Super Bowl Primer

Posted Feb 2, 2007 by Kevin Walker

Updated Feb 2, 2007 at 08:26 AM

Today’s question: “Why the ‘safe’ choices for Super Bowl halftime shows?” The quick answers:

1. Insane FCC rules.

2. Money and careers.

What happened: During the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show, Justin Timberlake ripped off part of Janet Jackson’s clothes, exposing a breast nipple (covered by a piece of jewelry) for a few seconds. Some 200,000 people called CBS to complain. Interestingly, far fewer complained about Kid Rock and P. Diddy repeatedly grabbing their crotches.

Knees start jerking: The FCC “investigated.” Congress increased fines for “indecency.” The media spilled tons of ink and spent many broadcast hours on the “shocking” incident.

Pay up: The FCC fined Viacom, which owns CBS, $550,000. AOL, the halftime show sponsor, demanded its $10 million fee back from the NFL. CBS announced that show-producer MTV would not work on a Super Bowl again, perhaps costing MTV millions in lost future cash. After the “wardrobe malfunction,” breast-owner Jackson’s career tumbled while breast-exposer Timberlake’s did not. It would take an entire issue of Friday Extra to discuss the societal implications of that.

Meanwhile: The FCC and Congress could boast they had been tough. Meanwhile, a recent Parents Television Council study found violence on television has reached “epidemic” proportions, increasing 75 percent the last six years.

And so: Mainstream pop culture acts are only provocative if it makes money, and since “provocative” cost money in 2004, the NFL and CBS are playing it safe. Oddly, this year’s choice is the used-to-be-anything-but-safe Prince. I’d love for him to do something outrageous to illustrate the FCC’s hypocrisy - you know there’s part of him that wants to - but let’s face it: Prince has a career to think about, too.

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Kelly Ripa to host TV Land Awards

Posted Feb 1, 2007 by Walt Belcher

Updated Feb 1, 2007 at 02:56 PM

This just in:

TV Land has announced that Kelly Ripa, actress and co-host of the popular syndicated morning talk show “LIVE with Regis and Kelly,” will serve as host at the fifth annual “TV Land Awards.”

The show will tape on April 14 in Santa Monica, CA before premiering on TV Land on April 25 at 9 p.m.

The TV Land Awards is the network’s fifth annual salute to Classic TV stars, shows and the individuals whose work has endured the test of time. Several awards will be bestowed upon some of television’s legendary series’ and stars, which the network will announce in the coming weeks. Throughout the ninety minute telecast, TV Land will feature dozens of celebrated past and present TV performers as well as musical tributes, show parodies and reunions of some of the most iconic casts from televisions’ most beloved shows.

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CBS Renews Big Brother

Posted Feb 1, 2007 by Walt Belcher

Updated Feb 1, 2007 at 02:50 PM

This just in:

CBS has picked up the reality series “BIG BROTHER”, hosted by Julie Chen, for an eighth installment to be broadcast this summer.

    Last season’s “BIG BROTHER: ALL-STARS ” featured 20 All-Star houseguests. After 71 days and 1,704 hours, Mike “Boogie” Malin, a 35-year-old restaurateur originally from Concord, N.H., was crowned the winner and claimed the $500,000 prize.

“BIG BROTHER 8” will follow the relationships and conflicts of players who live together in a house outfitted with dozens of cameras and microphones recording their every move 24 hours a day.  One by one, the Houseguests will vote each other out of the house.  At the end of three months, the last remaining Houseguest will receive the grand prize of $500,000.  It will debut in the summer.

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Spudcast v2.0

Posted Feb 1, 2007 by TBO.com

Updated Feb 15, 2007 at 02:31 PM

Check. Check. Is this thing on?

Hello, loyal Couch Potatoes reader(s). We’re happy to announce that we’ve recorded and posted the second edition of our Spudcast, also known as “two geeks and a microphone.” You can download it here:

Couch Potatoes, Episode 2 [link]

Our guests for Spudcast v2.0 include Brian Jaquet of Sling Media, who talked to Wes about the Slingbox, a killer TV-streaming device that allows you to watch “The Office” even if you’re stuck in your office (or anywhere else for that matter). Also, we were joined in the studio by Ryan Bauer, an entertainment producer for TBO.com and a self-described “Nintendo fanboy,” to talk about the Wii.

Other topics of discussion:

* Windows Vista launched this week. Does anyone care?

* 2K Sports returns to the gridiron with a football game for next-gen consoles. Can they be successful without an NFL license?

* How does one officially qualify as an “extraordinaire”?

All of this—and more!—brought to you by your friendly neighborhood multimedia colossus! Download now, thank us later.

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Mini-Mii!

Posted Feb 1, 2007 by TBO.com

Updated Feb 1, 2007 at 12:54 PM

Dwight Schrute has his own bobblehead. Why shouldn’t you have your own Mii sculpture to display proudly on your desk?

Now you can! (Maybe.) An artist known as Mr. Thiel is reportedly taking bids for custom, hand-crafted, 3-D Mii sculptures.

Try—just try—to imagine your co-workers’ jealousy. Isn’t it delicious?

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