Happy Birthday to John Turturro!

Born on February 28, 1957 in Brooklyn, New York, John Turturro is an extraordinary character actor who has had more television AND film roles than you can shake a stick at. He's won an Emmy playing Ambrose Monk, the agoraphobic brother of Adrian Monk on the hit show "Monk" from USA network. He's played Billy Martin on the NY Yankees themed series, "The Bronx is Burning". Because of his distinctive (some might say peculiar) looks, Mr. Turturro (whose name means "turtle dove" in Italian) is usually unforgettable in the many quirky roles he has embodied. I actually find his overbite charming. Although he has appeared in countless dark comedies and is a highly skilled comic actor, I find the pathos of his "everyman" portrayals to be the most memorable and sometimes even heartbreaking moments of his long career.

John Turturro has had many successful alliances with auteur directors such as Spike Lee (Summer of Sam, Do the Right Thing) and the Coen Brothers (O Brother Where Art Thou, The Big Lebowski and Barton Fink). He also played Herbie Stemple, the brainy patsy in "Quiz Show", the movie about the 1950's TV quiz show scandals.

Since his filmography is longer than the New Jersey turnpike, it's very odd that I could not find many video examples of Mr. Turturro to post here. I settled on a trailer for "Barton Fink", which is my favorite Turturro role of all time. It's a pitch black and pitch perfect performance about a Hollywood screenwriter discovering that writer's block can be, quite literally, hell. The look of dread on his face as he stares at the blank page in the typewriter when the ideas just won't come is sublime. His fixation on a piece of curling wallpaper in an ancient Hollywood hotel room is the ultimate portrayal of claustrophobia and pending insanity. John Tuturro is the master of quirky, fidgety, anxious and eccentric. The only other actor that comes even close in this category is Steve Buscemi, but I prefer Turturro because he is less menacing and ultimately more empathetic.

Happy Birthday John Turturro! We look forward to more of your wonderful characters and hope you will return as Ambrose Monk on "Monk's" final season this summer!

"Taking Chance"on HBO

I hope that you've been able to catch the superb HBO original film Taking Chance, which premiered last Saturday night. It's a quiet, moving and sober tale -- based on a true story -- about Lieutenant Colonel Michael Strobl, USMC, who accompanied the body of fallen Marine Lance Corporal Chance Phelps from Iraq back to his hometown of Dubois, Wyoming, in 2004.

Kevin Bacon gives a tight and intelligent performance as Strobl, who originally wrote in his journal about his experiences escorting Phelps' remains. Later, when his writings became public, the article was widely circulated around the internet and read by myriads of people who were stirred by Chance Phelps' journey home.

HBO has done a wonderful job in transferring it to the screen, and I highly recommend visiting their extensive website for Taking Chance to read the whole story behind this important movie.

Taking Chance airs many more times over the next few weeks; check the front page of the movie's website to go to the entire schedule.

Happy Birthday to Karen Grassle!

Welcome to a new feature around here, something we've been wanting to do for a while -- birthday salutes to some of our favorite television performers! Today we've got a great one, to the lovely and talented Karen Grassle, probably best known and certainly much beloved for her role as Caroline Ingalls on Michael Landon's immortal Little House on the Prairie Series, from the 1970s. Karen was born on February 25, 1944 (some sources say 1942) in Berkeley, California, and after extensive theatrical training and appearances she was one of nearly fifty actresses who read for the part of Mrs. Ingalls.

Lucky for us all, she got the part and along with the entire cast helped put Walnut Grove into the hearts of audiences everywhere. Producer/star Michael Landon certainly knew what he was doing with Little House on the Prairie; the show holds up beautifully today and I daresay we'll probably never see a show as humane, inspirational, and charming as this one.



While the show's primary strength and appeal lay in its excellence as an ensemble vehicle, Karen Grassle had several episodes which showcased her individual virtuosity, most impressively so in "A Matter of Faith" from the show's second season. Caroline Ingalls' leg is scratched by a rusty nail, she is left alone when the rest of the family goes off on a short trip, she develops a virulent infection, and amidst hallucinations and intense agony she fights desperately for her life. It's completely harrowing, a riveting piece of acting on Grassle's part, and you can find highlights of the episode on YouTube, starting here.

