The Couch Potato Report - October 31st, 2009

This week The Couch Potato Report peels some classic and new movies that will thrill and chill you this Halloweekend!!

Today is the one day of the when almost all of us love to be scared...and so, I have put together a list of new and old releases to tell you about.

And all of them are also available to watch, shiver, shake, scream, love and enjoy in high definition on Blu-ray!!

So let's get to it, with a three disc set that features one of the greatest scary movies of all time!!

THE HANNIBAL LECTER COLLECTION, featuring THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS!!

In addition to this now-classic five time Academy Award winning film, this three disc set also includes the mildily interesting 2001 Ridley Scott film HANNIBAL where Julianne Moore took over for Jodie Foster as Clarice Starling, and the 1986 Michael Mann film MANHUNTER.

It is in that latter film where we first met Hannibal Lecter.

I have always thought that MANHUNTER was a very good film, and still do. HANNIBAL is a movi ethat has some great moments, but it is ultimately a let down.

Neither of those movies come with any special features on the Blu-ray anthology THE HANNIBAL LECTER COLLECTION, but there is a wealth of bonus materials on the disc for THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS...and truth be told, that film is the main reason this set is worth owning or renting.

Eighteen years later, this film about a young FBI cadet who begins talking with a manipulative, imprisoned serial killer to gain his insight in order to catch another killer who remains on the loose, is still an incredible piece of work!

The year before THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS won their five Oscars, another horror film was a winner on Hollywood's biggest night.

In 1990, Kathy Bates won Best Actress for her role in the film adaptation of Stephen King's MISERY.

This movie remains one of the creepiest of all-time...and I love it!!

James Caan plays Paul Sheldon, a famous novelist who is "rescued" from a car crash by an obsessed fan.

Kathy Bates is Annie Wilkes.

MISERY is such a classic suspence film, that it is easy to forget that it was directed by Rob Reiner, who gave us the classic comedies THIS IS SPINAL TAP, THE PRINCESS BRIDE and WHEN HARRY MET SALLY...yet it was.

MISERY will still make you cringe...and scare you.

And on Halloween...I say enjoy!!

Now, if slasher films are more to your cinematic liking for thrills, chills, and scares, there are some of them new to blu-ray as well this all hallow's eve.

And one of the most clever films ever made in that genre remains the 1988 film CHILD'S PLAY.

Chucky is the name of the doll in this film, a doll that comes to life when the soul of a serial killer is transferred to it.

A young boy named Andy receives Chucky as a birthday present, and eventually gets the blame when Chucky seeks revenge on those who conspried against him when he was alive.

I know, it sounds idiotic, but it works...if you like this sort of film.

And I do!

CHILD'S PLAY remains a very interesting horror flick. The character of Chucky is still so popular that sequels have been coming out ever since, but none of them are as good as the original!!

If you like this sort of film.

From an entertaining film in the slasher horror genre, lets go to three now that aren't as good...although, I still don't mind the first one in the series...it isn't great, but it's alright.

When the first WRONG TURN movie came out back in 2003, the cast featuring Canadian actress Emmanuelle Chriqui from ENTOURAGE, Eliza Dushku of television's DOLLHOUSE and Jeremy Sisto - who now co-stars on LAW & ORDER, was enough to get an audience to see it.

And the story of some people who get trapped in the woods and hunted down by cannibalistic, inbred mountain men, offered some thrills and chills, but not enough for the film to be recommended to anyone who wasn't a fan of Emmanuelle Chriqui or Eliza Dushku.

Sadly, neither Emmanuelle or Eliza are in the sequels, and I doubt they could have saved them anyway.

WRONG TURN 2 - DEAD END and WRONG TURN 3 - LEFT FOR DEAD are just bad slasher films with uninteresting characters, nothing for the viewer to invest in, and too much of the mountain men.

I know some people might get some enjoyment out of the various ways people cease to exist in these films, but they don't seem to strive to be anything other than medicore, and so that is what they are.

From the WRONG TURN series, lets move now to a 1986 film that is not only new on Blu-ray, it is also brand new to DVD!

For some reason, NIGHT OF THE CREEPS had never come out on DVD until now.

And while it is not a classic by any stretch of the imagination, it is a very entertaining horror film, that is also spoof of the horror, zombie and alien invasion genres.

If you didn't see NIGHT OF THE CREEPS when it first came out, or soon thereafter on video, I don't think you'll like it as it is very dated to the 80s.

BUT, if you remember it from your youth, when you and your friends used to get together on or around Halloween to sit and watch horror films, like I do, then maybe it will bring back some good memories.

Of either the film, or your friends.

This next horror film I have for you starts off slow and dramatic, and then gets disturbing, and disgusting, and gross.

If you like slow and methodical Japanese horror films, then you must see AUDITION!!

Takashi Miike is the director of this movie about a widower who agrees to have a friend offer women the chance to audition for him.

But the role the women are auditioning for is not for a movie, but to become the widower's new wife.

Then, the women who he likes, turns out to be the exact opposite of what she appears to be.

AUDITION is a movie that gets so disturbing by the end, that some people won't be able to finish it.

I won't call it a classic film...but I will give it marks for being clever.

And I said clever, not cleaver!

If you fancy a classic literary tale this Halloweekend, you be better served to read the book of MARY SHELLEY'S FRANKENSTEIN, however there are several cinematic options as well...specifically the Kenneth Branagh's 1994 version, starring Robert De Niro as The Creature.

While I admire this movie, and lik ethe cast that also includes Tom Hulce, Helena Bonham Carter, Aidan Quinn, Ian Holm and John Cleese, I always found Branagh's version of this immortal story to be stiff. It looks good, sounds good, is stylish, acted well, and all of that...but the end result is nothing special.

However, I know that there are people who do love and admire this version of MARY SHELLEY'S FRANKENSTEIN, and so now you have it to enjoy, in glorious high definition !!

Another film from the mid-ninties that I always found a bit stiff and I never cared for it is THE CRAFT.

Witches are big this time of year, so perhaps your coven will gather around a television tonight to watch this 1996 movie about teenage witches who conjure up various spells and curses against those who even slightly anger them.

The cast of THE CRAFT includes Canadian actress Neve Campbell, who I will always be a huge fan of, and Robin Tunney who currently stars on the TV show THE MENTALLIST, and it isn't the worst film I have ever seen, I have just never liked it.

But then again, I am not a teenage witch, so maybe I'm not supposed to.

Finally this week is the newest of all the films...TRICK R TREAT was just released on DVD and Blu-ray, although it was originally slated to come out in October of 2007.

TRICK R TREAT take the Creepshow/Tales from the Crypt approach to telling stories with four interwoven tales that all take place on Halloween.

TRICK R TREAT features lots of unexpected twists and turns, and I liked that part of it, but there is some bad here...so while I can't fully recommend it...I think it is a pretty good rental for a day like today.

TRICK R TREAT, THE CRAFT, MARY SHELLEY'S FRANKENSTEIN, WRONG TURNS 01-02-03, AUDITION, NIGHT OF THE CREEPS, CHILD'S PLAY, MISERY and THE HANNIBAL LECTER COLLECTION with MANNHUNTER, THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS and HANNIBAL are all available on Blu-ray and DVD for your Halloween viewing "pleasure".

Coming up tomorrow morning on the next Couch Potato Report

Since today was all about Halloween releases, I will tell you about the newest releases available, including Atom Egoyan's latest ADORATION, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA - THE PLAN, ICE AGE - DAWN OF THE DINOSAURS, and THE BLU RAY BEACON shines it's light on the 40th Anniversary Edition of EASY RIDER.

I'm Dan Reynish. I'll have more on those, and some other releases, in less than twenty-four hours, tomorrow morning at around 8:45 am

For now, that's this week's COUCH POTATO REPORT.

Enjoy the movies and I'll see you back here next time on The Couch!

Theron revs up for 'Mad Max 4'

The Mad Max franchise has a new big name star - Charlize Theron.

The Oscar-winner has signed up to appear in Mad Max: Fury Road, which will see Brit Tom Hardy taking over the role made famous by Mel Gibson.

Director George Miller will start shooting next summer in Australia, according to Daily Variety.

The film will be the first Mad Max movie in over 20 years.

It won't be Theron's only upcoming post-apocalyptic new movie - she also plays Viggo Mortensen's desperate partner in the movie adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's The Road.

Jackman opts out of Oscarcast gig

While speculation is running high on who'll host the Oscars, one name that can be crossed off the list is Hugh Jackman.

The thesp, who's starring on Broadway with Daniel Craig in the drama "A Steady Rain," quietly turned down the job within the past few weeks, sources said.

Jackman drew praise for his first Oscar hosting gig in February under producer Laurence Mark and exec producer Bill Condon. He may take on hosting duties again in the future, but it's understood that he didn't want to do the show two years in a row.

Once his Broadway run ends, Jackman will take time off and prepare for "The Real Steel," the Shawn Levy-directed DreamWorks drama that will begin production in the spring.

The 82nd annual Academy Awards, to be held March 7, will be produced by Bill Mechanic and Adam Shankman.

Foo Fighters mark 15 years with hits set, VH1 show

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Almost 15 years ago, former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl quietly circulated among his friends copies of a demo tape on which he did all the singing and played all the instruments.

He considered the project "a goof," and he dubbed it "Foo Fighters" because he wanted people to think it was a real band, "like the Ramones or the Pixies," he recalled at a taping of VH1's "Storytellers" series on Wednesday.

That would have been the end of the story. But the tape inevitably ignited a bidding war among record labels, all desperate to release the first music from the Nirvana camp since the suicide of frontman Kurt Cobain in 1994.

Grohl assembled a real band with three musicians, signed with Capitol Records, and officially released the demo tape -- still dubbed "Foo Fighters" -- in July 1995.

Fast-forward past seven hit albums to next week, when the band will release its first compilation, simply titled "Greatest Hits." The 16-track RCA Records set also boasts two new tracks, "Wheels" and "Word Forward," both of which were unveiled at the "Storytellers" taping.

A deluxe version includes a 21-track DVD. Music videos have been good for the Foo Fighters, a showcase for their self-effacing sense of humor. Grohl recounted that the Mentos-themed clip for 1995's "Big Me" led to the band being pelted by the sweets every time it played the song.

He also mimicked a fey flight attendant's snooty reaction to the band's Grammy-winning video for 1999's "Learn To Fly," in which Grohl plays said character, among many others.

GOOD TIMES, BAD TIMES

The "Storytellers" episode featuring Foo Fighters will air on the music cable network in November 27. The voluble Grohl, the band's singer/guitarist, warned his audience at the outset that "the microphone is my friend," and shared lengthy anecdotes between renditions of 13 songs.

The intimate setting on a Sony Pictures studio soundstage allowed for some back-and-forth with the audience, including 24-year-old fan John Clanton who helpfully pointed from his second-row berth that some stray mucus was hanging from Grohl's nose. A roadie scurried over with a box of tissues, but Grohl had gratefully wiped it away already.

Amid the hilarity, there were some serious moments. Grohl recalled that the 2002 song "Times Like These" was written after the band almost broke up.

"Things got kinda weird and it got kinda difficult and we actually had to step back from the band," he said.

But the hiatus proved even more uncomfortable, and the bandmates found that absence made their hearts grow fonder.

Things got a little uncomfortable for the audience when Grohl said fatherhood enabled him to open up more emotionally when writing songs.

"When I write a love song or something I know what love means now that I'm a dad," he said. Some female fans gasped some heartfelt "aws!," Grohl realized he was slipping into Hallmark-card territory and uttered a humorous expletive.

He saved the best for last, a version of the band's most-loved song, "Everlong," which appears on the hits album in both electric and acoustic forms.

"I honestly think that if it weren't for this song we probably wouldn't still be here because it opened up so many doors for us, melodically, dynamically," Grohl said.

He dedicated the electrified "Storytellers" version to Bob Dylan, after recounting perhaps the greatest highlight of his time in the Foo Fighters.

The band opened for Dylan in 2006, and Grohl recalled being nervously ushered into the rock legend's presence backstage at a hockey arena in Canada.

After some light banter, Dylan said to him, "Man, what's that song that you guys got?" and recited some lyrics. Grohl replied that it was "Everlong," and Dylan said, "Well, you gotta show that to me. I wanna start doing that song."

Dylan does not yet appear to have covered "Everlong," but Grohl was clearly chuffed by the exchange. He summarized his reaction to the "Storytellers" audience: "You know what? I'm done."

For Clanton, the nasally observant fan, the taping marked his 14th Foo Fighters show. "No artist out there engages the audience the way Dave Grohl does," he said.

Could 'This Is It' win an Oscar?

LOS ANGELES – Sony thinks its new Michael Jackson documentary could be a contender for best picture.

Spokesman Steve Elzer said Thursday that the studio will submit "Michael Jackson's This Is It" for Academy Awards consideration this year.

It missed the deadline to be considered for a 2009 documentary Oscar, but the film about the late King of Pop's preparations for a series of comeback concerts will be eligible in several other categories at the Academy Awards, including sound, film editing, director and best picture.

"This Is It" opened worldwide Wednesday and has already earned $20.1 million at the box office, along with praise from critics and fans who say it restores Jackson's reputation as a world-class entertainer.

Director Kenny Ortega, a longtime Jackson collaborator who was overseeing his concert comeback, crafted the nearly two-hour film from more than 100 hours of footage recorded during rehearsals for the London shows, which were to have begun in July. Jackson died June 25 at age 50.

"What we did here was focus on telling a good story and creating a film for the fans really enabling them to understand what Michael Jackson had dreamed for them," Ortega said Wednesday.

He added it was his hope "the audience for this film will grow and that as many people come to see it as possible because I think that it's a wonderful story about a brilliant man. ... Awards, Oscars, that's all great wishful thinking."

It may be more than wishful, said Steven Gaydos, executive editor of the Hollywood trade paper Variety and a self-described cynic. With the Academy Awards best-picture slate expanded to 10 films this year rather than the traditional five, "This Is It" could find itself among the contenders, he said.

To qualify, the film must complete a seven-day run in Los Angeles County and filmmakers would need to "submit the proper paperwork," said Leslie Unger, spokeswoman for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which puts on the Oscars.

Sony, which paid $60 million for the global film rights, plans to keep "This Is It" in theaters for just over two weeks. Elzer said the studio will submit it for consideration for best picture "and other appropriate categories." He wouldn't specify which ones.

Entering it in the Oscar race this year means "This Is It" cannot be considered in the documentary category next year.

The movie includes plenty of music, but none of it is eligible for Oscar consideration because it wasn't created specifically for the film.

Ortega, a veteran director, producer and choreographer who counts TV's "High School Musical" among his credits, could also find himself in contention for a best-director nod, Gaydos said.

"He did a masterful job putting this whole thing together," he said. "It was so powerful and interesting, so creative and well-done, I think he should be considered... Kenny just won over all these critics like me with Michael Jackson that anything interesting could go on with this guy."

The film can't be considered for a Golden Globe. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which puts on the annual ceremony, doesn't permit feature documentaries to enter, said spokesman Michael Russell.

Ortega said an Oscar nod would be a fitting recognition of Jackson's last work.

"He deserves one," he said. "Come on people."

Spade defends Chris Farley TV ad

Fans of late funnyman Chris Farley are outraged by a new satellite TV ad, which features scenes from the larger-than-life comedian's Tommy Boy movie.

The comic's co-star and friend David Spade revamps the scenes by speaking direct to the camera and plugging DirecTV's service.

Spade says, "I'm here with tons of fun when I could be watching DirecTV," as Farley dances in front of him.

Fans of the heavyweight star, who died from a drug overdose in 1997, are refusing to see the funny side, calling the commercial "distasteful" and "stupid".

Spade has responded in a statement, which reads, "When DirecTV came to me and the Farley family with this idea... we talked and thought it would be a cool way to remind people just how funny Chris was.

"It is a clever homage to a friend and a movie that we loved doing."

A spokesman for DirecTV adds, "We should look to Chris' family and friends for the ultimate opinion on this subject."

Souped up Series as Phillies and Yankees get ready

NEW YORK – Even before the first pitch, this World Series seems souped up.

Stocked full of honed home run hitters, powerful pitchers and frenzied fans — plus a fast-talking shortstop fond of forecasting future results — the New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies generated a Fall Classic of talk ahead of Wednesday night's opener.

"I think we mirror each other," Yankees star Alex Rodriguez said Tuesday. "They have switch-hitters, just like us. They have power, just like us."

So let the mighty matchup begin: Philadelphia, defending just its second World Series title, against the moneyed, much-admired and much-hated team that often sets baseball's standards for success and excess.

"Obviously they have a lot of the star power in their lineup and all the hype that goes along with being Yankees," Ryan Howard said. "We're from Philadelphia."

New York may be a heavy favorite in Las Vegas, but players on both sides predict a close Series, perhaps ending a record run of five straight that have ended in sweeps or five games.

Both teams worked out Tuesday in the mist of $1.5 billion new Yankee Stadium, where two freshly painted logos were in foul territory in honor of the ballpark's first World Series. Still standing across the street, covered in black mesh as if a ghost, is its 86-year-old predecessor, awaiting demolition after hosting a record 100 Series games.

CC Sabathia, 3-0 with a 1.19 ERA in his first postseason with the Yankees, starts Wednesday night for New York against former Cleveland teammate Cliff Lee, 2-0 with an 0.74 ERA for the Phillies. The latest-opening World Series ever, one that will stretch into November for only the second time, begins with a rematch of the April 16 ballpark opener, won by the Indians 10-2.

"It's going to be a lot of fun," Sabathia said.

George Steinbrenner, New York's 79-year-old owner, was expected at the stadium he built for the first time since opening day. First Lady Michelle Obama also planned to be on hand in a celebrity-filled crowd wondering whether the Yankees are on the way to a 27th title — and first since 2000.

Teammates 16 months ago, Lee and Sabathia texted each other often in the runup. Sabathia won the 2007 AL Cy Young Award with the Indians, and was followed by Lee last year.

"I think we made each other better," Lee said. "We helped each other out as far as how we thought we should approach certain teams and just what's the best frame of mind to have on the mound and stuff."

Pedro Martinez — the former Red Sox star — starts Game 2 for the Phillies against A.J. Burnett, and that should really juice up the crowd. Ever since he strangely said "I just tip my hat and call the Yankees my daddy" following a 2004 loss at Fenway Park, chants of "Who's your daddy?" have boomed through the Bronx whenever he's pitched.

While most players practiced protestations of humility, Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins attracted attention with a brash boast.

"Of course we're going to win," the 2007 NL MVP said on "The Jay Leno Show" on Monday night. "If we're nice we'll let it go six, but I'm thinking five. Close it out at home."

The Yankees responded with a verbal pie to the face.

"He's been Nostradamus, that's what I heard," catcher Jorge Posada said. "He's been (making) a lot of good predictions, so we've got to take that away from him."

Rollins had forecast the Yankees and Phillies would meet in the Series. Before the 2007 season, he said the Phillies and not the Mets were the team to beat in the NL East.

"That's just Jimmy," Howard said. "Obviously, with those comments, you know here in Yankee Stadium, you know they're going to be all over him. And you know what? He wants that. He relishes that moment."

With Howard and Rodriguez, this will be only the second Series with two former season home runs leaders since 1975's faceoff between Cincinnati's Johnny Bench and Boston's Carl Yastrzemski, according to STATS LLC. The other was in 1989's Earthquake Series, when Oakland's Bash Brothers of Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire swept San Francisco and Kevin Mitchell.

