Under Pressure

The Golden Globe nominations are out! Sad to say that I haven't seen any of the movies that are nominated--yet. However, in my defense, some of them aren't in theaters (i.e. Miss Potter, Dreamgirls). This makes me wonder whether such films have a chance if they're not out in time for the public to buzz about it and for the members of the foreign press to hear the buzzing.

For example, when Love Actually was nominated a few years back, it didn't win. It's one of my favorite movies! Several critics, who were predicting the Golden Globe winners at the time, said that it wouldn't win because it was a late entry, and the bees weren't making a sound. Love Actually, and other movies like it, definitely have better chances of winning if they come out sooner--with enough time for the voters to actually see it.

To my surprise, Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan snagged 2 nominations: Best Motion Picture and Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical. This goes to show that the award-giving bodies are getting jiggy with it. Quite recently, rap (Lose Yourself by Eminem) and hip-hop songs (It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp) have won the Academy Award for Best Original Song.

It's great because the awards shows definitely become more interesting to watch. Hmmm...perhaps, that's why they're handing out these sorts of nominations--to regain lost viewers. Nonetheless, I'm not saying that these type of nominees don't deserve it. Eminem certainly did, and maybe, after seeing Borat, I'll feel the same way about it, too.

Even though I haven't seen any of the movies (Babel leads the pack with 7 nods.), I watch some of the television shows. In this big category, Grey's Anatomy and Weeds are are ahead of the rest. Both are tied with 4 nominations each. Seriously. There are also some first time nominees (Heroes!), which will do wonders for their careers. Penelope Cruz, Beyonce, and Mark Wahlberg are among them--as if their careers are in danger, but every little bit helps, right? Sarah Paulson from Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip received a nod for Best Supporting Actress. NBC is probably banking on her to win one for the team, thus, boosting the show's low ratings.

Moreover, there are several celebrities who are up against...themselves. They include Leonardo DiCaprio (The Departed and Blood Diamond) and Clint Eastwood (Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima) in the Best Actor and Best Director categories, respectively. Are these kinds of nominations a double edge sword? In the words of Access correspondent, Nancy O'Dell, "will they cancel each other out?" Conversely, is it the more nominations they have, the better their odds are? After all, Helen Mirren (The Queen, Elizabeth I and Prime Suspect: The Final Act) has 3 nominations!

What about those who are nominated for the same role? Johnny Depp is up for Best Actor for reprising his role in Pirates of the Caribbean 2: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Even if he doesn't win (God forbid!), perhaps, the 3rd time's the charm. Look at director, Peter Jackson. He didn't win the Academy Award until the 3rd Lord of the Ring installment came out. It's all politics unfortunately. I mean, I love the Lord of the Ring movies, but I thought the first one was the best.

Also, when I heard Clint Eastwood's response to his loss (He said that his film, Mystic River, was "hobbitized."), my entire face contorted in disgust. I thought, "He's just jealous." Well, as it turns out, he was right. After watching Mystic River, I've got to say that I loved it. It's not necessarily one of my favorite movies, but it was most definitely Oscar-worthy. I couldn't stop talking about it afterwards--even if no one was listening. The twists and turns in that cinematic feat were mind blowing!

Still, no pressure.

Still Addicted

Even as the semester is coming to an end, I find myself still addicted to the media. I am officially hooked on it for life. It is my drug and my anti-drug. It gives me a high, but at the same time, it gives me a reason to not need a rush. There is no cure for what I have. No rehab, no nothing, and yet it is my rehab, my cure.

Still, I'd like to think of myself as a more critical consumer now. I notice and question even more things in the media now. For example, what ads air in the same timeslot as the television shows I watch? Why? I never noticed the short timespam that these ads air and then, suddenly stop. I never really paid attention to the ads on the sides of a webpage. I never heard of Technorati or Digg before this class. So, one could say that I became way more aware of the art of blogging as well.

