[TV orNotTV] Re: 'Parks and Rec' to Make Victory (?) Lap

Victory lap, indeed. Parks and Rec going away is a win for all of America. --Dave Sikula On Monday, May 12, 2014 9:02:37 AM UTC-7, Mark Jeffries wrote: The upcoming seventh season will be the last for the NBC cult sitcom that Sikula hates--it's not on the fall schedule and will probably do

Re: [TV orNotTV] OT: Calvin Hobbes

I'll just note the irony of the juxtaposition of Pearls Before Swine and Watterson sending stuff to Breathed. --Dave Sikula On Sunday, June 8, 2014 2:00:05 PM UTC-7, Kevin M. (RPCV) wrote: If you haven't watched the documentary Dear Mr Watterson, it is worth it just to see some of the

[TV orNotTV] Re: Closing thoughts on Fox's Cosmos

With all due respect, I didn't find Cosmos to be hostile to people of faith -- yeah, it challenged them, but didn't get in their faces. That said, religion's gotten a pretty free ride for about 5,000 years and, if it can't handle even an indirect attack, maybe it's time to find a new paradigm

[TV orNotTV] Re: Lorne: SNL had a hard season

Well, one thing's for certain: Whoever Lorne hires will meet his definition of funny, which means it won't meet anyone else's definition. --Dave Sikula On Sunday, June 15, 2014 6:23:17 PM UTC-7, Tom Wolper wrote: I saw a story at Vanity Fair's website, which was just a link to this

Re: [TV orNotTV] Re: Onetime top LA paper's offices live on as studios

I'll expand on that to say that I thought the Her-Ex was one of the great papers of all time. It combined great columnists and enlightening reporting on local issues with a fantastic sports department and some of the best arts critics I've ever read (Jack Viertel is still the gold standard for

Re: [TV orNotTV] News Changes at ABC

Let me just tailgate on those comments about BriWi. I think he's a wonderfully funny man, an engaging conversationalist, and a great talk show panelist, but someone who has no credibility as a newsman. But that sort of fits with NBC's vision of that role; one that began with when Brokaw began

[TV orNotTV] Re: Fallon has the lowest percentage of guest talk

Is this a surprise to anyone? Fallon doesn't host a talk show. He hosts an hour of things that the producers hope will go viral. --Dave Sikula On Thursday, July 10, 2014 1:52:12 PM UTC-7, David Bruggeman wrote: This is according to a study by Steven Wizenburg, a communications professor.

Re: [TV orNotTV] Re: Walken to play tap-dancing Hook

THR, quoting Bob Greenblatt: We were talking about doing it with a man at one point, but we've had several women who wanted to do it and they're either busy or their schedules don't work. It's not like we can film this at any time; I need this person from Aug. 5-Dec. 5, so that knocks out the

Re: [TV orNotTV] Re: Walken to play tap-dancing Hook

Unlikely for a male to be cast in any event -- assuming they do the original Mary Martin version. Peter sings in a number called Mysterious Lady that was written to show off Martin's coloratura range. Unless they want to go to Shakespearean extremes -- a boy playing a boy playing a girl --

[TV orNotTV] Re: SNL drops Brooks Wheelan, Noël Wells, and John Milhiser

I saw all but one show last season, and even after seeing their photos, have no idea who they were. Lorne's ability to hire the bland remains intact. ---Dave Sikula On Tuesday, July 15, 2014 3:42:29 PM UTC-7, Tom Wolper wrote: I stopped watching the show years ago so I don't know if this is

[TV orNotTV] Re: Why the dueling film critics TV show format ultimately failed

I would argue that it the format than the people. If Siskel and Ebert were still alive, I'd imagine the show would still be going in some format. The problem was that, once Gene died, Roger was never able to find someone with whom he had any chemistry. The people who did end up with the job

Re: [TV orNotTV] Late Show to continue broadcasting from New York, Ed Sullivan Theater

YACS. While there are still a good number of unused seats behind a giant scrim in the balcony, the overall capacity has been reduced. Here's an entry on the theatre, with some beautiful photos of the original space: http://ibdb.com/venue.php?id=1182 --Dave Sikula On Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Re: [TV orNotTV] Why the dueling film critics TV show format ultimately failed

