Austin360 blogs > TV Blog > Archives > 2010 > January
January 2010
Crystal Cotti leaves Fox 7 Austin
KTBC reporter Crystal Cotti has announced her departure from Austin’s Fox 7 News. The McGregor, Texas native, a full-time KTBC employee for 6 years, declined to renew her contract, which came up for renewal this month.
“It was a very open process,” Cotti says. “They came to me and said, ‘We’d like to renew your contract.’ I thought about it for about a week and told my news director that I needed to be home more with my family. And they totally understood and were very supportive.” Cotti is married to Texas State Representative Mark Strama; the couple has two daughters, a 3-year-old and a 6-month old.
Cotti, who started at KTBC as a morning reporter and graduated to the City Hall beat, says her plans to leave were not long in the making.
“I had thought about what it would be like,” she says, “but I had not made that decision until they came to me and said, ‘We’d like to renew you and we need an answer.’ So, to be fair and give them time to find a replacement, of course, I wanted to let them know as soon as I’d made the final decision.”
Cotti will be have her hands full at home. In addition to spending more time with her kids, she is starting a home-based video production business. “I’m going to be editing videos for small businesses and families, home videos,” she says, “because I love the storytelling aspect and I still want to have a creative outlet.” The broadcasting experience she gained at KTBC should help in that endeavor. “It’s going to be storytelling using video and that’s what I did at Fox,” she explains. “I’m excited about it.”
She expressed thanks to the viewers who have followed her career and she hopes that they will continue to watch. And she had kind words for station management, too.
“This is a business that is notoriously stressful and my bosses at Fox were absolutely as understanding and flexible with me as they could have been,” she says. “I’m very thankful for that because this industry isn’t always known for that.”
No word yet on a replacement for Cotti, who has promised to keep us apprised of her future endeavors.
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Oprah tries hard to sell viewers on Leno
Oprah Winfrey’s Thursday interview with Jay Leno was predictably void of tough questions for the once and former “Tonight Show” host, but a post-interview chat she held with her own audience might as well have been an infomercial for Jay. Oprah clearly has no qualms about her support of Leno.
On thing never mentioned by anyone during this broadcast? The fact that it took Leno a long time to make up the ratings hit “The Tongiht Show” suffered when he took over from Johnny Carson in 1992.
Frankly, after listening to so many average Joes and Janes blather on about the controversy (and try to apply an Oprah fan’s “touchy-feely” aesthetic to it — my gosh, these people feel so deeply) I’m more tired of it than ever.
If you’re not, check out the video by clicking here:
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Full transcript of Oprah’s Thursday interview with Jay Leno
Oprah Winfrey interviewed Jay Leno Thursday about the NBC prime time/late night talk show debacle. TV Mo Joe published a full transcript. Here’s the beginning of their discussion and a link to the remainder:
Mr. LENO: Hey, doll. Hey, doll
WINFREY: How are you?
Mr. LENO: How are you? You look beautiful.
WINFREY: Thank you. Well, thanks for letting me come to talk to you.
Mr. LENO: Well, thanks for coming. I appreciate it.
WINFREY: Yeah. I’m glad to be here, because you seem to be the man everybody’s
talking about.
Mr. LENO: Lucky me.
Click here to read the full interview.
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Leno image rehab continues on Oprah
Oprah Winfrey popped into “The Tonight Show” in 2004. Jay Leno returns the favor today. AP Photo/NBC, Paul Drinkwater
We don’t know a lot about Jay Leno’s scheduled appearance on today’s “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” but it does seem as if the host is continuing the efforts he began on his failed prime time talker to rehabilitate his image in light of NBC’s latest late night fiasco (Leno relinquished “The Tonight Show” to former “Late Night” host Conan O’Brien, but returns to replace the ousted O’Brien on March 1).
Leno has tarnished and regained his “Mr. Nice Guy” image before, recovering from the Machiavellian moves he pulled in 1992 to wrestle “The Tonight Show” away from Johnny Carson’s preferred heir, David Letterman. Leno eventually overtook Letterman’s CBS show in the ratings. That ratings lead evaporated soon after O’Brien began hosting “The Tonight Show.”
It will be interesting to see how much detail Leno goes into regarding the situation. On his prime time show, he has painted himself as a company man who reluctantly went along with the network’s wishes.
Here’s what’s leaked about his session with Oprah today — the Associated Press reports that:
- Leno was “devastated” when NBC executives asked him to leave “The Tonight Show” in 2004 to put O’Brien behind the desk. He called the experience “shocking” and claimed to tell “a white lie,” saying he was going to retire.
- Leno “felt really bad” for O’Brien, calling what happened to his “Tonight Show” replacement “unfair.”
- Leno “regrets” the way the situation was handled.
The Hollywood Reporter posted part of a transcript released by Harpo productions to promote the interview, airing in Austin at 4 p.m. today on ABC:
Winfrey: Have you talked to Conan in person?
Leno: I haven’t talked to him through all this. No. I haven’t.
Did you want to pick up the phone?
Yeah, but it didn’t seem appropriate.
Why?
I don’t know. I think it — let things cool down and maybe we’ll talk, you know.
Were any of the things that he said about you hurtful?
No. They were jokes. And that’s okay. I mean —
So jokes don’t hurt you.
It’s what we do, you know? You can’t — it’s like being a fighter and say when you got punched in the head, did it hurt? Well, yeah. But you’re a fighter. That’s what you do.
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‘Idol’ does Dallas
11,000 American Idol fans showed up at New Cowboys Stadium in Arlington for the “American Idol” auditions that were broadcast on Fox Wednesday night (I attended the first round of these auditions back in June, 2009.
The show opened with judges Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson in a limo, discussing the Dallas guest judges, Neil Patrick Harris (“How I met Your Mother”) and Joe Jonas (Jonas Bothers). Harris, usually charming, turned out to be as brutally honest and snarky as Katy Perry and Avril Lavigne were the night before, laughing at contestants along with the other judges and occasionally leading the charge. The disengaged and seemingly disinterested Jonas, on the other hand, barely got a word in — not that he seemed particularly happy to be there.
I am not digging the whole guest judge thing, dawg, and it makes me fearful for the Ellen Degeneres debut in a few weeks.
Why is “Idol” so nasty this season? I’ve complained about this previously, but before these auditioners get in front of the judges, they have already advanced through several rounds of auditions. It’s really not fun to watch clueless people who’ve got no chance on Earth of going to Hollywood — but who have been pumped up to believe they really have a shot — get mocked and laughed at.
So I’m just going to focus on the kids who passed the audition. After all, Dallas (which gave us season one winner Kelly Clarkson) produced more promising contestants on Wednesday than did Tuesday’s Los Angeles outing.
Oversized dock worker Lloyd Thomas had a good voice, a great personality and an appropriately sad, grew-up-in-the-projects backstory. An easy “yes.”
Denton’s Kimberly Carver sang (or kind of shouted) a jazzy original which wowed all of the judges except Simon, who was unimpressed. Despite his reluctance, she made it through.
Next up, when Barney (Harris’ “HIMYM” character met Barney (purple Dinosaur): Irving’s Erica Rhodes was a child cast member on “Barney and Friends,” but she’s all grown up now and to prove it she appeared before the judges clad in shiny, black leather and cracking an actual whip. Her voice was marginal, but the gimmick worked and Rhodes was off to Hollywood.
Wednesday’s second heartstring-tugging profile subject was Dave Pittman from Mountain Home, Arkansas, who developed Tourette’s Syndrome as a child. Seemingly free of the verbal outbursts often associated with the condition, Pittman displayed only mild audible and muscular tics — and those were barely noticeable when he sang. Or maybe I was just focused on his voice, one of the better I’ve heard this season. Harris calls Pittman “crazy brave” and he’s put through to the next round.
Arlington’s Todrick Hall sang a goofy song that he wrote about the “Idol” judges for the “Idol” judges. His voice was really good but kind of odd — he sounded at points like he was using auto-tune. He also appeared in “The Color Purple” with former “Idol” star Fantasia Barrino. Hollywood.
Maegan Wright, from Richardson, had a quiet and gentle but not-so-great voice. She also had an annoying demeanor and a creepy, Bobby Hill-esque, borscht-belt comic of a little brother. The judges go way too overboard in praise for her vocal skills and send her through.
The final hopeful of the night was Houston’s 16-year-old Christian Spears. Since she went last, you know she had to have some rough times in her background, and she did: she was diagnosed with leukemia on her 4th birthday. She went into remission at age 8. Her name might have been closer to Britney’s, but she betrayed more of a Miley Cyrus vibe.
All in all, 31 hopefuls were sent through to Hollywood. It would have been nice to see more of them instead of the silly filler focusing on the Dallas audition press coverage and a defense of Simon’s surly demeanor, but at least you can see them all at the “American Idol” Web site.
Next up, Denver and returning guest judge Victoria Beckham.
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ABC cancels ‘Ugly Betty’
The Hollywood Reporter, well, reports that ABC has canceled “Ugly Betty.’ The posting calls “Betty” a pre-cursor to “Glee” (I’m not sure about that one) and says the decision was ratings-based.
From ABC:
“We’ve mutually come to the difficult decision to make this Ugly Betty’s final season, and are announcing now as we want to allow the show ample time to write a satisfying conclusion. We are extremely proud of this groundbreaking series, and felt it was important to give the fans a proper farewell.”
Time for “Betty” to go? I think so. How would you like to see the series wrap-up?
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HGTV seeking Austinites for renovation show
Want to show off your media room to the media?
Home & Garden Television’s “Bang For Your Buck” is looking for Austin homeowners who have completed a recreation/media room makeover in the past three years.
HGTV says: “Each episode will tour three similar remodels at similar price points in the same city. We’ll bring in our design expert and real estate expert to determine how the renovation impacts each home’s value. We’ll also provide viewers with expert advice, answers on remodeling values, and inspiring ideas for design.”
Taping will begin shortly, so — if you fit the bill and, they say, are “fun and enthusiastic” — send photos of your Recreation/Media Room and request an application by emailing BSchledewitz@highnoontv.com or calling Brooke Schledewitz at (303) 712-3168.
“Bang For Your Buck” airs Friday nights at 9:30/8:30c on HGTV.
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“Idol” comes to Dallas tonight
“How I Met Your Mother’s” Neil Patrick Harris and Jonas Brother heartthrob Joe Jonas join Randy, Kara and Simon as they cull the crowd from last fall’s auditions in Dallas. I attended the first round tryouts at Cowboys Stadium and there were some colorful characters in the crowd (keep an eye out for Chicken Man). But was there any real talent? Spoiler sites have listed three Texans in the Top 24, but we’ll have to tune in to find out for sure. 7 p.m., Fox.
If you’re interested in the spoilers on the Texas Top 24’ers, read on after the jump.
Spoiler information from MJ’s Big Blog. Please note that spoiler information cannot be verified and should always be viewed as conjecture.
Alexander “Alex” Lambert
Hometown: North Richland Hills, TX
MySpace page
YouTube videos:
I’m Yours
Tired of Waiting (original)
Twist and Shout
Barney (the Purple Dinosaur) Tribute
David Duke, 23
Hometown: Waxahachie, TX
MySpace page
Lacey Brown, 23 (Season 8 Hollywood contestant)
Hometown: Amarillo, TX
Brown’s MySpace page
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‘Idol’ auditions: Los Angeles
The “Idol” train rolled into Los Angeles Tuesday night and guest judge Avril Lavigne looked like she got lost while trick-or-treating. Her pretentious but cute black devil costume was only missing a pointy tale (and, I guess, the color red).
The first golden ticket goes to worship pastor Jim Ranger, father of three. He impresses three of the judges with an original song called “Drive,” although with the way Randy specifically asks Simon what he thinks of the “voice,” maybe he doesn’t dig the song so much, dawg. Lavigne lectures Ranger on what he would have to give up to go on the road and Kara tells him she doesn’t understand how he can do “everything at once” and that his church will suffer. Umm, Kara, don’t you have about 30 careers? In the end, Lavigne is the only “no” vote.
Next up, Damien (no last name provided), a martial artist/pacificist/sandwich maker/not-as-pretty-and-much-taller-Justin-Timberlake-look-alike who likes old rock and pepperoni sandwiches sings a Righteous Brothers’ song, even though he can’t recall its name (it was “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling”). He chokes (literally) during the first verse and exits in shame.
28-year-old Mary Powers from Burbank (why doesn’t “Idol” provide this information for everyone who auditions?) sings Pat Benetar’s “Love is a Battlefield.” Her faux-rocker chick look is pegged as “cliche” by Simon (and he’s right) and her vocals are nothing special, but the judges fawn all over it. “Mary’s bringing some rock to Hollywood,” Seacrest voice-overs.
Sigh.
Rounding out L.A.’s day one auditions, nightmarish A.J. Mendoza tries to look like last year’s runner-up Adam Lambert, but it seems as if he’s trying to sound like me (that’s not a compliment). The judges fall into hysterics at Mendoza’s destruction of “Cult of Personality” and boot him out of the room.
Day two guest judge Katy Perry looks as much like an angel as Lavigne resembled a Halloween-costumed devil, but you get the idea that Perry is by far the more evil of the two. She describes herself as “brutally honest.” I’ll say. Her comments to the contestants and the other judges make Simon Cowell seem as nice as Paula Abdul (but not as loopy. C’mon — she’s Paula).
Randy, Kara and Simon fly in via helicopter (‘nother sigh) and take in freakish, 19-year-old Austin Fullmer. He wails Cheap trick’s “Surrender,” and the judges are ready to wave the white flag. Half way through his audition, Fullmer begins strutting like a rooster and adopts a British accent. This guy made it through a preliminary round. “Idol,” you’re wasting my time again. Four “no’s.” Perry asks if the contestants are frisked before they enter, then lets out a weird, staccato sigh-purr.
Sigh.
A montage of tearful, rejected hopefuls is followed by 23-year-old Andrew Garcia. Freaky! He looks and sounds eerily like last season’s Danny Gokey, right down to the husky vocals, black-rimmed glasses and penchant for goofy hats. 4 big yes votes send Garcia to Hollywood. Simon calls him the day’s only genuine, good singer. Simon drools all over this guy. Randy says he has “mad vocals.” He gives Perry chills! Nobody mentions Gokey.
Okey-dokey.
26-year-old personal assistant-slash-minister (California’s got religion tonight) Tasha Layton wows the panel with Joss Stone’s “Baby, Baby, Baby.” Perry loves a southern belle. “I think people may like you, Tasha. Interestingly,” Simon says, which was kind of nice up until he added the “interestingly” part.
