My favorite podcasts...in case you are looking.

I'm obsessed with podcasts. I don't know why! I'm always looking for new ideas if you find something let me know.

My top can't wait for them to come on the computer:
From KPCC - Off Ramp- great local show about strange things in LA.
Also on KPCC - Film week. good reviewers.

Tim Goodman's TV talk machine from the SF Chronicle. (Last two weeks he has on Ricky Gervais and David Duchovny. But mostly he talks TV stuff and acts goofy. It actually gets tiring. When they actually talk about TV it's better.)
The Business - show biz features and news with slight sarcasm.
The Treatment - Elvis Michel interviews directors.
KCRW's today's top tunes - new songs every day. great stuff.
Indie Feed - has new music too. They have different genres. Rock, hip hop, and electronica.

News:
CNN Headline news, MSNBC and NPR news updated every hour.
FOX has one too, but it sucks. It's 5 minutes long. In the middle of it they have a soft news item. who cares. i have 5 minutes. I don't want to hear the same Tony Danza interview every hour.
Cynopsis - daily TV news and ratings. The host can hardly read. It makes it more fun to get your news from a someone who can't pronounce "Colbert" or "Sixth Sense." It's like she's reading my typing.
Marc Berman's Programming Insider. - TV ratings with a strong New York accent always makes it sound official.


NPR shuffle: best of all the newscasts
The cool as hell Theater podcast - host interviewing real SF performers. I take sick pleasure in it.

opcast - ny times has an interesting podcast interviewing people who resently wrote an op ed piece.

I know people like Men with Feelings and "Keith and the Girl."

F U NBC!

Fuck You NBC!
This week’s “Las Vegas” featured the super stereotypical Jewish family. The shrill and loud overwewight pushy wife. The menchie bald dad who became rich by becoming the “Brisket King” of some place in Florida. They are throwing a Bar Mitzvah for their nerdy son.
The mother argues about something they wanted for the affair but didn’t get. The party planner offers her an extra buffet for free and the mother is very pleased.

At least they didn’t play “Fiddler on the Roof” type music whenever they walked into a scene, oh wait they did.javascript:void(0)
Publish Post

Every bad stereotype in the book was thrown in and the book as well.

It was like it was written by a bunch of bullies in the 7th grade. It’s embarrassing.

Oh, at the Bar Mitzvah itself, there’s a shot of a huge ham on the carving station.
Every stereotype in the book was thrown in.

The only realistic part was that they hired a rapper for his big day.

They also had a subplot where everyone had to carry around an egg for the day to prove their parenting skills. This is right out of every sitcom ever. What else can you expect from a “Love Boat” rip off.


You can go to NBC.com to see the entire episode.

Here’s the plot summary from the “Love Boat” update from the NBC website:



Sam is organizing a big ticket bar mitzvah for Cy and Beth Lipshitz’s nerdy son Hershel. Cy tells Sam to set up a private table for him and keep his wife and son entertained and away from him.
Sam offers Piper $5000 to babysit Hershel.
Piper notices Hershel looking shyly at some girls. Why doesn’t he ask them to join in? Hershel asks if Piper’s a prostitute, and she is about to huff off, but he offers to pay her double to teach him how to get a girl. Piper relents, but only if Hershel does everything she says.

Piper holds Hershel’s hand through a full makeover with a haircut, new cool clothes, even an earring. Piper encourages him to talk to the girls, but Hershel chickens out and runs off. Piper rushes after him.

Hershel tells Piper that he may look great, but he’s still a wuss on the inside, nothing’s changed. Piper asks if Cy has had the man-talk with Hershel. But they never talk, Cy’s always busy. Piper takes Hershel to the table where Cy gambles, not wanting to interrupt his winning streak. Piper insists that she shouldn’t be the one teaching Hershel life lessons, and Cy gets the message, telling a baffled Sam to watch his chips. Sam’s worried that father and son are missing right before the party, but finds them bonding.

The bar mitzvah is getting underway. Hershel dances with Piper, and she gives him the confidence to ask the girls to dance. Cy and Beth have the time of their lives, watching their son dance to Mim’s live show with the rabbi’s daughter.

