Summer Nose-talgia #4: Gilda Radner & "Saturday Night Live"' June 28, 1946 - May 20, 1989

What a sad day it was just a little over twenty-five years ago when actress and comedienne Gilda Radner passed away from ovarian cancer.  Who would have thought, 43 years earlier when she was born on June 28, 1946, that she had entered this world seemingly destined to bring us laughter and left an unforgettable legacy of talent and grace behind her.

Michigan-born but first flexing her professional comic muscles while living in Toronto, Canada, Radner consorted with a cadre of budding comedian/actors including Martin Short, Bill Murray, Dave Thomas, Dan Ackroyd, John Belushi and others from the Second City school of comic actors who were all beginning their careers.  As a result of her impressive work with this budding generation of gifted performers Gilda Radner was chosen in 1975 to be a member of the initial cast of NBC's new late-night comedy/variety show Saturday Night Live which debuted on October 11, 1975.

Here's an interesting clip of NBC late-night host Tom Snyder just days before the SNL premiere as he interviews creator Lorne Michael and his nascent group of comedy innovators:



Gilda Radner's five-year stint on Saturday Night Live gave us characters which are still part of the comedy canon: Emily Litella, Roseanna Roseannadanna, Baba Wawa to name but a few.  She was singled out and won an Emmy Award  for her work during the 1977 season in addition to becoming a beloved audience favorite.  Viewers fell in love with her all-around performing prowess which combined musical talent, a knack for physical humor, general cuteness and spot-on comic instincts which gave her trademark characters the spark of life plus an extra dimension of comedic relevance.

Let's look at a couple of examples of her work on SNL, beginning with this enthusiastic intro:



This is one of Bill Murray's lounge singer bits with the entire cast participating, including Radner:



There's not a lot of Gilda Radner-era Saturday Night Live material on the web, but you can find a small selection if you look:  the famous Steve Martin/Gilda "Dancing in the Dark" comic dance routine is available for viewing at this link (click here), and Yahoo Screen has a selection of high-quality clips including "Nerd Prom" and several Baba Wawa sketches available at this link (click here).

 

Radner was also among the pantheon of celebrities who made a guest appearance on the long-running The Muppet Show, hers in 1978:

Gilda featured her collection of characters in a one-woman theater showcase Gilda Radner: Live from New York which ran in August and September of 1979 and was filmed -- thank goodness -- and is still availble for purchase.  Here are a few bits from the well-received production:





After leaving Saturday Night Live Gilda transitioned into an short big-screen career including 1982's Hanky Panky where she co-starred opposite actor Gene Wilder.  They ended up falling in love, marrying in 1984 and making a total of three films together.  It was while on location in England for Haunted Honeymoon that Gilda fell ill and ultimately, after months of misdiagnosis, learned she had ovarian cancer.  Her treatments afforded her a remission and gave her the time to pen her autobiography It's Always Something. In May of 1989 she recorded the audio version of the book, and only a few weeks later she passed away on May 20, 1989.

Here is a short excerpt from the book backed by some photos (not sure it's Radner's narration, though):



Close to the year's anniversary of her death Gene Wilder appeared on Face to Face with Connie Chung talking about Gilda's legacy:



Part of that legacy was the Gilda's Club cancer support centers which have offered assistance and camaraderie to countless people over the years.  There was a controversy a couple of years ago over at least one chapter moving to change its name, ostensibly because they thought Radner's name had ceased to be relevant.  There was also a merger with the Cancer Support Community but many Gilda's Club locations proudly retain their original name, as does the NYC chapter.

The Gilda Radner-era of Saturday Night Live was a high point for the series, a more innocent time perhaps -- notwithstanding the tales of rampant drug use -- that was the perfect incubator for the sweet and immensely talented spirit that infused her work.  The Flaming Nose remembers her fondly on what would have been her 68th birthday.

Gilda Radner, gone much too soon...

