Tool Academy: There is something to be said that when it was announced that the winning team would get a conjugal visit, Shannon and her “Special” Tool were the only ones not celebrating. So not surprising that they got eliminated. But I was really shocked that she took him back. I wonder if there is something seriously wrong with Shannon that we didn’t see because she should be albe to do much better than him. And having him John and Dre P eliminated in succession may hurt the show from an entertainment standpoint. You can stream recent episodes over at vh1.com. You can also download Tool Academy on iTunes.
How I Met Your Mother: Holy crap, I was a sexless innkeeper. And no I am not retelling that story in poem form or not. You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com. You can also download How I Met Your Mother on iTunes.
Trauma: The show really needs to spend more time developing their characters instead of going out on some of these smaller calls. They could have dropped either the skater or drunk couple and spend those five minutes getting to know the characters better. There are some interesting ones there; they just need to focus more screen time on them. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Trauma on iTunes.
Greek: It is good to see Dale born again at the episode because sleazy Dale was physically uncomfortable to watch. Also physically uncomfortable, the thought of a return of the Casey / Cappie / Evan love triangle. Hopefully this doesn’t happen. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu.
The Big Bang Theory: Great use of an Eye of the Tiger montage. You can stream current episodes over at cbs.com. You can also download The Big Bang Theory on iTunes.
Castle: I agree with Castle: best case ever. But I may go one further and say it was the best episode ever. And much like Castle, I was conned into thinking that the dude was actually CIA too. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Castle on iTunes. Also be sure to check out my chat with Stana Katic.
Hip Hop Honors:: It is interesting to watch the reactions of the founders and CEO’s of Def Jam during certain performances, usually they would sing along and be excited, but were flatfooted during Ja Rule and Rick Ross. And coincidentally so was I. And just behind that front row in the balcony I swear was MC Serch of 3rd Bass who were conspicuously absent during the performances.
Mercy: Crazy homeless burrito stealing dude gets hit by a bike: classic. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Mercy on iTunes.
Gary Unmarried: The ending was a little cheap because once you get a nickname, you are not losing it until you graduate (and hope none of your classmates go to the same college) or you get an even more humiliating nickname. You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com. You can also download Gary Unmarried on iTunes.
Modern Family: Let’s hope Shelley Long isn’t really moving to Canada or at the very least makes the trek down to the states for holidays and family reunions because The Incident on the show was much more satisfying than the one on Lost. And more Dylan and the Rusty Zippers please because much like the families, I have been humming the song all week. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu.
Real World-Road Rules Challenge: The Ruins: Yeah, the producers didn’t realize why the champions are champions for a reason. The only Ruins the challengers have won so far was one that a champion threw. At this point are there going to be any challengers left for the final challenge? You can stream recent episodes over at mtv.com. You can also download Real World-Road Rules Challenge: The Ruins on iTunes.
Survivor: Samoa: With the tribe being unable to strategize, it makes me wonder why the show doesn’t have losing tribes go straight to tribal council more often. It has only happened once or trice that I can remember. It could make tribal council more interesting. You can stream recent episodes over at cbs.com.
Community: I actually went to high school with someone who would believe anything I would tell her. I’d try to up the lie in hopes she would finally get I was joking but she would end up believing I was related to the fictitious Shooter McGavin while Darrin McGavin was my grandfather. You can stream current episodes on Hulu. You can also download Community on iTunes.
Tomorrow is the debut of Hip Hop Honors celebrating the twenty-five years of seminal rap label Def Jam. And to do a little honoring of my own I am highlighting one of my personal songs that the label produced that seems to get lost in the cracks in the annals of rap history. This despite being one of the few rap songs that even non-rap heads can appreciate (I remember a guy in high school who wore nothing by Metallica t-shirts who would walk around singing the Nate Dogg parts all the time) thanks to the late back rhymes of Warren G, a sing-a-long hook courtesy of Nate Dogg (and with all due respect to Mary J. Blige, he is the best of all time), and samples provided by Michael McDonald and Young Guns, where the title comes from. I dare you to press play and not instinctively sing along with ever word.
