Friday, February 27

WELL, DUH...


Earlier in the week, the business section of the Los Angeles Times featured a Nielson Report on current trends in television watching. The report basically said we're watching more TV, as a country. (You can read the article here.)

The report cited a number of anecdotes, and even had some interesting statistics. The study found that Americans are turning to the boob tube as a cheap source of entertainment because of the bad economy.

The average viewer in the U.S. now watched about 151 hours of TV a month, up 3.6% from the previous year. It only averages out to about 5 more hours a month, but all the extra TV viewing is having a profound impact on the medium as a whole. The increase in viewing isn't translating into better ratings, because of the number of niche and specialty entertainment streams available. They estimated that 27 of the 151 monthly hours spent "watching TV" are actually logged on computers and portible devices.

So basically, the folks over at Nielson spent tons of time and mountains of money compiling a report that says Americans like watching TV. We like it so much, we've actually (somehow) found a way to watch more of it.

Well, duh...

Tuesday, February 24

Monday, February 23

WOW



This was an amazing moment. I won't waste time talking about how I thought Milk was robbed last night by that stupid "Dog" movie. What I will say is that Lance is an amazing writer, and he deserved that Oscar.

Sunday, February 22

WHAT HAS THE WORLD DONE TO DESERVE:

TBS is showing 24 hours of Tyler Perry this weekend. Gross. Tyler Perry is so lame... and his shows are even worse. What sin did we, as a society, commit to deserve this punishment? I know we're materialistic and shallow, as a nation. I know out moral fabric is now of a questionable nature, as a country. But nothing - and I mean nothing - warrants this kind of punishment.

YIKES

The school I'm attending is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year, so they're posting tons of old pictures on the home page. This was one of the latest:

Saturday, February 21

THE TIDE IS HIGH...


But I'm holding on!

I've had this song stuck in head/stuck in a replay loop for the past several weeks. But it wasn't until I loaded it into iTunes that I noticed something odd. The artwork says Kardinal Offishall feat Keri Hilson, but the version I have clearly features Rihanna.

What gives? Why the two versions? I'm awake a little earlier than I would like to be, for a Saturday morning, and these are the things I ponder when that happens.

I'm not sure which version I like better. There's a post on Officially Hip-Hop.com that explains this a little better, here. Any thoughts/comments out there?

Friday, February 20

WELCOME TO THE "DOLLHOUSE"

I'm watching episode two of Fox's new Friday night thriller, Dollhouse, and I have to admit: I'm hooked. I started watching for Tahmoh Penikett (IMDB here), who is/was in Battlestar Galactica (and damn sexy, too).

But I'm hooked on the plot: dense without being difficult, new and fresh from start to finish. And it did pretty well last week, beefing up on its lead in, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, growing in size by 25%.

We'll see how this plays out.

OK... NOW I'M PISSED

TMZ.com went public with this photo, from LAPD:
It is unclear how TMZ got this photo, but it breaks my heart to see Rihanna like this.

IS MADEA THE NEW ERNEST?

Wednesday, February 18

UM, LIKE... WHOOPS

Yesterday was a poor hygiene day for yours truly. Before you get grossed out, and go read something else, let me say this isn't going where you think it is.

1. I took a shower, cleaned up and shaved.
2. I put deodorant on. But, as the day wore on, I realized I only put it under one armpit.
3. I also realized I'd missed a couple spots with the razor. (Think Fu-Man-Chu.)

These aren't horrible sins, as far as personal grooming goes, but personally embarrassing. Oh, well... tomorrow is another day, no?

Monday, February 16

LIFE AFTER "DEATH"



It turns out they've gone ahead and made a movie about the further adventures from one of my favorite TV shows, Dead Like Me. The further adventures of Grim Reapers of Seattle returns tomorrow.

Wednesday, February 11

YOU GOTTA GIVE 'EM HOPE


I'd like to throw my two cents into the universe regarding this year's Oscar Best Picture: Milk, should and will win, if there's any justice in the universe. (Although the film makes it obvious that justice isn't a constant.)

I cannot imagine Slumdog Millionaire as anywhere near the same level of scope, width and depth as a film like Milk.

And I'm not just saying this because I went to school with the movie's writer and one of its stars.

Best Pictures should be in the way of and even Ben Hur, Schindler's List, West Side Story, Amadeus, The Last Emperor and even Forrest Gump. Can we really look back at 2008 at say Slumdog is the absolute best cinema had to offer?

Tuesday, February 10

... IN A GOOD WAY?


I had an odd, new experience at school today: during my first (2 o'clock) class, I had a frank, but helpful discussion with a fellow classmate. She's one of those super students, doing her BA and her Credential at the same time, Junior Year... we'll leave her name out of it.