Summer Nose-talgia #2: The classy Miss Eleanor Parker & "Bracken's World"

 Today we applaud the vivacious, talented and lovely actress Eleanor Parker who was born on this date in 1922; she passed away only this past December 9, 2013 at the age of 91.  Signed to a movie contract right out of high school by the illustrious Warner Brothers studio in 1941, Eleanor Parker went on to become one of Hollywood's most respected and versatile actresses and earning three Academy Award nominations in the process -- for Caged in 1950, Detective Story the next year and Interrupted Melody in 1955.  Along the way she delighted fans in immensely entertaining films such as The Naked Jungle opposite Charlton Heston and the marabunta ants and the swashbuckling Scaramouche with Stewart Granger, and also in solid dramas such as The Man with the Golden Arm.  Many will perhaps best recall her in 1965's The Sound of Music as the well-to-do Baroness who nearly steals Christopher Plummer's Baron von Trapp from Julie Andrews' innocent but smitten Maria.

After her long and lauded big screen career Eleanor Parker was open to appearing on the small screen, leading to guest-starring roles in many of the top series of the time including The Eleventh Hour (Emmy nomination), Breaking Point, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Circle of Fear and many more.  What we at The Flaming Nose most love in Parker's TV oeuvre is the Hollywood-set drama from 1969 called Bracken's World, a behind-the-scenes, star-filled and completely fascinating melodrama about the goings-on at fictitious Century Pictures.

Filmed on the actual 20th Century-Fox studio lot and featuring cameos by real movie stars of the time and guest-starring many up-and-coming television actors and actresses, Bracken's World was a rare glimpse at a glamorous profession which while maintaining the glamour also managed to at least appear like a peek into the actual working life of a movie production studio.  Worked for me! Co-starring with Parker were Peter Haskell as a hip director, Dennis Cole as a stuntman, actresses Linda Harrison (who had starred as Nova in the original Planet of the Apes), Laraine Stephens, Karen Jensen and Madlyn Rhue as a neurotic show biz wife.

The casting of Eleanor Parker as the executive secretary to (unseen) studio head Bracken was a coup for the series, though her role ultimately didn't grow into the fully-realized character Parker had hoped.  She left after half a season but that doesn't diminish the allure of Bracken's World.  It's a series which continues to exert a very real appeal and was in fact mentioned in this past season of Mad Men (Don's wife Megan was up for a role in it.)

Here is a long preview promo introducing the series to potential 10pm Friday night NBC viewers (it replaced the cancelled Star Trek in that time slot):

Fortunately for us, though there has been no official DVD release of this iconic series so far, there is a selection of Bracken's World videos on YouTube at the moment; check them out if you are intrigued by late 1960s-era Hollywood -- and who isn't?  When I was at Turner I specifically hounded one of our Fox sales reps to get me a couple of BW episodes on tape to see if we could run then on TCM (and we should have); if the Fox movie channel had some sense they'd feature them now.  Let's get this great show out there!

In terms of Parker's other tremendous work, we offer up the trailer to her women's prison movie Caged, the gold standard to which all women's prison movies and TV shows must be compared.  I'm sure many of recall the oh-so-memorable Charlie's Angels episode "Angels in Chains" -- that series' homage of the genre -- in which the angels opened their towels and were sprayed for lice while the lady guards looked on.  We owe it all to Eleanor Parker and Caged!



You'll also really enjoy Steve Hayes as The Tired Old Queen at the Movies with his hilarious and well-reasoned appreciation of The Naked Jungle:



Like all of TCM's memorial salutes this short tribute to Eleanor Parker is a real downer, but worth looking at for her vast screen work:

Smash! The Return of the Blond Bombshell

A few months ago, the new Broadway musical drama Smash premiered on NBC, causing me to immediately cycle through Jane's Sad Stages of a New Television Series. These steps are similar to the famous Kubler-Ross stages of grief, except it's more like the stages a show goes through before the network cancels it.

• Stage 1: Best pilot I’ve ever seen. I laughed…I cried. Sheer genius.
• Stage 2: Why do I feel like the network is trying to manipulate my feelings for the characters? Why do I secretly hate Katherine McPhee? Whatever, the dance numbers still sizzle and love that NYC venue.
• Stage 3: Thank God for DVR and fast forward. Reading Vanity Fair through most of the episodes. Angelica Houston rocks though…I’ll look up from my magazine when she comes on.
• Stage 4: Oh is that still on the air? (this is the point where I usually regret the glowing, gushing blog post I wrote when it was still hot)
• Stage 5: Pull the plug, straight to the failed TV boneyard. Or worse…a 4^th tier cable network like ION.

