It is the start of the awards season as the Grammy nominations were announced today. No huge surprises as Kanye West and Amy Winehouse lead the pack with eight and six respectively. Of course it wouldn’t be the Grammy’s without a few head scratchers (Herbie Hancock released an album lately?) and there is no better indication that R&B as a genre is pretty much dead looking at the nominations. Here are some of the highlights, if you want to know who nabbed the Polka nominations, check out the full 110 categories here:
I may get into this more later during my Year End lists, but this has been a mediocre year for music and this list just empathizes my theory. All these songs are catchy, but none are what I would label as great.
Who Will Win: Graduation
Who Should Win: Back to Black
Kanye certainly had the most hyped album of the year and that may carry over here. Granted it may be better suited for the most disappointing album of the year even if it were one of the top five albums of the year.
Song of the Year Before He Cheats - Josh Kear & Chris Tompkins, songwriters (Carrie Underwood) Hey There Delilah - Tom Higgenson, songwriter (Plain White T's) Like a Star - Corinne Bailey Rae, songwriter (Corinne Bailey Rae)
Rehab - Amy Winehouse, songwriter (Amy Winehouse)
Umbrella - Shawn Carter, Kuk Harrell, Terius “Dream” Nash & Christopher Stewart, songwriters (Rihanna Featuring Jay-Z)
Who Will Win: Umbrella
Who Should Win: Umbrella
Isn’t Like a Star two to three years old? The requirements for the Grammy’a are really screwy. And could it kill them to actually have the deadline in December instead of October? Do they really need four months before the deadline and when they hand out the awards? It is just strange that a song from Carrie Underwood’s 2005 album gets nominated for this year’s Gammy, but nothing from the album she released this year. But it is not as strange as Before He Cheats getting nominated for a songwriting award.
Who Will Win: Amy Winehouse
Who Should Win: Amy Winehouse
Nothing I love better that the laughable Best New Artist category. Would have liked to see Lily Allen or Sara Bareilles here but they already had your token pop act (Winhouse) and needed to have room for a token rock act (Paramore), token country act (Swift), and token R&B act (Ledisi). Then Feist gets your token Canadian nomination.
There are very few songs I hated more this year than Big Girls Don’t Cry. Every time it would come on the radio, which was way too often, I would think, “Cool, they dipped into the catalog to play More than Words by Extreme” only to have that ruined by he la la’s. Ugg. I can take a look at my iPod to find ten or so songs by chicks that were better than that rip-off.
Best Male Pop Vocal Performance Everything - Michael Bublé Belief - John Mayer Dance Tonight - Paul McCartney Amazing - Seal
What Goes Around...Comes Around - Justin Timberlake
Who Will Win: What Goes Around...Comes Around
Who Should Win: Belief
It used to be really to predict Grammy winners; you just pick the oldest dude. Then a couple years ago Kelly Clarkson (who is not so conspicuously missing this year) beat out McCartney for Best Pop Album. How Timberlake became a golden boy is beyond me, his album was unlistenable, but I’d take an actual musician if I had a vote.
Who Will Win: Makes Me Wonder
Who Should Win: Hey There Delilah
Seriously? Daughtry? Well I guess there is no Best Mom Rock Performance catergory to put them in. But certainly there spot could have been reserved for Snow Patrol or The Fray, I’d even take Lifehouse or The Killers over them. But then again, I’m not a soccer mom.
Who Will Win: Amy Winehouse
Who Should Win: Amy Winehouse
I seem to be picking Winehouse a lot but I wonder if her British Lindsay Lohan routine will hurt her chances of taking home any awards even though it were her eccentricities that made this album so entertaining.
Who Will Win: Icky Thump
Who Should Win: Working Class Hero
Best Rock Song
Come On - Lucinda Williams, songwriter (Lucinda Williams)
Icky Thump - Jack White, songwriter (The White Stripes)
It’s Not Over - Chris Daughtry, Gregg Wattenberg, Mark Wilkerson & Brett Young, songwriters (Daughtry)
The Pretender - Dave Grohl, Taylor Hawkins, Nate Mendel & Chris Shiflett, songwriters (Foo Fighters)
Radio Nowhere - Bruce Springsteen, songwriter (Bruce Springsteen)
Who Will Win: Radio Nowhere
Who Should Win: Radio Nowhere
Fun fact, Sabrina the Teenage Witch’s husband is nominated in this category. Keep in mind he has absolutely no chance to win.
Best Rock Album Daughtry - Daughtry Revival - John Fogerty
Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace - Foo Fighters Magic - Bruce Springsteen Sky Blue Sky - Wilco
Who Will Win: Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace
Who Should Win: Magic
It is a little surprising that the Foo Fighters grabbed the proper Album of the Year nod over the Boss in the big category. But I wouldn’t be surprised if Magic takes this award as it was the better album.
Who Will Win: Icky Thump
Who Should Win: Alright, Still...
They really need to get rid of this category as it is about ten years past its prime. It’s a shame that this is the only recognition that Lily Allen got for her album as it deserved as much press as Amy Winhouse’s.
Who Will Win: Because Of You
Who Should Win: B.U.D.D.Y.
Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals Same Girl - R. Kelly Featuring Usher Disrespectful - Chaka Khan Featuring Mary J. Blige Hate That I Love You - Rihanna Featuring Ne-Yo Baby - Angie Stone Featuring Betty Wright Bartender - T-Pain Featuring Akon
Who Will Win: Baby
Who Should Win: Hate That I Love You
Best R&B Song Beautiful Flower - India.Arie & Joyce Simpson, songwriters (India.Arie)
Hate That I Love You - M.S. Eriksen, T.E. Hermansen & Shaffer Smith, songwriters (Rihanna Featuring Ne-Yo)
No One - Dirty Harry, Kerry Brothers & Alicia Keys, songwriters (Alicia Keys) Teachme - Ivan Barias, Adam W. Blackstone, Randall C. Bowland, Carvin Haggins, Johnnie Smith II & Corey Latif Williams, songwriters (Musiq Soulchild)
When I See U - Louis Biancaniello, Waynne Nugent, Erika Nuri, Kevin Risto, Janet Sewel & Sam Watters, songwriters (Fantasia)
Who Will Win: Because Of You
Who Should Win: East Side Story
I am just going to combine because it is just sad this is what R&B has come to that the horrible Bartender song can get a nomination. And should I even know who Tank is? And it is odd that Umbrella got nominations in the major categories but is left out in the R&B. Lukily next year they will have the Alicia Keys album to sweep everything.
