The (TV) Show Must Go On...

Monday, March 06, 2006

'Apprentice 5' - Ep. 2 or "I'm a Star! I Don't Get No Respect!"

So, here it is ... the second episode. Let me just say right up front that I don't know how Brent could have beat other folks out to be on the show. Or more precisely, the 15 week long interview. There had to be thousands of others more qualified than Brent. Fire the hiring manager! Oh? That would be Donald Trump? Eh. Fire him anyway. At the very least, give him a written warning and dock his pay. Brent acts like a nutcase. I can't see how he passed as a normal person during the pre-show interview process.

In the recap, I noticed that Lee said that Tarek possessed a "lack of mismanagement." Okay. How did that get by me last week? Tarek must be better than I thought he was.

This week's task was another so-so not exciting one. The teams worked with Gillette promoting the Fusion 5 blade razor. They had to come up with a keyword and get folks to text message it. Thrilling, huh? What may be thrilling for Trumpsters is that instead of Carolyn and George, it would be Ivanka Trump (Donald's daughter) and Bill Rancik (winner of the first season) involved in the show this week. Now, I've seen Bill every now and then, but I haven't seen Ivanka much. She's very pretty, but she seemed almost too poised, too polished, too Barbie-looking for reality. Give me Carolyn back.

Pepi volunteered to be the project manager for Synergy while Lee stepped up to the managerial plate for Gold Rush. And, then it all fell apart, more for one team than the other. But I think neither team really had a handle on this task. The teams were too busy self-imploding to really get their game on and a solid plan.

Lee was not a good project manager. He was wishy-washy and then became almost defiantly wishy-washy. Meanwhile, Lenny freaked out a bit too much at Lee, but at least he had a good idea - go to the TKTS line at Times Square to get people to text message the keyword they chose. Yes! A perfect location! Times Square, if you've never been there, has crowded streets even in the middle of the night, hence "the city that never sleeps." But these folks are moving along. About the only place they just stand in large quantities is at the TKTS line where Broadway play tickets and other event tickets are sold. Thankfully, Lee checked his ego just in time and realized Lenny was spot on with the location.

Oh, but over at Synergy, things were an absolute mess! Pepi had a difficult team, but he handled things almost as poorly as he could. He showed no managerial skills at all. Brent, well ... look at my opening paragraph. He needs to be gone and should never have been selected. Stacy overreacted to Brent and she really did interrupt him a lot. He had a point there. A bunch o' whackos, I say! Michael decided they would wear bathrobes. And, yes, I'm rolling my eyes just reflecting back on it all. They overslept, thus giving Gold Rush a huge lead. Brent danced in a sandwich sign while wearing a robe and declaring himself a star. "Give him a red nose and some big-ass shoes!" From what they aired tonight, the only member of Synergy who seems to have her act together is Roxanne. At least she woke up, panicked at the hour and got everyone going. They had no solid plan. Stacy, who claims to know the city, stuck them in Times Square where all is bustling, not at a location like TKTS. Sheesh, Central Park would have been better!

The results were no huge surprise. Gold Rush sold 683 text messages while Synergy sold a dismal 458. The reward for Gold Rush was to get to suit up three guys down on their luck. Now, if Trump wanted to help them, he'd give them suits and a job. Suits are nice and they might open a door, but jobs are nicer and put food on the table.

Pre-boardroom, everyone on Synergy wants Brent out, although a few mentioned both Stacy (who exaggerated her confrontation with Brent and then backed down) and Pepi (poor leadership). Brent's prediction: "Brent is not going home this evening."

Sigh. And, he didn't. Trump could see the majority of the team was a train wreck and told Pepi he could bring three into the boardroom. He would fire two people tonight. Pepi chose Michael (bathrobes), Stacy (location) and Brent (nutcase). Trump decided that the team failed due to location, BAM - Stacy was fired. He thought Michael deserved another chance as he took responsibility for his bad judgment. Then, the kicker ... "If you can't handle Brent, you can't handle a job working for me. Pepi, you're fired!" Trump pretty much told Brent he'd be gone soon enough as he's a total disaster. Brent had an almost maniacal grin pasted to his face as he got on the elevator. Eep.

We really didn't get to know much of the other candidates tonight. Perhaps a closer look at Roxanne and Michael. Too much Brent, way too much. Get him gone. What do you think?

Dollar bills, y'all...

Sunday, March 05, 2006

TV Newsy Bits Weekend Edition - March 4-5, 2006

Here they are! Bits for the soul! Or, maybe they're bits for inquiring minds who want to know!

Yep, it's the television/entertainment related newsy bits links I found over the weekend. Of course, the big story is the Oscars and I only have a wee bit on that.

Guilty Pleasure TV Viewing

C'mon, I know you have some shows that you watch when company is unexpected; shows you might not talk about at the office watercooler. After all, someone has to be watching Jerry Springer or Maury. No, those two aren't on my list, but I know they're someone's guilty pleasure. Okay, perhaps one is Connie Chung's guilty pleasure and that carries the Nielsen ranking.

What? My guilty pleasure shows? Hmmm ... I'm not sure if I'm ready to reveal my television viewing quirks to the world. Oh, okay. I'll spill the beans. Just promise not to laugh at me. Well, you can snicker at me; but no guffawing, please. I'm sensitive, y'know.

COPS: "Bad boys, bad boys. Whatcha gonna do when they come for you?" Yep, that's the first show which comes to mind when I think guilty pleasure TV viewing. Old episodes, new episodes - I'm there. I can't understand my fascination with this show other than I'm a bit of a crime/police buff at heart. In 1989 Bertram Van Munster, the same person behind The Amazing Race, was on the production staff. Heck, even the tune is catchy. Older episodes airing on Court TV have the entire song by Inner Circle at the beginning of the show. As for the people appearing on the show who aren't cops? Yikes! What is going through their minds? Not only are they out there doing stupid criminal nefarious doings and all, but they sign releases to let the show air their ne'er-do-well ways!

Leave it to Beaver: Thank the heavens for TV Land network! The Beaver was one of my favorite shows when I was a small child and, now as an adult, I know the episodes by heart. Watching them brings me back to more innocent days. No, my Mom wasn't anything like June Cleaver although, if memory serves, she did have a strand of pearls - she just didn't wear them around the house. My Dad looked a bit like Hugh Beaumont, but certainly didn't wear a tie much. Then again, my older brother had a friend reminiscent of Lumpy Rutherford and I've known a lot of Eddie Haskells over the years.

