Toy maker Hasbro partners with Discovery Kids Network on new channel [Updated]

Toy maker Hasbro partners with Discovery Kids Network on new channel [Updated]

In a deal that will surely make activist groups salivate and may have rivals looking over their shoulder, Discovery Communications and Hasbro are partnering on a new kid's cable channel aimed at the elusive 14-and-younger demographic.

Under the terms of the deal, Hasbro, makers of Trivial Pursuit, G.I. Joe, Transformers and Scrabble, will pay $300 million for a 50% stake in Discovery Kids Network, the cable programmer's current children's channel that is available in 60 million homes. Discovery Kids is set to be renamed and relaunched late next year.

For Discovery, the deal lowers its exposure in a business that has proved to be a rare misfire for the cable programming giant. Viacom's Nickelodeon, Walt Disney's Disney Channel and Time Warner's Cartoon Network dominate the kids arena in terms of ratings and advertising. Other efforts by Discovery to jump-start Discovery Kids, including a much ballyhooed partnership with NBC a few years ago, have failed to raise the brand. Last fall the cable channel asked Nielsen to discontinue measuring its ratings because the audience numbers were so tiny.

"We needed some more oomph, we needed a partner that had some additional understanding of kids," said Discovery Chief Executive David Zaslav. "If we can strike the right note, we think we can build a compelling business." That right note is merchandising, which both Zaslav and Hasbro Chief Executive Brian Goldner stressed will be a high priority for the new venture.

Hasbro had been looking for a television partner for the last year and had approached several cable networks before reaching an accord with Discovery.

"TV is the next step for us to relaunch and reinvent our brands," said Goldner, citing the company's previous success in movies with "Transformers" and in video games through a deal with Electronic Arts.

The ink was barely dry on the press release before activist groups started blasting the new channel.

"This partnership represents a new low in children's television, a network devoted to showing informericals for Hasbro's toys and games," said Dr. Susan Linn, director of Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood, a Boston-based children's advocacy group. Commercial Alert, a Washington, D.C.-based watchdog group, said the venture "sounds like nothing more than a scheme to deliver program-length advertisements to children."

Though Hasbro will provide original programming for the channel, Zaslav and Goldner dismissed complaints that the new service will be little more than an infomercial for the toy maker.

"This network will not be successful if it is overly commercialized," Goldner said. Though Hasbro has a lot of say in the programming, the channel will carry educational fare from Discovery's library as well as content from outside producers.

-- Joe Flint

ABC and Disney shows join Hulu

"Lost," "Desperate Housewives, "Ugly Betty" and other ABC shows will soon arrive on Hulu.com, according to a Disney/ABC press release.

Hulu is the popular online video site that, up til now, has featured shows from the Fox family of channels as well as NBC Universal network and cable realm. With ABC joining in, Hulu's popularity is likely to increase (it's already the third most popular video destination on the Web, according to a recent Hulu press release, and served 41.5 million viewers in March).

From Disney/ABC's Thursday release, here are the offerings that will arrive shortly on Hulu:

Episodes of "Lost," "Grey’s Anatomy," "Desperate Housewives," "Ugly Betty," "Samantha Who?", "Scrubs," "Private Practice" and "Jimmy Kimmel Live"

Episodes of ABC Family series such as "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" and "Greek"

Series from ABC Daytime and SOnet like "General Hospital" and "The View"

Shows from ABC’s library like "Hope & Faith," "Less than Perfect," "Commander in Chief," "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire" and "Dancing with the Stars"

Disney Channel shows such as "Wizards of Waverly Place" and "Phineas and Ferb"

Library titles from The Walt Disney Studios and short-form content including webisodes, sneak peeks and episode recaps from ABC Entertainment, ABC Family and SOnet

I'm a Hulu fan: The experience of watching full episodes there is a pleasure. The site is easy to use, elegant in its design and the video quality is excellent. ABC's episode-playing site is OK, but it is not nearly as user-friendly. The biggest hitch on ABC.com is the way the player stops to play an ad, then makes you restart the episode you were watching. I won't be missing that particular annoyance.

Follow Hulu on Twitter to find out when those ABC shows will actually turn up on the site.

The Star Report: Has the Adam Lambert 'American Idol' backlash begun?
Your almost for sure next "American Idol" — Adam Lambert — had a little scare Wednesday night, one of two singers standing on the stage at the end of the show.
A Mother's Struggle To Find 'Home' — And Self

Mary Haverstick's drama about a mother struggling to reinvent herself stars Marcia Gay Harden and her actual daughter — both appealing. But the film's virtues don't extend beyond the anecdotal.

MAY DAY-ARGENTINA: ‘My Mom Is a Taxi Driver’
BUENOS AIRES, Apr 30 (IPS)A new collection of children’s books in Argentina shows women in jobs and professions that are traditionally held by men, challenging sexist preconceptions.

Nielsen on Twitter: It's so five seconds ago

Nielsen on Twitter: It's so five seconds ago

Is Twitter over? (16 characters).

Probably not. Yet some new research from Nielsen isn't encouraging for the red-hot social networking site's future in which users post 140-character updates on ... well, anything.

The buzz is short-lived, Nielsen says. While Twitter's unique users more than doubled in March, on average 60% don't come back after a month of tweeting. MySpace and Facebook had retention rates that were twice as high at similar times in their existence.

For this tweeter (or twit since tweeter is just a little too close to tweaker for comfort), the site is awash in self-promotion. Journalists tout their most recent clips and, for some bizarre reason, their whereabouts (it's a great tip sheet for burglars, stalkers, not to mention competitors), while networks and studios promote their wares.

Is it effective? In generating ink and a lot of back-and-forth navel gazing the answer is yes. In tangible results, not so much.

Take NBC's "Chuck," which is on the bubble for a third season. Obsessed fans and a few publicists and TV reporters filled Twitter with tweets in an effort to raise the ratings for Monday's season finale. It didn't help, though, as "Chuck's" ratings were flat, leading one obsessed cheerleader to rationalize in a tweet that flat is the new up.

Of course, that's a rationalization the entire media industry is using these days and at some point so will Twitter.

-- Joe Flint

Photo: NBC

'Mad Men' Season 3 news roundup

A few bits of news about the much-anticipated third season of "Mad Men" have leaked out, so it's time to round them up:

According to a well-placed source, the show's third season begins filming on Monday in Los Angeles. According to the Twitter account of Rich Sommer, who plays Harry Crane on the show, he enjoyed the first script of the season. "I read the scriptfor the 1st [episode] of Season 3. You will not be disappointed. I left arambling [mesage] on my boss's [voice mail] about how good it is," he wrote today. (He also noted that his "Mad Men" haircut is "much less Hitlerian than last year. This does not make me sad.")AMC has only said that Season 3 would arrive in "summer" and there's no confirmation of this from anywhere in the "Mad Men" camp, but the third season of the show, according to the online rumor mill, will arrive on AMC in August. One bit of news that would seem to confirm the "Season 3 in August" rumor: The show's Season 2 DVDs hit stores July 14 (and it's normal for a the DVD of one season of TV to arrive about a few weeks to a month before the next season begins). TV Shows on DVD has the full details about the DVD release."Mad Men" is making its way around the world: Here is an interview with cast member Christina Hendricks from the Telegraph in the UK and here is an interview with Matthew Weiner from Israel's Haaretz. I found both those links via Basket of Kisses, the essential "Mad Men" fan site. In this March post, the Lipp sisters and their readers speculate about what year it might be when Don Draper and friends return. The art on this page is from the fabulous Dyna Moe, a freelance illustrator who creates much "Mad Men" visual joy. Have you heard/read any more "Mad Men" news bits? Feel free to share them in comments. Visit the Mad Men store on amazon.com

Montalvo Arts Center announces its summer schedule
Some acts slated to perform include Peter Frampton, Joan Baez, Jewel and Kenny G.
Anika Noni Rose: From Secretary To Princess

The co-star of the new HBO miniseries The No. 1 Ladies' Detectives Agency, earned a Tony for her work in the play Caroline, or Change and drew critical acclaim for her portrayal of "Maggie the Cat" in a recent Broadway revival of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Soon she'll be the voice of Disney's first black princess.

US-ISRAEL: Film Examines Paranoia Over Anti-Semitism
NEW YORK, Apr 29 (IPS)"I have never experienced anti-Semitism myself, but it’s a phrase that always seems to be in the air," begins Israeli filmmaker Yoav Shamir’s lively new documentary "Defamation". "Three words seem to appear over and over again: Holocaust, Nazi, anti-Semitism."

