Monday, February 28, 2011

The Amazing Race: Amanda & Kris Eliminated with Zev & Justin First to Pit Stop

Running around the streets of an Australian Outback town called Broken Hill, searching for two items on the Periodic Table, Mercury and Bismuth, while costumed as Kangaroos, was the funniest part of the Second Episode of Season 18 of The Amazing Race.

Jet finally figuring out what the compass was spelling and then managing to make it, with his brother, Cord, 3rd to the Pit Stop was a pretty good turnaround.

Amanda & Kris pretty much got the guarantee of being the first team eliminated way back in Palm Springs when they were last to figure out the Quantas clue, thus giving them the penalty of having to complete both of the first detours on the race. In other words they got U-Turned, just like what happened to them the first time they raced. That gave them Unfinished Business that I guess is still unfinished.

Zev & Justin have not lost their passports again, yet, and made it first to the Pit Stop at a silver mine built in 1884 called Junction Mine. Coming in first got Zev & Justin a trip to Cancun.

I didn't much care for the detours. Before the teams found their way to the Outback and the detours they had to find "To Sail to Stop" in Sydney. This is where the clue sent them when Phil told them they were still racing at the Pit Stop on the first episode. The first 6 teams to figure out the clue signed up for the first flight to Broken Hill, 684 miles from Sydney.

Kisha & Jen, Zev & Justin, Margie & Luke, Jaime & Cara, Mel & Mike and Kent & Vyxsin were first to sign up.

Gary & Mallory made it first to the first Pit Stop, but along with Amanda & Kris, they had trouble finding the next clue til they paired up with Ron & Christina.

That left the Cowboys the last to sign up for the flight to Broken Hill.

Once they got to Broken Hill, then the Living Desert had to be found. When the teams found the Living Desert they found the detours, Spirit World or Natural World. Make a mosaic and then dance on it in Spirit World. Or spit four Aboriginal territory markers with paint in the Natural World.

It was a bit of a confusing mess with all the teams taking the mosaic option. Upon successful completion the next clue sent them back to Broken Hill to find the Central Football Club. It was the clue at the Football Club that put them in Kangaroo suits.

Zev & Justin made it first to the Kangaroos. Margie & Luke teamed up with Zev & Justin. A local let them use a smart phone to figure out what the element symbols meant. I guess it pays to know how to use a smart phone on The Amazing Race. Margie lost part of her Kangaroo which sent her & Luke back with the rest of the pack of Kangaroos running for the clue.

Eventually all the Kangaroos figured out the clue and got in their cars to race to Junction Mine to the Pit Stop.

Amanda & Kris nearly made it past Ron & Christina for the 10th spot, but in the end, they came in last.

Flight Time & Big Easy came in 2nd, followed by the Cowboys, then Kisha & Jen, Margie & Luke, Mel & Mike, Kent & Vyxsin, Jaimie & Cara, Gary & Mallory and I already told you the next two places.

Mel is seeming a bit out of shape for all this heavy duty racing. It's nice how Mike is always so concerned for his dad. But 70 years old and doing this? How did Mel pass the physical?

I did not watch the previews so I have no idea where they go next week.

83rd Annual Academy Awards Was Slow & Boring & Badly Hosted By James Franco & Anne Hathaway

The 83rd Annual Academy Awards started a bit slow and wobbly and seemed to get slower and wobblier as the show progressed.

Kurt Douglas was a perfect metaphor for last night's Academy Awards. Slow and wobbly.

I made it past the Kurt Douglas part, then bailed soon after James Franco showed up as Marilyn Monroe. I suppose this could have somehow been funny. But it wasn't.

The show lasted over 3 hours. I think I lasted for a bit over an hour.

I read that producers asked the potential winners to make short speeches, should they win. And not to pull out a piece of paper off which a long list of names, no one has ever heard of, is read. Most did not listen to the speech instructions.

It seemed to me that James Franco and Anne Hathaway were hosting failures. Way too much giggling as they made their way through lame jokes and repartee.

Nothing I read this morning about last night's show is making me want to watch the 2 hours I missed.

Sunday, February 27, 2011

83rd Annual Academy Awards With James Franco & Anne Hathaway Hosting

Tonight is the 83rd Annual Academy Awards Show. On ABC. Live, starting at 8 Eastern Time, 7 Central Time and 5 Pacific Time.