When I want blood, gore, veins in my teeth (um, wait ... that's Arlo Guthrie), I can watch a myriad of shows on the Discovery Health Channel. From Medical Incredible to the goings-on in trauma centers and emergency rooms, they have it all. They have a Medical Examiner show, as well. But that's all recreated drama. I want real blood, gore and veins in my teeth.

The People's Court: I tend to peep at the various court shows. Perhaps one day I'll write something up about the genre. But, my favorite? I'm so over Judge Judy after so many years! It's Marilyn Milian who's my choice of outspoken judge these days. I started watching this back in the days of Judge Wapner, then Koch, then Judge Judy's husband whose name is slipping my mind at the moment. Well, not really slipping it, but I'm too lazy to look up how to spell the last name. Judge Milian rocks.

On a bit of a regional level, another guilty pleasure is watching CBS2 Crew early mornings as I get ready to go to work. It's an early morning news/weather/traffic and such show out of Manhattan, NY. Yes, it will let me know if my train is running late and whether I should bring an umbrella or not. However, I watch it just as much for the smiles and the giggles as I watch Dave Price on Dance Fridays and the interaction between the crew.

A really late night guilty pleasure is watching the Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson. Now, that show isn't anything to be embarrassed about watching, mind you. It's just the hour that it's on that's the problem. No way can I tell folks at work that I watch it when I'm often into the office by around 7 AM! I know when I hear that Cow of Time, it's way past my bedtime and I must be a crazy person to stay up that late!

So, there are a few of my guilty pleasure shows. Now it's your turn. What do you watch behind drawn curtains? And, why?

Saturday, March 04, 2006

'Survivor's' Bobby Mason on 'The Early Show'

Oh, this one is priceless! Bobby Mason spoke his mind on 'The Early Show' - you can read the whole interview at this link.

An excerpt:

Bobby didn't mince words when it came to his feelings about Courtney. "One of her personalities is cool," he said. "She's got like three or four that she tucks away and every now and then a nice one will come out and you'll make a deal with her. And then, the next day, that nice one won't wake up. She's a lunatic."

He had equally harsh words for Shane. "Shane is a smart guy," he said. "If he's going to talk about me, he better do it behind my back. He doesn't want to end up smashed somewhere in the ocean with his acid-washed jeans and that mullet."

Now, that would have been interesting. Is mullet a kind of shellfish? ;-)
(I know what it is, but it does sound like a shellfish, doesn't it?)

Thursday, March 02, 2006

'Survivor: Exile Island' Ep. 5 or "For the Love of Cod, Stack Those Skulls!"

Yeah, yeah, yeah ... I know. The Survivor folks name each episode to their liking. But I want to name the episodes myself. They called tonight's show "For Cod's Sake." Boring! Tonight's episode was "For the Love of Cod, Stack Those Skulls!" Yep, that's my title. Much better, eh?

Twelve are left. Who wll be voted out tonight?

After the inevitable lengthy recap, the show opened to Bruce and Aras squabbling about priorities, thinking of the tribe as a whole, rock garden building and on and on. Aras tells the cameras that he wishes he could get sent to Exile Island just to get away from Bruce. Well, we know what he won't find if he's sent there.

Let's just head off to the Rewards Challenge to get away from all the fussing and fighting. Playing for fish, beans, rice and wine, the tribes had to work together and depend on each other in sort of a bucket brigade challenge. Three tribemates were on marked areas in a line perhaps ten to fifteen feet away from each other. Another had to run to a boat to retrieve the items and each tossed to the next person. The last person had to chop off the head and tail of the fish and add them to the stash. The fish were the stumbling block due to size and the fact they were very slippery.

Casaya won, winning all the foodstuffs and wine. La Mina didn't go home empty-handed, though. They had their choice of rice or beans. Regretfully, they chose the beans. (Duh! Don't they know what beans do to your digestive system? @@ <-- patented Jackie eyeroll) They went home with the beans, but without Terry. Casaya once again chose to put him on Exile Island.

Day 12 and Casaya returned to a flooded camp, no fire to cook the fish they had won. Sashimi! Sushi! Cirie balked, but I saw she was eating the raw fish with everyone else. They should be happy, but of course they aren't. Bruce is ticked off at Courtney because she's doing yoga in his rock garden. Bobby and Bruce think that others have stolen their sleeping spots so they lock themselves in the outhouse and down the last bottle of wine. While in there, they bonded and promised not to vote for each other. Don't believe that saying "my word is bond." Perhaps it was the wine promising not to vote for each other. Cirie is practicing her flying; flying under the radar, that is. She's decided she'll let them all kill each other off and then she'll rise like the Phoenix from the ashes of destruction.

Over at La Mina, Austin and Nick found out what lots of beans will do to a rather empty stomach. Not pretty. We'll move right along.

So, it's the morning of Day 13. Courtney absolutely freaks out about the wine. Bruce didn't admit right away to drinking it, though caught with the empty bottle in the outhouse. Bobby confessed to the crime. He and Courtney got into a shout down and, before you knew it... it's Day 14 and the Immunity Challenge is ready to start.

The IC had the tribemates diving down in the ocean to four different coffins to retrieve skulls. (Who thinks of these things?) Once the skulls were all retrieved, they had to assemble a skull puzzle with a gold skull atop the others in a pyramid formation. Whoa! La Mina is back! They won immunity! It's about time!

Then it starts -- the scheming and backstabbing. Aras is hellbent on getting Bruce gone while Shane campaigns for Bobby's ouster. Shane is worried that Bobby will take up with Nick and Austin if he makes it to the merge. Bobby wants Courtney out. Danielle grabs the girls, then Shane, and gets the Anti-Bobby Movement going again. Cirie is just happy that no one is thinking of her even though she was told she would be next at a previous Tribal Council.

At Tribal Council itself, the voting was pretty spread out. Bobby was gone with 3 votes. Bruce had 2 votes while Courtney and Aras each had one.

"Bobby, the tribe has spoken. You must leave the Tribal Council area immediately."

So there ya go. That was the episode. Now, a few thoughts of my own (not that I haven't been a bit opinionated throughout this):

This is the most we've ever seen of Bobby and now ZAP, gone!
Dan is looking deathly skinny.
I'm liking Cirie more each week. She works and works to fly under that radar.
Terry has definitely benefited by being sent to Exile Island -- it's like paradise to get away from the others. He's the healthiest-looking guy on the show.
Courtney gets on my nerves and I'm not liking Bruce so much these days.

