Melissa Explains It All: Tales from My Abnormally Normal Life by Melissa Joan Hart
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Press; First Edition edition (October 29, 2013)
Taking the title from the show she starred on while growing up, the former child star is frank and witty in her memoir.
After starring in the Nickelodeon series, Clarissa Explains It All, Melissa Joan Hart went on to star in Sabrina, the Teenage Witch on ABC. The latter would not have been a hit had it not been for starring in the earlier series. After taking a few years off to start and raise a family, Hart starred in an ABC Family movie with Joey Lawrence. This led to the nostalgic sitcom, Melissa and Joey, on ABC Family.
Hart provides behind-the-scenes tales from her past all the way up to her present in her memoir, which is forthright and funny as she is. It's a candid glimpse at her unique career and the lessons that she has learned along the way.
Surprisingly, Hart was able to live a grounded, "normal" childhood. Most child stars are not afforded this opportunity. Growing up, she had to balance homework with auditions and commuting from Long Island to Manhattan.
Hart had auditioned for Blossom and was very far in the process of the NBC series when she landed the role of Clarissa Darling, a role that would take her to Orlando to shoot 65 episodes of Clarissa. She would have gone on to fame with either show.
To this day, she balances family with life in Hollywood.
If you want a candid look at a celebrity that grew up with a grounded childhood, be sure to check it out.
Friday, February 21, 2014
Monday, February 17, 2014
Book Review - Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at War by Robert M. Gates
Duty: Memoirs of a Secretary at War by Robert M. Gates
Hardcover: 640 pages
Publisher: Knopf; First Edition/First Printing edition (January 14, 2014)
Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates wrote a candid but vivid written account of his experience in serving Presidents Bush and Obama during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Before getting a call in 2006 to serve his country once more, Gates was done with politics. After serving 6 presidents between the CIA and National Security Council, Gates got a job as the president of Texas A&M University, where he was happy.
The U.S. was at war with fronts in Afghanistan and Iraq and he felt that this was the call of duty. His unsparing memoir is fair in its assessments and he takes us behind the scenes of his five years as Secretary of Defense. In the book, he depicts his battles with Congress, the military, the Pentagon bureaucracy, and two presidents to name a few.
In working for Obama, Gates's leadership was guiding but he was often the dissenting voice on issues but Hates was devoted to and had a love for American soldiers---his "heroes"--that he helped to develop on the job.
It is while he relates his personal journey as secretary that Gates draws us to those inner sanctums of government and military power. This is where he offers unvarnished appraisals of the likes of Dick Cheney, Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama. In doing so, he exposes the behind-closed-doors politicking of the administrations.
There's the controversies that came up during his tenure, too, such as the surges, Iran, Syria, and others.
At its heart, this is a powerful story that takes an unprecedented look at two White House administrations.
Hardcover: 640 pages
Publisher: Knopf; First Edition/First Printing edition (January 14, 2014)
Former Defense Secretary Robert Gates wrote a candid but vivid written account of his experience in serving Presidents Bush and Obama during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Before getting a call in 2006 to serve his country once more, Gates was done with politics. After serving 6 presidents between the CIA and National Security Council, Gates got a job as the president of Texas A&M University, where he was happy.
The U.S. was at war with fronts in Afghanistan and Iraq and he felt that this was the call of duty. His unsparing memoir is fair in its assessments and he takes us behind the scenes of his five years as Secretary of Defense. In the book, he depicts his battles with Congress, the military, the Pentagon bureaucracy, and two presidents to name a few.
In working for Obama, Gates's leadership was guiding but he was often the dissenting voice on issues but Hates was devoted to and had a love for American soldiers---his "heroes"--that he helped to develop on the job.
It is while he relates his personal journey as secretary that Gates draws us to those inner sanctums of government and military power. This is where he offers unvarnished appraisals of the likes of Dick Cheney, Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama. In doing so, he exposes the behind-closed-doors politicking of the administrations.
There's the controversies that came up during his tenure, too, such as the surges, Iran, Syria, and others.
At its heart, this is a powerful story that takes an unprecedented look at two White House administrations.
Monday, February 10, 2014
Book Review - Wooden: A Coach's Life by Seth Davis
Wooden: A Coach's Life by Seth Davis
Hardcover: 608 pages
Publisher: Times Books (January 14, 2014)
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the first of UCLA coach John Wooden's many NCAA men's college basketball championships. Seth Davis presents a biography that can only be described as unflinching and definitive.
With prose that is both artful and entertaining, there's no doubting the exhaustive research that Davis underwent in the writing of this book--a quintessentially American story, nevertheless. Davis writes his account year by year as readers are invited to measure the man that became a legend.
Wooden was a person that was not just a gifted player but a BRILLIANT coach, and a master teacher. He should be appreciated for what he is. Davis celebrates the mystique that Wooden built but also digs further. Wooden dealt with issues during his coaching era--be it race, protests, mercurial athletes, overeager boosters, and the heavy expectations.
Born in Indiana, Wooden never forgot his roots when he played at Purdue or coached for UCLA.
I'm no fan of UCLA but that doesn't take away from the person that John Wooden was. Back when I was a college freshman, I wrote off for his autograph and asked him to inscribe his best stat (when I should have asked him to inscribe his HOF year!) but he sent back a short note saying his best stat was the number of players who graduated!
Hardcover: 608 pages
Publisher: Times Books (January 14, 2014)
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the first of UCLA coach John Wooden's many NCAA men's college basketball championships. Seth Davis presents a biography that can only be described as unflinching and definitive.
With prose that is both artful and entertaining, there's no doubting the exhaustive research that Davis underwent in the writing of this book--a quintessentially American story, nevertheless. Davis writes his account year by year as readers are invited to measure the man that became a legend.
Wooden was a person that was not just a gifted player but a BRILLIANT coach, and a master teacher. He should be appreciated for what he is. Davis celebrates the mystique that Wooden built but also digs further. Wooden dealt with issues during his coaching era--be it race, protests, mercurial athletes, overeager boosters, and the heavy expectations.
Born in Indiana, Wooden never forgot his roots when he played at Purdue or coached for UCLA.
I'm no fan of UCLA but that doesn't take away from the person that John Wooden was. Back when I was a college freshman, I wrote off for his autograph and asked him to inscribe his best stat (when I should have asked him to inscribe his HOF year!) but he sent back a short note saying his best stat was the number of players who graduated!
Monday, February 03, 2014
Book Review: Rob Delaney: Mother. Wife. Sister. Human. Warrior. Falcon. Yardstick. Turban. Cabbage
Hardcover: 208 pages
Publisher: Spiegel & Grau (November 5, 2013)
From the mind of comedian Rob Delaney comes Rob Delaney: Mother. Wife. Sister. Human. Warrior. Falcon. Yardstick. Turban. Cabbage.
Delaney is the author of many jokes on Twitter but by reading the hilarious and heartbreaking true stories in his book, we learn how Rob became the person that he is today.
His memoir is candid and conversational. It shows that there is more to him than just what he tweets on Twitter.
Monday, January 27, 2014
Book Review: Blockbusters: Hit-making, Risk-taking, and the Big Business of Entertainment
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (October 15, 2013)
In Blockbusters: Hit-making, Risk-taking, and the Big Business of Entertainment, author Anita Elberse shows why betting on the mega-hits is the most bankable business strategy today. Elberse is the resident expert on entertainment at the Harvard Business School. His knowledge comes off very well in Blockbusters.
The simple, compelling argument brought forth by Elberse is this: The entertainment business does not reward playing it safe. Just look at what Jeff Zucker and Ben Silverman did while at the helm of NBC. This was a network that had huge audiences in the 1980s, 1990s, and early part of the 2000s.
But what happened to NBC? They stopped going after the highest-paid producers and stars and their dismal efforts showed in the ratings.
The case was just the opposite at Warner Brothers Studios, where Chief Operating Officer Alan Horn decided to identify just a few projects that , with major budget-squeezing investments of money and resources, had the potential to be huge. They did just that with the Dark Knight saga, the Harry Potter series, The Hangover, and Million Dollar Baby, to name a few.
It shows that the networks and studios must be willing to take risks if they really want to attract an audience.
Thursday, January 23, 2014
Book Review: Hanukkah in America: A History
Hardcover: 350 pages
Publisher: NYU Press; 1St Edition edition (October 14, 2013)
Hanukkah in America: A History was written by Dianne Ashton.
Everyone knows the story. There was not enough oil left in the Temple after its destruction but miraculously, the oil burned for eight days. The rest, as they say, is history.
Ashton provides a very thorough cultural history of Chanukah as she traces the holiday's importance to American Jewry. The main argument is that the holiday is so popular because of when it tends to fall in the Gregorian calendar but also because of the focus on family and the opportunities that the holiday provides when discussing assimilation.
Her book explains just how the minor holiday became one of the most visible holidays. In doing so, it teaches is about America, religion, and Jews. It's not a holiday mandated by the Torah. It was one that came about following the building of the Temple in Jerusalem. There are no Yom Tovim during Chanukah that require a day off from work unlike the major holidays of Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur, Pesach, Sukkot, and Shavuot.
Different people have different customs when it comes to Chanukah and Ashton writes about those, such as in New Orleans, Texas, and Cincinnati.
I won't lie in that Pesach is my favorite holiday--it always falls in the spring and I have it on good authority that one of my ancestors is Aaron, meaning that Moses is a great-uncle to the nth degree.
Monday, January 20, 2014
Book Review: That's Not Funny, That's Sick: The National Lampoon and the Comedy Insurgents Who Captured the Mainstream
Hardcover: 464 pages
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; 1 edition (June 24, 2013)
That's Not Funny, That's Sick: The National Lampoon and the Comedy Insurgents Who Captured the Mainstream is from journalist Ellin Stein. What Stein does is give us the definitive portrait of what is, perhaps, the greatest revolution in American comedy.
Stein had exclusive access to firsthand interviews with all the key players to give us this genius of a book. Several of these interviews were done in the 1980s with the likes of Chevy Chase, Lorne Michaels, Doug Kenney--with memories were fresh and wounds were...raw. This is what makes Stein's access unparallelled.
It all started back in 1969 when Kenney and Beard assumed the roles of chief editors at a new magazine named The National Lampoon. Their partnership was complex as Stein writes.
Soon, the Lampoon would have a record deal and later, a theater production. But just as all was thought to be over, Animal House helped the brand get new life. Stein writes that the film "scattered box office gold over everyone connected with it."
