Leave The L Word Alone

I love The L Word. It's a well-written television show that focuses on women. Gay or straight, it's about time somebody took a look at our perspective without all of the crying. I was sad to hear the show will have it's final season in 2009, but at the same time I understand that six seasons is a long run for any show, and the longest run for a Showtime program.

Now, I may have to choke a bitch.

First, I hear a rumor today that Elizabeth Berkley has a multiple episode arc next seaosn. THIS Elizabeth Berkley. She will play the straight girl that got away from Bette in her college days.

If that wasn't unfortunate enough, apparently Showtime has an L Word spin-off in the works.

Let my show have a graceful and meaningful death. It lived a long and full life and in this case, I don't think a brand new work-up will do it any further justice. It's like burying someone in a novelty casket...a novelty casket with advertising that makes you a boatload of money. Maybe something like this.

Do you want that on your conscience Showtime? Then let the L Word die with dignity.

De-Mystifying The Office Spin-Off

Let's clear things up.

Amy Poehler is NOT going to star in The Office spin-off. Apparently she's going to be on a different NBC show, similar to The Office (single-camera, maybe a mockumentary) but totally unrelated and set to debut in the spring. Poehler is having a baby this fall after all.

However, there is still going to be an Office spin-off and it's still debuting after the Super Bowl. Poehler just won't be in it.

Sad.

Maybe Will Arnett can still be in. Or anyone else from Arrested Development.

Photo: Vulture

Estelle Getty Died. Let's Laugh Through The Darkness.

Estelle Getty died today. She was 84 and very sick. She had a rare form of Alzheimer's Disease and had been sick for some time. Because she'd been out of the limelight so long, most people probably thought she was already gone.

But instead of feeling sad for losing another great actor this year (seriously 2008! Why?!) let's just laugh for awhile okay?

Who Wants To Be A Phone-A-Friend?

As some of you know, I am in the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire contestant pool. This means that at any moment in time the good folks at WWTBAM can call me up and tell me I'm on the show.

I've been in the pool for two years now and the initial anticipation of that call has worn off. I hadn't thought about the show in ages but yesterday I got an e-mail.

"...You should begin to prepare yourself for the possibility of being a Contestant by gathering photos either electronically or physically of the people you would like to serve as your Phone-A-Friend."

This e-mail could mean positively nothing but it got me thinking; what goes into making a good phone-a-friend. Do I need to go outside of my friend circle and seek experts? Or do I stick with my more qualified friends since they're trustworthy and internet savvy?

And then there's the issue of categories. My trivia base covers TV (duh), recent movies, song lyrics, current events and throwaway facts. This means I need to cover religion, history, science, sports, literature, old movies and general trivia between my five Phone-A-Friends. It's like a mind-boggling Sudoku puzzle; I just can't get the pieces to fit.

Lucky for me, I don't really have to...yet.


Photo: http://david23q.tripod.com/

Emmy Nominations! Finally!

So there's a lot to say about the Emmy nominees and I may not be able to get it all in this post.

First, if you take a quick look at the list (which is impossible by the way, there are a lot of categories) you'll discover a few shows/actors/etc that were really surprising. Best Week Ever took a look at some of the shocking inclusions but I made a list of my own.

-Take a look at this list of Emmy nominees: Canterbury's Law, Disney Phineas And Ferb, Kid Nation, Pirate Master, Saving Grace. Please note that the list includes Pirate Master and one of my favorite shows of all time, Kid Nation. Can you guess what category this is? Outstanding shows no one watched? Worst shows ever according to the NY Times Arts section/the rest of society? Nope? Outstanding Original Main Title Music. I know! Who knew? If Kid Nation wins an Emmy...in anything, it will be the best day ever.

-John Adams smoked every single mini-series category. The HBO miniseries earned a mind boggling 23 noms. 23. Expect to hear their patriotic theme a million times on show night.

-Tina Fey and the rest of the 30 Rock gang scored 17 nominations, granted four of those are in one category (Outstanding Guest Actor In A Comedy Series). This show still doesn't get enough love. I think the only way people will watch it is if it can sweep the comedy, actress in a comedy series, and actor in a comedy series. The thing is, I think it can and will.

-Bryan Cranston got nominated for his superb work on Breaking Bad. My roommates hated this show and to them I say, " I told you so."

