Every year, The Boston Phoenix publishes a list of the 100 Unsexiest Men of the Year, where they judge 100 males involved in everything from sports to politics to the internet. They always include several TV faces (and other body parts), and this year they've included a cartoon character.
No, not Dr. Phil, though he is a bit of a cartoon. The "doctor" is on the list, but the cartoon character I'm talking about is Quagmire, from Family Guy. The Phoenix sends a note to creator Seth MacFarlane that "nothing screams hilarity like jokes about date rape!" Giggity.
So, AOL TV did a poll about America's favorite talk show hosts and 1.3 million people made their feelings known. Interesting results. I didn't agree with some of them, like who I like waking up with. Diane Sawyer was the top choice, but I'd go for the second place finisher, Matt Lauer. As for whom to go to bed with -- TV talk show wise, that is -- I can't believe most of the people chose Jay Leno. Is he really that popular? I prefer David Letterman; I'm a sucker for the Top Ten lists.
ABC has a new Cavemen at 8, followed by new episodes of Carpoolers, Dancing with the Stars, and Boston Legal.
CBS has new episodes of NCIS, The Unit, and Cane.
NBC has the special Matt Lauer Reports (an interview with Senator Larry Craig) at 8, and then new episodes of The Biggest Loser and Law and Order: SVU.
The CW has a new Beauty and the Geek at 8, then a new Reaper.
There's a new Nova on PBS at 8, followed by a new Frontline.
ESPN has two new eps of The World Series of Poker starting at 8, then a new Contender.
HBO has a new Five Days at 9.
History Channel has a new Mega Disasters at 9.
At 9:45, TCM has the special Vitaphone Shorts.
At 10, Food Network has a new Ace of Cakes, followed by the series premiere of Two Dudes Catering.
From the Things I Don't Understand file: NBC is selling video of Matt Lauer's interview with Prince William and Prince Harry on iTunes, even though the entire interview is available on MSNBC.com for free.
Now, before you say "nobody would buy that," please note that the $1.99 video is the number two TV video on iTunes right now, right behind video of the recent Miss Universe Pageant. Just kidding. Actually, number one right now is the latest episode of Starter Wife. The rest of the top 10: recent eps of The Office, Lil' Bush, The Starter Wife, Kyle XY, The Starter Wife, Hannah Montana, Stargate: SG-1, and Studio 60.
I guess if you buy it from iTunes you can keep it forever and watch it over and over and over.
Don Imus is obviously old school in his thoughts and prejudices. If he were more in tune with popular culture and current social mores, he might have realized that you can only get away with making disparaging remarks about one person's hair. And that is Sanjaya Malakar.
It would have yielded Imus equal amounts of publicity for his show and his name would not be on the tip of Al Sharpton's tongue. He could have also been a foil for the tone-deaf Jennifer Lopez, who couldn't get enough of her Spanish-singing crooner, Sanjaya, on American Idol last night.
After 27 days, Britney Spears is out of rehab and on the loose. No doubt the paparazzi will be hounding her more than ever, but you know that the traditional media-types are also calling for the story. At some point, Britney will talk. Was she an alcoholic? Was it drugs? Exhaustion? Or post-partum depression? Inquiring minds need to know!
But, who will she talk to? The options are varied. She could go to Oprah or Barbara Walters-- those two would be the biggies. Katie Couric is no doubt calling. And Matt Lauer. And Diane Sawyer. People magazine is a possibility, or maybe even something a little more upscale like Vanity Fair. There's always David Letterman, who frequently gets surprise visits from Britney. (Although, that would be a big letdown because ol' Dave will probably let her off the hook after a joke or two)
If that's fat, then I am too, but I don't wear tacky swimsuits...
It seems like karma is hitting models in the derriere. Some have bigger ones than others and like to slap them on their syndicated talk shows. After years of inspiring legions of young women to starve themselves to attain that stick figure physique, why are you fake crying now? Did you think we'd conveniently forget that you've made your career pushing the skinny ideal in your career and on the career of others on America's Next Top Model? If you truly wanted to change the perception of American media, you would have let Toccarra win her cycle. We know that didn't happen.
But please, Ms. Bankable Productions. Spare me your disingenuous tears...
That's the theory pushed by veteran TV critic Tom Shales in this piece over at TV Week. The numbers for the Today Show are declining, and Shales thinks that the reasons are twofold. One, viewers haven't warmed up to Meredith Vieira since she took over for Katie Couric. And two, he actually thinks that Matt Lauer is trying to sabotage her work:
If viewers haven't hugely warmed up to Vieira, then part of the reason may be misbehavior by her hammy co-host. Repeatedly and perhaps vindictively, Matt has seemed intent on tripping Vieira up on the air-interrupting, hogging the spotlight, cold-shouldering her, subtly putting her down. Matt perhaps doesn't want to be outshone by a woman once again.
I don't watch the show as much as I used to so I have no idea if this is true or not. Readers?
Shales also doesn't have kind words for the pairing of Diane Sawyer and Robin Roberts over at Good Morning America.
Probably the least-surprising news to come out of yesterday's NBC sessions was that the network is going to expand Today to a fourth hour. NBC News president Steve Capus and Today executive producer Jim Bell paneled with Matt Lauer, Meredith Vieira, Al Roker, and Ann Curry to discuss the move as well as the show's year of transition.
