It's the MOST wonderful time of the year..

Or .... So they say.

I really love this time of year....holiday gift giving...holiday gift returning! Mostly I just love working retail (part time).

This time of the year makes for the best stories when you work in any service industry. Now, I won't name names...but some people just get funnier the more angry they become. So, as established a long long time ago...I work part time at a regional Best Buy store. For some stange reason I decided to answer a question from customer service in person the other day...there in lies my first mistake.

The question, which was legit, was about the recall by Nintendo on the straps of the Wii controllers. Hard to believe that this "lady" didn't want her 8 year old to throw his new toy through their tv. But, that wasn't the fun part. The fun part was when we noticed that her friend, who was with her, had gotten a call to pick up her Wii controller she ordered. She told her friend that the controllers were in...the other lady...who from this point on we will call Mandy (for simplicity) looked at her phone's caller id earlier and saw a call from Best Buy....she didn't answer the phone...when her friend told her that Best Buy called to tell her that the controller she had ordere was in.....Mandy just assumed that was the call in the morning had been about.

So....Mandy hops in the car with her friend...drives the "hours" to the store and waits in line to pick up her Wii accessory! Now's when it gets fun. Turns out that since she didn't answer the phone in the morning...we just moved on to the next person on the list (limited supply and all) so she didn't have anything in store! Now comes the Bitching!

She starts of by saying she is "very upset" (but she is still being civil) then when we tell her that if she had answered the phone in the morning she WOULD have what she wanted. At this point...all hell breaks loose. All of a sudden....she now wants us to give her one of the other sets that is in the back...you know those that were held for people who answered the phone...she also wants the store to pay for her gas to and from the store that day and the day she has to drive back to get the controllers...now Mandy's friend pipes in with "well, since we are all ALREADY mad may I add that I am really mad that who ever called my house told my son, who answered the phone, that the Wii controllers were in." funny how she goes from standing by to Pissed in no time flat. It would seem that since her friend is trying to get free shit...she wants in...now it seems we have "ruined Christmas for her baby boy!"

At this point they are both getting angry and I have officially lost intrest in the whole situation. Sadly I usually like dealing with tough customers....it seems my sarcasim goes right over most people's heads and is confused with genuine intrest! By the end of the 45 min of dealing with these two....I am ready to go back to the dumb questions of the department. That and I am ready to kiss the hands of all the women who work the customer service desk.

I came to realize that it is a hell of a lot easier to deal with pain-in-the-ass customers when you can just walk away from them and pretend to care about someone else. When you are stuck across the counter from someone....it's considereably harder to ditch them!

Then to really cap the day off....I thought someone stole my ipod right off of my belt. After dealing with Mandy and crew I finally took my lunch (thirty minutes late...which as a fat man...is a big deal!) While sitting on the couch I decided to check my pod for a song I was thinking of...I reached down to my belt...and...NOTHING!!

I checked the couch....NOTHING....ran to my truck...NOTHING...so I was pissed as you can guess. But, really what could I do...it was lost! So I just went back to work... I was in a pissy mood and started to kick shit around and just happened to kick a case for a cell phone accessory (that someone stole) under a table in the front of the department.

I violently pulled back the drop cloth on the table..and there was my pod...on the floor under the table. Now the funny part is that I know for a fact that I was only by the table for maybe 2 minutes at the start of my shift....so it sat there on the ground under the table for like 5 hours...any little shit could have snagged it. So, my Sunday night was eventful to say the least.

God I need a drink....thankfully that is all I plan to do this weekend!

Sometimes I just have to shake my head!!

Sometimes I have to share the dumb things I witness in life. This time around it is a quote from CNN news' radio broadcast a few minutes ago.

When talking about the F--k Hole who killed the girls in the Amish school...and I quote:

"He spoke of Suicide, in the suicide note he left."

The funny thing is that the reporter (or official giving statement...couldn't tell) said that like it was a shocking event....almost like...I couldn't believe that he would talk about killing himself...in
his SUICIDE NOTE!!!!!

