BB9 - Through the Day - Saturday, Feb. 16

Yes, graphic artist Zoetawny nailed it with this one, didn't she?

Remember ... we wanted this season. It's all our own darn fault for getting so hyped up for an out of the ordinary winter season.

The couples just aren't working for me (nor for most whose comments I've read). I guess if you're a teenager yourself or into quasi-porn, maybe it's fine with you. But most adults are getting turned off, at least from the feeds. It's possible they'll show just enough to up the ratings for the aired shows, I guess.

Anyhow, here are the events from inside that Big Brother House of Low Morals Embarrass Yo' Mama Nincompoops since I last reported:

• I'm under the firm impression that the HG should be told that BBAD (ShoToo live feeds coverage) is canceled. They act like bigger jerks during that time because they think it makes for "good TV."
• Parker, Amanda, and Matt joked about Matt "doing" Allison, then she goes home and he'll "do" the next one, then eviction.
• Allison didn't fall for it. Good.
• Natalie is still all agog over Matt and he couldn't care less about her.
• Jen and Parker think that Matt will convince Natalie to use the veto to save them.
• Alex and Amanda aren't happy together, but we knew that. And, I'm sure it's not going to improve any.
• Parker is worried about Alex campaigning to get him and Jen gone.
• He really wants Matt to use the veto. Of course, Matt AND Natalie have to agree on that and it would mean that the couple (non-coupling on the show) Jen and Ryan would both remain. I think everyone in the house wants to split them up no matter whose side they're on. The actual couple is too strong of a basic alliance to keep together in the house.
• Amanda and Chelsia talked about Sheila growing on them and Allison causing issues.
• Matt is worried that if he uses the veto it'll put a target on his back.
• Sheila was up first again, must be an older generation thing, eh?
• Matt thinks the difference between him and Natalie vs. Alex and Amanda is that his partner likes him and he can "puppetmaster" her. Alas, he's probably right. Natalie's a bimbo. I can see why she's a bikini barista.
• Parker thinks that Big Brother is racist and complained that he hasn't received anything he's requested.
• Sheila, the ex-Penthouse Pet (whatever), told the others she would never have sex on television. My respect for her has increased although I don't particularly care for her.
• Amanda told Matt that Alex was touching her as he thought she was sleeping. True? I personally doubt it unless he's just some kind of sex fiend. He doesn't like her.
• She asked Matt to tell her if Alex says anything mean about her. Oh, my God ... it's gone from 5th grade down to 3rd.
• Joshuah and Sharon also know of her "touching" story and think if Alex knew she was saying it, he'd go crazy.
• Matt thinks the ratings for the show will be in the top ten. Yeah, right. I don't think so!
• Amanda and Alex are not talking to each other, very pointedly. @@
• Nataie's all upset that Allison told Matt that she (Nat) could see herself dating after the show. "She wasn't supposed to tell!" Oh, geez.
• It's finally dawned on them that eviction isn't Sunday, it's Wednesday.
• Natalie told James and Adam that she doesn't want to use the veto -- one of them (Jen or Ryan) has to go. (But will her personal puppetmaster try to change her mind? Or is he just telling Parker he may use it and doesn't plan to do so at all?)
• When Natalie went crying to Matt about Allison, he told her not to worry -- he doesn't believe anything anyone says about her unless it comes from her. She was relieved. He turned to the camera, winked, and smiled.
• Amanda now wants to go home because of Alex. She, of course, ran to Parker with her woes.
• Allison is sure she'll stay if the nominations remain the same. She and Sheila agree that Alex is running the show (of Amanda and Alex).
• Josh and Sharon think it will be fun to watch the reactions when Jen and Parker are sent packing. Then they talked about dropping a hints they might go so Amanda doesn't freak out about losing her Parker.
• They both think Amanda is a whacko.
• In an Alex/Amanda discussion, Amanda told him that she thinks they have the votes for Ryan and Allison to be evicted. She said although Parker is getting her mad (huh?), Allison hates her so she wants her gone.
• Amanda says that she and Alex are the only two in the house who have never done any drugs. (Obviously, drug use or not doesn't matter when you're WHACKO!)

And that's all she wrote.
;-)

Feeds Update and ...

My latest Big Brother 9 feeds update is up over on TV Squad.

I also have another post there with a sexy Survivor calendar! :-)

BB9 - Live Feeds Into the Day - Feb. 15

Yes, it is indeed another Zoetawny graphic! She's one busy little bee these days, isn't she?

I probably won't be getting to my Lost review until tomorrow as I haven't watched the episode yet. My apologies to those who are waiting.

But you're not here at this post just to get Lost, right? Nope!

You want the latest scuttlebutt from that Big Brother House of Maliciously Mingling Malcontents!

So let's get to the events of the day --

• Horrors. BB woke them up shortly before 9 AM their time and made them all go upstairs.
• Matt told Parker that even if he (Parker and Jen) win PoV, Ryan will probably stay. It seems like the intended PoV replacement remains Adam and Sheila. They would have fewer on their side than Ryan and Allison.
• Matt told Parker he wants Allison out of the house. He's previously said how much he supports Parker and doesn't like Ryan.
• After all the whining about the cold, they're delighted that it's warm there today.
• Matt and Natalie were the couple pulled from the hat to compete for PoV with the HoH couple (Alex and Amanda) and the two nominated couples -- Ryan/Allison and Jen/Parker.
• After extensive small talk sessions and a period of blocked feeds, the PoV was finished. I request they don't do trivia but give us the Guinea Pig Cam instead for extended blocks.
• As I mentioned earlier, Matt and Natalie won PoV.
• Amanda told Chelsia that they won't use it because Ryan and Jen must be split up.
• Joshuah hosted the comp and it had something to do with stamina.
• Sheila trusts no one.
  
• She also thinks they won't air a lot of her tantrum about Adam because she cussed too much. (That never stopped the show before!)
• Allison told Sharon that during the HOH comp (already televised with Eric and whats-her-name), Jen was giving her the answers as they apply to Ryan. But Jen was giving her the wrong answers!
• Chelsia said that Natalie told James, Josh, and Sharon that she and Matt would not use the veto.
• Matt told Parker about getting his Monica Lewinsky on last night. Stupid, stupid Natalie!
• More small talk and I'm outta here for now!

May Adam watch over us all in his gentle gaze ...

