Blogging 'American Idol' - Welcome to Hollywood

*These blog notes are typed as I watch the show and put up immediately following the east coast airing of 'American Idol.' Please ignore or, at the very least, forgive me for any typos, punctuation or otherwise errors. Thank you!

175 of the nation's top singers? Heh. I bet a lot of the real top singers never auditioned!
We open with Ryan explaining how the contestants chose one song from a list of 12. They'll have background singers and music. I see a lot of folks they never showed on the auditions.

Kellie Pickler, with the sob story about father in jail (blah, blah, blah), is being featured. She sings pretty well, but not perfect. Simon mentions her nerves. Kellie, a Hannah and some un-named girls make it to the next round.

Patrick Hall sounds good to me! Let's see if he makes it. The judges look happy. Randy wants him to work on his look. Simon says, "You're not Clay Aiken, but you're likable." He made the cut. Good. I think his voice is excellent. I personally don't find his image offputting at all.

Now they touring Hollywood, checking out the Hollywood Bowl.

Ronnie Norman, the Ego Waiter and the soldier guy who wooed Paula are going to be featured. Ohhh... I think Ronnie sounds hoarse. Neither made it. They don't take it well. Ronnie cries. Oh, well.

Lisa Tucker from the Denver auditions is on. I think decent. Onto the next round. Lots of Hopelessly Devoted contestants. "Some are more hopelessly devoted than others." -- from Ryan Seacrest. A cowboy sings it to Paula and makes the cut. He was good. Not sure American Idol with the way the audience votes good, but good.

Now the tour group is in downtown Hollywood.

Ashley Guademuz
Kymyata
Linella? -- all bad

Randy gives the contestants a pep talk.

Paris Bennet - excellent! Made it, naturally.

Now they're showing the trip to the beach in Santa Monica.

Taylor Hicks, the grey haired guy, is singing. I like his voice, but he is reminding me a bit of Joe Cocker. Simon says he's interesting. He made the cut!

Garet Johnson, the naive cowboy is being featured. Such a sweet innocent kid... seeing the ocean for the first time.

Into a bunch of turn downs with no names. Lots of tears.
Now the happy ones. End of Day 1, 40 made it through to the next round.

Whoa, despite the news releases, it looks like the Brittenum twins are indeed in Hollywood! I wonder what's going on with that!

Day Two - The ones who auditioned yesterday tour today and vice versa. Melissa Lucas is in Megan Zieger's segment as Megan has a sore throat and is worried. Yes, she's off key and hoarse. She can indeed sing... she tries again. She really tries. She's onto the next round.

Then excuses started. The tour group wants to know why Randy and Paula have a star on the Walk of Fame, but no Simon.

The Brittenum twins segment. They must go solo. Derrell is up. Simon doesn't think he's looking at the winner. Now Terrell. Could it be the other way around? They're identical twins with rhyming names. Ain't my fault. Hmmm... I like these two together, but singly I'm not thrilled. Paula mentions over the top. Both made it, so the news lies. Now they're dissing Carrie Underwood.

The promos keep showing Crazy Dave. If he makes the cut, I think I may have to go sit in my closet and sob.

(Sidenote, U2 is performing on the Grammy Awards now as AI is in commercial. Argh. I'm taping it.)

Gina Glockson, David Radford, Brett Ace Young, Kevin Covais all sining If I Ever Fall In Love again. All four make it through.

Joshua and Jarret Simmons, the Chicago twins are up singly. Paula is happy. Simon isn't thrilled with either. The cut? They didn't make it. Aw, they seemed like nice kids. Supposedly, the Brittenum twins will set them up with folks.

Back to the tour.

Back to the theater, thankfully. Now the Naive Cowboy Garet Johnson is about to go on stage. He's emotional. I liked him. He sang You Can't Fight the Moonlight. He makes the cut! He's thrilled to death. I like this kid!

What is this? The Brittenum Twins show? They're complaining about others who went on. Huh. Maybe they ought rate the contestants by criminal activities.

Near the end of Day Two... Chris Daughtry is doing well. He makes the cut. Mandisa Hundley is up, makes it. Katherine McPhee, wow! I think good! Makes it.

Crazy Dave Hoover is preparing to go on. Today, he's calm. His energy focused, he takes the stage. Honorable overlords, he calls the judges. He sings Bat Out of Hell. He's all over the stage including a leap at the judge's stand. They're laughing. He's gone, didn't make the cut.

66 hopefuls cut in two days. More tears.

99 are still in.The Group Song section will be next week. Hey, end this FOX! It's cutting into LOST! Make it go 'way for the night!

Jackie OUT!

Today's TV Newsy Bits - Feb. 8, 2006

Bits! Bits! I got yer fresh bits here! Er, well... your fresh television/entertainment related newsy bits links I found cruisin' on the web. What kind of bits did you think I was talking about? Sheesh!

• American Idol Caught Up in Another Crime Rap Scandal See the latest!
• ABC News: Nominees for Major Daytime Emmys
• HOLLOWAY STOLE TO SURVIVE_08_02_2006 Hmmm... sounds like his 'LOST' character
• Nola.com: NewsFlash - Blog: Woody Allen is back in the game
• "THE UNIT," A NEW ACTION DRAMA, PREMIERES TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 9:00-10:00 PM ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK <-- knocks TAR to 10 PM ET/PT on Mar. 7
• AOL News - Why Not 'CSI: Kink'? Heh. I've mentioned the kink aspect a bit before.
• All Headline News - Child Services Investigates Spears But No Police Charges - February 8, 2006 - Rats.
• Ocean's Eleven, the TV Series?
• Actor Stephen Baldwin Fights Sex Shop in Nyack

New 'Amazing Race 9' Cast: A Closer Look at Fran & Barry Lazarus

Well, these two are a bit older than the ones I've written about in my previous entries in this series. Barry, age 63, is a retired physician. His wife, Fran, is a retired accountant and 61 years old. They hail from Silverthorne, Colorado and CBS has dubbed them the MARRIED 40 YEARS couple.

It's onto their official TAR bio for more skinny on 'em!

They've known each other for 45 years and have two children. I'm thinking adult children, but you never know. They're both very well-traveled and both seem to share a sense of adventure. They've traveled to over 45 countries and feel that will give them an advantage in the race. Both are physically active and seem quite determined to show that an older couple can be great competition and may even be winners on The Amazing Race. Will they make their mark? I'm thinking it's a possibility if both are very competitive and physically fit. I know the odds are a bit against them, but I'd love to see them kick butt on the show!

I think I'll not think about the fact that Barry's specialty was urology. I'm trying to think how that might help him in the show. It's not pretty, folks. ;-)

Miss an 'Amazing Race' entry on this blog? All entries are linked here at 'Amazing Race 9' Blog Entries just for you!

The Latest on 'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island' - Spoiler links and more

I barely whetted my 'Survivor' appetite with last week's one hour premiere show. I'm so looking forward to tomorrow's show. I want to know more about these people! I want to pick my own Sole Survivor! I want to see Shane implode! I want to see a catfight! Well, perhaps not... but I always thought the Alicia/Kimmie finger waving chicken fight was fun.

