TV and ME |
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Recaps, commentary, highlights of your pop culture favourites and mine!
Email me: timmybopper@yahoo.com 
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Thursday, May 29, 2003
So you would think that with the TV season going into summer reruns I would be left with nothing to write about. How wrong you are my friends... Not only is one of the best reality series "Amazing Race" returning, one of the worst "Love or Money" is starting next week! Did you hear about that? 20 women compete for a guy, yada yada yada. The catch? He think he's looking for Mrs. Right (a la The Bachelor) but they have been told that whoever gets him at the end wins a million bucks! And we thought Joe Millionaire was good! Man, there is nothing better than sitting at home on a bright, warm summer night watching hot backstabbing girls doing whatever it takes to win a million bucks! Who needs the outdoors?! I've also decided that my other summer favourite will be "Fame." As in, "Fame! I'm gonna live forever..." (c'mon, y'all know the song!) Joey from NSYNC is hosting it and Debbie Allen (Madonna's gal pal) is the producer. Basically, it's like American Idol except with WAY better dance routines! Debbie Allen is a really famous choreographer so she really whips the contestants into shape. The only bad part about the show is Carnie Wilson being a judge. Can you say fame whore? Why can't she accept the fact that nobody will ever like her? First the liposuction (televised!) and then when people stopped caring she put all the weight back on... Now she's trying to play the "Simon" role on "Fame" (I'm gonna live forever...) ... right... desparate cry for attention anyone? Friday, May 23, 2003
I want to write the "Jaded Journalist" columns for the Canadian Idol website. (See idolonfox.com if you have no idea what I'm talking about). Can anyone out there hook me up? Send me an email or shout out! Wednesday, May 21, 2003
How teary were you that this was the last show? How teary were you when Kelly Clarkson got her PLATINUM plaque? How teary were you when Kimberley Locke came out? How teary were you when the finalists kicked ass on their group medley? How teary were you when Ryan declared a difference of only 1300 votes? How happy were you when Ruben won American Idol? I just about cried. Tuesday, May 20, 2003
Monday, May 19, 2003
"That don't impress me much!" 1. The Matrix Reloaded - Sorry, but the writers/producers copped out on what could have been a deep, symbolic and thoughtful film in favour of the action-packed, fight scene/car chase blockbuster unfortunately favoured by today's mainstream audience. I kept searching for deeper meanings behind what little dialogue there was, but I couldn't find any... If you could, post it on the "shoutout" function. 2. The "Friends" season finale - This has got to be the WORST Friends finale yet. Was there a surprise ending? Are we 'sposed to be shocked? happy? angry? I don't get it. And why did Rachel get so dumb and ditzy? Monica's hair provided a few chuckles but what was the point of her ping-pong storyline? And Phoebe... she's gotten a great deal of face time this year but the writers failed to make us feel anything except thankfulness that the ugly Hank Azaria was booted in favour of the much better looking Paul Rudd. At least the baby didn't go to Barbados... 3. Ryan Seacrest - SHUT UP! =p Sunday, May 18, 2003
The series finale of Dawson's Creek was incredibly moving, emotional, (dare I say) sappy and memorable. Yet Kevin Williamson (who penned this episode) managed to retain the witty and unique characteristics of each of his characters, without resorting to standard "goodbye" cliches. Of course as DC has done with pretty much all of their episodes, the music director also managed to find the perfect songs to complement the scenes, so we got everything from the contemplative Chantal Kreviazuk to the driving sounds of American Hi-Fi. (Kudos to DC for showcasing less popular acts, as opposed to Smallville which inexplicably used Avril Lavigne's "I'm with you" during a climatic love scene between Clark and Lana! What?!) Back to Dawson's though, the finale was particularly sweet and satisfying for longtime fans. Joey and Dawson will always be soulmates, but the show has never bowed to convention or the norm and therefore was not forced to put "soulmates" together. Joey and Pacey seemed like a mismatch at first, but in the end, they were a better fit. As for Jen's death... how sad was that? I can't say I wasn't "teary-eyed" but come on, if you didn't cry while she was making her speech to her baby, you have no heart! Above all, however, this episode demonstrated the value of friends and that, no matter how pretty/ugly, smart/dumb, gay/straight you are, you'll always find a place within the hearts of your friends. And that is something to cherish. Wednesday, May 14, 2003
