TV Newsy Bits - Friday, February 2, 2007

What? No American Idol tonight? How odd.

I came across a really nifty website for the caveman from the GEICO television commercials. It's a guided tour of his apartment, including things like going through his magazines, watching the commercials and more. I always got a kick out of the ads in their original campaign and the new ones never fail to catch my attention. The website is here at Caveman's Crib. Give it time to load and have some fun with it! "Another place in time..."

In other TV Newsy Bits:

• If you want some heavy reading delving into the reality show medium, you should peruse The Ideological Dangers of Reality TV from The American Chronicle. Since I have such an interest in the genre, I gave it a read. There are some aspects with which I agree, but I don't believe the situation is anywhere near as serious as the article indicates. I think many of the issues the article relates to reality television aren't wholely inclusive to the medium, but widespread throughout society due to several sociological changes over the decades. Hmmm... I may have to delve more into this myself. It is interesting.
• Now that Jennifer Hudson (ex-American Idol 6th place finalist) has hit the big time and is up for an Oscar, she claims that her experience on AI was "abusive." What do I think? I personally think if she hadn't gone through her "abusive" experience on the show, she wouldn't be up for an Oscar now. Hey, you gotta pay the dues if you want to sing the blues, right?
• The latest fired Apprentice candidate, Marisa DeMato, has really hit the interview circuit. (No, I didn't interview her.) TV Guide, The Inside Pulse, The Palm Beach Post and many others talked with her. The common theme is that she's "crying fowl." That sounds like a line I'd write about the situation or perhaps that pollo really is loco. I don't know.
• CANOE-JAM! spoke with Jeff Probst who promises that the new twists on Survivor 14: Fiji will change the game. ET Online also goes more into the new twists.
• Zap2It is reporting that we will indeed see Big Brother 8 this summer and it will be a "normal" cast (as opposed to last season's "All Stars"). No date was mentioned, but it traditionally starts around the 4th of July weekend.
• Do you miss the Evil Doctor Will and company from BB7? Jokers Updates has a new chat transcript from the other day just for you!
• CBS canned Armed and Famous after just four shows, and VH1 is picking it up. That's where it should have been all along anyway.
• Remember! There's a CBS special on at 9 PM ET/PT tonight with Superbowl Ads. Since I really don't like the game (I know - it's un-American or something), I'll be watching this. The ads are always cool.

Whatever Will I Watch Tonight? - Thursday, Feb. 1, 2007

Although the first thing I'll be mentioning here really comes on last, to me, it's the most important.

The Late Show with David Letterman. I mention it not only because it's a new show and the previous shows this week were repeats, but it's also Dave's 25th Anniversary on late night television. I'm sure we can expect highlights from (hopefully) the old NBC show and definitely from the CBS show. Bill Murray, who was the first guest on the NBC show (Late Night with David Letterman) in 1982 and also his first guest on the current show, will be on tonight. LeBron James (NBA) is also on. Be there with pants-o-plenty!

In the 8 PM ET/PT time slot, CBS has a repeat of C.S.I.; NBC has new episodes of My Name is Earl and The Office; FOX has new episodes of 'Til Death and The War at Home; ABC has a new Ugly Betty. CW is airing a new Smallville. Betty gets my personal vote for the hour.

9 PM ET/PT brings us a new C.S.I. on CBS; NBC has fresh Scrubs and 30 Rock. FOX is airing a new The O.C. (four more to go, I think). ABC has a new Grey's Anatomy while CW has a new Supernatural. Is this TIVO time? Also, BET has its "new" episode of The Wire (repeated Saturday evening). I'm following that last one, but catch it on the repeat (of the repeat, but it's all new to HBO-less me). I'll watch C.S.I.

In the 10 PM ET/PT hour, there are still plenty of new episodes for us! Shark (CBS), ER (NBC), Men in Trees (ABC) are all brand-spanking new. USA has a new Nashville Star, too. MTV has a new Juvies, but I haven't a clue about that one. Juvenile delinquents? I don't know.

