On Television

I had been trying to wean myself from the NBC hit show, The Apprentice, and hadn't tuned in all season. But I snuck a peek last week. Glad I did.

At first I assumed that Smallville would be uninteresting as the general story is well-known to comic book lovers of my time-period. I never liked Superboy that much. How could the young Clark Kent be more interesting than Superman himself? I began watching to keep Adrian company. However the story started to grow on me and now I’m very much caught up in it. I recently realized that I’m not alone. At a party the other day I happened to be talking to two thirtyish young women, and it turned out that both were unashamedly Smallville fans....

The big news is that hotel heiress and "The Simple Life" reality TV star Paris Hilton is engaged to her boyfriend, Paris Latsis, her spokesman reports.

The actress recently confessed that her hard peaks had to be digitally removed from several clips in her hit series, “Desperate Housewives”, costing the producers thousands of dollars.

So are you sick of American Idol yet? Not according to the Nielsen polls which prove this to be one of the most successful seasons yet. Every episode this year seemed to attract more viewers, as scandals piled on top of each other, and the Idols seemed to get better every week. I know I can't wait until next season to see what new schemes and scandals will erupt from this mess. If there's any Idol producers in the audience:

Because I'm sure that people who wouldn't have paid much attention to the ads will now because your group has told them that they're dirty. And not only do those people have minds and eyes they also buy burgers. I know that if I were anywhere near a place where there was a Carl's Jr. or a Hardee's I'd spend six bucks on one of those burgers just to spite the PTC. When you look at the ads, you have to ask if the PTC would have been so indignant if it wasn't Paris Hilton in those ads, if it were some no name model not the star of The Simple Life and those notorious amateur sex videos. I doubt it. The PTC cites the fact that the ad has been run on sports programs "that parents and grandparents might understandably assume would be free of sexually offensive content" but it's a fact that the commercial in question is no raunchier than a lot of beer ads that have been a staple of TV sports for decades. And they were costumes that are a lot skimpier than what Hilton is wearing. They are, if I'm not mistaken, called bikinis. In addition the earlier ads for the Carl's Jr. Western Bacon Six Dollar Burger (featuring a "no-name" model riding a mechanical bull in slow motion while eating a burger) is arguably just as sexy. Both ads are on the Carl's Jr. website.

But before the Christian Right discovers this gold mine, advertisers are already one step ahead of them. And they’ve taken aim at every desperate suburban housewife. Giant Food, the biggest grocery store chain in the Baltimore-Washington metro area, is presently airing this commercial (Quicktime Movie, 1.3 MB). Does it sound familiar? Here’s a clip from Desperate Housewives for comparison (Quicktime Movie, 1.8 MB).

Corey Clark is angry because the 2005 season finale of American Idol made fun of Clark’s allegation against AI judge Paula Abdul. Just what was Clark expecting from AI? Thus far Clark has refused to help the Fox Network’s investigation of Clark’s allegation. Perhaps Clark is waiting to receive an offer from Oliver Stone.

I'm happy for her and all because she seems like such a sweet kid, but I voted Bo...so I'm bummed.

Yes - the moment you’ve all been waiting for! I must thank you for your immense patience - I finally found time to watch the Survivor Finale that my friend taped for me - and yeah - it was totally worth the wait to see Ian give up his chance for a million $$ like that. Is he on crack? I love my friends and all - but seriously - who’d give up their chance for a million?

You know how it feels when you come to the realisation that a series you used be fanatical about starts to suck? It is with a sinking feeling that i realise this when i watched the season finale of Smallville yesterday, a sense of sadness and disappointment. Its the feeling you get when you realise that the Simpsons just ain’t that funny anymore and you defect to South Park. Its that sense of going to the next phase of maturity when you suddenly realise that you no longer like to watch cartoons anymore, and what used to be cool is now corny....