I managed to learn all sorts of things about all sorts of issues from reading my classmates' blogs. I also learned how to write a good movie review. Hopefully, the movie studios will shell out more good movies for me to watch. In addition, I've become more exposed to websites based on foreign countries. Consider my horizons broadened.

Tis' the Season to Be Giving!

I don't know about you, but I find that it gets harder and harder every year to find the perfect gift for everyone on my list. However, lucky for us (or not), poster ads in malls and commercials on television (i.e. Jamie Lee Curtis advocating boardgames) lend us a helping hand. In addition, several magazines, like Seventeen and People, have also made gift giving easier. In their recent issues (the ones with Paris Hilton and TomKat on the covers respectively), they offer their readers gift ideas. I know, I know. Why would anyone want to buy magazines with those people as the cover stories?

Well, as mentioned before, magazines during this time of year provide gift guides. Plus, many charities will benefit from the magazines' features. So, it's all for a good cause. This is great because you can help out others. In other words, it's a guilt-free trip for spending lots of moolah on Christmas gifts alone. Still, it's not only during this month that magazines feature specific stories annually. For instance, there are back-to-school and prom issues as well. Therefore, the media not only targets different people, but various times of the year, too. When it's Halloween, skulls and pumpkins abound. When it's Valentine's Day, beating and broken hearts are everywhere.

Here are some of the magazines' humble suggestions:
>Design your own Converse shoe here. Five to fifteen percent goes to the fight against AIDS.
>Help out Aldo's campaign to fight YouthAIDS by purchasing this tote.
>Who doesn't love candles? Go over here to pick up some floral candles that will assist UNICEF.
>Get a copy of the book, Two Million Miles by Andrew Macpherson, and a portion will go to the women's cancer research fund.
>Give Mother Nature a hand an buy recycled products like this cute bag made by "a Filipino women's cooperative" or this picture frame made out of bicycle chains.
>How about an indie rock cd? All of the profits go to War Child Canada that helps children in countries at war.
>Snatch up a dog toy here. Everything will go to the Planet Dog Foundation. They "[support] seeing-eye...dog programs."
>Make sure that every season's jolly for your friends. Pay up for The CollegeHumor Guide to College book. Ten percent goes to the pockets of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
>Buy Philosophy's Holiday Blues shower gel at philosophy.com. The Ricky Martin Foundation, "which fights global child exploitation," gets 100%.
>Go here for more gift ideas to benefit the St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, among many others.

Although, my next and last example isn't for a charity of any sort, in line with the topic of presents, I thought I would mention it. What do you give to people you hate the most? This lady has the answer. Happy shopping!

Eenie Meenie Minie Mo

The activities that the campus-wide reading program generates are the perfect opportunities for networking and making friends, especially for freshmen. For instance, there's the book discussion, lead by the Socrates Cafe, that's open to all at the beginning of the semester. The program is also a vehicle for professors to add items to the syllabus. It's not only with MCOM 072, but with other classes as well. However, it would be more apt if the chosen book was an option for extra credit rather than a requirement.

Moreover, the benefits for the book itself are endless, of course. Certainly, it will become more well-known. I seriously doubt that I would have even known about Nickel and Dimed if it wasn't chosen last year. In line with that, the book that the committee chooses shouldn't be one that's already famous. That would be redundant, for one thing. For another, that type of selection would be futile since most people, in and out of the literary community, have already heard of it. Therefore, Bel Canto and Life of Pi are definitely out of the question.

As for Farewell to Manzanar, I had read it for a class (MCOM 136). So, that and any other book on a class's syllabus already should be excluded from the list. Besides, it was fairly boring albeit enlightening on the Japanese internment camps, which I assume is the reason for its consideration. Now, even though I haven't read the other books, from the synopsis of each novel, I would love Donorboy to be 2007's campus reading program title. Oryx and Crake comes a close second if only for the author. Then, there's Drinking Coffee Elsewhere, which is a collection of stories so, if such a book hasn't been picked before, this would definitely be different.

