New 'Survivor' Castaways: A Closer Look at Melinda Hyder

All right! Moving right on along with my 'Closer Look at...' entries regarding the new cast members of 'Survivor' -- it's time for Melinda Hyder! I want to get finished with the cast entries today as it's my day off and I want to get on with blogging about show stuff! ;-)

From her CBS bio page:
Melinda's a 32 year old singer from Sevierville, TN. She was born and raised in Tennessee and seems very cleancut and family oriented. She's thrilled her parents were high school sweethearts and have bee married for 44 years. She started singing while in church at the age of four. (I started singing about that time, too. Alas, it took me another 20 years to realize I cannot sing at all!) She trained in ballet, tap, jazz and gymnastics for 12 years -- all good for show comps in their own ways. She's even taught dance. (I can't dance, either. :::thump:::) Oh, she must really be able to sing -- she went to college on a full scholarship for voice. In her singing career, she's worked at Six Flags and toured Europe. In other work, she's been a real estate agent, private vocal coach, model (I think she's a cutie as far as women go), pageant coach and dance instructor.

An excerpt from the bio: "Hyder describes herself as vivacious, competitive and compassionate. Her hobbies include creative home decorating, collecting Marilyn Monroe memorabilia, watching CBS soap operas and jogging." Interesting. I think she's the only one so far who hasn't said why she thinks she'll win or what qualities she possesses which will help her win. Hmmm.

It's onto her CBS Favorites page for more insight:I like her scents -- vanilla, sandalwood and cinnamon. Two of those were listed by another. Hmmm. Taboo, Twister, Tetra and Frogger are her games. Okay. (Dang, I haven't played Twister in like decades!) Heh... movies include Legally Blonde. She doesn't have any favorite sports to play, but has various outdoor activities she enjoys which include fishing, hiking and swimming, plus snow sports (which don't come into play much in tropical climates). In TV shows, she goes for CBS soaps, American Idol, Survivor and NUMB3RS.

Well. She seems like a very nice person. But I'm getting the feeling she might not have enough drive and compassion to really get into the game and win. I also think she has that nice quality which, with the exception of the flying under the radar approach, isn't a great quality for winning. I predict early boot, although she does seem sweet. I think it's a shame she's too old to try out for American Idol, that's what I think.

Your thoughts?

New 'Survivor' Castaways: A Closer Look at Dan Barry

It's a flip back to the older crowd for this 'Closer Look at...' retired astronaut new 'Survivor' cast member Dan Barry. He's 52 years old, born in Norwalk, CT but considers South Hadley, MA his home.

From his CBS bio, we glean:
Besides being a retired astronaut who's logged over 734 hours in space including four space walks; he's an inventor; has a mind-bogglingly impressive educational background and has published over 50 articles in scientific journals. He owns his own company, Denbar Robotics, and has five patents for his creations. Yikes. I feel so insignificant in the scheme of things now. Thanks, Dan!

He's also a lifetime member of the United States Tennis Association.

But... what are his CBS listed Favorites? What will they tell us about his quirks and weaknesses? Let's see:
Okay, he won me on his favorite scent. It's what I would list if I were asked -- cookies baking in the oven. Board game is Go, nice. Red Sox and Patriots fan, boo. His music and movies/actor tastes are a bit in line (to a degree) with my own. That could be a generational kind of thing -- he's only a few years older than I am (but he looks a lot older than I do -- I think). Oh! He likes Cap'n Crunch and Sugar Smacks! He's human, woohoo! He likes Ruffles (must be the ridges). Frozen strawberry margaritas and fruit smoothies.

Oh, my prediction? I want him to do well. I think I really like him -- he seems extremely intelligent, but looking at his favorites he's more in synch with my own than many of the others. A drawback would be that he is older and, though somewhat athletic, I don't know how well he'll hold up. I'm hoping NASA puts them through rigorous physical training, but I don't know all that much about what astronauts go through on the physical end of things. He only retired in the past year... okay, I know I'm stalling on my decision. Hmmm... I think I'll go near mid-game with him although I would rather he go further.

What do you think?

New 'Survivor' Castaways: A Closer Look at Misty Giles

It's time for a 'Closer Look at...' new 'Survivor' castaway Misty Giles. She's listed as a 24 year old engineer living in Dallas, TX. So far I'm more impressed with the older castaways, but let's see what Misty is all about from her CBS bio page...

She was born in Georgia, but as part of a military family she moved frequently eventually ending up in Texas where she finished high school. In school she played varsity sports and was Miss Texas Teen USA 1999. She supported herself through college and earned her Bachelors in Electrical Engineering (not an easy field) from Southern Methodist University. She's currently pursuing her Masters and is training for running marathons.

Misty thinks she's highly adventurous, determined and sexy. She also describes herself as a tomboy in high heels. Now, that sort of thinking could be good for playing the game of 'Survivor.' An excerpt from her bio: "Giles believes her competitive nature and natural problem-solving skills will help her get to the end of the game. Competing in the ultimate game of survival and winning are her motivations for taking on SURVIVOR: PANAMA--EXILE ISLAND." Okay... yes, those things can take you far in the game, but one of the most important skills is the old people skills or, more specifically, people manipulation skills. Does she have that attribute?

Onto her CBS listed favorites for more insight:
Ah... nice favorite scents -- vanilla and cinnamon. (Unlike musty dive bars. @@) Chess, PlayStation, basketball, volleyball... Heh -- she likes both Newsweek and the Victoria's Secret catalogue. In my opinion, decent actor/actress favorites, perhaps not my own choices, but ones I've heard of at least. No Olsen twins, good. She likes rock music, considered Twizzlers a snack food while 3 Musketeers is her candy.

I guess it's time for my prediction, huh? I think she'll do okay. I'm getting the feeling she might be a bit naive or, more to the point, nice. Unfortunately, nice rarely makes it to the end of the game. I don't think she'll be an early boot, but I don't think she'll make the Final Four. Go ahead, Misty. Prove me wrong.

Do you have any thoughts on her possibilities in the game?

UPN/WB No Longer?

To be honest, I'm not sure how this is all going to work. But here's some links to follow if you're wondering what the heck is going on with the UPN and WB networks becoming one or going away or finding their inner peace or something:

• Reuters Business Channel Reuters.com
• Exit WB, UPN; Enter the CW - Jan 24, 2006 - E! Online News
• UPN, WB to fold; the CW emerges

I dunno. Sounds like the Country Western station to me.

Bloggin' AMERICAN IDOL - Greensboro, NC - Hour 2

Jeffrey "Ryan" somone is on now. He's 27, but to me looks "old." Simon says he's the first Ryan he's ever met with talent. They like him -- onto Hollywood.

Cedric Robinson, related to Fantasia is next. Singing 'Chain of Fools.' Simon says absolutely dreadful. He's right. Now, I'm not familiar with Anne Nesmond (sp?), but a relative of hers is singing a Dixie Chicks song. Ah, they asked her for another song -- Billie Holliday's 'Take Five.' Wow. I like her. 17 years old and I missed her NAME. Argh! There.. Paris. 24 went through to Hollywood on the first day in Greensboro.

It's Day 2. Simon's birthday. Randy sings Happy Birthday, dear Slimon...

