Posted by RabbitEars
Man, it seems like July 4 has gotten almost as dangerous now as it was for our forefathers back in the Revolutionary Era! If your neighborhood is anything like mine during the Fourth of July, with nuts setting off fireworks at all hours of the night and blowing off various appendages, you might be safer just sitting in the house this Independence Day weekend and watching some of these patriotic specials and general marathons:
Posted by Cubicle QB
You know, if ESPN’s NBA Draft coverage was more like this brilliant YouTube, maybe we’d have more interest in it.
I interviewed Stephen A. Smith two years ago when Quite Frankly was a promising new enterprise. It was one morning during the NBA Finals, and I think he was half asleep … yet everything he said was important!
Posted by Ryan
I talked with actor Jeremy Davidson on the set of The Kill Point in Pittsburgh. Davidson plays the bank robber known as Mr. Rabbit (the older brother of Mr. Pig, played by Frank Grillo). Davidson’s pictured at right in this action photo from Spike.
His character wears a beard, a suit and tie, and matching combat boots. Davidson looks like a natural with a shotgun, ducking in and out of the bank hallway, blasting at SWAT guys infiltrating the bank in a scene they were shooting that morning. In person, Davidson is a softspoken guy. He tells me that he’s a huge New York Yankees fan, but I notice that he’s wearing a wristwatch with the Cleveland Indians’ Chief Wahoo logo on it. What gives? Find out in our interview after the jump.
Posted by TVita
Now that you’ve seen the sexy promos for General Hospital: Night Shift, you’re no doubt wondering who that mysterious, dark-haired doc is. Lucky for you, I met that mysterious, dark-haired doc during my day on the set, and am ready to give you the goods! Joining Billy Dee in the ranks of newbie at NS, Dominic Rains brings a breath of fresh air to those familiar hospital halls as Dr. Leo Julian, a silver-spoon guy with blue-collar sensibilities and a youthful idealism. The Iranian born actor is a relatively new face in Hollywood – you may have seen him in the Emmy winning A&E original Flight 93, or in guest-starring roles on NCIS and 24, but his turn as Dr. Julian marks his daytime debut.
I’m happy to report that Rains is the real deal: a young actor who couldn’t be more thrilled to find himself in Port Charles, and more than willing to tell me all about it. Not only was he a great interview, but he was the first — and only – castmember to take the time to introduce himself — hours before we ever sat down to chat. He’s earnest, enthusiastic and genuine — and he completely won me over. Let me know if he does you!
Posted by Cubicle QB
Who’s ready for some “exploitive and cruel” fun?
The Shaq’s Big Challenge premiere party live blog is going to start tonight at 9pm ET.
After the jump, we’ll introduce you to the six kids Shaq is going to whip into shape, and give you some pretty interesting recipe ideas — “pizza burritos,” anyone?
Then grab a 2-liter bottle of RC Cola, a garbage bag full of Funyuns, a bucket of KFC, one of those Burger King Quad Stackers and join in the live blog action! Tune in to ABC, refresh the site often, post your comments (keep them clean, it’s a family show!) and experience high levels of amusement and cholesterol!
Photo: © 2006 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. Credit: Angelo Cavalli
Posted by RabbitEars
* Only Paris Hilton could find a way to appear on E! while serving time behind bars — and then complain about her media exposure. [Read more →]
Posted by Cubicle QB
Among the detritus of summer throwaway reality series season is a true gem of a show: Shaq’s Big Challenge premiering June 26 at 9pm ET on ABC. If you saw the May issue of Channel Guide Magazine, you know of our love of all things Shaquille O’Neal — especially any of his endeavors off the basketball court. In Shaq’s Big Challenge, the Miami Heat big man will help transform six obese, sedentary middle-school students in Florida into healthy, active youngsters. (ESPN’s Page 2 has an interview with Shaq about the show.)
So it would be a great disservice to civilization if we did not celebrate Shaq’s latest tour de force. We’re going to start by holding our own online premiere party on June 26, so come back here at 9pm ET on Tuesday and we’re going to live blog during the show.
We have no idea where this train is going, but we’re taking it anyway. God bless Shaq.
Photo: © 2006 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. Credit: Angelo Cavalli
Posted by TVita
Joining General Hospital’s regular staff of doctors and nurses is the legendary Billy Dee Williams. As head janitor Toussaint DuBois, Williams brings a little mystery to the Night Shift. I sat down with the former Lando Calrissian in his temporary digs, the dressing room normally home to John Ingle (Edward Quartermaine), for a quick chat about getting used to a faster pace, where he’d rather be on a Friday afternoon, and Billy Dee-crazy ladies.
What’s the story of Toussaint DuBois?
He was very well known at some point, but at some point, his life started going downhill. He bounces back, and recreates himself at some point … and ends up becoming pretty philosophical about everything. And he’s into everybody’s business! He knows everything that’s happening at the hospital.How do you like the pace of daytime?
It goes so fast! I’m ready to go for another take. [Sometimes] I know what I just did is not satisfactory, at least from my perspective.Has it been tough coming into an established cast?
No, not really. I’m happy to meet everybody that I’m working with. This is a wonderful company. You’ve got your producers and your writers, and they’re all very lovely people. I think when you have that kind of an atmosphere, everything is good.What would you normally be doing on a Friday afternoon?
I’d rather be outside. Or at a restaurant having lunch and some vino! Either that or I’d be in the gymnasium.What else is on your plate?