One Director to Rule Them All

It's a travesty! The New York Times has printed that Peter Jackson, the Oscar-winning director of the incredible Lord of the Ring trilogy, won't be in charge of the big-screen adaptation of its prequel, The Hobbit. Can you imagine someone else being the director of that movie? It really is unthinkable. Jackson has done more than a superb job of bringing J.R.R. Tolkien's novels to life, and the movie studio, New Line Cinema, is casting him aside. What makes it even harder to comprehend is that the studio has rights to the book until 2009 so, why the rush? Jackson explained it all on the website, theonering.net, just last week.

Allegedly, New Line Cinema has yet to pay up for Jackson's work on the trilogy. However, the movie studio claims that Jackson has made more than enough money from the franchise and is only pretending to be the victim. Compounded by the prodding of Jackson's company, Wingnut Films (They sued in February 2005.), New Line Cinema ultimately decided to let go of Peter Jackson to the dismay of his fans. Even The Hobbit producer (Saul Zaentz) and star (Ian McKellan) have released statements expressing their disappointment at New Line Cinema's decision.

One has to ask if Harry Potter 1 and 2 would have been as disappointing as they were had Chris Columbus not taken the job? What if Bryan Singer (director of X-Men 1 and 2) remained as the man behind the lens for X-Men 3: The Last Stand? How will the movie adaptation of The Golden Compass fare when the director of American Pie, Chris Weitz, is not only directing but writing the piece? It is only recently that I realized the importance of hiring the right directors for films. They are the ones with the visions. They are the ones who draw in the star power by the mere mention of their names. They are the ones who make or break the difference between an Oscar nomination and an Oscar win.

Calling All Freshness Lovers!

Recently, I saw a Febreze commercial for their new product, Scentstories. With Christmas creeping on us, I thought that would make a great present for my mom because she loves candles. She keeps them around the house, ever prepared for the blackout that will never come. Seriously though, she just adores the scents. Then, I went back on my train of thought, and I decided against buying Scentstories. After all, my mom's picky, and Scentstories wouldn't be the same thing as candles. She'd be limited to the scents available on the Febreze discs that come with the product. Also, I can't buy her just one because what about all the other rooms in the house? Why, they'd be jealous of the one room she puts the Scentstories in.

However, gadgets such as Scentstories aren't possible arsonists. So, they are safer to use than candles. In addition, a CSI: Miami episode replay that I watched a few days ago may have sealed the deal. Basically, they were able to catch the killer thanks to an aromatic disbursement unit. They already knew who was in the room at what time, but it was the unit that revealed to them the time the murder occurred. (Who knew, right?) Although the Febreze product doesn't have that particular function, if I gave an aromatic disbursement unit to my mom and God forbid, anything happens to her, then at least the police would know who did it. It's like a security alarm in that it helps out the authorities, but it smells good while doing so.

Celebrity Moms: An Oxymoron or Just Morons?

Can you believe Gwen Stefani has a new video out already? It's only been a few months since she gave birth to her son. As if that wasn't enough, she'll have an album to match of course. In addition, she's busy with her LAMB fashion line, which is coming out in the spring of 2007. Not to mention the fact that she has her pre-baby body back. I'm torn on this issue of celebrity moms to say the least.

On one hand, they further girl power, if you will, just like any other career mom. We, as women, deserve to have careers as much as men do. (Being a housewife doesn't count.) On the other hand, what about the kids? Families, in which the moms are at work, certainly have dads in the office, too. So, who's left to take care of the children? They don't belong in a world where there's a party every night. Is it selfish of these celebrities to work and have kids? Or is it admirable?

In addition, celebrity moms put even more pressure on women and the "ideal" body. Supposedly, it's much more understandable when a woman has love handles and cottage cheese after giving birth, but not anymore. Thank you, Hollywood! We kneel down and bow before you.

Yeah, right.