Now a Marcus who thinks his singing is unique and different. He's comparing himself to Usher. We'll see. Okay, he's holding single notes forever. Simon has this mesmerized night of the living dead look on his face. "What the hell was that?" Heh. He said he has the Randy and Paula DVD of vocal lessons. He's going to sing one more song. Sounds sort of the same. Paula seems upset. Randy is laughing. Paula thinks he should model or do commercials. Randy is still laughing.

Now Marcus is taking a hammer to the DVD.

All right, "Mr. Personality' Jimmy Crabtree is on. He has a very exaggerated country twang yodel in his song. Simon says he has the personality of a hippo when he sings. Even Paula is telling him he's not any good.

Sammy, a self proclaimed crazy person is up. He says he's so RAH. Not good. Flat. Weird and flat. Why don't they stop him? Please stop him! "Sylvester Stallone's younger sister singing Paula Abdul" according to Simon. He's going away. Good.

Tyra Juliet is singing 'In the Still of the Night'. Hmmm... I'm on the fence about her. She looks like Pochahantas, but with a good voice. They like her. She's onto Hollywood!

Seth Strickland is the one they've been showing doing 'Thriller' and then says "oh, crap." He's history. But we knew that when they fiurst blurbed him last week, didn't we?

Rhonetta Johnson will catfight with Paula, but a firefighter is on first. His name is Jordan Southerland. I personally don't care for the song "You Raise Me up." Randy says no, Paula says yes... Simon agrees with Paula. Yikes.

Now the one they've hyped all night... all lady and all mouth. Blonde black woman chunky with glitter cowboy boots and a matching halter top. Yipes. Rhonetta Johnson. Simon already made a fat reference. So bad. So, so bad. Simon says never. She's saying we'll all see her on TV and she'll be on the top of the charts. She's going on and on. Get her off. Where do some folks come off thinking they've got talent when they sing worse than me? Oh, go away. She's getting all ghetto all over the place. And her gut is hanging over her skirt. So appealing. Or appalling. Whatever!

Greensboro is over. Only nine made it on the second day. Tomorrow night is San Francisco. The ending is a collage of bad 'Fame.' Not David Bowie style, the movie/show one.

Bloggin' AMERICAN IDOL Audition Night/Greensboro, NC - Hour 1

Okay, to start -- yes! I totally got Simon's comment to the one girl regarding Jerry Springer! Gotta love it. ;-)

I'm not too keen on the sob stories this year. Yes, I think Kelly Pickler has a good voice. But do I need to know her Momma left her at 2 and her Daddy's in jail? I know she seems nice, but what if her voice sucked and we sat through the sob story?

Tux Guy. Shawn. He's gimmicky, for sure. But I'm liking his voice. With his facial hair, he seems a lot older than 17. He's a no according to the judges. Oh, but they took Crazy Dave! Shawn's little brother is so defensive.

Now Jimmy is there with a dummy, Scottie. This gimmick at least has them smiling. Ah, he can sing. If he goes on, what about the dummy? He didn't get on, but it gave the judges some good reasons for working with dummy jokes. Now a helium-voiced woman with a pink cowboy hat is on. No, say no! "I want this more than a whole bag of gummy bears!" Sorry!

An egotistical National Guard dude is going to start. He's inviting Paula to dance with him if he sounds good. Steven David, Jr. Simon and Randy dragged Paula to dance with him as he sings 'Let's Get It On.' Onto Hollywood for him! I think this is one to watch. He's full of it, but he's a hoot. And, he can sing. Ryan Seacrest brought Steven's wife into the room to break up the party. Randy thinks the show has turned into speed dating.

A 27 year old with an almost 12 year old son named Halicia is singing. She can sing. She now says she is supposed to kiss Simon and brought plastic to kiss him through if he didn't want germs. He said no to the plastic and it's yes to Hollywood.

Going for a perky boy named Donny, age 19. Hmmm... has had a vocal coach for a year. To me, he sounds choppy, off key and fast as he sings 'Bridge Over Troubled Water.' Simon says he murdered the song. It's a no.

Now a girl named Kendra with a sob story -- has been in 42 foster homes. She married very young, three kids? She worked her way into college. She seems very level-headed. Yes, she can sing. She's kind of bubbly, perhaps it's just nerves. Paula: "Breath of fresh air." Simon says he would have said no, but since Randy and Paula said yes, Kendra tells him -- "It doesn't matter, I'm going."

Chase who's Kennet who's a bit... um different, is on. Until they flashed his real name, I was thinking woman, myself. He sang a Whitney Houston song. They're comparing him to Wayne Newtown. Now Simon is doing his "in a dress" thing. He's onto Hollywood.

"I'm not being rude" is getting a segment. I love his line "you look like the Incredible Hulk's wife." They haven't shown her sing. Now a woman is telling Ryan how short he is. Now the latter is about to sing -- her mother was a stripper. Sob story or not? Now, she is odd. She's wearing what's wild lingerie. Eep. They're advising vocal lessons and come back.

A Brandon is on now. He does a weird little hiccup thing at the end of his lines. It's a no. Aw... he's sad. His Momma thinks it's his white trash po' boy clothes.

Hour One done.

New 'Survivor' Castaways: A Closer Look at Courtney Marit

This latest 'A Closer Look at...' entry focuses on Courtney Marit. She's listed as a 31 year old performance artist from Los Angeles. I hear the words "performance artist" and tend to cringe. It could be just me.

In college she received a gymnastics scholarship and was part of the 1993 NCAA Championship team. Okay, that's impressive, I'll say. Her current performance artist work mixes fire (ow), stilts (thunk), trapeze, music and more in a theatrical show. Hmmm... sounds a bit like Cirque du Soleil. She's the founder of Revolve Productions -- apparently not either of the two companies with that name which come up with a quick Google. She teaches fire dancing. Eep. Her more lofty goal is to make films and documentaries that promote world unity. Okaaay.

She's traveled a lot, to over 30 countries. Past jobs include deckhand/cook, farmer, ski instructor, snow maker, trailblazer, biking/hiking guide, elder caregiver, importer and massage therapist. She's climbed mountain peaks, ran marathons, lived in caves in India and other cool stuff. Oh, my. And she's only 31? She thinks she's free spirited (you don't say), compassionate, creative, fun and sensitive.

Onto her favorites from the CBS site:
Hmmm... favorite game is Risk. That's always a good one for strategic planning. She lists both LOST and SURVIVOR as TV shows she likes. I like her taste for the most part in actors and actresses. (At least the Olsen twins aren't in there!) I have absolutely no clue who her music groups are. Ah, for cereal -- healthy and sugar -- Cap'n Crunch mixed with granola.

It's time for my prediction, I guess. Y'know, so many things in her background are really perfect for the show. I think a lot will depend on her personality. Will she annoy others? Is she bubbly or "out there"? I just can't tell. If, and it's a big if, her personality isn't too abrasive or odd, she could go very far in the game. I predict well past the halfway mark at the very least.

Any thoughts about her chances?

TV Newsy Stuff

These are a few of the television related news bits out and about on the web:

• NBC Drops "West Wing," "Will & Grace" - Jan 23, 2006 - E! Online News
• Lost Cast Gets Dramatic Pay Hike Lost : People.com
• Earl Star's Chicken Pox Shuts Down Show My Name Is Earl, My Name Is Earl : People.com
• Amy Fisher, Buttafuocos plan TV reunion -- Newsday.com

That last one is ridiculous, but true. Ack.

Quick 'Crossing Jordan' Rant

Now, I like this show. Don't get me wrong.

