One Tree Hill returns tonight

New scripted television is back. Can I get a “Woo-Hoo?”

The new season of One Tree Hill kicks off tonight with a two-hour special premiere.

The show is sparing us “One Tree Hill the College Years” (thank you) and fast-forwarding the gang several years into the future. Did Brooke become a successful designer? Did Nathan make it to the NBA? Did Lucas get his novel published? I can’t wait to find out.

Actor Chad Michael Murray, who plays Lucas, said this season is his favorite so far. I’m inclined to agree, and I haven’t seen one minute of the show yet. It will be nice to see actors playing their own age, instead of trying to convince us their in high school, while acting out stories about pep rallies and basketball games.

Catch One Tree Hill tonight on the CW at 8 p.m. ET as the show kicks off its fifth season. See you there!

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Golden Globes officially canceled

There won’t be a red carpet or a three-hour telecast with cheesy jokes or musical numbers. The Golden Globes award show has officially been canceled.

Instead, a one-hour news conference will be shown live on NBC at 9 p.m. Sunday night to announce the winners.

"We are all very disappointed that our traditional awards ceremony will not take place this year and that millions of viewers worldwide will be deprived of seeing many of their favorite stars celebrating 2007's outstanding achievements in motion pictures and television," said Jorge Camara, president of The Hollywood Foreign Press Association. "We take some comfort, however, in knowing that this year's Golden Globe Award recipients will be announced on the date originally scheduled."

I think the format change could be dangerous for future Globe shows. Cutting down the long drawn-out show to simply announce the winners could be a hit with viewers.

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January TV dates

It’s a wasteland out there. The New Year is not starting out with a bang when it comes to the future of television, thanks to the ongoing writers’ strike.

There are some bright spots in what looks to be a long cold winter. (No, I’m not talking about American Gladiators.) New episodes of Psych, One Tree Hill and Monk are on the horizon. And Lost isn’t far behind. And that much talked about episode of Big Shots, featuring Charsima Carpenter, is scheduled for this Thursday, January 10. So, don’t despair.

Here’s a rundown of January’s TV dates. Please note these are subject to change, as the networks seem to continuously juggle their schedules. New shows are listed in red. My picks are in blue.

JANUARY 7 - Monday
8 pm - American Gladiators (NBC) – Time Period Premiere
8pm - Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann (ABC) – Series Premiere
10 pm – Medium (NBC) - Season Premiere
10 pm - October Road (ABC)

JANUARY 8 - Tuesday
8 pm - One Tree Hill (CW) – Season Premiere
9:30 pm - Carpoolers (ABC)
10 pm - Boston Legal (ABC)

JANUARY 9 - Wednesday
8 pm - Deal or No Deal (NBC)
9 pm - Law & Order: Criminal Intent (NBC)
9 pm - Criminal Minds (CBS)
10 pm - Law & Order (NBC) – Time Period Premiere
10 pm - CSI: NY (CBS)

JANUARY 10 - Thursday
8 pm – Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader? (FOX)
8 pm - My Name Is Earl (NBC)
8 pm - Ugly Betty (ABC)
8:30 pm - 30 Rock (NBC)
9 pm – Don’t Forget The Lyrics (FOX)
9 pm - CSI (CBS)
9 pm - Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
10 pm - Big Shots (ABC)
10 pm - Without A Trace (CBS)

JANUARY 11 - Friday
8 pm - Ghost Whisperer (CBS)
9 pm – Moonlight (CBS)
9 pm – Monk (USA)
10 pm - Numb3rs (CBS)
10 pm - Psych (USA)

JANUARY 13 - Sunday
8 pm – Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (FOX) – Series Premiere
8 pm - The 65th Annual Golden Globe Awards (NBC)
9 pm – Comanche Moon: Part One (CBS)
10 pm - Brothers & Sisters (ABC)
10 pm – Scott Baio is 46…and Single

JANUARY 14 - Monday
8 pm – Prison Break (FOX)
8 pm - Kyle XY (ABC Family)
9 pm – Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (FOX) – Time Period Premiere
9:30 pm - Notes from the Underbelly (ABC)
10 pm - CSI: Miami (CBS)