Who Will Win: Southside
Who Should Win: Better Than I’ve Ever Been
R.I.P. Pimp C
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration I Wanna Love You - Akon Featuring Snoop Dogg Kiss, Kiss - Chris Brown & T-Pain Let it Go - Keyshia Cole Featuring Missy Elliott & Lil' Kim
Umbrella - Rihanna Featuring Jay-Z Good Life - Kanye West Featuring T-Pain
Who Will Win: Umbrella
Who Should Win: Umbrella
Is what T-Pain does really constitute as “sung”?
Best Rap Song Ayo Technology - Nate (Danja) Hills, Curtis Jackson, Timothy Mosley & Justin Timberlake, songwriters (50 Cent Featuring Justin Timberlake & Timbaland)
Big Things Poppin’ (Do It) - Clifford Harris & Byron Thomas, songwriters (T.I.) Can’t Tell Me Nothing - A. Davis & Kanye West, songwriters (Kanye West) Crank That (Soulja Boy) - Soulja Boy Tell'Em, songwriter (Soulja Boy Tell'Em)
Good Life - A. Davis, F. Najm & K. West, songwriters (J. Ingram & Q. Jones, songwriters) (Kanye West Featuring T-Pain)
Who Will Win: Can’t Tell Me Nothing
Who Should Win: Can’t Tell Me Nothing
I am really beginning to think that the Grammy people throw rap songs into a bag and randomly pick five for Best Song, a songwriting award. Seriously, who reads the Ayo Technology lyric sheet and say, yeah that was well written? They should have just gone and made this category completely laughable and thrown in This Is Why I’m Hot.
Who Will Win: Graduation
Who Should Win: Graduation
There really is an argument here even as disappointing as Graduation was.
Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Story Telling)
The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream - Barack Obama
Celebrations - Maya Angelou
Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World - Bill Clinton
Sunday Mornings in Plains: Bringing Peace to a Changing World - Jimmy Carter
Things I Overheard While Talking to Myself - Alan Alda
This is really a toss up between Obama and Clinton and may be a prelude to who will get the Democratic nomination. Of course Cater is still the afterthought to the party.
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical
Howard Benson
• Daughtry (Daughtry) (A)
• Devils & Angels (Mêlée) (A)
• Direction (The Starting Line) (A)
• Five Score And Seven Years Ago (Relient K) (A)
• Stay Inside (Sound The Alarm) (A)
Joe Chiccarelli
• Mercy (Burden Brothers) (A)
• The Narcotic Story (Oxbow) (A)
• Nightmoves (Kurt Elling) (A)
• Wincing The Night Away (The Shins) (A)
Mike Elizondo
• It Won't Be Soon Before Long (Maroon 5) (A)
• Under The Blacklight (Rilo Kiley) (A)
Mark Ronson
• Back To Black (Amy Winehouse) (T)
• Littlest Things (Lily Allen) (T)
• Rehab (Amy Winehouse) (T)
• Version (Mark Ronson) (A)
• You Know I’m No Good (Amy Winehouse) (T)
Timbaland
• Come Around (M.I.A. Featuring Timbaland) (T)
• Give It To Me (Timbaland Featuring Nelly Furtado & Justin Timberlake) (T)
• Make Me Better (Fabolous Featuring Ne-Yo) (S)
• Timbaland Presents: Shock Value (Timbaland) (A)
• The Way I Are (Timbaland Featuring Keri Hilson & D.O.E.) (S)
Who Will Win: Timbaland
Who Should Win: Mark Ronson
This is a no brainer to me as the sound of great music of 2007 was shaped my Mark Ronson. I’m not entirely sure why he is just credited for one Lily Allen track as I was under the impression he produced the whole album.
Best Long Form Music Video
Live & Loud at the Fillmore - Dierks Bentley
Trapped in the Closet Chapters 13-22 - R. Kelly
The Confessions Tour - Madonna
10 Days Out - Blues from the Backroads - Kenny Wayne Shepherd & Various Artists
Liberacion - The Songs of the New Cuban Underground - Various Artists
Who Will Win: The Confessions Tour
Who Should Win: Trapped in the Closet Chapters 13-22
As much as I dumped on Trapped in the Closet, it still by far the greatest cultural movement of the decade.
There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I though I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form so here they are courtesy of YouTube. I advise you to watch them before you read my reviews if you don’t want me to spoil things. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available, if not the link goes to YouTube where you can watch the video in full screen). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.
For the long time readers to the 9th Green you know I am never a lost for word, but words really cannot do justice to this new Snoop Dogg video. It is either the greatest thing ever in the history of YouTube, or the word.
After seeing all the debris I was hoping for something cooler than the guitar being blown up. How Freedom ’90. But anyways, if you like the song, you can currently get it free over at Amazon MP3 (download Saving My Face free here) which mean not only that you don’t have to pay a cent, you get it DRM-free. Of course if you want to know more about Amazon MP3, see: Introducing Amazon MP3.
Exclusive Nip/Tuck Clip
A couple a weeks ago I got invited to a teleconference with New York of I Love New York fame in regards to her appearance on Nip/Tuck but as much as I wanted to pepper her with Midget Mac it was at a time I was unavailable. But as it turned out New York was unavailable herself as she came down with a cold and instead I got to submit e-mail questions to her. Well I got an e-mail Monday saying that New York hasn’t returned the questions yet and her people are not responding either, so I was unable to post the Q&A or hype her appearance on the show last night, but here is an exclusive look at that episode, which I guess is not as exclusive anymore because it has already aired. Although as a wide man once said, if you haven’t seen it, it’s new to you. And if I am not mistaken, Nip/Tuck repeats a couple times throughout the week so check your local listings for that. And if New York gets around to answering the questions and returns them, I’ll be sure to post them in as timely fashion as she was returning them.
