Category: Television & Radio

Where’s Omarosa?

Apprentice.jpg
From Reuters: Four of the contestants from the NBC reality television series ‘The Apprentice’ appear in the May issue of ‘FHM’ magazine. (L-R) are Kristi Frank, Katrina Campins, Amy Henry and Ereka Vetrini, who are featured in a seven-page portfolio in FHM shot by Luciana Pampalone. The women were reportedly offered $250,000 to pose nude for Playboy, but instead the women chose to be photographed by FHM wearing lingerie, and for no payment.

Deadwood

NewMexiKen has definitely become of fan of the newest HBO series, Deadwood, which showed its fourth episode Sunday (and which I viewed Monday via Comcast On Demand).

True to history, “Wild Bill” Hickok died at the end of this episode, shot by a small-time gambler. While accurate—Hickok was killed on August 2, 1876, at the age of 39—it’s too bad. As played by Keith Carradine, Wild Bill was the most charismatic and positive character in the show. The hell with historical fact, bring back Wild Bill.

Deadwood Magazine has an informative 1999 article on Hickok in Deadwood, Gambler to the End. The following is excerpted from that article:

British author Joseph Rosa has been researching the Hickok legend for more than 40 years. His books (They Called Him Wild Bill, The West of Wild Bill Hickok and Wild Bill Hickok: The Man and His Myth) meticulously sift fact from fiction.

The number of notches on Wild Bill’s guns were part of the myth, according to Rosa. The true total of men he killed in gunfights is closer to 10, rather than the 21 to more than 100 he has been credited with, Rosa writes.

Like all other serious historians, Rosa debunks stories of a romance with Calamity Jane. Known to be a notorious liar, Martha Jane Cannary claimed the relationship only after Wild Bill couldn’t defend himself. Almost 27 years to the day after Wild Bill’s death, Calamity Jane died and, by her request, was buried in an adjoining lot.

WildBill.gifThe fifth card in the “Deadman’s Hand” (two pair—black aces and eights) has been the subject of speculation for years, variously identified as the queen of diamonds, nine of diamonds, a jack, or (in another version of the story) the fifth card hadn’t been dealt. Newspaper accounts written immediately after the shooting make no mention of specific cards held by Wild Bill. It wasn’t until many years later Ellis Peirce wrote: “Bill’s hand read aces and eights—two pair, and since that day aces and eights have been known as ‘the deadman’s hand’ in the Western country.”

Wild Bill’s real name was James Butler Hickok.

Janet Jackson

Did you see Janet Jackson on Saturday Night Live? In the opening sketch she did a good and funny job as Condoleezza Rice preparing for her testimony. Jackson had the Rice facial expressions—the sneers and grimaces—down wonderfully. When the stress of actually appearing before the commission arrived and Ben-Veniste pressed her with his questions, Jackson as Rice responded, of course, by ripping off her bodice. (There was a scrambled image.) I didn’t see the punch line coming and it was pretty funny.

NewMexiKen doesn’t care for Janet Jackson and thought the Super Bowl show was a tacky travesty on several counts, though not a national crisis. But I’ll give Jackson and Saturday Night Live credit for making the boob flashing into the joke it should be and not giving in to the FCC hysteria.

Col. Sherman Potter…

is 89 today. That’s Harry Morgan. He’s been in a lot of movies, but is best known for TV.

NewMexiKen remembers Morgan as Pete Porter in the TV sitcom December Bride 50 (egad!) years ago. Pete always made cracks about his wife Gladys, who never appeared on the show. (Today Gladys would be on the show making cracks about her spouse.)

Then Morgan was Jack Webb’s partner in the second incarnation on television of Dragnet — Officer Frank Gannon.

But best of all, was as bird-colonel Sherman T. Potter on M*A*S*H. Happy birthday, Colonel.

Omarosa’s Been Fired Before — Many Times

From FOX News a fair and balanced report on Omarosa.

Her stint on “The Apprentice” wasn’t the first time Omarosa Manigault Stallworth heard the words “You’re fired.” People magazine says she was bounced from four jobs in two years with the Clinton administration.

A worker at her last job with the Commerce Department says Omarosa was asked to leave as quickly as possible because she was so disruptive. She says, “One woman wanted to slug her.”

Meanwhile, “Apprentice” co-star Ereka Vetrini says she’s exploring a slander action against Omarosa, according to the New York Daily News. The two have been feuding since Omarosa accused Vetrini of using a racial epithet to describe her. Vetrini denies the accusation.

According to Vetrini, Omarosa is “making it up because she wants to write a book on the subject.”

Where There’s Smoke, You’re Not Always Fired

Also from Popcultablog*

You expect some fakery even when you’re watching so-called reality TV. So I don’t really mind that the cab that appears at the end of each Apprentice episode only took the contestants to a nearby hotel where they had to stay for several weeks. And I could tell by the way they were carried that the suitcases were always nearly empty. But come on? Did you know that the loft was actually on the same floor as the boardroom? The elevator went nowhere.

Forget running for president. Nader should do something about this.

There’s worse things than “fired”

Also from Dwight Perry, The Seattle Times: Sideline Chatter —

Donald Trump, making a surprise visit to his Trump 29 Casino in Coachella, Calif., on Tuesday, won $250 playing the “Apprentice Chicken Challenge” — a tic-tac-toe game in which gamblers match wits against a live chicken in a booth that pecks out its choice of squares.