JANUARY 15 - Tuesday
8 pm – American Idol (FOX) - Season Premiere
8 pm - NCIS (CBS)
9 pm – Comanche Moon: Part Two (CBS)

JANUARY 16 - Wednesday
8 pm – American Idol (FOX) - Season Premiere Part Two
9 pm – Comanche Moon: Part Three (CBS)
10 pm - Nip/Tuck (FX)

JANUARY 21 - Monday
9 pm - Wildfire (ABC Family)

JANUARY 22 - Tuesday
8 pm – American Idol (FOX) - Time Period Premiere

JANUARY 23 - Wednesday
9 pm – The Moment of Truth (FOX) - Series Premiere

JANUARY 24 - Thursday
9:30 pm - Scrubs (NBC)

JANUARY 28 - Monday
8 pm – How I Met Your Mother (CBS)
9 pm – Two and a Half Men (CBS)
9:30 pm - In Treatment (HBO) – Series Premiere

JANUARY 29 - Sunday
9 pm – House (FOX)

JANUARY 31 - Thursday
8 pm - Smallville (CW)
9 pm - Lost (ABC) – Season Premiere
9 pm - Supernatural (CW)
10 pm - Eli Stone (ABC) – Series Premiere

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Psych boys dish up scoop

Hey Tubers! Happy New Year!

I know it’s been slow around here lately. I blame the holidays, the writers’ strike, and my never-ending nausea from a touch of stomach flu.

The good news is that I just got off the phone with the boys of Psych: James Roday and Dulé Hill.

The two were kind enough to do a conference call with a few reporters wanting scoop on Psych. The show returns this Friday at 10 p.m. on USA.

Find out if Dulé will be showcasing his dancing skills, what is in store for Shawn and Juliet, and why the show can’t resist those ongoing Chad Michael Murray jokes.

Stay tuned for the complete interview transcript tomorrow. It’s worth the wait. I promise!

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Golden Globes a no-go?

NBC is considering pulling the plug on the Golden Globes telecast, scheduled for next Sunday, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

SAG recently announced that none of its nominees would cross the picket lines to attend the show.

With no stars to walk the red carpet, tell us what they’re wearing, or present or receive awards, I don’t see how the show can possibly go on, let alone be entertaining enough for me to sit through for three hours.

NBC is expected to make a decision today about the telecast. But unless this strike is resolved before next week, I think there is only one decision: cancel the show.

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Rosie O’Donnell most annoying celebrity of 2007

The masses have spoken, and it’s official. Rosie O’Donnell has been named the most annoying celebrity of 2007, according to a poll in Parade magazine.

I’m a little surprised that Ro beat out Britney Spears, considering the media’s constant bombardment of news about the pop tart’s missed court appearances, partying, and underwear-less escapades. But apparently gum-chomping, crotch-baring Britney doesn’t annoy you the way Rosie does.

Why?

Apparently O’Donnell’s combative stint on The View earned her the ire of many Americans. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, considering she spouted the 9/11 liberal conspiracy theory that World Trade Center tower 7 was imploded. She also openly criticized the Bush administration on The View, when she asked, “655,000 Iraqi civilians dead. Who are the terrorists? ... If you were in Iraq and another country, the United States, the richest in the world, invaded your country and killed 655,000 of your citizens, what would you call us?"

Even for the most severe Bush hater, calling our government “terrorists” was a bit much.

At her personal blog, O’Donnell herself responded to the news that she was named the most annoying celebrity, saying she earned the title because she’s loud.

In Rosie’s defense, only 2,000 people voted in the pole. That’s less than the number who stop by here on a daily basis, so if I were Rosie, I wouldn’t be too worried. Besides, you just know poor Britney will probably make headlines again soon.

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Letterman, Leno and the boys returned with a bang

David Letterman looked like Santa Claus, sporting a gray beard, as he busted out jokes during his monologue, while over on NBC, Jay Leno was as polished as ever, despite having no writing staff for his monologue.

If one thing has come out of this TV writers’ strike, it’s that the boys of late night have upped their games. Neither Leno nor Letterman disappointed.