Seriously...I think that sometimes people just don't think before they talk. I do the same thing...but really...just look at that phrase and tell me it's not one of the dumbest things ever...REALLY!!!!

Truck Update---Part 2

So...I am still walking the tightrope that is sharing a car with my parents. Nothing really wrecks your plans like being 27 and having to ask mom and dad to use the car! But, it could be a whole lot worse...I could have no car...or worse...a neon!

But, looks like my baby will be back home in a few days. The only hold up right now is that there was a probelm with my new bumper---it wasn't for my truck!

That combined with the fact that State Farm missed a part needing to be repaired means that I have to wait a few more days to get the truck back. Funny things is that the part they missed (with labor to install) cost like $1,600. Now I think that is a pretty big thing! Especially since it jumps my total damage to the truck to close to $6000....funny thing is that I think I only paid $11,200 for the damn thing!

Not bad! Hit a deer at 70+/- mph and do damage equal to half the value of your truck!!! Big F-ing deer!!!

That's all...thought I would share!!!

Random Thought...

Why does the law of cosmic disfunction dictate that you will get interested in an artist/event once you move far enough away that it is not practical for you to just go and visit...

I say this since I have recently become obsessed with the music of Gram Parsons.

In the process of becoming a fan it dawned on me that the shrine to his life/death is located in Joshua Tree, California.

Now I haven't checked to see how close it would have been for me to head over there from Burbank (where I lived) but I know it is a hell of a lot closer than Illinois!

So, I guess next summer, when I am hanging in Arizona, I will have to borrow the car and make the 6-10 hour drive!

Just thought I would add that!

Truck Update...

So I finally got word on the damage done to my truck!!! Seems the State Farm claims adjuster had a chance to look things over...and the final total is $4,209.64.

The funny part of the paperwork is that the info they sent me said that I wrecked a 2003 Green Lexus...not a 2003 Dodge Dakota! Now if Jones Body and Frame can come through and "pimp" my truck into a Lexus!!

Turns out they sent the wrong paperwork...really...you don't say! (I know!!! Hard to believe!)

So now that the paperwork is in...I should have my loverly truck back in a week or so! I just want to be able to listen to my ipod in the car again! I have a ton of new Gram Parsons tunes that need to be rocked out in the truck!!!

Me-- 2 Deer-- 0

Oops...I did it again!

Seems that Karma has decided to kick me in the ass again...I finally get a new car...That I am paying for..and what happens? The day before my first payment clears...I Hit A Freakin' Deer!

What makes the situation really strange is that I hit said deer in almost the same place that I bagged another one almost 10 years ago...That time it was prom night...coming back from Post Prom with my then girlfriend Sara...and we hit a deer...being that I didn't have a cell at the time we had to walk into town and wake my parents!

This time I was lucky enough to not have one cell..but two (you know...incase things got crazy!) The first time it was a Chevy Blazer...this time a Dodge Dakota! Thank god this wasn't last month when I was still driving my 1997 Dodge Stratus...that would have been ugly.

Things could have been worse though...as I was walking around my car I thought I stepped on a rock...or part of the deer! Instead of kicking it into the highway...I used the light from my cell to see what I was standing on************turns out it was my ipod! So that could have sucked more.

The State Trooper (Monica) was great...we had a few laughs...I couldn't believe I hit ANOTHER deer...she was lost since she wasn't in her own district..so there was a learning curve with the software she was using to file the report! All in all the situation could have been worse...but it still sucked pretty bad! I am fine...just a bit of a headache and some nausea...may go to the doctor on Monday if it keeps up!

But, here is what you have been waiting for...MORE PICTURES!!!

The Drunkest Night Of My Life...and Similar Nights

A long time ago...well, does circa 1998-1999 count as a long time ago? If it does this is the story of the drunkest night of my life.....Complete with Pictures!

Let me start by saying that I in no way advocate underage drinking (anymore) or binge drinking!