There is not a bigger anomaly in music than the Fugees. Their first album tanked, panned by critics and ignored by the general public. Then they hit it big with The Score, an aptly titled album as they kept on scoring hit after hit. And as we know now, it happened to be their only hit because we haven’t heard from the group as a whole since excerpt when an equally recluse Dave Chappelle brought them back together for his block part.
What made the one album wonder group more bizarre is that it spawned two one album wonders itself (lest we not forget Pras who did appear on a soundtrack to a forgettable Warren Beaty movie). Of course their post album careers were completely different. After her Miseducation album, Lauryn Hill seemed to disappear except for her MTV Unplugged 2.0 appearance of all new material before disappearing again. Wyclef Jean on the other hand after The Carnival kept at it musically with each subsequent album garnering less attention.
That was until he jumped on the Shakira bandwagon for the international smash Hips Don’t Lie. And now ‘Clef says he has his swagger bank and has recorded a follow up to his 1997 solo debut with The Carnival II: Memoirs of an Immigrant. Much like the original, the sequel is disjointed; one or three tracks too long and is chalk full of guest stars, this time around only having one song without a featured guest. But in true Wyclef fashion, the guest list is eclectic, running from your typical hip-hop staples of Mary J. Blige, will.i.am and Akon along with the dude from System of a Down, Norah Jones and Paul Simon. No seriously, Paul Simon makes an appearance on Fast Car. And despite Wyclef never meeting a pop culture reference he wouldn’t drop, the song has nothing to do with the Tracy Chapman classic. The most bizarre of all the guests is the Minister Louis Farrakhan plays the violin on Welcome to the East.
And like his previous outing, the mish-mash of sounds and styles for the most part works though there is no emotional high here like on previous albums such as Gone ‘till November, 911, and Two Wrongs. Nor are there any completely absurd cover songs on songs that are untouchable which ‘Clef likes to put his touch on (see No Woman No Cry, The Gambler, Wish You Were Here, and Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door) unless you count the remix to Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill) which samples the great Wu-Tang C.R.E.A.M.
That song points to some disjointment of many tracks on the album. Is the song about girls or is it about money? And I am sure that Wyclef and T.I. didn’t bother to discuses what Slow Down was about when they trade lines with ‘Clef talking about global problems and shouting out Guns ‘n’ Roses while T.I. focused on the hood and his legal problems, yet the song still works. The album is at its best when Wyclef breaks out the acoustic guitar and gets introspective like on the Norah Jones assisted Any Other Day and Heaven’s in New York.
But Wyclef still doesn’t know how to trim the fat. Hollywood Meets Bollywood (Immigration) is ill-conceived and instead an actual Indian to guest he gets Chamillionaire of all people to guest. Sadly the Mary J. Blige song, What About the Baby falls flat and Shakira’s King and Queens doesn’t come close to matching their original collaboration. But Memoirs of an Immigrant shows there is still some swagger left in the former refugee.
Recently I happened upon of version of Lauryn Hill’s Tell Him performed by Colbie Caillet (you may know her best as the Bubbly girl). The only bad thing about this was the realization The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill turns ten years old sometime next year (more on that next year). Nothing like a landmark album from your formative years having an anniversary to make you feel old. But anyways. What is incredible about Tell Him was that it was a hidden track even though it is better than most people’s lead single these days. Not so hidden anymore, the song should be a prerequisite for any baby making mix tape or just any iPod in general.
Quote of the Week: 2-0, you know to be honest you try to sleep with a lot of the girls I’ve previously slept with, so I just left town for a little bit just to give you a break. (Tim Riggins - Friday Night Lights)
Song of the Week: Ring of Fire - Johnny Cash (My Name Is Earl)
Big News of the Week: The Democratic Party are Morons: Remember earlier this week when the Republicans gathered to take questions from random Americans (see: Jesus Was too Smart to Ever Run for Public Office)? Well the very next day all the Democrat nominees said they won’t be showing up to the scheduled debate in two weeks on CBS. The reason: none are willing to ask questions from scabs because the CBS News writers are on strike. Hey Jackasses (get it? because it is their symbol. Oh never mind.), are you serious? I know Hilary Clinton wants to get out of any situation where she can’t plant he own questions or plant one of her staffer to ask the other candidates a question, but this is insane. Did you not notice the debate the day before that was able to get around using scabs to ask questions? If any candidate misses a debate for a reason this stupid I will never vote for them. So if Jackasses stick by their stance (or the writer’s strike isn’t resolved by then) it looks like I will be voting Republican next year. Unless Rudy Giuliani wins the nomination then I guess I will have to go with Nader.
Then to solidify themselves as the dumbest party (which says a lot considering the other one is home to George Bush), decided yesterday to strip Michigan of all its delegates at next year’s convention. Way to piss off a whole state that would have been in play next year. Make that two because they also threw out Florida delegates, another swing state, earlier this year. And why, because both states scheduled their primaries before Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina. Way to go idiots; pander to the states with three or less elector college votes than those with over twenty. And it is reasons like this you couldn’t beat the incompetent Bush. We might as well just have the presidential inauguration at the Republican convention this year because the Democrats won’t whiff the White House with these type of bonehead moves.
TheTVAddict: It was interview madness on theTVaddict.com as we posted interviews with The Unit star Abby Brammell and The Game star Hosea Chanchez. We also managed to anger the Supernatural Army and post some great behind-the-scenes photos with Summer Glau on the set of the Terminator.