The Star Report: Joan and Melissa Rivers class up 'Celebrity Apprentice'

Fox says, 'No we can't' to Obama

  

Fox Broadcasting is taking a pass on President Obama's Wednesday news conference, opting instead to run a new episode of its crime drama "Lie to Me," starring Tim Roth. 

Although there won't be a lack of Obama outlets for viewers -- including Fox's cable channels Fox News and Fox Business Network -- when a broadcast network says no to a president it generates attention. Journalists are hyping that this is the first time in the Obama presidency that a broadcast network has turned down a request for airtime.

Of course, Obama's presidency is all of 100 days old and this is already his fourth request for airtime. Fox and other networks have been quietly complaining that all these requests for "free airtime" are doing little to stimulate their bottom line -- which, given the recession, appears to be a lower bottom all the time.

Still, there is a school of thought -- or used to be anyway -- that says since Fox Broadcasting has government licenses to operate its television stations, it should not be so stingy when the nation's leader wants a little time to speak, even if the press conference will be available on at least 10 other outlets. Although the press conference will be on Fox News, it will still give the left ammunition that Fox parent Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. is against the current administration.

Getting a free pass from carrying the Obama press conference is the CW. But hey, that would mean preempting "America's Top Model," and no one should have to make that sacrifice for their country.

--Joe Flint

Photos: President Obama by Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune; Tim Roth asDr. Cal Lightman, "the foremost deception expert in the country," on "Lie to Me," by Frank Ockenfels / Fox

The most enjoyable episode of TV of the year? Thoughts on the 'Chuck' finale

It was legen -- wait for it -- darily awesome. My list of the best moments in the "Chuck" Season 2 finale is below.

But first, a few links (and I'll add to this list on Tuesday):

Steve Heisler of the Onion's AV Club would be satisfied if this episode were the end, though of course he'd like the show to come back. James Poniewozik of Time wonders why the show isn't a bigger hit with viewers. Jace at the Televisionary site has an impassioned recap that lists many great moments and developments. Alan Sepinwall on the finale and his post-finale interview with co-creator Chris Fedak. Josef Adalian has on his blog a list from co-creator Josh Schwartz of why "Chuck" should be saved. Bottom line: Think of the children! For your summer wardrobe, don't forget to snag a Jeffster! T-shirt (and here's the band's site). Daniel Fienberg wrote more about the "Chuck" season finale than I wrote about the "Battlestar Galactica" series finale. Respect. Curt Wagner at Show Patrol weighed in here.My previous "Chuck" stories, including pieces on Captain Awesome (Ryan McPartlin), reviews, features and efforts to get a third season for the show, are here.

No analysis. No deep thoughts here. Who can think straight after that much fun? What I've posted here is just a warning -- I will go completely into the ugly cry if "Chuck" is not renewed -- and a list of the things in "Chuck Versus the Ring" that scored direct hits on the pleasure center of my brain:

Jeffster! Did they rock the wedding or what? When I heard the opening chords of Styx's "Mr. Roboto," I nearly died of laughter. Seriously? Referencing Styx's rock opera about a robot may be one of the funniest things the show has ever done. The Jeffster! performance, which made me cackle non-stop, deserves its own mini-list of things I loved: -Jeff, keytar in hand, telling the string quartet what to do: "Four/four time. It's in D. Watch me for the changes." (Great line, but is it me, or did they miss the opportunity for a Cheap Trick "Live at Budokan" reference? "This is the first song on our new album… ." Maybe we'll hear that next season, when Jeffster! celebrates its inevitable album release. Or Jeff's mom's prison release.)
-The stunned reactions of Anna and Big Mike in the audience.
-Lester's surprisingly good Dennis DeYoung imitation. Both Lester and Adam Lambert can look forward to thriving careers in touring Broadway productions and/or as singers in Muse cover bands.
-Mr. Awesome's line, one of my favorite "Chuck" lines ever: "Why are you letting Sam Kinison and an Indian lesbian ruin your wedding?" Classic.
-The complete destruction of the wedding reception by the massive fight (but hey, good thing Sarah found the knives Ellie and Awesome had registered for!).
-Mrs. Awesome swigging from a flask.
-Chuck's cry of "Not the flowers!"
-The way the Special Forces team dropped in via the skylight.
-The way Captain Awesome was actually rocking out to Jeffster's tune.
-Jeff ending the performance with fireworks.
-Chuck summing up the damage as a "minor centerpiece problem."
-Bottom line -- this episode is staying on my DVR forever. If ever I'm down, I will watch the first 10 minutes of "The Office's" "Stress Relief" and the failed Ellie-Awesome wedding and quite probably feel instantly better.
I loved the song that played over the wedding on the beach. Update: It's "Christmas TV" by Slow Club, according to Sepinwall, who has the full soundtrack rundown.  Casey is not only an impressive warrior, a skillful grunter and a fine poker player, he's one heck of a wedding planner. I loved him telling a fellow member of his team, "No! That clashes with the bunting!" That Chuck-Sarah dance at the end … it was just… awwww. During the episode it became clear that they were both willing to give up what they wanted most (for Chuck, a normal life, for Sarah, her life as a spy) in order to be with the other person. It was like an O. Henry story, but with more knives, rawk and "Tron" references. I loved Casey saying, "Chuck me." Adam Baldwin does more with less than any actor currently working on TV. How ridiculous was it that both "Tron" and "The Matrix" informed that final sequence. In an episode that also featured "Mr. Roboto." What did we do to deserve that level of awesome? I got to musing, by the way, on crossovers I'd love to see. I would pay money to see John Casey knocking back beers and playing cards with Sam Axe (Bruce Campbell) of "Burn Notice." I can definitely see those two as old military buddies. And how about Creed from "The Office" as Jeff's long-lost dad? They are both extremely creepy and extremely funny. Or how about Jeff and the guys from "Flight of the Conchords" trading keytar licks? Anyone else have some "Chuck" crossovers they'd like to see? Actually, that brings me to ideas for Season 3 -- here's my wish list of what I'd want (while stipulating that the writers can do whatever they want and I'm fully on board, as long as every episode is as awesome as the final two episodes of Season 2. No pressure!): - More of General Beckman interacting with Chuck and the others on the scene in Burbank and maybe even on missions, not just via a remote camera.
-More Awesome, obviously. Bro, he brings it every time.
-More Jeffster! Wouldn't it be funny if their burgeoning career of playing senior centers and middle schools (middle schools? Someone needs to alert the Burbank authorities) turned them into arrogant d-bags?
-More of the Buy More crew. The Big Mike/"Godfather" scenes in recent episodes had me in hysterics. And I love the non-speaking Nerds in the background who don't get to say much but make up for it by creating an unmistakable vibe at the store -- a few more little bits for them to do could be fun.
-More of the amazing kick-butt Chuck Bartowski we saw in that final scene! Holy mother of motherboards!

NBC! Don't leave us hanging.

Be awesome! Renew Chuck!

Visit the Chuck store on amazon.com

The Star Report: Joan and Melissa Rivers class up 'Celebrity Apprentice'
Believe it or not, that celebrity salesmanship show hosted by orange-haired vulgarian Donald Trump is still on the air, and from all reports, Sunday night's episode was a classic, because of a monumental meltdown by Plasticine comedian Joan Rivers.
Bea Arthur's Memories Of Stage And Screen

Fresh Air host Terry Gross remembers the star of Broadway's Mame and TV's Maude, who died April 26, with excerpts from a 2007 interview.

Q&A: A Death Row Story of Resilience, Faith, Hope
ROME, Apr 28 (IPS)Puerto Rican Juan Melendez spent more than 17 years on death row in a Florida prison for a 1983 murder to which another man had repeatedly confessedevidence prosecutors withheld. He was only released in 2002. Now a documentary by Luis Rosario Albert tells Melendez's story, the multifaceted circumstances that surrounded it and the human rights struggle in Puerto Rico that followed.

'Lost's' 100th episode: A video sneak peek of 'The Variable'

How-many-agents-does-it-take dept.: William Morris/Endeavor will have three co-chief executives

Two of Hollywood's leading talent agencies agreed today to merge, forming a new agency to be called William Morris Endeavor (WME) Entertainment.

The new agency would be headed by William Morris Agency's Jim Wiatt as chairman and a triumvirate of co-chief executives: Endeavor's founder, Ari Emanuel; Endeavor managing partner Patrick Whitesell; and William Morris President Dave Wirtschafter.

Wiatt, Emanuel, Whitesell and Wirtschafter join company directors John Fogelman, Peter Grosslight, Rick Rosen, Jennifer Rudolph Walsh and Adam Venit on the nine-member board that will guide the agency.