So, in general, "condo" parties were the best of times I guess there is something to be said for having friends who had a 28 year old roommate!...skipping ahead, drinking games are fun...but dangerous. That by the way is the moral of the story I am about to lay before you in short form (with pictures...not all of which were from the night in question).

Parties usually involved 20-30 people (Most of who know each other) many of who are, or were, dating someone at the party at the time, hangin out for hours on end..drinking...doing other things...drinking.

This specific night I started out with the following:


So needless to say a bottle later and I was in no shape to do anything...but that didn't mean that I did nothing. It was at this point that a certain friend decided to introduce me to a new, and he said "very easy" drinking game. One that should only take a few attempts at most to master.

Enter this man: (don't piss him off or he will lick your face...story for another time!)


Now this photo was taken at the end of the "Cardinal" process...but before the major excitement of the night. Ben tells me now that I acutally passed the game earlier....but he was feeling particularly Evil!....

Basically, I think he just wanted to see if I would stop...but I say quitting is for..well...quitters. After finishing the process I thought nothing was wrong. That was until I tried to jump down from sitting on the railing of the deck. It turns out that there was a thin layer of ice on the wood....which is what caused me to slip and slide head first through the window beside the sliding glass door: (notice the fine quick fix of plastic wrap and duct tape!)



But, since this picture is of the "morning after" I need to step back for a moment and fill in a little of what happend between my grand entrance and waking up the next morning. This is where if you have ever drank with me...or my buddy Chris...you may have heard of the main event of the evening. Strangly...it wasn't going head first through a double pane window!

After taking out the window I passed out on the couch...I don't know how long I was out, but I remember how I woke up! And so does everyone who was at the party!!! Here are the main words of the story...

PROJECTILE VOMIT

I guess I have come to terms with this story...hence the reason I am sharing it with the world....Chris has shared it with enough people that I guess eveyone else should know.

To spare the gorey details here are the events in seven easy steps:

1) I vomit so hard that it hits the opposite wall (a good 12 feet so I am told)
2) People scatter--FAST
3) I get placed in the shower (Still Dressed)
4) People yell...laugh...Andy and Rachel sit outside the door and try to decide if I don't talk back how soon they should kick in the door and have Andy (always good to have and EMT at parties) "clear my airways"!!
5) Wake up...regret the evening...forget for close to 10 years about who actually witnessed the saddest night of your life...
6) Thank God that those who were there still consider you a Friend...
7) Know they will never let you forget the night

So that's it...now here are a few other pictures from that night and nights like it!

Still one of my favorie pictures I've ever taken!!!
The more things change...the more they stay the same!!!

Beer...beer...beer, said the Private!!!---

What is the best way to enjoy a St. Louis Cardinals Game???? Drunk with friends of course!!

Sadly, me being drunk means that there isn't that much in the way of photographic proof from the event. Which is kinda sad, since I bought my digital camera earlier this year I did so with the thought in mind that I would take tons of pictures whenever I go out. Especially to games and parties...but...strange enough, when I start drinking I forget to take photos.

But, fear not...there are some photos...

Ceramic Squirrel...has child..

So a month or so back I wrote about my poor pet squirrel who was rescued from a life of pain and suffering...well, it turns out he has a kid...TJ (Tadihito Jr.) Tadihito decided to be a good absentee father and send his son to vegas in an effort to win back years of neglect...here is a selection of photos from the trip.
Pool side at the Venetian...

Still hanging at the Venetian...
Mime is such a dirty word..I like to think of this guy as a "living statue" and let me tell you.....this guy almost broke character when asked to "hold my squirrel"
Hoover Dam, took the Dam Tour, asked Dam Questions, had a damn good time.
NASCAR it's not just a people sport!
More Dam Photos
Never said I was one to follow rules...if dad had been around this picture wouldn't be a surprise to him...