For the majority of my existence I've watched the Academy Awards while living in the Pacific Time Zone. For over a decade I've been in the Central Time Zone.

I prefer the Oscar Show starting at 5 and being over by 9. Rather than starting at 7 and lasting past 11.

I've not made it through an entire Academy Awards Show since I've been in the Central Time Zone.

I have seen none of the nominated movies. Not a single one. I do know that the King's Speech is about the stuttering father of the current Queen of England. And that Colin Firth is expected to be named the Best Actor.

Or maybe it will be James Franco for the movie where he hacked off his arm to rescue himself from a Utah rock.

Natalie Portman is the likely, supposedly, Best Actress frontrunner for playing a ballerina in Black Swan.

I think the remake of True Grit is a Best Picture nominee, with Jeff Bridges in the John Wayne role.

That's about it that I know about this year's movies.

James Franco and Anne Hathaway are the hosts for tonight's show. I don't think I've ever seen Anne Hathaway in a movie. I've seen several James Franco movies. It will be interesting how this pair does as hosts. A David Letterman level bomb? Or a Billy Crystal like surprise?

I'll give the show a half hour and hope it keeps my interest.

Friday, February 25, 2011

American Idol's Season 10 Top 24

I let the DVR get a half hour ahead before I started watching American Idol on Thursday.

After watching an hour I had caught up with the recording. I think I must have fast forwarded past some key moments.

When did the singing in the aircraft hangar take place? On Wednesday duos or trios sang Beatles songs in Las Vegas.

As the various singers took the long walk to sit in front of the judges, to learn if they were in the Top 24, we'd cut to scenes of what led them to that point. Including singing solo in an aircraft hangar.

I really need to cut down on my use of the fast forward button.

This year the age limit was lowered to 15. But none of the 15 year olds made it through. I thought 15 year old Jacee Badeaux was a shoo-in. He'd gotten an awful lot of camera time. And was quite likable. And seemed to sing well to my tone deaf ears.

Next week the voting starts up. The males sing on Tuesday, followed by the girls on Wednesday, followed by the Thursday results show.

The male Top 12 are Casey Abrams, 20, of Idyllwild, Calif.; Jovany Barreto, 23, Harvey, La.; Jordan Dorsey, 21, Donaldsville, La.; James Durbin, 22, Santa Cruz, Calif.; Clint Jun Gamboa, 26, Long Beach, Calif., and Tim Halperin, 23, Fort Worth, Texas, Stefano Langone, 21, Kent, Wash.; Brett Loewenstern, 17, Boca Raton, Fla.; Jacob Lusk, 23, Compton, Calif.; Scotty McCreery, 17, Garner, N.C.; Paul McDonald, 26, Nashville, Tenn., and Robbie Rosen, 17, Merrick, N.Y.

The female Top 12 are Naima Adedapo, 26, Milwaukee, Wisc.; Lauren Alaina, 16, Rossville, Ga.; Kendra Chantelle, 22, Nashville, Tenn.; Ashthon Jones, 24, Nashville, Tenn.; Thia Megia, 16, Mountain House, Calif., and Haley Reinhart, 20, Wheeling, Ill., Karen Rodriguez, 21, New York; Pia Toscano, 22, Howard Beach, N.Y.; Lauren Turner, 24, Slidell, La.; Tatynisa Wilson, 20, Aurora, Ill.; Julie Zorrilla, 20, Los Angeles and Rachel Zevita, 23, New York.

This year in addition to voting by phone and text message you can also vote via Facebook. How that works I have no idea. But I do know for almost 100% certainty that I won't be voting.

CBS Ends Production of Two and a Half Men After Charlie Sheen's Latest Bad Behavior

I had not watched Two and a Half Men for years. And then I got TV on Demand via AT & T's U-Verse. CBS is the only one of the networks to be on AT & T's on Demand list.

Which has caused me to watch CBS shows I'd otherwise not watched.

When I first watched Two and a Half Men again I was surprised to see that Jake is no long a half man.

But, more than Jake being all grown up I was surprised at how, well, raunchy an American TV Sit-Com is in 2011.

During the Seinfeld era I was a faithful TV sitcom viewer. When Seinfeld and Friends left the air it was the end of Must See TV for me on Thursdays. And thus the end of watching sitcoms til now.