National Lampoon had a meteoric rise as it shifted from being a popular humor magazine to a cornerstone of American culture.
Stein gives us the eccentric personalities, hard partying, and those moments of sheer comic genius.
Friday, January 17, 2014
Book Review: The New American Zionism
Hardcover: 229 pages
Publisher: NYU Press (November 29, 2013)
The New American Zionism was written by Theodore Sasson.
I have bad news for Israel's critics. With the American Studies Association boycott in the news of late, the American Jewry relationship with Israel is stronger than ever.
Sasson's analysis of the modern-day American Zionism is thoughtful, subtle, and compelling. It's deeply researched and well-written.
Going into this book, one obviously wonders if American Jewish support for Israel is waning. The answer? It's not. Look at the scores of college students and young adults that make the trek to Israel through Birthright Israel.
The early days of Zionism saw American Jewry playing a key role in establishing the Jewish state. Albert Einstein was offered the job of being the first Israeli Prime Minister but he turned it down. They created the framework that paved the way to raise funds and there's no denial of what it means in Washington to go against AIPAC as Israel is one of America's strongest allies abroad.
True, Jewish Federation funding is declining but what isn't during this age of tough economic times? Yes, there are some differences in the two-state solution and it can be devisive at times but Jews support Israel's right to exist even if they may disagree with the government policies at times. Some might fear that support is waning but it isn't.
Sasson's argument is that we are misunderstanding the new relationship between American Jews and Israel. He shows that the approach is shifting from a "mobilization" approach to an "engagement approach." This latter approach is done through direct and personal relations with Israel. Many Jews are traveling via Birthright, the March, or other organized trips. A growing number consumes Israeli news and culture, not to mention connecting online with Israelis.
The support has not been abandoned. Philanthropy and lobbying may have changed over the years but Israel is more meaningful than ever before. However, its the ability to impact policy that will diminish as there is no longer a unified voice.
Monday, January 13, 2014
Book Review - Wonder of Wonders: A Cultural History of Fiddler on the Roof
Hardcover: 448 pages
Publisher: Metropolitan Books; 1 edition (October 22, 2013)
Alisa Solomon gives us Wonder of Wonders: A Cultural History of Fiddler on the Roof. This is a book that fans of the stage and film musical will certainly enjoy. It goes hand in hand with the recently published biography of Sholem Aleichem.
The drama critic traces Fiddler back to its days as a 1905 Yiddish story through the days of its inception as a Broadway musical and a Hollywood blockbuster hit.
Fiddler is a cultural landmark. It's frequently performed in high schools and rented by many today.
The songs are familiar to many, whether it's the opening to "Tradition" or the chorus of "If I Were a Rich Man." People identify with Tevye's desire to maintain his faith and family in a changing world.
Solomon's book is the first such critical analysis of the iconic cultural status. She explores how and why Fiddler was reborn as blockbuster entertainment and a culture touchstone--not only for Jews and Americans.
It's expansive, delightful, original as it reveals the surprising and enduring legacy.
Book Review: The Worlds of Sholem Aleichem
Hardcover: 464 pages
Publisher: Schocken (October 8, 2013)
Written by Jeremy Dauber, The Worlds of Sholem Aleichem: The Remarkable Life and Afterlife of the Man Who Created Tevye is the first comprehensive biography on the Jewish version of Mark Twain. If not for Sholem Aleichem, we'd never have Fiddler on the Roof.
Aleichem was one of the founding giants in modern Yiddish literature. He was a novelist, playwright, journalist, essayist, and editor. He created a pantheon of characters that have been immortalized in either books or plays. Through his short stories and other writings, he provided a window into the world of Eastern European Jewry at a time of changes during the close of the 19th century.
His own story is just as compelling as the fictional lives that he wrote about. Aleichem was born into poverty, married into wealth but would lose it all during bad luck and a horrible business sense. It was his decision to start writing in Yiddish that would forever change history.
When he died in 1916, it was news all across the world. But his fame would grow as the English-speaking world began to discover his work.
Book Review: Red Sparrow
Hardcover: 448 pages
Publisher: Scribner (June 4, 2013)
Red Sparrow: A Novel is from Jason Matthews. Matthews joins the ranks of Ian Fleming and John Le Carre in going from intelligence agent to novelist. Because of his 33 years working as a CIA field operative, it gives a sense of authenticity, vivid characters, detail of the trade, and a plot that deals with spy versus spy.
For a first-time novelist, this is an excellent debut. He uses his real-life field experience and turns it into a remarkably vivid, rip-roaring read.
The setting is Russia. Two spies are targeting each other. Nate, the young and ambitious CIA office, goes up against Dominika, the beautiful and brave Russian spy. One more thing: the two spies have fallen in love.
The novel has already been optioned by 20th Century Fox.
Book Review: The Town
Hardcover: 400 pages
Publisher: Blue Rider Press (July 16, 2013)
This Town: Two Parties and a Funeral—Plus, Plenty of Valet Parking!—in America's Gilded Capital was written by Mark Leibovich. Leibovich's book is a stunningly frank, witty, and perceptive account of the DC establishment and shows how it's become more self-serving than any other time in history.
The author calls out a score of names for their hypocrisy. These people include politicians, journalists, and lobbyists. Unfortunately for those people, there is no index. The only way for thm to find out if they are in the book is if they read it themselves.
The book stretches from June 2008 at Tim Russert's funeral and goes until January 2013. It's a critical profile of "This Town" during a time of turbulence and decadence.
Remember how President Obama campaigned to change Washington? Didn't happen. It's still politics as usual. Lobbyists had their most prosperous year in 2009, Obama's first year in office.
Leibovich writes how punditry has replaced the idea of reporting.
Characters include Mike Allen, Tammy Haddad, Terry McAullife, Harry Reid, Trent Lott, Tom Daschle, Rahm Emanuel, Valerie Jarrett, Richard Gephardt, Chris Christie, Kurt Bardella, Richard Holbrooke, Hilary Rosen, Andrea Mitchell, Alan Greenspan, Tim Russert, and the Clintons. That's not all the names but only a handful.
This account is dazzling, insightful, but also very entertaining.
Wednesday, January 01, 2014
2013 Solzy Awards
I started tweeting these the other day but here are the 2012 Solzy Awards.
Best Movie-Related Book (tie): Steven Spielberg: A Retrospective by Richard Schickel, Sleepless in Hollywood: Tales from the New Abnormal in the Movie Business by Lynda Obst
Best TV-Related Book: Mary and Lou and Rhoda and Ted: And all the Brilliant Minds Who Made The Mary Tyler Moore Show a Classic by Jennifer K. Armstrong
Best Baseball Book (tie): Hank Greenberg: The Hero of Heroes by John Rosengren, The Summer of Beer and Whiskey: How Brewers, Barkeeps, Rowdies, Immigrants, and a Wild Pennant Fight Made Baseball America's Game by Edward Achorn
Best Comedic Book: Let Me Off at the Top!: My Classy Life and Other Musings by Ron Burgundy
Best Fiction Novel: The Fifth Assassin by Brad Meltzer
Most Anticipated Book of 2014: Fightin' Words: Kentucky vs. Louisville by Ryan Clark and Joe Cox
Best Album (tie): My Mother's Brisket and Other Love Songs by Rick Moranis, Frozen (soundtrack)
Best Kentucky Sportswriter: Larry Vaught
Best National Basketball Writer: Mike DeCourcy
Best Baseball Writer (Tie): Derrick Goold, Rick Hummel
Best Group of Sports Bloggers: United Cardinal Bloggers
Best Kentucky Broadcaster (Tie): Tom Leach, Bob Valvano
Best New Television Comedy:Brooklyn 99
Best New Television Drama: Agents of SHIELD
Most Annoying Person on Television...Period: Skip Bayless (ESPN)
Best Movie-Related Book (tie): Steven Spielberg: A Retrospective by Richard Schickel, Sleepless in Hollywood: Tales from the New Abnormal in the Movie Business by Lynda Obst
Best TV-Related Book: Mary and Lou and Rhoda and Ted: And all the Brilliant Minds Who Made The Mary Tyler Moore Show a Classic by Jennifer K. Armstrong
Best Baseball Book (tie): Hank Greenberg: The Hero of Heroes by John Rosengren, The Summer of Beer and Whiskey: How Brewers, Barkeeps, Rowdies, Immigrants, and a Wild Pennant Fight Made Baseball America's Game by Edward Achorn
Best Comedic Book: Let Me Off at the Top!: My Classy Life and Other Musings by Ron Burgundy
Best Fiction Novel: The Fifth Assassin by Brad Meltzer
Most Anticipated Book of 2014: Fightin' Words: Kentucky vs. Louisville by Ryan Clark and Joe Cox
Best Album (tie): My Mother's Brisket and Other Love Songs by Rick Moranis, Frozen (soundtrack)
Best Kentucky Sportswriter: Larry Vaught
Best National Basketball Writer: Mike DeCourcy
Best Baseball Writer (Tie): Derrick Goold, Rick Hummel
Best Group of Sports Bloggers: United Cardinal Bloggers
Best Kentucky Broadcaster (Tie): Tom Leach, Bob Valvano
Best New Television Comedy:Brooklyn 99
Best New Television Drama: Agents of SHIELD
Most Annoying Person on Television...Period: Skip Bayless (ESPN)
Monday, December 30, 2013
Highlights from 2013
Some of my highlights from 2013 include meeting some Hall of Famers, basketball coaches, and notable Kentucky sports figures in general.
Wade Boggs:
Dick Vitale:
Joe Morgan:
John Calipari:
Joe B. Hall:
Matthew Mitchell:
Larry Vaught:
Oscar Combs:
Friday, December 27, 2013
Paging Landmark Theatres...Louisville needs a REAL art house theater
I've reached the point of utter discontent with the Baxter Avenue Filmworks movie theater. On it's website, it states that they offer first-run, foreign, and independent films. However, I depend on them to be playing indie movies as they are the closest thing to an art house theater that can be found in Louisville, Kentucky.
Unfortunately for the city of Louisville, an art house they are not. This is where I appreciate a theater chain like Landmark Theatres. They actually give a damn about the movie-going public. I prefer to see indie films in theaters, not at home on DVD. But I don't have a choice. I live in the East End and it's not as easy to get to Baxter as it is to get to Cinemark Tinseltown, just two lights away from my house.
