Austin360 blogs > TV Blog > Archives > 2004 > July
July 2004
Fake candidate for fake election
For those who think George Bush and John Kerry aren’t enough of a choice, there’s Showtime’s new reality series “The American Candidate”, which debuts Sunday night at 8.
Created by R.J. Cutler, whose 1994 documentary “A Perfect Candidate” followed Oliver North’s losing campaign for the U.S. Senate, the new series isn’t intended to put a real name on the ballot come November. It’s a game.
Ten allegedly ordinary Americans were selected via Internet to compete for the virtual candidacy and a prize of $200,000 — small potatoes in today’s million-dollar contest world.
Among these ordinary folks are the lesbian daughter of Rep. Richard Gephardt, D-Missouri, a former aide to President Clinton from St. Louis, a sheriff who opposes the Brady gun bill and a former official with the Environmental Protection Agency.
The other contestants, all of whom feel the two-party political system doesn’t offer enough choices, include a talk-radio host, a businessman, an animal-rights activist and a school teacher who supports President Bush.
During their made-for-TV campaign, the candidates compete by organizing rallies and other political-type exercises. Each week, the two pseudo-politicos who are voted the worst by the other contenders must debate each other, and then one gets the boot. When the field is whittled from 10 to 3, viewers get to cast the final ballot.
This is one of those concepts that probably sounded good after several drinks in a bar. We’re in the throes of a tight election season and all that. But fake candidates just aren’t all that interesting, and with Montel Williams as host, “The American Candidate” smacks of silliness. Tabloid TV with a prize.
Texas’ deadliest disaster
The History Channel debunks the notion that government weather forecaster Isaac Cline was a hero in the killer hurricane that struck Galveston in 1900.
“Isaac’s Storm” (Sunday at 7 p.m.) chronicles events leading up to the hurricane that practically washed away the Texas island, killing 6,000 people and going down in history as the worst natural disaster in U.S. history.
The film, based on a book by Erik Larson, presents compelling evidence that Cline actually ignored early warning signs of the storm. Instead of evacuating the island when there was still time, he was so convinced that the storm would not hit Galveston that he waited until roads were under water and there was no chance of escape.
I’m a sucker for natural disasters, and the Galveston hurricane is a fascinating tale well-told.
Oh, no! They’re stuck!
The Democrats entered last night pleased that their convention went off without a major embarrassment or disaster.
But then the hoped-for dramatic conclusion of John Kerry’s acceptance speech ended with a pitiful bunch of balloons falling on the stage. TV cameras immediately shot up to the ceiling, where thousands of red, white and blue balloons were stuck in nets.
Eventually they all trickled down, along with a ton of confetti. But the impressive snowing of balloons on the crowd and the candidates didn’t happen as planned.
Permalink | | Categories: Reality TV
A ‘Simpsons’ outing is on the way …
It’s going to be a long wait, but when “The Simpsons” finally opens its 16th season Nov. 14, we’ll have a juicy plot twist on the horizon.
At the recent Comic-Con gathering in San Diego, producers of the long-running Fox comedy let slip that Springfield will legalize gay marriage and a longtime regular will come out of the closet — presumably to tie the knot.
The obvious character to make the leap is Waylon Smithers, whose romantic fascination with Mr. Burns is legendary. A behind-the-scenes source at the show intimated that Smithers is indeed the gay guy of note.
But “Simpsons” creator Matt Groening reportedly “joked” at the convention that the uncloseted character will be, gulp, Homer! Was he really joking? Maybe. You never know with Groening, and the writers of “The Simpsons” do like to toy with the audience.
But Homer as a homer-o-sexual would be quite the revelation, wouldn’t it? His life with Marge and the kids, he suddenly realizes, was a sham, and he reveals that all along he’s been in love with (a) Barney, (b) Moe or (c) Ned Flanders. Take your pick.
The possibilities are endless, but I truly don’t think Homer is among them. Even a cartoon would have a hard time undoing a marriage and setting up a remarriage in the span of 30 minutes. Besides, the episode also is rumored to find Homer becoming a minister online, which probably means he’ll perform the wedding.
If the show wants to ring true to its characters, one half of the gay duo would almost have to be Smithers. And if he married Mr. Burns, that would legitimize Smithers’ long-lasting love.
Other tantalizing possibilities, however, include Lenny and Carl finally realizing their passion, Patty or Selma snuffing out their ciggies and proposing to Ms. Krabappel, Principal Skinner and Groundskeeper Willie or Barney and Moe realizing they have more in common than Duff beer.
“The Simpsons” has dealt sensitively with gay issues before. Homer quickly shed his homophobia when a gay antiques dealer saved him from a herd of rampaging reindeer. Homer also briefly shared quarters with a gay couple when he moved to Springfield’s version of San Francisco’s Castro Street.
Convention-watching update …
Boy, the Rev. Al Sharpton set the hall on fire last night!
Democratic convention organizers reportedly were nervous nellies when Sharpton took to the podium with his speech in his pocket instead of on the TelePrompTer. Nobody knew what he was going to say — or how long he would say it. And instead of the allotted six minutes, the Rev. Al went 20 minutes.
But he was magnificent. There’s nothing like an African-American preacher to get Democrats rocking, and Sharpton had the whole hall in his hand. Especially when he answered President Bush’s charge, made at the Urban League meeting recently, that Democrats have taken black voters for granted.
“Mr. President,” Sharpton boomed, “You said we would have more leverage if both parties got our votes. But we didn’t come this far playing political games… . We got the Civil Rights Act under Democrats. We got the Voting Rights Act under Democrats. We got the right to organize under Democrats. In all due respect, Mr. President, read my lips, our vote is not for sale.”
It wasn’t the sweet-and-positive message Democratic leaders had begged speakers to deliver, but Sharpton’s address sure got the delegates pumped. And it was great TV.
Permalink | | Categories: Entertainment
‘Reality’ Amish: Do you care?
I know I’m supposed to be outraged by a reality show that more or less pokes fun at the Amish, but I just can’t get my dander up.
“Amish in the City” debuts tonight at 7 on UPN. Life is too short to waste time on shows that won’t last, so I’ll be watching the Democratic Convention instead. The Democrats may not win in November, but they won’t be canceled.
In case you’re curious about “Amish in the City,” here’s the deal: Five young Amish people are temporarily housed with five non-Amish in a Los Angeles mansion. Think “Real World” with a culture clash but without the sex.
The Amish — who live simply and without modern conveniences such as cars and washing machines — have a rite of passage called “rumspringa,” a Pennsylvania Dutch term that means “running wild.” During this time, young people leave their Amish communities to sample the outside world and decide if they want to return to their roots. Apparently most of them do.
The producers of this show, of course, take rumspringa to an extreme, introducing the five Amish to an extravagant lifestyle and putting them with relatively rowdy non-Amish. Most Amish take their sabbaticals in small towns or cities near home; they don’t travel across the country and dip their toes in the Pacific Ocean.
And you will not be surprised to know that these “reality” Amish are quite lovely. Two of the women don bikinis for their trip to the beach, and one of the men turns out to be a major hunk when he doffs his shirt.
The non-Amish are the duds: one is a ditzy vegan who describes eggs as “chicken abortion,” another is an empty-headed party girl and another is a wannabe rocker from Boston. Rounding out the group is a chiseled swimming coach and a college student.
We are supposed to be enthralled with the possible corrupting of the Amish. Will they return to their nests or choose a life of decadence in the Hollywood Hills? Do you care? I don’t.
Highlights of Night 2 at the Democratic Convention
The broadcast networks, except for PBS, decided that Tuesday night was going to be so dull they bailed on convention coverage.
What did they miss? Arguably the most electric speaker in the Democratic party, Barack Obama, candidate for the U.S. Senate from Illinois. The 42-year-old newcomer launched delegates into a frenzy of excitement and stunned commentators. CNN’s Candy Crowley seemed positively star-struck in her post-speech interview with Obama.
The networks also missed Teresa Heinz Kerry, who was a snoozer compared with Obama and probably made the Big Three feel better about their decision to skip Tuesday.
