And The Emmy Goes To...

"To refuse awards is another way of accepting them with more noise than is normal."

-Peter Ustinov

Well, one week from tonight I will put on my high heels, my one evening dress, and I will pop some Pizza Rolls in the oven, then settle in to watch the 60th annual Emmy Awards. I miss the days of my friend June holding her silly awards parties. She didn't always hold an Emmy Award party, but she never missed the Academy Awards... not ever! I thought about holding a shindig, but in the end, I thought it would be fun to just watch the show with my favorite date, Elvis. Alan has to work, so it is just me and my elegant little friend for the evening. That's ok, how many ladies can say that they will be dining with a man in a tuxedo next Sunday night? Tee Hee. My boy never let's me down!

As for the show itself, I must admit to being somewhat bored in recent years. I think if asked to name my favorite moment from past shows, I would have to go all the way back to 2001, when Ellen DeGeneres hosted it, right after the terrorist strike on 9/11. She made me laugh... and laugh... and laugh again. We all needed that, but I haven't been really, truly entertained since then. Am I being too critical? Have you enjoyed the Emmy's the last few years? If so, sing out in the comments, tell me what you think!

As for the nominees this year, I am a bit amazed that more awards weren't offered to what I consider the best new show of the year last year, Pushing Daisies. It was new, creative, and beautifully filmed. Unfortunately, I think it was lost a good bit when the writer's strike hit, as were many other shows I think should have gotten a nod, such as Private Practice, and Big Bang Theory. As for the reality catagory, how could they have possibly overlooked, Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, or Hell's Kitchen? Sigh. The unfairness of it all! :)

So tell me, in the following categories, who will you be rooting for? Here are my Picks...

Outstanding Comedy Series

30 Rock
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Entourage
The Office
Two And A Half Men - X

Outstanding Drama Series

Boston Legal
Damages
Dexter
House
Lost - X
Mad Men

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series

Alec Baldwin (30 Rock)
Tony Shalhoub (Monk)
Steve Carrell (The Office)
Lee Pace (Pushing Daisies) - X
Charlie Sheen (Two And A Half Men)

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series

James Spader (Boston Legal) - X
Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad)
Michael C. Hall (Dexter)
Hugh Laurie (House)
Gabriel Byrne (In Treatment)
Jon Hamm (Mad Men)

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series

Tina Fey (30 Rock) - X
Julie Louie-Dreyfus (New Adventures Of Old Christine)
Christina Applegate (Samantha Who?)
America Ferrera (Ugly Betty)
Mary-Louise Parker (Weeds)

Outstanding Actress In A Drama Series

Sall Field (Brothers And Sisters) - X
Kyra Sedgwick (The Closer)
Glenn Close (Damages)
Mariska Hargitay (Law And Order: SVU)
Holly Hunter (Saving Grace)

Outstanding Variety, Music Or Comedy Series

The Colbert Report
The Daily Show with John Stewart
Late Show with David Letterman - X
Real Time with Bill Maher
Saturday Night Live

Outstanding Reality Program

Antiques Roadshow
Dirty Jobs
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
Intervention
Kathy Griffin: My Life On The D-List - X

Outstanding Reality Competition Program

The Amazing Race
American Idol
Dancing With The Stars - X
Project Runway
Top Chef

Outstanding Made For Television Movie

Bernard and Doris
Extras: The Extra Special Series Finale
The Memory Keeper's Daughter
A Raisin In The Sun
Recount - X

So tell me, what do you think? Will this be a good year for the Emmy Awards? Are your favorites among the contenders? If so, who are you rooting for? Will you be watching the show with me, or do you just hate awards shows? Tell me everything!

-OndineMonet

One Day Your Life Will Flash Before Your Eyes...

"One day your life will flash before your eyes, make sure it's worth watching."

