "perfect angle." Most of the teams went for Perfect Pitch and it seemed that Uchenna and Joyce may have been the best at the task.

The best part of this part of the Poland leg for me was the fact that, for some reason, no locals would talk to or help Mirna and Charla! Yes, they were obnoxious. I know that. But it was as if the folks on the street were psychic or something! Their fake accents and desperate actions must have turned them off, I guess. Seeing as the locals were willing to speak to other teams, it had to be their behavior. Heh. I loved it! At one point it looked like Mirna was giving up. Oh, I so wish she did. But, alas.

The clue after the Detour directed teams to the Pit Stop where the last team may be eliminated. Teams were still arriving to the country as the lead teams arrived at the Pit Stop and embarked on the next leg. Here's the order of arrival at the first Pit Stop on tonight's show:

1. Dustin and Kandice - Won a trip to Puerto Rico
2. Danny and Oswald
3. Uchenna and Joyce
4. Charla and Mirna
5. Eric and Danielle
6. Joe and Bill - Non-elimination leg, but they are "marked for elimination." If they don't arrive in first place on the next leg, they will have a 30-minute penalty.

The next leg jumped right into motion as teams took charter buses set by arrival times to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum. As I watched the reactions of the teams passing through, my own eyes welled up with tears. It put things in perspective.

I saw each team relate to the horror of mans' inhumanity to man each in their own way. Both of the gay men teams were thankful they live in a time when they can be themselves. Oswald, born in communist Cuba, is grateful to be where he can be free. Uchenna and Joyce drew parallels to slavery. Mirna thought of the slaughter of Armenians by the Turks. Heck, even Eric and Danielle were somber. I thought this was one of the most touching moments I've ever seen on the show.

Ah, but there was still a race to be run. Teams had to take a taxi to the Slowacki Theater in Krakow. And, what was there? Why, it's an Intersection! I forgot they were introduced last season and wasn't expecting one. In an Intersection, two teams have to team up together to go for the next clue.

The first two teams at the Intersection were Uchenna and Joyce and the ChaChas. They really lucked out. Not only did they team up together first -- no one seemed to want to be with Charla and Mirna although I think the ChaChas would have endured them -- but they had the chance to go for the Fast Forward. If they completed the Fast Forward, they could skip the remaining clues and head directly to the Pit Stop. So, they did.

The FF had them climbing two separate towers, counting stairs as they went. They decided since they knew the Beauty Queens were stuck for hours at the Intersection awaiting the lagging teams, they'd do the whole thing together instead of splitting up and sharing results. They did just fine and the teams shared first place.

Back at the Intersection, Dustin and Kandice had wanted to team up with Joe and Bill, but it was Mirna and Charla who arrived first. They hid from them for a while, but decided they had to get on with the race and teamed up with them. That left Joe/Bill and Eric/Danielle teaming up.

Those teams had to be together for the Detour -- Eat It Up or Roll It Out. In Eat It Up, teams had to make a 3-inch sausage link, then each eat a 2-foot kielbasa sausage. An odd note about that is that I had kielbasa, cabbage, and onions tonight prior to the show. No, I didn't have two feet of kielbasa, though! In Roll It Up, teams had to make 20 bagels and deliver them.

The girls automatically headed to Eat It Up with Charla hesitating. She didn't think she could do it. The other group actually went for the Roll It Out, but got incredibly lost and finally went for the kielbasa after the girls were well into the task. Although I don't care for sickening food challenges, it was a hoot when Eric said, "May I introduce Miss California?" right as Dustin vomited.

Once the Detour was done, the teams were on their own once again. And, next up was a Roadblock. "Who wants to be a knight in shining armor?" One member of each team had to don a full suit of armor and lead a horse for a distance. Oh, poor Charla! She looked very unusual in her armor, kept going in circles with her horse, kept falling over...! It was funny, but it was sort of sad, too.

In the end at the second Pit Stop in Poland, here was the order of arrival:

1. Uchenna/Joyce and Oswald/Danny - Only one trip for two to St. Lucia was given and the ChaChas insisted Uchenna and Joyce get it.
2. No second place due to the first place FF Intersection tie.
3. Dustin and Kandice
4. Charla and Mirna
5. Joe and Bill, but their 30-minute penalty allowed Eric and Danielle to arrive and take 5th.
6. Joe and Bill -- Philiminated.

All in all, I really liked this episode. Although they were actually in Poland for two legs, a lot went on. I'm still cheering on my boys Oswald and Danny. Of the teams remaining, Uchenna/Joyce or Dustin/Kandice would be my second or third choices. My least favorite is still Mirna and Charla. I'm glad folks were rude to them. I know. I'm mean, aren't I? But, they could team up with Sanjaya on American Idol and Rocky on Survivor 14: Fiji in my book.

