The Remote Island : Emmy Awards

We Love You Too, Cloris Leachman

Jake Kalish — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 21:40:00 GMT

82-year-old living legend Cloris Leachman is a force of nature. You might know her for her amazing age-defying moves on last season's Dancing With The Stars. You might not know she has more Primetime Emmys (eight) than any other female actress ever. And you almost certainly didn't know she used to be an unstoppable tornado of passion...

In her new memoir, Cloris,

Leachman reveals all the hookups and steamy flirtations she had back in the day. (We were going to say "her heyday", but her heyday's still going.) Like this tryst with Gene Hackman:

"As we moved into the main course, it was as if a cosmic wind enveloped us. Some giant space magnet was pulling us together," Leachman writes. "We didn't finish the meal. We went upstairs, flew into bed and made love. It was epic. And the next morning, Gene went back to his film and I went back to mine. I haven't seen Gene since that night, but I remember well the feisty lad he was."

Yeah, Lex Luthor! Get freaky, Popeye Doyle! Work it, Little Bill Daggett! And you go, Frau Blucher!

PREVIOUSLY:

"Dancing With The Stars": You Go, Frau Blucher [Cue Horse Whinny!]

So, Jessica Alba And Jack Black On The Super Bowl "Office": Not Enough Or Just Right?

"Dancing With The Stars" Update

"Girl Next Door" Holly Isn't The Best "DWTS" Dancer, But She Has Hot Girlfriends [VIDEO]

The Weekly Rewind: Playing Politics

Ben Kallen — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 21:50:00 GMT

When did the political process turn into the world's biggest reality show? Now the candidates have become so much a part of our daily entertainment, they might as well be on The Hills. We'll look back at them and much, much more, as we review the many highlights of the week.

We tried to figure out what makes David Spade such a stud with women, but couldn't do it.

We tried to warn 90210 star Shenae Grimes about what happened to former 90210 star Shannen Doherty. And hoped Donnie Wahlberg wouldn't turn into Tara Reid.

We imagined a Kanye West puppet show.

We watched as Robot Chicken spoofed Heroes. Then we watched Heroes, and wondered why Dr. Suresh reminded us of Jeff Goldblum.

We saw what would happen if William Shatner fought himself, and if Mr. Spock faced Dr. Spock. But when the old 90210 fought the new 90210, it was no contest.

We read about how Clay Aiken had come out as Clay Aiken.

We learned a ridiculous amount about '80s teen star Kirk Cameron. Go ahead, ask us anything.

We heard Will Ferrell's response to his fans, and a band's sweet, sweet Lost music, and Idol winner David Cook's retro new single.

We watched the Emmys, then recapped the Emmys, then boasted about predicting many of the winners. We appreciated Josh Groban's weirdly cool theme-song medley, and we really appreciated Mad Men's Christina Hendricks in her Emmy dress. And we enjoyed Jimmy Kimmel's Emmy-related musical number with Salma Hayek, mostly because it involved Salma Hayek.

We enjoyed Bill Clinton on Letterman, then enjoyed Chris Rock making fun of Bill Clinton on Letterman, then enjoyed Dave making fun of John McCain for not going on Letterman. We were dumbfounded by Katie Couric's interview with Sarah Palin, and by a certain phrase describing President Bush. We heard what Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert talk about when they start getting real. We heard the debates over the debate.

,,, And then we read Barack Obama's pep talk from President Bartlet. And then Chris Rock said this, and we were done for the week.

Previously:
The Weekly Rewind: Sex and the Country

Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert Get "Real"

Ben Kallen — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 18:55:00 GMT

The best thing about Entertainment Weekly's new interview with Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert is probably the cover photo, in which the comedians reinact The New Yorker's infamous Barack Obama cover -- a satire that was far more controversial than any "real" image this year.

Which says a lot about the election process itself, during which the candidates have been making as much entertainment news as they have political news, and it's becoming harder and harder to tell satire from reality. It also says a lot about Stewart and Colbert, who both just won Emmys (for best comedy show and best comedy-show writing, respectively), and whose "fake news" programs may provide more insight into the political process than the real news does these days. (Plus, they're much, much funnier.)

