Great Pants, Who's On 'The Late Show with David Letterman' This Week?

I must be too much of a Letterman fan. Last week, without looking at this week's schedule, I said he was due for a vacation week. And, I was right. This week is full of repeats, some definitely worth seeing if you missed them on the first run. To me, the shame of it all when it comes to Letterman reruns is that they're all recent shows. I realize they can't jump networks and show his old NBC shows, but I'd love to see some of the older CBS shows during his off weeks. There have certainly been some memorable ones!

Here's the skinny on the schedule this week:

• Monday, Dec. 4: From 11/02/06 - Rosie O'Donnell and musical guest Lady Sovereign
• Tuesday, Dec. 5: From 9/19/06 - Patrick Dempsey, Ventriloquist Jay Johnson and Darwin (part of the Infamous Ventriloquist Week), musical guest Kasabian.
• Wednesday, Dec. 6: The Late Show website lists this show as originally airing 12/06/06, but they're obviously wrong. It's a recent show from November and a very worthy of watching show. It's Jorge Garcia (Hurley from Lost) with the Top Ten, a hilarious segment with Teri Horton of Who the %#$ is Jackson Pollack fame (yes, I know who he is), Daniel Craig (Casino Royale), and musical guests Elvis Costello and Roseanne Cash.
• Thursday, Dec. 7: From 10/30/06, another interesting show albeit too recently aired for my liking - Jerry Springer (just off Dancing With The Stars) does the Top Ten, Borat from Borat, Tiki Barber (football - NY Giants), and musical guest Beck.
• Friday, Dec. 8: From 11/08/06, it's Dustin Hoffman, Jamie Oliver (author of Jamie's Italy), musical guests are the cast of the Metropolitan Opera's "Il Barbiere di Siviglia." A good show, but again... much too soon to see it again for me.

Once this week of reruns is out of the way, we should be looking at this season's Late Show Christmas tree complete with the meatball on top and other typical holiday doings. In the meantime, I may have to see who Jay has on his show this week, heaven forbid!

TV Newsy Bits - Saturday, December 2, 2006

I hope everyone weathered the stormy weather which took a run through the country! Here, it wasn't so bad. We went from a balmy day to a temperature drop of 20 degrees within an hour and fast-moving thunderstorms with high winds. No snow, though. Today is more seasonable with crisp air and clear skies. But it would be a good day to cozy up to the fireplace... if I had one.

I see the Lexus commercials are back for the season. In what world do these people live? How do I get in on this? Is Santa giving these expensive cars? Am I on his naughty list and just not getting one as a gift or what?

In TV Newsy Bits for the day:

• Reality TV Calendar takes an extensive look at past all-women teams on The Amazing Race and boldly declares an all-women team will make the final three this season. Well, duh. Obviously, since there are two all-women teams left in the four, at least one will make the three! The question is which one? Or both? No spoilers are in the article, but it's an interesting trek back.
• Reality News Online interviewed Candice (The Survivor Exile Island Queen) and also transcribed her The Early Show appearance. Interesting, but I still won't really miss her on the island.
• TV News- NBC Tweaks Three Nights - AOL News - Oh, The Apprentice! Yay!
• AOL Gives a 24 Hour Gift of Free Movie Downloads - Today only - check it out!

Holiday Television Programming - This Weekend Dec. 2 - 3

As the weather turns wintry in most of the country, it's the perfect time to wrap yourself in a cozy throw, sip hot chocolate, and think of the holidays ahead. And, but of course... watch holiday, seasonal, and special programs on television! It's like comfort food for the soul.

This list isn't all inclusive, but is a pretty good representation of what's on this weekend. For local holiday programming, please check your local listings. I may touch on some of the NYC area shows, but I have no idea what may be happening in Oshkosh!

Saturday, December 2:

• Midnight (ET/PT), the FOOD Network is airing Christmas in America.
• QVC and HSN are almost all holiday gifts all the time.
• 9:30 AM ET/PT, ABC Family Network is airing To Grandmother's House We Go (movie)
• 11 AM ET/PT, TBS is airing Snow Day (movie)
• 11 AM ET/PT, USA is airing Elf (movie)
• 11 AM ET/PT, Lifetime is airing The Man Who Saved Christmas (movie).
• 11:30 AM ET/PT, ABC Family, Santa Claus: The Movie
• 1 PM ET/PT, Lifetime, Holiday in Your Heart (movie)
• 1:30 PM ET/PT, ABC Family is airing Home Alone 3 (movie)
• 3 PM ET/PT, Lifetime, A Song For The Season (movie)
• 3:30 ET/PT, ABC Family, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (movie)
• 4 PM ET/PT, USA is airing The Great American Christmas (movie)
• 5 PM ET/PT, Lifetime, If You Believe (movie)
• 6 PM ET/PT, USA, Elf again
• 7 PM ET/PT, Lifetime, A Town Without Christmas (movie)
• 7 PM ET/PT, ABC Family, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (movie)
• 9 PM ET/PT, Lifetime, Comfort and Joy (movie)
• 11 PM ET/PT, ABC Family, Santa Claus: The Movie

