American Idol contestants have a good showing

"Can you help me solve my gender crisis?"

What a good season for Americna Idol as almost all contestants have a good showing. Sure there were some so-so performances but nothing truly bad like in past seaseons (Scott Sabol, John Peter Lewis ect.) Ryan Seacrest is still completely intollerable and un-funny but Simon saves the day with his with although Randy and Paula are usually too dumb and or drunk to get his jokes.

Here is the top boys:
1)Blake Lewis: I origianlly thought this beat boxer was silly as hell, but I have really been taken in by his originality, and he can sing.
2)AJ Tabaldo: I really enjoyed his past two performances, maybe nothing stellar, but very consistent and pleasant.
3)Nicholas Pedro: "Vote for Pedro" Here is my dark horse candidate. Maybe he hasn't quite hit his stride yet, but that unique smokey voice will eventually pay off. I think he's a bit like a Don Henley, and under the right circumstances he could really shine.
4)Jared Cotter: It was risky to sing a novelty song, but he pulled it off nicely with a Marvin Gay ditty.
5)Sundance Head: I really like his voice last week as well as this week, although I didn't like the song. I think the judges were a little harsh with him previously.
6)Chris Sligh: He can certainly sing in his domain, but he could fall victim to the wrong theme week
7)Brandon Rogers: Always pleasant, and always forgettable
8)Chris Richardson: I don't understand what the judges see in him, I think he's kind of goffy.
9)Phil Stacey: I AM BAFFLED BY THE JUDGES ON THIS ONE!! I haven't been impressed by him at all. This week completely lacked originality, and I thought last week was horrible.
10)Sanjaya Malakar: A complete joke

Top Girls:
1)Sabrina Sloan: Amazing, original, and the most darring by far.
2)Lakisha Jones: Great vocalist, but please no more short skirts! I had just eaten when she sang.
3)Stephanie Edwards: Very consistent, also a risk taker that makes for memorable songs.
4)Gina Gloksen: A very nice redition of Hearts "Alone," but Simon is right. She should look more punk like Avril, catch a niche. She's nbot pretty enough to just wear fancy dresses.
5)Melinda Doolittle: It will hard not to root for her, she seems like a great girl. You can tell she expects the judges to say something bad about her even though she's always brilliant. You gotta love a talented modest girl like that.
6)Jordin Sparks: A great singer, I'm just not sure she has the personality to overcome some of the other contestants.
7)Haley Scarnato: I really didn't like her before, but I thought her version of "Queen of the night," was really entertaining.
8)Alaina Alexander: I really don't agree with the harsh critisism of this contestant. She makes excellent song choices. Always popular, and avoiding artists that would be considered iconic. I think she has been pretty entertaining, and she may still surprise us.
9)Leslie Hunt: Certainly has potential, but I could take her or leave her.
10)Antonella Barba: Her best performance is already available on the internet.

Contestant I most wanted to see return: Nicole Tranquillo. It's a shame the talentless Antonella outlasted her, she had a voice ripe with awe potential.

PRESS RELEASE

“Finally, a clever new sitcom .” – Ken Tucker, Entertainment Weekly “A lively comedy!” – Rob Owen, Pittsburgh Post Gazette

SIT BACK, RELAX AND PREPARE TO FLY THE FUNNY SKIES WITH THE HILARIOUS NEW SITCOM

“THE LOOP ”

Season One DVD Collection

Catch Up On T h e First Outrageous Episodes
Before The New Season Debuts on FOX

Available March 6 th on DVD from Fox Home Entertainment

As we reach our early 20's and face the daunting challenges of real life, there are those who choose to embark on a career path and those who'd rather goof off with friends…and then, there's someone who is crazy e nough to set out and do both! Set in Chicago , “THE LOOP” is the hilarious new s itcom about the wild workplace adventures of Sam Sullivan, the youngest executive at the corporate headquarters of a major airline, and the first of his friends to get a real job. Struggling to maintain his sanity between his serious work life which features a lunatic boss and a co-worker that brings sexual harassment to a whole new level, plus the non-stop social demands of his three room mates including his slacker brother, his hard-drinking college buddy and the (secret) girl of his dreams, his life makes for a truly a wild sitcom . Funny, fresh and wildly irreverent, “THE LOOP ” will have you flying high on laughs!

