TV Newsy Bits - Friday, May 25, 2007

It's the start of a hot holiday weekend here! Today was the first day of over 90-degree temperatures since last August. I just have two words for that...

Air conditioning.

Oh, make it three words. Air conditioning, television.

Yep, that'll do it!

Here are the TV Newsy Bits I found out on the good ol' Internets today:

• Rosie O'Donnell, due to leave The View in about three weeks, has called it quits, asking for an early leave. Thus granted. After the blow-up with Elisabeth Hasselbeck, this doesn't surprise me at all.
• According to Celebrity Spider, some folks don't think Paula Abdul really tripped over her dog causing her broken nose. I don't know. As a pet owner, I have had two injuries caused by tripping over cats. A cut thumb (was carrying the emptied cat food can to the trash when I was tripped) and a greenstick fracture of my arm another time. Both times the pets in question suffered no injuries. So, I think I can believe her, a least a bit.
• Access Hollywood has a "Where Are They Now" interview with Survivor: Africa winner, Ethan Zohn. He's still with Jenna Morasca after four years and has invested his million in good deeds. He was such a cutie, huh?
• The New Jersey Star Ledger has an interesting article comparing the finales of Lost and Heroes. While I don't feel the Heroes finale fell short, per se... I think the Lost finale was better done when the two are compared. However, when I compare the seasons themselves, Lost had some weak episodes at the start of the fall season while Heroes was riveting (and understandable) all season. In its first season Lost was riveting, but often disjointed and odd - giant polar bears, etc. The concept of Heroes has always been more comprehensible for me. I may not know why they have powers, but they do and an evil man and others are after them. Simple.

"Lost' Season 3 Finale - "Through the Looking Glass"

Whoa... now, this was a good season finale! The only real shame is that we'll have to wait until February of 2008 to pick up with it again. At this moment, I still have the excitement of the much better recent episodes and the finale on my mind.

But who knows what might be occupying my mind by February?

The finale had flash-forwards instead of flashbacks and it was no particular character-centric, although leaning a bit to Jack in the flash-fowards. There were sad moments and I moment I outright cheered for Hurley, the Hero of the Day!

The Flash-Forwards

Future Jack is off the island and, while he's still a doctor, he's one with plenty of issues -- more than he had before Flight 815 (and there were a lot then!). He's hooked on heavy-duty prescription painkillers and drinking, too. Eep. Oh, and he has a beard and looks very unkempt. He's suicidal, too. After ripping a funeral announcement from a newspaper, he was going to jump from a bridge, but instead saved a woman and child in a car crash right by him.

Somehow the Flight 815 passengers have been issued Golden Passes and can fly anytime on Oceanic. Jack, perhaps believing he was never meant to leave the island, uses his pass for all it's worth. After all, he just might crash again and return to...?

Jack was the only one to show up to th funeral of what seems to be a mutual friend (or acquaintance) of his and Kate's. We didn't find out who it was who died, but Jack had hoped Kate would show up for the funeral. She didn't. He talked to her and she was a bit distant with him. She was with another man who also wasn't shown. Could it be Sawyer? The funeral itself was in a rough urban area and it really shook him up. Hmmm.

At the hospital where he works, Jack also made mention of his father as if he was still alive, but I think it may have been his condition talking. I don't think the past before the crash could have all been any sort of illusion.

On the Island

As we all pretty much guessed, Locke walks among us... or them, to be a bit more accurate. After all, as I have often said, Locke is a Key to the island. I believe his character is crucial to the whole thing. We had last left him in a DHARMA skeleton-filled burial ditch, shot by Ben because Jacob spoke to him.

He thought he was once again paralyzed and was about to kill himself with a nearby gun when Walt (of all people) showed up. Walt told him he had work to do then went away as quickly as he had appeared. Walt seemed to have aged a heck of a lot more than the days since the crash!

Jack was still leading the 815 crash survivors to the radio tower, leaving Sayid, Jin, and Bernard behind as the shooters. Yes, to shoot the dynamite-rigged tents and kill the ten Others they knew were on the way.

Meanwhile, Ben knows that Juliet betrayed him and he's irked, very irked. I don't think Ben is used to not being in control. He took Alex and headed toward the radio tower. He told Alex he was bringing her to her new family and her "bio-mother." Richard Alpert and Mikhail, as well as the all the Others, found out Ben lied about the Looking Glass. Uh-oh.

