Thursday, March 29, 2012

Smash, One Tree Hill, Jana Kramer's Album Release Date Set

Smash has been a hot topic of conversation among critics this week.  Does the show still have some growing to do?  Sure.  All shows do.  I enjoy and look forward to watching it every week.  Michael Ausiello brought up a good point in his column this week in the fact that this show was basically already done before they could get any major viewer feedback.  Now, they can take what they've learned and put it into season two.  They'll do it with another person in charge though which was something we all learned last week.  I like the show a lot.  There are some things that I could do without which includes the Ellis character.  I have yet to figure out what the purpose of that character is.  He is all the time evil scheming but I can't seem to find what the point of it is.  Now, this week's episode did have him speculate that maybe he was studying and learning about the business so he could do that producing kind of job.  I don't know.  There is a lot of stuff that happens with that character where I think why doesn't anybody get tired of this guy with stuff that he does?  I think most fans don't like the storylines where it drives away from the subject of the story which is the building of this Marilyn production.  Smash will be back for season two.  I'm wondering what they do for the rest of the season especially with the battle for the lead role in the musical.  One star seemingly going downhill and trying to stay where she is.  The other trying to pull herself up and do what she has to do to get there.  I'm a fan of the show and definitely like it.

So, is the craziness on One Tree Hill over?  That is what I'm wondering.  This has been an intense season with a lot of happenings including the passing of Dan Scott on last week's episode.  It did happen with what I thought with Dan making the save for Nathan.  Now, Dan was able to redeem himself for the bad he did in his life and got to spend his last moments with his family.  Good ending and a great episode.  Last night's episode definitely had a happy ending feel to it as we set up for next week's finale.  Brooke is living her dream right now.  We had a great proposal with Clay and Quinn.  Skillz paired up with Millie with the TV show.  Mouth getting pushed toward getting back into sports with a sports show.  Haley moving on after such a horrible few months and reflecting back to her past.  Chase looks to have something going for him as well with a business now in his future. 

While on the subject of One Tree Hill, an announcement has been made that Jana Kramer's debut album will be released on June 5th.  Looking extremely forward to checking that out.  I've loved everything she has released so far. 

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Lady Antebellum Picks Henryville High School

Lady Antebellum has picked Henryville, Indiana.  Recently, Lady Antebellum announced plans for a contest where they would play someone's high school prom in the spring for free.  They asked for fans to submit videos to tell why they should play at their school.  As many of you know, the southern Indiana and northern Kentucky area was recently hit hard by tornadoes.  This led to many across the country jumping in to help Henryville High School in Henryville, IN to get the concert.  One of their rival schools, Silver Creek High School, was also one that jumped in submitting a video asking for Lady Antebellum to pick Henryville.  Their video was actually the one that was selected as the winner.  The group has announced that they will be bringing a very special show to the community there in Henryville.  Unfortunately, they won't be able to make Henryville's prom date of April 27th due to scheduling conflicts.  However, they have promised something even bigger and better on May 16th in nearby Louisville, KY.  All the juniors and seniors will be invited to a special show and then there will be another show for the community after that.  More details will be announced by Lady Antebellum in the very near future.
Here is the announcement by Lady Antebellum.


Now, check out the winning video submitted by Silver Creek High School.  Great job everyone!  This should be a special, special night for a community that needs uplifting.

Monday, March 19, 2012

Michael Bay vs. The TMNT Community, Transformers Headmasters

A few topics to talk about today on the site.  First one is Michael Bay.  Wow, did he ever get people fired up with his comments at the Nickelodeon upfronts recently.  When discussing the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie that he is involved with, he made the comments of how they "are from an "alien race".  The TMNT fan base is, of course, furious over this possibility.  We'll have to see I guess just how much those comments mean but the turtles aren't part of an alien race.  They never were.  It goes against everything the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were.  Their whole story was how they mutated cause of radioactive material.  That was how they got to where they were.  Michael Bay definitely has a history of stirring up fan bases with one obviously being Transformers.  I always talk about how Transformers is to me what Star Wars is to many others.  There were a lot of things that I didn't like that Bay did with the new Transformers series of movies but I didn't have the anger about it that others did.  I am definitely concerned about the TMNT fan base and hoping that they get a good representation of what they loved growing up.  I grew up watching them too so I'm a bit concerned as well.  Don't change the background history on them.  It changes the story COMPLETELY. 