Chuck: The ending has to be up that as one of the lamest cliffhangers ever in the history of the word. Like the Token Hot Chick is really going to leave her assignment and go with Bryce. Had this been a season finale cliffhanger it may have worked better and we could guess if she would be back the next year, but to do it in the middle of the season is pretty stupid. And it didn’t help the suspense that she showed up in the preview for next week. Oh, and if I haven’t mentioned it before, they really need to kill off Morgan and promote Captain Awesome to a regular? Check out the latest episodes over at NBC.com. You can also download Chuck on iTunes.
How I Met Your Mother: One of the greatest Barneyisms with him hanging out at a gym. I know this first hand have worked at a gym in my youth. Although his method was all wrong because fat chicks rarely ever go to a gym and the rare ones don’t make it back a second time. But there is no higher concentration of token hot chick in any given area than the local gym. I remember having to do hourly body counts and spend fifty-five minutes hovering over the aerobics area (that was until we moved into a new building that made lurking much harder so I have to move to the nautilus area which unfortunately has a higher concentration of dudes.) Check out the latest episodes over at Innertube. You can also download How I Met Your Mother on iTunes.
Heroes: Once again this episode sucked massively so let me move onto the promo which promised that two Heroes will fall. If I had my way it would be some combination of Absorbing Guy, Hearing Thoughts Dude, and Split Personality Chick. And I think my wishes just may come true. First, someone has to die in the showdown at Prime Tech paper and as much as I want it to happen, Absorbing Guy, I doubt it will be him (not that he won’t die, he will just come back to life anyways (and if that counts as one of the deaths, I’m throwing something at my television (I’m wondering just how many parenthesis within parenthesis I go get)), same with Adam Monroe) and as dumb as the people over at Heroes are, I doubt they’d kill off Hiro, so that leaves Hearing Thoughts Dude. The only other Hero that I think is even in danger is Split Personality Chick. She already has an incurable virus and they have already assimilated her son with his cousins. Check out the latest episode over at NBC.com.
Journeyman: This was easily the weakest episode of the series so far. It bugs me that Dan went into the past busted into the dude’s house, bleeding, says he is the one that shot him and yet none of that changed the molester’s history. I would say that would be a life changing event some how. And if the boy was 10 in 1980 that would make him 37 today, and he definitely didn’t look that young in present day and definitely wasn’t in his mid-twenties the previous episode in the first flashback. Check out the latest episode over at NBC.com. You can also download Journeyman on iTunes.
Pushing Daisies: Maybe the best episode yet. Love Olive and Chuck working together and the Bitter Sweets is just as entertaining as the Pie Ho with its Willy Wonka feel to it. Then there is the surprise ending that Ned actually told Chuck that he killed her father. Should make the next couple episodes interesting especially with the now creepy Molly Shannon still lurking around. Check out the latest episodes over at ABC.com.
Bionic Woman: First off, they really need to give back the Friday Night Lights cameramen. The jumpy camera works for that show because it is gritty, but the Bionic Woman should be slick and shiny. Other than that and Becca’s choice of music, a thoroughly enjoyable episode. I loved how they gave Walking Herc more screen time because he is easily the most entertaining part of the show. Yeah you have to wonder how he possibly still lives at home considering Berkhead is so loaded that can make it rain Pacman Jones style with millions of dollars when Jamie rescued the CIA dude a couple episodes back. And the show even had the best lines of the week that weren’t on Friday Night Lights when the lesbian chick said she slept with the gay-basher which I laughed more at this week than anything on television this week aside from the debate. And you gotta love anyone who has to memorize the Theme to The A-Team. Check out the latest episodes over at NBC.com.
Survivor: After all the hype they kept them after Tribal Council for an reward challenge? I would like to say that was a let down but honestly I didn’t have high expectations that it was going to be something. But at least we got a shake up. I can’t believe James didn’t play the immunity idol. You can only use it at three more tribal and you are the biggest physical threat. You deserve to leave if you didn’t figure out those odds. Check out the latest episode over at Innertube.
Friday Night Lights: I think they have pretty much hit the tipping point for out there storylines between Riggins and the meth lab, Julie living out her own personal The Police song, Smash running from a angry boyfriend in his boxers and there is the ever present Landry killed a rapist. But the most absurd was Saracen dumping Kim Smith so he could nail the help. That’s not happening in real life. It is time to dial it down guys. Check out the latest episodes over at NBC.com.
My Night at the Grammy’s: Just another example of why America as a whole cannot be trusted to vote on anything. Seriously, in the fifty years of the Grammy’s, with all the surprised performances, once in a lifetime duets, the best performence over that span was Green Day performing a song that didn’t stray too far from the album version? Then Shania Twain and Celine Dion both make the top five?
Next Week’s Pick: MTV/MySpace Presidential Dialogue with John McCain, Monday at 7:00 on MTV: In a story I broke earlier this week, John McCain easily won the YouTube Debate even though he seemed openly opposed to that setting for a debate. So it should be interesting how he does on yet another new media outlet of MySpace. I guess as long as Hilary Clinton doesn’t sneak any of her henchmen in to ask questions it should be fine. Of course I believe the last time a Republican appeared on MTV was the disastrous train interview George H. W. Bush had with Tabitha Sorin back in 1992. The forum will be hosted by MTV News correspondents Gideon Yago and John Norris, with online questions, polling results and commentary delivered again by moderator and WashingtonPost.com political reporter Chris Cillizza.
When it comes to Christmas stories, there are none better than the Charles Dickens classic A Christmas Carol (sorry Ralphie). Published 164 years ago this month, the book has inspired so many retellings, it would be impossible to count, from radio, theater, movies to television, strait forward versions to parodies, and even a couple musicals with everyone from Alastair Sim, George C. Scott and Bill Murray filling the shoes of Ebenezer Scrooge and of course there was Scrooge McDuck. Even Susan Lucci and Vanessa Williams have given female adaptations of the miser. And the remakes keep coming with Jim Carrey will lend his motion capture and voice to a Robert Zemeckis 3D animated version that will come to a theater near you at the end of 2009.
