Category: Television

Dancing With the Stars Team Paso Doble — Derek Hough Rescues Hope Solo

I like a feisty man, but after watching Maksim Chmerkovskiy man-handle Hope Solo during the Team Paso Doble practice, I’ve officially changed my ‘Dancing With the Stars’ crush to Derek Hough. When Maksim disturbingly tossed Hope around during what seemed like a temper tantrum, Derek Hough interjected to teach her the step. It’s particularly interesting because Maksim recently attributed Derek’s insane success on the show to his talented partners, saying that if he was given the same partners, he’d be just as good. Perhaps Maksim should watch the video below and then apologize to Derek Hough. It seems like the only person in Maksim’s way is Maksim.

Educational Resource: Maksim is probably wishing that his partners had taken classes from online masters degree programs in performing arts.

Kim Kardashian Files for Divorce — Was it a Hoax?

It’s time for Kim Kardashian to cash-out of reality television. Her 72 day marriage ended after a ridiculous wedding special that clearly exposed the flaws in her relationship. There’s a clip of her crying on Bruce Jenner’s shoulder because she misses her late father, and she says, “I don’t want Kris to see me emotional because he didn’t know my dad.” Um — huh? If you can’t cry on your future husband’s shoulder — there’s a problem.

But there’s a bigger issue at play here. Why is Kim Kardashian continuing the reality television madness? Rumor has it she’s worth well over $100 million, which means she can move to an island and drink mojitos for the rest of her life. If you want that kind of fame, then don’t get married and don’t have children. No relationship can survive with cameras constantly around, and any man that’s okay with that is intrinsically flawed.

I feel sorry for Kim Kardashian. She seems like a nice enough girl that got caught up in a whirlwind that she can’t escape, and she’s sacrificed her personal life because of it. Get off the train, Kim — there’s still time. And if the rumors are true and this was an elaborate hoax meant for cash, then she might just rot in hell.

External Resource: It will take an experienced legal team, like those trained at online paralegal school, to help Kim Kardashian with her divorce.

Dr. Drew Interviews Courtney Stodden — Deplorable

Remember when Dr. Drew was a real doctor? Now he’s just one of those television hacks that preys on the downfall of celebrities. And to make matters worse, he has a new, purposeless show that involves interviewing Z-list celebrities. Those “celebrities” include the 51 year old Doug Hutchinson (also known as “pedophile”) and the 17 year old Courtney Stodden (also known as “suffering from Stockholm syndrome”). And forgive me for picking on little children — but what’s wrong with Courtney Stodden’s face?

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‘New Girl’ — Best New Comedy on Television

Zooey Deschanel is that rare breed of actress that appeals to both men and women. She’s extremely likable, and her new show, ‘New Girl’, illustrates her understated comedic timing. Did I mention it’s a ratings hit? That is quite the coup, given the likelihood of success in this cutthroat television industry. Deschanel plays “Jess”, a girl in her late twenties that lives with three guys she found on Craigslist after she discovered her long-term boyfriend cheated. Her new roommates help mend her broken heart, and they soon become protective. Despite her looks, Jess doesn’t know her value, which makes her charming. I couldn’t picture anyone but Zooey Deschanel in this role (the casting director deserves a promotion). Because I exited a long-term relationship myself and subsequently found a group of guys to erase my depression, I find this story personally relatable. In fact, I think almost everyone can relate. Watch a clip below.

‘Glee’s’ Naya Rivera Covers FHM — Nearly Naked

These Glee kids annoy me. They have a hit television show, get paid a lot of money, and still want to undress for magazine covers. Do they hope to get a hall pass out of television detention by taking their clothes off? If that’s the case, I’m certain they’re asking for a social shunning. I should give Naya Rivera the benefit of the doubt. That FHM cover-photo must have been intended for her boyfriend and not the entire world. Perhaps she’s a phone-hacking victim? That has to be the only explanation for such a poor choice. And in case my readers are wondering — yes — I’m a judgmental prude.

Jon Stewart v. Seth MacFarlane — Piers Morgan Gets the Dirt

Everyone knows that Jon Stewart notoriously addresses bad behavior. But when Seth MacFarlane recounted the verbal tongue lashing he received from Stewart during the 2008 writer’s strike — I was shocked. Who knew Jon Stewart made house calls?