I don't care what you say...I love Celine Dion and she love me!!
Hard to believe that Arizona has mountains this small...or is it that I am soo big!??
"Grandama" Shields...my tour guide to all things Vegas.
Go ahead...call him a clown....he's a jester...and don't you forget it!!
I said no salt...no salt for my margaritta...I will take my coupons to a competing resort...if I could find one in Vegas.

My Dane Cook Moment

So I am standing around the Best Buy the other day, I would say I was "working" but there really wasn't a whole hell of a lot to do. It finally happened I had a moment that was straight (well kinda) out of Dane's routine.

I saw out of the corner of my eye a guy pushing a TV on his cart at a good speed....I turned my head slightly to the right only to see a younger individual getting ready to run out into the path of the man with the TV.
Part of me wanted to say lookout you're going to get hit by a tv!!!!!!!! But all that came out was ooohhhh!!!!!!!!!!....(hand outstreatched!!!) and sure enough the two met at the perfect spot...

TV cart+ hitting young man=young man FLIPS

The only downside was the fact that the kids shoes stayed on! Fuck Shoes! If they had flown off I think I may have died. That was by far, and without a doubt, THE most entertaining thing I have ever seen at Best Buy.

NASCAR's Worst Nightmare

I know this isn't original..but I have a steaming haterd of NASCAR at this exact moment of my life and decided to express it through the oldest of NASCAR jokes.

Attack of the Ceramic Squirrel

There are two people I would like to introduce you to at this point...The first is my friend Rachel, the second is our "Pet" Tadihito the Squirrel!

I won't say where we "liberated" Tadihito from. Just know that he is now in a loving home. Hopefully we will be able to find a companion for him in the near future!

But...I am thinking that the little guy will get some good travel time this summer. Not
"roaming gnome" miles .. but still travel time. So be on the lookout for more "family" photos.

Another artist you need to know about.

If you are a hardcore glam rock fan you may have run across the band I am about to talk about. But, if you have never gotten into the glam scene from the early 70's...now is a good time to start. The essentials are of course Bowie, Marc Bolan & T.Rex, Slade, Sweet and more....

Many of the major "glam" acts crossed the pond to take over America but, there were a handful of homegrown acts that could have been huge if it hadn't been for the sudden and sweeping impact of acts like David Bowie. The band that I am currently infatuated with is Silverhead.


This is a band that never really took off in the states...but were Worshiped as Glam Gods in Japan! The only problem with getting hooked on this band is there are only two studio albums and one live album to get you by! The first of which is the selftitled "Silverhead" album.

In my opinion the best of the two albums, the second album being "16 and Savaged". The best cuts off the debut album are without a doubt: Johnny, a slow ballad of the death of a troubled youth; Ace Supreme, never before has a motorcycle metaphore been so full of sex; Silverhead Boogie, clocking in at under a minute...still full of fun.

The follow up, "16 and Savaged" while a solid album was an attempt by the band to turn in a radio friendly album, while still keeping their edge. Sadly, the album was too edgy for radio and not edgy enough for the hard core fans. An example of this is found in my favorite track on the album, "More Than Your Mouth Can Hold" With lyrics like, "You said that I was small... how I've grown up, a big boy...now I'm more than your mouth can hold." It is no shock that radio didn't take a shining to the album.

After Silverhead broke up lead singer Michael Des Barres went on to front a band called Detective, and then breifly replaced Robert Palmer as the lead singer for Power Station. He never officially recorded with the group. But, one of his first gigs with Power Station was Live Aid (1985).

Bassist Nigel Harrion would fair a little better as he would go on to play for a little band called Blondie.

Des Barres has since filled his time with acting. Some people dismiss him as an actor but I personally think that he played one of the greatest on screen villians....EVER!! MacGyver's arch nemesis...Murdoc.

I was shocked when I found that out...seems I've been a Des Barres fan for a long long time.

That being said...if you get a chance to pick up a copy of either "Silverhead" or "16 and Savaged" and you are a fan of groups like The New York Dolls, or T.Rex...you may find that you have a fine new addition to your cd/ipod collection.

Contentment!

