FRED Entertainment

Tag: snl

  • A Bit Of A Chat with Ken Plume & Kyle Mooney 2

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    I’m Ken Plume, and soon you’ll be listening to “A Bit Of A Chat” with me, Ken Plume.

    In this episode, I have another chat with actor Kyle Mooney, about Saturday Morning All Star Hits, VHS hoards, cultural exposure, Mooney Afternoon, narrative weaving, absurd sincerity, sincere absurdity, Saturday Night Live, vulnerability, and disaster tapes.

    Hope you enjoy…

    Download “A Bit of a Chat with Ken Plume & Kyle Mooney 2“:

    (PREVIOUSLY: A Bit Of A Chat with Ken Plume & Kyle Mooney)

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  • A Bit Of A Chat with Ken Plume & Kyle Mooney

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    I’m Ken Plume, and soon you’ll be listening to “A Bit Of A Chat” with me, Ken Plume.

    In this episode, I have a chat with actor Kyle Mooney, about Brigsby Bear, SNL, and Cartoon All-Stars.

    Hope you enjoy…

    Download “A Bit of a Chat with Ken Plume & Kyle Mooney“:

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    Drop Ken a line HERE.

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    You can also find more of my interviews by clicking HERE.

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  • A Bit Of A Chat with Ken Plume & David Mandel

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    I’m Ken Plume, and soon you’ll be listening to “A Bit Of A Chat” with me, Ken Plume.

    In this episode, I have a chat with writer/producer David Mandel, about Veep, SNL, Star Wars, comedy, and holy grails.

    Hope you enjoy…

    Download “A Bit of a Chat with Ken Plume & David Mandel“:

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  • A Bit Of A Chat with Ken Plume & Taran Killam 2

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    I’m Ken Plume, and soon you’ll be listening to “A Bit Of A Chat” with me, Ken Plume.

    In this episode, Ken Plume has another chat with actor Taran Killam, about bastards, aluminum swans, Ace Duck, and karaoke.

    Hope you enjoy…

    Download “A Bit of a Chat with Ken Plume & Taran Killam 2“:

    [audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/bitofachat/bit_of_a_chat-taran_killam_2.mp3]

    RELATED: A Bit Of A Chat With Taran Killam 1

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    Drop Ken a line HERE.

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    You can also find more of my interviews by clicking HERE.

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  • A Bit Of A Chat with Ken Plume & Taran Killam

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    I’m Ken Plume, and soon you’ll be listening to “A Bit Of A Chat” with me, Ken Plume.

    In this episode, Ken Plume chats with actor Taran Killam about SNL, Heat, improv, family, not walking, 19th century Mokiki, and happenstance.

    Hope you enjoy…

    Download “A Bit of a Chat with Ken Plume & Taran Killam“:

    [audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/bitofachat/bit_of_a_chat-taran_killam.mp3]

    SUBSCRIBE
    Subscribe to this Podcast via iTunes

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    Drop Ken a line HERE.

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    You can also find more of my interviews by clicking HERE.

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  • Opinion In A Haystack: THAT’S MY BOY Review

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    That’s My Boy ““ A SPOILER FREE REVIEW!

    Why am I always so on the defensive with comedy these days?

    Not really sure if this makes me a contrarian or what, but one of the things I miss most about the “˜90s is that it was like a mid-budget comedy-film heaven. A time where studios were investing in sillyness, stupidity and laughs on a consistent basis, and where the cynicism born out of the soon-to-come net-generation was nowhere in sight. Sue me”¦I loved the Hollywood that could release films like Dumb and Dumber, Wayne’s World, Coneheads, Tommy Boy, Happy Gilmore, Dirty Work, Cabin Boy, etc. Comedy is undoubtedly my favorite genre, I was raised on it, and those were the type of films released during my impressionable years. It was practically on tap at the theater, and I make no apologies for loving them. Why did it all stop? Can’t really be sure, but perhaps it was some mixture between the fact that Hollywood no longer can make a mid-range budgeted film anymore AND somewhere along the lines comedy in film became associated with bad cinema.

    I blame Tarantino, and I’ve been accused of being a Tarantino fanboy”¦but in my humble opinion, Tarantino is to studio comedy films what Nirvana is to “Fun Music” (see Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler for further explanation.) They came on the scene and suddenly everything needs to be gritty, real, and/or serious or “IT SUCKS!” (at least in the mind of the audience.) Which doesn’t even make sense since there’s nothing “real” about Tarantino’s films”¦in a good way, but I digress.

    That’s My Boy is a return to form for Sandler, a return to the Sandler of his early comedy albums, his SNL days, the era of Billy Madison and Happy Gilmore. For some this isn’t really a good thing, if you hated Sandler before you aren’t going to magically love him now, ESPECIALLY with him doing a silly accent for 90 minutes, it even took me a few minutes to adjust without cringing. In retrospect though, I like the over the top absurdity of his (Boston?) accent. I’m the guy who loved and still loves Little Nicky after all .

    What is the “form” that this is returning to? Basically, R-rated, family-unfriendly humor. It’s Sandler as the goofball dad and Andy Samberg as his estranged son, the straight man who can’t stand the constant free-flowing sex jokes, stupidity and/or slobbery. Sure, it’s an old formula, but a great formula when played right. I submit the following examples:

    Awesome:

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    Even more awesome:

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    This poster looks familiar, the posing, the spilling beverage, the word “BOY” :

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    The best comment I have for That’s My Boy is that it isn’t our worst fear, it isn’t JACK AND JILL 2: JACK AND JILL AND JED (I’m just guessing.) This is the Sandler that we fell in love with in the 1990s. Now that he’s back on track, and the fact that this film is essentially a non-violent Uncle Donnie movie (his name is even Donnie,) I hope and pray that he will finally make my dreams come true and make Toll Booth Willie: The Movie.

    I’m Bob Rose and thanks for your eyeball time!

