St. Elsewhere - Some good news about Season 1
Over its six-season run, the ground-breaking, critically acclaimed St. Elsewhere was nominated for over 60 Emmy Awards, winning 13 of them!
This remarkable series, paved the way for later TV classics such as E.R. and Chicago Hope, while introducing America to future superstars Mark Harmon, Howie Mandel, and Oscar-winner Denzel Washington. Eccentric, insightful, and intelligent, St. Elsewhere is considered to be one of the best dramas ever to air on broadcast television.
Fox hasn't officially announced the first season of St. Elsewhere (and it's been awhile since we posted the rumor it was coming), but a retailer was kind enough to send us the info for the set.
The first season will be released in a 4 disc set (DVD-14s) on December 12. The 22 episodes (1078 mins) will be presented in Full Frame (1.33:1), along with English stereo audio, and mono Spanish (likely with matching subtitles, though we didn't receive word on those). The set will retail for $39.98 US, or $54.98 CAN.
Disc 1 side A:
Pilot
Bypass
Down's Syndrome
Cora & Arnie
Disc 1 side B:
Samuels & The Kid
Legionnaires (Pt 1)
Disc 2 side A:
Legionnaires (Pt 2)
Tweety & Ralph
Rain
Hearts
Disc 2 side B:
Graveyard
Release
Disc 3 side A:
Family History
Remission
Monday, Tuesday, Sven's Day
The Count
Disc 3 side B:
Brothers
Dog Day Hospital
Disc 4 side A:
Working
Craig In Love
Disc 4 side B:
Baron Von Munchausen
Addition
The set's extras will include:
Commentary on selected episodes
"Cora & Arnie: An Outstanding Episode"
"St. Elsewhere: The Place To Be"
Tim Robbins Piece
David Morse Piece
PM Harper gets cameo on 'Corner Gas'
ROULEAU, Sask. (CP) - Prime Minister Stephen Harper used his first official trip to Saskatchewan on Tuesday to film a cameo appearance on the hit television comedy Corner Gas.
Reporters, who got wind of the prime minister's guest spot a day earlier, were kept well back and not allowed to see how he performed in front of the cameras. But producers said Harper, who has the reputation of being rather stuffy, appeared relaxed as he filmed the spot and was actually quite funny.
"He was kind of like an old pro," said Virgina Thompson, an executive producer with the show.
"It really went off without a hitch and I think everybody had a good time."
Thompson described Harper's sense of humour as "kind of dry, kind of droll" with a little bit of deadpan.
"It works well for the show, actually," she said.
"We were told by the prime minister's office that he had a sense of humour, but we thought we would wait and see and sure enough, yeah, he delivered."
In its fourth season on CTV, Corner Gas is filmed on location about 40 kilometres south of Regina in the tiny farming community of Rouleau.
Doing a Corner Gas cameo is quickly developing into a rite of passage for senior politicians.
Former prime minister Paul Martin filmed a Corner Gas scene last season and Saskatchewan Premier Lorne Calvert has also made an appearance on the show.
The episode with Harper will be broadcast sometime next spring.
Thompson was reluctant to talk about the scene, saying that would violate rules of the set.
But she did allow that it involved a press scrum with some actors posing as reporters - a tad ironic given Harper's touchy relationship with the real media in Ottawa.
"He knew his lines, he had them down pat," she said. "We had to take several different kinds of shots, but he actually never blew a line."
Fox Gears Up For "Terminator" Series Pilot
Fox Broadcasting has given the go-ahead on a pilot for The Sarah Connor Chronicles, based on the Terminator movie franchise.
Variety reports the project was green-lit partly because it's being directed by David Nutter - helmer of many successful TV pilots, including startups for Smallville, Without a Trace and Terminator director James Cameron's former Fox series, Dark Angel.
The anticipated Chronicles pilot plans to reveal events after the second film, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, when characters Sarah Connor (played by Linda Hamilton in the movies) and her teenage son, John Connor go on the run.
If successful, the subsequent series will follow the mother and future leader of the resistance against machines, as they stay on the move to avoid being found by more 'terminators' from the future.
Bloom Mocks Himself, Depp on 'Extras'
British sitcom pokes fun at actor's popularity
LOS ANGELES -- You'd think it would be easy to be confident about your appeal if you're Orlando Bloom, but on the upcoming season of Ricky Gervais' "Extras," the long-haired heartthrob from the "Lord of the Rings" and "Pirates of the Caribbean" films shows his insecure side.
