The "Best of Both Worlds" Comes to Huntington This Weekend...In 3-D

No doubt your daughters have already told you that Hannah Montana is coming to Huntington...and in 3-D!

"Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: The Best of Both Worlds" is coming to theaters in Disney 3-D for one week only beginning this Friday.

"Worlds" will hit the Marquee Cinemas at Pullman Square at noon on Friday. Some showings have already sold out, so you may want to consider getting your tickets in advance.

Pick of the Week: It’s Time to Get “Lost”

I know that the Super Bowl is this week, but can you honestly say you’ve been anticipating it as much as the season premiere of “Lost”?

I didn’t think so…

And that’s why “Lost” is my Pick of the Week.

Due to the strike, we’re only getting eight episodes. But in those eight, we’ll learn who gets off the island, who the “he” is that future Kate referred to and how she is free in the future. Plus, we’ll get the return of Michael.

That’s a lot in just eight episodes…

The season premiere of “Lost” airs Thursday, January 31st at 9 p.m. on ABC, following an hour-long recap of the first three seasons.

You can also see a special “enhanced version” of last season’s finale Wednesday, January 30th at 9 p.m. You’ll see on-screen facts and back story throughout the two hours…

“Project Runway”: Always Listen to Tim

I was pretty hyped after Wednesday’s “Project Runway” since my least favorite designer, Victorya, was finally eliminated.

It was also interesting that crybaby Ricky actually won a challenge.

But the true lesson of Wednesday’s episode was that the designers should always listen to Tim. Sweet P did and it scored her major points with the judges. Chris didn’t and he got harsh words from them.

Now if only the judges would listen to Tim…

I didn’t really have any problems with Ricky winning—even though I thought Christian’s design was more in sync with the challenge—but after reading Tim’s thoughts on his blog, I’ve got a whole new perspective…

“I was profoundly concerned about [Ricky’s] look. I thought it was too basic and too poorly finished. On the show, you hear me say, ‘It’s stunning,’ and it’s true that I did say it, as in ‘Fix all of this and make certain that it’s stunning.’ The editors were stuck with a conundrum, because so little of what I said to Ricky (and I said a lot) could be used. In any case, I was baffled by the judges’ rhapsodic support of his design…The judges celebrated the look’s fit. It’s a strapless tube dress. How challenging can the fit be?...I’m sincerely pleased for Ricky that he won. But I’m equally baffled…It’s a matter of taste.”

So the show is actually editing Tim’s comments to put him more in step with the judges? Could that be because even the producers are confused by the judges’ decisions and they don’t want them to look even more stupid than they already do?

I say, let Tim’s comments air unedited. Everyone looks stupid compared to Tim anyway…

“Project Runway” returns with all-new episodes Wednesday, February 5th at 10 p.m. on Bravo…


Photo courtesy of BravoTV.com...

FINALLY!

Finally, Bravo has announced that there will be a fourth season of “Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List.”

It will air later this year…

Woo-hoo!

The Walls Start Tumbling at SciFi

The show that just won’t quit is now getting a second home…

SciFi has picked up the rerun rights to the first two seasons of “Jericho.”

The reruns will begin with a four episode marathon February 11th at 7 p.m., the day before the show returns to CBS. The “Jericho” reruns will then move to Mondays at 10 p.m….

Sometimes the "Truth" Hurts

Because I consider it my sworn duty as a TV blogger to watch the biggest new shows and give you my opinion, I tried to watch the first 15 minutes of the new FOX game show, “Moment of Truth.”

I think I made it through the first 10. I hope you can all find it in your hearts to forgive me…

FOX called it “the most anticipated show in the country.” I would call it a sad commentary on the state of TV today.

But the saddest thing is that this show was in development WAY before the writers’ strike began.

That’s FOX for you…

If you missed it, “Truth” is a “game show” where a person must answer personal questions truthfully in order to earn money. The contestant is asked a variety of questions while strapped to a polygraph off camera and then 21 of those questions are chosen to be asked on camera. The given while on the polygraph is used to determine if the on-camera answer is true or false. The more true answers, the further the contestant moves up the pyramid. The top prize is $500,000.

Of course, the questions get more personal and controversial as the game goes on (or so I’m told) and the contestant must decide whether to take the money and run or risk embarrassment (or worse) in front of his loved ones. The loved ones can replace a question if they don’t want to hear the answer, but they can only do that once.