No player in the major leagues has been scrutinized more than A-Rod, a postseason star following a scandalous spring training that included a steroid admission and hip surgery.

And Howard has carried the defending champion Phillies every bit as much as Rodriguez has propelled the Yankees to their first Series appearance since 2003 — and the first of his career.

"Ryan, along with his power, he's also become a great hitter," Rodriguez said. "And that's bad news for the National League and bad news for us."

The 34-year-old Rodriguez already has succeeded Reggie Jackson as the favorite Yankees target of wannabe amateur psychologists, who try to analyze past playoff flops and his relationships with Madonna last year and Kate Hudson this season. Now he wants to follow Mr. October as a champion.

A three-time AL MVP, he entered the first round against Minnesota hitting .136 (8 for 59) in the postseason dating to 2004 and was hitless in 18 consecutive playoff at-bats with runners in scoring position.

What a change.

He led the Yankees with a .438 average, five homers and 12 RBIs in series victories over the Twins and Los Angeles Angels, hitting tying home runs in the seventh, ninth and 11th innings.

"I think everyone is looking for a profound answer," he said, "and I don't have one."

Peter Gabriel back in studio

Singer Peter Gabriel is eyeing a return to the spotlight - he's set to release his first album for seven years in 2010.

The former Genesis frontman has teamed up with a number of artists to record versions of their hits for Scratch My Back, a completely acoustic project recorded without guitars or drums.

The collaborators have reciprocated by covering one of Gabriel's tracks for the disc.

Composer John Metcalfe, who has helped produce some of the the songs, insists fans will be surprised by the star's orchestral reinterpretations.

In a post on Gabriel's official website, Metcalfe writes, "I'm not allowed to say who, just yet, but there are some very, very famous singers and bands involved. It sounds amazing, even though I say it myself. It is literally Peter with an orchestra, sometimes the orchestra is quite large, then there are some more chamber music-style, sparse songs.

"But the songs are not simply covers, they are quite major reinterpretations of some famous stuff. It's quite radical and we're hoping that people really get it and enjoy it. There are some all time great singer-songwriters and bands, and then there are some bands that are very, very well known from the last 10 years, and one or two more recent bands and singers as well. There should be something in there for everybody."

Ex-Letterman writer claims hostile environment

LOS ANGELES – A former writer for David Letterman said she quit his NBC talk show in part because of alleged sexual favoritism and a hostile work environment.

Nell Scovell, writing for Vanity Fair online Tuesday, said she had no intention of filing a lawsuit and wasn't seeking revenge.

"I wanted to shine a light on gender inequality in that particular workplace," Scovell, who went on to a successful Hollywood career, said in a telephone interview.

In the Vanity Fair article, Scovell said Letterman didn't "hit on her" during her roughly five-month stint with NBC's "Late Night with David Letterman" in 1990.

"Did he pay me enough extra attention that it was noted by another writer? Yes. Was I aware of rumors that Dave was having sexual relationships with female staffers? Yes," Scovell wrote.

Other high-level male employees were having sexual relationships with female staffers as well, she alleges, and the women gained professional benefits from those relationships.

"Did that make me feel demeaned? Completely. Did I say anything at the time? Sadly, no," wrote Scovell, whose credits include writing for the series "Coach" and "Monk" and creating "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch." She's also produced and directed.

Letterman, who moved to CBS in 1993 for "Late Show," has admitted to workplace affairs that led to an alleged blackmail plot.

Officials from Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants, Inc., declined to comment Tuesday on Scovell's article.

CBS News producer Robert J. "Joe" Halderman has pleaded not guilty to trying to extort $2 million from Letterman to keep some of the comedian's sexual affairs quiet.

Scovell wrote she doesn't intend to seek legal action. Instead, she said, she wants to call attention to the complete lack of women writers on all talk shows, whether hosted by Letterman or NBC's Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien.

"I don't want compensation. I don't want revenge. I don't want Dave to go down (oh, grow up, people). I just want Dave to hire some qualified female writers and then treat them with respect. And that goes for Jay and Conan, too," she wrote.

She quit Letterman's NBC show, Scovell wrote, because she saw "I was not going to thrive professionally in that workplace. And although there were various reasons for that, sexual politics did play a major part."

When Letterman asked why she was leaving the New York-based show, she says she considered telling him the truth but balked because his "rumored mistress" was within earshot. Instead, Scovell writes, she told him she missed Los Angeles.

"You're welcome back anytime," Scovell recalls Letterman telling her.

Final choices revealed in Canadian Song Quest

CBC Radio 2 has revealed the Canadian locations that are to be immortalized in song and the singers who are to write about them in its Great Canadian Song Quest.

Canadians voted for their favourite places online, choosing the final 13 locations that were revealed Monday.

Among the wonders to be immortalized are the Tuktoyaktuk Pingos, small cone-shaped hills caused by permafrost in the Northwest Territories; Singing Sand Beach, a P.E.I. beach whose sands squeak as you walk along them; and Alberta's Badlands, a carved prairie landscape where dinosaur bones have been found.

There are also two great wilderness parks on the list — Algonquin in Ontario and Gros Morne in Newfoundland.

Canadians also helped choose the 13 singer-songwriters who will write songs about these places over the next four weeks, winnowing it down from a list of 65 Canadian artists.

The places and the singers who will write about them are:

Tofino, B.C, by alt-country singer, Oh Susanna.

Hoodoos/Badlands of Alberta, by alt-country singer Jay Sparrow.

Good Time Charlie's at The Plains, Sask., by acoustic group The Deep Dark Woods.

Waskada, Man., by singer-songwriter Chantal Kreviazuk.

Algonquin Park, Ont., by rock-hip hop artist Hawksley Workman.

The Black Sheep Inn, Quebec, by singer-songwriter Martha Wainwright.

Hopewell Rocks of New Brunswick, by jazz-folk artist David Myles.

Singing Sand Beach, P.E.I., by singer-songwriter Catherine MacLellan.

The Cabot Trail, N.S., by rocker Joel Plaskett.

Gros Morne National Park, N.L., by alt-rockers Hey Rosetta!

Tuktoyaktuk Pingos, N.W.T., by blues-roots singer Dana Sipos.

Dawson City, Yukon., by singer-songwriter Kim Barlow.

The Road to Nowhere, Nunavut, by rocker Lucie Idlout.

On Nov. 23, all 13 new original songs will be revealed on Radio 2 Morning and Drive on CBC Radio 2.

Springsteen cancels show after roadie's death

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Bruce Springsteen canceled a performance in Kansas City after his cousin and road crew member died.

The death of 36-year-old Lenny Sullivan was announced in a statement on Springsteen's Web site.

Sullivan was found dead at Kansas City's Intercontinental Hotel hours before Springsteen and the E Street Band were to take the stage Monday night.

Kansas City police spokesman Capt. Rich Lockhart said officers were investigating the death, although he said it was not suspicious.

The Sprint Center arena said tickets would be refunded.

Ricky Gervais will host the Golden Globes

After stand-out guest appearances at several recent award shows, Ricky Gervais is going to try his hand as host of the Golden Globes in January.

The Golden Globes have not had a host since 1995, but Gervais will oversee the 2010 ceremony, which NBC will be airing live from coast-to-coast on Sunday, January 17 from the Beverly Hilton.

"Not only is this the biggest Hollywood celebration of the industry which includes both film and TV, but also an environment where I feel I can get free reign as a host. I have resisted many other offers like this, but there are just some things you don't turn down," Gervais explains in NBC's press release.

Indeed, Gervais' name has regularly been tossed out as a possible host for both the Emmys and Oscars in recent years after successful presenting stints on both shows.

"We are delighted to have Ricky Gervais as the host on our show," says Philip Berk, President of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. "He'll bring his unique brand of humor and charm to what will continue to be a fast paced award show."

Gervais won a Golden Globe in 2004 for his work on the original British "The Office" and picked up a second nod in 2008 for "Extras." He has Emmy wins for "Extras" and in his capacity as executive producer on the American "Office." On the big screen Gervais recently starred in "The Invention of Lying," which also marked his feature debut as a writer-director.

"Ricky is certainly one of the funniest people on the planet and has provided some of the most hilarious and memorable awards show moments in recent memory," states Paul Telegdy, Executive Vice President, Alternative Programming, NBC and Universal Media Studios. "His unique comedic style will enhance the only awards show that brings together television and film stars to celebrate entertainment's biggest night of the year."

Nominations for the 67th Annual Golden Globes will be announced at 8 a.m. ET on Tuesday, December 15.

The Couch Potato Report - October 24th, 2009

This week The Couch Potato Report peels the first film that I ever saw, a great television show, and some dead snow.

I don't think I have ever really talked about this before, but the very first film I ever saw was WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY.

At the time, I didn't know that it was a movie based on Roald Dahl's classic book CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE factory, I just knew that my sister got to do something I didn't, and so I wanted to go to the movies too!!

I was six.

The film showed at The Odeon Theatre in Trenton, Ontario, a theatre that is still open...although it is called The Centre theatre now.

I sat in that theatre and watched the film that day, and loved it. To this day I still love it!

This week, I was able to see it clearer than I ever had before, as it is now available on Blu-ray, in high definition.

So, come with me, won't you, and I'll review a movie for you...a movie, about pure imagination.

WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY was first released in 1971 and it stars Gene Wilder in the title role of a candy man who rarely ventures out in public.

Then - one day - he surprises everyone by announcing that he will be opening his factory to five lucky winners who find golden tickets inside his candy.

Charlie Bucket is a boy from a poor family who finds a ticket and decides to take his Grandpa Joe on the tour with him.

WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY features superb visuals, a fun story with some interesting lessons, and some great characters and songs.

It remains one of my favourite movies of all time, and I am sure I will always love it. After all, they say you never forget your first.

Yes, WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY was the first film I ever saw, and the first comic book superhero that I ever read featured Batman...and Superman was in the second one.

I only bring that up because the two heroes are on screen together these days in a brand new film called SUPERMAN/BATMAN: PUBLIC ENEMIES.

This animated release is based on the six-issue comic-book arc by Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuiness and finds the two on the run from the law with a bounty on their heads...after they are framed by Lex Luthor...who is now the President of the United States.

SUPERMAN/BATMAN: PUBLIC ENEMIES is a very faithful adaptation of the comic books, and it is pretty good. The primary audience is for people who like the comic books, so if that isn't you, stay away.

If it is...enjoy!!

Up next is a spectacular 16-DVD-Box Set for a television show that ran from 1986 to 1990.

Folks, IT'S GARRY SHANDLING'S SHOW!

This show was never a mainstream hit, and probably won't be now either, with the entire series available on one big box set.

However, if you remember it, enjoyed THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW or just love the comedy of Garry Shandling, then this set is a must have!

IT'S GARRY SHANDLING'S SHOW is about a single man who is a comedian, but it set itself apart from traditional sitcoms because Garry would break the fourth wall to include the studio audience and the viewers at home in on the storylines and the making of the show itself.

In addition to the 72 episodes of the show, IT'S GARRY SHANDLING'S SHOW - THE COMPLETE SERIES also features some great bonus materials.

There are six Featurettes With Cast, Crew and Writers, Episode Outtakes, Promos, Commentaries and much more!!

This is a great set for a great show, and I am very happy that it is now available on DVD!!

Up next this week is a film called DEAD SNOW that is absurd fun!

It is a movie from Norway, and the studio's synopsis says it all...so I will just read it to you:

"A ski vacation turns horrific for a group of medical students, as they find themselves confronted by an unimaginable menace: Nazi zombies."

Yes, zombie nazi's!!

DEAD SNOW is a 100% guilty pleasure, and really only for zombie movie fans only, but if that is you...enjoy this one my friend!

Enjoy!!

From nazi zombies, let's move now to NATURAL BORN KILLERS as THE BLU RAY BEACON shine's it's light this week on THE DIRECTOR'S CUT of Oliver Stone's 1994 film.

Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis play traveling serial killers who become television celebrities when a tabloid journalist played by Robert Downey Jr. begins to focus on them.

I think NATURAL BORN KILLERS is a great film, and the DIRECTOR'S CUT is my preferred version...and in High Definition on Blu-ray it also comes with some spectacular retrospective features...and so now this is my preferred way to watch it.

Finally this week, a very entertaining semi-documentary that actually features natural born killers...dinosaurs!

DINOSAURS ALIVE! is a great family film that allows us to follow some paleontologists as they uncover some dinosaur finds in the dunes of the Gobi Desert and along the sandstone buttes of New Mexico.

The film uses animation to re-create the dinosaurs along with documentary footage of the people searching for their fossils and it is all narrated by Michael Douglas.

DINOSAURS ALIVE is a very entertaining release and I highly recommend it.

DINOSAURS ALIVE!, THE DIRECTOR'S CUT of NATURAL BORN KILLERS, SUPERMAN/BATMAN: PUBLIC ENEMIES and WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY are available on Blu-ray and DVD.

DEAD SNOW and IT'S GARY SHANDLING'S SHOW - THE COMPLETE SERIES are both available now only on DVD.

Coming up on the next Couch Potato Report…IT'S HALLOWEEN!!

So I will tell you about some horror, suspence and thrillers that are out there for us all to enjoy!

Like THE HANNIBAL LECTER COLLECTION, MISERY, NIGHT OF THE CREEPS, TRICK R TREAT, AUDITION, WRONG TURN, MARY SHELLEY'S FRANKENSTEIN, THE CRAFT, ORPHAN and CHILD'S PLAY.

I'm Dan Reynish. I'll have more on those, and some other releases, in seven days...and all the latest new releases on DVD and Blu-ray again in eight days.

For now, that's this week's COUCH POTATO REPORT.

Enjoy the movies and I'll see you back here next time on The Couch!

Goodfellas Returning to Blu-ray

Warner Home Video is prepping a 20th Anniversary Edition of Goodfellas for Blu-ray Disc with a February 16, 2010 release date per Home Media Magazine.

The revered mobster drama starring Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco and Paul Sorvino was originally released January 17, 2007 on Blu-ray Disc. This new edition comes just over 3 years later.

The anniversary upgrade will see a bump up to Digibook packaging with a 34-page booklet and the following bonus features:

- Commentary with Martin Scorsese
- Commentary with ex-gangster Henry Hill and ex-FBI agent Edward McDonald
- Public Enemies: The Golden Age of the Gangster Film documentary
- Three cast and crew documentaries
- Trailers
- Four Warner Bros. mob-themed cartoons

Goodfellas: 20th Anniversary Edition on Blu-ray has an SRP of $34.99. Pre-order information and cover art will be available in the near future.

Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs announced already!

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has already announced a release date for the animated movie Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs, bringin the film to DVD in January.

“Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” tells the story of an eccentric wannabe scientist, Flint Lockwood. His latest contraption is a miraculous device designed to solve the world hunger crisis. But when Flint bites off more than he can chew, he sets in motion a global disaster of epic proportions. Based on the #1 best-selling book by Judi and Ron Barrett.

Arriving as a 2-disc DVD set, the release will feature an anamorphic widescreen presentation of the movie,with Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. The release will contain a Commentary Track with Bill Hader as well as the Featurettes ”A Recipe for Success: The Making of Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs” and ”Key Ingredients: The Voices of Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs”. Also look for Extended Scenes and Early Development Scenes, as well as Progression Reels with Introductions by Visual Effects Supervisor Rob Bredow.

The release will further come with a Sing-A-Long for "Raining Sunshine", as well as the “Raining Sunshine” Music Video and a Behind the Scenes Featurette of Miranda Cosgrove's "Raining Sunshine" Music Video. The DVD set is rounded out by Flint's Food Fight Game.

“Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs” will be in stores on January 5 for $34.95. A blu-Ray version has not yet been announced but wil most likely become available around the same time. We will keep you posted, of course, as new information comes in.

U2 returns to Toronto July 3

More U2 shows are on the horizon for North American fans.

With their current tour set to wrap up on Wednesday in Vancouver, the Irish rockers have announced another stadium trek in 2010.

The band will hit Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium on June 23 and Toronto's Rogers Centre on July 3.

U2 will also perform in Montreal on July 16, with the venue still to be determined.

The band is touring in support of "No Line on the Horizon," which has been certified double platinum in Canada since its February release.

Tickets go on sale for the shows in Toronto and Edmonton on Nov. 2.

New CD Releases, Oct. 27: R.E.M., Tegan & Sara, The Swell Season, Brian McKnight, Pink Martini and more.

R.E.M. "Live at the Olympia" (Warner Bros.)

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame act follows last year's acclaimed studio set "Accelerate" with a live offering. "Live at Olympia" is the second official concert release of the Athens, GA, band's nearly 30-year career--the first was 2007's "R.E.M. Live." Oddly, both albums were recorded in Dublin, Ireland.

Culled from a five-night residency at the Irish theater in 2007, "Live at the Olympia" features 39 tracks and is available as both a double-CD and as a CD/DVD combo (complete with concert and backstage footage). At that small-venue stand, R.E.M. was road-testing material for "Accelerate"--thus it's no surprise that many of the "Accelerate" tracks make the cut on "Live at the Olympia."

The set also includes two new songs not included on "Accelerate"--"On the Fly" and "Staring Down the Barrel of the Middle Distance." The rest of the track listing is made up of songs from earlier R.E.M. albums, including "Murmur," "Reckoning" and "Life's Rich Pageant."

In related R.E.M. news, a 60-minute documentary film of the band's same run in Ireland--titled "This Is Not A Show: Live at the Olympia in Dublin"--is being screened in select towns across the US through Nov. 5. A complete list of screening dates can be found at R.E.M.'s website (www.remhq.com).

* * *
Tegan and Sara "Sainthood" (Sire)

Canada's twin-sister singer/songwriters are set to release their sixth studio album, which follows 2007's "The Con." "Sainthood" was produced by Howard Redekopp and Death Cab for Cutie's Chris Walla, and its first single is the track "Hell."

The sisters will support "Sainthood" with a 25-date North American tour that kicks off early next year and runs into early April. The group also has album-release shows set in Los Angeles (10/26) and New York City (10/30-31).

Tegan and Sara also plan to release a three-book set, titled "On, In, At," in conjunction with "Sainthood." The books chronicle different time periods from the band members' lives: the 2008 US national tour, the 2009 Australian tour and a joint writing session in New Orleans for "Sainthood."

* * *
The Swell Season "Strict Joy" (Anti)

The Oscar-winning outfit, which claimed the Academy Award for Best Original Song for its track "Falling Slowly" in 2008, is back with its third album. The duo--Frames frontman Glen Hansard and Czech vocalist/pianist Marketa Irglova--was last heard on the gold-certified 2007 set "Once," the soundtrack for the indie film of the same name that featured the pair acting opposite one another in the lead roles. That was also the soundtrack that produced "Falling Slowly."

The Swell Season will support "Strict Joy" with a month-long headlining jaunt through North America. The 25-city trek kicks off with a Nov. 1 performance in Milwaukee, WI, and concludes with a Dec. 5 concert in Minneapolis, MN.

* * *
Brian McKnight "Evolution of a Man" (Koch)

The R&B star, whose previous outing was the 2008 holiday offering "I'll Be Home for Christmas," is back with "Evolution of a Man." The disc, produced by McKnight, features collaborations with Jill Scott and Stevie Wonder. The first single from "Evolution of a Man" is the track "What I've Been Waiting For."