Many viewers tuned in to Leno to see what could be likened to a high-wire act, a show with no script. While others threw their support to Letterman, a show with a full writing staff, the endorsement of the WGA, and celebrity guest Robin Williams, for good measure.

Leno confessed he wrote his monologue himself, trying out jokes on his wife to see if they were funny. He fired off this gem, saying that the strike had cost half a billion dollars so far, about the same as a Paul McCartney divorce settlement. Funny, right? Leno went on to say that Dave had worked out a deal with the writers and was going full steam ahead with a full staff on CBS, while Leno himself was “one man” taking on the machine.

Meanwhile over on Letterman, his monologue was sharp, too, perhaps amped up a bit because he knows he’s facing competition from a man who is working on wit and comedic impromptu timing alone. After Dave’s monologue, Letterman’s pal Bif came onstage, feigning disbelief that writers actually had written Letterman’s jokes. It was a funny moment; trust me.

I was surprised to see Letterman with his scruffy beard that made him appear as if he was tired and had been working hard. If anyone should have been sporting that look, it should have been Leno and his “one-man” show. Letterman joked that he looked like a missing hiker or Kenny Rogers “before the surgery.”

Leno killed some time by taking questions from the audience, and only a couple times did it feel like the show had strayed off course. Conan on the other hand spent several minutes spinning his wedding ring on his desk trying to kill time. Not exactly must-see TV.

Overall, it was a good effort on everyone’s part. Welcome back boys. We’ve missed you all!

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Commentary with a Co-ed: The Best of 2007

by Ashley Gouveia

Happy New Year! It’s time for my Best of 2007 list.

It was certainly a year to remember, with the returning favorites trying to remain fresh and on the radar. Then there were new shows on the block that gave some of the oldies a run for their money. Here are my top picks that kept me glued to the tube all year long.

Ugly Betty
This is one show that passed the sophomore slump with flying colors. It’s also the only show that doesn’t make me want to throw my remote. It has been able to sustain its wit and charm , while saving room for the dramatic. They took some risks with killing off Santos and putting Henry and Betty together so quickly. But they pulled it off. Hilda and Justin were able to mourn Santos, and he simply wasn’t forgotten about after one or two episodes. A+ for that! I adore every character on this show. Even the newcomers like Gio and Yoga. Put that together with the brilliance that is Judith Light and that, to me, is a fantastic hour of television.


Supernatural
It’s probably the most underrated show on TV. The acting and the writing is some of the best I’ve seen on a ‘supernatural’ show since Buffy. It has the ability to gross me out, scare me, and make me laugh. Not only are Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles great to look at, but also their performances are top notch. The sibling bond that those two have is so believable. This past year we got to see the Winchesters try to take down as many demons, and other things that go bump in the night, before Dean’s one-year life limit is up. I would put this show under any ‘best of’ list.

Moonlight
Hands down, the best new show of 2007. I am so glad I decided to pick up this series and give it a chance. Alex O’Loughlin and Jason Dohring are the hottest vamps since Angel and Spike. But don’t get it confused with any Whedon series because it’s completely different. The chemistry between Mick and Beth makes this show great to watch every week. I didn’t think another vampire show would pull me in but it did. I am so excited to see where it goes in the new year.


The View
I usually don’t have a lot of time for daytime television. Except for my soaps, of course. I wasn’t an avid watcher of the show until Rosie O’Donnell joined the panel. Say what you want about her opinions, but she is hysterical. I found myself constantly tuning in when I *cough* missed my morning lectures. Hot Topics was a must see, whether they were discussing politics or celebrity buzz. However, if you tune in now, it’s like night and day. It doesn’t have the same vibe like it did with Rosie.

Those are my picks for the Best of ‘07. What am I looking forward to in the New Year? The return of scripted TV. Do I dare to dream? I’m pumped for new seasons of Lost and One Tree Hill. I can’t wait! What would be on your Best of ‘07 list? Let me know! ‘Til next week.

Commentary with a Co-Ed is a weekly column at Tube Talk new every Thursday.