Two and a Half Men has not been producing new shows ever since Charlie Sheen's hospitalization last month, followed by supposed re-hab. At home.

And now CBS and Warner Bros. Television have halted production of TV's #1 sitcom for the season, due to  the "totality of Charlie Sheen's statements, conduct and condition."

The statements being referred to were some bad things Charlie Sheen said about his show's executive producer, Chuck Lorre during a radio interview with someone named Alex Jones.

Charlie Sheen's radio remarks are being compared to Mel Gibson's anti-Semetic rant to a traffic cop.

Charlie compounded his problem, after the CBS decision, by sending  an "open letter" to TMZ in which he called Lorre a "contaminated little maggot" among other things.

Charlie also delusionally called on his fans to start a protest movement for him.

At the end of last season Charlie Sheen signed a two year contract that pays him about $1.8 million per episode.

How can someone make that type money doing something fun, like being on a hit sitcom? And then still be so miserable that drugs and alcohol are needed to make you happy?

Or possibly insane.

Sheen made multiple references to violence, calling himself the new sheriff in town, with an "army of assassins."

And that, "If you love with violence and you hate with violence, there's nothing that can be questioned."

Almost $2 million an episode. And insane.

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Jennifer Lopez Breakdown Over Chris Medina To Be Continued Tonight On American Idol

I enjoyed the Beatles in Vegas deal on American Idol Wednesday night. I think there were something like 80 who got bused to Vegas.

I know I should not hit the FF button, and if I didn't I might not get confused.

At about the hour mark 7 or 8 singers names were called, like the kid with the deep voice, Scotty McCreery.

Scotty and the others who stepped forward were moving on. But it was the end for the others, including the blonde kid who looked sort of goofy, but seemed to sing and perform in an entertaining way.

Then in the next hour we heard some more singing and then long walks to a chair in front of the judges where the singer gets told if they are in the Top 24 or not.

I think it'd been whittled down to 40, when the long walks began. When Scotty was told he was moving on, was it to the group of 40 he was moving?

I am just too easily confused.

The final one to take the long walk Wednesday night was Chris Medina. The guy with the fiancĂ©e who was badly injured and who he has stuck with. It was a memorable back story. And you could not help but like the guy. Though he needs to lose weight and get a haircut.

It was Jennifer Lopez who delivered the news that Medina would not be in the Top 24. He took it well. Randy, Jennifer and Steven all hugged him. As he walked away Jennifer got more and more emotional. We kept cutting from Chris back to Jennifer, crying, worrying that she had not delivered the news in a good way. Both Randy and Steven were very reassuring.

This went on and on, cutting between Chris and Jennifer's breakdown. Then the judges' take a break while Jennifer tries to compose herself. Will it just be Steven and Randy delivering the news to the remaining contestants? And then "To Be Continued."

It all seemed a bit contrived. But, it also seemed all quite real.

 I really thought American Idol had jumped the shark last year, and re-jumped it with the new judges. But, instead, it's like the show has hugely improved. And I am now a Jennifer Lopez fan. She is just so darn nice. As is Steven Tyler.

Everything about "Hollywood Week" has been an amped up production compared to previous years. What does this portend for the live shows? I'm thinking it portends good things.

Glee's Alcohol Awareness Week Episode Where Everyone Gets Drunk

I find Glee to be amusing. And on way too early, as in 8/7c time. Glee has way too much adult material to be on so early.

And the fact that Glee is real popular with sub-teens is troubling.

I may be turning in to a prude in my old age.

In this week's episode of Glee Rachel's 2 gay dads were off on a Rosie O'Donnell cruise. So, Puck convinced Rachel to have a party. A drinking party.

Earlier we'd seen the Principal of William McKinley High School ask the Glee Club teacher, Will Schuester, to have the Glee Club sing an anti-alcohol song to an assembly dedicated to Alcohol Awareness Week.

The Glee kids all show up for Rachel's party. But start to leave because her 2 drink minimum was not enough to give them a good buzz. So, Puckerman convinces Rachel to break into her dad's liquor supply.

And so they do. And then proceed to get quite drunk. Except for Finn who was the designated driver and who suddenly knows words like "archetype."

Spinning the bottle,Rachel kissed Blaine, who had been gay, but when kissed by Rachel suddenly, became not gay. The upset Kurt alot, because Kurt is thoroughly convinced that both he and Blaine are gay.