If I had to choose who I want to win, I'd have to go with Terry. But I think I'd like to see Cirie have a shot at it, too. No Shane. I don't want him to win even though he's getting a bit more bearable each week.

Who are you rooting for now that we're getting to know the cast?

TV Newsy Bits - Mar. 2, 2006

Who's got those bits?
I've got those bits!
Whatcha doin' wit' the bits?
I'm passing them onto you!

Here are the TV and entertainment related newsy bits links I found on the web today:

'American Idol' East Coast Update: Booted

Heather Cox and Brenna Gethers (I called that one!)
David Radford and Jose "Sway" Penala (I was half right)

'Survivor: Exile Island' - East Coast Update - Tribal Council

Bobby was voted out.

3 votes Bobby
2 votes Bruce
1 vote each Courtney and Aras

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

La Mina won Immunity.
About time!

'Survivor: Exile Island' East Coast Update - Rewards/Exiled

Casaya won the Rewards Challenge. Terry was chosen for Exile Island... again.

Tonight's 'Survivor: Exile Island' Blogging Schedule (3/02)

Once again, as important events on the show occur (deaths, who goes to Exile Island, any hidden Idol finding, reward challenge, immunity challenge and the boot)... I'll be slapping up quick details here. If you're on the West Coast and like East Coast airing show night spoilers, this is the place for you.

Within moments after an entry here, blog entry links will be added to my Jackie's Survivor Blog/Web Links Reference

There isn't an immediate way to get notice of an entry, but you can check here or there during the time the show airs in the east. A hint -- sometimes the new entries don't show immediately on the main blog page, but if you hit the February archive in the sidebar, it will show.

Sometime after the show (hopefully before 11 PM ET), I'll be posting a full recap and would love to know your thoughts about the episode!

* West Coast 'American Idol' fans who want East Coast spoilers -- after I post the 'Survivor' boot, I'll check my tape and post the 'American Idol' boots.

Survivor fans ready?

'American Idol' Schtuff!

As you may have noticed, I didn't blog about the ten girls this week. Why not? Because I was bored, unimpressed and annoyed by song choices and how even my favorite American Idols girl contestants sang! Sheesh! I tried to make a blog entry but my entry was as boring as the show night itself. So, I squashed it and hoped the guys would make a good showing last night.

Oh... I think they certainly did, don't you?

Taylor Hicks suited up and looked charming. His song choice was "Easy" by the Commodores (though I'm thinking the big hit was someone else, a Carradine maybe?). I don't think it was his best performance I've seen, but he performed it well enough. He really should stop crouching as he sings, though. Simon was the only judge not happy with it.

Elliott Yamin was absolutely superb singing "In the Mood for Love." I closed my eyes and just listened to his beautiful voice. The song was a great vehicle for his talents. Even Simon was happy and called it a great performance.

Then up was Ace Young singing "If I'm Not Made For You." Not my favorite song choice, nor my favorite performance of his, but good. He'll get votes anyway, I think.

The shocker of the night for me and I'm lovin' this kid more and more each week -- Gedeon McKinney! I cannot believe he's only seventeen! He's gotta be channelling ghosts from the past like Sam Cooke, gotta be! He sang "A Change is Gonna Come" with every nuance of soul the song possesses. Again, even Simon was impressed.

Kevin Covais sang "I Heard Through the Grapevine." He danced a bit, let down his hair a bit (figuratively) and had a good time with it. I enjoyed the performance. So did Randy and Paula. Simon? No!

Jose "Sway" Penala took the stage next and sang Stevie Wonder's "Overjoyed." He did it technically well, but I personally wasn't really moved by it. Neither were the judges.

Will Makar did a good job with Kenny Rogers' "Lady." At least I thought so -- I thought it really showed how nice his voice really is. Paula thought it was too safe; Simon thought it sounded like a good audition for Cats (or insert any Broadway show).

Bucky Covington sang a Garth Brooks song I'm not too familiar with. He did okay, but didn't rock my world. Nor the judges.

David Radford was up next with Frank Sinatra's "The Way You Look Tonight." Well, the way he looked to me was a bit off. Or, to be more precise, the way he sounded. He should have done fantastically with that song and he just didn't bring it. I like him anyway.

Chris Daughtry took the stage and brought the house down with "Hemorage." Best performance of the night and Simon called him the only performance which really stood out.

My boot predictions?
Brenna, Heather, Jose and Bucky.
Your predictions?

I'll be taping the show so I can update the blog with Survivor: Exile Island East Coast updates. But, once I post the Survivor boot, I'll check my American Idol tape and get those boots posted for those on the West Coast who like East Coast spoilers!

Wednesday, March 01, 2006

TV Newsy Bits - Mar. 1, 2006

What? Did I neglect Bits yesterday? Well, maybe nuthin' happened! Yeah, that's it!

Oh, but I have your entertainment and television related newsy bits web links for you today!
I sure 'nuff do.

Woohoo! 'The Amazing Race' is BACK!

Thank you! Thank you! Teams of two adults! No families! (Not that there's anything wrong with the family structure or values, of course. Just keep 'em off of The Amazing Race.) No hobbling the race to child safe stuff!

It's back! The guts, the glory ... the Amazing Race!

The season premiere reminded me just why I got hooked on the show in its first season. A lot of the racers are regular folks that I could know. They have had their runs with actor/model types. But on the whole, it's the plain old normal people with normal relationships having a whirlwind adventure that goes beyond their wildest dreams that keeps me watching. As a viewer, I get to vicariously live through it all, experiencing cultural rituals in countries where I'll probably never visit in my own lifetime. I get to see both the stunning natural scenery and the hustling streets of cities in foreign lands. It's sort of like when I was a small child reading a book and letting my imagination go wild, full of wonder and amazement. Watching this show gets the adrenalin rushing and last night was a great start for what looks like a very promising season. It is the Amazing Race.

That said, last night's premiere started off in an area I'm actually familiar with due to my skiing years -- Colorado. When Phil yelled go, it was a scramble to get on the earliest arriving flight of three to Sao Paolo, Brazil. As things sometimes go, getting on the scheduled earliest flight doesn't necessarily mean first arrival. Due to delays, some of the teams lucked out. Once in Sao Paolo, teams faced a Detour which had them choose between assembling a motorcycle or riding a helicopter seeking a clue from specific buildings. I couldn't believe the Double-D's chose building the bike! Where were their minds? Left 'em on Pike's Peak or what? Then the teams had to take part in a cultural singing-dancing-big boa snake-candles ceremony to get the next clue which led them to the Pit Stop.