Warm that set up and settle in for the night!

'American Idol 6' - The Los Angeles Auditions

Am I get Idol-jaded? They sent a lot of folks through to Hollywood (from basically Hollywood) tonight, the most from any city in the auditions so far. They sent through 40 people! And, with the exception of one who wasn't really a contestant at all, I wasn't all that impressed with any of the good ones shown. Yes, they can sing, but none rocked my world.

On the other hand, after last night's disappointing Odd, Los Angeles brought new blood to the American Idol Odd Squad. Guest judge Olivia Newton-John sat in on the panel and was treated to some of those audition hijinks we've come to love and adore... or not.

Tonight's Most Notable of the Odd

As easy as pouncing a mouse, Martik "Panther" Manoukian leapt to the top of the Odd Chart. Full of attitude, snarling, sound effects, hissing, and what tried to pass for cat-like moves, he mesmerized the judges.

He claims to have studied extensively and boasts of many talents, dreams and goals.

He can't sing a lick, so he should think of grooming himself for a new career. Hey, maybe he can team up with Ian Bernardo and be a comedy act in the dive bar circuit!

We never got to hear Sophat really sing. He probably can't sing. If he could sing, he wouldn't have to wear an onion (or is it a banana... maybe a plantain) costume.

I apologize for the quality of the shot, but thought it still conveyed the very essence of Sophat and preserved it for eternity.

Or not.

I actually liked Phuong. Oh, she really can't sing that well or anything as far as American Idol goes. But I enjoyed her spunk and personality. I felt sorry when she said her mother told her she wasn't "TV pretty."

Hey, she's pretty in her own way. I've noticed in the years of watching American Idol that the looks seem to matter so much more for the women than they do for the men. Oh, I wish this girl could have blown them all away with her voice. But, um... no.

Darold and Cavett (Sparkle) met at a bus stop. I wonder if it was a wet day and he shared his umbrella. The question is, does Darold have a grillfriend for life? The way she was hitting on Simon was even making Simon blush. It must be his man-boobs turning her on, right?

As things turned out, neither could sing. I guess they'll have to keep investing in their grills and sharing the love.

The closer for the show, Eric Mueller, was a true case in study for the show. He spoke with confidence. He told Ryan he studied and practiced four to five hours a day for two years in preparation for his audition debut on the show.

And, then he sang. Mind you, I'm using the word "sang" quite loosely here. It sounded a bit more like a nasal moose-in-heat call. Or, perhaps aliens have taken over his voice.

Wait, no! He taught himself to sing using Randy and Paula's DVD! Bwahaha! Simon had lots of fun with that one. But, dang, if Eric seriously thinks he can sing, that's scary. It's almost like Martik thinking he can sing.

A Very Touching Moment

Sherman Pore's appearance on the show was one of the most emotional ever in the history of the show. No, he wasn't a serious contestant. But he wasn't an Odd, either.

His love of twenty years had suffered through cancer. They shared a love for the show. To brighten her days, he started a petition to be able to sing a song for her at the audition. It gave them both something to make them smile and a goal.

Alas, she died two days before the audition. Sherman still sang his song and dedicated it to her -- "You Belong to Me." In the end he said, "I am a winner." And, he sure is. Not only that, but he didn't even sing too badly. What a dear!

In between Sherman and the Odd, there were some decent singers. But, as I mentioned at the top of the article, none really impressed me. Paula came across as quasi-loopy at times and I don't know if it's all an act or not. The judges weren't really cruel to anyone. There was a girl whose mother was one of Dean Martin's Golddiggers. They showed Ryan Seacrest's star on Hollywood Boulevard way too much. Yeah, it was Hollyweird, saved by Sherman Pore, a salt-of-the-earth kind of man.

Next, it's onto San Antonio.