Which makes sense, with the pair ending up, with Blaine drunk, in Kurt's bed, discovered there the next day by Kurt's dad. Kurt got quite upset with Blaine's orientation change. Eventually it was decided to test if kissing Rachel sober was still a turn on. It wasn't. So Blaine was back to being gay.

And on another gay note. Sue Sylvester, she being the obviously mentally ill criminally violent person who no one seems to be appalled by, gleefully told other teachers how she'd knocked another school Glee Club director down 2 flights of stairs so she could take over his job. And that he should be all right and get out of the hospital once the swelling in his brain goes down.

The day after Rachel's party everyone has a hangover. Artie in the wheelchair brought Bloody Mary's to school in a thermos to cure everyone of their hangovers.

Coach Beiste convinces Will to go to a honky tonk with her. Where they proceed to get drunk and sing. When he gets home Will drunkenly corrects papers, giving everyone an A+ with a smiley face. Then makes a call to Emma, but instead dialing Sue Sylvester.

Sue Sylvester then plays that call over the school intercom. A call in which Will suggests that Emma come over for a roll in the hay. And to bring a couple wine coolers.

If I remember right the phone call was played after New Directions sang their song, Tik Tok, for the Alcohol Awareness Assembly. To fortify them for singing Rachel brought the Glee kids a concoction of booze she made from leftovers from her party. Including crumbled Oreos and cough syrup.

Tik Tok had dim bulb, but lovably promiscuous Cheerio, Brittany, auto-tuning the lead. And then finishing her number by projectile vomiting a huge amount of greenish-gray vomit on Rachel.

After Sue played Will's phone call, the Glee Club and Will were called to the Principal's office. They figured they were in trouble. Instead the Principal praised them for their brilliant song, saying its profound effect had brought the school's drunk kid incidents to zero. And he told Will he'd like Will to talk to his minister about Will's drinking and sex addiction problems.

That does not cover all that seemed a bit on the adult side for the viewing pleasure of pre-teenagers. There have been some objections by some PTA type groups, to Glee. But, I am surprised there aren't more complaints. 7 seems way to early for this show to be on, especially where I am right now. In the Buckle of the Bible Belt.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Nielsen Rating's Top 20 TV Shows for February 12 - February 18

The Nielsen Rating's Top 20 TV Shows for February 12 - February 18. 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.

RankShow name
Network
Viewers in millions
Season-to-date average(in millions)
1.American Idol (Wed.)
Fox
23.2
26.5
2.American Idol (Thur.)
Fox
22.2
24.3
3.NCIS
CBS
19.4
20.2
4.NCIS: Los Angeles
CBS
16.8
17.5
5.The Mentalist
CBS
15.0
15.3
6.Two and a Half Men
CBS
14.5
14.7
7.CSI
CBS
13.3
14.0
8.Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior
CBS
13.1
13.1
9.Mike & Molly
CBS
12.9
11.9
10.Criminal Minds
CBS
12.8
14.6
11.The Big Bang Theory
CBS
12.4
13.8
12.60 Minutes
CBS
11.4
14.0
*The Good Wife
CBS
11.4
13.1
14.Blue Bloods
CBS
11.2
12.8
*Survivor: Redemption Island
CBS
11.2
11.2
16.CSI: NY
CBS
10.7
11.0
*Hawaii Five-O
CBS
10.7
12.5
*Undercover Boss
CBS
10.7
12.8
19.Desperate Housewives
ABC
10.6
12.5
*Modern Family
ABC
10.6

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

The Bachelor: Brad Gives Shawntel No Rose After An Embalming Demonstration

This week, on The Bachelor, with it down to only 4 wife candidates left for the 3 Fantasy Suite positions, I was able to remember their names.

Shawntel, Chantal, Ashley and Emily.

This week's The Bachelor episode was the one where Brad Womack travels to the hometown of his potential wife to meet her family. These are known in Bachelor-speak as "Hometown Dates", usually shortened to "Hometown."

The "Hometowns" follow a repeating script. One thing in the script is "Hometowns are important." Another part of the Hometown Script is taking the father aside to ask if is okay to ask the daughter to be the wife is she works out well in the Fantasy Suite.

I watch The Bachelor with a bit of a heavy hand on the fast forward button. I did not see Brad meet Emily's family or ask Emily's dad permission to marry Emily.