"I'm a total bastard [in 'Extras']," says Bloom in an interview to promote his latest film "Haven." "I play a guy who just rips the s**t out of Johnny Depp. I sort of play like a schoolboy bastard version of myself where I'm so jealous of Johnny."
In the critically acclaimed show by the creator of "The Office," Gervais plays struggling background actor Andy Millman, who just wants to land a speaking role that will launch him into stardom, but doesn't have much luck because of his lousy agent Darren Lamb (co-creator Stephen Merchant). Fellow extra Maggie Jacobs (Ashley Jensen) is content with her limited job, since it gives her plenty of time to pursue men on set.
"And this girl Maggie is not interested in me," Bloom adds with a laugh.
"Extras" is known for its send-up of well-known actors playing themselves on the set of fictional movies and TV shoes. Last season, Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Stiller and Kate Winslet were among the big names who were happy to tarnish their image in the name of comedy. This coming season, the proposed A-list guest stars include "X-Men" star Ian McKellen, musician David Bowie and "Harry Potter" actor Daniel Radcliffe, all who encounter Andy's character on his road to success.
"I can't tell you any more than that, but it's funny," says Bloom. "I don't think I'm that funny, but the series is really funny. The rest of it, the way it's developed, it's really great. He's fantastic, Ricky, and Stephen Merchant, they both are. It was fun as all hell."
In real life, Bloom doesn't begrudge his "Pirates of the Caribbean" co-stars their success, even now that both Depp and Keira Knightley have Oscar nominations under their belts. Does Bloom feel the pressure to get a nod for his acting as well?
"No, no, no," he says. "I just enjoy making movies."
"Extras" returns to BBC2 in September, which means its stateside run on HBO shouldn't be far behind.
Universal licenses songs for free downloads on ad-supported site
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Universal Music, home to artists such as U2, The Killers and Audioslave, will make its catalog of recordings and music videos available for free on an ad-supported website launching later this year, the site's operator said Tuesday.
The two-year deal calls for New York-based SpiralFrog.com to split advertising revenue with the recording company, said Lance Ford, chief marketing and sales officer for SpiralFrog.
Users can download an unlimited number of songs or music videos if they register at the site.
The tracks cannot be burned to a CD, but users will be able to transfer music to portable media players equipped with Microsoft Windows digital rights management software, Ford said.
However, the service will not work with Apple Computer Inc.'s Macintosh computers or its market-leading iPod music players.
Offering music and video for free on ad-supported websites is not new, but such services have generally been restricted to streaming, in which music and video files are not stored on a user's computer, limiting playback to when there is an Internet connection. SpiralFrog will offer downloads, permitting playback offline and on portable devices.
SpiralFrog will require users to return to the site and renew registration at least once a month or the tracks cease to play.
The company is in talks with other major recording companies on similar deals, Ford said.
"They understand and support this ad model," he said.
Ford declined to disclose the value of the deal but said it included advance payments to Universal Music. The label declined to comment.
SpiralFrog hopes to appeal to music fans who now flock to online file-sharing services to download music and videos that are often pirated.
A beta version of the site is expected to go live in December. Initially, only computer users in the United States and Canada will be able to download content.
In May, online music service Napster Inc. began allowing visitors to Napster.com to listen to tracks five times for free on an ad-supported site it launched to lure users to its paid subscriptions.
CNN sorry for Bush speech gaffe
NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - CNN apologized Tuesday after an open mike transmitted an anchor's bathroom conversation with another woman live over the network as it was carrying President Bush's speech in New Orleans.
"Live From" anchor Kyra Phillips had apparently left the set around 12:48 p.m. EDT Tuesday for a bathroom break while the news channel carried Bush's speech marking the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Phillips' wireless microphone was turned on and picked up about a minute and a half of a muffled conversation she had with an unidentified woman where she apparently talked about her husband, laughed and talked about her brother.
"I've got to be protective of him," she said without being aware that the mic was on. "He's married, three kids, and his wife is just a control freak." CNN anchor Daryn Kagan broke into the telecast immediately afterward updating viewers on what Bush had been saying.
