Holy crap, I’ve got a blog! I, like, totally forgot. Sorry. But on to more pressing matters, the question on everyone’s lips: how the hell does Rongo keep getting through on NZ Idol? I think we know why Keshia got the boot – it’s the girls that vote and they don’t vote for girls. Not so much, anyway.
But, Rongo, dude, “Never Gonna Give You Up”? I’d hoped never to hear that song again in my life. You are one lucky sonofagun. You’re the Don Brash of NZ Idol, you keep mucking up and being forgiven by the electorate. But do we really want Rongo to win? I think not. And do we really want Brashie running the country and going out in the world representing New Zealand like some antipodean Prince Philip, making gaffes all over the shop? It would be so embarrassing.
Excitement mounts (oo, that sounds rude) as we come closer to the date of … Serenity! Fidel Castro – not his real name – emailed about the advance screenings of the movie on September 19, apparently tickets sold out in 15 minutes in Wellington. I got in for the extra tickets they put on at Queen Street (which will now be on the megascreen, whatever that is). So see ya there. Also, good news, fans, Joss Whedon is on Rove on Friday. Check out Whedonesque – Joss is in Sydney doing interviews and may film Wonderwoman there. Excitement is also mounting also over the debut (around about now) in the US of David Boreanaz’s new show, Bones. He co-stars with Emily Deschanel, who was in Boogeyman. His character’s got a really crap name though, slightly worrying, but it will be nice to see Boreanaz out in the sunlight, even if we’ll have to stop ourselves yelling at the TV, “No, Angel, don’t go out there, it burns!” Nicholas Brendon is in Kitchen Confidential, the series probably loosely based on the Anthony Bourdain book, along with the guy who used to be in Alias. Wonder how many drugs they’ll be allowed to take? Alias is returning soon, btw, although late at night.
The Fall season shows are debuting in the US right now – we’ll probably be swamped with a bunch of supernatural-psychic-aliens-from-outer-space series sometime next year. In fact, there’s one called Supernatural, just so you’re clear on that. Also, someone’s found a use for Brent Spiner and the excellent Peter Dinklage, but I dunno, it better have twists. Lots of twists. And running.
In news from the strange world of television, TV3 is screening a show called Sing Like a Superstar, in which local celebs warble for charity until eliminated and TV2 is screening a show called So You Wanna Be a Pop Star, in which local celebs warble – not sure if it’s for charity – until eliminated. Strange. Why either of them would want to do such a programme is probably only known to God and their marketing people, but there you go.
In other strange news from the world of television, don’t count on seeing the Emmys any time soon, unless you’re happy to wait until a week after they are held in the US and at around 12.25am one Friday night on TV3. TV3 bought them, you see, then decided there were too many of the opposition’s shows represented – Desperate Housewives, Lost etc – to show in prime time. Yah, boo, sucks. On the other hand, TV1 was big enough in its publicity (to subeditors anyway) to admit that Grant Bowler, from the TV3 show Outrageous Fortune, is fronting Border Security, which is coming on soon, basically an Aussie version of Border Patrol. Speaking of Fortune, it was bloody funny this week, best ep yet. Good news: it’s been renewed for another season by TV3, so if it’s this good in its first season, can’t wait for a second. I went to the launch of the Prime show Interrogation, where there were strong hints that it would be renewed for a second season too.
The advertising downturn doesn’t seem to be happening in the US, where American Idol has just become the most expensive show on prime time TV other than the Super Bowl. Cost for a 30-second ad? US$705,000. Rupert Murdoch's shit-eating grin when he heard the news? Priceless.