Speaking of Transformers, I have completely gotten hooked on the reruns that are airing on The Hub on weeknights.  The 80's cartoon series is currently airing season three and four which are the post 1986 movie episodes.  I have found myself parking in front of the TV every night excited to watch these episodes.  Never mind the fact that I have them on DVD anyway.  For some reason, I'm just excited to watch them live.  Kudos to The Hub for airing these and also recently airing the 1986 Transformers The Movie.  I recently have started watching something I've been wanting to watch for just about 15 years now.  That is the Japanese Transformers Headmasters series that was recently released by Shout Factory.  The episodes do have the Japanese audio on them but they worked with Hasbro to get a good translation for new English subtitles.  I have been impressed with their work on them so far and have not had one problem at all with following the happenings of the episodes.  I'm still early into the series  but I'm excited to watch these episodes.  Excited but also knowing some of the spoilers of this series, I will probably need therapy after watching the happenings to these favorite childhood characters of mine.  I'm already thinking this is going to be depressing.  Kudos to Shout Factory for going to the trouble of releasing what many of us Transformers have wanted to see for so long.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

The New Series, VEEP, Premieres On HBO On April 22nd.

I got word this week on a new show starring Julia Louis Dreyfus which will be premiering on HBO on April 22.  Here is the preview write up on the show.

Former senator Selina Meyer was a rising star in her party, a charismatic leader who seemed to have unlimited potential.  Some pundits even thought she might even occupy the White House some day.

Then she became vice president.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Emmy winner for “Seinfeld” and “The New Adventures of Old Christine”) stars as Selena Meyer in VEEP, the story of a woman who becomes vice president, only to discover the job is nothing like she expected, but everything she was warned about.  Created by Armando Iannucci (Oscar nominee for co-writing “In the Loop”), the new comedy series kicks off its eight-episode season on April 22, exclusively on HBO.  VEEP follows the whirlwind day-to-day existence of Vice President Meyer as she puts out political fires, juggles a busy public schedule and demanding private life, and defends the president’s interests, even as she tries to improve her dysfunctional relationship with the chief executive.


For more info: http://www.hbo.com/veep

One Of The Worst Moves Ever On Survivor?, Buffy Turns 15.

Everyone is talking about last week's Survivor and I have been to.  Just a little later than others.  I didn't get to watch live on Wednesday night and I immediately saw Twitter light up with comments about dumbest move ever and things like that.  I was thinking that I need to watch this episode soon wondering what in the world had happened?  One of the major discussions of the episode was the tribe immunity.  It was won by the men's tribe which meant that the women would be voting someone out.  After the immunity challenge happened, a firestorm broke out among the men.  Colton and Bill had problems going back to the previous episode where Colton targeted him on being voted out.  Leif told Bill the plan and that of course got back to Colton.  The men went to a rage over loyalty and how they had disloyalty in their camp that they needed to get rid of with them upset at Leif and at Bill.  The idea is suggested by Colton about how they should trade the women for immunity so they can vote out their problem right away.  No one seems to want to take a stand against this insanity (LOL) so they go to the women who of course agree.  You mean you want to give us immunity and we get to keep our tribe intact while your numbers get smaller?  Sure, knock yourself out.  We'll take immunity.  I can only imagine what they were thinking.  So, the men go into tribal council and get a more than stunned look from Jeff Probst.  Tribal council is a hot one especially with comments from Colton that probably created a lot of enemies for him within camp.  Bill gets voted out.  Now, they are down another member.  Ok, this was just insane.  I could not believe that they pulled this immunity trade deal.  When I first heard it suggested to trade the women for immunity, I thought surely not with this being all the rage of "worst move ever" talk.  I know they want to get rid of a player but you can't wait three more days and then vote them out if you lose then????  Now, you're down another number and momentum is a big thing in this game.  What if the women get on another roll and you start losing?  Some in that tribe have a solid alliance so far anyway.  That one person you voted out on this immunity trade could mean that you have to eliminate one of your solid alliance members before going into the merge cause of how the numbers fall in the coming weeks.  You just don't know what you're going to have to do.  You never give up immunity especially team immunity.  I just don't understand that gamble.  We'll have to wait and see what happens with it in the future.  Maybe it will work out for the men but I just don't understand their thinking.  In fact, I don't understand a lot of the thinking on this season so I'm really curious to see how the rest of it plays out. 