So what do the two of them think about it all? Some highlights from the interview:

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Forget the two presidential candidates: The most prominent person in this election right now is Sarah Palin. With the attention she's getting, you'd think she was running for president.
STEWART: Everyone likes new and shiny. We're bored. What's great about that is [Democratic VP candidate Joe] Biden is an absolutely eccentric character. That's how powerful Palin's story is — it has cast the first African-American presidential nominee, the oldest [non-incumbent] presidential nominee, and a really wild cork vice presidential candidate completely out of the picture. The press is 6-year-olds playing soccer; nobody has a position, it's just ''Where's the ball? Where's the ball? Sarah Palin has the ball!''

Jon, you've had McCain on your show 14 times and have spoken fondly of him. Do you think he's changed as a candidate as the election has gotten closer?
STEWART: I think it's somewhat inevitable. The most interesting moment to me was the difference in protocol when he came on the show in May, after he was the [presumptive] Republican nominee. The minute you are your party's nominee, you are a museum piece that is shuffled around by guys in earpieces. You are spectacularly managed. And I just felt the difference. When you were walking down the hallway, you were now walking into history, as opposed to going and seeing this guy that comes on your show and is a senator and has a sharp sense of humor. So that inevitably changes a person.

Many people saw the conventions as little more than a series of talking points.
STEWART: We're all sort of complicit in forcing them to make those narratives in the first place.
COLBERT: You mean us, or the real press?
STEWART: Everything. The whole mechanism of dissecting their every waking moment has created somewhat of a paralysis. We have drained them of their ability to remain human. Because any human moment will be so fiercely dissected and digested and metastasized by the media.
COLBERT: People can be hung by anything they say. We've done it.
STEWART: We've done it too. You can kill people all the time for things that are absolutely human frailties.
COLBERT: You can even manufacture the frailty, and then hang them with it.
STEWART: That's why I don't excuse what I guess you'd call the satiro-industrial complex from culpability.
COLBERT: That's funny: I absolve me. I could absolve you if you want.
STEWART: That's the beauty of having a demagogue on right after your show — he can actually absolve our show, which is incredibly convenient.
COLBERT: One of the reasons I think politicians are very easy to interview is because you know what they're going to say. I can write the entire interview before I even meet them.

For years, studies have come out saying that many young people get their news from late-night comedy, and Jon has always pooh-poohed this idea. But your shows are some of the only ones out there actually digging into archival video to prove when politicians are lying or contradicting themselves. You might not want the responsibility, but haven't you been given it by default?
COLBERT: I don't know if responsibility is the right word.
STEWART: It's more that we're an emotional show, not a political show. I don't know if you've ever spent time in s---hole bars in New Jersey with old people yelling at the TV, but that's what it is. It's a guy going, ''I never said that,'' and in the back of the room Elbow Eddie looks up from his Pall Malls and his Budweiser and goes, ''That's f---in' bulls---! I heard you say it two days ago!''

Previously:
Notes From Hell: Our Recap of the Emmys
The Daily Show Is Like Scream Therapy for Jon Stewart
Video Fun: Hey, John McCain -- You Won't Like Dave When He's Angry

Emmy Highlight: The TV Theme-Song Medley

Ben Kallen — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:25:00 GMT

Frankly, we've always thought of Josh Groban as a lite-opera-singing, adult-contemporary cornball. But darned if he wasn't great performing a bunch of old TV theme songs on the Emmy broadcast last night. He even got the South Park voices right.

Or maybe we're out of our minds, and it was totally creepy. What do you guys think?

Give it a listen:

Previously:
Video Fun: Adam Sandler Spoofs The Who

We'd Also Like To Thank...

Ben Kallen — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 15:55:00 GMT

Christina Hendricks.

We're glad Mad Men won the Emmy for best drama, but we're also grateful for the chance to find out that "Joan Holloway" looks every bit as good in 2008 as she does in 1962.

