Archive for August, 2010
1-555-LIVE-LYNX
Aug 31st
Here’s a very silly, but quite funny, video from the guys at Funny or Die, for a fictional premium rate phone-line – Live Lynx…
Obviously this is a very easy topic for comedy – as proven by the Lez Chat video we recently posted (also from the Funny or Die guys). But I must admit this one did make me chuckle a few times. There’s just something about this kind of ‘so bad it’s good’ comedy that makes me laugh (hence my love for films like Soapdish and the criminally under-rated Drop Dead Gorgeous)
The actress is called Deborah S. Craig and she has limited credits – but I suspect she’ll see a spike in interest following this commercial… But once again Deborah doesn’t have a website to promote herself (this is exactly why I wrote my piece – Why Actors Need To Get Their Act Together) I’m amazed by how many people just don’t understand the implications of the social media world and how to use it to promote themselves…
Anyway – rant over… check out the Live Lynx clip below… did it make you laugh?
CRAZY COMMERCIAL: LIONEL RICHIE / WALKERS CRISPS
Aug 31st
Oh Lionel – has it really come to this?
Check out classic crooner Lionel Richie in the latest British commercial for Walkers crisps… wow someone clearly has bills to pay!
To be fair to Lionel, this advert is nowhere near the level of embarrassment as some of these Japanese commericals I recently posted about (oh Hulk Hogan, what won’t you do for a paycheck). But it’s still a questionable choice.
I often wonder why celebrities take on these types of adverts. Lionel can’t really be low on cash with all those Commodores and ‘Hello’ royalties coming in – can he? And its not like he had to pay for a college education for Nicole Richie… so why the need to make a quick buck from a cheapo UK commercial?
Or am I being too harsh? After all – if the money’s on the table – who wouldn’t take the payday for a day’s work…?
What do you think? Do commercials like these diminish a celebrity’s status… or just show they have a sense of humor? Start weighing in…
GLENN BECK: ‘GOD’S FLYOVER’
Aug 30th
We always try and avoid political topics here on Remote Patrolled… but at this point Glenn Beck has almost moved beyond Republicans Vs Democrats and into his own special world of crazy!
After Beck’s controversial ‘Restoring Honor’ rally at the weekend, check out the Fox News star discussing the event on his self titled talk show tonight.
You see Glenn wanted a flyover during his parade but it just wasn’t possible… But thankfully God had other plans and sent Glenn and his followers a flock of geese in honor of the event. Amazing. It’s a miracle… or maybe just nature… one or the other!
I don’t know exactly when Fox News became the 700 Club, or quite what Beck’s bosses are thinking, but am I the only one who thinks the Crazy Town bus just left a passenger behind…
Enjoy guys (and thanks to (more…)
EMMYS 2010: THE OPENING NUMBER
Aug 30th
Here it is, hands down the BEST moment from this year’s Emmy Awards – as Jimmy Fallon, a few of the Glee cast and a ragtag of other celebrities take to the stage for a rendition of Born To Run…
I loved the Kate Gosellin gag (good for her!), seeing Jon Hamm’s comedic side again and the always fabulous Jane Lynch in action. All in all it was a great way to start the show – even better than Neil Patrick Harris’ terrific ‘Put Down That Remote’ last year…(see below!)