If you look at Landmark's offerings in a market like Indianapolis (NFL, NBA), they still have movies like Nebraska playing. But in Louisville, Nebraska opened on December 13th at the Baxter and on December 25th, it was no longer playing in town. I had planned to see it on December 26th, only to be disappointed that the movie, directed by Alexander Payne and starring Bruce Dern, was no longer playing.
It's sad that a film, likely to be nominated for Best Picture, Actor, Supporting Actress, and maybe Supporting Actor, is only playing in Louisville for 11 days. It makes zero sense.
Of the five nominees in the Independent Spirit Awards, you could only catch four of the five in Louisville because Short Term 12 never opened here. Amongst other notables, the city of Louisville is not a large enough market to have a film like Inside Llewyn Davis yet.
The city of Louisville deserves a real art house theater because Baxter just isn't up to being the art house theater that the city of Louisville needs and that, my friends, is a damn shame.
Unfortunately for the city of Louisville, an art house they are not. This is where I appreciate a theater chain like Landmark Theatres. They actually give a damn about the movie-going public. I prefer to see indie films in theaters, not at home on DVD. But I don't have a choice. I live in the East End and it's not as easy to get to Baxter as it is to get to Cinemark Tinseltown, just two lights away from my house.
If you look at Landmark's offerings in a market like Indianapolis (NFL, NBA), they still have movies like Nebraska playing. But in Louisville, Nebraska opened on December 13th at the Baxter and on December 25th, it was no longer playing in town. I had planned to see it on December 26th, only to be disappointed that the movie, directed by Alexander Payne and starring Bruce Dern, was no longer playing.
It's sad that a film, likely to be nominated for Best Picture, Actor, Supporting Actress, and maybe Supporting Actor, is only playing in Louisville for 11 days. It makes zero sense.
Of the five nominees in the Independent Spirit Awards, you could only catch four of the five in Louisville because Short Term 12 never opened here. Amongst other notables, the city of Louisville is not a large enough market to have a film like Inside Llewyn Davis yet.
The city of Louisville deserves a real art house theater because Baxter just isn't up to being the art house theater that the city of Louisville needs and that, my friends, is a damn shame.
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Book Review: Paddle Your Own Canoe by Nick Offerman
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Dutton Adult (October 1, 2013)
This fall, Nick Offerman released his memoir in the form of Paddle Your Own Canoe: One Man's Fundamentals for Delicious Living. You know Offerman best as Ron Swanson from the NBC sitcom, Parks and Recreation.
While Offerman has played comedic roles in the past several years, this is not a straight-out laugh-out-loud book. Far from it, actually, even though he tells it in his trademark comic wit. Offerman does mix in some amusing anecdotes, opinionated lessons and rants but he would tell you that he is "your average meat, potatoes, and corn-fed human male, with a propensity for smart-assery, who has managed to make a rewarding vocation out of, essentially, making funny faces and falling down."
The character of Swanson, we learn, is loosely based on himself. Offerman goes into details on what it takes to grow the Swanson mustache.
Offerman didn't become a hit overnight. He grew up in Minooka, Illinois, on a farm and made his way to the University of Illinois, where his acting education became the foundation for the guy we know today.
From his days in Chicago, he tells us what it means to pull a "Schwimmer." What is pulling a Schwimmer? It's going west to Los Angeles for the TV and Film roles. Had he not pulled a Schwimmer, he never would have met his wife, Megan Mullally.
Each chapter of the book tells a story of his life while being accompanied by his opinions and fundamental advice.
Readers will most certainly be delighted by the book and maybe stay away from their phones for a while.
Sunday, December 01, 2013
Put THANKS back in Thanksgiving!
Maybe it's time to put the THANKS back in Thankgiving and be grateful to
spend time with family eating a meal and watching TV/movies rather than
trample/shoot/stab people while shopping and fighting over a parking
spot.
Be thankful for what you have and hug your loved ones. There should be no reason at all to spend the bulk of Thanksgiving in cold weather by camping outside of stores. That's not the right way to spend the holiday.
There's no reason for camping out on Wednesday night and skip Thursday's holiday at all. And for what? A doorbuster deal?!? Insane.
I spent my Thursday with family. On our way to what has become a Thanksgiving Day movie, I glanced over at the Best Buy across from Mall St. Matthews. There were tents set up before 12:30 PM. It was not warm outside either. After the movie ended and we drove by around 3:30 PM, the line was even longer and stretching around the corner.
Listen, I love a good bargain and all but it's not worth it to wait in line on a holiday that was meant for giving thanks.
To those idiots that call for Thanksgiving to be moved into October so that the holiday season could be extended, I say no. The Jewish holidays are reserved for September and October. Sometime, like in 2011, they spend most of it in October. Game 162 of the 2011 season coincided with Erev Rosh HaShanah so most of my October was spent observing the Jewish holidays and not watching my beloved St. Louis Cardinals play in the postseason.
Be thankful for what you have and hug your loved ones. There should be no reason at all to spend the bulk of Thanksgiving in cold weather by camping outside of stores. That's not the right way to spend the holiday.
There's no reason for camping out on Wednesday night and skip Thursday's holiday at all. And for what? A doorbuster deal?!? Insane.
I spent my Thursday with family. On our way to what has become a Thanksgiving Day movie, I glanced over at the Best Buy across from Mall St. Matthews. There were tents set up before 12:30 PM. It was not warm outside either. After the movie ended and we drove by around 3:30 PM, the line was even longer and stretching around the corner.
Listen, I love a good bargain and all but it's not worth it to wait in line on a holiday that was meant for giving thanks.
To those idiots that call for Thanksgiving to be moved into October so that the holiday season could be extended, I say no. The Jewish holidays are reserved for September and October. Sometime, like in 2011, they spend most of it in October. Game 162 of the 2011 season coincided with Erev Rosh HaShanah so most of my October was spent observing the Jewish holidays and not watching my beloved St. Louis Cardinals play in the postseason.
Monday, November 25, 2013
Mr. Sulu on Thanksgiving Shopping
George Takei posted this on Facebook:
When stores like Wal-Mart move their Black Friday sales to Thanksgiving Day, they have truly forgotten the purpose of the holiday--and cynically ask their employees to leave their loved ones, too.
Stay with your families on Thursday, friends. Cook and eat together. Watch a football game or a family movie. Call your relatives. Don't waste your precious day off standing in lines or fighting crowds in malls.I could not agree more with the Star Trek actor. If you are going to shop on Thursday, shop online!
Thursday, November 07, 2013
Book Review: Difficult Men
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Penguin Press HC, The (June 27, 2013)
Released this summer, Difficult Men: Behind the Scenes of a Creative Revolution: From The Sopranos and The Wire to Mad Men and Breaking Bad comes from the genius mind of Brett Martin.
What this book really looks at are all the antiheroes that have appeared on television over the last decade or so. All the hit dramas of the 2000s and 2010s can trace their way back to Hill Street Blues, a series that aired on a broadcast network.
Known for airing movies or syndicated reruns, networks like Showtime, HBO, and FX all decided that they wanted original programming. Soon, AMC joined them.
Executives were not focuses on creating likeable characters or content that was considered to be safe and appropriate. Because of this, the path for the third Golden Age of Television was soon paved. Series focused on issues such as life and death, love and sexuality, addiction, race, violence, and existential boredom in such a way that reflected on the American Dream during the start of the 21st century.
This kind of television was not a substitute for film--although many film actors and actresses started taking TV roles rather than film roles--but rather a new kind of art form, especially with the serialized episodes that stretched out over 10-13 episodes rather than 22 episodes.
What Martin does here is combine deep reporting with cultural analysis and historical context as he recounts the dramatic rise of an art form that is on par with the "auteur" films released in the 1970s. In doing so, he interviews David Chase, James Gandolfini, Matthew Weiner, Jon Hamm, David Milch, and Alan Ball. This is in addition to so many other writers, directors, etc. as he takes us behind the scenes of our favorite programs and delivers never-before-heard stories--both good and bad--as he tells us how these shows were made what they are.
A fun fact: FX originally ordered a pilot of Breaking Bad but things fell through. In addition, HBO, Showtime, and TNT all passed on the show that became a hit series starring Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul.
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
The Wes Anderson Collection
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Harry N. Abrams; First Edition edition (October 8, 2013)
Award-winning film critic Matt Zoller Seitz brings us a book-lenth conversation with writer-director Wes Anderson. There is no mistaking how influential Anderson has been over the past two decades of American cinema.
Anderson is best known for the he visual artistry, inimitable tone, and idiosyncratic characterizations that make his films, well, "Andersonian." Over the last two decades, we have seen the release of Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, The Darjeeling Limited, Fantastic Mr. Fox, and Moonrise Kingdom.
What Seitz and Anderson have done with this book is bring us the first in-depth overview of Anderson's filmography and guide readers through his life and career. No coffee table book is complete without unpublished photos, artwork, and ephemera to compliment the book-long interview.
The interviews and pictures are woven together in a way that captures the spirit of Anderson's films: melancholy and playful, wise and childish—and thoroughly original.
Authors take advantage of 50th anniversary of JFK's passing
There have been a slew of books released recently in advance of the 50th anniversary of the passing of President John F. Kennedy.
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Still Foolin 'Em by Billy Crystal
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (September 10, 2013)
Actor-writer-director-comedian Billy Crystal has come to terms with growing older with the release of his laugh-out-loud memoir, Still Foolin' Em: Where I've Been, Where I'm Going, and Where the Hell Are My Keys?
Crystal was a long-time host of the Oscars but also starred in several films, a list of which would drag on for several paragraphs.
As he reached his 65th birthday, the comedian decides to look back on his life and career. He also looks at the absurdities that come with aging, including growing conservative in politics. When it comes to aging, nothing appears to be off-limits--including insomnia, memory loss, leaving dinners with half your meal on your shirt, sleeping at the movies, etc. The comedian even offers advice to his fellow baby boomers.
Aside from Crystal's reflections on losing family members, this was a laugh-out-loud blast to read. The comedian uses his trademark blend of wit and heart. He takes us on a road traveled from Long Beach, Long Island, to starting out performing stand-up in the West Village, playing an openly gay character on Soap, and a short stint at Saturday Night Live.
