Around the Tubes vol. LV

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on Mega Python vs. Gatoroid, Secret Diary of a Call Girl, The Roots, Most Daring, Jonas, Chad Vader, and Johnny B Homeless.

- First let me shamelessly remind you of my contest where you can win the third season of Ice Road Truckers on Blu-Ray. For those tha cannot wait, you can also purchase it at Amazon (see below):



- God bless Syfy. Shortly after announcing they are letting you the viewers determine their next crappy B-Movie of the Week (my suggestion: oil mutated pelicans from the gulf battle Chernobyl mutated super-fish), they announce another going into production named Mega Python vs. Gatoroid. If the name alone doesn’t draw you in, the movie will also feature eighties mall heroes Debbie Gibson and Tiffany with Gibson playing a pro-snake animal advocate with Tiffany playing a pro-gator park ranger in the everglades.

- Showtime recently announced that it picked up the fourth and final season of Secret Diary of a Call Girl and will start production sometime in August. The final seasion will consist of eight episodes. No word of when we will see it.

- The Roots can just stay at their day job when promoting their new album when they performed Dear God 2.0 on Late Night along with Jim James, an orchestra and a choir to help them out.



- Just in time for July 4th weekend, next Wednesday TruTV is running a special episode of Most Daring entitled Holidays from Hell featuring fireworks gone wrong, Christmas trees up in smoke, and April Fools pranks gone wrong. Luckily no one got my attempt at making the Thanksgiving turkey on tape.

- The latest season of Jonas recently premiered on Disney Channel and The Daily Beast has obtained a Disney internal research found kids think they are dorky. On the bright side for the brothers Jonas, Hanson still put out decent music over a decade after losing their tween fans.

- Chad Vader is an internet icon and now Babelgum has acquired the entire library of the series. For those unfamiliar with the web series, Chad Vader “features the adventures of Darth Vader's younger brother and his comedic struggles as the Day Shift manager at the Empire Market grocery store. He clashes with customers, tries to earn the respect of his employees, and occasionally incorporates dialogue and concepts from the historic franchise.” Look out for a new episode every month over at Babelgum.

- A heads up that another of Johnny B Homeless hit Atom.com this week.

Look How They Got Me on the Def Jam Payment Plan

What is going on behind the scenes of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon? In front of the camera, The Roots have no problem with getting in on some comedy bits like Slow Jam the News or perform the Save By the Bell theme with Zach Morris himself, and don captain hats will backing Christopher Cross during Yacht Rock Week. But for their first album since becoming the house band of the unfunniest host of late night, they made the moodiest album of their career with How I Got Over which says a lot considering their bleak last two albums.

Late Night may be the key because when they are not backing fake Saturday morning characters, they have a front seat for a slew of indie bands that frequent Jimmy Fallon’s show like Monsters of Folk, Dirty Projectors, Patty Crash, and Joanna Newsom, all of which show up in some fashion on How I Got Over. And they definitively help with the moodiness to the start of the album with members of Dirty Projectors and the track opener and the album hits its heaviest with track number three, Dear God 2.0 which heavily samples the Jim James part of the Monsters of Folk songs. A bit of a disappointment considering The Seed 2.0 was a complete reworking of the Cody ChestnuTT song, not just a simple sample with some drums added on top during the verses.

Things do not start to pick up on the album until the title track six tracks deep. Thing stay relatively more upbeat after that highlighted by the quick bops of Tunnel Vision which goes straight into the funky Web 20/20 featuring Peedi Peedi with one of their weirdest beats the band has ever come up with. But even with that ending it is hard to shake the mood they start up at the beginning of the disk which Kid Cudi would find too depressing with lines like, “I’m in the slow lane, I’m on my Cobain.” Here’s hoping for their next disk, The Roots release some of the live performances from Late Night with the likes of the Beastie Boys, Smokey Robinson, Jimmy Buffet and their killer cover of Let’s Go Crazy with Incubus, just to show that the band can actually have fun every once and a while.

Song to Download – How I Got Over

How I Got Over gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.

I Want My Music Television vol. LXXXV

There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I thought I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.


Airplanes - B.o.B. featuring Hayley Williams of Paramore



I really hated the first single from B.o.B. and am getting tired of all the emo rap been going on lately, but there is something about the chorus, courtesy of the chick from Paramore, that just gets stuck in my head and bounces around there for hours.


