Wrap Up of random things from TV this week

Here's some random comments from things I've seen on TV last week:

Newport Beach
Is it wrong to have a "Pretty in Pink" theme for a 32nd birthday party???

Top Chef
Dude, the chopping wars were awesome! I don't know what Casey was doing to those onions... she was cutting as slow as I would. Sara rocked! Diced onions were flying everywhere! And then Hung with those chickens? He scares me.

Big Brother and that new Drew Carey game show
To win HoH (head of household), houseguests had to guess the results of polls on various BB situations. For example, what percent of voters thought so and so looked best in the bunny outfit? There were a whole series of these and I thought, what a stupid game!!! Who cares! I didn't realize the whole game was just an advertisement of the new Drew Carey game show (in addition to The Price is Right) - the Power of 10.

Preview of Big Shots show
So I caught a commercial of that new Big Shots show while watching the Ugly Betty rerun. I had high hopes since it does have Michael Vartan (yum) but I have to say, the show looks completely obnoxious. It focuses on a group of four, young, rich, high-powered CEOs and all their "problems" with their women and their work stuff. Actually, only the scenes with Christopher Titus and Dylan McDermott bugged me. BUT they do have a good time slot this fall on Thursdays after Ugly Betty and Grey's Anatomy.

Real World and DHV

So on this week's episode of VH1's The Pick Up Artist, we learned about the importance of demonstrating a higher value, or DHV.

For example, in last night's Real World-Sydney, I would have given Irish girl Noirin a decent DHV. But once she started snoggin' Isaac (sorry - still in Harry Potter mode) at the club, she immediately plummeted to a DLV in my book. Isaac is kind of ick. Don't even remind me about when they got back to the house.

The whole Dunbar-Parisa thing... sad! Dunbar to Parisa: "I respect you the most so I'm going to be the rudest to you." Parisa to Dunbar: "I'll tell you what I think by writing you a letter."

These people are so dysfunctional... why am I watching this???

LOL - Do people really speak in IM???

I have another random comment about the recent episode of The Hills. I recently asked my friend JW if people actually spoke in IM abbreviations (LOL, BRB, LMAO - I'm not hip enough to know any others...) I originally thought this was limited to the teenage scene but I got my answer while watching The Hills yesterday.

Upon learning of Heidi and Spencer's engagement, Elodie's first response was "O. M. G." Literally. And I've always considered her one of the brighter ones on this show. Although I guess it's not really a bad thing... you're just being more efficient in your oral communications, right?

On a related topic (but not really) - how come Elodie appears to be much more tolerant of Spencer this season? I like when people on the show trash him!

Looks like I will be tuning into Heroes this fall...

I really appreciate you guys who check in from time to time to hear my random thoughts on TV and what not. And I know a lot of you don't really care about American Idol or So You Think You Can Dance and although I do stand by my position that it's my blog and I'll write what I want :), I also try to make an effort from time to time to mention things that I know you guys are more interested in.

For example, I tried to get into Heroes last season. But it never hooked me in. Well, I'm going to give it another try this fall because they just cast one of my fave actresses, Kristen Bell, from one of my fave shows (RIP), Veronica Mars.

Michael Ausiello just posted a great interview with her to discuss her new Heroes gig and other projects.

Some highlights:

• She was honored to be considered for Lost, but ultimately chose Heroes because she could stay in Los Angeles and she is already friends with several people from that show
  
• She will appear in at least 13 episodes which could possibly be extended
  
• She would love to go back to Broadway and hinted that maybe she'd consider appearing in the musical version of Legally Blonde in the spring
  
• A movie version of Veronica Mars is something that both she and creator Rob Thomas would love to do (which would be awesome!)
  

A very satisfying ending...

I finally finished the last of the Harry Potter books tonight. Still digesting everything, but.... wow.

That J.K. Rowling sure can tell a good story.

:)

FINALLY! Heidi proves she's not a complete idiot

For once, Heidi made me cheer for her tonight. It made me so giddy with happiness to see Spencer's shocked expression when he came home to discover Heidi painting over his "Hollywood" graffiti mural, aka one of Spencer's many "surprises". Good times, good times. This made up for his stupid-ass comment earlier in the episode when he explained how he used to think marriage was only for guys that couldn't get laid and who would give half their money away. (Argh...)