Sunday, December 3:

• 9 AM ET/PT, USA, The Great American Christmas (movie)
• 9 AM ET/PT, ABC Family, Home Alone 3 (movie)
• 11 AM ET/PT, Lifetime, The Christmas Gift (movie)
• 11 AM ET/PT, ABC Family, Home Alone 4 (movie)
• 1 PM ET/PT, Lifetime, Like Father, Like Santa (movie)
• 1 PM ET/PT, ABC Family, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (movie)
• 3 PM ET/PT, Lifetime, Deck the Halls (movie)
• 5 PM ET/PT, Lifetime, Stolen Miracle (movie)
• 5 PM and 8 PM ET/PT, ABC Family, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (movie)
• 7 PM ET/PT, Lifetime, A Different Kind of Christmas (movie)
• 8 PM and 10 PM ET/PT, AMC, Miracle on 34th Street (movie)
• 8 PM and 10 PM ET/PT, TNT, The Librarian: Return to King Solomon's Mines (movie)
• 9 PM ET/PT, Lifetime, A Dad For Christmas (movie)

And, it's all just starting!

'Survivor 13: Cook Islands' - Ep. 11 -or- "No One Likes You, Nyah Nyah"

Eight are left. Who will be voted out tonight?

Hey, I thought they chose to stay at the campsite with no rats - Raro's original camp. Why did Night 27 open with rat shots? Unless, of course, they were symbolic rats. I've noticed that either rats or snake shots happen before Jonathan is shown.

In my own opinion (mainly because I find her annoying), they could have been symbolic Parvati rats, too. She was lighting right into Jonathan about his flipping at Tribal Council. And, Jonathan couldn't hold it in any longer. He told the ex-Raro group (Parvati, Adam, and Candice) that Yul indeed had the hidden Immunity Idol from Exile Island. They were too busy calling him a filthy miserable rat to pay much attention to that important news.

Now, to me, Jonathan is as bad about Parvati as she is about him. In the morning, he went on and on about how she's been on the island for 28 days and she hasn't cleaned a fish, nor does she have a clue how to go about it. Jonathan mentioned how lazy Parvati is as he tried to keep in good graces with the ex-Aitu bunch (Yul, Ozzy, Becky, and Sundra).

This week's episode marked the just about mandatory Survivor auction for reward-type items. There are usually a few duds under covers mixed in with the good stuff. Each castaway was issued $500. They could lend and borrow money amongst themselves, but they couldn't share any of the winnings. Jonathan went to town winning a hot dog meal with beer (that he spilled) and pizza (which he licked). Parvati won the bid for a bubble bath and a piece of chocolate cake. Ozzy won ice cream. Sundra got a booby prize of a sea cucumber.

Ah, but it was Becky who won the best prize of all. It was a mystery note which Jeff said would hold power in the game. Borrowing money, Becky bid $640 for it. Inside the envelope? A chance to send a player to Exile Island. She decided to send Candice there for a fourth time. Talk about crumbling someone!

Yul, for some reason all of his own, decided it was time to announce that he had the hidden Immunity Idol. I'm not sure of his thinking process there. Well, he could have figured that most of the people knew it and he already used it for a power play in flipping Jonathan. Also, just knowing he has it will keep others from voting him off and make them leery of who has the second highest number of votes.

Back at camp, while Candice was whining, crying, and fussing over on Exile Island, Jonathan made another faux-pas in the game of getting along with others. He was the one who didn't want Cao Boi bringing the Immunity Idol to Reward Challenges and such, right? If I recall correctly, he said it was like "rubbing the win in their faces." So, what does he do? He goes on and on about all the food he won at the auction.

Yul and Becky, as well as Ozzy, noticed the bad behavior and seriously considered dumping Jonathan. But, you must remember, Jonathan's not the greatest competitor in challenges, plus he's a great person to be with in the Final Two - he's the least popular player of them all. The ex-Aitu see his "true character" but need to decide if they can use him or take their chances with ex-Raro.

The Immunity Challenge was done in two rounds. The castaways had to correctly answer questions about the past 30 days on the island, use numbers derived from the answers, do some physical tasks in the second round, and raise their individual flags. The first three to finish the first round went onto the second. Adam, in a confessional, said he knows he's a target and he must win. Oh, my. He actually did win! Scary, huh?

