Even though it is probably the worst television show on the air, every summer, I look forward to Big Brother.  It is so deliciously entertaining to watch people sit around a house, unable to leave, and make idiots of themselves for an entire summer.  The forces of boredom and competition seem to conspire to make these contestants absolutely crazy.  Its brilliant to behold.

In addition, there is the host, Julie Chen, whom fans have dubbed Chenbot because of her unwavering ability to say everything in a complete monotone.  Julie has always treated the show like it is serious news, interviewing the contestants as if she is speaking with a head of state. 

The greatest Big Brother contestant ever is, as many fans would agree, the Evil Dr. Will who took such glee in lying, lying constantly, and lying to everyone.  He was funny, smart, and cute ... characteristics most Big Brother contestants lack.  (Let's face it, the casting directors seem to veer more towards "cute" than "smart.")

So far, this season has featured:

a) a girl who has cried over an unflattering picture of hers, and accused a guy she has a crush on of trying to make out with her since she was jealous that he was flirting with other girls (yeah, you make sense out of that one!)

b) two former middle school friends feuding over a lost five dollars

c) a man who refers to himself as "Evil Dick" and is on the show with his estranged daughter

d)  a web designer with extremely scary eyebrows

and

e) a guy who has publically accused his ex-boyfriend (also in the house) of giving him an STD.

Does summer TV get any better?

Have you ever loved an actor that couldn't seem to find his big break?  That's how I have felt for years about Nathan Fillion. 

Nathan Fillion and Keri Russell in Waitress - image credit: IMDB

Nathan Fillion is fantastic.  All Joss Whedon nerds know him, of course, as Captain Mal in Firefly and Serenity where he was at once charmingly gruff and able to deliver a perfect one-liner.  Fillion is a true leading man - handsome and strong while funny and vulnerable.  Although Firefly never really made it out of cult status, I've always felt that Fillion, himself, would.  How could people not love this guy? 

I thought that his big break might come with Drive, which was promptly canceled after two or three episodes. (What more could we expect from the Fox Network?)  I began to accept that Nathan might never really make it.

Then I saw a little movie called Waitress, which made a huge splash at Sundance this year.  The story behind Waitress is a sad one.  The writer, director, and co-star, Adrienne Shelly, was killed senselessly last year before she ever got the chance to see her movie achieve the critical and popular success it has. 

Waitress is an adorable, quirky movie in which Keri Russell stars as Jenna, a depressed, Southern waitress in a terrible relationship who makes delicious pies inspired by the people and events in her life (i.e. "I Hate My Husband" pie).  When Jenna finds herself pregnant, she is not excited about it and ends up falling for her awkward OB-GYN, played by Nathan Fillion.  Nathan is absolutely lovely in this movie, proving his chops at romantic comedy. 

Now I am reading that Nathan may join the cast of Desperate Housewives next season (a show I still kind of love, though I do not admit this to many people).  Perhaps Nathan is finally getting the recognition he deserves!  I just hope that he does not get stuck in a storyline where he is forced to moon over Susan as she trips over everything in sight.

Who are some actors you love that never really were able to break out?

Sometimes, movies come along that look so deplorably awful that they are also fascinating.  Case in point: License to Wed.  I've not seen a movie trailer as painfully lame as this one since perhaps Little Man. The very idea of sitting through this movie makes my blood curdle. And apparently, I am not the only one, as it got trounced at the box office by Transformers.

I really, really like Mandy Moore, and I love John Krasinski and sort of want to marry his character, Jim Halpert, from The Office, so it saddens me to see them saddled with a movie that has absolutely no chance of being good.  I mean, come on.  Robin Williams as a wacky pre-marriage counsellor?  No.  Ugh.

Maybe this movie is not as bad as I think - and if anyone out there has seen it and liked it, please tell me that its awesome because the idea of the adorable Mandy and my beloved John in such a lame-looking movie is eating at my soul.

I think I'll just stick to The Office and Chasing Liberty.

In better movie news, Variety reports that New Line is close to a deal to finance and distribute a film version of Sex and the City and that filming may start as early as this fall.  How comforting it will be to hear Carrie Bradshaw intone, "I couldn't help but wonder..." on the big screen.

The Spice Girls have announced that they will reunite for a tour through 11 cities across the world later this year. These shows will be their first since 2001, and the first with the entire group since 1998 when Geri Halliwell left to pursue a solo career. (Remember Geri's single "Look at Me"?  Yeah. Neither does anyone else.) 

For those of us (i.e. me) who still love to bop around to "Wannabe," and secretly enjoy their terrible ripoff of A Hard Day's Night, Spiceworld, this is exciting news indeed. Girl power!

Yesterday was a particularly fortuitous day for fans of 90's pop. The Backstreet Boys also announced a reunion.  They are recording their sixth album, which will be released later this year. 

It has been pretty sad and disheartening to look upon Katie Holmes ever since she paired with Tom Cruise a couple of summers ago.  I loved Dawson's Creek and during the first couple of seasons, Katie was a breath of fresh air as the feisty spitfire Joey Potter.  (Of course, Joey totally started to suck once the gang went to college and she seemed to be the center of everyone's universe, even winning over a mugger - a MUGGER! - with her plucky charm.) 

Katie Holmes may never have been the best actress in Hollywood, but she showed some potential by choosing some interesting projects (Go, Pieces of April), and always maintained her sweet, Midwestern disposition.  However, everything changed when she became involved with Tom Cruise, provided an annoying distraction in Batman Begins, and constantly blabbered that everything was "amaaaaazing." I won't even mention that suspiciously shifting pregnancy belly.