Enough with Britney

There's a news report today that she tried to order from the drive thru but forgot to roll down her window. It instantly reminded me of being in middle school where everything I did was commented on. Sorry I still have issues.

Back to Brit-- I think we should lay off, not so much because I feel bad for her, but it's getting boring. Can't you find a brand new young girl going thru a horrible family issues and a possible battle with substances? What about that girl from the "Game Plan?"

Pop will eat itself

Secrets reveled! On the pilot of FOX's much hyped "Back to You" Kelsey Grammer realizes that Patricia Heaton's daughter is actually his kin! What? You fathered the kid and then left for 10 years only to return and find out your ex lover is now your baby momma!!!!

Detective Grammer figures this out because Patricia's daughter, like him has a peanut allergy. What are the odds?

This sounded familiar to me? where did I hear this before? Wait...it's coming...Today I remembered that in the pilot for "October Road" the lead comes home after ten years and befriends a ten year old boy who turns out to be the son of his ex girlfriend that he left behind--And--that-- wait for it-- also has a peanut allergy! what? So now he thinks this might be his kid!

I don't know what shocks me more- that so many people have peanut allergies or that the "Back to You" writers stole something from "October Road."

I'm also shocked to find out that people with peanut allergies are so free with their sperm. Look out ladies. These guys will love you and leave you.

re-reporting Ratings for "Cavemen"

In case you were wondering how the commercial turned male Sex and the City did in it's premiere we turn to "The Progamming Insider at Mediaweek.com:

"Older skewing CBS warhorse NCIS won the 8 p.m. hour, with a 10.5 rating/16 share in the overnight markets. Second were two series debuts on ABC -- sitcoms Cavemen (6.5/10) and Carpoolers (6.3/10), which dropped, on average, by a significant 49 percent compared to Dancing With the Stars on the year-ago evening (12.5/19 from 8-9 p.m. on Oct. 3, 2006) . While no one expected these "comedies" to match Dancing With the Stars, given the hype, particularly for Cavemen, the initial sampling should have been higher. Let's be honest…wasn't Cavemen just awful?"
There you go. Thanks Marc.

Re-reporting the news: 'Best Week Ever' Exec Fred Graver Out

Re-reporting the news: 'Best Week Ever' Exec Fred Graver Out according to Mixed Media's Jeff Bercovici

His voice mail says he's on "walk about" which must be the new way to say "ankling."

From Conde Nast:
'Best Week Ever' Exec Out at VH1

Fred Graver, former head of programming for VH1 and creator of its Best Week Ever franchise, is leaving the network, according to several sources. Emails to Graver were met by an out-of-office message saying he's "on walkabout," but he has let it be known that he won't be back.*

Graver was in charge of programming and production for the network from June 2001 until May 2002. It was a fallow period, in terms of ratings -- "post Behind The Music and pre-Celebreality," as one source put it -- and he was soon demoted, with MTV entertainment president Brian Graden taking over his duties. (They were later handed to Michael Hirschorn.)

But Graver got a second life at the network in January 2004, when he launched Best Week Ever, the zeitgeist-y commentary/comedy show that became a VH1 staple. More recently, Graver had been developing a network of sites under the aegis of the Linked Media Group. I'm told that Graver did not get along with Tina Imm, VH1's vice president for digital media.

Various VH1 officials have yet to respond to calls for comment.

UPDATE: Gaurav Misra confirms he's replacing Graver as head of Linked Media.

*UPDATE 2: A VH1 spokesman confirms that Graver is "pursuing other opportunities." Misra, meanwhile, won't be taking over Linked Media per se -- it's being disbanded -- but he will be working on site development with Tina Imm.

It might just be you...

Oh holly crap! I picked a bunch of new podcasts to listen to. this one is theater cast from SF.

  Apparently Hollywierd is too dumb to recognize good art so Michael Rice interviews the best of the unknown to give them exposure.
You know, kept down by closed mined Hollywood that only wants things that make money like sequels and the possibility of an audience... This guy Rice is interviewing is so fucking clueless. I think it's a joke, but Tim Sudano has a website and a trailer.

