Don't Judge Me, But I Love Fall TV!!

So now it's officially Fall. Some people think that Fall begins on September 22. But it doesn't. It is a little known fact, but a fact just the same, that Fall begins on whatever day starts off Premiere week on the telly set.

Oh, how I love new TV! So much. There are all these new shows, with all these new people, and a lot of old people that I really like but haven't seen in a while because their last new show got canceled. I love trying to predict which shows will hit, and which will tank. I love thinking, writing and planning about new TV.

My cup of joy overrunneth...Doggonit!

Right now at this exact moment I'm watching Invasion.
I officially want to love this show. It stars some of my favorite actors (Kari Matchett, Eddie Cibrian and William Fichtner) from my Actors Most Routinely Dissed List. I knew this last week. But then today I paid attention to the opening credits and realized that the love of my pre-adolescent life, Shaun Cassidy is the show's creator.

He has a very deft hand with story and dialogue. Five years ago he created Cover Me: Based on the True Life of an FBI Family which was a tightrope act of writing, he always managed to stay on just the right side of humor and the right side of pathos. It was a great show, that is until, he stopped writing it himself.

But anyway, I was still capable of impartiality, that is until that scene this evening...The one when semi-alcoholic ET nut brother came wheeling out to drag his sister out of a press conference to tell her something, you know, "really important". She says, "You're my brother, and I love you"--at this point I've almost stopped listening, expecting to hear the obligatory, 'but if I have to hear about one more of your crazy conspiracy theories blahdy blahdy' instead, she says--"I'm tired, I'm pregnant and you're medicated."

So unless Invasion becomes truly unwatchable...I'm afraid I'm stuck. It'll be like that guy, the one you know you should give up. He's no good for you, he hurts you and makes you nuts, but you just can't let go. Not even after like, eight or nine girlfriends do an intervention because they love you and want to save you from his evil clutches and recall you to your senses. It'll be like that.

Without the sex, lies and chocolate binges.
Tags: artistic activism, nonprofit, philanthropy, zine, artists, bakery of the poets, fall tv, invasion, shaun cassidy, kari matchett, william fitchner

Friday Night Lights Grammar Rant

***The New News***
Two items tonight. First, due to forces beyond...hehhehheh...my control (I've always wanted to say that); Artists in Action: Katrina Aid Auction will be postponed to October 6.
The Views and Reviews page has been updated w/ mini reviews of and will continue to be updated on a weekly basis.
***The New News***

When did 'close to' become 'close with'? As in, "She's really close with her brother." I saw Friday Night Lights yesterday, great movie by the way, Peter Berg is shaping up to be very substantial in the directing department; from the very wonderful Wonderland which he wrote and directed, to the twisted Very Bad Things also written by Berg, to The Rundown (crazy funny starring The Rock, Rosario Dawson and Christopher Walken). He's like Brian Cox, Colm Feore and Chris Cooper. Every time you see one of them, you think 'Who is that guy? He is good, he's the guy from that movie about the thing.' If the movie is particularly good, you might remember to look for his name in the credits. At the time you tell yourself that you won't forget him again cause That Guy is good!

But of course, in the time it takes to move the dvd from the player to it's case, Brian/Colm/Chris is already little more than a dim memory. Until the day when almost completely under the radar Chris Cooper walks away with an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Peter Berg is That Guy. When Friday Night Lights was released, the reviews were strong, the movie was good and the studio doubled it's money. I think in the industry his rep is strong, his numbers are good, the reviews are good and he keeps attracting respectable projects with talented people.

But outside of Hollywood...

He hasn't really arrived yet. Will he win his Oscar after he does arrive? Or will he walk away with an Academy Award under the radar a la` Chris Cooper? 'Cause one way or another the little gold guy is destined to take up residence somewhere in Pete Berg's house.

So I liked the movie. I fast forwarded a lot of football stuff, cause I find football boring and violent. An amazing combination, as it is generally difficult for something to be both violent and an incredible snooze fest. But that is football for me. I loved the movie but just before credits rolled they ran a 'where are they now' tag after the name of each player. One said that such and such player 'continues to be close with his dad'.

Let me preface my hysteria by admitting that my relationship with language tends to be very emotional. I feel about words, rather than think about them. 'Relationship', you know a word describing interaction between two parties. 'Relation' describes the relative position of a person or object to another person or object. 'Close' a word describing the relative position of a person or object to another person or object.

You are close to a person not with...'to' not 'with'.

When people talk to me about being close with someone; it makes me crazy. As crazy as performers who clap for themselves along with the audience after an introduction or performance . Literally...crazy. Close with insanity.
Tags: artistic activism, nonprofit, philanthropy, zine, artists, bakery of the poets, grammar, friday night lights, peter berg