I poked around the web and found these Links O' Interest:

• Survivor Fever - News Article - Survivor: Panama - A New York Times interview and observation of Jeff Probst as series host. Interesting read.
• Survivor Insider Transcripts - These are transcripts from the videos on the CBS website, stuff not seen on the show itself.
• Jeff Probst Media Teleconference - Huh. A media conference and I wasn't invited?
• TDT.com Survivor 12: Panama - Exile Island Spoilers - True Dork Times is always an excellent resource.
• APP.COM v4.0 - Former SJV star tries to survive Exile Island Asbury Park Press Online - An Asbury Park Press article about Terry Dietz

Miss one of my 'Survivor' blog entries? All are conveniently linked here - Jackie's Survivor Blog/Web Links Reference

Anticipating Tonight's New 'LOST'

The blurb from the ABC Official 'Lost' site is: "Next Episode: Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 9/8c"The Long Con" -- Survivors fear that "The Others" may have returned when Sun is injured during a failed kidnapping attempt."

I've always been one to take a peek at the ending of a book when I want to move ahead. I know some folks really hate spoilers, but not me! Knowing the ending of a book, movie, television episode, whatever -- sometimes even gets my interest growing stronger. So, but of course, I like to look for 'LOST' spoilers.

[SpoilerFix.com] Lost Spoilers is the best resource I've found. Have you any 'LOST' spoiler sites to share?

'Love Monkey' Works For Me

I want to talk 'Love Monkey' today.

Each episode I see of this show has me liking it more and more. In last night's episode, Tom Farrell set out to create a music video for Wayne. Now, of course, his "Wayneness" is as much a part of him as his songs. In trying to do the right thing, Tom foolishly invested tons of funds into a "professional" video producer who, in the end, was just making it as a step to Hollywood. He didn't care about Wayne or Wayne's er... Wayneness. Tom blew up, fired him and made the video himself.

I'm still getting to know the characters in the show. I loved Mike (Jason Priestly's character) with the dog. His wife was testing herself as a mom by taking on dogsitting duties, but Mike thought she was testing him as a possible father. Of course, his friends put that idea in his head. It was a funny little subplot.

I think what I enjoy the most about this show is that it's cleverly written, the characters come across as real people and that it's so much lighter in tone than most hour long shows I tend to watch. I'm a crime buff fan, so this is refreshingly different from my normal drama watching. I like the way the characters interact with each other on the show. I like the city bits actually filmed in the city -- I'm seeing places I can say "I know that place!" I like the basketball comraderie betwixt the four men. The show isn't trying to be way out there or controversial like a 'Desperate Housewives' kind of thing. It's entertaining, witty and has enough small quirky stuff aboard to keep my interest. I don't know much about the music business at all, but I'm enjoying the music on the whole.

I still think that Wayne, played by Teddy Geiger, sounds like John Mayer and looks like Robby Benson (when he was that age). Apparently, he's quite the talent -- CBS has a bio on him here. Huh. He was discovered in that "Search for the Next Partridge Family" show. I suppose he was Keith, not Danny. He's only 17 years old.

What do I not like about the show? Well, the narration I can take or leave. I personally don't think it's needed so much. I'm also wondering a bit about Tom's neverending talents. It seems the only area where he doesn't save the day is in the romance department. So far, he's lost his job at a big record label, snagged an indie label job and snagged the "star" he was courting at the big company (Wayne). He's also produced a better music video than the pro for his client. What can't Tom do? Apparently, he just can't find the right love for the love monkey on his back. Nothing to do with the show itself, but the time slot is a tad off for me. I end up taping 'Law & Order: SVU' to watch 'LM' in real time. I'd prefer the networks confer with me on scheduling. Thank you. :::grin:::

Are you watching 'Love Monkey'? Like it? Didn't catch your interest? Got a crush on Tom Cavanagh (like me)? Think it's 'Ed' done NYC? Let me know!

Today's TV Newsy Bits - Feb. 7, 2006

TV and Bits. TV and Bits. Gotta get me some TV and Bits. Here's the television/entertainment related newsy bits links I found while cruising around the web today:

• Anthony Andolino Comments on Simon Cowell's Audition Slam
• Update: Jack Black Tapped to Host Nickelodeon's 19th Annual Kids' Choice Awards Live, Saturday, April 1 from UCLA's Pauley Pa..
• Simon says - and 'Idol' soars -- Newsday.com
• ThatsRacin.com 02/07/2006 Carl Edwards to appear on Fox's '24'
• 48th Annual Grammy(R) Awards Talent Gift Bags to Feature 'The Zen of Screaming' - Groundbreaking Instructional DVD by NYC 'Scream Queen,' Melissa Cross
• Entertainment - Josh Gracin's too busy to stay 'Idol'
• MiamiHerald.com 02/06/2006 'South Beach' actor knows the territory
• '24' as a movie intrigues Sutherland
• Former American Idol Personality Brian Dunkleman to Host New Online Fantasy Reality TV Game - Idol Go Home
• SHOWTIME and Apple Offer Premium Cable Programming on the iTunes Music Store

Blogging 'American Idol' - The Boston Auditions

*These blog notes are typed as I watch the show and put up immediately foilowing the east coast airing of 'American Idol.' Please ignore or, at the very least, forgive me for any typos, punctuation or otherwise errors. Thank you!

The Boston auditions were held on a rainy day; the Boston cops think they'll have the next Idol because all the "great sports teams" are in town. Yeah, right.

James Yokley, Jr. is doing some sort of odd, but patriotic, hip hop. He's no Eminem. Randy likes the lyrical content; Randy likes his clothes. Simon asked him to actually sing. Not so hot. Randy and Simon say he can't sing, Paula says work on it. Lots of work needed in my opinion -- perhaps a voice transplant?

Father senator, local TV personality mom and she's a top ranked basketball up and coming star, Ayla Brown age 17. Well, she can sing okay -- not exciting to me, though. She's not anyone whose records I'd buy, but... the judges agree with me. Something's missing a bit. Randy's a yes. Simon's a no. Up to Paula. She's onto Hollywood. They think stage presence needs to be worked on. I doubt she'll make it through Hollywood's first cut. Too much work to be done. Stick to basketball for the time being and practice. Oh, wait. No one asked me.

The immigrant, classically trained, the next up is Irada Jaforova (sp). Eep. Her voice is cracking. Not good. Randy is hiding his face giggling and Simon is wide-eyed with his frightened frog look. ACK. Now she's doing Chain of Fools even worse, switched into some other song. Dang, she seems stoned or something. It seemed to break 'AI' for a moment, just silent freeze frames with no sound for about five seconds. Simon said not one note was in tune. She left mad.

Laurence Soarles... bad
Alison L. worse
Katherine H. even worse.
"They kept coming and they kept sucking."
Lots of crying and mad segments...

Simon was grouchy.

The O'Donahue twins are being interviewed. One had an operation affecting her vocal chords and can't sing. They are pretty. Simon says commercial looking. Rebecca is singing. The other is lip synching in the corner. I find it unsettling. Paula says she's beautiful, but her voice isn't as pretty. Simon says no. Paula and Randy say yes. Onto Hollywood.