Crystal offers a behind-the-scenes account of the making of When Harry Met Sally..., City Slickers, Mr. Saturday Night, and Analyze This. He reflects on his nine times hosting the Oscars as well as his being a lifetime fan of the New York Yankees (and playing one day during spring training).
There's also his love affair with Sophia Loren, which she didn't know about, and his friendships with Mickey Mantle and Muhammad Ali.
Billy Crystal is an American icon and he gives it all in this poignant and funny memoir.
Sunday, September 22, 2013
An Open Letter to the Courier-Journal
On Thursday, I awoke to a disturbing sight. The Courier-Journal changed designs again. Unlike their last revamp, this was worse.
I don't even read the Features section any more. All the pieces of the Buzz are already 3 days old by the time that they are printed--which is why I was forced to go elsewhere for all my TV and film news. The CJ no longer reports when news media are leaving town for other stations--a shame. I shouldn't have to depend on Facebook or Twitter to find out that someone is leaving a news station.
But back to the point of this open letter. This new format? It fucking sucks. It's a piece of shit.
By combining the front page with the Metro section and placing an emphasis on LOCAL news, the front page is now nothing but a glorified Metro section--leaving readers to turn to online and cable networks to find out what is going on in the nation and the world.
I don't watch the cable networks except for MLB Network. I can't even watch ESPN anymore without screaming at the TV because I'm tired of all their commentators screaming at me.
I don't like being told to check the CJ's mobile website for news. I don't like reading news on my phone but it in this digital era, I don't have a choice. Aside from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, which I read the sports articles online anyway, the only things I read on my phone are, um, TV and film coverage.
What are the people with dumbphones supposed to do? Borrow a friend's phone to read the news?
What about those of us who are Shomer Shabbas and don't watch TV or go online for 25 hours from Friday through Saturday? How are we supposed to get our news? Facebook? Twitter? Twitter only goes so far and I only check so many Facebook filters after Shabbas or a 3-day holiday weekend.
Having a Sunday or Monday column in the Metro used to be prestigious. Now? A column on A3 or A5 isn't the same. Not by a long shot.
This isn't the answer. Bring back the old format. It wasn't the best in the world (lack of quality TV/Film coverage that isn't 3 days old by the time it gets printed) but at least national and world news got its due.
I don't even read the Features section any more. All the pieces of the Buzz are already 3 days old by the time that they are printed--which is why I was forced to go elsewhere for all my TV and film news. The CJ no longer reports when news media are leaving town for other stations--a shame. I shouldn't have to depend on Facebook or Twitter to find out that someone is leaving a news station.
But back to the point of this open letter. This new format? It fucking sucks. It's a piece of shit.
By combining the front page with the Metro section and placing an emphasis on LOCAL news, the front page is now nothing but a glorified Metro section--leaving readers to turn to online and cable networks to find out what is going on in the nation and the world.
I don't watch the cable networks except for MLB Network. I can't even watch ESPN anymore without screaming at the TV because I'm tired of all their commentators screaming at me.
I don't like being told to check the CJ's mobile website for news. I don't like reading news on my phone but it in this digital era, I don't have a choice. Aside from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, which I read the sports articles online anyway, the only things I read on my phone are, um, TV and film coverage.
What are the people with dumbphones supposed to do? Borrow a friend's phone to read the news?
What about those of us who are Shomer Shabbas and don't watch TV or go online for 25 hours from Friday through Saturday? How are we supposed to get our news? Facebook? Twitter? Twitter only goes so far and I only check so many Facebook filters after Shabbas or a 3-day holiday weekend.
Having a Sunday or Monday column in the Metro used to be prestigious. Now? A column on A3 or A5 isn't the same. Not by a long shot.
This isn't the answer. Bring back the old format. It wasn't the best in the world (lack of quality TV/Film coverage that isn't 3 days old by the time it gets printed) but at least national and world news got its due.
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Book Review: The American Jewish Story Through Cinema
Hardcover: 264 pages
Publisher: University of Texas Press (April 15, 2013)
Better late to offer my review than never! Eric Goldman takes a look back through time in The American Jewish Story through Cinema. It's vastly different from Larry Epstein's American Jewish Films, which seeks to find a Jewish identity in the movies.
Cinema is just like books in that it is a medium of telling a story. Through viewing films on the big screen, we gain an understanding of the social, political, and cultural realities of the Jews in America. It's important to understand these realities. In an industry dominated by Jewish moguls, there were those that fought against the making of Crossfire and Gentleman's Agreement, both released in 1947, for the fear that it would increase anti-Semitic attacks. Leave it to Darryl F. Zanuck, a non-Jewish mogul, to produce the latter of the two films.
It's because of the Jewish filmmakers and the evolving nature of the American Jewish condition that we see just how Jews have been reflected on the screen over the years.
Goldman's analyzed a select group of mainstream films from the era of The Jazz Singer all the way through Everything is Illuminated to get an understanding of the American Jewish experience during the 20th century.
It wasn't until later years when Jewish filmmakers were comfortable with depicting an American Jew or Israel on the big screen. Eventually, the Shoah would have a large effect on the American Jewish identity. Nowadays, American Jewish screenwriters, directors, and producers have shown that they are comfortable with their heritage in the number of movies that display Jewish protagonists, experiences, and challenges.
In particular, Goldman examines The Jazz Singer, Gentleman's Agreement, Crossfire, The Young Lions, The Way We Were, The Prince of Tides, Avalon, Liberty Heights, and Everything is Illuminated.
These films play a large part in American Jewish identity, where we have been, and what we ought to do better when it comes to remembering.
Like
the haggadah, the traditional “telling” of the story of the Israelites’
exodus from Egypt that is read at the Passover seder, cinema offers a
valuable text from which to gain an understanding of the social,
political, and cultural realities of Jews in America. In an industry
strongly influenced by Jewish filmmakers who made and continue to make
the decisions as to which films are produced, the complex and evolving
nature of the American Jewish condition has had considerable impact on
American cinema and, in particular, on how Jews are reflected on the
screen. This groundbreaking study analyzes select mainstream films from
the beginning of the sound era to today to provide an understanding of
the American Jewish experience over the last century. - See more at:
http://utpress.utexas.edu/index.php/books/golamr#sthash.bA9MEMqD.dpuf
Like the haggadah,
the traditional “telling” of the story of the Israelites’ exodus from
Egypt that is read at the Passover seder, cinema offers a valuable text
from which to gain an understanding of the social, political, and
cultural realities of Jews in America. In an industry strongly
influenced by Jewish filmmakers who made and continue to make the
decisions as to which films are produced, the complex and evolving
nature of the American Jewish condition has had considerable impact on
American cinema and, in particular, on how Jews are reflected on the
screen. This groundbreaking study analyzes select mainstream films from
the beginning of the sound era to today to provide an understanding of
the American Jewish experience over the last century.
In the first half of the twentieth century, Hollywood’s movie moguls, most of whom were Jewish, shied away from asserting a Jewish image on the screen for fear that they might be too closely identified with that representation. Over the next two decades, Jewish moviemakers became more comfortable with the concept of a Jewish hero and with an overpowered, yet heroic, Israel. In time, the Holocaust assumed center stage as the single event with the greatest effect on American Jewish identity. Recently, as American Jewish screenwriters, directors, and producers have become increasingly comfortable with their heritage, we are seeing an unprecedented number of movies that spotlight Jewish protagonists, experiences, and challenges.
- See more at: http://utpress.utexas.edu/index.php/books/golamr#sthash.bA9MEMqD.dpuf
In the first half of the twentieth century, Hollywood’s movie moguls, most of whom were Jewish, shied away from asserting a Jewish image on the screen for fear that they might be too closely identified with that representation. Over the next two decades, Jewish moviemakers became more comfortable with the concept of a Jewish hero and with an overpowered, yet heroic, Israel. In time, the Holocaust assumed center stage as the single event with the greatest effect on American Jewish identity. Recently, as American Jewish screenwriters, directors, and producers have become increasingly comfortable with their heritage, we are seeing an unprecedented number of movies that spotlight Jewish protagonists, experiences, and challenges.
- See more at: http://utpress.utexas.edu/index.php/books/golamr#sthash.bA9MEMqD.dpuf
Like the haggadah,
the traditional “telling” of the story of the Israelites’ exodus from
Egypt that is read at the Passover seder, cinema offers a valuable text
from which to gain an understanding of the social, political, and
cultural realities of Jews in America. In an industry strongly
influenced by Jewish filmmakers who made and continue to make the
decisions as to which films are produced, the complex and evolving
nature of the American Jewish condition has had considerable impact on
American cinema and, in particular, on how Jews are reflected on the
screen. This groundbreaking study analyzes select mainstream films from
the beginning of the sound era to today to provide an understanding of
the American Jewish experience over the last century.
In the first half of the twentieth century, Hollywood’s movie moguls, most of whom were Jewish, shied away from asserting a Jewish image on the screen for fear that they might be too closely identified with that representation. Over the next two decades, Jewish moviemakers became more comfortable with the concept of a Jewish hero and with an overpowered, yet heroic, Israel. In time, the Holocaust assumed center stage as the single event with the greatest effect on American Jewish identity. Recently, as American Jewish screenwriters, directors, and producers have become increasingly comfortable with their heritage, we are seeing an unprecedented number of movies that spotlight Jewish protagonists, experiences, and challenges.
- See more at: http://utpress.utexas.edu/index.php/books/golamr#sthash.bA9MEMqD.dpuf
In the first half of the twentieth century, Hollywood’s movie moguls, most of whom were Jewish, shied away from asserting a Jewish image on the screen for fear that they might be too closely identified with that representation. Over the next two decades, Jewish moviemakers became more comfortable with the concept of a Jewish hero and with an overpowered, yet heroic, Israel. In time, the Holocaust assumed center stage as the single event with the greatest effect on American Jewish identity. Recently, as American Jewish screenwriters, directors, and producers have become increasingly comfortable with their heritage, we are seeing an unprecedented number of movies that spotlight Jewish protagonists, experiences, and challenges.
