Around the Tubes vol. LVII

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 The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, Haven, Drugs Inc., Betty White, and Jersey Shore.

- Jerry Bruckheimer (along with Michael Bay) are everything that is wrong with movies these days and Nicholas Cage seems to say yes to the biog blockbusters that no one else is willing to slum it for. Yet when the two teamed up for the National Treasures movies, they turned out entertaining. So I am cautiously optimistic with their latest collaboration The Sorcerer’s Apprentice which also stars the highly likeable Jay Baruchel (Tropic Thunder) and the moderately attractive Teresa Palmer (Bedtime Stories). The tagline for the movie is The Coolest Job Ever and now you can enter The Coolest Job Ever Sweepstakes where you become an apprentice for a day for a Disney Imagineer at Disneyland in California. And to get you ready for the release of the movie July 14, here is a five minute extended scene:

- As I mentioned earlier, Haven premieres tonight at 10:00 (preceded an hour earlier by the return of Eureka), here is a sneak peak of the show:

Welcome to Haven


- Also premiering this weekend is a miniseries Drugs Inc. that will focus on specific drugs. Cocaine (8:00) and methamphetamine (9:00) on Sunday and heroin (9:00) and marijuana (10:00) on Monday. Here is a preview of the Cocaine episode:

Life as a Coco Farmer


- Just when you thought 2010 was a big year for Betty White, get geared up for twelve months of her next year with the 2011 Betty White calendar. The calendar will go on sale in September at $12.99 with proceeds going to the Morris Animal Foundation.

- The MLB All-Star game is coming up soon, Travel Expert Nicole Hockin interviewed Joellen Ferrer of StubHub on how to get hard to get tickets to your favorite events and other traveling tips.

- Personally, I am hoping Jersey Shore goes the way of Joe Millionaire, one season then no one cares anymore, but that is not going to stop crafty marketers like Three-O Bubble vodka to come up with their own Jersey Shore specialty drinks like the Snooki approved Snooki Bubble Up (3/4 oz. lemon-lime soda, 3/4 oz. cranberry juice; 1 oz. Three-O Bubble vodka; Combine ingredients with ice; garnish with a lime wedge).

Previewing Nat Geo Amazing!

New show premiering on National Geographic Channel tomorrow at 7:00, the appropriately titled Nat Geo Amazing! The show is very reminiscent of Ripley’s Believe or Not with short minute or two length segments that make up an episode. Tomorrow you can expect stories about killer swarms, city-dwelling penguins, and Lego sculptures. There is also an accompanying book to go along with series called Nat Geo Amazing!: 100 People, Places, and Things That Will Wow You that you will want to check out if you enjoy the show. Here are some previews of some of those segments.

Licking Amphibians for a Living



Spectacular Sandcastles



Lego Michelangelo

I Want My Music Television vol. LXXXVI

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.


King of Anything - Sara Bareilles



I wonder if King of Anything will be like You're So Vain where we are guessing the identity of the person in the song for the next three decades. My guess: Kanye West.


Sign Of A Victory (feat. Soweto Spiritual Singers) - R. Kelly



No one does an over the top inspirational anthem quite like R. Kelly. Whe dude goes all out, he really goes all out. I do not know why he doesn’t just release a straight gospel album. Well first he needs to give us more chapters from Trapped In the Closet (Chapters 1-12) - R. Kelly, then make a gospel album Kells.


Hot-n-Fun - N.E.R.D. & Nelly Furtado



Wow, that Nelly Furtado part is kind of jarring and takes you out of a pretty otherwise mellow song from N.E.R.D.


Popcorn - The Muppets



The Muppets have a new video out. Um, alright.

Previewing The Closer 6.x

Despite a major recession, Benda Leigh Johnson and her team are moving into a multi-million dollar headquarters on Monday, July 12 when The Closer returns for its sixth season. Yet no one seems too happy about it as they all have to learn how to use their new gizmos and try to find anything (with the exception of Will who may have very good reason to enjoy his new digs) . And the case of the week for the return episode just also happens to do with some remodeling when a contractor is found dead and the wife of his most recent client found in his bed.