Quote of the Week: I’ve actually been in this situation many times so I’m just going to be upfront: I’m not allowed to date students. Even though you’re an eight, which is a British ten. (Professor Duncan – Community)
Big News of the Week: NBC Cancels Southland: Here is one of the most surprising cancelations ever as NBC has canceled Southland before it even airs. I have heard of networks canceling new shows before they air, but this is the first time I have heard of an already established show getting the ax before the season premiered. But being optimistic guy I am, hopefully this means that Friday Night Lights can return early 2010 instead of having to wait until that summer for those of us without DirecTV. Because it is not like NBC has much left to fill hole left with Day One getting cut to miniseries status; just Chuck and Parenthood (if they ever get around to recasting Maura Tierney(Scooter's Update: Never mind. Lauren Graham just signed up)). Or NBC is going to turn 9:00 into the Dateline NBC hour and only have scripted shows at 8:00.
Coalition Links of the Week: We keep hearing that the only thing keeping us from an Arrested Development movie is scheduling conflicts, so BuzzSugar checked in on what each cast member is up to now. (BuzzSugar)
Vance agrees with Mia Michaels who said that the remaining Top 4 Girls in the current So You Think You Can Dance Canada Top 8 is the strongest ever. But Vance still loves Vincent best. (Tapeworthy)
Video of the Week: Another once in a lifetime performance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon as Chritopher Cross is joined onstage with Michael McDonald all the while backed by The Roots for Ride Like the Wind. I can die in peace now.
Next Week Pick of the Week: Hip Hop Honors, Tuesday at 9:00 on VH1: I am not sure how I feel with instead of honoring individual rappers this year instead honoring Def Jam as a whole. VH1 could have honored the label on a separate occasion because there are still a lot of artists Hip Hop Honors still need to get around to. Def Jam legends Public Enemy, DMX, Method Man and Redman will share the stage with Eminem, Wale, Kid Rock and many more during the show all backed by house band The Roots. Hopefully Christopher Cross will be nowhere to be found.
Quote of the Week: It is not okay for a grown-(expletive deleted) man to weep in public with a bunch of happy families enjoying pie. If you can't hold it, you take your (expletive deleted) to the men’s room and cry in private on the toilet… like a man. (Emerson, Pushing Daisies)
Song of the Week: Hip to Be Square - Huey Lewis and the News (Chuck, Everybody Hates Chris)
Big News of the Week: Congress Passes the Bailout Plan: So what happens when Congress fails to pass the $700,000,000,000 bailout package? Apparently to raise that number $850,000,000,000 and add some pork directed at those that rightfully opposed the original bill. And for those that wonder where that extra $150,000,000,000 is going to, the new plan includes tax breaks to toy wooden arrow makers, stock-car race track owners, Virgin Island rum makers, and Hollywood producers. Wait, Hollywood producers can scrounge up enough pennies to pay Charlie Sheen $850,000 per episode but they need more money? I really cannot write any words that can properly express how I feel about this without my censors going through and deleting every third word.
Gratuitous Token Hot Chick Picture of the Week:
Coalition Links of the Week: Buzz visited the Pie Hole of Pushing Daisies and found it even more scrumptious in person. (BuzzSugar)
Daemon's TV took part in a Q&A with Amanda Tapping about her new show, Sanctuary. (Daemon's TV)
GMMR is begging and pleading with all of you to please watch Pushing Daisies. It's the best show only 6M of you are watching. A newbie? I will personally bring you up to speed. Just call. (Give Me My Remote)
Marcia decided to streamline her viewing schedule and actually watch less TV. No one is more shocked than she is. (Pop Vultures)
Rae's kinda in love with Chuck Bartowski and she doesn't care who knows it. (RTVW)
Vance is currently drooling over the hot Top 20 dancers on So You Think You Can Dance Canada. (Tapeworthy)
This week, Jace took an early look at the first three episodes of Season Two of ABC's Pushing Daisies and loved what he saw. He also took an early look at the new pilot for ABC's Life on Mars remake and was less than thrilled once again. (Televisionary)
I can haz McDreamy? Dan finally stopped worrying about thinking of things to say about Grey's Anatomy and launched his first series of LOLGreys. (TiFaux)
This week, the TV Addict wondered why more Browncoats aren't tuning in to Summer Glau on Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. (the TV Addict)
Kate realized that Battlestar Galactica is her sad lonely spinster Friday night show of choice. Good luck to The Ex Files, though. (TV Filter)
The Big Bang Theory: Nothing better on television these days (at least for those without DirecTV) than verbal showdown between Sheldon and the Token Hot Chick and the two debating on whether Sheldon should go out instead of stay on the steps was another classic. You can stream current episodes over at Innertube. You can also download The Big Bang Theory on iTunes.
