It's hard to believe that yesterday marked the 26th anniversary of the shooting death of John Lennon. I somehow remembered the day before was the anniversary of Pearl Harbor (which I obviously wasn't around to experience), but didn't think of John Lennon until late last evening. It was too cold to go to the gathering in Central Park, but I lighted a candle here.Yesterday was also an odd commute day for me. My morning was greeted with a notice on my train seat which said that Homeland Security would be conducting practice exercises from 4 to 8 p.m., but saying schedules wouldn't be affected. That's nice. I needed a reminder that the NJ Transit trains are likely targets of terrorism just before the holidays. It's a very different world from the one I once knew.Ah, well... onto the TV Newsy Bits:- Lots of Survivor news is out and about! Richard Hatch has appealed his conviction claiming conspiracy. In an interview by Reality News Online, Jonathan (the recent castoff) believes he was playing a "rational" game. RNO also transcribed his The Early Show appearance. Celebrity Spider reports that Survivor 14: Fiji is still filming despite a military coup. We can expect to see that season spring 2007.
- Reality News Online has also transcribed the latest The Amazing Race Insider videos from the CBS website. See what we didn't see behind the scenes before we see the finale show tomorrow night.
- AOL Television News reports that even though rumors abound, Rosie O'Donnell won't be leaving The View.
The other night, I briefly touched on the fact that I was watching The Blue Man Group: Inside the Tube on the local PBS affiliate - WNET, Channel 13, NYC. The show was a part of the station's annual fund drive.In poking about the Web, I found that the show is being aired as part of the fund drive for many PBS stations throughout the country. So, if you're a fan of BMG, or even if you're not, check your local PBS listings. If they're in a fund drive period, you may be able to see the show.Inside the Tube combines interviews with Blue Man Group creators Chris Wink, Matt Goldman and Phil Stanton, segments featuring actual shows in Las Vegas and New York City, and footage of The Complex rock show tour. Watching the show reminded me of what it's like to see them live at the Astor Place Theatre and how I should really go again. While the seating and knee room at the theatre is woefully lacking, the excitement, energy, and thought-provoking entertaining sensory overload makes the
show a worthwhile night out. If you're near the NYC, Chicago, Boston or Las Vegas areas, it's not a cheap ticket show, but it's money well spent to experience them live. They're amazing.And, if you aren't near one of the cities where the Blue Men "reside," then this 90-minute show is the next best thing to seeing them live.Are you paying attention? If you're paying attention, please yell. Can I get a one-handed fist pump, please? Oh, and I like Cap'n Crunch.
Oh, no! Did you realize it's Christmas just two weeks from Monday? Is all of your holiday shopping done? If it is, then you can relax and watch holiday television programming while sipping hot chocolate and not feel guilty about hiding from the maddening crowds. Even if you haven't finished your shopping, it may be good to shop online and stay home to watch television, right?Here's the scoop on what's on this weekend... keep in mind that it's not all-inclusive and you might want to check for programs specific to your local areas:Saturday, December 9:- QVC and HSN holiday shopping is in full swing for the whole weekend.