-- Dawn C. Chmielewski

'Lost's' 100th episode: A video sneak peek of 'The Variable'

Below are three clips from "The Variable," Wednesday's episode of "Lost." The title echoes that of one of the show's all-time great episodes, "The Constant." No pressure to measure up to that, eh? I mean, it's only the show's 100th episode. No pressure!

In all seriousness, that 100th episode landmark means we don't have much more time to spend getting "Lost" (the show ends its run for good in May 2010). Gulp!

I've put the clips below this page break in case you are super-anti-spoilers.

Daniel Faraday talks about his mom:

Daniel senses danger coming to the island:

Juliet and Sawyer:

Visit the Lost store on amazon.com

Miss California says she represents 'the majority of people' in her opposition to gay marriage
Miss California Carrie Prejean, who became the bombshell of the Miss USA pageant by saying gay couples should not be allowed to marry, said Sunday that her state sponsors urged her to apologize afterward but she rejected the advice.
IBM Computer To Play 'Jeopardy'

IBM has unveiled a computer that will match its wits against human contestants on the TV quiz show Jeopardy. David Ferrucci, an artificial intelligence researcher for IBM and project director of "Watson," the system that will compete on the popular game show, says "Watson" is "pretty close" to being competitive with Jeopardy's grand champions.

Chatting with Captain Awesome as the fantastic 'Chuck' season finale approaches

William Morris and Endeavor set to form new talent agency powerhouse

Talent agencies William Morris and Endeavor are expected to vote Monday on a merger that would create a representation powerhouse in Hollywood that would rank second only to the long-dominant Creative Artists Agency.

The combined entity, easily the most talked about hookup in town since Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, would be better positioned to survive the shrinking economics of the entertainment industry, in which fewer films and network shows are being made along with studios squeezing salaries paid to talent. These developments, and others, are hampering the agency business that depends on commissions and fees from their clients for revenue.

A unified William Morris and Endeavor, likely to be called WME Entertainment, would emerge be a powerful new force, gaining leverage to counterbalance the studios’ growing clout. It would boast more than 300 agents, a formidable client roster and combined revenue of about $300 million. Though a deceptively modest sum in an age of billion-dollar government bailouts, it belies the outsized influence an agency has, because it is at the nexus of connecting talent with producers and distributors.

The deal could trigger a new era of consolidation, putting pressure on other smaller agencies, including United Talent Agency and Paradigm, to combine with larger firms. The last major talent agency consolidation was when International Creative Management bought the scrappy Broder Webb Chervin Silbermann Agency in 2006 to inject new life into ICM’s television business.

Blending the two different cultures of William Morris and Endeavor will entail a period of upheaval that rival agencies will seek to exploit by pursuing talent or disaffected agents, who would bring with them valuable clients. Some agents may leave the combined firm to form new management companies or agencies, just as Michael Ovitz broke away from William Morris Agency in 1975 to found CAA.

Talks between William Morris and Endeavor have been taking place for months, with William Morris Chairman Jim Wiatt encountering with some internal opposition from agents who worried they would be edged out of the merged agency’s power structure.

-- Dawn Chmielewski and Meg James

Chatting with Captain Awesome as the fantastic 'Chuck' season finale approaches

Talk about unfair.

Quizzed via e-mail about his Chicago-area roots, Ryan McPartlin, who plays Captain Awesome on "Chuck," mentions his favorite hot dog place (Portillo's), his favorite club (Hub 51 -- he loves that the bar serves Pabst Blue Ribbon in cans), his favorite pizza (Lou Malnati's deep dish) and his favorite breakfast place (Adelle's in Wheaton).

"My life revolves around food," he said.

Anyone who's ever seen McPartlin on "Chuck" -- and noted how frequently the actor appears shirtless on the show -- would be shocked to learn that he's such a fan of carbohydrates. In moderation, of course.

The deal with the comically perfect Awesome is that he's, well, awesome in every possible way. The character, a doctor who is engaged to Ellie (Sarah Lancaster), Chuck Bartowski's sister, is every inch the clean-cut all-American good guy. It's fitting, since this Glen Ellyn native and graduate of Glenbard South High School played football at University of Illinois (McPartlin, who played tight end, modestly noted that he was "more of a tackling dummy than a player.")

So as the show's resident hunk -- the buff counterpoint to the nerdy spy Chuck -- McPartlin can't just gorge on pizza and pancakes whenever he feels like it.

"Everyone gets a laugh when I threaten to show up to work 50 lbs overweight, but I don't think they'd think it was too funny if I made good on that threat," said McPartlin. "We'd get to see how good our writers really are by how they would explain Awesome's new giant gut."

Whether or not the writers get to give Awesome any new story lines -- gut-centered or not -- is currently up in the air. "Chuck's" epic season finale airs on Monday (for five video clips from the finale, go here), and there are a multitude of campaigns aimed at convincing NBC to keep this wonderful show alive

One aspect of the campaign involves fans buying Subway Footlong sandwiches on Monday, to reward one of "Chuck's" primary advertisers. For more "Save Chuck" campaign information, go to these sites: givememyremote.com (Kath at that site got co-creator Josh Schwartz to address a false "Chuck" renewal rumor that swept the Interwebs over the weekend), chucktv.net, zachary-levi.net (which has photos of Levi leading convention fans in England on a Subway run), zachary-levi.com and a new site, pleasesavechuck.com. For an excellent interview with co-creator Chris Fedak about the show's renewal chances and other "Chuck" matters, look here.

McPartlin, who is currently shooting a TV movie in Canada, said the cast won't hear whether there will be a third season until next week.

Shooting "the season finale was a bit emotional because honestly we don't know what the fate of 'Chuck' is yet, so I think we were all a bit choked up," McPartlin said.

One of the most enjoyable things about the last two "Chuck" episodes of the season -- which expertly mix action, humor and heart and are among the best the show has ever done -- is the increased screen time for Awesome, whose typical composure was rocked by huge revelations that Chuck (Zachary Levi) shared with him in last week's outing. At one point in that episode, thinking he was helping Chuck, Awesome had a big fight with the hilariously gruff John Casey (Adam Baldwin, another Chicago native), and the prospect of filming that scene made McPartlin a little apprehensive.

"The fight scene made me really nervous because I felt like Adam is so into his character that he could really punch me in the face at any moment," McPartlin said. "And we all know if Awesome's face gets rearranged that could be the end of the line for him."

If there is a Season 3 for Chuck, McPartlin, who last year had a featured role in the second-season finale of "Mad Men," doesn't know what the future holds for his "Chuck" character. He has a couple of ideas, though.

"Could you imagine if [his] brothers are more awesome than Captain Awesome? It might blow all of our minds and Ellie might have the best meltdown ever," McPartlin said. "I'd like to see Awesome have to go to work in the Buy More for a while. That's probably impossible, but you never know -- I think I could whip those stooges into shape."

Regardless of what happens in the future, he's grateful that fans' love for the straight-arrow doctor helped convince the show's writers to expand the role.

"The direct impact fans have on a show these days is pretty amazing," McPartlin said.

If McPartlin is right and this show's many passionate fan help garner a third season for "Chuck," there's a chance that the next TV season will contain more entertainingly Awesome moments.

Below is the complete transcript of my interview with Ryan McPartlin. It does not contain spoilers. Thanks to the "Chuck" fans who contributed questions via Twitter and the comment area of this site. I ended up condensing or editing a number of similar questions and adding a few of my own.

Photos: McPartlin; Morgan Fairchild, Bruce Boxleitner, McPartlin and Levi in Monday's "Chuck" finale, which airs 7 p.m. Central on NBC.

Can you tell us a bit more about where you grew up? Did you begin acting here in the Chicago area?

I grew up in Glen Ellyn, which is about 20 miles west of Chicago. I attended Glenbard South High School and University of Illinois. I didn't study acting until I moved to Los Angeles after college but the fact that I was raised in the Chicago area set the stage for all of my comedic and acting sensibilities. I'm a huge fan of John Hughes and can say that "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" is easily a top 3 favorite. I'm also a huge fan of all the Second City talent and I think my Dad and Bill Murray are long lost twins.

It says on your IMDB.com bio that you played football for University of Illinois. What position did you play?

I did play football at U of I but I was more of a tackling dummy than a player. My position was tight end … couldn't be more appropriate for Captain Awesome, huh? Thankfully I'm a better actor than football player, or at least I hope so.

What made you decide to pursue acting professionally?