How I Met Your Mother: Note to all executive producers out there: if your writers pitch you the dumbest storyline ever, just ask Regis Philman to do a guest spot to make the episode great. You can stream current episodes over at Innertube. You can also download How I Met Your Mother on iTunes.
Heroes: Oh my God, they killed Weevil! And yet they let there be two Osmosis Dudes roaming around? I have gotten to the point where I am openly rooting for them to kill Elle too so I can officially take this show off my list. Maybe then she could score a reccuring character on Cupid. You can stream current episodes over at NBC.com. You can also download Heroes on iTunes.
Greek: The attempt to sway the council will hopefully just a sample of what is to come when Frannie and Casey go head to head for the presidency with plenty of lipsticks and pigs to go around. But one wonders if either candidate has any ties to a dude that bombed the Capitol. You can stream current episodes over at ABCFamily.com. You can also download Greek on iTunes.
Survivor: Nothing really interesting this week except the toss out the two hottest chicks in two week as apparently all the excitement happened last week when apparently someone’s Mr. Happy popped on screen which is odd because they seem to be extremely alert with the ladies and all the flimsy clothes throughout the season. I guess they may need to start hiring some gay homosexuals editors to make sure the guys stay decent. You can stream current episodes over at Innertube. You can also download Survivor on iTunes.
My Name Is Earl: Old dudes fighting: now that is high comedy, but I may have nightmares about Joy’s toe for awhile. Luckily the show is down to a half an hour next week because I do not my Earl in hour long segments. You can stream current episodes over at NBC.com. You can also download My Name Is Earl on iTunes.
Vice President Debate: I could talk about how Sarah Palin won the debate or how Joe Biden talked to us as if we were morons (seriously Joe, we heard you the first time, you don’t need to repeat everything twice and slow like you are teaching a special ed class), but my thoughts are best summed up by this video:
Everybody Hates Chris: How did I know that the white teacher would show up this season somehow? I was a little worried we wouldn’t see Carouse this year but luckily he showed up. But I wonder how they are gonna fit in Greg all season if he is at a different school? I guess it is safe to assume he will be back in public school before Thanksgiving. You can download Everybody Hates Chris on iTunes.
Free Download of the Week: Kath and Kim (iTunes): When I first saw a promo for Kath and Kim I thought “This is gonna suck.” Then after being innidated with ads for the show during the Olympics I thought, “This is gonna suck massively.” For you those of you that are still curious, you can download the first episode before it even airs in HD or SD on iTunes.
Promos of the Week: I had to scratch my head when VH1 announced I Love the 70's because really, what is there to love about the decade? Which makes me wonder why the guys who created Life on Mars choose that decade. Why not choose the 80's for that Miami Vice feel or the 60's to bust all the hippies? But on the bright side it does star the moderately attractive Gretchen Mol. Here is one of ABC’s Starter Kits on the show to get you interested in the show that premiere this Thursday at 10:00.
