Archive: August 2009 (51-60 of 386)

Aug 26 2009 11:59 PM ET

Anoop Desai: Success is being 'the next Daughtry, the next Jennifer Hudson'

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Filed under: American Idol and tagged:

It’s hard out here for an American Idol contestant on the road with the post-show tour, especially when (unlike Kris Allen, Adam Lambert, and Allison Iraheta) he hasn’t yet been signed by 19 Entertainment. But fret not for season 8 heartthrob Anoop Desai. He’s got a plan to move to Los Angeles this fall, where he’s hoping to get in the studio, make “music for music’s sake,” and turn out material that’ll fit very nicely alongside such non-vocoder-reliant R&B artists as Ne-Yo, Chrisette Michele, and Musiq Soulchild. If you love Anoop (and why wouldn’t you?), then pressing play below is required by law. (Gratuitous leg shots included! If you appreciate them, follow me on Twitter @EWMichaelSlezak!)

More 'American Idol':
Kris Allen dishes his new CD, going country
Megan Joy: Still fighting for independence on the Idol tour
Matt Giraud: I'm not a Justin Timberlake wannabe!
Jason Castro discusses his debut album and his hot new single

Aug 26 2009 06:00 PM ET

Does watching 'The Daily Show' (or any other show) make you cool?

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An adverter-wooing study commissioned by Comedy Central — so, at least a little skepticism is allowed here — says that more than 20 percent of TDS and Colbert Report fans say “people think I’m cool because I watch [those shows],” according to the New York Times. Here’s where I’d make my “then call me Miles Davis” joke, except I’m afraid making a Billy Madison reference will strip me of whatever illusory coolness points I’ve earned by seeing every episode ever of both TDS and The Report.

I’m extremely reluctant to buy the idea that just watching a show (or a movie or whatever) can make you cool. It’s an art, not a science, etc etc, deep down I’m a guidance counselor, etc. But! If there’s any show that could do it, it really is The Daily Show: What’s cooler than being smart and funny? (Please say “nothing.” This is my only chance. I am terrible at sports.) It’s not just a matter of watching it, of course, but also of internalizing and appropriating some of its attitudes — acting a little like Jon Stewart is cool. Even awesome shows like The Office wouldn’t have the same effect; as much as I love Jim and Pam, I’d be hard pressed to call them “cool.”

Sort this one out with me, PopWatchers: Are there shows that make you cool? Does watching Lost improve your social standing, or shall we just sit on the couch, eat cookie dough, watch America’s Funniest Home Videos, and talk about how we didn’t want to go to the prom anyway, so who cares?

Aug 26 2009 05:24 PM ET

What are the most quotable TV quips?

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Filed under: Television and tagged: , , ,

Last year, EW.com ran a particularly jaunty gallery entitled “24 Endlessly Quotable TV Quips,” of which my favorite entry was indubitably G.O.B. ‘Arrested Development’ Bluth’s: ”They’re called illusions, Michael. A trick is something a whore does for money.” But just as there are countless fish in the ocean, so too are there infinite great quoteables from the small screen floating around in all our brains. Which is why we’re casting our net again, asking you to give us more (MORE?) more ideas to build on last year’s countdown. I’m pitching a great quote from 30 Rock — one that I repeat with glee whenever I spy a pack of young people on the street –  “Oh God, youths!” Go ahead and pitch your own in the comments section. We thank you kindly in advance!

Aug 26 2009 05:11 PM ET

Britney Spears and Russell Brand, reunited. At last?

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Filed under: Television and tagged: , , , , ,

Britney Spears took a break from helping researchers study Alzheimer’s disease to throw on a big ol’ glamour hat and flirt telepathically with Russell Brand in a new promo for the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. It’s such a relief to finally figure out (two versions of) what’s going on in Britney’s head, as we’d previously assumed the transcript was more akin to that which occurs during “Homer Simpson’s undivided attention.” Is this funnier than last year’s “Elephant in the Room” promo, P-Dubs? Are you happy to have more Russell Brand on your radar than yesterday?

Aug 26 2009 02:34 PM ET

'Hell's Kitchen' episode 7 recap, and our first stab at ranking the contestants

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

There was no way this week’s Hell’s Kitchen could have matched last week’s firecracker of an episode, unless, of course, if the mystery chicken had returned as a surprise contestant. Alas, we had to settle for the reemergence of Robert. But the biggest development was the red team’s first service victory. That’s right, the ladies hadn’t won a single dinner service until yesterday, so kudos to them.