During my last year of college I panicked at the thought of what I was going to do for a "career." There were a lot of movies coming out at that time about what your purpose in life was going to be and I think "Good Will Hunting" was one that stuck with me. So I said, what the hell, anything I do and do well is going to be difficult, it doesn't matter if it's selling insurance (which I was doing at the time) or acting, so I might as well take a shot at something that I've always dreamt of doing but never tried.



Do you still get back to Chicago on occasion? If so, what are your favorite things to do here?

All of my family still lives in the Chicago area, so I get back about 4 times a year. I always like to try new spots but I do like to eat at Portillo's (hot dog, burger, fries, and chocolate shake) and go to Cubs or Bears games. I like that new place Hub 51, the fact that they serve Miller High Life in champagne glasses  and PBR in cans is Awesome! I also still hang out in the Glen Ellyn area quite a bit and really love a restaurant called Adelle's in Wheaton. As you can see my life revolves around food.



Do you have any indication about how knowing Chuck's spy secret will change Awesome's role in Season 3? Will the role change or grow?

To be honest, I don't know how Awesome's role will change in season 3. I love our writers and trust them completely. I feel like the role was a bit of comic relief to begin with and now look where Awesome's at -- juggling relationship highs and lows with Ellie, dealing with a little action and hanging at Buy More once in a while. So I have confidence that Awesome's screen time will be significant no matter how much you actually see him. 



Do you know if we expect to see more of Bruce Boxleitner and Morgan Fairchild as Mr. and Mrs. Awesome or any other Awesome friends or relations? What was it like working with Boxleitner and Fairchild as your "parents"?

Bruce and Morgan are amazing and I can only hope that we mine more of the family comedy that they bring to the show. Could you imagine if my brothers are more awesome than Captain Awesome? It might blow all of our minds and Ellie might have the best meltdown ever. 



Do you know if there are children in the future for Awesome and Ellie? I hope if there is a third season, that there will be an Awesome baby.

That baby would probably come out of the womb ready to ride in the Tour de France. I think it would be hilarious. Can you imagine how fun it would be to see Ellie freak out from the pregnancy hormones and how much she would take it all out on Awesome? That would be the best. I just don't know when it would come into play.

What would you like to see in Awesome's future?

I'd like to see Awesome have to go to work in the Buy More for a while. That's probably impossible, but you never know -- I think I could whip those stooges into shape. 


Awesome started out as kind of a punch-line and a funny but sort of one-dimensional character. Did you know that you'd get a chance to develop the character further?

They never really told me where things would go with Awesome. I actually have to thank all of you for digging my character because it was all of your positive chatter online that encouraged the writers to expand my role. The direct impact fans have on a show these days is pretty amazing.



Is there a clause in your contract requiring you to stay in fantastic shape?

Everyone gets a laugh when I threaten to show up to work 50 pounds overweight but I don't think they'd think it was too funny if I made good on that threat. We'd get to see how good our writers really are by how they explain Awesome's new giant gut. That made me think, I also love Lou Malnati's Chicago-style deep-dish pizza....mmmmm.



Have you all gotten a lot of positive "buzz" about the show from people you encounter? The Twitter "Chuck" channel has been pretty lively, with people sharing favorite moments and lines. And a lot of people seem to watch it on delay, either via TiVo, some other DVR or Hulu.

So far everything has been very positive. I was walking my dog today and somebody yelled out their car window "We love you, Awesome!" I was scared to death because I've been working for about nine years as an actor and rarely get recognized. I love it when people tell me that they dig "Chuck. I feel a real connection with the fans.


Do you find yourself saying "awesome" a lot in everyday life? And when you do, do you get "Chuck" set flashbacks?

"Awesome" has become a sacred word to me, so I only use it when it's absolutely necessary like when the Bears or Cubs make the playoffs or maybe after eating a Portillo's hot dog. Otherwise, I substitute "fantastic" in it's place.

Was it different or special to shoot the final two episodes of the season, in which Awesome has such a big role? What was that like?

The final two episodes were special for me because it was like being in a totally new show for Captain Awesome. The fight scene with Adam Baldwin made me really nervous because I felt like Adam is so into his character that he could really punch me in the face at any moment and we all know if Awesome's face gets rearranged that could be the end of the line for him.

The season finale was a bit emotional because honestly we don't know what the fate of "Chuck" is yet, so I think we were all a bit choked up. 



When does the cast expect to hear about whether the show will return? Soon?

We hope to know sometime next week and trust me, you'll know as soon as we do.



What was it like to work on "Mad Men" in the Season 2 finale of that show? Was it a very different working experience from "Chuck"?

Chuck is home to me and nothing really compares to it. "Mad Men" was a cool departure for me as an actor since it's set in a specific time period. Working with Matthew Weiner (the creator and director) was like an acting lesson in manners and obeying the rules and social norms of that period. Let's say it was "fantastic"!



Next two questions are from a reader named Anne: This season you made a guest appearance on "Mad Men," as well as your regular role on "Chuck." It was quite a memorable scene! Was there any difference in the vibe on set, given that "Mad Men" has won so many awards, while "Chuck" has (unjustly, if you ask me) been overlooked by a lot of viewers?

Actually the vibe on "Mad Men" was different. I deal with a lot of comedic moments on "Chuck" so the vibe has to be loose and fun to get in and out of those moments but on "Mad Men," there had to be a respect for the sensitivity of the scene as well as for January Jones. It was pretty intimate and it would've been disrespectful of me to show up cracking jokes or acting like "that guy." 



Also, I grew up with with Ryan, and am dying to know why this acting bug couldn't have bitten him a bit earlier-- it would have been great to say "I acted with him in high school." At least I had my yearbook to prove to my father-in-law that I went to school with Captain Awesome!

Go Raiders!!! The fact that the acting bug didn't bite me earlier was much more my loss than yours! I was probably too scared to think about getting on stage until I matured properly. To be honest, I'm still scared to get on stage. It's funny, now I feel like I'm playing catch up on all those amazing plays, musicals, etc. and wish I could go back and do it again. Anyhow, maybe we could do some Shakespeare at the next reunion to get your father-in-law off your back.

Celebrities and their fans all atwitter over Twitter
As Web site grows in popularity, more stars are using the service to give followers some insight into their daily lives.
Cheers To 'Maude' Bea Arthur

She was tall, had a husky voice and had impeccable comedic timing — Bea Arthur, a legend of stage and screen, died of cancer at age 86.

CBS' Moonves earned less in '08, but Redstone earned more

CBS Chief Executive Leslie Moonves' compensation package is kind of like "American Idol's" ratings. It may be down from last year, but it's still a pretty big number.

Moonves' overall compensation, including stock and option awards, for 2008 was valued at about $32 million, compared with $36.8 million in 2007, according to the company's proxy report filed today with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

His take-home salary was $13 million, down from $23.8 million in 2007. Moonves' base pay dropped by more than one-third to $3.5 million from $5.3 million in 2007, while his bonus was cut almost in half to $9.5 million in 2008 as CBS stock lost 70% of its value last year. CBS said its bonus amounts are set by its board of directors and that Moonves was awarded a bonus because the company surpassed its free-cash-flow budget last year despite the poor economy.

While Moonves' compensation package dipped, CBS Chairman Sumner Redstone's jumped to $11.9 million in 2008 from $9.7 million in 2007. Redstone's take-home salary from CBS for 2008 also got a bump to $6.5 million, compared with $6.2 million in 2007. Redstone also netted $6.3 million in 2008 as chairman of Viacom Inc.

CBS has endured a tough two years. While the ratings for its television network have improved this season and it is No. 1 in total viewers, a soft advertising market has made it hard for the New York company to capitalize on the gains. Its radio operations have been struggling for the last several years, and in the first quarter of this year CBS cut its dividend by 81%.

Moonves has already indicated he will not take a pay raise in 2009.

-- Joe Flint

Photo: CBS chief LeslieMoonves Credit: Nicholas Roberts / AFP / GettyImages

Bea Arthur, star of 'Golden Girls' and 'Maude' dead at 86 of cancer
Beatrice Arthur, the tall, deep-voiced actress whose razor-sharp delivery of comedy lines made her a TV star in the hit shows "Maude" and "The Golden Girls" and who won a Tony Award for the musical "Mame," has died.
Cheers To 'Golden Girl' Bea Arthur

She was tall, had a husky voice and had impeccable comedic timing — Bea Arthur, a legend of stage and screen, died Saturday at age 86.

Facebook forces MySpace to get a face-lift

Facebook forces MySpace to get a face-lift

It got Rupert Murdoch on the cover of Wired Magazine, cost Tom Freston his job as chief executive of Viacom and even spawned a tell-all book.