Time for another freak. 21-year-old Jason Greene vamps to the Divinyl’s “I Touch Myself,” then flirts with Simon and Ryan, to whom Greene gives his phone number.
Finally, the night’s last contestant, Sideshow Bob. No, wait, that’s tonight’s sad story, foster kid Chris Golightly, who only stole Sideshow Bob’s hair. Chris says he’s lived with 25 foster families. Chris does a really good job with “Stand By Me.” Kara is touched by his incredible “story and pain and stuff you’ve gone through in your life.” Perry points out that this is “American Idol,” not a Lifetime movie. Ha! Take that, Kara. Simon gives Chris a “small y” yes. Perry, too. Kara gives him a “big y” (a capital one, I’m guessing) and Randy awards a “GIGANTIC y!”
In all, 23 hopefuls were put through to Hollywood. That’s a lot of “y.” You can see them all at the “American Idol” Web site.
Wednesday night the bandwagon comes to Dallas. Will you be on board?
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State of the Union coverage details
The cable newsers plan to cover the bejabbers out of President Obama’s Wednesday night State of the Union address. TV Newser has all the details on the focus groups, analysis and town hall sessions appearing on CNN, Fox, MSNBC, Fox Business Channel and CNBC.
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Television actor Pernell Roberts dead at age 81
Pernell Roberts, who starred in the television series’ “Bonanza” and “Trapper John, M.D.” died of cancer Sunday in Malibu, according to the Associated Press. Roberts was the last surviving member of the popular late ’50s and early ’60s western.
He is survived by his wife, Eleanor Criswell.
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Temple Grandin will attend Austin event
Animal researcher, best-selling author and autism-education advocate Temple Grandin will appear next week at an Austin screening of the new HBO movie about her life.
Filmed around Austin, “Temple Grandin” stars Claire Danes as Grandin, whose books include “Thinking in Pictures” and “Animals in Translation.” It will screen Feb. 4 at Exhibit Hall 5 of the Austin Convention Center before debuting on HBO on Feb. 6.
Besides Grandin, Mick Jackson, the film’s director; Jenni Sherwood, vice president of HBO Films; and Austinites involved in the production will attend the event.
A pre-screening reception starts at 6, with the red-carpet arrivals beginning around 6:30. The movie screens at 7, and Grandin will speak afterward.
The screening is free, but an RSVP is required. For information on how to be admitted to the event, e-mail mike.hopper@hbo.com.
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This week’s TV picks
Monday:
‘American Experience’ 8 p.m., PBS: Tonight’s program profiles Wyatt Earp, the most famous gunslinger ever named after a digestive sound.
‘The Inbetweeners’ 8 p.m., BBC: Check out the premiere of this coming-of-age sitcom, a sort of Brit ‘Freaks and Geeks’ that follows a group of teens who barely register on their school’s social scale.
‘Castle’ 9 p.m., ABC: It’s like a Three Bears nightmare: Who’s been sleeping in my bed? A dead squatter, and he’s still there.
Tuesday:
‘American Idol’ 7 p.m., Fox: Avril Lavigne and Katy Perry help Simon, Kara and Randy separate the wheat from the chaff in Los Angeles.
‘Kitchen Nightmares’ 8 p.m., Fox: Season premiere.
‘Lost’ 8 p.m., ABC: This repeat of the Season 5 closer means the season 6 premiere is only a week away!
‘Maneaters’ 9 p.m., Animal Planet: A wolf attacks a nature lover. Maybe we should make that ‘former’ nature lover.
Wednesday:
‘American Idol’ 7 p.m., Fox: Neil Patrick Harris and Joe Jonas guest as the ‘Idol’ judges seek talent in Dallas.
‘Meteorite Men’ 8 p.m., Science: The Odessa Iron Meteorite Crater is explored.
Thursday:
‘Bones’ 7 p.m., Fox: Civil War battle site remains are discovered to belong to a 21st century dentist. Okay, I know I’ll get letters, but why is it that when there is something freaky going on with remains, there is usually a dentist involved?
‘Food Tech’ 8 p.m., History: Chinese take-out is examined. It’s kind of like ‘CSI: MSG.’
‘Archer’ 9 p.m., FX: Jeffrey Tambor guests on this animated spy series starring Jessica Walter. It’s sort of a mini ‘Arrested Development’ reunion.
Friday:
‘Dollhouse’ 7 p.m., Fox: Say goodbye to Echo and crew as this underappreciated Joss Whedon series wraps up.
‘Texas Gubernatorial Debate’ 7 p.m., ABC: I know we just had one of these, but I like typing the word ‘Gubernatorial’.
Saturday:
‘Miss America 2010’ 7 p.m., TLC: Quick! Name Miss America 2009. Gotcha!
Sunday:
‘Grammy Awards’ 7 p.m., CBS: Beyonce and Taylor Swift lead the nominees of the 52nd annual music biz celebration.
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‘All My Children’ actor James Mitchell dead at 89
The Associated Press reports that actor James Mitchell, who portrayed cold, powerful Palmer Cortland for nearly 30 years on ABC’s soap opera “All My Children” has died in Los Angeles. Mitchell had suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and recently battled pneumonia.
Mitchell appeared on Broadway, danced with the American Ballet Theater and worked in motion pictures, including “The Band Wagon,” “Deep in My Heart” and “Oklahoma.”
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O’Brien makes classy ‘Tonight Show’ exit
Conan O’Brien (left) jams with comedian Will Ferrell and his lady, Dawn on O’Brien’s final “Tonight Show” Friday night.
And so the late night journey that began with Conan O’Brien being plucked from relative obscurity to march into David Letterman’s old digs, climb a chair and put his neck in a noose — and continued with the redhead’s run from New York to Los Angeles to take the “Tonight Show” chair that Jay Leno (temporarily) relinquished — ends with an all-star jam session rendition of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Freebird” led by Will Ferrell on vocals (and cowbell!), backed by Billy Gibbons, Beck, Ben Harper and O’Brien himself rocking out with perfectly serviceable lead licks.
Or does it? After all, the hilarious clip reel crammed with highlights of O’Brien’s seven month stint as “Tonight Show” host (to the tune of Cheap Trick’s “Surrender”) ended with the words “To Be Continued.”
“Ladies and gentlemen, we have exactly one hour to steal every single item in this studio,” O’Brien joked after thanking the hard-core crowd for its extended applause. “That’s going to have to last me a while,” he quipped, going on to explain that the terms of his settlement with NBC prohibit him from hosting another show for seven months.
He cracked that he’d like to be portrayed in the inevitable HBO movie by Oscar winner Tilda Swinton (eerie resemblance!) and ran through a list of potential uses for the studio NBC constructed just for his program’s broadcast (“Leave the studio cold and empty and rename it “The World’s Largest Metaphor for NBC Programming”).
This week’s running gag of “bits that aren’t so much funny as they are crazy expensive” — a $1.5-million Bugatti Veyron accessorized to look like a mouse, etc. — continued as a boney creature holding a garden hose was wheeled out onto the stage. O’Brien joked that the beast, a rare fossil skeleton of a giant ground sloth spraying Beluga caviar onto an original Picasso, would cost the network $65 million.
After a plea for Haiti relief donations, surprise guest and “NBC employee” Steve Carrell from “The Office” popped in to conduct O’Brien’s exit interview. “Would you describe your experience here at NBC as positive, very positive or extremely positive?” Carrell asked, clipboard in hand. A few questions later, he ran O’Brien’s network I.D. badge through a shredder.
Following a commercial break, Tom Hanks, looking clean-cut but doughy (he could seriously throw on a pair of glasses and a white t-shirt, grab a beer and portray Hank Hill in a live-action “King of the Hill” movie — are you reading this, Mike Judge?) entered wearing sunglasses and sipping on an apparent glass of Scotch. “It’s been some week, Conan,” he joked. “Around my house, we call this ‘daddy’s little reward’.”
Hanks, who guested on O’Brien’s second “Tonight Show,” took credit for coining the CoCo nickname that has deluged the Internet this past week. “In our house,” he said, “you’ll always be the host of ‘The Tonight Show’. So, if you could get there about 10:45 …”
The frequent “Saturday Night Live” host joked with O’Brien about his days as a writer there, describing O’Brien’s 1985 sideburns as “Elvis meets Ireland.” And then, because this is still the “Tonight Show,” Hanks plugged a Julia Roberts film he’s directing.
Neil Young sang a sweet and appropriate acoustic guitar and harmonica version of “Long May You Run”: We’ve been through some things together / With trunks of memories still to come / We found things to do in stormy weather / Long may you run / Long may you run / Long may you run / Although these changes have come.
Before final guest Ferrell took the stage for the closing number (and I like Ferrell, but couldn’t band leader Max Weinberg have gotten The Boss to show up?) O’Brien chocked back tears as he briefly recounted his over 20 years at NBC, including his stints as an “SNL” writer and as host of “Late Night.”
“I’m enormously proud of the work we’ve done together and I want to thank NBC for making it all possible,” he said. “Every comedian dreams of hosting ‘The Tonight Show’. And for seven months, I got to do it. And I did it my way, with people I love. I do not regret one second of anything we’ve done here.”
He wrapped up by thanking the fans, who “have made a sad situation joyous and inspirational.”
“Please do not by cynical,” he concluded. “It doesn’t lead anywhere. Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you’re kind, amazing things will happen.”
To be continued? It would be cynical to think otherwise.
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Hey Conan fans - here’s what I’m doing ‘Tonight’
Tonight is Conan O’Brien’s last night behind the “Tonight Show” desk. The lanky redhead, ousted by NBC to make way for former host (and prime time failure) Jay Leno’s return to the show on March 1, has promised lots of fun and surprises and, frankly, the whole debacle has led to a week of his best shows ever, so I am inclined to believe him.
His final scheduled guests include Tom Hanks and Will Ferrell, O’Brien’s first “Tonight Show” guest last June. Neil Young will play him off like a keyboard cat. Hopefully it will be the real Neil Young and not Jimmy Fallon impersonating him, but that bit makes me laugh so I guess I’d be okay with that, too.
I will be Twittering during the show, so follow me here. I may be posting updates to my Facebook page so feel free to friend me there, too. Finally, come back here to the TV Blog late tonight or early tomorrow — I’ll be posting my thoughts on Conan’s final ‘Tonight Show’.
Meanwhile, what are your predictions for this evening’s outing? What song should Neil Young play? How would you like to see Conan sign off?
Sound off!
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“Caprica:” Sex and dying (and robots) in high society
Even the show’s hardest-core fans were a little let down by the end of the 21st century version of “Battlestar: Galactica.” For a while there, “Galactica” was a nearly-real-time critique of post-9/11 America and the war in Iraq and the dangers of extreme religious devotion in addition to being a top-flight sci-fi space opera. So far, so awesome. Yet it ended not with a bang but with, well, a whole mess of plot holes, unanswered questions (and not the kind that make for interesting philosophical discourse) and wandering around on a planet that’s not quite Earth but might be or something. Not a great look.
“Caprica” hopes to wipe away all those bad feelings with a prequel that has nothing to do with outer space. Instead, it’s a it’s a gloss on that other sic-fi staple: Inner space.
The pilot, which has been available on DVD for some time, airs tonight at 8 on SyFy.
Helmed by “Galactica” producers Ron Moore and David Eick, “Caprica” takes place about 60 years before the destruction of the 12 Colonies (aka the beginning of “Galactica”).
On the titular planet, a prosperous orb in this loose confederacy of worlds, the lives of lawyer Joseph Adams (Esai Morales) and computer engineer and industrialist Daniel Greystone (Eric Stoltz) are about to cross in the least pleasant of ways: Their teenage children (Zoe Greystone and Tamara Adama) become involved in a devout monotheistic cult, a no-no in a world of secular pantheists. (Imagine a few gals from “Gossip Girl” becoming very serious Christians.)
Morales does sharp work a civil liberties lawyer (and secret mob mouthpiece) who changed his name from Adama to distance himself from his home colony of Tauron. He’s a quieter, more internal presence that his son on “Galactica,” William Adama (Edward James Olmos), who never met scenery he couldn’t gnaw through.
And Stoltz is his equal as a business celebrity and sports team owner who invented the holoband, sort of the iPod of its era. When tragedy strikes, Greystone ramps up his work with artificial intelligence and finds himself well on his way to creating the Cylons.
Look for rock-solid supporting performances from the little-known Sasha Roiz as Joseph’s brother Sam, a gay footsoldier in the local mob who seems more centered than most people in his orbit, and Paula Malcomson (“Deadwood”) as Daniel’s wife, Amanda.
Moore’s world building is deft, subtle and fun — gay couples and group marriages aren’t worth a second glance, teenagers hack into the holobands to experience every excess, and the fedora seems never to have gone out of style.
And “Caprica” dives right into the deep end of a technophillic culture: What does artificial intelligence really mean? Do A.I.’s have souls? If you could keep the personality of dead relative around forever, does it make that person less dead? What are the flesh-and-bone consequences of sins committed in a virtual world?
These are the weird and thorny questions “Caprica” has at its fingertips. Exploring them with heart and smarts could make this show as rewarding as its predecessor.
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‘Idol’ speculation: Three Texans in top 24 (spoilers)
“American Idol’s” Dallas auditions won’t be aired until Wednesday night, January 27, but word has it that a trio of Texans have made their way into Season 9’s Top 24: Two men and one woman.
This information comes from MJ’s Big Blog. Please note that spoiler information cannot be verified and should always be viewed as conjecture.
Alexander “Alex” Lambert
Hometown: North Richland Hills, TX
MySpace page
YouTube videos:
I’m Yours
Tired of Waiting (original)
Twist and Shout
Barney (the Purple Dinosaur) Tribute
David Duke, 23
Hometown: Waxahachie, TX
MySpace page
Lacey Brown, 23 (Season 8 Hollywood contestant)
Hometown: Amarillo, TX
Brown’s MySpace page
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Leno will be back on ‘Tonight Show’ March 1
After settling up with Conan O’Brien, NBC has now announced that Jay Leno will return to “The Tonight Show” starting March 1.
“Late Night With Jimmy Fallon” will continue to air after “Tonight” in the 11:35 p.m. slot.
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Local team on new season of ‘Amazing Race’
A grandmother-granddaughter team from Central Texas will be part of the new season of “The Amazing Race.”
Jody Kelly, 71, of Round Rock, and Shannon Foster, 22, of Georgetown will compete on the 16th season of the globetrotting reality show, which debuts at 7 p.m. Feb. 14.
The two share a passion for fitness. According to their bios on cbs.com, Kelly is a personal trainer. She’s also the oldest competitor in the history of the show. Foster, a Southwestern University grad who works as a healthcare outreach contract analyst, enjoys running, dancing and swimming.