The story of course is a tale of how it is never late to turn your life around and that we are never truly lonely if we do so. And a quick look into his past, present and yet to come, Ebenezer realized himself that it was time to chance before he ended up like his former partner Jacob Marley. It is odd with all the different version of the story, not one Jacob Marley character has given the likeness of Rastafarian like Bob. Mmm, maybe I should write my own version. But anyways.
There have actually been so many retellings of the story that even Scooter McGavin himself has appeared in one. I played a young Ebenezer Scrooge in a classic version, with Victorian clothing and all, and got to make out with the token hot chick for a month or so while “rehearsing.” Nice work if you can get it. That along would get A Christmas Carol inducted to the Scooter Hall of Fame, but considering no mater who made it, or how they reinterpreted, virtually any version of the story is a good one.
A wise man once told me this is the most wonderful time of the year. It is so wonderful that even the really cheesy becomes thoroughly entertaining. Okay thanks to radio stations going all Christmas songs all the time since the crack of dawn on Thanksgiving it is sometime to get holidays overload before the first of December rolls around. For those that can’t enough Christmas I have a treat for you, the full programming guide of ABC Families 25 Days of Christmas. Don’t ask me why Harry Potter or The Incredibles are on the schedule. Well maybe I’m just assuming Potter isn’t festive because as a grown man I really know nothing about the franchise aside the gay dude.
Being the tenth annual 25 Days of Christmas, ABC Family is doing something extra special this year ABCFamily.com will host 25 days of sweepstakes giveaways presented by Dodge starting December 1. And since it is presented by Dodge, yep, there is a car give away, in fact four all-new Dodge Grand Caravans will be given away weekly as Grand Prizes while everyday one person will win a $200 Circuit City gift card. Also over at ABCFamily.com, Dodge is also sponsoring Santa’s Scrapbook, an online tool that helps users create online holiday scrapbooks that you can share with family and friends.
As for the schedule of 25 Days of Christmas below, all times are EST and in the PM unless otherwise noted. Also look out for my previews of the ABC Family orginal movies Holiday in Handcuffs and Snowglobe coming soon. Sorry for the all-caps, it was a cut and paste thing:
Saturday, December 1 (7:30 AM) CHRISTMAS EVERY DAY (9:30 AM) SANTA WHO? – ABC Family Premiere (11:30 AM) RICHIE RICH’S CHRISTMAS WISH (1:30) JINGLE ALL THE WAY (3:30) HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER’S STONE (7:00) HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS
Sunday, December 2 (8:00 AM) RICHIE RICH’S CHRISTMAS WISH (10:00 AM) JINGLE ALL THE WAY (2:00) HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS (6:00) HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN (9:00 HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN
Monday, December 3 (7:00) RUDOLPH’S SHINY NEW YEAR (8:00) THE YEAR WITHOUT A SANTA CLAUS (9:00) RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER AND THE ISLAND OF MISFIT TOYS
Tuesday, December 4 (7:00) SNOW (starring Tom Cavanagh and Ashley Williams) (9:00) SANTA BABY (starring Jenny McCarthy)
Wednesday, December 5 (7:00) ‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS (7:30) THE STORY OF THE FIRST CHRISTMAS SNOW (8:00) I SAW MOMMY KISSING SANTA CLAUS (10:00) RUDOLPH’S SHINY NEW YEAR
Thursday, December 6 (7:00) ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS (starring Kathy Ireland) (9:00) TWICE UPON A CHRISTMAS (starring Kathy Ireland)
Friday, December 7 (7:00) SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN’ TO TOWN (8:00) THE POLAR EXPRESS (10:30) THE POLAR EXPRESS
Saturday, December 8 (7:00 AM) RUDOLPH AND FROSTY’S CHRISTMAS IN JULY (9:00 AM) THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF SANTA CLAUS (10:00 AM) NESTOR, THE LONG-EARED CHRISTMAS DONKEY (10:30 AM) PINOCCHIO’S CHRISTMAS (11:30 AM) JACK FROST (12:30) FROSTY’S WINTER WONDERLAND (1:00) TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS (1:30) RUDOLPH’S SHINY NEW YEAR (2:30) THE YEAR WITHOUT A SANTA CLAUS (3:30) SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN’ TO TOWN (4:30) THE POLAR EXPRESS (7:00) THE SANTA CLAUSE 2 (starring Tim Allen and Juliet from Lost) (9:00) THE POLAR EXPRESS
Sunday, December 9 (8:00 AM) PRANCER (10:00 AM) SONS OF MISTLETOE (12:00) SANTA JR. (2:00) STEALING CHRISTMAS (starring Tony Danza and Lea Thomson) (4:00) SNOW (6:00) SANTA BABY (8:00) HOLIDAY IN HANDCUFFS (starring Melissa Joan Hart and Mario Lopez) (10:00) HOLIDAY IN HANDCUFFS
Monday, December 10 (7:00) MARY POPPINS
Tuesday, December 11 (7:00) JACK FROST (8:00) HOLIDAY IN HANDCUFFS (10:00) THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF SANTA CLAUS
Wednesday, December 12 (7:00) FROSTY’S WINTER WONDERLAND (7:30) NESTOR, THE LONG-EARED CHRISTMAS DONKEY (8:00) THE POLAR EXPRESS (10:30) THE POLAR EXPRESS
Thursday, December 13 (7:00) THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY (7:30) THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOY BOOK II (8:00) HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN
Friday, December 14 (7:00) THE CHRISTMAS LIST (9:00) A HOLIDAY TO REMEMBER (7:00) THE CAT IN THE HAT (7:30) DR. SEUSS ON THE LOOSE
Saturday, December 15 (8:00 AM) A MOM FOR CHRISTMAS (10:00 AM) A CHRISTMAS ROMANCE (starring Olivia Newton John) (12:00) CHRISTMAS CAPER (2:00) CHASING CHRISTMAS (4:00) CHRISTMAS IN BOSTON (starring Marla Sokoloff) (6:00) HOLIDAY IN HANDCUFFS (8:00) SNOWGLOBE (starring Christina Milian) (10:00) SNOWGLOBE
Sunday, December 16 (7:00 AM) CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG (10:00 AM) RUDOLPH AND FROSTY’S CHRISTMAS IN JULY (12:00) THE STORY OF THE FIRST CHRISTMAS SNOW (12:30) NESTOR, THE LONG-EARED CHRISTMAS DONKEY (1:00) PINOCCHIO’S CHRISTMAS (2:00) JACK FROST (3:00) FROSTY’S WINTER WONDERLAND (3:30) ‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS (4:00) RUDOLPH’S SHINY NEW YEAR (5:00) THE YEAR WITHOUT A SANTA CLAUS (6:00) SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN’ TO TOWN (7:00) THE INCREDIBLES (9:30) THE INCREDIBLES