- See more at: http://utpress.utexas.edu/index.php/books/golamr#sthash.bA9MEMqD.dpuf
Today in Jewish History: Tishrei 14
This was in the daily AISH email that I subscribe to. The daily emails, not emailed on chag or Shabbas, include things that happen in Jewish history. Today is the 14th of Tishrei, which happens to be the yahrzeit of Louis D. Brandeis
Today in Jewish History:
Tishrei 14 marks the death of Louis Brandeis (1856-1941), one of the most respected Supreme Court Justices in United States history. Brandeis was the first Jew to serve on the Supreme Court, a post he held for 23 years. His "Brandeis Brief" became the model for future Supreme Court presentations. He was known as "attorney for the people" who championed many social and economic reforms. Brandeis was also a leader of the American Zionist movement, heading the Provisional Executive Committee for Zionist Affairs during World War I. Today, the Univ. of Louisville Law School, as well as Brandeis University in Massachusetts, bears his name.
Today in Jewish History:
Tishrei 14 marks the death of Louis Brandeis (1856-1941), one of the most respected Supreme Court Justices in United States history. Brandeis was the first Jew to serve on the Supreme Court, a post he held for 23 years. His "Brandeis Brief" became the model for future Supreme Court presentations. He was known as "attorney for the people" who championed many social and economic reforms. Brandeis was also a leader of the American Zionist movement, heading the Provisional Executive Committee for Zionist Affairs during World War I. Today, the Univ. of Louisville Law School, as well as Brandeis University in Massachusetts, bears his name.
Sunday, September 01, 2013
Book Review: Dear Girls Above Me
Paperback: 288 pages
Publisher: Three Rivers Press (June 4, 2013)
Dear Girls Above Me comes from the creative mind of Charlie McDowell, a comedy writer and filmmaker.
As the book starts, McDowell has just been dumped by his girlfriend. He's battling his landlord. If it could not be any worse, he can hear everything being said by the two girls living above his apartment. They talk about everything from Pilates to the Real Housewives.
After one of the girls complains that a guy named Chad has not responded to their texts, he takes to twitter after being inspired by a cable bill of all things. McDowell starts to document all the unintentionally hilarious observations on his Twitter feed, which begins to amass an amount of followers.
In the process of sharing the girls' ditzy midadventures, Charlie learns about himself in the process. What's more is that some of what they have to say comes in handy when he makes an attempt to reconnect with an old crush from school.
As the girls sign up for 8 AM pilates classes, Charlie is forced into a battle of the showers since they share the same water heater.
The book shares many of the one-sided conversations in which Charlie has drafted sarcastic responses to what hears through the ceiling. His responses combined with the comments made upstairs are hilarious.
The twitter feed inspired CBS to order a sitcom pilot back in 2010. Meanwhile Charlie is directing Elisabeth Moss, Mark Duplass, and Ted Danson in his directorial debut, The One I Love.
Charlie's book is laugh-out-loud funny. Coming from someone that's heard the video games being played next door, I cam empathize with him. Go buy and read this book. You won't regret it!
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Book Review: Sleepless in Hollywood
Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster; First Edition edition (June 11, 2013)
Lynda Obst has been a producer in Hollywood for 30 years now. Her first credit came as an associate producer for Flashdance. Her most recent credits are as an executive producer for two TV Land sitcoms, Hot in Cleveland and The Soul Man.
In Sleepless in Hollywood, Obst combines her experiences with the insights from many contacts in the industry that she worked under or with. She looks at how Hollywood evolved from the Old Abnormal to the New Abnormal...because Hollywood was never truly normal to begin with.
The question that Obst asks is why are studios making fewer movies and, when they do make them, why are they almost always sequels or big budgets.
Until James Cameron made Titanic, and later Avatar, the studios never really focused on the foreign markets. Now that they do, the foreign markets want the 3D movies and action films. They want the films that are considered tentpoles...the franchises that are based on comics, etc. An American comedy, which appeals to American tastes in humor, is less likely to do well overseas than a 3D movie that features a lot of explosions!
Obst writes that China and Russia are the biggest foreign markets so the studio decisions must appeal to them. Pre-awareness, Obst writes, is what helps to market a film overseas. If foreign audiences are not familiar, they won't bother seeing it. Because of the pre-awareness factor, it's harder to get original ideas on the big screen unless it comes from the classics or indie branch of the studio. The studios focus on the tentpoles, franchises, reboots, and sequels because they are easier to market and for filmgoers like myself, it is a real shame.
Essentially, movies these days must have pre-awareness, be able to sell overseas, and generate a sequel or franchise.
Because of the attention on the big budget films, Obst writes about the battle that the indie movies face. They have to get financing and attention from somewhere. This is one venue where Video on Demand is helping make films money but it also means lesser time spent on a theatrical run.
When it comes to getting films made, Obst writes:
James Cameron can make anything he wants, ditto Christopher Nolan, and now Ben Affleck and George Clooney, as producer and director. The same is true of many others whose mere participation in a movie makes it marketable tent-pole.
Obst also looks at how many of the feature film writers are turning their eyes to writing for television. Her brother was the agent that packaged Homeland to Showtime. Shows like Homeland, Breaking Bad, Mad Men, and The Wire are some of the best series that have aired in years. While movies have dumbed down, television has grown smarter.
This book is one that Obst has written with affection, regret, hope, and humor. Because of her unique position as a producer at Twentieth Century Fox and Paramount, she has access to explore how Hollywood has changed in the past 30 years.
With Syria, President Obama could learn from FDR
As we see what is going on in Syria, President Barack Obama could learn something from the experiences of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
From a New York Times book review (by David Oshinsky) of Richard Breitman and Allan J. Lichtman's FDR and the Jews:
From a New York Times book review (by David Oshinsky) of Richard Breitman and Allan J. Lichtman's FDR and the Jews:
In their conclusion, the authors rightly note the squeamishness of America’s modern presidents in dealing with genocide. Woodrow Wilson, a true idealist, virtually ignored Turkey’s slaughter of a million or more Armenians, while Jimmy Carter, a human rights crusader, did nothing to prevent Pol Pot from exterminating 20 percent of Cambodia’s population. The Clinton administration took several years to respond militarily to the “ethnic cleansing” of Muslims in Bosnia, which required only air power, not soldiers on the ground, and it never confronted the mass killings in Rwanda. More recently, Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama employed little more than words to condemn the atrocities in Darfur. Historically speaking, Roosevelt comes off rather well.
Tuesday, August 20, 2013
Book Review: The Stench of Honolulu by Jack Handey
Hardcover: 240 pages
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (July 16, 2013)
Jack Handey recently wrote the hilarious fiction novel, The Stench of Honolulu. Handey takes everything that tourists love about Hawaiian islands and turns it into a wretched piece of space on the map.
The Hawaii that filmgoers saw in the Oscar-nominated film, The Descendants, or the action drama series, Hawaii 5-0, is not the Hawaii depicted in Handey's novel. It's the same Hawaii but through the warped mind of Handey.
The novel is a rather quick read due to Handey's signature short-form absurdist style. He takes us on a far-flung adventure that is full of twists and turns when you least expect them. The characters are unforgettable, too.
Don goes on a quest to find the Golden Monkey in Hawaii. What happens there is all the hilarity that ensues. Page after page will be turned quickly and you'll be finished in no time!
Handey's first novel leaves readers wanting more from the longtime humorist known for his "Deep Thoughts" on Saturday Night Live.
Readers of Lunatics by Alan Zweibel and Dave Barry will find this book just as funny.
Sunday, August 04, 2013
Errors and Fouls: Inside Baseball's Ninety-Nine Most Popular Myths
Hardcover: 296 pages
Publisher: Potomac Books Inc. (May 2013)
In Errors and Fouls: Inside Baseball's Ninety-Nine Most Popular Myths, Peter Handrinos has compiled 99 popular baseball myths and using articles, books, and other research, he attempts to dispel such myths as just that: myths.
Handrinos looks at all aspects of baseball, including whether football has overtaken baseball as America's pastime. It hasn't. Handrinos does a good job at debunking that one. To those that argue ratings, just look at how many networks are offered these days and when football games are on compared to baseball games. Baseball games have to battle with the closing weeks of the primetime television season in April and May, not to mention when it resumes in September and October. Baseball has more fans walk through the gates than football does. Most football games air on Sundays in the afternoon with nothing really trying to take away attention.
The book looks at whether steroids act as performance enhancers. This is one that is big in the news right now given the Biogenesis scandal. Handrinos looks to Jose Canseco, Ken Caminiti, and Jason Giambi for this one. Not to mention several pages alone on Barry Bonds.
Handrinos looks at modern game tactics, playoff formats, and baseball economics. Except in the case of Jeffrey Loria and his Miami Marlins, he examines whether cities have been ripped off with the building of new stadiums. Baseball economics includes revenue sharing, competitive balance, and free agency, etc.
In writing about 99 myths, Handrinos uses contrarian analysis and witty writing in order to make his point come across.
I can go on and on talking about such myths and whether they are true or not but then I'd be writing a book longer than his!
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Book Review: The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P.
Hardcover: 256 pages
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (July 16, 2013)
The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P. is a debut novel from Adelle Waldman. She tells the story of Nate Piven, a rising star in Brooklyn's literary scene. She also tells the story from his point of view.
Piven's had his share of magazine assignments and quite a few women. But as he develops a serious relationship, he is forced to consider what he truly wants in life.
Waldman goes into the psyche of modern men. At the heart, this book is an inside look at what a guy thinks about women, sex, and love.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Book Review: Mary and Lou and Rhoda and Ted
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster; 1St Edition edition (May 7, 2013)
Jennifer K. Armstrong takes us behind the scenes in her recently published book, Mary and Lou and Rhoda and Ted: And all the Brilliant Minds Who Made The Mary Tyler Moore Show a Classic. She goes behind the scenes with all the key players involved with the series, whether it's the creators, writers, or the talent.
MTM is one of the best sitcoms of all time. All 7 seasons were nominated for an Emmy. It has been off the air for 35 years and is still considered to be beloved and admired by many.
Without MTM, there's no Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, or Lena Dunham.
But the series, as Armstrong tells us, was not going to be about a woman coming off of a breakup. Originally, she was going to be divorced but CBS said no.
Anything that could have gone wrong with the taping of the pilot did. The air-conditioning did not work. The jokes did not work. The audience wasn't laughing. Supported by producer Grant Tinker, producers James L. Brooks and Allan Burns persevered, and the writers helped pave the way. The talented cast of Mary Tyler Moore, Valerie Harper, Cloris Leachman, Betty White, Gavin MacLeod, Ed Asner, Ted Knight, Georgia Engel brought the show to new heights.
When few shows employed many female comedy writers, Burns and Brooks were willing to hire them, most of whom wrote scripts based on their real-life experiences. Many would go on to receive Emmy nominations and later to other sitcoms.