Mad Men

The Emmy Awards

Photos: AP, Reuters, AMC

Previously:
Hey, There Were Actually a Few Surprises at Last Night's Emmys
Mad Men Recap: Coming Unbottled

Notes From Hell: Our Minute-by-Minute Recap Of The Emmys

Bryan Christian — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 15:25:00 GMT

Still haven't gotten enough news on the Emmys today? Well then mister-slash-missus, you're in luck. We've just received a report from our own intrepid correspondent, embedded deep in the confines of her apartment, where she watched the carnage unfold live on TV. We take you now to Salon Sarah Hepola, who not so long ago was our own Scanner Sarah, and who will undoubtedly be seeking therapy to work through the trauma of last night. (We just hope she doesn't go to this guy; he's got problems of his own.)

In a year when "The Wire" ended its five-season blitzkrieg not with a whimper but a bang, in a year when even my sixtysomething parents knew about "Gossip Girl," in a year when "The Shield" found its groove again, when sci-fi geeks continued to evangelize on behalf of "Battlestar Galactica," it's bracing to look at the 2008 Emmys nominees for Best Dramatic Series.

Because no category captures the squareness, the frustating unfairness of mainstream awards shows like this collection of six nominees. First we have "Boston Legal," the pointless legal comedy where underappreciated character actors go to win awards. Next is "Dexter," a gimmicky torture porno dressed up as wry art. Third is "Damages," where the only meal Glenn Close is having is the scenery. Fourth is "House" -- perhaps the worst of the lot -- a maddeningly improbable operation room-mystery that is little but an excuse to watch Hugh Laurie pull off an outstanding American accent. Of course, there is "Lost." If you saw it last season, congratulations: You officially have more stamina than I do. This category is bullshit, my friends. The only show that deserves its spot in the sunshine is "Mad Men." In fact, it deserves to win, even if it were nominated against the shows I mentioned in the first paragraph, because dammit, it's just that good. The only pale comfort in this category is the fact that "Grey's Anatomy" is not nominated. I assume Katherine Heigl withdrew the nomination. Good for her.

A bit less depressing is the nominees for Best Comedy: "30 Rock" (17 nominations! High five!), "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "The Office," "Entourage" and, of course … "Two and a Half Men"? (Seriously? In the year when "Flight of the Conchords" debuted???) Well, four out of five ain't bad.

Some people hate the Emmys. I understand that. It's stuffy and middlebrow. It's a joke. The truth is, I'm not a huge fan of the Emmys -- not in the way that I'm a fan of the Oscars, or even the Tonys. No, I merely watch all awards shows -- it's like an OCD complex, in which you simply must lick a lightbulb, only in my case, the lightbulb is watching 3-hour black-tie wankfests. So I sat down at 6pm with a trusty bottle of wine and my laptop and my buddy Thomas. This is what I saw:

6-8pm: Ryan Seacrest and that lady who's married to the guy from The Apprentice host E!'s red-carpet show. I don't actually hate Ryan Seacrest. Does that make me a bad person?

There's little to report here -- Emmy fashion! Mariska Hargitay is smashing! Many older women in Hollywood look mannish, and I feel bad about observing this! -- but I shall share this clever exchange between Seacrest and that brilliant minx, Tina Fey:

Ryan Seacrest: Thanks for making us laugh. We need it.
Tina Fey: Thank you for not mentioning Sarah Palin

Ryan Seacrest: I was told not to, actually. … But I wanted to ask, would you have a drink with Sarah Palin?

Tina Fey: If she's free in mid-November, then sure. [mouths to the screen something like] I hope she's free.

END SCENE!

8pm. So the 60th celebration of the Emmys is hosted by five reality show hosts: Ryan Seacrest (American Idol), Howie Mandell (Deal or No Deal), Jeff Probst (Survivor), Tom Bergeron (Dancing with the Stars), Heidi Klum (Project Runway). I can only imagine the 100 actual celebrities who must have turned them down to reach this bottom-scraping point: Ellen, Whoopi, Stewart, Colbert, Gervais. I bet even Rosie got a call. I assume that, in the 11th hour, some desperate intern finally pointed out that reality television gets killer ratings, and therefore would be a charming draw for middle America. But asking these guys to host the Emmys is kind of like asking a cow to show you around the slaughterhouse.