How did last night's show compare with my sight unseen thoughts on the teams? The name links below lead you to my original thoughts while I note my take on the teams now --

Lake and Michelle: I called it. I compared them to Jonathan and Victoria. Sure enough, he's overbearing, but I think I like her a lot more than I liked Victoria. Did I hear another racer refer to him as "Scott Peterson"? I'm sure I did. I'll have to rewatch my tape, but I know someone said it! Was it Jeremy? Sorry, Lake. I want you gone.

Dani and Danielle: Okay, I'll admit to being slightly off on these two. Their Staten Island accents aren't as noticeable as I thought they would be. They also have more spunk than I thought they would have. I think they're going to have to navigate better and make smarter decisions on tasks to stay in the race, but they could indeed make a showing. Another team (Jeremy and Eric, I believe) nicknamed them the Double-D's. It fits.

BJ and Tyler: Oh, these guys are a hoot! In my original, I was worried about them hamming it up for the cameras and being total clowns, but thought they looked fun. Well, fun they are - zany, crazy and smart, too. I think they're going to be big contenders for the win. And, I'm going to enjoy watching them. It's great to see people having fun on the race while doing well at it. Cool. Other teams are calling them the Hippies.

Yolanda and Ray: Hmmm ... I think I predicted them fairly well. I think he's a simmering pot ready to burst into a boil. I don't feel the annoyance I get while looking at Lake (above), but I think he's going to get frustrated too easily and it'll be Yolanda keeping the team going in the long run.

Scott and John: Well, I didn't make any real predictions on them. Perhaps because there was nothing to predict? First ones gone. Looking at how they ran the first leg, I don't think I would have wanted a whole season of them, anyway.

David and Lori: Another spot on call in my first entry on them. They are nice people, just as I thought. I know some may think the love bit is a bit too much. After all, they're no Tom Cruise jumping on a couch or anything of the sort! But I like them. They both remind me of people I know and they're both really loving the adventure. I'd like to see them do well, but their lack of worldly traveling experience may snag them at any time. They're The Nerds.

Jeremy and Eric: First place at the Pit Stop, eh? This team is stronger and more personable than I thought in my pre-show entry. I still don't know which one is Eric and which is Jeremy, though. I think I'll call them both Jericmy. They are the Male Eye Candy Team. Okay, that's my own nickname for them. I like Male Eye Candy. So there.

Fran and Barry: Oh, no! I had such high hopes for these two as an older team showing the young ones how it's done! It is not done by going past a clue a kazillion times while the clock is ticking! It's not done by choosing to build a motorcycle when you have no clue how to do so! I'm hoping they redeem themselves, but the promo for next week doesn't look too promising for them.

Joni and Lisa: I predicted they would be fun to watch and have a good time. Well, I rescind the first part. I found these two annoying. The only time I got a kick out of watching them was when the one made faces out of the helicopter window. They scream too much and I really don't need to know if one peed in her pants or not. I just hope they cleaned the helicopter seat. Nicknamed by themselves as the Glamazons (@@ -- gotta roll my eyes at them, gotta); nicknamed by other teams as the Frosties.

Monica and Joe: The self-proclaimed MoJo Team. I didn't have a solid take on them in my pre-show bio bit and I don't have one now, either. They seemed to be easily frazzled during the first leg and were lucky to make it through. I can take or leave them. I guess I'd rather they stay in the race than Lake, but...! Other teams are calling them Barbie and Ken.

Wanda and Desiree: This is another team I'm finding hard to call. They have the language down, but Mom Wanda is way too excitable and antsy for me. I like Desiree. I think they're going to hang in for a while, though.

My overall thoughts on the premiere?
I liked the helicopters over Brazil a lot. I want to do it! I found the clues leading to the helicopter/building destinations very confusing. It's good the teams (except for Scott and John) weren't as confused as I was or they'd be out to sea with the 'copters.

I thought the assembling the motorcycle bit was to doom most teams to failure. I can't imagine putting one together quickly and it actually starting. It seemed a task made for Lake, but that's about it.

I liked peeking in on Brazil. The Amazing Race shows how things really are in the countries they visit. From clubs with snake rituals to traffic jams to homeless on the streets, it's interesting to me. I would have also liked to see more of the country's beautiful natural scenery, too.

Last night's arrival order of the teams can be found here.

What did you think? What teams caught your interest? Like the show? Hate it? Has it redeemed itself from last season's Child Safe Version? I'd love to read your thoughts!

Tuesday, February 28, 2006

'The Amazing Race' Season Premiere: East Coast Update Arrival/Philimination

This is just a quick east coast airing update especially for those in other time zones who like show night spoilers. A full review will be posted tomorrow due to a looooong night of TV watching!

Teams arrived at the Pit Stop in this order:
1. Jeremy and Eric (won $10,000 each)
2. BJ and Tyler
3. Wanda and Desiree
4. Dave and Lori (I adore these two!)
5. Lake and Michelle
6. Mojo - Monica and Joe
7. Ray and Yolanda
8. Fran and Barry
9. Dani and Danielle
10. Joni and Lisa

11 and Philiminated: John and Scott

Monday, February 27, 2006

TV Newsy Bits - Feb. 27, 2006

Bits! Bits! Two bits! Four bits! You name it!

Here are the entertainment/television related newsy bits links I found out on the web today:

'Apprentice 5' Debut or "How Many Mensa Members Does it Take to...?"

Well, maybe I'll be more faithful about watching The Apprentice now that it's in a new time slot away from Survivor and C.S.I. That's my thinking, anyway. The last few seasons I've been hit or miss on the show. If I didn't tape it, no big deal. Sometimes I taped it and never watched. Since there are no favorites on my viewing slate in the Monday at 9 PM slot, as long as my interest stays, I'll be watching. Oh. And blogging about it, too!

The first shows are always a bit hard to report on as I'm not sure of all of the candidate names, so here's some quick impressions on those who seemed to stand out in the premiere:

Tarek - This guy reminds me of Dr. Will from Big Brother 2, perhaps not as quick on the uptake. His claim to fame is that he's a Mensa member. Ohhh, I'm so impressed, aren't you? I was liking him at the start, but he didn't come through in the end.
Lenny - The Russian who knows East Brunswick, NJ. I think he's going to be very interesting to watch. He has his own ideals. They'll probably work against him in the long run.
Summer - Lots of hair. Not a team player.
Allie - A Harvard business school grad, blonde, cute and smart. I like her. She has spunk.
Lee - I think this one is perhaps not polished enough to make it through to the end, but he's honest. That could be to his own detriment.
Brent - Oh. My. God. Where did they get this guy? I know he's an attorney, but...! Yes, he had some good ideas, but the way he presents himself and his ideas are a turn off.
Sean - The Brit. Or, at least the accent. Perhaps not strictly British. I suppose I could check the site to jolt my memory. His accent seemed to impress Allie and the female clientele. We'll see.

