Season 6, The Boys Are Back In Town (10)

They'd better bring it this evening, is all I have to start with. I am a little brief this week, but that is half how I feel in general and half because I am just gearing up for the season. :)

01 - Phil - He doesn't go with his voice. He belongs in the top 12 though. He did well.

02 - Jared - I still like this kid. He was definitely more animated this week.

03 - AJ - Wow. He's tough. It was different, but a good performance.

04 - Sanjaya - His wardrobe is SO distracting. His tone was good; very Broadway, very safe.

05 - Chris S - He did a nice job. The song was pretty safe though. Top 12.

06 - Nick - Nice safe performance. Good song choice for him.

(A girl with a cold should not have to sit through this many commercial breaks.)

07 - Blake - He's AWESOME and interesting. TOP 12.

08 - Brandon - He is my favorite. Sweet song, kick a%# performance in my opinion.

09 - Chris R - He picked an excellent song that completely showed off his style, personality, and talent.

10 - Sundance - This year's rocker...here he is. It was a fun way to end the show and it was much better than last week. I can't put him in the top 6 guys yet though.

I have 5 of 6 guys that I think are going to the Top 12: Chris, Chris, Brandon, Blake and Phil. The last spot is a wild card......

The Hills - "With Friends Like These"

So the votes are in.....Heidi and Jen need to be gone-zo.

Audrina would at least be loyal if for no other reason than she doesn't know better. Whitney seems normal too. Why is Lauren hanging out with these people? To me, Heidi is worse than Kristen. Kristen never pretended to be Lauren's friend at least.

HOW IN THE WORLD could Heidi talk her way out of that episode?

And how many cars does Brody have that his parents bought for him?

And why didn't we think to give each other diamond bracelets for our 21st birthdays?

All in all, a fabulous display of why we (the fans) watch this show...to talk about it, to roll our eyes about it, and to then talk about it some more.

AI#6, 12 Girls

Here we go....

01 - Stephanie Edwards - Looked great! Wow....she has a great voice. That's the way to start the show.

02 - Amy Krebs - Interesting mix on an overdone song. I like her but I don't know that people are going to remember her after 10 more performances.

03 - Leslie Hunt - Way cute dress! I couldn't hear her the whole time, and if I compare her performance to the Kelly Clarkson performance in Season 1 (and I will), she didn't even come close to matching up. I think we got a true picture of her genre of music, but it wasn't fabulous.

04 - Sabrina Sloan - She picked her song very well to show off her voice. I like her, and her performance was good.

05 - Antonella Barba - Weird song selection. She's pretty, but that was the only nice thing that came to mind. She's probably going home.

06 - Jordin Sparks - I might like Tracy Chapman songs if they were more upbeat like this. This girl can SING! WOW. Top 12.

07 - Nicole Tranquillo - I don't like her song, so I stopped listening. When I started to listen again, her facial expressions bugged me.

08 - Haley Scarnato - This song show she has power in her voice. It was a little off in spots, and I don't think I liked her outfit.

09 - Melinda Doolittle - She looked super cute. I like her a lot! SHE'S AWESOME! Top 12!

10 - Alaina Alexander - Song selection was good for her. I like her, and I think she did well. We got a true picture of who she is. I disagree with the judges.

11 - Gina Glocksen - She's a unique personality. She was amazing.

12 - Lakisha Jones - Bold song choice, and she nailed it. Come on now, this girl can sing anything!

All in all, there are some "nice singers" and there are some unique and awesome singers.

My Top 12 picks are:
Jordin, Melinda, Gina, and Lakisha

Some of the others will need to stand out next week.

Until then.............

The Hills, Episodes 5 and 6

5 - One Big Interruption

I must say that I like it better when they get along with Audrina. Sadly,I think I have honestly started watching this show to see what crazy and wrong stuff Spence will do each week. (Last season was the Jason and Lauren drama.)My only question this week is who gets to ride in the car with Spence and tape him? "I want Heidi." I mean that must be entertainment value times ten.
Bolthouse and Teen Vogue must be loving all the airtime they get for this show - especially now that Heidi is a competent employee.
Can you let LC know that her sunglasses are HUGE? Not just big, but HUGE. Of course with what she probably paid for them, at least she gets her money's worth per square inch.The NY intern bugged me. She was a little too over the top in the overachiever department, but she did have to maximize her screen time.The cameo with "super friend" Jen was a special moment. I LOVED the boyfriend commentary by LC.
I was fired up for Lauren that she was right about the flowers, but then holy crap they got booted from the party.It makes me laugh (as I am sure you do too) that all these Teen Voguers just kiss each other's butts all the time. Gag me!