Still, I didn't even know about post-partum depression till Brooke Shields. I always had this idea that having kids would be a blast. Sure, I know it's going to be hard with college tuitions and all, but the really ugly side never occurred to me. As it turns out, Kate Hudson went through post-partum depression as well--albeit with less media coverage. It's like post-partum depression is the incest of our generation, taboo-wise. So, if there weren't any celebrity moms, fewer people would know about this illness.

Perhaps, even fewer women would be motivated to get back in shape after their pregnancy. They may not believe that it's possible, or they don't know where to start. Celebrity moms can help them along in this situation. That is, if you want to look at the brightside of their thinness. Moreover, fewer women would be uplifted by the likes of Courtney Cox-Arquette and Julia Roberts who underwent in vitro fertilization and pregnancy late in the game, respectively.

Al-Jazeera Arrives on US Soil...or Do They?

According to USA Today, the Arab news network, Al-Jazeera will be shown in "70 million housejolds worldwide" in its English format starting this Wednesday. Al-Jazeera understands the importance of a news network with no ties to the government. They cater to the people's thirst for knowledge, and nothing else. They will certainly cover underdeveloped countries, which has been ignored by most mainstream media.

However, the response from the White House and the Pentagon has been cool at best. In addition, "in the USA, most cable firms have refused to give [Al-Jazeera] channel space." In other words, it will be mostly available here. Unfortunately, this isn't much change to those who already surf its homepage.

Why isn't the West more accepting of an Arab channel?

After all, there are a few Caucasian Al-Jazeera correspondents like Dave Marash. If 9/11 never happened, would most Americans still feel this way? Then again, I think that it was 9/11 that sparked most people's interest in international news in the first place. Yes, it was that fateful day that stirred hatred for Arab nations, but it's also possible that if 9/11 never happened, most people wouldn't even be remotely interested in the Middle East. Al-Jazeera will, at the very least, help us know our "enemy" as well as they know us.

Congratulations!

Congratulations to newly engaged couple, Ellen Pompeo and Chris Ivery!

Ivery, 38, proposed to Pompeo on her 37th brithday last Friday.

Unbeknownst to the happy couple, they actually only lived 10 miles apart. However, they've only been dating for three years after they met at a grocery store.

A Dove-ly Website

I was originally going to talk about the website of a Philippine newspaper, but as I was browsing through their articles, I stumbled on one about the Dove campaign (and an interesting one about Lost star, Evangeline Lilly). I was surprised to find out that the Dove campaigns that were going on here were also present in other countries. There's one in Canada, the UK, New Zealand, and many more. Had I been called on, I would have presented this foreign website.

According to the article I read about it, the company distributed surveys at the start of the campaign in which only 5% of Filipinas thought they were beautiful. Later in the campaign, another survey was handed out where 15% felt they were beautiful. I know that isn't very much, but it's definitely a good start. Anyone can share their stories online, read others' stories, and/or donate to the Dove Self-Esteem Fund, which aims to inspire young girls and widen their definitions of beauty.

Unlike the campaign here, the Philipines used 7 local celebrities as their spokespersons. I think that was a smart move because it's hard enough to break down the barriers of society's definition of beauty, let alone with ordinary people, if you will. Celebrities have a better chance of getting through to their audience. After all, majority of them have solid fanbases. Look what they did for being unrealistically thin. Unfortunately, there are very few plus-sized celebrities, if any at all. The only lucrative one I can think of is Queen Latifah.

However, she's already working for CoverGirl. There are actresses, Camryn Manheim (The Practice, Ghost Whisperer) and Monique, but they aren't half as successful or appealing as Queen Latifah. Maybe, with the success of Ugly Betty, America Ferrera, could champion Dove's cause. In the Philippines, 2 out of the spokespersons are plus-sized. In addition, all 7 of them are from different fields--from models to actresses to editors to VJs.

Last but not least, I'd like to end with a quote from Pam Pastor, one of the Filipina celebrities' who shared her story:

"I've seen beauty in old men with big hearts, in people willing to risk their lives for others, in selflessness, in fearlessness, in perseverance, in people's ability to pick up broken pieces, in a person's strength to turn their back on stability and pursue a passion, in their willingness to share so much of themselves with the world. I see beauty in imperfection, beauty in chaos, beauty in the eccentric. I think it's a big gift to be able to find beauty in the unconventional."

