Thursday, April 30, 2009

American Idol: Rat Pack Matt Sent Packing

Last night I watched the Obama news conference and then turned off the TV. I let the DVR take care of watching American Idol and LOST for me.

I was not surprised when I read in the paper this morning that Matt Giraud got sent home. Which somehow sort of makes that "save" gimmick seem more silly than it already seemed. He was "saved" to go home 2 weeks later.

I got around to fast forwarding through last night's results show during lunch. I've been assuming because Adam Lambert is the most entertaining contestant I think they've ever found on this show, that he's a shoo-in for the win.

But, last night Danny Gokey and Allison Iraheta were put on one side of the stage, while Kris Allen and Matt Giraud were sent to the other side. Adam Lambert was then told to pick which side he thought be belonged on. After some diplomatic hemming and hawing Lambert went to stand by Gokey and Allison. Seacrest then moved Lambert to the other group saying this was the bottom three.

Adam being in the bottom 3 seemed to shock a lot of people, including the judges. And then it got worse. Seacrest sent Kris Allen to the safety bench, making Lambert and Giraud the bottom 2.

Checking the TV forums I can see that viewers are all a twitter over Adam being in the bottom 2. The consensus seems to be that Adam fans figured he was safe so they voted for ones they liked, but thought might get the boot. Like Allison. Others think there is a dislike of Adam by religious nuts, who like Gokey, who they say is a religious nut. I don't know where they are getting the religious nut stuff.

Next week my guess is that Adam Lambert will not be in the bottom 2 when the theme is Rock 'n Roll.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Nielsens Ratings for April 20-26

The Nielsen Rating's Top 20 TV Shows for April 20 - April 26. The first number is the ranking, the second number is the season average, then the show name and network. The last number represents the number of viewers in millions. An asterisk * indicates a tie.

Network top 20
Rank Season average Show name Network Viewers in millions
1.
2
American Idol (Wed.) Fox 24.0
2.
1
American Idol (Tues.) Fox 23.9
3.
3
Dancing With the Stars ABC 20.5
4.
7
Dancing With The Stars Results Show ABC 14.7
5.
4
CSI CBS 14.6
6.
X
Criminal Minds (special) CBS 13.7
7.
9
Desperate Housewives ABC 13.6
8.
15
Grey's Anatomy ABC 13.5
9.
X
NCIS (repeat) CBS 12.6
10.
X
The Mentalist (repeat) CBS 12.5
11.
11
Two and a Half Men (repeat) CBS 11.5
12.
17
Survivor: Tocantins CBS 11.3
13.
26
Rules of Engagement CBS 10.6
*
20
Cold Case CBS 10.6
15.
9
60 Minutes CBS 10.5
16.
20
24 Fox 10.3
*
28
Amazing Race CBS 10.3
18.
49
Fringe Fox 9.9
*
30
Surviving Suburbia ABC 9.9
20.
12
Criminal Minds (repeat) CBS 9.8

Monday, April 27, 2009

The Amazing Race: Episode 10---Having a Baby's Gotta Be Easier Than This China Pain

By far the worst episode of The Amazing Race that I can remember. Bad Roadblock, Bad Detour. Somehow this episode even managed to make Beijing seem dull.

First off the booking a flight drama gets real old for me. Tammy & Victor having such an advantage due to speaking Mandarin doesn't really seem to help them all that much, except things like getting the travel agent to get them seats at the front of the plane.

The Roadblock task was as painful to watch as it was to experience. Upon landing in Beijing the teams had to find Liangzi Jian Guo Men Dian foot massage spa. where they learned it was a Roadblock. Cara, Luke, Tammy and Kisha opted to do the Roadblock.

First the Roadblocker had to drink a medicinal tea. Then enjoy a foot massage, known for its therapeutic benefits. Rather than enjoy the massage it appeared to be painful torture that had those being tortured crying out in pain. I think those who use waterboarding to get info from bad guys might want to look into this foot massage torture.

