There's a difference between cheap, tawdry publicity stunts that are (pop) culturally significant and those that are just, well, cheap and tawdry. An example of the former is Madonna's infamous VMA performance from 2003 in which she performed and locked lips with not only Christina Aguilera, but Britney Spears as well. An example of the latter would be basically anything involving Katy Perry.
if you've walked past a TV, into a retail store or gotten into a car this summer, chances are you've heard Katy Perry's single, "I Kissed a Girl." There's an even bigger chance that if you just read that sentence, "I Kissed a Girl" is now going to be stuck in your head for the rest of the day. Perry is performing that song during this year's VMA telecast on September 7th, and if you haven't already guessed, she's looking for a girl to kiss.
As my late friend Adam Finley reported last month, Ryan Seacrest has been picked to host this year's Emmy Awards. I'm sure that most of you, like me, have already spent enough time lamenting the fact that Seacrest really has no business hosting a show like The Emmys. I guess the producers thought that after American Idoland America's Top 40, The Emmys were the next logical step.
Well, now the producers have decided that Seacrest hosting wasn't bad enough, there's a chance that he may do a number at the beginning of the show.
No, it's not the start of a dumb joke. I'm sincerely asking you good folks at TVS the question, because it seems like the answer would be the same since Thomas Edison invented the electric light bulb: about half a second.
Somehow, NBC executives think it takes a lot longer than that: an hour, to be exact. That's how long tonight's special, Christmas in Rockefeller Center, will last. The 74th Rock Center tree-lighting ceremony, hosted by Ann Curry and Al Roker, will be padded with performances Christina Aguilera, Taylor Hicks, Enya, John Legend, Sarah McLachlan, and others. If you live in the New York area, you'll actually get two hours to bask in the tree's darkness; WNBC will begin airing their special at 7, and the rest of the country will join them at 8. And you thought New Yorkers moved faster than the rest of the country.
Anyway, all the performances lead up to the climactic last thirty seconds of the show, when [SPOILER ALERT!] the tree will be lit. Not sure what they're going to do with the last twenty-nine-and-a-half seconds, but I'm sure they'll think of something.
Man, that must have been a hell of an after-party Saturday night, huh?
Saturday's episode, hosted by Alec Baldwin, set the record for guest cameos: Tracy Morgan, Tina Fey, Steve Martin, Martin Short, Tony Bennett, and Paul McCartney all showed up to help bring some juice to what turned out to be a middling episode (the Nancy Pelosi sketch and the Baldwin/Martin sketch were good, as was Alec's line, "Bobby McFerrin raped my grandmother," but that was about it). Some of the participants, like Short and McCartney, were true surprises, but the others weren't. Why? Because NBC's promotions department are a bunch of putzes, that's why.
Alec Baldwin is probably one of the funniest guests ever to host Saturday Night Live and he's making a return visit this weekend. On top of promoting his (freakin' hilarious!) role on 30 Rock, Baldwin is also in half the movies in the theaters this holiday season, including The Departed, Running with Scissors and The Good Shepherd. He'll make his 13th appearance on the show this Saturday, November 11th, along with musical guest Christina Aguilera.
Baldwin has been in some classic SNL sketches-- "Cantine Boy" and "Schwetty Balls" come to mind-- so hopefully we'll be treated to a new classic. He makes a great guest because he commits to his roles 100% and he's up for anything.
Also this month, Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges will play the dual role of host and musical guest. His episode airs November 18th.
Clark was on the show last year after missing the 2004 show because of a stroke, and he'll be back to co-host New Year's Rockin' Eve as ABC rings in 2007 and the ball drops in Times Square. (The pic on the right is from this year's Emmy Awards, when he got a special award from Barry Manilow.)
That's the good news. The bad news? He'll have to ring in the New Year with Ryan Seacrest, Christina Aguilera, and a hundred young people who actually filmed their dance segments days if not weeks ago.
Well, "rock" is a relative term here. Dr. Phil McGraw, noted "expert" on every aspect of people's lives, will appear at a benefit concert with Christina Aguilera, Andrea Bocelli, Kenny Chesney, Sara Evans, and Martina McBride (see? Not a rock star in the bunch) to raise money for after-school programs. The concert, nerdily dubbed JCPenney Jam, will air on CBS on August 22.
Sounds like it's gonna suck. Oh, well. At least it's for a good cause.
For lack of a better word or description, last night's show was weird and anti-climatic. At first, I was really excited about the contestants doing modern hits from the last 6 years, but then...nothing happened. I kept waiting for that one really great performance that would put the show into overdrive, but it never came.
First off, the show was cut down to a hour last night since there are only 10 contestants left. This made everything feel very rushed. It felt less like a national hit show and more like a filler before House came on. Secondly, all the judges were in agreement last night, and yet they were still fighting. Always weird. Thirdly, lack of time translated into lack of Seacrest zingers. Seacrest zingers are always the cheesiest of zings, and yet, I miss them when they're gone. It's like getting a dollar every year in your birthday card from Grandma. A dollar doesn't get you much (heck, it doesn't get you anything), but that first year when it's not in there...it burns. Finally, I think Kevin might have been eliminated prematurely. I'm convinced that if given the chance, he would have performed Britney Spears' "Toxic" and it would have been the best thing to happen to American Idol since Bobby sung the praises of the Copacabana.
There's a difference between cheap, tawdry publicity stunts that are (pop) culturally significant and those that are just, well, cheap and tawdry. An example of the former is Madonna's infamous VMA performance from 2003 in which she performed and locked lips with not only Christina Aguilera, but Britney Spears as well. An example of the latter would be basically anything involving Katy Perry.
As my late friend Adam Finley reported last month, 
No, it's not the start of a dumb joke. I'm sincerely asking you good folks at TVS the question, because it seems like the answer would be the same since Thomas Edison invented the electric light bulb: about half a second.
Man, that must have been a hell of an after-party Saturday night, huh?
Alec Baldwin is probably one of the funniest guests ever to host Saturday Night Live and he's making a return visit this weekend. On top of promoting his (freakin' hilarious!) role on 30 Rock, Baldwin is also in half the movies in the theaters this holiday season, including The Departed, Running with Scissors and The Good Shepherd. He'll make his 13th appearance on the show this Saturday, November 11th, along with musical guest Christina Aguilera. 
Dick Clark 
Well, "rock" is a relative term here. Dr. Phil McGraw, noted "expert" on every aspect of people's lives, will appear at a benefit concert with Christina Aguilera, Andrea Bocelli, Kenny Chesney, Sara Evans, and Martina McBride (see? Not a rock star in the bunch) to raise money for after-school programs. The concert, nerdily dubbed 
For lack of a better word or description, last night's show was weird and anti-climatic. At first, I was really excited about the contestants doing modern hits from the last 6 years, but then...nothing happened. I kept waiting for that one really great performance that would put the show into overdrive, but it never came. 
The TV characters you can (or can't) trust with your money
Giveaway Monday: That '70s Show The Complete Series Stash box set
Giveaway Monday: Back to You season one DVD
