Best of the Week vol. I

Quote of the Week: If I start getting stalked by the other guy from Wham! (Nate, Eli Stone)

Song of the Week: Barracuda - Heart (Chuck)

Big News of the Week: 57 Channels gets Expanded: The origin of 57 Channels and Only This Is On started as a weekly post to wax poetic about the shows I watched but then I thought it would be cool to add a Quote of the Week, and kept adding Of the Week segments to the point last year writing 57 Channels became a little too cumbersome. I had planned on splitting the post but then the writers strike hit and suddenly their wasn’t much to write about. Now with the new season in full swing, 57 Channels became cumbersome again, and if it tedious to write I assume that it may be tedious to read every week so starting this week I will be splitting it up to make it easier on you and me. Certainly when shows start going into repeats and weeks when their isn’t much to write about and summertime, it will all be condensed back into one post. If you have a suggestion for a better title or another “Of the Week” segment you would like, drop a comment in the comment section.

Gratuitous Token Hot Chick Picture of the Week:




Coalition Links of the Week:
In light of David E. Kelley's new NBC project, Buzz is taking votes for the best Kelley series of all time. (BuzzSugar)

GMMR readers chime in on their favorite episodes of The West Wing for our new segment - Take 5 - which takes a look back at our favorite shows of yesteryear. (Give Me My Remote)

Marcia considered some of the most successful TV-to-film transitions. Not on the list: David Caruso. (Pop Vultures)

She might be the only person still watching ER but, after the way she cried her way through the end of this week's episode, Rae had to take moment to say farewell to Abby. (RTVW)

It was Canadian Thanksgiving last week and Vance had a lot to be thankful for, including Friday Night Lights, Ugly Betty, Grey's Anatomy, Burn Notice, Greek, The Office, How I Met Your Mother and many more! (Tapeworthy)

This week, Jace took an advance look at the first two episodes of 30 Rock's upcoming third season and offered five suggestions on how to improve Fringe. (Televisionary)

Dan found a show you most definitely aren't watching. The internet cooking show Cooking With Dog mixes the art of Japanese cuisine with gimmicky kitsch, resulting in a hypnotically pleasing canine cooking show. (TiFaux)

The TV Addict offered up a closer look at some How I Met Your Mother clues that you may have missed. (The TV Addict)

Kate became fascinated with Valentine, because it's pretty much the worst show ever made. (TV Filter)


Free Download of the Week: Spaceballs: The Animated Series (iTunes): Why didn’t anyone bother to tell me there was a Spaceball cartoon out there before? The Mel Brooks classic is a Scooter Hall of Fame inductee and apparently the show started airing a couple weeks ago on G4. Luckily that means there will likely be plenty of repeats. If you missed it like me you can start catching up with downloading the two part pilot for free. As an added bonus, for those that need a reminder of what happened in the first season or want to just jump right in, you can download the Eli Stone Starter Kit for free on iTunes also.


Promo of the Week: NBC is getting Chuck into the online game. First it was the Buy More website and now some webisodes featuring Casey and Big Mike which you can see below (I sometimes have trouble embedding NBC videos so if you cannot see it, head over to NBC.com to see them):







Next Week Pick of the Week: Frank TV, Tuesday at 11:00 on TBS: The man of a million impressions is back for a second season and brought along a tall black dude along for the fun (you didn’t think Frank would try Barack Obama himself?). I will have more on the show before the show, until then check out my interview with the star: Chatting with Frank Caliendo.

Cleaning Out My Inbox vol. X

A plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on Caruso, Share Our Strength, Morning Light, Iconoclasts, Web Therapy, Puppy Love, My Boys, and a “Mysterious” video.

- Caruso looks like a show right up my alley if done right, but I am not sure about the time slot as it premieres tonight at 8:00 with two hours. It may just end up being a DVD’er for me as I only put the chance at a second season at under 20% if this were Playing the Percentages. But the coolest part of the show has to be the Tree Fort, check out the video below for a tour (more videos can be found over at NBC.com:



- Sticking with Caruso, you will want to check out SaveCaruso.com where, despite being shipwrecked, Robinson still can communicate via Facebook and Twitter. Also each day you will have an opportunity to win a Microsoft Zune as well as enter a larger sweepstakes for a Sharp Aquos LCD Flat Screen Television, 120 gig Zune and a Microsoft XBOX 360 Elite.