As is the case with most TV shows these days, the concept comes from a show that aired in another country—in this case, Colombia. That show was cancelled last year, however, when a woman won $25,000 after confessing that she had hired a hitman to kill her husband.

So how could FOX possibly resist it then?

Maybe for some people the show is scintillating and scandalous TV; but for me it was just annoying. That computerized voice saying whether the answer is true or false, the annoying music…

And here’s my question for the producers. How long do they work with those contestants to perfect those dramatic pauses before they answer? It’s not like the question is a surprise. They’ve already answered it!

I feel quite certain that the ratings for last night’s premiere were pretty strong, but I’ve got to believe that good sense will eventually prevail and people will stop watching…

“Moment of Truth” airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on FOX…

Can You Make It Through the “Knight”?

It was the image that dominated TV screens yesterday.

The creepy and deranged white face of The Joker, as played by Heath Ledger, who died yesterday at the age of 28.

I have to admit that I already had some reservations about being able to watch this darker, more homicidal version of the Joker (even if it is more true to the comic). But now…

In a November interview, Ledger said that he was having trouble sleeping after playing The Joker and he had started taking sleeping pills. Of course, it could be sleeping pills that caused Ledger’s death.

“The Dark Knight” is set to hit theatres this summer.

Will you be watching?...

Ringo Is My Hero

Add Ringo Starr to my list of heroes…

Ringo was scheduled to perform on yesterday’s “Live With Regis and Kelly,” but walked off the set after his sound check when he was told he would have to cut his song.

Ringo was going to perform a song from his new CD with Dave Stewart (Eurythmics). The song was over four minutes long and Ringo managed to cut it to three and a half.

But because “Live” producer Michael Gelman has that ridiculous two and a half minute rule, the song had to be cut more. So Ringo decided he would rather not appear than have to cut the song more.

I say, good for him…

Every other talk show allows performers to do their entire song—or at least enough of it so it makes sense. But “Live” insists on restricting performances, which often hurts the artist more than it helps (Blake Lewis, anyone?).

Stewart summed it up best in his statement: “Four minutes seemed like an appropriate amount of time for a former Beatle. Mr. Gelman apparently felt Ringo’s legacy should take a back seat to additional banter about the size of Ms. Ripa’s derriere”…

They’re Talking Again. Woo-hoo!

The WGA and AMPTP will begin informal talks Wednesday to see if there is a basis for a return to formal negotiations.

The WGA announced today that it will pull its demands for representation of reality and animation writers. However, in a letter to its members, the WGA said it would continue its efforts to achieve representation for those genres and that the members would hear more about that in the next two weeks.

In some better strike-related news, the WGA announced that it will not picket the Grammy Awards in order to show solidarity with the American Federation of Musicians and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists in the fight over compensation for new media …

"Murder Unscripted"

Many actors and writers have gone to the Internet to show their support for the WGA.

I haven't really seen many of the videos, but I gave this one a look and it's pretty funny.

It features several "Law & Order" and "Homicide" actors, including Chris Noth, Kathryn Erbe and B.D. Wong, trying to solve a crime without writers.

You can check it out here.

"Let go and let God"

So does it say something bad about me that I’ve taken my new life motto from Clay Aiken?

But I really don’t know any other words that would apply to my life any better right now…

“Let go and let God.”

I wanted to take a minute and thank everyone that has contacted me with their thoughts and prayers for my mother. Most of you I don’t even know, so it was wonderful to discover that there are so many people out there who really care.

I REALLY wish I could share some good news with you, but unfortunately, I can’t, as the prognosis is not good. But as I always like to say, everything happens for a reason and someday we’ll know the reason for this.

In the meantime, I hope you will all help keep me distracted by continuing to read my blogs and share your comments.

I know that’s what she would want to…

Pick of the Week: An Actual Awards Show

After flipping through the “TV Guide” twice, I still couldn’t come up with anything for this week’s Pick, so I just went with the obvious…

My Pick of the Week is the 14th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards.

If you like awards shows, this may be the only one you get this season. The WGA has given the SAGs a waiver, which means the ceremony will have writers, and more importantly, there will be no pickets, so all the stars are able to appear.

However, don’t be surprised if the show turns into a big WGA rally—which is probably what the WGA is hoping for.

The Screen Actors Guild Awards airs Sunday, January 27th at 8 p.m. on TBS and TNT…

The DGA deals. So now what?

This is so unbelievably complicated that I am not even going to try and explain it.

