Friday, February 28, 2003

SNOOZEFEST 2003

What a boring week for news.

Thursday, February 27, 2003

WE KNOW COMEDY

ABC asserted their strong committment to the unfunny today by picking up a total of 10 shows for next season. In addition to "Alias," "The Bachelor," and "The Bachelorette," the network announced pickups for first-year sitcoms "8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter," "Life With Bonnie" and "Less Than Perfect"; second-year sitcoms "According to Jim" and "George Lopez"; and stalwart "My Wife and Kids." And, they showed their equally strong committment to quality hard-hitting programming by renewing "America's Funniest Home Videos."

This just in: Comedy writers say the best way to break into comedy writing is... be funny.

THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE, BUT NOT IN HERE

Nearly two weeks after the "Live From the Blogosphere" panel, the LA Times decided to run a piece on the event, called "Into the Blog". The story is a very basic account of the evening, containing no actual insight "into the blog", and such a narrow perspective, you'd think the bloggers on the panel were the only ones who knew how to type. The only tidbit I liked was the comparison of the "brainy and sexy" Rabbit to Agent Scully. But, honestly, anyone who knows the Rabbit personally, knows that she would whip Scully's ass in a brainy and sexy contest. This article is two dollars short and two weeks too late. It was covered in greater detail and with more flair on a host of blogs during and immediately following the festivities. With this kind of reporting from the LA Times, I think I'll take the advice put forth in the last line of the anemic article:

"Tonight, a community. Tomorrow, an empire. But for now, boot up and read about it on a blog."

Come on, guy.

Wednesday, February 26, 2003

SAY IT AIN'T SO, JOE

Fox announced plans today to unleash a second installment of mega-hit "Joe Millionaire". This should not come as a shock to anyone. Although logic would dictate that the sly network could only pull of the gigantic prank once, the ratings were just too damned good not to try it again. The finale scored numbers in the same league as the Academy Awards and propeled Fox to a surprise sweeps win in the coveted adults 18-49 demographic. They have to do another one. If they don't, it would be the equivalent of a movie studio failing to make a sequel to a huge summer smash that screamed franchise. It would be like riding Space Mountain for the first time and never going on it again. It would be like going through the drive-thru at Taco Bell at three in the morning after a night of serious partying and only ordering a single beef supreme chalupa.

Now, if they can somehow manage to cast some interesting people, hire a talented editor, and dream up a more clever twist, "Joe Millionaire II" might be worth watching.

Tuesday, February 25, 2003

THIS IS A NIGHT FOR AMERICANS! AND A DAY FOR DANIEL

After winning the BAFTA award for Best Actor for his role in "Gangs of New York," Oscar front-runner and notorious nutbar Daniel Day-Lewis is giving in. He has agreed to follow up his cutting edge turn as Bill the Butcher with yet another acting gig, a family drama that will be a family affair. His wife, Rebecca Miller, daughter of famed playwright Arthur Miller, co-wrote the script and will direct the Academy Award winner in "Rose and the Snake."

Daniel Day comes clean in a decent Rolling Stone interview.

Monday, February 24, 2003

PUSHING JUNK

I'm in the midst of trying to kick my reality TV habit while network programmers plan a forced overdose. They're like drug dealers handing out free samples, knowing full well that I lack the will power to resist. But am I killing my own career by watching?
PUSHING THE RIGHT BUTTONS

For some time now I've been touting a film column called The Hot Button. This weekend I finally got to meet the man behind the column and I can thankfully report that David Poland is as engaging and entertaining in person as he is on the page. Today's Hot Button contains mentions of both Fox's Master and Commander move and the impromptu bash I sort of co-hosted this weekend. Accompanying David was Movie City News film columnist Ray Pride, who proved to be a veritable font of film knowledge and all-around fun guy. His column, Pride Unprejudiced is now on my must-read list. Newcomers to that list also include Luke Ford, Mickey Kaus, and James Lileks. But I still love my mainstays -- Rabbit Blog, Ken Layne, Matt Welch, Emmanuelle Richard, and Tony Pierce, who were all representing at said bash, styling and profiling as usual.

PUSH IT BACK, PUSH IT BACK, WAY BACK

Thanks to a little release date shuffle, my Master and Commander pick for Best Picture just got a major boost. I'm sure someone at Fox read Piker last week, saw that I thought it had Oscar potential, and decided to better position the film for nominations. Finally, people are starting to pay attention to the Piker.