Quick Things 7.9.11

Some quick links that are worth checking out...

• 23 of the Creepiest Robots Ever
• Kinth? Treresa? Sharonica? The Best Starbucks Cup Spellings
• Snow Delay At The Airport? Blame Planes And Clouds
• How 10,000 People Kept a Dinner Party Secret
• Cute and Creepy! Charity Juicer Runs On Smiles
• Time-Lapse Video of a Month of Chicago Sunrises
• Go Inside the New Big Brother House
• How to Fix Five Common iPhone Injuries
• 5 Record Stores that Changed Music Forever

Go Inside the House of 'Big Brother' Season 13

Tonight is the premiere of one of Summer's most popular reality show: Big Brother. In season 13 -- premiering tonight at 9pm on CBS -- eight new house guests will enter the BB house to compete for the grand prize of $500,000.


Season 13 Cast (L-R): Lawon, Dominic, Cassi, Shelly, Prosche, Adam, Keith and Kalia
Eight house guests might seem like a small group, but the twist with season 13 is that these newbies will be joined by some of Big Brother's most memorable duos, with potentials like couple Brendon and Rachel, best buds Dr. Will and Mike "Boogie" or father-daugher-duo Evel Dick and Danielle.

While we won't find out who these memorable duos will be until the show airs, we are able to take sneak peek into this season's house, where the contestants will be filmed 24 hours a day. Keep reading see the photos!

You're Followed! The Most Popular 'Celebrity Apprentice' Contestants on Twitter

With the new season of The Celebrity Apprentice premiering Sunday night at 9pm on NBC we've seen a ton of promos featuring the "crazy good" (emphasis on crazy!) celebs going at it on the show. Get to know the all the contestants here.


Beyond the cast drama, the whole point of the celebrity version of Donald Trump's reality show is to raise money for charity. In the past, the most successful players in the game are the stars who use their network and popularity to bring in the dough.

Popularity is measured in many different ways, but in this day of digital life having a big online fan base is just as important as selling out shows and performances. Out of the 16 contestants on the new season of Celebrity Apprentice 13 are on Twitter, so let's take a look at their number of followers and see who might be able to get ahead in the social media game.

Meet the New Cast of 'The Celebrity Apprentice'

16 new celebrities will be compete against each other in the new season of The Celebrity Apprentice, premiering Sunday, March 6 at 9pm on NBC.


They will use their fame, contacts and business acumen to win weekly tasks, while ultimately raising money and awareness for their respective causes. As per usual, Donald Trump and his advisors -- who also happen to be his children and colleagues -- will stand in judgment of the celebrities in the Boardroom. Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump Jr. are back and will welcome their younger brother, Eric Trump, who will be filling in as an advisor, as will longtime Trump Organization employee George Ross.

So who will face off in the Boardroom in the new season?

Spend Your Gift Cards on These Winter Reads

By Sherri Breitigan, Contributing Writer

Thanks to the gift-giving season, many people now have gift cards for bookstores, or are looking to return The Purpose-Driven Life because they already have three copies.

To ease your literary angst, take a look at this short list of various reads; some old, some newer, that fit a spectrum of tastes and purposes. Break out the hot cocoa, fleece blankets, and the adult footy pajamas you ordered secretly from the SkyMall catalog, and happy reading.

Meditations in an Emergency by Frank O'Hara This short collection of poems is poignant and arresting, with O'Hara writing in the same time period of other poetic greats like Ginsberg and Kerouac. However, he manages to stand out against such a powerful crowd, and his words have stayed with me since. For a contemporary reference, Don Draper on Mad Men read from this collection during the second season of the show. Recommended for: Those tiptoeing on the side of literary and looking for a good commute read. Not recommended for: People avoiding self-reflection.

