Please Welcome Your Judges

2013 Academy Awards: And the Nominees Are...

2013-01-10T08:58:00.001-05:00

Happy Oscar Nominations Morning, everyone! I imagine this must be what sports games fans feel like the day of "The Draft" (whatever that actually is).

The announcement comes two weeks earlier than usual, seemingly to get eyes back on the Academy Awards and away from some of the other awards season regulars (hello, Golden Globes). Whatever the case may be, it feels good to have Oscar back.

So, without further ado, here are the nominees in the "big 10" categories...

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2012 Emmy Awards: Predictions

2012-09-21T17:39:00.000-04:00

In just two short days, the 64th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards will finally arrive. And while there isn't enough time to get into the nitty gritty of these nominations, I had to at least get my predictions for the 26 awards up. And just to spice it up, I'll say who will win, who should win, who could win, and who should have been nominated. Except, you know, in the miniseries or movie categories that I wish would just go away already.

Ready? Set? Go!

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Hey, Everybody! Cougar Town's Back!

2012-09-13T13:35:00.000-04:00

You may have noticed a seemingly shocking omission from this week's Fall TV Lineup post. "Surely there must be some sort of mistake," you undoubtedly thought as you frantically scrolled through the network schedule, seeing no sign of perennial favorite Cougar Town.

Well, don't fret (and don't call me Shirley)! For although ABC decided not to continue the Cul De Sac Crew's adventures for a fourth season—not a surprise considering the schedule fiasko of Season 3—the show will live to see another glass of wine on TBS starting January 8th. And to celebrate the new network and just-announced premiere date, the cast got together to sing about it... and pound some grape, of course.

Take a look at the video after the jump...

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Britney Spears Makes Promising Debut on X Factor

2012-09-13T09:43:00.000-04:00

Last night was the Season 2 premiere of The X Factor, Simon Cowell's latest British singing competition import on FOX. And though it didn't quite hit American shores with the pomp and circumstance everyone anticipated last fall, the show has done some retooling in the hopes of drawing bigger audiences and avoiding defeat at the hands of NBC's The Voice. The most significant of these sophomore season changes happened on the judging panel, with Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger out the door with new recruits the likes of Demi Lovato and BRITNEY FREAKIN' SPEARS joining the team. How's that for some star power, huh?

After finally giving up on American Idol last season, my desire to start watching another three hours per week of a singing competition is pretty non-existent, but I decided to DVR last night's X Factor premiere just so I could fast forward through it this morning and get a glimpse of how Britney fit in to the reality judge role. The past few years have definitely been a bit of a roller coaster for Ms. Spears, and a gig like this could be just the ticket to putting her back in place as one of America's sweethearts (hi, J. Lo!). Or, it could completely backfire (hi, Nicole!).

So how did Britney do? Did she robotically deliver pre-written critiques? Did she shave off all her hair and flash her cooch at the first hint of a wonky note?

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Fall 2012 TV Lineup

2012-09-10T11:20:00.001-04:00

It's hard to believe that summer has already come and gone. But as we bid adieu to warm weather, beach excursions and horrible sunburns—seriously, I may have lost any ability to tan—it's time to welcome back the world of television into our lives! Sure, summer TV shows like So You Think You Can Dance, The Newsroom and Political Animals have kept us entertained these past few months, but now it's time for the full onslaught of fall premieres to start filling up our DVRs and completely taking over our schedules.

Before you know it, old favorites like Modern Family and The Big Bang Theory will be back, accompanied by shiny new shows like The New Normal and The Mindy Project. Inevitably, some of these newcomers will flop despite their greatness (hello, Lone Star) and some of them will thrive despite their many, many flaws (hello, 2 Broke Girls). It's always best to go into the fall TV season with a cautiously optimistic outlook, realizing that the show with the amazing pilot might quickly fizzle or the show you assumed would be awful might become the "next big thing."

