Recently in Japan, the public television network aired a miniseries from Korea titled, "Winter Sonata."  It is sort of a love story/ life chronicle of a pair that met early in life and were then seperated.  It was really well-received in Japan. Rarely does a day pass on Japanese television where this show is somehow referenced.  The characters from the drama can be seen in commercials.  There are soundtracks, songs, and DVDs for sale related to the series.  ...

Every once-in-a-while, I look at the BBC website to check on an American release for the "Men Behaving Badly Series."  I have been looking for a couple of years now, and it hasn't been released yet. Just this afternoon I received an e-mail message from "Shop BBC America.com."  (I wonder when I signed up for their mailing list... Oh well.  I like what they're selling.)  The message advertised a January 25th release date for the first two seasons of that show.  I am...

The other day while I was at the grocery store, I picked up a copy of the latest Star magazine.  The cover advertised "The 50 Most Annoying People of 2004."  On bottom left corner of the magazine, William Hung was pictured as one of this year's entrants.  Congratulations William Hung! The fourth season of American Idol is starting in just ten days.  In "preparation" for that, my wife and I spent a few hours yesterday watching tapes from last year's Idol .  I...

Click here for my latest article. Today as I was at a coffee shop, I noticed the front page of the USA Today.  The front page advertised an article on the upcoming fourth season of American Idol.  The front page teaser mentioned that there will be a few changes to this year's Idol . My favorite change that was mentioned was that the age limit would be raised.  I am all for that!  Maybe we'll get more George Huffs and fewer John Stevenses this year.&nbs...

In America, we have adopted the British tradition of running 007 marathons at Christmastime.  Ever since SpikeTV acquired the rights to the 007 movies, we have had Bond marathons during various holidays. In the spirit of the holidays/Bond marathon, I would like to ask you: who is your favorite Bond? Most I assume would pick Sean Connery.  He defined the role, and seemed everything that James Bond should be. Pierce Brosnan is an actor who I think was born to become a Jam...

My wife subscribes to a service that mails out Japanese television shows on video and DVD.  Once we're done with a video, we send it back, and they send us a new one off of our "wish list."  (Just like that Netflix thing.)  Its a good deal for getting access to Japanese television in America. A few weeks ago, a video arrived of a show called "SABACON."  I really liked it!  My wife and I watched the program quickly, and sent it back the next day.  I w...

I grew up in the Minneapolis/ Saint Paul area.  While I was in high school, a lot of the buzz on the radio was about a local band named "Soul Asylum." By the time I was half through with college, Soul Asylum hit the big time.  They had a major label recording deal, they were getting a lot of radio airplay, and the lead singer was even showing up in the tabloids.  The album "Grave Dancer's Union" was a reasonably big hit.  It seemed as if "the sky was the limit."  (Q...

I have been writing this weblog for over a year, and this is the second or third article I have written about pro wrestling.  As I was writing the title and classifying this article I was thinking to myself: "Is 'Sports Entertainment' 'Sports' or 'Entertainment'?"  This time I went with "Entertainment."  Maybe next time I will go with "Sports." For any of you who follow wrestling closely, you may know that the WWE just cut ten of its wrestlers.  Among the characters being ...

Today as I was driving around town, I heard the song, "I remember you" by Skid Row.  I turned up the volume and enjoyed the song.  I like the way that the song builds up to the high note in the end of the song.  (I wonder whether Sebastian Bach was able to hit that note at most of Skid Row's concerts.  I saw them perform that song when they opened for Bon Jovi in 1988, but I didn't know their body of work well enough at that time to pay any particular attention to it.) ...

I am not quite so sure how we got on the topic; but while my wife and I were driving to a cabin the other day, we got into a conversation comparing actors Keanu Reeves and Takuya Kimura (also known as Kimutaku.) (Just in case you've never heard of Kimutaku: He is one of the most famous current Japanese actors.)   Keanu Reeves Facet of Personality Kimu Taku Yes In his 30s Yes Yes Adored by millions of young women, yet sexually ambi...

Last night I was watching "The Daily Show with John Stewart."  John's guest for the final segment was Marisa Tomei. Watching that interview, I realized that Marisa Tomei is one of the better interviews out there.  She was charming, interesting, and awfully cute.  If  I were running a talk show, I would try to book her as a guest whenever she has something to promote. This all got me thinking:  If I had my own talk show, who would I like to be on the show to en...

I was a big fan of the television show The Practice .  Even though it was regularily manipulative, I enjoyed "taking the ride" each Sunday night.  Chicago Hope and Ally McBeal were really also fun David E. Kelley shows.  I even liked that show about the three young women lawyers (with "Claire" from Beverly Hills 90210 in it.)  Even though that show bombed out after two episodes. Last week I was pretty stoked for the spinoff: Boston Legal .  They were bring...

Once the season starts, click here to read my most recent blog!  (Top of page ) Yesterday in the newspaper, I read that American Idol will start its fourth season in January.  How exciting!  I look forward to the Tuesday and Wednesday night "appointment television" that AI provides. This year the age limit will be raised, thus leading to (hopefully) older and better performers.  (And who isn't still burning about John Stevens' weekly successes?  The poor kid jus...

Tonight "Boston Legal" will premiere on ABC.  This show is a spinoff of David E. Kelley's "The Practice."  "Boston Legal" has two of the more interesting characters on television.  I am looking forward to reacquainting myself with James Spader's "Alan Shore" and William Shatner's "Denny Crane."  -Denny Crane... I wonder whether these two characters will eventually make it into my personal list of my favorite television characters. Here are a few TV characters tha...

I am watching something on the E! channel right now.  It is a countdown of the "Top 101 moments of Saturday Night Live." It is interesting how even though I haven't been a real avid watcher of SNL since about 1994, I still seem to have caught all of the major characters and sketches from the show. Here's my question: who is your favorite cast member? When I think about this I consider: Bill Murray, Dana Carvey, and then Eddie Murphy.  Bill Murray and Eddie Murph...