'Hereafter' Leaves Viewers In Limbo

By Billy Nastyn, Contributing Writer

"What do you think happens when we die?" No one really knows the answer, but with a title like Hereafter and Matt Damon as the leading man, you would assume that you're about to get some intense cinematic insight. The question really is how (and will) this movie get us there with or without some new "I see dead people" twist? Although the trailer and advertisements tout Damon as the film's star, the storyline is actually told through three separate and eventually intertwining story lines.

Hereafter stars Damon as George, a gifted/cursed individual with the ability to tap into the afterlife. Surprisingly, he hardly appears during the first hour of the film, besides the introduction to his reclusive life in San Francisco. George's mission is to find normalcy since becoming overwhelmed with requests to help people talk to their deceased loved ones. His dilemma arrives in the form of a girl (Bryce Dallas Howard) in his late night cooking class and has to face his life's eternal conflict head on.

Marie (Cécile de France) is a French journalist choosing a souvenir from a street market in Indonesia and is swept away by an absolutely terrifying tsunami. If this movie succeeds at one thing, it's consuming you in a near-death experience. You are controlled by that wave and you can feel the danger of every object capable of crushing you. Her visions of the afterlife haunt her upon her return to Paris where she is given leave from her job to cope.

Off in London, we meet synced up twin brothers (George McLaren and Frankie McLaren) covering up for their mess of an addict mother. Their family dynamic may be dysfunctional, but within their introduction you understand the strength that holds them together. When younger brother, Marcus, tragically loses the person closest to him he can help but want to search for answers about the afterlife.

Summer Friday: Warning Signs Your Friend Might Be a 'Jersey Shore' Guido

Every Friday between Memorial Day and Labor Day I'm going to be featuring guest bloggers as a part of my "Summer Fridays" series. This week's post comes from comedian and writer Chris Vespoli who shares with us the warning signs that someone you love may be a friend of Snooki.


To millions of Americans, MTV's Jersey Shore is a spray-tanned, greasy orgasm of drama and violence, but to me, it's something far more important. It's an educational tool -- a cautionary tale of misguided youth. You see, no one is born a Guido; Guidos are genuinely good kids who just got swept up in a turbulent sea of Ed Hardy t-shirts and LA Looks Mega Hold hair gel.

Side note: Please realize I use the term "Guido" not as a racial slur towards Italian-Americans, but as a general term for the hard-partying Jersey Shore cast and other tri-state twenty-somethings like them. After all, Ronnie is only half Italian and Snooki is actually Chilean, so to label the word an epithet is pretty misguided in this situation (no pun intended). Also, I can use the word because I myself am Italian-American, so there.

So, in order to make sure this doesn't happen to one of your friends, it's important to recognize the seven warning signs below.

Your Friend Makes Constant, Non-Ironic Use of the Word "Bro"
If someone who is not your brother starts calling you and everyone else he knows "bro," that's usually one of the first signs that something is up. Whereas normal dudes might bust out a "bro" only during a heart-to-heart talk, Guidos use it in nearly every form of social interaction. Be cautious: Use of the word is often accompanied by an increase in aggression on boardwalks, as in Ronnie's "come at me, bro!" + face punch combination in Season 1.

He Treats G-T-L as if it were a Buddhist Mantra
As popularized by Pauly D and The Situation, going to the gym, getting an artificial tan and doing your laundry is the daily routine by which every Guido maintains his "freshness." You'll know it's time for an intervention when your friend starts spending more time and money on his appearance than he does on paying back his student loans... Oh, and his skin will be a bright shade of orange.

6 Things: My Favorite Christmas Ornaments

At my house our Christmas tree is one of those mix-and-match kind.  We don't have a big set or ornaments to decorate with, they're all random ones members of my family have picked up from various travels or to commemorate special occasions.  My favorite thing about it is remembering what each ornament stands for and talking about the memories.  So, here are my six favorites!


This is Foghorn Leghorn. He's the first ornament my parents bought together after I was born. He's always the first ornament to go on the tree.

Shortly after Foghorn came my first Christmas ornament. Look at that lil' nugget!

We have a bunch of these bead ones that I made at my babysitters when I was 2 or 3 years old. This is a weird Santa.

