Archive: April 2009 (251-260 of 498)

Apr 15 2009 07:00 PM ET

Jon Stewart or Stephen Colbert: Who's more powerful?

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Filed under: Television and tagged: ,

Believe it or not, Dr. Oz is not the reason "Muppet Scat" was a popular search term on Google this morning. Nope, you have Jon Stewart to thank for the sudden appearance of the surprisingly non-feces-related phrase. After Stewart played a clip of the Muppets singing "Mahna Mahna" — while trying to determine exactly how to pronounce Manama, the home of a U.S. navy base — he dared viewers: "If you Google search ‘Muppet’ and ‘scat,’ that might not be what comes up. Try it. You know what? Pause the TV now. I’ll wait."

Apparently, viewers did indeed follow his direction, which makes me wonder: when it comes to Comedy Central icons, who’s more powerful: Stewart, or his faux conservative rival, Stephen Colbert? Stewart does manage to garner most of the glory — thanks to hard interviews with the likes of Jim Cramer — but Colbert Nation will do anything their Papa tells them. Not only have they voted en masse to get a space station room named in his honor — NASA told Colbert yesterday they would be naming a treadmill for him instead — but Colbert Nation has also been responsible for getting a hockey mascot and a Hungarian bridge named after the host (the Republic of Hungary ended up going for a different name, but gifted Colbert a Hungarian passport for winning the official race).

What do you think, PopWatchers? Vote below!

 
Apr 15 2009 06:45 PM ET

'90210' alums: Sad, lonely, and single, what gives?

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Filed under: Television and tagged: ,

90210_lAs I was happily watching Donna’s return on 90210 last night, it occurred to me that all of the original Beverly Hills, 90210 alums who have graced the new 90210 are a bunch of unlucky-in-love sad sacks. Let’s break it down: Kelly is a single mom who is estranged from her true love, Dylan; Brenda is barren and single, and so desperate that she slept with Kelly’s one and only love interest on the show, "Professor Matthews"; and now Donna, who showed up last night as a ray of beaming hope with her shiny new baby and promise of a happy David back in Japan, is separated. What gives!? Why are all of our favorite Beverly Hills bitches single and lonely and divorcing? Is this karma for their slutteriffic behavior and boyfriend backstabbing during their high school and college years? Was this how you pictured them? Or did you see them living in a mansion, happily married with two kids and a nanny?

What say you, PopWatchers?  Do you, like me, wish that at least one original cast member was happy and healthy in love? I guess our only hope is that Andrea Zuckerman and Jesse Vasquez are living happily ever after somewhere.

Apr 15 2009 06:08 PM ET

Michelle Pfeiffer goes straight to DVD. Again.

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Filed under: Movies and tagged: ,

Personaleffects_lThough she never attained the box-office clout to warrant it, Michelle Pfeiffer is one of the few female actresses who answers to Movie Star. Beautiful, elegant, talented, beautiful, Pfeiffer would have been a screen icon in any era, and at 50 she’s still got It.

Movie Stars, however, don’t typically appear in straight-to-DVD films. Personal Effects (pictured), though, in which Pfeiffer costars with Kathy Bates and Ashton Kutcher, will be released on video on May 12. This follows I Could Never Be Your Woman, a sweet romance with Paul Rudd that limped straight to video last year.

Is Pfeiffer a victim of the shrinking independent scene, poor career choices, or just a shifting audience that can’t recall how she looks atop a piano? This June, she’ll headline Stephen Frears’ Parisian romance, Cheri, but what she needs is a winning role in a studio film. She was funny and sexy in 2007′s Hairspray, and I still think she was George Clooney’s most formidable onscreen gal, in 1996′s One Fine Day. While her female contemporaries are proving there’s life after 50, it would be a shame for Pfeiffer to be wasting her time in films cast directly into the $3.99 rack.

What was the last Michelle Pfeiffer movie you saw in the theater? Would you like to see her in another romantic comedy? How about a Woody Allen film?

Apr 15 2009 05:49 PM ET

'Dancing With the Stars': Carrie Ann Inaba blogs week 6

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Dancingjudgescarrie_lHi Everyone – Woohoo! Week 6!

Can I just start out by congratulating Tony and Julianne on one of themost beautiful performances we’ve had on the show in all eightseasons??!! WOW! They performed to Rascal Flatts and did anincredible job. It was indeed poetry in motion. Dances like that arenot easy to come by. What a beautiful number indeed and a great wayfor everyone to be reminded of the artistry of dance at its best. Thenumber choreographed by Mark and Artem was also great. I liked thetheme of revolution, and the costumes brought a different flavor tothe ballroom, as well. Rascal Flatts were incredible as usual. Theyare such nice people — they came over to the judges to say hello and they’re someof the most personable performers, talented and so grounded. It’s nice to see them doing so well and have such greatsuccess.