Debuting earlier this year as a midseason comedy on FOX starring Bret Harrison (“Grounded for Life”), Eric Christian Olsen ( Not Another Teen Movie ), Mi m i Rogers ( Lost in Space ) and Philip Baker Hall ( In Good C ompany, Bruce Almighty ), “THE LOOP” Season One DVD will be available on March 6th , timed to release just before the new season debuts again this Spring. Featuring the first seven original episodes of the series, “ THE LOOP ” Season One DVD will be available to own for the suggested retail price of $19.98 U.S. / $25.98 Canada .

SYNOPSIS :
Meet twenty-so m ething Sam Sullivan, the youngest executive at a major airline, and the first among his friends to land a real job. Half slacker, half suit, Sam precariously straddles both worlds as his desire to climb the corporate ladder is matched only by his desire — nd ability— to party hardy with his wild and crazy room mates. There's Sully, Sam 's hedonistic older brother who refuses to grow up, Piper, Sam's college buddy whom he secretly has a crush on, and Lizzy, the ditzy bartender who k eeps the party rolling!

EPISODE SYNOPSES:

PILOT -- The love-struck S a m plans a birthday party t h at Piper will never forget, whether her boyfriend is able to att e nd or not…hopefully not!

JACK AIR – Lizzy's sexy pal Jenna convinces Sam to join her in a promotional tequila- drinking challenge…not the best idea for someone who has to work in the morning.

TIGER EXPRESS – Sam bumps into an old flame and hopes that a dinner date to Hong Kong will a u to m atically qualify him for “third date status,” with all of its implied benefits.

TROUBLE IN THE SADDLE – A zip-line mishap and ensuing groin injury nearly p re v ent Sam from sealing a business deal at Russ's horse ranch.

YEAR OF THE DOG – Sully's dog-sitting business puts Sam in the doghouse when a hungry hound swallows Sam's flash drive.

BEAR DROP SOUP – Sam 's new promotion angers his co-workers, while Piper's new Anato my tutor puts her in a hairy predicament.

RUSTY TROMBONE – Sam's plan nearly backfires when he sneaks out of work to m e et Piper at a Dandy Warhols concert.

"The Loop" cooming soon to DVD!!

"The Loop" season one, is to be released on DVD for 3/6/07. I have been promised a copy of this DVD, in exchange for my review, so look for that in the next couple of weeks. The Loop had been one of my favorite new shows when it originally aired, but unfortunately it didn't last very long. The show centered on a fresh college graduate struggling to put his adolescence behind him and take his job as an airline executive seriously. "The loop" starred Bret Harrison as Sam Sullivan, and the very funny Philip Baker Hall as Sam's boss.

You don't have time to watch everything on T.V, so let me tell you how to set up the DVR

Numero uno and some T.V newcomers:


Fox still presents the best bang for your hour long buck, in the form of House. House serves as the most interesting medical drama available, while delivering and endless supply of sarcastic humor. Jennifer Morrison is also easy on the eyes.


NBC's Hero's has provided a welcomed change to the monotony of typical prime time dramas. With an endless supply of interesting people with interesting powers, Hero's manages to fold us into a seemingly impossible world of fantasy in a gritty and believable way.


Friday Night Light's is perhaps the best surprise on television this year. The show does what once seemed impossible. Lights makes the high school drama fresh and interesting to a wide variety of audiences. Kyle chandler is positively superb as coach Taylor, and he is surrounded by a talented cast of both young and old actors. If you haven't seen this show, do so.


USA's Psych is unapologetic fun. If there is one thing I never fail to reward on this blog it is being different, and imaginative. Shawn Spencer is a pretend psychic with an identic memory who works for the police force to solve a variety of well written crime stories. Corbin Berson is also excellent as Sahwn's father on the show, I highly recommend Psych as a crime show for people who like to giggle once in a while.