"CNN experienced audio difficulties during the president's speech today in New Orleans," the CNN statement read. "We apologize to our viewers and the president for the disruption."
CNN apologized to the White House on Tuesday afternoon. It wasn't clear whether it was a technical or human malfunction, and CNN, citing corporate policy, said it wouldn't comment on whether anyone would be disciplined. It seemed unlikely that anyone would.
CNN hasn't been immune to technical problems, particularly during political events. In November, a gaffe during a live speech by Vice President Dick Cheney showed an intermittent "X" on the screen. CNN apologized and fired a telephone operator who told a caller who complained that the network was exercising "free speech."
And in July 2004, viewers heard Democratic National Convention producer Don Mischer swear over an open microphone when balloons didn't immediately drop after a speech by Sen. John Kerry, the party's presidential nominee.
But some in the TV business said Tuesday that CNN should have had a system of checks and balances in place to make sure anchor's mikes are off when they're not on the air.
"It's a cardinal rule," one executive said.
NBC to mark 9/11 with Giuliani, survivors
NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - NBC and its networks will provide a full-court press of coverage on the fifth anniversary of the September 11 attacks, calling on current NBC News journalists as well as former anchor Tom Brokaw and former "Today" co-host Jane Pauley.
"Today" co-anchor Matt Lauer will broadcast live from the site of the World Trade Center and will be joined by Brokaw, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, survivors of the attacks and emergency personnel who were at the scene.
At 8 p.m. September 11, Pauley will update her "Dateline" report broadcast in 2001 on United Flight 93, which crashed in a field near Pittsburgh as passengers tried to regain control of the plane from hijackers. New interviews and audio tapes will accompany Pauley's report.
NBC will reach into the vault September 9 to replay Brokaw's "America Remembers: 9/11 Controllers" at 8 p.m. Brokaw had interviewed 20 air traffic controllers who dealt with the four hijacked planes that day. Then "Dateline" will have a special that aired in 2001 called "The Miracle of Ladder Company No. 6," a Stone Phillips report of the firefighters and an office worker who were rescued from the rubble of the World Trade Center's North Tower after it collapsed.
MSNBC will have coverage beginning September 10 with Chris Matthews anchoring from the site at 8 a.m. ET and a special live "Hardball" at 7 p.m. with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. MSNBC's "9/11: The Day That Changed America" will feature NBC coverage as it aired that day as well as interviews with former Secretary of State Colin Powell, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., and Robert Redford.
CNBC will cover the impact of the attacks on the financial community, including interviews with correspondents as well as how New York has recovered since then. Spanish-language broadcaster Telemundo will have special coverage as well.
Meanwhile, new "CBS Evening News" anchor Katie Couric will interview President Bush for an hour long primetime special that will air September 6 called "Five Years Later: How Safe Are We?" It also will feature Lara Logan, Byron Pitts, David Martin and Jim Stewart.
CBS also will air an updated version of the award-winning documentary "9/11" on Sunday evening.
ABC News hasn't formally announced its plans, though Charles Gibson will anchor a special "Primetime" on the September 11 anniversary that will begin shortly after 10 p.m. at the conclusion of the second part of ABC's four-hour miniseries "The Path to 9/11." The special will look at the country's security and also why Osama bin Laden has yet to be caught. ABC's "Good Morning America" will broadcast live from St. Paul's Chapel across from the site of the World Trade Center, and "Nightline" and "World News" also will have coverage.
Jessica Simpson told to rest her voice
NEW YORK - Talk about bad timing. At the start of a media blitz to support her new album, "A Public Affair," Jessica Simpson is on vocal rest.
"It is true that she has indeed lost her voice," Simpson's publicist, Rob Shuter, told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "She's been ordered to rest. ... She can talk, she can croak out a few sentences. She sounds a little off, but, you know, she can't sing."
Simpson, 26, fell ill Friday and has "a strain, a bruise on her vocal cord," Shuter told the AP.
The singer canceled an appearance on CBS' "Late Show With David Letterman" this week but dropped by MTV's "Total Request Live" on Tuesday to promote the album. Simpson, speaking in a hoarse voice, introduced music videos. She also signed CDs for fans.
Simpson hopes her condition improves by Friday, when she is scheduled to perform on NBC's "Today" show, Shuter said.