Despite the previews that had indicated otherwise, Emily's daughter Ricky did not run screaming from the room in terror when she first saw Brad. I really don't get the Emily attraction.

Ashley's family was a bit weird.

Chantal's family lived in a big house with a lot of rock work. Being from the Seattle area I can tell you this was a typical Seattle house. I read somewhere that Chantal's dad is a former Seattle Seahawk who now owns car dealerships in the Seattle zone. Chantal's house was also nice. I don't know if Chantal is a car dealer.

But, I do know that Shawntel does work in her dad's business. Shawntel put Brad up on an embalming table to demonstrate how she works with corpses. Brad is a bit of a stiff, so this made sense.

The funeral parlor, embalming table visit was a bit creepy. So, it did not surprise me, even though she declared her deep and ever lasting love for Brad every 2 minutes, that it was Shawntel who did not get a rose in the Sacred Rose Ceremony.

I did not wait for the previews of next week's episode. I assume Brad is jetting the potential wives off to an exotic tropical location where he will spend the night with each in a Fantasy Suite. Brad did not feel right about kissing Emily with little Ricky in the house. I hope thinking that little Emily might be watching her mom in the Fantasy Suite does not give Brad performance anxiety.

Monday, February 21, 2011

The Amazing Race Unfinished Business Starts With The Cowboys Not Making It To The Pitstop

That is not the Cowboys, Jet & Cord McCoy running to the Pitstop on Sunday night's premiere of The Amazing Race Unfinished Business.

Jet & Cord were the only team that did not make it to the Pitstop.

The episode ended with "To Be Continued" with Jet being befuddled by a row of flags and a compass puzzle.

All the other teams made it to the Pitstop to be told by Phil that they were still racing.

Gary & Mallory came in first and got no cool prize. Just that Express Pass supposed advantage, that really had no effect on the last Amazing Race.

The race started at a Windmill Farm by Palm Springs. It was there I learned something new. I did not know that Quantas stood for "Queensland and Northern Territories Aerial Services." I like it when I learn something from one of my Reality TV Shows.

The first 8 teams to figure out Quantas got on the first flight out of LAX to Sydney, Australia, leaving 3 teams on the second flight, 90 minutes later. And with the last team to figure out Quantas, Amanda & Kris, having to do both detours at the first detour of the race.

I found it interesting the teams had to drive themselves from Palm Springs to LAX. Having done that drive I know it is a fairly long distance. But we saw no directional drama getting to the airport. Instead we were quickly in the air, with the plane in the lead, soon behind, due to an emergency stop in Honolulu.

So, the last plane to fly out of LAX was the first to land in Sydney, which had Kisha & Jen, Gary & Mallory and Amanda & Kris hurrying to find the Roadblock, where one team member had to don a wetsuit and swim with the sharks to find a compass.

Then the Roadblocker had to take the compass to a spot where there were 3 rows of flags and somehow use those flags and the compass to decipher "I am between the devil and the deep blue sea."

I was with Jet on this one. I could not figure it out. I told myself if I was actually there, in person, it may have made sense to me. Likely not though. Like Jet, I can be real dense at times.

I did not like it that very few of the teams actually figured out the clue, instead there was a lot of help given. Zev & Justin gave it to the Globetrotters, who, you know, would never have figured it out. Then Ron & Christina and Mel & Mike gave the clue to Luke & Margie and Jaime & Cara. Leaving Jet and Vyxsin clueless for awhile.

Then Jet thought he had it and took off to tell the Commodore some gibberish that was not even close. Even though Vyxsin had only partially solved the puzzle, she took off after Jet. The Cowboys returned to the flags, while Margie & Luke gave Vyxsin the clue.

I really think there should be a no helping rule in a challenge like this one. It sort of ruined it.

I was not being all that enamored, anyway, seeing all those recycled racers. The "Unfinished Business" intros at the start of the episode were quite lame.

I'll probably keep watching.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Survivor Redemption Island's Secret Agent Phillip Provides The Comedy

I finally got around to watching the first episode of Survivor: Redemption Island 4 days after it aired.

That is Phillip misspelling the name of a member of his 3 person alliance, Francesca Hogi. Phillip was also unable to pronounce Francesca's name correctly, even though she corrected his mispronunciation several times.

Francesca was the first to be voted out of her tribe and on to Redemption Island.