* Screen cap taken by me for use in this blog and is © CBS/RealNetworks

BB9 Live Feeds Update Flash - POV

Matthew and Natalie have won the Power of Veto. Matt has already said Parker's the only one he trusts in the game. Will he and Natalie take Jen and Parker off the block?

A full update will be posted later!

New BB9 Live Feeds Report

My latest live feeds report can be found over on TV Squad. For those looking for hot hook up action ... it happened even though they don't like each other.

Eep.

BB9 - Live Feeds Update - Into the Evening 2/14

Yeah, Ryan is worried. He's worried about Jen being near another man and he's worried that he'll be evicted.

What a heavy burden to bear!

(Thanks to Zoetawny for the graphic!)

Here's what's been happening in that Big Brother house of Dubious Duos since I last reported:

• Once again I'm amazed about the lack of personal responsibility expected from the houseguests. BB had an outdoor lockdown so that they could clean the guinea pig cage. I know 7-year-olds who do that. Perhaps it's best that the HG don't handle the guinea pigs. They might corrupt them.

Allison and Sheila think Alex is aligning with the wrong women in the house. Sheila told Allison that Parker talked about suicide. (Now, I didn't catch him actually doing that ... it's possible that Sheila is embellishing things a bit.)

Sheila thinks Jen is the boss in the Jen/Ryan relationship.

Sheila also thinks that Jen threw her own boyfriend under the bus and thinks that Jen and Parker are master manipulators. (Puppetmasters? No way!)

If Allison leaves, Sheila plans to ally with Sharon.

Sharon's picture is now on the Memory Wall.

Parker thinks it's the most unfair season ever.

Allison complained to Parker that Ryan isn't even talking to her. (Too involved having sex in the stall with Jen, I guess.)

Parker and James think that eviction might be on Sunday.

There's still no hint of any upcoming food comps.

Amanda is tiring of Alex. She told Parker that Alex thinks he's smarter than her and wants to do all the talking, make all the decisions.

Alex is suspicious that Amanda knew Parker before the house. She denies it.

Alex and Amanda screamed at each other in the yard. He doesn't want her talking to James and Chelsia or Sheila and Adam.

• Alex is really on an anti-James rant.
• Amanda is even madder at Alex.
• This bunch gets into huge blow-ups over the most stupid things -- down to the point of yelling about who swore at whom first.
• James and Adam both want to vote out Jen and Parker. The only problem? James and Adam aren't partners!
• They all dressed up for a romantic Valentine's Day dinner in the House of Hate.
• They said grace and each said what the day meant to them. BLECH. If they actually liked each other, that would be different.
• Parker and James shook hands and said they will handle things better without going off at each other.
• Matt said he only trusts Parker.
• Amanda thinks it's a woman's job to clean up after her man. @@
• Amanda and Alex went at it again. No, not sex ... arguing!
• Alex is still on the You Hang Out With Parker Too Much rag. It's as if he thinks Amanda is his real girlfriend.
• BB gave them more alcohol, just what they need!
• Amanda and Alex, after Amanda visited the Diary Room, read the PoV instructions to everyone.
• Still no Power of Veto comp yet, though.
• Chelsia is upset because others are saying that James is her brother.
• James put more fuel in the fire by walking away from the accusations.
• James and Chelsia think Matt started the rumor.
• Tears, drama, and more ensue. Such stupidity.

* Screen caps featured were taken by me for exclusive use on this site. All screen caps are © CBS/RealNetworks

'Celebrity Aprentice' - 2/14 Episode - East Coast Update

Although I won't be blogging the entire episode, I will post the main events and the firing here. Everyone is invited to share their thoughts in comments.

Trump is splitting up the teams in kind of boy/girl fashion.

Omarosa and Piers are on the same team. Well, physically on the same team. I don't think there's a real meeting of the minds going on there.

Trace, Tito, Marilu, and Stephen on one side. Omarosa, Lennox, Carol, and Piers on the other.

The team with Piers and Omarosa won. Omarosa gets sent to the other team because Piers refuses to work with her again. After the firing, that is.

For the first time ever, Trump fired NO ONE. He just couldn't do it because the team members are so good.

'Survivor Micronesia' - East Coast Updates - 2/14

Yes, it's a new graphic by Zoetawny!

The show has started here on the East Coast. While my full episode review is posted on TV Squad, important updates (immunity, the boot) will be posted here and you'll have a real time comments area to hang out in.

Reward (fishing gear and bamboo boat) and Immunity won by the Favorites. They choose to send Kathy to Exile Island (picking up on her being an outsider on her tribe because others volunteered her to sit out of the challenge). New twist has them choosing one of their own to accompany her -- they chose Cirie. Two people, one immunity idol.

Mary voted out, Mikey B in shock.

Happy Valentine's Day ... and Tonight's Blogging Plan

Yes, Zoetawny was kind enough to make a Valentine's Day graphic for the blog. Doesn't she rock, guys?

Again I'm faced with the Thursday blogging dilemma.

At around 8 PM ET I'll put up a Survivor 16: Micronesia East Coast Updates post. I'll do live updates as it airs here with the most important things -- immunity, the boot, and such. Later on in the evening my full episode review of the show will be posted on TV Squad. However, everyone is invited to comment here on the updates post as they watch the show.

Then at 9 PM ET, I'll put up a Celebrity Apprentice updates post. Most likely I won't add much other than the fired, but folks will be welcome to discuss the show in comments.

While I'm writing up the Survivor review for TV Squad and having Celebrity Apprentice on for the update, I'll be recording tonight's Lost for later review here. It could be worse ... at least there's no Big Brother tonight!

Today's musical non-sequitur:
Yummy, Yummy, Yummy.
I got love in my tummy,
And I feel like a-lovin you:
Love, you're such a sweet thing,
Good enough to eat thing
And that's just a-what I'm gonna do.
-- "Yummy, Yummy, Yummy" by The 1910 Fruitgum Company

BB9 - Live Feeds Report Into the Day, Feb. 14

GOT MILK?

Well, well, well ... it's Valentine's Day in the Big Brother 9 House. Will there be fisticuffs? Will there be love? Will there be hot jungle sex? (Oh, wait. That last one is tonight's Survivor episode!)

THERE APPARENTLY IS A FULL MOON OVER THE HOUSE ... OR IN IT

OR IS IT JUST A WANING MOON?