One of the best new shows on the air is NBC's Rules Of Engagement. This is one of those rare comedies that doesn't have a particularly good idea, or particularly great writing but it delivers what few shows can. Perfect chemistry. Oliva Hudson, Bianca Kajlich, Megyn Price, David Spade, and Patrick Warburton (putty) are simply hilarious together, and although the writers of the show seem intent on recycling tired old comedy story lines, this is still a very funny thirty minutes of T.V

CBS has my favorite new show in Criminal Minds. Criminal Minds Ad's suspense, and thrills to CSI type of television. Criminal Minds also delves into the lives of it's stars and ads an interesting look into the minds of high ranking law enforcement agents, while not overpowering it's always stellar story lines of 'cops and robbers.' The show features a superb cast headlined by former Chicago Hope star Mandy Patinkin.

CBS also features The Ghost Whisperer, which is a show that I never thought I would like, but I cannot stop watching it. From Ghosts to zombies to the devil himself, the Ghost whisperer offers a variety of wild horror stories, and a unique set of solutions week to week. Always confronting the human drama of relationsahips, past and present, The Ghost Whisperer will satisfy every member of your household. I should also add that Jenniefer Love Hewitte is positively brilliant on this show week after week, her acting never disappoints!!

The Class on CBS is also a great new comedy. The class is another show with chemistry that offers some unique insight into thew singles life, as well as relationships in general. A lot of great Young comedic talent can be seen on this show.

N.C.I.S is a show that I rarely miss. Featuring Mark Harmon and Michael Weatherly N.C.I.S has great chemistry, although they did take a significant loss when they killed off the character of "Kate." N.C.I.S perseveres with clever story's and great dialogue.

Jericho is also quickly emerging as a must see. I just hope they can keep it fresh.

Shows that are still great: My name is Earl, C.S.I, 24, The Family Guy, The Simpsons and Two and a Half Men are still performing at peak levels after their early stages. Also still worth watching are; Scrubs, Survivor, and American Idol.

Show that it most overlooked: The King of Queens. CBS's The King of Queens is possibly the most overlooked show of the past five or six years. Consistently funny, and always with great hilarious story lines this show is powered by comic heavy weights Kevin James, Jerry Stiller, and Leah Remini. Every time I see this show on re-runs I wonder, "Why don't I watch this every week? It's hilarious!"

Shows that have past their primes...quickly: Maybe the biggest disappointment of this decade is Grey's Anatomy. Grey's Anatomy has done in two years what it took E.R ten seasons to do. Forget all about being an interesting medical drama, and become a mindless prime time soap-opera for the bed-ridden. What started out as an exciting new doctor show has quickly degenerated into an endless pile of personnel crap complete with the most trite absurd monologues by each and every character.

Las Vegas was also an interesting show at once, offering a unique T.V experience but that quickly turned into the silly. Vegas moved swiftly into the Hawaii five o variety of nonsense plots and story lines. I wish what happened in Vegas stayed in Vegas.

Numbers is also a show I like initially, but also quickly and unskillfully moved into more and more absurd story lines. Gone are the days when an interesting drama made insane story lines once or twice a year, now it has to happen every week.

Shows that could still become good: How I met you mother is a show that is terribly frustrating. The program is either is very funny, or not funny at all. A consistency of writing must be achieved in order to make this a show that people can't miss. C.S.I N.Y is a show that has actually gotten progressively better and better. Detective Mac Taylor, played by Gary sinese, along with Detective Don flack, played by Eddie Cahill, power what has become a tremendous cast. When the show first started I truly saw the cast of N.Y to be an achilles heal, b ut the actors have truly evolved...and quickly into one of the better casts on prime time dramas.
I still haven't given up on The New Adventure of Old Christine, although it hasn't been funny for a while now.

shows that should get the 86 right away: WOW am I sick of Donald Trump!! The Apprentice jumped the shark two years ago. How is it entertainig to have a 'contest' where most of the contestants are already wildly successful? who gives a dam if these people win anything? Close to Home, and Cold Case are a couple of heroine driven investigative dramas too many. Shark is another so-called lawyer show that leans too heavily on it's characters...none of which are terribly interesting. C.S.I Miami is also a show that couldn't be less entertaining. Bringing bad acting, and unbelievable stupid plot lines to a new level C.S.I Miami belongs on the T.v around 1:00pm with the rest of the soaps. George Lopez, E.R, and The Knight of Prosperity are also losers.