Fans of Mary McDonnell will be happy to know Capt. Raydor show up in the second episode back and accompanies Brenda on a missing nanny case. Also be on the lookout for Lost’s Man in Black in the episode. And before you are quick to suspect the evil incarnate as the perp, another serial baddy, Joe McCoy (Friday Night Lights) also makes an appearance in the episode. But do not look to me to spoil the ending of the July 19 episode because TNT cut off the screener early and teased a “shocking ending” (I will say it doesn’t involve the case of the week because we do get that resolved in a heart stopping fashion).

The Closer airs Mondays at 9:00 on TNT. You can stream recent episodes at TNT.tv. You can also download The Closer on iTunes.

Feed Your iPod vol. XLVII: Honey, Let Me Sing You a Song

Watched When in Rome over the weekend, I wasn’t expecting Citizen Kane or even Hot Tub Time Machine (which I also caught, more on that after the video, small spoiler warning if you have not seen it) but I figured that a movie starring Veronica Mars, Gob Bluth, Sonny Crockett, The Penguin, The Piemaker, and Ghostface Killah at the very least has to be watchable. But not so much despite a few funny gags. But in the movie there is a song by Matt Hires that keeps popping up on my iPod every once in awhile and I thought I’d share it.

Honey, Let Me Sing You a Song – Matt Hires



Back to Hot Tub Time Machine, what is with all the revisionist Cleveland sports history going on lately? First Nike created the biggest did I see what I think I just saw moment possibly ever (or at least in the history of advertising) when they had Michael Jordan missing The Shot. Then in Hot Tub Time Machine, a squirrel keeps John Elway from completing The Drive. What’s next, is there going to be a Lost deleted in the upcoming DVD release where in flashsideways world we learn Jose Mesa actually earned the save in game seven of the 1997 World Series?

57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. CXXXVII

Quote of the Week: No I didn’t hit him. Did you just forget because you’ve kissed so many people at school? Do you realize by proxy I’ve now kissed Glenn? (Coach Taylor – Friday Night Lights)

Song of the Week: Crime Wave – 50 Cent (Friday Night Lights)

Big News of the Week: Still Finding it Hard to Back Up World Cup Officiating: Yeah, another week of bad calls at the World Cup, most notably the England goal that was not. But instead of instant replay, which I am vehemently opposed to, how about shelling out an extra hundred bucks a game and put an official on each goal line whose sole reason is to make sure the goal crosses the line. Soccer fields are so wide, it is hard for the referee or linesman to see the goal line clearly, so why not put someone behind the net that is only looking for that?

Leverage: So we finally get some real back-story about Parker this week by meeting her “father” who happened to also a have few run in with Nate. It may be getting to the time we get more flashbacks from these characters. I would like to see more of them back before they turned good. You can stream recent episodes on TNT.tv. You can also download Leverage on iTunes.

Persons Unknown: If I were a betting man, I would have put a large chunk of change for Joe being the mole (dude had no back-story), but I was hoping for Cameron Frye to turn out to be in on it. And did the token hot chick actually get release just for apologizing to her father? Could it really be that simple? You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Persons Unknown on iTunes.

Memphis Beat: Just how many plot twist can one case have? I got tired of them all after about the second. You can stream recent episodes on TNT.tv. You can also download Memphis Beat on iTunes.

Friday Night Lights: Oh you silly little promo monkeys trying to make me think that Riggins knocked up Becky. Of course I wouldn’t have had to spend the last week thinking that if someone would have keyed me into the knowledge that “going to the car wash” was a Texan euphemism for having sex. But the out of the blueness of Becky’s pregnancy doesn’t even make the top of the list of the most absurb moment of the week which goes to Julies, “let’s just skip the whole dinner thing and go straight to the making out part.” If only girls would actually use this approach, us dudes would be a lot richer. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu.



Free Download of the Week: Pilot - Friday Night Lights, Season 1 (iTunes): Ever wonder why I go on and on about this show, check out the first episode ever for free on iTunes (keep in mind I really didn’t become obsessed until around the forth or fifth episode).

Deal of the Week: Save up to 54% on Television Shows (Freaks and Geeks, Party Down, Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Video of the Week: It seems like once a month a Congressman does or says something so stupid I think who are the morons that elected this fool? The latest to embarrass the nation comes courtesy of Minnesota (the land of Jesse Ventura and Al Franklin) whose Senator that wasn’t a writer for Saturday Night Live took precious time out of the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee, a life time position of which there are only nine of, to ask Elena Kagen a question about the movie Twilight. It is times like these where I believe that states have the right to veto the baboons that other states elect to federal office. That would go a long way to solve the current political logjam at the capital (that and open primaries, can we make open primaries a national law please). So Minnesota please do the right thing and get Amy Klobunchar out of office.



