TVSquad

"Gore & Peace": In case you haven't heard already, Al Gore won the Nobel Peace Prize for his work with An Inconvenient Truth. Some members of the media aren't too happy about it, namely FOX News and its team of whiny, whiny newscasters. Sure, Gore with a PowerPoint, but there's got to be a better way to talk it out, FOX News.

Senior Peacetime Correspondent John Oliver talked about how Al Gore is just using this award as a personal bitchslap to President Bush. Oh, John Oliver, how I love thee. The Mandelicatessen is absolutely the greatest restaurant idea I have ever heard. "If it isn't delicious, then throw me back in jail!"

The always lovable Tony Snow shared some more stuff about the never-ending Alberto Gonzalez business. Apparently, the firings were not based on performance and, not only that, Snow claimed that he never said the firings were based on performance in the first place. You'd think that, by now, these folks would be more careful in claiming what they have or haven't said in the past because The Daily Show has magical montage-making abilities to highlight contradictions. And I think Tony Snow was actually wearing the same tie in those contradicting clips. I have no idea why, but I feel like that's insult to injury... As if the tie should have the memory of his speech from three months ago. Perhaps this is a sign I need sleep.

"M*E*S*S: General Admission": Jokes about Barbara Bush and Brazilian wax jobs? Ahh! Do not want! Scooter Libby, distract me! Senior Military Analyst John Oliver stopped by to talk about supporting our troops and to show off his kick-ass magnet-covered car. Wait. That wasn't John Oliver... That was Rob Riggle! It looks like they've managed to do an episode without their favorite snarky British correspondent. Just for a bit of fun, I'm going to see how long they can stay away...

Episodes since last John Oliver appearance: 1

... a great TV moment

I remember. It was the evening of April 29th, and I had opted out of attending a major social event to watch, of all things, C-SPAN. Honestly, it felt a little pathetic. Well, not "a little". It felt really pathetic. Little did I know that I, sitting in front of the television with my laptop resting on my tacky pajama bottoms, would soon be witnessing something remarkable.

Tonight, Countdown with Keith Olbermann had hilarious video of new White House Press Secretary Tony Snow playing in his band, Beats Workin'. What kind of band? Well, the website says they play '60s, '70s, and '80s rock music. Their song list includes Eric Clapton, Beatles, Grateful Dead, Eagles, Chuck Berry and so on.

What was so funny about the video was that Tony Snow was playing lead flute... just like Ron Burgundy on Anchorman (Keith and I said it out loud at virtually the same time). Unfortunately, the video is not up on YouTube. Not yet, anyway.

Adding fuel to the fire about FOX Newschannel's political affiliations, FOX personality Tony Snow has reportedly accepted the Press Secretary position at the White House. The rumblings of this possibility started last week. His appointment to replace Scott McClellan is supposed to be made official Wednesday morning. I fully expect the rest of the press to essentially freak out and suggest that Snow's appointment will mean more exclusives and tips for FOX News. A valid concern, really.

Snow is less of a news anchor and more of a talking head and political analyst. He was a speech writer for the first President Bush in 1991, and a nationally syndicated columnist for The Detroit News and USA Today. It's also worth noting that Snow is currently battling colon cancer.

Putting this guy in the hot seat should be interesting, to say the least. He's used to pontificating in front of cameras and probably doesn't mind getting in the faces of reporters. He's bound to be more animated than McClellan, the White House robot whose only directive is to 'stay on message'.

As the White House staff shakeup continues a name has been mentioned as a replacement for outgoing Press Secretary Scott McClellan: FOX News Channel weekend anchor and political analyst Tony Snow.

Snow, who was previously a speech writer for the elder president Bush, is currently in negotiations with White House officials to take over the position. The New York Times is reporting that Snow is also waiting for a clean bill of health from his doctors (he had surgery for colon cancer in 2005) before he makes a final decision.

Snow is not the first personality to leave politics then jump back in again. Back in the early 1970's Fred Dalton Thompson was an active lawyer during the Watergate hearings. He then appeared in such television shows as Wiseguy, China Beach, and Roseanne and the movies Die Hard 2 and The Hunt For Red October before returning to politics as Senator of Tennessee from 1994 til 2003. He is currently playing Attorney General Arthur Branch on Law & Order.

[via the New York Times]