At this point it is almost silly trying to review a new AC/DC album because they haven’t changed their formula in thirty years and seventeen albums, even with a major line up change half way through. So on Black Ice there will be no power ballads, no political statements, no keyboards, no harmonica solos, no symphonies, no choirs.
But there is Angus Young in a school boy uniform. And songs about rocking (four of the fifteen song titles have some form of “rock” in them) and chick with innuendo and metaphors so blatant you start to wonder if they if they even count as literary devises. Except for War Machine which is a biting commentary on the War on Terror. Just kidding, the title is a loose metaphor of a man’s manhood (naturally). And there is Brian Johnson’s spot on Bon Scott impression. And all the songs are verse-sing a long chorus-verse-bridge and/or guitar solo-sing a long chorus.
So it is pretty silly to try to review Black Ice on its merits because if you have heard any AC/CD album before, you have heard this one. But what is remarkable is that despite doing any retooling, the band manages to sound fresh (maybe the eight year lay-off has something to do with that) even if some of the songs sound similar to past tracks, it is hard to listen to Money Made without thinking of Back in Black. It should be noted that the album is the band’s longest to date at just shy of an hour which makes the album a bit long for one that doesn’t deviate. And don’t look for Black Ice anywhere but at WalMart where it is being exclusively sold.
Song to Download - Considering the album isn’t being sold online and it is basically a pick ‘em on which one is best, picking one would be silly.
Now that the Rays have beaten the Evil Empire part Deux, TBS can finally stop running all those Frank TV ads and actually air the show itself with its second season debut tonight. Certainly the show isn’t breaking any new ground of sketch comedy that Saturday Night Live has since cornered the market for the last three decades. But what Frank TV does is eliminate all the run the mill sketches that have been more miss than hit and sticks almost exclusively to the impersonation. Because really, SNL isn’t hitting record numbers this season because people are tuning in to hear characters call each other Fart Face And it doesn’t hurt that the show only has to fill up thirty minutes so it is easier to trim the fat.
All of Frank Caliendo’s most notable impressions all show up early in the season with John Madden and Charles Barkley making appearances and George Bush even hosts a special election night special with Dick Cheney. And don’t worry, even though Frank skewers John McCain a couple times, he doesn’t try on Barack Obama, leaving that to new castmember Freddy Lockhart who does a much better impression of the Democratic candidate that Fred Armesen (although his Ice-T could use a little work in that he should never do it again in hopes that Ice-T never finds out he did it in the first place).
It isn’t just the real people that get parodied as there is a funny take on off duty Jedi and a look at who Congress is going to summon next to testify in a steroid abuse scandal. Other new characters in Frank’s arinel this season is James Gandolfini and a trio of Tom Brokaws. For more on the new season of Frank TV check out my interview with Frank Caliendo or watch the clip below or on TBS.com. Frank TV airs Tuesdays at 10:00 on TBS and can be downloaded on iTunes.
There are very few voices in music these days than that of the raspy mountain man Ray LaMontagne and the whiskey soaked quiet yell of Nikka Costa. Their respective third albums seem like a departure from their pasts as both sound as if they are listen to classic Stax albums, with Costa going so far as to have her record being distributed by the label.
The influence on LaMontagne comes and goes throughout Gossip in the Grain but is collimated in the opening track You Are the Best Thing with all its upbeat horns and back up singers which would lead you to look at the album cover to make sure you popped in the right album if it weren’t for the distinctive voice that you swear was singing a Sam Cooke cover. Then there is the jug band groove of Hey Me, Hey Mama. And really, there just isn’t enough use of jug bands in pop music these days.
Maybe most bizarre is the ode to The White Stripes drummer, Meg White, a marching love letter that sounds like something right out a bad western movie, yet disturbingly works in a Meg better get a restraining order soon kind of way. But don’t worry, there are plenty of heart felt, heart wrenching, and love lorn songs sung over sparse piano, acoustic guitars and string section that surrounds that voice perfectly and led you to discover the bearded wonder in the first place.
On the other hand, for Pebble to a Pearl, Nikka Costa completely drenches herself into soul with little of the dance funk that she made a name for on her previous solo album. Costa’s horns infused Aretha Franklin moment comes on the second track Can’t Please Everybody. Elsewhere on the album she effortlessly blends that sound with jazz (Love to Love You Less), eighties R&B (Without Love) and even some Marvin Gaye type social responsibility (Bullet in the Sky). Few artist can successfully transition from a wild child to a more mature sound, but count Nikka Costa as one of the few.
Pebble to a Pearl gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.
The Big Bang Theory: Another reason this should be an all Sheldon all the time kind of show, whenever an episode focuses on Raj it just isn’t entertaining, except for Sheldon tying to smile. You can stream current episodes over at Innertube. You can also download The Big Bang Theory on iTunes.
Chuck: Chuck really needs to stop going to the Bryce Larkin well because the stories always suffer when he is around. Speaking of storyline suffering, I was really hopping Michael Strahan was going to pummel Morgan out of the show. Why can’t Strahan be Chuck’s new best friend. And speaking of Strahan, did they really need all those gratuitous close up of his gap teeth? You can stream current episodes over at NBC.com. You can also download Chuck on iTunes.
Heroes: Like the show really need help ruining it’s own storylines, but the promo monkeys really ruined the episode by revealing the Papa Patrelli pulling the strings. And what the frak was with Hiro killing Ando. Being Heroes he certainly won’t stay dead, I’m sure Future Hiro will go back in time and tell Ando to put a steel plate and exploding ketchup packages under his shirt, but still this is extremely lame. You can stream current episodes over at NBC.com. You can also download Heroes on iTunes.