This week was an interesting week. There were lots of changes in theleader board. For the first time Gilles was not in first place.Lil’ Kim and Derek took top honors, and a well-deserved 1st-place rank for themindeed. Their jive was so much fun — I’m sure it read well oncamera, but if only you all could have been there to see it LIVE! Itwas FABULOUS! They did it again last night and it was even better.They have the momentum right now and I’m curious to see how thingswill evolve over the next few weeks. We are at the halfway point andI still think it’s between four couples. Shawn and Mark, Melissa andTony, Gilles and Cheryl, & Lil’ Kim and Derek. These four bringsuch different qualities to the dance floor and are all doing reallywell so far. Gilles came up to me last night before the show — inbetween all the pretapes we had — and apologized for what he thought wasspeaking back to me. It was very sweet, but I told him it was okay andthat I didn’t think he was speaking back; rather, that he was justexplaining something about his situation that he didn’t know if Iknew. He was saying he couldn’t sleep last night. It’s nice to seehow much the competition matters to the contestants. They take it soseriously and it’s a beautiful thing to see these people fall in lovewith dance the way I have. Dance is such an expressive tool and sucha wonderful medium to connect with an audience — and these contestantsare in the thick of it, living it, and you can see the satisfaction ontheir faces when they do a great job. It’s wonderful!!!!!

After the jump, Carrie Ann answers your questions about the scoring process and how the judges craft their comments — for a limited time only!

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Apr 15 2009 05:30 PM ET

Michael Vick's proposed reality show: This idea bites!

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Michaelvick_lWe don’t need to like our reality stars. On the contrary, a vile roommate or duplicitous competitor is a key component to most successful reality programs. But then, Jonny Fairplay and Omarosa weren’t dog-killing quarterbacks like Michael Vick. Recent reports that the former NFL superstar, who’s serving 23 months for running a dogfighting operation, might waltz right into his own reality show almost made me lose my kibbles and bits. Getting impeached from the governor’s office for allegedly auctioning off Obama’s Senate seat attracts a sad amount of car-wreck fascination. Pop out eight kids: train-wreck fascination. But kill dogs? Kill! Dogs! You lost me.

I’m eager-slash-terrified to see which network pursues Vick, who’s reportedly already met with potential producers and discussed at least a six-figure payout. For Vick, the show is a savvy first step in rehabilitating his image so that he can get back into football and replenish his coffers. But does anyone really want to see a show with a possibly disingenuous football player inevitably volunteering at the local pound to prove his changed ways? Personally, I’d rather watch Cruella de Vil on Project Runway.

Can you imagine getting behind a Michael Vick reality show? If so, please explain to me and Marley.

Apr 15 2009 04:09 PM ET

What's on your Must List?

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My Must List this week is brought to you by Kings, as in "you Must watch this show" before NBC sends it to the canceled one-season series farm up in the sky (along with these gems). Haven’t you always never wondered what your life would be like if Ian McShane were your benevolent ruler, and by benevolent I mean kinda power-hungry and douchey? Still, I don’t think I would mind living in his kingdom, especially if dutiful soldier/dreamboat David Shepherd is around.

EW’s own Ken Tucker gave Kings a B+, saying it’s ”a work in progress that’s worth seeing through to completion.” The show has already been relegated to the Saturday night graveyard, but here’s hopping a last-minute surge in viewers helps NBC give it a second chance with a second season. Am I the only one who fell for this epic drama? What else do you like this week? Catch the latest episode of Must List Live, then check out the pilot of Kings (embedded below), then share your Must List picks with us. List up to three items from current TV/movies/music/books/games/online.Don’t forget your e-mail address, in case we decide to use yoursubmission in the magazine. Deadline is Thursday, April 16 at noon ET.

Apr 15 2009 03:42 PM ET

'American Idol': Will Kris Allen help boost sales of 'Once'?

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Filed under: American Idol and tagged: , ,

Oncekrisallen_l

During last night’s American Idol, we heard our final seven perform plenty of ho-hum tunes from the likes of Bryan Adams, Bette Midler and Steppenwolf for Songs from the Movies night. (Really, Adam? You couldn’t do my personal choice for you, Alanis Morissette’s "Uninvited"? Really?) Thankfully, season 8′s doe-eyed underdog delivered the goods with "Falling Slowly," a beautiful song from indie darling Once that, might I add, is not at all "obscure," thankyouverymuch Kara. It won an Oscar.