If the pain got too much you could cry Uncle. But then you'd just have to start the 10 minutes of torture over again. Cara started out laughing, but was soon in tears. Kisha looked on in panic as she saw Cara being tortured. Soon Kisha was in pain, chewing on her jacket to try and keep from screaming. When Tammy and Victor arrived, both Cara and Kisha were screaming in pain, causing Tammy to ask if it really was that bad, to which Cara said, “I feel like having a baby’s got to be easier than this.” Luke suffered in silence, biting on his hat.

After the torture ended, the next entertainment was a fight for taxis to take the teams to Guangcai Natatorium, that being the place where Michael Phelps swam in last summer's Olympics. There seemed to be way too much dwelling on Michael Phelps.

At the Natatorium that's when the episode really went downhill. The Detour was Sync or Swim. In the Swim option you had to wear the same type swimsuit that Phelps wore, then swim 8 lengths of the pool in a team relay.

In Sync the teams had to jump off a 3 meter board and hit the water at the same time. Victor & Tammy thought this would be easier than swimming. It wasn't. Over and over again they tried, with 2 very bored looking judges judging them. To get their next clue they had to get 5's from the judges. Jen & Kisha opted out for Sync too, til they got on the boards and Kisha panicked. So, it was off to Swim for them.

Jaime & Cara and Luke & Margie opted to Swim and were good at it. Why the ongoing time kept being compared to Phelps' seemed dumb and pointless to me. The Chinese running the Swim did not seem to get much amusement from watching the Americans. Usually the locals have themselves a good time laughing at the Americans struggling with some fool thing.

When Kisha & Jen hit the water it did not go well. So they switched back to Sync where Tammy & Victor continued getting 1's. Boring.

Kisha & Jen managed to dive a couple times, but eventually Kisha could take it no more, collapsed in tears and said she wanted to go home. In the meantime, Tammy & Victor gave up on Sync and went to Swim, which went well for them.

Soon, Kisha bucked it up, put on a lifejacket and went back swimming. They knew they were in last place but were being real good sports about it.

Then, for even more quality TV we see Victor unable to get into the cab to go to the Pitstop. Victor's legs were cramping on him. He seemed to be in a lot of pain. This entire episode seemed to be all about pain. I'm not a big fan of watching people in pain.

I also didn't like Luke & Margie's continued whining about Jen & Kisha and the supposed horrors the two sisters committed. I started off liking Luke and his mom. Now, not so much.

So, the 2 ex-cheerleaders knew they were the first out of the swimming pool, but they'd been in first on the way to the Pitstop several times, only to have something screw up. But, this time they did get their as Team #1, all relieved and happy. Only to be handed a clue with Phil telling them that this leg of the race was not over.

And then "To Be Continued." Previews for next week looks like they are still in Beijing and will be eating something disgusting and wandering around in goofy costumes.

Friday, April 24, 2009

Survivor 18: Tocantins---Tyson Get His Blindside Comeuppance

After last week's Survivor I was ready to bail. This was not the first time Survivor had so annoyed me that I'd reached that point. And then I give it one more chance and it redeems itself.

I was ready to bail last week because we were shown no reason why Taj turned on Brendan, voting to boot him from the tribe. We saw no reason why Taj turned her back on her Exile Island Alliance.

And, it was not fun to watch because Stephen and J.T. and Taj seemed to be under the control of the loathsome Coach, instead of seeing that they should boot out Coach, removing that idiot from our TV screens.

The previews and ads for last night's Survivor planted the idea that Sierra would save herself by winning the Immunity Challenge. She almost did win it. But one who has left zero impression on me, is the name Debby? The school principal, she won.

The oddest part of that Immunity Challenge was Coach "The Warrior" decided to not fight that battle, because if he felt safe, and sat out, he could eat pizza. He looked so incredibly stupid sitting there eating pizza and looking detached. Yeah, warriors eat pizza rather than participate in a challenge.

