A store window in Westfield, NJ. While they also do fortune telling at the shop, what I want is the flying monkeys sign. At times my own personal squad of flying monkeys could come in handy. But with my luck, they'd go out on strike for better wages and benefits.
In today's TV Newsy Bits:
- I'll be getting a post up to live blog the American Idol audition show as it airs here in the northeast. Or am I mid-Atlantic? It depends to whom you're speaking, I guess. Anyway, the post will be up around 8 PM if you want to share your comments on the show.
- Lots of new programming on the cable stations tonight -- truTV (which should have stayed Court TV) has two episodes of The Real Hustle on at 10 PM ET/PT, Discovery has a new Dirty Jobs on at 9 PM ET/PT followed by Some Assembly Required at 10, TLC has a new Bussey Bunch on at 9 PM ET/PT and a new LA Ink on at 10 PM ET/PT, A&E has an hour of new Parking Wars (two episodes in a row) starting at 10 PM ET/PT.
- Celebrity Spider is reporting that CBS has ordered two more seasons of Survivor. (Yay!)
- Wild Bluff Media has an article which outlines the time frame leading into the new season of Big Brother.
- Don't forget! Lost returns on Thursday night with a two-hour show! Of course, that will throw Celebrity Apprentice to the wayside (most likely) -- I'm not sure how I'll deal with both of them and then Survivor arriving on the 7th of February. Something has to give. I'll have to fire Donald, I guess.
Today's random pondering:
Why don't men wear fedoras more often?
Today's musical non-sequitur:
City lights, the pretty lights
They can warm the coldest nights
All the people going places
Smiling with the electric faces
-- "Neon Rainbow" by The Boxtops
Well, she was supposed to be on last week, but finally here she is. Let's see if she spills any dirty little secrets, eh? So far they're talking about how much time she spends in California vs. New York. Now they're talking about last night's SAG awards and an actress out of hand in the audience.
C'mon, talk Big Brother!
Finally. David is talking about how much he doesn't know about BB, but knows it originated in Holland. Julie tells him the original premise of ten strangers and each week they vote out one of their own. Now there are twists since the fourth season. Yes, there are live feeds, Dave. She said threee months ... was it a slip? Will this be a regular run of a season? Hmmm...
Fake clip time of a nakde woman playing bongos as the After Dark show.
As usual, she spilled no beans, gave no insight.
But Zoetawny made me a cool new logo!
Author Becky Anderson was kind enough to send me two signed copies of her first novel, IN STEREO WHERE AVAILABLE. One I sent out just yesterday to blog reader Jennasmom, the winner of my big book giveaway contest.
Okay, I must admit that my reading tastes generally lean more towards mysteries or horror rather than chick-lit. Nonetheless, I found the book entertaining, possibly because it included one of my other entertainment interests.
You see, the author didn't just approach me on a whim. She's a reality show fan much as all of us are here at this blog. Becky has never missed an episode of Survivor, so how could I not give the book a chance, right?
The protagonist in the story is Phoebe, a 29-year-old virgin looking for love and finding it in one of the most unlikely places -- a wrong phone number from a guy looking to talk to a woman named Karen. But Phoebe's twin now not so identical after various enhancements is also sort of seeking love. Well, more like seeking fame with love and fortune, too -- in a reality television show.
Now, that's some show author Becky Anderson dreamed up. It's sort of a Big Brother meets The Bachelor meets Survivor with a war of the states thrown in! To be honest, if Becky approached reality television producers, I swear The Belle of Georgia could be a hit! Twelve women vying for the attention of two men, one of them named "Rhett" for the show. The challenges show that the author is no stranger to the reality television genre!
Who finds the true love? Yeah, you can almost predict it. However, it's certainly worth the ride. I think it's a laudable first novel and hope to see more from this author in the future. Or, perhaps, maybe she could create a reality television show or two!
IN STEREO WHERE AVAILABLE is available (but not really in stereo) on amazon.com and the official website for the book is here. Buy it. Read it. Let me know what you think!