Everyone was talking about how Desperate Housewives shouldn't let go of too many secrets within the first season. Here it is the end of that season and we've found out some major things, yet, creator Marc Cherry still manages to keep us in suspense with a fantastic cliffhanger.

Desperate Housewives wrapped up the season-long question behind Mary Alice's suicide in the first episode along with a few other items, but left others open and left us with a whole bunch of new ones for next season. Will Bree be blamed for Rex's death? Will Zach kill Mike when he walks in the house, not knowing Mike is probably his father? Will Carlos go away for a very long time, leaving Gabby and her young lover John to work out their future and that of the baby she is carrying? Who is the new woman and her son that just moved in on Wisteria Lane?

Cingular Wireless announced today it has set a new record for wireless text messaging in the fourth season of “American Idol.” The company recorded more than 41.5 million text messages throughout the show’s 12-week voting period, which is believed to represent the largest volume of text messaging in a single campaign in the history of the U.S. wireless industry. Slashphone reports.

I have been catching up on old episodes of Scrubs (I just love this show). In the episode today we are clued in to JD's love of the band Journey. OK, anyone out there who lived through the late 70's & 80's knows they were hoping when Open Arms started playing at the Friday night sock-hop that their high school crush would come over and ask them to slow dance....otherwise we all know your lyin! The song they were singing on the episode is my song of the day! Zach Braff just makes me laugh too - the guy is just funny. He is currently filming...

I just watched the most rewarding show I have seen in a long time. It was on ABC and the show is called extreme makeover: Home edition. This particular show is about a family where both are the parents are deaf and the younger child is blind and autistic. It is such a touching and moving show because the older son is basically the man of the house. He has to take care of the family and has never really had time to be by himself. The show basically tears down their...

Today I talked (just about) everyone from work into doing our own version of NBC’s “The Biggest Loser”!

As some of you know, I was a hopeful for Season 2. I went to Boston twice in a week to meet with people, spent hundreds of dollars on not only gasoline, but a home video, photos, overnight mailings, etc., signed a contract in DUPLICATE, and then never heard another word. I even called and left messages, asking for any possible info they could give… sent emails… and nothing. (I’m not bitter, just a little disappointed in the way everything was handled. I went from getting 1-2 phone calls a DAY for two weeks, to absolutely nothing.)

Generous media mogul Oprah Winfrey has treated staff working on her hit daytime Tv show to a 20th anniversary holiday to remember.

I like Oprah Winfrey. I think she took her life and molded it into something to be proud of and she's definately making a difference in this world. You might not agree with her all of the time, but that's okay ... you don't need to. She makes mistakes just like all of us do, but over all I think she's a woman of substance and I admire her for it.

And then, just when I thought it couldn't get any better, CARRIE IS THE NEW AMERICAN IDOL!!

They are so two minutes ago. I am so sick of them I could just hurl. Not only did they get tons of money from Survivor fame, but they came in second on Amazing Race and got a nice chunk of change from that as well. And their wedding is paid for in the Bahamas. Can they just PLEASE go away? I can’t stand people who flaunt their money like that. I work my ass off for everything I have and it makes me sick to see people just toss out the dough like it’s nothing.

Just wanna give my 2 cents on American Idol yesterday…..Carrie and Bo perform well…but im still a Carrie fan…..Bo is good…but not really a type of singer i would wanna see…..maybe hearing him alone is fine….i have a thing bout man with long hair….i find it haggard looking….simply say it…i dont like it….

Overall, however, being a fan of Smallville (and Superman, obviously), I like the season finale. Finally Lex does turn into evil. Clark united all three stone artifacts and received a new crystal which brought him to Arctic (Fortress of Solitude anyone?). Lana’s chopper, courtesy of Lex, was hit by a meteor and went down spinning. Lana survived and found a huge, black and crystalline meteor stone with the same shape as the crystal Clark had. The stone opened. Lois looked down from a hill and see the result of meteor shower. Chloe and Lex were...