I bought this ornament when I was a Page at NBC to mark my first real job and my move to New York City.

This is my brother, Drew, and a pic of him from preschool. It always makes me chuckle.

And the crowning jewel--My second grade yearbook photo on top of a pine cone angle. Glorious.
 
Do you have any ornaments that are really special to you or your family? Tell me about 'em!

Popsicle Ripoff: Mighty Minis

This past weekend I was back in Pittsburgh for my brother's senior project fundraiser event (photos and video to come) but mostly just got to hang around with the fam. On Saturday my mom offered me a popsicle with a weird smirk on her face. She pulled out a box of Popsicle Mighty Minis from the freezer. Check out the box.


Mighty Minis are a new product. They are "slow melting" and cause less mess because they are made with a hint of gelatin. They actually taste really, really good but it took me a while to notice the flavor because I was so take aback by the tiny size of the thing!


Popsicle is not joking around when they called these Mighty Minis. The entire pop is about the size of a tube of Chapstick! Seriously! Now, I'm guessing these miniature treats are made small so little kids can enjoy them, and they're "slow melt" to avoid big messes, but give me a break! Each popsicle has an almost-average sized stick and the same amount of packaging as a normal sized one. What a waste of resources, Popsicle.

Related Things:

• More things about food

Many TV Watchers Have Tuned Out

I think I've kicked my TV habit. Seriously. Well ok... I don't think that I'll ever actually ever be completely unhooked from TV, but last year's writers strike was probably one of the best things to happen to me. I admit that I am a television junkie, but that's mainly because I work in the industry and have a general interest in what shows are hot and checking out the newest series. It's not an excuse to watch endless hours of TV... just the reason why I do it... or used to do it.

The writers strike snapped me out of my TV-induced coma. Suddenly my nights were free without Heroes or Grey's Anatomy or all those other shows that used to be on but whose names I have forgotten. I'm still a dedicated watchers of reality shows like America's Next Top Model, Big Brother and Amazing Race but without all the scripted series in the way I have been able to expand my social life. A sad, but true reality, my friends. Sad, but true. The redeeming factor is that I'm not the only one who has found ways other than TV to occupy my time.

I just read an article appropriately enough in TV Guide about how viewers haven't come back to finish this season of their favorite shows. According to the article Desperate Housewives has seen a 23% drop, Ugly Betty is down 24% and ER and CSI are down 19% and 26% respectively. Experts are citing several reasons why people aren't returning they're regularly-scheduled programs. The biggest reason seems to be that people's weekly watching routines and habits have been broken. They're not rushing home to watch Lost on Thursday nights anymore because for 100+ days they had to find something else to do. They've quit cold turkey against their will and might not tune back in after breaking the habit. Apparently, a similar thing happened to daytime soaps which were preempted for OJ Simpson trial coverage. Viewers' daytime TV routines were changed and many of them never went back to watching.

Another reason is because, unlike the Fall, there wasn't a premiere week or announced return of new programming. A lot of people simply don't know that their favorite shows are back on the air (which is what happened to me with Grey's Anatomy.) There hasn't been a big push to bring viewers back, and some series are only returning for 4 or 5 episodes before going on Summer hiatus.

The estimated viewership may also be low because of DVR recording; the data just hasn't come in showing how many households are going back and watching shows after their original air date. Only 15% of Nielsen homes had DVR last year, which has increased to 24% today. DVR is a whole separate issue altogether; change demographic info along with advertising revenue.

TV execs assume that things will return to normal once Fall comes around again and the familiar shows get back to their usual schedule. They're hoping that audiences will fall back into their normal viewing habits and will once again become comfortable with their old characters and story lines... but only time will tell.

So what's your opinion? Has your TV watching regime changed since the writers strike? Are you watching different shows since many others were gone for so long? Do you think you'll fall back into your shows when they premiere in the Fall?

