There are very few recurring television moments that instantly grab my undivided attention: seeing an undead Billy Mays still pitching Oxy-Clean, Twilight Zone episodes that pwn Nazis, late night Skinemax.
Now you can add Don Rickles to that list. He's become a staple of late night during the early Tonight Show because he's engaging, colorful and damn funny. Every time he stops in at Letterman's Late Show, I have to stop what I'm doing and watch and that includes running a pregnant friend to the hospital, although it does ruin some of the comedy for me. All that screaming.
He's also great at roasts, not because he's a great insult comic but because he can be just as down to Earth and genuine with the people he's skewering. His best roast is one that never made it to television: a roast of Get Smart's Don Adams at the Playboy Mansion.
GetSmart-related stories
Don vs. Don: Rickles roasts Adams
Seven greatest hand cannons in TV history
There are a lot of really horrible things that have put America on the map: Jerry Springer, our ability to infuse anything edible with cheese, the fact that we're probably working on infusing something inedible with cheese. Guns, however, shouldn't be one of them. The Second Amendment stands as one of many great testaments to the idea of freedom that our forefathers envisioned for their people. They felt a government should trust their people with great responsibility if they truly believed in the concept of freedom and democracy.
Sure, if they came to the present and saw that we primarily use that responsibility for hunting moose from helicopters and negotiating with the Domino's guy they might take it right back, but the idea is what's important.
So to celebrate one of America's latest of many birthday to come because fireworks are technically illegal in my neck of the woods, here are your TV's seven greatest guns.
Continue reading Seven greatest hand cannons in TV history
On the 10th day of Festivus, TV gave to me ...
... Ten shows on DVDSince there are twelve shows a-stinkin' on TV this year (well, that's the low estimate), you might be glad to hear that 2008 brought us some spectacular TV on DVD. You knew there had to be a bright spot, right?
Whether you want to re-watch your favorite classic shows from the '50s or '60s (or earlier), or catch up on one of the hottest shows on current TV (yeah, there are a few) by starting with the first season, they've been released on DVD in 2008. It was actually hard to pick just ten, but for better or for worse, here are my picks:
Continue reading On the 10th day of Festivus, TV gave to me ...
Get Smart on the big screen - a movie review
I went to see Get Smart the other day. Judging by the box office numbers, I wasn't alone. Of course, I was curious about how one of my favorite TV shows from the '60s would be translated to the big screen. Would it be an inventive retelling in the tradition of The Fugitive, Maverick and The Addam's Family, or would it make me want to weep in horror like the dreadful I Spy, Bewitched, The Wild, Wild West and The Avengers? (And that's only the tip of the awful iceberg).Would you believe it if I told you Get Smart falls somewhere in between? I could use the line many other reviewers have copped; you know, "The new Get Smart missed it by that much." Yes, well, it's true. Get Smart is not great on the big screen. It's okay. Nothing too shameful, but neither is it that inspired or wickedly built on the premise of the original situation comedy.
Gallery: Get Smart-The Movie
Continue reading Get Smart on the big screen - a movie review
The Daily Show: June 18, 2008 - VIDEOS
"White Stuff on Mars": New discoveries on Mars make room for coke jokes and groantastic puns.There Will Be Flood"/"Wet Hot American Bummer" (HA!): Much of the Midwest is currently underwater, due to storms, failing levies and acts of not-God. Reporters are already looking for the most dramatic ways to demonstrate the severity of the situation, and President Bush is obviously dreading a visit to the disaster area. Correspondents Jason Jones and Wyatt Cenac reported from a flooded scene, just to dig up some of that dated "George Bush doesn't care about black people" stuff. I guess they had to do it now, as mentioning it in the next night's episode may have been a little weird, what with Mike Meyers being the guest and all. I'm waiting for Wyatt to do his own correspondent field report before I decide how I feel about him. I'm kind of liking his perpetual angry-face, though. And did the audience know for what they were applauding? It sounded like more blind, trained seal clapping.
Continue reading The Daily Show: June 18, 2008 - VIDEOS
Comic-Con: Warner Bros. Panel Report
Friday at Comic-Con got underway with the Warner Brothers presentation. The swag bag included a Get Smart t-shirt with "KAOS" written on one side and "CONTROL" on the other. Not so surprisingly, no one under the age of 20 seemed to know what this meant, but Warner Brothers needn't worry because the kids love The Rock. And, because this is Comic-Con, The Rock (Agent 23) put in an appearance along with his Get Smart co-stars Steve Carrell, Masi "unofficial Comic-Con poster boy" Oka, Studio 60's Nate Torrence and Borat's Ken Davitian mercifully wearing pants.
Continue reading Comic-Con: Warner Bros. Panel Report
Out of the Blogosphere
A little bit of new info on the Katiegate case. - Dancing with the Stars is unfair to those with two good legs.
- This week's wacky TV news video...involving vastectomies.
- I still don't understand Keith Olbermann's constant attacks on Anderson Cooper. [via Radar]
- If you want a star for your next birthday and David Hasselhoff is busy, maybe you can get this guy.
- What is Justin.TV? [via Pop Candy]
- TeeVee.org isn't happy about Andy Barker, P.I. being canceled either.
- Here's some behind the scenes info on that Get Smart movie, starring Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway and Alan Arkin.
Get Smart coming to theaters
Hollywood has yet again dipped into the Pot of Unoriginal Ideas with the Ladle of Mediocrity, so hold out your bowls like poor Dickensian orphans, America for a steaming pile of Get Smart, the movie.
Perhaps with Steve Carell cast in the role originally made famous by the late Don Adams, this movie might be worth seeing, but when is the incessant retooling of old TV shows into feature films going to stop? Has the entertainment system become so masturbatory that it can't even look beyond itself anymore for fresh, new ideas?
At any rate, it was reported recently that Anne Hathaway has also been added to the cast in the role of Agent 99. Peter Segal (Tommy Boy, 50 First Dates) is directing the film, which begins shooting in March.
New TV on DVD releases today
The Adventures of Superman - Seasons 5 and 6- The Bugs Bunny/Loony Tunes Hour - Golden Collection, Vol. 4
- CSI - Season 6
- Columbo - Seasons 6 and 7
- DuckTales - Vol. 2
- Family Guy - Vol. 4
- Friends - Complete Series
- Get Smart - Complete Series
- Home Improvement - Season 5
- Homicide - Complete Series
- Lois & Clark - Season 4
- NCIS - Season 2
- Northern Exposure - Season 5
- Quantum Leap - Season 5
- Reba - Season 4
- Six Feet Under - Complete Series
- That Girl - Season 2
- Third Rock From The Sun - Season 6
The TV Squad Podcast: Vik Sahay of Chuck, Oprah talk, brutal timeslots, and more!
TV Squad Ten: Top Ten ESPN shows from worst to first
Andy Richter: The TV Squad Interview