Now, Katie has made what I consider her strangest move yet...

High Heels at the Beach

Joey would be mortified.

NBC aired one of the most absurd reality shows I have ever come across last night, Age of Love.  On this show (which I already love), formerly credible tennis star, Mark Phillippoussis (who, despite what the host says, is not in the "prime of his career" if he is appearing on this train wreck) is trying to find his True Love.  Reality TV is only for people who are totally committed to finding True Love, you know?

Anyway, Mark thinks he is appearing on a regular dating reality show, and when the women are revealed to be 40-somethings, he looks like someone punched him in the gut.  Its hilarious.  The worst part of this show is that it does not pit totally awesome, secure, successful 40-somethings against drippy, naive 20-somethings in order to maybe equate age with depth and life experience or whatever (sort of like how Average Joe pit dorky but sweet and bright guys against dense himbos).  The 40-somethings are as vacant and desperate as any 20-something I have ever seen on a reality show (though they are totally hot).  When Mark's introduction video pictured him cuddling a puppy that he got because he was lonely on Valentine's Day, I rolled my eyes ... while these women oohed and aahed. Seriously, who are these people?

The 20-somethings were not revealed until the end of the episode (standing hilariously provocatively behind a curtain), so it remains to be seen how this "twist" will play out.  Honestly, the "social experiment" aspect of this show would only make sense if the bachelor were 35 - equidistant in age between the 20-somethings and 40-somethings.  As it is, there is only a year or two in age difference between Mark and some of the girls.  Actually, it might also be more interesting if the 40-somethings were noticably more attractive than the 20-somethings to see if a man will go for youth over beauty.

This show is appalling and I will totally be watching every episode. 

Just when you think that Britney Spears cannot get any weirder...

On her website, Britney Spears is asking her fans to decide on a moniker for her next album.  Possible titles:

1. Omg is Like Lindsay Lohan Like Okay Like

2. What if the Joke is on You

3. Down boy

4. Integrity

5. Dignity

One assumes that the first title is Britney Spears' camp's attempt at "humor"  and "irony," since everyone gossiped about Britney's stint in rehab, as they are gossiping about Lindsay's.  I guess.  It actually seems kind of mean, but this is probably because of my documented affection for Lindsay Lohan. Who is Britney to make fun of my girl?!

As for suggestion #2, all I have to say is, it is, Britney, it is.

Suggestion #3 brings to mind weird images of what her homelife with Kevin must have been like.  I don't even want to know.

Integrity and Dignity actually sound like album titles Britney would use, as these words probably signify Britney's completely delusional views of herself.  I don't think the word "dignity" can really describe a person who routinely goes out in public with random parts of her body hanging out.

I like Popjustice's suggestions, myself. 

I know I am not the only person who found coverage of the Paris Hilton debacle completely fascinating.  I don't like Paris Hilton; I've never even really followed Paris Hilton.  But I was absolutely glued to the television on Friday, watching the drama unfold.

What made this such a media event?  It wasn't as if she was suspected of killing anyone.  Certainly, DUIs and driving with a suspended license are serious issues, but they are also (sadly) somewhat commonplace and nothing that would typically cause such public fascination.  If the same events had happened to someone like Reese Witherspoon, I doubt we would have seen such a brouhaha.

So why Paris?

The answer is simple: she just sucks.  She first became a household name when she arranged for the release of her own sex tape.  She has had no work output of any value whatsoever. (And say what you will about Lindsay Lohan, but she has made some decent flicks.)  She comes across as a simpering, spoiled brat and not even a remotely nice person.  And yet, she is constantly given special privileges, media attention, and has more money than most of us.  She is a glaring example of the "haves" who think they are better than the rest of us.  And so, watching Paris treated like a common criminal - and fighting it every step of the day - was kind of an awesome affirmation that maybe we are all equal in this country. 

Interestingly, Sheriff Lee Baca was also suspected of some celebrity favoritism with regards to Mel Gibson's arrest last summer when Gibson's racist remarks and resisting arrest were not included in the original report.  Baca has given a plethora of excuses for Hilton's release ranging from overcrowding to her mysterious illness, despite the fact that the judge had specified "no house arrest." 

Oh, and for the record, my guess is that Paris's "medical condition" was detoxing from whatever drug she was on when she was admitted. Which sucks, but hey, its jail.

Paris Hilton has been ordered to return to court at 9 AM this morning regarding her early release from jail.  Send her back.  Dooooo it. (This just keeps getting better!)

The Tony Awards, which are broadcast from Radio City Music Hall in New York City, will air on CBS this Sunday.  The Tony Awards are actually my favorite (and in my opinion, the classiest) of all awards shows.  I have not seen anything on Broadway this year, but I will certainly be watching (while the rest of America will be watching the other Tony on HBO).  I love the Tonys for the production numbers, the fact that gay people can thank their partners openly and without anyone batting an eye, and the fact that it promotes theatre to the masses. 

Of course, I will be the only one watching.  The Tony Awards do not stand a chance against Tony Soprano.

Looks like the rumors are true.  Paris Hilton has been released from jail. 

MSNBC has reported that Paris Hilton was let out of jail early for "medical reasons." (Are these medical reasons...not liking jail?)  She is now under house arrest for 40 days.  Sure.  I give it another three days before she is spotted at Les Deux with Brandon Davis because in Paris Hilton's world, house arrest will likely encompass Hollywood Euro-lounges.