The Return of Gossip Girl

Here is a sneak peek at the new season of Gossip Girl.

I have to admit that last season lost some of it's luster for me, but I'm hoping that the new season will offer a fresh start. Especially because the new campaign is called WTF??? If I'm not yelling WTF at my TV during the season premiere, I will be deeply disappointed.

Are you excited for the new season?

Holding out for a Hero

Like many fans of the show"Heroes" I lost interest in the show early last season. I did finally get back into it the last 3 or 4 episodes but, on the whole, it was yawn, yawn, yawn straight through.

The recently released trailer of the new season looks like it's getting back to it's roots. Take a look and let me know whether you're planning on tuning in to check it out, or if you've stopped holding out for a "Heroes" season that doesn't suck.

Can it be that it was all so simple then...

Sometimes reality is stranger than fiction. Here's freshman Senator AL Franken back in his days on SNL.

Ms. Griffin, God how I've missed you!

With another season of the emmy-award winning "Kathy Griffin: My Life On The D-List" premiering, Ms. Kathy Griffin is making the promotional rounds. Here is her appearance last night on David Letterman. It doesn't get much better than this.

Kanye is a Gay Fish

In case you missed the latest South Park, here's a taste.

Even Kanye liked it, posting a blog saying that it's going to be a long road to convince people that he isn't a huge douche. But he gave props to the creators, saying the episode was "pretty funny" and saying that the writers and creators are probably really nice people in real life. Who is this guy and what did they do with Crazy Kanye???

Not Hillarious...

It looks like, for some GOD FORSAKEN reason, MTV will not be posting last night's season premiere of the hills until today at 3pm EST! What the hell. I can watch the after show right now, but I have to wait to watch the episode. WHY?!?!?

Why would they do this to me? Why am I being so melodramatic? [insert long pause, during which I stare off into space meaningfully]. I don't know.

The Hills are Alive - Season 5

They're Back. They're Back. Tonight, tonight, tonight!

I can't believe I take so much pleasure in the (fake) shenanigans and (pseudo) dramatics that afflict this un-scripted (scripted) show. But I do, i really, really do.

I have had lengthy discussions about the fact that, for a show where nothing EVER happens, it's riveting television. From the looks of the preview, however, it looks like at some point this season a 'roided up super-douche Spencer does take time out of his busy... um... schedule???? to kick his sister's (eye contact allergic) bf's ass. Real punches thrown. Though my sources tell me all is not as it appears.

According to legal documents filed by the punchee, the producers egged him into sending the texts that got him the "pratt-down", by assuring him that Spencer was in on the joke. Sounds about par. Legal disclaimer: This is all allegedly how it transpired - it's up to the courts to sort it out.

I, for one, would be happy to see Lauren and Heidi getting along again. For some strange reason, I find former friend feuds particularly upsetting. I was probably the only person in America who breathed a genuine sigh of relief when I heard that Paris and Nicole had patched things up. Seriously. I just want everyone to get along.

Looks like this could end up being the very last season of the hills, kids. So buckle up and enjoy the (not very interesting) ride. YEEHAW!

CrazyBeth Strikes Again...

Just got a voice mail from Ianovich about today's episode of The View. Apparently, when discussing the Obama gaffe about the Special Olympics during his appearance last week on The Tonight Show, Elizabeth got so worked up that she threw water on Barbara (I'm sure it was an accident). This is all hearsay at this point, so don't quote me!

Anyway, I am scouring YouTube now trying to find the video. I'll upload it as soon as I can.

UPDATE: Here it is, though as a caveat, I have been running around from one crazy meeting to another today and haven't had a chance to view it. I will watch it tonight and post my comments then.

Mama... Get a Grip!

Last night I was treated to another hour of Momma's Boys. While this week episode was, on the whole, more watchable than episodes past, I did still change the channel a couple of times when things got really intense (always involving Mrs B).

This week we were finally treated to the "show date" where JoJo (Mrs Bs hockey playing 21 year old son) asked an African American woman to go rock climbing. After the date, they retire to a hot tub where they get a little smooch on. Of course, the producers - knowing that Mrs B is... let's say, xenophobic - insists that she be brought to her son immediately. The producers promptly get her to a helicopter and the next thing you know they are hovering above the hot tub while Mrs B (via a telephoto lens) watches her son kissing the "black lady" (her words, not mine).