Back again at camp, Candice figures she's a goner. (And she figures Jonathan is a snake.) Instead of focusing on the game, Adam and his harem cuddle in the shelter. Not too bright of a move, eh? Meanwhile, Jonathan knows he's skating on thin ice with all and returns with fish. Ozzy, Becky, Sundra, and Yul join him in cleaning and cooking the catch, then chowing down. Oh, the cuddlers realized that the ex-Aitu (and Jonathan) are eating without them!

A verbal brouhaha broke out as Candice confronted them, calling out comments Yul made about Jonathan, calling Jonathan names, and more. Ozzy claimed "no one gets a free lunch." Candice called Yul the "ringleader" and blamed him for Jonathan while trying to alienate the group from Jonathan. I like brouhahas. They should have them more often.
Of course, that made the very rational and smart-playing Yul question again whether keeping Jonathan would hurt his chances with the jury. The editing tried to make us viewers think it was Jonathan's turn to go, so we (or, at least, I) knew that wouldn't be the case.

At Tribal Council, the brouhaha went on all over again while Nate hammed for the camera from the jury box. "No one likes you, Jonathan!" "Yul is a puppetmaster!" Even Ozzy called out the laziness of the three cuddlers. And, in the end, ex-Aitu (and Jonathan) all voted for Candice to go, while ex-Raro voted for Jonathan to go. 5 to 3, Candice was asked to leave the Tribal Council area immediately. Or, in this case, after an extended smooch from Adam. Gag me now.

'Survivor 13: Cook Islands' - East Coast Update - 11/30 - The Boot

Candice was voted off with all of Aitu (and Jonathan) voting for her. Candice, Parvati, and Adam voted for Jonathan.

A full review/recap will be posted late this evening. Stop back!

'Survivor 13: Cook Islands' - East Coast Update - 11/30 - Immunity

Adam won Immunity.

TV Newsy Bits (and Stuff) - Thursday, November 30, 2006

Yes, last night was the infamous Return of Richard Simmons to the Late Show with David Letterman. Other than being sort of mean to him and almost setting him on fire, Dave controlled himself rather well. I wonder if he'll use the little matching "Harry" shirt - I can bet he won't wear the "David" shirt after Richard wore it. Huh... a $300 tie? Yikes!

Tonight is Survivor 13: Cook Islands night and, as usual, I'll post East Coast Updates of important events (Immunity, Boot) as they air here in the NYC area. Late tonight, a full recap/review will be posted. If you're not seeing what you think is the most recent post, use the November 2006 Archive link you see in the right sidebar of the main page.

Although I must watch C.S.I. tonight (the miniature crime scene killer returns) and I'm not a huge Scrubs fan, I'll be setting the VCR for the Scrubs season premiere (I think... I'm so confused by fall finales). It's on at the same time as C.S.I. (9 PM ET/PT) and, the kicker is... The Blue Man Group! Yes!

UPDATE: Although CBS has been running a promo for next week's new C.S.I. episode all week (in which the miniature crime scene killer returns), tonight's episode is a repeat. Why do they do that? Grr. Thanks to a commenter for the heads up!

In other TV Newsy Bits:

• The Jericho Mystery Continues Online
• TV News- 'View' Bleeps Bush-Bashing DeVito - AOL News - Oh, my!

TV Newsy Bits - Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Well, if I can just get my computer and Blogger to cooperate with each other, I'll be fine. And, here I am!

I want to start with a bit of a rant. What the heck is with this fall season finale stuff? It's caught on like wildfire - first Lost, now Jericho, next week Heroes. I swear it's the shows I like best out of the reality television realm that are being affected. Is it a plot against me? Is the man trying to keep me down? Although I don't watch the show, my friends over at BuddyTV mention that Prison Break is also a victim of fall finales.

I appreciate that they'll be showing 12 to 13 new episodes starting in January or February, but why such a long hiatus? I'm old school TV, y'see. Back in the days when we walked nine miles uphill both to and from school in -20 degree weather in three feet of snow, we had almost 40 episodes of shows each season from September to May! Yes, we did! Really! It's a nefarious plot of ne'er-do-well production staffers to produce less while reaping in more cash. Can I get a witness?

Ahem.

That said, here's the TV Newsy Bits:

• Set those VCRs or DVRs, or your TIVO... whatever technology you have on hand! Tonight is Richard Simmons return to The Late Show with David Letterman after a six-year absence. It's going to be one heck of a show.
• There are mild promotional kind of spoilers for the upcoming episode of The Amazing Race 10 in this Celebrity Spider article.
• Celebrity Spider has similar spoilers (not the boot) for tomorrow night's Survivor 13: Cook Islands.
• They also covered mild spoilers for the next Heroes episode. Which, I must add, is the fall season finale for the show. Don't get me started on that again.
• If you can make it through the rather poorly written transcript, Media Fiends has Nate's (Survivor) appearance on The Early Show.
• Reality News Online (RNO) has a much better interview with Nate. IGN has an even more extensive interview with him.