Tatiana Ward, whose mother married a black man and she has to prove something to her grandmother. Not horrible, but not for me. I personally don't think Idol. Simon says, "I'm not being rude but you remind me of a pet poodle I had." (Her hair.) Randy is a yes, Simon a no, Paula a yes. I'm a no. She sucked up to both Paula and Randy. She didn't suck up to me. Or Simon.

Several women got through to Hollywood, but no auditions shown.

A bit on the jobs of the wannabees. It looks like quite the array of professions.

They're focusing on one who works in rehab with the elderly and uses music and song - Holly Corrente. She's okay. They're reminded of Doris Day. Randy and Paula say no, so does Simon. She was upset, but is mature about it. She says she'll try again.

Huh. Now Ryan is saying the sun is going down. Wasn't it pouring before?

Kenneth Maccarone is singing "I Believe" by Cher. Very odd. Weird. Simon tells him to be a female impersonator. Kenneth says no. Ah, now he goes for Simon, verbally. No Hollywood for you! Bicker. Stand his ground. Heck, I didn't think he even sounded like Cher! He has that evil vindictive look about him. I hope he doesn't own an AK-47.

Now they're talking about the poor showing of males.

Kevin Covais, singing "You Raise Me up." He can sing, but I wonder if he looks the part. He has that strange military brush haircut. Simon says anyone over the age of 80 will like him., Paula says he doesn't look it, but he's a yes. Randy says yes. Simon says no.

A segment of bad "Joy to the World' renditions. Including some sort of dragon armor on one. I'm surprised some know the words... a few sing the Chrismas one, but it's supposed to be the Three Dog Night Jeremiah was a bullfrog one.

Michael Sendecki -- Clay Aiken lookalike (before polishing) - "I really can sing, but I'm nervous as hell and I gotta pee." and "Clay Aiuken's love child." Oh my gosh, the faces he makes while singing. Simon said at least Clay can sing. Paula says no. Now the pee line. They tell him to go, then come back. He runs. I still think he shouldn't go... to Hollywood. He can go to the bathroom. He's back. Still the same. "It made you worse."

28 people from Boston made the Hollywood trip. 175 in all from the auditions will be in Hollywood. Now they're doing a memory lane bit of the auditions. It's hopefully the last time I'll ever see Rhonetta Johnson. Huh... they showed the twins who were uninvited due to their criminal brouhaha. Tomorrow night is the first show from Hollywood... against the Grammy Awards. Ack -- Hell Week. I'll tape the awards and blog 'American Idol.'

New 'Amazing Race 9' Cast: A Closer Look at Jeremy Ryan & Eric Sanchez

Jeremy Ryan and Eric Sanchez are designated by CBS as the FRIENDS. Jeremy is 26 years old and a valet. Eric is 27 and he's a waiter. Both are from Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Interesting bits from their CBS official bio for the show:

Uh-oh. They met in college while running track. That's not why the "uh-oh." The uh-oh is because they say they're "cocky, very competitive and strong athletes." Y'know, I don't always find cocky an admiral trait. That's the uh-oh for me.

Jeremy thinks he's sarcastic and patient. I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to give an eyeroll at those qualities -- one usually cancels the other out. @@! Perhaps he's sarcastically patient? He's hoping the race will make something out of his life. (Didn't his college degree get him the valet job?) He's well-traveled.

Then there's Eric, the bartender/waiter. Eric hasn't traveled much out of the country, but he is a two time All American pole vaulter. Okay. He thinks he's athletic and outgoing. Eric says his pet peeve with Jeremy is that he doesn't accept criticism.

Well. This looks like the Male Eye Candy Team. There's supposed to be a video on the bio link at the CBS site, but I can't get it going. I'm not sure who is whom with these two. I think they're probably going to be strong racers, but I'm not sure how much I'll actually like them I guess we'll see!

*All of my blog entries regarding 'The Amazing Race' can be found at this link.

Oh, NO! Wednesday Night DILEMMA!

What are they trying to do to me tomorrow night? I am TIVOless. I have a VCR.

Okay, the Grammy Awards starts live at 8 PM ET (my time zone).
'American Idol' is on at 8 PM ET
Hmmm... watch 'Idol' while taping the Grammys. That's not so difficult, right?

The real dilemma starts at 9 PM.
LOST is a new show, gotta watch hands down no other way.
'Bones' -- I've been taping this as I watch 'Lost' live.
Grammy Awards.
Argh. 'Lost' wins for the live watch, Grammy Awards gets taped, poor 'Bones' loses out.

Then comes the 10 PM hour...
'Law and Order' new episode vs. Grammy Awards. Oh, perhaps I'll watch the last hour of the awards live and tape 'L&O'.

The next dilemma... finding time to watch my tape! Sigh. Sunday ends up being my tape watching day and I don't want to wait. Darn it all to heck!

The big question for folks -- are you going to watch 'Lost' as it airs or the Grammy Awards while taping 'Lost'?

Today's TV Newsy Bits - Feb. 6, 2006

All right, where's them bits? Y'know -- those television/entertainment naughty newsy bits!

Ah, here they are:

• 'SNL' with Steve Martin/Prince Highest Rated in 16 Months
• BRAVO'S 'PROJECT RUNWAY' EXTENDED TO INCLUDE REUNION SPECIAL AND TWO-WEEK FINALE
• Entertainment Weekly and AMPAS Partner for World's Biggest Oscar(R) Pool, Presented by Netflix
• Some Surprises on Tonight's 'The Bachelor
• PRESS RELEASE FedEx "Caveman" Is No. 1 With Ad Pros
• mtv.com - News - For The Record: Quick News On Britney Spears, Mariah Carey, Fall Out Boy, Ghostface, Switchfoot, Moby & More
• Nets to Slate Originals vs. NBC's Olympics
• XL draws estimated 90.7 million viewers, up 5 percent
• Freddie Prinze Jr. Multitasks on New Show (phillyBurbs.com) Television
• Simon Cowell Plans to Retire From American Idol When Contract Runs Out
• 'American Idol' Top 48 List Revealed?

New 'Amazing Race 9' Cast: A Closer Look at David Spiker & Lori Willems

It's time to take a closer look at new TAR racers David Spiker and Lori Willems. CBS has dubbed them the DATING couple. David is a 30 year old musician while Lori is a 25 year old Pizza Hut manager. Both hail from Manhattan, KS. (Not quite like Manhattan, NY.)

From their CBS bio:
They've been dating for about three years. She's ready to settle down, but he wants to be more established in his career before marriage. David thinks he's intelligent and compassionate, but hasn't traveled much. He's looking forward to the traveling aspect of the race. He's scared of heights (there's always at least one of those each season).

Lori thinks she's energetic, understanding and willing. (Always fine qualities for Pizza Hut managers!) She thinks she's more spontaneous than David as he always likes to have a plan. She said they're both looking forward to traveling throughout the world and experiencing other cultures.

Well, good. I think these two may be very refreshing to watch this season. I personally doubt they'll be the best racers ever on the show, but something seems to tell me they're nice folks.