Only C-SPAN fans got to hear 12-year-old firebrand Ilana Wexler, founder of kidsforkerry.org, rip into the Republican contenders. Ilana, with a head full of carrot-colored curls, chastised Vice President Dick Cheney for cussing on the Senate floor:
“Our vice president deserves a long time out,” she said, wagging her finger as the crowd cheered.
Another personal highlight was Fox’s Bill O’Reilly and “Fahrenheit 9/11” filmmaker Michael Moore duking it out over the existence or not of WMDs. Neither conceded, both interrupted and shouted. In the end, Moore stuck out his hand as a sign of peace — to a very reluctant-looking O’Reilly.
Now that’s entertainment!
Permalink | | Categories: Reality TV
C-SPAN: The best TV for convention junkies
Bless its little public-spirited heart, C-SPAN is the place to be for political convention-watching.
The broadcast networks have elected to dangle only a single hour of coverage on three of the four nights from the Democratic Convention in Boston, and even the cable news networks are reporting more on events surrounding the convention than what’s actually happening inside the Fleet Center.
C-SPAN is providing the only gavel-to-gavel coverage, and Monday night the effort was splendid. There was a time, when C-SPAN first got into the convention business in the late 1980s, that the camera was a stationary object trained on the podium. Between speakers, viewers were treated to shots of a lonely microphone.
Not any more. The C-SPAN cameras roam the convention hall between podium activities, telling little stories through pictures of delegates chatting with each other and hordes of roving reporters, watching videos on the big-screen monitor.
On C-SPAN you get to see those “interstitial” moments, like the “ceremony of remembrance” for the victims of Sept. 11. A 16-year-old violinist played a haunting rendition of “Amazing Grace” as the hall went dark and delegates held up small flashlights.
I’m a hopeless political junkie, and that’s probably why I love this bare-bones approach. Watching C-SPAN makes you feel like you’re there, a delegate-at-large on the floor with all those folks sporting donkey hats and Abe Lincoln beards. I’ll feel the same way when folks are sporting elephant hats in New York next month. I can’t help myself. Election season gets my patriotism pumping.
But it’s hard for me to get in the mood with scatter-shot coverage.
Even the featured speakers last night were a hit-and-miss proposition on cable news channels. Fox’s Bill O’Reilly chatted up Ralph Nader instead of covering the podium, and Sean Hannity interviewed Bill Bennett while Jimmy Carter launched an all-out attack on Bush.
MSNBC and NBC spent more time with Tom Brokaw than any of the politicians, and Brokaw, who will step down as anchor in December, seemed genuinely bored.
CNN did a better job of covering the proceedings. Although Wolf Blitzer’s insistent monotone grates on my nerves, Judy Woodruff is always on her game. Jeff Greenfield was smart and insightful, though his reports on Web loggers seem to give the topic more importance than it deserves. (Yes, I see the irony.)
On the broadcast side, ABC, in its slender hour, gave viewers a better feel for what was happening at the convention. Peter Jennings seemed to be having the time of his life down on the floor, happily screaming into his hand-held mike.
For the serious-minded wanting more than the podium, PBS and Jim Lehrer had a three-hour prime-time telecast that was a perfect blend of analysis, reporting and podium coverage.
Everybody honed in on Bill Clinton — for obvious reasons. He’s the Elvis of politics, after all, the very definition of good TV.
I can’t imagine watching “Fear Factor” or “CSI: Miami” instead of this. I’ll be flipping around the dial watching the convention all week, but C-SPAN will be my home base.
Permalink | | Categories: News coverage
BBC America’s ‘Messiah’ is chillingly fab
If you like gruesome thrillers, you’ll love “Messiah,” BBC America’s two-part drama that starts tonight at 8 and wraps up next Monday night at the same time.
Before you sit down, however, remember that the United Kingdom doesn’t have the restrictions on language and gruesomeness that we prudish Americans have. They don’t show frontal nudity or actual sex acts, but just about everything is a go across the pond, so be advised.
Ken Stott stars as weary detective Red Metcalfe, a guy with so much emotional baggage he needs a porter to carry it. His lovely wife Susan (Michelle Forbes) tries to help, but Metcalfe is reluctant to share — perhaps because she’s deaf and may not understand the sordid story when it’s told in sign language, but probably just because he’s been keeping the secret for so long.
Those of us who are addicted to BBC dramas love the complicated layering of the stories, and “Messiah” is no exception. There’s a lot going on all the time, and if you don’t pay attention, you’re lost.
The story unfolds with one simple yet disgusting murder and grows into a multirooted saga of serial murder, psychological creepiness and religious perversion.
On top of the main storyline, Metcalfe’s life is a twisted bundle of guilt, about what we don’t know until late in the movie. There are flashbacks and panic attacks and a visit to a down-and-out brother who just got out of jail and is an even bigger mess.
As the murders spread across London, we “meet” the victims: a naked bishop, a bloody chef, a fly-riddled corpse in a shower. The beat goes on (with pounding classical music in the background), with victims bearing oddly familiar biblical names.
Subplots are many, but everything slowly coils together as the movie reaches its jolt-filled conclusion. It’s exhausting, revolting and exciting all at once. The story, based on the novel by Boris Starling, is first-rate, and the performances are simply spellbinding.
Note: The last time I wrote about BBC America shows — the fabulous Friday night lineup of “The Saint,” “The Avengers” and “The Prisoner” — I was besieged with phone calls and e-mails from folks apparently confused about where to see them. Soooo …
BBC America is on Time Warner’s digital lineup, Channel 268. It is also available on other cable service’s lineups and on digital satellite.
Can’t get enough Democrats?
If broadcast TV’s one hour on three nights doesn’t do it for you, and even cable news and C-SPAN can’t fill you up, there are other choices to watch the Democratic National Convention this week.
ABC is supplementing its network coverage with ABC News Now, a gavel-to-gavel service that Time Warner digital cable subscribers can receive on Channel 1512.
The other networks and cable channels are supplying extra coverage with video streams on their Web sites: CBSNews.com, MSNBC.com, CNN.com and FoxNews.com.
They’re baaaaack!
The silly saga of the two “CSI” supporting players is finally over. It’s amazing what a little begging and crow-eating will do.
George Eads and Jorja Fox, who staged a mini-holdout for more money last week and were promptly fired by CBS president Les Moonves, return to work today. At their old salaries, reportedly $100,000 a week. Poor things.
Eads (who plays Nick Stokes), you may recall, went public with his apology when he appeared before TV critics to promote his TNT movie “Evel Knievel.” He said the whole thing was a terrible misunderstanding and that he simply “overslept.”
Fox (who plays Sara Sidle) never publicly said anything, but since she was fired and is back now, we can assume she also performed some groveling penance.
Lesson learned.
Permalink | | Categories: Entertainment
More gore-for-beauty on reality TV
It’s taken me about a year, but I can now watch an enormous breast implant getting stuffed into a bloody gash in a woman’s chest. I find myself oddly proud of that fact.
Let me confess up front that I wouldn’t watch any of these truly stunning surgical makeover shows if I didn’t have to as part of my job. I’m a bit squeamish about slit eyelids, peeled back foreheads and, especially, breast stuffing. Or at least I used to be.
But I’ve now seen so many of these gory scenes that I can pretty much do it while eating dinner. It’s a good thing, too, because another cosmetic surgery series is coming in September, delicately titled “Miami Slice.”
The newcomer will join existing reality slicers “Extreme Makeover” on ABC, “The Swan” on Fox and “Dr. 90210” on E! Entertainment Television. And on FX, there’s the inimitable drama (although the surgery scenes sure do look real) “Nip/Tuck.”
Bravo used to be known as “the tasteful basic cable channel,” but this summer it has nose-dived into reality (“Blow Out,” etc) and come up with surprisingly good ratings for its less classy fare.
Thus on Sept. 6 we’ll be treated to “Miami Slice,” billed as a “documentary series” that will “explore our nation’s fascination with the trend that’s forever changing the face of America.”
The series follows five prominent plastic surgeons in Miami, poking into their personal and professional lives. In a press release describing the new series, Dr. Howell Tiller, one of the starring slicers, pretty much sums up the characters’ qualities: “What we do is the height of arrogance — to make people better than God intended.”