I have a fragrance that’s going to come out. I had a fragrance in the 80s, through Avon, and I decided to do another one. I also paint. I sold a lot of paintings to this company that auctions paintings on cruise lines.So you’ll be going on a little working vacation?
I’m not a vacation person. I prefer working, or being busy doing this. I’ve been fortunate; I end up going on vacation when I’m working. I just got back from Australia and New Zealand. I was signing autographs for a sci-fi thing. It’s a pretty interesting way to exist!Will you always be Lando Calrissian to fans?
People know me for a lot of other things: Lady Sings the Blues, Mahogany, lots of movies. There’s a pretty wide variety of [my] characters that people are really into, but certainly Lando. After Lady Sings the Blues, I became this kind of matinee idol, and women used to do lots of crazy things. Well, I won’t tell any of those stories!
After talking to the folks on the Night Shift set, it’s clear that it’s not just Lady Sings the Blues fans who can’t get enough Billy Dee. Feel the love.
Bradford Anderson, on the last time he was starstruck: “Last week, when I met Billy Dee Williams! It was more of an honor and a privilege to meet him. One of the actresses on our show was short of breath. I was able to breathe, but really honored to be in the same [scene as him.]
Steve Burton, on how it’s been to work with Billy Dee: “Great. He’s cool as heck, man. It’s crazy! I wouldn’t say I was nervous, but he’s definitely got a charisma about him. You can see why he is who he is. It’s cool. Even when you’re an actor … you watched him [as you were] growing up and you’re like, ‘Wow!’ Anyone on that big screen … He’s a very nice guy, very low key. I don’t know if he’s reserved more than shy. This is a whole new ballgame for him; I said, ‘I like this pace,’ and he was like, ‘Are you crazy?’”
Dominic Rains: He’s a great human being. He’s very relaxed, very perceptive, very … he’s got this interesting energy about him; you can tell he’s seen it all. I wanted to pick his brain as much as I could the first day, but I got to the point where I was like, ‘Wait a minute – he probably thinks you’re a lunatic!’”
Posted By RabbitEars
* I always knew sports was filled with drama — but daytime drama? Today a few members of the Milwaukee Brewers — J.J. Hardy, Chris Capuano, Bill Hall and Jeff Suppan — are making cameos on CBS’ The Young and the Restless. Since the show is set in Wisconsin, the teammates show up in s
upport of regular character Jack Abbott’s (Peter Bergman) run for state senate. Both Hardy and Capuano have since had injuries, so hopefully the bad acting and multiple takes of simple lines didn’t tax them too much. The Brew Crew’s appearance follows on the heels of last week’s appearance on Guiding Light by former NFLer Mark “Stinky” Schlereth. Schlereth played Detective Roc Hoover, a name that could only exist on a soap opera (or perhaps in a porn film). At least both of these appearances are a tad more realistic than the time Yogi Berra played a brain surgeon on General Hospital.
* How many times have you heard someone screw up the lines to a famous song that everyone has heard hundreds of times? And how many times have you done it yourself? FOX is playing on that tendency in its new game show Don’t Forget the Lyrics!, premiering July 11 at 9:30pm ET/PT and July 12 at 8:30pm ET/PT. In the half-hour show, contestants choose songs from different genres, decades and musical artists. Then they will sing alongside the studio band as the lyrics are projected on screen. Suddenly, the music stops and the words disappear, and the poor soul is expected to belt out the rest of the lyric correctly. Top prize is a million bucks, so start paying more attention to your albums.
* Discovery Channel’s Bear Grylls, host of Man vs. Wild, is becoming a pretty hot commodity, making the rounds on nighttime talk sh
ows. Last Friday’s episode of Man vs. Wild, which found Bear tromping through the muck of the Everglades, became the most watched episode to date. The show airs Fridays at 9pm ET/PT. Upcoming episodes include this Friday’s, in which Bear is forced to eat a sheep’s eyeball in Iceland; June 29, where he must eat a tiger scorpion in Mexico; the July 6 episode where he must drink his own urine to prevent dehydration in the rough Australian bush; July 13, which finds him stuffing grass down his clothes to stay warm in the rainy Amazon; and July 20, where he must skin a deer carcass to stay warm in Scotland (that’s better than having to eat haggis, I guess).
* USA Network will be auctioning off the fashions from its hit summer series T
he Starter Wife, with 70 percent of the proceeds benefiting Dress for Success Worldwide, the non-profit organization that promotes the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and career development tools. The auction features clothing and accessories from designers like Hermes, Versace and Jil Sander. Apparently there will also be “summer’s must-have item,” the Starter Wife pink tank top, billed as an “invaluable piece for any woman’s wardrobe.” Ten percent of tank top proceeds benefit Dress for Success. The ongoing, online auction is here, and is available through June 29 at 3pm ET.
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The Young and the Restless: Photo: Monty Brinton/CBS © 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Guiding Light: Photo: Lorenzo Bevilaqua/PGP © 2007 PGP. All Rights Reserved.
Man Vs. Wild: Courtesy of Discovery Channel
The Starter Wife: Credit: Matthew Rolston/USA Network
Posted by RabbitEars
Now, I have come to realize and accept that fact that I will never get the amount or type of women that, say, a shirtless Matthew McConaughey will. And that’s fine.
But why, then, are some of these rich, good-looking guys intruding into the realm of those of us who need to actually work for a date by seeking help from reality TV to find hook-ups?