UPDATED: Fit City columnist Pam LeBlanc is working on a bigger story about this active pair, and she gave us some more info about them.
First, while Foster’s cbs.com bio lists her home as Georgetown, she’s recently moved to Anchorage Alaska.
Kelly’s specialty is a trainer is working with elderly and disabled clients. Her oldest client was 100 years old, and Jody trained her the last six months of her life.
Kelly got her daughter, granddaughter and son into triathlon. She did her first triathlon in 2007 and has done 15 triathlons since. She describes herself as a “recovering couch potato” and says she is incredibly slow. “But if I can do it so can anyone else. Let out your inner athlete!”
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‘American Idol,’ Orlando auditions recap
Wednesday night’s “American Idol” came to us from Orlando, home to the Magical Kingdom. Also known as the super-generic, plastic tourist trap in central Florida.
Ryan Seacrest informs us that 10,000 contestants have shown up as we see video of the hungover trio of Randy Jackson, Seacrest and Simon Cowell boarding a jet plane after a long night in Miami. Apparently they are running late. Not real sure the purpose of the self-indulgent shots and voice-over describing the men showing up late to auditions, but it feels unnecessary and arrogant. Maybe it is to balance the effervescence of Kara DioGuardi and guest judge Kristin Chenoweth, who are there with bells on. Chenoweth has some minor Fox pedigree, having appeared in “Glee,” and is a star of Broadway in addition to her former gig on “West Wing.” Despite her over-the-top blonde tresses, she is adorable and sexy, although she has a bit too much of the yappy lap dog and Oz munchkin in her.
The first contestant, who really never has a shot, is Theo Glinton, who looks like he escaped from a dance club underneath Mad Max’s Terrordome. He enigmatically tells the camera that if he’s not the next American Idol, he is going to finish in the bottom three. Unfortunately, he wasn’t good or bad enough to finish in either position after his horrific rendition of Pat Benatar’s “Heartbreaker.” At first, Chenoweth seems to almost want to give him a chance, but eventually dismisses him with a “Not for this, but … not for this.”
As usual, the lack of golden tickets early in the day leads to some contestant anxiety. Then we get our first heart-string tugging storyline of the night in Seth Rollins, who has an autistic son. He sings “Someone to Watch Over Me,” and kills it for the most part, although he does some weird stuff with his vocals at the end. The ladies sway to the croon and Simon admits that he likes that Rollins “knows who he is.” Randy wants him to exude more personality and swagger, with which I agree, but he eventually gets four “yeses” and sprints out of the room to grab his son triumphantly.
There is then the standard montage of yeses and no’s before we see Jermaine Purifoy, a repeat performer, who tried and failed in season seven. He tells a story of how he and a bunch of guy friends took a road trip that season to go audition. That seemed a little weird to me. I was in college once, and I can’t really envision that scene: “Yo, fellas … spring break is coming up! What’s jumpin’ off this year? Bahamas? Destin? Wait, wait, I got it … let’s pack up the Bronco and hit up ‘American Idol’ auditions!” Anywho, turns out Purifoy is a hit, and Chenoweth praises his pure and seamless voice and tells him she loves him. Randy confesses he is the favorite of this season; Kara likes the honesty in his voice, and Simon liked the song choice and thinks “the chicks” will dig him. Persistence pays off, as he gets four adamant “yeses.” It is nice to hear Purifoy say after the audition that he’s not normally a risk taker but realizes maybe he should take them more often. I like this kid.
The last contestant of the day has another touching back-story. The pretty Shelby Dressel tells the story of how she grew up with a nerve condition that has affected the area around her mouth, giving her a slight speech impediment. She sings a nice but not amazing version of Norah Jones’ “Turn Me On.” It is stirring to see a young lady overcome such physical adversity and have the nerve to sing on national television and in front of these judges. Were it not for her physical impediment, however, I don’t think she would have made it through on strength of voice alone, but she wins over the judges. Simon says he likes her potential, although he is not blown away by her voice. Kristin agrees on the potential point, and Dressel ends up getting her ticket punched to Hollywood, along with 18 others from day one.
Unfortunately, the diminutive siren Chenoweth has been called back to New York, so we are left with just three judges, a result which proves that this show could not survive long with just these three judges.
First up on day two is Jay Stone, who performs a bizarre beat box performance of The Beatles “Come Together,” soaking Cowell with spit during his scratching/mixing/singing display. Cowell seems annoyed and unimpressed, while DioGuardi and Jackson find humor and a little talent in Stone, who then breaks into a very affected version of Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine” while DioGuardi and Jackson beat box. “I’m bringin’ something new and different that this competition has never seen before,” Stone says following the grating performance. Cowell doesn’t seem to agree, but Stone gets passed on to Hollywood, so we are certain to be annoyed by him again and possibly see him in a Burger King or Outback Steakhouse commercial in the future.
Following stone, some quick hits: Janell Wheeler, a good looking 24-year-old blonde from Tampa wearing Daisy Dukes does “House of the Rising Sun.” Brittan Star James, a sexy 23-year-old who looks like a young Robin Givens, sings Estelle’s “American Boy.”
Kasi Bedford, a chubby-faced 19-year-old sings “Let’s Give Them Something to Talk About,” which I wasn’t crazy about. They all go to Hollywood.
In one of the shortest auditions that lands a contestant on the plane to Hollywood, Cornelius Edwards, a 24-year-old who says he learned to dance from his adult entertainer friends, does a leaping split while singing which leads to the best line of the night: “My pants done ripped.” They certainly did. Simon says after that sacrifice he has to give him a yes.
Next up are two likely rejects from “Jersey Shore.” (They would have been the ostracized teacher’s pets of the MTV reality show.) The bubbly, severe Desimone sisters (Bernadette, 27 and Amanda, 23) hail from Cherry Hill, New Jersey, where they live in a house/salon with their mom. “From the time we wake up in the morning, we’re putting on a show,” one of them says. If I were their little brother I would lock myself in the basement until I was hold enough to go to college or become a hobo. Bernadette goes first and sings “Hit the Road, Jack.” Amanda follows with an extremely over the top version of “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” while her sister mouths the words on the side and convulses along with her. The whole scene with the two pageant children caught in a state of arrested development is beyond surreal. Kara thinks they could bring something to Hollywood (likely just comic relief and a hovering hole in the ozone layer). Despite the judges’ obvious concerns, both make it through.
Time for the most disturbing entry in tonight’s parade of shame. Jarrodd Norrell, with his scraggly beard, dilated pupils and backward ball cap looks like a meth dealer from the Okefenokee Swamp. He sings a version of “Amazing Grace” that sounds like a chainsaw with an upper respiratory infection cutting through a cinder block. Kara: “Good lord. What was that?” He responds, confused and slightly aggravated, “I’m trippin’ I’m losing it. I can not leave. Are you kidding me?” Security comes in somewhat hastily, and Norrell ends up getting cuffed by local authorities outside of the audition room. Ah, Florida. Cut to Simon, “yes or no?” Well played, sir, you will be missed.
The show ends with big country boy Matt Lawrence, 25, who confesses that as a 15-year-old rebel he robbed a bank with a B.B. gun and ended up spending five years “locked up.” Wile his story of trying to redeem himself in the eyes of his parents is funny, I wonder what story he used in “the joint.” No way he told any felons he is locked up for carrying a B.B. gun. He makes the bold and dangerous choice of singing “Trouble” by Ray LaMontagne. Although some notes are pretty, I feel like it sounds like a lot of head voice and rather affected. Simon, on the other hand, says it was brilliant and his easiest yes of the day. Kara says he may go to the top 12. I guess we will have to agree to disagree, but it is nice to see the kid maybe have a chance to make his parents proud after everything he put them through.
So, there you have it. Florida: criminals, strip club-inspired dancers, bizarre Jersey chicks that missed their exit on the turnpike and 31 contestants through to Hollywood. Next stop, L.A..
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NBC announces departure deal for Conan O’Brien
It’s official. Conan O’Brien’s last “Tonight Show” will be Friday night.
Following an increasingly bitter on-air battle between O’Brien and 17-year “Tonight Show” host Jay Leno and a public relations debacle for last-place NBC, the Associated Press reported today that a $45 million deal has been struck which will provide severance for O’Brien and his staff, allow the host to return to the air on another network as early as September, and provide for Leno’s return to “The Tonight Show” on March 1, following the Winter Olympics.
A deal had been expected earlier in the week, but reports surfaced that O’Brien was holding out for severance for “Tonight Show” employees, who relocated with him to Los Angeles from New York where he hosted “Late Night” before taking over for Leno seven months ago. NBC moved Leno to 9 p.m. CT and both hosts experienced steep ratings declines. Complaints from local affiliates, who watched helplessly as their late night news ratings (and revenues) dropped because of Leno’s weak lead-in, forced the network to abandon its wait-and-see, “52-week strategy” for Leno and initiate his return to the “Tonight Show.”
“In the end, Conan was appreciative of the steps NBC made to take care of his staff and crew, and decided to supplement the severance they were getting out of his own pocket,” his manager, Gavin Polone, told The Wall Street Journal. “Now he just wants to get back on the air as quickly as possible.”
No word yet on other details of the settlement, including who owns the rights to the characters O’Brien created while on “The Tonight Show” and “Late Night.” When CBS late night host David Letterman left NBC after being rejected as Johnny Carson’s “Tonight Show” replacement in 1992, the network claimed rights to his routines as its “intellectual property.”
Are you glad it’s over or will you miss the on-air sniping which, frankly, seemed to raise both Leno’s and O’Brien’s games while Letterman chuckled from the CBS sidelines?
Sound off!
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‘The Deep End’ debuts tonight
Austinite Mehcad Brooks (son of the American-Statesman’s Alberta Phillips), late of “True Blood,” pops up toward the end of this law dramedy’s pilot episode. He isn’t given much to do, but I’m sure his pretty, young lawyer character will find his place amid the other young pretty, lawyer characters in this breezy series that finds clerking attorneys complaining about being so busy but finding plenty of time to hop into bed with each other, their bosses and clients. Premieres at 7 p.m. today on ABC.
Read more about returning shows in our midseason preview and catch my interview with Mehcad Brooks Sunday on the Statesman’s TV page.
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Look for Central Texas locations in ‘Temple Grandin’
On Feb. 6 at 7 p.m., HBO debuts its movie “Temple Grandin,” based on the life of the famous animal researcher whose work was shaped by her experiences with autism. Claire Danes stars as Grandin in the film, which was shot in and around Austin in 2008.
Area locations you might spot in the film include Capitol Land & Livestock in Schwertner, Granzin’s Meat Market in New Braunfels, Southwestern University in Georgetown, the Georgetown Municipal Airport, LCRA Riverside Conference Center in Bastrop, the dining room at Scottish Rite Dormitory at UT, the Austin Convention Center and Masonic Lodge of Austin.
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ESPN to air Ricky Williams documentary
ESPN’s “30 for 30” film series will feature former University of Texas running back Ricky Williams in a documentary this April.
Directed by Sean Pamphilon, “Run Ricky Run” is scheduled to air at 8 p.m. April 27. According to a release from ESPN, the film features “personal footage recorded with Williams during his time away from football and beyond.”
Before going pro, Williams won the Heisman Trophy in 1998 as a player for the Texas Longhorns.
ESPN is marking its 30th anniversary with the film series, which began in 2009 and will continue through next year.
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‘Hope for Haiti’ telethon Friday
As another earthquake hits ravaged Haiti, planning continues for Friday’s “Hope for Haiti” telethon, slated for a live 7 p.m. CT airing on all the major broadcast networks, as well as MTV, VH1, CMT, BET, PBS, CNN, Bravo, others, according to the Associated Press.
“Hope For Haiti Now: A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief” will be anchored by Haitian native Wyclef Jean from New York. George Clooney will emcee from Los Angeles and CNN’s Anderson Cooper will report from Haiti.
Artists performing in the benefit include Bruce Springsteen, Jennifer Hudson, Mary J. Blige, Shakira, Sting, Taylor Swift, Keith Urban, Kid Rock, Sheryl Crow, Justin Timberlake, Dave Matthews, John Legend, Stevie Wonder, Bono, The Edge, Rihanna and Coldplay.
Performances will be available for iTunes downloading on Saturday, with proceeds benefiting Haiti relief.
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‘Tonight Show’ announcement expected today
Update: Variety.com reports that a settlement announcement will not be made until Wednesday at the earliest as compensation deals for Conan O’Brien’s staffers are hammered out. Regardless, this will be O’Brien’s final week as host of “The Tonight Show.”
Jay Leno went into damage control mode Monday night in anticipation of a resolution to NBC’s late night television debacle. The deal, expected to be announced as early as today, will land Leno back in the “Tonight Show” seat at its regularly scheduled 10:35 p.m. CT start and free current host Conan O’Brien to seek employment at another network (Fox and holding FX are both said to be interested) either immediately or, more likely, in the Fall.
Reports say NBC is expected to pay O’Brien somewhere in the area of $40 million to go away, which is exactly the figure rival CBS late night host David Letterman predicted last week on “The Late Show.” Letterman has some insight into this matter. The former host of NBC’s “Late Night” was ousted by that network in a bitter battle with frequent “Tonight Show” guest host Leno over who would take the reigns of that program when Johnny Carson retired in 1992. Leno got the nod, Letterman fled to CBS and O’Brien took over Letterman’s “Late Night” duties.
Leno, who has been depicted as a Machiavellian network puppeteer throughout the recent crisis — trading increasingly mean-spirited and hostile barbs with O’Brien while Letterman gloated on the CBS sidelines — painted himself Monday night as a company man who is somewhat reluctantly doing as he is told. Meanwhile, he had nothing but praise for O’Brien.
“Through all of this, Conan O’Brien has been a gentleman,” Leno said. “He’s a good guy; I have no animosity toward him. This is all business. You know, folks, if you don’t get the ratings, they take you off the air.”
Leno should know. His dismal showing in the 9 p.m. CT hour — causing network affiliates to rally for his ouster due to declining ratings from his poor lead-in — precipitated the whole mess.
What do you think? Is Leno being sincere? Is he a reluctant puppet, a calculating puppet master or something in between?
Will you follow Jay back to 10:30 or will you be heading to another network with the rest of “Team Conan?”
Sound off.
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This week’s TV picks
“True Blood’s” Mehcad Brooks and Tina Majorino, from “Napoleon Dynamite,” are members of the “Deep End” ensemble.
Monday:
‘The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love’ 7 p.m., ABC: The show begins with a dozen desperate damsels but ends with only nine, so it seems like it was probably a rough night. I blame the trip to Jon Lovitz’ Hollywood comedy club. Yeah, that’s the ticket.