- 9 AM ET/PT - ABC Family - Ruldoph and Frosty's Christmas in July (animated movie)
- 9 AM ET/PT - TVLand - That Girl all-weekend marathon begins
- 9 AM ET/PT - BRAVO - Six Feet Under mini-marathon begins (ends at 2 PM)
- 11 AM ET/PT - ABC Family - The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus
- 11 AM ET/PT - A&E - Karroll's Christmas (movie)
- Noon ET/PT - ABC Family - The Story of the First Christmas Snow
- 12:30 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - Hester the Donkey
- 1 PM ET/PT - Lifetime - Miracle on the 17th Green (movie)
- 1 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - Pinocchio's Christmas
- 2 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - Jack Frost
- 2 PM ET/PT - TNT - The Librarian: Quest for the Spear
- 3 PM ET/PT - Lifetime - Christmas Child (movie)
- 3 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - Frosty's Winter Wonderland
- 3 PM ET/PT - Food Network - Paula's Southern Christmas
- 3:30 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - 'Twas the Night Before Christmas
- 4 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - Rudolph's Shiny New Year
- 4 PM ET/PT - Food Network - All Star Holiday Gifts
- 4 PM ET/PT - TNT - The Librarian: Return to King Solomon's Mines
- 5 PM ET/PT - Lifetime - Christmas in My Hometown (movie)
- 5 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - The Year Without a Santa Claus
- 6 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - Santa Claus is Comin' to Town
- 7 PM ET/PT - Lifetime - Home for the Holidays (movie)
- 7 PM & 9:30 ET/PT - ABC Family - The Polar Express (movie)
- 8 PM ET/PT - TNT - The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (movie)
- 9 PM ET/PT - ABC - Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (movie)
- 9 PM ET/PT - Lifetime - Holiday Affair (movie)
- 10 PM ET/PT - TLC - Crazy Christmas Lights
- 10:15 PM ET/PT - AMC - Prancer (movie)
Sunday, December 10:
- Midnight ET/PT - Lifetime - A Very Cool Christmas (movie)
- Midnight ET/PT - ABC Family - Home Alone 4 (movie)
- Midnight ET/PT - Food Network - Nigella Bites Christmas Special
- 1 AM ET/PT - Food Network - A Barefoot Contessa Holiday
- 8 AM ET/PT - ABC Family - To Grandmother's House We Go (movie)
- 8 AM ET/PT - Food Network - All Star Holiday Cookies
- 10 AM ET/PT - ABC Family - A Mom for Christmas (movie)
- 11 AM ET/PT - WGN - It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie
- 11 AM ET/PT - Lifetime - Secret of Giving (movie)
- Noon ET/PT - ABC Family - Santa Claus: The Movie
- 12:30 PM ET/PT - AMC - Cheaper by the Dozen (original with Myrna Loy)
- 1 PM ET/PT - Lifetime - His and Her Christmas (movie)
- 2 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - Scrooged (movie)
- 3 PM ET/PT - Lifetime - Noel (movie)
- 4 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - Chasing Christmas (movie)
- 5 PM ET/PT - Lifetime - On the 2nd Day of Christmas (movie)
- 5 PM ET/PT - Food Network - Paula's Southern Christmas
- 6 PM ET/PT - Cartoon Network - Casper's Haunted Christmas (movie)
- 6 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - Snow (movie)
- 6 PM ET/PT - AMC - Miracle on 34th Street (movie)
- 7 PM ET/PT - Lifetime - Call Me Claus (movie)
- 8 PM ET/PT - MY9 (NYC) - Adam Sandler's Eight Crazy Nights (movie)
- 8 & 10 PM ET/PT - ABC Family - Santa Baby (movie)
- 8 & 10:15 PM ET/PT - AMC - Prancer (movie)
- 8 PM ET/PT - HGTB - The White House Christmas 2006
- 8 PM ET/PT - TNT - The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (movie)
- 9 PM ET/PT - Lifetime - Christmas on Chesnut Street (movie)
- 9 PM ET/PT - HGTV - What's With That Christmas House?
Remember, we have one more episode to go next Thursday night and then the big finale and reunion show is Sunday, December 17. And, look at the numbers. After tonight there are six left. Rumors are abounding. Will there be a double eviction? Will there be a Final Three vying for the win instead of a Final Two? And, what about the Jury? If there is an even number, there could be a tie. I guess we'll see a week from Sunday!Seven are left. Who will be voted out tonight?The show opened with Jonathan listing the names he was called at the recent Tribal Council. You know - rat, weasel, a cancer. He's not a happy rat.
But the focus soon switched to Parvati. She was chopping at a coconut with a machete and really sliced open her thumb, right through the nail. Despite the relative severity of the wound, she handled it well. But, then again, that's the kind of wound which is going to hurt a lot more a day or two later than right as it happens. Medics were called and she had a stitch or two and did (or will) lose the nail (or most of it). Remind me not to chop my coconuts with my handy kitchen machete, please.The sore thumb didn't hold her back during the Reward Challenge, though. Jeff surprised the castaways with family members who ended up participating in the challenge. It was a water relay where the castaways, blindfolded, had to fill up a small bucket from the ocean. Their respective loved ones, not blindfolded, would guide them to throw the water into a bucket they each held. Then the loved ones would dump the contents into a larger bucket which, when filled, would raise a flag. It ended up looking more like a water fight that a bucket brigade. And, Parvati won it with her father as her partner.