Dear God 2.0 – The Roots featuring Monstars of Folk



The last time The Roots updated another artists song was so good that I deemed it the best song of 2003 but where The Seed 2.0 took Cody ChestnuTT’s low-fi song and pumped it throw a full band stomp, Dear God 2.0 just adds some raps and an extra beat to the Monsters of Folk which just seems lazy and disappointed compared to The Seed 2.0.


End Love - OK Go



Another interesting video from OK Go to go along with an “eh” kind of song.


Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) [English Version] {The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup (TM) Song} (feat. Freshlyground) - Shakira



Big soccer game today for us Yankees (which will probably be over by the time you read this) and I am not sure if this Shakira official 2010 FIFA theme will do much to get many players excited (this time for Africa didn’t really come true as it looks like none of the continent’s teams will advanced). And Shakira’s home nation of Columbia didn’t even qualify (but was the subject of the most recent ESPN 30 for 30 episode).

Previewing Memphis Beat

Not since Bowling Alley / Lawyer has there been an occupation title as wacky as Detective / Elvis Impersonator. But what else would you expect from the character formerly known as Earl Hickey. But Jason Lee has traded his trademark mustache for Elvis’ trademark sideburns (but his lack of hair keeps Lee from sporting the famous pompadour) for his new show Memphis Beat premiering tonight on TNT.

Besides a quick look opening and closing, we really do not get much of a view of Lee’s night job with most of the pilot on the beat (dare I say a Memphis beat) doing his best to solve the case of the week that involves an exploited elderly woman who at one point of the voice of Memphis as a popular DJ. But much to his dismay, this is also the day his new lieutenant shows up (in the form of Alfre Woodard, Desperate Housewives) and quickly sets herself apart from the former lenient one. Their first spat involves a lamp that Ralphie Parker’s dad would appreciate.

For those who can’t imaging Jason Lee as a detective, things get easier after DJ Qualls (Road Trip) is introduced as an uniformed officer with a knack for messing up. Though not listed in the credits, Memphis is another big character on the show from the locals to the music with Stax records getting plenty of spins in the first episode. Noted bluesman Keb’ Mo’ will even provide orginal compositions and performances for the show.

But bringing up the bowling alley / lawyer reminds me of Trust Me, the TNT series starring Tom Cavenaugh that lasted one season. The show was highly anticipated on my side with highly likable actors but the show just never came together. I get the same feel after one episode of Memphis Beat, the actor are great, but there is still something lacking to make it a great television show. Hopefully Memphis Beat finds its footing (and fast) or it will suffer the same fate as Trust Me.

Memphis Beat airs Tuesdays at 10:00 on TNT. The show is preceded by Hawthorne at 9:00 of which has its second season premiere tonight where Christina and her co-workers find themselves at a failing hospital after Richmond Trinity gets shut down.

Contest: Ice Road Truckers Season Three Blu-Ray Giveaway

(Scooter's Note: This contest is over, the winner has been e-mailed to get their mailing address. If you would like to purchase the Blu-Ray, click the picture at right.)

Today is officially the first day of summer and I am celebrating by helping you stay cool this summer by staying indoors which watching literally the coolest show on television Ice Road Truckers which you can win the third season on Blu-Ray. All you have to do is fill out the form below and tell me what else to you plan to do this summer to keep yourself cool.

You can enter the contest once a day until the contest ends Sunday, July 4 at 11:00 PM EST. The winner will then be picked at random from all eligible entries and will be contacted shortly after so I can get your shipping address. This contest is only open to people with a shipping address in the United States.

Here is some information on the Blu-Ray sent along by A&E Home Entertainment:


ICE ROAD TRUCKERS: THE COMPLETE SEASON THREE brings you to the most treacherous landscape on earth: northern Alaska. In Prudhoe Bay (250 miles north of the Arctic Circle), a network of ice roads in the tundra crisscross river systems and open ocean to connect America s booming North Slope oil fields to dry land. Every winter, truckers have less than three months to shuttle critical supplies over the ice. The only problem is there's just one way to get to this remote location: 400 miles of ice-covered, mountainous terrain known as the Dalton Highway. The Dalton is the lifeline to Alaska's oil industry.