But now News Corp.'s MySpace has gone from crown jewel to problem child.

While MySpace remains the largest social network in the U.S., rival Facebook, which rules the rest of the world, is closing the gap fast. In terms of buzz, it's no contest at all. MySpace has gone from the place where the cool kids hang out to the scary house down the street that parents tell their children to stay away from.

Integrating MySpace into the rest of News Corp. has also proved something of a challenge. Rather than use MySpace as the major platform for programming from its Fox TV operations, it opted instead to team up with NBC Universal and create Hulu as the online home for its content.

Now it's up to former Facebooker Owen Van Natta to reinvigorate MySpace. As Facebook's chief revenue officer and vice president of operations, Van Natta played a key role in the site's evolution from a college clique to worldwide block party.

But social networkers are a fickle bunch and comebacks are hard to manufacturer. Just ask Friendster. Even Facebook is now no doubt looking over its shoulder at Twitter, the fast-rising social networking site for people who find posting complete sentences just a little too taxing.

Van Natta's first task may be updating MySpace's look and technology. The site seems tired compared to Facebook, which sometimes takes heat for all its tinkering but ultimately is quicker to respond to how its members are using it.

Another challenge will be building MySpace's ad revenue. The social networking site's groundbreaking $900-million deal with Google ends in the spring of 2010 and those will be tough dollars to replace. While online advertising continues to grow at a far faster pace than traditional media, it too is being hit by the economic downturn as well as concerns about its effectiveness.

Van Natta may also be walking into hostile territory as many of the staff there spent years working with the now-exiled MySpace co-founder Chris DeWolfe and its president Tom Anderson, who may soon follow DeWolfe out of the company he helped build.

And then there is Murdoch himself. While MySpace is still a key part of News Corp.'s Internet strategy, it doesn't take much to fall out of favor with the mogul. Just ask the Dodgers and DirecTV. 

--Joe Flint

Blago blathers at NBC 'Celebrity' event

To promote "I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here" -- a show he won't be on, thanks to a recent legal ruling -- Rod Blagojevich appeared at an NBC press conference Friday (and he filmed a video to promote the show too; that footage is here). There's more on the press event here and below is some footage of Blago talking at the NBC event:

Miss Manners: Public relations vs. etiquette
DEAR MISS MANNERS: I work for a large U.S.-based corporation where I was involved in a discussion involving plans for a luncheon.
Memoir Of A Manga Master

Comic book pioneer Yoshihiro Tatsumi devoted himself to expanding the storytelling power of the manga form. A Drifting Life, Tatsumi's massive memoir in manga style, offers a sharply observed exploration of the urge to create.

Male Call: Your cheatin' heart

BET to launch cable channel aimed at middle-aged African Americans

Call it the Obama effect or the Tyler Perry factor.

Is the hottest niche audience middle-aged African Americans? Viacom Inc. is betting yes as its Black Entertainment Television Group is launching Centric, a cable channel aimed at that demographic.

In making the announcement, BET Chief Executive Debra Lee said that because of the "historic change our country has experienced, this is the perfect time for BET Networks to reexamine where we are as a company and what we can be for our audience."

Of course, another factor might be TV One, the network already targeting that audience and majority owned by cable giant Comcast Corp. and Radio One that reaches almost 50 million homes. Time Warner's TBS has also grabbed a big chunk of that audience with its Tyler Perry shows "House of Payne" and "Meet the Browns."

TV One, not surprisingly, said Centric was validation of its strategy.

"We've always said that the African American viewing community is so large and diverse that there is probably room for three or four cable channels in the space. I guess they were just waiting for us to prove the case," said TV One CEO Johnathan Rodgers.

BET said it expects to launch Centric in the fourth quarter in about 45 million homes. That is an ambitious number, and to get there BET will likely shutter its jazz channel BET J and replace it with Centric, although the Washington, D.C.-based company would not confirm that was the plan.

-- Joe Flint

Video preview of the must-see 'Chuck' finale

Monday's "Chuck" finale is, in a word, awesome. There's a hilarious performance from Jeffster! and so many other fun things in the Season 2 closer. I thought the show would have a hard time topping last week's episode, but they managed to do it. To get a taste of the episode, there are clips from the finale at the end of this post. Enjoy!

In this interview, co-creator Chris Fedak made this prediction about the finale's effect on "Chuck" fans: "They're going to burn their living rooms. They're going to destroy their television sets. There could be chaos across the country" if the show does not get a third season from NBC.  

All I can say to that is, Yes. Yes, yes, yes. Did I mention yes?

Regarding the show's uncertain status, Time critic James Poniewozik has a thoughtful column about how fans can show their support for the show. He contends that what will get NBC's attention is fan support of the show's advertisers.

"...network TV is still largely an advertising game," Poniewozik writes. "Plead as lyrically as you want; you ultimately keep a show on the air by assuring the network it will make money. And it does that by assuring its advertisers that they will make moneyâ€"that an ad or placement on Chuck will result in real people spending real cash dollars."  

I think he makes some excellent points (though I still advocate that fans make noise about their love for the show; for some ideas on how to do that, go here). And if Subway ends up thinking that they made a wise decision by buying product placement on "Chuck" and making a connection with fans who want to save the show, all the better. You know, I'm feeling a bit peckish myself. Perhaps a tasty sub is just what I need. (If you are on Facebook, you can find out more here about "Chuck" fans' "Finale and a Footlong" campaign" to get folks to buy Subway's Footlongs on Monday.)

Now, on to the fun stuff. Below are several clips from the season finale of "Chuck," which airs 7 p.m. Central on Monday on NBC. Tell a friend. Tell two friends. OK, tell all your friends.

Chuck makes a fateful Buymorian decision:

Chuck and Casey share a (what?!?) tender moment:

Chuck and Ellie:

Roark makes an appearance:

Chuck and Ellie again:

Visit the Chuck store on amazon.com

KayambaÂ's musical chairs
From the vibrant original Kayamba Africa, formed in 1998, there seems to be no end to the splintering of the group. After former members shipped out to form Kayamba Fiesta and Kayamba Roots, another outfit has emerged.
Male Call: Your cheatin' heart
Male Call offers some advice on what to do about cheaters and cheating.
Ruth Reichl Dishes Up Her Mother's Secret Desires

Gourmet magazine's editor in chief and food critic Ruth Reichl grew up in a house where mold-covered pudding was considered an adequate dessert. But Reichl doesn't begrudge her mother. In a new book, she thanks her.

Past is present in 'Caprica,' a 'Battlestar Galactica' prequel

Six Flags CEO: We're 'better positioned' than Disney

 
 

Six Flags, the theme park chain owned by Washington Redskins chieftain Dan Snyder, has done a solid job of cleaning up its parks with both revenues and attendance improving last year. But now it faces a bigger challenge trying to clean up its balance sheet.

Last week, the New York company made its latest move to restructure the heavy debt load of more than $2 billion that Snyder inherited when he acquired Six Flags four years ago. Chief Executive Mark Shapiro is trying to orchestrate a deal with Six Flags bondholders to persuade them to swap the debt for equity.

In an internal memo issued Friday, Shapiro said that if the company is able to reach an accord with its bondholders, it would cut its debt and preferred equity obligations by about $1.2 billion and its annual interest and dividend requirements by $90 million. But the clock is ticking: Shapiro has set a June 25 deadline, and if he doesn't get it done, Six Flags may have to hoist a white flag and file for bankruptcy.

Shapiro, reached on the phone, sounds confident it won't come to that and believes that although this summer won't be a walk in the park, Six Flags is better positioned that some of its bigger rivals to weather the recession.

So while we had Shapiro on the line, we popped off a few questions, which he didn't flinch from answering.

Company Town: So you've put your restructuring offer out there. What was the response?

Shapiro: Most of the bondholders are on board. We are going to restructure one way or another. We believe this out-of-court deal is in the best interest of the stakeholders. We've had minor pushback ... one major holdout. But now that the offer is out there, we're hopeful the bondholders recognize it is in their best interest.

How are the parks doing?

The parks are cleaned up and getting the highest guest satisfaction scores in our history. We said we wanted to increase the total revenue-spend-per-guest by 20% and we hit 21% after three years. We wanted 30% EBITDA margins and we clocked in just above that this past year. We went from a company that loses $100 million in free cash flow a year to cash flow positive.

You had said you wanted Six Flags to be a venue for advertising?

We reach 25 million people a year who spend eight to 10 hours in our parks. Last year we did $59 million in ad revenue.

How's the summer shaping up?

