Jan 12, 2010
Posted in Television, entertainment | 4 comments
Following up on my post earlier this week – Conan O’Brien tells NBC to suck it. Now I will admit to loving drama, hating NBC (they cancelled Life!), and never liking Jay Leno; so I love this. NBC is getting exactly what they deserve. You might be seeing the move that turns NBC into a cable network. Conan goes to Fox at 11 PM, cleans Leno’s clock, so now both primetime and late night are a shambles at NBC.
It’s what TV has become , that they couldn’t give Leno or O’Brien time for his show to build – the way Late Night with Conan O’Brien did. If you look at the shows that wouldn’t exist if they couldn’t wait – Seinfeld, The Office, 30 Rock, X-Files, etc. Not every show is Lost or ER – a smash hit out the gate. And for every Lost we have 3 Heroes – a show that looks good early, but can’t keep it up.
Here’s O’Brien’s statement: (more…)
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Jan 11, 2010
Posted in Television, entertainment | 4 comments
It’s been 4 short months since Jay Leno single handedly ruined NBC television. So now he goes and ruins late night once again. The fact that Leno won the battle against Letterman had nothing to do with quality, it was luck and following Johnny Carson. To prove my point, here’s a top 10 list of late night talk show hosts better than Jay Leno.
- Jon Stewart
- David Letterman
- Conan O’Brien
- Craig Ferguson
- Stephen Colbert
- Wanda Sykes
- Jimmy Fallon
- Jimmy Kimmel
- Carson Daly
- Mike “The Situation” (from the Jersey Shore)
OK – maybe it’s a stretch on those last two, but honestly I enjoy Jersey Shore more than Leno.
I’d like to give Conan O’Brien a little advice – don’t take the 12:05 spot. Settle with them, take the money, and run to Fox. There you can bring back your old show, and clean his clock.
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Jan 6, 2010
Posted in Television, entertainment | 3 comments
So CSI Miami has decided to mimic the other CSIs only without the talent or quality. They were tired of people laughing at them (I thought they were laughing with us). So now CSI Miami might as well be NCIS (that’s not a complement). How have they changed?
- No more snappy Horatio one liners
- No more quick removal of the sunglasses
- No more Alex making mental love to her corpses
- No more Horatio talking to Eric – because there’s no Eric
They even added more ugly – er – normal looking CSIs. (Of course the guy they replaced Delko with could be a model).
The problem here is that the scripts are still ridiculous and the acting still horrible, but without the pithy humor to distract us from all that. I often said that I liked CSI Miami because I thought the writers and actors were in on the joke. I mean seriously, Elizabeth Berkley? Mala noche justice? Do you think we can respect you after 8 years of that kind of cheese? As Whitney would say – “Hell to the no”.
CSI Miami – I’ll miss you.
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Dec 9, 2009
Posted in Music, entertainment | 0 comments
I just reviewed Lala over at SlyMiser. I know I’m late to this particular game, but Lala is still worth crowing about. Of course now that Apple has purchased Lala – everyone will be hearing about them. Amazon MP3 is still my store of choice, but I’m keeping my eye on Lala.
What do you do for music? iTunes, Amazon, Pandora, something decidedly less legal? Let me know in the comments section.
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Nov 24, 2009
Posted in Music, Reviews, entertainment | 4 comments
The top albums of the decade. This is opinion and for some reason 2005 was my favorite year of the decade in music. It shows in this list. I could listen to these albums, and only these albums, from now to the end of time and continue to find something wonderful and new in each one. The funny thing is that 3 of these albums had trouble getting released and another one skipped labels all together and decided to release it on the internet.
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1
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 Yankee Hotel Foxtrot (2002) – Wilco
The story of this album is amazing. That it had to be leaked to the internet because the label didn’t hear a single is amazing. Simply a gorgeous album – one of my all-time favorites, and this says a lot: one of Wilco’s best.
My Favorites: Jesus Etc., Kamera, I’m the Man Who Loves You
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2
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 Figure 8 (2000) – Elliott Smith
At the time this album came out many of Smith’s fans thought this album was over produced. Compared to Smith’s previous albums, it was. This is also one of Smith’s best. Unfortunately it was his last before his death.
My Favorites: Son of Sam, Wouldn’t Mama Be Proud, Can’t Make a Sound
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3
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 Bachelor No. 2 (2000) – Aimee Mann - Another album that waited on someone’s desk because they didn’t hear a single. Fucking record execs are morons.
My Favorites: Red Vines, Deathly, Calling it Quits
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4
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 Extraordinary Machine (2005) – Fiona Apple
Whoa, yet another album where the execs didn’t hear a single. Jon Brion stirred Apple out of a funk and produced album and then the execs “didn’t hear a single”. A joy to listen to. Brilliantly unique.
My Favorites: Extraordinary Machine, Used to Love Him (Tymps)
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5
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 In Rainbows (2007) – Radiohead
Radiohead set the world on its head by releasing this over the internet, for free. It is their best album since OK Computer. It brings together elements of their best work of the past two decades.
My Favorites: 15 Steps, Bodysnatchers, Reckoner
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6
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 Stories from the City – Stories from the Sea (2000) – PJ Harvey
I missed this album when it was released and now I get to rectify that mistake.
My Favorites: W***es Hustle and the Hustlers W***e, The Mess We’re In
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7
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 American Idiot (2004) – Green Day
I never took this band seriously until this album. Full of angst and serious while maintaining their distinct sound. Took me months to realize how great this was.
My Favorites: Holiday, Wake Me Up When September Ends
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8
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 Back to Me (2005) – Kathleen Edward
Three brilliant albums – I had a hard time figuring out which was the best, but after listening a few times, this is the most complete – and has the big songs. She will go down as one of the best. She keeps knocking them out of the park.
My Favorites: In State, Copied Keys, Back to Me
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9
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 Leaders of the Free World (2005) – Elbow
I don’t get why people don’t know this band. They are THE brit pop band around today (outside of Radiohead that is). Start listening to this band.
My favorites: Station Approach, Forget Myself
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10
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 Andrew Bird (2007) -Â Armchair Apocrypha
This album is truly amazing. The more I listened, the better it got.
My Favorites: Fiery Crash, Darkmatter |
That’s it. Thanks for indulging me. I finished in just enough time to start working on my best of 2009 list. Share your favorites and comments in the comment section.
The running list can be found here:Â Top 100 Albums: 2000-2009.
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Following up on my post earlier this week – Conan O’Brien tells NBC to suck it. Now I will admit to loving drama, hating NBC (they cancelled Life!), and never liking Jay Leno; so I love this. NBC is getting exactly what they deserve. You might be seeing the move that turns NBC into a cable network. Conan goes to Fox at 11 PM, cleans Leno’s clock, so now both primetime and late night are a shambles at NBC.