Here is my problem with this whole sequence. It is all just so convenient and unconvincing. Are we really supposed to believe that this entire thing wasn't staged by the producers. JoJo, dreamy as he is, doesn't seem able to stand up to his mother when it comes to wearing a shirt she doesn't like, let alone dating someone his mother has had serious confrontations with. Secondly, if you have a helicopter hovering above the hot tub you are soaking in - you stop kissing and look up. Lastly, being able to shoot in a residential neighborhood from a helicopter takes time and planning, it's not like grabbing your flip and jumping into the Prius. All I can say is, Ms. Seacrest... pah-lease.

The most cringe inducing moment of the show is when JoJo defends his Mother's behavior on the show by saying that, ALL mothers are like that. He seems a little bewildered when his date disagrees. Later on in the show, he gives his date, Misty, the old heave ho because she "disrespected" his mother and then turns to her and says, "you're more important than she is." Of course your mother is more important than some girl you just met, but dude - grow a pair and call your Mom on her BS.

The other mothers, while having their opinions and making them heard, lack the manic insanity that is Mrs B, much to my relief.

This episode also welcomed the respective religious leaders, and the extended families, of the Momma's Boys over to the mansion to celebrate Hunnukah and Christmas. It was a cute idea, but led to a butting of the heads between Robert and his Mother, Esther - who wants him to marry a nice Jewish girl, only one of whom is left in the house. Robert has his eye on an African American lovely named Camilla, who was very interested in learning all about the ceremonial and culinary traditions of the Festival of Lights. Looks like there's a shiksa in the kitchen with Momma.

At the end of the show each mother and son team were given 3 plane tickets to the US Virgin Islands, for the next step of the competition. The moms had one to give away and their sons, two. For better or for worse, the islands should offer more chances for romance and conflict. Looks like things are about to get ugly in paradise.

Mama, Can You Hear Me?

Joey B and I sat through a deliciously horrendous hour of television last night. A (so far) very watchable shitheap called "Mama's Boy" that premiered immediately following the finale of The Fattest People (aka The Biggest Loser).

The show, helmed by renowned Mama's boy (ahem, ahem) Ryan Seacrest, has a pretty basic premise. Three coddled (though adorable) Mama's boy are invited to mingle with 32 single women - of various ages, educations and ethnicities - in a Santa Barbara ocean side mansion. All in a quest to find love.

The catch is that their over-protective Mothers move in as well and, from the looks of the previews, run some pretty serious interference. In particular, the mother of the DELECTABLE hockey player, Jojo (Khalood Bojanowski, aka Mrs. B) ranted about how she doesn't want a Jewish girl, an Asian girl, a black girl or a big butt girl for here baby. You can count on this woman being vilified in the blogosphere for the remainder of the shows run. A leak, a few weeks ago, showed her freaking out when she saw (from a helicopter, mind you) her son kissing an African American woman. She actually threatened to crush her son's balls and then attempted to smash the windows due to her rage. She's pretty vile.

Joey B and I have decided that the Uber Jewish Mother, Esther (mother of Commercial Real Estate Salesman, Robert) , is totally our favorite but I've warned him that, while all smiles and giggles now, she may turn out to be a beast as the show progresses. Lorraine, mother to Michael (Fireman and EMT - he's the most "All American" looking) is the most personable but, when looking at the season previews, looks like she's hell bent on preventing her son from hooking up with a girl that she doesn't approve of.

I'm intrigued so far, though I did hide my head under a blanket during Mrs. B's racist rant, so there's a possibility that the "uncomfortability" factor may force me to stop watching. I have to admit I'm equally uneasy with how doting these mothers are (Mrs. B seems like she actually wants to jump her son's bones) and how willing these sons are to be coddled by them (though the most independent, my beloved Jojo, is the youngest contestant but also the only one who doesn't live at home). Boundaries, people. BOUNDARIES!

Thank God my mother is nothing like these women. And if yours is... my deepest sympathies.

Out of The Hills, and into The City

Here is the latest trailer for the Whitney Port vehicle, "The City".

Joey B and I discussed, last week, the fact that they seem to be making Whitney seem much "dumber", in terms of her choices, than she was in The Hills. I guess that's part of helming your own semi-scripted show on MTV. Good luck, Whitney. You couldn't pay me enough to hang out with Olivia Palermo. Yawn, yawn, yawn.

The City - MTV Shows

SAVE THIS SHOW!

