Angry guy gives low rated TV show free publicity by getting advertisers to pull out.

From Mediaweek.com
Lowe's Bows Out of Big Brother: Retailer Lowe's will not be advertising on future episodes of CBS' current edition of Big Brother due to defamatory comments made by contestant Adam Janinski on Feb. 13 about people with autism. Janinski, ironically, works for the United Autism Foundation of Florida. John Gilmore, executive director of a group called Autism United, has contacted many of the advertisers which appeared during that episode, including Lowe's, Campbell Soup, Claritin, Geico, McDonald's and Taco Bell.
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First off---is it really "ironic?" That word is so over used. People use it all the. Most of the time it's used incorrectly. We should stop using that word for a while so we can find other words that describe a situation - maybe even a word that fits. Then bring "ironic" back so we can use it. Sparingly.
Ok, the real reason I found this interesting... Why is the Executive Director wasting his time boycotting "Big Brother." Yes, it is terrible to say bad things about autism. I don't know what he said, but I'll assume it was bad. Fir argument's sake. But so what? How will this help families with autistic children? How does it help people with Autism?

In Advertising Age Gilmer said, "Lowe's is doing the responsible thing." Are they? Is it responsible? If they are going to take responsibility for their actions they should go back in time or make some kind of reparations. Free lumber to anyone who was offended! Lowes isn't the issue. They didn't knowingly sign off on this guy saying a horrible thing.

Maybe CBS should not have aired the comment. As a former and possible future reality show producer my guess is they wanted to make him a bad guy. So they left in the comment.

But punishing CBS is not going to help anyone. Maybe this guy should've contacted the sponsors and network and got them to donate money to the many important autism foundations like, Surfer's Healing.

That would ironic. (No it would not.)

(pictured is the Scottish winner of Big Brother.)

A new record set by someone who doesn't really exist

Richard "The Belz" Belzer broke his own record this Sunday. His character Det. John Munch- originally on "Homicide: Life on the Street," has appeared on more TV shows than any other fictional character.
This Sunday he was on "The Wire."

It's a strange distinction. His cop character is just like him - wears dark suits and glasses, believes in conspiracies and cracks wise. So it could just be the Belz doing a cameo and saying a couple of cop things.

He made an appearance on the short live cop show on the UPN with the same creator as “Homicide.” Like"The Wire," it was only one scene, but he actually talked to the shows characters.

Munch even appeared in Muppet form on Sesame Street. Belz did not do the voice, but it is the character, so that counts.

Here he is in puppet form:

Here’s the list:

· "The Wire" (2008)
· "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"
· "Sesame Street" (2006)

· "Arrested Development" (2006)

· "Law & Order: Trial by Jury"
· "The Beat" (2000)

· "Law & Order" (1996, 97, 2000)
· "Homicide: Life on the Street"
· "The X Files" (1997

On the X-Files

Reporters Demand Real Juno

Reporters around the country are crying foul to the studios for getting their hopes up for a great interview but giving them a boring Cody and Page.

After viewing a movie about a outgoing teenager with a vast and strange vocabulary written by a former stripper - entertainment reporters couldn't wait to talk to both the writer and star. They jumped at the change of quotes riddled with references that would take months to decipher and tales from the other side of the pole that would make readers on the subway and watcher at home blush.

Instead they got monotone, humble answers that one would expect from Barry Peeper on Inside the Actors studio. Peter Bart of Variety even resorted to trying to get Ellen Page to recount a story she told on Letterman on his "Shootout" show. Page was matter of fact when she restated that her home was once a bordello.

Diablo Cody defended her main character's strange way of over speaking by saying that she speaks that way herself, but as one reporter complained, she did in it in a boring manner. "She defended her witty banter without using any," complained on reporter who then thanked the studio for free shrimp.

Th reporter went on to say that even though Cody says she "Never gets bored" with talking about being a stripper, her stories are always boring.

After being burned by boredom and sincerity the nation and international press has asked to speak to Juno herself, They are demanding to talk to the character either pre post baby. "Either way, hearing about kicking and vomitting has got to be better copy."

FOX Searchlight has responded with a Juno soundboard. Reporters can do call a toll free number and ask any question. Pre-recorded answers from the movie Juno and the Juno character will respond.

When asked about taking responsibility of the mistake the film company made by using the real movie participants, a Fox spokesperson stated by phone, "That's one diddle you can't undo, homeskillet."