"She's trying," he said. "Everybody is hoping and keeping their fingers crossed."
'Wonderland' gets 14 Gemini nods
TORONTO (CP) - It was cancelled earlier this year but that didn't stop the legal drama This Is Wonderland from capturing the most Gemini Award nominations Tuesday.
The CBC drama picked up 12 nods while bio-thriller ReGenesis was second with 10. The miniseries Prairie Giant: The Tommy Douglas Story and the Fifth Estate, both CBC productions, followed with nine apiece.
The Geminis, which honour the best in Canadian television, are hitting the road this year. For the first time in its history, the award show will be held outside Toronto, with Richmond, B.C., playing host to the 21st edition on Nov. 4.
Global will broadcast the ceremony.
This Is Wonderland's nominations include best dramatic series as well as best director (Gail Harvey), best writing (George F. Walker, Dani Romain) and best actress (Cara Pifko) in a dramatic series.
Created by Walker, Romain and Bernard Zukerman, the critically acclaimed Wonderland starred Pifko as Alice De Raey, a young Toronto lawyer who has her eyes opened to the realities of practising law in the criminal courts of Old City Hall.
In February, CBC cancelled the series in its third season, citing low ratings. This Is Wonderland had been averaging 376,000 viewers when it was axed. The series finale aired on March 15.
It's not the first time a cancelled program has hauled in the most nominations. Last year, The Eleventh Hour led the pack with 15 nominations after it had been pulled by CTV.
Cancelled shows were also among the nominees at Sunday's Emmy Awards.
ReGenesis, which airs on The Movie Network, received a Gemini nomination for best dramatic series while Ken Girotti will contend for best director. Peter Outerbridge, who stars as molecular biologist David Sandstrom in the series, earned a best actor nomination.
The Movie Network's Slings and Arrows is also up for best drama as is Moccasin Flats, which airs on Aboriginal Peoples Television and Terminal City, another Movie Network show.
Other contenders for best actor in a drama are Gil Bellows for Terminal City, Nigel Bennett for CBC's At the Hotel, Nicholas Campbell for the cancelled CBC drama Da Vinci's City Hall and Mark McKinney for Slings and Arrows.
In addition to Pifko, Martha Burns of Slings and Arrows, Martha Henry of At the Hotel, Erin Karpluk of the CHUM Television's cancelled Godiva's and Andrea Menard of Moccasin Flats are also in the running for best actress in a drama.
The nominees for best comedy series are CTV's Corner Gas and Jeff Ltd., History Television's History Bites, Showcase's Kenny vs. Spenny and Naked Josh and CBC's Rick Mercer Report.
CTV and CBC dominated the TV movie category with CBC's Heyday and Intelligence and CTV's Hunt for Justice: The Louise Arbour Story, Terry, and One Dead Indian all in the running.
But CTV is absent from the news categories this year after announcing in June it was no longer participating in that area of the awards.
The nominees for best news anchor are CBC's Peter Mansbridge, Global's Kevin Newman and Norma Lee MacLeod of CBC News at Six: Halifax.
CBC's Marketplace and Fifth Estate, along with Vision TV's 360-degree Vision are nominated for best news information series while CBC's The National, CityNews at Six in Toronto and Global National are up for best newscast.
For a full list of nominees go to www.geminiawards.ca.
15 THINGS EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW
Forget "The Rules." When women are looking for tips, they don't want to know how to play hard to get - they want to know how to avoid having a double chin in pictures. Luckily, we have "How to Walk in High Heels: The Girl's Guide to Everything," a new book by British fashion journalist Camilla Morton that collects useful advice for women. Like how to send food back in a restaurant without coming across like a raving lunatic, or how to poach an egg.
She even enlisted some bold-faced friends: Manolo Blahnik tells you how to go shoe shopping, Vivienne Westwood explains how to appreciate art, and Heidi Klum gives tips on how to enhance your finer, umm, assets.
Here are 15 ways Morton says you can get ahead. And none involves making him wait to have sex.
1 How to look good in a photo
By supermodel Gisele Bundchen
The most crucial thing is lighting - you don't want it below you or above you, you want it to shine directly on you.
Learn what angles work with your face. You can practice in a passport photo booth. Tip your neck to elongate it, try different directions. Always make eye contact with the camera.