-Unknown

Did you watch the Golden Globes last night? Nah, me neither. Frown. I don't know, the thing I enjoy the most about those dumb awards shows is the glitz and glamour, but with the on-going WGA strike, the ceremony was transformed into a news conference, as opposed to the usual delightfully cheesy "you like me, you really like me," "I can't believe you chose me," big todo shows. Sigh.

I can't help but think of my dear old friend June, who passed away in 2005. She used to throw these silly, yet amazing, Academy Awards parties, where all who attended were expected to dress as if they were going not just the Oscar's, but one of the parties that followed. It was fun to get all dressed up in some gorgeous gown or snazzy cocktail dress and make a big entrance. The food, the guest list and the conversation was always great fun. I miss her company a lot sometimes, and I can almost hear her saying, "I wish they would just pay those people what they are worth and get on with it." LOL. Yeah, that was June.

I am also glad I didn't bother watching last night because my favorite new comedy, Pushing Daisies, lost in it's category, Favorite New Comedy, to HBO's "Extras." I haven't actually seen the show, it might be a terrific comedy, but Pushing Daisies is nothing short of pure genius. It is fresh, and new, with a good cast,including Kristin Chenoweth, formerly of the West Wing. She is great on this show, and even treats us to an occasional song, like in a recent episode when she belted out a sweet little version of the Olivia Newton-John tune, Hopelessly Devoted To You.

Pushing Daisies hasn't been airing the last couple weeks, and I really miss it. For all it's flights of fancy, it really does have a serious underlying message. Simply, don't take your life for granted, and don't take those you love for granted either. True love is a very rare thing, about as rare as love at first sight. Relationships take work and aren't always easy, even under the best of circumstances, and remember, second chances are even rarer then love at first sight, if you ever get a second chance, you have probably found a miracle. Okay, so the shows messages aren't all that simple, but they are true.

"In love, it is better to know and be disappointed than to not know and always wonder."

-Unknown

So, if you want to share, tell me. If you could bring a certain someone back into your life, for 60 seconds, would you? And do you know what you might ask them? I have a small list of folks, some friends, maybe even a past love, who I would like to ask about a couple curiosities I have, but at the same time, I might just let the door remained closed. I am happy right now, so why bring all those old feelings back, to run free through my mind. Right? God I sound well adjusted, so strong... don't I? LOL.

Oh well, I am not going to any big Academy Awards parties this year, assuming that the show will go on, no, I will probably just put on one of my comfy nighties, and pop some popcorn and watch the show on TV with Elvis. I will miss my pal June, who would be very angry at me if I ever considered bringing her back to life for 60 seconds just to ask her what she thinks about the WGA strike. LOL. I am pretty sure if I ever did that, I wouldn't have to miss her for long, I would be right there with her... Pushing Daisies! LOL. She would have loved that show!

"Dream as if you will live forever, live as if you will die today."

-James Dean

Pushing Daisies

Golden Globe List Of Winners


-OndineMonet

While Visions Of Sugar Plums Danced In My Head...

"The earth has grown old with it's burden of care, but at Christmas it is always young. The heart of the jewel burns lustrous, and fair, and it's soul full of music breaks the air, when the song of angels is sung."

-Phillip Brooks

Just a short entry today, I am up to my elbows in the ingredients for an Apple/Pear Cinnamon pie, with a Gruyere crust. I was inspired to make it by an episode of my new favorite show Pushing Daisies. Have you seen it yet? It is very funny, and very dark, all at the same time. It's kind of like an Alfred Hitchcock narrated by Dr. Seuss. LOL. Anyway, it is one of the best new shows of the season, or any season for that matter, in the last few years! You must see it! And now, back to the pie baking...

-OndineMonet
"Plum Pudding"
Berkeley, California
December 21, 2007
Late Evening

My Picks For The 2007 Fall TV Season

"Friends are like television. Some are like PBS and always asking for money. Others are like the news, with sad tales to tell everyday, some are like that one station with the foreign language you don't understand a word of it but you listen and watch."