6 - You Have Chosen

So I think I should start picking one day a week at work and trying to talk like Spencer, both the phrases he uses and the way he talks while smiling and not moving his mouth. I will have to leave out the "#1" thing though, that was TOO much. Ironically, I think Heidi and Spence are made for each other. Is that sad? Is that wrong? Nah!
So LC made me laugh out loud this week. "Is Audrina getting roses tomorrow?" That was FREAKING HILARIOUS. Who knew she had it in her?
I have a suggested title for this past week also - "I'm taking my suitcase to Spence's parents' pad."
All in all, you knew the friend versus guy storyline was bound to come up with this crowd, so I was glad to see them all handle it so well. It made me realize that yes, they are all 20.
The scenes from next week look outstanding!!!!! Tsk, Tsk, camera hussy,Jen!

AI#6, 12 Boys

Why do I keep forgetting how much I love this show?

This season will start without commentary from Grandma - no worries, she just took a field trip to my brother's basketball tourney game this evening. I will get her back on track.....(Sidebar #1 - Jim, was Randy wearing "the shirt"?)

So in the first week, I like to judge three categories that make or break our newest members of the "Top" 24. First is song selection. Second is wardrobe. Third is the attitude (not getting too mouthy). Here I go:

01 - Rudy Cardenas - Upbeat song. Wardrobe was normal. He's a little goofy for me, but he sounded good. He is a performer for sure.

02 - Brandon Rogers - Wardrobe checks out, but I don't love the song selection based on what I think he can pull off. He needs to be in the Top 12 though.

03 - Sundance Head - Song choice wasn't fabulous, nor was the wardrobe, but the performance had some power behind it. I liked it. I think the judges were a little too harsh. (Sidebar #2 - Is Ryan on stilts?)

04 - Paul Kim - It's the dude that doesn't wear shoes - I will leave that be for now. It was an interesting mix with the song. I am just not sure about Paul.

05 - Chris Richardson - Nice selection on wardrobe and song. It was very different from Bo and Elliott's renditions. In a word, I thought it was tight. (Sidebar #3 - Paula's hair is very distracting, and she already brought back the seal clap.)

06 - Nick Pedro - Not a fan of his style this evening. The song selection was a little different than what we have heard tonight, but it was alright. Nerves were a factor.

07 - Blake Lewis - Spot on with his selection this evening! Wow! He's good. He was on it. Top 12 material!

08 - Sanjaya Malakar - He dressed his age. The song selection wasn't good for me because it wasn't believable. He has a good voice, but I don't know how far he will make it.

09 - Chris Sligh - OK, I'll say it, he looks like Jack Osborne. Upbeat song selection. Great performance. Top 12.

10 - Jared Cotter - LOVE the song. He looked great. The ladies are going to like Jared. Let's keep him around.

11 - AJ Tabaldo - Fun song, SOLID vocal. He pulled it off. It was a safe song, but that's ok. He will be remembered because he was later in the show.

12 - Phil Stacey - He needs to wear a hat, I think. Bad, bad, bad beginning (I think he and the band were not in sync at all). He nailed it mid-song.

So, in summary, people that I already expect in the Top 12 are:
Brandon Rogers
Chris Sligh
Blake Lewis

Not sure how America is going to vote on this one.....

We are now open for comments.

'Til tomorrow!

American Idol, Season 6 - The Chair Episode

Before I delve into this week's first episode, I must briefly discuss the infamous "chair" episode. Why do they not use a smaller room? That walk to the chair is just awkward.

For goodness sake.....

(how many people just sang "I got the hippy, hippy shake"?)

Idol Update

Alas, the auditions are complete and here is the breakdown:

• Minneapolis - 17
• Seattle - 14
• Memphis - 22
• New York - 35
• Birmingham - 20
• Hollywood - 34 (give or take 15)
• San Antonio - 22

Next week is the Hollywood round, and February 20th is when the real fun starts because we will be down to the 24 people we will cheer, chastise, and castigate for the next 14 weeks until the finale on May 23rd.

Get your notebooks ready. Oh wait, that is just me.....

The Hills, Episode 4

This week's fabulous episode started off with some humdinger phrases that I must share:

• "solo mish" (which ranks up there with Laguna's "done-zo")
• "maybe probably yes"
• "snipe that out"
• "really cute"
• "let me look in my planner"
• "pinky swear"and
• "team playmates"

Maybe it is just me being corrupted by the minus 4 degree temperature, but to quote the best drama "Grey's", "seriously?"

My questions still focus on Spence. Does his real voice sound like that or is he trying to be cool on camera? Is it mean to laugh out loud at him when he backpedals? Does he think he can win a fight? Why is Heidi jealous? (oh wait, it is all the relationship that we don't see that makes his on camera antics acceptable?...again, seriously?) Is that countertop at Brody's (or I guess "Brody's") condo his "workstation"?All in all, this guy baffles me. He makes Heidi's boyfriend last year look like a genius!