I haven't seen Roofus the Cat lately, but I'm sure he's street-savvy enough to be taking shelter from the weather. I told you about the defunct Budget Car Rental place and the elderly gentleman who feeds the feral cats adjacent to Roofus' rooftop territory. If you click on this photo, it will enlarge. That's a cat on the counter looking out the door and cat food in a dish on the sidewalk. From what I can see inside without going up and peeking in the windows (and having the man yell), he has industrial size bags of dry cat food and cases of canned food in there as well as cats who seem to come and go somehow. Since Roofus wouldn't even have to cross a street to get here, I'm sure he takes advantage.
In TV Newsy Bits:
- The SAG Awards, unlike the Golden Globes, will actually take place tonight. From a press release I received -- As a build-up to the 14th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards presentation, TNT and TBS will present a special live webcast of the red carpet at tnt.tv and tbs.com, as well as through the TBS and TNT domains within the Kaneva virtual world. The webcast, which will open with SAG president Alan Rosenberg and SAG Awards nominee Ben Foster (3:10 to Yuma) announcing the recipients of this year’s new Stunt Ensemble honors, will be hosted by Entertainment Weekly’s Dave Karger and comedian Jamie Kaler, co-star of TBS’s acclaimed comedy series My Boys. Karger and Kaler will cover the red carpet arrivals of this year’s nominees, past winners and other attendees. Following the Red Carpet Pre-Show, the webcast will shift backstage to the press and photo rooms, where this year’s SAG Awards honorees will answer questions from reporters and pose for pictures with their Actor® statuettes.
- I wrote a bit about a few of the reality shows on A&E for a TV Squad article.
- This Reality Wanted interview with Erika Landin (BB4 and All-Stars) is a few days old, but gives a bit of insight to casting on the show.
- Speaking of Big Brother casting, there have still been no announcements and I don't expect anything until the first week of February. What we do know is that there will be 14 in the house (rather large group, expect some double eviction weeks as this season may not run as long as the usual summer season) and the theme is "my dirty little secret." Okay, that could be ax murderers for all we know!
Today's musical non-sequitur:
I don't give a damn about a greenback dollar
Spend it as fast as I can
For a wailin' song and a good guitar
Are the only things I understand.
-- "Greenback Dollar" by Hoyt Axton
Yes, graphic artist Zoetawny has indeed captured that odd fake-looking suntan with the reverse raccoon eyes! Thanks, Zoetawny!
I'm still not too cool with Gene committing apprenticide last week, but even without him this season is a world better than that debacle last year.
But what the heck is going on with the women? I would have thought Marilu would be a shoe-in to win this task for her team. And, yeah ... they came close. But, as always, close just doesn't make the grade. You win or you don't. And they didn't.
Although Marilu clicked with Omarosa and Nely on tonight's task, I personally think Omarosa will be a dividing factor on the team no matter what. Nely obviously is on Trump's firing range just awaiting the shot. As I watch the condescending way Omarosa treats the others when her own biggest claim to fame is being a "reality television star," I can't help but think that her presence alters the actions of the other team members.
That said, of the ones brought back to the boardroom, Jenny would be the one to go. I know the corporate world and they'd eat her alive. She's much better off on the playing field where people don't use the bodies of their dead co-workers to climb the corporate ladder.
Marilu did screw up with David Hyde Pierce. I could have walked by and not noticed him. However, if I saw $50 tickets for the shows, I would have jumped at that. Do you know how much of a savings that is?
As for the guys, I think Piers and Stephen have this love/hate thing goin' on between them. The absolute funniest part of the show was their scene with Stephen doing the Muttly hissy-laugh! Piers in the King Arthur suit carrying the rabbit (which is a notable item for the show) was funny, but I don't think I'd just up and give him money for charity, either. And I wouldn't call myself rude. I rarely walk around with large amounts of cash in the city and, while there are many tourists, I usually have my spending rather planned. I like to choose my charities and they generally don't include clowns ... er, King Arthurs on the street.
It was close this week, but I think Marilu hit on why the guys keep winning while her team loses. The men do have more cut throat leaders aboard. Both Carol and Jenny have been more followers for the women. Then there's Omarosa creating a rift. I really wish they'd juggle the teams around and mix it up more.
So, it was Geneless, but still entertaining. Now if Omarosa could just bump her head or something.