I can't imagine anyone having chemistry with Lemire, but that's neither here nor there. Given Elvis's employment track record, I'd imagine he can't be easy to work with. It's a shame; he's one of my favorites (I particularly liked his TCM series), but lasts only a short time anywhere. --Dave

Re: [TV orNotTV] Scandal

Maybe there's a pulpy/soapy quality to it that I'll miss, but Ms. Rhimes burned me so badly with the repellent Grey's Anatomy that I don't plan on sampling any more of her dubious wares. --Dave Sikula On Monday, July 28, 2014 10:28:54 AM UTC-7, PGage wrote: On Mon, Jul 28, 2014 at 10:05 AM,

Re: [TV orNotTV] Leonard Maltin retiring paperback movie annual

Guess this explains why the newest movie on my version of the app is Monuments Men. --Dave Sikula On Thursday, August 21, 2014 8:14:20 PM UTC-7, Tom Wolper wrote: On Thu, Aug 21, 2014 at 9:08 PM, Bob Jersey bob.in...@juno.com javascript: wrote: The 2015 ish, out Sept 2nd, will be his

Re: [TV orNotTV] Re: Breaking baseball (and hockey, and possibly other sports)?

A friend of mine in Hawaii is a Dodger fan, but MLB blacks him out of all west coast games, apparently figuring he might jump on a plane and fly six hours to see a game on the spur of the moment. --Dave On Thursday, August 21, 2014 8:43:10 AM UTC-7, Joe Hass wrote: Baseball: the sport that

Re: [TV orNotTV] Simpsons/Family Guy crossover

If the last two years of Le Show is any indication, Harry's been too busy complaining about people starting sentences with the word so, bitching about people ripping off his copyrighted ripping and reading of wire copy copyrighted by actual news agencies, writing pointless and inane songs,

Re: [TV orNotTV] Simpsons/Family Guy crossover

Political content except for more episodes of Karzai Talk, and generally telling those damn kids to get off his lawn to care about a Family Guy crossover. Dave Sikula -- -- TV or Not TV The Smartest (TV) People! You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups

[TV orNotTV] Re: Maron's WTF podcast with Kathy Griffin

I'll have to take your word on this, since nothing short of being held at gunpoint would make me listen to anything associated with Griffin. Left unasked is why she hasn't been offered those prime gigs. Kudos to her for making a career for herself, but I'd rather have nothing to do with her.

Re: [TV orNotTV] Re: Maron's WTF podcast with Kathy Griffin

If I'm understanding this correctly -- and I have no intentions of listening to the actual podcast, since either Maron or Griffin alone is enough to make my ears bleed, but the prospect of the two of them would be seizure-inducing -- Griffin is upset because, following a supporting role on a

[TV orNotTV] Re: The Maid of Steel Comes to CBS

I just wonder how CBS is going to reconfigure it to make it a procedural starring a middle-aged white guy. The Dick Malverne Mysteries, maybe? --Dave Sikula On Friday, September 19, 2014 10:18:17 AM UTC-7, Mark Jeffries wrote: A series commitment at the Eye for a Supergirl series from Greg

[TV orNotTV] Re: Kenan Thompson departure from SNL disputed

Since Kenan is currently the only watchable element on SNL, I shudder to think of what'll become without him. --Dave Sikula On Monday, September 22, 2014 6:00:29 PM UTC-7, Bob Jersey wrote: TMZ http://www.tmz.com/2014/09/22/kenan-thompson-leaving-saturday-night-live/ (link): He wanted to

[TV orNotTV] Re: Kenan Thompson departure from SNL disputed

My opinion of McKinnon is that she's the perfect successor to Wiig: she plays everything exactly the same, yelling and forcing punchlines down the viewer;s throat with the subtlety and comedic chops of a rhinoceros. --Dave Sikula On Tuesday, September 23, 2014 11:52:14 PM UTC-7, Michael

[TV orNotTV] Re: SNL season opener

Some observations: I'm always a little surprised when a season opener is as awful as this one was. In theory, they've had all summer to think of ideas. Tonight's entry had sketches that would have been rejected from a third-grade talent show. (Though having the obstacle of Pratt to overcome

[TV orNotTV] Re: Summer dreams, 2015 -- but, oh, The Eye's summer nights

It would have fared better if they'd kept the original title: The Rememberer. --Dave Sikula On Friday, October 10, 2014 8:01:57 PM UTC-7, Bob Jersey wrote: Unforgettable, after some hemming and hawing, was dropped... again... TheWrap