But ALBANY is not pronounced Ail-ben-knee. It's ALL-ben-knee. No one says Ailbany.

Cut it out.

(I went to ALL-ben-knee State.)

Sunday's 'Law and Order: Criminal Intent'

I thought I wouldn't enjoy 'Law and Order: Criminal Intent' without Vincent D'Onofrio as Goren. He brought a bit of quirkiness to the series which I thought was vital to the show. But since his fainting/dizziness spells and apparent desire to work less, they brought in Chris Noth reprising his role as Det. Logan from the original 'L&O'. The premise is to "look into the mind of the killer" which I really wouldn't have pegged the Logan character to be the investigator. But it works. Last night's show was an intriguing story of a bullied boy grown up and seeking revenge. I know it sounds a bit trite and done too often, but there were enough twists in this one to keep it fresh. I didn't catch the name of the actor who played the killer, but thought his portrayal came across very well.

'L&O: CI' gets an 'A' sans Goren.

There is a bad point, however. When looking at the NBC site to snag the link, I notice that next week's episode is a three-peat with Noth. I know I've already seen it twice and I'm thinking network, not the cable eps. It's the one with the mother and son jewelry thieves/killer. Dang.

Did you watch last night? If so, how is the show for you with Noth instead of D'Onofrio?

New 'Survivor' Castaways: A Closer Look at Nick Stanbury

It's time for 'A Closer Look at..." new 'Survivor' castaway Nick Stanbury. He grew up in Wyoming, did his freshman year of college in Montana, then transferred to Arizona to finish his BS in finance and supply chain management. I have no clue what supply chain management is, so don't ask me!

According to his CBS bio, he's a waiter while waiting word (would that be a waiting waiter?) on law school applications. He likes quite a few sports in addition to reading an traveling. He thinks he's curious, loving and overly analytical. (Uh-oh!) According to his bio -- "He wants to be on SURVIVOR so he can travel, learn about himself in a difficult situation and meet smart, beautiful women." Um. Okey dokey. I guess. I would think college campuses probably have more smart, beautiful women, but I must be wrong.

Onto his CBS Favorites page:
He likes the scent of musty dive bars. (I suppose the scent of beer and vomit are desirable?) His favorite actresses are the Olsen twins. @@ <--- gotta roll my eyes at this guy, gotta. His favorite books/authors bring to mind assigned reading, not usual favorites -- Ayn Rand, Herman Hesse. He likes Fruity Pebbles as a cereal choice. Okay, he listed Grape-Nuts and Quaker Oatmeal, too. But he said Fruity Pebbles! (I wonder if he'll share them with the Olsen twins in a musty dive bar.) In music, he likes rap, alternative amongst others. His favorite alcoholic drink... Budweiser. (Which he'll quaff in the musty dive bar with the Olsen twins while eating Fruity Pebbles and pretzel snack mix from a germy dish.)

You really want my prediction on this guy? Really? I predict amongst the first few out. I could be wrong, of course. He is athletic enough, but...!

Your thoughts?

'American Idol' Twins BUSTED

The first set of twins we saw on the 'American Idol' premiere show are no strangers to the law. An excerpt from this article I found on the web:

Memphis twins Terrell and Derrell Brittenum may have wowed 'American Idol' judges, but the next judges they face may be a bit stricter.
Terrell, in fact, was jailed in Tuesday night when the 'American Idol' episode taped in September showed him and his brother passing their first audition before the Fox TV judges in Chicago, the Memphis Commercial Appeal reported Thursday.
Relatives told the newspaper Derrell was preparing to surrender to police on the same charges his brother faces in Georgia.

Read the entire article for the skinny on the Brittenum twins.
Huh. Now, what do you think of their chances in Hollywood?

'60 Minutes' Kinky (Friedman) Segment

Woohoo! As a Kinky Friedman (the novelist) fan, I had to watch this segment on '60 Minutes.' He's running for the Governor of Texas. I have some of his music by Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys, but it's more his novels I collect. I was lucky enough to meet him in NYC a few years back. He's a character, for sure.

Oh... the segment? If you're a Kinky fan, it's a must see. It touches on his past, his music, his novels in addition to his seriously wanting to be Governor.

Heck, Kinky should be Governor more than Arnold should have been voted in! My own opinion, but hey... that's me.

New 'Survivor' Castaways: A Closer Look at Cirie Fields

Cirie Fields is the subject of this New 'Survivor' Castaways: A Closer Look at... entry. Cirie was born and raised in Jersey City, NJ (you go, girl!), but has settled in Walterboro, SC where she's a registered nurse. She's 35 years old and recently remarried.

According to her CBS bio, she's worked at several occupations including candy factory employee (which I can't think of without seeing Lucy with the candy conveyor belt episode), telemarketing and nursing related fields. She swims, runs and works with a personal trainer. And, she thinks she's funny, charismatic and compassionate. We'll see about that! Cirie believes she possesses attributes and skills which will do her well -- strength, fishing, cooking, some carpentry. She lost 30 pounds in anticipation of being on the show. Wow!

A quote from her CBS bio: "She believes she will be the Sole Survivor because people love her cute, smiling personality." I hope she's jesting. Don't tell me she's gonna be bubbly, perky and smiling! (I don't do "perky" well.)

It's off to peek at her CBS Favorites page:
Um, it looks like she's into perfumes... her favorite scents are such. Board games are Chess and Monopoly -- both a bit strategic games. Ohh... a 'Big Brother' fan. Her sport to play is dodgeball. I'm not familiar with her books/authors or even her favorite alcohol drinks. But she likes Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Cool.

All right, my prediction? Well, a lot will depend on if she's an annoying to others kind of bubbly personality, I think. Due to the old geographic proximity factor, I'd like to see her do well -- she's quasi-local to me. But... but... I dunno. I will say booted between 5th and 8th boot. I hope she proves me wrong since I'm just going by the information on the CBS website with no spoilers.

Your thoughts?

New Easy 'Survivor' Reference Link

I created a new web page which will be updated regularly to list all the 'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island' blog entry links from here, as well as 'Survivor' website links I often peruse. You can find that page by clicking here or clicking on the graphic you see on my right sidebar of this blog.

At the present time, I haven't finished my "Closer Look at..." series for the new castaways. As I post the remaining castaways (my thoughts and predictions), each one will be hyperlinked to its blog entry. So, that's why some aren't linked. If you haven't noticed, I'm working both ends against the middle on the listings.

Once the show starts and even before then, all my 'Survivor' entries links can be found at that page for easy reference.

Last Week's TV Hits and Misses (IMO, but of course)

This Week's Hits:

'Love Monkey' -- I like this show. I wrote about the premiere here. Once again this week, I'll be watching and I'm sure to jot at least a quick entry about it.

'American Idol' -- Hey, what can I say? It's a guilty pleasure and I think I like the bad auditions as much, if not more, than after the twelve finalists are selected. It'll always be a hit with me at this stage of the season. Let's see how much I like it after the auditions end! I blogged both nights this past week here and here.

'Everybody Hates Chris' -- Now, I didn't blog about this one. I usually don't watch the show and have only caught one other episode. The show is in a bad time slot for me as during 'Survivor' season I already watch one show and tape another at that time. However, for the moment, the 8 PM slot is free of 'Survivor' and 'The Apprentice', so there's Chris. I enjoyed the episode and it reminded me of saving my babysitting money for one of those suede fringed jackets circa 1969 or so.

