The Jay Leno Show has taken a bit of a beating from viewers and critics, but my household has been watching, and we like the show. Sure, there are parts of it that fall a little flat (like, ok, The Real Housewives of Orange County bit last night; Jason didn't like it either), but overall, Jay's pretty funny no matter what he's doing, and we enjoy the show.
One of the bits we like is 10@10, the part where Jay gets celebrities on his screen and asks them ten questions about anything. In last night's episode, he caught up with Billy Crystal, currently in Philadelphia touring with his show, 700 Sundays.
The late night talk show process hasn't been refined in any major way since the early days of The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Well there is Carson Daly's show, but I don't count that as a late night talk show ... or a show, for that matter.
You've got your monologue, your one or two comedy bits or sketches and banter with the band and the sidekick, throw in two or three guests, end with a musical performance and you're done. It's comedy by the numbers that works as long as the comedy is funny.
So it's refreshing to see Jay Leno and company retooling the format of the bit, even if the result still screams of the old show. It's also nice to see a show that knows and plays on Leno's strengths and weaknesses as a comedian and a talk show host with the skills of an NFL offensive coordinator, even if it sometimes feels as though that offensive coordinator works for the Detroit Lions.
AMC's Storymakersreturns this Friday with guests including Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz, as well as film directors Nick Cassavetes and Judd Apatow. The show features a round table discussion with the guests and hosts Peter Bart, former editor-in-chief of Variety, and film producer Peter Guber.
I've never seen the show, but I'll definitely catch this Friday's episode. I can't wait to see what the dynamic is like between two great but very different filmmakers like Cassavetes and Apatow, and two pampered stars like Cruise and Diaz.
(S34E16) It was pretty obvious there was going to be at least two sketches with the Jonas Brothers. I called it! I mean, no one apart from the people in my apartment know I called it, but that doesn't change the facts or my sad sense of accomplishment. I had to tune out once they started singing (sorry, 15 year-old girls), but their skits were all right. Alec Baldwin did a fine job of hosting as well, though there weren't any particularly striking sketches. I suppose after doing something like "Schwetty Balls", just about everything else will pale in comparison.
Hey, Brigitte here with TV Squad Daily. I'll be covering the TV stories I find interesting each day, Monday through Friday, in this video blog.
Today on TV Squad Daily:
Mindfreak's Criss Angel is doing damage control about his relationship with Cameron Diaz. Cameron Diaz doesn't need this kind of drama - she just wants to be friends.
The Apprentice is coming back? Was there a candy bar campaign I didn't know about?
Miss New Jersey received another package of blackmail photos, and won't talk about what's in them except to say they contain nothing illegal.
CBS put their regular programming on hold last night so they could show the 33rd Annual People's Choice Awards. Hosted by Queen Latifah, the show gives awards based on public internet voting. As that is the case, these awards track with the Nielsen ratings more than most. Case in point, the award for Television Comedy went to Two And A Half Men. Top rated for a couple years now, but it can't seem to get any press unless Charlie Sheen is divorcing someone or hiring a hooker.
Most of the other television awards followed similar lines. The award for Best Drama went to Grey's Anatomy. Best Actor was Patrick Dempsey (Grey's Anatomy). Best Actress went to Eva Longoria (Desperate Housewives). Best Competition/Reality show was, of course, American Idol. Best Animated Show was The Simpsons. The only real surprise came in the new categories. Best New Drama was Heroes, which isn't a surprise, but Best New Comedy, The Class? I didn't see that one coming. The television awards were rounded out with Ellen Degeneres winning Best Talk Show Host.
The late night talk show process hasn't been refined in any major way since the early days of The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. Well there is Carson Daly's show, but I don't count that as a late night talk show ... or a show, for that matter. 
AMC's 
CBS put their regular programming on hold last night so they could show the 
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