Emmys' Top Ten Finalists

The 60th Annual Emmy Awards will be held on September 21st at 8pm on ABC, but before then, we have to have some nominees.

Those won't be announced until July 17th, but the Academy did announce the top ten drama and comedy finalists.

The top ten comedies are:  "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "Entourage," "Family Guy," "The Office," "Pushing Daisies," "30 Rock," "Flight of the Conchords," "Two and a Half Men," "Ugly Betty" and "Weeds."

The top ten dramas are:  "Boston Legal," "Damages," "Dexter," "House," "Lost," "Friday Night Lights," "Grey's Anatomy," "The Tudors," "The Wire," and "Mad Men."

According to the Academy announcement:

Step two in the process will be the Blue Ribbon Panel screenings, which will be conducted throughout this weekend of June 28-29.

The results of those panels, who will watch and judge the work of each finalist, represent 50 percent of the vote. Both results will be averaged together to come up with our five nominees in each category.

Now I have to admit, the only show I watch on the comedy list is "Ugly Betty."  So my final five comedies would be "Ugly Betty," "Ugly Betty," "Ugly Betty," "Ugly Betty," and "Ugly Betty."  I would have included "Desperate Housewives," but it seems the Academy didn't find "DH" worthy this year.  Boo on them.

My top five dramas are much more varied because I watch everything on that list except, "The Wire," "Boston Legal," and "Friday Night Lights."  So my drama nominees would be "Dexter," "House," "Lost," "Damages," "Grey's Anatomy," and "The Tudors." 

Oh wait...that's six. 

Too bad.  I can't choose just five.

I'll leave that to the Academy and then rip them apart when they get it wrong.

June 2008 Handbag Of The Month: The Burberry Warrior

I'm not usually big on Burberry.  Something about that staid, beige, white and red check pattern always makes me think of boring men in black, derby hats, carrying long, walking stick umbrellas.

But Burberry's no longer just their signature plaid pattern.  They've moved into the twenty-first century with some chic new clothing and accessory designs that have nothing to do with their signature pattern.

One such accessory is the Medal Studs Warrior Handbag.   This is the bag I've chosen as the June Handbag Of The Month.  Yes, I know it's almost July, but that's irrelevant where the Handbag Of The Month is concerned.

As described on the Burberry website:  "The warrior bag in leather embellished with decorative medal studs has a drawstring closure and leather panels around top. Chunky cube toggle engraved with trademark logo. Single strap with belt and buckle detail."

The minute I saw the bag, I loved it's shape and beautiful detailing.  I could easily see it accessorizing an outfit of t-shirt and jeans, or just as easily accenting a fashionable cocktail dress.

It comes in black and this "trench" color.  At a price of £1600.00, it translates to about $3100.00, so I won't be picking one up anytime soon, but I can dream, can't I?

Wimbledon Tidbits 2008: Upsets Galore Plus Soaring and Sinking Serbs

Welcome to my first Wimbledon Tidbits post of 2008.  It's the time of year when I keep the strawberries in the fridge, the Pimm's in the cooler and the tennis on the telly 'round the clock.  It's been a couple of rollicking days at the All England Club, so I'll get right to it.  Let's start with the Serbs.

Image details: The Championships - Wimbledon 2008 Day Three served by picapp.com

My first soaring Serb?  Ana Ivanovic.  Ana shouldn't just be kissing that net on the Court 1 at Wimbledon.  She should wrap it up, pack it in her bag, and then have it gold plated.  That's 'cause if it wasn't for that cord and the ball that dribbled over it on match point, Ana would be watching the rest of Wimbledon on the plane flying home.

Image details: The Championships - Wimbledon 2008 Day Three served by picapp.com

Poor Nathalie Dechy.  The 29 year old Frenchwoman takes the number one player to the max in their second round Wimbledon match only to lose 6-7, 7-6, 10-8.  By the end of the match I was rooting for her like crazy, but it was not to be.