What did Ben think would happen when he met up with Jack and the others from the crash? Ah, but then Jack (who increasingly annoys me with his ways) thought he should listen to what Ben had to say. Sigh.

When Jack spotted Ben's radio, he grabbed it and the two had a long talk.

Ben wanted them to call off the plan to contact Naomi's ship. He said he wasn't sure if Naomi was who she said she was. He was scared what might happen if contact was made. Now, was he truly scared of the unknown? Or was he more scared that a way off of the island would be realized? I actually got the feeling it was the former. Ben also told them that the three shooters had all died at the camp. Yeah, right!

That got him a real beating from Jack as Jack went all kinds of crazy at the news. But it was a beating which left him alive... at least long enough to introduce Alex to her mother, Danielle Rousseau. Oh, I'm sure he lived.

Just as Naomi contacted the freighter ship, Locke came out of the woods and nailed her in the back with a flying knife. Then it was a standoff between Locke and Jack. Locke, not wanting Jack to contact the ship, threatened him with a gun. But, like he couldn't kill his father, he couldn't kill Jack either.

Jack contacted someone and was told that help would be sent. Locke can kill a stranger, but not anyone he knows, I guess. You would have thought this would be a kill situation for him. Locke wants to remain on the island more than anything else in the world.

Sawyer and Juliet headed to the camp to see the status of Sayid, Bernard, and Jin. But, before they left, Jack and Juliet kissed. Oh-la-la. The kiss didn't go unnoticed by Kate.

The real action at the camp with the dynamite -- Oh, no! Eek! Jin missed! Only seven of the ten were killed! The three remaining (Tom, Ryan, some Other dude) quickly turned the tables and took Sayid, Bernard, and Jin hostage.

Sawyer and Juliet were watching from the nearby woods after rebuffing Hurley's attempt to help them. Like with Charlie in the last episode, Hurley is shunned on a heroic mission once again. Sawyer wanted to "get them" but they were unarmed. So, who saved the day? Hurley! Yep! He got in the DHARMA van and rammed right into them! Sayid, bound and gagged, killed one by breaking his neck with his legs. And, Sawyer jumped into action grabbing the gun of one of the downed Others.

Sawyer turned the gun on the last Other alive, Tom. Tom said he gave up and seemed like he would cooperate with whatever Sawyer demanded. BANG. Sawyer shot and killed him. "He said he was giving up," said Hurley. "I didn't believe him," replied Sawyer.

The Prophet and His Vision Through The Looking Glass

Sigh. We knew that Charlie couldn't keep being saved by Desmond. After all, the different deaths would keep happening until Charlie's actual death occurred. But our heroin addict sneaky guy from the series start has grown into a man and into a hero in his own right.

Those armed women in the Looking Glass Station were Others. They beat and tortured Charlie to make him talk. After all, the guy is on a suicide mission. What they wanted to know wouldn't change what he had to do to save his fellow 815 survivors. He saw what he wanted to see -- the communications chamber had a flashing yellow light. He knew that's where he wanted to go.

Greta and Bonnie were wo-manning the station as per Ben's orders. Back at the Others' camp, Ben's lie about the station had been exposed -- he had told them that the station was flooded and that Bonnie and Greta were in Canada on an assignment. Mikhail (Eye-Patch Dude) took off for the Looking Glass and Richard seems none too pleased with Ben once again.

When Mikhail got to the station he found out Ben was also lying about the ability to jam distress signals. He killed Greta, and tried to kill Bonnie. But Bonnie had already given Charlie the code he needed for his "mission." Then Desmond, who just can't stop saving Charlie in spite of himself, showed up and killed Mikhail. (How many times can one guy die on a show?)

Charlie, going by Desmond's description of his vision, shut off the jamming mechanism. Then he received a radio call from Penny Widmore, Desmond's gal pal. He told her that Desmond was alive. But... it turns out Penny doesn't have a clue who Naomi is! She didn't send her!

He was going to tell Desmond but Mikhail the Undead (who needs to wear that eye-patch!) showed up once again. Sheesh! Charlie, in his last act, one of a true hero, flipped the switch, sealed the communications chamber to save Desmond so that he wouldn't be killed. He scrawled a note about Penny/Naomi and held it to the window as the chamber filled with water and he drowned... as per Desmond's prophecy.

I know Charlie hasn't always been the most popular character, but I rather liked the Hobbit. I'm going to miss him.

And, for sure, I'm going to miss this show for the nearly-year it will be gone.