‘Decisions That Shook the Word’ 8 p.m., Military: Morgan Freeman narrates this exploration of Lyndon Johnson and civil rights.
‘Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives’ 9 p.m., Food: Guy returns to Texas for a taco.
Tuesday:
‘American Idol’ 7 p.m., Fox: The judges head to the windy city for lots of bad singing, a little good singing, and plenty of stories of personal tragedy and illness.
Wednesday:
‘CSI: NY’ 9 p.m., CBS: A quarterback from the Lingerie Football League is murdered. Anytime you’ve got lingerie and football in the same sentence, it’s going in the TV picks. Just saying.
‘MANswers’ 9:30 p.m., Spike: Tonight’s episode tells you how to avoid being impaled by an arrow. This is practical information. If you’re a Robin Hood impersonator or a member of the Olympic archery team.
Thursday:
‘The Deep End’ 7 p.m., ABC: Austinite Mehcad Brooks (son of the Statesman’s Alberta Brooks) pops in toward the end of this cutesy law dramedy’s premiere.
‘Fringe’ 8 p.m., FOX: Peter and Olivia, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S — okay, they’re not in a tree, they’re in a quarantined office building. And they’re not kissing, they’re trying to avoid a deadly virus.
Friday:
‘Caprica’ 8 p.m., Syfy: The stylish and intelligent prequel to ‘Battlestar Galactica,’ starring Eric Stoltz and Esai Morales, kicks off tonight.
‘I Shouldn’t Be Alive’ 8 p.m., Animal Planet: A couple gets separated from their tour group and has to find their own way out of the mountains. Uh-huh. ‘Separated.’ Look, if you didn’t want them along, you could have just told them.
‘Twin Peaks’ 9 p.m., Sleuth: I know, I know, it’s a rerun. But it’s that one episode with all of that weird stuff.
Saturday:
‘Screen Actors Guild Awards’ 7 p.m., TNT: Sandra Bullock presents a lifetime achievement award to the fabulous Betty White.
‘Austin City Limits’ 7 p.m., PBS: The Avett Brothers and Heartless Bastards perform.
‘Figure Skating: U.S. Championships’ 8 p.m., NBC: Gear up for the Winter Olympics with this women’s final from Spokane.
Sunday:
‘NFC Championship’ 5:30 p.m., Fox: Go Dallas! (Um, unless they were eliminated last week. I hate early deadlines).
‘Worst Cooks in America’ 9 p.m., Food: Insert your favorite Rodney Dangerfield joke here.
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‘Life Unexpected’ debuts tonight
This likable but unlikely new dramedy is, thankfully, much less glitzy and self-conscious than the standard CW fare (I’m looking at you, “Melrose Place” and the canceled “TBL: The Beautiful Life”). It tells the story of Lux, a precocious, street-smart teen who seeks out her birth parents’ signatures on a legal emancipation form after bouncing from foster home to foster home (her most recent one is particularly awful). Birth mom and dad are no longer together, but a judge denies emancipation and orders them to share parenting responsibilities. I know — it sounds like the “Seinfeld” within a “Seinfeld” where Jerry’s character Jerry gets into an accident and is sentenced to be the victim’s butler, but it’s charming and quirky anyway. Premieres at 8 p.m. today on CW.
Read more about returning shows in our midseason preview.
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List of Golden Globe TV winners
Best Comedy or Musical Series
Glee
Best Supporting Actress
Chloe Sevigny (Big Love)
Best Drama Series
Mad Men
Best Actor in a Comedy Series
Alec Baldwin (30 Rock)
Best Actress in a Miniseries or TV Movie
Drew Barrymore (Grey Gardens)
Best Actor in a Miniseries or TV Movie
Kevin Bacon (Taking Chances)
Best Miniseries or TV Movie
Grey Gardens
Best Actress in a Television Drama
Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife)
Best Actor in a Television Drama
Michael C. Hall (Dexter)
Best Supporting Actor
John Lithgow (Dexter)
Best Actress in a Comedy Series
Toni Collette (The United States of Tara)
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The Golden Globe Awards in tweets
Here are my tweets (and your tweets I re-tweeted) from during the Golden Globes telecast Saturday night. (Note: It makes more sense if you start at the bottom and read up).
@austinchica Okay, it’s a BIG crush.
2 minutes ago from web in reply to austinchica
RT @hnic1971 People should listen to @nprfreshair interview w/T-Bone Burnett re: Bridges-Bruten http://bit.ly/8Jj8f7 #Goldenglobes
6 minutes ago from web
Shout out to anti-depressant users? “Thank you for believing in blue people.” #Goldenglobes
7 minutes ago from web
They’re gonna’ bring it in on time! Best Drama Film: “Avatar.” #Goldenglobes
8 minutes ago from web
RT @Annieinaustin Jeff Bridges for Crazy Heart, yay! Glad he thanked late Stephen Bruton, Austin songwriter. #Goldenglobes
10 minutes ago from web
@biznic Don’t you hate what they’re doing to Chloe’s character, though?
13 minutes ago from web in reply to biznic
@HotDiggityPDX Shhhh … my wife might be reading this.
15 minutes ago from web in reply to HotDiggityPDX
Hey Jeff Bridges: I’ll bet if I held a breathalyzer up to the TV it’d be ringing like Pete Townsend’s ears. #goldenglobes
16 minutes ago from web
I think Jeff Bridges may have tipped back a few. Just sayin’. #goldenglobes
17 minutes ago from web
I like Jeff Bridges too, but not in the same way. #goldenglobes
18 minutes ago from web
I have a little crush on Kate Winslet. #goldenglobes
18 minutes ago from web
RT @austinchica looking good Robert Downey Jr! #goldenglobes
21 minutes ago from web
RT @ubershauna So I guess Bob Schneider didn’t have Sandra Bullock’s back? #goldenglobes
22 minutes ago from web
RDJ: “Hollywood Foreign Press are a strange bunch, and now I’m one of ‘em.” #goldenglobes
23 minutes ago from web
At least Robert Downey Jr. knows how to give an acceptance speech. Maybe that’s why he won. #goldenglobes
24 minutes ago from web
“If you start playing violins, I will tear this joint apart.” Robert Downey Jr. #goldenglobes
24 minutes ago from web
Robert Downey Jr wins for Sherlock Holmes? Really? Entertaining, but not exactly award-worthy.
25 minutes ago from web
Joseph Gordon-Levitt still looks as weird as when he hosted SNL #goldenglobes
25 minutes ago from web
Sally was so great in “Happy Go Lucky” #goldenglobes
26 minutes ago from web
@imheyjude I like Zooey, but that film looks a little “precious” and “self-consciously independent.” But we’ll see.
27 minutes ago from web in reply to imheyjude
I’ll say it: I’m disappointed in Ricky Gervais. #goldenglobes
29 minutes ago from web
Did Schwarzeneggar just call Avatar “abuhdah” ? #goldenglobes
30 minutes ago from web
The Terminator gets off an NBC joke. But not a very good one. #goldenglobes
31 minutes ago from web
Can’t wait for Mickey Rourke in Iron Man 2.
36 minutes ago from web
“Comedy or Musical?” Why not “Drama or Musical?” Comedy always gets the shaft. #goldenglobes
36 minutes ago from web
@hnic1971 He won’t skip the Beatles. Too much influence on ad biz there.
41 minutes ago from web in reply to hnic1971
@CarriBugbee That is an interesting prediction. I like it!
42 minutes ago from web in reply to CarriBugbee
@CarriBugbee Plus, I don’t anticipate Betty’s new marriage will last very long.
43 minutes ago from web in reply to CarriBugbee
@CarriBugbee If he did that we’d miss all of the fun, new agency start up, so I doubt that’s likely.
44 minutes ago from web in reply to CarriBugbee
Best Comedy or Musical: Glee. Boo. #Modernfamily hands down the best comedy. Why do they combine comedy & musical categories? #goldenglobes
45 minutes ago from web
RT @Annieinaustin Looking at James Cameron, accepting director award for Avatar, but thinking of Frank Morgan as Wizard of Oz #goldenglobes
about 1 hour ago from web
RT @imheyjude James Cameron = meh #goldenglobes
about 1 hour ago from web
@CarriBugbee Absolutely. Just got the new season #Damages press kit; haven’t had a chance to crack it open yet.
about 1 hour ago from web in reply to CarriBugbee
@CarriBugbee I think it’s likely with the upstart Sterling, Cooper, Draper & Price. But I fear lots of divorcey badness.
about 1 hour ago from web in reply to CarriBugbee
James Cameron: Avatar. Anybody surprised? #goldenglobes
about 1 hour ago from web
I was ready to make a “man” joke about Jodie Foster, but she looked great. #goldenglobes
about 1 hour ago from web
Gervais downing a beer. “I like a drink as much as the next man. Unless the next man is Mel Gibson.” Hee. #goldenglobes
about 1 hour ago from web
@CarriBugbee I know I prefer the agency story lines.
about 1 hour ago from web in reply to CarriBugbee
@CarriBugbee @ProfOrganizer @hnic1971 I don’t mind slow-moving #MadMen eps., or caperish ones, but that season was schizophrenic.
about 1 hour ago from web in reply to CarriBugbee
@CarriBugbee Totally agree. Love #MadMen, but I really thought the HFPA would swing a different way.
about 1 hour ago from web in reply to CarriBugbee
Scorsese’s eyebrows way cooler than Colin Farrell’s. #goldenglobes
about 1 hour ago from web
RT @Annieinaustin Wish that instead of nom for Lovely Bones, Stanley Tucci was winning for playing Paul Child @JulieandJulia #goldenglobes
about 1 hour ago from web
RT @ebertchicago #Christoph Waltz just passed his audition for an Oscar acceptance speech. #goldenglobes
about 1 hour ago from web
RT @thesurfreport worried that I’m not digging Christoph Waltz when he’s not wearing the Nazi uniform. paging Dr. Freud… #goldenglobes
about 1 hour ago from web
First Lea Michelle loses, now Jane Lynch (did Matthew Morrison lose, too?) The Gleeks are going to be fuming. #goldenglobes
about 1 hour ago from web
Best Supporting Actress: TV Series, Miniseries or TV Movie: Chloe Sevigny #goldenglobes
about 1 hour ago from web
@imheyjude Yeah, but I mentioned Jon Hamm’s weird beard earlier. Anyway, I’ll admit I didn’t even see him up there. #goldenglobes
about 1 hour ago from web in reply to imheyjude
Love seeing the “Mad Men” cast onstage, though. January, Christina and Elizabeth. Wow. #goldenglobes
about 1 hour ago from web
Best TV Series Drama: “Mad Men.” That kinda’ surprises me. Thought the Hollywood F. P.’ers would go for something different. #goldenglobes
about 1 hour ago from web
Zach Levi and Amy Poehler: worst “funny” dialogue ever.
about 1 hour ago from web
Sophia Loren looks amazing. #goldenglobes
about 1 hour ago from web
@amandapalmer is live-tweeting from her seat at the #goldenglobes
about 2 hours ago from web
Best Actor, TV Comedy or Musical Series: Alec Baldwin. He just cleans up for this role. #GoldenGlobes
about 2 hours ago from web
Maybe Gervais is right … they’re playing the writers off musically. #GoldenGlobes
about 2 hours ago from web
Jason Reitman for “Up in the Air.” There’s your first real upset. #GoldenGlobes
about 2 hours ago from web
RT @PendejoJoe Jennifer Anniston… wow. #GoldenGlobes
about 2 hours ago from web
Ricky Gervais: Writing category is a “downer.” Actors are most important. Not words you say, how good you look saying them. #goldenglobes
about 2 hours ago from web
RT @TheWrap It’s just too bad that Drew B. appears to have a glittery porcupine on her shoulder. #goldenglobes
about 2 hours ago from web
Drew Barrymore to people in room: “This is my family.” #goldenglobes
about 2 hours ago from web
RT @imheyjude Kevin Bacon sure is channeling his “Footloose” hairstyle. #goldenglobes
about 2 hours ago from web
Best Actress TV Miniseries or Movie: Drew Barrymore “Grey Gardens.” As expected. #goldenglobes
about 2 hours ago from web
Best Actor TV Miniseries or Movie: Kevin Bacon. Presenters now part of that stupid game. #goldenglobes
about 2 hours ago from web
@Annieinaustin Not passing judgment, just pointing out the double standard. #goldenglobes
about 2 hours ago from web in reply to Annieinaustin
Any globes fans switching over to #24 ? #goldenglobes
about 2 hours ago from web
RT @TheLiveFeed If Showtime manages to beat or tie HBO it will be the first time this has happened at Globes or Emmys http://bit.ly/8FKu9o
about 2 hours ago from web
Streep’s speech really meandering and long. Bet they don’t play her off. #goldenglobes
about 2 hours ago from web
Colin Farrell’s eyebrows make him look constantly surprised. It would be easy to make a Mii of him. #goldenglobes
about 2 hours ago from web
RT @hnic1971 2 black actors that need to work more on TV tonight: Chi McBride (Human Target) & Mykelti Williamson (24)
about 2 hours ago from web
The music is really getting loud behind the Grey Gardens people. They are shouting to be heard! #goldenglobes
about 2 hours ago from web
RT @diablocody BTW, I’m at home watching. No tickets for writers/exec producers unless the whole show is nommed. Fine by me. #goldenglobes
about 2 hours ago from web
Grey Gardens. No surprise there. #goldenglobes
about 2 hours ago from web
(hee!) RT @richsommer Cher should consider having some work done. #goldenglobes
about 2 hours ago from web
RT @pwallen Good call. The score really helped make “Up.”
about 2 hours ago from web
@imheyjude Lauren Graham will bring a huge fan base with her to Parenthood, but I’ll still miss Tierney.
about 2 hours ago from web in reply to imheyjude
@imheyjude You’re hired. Can you please get me a cup of coffee? cream and 2 Splendas? Thx!
about 2 hours ago from web in reply to imheyjude
@LAeditor There are persons of color in “Parenthood.” They pop in right at the end of the pilot.
about 2 hours ago from web
@imheyjude I saw the Parenthood pilot; I liked it okay. Nice ensemble dramedy. Looks like Graham reshot Tierney’s scenes word for word.