Here's a few links I found about David (not just TAR stuff):
The Pembertons lawrence.com (Good ol' whiskey rock 'n roll!)
Ruskabank lawrence.com (alt/indie rock) I was never too thrilled with old school ska music, so new school probably wouldn't mix well with me. The good ol' whiskey rock 'n roll, good! Free downloads of the Ruskabank music are available at the link.
RockKansas.com - Live Loud Local
RockKansas.com - Live Loud Local <-- second story
Kansas State Collegian: Breeding new sounds 10/01/02

All of my blog entries regarding 'The Amazing Race' can be found at this link.

New 'Amazing Race 9' Cast: A Closer Look at Scott Braginton-Smith & John Lowe

It's time to take a closer look at new TAR racers John Lowe and Scott Braginton-Smith, dubbed by the producers as LIFELONG FRIENDS. They met in high school, so it's not quite lifelong. Scott's 41 years old and calls West Harwich, Mass., his hometown. Meanwhile, John is 38 and is from Dorchester, Mass.

According to their official CBS bio, John admits to be too controlling at times while Scott isn't controlling at all. Hmmm. John is single, currently living in Boston and they list his job as a wealth manager and artist. Okay. I want to be a wealth manager, too! Will wealthy folks send me money to see how well I manage it? Or mismanage it, most likely. Um... never mind. John has two Great Danes -- cool dogs! He's scared to fly, so he hasn't traveled extensively. He completed the 250 mile AIDS Bike Ride from Boston to NYC, so he may have some determination.

Then there's Scott. He's single and living in Cape Cod, Mass. He's in sales (which could be anything, I guess). From the bio: "He describes himself as a fun and gregarious person whose personal motto is "live, live, live." He claims that the most exciting moment in life has yet to happen." Well, it sounds like he has the spirit.

I want these two to be Chachas-like, but I don't think they will be. Long time TAR watchers know to whom I refer. Scott seems like he'd have a ChaChas personality, but I don't know about John.

Other than all the 'Amazing Race' stuff out on the web, I couldn't find out much about them. One Boston paper had a correction listed. When they made the cast announcements, they initially gave John's age as 8 years old.

Remember! All of my 'The Amazing Race' blog entries are neatly compiled for easy access here. All 'Survivor' related entries are linked here. Everything else is the wild, wild west.

TV Newsy Bits - Weekend Edition (Feb. 4-5, 2006)

It's time for those TV related naughty newsy bits! Here's the television and entertainment related stories which caught my interest as I poked around the web this weekend:

• Deal or No Deal and The Apprentice Seasons to Begin February 27th
• Reality TV Links - Casting Call - Big Brother 7
• Reality TV Magazine: SwayGate – American Idol Producer Clarifies The Rules
• Delay of game: Super Bowl held back 5 seconds

Al "Grandpa" Lewis, Dead at 95

Although some obituaries are listing his age at 82, Al Lewis was indeed 95 years old at the time his his death on Friday. He was born April 30, 1910.

I have a lot of memories of "Grandpa Al." I watched him on 'Car 54 Where Are You?' and 'The Munsters.' I've been to his restaurant Grandpas in Manhattan (long since closed). I watched with interest as the rather eccentric, but very intelligent, candidate ran as the Green Party candidate for Governor of New York in 1998. I saw him on the streets of Greenwich Village. His passing is not all that unexpected due to his age, but sad nonetheless. He led a long and full life. May he rest in peace.

Here are some of the websites with interesting things about Al Lewis:

• the MUNSTERS - A Classic Comedy TV Sitcom
• Grandpa Munster Goes to Albany? - May 17, 1998 - E! Online News
• Al Lewis (III)
• INTERVIEW WITH AL LEWIS

Last Night's SNL with Steve Martin and Prince

Call me old school. Call me a 'Saturday Night Live' purist. You can also call me delighted when I first heard Steve Martin would be hosting SNL on February 4th with the musical guest Prince. Whoa! A reason to watch SNL! A reason not to watch the 'C.S.I.' reruns or hit the sack early!

Y'see, I'm one of those who had to watch 'Saturday Night Live' before VCRs were about back in the 70s. I remember I was in college in upstate NY when the show had its debut. That area's NBC affiliate refused to carry the premiere as it was so avant garde for the times. Oh, my! Just what would these whacked out Not Ready for Primetime Players say or do on live television at that hour? There was an outrage and the area got its SNL from the second show on. (Remember, we were revolutionaries and all... we knew how to get action!)

In those golden years of SNL, Steve Martin was more than a guest host. He was, although not an official cast member, a huge part of what made SNL so great during those years of Curtain, Ackroyd, Belushi, Chase and more. We got small while watching him, ran out and bought condos made of stone-o, wore mismatched tight pants and shirts while being wild and crazy guys and walked around pointing our index fingers skyward. Oh. And somewhere around I have my banjo and arrow through my head tiara. I think of 'Saturday Night Live' and it's those days, Steve Martin and that cast, which comes immediately to mind. These days I can take or leave the show (mostly leave it). I know I'm not the hip young demographic they want for the audience, whereas I certainly was that demographic for the show's early years.

Ah, but to last night...
An almost classic opening with Steve offing a Baldwin so he could be the guest host with the most appearances. I was snickering before I even heard the words, "It's Saturday Night Live!" For nearly the first hour, Steve was in every skit full of his Steveness and showing he still rocks after all these years. He definitely got in some promo ties for his new 'Pink Panther' movie, but he also shined. From the Viagra Meter opening to the "Don't Buy Stuff You Cannot Afford" skit to "Quick Zoom Theater" to the "Oprah - It's the truth that it's a lie" skit, he had me going. I think my favorite skit of the night was his corporate appearance (hoping to hype 'Pink Panther') which turned out to be for Hamas. "Should I be known as an anti-Semite or should I publicize 'Pink Panther' ? What would the studio want me to do?" He was a hoot in the skit!

Then there's Prince. I like Prince. I've always liked Prince. After all, all the critics in New York love him. His first song was great -- a rocking bluesy song about "Ain't No Fury Like a Woman Scorned." It had me boogeying in my chair a bit. His second song, not so much, but still decent.

Hey, I know Prince has had some rather um... unusual times (like when he wanted to be known as a symbol), but talent? He's got it. He can rock; he can dance; he's theatrical; he can sing the blues; he's innovative and creative and he's always an interesting show. Thumbs up to his appearance last night! The only thing which would have been better is if he had burst into the "Prince Show" skit.

I don't know if it's that I'm living in the past, perhaps that's why last night's 'SNL' really hit home and most of the current stuff -- with the exception of the news update segment with Tina Fey -- misses its mark with me. I just don't know. But I thank 'Saturday Night Live' (and Steve Martin and Prince) for last night's show. It brought back a bit of the magic of the show for me.

'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island' Out and About the Web

The Reality News Online site has an interview with the ousted from Exile (which does sound a bit redundant, eh?) castaway Tina Scheer. In it, she said she's aware that those stepping up to lead early on tend to get voted out early, but still doesn't seem to think she stepped up to any sort of leadership role. She confirmed that Misty "alluded" to finding the hidden Idol on Exile Island, so I personally would think that the rest of the castaways at that point in the game may think she does indeed have it. Tina has no regrets regarding how she played the game. Check out the interview for all the details.

