'The Amazing Race' Starts Soon! - CBS Press Release

Originally, Amazing Race 12 was scheduled for a winter into spring run, but with the cancellation of Viva Laughlin, we're getting it early!

Here's the press release from CBS:

FIVE-TIME EMMY AWARD-WINNING "THE AMAZING RACE" RETURNS FOR ITS 12TH EDITION ON SUNDAY, NOV. 4, 8:00-9:00 PM

"The Amazing Race 12" Spans 50,000 Miles Including First Time Visits to Ireland, Lithuania and Croatia

THE AMAZING RACE, winner of five consecutive Emmy Awards for Outstanding Reality Competition Series, returns for its 12th edition on the CBS Television Network, Sunday, Nov. 4 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT).

Editors Note: THE AMAZING RACE replaces "Viva Laughlin" which has been pulled from the schedule. A rebroadcast of CSI will air in the Sunday (8:00-9:00 PM) time period on Oct. 28.

“If there ever was a season that I consider one of the best, it’s this one," said Bertram van Munster," executive producer, director and co-creator of THE AMAZING RACE. "It’s insanely funny, fast-paced and dramatic all at once. Teams are in hot pursuit of one another at every location and its reality television at its nail-biting best."

This season, teams will travel approximately 50,000 miles, covering five new countries including Ireland, Lithuania and Croatia.

In its 11 previous editions, broadcast in several time periods, THE AMAZING RACE has averaged more than 10 million viewers and a 4.1/10 in adults 18-49.

Jerry Bruckheimer, Bertram van Munster, Jonathan Littman and Hayma Screech Washington are the executive producers for Bruckheimer Television and Earthview Inc. in association with ABC Television Studio and Amazing Race Productions. THE AMAZING RACE was created by Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri. Phil Keoghan hosts.

TV Newsy Bits - Sunday, October 21, 2007

I've decided his name must be Roofus. His fellow roof companion cat (four stories up) seems to have vanished, but Roofus still watches the birds daily from his perch in the sky. I believe he's part of the group of feral cats living in the area near the train station. That isn't the best of life a cat can have, for sure. A few months ago one of the feral cats in that area was diagnosed with rabies and a gang of big-headed strays roam the night.

I can't save them all -- I have my own two elderly cats saved from that sort of life as kittens. As I watch Roofus, I don't think he could ever adjust to a home. He comes and goes from the roof at will apparently getting up there through a condemned building on the block. Oh, well. I think the roof is safer for him than the city streets. Unlike my own cats who would probably fall off, he seems to know its boundaries. After all, I first spotted him and his companion about a year ago.

In today's TV Newsy Bits:

• Has Grey's Anatomy jumped the shark? This news article explores that very possiblity.
• I was watching last night's rerun of Without A Trace on CBS. The key missing character was played by the same young man who plays West this season on Heroes. Uh-oh. I think type-casting has affected my mind. I wanted him to remain vanished without a trace.
• Ellen DeGeneres took a few days off after the big Iggy Dog fiasco. I don't think she wanted the death threats to the folks at the dog rescue and I'd imagine she's horrified at how everything has gone. Me? I still think that while rescues do fantastic work, sometimes things should be looked at on a case by case basis rather than no shades of grey. My own family always had pets when I was very young. None of us kids ever would have harmed any size pet -- they were a part of our family.
• I watched The Next Great American Band on its premiere night this past Friday. I think I'll be following the show as my Friday night television watching is a bit of a vast wasteland. This coming Friday (10/26) I'll be sitting in to review the show for TV Squad for the regular writer as he'll be on vacation. After that, I think I'll be reviewing it weekly here. Anyone interested?
• Letterman's in reruns this week. Grr.
• Survivor's most recently ousted Aaron was interviewed by Fans of Reality TV. He said he was cast because he happened to meet someone who asked him to try out for the show. He seems to think that Amanda and Todd are the true Survivor fans of the game.
  

Today's music non-sequitur:
"The reason you're cool is because you're from the old school.
All the critics love you in New York."
-- Prince "All the Critics Love You in New York"

TV Newsy Bits - Friday, October 19, 2007

Yes, be considerate -- a good motto, a good way of life. The incongruous part of it all is that this is New Jersey, a NJ Transit train to be more precise. NJT has a new politeness campaign starting up, but I don't think it will make a huge difference.

I'll still end up being surrounded by the party crowd in the evenings heading towards the city. That woman who speaks loud Mandarin Chinese yelling into her cell phone will still sit in back of me no matter where I sit. Some fool will still put a full cup of coffee on the floor as if expecting it to remain upright. People will still put their nasty feet up on seats or even worse, take their shoes off. Someone will still have their iPod so loud I can hear the tinny sounds from half a car away. Me? Nope, I don't do any of those things. I occasionally sit with train friends, but we talk using "indoor voices." I be considerate.