- Over at E-Bay, there is currently an aution going n where you can bid on featured dishes by from Oprah Winfrey, Lauren Conrad, Alec Baldwin, Jeff Probst and more. The auction is being sponsored by Bertolli and the proceeds will go to Share Our Strength to end childhood hunger. The auction ends Saturday 18 at midnight.

- In theaters today for documentary buffs is Morning Light from Roy E. Disney (yes he’s related) and the guys that brought you the surfer film Riding Giants. Below is a trailer:



- Premiering last night was the latest season of Iconoclasts. Oops. Not that I would have been able to watch it anyways because I do not have the Sundance Channel, but apparently Sir Richard Branson taught Archbishop Desmond Tutu how to swim. Look for these hookup this season all at 10:00, Stella McCartney and Edward Ruscha (Oct. 23), Tony Hawk a nd Jon Favreau (Oct. 30) Bill Maher and Clive Davis (Nov. 6) Venus Williams and Wyclef Jean (Nov. 13) Cameron Diaz and Cameron Sinclair (Nov. 20).

- It looks like the internet may soon be the new must see tv. New startup L Studio has two new shows Web Therapy staring Lisa Kudrow and Puppy Love with Famka Janssen, Ally Sheedy, and Sarah Paulson. Below are the links:

Web Therapy:
Episode 1
Episode 2
Episode 3

Puppy Love:
Episode 1

- In my never-ending attempted to be the last to bring you breaking news, let me pleasantly be the last to tell you My Boys has been renewed for a third season. You’re welcome.

- Nothing better to stroke the ego then seeing “Exclusive” staring back at you in your e-mail box. Granted nothing deflates the ego like after opening up the “Exclusive” mail to find something you have already seen elsewhere like over at RTVW. My deflated ego aside, this video is described as “mysterious” where a “group of randomly selected individuals were invited to participate in a screening, what they were shown was 100% real. As they watched the footage, their reactions were caught on film. After the screening, they were then interviewed. Their reactions and comments are also 100% authentic.” To follow the clues, head over this YouTube page. (Considering the user name is Sewhattheysaw and the Halloween release date, I would like to put what is left in my 401(k) after the market collaspe on the latest Saw movie.)

Musings from the Back 9: One Hit Wonders Edition

One has to wonder why some groups don’t just close up shop after scoring that one hit they know they are never going to top. Does Lou Bega actually think the country is clamoring for Mambo #6? You have to hand it to the New Radicals who disbanded after assaulting our ears with You Get What You Give. Yet some bound for one hit wonderdom actually do score that allusive second hit, but let’s face it, Beck is an exception to the rule. Her are a couple of artist hoping to some him by defying the odds.

Plain White T's scored their big hit with the prom anthem of last year Hey There Delilah, an ode to a steeplechase runner. No seriously, that is who the real Delilah was. While nothing on Big Bad World could ever reach the allure of the acoustic gem, what the T’s got for them is what seems to be unending well of sing a long disposable pop hooks and melodies. After just one listen to Natural Disaster, I dare to try and not emphasize the "Oh" in the chorus while you sing with the band. But the key word in the review is disposable, so buy the tenth listen you be wanting to movie onto something new. If you are hoping for the band to get back on upper part of the charts check out the charming 1, 2, 3, 4 (to answer your question, no it’s not) as sweet as Delilah but with much more depth. But stay away from Sunlight, an unnecessary try at Beatle-esque psychedelic pop.

Big Bad World gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.


Everlast is the rarest of all one hit wonders because to my knowledge he is the only act who managed to actually amass two one hit wonders in his career, Jump Around as a member of House of Pain then again with his solo outing What It’s Like. And if you have heard his previous three solo album there really isn’t much new ground to hear on Love, War and the Ghost of Whitey Ford which just retreads his folk-hop hybrid that actually sounded fresh ten years ago when songs like Kill the Emperor and Tuesday Mornin’ may have sounded better. The only song of note is Folsom Prison Blue (to answer your question, yes it is) where Everlast sing the Johnny Cash classic over the beat of Insane In the Brain. I wish I were joking. Needless to say if the Kid Rock All Summer Long mash up of Sweet Home Alabama and Werewolves of London made you queasy, you will want to stay away from this song too.

Love, War and the Ghost of Whitey Ford gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.


Most artists wait a few albums in before releasing a rarities album, but The Killers recently did so just after two albums, so why not the recent queen of the music montage Ingrid Michaelson. And as a plus part of the proceeds of Be OK go to the charity Stand Up to Cancer. Obviously her one hit Way I Am shows up here via a live recording the same for a rousing version of The Chain (to answer your question, no it’s not). As for actual cover songs, there are hits, a live piano version of Can’t Help Falling in Love, and misses, a way too slow version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow. The gem of the set is the title track that bookend the album with an acoustic version too, a upbeat song that is a fitting anthem to the cause it is supporting.