Smash is the story about the desperate people who want to make it on Broadway...as well as those who love and sometimes sort of hate them. It takes place in NYC (naturally) and it's about a stage show depicting the life of Marilyn Monroe. The characters are mostly believable and interesting. Karen (the innocent from Iowa played by Katherine McPhee) and Ivy (experienced but vulnerable played by Megan Hilty) are competing for the role of Marilyn while Tom (Christian Borle) the obligatory gay guy and Julia (Debra Messing) are featured as a song writing duo. The most compelling character so far is played by Academy Award winning actress Angelica Houston. She's the producer with a nasty ex-husband and a cute Irish bartender boyfriend. And although she doesn't appear in any of the snazzy musical numbers, I have to always put my magazine down when she joins a scene.

One thing that Smash does very well is to cleverly incorporate celebrity guest stars into the plot. Bernadette Peters appeared several weeks ago as "Mommy Dearest" to poor Ivy, who pouted fetchingly whenever her viperous mega star mother was on the set. This week's episode featured Uma Thurman as the latest actress to try to slither into Marilyn's sequined skin. She started out as a disaster (can't sing!) but if you stick around until the end of the episode, Uma morphs into an amazing version of the great MM. I can't fault NBC's production values on this series. They've spared no expense with the sets, the casting and the location. I do wish they'd fix that twinkly background music underneath the dialogue though, it's annoying.

Most of the musical numbers have been top notch in Smash, whether they are part of the faux broadway show or contemporary pop that fits with the story line. The latter formed a fantastic high energy number a few weeks ago when rivals Karen and Ivy launched into a tipsy cover of Rihanna's "I'll Drink to That" in Times Square. Street musicians accompanied them and it was a true New York City moment of joy. When I saw it, I had to turn my TV Stages dial back up to #1.

Have you watched "Smash" yet? Do you like it as much as "Glee"? Which characters are your favorites? And....is anyone ever going to be able to play a proper Marilyn on the big stage?

Celebrity Apprentice: Ouch

Let me just say right up front, that I am not a big fan of Reality Television. I never "got" the Grand Daddy of RT (The Survivor) and I've never watched Biggest Loser, or Top Model or The Bachelor. The closest I've come to being one with RT is a 9 year investment in American Idol, which in truth, was more about loving Simon Cowell than loving music. For that I endured weeks of being mauled by melismatic caterwauling while waiting for flashes of vocal brilliance in the final five. Needless to say, once Simon departed, so did I. Although I do have many friends who tell me this is mean and the show is still good. So sorry...I'm stubborn, I'm Irish and I'm gone. I'll be there for Simon on the X-Factor in the fall.

So this post can be about how someone who is not a fan of RT can navigate through viewing the hot current version of Celebrity Apprentice without jumping off a bridge. I decided to check it out based on many anecdotal comments from folks who said the cast was inspired (it is) and that Gary Busey was strange and funny (absolutely). But it was still really, really hard for me to get through a two hour episode this past Sunday. It would have been easier to lick a raw banana slug. Without salt or hot sauce.

So...about the cast. On the guy side, we have aging teen idol David Cassidy, who has already been fired. Additionally we have the above mentioned Academy Award nominated Gary Busey, as well as rock impresario Meatloaf. Helping round out the motley crew is Richard Hatch, who once won The Survivor and who, if Yahoo News is correct, was recently arrested again for tax evasion. There's also a country singer dude and a rap dude and someone else I've never heard of.

On the women celebrity side there is (was) Lisa Rinna, who was mercifully fired this week for incompetence. Back to the lip pumping station for you Lisa! The cast also features classic and iconic songstress Dionne Warwick, Academy Award winning actress Marlee Matlin (oh how the mighty have fallen), super model Niki Taylor, TV personality Star Jones and (I don't know how to classify her and neither does NBC) LaToya Jackson.