This week was a big anniversary for the Whedonverse.  15 years since Buffy The Vampire Slayer debuted on The WB.  Has it really been 15 years?  Time flies and the show still has that strong following which is now in the comic book world as well with season nine now underway there.  I am admittedly behind on the comics which is disappointing.  Hoping to get caught up very soon.  Joss is of course very busy this year as well with The Avengers and now the upcoming release of Cabin In The Woods.  CraveOnline.com has an interview up where he teases the sequel to Dr. Horrible which I cannot wait for!!  Check out the interview here.

Monday, March 12, 2012

Carrie Underwood's New Video For "Good Girl" Debuts

The new Carrie Underwood video for "Good Girl" has premiered online tonight.  It gets a thumbs up from me for sure!  Definitely a busy video with lots going on in it.  I really like the sound of this song a lot  and it will be a popular one when she hits the stage with it.  There is a lot of excitement for her upcoming new album which we learned last week will be called "Blown Away".  On another Carrie note, it was announced that she will be playing at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville on Tuesday, March 27.  If you haven't seen the video for "Good Girl", here it is.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Wrap Up Q&A With Jennifer McGill

If you grew up watching the Disney Channel in the 90's, the name Jennifer McGill is going to get your attention.  Jennifer was a part of MMC which aired weekday afternoons at 4:30pm.  It was 4:30 in my time zone anyway!  I wrote recently about NBC's The Voice and Tony Lucca's audition in front of Christina Aguilera.  That reunion of some of MMC's alum got fans talking and excited.  I thought it would be fun to catch up with some of the cast and it has been.  Jennifer was one of three of the cast that was there from start to finish on the show.  MMC was on for seven seasons before ending in the mid 90's.  What was life for her like on the show?  What was it like behind the scenes?  What has she been up to since?  What is the story about a familiar song from her MMC days making a return as her debut single?  Well, Jennifer was great to answer all of those questions and more for this Wrap Up Q&A. 

 What did you think of (Tony Lucca's) performance and the reunion with him and Christina?
 -"Tony did the same great job on The Voice as he's been doing for years touring with his own music.  I've seen him in lots of concerts through the years and couldn't be happier to know the world is falling in love him and his talent!  I'm always happy to see Mouseketeers reunite and I think it will be an extra-cool season to watch with Tony in the competition!"

*Going back to the MMC days.  Why did you decide to audition for the show and what was that whole audition process like?
 -"At age 10 I had just teamed up with a children's agent who sent me on my first audition for a movie about the original Mickey Mouse Club, called "Why? Because We Like You!".  When that movie was cancelled, I was asked to audition for the TV series, "The New Mickey Mouse Club", which was being handled by the same casting director.  So basically, I just fell into my 1st audition, then landed the job!  I was definitely in the right place at the right time!"

*What was it like to spend so much of your childhood growing up on TV?
 -"It wasn't a different life, from my perspective, because that's all I knew from 5th to 12th grade!  I got used to going to school year round, memorizing scripts/choreography/lyrics, and being a really busy teenager!  I understand my childhood was different than most kids, but it was my normal!"