Yes, there are other candidates; I could rattle off some names. But those are the ones at the forefront of tonight's episode and the ones who made either good or bad impressions on me.

Trump chose Tarek and Allie to be project managers, then had them do a schoolyard pick of their teams. The last chosen was Brent who commented he was used to it from school athletic events. I'm no armchair psychologist, for sure. But I think his lack of personal self-esteem may be why he turns to being so overbearing and egotistical. He really overdoes things and practically screams for attention, then wonders why he's ignored.

In my opinion, the task assigned was a bit "eh." The teams had a Goodyear blimp each to design the marquee pushing customers to Sam's Club where they would sell or upgrade as many memberships as they could. The only cool thing about the task was that I'm actually familiar with the Sam's Club in East Brunswick, NJ -- one of the ones chosen for the show.

Allie's team named themselves "Synergy" after striking down Brent's suggestion of "Killer Instinct." (Again, I ask... where did they get him?) Tarek's team decided on "Gold Rush." In the task itself, I could see that Synergy had more of a solid plan. They played off the Sam Club slogan "Big Deal" for the blimp marquee, then set up at the front of the store with free manicures and such. They snagged the customers the second they walked in and their approach was very upbeat. The customers fell for it (and for Sean's accent). Brent first wanted them to offer haircuts, but the women voted him down. It turned into the manicures, so technically his idea played a wee bit into things. I guess he planted the seed for the thought process. I'll give him that much.

Meanwhile, Gold Rush really had no solid plan. The blimp told people to stop today, but didn't really indicate what was going on, if anything. They gave away gift bags with no gifts in them. Heck, instead of the 485 Sam's Club tote bags they handed out, they could have made it 200 and had cheapie gift stuff in 'em. Summer, a restaurant owner, was asked to call local restaurants. She made one call and not an incredibly into it call at all. Then she gave up.

Trump said something about changing the team and how they would rid themselves of the team members they didn't want. Then it cut to who was sent up in the blimp. Synergy chose Brent and one of the women. Gold Rush sent Summer and Lenny up. Supposedly Lenny was sent because he knew East Brunswick.

In the end, Synergy sold 43 memberships while Gold Rush sold 40. To the boardroom with Mr. Mensa and his team! Before the boardroom, most seemed to agree that Summer wasn't a team player, didn't do the one thing asked of her and should be fired. Lee was a bit of a holdout -- he felt that the project manager (Tarek) holds the ultimate responsibility, that they didn't have a creative plan, etc. He told Tarek his thoughts, but Tarek was bound and determined that Summer should go and asked Lee to be quiet in the boardroom. Lenny had a talk with Summer telling her that they're both Tarek's targets and that she should be quiet in the boardroom.

Sure enough, when it came to choosing who would go to the boardroom with him, Tarek chose Summer and Lenny. But, because Lee didn't keep quiet and spoke his mind, he took him in as a third. In a talk between George, Carolyn and Donald, they seemed to have their minds set on firing Summer. Tarek almost blew it for himself with his childish choosing of Lenny and even moreso by selecting Lee because he didn't back him up. But, in the end, Summer blew it for herself by interrupting Trump and insisting on talking when he was almost ready to fire Tarek.

"Summer, you're fired."

Trump told Tarek that Summer saved his ass prompting Lenny to say, "But not for long." Thoughts of the Wicked Witch saying, "I'll get you and your little doggie, too" rushed through my mind when he said it. Once along in the boardroom, Trump turned to George and Carolyn and said, "Tarek's highly overrated." Now, c'mon Donald! It was you who rated him as such! Mensa doesn't always mean common sense, nor people skills! Sheesh!

Overall I think this season's off to a good start despite the "eh" task. It's definitely off to a better time slot!

Did you watch? What did you think?

Actor Dennis Weaver Dead at 81

This is quite a streak of actors who impacted my childhood passing away over the weekend. In today's news, it was reported that actor Dennis Weaver died this past Saturday.

When I was a young child, my father's favorite television show was Gunsmoke. Of course, back then most homes only had one television (if any at all), so watching it was the only choice. Whenever any of us hurt a knee or ankle growing up, we ended up being called "Chester" after Weaver's character on the show. I called someone with a broken toe Chester a year or so ago. All I got was a strange look. I guess it's an age thing.

This obituary really delves into Weaver's accomplishments. Dennis Weaver was much more than your typical actor in Hollywood. He will be missed, but his work and ideals will live on.

Sunday, February 26, 2006

TV Newsy Bits Weekend Edition - Feb. 25/26

Although there are three passings to report this weekend, there are also some other entertainment and television related newsy bits I found while carousing the web.

So, what's the buzz? Here goes:

RNO: Ruth Marie ('Survivor: Exile Island') Interview

Reality News Online has its Ruth Milliman interview up at this link. Yeah, more of "I was betrayed!" and "Sally outplayed me!", but a few new tidbits o' insight into things.

Here's an excerpt:

RNO: Considering the dire food situation your tribe was in, did the fact that Sally lost the fishing spear ever come up in discussions of who should be voted out?

Ruth-Marie: Prior to Misty’s departure, it certainly was discussed that Sally was going to be the one going home and part of the reason was due to the lost spear. In the game of Survivor, you are always looking for a reason to send people home. However, it was discussed that Misty “underperformed” a bit in the challenges that week therefore providing an opportunity for Sally to be saved.

Aha! So, Sally's losing of the spear hasn't gone unnoticed! I think it may still come into play in voting, but the Boys Club mentality is dooming her even more. What do you think?

Fare Thee Well, Don Knotts and Darren McGavin

I was saddened to hear that Don Knotts passed away Friday at the age of 81. There are many obituaries regarding him out and about the web, such as this one or even this one. To be honest, I didn't know he had won five Emmy Awards. All I know is that Don Knotts was a brilliant actor who created the memorable role of Barney Fife on The Andy Griffith Show, a character I loved in my childhood days. No one else could have done what Knotts did with the role. He was the total Barney Fife package from the sight gags to the voice, he embodied Barney. Some years later I liked what he did with the Furley character on Three's Company, but in my mind he'll always be the superb Barney Fife.