Random mention: I'd be willing to coach the Yankees next year for only four million dollars. Have your people call my people and we'll get it done.

In today's TV Newsy Bits:

• As a tribute to the recently deceased Deborah Kerr, Turner Classic Movies (TCM) will be airing From Here to Eternity and Separate Tables starting at 8 PM ET/PT this Sunday night.
• The folks over at Morty's TV have recent interviews with Daniele Donato and Evel Dick Donato from Big Brother 8. Beware -- the language is a bit rough on Dick's interview. One interesting thing to note on that one is that he said he has a DUI arrest in the past, but has never been arrested for domestic abuse (which was plastered all around the Internet). Both of these interviews are really long. Grab a cup of coffee and get to reading!
• Yahoo TV should be your new home for Seinfield stuff -- you can watch complete episodes, vote for your favorites and more.
  
• Celebrity Rides: Burt Builds a Bandit premieres tonight at 10 PM ET/PT on the DIY network. That's Burt Reynolds and, remember ... you can enter to win a classic Trans Am.
  
• Buddy TV has two interviews which will be of interest to many of the readers here. Wonder Twin Alejandro from Heroes, Shalim Ortiz, is one of them although I'm not too keen on the characters. The other interview is with Taylor Kitsch of Friday Night Lights.
  

Today's music non-sequitur:
"Dear Sir or Madam, will you read my book?
It took me years to write, will you take a look?
It's based on a novel by a man named Lear
And I need a job, so I want to be a paperback writer,
Paperback writer"
--The Beatles "Paperback Writer"

'Survivor 15: China' - East Coast Updates 10/18

The show has started here on the East Coast. As it airs, I'll update this post with important events. Please refresh the page for the latest.

Um ... so far, no important events, but it has started! ;-)

UPDATE: Messages came by boat -- each tribe picked two from the other tribe who will compliment them. Fei Long chose Sherea and Frosti. Zhan Hu didn't think. They didn't realize they would lose two of their own -- chose James and Aaron thinking they'd have seven people and would vote out Aaron.

UPDATE: Immunity Challenge -- Fei Long won, but it was thrown by Zhan Hu by Jaime and Peih Gee. They want to vote out either Aaron or James thinking their end game will be stronger after the merge.

UPDATE: Aaron is voted out.

My review of the episode is up over on TV Squad.

TV Newsy Bits - Tonight's 'Survivor 15: China' - Thursday, Oct. 18, 2007

This is a photo I took a while ago, but some folks said it passed by too quickly in the video in which I used it. If you click on it, it should enlarge. I took it on a very narrow side street in Chinatown, Manhattan.

As per my usual practice, I'll be posting an East Coast Update post for tonight's Survivor: China shortly after the show starts here in the NYC area. Folks are welcome to drop by and visit in the comments once I get the post up. It looks like a good show tonight! My full review of the episode will be posted on TV Squad later this evening, but the important events will be updated almost live right here. So, stop on back!

In other TV Newsy Bits:

• You can check out my latest review of Kid Nation on TV Squad. (I swear one of these days when I typo it as TV Squid, I'm going to leave it be!)
• Sigh ... Joey Bishop died. When I was younger, I used to like to stay up late watch his show in which Regis looked like the kid he was at the time. Joey Bishop had been the last living member of the Rat Pack. Another era gone by.
• Entertainment Weekly (on the stands tomorrow) will have an interview with American Idol Carrie Underwood. You can check out the interview at their sister site ew.com.
• Court TV's series Murder by the Book will be returning with an all new group of authers on Monday, November 5, 10 PM in most time zones. The latest authors set for this second season are: Joseph Wambaugh (an old favorite police procedural author of mine), Sandra Brown, David Balducci (yes!), Harlan Coben (yes!), Lee Child, Lisa Gardner, Linda Fairstein, Nick Santora, and Linda Gage. Authors returning from last year are Lisa Scottoline, Faye Kellerman, and Jonathan Kellerman. I enjoy this series a lot as I'm a mystery buff in my reading habits. The authors each examine a case for their episodes.
• For any House fans out there, Buddy TV has an exclusive interview with Omar Epps and Jennifer Morrison.
  

Don't even THINK of parking here, but come on back to talk about tonight's Survivor!

Today's music non-sequitur --
"I know all too well the world takes a daily beating,
Please don't talk about murder while I'm eating."
-- Ben Harper