Eli Stone: The whole Nate gets the aneurism thing was also fairly lame. I am glad they corrested that fairly early in the season. On the bright side it gave us the great line about being stalked by the other dude in Wham! And it was odd that the mother sided with Eli while the daughter decided to fight it so vigorously. Seemed a little out of chachter. But with that out of the way hopefully the show gets back to the stride it was hitting last season. You can stream current episodes over at ABC.com. You can also download Eli Stone on iTunes.
Pushing Daisies: After a pair of episodes that took way too much time trying to explain to people who haven’t seen the show before, this was the first episode that really clicked like last season. Maybe it was because the gang was all together trying to figure out. That and it was the first who did it that I didn’t figure out before hand (something I don’t think I did at all last season). That is what the show does best is coming up with this completely absurd explanation that actually makes sense in the context of the plot. You can stream current episodes over at ABC.com.
Survivor: How do you not out the Immunity Idol when you have the chance? The longer one has the Idol, the harder it is to get that person out. Best case scenario Sugar gets voted out and the Idol is put back in play. Worst case scenario Sugar plays it, GC is voted out and the Idol again is put back in play. It just blows the mind how stupid some of these Survivors are sometime. You can stream current episodes over at Innertube.
2008 Presidential Debates: Saturday Night Live right in that the winner was whoever you thought was going to win. And the post-debate coverage is the most bizarre thing ever. They actually interview people from something called “The Spin Room” which is like saying, “Let’s interview someone who will straight up lie to you and we won’t bother to call them out on their blatant lies. While all the pundits blow hard about who won, it is safe to say who the loser was: anyone who watched any of the debate. What is sad is that the very next night, John McCain and Barack Obama had this to say about each other:
Imagine how much more entertaining the debates would have been if that was how they went after each other.
Everybody Hates Chris: The guy who was trying to do Bill Cosby wasn’t very good. And wasn’t he Chris’ teacher at one point?
Big News of the Week: 57 Channels gets Expanded: The origin of 57 Channels and Only This Is On started as a weekly post to wax poetic about the shows I watched but then I thought it would be cool to add a Quote of the Week, and kept adding Of the Week segments to the point last year writing 57 Channels became a little too cumbersome. I had planned on splitting the post but then the writers strike hit and suddenly their wasn’t much to write about. Now with the new season in full swing, 57 Channels became cumbersome again, and if it tedious to write I assume that it may be tedious to read every week so starting this week I will be splitting it up to make it easier on you and me. Certainly when shows start going into repeats and weeks when their isn’t much to write about and summertime, it will all be condensed back into one post. If you have a suggestion for a better title or another “Of the Week” segment you would like, drop a comment in the comment section.
Gratuitous Token Hot Chick Picture of the Week:
Coalition Links of the Week: In light of David E. Kelley's new NBC project, Buzz is taking votes for the best Kelley series of all time. (BuzzSugar)
GMMR readers chime in on their favorite episodes of The West Wing for our new segment - Take 5 - which takes a look back at our favorite shows of yesteryear. (Give Me My Remote)
Marcia considered some of the most successful TV-to-film transitions. Not on the list: David Caruso. (Pop Vultures)
She might be the only person still watching ER but, after the way she cried her way through the end of this week's episode, Rae had to take moment to say farewell to Abby. (RTVW)
It was Canadian Thanksgiving last week and Vance had a lot to be thankful for, including Friday Night Lights, Ugly Betty, Grey's Anatomy, Burn Notice, Greek, The Office, How I Met Your Mother and many more! (Tapeworthy)
This week, Jace took an advance look at the first two episodes of 30 Rock's upcoming third season and offered five suggestions on how to improve Fringe. (Televisionary)
Dan found a show you most definitely aren't watching. The internet cooking show Cooking With Dog mixes the art of Japanese cuisine with gimmicky kitsch, resulting in a hypnotically pleasing canine cooking show. (TiFaux)
The TV Addict offered up a closer look at some How I Met Your Mother clues that you may have missed. (The TV Addict)
Kate became fascinated with Valentine, because it's pretty much the worst show ever made. (TV Filter)
Free Download of the Week: Spaceballs: The Animated Series (iTunes): Why didn’t anyone bother to tell me there was a Spaceball cartoon out there before? The Mel Brooks classic is a Scooter Hall of Fame inductee and apparently the show started airing a couple weeks ago on G4. Luckily that means there will likely be plenty of repeats. If you missed it like me you can start catching up with downloading the two part pilot for free. As an added bonus, for those that need a reminder of what happened in the first season or want to just jump right in, you can download the Eli Stone Starter Kit for free on iTunes also.
Promo of the Week: NBC is getting Chuck into the online game. First it was the Buy More website and now some webisodes featuring Casey and Big Mike which you can see below (I sometimes have trouble embedding NBC videos so if you cannot see it, head over to NBC.com to see them):
Next Week Pick of the Week: Frank TV, Tuesday at 11:00 on TBS: The man of a million impressions is back for a second season and brought along a tall black dude along for the fun (you didn’t think Frank would try Barack Obama himself?). I will have more on the show before the show, until then check out my interview with the star: Chatting with Frank Caliendo.
A plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on Caruso, Share Our Strength, Morning Light, Iconoclasts, Web Therapy, Puppy Love, My Boys, and a “Mysterious” video.