Another excellent and slightly different side of Karen Grassle as Caroline Ingalls is seen in the fourth season episode "The Handyman" when the very appealling Gil Gerard guest stars as an itinerant laborer who is hired by Caroline to fix some things while Charles is away on business. Though Caroline's devotion to her husband is never in question, there's a frisson of attraction between the two and it's quite intriguing. The whole episode is on YouTube, beginning here.

Though it's a little histrionic, here's an interesting clip to look at, from the episode "The Bully Boys". Town roughnecks have manhandled and scared Caroline, and Charles doesn't like it one little bit.



Since Little House on the Prairie, Karen Grassle has been active on television, in the theatre in many capacities, and you may have seen her current commercials for Premier Bathrooms, who make those nifty safe bathtubs. (Little House currently airs on the Hallmark Channel.)

A big Flaming Nose Happy Birthday to one of television's favorite actresses, Karen Grassle!


(This photo is from the episode "At the End of the Rainbow" when Laura thinks she's found gold and dreams of her family all fancied up and driving around in a white carriage. Gorgeous, isn't she?)

Mickey Rourke on Barbara Walters' Special

We're all agreed here that Rourke wuz robbed last night at the Oscars, but he displays remarkable charm, insight and empathy here in his segment from the Barbara Walters Oscar-night special. She's unbearable -- and her producers goofed when they had her sneering in her intro at his appearance in "91/2 Weeks"; it is notorious, perhaps, but not a bad film...there's a difference -- and I can't stand her. However, it's fascinating listening to him as he gives her back more than she deserves with her fawning and frankly annoying pseudo-psychoanalysis that she thinks she's so good at. Hate her. But he totally rocks! In case you missed it, take a look at his graceful persona.

Finally, An Oscar Promo to Post!

The hype is huge on this year's event, mostly because the line-up, presenters and other details of the telecast have been under complete secrecy. The Academy is promising something new and amazing, which means that either it will be terrific or beyond horrible. We don't have too many more hours to go until we find out!

What about the choice of Hugh Jackman to be host? Evidently his singing and dancing skills will be on tap in the re-imagined ceremony, which again could lead to either wonderment or wincing.

Our fingers are crossed that it turns out to be genuinely inspiring and entertaining. I don't want to have to watch it through my fingers if it's too bad to gaze upon directly!

I hope you noticed that our lovely Meez mascot Miss Flaming Nose on our sidebar is all decked out for her walk down the Red Carpet! Isn't she gorgeous? If you haven't gone and made your own Meez avatar, I recommend going in and having a little fun there!

Mickey Rourke Loses Beloved Dog Loki

The Flaming Nose offers our most sincere condolences to actor Mickey Rourke on the death of his 17-year-old Chihuahua Loki this past Monday night. A little while back we posted the PETA video of Rourke talking about his dogs Loki and Jaws, and we were touched by his Golden Globes speech where he thanked his canine companions for their support over the years.

We are rooting for Mickey to take home the Best Actor Oscar on Sunday night, and he's also a guest on Barbara Walter's pre- (or post, depending on your time zone) Oscar special.

Good luck, Mickey! You are the man.

"Being Erica" Premieres on SoapNet Tonight

SoapNet reaches beyond the northern border to snatch the rather delightful series Being Erica off Canada's CBC network. Canada's already had one series successfully cross over -- the law enforcement drama Flashpoint on CBS -- and SoapNet seems like a nice spot for Being Erica (though Lifetime might have been a better fit, with their emphasis on original drama).

Being Erica, starring Erin Karpluk (The L Word, Bionic Woman, Wyvern), is the slightly supernatural story of Erica, a thirty-something "over-educated and underachieving" woman who meets a mysterious therapist. The unhappy Erica is given the chance to go back in time and re-do some of her regrets. You might want to think of Being Erica as kind of a Quantum Leap/Twice in a Lifetime hybrid, with a heroine that's likeable as well as slightly quirky but not abrasive.

I've seen several episodes and have enjoyed them. If you are in the mood for something other than a crime series where every woman ends up raped or kidnapped, Being Erica is a worthy alternative.