Next Week Pick of the Week: It is America’s birthday tomorrow, go outside and enjoy some hamburgers and fireworks and be glad that Amy Klobunchar doesn’t represent your state (unless of course you live in Minnesota, then you should feel really ashamed).

Around the Tubes vol. LVI

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 Maroon 5, The Choir, Warehouse 13, Eureka, Haven, Leverage, Shifty and the Big Shots, and The Biggest Loser.

- It is real easy to attack MTV for not showing videos anymore, but when you can find them online whenever you want, why sit and hope for a good one to come up on television? And MTV.com is where you can find the latest Maroon 5 video for the first single off Hands All Over due out in September. Like every other Maroon 5 video, Misery features lead singer Adam Levine, who says about the video, “It was great to be back on set with the guys again. Everyone in the band really dug the concept and it was fun working with director Joseph Kahn. I am looking forward to our fans getting to check it out!” making out with a token hot chick, not that there is anything wrong with that. Check Misery out below:

Misery – Maroon 5
‬

- New show alert: The Choir premiere July 7 at 10:00 on BBC America. Here is a sneak peak:



- In returning show news, both Warehouse 13 (7/6 at 9:00) and Eureka (7/9 at 9) return next week. New show Haven will premiere following Eureka at 10:00 the same night, here is a preview:



- No new Leverage this Sunday due to the country’s birthday, but there will be a four hour mini-marathon starting at 9:00 of the four episodes that have aired this season.

- You may know Seth “Shifty” Binzer as that dude from Crazy Town (or his stints on Celebrity Rehab) and now he wants some help choosing the art for his new single, Save Me. Head over to shiftyandthebigshots.com to pick by July 10 and below is a video of Shifty asking you to do just that:



- Fans of The Biggest Loser should expect to see a lot of Cybex equipment in the next couple seasons as their new Fitness Equipment Partner.

Scuse Me While I Kiss the Sky

In his lifetime, Jimi Hendrix released only three studio albums before his overdose death a month short of his twenty-eighth birthday. Sure we all have The Ultimate Experience in our CD collection, and a greatest hits compilation is usually good enough for a career that short, but all three releases from The Jimi Hendrix Experience are worth getting individually, and you might as well start at the beginning with Are You Experienced? this month’s induction into the Scooter Hall of Fame.

Yes The Ultimate Experience has the stand out tracks like Purple Haze (one of the great track 1’s of all time), Manic Depression (with frantic drumming from Mitch Mitchell), Hey Joe (one of the great break up songs ever), The Wind Cries Mary (maybe the best song Hendrix ever wrote), Fire (a great jukebox anthem), the bluesy Red House, and of course, Garth Alger’s favorite song, Foxey Lady.

But The Ultimate Experience was so loaded that even the title track from Are You Experience? didn’t even make the cut. The song was Hendrix at his psychedelic best and his experience doesn’t necessarily involve being stone which he suggests in the song. The even trippier, somewhat instrumental Third Stone from the Stone also gets left off most compilations. And May This Be Love is like a more melodic Wind Cries Mary.

Forty years after his death, some of Jimi Hendrix’s unreleased works are officially seeing the light of the day with the recent release of Valley of Neptune with many more to come over the next couple years. I am a little hesitant when it comes to posthumous releases of unfinished work, but at least we have three albums full of songs the way we know Hendrix intended them to be.

Previewing Locked Up Abroad 4.x

In its run, the fourth season premiere of Locked Up Abroad has by far its biggest get so far. Sure if you are my age or younger, you probably have never heard the name Billy Hayes, but he wrote a book about his escape from a Turkish prison, Midnight Express that was later turned into a movie that won Oliver Stone an Oscar in 1978 for Best Adapted Screenplay and landed William Hurt a nomination for a Supporting Actor.