The irony of the writer’s strike is that while many writers fought for more — they ended up with less. The main issues being asked for at the time, included: a higher DVD residual rate on DVD sales; compensation for new media (such as internet streaming of television shows); and obtaining writing credit for work on reality television (at the time this was considered a “non-scripted” medium). But while the writers were fighting, Hollywood suffered, and many shows were canceled because the ratings didn’t recover from the extended hiatus. As a result, jobs were lost. David Letterman led the moral pack by paying his own writers out of pocket during the strike, and he later struck a deal with the Writers Guild, which allowed his staff to return without crossing the picket line.

It was rumored that Stewart attempted and failed to negotiate a Letterman-style deal, so he instead chose to air his show without his writers. But he was between a rock and a hard place. Had he gone dark, many non-writers working on The Daily Show at the time stood to lose their jobs. Did he make the right choice? Is it arguable? And if it is arguable, did Seth MacFarlane have a right to take a stand?

‘Arrested Development’ Returns to Television — God Exists!

I’ve always argued that if a television show is on a major network and the ratings are consistently poor, then the comedy isn’t strong enough. When I make this argument to ‘Arrested Development’ fans, I fear for my life. The show won six Emmys in three years, and yet the ratings never reflected its critical acclaim. Since it got the axe, fans everywhere have begged for its return, and now — it appears they got their wish. Series creator Mitch Hurwitz announced that he hopes to do 10 more episodes in preparation for a film. I hope that’s true, though I have to say I highly doubt it. Why? — Because getting a show on television requires a plethora of elements that make it nearly impossible, and it therefore takes a lot more than a general commitment to make it happen. Plus, I’ve heard for years that Michael Serra was dragging his feet on committing to the film. Here’s hoping I’m wrong.

Tabloid Gossip — Week-in-Review — Who Knew?

  • Derek Hough and Lauren Conrad might be a couple.  E! Online
  • Elizabeth Hurley is engaged to Australian cricketeer boyfriend Shane Warne. PopSugar
  • Mike Myers is officially a dad to a baby boy named Spike. RealityTVWorld
  • Sarah Gilbert and Kris Jenner teared up while discussing their previous relationships on The Talk. AOL TV
  • Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds reunited at a Radiohead concert. Us Magazine
  • David Arquette is dating Joe Francis’ ex-wife, Christina McLarty. Ear Sucker
  • Crystal Harris auctioned off Hugh Hefner’s engagement ring. SheKnows
  • George Clooney brought Stacy Keibler to the Ides of March premiere. Celebitcy
  • Naomi Watts opened up about her relationship with Heath Ledger. Socialite Life
  • Kristin Cavallari and Jay Cutler might be on-again. Celebuzz
  • ‘X-Men’s’ James Marsden and his wife of 10 years are divorcing. PopCrunch
  • ‘Kiss’ frontman and eternal lady chaser, Gene Simmons, is married. People

David Arquette Gives a Howard Stern Shout-Out on DWTS

If you watched David Arquette’s jive last night on Dancing With The Stars, you might have noticed him say a strange word during his post dance discussion with Brooke Burke. So what is “Baba Booey”? For all the non Howard Stern fans out there, “Baba Booey” is the nickname of Howard Stern’s producer, Gary Deli’Abate, and random Stern fans everywhere often shout out this nickname on national television as a tribute to their radio hero. The best part of Arquette’s shout-out is that Tom Bergeron is also a huge Howard Stern fan, and he quickly followed Arquette’s cue by also saying the nickname. I suppose Arquette took Howard Stern’s recent advice to be “more himself.” Watch the 6:30 mark in the video below to see his tribute.

‘RHOBH’s Taylor Armstrong Discusses Russell’s Abuse

I have mixed feelings about Taylor Armstrong’s interview with Entertainment Tonight where she discussed the physical abuse she suffered at the hands of her now-deceased husband. It’s certainly important to openly discuss domestic violence, and given that she’s already in the spotlight, it’s helpful that she’s in a position to draw more attention to the very serious issue. Having said that, it rubs me the wrong way. I suppose all television interviews are symbiotic, so it’s only inevitable that Entertainment Tonight would gain a ratings coup from this interview. But why is Taylor speaking up now, and why did she choose to engage in a reality show when her personal life was in shambles? Perhaps she wanted to make money independent of her husband so she could gain the strength to leave him? And did Bravo know about the violence? If they did, was it fair to keep her on television? Did they intervene? It’s difficult to spot that line in the sand in order to determine whether it’s been crossed. Click the link below to see the video.

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