As you probably know, the YouTube Symphony — a collection of 96 musicians from more than 30 countries who were selected via online voting — made its debut performance Wednesday night at Carnegie Hall in New York. The verdict on the three-hour concert is starting to trickle in (The New York Times, for instance, admired the performance but wished it was "less gimmicky and more substantive"), but YouTube has already posted a video of the concert’s first act, so you can now decide for yourself. What do you think, PopWatchers? Is this an inspiring 21st-century experiment, or a haphazard attempt at corporate public service? (And, YouTube, why oh why is this vid not available in HD?)
Archive: April 2009 (221-230 of 498)
Apr 16
2009
10:00 PM ET
YouTube Symphony: Watch the Carnegie Hall debut performance...but, uh, not in HD
- Comments 2
- Add comment
Apr 16
2009
09:20 PM ET
Rupert Everett's face makes me uncomfortable
Is Rupert Everett preparing to star in House of Wax 2? How else to explain his transformation from dashing movie star to…well…creepy, wrinkle-free man? The actor, currently on Broadway in Blithe Spirit, has always been a favorite of mine, dating back to My Best Friend’s Wedding. I even forgave him for the debacle that was The Next Best Thing, his heinous dramedy with Madonna. But I’m not sure I can forgive this.
Rupert, the clip below is in your honor. I’m saying a little prayer for you…and your face.
…
Apr 16
2009
08:15 PM ET
'Better Off Ted': Why aren't more of you watching?
I’m starting to worry my liking of any new show is automatically its kiss of death (look no further than Kings and Pushing Daisies). The most recent example? Better Off Ted. Even though last night’s new episode increased its total viewership from last week, I’m not sure if its 4.7 million viewers (and counting!) are enough to save it from the graveyard. It’s such a shame, too, since the workplace-set comedy is the most promising new sitcom I’ve seen in ages. (Luckily, I’m not alone — Ken Tucker agrees with me, too.)
There’s plenty to like about Better Off Ted, and I can assure you it is much, much better than its eye-rolling title. For one thing, the (small) cast is uniformly strong. Jay Harrington, who you may recall from Desperate Housewives and Private Practice, exudes a cool, easy charm that brings to mind both Jon Hamm and George Clooney. Portia de Rossi is deliciously droll as Ted’s self-absorbed, no-nonsense boss. Admittedly, she’s doing a more socially awkward variation of her character on Arrested Development, but you won’t catch me complaining. She’s fantastic. And the supporting cast — Andrea Anders (Linda), Malcolm Barrett (Lem) and Jonathan Slavin (Phil) — completely sell the increasingly ludicrous story lines, like last night’s episode when Lem and Phil accidentally drugged Linda with an energy-enhancing band-aid. (Pictured: said drugging takes effect!) Stuff like that happens all the time at Veridian Dynamics, the multi-million dollar corporation they all work for. Already we’ve seen someone get frozen (poor Phil!), pumpkins developed as weapons, and beef made out of thin air. The best part? Each episode contains a faux-advertisment for Veridian Dynamics. They’re consistently hilarious.
I like Better Off Ted and it’s cutesy reality-meets-fantasy tone. I just hope it’s around long enough to develop an audience, which might not be in the cards since ABC has been a little cancel-happy these days. (Need I mention Pushing Daisies again?) Have you been tuning in, PopWatchers? If not, how come? Too many other shows flooding your DVR’s?
Apr 16
2009
07:22 PM ET
'Harper's Island': Who's gonna die tonight?
Tonight is the second installment of CBS’ 13-episode mystery series Harper’s Island. It’s not the most mind-twisting show of all time — Harper’s has a trashy-ish I Know What You Did Last Summer vibe — but I found it to be quite a nice little trifle last week, especially since a handful of my Thursday night staples (Grey’s, Ugly Betty) weren’t debuting new episodes.