'Law and Order: SVU' -- Again, not blogged about, but a good episode. This episode's "ripped from the headlines" story was based on a recent local Newark story, so I watched with a bit of insight into it. A horrible case, although a well-written episode.

'Ellen' -- I'm off from work one weekday a week and this is a never miss. Alas, for a while I was taping daily, but there were never enough hours in the day to catch up, so I stopped. I watched Wednesday's episode which included guest Matthew Fox. This show never disappoints me except when it's a rerun and I only see Wednesday eps!

'C.S.I.' and 'Without a Trace' both end up in the Hits of the Week category as does 'NUMB3RS.'

This Week's Misses:

'The Four Kings' -- I keep watching as there's nothing else I watch in the time slot and I have my big secret crush on Josh Cooke. Woefully lacking, for the most part. Sigh.

'LOST' -- Yikes! I so don't want this in my Misses category as I'm addicted to the show! Waah! But this week's episode didn't move enough forward for me. Okay, Michael ran off to look for Walt again. The only interesting forward movement for this week's episode was the appearance of the Others (who really seem to be pirates and the guy should have a parrot on his shoulder, a wooden leg and say "ARRRR" a lot). Improve next week, LOST!

What did you watch? I'd love to hear your Hits and Misses for the week!

New 'Survivor' Castaways: A Closer Look at Ruth Marie Milliman

This morning's "New 'Survivor' Castaways: Closer Look at..." is all about Ruth Marie Milliman. Y'know, the more I read about this cast, the more impressed I am at most, if not all, of this season's castaways. What I'm not seeing much of is those who just want to be on television and be a "star." That's very refreshing to me. Of course, down the road we'll probably see folks whining about the "old" people or such. Tough. I like the cast! Nyah.

Back to Ruth Marie -- she's a 48 year old director of retail leasing (according to the job listed) in Greenville, SC. Oh, but she's so much more than that! I mean, we're talking the 1978 South Carolina Watermelon Queen here! :::grin::: More seriously, she's a woman who's been successful in beauty pageants, holds a degree in Criminal Justice, was a head cheerleader in her college days, was a flight attendant and a narcotics agent (not at the same time) and is currently regarded as a top competitive long distance runner. She seems fit, photogenic and looks like another contender to me.

Let's take a quick look at her CBS Official Favorites for insight:
Ah, she likes honeysuckle... one of the finest scents on the planet in my opinion. Good. Um... board game is CandyLand? Huh. I believe that was Judd's game. Eep. Her magazines and books are geared to running and bicycling. She likes watermelon (no wonder) and champagne. Oh... and she likes Elvis.

My prediction for her? Well, just basing on her background, I believe she's going to be a strong competitor in the game. Perhaps not the Sole Survivor, but latter half towards the Final Four.

Your thoughts?

New 'Survivor' Castaways: A Closer Look at Bruce Kanegai

This 'Closer Look At' entry is all about new 'Survivor' castaway Bruce Kanegai. He's a 58 year old karate instructor/high school art teacher who grew up in Los Angeles and now calls Simi Valley his home. As a child he obtained both a black belt in karate and the rank of Eagle Scout. During his 34 years of teaching he's taught over 10,000 students and received many career awards for doing so. In karate, he's taught over 7,000 students. (I can bet this guy has a built in audience on 'Survivor'!)

His background is very impressive ranging from his work to being a backpacking instructor and working with police department training. Oh... he was bitten by a rattlesnake three years ago! Eek! He's married, has two children and one dog. On the web, a Google came up with several karate-related links like this one.

Okay, let's peek at his CBS favorites list:
Ah, a man after my own heart... his favorite scent has to do with food! Barbequed steak. (I would say cookies, but food is food.) He's another Scrabble player. I like to see all of them on the show -- to me, it exhibits a more cerebral edge. I could be wrong, though. He likes hiking and, for magazines, National Geographic (amongst others). His music tastes range from classical to heavy metal.

My prediction? Oh... I so want to like this guy! I so want him to do well! He's older, but it seems that he's very active, so that's a plus. Will he make Final Four? Hmmm... he's used to being an instructor. In a way, that could work against him on the show, especially once the ages mix. Tough prediction here. I'll say that he lasts a long, long time, but not the Sole Survivor (though I think I'd like to see him win it just by reading the bio and favorites).

What do you think about his chances of winning?

New 'Survivor' Castaways: A Closer Look at Sally Schumann

Who's next on the docket? Well, it's a closer look at 'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island' castaway Sally Schumann.

According to the occupation listed on her bio, she's a 27 year old social worker living in Chicago, IL. But, is she? Reading through her official CBS bio reveals "She currently lives in Chicago, where she works as a waitress and bartender." She was a social worker for four years in Minnesota, where was born and raised. While in Minnesota, she also coached high school girls soccer. She thinks she's compassionate, competitive and funny. Okay. We'll see.

She's a huge fan of both 'Survivor' and 'The Amazing Race' and this is the fifth time she's tried to be on the show. Recently divorced, she is now dating her best friend.

Off to her favorites page:
Hmm, I like most of her board games (Scrabble, Cribbage, Yahtzee, UNO), but I haven't a clue what Settlers of Caton is. Anyone know? Most of her sports to play are with a ball, birdie or horseshoe. That's not too great for the show, although it may help with comps that include throwing or aiming. She enjoys fishing and running, both good activities for the show.Her books, music tastes are okay (with me). Oh! She sometimes feels like a nut! Almond Joy.

I'm not seeing anything on the web about her that's not related to the show, so I'll have to judge my prediction basing it on the CBS info alone. Y'know, I think she might do well. Both bartending and social work are jobs where you listen to folks more than talk. She's athletic enough, intelligent and just might make it to the Final Four.

Then again, I could be way off base.
What do you think?

Blogging 'American Idol' - Night Two, Denver

Tonight's 'American Idol' audition show came to us from Denver, CO. There still isn't a likable bad like a William Hung. Plenty of bad, though. Plenty.

There was Marlos who traveled so far -- from Denver. His line "I've come such a long way" reminded me of Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz. That wasn't going to be the only Oz reminder of the night.

A 16 year old Lisa Tucker made it through. She has a tremendous voice and really seems to have a lot on the ball. The auditions were looking up!

For a minute, anyway.

The Rocker Contingent was horrible. It makes me want to turn to gangsta rap which is so not me. So, so not me. One rocker named Chris Daughtry made it through. I wasn't all that impressed with his version of 'The Letter.' I personally doubt he'll be in the 12 Finalists.

The show did a musical reference to something I doubt a lot of their audience would even recognize. During a bit of a face-off between Simon and a contestant (Simon wanted him to go away), they played theme from the 1967 Clint Eastwood movie 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.' It was perfect!

I honestly liked the naive cowboy kid Garrett who made it through. Alas, while I think he has talent, his lack of training is going to hurt. But, at least, he'll get to ride an airplane.

There were two odd characters -- one claimed to be an entrepreneur (but couldn't say the word entrepreneur, nor even say his cleaning business slogan) and the other claimed to be an inventor. Both were bad. But the latter gave Simon one of his best lines of the night. "You're useless and I'm bored." Here's when the second Oz reference came into play. The "inventor" sang "If I Only Had a Brain." Fitting song, very fitting.