* * *
Pink Martini "Splendor in the Grass" (Heinz)

The Portland, OR-based lounge-music ensemble--a self-described "little orchestra"--returns with a follow-up to 2007's "Hey Eugene!" The 12-member group, which includes vocalist China Forbes and is led by artistic director/pianist Thomas Lauderdale, also released a concert DVD, "Discover the World: Live in Concert," earlier this year.

* * *
More new releases:
The Blind Boys of Alabama, "Duets" (Time Life)
Gorgoroth, "Quantos Possunt Ad Satanitatem Trahunt" (Regain)
Euge Groove, "Sunday Morning" (Shanachie)
Sarah Lee Guthrie & Family, "Go Waggaloo" (Smithsonian)
Darcy James Argue's Secret Society, "Infernal Machines" (New Amsterdam)
Stan Kenton, "Kenton Rarities" (DRG)
B.B. King, Albert King, Earl King, Freddie King, "The Four Kings of Blues Guitar" (Great American)
Chuck Prophet, "Let Freedom Ring" (Yep Roc)
R.A. The Rugged Man, "Legendary Classics, Vol. 1" (Green Street)
Kenny Rogers, "The Greatest Duets" (Time Life)
Stephen Stills, "Live at Shepherd's Bush" (Rhino)
Tech N9ne, "k.o.d." (Strange Music)
Various Artists, "Putumayo Presents: Jazz Around the World" (Putumayo)
Z-Ro, "Cocaine" (Asylum)

Actor Lou Jacobi has died at the age of 95.

The Canadian star - real name Louis Harold Jacobovitch - passed away in his home in Manhattan, New York on Friday, reports the Associated Press.

Jacobi made his debut on Broadway in 1955 with a role in The Diary of Anne Frank before starring in nine other Broadway plays, including 1959's Tenth Man and Neil Simon's Come Blow Your Horn in 1961.

He also starred in a number of movies, including Arthur with Dudley Moore, Woody Allen's Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Sex * (*But Were Afraid To Ask), and I.Q. alongside Meg Ryan and Tim Robbins.

Jacobi is survived by his brother, Rabbi Avrom Jacobovitch, as well as sister Rae Gold.

Stallone planning Rocky 7

Sylvester Stallone appears close to making another Rocky film.

Yes, just when you thought Rocky Balboa would see the character shuffling off into a well-earned, punch-free retirement, Sly is looking into his return.

"I know I'll probably make a fool of myself if I make another Rocky film after turning 60," he told Germany's Tele5.

"I also know there's gonna be a lot of criticism. Even my wife says, 'Don't do it. You're embarrassing the kids'. But I told her, 'If I don't try I'll be a really unhappy man.' You have to do it. Artists like me have to go through the dark over and over again."

But does he have to bring the rest of us with him? Rocky Balboa was a decent capper to Rocky's career - maybe it's really time to let him go.

After all, Rambo is still up and running, with the fifth installment set to shoot next year and likely to feature the trained killer going up against something even more lethal than himself.

Bon Jovi spins first leg of 'Circle' dates for 2010

Bon Jovi will launch a two-year-long world tour in February with a full schedule of arena dates in support of the band's forthcoming new studio album, "The Circle."

The trek gets underway Feb. 19 in Seattle, beginning with a West Coast swing that continues through mid-March before the outing heads east. The tour includes May 26-27 shows in East Rutherford, NJ, the inaugural events of the New Meadowlands Stadium, future home of the NFL's New York Giants and New York Jets. Details are below.

Pre-sales for the two New Jersey shows will begin Oct. 26 at 10 am EDT. Check the band's website for additional ticketing information.

Due in stores Nov. 10, "The Circle" is Bon Jovi's 10th studio album. The band worked with producer John Shanks (Sheryl Crow, Jane's Addiction) on the set, which will be available in both standard and deluxe versions, with the latter including a DVD featuring the documentary "When We Were Beautiful," chronicling Bon Jovi's 2007-08 Lost Highway Tour.

"There's going to be some big choruses on there. It sounds like Bon Jovi, but it sounds fresh," guitarist Richie Sambora told Rolling Stone this summer. "We experimented with a lot of new sounds and had a really good time working with John Shanks, who is also a really good guitar player, so he and I did a lot of 'weaseling' with the guitar sounds.

"There are a lot of really good guitar sounds and new kind of atmospheres on the new Bon Jovi record, that I think makes it really modern. I think people are going to dig it, man. And it rocks hard."

The album's first single, "We Weren't Born to Follow," hit radio airwaves in August. The cut debuted at No. 90 on the Billboard Hot 100, marking the band's 27th career entry on the singles chart.

The group's previous full-length effort, "Lost Highway," debuted at the top of The Billboard 200 in 2007, spawning the hit "(You Want To) Make a Memory." It was the band's first chart-topping album since 1988's "New Jersey."

TOUR DATES

February 2010
19 - Seattle, WA - KeyArena
22 - San Jose, CA - HP Pavilion
24 - Phoenix, AZ - Jobing.com Arena
26 - Anaheim, CA - Honda Center

March 2010
2 - Sacramento, CA - ARCO Arena
4 - Los Angeles, CA - Staples Center
6 - Las Vegas, NV - MGM Grand Garden Arena
8 - Denver, CO - Pepsi Center
9 - Omaha, NE - Qwest Center
11 - Wichita, KS - INTRUST Bank Arena
13 - Fargo, ND - Fargodome
15 - Kansas City, MO - Sprint Center
17 - Auburn Hills, MI - Palace of Auburn Hills
19, 20 - Montreal, Quebec - Bell Centre
23, 24 - Philadelphia, PA - Wachovia Center
29 - Washington, DC - Verizon Center

April 2010
7 - St. Paul, MN - Xcel Center
10 - Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center
13 - Tulsa, OK - BOK Center
15 - Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena
17 - Tampa., FL - St. Pete Times Forum
18 - Ft. Lauderdale, FL - BankAtlantic Center
21 - Nashville, TN - Sommet Center
22 - Charlotte, NC - Time Warner Cable Arena

May 2010
26, 27 - East Rutherford, NJ - New Meadowlands Stadium

July 2010
15 - Edmonton, Alberta - Commonwealth Stadium
17 - Winnipeg, Manitoba - Canad Inns Stadium
20 - Toronto, Ontario - Rogers Centre
24 - Foxboro, MA - Gillette Stadium
28 - Regina, Saskatchewan - Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field
30 - Chicago, IL - Soldier Field

Joss Whedon Speaks Out Regarding Upcoming 'Dollhouse' Absence

News broke yesterday that Joss Whedon's "Dollhouse" is getting pulled from Fox for the month of November, signaling the network's lack of faith in the Eliza Dushku-starring show's prospects going forward.

While the removal of "Dollhouse" from sweeps month wasn't exactly a shocker to anybody following the series' downward spiral in both the creative and commercial departments, it did prompt the show's much-beloved creator to speak out.

Following an open letter posted at The TV Addict, Whedon took to his own blog to address some of the growing concerns about "Dollhouse" and the show's November absence.

"Well, I'm not as depressed as everyone else," wrote Whedon. "We weren't about to rock sweeps anyway, and though there's a chilly November, December is CRAZY. It's like an Advent calendar of episodes!"

Aside from expressing enthusiasm about "Dollhouse" posting double-headers on Friday throughout the month of December, Whedon suggested that the lack of November airtime would afford him the opportunity to promote the show to new viewers.

"We get November to try to spread the word (which I'll be leaning on Fox to do, though it's hard to imagine them doing as good a job as the WhyIWatch guy) and then December is pure gluttony," he said. "Plus the episodes line up extremely well in these pairs, and we'll have an absurdly appropriate lead-in."

Whedon also spoke about his upcoming director stint on Fox's "Glee," which some have viewed as the network's attempt to connect Whedon and "Dollhouse" with a different audience.

"This is not a diabolical Fox scheme," he said of the directorial gig. "This is me going 'can I can I?'"

TV comic giant Soupy Sales dies

DETROIT - Soupy Sales, the rubber-faced comedian whose anything-for-a-chuckle career was built on 20,000 pies to the face and 5,000 live TV appearances across a half-century of laughs, died Thursday. He was 83.

Sales died at Calvary Hospice in the Bronx, New York, said his former manager and longtime friend, Dave Usher. Sales had many health problems and entered the hospice last week, Usher said.

At the peak of his fame in the 1950s and '60s, Sales was one of the best-known faces in the nation, Usher said.

"If President Eisenhower would have walked down the street, no one would have recognized him as much as Soupy," said Usher.

At the same time, Sales retained an openness to fans that turned every restaurant meal into an endless autograph-signing session, Usher said.

"He was just good to people," said Usher, a former jazz music producer who managed Sales in the 1950s and now owns Detroit-based Marine Pollution Control.

Sales began his TV career in Cincinnati and Cleveland, then moved to Detroit, where he drew a large audience on WXYZ-TV. He moved to Los Angeles in 1961.

The comic's pie-throwing schtick became his trademark, and celebrities lined up to take one on the chin alongside Sales. During the early 1960s, stars such as Frank Sinatra, Tony Curtis and Shirley MacLaine received their just desserts side-by-side with the comedian on his television show.

"I'll probably be remembered for the pies, and that's all right," Sales said in a 1985 interview.

Sales was born Milton Supman on Jan. 8, 1926, in Franklinton, N.C., where his was the only Jewish family in town. His parents, owners of a dry-goods store, sold sheets to the Ku Klux Klan. The family later moved to Huntington, W.Va.

His greatest success came in New York with "The Soupy Sales Show" - an ostensible children's show that had little to do with Captain Kangaroo and other kiddie fare. Sales' manic, improvisational style also attracted an older audience that responded to his envelope-pushing antics.

Sales, who was typically clad in a black sweater and oversized bow-tie, was once suspended for a week after telling his legion of tiny listeners to empty their mothers' purse and mail him all the pieces of green paper bearing pictures of the presidents.

The cast of "Saturday Night Live" later paid homage by asking their audience to send in their joints. His influence was also obvious in the Pee-Wee Herman character created by Paul Reubens.

Sales returned from the Navy after World War II and became a $20-a-week reporter at a West Virginia radio station. He jumped to a DJ gig, changed his name to Soupy Heinz and headed for Ohio.

His first pie to the face came in 1951, when the newly christened Soupy Sales was hosting a children's show in Cleveland. In Detroit, Sales' show garnered a national reputation as he honed his act - a barrage of sketches, gags and bad puns that played in the Motor City for seven years.

After moving to Los Angeles, he eventually became a fill-in host on "The Tonight Show."

He moved to New York in 1964 and debuted "The Soupy Sales Show," with co-star puppets White Fang (the meanest dog in the United States) and Black Tooth (the nicest dog in the United States). By the time his Big Apple run ended two years later, Sales had appeared on 5,370 live television programs - the most in the medium's history, he boasted. He had a pair of albums that hit the Billboard Top 10 in 1965; "Do the Mouse" sold 250,000 copies in New York alone.

Sales remained a familiar television face, first as a regular from 1968-75 on the game show "What's My Line?" and later appearing on everything from "The Mike Douglas Show" to "The Love Boat." He played himself in the 1998 movie "Holy Man," which starred Eddie Murphy.

He joined WNBC-AM as a disc jockey in 1985, a stint best remembered because Sales filled the hours between shock jocks Don Imus and Howard Stern.

Sales is survived by his wife, Trudy, and two sons, Hunt and Tony, a pair of musicians who backed David Bowie in the band Tin Machine.

Adults lead `Wild Things' $32.5M box-office rumpus

LOS ANGELES – "Where the Wild Things Are" proved a bigger hit with adult audiences than family crowds as the adaptation of Maurice Sendak's beloved children's book debuted at No. 1 with $32.5 million.

Moviegoers 18 and older accounted for 43 percent of the audience, while parents with children made up 27 percent, according to distributor Warner Bros.

Overture Films earned the No. 2 spot with Jamie Foxx and Gerard Butler's vengeance thriller "Law Abiding Citizen," which debuted with $21.3 million.

Expanding into wider release, Paramount's low-budget horror sensation "Paranormal Activity" moved up to No. 3 with $20.2 million.

Shot for a reported $15,000, "Paranormal Activity" outdid the premiere of Sony's fright flick "The Stepfather," which cost $19 million and played in nearly four times as many theaters but managed just a No. 5 opening with $12.3 million.

The results for "Where the Wild Things Are" matched the intent of director Spike Jonze, who viewed his take as a story about a child, but not necessarily a children's movie.

During production, Jonze had clashed with Warner Bros., which had wanted a more kid-friendly film. The studio gave Jonze more time and money to finish the film and ultimately backed his vision with a huge marketing campaign for "Wild Things."

"I think all sides reached a very happy compromise, and certainly Spike delivered a movie that was so true to the book, yet it generated the emotion that we felt strongly about to bring in our family audience, as well," said Dan Fellman, head of distribution for Warner.

Jonze's adaptation features newcomer Max Records as Sendak's misbehaving young protagonist, a boy who journeys to a make-believe island of monsters torn between hugging him and eating him. The live-action and voice cast includes Catherine Keener, James Gandolfini and Forest Whitaker.

A cheap acquisition at the Slamdance Film Festival, "Paranormal Activity" came out of nowhere, riding online fan buzz to a domestic total of $33.7 million so far. The movie expanded to 760 theaters, up 600 from the previous weekend, and has plenty of room to grow.

Paramount plans to expand the movie to between 1,800 and 2,000 theaters next weekend, then widen its release even farther for Halloween. It will go head-to-head with an established horror franchise as Lionsgate opens "Saw VI" on Friday.

Shot in a raw documentary style, "Paranormal Activity" is a twist on the haunted house story as a couple tries to capture on camera the strange phenomena and apparitions afflicting them.

"Paranormal Activity" might have a shot to duplicate the success of "The Blair Witch Project," a 1999 Sundance Film Festival discovery that rode Internet buzz to a $140 million domestic total.

"When you have a movie playing this well and it has such a broad appeal, it certainly tells you that is a possible outcome," said Rob Moore, vice chairman of Paramount. "I certainly couldn't predict it yet, but nothing with this movie has been predictable so far."

Hollywood had its strongest weekend yet this fall, with overall business at $141 million, up 41 percent from the same weekend last year.

"All the top five movies all did really well. It's kind of exciting to see the box-office get reignited and to see consumers excited about what's available," said Kyle Davies, head of distribution for Overture.

Fans had a good range of choices among horror tales, action, family fare and romantic comedy, including the previous weekend's No. 1 movie, Universal's "Couples Retreat," which slipped to fourth-place with $17.9 million. "Couples Retreat" raised its 10-day total to $63.3 million.

"This is why the fall is such a great time to be not only a studio executive, but a moviegoer. It's really an eclectic mix out there. You don't get this in summer," said Paul Dergarabedian, box-office analyst for Hollywood.com.

Here are the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. "Where the Wild Things Are," $32.5 million.
2. "Law Abiding Citizen," $21.3 million.
3. "Paranormal Activity," $20.2 million.
4. "Couples Retreat," $17.9 million.
5. "The Stepfather," $12.3 million.
6. "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs," $8.1 million.
7. "Zombieland," $7.8 million.
8. "Toy Story" and "Toy Story 2" in 3-D, $3 million.
9. "Surrogates," $1.92 million.
10. "The Invention of Lying," $1.9 million.

Bud Light’s New Brew A Heavy Sponsor Of “SNL”

To promote its latest brew, Bud Light Golden Wheat, Anheuser-Busch is buying all of the network ads on NBC's Saturday Night Live this weekend. The network said Friday that the deal marks the first time in the 35-year-existence of the late-night comedy series that a single advertiser accounted for all the commercials aired on the show. While the sponsorship will result in an additional 6-7 minutes of additional content, some of the content will be in the form of product placement. For example, a segment called "Backstage with Bud Light Golden Wheat" will show clips from SNL that never ended up on the air -- all part of an effort to combat fast-forwarding by viewers watching the show on digital video recorders.

Guide to Summer 2009 Blockbusters on Blu-ray

The summer of 2009 may have come to an end but the films that helped define it are just now making their way to Blu-ray Disc in 1080p high definition.

A couple such as Fox's X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Universal's Land of the Lost snuck out the gate early and are already available in stores. But there are many more on the way between now and year's end including District 9, Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds, J.J. Abrams' Star Trek and The Hangover, just to name a few.

I've been asked the same question on a few occasions now, "hey Dan, what's new and good on Blu-ray for this holiday season?" Rather than spew out a lengthy outline full of catalog, music, documentary and other tertiary titles, I have put together the following chronological shopping list, or holiday buying guide if you will, of the more notable and recognizable films from the summer of 2009 debuting on Blu-ray. This way you can easily take stock of what you saw in theaters and want to see again, what you missed and have to see immediately when available, and what you may have been on the fence with but would consider renting.

October 20
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

October 27
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
Orphan

November 3
Aliens in the Attic
GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra
I Love You, Beth Cooper
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3

November 10
The Ugly Truth
Up

November 17
Bruno
Star Trek

November 24
Angels & Demons
Funny People
Shorts

December 1
Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian
Paper Heart
Terminator Salvation

December 8
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Julie & Julia
Ponyo
Public Enemies

December 15
G-Force
Inglourious Basterds
Taking Woodstock
The Hangover

December 22
(500) Days of Summer
All About Steve
Extract

December 29
District 9
Capitalism: A Love Story

(All release dates are subject to change).

Garth Brooks says he's coming out of retirement

LAS VEGAS – Garth Brooks is coming to The Strip.

The country superstar and casino owner Steve Wynn announced Thursday afternoon that Brooks will be taking over the Encore theater at Wynn Las Vegas about 15 weeks a year, perhaps for the next five years.

And it only cost the entrepreneur a jet.

"I told him he couldn't afford me," Brooks said while sitting on stage with Wynn. "I was wrong. Wow."

Wynn bought the jet for Brooks so the best-selling solo act could continue to spend a maximum amount of time with his three teenage daughters and still perform. His youngest child has five years till she's off to college, and the deal Brooks and Wynn struck is flexible enough to guarantee the singer won't miss a precious moment.

He'll play shows on select Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays beginning Dec. 11. The plane lets him leave his Oklahoma home at 6 on Fridays and return home in time on Sundays so he can be ready to drive his girls to school the next morning.

"Every argument we ever had about why we shouldn't do this, he had an answer to," Brooks said of Wynn.

He got a simple answer when he asked what happens if things don't work out: Wynn told him, "You quit."

"We've agreed to a relationship together and that relationship I hope lasts for the entire five years," Wynn said.

Brooks, 47, started the day in Nashville where he told reporters he was coming out of the retirement he announced in 2000. Brooks wanted to spend more time with his children, and has accomplished that goal.

He said every member of his family signed off on the deal. The girls range in age from 13 to 17 and weren't exactly upset that dad might be getting out from underfoot some of the time, he said. Brooks' wife, Trisha Yearwood, also signed off on the plan, as did his ex-wife, Sandy Mahl.

"I don't have any trepidation because I've cleared it with the most important people," Brooks said.

Vegas will be just about the only chance to see Brooks over the next half decade. He even plans to hold his charity events at the theater. Until his youngest daughter is off to college, "You will probably not see new music from me. You will probably not see a tour from me."

The entertainer told reporters in Nashville that he felt like he needed to formally announce the end of his retirement so there would be no limitations going forward.