I was torn, last season, between Cashmere Mafia and Lipstick Jungle. With my divided loyalty of Candace Bushnell and Michael Patrick King, I didn't know who I wanted to succeed. Cashmere had quite possibly my favorite character last season - Juliet Draper (as played stupendously by Miranda Otto) but the rest of the show fell flat (and the clothes kind of sucked). Jungle, on the other hand, had a better cast overall and I fell in love with all three protagonists (it took me a while to get past the late 90210 taint attached to Lindsay Price, but I got there). Ultimately, their trials and tribulations were much more titillating. I didn't shed a tear when Cashmere got stained, shrunk and destroyed.

I had been looking forward to Lipstick's return when suddenly I read, in The Times, that the show had been canceled. I, honestly, had no idea that it was even back on the air. When I looked into it, it turns out that the network had done NOTHING to promote the new season and had also bounced the show all over the schedule. I was not happy.

But soon, a reprieve. Myself, like many other fans, upon hearing of the show's demise (and thereby learning that it was back on) flocked to NBC.com and watched the season's episodes so far and set the TiVo to record the upcoming episode, thus creating an impressive bump in the ratings measured outside of the standard Neilson.

Now Lipstick Jungle has a chance to carry on. While the network hasn't ordered any new episodes, they are watching to see how the remaining original 16 do in the ratings. If you're already a fan, I encourage you to try and recruit some friends to tune in and, if you're not already into the show, please check it out. Let's make sure the network knows they have a little something special on their teeth.

What the Hills is Going on???

Last night's episode of The Hills was like a bad high school flashback. Audrina heard a random rumor from a nebulous character named "Dino" and proceeded to alienate her best friend and her boyfriend as she spun out of control. I have had to experience the same sort of situations repeatedly in the past, and watched it with a mixture of horror and hilarity. Of course, I was 16 at the time.

What is it about the ladies of the Hills that have landed them in some sort of prolonged adolescence? The saddest part is that, despite the many, MANY, protestations from both of the accused that they had not, as the rumor insisted, "Hooked up" Audrina just kept asking over and over again. It was like she wanted to believe the worst about them. The confrontation culminated in Lauren telling Audrina that she was worse than Heidi, because she had made this mess all on her own. Ouch!

The previews from next week's episode show an unapologetic Audrina looking surprised that her sister thinks she should tell Lauren she's sorry. Let's hope that the Britney Spears crazy room is still decorated and operational - looks like it may be needed soon.

In the Velvet

Joey B and I caught a matinee of "Wicked" yesterday at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Chicago. I have seen the show a couple of times before but, as always, was blown away by the unique take and new life that every subsequent cast brings. Joey B had never seen the show and was impressed by the score, the superb acting and the wonderful set.

As I have mentioned before, I attended a Performing Arts high school and had the distinct honor of staging our high school productions in the World Famous Shaw Festival's Royal George Theatre. I have loved the stage for as long as I can remember but, due to stage fright that I developed about 8 years ago, I have not been on one in some time.

Last night, following the show the cast entreated the audience to provide donation to Broadway Cares: Equity Fights AIDS by dropping whatever one could spare into the silver buckets being held by cast members in the lobby. They also mentioned that there was a raffle (at $20 a ticket) to win a chance to perform for one night along with the cast on stage. The odds are 1 in 500 - cross your fingers.

Theater for me has always elicited a very visceral reaction. I have, many times, found myself welling up as the lights dim and the orchestra strikes up the few opening bars. Yesterday was no exception. As a caveat, I should mention that my house warming/birthday party was this past Saturday night and I have been known for years to cry easily when suffering from the "Booze Blues". But in the theater, this is never the real reason.

In the fall of 2003 my Mother purchased tickets for myself, my younger brother Ian, my older brother Andrew and his wife Sheelagh to see an evening performance of "The Lion King" in Toronto on a Wednesday night. I was working at a job that I didn't really enjoy and was very, very resistant to working an entire day and then driving, in rush hour traffic, all the way to Toronto for a show. I was short tempered, irritable and (in case you haven't already guessed) not much fun to be around for the drive up.

When we arrived I kept up a steady stream of comments about the parking lot attendant, pedi-cabs, our fellow theater-goers and a number of other topics - I am amazed that my brother didn't see fit to drown me in the nearest puddle as we walked along King Street to the theatre.

