Britney Spears: No Emmy Nod
Britney Spears: No Emmy Nod
Earlier this week Britney Spears and Kevin Federline were unable to come to an agreement regarding the custody of their sons Jayden James and Sean Preston. And yesterday the “Gimme More” songstress was spotted paying her lawyer a visit.
Miss Spears and her bodyguard were seen arriving at her lawyer’s office in Los Angeles, California looking serious. Brit sported a summery pink top with Capri jeans and a pair of heeled sandals.
And while the “How I Met Your Mother” ratings jumped when the “Piece of Me” singer hit the screen, it seems she won’t be in the race for a Best Guest Actress Emmy Award.
For whatever reason, Britney didn’t make the top 11 list of guest actresses for this year’s consideration. Also joining her in the Snub Department are Sarah Chalke (Scrubs blonde who played Spears’ boss on HIMYM), Mary-Kate Olsen (for her role as a Bible-thumper on Weeds) and Alyssa Milano (for her role on My Name is Earl).
BSG podcast recap: Episodes 408, 411 & 412 commentary
Now that the show is over (for the time being), Ronald D. Moore got back with releasing podcasts this week. However, he seems to have skipped a couple in the middle.
As I’ve done in the past, I’ll just summarize some of what I thought were the more interesting parts of the podcasts. If you’re interested in learning more about Moore’s insights and details about each episode, you really should take the time to listen to the podcasts yourself. Now if only someone could sync up these podcasts with the Hulu videos, that would be awesome.
Here are the highlights …
#408 (’Faith’)
- The audio quality in this podcast is awful. He really needs to consider re-recording it for the DVDs, though in the next two podcasts he remarks how badly it was recorded and moves to doing them elsewhere.
- One of Moore’s favorites of the season.
- Originally Kara and Athena had guns drawn on each other during their confrontation.
- There was discussion about how bad Gaeta’s leg would be, which seems to me to say that it’s not entirely significant, leg or no leg.
- Mary spent three hours in a makeup chair for the bald cap.
- This episode marked the first time we saw a jump while looking out the window.
- Originally this episode had Baltar in it, spouting off politically. Instead they went with the radio.
- Moore considered the scene of the Six’s death a tribute of sorts to Lawrence of Arabia. If you know the movie you know what he’s talking about.
- Moore had a lot of good things to say about the hybrid actress, how she was able to stay immersed in that tub for hours on end without a complaint and memorize those complicated lines with ease.
- The network wanted the episode to end with the hybrid getting unplugged, before the patient dies.
- Moore goes on about Mary’s performance, not getting the Emmy, calling it a “fucking crime” that she hasn’t gotten a nod for her role yet.
- He remarks that the scene on the boat was clearly a dream, not a vision or from the afterlife.
#410 (’The Hub’)
- Much better recording, as he did it in the show’s editing room. This time he had writer Jane Espenson with him, along with editors Michael O’Hallorann and Andrew Seklir.
- Here’s a really interesting tidbit that might further put Billy out of the running as the fifth Cylon (as if there needed to be more reason). Billy was originally going to be in this episode as Roslin’s guide instead of Elosha but there was a scheduling conflict with Paul Campbell.
- Something like 20 minutes were cut. A scene in the opera house was cut, for one.
- Lucy Lawless had a caveat that she would come back “wicked” and not nice — unaffected now that she has seen the final five.
- Moore pointed out that this was the first time Cylon flight suits were shown.
- Lots of good production talk that’s better to hear for yourself.
- Baltar’s wound was not meant to be “Christlike,” as many people seem to have commented.
- Moore hated that Sci Fi put D’Anna’s “you’re a Cylon” comment to Roslin in the previous week’s teaser.
- Elosha won’t be “head Elosha,” as Ron put it.
#411 (’Revelations’)
- This time Ron was joined by writers David Weddle and Bradley Thompson, and editor Julius Ramsay.
- This podcast was recorded the day after the early premiere shown to a crowd on the Wednesday before it aired, in L.A.
- They remarked how it was convenient that they were allowed for Athena to “slip out” of jail, due to the circumstances.
- People in the audience (of the premiere) cheered when Tigh said he wanted to go out the airlock, which Moore said he thought was great.
- There was a much longer scene with Adama going bonkers over the news of Tigh being a Cylon; puking in a toilet, Lee pulling him off it, and him saying he “knew for months.”
- Kara was originally going to kiss Sam at one moment but they cut it out, during the moment of her finding out he was a Cylon — not putting a bullet in his head. The actors didn’t feel it felt right.
- Moore remarked how he and the other writers have a talent for painting themselves in corners and getting out of them. I can think of a few instances they’re surely talking about (”they have a plan” anyone?)
- Ron defended Starbuck not picking up a phone and instead running to stop the final four Cylons from being jettisoned. It was just more dramatic and felt right for the moment.