Next Week’s Pick: Hip Hop Honors, Monday at 10:00 on VH1: Maybe my favorite night of the year but why is the show on so late this year? Did they really need to have it on after I Want to Work for Diddy? Why didn’t they move that up an hour, it is not as if they won’t re-air it ad nausea for the next month if someone misses it. But anyways. Again VH1 took my suggestion of Slick Rick as an honoree, joining him are Too $hort, Cypress Hill, De la Soul, and Naughty by Nature.
Yesterday I mad a run down of the music that will fill the fall air this season but today I turn inside to the television that will put me firmly into my couch as the leaves turn colors. Well some of these shows are on a short leach like Gary Unmarried. But no shorter leash than on Heroes which was abysmal last season and the first season was not much better. It does not bodes well that last season I found myself switching over to I Love New York because I was so bored with Heroes. But anyways. Here is what I will be watching, and for the most part, enjoying and their start dates:
Then for the midseason, I will be looking out for Lost, The Goode Family, Cupid and the NBC showing of Friday Night Lights. And specials like Hip Hop Honors on October 7 featuring Cypress Hill, De La Soul, Naughty By Nature, Slick Rick, and Too $hort. And of course the debates between John McCain and Barack Obama on September 26, October 7, and October 15 with Sarah Palin and Joe Biden going at it on October 2. I will also be trying to catch up on the second seasons of Dexter and Big Love as well as the third season of Weeds on DVD.
Even though I mentioned the time during the latest 57 Channels, but it didn’t really don on me just how late this year’s Hip Hop Honors started until I switched over from Heroes (seriously, when is Kristen Bell showing up, the show is really getting painful to watch). A ten o’clock start time is just way too late for a two hour special. VH1 should know I like to get to bed promptly at ten-thirty so I can get my twelve hours of beauty sleep in. The late start time is most likely because of the absolutely horrible I Love New York, although if Midget Mac sticks around I may watch. Does anyone know if he did? (Be warned if you know the answer I will think less of you as a person). But anyways. You can (re)watch the performances and more over at hiphop.vh1.com. Here are some thoughts of this year’s festivities:
- Tracy Morgan is you host this year and fails to garner a laugh. And this is why I always have to scratch my head whenever someone tries to convince me that 30 Rock is funny because he is part of the show. Not to mention how overrated Tina Fey is. People always seem to forget she was the head writer for what is considered the least funny Saturday Night Live era ever (although the current era is trying to take that title). Yeah she was funny during Weekend Update, but that segment is idiot proof, even Jimmy Fallon was able to be funny during it. See, rants like this happen when I only get ten hours of sleep. Okay, back on track.
- What, is the producer born Sean Combs going back to P. Diddy? I thought he was going as Diddy these days. Why bring back the “P”? Inquiring corny white dude minds need to know.
- He is out to honor New Jack Swing. I could name a dozen hip-hop artists more deserving, but I’ll let it go because long before the 9th Green existed I still made my best songs of the year lists for my own amusement and the very first list I made back in 1996 had No Diggity at number one. And to this day whenever I find myself in front of a microphone I find myself going through the whole, “Check, baby, check baby 1, 2, 3, 4” routine and sometimes bust out an entire verse depending on the audience. Fun Fact: Rump Shaker was actually written by an unknown Pharrell Williams who showed up twice last night yet for some reason was not involved in the Teddy Riley segment. But if you are going to pay tribute to New Jack Swing do you really need a Michael Jackson song? But we did find out why T-Pain uses that voice box thing because dude has a horrible singing voice.
- Wild Style is honored next. Never seen it, let’s move on.
- Whodini is a little before my time, but Freaks Come Out at Night is still a classic. I do feel bad for the group that they were resigned to having Nick Cannon, Nelly and Jermaine Dupri as part of their tribute. They really deserve better than that.
- Harvey Keitel fills this year’s token white dude quota to honor Snoop Dogg. Dr. Dre, who has been conspicuously absent for all the Hip Hop Honors, again isn’t present this year even though half the songs performed are technically his song. Maybe he will make an appearance once he finally finishes Detox because he really need to be honored himself or with N.W.A. as a group.