For long legs, point one leg toward the center of the frame and get the photographer to shoot looking up at your body. Keep your shoulders back.
Always have your mouth slightly open - enough to put a penny between your lips, as this will make your lips look fuller. Tilt your eyes down and look up just as the shutter is clicked for full eyes.
And, of course, delete any less-than-perfect photogenic moments - everyone has off days.
2 Dishes and scenarios to avoid on a first date:
There are the obvious ones - spaghetti, slurpy soup, corn on the cob and drenched racks of ribs. Also, try and avoid snails and other potential flying objects, blood-dripping meat and baguettes, bananas and anything that could be construed as a double entendre.
3 How to fit everything in your handbag:
It's preferable to have two bags - a Mary Poppins'-style bag that can carry everything you will need, and within it a dainty frivolous number that you can carry into dinner.
Always try to carry these bag essentials: cellphone, wallet and money (enough for coat check), a notebook (because inspiration can strike anywhere), pens or pencils for scribbling down someone's number, lipstick, perfume, a compact which can also be used for an unplanned escape ("I'm just going to powder my nose.")
You should also always have lip gloss, safety pins, sewing kit, road map, address book, diary or agenda, business cards, spare pair of shoes, Band-Aids, comb, tissues, aspirin and mints.
The evening bag can only accommodate a fraction of the all-purpose one, so streamline the contents- lipstick, mobile and keys will do.
4 How to pick a shoe by shoe designer Manolo Blahnik:
"I think you must always show some toe cleavage. Toe cleavage is very important, as it gives sexuality to the shoe. But be careful you only show the first two cracks, you don't want to give too much away - you're not that type of girl. As for the heel, honey, it's got to be high. The transformation is INSTANT. The height of the heel should depend on how dangerous you are feeling."
5 How to swim in shades:
Wearing sunglasses while you're swimming means you don't have to worry about your mascara, plus you look glamorous in the pool. To make sure they don't fall off while you're in the water, wrap an elastic band around each arm of the shades. Twist and twist and then, just before the last twist is too tight to take any more, thread a strand hair through the loop. This will "superglue" the shades to your ears and will, in theory, leave you looking like a modern-day Ursula Andress.
And, they might get wet, so don't use one of your favorite pairs. Every girl should have a few options anyways: swim shades, beach shades, shopping shades, posing shades, morning-after shades, etc.
6 How to use toilets at concert venues:
First, try to sweet-talk your way backstage and into the VIP toilets. If that doesn't work, take a deep breath, open the port-a-potty door and do not breathe in. Don't touch anything, get a friend to stand in front of the door so you don't have to lock it and risk getting trapped in the toxic coffin. And, as unladylike as this sounds, squat and pray - you're still not breathing, so be as fast as possible. When you leave, disinfect and slip your shades over your eyes as you recover from this dignity loss. Pretend it never happened.
7 How to hold court from your sickbed:
Depending on what you have, you don't always have to disappear from society. Visitors bearing gifts - like magazines, flowers and news from the outside world - can stop by if you aren't contagious.
Wear a nice, covering nightie; negligees are not suitable for receiving when sick. Light a scented candle, because even if you can smell nothing you always have to think of others, and the flickering dim light can add to the overall effect of your sick setting. And, keep the guests at a distance - you don't want to pass on the flu, nor do you want them to see how red your nose is.
8 How to dress for a funeral:
Wear black daywear; not eveningwear and never too tarty. Think demure rather than black widow- soft makeup and waterproof mascara work, too. Hats are always good but better still, a black tulle veil. Look to Jackie Kennedy at JFK's funeral or Princess Di at Versace's funeral for style advice. And take tissues - if you don't need them, someone will and handkerchiefs are unhygienic and disgusting to share.
9 How to take a decent picture:
by fashion photographer Alexi Lubomirski
Consider the whole frame; try to put the head near the top of the photo, and fill the whole shot. A head in the center of the picture could lead to images with large expanses of ceiling.
When taking someone's photo, have them slightly tip their head down. Never have them turn their head up - it'll give them a double chin. Also, don't get too close, you do not need to see every pore. And be careful of hands and feet, fold them in delicately, especially on women - anything nearest to the camera will be largest.
Always keep a camera handy. If you just take picture at Christmas or to capture a view from your window, you will never have an exciting variety of shots.