  • TV Or Not TV: 1/31 – 2/6

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    Usually when I sit down to write this column on a Sunday (yes, it is published Monday so heaven forbid I actually do something in advance) I’m sometimes left wondering exactly what to write about it. Thanks to an outstanding episode of SATURDAY NIGHT LIFE this past Saturday night I am thankful to the TV spirits because after watching it from the DVR this Sunday morning I have a column that I’m pretty sure will write itself.

    I was looking forward to this past week’s SNL because it was being hosted by Jesse Eisenberg. I admit I was looking forward to Eisenberg himself but I was also looking forward to the fact that an actor was hosting that wouldn’t get in the way of the writers and might bring some positive feedback to the writing process. Eisenberg seems to be the type of actor that comes off as a simple, if not somewhat neurotic, talent that more than likely wouldn’t intimidate the writing staff. The past three installments of the show (Jeff Bridges, Jim Carrey and Gwyneth Paltrow) have been extremely hit or miss (Carrey a complete miss for me and Bridges came off as almost disconnected in a “Why am I doing this?” performance) but I found myself extremely entertained by nearly every skit that Eisenberg was in. The best of the skits, which you probably won’t find on-line thanks to music rights issues, was the DON’T FORGET THE LYRICS skit which literally brought me to my knees with laughter (I was standing in the kitchen making breakfast for the family at the time). I highly suggest anyone who wants a good laugh to find even the poorest of YouTube rips of this skit before NBC forces them to be taken down.

    The item that naturally is getting all of the big headlines is the fact that FACEBOOK creator Mark Zuckerberg, who EISENBERG has received an Oscar nod for portraying in THE SOCIAL NETWORK, actually dropped in to the opening monologue. This was not only an outstanding surprise for us the audience but it also broke us out of the typical and almost predictable type opening monologue that we’ve been handed lately. This was a great move for Zuckerberg since it helps to show the public that he isn’t the character portrayed in THE SOCIAL NETWORK and he actually has a sense of humor about the whole thing. Regardless of the motivation it really helped to make the monologue enjoyable. The only thing I wish was that his presence at the close of the show hadn’t been so awkward.

    If you didn’t see the opening I’m referring to the good folks over at HULU make it really easy for you to take almost all of the show in (with the exception of that stellar DON’T FORGET THE LYRICS skit).

    Now let’s set my Eisenberg adoration aside and get down to the real nitty-gritty of this week’s TV offerings!

    MONDAY

    NBC – 8:00 PM: Tonight’s episode of CHUCK was originally intended as a season ender before NBC came through with a full season pickup. Everything has been building up to this point so if you’re a CHUCK fan I don’t even need to tell you to be watching this tonight.

    ABC – 8:00 PM: Tonight on THE BACHELOR they head to Vegas because that’s just the type of place you go to find true love.

    CBS – 9:00 PM: CBS continues the SHEEN stalling with a repeat of TWO AND A HALF MEN.

    SYFY – 9:00 PM: There was enough in the first two episodes of BEING HUMAN to get me check it out one more week.

    TUESDAY

    FOX – 8:00 PM: Another GLEE-peat tonight reminds us just how this show put the HORROR back into ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW. Seriously, this was bad.

    NBC – 8:00 PM: All of the contestants are reunited on the ranch on tonight’s episode of THE BIGGEST LOSER. No more anonymity and I’m sure game play will come out hardcore.

    FX – 8:00 PM: What does it say about the night when I view one of the best options on TV is a cable-edited version of STEP BROTHERS?

    LIFETIME – 10:00 PM: Want to know what things are really like in a maternity ward? See the blessed moment and some of the embarrassing ones on ONE BORN EVERY MINUTE.

    WEDNESDAY

    FOX – 8:00 PM: Please forgive me for the following admission: I’m really enjoying STEVEN TYLER on AMERICAN IDOL.

    FX – 8:00 PM: OK, really, where’s all the new TV? I’m looking at a cable cut of TROPIC THUNDER and thinking it sounds like a good idea tonight.

    A&E – 9:00 PM: After seven seasons even DOG THE BOUNTY HUNTER resorts to a clip show as they look back at their most memorable catches.

    ABC – 9:30 PM: COUGAR TOWN is the only new sitcom in ABC’s comedy Wednesday line up. See what I’m saying?

    THURSDAY

    NBC – 8:00 PM: I really want to recommend tonight’s episode of COMMUNITY because I love the show but I just haven’t been feeling it for the least two episodes. Will tonight pull it out?

    ABC – 8:00 PM: Why do I like WIPEOUT? Show titles like HOCKEY PUCKS AND BIEBER FEVER.

    FOX – 9:00 PM: Tonight on BONES the body that’s found is dressed as a scarecrow in a cornfield. This simple idea terrified me as a child.

    FRIDAY

    THE CW – 8:00 PM: SMALLVILLE finally returns after it had a week delay at the hand of the most nasty of villains: network executives.

    NBC – 8:00 PM: The family tree docuseries WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? returns as we once again get treated to seeing why the famous even have ancestors cooler than we were.

    CBS – 9:00 PM: Ever wonder what the top ten of the SUPER BOWL’S GREATEST COMMERCIALS would be if people voted? Tonight you get your answer.

    ABC – 10:00 PM: BARBRA “buzz kill” WALTERS comes out with another special tonight titled A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH where she interviews celebrities and their brushes with death. What an uplifting way to end my work week.

    SATURDAY

    BBC AMERICA – 11:00 AM: TOP GEAR all day. Again I say TOP GEAR all day. That is all.

    SCIENCE CHANNEL – 8:00 PM: There is nothing greater than KARL PINKERTON in AN IDIOT ABROAD. If you haven’t seen this than you are in for a treat because it’s three episodes airing back-to-back-to-back.

    ABC – 9:00 PM: For a while I was worried that SHREK THE THIRD would be just a lackluster final installment in the SHREK series. Thankfully it wasn’t.