The shows I miss the most: Justice on Fox was one of the most interesting legal dramas I had ever seen, and was quickly becoming must see television for me. I couldn't be more disappointed that Fox didn't give it a fair shake. I was also growing quite found of The Nine. A show about about nine people who were caught up in a violent bank robbery for over 24 hours. The details of the robbery were only leaked out in brief meeting held within the group of hostages from week to week. I guess I shouldn't be surprised as people never want anything different or imaginative, but only the same old cookie cutter B.S the likes of which have brought us three Law and Orders, and three C.S.I's.

The Academy Awards or a party for Al Gore???

Rarely have I seen an award show degenerate into a love fest like last nights 76th annual "I love Al Gore" awards show. I almost went into a diabetic coma watching star after star salivate over Al Gore, the only thing keeping me from truly being warm and fuzzy was the message of impending global doom being shoved down my throat. At one point I was sure Leonardo DiCaprio would get down on all fours and truly thank Al Gore for all of his brave work, which is ironic because at the beginning of the evening I was sure the only open mouth kiss would be between Elen DeGeneres and Melissa Ethridge. Thankfully the shows un-funny, and unentertaining format was saved by a hilarious bit by Jerry Seinfeld, although it was lost on the out of touch celebrities. I should also mention that Jack Nicholson sure is cool in his shades (try to imagine a slightly sarcastic tone of voice).

The good part of this awards show was the results for a change. A well deserved best picture award to the fabulous film, "The Departed." I thought "The Departed," was an excellent look at the gangster life in the modern day era, complete with an great cast rounded out by the very funny Alec Baldwin. I was also happy to see Alkan Arkin take home a Oscar for his supporting role in "Little Miss Sunshine," an excellent film that most certainly would not have flown without the hysterical work of Arkin. It was refreshing to see movies win Oscars that were actually seen by the public for a change, as opposed to a bunch of politically charged boor-feasts that no one wanted to pay to see.

The Wii

This is truly a tale of two cities. The Wii has both made me smile in wonderment, as well as scratch my head and wonder what year it is. The Wii has the ability to do what no game console of my time has done. The Wii has the ability to bridge the gap between gamers, and non-gamers. People who have little or no interest in video games pick up the wii-mote, and quickly smile and laugh at the unique games and certainly unique game play. Boxing, swinging the wii-mote as a tennis raquette, bowling, or even playing air-hockey are all things that will be new to the home gamer, as well as waking up from a night of playing video games and having a sore shoulder. I have certainly found myself addicted to playing Wii sports, and and I would have never imagined playing games with my girlfriend for hours on end, but again this system is making things so unique that there will no longer be a steep learning curve to those that have never played games before and for that I say bravo!!

What I don't like about Wii: The first thing you will notice about that the Wii is the fact that the graphics looks strikingly like that original Nintendo, and in some cases are not even as impressive as it's predecessor the Gamecube. We all enjoy a nice cartoonish game once in a blue-moon, but when it becomes all you offer it's very limiting. While the Wii may very well overwhelm the community I consider to be 'party' gamers, it will most certainly alienate the true hard core gamers of the world. There is no good reason not to combine this technology with some gripping more realistic games to satisfy both communities, we don't all find 'monkey ball' endlessly amusing. "Trauma Center" is a neat title, but it also falls flat on it's face when it comes to visual appeal, as well as having terrible sounds. There is no reason on this earth, that in the year 2007 I should be reading text off of a screen instead of some voice-acting, albeit the voice acting would be over the lifeless cartoon figures that move onto and off of the screen like color forms, but it would be nice none the less. I also find that at times the game-play is more ambitious than the technology, far too often the sensors will think you are swinging that Wii-mote around like a bola-ball, when in fact you are simply on your back swing preparing to make a play on a tennis ball.

