Enrique Iglesias. He’s so dreamy!

And according to my gal Jennifer, he’s going to be on CBS’s “How I Met Your Mother.” I’d never know otherwise as I have no intention of ever watching the show. But Jennifer’s got my back–and yours. Thanks, Jenn!

CLICK HERE TO WATCH A CLIP

“We’re Not From Here” — After seeing girls get weak in the knees over Robin’s man, Gael, who’s from Argentina, Barney and Ted decide to pose as out-of-towners, in order to meet chicks, on HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER, Monday, Oct. 1 (8:00-8:30 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

[tags] How I Met Your Mother, CBS, Enrique Iglesias [/tags]

I guess I never really noticed the music that accompanies CBS’s Survivor. Seems odd that a “reality” show would need a musical score, but hey, who am I to say.

Anyway, Jennifer wants you to know more about the use of music on Surivor: China:

SURVIVOR: CHINA composer Russ Landau gives a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the latest version of the main-title theme music. Click HERE to join Landau as he explores the culture and sounds of one of the world’s most exotic and mysterious countries on earth.

SURVIVOR: CHINA airs Thursdays from 8:00-9:00PM ET/PT on the CBS Television Network.

[tags] music, CBS, Survivor, Survivor: China, China [/tags]

My gal Jennifer gives me a little “sugar” with this intel on CBS’s new series, Cane.

Catch a sneak peek of hit Reaggetone artist Daddy Yankee performing on CANE, Tuesday, Oct. 2 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. In the episode, Daddy Yankee performs at the Duque nightclub, owned by Henry Duque (Eddie Matos).

Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS ©2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.

[tags] Daddy Yankee, CBS, Cane, Eddie Matos, Reaggetone [/tags]

NBC buddy Shankar brings the sad news that the live blogging for premiere week is almost done.

“Just another heads-up about a liveblog tonight for Las Vegas, hosted by actor Josh Duhamel and exec producer Gary Scott Thompson. It starts at 11pm ET/8pm PT, after the show airs on the East Coast.”

Whatever will we do without it next week?

Left: Josh Duhamel, star of NBC’s hit TV series Las Vegas and the Bacardi Girls in New Orleans as part of Bacardi’s effort to rebuild New Orleans tourism following Hurricane Katrina, February 25, 2006.

[tags] Josh Duhamel, Los Vegas, NBC, live blogging [/tags]

I watched about an hour and a half of Ken Burns tome to World War II, The War, on my local PBS station last night.

It was good. I learned more about the war and the home front. It was well made. Solid.

But I also felt like I had seen it before, perhaps only with slightly less artistry, on about every WWII documentary I’ve ever sceen on the History Channel. And at least those shows had a few breaks so I could go to the bathroom or get a pop from the refrigerator.

I mean, I wanted to love the show. It seemed like the patriotic thing to do. But I could only bring myself to like it.

As I thought about it, I began to figure out why it wasn’t the masterpiece that Burns’ The Civil War was:

• While most of us didn’t live through WWII, we all know someone who did–a father, grandfather, mother, grandmother, uncle or aunt.

We can still talk to The Greatest Generation about their experience.

While nearly 60 years in the past, it is still within the lifetimes of people we know. Compare this to the Civil War, where the last surviors of that time passed in the 1960s or maybe into the 1970s. WWII is still too close in time for myth; the Civil War is not.

• The musical scoring doesn’t fit.

Wynton Marsalis is a wonderful musician and arranger. But his reliance on what seems to be Charlie Parker inspired “cool” jazz just doesn’t work for me. I don’t think jazz when I think about WWII. I think Big Band.Further, unlike the scoring to the Burns’ The Civil War, the music does not have the same emotional wallop. When you heard the theme to the Civil War, you knew the show was on, that you were going to be moved to tears at times, and that you were in for an emtional hour or two. The scoring to The War is emotionally flat.

• The War has no Shelby Foote to be our guide like in The Civil War.

While the interiews I saw were lusciously shot with interesting and compelling participants both famous and unknown, there was no one on screen like Foote to tie it all together in a historical and cultural context.

The War just seems to bounce from one story to another without any kind of “big picture” of what it all means.