[TV orNotTV] Re: writer's block

What about lock Warner Bros had on ABC in the late 50s and early 60s? Seems like William T. Orr had half the schedule over there. --Dave Sikula On Monday, October 13, 2014 6:13:51 PM UTC-7, Jon Delfin wrote: The current Entertainment Weekly includes this sentence, as part of an article

[TV orNotTV] Re: Another article about being on Jeopardy

I'll just say I disagree with her on going with hunches. My philosophy was if I didn't know it, I wasn't going for the buzzer, Of course, she did win more than I did... --Dave Sikula On Tuesday, October 14, 2014 12:54:56 PM UTC-7, Tom Wolper wrote: This one is by Terri Pous, who was on

[TV orNotTV] Re: Who wants some Takeaway?

Does this make NPH the American Don Francisco? --Dave Sikula On Monday, October 27, 2014 5:58:06 PM UTC-7, Brad Beam wrote: Neil Patrick Harris plans to take on his toughest role yet: the ever-ubiquitous British hosting duo Ant Dec. (Ant’s the one on the left. Always.) NBC has

[TV orNotTV] SNL technical issues

We've hada similar problem on the West Coast. By the time it reaches us, any humor or entertainment value has been sucked right out of the show. The studio audience is in hysterics, but the sketches all suck. --Dave Sikula -- -- TV or Not TV The Smartest (TV) People! You received this

Re: [TV orNotTV] Your latest Celebrity Apprentice lineup

Trump by himself is a lot of awful contained in one show. --Dave Sikula On Tuesday, November 4, 2014 11:39:21 AM UTC-8, Kevin M. (RPCV) wrote: Wow. That's a lot of awful contained in one TV show. On Tue, Nov 4, 2014 at 8:48 AM, Bob Jersey bob.in...@juno.com javascript: wrote: On *Today*

Re: [TV orNotTV] Bill Cosby cancelled on the Late Show

I'll agree that Simon should have asked him about it, but I know from personal experience that he's also something of a dick, so I can't fully defend him. Dave Sikula -- -- TV or Not TV The Smartest (TV) People! You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups

[TV orNotTV] Re: J-Law And Dave

Can I be a dissenting voice here? Personally, I can't stand Lawrence, and find her as phony as Monopoly money. In a weird discovery for me, I heard Kristen Stewart with Leonard Lopate a couple of weeks ago and thought she's exactly what Lawrence puts on the pretense of being: Someone who

Re: [TV orNotTV] Re: J-Law And Dave

, 2014 at 8:11 PM, 'Dave Sikula' via TVorNotTV tvor...@googlegroups.com javascript: wrote: Can I be a dissenting voice here? Personally, I can't stand Lawrence, and find her as phony as Monopoly money. In a weird discovery for me, I heard Kristen Stewart with Leonard Lopate a couple of weeks

[TV orNotTV] Re: 30 Rock marquee now mentions TSwJF

No more calls, please. Late night television has officially hit bottom. When a clickbait farm like Fallon's Tonight Show is deemed deserving of this, there's nowhere left to go. Dave Sikula On Tuesday, November 25, 2014 7:10:16 PM UTC-8, Bob Jersey wrote: Picture and article by Bill Carter

Re: [TV orNotTV] CBS: Netflix is taking away from the networks

Even though I know the media companies have been after The Pirate Bay for some time, I have to wonder if the pirating of Annie was the last straw in AMPAS pressuring the Swedish authorities. As I said on FB at the time, that someone pirated Annie didn't surprise me. What did surprise me was

[TV orNotTV] Re: Far, far OT: Substitute for rolls

If you can't find anything else, I have a great recipes for homemade crescent rolls. --Dave Sikula On Wednesday, December 24, 2014 7:25:41 PM UTC-8, Bob Jersey wrote: My forgetful dad, on whom a few weeks ago the family imposed a no-driving-at-night restriction (he's not going to ask his

[TV orNotTV] Re: Corden interview with Vulture

He's right about late night becoming daytime, which one of the many reasons Fallon's show is so unoriginal. If that's what Corden aspires to, I'll have no qualms about ignoring him. --Dave Sikula On Wednesday, December 24, 2014 2:24:11 PM UTC-8, David Bruggeman wrote: A fair piece of it is

[TV orNotTV] Re: THR's happy-40th-SNL section

As always. the absence of Buck Henry from the Multiple Times Hosting Club puzzles. ---Dave Sikula On Wednesday, February 4, 2015 at 5:55:02 PM UTC-8, Bob Jersey wrote: The five-timers, Bill Carter on Lorne, Lorne on Lorne... all here

[TV orNotTV] Re: Doc's in the band tonight!