So, here’s the gist…

The DGA (directors’ union) and the AMPTP (the major producers) have reached an agreement. The DGA’s contract was set to expire June 30th.

The DGA is very happy with the contract and believes it got the AMPTP to give in on new media (Internet, downloads, etc.), which has been the main sticking point for the WGA.

The WGA has not released any kind of statement, but SAG (the actors’ union) released one saying that the directors had to do what’s best for them, but they do not represent the writers or actors.

So what does all of this mean for the writers’ strike? No one is really sure…

What everyone is hoping is that there will be behind-the-scenes talks between writers and producers that will lead to a deal. It was those unofficial talks that led to a quick DGA settlement. The DGA deal could be used as a starting point for talks.

But, there’s a strong possibility that the WGA could completely reject the DGA deal and continue striking. Or, the DGA deal could create dissention within the WGA and cause writers to stop striking if they believe the DGA deal is fair and the union leadership does not.

I am hoping that this is the beginning of the end of the strike. But there is still a lot of pessimism floating around in Hollywood.

So, stay tuned…

“24”: What Will FOX Do?

Sunday night, as my fiancé and I were watching the end of the NFC playoff game on FOX, he pointed out the graphic in the lower left-hand corner of the screen…

“Look at that ‘Terminator’ countdown clock,” he said. “That’s so annoying.”

And that’s when it hit me. “That’s supposed to be the ‘24’ clock,” I told him.

Yes, my friends, Sunday should have been the season premiere of “24.” But, of course, it wasn’t thanks to that wonderful phenomenon known as the Writers’ Strike.

But to be perfectly honest, my nerves are so shot these days, I don’t think I could even watch it anyway…

So what is the plan for its return?

I was concerned that at some point in the next few months, FOX would haul out the eight completed episodes and show them; but Michael Ausiello said today that’s not going to happen.

However, according to Ausiello, it is possible that FOX would do a 10 to 14 episode “mini-season” in the fall, followed by another 10 to 14 episode “mini-season” with a completely different plot in the spring.

This, of course, would destroy the 24-hour format that is the show’s backbone; but the other alternative FOX is faced with is waiting until January 2009—17 months after the last episode aired.

To be honest, I’m not sure what to think here. I don’t want the show to lose all of its momentum and be forgotten. Yet, I don’t really want to give up the 24-hour format.

Man, does this strike stink or what?

When Is “Lost” Going Next?

You guys know I’ve been pretty hard on “Lost” over the years.

I’ve often thought of it as overrated with creators and writers who are too full of themselves to admit mistakes.

But then we got that mindblowing finale and now I just can’t wait to see where the show is going next.

Or maybe the more appropriate question is when is the show going next…

Matthew Fox (Jack) gave an interview to “Entertainment Weekly” recently where he added even more mystery to the puzzle. When he was asked about what Jack meant when he told Kate in the future that he was sick of lying, Fox responded, “Jack and the other people, upon getting back to the world, are not being honest with the world. They are covering up [something]. That’s an agreement that they’ve all reached”…

Has the threat of death been removed from over Jack and Kate now that we know they got off the island? Fox said, “We have to get from the island to that point in the future before it can become a real threat again—and it will. When Jack Shephard goes, ‘We have to go back,’ that means he’s f---ing going back. And if there’s 48 episodes [left], you know that Jack is going back on that island for a certain section of episodes. That means that he could die”…

Fox also said that when Jack and the other people get off the island “it becomes this massive story” since everyone thought they were all lost. Fox promises that with a definitive ending date, the writers now know “when to let it go” and the show will get into questions like “What is this island? Where is this island? When is this island?”…

Is your mind reeling yet?

One thing Fox does clear up is Jack’s comment about his father in the flash-forward. Fox said Jack was so “loaded and emotionally distraught” that he talked about his dad like he was still alive. Fox said he asked Damon Lindelof (the finale’s co-writer) about it since he knew it could be seen as “manipulative” and Lindelof told him stories of real people who did the same thing…

“Lost” returns Thursday, January 31st at 8 p.m. on ABC…

“CSI: Miami”: Sometimes It’s Good to Be Wrong

You guys know I love the cheesy goodness of “CSI: Miami.” But unfortunately, whenever the show attempts an actual storyline, things fall apart.

And that has been no more evident than with the story of Kyle, Horatio’s son.