Examples of interviews or "Exhibit A":

Bill Maher, can we stop writing your show now?

With the writers strike ending, I hope this means Bill Maher will stop having America do his work. Anyone whose seen his HBO show could tell you pre-strike it was very written. The opening monologue, the sometimes pre and mid show sketches and the very funny cherry topper, "New Rules." Without the writers all but his opening routine are gone. Instead we get to hear from corespondents and us.

His monologue was pretty funny - not the usual out of the ball park the show normally delivers, but give the guy a break. I will. Right now. So good job and that. That's awesome. But I did notice a lot more pot and stripper references now that it's his lone voice. Write what you know.

Maher started to do man on the street and couldn't stop. See Joe Lunchbox at the Farmer's Market (LA Shows either go to the Farmer's Market on Fairfax, outside teh Kodak Theater, or 3rd Street Promenade) is not in any TV union. The first time he did it, he would ask someone who he/she was voting for and then the host would tell them why they were wrong. The stunned human would not usually have something to say back. In following weeks Bill went to an old age home and in the same ep, had a reporter go to a black hair salon. This week he did some exit polling.

Bill became nicer to his unprepared regular person guests as time went on. They also moved up the internet questions to end out the show.

Hopefully they will keep bringing in a co-host mid show. It just breaks it up.

I do love love when something goes wrong and he goes nuts. Let's do more of that!

I'm not trashing him. Just noticed a lot of man on the street. Now that the strike is over, people can eat lunch at the Farmer's Market in peace.


I agree with this blogger! But not all of it. Bill's comment was stupid. But I don't know about this woman's crappy college experience.

Writers return to work causes Red Vines shortage...

Will most of Hollywood's writers coming back to the office on the same day - the city's bulk stores were not able to keep the inferior Twizzler on the shelf. Under paid PA's scared for their lives grabbed tubs of the red stuff to impress their production coordinator and maybe get a chance to share an awkward joke with a real writer.

Hottie makes nottie a lottie cash

According to Boxofficemojo.com This weekend the Paris Hilton movie made $25,000 dollars. Less than the Paris would get paid for an appearance at a night club. So with all the billboards (or at least the one I saw at Sunset and La Brea that looks like she made it[picture to come{get off my back {it's coming!}}]) TV ads and press junkets and radio interviews, only 2,500 people were convinced to see the film.

Tiny shoe box theaters across the country laid w/ heat or air conditioning blasting for no one. Homeless people wouldn't even sneak in to get out of the cold.
"Could I have some change? I promise not to spend it on that Paris movie. It will all go to booze, I promise."
"In that case, here's a whole dime."


Here's some info on the movie's director: from imdb.com
Graduated from USC School of Cinema-Television (1994)
Named as "One of the 25 New Faces of Independent Film" by Filmmaker Magazine (Summer 2003 Issue).

He's won a bunch of awards. But so has Paris. I actually saw his 1999 film "Shafted" a take off of Shaft (no shit). To be fair, I don't remember what I thought of it. I can see myself getting frustrated and walking away.

NIkki Finke takes up Sudoku

The first Casualty of the writers strike ending seems to be Nikki Finke - journalist, blogger and WGA sympathizer has found herself with a lot of free time on her hands now that there's nothing to report. Now she will feel the same way the below the line people felt on shows that were shut down.

Hey writers, now that you are coming back to work...

Could you stop using cliches like, "I learned that on the Discovery Channel?" I just saw Kal Penn say that on an episode of House. The guy is playing a doctor, a brilliant one at that, so it would not be so far fetched that he actually reads and learned whatever fact in a book.

This joke is at best over used and old. It should be avoided. Thanks.

I wonder how many shows will have strike plots.

A waste of a Monday

There's been bad TV shows before. None as bad as "Welcome to The Captain." This laughless snoozefest is just that. That's all I got.

i don't want to be the blogger dude who snarks and shits on everything. But this show was so bad I needed to vent. This show might put the writers back on strike or at least re-think life.

This young mis-understood writer can't catch a break in Hollywood. he decides it's LA's fault and threatens to move home to NYC where apparently it's so much easier to get a movie made. His best buddy (Stereotype # 1) is a womanizing, sleazy manager named "Marty." Oh the guy is like 27. Somehow his parents were hoping to give birth to a 60 yeah old butcher. Seriously, I've been in LA for almost 10 years and I never met a guy...I've been in LA for almost ten years. Wasn't I going to do more with my life? How did I end up here for so long?

