Monthly Archives: December 2012

Joe Schmo: Why I Wish the Mayans Were Right

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joe schmo showSpike TV will be premiering the Joe Schmo Show on January 8.  Have you heard of this show?  If you have a brain in your head, you probably haven’t.  The show originally ran for two seasons back in 2003-2004.

The premise of the show is that the show is a reality show with people competing to win the show and the final prize but only one person on the show believes that it is all real.  All the other people on the show are actors and actresses portraying a character.  The one person who doesn’t know it is all fake continues through the show with all the typical reality show drama and he believes that what is happening is all real.

Continue reading →

Around The Web

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We are off to a great start in 2012 and would like to thank all of you who for some reason keep stopping by.  If you ever ran into one of us in a dark alley, you would probably beat us up.  Happy New Year!

 

  •  It’s New Year’s eve and that means every network is going to run some type of special.  Is it me or do these specials kind of remind you of halftime of the Super Bowl?  In that I mean that neither are really all that entertaining. Anyway, TV Guide has put together a review of the goings on, which I’m guessing will somehow involve Ryan Seacrest.  (TV Guide)
  • Look, I review a ridiculous amount of websites trying to find things I think you would find interesting.  I say that because, while I generally shy away from the wardrobe malfunctions, it appears like there is nothing else out there on other sites.  It really seems like some type of game the female celebrities are playing with the paparazzi.  Case in point, Emma Watson was caught in a too revealing dress earlier this year.  She had on pasties underneath as if she knew her dress would “malfunction”.  Well, she wins as she got her picture taken in that dress about a million times.  (The Superficial)
  • So there is an Angelina Jolie sex tape?  Apparently Brad Pitt has offered to buy it for $10 million.  That’s more then he made on that ridiculous Chanel No.5 commercial.  (The Blemish)
  • We’ve discussed many times our thoughts on shows being cancelled too soon.  Shows like ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT and LAST RESORT for example.  Anyway, here is a website where the cancelled shows are ranked and you can vote on them.  (Ranker)
  •  Hot, like a sexy librarian, Angela Kinsey from THE OFFICE.  (Starcasm)

Django Unchained Edges Out Les Mis!

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djangotrailer3The TV’s still off due to lack of interesting programming, but that does not stop this Midwest TV Guy from heading out to the theater to catch the latest and greatest that Hollywood has to offer.

Sorry to break the news to MIDWEST MIKE/MO… but after a strong initial lead, your beloved LES MIS slipped to number three behind THE HOBBIT and DJANGO UNCHAINED.  I can only imagine that both Midwest Mike and Midwest Mo were lined up together for the first midnight showing of LES MIS dressed in period garb and taking turns with their renditions of “On My Own”.

From what I hear LES MIS was actually a pretty good show, but from what I saw personally, DJANGO UNCHAINED was fantastic.  Fans of QUENTIN TARANTINO will love it for sure as will fans of spaghetti westerns and action flicks.  It clocks in a bit on the long side having almost a three hour runtime, but it’s three hours of constant awesome.

Bear in  mind that it is incredibly racially vulgar (as it is catching some flack for being so) and has the standard Tarantino-esque uber-violence with a couple of genuinely uncomfortable moments of slave-torture.  But it is extremely funny, well written and expertly acted.  Performances were outstanding all around with JAMIE FOXX, LEONARDO DICAPRIO, SAMUEL L JACKSON and CHRISTOPH WALTZ all delivering commanding performances.

All I need to say to those who are criticizing the movie for its sometimes overly flagrant use of its racial vulgarity is that they probably have not actually seen it, as it has been nominated for four NAACP image awards including “Best Picture” and is clearly meant to be a satirical-revenge flick.

I would rate DJANGO UNCHAINED 5/5 and would put it right up with Tarantino’s best work.  After INGLORIOUS BASTERDS and now with DJANGO, I am even more excited to see what he tackles next.

Classic Commercials – Mentos

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mentos0For a brief stint in the 90′s, we were treated to a series of commercials that proved to us that no matter how much of a certified idiot you are, popping 1 – 2 Mentos will immediately cure all of your ills.  If you have ever seen the movie LIMITLESS with BRADLEY COOPER, I would imagine his little genius pills to be an ultra-concentrated form of Mentos candy.

So I wonder what stunts you can’t pull with Mentos?  Home invasion?  Bank robbery?  Ending world hunger?  Come to think of it, maybe the answer to this whole ‘fiscal cliff’ mess is hidden in $58 worth of Mentos so all of our ‘lawmakers’ can wolf down a few.  Call it Washington’s Mento Summit.  Can we somehow feed the economy a couple of Mentos?  With hard-hitting solutions like these, I should be a politician for sure.

Follow the link to relive some of the best Mentos moments! Continue reading →

Arsenio Hall is Returning to Late Night TV

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arsenio hallArsenio Hall is returning to late night TV.  19 years after the dog pound barked their last woof, Arsenio will be back on late night TV with a brand new talk show.

Arsenio will be partnering with CBS Syndication and the Tribune Company who will air the show on their networks which includes KTLA in Los Angeles, and WGN TV here in Chicago.  Being on these two stations will give him access to a huge audience.  Will he capitalize?  We will have to wait and see.

He recently won on Celebrity Apprentice which gave him some limited exposure to the American public again but it has been a very long time since he was on TV as a host.  Those kids who loved him in the 90s are adults now.  Will today’s kids even understand what the dog pound is or will they call the ASPCA and Sara McLachlan who will make you watch one of her hideous commercials?