Image details: The Championships - Wimbledon 2008 Day Three served by picapp.com

On the men's side, it's obvious little sister, Dinara Safina's run to the final of the French put a tennis ball up the butt of her talented, yet sometime slacker, older brother Marat Safin.  I was kind of pissed when he didn't fly over from England to watch Safina's French final against Ivanovic, but I'll forgive him now that all that practicing on grass paid off with a win yesterday over No. 3 in the world, my sinking Serb, Novak Djokovic.

Barack Obama and John McCain: Online Videos To Tickle The Funny Bone

Back in February on Super Tuesday I posted "Super Online Videos For Super Tuesday." Now that the primaries are over and the official presidential campaign is in full swing, I don't know about you, but I'm ready for a few laughs.  What better way to get them then by checking out the latest online videos that take a humorous look at the campaign and the candidates?

The Daytime Emmys: Tyra-rrific

There were three fabulous moments from last Friday's Daytime Emmys. The first was Tyra Banks' win for Best Informative Talk Show and her strident acceptance speech.

Her Emmy clip was about that famous, very unflattering tabloid bathing suit photo from last year.

And though the YouTube clip omits the end---the part where she tells the tabloids to "kiss her big fat ass!"---this clip was what led up to it.

Image details: 35th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards - Show served by picapp.com

Then when Tyra won her Emmy, she got up on stage, thanked Oprah and her Momma---in that order---and then said when someone tries to belittle your dreams:

"I want you to tell them to kiss your dimply, flat, juicy, bootylicious, skinny, jiggly, saggy...FAT ASS!"

Loved it!

Image details: 35th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards - Show served by picapp.com

The second best moment of the night was when Kristoff St. John won as Outstanding Supporting Actor for his role of Neil Winters on "The Young and the Restless."  Too bad this photo from picapp is the only Emmy photo of Kristoff available---what up with that?---but he's the good looking black guy whose face is hidden behind the blond.

When you can see him, he's a hottie and one of those actors that's part of the backbone of "Y&R."  It was nice to see him recognized for only the second time after all these years.

And speaking of being recognized after all these years, the third high point of the night was when Jeanne Cooper---that's right the fabulous, older than fire veteran---won as Outstanding Lead Actress.

What a shocker!

Image details: 35th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards - Arrivals served by picapp.com

It was her first win and she looked sincerely stunned. The first thing she said? "I bet you thought I had died."  Then she facetiously railed against High Def---the bane of actors and actresses with more than one wrinkle.  She concluded with, "I love you all.  What a great profession.  God bless.  Stay alive, stay well."

Talk about another "Young and the Restless" backbone.  Congratulations!

You can see all the Daytime Emmy results on the Daytime Emmy website.

William Hurt Joins "Damages"

FX announced this week that when "Damages" returns, they'll be a new man in town.  He'll be played by Oscar winner William Hurt.

According to the FX press release:

Hurt joins "Damages" for a season-long arc as a new client of Patty Hewes (Glenn Close).  Details of Hurt's character are being kept under wraps but insiders have intimated that Hurt's character will not only share a professional past with Hewes, but a personal one as well.

Production of season two starts on June 24th in New York.

Glenn Close and William Hurt have worked together before in the 80's film "The Big Chill," so Hurt should be an excellent foil for Close's manipulative Patty Hewes.

There's still no word yet on the fate of Ted Danson's character Arthur Frobisher.  If William Hurt's going to be the new man in town, how's that going to affect our friend Art?  The only thing the FX press release guarantees is that Rose Byrne and Tate Donovan will be back.

I've got a feeling we haven't seen the last of Arthur Frobisher though.  He was just too good a character for them to leave him rotting in that empty field.

Hollywood's Summer Movies 2008

Next Saturday is the first day of summer and you know what that means, don't you? Hollywood's summer movies! Well, er...sort of. Several of the so-called summer movies have already been released because in Hollywood summer starts around Memorial Day. But I refuse to operate on Hollywood's timetable. Megan operates on her own timetable---and er, BlogHer's---so here's your summer movie preview based on my own strict movie going standards.

