OK, I got a little crazy with the fireworks and the parades and the July 4 celebration but now I'm back.
Where to start? Two quick things before I get to the entertainment. The economy. You know how something can be bad and you know that it's bad but it takes a small thing before it really hits home? Like I've learned to remain relatively unfazed with all of the gas price increases and food price increases, but this is all too much: I do most of my grocery shopping at Cub Foods. When I'm done, I always buy a can of Super Chill Dr. Chill -- which is Cub's generic brand -- at the soda machine near the exit. Don't ask why. I don't buy Super Chill for home consumption, but it's just a little reward for myself for surviving the grocery store, especially if I've survived it with children in tow. The price for my Dr. Chill fix used to be 25 cents. Now it's 40 cents. So goodbye, Dr. Chill. BTW, Super Chill is listed in the on-line "Urban Dictionary" as a brand of "ghetto soda." I think that's being kind.
The folks who manage the vending machines at our palatial WISC-TV/My Madison TV offices have decided now that it is in our best interest to be informed as to what snack selections are considered healthy and which are not. And let me tell you, I sure am glad that they decided to play the nutrition cop because I was making some real boneheaded moves without even being aware of my stupidity. For example, did you know that Baby Ruth candy bars are apparently not good for you? But I've been eating eight of them a day for months now! Thank goodness that I'm now aware that Nutri Grain bars are a sensible alternative. Hey, vending machine people: Anybody smart enough to hold down a job knows that Twix bars are not healthy. Sometimes you just want a Twix, consequences be damned. Besides, you can't get that cookie crunch out of a bag of Baked Ruffles.
OK, what else is going on. Oh, the Emmy nominations have just come out. Let's look at the comedy categories first. Two and a Half Men gets a nomination for Outstanding Comedy Series even though it's the WORST comedy -- at least until the fall; that new Jay Mohr series looks like it could make me long for the return of Yes, Dear -- that CBS airs. How I Met Your Mother or especially The New Adventures of Old Christine are much more deserving. Though I personally still prefer The Office, I assume 30 Rock will win again.
Reflecting its dominance in primetime lineups, there is an extra sixth nomination for Outstanding Drama Series. I'd like to see Lost win for its re-emergence as the best drama on network television, but I think it's Mad Men's year. No major complaints here, except for Boston Legal's bizarre nod. David E. Kelley must have compromising pictures of somebody.
In the comedy lead actor category, Jason Lee from My Name Is Earl should have replaced either Charlie Sheen or Monk's (is this atrocity still in production?) Tony Shaloub. Take 'em both out and throw in Larry David and I'd be happy. And it's a shame that only Rainn Wilson from The Office gets in in the supporting category, with no room for Jenna Fischer or Jim Krasinski. And what about Creed!?
Sadder than the fact that reality TV is now so ubiquitous that it requires TWO categories is the fact that Survivor did not get one of the ten nominations. Despite not being as buzz-worthy a show as it used to be (eight-year-old shows inevitably cool off), Survivor had one of its best years in recent memory, with the solid China cycle and the excellent Fans vs. Favorites cycle. Certainly Survivor had a better year than nominee The Amazing Race, which aired only one decidedly ho-hum edition, which was highlighted by the cringe-inducing appearances of World's Worst Dad Ronald, who could not refrain from berating his poor daughter at every opportunity.
Once again Jay Leno was shut out of the Outstanding Variety, Music, or Comedy Series category, as was future Tonight Show host Conan O'Brien. It looks to be a done deal now that Leno, after finishing up his Tonight Show run on May 29, 2009, will defect to ABC and compete directly with O'Brien's Tonight Show and current whipping boy David Letterman. There simply isn't room for three competiting talk shows, and I'm afraid Leno's defection is the beginning of the end for the best talk-show host ever -- there, I said it -- Letterman. Some of Leno's audience will likely follow him, while O'Brien will retain some of his audience as well as secure some of the Tonight Show faithful who would watch even if View crazies Sheri Sherri Shepherd or Elisabeth Hasselbeck were the permanent host. Letterman's contract expires in 2010, which would be his 32nd year in late night television, which would surpass even Johnny Carson for late-night longevity. Letterman will be 63 when his current contract expires, which while not as old as Carson was when he retired (66), is likely old enough for CBS executives to decide it's time to get a younger host for the time period.
Lots of other stuff happened while I was away -- both Ebert & Roeper leaving their show, a shame as it was, even without the ailing Ebert, still a compelling half-hour of film criticism, though nowhere near as addictive as it was when Siskel was still alive. And the Billy Joel Shea Stadium concerts caught my eye, especially since they featured special guests Tony Bennett, John Mayer, Steven Tyler, Roger Daltrey, John Mellencamp, Don Henley, and Paul McCartney, whose appearance was the most overt nod to Shea's place in history as the first stadium to hold a rock concert back when The Beatles played there in 1965. Talk about a couple of shows I would have paid big bucks to see, especially since my pockets are flush with all of that money that is no longer going toward Super Chill sodas.