Love Monkey returned to VH1 last night...I am happy.. that is all. Amiee Mann performed...Paul Shaffer had a guest spot.. and a funny one at that...all is right with the world. Atleast for the next five weeks.



On a side note to Greymatter...if you stop by I will have your copy of the show to you asap.....as I know you have forsaken cable (forsaken....decided it was better to buy food/pay for rent...you decide).

Love Monkey returns tonight! (or actually right now!)

Love Monkey makes its return .... RIGHT NOW!!! to VH1. This is getting out a little late, and I am sorry for that. But, here is the important news...

VH1 tonight is running the first three episodes of Love Monkey back-to-back-to-back. Then starting next week we get the five episodes that were shot but not aired.

So set your DVR, VCR, TiVo device!

As for the hope that VH1 will order new episodes??? Not going to happen (I am sad!) it seems that Tom Cavanaugh has a new pilot in the works.

Bands you need to know about...Part 1

The first artist that I would like to profile here is, in my opinion, poised to explode. The artist I speak of is Rocco DeLuca & the Burden.

I picked up the album after watching, of all people, Keifer Sutherland on the Late Show with Craig Ferguson. This album represents the first release from Sutherland and partner Jude Cole's Ironwoks Music. www.ironworksmusic.com

Usually I like to hear atleast one song off an album before I drop the cash. But, in this case, listening to Sutherland speak about DeLuca with such passion made me think that there may be something to this new artist.

Once the album was released I found myself driving around listening to it non-stop. A quote on the ironworks site says, "Rocco's sound naturally emerged as a soulful combination of blues and rock with honest, vulnerable lyrics backed with an unsurpassed inner strength." This quote is a perfect summation of the album.

Songs like "Gift", "Gravitate", and "Soul" all speak to the listener. Rocco's voice is strong yet gentle at the same time. I say that with no reservation. I usually shy away from male vocalists for one reason or another. But, Rocco has something that makes me keep hitting the play button my my car cd player, home cd player, and ipod!

For an album purchased soley on the TV talk show recomendation of a favoirte actor...I was shocked. From start to finish a soild album with soul and heart.

If you haven't heard Rocco DeLuca and the Burden...take my advice, pick up the album...listen... love...then tell all your friends about the great artis you "found" and see if they don't agree that you are a genuis for the find.

New Favorite Site.

Looking for a new T-Shirt? My new favorite site on the web for rock/fun shirts featuring such killer slogans as the one to the left... "When the Monkey is High...You do not Stare"

The site you are looking for is www.djtees.com

I just ordered my Marc Bolan & T. Rex shirt and I can't wait for it to arive...

You will have to do basic math skills as all prices are listed in pounds...but if that's your only problem..deal with it.

I got your Love Monkey RIGHT HERE (VH1)

VH1 Rocks...

Well, for now Love Monkey has a home. VH1 has announced that starting in April it will run all 8 episodes of the Critically Acclaimed (viewer deprived) former CBS show.

Currently there are no plans to put the show back into production...but..I can dream. The good news is that there are five more shows for me to watch...love...then download to my ipod video!

Teachers, Next on the Cancelled list?

For the most part Teachers, the new NBC sitcom, is getting failing grades. (god I don't believe I actually used that line!) But, I think the pilot showed great promise.

Unlike the last BBC import that NBC butchered (Coupling) I don't have a history with this show. I hear great things about the original..and currently have it on my amazon.co.uk wish list! But, this time I nothing to compare the show against. Which may be a good thing.

I found the pilot to be very, very funny. Both my parents are teachers, and from time to time I do some sub work at my old high school, those facts made some of the sublte moments funnier to me. Not that I know any teachers who play golf in the school, or drink beer in class... atleast none that will admit to it! I still think the show was funny.

People, and by that I am talking about "critics" need to lighten up and have fun with a show. For God sake Joey lasted into a second season!!