    NBC – 11:30 PM: No you aren’t having a flashback to the 90’s, DANA CARVEY is hosting SNL tonight.

    SUNDAY

    FOX – 6:00 PM E / 3:00 PM P: I can’t wait to watch it all and talk about the greatest moments of SUPER BOWL XLV. You know that I’m talking about the commercials. There has to be at least one stand out one this year, right?

    ANIMAL PLANET – 6:00 PM E / 3:00 PM P: Don’t know what to do with your infant during the big game? Use that other TV to put on the PUPPY BOWL. Maybe you can even put it on in a picture-in-picture window.

    FOX – 10:30 PM E / 7:30 PM P: It’s the super big post-game GLEE. Yeah, they put GLEE on after the SUPER BOWL. This programming makes just a bit more sense than trying to sell wrestling to the Oprah Network.

  • TV Or Not TV: 1/10 – 1/16

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    Welcome to another week of TV Or Not TV where I really wanted to like THE CAPE and SNL.

    After finally having the opportunity to watch THE CAPE I can see where the creators of the show wanted to go with it, but I think they may have fallen victim to executive involvement. The first hour of the two-hour premiere would be what most would refer to as the origin story. We get to see how the character of VINCE FARADAY evolves into THE CAPE. We get to see where he gets his training and his titular cape. We get to see how he gets teamed up with the blogger ORWELL and we see where his motivation to become a super hero comes from. The problem is this was just too much to cram into the forty-four minutes that the show had. The pilot came off as rushed and in some regards forced, which unfortunately gives it somewhat of an amateurish feel.

    There used to be a time when a show that would require the scope that THE CAPE needed in its premiere would be given a full two hours (1.5 hours actual) to flesh out its concept in almost a TV movie fashion. In some cases the pilot for a show would actually be done as a TV movie to see if the audience actually wanted such a show. This is the type of treatment that THE CAPE should have been given because there were too many leaps and bounds around the story that they told for it to feel cohesive and logical. One amazing example of this is the moment that ORWELL and FARADAY team up. THE CAPE has known ORWELL for all of what feels like 5 minutes and she’s giving him an earpiece to be his backup.

    Another example is when MAX MALINI is captured by the villain CHESS because of his stealing from the ARK banks. CHESS knows who he is but moving from the first to the second episode MAX is just relaxing at his carnival and apparently CHESS no longer has an interest in his lost money. If CHESS doesn’t pick this thread up again during the third episode he is the dumbest evil genius in TV show history because THE CAPE uses the exact same vanishing trick that MAX did in order to escape CHESS in the pilot episode.

    If you were able to stomach the first hour of THE CAPE you were rewarded with a not-quite-as-bad second episode that demonstrates the real promise that the show holds. FARADAY is shown to be cunning, dedicated and most importantly he is flawed because he is new to this whole super-hero thing. We as the audience are also introduced to another sub-set of hired killers whose organization is known as TAROT which opens up the scope of the show for guest villains to be logically dropped in.

    The one glaringly obvious weak plot point that continues on from the first to the second episode is SUMMER GLAU’s character ORWELL. We aren’t told at all why ORWELL seems to have all of the expensive toys are high-tech knowledge which is fine, but the character is extremely under-utilized. I’m still convinced that GLAU was added at the last minute to try to give the show more appeal to the male geek demographic the show is trying to pull in, but from what we’ve seen in these first two episodes it just isn’t enough.

    HARI CARREY

    This past Saturday’s SNL proved to be one of the most painful viewing experiences that I’ve had with the show in some time. I don’t know exactly what happened but I’d be suspicious of the fact that JIM CARREY planted himself in the writer’s room and they were all mesmerized by his BS and he was able to convince them all that he still knew what funny is. If this scenario did occur than I hope that each of the writers and cast members at least had that gut feeling that what they were hearing wasn’t actually funny at all but they were too scared to go up against the former titan that was JIM CARREY.

    I knew there was something that wasn’t quite right when the show didn’t come back from the post-monologue faux commercial to a skit. I should have known from this tiny sign that I should just fast-forward to Weekend Update and from there call it a night. Sadly I did not.

    The BLACK SWAN skit was bush-league at best since there was nothing done to make CARREY even appear feminine. Every other CARREY skit after that continued to fall flat for me with the exception of the WORST OF SOUL TRAIN sketch. This was the one and only time that CARREY delivered well timed goods and just enough exposure to be funny. I’m convinced that he had absolutely nothing to do with the creation of this skit as well.

    I also realize, in writing this, humor is subjective and open to interpretation of the viewer. I’ve seen JIM CARREY be funnier so for me he just wasn’t up to snuff on this episode. If you thought differently feel free to comment and let me know your thoughts because I would love to hear them.

    Now let’s move on to the meat and potatoes of this week’s television dining experience, shall we?

    MONDAY

    NBC – 9:00 PM: If you missed THE CAPE last night and want still want to build your own opinion than you can catch the first two hours again tonight. The NBC site calls it an encore, I call it a re-air.

    A&E – 10:00 PM: Tonight’s HOARDERS has to be the most disgusting ever as the show focuses on a man that hoards rats. Yes, I said rats. 2,500 of them. I may not even be able to stomach this one.

    TBS – 10:00 PM: MEN OF A CERTAIN AGE comes up with the suckiest road trip ever in the winter season finale as its destination: colonoscopies.

    ABC – 10:00 PM: A magic store owner is found dead in Houdini’s Water Torture Tank on tonight’s CASTLE. Too bad for the guy Houdini didn’t have the Ultra-Fluffy Bed of Final Rest trick instead.

    TUESDAY

    ABC – 8:00 PM: Why is it every time an Uncle comes to visit they always have an angle? Tonight on NO ORDINARY FAMILY we get JIM’s brother dropping in for a visit and he figures out a way to use JJ’s genius to win at gambling.