Michelle Obama Enjoys "The View:" A Recap

Michelle Obama, wife of Senator Barack Obama and potential First Lady of the United States had her toughest test of the whole campaign this morning.  No, she didn't go on Fox News Channel.

She co-hosted "The View."

Here's a recap:

First the "important stuff."  Michelle---I'm going to call her Michelle, 'cause she and I are like this---wore a cute little sleeveless, summer black and white sheath and her hair and makeup looked modern and lovely.  She said she often uses a designer, Maria Pinto from Chicago and "It's fun to look pretty."

After she came out and was introduced by Whoopi Goldberg, Michelle made fun of the whole "terrorist fist bump" by fist bumping all the ladies around the table.  Heh.

She said she started doing it because of the young people on her staff.  It's considered a modern version of a "high five."  Actually, in my tennis playing circles, it's also supposed to represent "respect."

The first thing Michelle and the Gabby Girls talked about was the hits she's taken in the press, specifically over the "For the first time, I'm really proud of my country" quote."  They played a clip of the original quote and as Whoopi said, it's the "really" that changes the context of the quote.

Several of us at BlogHer talked about that months ago, the omission of the "really" part, but hey it's nice when the rest of the world catches up with the BlogHers.

What Michelle said said was:

"Of course I'm proud of my country.  Nowhere but in America could my story be possible."

"When I talked about it in my speech what I was talking about was having a pride in the political process."

Resident republican, Elisabeth Hasselbeck---and no, she and Michelle didn't come to blows---pointed out that current First Lady Laura Bush had sent a supportive note to Michelle after the whole incident. 

"I was touched by it.  That's what I like about Laura Bush.  Just calm, rational approach to these issues.  And I'm taking some cues. There's a reason why people like her.  It's because she doesn't sort of, fuel the fire."

Michelle said that she sent a thank you in return but the First Lady might not have gotten it yet.

Barbara then asked why Michelle felt that she was a target for so many attacks.  Michelle said that in today's 24 hour news cycle she "fills up some space," but she also realizes that it goes with the territory.

I'm Really Sick Of Katherine Heigl

Last week I wrote a post for Video Runway titled, "I'm Sick Of Katherine Heigl." Evidently I'm not the only one.  According to a New York Times article, some of the writers and producers at "Grey's Anatomy" are as well.  This after Ms. Heigl took herself out of Emmy contention because she said she didn't feel the material she was given this season was Emmy worthy.

In case you didn't pick up on it, that was a slam directed at the writers of the show, including head writer and show runner, Shonda Rhimes.

The Times article said in part:

Two people involved in the production of the show said that the program’s writers and producers were angered by what they considered a slap by Ms. Heigl at the people in the writers’ room.

Oh I can just imagine how fun that set's going to be when "Grey's" resumes production later this month. 

Ms. Heigl obviously has a severe case of "David Caruso Syndrome."

DCS is a career killing disease that infects young actors/actresses on hit TV shows and causes them to have delusions that they are bigger than the show that made them in the first place.  Symptoms include, bad mouthing their hit TV show all over Hollywood, winning an Emmy and thinking that people in the film industry really care, and being told by your handlers that you're bigger than that "lame show" that made you, and you believing it.

A less destructive version of the Sydrome is prevalent in the soap opera world, but when it hits primetime TV, it's in its most virulent form.  The last time it hit primetime TV this hard was during the first season of "NYPD Blue."  For some reasons, ABC actors/actresses seem especially susceptible to DCS.

In it's latter, more fatal stages, DCS symptoms include the actor/actress leaving said hit TV show with as much bitter fanfare as possible so there's nary a bridge left that doesn't have a puff of black smoke streaming from it.

The only cure for DCS?  About twenty years on the outskirts of the television/movie business waiting tables and doing carpentry until the Hollywood Gods smile down on you once again and you get another chance at TV as part of a "CSI" franchise.  Many, however, never survive.

Ms. Heigl would do well to take note of that.

Glenn Close On "The View"

Glenn Close was on "The View" this morning trying to make sure that everyone knew that just because her alter ego, Patty Hewes had a dog killed on "Damages," and she played Cruella De Ville in "101 Dalmations," doesn't means she really hates our canine friends.