I don't remember enjoying a first episode of a new Survivor as much as I did this one. And most of what made it entertaining was Special Secret Federal Agent, Phillip Sheppard.

A 52 year old total nutjob.

Phillip bragged multiple times about how well he could read people, due to his time as a Secret Agent. But somehow the Secret Agent got confused at Tribal Council, turned on his alliance, revealed that Kristina Kell  found a Hidden Immunity Idol and put some of the funniest expressions on Jeff Probst's face ever.

Speaking of Jeff Probst. He really really needs to turn down the volume as he yells the play by play at a challenge.

Now, back to Phillip. Why did they show him talking to Kristina and Francesca wearing only pink tighty whities?

With no blurring.

There was a lot of bikini blurring, but we were not spared a high-definition look at Phillip's pink manties?

I was really liking Francesca. She's funny. I guess we get to see her have a duel with whoever is the next one voted out. It will be amusing if it is Phillip.

One more thing. I didn't mind Russell Hantz and Rob Mariano being back. It sort of added an interesting dynamic. And I liked how so many tools were provided so the tribes could get right to constructing their huts.

There seems to be some doubt at CBS regarding Phillip's claim to be a former Federal agent.

On the CBS bio for Phillip on the Survivor website a question mark is used, an in...

Occupation: Former Federal Agent?

The Amazing Race Unfinished Business Season 18 Premieres Tonight With Recycled Racers


At the end of the last Amazing Race we learned that Season 18 was going to be a recycling of racers who have already raced, who supposed are back racing because they have unfinished business. Whatever that is supposed to mean in this context.

The preview that aired at the end of the last Amazing Race was a bit misleading as to who would be racing again. It was more a hint of who might be racing. That hint showed several teams from the race that had just ended as being in the race for Unfinished Business.

But in reality, only Gary & Mallory from Season 17 are back racing.

I really don't understand why this Unfinished Business idea was thought to be a good one. Several of the returning racers I do not remember. And some of those I do remember I really don't want to see racing again. Like that weird Goth pair Kent & Vyxsin.

I did not much like the Harlem Globetrotters, Flight Time & Big Easy.

The returning racers who I sort of recognize, by their faces, but don't really remember are Amanda & Kris, Jaime & Cara, Mel & Mike and Ron & Christina.

I remember Zev & Justin as being annoying. And not in a good way.

I do not remember LaKisha & Jennifer.

The only teams who I clearly remember and actually liked and don't mind seeing again are the McCoy brothers, the cowboys known as Jet & Cord. Equally memorable are Margie & Luke.

I set the DVR to record The Amazing Race. But I'm not all that excited to be watching it.

I still have not gotten around to watching the first episode of the latest Survivor. I'm a little turned off by Russell Hantz and Rob Mariano being on Survivor yet one more time. With so many people trying to get on The Amazing Race and Survivor, it just seems wrong giving people second, third and fourth chances.

I have enjoyed Top Chef All-Stars though.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Top Chef All Stars: Dale Wins $30K While Angelo Packs His Knives & Goes

For a couple weeks the part of the internet that comments about Top Chef has had some with supposed inside info saying that there was going to be a surprising Cheftestant sent home this week.

And there was. Padma told Angelo Sosa to pack his knives and go.

Last week it was not too shocking that the likable Fabio got the knife cut. But Angelo failing while making something simple like soup, was unexpected.

The Quickfire and Elimination Challenges have really gone up a notch for Top Chef All Stars.

Last week's Jimmy Fallon Birthday Lunch was a good one. Making a fancified versions of Jimmy Fallon's favorite. Like Top Ramen and Burger and Fries.

Fabio turned a Burger, or Booger as he pronounced it, into Meatloaf and Fries. Which got him the boot.

This week's Cookie Quickfire Challenge was amusing with 3 Sesame Street characters doing the judging. I have never watched Sesame Street, but I did know who the Cookie Monster is.

Dale Talde won the Quickfire and $5,000. Richard Blais and Angelo's cookies where the least favorite, Blais' because it was not a cookie, but was instead something he froze with zucchini in it using liquid nitrogen. I forget why Angelo's cookie was not liked.

The Elimination Challenge was a strange one. The Chefs were taken to an empty Super Target at midnight. Then given 3 hours to collect all they needed to make 100 portions for Target employees arriving at 3am.

