Click to see the beacon journal online
Homes   Jobs   Cars   Shopping
The HeldenFiles Online

From the monthly archives:

July 2009

Friday Notebook

July 31, 2009

MLB Network looks back at Canton's Thurman Munson during "MLB Tonight" on Monday. The announcement:
MLB Network will air on Monday, August 3 a special feature about former New York Yankees captain Thurman Munson, following the 30th anniversary of his death. Munson, who spent his entire career with the Yankees, died at age 32 in an [...]

Read the full article →

Thursday Notebook

July 30, 2009

You can find my review of "Funny People" here. It covers my problems with the movie, and some of the things I liked. But even with the things I liked, they often consisted of material I admired, or ambition I respected, more than stuff that made me go to people and  say, "You have to [...]

Read the full article →

Indians Trade Cliff Lee: What Do We Do Now?

July 29, 2009

The Indians have traded their best pitcher, a Cy Young winner. If this season was not done before this, it is now. I will still be at the ballpark now and then, because we already bought the tickets. But it's going to be for the atmosphere, which I don't expect to be great this weekend [...]

Read the full article →

Thinking About Seeing "Funny People"?

July 28, 2009

Before or after seeing it, you might want to take a look at the "Undeclared" episode called "The Assistant." It's on the DVD, and has been posted piecemeal on YouTube. The first part is here. When you link to that, you'll see links to the other portions.
It's of note because part of it has Adam [...]

Read the full article →

Fox Retools Fall Premiere Dates

July 28, 2009

As usual, you should have filled in your calendar in pencil.
New announcement after the jump.

Read the full article →

New "Glee" Video

July 28, 2009

Not as exhilarating as the pilot, perhaps, but also out of the context of the episode in which it appears. But at least it's another taste:

(If this embed disappears, as sometimes happens with Hulu stuff, go to Hulu.com to see it.)
By the way, you can find Jazmine Sullivan's video of "Bust Your Windows" here.

Read the full article →

I Still Hate "More to Love"

July 28, 2009

Based on the commercials, I built up a strong dislike for this reality series, which premieres on Fox tonight. Then I saw the first episode. Ire undiminished. After the jump, my review, which appeared in Sunday's Beacon Journal.

Read the full article →

Leonard Cohen to Cleveland

July 27, 2009

Do I have to explain how much I love Leonard Cohen? Superb songwriter, fascinating singer. Still have my ancient copies of the first solo album, a collection of his poems, and things like "In My Secret Life." Even if no one ever covered "Hallelujah," he should still be considered one of the greats. Here is [...]

Read the full article →

Kenworthy, Gill Contend for "Regis" Guest Slot

July 27, 2009

OK, so it's a blatant way to promote local stations carrying "Live With Regis & Kelly," and to give the stations more reason to promote the daytime show. And it seems a way to get some easy guest co-hosts while R&K go on vacation.
In any case, Pete Kenworthy and Kimberly Gill are among the [...]

Read the full article →

Ben Silverman Exiting NBC

July 27, 2009

You can read the announcement, which focuses on Silverman's successor, here. While the network has had some shows I like very much, including "The Office" and "30 Rock," overall it has been disastrously unsuccessful in recent years. I mean, "Kath & Kim"? Revamps of "Knight Rider" and "Bionic Woman"? And this Jay Leno prime-time move [...]

Read the full article →

Monday Notebook

July 27, 2009

The death of Alexis Cohen, showcased above, made the wires because she had a brief period of fame thanks to "American Idol."
Not as a great singer, of course, but as one of those raging bulls snorting and snarling after being rejected by the show. Such fits of temper remain memorable because they are so [...]

Read the full article →

E. Lynn Harris, R.I.P.

July 24, 2009

The Associated Press is reporting that the author has died. If you are unaware of his enormous body of work, his Web site is here.
I interviewed Harris by telephone back in May before he gave a talk and reading at the Akron-Summit County library. It was a briskly business-like interview, but a good one. He [...]

Read the full article →

NFL Draft Goes Prime Time

July 23, 2009

Announcement below. Some skepticism here: I suspect it won't be able to end at the scheduled time, since the announcement had an asterisked note saying "end times approximate." And pushing it into prime, as well as on a school night, takes away yet another opportunity for families to bond. ("Daddy, why does picking that running [...]

Read the full article →

Obama Press Conference Viewing Down

July 23, 2009

So says Nielsen, which provided the charts above (sorry about the small image)  and below and this summary:
In a continued push for congressional support of health care reform President Obama held his fourth prime time press conference on Wednesday July 22, 2009. The conference was carried live from 8:00PM to approximately 9:00PM on 11 networks. The [...]

Read the full article →

"Family Feud" Auditions in Cleveland Fri.

July 23, 2009

Here's the official word:
FAMILY FEUD, the game show that defines ‘fun for the whole family,’ and CBS 19 (WOIO-TV) will be on hand in Cleveland, OH on Friday, July 24 in search of local families to appear on its new season, premiering September 7. A special contestant search team will be on site all day [...]

Read the full article →

Thursday Notebook

July 23, 2009

Some inspirational verse:
"We took cognizance of the new synthetic folksiness that saturated certain programs and the excursions into political waters by these 'I-don't-know-anything-but-I-know-what-I-think" guys."
That "I-don't-know, etc." line is just about the best description I know of the current breed of commentators, TV and radio, and of the approach to news in which expressing an opinion [...]

Read the full article →

R.I.P., Taco Bell Chihuahua

July 22, 2009

From People.com, this "exclusive":
She charmed millions without ever saying a word, and managed to make fast food tacos adorable. Gidget, the Chihuahua best known for her Taco Bell ad campaign, died from a stroke on Tuesday night at age 15.
"She made so many people happy," says Gidget's trainer, Sue Chipperton. PEOPLE met both Gidget [...]

Read the full article →

Of Doritos, Eating and Cooking

July 22, 2009

The other day, I had the most sublimely perfect, splendid, utterly edible Nacho Cheese Dorito I had ever had in my life.
Just one. Just one. None of this kind of stuff:

Read the full article →

Tuesday Notebook

July 21, 2009

A column about tonight's "Primetime: Family Secrets," which deals with gender change and a Massillon family, is here.
I welcome your thoughts about the first night of "Torchwood" in the comment section. And hope you will stick around for the second through fifth nights. Considering how many people called me yesterday to find out where BBC [...]

Read the full article →

"Labyrinth"/"Dark Crystal" Coming to Blu-ray

July 20, 2009

Having seen some murky videos of these over the years, I am much looking forward to a good HD presentation. They're coming Sept. 29. Announcement after the jump.

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).