Today's TV Newsy Bits - Feb. 1, 2006

Yep! There's always television/entertainment related newsy bits to be found out and about the web. Here's what I found today--

• CANOE -- JAM! Television: Craig Ferguson pays tribute to his dad
• "Idol," "CSI" fuel weekly wins for Fox, CBS
• Fred Savage Dishes About His New Sitcom, 'Crumbs'
• Probst Calls Panama Survivors “A Breath of Fresh Air” <-- a MUST read/Jeff cast insight
• "S12, Ep 1, SOTS" - Reality TV World Message Board Forums - "S12, Ep 1, SOTS" <--'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island' Spoilers (possibly), read at your own risk
• Randy Jackson Comes to Term With Simon Cowell Meltdown
• ABC News: CBS' John Roberts Jumps to CNN
• 13abc.com: Kimmel Brings Show to Detroit After Infamous Comment

New 'Amazing Race 9' Cast: A Closer Look at BJ Averell & Tyler MacNiven

These two are being labeled as BEST FRIENDS. It's BJ Averell and Tyler MacNiven, ages 26 and 25 respectively. BJ is an online tutor whose hometown is Los Angeles. Tyler is a filmaker out of San Francisco.

Their official CBS 'Amazing Race' bio says "BJ & Tyler are bohemian best buds who first met four years ago during the Semester at Sea program, where they shared the experience of sailing around the world."

Yep, they're bohemian buds... or something. Right now I'm not sure exactly what. I'd say clowns, but that was done already with Jon and Al. They were the best at it, for sure! Okay, let me poke around their bio a bit more...

BJ is a Harvard grad. I'm suitably impressed. Tyler is a graduate of UC Santa Cruz. I don't know about the school there, but I'm partial to the rollercoaster at the Santa Cruz boardwalk, so he passes muster with me. They're both well-traveled and fluent in several languages. That's a big plus for a team on 'The Amazing Race.' They both love adventure, travel and good times (and hamming for the camera?). In a way, I want to dismiss these two due to just the promo photo, but they sound like they have a real chance in the race. BJ moved to CA for surfing, karate and frisbee -- he should be in decent physical shape. Tyler fell in love with a girl from Japan and decided to walk the 2000 mile length of the country to impress her. Lucky girl and quite an undertaking.

These article(s)/websites were found about BJ Averell and Tyler MacNiven out and about the web (beware, some may archive in due time or need registration to view):
People: Woodside native treks across Japan (August 24, 2005)
Kintaro Walks Japan
Stanford says no to Tyler MacNiven, but he's upbeat, may reapply later (December 23, 1998)
Stanford Magazine: March/April 1999: They'll Try Anything
The Stanford Daily Online Edition
Kintaro Walks Japan - Google Video
Buck's of Woodside Kintaro Walks Japan ... and dozens more on his trek, but this is his own writing of the journey
HTDb v2.0 - BJ Averell -- BJ's Harvard theater work
Fictumentary.com - Camera Noise Production Notes
The Harvard Crimson :: News :: Election Profile: B.J. Averell & Amias Gerety
Harvard University: Gallery ... and many, many more.

All of my 'The Amazing Race' blog entries can be found linked in chronological order here.

Tonight/Tomorrow TV Picks

This week has been pretty much a TV bummer for me so far between repeats and the State of the Union. Grr. (Nothing against the State of the Union, but I'd rather read than watch it.)

So, what kind of television viewing (and most likely blogging) plans do I have for the next day or two?

TONIGHT (Wednesday)
8 PM ET - 'American Idol' -- it's the auditions show filmed in Austin, TX. I should be posting my blog entry as it wraps up here on the east coast.
9 PM ET - Unlike usual weeks, I won't be watching 'Lost' -- it's a repeat: "Numbers" Hurley becomes obsessed with finding the French woman and heads off into the jungle to find her, leaving Jack, Sayid and Charlie no choice but to follow him. Meanwhile, Locke asks Claire to help him build a mysterious item. What I will watch (and have had to tape since FOX TV stuck it up against 'Lost') is 'Bones' -- "The Woman in the Car"-- When a woman's burned body is found in a car with evidence that her child was kidnapped, Brennan and Booth's investigation leads to a suspect who is in the Witness Protection Program.
10 PM ET - 'Law and Order' is another repeat, so I'll watch 'C.S.I. NY' -- "Stuck on You" -- When a billionaire playboy throws a party for a mosaic artist, he and a model end up skewered and pinned against a wall by an arrow.

Letterman's repeats this week. How dare he!

THURSDAY NIGHT (Feb 2)
8 PM ET - Gee, something new is on, isn't it? ;-) Woohoo! It's the 'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island' premiere! Alas, it's only one hour. For me, that's just a tease for the new season.
9 PM ET - 'C.S.I.' -- "Killer"-- As the CSIs investigate two deaths, both linked to the same suspect, the evidence starts to overlap and the CSI team begins to close in on the murderer.
9:30 PM ET - Will tape 'Crumbs' -- I taped and watched it last week and genuinely enjoyed it. I loved how the Mom, Jane Curtain, seeking a support group for divorcees ended up leading the meth freaks. ;-) Horrible, horrible time slot... horrible.
10 PM ET - 'Without a Trace' -- "Odds or Evens" -- Jack goes to Tokyo to find a dishonorably discharged U.S. Marine who went missing after he served a five-year prison term for raping a young woman.

What will you be watching?

New Logo For Me From Zoetawny & Probst Appearance Reminder

Thanks to Zoetawny on AOL, I have a spiffy new 'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island'/Jackie logo. She rocks, doesn't she?

Also, a quick reminder --
Jeff Probst will be on tomorrow morning's (Thursday) 'The Early Show' on CBS with a preview of the big premiere show.

Tomorrow night... Survivor fans ready?

New 'Amazing Race 9' Cast: A Closer Look at Dani Torchio & Danielle Turner

On their official CBS 'Amazing Race' bio page, Dani Torchio and Danielle Turner are listed as the CHILDHOOD FRIENDS team. Woohoo, I'm overjoyed, aren't you? ;-)

They're both 22 years old and recent college graduates hailing from Staten Island, NY. Now, this is a purely personal thought and may not come true, but... I know Staten Island (a borough of NYC). Staten Island isn't really known for its action and adventure. It's a nice enough place to live, but will these girls have the grit and determination to complete the race? I tend to think not. Girls, prove me wrong. Go ahead and do it.

From that bio page:
They're described as "beauties." Perhaps that's the key for some folks watching the show, but not for me. I declare an eyeroll needed! @@
Danielle claims to be outgoing and talkative. May I eyeroll that, too?
Dani says she's fun-loving, wild and eager to get out of Staten Island. (She wins points for the last bit!)
Neither has traveled much. The bio mentions thick accents, a trait from Staten Island I know all too well. Be prepared for pretty women with thug-like accents. I warned ya. I live about ten miles from Staten Island. I should be rooting for them on a purely geographic basis. But I can't. Though, as I stated above, they can feel free to prove me wrong.

News article(s) I found out and about on the web about Dani Torchio and Danielle Turner (beware, some may archive or need registration):
New York Post Article - 'Racing Colors'

All of my blog entries regarding 'The Amazing Race' can be found here.