Of course, the show's signature easy-going goofiness was in evidence. Matt Lauer: "I see you all typing away on your laptops, and I'm not going to tell you what your headline should be. But the headline we think should be 'Today show crew boringly happy.'" Meredith joked about kissing a monkey on the show earlier that morning: "I can't get over the fact I kissed a monkey this morning. I initiated it, and quite frankly, I can't stop thinking about it."
So, before I drove down to Rich's homestead this morning, I decided to flip on the Today show to see what they were doing for Christmas. To my surprise, the entire crew was there: Matt, Meredith, Al, Ann... even Natalie was sitting on the couch, an unusual thing to see before 9 AM. I thought that was a nice gesture on the crew's part, spending Christmas with America before going back to their families. They even said as much, saying they were going to return home to help their families celebrate after the show was over.
Then they turned things over to Lisa Daniels, who was sitting in a separate studio, to do the news and weather. Which is when it hit me: This wasn't live! I mean, think about it: Ann and Al were there in the studio. Why weren't they doing the news and weather, like they do the rest of the year? Because they probably taped the show two weeks ago, before Matt Lauer and Natalie Morales left on vacation, and they figured viewers would be too awash in wrapping paper and gingerbread to really notice or care.
They're probably right. But why assume the worst about the audience? Tell them up front that the show is on tape; I don't think we'd think any less of Today because everyone decided to take a day off on Christmas. I'd rather be dealt with honestly than treated like an idiot, wouldn't you?
Or maybe America isn't asking why. If the ratings are there, then they must be watching. But I have to wonder: what the hell do these people do that they are watching so many hours of The Today Show in the morning? I mean, I work from home and write about TV, and even I can't imagine having any interest in it. Though I guess I'm not the demographic they're shooting for.
But it's probably coming in 2007. Matt and Meredith won't host it though, and neither would Al or Ann. It would probably go to Access Hollywood'sBilly Bush and maybe a co-anchor.
If they actually do a fourth hour of the show, I really hope they have more celebrity interviews! And cooking demonstations! And maybe makeup tips and fashion segments!
The end of sweeps last week marked Today's eleventh consecutive year as the number one morning news program in the nation. The big ratings all started in 1995, when Bryant Gumbel and Katie Couric hosted together. The addition of Matt Lauer in 1997 only strengthened the show's ratings. And now, with Katie gone to CBS, the addition of Meredith Vieira seems to be fine with viewers. In fact, they seem to really like her since about 20,000 more people are watching Today than they were at this time last year.
Why is Today still number one? I think it's simply tradition. Today was the first of its kind. Good Morning America and The Early Show both are copycats of the successful format but neither show has ever been able to match Today. Even now, the anchors on Today all seem much more relaxed. The show seems to flow much smoother than Good Morning America, which is legendary for its awkward transitions, and The Early Show, which constantly seems to be fumbling. Also, NBC has 'hosts', while the other networks have 'anchors'. NBC gets that the morning programs stopped being about news a long time ago.
Today show host Matt Lauer and on-again, off-again wife Annette welcomed a son to the world on November 28th. The little tyke's name is Thijs (a common Dutch name which is pronounced "Tice") and he arrived at 9:37 in the morning weighing in at 7lbs. 4oz.
This is the third child for Lauer and his wife, who were married in 1998 and thought to have split up earlier this year (cooler heads prevailed, I guess). They have two other children: five-year-old Jack Matthew and 3-year-old Romy. Here's hoping that this third child isn't brought up in a divided household.
Every year, The Boston Phoenix publishes a list of the 100 Unsexiest Men of the Year, where they judge 100 males involved in everything from sports to politics to the internet. They always include several TV faces (and other body parts), and this year they've included a cartoon character. 
So, AOL TV did a poll about 
At 8, FOX has the Red Sox/Indians game. 
From the Things I Don't Understand file: NBC is 
So Bob Barker is gone from The Price Is Right. Check out the 
Don Imus is obviously old school in his thoughts and prejudices. If he were more in tune with popular culture and current social mores, he might have realized that you can only get away with making disparaging remarks about one person's hair. And that is Sanjaya Malakar.
After 27 days, Britney Spears 
That's the theory pushed by veteran TV critic Tom Shales in 
Probably the least-surprising news to come out of yesterday's NBC sessions was that the network is going to expand Today to a fourth hour. NBC News president Steve Capus and Today executive producer Jim Bell paneled with Matt Lauer, Meredith Vieira, Al Roker, and Ann Curry to discuss the move as well as the show's year of transition.
So, before I drove down to Rich's homestead this morning, I decided to flip on the Today show to see what they were doing for Christmas. To my surprise, the entire crew was there: Matt, Meredith, Al, Ann... even Natalie was sitting on the couch, an unusual thing to see before 9 AM. I thought that was a nice gesture on the crew's part, spending Christmas with America before going back to their families. They even said as much, saying they were going to return home to help their families celebrate after the show was over.
Or maybe America isn't asking why. If the ratings are there, then they must be watching. But I have to wonder: what the hell do these people do that they are watching so many hours of The Today Show in the morning? I mean, I work from home and write about TV, and even I can't imagine having any interest in it. Though I guess I'm not the demographic they're shooting for.
Today show host Matt Lauer and 
All the new shows - VIDEOS
The Upfronts: FOX
Carter Bays of How I Met Your Mother: The TV Squad Interview