'The Amazing Race 11: All Stars' - East Coast Update # 2 - 4/01

In the second leg of tonight's show, the Pit Stop arrival was:

1. Uchenna/Joyce AND Oswald/Danny due to an Intersection and Fast Forward. Only one trip for two was given to St. Lucia. Oswald and Danny said Uchenna and Joyce get it.
2. No one
3. Dustin and Kandice
4. Charla and Mirna
5. Joe and Bill, but replaced by Eric and Danielle due to their arrival within the 30-minute marked for elimination penalty.
6. Joe and Bill - Philiminated

A full report should be posted later, check on back!

'The Amazing Race 11: All Stars' - East Coast Update - 4/01

The teams have made it through one Pit Stop in Warsaw in this order:

1. Dustin and Kandice
2. Oswald and Danny
3. Uchenna and Joyce
4. Charla and Mirna
5. Eric and Danielle
6. Joe and Bill - Non-elimination leg, still in the race but marked for elimination.

Dustin and Kandice had already started leg 8 before the last two teams arrived. The show continues...

TV Newsy Bits - Sunday, April 1, 2007

In huge television news, I'm talking huge news here... tonight's Amazing Race 11: All Stars will be airing on time here in the NYC viewing area! For the first time in weeks, there aren't any sports and all is running as per the schedule. It's a two-hour episode slated to start at 8 PM EDT. I'll blog East Coast Updates as events air here and a full review/recap should be posted late tonight.

In other TV Newsy Bits:

• Former WCBS 2 news anchor then reporter Reid Lamberty can now be seen anchoring FOX 5 Weekend News. I guess that's the cornfield for many. There have still been no Roz Abrams sightings. The Gothamist found a source which hints that Maurice DuBois might be wished to the cornfield and replaced with Chris Wragge on the early news show. And, long time a-coming... Sue Simmons has finally left the WNBC 5 PM broadcast. Now if she would leave the 6 and 11! I like her as much as as I do Roz Abrams. That's not saying much. Hey, who needs local news when you have such great drama?
• Is American Idol's Sanjaya being supported only by the Fanjayas? Or, is there a more evil plot in the works? Check out the skinny on the Howard Stern angle and VoteForTheWorst.com in this AOL article. Thanks, DLA for the heads up!
• AOL's American Idol feature page also has some very cool things like exit interviews with those voted off and, if you check under the recaps tab... you'll even see this blog listed under Best of the Web (scroll all the way down on the left). You don't need to be an AOL Member to access any of the content there.
• The lone woman on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list, Shauntay Henderson, was caught last night just prior to America's Most Wanted's featured segment on her. The show still has a good record. I never know any of the people, though. That, of course, can be looked upon as a good thing indeed.

What? Prior Pants Again? - This Week on 'The Late Show with David Letterman' - April 2-6, 2007

Yep, it's a week of repeats ahead of us on the Late Show with David Letterman. Now, I don't know why he didn't just take his vacation during the March Madness time when he was preempted more than a few nights of the week.

My normal gripe about the repeats still stands -- the shows chosen are much too recent. But, does Dave ever listen to me? Does he care that I'd love to see shows a few years old during repeats? Um, for some reason I doubt I'm high on his list of advisors.

Here's the skinny on the week ahead:

• Monday, April 2: Stupid Human Tricks, Jake Gyllenhaal (Zodiac), Brand New (CD is The Devil and God are Raging Inside of Me).
• Tuesday, April 3: Ventriloquist Jim Barber & Seville, Sienna Miller (Factory Girl), NAS (CD is Hip Hop is Dead).
• Wednesday, April 4: Paula Abdul (American Idol), Bernie Mac promoting Pride, Joss Stone (new CD is Introducing Joss Stone).
• Thursday, April 5: John Travolta (Wild Hogs), shark attack survivor Eric Nerhus, a performance by Broadway's Spring Awakening cast.
• Friday, April 6: Richard Gere promoting The Hoax, an odd and creepy food segment with Gene Rurka, the Explorers Club Chef. Music guest is Aqualung (CD is Memory Man).

Dang, I swear a few of these just showed a couple of weeks ago! Older stuff; I want old repeats if I get repeats! Do you hear me, Mr. Letterman?

Probably not. At least I know I'll get more rest this week by going to bed a bit earlier.

TV Newsy Bits - Saturday, March 31, 2007

I'm finally feeling better after a bout with a stomach bug. Phew! It took a few days.

In TV Newsy Bits I found out and about the web:

• The Survivor Fever site has a transcription of Rocky's appearance on The Early Show. Rocky, of course, is the beloved (heh) most recent castaway on Survivor 14: Fiji.
• Can't get enough Rocky? Reality News Online also has an interview with him.
• According to Celebrity Spider, Dancing With the Stars Heather Mills is terrified of the jive. Will those bets pay off?
• TVGuide.com has an interesting interview with Michael Emerson, concentrating on the Lost character he plays... Ben. I think he does a tremendous job in the role.