Here's the latest skinny from inside that Big Brother House of Are You As Immature as a Fifth Grader:

• Sharon might be wearing out her welcome back. She talks too much!
• Jen and Ryan apparently had sex in the bathroom stall in the wee hours. No, it wasn't shown to the feeds ... just the closed door with the occupied sign up, some heavy breathing noises, and Jen talking about sex so soon in the season. @@!!
  
• Sheila was once again the first one up followed by James (who's not so crazy at all after all).
• As they talked, she told him that she and Adam had mended fences. Adam had cried when telling her how special his work is (despite the "retard" comment). All is forgiven and they've decided to get along as a couple in the house. Ain't that precious? She said they just got off on the wrong foot. She said she has learned not to judge on first impressions.
  
• James and Sheila prepared special breakfasts for their beloved soulmates.
• James told Sheila he refuses to accept any money (but apparently will live off of or barter for shelter and food) on his bike adventure. He seems to like bars and was in a bar in Brooklyn when he heard about Big Brother.
• Chelsia hates coffee and Sheila is shocked that anyone could hate coffee. Odd.
• Odd about Sheila being so shocked, that is.
• James confirmed the weekly stipend is still $750 for the time they are in the house or in sequester. It's a sweet deal for him.
• Adam was thrilled with the breakfast from Sheila. All is lovey-dovey, hunky-dory and more between them.
• Meanwhile, Chelsia told James it was sweet, but she doesn't eat breakfast.
  
• Matt made Natalie a Valentine's Day card with nail polish used to create it.
• They're complaining it's very cold this morning.
• Parker is sure that he and Jen will be evicted. He told Jen he has no faith in her and BB doomed his chances.
  
• The Guinea Pig Cam has been intermittent -- good. I prefer them to flames or trivia or sometimes even the houseguests!
• Someone threw a newspaper clipping in the yard. Adam said it was mens basketball standings and we got guinea pigs.

More later!

Please be aware that the screen caps here were taken by me for exclusive use on this site. They are © CBS/RealNetworks

Big Brother 9 - Odd Changes - Live Feed Flash

Well, this is just bizarre. Sharon (of the evicted Sharon and Jacob) is back and Neil is gone. Yes, you heard me. They're saying something about Neil having to leave for an emergency, so they brought her back. She's partnered with Joshuah.

There will be more on it in a feeds report over on TV Squad in a bit.

Curiouser and curiouser. Oh, wait. Alice was last year!

EXPANDING ON THIS ... as I await the TVS article to be posted...

I just find this all too strange and can't help but to think the Sharon return was all staged, don't you? Neil and Joshuah were getting along the best of all of the enforced couplings. Sharon and Jacob were evicted Saturday night, sequestered, and the world wasn't told until Wednesday night. It was Jacob's actions which ruined Sharon's chances in the house -- when one partner sinks, he drowns the other.

What do you think?

UPDATE - The TV Squad post is now up at this link.

'Big Brother 9' - Live Blogged from the East Coast 2/13

The show has started here on the East Coast. I'll be constantly updating this entry as it airs, so please forgive any typoos. Your comments are indeed welcome!

It's the recap with Jen and Ryan deciding to keep their relationship a secret ... yeah, right. Jen thinks she'll keep her big secret. Sharon thinks she's safe and Parker likes her so much. Adam is sure that he'll be going home. He calls the autistic kids he works with "retards." So, Shelia gets teary about that. I'm not teary, but that makes Adam go down more in my book.

Sheila is basically campaigning for people to vote her and Adam out. She's still on the "retard" kick.

Ryan is a bad actor with Allison. He's looking all over the place and she thinks he's deep! Yikes!

Jen whines. Ryan sneaks a talk with her and it's obvious that he's very possessive of her. Hmm ...

Alex reminds us that he's overly thrilled with Amanda's looks, personality, and more. I don't know. I thought I would like Alex. Jacob wants to "turn the chicken up" in the house. That's a new one on me -- he's talking stir it up. He's on an anti-Parker bit. Parker is gutless, heartless, etc. Of course, that worries Jen that people think Parker's a snake. Ryan knows she'll go tell Parker, her partner.

She does. Parker decides to confront Jacob. Interesting ... Jacob is the ex-Marine and he won't even look Parker in the eye. This must have been what led up to the brouhaha (great word) atmosphere in the house.

"Call him out!," they cahnt at Jacob for not telling who called Parker a snake. He won't speak up. No one is admitting to calling him a snake and Jacob isn't telling. No one seems to be guilty. Sharon is ticked at Jacob, but Jen is happy with how Parker handled it. In the bed they must share, Jacob told Sharon it just slipped out.

Sharon told Parker that she promised not to say who said it. She goes as far as to tell him the boys were talking. He guesses Ryan and she nods. Parker thought he was okay with Ryan, but now wants him out if he doesn't admit it.

Yes, welcome to the third grade, folks!

Aha, this is why she tells Parker ... because he's determined to challenge Ryan and wants him out. She tells Parker that she'll stick with him and if Ryan must go, he must go. She then tells Ryan with Parker still there. He's not happy Jen told Parker, sbut feels he has to tell Allison their secret because Parker knows.

She's shocked. Remember, she thought he was deep. She now mistrusts him thinking he'll tell Jen everything they plan. Neither Jen or Allison trust each other -- Allison thinks she'd be a better girlfriend for Ryan than Jen is. Parker and Ryan don't trust each other. Have another cup of controversy, my friends!

Sigh ... Sheila is now going on about Adam's snoring. He apologizes and I have to admit that's out of his control. Complaining about the snoring just gets the others more irked at her.

EVICTIONS TODAY reads the plasma scene.

Parker is having problems with the eviction. Both Jen and Parker look nervous ... Jen cries over it. Jacob and Sharon are history. Parker and Jen were the most forlorn announcers of eviction I've ever seen. Both of them.

Jen is crying all over. The eviction was due to Jacob and Sharon was just the collateral damage. Adam and Sheila were the easy targets and both know they're lucky to still be there.

HOH Comp time! The Power Couple gets to play. The backyard is all set up with a Tunnel of Love and all. Oh, my. The hosts for the game (because they fell in love in the house) are Jessica and Eric from BB8 -- they're still in love. Gag me with a spoon.

It's a Q&A session about their feelings about their soulmate in the house. This is reminding me of the old Newlywed Game. It was a bit naughty at times, but cute. Amanda and Alex won and became the new DuoHOH. Whatever.