Much like every “Based on a True Story” movie that Hollywood makes, Midnight Express had plenty of inaccuracies where they do not let facts get in the way of a good story. Now Hayes sets the record straight and tells the whole story, something he was not legally able to do when writing the book version. For those unaware of his story, Hayes was your normal sixties hippie who would smuggling hashish out of Turkey and was sentenced to four years in prison which the courts changed to life in prison just months before he was set to be freed. Hayes then makes up his mind that he was going to escape the prison or die trying.

Being an actual storyteller, Hayes’ narration is much more fluid than others that have appeared on the show and paints a vivid picture of his harrowing efforts o becoming a free man again. There is such a wealth of information delivered with such emotion, afterward you may wish that they did a special two hour edition of the episode because you know had to happen behind those Turkish walls or more story with how Hayes assimilated back into American lifestyle. I guess you will have to check out the book for that.

Locked Up Abroad airs Wednesdays at 10:00 on the National Geographic Channel. You can also watch select episodes on Hulu. Other stories you can expect this season include contractors trapped in Iraq, backpackers kidnapped in Panama, and drug smugglers caught in Tokyo, Bangkok, and Spain. If you cannot get enough of the drug stories, National Geographic Channel is having a four episode special called Drug Inc. on Sunday July 11 and Monday July 12 each dealing with a different drug, cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and marijuana. Back to Locked Up Abroad, check out a preview of the premiere below:

Locked Up Abroad: The Real Midnight Express

Previewing Rescue Me 6.x

Last we saw Tommy Gavin, he was sitting in the pool of his own blood after his uncle shot him because Teddy blamed Teddy for his wife dying in a drunk driving accident. That is really all that came to the top of my head of what happened last season on Rescue Me after a ten month absence. Sure I vaguely remember Maura Tierney and Shawn singing, but even a lengthy “previously on” isn’t much help after a layoff like that, though I shouldn’t complain too much because of the even lengthier break it had the previous season.

In what may be the least surprising cliffhanger resolve (SPOILER ALERT!!!) Tommy lived through the gunshot and as much as he does not admit it, he has come out a changed man thanks to what he saw on the other side (hint: it is not as musical as Shawn’s near death experience). The show returns with Tommy in the ambulance (don’t worry, we do hear how we get there after Teddy was adamant that Tommy die a slow death) which triggers another one of his lucid dreams, but the question is, was it a dream or him about to pass over?

The near death experience of Tommy also have some of the boys thinking too and thinking about making some changes themselves, most hilariously of course being that of Shawn’s plan to get into heaven. And the House has other problems as the economy has hit home and word is New York City plans on shutting down one or two and the recent shooting of one of their own with many of them in attendance doesn’t help their case very much. Unfortunately for Tommy, his experience had an adverse effect on Colleen, who just so happened to turn twenty-one during his stay in the hospital, and has been taking advantage of what you can legally do at that age.

Rescue Me is down to it final nineteen episodes starting tonight, with ten episode airing the next couple weeks and the final nine airing next year just in time for the tenth anniversary of 9/11. And from the first couple episodes of season six, Rescue Me looks to go out the way it came in, with a mix humor, tortured guilt of those that survived 9/11, and breathtaking rescue scenes. Let’s hope the final season or two doesn’t turn out to be purgatory.

Rescue Me airs Tuesdays at 10:00 on FX. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Rescue Me on iTunes.

Previewing Louie

It is easy to compare Louie to Seinfeld because they both start with comedy bits, but what they do after that where the shows diverge into something completely different. Jerry’s bit would then lead into a traditional sitcom of four friends who migrate between his apartment and the dinner the most patron and very few places else. Louie is anything but tradition. His standup is the catalyst for the scripted bits, most of which would not fly on Must See TV.

Louie C.K. is a standup’s standup, he has written for Letterman, Conan, and Chris Rock chat fests, but always seems to miss his big break. He wrote and directed the criminally under watched Pootie Tang, he got his own HBO show that only got one season, and he co-starred along Ricky Gervais in The Invention of Lying that no one seemed to like. Now he has gotten another chance for television stardom, this time on basic cable.

Louie played a slight version of himself and the only permanent actor on the show; both are recently divorced and have two young girls. His stand up routine at the beginning of each segment (there are two separate ones each episode) set up the following storylines that deal with his divorce, dating and volunteering at his kids’ school.