Be OK gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

Lyrics Quiz: Hot 100's Top 100 Part Deux

Last month's quiz was based on Billboard's Hot 100's Top 100 of all time and there were enough lyrics from the bottom half of the list I decided to devote this month's quiz to the list. As always you need to put both artist and title in the comments section (or you can e-mail me) and if you are correct I will un-bold it and give you credit. The Lyrics Quiz is for entertainment purposes only so please do not use anything besides your own meandering mind to help you up with the answers (that mean no searching for the list to help you). Now onto the quiz:

1. When I can't sleep at night without holding you tight. Girl each time I try I just break down and cry.
2. She went to the doctor and got lypo with you're money. She walking around looking like Michael with you're money. (Gold Digger - Kanye West; guessed by Rebekah)
3. Know it's gonna drag you up into the light where you belong, but where do you belong.
4. She was pure like snowflake, no one can ever stain the memory of my Angel. (Centerfold - J. Geils Band; guessed by Rebekah)
5. So I decided to write you this song. Just to let you know exactly the way I feel. To let you know my love is real.
6. Saw him dancing there by the record machine. I knew he must have been about seventeen. (I Love Rock 'n Roll - Joan Jett and the Blackhearts; guessed by Rebekah)
7. Why double omp as I flow to the fly from the school of old. Hardcore kick the folk lore wreck. Three to the two and one mic-check, mad skill flow ill on the mesh of steel.
8. You're a whister of a summer breeze. You're a kiss that puts my soul at ease. What I'm saying is I'm to you.
9. I bet you're wondering how I knew 'bout your plans to make me blue. (I Heard it Through the Grapevine - Marvin Gaye; guessed by Rebekah)
10. When I first saw you, I saw love. And the first time you touched me, I felt love.
11. I gotta be down with the hood team. Too much television watching got me chasing dreams.
12. I wanna reach out annd grab ya. (Abracadabra - The Steve Miller Band; guessed by Taylor Blue)
13. People always told me be careful of what you do and don't go around breaking young girls' hearts. (Billie Jean - Michael Jackson; guessed by Rebekah)
14. Now first it wasn't easy changing Rock and Roll and minds. And things were getting shaky, I thought I'd have to leave it behind.
15. I had a dream I had an awesome dream. People in the park playing games in the dark. (Say You, Say Me - Lionel Richie; guessed by Rebekah)
16. Never gonna stop, give it up, such a dirty mind. I always get it up for the touch of the younger kind. (My Sharona - The Knack; guessed by Taylor Blue)
17. Yeah, once you get started you can't sit down. Come join the fun it's a merry go round. Everyone's dancing their troubles away. (All Night Long (All Night) - Lionel Richie; guessed by Taylor Blue)
18. It's been seven hours and fifteen days since you took your love away. (Nothing Compares 2 U - Sinéad O'Connor; guessed by Taylor Blue)
19. ...by the moon and the stars in the sky. ...like the shadow that's by your side. (I Swear - All 4 One; guessed by Taylor Blue)
20. Don't need no hateration, holleration in this dancery.
21. Now, I know it's right from the moment I wake up till deep in the night. There's no where on earth that I'd rather be than holding you, tenderly.
22. I felt all flushed with fever, embarrassed by the crowd. I felt he found my letters and read each one out loud. (Killing Me Softly with His Song - Roberta Flack; guessed by Rebekah)
23. When I was a young boy, said put away those young boy ways. Now that I'm gettin' older, so much older I love all those young boy days. (Hurt so Good - John Couger; guessed by Rebekah)
24. She reminds me of a west side story. Growing up in Spanish Harlem. She's living the life just like a movie star. (Maria, Maria - Santana; guessed by Taylor Blue)
25. But now I hold my head up high and you see me somebody new I'm not that chained up little person still in love with you. (I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor; guessed by Rebekah)

Feed Your iPod XXIII: Like a Feather

Out today is the new album by Nikka Costa, Pebble to a Pearl, which I may have a review later this week (if not, a quick thought: her first Stax release is worthy of a release on that legendary record label). As for the one song of Costa’s that should be on your MP3 player is Like a Feather, a song that if there were a list of the greatest beats of this decades, this song would be in the discussion for the top spot.