Daisy for one, is very happy to hear that.

Glenn, looking very lovely in a smart grey pantsuit came out to chat with the Gabby girls accompanied by her two adorable, fluffy "terrier mutts, Jake and Bill."  She was there to plug a new website started by her husband David Shaw and others called Fetchdog.com.

For the most part, the site is a shop where you can buy items for your dog, but the best part is Glenn's blog where she interviews dog owners about their pets.  It's called, "Lively Licks:  Portraits of Dogs and Their People."  Some of the dog owners she talks to are celebrities, like fellow "Damages" co-star Ted Danson and his wife Mary Steenburgen but some are people like Bill Campbell, an Iraq war veteran whose dog helps him cope with post traumatic stress.

She even has a post about prepping for her guest spot on "The View."  It's very cute stuff and Daisy and I will be checking back with Glenn and Fetchdog often.

Rafael Nadal: Wimbledon's Next Champion?

Image details: Artois Championship - Day Seven served by picapp.com
You see this picture?  The one right above this text?  That's the picture of the 2008 Wimbledon Champion.  That's right, I'm making a prediction right now that Rafael Nadal is going to win the 2008 Wimbledon Championships.  No less than the great Bjorn Borg himself made that same prediction at the end of the French Open, right after Rafa had won his fourth in convincing fashion, and since Bjorn and I are just like this, I'm going on record today with my own prediction.

Image details: Artois Championship - Day Seven served by picapp.com

Rafa's made no secret of how much he wants to win Wimbledon and reportedly was crushed after losing that five set final to Roger Federer last year.  Today however, he beat Novak Djokovic to win the first grass court championship of his career, the Artois Championship, 7-6 (7-5), 7-5.  This after beating defending champion Andy Roddick 7-5, 6-4 yesterday in the semis.

I'm thinking Rafa's now ready to whip some Federer butt on Wimbledon grass and this is the year he's gonna do it.  Put money on it:  Rafa and Federer in the 2008 Wimbledon final and Rafa in four sets.

Tim Russert Dead At Age 58

Tim Russert, arguably the toughest interviewer on television, collapsed and died at his office in the NBC Washington Bureau this afternoon, reportedly of a heart attack.  He was 58 years old. 

As Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent Andrea Mitchell said during the breaking news coverage this afternoon on MSNBC, Russert's Sunday morning talk show "Meet The Press" was considered "the 'Meet The Press' primary" when it came to political campaigns.  The big question was always what candidates would run the journalistic gauntlet that was Russert and which ones would survive it?

If you watched one of his interviews you could always be certain that whatever question you were thinking of asking the politician sitting opposite him, Russert would ask it.  My favorite moments were always when a politico thought he or she could escape without answering the question by simply spouting political jargon.

It would be then that Russert would say in that distinctive voice of his, something like, "But Senator, that wasn't the question.  The question was..."  That was always good for a laugh.  And also good for us as voters because Russert held their feet to the fire so that we could make more informed voting choices.

President Bush who's in Paris released a statement of condolence that said in part that he and Mrs. Bush were "very fond of him."

"Tim would want us to say he won the lottery in life."  Brian Williams, "NBC Nightly News" anchor said.   And referring to NBC's Washington Bureau, Williams said Russert was the political "go to" guy.

"If it had to do with politics the question that always followed was, have you run it by Tim?"

Russert's survivors include his son Luke and his wife Maureen. 

David Gregory, also during this afternoon's MSNBC coverage talked about Russert's personal side.  "He loved kids," he said.  "He loved his own and anybody else's."  There was nothing that he loved more than "providing for his boy."

"He was always teaching us to be as rigorous as he was," Andrea Mitchell said.  "All of us are the better for knowing him.  Our hearts are breaking.

RIP Tim.

