Archive: October 2009 (91-100 of 472)

Oct 26 2009 05:43 PM ET

'Top Chef: Just Desserts': Who wants to watch another show about cake?

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Categories: Food and Drink, Reality TV, Television, Top Chef

Chocolate-Ganache_lNo sarcasm in the headline there, as I always want to watch another show about cake…but will the digestive traffic jam of competitive cooking shows based on carbs you’ll never get to eat (like Bryan’s chocolate ganache on last week’s Top Chef, pictured) ever end? Today Bravo announced a Top Chef spinoff to air sometime in 2010, Top Chef: Just Desserts. This follows last Thursday’s news of a second season of Top Chef Masters. It remains to be seen if Padma Lakshimi will host Just Desserts — my top choice at this point is Judge Reinhold, who can play off the “Just” part of the title because his name is Judge. No-sugar pre-season diet starts now, Judge!

Dessert challenges are often the ones that trip even the best Top Chef contestants up, but is there room for another dessert series amidst the fondant-lined wonderland of the Food Network’s Ace of Cakes, TLC’s Cake Boss and Ultimate Cake Off, and WeTV’s Amazing Wedding Cakes and Wedding Cake Wars, not to mention Top Chef Masters, The Next Food Network Star, The Next Iron Chef, Chopped, etc.? Has Top Chef and/or dessert reality series fatigue settled in for you yet, P-Dubs? Would anyone prefer commenter darclyte’s suggestion for a Top Chef: Mixology over Top Chef: Just Desserts?

Photo credit: Bravo

Oct 26 2009 05:14 PM ET

Hilary Swank's terrifying parrot impersonation

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Categories: Animals

Hilary Swank can play a troubled transsexual, no prob. And an underdog boxer? Piece of cake. But ask the two-time Oscar winner to play a parrot—like Ellen did today during a game of “Celebrity – Animal Edition”—and you get one of the more confusing, disturbing, just-plain-wrong performances I’ve ever seen. I’d describe it as a mix between a meth-addled dolphin and one of those poison-spitting dinosaurs from Jurassic Park, with just a dash of a District 9 prawn. Check out the clip, below.

So what’s the deal here? My guess: Swank probably got lost in the bird house at a zoo for six hours as child, crying her little eyes dry as the cruel birds mocked her cries for mama. Or maybe she just didn’t land a part in Paulie? Gotta be something. What are your theories, PopWatchers?

Oct 26 2009 04:46 PM ET

'Réalité': Who's your fave from the 'SYTYCD' top 20? (Sorry, folks, Billy Bell is out!)

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Categories: Réalité, Reality TV, So You Think You Can Dance

After weeks and weeks (upon weeks) of auditions and callbacks, season 6 of So You Think You Can Dance has finally reached the performance (AKA voting) portion of the competition, and my inner krumper is doing a fierce robot as a way of celebrating. EW’s resident SYTYCD expert Kate Ward (read her rankings of the top 20 here) sat down with me to discuss our favorites (Russell, Billy, that chick who sobbed like she was seeing Brokeback Mountain for the first time), our not-so-favorites (hello, Phillip!), the contestant who looks like New Moon‘s Taylor Lautner, and those who make us feel like we’re starring in a very unfortunate episode of Dateline’s To Catch a Predator series. Press play below, then share your thoughts on the season 6 top 20 in the comment section below! (Oh, and for all my reality TV ramblings, follow me on Twitter @EWMichaelSlezak!) UPDATE: Seconds before publishing this blog item, I received an extremely upsetting email from Fox’s publicity department which read as follows: “Top 20 dancer Billy Bell has left So You Think You Can Dance due to illness and will be replaced by Brandon Dumlao, 21, a Hip Hop dancer from Concord, CA. Dumlao will join the Top 20 this week as they compete on the first two-hour performance show Tuesday, Oct. 27 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.” A moment of silence for the end of Mr. Bell’s hotly anticipated season six run, and best wishes for him to make a swift recovery — and the season 7 top 20.