According to Sid Smith the "arts critic" for the Chicago Tribune, "New sitcoms routinely suffer from a trickle of so-so laughs, with the occasional real chuckle. This one manages an entire half-hour without a single viable joke." I disagree...maybe it is my lowbrow humor speaking. Or maybe I just don't know what is funny. But, I laughed from start to finish.

The writing is good...not great..but good. I think given a chance the writing will catch up with what makes the show work...the cast. Now I may be partial here..but Justin Bartha and Sara Alexander are hilarious.

When I head that Alexander was going to be on the show...I almost died. If you have never seen this funny, talented, stunningly beautiful woman in action I suggest you head out to your local video retailer and pick up any season of the original BBC sitcom "Coupling"...either that or turn on BBC America and try to find a rerun of that or Green Wing. She has the looks and a great comedic timing!

Bartha has been a favorite of mine since...I don't beleive I am going to admit to seeing this movie...Gigli. There it is out in the open...I saw Gigli. Not in the theater mind you...for free on HBO...kinda like rubber necking an accident...you have to look, even if you don't want to. But, he and Alexander carry the show...given time I think it will turn out to be a good "quirky" sitcom.

As I said...given a chance....it will be a funny show week in and week out. Or not given a chance it will give me one more reason to hate network tv. Thank God FX is turning out great shows....caught the premier of Theif tonight also...but that is a different story.

ipod playlist of the day!

I felt the need to play with the blog today....
late nights at the radio station will have that effect
Is it strange that I choose to listen to my ipod at a time like this
rather than watch the Illini play ball?
That being said I felt the need to share my current "Oldies" mix





Marrakesh Express - Crosby, Stills & Nash (Crosby, Stills & Nash)
Southern Cross - Crosby, Stills & Nash (Daylight Again)
The Christian Life - The Byrds (Sweetheart of the Rodeo)
Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 - Bob Dylan (Blonde on Blonde)
Visions of Johanna - Bob Dylan (Blonde on Blonde)
Subterranean Homesick Blues - Bob Dylan (Greatest Hits)
Piece of My Heart - Big Brother and Holding Co. (Cheap Thrills)
Happiness is a Warm Gun - Beatles (White Album)
Rocky Racoon - Beatles (White Album)
Walk on the Wild Side - Lou Reed (Platinum and Gold Collection)
Satellite of Love - Lou Reed (Velvet Goldmine Soundtrack)
Some Guys Have all the Luck - Robert Palmer (Very Best of)
Louie, Louie- Paul Revere and the Raiders (Legend of Paul Revere)
Kicks - Paul Revere and the Raiders (Legend of Paul Revere)
Indian Reservation - Paul Revere and the Raiders (Legend of Paul Revere)
Some Like it Hot - Power Station (Very Best of Robert Palmer)
Don't Give up on us Baby - David Soul (Have A Nice Day Time Life Series)
She's Not There - The Zombies (Absolutely the Best)
Lola - The Kinks (The Kink Kronikles)
If you could read my mind now - Gordon Lightfoot (Greatest Hits)
Ziggy Stardust - David Bowie (Best of Bowie)
Incense & Peppermints - Strawberry Alarmclock (Time Life best of 1967)
Horse with No Name - America (America)
Beast of Burden - Rolling Stones (Fourty Licks)
Maggie May - Rod Stewart (Greatest Hits)
Jackie Blue - Ozark Mountain Daredevils (Have a Nice Day series)
Signs - Five Man Electrical Band (Have a Nice Day Series)
Anarchy in the U.K - Sex Pistols
Aqualung - Jethro Tull
Blitzkrieg Bop - Ramones
Jesus is just alright with me - Doobie Brothers
Rock Lobster - B52's
Space Oddity - David Bowie (Best of Bowie)
Psycho Killer - Talking Heads
The Night Chicago Died - Paper Lace (Have a Nice Day Series)
Ticket to Ride - Beatles (Help!)
Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport - Dan Spencer (COOEE)
Tiny Dancer - Elton John (1970-2002)
Toad - Cream (Those were the Days box Set)
Tobacco Road (Remix) - Paul Revere and the Raiders (Legend of Paul Revere)
Two out of three ain't Bad - Meatloag (Bat out of Hell)
Under Pressure - David Bowie (Best of Bowie)
Vicious - Lou Reed (Platinum & Gold Collection)
The Guitar Man - Bread
One Tin Soldier (The Legend of Billy Jack) - Coven
Dude (looks like a lady) - Aerosmith (Big Ones)


OK, so at close to fifty songs....maybe the list ran a bit long...but like I said. I needed somethig to do!