Basically, the show is about a wedding party who goes to an island off the shore of Seattle for the nuptials and, as the creepy-voiced little girl Madison keeps saying when the show cuts to commercials, most of the folks are going to be killed off "one by one." So far, the bride’s cousin, Ben, has been offed — he was tied to the propellers of the ferry that the party took to the island and you can figure out what happened to him. We know virtually nothing about him and why anyone would want to kill him. And then, at the end of last week’s episode, the groom’s uncle Marty (poor Harry Hamlin!) was sliced in half after falling part-way through a rickety old bridge. He, however, was more of an obvious target because he saw an exchange he shouldn’t have between the bride’s nasty father and the bride’s ex-boyfriend. Actually, if you missed the episode, why don’t you just catch this helpful little recap, via CBS:
Now, people, the question is: Who’s gonna die tonight? Honestly, with the randomness of Ben and Marty’s deaths last weekend, that’s a hard question to answer. Maybe an inconsequential bridesmaid or two? An unsuspecting child? The weird, overly blonde couple, perhaps?
Yet another question: With the history on the island (a crazed man killed six people on the island years ago) and now that uncle Marty will be discovered dead (cousin Ben seems to be forgotten by this point), why would these crazy folks continue with the week-long wedding festivities? Seems nuts to me. Get off the damn island!
And most importantly, who’s killing all these folks? Can’t be the same guy who did it last time because, supposedly, he’s dead, too. But you know how these things work, a la I Know What You Did Last Summer. No one is ever really dead. The suspects that the above video points out — the groom’s weirdo brother JD and the bride’s powerful dad — are moot, as far as I’m concerned. With 12 episodes to go, it couldn’t be so easy to figure out the mystery yet, right? No good R.L. Stine-ish murder mystery would even hint toward the true killer this early.
Do you have any early theories, PopWatchers? Who’s killing? Who’s dying tonight? Are you even watching?
More on ‘Harper’s Island’ from EW:
‘Harper’s Island’: Was it seriously ‘debauch’?
‘Southland’ vs. ‘Harper’s Island’: New-show face-off!
Spring TV preview: CBS’s ‘Harper’s Island’
Apr 16
2009
07:10 PM ET
Fantasia's VH1 reality show: I'm already saving space on my DVR!
Following in the esteemed footsteps of Flavor Flav, Danny Bonaduce, and Brooke Hogan, former American Idol winner Fantasia will be getting her own VH1 reality series, according to The Hollywood Reporter. And, frankly, I cannot wait. As I write this blog, a signed poster from Fantasia, given to me by my wonderful colleague Nicholas Fonseca (check out Nicholas’ fantastic 2006 profile of Fantasia), hangs behind me. Now, I’ll admit her career has been erratic to say the least, but I absolutely loved her last album, especially the single "Hood Boy." And I root for her to make a comeback. Underdogs always make for great television so, VH1, you can count me in. As long as you don’t pair her with Brooke Hogan.
What do you think PopWatchers? Will you watch Fantasia’s reality series? Do you love "Hood Boy" as much as I do? Is that even possible?!
Apr 16
2009
06:17 PM ET
John Madden retires: Sad day for NFL fans, Frank Caliendo
As legendary big-and-tall Raiders coach-turned-football announcer John Madden rides off into the sunset aboard his tricked-out Madden Cruiser, we’re all left to ponder the ways in which our lives will be irrevocably altered. Mostly for the worse. I’m not just talking about pigskin fans, but also anyone who’s ever spent a week straight playing Madden’s videogame on Xbox, or who’s bellied up to a sumptuously decadent Thanksgiving Turducken, or who’s extinguished the fiery torment of Athlete’s Foot with "tough actin’" Tinactin.
When the big fella announced his retirement earlier today, I have to admit it hit me unexpectedly and hard. Like a forearm shiver from Julius Peppers. Sure, Madden had become a bit of a Falstaffian caricature over the last few years. But his perennial presence in the booth next to Al Michaels was something that I took for granted — something I just always assumed would be there. Football season didn’t officially begin in my mind until Madden’s first call. Now the dreaded day has come. And I’m left wondering what will we all do now? Heck, what will Frank Caliendo do now? (See clip at the end of this post.)