"We're going to take the retirement roof off over our head, and let me tell you I already feel taller," Brooks said. "It's nice."

Brooks said there will be no script for the show, which will be about 90 minutes. He plans to play solo with his acoustic guitar, but he could invite others to join him and didn't rule out Yearwood taking the stage with him occasionally. He will play some of his own music, but also offer fans interpretations of his favorite artists, such as Merle Haggard, Elton John, George Strait and Simon & Garfunkel.

It was clear Brooks was excited about the opportunity to play on a regular basis and reconnect with the fans who have helped him sell more than 128 million albums in a stellar career that started in the late '80s and transformed country music.

His last studio album, "Scarecrow," came out in 2001, but he showed with the release of his three-disc "The Ultimate Hits" that he still has selling power. It finished 10th on Billboard's list of the top albums for 2008.

Wynn said he framed the e-mail Brooks sent asking to play in the theater for the first time and said asking Brooks to take over the Encore was much more than a business decision.

"When a man can do what Garth does, it's almost a crime against nature for him not to do that," Wynn said.

Elvis Presley box set due Dec. 8

A few months after the Beatles box sets made retailers scramble to fill orders, the King of Rock 'n' Roll will get the royal treatment.

Legacy Recordings is marking Elvis Presley's 75th birthday in January with a 100-song box set called "Elvis 75: Good Rockin' Tonight." The four-disc set arrives Dec. 8.

The package defines "career spanning." Disc 1 opens with "My Happiness," the acetate recording Presley paid nearly four dollars to make at the Memphis Recording Service in July 1953, a year before signing with Sun Records. Disc 4 ends with "A Little Less Conversation (JXL Radio Remix Edit)," the electronica-fueled 2002 track that hit No. 1 in more than 20 countries and was included in that year's "Elvis: 30 #1 Hits," which has sold more than 5 million copies in the U.S.

"Elvis 75" ranges from the seminal rock 'n' roll of Presley's early years to his intimate ballads and includes movie songs, gospel performances and "Blue Christmas." The set's 80-page booklet features rare photos and a new essay by Billy Altman.

A single-disc edition of "Elvis 75" will be released Jan. 5, three days before what would have been Presley's 75th birthday.

Here's the track list for the "Elvis 75" box:

DISC 1
1. My Happiness
2. That's All Right
3. Blue Moon of Kentucky
4. Good Rockin' Tonight
5. Baby Let's Play House
6. Mystery Train
7. I Forgot to Remember to Forget
8. I Got a Woman
9. Heartbreak Hotel
10. I Was the One
11. Blue Suede Shoes
12. My Baby Left Me
13. One-Sided Love Affair
14. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Cry (Over You)
15. Lawdy, Miss Clawdy
16. I Want You, I Need You, I Love You
17. Hound Dog
18. Don't Be Cruel
19. Love Me Tender
20. Love Me
21. Paralyzed
22. Too Much
23. All Shook Up
24. Mean Woman Blues
25. (There'll Be) Peace in the Valley (For Me)
26. (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear
27. One Night
28. Jailhouse Rock
29. Treat Me Nice
30. Blue Christmas
31. Don't

DISC 2
1. Hard Headed Woman
2. Trouble
3. King Creole
4. Wear My Ring Around Your Neck
5. I Need Your Love Tonight
6. A Big Hunk o' Love
7. (Now and Then There's) A Fool Such as I
8. Stuck on You
9. A Mess of Blues
10. It's Now or Never
11. Thrill of Your Love
12. Such a Night
13. Are You Lonesome Tonight?
14. Reconsider Baby
15. Doin' the Best I Can
16. Pocketful of Rainbows
17. Surrender
18. Crying in the Chapel
19. I Feel So Bad
20. There's Always Me
21. Judy
22. Can't Help Falling in Love
23. (Marie's the Name) His Latest Flame
24. Little Sister
25. Good Luck Charm
26. Suspicion
27. She's Not You
28. Return to Sender

DISC 3
1. Bossa Nova Baby
2. (You're the) Devil in Disguise
3. (It's a) Long Lonely Highway
4. I Need Somebody to Lean On
5. Viva Las Vegas
6. It Hurts Me
7. This Is My Heaven
8. Adam and Evil
9. How Great Thou Art
10. Tomorrow Is a Long Time
11. Guitar Man
12. Big Boss Man
13. Too Much Monkey Business
14. U.S. Male
15. If I Can Dream
16. Memories
17. Don't Cry Daddy
18. In the Ghetto
19. Suspicious Minds
20. Stranger in My Own Home Town
21. Kentucky Rain
22. Only the Strong Survive

DISC 4
1. Polk Salad Annie
2. The Fool
3. Funny How Time Slips Away
4. I Washed My Hands in Muddy Water
5. I Just Can't Help Believin'
6. I'm Leavin'
7. An American Trilogy
8. Burning Love
9. Always on My Mind
10. Steamroller Blues
11. Loving Arms
12. Good Time Charlie's Got the Blues
13. Promised Land
14. T-R-O-U-B-L-E
15. For the Heart
16. Hurt
17. Way Down
18. Unchained Melody
19. A Little Less Conversation (JXL Radio Remix Edit)

Pro wrestler, music video icon Albano dies at 76

NEW YORK – "Captain" Lou Albano, who became one of the most recognized professional wrestlers of the 1980s after appearing in Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Want to Have Fun" music video, died Wednesday. He was 76.

Albano, whose real name was Louis Vincent Albano, died in Westchester County in suburban New York, said Dawn Marie, founder of Wrestlers Rescue, an organization that helps raise money for the health care of retired wrestlers. He died of natural causes, Marie said.

World Wrestling Entertainment called him one of the company's "most popular and charismatic legends."

With his trademark Hawaiian shirts, wiry goatee and rubber bands hung like piercings from his cheek, Albano was an outsize personality who, in a career spanning nearly five decades, was known as much for his showmanship as for his talent in the ring.

His fame skyrocketed when he appeared in Lauper's landmark 1983 music video, playing a scruffy, overbearing father in a white tank top who gets shoved against a wall by the singer.

Partly because of the success of Albano's partnership with Lauper, the entity then known as the World Wrestling Federation forged ties with the music industry. That helped bring it to a wider national audience in the mid-1980s, known as the "Rock n' Wrestling" era.

"When the Captain hit the screen with the video, it gave us a whole new audience," said "Irish" Davey O'Hannon, a professional wrestler who knew Albano since the 1970s. "When that came out, let me tell you, it just rocketed."

It was a time when wrestlers such as Albano, Hulk Hogan, "Rowdy" Roddy Piper and Andre the Giant were so popular that they could headline a television cartoon series and appear in movies.

Albano later had a role in the music video for Lauper's 1984 song "Time After Time," and he appeared in episodes of the TV series "Miami Vice" and in the 1986 movie "Body Slam." He played Mario in "The Super Mario Bros. Super Show," a live-action animated show, from 1989 to 1991.

His career in the ring began in 1953 in Canada, and he went on to form the "The Sicilians" tag team with Tony Altimore. They were known for wearing fedoras and talking about the Mafia in interviews, according to the book "WWE Legends" by Brian Solomon.

Albano also coached popular tag teams such as The Wild Samoans, The Executioners and The Moondogs. He retired from the WWE in 1996.

Albano was born on July 29, 1933, in Rome. After moving to the U.S., the family settled in Mount Vernon, N.Y. Survivors include his wife, Geri, four children and 14 grandchildren.

Singer Leona Lewis punched during UK book signing

LONDON – A young man punched singer Leona Lewis in the head as she signed autographs and posed for photographs at a book signing session in central London on Wednesday, her spokesman said.

Stuart Bell said Lewis, 24, had been meeting members of the public at Waterstone's book store in Piccadilly in central London for about 90 minutes when a man from the line came up and hit her. He was immediately led away by security guards and later arrested by police.

Bell said Lewis, who was launching her new autobiography "Dreams," was shaken up by the incident and went to see a doctor as a precaution.

Lewis shot to fame after winning the "X Factor" reality show in 2006, and her powerful voice has led to comparisons with Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston
London's Metropolitan police said a 29-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assault and is being held in custody.

'Godfather' singer Al Martino dies in Pa. at 82

SPRINGFIELD, Pa. – The singer who played the Frank Sinatra-type role of Johnny Fontane in "The Godfather" has died at his childhood home in suburban Philadelphia.

Publicist Sandy Friedman says Al Martino died Tuesday afternoon in Springfield, in Delaware County. He was 82.

Starting in 1952, Martino was known for hit songs including "Here in My Heart," "Spanish Eyes," "Can't Help Falling in Love" and "Volare."

Besides acting in the Marlon Brando classic "The Godfather," he sang the 1972 film's title score, "The Love Theme From The Godfather." His Fontane character is a singer and occasional actor.

Martino was born in South Philadelphia as Alfred Cini. He was a longtime resident of Beverly Hills, Calif.

His publicist didn't state the cause of his death.

New Releases, Oct. 13: Bob Dylan, The Flaming Lips, Sugarland, David Archuleta, Five for Fighting, and more

Bob Dylan "Christmas in the Heart" (Sony)

O' come all ye faithful and get an earful of Bob Dylan's 33rd studio set, the holiday offering "Christmas in the Heart." The album features the legendary singer/songwriter performing such Christmas staples as "Here Comes Santa Claus," "Do You Hear What I Hear?," "Winter Wonderland," "Hark The Herald Angels Sing" and "O' Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fideles)."

All royalties from the album will benefit Feeding America, which provides meals to the hungry during the holiday season. "It's a tragedy that more than 35 million people in this country alone--12 million of those children--often go to bed hungry and wake up each morning unsure of where their next meal is coming from," Dylan said in a message posted at his website. "I join the good people of Feeding America in the hope that our efforts can bring some food security to people in need during this holiday season."

"Christmas in the Heart" follows "Together Through Life," which surfaced in April and debuted at No. 1 on The Billboard 200, making it Dylan's fifth record to take the top spot. Dylan, one of the all-time great road warriors, is currently on tour, with dates scheduled into mid-November.

* * *
The Flaming Lips "Embryonic" (Warner)

The influential alt-rock outfit, led by singer/songwriter/guitarist Wayne Coyne, returns to action with its 12th studio set. "Embryonic" follows 2006's "At War With the Mystics," which hit No. 11 on The Billboard 200.

The 18-song, 2-disc set was recorded at the home of the band's drummer/multi-instrumentalist Steven Drozd, and features contributions from MGMT and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' Karen O.

* * *
David Archuleta "Christmas From the Heart" (Jive)

The 18-year-old pop vocalist, the runner-up to David Cook during the seventh season of "American Idol" in 2008, rings the jingle bells with his sophomore release, "Christmas From the Heart." The holiday-music outing features such usual suspects as "First Noel," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," "Silent Night" and "I'll Be Home for Christmas."

"Christmas From the Heart" follows the singer's 2008 self-titled debut, which peaked at No. 2 on The Billboard 200 and produced the smash single "Crush."

* * *
Sugarland "Green and Gold" (Roc-A-Fella)

The popular country music duo, consisting of singer/songwriters Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush, is set to release its first Christmas album, which follows 2008's chart-topping "Love on the Inside."

"Green and Gold" features five original songs penned by Bush and Nettles. The rest of the album is filled with holiday-music standards, including "Winter Wonderland," "Holly Jolly Christmas" and "Silent Night."

* * *
Five for Fighting "Slice" (Sony)

Five for Fighting, the stage name for pianist/singer/songwriter John Ondrasik, is back with a follow-up to 2006's "Two Lights," which peaked at No. 8 on The Billboard 200. "Slice," Ondrasik's fifth studio set under the Five for Fighting moniker, features the single "Chances."

Ondrasik will support "Slice" during an acoustic run through North American clubs. The 14-city trek begins Oct. 18 in Toronto and stretches through a Nov. 11 date in Los Angeles.

* * *
More new releases:
Bowling for Soup, "Sorry For Partyin'" (Jive)
Jack Bruce, "Seven Moons Live" (Ruf)
Dead by Sunrise, "Out of Ashes" (Warner)
Neil Diamond, "A Cherry Cherry Christmas" (Columbia)
Linda Eder, "Soundtrack" (Verve)
Hall & Oates, "Do What You Want, Be What You Are: The Music of Daryl Hall & John Oates" (Sony)
Vijay Iyer Trio, "Historicity" (ACT Music)
Leaves Eyes, "Njord" (Napalm)
Los Lonely Boys, "1969" (EP), (R.E.D.)
Mario, "D.N.A." (J-Records)
Nellie McKay, "Normal as Blueberry Pie: A Tribute to Doris Day" (Verve)
James McMurtry, "Live in Europe" (Lightning Rod)
Brian Setzer Orchestra, "Songs from Lonely Avenue" (Surfdog)
W.A.S.P., "Babylon" (Demolition)

Taylor Swift, Michael Jackson lead American Music Awards noms

Taylor Swift, Michael Jackson and Eminem top the list of nominees for the 37th annual American Music Awards announced today Tuesday.

Swift dominated the categories with a total of six nominations, followed closely by the late Michael Jackson, who garnered five nods. Eminem also made it to the top with four nominations, while Beyonce, Kings of Leon, Lady Gaga, T.I. and the Black Eyed Peas collected three apiece.

Nominations for the awards, which are divided into several categories--including Pop/Rock, Country, Rap/Hip-Hop, Soul/R&B, Alternative, Adult Contemporary, Latin and Contemporary Inspirational--were announced by Paula Abdul, Adam Lambert and Snoop Dogg at a press conference in Beverly Hills. The awards will be presented during a Nov. 22 live broadcast from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles.

AMA nominations are based on sales data compiled by music-industry trade magazine Radio & Records and Nielsen SoundScan. For the third consecutive year, winners will be determined through an online vote open to the general public, beginning today (10/3). In previous years, winners were selected via a national sampling of about 20,000 people.

For the first time ever, fans will also vote via text message and online to determine the final four nominees for the T-Mobile Breakthrough Artist Award. Beginning Oct. 26 through the live awards show Nov. 22, voters will determine who among the final four will walk away with the trophy.

Nominees for the 2009 American Music Awards:

POP/ROCK MUSIC

Favorite Male Artist
Eminem
Michael Jackson
T.I.

Favorite Female Artist
Beyonce
Lady Gaga
Taylor Swift

Favorite Band, Duo or Group
Black Eyed Peas
Kings of Leon
Nickelback

Favorite Album
Lady Gaga, "Fame"
Michael Jackson, "Number Ones"
Taylor Swift, "Fearless"

COUNTRY MUSIC

Favorite Male Artist
Jason Aldean
Darius Rucker
Keith Urban

Favorite Female Artist
Reba McEntire
Taylor Swift
Carrie Underwood

Favorite Band, Duo or Group
Rascal Flatts
Sugarland
Zac Brown Band

Favorite Album
Rascal Flatts, "Unstoppable"
Taylor Swift, "Fearless"
Zac Brown Band, "The Foundation"

RAP/HIP-HOP MUSIC

Favorite Male Artist
Eminem
Jay-Z
T.I.

Favorite Album
Eminem, "Relapse"
Jay-Z, "Blueprint 3"
T.I., "Paper Trail"

SOUL/RHYTHM & BLUES MUSIC

Favorite Male Artist
Jamie Foxx
Michael Jackson
Maxwell

Favorite Female Artist
Beyonce
Keyshia Cole
Keri Hilson

Favorite Band, Duo or Group
Black Eyed Peas
Day26
Mary Mary

Favorite Album
Beyonce, "I Am...Sasha Fierce"
Black Eyed Peas, "The E.N.D."
Michael Jackson, "Number Ones"

SOUNDTRACKS

Favorite Album
"Hannah Montana: The Movie"
"Hannah Montana 3"
"Twilight"

ALTERNATIVE ROCK MUSIC
Favorite Artist
Green Day
Kings of Leon
Shinedown

ADULT CONTEMPORARY MUSIC

Favorite Artist
Daughtry
Jason Mraz
Taylor Swift

LATIN MUSIC

Favorite Artist
Aventura
Luis Fonsi
Wisin Y Yandel

CONTEMPORARY INSPIRATIONAL

Favorite Artist
Jeremy Camp
Brandon Heath
Mary Mary

ARTIST OF THE YEAR

Kings of Leon
Taylor Swift
Lady Gaga
Eminem
Michael Jackson

T-MOBILE BREAKTHROUGH ARTIST
Kings of Leon
Lady Gaga
Gloriana
Zac Brown Band
Keri Hilson
Jermiah
Drake
Kid Cudi

'Dollhouse' draws big DVR numbers

"Dollhouse" fans can breathe easier: Fox will air all 13 episodes.

On the heels of impressive DVR data for the "Dollhouse" premiere, network execs said they will run each produced hour of the show's current order despite the Friday drama's modest overall ratings.

"We're going to run all the episodes," Fox scheduling chief Preston Beckman said. "We're not saying we're happy with those numbers, or accept them, but we don't have to overreact."

Premiere-week DVR data released Monday showed that the second-season "Dollhouse" debut climbed 50% from its very modest base of a 1.0 rating in the adults 18-49 demo. Beckman said DVR results have played a role in the show's fate, though he wasn't surprised by the new numbers.

"It's one of the reasons that we brought 'Dollhouse' back; we knew it was DVR-friendly," Beckman said. "Hopefully we'll see the overnight ratings increase from week to week. With some shows, you have to look at the bigger picture."

As for ordering additional episodes, or a third season, Fox says it will make that decision after the current run.

The news represents a relief to "Dollhouse" fans that the current season won't be cut short but also suggests that a full-season order is unlikely. Waiting until all 13 episodes have aired before making a decision generally means allowing production on the show to shut down for the season.

"Dollhouse" creator Joss Whedon said he's writing the 13th hour to give fans a degree of closure.

"We'll definitely have closure but will leave some doors open," said Whedon, who's shooting the eighth episode.

"Dollhouse" stood in sharp contrast to its lead-in, Fox's freshman comedy "Brothers," which occupied the other extreme end of DVR data, and was flat.

The program with the largest overall rating increase based on raw gains -- not a percentage compared with its original number -- during premiere week was ABC's "Grey's Anatomy," which boosted its adult demo number from 6.7 to 8.2. That was followed by another Fox drama, "House" (6.8 to 8.2). Other top climbers based on sheer gains include "The Office" (3.9 to 4.9) and "The Mentalist" (3.6 to 4.6).

In addition to "Dollhouse," some other shows particularly aided by DVR gains include NBC's "Heroes" -- its Live+7 rating of 3.7 is greatly improved from its previous 2.7. Same with ABC's "Castle"; the difference between a 2.3 and 2.9 is significant in the eyes of a network. And heavy DVR gains for Fox's Thursday lineup of "Bones" and "Fringe" suggest that the shows are drawing the short straw in terms of live viewing on the intensely competitive night.

"All viewing matters," John Rash, senior vp at media agency Campbell Mithun, said of the gains. "The numbers particularly matter for relatively low-rated shows like 'Dollhouse' and 'Smallville,' which have an established fan base -- albeit one that time-shifts -- which may give a show longer life if this data wasn't accounted for."

Shifting back to percentage increases, after "Dollhouse" and "Smallville," which also gained 50%, the next-biggest DVR gainer is the CW's "90210," climbing 40%, followed by Fox's "Fringe" (39%) and the CW's "Melrose Place" (38%) and "Gossip Girl" (36%).