Oct 26 2009 04:33 PM ET

Amy Poehler grabs the mic and sings for her cartoon’s music video

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Categories: Animation, Halloween, Kids' Corner, PopWatch Previewer

When you think of Amy Poehler, your mind could veer off into 10 different directions: the star of NBC’s Parks and Recreation, Weekend Update anchor, SNL’s Hillary Clinton impersonator, the baby mama from Baby Mama, etc. Well, if you haven’t already, you should add one more to that list: Bessie Higgenbottom, a senselessly energetic 10-year-old intent on earning every badge in Honeybee Scout history.

For over a year Poehler has given her voice to Bessie (complete with a Sylvester the Cat-styled lisp) on Nickelodeon’s The Mighty B!, a cartoon show she co-created with friends Cynthia True and Erik Wiese (a SpongeBob SquarePants veteran). Poehler’s foray into animation is a welcome addition to Toonland: the show’s humor comes from absurdist twists, awkward pauses, and the endearing goofiness of a character who is a tad too zealous for life. Her character’s overreactions to everyday life are laughably ridiculous most of the time, but somehow childishly universal on another level.

For a taste of The Mighty B!‘s honey, check out the music video below, with music by New Wave revivalists Unisex Salon and vocals by Amy Poehler (!) herself:

With plenty of success and more than enough work to occupy her time, we had to know what drew (haha) Poehler into playing a cartoon character. READ FULL STORY »

Oct 26 2009 04:26 PM ET

First look exclusive: Justin Bieber on 'True Jackson, VP'

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Categories: Exclusive First Look, Music, Television

True-Concerte_lThings are about to get loud on the second season of Nickelodeon’s True Jackson, VP, where tween heartthrob Justin Bieber (above) and singer Natasha Bedingfield will both pop up in cameos as themselves. In the season premiere, (airing Saturday, Nov. 14), Bieber heads to True’s school to sing his hit single “One Time” at a charity concert. In real life, the 15-year-old singer was happy to leave high school behind for his music. “Performing is definitely what I love to do,” he says. “I get to make millions of girls happy every day.” (Bedingfield’s episode will air Nov. 21.)

Photo Credit: Robert Voets/Nickelodeon

Oct 26 2009 02:58 PM ET

Ricky Gervais hosting the Golden Globes: Are you having a laugh?

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Categories: Golden Globe Awards, The Office

Hugh Jackman did the Oscars. NPH did the Tonys and the Emmys. And now Ricky Gervais is set to host the Golden Globes! Holy moly, this could be awesome. Here he is hilariously presenting at this year’s Emmy’s:

The Golden Globes aren’t as uptight or formal (or definite) as other awards shows, which can probably be linked to the fact that the celebrities appear to be drinking the entire time. Funsies!

The Globes haven’t had a host since 1995, but I think Gervais will absolutely kill. Place your bets, PopWatchers: How will Gervais do come Jan. 17?

Oct 26 2009 02:25 PM ET

'Glee': Kristin Chenoweth to return! Plus, is Julia Roberts a Gleek?

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Categories: Casting, Fall TV, Glee, Television

We have even MORE Glee news to deliver, PopWatchers: Emmy winner Kristin Chenoweth (Pushing Daisies) will reprise her role as the boozy glee alum April Rhodes for at least one episode in 2010. (Listen to her sing “Maybe This Time” in the window below.)

Plus, Glee has gotten the stamp of approval of one of Hollywood’s biggest stars: Julia Roberts. Co-creator Ryan Murphy, who is currently filming Eat, Pray, Love with Roberts in Bali, tells EW, “We’re on location here and she’s watched episodes and has quite enjoyed them.” I could totally see Roberts being a major Gleek.

And finally, Murphy also says that he’s planning on using the whole NBC/Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade snafu into an upcoming episode. Look for the glee club to get denied from having a float in the spring festival parade thanks to the villainous Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch), standing in for NBC.