BONUS FEATURE: Additional Footage

DISC 1 (5 episodes, approx 235 min): Deadliest Ice Road / Rookie Run / Canadian Invasion / Blinding Whiteout / Accident Alley

DISC 2 (4 episodes, approx 188 min): Arctic Ice / Wicked Weather / Killer Pass / Turn and Burn

DISC 3 (4 episodes, approx 188 min): Ocean Run / Busted Parts & Breakdowns / Race for the Finish / Arctic Thaw / Bonus

57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. CXXXV

Quote of the Week: I'm offering you all I got. This is not just about football. Think about that. (Coach Taylor – Friday Night Lights)

Song of the Week: Fire – Augustana (Friday Night Lights)

Big News of the Week: USA Battle Back for a Tie: Let me first start off by saying I was an referee for my intramural department in college officiating most of the sport and whenever ESPN like to obsess over blown calls I tend to speak from an official’s perspective. Like recently with the blown perfect game call. I routinely tell people complaining of the call, sure it is obvious blown call when you view the super slow-mo shot from a camera fixed on the bag. Watch the replay in real time and then ask yourself how bad the call was.

With that said, it is hard to defend most of the referee’s decisions in the game especially the game winning goal that wasn’t when he hasn’t explained his thought process himself. Yeah I can use my usual official excuse standby, if you would have played better, no matter how bad the officiating was, you could have won. And the USA was dreadful in the first half letting up two goals on players just running feely in the backfield.

But America can rest in the solace that there game against Nigeria is a win and advance situation (but as England found out, that is easier said than done) and if the cards fall right could even wind up with the number one seed from their group.

Persons Unknown: One of my earliest Lost theories was that the plane crash was orchestrated by the parents of our castaways because it seemed like everyone on the island had daddy or mommy issues. Unfortunately I was wrong because it turned out as just a silly battle between some guardian of light and a pillar of black smoke. In another Lost parallel, it looks like everyone on Persons Unknown will also have some problems with their parents as the single mom is estranged with her mom and we learn this week that the token hot chick has some problem her papa also. But the biggest “huh?” moment of the week is what was with the light (another parallel) that brought them back to town and presumably also healed the night desk man of his earlier beating? I was hoping the show would stay away from the supernatural, but it is hard to explain that in the real world context. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Persons Unknown on iTunes.

Pretty Little Liars: Seems a little to convenient that the brainy one happened on the blind chick send a text. But is a female teenager sending a text really that out of character to make her the prime subject? Especially considered that they all receive a text in her presence (of course as we learned from Scream, having an accomplice is the best way to get people off your scent). I have always hoped that A would turn out to be one of the foursome or the supposed dead chick herself. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Pretty Little Liars on iTunes.

Happy Town: I got my answer as why keep Henley in town, but now the new question is why is Mrs. Haplan working with the Stiviletto’s? You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Happy Town on iTunes.

Friday Night Lights: Two season after everyone assumed it would happen, Glen finally made his move on Principal Taylor thanks to some liquid courage and it was as awkward as expected. Just as awkward: the mud wrestling contest between Tim Riggins and Madison’s dad (I guess they were throwing a bone to the female viewers who had to put up with multiple stripper scenes this week). And what moment of clarity was Tim having in the field at the end of the episode? He is living in a trailer and the family business is under water, even at a reduced price, there is no way he can afford it or even knows someone who does. And poor Landry, still getting toyed with by Tyra who doesn’t even need a guest appearance to do so. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu.



Free Download of the Week: Release Me – The Like (RCRD LBL): For those that miss the days of the girl groups of the sixties will definitely want to pick up this retro track. While there you can pick up two other songs from their just released album, also titled Release Me which was produced by Mark Ronson. You can also download a remix of Release Me.

Deal of the Week: DVDs as Low as $6.49 in the Big DVD Sale (Blazing Saddles, Wedding Crashers, Purple Rain)

Video of the Week: Tonight at the Spike’s Guy’s Choice Award you can see an Iron Man give and another Iron Man an award when Robert Downey Jr receives an award from Ozzy Osbourne who goes on to perform the song. Here is a preview:



Bonus Video of the Week: I have long had the theory that there is nothing Snoop Dogg says no to as long as you provide enough money or sticky icky to get him to show up. With his appearance in the new Katy Perry video and this video below, I think you can go ahead and consider this theory proved:

Snoop Dogg - "Oh Sookie"

Next Week Pick of the Week: Memphis Beat, Tuesday at 10:00 on TNT: For those still reeling over the cancelation of My Name Is Earl, Mr. Hickey returns to television this week, sans mustache, but may be just as quirky as a detective by day, Elvis impersonator by night. Look out for more on the show here before it premieres.