Darren McGavin also passed away this weekend. He was 83. For me, his m

ost memorable work was that on Kolchak, the Night Stalker. I loved that show and he was Kolchak all the way! Obituaries on the web for McGavin can be found here. Yes, he was perhaps more famous for other roles such as playing the father on The Christmas Story, but for me it was the Kolchak role I'll remember the most in my sometimes rather unusual television viewing habits.

A sad weekend indeed, rest in peace.

Friday, February 24, 2006

Getting Psyched for 'The Amazing Race'

Tuesday! Tuesday! Two hours of The Amazing Race! I'm so ready for this season, aren't you? No more "safe" race; it's logging the second largest mileage count in series history! Woohoo!

From Tuned In: 9th running of 'Amazing Race' returns show to familiar format:

"It's the most number of miles we've done in that short an amount of time," Keoghan said. "People clearly wanted the international element. They missed it. The places are as much the stars of the show as the people themselves. That was illustrated when you look at season eight. People were missing that exotic element, the fish-out-of-water element. That is a huge hook."

The 11 teams racing for the $1 million prize immediately head for foreign soil, flying out of Denver to Sao Paulo, Brazil, and along the way, nicknames for contestants quickly emerge: "Ken and Barbie," "the Frat boys," "the Hos," "Scott Peterson," "the hippies," and "the Frosties" for a team of prone-to-screaming sisters with frosted hair (they're hilarious).

Then there are several articles in the Australia online news pages, like this one. I find it very interesting that the same series which starts here on Tuesday starts there on Thursday. Not even enough time for jet lag, eh? Here's a tidbit from that one:

Keoghan says the distance of 96,540km is the secondest-longest Race in the history of the show, which throws a huge array of challenges at the competitors.

"It has a dramatic impact on the teams and we have an abundance of fresh locations this season, everywhere from Russia to the Middle East."

A seasoned traveller, Keoghan says culture shock and jetlag all lead to friction and tension during the race.

So... what are you doing on Tuesday night?

'Survivor: Exile Island': Ruth Marie on 'The Early Show'

Her torch snuffed on Survivor: Panama - Exile Island, Ruth Marie Milliman made her appearance on this morning's The Early Show. The interview can be found at CBS News Shocking Betrayal On 'Survivor' February 24, 2006 11:35:15 Although she was even more betrayed by many who've been booted on the show, she seems to understand some of how things went down the way they did. An excerpt:

As for the question of who was to blame, Ruth Marie says she simply got outplayed.

"I think Sally out-gamed me," she said. "Sally wanted it so bad and she worked Austin, as you should. Austin kind of went back on me just a little bit. But we can't really blame him for keeping the 27-year-old. We're going to cut him some slack on that."

Another interesting tidbit in the interview is that even though it appeared to us that Terry was keeping his hidden idol find a big secret, the others most likely knew:

Another big development last night was when Terry, on Exile Island, unearthed the idol, which will grant him security up through the final four players. Ruth Marie says Terry was evasive, but she figured out his news immediately.

"I knew for certain he had the idol," she told Syler. "I think, probably, everybody else did, too. It was too much gibber jabber the way he was explaining it. And no one was asking him directly, so I sort of sensed that everybody kind of knew. I could be wrong because I didn't discuss it with anyone. But I was pretty certain of it."

Today's TV Newsy Bits - Feb. 24, 2006

Bits! Bits! Get yer bits here! Your television and entertainment related newsy bits links I found out on the web, that is.

Thursday, February 23, 2006

'Survivor: Panama - Exile Island' Ep. 4 -or- "Super Terry, his Talisman and the Psychotic Joke"

I know Survivor has its own titles for each episode. But I always prefer to name the episodes myself. After all, I'm the audience! The very least I can expect to get out of the show is to make my own episode title.

So, tonight's show is titled "Super Terry, his Talisman and the Psychotic Joke."

13 are left. Who will be voted out tonight?

The show opened with La Mina at Day 9. Sally was feeling like a fifth wheel, isolated from the alliance which makes up the rest of the tribe. Dan, Terry, Nick and Austin approach Ruth Marie to make "kind of a fifth person" in their alliance. That's how Austin put it, at least. Right off the bat, it's not a strong fifth. No, not a fifth of alcohol! That would knock the faltering tribe off the map!

Over at Casaya, Bruce, Shane and Aras were gathering tasty escargot for a lovely feast. And, then it starts -- a brouhaha! Shane and Aras question Danielle's work ethic around the camp. She points to a sleeping Bobby in defense of her own actions and Cirie looked like she was going to burst into spontaneous laughter. Cirie decides it's best to stay out of all the drama and just keep working; if the previously established alliance self-implodes, it's all that much better for her.

The Rewards Challenge involved swimming out to and diving down to unclip huge puzzle pieces, lugging them up and over a retaining wall puzzle ring one by one, then assembling the puzzle. Casaya won! Oh. I should mention what they won, huh? It's a brand new spiffy outhouse! With it, fresh towels, soap, a loofah and 5 gallons of fresh water.

They also won the right to choose someone from La Mina to go to Exile Island. They made the obvious choice (which may come back to bite at least some of them) -- Terry. Like Bruce, he's the leading man type and the strong player.

The Casaya Brouhaha continued as Aras and Shane thought the towels and other things should be stored in the spiffy new outhouse rather than using it for a toilet. Bobby immediately closed himself in there to take a dump. I was surprised they didn't argue whether the water should be used for washing or drinking. Cirie kept smiling and, in a confessional, she called Shane a "Psychotic Joke." Yes, that's part of my title. I thought it necessary, don't you?

Wait! Over on Exile Island, Terry's putting together all the clues for finding the hidden Immunity Idol ... he's looking ... he's digging ... he's digging... he's got it! It's actually a talisman rather than a full-sized Idol. And, with it, there's a note saying it's good up to and through the Final Four! Woohoo! So, there's the Talisman for my title. Super Terry? Soon, I promise, soon.

Back over at La Mina, the tribe is falling apart. They can't start or keep a fire going. No food; can't catch fish no matter how long Nick tries. They fuss. They lament. They miss their Super Terry. (There.)

Ah, Immunity is bac

k up for grabs. Neither Terry nor Bruce give any hints about the hidden Idol when Jeff mentions it. The challenge (see image) had them hooked in pairs, walking on planks over water, filling buckets, bringing them to a huge bucket filler person while another sat on a balance scale doohickey (technical term). As the bucket filler person filled the huge bucket, the sitting on the balance person rose into the air with the object being to raise high enough to spring the tribe flag. Have I confused you yet? If not, I can keep going with the technical terms!