Tonight, I watched Criminal Minds, a first for me. Well, I sort of watched it once before, but it didn't keep my attention. Tonight's episode did it - kept my attention. Of course, once Lost returns, that time slot isn't any good for me. But, until then, I'll be giving CM a shot.

Last night I watched the Charlie Brown Christmas show. My goodness, I haven't watched that in a good decade or more. I think I can still recite the lines for each character as it goes along. Ah, the memories. The first time I saw it (the first time it ever aired), we only had a black and white TV set. We didn't get a color set until Christmas that year and, by then, it was too late to see it in color. That was a long, long time ago. Yet, I think the show still holds up well despite the way the world has changed since its first airing. Cool, Charlie Brown.

What have you been watching?

Holiday Television Programming: Nov. 27 - Dec. 1

Yes, yes! This week's holiday television programming includes some old favorites, as well as new holiday-themed episodes of current shows. The latter is always fun for me. How can I think of holiday television shows without thinking of Mary Tyler Moore volunteering to work all alone on Christmas Eve at WJM-TV, only to find her friends truly cared about her? Alas, I'm not seeing the episode ("Christmas and the Hard Luck Kid II" - orginally aired in December, 1970) anywhere in the listings. Oh, well. I have it on videotape somewhere.

Although this list isn't all-inclusive and doesn't cover local programming specific to areas outside of NYC, here's what I found for this week:

Monday, November 27:

• 8 PM ET/PT - A Holiday to Remember (movie) on the cable station ABC Family.
• 9 PM ET/PT - Unwrapped "Holiday Treats" - the FOOD Network.
• QVC seems all holiday-themed, all around the clock.

Tuesday, November 28:

• 7 PM ET/PT - Elf (the movie) on the USA Network
• Get ready to do your Snoopy dance - A Charlie Brown Christmas airs on ABC at 8 PM ET/PT. For sentimental reasons, this has always been a favorite of mine.
• 8 PM ET/PT - Scrooged with Bill Murray on the ABC Family Network.
• 9 PM ET/PT - USA Network, The Great American Christmas - six diverse families discuss the meaning of the holiday.
• 9 PM ET/PT - Road Tasted "Gift Guide" - holiday food gifts on the FOOD Network.
• 10 PM ET/PT (repeated the next hour, too) - The Nip/Tuck holiday episode on FX Network.

Wednesday, November 29:

• The USA Network has holiday movies galore with Stealing Christmas at noon (ET/PT) and Elf at 2 PM ET/PT.
• Starting at 6 PM ET/PT, although not holiday-related, the SciFi Channel is having a Heroes marathon, beginning with the pilot episode. So, if you've missed Heroes, here's your chance to save the cheerleader, save the world.
• 7 PM ET, local NBC affiliate WNBC (NYC) - Christmas in Rockerfeller Center - the tree lighting ceremony. I could go, I guess. But it's a lot less crowded and hassle-free to watch it on TV.
• 8 PM ET/PT - Christmas in Rockerfeller Center - the national version of the above show with the glitz, glitter, and singing pop stars. NBC
• 8 PM ET/PT - Mr. St. Nick (movie) on ABC Family Network.
• 10:30 PM ET/PT - Ham on the Street, unique food gifts. FOOD Network.

Thursday, November 30:

• 8 PM ET/PT - Santa Claus: The Movie on the ABC Family channel.
• 9 PM ET/PT - Golf and Christmas? It's A Miracle on the 17th Green on the Lifetime cable channel.
• 10 PM ET/PT - Men in Trees - Thanksgiving-themed episode on ABC.

Friday, December 1:

• 12 PM ET/PT - I'll be Home For Christmas (movie), Lifetime cable channel.
• 2 PM ET/PT - Eve's Christmas (movie), also on Lifetime.
• 7 PM ET/PT - Frosty's Winter Wonderland, narrated by Andy Griffiths, on ABC Family cable network.
• 7:30 PM ET/PT - ABC Family Network kicks off a Harry Potter-infused weekend with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
• 8 PM ET/PT - The Polar Express on ABC TV, a welcome addition to the holiday line-up!
• 8 PM ET/PT - Emeril's Happy Happy Holidays on the FOOD Network. Hmmm, I've never had goose for the holiday.
• 9 PM ET/PT - Noel (movie) on the Lifetime cable channel.

