How Do These People Get Paid Millions?

I just read in Variety that ABC is doing a show about cavemen living in modern day Atlanta. Kind of like the Geico commericals.

WTF???

How do these tv people ever get paid what they get paid to come up with "ideas" like this. I mean...it's been a fairly non-funny commercial bit for a few years now, and that somehow translates to a "funny" sit com? I read this article and couldn't believe it. The only thing that's funny to me about the show in the making is that they chose Atlanta of all places.

Hardly Fun and Nancy Who?

So, it's raining like hell in DC tonight and nothing is on tv. After a quick stop to Amersterdam Falafel, I decide to take a sneak peek at the netflix treat I had been saving for this Sat or Sun afternoon: disc 1 from the 1976 Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew Mysteries tv series. (I figured Family with Kristy McNichol has rocked enough 70's weekends lately--time for a change).

I climb up on the sofa and push play, just giddy to see Shaun Cassidy, Parker Stevenson and Pamela Sue Martin in all their wavy-haired glory. And there they are and guess what--it stinks.

Eh, stinks isn't really the word. The crazy ass music is just as eerie and good as I remember. But the "plot," (and I use quotations purposefully), is just terrible. No pacing, no story. Just lots of cats hissing, and mirrors, and trap doors, and screaming. Granted, Parker Stevenson is just as cute as I remember, riding around town in his underwear on his trail bike, but even Parker sans clothes just doesn't lift my spirits as much as I hoped he would. Plus the DVD has the shows out of order--there isn't a whiff of Nancy to be found, except in the credits. From what I remember, when the show was originally on, each week alternated between the boys and my Nancy.

So...I may just skip to season two, when the Hardy Boys actually meet Nancy Drew and they chase Dracula together. Perhaps then all will be right with the world. I can hope anyway...

West Bank Story

How many of you remember the super cute guy who won the Oscar last Sunday for his short film West Bank Story about a falafel stand caught up in the fight between Israel and Palestine? Ari Sandel's quick, empassioned speech about short films being a vehicle for new voices and talent was heartfelt and really stood out that night.

Turns out Ari is the brother of one of my friends Toby, from Alaska. West Bank Story was his MFA project in Directing from UCLA. Can you imagine winning an Oscar for your graduate thesis? Well, visit the site for Ari's movie West Bank Story. I'm going to order a copy.

(check out Ari and Steven Spielberg above, at the Academy Awards nominee luncheon in January).

Um, Well, Er, Harry Potter is Kind of Hot

People have been talking about Daniel Radcliffe in the London play "Equus," but I hadn't paid much attention. But now after seeing the pictures, I'm like, well, it's just, I don't know how to say it but Harry Potter is kind of hot.

Eddie Murphy and the Oscars

Ted Casablanca at E! is reporting that Eddie Murphy left the Oscars last night just after he lost. If you wondered why I was rooting for Alan Arkin and not Eddie Murphy, you have your main answer. I think Eddie feels entitled to the Oscar--which is ridiculous.

Think about the sound guy who has been nominated 19 times now and didn't win (again) last night. What about all the really great actors who don't have Oscars, including Peter O'Toole who (again) went home without Oscar gold last night.

IEddie is a brilliant comedian. I think he's hysterical. But in Dreamgirls his performance was only okay. Not terrible, not great. And really, his part didn't even have all that much meat to it. So I was hoping for Alan Arkin to get the win, and last night I was happy he took gold. Now after hearing that Eddie left the Oscars in a disappointed huff after losing, it makes me even happier Arkin won.

OSCARS!!!

I didn't win the work Oscar pool yesterday or the contest at my own party. The big trip-ups I made: 1) voting for Peter O'Toole because I honestly thought they'd give it to him after 7 previous nods. 2) I didn't catch on to the momentum for The Departed. I voted for Babel instead. 3) I also picked Pan's Labyrinth over The Lives of Others for foreign picture. Oops. So...those were major losses for me in terms of points. In terms of Oscars, I didn't too much care.

The things that did make me happy last night: that Alan Arkin won over Eddie Murphy, even after Murphy won every imaginable award before the Oscars. That's a twist I saw coming. I was also happy that Helen Mirren and Jennifer Hudson won, though we all both were fairly certain.

Aside from the terrible length of the broadcast, it was a fun show. DeGeneres was goofy and childlike, but not stupid. Though we could have done without 5 minute nominee sketches here and 5 minute music dedications there.

It was such a great year for movies that the Oscar nominations really seemed on the mark for the most part. And it seemed like November through January I saw a fantastic movie every weekend. Well, as I wrap this up, I leave us with the hotness that is Ryan Gosling.