- Caruso looks like a show right up my alley if done right, but I am not sure about the time slot as it premieres tonight at 8:00 with two hours. It may just end up being a DVD’er for me as I only put the chance at a second season at under 20% if this were Playing the Percentages. But the coolest part of the show has to be the Tree Fort, check out the video below for a tour (more videos can be found over at NBC.com:
- Sticking with Caruso, you will want to check out SaveCaruso.com where, despite being shipwrecked, Robinson still can communicate via Facebook and Twitter. Also each day you will have an opportunity to win a Microsoft Zune as well as enter a larger sweepstakes for a Sharp Aquos LCD Flat Screen Television, 120 gig Zune and a Microsoft XBOX 360 Elite.
- Over at E-Bay, there is currently an aution going n where you can bid on featured dishes by from Oprah Winfrey, Lauren Conrad, Alec Baldwin, Jeff Probst and more. The auction is being sponsored by Bertolli and the proceeds will go to Share Our Strength to end childhood hunger. The auction ends Saturday 18 at midnight.
- In theaters today for documentary buffs is Morning Light from Roy E. Disney (yes he’s related) and the guys that brought you the surfer film Riding Giants. Below is a trailer:
- Premiering last night was the latest season of Iconoclasts. Oops. Not that I would have been able to watch it anyways because I do not have the Sundance Channel, but apparently Sir Richard Branson taught Archbishop Desmond Tutu how to swim. Look for these hookup this season all at 10:00, Stella McCartney and Edward Ruscha (Oct. 23), Tony Hawk a nd Jon Favreau (Oct. 30) Bill Maher and Clive Davis (Nov. 6) Venus Williams and Wyclef Jean (Nov. 13) Cameron Diaz and Cameron Sinclair (Nov. 20).
- It looks like the internet may soon be the new must see tv. New startup L Studio has two new shows Web Therapy staring Lisa Kudrow and Puppy Love with Famka Janssen, Ally Sheedy, and Sarah Paulson. Below are the links:
- In my never-ending attempted to be the last to bring you breaking news, let me pleasantly be the last to tell you My Boys has been renewed for a third season. You’re welcome.
- Nothing better to stroke the ego then seeing “Exclusive” staring back at you in your e-mail box. Granted nothing deflates the ego like after opening up the “Exclusive” mail to find something you have already seen elsewhere like over at RTVW. My deflated ego aside, this video is described as “mysterious” where a “group of randomly selected individuals were invited to participate in a screening, what they were shown was 100% real. As they watched the footage, their reactions were caught on film. After the screening, they were then interviewed. Their reactions and comments are also 100% authentic.” To follow the clues, head over this YouTube page. (Considering the user name is Sewhattheysaw and the Halloween release date, I would like to put what is left in my 401(k) after the market collaspe on the latest Saw movie.)
One has to wonder why some groups don’t just close up shop after scoring that one hit they know they are never going to top. Does Lou Bega actually think the country is clamoring for Mambo #6? You have to hand it to the New Radicals who disbanded after assaulting our ears with You Get What You Give. Yet some bound for one hit wonderdom actually do score that allusive second hit, but let’s face it, Beck is an exception to the rule. Her are a couple of artist hoping to some him by defying the odds.
Plain White T's scored their big hit with the prom anthem of last year Hey There Delilah, an ode to a steeplechase runner. No seriously, that is who the real Delilah was. While nothing on Big Bad World could ever reach the allure of the acoustic gem, what the T’s got for them is what seems to be unending well of sing a long disposable pop hooks and melodies. After just one listen to Natural Disaster, I dare to try and not emphasize the "Oh" in the chorus while you sing with the band. But the key word in the review is disposable, so buy the tenth listen you be wanting to movie onto something new. If you are hoping for the band to get back on upper part of the charts check out the charming 1, 2, 3, 4 (to answer your question, no it’s not) as sweet as Delilah but with much more depth. But stay away from Sunlight, an unnecessary try at Beatle-esque psychedelic pop.
Everlast is the rarest of all one hit wonders because to my knowledge he is the only act who managed to actually amass two one hit wonders in his career, Jump Around as a member of House of Pain then again with his solo outing What It’s Like. And if you have heard his previous three solo album there really isn’t much new ground to hear on Love, War and the Ghost of Whitey Ford which just retreads his folk-hop hybrid that actually sounded fresh ten years ago when songs like Kill the Emperor and Tuesday Mornin’ may have sounded better. The only song of note is Folsom Prison Blue (to answer your question, yes it is) where Everlast sing the Johnny Cash classic over the beat of Insane In the Brain. I wish I were joking. Needless to say if the Kid RockAll Summer Long mash up of Sweet Home Alabama and Werewolves of London made you queasy, you will want to stay away from this song too.
Love, War and the Ghost of Whitey Ford gets a on my Terror Alert Scale.
Most artists wait a few albums in before releasing a rarities album, but The Killers recently did so just after two albums, so why not the recent queen of the music montage Ingrid Michaelson. And as a plus part of the proceeds of Be OK go to the charity Stand Up to Cancer. Obviously her one hit Way I Am shows up here via a live recording the same for a rousing version of The Chain (to answer your question, no it’s not). As for actual cover songs, there are hits, a live piano version of Can’t Help Falling in Love, and misses, a way too slow version of Somewhere Over the Rainbow. The gem of the set is the title track that bookend the album with an acoustic version too, a upbeat song that is a fitting anthem to the cause it is supporting.
