Jorja Fox departs "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" tonight, and she is given a good send-off. …

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Gary Busey, Jan-Michael Vincent, William Katt

The other morning, during a channel flip, I got caught up again in 1978's "Big Wednesday," John Milius's reflection on surfing, American culture and adulthood. …

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Although it's an up-and-down ride, "Reaper" was definitely up this week …

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(Picture from TVGuide.com)

People have been asking for it, and it arrives on Feb. 5. Details after the jump …

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You're in Cleveland. Where's Kid Leo?

Before I talk about the comedies, a brief note about Chuck Lorre's title card at the end of "Men." Usually full of tiny type, this one simply said "United We Stand." Good move, great way to remind viewers (well, at least the detail-obsessed ones) that these shows come from writers, and their issue hasn't gone away.

And so to the laughs …

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Best thing on "House" tonight: The shout-out to "Nip/Tuck." …

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Notes after the jump …

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After working Saturday, I spent the better part of Sunday and Monday away from the job. (Well, aside from writing a column on Sunday.)

It was time for one of our family projects — cleaning the garage. And I mean really cleaning the garage: going through long-ignored boxes, and in so doing spending a good bit of time on memory lane.

There was some TV in there, mainly bits of Browns-Steelers on Sunday, and "The Amazing Race" on Sunday night. (Very nice to have it back, although I'm surprised by the lack of urgency in some teams' attitudes.) But Monday night we let the TV stay off — with the DVRs humming for post-break viewing.

Instead I took a shot at reading. Finally finished Walter Isaacson's Einstein biography. Started Don DeLillo's "Underworld." I'm only about 10 years late getting to that one.

Today it's back to viewing and writing, and the office, and posting. What did I miss?

I'm working a Saturday shift at the office, so I can't say as much right now as I would like about the death of the great, confounding Norman Mailer. (See the New York Times obit here.) Suffice it to say that for many years I read a lot of Mailer, mainly his epic nonfiction, "Armies of the Night" and beyond. I crossed paths with him a couple of times, and met him once. I had not read much of his more recent work, and was defeated by several attempts to get through "Harlot's Ghost." But there are books of his that I will keep on my shelves always.

I have some friends who will not watch the promos for upcoming episodes of their favorite shows. I don't blame them a bit …

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I hadn't gotten around to seeing "The Next Great American Band" until tonight. Having done so, no regrets. Yes, the bands all had to do Billy Joel songs and that tends even more to make them sound like a bunch of wedding singers. Still, too many sounded like … a bunch of wedding singers.

This made me nostalgic for "Rock Star Supernova." Actually, it made me nostalgic for Dilana, who should have won the show but is in all likelihood better off for not having won. So here's a semi-recent tune from her:

And here's a bit from "Rock Star" indicating that she should indeed be a rock star:

Stuck in my head (and my iPod) for many, many days … Ladies and gentlemen, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings!

Complete list after the jump. The awards show is Jan. 8, with Queen Latifah hosting. If the strike is still going on, I'll be very interested to see how some of the nominees address it — if they show up at all.

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No big news here, I just like the photo. Caption is from CMT.

Country superstars gather to honor Hank Williams Jr. at CMT’s Los Angeles taping of CMT GIANTS: HANK WILLIAMS JR., premiering on Friday, November 17 at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT. (L-R) Members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Gary Rossington, Billy Powell, Dale Rossington and Carol Chase; Steven Tyler; Shooter Jennngs; Rickey Medlocke and Johnny VanZant from Lynyrd Skynyrd; Hank Williams Jr; Alan Jackson; Gretchen Wilson; Holly Williams; Brad Paisley; Buddy Guy; Toby Keith; Tim McGraw; and Kid Rock.

Half interesting, not all that funny …

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