Kyle first showed up in the season premiere. The “story” was that Horatio got involved with his mother while undercover, but he didn’t know about Kyle. Without his parents, Kyle fell in with the wrong crowd and ended up in jail for kidnapping.

The story was meant to show Horatio’s softer side, but it was basically just a bad diversion from the cheesiness that makes the show worth watching. And it didn’t help that Kyle is played by Evan Ellingson, the same actor that helped ruin “24” last season as Josh Bauer.

Thankfully, the story was put aside for a while—that is until Monday, when Kyle’s mother, Julia, showed up.

Ever since I heard that Julia would be played by Elizabeth Berkley (“Saved By the Bell”), I just knew this wasn’t going to work.

Sometime, it’s good to be wrong…

Now you guys know that I’m a big “Bell” fan, so I have nothing personal against Berkley. But I just couldn’t see how she could work as Kyle’s mom. Simple math would tell you that it’s just not logical. After all, if all the actors are playing their actual ages, Julia would have been 16 when Kyle was born and Horatio would have been 32. Eeww!

But Berkley was so good that I’m actually willing to suspend logic. She and David Caruso (Horatio) had very little chemistry, but Berkley was fun to watch as she slinked around the screen wreaking havoc. Some people would call (and have called) her performance stiff. I would call it all part of the cheesy goodness that is “CSI: Miami.”

And that weird ripply effect that made it hard to focus on some of the scenes just made it even cheesier…

If this strike ever ends, we’ll get to see that inevitable showdown between Julia and Horatio. The chances of it making sense are very slim, but it will probably be fun…

Julia better bring her sunglasses…

“HSM 2” Goes International

Friday, Disney Channel will air 17 versions of seven “High School Musical 2” songs in various languages.

The videos will air throughout the day leading up to an airing of “HSM 2” at 8 p.m.

Highlights from the European red-carpet premiere of “HSM 2” will air during the movie…

Disney Makes “HSM 3” Official

Walt Disney sent out a press release Monday making “High School Musical 3: Senior Year” official.

Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Corbin Bleu, and Monique Coleman are all confirmed to appear in the film, which is scheduled to begin production in the spring.

According to the release, in “HSM 3,” seniors Troy and Gabriella will find themselves “facing the prospect of being separated from one another as they head off in different directions to college.” So, they team with their fellow Wildcats to stage a spring musical “reflecting their experiences, hopes and fears about the future.”

“HSM 3” is expected to hit theaters this fall…

Can the DGA Stop the Strike?

There is some optimism in Hollywood that the Directors Guild of America is heading toward a deal with the Alliance of Motion Pictures and Television Producers.

This could lead to a similar deal with the WGA. Or it could lead to a take-it-or-leave-it ultimatum. Or it could create dissent within the WGA if the members like the DGA deal and the leadership doesn’t…

Is Another Awards Show in Jeopardy?

The WGA announced Monday that it will most likely not grant a waiver for the Grammys.

This means that SAG members would have to cross a picket line to attend. That means that actors will not present any of the awards and some artists who are also SAG members (like Justin Timberlake) may not appear either. And then there are some (like Bruce Springstein) who would just refuse to cross the picket line out of support for the union.

The Grammys are continuing to try to come to terms with the WGA.

Stay tuned…

Is MTV Searching for the Next “Blonde”?

So now we know why MTV aired Broadway’s “Legally Blonde” last fall…

According to Playbill.com, MTV will be casting the next lead for “Blonde” in a new reality show.

Auditions begin January 21st in Orlando…

“Black Monday” Ends the “Journey” and Others

The Writers’ Strike continued to wreak havoc this week as “Black Monday” fell across Hollywood.

The strike activated a clause that allowed studios to terminate expensive (and mostly unproductive) development deals, which they did en masse Monday.

Among the people to feel the ax were the teams behind “Journeyman” and “K-Ville,” thereby sealing the shows’ fates (The studios wouldn’t cancel deals with a team behind a show that was going to get picked up.).

Also among the carnage was Hugh Jackman, whose production company had a deal with CBS/Paramount. But he really had that coming after “Viva Laughlin.”

One major deal that I have not heard was cancelled is the deal FOX has with Kiefer Sutherland. Considering the bullet he took for them, I’d say that keeping his deal is the least they could do…

Are the Coreys Really Over?

This Spring, the Coreys will reunite for a second season of “The Two Coreys” to see if they can mend the fences that were “damaged” last season.