Now, if I could just stay home and watch it all!

'The Amazing Race 10' - Ep. 11 -or- "What comes around, goes around... and around... and around."

Time is running out for the Amazing Race. With four teams still in the race and two shows left to go, you know it's time for a non-Philimination leg, right? Unlike Survivor, it's a race between the Final Three to the finish, not the Final Four.

Ah, but which three teams will make it? Right now the race is too iffy to tell. The strongest two teams, in my opinion, are the BoyToys (Tyler and James) and the Evil Beauty Queen Blondes (Dustin and Kandice). But, even what I perceive as the weakest team, the Alabama Moms (Lyn and Karlyn), can sometimes surprise me. What never surprises me is the ongoing car problems faced by the Dating (not bickering so much as of late) Couple, Rob and Kimberly.

The BoyToys were the first team to leave the Pit Stop in Kiev (the Ukraine) at 7:33 AM while the 'Bama Moms left last at 9:08. So, this time we're talking about 90 minutes separating first and last. That's not really a heck of a lot of time. The clue the teams received instructed them to fly to Quarzazate, Morocco, where they were to go to a Kasbah (sort of like an oasis in the desert) and collect a "good luck" charm. Yes, now I have "Rock the Casbah" by the Clash stuck in my head. Thank you, TAR.

The Blondes took a risky connection flight while Rob/Kimberly and the BoyToys gathered on another flight. Rob showed his distaste for the Blondes by telling them he got an earlier flight which didn't exist. The only shame was he admitted he was joking. He should have stuck with the lie and let them panic a bit more. The 'Bama Moms had a three-hour layover and wisely spent the time gathering and studying maps. While they aren't the most physically fit team, they're definitely thinking ahead as the race goes on. In the end, all the teams ended up on the last connection flight to Morocco.

And, due to studying the maps, the 'Bama Moms actually made it to the next clue (Atlas Studios) first, snagged their good luck charm and the next clue, thus amazing all the following teams. No one knew for sure how they got ahead, but Tyler and James mentioned more than a few times during the leg that they're good with directions, as did Rob and Kimberly. Now, that has changed since their reputation of the Six Pack. There's something that us viewers must have missed.

Uh-oh, the clue not only directed them to a Kasbah, but warned them that a Yield was ahead. And, but of course, it turned out to be one of the infamous (and often annoying) bunching points for the teams. While the 'Bama Moms actually made it there first, the opening time was 8 AM. So, even the seemingly hopelessly lost Blondes were on even keel once again.

As the gates opened, it was a foot-race to the Yield box. Neither the BoyToys or Rob/Kimberly Yielded anyone. Then it was the Blondes as the 'Bama Moms just can't run fast at all. The Blondes Yielded 'Bama. Eep, talk about steam coming from the ears! Those Moms are now officially ticked off (more than they were before) at the Blondes and kept on sizzling as the hourglass did its thing.

As the Moms waited at the Yield, the other teams took off for a Roadblock - a task only one member of a team can complete. This one looked fun, a chariot race reminiscent of Ben Hur. While being "driven" by a local, the team member had to pluck two flags from the course. Although they went last, the 'Bama Moms made up time. I think it was sheer determination leading the way.

The Blondes got lost... again. Rob and Kimberly had car problems, this time a flat and a jack which just wouldn't come out of its place, again. Because of those woes, the BoyToys and 'Bama Moms hit this leg's Detour first. A Detour is a choice between two tasks and both members compete. The tasks this time had to do with job staples in Morocco. Teams could Throw It or Grind It. In Throw It, teams had to make two clay pots to specification on a potter's wheel. In Grind It, teams would have to grind and pack olives. It was first come, first serve and only three teams could perform a task at a time.

So, all the teams chose Grind It. I don't know why pottery scared them so. The BoyToys took a while to figure out that they would have to make the pots, not throw them. (And they're not blond!) Because they were so lost, the Blondes had to wait out the other teams. The grinding had the teams physically pushing a pole which in turn operated a large churning wheel to grind the olives. It wasn't easy.

From the Detour, teams had to take the Road to Marrakech, which reminds me of either a Bing Crosby/Bob Hope movie or a song by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. Take your pick. They were heading to the Pit Stop, in the middle of the desert with the route marked.

The BoyToys (James/Tyler) made it there first and, not only that, but the good luck charm they picked up earlier in the leg matched the one of the local who was with Phil at the Pit Stop. They each won a Sprint Treo 700P. The 'Bama Moms had been in a foot-race against the Boys, but obviously can't beat those two. They came in second. Then it was Rob and Kimberly.