Good Faith

That's what NBC has shown Aaron Sorkin's television show, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. According to E News, the network has ordered a full season despite the show's average ratings. Finally, someone's getting it right.

Herbal Essences Stinks

Yesterday, although I only caught the end of the latest Herbal Essences commercial, I still hated it. Imagine if I actually saw the wretched thing in its entirety! It showed an Asian girl with blonde hair speaking in a Swedish accent. She was talking about how she wanted blonde hair and how Herbal Essences helped her achieve that. I immediately took offense. How can white people be so egocentric? (At least those who made that ad. I would be surprised if an Asian was involved in creating that commercial. They should have had SJSU students in charge.) Hello? Not all Asians want to be more like Caucasians (a.k.a. blondes).

Some of us like ourselves the way we are, thank you very much. Some of us embrace our ethnicity. In the world we live in today, it's hard enough to accept ourselves for who we are. We certainly don't need a commercial like that messing around with our climb up Maslow's hierarchy of needs. What were they thinking? That commercial is just demeaning. It's definitely damaging to every little Asian girl's self-esteem. It sends the message to people that they can't flaunt what they were born with. What else can be expected from a lously tagline like, "Not born blonde?"

Yes, women change their hair color all the time so, why am I taking offense to this commercial and not say, L'oreal? I suppose I'm offended by the Herbal Essences commercial because of the race card. How can I not be? It's akin to someone making fun of my mother. Now, I have nothing against Asian ladies who want to change their hair color to blonde. They can do so of their own accord. That's their right. If they feel that they were born with the wrong hair color, then by all means, pull the ol' switcheroo.

However, this commercial airs nationwide, affecting millions. It imposes the idea on people to go blonde. At least, John Frieda's products in magazine ads cater to redheads, blondes, or brunettes. They target hair colors, not ethnicities. That's the smart way to do it--everyone fits into one of those categories, but not everyone's Asian. Plus, if Herbal Essences intentionally tailored that ad for Asians, they're on the losing end because some, like me, will hate it. Then again, the Dove campaign has been making valiant attempts to smash society's definition of beauty into smithereens. Unfortunately, for every step we take forward, we take two steps back.

Remember, Remember the 5th of November

Remember, remember the 5th of November,
Gunpowder, treason and plot,
I see no reason why gunpowder, treason
Should ever be forgot...

Anyone who's explored a website, seen The Avengers episode entitled November 5, read, or watched V for Vendetta (which I highly recommend) knows what I'm talking about. It was 1603 and Queen Elizabeth I had just passed away. She had persecuted Catholics and her heir, James I, continued the tradition. So, a group of 13 men under Robert Catesby planned to blow away the House of Parliament--literally. Word of their plot reached the ears of the authorities.

On November 5, 1605, Guy Fawkes, the conspirator in the basement with the gunpowder, was put to death. Bonfires were lit that very night "to celebrate the safety of the King." Every year from then on, Guy Fawkes effigies were lit on fire and fireworks were put on display. One can't help but wonder who the English are commemorating--the King or the Guy. After all, the celebration is not only called Bonfire Night but Guy Fawkes Night.

Remember, remember: One man's terrorist is another man's hero.

The Sun Has Set on Studio 60

Sigh. Another one bites the dust. Professor Lilly was talking about Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip today, so I decided to blog about the fabulous show. I first learned of its possible fate last Monday when a Friday Night Lights replay aired in its place. Upon googling the show, I found an online source saying that there are three more episodes to look forward to, but this is more of a "contractual move" on the network's part. Apparently, Studio 60 just can't compete with CSI: Miami. The latter is drawing in twice as many viewers. Also, despite initial rave reviews, the critics have made a 360 and become Indian givers.

They're taking back their reviews.

