David Hiltbrand, Inquirer TV Critic
Snoop is about to go “upside ya head” in a whole new way.
Calvin Broadus Jr., the rapper formerly known as Snoop Dogg and currently Snoop Lion, has been tapped to record the theme song for the revived and revamped One Life to Live.
Yes, you read that right. The chronic smoker of chronic has written a song, “Brand New Start” that will usher in each episode of the soap. We have a feeling this will sound a little different than your usual string syrupy soap themes.
David Hiltbrand, Inquirer TV Critic
Well, it’s official. The long and terribly bland reign of WGWG is over.
The initials stand for White Guy With Guitar, a short-hand way of referencing the gender gap on American idol. The last time a female won Fox’s talent show was in 2007, when teenager Jordin Sparks took the crown.
Even last year, when females outnumbered males in the Top 5, Phillip Phillips still won.
David Hiltbrand, Inquirer TV Critic
You know how bad you have to be to get negative feedback from the judges on American Idol? In last night’s Top 6 performance show, Lazaro Arbos uncorked a rendition of The Carpenters’ “Close to You” so bad it stunned the four oracles.
Randy Jackson actually said, “That was the worst performance you’ve ever had on the show. I don’t know what to say. I’m speechless.”
How bad was it, you may ask. Hold onto your hats. Here we go.
David Hiltbrand, Inquirer TV Critic
NBC rolled out a new dating game last night, Ready for Love, with a special two-hour debut. Apparently Ready for Love wasn’t ready for prime time. It drew only 3.8 million viewers, a cataclysmically steep drop off from its lead-in, The Voice, which was watched by 13 million.
Hear that thud? That’s the sound of more than 70% of your audience tuning out. Ouch!
What turned people off? Well, it could be the fact that it was promoted as an Eva Longoria project. She showed up for about 30 seconds then turned things over to reality show mannequins Bill and Giuliana Rancic. Boom, goes the remote!
David Hiltbrand, Inquirer TV Critic
“You’re probably the first 400 lb plus man to do what you just did – in the world,” marveled Splash judge Steve Foley. Actually he may be the first man of any weight to execute this remarkable maneuver. Take a peek.
David Hiltbrand, Inquirer TV Critic
I’m a creature of habit. Usually I switch over to Sportscenter in the morning right after Al delivers the weather on Today.
But Matt Lauer delivered a tease this morning that kept me riveted: the story of a British grandmother who maintains that she spent five years in the jungles of Colombia as a child, being raised by Capuchin monkeys.
How you gonna resist a yarn like that?
David Hiltbrand, Inquirer TV Critic
Bear with me. I’m trying a new bit. It’s The Odds on Ads, and it examines TV commercials that either annoy or baffle me. Well, at least they’ll be a lot of ammunition out there.
Let’s start with this commercial for Volkswagen’s Beetle convertible. Guy enters store wearing ski mask, terrifying customers and cashier.
What’s wrong with it? Nothing. It’s an amusing premise, works in repeats and the guy shopping is perfect, right down to his voice. “I don’t want any trouble either.”
David Hiltbrand, Inquirer TV Critic
You sort of knew Saturday Night Live had to go after the excesses of Rutgers basketball coach Mike Rice. But the show took an unexpected, clever, and note-perfect approach.
Framed as one of ESPN’s Outside the Lines investigative specials, it posed rousing guest host Melissa McCarthy (Mike & Molly) as one Sheila Kelly, the coach of the women’s basketball coach at Division III school, Middle Delaware State.
(Later in the same episode, on “Weekend Update” Kenan Thompson did a funny impression of Charles Barkley, who was having trouble with state schools himself.)
David Hiltbrand, Inquirer TV Critic
If I were Janelle Arthur, I’d bookmark that site for cheap flights back to Tennessee. Not only did she end up in the bottom two on last night’s American Idol, but Nikki had considerable trouble remembering her name. (Does Nikki seem frazzled to you lately? I think this two-day a week schedule is starting to wear on her.)
But it was Burnell Taylor who got the axe. That means that there is exactly one guy left in the final six. And that holdout is Lazaro Arbos. (Did I just type that? Lazaro is the last man standing?)
After the killing field that was Wednesday night’s all-rock theme, I think it would have been fair to throw the whole batch overboard and start the season again. This is just not working out.
David Hiltbrand, Inquirer TV Critic
You know what today is, don’t you? It’s National Hug a News Anchor Day.
What, you didn’t have it marked on your calendar?
To mark the occasion, Mike Jerrick of Good Day Philadelphia took to the streets outside Fox29’s studios this morning. Looking for love. As you can see, Mike got a warm response, even if he had to stalk some pedestrians. Not participating: the SEPTA bus driver.