Survivor Fever - News Article - Survivor: Panama is an article not telling us a heck of a lot about castaway Austin Carty (CBS refused to allow him to appear at the party in his honor). What I found interesting and what made me realize my memory ain't what it used to be is that Kelly Wigglesworth and Jeff Varner, both previous 'Survivors', have also hailed from the same area... as has 'American Idol' Fantasia Barrino.

The Celebrity Spider has spoilers for this week's show. It sounds like an interesting time will be had by all. You know I'll be blogging the show!

Other articles about the castaways I found out and about there include:

• ASU grad looks to stay on island in latest 'Survivor'
• Take 'Survivor's' Cirie seriously
• redandblack.com - Alum ‘surviving’ on CBS reality show

If you want to check out all my blog entries solely about 'Survivor' -- they're all compiled right here.

Today's TV Newsy Bits - Feb. 3, 2006

All the TV newsy bits fit to link! Oh. Okay. All the TV newsy bits out on the web which caught my attention. ;-)

• Chappelle Opens Up on "Oprah" - Feb 03, 2006 - E! Online News
• Reality TV Magazine: American Idol Contestant Halicia Thompson Criminal Past Exposed
• Survivor Panama Rating Report: 19.34 Million Tune In, Up 5% From Last Season
• Project Runway Redesigns the Ratings With 2.3 Million Viewers
• Lost & Desperate Housewives Super Bowl Spots - ComingSoon.net
• SHOWTIME's THE L WORD(R) Returns for A Fourth Season
• AOL News - New Cast Members Play Big Roles on 'SNL'

Tina Scheer's Interview on 'The Early Show'

Tina Scheer, the first person voted off of (out of?) 'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island', appeared on 'The Early Show this morning.

The entire interview can be read on the CBS website.
A few excerpts which caught my interest:
One of the main reasons for her departure was her tribemate, Cirie. In The Early Show's secret scene, Cirie doesn't mince her words.

As to whether she made a mistake in taking a leadership role so soon, Tina said she was just doing what had to be done. "I don't feel like I was taking a leadership role to start," she told Syler. "To me it was like, somebody's got to do it.

I think that the latter was a huge error. From reading what she said, it doesn't seem that she's aware that not only was she doing the things which needed doing, but she was getting the others working, as well. That is leading and it often is off-putting especially in the beginning of the show. In the article, she made mention that she kept the death of her son to herself. I understand her reasons for it. But, when she went off by herself crying, I think it made matters worse that the other women had no clue what was up with her. Had she told them, I think they would have been a bit more understanding about that aspect. It wouldn't help her with Foot In Her Mouth Leadership Stuff, though.

What do you think?

'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island' Premiere -or- "I'm Scared of Leaves"

Well, well, well. Tonight was the much ballyhooed premiere of 'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island.' Now, don't get me wrong. I'm a true 'Survivor' fan and I usually have personal issues about the premiere shows only being one hour long. To me, it's not enough time to get to "know" the cast at all. I expected a lot from this premiere and I'm not sure they really delivered. That's not to say it can't be redeemed in future weeks. As I get my 'Survivor' legs going, I'm sure to be entertained.

So, where do I think they went wrong this week? I think part of it was so much time in the beginning of the show on Exile Island itself. Jeff gave a clue, supposedly, about where the Exile Idol may be hidden, but I sure couldn't make sense of it. I like the idea of the Idol being able to be used after the voting and that it can be used at any time up until the Final Four (once there's three left, the Idol dies) -- that's going to keep them on their toes! I like the idea of Exile Island and the "bonus" Idol itself. I just think that the time spent at the beginning of the show was a bit much.

As we knew ahead of time, the castaways were split into four tribes -- Older Men, Younger Men, Older Women, Younger Women. I don't even think I'm going to bother memorizing the trible names because I'd end up writing stuff like La Mina (Older Men). So, forget the tribe names; I'd end up describing them anyway.

After the explanation of Exile Island, the hidden Idol, (blah, blah, blah), things started right in with the Rewards Challenge. Three tribes would win Reward (fire) while the losing tribe had to pick someone to stay the night at Exile Island. Each tribe picked one person to go smashing skulls (not to be confused with Smashing Pumpkins) seeking amulets hidden inside. Once they had three amulets, they returned. Danielle, who is actually quite the athlete, lost it for the Younger Women. What I like about her is that she volunteered to stay there, but the tribe decided to go for rock, paper, scissors for the decision. Whoops, poor Misty. She showed a bit of a sneaky side. She poked around a bit for the Idol, then decided she would act like she found it to keep her tribemates wondering.

Back to the tribes and my initial thoughts about them:

Older Men: This is the tribe to watch. With the exception of Shane, great workers. I thought Dan and Terry would gravitate towards each other and they did. Bruce is unbelievable! I love him! He had lots of fun with his machete. They had a healthy fire and a fine camp set up on short order. Dan/Terry made a pact to never lie to each other. Shane is a jerk. He whined about smoking, fussed about bugs, whined more about no cigarettes, called Bruce "Daffy Duck" and was very annoying. Make him go away.

Older Women: All right, they voted out their workhorse (Tina) who lives and breathes the outdoors. They kept Cirie who's afraid of leaves (there may be bugs in them). Ruth Marie and Melinda were okay. I think Cirie is probably a lot of fun in an indoor environment. But, what were they thinking? I totally understand Cirie's vote against Tina (which was a vice versa kinda thing), but the other two? I don't think they went into Tribal Council thinking they'd vote Tina out -- I think some of what she said there alienated them. I loved Tina's luck in finding the big flopping fish stranded by the tide. What a great meal! Without Tina, I think they're going to have problems.

Younger Men: Hunky for the most part, but... but... I don't really know them, do you? Nick is coming across as a bit dense. Austin is more of a flirt than I thought he would be. Aras was a bit odd with the yoga/fire thing, but I like him. Bobby is doing himself in with the rest, I think. He's right; they are screwing up. But if they end up at Tribal Council, they're going to vote off the one who kept apart and wasn't in with the tribe. Watch out, Bobby!

Younger Women: What the heck is with the cowboy hat, Danielle? Other than Danielle, the younger women seemed way clueless. Instead of quickly finding a place for their shelter, they wandered all around like they were lost in the suburbs. I admire Misty some -- heck, she ate an earthworm on Exile Island. They stepped up the pace for the Immunity Challenge and came in first, but their sense of the outdoors is severely lacking.

What? You want to know what I thought of the Immunity Challenge?
As the kids would say, it was a'ight. To me, it wasn't thrilling. I would be horrible at it with my bad knee. It was physical (running, swimming, rowing) with a brainteaser at the end. I just wasn't all that excited. I liked how the Younger Men screwed up and were so far behind. They should have lost. The Older Women royally screwed up (instead of merely screwing up) and blew their lead.

Tribal Council was a bit on the so-so side. Cirie seemed pleased all went according to her plan and she saved her butt.