It was exhausting.to watch. And exhausting for the chefs. Finding everything from tables to cooking irons to spoons to salt.

Unfortunately, Angelo found too much salt, rendering his soup inedible, according to Tom Colicchio, who could barely tolerate one spoonful.

Carla wasted a lot of time looking for a table cloth. Which cut her soup cooking time short, which ended up putting her in the bottom three, along with Angelo and Tiffany, who used too much of a spice blend she found in the Target spice section.

Dale used an iron to make grilled cheese sandwiches. Not a cooking iron. An iron your clothes type iron. He also made tomato soup. Antonia was in the top 3 due to her well made egg dish. Richard Blais rounded up the top 3. I've already forgotten what he made.

Dale's iron grilled cheese got him the win and the biggest prize in Top Chef history. $25,000.

I had expected Angelo to be in the finals and likely win. Mike Isabella was more likable this episode. I can't believe he has lasted longer than Angelo. Now I want Antonia to win. She is very likable. Dale sort of grows on me too, what with his snarky one-liners in his confessionals.

Super Canadian Boy Justin Bieber Thinks Americans Are Evil

At some point in the recent past I grew tired of hearing the phrase "Justin Beiber" and not knowing what it was. So, I Googled the phrase to learn it is a singer who appeals to an age demographic no where near mine.

I was a bit surprised that a pint-sized Canadian teenager, currently 16, from Ontario, had somehow become an American pop star.

It was not til Tuesday, on Glee, that I actually heard a Justin Bieber song. I don't know the name of the song, but the word "baby" was repeated frequently in it.

Justin Bieber was slightly in the news Sunday, apparently upset that he was snubbed by the Grammys.

Justin Bieber was in the news yesterday due to some things he had to say in the latest issue of Rolling Stone.

I don't know if Justin Bieber verbalizing his opinion that Americans are evil is going to put a dent in his pre-teenage heartthrob status. I suspect it won't help.

It is because of our health care system that Justin Beiber thinks us Americans are evil.

"You guys are evil," Bieber says in the new issue of Rolling Stone. "Canada's the best country in the world. We go to the doctor and we don't need to worry about paying him, but here, your whole life, you're broke because of medical bills. My bodyguard's baby was premature, and now he has to pay for it. In Canada, if your baby's premature, he stays in the hospital as long as he needs to, and then you go home."

Now, what I am wondering is, if this bodyguard is in Justin Bieber's employ, if Justin is so concerned about the employee's medical care, why is Justin Bieber not providing health insurance to his employee?

I think Bieber is likely making enough money from us broke Americans to pay for health insurance for his American employee.

Justin Bieber also opines in Rolling Stone about premarital sex and abortion.

Of abortion Bieber says that "It's like killing a baby."

Like killing a baby? It's not "like" killing a baby is it? It is killing a baby, isn't it?

Of sex Bieber says, "I don't think you should have sex with anyone unless you love them. I think you should just wait for the person you're in love with."

This kid is a real deep thinker. I'm getting now why he is such a sensation with the pre-teens.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Nielsen Rating's Top 20 TV Shows for February 5 - February 11

The Nielsen Rating's Top 20 TV Shows for February 5 - February 11. 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.

RankShow name
Network
Viewers in millions
Season-to-date average(in millions)
1.Grammy Awards
CBS
26.7
--
2.American Idol Wed,
Fox
24.1
26.9
3.American Idol Thur.
Fox
21.9
23.7
4.NCIS
CBS
20.4
20.0
5.NCIS: Los Angeles
CBS
17.2
17.3
6.Two and a Half Men
CBS
15.2
14.6
7.The Mentalist
CBS
14.9
15.1
8.Criminal Minds
CBS
13.7
14.5
9.Modern Family
ABC
13.2
12.3
10.The Big Bang Theory
CBS
12.8
13.7
11.CSI
CBS
12.6
13.8
*Mike & Molly
CBS
12.6
11.8
13.House
Fox
12.3
10.2
14.60 Minutes
CBS
12.1
14.1
15.The Good Wife
CBS
11.9
13.0
16.Blue Bloods
CBS
11.8
12.6
17.Glee
Fox
11.6
9.9
18.Hawaii Five-O
CBS
11.0
12.4
19.Grey's Anatomy
ABC
10.5
12.0
*Mr. Sunshine
ABC
10.5
10.5