‘Sexy heiress Paris Hilton claims she hates the sight of her own body. The stunning socialite claims stripping off in new movie ‘House Of Wax’, made her cringe. The 24-year-old star of ‘The Simple Life’ told Smash Hits magazine about her dislike. Paris said: “I had to undress for one scene. I was like, ‘I don’t like my body.’”

If producers of ABC's hit show "Desperate Housewives" get their way, the ladies of Wisteria Lane could be getting a new neighbor—or at least a visit from the famous resident of another tastefully decorated house. First Lady Laura Bush is reportedly in negotiations to make several cameo appearances when the show begins its second season next fall.

Okay, the whole schedule is up and I'm kinda excited... much more excited than last year when the only thing that sounded exciting was Desperate Housewives. (I heard Lost was good but it didn't sound so exciting on paper.) Okay, Athens and The Partners sounded interesting from Fox but both were midseason offerings that never showed up... which happens sometimes with Fox.... and I hoped that Boston Legal would recall the days when I enjoyed The Practice (which it happily has). This year has some intriguing additions.

Grey's Anatomy was picked up again as was Boston Legal. Joey was picked up, but it is apparently struggling. Lost will be back.

Where to go from here…I think I will call her back when American Idol is over. Maybe I’ll even watch the end of it so I know who won. I’m not a big fan of that show though. Simon annoys me and Paula bores me. ” Seacrest, Out ” has to be the (insert Comic Book Guy voice here) worst phrase ever.

Well, tonight is the finale of American Idol, and yes, I watch it.. I’m a sad, sad person. Well actually, tomorrow is the finale because that’s when the results will be announced. Rocker Bo Bice vs Country Girl Carrie. In my opinion, Bo shouldn’t have even made it in the final 12, he has a generic rocker voice, nothing special about it. Carrie, although lacking personality, is such a cutie. She may be a quiet one, but since when is that bad? So my vote is for Carrie, even though I don’t vote.

We have enjoyed watching the recent series of ‘The Apprentice’ on BBC2. 14 candidates have been set weekly tasks to prove themselves as the perfect person for Alan Sugar to hire as his ‘Apprentice’. One by one each candidate has been fired until we are down to two who are left to battle between each other for the prize job. One thing is for sure, whoever wins will undoubtedly deserve to, as a reward for his/her hard work and determination in each weekly task.

The Carl's Jr burger commercial shows Simple Life star Paris Hilton clad in swim suit and eating a Carls Jr hamburger while car washing a Bentley. Paris Hilton was eating a Spicy BBQ Six Dollar Burger. That proved too hot to handle and eventually visitors came in droves, causing the server to crash.

Thank God for Tivo (images via Defamer), so I could watch the freak show that was the Tom Cruise episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show. Seriously the man is deranged. "I admire her and I thought I wanted to meet her — so I called her." Is there something about Katie Holmes that we just don't know about? It's all so over the top, that the "relationship" rings totally false.

Then I’m going to take a video of it and send it to Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. But not as a request for help. I’m going to apply to be one of their designers. Hip new design style: entropy.

The new sitcom “My Name is Earl” is being paired on Tuesday with a second season of “The Office,” an adaptation of the hit British workplace comedy that has struggled in the ratings, and a new edition of weight-loss reality show “The Biggest Loser.”

Keep “The Office” and “The Biggest Loser,” but dump “Law and order: Trial By Jury"? And they actually wonder why they’re Number 4? They’ll be wondering why they’re Number 4 this time next year, too.

They then go into the reunion show to relive how Ulong was the biggest loser tribe ever on Survivor, how James got the crap beat out of him by Coby (although, I have to say that James was a much bigger man about it than I would have expected. He gave Coby his props), how Stephanie is one of the most popular Survivor women in the history of the show, how untalented Wanda is with her songwriting (and singing for that matter), and to clear up whether Probst influenced Janu's decision to leave. Only Coby felt that Probst had pressured her.

Whatever happens on Thursday night’s season finale of The Apprentice , one thing is guaranteed: Donald Trump’s new right-hand man will definitely be a woman.

