Bin Laden News: Social Networks Trump Traditional News Outlets

Tonight, I learned that Osama bin Laden was dead. From Twitter.

Everything about this event I learned first from Twitter.

We had MSNBC on the TV. The Sunday evening anchor was struggling to tell the story w/out telling the story.

Twitter knew. I felt like a newbie journalist with a big scoop, shouting Tweets as they streamed.

"Why aren't they saying this?" My mother was sorely frustrated w/ the lack of information she was getting from the TV.

This was the news story that legitimized social networking. We hear news, share feelings, thoughts, and bad jokes. While our generation is said to be less social because of the Internet, when big things happen, we are all together in that moment. You can read about it in the newspaper tomorrow. We already know.

Nickelodeon is Listening - '90's Kids Pay Attention!!

Today, Entertainment Weekly announced there will be a new "Nick at Nite" - meant for us 20-somethings. TeenNick will air Clarissa Explains It All, Pete & Pete, All That, and The Amanda Show, Kenan & Kel, and Rugrats.Say what you will about the programs mentioned in the press release, but it's better than nothing. And this all sounds great, like maybe they will eventually put on other shows like older Nicktoons, Salute Your Shorts, Hey Dude... But there's only one way that's ever going to happen --

We have to give them the ratings. Here's why:


Clarissa Explains It All and Pete & Pete came out on DVD in 2006. They sold so poorly, that they never released Clarissa's second season. Considering the DVDs were never marketed to the proper demographic (they were placed in the Children's section), its failure was inevitable.

A multitude of Nicktoons & older series such as Clarissa and Hey Dude became available on iTunes around 2008. While they have been slow to add to the collection, there as at least some way to get them. But again, marketing is an issue. The last I checked, the link to Nick Rewind was buried in the Nickelodeon pages. You'd really have to know what you were looking for in order to find it.

Finally, Amazon started producing DVDs on-demand for the original Nicktoons. I personally have not ordered any of these DVDs, though from my understanding, they are your basic print-on-demand issues - no extras, no fun menu options, nothing special. Also, a little expensive.

So it's not like Nickelodeon (and when I say Nick, I'm also referencing MTV Networks and Viacom), hasn't been trying. They've just been missing the demographic. Now that they've finally caught on, it's up to us to give them the ratings and social network buzz so they not only continue this new Nick at Nite, but add to it with more programming.


After all these years, we're finally getting (some of) our '90's programming back. Let's make sure we appreciate it and push for more.

Check out the original press release here.

(Image courtesy Paramount)

Charlie Sheen - The Business of A Break-Down

 About eight hours ago, CBS announced it fired Charlie Sheen from "Two and a Half Men."

Was I surprised? Yes and no. Not surprised that it happened, just at how soon. "Two and a Half Men" is a HUGE franchise and for CBS to give up on it's star so quickly is quite the statement. Theoretically, they had until April to decide -- still plenty of time to come up with an alternative plan for up-fronts in May. But alas, here we are. CBS won't be hurting too much - the syndication cash from the show will provide, for the network at least.

But back to the man who is the center of this strange, strange whirlwind.

Charlie has called himself many things over the past few weeks - warlock and winner among them. Crazy? Sure. Stupid? Not even close.


What Charlie Sheen has done better than any other celebrity who has had a very public break-down is succeed. He's being compared to Lindsay, Britney, Mel -- pretty much any celebrity who, in the last ten years or so, has had some brutal, wicked outburst. But none of them survived like Charlie has thus far. And it's not dumb luck.

 Sheen broke records for followers on Twitter. (I followed him when he was only a little over 100k. At the time of this post, he's at 2.1 mil.) His media blitz can't even be rivaled by big name stars hawking an awful film. He's headlining magazines and news blogs. He's broadcasting Sheen's Korner or Charlie's Korner or something...

Charlie Sheen is (seemingly) in control of his own downward spiral. He is extremely open about his beliefs, his feelings, his living situation, making no apologies for his behavior. He's cashing in on it by creating a brand of #winning and #tigerblood. In a celebrity world of laying low and publicist spin, Charlie is driving his own downfall with both hands on the wheel.

That's not to say he doesn't have a problem. The man clearly has a problem, probably along the lines of the celebrities with which he's compared. It's the same disease, just different symptoms.

Charlie will take his dear, sweet time hitting rock bottom. And when he finally does, the question will be -- will anyone care? Initially, the general feeling was concern toward him. Many were begging him to seek serious help for his own well-being. Thanks to Charlie's own doing, that concern turned to curiosity and intrigue - what will he do next? But the mood is starting to shift again. He's becoming dangerously overplayed, saturating every media outlet 24/7 and the general opinion is sure to turn against him if it keeps up at that pace. Only then will we see just how "in control" Charlie really is.