A very androgynous young er.. man... named Zachary raised some eyebrows with his audition. He sang totally flat, but was convinced that the judges were prejudiced against him because of his appearance. In the talk afterwards, he wasn't so androgynous after all. No underwear and to the right. @@ <--- I needed to roll my eyes!

Nineteen people made it through to Hollywood from Denver. Next week's Tuesday auditions show will be two hours and coming in from North Carolina.

Are you watching? Did anyone (except perhaps Lisa Tucker) impress you?

New 'Survivor' Castaways: A Closer Look at Bobby Mason

It's time for a closer look at new 'Survivor' castaway Bobby Mason. In reading through his bio at the CBS website, he looks like an interesting person. He's a 32 year old attorney from Los Angeles, CA.

He was brought up in the rather rough South Central L.A., but his parents did a great job with him getting him into good schools and instilling the desire to make something of himself, not to be dragged down by others in his neighborhood.

His undergraduate degree is from Amherst and his law studies were at Stanford. Very impressive indeed. While he sounds like a very smart man, successful and bright, I have some concerns regarding his chances of being the Sole Survivor this season. First, lawyers tend not to do well on the show. I don't know why they don't, but many have been on before and many have lost. Perhaps he'll be different.

Also, in his bio on the CBS site, he says he's "dominant, loyal, malleable and stubborn." Now, if you're too dominant or stubborn, that's going to go against you on the show. He's single living with his two dogs (perhaps because he's dominant and stubborn...?)

Onto his favorites at the CBS site:
I like his chosen scents -- not the typical flowers and such -- fresh cut grass, cucumber. In games, he likes Risk and Magic: The Gathering. Those could be strategic a bit in 'Survivor.' His books/author choices are intriguing -- 48 Laws of Power and The Art of Seduction (Robert Greene), A Brief History of Time (Stephen Hawking). His music choices are urban rapster, not a real favorite of mine, but not without merit. He likes beef jerky! Oh, no! Shades of Kel!

Hmm... all in all for my prediction? Well, a lot will depend on his personality. He certainly has the brights and seems to be plenty athletic enough to be a powerful player in the game. But the "dominant" and "stubborn" bit bother me. If he exhibits those traits, he could be amongst the first voted out. Contestants who try to take over or lead early in the show are out early for the most part. Tom Westman was about the only real "leader" time to really succeed. Will Bobby Mason buck the trend and make it? I just don't know. Until I see him interacting with the others, he'll be on my Mystery Finish Placement List.

Your thoughts?

'Love Monkey' Premiere - Yay Not a Nay

I like it. I think I really like it.

I'm not so impressed by "Wayne" the John-Mayer-sounding Robby-Benson-looking featured artist on the show.

So, what do I like about 'Love Monkey'?

Well, let's see...

I like Tom Cavanagh. I liked him as 'Ed' and I think I like him as 'Tom.'

I like that it's filmed at least partially (if not entirely) in NYC. It's nice to see places I know and not fake backdrops or Toronto pretending to be NY.

The premise is something a bit different from most, although there's that "L" word in there. No, not lesbian. The never ending story of seeking love. He may just find that when he stops looking, it'll smack him in the face. Or something like that. But, of course, that would ruin the premise of the show. Whoops! Pay no attention to my advice, Tom. Nothing to see here; move along.

The characters look interesting. There's a gay male and a black male not written overly exaggerated as TV tends to do -- kind of like the diversity which does exist in any metropolitan area. That's a good sign, in my opinion, that the show won't become some sort of mockery of actual life.

I must say that it's odd to see Jason Priestly looking like he's headed for middle-aged. When did he get mature?

I'll be watching this again next week. It may live up to its hype. (Unlike my expectations... er... hopes... for 'The Four Kings.')

Bloggin' the 'American Idol' Season Premiere

Okay, this is one of those guilty pleasure shows for me. I told you I'm a TV addict. This proves it.

So, this is the 5th season of 'American Idol', huh? Unlike Ryan Seacrest and some of the applicants, I personally don't consider it a rite of passage. Of course, the show is only five years old, four actually. My rites of passage predate that by just a couple of years.

I get a kick out of the bad auditions, sadistic soul that I am. Now, if I were to sing for them, I'd be the worst of the worst. Well, maybe not, when I think of some of the applicants. But my personal singing is reserved for my apartment and not used as a weapon against society at large.

Tonight's audition show starts in Chicago with a rather sour Simon, Paula and Randy. I watched them on Leno last night and they were just fine with each other. But, apparently it was a rough day or the process was taking a toll on them. If I'm being honest (line credit: Simon Cowell), Simon was even a bit worse to some than usual. Part of the fun of watching the auditions is the looks on the judges' faces and the off the cuff comments. I know. I have a mean streak.

I think the show spent entirely too much time on the contestant Derrick Duprey (sp?). He was sweaty, sang poorly and was boring. Enough all ready. He didn't deserve a second chance or an hour. He needed to be nonexistent on the show. That's what he needed.

As I'm writing this, I'm not seeing any standout Bad Idols. The kid from NY dressed as the Statue of Liberty didn't even get out the entire first line of 'New York, New York' before Simon shut him down. Lad Liberty looked shocked. Too bad he gimmicked. He may have actually had a voice.

As for some who made it through -- I was impressed by the Britnom (sp?) twins and their Motown stuff. Very nice! And a girl Mandesia made it through. In name, kind of like Fantasia. In looks and voice, a bit Frenchy Davis. Her size gave Simon the opportunity to ask if they would have a bigger stage this year. Bad Simon. Bad. I wasn't too impressed with the Suck Up To Simon Line dental assistant who made it through. Ack, I'm turned off by the sisters who just made it as I was typing. Eww!

The deputy sheriff who kept singing the "I shot the sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy" over and over (and over and over) again... sucked. Simon said another contestant reminded him of an auntie singing badly. I would have said worse.

The kid Zachary who just crooned "I'm In The Mood For Love" was decent. He's a cutie, too. He made it through. Good. He's only 17 years old. Sheesh... I would have loved a boyfriend to croon that in my direction when I was a teen. Um. Well, I still wouldn't mind it. Another cutie 17 year old boy made it through, too. David Ratcliffe did a Sinatra song which Simon loved and the others didn't. I thought he was fantastic. Paula said his package was great. (Heh.) Paula also says Simon will cut him in Hollywood. I guess we'll see.

A Britney/Paris lookin' wannabe with zilch talent just annoyed the hell out of me. I may have "bad eye makeup accompanied by yucky vocals" nightmares tonight. Thanks so much for including her on the show, guys. At least Sweats Duprey was basically just overall boring.

A girl from the Ukraine just sang the worst and weirdest version of 'Bohemian Rhapsody' that I've ever heard. Even worse than my own. (Which is over emoted and waaay off key sung to torment my two cats.) Buh-bye Ukraine Gal. (Phew!)

Now, another pair of twins made it -- the Simmons twins at 16 years old. They serenaded Paula. "Crazy Dave" is auditioning now. Eek. His eyes roll up into his head. Oh. My. God. They put him through to Hollywood. FREAK SHOW! What the...? Have Paula and Randy lost their minds? This guy squirms, runs barefoot and talks to the animals (in addition to his eyes rolling up into his head as he sings).

The end of the show was a bad salute to poor Patty LaBelle's 'Lady Marmalade' -- poor Patty didn't deserve that.
"Voulez-vous couchez avec moi ce soir?"
"Not if you sing."