Not even Reiner could get me to watch Fallon's show. From the clips I see linked it, it reminds me of nothing so much as a local kiddie show with big name guest stars. I will never understand this guy's success. --Dave Sikula On Wednesday, February 4, 2015 at 5:40:39 AM UTC-8, Diner wrote:

[TV orNotTV] SNL Blurred Lines

A friend of mine and I once defined performance art as anything that could be described as hooey. Those numbers fit that definition. She strikes me as someone both desperate for attention and so scared at how her performance will be received that she tries to distract the audience by making

Re: [TV orNotTV] BriWi retracts an old tale of war helicopter

According to Ken Auletta, Brokaw (aka America's Self-Appointed Conscience) had a lot to do with it: http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/brian-williamss-crash-tom-brokaws-role?intcid=mod-latest Suffice it to say, I find Brokaw's pious moralizing and spewing of banal Beltway conventional

Re: [TV orNotTV] S(unday)NL to go long

I loathed Wayne's World (featuring two of my least-favorite-ever SNLers) then and hated it now. It struck me as more an opportunity to show Lorne's sense of humor about himself than anything else -- well, that and the chance to almost literally say how awesome SNL is. As for Pardo, there was

[TV orNotTV] Re: Question for the UK folks

I'd say he's trying to do a job of lowering expectations. I will say, though, unless his show is an absolute smoking crater of a disaster, it'll still be better than anything Fallon and Meyers are doing. Not that the ratings will reflect that, though. Dave Sikula On Thursday, January 8, 2015

Re: [TV orNotTV] S(unday)NL to go long

Probably more like 8:00-8:10 will be funny. Dave Sikula -- -- TV or Not TV The Smartest (TV) People! You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups TV or Not TV group. To post to this group, send email to tvornottv@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this

Re: [TV orNotTV] Top Gear shows collide...again

To quote Ronald Reagan. There you go again. Not only can I not stand Will Smith, but, far from finding he illuminates a room, I think he gives off an almost-perceptible stank that taints everything it comes in contact with. --Dave Sikula On Monday, February 16, 2015 at 12:00:36 AM UTC-8, Kevin

Re: [TV orNotTV] S(unday)NL to go long

My takeaway was that Rock's eulogy was the price Lorne agreed to to guarantee Murphy's appearance. Personally, I'd have preferred more Martin Short or Lovitz. At least She Who Will Not Be Named didn't get own segment - though having her show up with Armisen was poison enough. Dave Sikula --

[TV orNotTV] Re: James Corden

Now that the first episode's come and (thankfully) gone, may I just say that all my early expectations were realized? After hearing Corden interviewed on KPCC's The Frame, I found him earnest and humble enough, and was pulling for him to succeed, but the first entry was pretty bad. The opening

[TV orNotTV] Quickie Review: Secrets and Lies

Glad to hear that her performance has succeeded her usual stamdard. --Dave Sikula -- -- TV or Not TV The Smartest (TV) People! You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups TV or Not TV group. To post to this group, send email to tvornottv@googlegroups.com To

Re: [TV orNotTV] The Tonight Show Orchestra

It looks a little like Frishberg, but his voice lacks Dave's Minnesota twang. --Dave Sikula On Wednesday, February 25, 2015 at 6:07:21 PM UTC-8, Kevin M. (RPCV) wrote: A little click-work on my part and my best guess is the pianist in question was a young Dave Frishberg, but don't quote me

[TV orNotTV] Re: OT: My mother is gone

All my deepest sympathies, Bob. --Dave Sikula On Thursday, February 26, 2015 at 7:31:02 AM UTC-8, Bob Jersey wrote: Congestive heart failure, with pulmonary edema. Just in the last hour. 79 last November. She was 79. B -- -- TV or Not TV The Smartest (TV) People! You received