Synopsis: While I truly appreciate what the Wii is trying to do for gaming, in making it a different kind of experience, there was no good reason to release it with pathetic looking graphics and sounds. As much fun as I have had playing Wii sports, I still find myself salivating at the opportunity to purchase a similar type of add on for the X-box or the PS3. I would think that the idea should have been to take next-gen gaming and add a new wrinkle on that, but instead Nintendo made a unique thing and left out the modern day gaming experience. Just imagine how cool it would be to hit a tennis ball while resembling Roger Federrer, as opposed to being a blob without arms or legs. Hard to master different tennis strokes, when you can't see your arms isn't it?

The best new games to play

Cool, doesn't quite say it. "Gears of War," is quite simply the kind of addictive, and revolutionary game that could drag a former gamer right back into the fray. Gears has the magnitude of a "Golden eye," or an "Altered beast," the ability to addict and infect gamers like crack cocaine. After Gears you will be salivating at the opportunity to once again play anything like it. Gears of war stretches the boundaries on what we expect from so called 'great' or next gen graphics and adds a whole new category that will have you wondering how one game can so masterfully maximizer the technology, while other fall woe fully short of what Gears does. The war torn worlds of Gears are unbelievable vivid, bright, and detailed. From the rubble filled streets of war torn earth, to the smoke coming from your recently fired futuristic machine gun, "Gears Of War" delivers the most immerseive experience available for next generation gaming. The game play is also superb, in a game that feels chaotic, and delivers realistic seeming all out fire fights, Gears can often be quite a tactical shooter. Seeking the perfect cover, in fire fight situations, you must maneuver you squad into the best possible position to defeat the alien enemy. Although you May be kneeling and squashed against the fender of a rusty old car, you can still put your gun over your head and 'blind fire' your weapon. Blind firring is a cool new wrinkle on combat games, where you can keep your enemy from advancing on your position, while trying to figure out where to go next, or whom to fire on first.

The bad: Although, there really isn't anything bad about "Gears of War" nothing is perfect. If I had a complaint it would be a common one, lack of story length. Gears ends a little too quickly, but in all fairness it's the kind of game that is so much fun you play it non-stop until you beat it. Gears is also better in a short period of time, than other next gen game, even if it goes on for three years.

synopsis: Sights, sounds, and fun. Gears of War gets full marks for everything it does, and grips us with wholly engrossing world where blasting aliens and saving humanity will become you personality and your job until it's over. I love this game, and it most definitely would reap a place in my top 100 games of all time, probably in the top ten.

Nine and a half out of ten stars!!!!!

also well worth playing:

"Fear" is a game that combines intense first person shooting, with uinique and scary horror elements. Fear skillfully leads you times of all out combat, to quiet creepy moments of jump out of your chair scares. An experiance as much as a game, definately check this one out!

Seven and a half out of ten stars

"Marvel Ultimate Alliance" Perhaps the most pleasant surprise of the gaming season this year, Marvel Ultimate Alliance does what no super-hero game has done before it...it's actaully fun. Acting as role-playing type of game, you are able to upgrade your hero's, and shuffle your team around to suit yourt needs. Marvel touches every corner of the comic book world, and will have you smiling nastaligally about the comic characters and their catch phrases you knew from your child-hood. Loaded with extras for the hard core geeks, Marvel Alliance will please all.

Seven out of ten stars

"Call of Duty 3" I will never tire of shooting Nazi's!! Will you let the armies of darkness march all over the face of the earth??