Their challenge this week was to create a children's book targeted towards 5 year olds and then perform a rendition of the book on stage. It sounds really fun and interesting. It would have been great if it hadn't devolved into endless nit picking and cat fighting (even between the guys) and (this is a hallmark of Reality TV) closeups of someone who is about to cry. There is far too much crying on RT, and not nearly enough laughter. I kept waiting for somebody to realize how totally absurd the whole thing was, crack a joke and collapse in hysterics. I wanted them to abandon the show and have the camera follow them to the corner bar where they could hoist a few and talk about real life, or Charlie Sheen. It never happened. There was a lot of yelling though, if that's your cup of tea. And fake closeups of celebrities trying to look hurt, or attractive.

I guess it's probably not a good sign when the most measured, reasonable lines in the whole program were sternly pronounced by host, Mr. Donald Trump. He seems to be quite fond of Gary Busey, easily the most accomplished and riveting "character" on the show. Trump, regardless of his hair follicle challenges, is actually an amazing business mogul. His has a sort of warped gravitas that works for me, even though it is a bit like he's channeling Alec Baldwin from 30 Rock.

Ah well, it was painful, but I don't regret dipping a toe into the RT-world. I took a bullet for the Flaming Nose on this one, and actually welcome opposing viewpoints from those who love the genre. The only problem is...well...I sort of feel like I've invested all this time in the whole thing and wonder who is going to get kicked off next. Dear God. Will I tune in again? It's either that or start looking for Banana Slug recipes.

P.S. I know this is Pee Wee Herman Week and I am sorry this is not about Pee Wee. Although, come to think of it...wouldn't he make an AWESOME character on Celebrity Apprentice?

A Few Good Shows that are NOT on Sunday Night!

While we all agree that Sunday night is a cornucopia of fabulous television programming, the rest of the week is not quite the viewing desert one might think. Last week, a number of established series had season premiers and there are a few that are off to a very good start.

HOUSE (Monday nights at 8pm on FOX), took the plunge by giving the brilliant, drug addled doctor a reason to stick to the rehab program for good. He and bosomy hospital Director Cuddy are finally an item. They kissed...they had naked sex...they're planning a European vacation together. It's all fraught with peril, of course, given that Dr. House is borderline Asperger's syndrome and almost completely incapable of a normal human relationship. Towards the end of the episode he actually said the "L" word to Cuddy, which I found touching. My more cynical sister Leslie said, "That's it then, we're looking at the last season for House!".

Moving over to Tuesday nights at 8pm on Fox, the Emmy award winning GLEE turned in a champion season opener. Starting with a full cast cover of Jay Z and Alicia Keys rap/song masterpiece "Empire State of Mind" and introducing a few fascinating new characters. Cheerios coach Sue Sylvester has a new nemesis with the towering and formidable football coach Beiste (The Panther). They clashed from the start, it was like watching butch gladiators fight it out in the halls of a public high school. New singers are being introduced as well, with the Filipina exchange student giving a goose-bump inducing audition.

Modern Family is the one to watch on Wednesdays (ABC at 9pm). Winner of the Best Comedy Emmy for their first season, Modern Family is living proof that broadcast television can still come up with a series that is fresh, innovative and absolutely hilarious. The season two open had Mitchell and Cameron building a huge pink Princess Castle for Lilly, while Phil and Claire try to get rid of the ancient family station wagon. The irrepressible 12 year old quipster Manny goes on a date, making his mom moan that "the leading cause of death among Colombian women is when their sons get married".

Saving the best for last, Thursday night features 30 ROCK (NBC at 8:30pm). Long a Flaming Nose favorite, 30 Rock dispels the myth that it's not possible to make a successful TV program about a TV program. Wait...that myth has never been true...what about The Dick Van Dyke Show? All the greats are back with Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) trying to merge with a new pilot boyfriend (Matt Damon!), and Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) head over heels for his uber-competitive TV newswoman doppelganger. There's trouble in paradise, however, as Kenneth the Page is missing. Has he gone over to CBS? Absolutely love the constant references to GE and NBC being sold to "Cabletown", a dig at the pending real life take over by Comcast.