I know we are well-positioned. To get into a movie, it costs $10; to get into Six Flags, everyone pays kids' pricing, which is $29.99 a day. Our season pass is $59.99 for the entire year, unlimited visits. In this marketplace, it is a great solution, especially for families that are going through trying times. We understand that the country is in a time of sacrifice right now. At same time families want an escape in tough times. We believe we are a solution to that.

You think you are in a better position than Disney in this climate?

Disney is different situation. It is a "destination park." I’m not sure in these trying times consumers have the appetite for all that comes with a trip to Disney. It is an extraordinary experience, but it is a plane ticket, it is a hotel. All the regional theme parks are in good shape as long as [they deliver] superior quality. Three years ago we couldn't say that. We've done a total makeover.

-- Joe Flint

Photo: Chief Executive Mark Shapiro in front of the Viper ride at Six Flags in Valencia. Credit: Stefano Paltera / For The Times

Past is present in 'Caprica,' a 'Battlestar Galactica' prequel

Two men stand and smoke on an urban street corner. One man wears black gloves, which are traditional mourning garb in his culture.

“Times like these, old ways are supposed to help, I guess,” the other man says.

But “Caprica” (Universal Studios Home Entertainment; three and a half stars), a meditative film that came out Tuesday on DVD  and kicks off an upcoming “Battlestar Galactica” prequel series, is really about new ways and technologies.

As was the case with “Battlestar,” this 93-minute filmâ€"the first installment of a Sci Fi drama that debuts in early 2010â€"doesn’t make blanket pronouncements about how technology is bad and will be our downfall.

True, “Battlestar” was about the war between the mechanized Cylons and flesh-and-blood humans, but the differences between the two races fell away over time. “Being human” was much more about the ability to empathize and feel than the presence of wires or chips in an individual’s evolutionary past.

“Caprica,” even more than “Battlestar,” is an examination of how greed, selfishness, heedlessness and pain prompt people to use technology to avoid difficult situations.

Technology isn’t really the problem; the trouble comes from our belief that we can always control it and use it to keep life from hurting too much or being too hard. Yet anyone who has ever tried to set up a balky new device or felt oppressed by the constant presence of a BlackBerry knows that things that are supposed to make our lives better don’t always do so.

Even if you’re not interested in “Caprica’s” subtexts about technology, this handsome film works well as a thoughtful character study. The cast, including the men who play the two smokers mentioned above, is an embarrassment of riches. Eric Stoltz gives intelligence and quiet charisma to techno-industrialist Daniel Graystone, and Esai Morales (“Jericho”) is perfectly cast as Joseph Adama, a lawyer and immigrant caught between the technocratic culture on the planet of Caprica and the more traditional culture of his own planet, Tauron.

As was the case with “Battlestar,” there are compelling women at the heart of the story: Paula Malcolmson, a “Deadwood” veteran, has a lively, razor-sharp presence that makes her scenes crackle, and Polly Walker (“Rome”) is also excellent as the steely Sister Clarice, the head of an exclusive private school and a major influence on the show’s younger characters.

The younger set of actors, most of whom play students at Sister Clarice’s school, have yet to prove they can match the gravitas and subtlety of the older cast members, but they hold their own. And I wish there was a deeper explanation of the religious beliefs that motivate some of the characters, but presumably that will come when the show returns next year.

One reason Sci Fi is making "Caprica" -- and starting a promotional campaign early by releasing the DVD months before the show arrives -- is because the network wants to catch the attention of viewers who may not be regular viewers of sci-fi fare. There are no space ships and no outer-space battles in this new show, which is set 58 years before the events of "Battlestar"; the world of Caprica looks much like our own.

With any luck, "Caprica" won't have to battle the perception problems that "Battlestar Galactica" faced; it took a couple of seasons for the latter show to get people to realize that it was a taut, bold and thought-provoking study of the heights and depths of human nature, not a superficial remake of a '70s show about robots and the swashbuckling heroes who fought them.

Still, hard-core "Battlestar" fans should be aware that these are different shows. Ronald D. Moore, an executive producer and co-creator of the new show, has been upfront about calling "Caprica" a prime-time "soap opera" (for a few more of Moore's "Caprica" comments look here). It's not about life during wartime; it's about the sacrifices, mistakes and fateful decisions made by individuals, corporations and families.

“Battlestar” has “come to an end, and it’s a beautiful end and [fans] should mourn that show,” Malcolmson said in a March interview. “You can’t just come along with another show that’s going to replicate it. That’s not what we want to do, we want to give them something else.”

The good news for "Battlestar" fans is that show's outstanding composer, Bear McCreary, and special-effects wizard, Gary Hutzel, are part of the new venture. And several of that show's writers will be on "Caprica's" creative staff as well.

Jane Espenson, a co-executive producer who is set to become "Caprica's" day-to-day showrunner, said in January that the new show "will certainly be different, but it's like a different garment made from the same fabric. The beating heart of it will be the same -- complex moral situations, high stakes, compelling characters. Robots."

For a more recent interview with Espenson about "Caprica," look here.

Visit the Battlestar Galactica store on amazon.com

Elton John ends 241-show Vegas run to go on tour
LAS VEGAS — The Rocket Man is saying farewell to the Las Vegas Strip after five years and 241 shows.
Carved Success: Sam Maloof's Handmade Life

The legendary woodworker is known for his minimalist, handmade furniture. The son of immigrants from Lebanon, he has won a MacArthur "genius grant," and his work has been exhibited at the Smithsonian and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

CBS' Julie Chen says she will deliver

CBS' Julie Chen says she will deliver

Could this result in a bump in the ratings?

Julie Chen, co-host on the third-place morning news program, CBS' "The Early Show," made some news herself this morning by announcing on the air that she is pregnant.

Chen, who has worked on the show for 10 years, is married to CBS Corp. chieftain Leslie Moonves.

"I am expecting my first child," she said, which was immediately followed by cheers and applause from the off-camera crew. "It wasn't a big Sunday at the buffet table," she noted, patting her tummy. "I'm starting to show now."

"My due date is Oct. 4. Fingers crossed," she added.  Chen said that she was not planning to take maternity leave from the summer prime-time reality show that she also hosts, "Big Brother."  "I e-mailed my boss over there this weekend and I said, 'Don't worry. I can still do the show," she said.

"You will be the real house mother," her co-anchor Harry Smith joked.

The New York Post's Page Six had the scoop on the "more-not-less-of-the-Moonves-family," publishing a gossip item about the pregnancy this morning.

Moonves has three adult children from an earlier marriage, which ended in divorce.  Moonves and Chen married in late 2004.

-- Meg James

Photo: Chris Pizzello / Associated Press

Ask some Awesome questions and more ideas for saving 'Chuck'

I'm accepting "Chuck" questions for a member of the cast today and tomorrow morning; there's more on that below.

But first, was Monday's episode of "Chuck" phenomenal or what?

As I watched it, I realized, this show doesn't make me happy in one or two or five ways -- it makes me happy in about 28 ways. Every single aspect of the show was on top form on Monday, and I can't wait to watch the whole thing again.

I'm hoping more than ever that the NBC program gets a third season. A third season that is 87 episodes long, preferably. I just adore this show.

If you are a "Chuck" fan, you may want to send NBC some Nerds candy in an effort to get executives at the network to renew the show. Co-creator Josh Schwartz suggested it in this story about the show's future; there's more information on that Nerds campaign here. And I posted a few more "Save 'Chuck'" ideas here -- there are many links to the active and creative fan campaign to save the show.

I also want to recommend this excellent open letter to NBC executives, in which critic Alan Sepinwall makes the cast that a "Chuck" renewal makes business sense for the struggling network.

One other thing -- look below if you want to see photos from the wedding of Captain Awesome and Chuck's sister Ellie, which takes place in Monday's Season 2 finale. There's a Jeffster! photo from the wedding down there, for fans of Jeff and Lester's band.

The main reason I wanted to post about "Chuck," however, was to solicit your questions for Ryan McPartlin, who plays Captain Awesome on the show. I'll be submitting fan questions to McPartlin in the next day or so, so if you have questions for the Glen Ellyn native about the show, Monday's season finale, his character or anything else, leave them in comments here.

OK, in an effort to help anti-spoiler fans not see the Jeffster! photo if they don't want to see it, here is something else instead, a video demonstrating how I feel after I watch "Chuck":

Last spoiler warning...