Eight out of ten stars

"Prey" A tad too easy, and some graphics are woefully inadequate for the modern era, but "Prey" is very unique. Being different is something that we whole heartedly smile upon here at football and beer, "Prey" certainly delivers that. Some real moments of awe early in this game, as you explore a alien world where humans are totured and consumed, but these moments are too few. The game does present some truly cool puzzles in the midst of an action game in a zero gravity environment. Well worth a play, and I would eagerly anticipate a sequall.

Six out of ten stars!

Daughtry album not what I expected

For me this was one of the most anticipated albums in recent memory, Chris Daughtry awed me and millions of others with his unapologetic rock and roll style of music on American idol, but his album leaves me hungry for his performances of the past. While "Daughtry" is certainly worth listening to, its a prime example of over-produced music. Daughtry's powerful rock and roll voice seems rather hampered by loud unimaginative music, and very poor song writing. It seems Chris is determined to be a heart throb, and changed fun in for sad.

All things considered Chris still has the making of one of the better musical artists of our time, if only he can acquire some help with the writing and less of an image overhaul. That said: 'it's not over,' 'Home,' and 'What I want,' are all excellent songs off of the new CD, and hopefully a window to the future.

I give Chris's new album a 6 out of 10, and hope that our rock star will rebound and really give us what we want.

What do you think?? Am I being too harsh, let me hear about it!!!

The Worst hire in recent memory, and a big fat quitter

His father may have sounded dumb, but Wade is the real article. Responsible for what is almost universally accepted as the worst coaching decision in NFL history, Wade Phillips brings Dallas a resume of underachieving and blundering like no other. Dallas was dead set on getting a front man with "experience," passing on quality candidates like Mike singletary, and Ron Rivera. I must ask the question. What good is experience, when it is riddled with past failures and wrong turns?

Consider a very formidable Bills team of the late 90's. A season that started poorly but was saved one Sunday afternoon at Orchard park, when Doug Flutie mounted a furious comeback victory against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Flutie went on to lead the Bills steaming head first into the playoffs against the Titans. This upstart Bills team could have really done some damage too if not for the fact that Wade Phillips opted to bench his star quarterback in favor of Brad Johnson. Johnson started the last game of the regular season (an irrelevant match-up) and in Wades mind it seemed a good move to pull the QB that won all of the games, in favor of the QB that won a single meaningless game at the end of the season. Phillips buffoonery paved the way for the music city miracle, and a great Superbowl between the Titans and the Rams, but as for Brad Johnson his career ended much before the forty something year old Doug Fluties did. No one ever wanted to put Rob Johnson on a box of cereal, and for good reason.

Dallas hiring Wade Phillips is both stupid, and gutless. Trying to re-tread Phillips is as sissy a move as there is, and the reasoning behind it is even worse. Other than a lack of experience the Cowboys also claimed to be worried about Ron Rivera's unwillingness to use a 3-4 defense, which Dallas has been drafting for under Bill Parcells. Rivera runs the 4-3 which would entail one extra down lineman, and one less linebacker....WOW. Not exactly tearing down the statute of liberty and starting from scratch, especially since the Dallas defense was woefully inadequate down the stretch this season. How much weight should even be placed on a base defense in today's NFL? With all of the exotic formations that modern offenses present on first and second downs as well as third downs, how often does a defense actually get to line-up in its true base anyway?

All of this discussion wouldn't be necessary if Bill Parcells weren't a big fat quitter. There is no coach in NFL history who deserves less of his accolades than the "big tuna." Coach Parcells specializes in leaving NFL teams in a lurch, and almost never finishes the job, accept in New York where he had Bill Belichek to lean on. The fat tuna left the Patriots after a Superbowl loss, he then raided the Patriots as the Jets head coach and left them with unfinished business. After the jets Bill Parcells really put the screws to the Buccaneers, where he agreed in principle to the head man job, then backed out. The Buc's were coach less and forced to trade high end draft picks to the Raiders for coach John Gruden. This latest Dallas debacle is just the same old, same old for Parcells. Improve a team a little bit, but if you can't turn it around over night, just throw your hands up and quit. Some people may tout Parcells a genius, but to me he's just an average coach with spectacular man boobs.