A dance group named Diversity won “Britain’s Got Talent” over internet phenom, Susan Boyle. They actually do have a pretty cool looking act:
Last night was Jay Leno’s last as host of “The Tonight Show” and there were several sweet moments. Below are two of my favorites:
Jay and Conan O’Brien revisiting their first transition back in 1993:
Jay reflecting on his legacy:
I like how well this owner has accepted that a cat will always end up in your suitcase:
Not that I’m paranoid, but I’m starting to think that the network TV execs are out to get me by taking my favorite shows off the air. The latest example is NBC’s decision to cancel “Life.”
I was into this show from the start, and for one reason: Damian Lewis. The British actor wowed me with his portrayal of the earnest, dedicated Major Richard Winters in HBO’s “Band of Brothers” a few years back, so when he was cast as “Life’s” Det. Charlie Crews, I was ready to give this show every chance to succeed.
The plot: Crews, a Los Angeles police officer wrongly convicted of murder, spent 12 years in prison before DNA evidence proved his innocence. He got a $50 million settlement from the city and a new job as a detective with the LAPD. His new partner, Det. Dani Reese (Sarah Shahi), was a hard-boiled second-generation cop who wanted nothing to do with him. During his years in prison, Crews studied Zen Buddhism to survive, and he used those lessons to help solve the weekly cases. He also continued the quest he began in prison: to discover who really committed the murders for which he was framed.
Basically, it was a weekly crime drama, with a big dramatic underlying plot, and a little Eastern spirituality thrown in to make it different. OK, I figured. But how good would it be? And how good was my boy Damian going to be as Crews?
Both were so good it surprised me. Lewis’ Charlie Crews wasn’t the stoic, emotionless stalwart I expected – he was a talented fruitcake. He was a highly observant detective, with a well-developed insight into human behavior and a dry sense of humor, who still got perplexed by technology, pop culture, and all the other changes in the world he’d missed. He was by turns a dedicated crime-fighter, and a teenager with too much money who impulsively bought everything from sports cars to exotic fruit. He liked the women his money attracted, but still carried an obsessive torch for his ex-wife, who had divorced him while he was in prison. (Did he still love her, or did he want to get her back for deserting him and re-marrying? Maybe both.) In Lewis’ hands, Charlie Crews quickly became one of the most interesting characters on television. (And someone will have to explain to me how British actors like Lewis, Hugh Laurie, and “Pushing Daisies” Anna Friel can do such spot-on American accents. It’s a little freaky.)
But for me, the best part of the show was the scenes with Crews and Reese. At first glance, I figured Sarah Shahi was a devastatingly beautiful woman who would know her lines and not bump into the furniture (kind of like some of the women who Dick Wolf has hired to play the prosecutors on “Law & Order.”) I was so wrong. Shahi’s Dani Reese was a tough, cynical, sarcastic alcoholic with a lousy personal history and a barely-concealed dislike of having an ex-con as her new partner. And when he turned out to be weird, she liked it even less. But very quickly, they developed a rapport that was terrific fun to watch. His out-of-left-field comments would get under her cynical skin (and sometimes they were meant to), and she’d fire back with a snide zinger, or a withering look that would cripple a lesser man. Two good cops – one with Zen musings, the other with sarcastic reality – made for a great partnership, and both came to realize it. (The partnership extended to actors as well as the characters. Lewis and Shahi had a strong chemistry that was slightly reminiscent of screwball comedies. It was a bit like watching “His Girl Friday” with guns and badges.)
Their chemistry was evident in the second season, when Shahi missed several episodes due to her pregnancy. Gabrielle Union took over as Crews’ new Type-A partner, and she (and her character) did better than I expected. She was fine, but she wasn’t Reese. I was looking forward to the reunion of the partners next season.
But I won’t get it. Neither will I get the return of the terrific Adam Arkin, in his underused role as Ted Early, Crews’ roommate and best friend from prison. At least there was this small consolation: the producers had an inkling that their show wouldn’t be renewed, and were able to wrap up the season’s plot, with Crews rescuing Reese from the Russian mobster who’d kidnapped her (and giving the mobster a well-deserved final comeuppance).
And that’s it, the final curtain for another show with both good acting and good writing. In its place, we’ll get five nights of Jay Leno in prime time. Jay’s a talented guy, but come on: if I wanted to see a week’s worth of “Jaywalking” and “Stupid Headlines,” I’d stay up until 11:30. And I don’t, so that tells you something right there.
PS: And just to add salt in the wound, on the same day that NBC announced “Life’s” cancellation, it also announced that “Parks & Recreation” was renewed. That’s just what I wanted to see: more episodes of a pale imitation of the most overrated show on TV. Pardon me while I go read a book.
Season one of “Life” is currently available on DVD and season two is scheduled to be released on August 25th.
“Entertainment Tonight” has a cute interview up with Helio Castroneves and his girlfriend. The interview begins with Helio making some very touching comments about his parents.