Here's the promo for the series, re-voiced for U.S. audiences with an annoying female announcer, but you can't have everything!

Check out the Being Erica site on SoapNet's website, and you might also like to look at the original Being Erica information on the CBC. I know that Canadians can watch whole episodes of the show there; not sure if U.S. viewers are blocked (as Canadians are usually blocked from most U.S. sites.)

Being Erica premieres on SoapNet tonight (Thursday) at 10pm Eastern time, with encores Saturday afternoons at 2p and 3pm, and Sundays at 5am and 8p and 9p.

Nose-talgia: 1960s Variety, Danny Kaye-style

For an example of the kind of classic TV variety show entertainment that used to be a staple of U.S. television, here's a jazzy clip from The Danny Kaye Show, circa 1963 or so. I think you'll enjoy it!



Of course, variety isn't dead today, it's just morphed into something actually not even particularly different. Today's American Idol is just Ted Mack's Amateur Hour writ large, after all!

New "Flight of the Conchords" on HBO Tonight!

Here's a preview for tonight's Flight of the Conchords episode "Unnatural Love" --



Though you don't get any of the pertinent plot points from the promo, the episode's about Jemaine cozying up to an Australian girl. Perish the thought! FotC has been riffing on the NewZealand/Australian rivalry (our Jane wonders, as we do, is there really one?) for the last little while, always amusingly.

Can't wait for this!

HBO, 10pm, following Big Love, which has been especially excellent lately!

Watch them both!

"Beauty and the Beast" Marathon on Chiller Network

To celebrate Valentine's Day, the ultimate holiday for romantics, the Chiller TV network -- I know I get it on DirecTV, not sure what the coverage is overall -- is running a marathon of episodes from the fan favorite ultra-cult series Beauty and the Beast all day today, Saturday. The series starred the intelligent and lovely Linda Hamilton (did you know she has an identical twin sister?) and Ron Perlman, whose unusual looks have always added an interesting dimension to his roles, never more perfectly so than in BatB. The series oozes romance, with the doomed relationship between socialite lawyer Catherine Chandler and underground leonine hero Vincent infusing the fantastic goings-on with a palpable sense of longing and desire.

Sure it's a bit of a corny thing, but I liked it at the time of its original run -- 1987 - 1990 -- and it's still pretty entertaining. Certainly a better legacy from the time than Dynasty or the like!

I hope you're been enjoying Ron Perlman in his bigscreen interpretation of Hell Boy -- he's terrific!

Update: Feb. 15th: I used the word "corny" above, and it's not accurate. After watching BatB for a huge portion of yesterday, the show isn't corny at all. It's amazingly heartfelt. I had forgotten that. Heartfelt isn't corny at all. I think the older you get, the more you appreciate things that wear their hearts on their sleeve, as Beauty and the Beast does. How did a show that unusual ever get on the air? Rather amazing, wasn't it?

Our Other Hero -- Jon Hamm!

Take a break from your Lincoln contemplation tonight to tune into what promises to be a tremendous episode of 30Rock entitled St. Valentine's Day, especially tremendous if you're a big fan of Jon Hamm, as we are.

In a continuation of last week's story, Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) hooks up with her new neighbor Dr. Drew, played by Mad Men's versatile Jon Hamm. Despite accidentally dosing him with roofies, stealing his mail and faking a lost dog, they go out on their first date, only Liz doesn't realize it's Valentine's Day. Sounds embarrassing and wonderful, doesn't it?

Don't miss it! Tonight on NBC, 9:30pm, right after The Office!

P.S.: For you romantic 30Rock fans out there, be sure to check out the ecards that you can send out!

Another Incredible Lincoln Special on PBS!

I highly recommend PBS' Looking for Lincoln, in which African American historian Henry Louis Gates Jr. visits various Lincoln sites and consults other Lincoln historians in an effort to reconcile his views about the 16th President. It's a fascinating journey as Gates investigates the circumstances behind the Emancipation Proclamation, and the inconsistencies in Lincoln's own views. I'd say the takeaway is that Lincoln was a 19th Century man, with all the most common views of the time, but with the great gift of being able to imagine something else and knowing what the moral right was on the issue of slavery. Lincoln scholar and author Doris Kearns Goodwin offers particularly humane insights to the question at hand; she's wonderful.