• The War is only telling one side of the tale.

While Japanese and German stories of bravery, cruelty, and suffering are told, it is always in a narrative and not with the use of survivors or even letters.

The Civil War added dramatic conflict by telling the story of the War Between the States from both sides. This tended to humanize the South. We have no such counterpoint in The War. War is hell on everyone–even our enemies.

I suppose this is all nitpicking. The Civil War was a masterpiece of storytelling. Almost anything in comparison–even from Ken Burns–is likely to fall short of that lofty accomplishment. The Civil War was an A++; The War is a B+, excellent by any standards except what we expect from Ken Burns.

Top: Chambois Sector of France. October 1944.

Middle: Director Ken Burns arrives at the “War” Premiere at the Museum of Modern Art on September 17, 2007 in New York City.

Bottom: Rows of airplane propellors, ready for shipment from a Hartford, CT plant. Sign in the background reads “Every Minute Counts.�

[tags] Ken Burns, The War, PBS, World War II, WWII, The Civil War, Shelby Foote, Wynton Marsalis [/tags]

Get your laptop and your TV for NBC’s “Must Watch Bloggin” tonight.  Buddy Shankar has the details:

I wanted to give you the heads up on another round of liveblogs for NBC’s premieres tonight. Here’s the list:

-My Name is Earl w/ creator Greg Garcia

-The Office, w/ exec producer Greg Daniels

-ER, w/ actress Parminder Nagra and writer/co-exec producer Dr. Joe Sachs.

Each one starts after the show airs on the East Coast. URLs:

http://blog.nbc.com/earl/

http://blog.nbc.com/er/

http://blog.nbc.com/theoffice/

[tags] live blogging, NBC, ER, My Name Is Earl, The Office [/tags]

My gal Jennifer has taken real good care of me today.

Here’s a great photo and some skinny on the Sara Sidle story line that gets resolved(?) on CBS’s CSI on Thursday.

THE CSI TEAM RUSHES TO FIND SARA, THE LATEST VICTIM OF THE MINIATURE KILLER, AS HER LIFE HANGS IN THE BALANCE IN THE VEGAS DESERT, ON THE EIGHTH SEASON PREMIERE OF “CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION,” THURSDAY, SEPT. 27

“Dead Doll” — Sara’s fate remains in question as the CSI team rushes to find out if she survived an attack by the miniature killer, on the eighth season premiere of CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION, Thursday, Sept. 27 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

Click here to see a clip of “Dead Doll�

Photo: Bill Inoshita/CBS ©2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. [tags] CSI, CBS, Sara Sidle [/tags]

One of the things Mrs./Dr. TVBloggin and I noticed while watching the season opening episode of NBC’s Law and Order: SVU last night (“Alternate”), was the writing.

Sure, newcomer Adam Beach was there and so was guest star Cynthia Nixon (does she only now play whackos on TV?), but it was the addition of some wonderful one liners and a quicker pace of dialog that got our attention.

I hope this trend continues on SVU. Obviously Munch (Richard Belzer) is a tremendous comedian and sometimes gets the good lines, but the other actors are also capable of adding a little humor.

And let’s face it, if you had to work around all the ugliness that happens on a daily basis as part of the special victim’s unit, you’d have to have a sense of humor–or go insane from all the tragedy.

Left: Mariska Hargitay, winner Outstanding Lead Actress, Drama Series for “Law & Order: SVU,” TV Guide Emmy After Party - Red Carpe, August 27, 2006.

[tags] Cynthia Nixon, Adam Beach, Mariska Hargitay, Law and Order: SVU, Law and Order, NBC, Richard Belzer [/tags]

Comedienne Maya Rudolph, one of the funniest and most versatile players on NBC’s Saturday Night Live, has decided to not rejoin the show, which begins its new season on Saturday.

So reports TV Guide:

What the frak happened? No one (save for Maya herself) knows for sure, although a Peacock source says it was a “personal, family-based decision” and had nothing to do with money or screen time.

I for one will miss her. With her singing and mimicking abilities, her chameleon-like ways of becoming anyone of almost any race or creed, Maya disappears into her roles and sells them to the audience.