In the epilogue, Armstrong looks back at what happened to everyone after the ground-breaking sitcom went off the air.
What Armstrong writes is a must-read and must-own for anyone that is a fan of MTM, sitcoms, or comedy in general.
Thursday, July 18, 2013
65th Annual Primetime Emmy Award Nominations
The 65th Annual Primetime Emmy Award Nominations were announced this morning.
The 2014 U.S. Senate Race for Kentucky
The 2014 U.S. Senate race in Kentucky is going to be huge. It's a given. The question right now is who will be running in the Democratic Party primary?
The race will start to play out over the next few weeks.
Joe Gerth did some digging at the Courier Journal. In short, here is how the race looks right now.
Running
Alison Lundergan Grimes
Ed Marksberry
Not Running
Steve Beshear
Gill Holland
Adam Edelen--he would support Grimes for Senate
Ben Chandler
Jack Conway
Dan Mongiardo
John Y. Brown III
Ashley Judd
Jerry Abramson
Matthew Barzun
The race will start to play out over the next few weeks.
Joe Gerth did some digging at the Courier Journal. In short, here is how the race looks right now.
Running
Alison Lundergan Grimes
Ed Marksberry
Not Running
Steve Beshear
Gill Holland
Adam Edelen--he would support Grimes for Senate
Ben Chandler
Jack Conway
Dan Mongiardo
John Y. Brown III
Ashley Judd
Jerry Abramson
Matthew Barzun
Tuesday, July 09, 2013
Book Review: Gettysburg: The Last Invasion
Hardcover: 656 pages
Publisher: Knopf (May 14, 2013)
Released last May and due out in paperback in Feburary, the acclaimed Civil War historian, Allen C. Guelzo, has given us a brilliant new history of the three-day battle of Gettysburg. Of all accounts that have been told, Guelzo's is the most intimate and richly readable account by far.
Guelzo's book draws us into the heat, smoke, and grime of those three July days in 1863. We're there fighting alongside soldiers. Over the nearly 700 pages, Guelzo depicts the personalities and circumstances that gave us one of the greatest, and famous, battles in not only the Civil War but in the history of mankind.
There have been several full-length histories of what transpired at Gettysburg over the last 100 years but none have been able to do what Guelzo does. He looks at how the indidvidual soldier experienced the battle. He also looks at how politics played a role in the decisions made by the military. He looks at the battle in terms of the context of the 19th Century practices.
Through his writing, we can imagine the lay of the land, where the fences and stone walls are, the clouds of gunpowder that hurt both movement and vision, to name a few.
Over 150 years after the battle of Gettysburg, it very much comes to life.
Sunday, July 07, 2013
Book Review: Out of Range
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: William Morrow (June 4, 2013)
Out of Range comes from Without a Trace creator Hank Steinberg. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that, as soon as the characters are introduced, there is a mysterious disappearance.
Not only is this book a fast-paced action thriller, it is original but also feels as if it is taken right out of Homeland. Steinberg comes from the screenwriting world of television and in his debut novel, he writes a hit. He writes a thriller that feels as if it could also be a movie as well--which, it should come as no surprise that Paramount Studios owns the rights for the film.
The book starts 6 years ago in Andijan, Uzbekistan where there is a protest for democracy similar to what we have seen in the Middle East over the last few years. The day ends with a massacre and both Charlie and Julie Davis decide to leave and would settle in Los Angeles. Charlie is an idealistic war journalist. He put himself in harm's way and on that day, he decides to bring up is son in a better environment.
Cut to present day and Julie Davis is taking her two young children to Disneyland after coming back from visiting her sister in New York. She mysteriously vanishes after pulling off the interstate on the way back.
Julie has secrets that she is keeping from her husband, Charlie. Does she still have feelings for her ex-boyfriend from college? Is she missing the life she lived before they moved to California?
Steinberg combines the domestic suspense that one expects in a book from Harlan Coben and David Balacci with the international intrigue found in the Jason Bourne novels. What we get is an entertaining story full of suspense, secrets, mystery, and marriage. There are twists and turns along the way that will make this a breakout hit of the summer.
The Disneyland aspect is inspired by true events as he guided his own wife back from Disneyland and she had to pull over to calm their son down. Steinberg takes that...to the extreme.
Steinberg admits that in writing the book, he was "trying to combine the domestic set-up that you will find in a great Coben novel with the expansiveness and morally ambiguous, gray universe that you find in [John] Le Carre's work."
Next up for Steinberg is a sequel to Out of Range. One that will stay in the States.
Thursday, July 04, 2013
John Adams on Independence Day
"The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to G-d Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more. You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will tryumph in that Days Transaction, even altho We should rue it, which I trust in G-d We shall not."
-John Adams to his wife, Abigail, in a letter sent on July 3, 1776 about the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 2, 1776.
-John Adams to his wife, Abigail, in a letter sent on July 3, 1776 about the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 2, 1776.
The Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence of the Thirteen Colonies
In CONGRESS, July 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
In CONGRESS, July 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
G-d Bless the USA
G-d Bless the U.S.A
by Lee Greenwood
If tomorrow all the things were gone
I'd worked for all my life,
And I had to start again
with just my children and my wife,
I'd thank my lucky stars
to be living here today,
'Cause the flag still stands for freedom
and they can't take that away.
I'm proud to be an American
where at least I know I'm free,
And I won't forget the men who died
who gave that right to me,
And I gladly stand up next to you
and defend her still today,
'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land
G-d Bless the U.S.A.
From the lakes of Minnesota
to the hills of Tennessee,
Across the plains of Texas
from sea to shining sea.
From Detroit down to Houston
and New York to L.A.,
There's pride in every American heart
and it's time we stand and say:
I'm proud to be an American
where at least I know I'm free,
And I won't forget the men who died
who gave that right to me,
And I gladly stand up next to you
and defend her still today,
'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land
G-d Bless the U.S.A.
by Lee Greenwood
If tomorrow all the things were gone
I'd worked for all my life,
And I had to start again
with just my children and my wife,
I'd thank my lucky stars
to be living here today,
'Cause the flag still stands for freedom
and they can't take that away.
I'm proud to be an American
where at least I know I'm free,
And I won't forget the men who died
who gave that right to me,
And I gladly stand up next to you
and defend her still today,
'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land
G-d Bless the U.S.A.
From the lakes of Minnesota
to the hills of Tennessee,
Across the plains of Texas
from sea to shining sea.
From Detroit down to Houston
and New York to L.A.,
There's pride in every American heart
and it's time we stand and say:
I'm proud to be an American
where at least I know I'm free,
And I won't forget the men who died
who gave that right to me,
And I gladly stand up next to you
and defend her still today,
'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land
G-d Bless the U.S.A.
Sunday, June 23, 2013
Book Review: The Heist
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Bantam; First Edition edition (June 18, 2013)
It's a good bet to say that I am not in Janet Evanovich's target audience for her usual books. But this is not one of her usual books as she co-writes it with Lee Goldberg, author of the Monk and Diagnosis: Murder books.
There are very few books that I can sit down and read in a full day. The last such book was Mockingjay in the summer of 2011. However, yesterday, I started to read this one and I could not stop turning the page. The pacing was so great that I was finished reading a tad bit after 9 PM.
Evanovich and Goldberg have created the start of what should be a thrilling but comedic series. Kate O'Hare is a take-charge FBI agent and former Navy SEAL. Nicholas Fox is an international con artist that she has pursued for the last 5 years.
What happens when O'Hare finally catches him? He gets arrested and escapes his captors. This is where the hilarity starts to ensue. Her bosses at the FBI are somehow convinced that it would be a great idea to team her up with the con man to help bring down other wanted the criminals. It comes with a catch. She can't allow him to get caught or she goes down with him.
The action is non-stop and they take us to exotic locations as Mount Athos in Greece and the islands of Indonesia. The dialogue is fast-paced and there are plenty of Toblerone chocholate bars involved. There's also some sexual tension between the two of them.
Rich Hedenfels writes about how the two of them wrote The Heist. It's funny that the article mentions the book being set up like a TV pilot because I felt the same way while reading it. I've got a feeling that the Fox and O'Hare series will be around for some time to come.
Book Review: American Jewish Films: The Search for Identity
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: McFarland (April 22, 2013)
Larry Epstein, the author of The Haunted Smile, which tells the history of Jewish comedians in America, pens a book on searching for the Jewish identity in films. As funny as it may sound, I had never heard of some of these movies that he writes about.
I did learn something new in the course of reading the book, the original founder of the Fox Film Corporation, William Fox, was a member of the tribe. Due to bankruptcy, he had to sell the company in the late 1930s but of course, it lives on. Darryl Zanuck's 20th Century Films would later aquire Fox and thus became 20th Century Fox.
In writing this book, Epstein explores various themes relating to Judaism.
In the introduction, Epstein discusses why American Jews were attracted to the movie industry be it as audience members, actors, or even the folks behind the scenes at the studios.
One of the big things that Epstein looks at is Jewish identity verses an American identity or a broader human identity. This is one way to look at how the Jewish characters in film have evolved over time.
One cannot have a discussion about Jewish identity in films without talking about the Lower East Side or films relating to Jewish history. Some of the topics that Epstein explores here are assimilation and acculturation, interfaith relations, Israel, marriage and family relations, the role of women, Jews and American politics, and anti-Semitism including the Holocaust.
In the end though, one cannot really define what the Jewish identity in film is but that doesn't make this book not worth its while. There are a countless number of films mentioned. Some might not be in print but the ones that are--there is a good bet that Netflix will have them as rentals.
Sunday, June 02, 2013
Book Review: Bunker Hill: A City, a Siege, a Revolution
Hardcover: 416 pages
Publisher: Viking Adult; 1 edition (April 30, 2013)
Due out in paperback this April, Nathaniel Philbrick revisits the Battle of Bunker Hill--which was really at Breed's Hill. Philbrick does not lack passion or insight either. He really knows his craft here as he reconstructs the landscape in a mesmerizing narrative of the robust, messy, and blistering real origins of America.
We all know the names and events involved in the American Revolution: The Founding Fathers, Declaration of Independence, and George Washington's decade-long leadership. What isn't told in most of the books and such on the American Revolution is just how merchants, farmers, sailers, and artisans were forced to take up arms against the Crown.