about 2 hours ago from web in reply to imheyjude
Gervias took a divorce poke at Paul McCartney. Said Sir Paul “spent a lot of money last year.” #goldenglobes
about 2 hours ago from web
Wow, is that Harrison Ford or “Christopher Walken-on-SNL?” Worst reading ever. #goldenglobes
about 2 hours ago from web
Commercial for “Parenthood.” I’ll miss Maura Tierney, but it looks like Lauren Graham has slid right into that role. #goldenglobes
about 2 hours ago from web
@imheyjude No, Gervais said they told him he could show up and say anything he wanted. And he did take a Leno poke at them. #goldenglobes
about 2 hours ago from web in reply to imheyjude
@imheyjude My job has it’s pluses and minuses, Judey. I give you “Hank.”
about 2 hours ago from web in reply to imheyjude
Why does Julianna Margulies sound so much like Liza Minnelli? (Close your eyes and play it back!) #goldenglobes
about 2 hours ago from web
Nice jab from Julianna at NBC: Thanks her network for “believeing in the 10 o’clock drama.” Ouch. #goldenglobes
about 2 hours ago from web
Juliana Margulies wins Best Actress - Drama. Well-deserved. She carries a great show on her back. #goldenglobes
about 2 hours ago from web
@CarriBugbee Michael C. Hall’s undergoing cancer treatment.
about 2 hours ago from web in reply to CarriBugbee
RT @emquig Have Ricky Gervais’ cuspids always been so prominent, or is he going to be guest-starring on “True Blood”?
about 2 hours ago from web
Michael C. Hall wins Best Actor - Drama for “Dexter.” The black cap? He’s been undergoing cancer treatment.
about 3 hours ago from web
Wow, look at John Hamm’s weird beard. #goldenglobes
about 3 hours ago from web
@imheyjude I’m not saying Gervais is not funny, but I’m a bit underwhelmed. #goldenglobes
about 3 hours ago from web in reply to imheyjude
Best Supporting Actor in a TV Role: John Lithgow for “Dexter.”
about 3 hours ago from web
Hoo-ray for Toni Collette, winner of Best Actress in a TV Comedy or Musical for “United States of Tara.” She deserves it. #goldenglobes
about 3 hours ago from web
Perhaps Ricky Gervais will get funnier as he gets drunkier: http://bit.ly/5eF8X5 #goldenglobes
about 3 hours ago from web
Paul McCartney: “Animated films aren’t just for children; they’re also for adults who take drugs.” #goldenglobes
about 3 hours ago from web
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Golden Globes: Ricky Gervais video and nominee list
In anticipation of Ricky Gervais’ potentially hilarious hosting gig at tonight’s “Golden Globe Awards” (7-10 p.m., NBC) here are a few videos of Gervais’ past work.
Find a complete list of Golden Globe nominees after the jump.
Ricky Gervais at the 2009 Emmy Awards
Ricky Gervais ad-libs with Elmo
Ricky Gervais on HBO’s “Extras”
Here’s the full list of 2010 “Golden Globe Awards” nominees. It’s my blog, so I put the TV nominees first:
Best Television Series, Drama
‘Big Love’
‘Dexter’
‘House’
‘Mad Men’
‘True Blood’
Best Television Series, Comedy or Musical
‘30 Rock’
‘Entourage’
‘Glee’
‘Modern Family’
‘The Office’
Best Actor in a Television Series, Drama
Simon Baker, ‘The Mentalist’
Michael C. Hall, ‘Dexter’
Jon Hamm, ‘Mad Men’
Hugh Laurie, ‘House’
Bill Paxton, ‘Big Love’
Best Actress in a Television Series, Drama
Julianna Margulies, ‘The Good Wife’
Glenn Close, ‘Damages’
January Jones, ‘Mad Men’
Anna Paquin, ‘True Blood’
Kyra Sedgwick, ‘The Closer’
Best Actor in a Television Series, Comedy or Musical
Alec Baldwin, ‘30 Rock’
Steve Carell, ‘The Office’
Thomas Jane, ‘Hung’
David Duchovny, ‘Californication’
Matthew Morrison, ‘Glee’
Best Actress in a Television Series, Comedy or Musical
Toni Collette, ‘United States of Tara’
Courteney Cox, ‘Cougar Town’
Tina Fey, ‘30 Rock’
Edie Falco, ‘Nurse Jackie’
Lea Michele, ‘Glee’
Best Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
‘Grey Gardens’
‘Into the Storm’
‘Little Dorrit’
‘Taking Chance’
‘Georgia O’Keeffe’
Best Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
Kevin Bacon, ‘Taking Chance’
Kenneth Branagh, ‘Wallander: One Step Behind’
Chiwetel Ejiofor, ‘Endgame’
Brendan Gleeson, ‘Into the Storm’
Jeremy Irons, ‘Georgia O’Keeffe’
Best Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
Joan Allen, ‘Georgia O’Keeffe’
Drew Barrymore, ‘Grey Gardens’
Jessica Lange, ‘Grey Gardens’
Anna Paquin, ‘The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler’
Sigourney Weaver, ‘Prayers for Bobby’
Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
Neil Patrick Harris, ‘How I Met Your Mother’
Michael Emerson, ‘Lost’
Jeremy Piven, ‘Entourage’
William Hurt, ‘Damages’
John Lithgow, ‘Dexter’
Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
Jane Adams, ‘Hung’
Rose Byrne, ‘Damages’
Jane Lynch, ‘Glee’
Janet McTeer, ‘Into the Storm’
Chloe Sevigny, ‘Big Love’
Best Motion Picture, Drama
‘Avatar’
‘The Hurt Locker’
‘Inglourious Basterds’
‘Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire’
‘Up in the Air’
Best Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical
‘500 Days of Summer’
‘The Hangover’
‘It’s Complicated’
‘Julie & Julia’
‘Nine’
Best Director - Motion Picture
Kathryn Bigelow, ‘The Hurt Locker’
James Cameron, ‘Avatar’
Clint Eastwood, ‘Invictus’
Jason Reitman, ‘Up in the Air’
Quentin Tarantino, ‘Inglourious Basterds’
Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama
Jeff Bridges, ‘Crazy Heart’
George Clooney, ‘Up in the Air’
Colin Firth, ‘A Single Man’
Morgan Freeman, ‘Invictus’
Tobey Maguire, ‘Brothers’
Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama
Emily Blunt, ‘The Young Victoria’
Sandra Bullock, ‘The Blind Side’
Helen Mirren, ‘The Last Station’
Carey Mulligan, ‘An Education’
Gabourey Sidibe, ‘Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire’
Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Matt Damon, ‘Invictus’
Woody Harrelson, ‘The Messenger’
Christopher Plummer, ‘The Last Station’
Stanley Tucci, ‘The Lovely Bones’
Christoph Waltz, ‘Inglourious Basterds’
Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Penelope Cruz, ‘Nine’
Vera Farmiga, ‘Up in the Air’
Anna Kendrick, ‘Up in the Air’
Mo’Nique, ‘Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire’
Julianne Moore, ‘A Single Man’
Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Comedy
Matt Damon, ‘The Informant!’
Daniel Day-Lewis, ‘Nine’
Robert Downey, Jr., ‘Sherlock Holmes’
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, ‘(500) Days of Summer
Michael Stuhlbarg, ‘A Serious Man’
Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Comedy
Sandra Bullock, ‘The Proposal’
Marion Cotillard, ‘Nine’
Julia Roberts, ‘Duplicity’
Meryl Streep, ‘It’s Complicated’
Meryl Streep, ‘Julie and Julia’
Best Screenplay - Motion Picture
‘The Hurt Locker’, Mark Boal
‘District 9’, Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell
‘Inglourious Basterds’, Quentin Tarantino
‘It’s Complicated’, Nancy Meyers
‘Up in the Air’, Jason Reitman, Sheldon Turner
Best Animated Feature Film
‘Coraline’
‘Fantastic Mr. Fox’
‘Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs’
‘The Princess and the Frog’
‘Up’
Best Foreign Language Film
‘A Prophet’
‘The White Ribbon’
‘The Maid’
‘Baaria’
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Austin Grease Monkeys win ‘Shark Tank’ funding
A pair of Austin entrepreneurs obtained investment in a uniquely Austin business venture Friday night on the ABC reality show, “Shark Tank.”
Erin Whalen and Tim Stansbury, creators of Austin’s Grease Monkey Wipes, appeared before the shows investor “sharks” in hopes of obtaining $40,000 in funding in return for a 40 percent stake in their business. The duo demonstrated the heavy duty cleaning wipe initially created to help greasy cyclists clean up after tire repair. They were well prepared — Whalen holds a bachelor’s degree in business and Stansbury has an MBA in marketing — but initially appeared nervous and a little stiff.
All of the sharks loved the duo’s enthusiasm and branding, but four out of five of them rejected the pair’s business proposition before the final investor, Robert Herjavec, was won over by Whalen’s sunny insistence that the product would succeed. After he accepted the deal, a second investor, real estate tycoon Barbara Corcoran, also jumped on board, offering to split the risk and profits with Herjavec.
“We’re going to make this a national brand,” Whalen said, post-deal. “We’re going to make this an international brand. It’s going to be on store shelves everywhere.”
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‘America’s Got Talent’ holding Dallas auditions
If you’ve got talent, here’s your chance to show it off: “America’s Got Talent” will be holding auditions at the Dallas Convention Center on Jan. 30 and 31. Visit www.agtauditions.com for more info.
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Only funny thing Jimmy Fallon’s ever done makes me laugh again
I’m pretty sure Jimmy Fallon’s Neil Young impersonation is the only funny thing he’s ever done, and I’m not sure how long it’s going to take to get old. But his faux Young rendition of “American Idol” auditioner “General” Larry Platt’s anti-gangsta’ fashion rap, “Pants on the Ground,” made me laugh.
How about you?
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Haiti telethon will be next Friday
Wyclef Jean and George Clooney will host the “Hope for Haiti” telethon for earthquake relief on Jan. 22, the Associated Press is reporting.
CNN’s Anderson Cooper will appear on the telecast from Haiti. No other celebrity appearances have been announced yet.
The telethon will air at 7 p.m. on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, CNN, BET, the CW, HBO, MTV, VH1 and CMT. It will benefit Jean’s Yele Haiti Foundation, UNICEF, Oxfam America, Partners in Heath and the Red Cross.
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Lots of network news: TCA Press Tour recap
NBC’s Jay Leno/Conan O’Brien feud dominated much of the Television Critics Association’s Winter Tour, an annual event in which networks and television writers meet in Pasadena and justify each others’ livelihoods.
The Peacock network declared Leno’s unsuccessful 5-nights-a-week prime time experiment a failure, abandoning its early posture that they were maintaining a “52-week strategy” and would give the affable but average host time to develop an audience. Admitting that the drumbeat from local NBC affiliates — whose late-night newscasts were suffering due to Leno’s weak lead-in — was becoming too loud and insistent, the network announced that it was brokering a deal to return Leno to his 10:35 p.m. CT slot and kick Conan O’Brien’s “Tonight Show” to an 11:05 p.m. CT start.
Perhaps NBC should have tried to obtain some buy-in from O’Brien before making the announcement. He declined the network’s proposal and the whole shebang remains in limbo.
What’s not in limbo is the future of “The Jay Leno Show.” It’s last airing is set for Feb. 11, which left NBC scrambling for post-Olympics programming (perhaps seeing the writing on the wall, the network green-lighted an unusually large number of new pilots for next Fall).
At least 8 new shows are in development, including product from David E. Kelly, Jerry Bruckheimer and J. J. Abrams; and brace yourselves — we’re going to see a “Rockford Files” remake. Also look for “Law & Order: Los Angeles.”
In other NBC news, Leno’s prime time failure means that on-the-bubble dramas “Trauma” and “Mercy,” and the spy-action-comedy “Chuck” have much better chances of renewal than they normally would, but their numbers are going to have to come up.
Here are TCA highlights from the other networks:
FOX
Fans of “Glee” were thrilled to hear that the show has already been renewed for a sophomore season. And several new cast members will be added through an online reality competition of sorts. Details on how to audition (online entries are welcome) can be found on the Fox Web site.
Star Kiefer Sutherland and executive producer Howard Gordon both said they’re on board for yet another season of “24.” No decision has been made, but both said they’d keep doing the show as long as Fox would let them.
Simon Cowell announced that he will leave “American Idol” after this season to produce and appear as a judge on the competitive talent show “The X Factor.” There were sly suggestions that ex-“Idol” judge Paula Abdul might appear on the new show with Cowell, but at this point that’s just a wild rumor. Buried by this announcement was news that David Hasselhoff is abandoning his own judging post on “America’s Got Talent,” to be replaced by “Deal or No Deal’s” Howie Mandel.
“The Simpsons” will continue to air for at least two more years, and the network remains committed to ratings-challenged “Fringe,” at least for now.
The debut of the game show “Our Little Genius” was moved back because of concerns that the manner in which contestants were informed of topics might make the show appear to be “rigged.”
ABC
Not much news from ABC. Much of their news was the lack of news about the final season of “Lost.” Suprise, surprise … show runners Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof remained predictably tight-lipped. A few tid-bits they did reveal: Cynthia Watros (Libby) and Harold Perrineau (Michael) will return in the final season. A collective squee was heard across the blogosphere in anticipation of Libby-Hurley romance and Libby-Desmond backstory resolution. Cuse and Lindelof have indicated that the finale won’t answer all of fans’ questions, and while ABC owns and could continue to milk the franchise in a number of ways, as far as the pair are concerned, at the conclusion of this season, the story of this particular group of characters is over.
Finally, the network renewed its Wednesday night comedy block of “The Middle,” (yay!) “Modern Family” (big, big yay!) and “Cougar Town” (boo) for second seasons.
CBS
“The Late Show” host David Letterman, who has been having a great time this week needling NBC (who chose Jay Leno over him to replace Johnny Carson years ago) remains in contract talks with his network, but will remain on until at least “deep into 2012.”
“Three Rivers,” in spite of having saved at least 8 lives (CBS got letters from people who received successful transplants due to the increased awareness created by the show) couldn’t save itself and has been canceled.
Network entertainment president Nina Tassler said that Charlie Sheen’s domestic problems (the actor has been charged with second-degree assault, menacing and criminal mischief) won’t affect the “Two and a Half Men” cash cow.
New drama “Miami Medical” replaces “Num3ers” on Fridays, but “Num3ers” might be back next season. CBS finds itself in the unusual position of having too many popular shows for its available slots.
The new reality series “Undercover Boss,” in which Fortune 500 bigwigs don disguises and infiltrate their own companies’ front lines, gets a rare new-series post-Superbowl premiere on Sunday, Feb. 7.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment Categories: Entertainment, Fall TV, Friday Night Lights, News coverage, Ratings, Reality TV
Austinites on ‘Shark Tank’ tonight
A pair of Austin entrepreneurs are slated to appear tonight on “Shark Tank,” the ABC reality show in which inventors, vying for investment dollars, pitch their products to a panel of ruthless multi-millionaires.