    NBC – 8:00 PM: It is doctor feel good night as the contestants on THE BIGGEST LOSER get lectured by the show’s doctor about just how unhealthy they are.

    COMEDY CENTRAL – 10:30 PM: If you’re a fan of funny and sports you’ll be sure to enjoy the premiere tonight of the ONION SPORTSDOME.

    WEDNESDAY

    FOX – 8:00 PM: The only bad thing about two hours of HUMAN TARGET is that they are blowing through new episodes way too fast.

    ABC – 9:00 PM: MITCHELL bumps into a former girlfriend on tonight’s MODERN FAMILY. No, you read that write and no, I didn’t get it wrong.

    TLC – 9:00 PM: MY STRANGE ADDICTION brings us a teen that eats detergent. This makes me glad I’ve never had to wash my kid’s mouth out with soap.

    ABC – 10:00 PM: The creator of GREY’S ANNATOMY and PRIVATE PRACTICE stretches into unknown territory with a medical drama (big shock) but set in the jungle! This is going to make those laundry room hook-ups a lot more complicated.

    THURSDAY

    USA – 6:00 AM: Home sick from work (or not working)? How about a ROYAL PAINS six hour marathon?

    ABC – 8:00 PM: WIPEOUT contestants have to work their way past the Yule Log and I only wish this was on during the holidays for me to truly enjoy its winter theme.

    DISCOVERY – 8:00 PM: If you missed the GREEN HORNET special edition of MYTHBUSTERS than tonight you can enjoy it.

    FRIDAY

    CBS – 8:00 PM: It’s the penultimate episode of MEDIUM and ALLISON finally gets to meet a psychic stalker (the guy is stalking a psychic, not a stalker who sees the future or anything).

    THE CW – 8:00 PM: Tonight’s repeat of SMALLVILLE gives CLARK a glimpse of his red and blue future thanks to BRANIAC 5.

    HBO – 9:00 PM: The animated version of a podcast returns for a second season tonight with THE RICKY GERVAIS SHOW. Just consider it a warm up for the GOLDEN GLOBES on Sunday.

    VH1 – 9:00 PM: It’s the CRITICS’ CHOICE MOVIE AWARDS and I’m happy to say that even nearing 40 I still don’t completely agree with the critics.

    SATURDAY

    ABC – 9:00 PM: It’s the MISS AMERICA PAGEANT and we can only hope for another viral-worthy Q&A with the contestants.

    SYFY – 9:00 PM: I’m not sure if the name of the SYFY original movie BEHEMOTH is for the title character or how big a piece of crap this will be.

    NBC – 11:30 PM: Last week’s SNL may have sucked hard but at least when it comes to scheduling they’ve still got it with the combo of GWYNETH PALTROW and musical guest CEE LO GREEN. I can’t wait for the bleeps during their inevitable duet.

    SUNDAY

    NBC – 8:00 PM: RICKY GERVAIS returns to host THE 68th ANNUAL GOLDEN GLOBES tonight and if I watch it is just to see him.

    HBO – 9:00 PM: I hope you are all caught up on BIG LOVE because the final season premieres tonight. .

    BBC AMERICA – 9:00 PM: THE TUDORS starts its cable syndication tonight on BBC AMERICA so if you always wanted to see it and didn’t have SHOWTIME than now’s your chance.

    COMEDY CENTRAL – 10:00 PM: I have no idea if it’s any good but how could I not resist wanting to type DENIS LEARY AND FRIENDS PRESENT DOUCHEBAGS AND DONUTS?

  • Contest Round-Up: 2010-09-23

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    Welcome to our weekly round-up of featured giveaways here at FRED. Every week, we’ll present a new clutch of DVDs, books, and other cool stuff you can take a shot at winning. All you have to do is click on the graphics below to be taken to their respective contest pages. And good luck!

    In conjunction with Chronicle Books, we’re giving away a copy of DAY & NIGHT signed by writer/artist Teddy Newton.

    In conjunction with New Line Home Video & in celebration of the individual release of the Lord Of The Rings trilogy on Blu-Ray, we’re giving away a Lord Of The Rings Prize Pack

    In conjunction with Fox Home Entertainment, we’re giving away three (3) copies of SIMPSONS: THE COMPLETE 13th SEASON on DVD.

    In conjunction with Universal Home Video, we’re giving away five (5) copies of MacGRUBER on Blu-Ray.

    In conjunction with Universal Home Video, we’re giving away five (5) copies of THE OFFICE: SEASON 6 on DVD.

    In conjunction with Universal Home Video, we’re giving away five (5) copies of PARENTHOOD: SEASON 1 on DVD.

    In conjunction with Paramount Home Video, we’re giving away three (3) copies of PETTY BLUE on DVD.

    In conjunction with Cartoon Network Home Video, we’re giving away three (3) copies of BEN 10 ALIEN FORCE: VOLUME 8 on DVD.

    In conjunction with Fox Home Video, we’re giving away two (2) copies of WALL STREET on DVD.

    In conjunction with BBC Home Video, we’re giving away two (2) copies of CLATTERFORD: SEASON 3 on DVD.

    In conjunction with BBC Home Video, we’re giving away two (2) copies of DOCTOR WHO: THE CREATURE FROM THE PIT on DVD.

    In conjunction with BBC Home Video, we’re giving away two (2) copies of DOCTOR WHO: THE KING’S DEMONS on DVD.

    In conjunction with BBC Home Video, we’re giving away two (2) copies of DOCTOR WHO: PLANET OF FIRE on DVD.

    In conjunction with BBC Home Video, we’re giving away two (2) copies of LAST OF THE SUMMER WINE: VINTAGE 1985 on DVD.

    In conjunction with BBC Home Video, we’re giving away two (2) copies of SKINS: VOLUME 3 on DVD.

    In conjunction with BBC Home Video, we’re giving away two (2) copies of WONDERS OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM on DVD.

