Steve Carell departs the Office, should the show end too?

At Monday's premiere of Despicable Me, the film's star, Steve Carell, repeated the statement he made back in April, that the upcoming seventh season of the Office would be his last. Upon initially hearing this news, like many fans, this was my reaction:



Then, I began to think about it more, and I realize that, if played correctly, Steve's departure could be a blessing in disguise to the show's quality. Many, if not most fans of the show feel that the show's quality has drastically decreased in the last few seasons. However, since it's still a cash cow to NBC, there's little danger of it being cancelled in 2011. So, instead of having a set end date, like with Friends, they'll let it limp by season after season.

So, as someone who views Thursdays as the highlight of my week because of NBC's Comedy Night Done Right, I think Steve's departure should mark the end of the show. Since Jim and Pam have married (which would have been another good end note for the series), I think Michael Scott leaving would be the most logical end point for the show in 2011.

Seven seasons is a lot in television, and the Office is truly a success story for the struggling NBC. They believed in the show when it was not popular, and it eventually became beloved. As a result, it would be best for them, and the writers and producers of the show, to give it a proper ending. I'd rather have an "early" fantastic ending than a closure that is sub-par and dragged out over seasons.

Here's my idea for the show's final season.

Jo Bennett (Kathy Bates) follows through on her promise to look into transferring Holly Flax (Amy Ryan) back to Scranton. However, the only compromise she can make is to give Holly a promotion at corporate headquarters in New York City (not Scranton, but much closer than Nashua, N.H.) at the beginning of the season, allowing Toby to once again ruin Michael's life. The two date long distance over the course of the season, and eventually, a management position opens up at Corporate for Michael, allowing him to move to New York to live with Holly. His going away gift will be a year's supply of Nightswept and a showing of the documentary (which has been licensed to a channel like IFC).

Jim and Pam continue working at Dunder Mifflin, while Pam sells artwork on the side, hoping to eventually make it a career. Do we know what else Jim likes to do? I feel like we don't, so I really can't think of an alternative career option for Jim. Stanley will be able to retire. Meredith will meet a friend with benefits on the Internet. Andy and Oscar realize their true love for one another. Kevin and Stacy get back together. Kelly and Ryan move in together, with Ryan regularly going to hipster band shows in New York and Philadelphia. Dwight and Isabel get married, and, this may seem insane, but I see Angela and Mose beginning a relationship (if only so we can see Mose again before the series ends). I've yet to figure out happy endings for Phyllis/Bob, Erin and Toby, but I'm sure that can be worked out in due time.

We see that Creed has once again begun playing music again, and he has begun a small club tour in Pennsylvania. The last ever scene of the show? Creed getting ready to engage in a drugs and sex filled romp on his tour with a bunch of groupies. Lots of peach cobbler will be involved, and someone will probably have their wallet, and subsequently, their identity stolen by Creed in the morning.


Of course, since this is television we're talking about, none of this will happen. The rest of the cast is under contract for an eighth season, meaning we'll have to suffer through another lackluster season which is made worse by the departure of one of the main characters (see Scrubs, NewsRadio, although the circumstances surrounding that show were a little different, sadly). The show will suffer in the ratings and go out like a lamb with an unsatisfying conclusion. What can I say? I'm a pessimist, and this is NBC we're talking about, who will milk this cash cow for as long as they can.

It sounds crazy, a die-hard fan wishing for the end of one's favorite show. It's not that I want the Office out of my life. It's just that, unless it can dramatically improve this next year, I'd rather see it put out of its misery with dignity and care in 2011. Michael Scott is not the only reason I watch the show, but he is an integral part of it, and I honestly believe that Steve's departure would allow for a poignant and funny end to a series that has brought me many laughs over the years.

Am I crazy, or do Office fans agree with me? Do you have your own thoughts about the quality level of the show over the years? Have any more insane ideas about how it should end? Leave a comment!

Modern Family: Not Arrested Development, but still wonderful

This is Manny Delgado, one of the standout characters on last season's breakout hit comedy, Modern Family. Countless people, especially Andy Ouriel, kept insisting I watch the show. I'm late to jump on the bandwagon for this show, but I finally caught up with it, and I'm glad that I did.

For those unfamiliar with the show, it is a mockumentary which centers on the lives of the extended Pritchett family. Patriarch Jay Pritchett lives with his much younger, Colombian wife, Gloria and her son, Manny, a ten year old who alienates other children his age by acting more like an adult than many of the adults around him. Jay's daughter, Claire, lives with her husband, Phil (who is rather clueless but well-meaning) and their three children. Claire's brother, Mitchell, lives with his partner, Cameron, and their newly adopted Vietnamese daughter, Lily.

I initially dismissed the show after watching the pilot episode when it aired in September (which is what I also did with what has now become one of my favorite shows of all time, 30 Rock). I feel like I'm the minority for not finding the Lion King/Pride Rock imitation Cameron did to introduce Lily to the family very funny. Since my plate was already pretty full of other television shows in the fall, while I didn't hate the show, I didn't find it funny enough to warrant watching on a regular basis.

When I watched the show initially, I think I came into it with different, not necessarily higher, expectations than I should have. Shortly before the show premiered, I heard critical raves about it, and many comparisons to my favorite TV show of all time, Arrested Development. So, I expected a show that was filled with questionably ethical characters and numerous inside jokes.

While it's funny, I really don't get the AD vibe from it. Sure, it's a mockumentary in which the lives of an extended family living in Southern California are chronicled (but, unlike the Office, the camera crews have no direct interaction with the family, while it has Office-style interviews). That certainly fits the bill of Arrested. However, the humor on Modern Family is a little broader than Arrested, it doesn't have the subtlety of that show. This may work towards Modern Family's advantage, because it doesn't require massive devotion to the show to find the episodes funny, like Arrested regularly would.

The characters are extremely likable on Modern Family, too. Phil Dunphy is a little thick like Gob Bluth, but he doesn't have the narcissism and oddness as Gob. Much as I love Gob, I mean that as a compliment. Manny is weirder than George Michael Bluth, but is not as, for lack of a better word, creepy as George Michael (while occasional jokes about Manny possibly having a crush on Claire and Phil's daughter, Haley, it's nothing like George Michael's incestuous love for his cousin, Maeby). The flaws in the Modern Family characters are minor compared to those of the Bluths on Arrested, and so, unlike the Bluths, people may be able to relate to them more.

So, while I enjoy the show, I don't think it's on the same page as Arrested Development, nor do I think it's meant to be. Don't start this show looking for the next Arrested, and you'll really enjoy it for what it is.

I'll admit, I may have had an unfair prejudice against the show due to its network. Laugh tracks are a major turnoff for me when it comes to TV shows, and while Modern Family does not have one, I think I looked at Modern Family and assumed it would be as unfunny and groan-inducing as other ABC comedies, such as According To Jim. I'll be honest, I wonder if my hatred of Two and a Half Men may influence my dislike of How I Met Your Mother (I can see why people like it, and I love Neil Patrick Harris, but I just don't like it) and my disinterest in the Big Bang Theory.

Liking Modern Family has helped me realize I shouldn't be so dismissive of comedies based on their network, because a network's identity doesn't define a show's quality. After all, while I view NBC as a strong comedy network, I grew to hate My Name Is Earl. (Yes, I realized I used the word "strong" to describe NBC. What an oxymoron.)

However, if you get a chance to catch up on the episodes over the summer, I'd recommend doing so. It's an episodic show, and therefore, catching ABC's reruns over the summer (Wednesdays, 9 p.m.) would suffice. It was far superior to the Office this season (not that that took much), and while I still think 30 Rock was better this season, I wouldn't be too upset to see it take the Best Comedy Series Emmy this year.

Miley Cyrus puts on a controversial performance at the MMVAs

Last night, the MuchMusic Video Awards, put on by Canada's MuchMusic network, aired last night (they also aired in the United States on Fuse, but, sadly, my cable company does not offer Fuse, so I could only see the trainwrecks on the Internet).

One of the most notable moments was Miley Cyrus' performance of "Party in the USA," (a perfect song to sing to a Canadian audience, of course) and it was not pretty.



On one hand, I do have to give her credit for not lip syncing. However, when the results of her singing live are this gratingly atrocious, it's a bit difficult to give credit where credit may be due.

However, it's her outfit that really bothers me. The "Chongalicious" look just does not work for Miley. More noticeable, however, is the overtly sexual nature of the performance, and the sense of desperation I get from her.

I just don't get why her idea of growing up = whoring it up. You don't have to dress sluttier and engage in faux lesbianism to show that you're getting older. It disturbs me that a girl who is not even legal yet is performing like this. I believe in the saying "age ain't nothing but a number," to the extent that I doubt teens suddenly realize their sexual maturity the second the clock strikes midnight on their 18th birthday. Miley probably isn't going to grow up a whole lot in the next five months before she turns 18. However, she IS still a child by the law, so it bothers me.

I have been called a hypocrite for criticizing Miley's sexually charged performance because I am a fan of Lady Gaga, who is, by and large, far more provocative with her lyrics and revealing outfits. And no, I do not have a problem with Gaga's sexuality in her performances.

It's just that with Miley, I get the impression that she is SO DESPERATE to act mature, act like she's not a Disney girl anymore, and this is how she's attempting to show it. It's creepy since she is so young, and with her creepy family, it just makes me uncomfortable. I realize that as she grows up, she probably will be willing to be more provocative, and that makes sense. But right now, it just feels like a totally desperate sex kitten shtick that gives me the creeps, and saddens me a little.

You can dress slutty, but please don't look at dressing slutty as your only way to prove maturity.

I don't get the same sense of desperation from Lady Gaga as I get with Miley. I apologize if that makes me sound like a crazy fan for Gaga, because I swear I'm not. Because with Gaga, that's who she was at the beginning of her mainstream career. She wasn't like Miley, she didn't try to use a sexual appearance to appear ~mature~. Gaga is sexual, and, what's important to me, legal. She wasn't some tween star, she wasn't jail bait. It's not just young girls who are looking at Miley, it's creepy people who shouldn't be looking at a minor like that. Does anyone remember those countdowns until the days the Olsen Twins or Taylor Lautner turned 18?

I will say that one could argue that Stefani Germanotta's transformation into Lady Gaga could be seen as desperate. However, that transformation wasn't in the public eye. I don't get the same icky feeling I get from seeing Miley prance across the stage as a 17 year old who we all knew as Hannah Montana as I do when I see Gaga doing the same thing. Miley just seems so eager to drop the Disney label, and I wish she didn't have to turn to sexuality as her only way to rebel against Disney.

Again, it's not that I have a problem with pop stars being sexual. It's using sexuality as the only way to appear grown up that bothers me.

At the time-wasting mecca that is ONTD, this was, naturally, a hot topic. Many felt the same icky feelings about Miley's performance, while others felt as though people were being unjustifiably harsh on the singer. User "jasmina12345" made an interesting, and rather grim point:

"The fact that she equates taking off her clothes as a means of getting attention and establishing herself is the problem ... Clearly she's being told that what she's doing is the authentic 'her' because at the end of the day, she's expanding her audience and expansion of an audience = more money."

How sad it is that those in charge of Miley's career, including father Billy Ray Cyrus, seem to be pushing her in this direction (remember his approval claps after her similar 2009 Teen Choice Awards performance?). I feel bad that Miley apparently feels as though she has to be so overtly sexual as a child in order to garner attention. I guess she's right, to an extent. I mean, people are talking about her now (and I'm not helping the problem), it's just that the discussion isn't positive.

I don't mean to sound like a slut-shamer or a prude. I recognize that teens are becoming more and more sexually active, and, as I previously said, I'm fine with musicians expressing themselves in ways that may involve sexuality.

It's when the attempts are done by an underage girl in a seemingly confused and desperate fashion that I'm bothered. Although I'm not a fan, I wish that Miley could still feel as though she didn't have to stoop to such levels in order to maintain her fan base.


I'm curious as to what people feel about televised performances such as Miley's, or others in the past. Can they be tasteful and fun? Or do they go over the line?

Run down by reruns

Last night, I caught a bit of NBC's summer reruns of their Thursday night comedy block, and while I would normally enjoy seeing episodes from that season again (after all, while I love my TV shows, sometimes the episodes can blur together and I don't remember exactly what happened on them), lately, I haven't been that excited about these programming blocks.

Why? It seems as though NBC and many networks which air syndicated content seem to air the same exact episodes over and over again.

Now, I didn't have a chance to see any of the shows which aired last night besides the 10 p.m. episode of the Office, since I was obsessively playing Green Day Rock Band at a friend's house while we waited for the midnight showing of Toy Story 3 (which, while not a TV show, is fantastic). So, I may have missed some of the better and less common reruns of the shows. However, I think I will lose my mind if I see NBC airing the lackluster "Scott's Tots" episode of the Office again. Thursday's encore made for the third rerun of this episode in less than 9 months (unless I missed one, which I may have), and it just strikes me as weird that the network would keep airing one episode over and over again.

Fan reception of that episode was fairly weak. For those unfamiliar with the episode: 10 years ago, Michael Scott promised to pay for the college educations of a group of third graders. Ten years later, Michael Scott is in debt, and must show up to the school to make the awkward announcement that he could not pay for their education. The consensus of fans and critics seemed to be: while the show thrives upon awkward and cringeworthy humor, this episode involved a premise that was too outlandish, even for Michael's standards, and that the conflict caused in the episode was so sad, it didn't offer comedic relief. Yet, what seems like every time I turn on my TV to watch the show, it's there!

The same thing happened last year with the "Baby Shower" episode (notable for Creed Bratton's famous comment that the afterbirth of a baby floating in a bathtub is "like the tide at Omaha Beach"). It was overplayed so much in the summer of 2009, I've become completely turned off to the episode.

NBC is not alone in this problem. I feel like I've seen "A Benihana Christmas" a million times on the Fox affiliates near me, as well as TBS. It's not just the Office, either. I remember back in the days when TeenNick (then known as the N) aired Daria episodes, they would always show the same 20 or so episodes over and over again. So much so, that my dad, who would usually watch them with me, due to our vampire-esque sleep schedules and Daria being the only thing on TV at 4 a.m., memorized some of the dialogue lines. I remember having this issue with Power Rangers back in the '90s, it's also why I stopped watching the show. Yes, television has been causing me strife since I was about 7 years old.

It's just a pet peeve of mine, and it's why I don't usually watch re-runs of episodes or syndicated versions of shows. At least with the advent of DVDs, if I want to see an episode again, I can choose which episode to watch and how often to do so. It's not that I dislike reruns, it's that I like variety in the reruns.

I guess it could be worse ... they could show Date Mike again.




Are there some episodes of shows that you just cannot watch anymore for the same reason?

Breaking Bad goes out with a bang (literal pun intended)

This image says it all.

Sunday night's Breaking Bad season finale was yet another amazing hour of television. After a season that brought the show, and I would say television as a whole to new emotional heights (I strongly hope the "One Minute" episode helps the show win the Outstanding Drama Series Emmy this year) and lows (I would like to forget that "Fly" even existed, because it spent much too much time proving the simple point that Walt was losing his mind, and took 42 minutes to kill a fly), the season ended on a high note.

"Full Measures" was an episode that showed Walt at his most cunning and desperate, and Jesse, in the same scene (pictured), reached his highest and lowest emotional moments. In an act of desperation, Walt required Jesse kill Gale, a good-natured meth cooker who could leave Walt's entire existence irrelevant if he were to master Walt's skills. Throughout the episode, Jesse pleaded with Walt not to force him to commit such a heinous crime which showed that, while at the beginning of the series he seemed to be the burnt out meth addict who did not care much about anything, Jesse did have plenty of emotional depth.

However, as the episode ended with both Jesse and Walt's lives in danger, Jesse had to declare his alliance, and went to Gale's apartment to kill him. This wasn't an easy decision for Jesse to make, and he was visibly traumatized by the idea of killing a man who, even as a meth cooker, was innocent in other respects. However, the above pictured scene was the last moment the audience saw. An audible gunshot was heard as the screen went black, Sopranos-style.

This opens up numerous theories as to what the show's creator and episode scribe Vince Gilligan intended the scene to mean. On the obvious level, Jesse killed Gale, proving his willingness to survive and helping Walt remain the gold standard for Albuquerque meth cookers.

Or, and this is what I believe happened, when Jesse moved the gun slightly before the screen went black, he only shot up Gale's apartment to make it appear as though he killed Gale. Jesse was awarded the privilege of being able to go on the run after his season-long incidents (including last week's ending), so I wouldn't be surprised if he offered Gale the same.

Another option? Did Jesse get shot by someone else, such as Gus? We don't know for sure that the gunshot came from Jesse's gun. I would be very saddened to see Jesse to go, so I truly hope this isn't true (even if it would be a great twist).

No matter the ending, this episode just proved that Aaron Paul deserves the Emmy for Oustanding Supporting Actor this year. His performance made it impossible not to feel Jesse's anguish and emotional turmoil throughout the season (and this episode, in particular).

Have any other theories or thoughts about Breaking Bad this season, or where it could go next? Leave a comment!

Great Glee moments: top 5 performances this season

(Just because I feel like a Sue Sylvester gif is absolutely necessary in one's daily life.)

SPOILER ALERT: If you have not yet watched the season finale of Glee, do not read any farther.

I've mentioned many times that I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with Glee. When the pilot of the show aired in May 2009, I loved it, because it was hilarious and, even though they were cheesy, I enjoyed the song covers.

Then, by the middle of the season, I became incredibly annoyed by the inconsistent plot lines. One example is Quinn's pregnancy and the resolution to that plot line last night, in which Idina Menzel's Shelby Corcoran, who is also Rachel's mother, adopted Quinn's daughter, Beth. As Ken Tucker points out, it's kind of rude for Shelby to shun her own biological daughter just for a 'newer' model, if you will. If the writers were trying to make Shelby an unlikable character, they succeeded in that respect, but if they were simply attempting to get rid of Beth in a quick manner, then I think that was a little misguided.

However, for once, I'm not here to bash the show. Since the regular shows I watch have ended, I decided to watch these last few episodes of Glee this season, and, cheesiness, plot inconsistencies and weak character development aside, I still found myself enjoying the show, due to what makes the show: the performances.

I rather enjoyed the Madonna songs, especially Jane Lynch's ridiculously outrageous version of "Vogue." And, as a big Lady Gaga fan (while I don't want this summer to go by quickly, I am also eagerly anticipating Sept. 4, when I see Gaga live), I thought those performances were well done, and the costumes were really great.

Last night, I found myself with a huge smile on my face throughout the show. The performances were fantastic, and even someone who hates the show and the karaoke aspects of the show would probably find it difficult to deny that the performances were catchy. They reminded me why I enjoyed the show in the first place.

With that said, here are my picks for the top five performances on Glee this year.

5. Like A Prayer - The choir-style background of the rest of the cast is strong and sing-along-worthy, much like the original Madonna song. It's difficult to listen to this song without clapping along. Guest star Jonathan Groff makes for a strong duet with Lea Michele (both of whom starred together on Broadway in Spring Awakening).

4. Dream On - There are moments on the show, usually involving Matthew Morrison, which make me cringe (see: "I Wanna Sex You Up," "Gold Digger"). However, this showcases his voice quite well. Guest star Neil Patrick Harris' voices complements Matt's in such a way that it creates an insanely powerful performance. Even though their characters were competing against one another, their competition yielded this great song. Next to Josh Groban, he's the guest star that I'd love to see return the most next year. Also, Danny Gokey: THIS is how you perform that falsetto.

3. To Sir, With Love - This was probably my favorite performance from last night. While it's certainly a love song, and probably not the most appropriate song for students to sing to their teacher (much like Lea and Idina's "Poker Face" duet, which I also enjoyed), it still seamlessly fit in with last night's show. The "with love" was not sung with a romantic connotation, but rather it perfectly expresses the admiration the club has for its leader. It's sickly saccharine, but that's why it works.

2. Bad Romance - I rather enjoyed this performance because it allowed for a lot of voices to be heard. It sounded so much like the original, yet, it didn't feel like some sort of K-Tel version of the song, either. It wasn't as weird as Gaga's version, rather, it worked to showcase the catchy nature of the song.

1. Don't Stop Believin' - The original song that made America fall in love with the show. I despise Journey with a burning passion, and this song makes me cringe 99% of the time. However, there is something about this version, with its epic buildup and powerful performance from Lea, it's rather irresistible. Anything that makes me put aside said Journey hatred much be good. I enjoyed last night's version with more of the club getting solo moments, which I loved, but I still have to say that the original is the best.

(Also, for the record, "Poker Face," "Somebody To Love" and "Alone" were all tough to cut out of my top 5).

Agree or disagree? As I said, I've missed a number of episodes, and while I've made efforts to listen to songs from said episodes, I may have missed some other good performances. So, I'd love to hear others' picks for their favorites this season.

MTV Movie Awards destroy millions of brain cells

The only way I feel like I can accurately sum up the MTV Movie Awards: Is this real life?


I can't even begin to process the awful and ridiculous, or ridiculously awful moments on tonight's broadcast.

I was going to write a semi-long recap of the events that happened tonight, but honestly, I had to hypothetically scrub my brain of all of everything. However, and I apologize to anyone who follows me on Twitter for this, I Tweeted all night about this disaster. If I may, I would like to use my Tweets as a basis to begin to try and process what I witnessed this evening.

"The awards playing Green Day's "American Idiot" in the background just now means my highlight of the show has probably already happened" - I was mostly correct.

Moving aside Ed Helms and Ken Jeong for the irrelevance of Jennifer Lopez and Tom Cruise was just genuinely offensive (how old was Jennifer's song?), and it proved that this show was just a vehicle to continue to promote celebrities that are irrelevant. It was like MTV was trying to make 'fetch' happen all night. It isn't going to work. Along those same lines: VH1 and MTV need to stop trying to make Diddy happen again. Seriously, Jennifer Lopez and Diddy? Again? Is this 1999? I don't want to know what Diddy has under the seat of his car now...

However, even though it was strange to have Tom Cruise dress up as a two-year old character all night, Les Grossman made Tom the most likable he's been in years, at least before he and Nicole Kidman divorced and the fight to conquer Xenu became extra important. And then he showed up at the end, as himself, not Les, looking wild-eyed and crazy as always. Downgrade.

It looked like Kristen Stewart dropped her award yet again with she was on stage with Robert Pattinson. Remember this? Oh well, at least KStew and RPattz's kiss wasn't as awkward as Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens' 'kiss.' Zac looked as though he'd never ever kissed her in his life!



I'm still trying to figure out Snoop Dogg's outfit during his performance of "California Gurls" with Katy Perry. It was the socks and the (somewhat) dark shoes. He looked like your stereotypical Polish man, walking around Disney World or something with the shorts, white socks and dark shoes. In other words, he looked like every picture of my father and grandfather in the '70s and '80s. Also, Katy? Your hover-surfboard was cool (but, yikes, the way her legs were bent, if that thing snapped, there go her ankles!), but Britney Spears did it better in her 2000 tour with her magic floating carpet during "Don't Let Me Be The Last To Know."

I'm still angry at Michael Cera for ruining my life. Because of his arrogance and stalling in wanting to make the Arrested Development movie, I don't think it's ever going to happen. So, every time I see him now, a part of my soul dies.

Is anyone aware that Mark Wahlberg is an incredibly violent guy who once blinded a man during a robbery he committed while on PCP? He's another person who angers me every time I see him on camera.

I highly enjoy that RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN won an award, if only because I hope it reignites Stephen Colbert's amazing hatred for him. Because now, Rain has a Movie Award, and Stephen does not. Stephen will not stand for that.

I feel like that Eclipse trailer was a joke. RPattz just looked so incredibly plastic and fake, I can't accept that that is a legitimate clip from a movie. People will really think he looks attractive in Eclipse if he has that stupid look on his face the whole time? I'm sorry, I just don't get it.

And then, there's this.




This is Christina Aguilera's blinking vagina. This was the moment I realized I could not mentally handle this show anymore, it just became too ridiculous for me. Oh, and Christina, Ke$ha called, she wants her tacky futuristic-style performance shtick back. (I can't wait for Christina fans to storm my blog in anger if they find out about this.)

The good moment? Peter Facinelli of Twilight and Nurse Jackie was put in charge of giving the acceptance speech for New Moon as it won best movie (like last year, these could be called the "Twilight Awards."). He was smart and got wasted during the entire show, and released a fantastic array of f-bombs that the MTV censors missed. A running joke throughout the night was that censorship and people saying bad words is HILARIOUS. This was the only moment the joke actually delivered, and it was impromptu. The Parents Television Council is probably writing angry letter after angry letter to MTV right now (because Peter's missed f-bombs were nowhere near the only missed ones tonight), which is understandable, because remember folks, the MTV Movie Awards are supposed to be such a family friendly show!

Oh, and I believe I'm going to use my new Capital One MTV credit card to pay off my cable bill, so I can continue to watch great, informative cautionary tale MTV shows such as True Life: I'm in Debt.

I need to go watch tonight's Breaking Bad at 1 a.m. (which I missed at 10 to watch this piece of garbage show). Hopefully that will work as a brain bleach to forget about this show.

Remembering Rue McClanahan

I hate days like this. I really do.

As I'm sure everyone's heard, Rue McClanahan, best known for playing slutty Southern belle Blanche Deveraux on the Golden Girls, passed away this morning at the age of 76 after suffering a stroke on Monday. This means that the likely savior of the free world, Betty White, is the only surviving member of the girls (Bea Arthur, who portrayed Dorothy Zbornak, died in April 2009 and Estelle Getty, who played Dorothy's mother, Sophia Petrillo, died in July 2008).

Death is, sadly, a natural part of life, and when you're discussing actresses who were on a show that featured the lives of seniors TWENTY FIVE YEARS AGO, it's not like these women haven't lived long lives. But, it's still very sad.

Like so many people my age, I became a fan of the show thanks to my grandma. When I would stay overnight at her house in elementary school, she'd ask me to turn off my Disney VHS tapes so she could watch the Golden Girls that aired on Lifetime at 2 a.m. or so (yes, my grandma's pretty cool, she isnt' the type to go to bed at 4 in the afternoon so she can be at the Country Kitchen Buffet by 6 a.m.). I, of course, assumed it was going to be a very boring show that I'd hate, because, well, I was 6 or 7 years old and who likes shows their grandma likes?

Before long, during the summer months I would turn on Lifetime every night to see these ladies. I didn't always get the jokes due to being so young, but Rose's ridiculous stories and Sophia's entire existence killed me. The show reminds me so much of my childhood, and I love knowing that my grandma helped me to discover one of the funniest shows ever, which I wouldn't have otherwise known about. I hate calling my grandma and telling her that one of the Girls has died, because it just reminds me that those days of my childhood are over.

While Rue was best known for being Blanche, she also appeared in numerous Broadway productions, including a stint as Shiz University headmistress Madame Morrible in Wicked from 2005-06. She also played Vivian, the best friend of Maude Findlay on Maude (played by Bea Arthur, of course).

In fact, Rue originally auditioned to play Rose Nylund on the Golden Girls and Betty auditioned for the role of Blanche, but it was decided that the two were both auditioning for roles similar to their past work (Betty was famous for playing the cruel and sardonic Sue Ann Nivens on the Mary Tyler Moore Show), so they switched the roles, and two television icons were born.

From all accounts, Rue seemed like an incredibly funny and sweet woman who loved and respected her fans just as they loved and respected her. She was a breast cancer survivor and animal rights activist. And, for so many people, through her roles, she was a friend. Thank you for being a friend, indeed, Rue. I hope Bea and Estelle were waiting for you at the gates, ready to make a tawdry joke about Blanche and her, well, experience with men.


This is easily Blanche's best moment, in which she hallucinates after an all-night book writing session.




And, since I love destroying peoples' lives by helping people procrastinate with television, this YouTube account has EVERY episode of the Golden Girls. Enjoy.

Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert join Conan O'Brien at Radio City, my brain explodes

I think the title of this entry says it all. This 7 1/2 minute video from Conan's June 1 show in New York City is basically one of the most amazing things ever to exist. Remember the epic battle Conan, Jon and Stephen had back in 2008, which was basically the only reason I survived the 2007-08 Writers Guild of America Strike? (I wish I could say I was being super melodramatic with that statement, but that would be a lie. That strike nearly made me go insane!)



Well, multiply the amazing qualities of that times infinity. Add in a near-kiss between Stephen and Colbert, more dancing, a "near-death" scene, and a ridiculous outfit from Jon. Watch and weep tears of joy, folks.



Oh yeah, Paul Rudd was there too.


Oh, and SNL's Bill Hader was there too.

(both images via globochem on Tumblr)

Let's not forget Conan jammed with Vampire Weekend.


I was unable to find photographic evidence of this, but the Huffington Post reported that the Office's John Krasinski was there too.

Again, this sounds melodramatic, but I mean it when I say that if I could have been at that show, I probably would have had a heart attack. That's not to say I didn't love my Conan show at MSU, but, I am extremely jealous of everyone at this show. I can't begin to explain my love for everyone in this post, and this was a truly great show!

This fantastic Tumblr account has some more great pictures from the show!