Some are saying it's just Aaron Sorkin (writer of The West Wing) stroking his own ego. Not true. Can you feel the jealousy? It's definitely in the air. Then, there are those who think that the show isn't successful at making us care enough about the characters to tune in every Monday. Again, I'd have to disagree. For one thing, there's the relationship between Matthew Perry's character and Heather. Given the chance, they could be the next Ross and Rachel. Also, there have been acclaimed guests such as Sting and Lauren Graham (Gilmore Girls).

Others say that it's not funny enough. I guess that's why Studio 60 isn't the success that 30 Rock is even though they're both satires about the innerworkings of a Saturday Night Live-ish show. However, it should be taken into consideration that 30 Rock needs to be funny for 30 minutes only as opposed to Studio 60's one hour. Plus, I happen to find Studio 60 filled with nothing but wit. It pokes fun of religions, politics, celebrities and all that jazz. Even now, America isn't ready for a satire. As Professor Lilly pointed out, the audience just doesn't get that the show is satiric in nature and that's the whole point.

Love Her or Hate Her

We all know the song that plays as a part of the Chocolate cellphone commercial. "Love me or hate me/It's still an obsession/Love me or hate me/That is the question/If you love me then, thank you/If you hate me then, f*ck you..." The question is do you know the voice behind the song.

Name: Louisa Harman
Alter Ego: Lady Sovereign
Fans call her: Sov or S-O-V
Age: 20
Height: 5'1 (a self-described "big midget")
Record Company: Jay-Z's Def Jam
Inspiration: Ms. Dynamite

Her music has been described as "genre bending." Think Missy Elliot's hip-hop, Avril Lavigne's attitude (They both disdain miniskirts and cleavage.), and Eminem's rapping skills. These days, it's getting harder and harder to classify artists and their songs. Many of them can't be confined to the limits of just pop or rock. Thanks to downloading, cds are a dying art. Hence, artists are crossing all genre borders in an effort to revive the endangered media. Only time will tell if this move will appeal or alienate a wider audience.

Lady Sovereign (Sov) chats about the probabilities of her success in America here. She even has her own MySpace page which boasts of 80, 000 friends according to The New York Times. Sov is the first British artist to hold the number one spot on MTV's video countdown, TRL. She is just one of the latest British acts to invade the American music scene. There are a number of breakthrough artists such as Snow Patrol, Corrine Bailey Rae, Keane, James Blunt, and KT Tunstall. Some of the most successful music acts may very well be Coldplay and the Spice Girls.

According to Wikipedia, this movement dates back to the Beatles. The Yoko factor may have put a stop to the fab four, but the British tidal wave continues to head for our shores. Do Americans have an affinity with the Brits simply because they're foreign and by default, fascinating? I'd like to think good music is good music, regardless of who makes it. I never even knew that some of my favorite artists were British, let alone allow that fact to brainwash me into liking them. The songs have voices of their own.

PriMadonna

I had a bout of insomnia last night so I decided to turn on the television. Surprise, surprise! Oprah was on. It looked semi-interesting since Madonna was on albeit via satellite. This made me realize that it's not just serialized television shows that are in danger of extinction due to the latest technology. Even talk shows and award ceremonies have to watch their backs now. More and more celebrities are relying on satellites and web cameras thus, making less and less live appearances. Then again, the new technology could work to their advantage since they can interview celebrities and have them present or accept awards even if they're on foreign soil.

Going back to Madonna, she was talking about her Malawi adoption of a boy named David. At first, David's biological father gave his consent to the singer, thanking her. Then, he recanted saying he didn't realize that giving his son up for adoption meant that he'd never see David again. Some say Madonna shouldn't be surprised at the slow rate this is going. For one thing, the language of Malawi doesn't have a term for "adoption." Let alone established laws on the matter.