10 How to apply red lipstick and get it to stay:
First, always keep lips well moisturized and conditioned.
For extra durability, apply lipstick with a brush. Line and rim lips with a matching color lip pencil. Then, apply color to the bottom then to the top lip. Rub your lips together to ensure the color is even. Finally, blot with a tissue and softly kiss back of hand - if there's a stain, blot again.
11 What to sing at karaoke:
Girls should try to sing "I Will Survive", "Lady Marmalade" or "Baby Love." Kylie Minogue, the Bangles and Destiny's Child and other "girl" groups are also fine. Do not, however, sing any Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Christina Aguilera or Britney Spears tunes, which are surprisingly difficult. Basically, avoid anything with too many vocal Olympics.
12 How to be very busy doing nothing:
To come across as very hardworking, keen and efficient keep your desk tidy, paper sorted, Post-it notes updated, pens with tops on and your stationery drawer full.
To keep noisy people away from your desk so you have enough time to polish your nails properly, mutter under your breath (audibly) "Oh, I've got so much to do," or "Won't be able to take any time for lunch today."
Use Melanie Griffith in "Working Girl" as your inspiration.
13 How to eat alone in a restaurant:
When dining alone, you should always have a book, a notebook, a magazine and a mobile phone in your bag. You may be able to gaze off in to the sunset happily, but always have tools of distraction. The book is for pre-order and pre-food only; there's nothing more frustrating than a piece of sticky rice concealing a vital bit of vocab.
While eating, read the magazine or the paper and it will also act as a shield, protecting you from strangers who may want to catch your eye and talk to you. And, try not to drink too much. It's a horrid sight to see a lonesome diner losing clarity.
14 How to blend in at Home Depot:
Here's the deal- if you teeter in wearing the latest trends you will be in danger of alienating the staff who could assist you. In this context, high fashion can make one appear to be merely a Barbie doll. Being thought of as a bimbo is never to be encouraged. A pair of jeans, sneakers and a sweatshirt should do. You don't have to look horrid, but there is no point snagging a favorite cashmere on a shelving unit to an unappreciative audience.
And, if you're painting wear a hat or bandanna. You do not want a crown of white emulsion after the money you've invested in your cut and color. A bandana is more stylish than wearing a shower cap, which frankly will look (and feel) so dreadful you won't be able to concentrate.
15 How to talk to your tailor
by fashion designer Stella McCartney
The most important thing when going to see a tailor is to know that if you are ordering a suit you can have anything you like. You are the designer, if you like, and the suit is tailored to your mood and personality.
Ask questions and follow your fitting- does it fit under the bust? Are the shoulders tight enough or too tight? Can you move your arms? What part of your silhouette do you want to enhance? And what do you want to conceal?
After you get your suit, and if you aren't happy with it after three fittings, a tailor will keep going till it is perfect.
I recommend that you get a single-breasted jacket with two varieties of trousers, say a low-slung hipster pant and a more classic style. Women can look powerful as well as sexy in a suit; think Bianca Jagger in her white pantsuit, or Madonna.
The Couch Potato Report will return to this space again next week!
In the interim, you can hear the Reports from the past few weeks, yes you can hear them, by going to Dan's work website.
Enjoy!!
The fall music preview
It's that time again -- the time when nearly every major (and minor) musical artist has a new CD. And when the ailing music biz tries to make up for yet another year of falling profits by stacking the deck.
That means it's also time for our annual Fall Music Preview, your best (and snarkiest) guide to all the rock rolling your way in the coming months.
Start circling these release dates on your calendar -- but do it in pencil, because they can change faster than Mel Gibson's bar mitzvah plans.