Now, since we know that much of “Coreys” was staged, it’s kind of hard to know what really happened between Feldman and Haim. A&E says they haven’t spoken to each other since they stopped shooting, but I find that a little hard to believe since they did publicity for the show together.

However, Haim did drop out of “The Lost Boys 2,” while Feldman remained. And Haim reportedly was angry because he believed that Feldman manipulated him into the now infamous breakdown scene in which Feldman told Haim the “Lost Boys 2” producers didn’t want him.

There’s a good chance that all of this is just for show, but it could make for a pretty interesting one…

Cable Dominates the Globes

Think the Hollywood Foreign Press Association was miffed at NBC? Not only did they pull the plug on NBC’s exclusivity agreement, but they also posted the list of winners on their website before Sunday’s “news conference” was over.

And can you blame them? I mean Billy Bush? Seriously?...

If you missed it (and most people did), here are the TV Golden Globe winners:

Series, Drama: “Mad Men”
Actress, Drama: Glenn Close, “Damages”
Actor, Drama: Jon Hamm, “Mad Men”
Series, Comedy: “Extras”
Actress, Comedy: Tina Fey, “30 Rock”
Actor, Comedy: David Duchovny, “Californication”
Miniseries or Movie: “Longford”
Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Queen Latifah, “Life Support”
Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Jim Broadbent, “Longford”
Supporting Actress, Series, Miniseries, or Movie: Samantha Morton, “Longford”
Supporting Actor, Series, Miniseries, or Movie: Jeremy Piven, “Entourage”

As you can see, the networks did not fare very well. And with the writers’ strike, it looks like AMC’s “Mad Men” is the odds-on favorite to win the Emmy in September…

"Project Runway": A Difference of Opinion

You’ve probably noticed I haven’t said much about my beloved “Project Runway” since it premiered. But after last week’s episode, I’ve got to say something…

I’ve had more than one disagreement with the judges this season. For example, I hated Victorya’s winning Bitten look. And if you’ve seen it at Steve and Barry’s, you know what I mean (Can you say cheap?).

I didn’t really like Romi’s candy look either and I really thought Jillian should have been rewarded for her innovation.

But Wednesday’s choices really took the cake…

First, the winner. I thought when Victorya was singled out that it was because her dress looked so gawdy with all those cheap-looking jewels. But the judges loved it, with Nina saying it looked like what a “modern” prom dress should look like. Clearly, Nina and I have different opinions on what a prom dress is.

As does Tim Gunn, who said in his blog about Victorya’s dress: “[T]he electric blue textile said ‘superhero’ not prom. Furthermore, the jewel emblazoned panel on the front of the halter made the dress look more appropriate for a hostess at a Vegas cocktail lounge than a teenager attending a suburban prom.”

You’ve gotta love that guy…

Sweet P.’s design was way more elegant and looked much more like an actual prom dress.

But it was the elimination that floored me.

Yes, Kevin’s design was unflattering and looked extremely cheap. But how could they eliminate him before that cry baby Ricky?

I know the judges are supposed to base their decision on that particular challenge and not the competition as a whole. But even that is not a good argument for their choice. Ricky’s dress looked like a pillowcase. The color was blah and the construction was poor and deserved to lose the challenge.

And Kevin had performed well enough to earn a warning instead of flat-out elimination. But I guess they felt only Christian had earned that.

Not that I have a problem with Christian staying. After all, the show would be a lot less “fierce” without him.

I’m not even going to tell you who my favorite is, because they’re sure to be gone as soon as I say…

“Project Runway” airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on Bravo…

"Desperate Housewives" Do You Feel Gipped?

With all of the build-up and that dramatic narration (Thanks a lot, Mary Alice.), it would be understandable if you felt gipped by the last new episode of “Desperate Housewives.”

But not me. Because in all honesty, if those rescue workers had pulled out a lifeless Tom, I’m not sure I could’ve ever watched the show again.

Now I know what you’re thinking. I’m a “24” fan. I should be all about killing main characters for shock value. But on a show like “DH,” that kind of stuff just comes off as a cheap stunt. And with everything else Lynette has been through this season, it would’ve just been too much.

Although it would’ve no doubt secured a second Emmy for Felicity Huffman…

But thankfully (for me anyway), Tom survived and it was Ida who passed away. And Lynette was forced to be unselfish for once, which was nice to see. It was also good to see Kathryn Joosten (Mrs. McCluskey) get some well-deserved screen time.

I like the whole Susan and Bree living together story, but I’m not sure what to think about Carlos being blind. I hope they don’t just sweep it under the rug and instead give Gaby a real chance to grow.