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Fiesta Bowl on FOX tonight: Let’s Go Mountaineers!

No, you haven’t landed on the wrong blog. This is Tube Talk, where generally I avoid sports topics like Britney avoids rehab.

But tonight, my beloved WVU mountaineers are taking on Oklahoma in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. (Yes, they should have been playing for the national championship, but I won’t quibble. The Pitt game still hurts, as does the messy, hasty exit of Coach Rich Rodriguez.)

The fun starts at 8 p.m.on FOX. So join me in saying, “Let’s Go Mountaineers!”

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Jon Stewart and Dan Rather guest on The Simpsons

This Sunday on The Simpsons, Jon Stewart and Dan Rather are making guest-voice appearances.

Stewart and Rather are two of the many reporters from around the nation that descend on Springfield to cover the presidential primary.

As you know, things never go as planned in Springfield. Hence, the voters reject all the candidates and make local boy and “notorious bed-wetter” Ralph Wiggum the frontrunner.

You thought I was going to say Bart, didn’t you?

For more on Ralph’s political campaign, check out this Web site where you can get his thoughts on the issues. For example, on immigration, Ralph had this to say: Immigration – “Stranger danger!”

Don’t miss the fun this Sunday, January 6, at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.

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Late-night talk shows resume production today

The Late Show With David Letterman and The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson will start the new year with original episodes, beginning tonight, after their shows’ parent company, Worldwide Pants, struck a deal with the Writers Guild of America. The deal allows those shows’ writers to return to work, despite the ongoing writers’ strike.

The other late-night talk shows, The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, Late Night With Conan O’Brien, and Jimmy Kimmel Live, are also resuming production today, but not with their writing staffs.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart and The Colbert Report are scheduled to return on Monday without writers, too.

Over the weekend, the WGA said it plans to picket the shows of Leno, O’Brien, Kimmel, Stewart and Colbert. The WGA also said it will pressure actors and SAG guests toward appearing only on Letterman and Ferguson, instead of the other “struck” shows.

OK, here is my question. If a company such as Worldwide Pants can strike a deal that is satisfactory to the WGA, why can’t the networks?

It makes no sense. This strike needs to end now so that thousands of people can get their jobs back, and so that TV addicts like myself will have something to watch this year.

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First look: Knight Rider preview

It’s short but oh so sweet. Here’s the first look at the new Knight Rider TV movie that could become a weekly series.

The clip is only 15 seconds, but it sucked me in nonetheless.

The movie airs on NBC on February 17.

Enjoy!

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Josh Duhamel engaged

Another one bites the dust. Sorry, ladies, but Josh Duhamel is off the market.

Duhamel recently proposed to longtime girlfriend Stacy Ann Ferguson, according to his publicist. The two have been dating for about three years and currently live together. In case you live under a rock, Ferguson is better known as “Fergie” and is a pop singer, formerly of the Black Eyed Peas.

That sound you hear, hearts of single ladies and Tube Talk Girl breaking. As loyal readers know, I’ve had a celebrity crush on Duhamel since his days on All My Children. The man is fine and pretty much the definition of tall, dark and handsome, with a wicked sense of humor. It’s a lethal combination.

Congratulations to Duhamel and Ferguson. I wish them all the happiness in the world.

But note to Fergie, “Big girls do cry” when they find out that Duhamel is on his way down the aisle.

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Lost’s Michael sings "Stay Strong" for the troops

As we sit comfortably in front of the fire, enjoying our holiday gifts and family time, it’s easy to forget that across the world, fellow Americans are risking their lives so that we’ll be safe and so that democracy can thrive.

Actor Harold Perrineau, who you probably know as Michael from Lost, wrote and performed this song for the troops. His fellow Lost costar Daniel Dae Kim directed the video.

Watch closely and you’ll see some familiar faces, including sexy Sawyer. (I mean actor Josh Holloway.) Kim also makes a quick appearance.

The real surprise here is that “Michael” can actually sing. If “Charlie” had known, perhaps they could have jammed together and come up with something even better than Charlie’s “Hey Y’all Everybody” anthem.