My suspicion is some people watch these surgical makeover shows to talk themselves out of spending thousands of dollars on making themselves look either younger or sexier. When you see someone’s face dangling from a doctor’s hand, you may not want that face-lift after all.
“The Sopranos” silent until 2006
HBO has revealed that the show most slobbered on by critics will take another lengthy hiatus until its final season.
“The Sopranos” will air its final 10 episodes in 2006 — possibly as early as January 2006, but possibly later, in the spring. As usual, HBO execs and series creator David Chase are not worried about the 1 1/2-year lag.
The premium cable channel has always seen the episodes more as miniseries and sequels than regular series, and viewers apparently have no trouble remembering what happened in season-enders that aired a long time ago.
Permalink | | Categories: Reality TV
‘CSI’ guy wants back in
Talk about your lame excuses.
George Eads, recently fired from his supporting role on “CSI,” says he “overslept” on the day last week when he failed to show up for work.
This is right up there with “The dog ate my homework” and “The check is in the mail.” And almost on a par with “I did not have sexual relations with that woman!”
Before a gathering of snickering, snorting TV critics Wednesday, Eads insisted the whole flap with CBS was “an incredible misunderstanding.” He insisted he was not staging a hold-out for more money.
Eads made his excuse, along with a groveling apology to his former network boss, at a press conference to promote his new TNT movie “Evel Knievel”, which debuts July 30.
In case you missed it, Eads and Jorja Fox were bumped from “CSI” last week in a reported dispute about contract renegotiations. In spite of already receiving raises two years ago and being offered more money for this, the series’ fifth season, the two supporting players — according to every major news source — were demanding more than their $100,000 per episode for the 24-episode season.
CBS president Les Moonves, sending a signal to anyone else mulling holding up production, quickly dropped both “CSI” actors.
Eads pitifully insists he overslept not by a little but by nearly half a work day — 3 hours. The Fort Worth native says when he finally woke up he called the set to say he was on the way and was told, “Don’t bother.”
Jorja Fox has yet to offer an excuse for her hold-out, but let’s hope it’s a better explanation. Maybe she could say she was felled by amnesia and couldn’t remember where she worked. Or that her dog ate her script, and she was waiting for him to throw up. Or that she was abducted by aliens.
Eads says he hopes Moonves will change his mind and hire him back. Fox is not talking. CBS is mum on Eads’ remarks.
If the network figures Eads’ groveling is sincere (even if his excuse is not), he could be rehired. And if he is, look for the poor guy to become the poster boy for how not to ask for a raise.
Now that’s just sad
Remember when Joan and Melissa Rivers ditched their red-carpet gigs at E! Entertainment Television for a multmillion-dollar, multiyear deal with the TV Guide Channel?
Turns out the mother-daughter duo will be paid for doing nothing when the Emmys are handed out Sept. 19 — and the next year, too. That’s because E! has an exclusive arrangement with the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences through 2005 to cover red carpet arrivals before the ceremony.
TV Guide hired the Rivers Gals specifically to do their fashion commentary show at the Emmys. Joan Rivers, according to trade publications, will get $6 million over three years. Apparently TV Guide execs knew about the E! contract with the Emmys but assumed they could reach an agreement with the Academy anyway.
Bad assumption. Now TV Guide has two high-paid stars who will be twiddling their well-manicured thumbs during the Emmys.
Permalink | | Categories: Entertainment
‘Rescue Me’ is hot new summer series
Finally, a summer series to get excited about. Not just a nonrerun to watch while avoiding the heat. A show to really sink your teeth into.
“Rescue Me,” which debuts tonight at 9 on FX, rivals anything HBO has and bests just about everything on “regular” TV. It’s raw, surprising, sensitive, callous and deep.
Set in a New York fire station in the wake of Sept. 11, the series delves into the unraveling personal lives of an assortment of weary, post-traumatic stressed firefighters at Engine 62. The days of glory and tragedy have given way to depression and exhaustion — occasionally relieved by crude practical jokes and smoldering black humor.
Denis Leary stars as firefighter Tommy Gavin, a man so traumatized by Sept. 11 that he sees dead people, most frequently his cousin Jimmy (James McCaffrey), with whom he continues to have a close relationship. All that was left of Jimmy after the World Trade Center collapsed was a finger, so Jimmy’s chatty ghost appears with a bloody hole at the end of one hand.
Tommy puts up a good front at work, but he’s a big mess when his shift is over. He’s separated from his wife, Janet (Andrea Roth), and roiling in a bitter custody battle over his two children — whom he bribes for information about the ex’s new boyfriend. And after a yearlong stint of sobriety, he’s started drinking again.
The firehouse is seething with sexism and homophobia, so viewers who are sensitive to this sort of thing should take heed. And if every bad word in the book (except the f-one) bothers you, this isn’t your show.
But the milieu smacks of serious realism. Leary, who lost a firefighter cousin in a warehouse fire in suburban Boston five years ago, created the series with Peter Tolan, who wrote the HBO comedy “The Larry Sanders Show” and the film “Analyze This.” Leary has been around firefighters his whole life and founded an organization that helps families of firefighters lost in Sept. 11.
In next week’s episode, the grumpy but cuddly-looking Chief Reilly (Jack McGee) beats up a former firefighter who has publicly said he is gay. The beating in a bar is vicious and scary, and Reilly, who winds up fearing for his future in the aftermath, never really seems sorry.
But “Rescue Me” isn’t all nastiness. There’s a good deal of humor in the dark chaos, including a phone conversation between Tommy and his father that has subtitles indicating what both parties are really thinking while they’re talking.
I’m a huge fan of gritty drama. NBC’s “Third Watch” has long been a favorite, and “Rescue Me” is similar in subject matter, although much more complex and edgy thanks to cable’s relaxed restrictions.
This is a summer series to savor — and pray continues in the fall.
Permalink | | Categories: Entertainment
Much to love about ‘Things I Hate’
It sounds nasty, but it’s not. It is, however, yet another entry in what is becoming summer’s suffocating season of reality.
At least the latest, Bravo’s “Things I Hate About You” (8 tonight) has some amusing moments. Although if you don’t find bodily noises such as belching funny, you might disagree.
Hosted by geeky-looking Mo Rocca (NBC’s “Today” and Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show”), the series trots out longtime couples — some married, some not, some seemingly doomed from the get-go — and asks each person to tattle on the other’s annoying, quirky or disgusting habits.
As mentioned, one woman is particularly disgusted by her man’s basso belching. She wouldn’t last a minute in my house, which often features many male relatives and a bunch of teenagers. Luckily (or maybe sadly), we are not disgusted by each other. We are sheepishly amused.
Anyway, I digress. After presenting the host with a list of grievances, the disgruntled partner assists the producers in rigging homes, cars and offices with cameras to capture the mate’s revolting habits.
Rocca then presents the evidence to the couples, sparking a discussion. Does the offender agree he/she is offensive? Or does he/she choose to defend the behavior?
Joining the fray, relationship expert and “Booty Food” author Jacqui Malouf screens the caught-in-the-act footage with an impartial comedic jury that scores each annoyance to determine the winner.
Contrary to what the title implies, “Things I Hate About You” is not hateful. It’s actually fairly relatable and fun. It’s not going to change the natural order of romantic relationships, but at least nobody’s inflicting emotional trauma on anybody — or consuming icky liquids.
If you’re a glutton for punishment, Fox’s “Trading Spouses” debuts tonight, too, at 7. In this one, two moms trade places with allegedly hilarious and heart-warming results.
Is this New York’s finest?
Inexplicably, I’ve gotten sucked into ABC News’ summer documentary series “NYPD 24/7” (9 p.m. Tuesdays).
Maybe it’s just reflex action, flipping to the time and place for my favorite old standby cop drama, “NYPD Blue.”
Whatever the reason, I’ve been oddly drawn to the real cops and their exploits on “NYPD 24/7”.
But I’ve also been struck by the apparent waste of time spent on undercover prostitution stings. So far, two comely cops have dressed up and worked the streets, luring johns into embarrassing arrests.