This is the 4th week of class... just bear that in mind for this next part.

I got to my next class (Computing In the Classroom, or something with "Instruction" in the title). I look up, and see the same girl. "Hi," I sheepishly mutter.

"I was wondering when you were going to notice," she says with a smile.

I apologize, and head over to her lab station. We chat, laugh, share some war stories, and then she mentions that she's not surprised I hadn't noticed her in this class. "You're a superstar in all your classes." (Remember the way she worded this, for later.)

"In a good way?" I ask, nervously.

"In a great way," she adds, comforting me.

Flash forward to my last class of the day (Major Critical Theories of English Literature). I walk in... guess who. I'm not sure I actually blushed, but I felt my face getting hotter. This young lady was in 3 out of 5 of my classes - all on the same day, no less - and it took me a month to notice.

"Uh," I stammered, trying not to seem like the ass I was.

"In all your classes," I remember her saying, but I hear it now... for the first time. Her smile is a more ironic, "Do you get it now, smart-guy?" type.

Needless to say, we're BFFs now... I wonder if there's anyone else I'm missing.

LOOK, UP IN THE SKY...


It's me! Thanks to Donnie for sharing the Hero Factory with us. You can make your own superhero here.

Monday, February 9

REALLY? GRAMMY EDITION


Really, National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences?
The Jon-ass Brothers with Stevie Wonder? They were trying to do one of those groove-in-your-face kind of things, and all I could think was, He's blind! You can groove in his face, and he won't ever know it... so what's the point?

Really, National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences?
T.I.? 'Nuff said.

Really, T.I.?
I heard your bellyaching about how "character will take you places money never will," and all I could think was, Funny, 'cause your character is about to get you sent to jail.

Really, Whitney Houston?
You looked like you were off the drugs... looked. But you sounded like you'd been huffing paint.

Really, National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences?
Horrible show. Next time, don't have "The Rock" give the 'humorous' speech about how much he loves the Grammys.

SHAME ON YOU (IF IT'S TRUE)


OK, so by now, most of the world has heard about the (alleged) incident between pop diva Rihanna and her loser boyfriend, Chris Brown.

I'm not gonna say I saw this coming. But I will say in culture where we value the wrong things, sh!t like this will continue to happen.

Tuesday, February 3

THANKS, FACEBOOK


I posted some photos on Facebook this weekend (you can access them by clicking my Facebook link on the right, top list of this page). My account is set up to email me whenever people comment on my status or new posts, etc.

This morning I had 47 new email, 46 of which were from Facebook.

Maybe it's time to reset my email options on this account...

Sunday, February 1

QUICKIE QUIZ


From the BRI's 16th Edition:

Actor Jack Lemon once told this story: "In the early 1970s I received an award, and I had a chauffeur who told me he wanted to be a comedian. He said, 'Mr. Lemon, if I'm successful, I want to be your neighbor in Beverly Hills.'"

Who was that chauffeur?

a) Rodney Dangerfield

b) Lemon's driver, Bill Papp. "Kid," Lemon said. "You're not funny. But if you work for me, at least you'll pay the rent."

c) Jay Leno

d) Dr. Phil (He decided nagging people was easier than comedy.)

For the answer, click here.

PJ TENDS BAR


Back in the summer of 1999, my then-roommate, Adam and I rescued a dog. I don't mean that we went down to a shelter and saved a dog from being put to sleep... we rescued a puppy from a homeless man that had obviously taken the puppy from its mother too soon. She had fleas, tapeworm, ringworm, could hardly open her eyes, had trouble walking and had trouble eating if she wasn't bottle-fed for those first few weeks.

And what amazing weeks they were. I was working odd hours, so I stayed home with the pup in our glamorous West Hollywood pad - and I mean glam: hardwood floors, Spanish-style stucco, and it had once belonged to Jack Dempsy. She eventually turned out alright. Like most rescue pups, she was fiercely loyal, and very affectionate.

My roommate took PJ when we went our separate ways, and I was OK with that. My lifestyle after that move wouldn't have been fair to her, and he had the financial means to care for her in a manner she deserved.

PJ was - or is, I guess - a special dog. I'm guessing most dog owners say that about their canine companions. But PJ had a wacky personality, and was up for what ever crazy hijinks we threw at her... which explains the picture. She had been peeing and pooing on the hardwood floors, so we put up a little barrier to keep her out of the room when we were cleaning up. She perched her paws on the table and yelped.

"It looks like she's tending bar," Adam joked.

So we ran and found some props, and took this photo. She sat there the entire time, loving all the attention, a super trooper.