"A time-sifted show signifies engagement with the content because they've taken that extra step," said Shari Anne Brill, vp and director of programming at Carat. "A lack of time-shifting suggests, 'If I miss it, oh well.' "

NBC's "The Jay Leno Show" occupied many of the lower spots, generally gaining about a tenth of a rating point (or 5%). This was expected and was one of NBC's selling points of Leno's show ("DVR-proof").

"God didn't invent news to be time-shifted, nor Jay Leno," said NBC's research guru Alan Wurtzel. "The whole point of Leno is to be topical."

Wurtzel noted one aspect that was surprising was how quickly viewers have continued to adopt time-shifted viewing -- overall, broadcast shows gained an average of 14% for premiere week, compared with 9% last year. The CW gained the most (30%), followed by Fox (19%), CBS (13%), ABC (12%) and NBC (7%).

Carrie Underwood to host variety special on Fox

NEW YORK – The Fox network says Carrie Underwood will host a two-hour variety special tentatively titled, "Carrie Underwood: An All-Star Holiday Special," to air Dec. 7.

The network says Underwood will perform new music from her upcoming album, previous hits and holiday classics. Musical guests will include Dolly Parton, Brad Paisley and David Cook.

Underwood won season four of "American Idol." The 26-year-old country singer is a four-time Grammy winner.

Her new album will be released Nov. 3.

The Couch Potato Report - October 10th, 2009

This week The Couch Potato Report peels a Winnipeggers life, in ruins…year one, and Degrassi goes Hollywood.

If you have ever wondered what Winnipeg born actress and writer Nia Vardalos has been doing since the worldwide success of her 2020 film MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING, well her film became a short lived television series called MY BIG FAT GREEK LIFE that tried to capture the spirit of the original.

It failed.

Then she wrote and co-starred in the film CONNIE AND CARLA.

And it also failed.

Nia then took a break from her career to deal with what she has called "...the end of her 10-year battle with infertility." and she and her husband adopted a baby.

That was almost two years ago, and her daughter is now almost 4-years-old.

During her hiatus she was asked to write a script for Tom Hanks, who was one of the co-producers of MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING.

She wrote six scripts, and one of them is the film that returned her to movie screens back in June.

It is called MY LIFE IN RUINS.

Nia plays an American tour guide living in Greece, and even though she is surrounded by life and beauty every day, she is searching for her "kefi" - a Greek word that has been described as the spirit of joy, passion, enthusiasm, high spirits, or frenzy.

Nia's latest tour group is a mixture of characters that you would only see on a television sitcom, they never come acrross as real people and that hurts the film.

What also works against it is how utterly predictable it is - especially the scenes with the great Richard Dreyfuss - and the fact that Nia is overacting during most of her scenes.

However, if you like Nia Vardalos - which I do - and you are in the mood for some light-hearted entertainment, then you might enjoy MY LIFE IN RUINS.

I didn't love it, but I liked it, and so I say Opa!!

I doubt there is anyone who will get any enjoyment out of this next film. I won't call it a DOA DVD - a film that is dead on arrival - as I actually laughed a couple of times - but that said, this is still a horrible, horrible movie!

It is called YEAR ONE and it stars Jack Black from TROPIC THUNDER and KUNG FU PANDA and Michael Cera from JUNO and the TV series ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT.

They play two cavemen who are kicked out of their tribe who wander through a series of biblical events - specifically Cain and Abel, Abraham preparing to smite his son Isaac, and everybody converging on Sodom.

Sadly, YEAR ONE is not funny...when you watch the behind the scenes features or listen to the commentary the stars and director think it is funny...but the movie just is not funny.

And that director...Harold Ramis!!! The man who gave us CADDYSHACK, GROUNDHOG DAY, ANALYZE THIS and many great comedies over the years knows funny, he knows comedy.

Or at least he used to.

YEAR ONE is awful, and you should just skip it.

I mentioned that YEAR ONE is not a DOA DVD - a film that is soo bad it is only worthy of a mention because the film's stars are appealing - however VISIONEERS is a movie that is Dead On Arrival.

This film is only coming out due to the success this summer of THE HANGOVER. Zach Galifianakis - who played the guy with the beard in that film - stars here and even if you thoroughly enjoyed his work in that film...this movie is a complete waste of your time.

The filmmakers think that it is a one of a kind, irreverant comedic classic.

It isn't!

VISIONEERS is a DOA DVD!! If you see it, I suggest that you keep walking!!

I would also suggest that many of you keep walking if you happen to see DEGRASSI GOES HOLLYWOOD on a shelf...however, it isn't a DOA DVD because I know that it will probably appeal to fans of the show....which I am not...and people who fit within the show's target demo...teenage girls...which I am not.

That said, I thought that DEGRASSI GOES HOLLYWOOD was awful, and it actually made me lose some respect for two of the people in it.

Specifically Kevin Smith and Jason Mews...who have been in and been the creators of films like CLERKS, MALLRATS, DOGMA and CHASING AMY.

What are they doing in this thing?!?!

Okay, I know why they are in it...Smith has long decalred his love for the show - even naming characters in his films after them - and he has appeared on it before...but did he not read the script for this thing?!!?

In DEGRASSI GOES HOLLYWOOD the Degrassi students venture to Los Angeles to try and get parts in a film directed by Jason Mewes that is being produced by Kevin Smith.

Now if - and only if - you love the show, then DEGRASSI GOES HOLLYWOOD is for you. If you don't, then it is not.

I have a film from France to tell you about next. SUMMER HOURS is about two brothers and a sister who have to deal with the passing of their mother, and their own childhood memories as they are forced to decide what to do with their Mother's estate after she dies.

SUMMER HOURS does move a little slow, and the ending isn't as strong as I was hoping, however this is a very interesting film.

And so is THE BROTHERS BLOOM. It is also very interesting. It is also clever at times, and at others very smart.

This movie stars Academy Award winners Rachel Weisz and Adrien Brody, along with Mark Ruffalo from ZODIAC.

The men play brothers, who are also con men who swindle millions through complex scenarios of lust and intrigue.

For their final job, they try and con an eccentric heiress.

THE BROTHERS BLOOM is not great, but I liked it. If quirky is your cup of tea, this is a good rental.

We are off to Columbia now for a fascinating movie!!

PVC-1 was inspired by a true story about a pipe bomb that was placed around the neck of an extortion victim.

The victim then has to walk across town, unaware of how long she has before it explodes, where the police will try and defuse it.

The story in PVC-1 is interesting all on it's own as you watch - in real time - to see what will happen to this poor woman with a bomb around her neck...but what elevates it to another level is the fact that the whole 84 minute movie - from start to finish - is one shot.

There are no cuts, no edits, none of that, it is just one shot.

PVC-a is a well written, well acted movie that I thought was great!.

The 1994 film WOLF starring Jack Nicholson and Michelle Pfeiffer is also well written and well acted, but I've never thought that it was great, or even very good.

This story about a book publisher who is fighting to keep his job, while he also seems to be turning into a wolf is okay, but with the talent involved, I always thought it was a bit of a misfire.

WOLF is now available on Blu-ray and there are absolutely no Special Features or retrospective looks back. Plus, the film's transfer to High Definition is not as good as most of them are, so this disc is for true fans of the film only.

And then there is the final release I have for you this week.

WOLF doesn't hold up 15 years after it's release.

SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS does...72 years after it was first shown to audiences.

The BLU RAY BEACON this week shines on the spectacular DIAMOND EDITION of Snow White.

The film itself continues to be the focal point as it does not have a wasted minute and there is an abundance of Special Features - Brand New and old - that take you even further into the artistic process that created it.

SNOW WHITE is one of those films that will live forever, and now in High Definition, it looks and sound better than ever before.

This one is both a classic AND a masterpiece!!

The superb SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS, the not great WOLF, the quirky con-men movie THE BROTHERS BLOOM, the not funny, not funny at all "comedy" YEAR ONE and MY LIFE IN RUINS, starring Winnipeg born Nia Vardalos from MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDINg are available on Blu-ray and DVD.

VISIONEERS, PVC-1, SUMMER HOURS, DEGRASSI GOES TO HOLLYWOOD are all available now only on DVD.

Coming up on the next Couch Potato Report

ANVIL - THE STORY OF ANVIL is a superb documentary about a Canadian band who are still trying to make it big, over 30 years after they first started.

Also next week, THE END OF THE LINE is a documentary about how many fish there are actually left in the ocean, we'll call a cab for TAXI - THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON, get ready for Halloween with DRAG ME TO HELL and THE CRAFT, and the BLU RAY BEACON will shine on SOUTH PARK: BIGGER, LONGER AND UNCUT.

I'm Dan Reynish. I'll have more on those, and some other releases, in seven days.

For now, that's this week's COUCH POTATO REPORT.

Enjoy the movies and I'll see you back here next time on The Couch!

...Jackson's 'This Is It' single to debut online

NEW YORK (AP) — The first song from the upcoming Michael Jackson music documentary will make its debut online.

Sony Music says This Is It will have its premiere late Sunday, at midnight, (0400 GMT Monday) on www.MichaelJackson.com.

The song plays during the closing sequence of Michael Jackson's This Is It and will be included on a companion two-disc CD set. The unreleased single features backup vocals by Michael's brothers, The Jacksons.

The documentary opens Oct. 28 for a two-week limited run and was built around rehearsal footage for Jackson's planned London concerts. He died in Los Angeles on June 25.

The CD features original album masters of some of Jackson's biggest hits, including Thriller and Billie Jean. They're in the same sequence as they appear in the film.

Aye Carumba! Marge Simpson poses for Playboy cover

CHICAGO – Aye Carumba!

Marge Simpson has done something that Homer might not like but will make Bart the proudest kid in his school: She's posed for Playboy magazine.

After more than a half century featuring women like Marilyn Monroe, Cindy Crawford and the Girls of Hooters on its cover, Playboy has for the first time given the spot to a cartoon character.

And the magazine is giving the star of "The Simpsons" the star treatment, complete with a data sheet, an interview and a 2-page centerfold.

The magazine's editorial director, James Jellinek, won't say exactly how much of Marge will show in the November edition that hits newsstands on Oct. 16 — or whether she lets that big pile of blue hair down. But, he said, "It's very, very racy."

But he stressed that the mother of three — the youngest a baby, by the way — has a lot to be proud of.

"She is a stunning example of the cartoon form," he said on Friday at the magazine's headquarters in Chicago, appearing both pleased and surprised at the words coming out of his mouth.

For Playboy, which has seen its circulation slip from 3.15 million to 2.6 million since 2006, putting Marge on the cover was designed to attract younger readers to a magazine where the median age of readers is 35, while not alienating older readers.

"We knew that this would really appeal to the 20-something crowd," said Playboy spokeswoman Theresa Hennessey.

The magazine also hopes to turn the November issue into a collectors' item by featuring Marge, sitting on a chair in the shape of the iconic Playboy bunny, on the cover of only the magazines sold in newsstands. Subscribers get a more traditional model on the cover.

"It's so rare in today's digital age where you have the opportunity to send people to the newsstand to pick something up," Jellinek said.

Playboy even convinced 7-Eleven to carry the magazine in its 1,200 corporate-owned stores, something the company has only done once before in more than 20 years.

"We love Marge," said 7-Eleven spokesman Margaret Chabris.

For those who do collect the magazine — and they're out there — the cover will bring to mind another first for the magazine that occurred in 1971 when a black woman appeared on the cover in exactly the same pose and, like Marge, smiling under an impressive head of hair.

"We knew it was something all of our readers would get a kick out of," said Hennessey.

Jellinek said putting Marge on the cover, while unusual, made perfect sense. For one thing, the cover celebrates the 20th anniversary of the TV show. Further, he said there was an episode in which "Marge bears all," which suggested the at she, or at least the people who drew her, would be comfortable with the Playboy treatment.

Perhaps most important, the idea seemed like a good one to the magazine's founder, Hugh Hefner.

"He's a huge 'Simpsons' fan,' said Jellinek. "He's been on 'The Simpsons.'"

Gasps as Obama awarded Nobel Peace Prize

OSLO – The announcement drew gasps of surprise and cries of too much, too soon. Yet President Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday because the judges found his promise of disarmament and diplomacy too good to ignore.

The five-member Norwegian Nobel Committee — four of whom spoke to The Associated Press, said awarding Obama the peace prize could be seen as an early vote of confidence intended to build global support for the policies of his young administration.

They lauded the change in global mood wrought by Obama's calls for peace and cooperation, and praised his pledges to reduce the world stock of nuclear arms, ease U.S. conflicts with Muslim nations and strengthen its role in combating climate change.

"Some people say — and I understand it — 'Isn't it premature? Too early?' Well, I'd say then that it could be too late to respond three years from now," Thorbjoern Jagland, chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, told the AP. "It is now that we have the opportunity to respond — all of us."

Jagland said the committee whittled down a record pool of 205 nominations and had "several candidates until the last minute," but it became more obvious that "we couldn't get around these deep changes that are taking place" under Obama.

Obama said he was surprised and deeply humbled by the honor, and planned to travel to Oslo in December to accept the prize.

"Let me be clear: I do not view it as a recognition of my own accomplishments, but rather as an affirmation of American leadership on behalf of aspirations held by people in all nations," he said at the White House. "To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who've been honored by this prize."

Obama will donate the $1.4 million cash award that comes with the prize to charity.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa, who won the prize in 1984, said the decision showed that great things are expected from Obama and "wonderful recognition" of his effort to reach out to the Arab world after years of hostility.

"It is an award that speaks to the promise of President Obama's message of hope," Tutu said.

Many were shocked by the unexpected choice so early in a presidency that began less than two weeks before the Feb. 1 nomination deadline for the prize and has yet to yield concrete achievements in peacemaking.

"So soon? Too early. He has no contribution so far. He is only beginning to act," said former Polish President Lech Walesa, who won the peace prize in 1983.

Some around the world objected to the choice of Obama, who still oversees wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and has launched deadly counterterrorism strikes in Pakistan and Somalia.

Jagland told AP that while the war in Afghanistan was a concern, the Obama administration "immediately started to reassess the strategy."

"That itself is important, because when something goes wrong, then you need to ask yourself why is it going wrong," he said.

Obama said he was working to end the war in Iraq and "to confront a ruthless adversary that directly threatens the American people and our allies" in Afghanistan, where he is seriously considering increasing the number of U.S. troops on the ground and asking for help from others as the war enters its ninth year.

Taliban spokesman Qari Yousef Ahmadi in Afghanistan condemned the Nobel committee's decision, saying Obama had only escalated the war and had "the blood of the Afghan people on his hands."

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki called the Nobel decision "hasty."
"The appropriate time for awarding such a prize is when foreign military forces leave Iraq and Afghanistan and when one stands by the rights of the oppressed Palestinian people," he was quoted as saying by the Mehr news agency.

Aagot Valle, a lawmaker for the Socialist Left party who joined the Nobel committee this year, said she hoped the selection would be viewed as "support and a commitment for Obama."

"And I hope it will be an inspiration for all those that work with nuclear disarmament and disarmament," she told AP in a rare interview. Members of the committee usually speak only through its chairman.

The peace prize was created partly to encourage ongoing peace efforts, but Obama's efforts are at far earlier stages than those of past winners, and the committee acknowledged they may not bear fruit at all.

"If everything goes wrong, then one cannot say that this was because of Barack Obama," Jagland said. "It could be that it is because of us, all the others, that didn't respond. But I cannot exclude that Barack Obama also can contribute to the eventual failure."

In Europe and much of the world, Obama is praised for bringing the U.S. closer to mainstream global thinking on such issues as climate change and multilateralism. A 25-nation poll of 27,000 people released in July by the Pew Global Attitudes Project found double-digit boosts to the percentage of people viewing the U.S. favorably in countries around the world. That indicator had plunged across the world under President George W. Bush.

The award appeared to be at least partly a slap at Bush from a committee that harshly criticized Obama's predecessor for his largely unilateral military action in the wake of the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

"Those who were in support of Bush in his belief in war solving problems, on rearmament, and that nuclear weapons play an important role ... probably won't be happy," said Valle.

At home, the picture is more complicated. Obama is often criticized by his political opponents as he attempts to carry out his agenda — from government spending to health care to Afghanistan.

Republican Party Chairman Michael Steele said Obama won because of his "star power" rather than meaningful accomplishments.

"The real question Americans are asking is, 'What has President Obama actually accomplished?'" Steele said.

Drawing criticism from some on the left, Obama has been slow to bring troops home from Iraq and the real end of the U.S. military presence there won't come until at least 2012.

The Nobel committee said it paid special attention to Obama's vision of a nuclear-free world, laid out in a speech in Prague and in April and at the United Nations last month.

Former Peace Prize winner Mohamed ElBaradei, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, said Obama has already provided outstanding leadership on nuclear non-proliferation.

"He has shown an unshakable commitment to diplomacy, mutual respect and dialogue as the best means of resolving conflicts," ElBaradei said.

In July talks in Moscow, Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev agreed that their negotiators would work out a new limit on delivery vehicles for nuclear warheads of between 500 and 1,100. They also agreed that warhead limits would be reduced from the current range of 1,700-2,200 to as low as 1,500. The U.S. now has about 2,200 such warheads, compared to about 2,800 for the Russians.

There has been no word on whether either side has started to act on the reductions.

Obama also has tried to restart stalled Mideast talks with no progress yet reported.

In the Gaza Strip, leaders of the radical Hamas movement said they had heard Obama's speeches on better relations with the Islamic world but had not been moved.

"We are in need of actions, not sayings," Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said. "If there is no fundamental and true change in American policies toward the acknowledgment of the rights of the Palestinian people, I think this prize won't move us forward or backward."

Obama has said that battling climate change is a priority. Yet the U.S. seems likely to head into crucial international negotiations set for Copenhagen in December with Obama-backed legislation still stalled in Congress.

Unlike the other Nobel Prizes, which are awarded by Swedish institutions, the peace prize is given out by the five-member committee elected by the Norwegian Parliament. Like the Parliament, the panel has a leftist slant, with three members elected by left-of-center parties and two right-of-center members. Jagland said the decision to honor Obama was unanimous.

The secretive committee declined to say who nominated Obama. In Nobel tradition, nominations are kept secret for 50 years, unless those making the submissions go public about their picks. This year's nominations included Colombian activist Piedad Cordoba, Afghan woman's rights activist Simi Samar and Denis Mukwege, a physician in war-torn Congo who opened a clinic to help rape victims.

Nominators for the prize are broad and include former laureates; current and former members of the committee and their staff; members of national governments and legislatures; university professors of law, theology, social sciences, history and philosophy; leaders of peace research and foreign affairs institutes; and members of international courts of law.

Obama is the third sitting U.S. president to win the award: President Theodore Roosevelt won in 1906 and President Woodrow Wilson was awarded the prize in 1919.

In his 1895 will, Alfred Nobel stipulated that the peace prize should go "to the person who shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between the nations and the abolition or reduction of standing armies and the formation and spreading of peace congresses."

U2 wants their own video game

Rock icons U2 are desperate to follow in the footsteps of The Beatles and Metallica and land their own video game.

Bassist Adam Clayton admits he and his bandmates are impressed with the recently-released The Beatles: Rock Band - which allows fans to play along to the Fab Four's greatest hits - and they want a piece of the action themselves.