The way we see it, the loser got off easy. At least The Donald didn’t tell the chicken: “You’re fried!”

The Apprentice

The promos would have us believe that two of the apprentices are fired tonight — in the first half hour. They also tell us Omarosa and Troy are back.

Foolishly, NewMexiKen will take the promos at face value. Maybe there was something fishy about last week’s deal to lease the penthouse for $40,800. If so, Trump can fire both Amy and gum-chewing Nick for cheating. That would also mean that Troy should come back, because he was fired when his team lost.

How Omarosa fits in is trickier. Do you suppose Trump is really in this for the ratings? As he himself said, “We have a lot of interesting characters left, but if I were going purely for entertainment value, I would’ve left Sam and Omarosa for the finals.”

Of course, Trump also said, “But I can’t do that. I don’t let the entertainment value enter into my decision at all.” Believe that and you’re as foolish as I am trying to decipher the show’s promos.

4:40 PM MDT

Update after the show: Well I guessed the two that had to go, but like with many things suggested more “opera” than necessary for it all to happen.

Deadwood

From Aaron Barnhart at TV Barn, “Deadwood”: Did they really talk that way? —

How filthy is the new HBO Western “Deadwood”? We hear the Navy ordered 3,000 copies to help new recruits talk like sailors.

After watching it, James Gandolfini reportedly turned to his publicist and said, “Who swears that much in real life?”

I’m not saying there’s a lot of profanity on “Deadwood,” but I’m told George Carlin e-mailed HBO on Monday to say, “Enough already!”

Simpsons voiceless

From AP via various outlets last week —

The actors who give voice to Homer, Marge and other characters on “The Simpsons” reportedly skipped work on Fox’s animated series as contract renewal talks hit an impasse.

Each cast member is seeking about $360,000 an episode, or $8 million for the 22-episode, 2004-05 season, the trade paper Daily Variety said Thursday, citing unidentified sources.

The actors currently earn $125,000 an episode, Variety said.

The contract dispute involves Dan Castellaneta (Homer); Julie Kavner (Marge); Hank Azaria (Moe, Apu and others); Harry Shearer (Mr. Burns and others); Yeardley Smith (Lisa) and Nancy Cartwright (Bart), the paper said.

The Apprentice

$40,800 for a one-night lease. I’m sorry, but that wasn’t a sale, that was luck. This show needs better assignments/projects next time around. (And less lives of the rich and famous to fill the middle of the hour.)

Guess Trump isn’t going into auto sales because Troy would be his guy and Troy is gone. He seemed the most surprised of any when Trump said the magic words.

Just two more shows.

The Apprentice

So, how will The Apprentice go this week?

The promos make it look like the board room comes down to Nick and Amy. Could it be? This soon?

Those who commented here last week had these predictions for the final winner:

  • Amy
  • Nick, but Bill best overall
  • Amy, dark horse Bill
  • Troy
  • Amy, but Bill next

Letterman vs. the White House and CNN

On Monday night, David Letterman showed a clip of the President giving a speech. Behind the President was a young teenage boy clearly not too involved in what the President had to say. The film is edited to show the boy’s yawns, his stretches, his all but falling asleep. It’s pretty funny, but not exactly newsworthy.

On Tuesday night, Letterman showed a clip of a CNN anchor woman reporting that according to the White House the kid wasn’t at the speech. Letterman calls this a lie. Then he showed another clip of CNN saying that the White House now says that the kid was at the speech, but not where Letterman shows him, i.e., directly behind the President. Letterman calls that a lie, too.

You can see both Letterman clips at Over/Spun.

All of this was brought to NewMexiKen’s attention by Atrios at Eschaton.

Jeopardy!

What television quiz show debuted on this date in 1964?

The show was hosted by Art Fleming in the 60s and 70s, and of course, by Alex Trebek since 1984. The original dollar values for the questions were $10, $20, $30, $40 and $50. They’re worth 10 times that now.

Trump on Omarosa

From the [Akron] Beacon Journal, an article on The Apprentice and Donald Trump including a Q&A with Trump. One answer:

A: It’s irrelevant to me, because my job is to pick the best people. It was Omarosa’s time to go, and I’m sure you agree with that (laughs). She was good television but it was her time to go. And it was Sam’s time to go. We have a lot of interesting characters left, but if I were going purely for entertainment value, I would’ve left Sam and Omarosa for the finals. But I can’t do that. I don’t let the entertainment value enter into my decision at all.

Who’ll do the wisecrack?

CNN.com reports that Jerry Orbach may be leaving Law & Order.

Sources say “Law & Order” veteran Jerry Orbach will depart Dick Wolf’s long-running crime drama at the end of the season after 12 years on the beat as wise-cracking Detective Lennie Briscoe.

However, Orbach may still remain in business with Wolf with a role on the upcoming fourth installment of the franchise: “Law & Order: Trial by Jury.”

As for the flagship series, there is no word yet about a replacement for Orbach, but one scenario involves his character’s partner, Detective Ed Green (Jesse L. Martin), being promoted.

Thanks to Jill for the link.