Mission Accomplished.....see a song I left off? Let me know!

CBS Spanks "Monkey"

You ever have one of those days where you sit down and start to watch a tv show that you recorded and say to yourself...."I can't wait for next weeks episode!"? Only to have a little voice in the back of your head go NOT SO FAST!!?

This seems to be the TV season of my discontent! Things started off on a down note when FX Cancelled "Over There" and "Starved" after season one. Now "Starved" was an acquired taste..sorry for the bad pun. But, Over there was nothing short of brilliant. The only good thing was the fact that FX allowed those shows to finish their respective seasons.

Then we move our attention to FOX (Bastard Wasteland of Cancelled Shows) I was really starting to get into "The Inside". Great cast...sort of an x-files meets Silence of the Lambs thing going on. But, just when I was getting excited...Canned. But, Fox hooked me again a few months later with Killer Instinct. Again...fun cast, good writing/acting....canned after six (or seven) episodes.

Now we move on to another show that I was really excited about. The CBS drama "Love Monkey"




No sooner had I lent out my copy of the first three episodes to a friend who is a music junkie....CBS puts the show "on hiatus" meaning DEAD IS DEAD!

Why do the words critically acclaimed not translate into a chance to find its audience? Sure the numbers dropped from like 8.9 million viewers in week one down to 5.4 million in week three....still...over 5 million people were watching the show. Not every show can deliver the numbers that the lowest common denominator on TV "American idol" has. Don't get me wrong Idol has it's place on TV....14 year old girls need something to watch on a week night!

My question is who has a shorter attention span now? The American Public? or the networks themselves? I hate to see good television disappear from the lineup and be replaced with Reality TV...(god I think I threw up in my mouth saying that!) Amazing Race.....Dancing/Skating with the Stars (and can you really use the term Stars???) And now comes word that NBC will have it's own version of "Eurosong" (think American Idol where you have to come up with the song and the music...and perform it) which has been running on European TV for something like 40 years.

While we are on the subject....why is it that I have no problem watching a quality show on the BBC...then the US version comes out and it sucks! Think Coupling, The Office....(say what you want about the office being funny...the British version is ten times better.)

If it wasn't for a hand full of shows on TV now: 24, The Shield, Rescue Me, How I Met Your Mother, NCIS, E-Ring. Along with the promise of a few new shows: The Unit, Thief, and one or two others....I think I may have switched over to BBC 4 by now!

All in all I think the canning of Love Monkey hurts the most since I had gotten a small group of friends hooked on it after episode one. But, the axe hasn't fallen for sure....I can only hope that CBS takes a good long look at their decision and if worst comes to worst just airs the final five episodes they ordered or, being the money hungry Whores they are, throws them out on DVD.

We shall see. For now all I can do is Bitch and moan and groan....and believe me I have...and will keep on Bitching!

The Real Superbowl winner!!!

Watching the Superbowl last night I couldn't help but think....Why am I wasting my time watching a game between two teams I don't care about? Is it the love of the game? Did I have money, or pride, riding on the outcome (yes and no)?? The more I thought about it the more I realized that during a game like this there is one bright spot...the winners and losers of superbowl commercials.