Judges? No - American Idol Must Focus on Contestants

For the last two weeks or so, entertainment websites have been buzzing about the judges table on American Idol. We knew all along Simon would be gone. Then suddenly, Ellen gracefully bows out after her lackluster season. And nobody knows what's up with Kara DioGuardi - she's in TV limbo somewhere. So all of the attention is going toward the replacements.

Celebrity names have come and gone through various sources. Harry Connick Jr., Shania Twain, and Jessica Simpson are all out of the picture. Elton John, a potentially awesome choice, reportedly wanted too much money. Steven Tyler is spewing his own rumors though nothing has been confirmed. The one possibility that almost seemed certain was Jennifer Lopez, but her diva demands seem to be getting in the way of anything final.

This is all well and good. Keeps Idol in the news. And Nigel Lythgoe is smart enough to know whoever the judges are, they must have great chemistry. It's the crucial element to any good series, whether scripted or "reality." But Idol is in dire need of some fixin'. Okay, dire may be a stretch. After all, it still roped in millions of viewers during primetime on a network; a rarity, indeed. But I'm going to be honest with you. I did not watch this last season of American Idol. And that's kind of a big deal.

I've been an avid fan since the end of season 2. I watched it all - auditions, Hollywood week, semi-final rounds, the big 10... all the way up to the grand finale. I remember when Carrie Underwood won over Bo Bice, when Fantasia dropped to the floor (by the way, I feel very sorry for Fantasia, I really do), David Cook's genius takes on the Beatles and Mariah Carey, and, well, everything Adam Lambert did. I could not, however, tell you any of the contestants names this year, not even the guy who won (it was a guy, right?). I did watch some of the auditions and most of Hollywood week, but completely lost interest after that. And sure, apart of me missed Paula but it was more than that. It was the contestants. I couldn't care less about them.

I'm not entirely sure what the problem is but I'm willing to take a guess. This will be Idol's tenth season. The kids who are auditioning now were only 5 or 6 when the show started. They literally grew up with it and within the whole "reality/competition" television trend. Anyone who is serious about getting on the show can do their homework. They know how to play the game - what gets camera time, what gets Ryan Seacrest's attention, what pitchy means. It's now all an act. Which, to be fair, is what a lot of reality TV really is: an act. BUT - let's remember Carrie Underwood or Kelly Clarkson or even Allison Iraheta. They were genuine. They struggled. They made honest mistakes and tried to fix them - all while staying true to themselves (for the most part).


While it may be darn near impossible to find contestants who don't know the game, it might be wise for Idol to put its efforts into finding interesting, real contestants. That way, no matter who the judges are, the audience will care enough to form their own opinions and fight about them in the "comments" section of recaps. Isn't that what competition shows are all about?

(Photo Credit: FOX)

Toy Story 3: Not Just a Child's Play Thing

Since 1995, I've seen every Pixar film in theaters with only one exception: A Bug's Life. I waited for the VHS on that one. So excluding one, that's ten films. Starting with Monsters Inc., I've seen every film more than once in theaters. That's because I was finally at age where I didn't need a parent to drive me to the movie theater. Let's see...

Monsters Inc. - 3 times
Finding Nemo - 3 times
The Incredibles - 2 times
Cars - 3 times
Ratatouille - 2 times
Wall-E - at least 5 times
Up - 2 times
Toy Story 3 - once

Okay, now keep in mind there are a lot of different factors as to why I saw some more than others. Clearly, Wall-E was just my favorite. I wish that film was in theaters permanently. But I've only seen Toy Story 3 once. And it's not for a lack of loving the movie. I loved it. Genius. Not for a lack of money or time, either. It's because ... it hurts.

Most Pixar movies have major emotional moments. Whenever Andrew Stanton writes and/or directs, you know death isn't far behind. And why not? It's part of what makes these movies more than kids fare. Up hits me very hard - I sob through the entire opening and then again at the end of the second act. I still saw that one twice.

But I cannot seem to bring myself to watch Toy Story 3 again, no matter how good it is. The mere thought of watching those toys, the ones my friends and I spent recess mimicking in the 5th grade, hold hands as they accept their fate... it breaks my heart.