*What was a normal day like for you all there?  I remember that you all did school and then it was off to work on the show.  What was a typical daily schedule like for you guys?
 -"In general, we arrived at 9AM for school, had lunch around noon, then spent the rest of the work day rehearsing or taping show material.  If we rehearsed, we'd be split into groups in the dance trailer, vocal trailer, or backstage working on a script.  If we were taping, some of us would be on stage, learning where to stand and which camera to look at when, some of us would be in the make-up/hair rooms getting ready for camera, and some would be working on outfits with our wardrobe team.  There was a little downtime here and there because not everyone could tape everything at the same time...and during those times we were most likely put back in school!  There were always many kids & adults to juggle on the schedule!"

*You, Lindsey, and Josh were the only ones that were there from start to finish.  Did you guys have a really good bond over that fact along with being friends?
 -"We will always be friends.  I like the fact I was on the show from the pilot through the last show!  But I can't speak for Lindsey and Josh:)"

*The MMC album seemed like a such a natural thing.  The music was the thing I enjoyed the most about the show and it seemed right for there to be an album.  How did the idea come about for the album and what was the process like in putting it together along with getting out on the road to promote it?
 -"I don't remember having a say in when the album was being recorded, what songs I'd be singing, and where/how we would be touring!  But once we were assigned the tasks at hand, I just went with the flow and had a fun experience with recording the album!  It was my first project with all-original material!  We had a little bit of creative input on our vocals and backup vocals, and we were allowed to play a little more with our hairstyles and clothing during the photo shoots and tours. The touring schedule was really crazy: singing at outside venues in the winter, all bundled up, yet sweating as we sang and danced for our screaming fans!  During our USO tour, I would finish up class at my public high school on a Thursday, get to the airport to fly to Scotland/Germany/England/Iceland, the MMC soloists would sing for the troops, then I'd take the red-eye flight back to America to make my Monday morning classes...getting my homework done somehow during the trip!  It was a whirlwind, but it's truly what I lived for, and I wouldn't trade those memories for anything!"
 

*From season to season, there were often changes in cast members.  Was it a deal where the cast member decided not to return, a show decision, or a mutual thing?
 -"Each case was different.  Not all contracts were alike.  Sometimes the contract was short, someone didn't want to renew, the company didn't want to renew...it was never fully disclosed why or how certain cast members would leave or be brought onto the show season to season."

*With the video jams, how was it decided who got what song and how long did it take to shoot those videos?
 -"Usually the Mouseketeers were assigned songs by the company.  At the start of some seasons, we were asked to submit our top songs we'd like to have on the show.  Sometimes I was allowed to choose between two solos.  But usually we just did as we were directed.  The videos were usually shot in a day at MGM Studios (now Disney's Hollywood Studios).  Even if we went on location around Orlando, we finished taping the video in one day.  I shot "Hanging On For Dear Life" on location in New York City.  That took at least two days.  Editing for each video, from what I heard, took more than a week."

*Favorite performance of yours?
 -"Almost every performance I did holds a cherished memory of some kind.  Usually someone has to mention a specific one and then I could talk about it for half an hour!"

*There were so many celebrities that would appear on the show over the years.  Did you have a favorite that stuck out for you?
 -"I was really excited to have Brian McKnight and Boyz II Men on the show!  There were many celebrities I met who didn't appear on our show as well...My favorite of those was Celine Dion and Michael Jackson!"

*How much fan mail did you guys get on a weekly basis?
 -"I have no idea the amount, in numbers, that any cast member received.  As you know, all fan mail went to one address, and was the property of the company.  The Mouseketeers only received a few pieces of mail every now and then.  From that portion, I did develop some pen pals for a while.  I remember being told I was the female cast member with the most fan mail either the 6th or 7th season.  That was so cool!"