Re: [TV orNotTV] Re: James Corden

that out of his system. On Tue, Mar 24, 2015 at 3:18 AM, 'Dave Sikula' via TVorNotTV tvor...@googlegroups.com javascript: wrote: Now that the first episode's come and (thankfully) gone, may I just say that all my early expectations were realized? After hearing Corden interviewed on KPCC's

Re: [TV orNotTV] Corden

I guess the Corden show doesn't exist in the same universe as The Americans, where Miller Lite is the only brew of choice. --Dave Sikula On Tuesday, March 24, 2015 at 1:35:00 PM UTC-7, Michael wrote: Bud Light? Seems more like a punishment than a party treat. By the way, I came away from

[TV orNotTV] Re: Larry Wilmore Keeps it 100

Re, Bee's departure from TDS: One small step for a man ... Between that tribute and She Who Will Not Be Named as the guest, I could tell the show is just trolling me. --Dave Sikula On Thursday, April 30, 2015 at 10:50:21 PM UTC-7, David Bruggeman wrote: On tonight's program, The Nightly

Re: [TV orNotTV] NBC passed on Fallon's 'Lip Sync Battle'

Just for the record, the concepts good idea and Jimmy Fallon have never intersected. --Dave Sikula On Monday, May 4, 2015 at 9:07:09 AM UTC-7, Tom Wolper wrote: On Mon, May 4, 2015 at 11:34 AM, Bob Jersey bob.in...@juno.com javascript: wrote: Tho, to be fair, the original plan was to have

[TV orNotTV] The Life Cycle of the Talk Show

Not a bad analysis, but where I think it falls apart is Fallon's show. He's never been able to interview and shows no improvement in doing so. As well, he's doing those bits and skits that he's comfortable with (and suit his general lack of ability), yet I think no one would call them either

[TV orNotTV] Re: The Life Cycle of the Talk Show

I think there's room for a non-cynical, old-fashioned talk show, but that Fallon doesn't have the chops to do one (I think Colbert does, but won't). The biggest problem with Fallon is that his stock in trade is his apparent likeability (I don't find him that way, but I'm not in the demo), and

Re: [TV orNotTV] Re: The Life Cycle of the Talk Show

Depends on your point of view. I'd rather watch a day of Conan than a minute of Fallon. But (unfortunately) you can't argue with his success. --Dave Sikula On Monday, May 11, 2015 at 11:28:53 AM UTC-7, MelissaP wrote: You may have answered your own question. And, yes, I know that you didn’t

[TV orNotTV] Re: NBC Fall Annotated

I can't imagine any of these going more than 13 eps, if that far. If nothing else, NBC has finally succeeded in crafting a lineup that I can utterly avoid. --Dave Sikula On Monday, May 11, 2015 at 3:49:37 AM UTC-7, Mark Jeffries wrote: Schedule from the Wrap: MONDAY 8-10 P.M. — “The

[TV orNotTV] OT: Any audiobook recommendations?

I'm a huge fan of Bill Bryson reading his own books. --Dave Sikula -- -- TV or Not TV The Smartest (TV) People! You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups TV or Not TV group. To post to this group, send email to tvornottv@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe

[TV orNotTV] ABC Fall Annotated

If Fallon's success is History's Greatest Mystery, Shonda Rhimeses is #2. --Dave Sikula -- -- TV or Not TV The Smartest (TV) People! You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups TV or Not TV group. To post to this group, send email to

Re: [TV orNotTV] Mass cast exodus (of one) in SF?

I don't know that he's dick so much as he's turned into a crank. I still listen to his radio show, but it's turned into endless rants about people who start sentences with the word so, FEMA and the flooding of New Orleans, humorlessly satirical songs, and people who violate his copyright of

[TV orNotTV] Semi-OT: Patton vs Salon: Part 8 bazzillion

I wish Mr. Oswalt would take his grade school mentality to a desert island and leave the rest of us with actual lives alone. --Dave Sikula -- -- TV or Not TV The Smartest (TV) People! You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups TV or Not TV group. To post

Re: [TV orNotTV] No snot for 'Aquarius'?