Casaya won, so it will be La Mina at Tribal Council. (We know who's safe, we know!)

Then it starts. Sally knows she's a target for the vote and fairly calmly points out how incredible she did at the challenge in an attempt to show them she's someone they should want to keep. Both women know it's a Boys Club and, while they don't campaign against each other, they each campaign for themselves. In the end, Super Terry not only has the talisman, he has the power of suggestion. He said that Dan was the only one to shake hands with Ruth Marie and they should keep Sally instead. And, so it went.

At Tribal Council, Sally stayed and Ruth Marie was voted off. Dan? Yep, he kept his word to Ruth Marie and voted for Sally. The vote was 4 to 2. Sally and Ruth Marie voted for each other, very politely.

The tribe has spoken, Ruth Marie. It's time for you to leave.

I've groused in other entries that I was finding this season a bit lackluster. Well, tonight's episode got me in my Survivor fan mode once again. It's about time!

What did you think of the show? Has the season started yet for you?

Today's TV Newsy Bits - Feb. 23, 2006

Here are the television and entertainment related Newsy Bits links which caught my attention while I frolicked on the web today:

'American Idol' East Coast Update - Booted

Out of the running are:

Becky O'Donohue
Stevie Scott
Bobby Bennett
Patrick Hall

'Survivor' East Coast Update - Tribe Has Spoken

Ruth Marie was voted out 4-2 (Sally).

'Survivor' East Coast Update - Immunity

Casaya wins Immunity.

East Coast Update 'Survivor' - Hidden Idol Found

Terry has the hissen Immunity Idol and the note said it would keep him safe up to and through the Final Four!

* 9:13 PM ET Note: Hidden. That's what happens when I take notes, watch TV, update blog, load FTP and update web page while glancing at the other TV running 'American Idol' and taping it. Maybe the idol hissed a bit, too.

'Survivor: Exile Island' East Coast Update - Reward/Exile

Casaya won the Reward Challenge (bathroom stuff) and chose to exile Terry from La Mina to Exile Island.

Tonight's 'Survivor' Blogging Schedule (Feb. 23)

* West Coast 'American Idol' fans who want East Coast spoilers -- after I post the 'Survivor' boot, I'll check my tape and post the 'American Idol' boots

Survivor fans ready?

Wednesday, February 22, 2006

Blogging 'American Idol' - It's the 12 Dudes, Dawg

Okay, it's supposed to be the Boys' Night. So, guess what? They're recapping the girls from last night. Okay, I watched the show; it's too late to vote for them. Get on with the male songsters! Sheesh!

Here I sit with keyboard on lap in anticipation. These blog notes are typed as I watch the show and posted to the blog immediately when the show ends, so please forgive any typos or dancing cows.

Finally, Ryan's introducing the guys. And, now the judges. Simon thinks there's potential. Oh, let's watch their journey to Hollywood. @@ <--- my patented eyeroll. Hopefully all will get started after this commercial break. I was very impressed by the gals last night, so my appetite has been whetted to see what the guys bring to the table. Oh, my... this block of commercials is neverending.

Why is there a tire in the table in the Red Room?

Patrick Hall is first up. He chose "Come to my Window" as his song. Darned if I know whose song that was. I'll look it up next commercial break. Hmmm... I do know the song. Melissa Etheridge? He's doing it technically okay, I think. But, it's not doing much for me. He sounds like any so-so boy band singer, nothing spectacular. I liked his last Hollywood audition stuff better. Randy - Not your best, but good. Paula - Stick to what you do best. You're an amazing performance. Simon - You looked uncomfortable. Average performance. I agree with Simon. This song tonight by him wasn't that hot. 1 866 IDOLS 01

David Radford, that cute kiddie crooner, is up next. His song choice is "A Crazy Little Thing Called Love" by Queen. Dang, he looks like he's crooning to a rock song. He's got kind of an Elvis thing goin' on. I like him. I doubt he'll win it all, but he's a fun performer. Randy thought it was terrible. He panned him! Paula disagrees with Randy. Not her favorite, but he was true to who he is. Simon thought it was a bit of a joke. He thinks the audience at home will like him, but he should take himself more seriously. 1 866 IDOLS 02

[I think poor David looked a bit rattled at the criticism.]

Bucky Covington hits the stage next. His song is "Simple Man" by Lynyrd Skynyrd. It sounds like a good choice for him. Ah, he does it well -- it's perfectly suited for his talents! I don't think he's as good as Bo Bice in the genre, but this is a strong performance. Judges? What say you? Randy thinks he sang too hard, pushed too much, but cool. Paula, of course, is nurturing. Simon? "Thousands of bars with someone like Bucky..." The others defend him.
1 866 IDOLS 03

Ah, commercials. I wonder how much time costs during the show as the ratings have been so high... but, when will they end? If I weren't blogging live, this show would only take an hour zapping the commercials away!

Will Makar, the Peter Brady Lookin' Kid, is heading to the stage. Heehee, he sings "I Want You Back" bu the Jackson Five. Um. Rats. I'm not all that impressed. He's cutsie, for sure. But cute will only keep him in for so long. He'll get the teenybopper vote, but this wasn't a strong performance. Randy is favorable, he was entertained. Paula says he's adorable. She thinks it's Bobby Brady... no, PETER! Simon gives a reality check. He said vocally that it was completely and utterly average. Hey, I agree. 1 866 IDOLS 04

"Where there's a Will, there's a Sway" -- Ryan's line, not mine.