Last month's quiz was based on Billboard's Hot 100's Top 100 of all time and there were enough lyrics from the bottom half of the list I decided to devote this month's quiz to the list. As always you need to put both artist and title in the comments section (or you can e-mail me) and if you are correct I will un-bold it and give you credit. The Lyrics Quiz is for entertainment purposes only so please do not use anything besides your own meandering mind to help you up with the answers (that mean no searching for the list to help you). Now onto the quiz:
1. When I can't sleep at night without holding you tight. Girl each time I try I just break down and cry. 2. She went to the doctor and got lypo with you're money. She walking around looking like Michael with you're money. (Gold Digger - Kanye West; guessed by Rebekah) 3. Know it's gonna drag you up into the light where you belong, but where do you belong. 4. She was pure like snowflake, no one can ever stain the memory of my Angel. (Centerfold - J. Geils Band; guessed by Rebekah) 5. So I decided to write you this song. Just to let you know exactly the way I feel. To let you know my love is real. 6. Saw him dancing there by the record machine. I knew he must have been about seventeen. (I Love Rock 'n Roll - Joan Jett and the Blackhearts; guessed by Rebekah) 7. Why double omp as I flow to the fly from the school of old. Hardcore kick the folk lore wreck. Three to the two and one mic-check, mad skill flow ill on the mesh of steel. 8. You're a whister of a summer breeze. You're a kiss that puts my soul at ease. What I'm saying is I'm to you. 9. I bet you're wondering how I knew 'bout your plans to make me blue. (I Heard it Through the Grapevine - Marvin Gaye; guessed by Rebekah) 10. When I first saw you, I saw love. And the first time you touched me, I felt love. 11. I gotta be down with the hood team. Too much television watching got me chasing dreams. 12. I wanna reach out annd grab ya. (Abracadabra - The Steve Miller Band; guessed by Taylor Blue) 13. People always told me be careful of what you do and don't go around breaking young girls' hearts. (Billie Jean - Michael Jackson; guessed by Rebekah) 14. Now first it wasn't easy changing Rock and Roll and minds. And things were getting shaky, I thought I'd have to leave it behind. 15. I had a dream I had an awesome dream. People in the park playing games in the dark. (Say You, Say Me - Lionel Richie; guessed by Rebekah) 16. Never gonna stop, give it up, such a dirty mind. I always get it up for the touch of the younger kind. (My Sharona - The Knack; guessed by Taylor Blue) 17. Yeah, once you get started you can't sit down. Come join the fun it's a merry go round. Everyone's dancing their troubles away. (All Night Long (All Night) - Lionel Richie; guessed by Taylor Blue) 18. It's been seven hours and fifteen days since you took your love away. (Nothing Compares 2 U - Sinéad O'Connor; guessed by Taylor Blue) 19. ...by the moon and the stars in the sky. ...like the shadow that's by your side. (I Swear - All 4 One; guessed by Taylor Blue) 20. Don't need no hateration, holleration in this dancery. 21. Now, I know it's right from the moment I wake up till deep in the night. There's no where on earth that I'd rather be than holding you, tenderly. 22. I felt all flushed with fever, embarrassed by the crowd. I felt he found my letters and read each one out loud. (Killing Me Softly with His Song - Roberta Flack; guessed by Rebekah) 23. When I was a young boy, said put away those young boy ways. Now that I'm gettin' older, so much older I love all those young boy days. (Hurt so Good - John Couger; guessed by Rebekah) 24. She reminds me of a west side story. Growing up in Spanish Harlem. She's living the life just like a movie star. (Maria, Maria - Santana; guessed by Taylor Blue) 25. But now I hold my head up high and you see me somebody new I'm not that chained up little person still in love with you. (I Will Survive - Gloria Gaynor; guessed by Rebekah)
Out today is the new album by Nikka Costa, Pebble to a Pearl, which I may have a review later this week (if not, a quick thought: her first Stax release is worthy of a release on that legendary record label). As for the one song of Costa’s that should be on your MP3 player is Like a Feather, a song that if there were a list of the greatest beats of this decades, this song would be in the discussion for the top spot.
For any music fan, you know a title of the 1000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die is worth a look. For novice fans, the book makes good suggestions ranging every musical genre you can think off. For the music fanatic you can read it to pick it apart, because even with a thousand entries, certainly everyone can come up with a least of a hundred recordings that should have been included in the list and a few that you make you scratch your head at their inclusion.
From his picture on the back of the book, it should be noted that author Tom Moon is of the Baby Boomer generation so naturally there is an overabundance of music from the sixties while Bob Dylan and the Beatles are more than represented. Okay old people, we get it, you really loved the Beatles, but really eight albums featuring the band members? Dylan landed four while a few ranked twice. Keep in mind Bruce Springsteen (Born to Run) and Pink Floyd (Dark Side of the Moon) and U2 (The Joshua Tree) only made the list once. I would really like Moon to justify just how Usher’s Confessions, Britney Spears’ Toxic and No Doubt’s Rock Steady (which isn’t even the band’s best work) rank higher than Born in the USA, Wish You Were Here and Achtung Baby.
I also am not sure if I should complain about the exclusion of any Eric Clapton album (seriously, no Slowhand), he does show up with Derek and the Dominos, Cream, John Mayall’s Blues Breakers, The Yardbirds, and Blind Faith. Where the sixties is well populated, looking at this book it is as the nineties didn’t exist unless you were a grunge band or a dead rapper. That did lead to possibly the best write up in the book for Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chamber) where Moon bizarrely starts up the review quoting poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge. But enough with the complaints of the selections because if I continued to nit-pick I would write a review that rivals the book’s 1007 pages.