Oh. I think the Immunity Idol is UGLY!

What did you think of tonight's premiere? Was it all you expected? Any early favorites? Does anyone out there like Shane?

'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island' East Coast Update - First Voted Out

Tina has been voted out three to one. Her vote was for Cerie.

A full review will be posted later this evening.

'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island' East Coast Update - Immunity Challenge

The older women lost the Immunity Challenge and will go to Tribal Council.

Younger women came in first, then older men, then younger men (who were way behind for a long time). These three tribes all have Immunity.

'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island' - East Coast Update - Rewards/First Exile

The younger women lost the first rewards challenge -- Misty was chosen with rock, paper, scissors to stay on Exile Island.

The other three tribes (older men, younger men, older women) all won fire.

Today's TV Newsy Bits - Feb. 2, 2006

Here's the television/entertainment related links I found out and about the web today:

• Group Says 'Will and Grace' Will Mock Crucifixtion
• AOL News - 'Full House' Sweetheart Talks About Meth Addiction
• FOXNews.com - Foxlife: Entertainment and Lifestyle News - 'Idol' Hopeful Jose 'Sway' Penala May Be Ineligible
• NBC, Cowell Team On Talent Show - 2/2/2006 6:26:00 PM - Broadcasting & Cable - CA6304449
• Idol lies - TV Squad

Tonight's 'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island' Blogging Schedule

I know I have lots of folks reading here from the West Coast who love East Coast show night spoilers. Alas, Blogger's various feeds aren't as instant as the AOL Alerts are for AOL Members.

My plan of action for blogging tonight's show which starts at 8 PM ET and runs for a mere hour (grr) is:
Major occurrences, I throw in a quick entry. These would be things like someone gets killed :::grin::: (okay, that probably won't happen), someone gets sent to Exile Island, wins Immunity or Rewards and then the boot at 9 PM ET. Later on tonight, well after the show, I'll sit and write up a more comprehensive review. If you come aboard the blog and feel the boot entry should be there, sometimes hitting the Archive for this month on the sidebar will bring up recently posted entries. I'll also be updating my Jackie's Survivor Blog/Web Links Reference as I post the entries, so you could check there.

Survivor Fans READY? :-)

New 'Amazing Race 9' Cast: A Closer Look at Yolanda Brown-Moore & Ray Whitty

Yolanda Brown-Moore is a 27 year old science teacher while Ray Whitty is a 31 year old lawyer. They both live in Chicago and the show dubs them as the DATING couple. They've dated for five years.

From their CBS bio page, it's found that both are originally natives of Florida. Yolanda is from Gainesville; Ray is from Jacksonville. Yolanda taught math and science in Miami before recently moving in with Ray in Chicago where he went in relationship to his work (lawyer, remember).

Hmmm... maybe a slight uh-oh! They say Ray is the more disciplined between the two, but both can be opinionated and a bit stubborn. Well, I hope not between themselves! I, for one, have seen enough bickering couples. I don't mind it if they're opinionated and stubborn towards other teams -- I actually like that and feel it could provide incentive for a better race. Uh-oh...! Yolanda says she sometimes has trouble finishing what she started and Ray said she often runs late. Well, now. I just don't know how they'll do. They work out together and are certainly young enough (but not way young) to win, place or show. I just don't know. What do you think?

Here are the websites/article(s) I found out on the web about them -- keep in mind some may archive or need registration to view:
Brinks Hofer Gilson & Lione - Professional Biographies *Ray
Gator Women's Track & Field Roster/Bios @ Gatorzone.com *Yolanda college track w/photo
Alligator Story Tons of sport stuff on Yolanda is out there -- she was an All American woman track star in college. The CBS bio doesn't mention that at all.

All of my blog entries about 'The Amazing Race' are hyperlinked here for easier reference.

Oops! I Goofed! Letterman NEW 24 Year Anniversary Tonight

Yikes... it's been repeats for Monday and Tuesday, it's the Oprah repeat tomorrow.

But tonight, Letterman is all new and it's the 24 Years of Letterman anniversary show.

Now I must stay up.

Blogging 'American Idol' - Austin, TX Auditions

*These blog notes are typed as I watch the show and put up immediately foilowing the east coast airing of 'American Idol.' Please ignore or, at the very least, forgive me for any typos, punctuation or otherwise errors. Gracias!

Here we are in Austin, first really up for the audition is Julian Riano singing 'Lemon Tree' by Trini Lopez. Hmm... boring. I know several other artists who have covered that song. I personally liked the Peter, Paul and Mary version. At least Julian is personable even after getting rejected for Hollywood.

Michelle someone whose number fell
Arthur Mayfield, Donnel Bolton... all rather odd.

A self-proclaimed fashion genius is being interviewed by Ryan. Uh-oh, she has a Paula Abdul obsession... shades of 'Misery'? She's singing "Proud Mary" -- her name is Paula Goodspeed. Not good. Paula A. is "speechless." Simon is trying to blame her braces for the poor showing. It's a no. Now she's showing the nasty side. @@ <--- she rates a Jackie Eyeroll

Ryan did a segment on the undead -- IMO, the Untalented! Danielle Zamora singing "Amazing Grace." At first she just hit a few bad notes, then she went berserk. Now a series of very bad with no names as a horror flick.

A funeral director, Jason Horn, is up next. Backstory because it's different or because he'll make it to Hollywood? We'll see... heehee, he's going to sing "You Raise me Up" by Josh Groban. He can actually sing... I predict Hollywood. And, so it is. He's onto Hollywood!

Cierra Johnson, a vet assistant and dance choreographer, is next. She's pretty. We'll see. Yipes! That's how I sing! That's IT! That's ME! And, why you'd never see me audition or even sing in public. Simon - "It's like the soundtrack for the Night Before Christmas." (She sang O Holy Night) I can't believe how much she sounds like me. Um... she should pursue another career, for sure.

A travel story from Alison Schoening with her plane excitement story. Er... not good. Simon likens it to his cat's tail getting stuck in a door. Alison admits it was horrible. They're actually going to let her take a half hour and then come back. Heehee! Alison just got Simon with a comeback.

A parade of rejects coming through.

Jeffrey Pollack, a cutie, wants to think about why he's there.

Ricky Hayes feels he's meant to sing. He's a music major in college and I think he lives up to it. He can sing, for sure. I like him. Will the judges...? Paula says refreshing. Simon thinks it's the "nicest sounding voice he's heard so far." They all like him. 100% yes from all.

Ashley Jackson is up. I guess she's okay. She's not thrilling me, but I think she can sing okay. She can sing with her mouth closed and you can understand the words. I personally say no. Randy and Simon pushed her through to Hollywood. I'm not worried -- I predict long gone before the 12 Finalists.

Ryan intros someone who has a bigger ego than Simon. His name is Ronnie Norman and he likes to flirt. "I'm going to be me and that's what they'll love." - about the judges. He sang "Ain't No Sunshine." Paula and Simon voted him through, Randy said no. He's onto Hollywood. He is cute in a boyband kinda way. I personally don't think he has the most exciting voice or persona in the world.

