On the Tube This Week – Summer Vacation Mania!
June 30, 2008 by Romy
Monday, June 30
Regis & Kelly: Abigail Breslin, Molly Ringwald
Repeats:
David Letterman: Julia Roberts, Al Green
Jay Leno: William Shatner, Chelsea Handler, Newton Faulkner
Craig Ferguson: Steven Wright, Tricia Helfer
Ellen Degeneres: Terrence Howard
Tuesday, July 1
Regis & Kelly: Montgomery Gentry
Repeats:
David Letterman: Jack Black, Esperanza Spalding
Jay Leno: Will Smith, Pete Sampras, Ed Harcourt
Craig Ferguson: Richard Lewis, Duffy
Ellen Degeneres: Jake Gyllenhaal, Marc Cohn
Wednesday, July 2
Regis & Kelly: Sigourney Weaver
Repeats:
David Letterman: Adam Sandler, Donna Summer
Jay Leno: Mike Myers, Abigail Breslin
Craig Ferguson: John Cusack, Parminder Nagra
Ellen Degeneres: Keith Urban
Regis & Kelly: Sir Ben Kingsley, Luke Perry
Repeats:
David Letterman: Sarah Jessica Parker, The Republic Tigers
Jay Leno: Dustin Hoffman, Gordon Ramsay, Flobots
Craig Ferguson: Virginia Madsen, Darin Strauss, John Hiatt
Ellen Degeneres: Will Smith
Regis & Kelly: Billy Ray Cyrus, Oscar De La Hoya
Repeats:
David Letterman: America Ferrera, Russell Brand
Craig Ferguson: Hugh Laurie
Ellen Degeneres: Mariah Carey, Kevin Nealon
A Tribute to George Carlin..
June 27, 2008 by admin
“There are 400,000 words in the English language, and there are seven of them you can’t say on television. . .”
The comedy world lost one of its all-time greats this week, actor, comedian and author George Carlin –the man who john Stewart once referred to as one of the “holy trinity of stand-up comedians” in George Carlin: 40 Years Of Comedy (along with Richard Pryor and Lenny Bruce)—passed away from heart failure at the age of 71. Carlin, who grew up in a small Irish enclave just south of Harlem in New York City, began his comedy career by performing impressions on The Tonight Show and The Ed Sullivan Show. It wasn’t until he traded his three-piece suit for long hair and bell-bottoms that he first achieved notoriety with his infamous “Seven words you can never say on television” routine. As part of his best-selling, 1972 album Class Clown, his 7 Words routine was at the center of lawsuit that would make it all the way to the Supreme Court; it would also brand him as one the most outspoken and language conscious comedians of the past 40 years. Never one to shy away from controversy, Carlin delightfully skewered those who sought to restrict words, thoughts and ideas, everyone from the church and clergy on the right to liberal “politically correct” academics on the left.
Those who discovered Carlin in later years may remember him as the venomous, often dark comedian who railed against governments and corporations (check out Complaints and Grievances). Others, who discovered him in his ’70’s heyday will remember him as the lovable, laid back, grammar conscious comedian who seemed to float from one tangent to another (check out Class Clown or A Place For My Stuff). Or perhaps if have children, you will remember him as the narrator on the PBS show Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. No matter how you remember him, one thing is certain, throughout his 40 plus years in comedy, George Carlin was never boring. You were never sure if routines would be challenging or maddening, maybe even irreverent, but you could always count on them being funny. He will be sorely missed.
Check Them Out On the Tube This Week!