    In conjunction with BBC Home Video, we’re giving away two (2) copies of LARK RISE TO CANDLEFORD: SEASON 3 on DVD.

    In conjunction with BBC Home Video, we’re giving away two (2) copies of DALZIEL & PASCOE: SEASON 2 on DVD.

    In conjunction with BBC Home Video, we’re giving away two (2) copies of JUDGE JOHN DEED: SEASON 2 on DVD.

    In conjunction with BBC Home Video, we’re giving away two (2) copies of SHERLOCK HOLMES (1964-1965) on DVD.

    In conjunction with BBC Home Video, we’re giving away two (2) copies of BEING HUMAN: SEASON 2 on DVD.

    In conjunction with BBC Home Video, we’re giving away two (2) copies of PREHISTORIC PARK on DVD.

    In conjunction with BBC Home Video, we’re giving away two (2) copies of TOP GEAR 13 on DVD.

    In conjunction with Walt Disney Home Video, we’re giving away two (2) copies of CAMP ROCK 2: THE FINAL JAM on Blu-Ray/DVD.

    In conjunction with Warner Bros. Home Video, we’re giving away three (3) copies of THE BIG BANG THEORY: SEASON 3 on DVD.

    In conjunction with Walt Disney Home Video, we’re giving away two (2) copies of PRINCE OF PERSIA: SANDS OF TIME on Blu-Ray.

    In conjunction with HBO Home Video, we’re giving away three (3) copies of BILL MAHER: BUT I’M NOT WRONG on DVD.

    In conjunction with Adult Swim, we’re giving away three (3) copies of TIM & ERIC AWESOME SHOW GREAT JOB!: SEASON 4 on DVD.

    In conjunction with Fox Home Video, we’re giving away three (3) copies of JUST WRIGHT on DVD.

    In conjunction with History Channel Home Video, we’re giving away three (3) copies each of AMERICA: THE STORY OF US on both Blu-Ray & DVD.

  • Win MacGRUBER on Blu-Ray!

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    In conjunction with Universal Home Video, we’re giving away five (5) copies of MacGRUBER on Blu-Ray.

    Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on Wednesday, October 13th.

    Enter the contest!
    Email:
    First name:
    Last name:
    Street Address:
    Address Line 2 (if needed):
    City:
    State/Province/Whatever:
    Zip Code/Postal Code:
    Country:
    Birth Month:
    Birth Day:
    Birth Year:

    Official Rules

    No member of FRED Entertainment or their immediate families may enter.

    No Purchase necessary to win.

    Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

    One entry per day, per person.

    All submitted entries must be received by 11:59pm EST on Wednesday, October 13th.

    The winner must allow 4-6 weeks after notification of win to receive the product.

  • TV Or Not TV: 5/10 – 5/16

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    After recently spending some quiet ‘me’ time I was finally able to catch up on ABC’s floundering FLASHFORWARD. Since the show came back from its long winter break I’d only watched two episodes so I felt as though I hadn’t really given it all that much of a chance.

    When FLASHFORWARD premiered I really enjoyed the first few episodes and I thought the show had a lot of promise. The gimmick was good and in many ways the show really seemed like the heir apparent to the LOST throne. Some how though the show really lost its steam prior to taking the winter break. I’m not sure if that was from having us involved in too many stories, taking us in to many directions, or just a lack of cohesive thought in the writing process. Whatever it was I wasn’t the only one to pick up on these things because the show had a pretty big shake up in it’s creative team during the break.

    After coming back from the winter break the show seemed determined to really get down to business. They instantly established the fact that another world wide blackout may be coming (OH NO!) and the show gave us something we were missing prior to the break: real bad guys that the characters would eventually have to deal with. In taking a page from X-FILES and LOST they’ve kept the bad guys mysterious, made them seem real organized, and kept us virtually in the dark as to who they are and why they are doing what they are doing. It’s something that the show was really missing and it’s a welcome addition. The recent addition of James Callis to the cast as a secret flash forward experiment victim who has all kinds of possible futures locked up in his head is probably the one story line I want to see them follow because his performance is so opposite that of BALTAR from the re-imagined BATTLESTAR GALACTICA that it’s just brilliant.

    There are still some things that just don’t seem to work right and a few missed opportunities, if you were to ask me. The story of the kidnapped daughter in the middle east is one that I just don’t have a lot of interest in. The doctor with cancer who is waiting to find his Asian lady love? Yawn. Taking the hope that the futures we saw aren’t set in stone and making us question if it can really be possible? Predictable.  Having an episode air on April 29th and not have it co-incide with the show’s timeline of the day of the flash, also April 29th? Meta fail.

    All-in-all, however, I can really say with a degree of confidence that the show is actually worth the time to watch, especially in this latter half of the season. There is real momentum week to week and it really gives you a reason to watch instead of just making you watch to avoid missing some small detail that may be relevant later.

    SNL

    This past Saturday I think that SNL might actually be able to learn something from the Internet since the show featuring BETTY WHITE was probably the best episode of the entire 2009-2010 season. For the majority of this season watching SNL has been bitter-sweet as I’ve been looking for the ‘good sketch’ needle in a haystack of unfunny. I suppose even saying that it has just been this season is a bit of a stretch as well since the majority of last season was the same for me. Still, week after week, I DVR the show with the hopes that I push enough straw of funny out of the way to find that gleaming and sharp needle of funny that everyone is going to be talking about. All of that changed with BETTY WHITE.

    First and foremost BETTY WHITE has (literally) had a lifetime of experience to finely tune her comedic timing to the point where I believe it is second nature. Her finely tuned comedic timing coupled with her mature and maternal grandmother facade make her a one two punch that I think just about any writer would be hard pressed to NOT make her funny. With this show there were close calls, two awkward ones in my opinion, where the premise was pushing it or BETTY seemed slightly out of sorts but even in those instances you were more forgiving because BETTY WHITE’s presence is so powerful you just didn’t care.