Monday, December 17 (7:00) PINOCCHIO’S CHRISTMAS (8:00) JINGLE ALL THE WAY (10:00) JACK FROST
Tuesday, December 18 (7:00) RUDOLF’S SHINY NEW YEAR (8:00) SNOWGLOBE (10:00) ‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS (10:30) NESTOR, THE LONG-EARED CHRISTMAS DONKEY
Wednesday, December 19 (7:00 AM) SANTA JR. (9:00 AM) CHRISTMAS EVERY DAY (7:00) SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN’ TO TOWN (8:00) THE YEAR WITHOUT A SANTA CLAUS (9:00) RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER AND THE ISLAND OF MISFIT TOYS (10:30) DR. SEUSS ON THE LOOSE
Thursday, December 20 (7:00 AM) PRANCER (9:00 AM) SONS OF MISTLETOE (7:00) CAT IN THE HAT (7:30) THE LORAX (8:00) HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS (live action version)
Friday, December 21 (7:00 AM) A CHRISTMAS ROMANCE (7:00) THE YEAR WITHOUT A SANTA CLAUS (8:00) MARY POPPINS
Saturday, December 22 (7:00 AM) STEALING CHRISTMAS (11:00 AM) A VERY BRADY CHRISTMAS (1:00) SNOWGLOBE (3:00) ELOISE AT CHRISTMASTIME (5:00) MARY POPPINS (8:00) THE INCREDIBLES
Sunday, December 23 (7:00 AM) ELOISE AT THE PLAZA (9:00 AM) ELOISE AT CHRISTMASTIME (11:00 AM) ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS (1:00) TWICE UPON A CHRISTMAS (3:00) SANTA WHO? (5:00) I SAW MOMMY KISSING SANTA CLAUS (7:00) HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS
Monday, December 24 (11:00 AM) JACK FROST (12:00) RUDOLPH AND FROSTY’S CHRISTMAS IN JULY (2:00) FROSTY’S WINTER WONDERLAND (2:30) ‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS (3:00) RUDOLPH’S SHINY NEW YEAR (4:00) THE YEAR WITHOUT A SANTA CLAUS (5:00) SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN’ TO TOWN (6:00) THE POLAR EXPRESS (8:30) THE POLAR EXPRESS
Tuesday, December 25 (7:00 AM) RICHIE RICH’S CHRISTMAS WISH (12:00) A VERY BRADY CHRISTMAS (2:00) SANTA BABY (4:00) SNOW (6:00) THE INCREDIBLES (8:30) THE INCREDIBLES
It really isn’t a shock when I say our political possess is broken. There are more Americans that are not registered to any party than those that are to the parties combined. Yet we let these nut jobs nominate candidates that are far left and far right to the majority of the country. In fact if you belong to either party you, my sir, are a moron. As soon as a party has you in their back pocket, they know that they no longer have to adhere to your concerns much like the blacks and religious zealots for the Democrats and Republicans respectively. (Full disclosure: I registered as a Republican as a bright eyed eighteen year old but am too lazy now to figure out how to unregister. And since in Ohio you can vote in any primary you like just by telling the polling people which one you want to vote in by telling them, it really doesn’t matter what you are registered as except whose propaganda you get sent to ad nausea in October each year.)
This can explain why more people don’t vote than do because who wants to elect the person that they think will screw up the country the least rather than picking the better candidate. The is further exasperated by letting two of the smallest state start the nomination process, especially when only ten percent of the already small population bother to trek in dead of winter to a polling station or caucus. This year is compounded this year with the media’s obsession with having a subway series even those both New Yorkers are unelectable.
With that said, last night’s Republican YouTube Debate was thoroughly enjoyable. Yeah Rudy Giuliani only bothered to laugh at his own video and wouldn’t shake anyone’s hand except when McCain reached over Thompson to do so; you can’t trust Mitt Romney because you can’t trust a man that uses that much hair gel; Fred Thompson showed why the writer’s strike needs to end; and McCain just had the demeanor that said, how can I possibly be losing to these morons.
And you knew the debate was going to great with the early gratuitous shot of Chuck Norris and Giuliani accusing Romney of employing illegal workers with Romney shooting back that Rudy was the best at hiring trustful employees (i.e. Bernie Kerrick). But the best moment was when they lead to commercial with the Thompson submitted video, only for Anderson Cooper to decide to not do so to ask Thompson, “What’s up with that?” I was though disappointed about the types of questions asked, nothing about education, the environment, or health care and way too much time spent on immigration, too many question directed solely at Giuliani and too many people asking for pledges for different stupid things.
If you missed the debate, you can watch all the questions over at the CNN/YouTube Republican Debate page but if you don’t have time to watch the two hour debate, here are the three questions I found most interesting:
Holy frack, a Republican actually talked about education and wasn’t even prompted to do so (unlike earlier when the goof ball Ron Paul suggested we get rid of the Department of Education). No one bothers to point out that much more Americans kill Americans each year than any terrorists. This question also is somewhat like the question I submitted (which I’ll get to later)
Here is where Mike Huckabee lost all the good will he built up with the Chuck Norris. Here he justifies the death penalty when the very next question he said he believed every word of the Bible. I know it has been a while since I’ve opened mine, but I’m pretty sure one of the more important lines in the Good Book is, “Thou shall not kill.” If I am mistaken there isn’t an asterisk to this passage that says it is okay to kill people who killed someone else. And there is another underlining problem with both parties. It makes no sense to me to be pro-life and pro-death penalty or pro-choice and anti-death penalty. You are either for killing people or you are not. I have much more respect for people that have the opposite view than I do than those that tow the party line of having it both ways.