A Randy Jackson lookalike named Kevin Mitchell is up. Ah, he's singing "I Can't Dance" - a song I like and I'm enjoying him -- it's not great talent, but it's a fun audition! Paula and Randy pass. So does Simon. No Hollywood for him. No soup for Randy.

Now Alison Schoening is back. I think she's still bad and she can roll back on up the river on Proud Mary. It's a no. A waste.

16 year old William Makar is singing "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" - he can sing a bit, but good enough? I don't think so. But he's a cutie. Paula said no. Simon likes him. Randy says yes... he's off to Hollywood!

Tessie Mae Reid who thinks she's similar to Diane Degarmo or Carrie Underwood, 17 years old, is up next. I bet she can't sing. They've been showing her in promos through the show. Singing "Ain't No Mountain High Enough." No way, Tessie Mae! Go 'way, Tessie Mae! Simon said the whole thing was frightful. Nope, she's not going to Hollywood. Crying, but of course. Now inside the judges room with no contestants, Simon compares her to stuffing a potato sack.

Only 12 made it to Hollywood from the Austin audition.

Back to Jeffrey, the one who didn't know why he was there. He decides he won't be exciting. Next week it's off to Boston on Tuesday, some of the worst and some of the best, it looks from the promo. On Wednesday, it's Hollywood for "Hell Week."

Jackie... OUT! ;-)

Today's TV Newsy Bits - Feb. 1, 2006

Yep! There's always television/entertainment related newsy bits to be found out and about the web. Here's what I found today--

• CANOE -- JAM! Television: Craig Ferguson pays tribute to his dad
• "Idol," "CSI" fuel weekly wins for Fox, CBS
• Fred Savage Dishes About His New Sitcom, 'Crumbs'
• Probst Calls Panama Survivors “A Breath of Fresh Air” <-- a MUST read/Jeff cast insight
• "S12, Ep 1, SOTS" - Reality TV World Message Board Forums - "S12, Ep 1, SOTS" <--'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island' Spoilers (possibly), read at your own risk
• Randy Jackson Comes to Term With Simon Cowell Meltdown
• ABC News: CBS' John Roberts Jumps to CNN
• 13abc.com: Kimmel Brings Show to Detroit After Infamous Comment

New 'Amazing Race 9' Cast: A Closer Look at BJ Averell & Tyler MacNiven

These two are being labeled as BEST FRIENDS. It's BJ Averell and Tyler MacNiven, ages 26 and 25 respectively. BJ is an online tutor whose hometown is Los Angeles. Tyler is a filmaker out of San Francisco.

Their official CBS 'Amazing Race' bio says "BJ & Tyler are bohemian best buds who first met four years ago during the Semester at Sea program, where they shared the experience of sailing around the world."

Yep, they're bohemian buds... or something. Right now I'm not sure exactly what. I'd say clowns, but that was done already with Jon and Al. They were the best at it, for sure! Okay, let me poke around their bio a bit more...

BJ is a Harvard grad. I'm suitably impressed. Tyler is a graduate of UC Santa Cruz. I don't know about the school there, but I'm partial to the rollercoaster at the Santa Cruz boardwalk, so he passes muster with me. They're both well-traveled and fluent in several languages. That's a big plus for a team on 'The Amazing Race.' They both love adventure, travel and good times (and hamming for the camera?). In a way, I want to dismiss these two due to just the promo photo, but they sound like they have a real chance in the race. BJ moved to CA for surfing, karate and frisbee -- he should be in decent physical shape. Tyler fell in love with a girl from Japan and decided to walk the 2000 mile length of the country to impress her. Lucky girl and quite an undertaking.

These article(s)/websites were found about BJ Averell and Tyler MacNiven out and about the web (beware, some may archive in due time or need registration to view):
People: Woodside native treks across Japan (August 24, 2005)
Kintaro Walks Japan
Stanford says no to Tyler MacNiven, but he's upbeat, may reapply later (December 23, 1998)
Stanford Magazine: March/April 1999: They'll Try Anything
The Stanford Daily Online Edition
Kintaro Walks Japan - Google Video
Buck's of Woodside Kintaro Walks Japan ... and dozens more on his trek, but this is his own writing of the journey
HTDb v2.0 - BJ Averell -- BJ's Harvard theater work
Fictumentary.com - Camera Noise Production Notes
The Harvard Crimson :: News :: Election Profile: B.J. Averell & Amias Gerety
Harvard University: Gallery ... and many, many more.

All of my 'The Amazing Race' blog entries can be found linked in chronological order here.

Tonight/Tomorrow TV Picks

This week has been pretty much a TV bummer for me so far between repeats and the State of the Union. Grr. (Nothing against the State of the Union, but I'd rather read than watch it.)

So, what kind of television viewing (and most likely blogging) plans do I have for the next day or two?

TONIGHT (Wednesday)
8 PM ET - 'American Idol' -- it's the auditions show filmed in Austin, TX. I should be posting my blog entry as it wraps up here on the east coast.
9 PM ET - Unlike usual weeks, I won't be watching 'Lost' -- it's a repeat: "Numbers" Hurley becomes obsessed with finding the French woman and heads off into the jungle to find her, leaving Jack, Sayid and Charlie no choice but to follow him. Meanwhile, Locke asks Claire to help him build a mysterious item. What I will watch (and have had to tape since FOX TV stuck it up against 'Lost') is 'Bones' -- "The Woman in the Car"-- When a woman's burned body is found in a car with evidence that her child was kidnapped, Brennan and Booth's investigation leads to a suspect who is in the Witness Protection Program.
10 PM ET - 'Law and Order' is another repeat, so I'll watch 'C.S.I. NY' -- "Stuck on You" -- When a billionaire playboy throws a party for a mosaic artist, he and a model end up skewered and pinned against a wall by an arrow.

Letterman's repeats this week. How dare he!

THURSDAY NIGHT (Feb 2)
8 PM ET - Gee, something new is on, isn't it? ;-) Woohoo! It's the 'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island' premiere! Alas, it's only one hour. For me, that's just a tease for the new season.
9 PM ET - 'C.S.I.' -- "Killer"-- As the CSIs investigate two deaths, both linked to the same suspect, the evidence starts to overlap and the CSI team begins to close in on the murderer.
9:30 PM ET - Will tape 'Crumbs' -- I taped and watched it last week and genuinely enjoyed it. I loved how the Mom, Jane Curtain, seeking a support group for divorcees ended up leading the meth freaks. ;-) Horrible, horrible time slot... horrible.
10 PM ET - 'Without a Trace' -- "Odds or Evens" -- Jack goes to Tokyo to find a dishonorably discharged U.S. Marine who went missing after he served a five-year prison term for raping a young woman.

What will you be watching?

New Logo For Me From Zoetawny & Probst Appearance Reminder

Thanks to Zoetawny on AOL, I have a spiffy new 'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island'/Jackie logo. She rocks, doesn't she?

Also, a quick reminder --
Jeff Probst will be on tomorrow morning's (Thursday) 'The Early Show' on CBS with a preview of the big premiere show.

Tomorrow night... Survivor fans ready?