What do you think about all this Glee goodness, PopWatchers? Excited for Kristin Chenoweth to return?

For more on Glee, be sure to pick up EW’s cover story on the series, on newsstands now!

Oct 26 2009 02:00 PM ET

CreepyFest 2009: Chris Farley in David Spade's DirecTV commercial

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Categories: Advertising, Halloween, Horrifying But Hypnotic, Things That Are Classy, Things That Make Me Die Inside

The new DirecTV commercial, in which David Spade watches Chris Farley’s “Fat Guy in a Little Coat” scene from Tommy Boy while appearing to exist in the same room as Farley, is freaking me out. I loved that movie, but can’t decide if this a sweet homage to a sexy moment or semi-disrespectful exploitation of the dead. Anyone remember last October’s Poltergeist-spoofing ad featuring child star Heather O’Rourke, who passed away in 1988? You stay classy, DirecTV!
Oct 26 2009 01:20 PM ET

Kris Allen previews three new tracks at Miami Dolphins tailgate party: What do you think?

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Categories: American Idol, Kris Allen

Who knew you needed to keep up on football to feed your American Idol addiction? Yesterday afternoon, season 8 champ Kris Allen debuted three new songs from his forthcoming debut CD at a Miami Dolphins tailgate party. Two of the tracks — “Before We Come Undone” and “Written All Over My Face” — were ones I’d heard back in September, and asked Kris about when I interviewed him at Z100 the day he premiered “Live Like We’re Dying.” The third song, “Can’t Stay Away,” is one of 13 ditties that made the final track list for Kris’ self-titled debut, due Nov. 17 from 19 Recordings/Jive. I know there’s been some chatter among music-industry prognosticators that Kris is too low-key to compete in a post-Idol world, but I suspect those folks haven’t actually listened to any of the man’s music. Here’s their big opportunity — all three songs, plus “Live Like We’re Dying,” are embedded below! Ch-ch-check ‘em out for yourself, then join our informal focus group by way of some exclusive PopWatch polls. (It’s okay to vote “woot!” for all three; I did!) READ FULL STORY »

Oct 26 2009 01:14 PM ET

'Curb Your Enthusiasm': What was the cringe-iest moment last night?

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Categories: Curb Your Enthusiasm, Television, Things That Are Classy

curb-your-enthusiasm_lLast night’s Curb Your Enthusiasm was even more cringe-y than usual, right? Office assistant Maureen’s misguided choice in cropped tees was uncomfortable enough (Top o’ the muffin TO YOU!”); even I, a longtime fan, was surprised when the only somewhat-accomplished weight-loser ended up saving Larry’s life as he clutched her ample love handles from two stories up. Larry’s done the “bald people all look the same to you” lament before, but never in the context of a police lineup to prove that black-bald is as indistinguishable from white-bald as Wheelchair Wendy is from Denise Handicapped. And the pissing-on-a-Jesus-painting gag (literally, I am gagging) was pretty far-out, even for Curb. How exactly were Maureen and her hallucination-prone mom going to avoid drip-age or slide-age on that thing, not to mention evaporation (~shrinkage) on their Human Waste Miracle road show? And seriously? NAPKINS? Yes? Okay. I’ve been known to swipe stacks of paper towels from the EW kitchen. Gee, I hope no one is reading this!

Any scene with Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David just talking was the best, though, and as Jerry astutely pointed out during a discussion of the upcoming Seinfeld reunion, “What’s real got to do with what we do” anyway? My own favorite scene was when Larry and Jerry took so long deliberating who would have to scoot over in the diner booth and give up the “executive suite” so that poor Richard Lewis could join them that Lewis ended up just walking away. And whatever you thought of the Jesus-splashback fiasco, anything that prompts Larry’s line “I think every erection is a miracle” is fine with me. Let us know your own favorite line for this week’s Sound Bites in the comments or via Twitter (@EWAnnieBarrett) and vote below!

Photo credit: Doug Hyun/HBO

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