Would you rather read Sarah Palin's new book or kill yourself?

This is why I love The Daily Show ... brilliant!

My hovercraft is full of eels

Brilliant ... absolutely brilliant.

Whovian in 2010

Geek alert ... you've been warned.

The last of the David Tenant Doctor Who episodes are about to make their way to BBC America and the logo for the next Doctor has been revealed:


Very cool stuff.

Hillary and Palin

For those who missed it ... this is absolutely brilliant ...

Metal A-team

Now this is a cover of the A-team theme song!

Partying with Gabba

I love this show ... my 3 1/2-year-old son runs around the house singing this song:

Seven seasons in nine minutes

Man I miss this show ...

Don Gillis

Anyone outside of the Boston area probably isn't going to know who I'm talking about, but a Boston sportscasting legend has passed away and it's got me thinking about how fortunate I am to have grown up in such a sports-rich area of the country like New England.

Don Gillis, considered one of the pioneers of the local sports broadcast, passed away yesterday at the age of 85. His obit is here and Boston Globe sports scribe Bob Ryan wrote a great tribute piece for today's Globe.

Gillis retired in the early 1980s and I haven't thought about him in a while, but hearing of his passing brought me back to when I was a kid and (even at the tender age of 7 or 8) I was bit of a news junkie. I can remember the opening theme song to WCVB Channel 5's news (Channel 5 is the ABC affiliate in Boston) and hearing the announcer say, "Now ... Natalie Jacobson, Chet Curtis, Dick Albert with the weather and Don Gillis on sports ... this, is Newscenter 5." Man, I remember the music, the graphics, everything.

Gillis was so cool to watch. He had such a great voice and there was no flash with him, he was just someone who knew sports and wanted to tell the audience what happened. Admittedly, I wasn't a huge sports fan as a little kid, but I always liked his part of the newscast.

He also hosted the Candlepin Bowling show, which actually was fun to watch because, again, it was Don Gillis.

Those of us who tune into our local news for the Sports report can thank Gillis for what we are watching and how it's being presented. He's widely credited with creating the highlight reel and playing highlights and showing graphics during the broadcast.

It's a cliché but it's true ... there'll never be another one like Don Gillis.

Jay Leno is an idiot

And this story proves it.

Music makes me cha cha cha

So one of the channels Joey watches is called "Noggin" which is supported by Nick Jr. He's learned a lot watching the different shows on the channel, so Kell and I let him watch it when he wants to watch TV.

The channel is "hosted" by a cartoon character name Moose and his blue bird side kick Zee. They tell stories and sing lots of songs in between shows.

One of Joey's favorite songs these guys do is "Music Makes Me". (I wish I could direct link to it, but if you go to the Noggin video page and look under the video window, you'll see picture hotlinks to videos. Click on the first video, the picture is of Moose in a top hat and tux. The video usually starts playing when you first get to the page.)

Anyway, I have to say that the song really is well done ... it's got a great beat and the lyrics are cute. And, of course, Moose and Zee dancing in different outfits is funny to watch.

And Joey absolutely loves this song. He was watching this morning and I was in the kitchen when I heard the song come on. So I went into the living room to watch the video and he was sitting on the couch and bouncing up and down to the music. After a few seconds, he hopped off and started dancing, signing (most of) the lyrics and pointing his fingers in the air ... a huge smile on his face. Naturally, Daddy had to jump in and dance, too. Awesome.

Ample parking, day or night ...

What I'd look like if I hung out the Stan and the gang ...

Reno 911

One word ... brilliant.

I love any show that makes me think, "How do they come up with this stuff?"

The most random list you'll ever read

I'm not ashamed to say I got the idea for this post from a fellow blogger. To me, that's a compliment when fellow bloggers borrow each other's ideas. Disagree? Well, it's my blog, so there.

The following is a completely random list about ... me.

1. I was born July 22, 1969 … the story goes that my mom went into labor as Neil Armstrong was walking on the moon. She wanted to go to the hospital but my dad couldn’t take his eyes off of the TV. She won.
   
2. My son, Joey, is one of the most amazing people I have ever met. Seeing the world through his eyes is indescribable.
   
3. When I worked in Boston, I used to commute 20 hours a week. Fun.
   
4. I’ve never been sued.
   
5. If there's one person in my life that I trust more than anyone else, it's my mom. She absolutely would never BS me.
   
6. I am a huge golf nut and love playing. Well, if you call having a handicap over 20 "playing".
   
7. My favorite color is navy blue.
   
8. One of my most favorite things in the world is the way Joey prefaces almost every sentence he says to me with, "Dah-dee".
   