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Related Things:

• More things about television
  

Big Brother 9: 'Til Death Do You Part

Although the writers' strike is supposed to end in the next few days, some of TV's biggest hits are coming back with full force this week and next. One of my favorite shows, Big Brother on CBS, came back last night with its 9th season and a big plot twist.


This new season (the first to air in a non-Summer time slot) will also be the first to force the house guests to act as pairs instead of individuals. For the first time, all the house guests are single and in their 20s (expect for Sheila who is 45 and kind of a bitch) and are paired up with another house guest who is deemed their "soul mate." The mates will be working as pairs and will compete together, vote together and get evicted together, too.

As per the norm with Big Brother, the house guests are always told to "expect the unexpected" and this new season is no different. 2 pairs of house guests actually knew each other prior to moving into the Big Bro house. Ryan and Jen are a real-life couple who are in the house together, but NOT paired up with one another. The other house guests also don't know that Ryan and Jen are together. In another twist, exes Jarod and Sharon are paired up together, but didn't know that their ex would be joining them in the house. Juicy! There's already a bunch of tension and arguing and we've only seen one episode so far.

This season's most hated house guest is clearly going to be Sheila, the oldest and grouchiest member of the cast. As soon as the "soul mates" were announced she launched into a rant about how her mate "is not even her type" because she likes "tall, dark and handsome." Granted, her 29-year-old partner, Adam, did call her "Ma" but she was quite vocal about her dislike of her match. Sheila- did you forget that you are on a reality competition show and not The Bachelor? I have a feeling she and Adam will be the first to go at tonight's eviction.

I'm going to avoid posting about Big Brother each week (it's on three days a week, which is a bit much) but I'm sure I'll drop in an occasional recap when things get interesting.

Did you watch the premiere? If you missed it you can visit CBS.com and watch full episode. What did you think? Who do you think is going to win?

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Related Things:

• More Big Brother

Bye Bye 2007

On the final day of 2007 I thought it would be nice to write a recap of the past 365 days and look back at everything that has come and gone over the last year... but then I realized that would take a really long time and require lots of thinking and writing, and you probably wouldn't want to read it anyway. So, I have decided to share a few of my favorite blog entries from '07. Yes, I'm that lazy.

One of the great things about living in New York City is that chance to see some great concerts. I was lucky enough to see Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera and Kelly Clarkson up close and personal.

In March Carolyn and I decided to treat ourselves to a vacation, so we headed down the white sandy beaches of Miami for some R&R.

I had such a great time that I went back with my friend Kelly 4 months later.

Of course I always have my trusty cam with me, so I took a few photo spreads at cool places like the Conservatory Gardens and the American Museum of Natural History.

I started a new job with iVillage.com in May, and start producing a daily video called "On This Day."

In May my cousin Erin had a baby girl, Maura, who I quickly became obsessed with.

June was a quiet month, and I spent a relaxing afternoon at The Bronx Zoo and took a ton of photos.

It was also in June that I discovered a website that changed my life: SomeECards.com

In July I was paid a special visit by my Mom, brother Drew and cousin Jim.

And we kept our Independence Day in the Park tradition alive!

Somehow Buffo The Clown managed to creep back into my life after years of repression.

Britney's VMA performance in September sparked Carolyn and I's vlogging debut. Which led to a recap of Big Brother and America's Next Top Model.

and I turned 25 and had a great birthday weekend!

I know there were so many other things that happened that I've written about (and a lot things that I didn't write about) that I can't remember at the moment, but I want to say thanks to everyone who helped make 2007 one of the best years ever. Also, thanks to everyone who reads my blog on a daily/weekly/by accident basis! I really appreciate the comments and feedback, and hope my little piece of the web brings you at least mild enjoyment.

Thanks for reading, and here's to another great year in 2008!

Evel Dick Wins Big Brother 8

An slightly surprising, but mostly uneventful end to a great season of the CBS show Big Brother 8. If you've been watching the show (or my vlogs) you know that it's been a very interesting season full of twists and turns, unexpected evictions and bunny suits.

