Click to see the beacon journal online

From the monthly archives:

December 2008

Happy Almost New Year — Unless You Love MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central …

December 31, 2008

I have tried to live by Leon Russell's maxim of "slipping into Christmas, sliding into New Year's Eve." No such luck. This morning has been spent compiling information about the latest examples of media companies playing "where's the money," both in the MTV Networks/Time Warner Cable flap, which is of major import in these parts, [...]

Read the full article →

The Song Is Still Never Ending: Delaney Bramlett, R.I.P.

December 30, 2008

Reports have it that Delaney Bramlett has died. Very sad. As the leader of Delaney & Bonnie (with his now ex-wife Bonnie) Bramlett did some superb music, with Eric Clapton and with his own band. I saw the large, loose aggregation known as Delaney & Bonnie & Friends play in the early '70s; there was [...]

Read the full article →

Back Home …

December 29, 2008

Relatively smooth flights, although airplane seats seem to get narrower and harder every year. Glad to have been with many family members over the holidays, and glad to be back. I also expect to be posting more often.

Read the full article →

What Kind of Moviegoer Takes a Gun to "Benjamin Button"?

December 27, 2008

There's a report out of Philadelphia that a man became unhappy with people talking at "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" and then shot one with the .380 he was carrying. Was he packing heat because he expected this to be like another alliterative Pitt movie, "The Assassination of Jesse James"? Or is there something [...]

Read the full article →

And Now the New Year Looms …

December 27, 2008

I'm still in vacation mode, having had good times with family — and am within 200 pages of the end of "Nixonland." Many things that could have been discussed here, including the deaths of Eartha Kitt and Harold Pinter, and I am half-forming a list of notable TV moments in '08. (The mental draft includes [...]

Read the full article →

Happy Near-Holidays

December 23, 2008

The bride and I are taking a breather from work and so far, so good. Interesting road adventures, including the airport security agent who, when I unthinkingly handed her my boarding pass upside down, declared, "I'm not going to stand on my head to read it!" And the lady on the plane who kept asking [...]

Read the full article →

Happy Sunday

December 21, 2008

My big story in the Beacon Journal today consists of readers' memories of "A Christmas Story," not only a great Christmas movie but one shot partly in Northeast Ohio. You can read folks' anecdotes here. If you have stories of your own, feel free to post them in the comments section below.
Also, a DVD column [...]

Read the full article →

Friday on My Mind

December 19, 2008

I've been trying to get through my usual weekend load and to get ahead on some things, so I've been a bad blogger lately. Here's a video to try to make up for it:

Not as funny as the Amy Poehler rap, but pretty dead-on about what Disney might have done with Palin.

Read the full article →

Song for Jeremy Piven

December 18, 2008

Explanation here.

Read the full article →

Yet Another Awards List To Make Me Grumpy

December 18, 2008

The SAG awards nominations have been announced. Complete list here. The awards like to make a big deal about actors voting for actors, as if that made them more sensible. But when I look at the list, I once again find myself saying, Shatner? What? Spader, too? No "The Wire"? No "The Shield"? Not even [...]

Read the full article →

Update Your Trendy Vocabulary Now

December 18, 2008

Advertising agency JWT sent along a note about words it thinks will be buzz-worthy in the months ahead. Since I'm still trying to get used to "friend" as a verb, I'm not sure how soon I can confidently refer to "Bamelot" or "pregnorexia." See the list after the jump. …

Read the full article →

Who Knew Homer Simpson Was Even Registered to Vote?

December 18, 2008

Fox sent along the New Year's resolutions of its Sunday animated characters:
THE SIMPSONS Sundays (8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT)
Homer Simpson: In 2009, I will finally get around to voting for President.
Marge Simpson: I’ll try to be more assertive if it’s okay with everyone else.
Bart Simpson: I plan to raise a family of skunks in Principal Skinner’s car.
Lisa [...]

Read the full article →

When Is It Too Late To Start Watching a Serialized Show?

December 17, 2008

What an exciting scene! And who are all you people?
A copy of "Battlestar Galactica Season 4.0" landed on my desk today. And, as has been the case with some previous "BSG" on DVD, I asked myself if it was finally the right time to start watching the show. Especially if I started watching without going [...]

Read the full article →

Will Single Moms Make a Difference on "The Bachelor"?

December 17, 2008

With a single father as the next "Bachelor," the show — resuming on Jan. 5 — is trumpeting the inclusion of four single mothers among the Bachelorettes. Full casting announcement after the jump. …

Read the full article →

Digital TV Transition Test

December 17, 2008

I suspect anyone savvy enough to be reading this blog is also well ahead of the curve on the digital TV transition coming in February. But if you're clinging to an all-analog system, you may want to make note of the test occurring around the country tonight. Story here. It focuses somewhat on the NE [...]

Read the full article →

More "Office" Casting

December 16, 2008

And you thought Jan was bad news…
As has been reported, Jack Black will be in the post-Super Bowl episode of "The Office." Add Jessica Alba . The announcement and some observations, including about last week's "Office," follow the jump.

Read the full article →

"Momma's Boys"

December 16, 2008

After the jump, my brief column about the sometimes appalling new reality show, which premieres tonight. …

Read the full article →

For many, OK to keep that old TV next year

December 16, 2008

People have already been talking about television stations' switch from analog to digital broadcasting in early 2009.

Read the full article →

TCM Sets Van Johnson Tribute

December 16, 2008

It will start on the evening of Dec. 23 and continue overnight. Complete announcement after the jump. And if you missed Johnson's passing, there's an obit here.

Read the full article →

Remember the Joke About the Butcher Who Sat …

December 16, 2008

… in the meatgrinder. He got a little behind in his work! AHAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA! And I know I have been behind in posting but am hoping to catch up one of these days. In any case, I did see last night's "How I Met Your Mother" and the best joke was, no question, Marshall's karaoke choice [...]

Read the full article →

← Previous Entries

 

© The Akron Beacon Journal • 44 E. Exchange Street, Akron, Ohio 44308

Powered by WordPress
Entries (RSS) and Comments (RSS).