-Unknown

I was thumbing through the new issue TV guide, which begins today, and has all the low down on the new fall schedule. The ins, the outs. I don't know, I guess I have to wonder, is television even trying anymore? It seems as if they have reached way down to hit new lows in "Reality TV." Do you think Kid Nation is really a good idea? Yeah, yeah I know, I am a "reality show" snob. I do have to admit that there has been the occasional "reality" show that has pulled me in. I really enjoyed the summer replacement series, America's Got Talent. Surprised? Well, so was I, but it focused on the talent and not the week to week egos of the contestants, but still came through with good old fashioned back stabbing and infighting by way of the judges, Sharon Osbourne, David "The Hoff" Hasselhoff and Piers Morgan. Now THAT was laugh out loud funny! Sheesh.

It's frustrating to me that one network (NBC) plans to show the "Drama Series Encore" as filler for some of their time slots. Huh? Have the networks run out of ideas? Repeats, rather new new shows, or even old shows? And what's up with ABC? I finally found myself interested in what happens to the survivors of Oceanic Airways Flight #815, of LOST. It's all very nice to know that the series has a few more seasons coming, but why did they scale it back to just 16 episodes for each of the remaining seasons, and also make us wait until the spring of 2008 to see a new episode? Who will really care by then? I am not really looking forward to it seeing it anymore. Sigh. And damn... just when I thought it was getting interesting.

Still, as I thumbed through the guide, I did see a number of new shows that I think are at least worth a look see. Cavemen looks funny, but how long can the show survive with such a limited focus? I am intrigued by the remake of the 1970's hit, The Bionic Woman, but I am a purist, I liked the show as it was when saw it the first time around. What if the new Jamie Summers is a nut job or something? I am not sure I am ready for a neurotic Bionic Woman.Tee Hee. But like I said, there are a few shows that have caught my eye. I might even set the DVR for a couple shows, but I am not too sure there is anything that will make me look forward to watching prime-time network TV this season. There are a few open spots, I guess I will watch whatever I decide to put on DVR in those spots.

Monday
8:00 - How I Met Your Mother (CBS)
8:30 - Aliens In America (The CW)*
9:00 - Two In A Half Men (CBS)
9:30 - Samantha Who? (ABC)*
10:00 - Journeyman (NBC)*

Tuesday
8:00 - Cavemen (ABC)*
8:30 - Carpooler's (ABC)*
9:00 - Reaper (The CW)*
10:00 - Boston Legal

Wednesday
8:00 - Pushing Daisies (ABC)*
9:00 - Private Practice (ABC)*
10:00 - Life (NBC)*

Thursday
8:00 - My Name Is Earl (NBC)
8:00 - 30 Rock (NBC)
9:00 - Gray's Anatomy (ABC)
10:00 - Big Shots (ABC)*

Friday
8:00 - Deal Or No Deal (NBC)
9:00 - Moonlight (CBS)*
10:00 - Men In Trees (ABC)

Saturday
8:00 - Dateline NBC (NBC)
9:00 -
10:00-

Sunday
7:00 - 60 Minutes (CBS)
8:00 - King Of The Hill (FOX)
8:30 - The Simpsons (FOX)
9:00 - Desperate Housewives
10:00 -

Setting the DVR for...

The Bionic Woman (NBC)
The Big Bang Theory (CBS)
Back To You (FOX)
Women's Murder Club (ABC)

So, tell me what you think? Agree? Disagree? Is there any show in particular you are looking forward to? Which one will crash and burn? Which one will still be on ten years from now? Which one will be the biggest surprise, and which one will be the biggest disappointment? Personally, I think Private Practice will do very well, and so will Journeyman and Pushing Daisies. Cavemen will probably last maybe one season, and I don't hold much hope for the new Kelsey Grammer/Patricia Heaton series, Back To You. It's all about a guy and girl who work together, while fighting the sexual attraction between them. Been there done that! Seen it on TV. YAWN!


-OndineMonet
"It's What's On TV"
Berkeley, California
September 9th, 2007
Afternoon