And I warned you about a cliffhanger. It just wasn’t the one I thought.

Couldn’t we have seen at least one word in that note? Would that have really hurt anything?

So now we wait. And wait, and wait.

That I feel a little gipped about…

Pick of the Week: "The Music In You"

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that “American Idol” is premiering Tuesday. So I decided that was too easy of a pick. Besides, I’ve got a whole other blog for that one.

I’m going with another TV music phenomenon…

My Pick of the Week is “High School Musical: The Music In You.”

“Music” is a documentary from Academy Award Winner Barbara Kopple about two rival Fort Worth high schools coming together to stage “High School Musical.”

The documentary looks like it will be solid, but I’m already disappointed on two counts. Number one, I’m disappointed that the doc is only 35 minutes. And number two, I’m disappointed that Disney isn’t pairing it with an airing of “HSM” (However, “HSM 2” will air Friday, January 18th at 8 p.m.).

“High School Musical: The Music In You” premieres Sunday, January 20th on Disney Channel…

And speaking of Disney Channel, here’s a bonus pick for you. This week, Disney is airing one of my favorite Disney TV-movies of all time.

“Model Behavior” (from 2000) is the story of a geeky teenager and a spoiled teen model (Maggie Lawson in a dual role) trading places. The movie is noteworthy in the history of TV movies for two acting debuts—Cody Gifford (who appears with his mother, Kathie Lee) and Justin Timberlake. But it’s noteworthy to me because it’s just so endearing.

Now if only Disney would release it on DVD. Maybe Justin’s too embarrassed by that perm…

“Model Behavior” airs Thursday, January 17th at 8 p.m. on Disney Channel…

Now here’s one for my mom. The final episode (thanks to the strike) of her favorite show, “NCIS,” airs this Tuesday. If you’ve never watched “NCIS,” you’re missing one of the funniest shows on TV—and it’s a drama.

Plus, Michael Weatherly’s not too hard to look at. But I think Mom looks more at Mark Harmon…

“NCIS” airs Tuesday, January 15th at 8 p.m. on CBS…

NBC's "Golden" Sunday

Here’s NBC’s line-up for Golden Globe Sunday (January 12th)…

7-9 p.m.—“Going for Gold,” a special hosted by Matt Lauer with nominee interviews with NBC News correspondents.

9 p.m.—Live press conference announcing the winners

10 p.m.—“American Gladiators” repeat

That scream you hear is NBC’s ad department calculating all the revenue they’re going to lose. That applause you hear is the WGA…

"Cashmere Mafia": A Little Too Familiar?

Many people had written off “Cashmere Mafia” as a “Sex and the City” rip-off. But since I’ve never had HBO, I haven’t seen that many episodes of “Sex.”

Yet somehow I was able to predict just about everything that was going to happen after only 15 minutes.

Which tells me that “Cashmere” is a rip-off of way more than just “Sex”…

If you missed it, “Cashmere” is the story of four powerful women in New York City and the men (and women) in their lives.

Mia (Lucy Liu) is in publishing. When the show opens, her boyfriend, Jack, proposes to her. But since Thomas Everett Scott (Jack) was listed as a special guest star, I knew the relationship wasn’t long for this world. And sure enough, after Mia beat Jack out for publisher, Jack called off the engagement.

I’m not sure what was more idiotic—that Mia actually thought her underhanded tactics wouldn’t bother Jack or that Jack was stupid enough to tell her what he was working on…

Zoe (Frances O’Connor) is an investment banker with two children and a real problem finding a decent nanny. I knew that her husband would get the job that would put him on the road a lot, but I did miss my prediction that he would be tempted by the new nanny.

But never fear, the show does have a cheating husband. It’s the husband of Juliet (Miranda Otto), the COO of a hotel chain. The best moment of the show was when Juliet told her husband that she was going to have an affair, but even it was tarnished by Otto’s caricature of a performance.

Meanwhile, the promiscuous woman role is filled by Caitlin (Bonnie Somerville), a marketing executive for a cosmetics firm. However, Caitlin gets a little twist when she feels sparks for another woman.

On second thought, “Sex” did that one too, didn’t they?...

I guess there’s nothing horrible about “Cashmere,” it’s just so predictable…and blah. I’ve never been a Lucy Liu fan and I’ve already told you about Otto. O’Connor is okay, but Somerville has none of the sparkle she usually shows.