The song is available for purchase at iTunes and proceeds benefit the Bob Woodruff Family Fund for Traumatic Brain injury.

Kudos to Perrineau for taking time to remember the troops and for prompting us to do so, too.

Thanks to Kristin at E!Online for posting the video and bringing it to my attention.

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Merry Christmas TV addicts: 12 Days of Christmas!

Santa’s coming!

So for once, I’m telling you to turn off the TV and spend some quality time enjoying Christmas with your friends and families. Thanks to all of you loyal readers and supporters of Tube Talk throughout the past year. Quite simply, you guys rock.

And speaking of rocking, check out this hilarious Christmas video of Indiana University’s male a capella group, Straight No Chaser, doing the funniest version of 12 Days of Christmas that I’ve ever seen. (I saw the video over at Give Me My Remote, so thanks to Kath for posting this and sharing.)

The video isn’t television related, but it’s a nice Christmas sentiment. So, hit play and enjoy the show! Merry Christmas everyone!

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American Idol releases new schedule

It’s almost time for the return of one of television’s most popular shows: American Idol. FOX has released the dates for all the shows, so you won’t miss a minute of it. Get ready for a schedule full of American Idol that includes ten hours of audition footage.

And I thought Dancing With the Stars overloaded the schedule. It’s got nothing on Idol.

January 15 – Two-hour premiere showcasing early auditions
January 16 – Two-hours of more auditions
January 22,23, 29 and 30 – One-hour episodes of auditions in San Diego, Dallas, Omaha, Atlanta, Charleston, Miami and Philadelphia
February 5,6 – One hour episodes of auditions continued
February 12 – The singing starts in this two-hour episode! First episode of the Hollywood Round.
February 13 – A one hour continuation of the Hollywood episode. The top 24 will be revealed.
February 19, 20 – Two-hour episodes with the Top 12 males and females performing
February 21 – First elimination for two men and two women
February 26 – Ninety minute episode of the top 10 males singing
February 27 – Ninety minute episode of the top 10 females singing
March 11 – The top 12 is set. A two-hour show of the first performances for the top 12

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An extended look at the new season of Lost

OK, I take a couple days off to do some much-needed Christmas shopping, wrapping and baking, and I come back to a full e-mail box of Tube Talk readers telling me about this INCREDIBLE new extended trailer for the new season of Lost. Thank you, Tubers for sharing! You’re not wrong. It does indeed rock.

Here it is for those of you who haven’t seen it yet. Is it January 31 yet?

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Commentary with a Co-ed: Favorite holiday TV episodes

by Ashley Gouveia

Every family has Christmas traditions, like going to the tree lot to pick out a nicely spruced, but slightly tilted tree. Or arguing over whether or not we want colored or white lights. Blinking or not blinking? Ah, the memories. Another tradition in my house is sitting down with our favorite holiday episodes of television past and present. Here are my picks that hopefully you and your family can enjoy.

Smallville. Season 5. “Lexmas”: I like to call it Smallville’s version of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ with a twist. Lex pulled a George Bailey. But instead of seeing a bleak future, he saw a better one. One where he was happily married to Lana with a son and a baby on the way. Lex’s mother was the Clarence in the equation. She told him that he could have this life if he made the right choices. There was a B plot to the episode with Clark talking a drunk Santa off a roof, but the Lex storyline was much more interesting.

Why this episode? : It had all the potential to be a filler episode that no one really remembers. But seeing Lex get everything he ever wanted and still decide to make the wrong choice in the end was great TV to me. It sent chills down my spine when he told one of his minions that the secret to living happily ever after is power and money. That was Michael Rosenbaum at his sexy best. Plus, I actually liked Lana in this episode. The dream part anyway. Shocking, I know. Also, it seemed like in Lex’s “future” Clark and Chloe were together. That made it even better.

The O.C. Season 1. “The Best Chrismukkah Ever”: It was Ryan’s first holiday season with the Cohens and his introduction to the blended holiday that swept the nation. Seth’s enthusiasm for it cracked me up. With Ryan not being much of a holiday person, and Seth’s determination to convert him, had me laughing out loud. This was also the episode that had Seth coming to a decision between Summer and Anna.