Here's the Jeffster! photo from the Awesome wedding:

And here's a photo of the Bartowskis (Chuck's dad and Chuck) at the wedding:

'Caprica,' a 'Battlestar Galactica' prequel debuts today on DVD
Fans of "Battlestar Galactica" might want to check out "Caprica," a prequel to the hit SciFi Channel show that concluded this season.
From Iran, A Parable Of Faith Lost — And Found

Iranian filmmakers are among world cinema's finest, yet only one — Majid Majidi — has ever been in the running for an Oscar. Majidi's latest film, Song of Sparrows, follows a hapless ostrich wrangler forced to venture into Tehran.

'American Idol': An aging franchise in need of a jolt of excitement

Screen Actors Guild to lay off 8% of its staff

Hollywood's largest actors union is cutting 8% of its staff in the face of investment losses and declining membership dues.

The Screen Actors Guild plans to cut about 35 workers from its payroll to close a $6.5-million deficit in the union's fiscal 2009 budget. The cuts span several departments and includes those who work in the union's organizing and information technology departments, according to people familiar with the matter. Affected workers will be notified this week. SAG has about 440 employees.

David White, interim director of the Screen Actors Guild, briefed board members on the planned layoffs on Saturday when they approved the union's annual $60-million annual budget. White told board members the cuts were needed to balance the budget and leave enough cash in reserves to cover at least six months of operations.

The guild's income stream has been hit on two fronts: investment income, which is down sharply due to the turmoil in stock markets, and membership dues, which are tied to how much actors earn.

Fewer actors have been working as studios curtail production on movies and TV shows. SAG also has lost work to its rival union, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, whose labor contracts now dominate prime-time TV pilots.

At the same time, SAG's expenses have risen sharply. Over the last two years, the guild has added 100 people to its staff, partly for organizational outreach activities.

The Writers Guild of America, West,  recently cut 10 % of its staff to close a budget shortfall, which guild officials blamed on investment losses and a sharp falloff in jobs for writers during the last year, when the guild waged a 100-day strike.

-- Richard Verrier

'American Idol': An aging franchise in need of a jolt of excitement

If you ask me, it's been a pretty blah season of "American Idol" (7 p.m. Central Tuesday, Fox). It's not entirely terrible, but it's not that compelling either.

poll by twiigs.com

There’s no showdown between two very different contenders, a la Season 7’s David Cook versus David Archuleta battle. There’s no Sanjaya Malakar, a divisive Season 6 performer who kept even disapproving viewers tuning in. And there certainly doesn’t appear to be another Kelly Clarkson in the final batch of singers.

The question is not whether Matt Giraud deserved the “judges’ save” last week. The question is, will you remember Giraud’s name in a month? Unlikely.

A few other things that have become clear about Season 8 of “Idol,” which has another month to go:

1. There hasn’t been a performance as compelling as the one Susan Boyle gave on “Britain’s Got Talent.” Granted, her rendition of “I Dreamed a Dream,” which became an online sensation in the last 10 days, isn’t the kind of performance that comes along every day (or every year). And who knows if the endearing Boyle will end up being a flash in the pan. By contrast, most of the current “Idol” contestants are merely competentâ€"if that.

2. The emergence of a clear front-runner has sucked a lot of the drama out of the show. At this stage, it’s hard not to view this season of “Idol” as Adam Lambert versus everyone else. Lambert is the only contestant with charisma, and though some of his performances have been electric, they also frequently veer into overwrought melodrama. If you’re not necessarily enamored of his theatrical song stylings, which may be more suited to Broadway than to the pop or rock arenas, the current “Idol” season can be a bit of a chore.

3. Four judges equals one judge too many. No doubt Fox keeps Paula Abdul around because she brings some kooky spontaneity to the show, but I have grown weary of her predictable blather. Kara DioGuardi may be new, and Randy Jackson may be an “Idol” veteran, but they often offer similar perspectivesâ€"they both represent the most mainstream segment of the music industry. As such, their advice is frequently predictable. And regardless of what they say, hearing comments from four people can be tedious. 

Having said that, it would be better for "Idol" to cut out the many pointless parts of the show than to trim Simon Cowell’s comments. Last week, when pairs of judges took turns commenting in an unsuccessful effort to keep the show from going long, Cowell’s feedback was missing half the time, which wasn’t a good solution to the problem. (And according to the Washington Post's Lisa de Moraes, that tweak will be gone as of this week.)

4. The fact that “Idol” has run over its allotted time slot several times this season is tiresome and infuriating. Whether this is part of a Machiavellian plan to mess with other networks, a ploy to increase the ratings for Fox’s “Fringe” or simple incompetence, the show’s overruns are unacceptable. “Idol’s” performance shows still bring in more than 20 million viewers per week, but the show’s live Nielsen ratings continue to slip (as they have for the past few seasons). Is arrogance really the best strategy here?

5. Don’t expect Simon Cowell to leave. Cowell, who’s also a judge for “Britain’s Got Talent” and Britain’s “X Factor,” has one more season left on his “Idol” contract. "I can't imagine not doing 'Britain's Got Talent' and I can't imagine not doing 'X Factor,'" he told Britain's Daily Mirror. "But I guess America is more likely to go because I have got one year under contract. Maybe that will be the end." Sorry, I don't buy it. His exit is possible but unlikely -- Cowell is the “love to hate” character who keeps many viewers tuning in to “Idol.” And surely Fox knows that. 

Also, according to a recent Forbes story about the Top 15 money-earning shows in prime time, the “Idol” broadcasts bring in $7 million per 30 minutes. (By way of comparison, according to Forbes, the No. 2 and No. 3 earners, “24” and “Desperate Housewives,” bring in $3.7 million per 30 minutes and $2.9 million per 30 minutes, respectively.) With that kind of money coming in, there’s every likelihood that Fox will back up a Brink’s truck to Cowell’s house to keep him around for a few more seasons.

Photo: Adam Lambert

Merc Sessions: Eoin Harrington
Merc Sessions: Eion Harrington is one of the hotter new acts in the Bay Area.
Good Old Reliable Oliver Platt In 'Guys And Dolls'

Actor Oliver Platt takes the stage in the latest revival of the legendary musical Guys and Dolls. Platt tells NPR that modern audiences can still relate to his classic character: Good Old Reliable Nathan Detroit.

Lupita NyongÂ'o and Wanuri score big in New York
Just a month after she was honoured by MTV for her role in the continental Making of a Video project, Medical Services Minister AnyangÂ' NyongÂ'oÂ's daughter Lupita has hit the international platform with a bang.
Review: Opera San Jose's 'Carmen' is sexy and fun, but not quite sizzling
You can't really miss with "Carmen." The story is so juicy with lust and infatuation, its songs so memorable, its lead character so tantalizing.
Valentino: A Stylish Career Laid Bare

Valentino is a star who shines in the firmament of haute couture — he dressed Audrey Hepburn, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Gwyneth Paltrow. But the story of the man is really the story of a relationship that's lasted throughout his 45-year career.

For poet Brenda Hillman, it's all about the mystery
Sustained ruminations on the ancient Greek concept of the four-part universe is entirely in character for Hillman, who says she's "always trying to figure out what God is and why matter exists and whether it contains spirit or not."
'Lemon Tree' Blows It Out Of Proportion

In the film Lemon Tree, a squabble between a Palestinian woman and her new neighbor, the defense minister of Israel, becomes a heated international debate. And it all begins with a small grove of lemon trees.

SAG and studios reach tentative deal

SAG and studios reach tentative deal

Negotiators for the Screen Actors Guild and the major studios have reached a tentative agreement on a new two-year contract for the union's 120,000 members.

Sources close to the talks say the union's negotiating task force will be briefed today on the proposed agreement, which is expected to be voted on by SAG's 71-member national board on Sunday.

Actors have been working without a contract for nine months as previous attempts at negotiations with the studios collapsed.

The contract contains some minor improvements over previous offers but is largely similar to the one studios presented to SAG nine months ago. That is certain to raise questions about what the union  accomplished by holding out so long to secure a deal after other talent unions secured their own contracts with the studios.

The agreement was hashed out after weeks of back-channel talks involving between SAG interim executive director David White and top media executives, principally Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Iger and Warner Bros. chairman  Barry Meyer.

Talks were revived after the union's former chief negotiator was ousted by moderates who took control of SAG's board in elections last year.

The breakthrough came earlier this month when the sides reached a compromise over the most contentious issue: the expiration date of a new contract. SAG leaders insisted that their new contract run through June 2011 so that the union could line up its next round of negotiations with the expiring contracts of other Hollywood talent unions. The studios, however, wanted a three-year term, which would push SAG's contract expiration into 2012.

