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One of the very first shows I ever watched on TV, Sesame Street, turns 40 today! I have such fond memories of it. Reading more and more about it recently (due to its 40th b-day) I have learned a lot about the deep meaning of the show and how groundbreaking it really was. I hope it lives on forever! New York Magazine had a quick graphic of when certain characters were introduced to the show and I learned that Elmo was introduced the year I was born so next year Elmo will turn the big 3-0!
I love these two New Zealanders from HBO's comedy Flight of the Conchords. They crack me up with their dry humor and middle-of-the-episode break-into-song. I will admit I have not seen any of their new season (lack of HBO on our cable box not lack of interest) but can say I am a good fan as I am going to see them Wednesday night at Radio City Music Hall. For anyone who hasn't heard of them or seen their music, I highly recommend checking them out online. In preparation for seeing them this week, I went to their website and saw a fantastic poster that was the winner of the "Really Arty Poster Contest". It's great and captures the two, Jemaine & Bret, perfectly in illustration.
I found out I have a 2-hour delayed opening at work (after already getting out of bed in sleep-haze and getting my yawning-self into the shower) and the first thing I thought of was that I get to watch Saved by the Bell! My laundry needs putting away, my nails need painting, and I am sure it wouldn't hurt to do some reading of Sunday's NY Times. However, until 9am, the only thing I can concentrate on is Zach and Kelly's tumultuous relationship, as well as Slater's biceps and Jessie's studies, and last but not least, Lisa's shopping addiction and Screech's overall oddness. I feel bad for current and future teenagers that won't have a show that comes even close to how wonderfully cheesy this 90s sitcom (which, of course is my 3rd favorite show of all time).
*PS. It's the episode where Screech gets hit by lightning and all of sudden has the power to see the future.
All of my talk about flowers the other day got me thinking about a show completely based on roses; as well as Chris Harrison, drinking in hot tubs, over-the-top 'romantic' dates, and Chris Harrison (did I already mention him?). It got me thinking about you, Trista. You have a lovely baby with your good-looking firefighter-husband, Ryan, but I hate to say it, you are the ONLY successful marriage that the ABC show "The Bachelorette" has produced. The two gals that followed in your footsteps and hoped for the same wedded bliss were Meredith and Jen Schefft. M sadly had a break-up with Ian (her final pick) after the show ended and for some reason, had me actually feeling SAD about a couple I didn't know! Maybe I was on a positivity high after Trista's happy ending? Who knows. All I know is that reality dating TV clearly has a profound effect on me; which scares me some. Next after M to take the throne as the Bachelorette was J. Schefft. Well, anyone who has even heard of reality TV knows exactly what happened there. I specifically remember my girlfriends and I announcing after the finale aired that it was "three hours of our life we will never get back." Three hours. No ring. No proposal. Fans, as well as ABC it seems, were clearly scarred and since that fateful night in February of 2005, the show has not returned to primetime. Well, dear readers, I am here to tell you that this summer there WILL be a new Bachelorette taking her turn as giver of roses, cheesey dates involving helicopter rides and rose petals, and of course the key to honeymoon suites (is this the year of the reality show comeback or what?!). The network has just announced the return but not revealed who it is starring yet, but I am wondering if it is one of the castoffs from the latest Bachelor series with Austin hotness (and subscriber to the same decision-makings as J. Schefft), Brad Womack, who in the end chose no one to be his one-month bride. Jenni? Deanna? Bettina? Will we be seeing any of you ladies again on the Bachelorette? Regardless of who it is, you know I will be glued to my TV and waiting for Chris Harrison to say "Gentleman, this is the final rose of the evening."
{The final SUPER dramatic scene in the first Paradise Hotel season back in '03}Normally I shy away from all things reality series-related. All television shows which are trashy, involve excessive binge-drinking, ridiculous amounts of hooking up, the "kicking off" of roommates, and the promotion of falling in love with other trashy binge-drinking people you meet a mere ten hours before and then are separated from once you do something dumb (or your castmates convince the powers that be that you are not a "fit" for the house) on a set somewhere a lot warmer than where I am currently living. Normally. However, I make one exception (err, two exceptions...The Bachelor is the first although I don't consider it trashy in any way) and this is a big one. None other than Paradise Hotel. Yes, that wonderful show that was actually on twice a week (and that was pre-writer's strike!) back in 2003. My friends and I used to tune in every Monday and Wednesday to see what food Charla was eating (and still staying oh so skinny), what Amy's latest blow-up against Dave was all about, and how big Toni's eyes got when she started talking to someone. Ahhh, the good ole' days of reality TV.
Now, out of the woodwork, in a high-priced hotel somewhere in the tropics (or in LA?) and thrown into our living rooms some 5 years later, Paradise Hotel is back! No joke, February 4th begins the latest of the reality series to hit our screens due to the lack o' written series. Who knows what the latest hotel guests will be like and if Amanda Byrom will be our hostess again, but you can be sure I will be tuned in.