In all honesty, I wouldn’t mind a “Sex” rip-off, but “Cashmere” doesn’t even come close.

I’m hoping NBC’s “Lipstick Jungle” can do better…

“Cashmere Mafia” airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on ABC…

The Strike Claims a Major Victim

As you have no doubt heard by now, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association has pulled the plug on the Golden Globes.

Now the winners will be announced at an NBC News news conference at 9 p.m. ET. The WGA will most likely be picketing the news conference.

NBC had hoped to have reaction from winners at the after-parties, but the studios have cancelled those as well.

The HFPA had lobbied NBC to scrap the telecast entirely so that the ceremony could continue since the WGA said it would not picket an untelevised ceremony. But NBC head honcho Jeff Zucker refused, continuing his hard line on the strike.

The WGA had reached an agreement with Dick Clark Productions on other awards shows, but refused to give in on the Globes.

WGA West President Patric Verrone said, “I’m hoping [the major studios] see the collapse of awards season and our ability to make interim deals with other companies as a sign that we are serious, and they need to get back to the table with us.”

The cancellation will have far-reaching implications across Hollywood as stars loose PR, nominated films lose box office and the local economy loses millions of dollars.

And the impact on the Oscars remains to be seen…

Is this thing getting ugly or what?

Leno and Kimmel Join Forces

NBC and ABC announced that Jay Leno and Jimmy Kimmel will appear on each other’s shows this Thursday.

Both have returned to the air without writers and the WGA is pressuring SAG members not to appear on their shows. So, it only makes sense that they would help each other out.

Jay is still in hot water with the guild for writing his own monologue. The WGA still hasn’t said if it will punish him and NBC continues to fight back.
The story was made even more interesting last week when reports surfaced that Jay had a meeting with the WGA West President and other guild members to let them know he would be writing his own monologue. Sources say the WGA said they were going to “give him a pass” because of his support for the strike.

I’m guessing that the WGA’s deal with Letterman’s company and NBC’s continued hard anti-strike stance made them change their mind…

“The Tonight Show” airs at 11:35 p.m. on NBC. “Jimmy Kimmel Live” airs at 12:05 a.m. (Locally on WCHS-TV at 1:05 a.m.) on ABC…

"Celebrity Apprentice": I Just Couldn't Help Myself

I guess curiosity got the best of me.

Why else would I watch the premiere of “Celebrity Apprentice”?

I mean, there are so many things wrong with this show, it’s hard to note them all…

Like Donald Trump saying that over 100 celebrities wanted to be on the show. If these are the celebrities he picked, who did he reject?

Or like the entire point of the tasks, which are apparently just a test of celebrity.

Even the firing was pointless as the only excuse Trump could come up with for firing the Playboy Playmate was because she didn’t call Hugh Hefner and ask him to buy a hot dog…

Okay…

But the biggest problem with the show can be summed up in one word—Omarosa.

I was a fan of the first season of “The Apprentice” when Omarosa made things a little more interesting with her over-the-top behavior. But now that act is REALLY tired as Omarosa struggles to find ways to grab the spotlight.

And apparently her writer is on strike as well, because at one point the only comeback she had for Piers Morgan was that he wasn’t pronouncing her name right—even though he was saying it exactly the way everyone else was.

If this were an actual game of “The Apprentice,” it might be interesting. But this game of “let’s see which celebrity has the better contacts” is just plain stupid…

“Celebrity Apprentice” airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. on NBC…

Pick of the Week: A Guilty Pleasure Returns

You may recall that I was completely sucked in by “Scott Baio is 45…and Single” last year. So, it should be no surprise that I would be sucked in by its sequel…

My Pick of the Week is the premiere of “Scott Baio is 46…and Pregnant.”

Now after watching the same producing team’s Billy Ray Cyrus reality show, I can pretty much guarantee that most of “Baio” is staged, but he’s so endearing, I can look over it.

“Scott Baio is 46…and Pregnant” premieres Sunday, January 13th at 10 p.m. on VH1…

There are five other big premieres this week as well…

Monday, January 7th, it’s the premiere of “Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann” (8 p.m., ABC) and the season premiere of “Medium” (10 p.m., NBC). Tuesday, January 8th, it’s the return of “One Tree Hill” (8 p.m., CW) and Sunday, January 13th, it’s night one of the two-night premiere of “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” (8 p.m., FOX). Plus, Bret Michaels looks for love once again (He was dumped by his last choice.) with a new season of “Rock of Love” (9 p.m., VH1)…

"Days" Corrects Its Mistake?