It’s hard to believe New York City doesn’t have worse crimes to consider. On the other hand, the show’s producers may have chosen to follow these cases for the obvious reasons — fake hookers in short skirts and low blouses talking dirty to Big Apple guys. Good TV, useless law enforcement.
Permalink | | Categories: Reality TV
TV actors — Go figure ‘em
Actors are a weird bunch. Many are talented, but most are nonetheless really weird.
On the one hand they worry constantly about never landing a job after the one they have is finished. But then they do bone-headed things like walk off a steady job that pays, according to Variety, a hefty $100,000 a week.
Such is the sorry saga of George Eads and Jorja Fox of CBS’s hit drama “CSI.” What nitwits.
What the heck were these two thinking last week when they decided to no-show their way into more money? Have they not noticed that they are supporting players, not stars? William Petersen and Marg Helgenberger are the stars. It says so in their contracts, and it says so on the screen.
CBS president Les Moonves decided to play hardball with the pair and dropped them like hot rocks when they didn’t show up for work. Only actors deemed irreplaceable stars ever win in these situations — Larry Hagman on “Dallas,” the entire cast of “Friends,” James Gandolfini on “The Sopranos.”
Rob Lowe found out the hard way that he was dispensable on “The West Wing.” It took David Caruso, who now stars in “CSI: Miami,” nearly a decade to recover from his bad behavior and money demands on “NYPD Blue.”
The Eads-Fox situation is even dumber when you consider that the actors’ contracts were renegotiated after the show’s second season, and another raise was offered this summer, going into the show’s fifth season. Apparently whatever was offered was not enough.
CBS has not yet replaced the actors, so there’s probably a chance the show would take them back if they had the sense to downsize their egos.
But the fact of the matter is, the show will be just fine without them.
Television Critics Awards
The Television Critics Association celebrated its 20th anniversary Saturday night in Los Angeles by handing out its annual awards — and getting beat up by one of the recipients.
Jon Stewart, in a pretaped acceptance speech, ridiculed critics for giving him the prize in the “news and information” category. I agree with him. Funny and sharp as it is, “The Daily Show” is on Comedy Central for a reason — it’s a comedy show!
Critics (and that includes me, although I didn’t vote for “The Daily Show”) look like idiots by passing fellow nominees “Frontline” and “Nightline” to give the a news and information award to Stewart’s show.
In happier news, HBO’s ”Angels in America” won two big awards: program of the year and best movie or miniseries.
So did Fox’s fabulous “Arrested Development,” which picked up awards for best new program and best comedy.
Other winners: “The Sopranos” (drama); Nickelodeon’s ”Nick News” (children’s programming); Ricky Gervais, star of BBC America’s ”The Office” (individual achievement in comedy); Ian McShane, star of HBO’s ”Deadwood” (individual achievement in drama), CBS’ ”60 Minutes” (heritage award) and “60 Minutes” creator Don Hewitt (lifetime-achievement award).
Permalink | | Categories: Entertainment
Emmy guests are the best
In Thursday’s rush to spew out all the Emmy nominations, I didn’t have time to linger over one of my favorite categories — guest actor/actress.
This is one of the truly fun categories, added in 1985 by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences to recognize the fabulous one-time stints, often by non-TV types during the sweeps to spice up ratings.
Mel Brooks and Carol Burnett were nominated for guest spots on “Mad About You,” and Cher popped into “Will & Grace” a couple of seasons ago to give Jack the thrill of a lifetime.
Sometimes guest spots are written for a specific performer, but sometimes the role just happens to be cast with a well-known actor.
Here is this year’s Emmy nominations rundown and my favorite in each category:
Guest actor in comedy series:
Fred Willard, “Everybody Loves Raymond”
Anthony LaPaglia, “Frasier”
Danny DeVito, “Friends”
John Turturro, “Monk”
John Cleese, “Will & Grace”
Although I love Fred Willard in just about anything (but especially the dog-lover’s film “Best in Show”), Anthony LaPaglia’s recurring guest spot as Daphne’s drunk brother on “Frasier” is the best. Maybe it’s the contrast between his button-down, uptight lawman on “Without a Trace.” I’m not sure, but his turn as the slobby, slurring Brit was simply hilarious.
Guest actress in comedy series:
Georgia Engel, “Everybody Loves Raymond”
Laura Linney, “Frasier”
Christina Applegate, “Friends”
Cloris Leachman, “Malcolm in the Middle”
Eileen Brennan, “Will & Grace”
Another talent-packed bunch, but my favorite here is Laura Linney, playing a beautiful woman who gave Frasier Crane a run for his money in the low self- esteem department. These two were hilariously made for each other.
Guest actor in drama series:
Bob Newhart, “ER”
James Earl Jones, “Everwood”
William Shatner, “The Practice”
Matthew Perry, “The West Wing”
Martin Landau, “Without a Trace”
Matthew Perry laid to rest the rumors that he was a one-role comic actor when he played the conservative legal consultant on “The West Wing.” Nevertheless, Bob Newhart’s turn as a lonely old man going blind was stunning. If you missed it, the former funny guy made friends with Dr. Lewis and then committed suicide.
Guest actress in drama series:
Louise Fletcher, “Joan of Arcadia”
Mare Winningham, “Law & Order: SVU”
Marlee Matlin, “Law & Order: SVU”
Betty White, “The Practice”
Sharon Stone, “The Practice”
Even though she’s nominated in the drama category, Betty White’s appearance on “The Practice” made the best of her trademark comedy. There’s something about that sweet, little-old-lady face spewing out nasty, sometimes R-rated comments. She played a vicious blackmailer with a twinkling smile.
### Wanna Warble? ‘American Idol’ Wants To Hear You
Pack your bags if you’re planning to try out for “American Idol 4.”. The audition schedule has been set:
Cleveland — Aug. 4
Washington, DC — Aug. 18
Orlando — Aug. 26
St. Louis — TBA
New Orleans — Aug. 31
Las Vegas — Sept. 12
Anchorage — Sept. 28
Permalink | | Categories: Entertainment
Emmy nominations are here!
The Primetime Emmy nominations are out today! Edie Falco of “The Sopranos” and Tony Shalhoub of “Monk” announced the top categories in Los Angeles this morning.
The big surprises? “Joan of Arcadia” — the show was nominated for Best Drama and Amber Tamblyn was tapped for Best Actress in a Drama. And (yippie!) “Arrested Development” got tapped for Best Comedy.