Argh.

What did you think of the finale?

'American Idol 6' Season Finale - Live-Blogged From the East Coast

Welcome, American Idol fans! The show is starting here on the East Coast. This post will be updated as events occur on the show (or reactions to events occur in my mind). I'll constantly update it, so keep refreshing.

Right now Blake and Jordin are singing "I Saw Her Standing There."

Well, that was quick. Now it's to Gwen Stefani singing her newest song. Um, what is it? I don't know. Ryan blurted it too quickly for me to catch. Anyone out there hear the song title?

Into commercial break now. Ryan promises some surprises from the Top 12 when the show returns. Oh, gee, did Phil grow hair? Did Chris Sligh shave his head? Did Antonella Barba put on a turtleneck? I guess we'll see soon.

No surprises, just Kelly Clarkson singing her new single "Never Again." Jerry Springer is in the audience, ew.

The Golden Idols:
Truly Performed - Best Presentation: The Panther Guy Eccentric, Isadora Furman (orgasm woman), Margaret Fowler (older duck-costumed woman). Winner is Margaret Fowler. So, we get to see her once again. Joy, joy.

The Top Six guys, all suited-up in white, are singing, then comes the real deal... Smokey Robinson. Ah, now "Tears of a Clown" from the Six and Smokey. Very Pipsesque. Sanjaya and Chris R. seemed a bit off-key to me, but it could just be me.

More commercials, more hype for The Band Show.

Blake Lewis and Doug E Fresh are beat-boxing.

More Golden Idols
Most Original Vocal - Nicholas Ziztman (sp) (the geek - I'll have to link my old photos later), Sandy Chavez (the vocal coach one), Cholandric (sp) Stallworth? Winner is Cholandric Stallworth... which I'm surely spelling wrong.

The Top Six Girls are singing "I Heard it Through the Grapevine" - some voices are so perfect for that one. And, speaking of Pips earlier, here's Gladys Knight! Yay, they're doing "Midnight Train to Georgia" with the girls being the Pipettes! Great performance, so much better than the guys! Gladys is one of the few who really seem to hold up to the test of time. (Unlike :::coughDiana Rosscough:::)

Tony Bennett is now on stage singing "For Once in My Life." They focused on Simon in the beginning. Perhaps because Tony was quoted as saying Simon was too mean and the show was too rough on the contestants? I'd rather Gladys come back.

Golden Idol Awards
Best Buddies - Jonathan and Kevin (Bushbaby comment), Amanda and Antonella (Jersey Girls), Simon and Ryan. Winner is Jonathan and Kevin. The show has sponsored a bushbaby in a Milwaukee Zoo for Kevin and named it Simon.

Melinda Doolittle is singing now with a couple I missed because I was typing about bushbabies. "Hold on the Line" I think is the name of the song. I wish she was singing alone, though.

Ford Music video - "Time After Time." Both Blake and Jordin just got keys to new Ford Mustangs.

Carrie Underwood is performing now... much better than the Kelly Clarkson performance. The song is "I'll Stand By You." Very nicely done.

Clive Davis is up now. No, he's not singing. This year's report card - Chris Daughtry's success -- he's the biggest selling artist of the year. Sales are over 2 and a half million albums. KInd words for Simon, Paula, Randy, songwriters... Fantasia, Carrie Underwood, producers, arrangers... 6 million albums sold, Carrie Underwood gets another award.

The group they invited back representing Idol Gives Back is fitting - The African Childrens Choir. These kids are great! And, I bet it's a thrill for them to be on the show.

Aha, a Sanjaya segment... great moments in history! He's performing live with Joe Perry from... er, Aerosmith? Isn't that supposed to be Journey? Earlier it was released that he'd be on, but it's definitely Aerosmith. He's singing "You Really Got Me" in true Sanjaya fashion.

Green Day is up now singing John Lennon's "Working Class Hero." This is for the Darfur cause from the Instant Karma album.

Taylor Hicks is performing. "Heaven Knows" may be the name of the song, I'm not sure. It has a guitar riff used in some song from the sixties. Break out the harmonica.

Jordin Sparks is singing with Reuben Studdard - "You're All I Need To Get By." It started a bit off with muffled background singers here or something. Reuben has definitely taken off a lot of weight although he's still big. And, next to him, Jordin doesn't look so tall.

Bette Midler is on now. I'm wondering if the younger crowd who watches the show even know half of the guests? Well, Green Day, they should know.

