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Reality TV

"Grease": Smirking in Memphis

January 28, 2007

Many things to say about tonight's "Grease: You're the One That I Want" but I'll start with a simple one: How could anyone smile while singing "Walking in Memphis"? It's a booming song, to be sure, but one that does not remotely call for a big Ipana grin throughout. Yet that is what [...]

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"Idol" Wednesday

January 25, 2007

Update: You can catch the latest podcast with me and Malcolm Abram on www.ohio.com by clicking here for the MP3 file. Or, subscribe to the podcast.
Things the audience learned from "Idol":
– It's OK to mislead your parents, skip school and travel to New York City, because you may get a trip to Hollywood out [...]

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"American Idol": American Justice (With Podcast)

April 26, 2006

Tonight's podcast is available through:
www.ohiomm.com/podcasts/tv/idol_results_042606.mp3
My written notes from tonight's telecast follow below.
Kellie's gone! Kellie's gone!
No more dumb-bunny jokes. No more challenged vocabulary. And, aside from Taylor, who's been swimming in mediocrity for a bit, no really stinky singers left.
I was prepared for Paris to go. There had been a lot of buzz that she was [...]

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'"American Idol" Results (With Podcast Info)

April 12, 2006

Here's the link to the post-show podcast with Amy Carlson Gustafson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press:

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"Amazing Race": No Revenge For Nerds

April 5, 2006

Before tonight's telecast, I was thinking that we were about due for a non-elimination round. Too bad that it wasn't, since Dave and Lori — the sweet nerds — finished last, and now are gone. At the top of the heap: Eric and Jeremy again, followed by B.J. and Tyler, showing once again that those [...]

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"Amazing Race" Makes A Move

March 31, 2006

On Tuesday night, I not only forgot to watch "The Amazing Race," I forgot to record it. I read the synopsis online but it wasn't the same as seeing people scurry. And CBS doesn't get ratings points for people reading synopses.
I suspect I was not alone among fans missing the show. The 10 p.m. Tuesday [...]

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"Idol": No Knockouts

March 29, 2006

A couple of days ago I said I was back, but regular readers know I haven't been really, really back. Life has just kept getting in the way. I spent most of yesterday getting my younger son through the removal of his wisdom teeth, and so found myself at the office during "Idol" last night. [...]

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"Idol" Shuffled and Dealt

March 21, 2006

I had a meeting early this evening and got home about the time Taylor was starting to sing, but held off listening until I finished some business. Then a phone call came as Kellie was singing. So, between what I saw live and what I watched later on my recording, I saw the singers in [...]

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"Survivor"

March 9, 2006

Shane and the rest of the Casaya gang are looking more and more like the Oakland A's of the '70s. They fight and bicker and seem to hate each other — and then go out and win championships, or at least challenges, like tonight's, which was a nasty one. On the line was reward, immunity [...]

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"Amazing Race": Too Blue?

March 9, 2006

I didn't get around to this week's "Amazing Race" until Wednesday night, but I had already gotten a content warning from a co-worker. "Too much sex," she said with a shake of her head.
Sure enough, the episode had buddies Eric and Jeremy coveting bigtime, whether it was the Pink Ladies (Danielle and Dani) or Brazilian [...]

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"American Idol" Wednesday

March 8, 2006

I am thinking seriously about going back to recording "Idol" instead of watching it live, since that way I can fast-forward through the host, judges and cutesy stuff.
It's not just that I don't care that Ace worked odd jobs, Taylor was a mall Easter bunny, Kevin likes Kanye West or that Bucky has a twin [...]

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"American Idol" Tuesday

March 7, 2006

The PR machine seems to be kicking into high gear, building up the personalities, keeping an eye on the previous votes and maybe even trying to keep the votes close with some selective editing.
Mandisa was the class of the show tonight, head and shoulders ahead of everyone else, and the judges said so. But when [...]

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"American Idol" Tonight

February 28, 2006

Before we get to the report card, a couple of points. Paula Abdul has fallen into her worst habits, especially on that incoherent analysis of Katharine McPhee.
We can figure McPhee did well in rehearsal, since she was opening the show; we can also figure that Paula had planned some remarks based on that rehearsal. So [...]

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"Sopranos" Dinner, Grey Monday, Bobbleheads

February 27, 2006

I think we may have to make Monday "Grey's Anatomy" night at the House of Heldenfels, since Sunday seems to fill up with other commitments. Not that Mondays are always easy, either. It took me almost a week to get to the Feb. 18 episode of "Grey's," and last night's episode is filling a spot [...]

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Thursday Night, Part II: "Dancing With the Stars," Olympics

February 24, 2006

As soon as Drew Lachey made that first jump in the freestyle section of "Dancing With the Stars," I knew he was going to win the judges' cards in that round. Like the judges, I had expected more from Stacy Keibler, who has been very good in what I've seen of the competition (which hasn't [...]

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First Part of the Night: "Idol," "Survivor"

February 23, 2006

Pretty nasty little tactic on "American Idol," wasn't it? I'm talking about the two-phased eliminations, where people were led to believe they were spared elimination, only to find that the small group on the block was not, in fact, the bottom two or three. No, only one was eliminated, then a second round was inflicted [...]

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"Idol": More Mediocrity, A Note About "Everwood"

February 23, 2006

I know Ace Young has a following, because I live with part of it. Getting home from my meeting late in "Idol's" telecast last night, I began telling her how things went. She cut me off. Ace was singing.
Weirdly enough, when I went through my recording of the men's performances this morning, Ace seemed to [...]

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"Idol" Scorecard, Lying as Strategy

February 22, 2006

Look, we all know that "American Idol" contestants may not, um, show their true feelings. That some of those hugs-and-tears for an ousted contestant are accompanied by the happy thought that one more competitor is out of the way. That smiling and nodding are not at the top of the emotional heap when Simon is [...]

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"Idol": The Local Angle …

February 21, 2006

Proof yet again that I should never take a day off: My voice mail included a weekend message about an "American Idol" contestant being born in Akron — something that had not been in the information Fox sent out about the top 24. My boss received a similar phone call. I checked it with Fox [...]

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For "Future" Idol Reference

February 17, 2006

From today's mail…
The country’s largest talent search has been narrowed down to 24 contestants as the latest edition of American Idol has reached the semi-final round. The popularity of American Idol has never been more apparent as the show has catapulted to the top of the ratings drawing nearly 30 million loyal viewers. Also a [...]

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