"American Idol:" 10 Reasons I Think It's Harmless Fun

Julie over at BlogHer wrote a post, "10 Reasons Why I Hate 'American Idol.'"  In it she gives 10 points why she thinks "American Idol is contributing to the destruction of civilization as we know it.  As someone who's an "American Idol" fan and who writes recaps of the show, I beg to differ.  Go over and read her post and then come on back and read my point by point responses:

Asians In Hollywood: From Anna May Wong To "Kung Fu Panda"

I've always said the only people worse represented throughout Hollywood history than black people, were Asian people. Just like we had our share of white actors parading around in blackface, Asians had to tolerate white actors in yellowface: that is, white actors made up to look like and play Asian characters. Charlie Chan and Fu Manchu, to name two. Whenever the discussion about minority representation on screen came up in the public consciousness, Asians seemed to barely rate a mention.   

Well now you can sample some Asian images throughout Hollywood history, good and bad, by tuning in to Turner Classic Movies every Tuesday and Thursday in June. Their series, "Race and Hollywood: Asian Images In Film," is a film festival showcasing Asian performers from the era of silent films, up until more contemporary movies like "The Joy Luck Club" and "Enter The Dragon."

Last week's program featured a documentary on Hollywood's first Asian film star, Anna May Wong.  "Anna May Wong:  Frosted Yellow Willows" chronicled the career of the American born Wong who dreamed as a child of being in the movies. Though she found work, first as an extra, and then in larger roles, the choicest roles, even for Asian characters, were reserved for white actresses.

"Farmer Wants A Wife:" "The Bachelor" Meets "Green Acres"

Want a rip roaring, rootin' tootin', down home good time?  Then mosey on over to your TV tomorrow night and check out "Farmer Wants A Wife" on the CW.  If you're depressed, down in the dumps, need a good laugh, I guarantee you'll get it from this show.

It's dumb and weird and all kinds of sexist, but it's a knockdown, drag out, beer guzzling hoot!

The premise:  Bachelor Farmer Matt lives in Missouri and though his life is perfect he needs the perfect farmer's wife.  So the good folks at the CW recruited ten City Slicker Gals to try and woo and win this Farmer in the Dell.

The City Slicker Gals have to learn how to do things like drive a pickup truck, bale hay, slop pigs, square dance, raise a barn, bake apple pie from scratch and do it all with a saucy swing of the hips and a twinkle in the smile.

And Farmer Matt?  He's got corn-fed, salt of the earth looks and a pleasant "I Love My Momma" way about him.  Seein' how I'm from New York and never set foot in Missouri I think he does the good folks of the "Show Me" state quite proud even if all those down home manners are a little too good to be true. My inner City Slicker Gal says he's just a few hay bales short of a good ol' boy.

As for the City Slicker Gals, oh baby!

Where did they recruit these chicks, from the reject girlfriend line of a frat house?  Just like in every episode of "The Bachelor," every female reality show caricature is here: the slutty stripper-type, the sly fox, the sweet good girl, the pretend sweet good girl, the token black girl who's never gonna get picked, the demure charmer who's destined to come in second, and the sly pseudo-sophisticate who thinks she can put one over on anybody.

Though there's also a couple of Bible thumpin' good girls who are sickened by the loose behavior of their sisters, even they're suspect.  Are they really Bible thumpers or just pretending to get in good with church goin' Farmer Matt?

As it is, most of these heifers think the quickest way to Farmer Matt's heart is a hearty "Yee haw" and a cowboy hat.  And do these gals like their beer!  The shows producers must have doubled the usual reality show order of alcohol for this crowd.  How else do you explain that every other minute, one of the City Slicker Gals has her lips wrapped seductively around a brown bottle of brew-ski?

Last week it got one of the gals in trouble when in a beer infused haze, she asked Farmer Matt if he wanted to f**k her.

Yes, she did.

He was as appalled as I was and though he took her out on a date anyway, her City Slicker butt will be ridin' out on the back of a pickup truck any day now.

The eliminations also have their own down home feel.  No sissy rose ceremony for Farmer Matt.  He does things like have the gals pour moonshine in a cup and the one who comes up short is the one hitchin' the first ride back to the city.  Or at the county fair, the girl going home gets her name put up in lights.

You gotta love this stuff.  Yee haw!