Clayton tells USA Today, "We definitely would like to be in there. I love the idea that that's where people are getting music, and we'd love to be in that world. We'll figure something out. What The Beatles have done, where the animation is much more representative of them, is what we're interested in."

Ron James to host Geminis

TORONTO - CBC funnyman Ron James has been announced as the host of this year's Gemini Awards.

The prizes, which celebrate the best in Canadian television, will be handed out Nov. 14 in Calgary.

The comedian is featured in the weekly series "The Ron James Show."

The leading nominee at this year's Gemini Awards is the CTV cop drama "Flashpoint," which is up for 19 trophies.

The Geminis are set to air on Global and Showcase.

Beastie Boys' Adam Yauch "Hopeful" He Has Beaten Cancer

Adam Yauch is feeling "healthy, strong and hopeful" that he has beaten cancer, the Beastie Boys member shared in a message to fans this week.

Yauch sent an email update to the Beastie Boys' official fan list after returning from a visit to Tibetan doctors in Dharamsala, India, where he traveled shortly after undergoing surgery in late July to remove a cancerous tumor from his left parotid gland.

"I'm taking Tibetan medicine and at the recommendation of the Tibetan doctors I've been eating a vegan/organic diet," says Yauch in the message, adding that his new health regimen "surprisingly enough was harder to do in India than it is now that I'm back home."

"I'm feeling healthy, strong and hopeful that I've beaten this thing, but of course time will tell," says Yauch.

The Beastie Boys' new studio album, "Hot Sauce Committee Part 1," was put on hold when Yauch first announced that he had cancer on July 20 via YouTube. The group subsequently canceled all scheduled live performances, including festival dates at All Points West, Lollapalooza, Outside Lands, Osheaga and Austin City Limits.

A new release date for "Hot Sauce Committee Part 1" is still to be determined.

No 'Simpsons' pic on the horizon

CANNES -- The creators of "The Simpsons" have ruled out making a second Simpsons movie -- at least not until the TV series finally wraps.

Matt Groening and showrunner Al Jean told helmer Morgan Spurlock, who was interviewing the duo at the Mipcom sales mart for a creative keynote event, that making the series and producing the movie was so exhausting that a sequel remains a distant prospect.

"It took 18 years to get around to doing the movie," Groening said. "We got very frustrated. We thought it would take two years but it ended up taking four. Some day maybe we'll do another one -- but don't hold your breath."

As for when the tentpole toon might shut up shop for good, the pair indicated that the final bow was not on the horizon. The current U.S. season is the 21st.

"We cannot predict the end because we can't believe we are still here today," explained Groening.

Jean added, "We are contracted to do two more seasons following this one. I gave up predicting the end a long time ago."

Groening and Jean are in Cannes to celebrate the 20th anniversary of "The Simpsons." The pair will be presented with the inaugural Mipcom Creative Icon Award at a gala dinner tonight.

Leonard Nimoy gets new sci-fi life on "Fringe"

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Actor Leonard Nimoy returns to U.S. television this week in his new guise as a mysterious mastermind on the show "Fringe," but doubts that his Mr. Spock will head back to space, the final frontier.

Nimoy, 78, reprised his role as Spock, playing an older version of the character in director J.J. Abrams new movie take on "Star Trek" this year. But he told reporters on Wednesday he does not think there will be a role for him in the sequel, slated for release in 2011.

"I think I was useful in this last film to help bridge between the original actors and this new cast," Nimoy said.

"They have a wonderful new cast in place... and I don't see why they would need me in this next film. But if they called me, I would be happy to have a conversation about it," Nimoy said in a conference call.

"Heroes" star Zachary Quinto played the younger version of Spock in the latest "Star Trek" movie, and Nimoy and Quinto acted together in one time defying scene, as old and young Spock met face-to-face.

It was the connection with Abrams that led to Nimoy's brief appearance in May on "Fringe" -- the Fox science fiction TV show created by Abrams that explores the existence of a parallel universe.

Nimoy said viewers will learn more about his character William Bell, the founder of a mysterious corporation called Massive Dynamic, when they see him again in an episode airing on Thursday, and in at least one more episode this year.

Discussions are under way regarding further appearances.

Nimoy described Bell as a "master of the universe" character who is "brilliant, wealthy and very powerful." As for whether Bell is good or evil, "time will tell," he said.

"The character was somewhat a blank slate and therefore attractive, because there is an opportunity to build an interesting and unpredictable character," he said.

Nimoy all but gave up acting for photography 10 years ago, but said he is enjoying his comeback.

"I am very flattered that people are still finding me useful," Nimoy said. "I still feel strong and healthy and active, and as long as there is interesting work to do, I'll probably keep on doing it."

Unreleased Jackson 5 Tracks Discovered For New Collection

Motown/UMe is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Jackson 5's first single with "I Want You Back! Unreleased Masters," a new collection of 12 vault recordings due out on Nov. 10. A single, "That's How Love Is," was released Tuesday on iTunes; the song was written and produced by The Corporation, the team of writers and producers that wrote the J5's early material, and has been remixed by original Motown engineer Russ Terrana.

"That's How Love Is" is also streaming at jackson5.com.

"I Want You Back!" also features: a rendition of Stevie Wonder's "Buttercup;" a medley of "I Want You Back"/"ABC"/"The Love You Save;" alternate versions of "Never Can Say Goodbye," with Michael Jackson's "safety" vocal for TV broadcasts, "ABC" and "Dancing Machine;" another unreleased Corporation track, "Love Comes in Different Flavors;" the Curtis Mayfield-written "Man's Temptation," which was produced by the Vancouvers' Bobby Taylor -- who also wrote and produced "Listen I'll Tell You How;" Hal Davis' "Lucky Day;" the Willie Hutch-written "Love Call;" and Johnny Bristol's socially conscious "I'll Try You'll Try (Maybe We'll All Get By)."

Tito Jackson tells Billboard.com that the J5's days at Motown were busy, but enjoyable. "It was just fun years," he says. "We were young kids then, pursuing our dream. And to have a company like Motown behind you to nurture you and grow you to your professionalism, it was quite an honor. And to have success at a young age when you were not really realizing what you were accomplishing...it was really fun. Everything was exciting."

In addition to "I Want You Back!," Motown/UMe is releasing on Oct. 13 "The Jackson 5 Ultimate Christmas Collection," a 21-track set that includes spoken seasons greetings from the Michael, Jermaine, Tito and Jackie, "stripped" mixes of "Someday at Christmas" and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," a DJ Spinna re-edit of "Up on the Housetop" and an album-closing medley. The J5 also appears on "The Ultimate Motown Christmas Collection," a two-disc, 51-track anthology featuring holiday fare from Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, Marvin Gaye, the Supremes, the Four Tops, the Temptations, Johnny Gill and more obscure acts such as the Elgins, Shorty Long and the Twistin' Kings.

The track listing for "I Want You Back! Unreleased Masters" includes:

"Man's Temptation
"Buttercup
"Never Can Say Goodbye
"That's How Love Is
"Love Comes in Flavors
"Lucky Day
Medley: "I Want You Back/ABC/The Love You Save"
"ABC"
"I'll Try You'll Try (Maybe We'll All Get By)"
"Listen I'll Tell You How"
"Love Call"
"Dancing Machine"

Twins complete comeback, 6-5 over Tigers in 12th

MINNEAPOLIS – The Metrodome erupted in a jet-like roar as Carlos Gomez zoomed home with the winning run to finish off an AL Central race — and a thrilling tiebreaker — that didn't want to end.

Minnesota wouldn't quit, while the Detroit Tigers finished their historic fade. And there was little time for the Twins to celebrate, because the New York Yankees were waiting.

Alexi Casilla singled home the winning run with one out in the 12th inning and the Twins rallied for a 6-5 victory Tuesday night, completing a colossal collapse for the Tigers.

"This is the most unbelievable game I've ever played or seen," Twins shortstop Orlando Cabrera said.

How was that for bonus baseball?

As Gomez scored from second — well ahead of a late throw from right field — Homer Hankies spiraled. The Twins celebrated and scrambled: They had 21 hours to get ready for Game 1 of the AL playoffs at Yankee Stadium against New York ace CC Sabathia. He'll face rookie Brian Duensing.

The Tigers will head home instead. They became the first team in history to blow a three-game lead with four games left.

"I guess it's fitting to say there was a loser in this game because we lost the game, but it's hard for me to believe there was a loser in this game," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "Both teams played their hearts out. You can't ask for anything more than that."

The Twins overcame a seven-game gap in the final month, went 17-4 to pull even on the final weekend and won their fifth division title in eight years.

"We just feel like we have nothing to lose, man," outfielder Denard Span said.
Both teams had chance after chance to end it earlier, and each club scored in the 10th. Casilla was thrown out at the plate to end that inning by left fielder Ryan Raburn after tagging up.

The Tigers thought they'd taken the lead in the 12th. But with the bases loaded, plate umpire Randy Marsh ruled that Brandon Inge was not hit by a pitch by Bobby Keppel. The replay appeared to show the pitch grazing Inge's billowing uniform.

"I did not have the ball hitting him. We looked at replays, too, and the replays we've looked at, to be honest with you, were inconclusive," said Marsh, the crew chief.

Said Inge: "No matter what we did, it seems like it wasn't meant to be. This is the best game, by far, that I've ever played in no matter the outcome."

It was the first AL tiebreaker to go to extra innings, making up for Minnesota's disappointment last year when it lost 1-0 in Chicago to the White Sox in an AL Central tiebreaker. Had the Twins lost, it would've been the final baseball game at the Metrodome. Instead, the Twins get the Yankees — New York was 7-0 against Minnesota this season.

"We're not afraid. I can guarantee you that," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said.

Said Yankees manager Joe Girardi: "We're not going to have to face questions like 'Can you beat them?' like we've had to answer during the course of the year. Once the playoffs start though, it's a new series and we know the importance of each game. You can pretty much throw everything else out the window."

A day after Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings beat the Green Bay Packers at the Dome — "Monday Night Football" is what delayed this tiebreaker for a day — the Twins pulled off a Tuesday Night Frenzy.

Gardenhire and Leyland made so many moves for defense and relief that the lineups and pitching staffs were depleted by the end.

Tigers reliever Fernando Rodney (2-5) worked his longest appearance of the season, getting the last two outs of the ninth. But he didn't have enough to get out of the 12th. The Twins rushed out of the dugout in celebration even before Gomez reached the plate, and their comeback from a seven-game gap with 20 to play was complete.

Joe Mauer, who heard thunderous "M-V-P!" chants from the largest regular-season baseball crowd in Metrodome history throughout the game, led his team on a sprint around the warning track as they slapped hands with fans in the first rows.

"One of the best games I'll ever play in," Mauer said.

Keppel, Minnesota's eighth pitcher, loaded the bases with one out in the 12th. After the non-call on Inge, second baseman Nick Punto then scooped Inge's grounder and fired home in time to get the runner on the force. Then Keppel struck out Gerald Laird to squelch that rally.

Twins closer Joe Nathan found trouble in the ninth when consecutive singles put runners at the corners, but he got a strikeout and a line-drive double play to end that threat. The four-time All-Star gave two huge pumps of his right arm as he spun to thank his defense and run to the dugout, preserving the tie.

Inge's two-out double in the 10th gave the Tigers a 5-4 lead, but Michael Cuddyer sliced a triple past Raburn in left and scored on Matt Tolbert's bouncing single through the middle in the bottom of the inning.

On the potential winning sacrifice fly, though, Casilla strayed a bit too far from third and was thrown out by Raburn trying to score to end the inning. The split-second Casilla needed to retouch the base might have cost him the run.

He more than made up for that mistake later.

According to sports researcher STATS LLC, only three teams since 1901 have blown a three-game lead in the standings with four games left. The Houston Astros lost three straight games to Los Angeles in 1980, but they recovered to defeat the Dodgers in a tiebreaker game for the NL West. Milwaukee lost three in a row to Baltimore in 1982 to force a tie, but beat the Orioles in the final regular season game to win the AL East.

After splitting four in Detroit last week — a loss in the series finale Thursday would've given the division to the Tigers — the Twins came home for the final scheduled series in the bubble needing a sweep of the Kansas City Royals and did just that.

So with 54,088 fans in attendance, the place was erupting with noise and excitement. The chants for Mauer, who wrapped up his third batting title, were deafening. Leyland even told his players before the game to think of the loudest experience of their life and multiply it by four to anticipate the decibel level for this game. Dome ball came in handy again, on a day when the city was drenched by cold rain.

Rookie starter Rick Porcello pitched well beyond his 20 years for the Tigers, and Miguel Cabrera made up for a miserable weekend — on and off the field — with a two-run homer against Scott Baker in the third inning that made it 3-0. The crowd chanted "al-co-ho-lic" right before Cabrera went deep, a rude reference to the first baseman's fight with his wife after he came home late and drunk.

The Twins crept back, though, and Orlando Cabrera's two-run homer in the seventh gave them a brief lead that Magglio Ordonez ended with his leadoff homer in the eighth.

"We were dead and buried a couple times, and our team just kept coming back," Twins general manager Bill Smith said.

NOTES: This was the ninth tiebreaker game in baseball history, and the third straight year with a 163rd game. Only two of them went to extra innings. ... Seven members of the Metrodome's cleaning and maintenance crews were honored on the mound before the game for the work of those groups in converting the field back and forth from baseball to football in light of Monday's Packers-Vikings game.

FULL ALBUMS IN PHILLY AND BEYOND

Three shows into the Giants Stadium stand, audiences have now gotten a taste of all three albums that Bruce and the E Street Band are playing top to bottom: Born to Run, Darkness, and Born in the U.S.A. Later this week, Born to Run and Born in the U.S.A. will be reprised at the final two nights of the stand, Thursday and Friday nights, respectively.

But the swamps of Jersey won't be the only place to hear this trio: the Spectrum has just announced that Bruce and the band will be giving Philly audiences the same treatment when that stand starts next week:

Tue, Oct 13 - Born to Run
Wed, Oct 14 - Darkness on the Edge of Town
Mon, Oct 19 - Born to Run
Tue, Oct 20 - Born in the U.S.A.

Jokes, apologies from Letterman

NEW YORK -- David Letterman acknowledged in his on-air apologies to his wife and staff for having sex with co-workers that he has his work cut out for him.

As Letterman mixed wisecracks with contrition, he said his wife, Regina Lasko, had been "horribly hurt by my behaviour" and stated flat-out that those affairs "are in the past."

The CBS late-night host vowed during Monday's show to repair his relationship with his wife, whom he married in March after a years-long courtship.

"Let me tell you folks, I got my work cut out for me," he said ruefully.

His apologies meant another big night in the ratings. The Nielsen Co.'s overnight measurement of the nation's 56 biggest markets netted Letterman's "Late Show" a 4.2 rating -- higher than anything rival NBC had in prime-time.

Nielsen didn't immediately have an estimate of the size of Letterman's audience. The overnight rating was slightly less than Thursday's show, when 5.8 million people watched Letterman say he had been the victim of a $2 million blackmail threat that led him to reveal he had sex with staff members.

Monday's show was the first Letterman had taped since Thursday. While he laced the show with references to the scandal, only one other late-night host, Craig Ferguson, made any reference to it. Jay Leno, Jimmy Fallon and NBC's "Saturday Night Live" had all made jokes in earlier shows, but everyone but Ferguson avoided the topic on their Monday night and Tuesday morning shows.

As host of the "Late Late Show," Ferguson follows Letterman's "Late Show." Letterman also is his boss, since Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Inc., produces the "Late Late Show."

"The person you work for, the person you admire and respect, is caught in an embarrassing situation," said Ferguson. "And your job is to be funny about that, whilst trying to keep your own job."

"So this is my last show," he joked.

Ferguson did make light of the situation, joking that it had now been revealed how he got the job in the first place.

But Ferguson defended Letterman, calling him "the king of late-night television."

"If we are now holding late-night talk-show hosts to the same moral accountability as we hold politicians or clergymen, I'm out," said Ferguson. "I'm gone."

On the "Late Show," Letterman noted the cool fall weather, reporting, "It's chilly outside my house; chilly INSIDE my house."

Then he cautioned the audience, "This is only phase one of the scandal. Phase two: Next week I go on 'Oprah' and sob."

A bit later, guest Steve Martin gave Letterman his kidding consolation: "It proves that you're a human being. And we weren't really that sure before."

Martin Short, making an unannounced appearance, playfully plopped himself in Martin's lap.

"You spend one more minute on his lap, you're gonna get blackmailed," Letterman quipped.

During the hour, Letterman apologized to his staff, which, he said, had been subjected to "being browbeaten and humiliated" by reporters since his revelations.

"My thanks to the staff for, once again, putting up with something stupid I've gotten myself involved in," he said.

Letterman, 62, began dating Lasko in 1986, and they have a son, Harry, who was born in November 2003. All the affairs took place before Letterman's marriage, said Tom Keaney, spokesman for Letterman's production company.

Letterman arrived on stage Monday to applause and cheers from his studio audience. After drinking it in, he grinned sheepishly and inquired, with a mock stammer, "Did your, did your weekend just fly by?"

After pausing for the audience's sympathetic laughter, he went on: "I mean, I'll be honest with you folks -- right now, I would give anything to be hiking on the Appalachian Trail."

"I got into the car this morning," he added, "and the navigation lady wasn't speaking to me. Ouch."

In a more sombre display, Letterman voiced his mea culpas. Regarding his wife, he said that, "If you hurt a person and it's your responsibility, you try to fix it."

Letterman has offered no specifics about how many women he had sex with.

But the CBS producer accused of blackmailing Letterman used pages from a former assistant's diary that described an affair with the "Late Show" host, a law enforcement official said Monday. The ex-assistant, Stephanie Birkitt, went to live with CBS News producer Robert Halderman, who found her diary describing her relationship with Letterman and used it to help blackmail him, the law enforcement official said Monday on the condition of anonymity because the investigation was ongoing.

Halderman, a producer for the true-crime show "48 Hours Mystery," pleaded not guilty last week to extortion charges.

The flood of attention on Letterman was inevitable, and the way he initially dealt with this maelstrom recalled an embarrassing dilemma for another star in 1995.

For a celebrity the calibre of Hugh Grant, publicity -- including speculation of career suicide -- was unavoidable when he was arrested with a prostitute on Hollywood's Sunset Strip. But then he retreated to NBC's "The Tonight Show" to try to explain.

Host Jay Leno wasted no time before asking an instant classic of a question: "What the hell were you thinking?!"

Grant's appearance provided him with some needed image rehab. It also vaulted ratings runner-up "Tonight" past Letterman's "Late Show," a leadership position Leno held through his retirement from late night earlier this year.

Since then, Letterman has reclaimed a ratings edge over new "Tonight" host Conan O'Brien.

And now he may have truly sealed the deal. Beloved by viewers and critics for decades, he has abruptly freshened the enduring Letterman brand and demonstrated he still can surprise even fans who thought they knew him well.

But it isn't the first time Letterman has shown finesse in managing a firestorm.

In June, he had a run-in with then Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin over jokes made at the expense of her teenage daughter. He emerged from a tumultuous few days of protests and demands for his dismissal with a ratings jolt. And thanks to the dumb-luck timing of the flap, he also handily upstaged his much-hyped NBC rival just as O'Brien was taking over as "Tonight" host.

Letterman apologized to Palin and her family in what became another one of his memorable performances. But he has never stopped making jokes at Palin's expense -- including yet another apology to her on Monday's show, just for good measure.

