Last night, President Barack Obama took questions from the press on national television to argue for his decision to pre-empt Chuck push for a massive economic stimulus package. A few impressions:
Corporate Press Release Theater: America's Got Talent; Nick Cannon's Got a Job
Jerry Springer threw a nation into chaos last week with the announcement that he will no longer be hosting America’s Got Talent. (In related news, Jerry Springer was host of America’s Got Talent.) But the power vacuum has been filled, by none other than former Nickelodeon star / Mariah Carey-marrier Nick Cannon. Quotes from the release …
CollegeHumor Graduates
As I mentioned last week, I’ve been writing an essay about online and mobile TV for the print TIME magazine, and somewhere in there I reiterate the point I’ve made here before about Saturday Night Live: that it’s essentially become an online-video platform, since having other people find and embed the best bits eliminates the need to sit …
FNL Watch: A Teacher, a Molder of Men
First things first: I was going to add an explanation here mentioning that other deadlines would be keeping this and other posts delayed/shorter, but let’s just make a deal and agree that, if you’re expecting a post by me and it isn’t here, I’m aware of it and have a lame excuse. Deal? (Also, as always, feel free to use the Morning After …
Disfarmer — The Puppet Version
Over the weekend I made it out to St. Ann’s Warehouse, a performance space in Brooklyn, to catch one of the last performances of Disfarmer. This was a sort of bunraku puppet performance of episodes from the life of the seriously eccentric photographer Mike Disfarmer. That’s right, eat your heart out — we have everything in New York, …
The Morning After: I Dissed a Girl
I am either too old or—judging by Robert Plant’s win with Alison Krauss—too young for the Grammys. Either way, I watched little of the awards except to see Katy Perry’s weird staggering around on stage for about two minutes. But my colleagues Josh Tyrangiel has watched and graded the performances so that you, and more important I, …
BSG Watch: Coup de Ta-Ta
Spoilers for Friday’s Battlestar Galactica coming up after the jump:
30 Rock Watch: Raise the Roofies
Bullet points about last night’s 30 Rock after the jump:
The Tuned In Love Triangle Poll
Speaking of The Office, last night’s episode, with the return of Rashida Jones, reminded me of the spirited Team Pam versus Team Karen debates we had back in the day. Why is it so irresistible to argue over fictional—and for that matter, real—love triangles? I think because we believe that you can tell something about a person’s soul …
Reinharz to Brandeis: “I Screwed Up”
Another day, another version of just what it is Brandeis plans to do with its Rose Art Museum. Yesterday I was utterly puzzled by a statement that Brandeis President Jehuda Reinharz made to the Boston Globe that the university did not plan to close the museum, merely to “transition” it into an education center with an exhibition space. …
Office Watch: Road Trip!
Brief spoilers for last night’s Office coming up after the jump:
Michael Phelps Has a Problem
Forget the swimming suspension. Now Phelps’ very expensive bong hit is costing him commercial endorsements.
Isn’t there a way for Phelps to turn bongwater into lemonade here? Surely there’s a product for whom he’s now a more appropriate spokesman. Something munchy. Doritos, maybe? Or Combos. Dude. I could totally go for some Combos right now.
Dead Tree Alert: I Have Reviewed Dollhouse
My review of Joss Whedon’s Dollhouse, which debuts a week from tonight, is in this week’s print edition of TIME. Short version: I’ll be watching, but with reservations. Another short version: I’m impressed, but so far find myself admiring the show more than liking it. I’ve seen three episodes so far, and the two following the pilot …