And though Randy didn’t have kind words for Kris, audiences seemed to be impressed by the performance: The film and lyrics to the song were popular search terms on Google this morning. Can we expect Kris’ unique song choice to boost sales and rentals of the film? I certainly hope so — it would be nice to see Idol promote a quality film and album for once, rather than just the latest pop song that’s already No. 1 on the charts. (The film’s album is already charting at No. 26 on iTunes’ top album downloads list.)

Will you buy the Once album following Kris’ performance? The film?

More ‘Once’ and ‘American Idol’:
Owen Gleiberman reviews Once
Once makes EW’s list of the 25 Greatest Movie Musicals of All Time
Michael Slezak recaps American Idol
Adam B. Vary on the scene at last night’s American Idol

Apr 15 2009 03:04 PM ET

'Real Housewives of NYC': Work it, ladies

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Filed under: About Last Night, Television and tagged: , , ,

Here are some things about last night’s episode that drove me nuts.

The blinkety-blink face Ramona gets whenever someone questions her judgment. Last night Bethenny wisely suggested the blonde one rethink her marketing strategy for peddling her True Faith jewelry line, her Tru ReNewal skin care line, and her Ramona-ness in general.

People who are rude and then just want to change the subject when they’re called out. Last night Ramona told Bethenny that the only reason Jill was her friend was because she was an underdog. If Bethenny had her act together (i.e., had a thriving professional life, a sweet book deal, shiny hair, high standards for the men in her life), Jill would move on to her next charity case. Ramona’s terrifically sensible friend Joni told her to pipe down and Ramona threw up her hands and said "Whatever, let’s not go there." People who go there and then back off irritably, saying let’s not go there, are toxic.

People who quote Donald Trump. Again, Ramona.

People who run in traffic. Kelly, in micro shorts, grinning like an idiot on Percocet, as she ran down the middle of 7th Avenue, holding up some schmuck in the back of a cab who was late for work.

Owls. I used to like them fine, but now that Kelly is building a jewelry line around the red-eyed suckers, I shall move on to something untainted like sparrows or hawks.

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Apr 15 2009 02:47 PM ET

Rod Blagojevich on reality TV: Now, this I have to see

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Rodblagojevich_lOkay, so we expected to see the Dennis Rodmans and the Chynas of the world join the cast of NBC’s I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, the Survivor-like reality series that puts 10 celebs in a Costa Rican jungle. But Rod Blagojevich? We knew the guy was a little trashy, since he, you know, allegedly tried to sell Barack Obama’s Senate seat. But who would have thought the disgraced Illinois governor would have reality show ambitions?

Appearing on Celebrity might be a step down for Blago’sresume, but I’m guessing the move will be an epic win for NBC,especially since the show premiered on ABC in 2003 to little fanfare. (After all, millions of viewers already tune in to watch Blago, a.k.a. Mayor Quimby, on The Simpsons, so who’s saying this will be any different?) Is it unsettling, though, to see politics and reality TV mix? A little, I admit. But I, for one, could not be happier with this news. The guy has zero chance of jump-starting his political career once again, so why not send him into a jungle with a series of has-beens? Better yet, instead of jail time, why not make Blago stay down in Costa Rica with Z-list celebs for the duration of his pending sentence? I’d say a few days with the Verne Troyers of the world is worse than several years in the penitentiary.

What do you think, PopWatchers? Are you excited about the prospect of seeing Blago on reality TV? And what other politicians would you like to see follow his lead? Is Eliot Spitzer primed to host a revival of Temptation Island?

Apr 15 2009 02:07 PM ET

NASA and Colbert reach compromise: I want to work out on COLBERT

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Filed under: About Last Night, Television and tagged: , ,

Were you actually expecting NASA to name a room on the International Space Station "Colbert"? Though Stephen Colbert’s last name topped an online poll for the christening of Node 3, astronaut Sunita Williams appeared on The Colbert Report last night to announce the module’s official name: Tranquility. But never fear, Colbert Nation!* The two parties reached a compromise. NASA decided to name a treadmill after the comedian: the Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill (or, in acronym form, COLBERT). It’s a space treadmill, people. Does it get any cooler than that?

* Firefly fans, however, should be upset. Serenity, which was one of NASA’s four suggestions, had received the second most votes. Tranquility was the eighth most popular write-in.

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