8:10pm. Following the most awkward and brain-dead intro I have seen in some time, I honestly wondered if the writers' strike was still in effect.

8:15pm. We continue to feed Jeremy Piven's insatiable ego by awarding him yet another Emmy, which he will use to buy drugs and prostitutes later tonight. Jeremy Piven makes a cutting joke about the intro, and reminds me that even though I never get tired of telling hooker-and-blow jokes about Jeremy Piven, I still would totally sleep with him.

8:19pm: Gosh, Jean Smart is in a show! She wins an Emmy for best supporting actress! It's a show called Samantha Who? I cannot explain any of this.

8:27pm. A tribute to Desperate Housewives., a show that's finally earned its title -- the only people watching it really ARE desperate housewives.

8:35. Ricky Gervais + Steve Carrell + Jon Stewart + Stephen Colbert = a sandwich I want to be inside.

8:47pm: For whatever reason, some very smart person decided to let the nominees for best comedy writing create their own bumpers (is that what they're called?) to introduce the nominees. "The Daily Show" writers use pictures from crazy conventioneer freaks. Letterman has Dr. Phil read the nominees. One group (Conan?) has every writer's Mii avatar from Nintendo's Wii Sports. This is the funniest part of the show.

"The Colbert Report" wins.

8:50pm. Howie Mandell is talking again. Do you remember in the 80s when he did that schtick with the blown-up glove on his head? All right, well, I do, and this memory burns my skin.

My buddy Thomas is sitting beside me on the couch. "Do you think he dies that?" he asks.

"The soul patch?" I ask.

"Yes," he says.

"Yes, I do. And I'm going to live blog that."

8:51pm. Steve Martin gives an award. It's like they knew the shows was going to suck, so they just paid every funny person in America a million dollars to appear for five minutes. Martin quips: "As a kid I used to come home from school and get all dressed up and play 60th anniversary Emmy Awards show." (Love Steve Martin. Love.)

Question for the audience: Is Steve Martin getting work done, or does Steve Martin have veins pumped full of formaldehyde? Are these different things? I mean, that man has looked the same for 20 years.

8:55pm. The presenters and winners have obviously been told to stay off politics tonight, but Tommy Smothers (of all people), winning some kind of lifetime thingy-dingy, gets all indignant for a moment and talks about "watching ignorance in action." Truth, he says, " is what you get other people to believe." (Like that you need a lifetime Emmy.)

9:02pm. Josh Groban sings the television theme songs of yore. OMG, so many things to say here. First of all, name one current TV theme song you can sing. Did you just think of "The Hills"? Sorry, that's a Natasha Bedingfield song. "The Wire"? Tom Waits. No, classic theme songs -- a la "Gilligan's Island," a la "Friends," a la "Facts of Life," etc. etc. -- no longer exist. Why would you commission a tribute to remind people of this fact?

That said, Josh Groban is absolutely terrific during this montage. It's like the greatest karaoke performance ever.

9:07pm. I love you, Laura Linney. I love you, Catherine Keeneer. But I don't give a good goddamn about this miniseries category. (Laura Linney wins).

9:16pm. There is a tribute to "Laugh-In." If I were 50, this could be hilarious. (But I doubt it.)

"The Daily Show" wins for best comedy show. You know, Jon Stewart might be the only celebrity that, like, if I met him? I would just run away. My fantasies about him run too deep. He is threaded through my soul. The fact that I just wrote that last sentence proves that this wine works.

9:20pm. David Boreanaz presents an award. Why him? Why now? Do they know something I don't know? Anyway, Tina Fey wins the award for best comedy writing.

"Tina Fey is a beautiful woman who is very uncomfortable in her own skin," I tell Thomas.

"Yes," he says. "It's very appealing about her."

9:30pm. A tribute to The West Wing.Gah, this is like a funeral! By the way, have you read Aaron Sorkin's imagined meeting between Obama and Martin Sheen president person in the New York Times? It's the best Maureen Dowd column in ages.

