Category Archives: Broadway!

‘Suvivor: Cagayan’ Premiere – A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Open Forum

J'tiaSurvivor is back! And, from the looks of it, Jeff Probst is in no mood. It’s been quite some time since we were offered an all-rookie season of Survivor, and after three great seasons back-to-back-to-back, it would not have been surprising to see the show go to the returning player-well once again (indeed, ever since the fireworks of Russell vs. Boston Rob: Round 1 in Heroes vs. Villains, it seemed like  all-newbie seasons might be few and far between). But, perhaps in an effort not to exhaust Survivor of its most precious Cochran and Reynolds and Aras natural resources, the show is going au naturale in its twenty-eighth(!) season.

Which isn’t to say that there are no unique wrinkles this time around. As the show has been teasing since the Blood vs. Water reunion, Survivor: Cagayanandonandon separates the players into the three tribes: Beauty, Brawn, and Brians (a group which, surprisingly, features not a single Brian). And Jeff gets things going right away, asking each tribe to quickly and essentially without deliberation pick a team leader, and then Jeff directs that specified leader to immediately identify his or her tribe’s weakest link. So, for the newly anointed team captains, this is (seemingly) a big opportunity to shed either the tribe’s weakest player or the group’s biggest threat. Sarah, on the Lloyd Braun tribe decides to single out Skeletor Trish, reasoning by her emaciated looks that she’s just finished up playing at least two Survivor games back-to-back and probably is just a tad fatigued from 78 straight days without proper nourishment. Over on the We’re Also Beautiful on the Inside Tribe, LL Cool LJ tabs human floatation device former NFL Cheerleader Morgan, labeling her as “hot,” which makes her more dangerous than her “cute” tribemates. Dude’s got a good system. Watch out for that guy. Not-Brian leader of the Brians David wastes no time in selecting Garrett, the marble statue to his left. David clearly saw some muscles on Garrett that he didn’t know even existed, and deduced that he’s too serious of a threat to help the tribe win a challenge and must go. These three players, YOU ARE THE WEAKEST LINK, GOODBYE!

More: David & Goliath, Samson & J’Tia

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Filed under Analysis, Broadway!, Century 21 Reality, Tribal Council

A Jumped the Snark Shorty: Jimmy & Jay, An East Side Story

Last night on Late Night they kicked off the show with a musical number that joined Jimmy Fallon and his lead-in Jay Leno, the current host of The Tonight Show dueting with the rumored successor. This parody of West Side’s Story’s “Tonight” brought together these two hosts whose names have been so dragged through the news and blogosphere the last few weeks, whose futures have become the subject of much speculation and scrutiny. Leno, from his perch in Burbank, has made no secret of his recent disdain for NBC and its executives; Fallon, like he did during the Leno-Conan controversy three years ago, has done his part to stay out of the fray, trying to stay friendly with everyone and stay as far away from any whispers of backstabbing or plotting as possible. And this sketch goes to show that while Leno might have a considerable beef with NBC brass, he harbors no ill will towards Fallon, and Jimmy, for his part, appreciates all that Jay has done for him. 

However, while this bit illustrates that everything may be copacetic between Jay and Jimmy, it also demonstrates why Fallon is so highly regarded and why he’s so quickly being elevated to the top spot. Yes, this is a great piece of television that shows that Leno can still have a great sense of humor about these things and about all things, but by airing on Late Night it only serves to further bolster Fallon and his team’s credentials, once again proving their creativity and passion for the medium, and their keen ability to capitalize on a situation. This was probably the best four minutes either program will air this week, and some of Late Night‘s best work this year (non-Justin Timberlake category), the A+ material on the network’s B show. But the fact that this bit was conceived and produced by the Late Night team and broadcast as part of Fallon’s show offers yet one more reason why Fallon is ready to take over the mantle. It wasn’t quite passing the torch as it was recognizing where the fire is. 

Right now, Late Night justs get it. Even Leno agrees.

 

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Filed under Analysis, Brilliance, Broadway!, Shorties, Talkies

On the Fourth Night of Hanukkah Jumped the Snark Gave to You…

…Harry Potter!  Or, rather, Daniel Radcliffe, whose mother is a member of the tribe.  And, in actually, we’re not going to give you Potter, but instead (and perhaps more fittingly) Radcliffe as J. Pierrepont Finch in this year’s Broadway revival of How to Succeed is Business Without Really Trying: 

He’s only appearing in the show til the end of the year, so see it now!  We did!  He’s tiny!

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Filed under Broadway!, Lady Holiday, Woody Allen, Bar Mitzvahs & Bagels

‘The Office’: Fleet Week

[note: not sure if that title will have anything to do with our reaction to last night’s Office.  We just liked it.]

Week 3 of the Michael Scott death march brought us “Andy’s Play,” which slots below last week’s Michael Scott – Toby Flenderson tete-a-tete “Counseling” but above the season premiere “Nepotism.”  It exhibited many of the symptoms that have plagued the show in recent seasons, but also demonstrated some encouraging signs, some beats that harken back to the show’s roots.  Uneven, sure, but with a strong finish.  And as some porn star was probably once told, it’s better to finish strong than start strong.

Read on: Michael is up, couples are down, and the wine is going all around.

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Filed under Analysis, Broadway!, Dunder Mifflin, this is Pam, Good Humor, Must See TV

Where’s Uncle Joey When You Need Him?

CoulierSpeaking of impressions (and other past their prime comedians with the initials “DC”), Dave Coulier totally should have been on hand last night to save the day when the final dress rehearsal of Bye Bye Birdie experienced some technical difficulties and both Bob Saget and Don Rickles stepped into to lighten/worsen the mood (see: Disaster at Bye Bye Birdie’s Final Preview Inspires Stamos, Saget, and Rickles Comedy Routine).  Coulier could have wowed audiences with Mr. Woodchuck for hours, or perhaps tried out his new stand-up bit about farting.

(Coincidentally, a very similar thing happened during my high school’s Student-Faculty production of Bye Bye Birdie, in which I had a memorable role as the Train Conductor.  Well, we didn’t have any comedy legends attend the show, but one of the sets did fall down.  See?  Very similar.)

More: Coulier and the Muppets!

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Filed under Broadway!, Muppets, TGIF