Oh and remember when I was wondering about that Umbrella song at the end of The Hills premiere? I think it's Mandy Moore! Check out the video below...



And remember crazy Brooke from Real World Denver? The girl that was always having screaming / crying fits? Well, apparently she's dating Evelyn from that Fresh Meat season! She's bi !!! Who knew! Wasn't she always talking about making her gay roommate straight?

One more thing...

Since you know I like to be in the loop on all the big buzz items in pop culture, I'm sure I will be checking this out at some point this weekend.

:)

Random comments on a Friday afternoon

One follow up comment on the SYTYCD finale, I was surprised that they didn't do an encore performance of Lacey and Kameron's Mia Michaels contemporary piece from the first competition show.

Also, I just discovered that there's a My Boys blog by the actor that plays Brendan, aka Brando. In his latest blog, he mentions that there were scenes from the last episode ($$$ problems) that were actually shot in Chicago off Lake Shore Drive. I wonder which scenes because all the exterior shots looked like they were shot on a lot to me. Maybe the one outside Bobby's apartment/penthouse? Or the yoga one? Definitely not outside the Brazilian restaurant.

Click here to see photos from the upcoming "The Dark Knight" film, the sequel to "Batman Begins". Heath Ledger is pretty creepy looking as the new Joker.

One more to go...

So I finally finished Harry Potter Book 6 - The Half Blood Prince. (I know, I'm way off my schedule.) I could comment... but I think I'll just wait until I finish the whole thing - at this rate, who knows when that will be?

But drop me a line if you've read or are reading them, too. I know I will definitely want to discuss when I'm through.

Sabra Rocks!

Well, it seemed like everyone knew that Sabra and Danny would be in the final two - and the adorable Sabra won the whole thing! Who would have thought? That's actually pretty impressive because I don't think she got any exposure during the audition shows, right? And it just shows... you don't have to be able to do a million turns to win! She's a little powerhouse, you know? Like Lacey commented, she really is all muscle, huh?

I liked all the dances that got "encore" performances, but the main thing I will take away from the season finale was the DISAPPOINTING "performance" between Cat and Nigel that they kept teasing about throughout the whole finale. I kept thinking that silly video was just the opener and that after it was over, the two would come out on stage and do a dance. C'mon ... the other show did it! Both Tom Bergeron and Samantha Harris from Dancing with the Stars did performances with the professional dancers and they ended up being cute routines. I'm very disappointed in those Cat and Nigel.

And I had no idea that good-bye song was from Ryan Cabrera! His live version wasn't so hot, though. However, it was definitely a better performance than Nicole from PCD. (BTW - Did she drop her last name?) I thought the staging was lame with the whole singing inside the box and the weak choreo... I appreciated that she sang most of it live, however, that song is eh. Is that her debut single? She didn't have anything better?

Another random note - Neil actually has a pretty TV-friendly face. And they've already established this week that the girls adore him... I could really see him being a breakout star here. Like the next Zac Efron (any of you catch that reference???).

Also, what are your thoughts on the American Band show? I don't think that will make the cut for me this fall, how about you?

Heidi Montag's new single... or maybe not?

In case you missed it, Ryan Seacrest debuted the first single from aspiring pop singer Heidi Montag, aka Lauren's ex-BFF from The Hills. It features a rap by her beau Spencer Pratt (I know!)... more on that later.

You can hear it here.

But now it seems that this song is NOT the intended debut single of Heidi (although it is her and Spencer "singing"/rapping) - supposedly they were just messing around in the studio and her record company leaked it out. Apparently, Heidi is very distraught that this single is our first impression of her "singing" ability and has been crying all day long.

The song isn't that bad... as you'd expect, it's very processed like a Lindsay Lohan or Paris Hilton song. And I hate myself for saying this... but Spencer's rap isn't bad, either. If I hadn't known it was him, I might have actually liked it.

Let me know what you think.

For Office Fans...