Nominations

Finally, the feeds have returned. It seems that it is indeed Jen/Parker and Ryan/Allison are on the block. In a few minutes, I'll get the live blog show post up and running.

BB9 - A Letdown Apres Brouhaha - Today's Live Feeds

No, it's not hot reptile sex going on. She's just doing his twists in his hair. After all of the tension last night, today's been very calm in the Big Brother 9 House of Love.

Here are the events of the sour soulmates so far today:

• Sheila was up first at about 8:30 AM their time.
• The BB voice tried to wake everyone up past 9:30 ... not very successfully.
• Matt tends to mumble when he's speaking to only one person. Enunciate, dear Matt, enunciate.
• Although there have been no nominations yet, thus no PoV, there was an indoor lockdown as something was being built in the yard. I almost said erected in the yard, but that just sounds so wrong for this crew even though CBS wants to sell the sex angle.
• Matt still wants nothing to do with Natalie even though she's already told him she expects a kiss on Valentine's Day.
• They think they were "good TV" for the ShoToo viewers last night. (Hey, remember someone is watching all the time, hamsters!)
• Parker, who last night said he would throw comps, talked to Matt about how he's worried that Jen will throw them. @@
• In girl talk -- Amanda says she's not attracted to Alex, Natalie is upset that Matt isn't responding to her, Sheila hates Adam.
• Adam cried yesterday according to the girls.
• Sheila told the others she dropped out of school in the 8th grade to pursue movies and let them in on various movie bits she's done and Shelley Winters.
  
• Parker told Matt that Natalie offered him sexual favors to be nice to her.
• Lots of talk of things they've done, some probably a bit embellished.
• Amanda mentioned that they moved into the house Thursday night and that Jacob and Sharon were evicted late Saturday night or really early Sunday morning.
• Parker told Matt that he likes to push peoples' buttons. Um, obviously!
• Lots of "what if" talks about nominations, but I haven't heard anything concrete.
• Sheila apparently gave her word to Jen that she won't vote her off. Jen told her that if Ryan goes, she could actually play the game.
• Sheila and Adam may not get along, but they're pretty safe in the house as they're not seen as a threat.
  

BB9 - The Latest From Inside the House

I took this screencap late last night. As I post this, the houseguests are all asleep.

My latest feed report is up over on TV Squad. Please check it out and feel free to comment here or there or in both places! What a mess the show is already in, eh?

BB9 - First Real Live Feed Report

Oh, my. What a mess BB has on their hands! The feeds came on a bit after midnight ET and my head's still spinning.

Here's the skinny as I understand it:

• Sharon and Jacob are the first couple (already) voted out.
• The "secret" about Jen and Ryan being a couple is already blown.
• Parker and many are fighting and several want to go home.
• Several alliances were started in the beginning, it seems. Most are broken up now at Day 5.
• BB has given them wine and beer.
• Everyone's fighting.
• Jen whines too much.
• Amanda and Alex are the HoH couple.
  

I'll have a more in-depth report later, but that's the main skinny for now. This is the biggest brouhaha mess I've seen at the opening of the feeds. Yikes.

First 'Big Brother 9' Live feed Report of the Season!

The guinea pig is ignoring his food. Yes, indeed. We have live guinea pig cam and the blaring theme music. The feeds SHOULD unblock (get off GP Cam) after the West Coast show airs.

Sorry. False alarm.

Never mind.

;-)

'Big Brother 9' - Live-Blogging the Season Premiere from the East Coast

Well, here we go! It's AWN (as Monica Bailey would say).

I'll be updating this post continuously throughout the show as it airs here in the NYC area. Please refresh the page for the latest and you know I want to read what you have to say about the new hamsters and happenings in the comments!

51 cameras, 74 microphones. They're basically telling the basics of the game ... and into the new twist -- BB is playing matchmaker. What will happen when soulmates become teammates?

Julie says they're all single and they're all looking for love. Doing the "getting the keys" bit, Natalie loves bikinis and God. Chelsia is indeed tats. Hey, I said TATS, it's Natalie who's the other word!

So far there's no news we don't already know. The "ladies" (I might be using that term loosely) are getting lined up to go into the house ... they're in! They've discovered the guinea pigs. The bedrooms are locked. Uh-oh, what's up? I can guess! Reading all the love quotes plaques, they know something is up. Uh-oh, Sharon's EX is in the house (well, not yet ... just the women are in the house right now). Jacob is Sharon's recent ex. He cheated on her and they broke up.

Jen's boyfriend is in the house and they're keeping that a secret. So, Jen and Ryan are NOT to be matched up in the house. They will keep their dirty little secret and play dirty, eh?

The men are in and both Jacob and Sharon are far from happy.

Sitting on the couch, it seems that they might be starting to realize they're all single. Matt seems to be the biggeest womanizer type of the guys. Amanda has good gaydar she thinks. Allison had a gambling problem. Sheila spoke up and told her age. Matt thinks he could show her a thing or two. Alex didn't tell them he owned his company, just that he worked there -- shades of Kail! Ack!

The reveal is coming as Julie talks to the HG. Expect the unexpected. Each one of you has a perfect match sitting in the living room right now. She tells them they'll be playing the game partnered with their new soulmates. They look like they're in shock. Jen and Ryan are very worried about the plans they made before the twist was revealed.

The pairs:
Alex and Amanda
James and Chelsia
Natalie and Matt
Jen and Parker (uh-oh)
Joshuah and Neil
Jacob and Sharon (uh-oh!!!)

All the beds are taken, it's to sleeping bags ...

Ryan and Allison
Sheila and Adam -- she's SO not happy! Sharon is really ticked she was matched with Jacob. Adam keeps calling Sheila Mom. He is the creepiest of the guys as far as I'm concerned. Adam is so annoying! Argh, he needs to go ... too bad as I think Sheila would be fine left to her own devices.

We're in commercial break right now, but I have to say I see some interesting possibilities going on this season!

It's the first HoH competition ... one couple will win the sole power to evict another couple in a matter of hours. Matt thinks everyone will target him. Sharon is disgusted with Adam. This comp is called Falling For You -- one is suspended in the air, the other in the honeymoon bed below. Lower the one, grasp each other, back up in the air. Last couple intact is the first Power Couple.