Knowing that I needed to share my grief with someone, I e-mailed myolder brother Keith. You won’t find a bigger, more rabid football fanthan Keith, whose Nostradamus-like "over-under" prognostications havepadded my off-the-books income for years. And even though I know Keithwasn’t always Madden’s biggest booster, he — like anyone who loved thegame — respected Madden’s constant championing of the little guy –which is to say, the big guy. You see, in the NFL, it’s the handsome,high-priced, endorsement-junkie quarterbacks, receivers, and runningbacks that get all of the loot and attention. Guys like Tom Brady,Terrell Owens, and LaDainian Tomlinson. But Madden loved the big guys– the lumbering, 350-pound right tackles, and centers, and defensiveends. The blue-collar, lunch-pail guys. The guys who threw the key blockthat quietly helped the flashy superstar score the game-winningtouchdown. In short, the guys like Madden. Without Madden callingattention to these unheralded he-men, I suspect the game itself willchange.
After the jump, some other things Keith will remember.
Apr 16
2009
05:29 PM ET
Nadya Suleman to trademark 'Octomom': Sorry, octopus mothers!
Another day, another ridiculous Nadya Suleman update. America’s favorite breeder is now attempting to trademark the name ‘Octomom,’ according to People. Suleman’s lawyer says his client is now embracing the title as a means for licensing and potential income. That’s all fine and good, but PopWatchers, isn’t this a step back for octopus mothers all across the globe? What are little octopuses (octopi?) supposed to call their mommies? Very unfair, Nadya. Very unfair.
Apr 16
2009
05:03 PM ET
Is the Wolverine pimping Milk or Crumpled Paper Bags?
It’s a legitimate question re: Hugh Jackman’s latest magazine pec-torial. I wanna store my leftovers from lunch in his crinkly right shoulder. Got it?
Apr 16
2009
04:20 PM ET
Bravo's A-List Awards: The five best moments and all the winners
In terms of glitzy kudo-fests, Bravo’s A-List Awards is pretty low-rent — but I suppose you can’t fault it when, as last night’s host of the show comedienne and My Life on the D-List star Kathy Griffin (pictured) explained, it’s "the anti awards-show awards show." Wait, I thought that was supposed to be the VMAs? Is Bravo the new MTV? Wait again — that’s another blog post for another time. Moving on…
The ridiculousness of the whole show can be explained by three things: a dancing drag queen (that’d be the divine Lady Bunny), multiple appearances by the Kardashian sisters, and the fact that Kathy Griffin’s vagina was supposedly "rejuvenated" on stage. (I’m not going to go into that here.) This show is not about the awards, honestly. It’s about the personalities — most specifically, Kathy Griffin. Let’s talk about those with a run-down of the show’s five best (and simultaneously worst) moments:
1. Kathy’s mom Maggie Griffin takes on "Little Miss A-Lister" role. If you watch D-List, you know the loveable/usually drunk Maggie Griffin well. She’s always hanging out at Kathy’s house and is usually sipping on boxed wine. Kathy uses her antics liberally in her comedy act. Anyway, Kathy brought Maggie out as the Rumer Willis (a.k.a. Miss Golden Globe) to the A-List Awards. It was the cutest thing: Maggie wheeled the awards out in a basket attached to her pink walker (she was also wearing a pink mumu). Sadly, she was fired after taking too long to bring Neil Patrick Harris ("Tick-tock, lady!" he told her) his award for A-List TV Actor. At least we know she was enjoying herself more after that next to a box of wine back in the green room.
- Prev
- 18
- 19
- 20
- 21
- 22
- 23
- 24
- 25
- 26
- 27
- Next
Latest News
- 'Idol' Wednesday ratings slip 16 percent
- 'Downton Abbey': Top PBS rating since '09
- Star Jones was 'ambushed': Donny Deutsch
- 'American Idol' Top 24: 14 names revealed
- Mitt Romney misfire with 'Seinfeld' quip
- Jack Black in 'Bernie': First Look!
- Kate Walsh nude on mag cover
- J.K. Rowling to write a book for adults
Most Commented
- Chris Harrison blogs 'The Bachelor' episode 8 677
- Miranda Lambert tells Chris Brown to 'take notes' during 'Gunpowder and Lead' performance 612
- Father Knows Best? 601
- Amanda Knox signs a massive book deal with HarperCollins 596
- Rihanna and Chris Brown release simultaneous remixes, guest on each others' new tracks 455