Jose "Sway" Penala goes for "Reasons" by Earth, Wind and Fire. He does the falsetto well. Now, midsong, he had to strain for a few notes. But, I think he may get a good reaction. He's not average, as Simon would put things. Randy -- very happy, congrats! Paula -- Amazing. Simon disagrees. He thinks it was a pimpy third rate copy of Earth, Wind and Fire. 1 866 IDOLS 05

Chris Daughtry performs "Wanted Dead or Alive" by Bon Jovi... cool! Ah, good start. I think it's the strongest performance so far. Now we're talkin'! Judges reaction? Randy -- Really, really good. Great recording voice. Paula -- wowed. Simon -- very good choice of song, for the first time tonight I'm hearing someone with potential. Great recording voice. Work on the charisma! 1 866 IDOLS 06

The youngest contestant, Kevin Covais, is up next. His song is "One Last Cry" by Brian McNight. I'm not sure a ballad is the best follow up to Chris's strong rock performance. A very nice voice. I think he sang it well. Randy -- honestly talented; that was the bomb, man! Paula - you make me beam. (Reckless abandon?) Simon pans him. "Vocally, it was excruciating." I disagree.
1 866 IDOLS 07

Gedeon McKinney is ready to take the stage. He's going to sing "Shout" - let's see if he can perform. He's doing it well. I could see him on the stage in the 50s doing this. I think this is a very solid performance for him. Randy liked the song choice and likes it all. Paula - A great surprise. (Paula actually captured a bit of my thought about seeing him in the early rock star setting. That's scary. I'm not a Paula!) Simon - It was like watching the line up for the Chippendales. Simon doesn't like his smile, either. Me? I'm pleasantly surprised. Gedeon hasn't been on my favorites list, but he moved up a bit with "Shout."
1 866 IDOLS 08

Elliott Yamin goes up next. "If You Really Love Me" by Stevie Wonder is his song. He says he gets karaoke requests for it all the time. That will go over big with Simon. He's singing it well enough. It's an okay performance, but will it win the hearts and calls of fan? Quite possibly. Randy loves it. Paula gushes. Simon -- potentially best male vocalist they ever had.
1 866 IDOLS 09

Bobby Bennett will sing Barry Manilow's "Copacabana." Dang, he's reminding me of a twisted Jackie Gleason/Barry Manilow Nightmare. He's singing it well enough, but he's so darn busy through it all! Randy -- More entertaining than vocal. Paula - Entertainment and great showmanship. Simon -- Pans him. Complete nightmare. Umm, weird that I used the word "nightmare" before Simon did, but not in the same context. 1 866 IDOLS 10

Ace Young sings "Father Figure" by George Michael. Very nice, although I don't really care for the song selection all that much. I think he nailed it, though. Kind of mesmerizing. Randy - worked the room and can really sing! Paula -- monotone gushing with a little helium hello. Simon - Not the best vocal so far, you have the X Factor. He likes the choice of song. The judges seem to think that amongst the guys, Ace has it aced. 1 866 IDOLS 11

Taylor Hicks, the one I find most intriguing, is up next. Ah, he's going to sing "Levon" - a personal favorite of mine from the early Elton John days! A good performance, not as unique as I was expecting from Taylor. Solid enough, though. Randy - Not perfect song choice for him, but he has it goin' on. While Randy and Paula gush, Simon looks very pensive. Simon's up... says he was wrong about Taylor not making the finals. He's interesting. More positive feedback about Taylor than anyone else on the show. Heehee, this guy is a hoot! I love him even if that wasn't my favorite performance. 1 866 IDOLS 12

The voting sarts at 10 PM ET and last for two hours. (Gee, how does that get handled on the West Coast?)

My favorites or ones that I'm sure will make the cut? Chris, Taylor, Ace, David, Kevin, Elliott, Jose.

The cut? William Makar and Bobby Bennett or perhaps Patrick Hall. Maybe Gedeon. I don't know

Looking in on the "Official" 'Survivor' Blog

I was reading through this season's 'Survivors Strike Back' blog at the CBS website. I read last season's version on and off, mostly to get giggles from Coby's entries.

Who's the Blogstar there so far this season? I have to give Brian of Guatemala that title! First, he writes well. Believe it or not, some of these ex-castaways really need editors although most come off as functionally literate. (Phew!) What I enjoy about Brian's entries is that it shows how much insight he really has into the show. Now, I had picked the "Platinum Kid" as solid material for the Final Four last season. We all know how that worked out! But, he's got such knowledge of what works well and what doesn't that he could have gone much further had circumstances been a bit different.

Back to the blog -- Brian obviously is a bit smitten and has something for Survivor women in cowboy hats. :::snicker::: A quote from one of his entries:

Misty, I thought you were awesome, and I’m so sorry to see you go out so early. You fell into the Brianna-Varela-Memorial-Beautiful-Brunette-With-a-Cowboy-Hat-Third-Voted-Off trap.

Heh. Check out the blog over there -- it's got Cindy, Bobby Jon and more posting their thoughts on this season. Need I mention they all think Shane is a nutcase?

Today's TV Newsy Bits - Feb. 22, 2006

I apologize for not posting Newsy Bits for the past two days, but these will catch us all up to date! Well, at least with the television/entertainment related newsy bit links that caught my attention, that is...

Odds to Win 'Dancing With The Stars' Finale
Trump to Stewart: 'Take Responsibility' - Yahoo! News -- My own added note: I saw her show today and she commented about how saddened she is by the reaction of her friend. Aww, po' baby!
Trump to Martha: "You deserved to be fired"
World's First Reality Coaster, SURVIVOR the Ride(TM), to Debut at Paramount's Great America This Spring
The Apprentice 5 Task Sponsors Announced
The Amazing Race 9 Two Hour Premiere February 28th -- Beware, mild destination spoilers inside
USATODAY.com - Dunkleman questions leaving 'Idol' gig
AOL News - Actress Betty White Honored by L.A. Zoo
NEW NBC DRAMA "CONVICTION" TO DEBUT ON iTUNES TODAY

My First Blogcritics Entry Is Up

I recently joined in on Blogcritics -- "A sinister cabal of superior bloggers on music, books, film, popular culture, technology, and politics." My first article is basically an edited version of my previous entry here on this blog -- Blogcritics.org: American Idol - Girls' Night Up. The real difference between the two articles is that I wrote the one posted here as I watched the show with keyboard on my lap. Yeah, that's as close as a laptop as I get. Sigh. The Blogcritics one I touched up to make things consistently past tense, perhaps with a bit less spontaneous commenting. Oh... and I fixed any typos as what I post here while live blogging tends to have a few.

Why am I doing this? Well, inevitably, for more exposure. Plus, it's interesting. I have someone looking over my work and editing. I've been so used to being my own editor and typing in train of thought that this is bound to change my style. Or not! ;-)

Will this change my posting entries here? Nuh-uh! Although I have been a bit behind a few days -- I will be resuming TV Newsy Bits today after a two day absence -- that's been more due to the Olympics and reruns rather than any other factors. Dang, it's bad when I'm not excited about what I see on my TV screen!

Oh. Tonight's Lost is a repeat of the pilot episode. I recommend it for anyone who hasn't seen it, but I think I've watched it at least four times already. I'll be blogging the "Boys' Night on American Idol."