September
--Audioslave: "Revelations"
A third public service announcement -- with guitars! -- from Rage Against the Soundgarden. (Sony BMG, Sept. 5)
--Beyonce: "B'Day"
When you're Beyonce, every day probably feels like your birthday. (Sony BMG, Sept. 5)
--Iron Maiden: "A Matter of Life and Death"
First single: The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg. Catchy, no? OK, no. (EMI, Sept. 5)
--Barenaked Ladies: "Barenaked Ladies Are Me"
They cut nearly 30 songs -- and will release them all in different versions and media. Somebody needs to try decaf. (Warner, Sept. 12)
--Everclear: "Welcome to the Drama Club"
Welcome to the new Everclear -- frontman Art Alexakis is the last man standing. (Universal, Sept. 12)
--Elton John: "The Captain & the Kid"
Reg and lyricist Bernie Taupin recall 1975's Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy. (Universal, Sept. 12)
--Los Lobos: "The Town and The City"
The East L.A. rockers get their Kiko freak on for this 13th CD. (Universal, Sept. 12)
--The Mars Volta: "Amputechture"
These prog-punks crank out another eight songs in 76 minutes. You do the math. (Universal, Sept. 12)
--John Mayer: "Continuum"
As long as we don't have to hear Your Body is a Wonderland ever again, we'll be happy. (Sony BMG, Sept. 12)
--Bob Seger: "Face the Promise"
Talk about a stranger in town -- this is the Detroit rocker's first new CD in 11 years. (EMI, Sept. 12)
--Justin Timberlake: "FutureSex/LoveSounds"
If there's one thing we don't want to hear, it's J.T.'s love sounds. (Sony BMG, Sept. 12)
--Yo La Tengo: "I Am Not Afraid of You, and I Will Beat Your Ass"
No more entries, please. These New Jersey indie-rockers win Album Title of the Year. (Matador, Sept. 12)
--Clay Aiken: "A Thousand Different Ways"
Too bad all of them suck. (Sony BMG, Sept. 19)
--Fergie: "The Duchess"
It can't possibly be worse than My Humps. Can it? Can it?? (Universal, Sept. 19)
--Diana Krall: "From This Moment On"
Diana does Broadway and film tunes -- then waits for the Junos to roll in. (Universal, Sept. 19)
--Sloan: "Never Hear the End of It"
The Canadian pop-rockers keep going, and going, and going. (Koch, Sept. 19)
--Tony Bennett: "Duets/An American Classic"
Elton, Elvis, Sting and more help Tony mark his 80th birthday. (Sony BMG, Sept. 26)
--Emily Haines: "Knives Don't Have Your Back"
The Metric frontwoman goes solo -- with a little help from the Broken Social Scenesters. (Last Gang, Sept. 26)
--Alan Jackson: "Like Red on a Rose"
Alison Krauss produced -- but we hear it's not a bluegrass record. Allrighty, then. (Sony BMG, Sept. 26)
--Janet Jackson: "20 Y.O."
The Y.O. stands for Years Old. In her magic mirror, perhaps. (EMI, Sept. 26)
--The Lemonheads: "The Lemonheads"
Evan Dando dumps his drug buddy to make his first Lemonheads disc in a decade. (Universal, Sept. 26)
--Sean Lennon: "Friendly Fire"
John and Yoko's beautiful boy unveils his first full-length in eight years. (EMI, Sept. 26)
--Jerry Lee Lewis: "Last Man Standing"
The Killer's return features Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, Little Richard and Mick Jagger. Whole lotta shmoozin' goin' on. (Artists First, Sept. 26)
--Paul McCartney: "Ecce Cor Meum"
Paul goes classical again. If he's smart, he got Heather to take the profits in lieu of alimony. (EMI, Sept. 26)
--Scissor Sisters: "Ta-Dah"
Elton John guests. The first single is I Don't Feel Like Dancin'. What more do you want? (Universal, Sept. 26)
--Paul Westerberg: "Open Season"
The Replacements frontman wrote songs for a kids' cartoon. No, really. (Universal, Sept. 26)
October
--Trey Anastasio: "Bar 17"
The Phisherman jams with a couple of his old bandmates on his latest solo trip. (Rubber Jungle, Oct. 3)
--Beck: "The Information"
Mutations and Sea Change producer Nigel Godrich is back; expect something even more unusual than usual. (Universal, Oct. 3)
--Lindsey Buckingham: "Under the Skin"
The Big Macster serves his first solo set since 1992. (Warner, Oct. 3)
--Evanescence: "The Open Door"
The first single is Call Me When You're Sober. Gee, wonder who that's about? (Warner, Oct. 3)
--The Hold Steady: "Boys and Girls in America"
These Brooklyn rockers' last disc was our favourite album of 2005. We expect greatness. (Universal, Oct. 3)