It can all be a little overwhelming at first, so that's why I've crafted a lineup to help you out. Here are the shows I'll be tuning into this fall:

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Project Runway, Season 10 E7: Collect Them All

2012-08-31T17:53:00.001-04:00

After last week's cracktastic antics—or, at the very least, Ven's cracktastic antics—Please Sponsor Our Runway got back on track with its usual proceedings. So without any major rants to go on about real-sized women and egotistical maniacs, let's get right to breaking down last night's episode...

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Project Runway, Season 10 E6: Aaahh, Real Women!

2012-08-25T09:16:00.000-04:00

Oh, boy, here we go again. The "real women" challenge is not a new addition Project Runway by any means, but there always manages to be a designer completely blindsided by it, causing them to act like a total a-hole on national television without a single shred of self-awareness. Last season, it was Olivier. And this season? Who decided to step up to the plate and be the resident psychopath when faced with a person with a waist larger than the circumference of a Twizzler? Our dear friend RoboVen.

A breakdown of his antics and the rest of the episode coming up after the jump...

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Project Runway, Season 10 E4+5: Raul's Revenge

2012-08-20T23:55:00.002-04:00

When last we met, Project Runway had just bid adieu to Raul after he sent a lackluster red carpet gown down the runway, and Andrea had gone missing in the middle of the night. I know I owe you fabulous readers an Episode 4 review. Don't you worry... a Lannister always pays his debts (wrong show?). So instead of pretending like it never happened, today you are getting a special twofer: a jam-packed extravaganza review of the last two episodes, which could be sold in a separate DVD pack and branded Project Runway: Raul's Revenge. Hey, it's better than Project Accessory (burn).

Enough jibber jabber... we have a lot to cover!

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So You Think You Can Dance, Season 9: Top 14 Mia Michaels Debacle

2012-08-16T17:51:00.002-04:00

Goodness gracious. That was a disaster.

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Meet the Cast of RuPaul's All Stars Drag Race

2012-08-07T17:57:00.001-04:00

Though only four seasons in, RuPaul's Drag Race has already amassed a crop of alumni so fierce and memorable that the list of potential queens that could be considered all stars is a long one. So when it came to casting the upcoming season of RuPaul's All Stars Drag Race, I cannot imaging how difficult the selection process could have been.

Yesterday, Logo released the cast list for All Stars, and while there are a few questionable entries, it truly is a line up of drag stars. Take a look at the announcement video after the jump...

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New Single "I Will Wait" from Mumford & Sons

2012-08-07T17:03:00.000-04:00

I was shamefully late to the Mumford & Sons train. Though their brilliant first album Sigh No More came out in 2009, it didn't enter constant rotation in my iTunes until early 2011. I know... how embarrassing! I'm not quite sure how I lived my life before songs like "The Cave" or "Little Lion Man" were in it.

Thankfully, I have seen the error of my ways and have every intention of purchasing Babel, their sophomore release, pretty much the nanosecond after it is released next month. And though the track list for the album is posted on the band's website, I have been seriously itching for some fresh new Mumford tunes. If you are anything like me, then today is your day, because the band has officially released its first single.

Take a listen to "I Will Wait" after the jump...

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Project Runway, Season 10 E3: Emmy Emotions

2012-08-03T15:45:00.000-04:00

After last week's candy catastrophe, Project Runway seemingly apologized for their bad behavior and gave us a little gift for sticking with them: a team challenge. Wahoo! I love a good team challenge because it always unleashes the crazies onto each other. Not that anyone is making a claim that people who go on reality TV shows are totally sane, but some of these people take the cake when it comes to psychotic antics. Add in some Runway alums and you have an episode that greatly improved on its predecessor.

So who let the claws come out and who made it work? A full rundown of last night's episode is coming up after the jump...

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Project Runway, Season 10 E2: Pour Some Sugar on Me

2012-07-28T09:34:00.001-04:00

In case you didn't realize, Project Runway is currently celebrating its tenth season. They haven't really been mentioning it, so I can understand why that fact may have alluded you.