Sidenote on Mr. Manson: Years and years ago, the late Spaulding Grey did a series of shows called Interviewing the Audience, where (in theory) he would bring a random sample of people on stage and bring out their stories. The night I saw it, the first guest was a cleaning woman who didn't

[TV orNotTV] Re: Interview with Jon Batiste (Stephen's LS Bandleader)

If your expectations for Colbert are high, watch the Trump parody video. There's 60 seconds of top comedy crammed into a 6:30 slot. --Dave Sikula On Wednesday, June 17, 2015 at 8:06:22 PM UTC-7, David Bruggeman wrote: From Esquire. And yes, he's already talked with Paul Shaffer.

Re: [TV orNotTV] Re: Late show finale

Actually, that's me craning my neck over the late Boston Bill Emswiler's head. --Dave Sikula On Tuesday, May 26, 2015 at 5:39:25 PM UTC-7, Doug Fields wrote: I've been participating in the group since the mid-90s, but only made my first pilgrimage to the Ed earlier this month. I don't

Re: [TV orNotTV] Re: Late show finale

Actually, I -am- the white-haired chap. There's Shirlee DiBacco in the green top, then Bill over her left shoulder, and me over his. Directly in back of Bill is Nick Tuske. --Dave Sikula On Wednesday, May 27, 2015 at 7:36:56 AM UTC-7, Bob Jersey wrote: Dave Sikula, to Doug Fields, Tom W.

Re: [TV orNotTV] Colbert is Catholic and catholic

I don't want to drag this into the political realm, rather than being TV-related, but I couldn't disagree with Kevin more about Trump. I think the hardcore, lunatic-fringe base of the Republican party (which, I hasten to add, is not all of them) is delighted that anyone (in this case, Trump)

[TV orNotTV] Re: The Atlantic: Why did Jon Stewart give Tom Cruise a pass on Scientology?

Or maybe he didn't ask him anything because he was there to promote a movie and not Scientology. Unless we expected that he'd ask a Christian guest (out of nowhere), Hey, what's the deal with that coming back to life thing? Was Jesus a zombie, or what? To some of us in the atheist community,

Re: [TV orNotTV] Review: The Nightly Show

I find myself torn on TNS; on the one hand, he's exposing a lot of stuff - and starting a lot of conversations - that isn't getting any play in the traditional media. On the other, it feels like he has a really personal grudge against Cosby and is being less funny than just outright vicious

Re: [TV orNotTV] Re: True Detective Season Two

Beyond the opaque incoherence of Season 2, my quick take on why it was so bad was that, last year, Harrelson and McConnnaughey are good enough actors and Cary Fukunaga a good enough director that they all realized they were working on a piece of pulpy cheese and approached it from that

[TV orNotTV] Re: IMDB Top 250 television shows list

This is why democracy can never be a success. - Robert Benchley. --Dave Sikula On Friday, August 14, 2015 at 1:31:11 PM UTC-7, Steve Timko wrote: IMDB has released a list of it's top 250 TV series. http://www.imdb.com/chart/toptv?ref_=hm_nf_ttv_sm I immediately for one of my favorite

Re: [TV orNotTV] Colbert apparently having his TCA day

What we know so far is that the new marquee's east-facing sign is back-lit and reads The Late Show Starring. The endcaps seem to be video screens that (in the photos I've seen) say with Stephen Colbert. My guess is that either the long main piece is going to stay static or the electrics weren't

Re: [TV orNotTV] Re: True Detective Season Two

On Tuesday, August 11, 2015 at 3:11:41 PM UTC-7, PGage wrote: On Tue, Aug 11, 2015 at 11:43 AM, 'Dave Sikula' via TVorNotTV tvor...@googlegroups.com javascript: wrote: Beyond the opaque incoherence of Season 2, my quick take on why it was so bad was that, last year, Harrelson

Re: [TV orNotTV] Johnny Carson Returns: Antenna TV to Air Full ‘Tonight Show’ Episodes

Allen's version was called The Question Man (as was Ernie Kovacs's), but Allen gives credit for originating the concept to an LA disc jockey named Bob Arbogast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrO14lZ7QNc Wiki sez that it was a parody of a radio show called The Answer an, but Allen doesn't

Re: [TV orNotTV] Wyatt Cenac on blow up with Jon Stewart

I couldn't disagree more with the characterization of Amos and Andy. While it labored under the control of Correll and Gosden, as far as the television version of the show goes, with the exception of Andy, George Stevens, and Sapphire, the characters were hard-working intelligent professionals