As for the rest of the show though – here’s a few thoughts from my end…
– Jimmy Fallon: Great guy but not such a hot host. Aside from the opening he hardly did anything, aside from some very lame Twitter gags and an okay musical parody later in the show that mocked Elton John, Green Day and 24 (including a ‘why doesn’t Jack ever go the restroom gag’ that was older than Elton’s last hit). Not a patch on NPH last year…
– And speaking of great hosts… how fantastic was Ricky Gervais‘ presenting speech. After a succession of awkward autocue moments (oh Matthew Perry and Lauren Graham how I feel for you) More >
THE X FACTOR: ANNASTASIA BAKER
Aug 28th
Next up, here’s Annastasia – a shortlisted performer from 2008 who’s now aiming to hit the finals…
As you’ll see from this clip, the audition doesn’t exactly go to plan with Baker at first attempting Proud Mary and coming across as Tina Turner lite (and really who can compete with Tina. What was she thinking!) Simon wasn’t exactly PC with his trannie comment – but he was right on the money. It was pure cabaret…
Changing gears Annastasia tackles Adele with much better results but though she passed through with 3 ‘Yes’ votes I see danger ahead. Clearly Baker doesn’t really know her sound or style yet and 2 years on from her last audition I question just how much she’s really grown…
But what do you think? Do you think Annastasia has what it takes? Or even with heavy producing do you still see her coming up short…
THE X FACTOR: THE REASON
Aug 28th
After a week of Auto-Tune and contestant scandals – all of which will only add to the show’s immense ratings – here’s the best of this week’s new X Factor acts…
First up, boyband The Reason – hoping to follow in the footsteps of JLS, The X Factor’s most successful group to date (see my Before And After piece for more on JLS and other X Factor alumni)
There’s a lot going for these guys. Two of the four are super hot. They sound great – with very strong harmonies. And the decision to take on Cheryl’s own hit ‘Fight For This Love’ was a smart one (the original is below for all you Americans who don’t know it)
Like Simon said, less is more – and when you’ve got the goods you don’t need crazy dance moves and vocal acrobatics… I have a feeling we’ll be seeing a lot more from these guys down the line…
But what do you think? Did The Reason work for you?
15 TV LESSONS WE LEARNED THIS SUMMER
Aug 28th
Summer is almost over so it’s time to put away those BBQ sets and beach towels for another year. But before we settle down for the Fall TV Season – here’s 15 Lessons We Learned From Summer 2010…
Networks Execs take note!
1) Scripted Network Dramas Are Dead: Witness NBC’s Persons Unknown (aka Persons Unwatched), ABC’s Happy Town and the Sunday night snoozers The Gates and Scoundrels. All four struggled to attract more than 3 million viewers a week and barely made it through their runs. And the only real scripted ‘hit’ of the summer, ABC’s Rookie Blue, was a middling 5 million rated cop show.
2) …But Scripted Cable Shows Are Hot: Where to begin – Rizzoli and Isles, Covert Affairs, The Closer, Haven, Melissa and Joey, Hot In Cleveland… this summer audiences switched over to cable big time, a cultural shift that will only continue in years to come… fact is viewers are loyal to shows NOT networks. If you want an audience now you have to work for it!
3) Weight Loss Shows Are On The Way Out: The Biggest Loser is still a hefty hit but too many copycat formats failed this summer… Dance Your Ass Off was down year to year, Vh1’s Money Hungry was an outright bomb More >
GUEST STARRING: CHRISTINA HENDRICKS GETS ‘UNDRESSED’
Aug 27th
Check out Mad Men’s voluptuous office manager Joan Harris as you’ve never seen here before…
Here’s actress Christina Hendricks back in 1999, playing Rhiannon on MTV soap opera Undressed… wow, Christina looks so different with short hair and a far less curvy figure! Interesting to see how much sexier Hendricks is now with a more years and pounds on her…
Funnily enough, Undressed, which ran from 1999-2002 also featured several other soon to be big names among its cast over the years- including a pre-Superman Brandon Routh, geek favorite Katee Sackhoff, OC star Adam Brody and One Tree Hill’s Chad Michael Murray. Not bad for a show that hasn’t exactly stood the test of time!
SNEAK PEEK: TEACH – TONY DANZA
Aug 26th
Here’s the first look at A&E’s new reality series, Teach, coming October 1st and featuring sitcom star Tony Danza as a teacher at an inner city school in Philadelphia. Turns out,The Taxi and Who’s The Boss star has a degree in History Education so for the show enrolled as a full time teacher of a 10th grade English class with 26 students. All with the cameras constantly running!
The show’s been in the works for a while now and judging by the trailer is obviously in the mode of other serious A&E shows such as Intervention and Hoarders, as opposed to lighter fare such as Kirstie Alley‘s Big Life and Gene Simmon‘s Family Jewels.
And it seems that teaching is going to be a hot topic for the Fall, with new movie ‘Waiting For Superman’ (from the team behind An Inconvenient Truth) coming to movie theaters and NBC unveiling their own inner city school series School Pride (produced by Cheryl Hines) Trailers for both are below…
So will Danza’s show continue A&E’s current hot streak… we’ll find out later this year.
Will you be watching? Or are you starting to tire of ‘socially responsible’ reality series…?
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