- And now what I have been waiting for four years, Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, Ali Shaheed Muhammad, and Jarobi: A Tribe Called Quest. Common does a decent job with Bonita Applebum, one of the few great rap love songs, and the hair on the back of my neck stood up when the beat for Scenrio started up. You know you are a great performer when you can just spout jibberish like Busta Rhymes did, I think he only rapped four actual words from the orginal verse, and still get everyone excited, yet Lupe Fiasco flubs a line and gets universally panned. Of cource how do you mess up the BBD line? But that all paled in compairison when Tribe themslves hit the stage for thilling renditions of Check the Rhyme and my presonal favorite Award Tour.
Now that A Tribe Called Quest is no longer the most deserving to be honored next, it is time to pick someone to replace them and I think I’ll go with Slick Rick to fill that void. In fact, here are the rappers who would be honored if I were running the show (who you got?):
In a story I broke yesterday, VH1’s Hip-Hop Honors were last night and for three straight years it failed to disappointed putting the yearly event right up there with the Grammy’s and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Oddly enough for a show that celebrates hip-hop, the show started off with a bunch of people. But the Law and Order skit was hilarious with Ice-T’s cast members from SVU talking about there favorite honorees and T showing up late to ceremony only to be replaced by Mike B. Keep in mind Mike B could just be your next president. (See the end of the post for the video of the skit) As for the show, VH1 were really smart making ?uestlove of The Roots the musical director and should bring him in every year. Here are some thoughts on this year’s honorees and performances:
- The Beastie Boys kick thing off and surprisingly Tracy Morgan was actually funny intriguing them. Q-Tip, the recently bullet-ridden Fabolous, and Diddy come up in full B-Boy get up and spit probably the most recognizable Beastie verse with the start of Paul Revere but not surprisingly they cut off the song before they got to the part about the whiffle ball bat. Then the Beastie themselves came out to a rousing version of So Whatchcha Want, even switching the beat to the one from Fabolous’ Breathe.
- Now I’ve long held onto the belief that chicks shouldn’t rap, but I have to admit if I were to make a mix tape that represents 1996 for me MC Lyte’s Cold Rock a Party would be on it because no party during that summer didn’t feel right if it didn’t feature that song.
- Whenever you see a list of the greatest MC’s you will most likely see Biggie or 2-Pac, but whenever you see a list that is complied by rappers themselves, it would be Rakim that would be on top. Naturally one of the best lyricists of today, Common came out to introduce him. The tribute featuring Black Thought and Talib Kweli. Really there is no better way to start off a house party that something that features the bassline from Paid in Full. And hopefully the long delayed Rakim album comes out soon because the new track was tight especially with the Roots backing him. The horns were off the hook.
- When I first got into N.W.A. it was around the album that I can’t reprint here because my censors won’t allow it. But this was right after Ice Cube left the group and like many rap feuds back then you had to pick your side, do for years I refused to listen to Cube until he did that song with Dr. Dre. The dude from Pimp My Ride did a good job at Check Yo Self. Who knew he would rap?
- Russell Simmons gets the only non- music induction this year deservedly. Hip-Hop doesn’t reach the masses if it weren’t for Def Jam. But where was the love for his running mate at the label Rick Rubin? Nice mix of songs played during his tribute.
- With Eazy-E and Ice Cube being honored kind of makes you wonder why not honor N.W.A. as a whole? No surprise my favorite Eazy-E song, Gimmie Dat Nutt doesn’t make the tribute. Oh well. But my homies from just a couple miles north of me, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony crawled out of obscurity to perform their tribute song The Crossroads.
- I never got into the theatrics of Afrika Bambaataa but it’s nice to see him get his due and it seemed natural that Outkast introduced his tribute with George Clinton and Bootsy Collins participating. Odd that was the only honoree in the history of the show that didn’t perform.