And, coming in last, it was Dustin and Kandice. But remember what I said about the numbers of teams and the remaining shows we have left? It was a non-Philimination leg. So they're marked for elimination, but still in the race.

Okay, we have two shows left. I still have no team to cheer on. I don't really want the BoyToys to win because I feel there have been a few too many young male team winners in the past. It's a toss-up with the other three teams. I was more impressed by the 'Bama Moms this week because they really put themselves in gear. Huh. At this point, I'm ambivalent towards the remaining teams on the whole. I'll watch, but I refuse to cheer.

'The Amazing Race 10' - East Coast Update - 11/26 - Pit Stop

Arriving at the Pit Stop:

1. Tyler and James - Due to a good luck charm picked up earlier in the leg, each won a Sprint Treo
2. Lyn and Karlyn - Despite being Yielded by the Blondes
3. Rob and Kimberly
4. Dustin and Kandice

It was a non-Philimination leg, so all teams are still in the race with the Blondes marked for elimination. A full recap/review will be posted late this evening.

'The Amazing Race 10' - Nov. 26th Blogging

Yikes! The Amazing Race began on time here in the NYC area. A Pit Stop arrival listing and Philimination will be posted approximately 9 PM ET. A full recap/review will be posted late this evening.

More Pants, Please - Coming This Week on 'The Late Show with David Letterman' - Nov. 27-Dec. 1

I'm sure he's due for a vacation soon, but never during November sweeps! It's All Fresh Pants for The Late Show with David Letterman this week and here are the scheduled guests:

• Monday, Nov. 27: Kate Winslet and a musical guest I'm eagerly anticipating - Tom Waits! Woohoo! Tom Waits is amazing and he just doesn't do enough television for my liking.
• Tuesday, Nov. 28: George Clooney (isn't he the World's Sexiest Man according to People Magazine once again this year?) and The Decemberists.
• Wednesday, Nov. 29: Richard Simmons returns after a six-year absence. This one is a Must See for any Letterman fan. How's it going to go? Musical guest is Ciara.
• Thursday, Nov. 30: Jennifer Connelly and Tom Dreesen. Um. Okay.
• Friday, Dec. 1: Danny DeVito, always interesting, and musical guest Silversun Pickups.

There, that's the Fresh Pants for the week.

TV Newsy Bits - Sunday, November 26, 2006

Welcome home, all you holiday weekend travelers -- I hope everyone had a fine Thanksgiving Day!

Yes, it's the holiday season, but TV Newsy Bits doesn't take time for a holiday. TV Newsy Bits scoffs at holidays and comes up with even more bits o' television news for your perusal!

Um.

In the best bits out there, here's the scoop:

• After being suspended and shackled in a gyroscope over Times Square for two days in the rain, David Blaine freed himself within fifteen minutes of getting the go-ahead for his escape. He plunged through a plywood stage 50 feet below and walked away with a noticeable limp. The latest escapade was a charity bit which would give 100 needy children a shopping spree at Target. Now, what would have happened if he was seriously hurt in the fall?
• For those of you who are catching up on the news -- David and Mary Conley from Amazing Race 10 will be on Amazing Race 11: All Stars. The cast also includes Romber... again. According to the New York Post (and other sources), some previous teams are feeling very snubbed.
• Someone in comments asked me about Meerkat Manor - its regular time is Friday evenings at 8 PM ET/PT on Animal Planet when it runs back-to-back episodes for an hour. I could be wrong, but I think they have indeed aired all of season two at this time. (In other mere cat news, a mouse actually got into my apartment and my cat actually killed it. I didn't know the 13-year-old never-saw-a-mouse-before cat had it in him. It was a bit like Wild Kingdom in my living room. Yikes.)
• MSNBC had an article about the Reality TV Turkeys of the Year, naming Paula Abdul's questionable state of mind during American Idol and more. It's a fun read, even though we're the real authorities on reality television right here in this blog. Right?
• "Save the cheerleader, save the world." Actress Hayden Panettiere, who plays the cheerleader Claire on Heroes (my new television obsession), was interviewed in this Newsday article. Her Dad is a retired NYC firefighter. I'm sure he had to save a cheerleader or two over the years.
• Penn and Teller will host a new game show called Identity, set to debut December 18 on NBC. This Celebrity Spider article has the skinny on that.
• Has Travelocity's Roaming Gnome gone missing or been replaced? Oh, no! Whatever will the Amazing Race or Big Brother do sans Da Gnome challenge?
• According to this TVGuide.com spoilers article, Cheech Marin (of Cheech and Chong fame) will make an appearance as Hurley's father in a Lost episode set to air February 28. Now, that's a perfect Dad for Hurley, eh? Beware if you go to the article - spoilers on many shows abound.