    Another reason why I think that this episode of SNL was so good had to do with almost every major female cast member from the last 10 years returning for this special installment. I’m sure that this returning group has a certain affect in the writing room of the show that helped contribute to what, perceived by me, was a higher caliber of show quality. I also strongly suspect that this installment of the show had the benefit of lots of preparation in the way of writing being done well in advance instead of the usual writings as they go that I believe happens during regular production of the show. I only hope that there was something to be learned from the entire BETTY WHITE experiment and the forthcoming season finale with ALEC BALDWIN sends this season off in a good way.

    Now let’s see what TV holds for us this week.

    MONDAY

    NBC – 8:00 PM: CHRISTOPHER LLOYD drops in as a therapist to help CHUCK deal with his head. Hopefully he’s more Doc Brown than Jim Ignatowski (oh heck, I’d take a nice merge of both).

    CBS – 8:00 PM: The gang on HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER crash a swank New York party. I sense some stunt casting in this one.

    ABC – 10:00 PM: CASTLE has to struggle for attention from BECKETT now that DEMMING is hanging around. Speaking of which has ABC got option contracts on most of the BATTLESTAR GALACTICA cast?

    TUESDAY

    FOX – 8:00 PM: OK AMERICAN IDOL this whole mentoring thing has got to stop. JAMIE FOXX mentoring the remaining contestants on singing songs from movies? Really? Now you’re stretching it. Why not RUSSELL CROWE, BILLY BOB THORTON or KEANU REAVES? They’ve all got bands, they just didn’t play a singer in a movie. Oh, wait, you want someone else who did the whole singer biopic thing? Bring in JOAQUIN PHOENIX instead or maybe DENNIS QUAID?

    ABC – 9:00 PM: Tonight we see the touching story of When JACOB met SMOKEY on a very special episode of LOST.

    FOX – 9:00 PM: OK, let me get this straight: KURT tries to butch it up, PUCK shaves the mohawk and RACHEL can’t sing on tonight’s episode of GLEE? Wow, this doesn’t scream filler at all!

    WEDNESDAY

    TheCW – 8:00 PM: OMG! It’s the two hour finale of AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL and I’ve not watched a single episode! Why start now, right?

    BC – 9:00 PM: OK, this week the MODERN FAMILY actually gets to Hawaii instead of just travelling there and just like last week I’m rooting for PHIL to find the cursed tiki idol to make my world complete.

    NBC – 9:00 PM: MERCY has it’s season finale tonight and it’s ranked in my viewing schedule just behind AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL. Oh well.

    THURSDAY

    CBS – 8:00 PM: The penultimate (kind of) episode of SURVIVOR: HEROES VS. VILLAINS airs and we I’m wondering if RUSSELL makes it to the end or did PARVARTI eat him alive?

    TheCW – 8:00 PM: It’s spooky night done right on TheCW with the season finale of THE VAMPIRE DIARIES followed by the looming apocalypse on SUPERNATURAL.

    NBC – 9:00 PM: Tonight is all filler on THE OFFICE until next week’s return of KATHY BATES.

    FOX – 9:00 PM: Wow, I could use penultimate twice tonight because the the first part of the FRINGE season finale is tonight as well. It’s a two parter so next week won’t make much sense without tonight but it’s still the next to last episode to air for the season so I’m saying it’s the penultimate. I sure hope I’m using that word right.

    FRIDAY

    TheCW – 8:00 PM: Well we’ve waited all season to find out just how CLARK is going to deal with the Kandorians on SMALLVILLE and it’s finally here. The solution he sought and found last week results in all Kyrptonians being banished from Earth so I’m dreading a finale where it seems that CLARK is gone (again).

    CBS – 9:00 PM: I only bring up tonight’s episode of MEDIUM because I once again wanted to say penultimate. So yeah, this is the penultimate episode for what could be the final season of the series.

    SATURDAY

    BBCAMERICA – 8:00 PM: OK, so maybe your TARDIS was a bit wibbly-wobbly and you missed last week’s first part of this awesome two-parter of DOCTOR WHO. Guess what? Tune in at this time and you can catch THE TIME OF ANGELS before the 9:00 PM airing of the second part FLESH AND STONE. Two hours I have no fear in recommending.

    NBC – 11:30 PM: How do you follow-up the stellar BETTY WHITE performance on SNL? Two words folks: ALEC ‘MOTHER TRUCKIN’ BALDWIN.

    SUNDAY

    CBS – 8:00 PM: Grab a bowl of popcorn and sit down as CBS tries to dominate the night with the season finale of SURVIVOR: HEROES VS. VILLAINS. After the two hour finale you can even stick around for the reunion special right after.

    FOX – 8:00 PM: The FOX network refuses to bow before SURVIVOR by rolling out another appearance of SIDESHOW BOB on tonight’s episode of THE SIMPSONS.

    ABC – 9:00 PM: The explosive season finale of DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES hits as we see LYNETTE finally learns the down side of befriending a serial killer and the entire BOLEN business is finally put to rest.

    HBO – 9:00 PM: It’s the final episode of the amazing World War II miniseries THE PACIFIC tonight. I hope no one spoils how it ends for me!

    ABC – 10:00 PM: You hear that folks? It’s my sigh of relief at the fact that another season of BROTHERS & SISTERS comes to a close and I know there’s one less show on the DVR that I won’t be watching.

  • Bagged & Boarded 31: A Brief Respite with Bobby Moynihan

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    What happens when two young men let their love of movies, comic books, and all things “geek” take over their lives? They run away from their families, bringing only the most essential DVDs and comics to their secret, highly fortified underground bunker in sunny Southern California, where they start recording podcasts that will change the world.

    Are they heroes?

    No.

    Are they geniuses?

    Far from it.

    Are they the future of this planet?

    I sure hope not.

    Simply put… Matt Cohen and Jesse Rivers are “Bagged and Boarded”.