*The seventh season obviously had the show kind of trying to go to a different style of format.  Were you a fan of the new format?
 -"It was nice to have a change, but I missed the original set and preferred having more solid sets and backdrops like previous seasons.  I believe we had smaller audience seating areas as well, which I figure fans weren't too happy about."

*What was your reaction when the news got broke to you all that the show was ending?
 -"The show ended at a very convenient time for me.  Though I would have most  likely continued on MMC, had my contract been picked up, I was a senior in high school and had been accepted into New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.  I was prepared to move forward, had a goal, and therefore I had a healthy transition into the rest of my life after the show.  However, I think the most unsettling thing about finding out the show had ended while we were on hiatus is, for me, that we didn't get to gather together and say our "real" goodbyes as a full cast.  I remember we were always wondering if we'd see each other again at the most recent wrap party...saying sorta goodbyes, "just in case" style.  I remember that was confusing element that was sometimes hard on me year to year, as well as other kids."

*It seems like 1998 and into the 2000's was the boom era where so many of the cast just kept showing up everywhere.  Music, acting, stage.  What are your thoughts with so many that just have gone on to have such talented careers?
 -"I'm not surprised at all.  Every Mouseketeer was gifted, and just EXISTING on that show was a workout for all our talents-even the ones we weren't best at!  Every one of us got better at our craft with every season, and it makes sense that many of us would make a global mark once we got released back into the world!"

*You have obviously been extremely busy since the show ended and you've been involved with a lot of different things whether it is music or stage.  What has been some of the great highlights of what you've been able to do?
 -"I've really enjoyed all the live theater opportunities I've had through the years.  I got to work with Walt Disney World again in an a capella group called "American VYBE", I've toured the world singing with many talented party bands, written and recorded many original songs, worked on musical projects with multiple Broadway casts, and I've most recently had the pleasure of touring with a Michael Jackson tribute show called "The Ultimate Thriller"." 

*What is your passion?  Which is it that makes you think that this is what God wants you to do?
 -"My passion has always been singing.  God used to remind me from time to time that He will have His way with me and my music: For example, when I'd get a cold before I was to sing in church, my congestion would be gone for the 4 minutes I was in front of the congregation singing for the Lord!  Then I'd sit back down and start sniffling again!  I feel an energy in my singing that goes beyond just what I'm capable of.  I believe God not only created my talent for singing, but is involved with it every day of my life!"

*What can we expect from the album and what is the story behind bringing back (Hanging On For Dear Life)?
 -"Ever since "Hanging On For Dear Life" was released on the MMC album, I've had many fans come up to me with stories about tragedy and loss in their lives, and how HO4DL helped them through the tough times.  As I've grown up and been recognized through the years, HOFDL was the song most mentioned in connection with my work on The New Mickey Mouse Club.  People remember that song and how it is forever connected with such monumental times in their lives.  For this reason, among others, my mother was also a huge fan of HO4DL and thought it was a great idea to include it on my solo album someday.  Since her passing in 2003, I too have a tragedy and loss to which HO4DL is connected...for my mother, for me, and for all my fans, I'm so proud and happy that HO4DL is the first release of my debut solo project!  You can expect a lot more soulful pop selections from my album.  My manager/producer, Jeff Savage, and I are quite like-minded about the vibe we're going for.  It seems right to bring the 90s back a little in my album, as that's the era I most loved, connected with, and performed!  I'm so excited to share it with the world!"

*How is it talking with fans that have been fans through the years?
 -"I have always really enjoyed spending time with fans, talking about the past.  Even though we were on opposite sides of the camera, we share a similar nostalgia for that time in our lives.  I think I'm mostly impressed with how vivid people's memories are of the show and the DETAILS they recall!  I have friends and fans who remember stuff better than I do!  I see it as heart-warming validation that what I gave my childhood to is still remembered, cherished, and worth talking about even today...that what I did still stirs the heart...still matters!"