There you have it, something to love for every night of the week! And oddly enough, not one of these programs is on cable. What's the world coming to? ;)

136th Annual Kentucky Derby

Ragin' Cajun Calvin Borel made history at Churchill Downs in Kentucky today. He won his third Kentucky Derby in the past 4 years, the first jockey to achieve such an amazing feat. On a soggy track with mud flying everywhere, he rode beautiful black Super Saver to victory. I was rooting for the filly Devil May Care, but she was challenged by the messy track. All the horses were covered in mud by the end. Thankfully there were no injuries for equines or humans this year.

As always, it was a delight to watch the pre-show on NBC, with plenty of shots of the big hats, the mint juleps and back stories for all the horses and their owners. It's a good thing the lead up to the race is fun and interesting, because the event itself is over in 2 minutes. The rain didn't seem to dampen anyone's spirits as the crowd stood and sang Steven Foster's "Old Kentucky Home". As if on cue, the sun came out and the horses marched to the gate.

Hooray for the Run for the Roses. Laissez les bon temps roulez M. Borel. Well run!

"Parks" Proves the Death of the TV Comedy has been Greatly Exaggerated

It seems like just a few years ago, pundits were predicting that television comedy was dead. These days, nothing could be further from the truth. Though the ratings might not be quite what they were in decades past, NBC's Thursday night comedies are still thriving in a sea of critical acclaim and Emmy awards. The Office and 30 Rock are well established phenoms now (and truthfully a little "off" this season, although still wonderfully watchable).

The biggest surprise in the line-up, and an absolute don't miss is the gem "Parks and Recreation", at 8:30pm on Thursday nights.

At the helm is Saturday Night Live's versatile Amy Poehler. She plays Leslie, an officious little do-gooder who works for the Parks commission in the small town of Pawnee Indiana. The surprise is that even with a job description that makes you want to hammer nails into your kneecaps, she is absolutely adorable in the role. The rest of the cast is an inspiration, including the wonderfully likable and funny Rashida Jones (formerly of The Office), Nick Offerman as the gruff, whiskey swilling politically incorrect boss, and Aziz Ansari as the hapless nerd who pines for a Canadian hottie who married him only so she could get a green card. Aziz is part of the latest trend in TV comedies, where the funniest breakout character is always of Indian descent (see Dani Pudi as Abed on "Community"). There is no end of quirky characters in this series, and not one of them strikes a false note.

This week's episode "Galintine" featured John Larroquette in a guest star roll as the long lost (and most hilariously psychotic) boyfriend of Leslie's mom. I searched in vain for a clip of this or any other episode...they just are no where to be seen on YouTube. I thought NBC was friendlier to online blogging, but I guess they just can't help doing things to tick off viewers these days!

"Community" Tries Hard to Please on NBC

A clever and mostly pleasant comedy premiered on NBC last week brought to us by Joe and Anthony Russo of "Arrested Development" fame. Airing Thursdays at 9:30pm, Community is an ensemble of quirky characters set at a local community college. The cast is mixed but interesting. Joel McHale anchors the effort as Jeff, the self centered smarty pants lawyer forced to return to college when his degree is discovered to be a sham. Simultaneously amusing and annoying is Dani Pudi as Abed, the Arab-American pop culture nerd with a serious case of ADD. The stereotypical angry middle aged divorcee (Shirley) is capably rendered by Yvette Brown. Chevy Chase stars as Pierce, a sage senior who is in every class and we are never really sure why. Chase is brilliantly underplaying his former star persona in this series. He is subtle, eccentric and a true team player. Last night's episode in which he tried to teach a fellow student how to "sneeze like a man" was genius.

One of the funniest characters in the series is Senor Chang, a Chinese American Spanish teacher played by Ken Jeong, who stole the show on the hit summer movie comedy, "The Hangover". Note to NBC---make sure Senor Chang is in every episode, he brings the most humor and energy.

Rounding out the cast is Gillian Jacobs as Britta, the obligatory pretty blond which, based on a 50 year old rule, must appear in every television sitcom. She's light as a feather and so far not especially memorable.

This series might be a diamond in the rough if the writing stays sharp. It's definitely a worthy lead-out for The Office and 30 Rock on Thursday nights.

