MUD IS NOT SO BIG, AFTER ALL: HBO has cancelled John From Cincinnati, and a question for The Hollywood Reporter--in what universe are Rebecca De Mornay and Bruce Greenwood "well-known leads?" Surprisingly, no decision on Flight of the Conchords yet, perhaps because the Conchords are running out of songs.

YOU PICK THE HAMMER UP AND THEN YOU PUT THE FIRE OUT / NOW WE THINK YOU KNOW WHAT DONKEY KONG IS ALL ABOUT: I hope there's no Holocaust movie this year, because The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters has my vote already.

I leave as an exercise to the reader to discuss their own personal coin-op game best.

THE BIG SUMMER: It has occurred to me for quite some time that we haven't seen a summer like this before in the popular culture, one in which there were so many strongly anticipated cultural attractions which came and, by and large, delivered -- the third editions of Spider-Man, Shrek, Pirates of the Caribbean (all three of which feel like they were years ago already), Bourne and the Oceans franchises; Potter 5 (film) and Potter 7 (book); the long-awaited Simpsons movie; a pair of Apatow-related films and a pretty solid Hairspray adaptation; Bonds' home run chase ... basically, television has mostly stunk this summer (except for all those basic cable shows I know I'm not watching), but everything else has been pretty satisfying.

2006 had only one film gross more than $300M (Pirates 2); 2007 will have at least five. [BTW, how the hell did Wild Hogs gross $168 million? Who saw this movie?]

And we still have HSM2 this week. What a country.

Variety.com - TLC adds 'Miss America Pageant'

THERE SHE IS .... ON YOUR BASIC TIER: The Miss America Pageant is moving from Country Music TV to The Learning Channel, and adding a reality tv component.

AMBASSADORS IMAN AND JOLIE WELCOME CAL TO THE PRACTICE OF PSEUDODIPLOMACY: Cal Ripken has been named by the State Department as a "U.S. Sports Envoy." To demonstrate his commitment to serving our country in the important cause of international sport-encouraging, Ripken will participate in every athletic event occurring anywhere in the world for the next sixteen years.

By the way, I really don't mean to start another debate about The Streak. I mean, I really, really don't.

WHAT TIME IS IT? So, this coming weekend presents two decidedly different visions of high school in pop culture--what are you more looking forward to--High School Musical 2 or Superbad (NSFW!)? And which is a more accurate representation of high school? Ladies--McLovin, George Michael Bluth, or Troy Bolton? Panama or You Are the Music In Me? So many questions--so many choices! (Related--The Times' second-string drama critic, Charles Isherwood, takes a look at HSM as theatre and dares to ask the question--is Ryan gay or not?)

SUITS BY BOTANY 500: Merv Griffin has died. Among Griffin's achievements (per Wikipedia)?

• First "open-mouthed" screen kiss in the U.S.
• Recorded the first U.S. album on magnetic tape, generating #1 single "I've Got A Lovely Bunch of Coconuts."
• Creator of Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune and writer of the famous theme and "Think Music" from Jeopardy!
• Owner of various hotels and casinos (most notably, the Beverly Hilton).

Griffin's final project, a new game show called Merv Griffin's Crosswords, appears in syndication this fall.