Oh, who are we kidding? They are doing everything short of flash a big neon sign in the corner of the screen for an hour and a half to remind us that THIS IS THE TENTH SEASON OF THIS SHOW! And, to be honest, I think the fact that the show has made it this long is wonderful. Despite all the shortcomings, Project Runway is a fun, creative show that is leagues ahead of most in the reality category.

That being said, if they are going to tout the 10th season as huge accomplishment every episode, wouldn't it be cool if they did more than hang photos of past winners in the workroom at Parsons? Perhaps every week could been a retooling or a twist on one of the classic challenges from the show's history? Bring back the winner of that challenge, really play up the nostalgia of the occasion?

Of course, this week's challenge essentially did that without once acknowledging it, and that, my friends, led to some serious issues. So before someone burns themselves with glue again, let's break "Candy Couture" down...

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So You Think You Can Dance, Season 9: Top 16

2012-07-27T09:34:00.001-04:00

I know, I know. I missed a week of So You Think You Can Dance recapping. Let's just all pretend that I was so offended by that wretched "Teeth" number that started the show that I was unable to type about dancing for an entire week. Yes. That's it.

Anyway, I don't like to live in the past, so we are just going to charge on. This week, the Top 16 took the stage with mostly good results. We are still at the point in the competition when there are some serious weak links in the chain, and it's only a matter of time before they get weeded out. Luckily, the majority of performances were a clear indicator that Season 9 has an incredibly talented pool of contestants that will yield a dynamic Top 10 in the coming weeks.

Joining Nigel and Mary in the panel was comedienne extraordinaire Christina Applegate, who was—like last season—an insightful and passionate judge. I love that she approaches her critiques as someone who watches the show and knows the dancers, and her fangirl-iness was a delight to watch.

Now, as always, let's break down the performances from worst to first...

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Project Runway, Season 10 E1: Thank You People New York!

2012-07-21T11:07:00.001-04:00

Welcome back to another season of Project Runway! In case you didn't feel ancient enough for remembering the days of Wendy Pepper and Andrae, this is show's tenth season, and I have a feeling we will be constantly reminded of that fact throughout the next few months. "We have more seasons than I Love Lucy!" quipped Madame Kors, and I think you can probably feel my eyes rolling from wherever it is you're sitting.

But, you know what? It felt good to be back. After all, the last time we were in Project Runway Land, the judges got it right! The mentor gave specific advice! The host was... not Heidi... wait a minute! We're back with the people who gave the wins to Gretchen and Anya?! Mother...

Okay, okay. To be fair, perhaps Madame Kors, La Niña, Frau Klum and Sir Gunn just needed a season off to rest their weary heads and watch some other folks give it a go in those directors chairs. Only time will tell, but the best way to approach this season is with timid optimism that the judges will award the worthy and smite the fugly. Otherwise, you might as well just go watch Dance Moms.

I'm glad we talked that out, dear readers. I'm ready to break down the episode now...

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Some Thoughts on the Aurora Movie Theater Shooting

2012-07-20T18:05:00.000-04:00

This site is about the celebration and critique of pop culture. It's not, and I cannot imagine it will ever be, a place for any sort of political debate or discussion of the latest current events in the world beyond the scope of television, movies, music, etc. This isn't to say that those things are not important or that I don't pay attention to them, but that's just not the intention and mission of this space.

That being said, I've been prepping my normal reviews of this week's So You Think You Can Dance and Project Runway and every time I imagined posting, it didn't feel quite right without first discussing the horrific events that transpired last night at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado. As anyone who pays attention to the news can tell you, bad things happen in this world every day. Hell, pretty much every second of every day. But something about this event truly shook me, and I have spent the majority of the day trying to wrap my head around even the most basic details.

A major part of my struggle with comprehending this incident has to do with the setting: a movie theater. Movies allow us to escape the outside world and surrender ourselves to a completely different universe. It's not always a happy place we are transported to, but there is no denying the powerful escapism that occurs between the opening and closing credits. And while we can do that in the comfort of our own homes, there has always been something magical about going to a movie theater and sharing the awe and joy with those around us. The palpable energy in a theater before a highly-anticipated movie, the roaring laughter of an audience during a brilliant comedic moment, the thrilling silence after an emotional scene: you cannot replicate these experiences, and it is maddening that someone would exploit that magic for sick, meaningless violence. The people in that Aurora theater were innocent fans who were there to enjoy two and a half hours of escape from the real world. It seems we cannot even be afforded those few hours in the dark anymore.