It feels like a bit on "Best show on WFMU with Tom Scharpling ."

Ricetalks about how Hollywood and Broadway has nothing original and then presents this pioneer. Tim, the pioneer, agrees and tells of his many rejections. Finally he describes the movie. It's a detective/vampire/alien story.
listen here The podcast keeps getting better and better. The host finally loses his shit and then kisses the guy's ass again.


From the "Cool as Hell Theater show" website:
Tim Sudano thinks his company should be the "go to" company for theater and film in the Bay Area. Sudano has recently produced a film called Second Chance, about a detective, bitten by a vampire, who rises above the situation because he is an alien. What the hell???

This is why I love SF, they are clueless to the real world. This has to be a joke. Don't say people turned down your stuff b/c they are closed minded. They might just not like it.
Here's some more interviews with the cast.The director says the movie is going to be better than the first Stars Wars Trilogy - that's my first clue that this is all a joke. But so much work went into the website and trailer. I also want to believe it.


It's well lit - I'll give him that.

No one is required to put up your show or see your movie. Yes, when you pitch a project someone might wonder if they will make their money back. Why not? And what's wrong with turning a profit.

Anyway, I can't tell if this is a joke or not, but let's hope it is a joke- otherwise "The Room" might have a run for it's money.

What am I watching?

Hey, Michael Clayton I'm lost. I've watched the trailer for the new movie "Michael Clayton" a few times. I still don't know what it's about. I know I'll see it because I like George Clooney and he generally picks good movies. BUt I can't follow what's going on. The guy from "The Full Monty" who more recently dressed up like a woman on HBO, is crazy. The hot British chick is tell George that he can't do something. Then the guy from Tootsie tells George "they" are already doing it. I don't know what it is - but it is happening. Oh and the big time lawyer is running through the woods in a suit. Confused. I was hoping the title would help me figure it out. Nope, just a name of a character that I don't know what it means.

Reaper Review and Bionic revelation

It's 3 AM and I can't sleep. I cleaned out my dvr (which I hate. I want TIVO back) and here's what I watched...

I've watched reaper which was funny for a minute. The premise and the joke about the ham made me laugh.

BUT: why not tell the girl that you are a soul collector? Is it better to let her know that you are a liar? It's always the woman the guy lusts for or the wife he has to hide this stuff from. "I'm so glad you hid that you catch souls for the Devil. There was no reason to hide it, but that's what I love. other major life changing events are happening that you aren't telling me? Wait...It's better if I just don't know."

He tells his idiot best friend and random dude in a pony tail, but not the woman who's smart and going to college. No reason you'd want a smart person with access to a college on your team.

Grey's Anatomy - always good, but isn't it illegal for a regular doctor to operate on an animal? Or is that just on nip/tuck when that curl haired guy did plastic surgery to a poodle?
It's good to see that everyone there is still totally self centered. "You think you have problems? Instead of talking to you about them I will tell you my whole back story and history."

Plus- was the whole Bambi thing a shout out to the show "Scrubs?" the sitcom makes no bones about feeling ripped off by a show about hospital interns. The only difference is people will watch Grey's. the mean-but-well meaning Dr. Baily, I mean Dr. Cox calls former waiter and now director phenom Zach Brafferstienbergelman's character "Bambi" for the past 5 or 6 years. Last night on Grey's everyone was calling each other Bambi and they even had to save a dear. Was this an on air rebuttal to Scrub's on air attack on Grey's? Or did no one check to see if the dear reference was used before on an intern at a hospital.

Bionic Woman - in the original pilot Jaime Sommers has a deaf younger sister. they replaced the actress and gave her hearing. Why? It was a cool addition to the story.

If you get a chance rent the original "Bedazzled." Much funnier than most things. Including the dreadful remake and the funny Reaper. You can see they borrowed a little from this movie. Which is fine by me. They didn't take much and it's a great movie.

re-reporting the news:

NBC is considering a new "Knight Rider."
That makes sense. It's part of NBC's mandate: "Normal people with extraordinary powers put on them."

I bet that the new Michael Knight is a regular guy who some how ends up with a talking car and a new life.


