Tuesday, May 31, 2005

REVEALED: ANGELINA JOLIE IS DEEP THROAT: What's that? Oh, W. Mark Felt is Deep Throat and Jolie is the most beautiful woman in the world, according to a new list of the Top 100 Beauties from England's Harpers & Queen magazine. Brunettes dominated the list (in your face, blondie!), with the top 5 all sporting dark locks (Christy Turlington, Queen Rania of Jordan, film director Sofia Coppola, and domestic goddess Nigella Lawson). Other brunettes of note in the top 25 include an elf and the girlfriends of the Hulk and Darth Vader: Liv Tyler, Jennifer Connelly, and Natalie Portman.

Monday, May 30, 2005

DEWBERRY, GIVE IT TO ME: I'm withholding judgment, for now, on Hell's Kitchen. Gordon Ramsay certainly brings the hell, but unrelenting criticism doesn't make for great television -- it has to be balanced by the occasional praise (see: Trump, Cowell, Dickinson) to be meaningful.

What I wonder about most with the show is whether there's going to be any training going on; otherwise, it's just throwing unqualified people into an oubliette of constant abuse, with no realistic chance to impress Ramsay -- or us.

I like the idea of the show -- Apprentice In The Kitchen. But execution? Well, my bouche is amused, but not wowed. You?
THIS, COUPLED WITH THE EXIT POLLS, PROVES FRAUD: I don't know if this actually means anything, but interestingly, while Carrie may have won the voting on AI Tuesday night, Bo leads on iTunes. Bo's version of "I Don't Want To Be" is #49 on the iTunes top songs today, while Carrie's version of "Independence Day" is #70. Both are topped by original Idol Clarkson, who's in at #4 with "Behind these Hazel Eyes," #13 with "Since U Been Gone," and #40 with "Breakaway." Then again, downloading in the UK has caused problems, as "a ring tone based on the sound of a revving Swedish moped" has beaten Coldplay's great new single "Speed of Sound" to the top of the UK charts.
WE ARE THE WORLD: No lineups, details, or precise locations yet (other than that Sting will appear), but the AP is reporting Bob Geldof's follow up to Live Aid, "Live 8" will be again hitting Philly (along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway) and London (I assume at Wembley or the Millennium Dome) on July 2. My bet for the big surprise of the event? A Police reunion, which would probably be worth the ticket price alone--sadly, we will also have to suffer through a Spice Girls reunion. The BBC reports rumored performers include U2, the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, and Joss Stone. So, who else is up for the 4th in Philly?

Sunday, May 29, 2005

MONEY CHANGES EVERYTHING: Apparently, Cyndi Lauper didn't make enough money off of Girls Just Wanna Have Fun and Time After Time. She's suing her apartment building in NYC for complex problems with sublets and rent stabilization.
REMIND ME, AGAIN, WHY ON EARTH ANIMATED SHOWS AREN'T ELIGIBLE? Following up on our tour through the Best Actress in a Drama category for the Emmys, we turn to another category--Best Comedy Series--how do you fill this category without Frasier, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Friends, or Sex and the City. Of last year's five best comedy nominees, one ended its run last year (SATC), one produced no new episodes during the eligibility period (CYE), and one, well, the less said about it this season, the better (Will & Grace). Raymond and defending champ Arrested Development are safe bets to return, and those lovable Desperate Hosuewives seem likely to join them (and, yes, it's a comedy, more specifically a satire, as Marc Cherry memorably pointed out in the AD finale). But what fills the category?

Entourage, HBO
  • The upside: Allegedly exceedingly funny and utterly deadpan, featuring a great performance from Jeremy Piven in particular. The second season will be airing as voters vote, keeping the show in perople's mind.
  • The downside: May be seen as too "inside baseball" for its own good and too deadpan. Not nearly the "buzzy sensation" that many HBO shows have been. Eligible shows aired last summer, a long time to stay in the memory.
Scrubs, NBC
  • The upside: Dry enough to please the bitter and sarcastic, but broad enough to appeal to the general audience. Manages to mix the comic and the dramatic highly effectively. Not previously recognized by the Emmys (not even for John C. McGinley). A hyper-talented cast that's well-regarded throughout the industry.
  • The downside: A bad ratings year due to a nasty timeslot. Allegedly, saw something of a creative slide (I didn't see much of it this year because it was up against TAR) during the season. Is arguably experiencing Will & Grace syndrome with a constant parade of guest stars (Tara Reid, Matthew Perry, Heather Graham, Juliana Marguiles, Molly Shannon).
Gilmore Girls, The WB
  • The upside: A critical darling with top-notch writing and performances that's unanimously agreed to have had a creative and ratings renaissance this year after a lackluster 4th season, which has never before been recognized by the Emmys.
  • The downside: May not be viewed as "comic" enough, especially this season, where Rory's storyline in particular was very dark, on the WB, may be seen as too "girly."
The Office, NBC
  • The upside: Exceeded just about everybody's expectations by being not merely a shot-for-shot remake of the hugely successful Britcom (see, e.g., Coupling), very funny, tour de force performance by Steve Carrell.
  • The downside: Still not as good as the BBC version. Low-rated. Short run (only six episodes) may not be viewed as "enough" to support a nomination.
Two and A Half Men, CBS
  • The upside: It's the new "biggest sitcom in America." Funny in that utterly disposable way that many sitcoms are. Keeps Charlie Sheen away from hookers at least one night a week, and gives Jon Cryer gainful employment.
  • The downside: Utterly disposable, often painfully formulaic, critically loathed, may well be the beneficiary of its timeslot. Does anyone you actually know watch it, much less admit to watching it?
The King of Queens, CBS
  • The upside: Been around forever, has several critics (particularly EW) who adore it, decently rated, and the cast has had success in other media this year (Kevin James in particular).
  • The downside: Again, does anyone really care?
Joey, NBC
  • The upside: LeBlanc's coming off three straight nods for playing the same character, moments of pleasant surprise (LeBlanc and De Mateo's chemistry, Jennifer Coolidge), some clever "inside Hollywood" jokes.
  • The downside: Not nearly as good as Friends, LeBlanc's schtick/character wears thin quickly. Andrea Anders is horrible in her part (though attractive) and that relationship never got workable, leading to a "huh?" quasi-cliffhanger.
I don't think whatever the fourth and fifth nominees are will make a great deal of difference, with the fight between the three very different types of shows that the guaranteed slots present monopolizing the votes. Anything I'm missing? What fills the final slots?
OOPS: This is not the kind of correction you like to see in the NYT Styles section: "A photograph last Sunday with the report about the marriage of Alyssa Maclean Cobb and Dmitri Vladimirovich Konon was published in error. The picture showed Karen Robin Kantor and Glenn J. Preslier, who were married at the Boathouse in Central Park on March 26."