Finally, before we returning to our regularly scheduled posting, my thoughts and prayers go out to the victims of this horrible tragedy, as well as to their families and friends.

Project Runway Season 10 Premieres Tonight!

2012-07-19T15:55:00.000-04:00

With all the build up to this morning's Emmy nomination announcements, I didn't get the chance to let you all know that Project Runway—a recipient of four nominations—is returning for its 10th season tonight! Sixteen new designers join our beloved Heidi, Tim, Nina and Michael tonight at 8pm/EST for the annual "Road to the Runway" special, followed by the season premiere at 9.

This season, the show has added a cool new feature on its site called Real-Time Runway that allows you to follow along with the Twitter buzz about the show. You can even set your time zone in order to avoid spoilers!

So happy viewing tonight, dear readers, and make sure to come back here for the usual metric ton of judging and bitchery.

Auf Wiedersehen!

[Image Source: Lifetime]

2012 Emmy Awards: Nominations Announced!

2012-07-19T09:01:00.002-04:00

Ladies and gentlemen, here are your nominees for the 2012 Primetime Emmy Awards! They were just announced this morning by Kerry Washington and Jimmy Kimmel—where was Nick Offerman?!—and thank goodness for living on the East Coast so I didn't have to up at the crack of dawn to watch the live feed.

There are an unbelievable number of categories for the Emmys, so I am just going to list the major acting and series nominations here. For a complete list of nominations, visit http://www.emmys.com.

And now, on to the nominees...

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2012 Emmy Nomination Dreams: The Women

2012-07-18T12:10:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow morning at 8:35 am, the nominees for the 2012 Emmy Awards will be announced. Last night, I broke down my list of Top 10 dream nominees for men. Now, it's the ladies' turn!

Remember, these are dream nominees. You won't find the likes of Amy Poehler, Julianna Margulies or Julianne Moore on this list. Those fine women are shoe-ins and will undoubtedly—and rightfully so—be frontrunners in their categories. No, these are the women that I fear will be tragically overlooked by the Academy despite delivering some of the best performances on television this year. With all of last year's nominees returning, the comedy categories are particularly cutthroat. Is it possible that Kristen Wiig won't get a nomination for her final year on SNL? Could the unstoppable Betty White get snubbed? Is last year's winner—and now Oscar nominee—Melissa McCarthy going to be dropped like old news? Not bloody likely (well, maybe the McCarthy thing). There are going to be many snubs worth bemoaning come Thursday, so let's make the most of our time pre-announcement and celebrate some fabulous women.

From vice presidents and doctors to vengeful housewives and drunks, here are the 10 women I would nominate for the 2012 Emmy Awards...

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2012 Emmy Nomination Dreams: The Men

2012-07-17T22:28:00.002-04:00

The nominations for the 2012 Emmy Awards will be announced early Thursday morning, inevitably starting two months of bemoaning the snubs and pontificating on the winners. But until the names are read aloud by Kerry Washington and Nick Offerman, the world is our oyster and we can remain hopeful that our favorites will make the cut.

Like last year, I'm leading up to the nomination announcements with my list of dream nominees, starting with the men. You won't find the likes of Jim Parsons, Aaron Paul or Bryan Cranston on this list—those guys are shoe-ins and will undoubtedly be frontrunners in their categories. No, these are the actors that I fear will be tragically overlooked by the Academy despite delivering some of the best performances on television this year. You'll notice that, once again, most of these men are eligible for the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. For the third year in a row, all of the Modern Family actors have submitted themselves in supporting categories, and while Ty Burrell and Ed O'Neill would likely be frontrunners in the lead category, their inclusion here means many of our favorites don't stand a chance.