I guess we will have to see how this plays out.Loved the music this week. What was the song at the end? I liked it a lot...might need it on the IPod.

GO COLTS!!! We Are The Champions!

The Hills, Episodes 1-3

Boys and Girls (ok the ten people who may read this),

I proudly present the newest commentary that I am writing.....THE HILLS. This show holds a huge place in my reality TV line-up in its second season, now that I can send props out to my cousin, who makes this show happen for us.

Here is my commentary from the first three weeks:

• Week 1 - Ok, here I go....(not that I noted my questions through the show or anything)Didn't Jason and Lauren break up off camera this summer? Why did they fight all the time? Because he is a loon maybe? What is Jason's daily past time? Being rich? No school? No nothing? Is Audrina only on the map because of this show? She has a new job? How ditzy is she really? (carryover comment from last season....she is PAINFUL) Do Whitney and Lauren really work in that closet? Is Lisa Love that bitchy, or does she not realize the PR her magazine is getting on this show?(COMMERCIAL BREAK) Spencer = LOSER (where did we find this cat?)How old are these kids? Live feedback--- SHUT UP! Wake up, new day, new date already? Oh wait,pick a new restaurant dude! He is a piece of work...can't wait to see if he is a bigger LOSER than Jason. LOVE the club drama! (COMMERCIAL BREAK)Pregnancy test...for real? I am fired up....I needed a new show to watch (that is funny for me to type let alone say out loud).
• Week 2 - So, I may be Super Bowl focused (GO COLTS!), but this week is more of a running commentary than a Q&A. I missed the beginning due to trying to keep my DVR cleaned up enough to catch my "normal" shows, and the fact that I now have 3 shows in the10-10:30 ET time-slot. Thank goodness for mtv overdrive and the re-running of the show throughout the week....As I watch Heidi, I keep thinking, have her teeth been that perfect all the time, or is this a season two upgrade with the huge paychecks she earns at her job that she miraculously loves now?I wonder, where is that guy that bossed Whitney and Lauren around last year? You would think that Lisa wouldn't be directly be giving the interns their tasks, unless Lisa isn't the hot shot she makes herself out to be, or she loves to see herself on TV.....The car conversation was a classic "check out my ride" moment for Spencer,or as we all like to call him now, "Spence". How MTV can get these people to tape these moments of their lives still befuddles me. But why wouldn't you want the world to know that Spence is "on Team Heidi". What else could a girl ever want?(and we are at commercial)Heidi's busting out a little name dropping; we have decided Lauren should date Mr. Brody Jenner. Good guy, Brody, is the perfect next step for Miss Conrad....gee, he is only linked to Nicole, Paris, and the ever fabulous(vomit) Kristin Cavalleri. What a catch (if you want drama)! Lauren, as your elder, when you go to work, it is a smart idea to wear a watch....can't you drive to Laguna and find one that is cute? "I don't wear watches" was priceless. And let's not even discuss the fact that she answered her phone while she was working....girlfriend, do you NOT see the chaos around you? Fortunately for you, Miss Paige wants to steal you from Lisa, so you lucked out.Audrina, Audrina, it appears that you might have caught on to the fact that Spence is playing you. I sighed with relief when you gave our buddy Spence the "buh-bye". Maybe there is hope for you yet, but you might want to find some more friends out by the pool. I don't think Heidi is going to let you be the star of her birthday bash. And it was nice of you to turn him down, because that meant that Heidi got asked out for dinner by her "boyfriend" (this is where actually using air quotes makes it much more enjoyable than typing them).We end our episode this week with a sweet first date between the ever-innocent son of Bruce Jenner, Brody, and Miss Lauren Conrad (and where does her wealth come from?) What a sweet moment....the staring, the fabulous dialog, the driving in the fancy car, the pixelated license plate, and the hug.....just like all first dates are. :) We leave this week with shots of LA traffic, props to MTV for spelling their producers' names correctly, and a glimpse of what will Lauren do about dear Brody? Sing us out Nelly Furtado!
• Week 3 - I think I am a little off this evening, I have both questions and commentary though.Let's start with the questions:This was 21st bday for Heidi, correct?Can Audrina really talk on two phones at the same time?Are there rules or regulations about showing these kids drinking when they are clearly underage? It seems like usually they have solid cups or empty cups, but not tonight.Is Brody that camera hungry that he hopped onto this show? Now the running commentary:Oh my gosh, I get to wear a tiara because I am so cool and it's my birthday. I hope to heavens this isn't a yearly thing.Loving that Brody Jenner is "Spencer's friend". Let's call it as we see it, I would crack up for it to say "Bruce Jenner's son". But I know it is only a matter of time before it is changed to "Lauren's boyfriend". The cuddling comments CRACKED me up. This kid has a rep, and it isn't for the cuddle factor. But let us rank Brody amidst all the other dark-haired wonders in LC's life: Stephen, Jason, and Brody....it is such a tough call. Sadly, I think she gets played times three. Maybe she should date a blonde guy."livin' in beverly hills" (I had to sing along)I also like that Jen resurfaced this year in full effect. She clearly missed her camera time last season. Please tell me she goes to school or something because she is too miserable to make it on this show.Whitney, the "good girl", acts as the lunch buffer. If I were her, I would live for the drama that she observes. I feel that she may be the only one that has her act together, unless she has some off-camera crazy life that isn't in this show, but awaiting her own spin-off.When I watch the club scenes, I feel that while I could never dress the part, I may make a good groupie. We got a glimpse of Brody's pad this week. He actually has a nice place....but I guess you have to, if you want to cuddle. HA! Oh, snap! I am out of time.