Here is the more-or-less complete list, minus a few categories such as lighting and sound editing:
Outstanding Comedy Series
Arrested Development • FOX
Curb Your Enthusiasm • HBO
Everybody Loves Raymond • CBS
Sex And The City • HBO
Will & Grace • NBC
Outstanding Drama Series
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation • CBS
Joan Of Arcadia • CBS
The Sopranos • HBO
24 • FOX
The West Wing • NBC
Outstanding Miniseries
American Family — Journey Of Dreams • PBS
Angels In America • HBO
Horatio Hornblower • A&E
Prime Suspect 6: The Last Witness • PBS
Traffic: The Miniseries • USA
Outstanding Made For Television Movie
And Starring Pancho Villa As Himself • HBO
Ike: Countdown To D-Day • A&E
The Lion In Winter • Showtime
The Reagans • Showtime
Something The Lord Made • HBO
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series
Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm • HBO
John Ritter, 8 Simple Rules • ABC
Kelsey Grammer, Frasier • NBC
Matt LeBlanc, Friends • NBC
Tony Shalhoub, Monk • USA
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series
James Spader, The Practice • ABC
James Gandolfini, The Sopranos • HBO
Kiefer Sutherland, 24 • FOX
Martin Sheen, The West Wing • NBC
Anthony LaPaglia, Without A Trace • CBS
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie
Antonio Banderas, And Starring Pancho Villa As Himself • HBO
Al Pacino, Angels In America • HBO
James Brolin, The Reagans • Showtime
Alan Rickman, Something The Lord Made • HBO
Mos Def, Something The Lord Made • HBO
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series
Patricia Heaton, Everybody Loves Raymond • CBS
Jennifer Aniston, Friends • NBC
Bonnie Hunt, Life With Bonnie • ABC
Jane Kaczmarek, Malcolm In The Middle • FOX
Sarah Jessica Parker, Sex And The City • HBO
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series
Jennifer Garner, Alias • ABC
Amber Tamblyn, Joan Of Arcadia • CBS
Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit • NBC
Edie Falco, The Sopranos • HBO
Allison Janney, The West Wing • NBC
Outstanding Lead Actress In A Miniseries Or A Movie
Emma Thompson, Angels In America • HBO
Meryl Streep, Angels In America • HBO
Glenn Close, The Lion In Winter • Showtime
Helen Mirren, Prime Suspect 6: The Last Witness • PBS
Judy Davis, The Reagans • Showtime
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series
Jeffrey Tambor, Arrested Development • FOX
Brad Garrett, Everybody Loves Raymond • CBS
Peter Boyle, Everybody Loves Raymond • CBS
David Hyde Pierce, Frasier • NBC
Sean Hayes, Will & Grace • NBC
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series
Victor Garber, Alias • ABC
Brad Dourif, Deadwood • HBO
Michael Imperioli, The Sopranos • HBO
Steve Buscemi, The Sopranos • HBO
John Spencer, The West Wing • NBC
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie
Patrick Wilson, Angels In America • HBO
Justin Kirk, Angels In America • HBO
Ben Shenkman, Angels In America • HBO
Jeffrey Wright, Angels In America • HBO
William H. Macy, Stealing Sinatra • Showtime
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series
Doris Roberts, Everybody Loves Raymond • CBS
Kim Cattrall, Sex And The City • HBO
Kristin Davis, Sex And The City • HBO
Cynthia Nixon, Sex And The City • HBO
Megan Mullally, Will & Grace • NBC
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series
Robin Weigert, Deadwood • HBO
Tyne Daly, Judging Amy • CBS
Drea de Matteo, The Sopranos • HBO
Janel Moloney, The West Wing • NBC
Stockard Channing, The West Wing • NBC
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Miniseries Or A Movie
Mary Louise Parker, Angels In America • HBO
Angela Lansbury, The Blackwater Lightship • CBS
Julie Andrews, Eloise At Christmastime • ABC
Anne Heche, Gracie’s Choice • Lifetime
Anjelica Huston, Iron Jawed Angels • HBO
Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming Less than One Hour)
Futurama, FOX
The Simpsons, FOX
South Park, Comedy Central
SpongeBob SquarePants, Nickelodeon
Outstanding Animated Program (For Programming One Hour Or More)
The Powerpuff Girls, Cartoon Network
Star Wars: Clone Wars, Cartoon Network
Outstanding Art Direction For A Multicamera Series
Arrested Development • FOX
Frasier • NBC
Two And A Half Men • CBS
Whoopi • NBC
Will & Grace • NBC
Outstanding Art Direction For A Single-Camera Series
Alias • ABC
Carnivale • HBO
Deadwood • HBO
The Sopranos • HBO
The West Wing • NBC
Outstanding Art Direction For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Special
And Starring Pancho Villa As Himself • HBO
Angels In America • HBO
Horatio Hornblower • A&E
Ike: Countdown To D-Day • A&E
The Lion In Winter • Showtime
Outstanding Art Direction For A Variety Or Music Program
The 76th Annual Academy Awards • ABC
The 46th Annual Grammy Awards • CBS
MADTV • FOX
Saturday Night Live • NBC
A Very Queer Eye Holiday • Bravo
Outstanding Cinematography For A Multicamera Series
8 Simple Rules • ABC
Friends • NBC
George Lopez • ABC
Two And A Half Men • CBS
Will & Grace • NBC
Outstanding Cinematography For A Single-Camera Series
Alias • ABC
Carnivale • HBO
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation • CBS
The Sopranos • HBO
The West Wing • NBC
Outstanding Cinematography For A Miniseries Or Movie
American Family • PBS
And Starring Pancho Villa As Himself • HBO
Angels In America • HBO
Iron Jawed Angels • HBO
Something The Lord Made • HBO
Outstanding Cinematography For Nonfiction Programming (Single Or Multicamera)
The Amazing Race • CBS
The Apprentice • NBC
Jockey • HBO
Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues • PBS
Survivor • CBS
Outstanding Commercial
Born A Donkey — Budweiser
Dominoes — Miller
Door Music — Saturn
Interview — United Airlines
Outfit — Citibank Identity Theft Card Protection
Rubberband Man — Office Max
Outstanding Costumes For A Series
Carnivale • HBO
Deadwood • HBO
Sex And The City • HBO
The Sopranos • HBO
That ’70s Show • FOX
Outstanding Costumes For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Special
And Starring Pancho Villa As Himself • HBO
Angels In America • HBO
Horatio Hornblower • A&E
Iron Jawed Angels • HBO
The Lion In Winter • Showtime
Outstanding Directing For A Comedy Series
Arrested Development • FOX
Curb Your Enthusiasm • HBO
Curb Your Enthusiasm (“The Car Pool Lane”) • HBO
Curb Your Enthusiasm (“The Survivor”) • HBO
Sex And The City (“An American Girl In Paris”) • HBO
Outstanding Directing For A Drama Series
Deadwood • HBO
ER • NBC
Nip/Tuck • FX
The Sopranos • HBO
The Sopranos • HBO
Outstanding Directing For A Variety, Music Or Comedy Program
The 76th Annual Academy Awards • ABC
Bill Maher: Victory Begins At Home • HBO
Chappelle’s Show • Comedy Central
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart • Comedy Central
Elaine Stritch: At Liberty • HBO
Late Show With David Letterman • CBS
Outstanding Directing For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Dramatic Special
Angels In America • HBO
Ike: Countdown To D-Day • A&E
The Lion In Winter • Showtime
Prime Suspect 6: The Last Witness • PBS
Something The Lord Made • HBO
Outstanding Music And Lyrics
The Fairly OddParents (Song: Wish Come True!) • Nickelodeon
Futuram (Song: I Want My Hands Back) • FOX
Sesame Street Presents (Song: The Street I Live On) • PBS
The Simpsons (Song: Vote for a Winner) • FOX
Until The Violence Stops (Song: Because You Are Beautiful) • Lifetime
Outstanding Main Title Theme Music
Deadwood • HBO
Monk • USA
Monster House • Discovery Channel
Nip/Tuck • FX
Two And A Half Men • CBS
Outstanding Guest Actor In A Comedy Series
Fred Willard, Everybody Loves Raymond • CBS
Anthony LaPaglia, Frasier • NBC
Danny DeVito, Friends • NBC
John Turturro, Monk • USA
John Cleese, Will & Grace • NBC
Outstanding Guest Actor In A Drama Series
Bob Newhart, ER • NBC
James Earl Jones, Everwood • WB
William Shatner, The Practice • ABC
Matthew Perry, The West Wing • NBC
Martin Landau, Without A Trace • CBS
Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy Series
Georgia Engel, Everybody Loves Raymond • CBS
Laura Linney, Frasier • NBC
Christina Applegate, Friends • NBC
Cloris Leachman, Malcolm In The Middle • FOX
Eileen Brennan, Will & Grace • NBC
Outstanding Guest Actress In A Drama Series
Louise Fletcher, Joan Of Arcadia • CBS
Mare Winningham, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit • NBC
Marlee Matlin, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit • NBC
Betty White, The Practice • ABC
Sharon Stone, The Practice • ABC
Outstanding Individual Performance In A Variety Or Music Program
Billy Crystal, The 76th Annual Academy Awards • ABC
Elaine Stritch, Elaine Stritch: At Liberty • HBO
Ellen DeGeneres, Ellen DeGeneres: Here And Now • HBO
Bill Maher, Real Time With Bill Maher • HBO
Tracey Ullman, Tracey Ullman In The Trailer Tales • HBO
Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series
Chappelle’s Show • Comedy Central
The Daily Show With Jon Stewart • Comedy Central
Late Night With Conan O’Brien • NBC
Late Show With David Letterman • CBS
Saturday Night Live • NBC
Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Special
A&E In Concert: Paul McCartney In Red Square • A&E
The 76th Annual Academy Awards • ABC
Chris Rock: Never Scared • HBO
Elaine Stritch: At Liberty • HBO
Ellen DeGeneres: Here And Now • HBO
Outstanding Children’s Program
Happy To Be Nappy And Other Stories Of Me • HBO
Lizzie McGuire • Disney Channel
Nick News Special Edition — The Courage To Live: Kids, South Africa, And AIDS • Nickelodeon
Nick News Special Edition — There’s No Place Like Home: Homeless Kids In America • Nickelodeon
Sesame Street Presents “The Street We Live On” • PBS Karen Ialacci, Producer
Outstanding Nonfiction Series
American Masters • PBS
Biography • A&E
Cold Case Files • A&E
Inside The Actors Studio • BRAVO
Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues • PBS
Outstanding Reality Program
Colonial House • PBS
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition • ABC
Penn & Teller: Bullshit! • Showtime
Project Greenlight • HBO
Queer Eye For The Straight Guy • BRAVO
Outstanding Reality-Competition Program
The Amazing Race • CBS
American Idol • FOX
The Apprentice • NBC
Last Comic Standing • NBC
Survivor • CBS
Outstanding Special Visual Effects For A Series
Dead Like Me • Showtime
Star Trek: Enterprise • UPN
Star Trek: Enterprise • UPN
Stargate SG-1 • MGM
Stephen King’s Kingdom Hospital • ABC
Outstanding Special Visual Effects For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Special
Angels In America • HBO
Battlestar Galactica • USA Cable
Dreamkeeper • ABC
10.5 • NBC
The Winning Season • TNT
Outstanding Writing For A Comedy Series
Arrested Development, Pilot • FOX
Frasier, Goodnight, Seattle • NBC
Scrubs, My Screwup • NBC
Sex And The City, An American Girl In Paris • HBO
Sex And The City, The Ick Factor • HBO
Outstanding Writing For A Drama Series
Deadwood, Deadwood (Pilot) • HBO
The Sopranos, Where’s Johnny? • HBO
The Sopranos, Unidentified Black Males • HBO
The Sopranos, Long Term Parking • HBO
The Sopranos, Irregular Around The Margins • HBO
Outstanding Writing For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Dramatic Special
And Starring Pancho Villa As Himself • HBO
Angels In America • HBO
Iron Jawed Angels • HBO
The Reagans • Showtime
Something The Lord Made • HBO
Permalink | | Categories: Entertainment
Reality TV: But wait! There’s more!