Here is my short list:

Worst Spots:

5. Monster.com (the monkey ads)...I was starting to think that they were just running the same spots as last year!
4. Pizza Hut...Jessica Simpson....Jessica Jessica Jessica...was the break up so bad that you actually thought this spot was going to be funny? Did you need work so bad that you jumped at the first offer after Nick packed his bags? On the bright side I hated it just slightly less than the winner that clocks in at number one!
3. Bud Light (hey all twelve spots can't be jems)... The rotating wall spot. Kinda made me wish for the wassup guys!
2. Any local spot that got shoved in at halftime...talk about your commercial let downs
and the Winner for WORST SUPERBOWL SPOT>>>>>
1. Burger King. Talk about starting the show off with a stinker...Now I am sure that those dancers trained real hard..but come on WTF!!!!!

Winners
5. Fed Ex... Loved the Caveman spot..Still not as good as the test pattern ad of a few years ago. But, I laughed real hard.
4. Alieve....Leonard Nemoy spot....got to love a guy who doesn't take himself too seriously. Trekkies around the world breath a little easier knowing that the Vulcan hand sign is still going strong. Nothing is as gruesome as a Star Trek Convention riot!
3. Sprint...the first spot where the guy hits his friend in the face with the phone, twice. Nothing is more fun to watch during a superbowl ad then senseless cell phone violence.
2. Budweiser....Return of the football playing horses..with a twist....STREAKER! best line, "oh, I didn't need to see that."

And my Pick for Favorite:
Three little letter RDA



MasterCard Gets my nod for the best spot. This spot saved a fourth quarter of worthless spots. Loved the fact that Richard Dean Anderson was able to bring back the ever loved ever bashed character of MacGyver. If you missed the spot here is the link to watch it online.

http://www.priceless.com/film/worldpremiere.html

Honorable/Dishonorable mention: I was disappointed in the Emerald Nuts spot...and most of the car commercials. Heff and the Playboy bunnies along with Shaq and Tony Hawk for Desperate Housewives???? I must say that I did enjoy vast majority of the Bud spots, and the Fidelity spot in the hospital was pretty funny too. All in all it was a down year for the spots...kinda makes me hope for a second season of "Terry Tate Office Linebacker" during next years big game.

I NEED HELP....24 season 5

If you should stumble accross this and feel the need to help a poor soul...now is your chance. My god forsaken DVR didn't tape tonights episode of 24. I am looking for a site that has as good torrent of the episode...or any way to download the episode. Help me obi-wan Kenobi...your my only hope!!

Vic and Jack are Back...and I'm in love!

Well, the days I have waited for have come and gone...the two best shows on TV are back and in full swing. 24 and The Shield have both started and I really don't know how I found a way to live without them!

Jack and Vic...two of the best characters on the Tube are now on back-to-back nights. (Monday/Tuesday respectively) I would like to think that I actually "followed" a show during the down time between seasons....and oh what a down time it has been. But, really all other shows were just place holders for these two.

There is an upside and a downside!!! Upside they are back and 24 is new every week until the season is over....Downside...there are only 11 episodes of The Shield for this season. I blame the BBC for the short season idea. Over there a long season is maybe 14 episodes. But then again, season one of the comedy Coupling was only seven episodes (it ran for four seasons and I don't think it even hit the 22 episode mark). But, as long as we get a quality 11 episodes I can deal with the shortness of the season. Hell, atleast I don't have to wait for two years between seasons like you poor bastards who watch the Sopranos!

As for 24...Finally a show that delivers on it's "Don't miss the first 10 minutes" promo tag. Most times that is just a ploy to pull in new viewers. But, in this case and I am guessing that everyone has seen the first four hours....first 10 minutes included!!



Killing Palmer, Michelle,and possibly Tony....all in the first ten minutes was a shock. Then having Jack kill the assassin before the first portion is over....this all sets the tone for what I can only assume is going to be one of the best non-stop seasons yet.

So far I like the addition of Sean Astin to the cast...can't feel him out quite yet. But, I loved him when he was on the second season of Jeremiah (another of my favorites....Cancelled by showtime...BASTARDS!). Now the only downside to 24 is the fact that after two nights and four hours I have to be a good little soldier and wait a week for my one hour.