[TV orNotTV] Re: Miley Cyrus bashed on Jimmy Fallon Facebook page

That they're disparaging the odious Cyrus while giving Fallon a free pass tells us everything we need to know about the taste and credibility of the commenters. --Dave Sikula On Sunday, October 4, 2015 at 1:28:42 PM UTC-7, Steve Timko wrote: > > Jimmy Fallon posted a link on his Facebook page

Re: [TV orNotTV] Bill Cosby cancelled on the Late Show

I think Scott Simon is enough of a dick that a mere apology won't be enough for him. I feel about him the way Kevin feels about the Baldwins. --Dave Sikula On Thursday, July 9, 2015 at 9:36:29 AM UTC-7, PGage wrote: Just so the record is clear - Cosby did not admit this recently. He

Re: [TV orNotTV] Re: Quickie taping report: "Late Show with Stephen Colbert"

I couldn't agree more. The band is, far and away, the weakest part of the show. From reliable reports, they're interesting in the theatre, but it sure doesn't translate through the screen. To me, it's a lack of variety. Batiste's musical menu and tastes seem thin - especially in (inevitable)

[TV orNotTV] NotTV: A Chuck Ross rant

Suffice it to say, not everyone thinks Gross is Public Interviewer #1. I mostly enjoy her show, but when she gets all gushy and giggly - which is far too often for my tastes - she's unlistenable. On her own show, "contributor" Dave Davies does a much better job (and does does he have to do

[TV orNotTV] The Interwebs in 1995

Surprised no one's linked to this yet. Donz posted it in the FB AFL group; a report on that baffling Internet ting that the kids like - with a special appearance by someone who just might be familiar here... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpz28Mmjerg --Dave Sikula -- -- TV or Not TV

Re: [TV orNotTV] Oswalt New 'TV's Frank' on 'MST3K' Reboot

Speaking for myself, as soon as I heard Oswalt was involved, I rescinded my pledge. Dave Sikula On Thursday, December 3, 2015 at 12:32:56 PM UTC-8, Kevin M. (RPCV) wrote: > > Am I the only one who has noticed a lot of (barely) repressed animosity > that several of the former cast members are

Re: [TV orNotTV] Colbert's Ratings

I suppose at this point it wouldn't be amiss for me post the trip report I filed on AFL last week. I saw the show on the 12th. Many things about the new regime work. Many don’t. We arrived a little after 1:00, and found that many people were already in line. About 2:00, people who were

Re: [TV orNotTV] deception

The taping I saw (which was in November) was pretty close to an hour (which came as a relief to the wife and I, as we were going to a show right after). The band setup was lightning quick (much faster than at the Dave tapings so went to). The biggest glitch was that they held the audience in

[TV orNotTV] No-spoiler review - Maya and Marty

One of the reviews I read today referred on NBC's obsession with finding a vehicle for Rudolph. Given her one-note impressions (appropriate given McKinnon's appearance), jeebus only knows why. I highly enjoyed the Glick segment, but David was far too amused. (I was glad to see Jiminy's lost

Re: [TV orNotTV] Review: Simmons' HBO show

Other than his whining nasal voice (not unlike Truman Capote, come to think of it) and his inability to see beyond Boston city limits, I think he's a fine personality. --Dave Sikula On Thursday, June 23, 2016 at 2:18:43 PM UTC-7, Joe Hass wrote: > > I said way back when that Simmons is at his

[TV orNotTV] Re: Sorkin teaches screenwriting...

I should run a Kickstarter to do a series where I deconstruct his artistry. I presume Adam Sandler will be the next instructor on nuanced comedy. --Dave Sikula On Thursday, June 23, 2016 at 6:40:52 PM UTC-7, Kevin M. (RPCV) wrote: > > ... on the MasterClass website. It'll cost $90 for Dave S to

Re: [TV orNotTV] NBC's next live December musical

It -is- a great choice, and (as someone who's played Edna Turnblad) is going to be another one where the lack of live audience response bites them in the ass. Zadan and Meron have explained why they don't want an audience (they think it's old-fashioned or something), but there are three or four