Team challenge: This was a clever idea. Ramsay revealed a craps table with two dice, each containing 12 letters. Both teams had each chef throw the die and pick an ingredient that started with the letter rolled, and then each team had to craft a dish with those items. So the red team rolled R, H, P, G, and H, choosing rabbit, haricot verts, potatoes, garlic, and ham hock. The blue team got H, F, A, A, and T, picking haddock, figs (Dave’s bizarro choice), angel-hair pasta, apples, and tomatoes. Clearly the women had selected more compatible ingredients, but they should have known better than to mess with The Fig. As Dave pointed out, “Figs are rich and, like, so nice!” I may have mocked Dave in the past, but I have to admit that his spacey demeanor is starting to grow on me. Anyhow, it was Kevin who took some of Dave’s figs and put them into the team’s tomato sauce, creating a sauce that — surprisingly — tasted pretty good. Ramsay agreed, picking the blue team as the winner. READ FULL STORY »

Aug 26 2009 02:00 PM ET

Where's my 'Alien: Colonial Marines' TV show?

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Filed under: Television and tagged: , , ,

I was reading io9 today, as I’m wont to do, and I came across a piece written by Jesse Alexander — currently the showrunner for ABC’s new Day One — singing the praises of Fox’s late, apparently lamented sci-fi series Space: Above and Beyond. In said piece, Alexander explains how the futuristic military pioneered many of the storytelling and production initiatives that would eventually bear fruit in shows like Battlestar Galactica, Firefly, Lost, and Alias. Which all may very well be true; Alexander certainly makes a compelling case. The thing I always took away from Space: Above and Beyond was, Why didn’t Fox just make a Colonial Marines series? READ FULL STORY »

Aug 26 2009 01:30 PM ET

'Ugly Betty"s dog day of summer: hot?

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Filed under: Food and Drink and tagged: , , ,

urie-ferrera-hot-dog_lNow that it’s lunch hour and our dollop of mustard thinking caps have been squirted onto our heads, we’re pretty sure that Michael Urie and America Ferrera were shooting a scene for ‘Ugly Betty’ Tuesday afternoon in Manhattan. (Our first instinct: PETA ad, since they both look kind of miz.) Will the furry who sells more weiners be promoted to editor? Is this just one of Betty’s better dream sequences? Should Mark be the hot dog instead of the bun? What overarching statement is Ugly Betty making about gender roles? Screw that; here’s what we really want to know.

PHOTO CREDIT: James Devaney/WireImage.com

Aug 26 2009 01:00 PM ET

Please make an insane dog-grooming reality show, TLC

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Dear TLC,
Please make a show about insane competitive dog grooming — the crazy kind, not the Best in Show kind. The stories have been floating around online for years, (and the Ninja Turtle dog is a classic), but for some reason, a series of photos from that contest was just republished, and lo, it is both fascinating and creepy. Plus, it makes me feel vaguely superior to the subjects — just like a solid TLC show! I can’t watch the Duggars forever (how many grocery-shopping montages can I sit through? Not that many more!), the Jon and Kate ship has sailed, and it’s time for the Next Big Thing. The show could be like Toddlers and Tiaras, but minus the grotesquery and the awkward ethical implications of televising the systematic oversexualization of little girls. Win-win, you guys.

I can’t recommend the soundtrack here, but the grooming is really astonishing:

How is this not a show already? Animal Planet’s Groomer Has It, while trashy and fun, was more about traditional dog grooming and less about shaving a fluffy lion on the side of your pooch or dressing up together to support the Arkansas Razorbacks. I’m imagining something a la the PBS documentary Ferrets: The Pursuit of Excellence, except serialized. (FYI, that documentary ruuuuled. And gave us such fabulous images as this and this. Best.)

I would watch the living crap out of a doc-style reality show that profiled competitive “creative grooming,” as it is known. Are you with me, PopWatchers? And are you listening, TLC?

Aug 26 2009 12:48 PM ET

Attention Michael Jackson conspiracy theorists!

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The genius thing about the Internet is the speed with which information can be disseminated. Of course, that also includes misinformation, rumor, hoaxes, etc. Take the recent video footage of a little man exiting a coroner’s van. Some are insisting that it’s Michael Jackson, proving that the King of Pop is still alive.

This is hardly the Zapruder film. In fact, it’s as convincing and authentic as footage of Sasquatch wearing a wristwatch. I love the poster’s comments: “I got the original video tape from a trustworthy source. I know him for years. And I am sure it’s real and Michael is alive.” Riiiiiiiight. But maybe I’m just being cynical. Chances that MJ is still alive?

Aug 26 2009 12:45 PM ET

Syfy's 'Alice' miniseries: Is the trailer full of hearts or clubs?

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Filed under: Television and tagged: , , , ,

Syfy is once again dipping its piggies into literary waters with what looks to be a post-punk sequel to Alice in Wonderland:

I was not a big fan of their Tin Man miniseries back in 2007, and part of me just wants to wait for the Tim Burton-Johnny Depp version next year, but this doesn’t look too bad. Plus, it’s got Tim Curry, Kathy Bates, and Harry Dean Stanton — so, at the very least, there will be something worth watching when it premieres this December.

How does it look to you? Worth devoting two nights to, or worthy of skipping entirely?

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