The twist this season was that 3 of the house guests had their worst enemy brought into the house to play with them. I doubt anyone thought about it, but the father and daughter who hadn't spoken in 2 years would not only get over their feud, but become the strongest alliance in Big Brother history.

I've been following the show all season and was actually not that excited for the finale. Either way, Daniele and Evel Dick (yes, spelled Evel) were both going to walk away with a big chunk of change. The evicted house guests got to vote on which of the two should take home the $500,000 prize and they decided to give it to Dick. It seemed as if most made their decision on the fact that, while they didn't like it, Dick had a strategy and plan for how to play the game and it obviously worked. They didn't like the way Dick treated them, but they respected that he never strayed from his plan... no matter how "evel" it was.

Did you watch the finale? What do you think of the results?

Vlog: Big Brother Recap 9/13/07

Hey gang- Another night of Big Brother 8, another vlog from me and Carolyn. Last night's episode was the big one! The final 2 house guests were chosen, which means one of them will take home $500,000. Click the pic to view.

Make sure you check out the blog on Monday to see what shows we will be watching this Fall. I know you care, so be sure to come back! Have a great weekend!

TV vlog: Big Brother 8 Recap

Due to the great response of our VMA/Britney ranting vlog the other day, Carolyn and I have decided to regularly flap our jaws about what we're watching on TV.

Last night we watched a special Tuesday live edition of Big Brother 8. Only four house guests remained, and whoever won the power of veto would be sending someone home. I don't want to give too much away, so you're just going to have to watch the video to find out what went down. Let me know what you think! Click the pic for the video

Thing of the Week: TV Twists

Happy Friday, everyone! Hope you made it through the week. I know it was only a four-day week for most people, but sometimes those can be the hardest. Since it is Friday, that means that it's time to pick the stand-out thing of the last seven days... Today's Thing of the Week is:
TV Twists

After a few weeks of some slightly boring action on Big Brother 8 the house guests were rocked when Julie Chen announced that last night would be a "fast forward" show. That meant that someone would be evicted right at the top of the show, then the remaining players would go through a week's worth of competitions in just one hour! The house guests voted to evict Jessica immediately, then they quickly played the other games and voted to evict Eric at the end of the show.

I was really sad to see Jessica and Eric go. They were a great team, and I really think that Jessica could have won Big Brother if she made it to the final two. Unfortunately, I think they both made a bonehead decision to keep their alliance with Evel Dick and Daniele instead of putting them up against each other. IT'S A GAME, PEOPLE! Don't ever put me on Big Brother (or do!) because I will back stab everyone. No joke. The next few shows are all going to be sped up, so make sure you watch!

In other pseudo-reality-show-type news, did you guys watch Tim Gunn's Guide To Style on Bravo? I'll admit that I was very skeptical at first, but I watched the first episode last night and I totally dig it! I assumed that the show as going to end up being a complete knock-off the TLC show What Not To Wear, because the premise is basically the same: Two fashion specialists go into a person's wardrobe, rips it apart, then helps them pick new things. Not exactly! Tim and his cohort, supermodel Veronica Webb, really help out some style-challenged people and show them how they not only dress better, but feel better about themselves. I love What Not To Wear, but Tim Gunn's Guide To Style goes for the same idea, but with more heart and less bitchy comments. Good job, Tim!

Did you watch either of these shows last night? What do you think?!

I Hope the Costumes Get Updated...

In "bringing shows back from the dead" news, NBC has announced that it will soon begin production on a new, updated version of American Gladiators! Yes, you read correctly! Hot on the heels of another update, The Bionic Woman, the peacock network is currently casting for Gladiator's mid-season premiere!

Here's an excerpt from the article at Variety.com:

"We've been circling around this property for a long time now," said Craig Plestis, exec VP of alternative programming, development and specials at NBC Entertainment. "It's truly what's not in the TV landscape right now. While everyone's zigging, I'm attracted to doing a zag."