One thing Arsenio has proven, and it’s a time tested and proven axiom, black don’t crack. Seriously.  Look at the dude.  He is almost 57 years old yet he looks like he is 27.  I don’t know what it is, but it’s just not fair.  I’ve been turning old since I was 17.  Arsenio just keeps looking younger.

My bitching aside, here is the promo that just ran for his show.  Keep in mind that it won’t be airing until Fall of 2013, but it’s never too early to get the hype going.

 

Arsenio Hall is returning to late night TV on September 9.  Be on the lookout.

 

NBC Passes on Mockingbird Lane

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Mockingbird-LaneIt should not come as a shock to anyone that follows TV (like we do), that NBC has passed on Mockingbird Lane.

NBC was never a big fan of this show and they seemed to do just about everything they could do to kill it.  The pilot episode, which aired on Halloween weekend, sat on the shelf for over a year before NBC decided to air it, never a good sign for a show.  Then after airing the episode, which didn’t do too badly in the ratings, they do nothing for 2 months until deciding to kill the show today.

I have written a few times about this show and how I was interested in how the new director would make use of today’s technology to re-invent the Munster’s in to a modern day version of the prototypical American bourgeois nuclear family…oh none of that is true.  jerry o'connellI was excited to know that Cush, I mean Jerry O’Connell, was going to be on the show.  How could any show with him be bad?  The answer: it can’t be.

NBC didn’t see it the way I did so they decided to take a pass.  It’s not a huge loss for us but it is interesting to see what NBC thinks is good TV.  This is the network that brought us Animal Practice after all.

 

Around The Web

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It’s our last Friday ever of 2012.  Ah, the memories.  Here’s what’s happening around the web today.  Happy Friday!

 

  • Now that Nicki Minaj is going to be on American Idol she is fair game for us to discuss.  So, can someone please explain to me why she gets so much attention.  Seriously, I don’t get it.  Case in point, here are some typical internet pictures of Nicki in a bathing suit.  Am I missing something?  (The Superficial)
  • This is not necessarily TV related and I hijacked the link from The Linkiest which is one of our new favorite websites, but it’s still interesting.  It’s 6 things that secretly make you a jerk.  For example, a study showed that just looking at alcohol is enough to remove some inhibitions.  Wish I had known that when I was single, could have saved some serious cash.  “Bartender, can you send this picture of beer over to the pretty lady. Yeah tell her it’s from the least interesting man in the world.”  (Cracked)
  • This next link shows that there are just too many shows on TV right now.  TV Guide’s article is about 22 new shows to watch this winter.  You read that right 22 new shows.  And yes, CELEBRITY DIVING made the list so you know it must be a good list.  (TV Guide)
  • Is it just me or is Greg Louganis starting to look a little like Bob Barker?  Here is a link to Greg Louganis.  Here is one to Bob Barker.  I’m not saying they were separated at birth, but they could be related.
  • Hot “actress” of the day Jill Wagner from WIPEOUT.  (Maxim)

 

Classic Commercials – Wrigley’s Gum

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wrigleys_gumWe here at MWTVG love commercials.  Not every commercial of course, as 99% of them are instant fast-forwardable garbage.  But every so often commercials come along that are so memorable (for better or for worse) that they beg to be commented on.  Good examples being the Usell commercials and Dewars’ Angus commercials which have single handedly (or single maltedly?) upped MIDWEST MIKE’S scotch intake by an exponential factor.

So let’s go back a bit, shall we?  The 80′s and 90′s were such a great time for wonderfully cheesy commercials.  I could probably still remember all the lyrics from most of them.  I want to remind you of a few great ones that all revolve around gum.  Wrigley’s was totally on it’s ‘A’ game in the 80′s/early 90′s and thoroughly advertised its gum as the cure to each and every social ill.  No girlfriend?  Big Red.  Don’t know how to ski?  Juicy Fruit.  Don’t currently have a twin but want one anyway?  Doublemint.

Does this all ring some bells?  Head inside to watch and reminisce! Continue reading →

Stars In Danger or Celebrity Diving

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Courtesy Zap2it

I know a lot of you were too busy to over the holidays to keep up on all of the celebrity diving news, so I’m here to get you back up to speed.

A few months ago ABC green lit a show called CELEBRITY DIVING and set an air date in March 2013.  It’s a rip-off of a dutch show called Celebrity Splash.  If you need to see a clip of that show, here you go.

But here is where the story gets fun.  FOX, having heard ABC’s announcement and not wanting to be outdone, orders a show called STARS IN DANGER.  FOX then sets a premier date in January, 2 full months ahead of ABC.  Apparently FOX is still a little miffed that all the other networks have copied their AMERICAN IDOL, which has seen dramatic ratings decreases over the last few seasons and wanted to stick it to ABC a little bit. Continue reading →

Around The Web

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Our site is an enigma, wrapped in a riddle, surrounded by a mystery.  Or not.  Here is what’s happening around the web.  Happy Thursday.

 

  • Spoler alert!  Which major DOWNTON ABBEY won’t be returning for season 4.  (TV Guide)
  • Tim Robbins of The Hollywood Reporter gives you his list of the 15 worst shows of 2012.  For the most part I agree, but I happen to like THE NEIGHBORS and GLEE.  Look, GLEE must take a monumental effort each week to write and perform so it seems pretty glib to call it a bad show.  THE NEIGHBORS, while not award winning, is a good show to watch with the kids, so I wouldn’t put it on the list.  (Hollywood Reporter)
  • A special sneek peek of COMMUNITY.  (You Tube)
  • LeAnn Rimes is headed for a melt down.  (Gossip Cop)
  • Hot mess actress of the day – Lucy Punch from BEN & KATE.  (Werdyo)