Here are the Top 10 men I would nominate for the 2012 Emmy Awards...

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Bill Clinton is a 'My Little Pony' Master

2012-07-13T12:02:00.000-04:00

Former United States President William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is a Yale graduate, law professor, former Governor and Attorney General of Arkansas, a Rhodes scholar and husband to the current Secretary of State of our country.

He is also, apparently, a genius when it comes to all things My Little Pony, the popular '80s cartoon that, like any self-respecting gay kid at the time, I was obsessed with during my childhood (cue When I Knew reference).

Last year, Clinton appeared on an episode of the NPR radio show Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! to discuss his time as President and his current endeavors, including the Clinton Foundation. And while they weren't able to air it at the time, NPR has recently released an extended version of the interview, including a game called "Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Twilight Sparkle," in which the former president had to answer three questions about the magical ponies.

Take a listen to the amazingly hilarious clip after the jump...

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So You Think You Can Dance, Season 9: Top 20

2012-07-12T16:33:00.000-04:00

As is customary on So You Think You Can Dance, the "Meet the Top 20" episode that aired two weeks ago was full of praise along the lines of "all of these dancers are so talented!" or "I don't know how America is going to decide!" And, as is customary on So You Think You Can Dance, the first show of actual competition, last night's Top 20 episode, did a fantastic job of showing that, in fact, there is an incredible distinction between the dancers who are in it to win it and the dancers whose names we will struggle to recall upon their return in the season finale for a group number or two.

Don't misunderstand what I'm saying. Indeed, all twenty of these contestants are skilled dancers, but this is the point of the competition when we determine who has that determination, that extra spark. Top 20 Week shows us the stars of the season.

Joining Nigel and Mary on the judging panel this week was Mr. Kenny Ortega, legendary choreographer and director of classics like Dirty Dancing, Newsies, Hocus Pocus and the High School Music trilogy. He also directed The Cheetah Girls 2, but let's move on. After all, he was, per usual, an excellent guest judge, unafraid to give a proper critique unlike some previous panelists (ahem, Zooey Deschanel).

So who emerged as the stars last night, and who faded into the darkness? Let's break down each duet from worst to first...

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So You Think You Can Dance, Season 9: Top 20 Refresher Course

2012-07-11T19:43:00.001-04:00

Tonight's the night, So You Think You Can Dance fans! We've made it through the auditions, survived Vegas Week and avoided being cut during the Green Mile. This evening, the Season 9 Top 20 will dance for our votes for the first time, with two dancers going home next week.

It's been two weeks since the fabulous "Meet the Top 20" episode aired, so if you find yourself a little fuzzy on who exactly is performing tonight, fear not! Here's a quick refresher of the Top 20 dancers, along with my rankings going in to tonight's show...

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Portlandia: A-O River!

2012-06-22T16:14:00.000-04:00

Summer is chugging along—can you believe it's almost July?!—and being by the beach means lots of fun in the sun. Top on my list of upcoming summer-y purchases is a raft that will be perfect for floating (...and ponding grape) along the waves, but I have to admit that every time I think about setting sail in my future inflatable dinghy, I can't stop thinking about Portlandia's amazing "A-O River" sketch from earlier this year.

So as my way of wishing you all a wonderfully sunny weekend, here's Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen as Kath and Dave, getting ready to set sail...

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ConDRAGulations: Critics' Choice Television Awards 2012

2012-06-19T16:27:00.001-04:00

Last night, the Broadcast Television Journalists Association hosted the Second Annual Critics' Choice Television Awards in Los Angeles. The whole affair seems like the BTJA's way of trying to get some good buzz surrounding their television favorites leading up to next month's Emmy nominations, but since they award shows and actors I like, I'm totally fine with it. Plus, if we are going to pay attention to the bat-shit crazy Golden Globes in January, we might as well focus on a night that actually awards some deserving and often-forgotten recipients.

You can view the full list of nominees here, then see the list of winners after the jump and join me in wishing them all a hearty Condragulations!

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