June 19, 2008 by Romy
Thursday June 19, 2008
David Letterman: Jason Bateman, Teri Garr, Keyshia Cole
Jay Leno: Wanda Sykes, James McAvoy, Duffy
Craig Ferguson: Billy Bob Thornton, Lewis Black
Conan O’Brien: Anne Hathaway, Romany Malco, My Morning Jacket
Jimmy Kimmel: Steve Carell, Jewel
David Letterman: Denis Leary
Jay Leno: Bette Midler
Craig Ferguson: Jeffrey Tambor
Conan O’Brien: Jason Bateman, Masi Oka, Alejandro Escovedo
Jimmy Kimmel: Regis Philbin, Sharon Osbourne, Lil Wayne
Regis & Kelly: Neil Diamond, Piers Morgan
David Letterman: Will Smith, Wild Sweet Orange
Jay Leno: Aaron Eckhart, Selma Blair, Steve Tyrell
Craig Ferguson: Amos Lee
The View: Jimmy Kimmel, Kevin Dillon, Jerry Ferrara, Debi Mazur, Rihanna
Tuesday June 24, 2008
David Letterman: Charlize Theron, Richard Belzer, Motley Crue
Jay Leno: Los Lonely Boys
Craig Ferguson: Chris O’Donnell, Lawrence Block, Phantom Planet
Wednesday June 25, 2008
David Letterman: Abigail Breslin, Barry Sonnenfeld, Tift Merritt
Jay Leno: Sara Bareilles
Craig Ferguson: Sigourney Weaver, Stanley Bing, Three 6 Mafia
David Letterman: Mary-Kate Olsen, Jim Gaffigan, Gavin DeGraw
Jay Leno: Arsenio Hall, Christiane Amanpour, Willie Nelson, Wynton Marsalis
Craig Ferguson: James McAvoy
Anticipated Album Alert!! Chicago XXXII: Stone of Sisyphus
June 17, 2008 by Romy
Finally, after 15 long years, Rhino Records has announced the release of Chicago’s Stone of Sisyphus. Recorded in 1993, the album was originally set for release in March 1994, but was shelved by the group’s former record company, Warner Bros. Records, claiming that it was “unreleasable”. The issue was seeded in the fact that the album contained a variety of unique songs which appeared to be unlike much of their previous work; so much so, that Robert Lamm, one of the founding members of the group, thought that they should stray from their usual album numbering since the sound was so different.
Fast-forward to June 17th, 2008, after more than a decade and a half and several intermittent thematic record releases later, Chicago XXXII: Stone of Sisyphus now contains eleven of the original twelve tracks plus four extra demo recordings. The first single, a remixed version of “Let’s Take a Lifetime”, is packed with supplemental saxophones and a newly recorded bridge. The brash horn punches and solos give this track a life of its own and re-invent the group’s sound and style which so many of their fans grew to adore.
Let us not quickly forget that Chicago celebrated its 40th Anniversary last year – an illustration of longevity rarely achieved in most careers, let alone the music business. The Chicago-based band, formed in 1967, began their career as a politically charged, experimental rock ‘n’ roll group which became known for producing a slew of hit ballads in the 70s and 80s. In over four decades, the group sold more than 122 million records and had more than 50 Top-40 singles.
See for yourself if they live up to their reputation as one of the most energized and talented live bands by catching them on their U.S. and European tours promoting the much-delayed release of their new/old album, Chicago XXXII: Stone of Sisyphus, this summer.
Remembering Tim Russert (May 7, 1950 – June 13, 2008)
June 14, 2008 by towerblog
This year’s presidential election coverage will not be the same without the late television journalist and lawyer, Tim Russet. He passed away of a heart attack last week, upon his return from Italy where his family was celebrating the graduation of Russert’s son, Luke, from Boston College. He was 58.
His unbiased and truthful reporting will leave a great void on the set of NBC’s Meet the Press, where he was broadcasted for 16 years as the show’s longest-serving moderator. Tom Brokaw, former longtime anchor of NBC Nightly News, said in the announcement of Russert’s death that he had been “one of the premier political journalists and analysts of his time…[and that NBC’s] news division will [never] be the same without his strong, clear voice.”
Tim Russert may have been most well known for his face, voice and strong opinions which resonated through the world of journalism and politics; yet his impact on the entire nation spanned even farther. The success of his two best-selling books “Big Russ and Me” (2004) and “Wisdom of Our Fathers” (2006), which recount his journey from blue-collar beginnings to world-renown political journalist and analyst, were proof that behind the façade of a powerful and intelligent broadcaster was a man, like any other, who loved and cared greatly for all who touched his life.