The reality TV fungus continues to spread — and I’m not just talking about the summer newcomers or the new batch of reality shows coming this fall.
Fox is planning to launch a new cable network, the Fox Reality Channel, early next year that will have a mix of original and old reality series.
One would assume the audience for this channel would be people who didn’t see “Joe Millionaire” or “Temptation Island” the first time around. It’s hard to imagine even die-hard fans of Fox reality programs tuning in a second time. Unless, of course, they forgot the endings.
And if this seems like a bizarre notion — devoting an entire network to a genre that’s widely believed to bomb in reruns — rest assured the Fox Reality Channel won’t be alone.
Reality Central, which has been in the works for more than a year, is scheduled to launch at the end of this year. The new network will have original and rerun reality shows, plus news and updates on reality shows on other networks.
Both new networks will join Reality TV, which already airs on the Dish Network satellite service. And the Game Show Network now shows several reality programs as well.
Life being what it is — filled with actual things to do besides watch television — I’ll watch the few reality shows that don’t give me shingles and (for professional reasons only) I’ll keep up with the others on a slew of handy-dandy reality TV Web sites:
Emmy alert!
Emmy nominations will be announced Thursday in the wee hours Left Coast Time — 5:30 a.m. there, a slightly more civilized 7:30 a.m. here.
Look for a list of the nominees in tomorrow’s TV blog (barring a power failure in my computer, it should be up by 10 a.m.) and an article in Friday’s Life & Arts section.
Let me just say that I may be too angry to write anything if “Nip/Tuck” is ignored again and if “Friends” and “Sex and the City” gobble up all the comedy nominations again.
Emmy voters are infamous for patting the same shows on the back year after year. It was practically front-page news a couple of years ago when “Bernie Mac” got a nomination its first year out and “The Shield” was recognized early on, too.
Those two were exceptions to the annual-nod philosophy that has resulted in predictable nominees and predictable winners.
Against all odds, I’m hoping for better results this year — but I’m prepared to blow my top, as usual.
Permalink | | Categories: Reality TV
Mean ‘Blow Out’ Bows Out
The finale of Bravo’s “Blow Out” airs tonight, and, if you’re like me, you’re pulling for jerk Jonathan to get his comeuppance.
I started watching “Blow Out” last month because it sounded promising: Salon shenanigans plus celebrity clientele should equal juicy fun. But the Hair King is such a nasty, mean-hearted guy that all the fun has been sucked out of it.
I wound up sticking with it mostly out of laziness … it comes on before “Queer Eye,” which I continue to like because fashionista Carson Kressley is possibly the funniest guy on TV right now.
“Blow Out” was supposed to allow viewers to witness the launch of a fabulous Beverly Hills beauty salon by one of La-La Land’s most fabulous stylists. Jonathan’s West Hollywood salon is a raging success, so his Beverly Hills offshoot should be equally fab but a tad more ritzy.
But Jonathan has been a human train wreck from the get-go, bleeding all over the show with his enormous ego and childish temper. He’s the poster boy for bad bosses, and he should have been sued for both emotional abuse and sexual harassment of his employees. He treats his staff horribly, especially assistant Kimberly.
“Your job is to do everything,” he barks at quiver-chinned Kim after she fails to oil his scissors. Worse, he promised her the chance to become a stylist if she could find him a new assistant, but then he backed out on his promise.
Jonathan slobbers all over his female clients to prove he’s not gay (me thinks he protests too much), and then fires another male hairdresser for doing the same thing.
Tonight we’re supposed to find out if Jonathan of Beverly Hills survives or dies. There’s a whiff of “The Restaurant” about “Blow Out,” and in the end of that NBC series, chef Rocco DiSpirito wound up in a nasty lawsuit that threatened to kill his establishment.
It wouldn’t surprise me a bit if the salon staff stomps out, leaving Jonathan to sob into his cell phone. It’s always been all about him, not the staff, the salon or the clients. He’s a big baby who doesn’t play well with others, and I’ll be glad when he’s gone.
Where’s Wendy?
Viewers who’ve been waiting for Wendy Woolfolk to return from vacation will be disappointed to learn that she’s not coming back. In fact, she hasn’t been on vacation.
Woolfolk, who anchored KXAN’s early morning news for five years and reported all those icky restaurant code violations on the evening newscasts, left the station June 29.
News director Bruce Whiteaker says KXAN and Woolfolk were unable to reach an agreement on a new contract.
Morning reporter Kate Weidaw has been filling in until the new morning anchor, Tonya Kerr, arrives Monday. She will be paired with anchor Chris Willis.
Permalink | | Categories: Reality TV
The end of the Bartlet administration?
When President Bartlet’s second term ends, will “The West Wing” end, too?
Apparently not. Over the weekend NBC entertainment president Kevin Reilly told TV critics at the annual summer press tour in Los Angeles that Bartlet’s administration will end at the conclusion of the upcoming season.
As Bartlet cruises toward his departure, executive producer John Wells is expected to “juice up the show creatively.” We hope that doesn’t mean sex in the Oval Office or a terrorist attack on the White House.
The ratings for “The West Wing” sagged last season after the departure of creator Aaron Sorkin and producer-director Thomas Schlamme. But the show continued to have thoughtful, issue-oriented episodes about everything from foreign affairs to conflicts with the vice president.
Even in an off year, “The West Wing” is still one of the best shows on network television. The kidnapping of presidential daughter Zoey the previous season was a total disaster — the kind of plot line you’d expect to see on “Judging Amy,” not “The West Wing.” But that was an anomaly.
The end of Bartlet’s reign would seem like a logical time to take the show off the air and let fans hang onto good memories from earlier days. Voting in a new president, with (presumably) a whole new staff, sounds like a stretch that wouldn’t work — unless Sorkin returns to create what would basically be a whole new series.