The Jay Leno Show Premiers Tonight on NBC

In case you missed the $10 million tidal wave of promotion that NBC has thrown at this show, here's another reminder that Jay Leno debuts tonight at 10pm. The blogosphere buzz on this premier is off the charts, as NBC experiments with a stripped variety show at 10pm instead of the usual TV dramas.

Tonight's guests will include Jerry Seinfeld as well as Kanye West, who will undoubtedly be puking up mea culpas all over the stage after his shameful interruption on last night's MTV music video awards.

The real excitement will come tomorrow after the ratings are in. Will Jay at 10pm be a disaster or a brilliant way to bring viewers back to broadcast prime? Will 10pm TV dramas on cable reap the benefits? Tonight's premier will undoubtedly get a ratings surge from curiosity. Whether they can keep it up night after night is another story.

As they stay in the business....stay tuned......

Conan O'Brien Debuts as "The Tonight Show" Host...Tonight!

We'd be remiss if we didn't wish best of luck to the hilarious and talented Conan O'Brien as he takes over Jay Leno's slot as host of The Tonight Show. If you were a Leno fan (really? you were? really?!) and hate to see him leave, don't worry, you'll be seeing plenty of him this fall at 10pm every weeknight.

But rejoice! We're lucky to now have undoubtedly the most accomplished comedian in the show's host role since Steve Allen started the show in 1953, plus now we've got the equally hilarious Andy Richter along as his sidekick.

This is a beautiful thing, folks, great for late-night TV, great for comedy, and great for NBC! Here's a little video of the preparations as Conan's show moved West.

Amy Poehler in "Parks and Recreation" Premieres Tonight on NBC!

Saturday Night Live's ace comedienne Amy Poehler (and new mama) gets her own series tonight, as the producers of The Office bring us Parks and Recreation starring Ms. P as a local government official in Indiana. Shot in the same mockumentary style as The Office, PandA aims to poke fun at the bureaucracy of small-town politics and the people who thrive on it. (Pictured below, Amy and Nick Offerman, who plays her boss.)

Poehler's character Leslie Knope is a striver, an idealist, and surrounded by co-workers in various stages of disinterest and corruption. Ms. Poehler's bright presence will be another feather in NBC's Thursday night cap, and now we've got two of the funniest women -- Amy and Tina Fey -- on television on the same night, and the same network. Can't beat that.

With a premise sounding a little like The Office combined with the movies Election and Legally Blonde -- cute female protagonist takes on all comers -- Parks and Recreation is a show we're rooting for to become another bright spot on NBC 's already terrific Thursday night.

Parks and Recreation premieres tonight at 8:30pm on NBC. Be sure to check out NBC's website for more information and extra features on the show.

"ER" Gets a Big Goodbye from Fans

Congrats to NBC for their impressive final episode of the long-running medical series ER, which aired last night. Somewhere over 16 million viewers tuned in for the episode, which brought back former series star Noah Wyle to offer a sentimental wrap-up to the popular show which has lasted for fifteen seasons.

It's always feels like an important milestone when a long-lived series ends, and ER has a lot to be proud of, including being NBC's top drama for many years and proving once again that medical dramas never lose their fascination for audiences. If I may confess, I've never been a fan of the current crop of soap opera doctor shows, and I'm afraid that ER never was my cup of tea, but congrats for a job long and well done, NBC and ER!

As for lists putting it as one of TV's best series ever...well, the people making those lists often have very short memories and usually don't like to go beyond their own viewing lifetimes. In terms of medical dramas, I'd put the very adult Ben Casey from the 1960s right up there, and even The Bold Ones from NBC's own nearly-distant past. There's no shortage of good medical shows to choose from. I'd say ER ranks about with Medical Center, and that's a compliment, by the way.

Unfortunately, like many super-popular soapy dramas, the prospect for continued cultural relevance is probably very low. Shows like ER don't repeat worth a darn -- ask me how thrilled I was when as head of Programming at the network-which-must-not-be-named the show was foisted on us as an inter-company buy, and for a pretty penny, and nobody but us programming people knew it wasn't going to work for us. Sure, we were the grumpy ones, but we were right. Soon the expensive show was being run off in morning slots, where it still plays, I believe. Trust me on this, "Important" dramas don't work in reruns. Never. Ever. That doesn't mean you don't make them, or even run them, but don't look for a long tail in syndication life or ratings commensurate to their network fame.