When Louie is funny, it is have to rewind because I was laughing too much funny, mostly during his stand up segments and one or two bits during the scripted part, but the show can also be painfully uncomfortable at points even fans of The Office’s awkwardness will cringe at some bits. While Louie may not be appointment television (even airing after one such show in Rescue Me), but it is worth catch every once and a while if the show ends up on Hulu (which I am assuming it is because there is already a Louie page on Hulu) it would be a great ten minute diversion if you need a short break at your commercial and take in a segment.

Louie airs Tuesdays at 11:00 on FX.

57 Channels and Only This Is On vol. CXXXVI

Quote of the Week: Yes, I’m a lurker. That’s my thing. (Elliot, Leverage)

Song of the Week: Trashcan – Delta Spirit (Friday Night Lights)

Big News of the Week: USA Wins Late; Loses Even Later: After scoring a goal in stoppage time in group play that boosted them from elimination to first place and an easy bracket. It looked like America was a team of destiny. But once again, the team gave up an early, poorly defended, goal. The cardiac kids came back once again, but gave up yet another early, poorly defended goal, in extra time and were too tired to get another late equalizer. On the bright side I do not know any Ghanaians so I don’t have to hear them rub it in like the Canadians after the Olympics.


Persons Unknown: One thing I would have never considered if stuck in an abandoned ghost town would be dig under the city. Maybe it’s my fear of the tunnel collapsing. Granted it took them too long to figure out maybe they should try to build a signal fire. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu. You can also download Persons Unknown on iTunes.

Friday Night Lights: The whole campus visit felt a little eh, and I am not too thrilled with the chop shop plot line. Still a solid episode, I love Buddy Garrity becoming the color commentary on a Spanish language station. But hopefully the previews are just a red herring and what is suggested doesn’t actually happen. You can stream recent episodes on Hulu.



Free Download of the Week: Levi’s Pioneer Session: The jeans company has a cool series of downloads with artists from today covering songs that inspired their sound including Nas doing Slick Rick, The Shins taking on Squeeze, Raphael Saadiq doing his best Spinners impression and many more. Note you have to submit your e-mail to download the songs which will put you on the Levi’s mailing list, but you can always opt out later.

Video of the Week: Two of the funniest movies of last decade are currently on Hulu, Pootie Tang (which expires at the end of this month) and High Fidelity which is embedded below. If you need a good laugh, give them a look.



Next Week Pick of the Week: Rescue Me, Tuesday at 10 on FX: It has almost been ten months since Tommy was shot and left to die a slow death by the hands of his uncle. With nineteen episodes left, spread over two seasons, I am going to go out on a limb and says he survives somehow (hopefully the series finale isn’t one of those, he actually died then, and the last two season was all flashsideways dream type of thing). Check back later this week for more on the season premiere.

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.

Previewing Leverage 3.x

After two seasons of dancing on the outskirts of the law on Leverage, Nate Ford finally got caught after trying to take down a crooked mayor who just happened to also be an FBI informant, taking the fall himself so his team could get away. On the bright side, while on the inside he won’t have to worry about being tempted to drink which he has been struggling with since his son died.

Of course don’t expect the rest of the team to sit idle while waiting for justice to prevail and are more than eager to break out their feeless leader, who would actually stay on the inside. Of course he is quick to find him a case of the week to bid his time because he just happened to find himself incarcerated in a prison run by a crooked warden (are there any other kind in Hollywood?).

Also lurking around the first episode back tomorrow is new player in the form of Elisabetta Canalis (American audiences may only know her as one of George Clooney’s more recent fling). The Italian spends the first half of the episode while having own run in with the previously mentioned crooked warden speaking through a translator before breaking out some English which will make you wish she continued with the translator.

Canalis’ full intentions are known by the end of the first episode which looks to set up a season long storyline. Also this season, be on the lookout for guest spots from Richard Chamberlain (The Thorn Birds), Nnamdi Asomugha (Oakland Raiders cornerback), John Schneider (Dukes of Hazard), Clancy Brown (Lost’s Kelvin Inman), Bill Engvall (The Bill Engvall Show), and Aldus Hodge’s brother Edwin even shows up in tonight’s episode (but not related to Hardison).

Leverage airs Sundays at 9:00 on TNT. The first three weeks (not including July 4th weekend when there is no new episode) will also feature new episodes at 10:00. You can stream recent episodes on TNT.tv. You can also download Leverage on iTunes.