- If there is one thing that I have learned in my life is that Wu-Tang Clan is nothing to (expletive deleted) with. Nice to see the Clan reunite on stage with all the members showing up (sans Ol’ Dirty Bastard, R.I.P.). I remember seeing the troupe perform back in 1998 when they toured with Rage Against the Machine. Granted they were a half an hour late to the venue. And when they arrived the spent time playing basketball backstage before actually coming out minus three members. And when they did they only gave a twenty minute set because they had to get off stage so Rage could do their set before curfew. So it was great to see them perform C.R.E.A.M. and Triumph with Method Man actually jumping into the crowd to spit his verse.
Looking forward to next year, here are my suggestions to honor next year: A Tribe Called Quest, Nas, EPMD, N.W.A., Leaders of the New School, and Slick Rick (feel free to share who you think should be honored and be sure to scroll down to check out my lyrics quiz to see if you can answer any that are left). You can watch performances from the show at VSPOT and I'm sure VH1 will repeat throught the next couple weeks.
As a young white kid growing up in the suburbs, I listen to nothing but hip-hop throughout the Middle School years. My love of the genre has died down as I have grown mostly due to the blandness rap has gotten with it endless talk of bling over the same bland beats. I was ecstatic last year when VH1 started up their Hip-Hop Honors awards giving props to the innovators and reminding me of a time when rap was truly king. Last year honored some of my favorites such as Run-DMC, Public Enemy, and KRS-One. This years festivities did a better job of focusing on the inductees with only one performance of a song not made famous by an inductee whereas last year there was about three or four. Other highlights included:
- LL Cool J was the first inductee. I have always been on the fence about him as he was the guy who brought love songs into the culture. Buy on the other hand, Mama Said Knock You Out is a top 5 rap song of all time. LL is paid tribute by Nelly and Ciara, the black Britney (can’t sing, moderately attractive but shows a lot of skin). But how much of a tribute can it be when both need guided vocals to sing the songs.
- Next up is one of the mainstays of my Middle School years, Ice-T. To this day I can recite both the clean and dirty versions of New Jack Hustler. Ice-T is joined on stage by the only other gangsta rapper who has somehow crept into the mainstream Snoop Dogg. Had anyone guess back in '92 that one would be on the most successful TV show franchise and the other would be doing commercials with Lee Iacocca, you would have been accuse of dipping into one of their stashes.
- Many point to Rapper’s Delight as the start of rap, but The Message by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious 5 is where hip-hop started. I did find it odd that during there performance of the song the threw in a line from Matthew Wilder’s Break My Stride just like Diddy did back when he was Puff Daddy when he sampled The Message for Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down. What was stranger was Morbidly Obese Joe inclusion in the whole thing.
- Salt-N-Pepa are next with a hyped performance with En Vouge as the first time they performed together. Am I mistaken or didn’t they perform the Whatta Man during one of the Video Music Awards. Can someone give me confirmation for this? Then during the perfomce the for some reason threw up pictures of Barack Obama, Nelson Mandela, Ray Charles and I swear I saw Dave Chappelle too. Um, okay.
- Who invited the dude from Entourage? Was he there just to fill the token white person quota? Wasn’t Ice-T’s wife enough?
- Kanye West comes out and give the most entertaing performance of the night. I don’t say that because of anything he did but that there was some old fat white dude in the second row that had an Art Garfunkel receding afro that had me cracking up thought the whole thing.
- The midget Jermaine Dupree comes out with charms on his watch. No wonder why anyone with credibility makes fun of the dude.
- The induction of Big Daddy Kane is next and the dude can still move. He gets a tribute from Biz Markie on the turntable, T.I. (or Antoine Merriwether as I like to call him), Black Thought of The Roots, and Common sporting a “I Love Black People” t-shirt which seems to be in response to his boss’ “George Bus hates black people” remark.
- Diddy is up last to induct his friend/meal ticket and mentioned Biggie duets album. I have a feeling I’ll pass on that. The finale with Kanye, Ludacris, and Lil’Cease wasn’t as cool as the VMA tribute, but the choir was a nice touch.
If I were on the selection committee for Hip-Hop Honors, here is who I would nominate for the 2006 class (feel free to add anyone you would nominate in the comment section):