Travel back in time to a pre-Revolutionary Boston. The city of 15,000 inhabitants are packed on an island of 1.2 square miles. Tension quickly builds up to the climax of the Battle of Bunker Hill in June 1775. It was the first major battle of the American Revolution.
When the battle went down, John Adams, Sam Adams, and John Hancock were not even close to the scene of events. The big name here is Joseph Warren, a 33-year-old physician. He was leading the events on the ground at the time. It was Warren who told Paul Revere and William Dawes to sound the alarm that the British were going to Concord.
Philbrick tracks the 18 months that transpired between the Boston Tea Party and Bunker Hill.
Warner Brothers and Ben Affleck have optioned the film rights. But a story this epic can't simply be told in two hours. It deserves a mini-series treatment similar to that of John Adams.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Oklahoma Senators voted against Sandy relief package
It's one thing to offer thoughts and prayers after a natural disaster but apparently, that's all null and void when one doesn't follow that up with taking action. Oklahoma was hit by a devastating tornado yesterday but their senators, Coburn and Inhofe, could care less about all those people that had their livelihood destroyed when Sandy hit the coast in October seeing as how they voted against the Sandy relief aid.
I'm sick and tired of hypocrites in Washington that vote against federal aid for other disasters but when it comes to their own home state or district, they want the money. See Ted Cruz and Bill Flores for the Texas fertilizer plant.
Sorry to bring politics into what should be a time for mourning and cleanup but it's our system that is broken in Washington.
I'm sick and tired of hypocrites in Washington that vote against federal aid for other disasters but when it comes to their own home state or district, they want the money. See Ted Cruz and Bill Flores for the Texas fertilizer plant.
Sorry to bring politics into what should be a time for mourning and cleanup but it's our system that is broken in Washington.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Book Review: TV on Strike
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Syracuse University Press (January 31, 2013)
It's hard to believe that it has been just over 5 years since the end of the WGA strike against the AMPTP. What Cynthia Littleton has done in looking back at the events that transpired from November 2007 to February 2008 is nothing short of amazing.
It's fascinating to see just how much has changed in the environment since that happened from a new media perspective alone. Both Netflix and Amazon have really changed the game for content distribution. Heavily serialized shows make syndicated reruns a harder sell then just a simple sitcom or crime drama. If you look at what the networks have to offer, there are more serialized programs now than ever before.
Also, reruns aren't what they used to be. A lot of this has to do with what kind of ratings they get. Sitcom reruns fare better than that have a serial drama. Just look at a few weeks ago--a rerun of Big Bang Theory did better than the first half hour of American Idol. That said, networks feel that they don't get as much from advertisers during reruns so during the summers--which used to be chock full of reruns--they air unscripted programming or other original programming. Until a few years ago, there hadn't been much offered in terms of scripted programming in the summer on the broadcast networks as far as a first-run episode goes. Then ABC aired Rookie Blue and they now have a summer show to compete with the cable networks.
Hulu started a month after the strike ended and even then, because of the way that the guild contracts were written, anything that is viewed online in the first 6 weeks or so of an episode airing is considered as "promotional." Nobody but the distributor (network) sees a dime of profits off of those episodes being viewed. Sure, it is a legal way to watch shows as opposed to piracy but now I feel just as guilty since none of the people that worked hard are getting paid! With Hulu Plus, they monetized Hulu to where they are able to make money from consumers.
I also learned a new phrase from reading the book: satellite show. Most of these shows air on Friday nights as they have to plug holes on the schedule but otherwise, the network doesn't make much off of these shows. Other times, they are shows that follow an anchor program and would be the sitcom placed between the 8 PM and 9 PM sitcom. Some of these satellite shows are the news magazines or news shows that find their way into a prime time slot.
In the epilogue of the book, Littleton examines whether the strike was worth it in the long term by showing the numbers earned in residuals from new media. But given how Netflix and Amazon have changed the game with instant streaming compared to the classic reruns airing in syndication, it was bound to have happened sooner rather than later.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
CW announces 2013-14 TV schedule
MONDAY
8/7c Hart of Dixie
9 pm Beauty and the Beast
TUESDAY
8 pm THE ORIGINALS
9 pm Supernatural
WEDNESDAY
8 pm Arrow
9 pm THE TOMORROW PEOPLE
THURSDAY
8 pm The Vampire Diaries
9 pm REIGN
FRIDAY
8 pm The Carrie Diaries
9 pm America’s Next Top Model
8/7c Hart of Dixie
9 pm Beauty and the Beast
TUESDAY
8 pm THE ORIGINALS
9 pm Supernatural
WEDNESDAY
8 pm Arrow
9 pm THE TOMORROW PEOPLE
THURSDAY
8 pm The Vampire Diaries
9 pm REIGN
FRIDAY
8 pm The Carrie Diaries
9 pm America’s Next Top Model
CBS releases 2013-14 TV schedule
Some series are on the move in the recently released schedule from CBS.
MONDAY
8:00-8:30 PM HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER
8:30-9:00 PM WE ARE MEN (N)
9:00-9:30 PM 2 BROKE GIRLS
9:30-10:00 PM MOM (N)
10:00-11:00 PM HOSTAGES (N)
INTELLIGENCE (Mid-Season) (N)
TUESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM NCIS
9:00-10:00 PM NCIS: LOS ANGELES
10:00-11:00 PM PERSON OF INTEREST (NT)
WEDNESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM SURVIVOR
9:00-10:00 PM CRIMINAL MINDS
10:00-11:00 PM CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION
THURSDAY
8:00-8:30 PM THE BIG BANG THEORY
8:30-9:00 PM THE MILLERS (N)
9:00-9:30 PM THE CRAZY ONES (N)
9:30-10:00 PM TWO AND A HALF MEN (NT)
10:00-11:00 PM ELEMENTARY
FRIDAY
8:00-9:00 PM UNDERCOVER BOSS
9:00-10:00 PM HAWAII FIVE-0 (NT)
10:00-11:00 PM BLUE BLOODS
SATURDAY
8:00-8:30 PM COMEDYTIME SATURDAY (N)
8:30-9:00 PM COMEDYTIME SATURDAY (N)
9:00-10:00 PM CRIMETIME SATURDAY
10:00-11:00 PM 48 HOURS
SUNDAY
7:00-8:00 PM 60 MINUTES
8:00-9:00 PM THE AMAZING RACE
9:00-10:00 PM THE GOOD WIFE
10:00-11:00 PM THE MENTALIST
MONDAY
8:00-8:30 PM HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER
8:30-9:00 PM WE ARE MEN (N)
9:00-9:30 PM 2 BROKE GIRLS
9:30-10:00 PM MOM (N)
10:00-11:00 PM HOSTAGES (N)
INTELLIGENCE (Mid-Season) (N)
TUESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM NCIS
9:00-10:00 PM NCIS: LOS ANGELES
10:00-11:00 PM PERSON OF INTEREST (NT)
WEDNESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM SURVIVOR
9:00-10:00 PM CRIMINAL MINDS
10:00-11:00 PM CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION
THURSDAY
8:00-8:30 PM THE BIG BANG THEORY
8:30-9:00 PM THE MILLERS (N)
9:00-9:30 PM THE CRAZY ONES (N)
9:30-10:00 PM TWO AND A HALF MEN (NT)
10:00-11:00 PM ELEMENTARY
FRIDAY
8:00-9:00 PM UNDERCOVER BOSS
9:00-10:00 PM HAWAII FIVE-0 (NT)
10:00-11:00 PM BLUE BLOODS
SATURDAY
8:00-8:30 PM COMEDYTIME SATURDAY (N)
8:30-9:00 PM COMEDYTIME SATURDAY (N)
9:00-10:00 PM CRIMETIME SATURDAY
10:00-11:00 PM 48 HOURS
SUNDAY
7:00-8:00 PM 60 MINUTES
8:00-9:00 PM THE AMAZING RACE
9:00-10:00 PM THE GOOD WIFE
10:00-11:00 PM THE MENTALIST
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
ABC announces 2013-14 TV Schedule
In announcing their schedule for this fall's TV season, ABC pits Marvel's Agents of SHIELD against ratings juggernaut NCIS. They will be battling for the same audience, no doubt.
MONDAY:
8:00 p.m. “Dancing with the Stars”
10:00 p.m. “Castle”
TUESDAY:
8:00 p.m. “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”
9:00 p.m. “The Goldbergs”
9:30 p.m. “Trophy Wife”
10:00 p.m. “Lucky 7”
WEDNESDAY:
8:00 p.m. “The Middle”
8:30 p.m. “Back in the Game”
9:00 p.m. “Modern Family”
9:30 p.m. “Super Fun Night”
10:00 p.m. “Nashville”
THURSDAY:
8:00 p.m. “Once Upon a Time in Wonderland”
9:00 p.m. “Grey’s Anatomy”
10:00 p.m. “Scandal”
FRIDAY:
8:00 p.m. “Last Man Standing”
8:30 p.m. “The Neighbors”
9:00 p.m. “Shark Tank”
10:00 p.m. “20/20”
SATURDAY:
8:00 p.m. “Saturday Night College Football”
SUNDAY:
7:00 p.m. “America’s Funniest Home Videos”
8:00 p.m. “Once Upon a Time”
9:00 p.m. “Revenge”
10:00 p.m. “Betrayal”
MONDAY:
8:00 p.m. “Dancing with the Stars”
10:00 p.m. “Castle”
TUESDAY:
8:00 p.m. “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”
9:00 p.m. “The Goldbergs”
9:30 p.m. “Trophy Wife”
10:00 p.m. “Lucky 7”
WEDNESDAY:
8:00 p.m. “The Middle”
8:30 p.m. “Back in the Game”
9:00 p.m. “Modern Family”
9:30 p.m. “Super Fun Night”
10:00 p.m. “Nashville”
THURSDAY:
8:00 p.m. “Once Upon a Time in Wonderland”
9:00 p.m. “Grey’s Anatomy”
10:00 p.m. “Scandal”
FRIDAY:
8:00 p.m. “Last Man Standing”
8:30 p.m. “The Neighbors”
9:00 p.m. “Shark Tank”
10:00 p.m. “20/20”
SATURDAY:
8:00 p.m. “Saturday Night College Football”
SUNDAY:
7:00 p.m. “America’s Funniest Home Videos”
8:00 p.m. “Once Upon a Time”
9:00 p.m. “Revenge”
10:00 p.m. “Betrayal”
Monday, May 13, 2013
FOX unveils 2013-14 TV Schedule
FOX schedule for the fall below.
