TV News & Notes

Getting Political
Whether you're a democrat or a republican, we can all get behind Tonight Show host Conan O'Brien in the ongoing NBC late night saga. Los Angeles based designer Mike Mitchell has recently created an Internet buzz with his new "I'm with Coco" politically styled image of the (current) Tonight Show anchor. In case you're wondering where I personally stand on the issue, just last night I uploaded the Coco image as my new Facebook profile picture - and you can join the fan page here.

Not the Only One Going to Fox
While rumors and speculation still swirl that O'Brien will be moving over to Fox, another comedian with Saturday Night Live roots will be creating a new series for the network. According to Variety, "Dana Carvey is plotting a TV comeback, partnering with scribe-turned-TV host Spike Feresten to develop and star in a new sketch comedy series for Fox. Fox has picked up a half-hour pilot presentation for the as-yet unnamed Carvey/Feresten project, which will shoot next month." Well, isn't that special?

Thanks for Playing
I have to give The Bachelor producers credit. As much as I hate the premise of the show and am losing respect for myself for watching the premiere last week AND the new episode this past Monday, at least they are giving someone like me some plot lines to get interested in. In the premiere, it was so fascinating to watch Michelle's mental breakdown (and that's going to be a fun ongoing plot line as long as she sticks around). On Monday's episode, bachelorette Rozlyn was dismissed from the premises because of an inappropriate relationship she entered into with one of show's producers. The awkwardness of Chris Harrison's confrontation with Rozlyn was The Office worthy and always makes for great television. Here's hoping for more of that throughout the rest of the season because I'm going to lose interest quick if the focus shifts back to desperate people trying to find genuine love in front of TV cameras.

Golden Globes this Sunday Night
I'm typically not a big fan of the Golden Globes award show , but I will definitely be tuning in this coming Sunday night (NBC, 7 p.m. MST) with underrated comedian Ricky Gervais (creator and star of the the original The Office and Extras) taking on hosting duties. If you do happen to care about the nominated films, shows, and actors, visit the Golden Globes official website here.

American Idol Night Two Recap: Hotlanta!
I couldn't help but notice that the second night of American Idol's season nine premiere made the Tuesday night offering from Boston seem generic. Atlanta has always proved to be a hotbed for talented contestants (Clay Aiken and Jennifer Hudson, to name a couple, first auditioned there) and Georgia's capital city did not disappoint this time around.

Here's a quick rundown of the contestants that really stood out:

1.Jermaine Sellers - He is the church singer that takes care of his ailing mother, but more importantly he is the first contestant the stood out to me with that "superstar" quality. It's annoying when someone covers a song that either sounds too similar or to different from the original. His rendition of Joan Osborne's One of Us felt fresh but still maintained the integrity of the song we know. Great first impression.

2. Vanessa Wolfe - Like Kara said, I always respect and am intrigued by authentic people. This small town girl from Tennessee is very raw and may not be totally ready for the American Idol monster (as Simon alluded to) but for me, that's what the show is supposed to be about. You can sense her determination to make a better life for herself. Hopefully her voice can lead the way.

3. Skii Bo Ski - When I woke up yesterday morning, I had no idea what a "Skii Bo Si" was but now, that combination of letters actually means something (I'm not sure what) to me today. I thought for sure he was just another clown show but you could see the "uh oh" crash across the judges' faces when they realized he actually has a decent voice. Gotta give the judges credit for acknowledging talent despite the craziness and if Mr. Bo Ski can tune down the insanity a bit, he could do very well in Hollywood (frighteningly enough).

4. Mallorie Haley - as soon as she walked out, my Wife huffed, "there's your sex kitten to enjoy for the season!" Well, If you insist. Some bloggers are already drawing comparisons to Carrie Underwood and while I'm not willing to go that far quite yet, there does seem to be some potential there.

What did you think of night two in Hotlanta? Did I miss any of your favorites?

Let me know!