The program is absolutely intriguing and you can also watch it online at PBS' excellent website for the show. I was pleased to learn that there have been over 14,000 books written about Lincoln, far more than any other President or American historical figure. He deserves them all.

Happy 200th to America's Most Memorable President!

Hooray for Stump...the Winner of Westminster

"Stump", a 10 year old Sussex Spaniel, won Best in Show tonight at the Westminster Dog show on USA network. The oldest dog to ever win this distinguished title, Stump is an inspiration to everyone who is long on years (and ears...in Stump's case) but always young at heart.

Stump competed against other gorgeous dogs that included a Standard Poodle, a Giant Schnauzer, a Scottish Terrier and a black herding dog with long dreadlocks that looked sort of like a sheep.

Special cheers for the sponsor Pedigree, which advertised a charitable website where people can give money to help shelter dogs. Go and donate so someday every dog can have a loving home!

"Friends" from Sunday's "Flight of the Conchords" on HBO

A low-key but charming episode of HBO's Flight of the Conchords this week. Here's the closing song "Friends" which captures the theme of the episode.

Big Day for Abe Lincoln Coming Up!

In honor of the 200th Anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth on February 12th of this year, there are several Lincoln-oriented docs set to air in the next week or so.

First up tonight should be a good one on PBS' American Experience -- The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, starting at 9pm. I love Abraham Lincoln, but I also am completely fascinated by John Wilkes Booth, a misguided soul if ever there was one. Neither a lunatic nor a fool, Booth was probably a racist, though, and this more than anything might have played a huge part in his obsession to eliminate Lincoln.

A truly great dramatic account of the tragic juxtaposition of these two men has yet to be produced, and perhaps will never be. But a great documentary can elucidate the circumstances, and I'm hoping tonight's production will add another level of understanding to this nation-rending event that surely changed the course of American history in ways we cannot underestimate.

PBS has a good website for tonight's program, completely with a transcript. It looks like you can watch it online, too, so if you miss it tonight you haven't really missed it at all! Highly recommended!

133rd Westminster Dog Show on USA Tonight

Uh oh. Here's one of those nights where you have to get the DVR box warmed up and ready to roll. Lisa has already pointed out a fabulous night of science and critter related programming on Nat Geo. But tonight is also the 133rd annual Westminster Dog Show, live from Madison Square Garden in NY on USA network (8pm).

This is the Mother of All Dog Shows, and if you've never tuned in, it's just quirky and weird enough to offer grand entertainment to folks that might not go all weak in the knees when they see a huge fluffy Samoyed or a perky Corgi.

As wonderful as it is to see the dogs, and try to pick the winner, it is sometimesjust as fun to watch the dog handling humans as they trot alongside their canine pals. Film maker Christopher Guest recognized the vast potential for humor in this environment when he made the satire "Best in Show".

They are going to do something a little strange tonight from a scheduling perspective, so be forewarned if you are setting a DVR to record. The first hour of the show will be on USA and the second from 9-10pm will switch to CNBC. Tomorrow night's final telecast of the dog show will be on USA entirely.

May the best tail wagger win!

National Geographic Channel Gets "Morphed" Tonight!

The always fascinating National Geographic Channel -- NatGeo to its fans like us -- premieres a new series tonight at 8pm. Morphed is a look at the evolution of earth creatures from their more primitive ancestors into the animals we know today. Three episodes air tonight, at 8p, 9p, and 10p, and all of them look terrific.

At 8pm, it's From Dinosaur to Turkey, detailing the change from T-Rex to Thanksgiving platter.

At 9pm, When Whales Had Legs is an engrossing look at the conversion from land to sea of one of Earth's most awesome creatures.

At 10pm, Before There Were Bears -- well, there were still fairly formidable four-legged predators with really big teeth, trust me.

And don't even wait until 8pm to tune in. At 7pm, Nat Geo's Wild has The Whale That Exploded, about a huge whale that was being trucked through the city into Tainan University in Taiwan, and guess what? They aren't kidding. It exploded, spewing whale innards and the accompanying stench all over the street. This is a must-see. It's a big-city nightmare and let's be happy Television isn't Smellovision yet.