9. Nothing beats walking in the door and Joey comes running up to me saying, "Dah-dee, Dah-dee, you're home! I missed you!" I fall in love with him every day.
   
10. I’m not a fan of sodas like Coke or Pepsi … I can’t stand the way it feels like your teeth are covered in sugar after you drink them.
    
11. If I drink soda, it’s soda water (lemon and orange are the favorite flavors).
12. That being said, Jack + Coke = always good.
    
13. I’m proud to be a Jack Daniel’s Squire.
    
14. My favorite beer is Cape Ann Brewery's "Boston Tea Part Ale", followed closely by Boddington's and just about anything Sam Adams makes, especially Sammy Light.
    
15. I have one sibling, a younger sister, Beckie.
    
16. My all-time favorite book is “To Kill A Mockingbird” … I’ve read it over a dozen times.
    
17. I try not to use the word "hate", but I have to say that I really hate being late for anything. As far as I'm concerned, if you're ten mintues early for something, that's being on time.
    
18. I’ve only owned five cars in my life (in order): metallic blue 1980 Pontiac Sunbird, black 1991 Nissan NX 1600, 2001 green Dodge Stratus coupe (man, I loved that car), a 2004 Subaru Impreza RS sedan, and my current car, a 2010 Subaru Impreza.
    
19. I graduated from Fitchburg State College in 1993 with a degree in Journalism and a double minor of Political Science and U.S. History. I had a GPA of 3.1.
    
20. My first job out of college was as a newspaper reporter for the Concord (MA) Journal.
    
21. I worked in the Public Affairs office of Brigham & Women’s Hospital and then at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston.
    
22. My two favorite expressions (and I use them all of the time) are: "Not for nothing, but ..." and "It'll look good from my house!"
    
23. To put myself through college, I was a chef at a restaurant.
    
24. All told, between high school, college and post-college (when I had to work two jobs to support myself), I was a chef for almost 16 years.
    
25. My favorite type of food is steak, followed closely by Italian cuisine.
    
26. I am a great cook and can make almost anything, but I’ve never tried making soup.
    
27. I used to own and wear a black leather motorcycle jacket. I thought I was cool. I was wrong.
    
28. I'm so not a fan of gore in movies. I like being scared as much as the next person, but I don't like being grossed out. And no, the sight of blood doesn't bother me. There's just no need to see people's entrails in movies.
    
29. I hate seafood. Lobsters look like giant cockroaches and I just can't see how anyone can eat them. Nasty .... just, nasty.
    
30. When it comes to creamy vs. super chunk, I'd have to go with super chunk.
    
31. I think the greatest condiment ever created is Frank's Red Hot sauce.
    
32. I like white wine and red wine (although red doesn’t like me as much … it’s the nitrates).
    
33. I’m a card-carrying member of Red Sox Nation and a hard-core fan of the New England Patriots.
    
34. I love watching baseball and football in HD.
    
35. I’ve known my best friend for 26 years and I’ve known he’s gay for 20 of those years.
    
36. I'm very good at figuring out who the actor is doing voice overs for commercials and movies. If I can't figure it out, it drives me nuts.
    
37. When I was a pre-teen, Star Wars was my life. I’m still a tremendous fan and have loads of collectibles in the attic to prove it.
    
38. I used to collect and read comic books, but can't really afford the 12+ titles I used to regularly read a month now that I'm an adult (sort of). If I could afford it, I'd still read them.
    
39. I don’t believe in god.
    
40. I absolutely bombed my SATs but was accepted to all five colleges to which I applied.
    
41. I’m an editor by profession but am one of the worst spellers you’ll ever meet.
    
42. I used to smoke cigarettes but quit after a few years. Nasty.
    
43. I love smoking a good cigar now and then, especially in the summer.
    
44. I used to speed, but since my son was born, not so much.
    
45. I could give up cigars and Jack Daniel’s in a heart beat … but never coffee … especially Starbucks.
    
46. I finally have all speeding tickets off of my record and am paying the lowest insurance rates available.
    
47. It doesn't bother me to chew on tin foil.
    
48. My favorite place to take a summer vacation is Martha's Vineyard, MA.
    
49. To me, driving in Boston is fun, not scary.
    
50. I absolutely abhor roller coasters.
    
51. Almost as much as roller coasters, I hate being in the water, like a pool, lake or ocean.
    
52. I can drive a manual transmission car (my Subaru is 5 on the floor).
    
53. I’m a registered Democrat.
    
54. I’m pro-choice.
    
55. I can’t cross my eyes.
    
56. For me, the "Big Three" was Larry, Kevin and The Chief.
    
57. I have little to no patience for people who cannot drive. The idiotic things people do on the road never ceases to amaze me.
    