9:38pm. Best teaser ever: "Coming up next… Don Rickles!"

9.45pm. Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart present an award to "Recount" for best miniseries. Sexual fantasies, Jon Stewart, blah blah blah. I know. I'm a fucking cliché.

9:49pm. HBO's John Adams keeps winning awards. I keep not caring!.

9:54pm. Tribute to M*A*S*H. How about a tribute to The Wire, the greatest drama in television history, you lazy fucks? Aggggh, I hate someone … but I'm not sure exactly who.

9:56pm. Don Rickles in the house!!! Kathy Griffin in the house!!! This makes up for the intro. Why the hell didn't Kathy Griffin host this show? Because people, she would have said YES.

10:08pm. Neil Patrick Harris makes crack about Howie Mandell. Have I told you that I heart Neil Patrick Harris? Don Rickles wins an award for some show called Mr. Warmth. Don't know, don't care. All I know is: RICKLES!!!!

10:16pm. So all the best shows on TV get crammed into the best writing in a drama category: The Wire and Battlestar Gallactica and Mad Men. This blows. It's like a brutal cage match between great champions in a fight no one is watching. I hate something. (But what is it??) Anyway, Mad Men wins. This is as it should be.

10:24pm. Paul Giammatti wins for best actor in a miniseries, has a great line: "Anybody can play the president!"

10:25pm. First Emmy win for Alec Baldwin!!!! Alec Baldwin should have hosted the Emmys! God, this man is funny. Is he funnier than Jon Stewart? I DON'T KNOW. This question will tie me up for days.

10:29pm. In memoriam clip reel. And no, Heath Ledger never did television.

10:38pm. There has been an upset! Hugh Laurie did NOT win best actor in a drama, it goes to the dad from Malcolm in the Middle, Bryan Cranston, who plays the meth dealer dad in Breaking Bad. If I had ever seen that show, I bet I would feel really gratified right now.

10:40pm. Tina Fey wins best actress in a comedy series! Yea! There is justice in the world! Great quote from La Fey: "I thank my parents for somehow raising me to have confidence that is disproportionate with my looks and abilities. Well done. That is what all parents should do."

Meanwhile, Lorne Michaels is looking more and more like Marlon Brando's Godfather.

10:55pm. 30 Rock wins for best comedy! Maybe one day people will actually watch this show!!

10:56pm. You know all the stars are out when Tom Selleck gives your last award. So, OK: Mad Men wins for best drama, as it should have. The wine is cashed, as it should be. All is right in the world. Now, on to my next obsession: Watching David Blaine hang upside down.

See you at the Oscars!

Jimmy Kimmel vs. Salma Hayek: The Musical

Ben Kallen — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 15:25:00 GMT

Last night's pre-Emmy show, Jimmy Kimmel's Big Night of Stars, was exactly like one of those Barbara Walters specials, except even more ridiculous. By far the best part was his interview with, and failed seduction of, the gorgeous actress and Ugly Betty producer Salma Hayek.

It all ended up in a big star-studded musical number, featuring Jennifer Esposito (Samantha Who?), Sofia Vergara (The Knights of Prosperity), Kimmel chum Adam Carolla (Dancing With the Stars) and, for some reason, Kevin James (The King of Queens). (And was that Maroon 5's Adam Levine on guitar? Sure, why not.)

The whole thing was funny, so take a look:

Previously:
Gentlemen, Sarah Silverman Is Single Again
Foxy Private Practice Star Was on Jimmy Kimmel Last Week. In a Towel

Emmy Picks: So, How'd We Do?

Ben Kallen — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 14:10:00 GMT

Last Friday, we predicted who would win in the top 12 Emmy categories.

This morning, we had the accounting firm of Ernst & Young compare our picks with the actual winners. Here's how we did:

We got nine out of 12 -- that's a great big 75 percent! (We'd say that's pretty decent, considering that, like most people, we were blindsided by talented dark horses Brian Cranston and Zeljko Ivanek.)