As always, Nat Geo has some intriguing web content to back up their top-notch television, including a morphing gadget on the great site for the series itself.

Here's a little preview video out of When Whales Had Legs, and you'll certainly want to see the rest tonight!

So, Was There Anything You Didn't Like About Last Night's "30 Rock"?

Impossible!

It was a delight from start to finish, with idiotic ex-Wall Street investment guys running wild as Liz Lemon's new interns, wearing out Tracy Jordan and passing out roofies; Jack Donaghy meeting his double, a Mexican soap opera actor; and most of all, Liz getting all stalky over her new neighbor, played to perfection by Jon Hamm.

"He looks like a cartoon pilot."

"And I then will put my mouth on his mouth!"

Even as we love Liz, it's hilarious and horrifying to see what lengths she will go to in order to get next to her pediatrican-philanthropist-dog lover-Netflix customer-all the pay movie channels subscriber-baker-golfer possible ideal man.

As we predicted, Fey and Hamm were attractive and credible together. Hamm's around for two more episodes, so we'll have more of their sexy-silly antics. I'm convinced that Hamm can do anything acting-wise, and with such grace and charm that he's got to be the perfect example of the ideal 21st Century leading man. (At the movies he didn't get nearly enough screen time in the recent remake of The Day The Earth Stood Still, but he was brave and stalwart there, too.)

Alec Baldwin was terrific in his double-role homage which nicely referenced The Patty Duke Show, and they got the ambience of Mexican telenovelas down to a T.

Can't wait for next week, can you?

"30 Rock" -- Liz Meets Her New Neighbor

Okay, here's finally some footage to post. Still can't find a proper promo!




And by the way, I really hate how YouTube videos now have a huge ugly title on them. Ick! Not helpful and certainly not attractive! At least change the font, huh?

But on a more pleasant note, here's a link to a site with several really adorable stills from tonight's episode guest-starring Jon Hamm. I'm just telling you -- Fey and Hamm are perfect together onscreen! Be sure you enlarge the stills to get a good look at them!

Sigh....

30 Rock airs at 9:30pm tonight on NBC!

Not Too Early to be Talking About Jon Hamm on Tomorrow's "30 Rock"!

I can't seem to post the promo yet, but there's a nice interview with Flaming Nose favorite Jon Hamm available on YouTube, on the occasion of his guest role on 30 Rock tomorrow night. I was wondering if anything had come of the talk about him guesting as a love interest for Tina Fey's Liz Lemon, and now it's almost here!

At the risk of sounding like a crazy fan, oohhh...they're gonna look so cute together!

Great Monster on "Fringe" Last Night!

Be sure to watch last night's episode of Fox's Fringe if you're a fan of good spiky monsters! The episode, entitled "Transformation", starts out with a shocking metamorphosis -- ala The Fly with a tooth coming out, with goo -- and then it goes crazy from there!

The episode can be found a few places, including (for now) YouTube. Seek and ye shall find it!

Yikes!

"Happy Days" Lives On -- On Stage!

Maybe you already know about this, but hit 1970s sitcom Happy Days has been turned into a stage musical by creator Garry Marshall, with music and lyrics by Paul Williams. It's doing a run at a Toronto theatre hence lots of Canadian coverage, but the show is touring all over the U.S. -- it started its run in La Mirada last October and at least for the next six months might be at a venue near you.

Happy Days seems to have lost some of its TV lustre, although it was always well-done, not particularly hilarious maybe (except in its formative first year or two, especially the filmed episodes without audiences), but a good show with agreeable actors -- Henry Winkler, Ron Howard, Tom Bosley, Marion Ross, et al -- and always a solid sense of values and an appreciation for the comforts of home. It seems a good fit for a big family-oriented stage musical, with familiar characters and a presold concept that should work for aging baby boomers and their offspring.

From the photos, Happy Days A New Musical looks like a Bye Bye Birdie-ish romp, with Arthur Fonzarelli -- The Fonz -- taking center stage as he struts his stuff and finds love with Pinky Tuscadero, the dynamic female motorcycle ace who appeared in several episodes of the series. Set in 1959 Milwaukee, the Happy Days musical brings back Richie, Joanie, Mr. and Mrs. Cunningham, Chachi, Arnold, Potsie Weber and Ralph Malph in a probably not exactly Pinter-esque tale of love, song and saving the local burger hangout.