58. I’m obsessed with getting achievements on Xbox 360 games.
    
59. I believe gay people have as much right to marry as straight couples do.
    
60. I’m not a fan of country music.
    
61. I love hard rock/heavy metal music … the harder, the better (if I can air guitar to it, I’m in!)
    
62. Sometimes I get the heebies and the geebies.
    
63. I played Little League baseball as a kid (short stop).
    
64. I'm a very sarcastic person.
    
65. I’m an amateur photographer … digital photography is great.
    
66. I once had a photo published in USA Today.
    
67. I had a hernia operation when I was 11 years old.
    
68. I’ve only ever broken one bone in my body … a bone in my left foot in karate class.
    
69. Speaking of which, I studied Kempo karate for a few years and was three belts away from black when I stopped (I had to get a job to make money and it left me with no time for anything else). I was even an instructor for a while.
    
70. My favorite number is 7.
    
71. I have a pair of "hospital green" scrub pants that are one of, if not the, most comfortable pieces of clothing I own. If I could, I'd wear them every day, all day.
    
72. My driver’s license says I’m 6 feet tall, but I’m more in the 5’ 11” and ½ to ¾ range.
    
73. I've never flown in a helicopter but would really like to some day.
    
74. I can see why women think Tom Brady is good looking ... not that there's anything wrong with that.
    
75. I can’t swim and have absolutely no desire to learn.
    
76. I can whistle … not well, but I can.
    
77. I've never skydived before and have absolutely no plans of ever doing so.
    
78. I’ve never traveled outside of the US.
    
79. I love gmail and wish I could have bought Google stock when it was first offered.
    
80. If I could vote again for Bill Clinton, I would.
    
81. The farthest west I’ve ever been was Anaheim, CA for my ex-brother-in-law’s wedding in 2005. Awesome time.
    
82. My blood type is O+ and I try to donate whenever I'm eligible (every eight weeks).
    
83. I've never been arrested and I've never been in the back of a police car. (Front of the car, yes, but not in the back).
    
84. Aside from Fenway Park, the only other MLB ballparks I’ve ever been to are Wrigley Field in Chicago and Angel Stadium of Anaheim.
    
85. I think George Dubbya did more harm to this country than any other president in our nation's history.
    
86. I don’t gamble, but I’ve been to Mohegan Sun just to see it … bizarre, but fun.
    
87. I have used a laser radar gun to clock people speeding on a highway.
    
88. In 1986, I was the only person I knew that had a CD player.
    
89. Mean people suck. I agree.
    
90. I don't care who beats the NY Yankees, the Indianapolis Colts or the NY Jets ... as long as they lose.
    
91. If I could, I would live in the Back Bay area of Boston.
    
92. My favorite Harry Potter book is the last one, “The Deathly Hallows”.
    
93. I listen to a tremendous amount of music, but if I had to pick one all-time favorite band, it would have to be Van Halen (David Lee Roth era).
    
94. I like Jazz and Classical music.
    
95. I have met John Glenn and actually declined to have my picture taken with him. I really regret that decision.
    
96. I listen to Howard Stern every morning on Sirius Satellite Radio.
    
97. Since I installed Sirius in my car in November, 2005, I haven’t listened to broadcast radio.
    
98. My all-time favorite TV show is The Sopranos.
    
99. I’m lactose intolerant.
    
100. My favorite ice cream flavor is Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough.
     
101. I’ve never stolen something from a store.
     
102. My current favorite show is The Daily Show with Jon Stewart...brilliant!.
     
103. Best Buy is my favorite store.
     
104. I used to be on MySpace and Facebook but deleted my accounts because the whole thing just got too obnoxious.
     
105. For as much as I love playing first-person-shooter games on Xbox like Call of Duty, I really suck at them.
     
106. I’m anal retentive about a lot of things.
     
107. I love Eddie Bauer clothes.
     
108. My favorite sneakers are Under Armour.
     
109. I used to be painfully shy.
     
110. I have acid reflux disease and can’t eat roughage (iceberg lettuce and popcorn are the worst for me).
     
111. I love Gulden’s spicy brown mustard.
     
112. I think OJ is guilty.
     
113. Aside from medical procedures, I’ve only been unconscious once … when I was 12, I tripped at the top of a flight of stairs and landed on my chin on the concrete platform at the bottom of the stairs. I still have the scar underneath my chin.
     