- First draft of the script had raptors going down to investigate the planet, to do recon, before sending down everyone else. Moore just wanted viewers to get that “boom” from hopeful to distraught — no time to wonder, just time to cheer and have the rug pulled out from under you.
- The music the final four Cylons heard was the rhythm to ’All Along the Watchtower.’
- Ron said this should play like it’s the final episode; yank the run out from under the audience and leave you hanging, but without that hopeful “to be continued” at the end (which he was adamant to Sci Fi not to include).
- Stole some scenes from ’Dirty Hands’ in the celebrating.
- The final scene originally had very definite looking skyscrapers still standing, much more “Manhattan looking.” More of the bridge showing, even. He made no mention of it definitely being Earth or it being purposely vague. It just wasn’t a subject he entertained in the podcast other than the mention of the original cut.
Death a Joking Matter for George and Jerry
Jerry Seinfeld is going multimedia to honor his favorite monster, George Carlin.
In a New York Times editorial today and an appearance on last night’s Larry King Live, Seinfeld recalled his final conversation with Carlin, which devolved into a riff on mortality.
“The honest truth is, for a comedian, even death is just a premise to make jokes about,” Seinfeld writes in the Times. “I know this because I was on the phone with George Carlin nine days ago and we were making some death jokes.
“We were talking about Tim Russert and Bo Diddley and George said: ’I feel safe for a while. There will probably be a break before they come after the next one. I always like to fly on an airline right after they’ve had a crash. It improves your odds.’ “
Carlin died of heart failure Sunday at age 71.
Speaking to King, Seinfeld called the conversation with Carlin “very bizarre,” adding, “When I got the news [of Carlin’s death], it really, really threw me.”
And like all the other showbiz luminaries who paid their respects to Carlin’s unique talents, Seinfeld had only the most reverent things to say about the late comic’s place in the pantheon.
“He was the total package of what a comedian’s skills should be,” Seinfeld told King. “He literally could train his eye on something very kind of mundane and regularhe could talk about couch pillows or he could take on, you know, abortion or politics or religion. So there was no subject that his mind was not able to dissect and make fun…
“And, you know, he was funny with his face and his body was funny. Everything about him was funny…I don’t think we’ll ever see someone who, in their lifetime, creates as much comedy as this man did. He’s absolutely one of the untouchable giants of stand-up comedy.”
Then, in another nod to just how stunned everyone who knew Carlin was upon news of his demise, Seinfeld admitted that he knew his friend suffered from heart problems.
But still, he asked, “Who dies at 70 anymore? It’s so old-fashioned.”
Seinfeld, who had Carlin appear in his 1998 HBO special I’m Telling You for the Last Time, writes in the Times that Carlin “was a monster” of comedy.
“You could certainly say that George downright invented modern American stand-up comedy in many ways.
“Every comedian does a little George. I couldn’t even count the number of times I’ve been standing around with some comedians and someone talks about some idea for a joke and another comedian would say, ’Carlin does it.’ I’ve heard it my whole career: ’Carlin does it,’ ’Carlin already did it,’ ’Carlin did it eight years ago.’ “
Indeed, a week before his death, Carlin was tapped for the prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, honoring his contributions to the art.
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts has announced that after conferring with and getting approval from Carlin’s family, it will still hold a ceremony in honor of the late comic, making him the first posthumous recipient of the Twain Prize. The ceremony will rely on tributes from colleagues and friends, and we’re guessing Seinfeld is on the invite list.
“I know George didn’t believe in heaven or hell,” he writes at the end of his Times piece. “Like death, they were just more comedy premises. And it just makes me even sadder to think that when I reach my own end, whatever tumbling cataclysmic vortex of existence I’m spinning through, in that moment I will still have to think, ’Carlin already did it.’ “
Fox sets House for post Super Bowl slot
With the last Super Bowl, CBS wavered back and forth for a long time over just which show to air in the coveted slot before finally settling on Criminal Minds. Fox is trying to avoid all the speculation and hand-wringing by announcing already that their hit medical drama will get the nod.
It’s a safe choice, but I’m not sure it’s the smartest one. Is there really anything to be gained by putting House there? It’s already the number one scripted show on television. That post Super Bowl boost might be put to better use giving it to a new show, or one that is still growing. My pick would be Bones. This season saw its ratings grow to the point that it is on the verge of being a top 20 show. The added exposure could push it over the top.
There is one caveat with that idea though. If the slot were to go to Bones, they would have to be sure to not make the same mistake that Criminal Minds did. Their post Super Bowl episode was far too dark and gorey. Bones certainly has the occasional cringe inducing moment, but they also have a good sense of fun when they go for the laugh. Given enough lead time, they could make the perfect showcase episode for the spot. Really though, as long as it isn’t Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader, I’m ok with it either way.