I knew Kimberley was gonna leave tonight (who didn't?) but deep down I actually thought Clay could be kicked off... But alas, it's Clay vs. Rueben, something everyone predicted way way back. Could these two be any more different?! Of course if you've been reading my postings you know who my pick is, but it's up to America to decide. Please let it be Rueben! (And as a sidenote, how bad was Justin Guarini? He's lucky he's got his good hair, because his voice is not superstar material!) Tuesday, May 13, 2003
So what just happened on Smallville tonight? It was going so well until the sudden ending... please tell me this isn't how the season ends! I hate Clay. Like hate him. My best friend's mom cries whenever he sings. I do too, but for completely opposite reasons. He closes his eyes and pretends to be humble but then opens them to reveal that "I know I'm good" smirk on his face. He oversings. He has no "normal" middle range and resorts to belting out every single song. He totally exaggerates his gestures. He has one eyelid bigger than the other. He flutters his eyelashes like a girl and then mouthes "thank you" as if speaking to a little baby. He thinks he's sexy when people cheer his hip twitching, not realizing that they are laughing at his ridiculous attempt to be well.. hip. He thinks Simon telling him he's a broadway star is a diss instead of accepting it as a fated compliment. He thinks he's the next American Idol. Well he isn't. And god help us if he is. May 13/03 I dunno what it is exactly about Dawson's Creek... but it's just so good. I just finished watching the second to last episode today and I have to say that it was incredible. The writers have somehow managed to avoid resorting to cliched dialogue and recycled storylines and still, create an atmosphere of emotional warmth and beauty. Watching the show today was like comfort food for me... it made me think of all my friends, of my dreams and goals in life, and my life itself. It made me sad and happy. It made me write this blog. It made me think of everything that'll lie ahead in this path that I'm treading... and made me know that things will turn out alright. Don't miss Dawson's series finale this Thursday on FOX at 5 pm or Friday on Global at 8. You won't be disappointed. Wednesday, May 7/03 Good. Josh is gone! Off the show and back to the barracks with the marines! Er.. good luck buddy... I hear army guys aren't exactly the biggest American Idol fans... heh heh... May 6/03 [My friend Tatiana has gone back to Slovakia for the summer and is sadly missing the last episodes of her favourite show (and mine) American Idol. So as I have been doing for the past few weeks, I'll be providing commentary on each of the remaining episodes for her reading pleasure.. and yours as well]. Tonight's show was 'spose to be exciting. I mean, the Bee Gees? Robin Gibb? He is by far the most well-known guest judge AI has had this year. Then why was it so... blah? As Simon would say, "so what?" I mean, sure Rueben was good. Ever since he got rid of those very unfashionable 205 jerseys, he's gotten better and better. And Kimberly Locke sang "Emotions," one of my favourite songs. Clay even took Paula's advice and shook his hips a little (although it sent a very eerie and uncomfortable shiver down my back! Clay and booty-shaking do not go together!) Josh? Well... I still think he's the worst one left, but he wasn't as bad tonight. I even preferred his heartfelt version of "To love somebody" better than Clay's "Look at me! I'm Clay! I can sing!" version of the same song. (BTW, doesn't AI have some sort of rule against singing the same song? I can't believe no one sang "How deep is your love..." I love that song!) I'm praying that Josh will be kicked out tomorrow (no seriously, I pray about this sorta thing!) He was trying hard to smile and "mug" for the camera tonight but he just looks plain scary! Maybe it's the military training, but Josh has that psycho, obssessive stalker look down pat! (Or maybe those are the bedroom eyes he usually saves for his wife... psycho stalker/twenty-two year old boy who knocked up his girlfriend and was forced to marry her - same thing!) So that's pretty much all I have to say about tonight. The uninspired episode has resulted in this uninspired post. Here's hoping Smallville will be good tonight... =) May 2/03 Things I'm likin'... 