114. I have a birthmark on my left bicep.
     
115. The most I’ve even bench pressed is 190 pounds.
     
116. If I could do it all over again, I’d get a degree in something that has to do with fixing/building things, like an electrician or construction.
     
117. My favorite adult cereal is Wheaties … kid’s cereal is Capt’n Crunch.
     
118. I never missed an episode of Pee Wee’s Playhouse on Saturday mornings.
     
119. I think Dane Cook is way overrated.
     
120. When I vote, I try not to vote party lines, but I just can’t bring myself to vote for a Republican given the GOP’s intolerant, ultra-Christian conservative platform.
     
121. I’ve never listened to an entire “book-on-tape”.
     
122. I’m not much of an amusement park person … they just don’t amuse me.
     
123. I’ve been to Disney World twice and Disney Land once.
     
124. Edward Hopper is my favorite American artist.
     
125. I think full-figured women are more attractive than thinner women.
     
126. I once cut off the tip of my left index finger. It grew back.
     
127. I can recite word-for-word many skits from Monty Python’s Flying Circus.

Idolizing

It's baaaaaaack!

I l-o-v-e, LOVE American Idol.

That is, I love the first few weeks of Idol when they show the auditions. Honestly, I couldn't care less about when the competition really gets going in Hollywood and the show gets more serious.

For me, the best part of the show is the first few weeks when they show the thousands of people who audition. There's nothing better than seeing these people make complete jackasses of themselves on national television and thank god for them because I'm amused to no end (much to Kell's chagrin).

Seriously, I could watch the auditions version of Idol seven days a week ... the more of an idiot these people are, the better the show is.

I think what I love the most is how pissed off and indignant people get when they don't hear, "Welcome to Hollywood!" I love the fact that they focus on the fact that Idol missed out on something by not giving them a golden ticket. Um, no, it's that you have absolutely no talent.

And, of course, the reaction of Randy, Paula and Simon to the worst people is priceless. When they have to hide their face because they're laughing so hard ... well, that's just great TV.

I will admit that Ryan Seacrest doesn't annoy me as much as he used to. The way he plays along with people who didn't make it can be hilarious and only adds to the feeling that the contestant hopeful is the only one not in on the fact that they didn't stand a chance. Nice!

I've already set up my DVR to record the episodes so I don't miss anything ... giddy up!

Blue Harvest

Brilliant ...

The possibilities are practically endless!

This has to be one of the greatest Pee-wee clips ... EVER!

The WGA vs. ... well, just about everybody

So the Writer's Guild of America (WGA) strike continues and the latest victim is the Golden Globes awards ceremony. Instead of a full-fledged awards ceremony, the Globes this year has been reduced to a one-hour news conference-type format.

Honestly, I'm not much of an awards show fan, but I gotta admit that this latest bit of news was somewhat shocking. I mean, the Globes is a big deal and the latest word around the campfire is that the Oscars may be next ... zoikes! That's some serious coin ABC stands to lose as they are set to broadcast the event on Feb. 24.

And it really doesn't look good for the Oscars. The WGA has already denied a request by the Academy to allow them to show clips from past Oscar telecasts and the WGA won't grant a special wavier for the writers to pen material for the Oscars ... wow. Give the WGA credit ... they're playing hardball with some serious industry players.

Meanwhile, The Daily Show and the Colbert Report are back on the air without their writers. (Actually, it's now called "A Daily Show" because, as host Jon Stewart explained, it can't be "The Daily Show" without the writers.) Anyway, Stewart and Colbert are taking shots now by media critics saying the shows aren't as funny without the writers. As a regular viewer of both shows, I agree that they aren't quite as funny since they came back on the air but, I have to give them credit ... at least they've put production people back to work and they are still funny. If you're a fan of either show, they're worth a look, IMO.

Of course, the other aspect of this is what will this strike do to regular shows like NBC's "The Bionic Woman". I really liked this show and was hoping it was going to get better as it progressed. But, like many other shows, it came to a screeching halt with the strike. NBC still lists it on it's schedule for Wednesday nights, but it hasn't been on for weeks and with less than a dozen episodes, how many times can re-runs really be broadcast? Makes you wonder if the strike will be the death of fledgling shows like this.

Still, I really respect what the WGA is doing here. As much as it stinks to see nothing but re-runs, the writers just want their fair share of the millions of dollars generated by the shows they write for. That's not too much to ask, IMO.

If you can find them, maybe you can hire ...

... the A-Team. God, I never missed this show as a kid.