Although there's nothing fresh about this issue, what I found new was Madonna's slant on it. She blames the media for all this. She claims that they're the reason why David's father took back his consent. She says that anyone who lives a simple life and is suddenly thrust into the spotlight by the harassing media is bound to cave. Madonna states that her anger is fueled even more because by doing this, the media is discouraging other people to adopt. No one wants to go through the same difficulties she did and that means less children are coming out of Africa to lead better lives.

Although I see her point, I think that most people have their ideas made up about adoption. Either they plan to do so or they don't. Those who are seriously considering it already know that the adoption process is long and difficult whether it's here or abroad. They don't need the press to tell them that. In fact, it's the media that spreads the news about all these celebrities adopting in the first place. Without them, people wouldn't be encouraged further to adopt children from third world countries.

Show and Tell

New televison shows are subject to fickle audiences, steep competition, and the network's ax. A number of fall series have already suffered from all three. CBS' Smith and the CW's Runaway were both cancelled while NBC's Kidnapped and FOX's Vanished are as good as cancelled. In other words, the latter two were exiled to Saturday and Friday timeslots, respectively. On top of that, the networks only ordered 13 episodes of each instead of the usual 22. Some say that it's better than nothing. At least, they're going to finish the season, and they won't dillydally with any unecessary episodes or plotlines.

Originally, I was just going to write about Kidnapped and how other media outlets on kidnapping have been unsuccessful. For instance, the movie Trapped starring Charlize Theron and Kevin Bacon bombed at the box office. It cost $30 million to make, but cashed in under $7 million. Then, I read an article in USA Today about the same thing. However, it expanded the scope of its discussion to why all four of the aforementioned shows failed. The article stipulated that it was because all of them dealt with crime. Also, the audience needed "something they [couldn't] get from CSI or Law and Order." Moreover, the world we live in is already a constant reminder of crime, why do we need to see it on our television sets?

On the other hand, four new shows have been picked up for full seasons. The lucky ones are (Drumroll, please!) CBS' Jericho, ABC's Ugly Betty and Brothers and Sisters, and NBC's Heroes. Coincidentally, I happened to stumble on an article with some insight as to why Ugly Betty and Heroes are successful. Although they're two very different shows, "half the cast of each, including the leads, is a person of color." They boast of cast members who are Indian, Japanese, African-American, and Hispanic. That alone pulls in a very large, diverse audience. I guess they're not the minorities anymore--at least not in the world of television and that's a start.

Yakity Yak Yakity Yak

I've been watching The Megan Mullally Show and for me, it's just not up to par with The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Maybe it's because The Ellen Show has been around longer. Maybe talk shows are like wine--the older, the better.

First off, Megan's stand-up comedy at the beginning of the show is nowhere near as funny as Ellen's. Granted DeGeneres has done stand-up comedy before, what was Will & Grace if not a comedy forum? I suspect the producers of The Megan Show realized this as well since that segment of her show is now relatively shorter than earlier episodes. While I usually skip the first few minutes of shows like Conan O'Brian or Jay Leno because they're boring (I wait for the guests.), I actually enjoy what Ellen has to say during that segment. Plus, she dances! It's an absolute delight to watch her! If for some reason or another, you haven't yet, you should add it to your life list.

In fact, this is the gimmick that's running all season long on The Ellen Show. Ellen is sharing with her audience the life list she made. One of the things on her list is to learn Spanish. She's done this several times on her show and it's hilarious! I'm sorry I can't say the same for Megan. However, one of the few things I like about Mullally's show are the guests she has on. That's when things really get going. Both Bradley Whitford and Laura Linney are recent guests of hers that I enjoyed watching. It could be attributed to Megan's interviewing skills, or more likely, the guests's charisma. Still, if you'll notice, on Mullally's show, they sit on a couch and are physically closer, projecting warmth whereas on DeGeneres' show, they are seated on separate chairs.