Dunder Mifflin has a new website! Actual content is limited, however, it does include a press release highlighting Ryan's new promotion! :)

For Lost Fans...

If you like behind-the-scenes stories, here's an interesting article about how Lost was first created. It explains why Jeffrey Lieber shares "Created by" credits with Lost rockstars JJ Abrams and Damon Lindelof.

Another TV tip - VH1's The Pickup Artist

OK, guys, here's another show I'm going to throw out there... The Pickup Artist on VH1. It's a competition show where "Mystery" (aka The Pickup Artist) and his two wingmen coach 8 awkward dudes on how to pick up chicks. Kind of like Hitch. I was a little skeptical at first, because Mystery is not exactly the cat's meow in my book, but he appears to have some well thought out strategies and so far it's been quite interesting! There's only been two episodes so far and it's just so funny to hear how they break it all down.

For example, here's some terminology introduced in the second episode:

• Avatar (personal image): All the guys were told they blend in too much so they were each told to give themselves a makeover and create a unique look for themselves. Some worked out well (Spoon and his new mohawk and ear piercings) and others (the 45 yr old in hip hop clothes) not so much
  
• Gambit (opening line): The guys were then taught the value of a good opener - the point of which is to create interest in you, without appearing too interested in them. They guys were then taught a whole set of canned, "proven" openers to try out at the bar that night. They pretty much all seemed like survey questions, like "Hey guys - do you floss before or after you brush?" or "My friend's girlfriend kissed a girl - is that cheating?" or "Is it OK to have strippers at my friend's bachelor party?". Another tip - "Hey - want to see me breakdance?" is not a good opener
  
• Set (a group of people): The guys' competition in this episode was to see who could best open a set. The guys were videotaped talking to people at a bar while Mystery and his wingmen watched and commented. Let me tell you - sports commentary on pick up attempts is hilarious!
  

Overall - good show. Very entertaining!

The Hills!!!

Before we begin... yay for the SYTYCD final four, Lacey, Sabra, Danny, and Neil! I'm happy with those choices. I'm so sad the show is ending though. Hey, wouldn't it be cool if some of the good ballroom dancers went on to Dancing with the Stars? You know, like Pasha, for example.

As for the Hills... yay, the gang is back! And I've got LOTS of comments!

First episode:

• So - was there a sex tape or not? And I could see Spencer starting that rumor - but Heidi?
  
• Spencer and his fishtank - ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Seriously, what is wrong with this kid?
  
• C'mon, Whitney, Lauren's London boy was cute!
  
• Speaking of which, I can appreciate Lauren wanting to date like a guy... but she was getting kind of annoying with boasting about her "jackpot" at the club
  
• Jen Bunney and her "focusing on real friendships"... PLEASE!!! Did she forget that Heidi basically told her to beat it when she visited her at Bolthouse after the Brody scandal?
  
• Ooh - catfight at Les Deux! It almost got as intense as when Alex bitched out Jessica in Cabo. Almost. But it was still good.
  
• Yay, it's Elodie! Diggin' the new brunette 'do...
  
• Random comment - I'm a big fan of Lauren and all her "frocks"
  
• What version of the Umbrella song did they play at the end of the first episode? Was that Rhianna? I like the original version better.

Second episode:

• Spencer's "gift".... where do we even begin? Obviously, the fish tank was not really an indication of the *horrible* taste Spencer has in home decor. Graffiti??? All over the living room??? In a really nice apartment??? Heidi - how many red flags does a girl need?!!!! Geesh.
  
• OK, first impression of Justin, Audrina's ex - did anyone see that coming? I was *not* expecting a long-haired, artsy looking fellow - especially one that wants to be nicknamed Bobby.
  
• YAY - Lo is back! And I'm with her, I prefer a guy who is good already - none of this bad boy nonsense
  
• Lauren is *really* good at giving the evil death stare - has Audrina learned nothing from the Heidi fiasco?
  
• How many cats do these girls have?
  
• Spencer is so incredibly lame when he was shopping for rings... "Where's the bling?" Ick. As for the proposal... well, I just don't get why Heidi loves him so much.
  