--Jet: "Shine On"
The Aussie rockers serve up a second helping of riff-rock. (Warner, Oct. 3)
--The Killers: "Sam's Town"
The best-dressed men in dance-rock try to create another hot fuss. (Universal, Oct. 3)
--Robert Pollard: "Normal Happiness"
It's only the second album this year from the ex-GBV frontman. Slacker. (Merge, Oct. 10)
--Rod Stewart: "Still the Same ... Great Rock Classics of Our Time"
Rod covers oldies like Bonnie Tyler's It's a Heartache. So now Rod is impersonating a Rod impersonator. (Sony BMG, Oct. 10)
--Sting: "Songs From the Labyrinth"
Hands up, anybody who wants to hear a set of 16th-century music played on the lute. Anybody? (Universal, Oct. 10)
--The Tragically Hip: "World Container"
The Canuck rockers hooked up with superstar producer Bob Rock for their latest effort. (Universal, Oct. 17)
--Diddy: "Press Play"
Hey, isn't he about due for a new name already? How about Piddy? Cuffy? (Warner, Oct. 17)
--Vince Gill: "These Days"
The Gillster is releasing four CDs of all-new material. Dude needs a hobby. (Universal, Oct. 17)
--Snoop Dogg: "Blue Carpet Treatment"
We have no idea what a blue carpet treatment is -- but we bet every white boy is gonna be saying it soon. (Universal, Oct. 17)
--Montgomery Gentry: "Some People Change"
Featuring the single: Ah Kilt a Bahr, Ah Did. (Sony BMG, Oct. 24)
--Paul Stanley: "Live to Win"
KISS's starchild makes his first solo album in 28 years. Which begs the question: Why? (Universal, Oct. 24)
--The Who: "Endless Wire"
Is there any rock fan alive who doesn't want to hear new tunes from Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey? (Universal, Oct. 23)
--Deftones: "Saturday Night Wrist"
A new disc by Chino Moreno's metal outfit, partially produced by Bob Ezrin, on Halloween? Seems right. (Warner, Oct. 31)
--Barry Manilow: "The Greatest Songs of the Sixties"
Music to break a hip to. (Sony BMG, Oct. 31)
--Meat Loaf: "Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose"
And he's headed for the buffet! Run! (EMI, Oct. 31)
--Megadeth: "United Abominations"
We liked these guys better a few years ago. When they broke up. (Universal, Oct. 31)
--Willie Nelson & Ryan Adams: "Songbird"
Is this a match made in troubadour heaven or what? (Universal, Oct. 31)
November
--Lucinda Williams: "The Knowing"
Singer-songwriter Lucinda hasn't let us down yet. Doubt she's gonna start now. (Universal, Nov. 7)
--Taylor Hicks: TBA
Guess somebody bought a bucket. (Sony BMG, Nov. 14)
--Incubus: "Light Grenades"
First they were punks. They they were alt-rockers. Then they got freaky. Who knows what's next. (Sony BMG, Nov. 21)
--Tom Waits: "Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards"
The musical mad scientist unleashes a monster: A three-disc set with 54 new songs and a couple dozen rarities. (Anti-, Nov. 21)
Gilligan's Minnow no longer lost
SS Minnow, the ill-fated vessel from the 1960s TV series Gilligan's Island, is no longer shipwrecked on "an uncharted desert isle" — but on Vancouver Island, where it's for sale.
Unlike the classic program about the luckless passengers of a stranded tour boat, you might not want to take the Minnow on a three-hour tour.
But you might be interested to know the 12-metre vessel will sleep five.
The vessel has gone on sale in Parksville, B.C., for $99,000. A website selling the boat lists the Minnow as a twin-diesel, mahogany Wheeler Express Cruiser.
It's actually one of four ships that were used during the shooting of Gilligan's Island, which aired from 1964 to 1967.
Like its fictional prototype, this Minnow also ran aground — on a reef in the Hecate Strait, which separates the Queen Charlotte Islands from the northern coast of B.C.'s mainland.
The previous owner was on his way south from Alaska.
Scotty Taylor of Parksville bought it for salvage and restored it.
But Taylor, 70, is tired of working on the boat and wants to sell it, according to a boat broker in Parksville.
The Minnow Taylor is selling was used in the opening credits of the second season.
Of the others, one boat was towed to Kauai in Hawaii for beach scenes, one was rented in Honolulu Harbour for the opening credits and one was built at CBS Studios in the second season.