Dr. Good-at-Work, Lousy-at-Home!
E! introduced a new reality show Sunday night that is a makeover show with a twist.
“Dr. Beverly Hills 90210” followed Dr. Robert Rey as he performed an eye-bag removal from a muscular young man and fixed horribly botched breast implants on a young woman.
Not surprisingly, the two surgeries turned out well. But more than half the show was a close look at Dr. Rey himself, who, despite being a fine surgeon, is shaping up to be a jerk in his personal life.
He tells us he works from 7 a.m. until at least 11 p.m. every day and only occasionally takes a full two-day weekend. At home, his perfect-looking wife and his cute daughter rarely see him. To maximize the opportunity, mom and kid have dinner at 11 p.m.
What does Dr. Rey do to show his family he loves them? He heads to the gym upon arriving, and on the weekend of his daughter’s birthday party, he goes to a martial arts class. The wife (we can’t help but wonder if she’s naturally beautiful or custom-made by his specifications) is pregnant and feeling awful, but that doesn’t prompt hubby to help out at home.
You get the creepy feeling that Dr. Rey is exactly the way successful Beverly Hills plastic surgeons really are — self-absorbed, egotistical and obsessed with work. If you’re having a $15,000 face-lift, that’s probably a good thing. If you’re going out with or marrying one, it’s more than a little scary.
Locals on History Channel’s ‘Texas’
As part of a weeklong look at popular vacation destinations, the History Channel starts off tonight at 7 with “Texas,” a two-hour documentary that packs in a lot of history.
The film looks at the birth of the state, various wars and conflicts, the history of the cattle and oil industries and some of the state’s most colorful figures, including Stephen F. Austin, Sam Houston, Lyndon Johnson and the transplanted Bush family.
Texas Monthly’s executive editor, Paul Burka, is one of the experts interviewed, along with Paula Marks, associate professor of American studies at St. Edward’s University.
Permalink | | Categories: Entertainment
Larry King schmoozes with the Kerrys
I’ve never been much of a Larry King fan. He always seems to lob puffballs at important political guests and pseudo-serious questions at empty-headed celebrities.
The 70-year-old former radio guy has been married seven times, including twice to one woman. He changed his name from Lawrence Harvey Zeiger, like that would have made a difference for someone who has been in broadcasting for more than 45 years.
In the past couple of years, I’ve come to appreciate the role he plays on “Larry King Live,” the interview program that debuted on CNN in 1985 and is consistently the network’s highest-rated show.
Yes, he still asks lightweight questions from time to time, but he also manages to put his guests in such a state of ease that they often reveal more than they might in a sit-down with, say, CBS’ hard-charging Mike Wallace.
Last night, King had Democratic presidential contender John Kerry and his wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry, on the show for the whole hour. The notoriously stiff senator was more relaxed and forthcoming than usual, possibly because his wife was there.
While there were no news-breaking revelations from the candidate, viewers got an interesting look at the couple — and some insight into Teresa Kerry’s role in her husband’s quest for the presidency.
A few tidbits: Teresa Kerry served as a “sounding board” in the vice presidential selection. She approves of Sen. John Edwards and would have spoken up if she had not. Previously married to the late Sen. John Heinz, a Republican from Pennsylvania, Teresa Kerry considers herself bipartisan and did not officially become a Democrat until a year ago. She voted for Sen. John McCain in the 2000 Republican primary. Neither Kerry has read President Clinton’s autobiography, “My Life,” or seen Michael Moore’s Bush-blasting “Fahrenheit 9/11.” Sen. Kerry said he has no plans to see the film any time soon because “I’ve watched it for the last four years.” Favorite King question to Kerry: “Ralph Nader can’t be a help. Are you ticked that he’s running?” The answer was almost as good: Kerry isn’t “ticked” but hopes to make Nader’s candidacy “unnecessary.” As if it already weren’t.
A new low. Again.
In spite of protests by 51 Republican lawmakers — and disgust from many people with good taste — UPN is charging ahead with its new reality series about Amish teenagers exploring the world beyond their community.
”Amish in the City” will debut July 28 and offer “a unique look at the Amish journey of discovery,” according to a press release from UPN.
The series will follow five Amish young people living in a Hollywood Hills home with non-Amish roommates. The non-Amish roomies, including a “party girl” and a swimming instructor, will accompany the Amish to beach outings and a Hollywood movie premiere. And lord knows what else.
The Amish, known for their old-fashioned ways, are allowed a period of experimentation called “rumpsringa” when they turn 16. During that time they sample modern life before deciding whether to move away or return to their faith.
It is a cultural and religious passage that has now become an exploitative reality TV show, thus proving once and for all that some TV execs have no shame.
Permalink | | Categories: News coverage
Reruns more popular than reality?
The networks are loading their schedules with first-run reality shows this summer, all crowing that television is entering a new year-round, nonrerun era.
Well, ha! According to the Nielsen ratings, viewers +prefer+ reruns most of the time. The only new reality show in last week’s Top 10 was Fox’s “The Simple Life 2,” which notched 9.3 million viewers and placed ninth. And that show is really more of a comedy than a reality show.
The top-rated program last week was a rerun of CBS’s “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” with 15.9 million viewers, followed closely by the spinoff “CSI: Miami,” with 13.5 million viewers.
In order of popularity, the rest of the Top 10 pack was “Without a Trace,” “Two and a Half Men,” “Law & Order,” “Everybody Loves Raymond,” “Law & Order: SVU,” another episode of “SVU” and “NASCAR Pepsi 400.”
The Top 20 did include three more first-run realities: “Fear Factor,” “Last Comic Standing” and “For Love or Money.” But everything else was a rerun, including repeat editions of newsmagazines.
This pattern tells networks one of two things: American couch potatoes are happy to see their favorite shows more than once; or they aren’t too eager to watch a couple of guys run a gambling hotel (“The Casino”) or see a bunch of people leap off tall buildings (“The Next Action Star”).
The other possibility is that people who watched “CSI” during the regular season have simply forgotten and think they’re watching the episodes for the first time.
That happens at my house. I may remember the plot in a vague way but can’t for the life of me recall the conclusion, so I’ll watch it again. Pathetic, I know, but better than gagging at bug-eaters.
At the end of the summer, the networks may rethink their year-round strategy — or at least pledge to come up with better shows next time around. Basic cable does well with summer programming, but they’re offering Emmy-quality stuff like “Nip/Tuck,” “Six Feet Under,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “Monk.”
KVUE Anchor Shuffle
One move usually sets off a chain reaction, and Kim Barnes’ departure from KVUE’s weekend evening news did just that.
News director Frank Volpicella has named Amy Johnston, a dead ringer for former KVUE/current KEYE anchor Judy Maggio, to replace Barnes. Johnston came to Austin more than a year ago from Arizona.
Moving into Johnston’s anchor chair on the weekend morning news will be KVUE reporter Quita Culpepper, who has been a reporter at the station since 1998.
Barnes, who is married to KVUE sports anchor Mike Barnes, left the weekend news a couple of weeks ago to spend more time with her family.
Permalink | | Categories: Entertainment
‘Crossballs’ is fake and fun
“Crossballs” is loud and contentious, just like “Crossfire” and “Hardball,” the shows it spoofs.
But this new Comedy Central series (6:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays), which began an eight-week run last night, is also funny — intentionally funny.
It’s a half-hour talk show that purports to be both real and fake, with improv actors posing as real people and real people supposedly unaware that the people they’re debating aren’t real. I’m not so sure the real people actually believe they’re on a real talk show, but that’s sort of beside the point.
Chris Tallman is the Chris Matthews-style host, caught in the middle of two screeching sides debating an issue. The topic of Tuesday’s debut was reality TV. The on-screen crawl screamed, “Reality TV: guilty pleasure or pop culture plague!”
On one side of the fake debate was Matthew Henson (played by Matt Besser, who happens to be one of the show’s executive producers), a red-neck professional reality TV veteran. On the other side is an appalled and disgusted actor, Corey Williams, defending scripted fare.