Sheila wants out of it, she lets go. They hate being together and both seem willing to go home. Neil and Joshuah are out. Amanda and Alex are out of the running. Sharon and Jacob are out ... half are gone. Now they're offering cash pillows as extra bonuses -- $10,000 if they get a pillow AND win the comp itself.

Jen has a pillow! Allison and Ryan are now out due to Allison going for the pillow. Chelsia has a pillow! Oops ... Chelsia's down. Parker and Jen win after telling Matt and Natalie they're safe.

Parker's thinking Ryan and Allison but we know Jen's working with Ryan and Parker doesn't know that.

They'll reveal the evicted couple tomorrow night. The feeds should start tonight after the west coast airs and I'll be letting you know what's happening.

What did you think of the show?

Tonight's 'American Idol 7' - Hollywood Week - 02/12

I won't be blogging tonight's show as the second hour is reserved for the Big Brother 9 season premiere for me.

I will be recording the second hour and eventually get it watched. So far, it's different -- they can play instruments!

I thought I'd open up a discussion post for tonight's show in case you wanted to comment.

And, don't forget -- I'll be live-blogging the season premiere of Big Brother 9 starting at about 9 PM ET!

'Big Brother 9' - Are You Ready?

This is what's currently on Feed 4 accompanied by a Sirius Radio classical romance music station. On the other feeds, there's news coverage. No, not BB9 news ... just news.

Tonight I'll be live-blogging the season premiere here as it airs in the NYC area. Everyone is welcome to comment!

Julie Chen was on Craig Ferguson (not in a sexual kind of way, of course) last night. But, as with Letterman, there was little insight into the season. I'm wondering a bit about how well thought-out this upcoming season is myself here. They've gone through a few different themes -- the "my dirty little secret" - soulmates, now 'til death do us part. I wish they'd make up their minds!

Julie Chen had another BB9 intro bit on The Early Show this morning -- letting us in on the new housepets, a pair of guinea pigs, as well as more house touring. The video is below.

TV Newsy Bits - Monday, February 11, 2008

Just hanging around waiting for Big Brother 9 to start! Or ... this is what happens when I'm left to my own devices alone in an examination room at the orthopedic surgeon's office. I guess I should be happy that he's not a brain surgeon. This guy looks like Sylar got to him.

On that front -- my knee problems aren't in my head. They're definitely in my knee ... or what's left of it. The visit held no surprises for me. I knew I was bone on bone without the x-rays. He said although I'm a bit young for the surgery (good to know I'm young for some things!), my knee is beyond ready for it. All I need to do is plan the time frame (after BB9, but at least a few weeks before BB10) and give him six weeks warning. On a weird note, the knee replacement will most likely be done at the same hospital where serial killer nurse Charles Cullen did the last of his evil deeds. I'm making a note now to beware of evil nurses.

In today's TV Newsy Bits:

• Did you catch the Grammy Awards last night? How about Tina Turner? Wow, she still has it! Alas, the same can't be said for Jerry Lee Lewis. He was a friend of my mother decades ago and I was shocked at how he's aged. Yes, his voice is still the same, but he barely moved. Sigh. I haven't seen him in person since the '70s. But he's a very sweet and modest man despite his wild persona of days gone by. I also actually liked Amy Winehouse's performance, something I didn't expect. I like the tone of her voice but I wouldn't give her troubles to a monkey on a rock as Letterman says.
• 14 table settings, 14 picture frames on the Memory Wall of the Big Brother 9 house. 16 houseguests. Obviously two don't stay for the first dinner. They might be the lucky ones to escape!
• EW.com has a new thing going this year with Survivor Talk video bits. The newest video has Jonny Fairplay defending his quit ... er, voting off from Survivor. He thinks he's a "cerebral assassin." Yeah, right.
• The Big Brother 9 Gossip blog has the probable pairings for the houseguests in their "Til Death Do You Part" adventures. I mentioned previously that James had broken off an engagement with an older women (or she broke it off, not sure), so it's not surprising me that they set him up with Sheila, the only older woman in the house.

Today's musical non-sequitur:
Jeremiah was a bullfrog
Was a good friend of mine
I never understood a single word he said
But I helped him to drink his wine
And he always had some mighty fine wine
-- "Joy to the World" by Three Dog Night

'Big Brother 9' Newsy Bits

As I write this, the new hamsters should be in the house to gather fodder for Tuesday's season premiere.

The live feeds aren't on yet -- probably won't be until after Tuesday's show. But that doesn't mean there isn't any BB9 news out and about!

I scouted about the Internet and I'm here to give you the latest scuttlebutt on our own dirty little secret -- we're Big Brother fans!

• Big Brother Updates has an interview with houseguest Alex Coladonato's (did I say Donato in there? Yikes!) best friend and co-applicant to get on the show. The friend didn't make it in and when they schemed of strategies, the soulmates bit was an unknown. It's still an interesting read and a bit of insight into Alex.
• The rumor mill is going strong for the new cast. Apparently houseguests Jen and Ryan are already dating (or were before the show), and Jacob and Sharon were childhood sweethearts. Will they be paired with each other or will the show shake things up? The plot thickens.
• The Sun Sentinel out of Florida has an article about the house itself which has some interesting quotes from Allison Grodner about this year. An excerpt: The 16 guests, including a public relations professional from Delray Beach named Adam, will be paired off as couples. They will compete as couples, strategize as couples and, at least in the beginning, be voted off as couples.
  
  They also will sleep in the same bed, which they were not told until they entered the house. (Grodner would not specify precisely when this happened.) She allowed that this might not sit well with all of the guests. Her reaction: too bad for them, great for the show. "If everyone accepts this, it wouldn't be interesting."
  
  Big Brother consulted with a match-making service to arrange the couples, although there is a possibility some incompatibles will be paired for the sake of theater.
• In the article above, I think it addresses speculation on the length of the season. Supposedly we have a full nearly three month season, but if 8 couples are voted off weekly, that's obviously only eight weeks. The key phrase is "at least in the beginning." The whole article is worth the read, so check it out!
  