If I sound snide, I don't mean to be. I think this is a delightful revival of a terrific TV show, and something that will resonate with many theatregoers, and perhaps turn non-theatregoers into customers. It's certainly as valid as turning animated movies into stage shows on Broadway, or even a less-than-truly-classic movie musical like White Christmas (which really has only one famous song) into a stage extravaganza.

Reading the synopsis, I was happy to see a scene between Marion Cunningham and the Fonz -- Arthur to "Mrs. C" -- because their special and perhaps unlikely friendship was a sweet part of the show and one of the more endearing Happy Days relationships.

If you're a fan of the show, click on the links to read recent interviews with Garry Marshall, and be sure to visit the official website of Happy Days A New Musical. Garry Marshall obviously takes a lot of pride and interest in this new incarnation of his hit show, and that's a good sign. We wish them luck!

Happy GroundHog Day!

Phil came out today and saw his shadow.

Thanks to Mr. Punxsutawney, we will have 6 more weeks of winter and at least another 7 days of Bill Murray's excellent movie "Groundhog Day" repeated endlessly on various cable channels throughout America.

What exactly is a groundhog? It's not related to a possum, because that is North America's only marsupial. It sort of looks like a really well fed squirrel.

Form does follow function, as the Groundhog is actually a type of ground squirrel. The Marmota Monax is a large rodent, also sometimes known as a Woodchuck. They are common to the northeastern part of the USA.

I feel sorry for the folks that have to get 6 more weeks of winter, when they've already had quite enough this season. Out here in California we should have a native animal (coyote?, jack rabbit?) that comes out, sees its shadow and says, "You're going to have 6 more weeks of sun and it's going to be hot as the blazes. Just like the last 6 weeks and just like the next 6 months". And then everyone will move to California and it will be even more crowded and it will take me 5 hours to commute to work everyday.

Phil, you're pretty cute, but I hope you stay in Philadelphia.

Superbowl XLIII Was Fantastic on Every Level

This year's Superbowl on NBC was completely awesome and had something for everyone. Even the most Football-Phobic person on earth could have enjoyed this show, as it started with a salute to the heroic crew of the US Air flight that landed safely on the Hudson, including pilot, "Sully" and all the flight attendants. The coin toss was from a military hero (General Petraeus) and the national anthem was sung magnificently by Oscar winner, Jennifer Hudson. I always watch for the commercials and the half time show, but even as a complete football moron, was able to get a great deal of excitement out of this extremely close game between the Cardinals and the Steelers. It was chock full of last minute cliff hangers and even a historic 100 yard play, the longest in SuperBowl history, by Pittsburgh Steelers player, James Harrison.

Springsteen and the E Street band were an absolute delight at halftime, playing a tight 12 minute set that included "10th Avenue Freeze Out", "Born to Run", "Waiting on a Dream" (from the new album) and the football themed "Glory Days". Afterwards The Boss screamed, "I'm going to Disneyland!!!" Kind of corny, but it worked for me.

Only the commercials seemed a little off...good, but not great like some of the award winners from past SuperBowl events. And by the way, has anyone noticed that Pepsi ripped off Obama's circular red, white and blue logo?

My favorite spots, as always, were the Budweiser horses; in this instance a 3 commercial story arc that included Jake the draft horse a) showing off to a dog, b) going on his first date and c) recalling the story of his grandfather who was, apparently an immigrant from Scotland! And if you've missed any of the commercials or would like to see them all again, MySpace has kindly posted them all on their homepage for your convenience. That's where I got this lovely copy of the Clydesdale horse chasing a stick below.

"Clydesdales/Stick" (Budweiser)

HBO's The Flight of the Conchords -- "Stay Cool"

From last night's tremendously funny episode "The Tough Brets" comes this hilarious and dead-on West Side Story-esque song "Stay Cool" where Bret and his newly-formed gang confront neighborhood bully boys, and Murray, Jemaine and Greg go up against taunting members of the Australian consulate.