Henson, who demonstrated his reality “talent” by ingesting a moist-looking cow patty (which we desperately hope is fake), refers to actors as “actor/liars.” Williams defends his trade by pointing to the idiocy of the guy’s stunts.
“How much talent does it take to eat a cow patty?” Williams asks. Another expert brought in to defend reality TV is a fake professor, who claims acting is a thing of the past.His idea for a new reality show is a real-life “Hogan’s Heroes,” with neo-Nazis imprisoning and abusing not only Jews, but gypsies and gays as well.
And there’s a richly pathetic reality TV wannabe, played by improv actor Andy Daly, whose lone goal in life is to be “tricked” on a reality show. He doesn’t understand that a person can’t be willingly tricked and still be surprised. A truly dim bulb.
Sometimes the decibel level of this fast-moving satire is a bit much, and the cow patty was definitely too much. But “Crossballs” is a clever concept that’s loaded with potential. I won’t watch it three nights a week, but I’ll check it out again.
I tried … I fled …
As promised in yesterday’s blog, I watched the first half-hour of “Amazing Race” last night.
The 90-minute fifth season premiere introduced 11 duos and sent them off to Uruguay on the first leg of their around-the-world trip. One guy fell on the Santa Monica Pier and had 25 stitches in his leg, and one couple began what is bound to be a relationship-shattering argument.
But mainly they all huffed and puffed from one stage of the journey to the next. To me, this show is nothing more than extended travel anxiety served up for public amusement. Having experienced lots of travel anxiety in my days, I choose not to watch others similarly suffer.
“Amazing Race” may well be the reality show for smarties, but I don’t like it, so I’m outta there.
Permalink | | Categories: Reality TV
Is ‘Amazing Race’ really amazing?
OK, OK … I’ve heard so many glowing reports about “Amazing Race” that I’m going to swallow my seething reality hatred tonight and see what all the fuss is about.
The 90-minute fifth season premiere is at 8:30 on CBS. If I’m not amazed by “Amazing Race” by 9, I’m leaving to catch a new episode of “Nip/Tuck,” which is quite possibly the best drama on TV this summer.
“Amazing Race” won last year’s Emmy as the best reality show. People, including many TV critics whom I respect, have called it “the thinking person’s” reality show. That seems like an oxymoron, but we’ll see.
Phil Keoghan returns as host as 11 duos race around the world for a prize of $1 million. The competition requires strategy, common sense and at least a rudimentary understanding of travel, geography and foreign cultures. Not surprisingly, past contestants have shown a total lack of knowledge on all fronts.
The contestant couples are not all romantic couples, although some at least start out that way. This time around, there’s a couple who met on the Internet and a couple who were once engaged and just might become betrothed again.
There’s also a father-daughter team and a couple of cousins that includes the show’s first-ever little person, Charla.
And we’ve been promised, via photos on the CBS Web site, some pretty dating folk, Brendan and Nicole and Colin and Christi, and lovely twin sisters Kami and Karli.
Before what is destined to be back-biting and nastiness as the weeks pass, the teams happily begin their around-the-world adventure at Los Angeles’ Santa Monica Pier.
Like a new vegetable, I’ll try “Amazing Race,” but if I don’t like it, I’m going to spit it out.
Boomer Alert!
”That Was the Week That Was”, the political satire series that ran on NBC from 1964 to ‘65, is making a down-sized return this fall as the closing segment of ABC’s “Primetime Live.”
Never heard of it? If you’re on the young side, you probably haven’t. The original series was inspired by a similar show on the BBC. The NBC version poked fun (with a very sharp poker) at entertainers, politicians, religious issues and just about anything else that came up “that week.”
ABC hasn’t announced who will be hosting the segment, but NBC’s show featured David Frost, Alan Alda, Buck Henry and Phyllis Newman. Maybe ABC can lure the always witty and acerbic Sam Donaldson to the helm.
Permalink | | Categories: Reality TV
Austinite fakes the video
First there were six, now there are two — one of whom is Austin resident Doug Long.
MTV’s “Faking the Video”, sort of a “Candid Camera” for the new generation, rocks to a conclusion at 9:30 p.m. on Monday with 21-year-old Long in contention for a prize he didn’t know he was competing for during filming.
Huh?
Here’s what happened: In the spring, six hopefuls thought they were hired to work as production assistants on a huge, career-break-of-a-lifetime music video to be shot in Los Angeles. They were told they would be working on a video featuring JC Chasez, Michelle Branch and Omarion on a new Diane Warren song.
But the whole thing was a hoax. The song, the crew and the artists were (you guessed it) faking the video. Improvisational actors were used as crew to test the production hopefuls to see which ones could endure the carefully choreographed shoot-from-hell.
With hidden cameras whirring, the half-dozen hopefuls were whittled down to the current two, including Long. He had no idea he was competing for a cash prize (of undetermined amount) and the chance to work with famed music video director Wayne Isham, who is not fake but real.
“I haven’t seen any episodes before their airdates, so I’m very excited to see how the last one turns out,” said Long, a theater major who recently graduated from the University of Texas.
Win or lose, Long says he wants to pursue a career in show biz.
“I’m trying my hardest to keep this ball rolling now that I have my foot in the door,” he said.
She’s back … but not for long!
NBC made a big deal of announcing that “Law & Order” co-star Elisabeth Rohm, who plays dull-as-dirt assistant district attorney Serena Southerlyn, will be returning next year.
The network made less of a big deal that she will not be back for the whole season. Perhaps that’s because the honchos knew there would not be a public outpouring of sorrow.
Of all the myriad cast members that have come and gone on “Law & Order” during its 15-year run, Rohm is by far the weakest. She’s stiff and lifeless on her good days, painfully distracting on her bad. During three seasons, she has marched along sounding as if she were reading cue cards.
Cast changes usually don’t make a bit of difference on “Law & Order” because plot is more important than character. But Rohm was a dud, and whoever replaces her is bound to be better. A stuffed doll would be better.
Permalink | | Categories: Local people on TV
Austin knitster goes Hollywood
We all have our causes — literacy, animal rights, global warming.
Vickie Howell of Austin is out to “shatter the stigma that knitting is something only elderly women do.” To that end, she is hosting a new cable show, “Knitty Gritty,” that debuts Friday on the DIY Network.
The crafty new series will air Fridays at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. It promises to take viewers through various creative knitting projects, such as baby Ugg boots, guitar straps and even handbags made of recycled plastic grocery sacks.
This is not Howell’s first shot at uplifting the image of “knitsters.” She also co-founded a hip knitting group called Stitch n’ Bitch, which has chapters in Los Angeles and Austin.
Howell, 30, is the personification of a hip knitster. Pretty and perky, she is also a fashionista, whose online company, Ruby Goes Retro, sells vintage and vintage-inspired clothes and accessories.
Before becoming a crafts crusader, Howell worked in the entertainment industry in Los Angeles. After marrying Austinite-in-L.A. Clint Howell, she launched a company there called Mamarama, selling stylish handmade clothes for moms and kids.
Last year the couple and their two sons, ages 2 1/2 and 4 1/2, moved to Austin. Besides Ruby Goes Retro, Vickie helped found the Austin Craft Mafia, a collaboration of nine female-run craft businesses.
So how does a young knitting mom go from online and home business to television? Oddly enough, the show, which sounds custom-made for Howell, was not created for her.
Some brainiac at DIY came up with the concept and then Googled in search of a host. Up popped Howell in connection with Stitch n’ Bitch and Ruby. An e-mail query followed and a correspondence emerge.
“I’ve always wanted to host my own craft show, so I sent her links for her to see me,” Howell said.
After an audition trip to Hollywood last October, Howell, who says she started knitting when she was 8 and instantly became “obsessed with the fiber arts,” was told a couple of women were contenders; a few weeks later she got the job.
Thirteen episodes of “Knitty Gritty” have been shot and 26 more have been ordered. Howell flies to L.A. to film them back-to-back during a period of a few weeks.
“I think there’ll be an audience of knitters and maybe people who aren’t necessarily interested in that kind of thing,” Howell said. “The thing about knitters is they’re very loyal. It’s amazing to me how the word has already spread and that has everything to do with the Internet.”
Permalink | | Categories: Local people on TV