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    BAGGED & BOARDED #31: A Brief Respite with Bobby Moynihan   – In which Matt sits down for a very special conversation with Bobby Moynihan, and is regaled with tales of a rookie season on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, DIY Action Figures, and one man’s love for a furry blue Muppet. Live from this podcast… It’s this podcast!

    [CONTENT WARNING]: This podcast may contain some foul language and horribly off-color jokes. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

    DOWNLOAD: (right click to save)
    Episode #31 (MP3 format)

    [audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/baggedboarded/bagged_boarded-31.mp3]

    SUBSCRIBE
    Subscribe to this Podcast via iTunes

    Got something to say? E-mail Matt & Jesse at the B & B mailbag.

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    CLICK HERE FOR THE BAGGED & BOARDED ARCHIVES

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  • TV Or Not TV: 9/15 – 9/21

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    Welcome back for a very special TV or Not TV.

    OK, it’s not really all that special. This week we’re taking a look at the new shows on the ABC Fall Schedule. There’s a reason why, however, I’ve been saving ABC for last. They’ve got two new shows. Yes, that’s right, just two.

    Opportunity Knocks (Premieres 9/23) ““ This new show from Punk’d creative team Ashton Kutcher and Jason Goldberg‘s is a reality show made me think they almost lifted Brian Lynch‘s Party Truck USA idea. Instead the show concept is this: semi-truck game show pulls up infront of your house and uses objects and clues in the house to quiz the family as to how well they know one another. Cash prizes involved. I’ll wait to see to base judgment.

    Life on Mars (Premieres 10/9) ““ This show is a BBC import. The Americanized version was executive produced by David E. Kelley and stars Jason O’Mara as a present day police detective who, after a car crash, wakes up as a detective in the 70’s. The show has had lots of buzz because Kelley’s pilot “didn’t hew close enough” to the BBC original, so Kelley walked. A new pilot, a change of location and an entire recasting of everyone but the lead means this is one you have to catch just to see what turned out in the end.

    Well, I hope you were able to get through all of that and now you still have an appetite for the TV viewing opportunities out there this week.

    MONDAY

    SCIFI ““ 7:00 PM: If you’ve put off getting caught up in LOST-mania but you’ve always wanted to watch it from the beginning, now is your chance. You can sit back, relax and enjoy four hours of lost every week on Monday night.

    ABC ““ 8:00 PM: Oh look, someone else is airing Batman Begins.

    CBS ““ 8:00 PM: Get ready for the return of The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother and Two and a Half Men by watching tonight’s repeat of the season finale.

    TUESDAY

    NBC ““ 8:00 PM: Last year’s edition of The Biggest Loser using couples was a great one, so they are keeping the concept going with this year’s edition: The Biggest Loser: Families. Husband-Wife and Parent-Child teams vie to lose big and win bigger. This show is a great motivator and great entertainment.

    CBS ““ 9:00 PM: Will it be Dan or Memphis who walks away with the half mill tonight? Which one of the jury members will win the $25,000 pity prize from America’s vote? After tonight you won’t hear me say Big Brother again for at least four months.

    FOX ““ 9:00 PM: Let’s see if Fringe can keep up the creepy momentum that they started with the pilot.

    ABC ““ 9:30 PM: The ABC news department is stretching for ratings with Primetime: UFOs”¦ Seeing is Believing. I haven’t seen a hubcap hung from fishing line in a long time, this should be fun.

    WEDNESDAY

    CBS ““ 8:00 PM: Two episodes of The New Adventures of Old Christine try to prime you for next week’s season premiere.

    HIST ““ 8:00 PM: How could you not watch Monster Quest tonight with a title like this? Bigfoot in New York.

    CW ““ 9:00 PM: If you missed this week’s new episode of 90210 yesterday than you can catch it tonight.

    THURSDAY

    MAX ““ 8:00 PM: Matt Damon steps away from F’ing Sarah Silverman long enough to try to uncover his real identity in The Bourne Ultimatum.

    NBC ““ 8:30 PM: Get ready for next week’s premiere of My Name is Earl and The Office by watching both shows season finales.

    USA ““ 10:00 PM: Unfortunately after tonight we’re going to have to wait until 2009 to see more of Burn Notice. Don’t miss it.

    FRIDAY

    You know the recommendations aren’t going to be good for a night when the writer leads off with”¦

    OXYGEN ““ 8:00 PM: The entertaining Legally Blonde and the dismal Legally Blonde 2 are back-to-back tonight.

    BRAVO ““ 8:00 PM: More proof that a sequel is too much of a good thing comes from Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Dangerous.

    BBCA ““ 8:00 PM: Forget all that other crap. Enjoy 80 minutes of Monty Python’s Flying Circus and enjoy the universal language of pure comedy.

    SATURDAY

    TNT ““ 8:00 PM: Queen Latifah finds out she is terminally ill so she does what we all do, sells all her stuff and lives it up in Europe in Last Holiday. I’m not really recommending this, this is what we call filler.

    FOOD ““ 9:00 PM: Two hours of Dinner: Impossible lead up to Iron Chef: America. Keep healthy snacks handy or this could be trouble.

    NBC ““ 11:29 PM: James Franco hosts SNL. I predict a Seth Rogen surprise visit.

    SUNDAY

    ABC ““ 8:00 PM: Every fashionista and star f’er will be tuning in for the 60th Prime Time Emmy Awards. I’m not one of them. No, really, I’m not.

    NGC ““ 8:00 PM: At last Titanic: The Final Secret is revealed! Wait, was there something we still didn’t know? Turns out there was. The guy who found the famed cruise ship was actually on a secret Navy mission to examine submarines lost during the Cold War. Who knew?

    FOX ““ 9:00 PM: Robot Chicken did a much better Star Wars special, however you might find the Family Guy‘s Blue Harvest chuckle-worthy. Some items I found funny, a lot of it felt like too drawn out of a joke. You decide.