1. Nestea Iced Lemon Green Tea 2. Dawson's Creek - Today's episode was excellently written and very very well-acted. It's deja-vu for Pacey, Joey and Dawson as they revisit the "ghosts" of their high school past, but in a way, I'm feeling the deja-vu too just watching them. I'm such a sucker for melodramtic teen-angst! There are only two more episodes left and the spoilers say someone's going to die(!) so make sure you all watch it. You know you want to... 3. Good tunes: - Daniel Bedingfield - If you're not the one - Melanie C (no laughing!) - Here it comes again - Lil' Mo - Forever Not so fond of... 1. Smallville - This week's episode was so ridiculously boring and so obviously symbolic! I like it better when the writers don't hit you over the head with the dramatic irony.... "But Clark," says Lana, "You should get rid of whatever or whoever's standing in between you and Chloe's friendship!" Oooo... not! 2. Josh Gracin - Can somebody please restart the war? If this smart-mouthed marine does not get kicked off A.I. next week I might seriously stop watching the show............... okay, fine I won't, but I'll be really mad! 3. The total exaggeration of Toronto's SARS "epidemic" (if you could call it that). No one is wearing masks people and last time I talked to my parents, they were waiting in line to go "yum cha" at a Chinese restaurant. NBC reported last week that people were thinking of calling in the 9/11 crisis response team to "handle" the situation in Toronto. Puh-lease! 4. Jennifer Lopez - So she apparently made Ben Affleck throw away all his Mariah, Whitney and Celine CDs because she didn't want him listening to any singers who sang better than her. She forgot to mention Kelly, Beyonce, Christina, Jessica, Mandy, Michelle, Avril, Vanessa, Mary, Ashanti, Britney, Janet, Shania, Shakira, Aretha, Gloria... heck, even Ja Rule sings better than she does! May 1/03 While American Idol last night was shocking, it wasn't as shocking as my friend Rachelle and I had quite anticipated. Having gone out for dinner during the 8 pm airing of Idol, we were prepared to watch it on tape around 10 at my place. But before we got to it, we were both telephoned by friends of ours saying "OMG! Can you BELIEVE what happened?!" and "Tim it was SO shocking!" So when we finally sat down to watch my tape, we were eagerly anticipated the "most surprising episode" of the season. Now granted, we did utter a loud gasp when Rueben was put into the bottom two. And what was Josh doing in the top 3?! I knew army guys could handle battle lines, but I never knew they could rig phone lines too! Anyway Rachelle and I were so sure that Rueben would then be kicked out, leading to the aforementioned "surprise" that our friends had warned us about. In fact, we basically fast-forwarded (past stupid Justin Guarini... why did people like him again?) to the announcement about who was getting voted off. We kept muttering "stupid stupid" under our breath and Rachelle even let out a few noticeable swear words about how f*ckin retarded this was. We clenched our fists and squinched our eyes awaiting the phrase "Rueben you're eliminated" to come from Seacrest's mouth when suddenly... "Trenyce, I'm sorry but you have been eliminated." What?! Huh? What was so surprising about that? Rachelle and I un-clenched our fists and fell into each other laughing at how anti-climatic the whole episode had just been. But if Rueben once again finishes below Josh next week, it will be no laughing matter! April 29/03 Who would have thunk it that a Neil Sadaka tribute would make for the most interesting American Idol episode yet! But alas, they all (with the exception of Josh... why is he becoming so angry and moody?) sang so well tonight that I wished I had pressed "record" to watch their performances again. And I'll admit that I may have jumped the gun in my dismissal of Trenyce last week. She was pretty good tonight and I liked her hair cut... Too bad about that nose... Fine, and that last song Clay sang was half-decent... maybe it's cuz he sang it in such dark lighting. I didn't hafta stare at his raggady andy-pale face or the increasingly noticeable blue eyeshadow he pretends he doesn't wear. Oh and further proof that American Idol is popular? I downloaded Neil Sadaka's "Solitaire" immediately after the show and then left