So, there ya go. Another season is ON. Are you watching? Tomorrow's show is auditions in Denver. Be there or be square.

Stop Back Later Tonight!

I'll be sharing my thoughts about the premieres of 'American Idol' and 'Love Monkey' while taping 'Law and Order: SVU' as the latter is airing. I tend to like the bad auditions as much if not more than 'American Idol' after they choose the finalists. Now, I know I shouldn't sing in public... so I don't.

Please check in a bit later tonight! I'd love to hear what you think of some of the applicants, as well as the much hyped 'Love Monkey'!

Tomorrow, more 'Closer Looks...' at more 'Survivor' castaways.

New 'Survivor' Castaways: A Closer Look at Shane Powers

It's time for a closer look at the new 'Survivor' castaway Shane Powers. According to the quick blurb on his CBS official bio, he's the 35 year old owner of an entertainment marketing company in Los Angeles.

What I found out by poking around on the web is that he's an actor who's played numerous small roles in movies and television shows. When you think of it, his name reeks of made up/made for TV/movies-ness. I suppose it could be real, but I must wonder. It's either an acting name or he's perhaps a superhero -- Shane Powers, Man of Mystique!

Back to the CBS bio:
Born and grew up in Omaha, then moved to Los Angeles. (To be a star?) Quoted from the CBS site: "In 1999, Powers and two business partners established a boutique specialty marketing company with the goal of effectively branding products. On the side, Powers makes time to coach his son's football team. Previous employment included work as a club promoter and restaurant manager." Odd, no acting mention. However, I confirmed my own findings through other websites. So, it's not just me. If he wins, he wants to buy a field and equipment for his son's football team. Awww. He also thinks he'll be a physical threat and that he can manipulate people without them resenting him. We'll see, I guess!

From his CBS Favorites:
Hmmm... these aren't striking me all that well. Under scents, "girls who get the perfume right." Attitude, I say! His favorite sports to play are "all, flag football." Huh? Wouldn't flag football be part of all? He likes playing ALL sports? He likes warm vodka. Bleh.

My predictions based soley on what I'm reading in his bio and favorites? Maybe he'll prove me wrong, but I read egotistical and a touch of arrogance. I think he could very well alienate the others and be an early boot.

What do you think?

New 'Survivor' Castaways: A Closer Look at Austin Carty

The next 'Survivor' castaway to be peeked at in my 'A Closer Look at..." series of entries -- Austin Carty.

According to the CBS official page about him, he's a 24 year old author living in High Point, NC. So, let me see what I can find out on the web about him...

I first checked out the book a bit. It's entitled Somewhere Beyond Here and was self-published in 2003. Now, I have nothing against self-publishing or I wouldn't be blogging as that's a bit of self-publishing in and of itself. However, when you talk novels, to garner any real notice, it's still the old publisher house rejection letter mode that makes authors turn to self publishing their stories. I see his Amazon reviews on the site are mostly good with one real detractor. I also see it's all local to his own area. That said, I give the 24 year old credit for enduring the process of writing a novel. I've been there and done that and it's a lot of discipline required to finish. (I still have all my rejection letters!) Being on the show will increase the attention and I'm sure his book will be more noticed as the season goes on. But he better keep his day job.

Let's see what else his CBS bio says about him:
Well, he's written two more books and secured a NYC literary agent who's shopping them around. Kudos to him for the work! Of course, NYC is the home of literary agents, but that's beside the point. He supplements his writing income or lack thereof (it's very hard to make a full time living writing novels unless you're highlist) by modeling and has worked retail, waiter and bartending jobs. From the website: "He describes himself as charismatic, humorous and genuine. He believes his athleticism, strength and intelligence will help him become the Sole Survivor." Okaaay. We'll see.

Onto his favorites to figure Austin out:
He likes Scrabble. I like Scrabble. That probably won't help him on 'Survivor.' His favorite sports are soccer and beach volleyball -- again, not really helping him to win the show. He likes running and hiking. Those activities could help in comps. He has nice taste in junk food and has no favorite alcoholic drink.

Well. Not too much to go on after all.

What's my prediction for his exit from 'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island'? Remember, I'm just going on bios and my initial impressions just by reading what's about on the web (no spoilers). I'm not getting great vibes for longevity on the show from here. I predict an early boot -- within the first four.

I could be totally wrong. Your thoughts?

Heavy Duty FOX TV Week!

Whoa, we're talking some heavy season premieres this week!

Tonight at 8 PM ET/PT in most viewing areas, it's the 2 hour start of the 4 hour season premiere of '24' on FOX. Tomorrow night has the same airing times.

FOX also has the premiere of this season's 'American Idol' on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings at 8 PM ET/PT.

On Wednesday at 9 PM ET/PT, FOX has the debut of 'Skating With Celebrities' -- a show I'd actually rather watch than 'Dancing With Celebrities'. Alas, it's up against LOST. I may or may not tape it. But, LOST wins the slot for me!

I will be writing a few more entries for sure today. I was interrupted in my entries last night by this.

New 'Survivor' Castaways: A Closer Look at Terry Dietz

Tonight, in my continuing quest to explore each new castaway on the upcoming 'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island', I'll be taking a closer look at Terry Deitz. Unlike the first two I profiled, Aras and Tina, there doesn't seem to be much out on the web about him. I found out that Terry Dietz is not a real obscure name, though.

So, it's to the bio on the official CBS site:
Terry was born and raised in Matawan, NJ. He was very into sports throughout his school days, playing football, baseball and wrestling. He attended the US Naval Academy where he also played baseball. Flying fighter jets for the Navy, he met and married his wife, then made the decision to leave active duty and became a commercial pilot for American Airlines. He's 46 years old and lives with his wife and children in Simsbury, CT.

Well, that's all very interesting. But will it make him a good 'Survivor' contestant? He knows how to work on a team, how to be a leader... how to fly planes and hit baseballs.

Okay, it's onto his favorites in the hopes of figuring out his psyche!
Heh. His favorite video games are flying simulators. He loves his work. Hmmm... except for liking wisteria and roses, this is looking a lot by rote -- TV shows include 'Survivor'; movies include 'Top Gun' and 'Saving Private Ryan.' Aviation Week is a favorite magazine. His food choices are mostly healthy, but he will drink alcohol, too.

I predict... I predict... that Terry will be a good family man and husband, probably a nifty pilot, too. His chances on 'Survivor'? I haven't a clue. He certainly could do well based on his background, but I'm getting very little about his personality reading this stuff. I'm going to call his finish as a mystery, not likely out first; most likely not the winner.

I just don't know. What do you think his chances of winning are...?

Last Night: 'Will and Grace', 'The Four Kings' and 'C.S.I.' (repeat)

Well, I gave 'The Four Kings' another shot last night. Yawn. It was okay, but it doesn't rock my world, so to speak. I had a couple of small giggles. What I want from a sitcom is very clever writing, good characterization, decent storylines and at least one full blown chuckle. Last night's show missed the point on the first three and only garnered a few small giggles -- not a chuckle and most certainly not a guffaw. I found the storyline a bit sophomoric. Yeah, I know sex is supposed to sell, but the approach was ho-hum and predictable. At least one giggle came from the twins getting over on the character played by Seth Green. I dunno. Am I getting old? Is this show something fresh? Am I just not getting the oh-so-witty zinging lines or what? Is anyone watching it?