My love of Woody, Buzz, and the rest of the gang helped me define myself. Toy Story 2 came out in 1999. I was a freshman in high school. My two best friends and I planned to see the movie opening night. While at our friend's house, we were playing on her computer. Suddenly a boy we liked IMed her. He asked what we were doing that night. The three of us looked at each other. Do we lie? Say "hanging out at the mall duh. u?"  Or maybe there was a more teen-appropriate movie we could say we're seeing. No. Collectively we agreed to tell him the truth, and let his judgements fall where they may. Anyone who's been a 14-year-old knows how difficult it is to risk sounding uncool. We had every opportunity to change our story. But we didn't. The boy made fun of us, of course. But the moral of the story? We stayed true to who we were. It wasn't easy. But it was the beginning of a long lesson in staying true to yourself.

So how could I watch Andy struggle with his decision? I wanted to yell at the screen "Take them to college! Who cares?" Andy's final decision was brave and selfless. Admirable traits. Great ending. Doesn't matter. It's a coming of age story that hits too close to home. I live through it. Why must I watch Woody and Buzz go through it, too?

I am hoping to see Toy Story 3 one more time before it goes out of theaters. But it's taken me six weeks. And I'm still not fully recovered. I just hope that little girl loves those toys as much as I do.

(Image Credit: Pixar)

I Love Shark Week

Sunday, August 1st, 2010, it will begin. Discovery Channel's annual ode to the fish with many teeth: Shark Week. For one week, the network will load it's schedule with new and old programming devoted entirely to sharks - documentaries, educational shows, real-life accounts. I believe Craig Ferguson will even make an appearance somehow.

I don't remember when I started watching Shark Week. Feels like forever. But I'm looking forward to it again this year. Not necessarily because I love sharks. I like them. Jaws is one of my all-time favorite movies. They're fascinating, simply prehistoric. And Air Jaws is just plain awesome.

No, my love of Shark Week can be traced back to my mother. My mom is by no means a violent person. She's not crude or loud. She's really all class with a dash of goofiness. Her soul belongs to the sea. Yet despite all the violence and sea mammals bitten in half, on Sunday morning my mom will be sitting in her chair, in her pajamas with a cup of coffee, watching the Discovery Channel. Her eyes will be wide and her voice will have the same timbre of Christmas morning.

"It's Shark Week," she'll say.

And together we will watch lemon sharks, bull sharks, and tiger sharks. We will see great whites leap into the air in slow motion on our HD TV. It will be amazing. But it will only be as great as my mom's excitement. This is her week. So thank you, Discovery Channel, for giving us this annual tradition.

Happy Shark Week.

(Photo Credit: Discovery Channel)

"The Office" Must Go On (So Says NBC)

Today, NBC confirmed Steve Carell's exit from "The Office" at the end of next season. The actor himself said so awhile ago, but the network has been in denial. NBC also confirmed that the show will continue on without Carell's Michael Scott. Sigh.

It wasn't too long ago where I was borderline obsessed with "The Office." When you live 15 minutes away from Scranton, it tends to feel personal. Thursdays were my favorite day of the week again. That second and third season, I practically drooled over every episode. In 2007, my boyfriend and I sat on the bedroom floor and rolled coins so we could afford VIP tickets to "The Office" Convention in Scranton. It was thrilling. I was super defensive of any critics of the show. I stuck with them through Jim's move, the Connecticut branch closing and moving in with Scranton, Pam's stint in art school... the whole thing.

But now... I'm almost ashamed. I still have not seen the last few episodes of this season. After Jim and Pam's wedding, which was a great episode, I almost no longer cared. Everyone in the show is great, but I was fully invested in their relationship. After they were officially married, it's like everything I watched for had been realized. That wasn't a conscious decision. But I can't think of any other reason.

Maybe the show should end. This will be it's seventh season. That's a great life span for a sitcom. There's nothing worse than watching a once great show putter to a weak end. (Friends, Seinfeld... NBC, hello?)

But it's too late. The show is going on without Michael Scott. No disrespect to the ensemble cast. They're awesome. But it will be a very different show without Michael.

There was a very important balance of heart and stupidity, ego and emotion. This was a lesson they had to relearn on "Parks and Recreation" with Leslie Knope. She only started to work when she reacted with heart. Otherwise, the stupidity and ego feel too harsh or too dull. It works in England with Ricky Gervias. It doesn't work in America were sitcoms run for years and years.

Who can replace Carell? Dwight Schrute? Holly Flax? Somebody new? Whoever it is, they must be different and interesting enough to highlight the ensemble. I wish the best for Dunder Mifflin.

(Photo Credit: NBC)