Okay, maybe a few of the winners were actually our second choices -- but, still, not bad, right?

Okay, fine. Just wait till next year!

Previously:
Our Picks for the Emmys

The Weekly Rewind: Sex and the Country

Ben Kallen — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 21:20:00 GMT

The Emmys are almost here, and there are new or returning shows on just about every night -- basically, it's a great time to be a TV fan. But don't touch that dial! At least, not until we get to the highlights of the week.

We watched as politics met culture, Tina Fey met Sarah Palin, and no one would stop talking about it.

We learned that when it comes to shows like Gossip Girl and 90210, you really can be too rich and too thin.

We saw Gossip Girl's very own audience magically appear on the show to give Dan and Serena a good tongue-lashing.

We heard Megan Fox and Kristen Bell talk about sex, and pretty much stopped paying attention to anything else for a while.

We went to reality-TV school, but were surprised to learn that some reality contestants became real couples.

We saw Lynne Spears defend herself, though not in court.

We found out who Kelly Taylor's baby daddy was, and asked him to come back.

We wished all the best to Mr. and Mr. Sulu.

We appreciated Jada Pinkett Smith, and crushed on T.J. Thyne and Cesar Milan and Abigail Spencer.

But we felt bad for Ryan O'Neal.

We thought it was terrible when Hurricane Ike took down entire neighborhoods, but kind of funny when it almost took down a weatherman.

And we still weren't tired of Neil Patrick Harris.

Megan Fox photo from GQ

Previously:
The Weekly Rewind: Floating in a Sea of Television

Our Picks for the Emmys

Ben Kallen — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 20:55:00 GMT

Hey, the Emmy Awards are happening Sunday night! Here are our mildly well-informed picks as to who the winners in the big categories will be. (Not who we think should win -- they're all pretty good! -- but who we think is going to win.)

COMEDY SERIES
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Entourage
The Office
30 Rock
Two and a Half Men

Our pick: The Office
Second choice: 30 Rock

DRAMA SERIES
Boston Legal
Damages
Dexter
House
Lost
Mad Men

Our pick: Mad Men
Second choice: House

ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Steve Carell, The Office
Lee Pace, Pushing Daisies
Tony Shalhoub, Monk
Charlie Sheen, Two and a Half Men

Our pick: Alec Baldwin
Second choice: Steve Carell

ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Gabriel Byrne, In Treatment
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Hugh Laurie, House
James Spader, Boston Legal

Our pick: Jon Hamm
Second choice: Michael C. Hall

ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Christina Applegate, Samantha Who?
America Ferrera, Ugly Betty
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, The New Adventures of Old Christine
Mary-Louise Parker, Weeds

Our pick: Tina Fey
Second choice: Julia Louis-Dreyfus

ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Glenn Close, Damages
Sally Field, Brothers & Sisters
Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Holly Hunter, Saving Grace
Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer

Our pick: Mariska Hargitay
Second choice: Glenn Close

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men
Kevin Dillon, Entourage
Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother
Jeremy Piven, Entourage
Rainn Wilson, The Office

Our pick: Neil Patrick Harris
Second choice: Jeremy Piven

SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Ted Danson, Damages
Michael Emerson, Lost
Zeljko Ivanek, Damages
William Shatner, Boston Legal
John Slattery, Mad Men

Our pick: John Slattery
Second choice: Michael Emerson

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Kristin Chenoweth, Pushing Daisies
Amy Poehler, Saturday Night Live
Jean Smart, Samantha Who?
Holland Taylor, Two and a Half Men
Vanessa Williams, Ugly Betty

Our pick: Amy Poehler
Second choice: Jean Smart

SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Candice Bergen, Boston Legal
Rachel Griffiths, Brothers & Sisters
Sandra Oh, Grey's Anatomy
Dianne Wiest, In Treatment
Chandra Wilson, Grey's Anatomy

Our pick: Candice Bergen
Second choice: Sandra Oh

REALITY COMPETITION PROGRAM
The Amazing Race
American Idol
Dancing With The Stars
Project Runway
Top Chef

Our pick: The Amazing Race
Second choice: Dancing With the Stars

HOST FOR A REALITY OR REALITY-COMPETITION PROGRAM
Tom Bergeron, Dancing With the Stars
Heidi Klum, Project Runway
Howie Mandel, Deal or No Deal
Jeff Probst, Survivor
Ryan Seacrest, American Idol

Our pick: Jeff Probst
Second choice: Heidi Klum

So how'd we do? We'll let you know on Monday!