Speaking of cute, the personification of the word, Shawn Johnson, was also at the race track this past weekend. She attended the NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 race and got to ride in one of cars with Kyle Petty.
After a terrible year, Helio Castroneves had a great weekend. On Friday (May 22nd), federal prosecutors dropped the one remaining tax evasion charge against him. He’d been acquitted of all the other charges back in April.
Then, on Sunday, Castroneves became the 9th driver to win a third Indianapolis 500. “This is incredible…the best month of May ever,” said Castroneves. Danica Patrick had her best finish at Indy coming in 3rd.
Below is Helio’s tearful post-race interview with ESPN:
http://www.eonline.com/uberblog/b125623_castroneves_caps_off_good_week_with.html
http://www.accesshollywood.com/us-drops-tax-evasion-charges-against-helio-castroneves_article_18331
You’re probably catching on that I’m really looking forward to this movie – based on the 85 trailers I’ve posted so far. 
They’re still sticking with the July 15th release date.
The next time your kitty is being sassy, just remember this little guy:
I was going to say “Another season of ‘Dancing with the Stars’ has come and gone,” but I quickly realized two things: that would be trite, and that would be false. This season was like no other. It was by far the best in overall talent (any of the three finalists would probably have won in previous seasons, and at least five contestants could have legitimately been in the finals). Plus, there were no unpleasant attitudes to watch. (I feared Steve-O would make a “Jackass” out of himself, but he actually came across as a pretty nice guy). I thoroughly enjoyed watching every week, and was sorry to see the season end.
But I was also sorry to see this: while perusing one of Princess Kitty’s recaps of “DWTS,” I came across the unpleasant news that Omarosa, reality TV’s best-known villain, was in the audience. The Princess expressed horror at the possibility that “DWTS” might add her to next season’s list of celebrities.
I’ll make my horror even clearer. If she’s on, I won’t watch the entire season.
Yeah, yeah, I know: big deal. After all, at the risk of sounding like Regis, I’m only one man. What’s that compared to the many that might tune in to see this toxic train wreck? After all, TV is about ratings and the ad revenue they generate. If she can make the numbers go up, the producers will put her in and not think twice about it.
But that’s my point here: to make them think twice about it.
To be blunt, I think Omarosa is an obnoxious, vile, despicable pile of self-promotion. She’s the only person on TV who makes me think Paris Hilton maybe ain’t so bad. Shoot, she managed to do something I thought was impossible: she made Piers Morgan look sympathetic. How repulsive do you have to be to do that?
But that was on “The Apprentice,” a show where the confrontations between contestants are the major source of entertainment. (It’s also why I don’t like the show, but that’s neither here nor there). The Donald’s show was designed for her ultra-confrontational style, and it’s how she became famous in the first place. She prospers in that venue like mold in a damp room – prospers even more than some people who have actually won. (Viewers of the show may know who became “The Apprentice,” but even people who don’t watch the program know who Omarosa is). She has one talent – creating conflict – and she’s become famous for it.
But allowing her to take that talent to “DWTS” would be a huge mistake, because “DWTS” is a completely different television animal. Where “The Apprentice” is founded on confrontation and manipulation, “DWTS” is based upon likeability and effort. Viewers like seeing celebrities succeed (or, at least, try really hard) in an activity outside of their comfort zones. They like seeing All-American cutie pie Shawn Johnson ricochet across the floor, or hunky heartthrob Gilles Marini raise the temperature in the studio. Shoot, they even like seeing a clumsy lunk like Steve Wozniak, looking like the Michelin Man in sequins, lumber his way through a Paso Doble. At its core, “DWTS” is a good-natured show. It’s built upon the success of its contestants, not their failures (unlike “American Idol,” where so much of the supposed fun is watching talentless people crash and burn). Viewers watch because they want to see likeable celebrities (or, at least, celebrities acting likeable).
And that is completely opposite of Omarosa’s public persona. Look, I don’t know what she’s really like. It’s possible that she’s a lovely person who simply plays an evil witch on TV (although if it’s an act, it’s one that she finds incredibly easy to play). But that’s the act she chose to become famous, and she’s trapped in it now. If she goes on “DWTS” and behaves like a witch, she ruins the show’s good-natured, supportive vibe. (The idea of her being paired with Maks makes me cringe). While some people may tune in to see this train wreck a’comin, others (like me) will be driven away. But if she goes on and becomes Miss Sweetness, she proves that her famous public persona is nothing but a lie. Since that persona is all she’s got, she would be cutting her career’s throat. It’s a lose-lose situation, and one that’s not worth taking – not for her, and especially not for this already successful show.
Don’t do it, “DWTS.” It’s nothing but a cheap ploy for ratings, and you’re better than this. You’re better than her.
Of course, we already knew that, but this video really proves it!
A few nights ago I fell asleep during Letterman and must have woken up slightly when “The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson” started. I wasn’t really sure if this was real or if I dreamed it. I came across the clip on YouTube and I’m ashamed I ever had a doubt: