NDBT

I forgot; there were tons of bats at the fair. And I ran into a really odd bird the other night – about a foot tall and it looked like a cross between a seagull and sand piper. I’ll be around-ish tomorrow. I leave for the rainforest for 3 nights early on Monday.

Also – last night was like the night before Christmas. I ended up with so much nervous energy I wandered around town, checked out the night markets, and ended up having a long talk with a Kiwi guy outside a tattoo parlor. I couldn’t sleep for ages. And I was 7th in line to get the book. I almost wish I could have been in NY – I’ve heard incredible stories about the release parties there. It was pretty subdued this morning (I checked out an SF guidebook in line) and once I was powerwalknig back, I passed a girl reading on the escalator and more girls in costume wishing each other happy reading as they split up with promises to call tomorrow.

In case it helps; a repost of Stephen King’s musings on the last installment.

Iron man: Downey and Jon Favreau

The weirdest headline in a while: Seth Rogen to write and Star in the Green Hornet. I… don’t even know.

http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/the_daily_show/index.jhtml Check out CSPAN after dark (scroll down). Also the political theater bit following (the Barack Obama bit… so brilliant)

Small roles with a big impact: (Drew Barrymore – Scream, Christopher Meloni in Wet Hot American Summer, Neil Patrick Harris in Harold and Kumar)
NY Times: Sunshine review
And it’s RT score

For blog haters; Pearls before swine July 20th.

Denis Leary on the Daily Show (go to more videos, guests, sit down comedians). I LOVE Denis Leary, and I love how he brings a bag of goodies to every interview). Also – has the Eddie Izzard interview disappeared?
So my brother’s birthday is coming up (Happy Birthday early!) and I go to check out his Amazon list, which includes;
Being and Time by Martin Heidegger
Beyond Good & Evil: Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future by Friedrich Nietzsche
Toynbee and History: Critical Essays and Reviews by M. F. Ashley Montagu
Theological-Political Treatise: Gebhardt Edition by Benedictus de Spinoza

Not normal! Still, I suppose I could have a brother who asks for a keg for his 21st. I guess I’ll keep this one. 😉

Oh and this;
How to Rule the World: A Handbook for the Aspiring Dictator by Andre de Guillaume (no! Bad Ross!)

More Emmy reactions:

From EW: I am wondering how Lost could be nominated for best acting (Michael Emerson and Terry O’Quinn), best writing (my boys Damon and Carlton for ”Through the Looking Glass”), best directing (Jack Bender for ”Through the Looking Glass”) and not get nominated for best drama. Doesn’t best drama mean the show with the best writing, story, acting, etc? I am just confused. —Renee

I don’t understand why the Academy can nominate a mediocre show and the cast of Two and a Half Men (except for Holland Taylor of course) and exclude much better casts and shows like My Name Is Earl and How I Met Your Mother! —Alvaral11

Damn, I praised the comedy nominees, and now I remember that they screwed over Scrubs to heap nominations on the sour, unfunny Two and a Half Men. I take it back. —DLM

I do think Eddie Izzard should have been nommed alongside Minnie Driver — they were both amazing. Not that I expect Minnie Driver to win, but the nom is nice. —Tipper

I am truly disgusted that Dexter was denied a Best Drama nod. There’s no way you can convince me that Boston Legal and Grey’s Anatomy deserve it more. And, Michael C. Hall? This man has been consistently snubbed ever since the Six Feet Under days. —Christina

BOO, EMMYS!
John Krasinski (The Office) misses out on a Best Supporting Actor nod [Ed: I love this one]

Definitely disappointed that John Krasinski didn’t get nominated; his facial expressions alone earned him a nod. —Clem

[Ed: Isn’t that called acting? But I know what he’s trying to say. His reaction shots to the camera are brilliant]

Emmy news from Golden derby http://goldderby.latimes.com/
How ironic. The Emmys changed their voting system this year just to make sure “Lost” didn’t get lost in the race for best drama series — and it happened AGAIN. The fact that “24” got snubbed ain’t no big deal, though. TV critics say, frankly, it didn’t deserve a shot. [Ed: the voting system change was called the Lauren Graham rule – and guess who STILL got snubbed?]
Here’s a hoot. I was just griping to Steve Gorman of Reuters over the fact that Michael C. Hall wasn’t nommed for “Dexter.” He shrugged and said, “Yeah, it’s kind of sad. They’ll nominate a gangster like Tony Soprano, but they draw the line at a serial killer!” The Emmys have standards! Who knew?

Here’s what else got axed:

DRAMA SERIES
24
Lost
Friday Night Lights
The Wire
Battlestar Galactica
Dexter

BEST COMEDY SERIES
Scrubs
Desperate Housewives

’60 percent of top Emmy nominees are newbies’

Chairman and CEO Dick Askin boasts that 60 percent of the nominations in this year’s lead races are newbies. Not true. I count 30 nominees for best drama and comedy series and their lead actor and actress races. Eleven of those went to rookies, which means that the real tally is about half of the 60 percent quoted by Askin.

Also, look at all of the old Emmy faves that are no longer on the air and in the running like “The West Wing,” “Six Feet Under” and “Arrested Development” or eligible like “Curb Your Enthusiasm.”

And consider the deserving shows that could’ve returned, but didn’t — like “Lost” and “Scrubs.” Now you get a more clear perspective on the nominations.

THE GREAT:
All of the noms for “30 Rock” (especially the three for Tina Fey).
Jenna Fischer nom for “The Office”
Kevin Dillon nom for “Entourage”
Mary-Louise Parker with two noms.
The Academy pays attention to the quality decline of “24” in Drama Series.

3 nominations for Spike Lee.
So many categories with 6 nominees (love seeing inclusions over exclusions).

THE GOOD:
“Heroes” keeps the NBC streak alive for a Drama Series nom (since 1980 at least).
“Entourage” finally makes the cut for Comedy Series.
Lorraine Bracco makes it back (Memo to HBO: Please change her tape to “The Blue Comet”!).
Michael Emerson & Terry O’Quinn noms for “Lost.”
The new system getting noms back for James Gandolfini, Edie Falco and Hugh Laurie.
An appropriate (not over-the-top) reaction to “Ugly Betty” (the right people got nominated).

THE BAD:
John Mahoney snubbed for “E.R.”.
Elizabeth Mitchell snubbed for “Lost” (not even on the Top 10 list).
Jack Coleman snubbed for “Heroes (again, not even on the Top 10 list).
Zach Braff snubbed for “Scrubs” (once again, he chose a bad showcase episode).
John Krasinski snubbed for “The Office” (but he chose a really bad episode).
The continued support for Tony Shalhoub (this show is embarassingly past its prime).
Yet again, the Variety Performance category is 4 comedians vs. 1 singer (gee, I wonder who will win?).

THE UGLY:
Michael C. Hall snubbed for “Dexter.”
Jason Lee snubbed for “My Name Is Earl.”
Justin Kirk snubbed for “Weeds.”
“Friday Night Lights” snubbed for Drama Series, Connie Britton AND Kyle Chandler.
“Lost” is one of the best directed, best written and best acted shows (according to the noms) but nothing for Drama Series.
“Boston Legal” (any and all of their nominations are unjustified!).
Tons of great campaigning by Showtime and FX but very little to show for it.

THE GREAT
— “Battlestar Galactica” in writing and directing. Well done, ATAS. Great,
great choice — that will shut up the critics to some extent.
— “Sopranos” has the most nominations of all series. Weirdly, “Bury My Heart at
Wounded Knee” has the most overall.
— Aida Turturro and Lorraine Bracco — Lorraine this is your last chance!
Change your submission to “The Blue Comet”!
— Michael Emerson
— Finally, “Entourage” makes it in. They can’t pass up HBO!!!