Why this episode? : It started a tradition in the series that I always looked forward to every year. This one had to be my favorite of the four. So dip a toe in the Chrismukkah pool, and watch this O.C. classic.

Roswell. Season 2. “A Roswell Christmas Carol”: Before Katharine Heigl was Izzie on Grey’s, she was Isabel ‘Christmas Nazi’ Evans. She managed to organize every holiday activity and still have time to save Michael from giving Maria an electric toothbrush for Christmas. Then we had Max, the alien with a heart of gold, who tried to heal a little girl who was dying of cancer.

Why this episode? : Every time I watch this episode I cry. It’s definitely an episode that pulls at your heartstrings. There are plenty of places to laugh, too. Whether it be Isabel trying to make every little detail perfect, or the Valentis’ being pressured into having a Christmas without TV dinners and football. I miss this show!

Those are my holiday favorites that I will be watching. Let me know if you’ve got any to add. Happy Holidays!

Commentary with a Co-Ed is a weekly column at Tube Talk new every Thursday.

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Christmas movie overdose

by Jennifer Squires Biller

Maybe I’ve overdosed on the wassail, but I’m pretty sure reindeer fly.

Santa is real, too. And snowmen can talk.

Oh sure, it doesn’t seem plausible. But if you soak up enough of the classic TV holiday movies, you’ll start to believe, too.

While you’ve been breaking out the holly and mistletoe, I’ve been settling down with some of my old favorites. There’s just something comforting about the classic Christmas movies. They teach moral lessons, renew the spirit, and make you long for a Red Ryder BB gun.

With so many holiday movies out there, how do you choose what to watch? Here are my picks for those you should put on your annual list. They’ll make your heart grow three sizes. I promise.

For animation, you can’t go wrong with Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and A Charlie Brown Christmas. (I love Lispy Linus, as he gives the Peanuts gang a reality check about the true meaning of Christmas.)Rudolph and his island of misfits teach a moral lesson that being different isn’t bad. After all, it allowed him to go down in history. And The Grinch is wonderfully entertaining. I like the new Jim Carrey version as much as the classic. That scene where Martha May uses a mechanical gun to put up her decorative outside-lights is hilarious. Where can I get one of those?

For heartwarming Christmas movies, you can’t miss It’s A Wonderful Life. It’ll make you want to carry your own ZuZu’s petals around with you. I also can’t make it through the season without White Christmas. There’s something magical about Bing Crosby’s soothing voice that comforts the soul.

My all-time favorite holiday movie is Miracle on 34th Street, the classic version. It gives hope to the optimist in me. It’ll restore the Christmas spirit in even the Grinchiest of souls. So even when I’m doubting that tweeting birds can actually hang lights on a Christmas tree, as in Rudolph, I’m reminded that “Faith is believing in something, when common sense tells you not to.”

I’m not sure why I need my annual dose of Christmas movies. Maybe I identify with those misfits. Or perhaps I need to know that it’s perfectly normal to break out in song in the middle of a conversation. Cindy Lou Who does it. So do Bing Crosby and Hermey the Elf.

While watching these movies, don’t try to analyze them too much. It can lead you to dark, confusing places. You could spend hours contemplating why Sam the Snowman carries an umbrella while narrating Rudolph. It doesn’t rain at the North Pole, does it?

Or why Santa refers to Donner and his family as “the Donners.” That would make him Donner Donner. Do all reindeer have the same first and last names?See? I’m obsessing. I’m telling you, it’s the wassail.

Originally published 12/15/04 in The Exponent Telegram newspaper.
Labels: Tube Talk Girl

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Pete returning to Smallville

Pete Ross is coming back to Smallville for one episode, according to IGN.com. Can I get a “woo hoo?” I’ve missed Clark’s loyal friend and sidekick.

Sam Jones III will reprise his role in the episode titled “Hero” to air early in 2008. Pete will apparently help save the lives of some of the Smallville gang.

I’m curious to see how Pete reacts to Chloe, Lana and Lionel knowing Clark’s secret. Somehow, I don’t think he’ll be too happy.

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