We settled into our (very nice) seats and I was obstinately prepared to thoroughly detest the show (being a purist, I thought that no good could come of a musical based on a cartoon). Then the lights went down and actors, in the wonderful costumes created by Julie Tamour, began to pour through the audience toward the stage and I was overwhelmed with emotion - tears pouring down my cheeks. I was suddenly so happy. I was exactly where I should have been on that dark, damp October night. I was in the velvet and everything was right with the world.

Cartoon Madness

In the list of topics my brother provided me with yesterday, to ensure prompt blogging, he mentioned cartoons that make one nostalgic. In particular, he mentioned Eek the Cat - a show I did not remember until a quick search on YouTube brought it all flashing back. The morbidly obese pink girlfriend, the penchant for unlucky situations, that usually left him burned, blown up or otherwise severely injured. Aah, FOX.

As a result, I have dug up some of the fabulous cartoons I loved as a kid. Some of them may be very Canadia-centric, but I loved them. They include; The amorphous Barbapapas (for the record, the show had an English theme as well - I just preferred the French), Dr Snuggles (an inventor who travels the stars in a homemade rocket and the Silver Hawks (from the creator of Thunder Cats).

What cartoons are you nostalgic for? Drop a few lines in the comment sections and let the world know!

ABC can suck it!

I love to watch shows online. It is embarrassing to admit, but I don't have cable. I keep meaning to get it hooked up, but with everything I love being available online, it just doesn't make much sense. That being said, I have a long standing hate on for the ABC full episode player.

It is choppy, slow and incredibly frustrating - to make matters worse, they are constantly "updating" it to make it even more cumbersome. Today I just finally had enough!

Why don't they just get it right first, and then tinker with it? I work crazy hours and often don't get to see Ugly Betty on Thursday nights, so I try to catch up on it when I can during the weekend or following week. It has gotten so frustrating that I've stopped watching altogether because the story moves so quickly from week to week.

I don't understand why it's so hard! NBC has an amazing player. For that matter, so does MTV. ABC brass, take note, when the ads you inject into the online shows are flawless, while the content skips like a broken record - you need to (to borrow a line from my favorite SNL Weekend Update Analyst), "FIX IT!"

I'll be waiting.

The View From Here II

Here we go kids:

The View From Here

I don't get much of a chance to watch The View these days, due to my cra-za-zy work schedule, but I have been hearing that the disagreements are getting more and more heated. Last Thursday, Joy Behar jumped out of her seat and threatened to leave the stage - she eventually sat down but fanned herself with the "Hot Topics" segment cards and kept muttering half scentences in Whoopi's direction... delicious!

I got an email from a Rage Reader (aka, a Rager) about today's hot topics segment in which Elizabeth Hasselbeck, during a confrontation with Ms Behar, encourages her to, "Keep drinking the Obama Kool-Aid." Yikes. I will do my best to track down a clip for you kids and post it as soon as possible. Here's to hump day!

UPDATE: My brother Ian just sent me the clip I referenced above. Enjoy!

Bitches with Badges

While Vix was staying with us over the summer, I was able to introduce her to some of my very favorite pop delicacies including; Wipeout, 1970s Disney Movies and, the creme de la creme, Cagney & Lacey. The uber-feminist shenanigans of Christine Cagney and Mary Beth Lacey are absolute gold, as is watching them bust New York scum while wearing knee high high-heeled boots. One of my favorite "sports", while watching C&L is scanning the background for the occasional palm tree. Delicious.

Anyway, I recently discovered an interview that Graham Norton did with the former stars, promoting the release of Season 1 on DVD. It is in 5 segments and it is so delightful, and funny, that I had to post them here in their entirety. Enjoy.

Thank You for Being a Friend

Like many 'mos, the Golden Girls played a large part in my formative years. There was something so inspiring about four older women - who by all accounts were no longer relevant in society (and certainly not in Hollywood) - who were ballsy, brash and completely comfortable in their own skin.

The boys and I used to play Golden Girl trivia during the long drive to and from Toronto. My favorite question, "What was Dorothy's nickname in high school?" (If you know the answer, enter it in the comment section below). While Dorothy was always my favorite character, it was her interactions with her mother, Sofia, (played by the incomparable Estelle Getty) that left me laughing until tears rolled down my cheeks.



Miss Getty passed away this morning at her home in California. She had been suffering from dementia for the past few years which made it impossible to join her cast mates in appearances like this year's TV Land awards. I am just so grateful that she has left behind a legacy of laughter. After all, what is more divine?