-- Richard Verrier

 

'Arrested' gang returns with 'Sit Down, Shut Up'

It wasn’t designed with this purpose in mind, but “Sit Down, Shut Up” (7:30 p.m. Central Sunday, Fox; two stars) made me miss “Arrested Development” again.

The latter show died prematurely in 2006, after three hilarious seasons chronicling the travails of the Bluth clan. Frequent news reports saying an “Arrested” movie was possible  taunted the show’s still-pining fans.

What made "Arrested" so distinctive was not just its stellar cast and skewed sense of humor but the intricacy of the show. There's nothing wrong with comedies that just makes people laugh, but, even when the execution fell short, the stories and jokes on "Arrested" were often laudably ambitious.

These days, "How I Met Your Mother" and "Flight of the Conchords" are the only comedies that are even attempting to play in "Arrested's" league. And as "Arrested" did, they mix heart with all the high-jinks.

The animated “Sit Down,” which chronicles the lives and foibles of teachers at a Florida high school, is far less inventive than “Arrested,” and “Sit Down’s” rapid-fire pace isn’t anchored by anything real or relatable. Much of the goofy crassness of the Bluth clan of “Arrested” was balanced by the awkward  naivete of the young George Michael Bluth (Michael Cera), but “Sit Down’s” cynicism isn’t leavened by a similar sweetness.

The result is a show that feels brittle and manic. Jokes that would have been funny accompanied by an amusing reaction or a sprightly bit of physical comedy in a live-action show here come off as flat or mean. “Arrested” alum Will Arnett, for example, can’t leaven his “Sit Down” jock character with the neediness that could be read  on the face of his “Arrested” character, Gob Bluth. And the kind of long-suffering nice guy that “Arrested’s” Jason Bateman plays again in “Sit Down” loses something when you can’t see the actor’s pained reactions to other characters’ shenanigans.

All the teachers are recognizable types: Helen Klench (Cheri Oteri) is the uptight librarian; Andrew Legustambos (Nick Kroll) is the flamboyant drama teacher; and Miracle Grohe (Kristin Chenowith) is the spacey science teacher who believes in an array of wispy New Age theories. You won't be surprised to find that the acting principle, Sue Sezno (Kenan Thompson), likes to say no.

The stereotypes are so predictable that the comedy is too, even if the humor is sometimes dementedly subversive (a sign in the teacher's lounge instructs people to "call a taxi" for the victim).

The least successful element of this comedy is the characters’ frequent references to the fact that they are on a TV show. “Can I get a flashback on that?” Larry asks when recalling a saucy memory. “I’m not going to test well,” another character laments. When “Arrested” made similar meta-jokes, they were more subtle and thus more funny.

The good thing -- and the bad thing -- about "Sit Down" is that everything flies by very quickly. The show is so fast-paced that if you didn't like one story or joke, another one comes along in seconds. That gives the show a certain kind of spazzy energy, even if it also makes life at Knob Haven High School seem exhausting.

Miss Manners:
DEAR MISS MANNERS: When our family went to my aunt's house for lunch, she had made a unique bread cake for dessert and she asked my dad what he thought.
CHINA: Macau Gaming Boom at a Cost
MACAU, Apr 17 (IPS)Beijing’s decade-old flirt with lucrative gambling in the booming casino town of Macau has gone decidedly sour.

Last night's 'Lost': Empire falls

The following post discusses "Some Like It Hoth," last night's episode of "Lost."

In an interview at the start of the season, executive producer Damon Lindelof offered up the "cherry pie" theory of "Lost." I'll quote from that section of the interview:

"When I was a latchkey kid and had to fix my own dinner, I would eat these [Hungry Man dinners]. I would buy a baked fish dinner because it had a cherry pie. I never ate the fish, I would just eat the cherry pie.

"The point being, as long as there is cherry pie in an episode of 'Lost' for everyone who watches it, they will sit through the entire dinner. They may not touch their entree, but if there’s a little bit of Marvin Candle, they’ll sit through anything. For some people, their cherry pie is the mythology, and for some people, their cherry pie is the romance story, for some people their cherry pie is Hurley. You just make sure that there is always something for everyone."

Well, for me, the following "Lost" elements that have that cherry pie flavor: Hurley, Miles, Hurley and Miles quipping, Dr. Pierre Chang, Sawyer as Jim LeFleur, Phil. Those things vary in their cherry-pie-ness (for instance, Chang is a 10 on my personal cherry pie scale, while Phil is about a 4), but put them all together in one episode and throw in a conversation or two about "Star Wars"? I'm totally down for that. 

[To digress, here are more of my cherry pie faves (and there is no way I'm going to remember all of them, this is just off the top of my head): Pierre Chang videos, anything Dharma-related from the '70s, Sayid going all ninja/Jason Bourne on people, Ben Linus doing pretty much anything, ditto Charles Widmore, ditto Juliet, Juliet and Locke, Faraday, Desmond and Penny, Richard Alpert, the sunny/weird/culty aspects of Dharmatown and Horace Goodspeed, Also Lapidus. 

[And some of my anti-cherry pie elements include: The Sawyer-Kate-Jack comance (I'd call it a romance, but it puts me in a coma), Kate episodes, Jack acting like a dope or a jerk, Locke's character doing a 180 for the 20th time, too much time-travel math.]

So, for me, in "Some Like It Hoth," there was a healthy helping of the good cherry pie stuff and not really much of the bad (aside from Kate's supreme lapse in intelligence).

All things considered, you can't go wrong with a Miles-centric episode, and putting him with Hurley was a  logical and excellent idea. And Ken Leung gave a wonderful performance as Miles. When he teared up at the end as he watched his father read to his younger self, it was heartbreaking to see his defenses finally melt. And to hear his voice break as he said, "You do?" to his father, who had called out, "I need you" -- well, it was hard not to get a little choked up.

[Digression: Was Chang purposely not reacting to the idea that another Asian-American male named Miles was on the island? I mean, that's one hell of a coincidence.] 

I don't have a ton to say about this solid episode, except to note that they're certainly setting up the idea that things are going to blow up soon in Dharmaville. A guy turns up dead, Ben is missing, Roger is restive, Kate is not helping the cause (what a surprise) and overall, things are taking a dark turn. The Circle of Trust is looking pretty ragged indeed.

Some small things I loved about the episode: The way Miles glared at Chang when Chang said he preferred country music to jazz; Hurley's attempt to liven up the atmosphere in the van as he, Chang and Miles rode around the island ("He was totally down for that beer!" Hurley said later, trying to put the best spin on an otherwise glum commuter trip. As James Poniewozik wrote, "Hurley in a microbus? Never not funny!"); and the way that Chang's arrogant attitude was eclipsed by that tender moment with his baby son.

And the idea of Hurley re-writing "The Empire Strikes Back" to eliminate what he sees as its problematic aspects -- come on. That scene was genius. Even though I'm not quite sure how a father-son chat at the end of "Empire" would have fixed any and all problems in the original-flava "Star Wars" trilogy, his attempt to change the course of film history was both daffy and amusing (though, like Alan Sepinwall, I'm not sure what about "Empire" needed fixing, anyway). Though let's face it, if Hurley did somehow find George Lucas in the '70s (or at any point, really), his time would have been better spent trying to convince Lucas not to make the prequel films. Or Hurley could have just rewritten them. Or thrown the negatives into the ocean. I'm just sayin'.  

All in all, I think what happened in "Some Like It Hoth" re-affirms some ideas I was noodling around with in this recent piece about "Lost" -- the episode re-affirmed the idea that personal redemption and individual initiative still matter, no matter what occurred in the past or what will occur in the future.

Despite the fact that no major events will be altered (I think) in the overall Dharma timeline, Miles still got to learn that his father loved him. And that knowledge matters. Perhaps not to the universe or to the space-time continuum, but to him. Maybe that's enough.

Finally, a question: What does lie in the shadow of the statue?

And a prediction: I'm guessing we're not going to see Ewoks on the island.

Photos: Ken Leung as Miles, a photo of the cake (from the "Ace of Cakes" crew) celebrating "Lost's" 100th episode, and a cute widdle Ewok. Gotta tell you, I can't bring myself to be hatin' on the Ewoks (though yeah, the Ewok dance party at the end of "Return of the Jedi" was kind of cheeseball, I'll grant that). They are not only cute, they are super-fun in the Lego Star Wars Wii game. So there. 

Beltway Bandits, And A Newspaper Hero In Pursuit

A seasoned D.C. reporter teams up with a novice blogger to solve the murder of a beautiful young woman — who happens to be a congressman's assistant. A demanding editor and billion-dollar stakes ratchet up the action.