I missed the first ten minutes of the live 'Will and Grace' show and I'm kicking myself over it. I'm not a huge 'W&G' fan, but I do so enjoy watching TV actors try to perform live. Alas, I missed Matt Lauer's part. Ack. I caught enough to see the cast go into giggles. Forget the Broadway dreams, guys! Can't crack up on the stage!

Oh... and I somehow missed the first showing of last night's 'C.S.I.' repeat episode. Now, I ask you... how could I miss a show focused on middle-aged men whose fetish is being babies. You know, diapers and all. Sheesh! I caught the ep on the Furries (twice, mind you), but never saw or even heard of this one the first time 'round. As always, I was entertained. I think this is a show in which the storylines are usually well-written. Odd, at times. But well-written nonetheless. It pushes the edge with episodes like this one (sex sells, even kinky), but it's not written as if an adolescent boy wrote it (see 'The Four Kings'). And, with all the kinkiness in the world, my life is so sedate and boring. I like it like that.

What did you watch last night?

New 'Survivor' Castaways: A Closer Look at Aras Baskauskas

It's time to take a closer look at Aras Baskauskas. (Backwards, he's Sara! :::grin::: Whatever you do, please do not ask me to say his name three times fast.)

He looks like he should be another strong player in the game. He's young; he's athletic and it seems that he's smart. Ah, but will he make the grade?

He's 24, always good for competitions. In a quick Google on him, I see articles like this and this. He's 6'4" and his sport of choice was basketball. Now, I don't know that court skills themselves will work well on 'Survivor', but being part of an organized team should help a bit.

Onto his bio from the official CBS website:
He completed his undergraduate studies in three years and, in 2003, was named UC Irvine's Most Eligible Bachelor. Oh, la la! He has an MBA (ohhh!) and played professional basketball overseas. He is a yoga instructor in Santa Monica, CA and his hobbies/interests include meditation, golf and surfing. He believes he's outgoing, compassionate and genuine. But are those good traits for 'Survivor' where backstabbing, manipulation of others and sneakery are more likely to get someone into the Final 4? Yeah, I invented "sneakery." It's self-explanatory, right?

Hmmm... checking out his favorites:
UC Irvine's team is called the ANTEATERS! Heehee!
(ahem)
Parcheesi, Warcraft II... good taste in music (Miles Davis, Norah Jones, Jack Johnson)... I'm not familiar with his books/authors chosen. The book he lists may or may not play into how he plays the game -- THE WISDOM OF INSECURITY. He likes Trader Joe's granola cereal. I agree with him on that one. He doesn't seem to drink.

My overall prediction based on just what I'm seeing about him in the bio, favorites and bits on the Web (no spoilers)...? I think I want him to do well. I bet he's going to be one of the Good Guys on the cast. He seems so cleancut and boy next door and all. But those aren't necessarily what makes a 'Survivor' winner. He could come across as a physical threat to others or he could fly under the radar with goodness and light. I predict the latter part of mid-season, just shy of Final Four.

I hope I'm wrong.
Your thoughts?

Quick Thoughts on Tonight's LOST - 'The 23rd Psalm'

All right! LOST is back with new episodes! It's about time.

Now, tonight's episode was officially titled 'The 23rd Psalm.' But, I like to make my own episode names for shows based on either lines within the show or just my own impressions.

Tonight's ep will be 'Gonna Beat Me With Your Jesus Stick?' - a nod to Charlie. Ah, that's better. Isn't it?

Tonight's ep delved a bit into Eko's background. I wanted him to be a good guy. Now he's both a bad guy and a good guy (in a way). Or he's a bad guy who has changed his ways -- a true epiphany in action. Or something. He was a murdering Nigerian mobster turned dope dealer. That's bad. He got into it as a child to save his brother. That's good. He bullied his priest brother to send drugs off in the church airplane. That's bad. He wept upon finding his brother's skeleton in the Statues of Mary drug plane on the island. That's good.

So... is he a good guy or a bad guy? He acted all mystical and mysterious and wise beyond words since his introduction, thus giving him the persona of someone who can be trusted. But all he's done in the past; his life in general. I dunno. I still want him to be good, but I think we'll see some evil from him, too. What do you think?

Then there's Charlie. He has the stash of the Virgin Mary statues. Do you think he's going to break down? Now, of course, the island supply of heroin is way depleted since Eko torched the plane. But still... that's a lot of heroin.

Oh! And what about the Walt/Michael typing on the computer bit? Where do you think he is? What of the "rule" that the computer is only used to input the code to stop the world from exploding (whatever!)?

A sneaky snake of black smoke is the island's monster? Well, that's just odd. In a side note, the noise it made when confronting Eko reminded me of the Pink Floyd Echoes album. Any thoughts on that?

The 23rd Psalm reminds me of funerals. I wonder if someone else is going to die.

'Amazing Race' and 'Survivor' Applications/Casting Call Info

Applications and casting call information on both 'The Amazing Race 10' and 'Survivor 13' are up on the CBS website. Here's your chance!

The Survivor application info can be found here.
The Amazing Race application info is here.

In addition to that information, here in the NYC area there will be an open casting call for 'Survivor 13' at the Javitz Center this coming Saturday, January 14. You can get the skinny on that at the CBS 2 website.

Keep in mind that the seasons which we're about to see have already been filmed -- these would be the next ones scheduled for either over the summer or fall programming dates. As we know, 'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island' will premiere on February 2. The next season of 'The Amazing Race' is set to premiere February 28.

What...? You want to know if I'm applying? Heck, no! I don't want the Internet tearing me apart!

New 'Survivor' Castaways: A Closer Look at Tina Scheer

Ohhh... looks like we've got a contender here!

Tina Scheer was originally accepted to be on last season's cast. However, the death of her only child in a car accident a week before she was to leave postponed it. She says her son would want her to follow her dreams, so she's a castaway on 'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island.'

She's been into logging activities since the age of seven. I took a quick peek on the web and found tons of results for her name -- like this page. I'd daresay she may be one of the toughest women competitors ever seen on the show in the area of physical endurance. Plus, it's 'Survivor' -- tree climbing can only help!

In her bio on the CBS website, they say "In addition to touring the country, she has traveled to Australia ten times with her exhibitions. She also traveled to South Africa, Germany and New Zealand. She has been featured in CBS's Challenge of the Sexes, MTV's Real World, National Geographic, Sports Illustrated and Women's Sport & Fitness."

Okay, I'm impressed. She's comfortable in the woods and is a natural for the show on a physical level. If her people manipulative skills are as strong as her physical skills, the rest of the cast will be toast. Ah, but how are her people skills? I'm going to peek at her favorites on the CBS website to try to get a glimpse into her personality...

Favorite video game is Pacman? Well, that shows she not only lives in the past, but likes to consume others to win.

Favorite TV show is 'Law and Order' -- hmm, she should have mentioned 'Survivor' in there. But, this is a good sign anyway. She will have a sense of right and wrong.

Favorite music? Again, living in the past, but good stuff. Chaka Khan, Chaka Kahn. Motown and old R&B. Love the stuff myself, so she has good taste. ;-)

No favorite books? Well, golly... is she up in trees too much to read or what?

She has good taste in foods, for the most part. Anyone who favors anything chocolate is good people.