Comic and talk show host Ellen DeGeneres has a not-so funny tale to tell. The New York Daily News reports that DeGeneres has publicly discussed the molestation she says she endured at the hands of her stepfather thirty years ago.

Desperate Housewives- We’re about 4 episodes behind but now that ‘Jack and Bobby’ is done, we’ll catch up, hopefully in time for this Sunday where I HEAR (spoiler!) that Gabrielle and her gardener are found out by her husband. Can you SEE the violence?? Exciting…

Now, last week, a Baptist minister in North Carolina told nine members of his congregation that unless they renounced their 2004 vote for John Kerry, they had to leave his church. Well, if we're that certain these days that George Bush is always that right about everything, then going to Iraq to fulfill the glorious leader's vision would seem the least one could do. And, hey, if it makes it any easier for you, just think of it as a reality show: "Fear Factor: Shitting Your Pants Edition." "Survivor: Sunni Triangle." Or maybe it's a video game, "Grand...

I'm still waiting for the punch line. Hugh Hefner? Michael Moore? Ellen DeGeneres? Greatest Americans in history? To achieve these results, did AOL only make polling available on the E! website between the hours of 2 and 4 am? I hope so.

Exclusive strategies are being planned for converging existing media content with the new platform. A California based mobile content distributor, Go TV, which is among Fortune’s list of 25 breakout companies for the year, is providing a three-minute recap of the Desperate Housewives. So, if the next time you miss a show, just download a recap before the next episode is broadcasted.

That’s it! Charlie picked Sarah W. on Bachelor, Uchenna and Joyce won the Amazing Race, Tom out-survived everyone on .. I can’t remember the name of the show, tomorrow we’ll find out who will be “America’s Next Top Model", and finally in a few weeks we’ll find out that (my prediction) Carrie will be the next American Idol. Bo is too niche, and Vonzell is too bland.

To ensure that I write some sort of American Idol recap this week, I'm writing this semi-live, almost as it's going on. The credits just ran and Ryan is introducing himself and the three judges. Everybody is showing Paula lots of extra love. It makes me feel all warm and nauseated inside. Corey who?

First off, let me say i completely hate Paris Hilton. But when i saw one of my friend's looking for some kind of closure with her opinions, i start to worry. I've seen the show "The Simple Life" and its about the dumbest thing i've ever witnessed. It's telling girls "look at us, we're sluts and we have money, being ditzy is funny." Honestly, thats what the show is all about - whether you want to admit it or not.

These are the people who will go out and buy a whole season on DVD is they enjoy your show. Which in turn, turns into a shit load more money. I have TONS of TV shows on DVD. Both seasons of insomniac, All the Family guy, Miami Vice, Night Court, Sopranos, 24, Scrubs, All in the family.

It may be well into the Grey's Anatomy season--so well in fact that next week is the finale--but hey, it's never too late for a little basic character back-story, right? Right. So this week we find out what we should've known months ago: Izzie's relationship with her mother, what McDreamy's deal is, and how Dr. Alex is one cocky bastard. Oh, wait--that last one we've known since the beginning. Everything else, though, is new.

I was watching a re-run of Extreme Makeover, Home Edition yesterday, and I don't know what it is about this show, but when I watch it I turn into my mother. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but who would have guessed that the person who couldn't even shed a tear for My Life and Shindler's List (myself) would be crying uncontrollably at the sight of a deserving family receiving a home? (I mention the morphing of myself into a prototype of my parents because an endearing trait about my mom is that she gets emotional over every movie/latenight T.V. show we watch.)

Fred Phelps, the Wesboro Baptist Church "reverend" best known for aspirating on his own spittle and obsessing over hot gay men, has plenty of experience abusing and bullying kids. Now we learn from The American Street that he and his merry band of homophobes will harass and intimidate elementary school kids because one of them had the gall to write a winning essay about Ellen DeGeneres.