Christmas in January?

You have to hand it to House (Tuesdays on FOX). Who else could pull off doing a Christmas episode nearly a month into the new year? With House scoring the primo post-Super Bowl spot this Sunday, it was only natural the network would pull the fresh ep from the end of last year and put it in a position to promote Feb 3rd's Super Stunt-casted ep with Mira Sorvino (the original proposed Super Ep was postponed, as it apparently still needed rewrites, and therefore was not ready to film, at the time the writers went on strike). Holiday disorientation aside, I'll take a good new episode of House any time of year, no matter how badly the episode is timed in relation to real life. It is, after all, just television. Right?

Decisions, Decisions

The Oscar® nominations just came out last week, and I have already seen three of the Best Picture nominees: Atonement, Juno, and There Will Be Blood. Usually I find myself playing catch-up after the announcements. Given my good foresight, I wonder if I should rush to go see one of the other must-see films--Michael Clayton and No Country for Old Men. Or, since I am so far ahead of schedule, if I should say the heck with it, and go see Cloverfield, which is getting excellent reviews, though the likelihood of it making next year's ballot is somewhere between slim and none. (Come on. I am not being harsh. No one releases a movie in January that they think will be the next Great American Movie.) Will let you know what I think of Cloverfield.

We've Got Weather!

Note: Those of you who live in Southern CA will know exactly what I am talking about. The rest of you, this is just how the weather works over on the left coast...

Stormwatch 2008. It's very exciting! Yes, really. It is. And if you don't think rain is news, then you must not live in Los Angeles.

The people who seem to benefit the most from rain in So Cal? The newscasters, of course. It's almost like they're happy it's wet and there's gridlock, and they can interview people on the street, asking them why they do or do not have an umbrella. It's something different, and we like different. We're spoiled. We have sunshine at least 335 days a year. And anything that differs from it, becomes the top story of the day.

In any other part of the country, rain isn't really news. It probably shouldn't really be news here either, but, shh ... don't tell anyone. If it gives the LA newscasters something to talk about besides the war, the election, crime, slow speed car chases, and the latest health craze, then, we'll just let them have their fun.

Now, a snowstorm. Well, that's another story altogether.

It's a Blog World

Many thanks to Helen Jupiter and Gerald Jones for all of their insights into the world of blogging at yesterday's IWOSC seminar. For more info about the seminar, check out Gerald's Post.

Happy Blogging,
Deb

Jeremy Piven Honored at Chicago Impact Awards

Actor Jeremy Piven (on the red carpet with friend Steve Pink) was honored at the 5th Annual Columbia College Chicago Impact Awards at the Monmartre Lounge in Hollywood on Saturday, November 17.

Piven, who comes from Chicago-theatre royalty—his parents founded The Piven Theatre Workshop—has appeared in more than 40 feature films from Serendipity, Gross Pointe Blank, and The Family Man to Smokin' Aces, Runaway Jury, and Black Hawk Down, as well as TV shows, including Cupid and Ellen. Well, Piven's time has come. The two-time Emmy®-award winner for his role of agent Ari Gold on HBO's Entourage is currently starring in The Kingdom with Jennifer Garner and Jamie Foxx, and is about to start shooting The Goods: The Don Ready Story, a comedy about a used-car salesman who is brought in to save a fledging dealership.

Piven was raised in Chicago, and when he is not working in Los Angeles, he goes back to his first loves: theatre and Chicago

"Chicago has in my opinion the best theatre in the world," Piven says. "I miss going to The Piven Theatre or The Goodman and just seeing some great plays. Walking along the beach and seeing the skyline and the architecture or even jumping in a boat and seeing the skyline from the water [is] incredible."

The Impact Awards honors Windy City natives who have made an indelible impact on the entertainment industry, while maintaining the work ethic and loyalty that are synonymous with Chicago. The ceremony was emceed this year by Steve Kmetko, Columbia College alumnus ('76) and entertainment reporter, and hosted by actress Cindy Marinangel (below with Piven). Proceeds benefit the Bob Enrietto Scholarship Fund, which helps outstanding Columbia students attend the college's innovative Semester in L.A. program.

The New TV Season Begins

Talk about going from 0 to 60 in a few days flat... The new TV season just officially started, and already I am struggling to figure out what to watch, when, and how to have a life that doesn't require pictures and sound from an electronic source.

Prison Break had its second ep last night. It's not that I'm a neat freak--okay, well, maybe a little--but the grime and filth of this new prison is making me not want to watch. Plus, it's up against Chuck, which is Alias-reminiscent with real-life-ish people thrown in for good measure. It may be my favorite hybrid of the season.

Tonight, the Dr is in. Oh, how I have missed House. There is some Tuesday-night viewing overlap--tonight's 90-minute Boston Legal season premiere starts at 9:30, but I have a plan: watch House live, record BL for later in the week. Yes, Boston is a guilty pleasure, but I am not quite ready to give it up; I look forward to seeing how The Practice v3.0 is going to reinvent itself...again.

Wednesdays means Private Practice/Gossip Girl/Back to You, and Dirty Sexy Money. And Pushing Daisies hasn't even started yet. Thursday - ABC extravaganza - Betty, Grey's, and Big Shots. And there's Fridays, complete with actual good programing--yay Friday Night Lights. Don't even get me started on Sundays. Ooh. Getting overwhelmed just thinking about it.

As they say in Episodic television, to be continued...

Where Eagles Dare

To commemorate September 11th, here’s a poem, written by W. Eric Weiss, as his response to the events on that faithful day just 6 short years ago. It was put to music by Ken Kingsbury; the song can be found here: http://www.kenkingsbury.com/Eagles.html. But the lyrics speak for themselves.

Where Eagles Dare
By W. Eric Weiss

A plane flew away before the dawns early light
Buildings falling down a world forgot to spin round
Blasting a hole in the heart of freedom’s dream
As freedom screams… as freedom screams

Like the day the music died
The good old boys drank some more rye
As we cried in our hearts for Lennon’s sky
A sad world could only cry

Only where eagles dare shall eagles fly
We are stronger we are one… We will survive
Only where freedom dares shall the stars and stripes fly
We are stronger we are one… Freedom will survive

Imagine the children at play
Had no idea peace was attacked today
But still we dream a dream that will never die
As we still fly in Lennon’s sky

An eye for an eye only God knows why
Different faces and different names
But our children’s blood is still the same
Still our freedom flies… our freedom flies

Lady Liberty stood tall through it all
And passed the torch to the world today
The world shall answer the call
Freedom will not fall… Freedom will not fall

Only where eagles dare shall eagles fly
We are stronger we are one… We will survive
Only where freedom dares shall the stars and stripes fly
We are stronger we are one… Freedom will survive

God bless America… Our home sweet home
God bless the world… Our home sweet home
God bless the world… Our home sweet home