I was completely shocked to know that there was an organization of gay Republicans. I have run into a couple of conservative gays in my life but I didn’t know there were so many of them that they were organized. And calling themselves Log Cabin Republicans is brilliant. I wonder if Dick Cheney’s daughter is a member. Also I wonder if Huckabee, who said he would accept anyone’s endorcement, would accept one from Osama bin Ladin. Granted, that isn’t going to happen because everyone know that bin Ladin obviously supports Hilary Clinton on the left and Rudy Giuliani on the right.
But as for a winner, John McCain was the clear winner. Even though he was in grumpy old man mode throughout the night, whenever he went toe to toe with the other candidate, he easily took the issue whether it was torture with Romney or Paul on the war. Also when everyone was asked what gun they owned, he had the best when he mentioned he knew how to use one when he was fighting for this country but no longer owns one. As a wise man once said, we don’t use guns; we prefer to beat you down like a man.” Mitt Romney on the other hand summed up his whole campaign when he begged Cooper to answer only to say that he had two guns in his house, but there were not his but his son’s. What a tool.
As for my question, here it is in written form. And for any candidate, Democrat or Republican, if you would like to answer it, my e-mail is on the side bar:
In 2001 Terrorist killed around 3000 Americans. That same year, Cancer killed over half a million Americans. Yet in next year’s budget there is $145 Billion going to the Global War on Terror but only $6 Million going to cancer research. Can anyone explain to me why we are spending a significantly less money on something that kills considerably more Americans? And if you were elected president, would you keep these trends on spending on the two?
You can watch random questions from both the Democrat and Republican Debates below:
There have been a couple of videos that have caught my eye lately so I though I’d give them some love since the death of Musical Television left a void for a forum on the art form so here they are courtesy of YouTube. I advise you to watch them before you read my reviews if you don’t want me to spoil things. If you are interested in buying the video through iTunes, click the title link (where available, if not the link goes to YouTube where you can watch the video in full screen). If you are interested in buying the song, look for a link in the analysis.
For those that like free, I got a treat for you; currently you can download this video for free on iTunes. Click the title above to be taken there. On a side note, does anyone know if there is a way to convert video to MP3. I am under the assumption that the video is DRM’ed to the point that it makes it impossible, but I thought I’d ask. And unlike most soundtrack songs that are unlistenable, the new track from John Mayer has a great vibe to it in a John Hiatt kind of way. On the other hand, The Bucket List looks unwatchable. Plus it looks like they spoiled the whole movie anyway with the scene with Jack Nicholson speaking at Morgan Freeman’s funeral.
Speaking of free videos for something unwatchable, you can also get this Ryan Adams video for October Road for free on iTunes. It is a crime against humanity that ABC would bring back this show and the equally unwatchable Notes from Underbelly but not Knights of Prosperity. Seriously, would it hurt the channel to bother putting on a show that guys would watch? Ever since it let go of Monday Night Football, the network has turned into the All Broads Channel. No seriously, look up and down the channel and tell me how many of its shows actually appeal to dudes.
You have to put this song and video in the it’s so bad its great category. I’m not sure what possessed The White Stripes to do a cover of a cheesy fifties song, but I am glad they did because it is frakking genius. Then throw in whatever drug induced stupor person that thought up having a flirting bull and you have one of the most enjoyable three minutes of the year.
I am beginning to think that The Killers rarities disk may actually be better than Sam’s Town. The song is obviously their take on the Joy Division classic and the scenes from the video are from the upcoming band’s bioflick, Control.
One would assume that the name to the latest Spoon album, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, was named after the sound the pretentious types sound like whenever Spoon releases a new album. Personally I tend not to fawn over bands that make synthesizer riffs that come suspiciously close to ripping of Bon Jovi’s Runaway (see: The Ghost of You Lingers).
Bon Jovi riffs aside; the rest of Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga is definitely more hit than miss. The sparse chords of the opener Don’t Make Me a Target will have you singing along after repeat plays no mater how many times Chuck uses the chorus ad nausea. And Don’t You Evah has one of the funkiest baselines since Crazy.
Then there is The Underdog which was the greatest pop song of the year that wasn’t technically popular. How the horn section of the song didn’t become the second most whistled melody of the year after Peter, John and Bjorn’s Young Folks is beyond me. I know I have caught myself whistling it to myself too many times over the last couple months. And the song works on so many levels, the line “you have no fear for the underdog that’s why you will not survive” could be about bullies to politicians who care more about corporations than their constituents.
The MVP of Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga is Britt Daniels, last seen serenading Veronica Mars with, well, Veronica, and his distinctive voice that sounds like his vocal chords had been rubbed down with sandpaper, but in a good way. With December approaching and the bombardment of Best of 2007 list getting ready to start, you may want to check out this albums so you see it near the top of everyone’s list and go, “Who?”
Before I get all self-congratulatory I want to point out to all the television fans, or have ones on you Christmas list, be sure to check out the Amazon Deal of the Day widget on the sidebar as today you can get first ballot Scooter Hall of Fame inductee Buffy the Vampire Slayer for under $100. For those keeping track at home that is $13.57 per season or $.66 per episode. If only I didn’t have most of the seasons all ready. Of course if you look and Buffy isn’t there then the deal is over (which will be sometime midnight PST). But there will be a new deal from now until Christmas. Now onto the self-congratulations.
A couple weeks ago I received an e-mail with the subject, “Comment on Your Blog (want to include it in my book)”. I am a little hesitant whenever I get something like this because they usually are shams. But after a couple e-mails back and forth with the author Vicky Zhou this one looks to be on the up and up. In fact here is what Vicky has to say about the book in her own words.