• The Idol Thoughts site has the skinny on Jen and Ryan's MySpace friends links. Hometown sweethearts, eh? I predict BB isn't going to let that go on!
• The Herald Tribune site has the goods on drifting crazy boy James Zinkland. It seems that James might have exaggerated his circumstances just a bit.
• As I predicted in my introduction to the houseguests post, TMZ is delighted with their cast representative in the house -- paparazzo Parker! You can bet that we'll see a bit more TMZ coverage this season.
• According to this blurb, Joshuah's name is Joshuah Welch, the better for scouting around for Internet gossip on him since last names aren't listed on the CBS releases or website.
• Are you in Oregon? I actually had the chance to go to this via an invitation for my TV Squad work, but at my own expense going across country to Oregon just isn't in the cards.
• The Big Brother 9 Gossip blog has found some rather sexy photos of houseguest (and religious bikini barista) Natalie Cunial online.
• Evel Dick Donato will be co-hosting the online show House Calls twice a week. Love him or hate him, I bet he'll ask some good questions!

Today's musical non-sequitur:
I'll keep you my dirty little secret
(Dirty little secret)
Don't tell anyone or you'll be just another regret
(Just another regret)
-- "Dirty Little Secret" by The All-American Rejects

'Lost' - "Confirmed Dead"

Wow ... new people! This was quite the episode and, while it didn't really answer that many questions (except about the new people), it definitely moved things forward. We met the freighter people (Freighties) -- Naomi's crew from the helicopter. Each new person came with some backstory, so I'll go into those first.

Daniel Faraday
Essex, MA: Daniel, a physicist, is watching the news footage of Oceanic 815 discovered underwater. For some unknown reason, he begins to tremble and tear up. When a woman with him asks him why he's so upset, he tells her he doesn't know. As the episode progressed, Daniel proves to be sort of an uncertain, but certainly not evil kind of guy.

Miles Straume
Inglewood, CA: Who you gonna call? Miles is a genuine ghostbuster kind of guy and a thief, too. We see him visit a woman who's grandson was murdered, presumably to remove the haunting and send him on his way. He has a ghostbusing helmet-looking noise-making machine and ends up grabbing the dead grandson's stash o' cash, then sending him on his way. Instead of giving the grandmother the money, he refunds her half of the fee he charged -- giving her a mere hundred bucks. As the show progressed, he proved to be intelligent, yet sneaky and excitable.

Charlotte Lewis
Medinine, Tunisia: Hey, it's a giant polar bear (like in season one) -- or, at least its bones. Charlotte is an anthropologist working on a dig, bribing a local, and she's mesmerized by the news of the sunken Oceanic 815. When she dug up the polar bear's collar, it was the Dharma logo. [Insert Lost clunk here] She smiled. She knows something.

Frank Lapidus
Eleuthera, Bahamas: Ah, he's the one who was supposed to pilot the Oceanic 815 the day it went down. Working as a tour pilot in the Bahamas, he watches a news report on the sunken Oceanic 815 and realizes the pilot pictured underwater dead isn't the pilot (Seth Norris) at all. He called to report it, but doesn't get anywhere. For the Freighties, he's the copter pilot.

The Stuff of the Episode

• There are still two groups, one led by Jack and the other by Locke.
• Jack and Kate, with the help of Sayid and Juliet, took Daniel and Miles (the latter is very uncooperative) to Naomi's body.
• Miles "talked" to Naomi to find out that neither Jack or Kate killed her and he knows there's another group on the island.
• Miles knew that Naomi was in danger when she called him due to a code phrase "tell my sister I love her."
  
• Frank saw a cow. Don't ask me why.
• Jack's bunch found Frank by following a flare he sent up.
• Frank landed the copter, didn't crash it. It still works.
• The Freighties didn't come to rescue the 815 survivors -- they thought they were dead. They came for Ben.
• Naomi was the leader of the crew and her boss was Major Daniels of The Wire ... er, Matthew Abbadon -- the one who visited Hurley in the institution last week.
• Sawyer had reason to beat up Ben twice during the episode.
• Sawyer enjoyed doing that.
  
• Locke's group (with Ben, Sawyer, etc.) snagged Charlotte.
• Ben shot Charlotte.
• She didn't die.
• Sawyer beat Ben.
  
• Locke said a taller Walter warned him that the freighter people were a danger.
• Locke showed them a through and through bullet wound he got when Ben shot him.
• Ben knows all about Charlotte and rattles of a "This is Your Life" bit on her to the amazement of Charlotte and all of the others.
• Ben said he knows it because he has a man on their ship.

Yikes. I can't wait until next week! A mass cover-up of the crash, dead bodies and all? Who would do that? Why? Why is Ben so important to Abbadon's mission? Abbadon doesn't seem to believe there were any survivors of 815 and is solely interested in Ben. Or ...?

I just don't know.

'Celebrity Apprentice' - East Coast Update - 2/07

This is a real quick update --

Stephen Baldwin went to the women's team.

Hydra won again.

Omarosa was the PM. She brought Marilu Henner and Nely Galan to the boardroom. Trump finally got his way and fired Nely.

Survivor 16: Micronesia -- East Coast Update - Season Premiere

The show has started here on the East Coast. As it airs, major happenings will be updated here in this entry. My full review of the episode is now posted on TV Squad.

This new graphic is the work of Zoetawny ... way cool!

Please check back here and, as always, feel free to voice your thoughts in the comments!

So far, Yau-Man shoved JOnny Fairplay aside to get an immunity idol. Heh.

No Reward Challenge -- fans win the first Immunity Challenge and get flint. Thanks to Yau-Man, the faves already have fire, but they'll lose a person tonight.

Jonny Fairplay was voted out unanimously and smiling. Interesting.

Survivors Ready? Jeff on 'The Early Show' and Tonight's Plan

Okay, now's the time the blogging gets scary for me. At 8 PM, Survivor 16: Micronesia premieres. At 9 PM, Celebrity Apprentice and a new Lost are up against each other. What's a blogger to do?

Since I'm under contract with a deadline to write the Survivor episode review for TV Squad, that's a priority. I will open a post here with East Coast Updates for the premiere -- boot and anything really important will be posted as the show airs in the NYC area. Then I have to get to writing it up for TVS.

Since Lost really needs my full attention, I will be recording it and posting my review tomorrow evening (tonight if I'm awake enough to get it done, but I don't think time will cooperate).

So, as I write the Survivor episode up for TVS, I'll have Celebrity Apprentice on in the background so that I can post an update on the firing for blog readers here. I don't have to watch watch that show as I do with Lost. I apologize in advance for the late Lost, but I do have to get up early for work in the morning and the show has to be watched carefully or you miss something.