"Marty" gets this guy into his huge apartment complex packed with wacky characters fresh from other shows. For some reason theres a concierge at an apartment complex - it's the only ethnic character on the show. OH, here's a twist on the same old shit you get on TV, he's lazy and a smart ass. Oh, and he's due back on the set of Faulty Towers...at least on that show he was just dumb like everyone else...I've been in LA for ten years.


There's Raquel Welch plays the super horny cougar, and then there's the blond love interest that he falls instantly in love with but can't have until season three when the ratings start to sag.

At the end of the episode they pull the camera back to reveal how huge the building is. "Shit there's got to be at least 300 people living there. There must be better stories in that building.

It's not so much that it's not good. It's not funny. At all. Nope. the structure is there, but no funny moments. People always complain about laugh tracks, but I wish I had one so i would know when to laugh. The actors seem to pause after an joke as if they had to wait for a laugh. Don't bother.

Arnold, Please!

Last night to keep up with my Razzie nominations, I watched the epic sequel of "Daddy Day Care," "Daddy Day Camp." Don't pretend you didn't see the posters or see the trailer on a sick loop on the Pay Per View preview channel. You know, the film your kids begged you to see swearing it was the most important thing in their world.
If you took the kids you would know what a piece of crap it is.

If you didn't take them - you can buy my used copy for $27.45.

But whatever you are thinking about this film - it gets worse.

Instead of Eddie Murphy we get Oscar winner Cuba Gooding, Jr. Instead of Jeff Garlin we get a loaf of bread with eyes.


-Fred Savage (yes Winnie's boyfriend or Ben's older brother if you under the age of old) is the director. He directs with a very heavy fist and a crappy gaffer (I bet you never heard of someone reviewing the gaffer.)


- The opening shot is a little girl slowly pulling a sheet cake off the counter onto the floor. (You get it?)But someone is assisting her by pushing the cake forward, even when she is not pulling it.

- They make no effort in pretending that the skunk that strays the bus is not a stuff animal.

You might be thinking - "That's not so bad. It's a kids' film. Cuba knows how to take a kick to the balls. A raccoon may fall on his head. The fat guy farts a few times and blows up the can. Harmless."

Oh. Be warned. It's total crap. But I'm going on and on so I don't have to write about the most objectionably part of the film.

Some background - for no real good reason at all, Cuba risks his family's nest egg on a run down camp with no pool or lake. The owner of the fancy camp next door - that literally has valet and a pizza butler- is an evil dude who wants the land.

"I didn't see that coming."

Don't interrupt. The evil guy wants Cuba to compete in a made up competition. To show he's serious he brings a long of spear that symbolizes that a challenge for this made up this has been made. Cuba refuses and continues onto boring the kids and the audience at the same time.

Later, he gets so mad that he agrees to challenge and grabs the ceremonious spear and chucks it the white guy...

"What did you just say?"

Fred Savage! you were a product of the 60's. You'd think you'd know better.

Lost - the ultimate recap

Lost recently returned. In order to get the most new viewers (people who are ready to try it now that there's nothing else to see) the network aired 3 hours of recap shows.

Here's my recap of the series Lost in just a few lines...

Season 1: Wednesdays at 8 - The show comes on TV like a house on fire. Great special effects, mysterious monsters, people with powers, strange French women...It seemed like the writers never thought the show was going to last more than 12 episodes and just wrote great stories and didn't worry about answering any questions. The season ends with a bang.

Except the mysterious monster turns out to be a low budget smoke monster that would make Sid and Marty Kroft blush.

Season 2 - Wednesdays at 9 - Instead of answers we got new characters and new questions. Things are going fine, but every other episode feels like a rerun...it is! The new mystery is if this week's show is going to be new or a rerun. It was on it's way to go the way of "Moonlighting."

Season 3 - Wednesdays at 10 - The airs six new episodes in a row. They are ok. Then they take if off for 13 weeks! In it's place they put a ridiculously stupid TV show where every day repeats itself until the cop gets the day right or the network cancels it.


Lost returns in the winter with the rest of the episodes pretty non stop. They are bad until two brand new characters at killed off (or are they) in a very cool Twilight Zone type story line. It's back! The season ends with a bang! The writers got us back!


Season 4 - Thursdays at 9 - we are promised only 18 episodes of the year, but with the strike we get 8. So far so good.


I hope this helps.