My overall prediction for Tina Scheer on the show? I wouldn't be surprised if she makes it to the Final Four and think she could possibly take it all. Now, this is just from poking around the web, not anything to do with possible spoilers. It's my own opinion based on her bio, background and favorites. I could be dead wrong. She may have the type of personality which makes her an automatic target to go away quickly. But, it's always interesting to look back at the end of the season to see how my predictions went. Last season I was spot on with quite a few! This season seems to have a very strong cast. I'll be peeking at each new castaway between now and the season premiere night.

What do you think? Where would you rank Tina's show finale time? What are your impressions of her?


More blogs about television.

Tonight's LOST Episode - Possible Spoilers

Yay! A new 'Lost' episode airs this evening! This has been a long time a'coming for this 'Lost' fan.

There are a few possible spoilers for tonight's episode out and about. Evangeline Lilly was on 'Regis and Kelly' and hinted that the island's monster would be shown. Regis thinks it's a dinosaur. Now, I thought it was a giant polar bear. Dang. I love this show, but I'm so confused all the time! She refused to confirm anything, so I guess we'll just watch and see.

Then, on 'Ellen', Dominic Monaghan (Charlie) was a guest today. He told Ellen that Charlie was about to fall again. He thinks the character has to have highs and lows, bring him up to bring him down again, blah blah blah. So, between that and the clip showed, it looks like the drugs get to Charlie once again.

I am so ready for tonight's show. I even bought popcorn. How about you? Do you plan to watch? Are you a 'Lost' addict, too?

Blog Tips and 'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island' Schtuff

Welcome! I know a lot of folks followed the blog from my AOL Journals listed in the sidebar. I appreciate that. Since this blog isn't going to be show specific like the AOL ones were, I will be putting the show title I'm discussing in the entry header and you can search for the show that interests you. For example, if you just want to see the 'Survivor' entries, type 'Survivor' into the box you see on the sidebar entitled "Search this blog."

You can also subscribe to feeds from this blog in the box on the right which says Subscribe. Just enter your e-mail address and follow the instructions. They won't share your e-mail and you can also subscribe to other feeds from other sources through them. If you have a problem subscribing, please zap me a note at etvjackie@aol.com Unfortunately, with the feeds you can't segregate by topic so you'll get e-mails about all my entries, not just a specific show.

Ah, but on with the show... um, well I guess it doesn't start until February 2nd. What to do? What to do? I will be going more into the new castaways and my impressions just on the bios and favorites, but not tonight. And, of course, not all at the same time!

What I'd like to do tonight is share some 'Survivor' related links and "schtuff" you might want to bookmark, Favorite Place or even mark on your calendar:

The Survivor Sucks forum site often has valid spoilers listed if you're into spoilers. The ones there now don't seem confirmed and are probably someone acting up, though. Once the season starts, they have the best transcripts of the 'Survivor Insider' videos from the CBS website.

If you have the TV Guide Channel on cable, they will be airing a preview of the upcoming season on January 22 at 8 PM ET/PT in most viewing areas. You should check your local listings to confirm the time and date.

SurvivorFever.net is a good source for spoilers, photos and other things o' Survivor. Right now they have no actual spoilers up, but lots of links on the castaways.

Of course, the CBS official 'Survivor 12' site is a must. Of course.

I can't go a season without peeking in on what's said on Television Without Pity - Survivor.

That's all for now -- check back tomorrow as I start taking a closer look at the cast!

New 'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island' Cast Announced

The CBS website has the new cast for 'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island' up for our perusal. The show's premiere is set for Thursday, February 2 (Groundhog Day!) at 8 PM ET/PT in most areas. They will begin as four tribes -- older men, older women, younger men, younger women. At least one Survivor each week will be banished to a separate island miles away from camp.

Hmmm... let's take a looksee at these folks:

Top image left to right: Aras, Austin, Bobby, Bruce, Cirie, Courtney, Dan, Danielle


Bottom image left to right: Melinda, Misty, Nick, Ruth Marie, Sally, Shane, Terry, Tina

The official site has larger photos and, if you click on the individual links listed below, you'll get close up shots. (These images are the property of CBS/Survivor and are only being used for reviewing purposes here. This blog is not affiliated with the network, nor the show.)

One by one with a bit about 'em:

Aras Baskauskas -- 24 years old, single yoga instructor from Santa Monica, CA

Austin Carty -- 24 years old, single, author from High Point, NC

Bobby Mason -- 32 years old, single, attorney from Los Angeles, CA

Bruce Kanegai -- 58 years old, married, karate instructor/high school art teacher from Simi Valley, CA

Cirie Fields -- 35 years old, married, registered nurse from Walterboro, SC originally from Jersey City, NJ

Courtney Marit -- 31 years old, single, performance artist from Los Angeles, CA

Dan Barry -- 52 years old, married, retired astronaut from S. Hadley, MA

Danielle DiLorenzo -- 24 years old, in 2 year "steady relationship", medical sales rep from Pompano Beach, FL originally from the Boston, MA area.

Melinda Hyder -- 32 years old, single, singer from Sevierville, TN

Misty Giles -- 24 years old, single, engineer from Dallas, TX

Nick Stanbury -- 25 years old, single, in financial sales from Tempe, AZ -- raised in Wyoming.

Ruth Marie Milliman -- 48 years old, mother of two (doesn't mention husband), director of retail leasing from Greenville, SC

Sally Schumann -- 27 years old, recently divorced (currently dating "best friend"), the bio says she tends bar while her profession for the show is listed as social worker, Chicago, IL

Shane Powers -- 35 years old, lives with teenage son, owner of an entertainment marketing company in Los Angeles, CA - originally from Omaha, NE (Shane! SHANE! Come home, Shane! -- had to get it out of my system.)

Terry Dietz -- 46 years old, married, airline pilot/retired navy fighter pilot originally from Matawan, NJ now in Simsbury, CT

Tina Scheer -- 45 years old, single (? - I assume, no spouse mentioned), logging/sports promoter/performer from Hayward, WI

I'll be blogging my opinions about the cast as I delve a bit more into the bios and favorites listed. Of course, I'd like to know your thoughts, too! How do you think the four team older/younger by gender will work? What about the exile bit? Tell me! :-)

'The Four Kings' Debut

Okay, so I fell for the hype. I watched 'The Four Kings' on Thursday night. A rerun of 'C.S.I.' at the 8 PM hour opened the slot for me. I have this thing for NYC based shows. I know it's nothing to do with fine production values or clever and witty writing -- I just like to see places I actually know when I watch a NYC based show.

Um... I don't think I know this place. I know no one, even folks with inherited apartments, with an apartment like that. The premise of the show is that one young guy inherits his grandmother's rent controlled apartment, his three best friends from childhood move in with him and we follow their fun adventures and frolicking. Well, perhaps not a lot of frolicking; only one character seems ambiguous enough to adequately frolic. Now, I like Josh Cooke. He was in 'Committed' -- a show I actually enjoyed the heck out of and felt never had a chance. So, I'm glad to see him as the "cute" guy in the cast. I'm also familiar with Seth Green, but the other two main cast members are unknown to me.

I'm out to the jury on this one. It didn't snag me first shot like 'How I Met Your Mother' did at the real start of the season. It didn't turn me off, either. It just kind of left me sitting there. To me, it seemed run of the mill white bread NYC based, but not the NYC I know. Due to the Josh Cooke factor, I'll give it another shot next week. I want some hilarity. Give me some hilarity, NBC.