Juliet just kissed Jack! Oh, wait... that's on the set in the other room where I'm recording the Lost finale (blog review/recap will be posted on that tomorrow evening).

American Idol tribute to Sgt. Pepper, now much more than 20 years ago...! Joe Perry is playing guitar as Kat McPhee sings, now Taylor Hicks is singing "I Read the News Today." It's nothing like the Beatles, for sure. Carrie Underwood singing "She's Leaving Home" backed up by the Top Twelve. Reuben Studdard is singing "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds." I wonder if anyone will sing my favorite from that album... "Being For the Benefit of Mr. Kite." Instead they're all singing "With a Little Help From My Friends." Rats, it ended with no nod to Mr. Kite. What kind of tribute is that, I ask?

Yes, the show must be going over. No winning announcement yet and it's 10 PM here on the East Coast.

Finally... the winner of American Idol 6 is...after the break.

609 million votes over the season, 74 million last night...

The winner is... JORDIN SPARKS.

TV Newsy Bits - Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Yes, it's season finale night for both American Idol and Lost. Of course, that means I have a conflict. Ah, not so much of one, though. I'll be live-blogging the events on tonight's American Idol show so that West Coast fans who just have to know... will know. So, please stop back later tonight and check out the blog entry I'll be posting for the show!

Due to its late ending time, I usually post on Lost Thursday evening. That will remain the same for the finale. After all, that's a show I need to watch intently unlike American Idol.

In other TV Newsy Bits:

• There's another kind of audition going on for American Idol. For the first time, you can vote for the Entertainment Weekly American Idol special cover -- which Jordin or Blake shot do you like best? The issue is due to be out on May 28, so get your vote in!
• I noticed commercials for the return of Hell's Kitchen (June 4, FOX). I don't know if I'll faithfully blog the show as my summer gets hectic with the Big Brother live feeds reports (and my day job), but I'm sure I'll check it out to see the latest victims of Gordon Ramsay. In sad news related to the show, I saw that Rachel Brown, a rather colorful contestant on last season, recently passed away.
• Back to American Idol -- Simon Cowell has announced he plans to quit the show in three years time according to this Celebrity Spider blurb. He suggests that Donald Trump could replace him. Ewww! No! Never!
• Although CBS cancelled Jericho, according to the Chicago Tribune, there might be a wrap-up movie coming. That's something show fans would greatly welcome. Do it, I say!
• Who will Sanjaya Malakar sing with in tonight's American Idol season finale? Well, I can see Randy fainting now.
• Oh, there were fireworks on The View today between Rosie O'Donnell and Elisabeth Hasselbeck! If you missed it, read all about it in this AOL article. There's also a video clip of the brouhaha at that link. An interesting, but surely unrelated note - today is the last day of the May Sweeps rating period. Surely unrelated, right?

In non-TV news, I saw a local cop on a Police Segway today. Is that thing really allowed on the sidewalks? This wasn't in the city (NY) I saw him, but in NJ. Very odd.

Remember to stop back tonight for live updates on the American Idol finale as it airs here on the East Coast!

'American Idol 6' - The Final Two - Jordin Sparks and Blake Lewis Song Battle

So this is it. We're down to the wire on yet another year of American Idol, the show that has made FOX and Simon Cowell household words. Not always good household words, mind you.

Tonight was the singing competition of the two-night season finale... the showdown between Jordin Sparks and Blake Lewis, the duel between singer and entertainer. Who will win? Hmmm...

The talented two performed live at the huge and probably daunting Kodak Theater. Now, if it were me, I think I'd hide in some back room. It had to be a bit nerve-wracking for both of them.

Paula was there despite breaking her nose. She said she tripped over her dog, Tulip. When Ryan mentioned the dog, he thought it necessary to say, "the bitch is okay." Bad move, Seacrest. Not that I personally care, but lots of young children and their parents watch the show. What's going on in your head, Ryan? Wrong place and time for that comment!

Blake and Jordin each had to sing three songs tonight. One would be a personal favorite that they've done on the show before, the next was a song they're singing for the first time on the show, and the third was a song they'd both sing -- the winner of the American Idol songwriting competition.

In an odd quirk of fate or, maybe Seattle has talent to spare, both Jordin and Blake initially auditioned in Seattle. And, not only that, the songwriting duo who won that competition also come out of Seattle. And, gee... isn't Sanjaya Malakar listed as coming from that area as of late? Heh.