If you missed Jeff Probst (who still really doesn't like Jonny Fairplay) on today's The Early Show, here's the video:

'American Idol 7' - The Final Audition Show (yay)

I'm not finding the auditions this season as interesting as they were for me in seasons past. So i'm glad they're drawing to a close.

Right now there's a girl named Amy on the stage. She's good, but I don't think she's all that special.

Another voice from God church singer, Tiffany, is up next. I have bad vibes as they mock her intro with church music. Well, she yell-sings well enough.

Relationships betwixt contestants is the theme now ... a love triangle set to the theme from Three's Company. Twins Chris and Cory Lane, two of the love triangle, think they're some sort of rap moguls or suburban Eminems with no talent. They think they're white Brittenum twins. Blech.

Ah, but the girl of the trio comes in with an adorable puppy. Ashley is blonde and talks like Kellie Pickler. As a matter of fact, she reminds me of Kellie if Kellie couldn't sing. She doesn't make it at all -- Simon says that it was excruciating. She took her dog and skipped on out.

Caedin Lee McKinney is singing now. She has a big voice, but ... Simon thinks she's more theatrical than recording. Paula and Randy okay her, Simon nixes her. It's onto Hollywood.

A very pretty plus-sized model type is coming in -- she's from Hoboken and sang the National Anthem at Madison Square Garden. Very nice. Joanne defintitely could be a contender. Randy and Paula push her through while Simon says no. I disagree with Simon on rhia one.

Blonde Alesha (sp) Stelzl is on. Make her stop, please. Anyone who thinks they're beautiful and curls her eyebrows in public should be banned. No go for her. Simon called it dreadful and painful. Uh-oh, they told her to go learn a Dolly Parton song and return.

She learns "Islands in the Stream" and returns. Let's see. It's not as bad as first time around, for sure. I can't see her winning anything with it, but Randy and Paula push her through. @@

Weird audition times ahead. A stripping heavy girl and a potty-mouthed rocker. Then it's Jay Smoove. He thinks he's a;; that and he can do push ups. His real name is Joshua Moreland and he has his own song and pixie dust. Very odd, thankfully not scary. Simon sweeps up the pixie dust, but doesn't know how to use the broom.

It's a Simon is losing his mind segment. From where they are to names, he's lost it all. I'm glad he's not going for trying my name. A contestant from last year is back, Chikezie Ezie is up, Simon wanted to kill him last year but I don't remember him. He doesn't have a bad voice at all, but I can't see him being a huge star. But he makes it through to Hollywood.

Danny Noriega folded under pressure last year, but he's back. He could get the young girls in his camp I'm sure. He goes for the Tina Turner version of "Proud Mary." Randy loved the audition. All three judges say yes. Actually, he's someone I could see attracting an audience -- the Snajaya fans will love him and he has more talent.

So, the auditions are over.

Yay.

It's onto Hollywood next week. 164 made it through and instruments and drama are around the bend.

Video of Today's 'Big Brother 9' Intro on 'The Early Show'

Here's the video of today's The Early Show Big Brother 9 segment.



The photo gallery of the new house is on the official website, too! I like the firepit!

CBS Official 'Big Brother 9' Website Has Arrived

Yes, the reveal took place on The Early Show and the official CBS website is up and running with images and bios for the new hamsters!

I'm not all that keen on the soulmates theme and the almost all white and in their 20s cast, but bring it on! I apologize for the repeat of the pictures, but since more information is out and about, I want to give you my take on them and hope to hear what you think of the latest cast.

Here's my quick take on the cast:

Adam -- Oh, although listed as from Florida, we have a Jersey boy here. He has to have some kind of smarts (although being intelligent isn't always a winning trait in the BB house) -- he has a master's degree in fashion design/marketing.

According to his bio, he's close to his mother and likes aggressive women. I'm sure a shrink could have some fun with that, eh? He supposedly talks a big game with women and considers himself a Casanova type. Oh, great!

He thinks himself stylish and trendy. He also boasts his own clothing label (which is totally unknown to the masses at this time). I don't know how thrilled I am with Adam so far.

Amanda -- I wasn't aware that there's a Winona, Minnesota. It kind of has a ring to it, kind of rolls off the tongue. Oh, she's a legal contract specialist for a large health care company. With impending knee surgery, I'm all too familiar with health care issues -- but maybe she'll spill some of the red tape beans!

She's the one on The Early Show who thought she would stun folks with her good looks and they wouldn't realize she's smart, too. I'm generally not one to base anything on looks, but she brought it up first. I don't think she's a stunningly beautiful woman.

Then again, she has two cats. So, that's in her favor. My jury is out on her.

Alex -- Okay, here's my local yokel as I'm not far outside of Staten Island, NY. If memory serves from watching The Early Show this morning, he has the accent. (I don't have the local NYC/NJ accent, thankfully.)

He has a rather unusual upbringing. He was raised by his single mother, his father came into his life while he was in high school, then he lost his father on 9/11. He's working on his second master's degree, so the kid ain't no dummy.

His favorite movie is The Wedding Crashers. Hmmm ... it's an all right choice to watch, but favorite? He says he's a true romantic looking for the right girl, so he's not one planned for a gay coupling on the show. Too bad he's still a child!

Allison -- Ack, an Allison on Big Brother! Bad flashbacks! Bad flashbacks! At least she doesn't spell it with one "L" and she's a brunette. But, still. I would like to call a moratorium on women named Allison on the show. Alison's voice on the feeds still shrieks through my head!

So far, this is a well-schooled cast with all having at least a bachelor's degree, far better than some casts in the past with drifters and ne'er-do-wells. Oh, wait. She has the same job as April on BB6 -- pharmaceutical sales rep!

Supposedly guys like her, women hate her, she's a well-traveled person to whom people gravitate as she captures the attention in any room. Uh-huh, we'll see.

Chelsia -- Not the average spelling of the name and it's going to be tough to keep from typo-ing Chelsea. I will try my best. She doesn't have her degree yet, but is expected to study in Austria in the fall, so the winter BB is perfect timing for her. Will a half-million help with her college loans?

Aw, she has a cat named Pugsley. How cute is that? I'm not too entranced by his music choices (Tool and Marilyn Manson), but her TV show and movie choices are decent.

She's a tattooed and pierced kind of woman. She claims she's had EVERYTHING pierced. Ouch. She likes older men (and they won't be all that much older with this cast) and wants to sell Harleys. She might be very interesting to watch.