Other than Two and a Half nomination (seriously?) the list is pretty much exactly as I'd hoped. You can read the whole thing right here. Despite the strike, it looks like it's going to be an excellent awards season.

Kashou Gets Assaulted

Rami Kashou was attacked at a nightclub late last night.

Rumor has it that someone chucked a bottle at his head and he got pretty roughed up.

I'm curious to see if this is the work of a homophobic coward; an idiot who hates reality-TV; or Sweet P.

PS: Yes, the title of this post is a play on the fact that Kashou sounds like cashew and assaulted sounds like salt. Eat it.


Photo: http://hautelikefire.files.wordpress.com/

STOP THE PRESSES: Office Spin-Off News

This is still a rumor but if it comes to fruition, consider it the best thing to happen to The Office since the Schrutebuck. It's so exciting that I am writing it in a larger font.

Amy Poehler (SNL wonder-woman and comedy movie cash cow) may star in the new Office spin-off.

I know, I know, I am also having trouble containing my excitement. If she can find a role for her husband, (Will Arnett, better known as GOB from Arrested Development) then this show may end up improving on the original. Did I just write that? I think I did. And I am standing by it.

My enthusiasm level for the spin-off has now been elevated to orange. Please adjust your behavior and actions accordingly.

Photo: Electricity & Lust

I Don't Watch CSI But Apparently This Is Big News

The grizzly looking guy above (William Petersen) is leaving the show.

Q. What will we do without poorly timed puns and dramatic pauses?


A. Tune to CSI Miami.

Ba-Dum Ching!


Photo: The Remote Island

Four Reasons I Love Sesame Street...And Feist

The Children's Television Workshop has done it again. Sesame Street continues to entertain another generation and their parents with catchy pop ditties turned educational.

Here's Feist and a bunch of monsters, penguins and chickens teaching us how to count to four.

Three Reasons Project Runway May Suck This Season

1. Tim Gunn had this to say about this season's crop of contestants, "They're from different parts of the country and their personalities are so potent that I'm exhausted when I leave them." Translation? These people are annoying as fuck.

2. Didn't this show just go off? It seems like I just made a Christian Siriano joke yesterday.

3. Because Bravo is deeming it so. Sore losers? Heck yes.

Big Brother Bounces Back

My entire family was really into Big Brother a few summers ago. It's not our proudest moment. To our credit, the show used to be kind of interesting. There were twins playing as one person, a brother/sister combo that didn't know they were brother and sister, etc. It was low-brow, high-fun TV.

Then it just got bad.

I left Big Brother behind and never really thought twice about it.

Last night, I thought twice. I watched the season premiere of Big Brother 10. For the first time in a few years there are no pre-existing relationships on the show, no crazy secrets, etc. Just a bunch of people living in a house with hundreds of cameras and wacky challenges.

BB is also a little different this year because the folks over at CBS are finally discovering that this show succeeds or fails because of the cast members. They're diversifying from their usual suspects of 20-something muscle heads and blonde bartenders. There are a few more middle-aged people in the house and even a super old guy named Jerry (pictured in his old-timey workshop). How old? "He fought in the Korean war and he has great-grandchildren," old.

So between Jerry, some annoying middle aged woman with a jackal's laugh named Renny and some great alliances already in place I may just give Big Brother 10 a fighting chance. Will I watch 3 times a week? Probably not but getting me to come back once or twice is a pretty big step.


Photo: CBS.com

Tony Snow Dies

Former Fox News Correspondent and White House Press Secretary Tony Snow passed away today after a second battle with colon cancer.

Snow worked for the elder President Bush as a speech writer and in other roles in the media affairs department.

He hosted his own show on Fox in the early '90s before joining Fox News in 1996. He anchored Fox News Sunday and hosted The Tony Snow Show, a syndicated program on Fox news radio.

He faced his first bout with colon cancer in February 2005 but it went into remission after six months of treatment.

Snow replaced former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan in the spring of 2006. He combined his skills as a journalist and politico and seemed to excel at the position.
When the cancer returned in spring 2007, Snow stayed positive. He continued to work until September when he left the White House to find a new position.

Tony Snow is survived by his wife and three children. He was 53-years-old.


Photo: ChicagoTribune.com