Like a Feather - Nikka Costa

The More You Love Music, the More Music Loves You

For any music fan, you know a title of the 1000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die is worth a look. For novice fans, the book makes good suggestions ranging every musical genre you can think off. For the music fanatic you can read it to pick it apart, because even with a thousand entries, certainly everyone can come up with a least of a hundred recordings that should have been included in the list and a few that you make you scratch your head at their inclusion.

From his picture on the back of the book, it should be noted that author Tom Moon is of the Baby Boomer generation so naturally there is an overabundance of music from the sixties while Bob Dylan and the Beatles are more than represented. Okay old people, we get it, you really loved the Beatles, but really eight albums featuring the band members? Dylan landed four while a few ranked twice. Keep in mind Bruce Springsteen (Born to Run) and Pink Floyd (Dark Side of the Moon) and U2 (The Joshua Tree) only made the list once. I would really like Moon to justify just how Usher’s Confessions, Britney Spears’ Toxic and No Doubt’s Rock Steady (which isn’t even the band’s best work) rank higher than Born in the USA, Wish You Were Here and Achtung Baby.

I also am not sure if I should complain about the exclusion of any Eric Clapton album (seriously, no Slowhand), he does show up with Derek and the Dominos, Cream, John Mayall’s Blues Breakers, The Yardbirds, and Blind Faith. Where the sixties is well populated, looking at this book it is as the nineties didn’t exist unless you were a grunge band or a dead rapper. That did lead to possibly the best write up in the book for Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chamber) where Moon bizarrely starts up the review quoting poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge. But enough with the complaints of the selections because if I continued to nit-pick I would write a review that rivals the book’s 1007 pages.

116 of those pages are just indexes. But with indexes for Genre, Occasions (like Parties, Romance), Composers, and Performers. Although it would have been nice if they would have thrown in an extra five pages to list the recording chronologically. But each write up is well done even if Moon doesn’t seem to really understand any the music he included that release after 1980. Each recording also include Key Tracks, Catalog Choice, other works by the artist worth listening to, as well as Next Stop and After That, two recording that are related musically to selection worth checking out.

Easily the most interesting inclusion has to be The Grey Album by Danger Mouse considering that to listen to it you are technically breaking the law. For those unfamiliar, The Grey Album a mash up between The White Album by The Beatles (which of course is also listed) and The Black Album from Jay-Z (which is conspicuously missing from the list) that launched Danger Mouse into a succesful producer and one half of Gnarls Barkley.

But whatever type a music fan you are, there is plenty of gems to find in the book. And the short segment are perfect to have laying around when you only have short spurts of time to kill, as it is currently taking up space in my bathroom. Just keep in mind the 1007 page thick frame is a little cumbersome to hold at time, so the short spurts of reading is really ideal.

1000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

Previewing Rock of Love: Charm School

Aside from the reunion specials, the Of Love series were pretty much unwatchable. Yet some how their spin off shows Charm School and I Love Money were for the most part enjoyable. For the second go around it is the Bret Michaels cast-off who try to learn some class for a chance to win $100,000 on Rock of Love Girls: Charm School.

Mentoring the rock groupies for this season is Sharon Osborne who is as head scratching a choice as Mo’Nique for the Flavor Flav rejects. Although I’m not sure what is more bizarre, her mentoring girls are judging whether or not America has talent. At least Mo’Nique had a fashion magazine editor and a beauty contest judge by her side. For the Rock of Love Girls: Charm School, flanking Sharon are Riki Rachtman and the wife of former Guns n Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke.

Despite being married to Ozzy Osboure, a man who snorted ants cocaine style, needs subtitles when he speaks, and has a man backstage signing for him at his concerts whenever he forgets the words, you actually believe Sharon when she says the show is the hardest thing she has done in her life. And everyone you expect from the first two seasons of Rock of Love make an appearance including all the girls from I Love Money as well as the psycho red head and the black chick whom she got into it with. Also making an appearance is Jessica Kinni who is way to attractive to be having to slum it with a has been rocker who keeps his hair on with a bandana.

It is currently up in the air if the new season of Charm School will be better than the first. On one hand Lacey is in the running for most annoying reality contestant ever and the longer she stays on the show the less likely I will be to turn in. But on the other hand, this show could put us closer to the first ever reality show death where I truly believe show of these girls are capable of homicide and you cannot rule out alcohol poisoning (which begs the question, how is Ruthie from Real World: Hawaii the only reality star ever to get carted off to the hospital for this?).

Rock of Love: Charm School airs Sundays at 9:00 on VH1.