The teasers for the rest of the season look awesome! Whitney kisses Brody? Lauren hangs out with Jason again? Lauren and Jason run into Heidi and Spencer? Can't wait!

Darn MTV - why did you have to debut Newport Harbor afterward? I need to get to bed!!! I'll comment on that one later...

Breakfast at Tiffany's, Big Brother, Real World - Sydney and other random comments

It's so nice to have movie channels! It's like having my own little Netflix because I get to check out so many new movies. Well, new to me, that is.

For example, I had a nice relaxing Friday evening watching Breakfast at Tiffany's - a classic Audrey Hepburn film. It was good - although there were a couple of items that totally threw me off. First off, Audrey's character, Holly Golightly is horrible to her poor cat! Of course, all is well by the end of the movie, but there were a couple of scenes during the film that I found horrifying! Poor little furball. But the cat treatment is NOTHING compared to Mickey Rooney's role in the film. Maybe this is well known to others, but not to me. For some reason, they decided to cast Mickey Rooney as Holly's cranky and eccentric neighbor that lives upstairs. Oh, did I mention the neighbor is also supposed to be Japanese???!!! His portrayal was so over-the-top with his facial expressions and "accent" and well, pretty much offensive and would NEVER fly in today's world. It's just so weird! I mean, you know, Mickey Rooney, right? He's that cute little old guy that used to be in all those movie musicals with Judy Garland when he was younger? Anyway, I'll always look at him differently now...

I also half-watched Dukes of Hazzard. Woah, they weren't kidding when they said Jessica Simpson couldn't act. I mean, it's not like she had to do much in this film - it wasn't a drama or anything! Seriously, every line was painful to watch. BUT - she did look amazing, I'll give her that.

Just Like Heaven - a chick flick with Reese Witherspoon and Mark Ruffalo, set in San Francisco. You'd think this would be a slam dunk for me, right? Surprisingly, no, it really wasn't. Didn't buy the chemistry... also I didn't really buy Reese as a doctor, which surprised me.

Over to the TV world... I caught bits and pieces of Real World - Sydney. First impressions - I don't think Kelly Anne is all that cute. Along those lines, I don't think Dunbar is all that hot either. And Parisa looks so much better in her interviews than in the day to day shots.

I was also going to post that people should check out Big Brother if for nothing else, to check out grown adults living in the house wearing full sized furry bunny suits. It's pretty amusing, I must say. But they have this guy - nicknamed Evil Dick - who's just that. Evil and a dick. He's just so cold and mean and says the cruelest things to all the other houseguests. And I think it's more than just game playing strategy - I think he really is that mean and cruel. And it's even worse because now other people are stooping to his level. They are lashing back with mean comments that they probably wouldn't say but they've just been egged on so much. It's not even entertaining anymore - it's just sad and depressing.

On to much more exciting news - The Hills is back tonight!!! YAY!!!

Mystery Solved: Details behind Padma's Scar

I know on at least one occasion my friends and I have discussed the scar on Padma Lakshmi's (aka Top Chef host) arm. I thought I had read that no one really knew where it came from and that she wouldn't discuss it in interviews.

Guess I was wrong because she explains it all in an old Vogue article. She was in a car accident with her family when she was fourteen and her arm was completely shattered which left a scar about 1" wide and 7" long.

She successfully became a model regardless... at first, she modeled with long sleeves or with her arm covered in make-up and then eventually, it sort of became a beauty trademark. I guess like Cindy Crawford's mole or something.

One to Watch: Damages on FX

If you're looking for some quality TV during the summer hiatus, you've got to check out some of the new shows on the cable networks. I've recently become hooked on FX's new series, Damages. It's so good and there's nothing on the big networks like it.

I'm not even sure how to describe it... the main characters are lawyers but the show is NOT like those courtroom procedural shows. One reviewer called it a thriller - that would be a good description.

The pilot opened with a chilling scene of a frantic young lady covered in blood running from something horrible through the streets of NYC. Then cut to 6 months earlier where we find out she's a bright, up and coming lawyer (Ellen) who's just been hired by a high power litigation firm headed by Glenn Close's character (Patty Hewes) - who is a total badass, very cold, calculating, cut-throat, etc.