116 of those pages are just indexes. But with indexes for Genre, Occasions (like Parties, Romance), Composers, and Performers. Although it would have been nice if they would have thrown in an extra five pages to list the recording chronologically. But each write up is well done even if Moon doesn’t seem to really understand any the music he included that release after 1980. Each recording also include Key Tracks, Catalog Choice, other works by the artist worth listening to, as well as Next Stop and After That, two recording that are related musically to selection worth checking out.
Easily the most interesting inclusion has to be The Grey Album by Danger Mouse considering that to listen to it you are technically breaking the law. For those unfamiliar, The Grey Album a mash up between The White Album by The Beatles (which of course is also listed) and The Black Album from Jay-Z (which is conspicuously missing from the list) that launched Danger Mouse into a succesful producer and one half of Gnarls Barkley.
But whatever type a music fan you are, there is plenty of gems to find in the book. And the short segment are perfect to have laying around when you only have short spurts of time to kill, as it is currently taking up space in my bathroom. Just keep in mind the 1007 page thick frame is a little cumbersome to hold at time, so the short spurts of reading is really ideal.
Aside from the reunion specials, the Of Love series were pretty much unwatchable. Yet some how their spin off shows Charm School and I Love Money were for the most part enjoyable. For the second go around it is the Bret Michaels cast-off who try to learn some class for a chance to win $100,000 on Rock of Love Girls: Charm School.
Mentoring the rock groupies for this season is Sharon Osborne who is as head scratching a choice as Mo’Nique for the Flavor Flav rejects. Although I’m not sure what is more bizarre, her mentoring girls are judging whether or not America has talent. At least Mo’Nique had a fashion magazine editor and a beauty contest judge by her side. For the Rock of Love Girls: Charm School, flanking Sharon are Riki Rachtman and the wife of former Guns n Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke.
Despite being married to Ozzy Osboure, a man who snorted ants cocaine style, needs subtitles when he speaks, and has a man backstage signing for him at his concerts whenever he forgets the words, you actually believe Sharon when she says the show is the hardest thing she has done in her life. And everyone you expect from the first two seasons of Rock of Love make an appearance including all the girls from I Love Money as well as the psycho red head and the black chick whom she got into it with. Also making an appearance is Jessica Kinni who is way to attractive to be having to slum it with a has been rocker who keeps his hair on with a bandana.
It is currently up in the air if the new season of Charm School will be better than the first. On one hand Lacey is in the running for most annoying reality contestant ever and the longer she stays on the show the less likely I will be to turn in. But on the other hand, this show could put us closer to the first ever reality show death where I truly believe show of these girls are capable of homicide and you cannot rule out alcohol poisoning (which begs the question, how is Ruthie from Real World: Hawaii the only reality star ever to get carted off to the hospital for this?).
Rock of Love: Charm School airs Sundays at 9:00 on VH1.
Quote of the Week: Leonard, you have to do something about Penny. She is interfering with my sleep, she is interfering with my work, and if I had another significant aspect of my life I’m sure she’d be interfering with that too. (Sheldon, The Big Bang Theory)
Song of the Week: Livin’ la Vida Loca - Ricky Martin (as sung by Earl Hickey; My Name Is Earl)
Big News of the Week: Chinese Democracy Gets a Street Date: Yeah, if I am not mistaken, this is the third “official” release date, but this may actually be the one as there is the gimmick of being a Best Buy exclusive. And keep in mind if the album does actually drop on November 26, everyone gets a free Dr. Pepper. Maybe a free can a pop for every American will be the catalyst to steer us away from this looming Depression. So I this time next year we are all swimming in money like Scrooge McDuck, we will have Axl Rose to thank.
Gratuitous Token Hot Chick Picture of the Week:
Coalition Links of the Week: Buzz spent some phone time with Lee Pace, whose delightful show you should really all be watching. (BuzzSugar)
GMMR is not a judgey judge. If Nathan Fillion wants to do porn then I'm going to support his aspirations . Have you seen PG Porn yet? (Give Me My Remote)
Marcia graded the new season of Heroes and decided it was thoroughly mediocre. (Pop Vultures)
Vance was on holidays in LA but still spent some time at The Office (with some pictures to prove it!). (Tapeworthy)
This week, Jace took an in-depth look at Season Two of 30 Rock on DVD and felt much better about the merits of that series than NBC's latest comedy effort, Kath & Kim. (Televisionary)
Aided by the lovely and charming Anne Hathaway, the gang at Saturday Night Live turned in one of the stronger episodes of the season thus far. (TiFaux)
The TV Addict explains why he's done with Heroes. (The TV Addict)
Raoul chatted with Anthony and Stephanie from The Amazing Race. (TV Filter)
The Big Bang Theory: This episode brought back some bad memories of a houseguest who was so obsessed with World of Warcraft they would go AFK to let their dog out instead their dog did her doggy business on my carpet (which still smells to this day). I dd a bit of revenge when their dog did their doggy business on their Christmas present last year. But that was quickly forgetting when Penny chopped Leonard’s head off. And here is to hoping that Sheldon never grasps the concept of sarcasm. You can stream current episodes over at Innertube. You can also download The Big Bang Theory on iTunes.