New CD Releases, Oct. 6: KISS, Backstreet Boys, Michael Buble, Toby Keith, Brandi Carlile, Rosanne Cash, and more

KISS "Sonic Boom" (Universal/Roadrunner)

Recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees KISS return with their first new studio album in more than a decade, which band co-founder/vocalist/guitarist Paul Stanley produced. Stanley's edict to the group: no outside songwriters, no outside performers.

The result is 11 tracks written and performed by Stanley and fellow KISS co-founder Gene Simmons (bass/vocals), along with Eric Singer (drums/vocals) and Tommy Thayer (guitar/vocals).

"Sonic Boom" marks the first KISS album to feature the combo of Singer (who played and recorded with the band during its non-makeup era) and Thayer, both of whom, in recent years have been touring with KISS clad in the makeup and costumes made famous by original KISS members Peter Criss and Ace Frehley, respectively. Each takes a turn on lead vocals on the new album.

Billed as a return to the group's classic, '70s-era sound, "Sonic Boom" features cover art created by Michael Doret, who worked with the band on its landmark 1976 album "Rock and Roll Over." The new set will be available exclusively at Walmart, and packaged with a bonus disc featuring re-recorded hits, as well as a live, six-song DVD recorded earlier this year.

* * *
Backstreet Boys "This is Us" (Jive)

The pop troupe bounces back into action with its seventh studio album. "This is Us" follows 2007's "Unbreakable," which was the group's first new album since original member Kevin Richardson left the fold in 2006.

The 11-track album features new material that the vocal troupe collaborated on alongside songwriters and producers like T-Pain, RedOne and Claude Kelly.

The quartet--which consists of Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell and AJ McLean--will support "This is Us" with a major world tour. The European portion has already been announced, and North American dates should soon follow.

* * *
Michael Buble "Crazy Love" (Reprise)

The platinum-selling pop vocalist returns with his fourth studio album, and the follow-up to the Grammy-winning "Call Me Irresponsible," which topped The Billboard 200 in 2007.

"Crazy in Love" pulls strongly from the Great American Songbook; 11 of the album's 13 tracks are standards. Selections include "Cry Me A River," "Georgia On My Mind," "You're Nobody Till Somebody Loves You" and "Baby (You've Got What It Takes)." "Crazy in Love" also features two new original compositions.

The first single is "Haven't Met You Yet," which was co-written with Alan Chang and Amy Foster. The album was recorded in LA, Brooklyn and Vancouver with the help of producers David Foster, Bob Rock and Humberto Gatica.

Originally scheduled for release on Oct. 13, the album will now hit stores on Oct. 9.

* * *
Toby Keith "American Ride" (Show Dog Nashville)

The country superstar is set to take fans for an "American Ride," which follows last year's "That Don't Make Me a Bad Guy." "American Ride" is Keith's 14th studio album.

The album's lead single is its title track, which has already topped the charts, becoming Keith's 19th No. 1 hit. The most unexpected number on the set is "Cryin' For Me (Wayman's Song)." The song is a tribute to the basketball-star-turned-smooth-jazz-artist Wayman Tisdale, who died back in May. "Cryin' For Me (Wayman's Song)" features smooth-jazz players Dave Koz and Marcus Miller.

* * *
Brandi Carlile "Give Up the Ghost" (Sony)

The roots-oriented singer/songwriter, whose bluesy vocal approach has led to numerous comparisons to Bonnie Raitt, is back with her third studio album.

"Give Up the Ghost" follows her breakthrough effort, 2007's "The Story."

She worked with T Bone Burnett on "The Story," and turned to another legendary producer--Rick Rubin--for "Give Up the Ghost." The 11-song set includes the track "Caroline," a collaboration with Elton John.

Carlile is supporting "Give Up the Ghost" on the road during an in-progress tour that is currently set to stretch through an Oct. 24 show in Seattle.

* * *
Rosanne Cash "The List" (Manhattan)

The acclaimed country singer/songwriter receives plenty of help from her famous friends on her latest album. The guests that make "The List" are Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, Jeff Tweedy (Wilco) and Rufus Wainwright.

Cash, who is the eldest daughter of dearly departed country music legend Johnny Cash, goes the cover-song route with "The List." The tracklisting includes her renditions of songs by The Carter Family ("Bury Me Under the Weeping Willow"), Hank Williams ("Take These Chains From My Heart"), Jimmie Rodgers ("Miss The Mississippi and You"), Hank Cochran/Patsy Cline ("She's Got You"), Merle Haggard ("Silver Wings") and Bob Dylan ("Girl From the North Country," recorded by Dylan and Johnny Cash in 1969).

Grammy-winner John Leventhal (Cash's husband, who also contributes guitar work throughout), produced, arranged and played guitar on "The List."

* * *
More new releases:
Above & Beyond, Anjunabeats 7 (Ultra)
Air, "Love 2" (Astralwerks)
Luke Bryan, "Doin' My Thing" (Capitol)
Built to Spill, "There Is No Enemy" (Reprise)
DJ Tiesto, "Kaleidoscope" (Ultra)
Mike Doughty, "Sad Man Happy Man" (ATO)
Duran Duran, "Live at Hammersmith 82" (Capitol)
Lita Ford, "Wicked Wonderland" (JLRG)
Irish Tenors, "The Irish Tenors Christmas" (Razor & Tie)
Michael Jackson, "In Memory of Michael Jackson: 1958-2009" (IMV)
Relient K, "Forget and Not Slow Down" (Jive)
Tokio Hotel, "Humanoid" (Cherrytree)
Various artists, "WOW Hits 2010" (EMI)
BeBe and CeCe Winans, "Still" (Malaco)

The Couch Potato Report - October 3rd, 2009

This week The Couch Potato Report peels releases that will take us all the way from Victoria Day to Christmas.

Let's get in the wayback machine to start this week's Report, destination 1988.

Specifically Victoria Day 1988 in Toronto.

For Ben Spector, a smart, sensitive hockey playing kid from a Russian immigrant family, the end of school is in sight, and the Stanley Cup playoffs between the Boston Bruins and Edmonton Oilers are underway.

Ben runs into a teammate at a concert and lends him five dollars to buy some drugs.

And then...the teammate disappears...and Ben is conflicted because he starts to fall for the missing boy's sister.

VICTORIA DAY is partially based on the book "Natasha and Other Stories" that was part of CBC Radio's Canada Reads back in 2007.

It is a film about three friends, hockey and being a teenager, and while the ending wasn't as strong as the rest of it, this is a good little movie.

If you see it on the shelf at the store, give it a shot.

From a small Canadian film set in Toronto, let me now tell you about a small Hollywood film that is partially set in Montreal.

John Krasinski - who plays Jim on THE OFFICE and Maya Rudolph from Saturday night live star in AWAY WE GO.

They play an expectant couple with no fixed address who decide to travel around North America, visiting family and friends, to try and decide where to live in order to start their family.

Simply put, they are looking for a place to call home.

AWAY WE GO was directed by Sam Mendes - who also gave us the Academy Award winning film American Beauty (1999), along with Road to Perdition (2002) and last year's Revolutionary Road. And in a stroke of genius his supporting cast includes Allison Janney from THE WEST WING, Maggie Gyllenhaal of THE DARK KNIGHT, DUMB AND DUMBER'S Jeff Daniels and Catherine O'Hara, from SCTV.

AWAY WE GO is funny, touching, goofy, poignant, beautiful, filled with interesting characters, and it is a movie about hope. I loved it.

This one might even make my list of the year's Ten Best!

On the other hand...MANAGEMENT will not.

This one is the latest Romantic-Comedy-With-A-Touch-Of-Drama-Thrown-In-For-Good-Measure release starring Jennifer Anniston.

And while it isn't as bad as her most recent release - LOVE HAPPENS - it isn't great either.

In addition to Anniston, MANAGEMENT also stars Steve Zahn, who has appeared over the years in supporting roles in some pretty successful films, like Sahara, Daddy Day Care, You've Got Mail and Out of Sight.

He plays a motel night manager who falls for a traveling art saleswoman.

She sort of falls for him too.

Now, with a different cast, this could have been a very entertaining film. As it is, MANAGEMENT is not awful, but I felt no emotional connection to it, and that is rare when it comes to a Romantic-Comedy-With-A-Touch-Of-Drama-Thrown-In-For-Good-Measure film.

Call this an okay rental, if you like those sorts of films.

Okay...it's question time...imagine you are married to a woman and you have a young child together. Then, one morning, she is arrested for murder and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

How far would you be willing to go, to defend her, or maybe set her free?

How far would you be willing to go for her?

Well, that is the premise of a film from France called POUR ELLE...FOR HER.

FOR HER is a very good movie that allows the viewer to decide what is right and what is wrong in the story because it doesn't always offer up the answers.

This is the type of film that you'll talk about after it is over.

I like those kinds of films!

I also like heist movies!

From A Fish Called Wanda, Die Hard, Reservoir Dogs, Bottle Rocket, Catch Me If You Can and Fun with Dick and Jane to The Great Muppet Caper, Heat, Hudson Hawk, The Italian Job, Jackie Brown and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels I love heist movies.

And I haven't even mentioned, Ocean's Eleven, Quick Change, The Sting, or The Thomas Crown Affair...but I love them too!!

However, not every heist film belongs in a list with those ones.

They are not all good...and that is definitely true with the British film TUESDAY.

I do love to see these films, good and bad, so I have no regrets about sitting through it...but you might want to skip it...unless you love all sorts of heist films as well.

TUESDAY is about four experienced criminals, two beautiful bank clerks and one desperate penniless man nearing retirement who all - by coincidence - decide to rob the same bank on the same day.

And while I like the genre, and the cast of the film itself, the movie has no energy. And for a heist film to have no energy, that is saying something.

What I am saying is that I remain a fan of heist movies, and the day of the week itself, but the film TUESDAY left me cold.

And you know what, so did THE GIRLFRIEND EXPERIENCE. This is the latest film from Academy Award winning director Steven Soderburgh, a man who gave us a great heist film with his OCEAN'S 11, and if it wasn't for his name on this film, I probably wouldn't have watched it, and - in all honesty - it probably wouldn't even have gotten made.

Sasha Grey - who in her everyday job is an adult film actress - stars in this movie as a high-end call-girl in Manhattan who is trying to meet the challenges of her boyfriend, her clients, and her work.

At times, I admit, it is interesting and engaging as the non-linear storyline bounces all around, but in the end, there is no story told in this film. It isn't really even about anything, and it is barely about anyone, despite the fact that it has a large cast.

So, to sum up...THE GIRLFRIEND EXPERIENCE is a film that you should skip.

Okay, I have nothing but positive things to say about the final four releases I have for you now. Maestro, a little music if you please!

In June 1979, Pete Townshend gave a solo acoustic performance at Amnesty Internationals Secret Policeman's Ball benefit show in London, inspiring Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, David Gilmour, Sting, Bob Geldof, Phil Collins and many others to perform for Amnesty over the following years.

In celebration of the 30th anniversary of that historic first show, there is now a one-hour collection of the musical highlights from three decades of Secret Policemans Ball shows.

Pinball Wizard, In the Air Tonight, Running Up That Hill, Imagine performed by Mark Knopfler & Chet Atkins, On The Turning Away, I Don't Like Mondays, Message In A Bottle, Won't Get Fooled Again, Biko and I Shall Be Released make SECRET POLICEMAN’S BALLS: THE SECRET POLICEMAN ROCKS! a must have, if you like the music of the 70s and 80s.

This is great stuff!!

Okay, on many, many occasions here on The Couch Potato Report I have pledged my ongoing allegience to and love of Jim Henson and The Muppets.

That is why, last December 17th, I sat in front of my television to watch the holiday special - A MUPPETS CHRISTMAS: LETTERS TO SANTA.

And - as you might expect - I loved it!!

If you like The Muppets, you can't go wrong with this one as the gang try and deliver some late letters to the North Pole on Christmas Eve...if you don't, then A MUPPETS CHRISTMAS: LETTERS TO SANTA isn't for you...and thats okay, because I loved it!!

Hee hee hee!!

In the early 1980s, after the success of The Muppet Show on TV and THE MUPPET MOVIE in theatres, Jim Henson started to branch out and make a couple of different kind of films...and THE DARK CRYSTAL and LABYRINTH are both available on Blu-ray.

Both films have their flaws, but if you follow - or followed Henson's career path they both completely fit within his body of work as he streched the limits of possibilities to see where his imagination could take him...and us.

Especially in THE DARK CRYSTAL.

If you were not a fan of Him Henson's fantasy films when they first came out, these movies might not appeal to you now...although they have continued to grow on me over the years.

I both respect and admire them, and THE BLU-RAY BEACON this week shines on THE DARK CRYSTAL and LABYRINTH, which co-stars David Bowie and a very young Jennifer Connely.

The Jim Henson films LABYRINTH and THE DARK CRYSTAL are both available now in High Definition on Blu-ray, along with THE GIRLFRIEND EXPERIENCE, MANAGEMENT and AWAY WE GO.

TUESDAY, FOR HER, VICTORIA DAY and SECRET POLICEMAN’S BALLS: THE SECRET POLICEMAN ROCKS! are all available now only on DVD.

Coming up on the next Couch Potato Report

It has been seven years since the success of MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING and now the latest film from Winnipeg born Nia Vardalos actually takes us to Greece.

We'll head there cinematically and I'll tell you about MY LIFE IN RUINS

Also next week, DEGRASSI GOES TO HOLLYWOOD, SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS, and THE BROTHERS BLOOM

I'm Dan Reynish. I'll have more on those, and some other releases, in seven days.

For now, that's this week's COUCH POTATO REPORT.

Enjoy the movies and I'll see you back here next time on The Couch!

Dad's list turns into Rosanne Cash's disc

NEW YORK – Make no mistake, Rosanne Cash fully understands the value of the sheet of yellow lined paper her father handed to her one summer day in 1973. Now she's giving the world a peek.

Back then, she was 18, just graduated from high school, a daughter of divorce eager to spend time with her dad and learn the family business. She tagged along on a concert tour and talked music during the long bus rides. When Johnny Cash grew alarmed at the songs Rosanne didn't know, he sat down with a pad and pen.

What he produced was a syllabus worthy of a master professor: Johnny Cash's list of the "100 Essential Country Songs."

Twelve of those songs make up "The List," Cash's new CD. Her first covers album includes duets with Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, Jeff Tweedy and Rufus Wainwright.

Cash had put the list away after learning many of the songs. She had her own path to forge. It was forgotten in a box of memorabilia until she happened upon it late in 2005 while writing narrative portions of her "Black Cadillac" stage show. She talked about it during the concerts and fans would inevitably ask when she was going to record the songs. Her husband, music producer and guitarist John Leventhal, no doubt smiled.

"My husband has been telling me for 17 years, `Your voice is really well-suited to these songs,' and I would go, `I'm a songwriter, I'm a songwriter," she said. "Well, it turns out my voice really is well-suited to these songs."

The disc showcases some of the best singing in Cash's career, as she faces the challenge of carrying melodies other than her own and putting her stamp on songs already well known. The often spare arrangements also emphasize Leventhal's guitar.

Cash begins with "Miss the Mississippi and You," which the father of country music, Jimmie Rodgers, recorded in 1932. She ends with the Carter Family's "Bury Me Under the Weeping Willow," which always reminds Cash of her step-aunt Helen Carter, who taught her the guitar.

The disc's emotional centerpiece is the heartbreak trio of "Long Black Veil," a duet with Wilco's Tweedy on a prisoner's tale best known through Johnny Cash's version; the Patsy Cline hit "She's Got You"; and Bob Dylan's "Girl From the North Country," a composition that first intimidated Cash because she remembered her father singing it with Dylan on television.

Recording meant finding the songs' emotional core. "It's like going through tunnels and layers," she said.

The songs are some of the things that connect father and daughter and, Rosanne believed, it was time to claim the legacy.

"I don't have that young person's feeling of trying to get away from my ancestry and parents and what they passed on," she said. "In fact, I want to embrace it, so I can show it and pass it along to my own (five) kids. It's just unseemly at my age (54) to be doing that kind of `chip on your shoulder' rebellion."

Besides the personal connection, it's important to keep the songs alive, she said.

"Can you imagine America without this music?" she said. "It's who we are, culturally. It's as important as the Civil War, these songs. Personally, I would hate to see them become something you just visit at a museum. I think they are living and breathing and part of our cultural legacy."

"The List" is probably part of Cash's grieving process, said Jay Orr, historian for the Country Music Hall of Fame. He recalled the Everly Brothers putting out an album, "Songs Our Daddy Taught Us," during the peak of their success.

"The songs benefit from being dusted off and shared again in new arrangements that are contemporary and appealing," Orr said.

She's often thought about how the list would be different if her father had compiled it closer to his death in 2003. George Jones' "He Stopped Loving Her Today" would probably be on it. He loved Springsteen's "Nebraska" album and would likely have included one of those songs. Her father wasn't so modest as to leave his own material off the list, but you'll have to guess what it is.

Cash has also recorded a couple of extras: a duet with Neko Case on Porter Wagoner's "Satisfied Mind" will be available on iTunes. Mickey Newbury's "Sweet Memories" is another promotional item.

That makes 14. She noted "This Land is Your Land" is on the list, revealing a song that she didn't want to record because it's so well known.

So what about the other 85?

Sorry.

How much has she been offered to reveal it? "A lot," Cash said with a laugh. She's already thinking about a second volume of "The List." Why give anyone the chance to beat her to it?

"I like having it as my own," she said. "It's like a martial arts secret."

Suspect's lawyer says Letterman 'manipulates'

NEW YORK – The defense lawyer for the CBS News producer charged with trying to extort $2 million from David Letterman is calling the talk-show host "a master at manipulating audiences."

Attorney Gerald Shargel defended Robert J. "Joe" Halderman on Monday during a round of interviews on network television morning shows.

Shargel says the charge against his client is "so obviously out of character to the point of not making any sense."

He says that Letterman manipulates audiences for a living and that to think he "gave the entire story and there's nothing more to be said is simply wrong."

Halderman is a producer for the true-crime show "48 Hours Mystery." He pleaded not guilty Friday in Manhattan to attempted first-degree grand larceny.

Shargel says he's looking forward to cross-examining Letterman.

Tarantino to 'Kill Bill' again

Quentin Tarantino has thrilled fans by announcing a third instalment of his Kill Bill series is due in 2014.

The filmmaker's hit movies Kill Bill: Vol. 1 and Kill Bill: Vol. 2, starring Uma Thurman, were released in 2003 and 2004, earning more than $332 million worldwide and leaving fans clamouring for more.

The director declared a follow-up is in the pipeline, with an expected release date of 2014, on Saturday while appearing at the Morelia International Film Festival in Mexico.

The proposed Kill Bill: Vol. 3 will be set 10 years after the last instalment to allow Thurman's character, The Bride, to "have a break" from her bloody revenge mission.

New Winnie-the-Pooh book goes on sale

LONDON (AFP) – A new book of Winnie-the-Pooh stories -- the first to be published in 81 years -- went on sale on Monday, featuring a new character alongside the absent-minded, honey-loving bear.

"Return to the Hundred Acre Wood" is a collection of 10 new stories featuring Pooh and his three friends Tigger, Piglet and Eeyore, and is the first to be published since 1928 when "The House At Pooh Corner" was released.