Erin Whalen and Tim Stansbury, co-owners of Grease Monkey Wipes, will demonstrate the features and benefits of their product — a heavy duty cleaning wipe initially created to help greasy cyclists clean up after tire repair — on the episode at 8 p.m. today.
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NBC reveals post-Olympics prime time schedule
Still in the midst of the Jay Leno/Conan O’Brien debacle, NBC has announced its Leno-less, prime time, post-Olympics schedule.
Highlights include the premiere of “Parenthood,” which was yanked from the network’s prime time schedule when actress Maura Tierney left the show to undergo cancer treatment. Her scenes were re-shot with replacement Lauren Graham (“Gilmore Girls”) who should bring a substantial fan base to the family dramedy.
Jerry Seinfeld’s “The Marriage Ref,” debuting after the Olympics closing ceremonies on Feb. 28, is a comedy panel series hosted by Seinfeld pick Tom Papa.
Locally-filmed “Friday Night Lights,” which has been airing for months on DirecTV but was not expected to return to NBC until Summer, 2010, will instead return on April 30.
“Who Do You Think You Are?” is a biography-type show exploring the backgrounds of celebrities, and Food Network host Guy Fieri will host a new game show called “Minute to Win It.”
What do you think? Are you looking forward to any of these shows? I have high hopes for “Parenthood” and I’m thrilled that fans without DirecTV will be able to experience this resurgent season of “FNL” earlier than planned, but I’m lukewarm on the rest.
View the day-by-day lineup after the jump.
MONDAYS
7-8 p.m. - “Chuck”
8-9 p.m. - “Trauma” (beginning March 8)
9-10 p.m. -“Law & Order” (returns March 1 with two-hour episode, 9-11 p.m. (ET); resumes in regular time slot March 8)
TUESDAYS
7-9 p.m. - “The Biggest Loser”
9-10 p.m. - “PARENTHOOD” (premieres March 2)
WEDNESDAYS
7-8 p.m. - “Mercy”
8-9 p.m. - “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (encores beginning March 3)
9-10 p.m. - “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (originals beginning March 3)
THURSDAYS
7-7:30 p.m. - “Community”
7:30-8 p.m. - “Parks and Recreation”
8-8:30 p.m. - “The Office”
8:30-9 p.m. - “30 Rock”
9-10 p.m. - “THE MARRIAGE REF” (premieres March 4; sneak preview February 28)
FRIDAYS
7-8 p.m. - “WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?” (premieres March 5; “Friday Night Lights” returns on April 30)
8-10 p.m. - “Dateline NBC” (begins March 5)
SATURDAYS (all beginning March 6)
7-8 p.m. - “The Biggest Loser” (encore episode) 9-10 p.m. - “Law & Order” (encore episode)
9-10 p.m. - “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (encore episode)
SUNDAYS (all beginning March 14)
6-7 p.m. - “Dateline NBC”
7-8 p.m. - “MINUTE TO WIN IT” (premieres March 14)
8-10 p.m. - “The Celebrity Apprentice” (season premiere March 14)
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‘Human Target’ debuts Sunday
Mark Valley (“Boston Legal,” “Fringe”) stars in this one-hour drama based on a DC Comic book character. Valley plays Christopher Chance, a security specialist who puts himself in harm’s way to save clients who cannot be protected by conventional means. The pilot didn’t have much of a story, but there was a great fight scene on a bullet train and maybe that’s enough. Academy Award nominee Jackie Earle Haley is a nice bonus as the shady bad-guy-turned-good Guerrero. Premieres at 7 p.m. Sunday, on Fox.
Read more about returning shows in our midseason preview.
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Jimmy Kimmel strikes; Leno takes it on the chin (VIDEO)
Jay Leno should know better than to go head-to-head with Jimmy Kimmel. On Thursday night’s “Jay Leno Show,” the host invited Kimmel — host of his own late night show — to participate in Leno’s “Ten Questions” segment via satellite. Kimmel had previously performed an entire episode of his own show in Jay Leno drag, goofy voice and fake chin included (the impression, I should note, was unflattering and largely unfunny).
Leno set Kimmel up for laughs with his first question, asking his guest to reveal his secret to a good Jay Leno impression. And that was a cordial and decent thing to do. All was going along good-naturedly until about the end of question 4 — “If you got to interview anyone in the world, who would it be?” — when Leno was dismissive of Kimmel’s offer to have Leno on his show for the full hour. And not just dismissive but, in very few words, mean-spirited and condescending.
Big mistake.
Kimmel took complete control of the remainder of the segment and really put Leno in his place. His last comment? “Listen, Jay, Conan and I have children—all you have to take care of is cars. I mean, we have lives to lead here. You’ve got $800 million, for God’s sakes—leave our shows alone.”
Then Leno had to say goodbye and plug Kimmel’s show.
Ouch.
Take a look below if you missed it, but beware — it’s cringeworthy like the best episodes of “The Office,” but in a much more real way:
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‘24’ returns Sunday on Fox
Season 8 of “24” begins at 8 p.m. Sunday on Fox. Two-night premiere continues Monday
Who’s in: Where do we start? A newly reformed CTU brings us a host of new characters, including Freddie Prinze Jr. as agent Cole Ortiz; Katee Sackhoff as his love interest, agent Dana Walsh; and Mykelti Williamson as the new CTU head. Also back is Annie Wersching as a seriously twisted Renee Walker. “Slumdog Millionaire’s” game-show host Anil Kapoor plays a Middle Eastern president.
Who’s out: Sorry, Tony Almeida fans … it doesn’t look like we’ll see Carlos Bernard this year. And although Cherry Jones returns as President Taylor, don’t expect to see first gentleman Henry (Colm Feore).
This season, Jack Bauer trades Washington, D.C., for New York City and a terrorism plot for an assassination attempt. Sadly, most of the assassination — at least in the early episodes — is of the character variety, its chief victim being Mary Lynn Rajskub’s Chloe O’Brian. Once a brilliant and resourceful tech wiz, a now incompetent and over her head Chloe is reduced to begging to keep her job at the new CTU. And all retired Jack wants to do is to get to the airport so he can move in with his daughter and her family. Maybe it’s time we just let him go.
Read more about returning shows in our midseason preview.
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‘Friday Night Lights’ will be back on NBC April 30
If you’ve been missing the residents of Dillon, Texas, NBC’s acclaimed (and Austin-filmed) drama “Friday Night Lights” will be back on NBC on April 30, reports EW.com’s Hollywood Insider blog.
The show’s fourth season will at 7 p.m. Fridays, according to the lineup released by NBC. It’s currently airing DirecTV.
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George Clooney to host Haiti telethon
George Clooney will host a telethon on Jan. 22 to raise money for Haiti in the wake of this week’s devastating earthquake, the Web site Hollyscoop reports.
The telethon will air on MTV and its affiliated channels, including VH1. The Hollyscoop article also reports that Lance Armstrong has donated $250,000 for earthquake relief.
Visit our list of how you can donate to the relief effort.
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The ‘Leno effect’ in Austin
You may have seen the Associated Press story elsewhere on our site about the latest in the NBC late night debacle: Conan O’Brien and Jay Leno have increasingly turned their ire away from the network and toward each other.
Further into the story were these alarming statistics:
The research firm Harmelin Media said local NBC stations saw their late news audience drop by an average of 25 percent in November compared with the previous year among 25- to 54-year-old viewers. That’s the demographic upon which news advertising rates are based. The decline was particularly steep in some of the largest markets: 48 percent in New York, 43 percent in Los Angeles and 47 percent in Philadelphia. Harmelin used data on the number of ads run in late local news programs and their cost to calculate that over a three-month period, the Leno experiment would cost these stations collectively $22 million. The 10 stations that NBC owns and operates would lose something like $570,000 per week, the report said.
I contacted Bernie Shimkus, Harmelin’s Vice President of Research, to get specific numbers for Austin.
He responded that KXAN, Austin’s NBC affiliate, experienced a 30.8% ratings drop in their late newscast according to Nielsen Media Research data (that’s a bigger drop here than in more than half of the top 20 U.S. television markets). Harmelin estimated that would translate to an estimated $7,895 per week loss in late news advertising revenue for KXAN.
These late news losses don’t take into account the additional revenues declines the affiliates suffered in directly in Prime time and in Late Night as a ripple effect of the move, Harmelin’s press release noted. According to Shimkus, “Even if The Jay Leno Show was itself profitable from a production standpoint as NBC executives continued to assert to the end, the overall revenue picture for the company was not moving in a positive direction.”
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Pants on the Ground: Wednesday’s ‘Idol’ highlight (VIDEO)
“General” Larry Platt is going to be all over cyberspace today. There will be mash-ups. There will be covers.
The energetic 62-year-old was the last hopeful to audition for Randy, Kara, Simon and guest judge Mary J. Blige in the Atlanta try-outs, and he rapped an insidiously catchy, original protest against gangsta’ fashion. Thus, he has virtually assured himself his 15 minutes of fame and an appearance on “Idol Gives Back 2010.”
I usually don’t go for these shenanigans but I am, in “Idol” parlance, “one-hundred million Brazilian” percent on board: I’ve already got the tune on a one-song iPod playlist set to shuffle, and I’d like to see him take Simon’s judge spot next year.
Check it out below. But be warned, it’s going to crash on the couch in your head for a few days:
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Down Syndrome. Cancer. Alzheimer’s. This … is ‘American Idol’
“American Idol” kicked off Season 9 Tuesday night in Bahston with nothing new except the notable absence of Paula Abdul and the appearance of celebrity guest judge Victoria Beckham (Posh from The Spice Girls).
I used to enjoy the audition rounds, but as the years go by I find myself more and more offended by them. They are so similar night to night and year to year that you can start to predict the pattern: Freak, freak, talent, freak, talent, talent with bio, talent with family illness, freak yells at judges, talent, bizarre freak, judges turn on each other, freak, freak, freak, Freak, FREAK. Oh, and one last talented singer to end the night on a high note.
Yes, every “Idol” hopeful should know by now that they are in for a potential smackdown, and some of them are so over the top and obnoxious that they deserve it. But there are others who truly believe — and, apparently, have been told over and over — that they’ve got talent. And there is no logic to why the judges treat some of those in this last group so tenderly, yet mock others mercilessly. It can be painful to watch, especially since these are the final rounds of auditions, meaning that Simon, Randy and Kara don’t even show up to watch these folks until months after they’ve made it through preliminary rounds, their false hopes built up by a series of “Idol” producers.
At some point, it just doesn’t seem funny anymore.
So I’ll be watching tomorrow, when the circus moves on to Atlanta, but I’m probably not going to be paying a lot of attention, and I’m going to try my best not to laugh.
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Conan to leave “Tonight Show” if NBC shifts time slot
Conan O’Brien just released a statement to the press indicating that he will not continue to do the “Tonight Show” in NBC’s proposed 11:05 p.m. CT slot.
From the release, as reported by The New York Times:
My staff and I have worked unbelievably hard and we are very proud of our contribution to the legacy of The Tonight Show. But I cannot participate in what I honestly believe is its destruction.
There has been speculation about my going to another network but, to set the record straight, I currently have no other offer and honestly have no idea what happens next.
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Palin’s Fox News debut tonight
The Associated Press reports that Sarah Palin’s debut as a Fox News Channel personality will take place on tonight’s edition of “The O’Reilly Factor.”
Palin will “sit down with Bill to take on America’s top issues,” the story says.
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Dan Rather’s appeal bid rejected
The Associated Press reports that Dan Rather’s bid to have his breach-of-contract suit against CBS reinstated has been denied. According to the article, New York’s Court of Appeals denied Rather’s motion without comment today.
Rather initially filed suit against CBS in 2007 claiming he had been forced out of his anchor position on the “CBS Evening News” following a politically charged report on George W. Bush’s military record.
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Ben McKenzie talks about return of ‘Southland’
Austin native and “The O.C.” alum Ben McKenzie returns to television tonight on “Southland,” the gritty Los Angeles cop drama that was picked up by TNT after NBC decided not to renew it last year. Starting tonight at 9 p.m., TNT will air the pilot and other episodes that originally ran on NBC, in addition to six new episodes that never aired. We recently talked with McKenzie about what to expect from the new episodes and what his experience has been like so far.
American-Statesman: It must have been disappointing when the show wasn’t renewed by NBC. Were you surprised when the show was picked up by TNT?
Ben McKenzie: We were very disappointed and it came as quite a shock when NBC canceled us before we premiered. I didn’t want to get my hopes up that someone would come along and rescue us, because it’s very rare for that to happen. At the same time I’ve always been convinced that the show is of high quality and is unique, because it’s a different kind of cop show. It’s a show about what kind of people become cops and how what they see on the job affects them in their personal lives.
What can fans expect from the six remaining episodes?
The premiere is full of action, and a lot of high stakes for various characters in the show. If you were a fan before, I think you’ll become even more engrossed in what’s going on in season two.
What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned from your experience on the show so far?
One of the great things about working with (producer) John Wells’ company is that he takes great pains in hiring great people who are right for the job, and trusts them with the responsibility of doing good work. It’s both a blessing to be given that freedom and a responsibility that you have to take seriously. I think it’s allowed me to mature, to grow into the actor that I want to be and give the performances that I want to give without worrying about whether I’m pleasing the right producer or network.
You did some hands-on training in actual police tactics to prepare for the role. What fictional police shows or films have influenced you?
I like shows that feel that they are actually out on the streets, because that’s what police work is. It’s not stale and antiseptic, it’s out on the streets interacting with all sorts of people all the time, and it’s a bit of a roller coaster ride, because you’ll be going from call to call. One call can be funny and the next can be life-threatening. “The Wire” is a show that is not just about a specific crime. It’s about larger trends, crime as a reflection of the needs and desires and faults of the society the crime occurs in.
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Simon Cowell leaving “American Idol”
Copycat.
Not exactly hot on the stiletto heels of diminutive former “American Idol” judge Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell announced that he will be leaving the show following the upcoming season. Unlike Abdul, Cowell did not announce his departure in a series of short missives via social media tool Twitter.
Cowell is leaving the show, he told reporters at the Television Critics Association Winter Tour today, in order to focus on “The X Factor,” a version of the popular British competitive reality show, for FOX. Cowell will produce and appear as a judge on that talent competition beginning in 2011.
It remains to be seen how well both shows will do on the same network — “The X Factor” welcomes all kinds of talent, but many of its contestants are musical performers and vocalists. Cowell expressed confidence that both shows, if scheduled properly, could co-exist and thrive.
What do you think? Is there room on television for another talent show? Will you follow Cowell to “The X Factor?” Is that it for “Idol?”