Chuck: For those keeping track at home, that is three different Huey Lewis and the News tracks in the first two episodes and personably I hope they cover their whole catalog over the course of the season because it is really time for a comeback from the band as teased by their contribution to Pineapple Express. And don’t tell me if you lived threw the eighties you don’t have Fore on cassette, just look between Thriller and Dancing on the Ceiling. But back to Chuck, I forgot to complain about it last week, but the Token hot Chick’s change in occupation is a bad idea to end all bad ideas because the Weinerlicuious costume may be the greatest thing ever. And to all the ladies out their, with Halloween coming up, keep the dream alive and dress up in your homemade Weinerlicious. And feel free to send me the pictures. You can stream current episodes over at NBC.com. You can also download Chuck on iTunes.
Heroes: There are shows that are out there that you need to turn off your brain to enjoy, which are fine in a comfort food version of television. But after this past week’s episode I have come to the realization that you need a lobotomy to enjoy Heroes. The show has managed to amass the dumbest cast of character ever. Like a couple weeks ago when Noah told the Haitian that he was going to find Sylar’s weakness and kill him. He told this to a guy who can neutralize other’s powers and erase their memory and didn’t think to utilize this and put a bullet in his brain. But the dumbest of the dumb has to be Osmosis Dude who forgets his powers when it is convenient for the plotline. He knows to stop Indestructible Girl’s bullet in the season premiere, but doesn’t this past week? And not only are the character not going to be invited to a MENSA meeting anytime soon, the writers apparently think we the viewers are morons too. How are we supposed to believe that Indestructible Girl and her gang were able to make it to California minutes after Osmosis Dude? Certainly the Speedster could, but don’t tell me she carried Indestructible Girl and He-Man all the way there. And how does He-Man get out of the house without a scratch yet the Speedster couldn’t. I can actually feel my IQ dropping while watching the show. You can stream current episodes over at NBC.com. You can also download Heroes on iTunes.
Pushing Daisies: It took a while to get into the episode just because how off putting Rachel Harris without her glasses was. I am kind of understanding how people couldn’t put two and two together with Clark Kent and Superman. Actually the episode never actually clicked. Maybe it was the long layoff but I am having a hard time getting back into the show. Then again the show rarely lives up to my Wonderfalls expectations. You can stream current episodes over at ABC.com.
My Name Is Earl: Didn’t the show already do the repeat a day again already before? Something about getting to jail on time. And couldn’t Earl realize the way to cross the guy off his list is to get his short term memory back? I guess they left it open so they can bring David Arquette back. Now if only they bring Norm MacDonald back. You can stream current episodes over at NBC.com. You can also download My Name Is Earl on iTunes.
Saturday Night Light Weekend Update Thursday: If the name wasn’t lame enough, did they really have to do the “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night” line? Plus it didn’t help that paroding the most boring thing ever on television to start things off. I am starting to think the second debate was the a repeat of the first but with Tom Brokaw’s face superimposed on Jim Leher. At least Bill Murray almost saved the skit with his pathetic Cubs question. Here’s hoping the Cubs truly never win another pennant so the Cubs fans never become unsufferable much like the Red Sox fans since 2002. (Go Rays!!!)
Everybody Hates Chris: For those that had Greg back with Chris and the under, go ahead and collect your money. Even I thought they would spead that out at least five episodes.
Free Download of the Week: My Own Worst Enemy (iTunes): Not entirely sure why it has taken so long for the show to premiere, but with all the ads during the Olympics I am actually already tired of the show before it even premieres.
Next Week Pick of the Week: Eli Stone, Tuesday at 10:00 on ABC: Last season’s feel good new show finally returns. Well as feel good as a show about an aneurism can be. The new season starts out with a bit of stunt casting including Sigorny Weaver, Katie Holmes, and Seal. Not scheduled to make an appearance is George Michael who not surprisingly found himself in some more legal problems.
Who knew that USA had other programs than wrestling? Apparently a lot of people who made the network’s mini-series The Starter Wife a hit. But it is safe to assume the people turning in to see Rowdy Roddy Piper were not the core audience of The Starter Wife. But hey, all characters are welcome on USA.
Thanks to the high rating and the Emmy win The Starter Wife becomes a full fledge series with another ten episodes added to its legacy. If you missed the series, it doesn’t seem you missed much as the mini series is summed up in a quick minute and a half. So Debra Messing (The Wedding Date) wakes up one morning to find her husband wants a divorce, naturally because she is on the wrong side of forty and he wants a younger model, making her a starter wife (natch). In returns she dates his boss and a homeless dude. No seriously. And at the start of the series she is ready to swear of men all together.
Being Los Angeles, Messing is of course flanked by Judy Davis (The Ref), an alcoholic friend and Chris Diamantopoulos (State of Mind) a gay interior designer. The show plays like an older, west coast version of Gossip Girl with Messing unexpectantly plays the gossip girl when she loses her diary that just happens to have sordid details of the socialites she runs into throughout it.
It may not have been the best idea in these economic time to start a show off with a person telling how she kept the economy strong by shopping at places like Golden Sachs. But then again I am a young(ish) straight dude from middle America who would rather watch The Iron Sheik put the Camel Clutch on other dudes. Although before I scare off all the guys out there, The Starter Wife does have gratuitous female nudity. Or at least as gratuitous nudity can get on basic cable.
The show does some entertaining parodies of movies like Mission Impossible and Davis’ work at a rehab center creates some decent laughs. But really, The Starter Wife is perfect for all the women out there that want to watch The Hills but think they are too old for it, well The Starter Wife should be right up your alley.