The show cuts back and forth between the two timeframes - the backstory is that Patty Hewes is in the middle of a huge litigation case (think Erin Brockovich or Runaway Jury) and the person her firm is suing (Frobisher, played by Ted Danson) has a lot to lose. So it gets all dirty and sneaky and stuff.

The other part is what happens in the future, but you don't know the details and the show slowly gives you clues as to what happened. They usually do this with those chilling scenes which I think occur both in the beginning and the end of each episode. There's no dialogue in these scenes, they just show you what happened...

There's only been three episodes so far and here's how each one ended (if I remember correctly):
1. Shot of Ellen's fiance murdered in their bathtub (Is this what Ellen was running from?)
2. Shot of Ellen standing over her murdered fiance all covered in blood herself (same condition as the opening scene of the pilot) holding a bloody statue of liberty bookend (Did Ellen murder her fiance?)
3. Shot of Ellen actually being the one who was attacked - someone was trying to kill her

OK, I've realized that I've made this show sound all creepy and gory. That's actually just a small part of the show - but they're the cliffhangers that make me keep tuning back in. I want to know what the heck happened to this girl!!!

But the bulk of the episodes highlight Ellen and Patty and the rest of the firm working the case, Patty testing Ellen as the rookie on the team, Ellen trying to balance her career and personal life, Ted Danson and his lawyer scheming away... etc.

It's been really good so far... I would consider this "movie-quality" if that means anything.

Tuesdays on FX at 10PM...

I want to be on the hot tamale train!

These dancers really have improved so much since the beginning - it's kinda cool to see.

Pasha was awesome tonight! He was so "funky" with the hip hop, not ballroom-y at all. And he was perfect in the waltz :)

I think Danny figured out the secret to winning over the audience - smiling!

My favorite routine of the night was the Mandy Moore one (no, not that Mandy Moore). It was just so different and cool! Very slick...



And about Neil's "planche" move... did anyone else find that really hot??? (TMI?) I have to admit I did an instant replay on that one... :)

So bummed that we have to wait until Monday for the results...

How could I have missed this?

Here's the latest from the boy band world (I know - apparently, there still is one!)... did you know that VH1 has this show called Mission: Man Band? It's described as Surreal Life meets Making the Band. (Speaking of Making the Band, Diddy fired Laurie Ann! I don't know any of the details, but that sassy choreographer was the best thing about that show!)

Here's a synopsis of the Man Band series: "Chris Kirkpatrick (N*SYNC); Jeff Timmons (98 Degrees); Rich Cronin (LFO) and Bryan Abrams (Color Me Badd) will live together for one month, create new music, a dynamic stage show and perform as a new pop group."

I'm surprised this slipped under my radar - it was actually announced earlier this year!

I don't think this will make my DVR list, though... there's too much other good stuff out there. (More on that coming soon... for example, The Closer and My Boys were awesome last night!)

VH1 is pretty funny though... they're all about giving people a second chance with the whole celebrity thing (Scott Baio, Danny Bonaduce, Hulk Hogan, Bret Michael, etc...).

I love those boys!

My Boys is hysterical. This episode had so many funny moments... I just love those boys! I want to hang out with them, too, don't you? Some highlights:

• Trouty referring to Bobby as "Boo-boo" (Speaking of which, talk about playing an opposite character from David on Roseanne!)
• PJ's brother working his tuxedo - playing party planner, bartender, drummer in the band
• Bobby making fun of PJ flirting with the Cubs player ("Ugh! Just the whole thing... ugh.")
• All the boys telling Bobby how hot he is - forcing him to finally blow up at PJ and the Cubs player and telling them to back off since being sexy is not one of his things
• Trouty is #16 and Brando only scores #37? Really?
• Kenny's response when PJ accused him of not knowing anything about her potential Cubs suitor: "I know him. He's on my fantasy team. He's breaking my heart and he'll break yours too!"

I know there were so many more but I can't remember them now.

I think it's hilarious that there's all this tension between Stephanie and Kenny but they never explain why. I thought maybe I had missed something - but I've read some articles on the show and I'm pretty sure they've never explained it. Theories, anyone?