And poor, evermore rat-like looking, Stephen, once more sent to Exile Island, comes back for the Immunity Challenge, already miserable, decides along with Coach and J.T. to opt out and eat pizza, sat there under a blanket in the rain shivering violently. Worst case of the shivers I've seen in 18 seasons of Survivor.

After the Immunity Challenge we see Sierra pathetically pleading to stay. It really did not make a lot of sense. Coach was all condescending. Tyson, even more so.

And then, unlike last week, a lightbulb turns on in Taj's head. What if we get rid of Tyson? This may be our only chance. Erinn, J.T. and Stephen were quickly on board. No need to tell Sierra. Of course, J.T. was conflicted, due to his relationship with the Coach, based on their mutual trustworthiness and golden characters.

And then we get to the Tribal Council. Sierra was quite good at defending herself. Tyson acted like an ass. Probst asked some probing Probst-type questions and then he turned on Coach and tried to nail the idiot on his hypocritical contradictions. Going on and on about wanting it to be a fight between warriors. Then why did you boot Brendan, Probst asked? To which Coach spouted more of his moronic nonsense. With a big feather stuck in his greasy hair.

One of the funnier moments was Taj crossing her eyes at one of times Coach spouted his Warrior idiocy.

And then the payoff. Sierra sure she's going home. A couple votes for Sierra, then one for Tyson. Then another. Then another for Sierra. Coach and Tyson back looking smug. Then another vote for Tyson. Oh oh, this wasn't the plan. Sierra now had 3 votes, Tyson 4. Either another Sierra vote ties it, or Tyson gets the boot.

The look on Tyson and Coach's faces made this a double-blindside. And the look on Sierra's face was also reality TV gold. Brendan laughing and clapping was also good.

In the previews it appears that now the tables are turned and Coach is begging for Sierra's help. The ebb and flow of fortunes is what I like about Survivor. When it makes sense.

In his final words Tyson said that now he knew how Brendan felt. And that he was bummed that Sierra lasted longer than him. I think it's called poetic justice and a real good comeuppance.

Susan Boyle Gets a Makeover

I thought part of her charm was Susan Boyle's frumpy housefrau look. When she was on CNN's Larry King Live she replied "why should I change?' when asked if she was going to change her look.

Well, apparently Susan Boyle has had a change of heart about the changing her look thing.

The new Susan Boyle looks like the result of a What Not To Wear makeover. New hair, new clothes.

The paparazzi spotted Ms. Boyle out and about with her frizzy, gray hair now a nicely styled shade of brown. And wearing a stylish leather jacket with a Burberry scarf and well-tailored slacks.

Susan Boyle's next Britain's Got Talent appearance is May 23. Maybe she'll be a blonde by then.

Thursday, April 23, 2009

The Real Housewives of New York City Season 2: It's Halloween & Kelly's Late

The latest episode of The Real Housewives of New York City had some amusingly weird moments.

Alex and Simon (aka Silex) sitting on their stoop, I think that's what you call your front porch in New York City, was very strange as they stabbed at pumpkins with dangerously large knives, with there malnourished looking children, Francoise and Johann, helping.

Previous to the pumpkin carving, with the forewarning, from Alex, that she and Simon have no fear when it comes to fashion, we saw Alex get fitted with a burlap feed bag that she plans to wear to the opening of the opera. A very scary looking woman with blonde hair waxed poetic about the burlap bag. It all somehow reminded me of an I Love Lucy episode set in Paris.

The majority of this episode focused on Halloween. And costumes. Or lack of costumes, in the case of Kelly and her paid escort, Max. I'll get to that later.

In the meantime, back to Silex. I have to retract something. Previously I said I thought they were creepy. I'm not thinking that so much anymore. I'll go with 'different.' I think a lot of their antics are done on purpose, because they know it's making good TV. They really are not stupid people, just 'different,' But, I still think they need to change those kid's names before they get beat up in school.