The Starter Wife airs Fridays at 9:00 on USA. You can download The Starter Wife on iTunes or on Amazon Video on Demand:
If you have been watching the baseball playoffs you have undoubtably know that Frank TV returns October 21 at 11:00 on TBS and I had a chance recently to chat with the Frank in Frank TV, Frank Caliendo. Here are some of the highlights:
Scooter: Seems like anyone has been talking about recently is politics, did you watch the debate last night? Frank: No because they don’t say anything so I find it kind of a waste of time. But I’m sure McCain say my friends at least thirty times and Barack Obama talked about change, those two things happened. I haven’t really watched much lately. I have been working on both lately a little bit more. I really hadn’t worked on either that much that far out and the one reason for that comes down to one word and that is Dukakis. Nobody really care about Michael Dukakis anymore. Nobody really cares when you lose. Even John Lovitz has said, “I think that was a waste of time.” So I just been working on Barack more because that is the way it looks to be swinging. I do general stuff, I try to stay away from policies and whatnot anyways.
Scooter: Regardless of who you are going to vote for, do you have a rooting interest on who gets elected from a comedic standpoint? Frank: I can pull off McCain quite a bit easier being a chubby Caucasian fellow. As far the gimicky goes, but on Frank TV we have Freddy Lockhart who does a doggone good Obama so we are covered either way. I have started working on that more and more, we will see what happens. I tend to wait it out, I’m kind of lazy. It’s like a book report. I’ll wait until the last thing and read the book and then write the book report the last night and that will be election night hopefully.
Scooter: I have seen the first three episodes of the new season and saw the Obama skit, I don’t want to say comedians are taking it easy on Obama, but he doesn’t seem as funny as Bush or Clinton. Is it hard finding that one thing? Frank: I don’t think we have seen the real Barack Obama, I don’t think we have seen the real John McCain either. These are two guys are trying to get elected. Everything changes after you see them more. Eight years ago they said there was nothing to do with George Bush and we definitely found a lot of things to do there. I think it just takes time. Camera are constantly on people when they are not expecting them now. They are kind of in control of that now because the media is totally on their side, or at least I feel Barack is kind of that way, not so much with McCain. But the media takes it real easy on Barack Obama. If you are president they start criticizing you. It’s like now you are there, what are you going to do? Everything changes, your game plan changes. The media tends to be a little more left than right. The Democratic candidate always tends to get it a little bit easier I think just by watching it. I have just been working with sports on NFL Fox and I am kind of used to that with the sports mentality. We can have a great week, and do a great comedy bit and next week they’ll go, well what’s next? It because sport, and even politics is “what have you doing now? You did that and that’s great but stop all the accolades and get onto the next thing.” That’s what Obama is saying about McCain, “Okay, we get what you’ve done, now what are you going to do?” I think that’s our society and I think that is what we look for, what are the answers. I don’t know if anyone has the answers right now and that’s why they keep trying to change the subject.
Scooter: Are you at all sad that you only have four more months left of Bush? Frank: I will do him forever. I will do less but nobody’s going to forget him, he will be around. Jimmy Carter is still around. Bill Clinton is still around. They always find stuff to do. They are always in the limelight somehow. I think that is the funniest question I get, “What are you going to do now that Bush is out of office?” Do you think we are going to forget about him? Two term presidents are around for a long time. Their first term is always interesting, the second term is typically scandal. Because they open up everything they have done wrong in the second half of it, Clinton, Bush. I think he’ll be around for a long time.
Scooter: You have already taped episodes up until election night, are you at all sad that you will miss out on the Palin stuff if McCain loses? Frank: No. I would not want to do anything right now anyways. I think Saturday Night Live has that, Tina Fey has that anyone else who is doing it looks like they are just copying that. Unfortunately that might not even be the case, but really Saturday Night Live has that cornered. You have millions of hits on YouTube and you have everyone in the media talking about one person’s impression, it would be kind of a waste to try and do it. I think that’s a bad move by some and I’m glad we’re not touching on Sarah Palin because I think it’s overdone already. Well not overdone, I just think Tina Fey has a hold on, I just think she got it as hers and people can try to do it ut they are not going to do it as well and the are going to compare them to Tina. So why even do it?
Scooter: Looking at the new season are there any new impressions you are doing? Frank: There are a bunch of people haven’t seen before, James Gandolfini, John McCain, we do some other character in there near the end like the white Chris Rock of Finland. All the people Freddy and Mike (MacRae), the new cast members do all that stuff people haven’t seen any of it before. They have a bunch of new stuff but I really can’t remember what most we do, it all tends to blur to me.
Scooter: About how long does it take you to come up with an impression, from the first time you go I want to try out this guy to you are confident enough to show people? Frank: Well it’s different. People when they think of impressions they think they have to be impersonations, but I really don’t think of it that way. I think if they are funny and they work well enough, that’s all it is. All you need to do is get the idea across. I don’t try to fool anybody, I don’t look like president Bush, I’m just Frank with a wig on. If it is part of my stand up act it is longer than something if we have a good premise for a sketch. It could take months and I can never get there, there are plenty of impressions that I can’t do. Barkley took me three months, that was quicker. I have been working on the Barack hard for a week or two now and have been working on him a little for months. McCain went pretty quickly. John Madden, if you look at him six years ago and you look at me do it now, it really sucked six years ago. It’s interesting how different it is. My job is basically I get paid to practice. So I am always doing it on stage and whatever and it just gets better overtime. It is easier to get get into the voice and keep it there the more you do it.