my kazaa running while I did some studying (okay fine, while I watched Smallville). Upon returning to my computer I discovered that 16 fellow kazaa users had since downloaded the song from my files! Trust me, no one would be downloading Neil Sadaka songs if it weren't for American Idol. Before tonight's episode, I thought sadaka was a brand of tea. Prediction? If Josh doesn't get voted off tomorrow it will breathe new meaning into the phrase "Military Dictatorship"... He was NOT commanding my attention tonight! (Get it? Military joke?... never mind). Between his slurred fake country twang, his emerging double chin and his (gasp) tapered(!) Levi 501s, he just is not the American Idol. And what was with his childish attempts to talk back to Simon? "Simon should be glad I still have my military restraints on!" Josh quips. Uh huh... is that what you boys do in the army... right... One last unrelated note. Zachary Ty Bryan guested on Smallville tonight. Remember him? Brad from Home Improvement? Jonathan Taylor Thomas already did a guest spot on Smallville this year and now Brad? If that actor who played Mark pops up I am SO going to complain! Alright. Back to studying. I keep forgetting I have an exam tomorrow. Oh and TWOP eat your heart out! =p 4/29/2003 9:17:24 PM Read while studying for my last exam - Television in Society: "Chronic TV-watching is like wearing sweatpants in public. It's a public declaration: "I give up." Tuesday, April 23/03 Fine. I like Carmen. Don't ask me why. She's quite obviously the least talented singer out of the bunch (well... Josh is not great either but Americans can't bear to send a marine packing... for Iraq!) and she's not exactly Maxim pinup material, but there's just something about her. She's the new Nikki McKibbin! Yet while Nikki had her stripper past and unlike "eye fluttering, false modesty" Clay and "diva in training" Trenyce, Carmen is just a regular all-American girl. She's not a wannabe star. She's a wannabe singer. She seems genuine and down to earth and her personality is always bright and happy. Sure the powder foundation has done nothing to conceal her acne-prone skin and maybe her voice is a little "pitchy" for Randy Jackson sometimes, but that's just normal. And that's refreshing to see in such a Hollywood superstar-driven industry. I don't think Carmen will win the competition. And I doubt a recording career lies in front of her. But I'm glad her hair extensions have also managed to extend her stay in the final group. My prediction: Trenyce is gone this week. PS> For those of you who had absolutely no idea who and/or what the heck I just wrote about, it's time to get your priorities straight people!! (just kidding! Or am I....?) CTV/FOX tonight and tomorrow night @ 8 pm (And check out idolonline.org) April 16/03 So Canadian Idol auditions have begun... Here's something I came across: You know you're a Canadian Idol when... When Paula Abdul tells you what she thinks of your performance, she seems abrasive and blunt -- at least compared to most people you know. Your first big single is called, "A Moment Like This, Eh?" After winning the title of "Canadian Idol," you celebrate by going out for a big Chinese meal. You audition in a sleeveless tee and are told you look "slutty" When you first see Randy Jackson, you wonder where a person could get such a deep, dark tan. Your "million dollar record contract" is really worth $600 000 April 7/03 - The Great American Pop Culture Quiz! I was thrilled to purchase the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly. The cover page read "The Great American Pop Culture Quiz" and I couldn't wait to tackle the 100 questions to prove my mainstream mettle. I scored a 20. Like 20/100... It's not my fault... I mean, check out some of these questions: - Sylvester Stallone's "Rambo" has a first name. What is it? - What is the name of Murphy Brown's baby? - On The Cosby Show, which kid wasn't around at the start of the first season? - What is considered the first major rap feud? - What is the name of the nightclub where David Silver works in Bev Hills 90210 (this one I knew!) The questions are so outdated! (Or maybe I still have a lot to learn...) Anyone up for a Three's Company marathon this weekend? =p Oh btw, the answers were: - John - Avery - Sondra - LL Cool J vs. Kool Moe Dee - Peach Pit After Dark April 3/03 - A Dawson's Geek I never liked Paula Cole. Her voice was all gruff and howl-like, as if she was attempting to yodel but couldn’t quite clear the phlegm from her throat to