So it's goodbye to ER, at least in first-run. For those of you who missed the episode and want to watch it on television like a real viewer, it's repeating this Saturday night at 8pm. Check out NBC on the web for a very elaborate and well-done site on the show.

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.)

Super Bowl Coming Up Tomorrow

You won't find anybody less interested in sports -- any sports -- than I am, but of course it's Super Bowl weekend. The Super Bowl -- on NBC this year -- is inextricably tied with television, with the elaborate half-time show, this year starring Bruce Springsteen (who was just robbed of an Oscar nomination for his song for the movie The Wrestler, after winning a Golden Globe for the same) as the big draw. Of course we've also got the cadre of people who claim they watch just for the commercials.

Actually, you might want to skip this year if that's the only reason you watch. The best/worst thing I've heard so far about tomorrow's event is that NBC has sold a spot to the direct response advertiser Cash4Gold. Yikes! How desperate can you get? Nothing like selling grandma's gold fillings for a few bucks...well, I guess you're supposed to sell jewelry, that's bad enough. (The New Yorker had an interesting article on the jewelry sell-off resulting from the Madoff scandal, as a matter of fact, the other week. It's available online here.)

Even more depressing is that the spot stars Ed McMahon and M.C. Hammer. Geez, the economy really is in the toilet, isn't it? And pop culture, too, by the looks of it.

A little more heartening is a nice photo feature in today's L.A. Times online detailing the programs that have aired in the valuable post-Super Bowl timeslot on the various networks. It's an amusing mixed-bag of hits and misses, and it'll bring back some memories.

I'm posting the Cash4Gold commercial -- not the one in the Super Bowl, thank goodness! -- just because it's pretty bad.

Zounds! How Can "30 Rock" Be Getting Even Funnier??

BUT IT IS!

Last week's episode guest-starring the droll Peter Dinklage was wonderful, and we loved the introduction of Salma Hayek as Jack's mother's straight-talking Puerto Rican practical nurse. Salma as Elisa turned up in last night's hilarious episode Flu Shot, and the passionate, dramatic and often absurd circumstances of the budding romance between she and Jack were adorable.

One of my major favorite moments was when Jack (Alec Baldwin) offered one of the coveted flu shots to Jack McBrayer's Kenneth the page, who bravely refused, explaining "It would be an honor to die at my post and be given the traditional burial of a Parcell man – wrapped in the Confederate flag, fried and fed to dogs." Made me laugh out loud, as did so much of this episode. Could Tina Fey be any more delightfully unique? Her little flu shot dance for the creepy company doc was unforgettable.

Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, and the entire 30 Rock cast and crew are on an insane roll, and this is a great time to recommend the show to anyone you know who hasn't caught onto it yet. There is something for everybody in the show, from broad slapstick to witty dialogue, all performed by an ensemble company that's obviously thriving under the increased attention the show is getting these days.

What a show! Spread the word! 30 Rock on NBC is the best comedy on television -- pass it on!

(I hope you've noticed the Hulu widget on our sidebar here with 30 Rock clips! Good place to go for a quick fix!)

Salute to Kenneth from "30 Rock"!

Check out this amusing and enlightening appreciation of and interview with 30 Rock's Jack McBrayer, who plays Kenneth the page, written by Sarah Hepola for Salon.com.

You'll also enjoy this compilation of Kenneth scenes entitled "I Get a Kick Outta Kenneth", produced by YouTube user acb205:



Of course don't forget to watch 30 Rock tonight, on NBC!

30 Rock Returns Tonight!

Here's something guaranteed to relieve post-Mad Men depression, pre-election jitters and the fact that it is sadly not Friday yet. After what seemed like an obscenely long wait, the brilliant and hilarious 30 Rock returns, tonight on NBC at 9:30. Always a critical favorite, but never a ratings star, it will be interesting to see if any of the publicity from Tina Fey's SNL Sarah Palin impersonation translates into a wider audience for 30 Rock. Couple that with Alec Baldwin's Emmy win for playing Jack Donaghy, the world's most lovable self-absorbed TV honcho, and this show has the best chance ever to increase its numbers.