I will miss her but wish her the best of luck in the next stage of her life and career.

Above: And then there were two. Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph and Amy Poehler at the American Museum of Natural History’s 2006 Museum Gala, November 16, 2006.

[tags] SNL, Saturday Night Live, Maya Rudolph, Kristen Wiig, Amy Poehler [/tags]

TV Buddy Shankar at NBC has a way to further enjoy Premiere Week on the Peacock–turn on the TV and your laptop and watch the tube and live blogging at the same time tonight (Monday, September 24, 2007)!

Shankar says, “As you well know, premiere week is finally here, and I wanted to give you a heads up on some of the stuff going on tonight that you and your readers might be interested in. First off, the series premieres of Chuck and Journeyman are tonight, at 8/7c and 10/9c, respectively–each one has a liveblog for viewers to chat with the talent associated with the show after the show airs. Chuck’s liveblog will be hosted by Josh Schwartz and Journeyman’s will be hosted by executive producer Kevin Falls.

And I know you’ll be excited for this one–Heroes returns for Season 2. For all those die-hard Heroes fans, NBC’s lined up a liveblog with series creator Tim Kring and star Jack Coleman (aka Noah Bennett aka HRG). The link is below, the event starts at 10pm EST/7pm PST.

Links:
Heroes Liveblog - http://blog.nbc.com/heroes/
Chuck Liveblog - http://blog.nbc.com/chuck/
Journeyman Liveblog - http://blog.nbc.com/journeyman/

Video clips for Chuck at this YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/kdlmd243”

Above: Cast of ” Journeyman,” NBC 2007 Upfronts, May 14, 2007.

[tags] NBC, Heroes, Chuck, Journeyman, blogging [/tags]

Ah, the horrors of being the host of CBS’s Survivor. Here’s a video of Jeff Probst showing how hard one of the challenges in a bamboo forest is–and that’s just getting to it–in the heat, humidity, and altitude.

[tags] Jeff Probst, CBS, Survivor, China, reality shows [/tags]

My gal Jennifer has the 411 on a very special episode of CBS’s The Power of 10 tomorrow (Sunday, September 23, 2007).

Here’s a sneak peek at the upcoming episode of Power of 10 where contestant Andrea Johnson attempts to play for $10 Million for a very special reason, which elicits a surprise reaction from host Drew Carey. Tune-in for the summer finale of POWER OF 10 airing on a special night, this Sunday, Sept. 23 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on CBS.

Link to clip: http://post.creativegroup.tv/Pow_Episode112

Above: When did Drew Carey, host of The Power of 10, begin to look like Tom Arnold? Actor Drew Carey arrives at the “CBS Summer Press Tour - Stars Party 2007″ at the Wadsworth Theatre on July 19, 2007 in Los Angeles, California.

[tags] CBS, Drew Carey, The Power of 10, game shows [/tags]

For some odd reason, I like Jeff Gannon, the former Talon News “journalist,” former male escort, and one of 2005’s biggest media sensations.

I’ve talkekd with Jeff on a number of ocassions, first about Sen. James Abourezk’s lawsuit aginst some bloggers who called him a “tratior” for opposing the Iraq War.  Later, in March 2005, in the aftermath of allegations about being a gay male escort and his “soft pass” for Talon as a White House correspondent, I was the first journalist or blogger to do an extensive interview with him about the controversies.

Jeff has recently written a book–The Great Media War–on his recent past–about being in the White House press corps and being viewed as a plant by the “real” journalists, his view of Old v. New Media, media bias, and a whole lot of other things.

Click here to read excerpts.

Earlier this week, I interviewed Jeff via email about his new book:

DO YOU SEE WHAT YOU DID AT TALON NEWS AS THE FUTURE OF “JOURNALISM� IN A BLOG-CLOGGED WORLD WHERE NEWSPAPERS CARRY VIDEOTAPED INTERVIEWS AND TV STATIONS HAVE BOGGERS?  IN OTHER WORDS, WILL ALL “REPORTING� BE NICHE REPORTING BASED ON THE CAUSE OR POINT OF VIEW OF THE ORGANIZATION OR THE WRITER?