Scooter: Speaking of Barkley, do you run into him at Turner office party or events? Frank: There is a thing on YouTube with me and him talking on TNT (see below) and he’s a funny guy. Charles kind of likes me but he doesn’t think he acts like that. He really doesn’t act like that, the bit is really Charles says what he is thinking and in my bit it’s like taking Charles and making a little bit crazier and then saying what he’s thinking, that’s where the funny comes from is the goofiness of what he’s saying. Charles thinks of himself as a truth teller and I think as the Charles Barkley character that I do as a truth teller too it’s just that he’s a crazy truth teller.
Scooter: How long does it take you to get into the Barkley character with the make up and everything? Frank: Makeup’s probably three hours, it’s pretty much the same as Terry Bradshaw or Dr. Phil, anyone with a bald cap. What you don’t see is I’m really pretty pale, so any character is going to have a face whether it is Caucasian or an African American. They actually take about the same amount of time. People would think it would be different but it isn’t. It is really just a bald cap then putting on the makeup or other character it’s doing a nose or a beard. Charles has a little bit of a moustache, but that’s all we do with him.
Scooter: Do you have a favorite character that you do? Frank: Bush, Madden, Pacino. Barkley is fun because I can just call people knuckleheads all day long. When they become more than impressions and they become these goofy character like Pacino to me is not about Al Pacino anymore, it’s about this crazy guy who is amazed by everything. Bush is like a little kid type character. Both characters are more fun because there is more to do and you can do different things as opposed to something from a movie or being the actor. Like when you do a Robin Williams sketch, it kind of hard to find a sketch because all you can really do is be all over the place. There is really no take on that other than be crazy and wild and annoy somebody. I love doing the Robin Williams impression but it is hard to find something different to do to make sense and be organic.
Scooter: Are there any impressions you may have tried in the bathroom and you just thought, this is never going to see the light of day? Frank: Tons of them. I can’t even do a good Joe Pesci. I used to use Chris Berman as an example and now people go, (in a Berman voice) “Hey this is going to be a great football Sunday Jaws.” And they go, “well that was pretty good.” Well I can’t use that anymore. So there are plenty. Even like the Barack, it’s not that good yet. Do I do them in my act or on TV, no not really. Radio is really where I go to talk about it because you can bounce things off of people see what their reactions are and they can help you with it and actually structure and mold the impression kind of as you there like a work shop, sitting down with writers and making something better. Radio is really where I go to test things.
Scooter: What would you say was the easiest impression for you to get right off the bat? Frank: Barkley as of recent, that only took a few months to get it to a point where people were like, “wow, that was really good.” Most of the one’s I’m known for like Madden, those took time to get there, they are so much better now then they were just a short time ago. Also Keenu Reeves, all you have to go it, “whoa, that’s totally cool.” Some just come about then on accident like Jim Rome I was just (starts getting into Rome) talking like this, not even trying to do it, guess what, became incredible. How great is that? (Back to normal voice) If the cadence is good, for some reason some cadences are just easier.
Scooter: What kind of television do you watch? Frank: I seem to be attracted to death shows. I don’t watch any comedy really, I always watch legal things, Raising the Bar on TNT. I tend to watch the legal type shows, CSI’s, Law and Order’s, that kind of stuff. I like twists and plots and comedy, most of the time I can see most of what’s coming in comedy. Being in the business it is kind of a curse knowing how they are put together. That would be my answer, lots of old cartoons like the Super Friends can never hurt.
![Terror Alert Level: High [ORANGE]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhebDZ0qqwOVKMZj7oFSUe8Hm3ax54U9Hp1fThJPgiddTyzcdwx_5SV6E3b7hkKyxbaDiym4COmUXT2YJnsKCUjBHI_a2xZtNoY7qFQRslP5AGO5gLkJwn2ZbO0wIF80ycbKrgPPA/s400/small_high.png)
on my Terror Alert Scale.
![Terror Alert Level: Elevated [YELLOW]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6-iVFV0hXCTSYP16K_V0Rrxp3GqFrtBIJKeTUyQ2LpxZQ9XKHFj6QGtqqa7oxhLadLV8vUj8R84AftD8IKUSfN0u_u0CYDtJwhrpCPN2DBWquAIDv0jbVlhZL0mDFKlPKluGyxw/s400/small_elevated.png)
on my ![Terror Alert Level: Guarded [BLUE]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzCbHfExiuXqojow1zxkBUX6j-9BHg9IyrfzqR77jnja2Xq6dbv-7iiqMFzp_UKXGcUF9FyAHqCkNxa5uitXa5Xu2Q1OboN9-TLjsaeI1a2eoGLORU4vkTQ54l1C-_cZyn81QHyQ/s400/small_guarded.png)
on my Terror Alert Scale.
Pushing Daisies: It took a while to get into the episode just because how off putting Rachel Harris without her glasses was. I am kind of understanding how people couldn’t put two and two together with Clark Kent and Superman. Actually the episode never actually clicked. Maybe it was the long layoff but I am having a hard time getting back into the show. Then again the show rarely lives up to my Wonderfalls expectations. You can stream current episodes over at 
) wakes up one morning to find her husband wants a divorce, naturally because she is on the wrong side of forty and he wants a younger model, making her a starter wife (natch). In returns she dates his boss and a homeless dude. No seriously. And at the start of the series she is ready to swear of men all together.
), an alcoholic friend and Chris Diamantopoulos (State of Mind) a gay interior designer. The show plays like an older, west coast version of 
with Messing unexpectantly plays the gossip girl when she loses her diary that just happens to have sordid details of the socialites she runs into throughout it.
and Davis’ work at a rehab center creates some decent laughs. But really, The Starter Wife is perfect for all the women out there that want to watch 
but think they are too old for it, well The Starter Wife should be right up your alley.