So, Kelly, who it is increasingly becoming clear has some serious mental health issues going on and it's equally clear that it was totally obvious to the producers of this show that Kelly would provide a lot of good material, was really over the top ridiculous this episode.

This episode Kelly hosted a really, really tacky Halloween Party, to which she was willing to attach her name, unlike Jill's arthritis charity. Apparently pretty much anyone could get an invite to Kelly's Halloween Party. Indian Countess Luann remarked, well, I think it was her, that the party group looked like a bunch of "frat boys."

All the Housewives were appalled, with the most appalled seeming to be Bethenny. Who was on roller blades, due to being Roller Blade Girl. I think from the movie, Boogie Nights. What Roller Girl seemed most annoyed and appalled about was that Kelly's cheap party had a cash bar.

But the thing that got the Housewives most wound up was the fact that Kelly was not there at her own party to greet them. The Housewives showed up slightly fashionable late. An hour later, still no Kelly.

They were feeling uncomfortable being among the strange crowd, none of whom they knew. And so the Housewives left, with Bethenny leading the way and doing a very funny dismissing dissection of Kelly's latest bad behavior. And then rolled down the street on her roller blades.

Did Bethenny roller blade all the way home. She seems very good at saving money. Taxis are expensive in New York City.

Simon and Alex came to the Kelly Party as Sarah Palin and a moose. Bethenny did not get it til later. She thought Silex was being some sort of Bullwinkle thing, I guess with Alex being Natasha. Alex made a pretty good Sarah Palin.

Here we see Roller Girl and Luann in full umbrage mode over Kelly's bad manners. Luann did not come to the Halloween Party in a costume. She came as a Native American. Since Luann is an American Indian, I did not think her dressing as one qualified as a costume. Had she come as a Countess that would have seem more Halloweeny to me.

But, coming as a Native American was a much much better plan than Kelly's costume. I've been embarrassed for this girl before, but this was the worst.

On the last day of October, on what had to be a cold night in New York City, Kelly and her paid escort, Max were mostly naked. I don't know what they were supposed to be. Tarzan and Jane? Kelly said she would have been less conservative, but she has kids, so she has to tone it down. The disturbing thing about mostly naked Max was this huge scar he has on his abdominal zone. He is Argentinian. Did he get gored in a bullfight?

According to the Bravo website, the New York Housewives taped their reunion show this past week. The taping went on for hours and apparently the majority of it was yelling at Kelly. It airs in early May. Should make for some good train wreck TV entertainment.

The Housewive's Blogs are funny, as usual, this week, with Kelly's, predictably, seeming delusional.

Nielsen Rating's Top 20 TV Shows for April 13 - April 19

The Nielsen Rating's Top 20 TV Shows for April 13 - April 19. The first number is the ranking, the second number is the season average, then the show name and network. The last number represents the number of viewers in millions. An asterisk * indicates a tie.

Rank Season average Show name Network Viewers in millions
1.
2
American Idol (Tues.) Fox 24.4
2.
1
American Idol (Wed.) Fox 24.1
3.
3
Dancing With the Stars ABC 19.5
4.
4
CSI CBS 15.7
5.
7
Dancing With The Stars Results Show ABC 15.2
6.
11
Two and A Half Men CBS 15.0
7.
9
Desperate Housewives ABC 13.9
8.
5
NCIS (repeat) CBS 13.6
9.
13
CSI: Miami CBS 13.4
10.
18
Without A Trace CBS 13.2
11.
18
House Fox 12.2
*
7
The Mentalist (repeat) CBS 12.2
13.
15
CSI: NY CBS 12.1
14.
9
60 Minutes CBS 12.0
15.
17
Survivor: Toncatins CBS 11.6
*
27
Rules of Engagement CBS 11.6
17.
X
Bones (special) Fox 11.0
18.
20
24 Fox 10.9
19.
12
Criminal Minds CBS 10.6
20.
28
Amazing Race CBS 10.3