- The future is rather unpredicable, but the Old Media model is nearly extinct. Credibility will determine which news organizations are successful in the New Media universe. That credibility will come from accuracy and full disclosure of conflicts of interest. As I point out in my book, news consumers are unaware of the many points of intesection between the Old Media and the subjects they cover.  

IS IT EVEN FAIR TO CALL SOMETHING LIKE THIS JOURNALISM?

- With the previously stated caveat, it is not only journalism, but the future of journalism. 

IS OBJECTIVITY IN JOURNALISM DEAD?  DID IT EVER REALLY EXIST?

- Objectivity in journalism is a myth and never existed. The United States is the only media that has such a pretense.

IS FOX NEWS BIASED?  WHATEVER YOUR ANSWER, PLEASE EXPLAIN.

- All news reporting has a bias. The Old Media pretends that it is neutral when it is left of center, where Fox News skews to the right. It is dishonest to call Fox News conservative without acknowledging that the others are liberal. I provide substantial evidence in my book to prove it.  

For more of my interview with Jeff, click here.

[tags] Jeff Gannon, James Guckert, Talon News, media, Old Media, New Media, TV news, White House [/tags]

My new friend Paige at ABC sends me the following information about Diane Sawyer’s upcoming interview of Bush child Jenna.

Thanks, Paige!

Read on:

A DIANE SAWYER EXCLUSIVE: FIRST DAUGHTER JENNA BUSH SITS DOWN FOR HER FIRST IN-DEPTH TELEVISION INTERVIEW ON “20/20″ AIRING FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28

In her first television interview, Jenna Bush speaks candidly with Diane Sawyer about life as the first daughter, her engagement and her emotional new book, “Ana’s Story.â€? The interview will air on “20/20,” FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28 (10:00–11:00 PM E.T.) on the ABC Television Network.

Above: ABC News’ Diane Sawyer with Presidential daughter Jenna Bush. Photo courtesy ABC/Steve Fenn.

[tags] Jenna Bush, 20/20, ABC, ABC News, George W. Bush, President Bush, Diane Sawyer [/tags]

My girl Audrey continues to do yeoman work keeping this old codger of a TV critic hip.

Here’s more 411 on My Damn Channel from the lovely and talented Audrey.

I wanted to follow up with you regarding My Damn Channel, a new web service which provides readers original episodic video content. Programming is created by artists for the My Damn Channel site (http://www.mydamnchannel.com/), so everyone will have their own “damn channel.� 

The various content—short-form comedy, new music and more—comes from people that you all know:

• Harry Shearer - actor/comedian,  Simpsons voice extraordinaire (he’s one of the regulars in the Christopher Guest films)
• Don Was - music producer (Bob Dylan, Iggy Pop, The Rolling Stones, I think you see where this is going…)
• David Wain - indie comic (The State, Stella)

Check out this clip from David Wain – with cameos by Michael Ian Black, Rashida Jones (Karen from The Office) and Andrea Ronson.

Please check out the above clip and explore the rest that My Damn Channel has to offer.  I’m sure you’ll love it! 

If you want more info, I’ve included details on each “Damn Channel� below. 

Thank you!

Audrey

—–

The new branded channel will feature original content from venerable comedian/political satirist Harry Shearer (“The Simpsons,� “This is Spinal Tap�); renowned music producer Don Was (The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan); independent comic filmmaker David Wain (“Wet Hot American Summer,� “The Ten�); and Web phenom Andy Milonakis (“The Andy Milonakis Show,� MTV). 

Wainy Days

Alt-comedy maestro David Wain is a founding member of legendary comedy troupes The State and Stella. David has also directed the comic cult classic film “Wet Hot American Summer” as well as the critically acclaimed “The Ten”. “Wainy Days” is a series of ten short-film comedies following David on an anxious search for love and romance in New York City, featuring cameos by dozens of his talented friends. Tune in to My Damn Channel every Monday for the premiere of a new episode of Wainy Days. 