And so we begin Season 6......

Season 6 of American Idol begins tonight!

I just wanted to send a brief introductory note to welcome everyone back to the forum that gets the tax nerds through busy season and at least gives the rest of you a laugh or two each week.

The question of the day is (this is a four part question):

How many times this season will...

• We ask ourselves if Paula has been drinking?
• Simon say "dreadful"?
• Randy utter the ever wonderful phrase "so check it"?
• Ryan go to commercial with "after the break"?

Enjoy the next few weeks of auditions!

I'll be getting my pen and notebook ready!

A brief vent about traffic....

After a couple of frustrating commute experiences, (I know....how bad is it, really, where I live) I feel the need to discuss a few items:

• Round-abouts #1 - When you are on the round-about, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY. You should not stop on the round-about.
• Round-abouts #2 - When entering the round-about, it DOES NOT have to be empty to merge onto the circle. GO!
• Round-abouts #3 - When entering the round-about, do not race the person coming around the corner!
• Just follow the speed limits in school zones. They aren't huge areas, and it's not cool to fly through them.
• DO NOT block intersections. You won't get there any slower if you have to stop at one light, and you just tick people off going the perpendicular direction from you.
• Red light means STOP.

If only the city or state police department would allow me to write traffic tickets......

Thank you for your time.

Go IRISH! Beat Midshipmen!

What I learned in New Jersey

I traveled this weekend to the "blue state" of New Jersey. I have some life lessons that I thought I could share because they are "sooooo funny".

• Rutgers is "just like Notre Dame".....NOT!
• Everyone can enjoy putting together a Polly Pocket fashion show.
• I am not a good basketball player, but I can talk smack with the best of the 8 year olds.
• I am a master at the quiet game.
• In New Jersey, coaches for second grade football laminate their game play sheets.
• We're all in this together.
• When invited to a wedding, take note of the time.
• The mascot for Stanford University is the cardinal. Yes, the color red. Why they have a tree on their logo is still a mystery.
• Don't let the pigeon drive the bus!

With that, I say have a great Wednesday.

GO IRISH! Beat Stanford!

There's a mouse in my house

Panic! Trauma! O.K., maybe just drama!

I found a little brown mouse hanging out on my kitchen counter last night......thank goodness for D-Con. (and my mom)

Let's hope the little mousey found its way out of my house to kick the bucket.

Thanks for your support :)

GO IRISH!

Not a fair-weather fan!

Irish fans, unite!

While the loss on Saturday was painful (to say the least), we must remain true to our team. After all, as much as we can say we feel their pain or it hurts us, let's be real, people......we didn't get tackled, we just took a little abuse in our daily lives from a few crazy people (you know of whom I speak).

For today, I leave with one quote:
"And our hearts forever, LOVE THEE NOTRE DAME!"

Have a great week!

September 15th

As fall busy season closes at work, it's time to get pumped up for fall TV season. Next week, Grey's Anatomy and The Office for starters!

I love a good TV season.

Have a great weekend everybody!


GO IRISH! BEAT WOLVERINES!!!!!!!

Dancing With The Stars

A common bond I have with my dad....the TV show "Dancing With The Stars". Yes, Major watches the show. While I didn't see this week's show in its entirety yet, my votes are for Joey Lawrence, Sara Evans, and Mario Lopez. The question is which two dancers do I own their CD's......I will have more to comment about this show in future editions.

Until later,

GO IRISH! BEAT WOLVERINES!

Is it an obsession?

So, I just decided it's time. Time for me to officially admit that the 2006 ND football team ROCKS! Among other things, this blog will be a voice for yet another fan of the Fighting Irish.

For today, that's all I have.....I will leave with this.....GO IRISH! BEAT WOLVERINES!