successfully do so. And “Where have all the cowboys gone?” I have no idea what that song was about. Does anyone even care where all the cowboys have gone? But my disdain for Paula Cole was slightly amended in grade ten with the premiere of Dawson’s Creek. (Cole of course, sang the theme song for the show and so for thirty seconds every week, I was somewhat partial to her). The ‘Creek episodes of course, would commence with the requisite opening scene in which the main narrative and mood would be set, followed by a few clever lines of playful banter and then the hook – a contentious question raised or a clandestine rumor unearthed. The cameras would pan around to show the suddenly tepid and timorous faces of the characters and just as one of them would open their mouth as if to endeavor a response… “Da da da duh da…” Paula Cole’s “I don’t want to wait” would break the disconcerting tension and the action would fade (if only for a few minutes) into the comforting tune of the opening credits. Dawson’s Creek was sorta like Paula Cole. In the same way that Cole’s voice is unrefined and rough around the edges, DC presented a curiously atypical and unique slice of teenage life. Initially controversial (remember Joey and Dawson sleeping in the same bed? Pacey’s affair with his teacher?) and then remarkably akin in its portrayal of teen-angst, the show was like a fantastical mirror that reflected an extraordinary group of friends and somehow made them part of ordinary life. With its wordy dialogue and often contentious subject matter, Dawson’s Creek seemingly fenced itself in, as if only discernable viewers could enter into Dawson, Pacey, Jen and Joey’s world. But yet it managed to retain a refreshing innocence and youthful charm that allowed us all to feel like we too, were growing up in Capeside. With the show ending its six-year run at the end of this month, I thought it’d be nice to revisit the show many of us spent our high school years with and recap “10 lessons I learned from Dawson’s Creek…” 1. Shortening a girl’s name to make it sound masculine will make the girl immediately more attractive. 2. Any guy who dates this girl will either end up gay or find himself suddenly emotionally volatile. 3. You can consistently flunk your courses and almost fail out of high school, but still converse like you memorized the dictionary. 4. Smart girls who pop pills are shipped off to France and never heard from again. 5. Slutty girls are shipped off to live with their grandmother and made to wear ugly clothes and bad hairstyles. 6. Houses in Capeside do not have stairs. You must climb a tall ladder to reach the second floor. 7. Chantal Kreviazuk songs precede all moments of longing, confusion and/or heartbreak. 8. It is okay to sleep in the same bed as your best friend of the opposite sex, but deciding whether or not you “like” each other is a drawn-out process that can take many, many months to figure out. After you think you’ve decided what you want, you will change your mind and spend even more months rethinking the whole situation. 9. Drinking is bad! You will have regrettable sex, ruin a concert, crash someone’s birthday party, or fall off a seaside dock and die. 10. “A population of memories. Some wonderful and endearing. Some less so. But taken together, those memories helped make us who we are -- and who we will be. Whether you’re here with each other now or merely in each other’s thoughts... remember one another on the road ahead. And I hope, no matter where your travels lead you in this life... you take Capeside with you.” – Episode 422 Well said Joey Potter… Thanks for the memories. Good bye Dawson’s Creek. Good riddance Paula Cole. April 1/03 You know you're obsessed when... So I watch American Idol. I've watched both seasons of it pretty religiously. I'm even writing my "TV and Society" paper on it and how "Through the candid comments of its judges and the exploitative and sardonic portrayal of amateur audition singers, American Idol successfully dispels the long-running mythical ideal that if one follows his or her dream, the dream will come true." But I think it's beginning to get to me: This morning I lay in bed and thought about driving across the Montreal-Vermont border just so I could experience the "thrill" of calling in and voting for one of the contestants. (You can only vote if you're in the U.S.) Anyone wanna join me on the road trip? Oh and my paper's due tomorrow but I've only got like 3 pages done. I have to finish it tonight but American Idol is on... Wouldn't