Net wouldn't confirm the episodic order, but at least six segs are believed to be in the works. NBC could opt to launch the show as a one-week strip -- similar to how it bowed "Deal or No Deal" -- or as a weekly skein.

Airing in syndication from 1989-96, "American Gladiators" focused on physically fit amateur athletes who competed against the show's regulars (action stars, stunt professionals and pro athletes) in various physical strength and endurance competitions.

The show hit it big by showcasing David vs. Goliath-style battles in events such as the Joust, the Wall, the Eliminator and Hang Tough. Coincidentally, the original "Gladiators" shot its first several seasons at Universal Studios.

Apparently the new version of the show will be designed more closely to the UK version of Gladiators. Viewers will get more background informations and story lines about the contestants and the gladiators themselves, which will hopefully hook audiences from episode to episode. Check out the Wikipedia entry for everything you forgot about American Gladiators.

I'm definitely excited to see Gladiators return to TV. My brother and I used to recreate Assault in our basement with our Nerf guns (remember Nerf guns?!!!) We would build barriers with pillows and the couches and try shoot down at each other from the landing on the stairs. I think all those guns are still in a trunk in the basement... Drew, check that out and mail them to me if that's the case. Yes, all of them.

We Need A Hero(es)!

Time for a little geeking out on my part. With the exception of Big Brother 8 and So You Think You Can Dance I have really been disappointed with television this summer. I actually had to like... go outside and stuff. *shudder* Luckily for me, one of my favorite shows, Heroes, is returning with a brand new season on Monday, September 24th. Granted, it's about a month away, but the hype has already begun. NBC has started running promos for season two... please watch:

And tomorrow you can finally pick up the first season of Heroes on DVD! I'm pumped. I'm a big fan of TV shows on DVD, because you never know when you might get stuck in front of the tube on a Sunday afternoon with nothing saved on your DVR and no marathons of Top Model running! Yikes! Gonna need to pick up this set tomorrow.

In celebration of the release, some of the stars of the show will be appearing on NBC's TODAY on Tuesday morning, and then will crossing the street and doing a meet and greet at the NBC Experience Store. I'm not going to lie... I might have to venture downstairs and get in a little nerd time. I replaced my lost camera, so maybe I'll have some photographic evidence to share in the near future... just maybe.

Regardless of whether or not I make it to see the Heroes in person, I'm really excited for season 2 to begin! I have no idea what's going to happen with the story line... or which characters will be returning... or who is good and who is evil! ay yi yi. I'm getting flustered already.

Thing of the Week: Reality Show Shockers!

Happy Friday! Hope you had a nice week and have an even nicer weekend! And now, your Thing of the Week:

Reality Show Shockers!

In last night's eviction ceremony, the houseguests made a major move and voted to evict Dustin out of the Big Brother house!

Clearly Dustin was shocked by this vote, and you can expect to things to really shake up in the next few weeks. Click his pic for the video.

In other shocking plays, Sabra was voted America's Favorite Dancer on So You Think You Can Dance last night. I think she's great, but what was really shocking was the fact that Lacey was cut right away.

She definitely deserved to win, in my opinion, but each of the top four dancers were fantastic. What did you think? Click the pic for Lacey and Sabra's weird Wade Robson choreographed "foxes" dance.

Thing of the Week: Amber's Freak Out on Big Brother 8

For the second week in a row Amber from Big Brother 8 is a part of my Thing of the Week. Last week Amber's crying got the top spot, and she's at it this week again! Today's Thing of the Week is:

Amber's Freak Out on Eric

I was thinking about picking Amber's awesome braids as the thing of the week, but the freak out was much more entertaining. I don't want to spoil too much if you haven't seen Big Brother from last night, but it was awesome! Apparently Amber shared a deep, dark secret with Eric, who then told Evel Dick that he was going to use it against her in the future! Oh, no he didn't! Check out the clip of Amber's freak out, but there is very strong language, so it's a little NSFW. Put on your head phones!

Have a great weekend!