DING

This Is My Favorite Of The Breaking Bad Fan Art. 


-jv
fan
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Obama Slow Jams the News on Jimmy Fallon

Obama fills in for Brian Williams on a special slow jam the news.



-av
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Community Returns! March 15th at 8:00pm

While most of the world has sat by quietly, a small but enthusiastic army has been waging war to defend the honor of one of the most critically beloved, audience challenged comedies of all time.

And for now the battle has been won. Community will return to its 8 pm slot on Thursday nights March 15th, as tweeted by Dan Harmon, the creator and Joel McHale, one of the stars.

This is great, but for real, you should probably watch it, because who knows how much longer a show with so much brains but so little marketing push can survive. All the episodes are on Hulu right now, so catch up. And do yourself a favor, skip the first few episodes and go right to Modern Warfare. If that doesn't convince you, nothing will.

Or maybe this?



-av, Soldier in the Foot Army of NBC

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Sesame Street is for Grown Ups, like me.

Ok, ok, it's for kids. At least, all the puppet stuff is for kids. But the adults, the real live people, those are for adults. I barely remember the live action people from sesame street. I can vaguely remember someone named Maria, but I keep seeing Mrs. Huxtable in my head, even though I'm pretty sure Maria was spoke Spanish.

Anyways, all this to say that Sesame Street has a pretty constant stream of celebrities on to sing songs and explain words, but as a child I was like, that puppet is hilarious when he doesn't understand that tall person. And now I'm like, John Krasinski is so funny and charming!

So in case you don't know the meaning of the words "soggy" or "prickly" or you just like tall actors on critically acclaimed, viewership challenged NBC comedies, here are two clips:





This post brought you by the letters
A and V
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I Hate Nielsen Ratings

Let's face it, television ratings are garbage.

If you're not familiar with how Nielsen ratings work, here's a summary: Small devices, "Set Meters" are attached to TVs in "selected homes." So basically, some people have little boxes that track what is being watched on one TV in their house.

Want to know how selective that "selective homes" really is? Fortunately for you, curious reader, wikipedia has some answers. As of 2009, of the 114,500,000 U.S. television households only 25,000 total American households participated in the Nielsen daily metered system. Need a percentage? 0.02183% 


Let's round off that percentage: 0.02% of American homes are actually being tracked for these ratings.


So procedural crimes dramas and laugh track filled comedies play great to the tiny smattering of people whose opinions matter for no reason other than luck, and I'm supposed to think that's reasonable? 


It's bullshit. I want to break into every house with a set meter and break those lying sacks of trash into tiny pieces, so that quality television won't live and die by the 0.02%


And by the way, if you have a goddamn set meter, watch Parks and Rec and Community, ok? And probably don't tell me about your set meter, or I'm going to sneak into your living room and steal it. 


-av, "No Cancellation Without Representation"

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SyFy Miniseries Peter Pan

Here are some facts:
1. Peter Pan is awesome
2. Mini-series are sweet.
3. SyFy is a pretty cool channel.

Taking those three facts together, the SyFy mini-series event "Neverland" (a Peter Pan origin story), is going to be awesome, sweet and pretty cool.

Here's the preview, watch it and then mark your calendars (or set your DVRs) for December 4th and 5th at 9 EST.




Also, SyFy is streaming all episodes of previous and awesome miniseries "Tin Man" and "Alice" on their site. 

-av

A Plus1Press Publication

The Magicians on TV?!

Breaking news for all fans of Lev Grossman's "The Magicians," Fox has bought a one hour drama adaptation of the book series.

This is kind of cool, because the books are so dense you could easily get two seasons out of each book. But it's kind of weird because its on Fox...and I don't know, I just didn't see this coming. I've never even considered what the characters would look like if they were being played by actors. (Confession, when I picture most characters from books while reading, they are almost always drawings of people, not real people. Is that super weird? I think it's because of Great Illustrated Classics.)

Hopefully someone can reassure me that this will be totally sweet and they won't make everything lame, and Alice will be played by an awesome person and not a terrible 16 year old that makes me want to puke. Teenage characters should be played by actors 21 and up! Did you learn nothing from Dawson's Creek, makers of TV?

Also, what is Elliot's weird facial thing going to look like? It's always so weird when they mention it in the book, because the characters are so used to it they don't notice, but on TV it will always be there.

Basically, I'm nervous. I wish there were more details, but all I can tell you is the pilot is being written by the people who wrote X-Men: First Class and Thor, which we both pretty great, so that's reassuring.

Though this fan created t-shirt featuring the Beast is pretty sweet.