Sound off.
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Sarah Palin joining Fox News
Former VP candidate and “Going Rogue” author Sarah Palin is joining Fox News as a contributor, the network confirms. One of her duties will be a series profiling everyday Americans.
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Taylor Kitsch going part-time on ‘FNL’
Kristen over at EOnline reports that “Friday Night Lights” star Taylor Kitsch will not be a full-time cast member next season. (We’re talking well into the future — the current season, now airing on DirecTV and possibly soon on NBC, sports a full-time Tim Riggins).
Executive Producer Jason Katims told EOnline that Kitsch’s movie schedule (he’ll be shooting “John Carter On Mars”) will prevent him from appearing on “FNL” on a weekly basis. “We are planning to have him come back toward the end of the season, and possibly do a couple along the way if we can work it out with production,” Katims said, adding that Jesse Plemons and Aimee Teegarden will also return, possibly as part-timers.
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This week’s TV picks
‘The Wonder Years’ star (and real-life math whiz) Danica McKellar guest stars on ‘The Big Bang Theory’.
Monday:
‘The Big Bang Theory’ 8:30 p.m., CBS: Danica McKellar (‘The Wonder Years’) guest stars as Sheldon plays girlfriend whisperer.
‘American Masters: Sam Cooke’ 9 p.m., PBS: I send you … to KLRU for the Season 23 opener, which profiles the soul great with performances, interviews and from James Brown and Smokey Robinson, among others.
Tuesday:
‘American Idol’ 7 p.m., FOX: That’s right … from ‘American Masters’ to ‘American Idol’. From Sam Cooke to Simon Cowell. Season 9 kicks off tonight with the always-popular auditions.
Wednesday:
‘Modern Family’ 8 p.m., ABC: Can this show get any better? Kristen Schaal from ‘Flight of the Conchords’ is guest starring, so I guess it can!
‘Throwdown with Bobby Flay’ 8 p.m., Food: A Brooklyn fishmonger and his Manhattan chowder are featured. I’m not real big on this show, but I enjoy typing the words ‘fishmonger’ and ‘chowder’.
‘Solving History with Olly Steeds’ 9 p.m., Discovery: Okay, at first I thought this said ‘Oily Steeds,’ which is completely different. I mean, I’m all about examining the Ark of the Covenant, but greasy horses sound cool, too.
‘Leverage’ 9 p.m., TNT: ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’s’ Jeri Ryan guest stars, so I predict seven of nine men will be watching.
Thursday:
‘The Texas Debates; Race for Governor’ 7 p.m., ABC: In this corner (corner, corner, corner), defending champeen Governor Rick Perry (Perry, Perry, Perry) … in that corner (corner, corner, corner), the challenger, Senato Kay Bailey Hutchinson (Hutchinson, Hutchinson, Hutchinson) … let’s get rrrrready to rrrrrumble!
‘Modern Marvels’ 7 p.m., History: Dirt is profiled. Wow, looks like they’re having to dig pretty deep for marvels, huh?
‘Parks and Recreation’ 7:30, NBC: Amy Poehler’s Leslie Knope goes on a blind date with real-life husband Will Arnett. It’s meta meet-cute.
‘Project Runway’ 9 p.m., Lifetime: The designers hit New York City in tonight’s Season 7 opener.
Friday:
‘Ghost Adventures’ 8 p.m., Travel: The team gets locked inside West Virginia’s Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum. Seriously, ghost hunters … if you’re going into a haunted lunatic asylum, use a show or something to prop the door open.
‘What Not To Wear’ 8 p.m., TLC: Tonight’s makeover subject has a closet full of Victorian corsets, black clothing and pointy hats. Huh … I didn’t know Stevie Nicks was doing the reality shows.
‘I Shouldn’t Be Alive’ 8 p.m., Animal Planet: A woman can’t call for help after breaking her pelvis in a canyon fall, which begs the question: Who dials the phone with their pelvis?
Saturday:
‘Austin City Limits’ 7 p.m., PBS: Mos Def and K’naan perform.
Sunday:
‘Human Target’ 7 p.m., FOX: The story’s kinda’ weak, but there is an awesome fight scene on a bullet train, so tune in anyway.
‘Golden Globe Awards’ 7 p.m., NBC: Ricky Gervais hosts the 67th annual awards gala, which is always much less stuffy than those Oscars and Emmys.
‘24’ 8 p.m., FOX: Jack Bauer’s in New York this season, trying to protect the game show host from ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ from an assassination attempt.
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Never seen ‘Lost’? There’s still time
The ABC video below, which attempts to catch new viewers up to speed before the premiere of the final season of ‘Lost’ on Feb. 2, really shows how futile an effort that is. Have you ever tried to explain the show to someone who hasn’t seen a single episode?
Still, say you’ve missed all 103 episodes. You’ve got 22 days. By my calculations, if you start at the beginning and watch 2 episodes each weekday along with another 12 each of the remaining 3 weekends, you’ll be good to go (and you’ll only have to watch one episode the night before the premiere!).
That’s a lot of ‘Lost’. Have fun (especially slogging through the awful first half of Season 3)!
And don’t forget to comment below or e-mail me the one or two big questions you hope the show answers in its final season.
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Leno’s prime time exit might mean an early return for ‘Friday Night Lights’
As reported by a ton of television writers attending the Spring Television Critics Association gathering in Los Angeles, NBC President Jeff Gaspin announced what everybody has more or less known for much of the past week: “I can confirm, starting Feb. 12, The Jay Leno Show will no longer air at 10 p.m.,” he said.
“While [Leno] was performing at acceptable levels for the network, it did not meet our affiliates’ needs, and we realized we had to make a change.”
In early December, Austin NBC affiliate KXAN’s general manager Eric Lassberg acknowledged Leno’s poor ratings and weak lead-in to his station’s late-night newscast, but said he hoped the network would give the concept time to catch on.
“Some of the greatest programs in the history of television wouldn’t have made it if we only evaluated them over a two-month period — ‘Cheers’ and ‘Seinfeld’ would be two examples,” Lassberg said then. “So I get that it’s not doing what we want it to and that we’re at a disadvantage. But at the same time I think that … it’s a little bit premature.”
Gaspin said he’s spoken to Leno, “Tonight Show” host Conan O’Brien and “Late Night” host Jimmy Fallon about a scheduling shuffle that would land Leno in an abbreviated, half-hour segment at 10:35 CT (the “Tonight Show’s” current slot); push Conan to an 11:05 start (will they still be able to call it “The Tonight Show” when it will literally be starting “tomorrow” in the eastern time zone?) and kick Fallon to a post-midnight , 12:05 start.
Gaspin said that he has yet to have reached a consensus among the hosts. “The talks are ongoing,” he said. “[But] I hope and expect, before the Olympics begin, we will have everything set.”
O’Brien addressed the rumors in Friday’s “Tonight Show” monologue, saying, “We’ve got a great show for you tonight. I have no idea what time it will air — but it’s going to be a great show.” He joked about the network tossing him and Leno into a pit with sharpened sticks and seeing which of them would crawl out.
So what happens to prime-time? Well, perhaps in anticipation of Leno’s failure, NBC green-lit an unusually ambitious slate of new programming for the fall. In the meantime, it looks as though the network will plug in a couple of new hours of drama, expand “Dateline” and toss in some reality programming to fill the void.
The good news (besides, you know, Leno’s awful show going away) is that the shake-up might herald an early return for “Friday Night Lights.” The current season has been airing on DirecTV since last Fall and NBC was holding network broadcast for Summer, 2010. It seems like a great, scripted series such as “FNL,” in the midst of a terrific season and with so many episodes in the can just waiting to run would be a natural choice.
We’ll keep you posted.
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BCS championship game also ratings champ
Ricardo B. Brazziell/AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Hitfix.com has reported the ratings for Thursday night’s BCS Championship game. The post says the game topped the prime time numbers in every possible measure. From the story:
Among adults 18-49, ABC averaged a 9.5 rating, far more than the combined totals for CBS (2.1 rating), NBC (1.5 rating), FOX (1.4 rating) and The CW (0.6 rating) in the key demographic.
Overall, ABC averaged an estimated 28.5 million viewers to go with a 15.8 rating/24 share. CBS was a distant second with a 6.7/10 and an estimated 10.26 million viewers. FOX’s 2.9/4 and the 2.7/4 for NBC were fare back, still beating the 1.1/2 for The CW.
One rating point equals 1% of total TV households; share is the percentage of television sets in use tuned to the program.Last night’s numbers are even with those of last year’s Florida-Oklahoma battle on FOX, which also drew a 15.8 average rating.
The game’s hourly ratings: 8 p.m.: 14.8/22 for the start of the football game, which also did an 8.5 rating in the key demo. 9 p.m.: 18.0/27 and an 11.0 rating in the demo for ABC. 10 p.m.: 14.5/23.
The article notes that cancellation rumors did not lead to any spike in ratings for NBC’s “Jay leno Show,”couldn’t stir up interest in NBC’s “The Jay Leno Show,” which only scored a 3.0/5.
As with all Nielsen preliminary reports, numbers are subject to change.
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‘Chuck’ returns on Sunday
Season 3 of “Chuck” begins at 8 p.m. Sunday on NBC. It moves to its regular Monday slot Jan. 11
Who’s in: Guest stars Armand Assante, Brandon Routh and Vinnie Jones
Who’s out: Nerd Herder Anna Wu
When low-rated “Chuck” was left off NBC’s fall schedule, fans began to panic. A rumored late spring 2010 return left them relieved but impatient. An upgraded “Chuck,” though, returning this early in the midseason, should leave them giddy. Look for reluctant spy Chuck Bartowski to have new abilities including kung fu and flamenco guitar prowess (courtesy of a new Intersect download) along with a little more self-confidence.
Read more about returning shows in our midseason preview.
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Is Jay Leno going back to his old ‘Tonight Show’ slot?
There have been rumors flying around the Internet all day that NBC was getting ready to drop Jay Leno like a hot rock. Pay Web site FTVLive reported that the network was ready to cancel Leno’s 9 p.m. weekday chat fest in light of low (but not necessarily lower than anticipated) ratings and, more importantly, problems the low-rated program was causing to local affiliates who desire a strong lead in for their late-night newscasts.
An NBC Universal statement seemed to dispel the rumor. Acknowledging the affiliate problem, The statement explained that “Both Jay and the show are committed to working closely with them to find ways to improve the performance.”
But rumor site TMZ has just posted that the cancellation is a done deal.
“We’ve learned Jay’s 10:00 PM show will go on hiatus February 1,” a posting on the site reads. “After the Olympics, Jay will take back his 11:30 PM time slot. What has not been decided — whether Jay’s show will be a half hour, followed by Conan, or whether Jay’s show will be an hour and NBC says sayonara to Mr. O’Brien.”
The site claims that both O’Brien (who currently hosts “The Tonight Show”) and Leno have been told about the impending shake-up.
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People’s Choice TV winners
According to the Associated Press, vampires won big at Wednesday’s 36th annual “People’s Choice Awards,” hosted by Queen Latifah, right. In addition to “Twilight: New Moon” topping several film categories, HBO’s “True Blood” and the CW’s “The Vampire Diaries” took Favorite TV Obsession and Favorite New TV Drama, respectively.
Here are the other winners in the television categories:
Favorite Competition Show: “American Idol”
Favorite New TV Comedy: “Glee”
Favorite TV Comedy Actor: Steve Carell
Favorite TV Drama Actress: Katherine Heigl
Favorite TV Comedy Actress: Alyson Hannigan
Favorite TV Comedy: “The Big Bang Theory”
Favorite TV Drama: “House”
Favorite TV Drama Actor: Hugh Laurie
Favorite Fantasy TV Show: “Supernatural”
Favorite Animal Show: “Dog Whisperer”
Favorite Talk Show: “The Ellen DeGeneres Show”
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Will BCS game be ratings champ?
The last time the University of Texas Longhorns played for the national title in football, it was the most-watched championship game of the BCS era. A new post at nielsen.com looks at how Thursday’s game, which pits UT against the University of Alabama, might stack up.
Some interesting tidbits from the story: Almost a third of Austin households watched Texas vs. Nebraska in the Big 12 championship game; Austin ranks 9th among all markets in watching bowl games so far this season. No. 1 is Birmingham, Ala.
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Roundup: Lots of locals on TV soon
Neville (elephant), Round Rock’s Falyn Hunt, Banjo (monkey), Umi (bird), and Clarence (alligator) on Sprout’s “PICME.”
Local sprout appears on Sprout
Falyn Hunt, a 6-year-old kindergarten student at Callison Elementary in Round Rock, will appear nationally on PBS’ Sprout network this month. Hunt will appear on the 5 p.m., January 10 episode of “PICME” entitled “Showing Off.”
“PICME” puts children directly into the show’s story alongside animal friends Juno, Gerty, Banjo, Umi, Clarence and Neville by superimposing a digital image of a child’s face onto an animated body.
PBS Sprout is available in the Austin market on U-verse and DirecTV.
Swimming with the ‘Sharks’
A pair of Austin entrepreneurs are slated to appear on “Shark Tank,” the ABC reality show in which inventors, vying for investment dollars, pitch their products to a panel of ruthless multi-millionaires.
Erin Whalen and Tim Stansbury, co-owners of Grease Monkey Wipes, will demonstrate the features and benefits of their product — a heavy duty cleaning wipe initially created to help greasy cyclists clean up after tire repair — at 8 p.m. on the Friday, January 15 episode.
UPDATE: Here’s what Fit City columnist Pam LeBlanc wrote abut Whalen and Stansbury this summer:
Two Austin cycling buddies are peddling individually packaged cleaning wipes that take off grease, grime and those annoying body markings athletes get at triathlons. Erin Whalen and Tim Stansbury developed Grease Monkey Wipes after she had a flat tire on a 100-mile bike ride two summers ago. Filthy and annoyed after changing the tire, Whalen looked for a portable degreasing product she could carry with her while she was riding. When she couldn’t find one, she and Stansbury created their own. Both are avid cyclists. Whalen, 29, raced in Ironman Coeur d’Alene on Sunday and Stansbury is training for 24 Hours of Booty, an all-night charity road race. “I use them all the time,” Whalen says. “I just packed up my bike for Ironman and cleaned my entire bike with one.”
The wipes use a natural citrus-based formula and can be easily stashed in a saddle bag or jersey pocket. They come packaged in sets of 6, 12, 18 and 24 (just like beer, the Web site notes) and sell for about $1 a wipe.