 
Thank you so much to Jennifer for taking the time to be a part of this Wrap Up Q&A.  As you can see, Jennifer has a lot going on and there is a lot of excitement for her new single "Hanging On For Dear Life" which is available now on iTunes.  Jennifer has a bunch of ways that you can keep up with her.  Check out her website at: www.JenniferMcgill.com.  From there, you can find links to her Facebook music page along with her You Tube channel which is RealJenniferMcGill.   You can find her on Twitter at @JennMcGillMusic.  She is very active on Twitter and fans are having a great time interacting with her.  If you are a long time MMC fan, you will want to check out the "MMC Geek Out" section of her site where you can check out the scrap book, guest book, and take a trip down memory lane.  It is a lot of fun to check out.  For more MMC stuff here on the site, be sure to check out another recent Wrap Up Q&A with Lindsey Alley to learn what all she has been up to which you can check out here.  Have a great day everyone.  Take care and God bless!

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Davy Jones, Lady A's New Video, Laura Bell Bundy Previews Her New Video, One Tree Hill Thoughts

This is going to be a very random post of various things to talk about on the website today. A bunch to post so I'll just put it all in one post. 

I think I had the same reaction as everyone else yesterday when the story started to break about the passing of Davy Jones.  When I first saw the headline, I thought, please, don't let that be true.  Unfortunately, the news is true that Davy has passed away at the age of 66.  Davy is, of course, one member of the musical group, The Monkees.   I was one of those fans that they got hooked on their big comeback in the 80's.  When I was a kid, I would watch their shows every night on Nick at Nite.  I got into their music and I've loved them ever since.  I always said that if they did a reunion show somewhere nearby that I would have to go.  They always put on a great show and left crowds entertained.  Davy was an amazing and genuine entertainer.  He loved what he did.  He left a huge mark on so many people that loved him as not just an entertainer of course but as a family member and friend.  He will be greatly missed. 


Lady Antebellum's new music video has premiered and it is great.  This has been one of their much loved performances from their Own The Night tour.  Speaking of that, it shows you a look at their tour.  If you have a chance to see their tour, go see it.  It's amazing! Here is the video for "Dancin' Away With My Heart".


Laura Bell Bundy recently gave fans a sneak peek of her upcoming video for "That's What Angels Do".  This is going to be a powerful song and one to check out.  Here is a clip of Laura talking about what the songs means to her.



Well, I was wrong on my prediction on last night's One Tree Hill.  I still think it could end up being true just in a different way.  I think Dan will save Nathan and that will be his redemption to his family that he has wronged.  We shall see.  We actually saw nothing of what was going on with Nathan in last night's episode.  No, that was not Nathan that Haley went to ID.  Haley had her breakdown in front of the cop who is actually working against her instead of for her obviously.  I'm still processing the big twist about Clay realizing that the boy he has been talking to and playing with is his son.  Then, we have Brooke who continues to get visits from the guy who just got out of prison.  The preview for next week showed what appears to be a showdown between the two.  I'll throw out another prediction based on the fact that it kind of looked like this might take place out of the cafe.  I'm assuming that the new girl with the cafe across the street is still around even though we haven't actually seen her.  I don't think she skipped town unless I spaced out on something.  I'm going to predict that she makes the save for Brooke and that is kind of their peace making moment.  The show has a history of those kind of moments where rivals suddenly get put together on the same side when bad things happen.  So, I'll go with that prediction.  Why not??!!  LOL. Then, we see that Chase snapped when he saw Chuck being abused.  He was taken away in a police car so we'll see what happens with him next.  I want to say that Bethany Galeotti has been bringing it this year!  She is so strong with her acting and taking Haley to a whole different level.  I feel like I'm sweating it out every week with her waiting for news.  The whole cast is amazing this year. 

Have a great rest of the day!  Take care and God bless!!

Big Brother Over The Top - Week One Thoughts

I hope many of you have floated over to Big Brother Over The Top like I have.  Tonight, we will be one week into this game and this new plat...