Then again, Mullally uses the couch as an excuse to Indian-sit on it while interviewing her guest. I personally find it unprofessional. She should be more aware of the fact that millions of people have their eyes on her. At the very least, you'd think that she'd lure in more people to be in her audience with fabulous giveaways but no. She gives a year supply of meat. Yum! Ellen hands out free Tivos. Is it even a competition? Well, I guess not--since they're on the same network. I suppose NBC ran out of good writers for Mullally. Even the band on The Megan Show is cheesy. I like the deejay on The Ellen Show better. They just replaced DJ Tony from last season with DJ Jonny.

Although I preferred DJ Tony's music selection better, DJ Jonny is a lot more involved in DeGeneres' sketches. So, we get to know him better, and he's quite funny. (As it turns out, he's an actor who's starred in Dead Man Walking, Meet the Parents, etc.) Nonetheless, all the songs he chooses for Ellen's dance segments sound the same--relatively unknown 80s funk. To me, those particular songs he plays are un-danceable to, which is just a tribute to Ellen's dance skills because she works it out. Even when DJ Jonny plays more current music, they're similar songs. For example, in the same show, he played two Missy Elliott songs. Hello? You're a DJ. Music is (supposedly) your repertoire. Give variety.

In addition, one can tell Mullally doesn't quite have her footing yet. She doesn't even have her own website. (The link above is one of the imdb websites of television.) Nevertheless, I learn new things from both Mullally and DeGeneres. Who knew there was such a thing as laughing yoga? Also, did you know that they're coming up with a drink that will give twice the energy as Red Bull? Did you know they're going to call it Cocaine? How apt.

I've also noticed that Ellen is helping people out more and more, which is good but it only dilutes her show as a comedy. Her show's great sense of humor is a major reason why people tune in. If you can't find it in a mate, watch The Ellen Show. Take that away with charity, and all you're left with is the American Red Cross with air time. I think if she wants to use her fame for world peace, she should do it during her time off camera a la Angelina. Breast cancer awareness-themed episodes are fine, but let's not overdo it. In a recent episode, she presented hypnosis as a viable option to quit smoking, overcome phobias, etc. I just hope the hypnotist, Paul McKenna, doesn't become her Dr. Phil or worse, she becomes Oprah.

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Circus Act

Since we were dismissed early today, I was able to catch TRL on MTV. Christina Aguilera's new video premiered so, I was glad to watch that. The video was for Hurt, the same song that she performed at this year's MTV video music awards. One can't help but admire how Christina is constantly reinventing herself from a pop princess to being Stripped and then, Back to Basics. In fact, she co-directed this latest video of hers with Floria Sigismondi. Sigismondi previously directed Aguilera's music video, Fighter. She has also worked with David Bowie, Sarah Mclachlan, Sheryl Crow, Bjork, Incubus, Fiona Apple, and The White Stripes.

Whew! What a resume! Can you imagine the video now? Allow me to help out a bit more. The song is personal for Aguilera since it's about her tumultuous relationship with her father. Thus, the video shows Christina as a little girl with her dad and how they grow apart over the years. It's mainly set at the circus. It goes back and forth from the time Aguilera was a little girl, watching the show with her dad till the time she grows up and is the star of the circus.

While I was watching it, I couldn't help but notice how much attention the circus is getting in the media nowadays. In a recent episode of America's Next Top Model, the theme for the contestant's photo shoot was the "freak shows" at the circus. On MTV, you may stumble upon a Sweet Sixteen replay where the girl's birthday party theme is Cirque du Soleil. HBO aired the short-lived Carnivale. There was also a book and movie of the same name, The Invisible Circus. Hence, one has to ask, what fuels our obssession for circuses?

Yes, it's not everyday that we see a bearded lady or a contortionist, so when the circus comes to town, naturally, the cat is killed. However, I think it's more than that. It's the same reason why people are captivated with X-men. We can relate to them. In one form or another, we are outcasts, too. Perhaps, we don't have Tivo or we don't find forensic work as interesting as the rest of the world--things like that. Seriously, though, we may not be siamese twins or gigantically tall, but we do differ in our sexual orientations, races, cultures, religions, and more. That's what allures us to the "freak shows." They're us.