Whatever Will I Watch Tonight? - Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2007

Tonight's a mixed bag of new and old, season finale and auditions. Thankfully, there's enough on to keep me watching for the evening!

The 8 PM ET/PT programming includes a repeat C.S.I.: NY on CBS, new Friday Night Lights on NBC, new Bones on FOX, new George Lopez followed by a new Knights of Prosperity on ABC. Oh, and the CW Network has a new Beauty and the Geek. I'm still a bit undecided, but I think the Bones episode will get my vote tonight. I don't follow any of the other shows, per se. I wouldn't mind seeing the new Knights ep, but don't wish to sit through George Lopez to get at it. Oh! PBS has America's Ballroom Challenge! Um, no... not for me, but I bet some folks will love it. One of these days I'll watch Beauty and the Geek, but I'm not feeling it tonight.

At 9 PM ET/PT, my plans are pretty laid out. American Idol, the Los Angeles auditions, runs for a mere hour on FOX. You know I have to watch and write about it later. CBS has a repeat of Criminal Minds while NBC has a new Deal or No Deal. I like the former, but just cannot get into models opening briefcases giving someone who's not me cash. Now, if they were giving me cash, I'd feel entirely differently about the show. According to Jim and In Case of Emergency are new on ABC, neither of them thrill me at all.

In the 10 PM ET/PT hour, there's a new Medium on NBC, a repeat C.S.I.: NY on CBS, a new Primetime on ABC. Um... okay. Sometimes I watch Primetime, but they've been on a catching pedophiles kick as of late and it's turned me off. But I have other TV plans anyway. I'll be watching Top Chef on Bravo. It's the season finale and I've actually watched most of the shows leading up to it tonight as I caught them on one of the marathons. This is a good show that I don't always watch, but it certainly catches my attention when I come across it. Of the two finalists, I say "go, Marcel!" The other guy seems a bit too pompous to me although Marcel has his own attitude moments.

What will you be watching? Are you American-Idoled out already?

TV Peeves

I'm a huge television fan, as you might have guessed. Now, there are some things on the tube that I don't watch at all just because they hold no interest for me. That doesn't mean they're bad; it just means I'm not interested. I'm talking about programming such as soap operas, most sports, Jerry Springer, and such. Oh, wait. The last one might be actually "bad."

But, I don't fuss or whine about them because I know that some folks do enjoy them and they have their own fan base. Of course, the fan base for the last one may be a bit sordid, but who am I to judge? My name's not Simon Cowell and I ain't no judge no how no way.

However, there are some things which irk me in programming I do watch. So, please allow me the opportunity to get the peeves onto cyber-paper and out of my system.

• New York City does not have a blue tinge. Perhaps NYPD was blue, but the city's atmosphere is not. In its first season, C.S.I.: NY did the blue-tinged bit and now Heroes is doing it. Stop it. NYC isn't blue and, if you're going for some sort of "gritty-city" effect, it's not working. Plus, it makes photo-taking for my blog harder. I'm in and out of Manhattan a lot. Trust me, sometimes it may smell funny, but the air isn't blue.
• Another NYC-related rant... I generally don't watch the local FOX news for the most part. But, since I've been watching American Idol, I can't help but to catch some of the local FOX5 blurbs and sometimes even the show itself. This is New York City. We're supposed to be on top of stuff, right? How can they not understand the concept of what a blog is on FOX 5 News at Ten? Yo, FOX5, listen up! What I'm doing right now isn't a blog... it's a blog entry or a blog article. Comments are not blogs. Your viewers are not blogging to you and you are not reading their blogs unless you're reading a whole actual blog (such as The (TV) Show Must Go On...). A blog is a collection of entries, usually with comments (responses), updated regularly so the newest entries appear at the top. You are reading your viewers' comments, not their blogs. I realize there is a section to create blogs on the website, but you're over-using the term and the comments read on the air aren't blogs. "Blog us now!" Go blog yourselves. Sheesh.

What's been irking you on TV lately?