Scooter McGavin's 9th Green to Be Included In Top 500 Blogs
Back in the day, if you didn't know HTML, or code, you couldn't publish content on the web. Well, nowadays with tools such as Wordpress, and services like Blogspot, and Xanga, anyone.. yes anyone can tell the whole world what is on their mind through blogging.
But, there really isn't a robust way to search for the best blogs on any specific topic. Sure, there's Technorati, but what else? Besides, much of the World Wide Web is full of splogs, spam, and made-for-adsense blogs. And how many times have you read the same exact post over and over in different blogs?
That is why a project, listing the top blogs by general categories would prove useful. The book, titled “The Top 500 Blogs” is being written by relationship expert Vicky Zhou. From topics ranging from dating to technology, lifestyle, sports, music, health and fashion, the books aims to be a comprehensive list of the top 500 blogs on the World Wide Web.
The Top 500 Blogs will be out in bookstores in Q4 of 2008. Scooter McGavin's 9th Green will be included in the category of “Personal Blogs”, so keep an eye out for that!
(Scooter’s note: Whenever I get more news about the book, I’ll pass it along here. And don’t worry; when I am famous and all I’ll still have time for the little people. Well, at least I’ll try to.)
Big News of the Week: No Seriously, Scooter McGavin Should Write This Crap: Please, if you will, hop into the Scooter McGavin Time Machine (patent pending) all the way back to November 18, 2007 where I wrote right here on the 9th Green talking about Chuck, and I quote (well technically copy and paste): “the preview hyped the biggest secret yet next week. Is there anyplace where I can buy Bryce Is Still Alive stock?” Maybe I should add Dap to my wishlist just in case anyone wanted to send me some. Unfortunately I couldn’t call Noah being brought to life with the use of Claire’s blood which I said after he got shot in the eye here because Heroes went ahead and pulled out that plot twist before the episode ended. Oh well.
Gratuitous Token Hot Chick Picture of the Week:
Chuck: The show being completely predictable aside, I actually didn’t see Lou being part of a food smuggling ring, luckily that led to the great scene with Jayne poising as an FDA agent. Granted the best scene was the Indian dude hitting on the Token Hot Chick (see picture above). Unfortunately that was ruined by a heavy dose of Morgan this week. C’mon, if they can bring Bryce back to life, they can make it that Morgan and Harry Tang switch places and Tang is back at the Buy More and Morgan is in Hawaii. Check out the latest episodes over at NBC.com. You can also download Chuck on iTunes.
How I Met Your Mother: Watching this episode reminded me how much I missed The Big Bang Theory this week (are they out of episodes already?). They really should have left the Slap Back in season two. Check out the latest episodes over at Innertube. You can also download How I Met Your Mother on iTunes.
Heroes: Without the dude who can’t act around this week, Elle was much more tolerable this week. It should be interesting to see what she does with the information that Noah gave her this week about the Haitian erasing the bad memories of her childhood. Unfortunately dude that can’t act will be back next week with yet another tease that he might die with Hiro putting a sword to his neck in the preview. Please, please for the sake of decent acting, please have Hiro end him for once and for all. Check out the latest episode over at NBC.com.
Journeyman: I have been waiting for Dan to do something in the past that changes his future. Unfortunately they didn’t have the fortitude to change anything drastic, just a conversation that wasn’t had. Oh, and now child predator is now out for revenge on Dan. Hopefully they explain how dude found Dan because I don’t know how you find someone you’ve seen only three times. Maybe I missed something where Dan gave away too much this episode. Check out the latest episode over at NBC.com. You can also download Journeyman on iTunes.
Pushing Daisies: This was the first episode of the series where I actually guessed the culprit before the Scooby Gang pulled the mask off. Never trust a germaphobe, they always turn out to be the evil doing. But I’m not sure which of Emerson’s hobbies I like better, knitting or pop-up books maker. And it should be interesting to see how Pee-Wee will fit into all of this. Does he know that Chuck is dead or did he just steal her sweater because he is skeevy? Check out the latest episodes over at ABC.com.
Survivor: Stupid clip show. So the third time in as many week we get a tease that there will be something big after tribal council. I doubt whatever they do can possibly live up to the hype now. Check out the latest episode over at Innertube.
Next Week’s Pick: The CNN/YouTube Republican Debate, Wednesday 28 at 8:00 on CNN: The last YouTube debate featuring the Democrats, and only debate I have watched so far this political season, saw an snowman, a pair of hillbillies, and a clinically insane dude who called a gun his kid ask questions. After most of them ducked the originally scheduled event this summer, now all eight Republican candidates have signed up for this one. Will John McCain sing any Beach Boys tunes? Will Rudy Giuliani be able to use a sentence that doesn’t include just a noun, a verb, and 9/11? Will the Leave Britney Alone Dude ask Mitt Romney how he will protect Ms. Spears from illegal immigrants? Will Mike Huckabee bring Chuck Norris along? Will Hillary Clinton be able to answer a question that wasn’t planted? (Oh wait, I guess we won’t have to worry about that conundrum.) Will any of the candidates bother answering one of my questions (which I did today, which is the deadline)? Speaking of Huck and Chuck, below is the greatest political ad ever in the history of the world. Saturday Night Live hasn’t had a political sketch this funny in a decade (fun fact: Mike Huckabee's band Capitol Offense has opened for Willie Nelson).
In a programming note, the debate over laps Pushing Daises that will be airing at a special time, 9:00, this week, so make sure you set your VCR (or Tivo’s for you pretentious types).
free here) which mean not only that you don’t have to pay a cent, you get it DRM-free. Of course if you want to know more about Amazon MP3, see: 
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on my 
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on 
to my wishlist just in case anyone wanted to send me some. Unfortunately I couldn’t call Noah being brought to life with the use of Claire’s blood which I said after he got shot in the eye here because Heroes went ahead and pulled out that plot twist before the episode ended. Oh well.