Not since The Dick Van Dyke show has a TV program about the making of a TV program been so wildly entertaining. Tune in tonight for the continuing adventures of Liz Lemmon, Jack Donaghy and (my personal favorite) Kenneth the page (Jack McBrayer) who's bunny rabbit demeanor obscures a fierce ambition to make it in the TV world!

Best of all, 30 Rock is coupled with The Office at 9pm, so we will have a solid hour of laughs again on Thursday nights!

Our Favorite Mad Man on SNL Tonight -- Jon Hamm!

If you love Jon Hamm as Mad Men's Don Draper as much as we do here at The Flaming Nose, you won't want to miss his guest hosting appearance tonight on NBC's Saturday Night Live.

Couldn't come at a better time to get some nice exposure for Mr. Hamm and Mad Men, of course. SNL is on a roll these days, parlaying some daffy political satire, an uncannily incisive impersonation of a certain VP candidate by SNL-alum Tina Fey, and whatever else put the fire back in their belly -- and let's not forget NBC's opportune scheduling of several extra primetime SNL specials to coincide with election campaign events -- to propel them to ratings records.

Let's hope a little of Saturday Night Live's current magic rubs off on Jon Hamm and Mad Men, the best show out there on TV that most people aren't watching yet.

Fireworks on TV!

A brief shout-out to fellow pyros and patriots who love fireworks as much as I do, and who might happen to live in a drought ridden and firework challenged state this 4th of July. You can always get your fix on NBC, which will be broadcasting the NYC Macy's Fireworks display over the East River on 7.4.08 at 9pm. Grab your hot dogs and corn on the cob, and turn your sound up loud, as it will be a delight to the ears as well as the eyes.

The Death of TV is Greatly Exaggerated

Here's an important topic for a TV blog. Is television dying? Is it already dead? Since the end of the writer's strike, there has been a tsunami of negative press for broadcast television, all predicting its eminent demise. There's no doubt about it, the ratings are down for the big three (ABC, NBC, CBS). Only FOX has survived the viewer flight, due almost entirely to the strength of American Idol.

Many of the viewers who fled to other forms of media during the writer's strike are not coming back to traditional television. Ever. Here's why I, lover of TV since I was lulled to sleep by my first black and white Indian Head test pattern, think that might not necessarily be the end of the world.

1. While viewers might not be watching TV as much on the traditional home set, they are flocking to streaming video of their favorite TV shows online
2. Boxed set DVD sales of entire seasons of TV programs are flying off the shelves. Did you know that more DVD's are sold of TV programs than of all movies combined today?
3. Time shifting behaviors (TiVo, DVR) have become mainstream. People are still watching, they are just doing it when it suits them. Today, appointment television means you have to put permanent hold on your digitally recorded episode so it does not get erased before you are ready to view.

But beyond all that media mumbo jumbo, here is the real reason why TV is still relevant. I watched a pre-recorded episode of the one hour season finale of The Office with my son and 5 of his very vocal teenage friends tonight. On a scale of 1 to 10 for engagement, we were a 15. Whole scenes were re-wound so we could watch and discuss. Favorite characters were cheered and revered as they came on scene. Theories and predictions for the outcome of the episode were thrown out randomly and either applauded or dismissed. Everybody had something to say about the program and everybody went SHHHHHHH when there were too many comments and we missed something. And then we would re-wind again. It might just be tonight's pepperoni pizza talking, but that sure seems like love to me.

It's all about the content folks. Great writing, compelling characters, and nobody is going anywhere. But the audience is a fickle beast. Tonight we watched the brilliance of NBC's "The Office" on regular TV. Tomorrow it might be streaming on the Internet. Or our mobile phones. Note to Marshall McLuhan.....the medium is no longer the message. It's just the pipeline. We never know what's going to come down the chute these days. Tonight, it was a flawless one hour comedy on the family living room TV set.

And by the way...NBC totally understands the online world. You can watch this Office season finale on their website if you missed it last night. And you can watch the promo for it, right here on The Flaming Nose, compliments of You Tube.