The tales of Winnie-the-Pooh, which were originally created by British author A.A. Milne and illustrated by E.H. Shepard, have been translated into 50 languages around the world.

The characters have also featured in Disney cartoons and a wide range of spin-off merchandising for children.

The characters were based on toys owned by Milne's son, Christopher Robin, and the stories take place in the Hundred Acre Wood, which was based on a forest near the author's home in East Sussex, southern England.

Written by author David Benedictus and illustrator Mark Burgess, the new book was approved by the Trustees of the Pooh Properties and is published by Egremont.

Pooh's new friend Lottie the Otter is described by the publishers as "a feisty character who is bound to cause a stir in the Hundred Acre Wood."

"Lottie has her own very definite ideas about how things should be done. She believes that one must always follow the correct etiquette," said Benedictus, who says she embodies Pooh's values of "friendship and adventure."

"Arrested Development" movie script in works

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) – Narrator: Now the story of a wealthy family who lost everything ... and just may get some of it back.

"Arrested Development" creator Mitchell Hurwitz and his co-executive producer James Vallely are working on a screenplay for the long-debated feature version of their short-lived Fox series. Even as they prep a new Fox comedy series with "Arrested" star Will Arnett, the writers are spinning more bizarre encounters for the eccentric, spoiled Bluth clan for possible feature production in the spring.

Hurwitz would also direct the Fox Searchlight feature.

Hurwitz had said that he wouldn't start writing a film unless all the main actors, including Jason Bateman, Michael Cera, David Cross, Arnett, Alia Shawkat, Portia de Rossi and Jeffrey Tambor, were committed. Scheduling might be difficult, however, as several -- Bateman, Cera and Arnett -- have seen their careers bloom since the series began its three-season run in 2003.

Hurwitz and Vallely won Emmys for their writing on "Arrested Development." They work together on the animated Fox comedy "Sit Down, Shut Up."

Fans feast on 'Zombieland'

LOS ANGELES - The undead were alive and well at movie theatres as Woody Harrelson's horror comedy "Zombieland" opened on top with $25 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Yet the general box office was less lively as a flurry of new wide releases did solid to ho-hum business. Overall Hollywood revenues came in at $113.4 million, down 4 per cent from the same weekend last year.

Sony scored a one-two punch with "Zombieland" and the animated family tale "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs," which took in $16.7 million, slipping to second-place after two weekends at No. 1. The movie raised its domestic total to $82.4 million after three weekends.

Mixing gory action with laughs, "Zombieland" teams Harrelson with Jesse Eisenberg, Abigail Breslin and Emma Stone as a band of humans fighting legions of undead - and taking a road trip to a supposedly zombie-free amusement park.

"What really clicked was the humour of it," said Rory Bruer, head of distribution for Sony. "Truly, there were points in this movie that were so funny, I thought I was going to throw up. I'm serious. It really is a blast."

Taking a big bite of the family audience with $12.5 million was a double-feature reissue of Disney's "Toy Story" and "Toy Story 2" in 3-D, which came in at No. 3. Playing for a limited two-week run, the double-feature sets the stage for the release of "Toy Story 3" in 3-D next year.

The Warner Bros. comedy "The Invention of Lying," with Ricky Gervais and Jennifer Garner, had a soft opening of $7.4 million, finishing at No. 4. Taking place in an alternate reality where everyone tells the truth, the movie stars co-director and co-writer Gervais, who plays a man that discovers how to profit by fibbing.

Fox Searchlight's roller-derby tale "Whip It" - featuring Ellen Page, Juliette Lewis and Drew Barrymore, who also directed - made a weak debut at No. 6 with $4.85 million. The movie casts "Juno" star Page as a beauty-pageant queen who shifts gears to become a roller-derby star.

Female crowds accounted for 70 per cent of the audience for "Whip It," according to Fox Searchlight parent 20th Century Fox. Audiences and critics gave the movie high marks, so the studio is hoping it has a longer shelf life than its opening weekend would indicate.

"Like the story, the movie's an underdog, and we think audiences are going to continue to discover it," said Fox distribution executive Chris Aronson.

Tied for sixth-place with $4.85 million was Michael Moore's "Capitalism: A Love Story," which expanded nationwide after a week in limited release. The Overture Films documentary, Moore's exploration of the roots of the economic meltdown, raised its total to $5.3 million.

"Capitalism" played in just 962 theatres, compared to 3,036 for "Zombieland" and about 1,700 cinemas each for "Invention of Lying," "Whip It" and the "Toy Story" movies."

This was Moore's second-best nationwide debut, behind his 2004 sensation "Fahrenheit 9/11," which had a $23.9 million opening weekend.

Overture is counting on "Capitalism" to stick around for an extended box-office run, as did "Fahrenheit 9/11" and other Moore hits such as "Sicko" and "Bowling for Columbine."

"Where most movies are a two-week story, Michael's movies play for a long time," said Kyle Davies, Overture head of distribution.

In limited release, Joel and Ethan Coen's comic drama "A Serious Man" had a big opening with $251,510 in six theatres, averaging a whopping $41,918 per cinema. That compares to an $8,235 average in 3,036 theatres for "Zombieland."

Released by Focus Features, "A Serious Man" follows the domestic and professional troubles of a physics professor in a 1960s Midwest Jewish community.

Lionsgate's basketball documentary "More Than a Game" - which explores the high school years of NBA star LeBron James - opened solidly with $196,681 in 14 theatres, averaging $14,049 a cinema.

Paramount Pictures' fright flick "Paranormal Activity" continued to do strong business, taking in $535,000 from midnight-only screenings in 33 cities. The studio plans to expand the movie to all-hours show times on Friday.

Here are the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theatres, according to Hollywood.com. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. "Zombieland," $25 million.
2. "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs," $16.7 million.
3. "Toy Story" and "Toy Story 2" in 3-D, $12.5 million.
4. "The Invention of Lying," $7.4 million.
5. "Surrogates," $7.3 million.
6 (tie). "Capitalism: A Love Story," $4.85 million.
6 (tie). "Whip It," $4.85 million.
8. "Fame," $4.8 million.
9. "The Informant!", $3.8 million.
10. "Love Happens," $2.8 million.

DA: Man charged in Letterman plot was deep in debt

NEW YORK – A CBS newsman who prosecutors said was desperate and deep in debt was charged Friday with trying to blackmail David Letterman for $2 million in a plot that forced the late night comic to acknowledge having sex with some of the women who have worked for him.

The bizarre case created a messy legal and professional problem for one of CBS' most valuable personalities. Commentators and bloggers quickly accused Letterman of hypocrisy because he has made a career of mocking politicians mercilessly, often for their sexual transgressions.

From a strictly business perspective, Letterman's revelations on Thursday's show were an immediate success: His overnight ratings were up 38 percent over the same night a week ago, the Nielsen Co. said.

It remains to be seen whether Letterman will suffer long-term damage just as his career appears to be peaking. Letterman has taken over as the king of late-night in the ratings this summer, and last week he beat NBC's Conan O'Brien for the first time among young viewers.

Robert J. "Joe" Halderman, a producer for the true-crime show "48 Hours Mystery," pleaded not guilty in a Manhattan court as he was arraigned on one count of attempted first-degree grand larceny, punishable by five to 15 years in prison. He was released after posting $200,000 bail.

Halderman's connection to Letterman was not immediately clear, but public records show that until August, he lived in Norwalk, Conn., with Stephanie Birkitt, a 34-year-old woman who works on the "Late Show" staff and used to work at "48 Hours."

Birkitt was an assistant to Letterman on the "Late Show" and frequently appeared on camera with the host in comedy bits. Last month, Birkitt moved to Manhattan's upper West Side. There was no answer Friday at a phone listed in her name.

It was unclear how many women were involved in relationships with Letterman, 62, who married longtime girlfriend Regina Lasko in March. The couple began dating in 1986 and have a son, Harry, born in November 2003.

All the affairs took place before Letterman's marriage, said Tom Keaney, spokesman for Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants. Keaney also said Letterman "is not in violation" of the company's harassment policy "and no one has ever raised a complaint against him."

CBS issued a statement Friday: "We think it was appropriate for Dave to disclose the matter publicly as he has, and we are continuing to cooperate with authorities."

CBS would not address questions about whether Letterman faced any disciplinary actions for relationships with subordinates. CBS News also declined to address questions about whether Halderman's alleged actions call into question any of the work he has done for the news division.

David Lande, a New York City-based civil attorney whose cases have included sexual harassment, said Letterman presumably was in a position of power with a voice in hiring, firing and promotions.

"So, to the extent that he had control over these factors with the women he was involved with, he could be subject to liability," he said. "I am sure CBS lawyers are reviewing the matter very carefully."

Shanti Atkins, president of ELT, a firm that consults on ethics and sex in the workplace issues, said Letterman, his company and CBS could also be vulnerable to claims of sexual favoritism by others in the company if they believe people got ahead because they were sleeping with the boss.

Assistant District Attorney Judy Salwen told the judge Halderman was in debt, but did not elaborate.

"The evidence is compelling," she said. "It shows the defendant is desperate, and he is capable of doing anything."

The prosecutor said Halderman gave the talk show host a package of materials that "contained clear, explicit and actual threats that indicate this defendant ... (wanted to) destroy the reputation of Mr. Letterman and to submit him and his family to humiliation and ridicule."

Halderman, hands cuffed behind his back, stared at the floor during most of Friday's court hearing and said only "not guilty."

His lawyer, Gerald Shargel, said Halderman worked at CBS for 27 years and had no prior criminal record. He described him as an involved father who coached soccer, baseball and football and has two children, ages 11 and 18.

"This story is far more complicated than what you heard this afternoon," Shargel said outside court, but he would not elaborate.

Halderman earned about $214,000 in 2007. He was ordered in 2007 to pay his ex-wife $6,800 per month in child and spousal support until May 2011, when the payments will be reduced to $5,966 until May 2014, according to papers filed in Stamford Superior Court.

He had asked for a reduction to $2,039 per month because his ex-wife, Patty Montet, was sharing a house in New Canaan with a man. But Montet argued — and the judge agreed — that her living arrangement was for convenience and not romantic. Montet also claimed Halderman was getting $1,500 a month from Birkitt.

"Mr. Halderman claims he is struggling financially, but it is difficult to see what, other than mismanagement and extravagant spending, is the reason for this," Montet's attorneys said in the court file. "His is a world of golf trips, vacations, increasing 401k assets, comprehensive benefits, security in employment, earnings as an award-winning producer for CBS, and home ownership."

Halderman allegedly left an envelope in Letterman's car early Sept. 9. According to authorities, he wrote that he needed "to make a large chunk of money" and said that Letterman's world would "collapse around him" if damaging information about him were made public.

Letterman acknowledged that the letter contained proof that the late-night host had sexual relationships with members of his staff.

Three meetings between Letterman's lawyer and Halderman subsequently took place in Manhattan's Essex House hotel, the last two with the lawyer recording the conversations and prosecutors listening in, District Attorney Robert Morgenthau said.

At the last meeting, on Wednesday, the lawyer gave Halderman a phony check for $2 million, Morgenthau said.

Halderman deposited the check Thursday in a Connecticut bank and was arrested later that day outside CBS News' Manhattan office, he said.

Halderman has been described by colleagues as a talented and occasionally volatile producer. His boss, Susan Zirinsky, called "48 Hours" staff members into a meeting on Friday to discuss the case, calling it a personal tragedy.

Marcy McGinnis, who was Halderman's boss when she was CBS' London bureau chief, said she had him work on many important stories, like Princess Diana's death and the war in Bosnia. She said she was shocked by the alleged extortion.

"The idea of it is so unbelievable. This is a very smart guy. There must have been some sort of mental breakdown. I'm no expert, but it just seems like it was 100 percent out of character."

It's the second set of embarrassing headlines for Letterman in four months. He apologized on the air earlier this summer for a crude joke involving Sarah Palin's family. But when the controversy continued to swirl, he came back after a weekend to offer a stronger mea culpa.

Letterman's contract with CBS runs through next August, although the network has been in negotiations to continue that through 2012.

Advertisers spent $145.2 million on the show from January through June this year, according to TNS Media Intelligence. They appear to be holding firm behind the late night host.

"We haven't seen any clients nor do we anticipate any clients looking to move inventory out of the show," said Laura Caraccioli-Davis, an executive vice president and director at Starcom. "We believe that he handled it with full transparency. Consumers are looking for that authenticity and honesty."

Letterman admits affairs, claims extortion

David Letterman acknowledged on Thursday's show that he had sexual relationships with female employees and that someone tried to extort $2 million from him over the affairs.

During the taping of his CBS late-night show in New York, Letterman discussed receiving a threat to either pay $2 million or risk the relationships being made public.

In a release from the show's production company, Letterman said he referred the matter to the Manhattan district attorney's office and that an investigation ended in an arrest Thursday. Letterman did not identify the person he said was arrested.

As part of the investigation, Letterman said he issued a "phony" $2 million check to the individual and the arrest followed — along with testimony by Letterman.

"This morning, I did something I've never done in my life," said Letterman. "I had to go downtown and testify before a grand jury."

In his testimony, he said he acknowledged sexual relationships with members of his staff. It was not immediately clear when the relationships took place; Letterman and longtime girlfriend Regina Lasko married in March. The couple began dating in 1986 and have a son, Harry, born in November 2003.

"My response to that is, yes I have," Letterman said. "Would it be embarrassing if it were made public? Perhaps it would. I feel like I need to protect these people. I need to certainly protect my family."

CBS spokesman Chris Ender said Thursday that "Letterman's comments on the broadcast tonight speak for themselves."

It's the second set of embarrassing headlines for Letterman in four months. In June, he apologized to Sarah Palin for making a crude joke about the former Republican vice presidential candidate's 14-year-old daughter. Although there was a small "fire Letterman" demonstration outside of his studio later, CBS stood by its late-night star.

After nearly 15 years in second place to NBC's Jay Leno in the ratings, Letterman took over the top spot this summer after Conan O'Brien became "Tonight" show host.

Letterman's CBS "Late Show" has been on the air since 1993 and before that, he had a late-night show on NBC.

Alicia Maxey Greene, a spokeswoman for the Manhattan District Attorney's office, declined to comment.

James Franco to guest star on 'General Hospital'

NEW YORK (AP) — James Franco will guest star on ABC's General Hospital for a lengthy story arc this fall.

The Pineapple Express and Spider-Man actor will play a mystery person who comes to the soap opera's town of Port Charles. The recurring role will begin Nov. 20 — to coincide with November sweeps — and will last about two months.

Executive producer Jill Farren Phelps says it's "an honor that an actor of Franco's caliber would choose to spend some of his valuable time in Port Charles."

The 31-year-old Franco will star as Allen Ginsberg next year in the film Howl.

On HBO's 'Curb,' the whole 'Seinfeld' gang's here!

NEW YORK – You know you want it.

You may never have said it out loud, that you wanted a "Seinfeld" reunion. Why would you, cool "Seinfeld" fan that you are? You know TV reunions are lame. You also know the "Seinfeld" gang is way too cool to stoop to doing one.

But now Larry David has reunited his four "Seinfeld" stars for a sassy story line on his current series, "Curb Your Enthusiasm." He has recaptured the twisted genius of the old show and reignited it, fresh and funny and safely removed from any danger of lameness.

The made-for-TV version of himself that he portrays on his HBO comedy (a caviling provocateur named Larry David who formerly produced a show called "Seinfeld") sets the plan in motion for a "Seinfeld" reunion on Sunday's episode of "Curb" (airing at 9 p.m. EDT).

But not before resisting.

"You know those reunion shows, they're so lame," TV-Larry scoffs when the idea is first bought to him.

Then, befitting TV-Larry, when he eventually consents, it's not for any logical good reason.

His ulterior motive: to win back his estranged wife, Cheryl (Cheryl Hines). He means to cast her, a would-be actress, as the ex-wife of George Costanza (the character who, played by Jason Alexander, always served as David's "Seinfeld" doppelganger).

Granted, Pirandello would be easier to sort out than this double-helix of parody and truth. Doesn't matter. What matters is, this particular "Curb" — the third episode in its triumphant seventh season — is a compact masterpiece. It finesses a hilarious clash between David and the "Seinfeld" foursome (Alexander, Michael Richards, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and, of course, Jerry Seinfeld), reconvened 11 years after the "Seinfeld" finale with hilarious, organic aplomb.

"Why isn't it lame?" says TV-Jerry when TV-Larry coaxes him to say yes.

"Because we'll do it in a way that won't be lame," vows TV-Larry, flush with his covert Cheryl-targeted agenda.

And he does! They do! They mount a real reunion within a mock reunion. They wangle a way to have it both ways, for themselves and for the audience. How cool is that!

Larry and Company would never have done it under any other terms.

"Honestly, and I know I can speak for Jerry, too, I can tell you that neither of us ever gave a moment's thought to doing it for real," says David.

And in contrast to the overeager, unctuous NBC executive who proposes the idea on "Curb," David says that, in real life, NBC has never made an overture for a reunion in all these years.

Fine, but what if Larry had picked up the phone and volunteered? Wouldn't those NBC execs be doing back flips (or something even more unseemly)?

"Yes," says David with a sly smile. "Yes, I think they would have. I think it would have been an unpleasant sight to witness. Or even hear. I don't know what would have been worse — to see it or hear it." Suffice it to say, he spared himself and NBC from finding out.

But in the meantime, he thought of the idea to bring back the four "Seinfeld" stars within the context of a "Curb" story line. Then the plot line of his winning Cheryl back presented itself. Here was a potent synthesis.

In person, David is the 62-year-old spitting image of TV-Larry, from his tennis shoes and lanky, loose-limbed frame to his irredeemably bald head. This only certifies the confusion intertwining fiction with reality.

Life certainly imitated art once real-life Larry recognized he had to persuade the four "Seinfeld" alums to come aboard before he could begin a "Curb" script where TV-Larry tries to persuade their TV counterparts to come aboard.

"I had to make four separate calls to ask them if they would do the show, 'cause I couldn't do it if any one of them refused."

On Sunday's episode, TV-David is seen starting with TV-Jerry, then hitting up TV-Jason, TV-Julia and then TV-Michael.

What order did he follow in real life?

David flashes an oh-no-you-don't smile and answers, "Let's just say I contacted Jerry first."

After Sunday, Seinfeld will appear in four more of the remaining seven episodes, while Louis-Dreyfus will be in three, and Alexander and Richards in two. The season climaxes with the "Seinfeld" reunion show, which, of course, unfolds "within a 'Curb' story," David adds pointedly. "I must emphasis that."

Though David hastens to remind you that, while the dialogue on each "Curb" episode is improvised, the story structure is tightly plotted out.

"The writing is the hard part. But the shooting is a lot of fun," he says, adding, "People would not want to see other people having this much fun. They would be angry. I would be angry if I saw it: 'Stop it, Larry!'"

And it was never more fun than when the four "Seinfeld" alums actually gathered on the show's original sound stage for a scene (airing on a future "Curb" episode) where they did a table read for the mock-"Seinfeld" show.

"They were all together reading from a 'Seinfeld' script, and the scene's being filmed, and while that's going on, I've got other things to do." And it's all part of his "Curb" show.

David smiles with what, for anyone else, might signal satisfaction. "It's quite a hybrid."

It's a hybrid you never knew you wanted, but will love.