Jacob -- An ex-Marine (some of the cast may be looking for a few good men), Jacob attended elementary schools in both San Diego and Japan before settling in Maryland, then North Carolina. The guy apparently gets around, eh?

He's apparently still a bit smitten with his ex-girlfriend although he's trying to move on. It's hard to move on when he has a tattoo of a symbol she made, though.

He thinks he's funny, energetic, and caring. Although he's not really striking me as the epitome of a BB winner, I think this kid might do well. Something is telling me he'll get along fairly well with the other houseguests and, if he does, he could go a long way in the show.

James -- Now, here's the ultimate drifter, perhaps ne'er-do-well, for the show! He's definitely the odd duck and his appearance on The Early Show brought back memories of the Joe hype last season. "Oh, I'm so crazy and funny! Look at me! Look at me!"

He's a high school graduate bicycling across the country with absolutely no money. He says he learned to get attention by being different. Ah, yes ... an obvious attention-seeker. He wore costumes to school when it wasn't Halloween and was known as the "school freak."

He might be entertaining to watch in the house, but I get the feeling that he might be incredibly annoying and over the top for the other houseguests. He was once engaged to an older woman, so he might be targeted to be the soulmate to Sheila.

Jen -- A typical career for the reality television generation, she's a bartender. She's a fun and crazy party girl who's bounced from one relationship to the next. Perfect fodder for the BB scandals!

She has a teaching degree and claims it's a job she loves and misses. I'm not too sure whether being on BB9 will enamor her with educational institutions. I guess it depends on how wild and crazy she is.

She thinks she's beautiful and boast tattoos and piercings. Her favorite activities include shopping and tanning. Now, perhaps it's wrong for me to judge her before I get to know her on the feeds, but ... can you say bimbo?

Joshuah -- I hope he's called Josh as I know I'll spell the name wrong and lose the "h." He's good-looking. He's gay. Why am I not surprised?

Before coming out he played high school football and had longterm relationships with women. His family has never forgiven him for sleeping with his sister's cheerleading coach thus ruining her cheerleading career -- the scandal which brought him out of the closet.

He's an exhibitionist (which should be great for the feeds), considers himself a bi-sexual, and doesn't care what others think of him. The latter could be the kiss of death on the show if he's too off-putting to the other houseguests. He's scared of snakes and believe they're the spawn of Satan. Hmmm ...

Matt -- He's an only child whose father died when he was nine. He's close to his mother. He thinks he's the "ultimate competitor" and was on Couples' Fear Factor three years ago (losing).

He has a Boston accent, and a "ripped body." He also thinks he's the "biggest liar/sweet talker that America will ever meet." Like several other houseguests this season, he has tattoos and a turtle. (Where are these HG getting all the turtles and why? This is like the third or fourth one with a turtle or turtles. Is there a movement going on that I don't know about?)

He's a New England Patriots fan. Bwahahaha! I hope he got the news while in sequester! I think he might think too much of his keen abilities to play the game of Big Brother.

Natalie -- A religious bikini barista who carries her Bible wherever she goes. Well, well, well ... yeah, I find that a bit incongruous, don't you?

She can make any coffee drink imaginable, I like that. She does it in a bikini. That I could do without, but it could be just me. Sex and coffee isn't quite the same as sex and candy, eh?

She doesn't have a turtle, but has two cats and a Jack Russel terrier. What do these folks do with their pets for three months? She seems to think she's too sexy for her shirt, so sexy. I don't know. I realize there's a market for sex, but I'm not so keen on her thrusting her chest at me. She wants to open a mermaid art store. Okay ...

Neil -- Another good-looking gay guy. While he's studied criminology, criminal justice, political science, and business management, he hasn't earned a degree. (I recall my days of wanting to be a professional student, but you can't make a good living at it!)

He's close to his mother and moved to Los Angeles to pursue a modeling and acting career -- perfect aspirations for a future reality television "star," huh?

He's athletic and thinks he's loyal, outgoing, and energetic. Ho-hum. Another pretty face, methinks. Let's see if he has any pizzazz in the house!

Parker -- Oh, my. That hair. He's definitely not the man to sit behind in the movie theater! Parker's the only person of color in this rather bland and colorless BB house. That actually might work in his favor dependent on his personality.

Oh! Oh! He's a member of the TMZ paparazzi -- a proper paparazzo kind of guy if there is such a thing. I can see TMZ having fun with this during the season -- one of their homeboys in the house.

He's proud of losing 45 pounds (kudos to him) and thinks he's inappropriate, unpredictable, and authentic. While it seems like another cry for attention, I guess that's the sort of people who actually go into the house. I think he might be interesting to watch on those late cold winter nights.

Ryan -- What's this? Another professional student? 27 and still studying for his bachelors in economics and business. Maybe I'm old school, but it seems that age should be out in the business world, not still pursuing an undergraduate degree. A masters or doctorate, yeah. But ...!

Another center of attention kind of guy, Ryan thinks he's loud, stubborn, opinionated, and sometimes a troublemaker. Well, if he goes overboard with that persona, I can see the other houseguests quickly throwing him under the bus after Dick's win last season.

He has a pit bull and he's the second HG with a September 16 birthdate. Hmmm, does it mean something? I don't know.

Sharon -- A military brat who considers herself spirited, lively, feisty, and dramatic yet sweet. Well, that's a lot going on for her, I guess.

She's currently single, but has had a 12 year on and off relationship. 12 years?!?! Dang, she was 11 when she started the relationship! What kind of relationship can you have when you're 11? Wait, I might not want to know.

She also thinks she's loud and over the top. Yes, apparently another one who enjoys the attention spotlight. she has two cats and a dog. Her favorite activities are talking (yes, so she says), drama, and tanning. She's blonde. Oh, I don't mean anything by that. I'm just sayin', that's all.

Sheila -- The sole "older" person on the show. She's 45 and none of the other houseguests have even hit 30 yet. She's not quite representative of the over 40 crowd at large, though.

She's a former Penthouse Playmate of the Year and lived with Bob Guccione in his 35-million-dollar home for ten years in the 80s. She had the high life, although that seems past news these days.

She says she has a temper and yells and cries when she's angry -- always good live feeds drama fodder. She stands up to those who try to intimidate her and shows a good front even when she's scared on the inside.

How will she fit in with the children in the house? I guess we'll see soon.