She got to choose someone to go to Exile Island. Not a surprise at all, she chose Jonathan. Then Jeff turned the tables and had her father choose two other castaways and their guests to go to a huge fried chicken picnic held in a sacred cave with locals. Since he didn't know who his daughter liked or not, he was in a spot. I think he went for the guests he liked, not the castaways. He chose Adam and his father and Sundra and her Mom."I call him George because he's my best friend," said Adam of his father. Um, okay. If that makes you happy, Adam, go for it.With Jonathan off at Exile Island, the group remaining at camp -- Yul, Becky, Ozzy -- found it was very peaceful. They decided that they should hide the food from Adam and Parvati. Since Ozzy is the main food provider from fish to coconuts, he resented those two winning anything when he's feeding them. So they threw all the fruit into the woods.At the feast, Sundra did her best to fit in, make friends, and influence people even though she was eating with the enemy. Of course, Adam and Parvati were working on their own influencing pushing their anti-Jonathan agenda. It looked like Sundra was liking them more and more, but would her allies take them under their wing?Sure enough, they did! It was the food. Adam and Parvati brought back a feast for those who remained at camp. Now, I found this a bit odd. In previous seasons, they had to smuggle smidgens from a Rewards feast back to those who remained at camp. Adam and Parvati brought full meals for everyone including themselves. And, it was all eaten without Jonathan. Becky, in a confessional, commented on how peaceful everything was without Jonathan, but with Parvati and Adam.
The seeds have been planted.The Immunity Challenge was a Built For Ozzy water obstacle course that the castaways had to run through twice collecting bundles of sticks. Then they had to form a pole with the retrieved sticks and hook two rings way up high. First in with the rings won. Ozzy ran over the barrels which knocked others out; folks were slip-sliding all over the course. The only one who was anywhere near Ozzy was Yul and he took some good falls. But, in the end, Ozzy won Immunity, so he's safe from Tribal Council. And, since Yul has the Immunity Idol from Exile Island, we know he's safe, too.
Returning to camp, Jonathan knew something has changed. "Something is afoot. I know it. Something has shifted." He was right. In his absence, Adam and Parvati had worked their way in with the ex-Aitu members better than Jonathan fit in with them.Jonathan worked the girls. "Are we still cool? Are we voting Adam out tonight?" They mumbled some sort of affirmative mumble. Then Jonathan went for Yul. "I saved you! I was loyal." Yul mumbled a bit, too. Adam also approached Yul and pleaded his case. Yul talked to Becky and they thought that Adam and Jonathan should go away as soon as possible and then they would need to think about Ozzy as he's way too strong a competitor. In a confessional spot, Yul likened his own position to a "Godfather ordering a hit."At Tribal Council, there was more finger-pointing and weasel-calling of Jonathan, more smug replies from Jonathan, and not as much camera-mugging from Nathan. In the end, all voted out Jonathan except for Jonathan himself. He voted for Adam. I think Jonathan's demeanor at Tribal Council didn't help his cause any. He acted like ex-Aitu owed him. I'm personal wary of the vote. Adam can win challenges; Jonathan couldn't (or hasn't). Adam has plenty of friends on the jury who would vote for him in a Final Two situation; Jonathan has no friends on the jury. The only reasoning in keeping Adam over Jonathan would be a peer pressure kind of thing -- "Look, we voted out Jonathan for peace." I don't know. I think it wasn't the best choice. Adam while they could get him gone would be better for Yul, Becky, Ozzy, and Sundra.
Jonathan was voted out tonight. A full review/recap will be posted later.I personally think a huge mistake was made - Adam should have been voted off. But I'll get into that in the review/recap. Stop on back!
It's hard to believe that yesterday marked the 26th anniversary of the shooting death of John Lennon. I somehow remembered the day before was the anniversary of Pearl Harbor (which I obviously wasn't around to experience), but didn't think of John Lennon until late last evening. It was too cold to go to the gathering in Central Park, but I lighted a candle here.