Blake Lewis won the coin toss last week and politely offered Jordin the chance to sing first. She declined, so he was up to bat first with his favorite. His favorite was his most creative and popular song he did during the season -- "You Give Love a Bad Name" by Bon Jovi. I still think what he did to the song is amazing and I've always been partial to the original. But if he just copied the original, it wouldn't be anything special. If anything, he did his Blake-ized version even better this time around.

Randy thought the beat-boxing in it was "hott" and the singing just alright. Paula thought Blake outdid himself. Simon said it was his best performance, but not necessarily the best singing. The crowd went wild.

Jordin Sparks was up next with a song she hadn't sung on the show before -- "Fighter" by Christina Aguilera. I thought it a good song choice, very fitting for the show at hand. Her vocals sounded fine to me, she looked very pretty and she played well to the cameras and the crowd.

Randy thought her voice was stellar and that "this is an interesting night, show." Paula repeated "stellar" and said it was shaping up to be one of the best finales ever on the show. Simon liked that she chose a "younger song," but said she was a bit "shrieky" in the middle. He said that the first round belonged to Blake. I agree, but mainly because Blake's performance is so, so different and creative.

Blake's next song was his never-performed on the show before one. He chose "She Will Be Loved" by Maroon 5. Eh, it was okay from them and it's okay from Blake, I guess. That particular song is one I can see as elevator music or on an easy listening station. For me, it's just not exciting no matter who sings it. I thought he did well enough with it, but it was no "Shot Through the Heart" and it didn't show his creative performance skills.

Randy thought it was a nice vocal, very nice. Paula thought he eased into the song well and sounded great. Simon said it was good, safe, but not as good as his first song - no impact.

Then it was Jordin's turn to sing her favorite song that she's already performed on the show. She chose "On Broken Wing" by Martina McBride, a solid choice. She sang it very well and really shines with a ballad like this.

Randy yo-yo'd and thinks she's the most talented 17-year-old he's ever seen. He said her performance was flawless, better than the original. Paula said she was soaring with a great vocal, a great voice. Simon said, "Now, that was good."

The last song each sang was the songwriting contest winner, "This Is My Now" by Scott Krippayne and Jeff Peabody out of Seattle. Well, I think the song is commercial enough and very American Idol-ish. So, they did their part well. But, had I heard the song before it was sung by Blake and Jordin, I could have guessed which contestant could shine with it. It, to me, was a clear-cut Jordin Sparks kind of song.

Blake was first up with it. He did okay, but he looked a bit jumpy in the middle of it like he wanted to bust out and beatbox, but was muzzled. He basically sang it well enough, but not what I'd call a stellar performance. I love the way Blake dresses, though. Argyle is the new black, it seems.

Randy said it wasn't great, but it was alright. Paula mentioned it was out of his genre, but nice. Simon thought it was a bit off, not a bad song but not Blake's type of song. He said he hoped the audience would vote on the first two songs he performed.

Then came Jordin with the same song. Oh my... she brought the house down. Perfect vocals, brimming with emotion down to a tear at the end as she became overwhelmed. Excellent! But, as I said before, it's as if the song was made for her. I don't think I expected any less after watching Blake sing it.

Randy said she was clearly the best singer and that she was "on fire." Paula said she was proud of Jordin, Jordin's parents were so proud and happy and that she's an angel. Simon said last week he didn't think Jordin was good enough to be in the finals. "I was wrong and I apologize. You wiped the floor with Blake on that song."

So, who will win? Although I really enjoy Blake's style and his version of "You Give Love a Bad Name," I think it's going to go to Jordin. Me? I want to see what Melinda Doolittle releases.

Then it was a Daughtry (Chris Daughtry from last season and his band) performance of "Home." Okay, Phil Stacey. Look at Chris Daughtry's head. He can do the bald thing. He has a nicely-shaped head with a minimum of lumps and ears which don't stick out. He has a bit of a tan. You cannot carry off that look. Stop it. A very nice performance indeed, Mr. Daughtry.

Tomorrow night is the two-hour finale which conflicts with the two-hour finale of Lost. I'll be live-blogging the events of the live American Idol finale tomorrow night as it airs here on the East Coast, then posting on the Lost finale early Thursday evening.

So, if you wish to talk about the show as it airs, join me in the comments here. Or, if you're West Coast and just can't wait, check for the happenings and the winner right here!