Also adorable and very funny was the song "Hurt Feelings" from the same episode:

Last night's episode hit all my funny bones, from the songs, to Mel's explicit fangirl paintings of the boys, to Bret's recruitment of his unlikely but loyal and brave gang. My favorite gangmember was veteran actor Seymour Cassell as Johnny Boy, the elderly former tough guy who reeled off a long list of the gangs he used to belong to, all of them completely hilarious -- The Hobo Lords, The Gentleman Jims, The Little Enchanters, and so many more brilliantly eccentric names -- that kept me laughing. I loved the whole episode and I thought it was also quite sweet in its own competely absurd way.

I'm going to be watching this episode a few more times, and if you missed it take a look at HBO's Flight of the Conchords website for more information and encore airdates. What a show!

Pepper the Parrot -- Extraordinary!

Many thanks to Jane for pointing out the appearance of the talented Pepper the Parrot on yesterday's Puppy Bowl V on Animal Planet! The only embeddable video I can find is this bit with the referee choking up over Pepper's beautiful performance; it's a bit of a goof but at least you can go to Animal Planet's website and see the entire anthem performance here.



What is it about a bird singing that is so terrifically moving? Perhaps the sweetness, the pure love of singing the song makes it so touching. Totally charming!

Puppy Bowl V: Power to the Pooch!

It's time to give a heads up to the greatest Super Bowl counter programming ever: Puppy Bowl V is back on Animal Planet, Sunday afternoon from 1p-7p. Come watch every size, shape and color of baby dog as they growl, nip, nap, and occasionally (avert your eyes) poop their way to victory. I've never quite figured out the rules to Puppy Bowl, but it looks like the four legged contestant who can steal the most tiny football shaped dog chews, wins. There are lots of wrong way Corrigan's in this event, and I don't think it matters which goal post is crossed. Team work is encouraged, but generally ignored.

The best part is that you (the audience!) can vote for your favorite puppy on the Animal Planet website. Will it be the imposing "Moose" (top picture) or the more diminutive "Candy Corn" (above). Looks can be deceiving, as past winners have included tiny Jack Russel Terriers as smart and nimble canine quarterbacks.

Cat lovers, there's something for you too in this annual event: Kitties perform the half time show! Witness the world's largest and most elaborate cat climbing contraption, as dozens of animated puff balls chase each other to the point of exhaustion and then fall asleep upside down with their paws in the air.

If you're not a football fan and only recording the Super Bowl so you can watch The Boss and the E Street band at halftime (Lisa pointed out earlier that there 4 or 5 of us in that category) then you might want to spend some quality time with the critters over on Animal Planet this afternoon!

Puppy Bowl V Update: This year's event will feature a singing bird named Pepper Parrot...a 12 year old African Grey who will perform the National Anthem!

On Mickey Rourke, PETA and Veggie Love

This post has little to do with television, but I found a great vid on YouTube and I think it's relevant to The Flaming Nose, at least. We're all animal lovers here, and this is a charming interview with actor Mickey Rourke talking about his dogs, specifically, but his sentiments would apply to all pet owners. Of course I'm rooting for Mr. Rourke to take home the Oscar for his stunning work in director Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler -- he already won the Golden Globe -- and I was especially taken with his GG acceptance speech where he did a sweet shout-out to all the dogs he's loved over the years. This is a man with his heart in the right place.



The Rourke interview was done under the auspices of PETA, the animal rights organization which is especially controversial these days because of their "Veggie Love" ad that was rejected by NBC for inclusion in this afternoon's Super Bowl, as seen below. I guess you could say it's "naughty" so if that kind of thing gets your panties in a wad, better not watch:



Other than it's got ladies in lingerie, rock music, and a bunch of vegetables, this hardly seems out-of-bounds with the Super Bowl sensibility. PETA's gotten more publicity from NBC's rejection of the ad than they would have if it would be airing, so I'd say it's a win for them. I'm not pro-PETA, necessarily (or even at all, really), but I do like that Rourke interview! (And I do hate when women wear fur. I've heard lots of rationalizations, especially in the cold climate where I live now, but they all sound pretty hollow to me.)