Do they wear uniforms at Brakebills? I'm sort of exited to see Brakebills.

-av
Adaptation unenthusiast
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Arrested Development Movie is REALLY Happening, +10 new bonus eps

I'm not lying. What more of a source do you need than a tweet from Michael Bluth himself? Oh okay, here's an article that gives some more details. This has been rumored FOREVER but the idea of 10 eps leading up to the movie release is something new and I am so happy we're getting more than just a feature film out of the deal. I'm pretty sure there's no way this can suck, but I just knocked on wood for safety's sake.

-id, Senior Leather Daddy Enthusiast

Ryan Gosling gives Clooney a wet willy and other great gifs

At the Ides of March Premiere.

Face he made when his name is announced at Golden Globes.

Great scene in Remember the Titans.

Also if you aren't watching Parks and Recreation yet, allow me to try to convince you once again, with this delight:

 -av
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Comic Con Lost Video.

Lost has been popping up in entertainment news quite a lot lately as the one year anniversary of  the series finale just passed. This video was played at ComicCon and was supposedly (not really at all though)  a deleted scene from the Season 1 Finale of Lost. If it had actually have been it would have totally ruined EVERYTHING. I haven't thought about Lost in a while. I think the end of the show had a lot more potential then it ended with  but there were tons of GREAT episodes that I entertained myself with over the course of many hours in college/post college. The Lost page on facebook still updates their status pretty regularly if you need a fix.




Jillicious
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Jimmy Fallon deciphers Celebrity Whispers

I've probably already tried to get you to watch Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. He wears great suits, his house band is the Roots, and there's a whole slew of terrific running bits. From impersonations (my fave is Robert is Bothered) to show parodies (Jersey Floor and Late (lost)) to weekly bits like Late Night #Hashtags and Thank You Notes, the writers at Late Night are doing work to make the show super awesome and current.

It just got nominated for a few Emmys so now seems as good a time as any to start watching.

Here's a clip from a recent show. It's called Celebrity Whispers, they voice over video of celebrities talking to each other without mics.



Just DVR a few episodes and see what you think. You won't regret it.

-av

A Plus1Press Publication

Sookie Supercut

I have been waiting to find this video ever since the first time I heard Bill say "Sookie". 

-jv
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The Civil Wars

This morning I was watching REAL Sports with Bryant Gumbel and when that was over I ended up at the VH1 Top 20 Video Countdown. I tried to remember the name of the VJ who did the Countdown when I was really watching it alot. Probs the summer of 2003ish. All I could remember was it sounded like "Aamer Alleem" Google was smart enough to tell me it was Aamer Haleem.

The song "Barton Hollow" by the Civil Wars, who I had never heard of and instantly respected because of the cool name, was number eleven on the Countdown. The song is awesome, totally more then enough reason to turn off the Countdown and attack YouTube and Wikipedia.

I found out that The Civil Wars are made up of Joy Williams and John Paul White. They got together in 2008 in Nashville. The band was featured on Grey's Anatomy in 2009 and has been on the rise for a while. I like how their videos are them in Jack White costumes, and I mean that in a good way I love Jack White.

This is the song that was featured on Grey's Anatomy "Poison and Wine"



And this is number eleven itself "Barton Hollow"


And this is "Falling Slowly" by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová because its amazing


Also, while I was watching REAL Sports with Bryant Gumbel I saw a story about Ann Wolfe who is known for delivering what might be the most devastating knockout punch ever.

-jv
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Colbert Paul Revere's Ride

I feel that the Colbert Report has been hit or miss for a while but this clip is a gem. Watch the entire 6 minutes.

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/388583/june-06-2011/paul-revere-s-famous-ride

The Colbert Report
Tags: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

-KZ

The Book of Mormon: Do you believe now?

This is not exactly news, I admit that. But the day after being awarded 7 Tonys, for the music, book, design, direction, acting and overall awesomeness of this show, seems as good a time as any to start taking this show seriously.

I'll admit, I've seen less than a handful of South Park episodes. It was on way too late at night when it started, so by the time I could have watched it, I'd missed so much I just never got started. But I was intrigued to find out that South Park creators, Matt Stone and Trey Parker had written musical. Then a musical called "the Book of Mormon" and I was pretty much sold on the spot.

Mormons are almost as crazy to me as scientologists, but much more forthcoming with all the wacky beliefs, which makes them infinitely more interesting to me. So I've supported this musical at a concept level but have not actually taken action to see how it all turn out, other than skimming reviews.