Random Comment

You know who's really creepy? (Besides Ben and Professor Umbridge.) Cillian Murphy, that's who. I caught Red Eye this weekend and he played such a psycho! Head butting my girl Rachel McAdams and at the end chasing her around with his stabbed throat - creepy! Plus I saw bits of Batman Begins, too, where he is again a bad guy (*very* bad)... I just can't picture him playing a nice, charming fellow.

Any why did they give him such a dorky Peter Tork hair-do for the Red Eye film???

The Bourne Ultimatum Rocks!

I watched "The Bourne Ultimatum" this morning. No, I wasn't playing hooky. It was for work. Sort of. Thanks Juniper - the free screening was awesome and I enjoyed learning about your high performance networks! ;) (By the way - the showing was at the Mercado, and it was so funny to see the line for the men's restroom be so much longer than the one for the women's restroom.)

Anyway - this movie rocks! And you know I'm not really into action films. I had only seen the first one so I was a little worried about being lost so I actually read the plot summaries of the first two films on wikipedia. (Yes, I'm a geek.) Turns out it wasn't really necessary - the movie does a pretty good with explaining the backstory throughout the film.

All the action scenes were super intense and highly entertaining. I get freaked out easily with these kind of films and there really was only one "cringe-worthy" scene for me which this crazy fight scene with Bourne and a bad guy (which wasn't *that* bad) in some empty apartment of all places. It was also really amusing to watch Bourne outwit a whole crew of CIA agents.

The movie also had a very satisfying ending considering this is the third "Bourne" film (assuming this trilogy does not have more sequels).

To summarize, Matt Damon as Jason Bourne is a total BAD-ASS. I definitely recommend!

Not a night for breakers

I guess when there's only 8 dancers left, there's no way not to be disappointed with the results. But I really didn't think it would be Dominic and Sara. Who the heck is voting for Lauren???

Random comment - other than Danny and his amazing spinning ability, no one is really *that* good of a solo dancer, dontcha think? I thought Lacey would wow us but she sort of just ran all over the stage. And Pasha just waved his cape around (still love him though). Actually, I guess Sabra and Neil did a pretty good job as well. Sabra is so adorable - she is so tiny and she just flies off the stage.

Also, I love that the show is really good about introducing new music. Well, new to me, anyway, since I'm not that hip with the tunes. I like how they always show the name and artist at the beginning of the routine. Having them come on to perform, like with One Republic, was really cool, too. I never would have heard of them if it wasn't for the show. Unless maybe their song was used in the background of a Grey's Anatomy episode - that's also where I pick up new tunes as well. :)

Anyway, here's the video of the song they performed on the show, "Apologize."



And here is when Danny and Anya performed to it:

A Miracle Indeed

Is anyone else freaked out that Nicole Richie is 4 months pregnant with Joel Madden's child? Isn't she like 80 pounds or something - can her waify body handle a baby??? Well, best of luck to them. Man, jail time and pregnancy - certainly is a big year for her, huh?

You Can't Stop the Beat

This is too cute - apparently, they are now having Sing-A-Long showings of the movie Hairspray! Lyrics will flash across the screen during all the musical numbers and the audience is encouraged to sing along. I wonder if people actually participate... that would really crack me up. A list of showings can be found here.

I Guess I Just Didn't Get It

Here's the thing - I missed Mia Michaels' intro before Neil and Lacey's contemporary piece. So I didn't know the whole backstory while watching their performance. Sure, it was nice - but it didn't have any huge impact on me. And then there were everyone's reactions! People crying and saying this was one of the best performances - not just from this season, not just from this show, but one of the best performances on television *ever*... I was so confused.

Even after rewinding and hearing the intro and then watching the piece again - I don't know... it still didn't do anything for me. I could understand why people were crying but I don't think that will be a dance piece that would rank as one of my favorites from this show. To be honest, I liked their Latin jazz number better.

Here it is - take a look and let me know what you think:



I still think last season's "Park Bench" routine was more interesting:



BTW - did you know that this was nominated for an Emmy??? (That was a sarcastic comment, BTW, since they constantly mention this!)