Harry Shearer

Harry is an actor, comic, writer and radio host best known for his celebrated work on “The Simpsons,” “This is Spinal Tap,” “A Mighty Wind,” “For Your Consideration,” “Le Show” and “Saturday Night Live.” Every week, Shearer satirizes the current political and pop-culture landscape with biting wit, brilliant music and a random assortment of prosthetics. Watch out, Washington. Things are about to get very Harry.  Tune in to My Damn Channel every Tuesday for the premiere of a new Harry Shearer video. 

Andy Milonakis

Andy quickly became an online phenomenon with the release of his home webcam recordings, freestyle rap and videos. He has appeared in feature films “Waiting,” and “Who’s Your Caddy”, and had his own series, “The Andy Milonakis Show” on MTV. We never know what Andy’s going to do next. That’s why we love him. Tune in to My Damn Channel every Wednesday for the premiere of a new video from Andy Milonakis.  

The Wasmopolitan Calvalcade of Recorded Music

Don Was drives My Damn Channel’s premiere music destination, The Wasmopolitan Calvalcade of Recorded Music. Every week, Don produces new music exclusively for My Damn Channel. All new songs are available as free MP3 downloads, and every recording session is filmed for the site, giving viewers a rare glimpse inside the studio. Don also puts his personal iPod into action on an eclectic radio show called “Radio Was: The Party Shuffle Show.” Tune in to My Damn Channel every Thursday for a new visit to the Wasmopolitan with your host Don Was. 

Hot Mental Freedom

Hot Mental Freedom is My Damn Channel’s answer to user-generated content. Each week, we issue a challenge inviting the community to show off their mental chops. Viewers are free to submit their own intelligent, relevant videos in response, no matter how poorly lit. Tune in to My Damn Channel every Friday for a new Hot Mental Freedom challenge.

Top: My Damn Channel contributor David Wain is so cool, he doesn’t even have to tuck in his shirt!  David Wain, The Cinema Society and Frederic Fekkai Host a Screening for “Gray Matters” - Red Carpet, February 15, 2007. 

Bottom: Another My Damn Channel contributor, Don Was, apparently likes to wear opaque sunglasses.  Don Was, 72nd Academy Awards - Nominees Luncheon, March 13, 2000.

[tags] Don Was, David Wain, My Damn Channel [/tags] 

The fact that the politically repulsive Fox Network would put one a TV drama as nuanced about race, politics, family, duty, and the weather as K-Ville almost makes one believe in the existence of a High Being, or at least intelligent life at Fox HQ.

I caught the “encore” of the premier of K-Ville (short for Katrinaville) tonight on Fox. Set in present day New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the initial episode showed that it would not be a patsy for the Bush Administration like Fox News–or provide easy answers to solving the Big Easy’s problems.

Focusing on New Orleans cops who didn’t run away when Katrina overwhelmed both the levees and the city’s resources, the show is not afraid to show borderline obscene graffiti bitching about the failure to fix New Orleans. It is not afraid to show the stress and debris strewed neighborhoods that the cops and their friends still live in. It is not afraid to show people with no hope. It is not afraid to show people who, against their better judgment, stay in New Orleans, to prove both their moxie as police officers but as people who love their city.

Show centers on Detective Marlin Boulet (Anthony Anderson), who when Katrina hit, was a street cop struggling to deal with the death and devastation. He lost his partner, who turned and ran and who also turns up in the premier, seeking Boulet’s approval and support.

The show is shot in New Orleans, which gives it its gritty feeling–from the still rubble filled streets to the dive bars on Bourbon Street to empty homes and store fronts, the show has almost a cineme verite feel to it.

While the show takes on these weighty issues, it is also a good cop show, with bad guys to bust, car chases, and shootouts. It is a remarkable reconfiguration to the cop show as both social commentary and familiarity of the police genre.

I hope to hell, like the people of the “real” New Orleans who are trying to rebuild their city and save it from crime and chaos that the ersatz one on K-Ville also succeeds–and that you tune in and watch some truly remarkable and socially relevant entertainment.

For a clip of the show, click here.

Above: The cast of Fox’s K-Ville.

[tags] Hurricane Katrina, Fox, Fox Network, Fox News, K-Ville [/tags]