Last night the Broadway community made it official, Book of Mormon is a great concept and a great show. Here's a performance by Tony nominated newcomer Andrew Rannells, that showcases the Mormon craziness and just plain great musicality of those South Park guys.



That song is awesome. So let's take action: listen to the soundtrack (1.99 for the whole thing!), read the synopsis, maybe even go see it (yeah right, not after the Tonys shoot the prices up), but let's become true believers in the Book of Mormon, the musical.
For a full write up of the Tony Awards, check this out.


-av
A Plus1Press Publication

Why I Love MTV and you should too.

This morning I have been watching AMTV. Its where MTV still shows videos other than MTV Jams and MTV Hits. MTV still plays music videos and lots of them they just also give us amazing shows like The Jersey Shore and Fantasy Factory, which got Big back this season and is the best show on television right now. I wish MTV would bring back MTV News and put it on for an hour at 7 and go head to head with E! News, I'd DVR both and love it.

Also, Lil Wanye's new song is not at all what I expected and I love it.


-jv

A Plus1Press Publication

Great Television

I love television and I've been a fan since Sesame street and Barney. But as times have changed so has my taste for quality television. I follow this podcast called The Nerdist which stars stand up comedian Chris Hardwick and his two friends, Matt and Jonah, as they discuss nerd society and all things related to that. They have had great guests in the past (Joel McHale, Donald Glover, Colin Hanks, Kevin Smith, Jimmy Fallon, etc.) but I bring it up because of episode # 85 starring Damon Lindelof. Damon Lindelof, for those not in the know, executive produced Lost and wrote the Star Trek movie. The conversation that takes place is great for any of us who have wondered what the fate of television is going to be in regards to the new Kevin Spacey series on Netflix and google tv being launched and what our society has become in regards to ingesting entertainment. Also if your a fan of Lost it is great for that too. This podcast is amazing and free, check it out.

 - sf

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Team White Queen

I am very excited for the new X-Men movie. I loved the cartoon and recently came across what seems to be all of X-Men Evolution on YouTube. My love of X-Men defs started with the playing cards. They were the shit, they had cool on the beach cards, halloween cards, and the card that probably kept me interested in X-Men when I could have begun having other interests; the White Queen.

In the new X-Men movie the White Queen, or Emma Frost, will be played by the awesome January Jones who I loved in Pirate Radio. I think the casting agent nailed it. And James McAvoy as Prof. X, nailed it. The movie comes out June 3rd and I am wicked excited.


-jv

5 Fav Actors

I had a discussion on set with a coworker last week about what can qualify someone as being a great actor. There are many different parameters and exclusively deciding on the particulars, as we concluded, usually comes down to opinion.

SO, just for the hell of it, seeing as this is a completely subjective question, I'd like to see who everyones favorite top five actors are. If you are an avid TV or movie watcher, this changes constantly, so just list your current favorites in the comment section.

Coming up soon, I will ask who the top five favorite actresses are, so prepare for that as well. JV's post about "Inside the Actors Studio" led to my thinking of this, as I think it was one of the best posts yet.

-AM

the X factor

I was introduced to this new French tv show during my visit to France this past week, and I'm  obsessed with it. X-factor originated in the UK as a take-off from American Idol, and now there's X-factor shows happening all over the world. I hated American Idol, but I love this because not only are the judges awesome (and not out of control brutal), but there are also actually a bunch of good singers each show. There are of course also others who are ridiculous and try to sing songs in English with the thickest French accents possible. The first three episodes are open auditions, and the top 140 get to move onto the second round in Paris.

the judges: Olivier Schultheis, Christophe Willem, Véronic DiCaire (Québecois), Henry Padovani (original guitarist for the Police)

Here's a clip from the second episode of the audition of one of my favorite contestants, Florian Giustiniani. For the non-French speakers, to sum up, he's 19, he wants to be a musician and right now he's at university and doing side jobs like being a pizza maker. (There's a special french word for "pizza maker", which is cute). His biggest fan is his grandpa, and the judges make fun of him for looking like Justin Bieber. My fav part after he sings is when Véronic (who looks like Meg Ryan) asks him how old he is, and then freaks out all over the place at his being only 19.

blogger isn't letting me find the youtube video, so click here to watch it

The judge in the blue shirt reminds me of towers, anyone else see it?

I'm not sure if the website will let you watch the full episodes in the USA, but try. Episodes are up the morning after, I think it airs on Tuesdays. here's the website with all of the episodes

and after tweeting a few times with edzachery's twitter account I've caved and made my own. I've found some of you already, check it: yoluceface.

peace,
lab