Holiday Television Programming: This Weekend Nov. 25-26

Fa-la-la, Thanksgiving is now a not-so-distant memory and we're immersed in the holiday season once again. What's on my mind as we head into December? Well, holiday television programs, specials, and more... of course!

Here are some of the special programs and holiday shows lined up for the upcoming weekend:

Saturday, November 25

• QVC is in full holiday mode, starting at midnight and going on... and on.
• HGTV continues showing its holiday fare - Gift Show 2006, Toy Fair 2006, Gift and Gear 2006, etc. - starting at midnight and running into the wee hours.
• CourtTV continues its Forensic Files marathon, again we're talking from midnight on.
• Top Chef's Thanksgiving episode will be shown again at 4 AM ET/PT on BRAVO.
• HSN has holiday shopping through to dawn and beyond.
• 12 Days of Christmas Eve (movie), USA network at 1 PM ET/PT
• The Cartoon Network has a solid block of holiday 'toons starting at noon (ET/PT)
• BRAVO has its Six Feet Under marathon starting at 1 PM ET/PT and running into the wee hours of Sunday.
• Cable SuperStation WGN is airing White Christmas (with Bing Crosby) at 3 PM ET/PT.
• Stealing Christmas (movie starring Tony Danza) - USA network at 3 PM ET/PT
• Emeril Live: Hilda's Holiday Classics at 8 PM ET/PT on the Food network.
• Italian Christmas at 9 PM ET/PT on the Food network.
• Holidays at Walt Disney World at 10 PM ET/PT on the Food network.

Sunday, November 26:

• Although not a holiday movie per se, TNT is showing Gone With the Wind at 10 AM ET/PT
• The USA network starts its Monk marathon at noon ET/PT. Holiday episodes are on the slate for the late evening hours.
• The Family network has Richie Rich's Christmas Wish on at 6 PM ET/PT
• I'll be watching The Amazing Race at the 8 PM ET/PT time slot, but also in that time slot is a new 7th Heaven episode called "Thanks and Giving" on CW.
• The Family network has Home Alone 3 on at 8 PM ET/PT.
• HGTV runs their holiday-themed shows once again in primetime.

'Survivor 13: Cook Islands' - Ep. 10 -or- "A Pivotal Moment Instigated by a Dirty Whack Fruitcake"

Nine are left. Who will be voted out tonight?

Due to last week's double castoff (Rebecca and Jenny), the tribes are closely matched in numbers this week. Aitu is still the underdog with four members to Raro's five, but they're a solid powerhouse. Raro isn't organized and tends to not work towards a common goal.

And, I'm far from the only one who's picked up on Raro's mis-strategy in the game. Jonathan, their recent mutiny addition, seemed to be at wit's end with them in the opening of tonight's show (Day 25). As he fishes, they sleep in. Or, Adam smooches with Candice or snuggles with Parvati. Nate bristles whenever Jonathan tries to lead the tribe, though goodness knows they need some kind of boot in the butt to get their act together. Oh, woe is Jonathan. Although he's outlasted three of the Raro members, he knows he's not in with the in crowd. Yet, he keeps pushing the envelope and making Nate bristle so much that his hair goes wild.

Over at the Aitu tribe, although they're tight, they're suffering. Yul complained of his leg hurting, as well as feeling achy and a bit ill. Sundra showed Ozzy a huge scrape on her knee and they're all hurtin' puppies.

Ah, but the game switches up. Instead of going to a Rewards Challenge, Jeff announced they had paints, brushes, and new buffs. The merge is on! The tribes decided to live at the ex-Raro campsite as it lacks rats. They named the newly merged tribe Aitutonga (a mix of Aitu-whatever and Rarotonga). The castaways enjoyed a feast catered by the locals and a boat ride back to camp. A good time was had by all. Or was it?

Jonathan, in confessionals, once again complained that the "kids" were partying too much and not thinking of the game. Now, I know where he's coming from, but I think that he tends to be too intense and always playing even though he tends to make some bad decisions. What bad decisions? Well, the mutiny, for one. He's lucky to still be there. Another bad move is his tendency to lead and be bossy. Yes, he has a reason, but it still alienates some of the tribe members and makes that target on his back a bit bigger.

After settling in at camp, the others turned to thoughts of the game. It's obvious that the tribes will work along tribal lines for any voting. That puts Aitu at a disadvantage due to being one member less than Raro. Nate and the rest of Raro pledged to stick together as they can indeed count. So, the dilemma turned to the fact that Aitu has to flip a Raro to their side.