    – Will Wilkins really wishes there were better things to watch on Friday nights.

     

  • TV Or Not TV: 9/1 – 9/7

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    Welcome back to another week of TV or Not TV, where we aim to disappoint at every turn!

    To start the disappointment train a chuggin’ along I have to say that the anticipated discussion about the FOX new fall shows won’t be occurring today, but since they aren’t going to be airing during this next week I don’t feel so bad. I neglected to look at this high tech device I just found out about called a calendar, and realized that I was going to try to take on too much at the same time that the Labor Day weekend was hitting. I know, not very bright of me.

    I am, however, very excited at the fact that this week many shows are either premiering or returning for the new Fall season, so there is plenty to write about and read in this week’s column. Hopefully that will help balance out the let down a little bit.

    So, with that knowledge at hand let’s just jump right in to the schedule and see where it takes us, shall we?

    MONDAY

    If there is any one thing that I love about Labor Day it is the marathons that networks put on. Unfortunately Style won’t be running The Biggest Loser this year, so here first is a guide to all the shows you can watch far too much today. With all of them please check your local listings for times.

    FX – All the Fez you can ask for with That 70’s Show.
    TNT – 13 hours of The Closer.
    TBS – Guess they had to go with quantity over quality. I’d have much rather seen a My Boys marathon over the scheduled Tyler Perry’s House of Payne.
    USA –     Enjoy a day with the Defective Detective Monk.
    ANIMAL PLANET –     Easily get reminded why we shouldn’t trust the animal kingdom with this marathon of Untamed and Uncut.
    HIST – If you watch all 12 hours you’ll know why things are Tougher in Alaska.
    OXYGEN –     If you won’t be taking in the 90210 redux than you might catch Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood.
    SCIFI – It’s a viewers choice marathon of Star Trek: The Next Generation.
    STYLE – You may feel a lot cleaner than some people after watching Clean House.

    OK, enough marathon talk. Let’s get talk about what to really watch.

    FOX – 8:00 PM: The two hour season premiere of Prison Break kicks of a few months after last season’s finale. Here’s hoping they can breathe new life into this show and make it interesting again.

    CW – 8:00 PM: I am sure a certain demographic out there is so excited that the mysterious texting Gossip Girl returns tonight. Me? Not so much.

    TUESDAY

    CW – 8:00 PM: No, the TV listings haven’t had a flashback, 90210 is having its season premiere tonight. Considering the original went from standard teen drama to night time soap opera during its first run I’m curious to see how this re-imagined version plays out.

    FX – 10:00 PM: It’s the premiere of the final season of The Shield. I feel like The Shield was one of the first shows to really set the tone for the FX line up of gritty shows, so I hope it goes out as strong as it came in.

    WEDNESDAY

    FOX – 8:00 PM: Faster than you can say ‘Fish and Chips’ a body turns up and our favorite team is in England and asked to help investigate on Bones.

    CW – 8:00 PM: So this season on America’s Top Model one of the contestants is a transgender named Isis. I wish they hadn’t given us the name so we could have tried to guess who it was.

    THURSDAY

    FOX – 8:00 PM: With the premiere of the new season of Kitchen Nightmares we get to see Gordon Ramsey return to six of the restaurants that he tried to save from the brink of closure with his own personal form of fixing hate.

    CBS – 8:00 PM: Another person goes and only four will remain in the Big Brother house. The 75 year old has made it to this point, and 10 to 1 one of the remaining women leave tonight. I know, you are probably tired of hearing about this show but it’s the highlight of my summer.

    FRIDAY

    FOX – 8:00 PM: Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? premieres tonight and the producers are grasping at straws bringing Kathy Ireland in to play. Who is next, Spuds McKenzie?

    USA – 9:00 PM: Hello syndication, let me introduce you to Adrian Monk. He’s 100 episodes old now and is a prime candidate for you. He’ll be celebrating this milestone with tons of former guest stars including Andy Richter, Sarah Silverman, Howie Mandel, Sharon Lawrence and John Turturro. With this many people how will they have any time for an actual show?

    ABC FAMILY – 8:00 PM: Tonight is the first night of Samurai Girl, an adaption of the teen novels and in a very surprising turn the star is former Real World: San Diego reality roommate Jamie Chung. Even more surprising, the girl can actually act.

    SATURDAY

    FOX – 8:00 PM: COPS enters in to its 21st season in Broward County, FL where the show originally began. I can’t wait to compare this show against the first one ever. It will be like watching those two episodes of My Name is Earl all over again.

    ABC FAMILY – 8:00 PM: Part two (or episodes 3 & 4 if you are really keeping track) of Samurai Girl. If you missed it last night you can catch those at 6:00 PM.

    NBC – 11:29 PM: The repeat tonight of Saturday Night Live is when Tina Fey was guest host. Relive her infamous ‘bitch is the new black’ line and chuckle along with me.

    SUNDAY

    ABC FAMILY – 8:00 PM: The conclusion of Samurai Girl.

    MTV – 9:00 PM: Last year the Video Music Awards made the world stop and be scared for Britney Spears. Who will shock the world this go around? I think I’m officially too old to care anymore.

    HBO – 9:00 PM: Alan Ball, the man behind Six Feet Under brings us his next creepy new show: an adaption of the adaption of the Sookie Stackhouse novels called True Blood. A mind reading waitress (played by Ana Paquin) befriends a 173-year-old vampire (played by Stephen Moyer). Why is it these vampires are always so old anyway? Just once I want the vampire to be this lost 30-something who can’t decide on a career in his post-living life.

    HBO – 10:00 PM: I don’t know why I continue to watch Entourage as I feel there is only so far you can go following the career of an actor and his tight group of friends. This year, however, may win me back as the vanity project Medallin is so badly reviewed that it sends Vince Chase into a Mexican Beach seclusion trip with Turtle.

    – Will Wilkins really will discuss the new Fall shows for FOX next week…no really.