A dozen Austin bike shops carry the wipes, including Austin Tri-Cyclist, 923 Barton Springs Road; Bicycle Sport Shop, 517 S. Lamar Blvd.; Freewheeling Bicycles, 2401 San Gabriel St.; Jack & Adam’s Bicycles, 1210 Barton Springs Road; and Nelo’s Pro Cycles, 3010-H W. Anderson Lane.
Local Variety
Lin Television’s KBVO (My Austin TV) will present a new, locally-produced variety show from the creators of Austin Swim (the live, Adult Swim viewing party formerly held weekly around town).
Dubbed “The Austin Variety Show,” the program, taped monthly before a live, South Austin studio audience, features music, comedy, performance artists and live audience games. Local businesses provide audience prizes and giveaways.
“The Austin Variety Show,” airing Sundays from 11 p.m.-midnight on Time Warner, Direct TV, U-verse, Grande and Suddenlink, is co-hosted by Austin musician and filmmaker Troy Dillinger and Second City alum Tom Booker. For more information, check out the show’s Web site or My Austin TV.
Here’s a promo video:
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Nielsen says KAKW’s ‘Noticias 62’ is numero uno
KAKW, Austin’s Univision affiliate, sent out a press release touting the station’s 2009 ratings successes. The release says that as measured by Nielsen, KAKW’s signature broadcast, the Spanish language “Noticias 62” news program, finished the year as the number one Austin newscast in 2009 in key demographics. The 5 p.m. newscast was ranked number one among adults 18-34 (2.1 rating), adults 18-49 (2.2 rating) and adults 25-49 (2.2 rating). The station’s 10:00 p.m. newscast ranked top among adults 18-34 (2.4 rating). the station also achieved high marks in the recent November sweeps.
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KVUE weather source returns
As we’re all thinking a lot about weather now, outstanding local media blog News McNabb reports the return of one more way to find out just how cold it is:
Quietly, December 17th, KVUE TV (ABC) re-launched weather 24/7. On KVUE .3 Digital find continuous weather graphics with National Weather Service audio. Weather had been on KVUE .2 commercial-free for four years before being changed to Spanish-language programming from “Estrella” last fall. Viewers asked for the return of the channel, says Patti Smith, KVUE president and general manager.
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Got a good nickname for Time Warner Cable?
Have you called the folks at Time Warner Cable any good names lately? Bet you’ve heard some.
Smart Money reports that the cable giant is looking for a new name. “Project Mercury” is an internal rebranding effort with a goal to distance the nation’s second largest cable company from its former parent, Time Warner Inc., from which it now completely separate.
In light of last week’s kerfuffle with FOX Television, I’m betting you can think of a few good names. Let ‘em fly — we’ll publish any that are printable.
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‘Nip/Tuck’ is back
The final season of ‘Nip/Tuck’ begins tonight at 9 on FX. McNamara/Troy survived last season’s economic woes, but the ties binding Sean and Christian might not be so resilient. Sean surveys his life with his partner and doesn’t like what he sees. Meanwhile, the duo take blades to a model, a coma patient and a self-mutilator. And that’s just in this graphic and grim series’ first two episodes.
Read more about returning shows in our midseason preview.
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Need to catch up? ‘Lost’ seasons 1-5 in 8:15 (video)
Are you a late-blooming “Lost” fan who is still stuck at the beginning of Season 3, wondering how you can possibly catch up before the 6th and final season hits ABC on Tuesday, Feb. 2?
Check out this video from ABC (courtesy of the bloggers at www.sl-lost.com) that crams the entire saga to date into (hee!) 8 minutes and 15 seconds. It’s eerily reminiscent of the similar “Battlestar Galactica” catch-up video from 2008. Some important details are missing in this Reader’s Digest version, making it better for hardcore fans who need to refresh their memories than for anyone new to the show. Still, it’s a fun and occasionally snarky trip down memory lane:
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More 3D coming to your living room, and why I hate it
Don’t you wish you could watch the Longhorns duke it out in 3D? ESPN thinks you do.
ESPN and Discovery Communications are in a race to deliver 3D television to your living room, according to a story posted on The Live Feed today.
Disney-owned ESPN will be first out of the gate, launching its 3D network this summer, while Discovery’s network — in conjunction with Imax and Sony — won’t appear until 2011. The article says that June 11th’s 2010 FIFA World Cup match (South Africa vs. Mexico) will be the first of at least 85 live sporting events to be broadcast in ESPN 3D’s first year, including other World Cup matches, college basketball and football games, the Summer X Games and the 2011 BCS National Championship matchup.
The competing announcements have both ventures claiming to be the first to introduce dull headaches to your TV-watching experience, according to The Live Feed: ESPN arrives first, but Discovery’s network will be the first to broadcast 24/7.
To see the 3D content, viewers will have to purchase a new, 3D-capable television set, which does not yet exist (the technology is expected to be announced at the upcoming Consumer Electronics show). There is speculation that some current HD TVs will be able to receive the content with a converter box. But new equipment is probably the least of your worries — it’s going to cost money to generate and deliver this content and that cost will most likely be passed along to the consumer.
Oh, and you’ll have to wear those glasses, at least until some high-tech firm announces a new surgical procedure that will allow you to have the technology implanted in your eyeballs; I’m sure that’s coming.
No word yet on other possible add-ons to make your home 3D-viewing experience more like going to the theater, including:
- Home renovations to move your bathroom down to the end of a long, dimly-lit hallway
- Concession workers who will charge you for food and drinks from your own refrigerator (and offer to sell you a larger cup for only 25 cents more)
- Strangers who will come into your house, sit behind you and talk during the entire show
- A device that deactivates your cell phone for the duration of the event
- Big bottles of Ibuprofen for the 3D-induced headaches
- A greasy veneer of genuine imitation butter-flavored topping all over everything
I don’t know about you, but I won’t rest until my living room is in the middle of a strip mall and watching “Lost” is just as inconvenient as going to the cineplex.
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Analysts’ best guesses on FOX/TWC settlement amount
Multichannel News polled industry analysts who weighed in with their estimates on how much the television network was able to squeeze from the cable company for the right to retransmit FOX stations and other Fox broadcast holdings. FOX was demanding $1 per month per subscriber.
According to the article, Miller Tabak media analyst David Joyce suspects that TWC paid between 40 cents and 60 cents per subscriber per month. Collins Stewart media analyst Tom Eagan said it’s unlikely that TWC received the $1 fee it was seeking, but that, in any event, whatever the cable giant has to pay will have little impact on the company’s profits. Eagan estimated that even a fee of 75 cents per subscriber per month would only reduce TWC’s 2010 cash flow by 0.56%, and that’s if none of the additional cost is passed on to subscribers (and he believes that it will be).
The analysts suggested that the final deal included several moving parts, including revenue for Video on Demand and HDTV channel capacity, and that it’s likely that both sides were forced to compromise.
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Austin actor relates near-death experience on Discovery
Austin actor Doug Taylor died, but not — as so many actors do — onstage. As Taylor tells it, he suffered a heart attack in 2002 and met up with a group of deceased kin under the shadow of a large oak tree. Three days later he awoke in the hospital to a strange twist involving his grandfather who, 300 miles away, had suffered a heart attack at the same time.
Taylor tells his story tonight on a Discovery Health special, “I Was Dead,” airing at 8 p.m. tonight on Discovery Health Channel.
Here’s a preview of the special. Taylor is the second man appearing in the clip:
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This Week’s TV picks
Monday:
‘The Bachelor: On the Wings of Love’ 7 p.m., ABC: Jake Pavelka, a pilot who got booted on last season’s ‘Bachelorette,’ meets season 14’s contestants in tonight’s premiere. What could be more embarrassing than going through this twice?
‘Conveyor Belt of Love’ 9 p.m., ABC: Never mind, I just answered my own question. 30 guys pass by on a super slow treadmill while five women pass judgment.
Tuesday:
‘Paranormal State’ 9:30 p.m., A&E: A couple claims that whatever’s haunting their Indiana home is so loud they can’t sleep. If my wife sees this, she’ll dispatch an exorcist to my nose.
‘Perfect Disaster’ 9 p.m., Green: What would happen if a mega flood hit London? I’m imagining a lot of blokes would be yelling ‘blimey!’ and ‘jolly bad show!’
Wednesday:
‘I Get That A Lot’ 7 p.m., CBS: Celebs get to poke fun at their public personas when they are recognized in ordinary jobs. Best of the lot is ‘Big Brother’s’ Julie Chen, who sets up shop as a frozen yogurt vendor.
‘Modern Family’ 8 p.m., ABC: Benjamin Bratt guest stars as Manny’s dad, Javier.
Thursday:
‘BCS Championship Game: Alabama vs. Texas’ 7:30 p.m., ABC: As if anybody reading this is going to be watching anything else tonight.
Friday:
‘Operation Wild’ 9 p.m., Green: This episode is called ‘Lobster Fever.’ I think I may have had that once. One of the symptoms is that you feel like you’re boiling, right?
Saturday:
‘The Wishing Well’ 8 p.m., Hallmark: Ernest Borgnine, Sally Kellerman, the dad from ‘The Nanny’ and the voice of Lisa Simpson star in this ‘Wonderful Life’-esque tale about a jaded journalist. This is fiction, isn’t it?
Sunday:
‘The Simpsons’ 7 p.m., FOX: Speak of the devils! In the show’s 450th episode, Krusty the Clown proposes to Anne Hathaway.
‘The Simpsons 20th Anniversary Special: In 3D! On Ice!’ 7:30 p.m., FOX: Seth McFarlane gets an hour off while documentary filmmaker Morgan Spurlock interviews fans, cast members and others.
‘Chuck’ 8 p.m., NBC: Chuck deals with awesome new abilities and other fallout from his Intersect upgrade download in the 3rd season premiere. Wow, am I a geek.
‘Big Love’ 8 p.m., HBO: Wonder why the characters were seen falling through darkness and unable to reach each other in that trippy promo you’ve been seeing for weeks? Tune into the Season 4 premiere to find out.
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Joint statement from Fox and TWC
Courtesy of The Wrap, here is the text of the joint statement from Fox Television and Time Warner Cable released upon the successful resolution of their contract dispute. The full article is short on details, but includes comments from the FCC and Fox bigwigs:
The Fox Networks Group and Time Warner Cable announced today that they have agreed in principle to a comprehensive distribution agreement to provide more than 13 million households with programming from Fox Television Stations, Fox Broadcasting (FOX), Fox Cable Networks and Fox’s regional sports networks. The deal also includes carriage agreements for Bright House Networks’ 2 million additional subscribers.
“We’re pleased that, after months of negotiations, we were able to reach a fair agreement with Time Warner Cable — one that recognizes the value of our programming,” said Chase Carey, Deputy Chairman, President and COO, News Corporation.
“We’re happy to have reached a reasonable deal with no disruption in programming for our customers,” said Glenn Britt, Chairman, President and CEO, Time Warner Cable.
Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
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TWC and Fox reportedly reach agreement
@jeffTWC, Director of Digital Communication, Time Warner Cable in New York, has made the following announcement via Twitter:
Attn Time Warner Cable customers: We have a deal with Fox. Your programming is safe. Please RT.
This comes after periodic postings on his Twitter page about the status of ongoing negotiations. We will provide details as they are made available.
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TWC-Fox deal may be close
As the Sugar Bowl kickoff gets closer, an agreement may also be nearing between Fox and Time-Warner Cable.
The Wall Street Journal reports:
The people familiar with the matter said negotiations remained ongoing and a deal could be reached as soon as Friday evening. But they cautioned a deal still could fall apart.
If the talks fail, Fox 7 programming could go dark for Austin TWC viewers as Fox prepares to air the Sugar Bowl tonight.
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Another negotiation extension in FOX/TWC standoff
Negotiations between Fox television and Time Warner Cable will continue until at least 5 p.m, a story on myfoxaustin, the local Fox affiliate’s Web site reports. The extension is also being reported at The Orlando Sentinal, which notes that the deadline has been extended five times today and quotes Fox-owned WOFL TV’s anchor Bob Frier stating that the “conciliatory stance made it appear a disruption of service would not occur.”
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Fox, Time Warner and the Twitterverse
That’s the latest tweet from @jeffTWC, Time Warner Cable’s Director of Digital Communication in New York City, who has posted periodically on the progress of negotiations between Fox and Time Warner Cable. Here’s a sampling of other tweets that Twitter users have been posting on the issue:
I hope that TWC and Fox can’t come to an agreement and that ALLLL of Fox goes away.
Somehow, I feel a lot happier knowing I’m with DirecTV now that TWC will likely lose Fox.
Stand firm TWC! Would rather source FOX from Hulu then pay more for cable
The fact that FOX doesn’t want to go to binding arbitration with TWC makes me less sympathetic to their cause. Sounds unreasonable to me.
I have TWC & Fox is on for the time being. I am going to switch back to DIsh, I just have to pay off my bal.
Im hoping FOX settle with TWC by Sunday or it will be a trip to PLAY to watch Eagles-Cowboys
What do you think will happen if TWC loses Fox before tonight’s Rose Bowl? Actually may be a blessing for Texas fans. ;-)
FCC steps in on TWC-Fox dispute because of football. Gotta keep the Bread and Circuses going, eh? And if it was NBC & not Fox? hmmm?
Glad to see that #Fox and Time Warner Cable have extended their negotiations. Will be dropping #TWC if they fail. Like it’s hot.
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More extensions in Fox-TWC talks
UPDATE: It’s after 2 p.m. and Fox 7 Austin is still on air.
The talks are continuing, and the latest extension goes until 2 p.m., the Orlando Sentinel reports. The longer the talks go on, the more the consensus seems to be that TWC viewers won’t end up losing their Fox signal, at least today, and missing the Sugar Bowl, which is set to air on Fox at 7:30.
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Fox programming still on local TWC
Fox 7 Austin reported on its Web site this morning, that Fox’s programming extension would last only until 10 a.m. for Time Warner Cable customers.
However, at 10:10 a.m. FOX was still available on TWC in Austin.
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TWC-Fox talks continue
According to the latest from the Dow Jones Newswire, the two sides are continuing to talk. As of 7 a.m., Fox 7 programming could still be seen in Austin on Time Warner Cable.
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TWC-Fox deal looks likely, Post reports
As talks continue in the Time Warner Cable-Fox dispute, the Washington Post sees reason for optimism:
The extension for just a few hours made it appear likely that a deal on fees would be reached, allowing viewers access to Friday’s Sugar Bowl between the Florida Gators and the Cincinnati Bearcats. The Cotton Bowl on Saturday, the NFL’s final regular season contests on Sunday and “The Simpsons” and other Fox shows were also at risk. Fox 7 programming is continuing to air on TWC in Austin.