Yul approached Jonathan with a hypothetical "if I had the hidden Immunity Idol" scenario (like the "If I Did It" - yikes!). He pointed out that Raro would probably target him (Yul) and Aitu would probably target Jonathan. Then, if he used the idol to save himself, Jonathan would be voted out instead. Although he made it hypothetical to Jonathan, he told both Ozzy and Sundra that he has the idol. So, they'll vote whatever he says and they know someone must flip from Raro - Jonathan is their best bet.

The Immunity Challenge was one of endurance and actually easier for smaller folks (like women) than the larger folks like Adam, Nathan, and Yul. They had to hang onto a pole, not using the top, until they couldn't hang on any longer. There were bands of rope around the poles for foot and hand grips. As Yul said, "This is why elephants can't run up trees." The men, with the exception of Ozzy, did poorly. In the end, it was Candice who looked oh-so-cool-just-hanging-around for so long against Ozzy. Ozzy nailed it and won the first individual Immunity.

So, the scheming went into full force back at the camp. For not doing a heck of a lot of work, Adam sure thinks he can run the tribe. He pushed mightily for a Yul vote from the Raro members while telling us in confessional that Ozzy's too strong and must go soon, too.

Yul admitted to Jonathan that he has the hidden Immunity Idol, no hypotheticals involved. Although, in a way, it's blackmail, it's not an unfriendly blackmail. It leaves Jonathan the choice to vote with Aitu or be picked off as the runner-up against Yul. He was put in a quandary and there's only really one way out for him - Yul's offer. Jonathan hinted to Raro that Yul might have the idol without ever breaking Yul's secret. They didn't think so.

Aitu gave Jonathan a voice in deciding which Raro member to target so that the ex-Aitu vote would be unanimous. Despite me saying "Adam! Adam!," Jonathan felt Adam had protected him and that Nathan should be targeted.

And, so he was. At the Tribal Council, no votes were shown as they were made, but the votes went down tribal lines with a Jonathan flip back to Aitu. He really had no choice if he wanted to stay in the game. Although it puts him in a bad light with the ex-Raro, it all started with his decision to mutiny. Nathan was voted out 5 - 4 with Raro votes all for Yul to go. Yul played it right. He didn't have to use the hidden Immunity Ido. Jonathan played it right or, more like the only way he could play it and stay in the game.

Hey, remember Cao Boi wanted to force the Immunity Idol to put into play? He had a reason, y'know. Without even being put into play, tonight's episode showed the idol can be used for a power play to shake up the game.

How did Nathan take his plight? At Tribal Council, he looked dejected, rejected, and terribly sad. In the parting words during the credits, he was just mad: "That dirty stanky whack fruitcake sold me out!"

'Survivor 13: Cook Islands' - East Coast Update - 11/23 - The Boot

Jonathan flipped. Nate was voted out 5-4, along tribal lines plus the flip.

'Survivor 13: Cook Islands' - East Coast Update - 11/23 - Immunity

In an endurance challenge, Ozzy won the first individual immunity of the season.

'Survivor 13: Cook Islands' - East Coast Update - 11/23 - Merge ON

The Merge went down instead of Reward. They have a huge feast and decided to live at the Raro campsite (no rats).

Erwin and Godwin Cho Spread the Karma

Fan favorite nice guys team, Erwin and Godwin Cho, from The Amazing Race 10 want to spread the good karma.

Early into the season, or perhaps even before the season but after the casting was announced, I found Godwin's blog, In Search of Godwin. At the time, I mentioned how intriguing he was just from reading the entries. The blog had been last updated in May, just prior to the brothers jetting off on the show. In the entries, there was no mention of Godwin and Erwin even applying to be on the show, but Erwin had been mentioned in a few entries. So, I put two and two together - there can't be too many brothers named Erwin and Godwin Cho living in northern California, right?

Well, the blog was updated Tuesday, dashing my hopes that they'd be on the next season All Stars show. After all, teams seem to have left Miami last week, so a blog update this week nixes that. (Grr.)

In the latest entry, Godwin wrote: "We ran the race without regrets. I believe we ran the race with integrity and dignity (aside from all my crying)." He then went on to link to a new business started by his brother and himself, A Little Karma. Erwin describes it as "Ebay with a conscience."

Inspired by the rewarding feeling they had from helping David and Mary Conley, they want to help others - good karma. From the entry: "alittlekarma.com is an online company dedicated to inspiring people to do kind things for others by performing “acts of kindness” funded by profits from the sale of unique art and clothing by other budding artists/entrepreneurs."

The idea is exactly the type of thing I'd expect from a ChoBro (or two). No, they probably didn't run the race well as they didn't have the cut-throat edge and were way too nice, but these two young men will always be winners. A gander at the company, or a look through the entries on the blog, say it all. Those Cho Brothers are really nice guys.