Previously:
What Did We Think of the Emmy Nominations?
Reality-Show Hosts To Head Up the Emmys

This Ad Looks Like Our Brains

Ben Kallen — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:25:00 GMT

We think the above ad, for this year's Emmy Awards, is pretty cool. To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the awards, the August 21 broadcast will be honoring lots of shows and stars from both the past and present. (Kind of like a less snarky VH1 nostalgiafest, or a more snarky evening with TV Land.)

Can you name the more than 400 TV characters and personalities depicted in the ad? We hit about 80 percent ourselves, but that back row's a bear. If you need help, you can view a larger version on Adfreak.com.

Image: ABC, via Adfreak.com

Previously:
Emmy Wants You To Pick the Most Memorable Moments in TV History
18 "Memorable TV Moments" That the Emmy People Missed
What Did We Think of the Emmy Nominations?

The Weekly Rewind: Summer's End

Ben Kallen — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 21:35:00 GMT

Man, what an action-packed few days! We had the Olympics finale, a political convention, the start of a big holiday weekend, and -- most important of all -- the buildup to the new fall TV season. So how 'bout we look back on it all with the highlights of the week:

We counted down the top 10 new shows and the top 10 returning shows for the upcoming season. That's, yes, 20 shows worth watching. We know that some critics are worried about the overall quality of the fall schedule... but, really, if 20 isn't enough for them, they should maybe start thinking about reading more books.

We found 18 "memorable TV moments" that the Emmy people left off their list. And yet they still won't let us present the award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy!

We met the new American Idol judge, and she's attractive, articulate and successful. Let's hope she keeps her Coke cup away from Paula.

We watched some hilariously terrible music videos featuring TV stars. If you've ever wondered what the Internet was made for, this is it.

We thought we'd lost Denise Richards, and then we maybe got her back, but then we weren't sure we really wanted her after all. Just like Charlie in that one episode of Two and a Half Men!

We learned that even after all this time, we're still amused by the phrase "Stifler's mom."

We saw Mackenzie Phillips get in trouble with drugs, and David Duchovny get in trouble with sex. Where the hell is Dr. Drew when you need him?

Helloooo, Mr. Phelps! Goodbyyyye, Mr. Bush!

We got ready to spend the waning days of summer with a nice long weekend of TV. Hey, it's our job -- what's your excuse?

Photo: AP

Previously:
The Weekly Rewind: We Want Our Fun TV

Reality-Show Hosts To Head Up the Emmys

Ben Kallen — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 15:35:00 GMT

Now, this is weird: The emcees for this year's Emmy Awards ceremony will be the five nominees from the new "Best Reality Show Host" category. That means Tom Bergeron of ABC's Dancing With the Stars, Heidi Klum of Bravo's Project Runway, Howie Mandel of NBC's Deal or No Deal, Jeff Probst of CBS' Survivor, and Ryan Seacrest of Fox's American Idol. Um... yay for them?

Not that these folks can't be funny (except for Klum. . . and Probst. . . and, okay, Bergeron). In fact, Seacrest was a decent enough host by himself last year. But what ever happened to finding an actual big star or two for what should be an important event? Unless the Emmys are saying that reality hosts are the stars now, and scripted programming can just go suck it. (Journalist Nikki Finke's blog Deadline Hollywood Daily points out that this could also represent "Big Media giving the finger" to the Screen Actors Guild.)

Anyway, these five are all pros, and we should at least give 'em a chance. But as soon as they do some skit about how the winners are chosen by Paula Abdul based on how well they sew their own dresses, we're out.

Photo: NBC

Previously:
What Did We Think of the Emmy Nominations?