As you’ve no doubt figured out by now if you’re still watching “Days of Our Lives,” John Black is alive.

So what happened?

In this week’s “TV Guide,” Michael Logan calls John’s “death” a “pathetic attempt to boost ratings.” And Executive Producer Ken Corday seems to confirm that in this week’s “Soap Opera Digest” by saying it was his intention to bring John back all along.

However, in the same “SOD” article, Drake Hogestyn (John) said he was in the dark and was beginning to audition for other projects when Corday called. He says the cast was more optimistic about his return than he was.

So what’s the plan?

According to “SOD,” “Days” is taking John back to the beginning as he’ll once again become “The Pawn”—a man with no memories of who he really is.

To prepare for the new storyline, Hogestyn has been studying with an acting coach to help change John’s mannerisms. He promises that his speech patterns are different and so are his facial expressions—which means no more raised eyebrow.

John Black with no raised eyebrow? Are you kidding me?

Hogestyn says that John’s new story, which will involve most of the veteran characters, is the kind of story that will reenergize the show—if done correctly. And that’s why he came back.

I hope for his sake that the strike doesn’t make him regret that decision since completed scripts will soon run out and it’s hard to tell who will take over the writing when they do…

Personally, I’m with Logan. This was an EXTREMELY cheap trick to earn ratings—a trick that could result in the end of the show…

Is Jay Breaking the Rules?

If you’ve watched “The Tonight Show” the past two nights, you’ve probably noticed that the show without writers is not much different from the show with writers.

And the WGA has noticed too…

On his show Wednesday, Jay Leno said he was “doing what [he] did the day [he] started.” Jay said he was writing jokes and then running them by his wife. “We are following the guild thing. We can write for ourselves.”

But apparently the guild doesn’t agree…

The WGA told Jay Thursday that writing for the show “constitutes a violation of the Guild’s strike rules.” NBC responded with a statement that the WGA agreement still in effect allows Jay to write his own monologue.

The WGA has not said if it will take action against Jay, but it could end up fining him or kicking him out of the union. Meanwhile, the guild is encouraging performers to appear on David Letterman and Craig Ferguson’s shows since their production company has settled with the WGA. And pickets are in full force outside Jay’s studio (although his writers are conspicuously absent from the picket line).

It’s a real slap in the face for one of the WGA’s staunchest supporters.

Personally, I think the WGA should back off. Jay didn’t want to come back. He had no choice. As he said Wednesday, it came down to 19 people keeping 180 out of work. It just couldn’t be done any longer.

And I’m kind of enjoying the exuberance Jay is showing doing his own material. As he said last night, this is the loosest the show has ever been and he needs the writers to “win this d—n thing” so he can go back to the same boring show he’s always done.

I’m not sure I’m anxious for that to happen…

ABC Gets "Desperate"

In case you haven’t heard, “Desperate Housewives” will be all new this Sunday—the last remaining completed episode.

With the strong possibility that there will be no pilot season, the networks need to produce hits now. So ABC has decided to use “DH” to launch “Cashmere Mafia,” which premieres at 10.

No word on whether we will actually find out who survived the tornado in Sunday’s episode (9 p.m.) or if we’ll just get another cliffhanger…

By the way, ABC is also hauling out its last new episode of “Grey’s Anatomy” this Thursday, January 10th at 9 p.m. My guess is that they’re trying to see if they can save “Big Shots,” which follows…

Keep On Writing...

Those of you who are longtime readers of my blogs know my mom. She’s the one who calls to remind me when Clay Aiken is going to be on TV. She called to congratulate me when Kiefer won his Emmy and she always tries to plan her phone calls around my TV watching—which after January can be kind of tricky. She never reads my blog, but then she doesn’t have to. If she wants to know what’s going on with her favorite shows she can just call and ask me or wait until I come home for a visit so we can talk about it around the dinner table.

If only real life tied up as neatly as those procedural crime dramas she loves so much…

As I type this, my mother remains critically ill in the hospital, where she’s been for the past two and a half weeks. I have to tell you I feel a little silly blogging right now since anything I could write about seems so unimportant. But I know she would want me to keep writing; and so I will—however sporadic my posts may be for a while.

And don’t be surprised if I throw in a few tidbits on those CBS crime dramas I never watch. I know my mom would appreciate it…