If this was two years ago, it would be a reality show. "Finding the Next Knight Rider."

Of course there was the syndicated "team Knight Rider" which made no sense since the announcer on the first show described Michael Knight as loner.
Chuck - regular guy with all the world secrets in his head
Journeyman - a regular guy who just starts floating through time
Bionic Woman - a regular woman who's in a car accident and now has metal parts


NBC taps Liman for 'Knight Rider'
Network readying two-hour backdoor pilot
By JOSEF ADALIAN
NBC is bringing back "Knight Rider," tapping Doug Liman to produce a "Transformers"-inspired reworking of the 1980s hit action-drama series about a man and his indestructible supercar.

Peacock is readying a two-hour backdoor pilot for the project, with tentative plans to air it as a telepic later this season. Liman is open to the idea of directing, assuming his feature sked allows. If the telepic clicks, a new-model "Knight Rider" could be on the air as early as next fall.

Dave Andron ("Raines") is writing the pilot script and will serve as supervising producer alongside exec producers Liman and Dave Bartis ("The O.C.," "Heist") for Universal Media Studios and Dutch Oven Prods.

Success of "Transformers" had a role in inspiring NBC Entertainment chief Ben Silverman's decision to revive "Knight." The thinking is that smallscreen f/x have advanced to the point where it'd be feasible to have a weekly series in which cars shift shapes.

It's also likely the new show will explore the idea of "evil" cars to offset the heroic talking K.I.T.T. car of the original skein, which starred David Hasselhoff. That said, skein is expected to essentially remain focused on the story of a single man fighting for justice with the help of his superadvanced car.

There's also huge potential for advertiser integration. General Motors was all over "Transformers," and it's easy to see NBC striking a rich deal with a single automaker to serve as the exclusive auto brand for the new "Knight." It's understood preliminary talks have already begun.

Peacock is also veering from current conventional wisdom by moving forward with a telepic/backdoor pilot for "Knight." Nets rarely produce telepics with an eye on turning them into series anymore, in part because the telepic has essentially disappeared from the broadcast network scene.

But NBC execs no doubt feel "Knight Rider" is enough of a pre-sold brand to lure an audience. What's more, the telepic could serve as a good replacement for repeats come spring, perhaps replacing an encore of "Heroes" or "Bionic Woman."

"Knight" originally aired on NBC from 1982 until 1986, with Hasselhoff playing smooth crimefighter Michael Knight. A spinoff skein, "Team Knight Rider," aired in syndication during the 1997-98 season.

Project was put together by CAA and Adam Kolbrenner of Madhouse Entertainment.

Glen Larson created the original "Knight Rider" for Universal Television.

Read the full article at:
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117972829.htm

John W. Ennis mashes (or combines) The Leave Britney Spears Alone guy with the taser guy.

In defense of FOX. That's right, I said it.

I'm curently listening to Nick Madigan's Minding the Media. He's complaining that FOX censored Sally Field's acceptance speech. Madigan and other like those at the Huffington Post feel that FOX censored Field for her anti-war stance. But the actress said "goddamn" a word FOX had a problem with it being on primetime. They also censored Ray Romano saying Fraiser Crane was screwing his TV wife. He was not making an anti war comment, he just didn't want a fiction guy to have fictional sex with his fictional wife.

It's FOX's job to censor themselves. If Sally Field a TV vet wanted her anti-war statement to go uncensored she should've kept it clean.

This is not a conspiracy on FOX's part. The FCC is still fucking with CBS over nipple gate. So let FOX be too careful.

I'm not saying FOX never does stuff that's political, I'm just saying that isn't one of them.


This guy below is not only wrong but boring...

TMZ has a poll...would you rather be with Jimmy Falon or Adam west.

Please vote West:


The only connection is that they have the same birthday. One is 34 and the othe is 79.
They really know how to ask the tough questions. Right now the 34 year old is winning. Please do your country proud and Vote for Batman himself.

TMZ is very tricky. They don't say "sex" but boy can tehy hint it! Whew! I get the vapors just reading it.
Anyway, who wants to have sex with Jimmy Fallon? Trust me he'll just laugh in the middle of it and pull focus.