MONDAY
8-9 PM – Bones (fall) /Almost Human (new; late fall)
9-10 PM – Sleepy Hollow (new; fall) / The Following (midseason)
TUESDAY
8-8:30 PM – Dads (new)
8:30-9 PM – Brooklyn Nine-Nine (new)
9-9:30 PM – New Girl
9:30-10 PM – The Mindy Project
WEDNESDAY
8-10 PM – The X Factor (fall) /American Idol (midseason)
THURSDAY
8-9 PM – The X Factor Results (fall) / American Idol Results (midseason)
9-10 PM – Glee (fall) / Rake (new; midseason)
FRIDAY
8-9 PM – Junior Masterchef (new; fall)
9-10 PM – Sleepy Hollow encores (fall)
SCHEDULED FOR LATE FALL
8-9 PM – Bones (late fall)
9-9:30 PM – Raising Hope (late fall)
9:30-10 PM – Enlisted (new; late fall)
SATURDAY
7-10:30 PM – Fox Sports Saturday
11 PM-12:30 AM – Animation Domination
SUNDAY
7-7:30 PM – NFL Game (fall)
7-8 PM - The OT (fall)
8-8:30 PM – The Simpsons
8:30-9 PM - Bob’s Burgers
9-9:30 PM - Family Guy
9:30-10 PM – American Dad
MONDAY
8-9 PM – Bones (fall) /Almost Human (new; late fall)
9-10 PM – Sleepy Hollow (new; fall) / The Following (midseason)
TUESDAY
8-8:30 PM – Dads (new)
8:30-9 PM – Brooklyn Nine-Nine (new)
9-9:30 PM – New Girl
9:30-10 PM – The Mindy Project
WEDNESDAY
8-10 PM – The X Factor (fall) /American Idol (midseason)
THURSDAY
8-9 PM – The X Factor Results (fall) / American Idol Results (midseason)
9-10 PM – Glee (fall) / Rake (new; midseason)
FRIDAY
8-9 PM – Junior Masterchef (new; fall)
9-10 PM – Sleepy Hollow encores (fall)
SCHEDULED FOR LATE FALL
8-9 PM – Bones (late fall)
9-9:30 PM – Raising Hope (late fall)
9:30-10 PM – Enlisted (new; late fall)
SATURDAY
7-10:30 PM – Fox Sports Saturday
11 PM-12:30 AM – Animation Domination
SUNDAY
7-7:30 PM – NFL Game (fall)
7-8 PM - The OT (fall)
8-8:30 PM – The Simpsons
8:30-9 PM - Bob’s Burgers
9-9:30 PM - Family Guy
9:30-10 PM – American Dad
Sunday, May 12, 2013
NBC Announces 2013-14 TV Schedule
NBC FALL 2013-14 SCHEDULE
(New programs in UPPER CASE; all times ET)
MONDAY
8-10 p.m. – “The Voice”
10-11 p.m. – “THE BLACKLIST”
TUESDAY
8-9 p.m. – “The Biggest Loser” (New Day and Time)
9-10 p.m. – “The Voice” (New time)
10-11 p.m. – “Chicago Fire” (New Day and Time)
WEDNESDAY
8-9 p.m. – “Revolution” (New Day and Time)
9-10 p.m. – ”Law & Order: SVU”
10-11 p.m. – “IRONSIDE”
THURSDAY
8-8:30 p.m. – “Parks and Recreation” (New time)
8:30-9 p.m. – “WELCOME TO THE FAMILY”
9-9:30 p.m. – “SEAN SAVES THE WORLD”
9:30-10 p.m. – “THE MICHAEL J. FOX SHOW”
10-11 p.m. – “Parenthood” (New Day and Time)
FRIDAY
8-9 p.m. – “Dateline NBC”
9-10 p.m. – “Grimm”
10-11 p.m. – “DRACULA”
SATURDAY
Encore programming
SUNDAY
7:00-8:15 p.m. – “Football Night in America”
8:15-11:30 p.m. – “NBC Sunday Night Football”
NBC MIDSEASON 2013-14 SCHEDULE
(New programs in UPPER CASE; all times ET)
MONDAY
8-10 p.m. – “The Voice”
10-11 p.m. – “THE BLACKLIST”
TUESDAY
8-9 p.m. – “The Voice”
9-9:30 p.m. – “ABOUT A BOY”
9:30-10 p.m. – “THE FAMILY GUIDE”
10-11 p.m. – “Chicago Fire”
WEDNESDAY
8-9 p.m. – “Revolution”
9-10 p.m. – ”Law & Order: SVU”
10-11 p.m. – “IRONSIDE”
THURSDAY
8-8:30 p.m. – “Parks and Recreation”
8:30-9 p.m. – “WELCOME TO THE FAMILY”
9-9:30 p.m. – “SEAN SAVES THE WORLD”
9:30-10 p.m. – “THE MICHAEL J. FOX SHOW”
10-11 p.m. – “Parenthood”
FRIDAY
8-9 p.m. – “Dateline NBC”
9-10 p.m. – “Grimm”
10-11 p.m. – “CROSSBONES”
SATURDAY
8-10 p.m. – Encore and specials programming
10-11 p.m. – “Saturday Night Live” (Encore)
SUNDAY
7-8 p.m. – “Dateline NBC”
8-9 p.m. – “AMERICAN DREAM BUILDERS”
9-10 p.m. – “BELIEVE”
10-11 p.m. – “CRISIS”
(New programs in UPPER CASE; all times ET)
MONDAY
8-10 p.m. – “The Voice”
10-11 p.m. – “THE BLACKLIST”
TUESDAY
8-9 p.m. – “The Biggest Loser” (New Day and Time)
9-10 p.m. – “The Voice” (New time)
10-11 p.m. – “Chicago Fire” (New Day and Time)
WEDNESDAY
8-9 p.m. – “Revolution” (New Day and Time)
9-10 p.m. – ”Law & Order: SVU”
10-11 p.m. – “IRONSIDE”
THURSDAY
8-8:30 p.m. – “Parks and Recreation” (New time)
8:30-9 p.m. – “WELCOME TO THE FAMILY”
9-9:30 p.m. – “SEAN SAVES THE WORLD”
9:30-10 p.m. – “THE MICHAEL J. FOX SHOW”
10-11 p.m. – “Parenthood” (New Day and Time)
FRIDAY
8-9 p.m. – “Dateline NBC”
9-10 p.m. – “Grimm”
10-11 p.m. – “DRACULA”
SATURDAY
Encore programming
SUNDAY
7:00-8:15 p.m. – “Football Night in America”
8:15-11:30 p.m. – “NBC Sunday Night Football”
NBC MIDSEASON 2013-14 SCHEDULE
(New programs in UPPER CASE; all times ET)
MONDAY
8-10 p.m. – “The Voice”
10-11 p.m. – “THE BLACKLIST”
TUESDAY
8-9 p.m. – “The Voice”
9-9:30 p.m. – “ABOUT A BOY”
9:30-10 p.m. – “THE FAMILY GUIDE”
10-11 p.m. – “Chicago Fire”
WEDNESDAY
8-9 p.m. – “Revolution”
9-10 p.m. – ”Law & Order: SVU”
10-11 p.m. – “IRONSIDE”
THURSDAY
8-8:30 p.m. – “Parks and Recreation”
8:30-9 p.m. – “WELCOME TO THE FAMILY”
9-9:30 p.m. – “SEAN SAVES THE WORLD”
9:30-10 p.m. – “THE MICHAEL J. FOX SHOW”
10-11 p.m. – “Parenthood”
FRIDAY
8-9 p.m. – “Dateline NBC”
9-10 p.m. – “Grimm”
10-11 p.m. – “CROSSBONES”
SATURDAY
8-10 p.m. – Encore and specials programming
10-11 p.m. – “Saturday Night Live” (Encore)
SUNDAY
7-8 p.m. – “Dateline NBC”
8-9 p.m. – “AMERICAN DREAM BUILDERS”
9-10 p.m. – “BELIEVE”
10-11 p.m. – “CRISIS”
Book Review: Dad is Fat by Jim Gaffigan
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Crown Archetype (May 7, 2013)
Another week, another comic memoir. Since April started, there have been memoirs released by Kelly Oxford, Jen Kirkman, and Marc Maron, to name a few. Last week brought the release of Dad is Fat by comedian Jim Gaffigan.
The comedian, his wife, and five kids live in a small 2-bedroom apartment in a five-story walk up. I don't know how they do it but more power to them.
What Gaffigan does with his memoir is share his observations on fatherhood, revealing the joys and horror of raising five young children in New York City, and how to cope when you're outnumbered at home.
We are lucky that Gaffigan's family life has made for comic material for us. It's not like he hasn't shared his wit with us before as he shares it on Twitter all the time. He could have written a book about what it was like to have grown up in Indiana but he didn't.
Some of the topics in the book include his going from a loner to a family man, food, becoming vice president of his household, big families in general, the narcissist's guide to babies and toddlers, how children have terrible taste, plus other subjects like babysitters, critiquing children's literature, survival, and bedtime.
Overall, what we have from Gaffigan is a charming and irresistibly candid take on the ups and downs of parenting, which isn't what one usually expects from a comedian.
Book Review: Attempting Normal by Marc Maron
Hardcover: 240 pages
Publisher: Spiegel & Grau (April 30, 2013)
Marc Maron is a comedian best known for his interview podcast WTF with Marc Maron. Outside of his former radio show on the late Air America, the comedian had never really hit the bigtime. Then WTF happened and the rest, as they say, is history.
The publication of Maron's comic memoir just so happens to have coincided with the debut of Maron on IFC. What he has in his memoir is a collection of stories that are explosively, painfully, and addictively funny...even when they shouldn't be. Maron the comedian is a disarmingly honest, intensely smart, brutally open comic who just happens to find wisdom in the strangest of places.
It was when Maron had nothing that he turned to his garage and started WTF.
But most of us can relate with Maron. He's just trying to do better without making a larger mess than he already has. As with other comic memoirs, Maron is open about his life, including failed relationships, his cats, flying planes in his mind, etc.
Maron has a struggle with relationships from day to day and that's documented in his book.
If you want a better of idea of who Maron is, this book is for you.
Sunday, May 05, 2013
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