New 'Amazing Race 9' Cast: A Closer Look at Dani Torchio & Danielle Turner

On their official CBS 'Amazing Race' bio page, Dani Torchio and Danielle Turner are listed as the CHILDHOOD FRIENDS team. Woohoo, I'm overjoyed, aren't you? ;-)

They're both 22 years old and recent college graduates hailing from Staten Island, NY. Now, this is a purely personal thought and may not come true, but... I know Staten Island (a borough of NYC). Staten Island isn't really known for its action and adventure. It's a nice enough place to live, but will these girls have the grit and determination to complete the race? I tend to think not. Girls, prove me wrong. Go ahead and do it.

From that bio page:
They're described as "beauties." Perhaps that's the key for some folks watching the show, but not for me. I declare an eyeroll needed! @@
Danielle claims to be outgoing and talkative. May I eyeroll that, too?
Dani says she's fun-loving, wild and eager to get out of Staten Island. (She wins points for the last bit!)
Neither has traveled much. The bio mentions thick accents, a trait from Staten Island I know all too well. Be prepared for pretty women with thug-like accents. I warned ya. I live about ten miles from Staten Island. I should be rooting for them on a purely geographic basis. But I can't. Though, as I stated above, they can feel free to prove me wrong.

News article(s) I found out and about on the web about Dani Torchio and Danielle Turner (beware, some may archive or need registration):
New York Post Article - 'Racing Colors'

All of my blog entries regarding 'The Amazing Race' can be found here.

Today's TV Newsy Bits - Jan. 31, 2006

Here's dem naughty newsy bits -- television/entertainment related goodies I found out and about the web today:

• Complete List of Oscar Nominees
• ABC's "Grey" Had a Big Night Sunday
• AOL News - Britney Spears to Guest Star on 'Will & Grace'
• 'American Idol' Ratings Keep Going Up, Up, Up
• Stephenie Lagrossa Joins 'Survivor Live' February 3rd
• Woodruff and Cameraman Head Back to U.S. : People.com

Blogging 'American Idol' - Las Vegas Audition

Ah, Las Vegas... this is being blogged as I watch the show here on the east coast. Any typos or poor punctuation should be forgiven... please! :-)

Jamaica Good Music? Yes, I do. A Rastafarian nicknamed Alexis "Dylon" Linchetta sings 'American Idol, the Reggae.' Randy, "Fake Jamaican thing awful." He's a no. Cute idea, but poorly done. Ack, now he's crying that he shouldn't have come as a gimmick. @@ <--- I must roll my eyes at him.

A Jester got bumped off with no name given.

Now the singing horrible psychic named Bobbie from last year is back. Now she's a talent manager for her sister Erika. @@! So, let's hear Erika. Judges are laughing. "The maddest family I've ever met in my life" - Simon.

Mecca Madison, full time student, singer and belly dancer. Age 18, small and cute. Oh, she can sing. Breath of fresh air. Onto Hollywood! That decorative thing near her eye is not needed, in my opinion. She's very petite, cute and can sing... doesn't need it!

Ryan Hart -- foul mouthed and vaguely reminscent of a child Conan O'Brien in looks -- is on. Yikes, he sounds like the girl in The Exorcist before her head spun around. Horrorible. No surprise -- he's booted.

I think the next one will make it, a background story first. She works with parolees, parole officer? Heather Ward. She sings 'Redneck Woman.' Decent. Randy and Simon both liked her. Let's check Paula. Paula passes, Randy says yes, Simon says yes. I figured that one out.

Jason, who is a gondola dude on the waterway in Vegas, backstory... will he make it? Jason Andino, sings 'Stand By Me.' Yep, he can sing. Simon says no. Waah, Randy said yes. No Hollywood for him.

Argh, a section of returning tries which flopped before coming on. JC Gray (Crazy Eyed) -- now with a mullet. Simon said no without him even singing. Good.

Oh, local boy from Roselle Park, NJ with a backstory. Heavy guy, Anthony Andolino. Yes, can sing, but screams a bit. Ah, Paula just voiced my own thoughts -- theatrical voice. All three judges a no. Simon snarked something about they couldn't afford the food bill after he left. At least he didn't say it in front of him. :-(

Oh, geez, more twins. The Pierson twins. Girls who seem to have a musical background and they're showing a backstory. Cute girls. Hmm... to me, one sounds a bit flat, not sure which. Simon says no. Paula and Randy do, too. No Hollywood. Aww, they're upset.

David Mandzak, age 18. He reminds me of a cross between Charles Grodin and Jim Carrey -- nasal voice, he's a no.

Now bad singers with no names, only numbers, in a C.S.I. segment -- Criminal Singers Investigation.

Haggai Yeddida, a fairly recent immigrant sings "I'm Proud to be an American." Not so good. I'm glad he likes our country, though. He's a bit indignant, thinks he has perfect pitch. He thinks he's out as he didn't get eye contact.

Princess Brewer, age 22. Thinks she sounds like Aretha Franklin. Sings "That's What Friends are For." EEK. Make her STOP! She's scaring me! She shouts more than sings. There may be a voice somewhere in there, but she's hiding it very well. "You're giving me a headache" - Simon. Judges are panning her -- "Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, it did."

Now, more horrible audition clips with no names singing "I Will Survive." I hope they don't. I know that's mean. Mean me.

A segment on image, with the theme song from 'Hair' playing. But, gray hair? Taylor Hicks, gray hair when he was 15 or so. Sings some Sam Cooke. He's 29 years old, can sing. He has a bit of an Elvis sneer. Simon looks bored as they have him do another song. I like him. Randy likes him. Paula thinks he's a good performer. Simon disagrees. Simon says no, Paula and Randy say yes!

Only 11 contestants from Vegas made it to Hollywood. Tomorrow night is Austin, TX.

Now if only Simon could judge Bush's State of the Union speech next....

New 'Amazing Race 9' Cast: A Closer Look at Lake & Michelle Garner

'The Amazing Race' lists these two as "Married Parents." They've been married 13 years having first met as freshmen in college. They have three children. Lake's a dentist while Michelle is a stay at home mom who helps out in his dental office. She's 36 years old, he's 37. They hail from Hattiesburg, Miss.

Uh-oh! From their bio on the CBS website: "While he describes himself as energetic and motivated, Michelle notes that he's your typical Type A personality, very impatient and always looking for ways to do it better." Yeah, that's just what we love to hate, huh?

Michelle says she herself is laid back. (Phew!) She hopes that won't cause friction between them during the race. Um... can you say Jonathon and Victoria? I so hope they're not like them!

Current article(s) I found about them on the web (keep in mind, these may archive within a week or so):
Hattiesburg American - www.hattiesburgamerican.com - Hattiesburg, Miss.

Today's TV Newsy Bits - Jan. 30, 2006

Here's my TV related newsy bits I found scouting about the web today:

• CANOE -- JAM! Television: Chef Ray getting daytime talk show
• Reuters SAG Awards Article
• AOL/Mark Burnett to Launch New Online Reality Show (I'll write about this one a bit!)
• CBS reveals 'The Amazing Race 9' cast, series to premiere February 28 - Reality TV World - News, information, episode summari...