Re: [TV orNotTV] NBC's next live December musical

Well, there's always that risk, but all of the previous shows have had a buffer built in. I've been in the theatre for more than 40 years, and I can think of exactly one show that, once set, varied its playing time by more than a minute or so. Not to mention that, after 12 years and a Broadway

Re: [TV orNotTV] I miss Jon Stewart

Lydic can stay on leave, as far as I'm concerned. I find the current correspondent's bench on both TDS and TNS very thin lately. I know I FF through the scripted pieces on Wilmore's show. His solo stuff and the panel are usually worth watching. I'm willing to give Noah the benefit of the

[TV orNotTV] Re: Colbert live post Super Bowl review

Personally, I thought it was something of a train wreck, from Colbert's confusion at the beginning over whether they should continue with the show or go to break, the unnecessary segmentation of the Fey/Robbie panel, and the hideously unfunny Ferrell panel (I realize that's redundant) that was

Re: [TV orNotTV] NotTV, but it'll be reported there...

Chicago is to hot dogs what it is to pizza; that is to say, not to be confused with the actual food. --Dave Sikula -- -- TV or Not TV The Smartest (TV) People! You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TV or Not TV" group. To post to this group, send

Re: [TV orNotTV] less-than-quickie review: Jeffrey Toobin vs. OJ Simpson...

Just a note that I couldn't disagree with your assessment of Travolta. I'm not a fan of his, per se, but was gobsmacked (in a good way) by his baroque performance. To stand out (in the best way) like that in such a high-powered cast (and, really, there were no weak links with the possible

[TV orNotTV] Does any TV critic hate Corden more than this guy?

Suffice it to say, Mr. Steiger is the president of Corden's fan club compared to me. I haven't liked him since suffering through "The History Boys" on Broadway, which was one of the most dismally annoying evenings I've ever spent in a theatre. But as long as Mr. and Mrs. Moonves think he has a

RE: [TV orNotTV] Re: Colbert's new showrunner

In fairness, the cold opening with Clinton was at the Carnegie deli, and not the far superior Katz's. I'd comment on the appropriateness of that choice, but might as well stay politics-free. --Dave Sikula -- -- TV or Not TV The Smartest (TV) People! You received this message because

Re: [TV orNotTV] John Belushi docu planned for Showtime

One of my favorite stories ever (which is probably apocryphal, but I hope not) is that, at some point in pre-production, Jim Belushi went on a rampage in the producer's office, utterly trashing the place. When he finished, he told the secretary, "Just tell him I was here." To which the

Re: [TV orNotTV] Gretchen Carlson sues Roger Ailes for sexual harassment

Isn't a Trumpian "You're fired!" SOP here, rather than a "negotiation?" --Dave Sikula On Wednesday, July 20, 2016 at 9:01:12 AM UTC-7, Tom Wolper wrote: > > > On Tue, Jul 19, 2016 at 1:45 PM, Steve Timko > wrote: > >> Megyn Kelly reportedly said Ailes sexually harassed her

[TV orNotTV] Re: Helen Thomas is annoying presidents in the great beyond now

Am I missing the point of a three-year-old obit? -- Dave Sikula On Wednesday, July 20, 2016 at 11:50:32 PM UTC-7, Kevin M. (RPCV) wrote: > > I suppose to the current generation she will be remembered for her remarks > against Jews in Israel, but she was one of few DC journalists who spoke >

[TV orNotTV] Quickie Review: Superior Donuts

I was in the play a few years ago (playing the Russian who owns the DVD store next door [a role updated as Jobrani's Iranian]), and, at the time, we thought what great potential it had to be a sitcom. I thought the final version was inexcusably bad, with lazy, one-note writing and an overall

Re: [TV orNotTV] Adios to PBS and NPR?

I can't imagine a cut-off of federal funding would be a big deal to most PBS stations. If they're anything like KQED, they'll just up the pledge drives from eight months a year to eleven or twelve. --Dave Sikula On Tuesday, January 24, 2017 at 8:45:55 PM UTC-8, Tom Wolper wrote: > > On Tue,

[TV orNotTV] Re: NoTV: Public Radio Talk Show Hosted by a Conservative!

Hard to believe NPR would go conservative when so much of their "mainstream" "news" shows already tilt right by soliciting the viewpoints and opinions of Republicans over Dems or independents. Scott Simon is the most egregious in this regard, but I long ago lost count of the conservative

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