it be ironic if I couldn't finish my American Idol paper because I was watching American Idol? [Oh as a sidenote, contestant Corey Clark was kicked off the show yesterday after reports of an abuse charge/arrest surfaced. Good! I never liked him anyway! Then again, I don't really like any of this year's contestants... Not obsessed!!!] March 1/03 - Say NO to war! *Warning* > This post contains material that may be offensive to some readers! In fact, I was going to submit this as one of my columns to the McGill Tribune, but after a few comments from people, I have decided that this piece is better left in the relative safety and more liberal pages on this blogspot. But you have been warned... (And besides, you know I'm just kidding around right?) We can’t have a war. Nothing good can ever result from a war and going ahead with George Bush’s plan for an attack on Iraq would most certainly lead to devastating, if not tragic, consequences. Do you know what this could mean?! For starters, just think of all the TV shows that would get pre-empted in favour of “breaking news” coverage of the war or worse, yet another “State of the Union” address by the aforementioned President Bush! I can just see the requisite explanatory line running across the bottom of my TV screen: Dawson’s Creek will not be seen tonight so that we can air live coverage of Iraqis fleeing their homes and running for their lives from American bombs. Not only that, but once-entertaining newsmagazine shows such as 20/20 and Dateline will stop airing interviews with Michael Jackson’s make-up artist and Carnie Wilson’s plastic surgeon in favour of sit-down interviews with U.N. security council reps and state senators! Are terrorism and nuclear weapons really more important than Carnie Wilson’s 100 pound weight loss through liposuction?! And we thought TV couldn’t get any worse than Married by America. A war will also lead to a barrage of hope-filled, sentimental, “We are the world”-type songs sung by B-list musicians desperate to get their waning voices back on the radio. I bet Kelly Clarkson is sitting by her phone right about now. Of course once the war is over, these powerful ballads of “peace and unity” will fall off the charts and radio will return to the equally-inspiring words of Shania Twain’s “I’m gonna get you good” and Avril Lavigne’s “Sk8ter Boi.” And finally, the uncalled for rash of patriotism will spawn an uncalled for rash of war movies, starring young male actors hoping to up their big-screen credibility by starring in a big budget war hero flick. (C’mon, it’s almost like a rite of passage) Somewhere out there, an Ashton Kutcher army thriller is waiting to be rushed into production. Sheryl Crow recently attended an awards show wearing a “War is not the Answer” t-shirt. I don’t think she was campaigning for world peace. Crow knows that with a war filling the pages of newspapers and dominating the airwaves of radio and TV, no one will have time to watch her latest music video or read about her sexy new image in the latest issue of FHM. Who needs to hear about Sultry Sheryl when we can stare at photos of Sexy Saddam right? So you see, war is no good and the costs of war by far outweigh the benefits. On the other hand, Survivor: Iraq would make for good viewing… March 24/03 - The Academy Awards Michael Moore goes from basking in a standing ovation for his sharp documentary, Bowling for Columbine to making a fool of himself and his cause amidst a chorus of boos... Instead of defending his passion for peace, he has effectively insulted the American public and successfully ensured that Bush's war approval rating will shoot straight up tomorrow morning. Best director of the year if I do say so myself. So welcome to my world! Well, not really my world, but my world of thoughts about all things television. I started writing a column in my university paper about mainstream pop culture stuff and it began to permeate the pages of my personal blogspot. And so, after much prodding (okay no one prodded) I've decided to start a blogspot site just for my ramblings on TV. For the time being, I'll simply repost stuff I've written in the past few weeks and then I'll start posting regular reviews of TV shows, music, etc. But with rerun season approaching, I can't speculate as to how often these "regular" reviews will be. In the meantime, enjoy some of my "old" work and relax, watching American Idol is not embarrassing! And as you shall soon discover through my posts, there are worse things to be embarrassed about... |