SanDiegoInExile

Mo 12/15: Emma Stone, a Top Ten List presented by Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota, Bob Seger Tu 12/16: Anna Kendrick, Charli XCX We 12/17: Willie Nelson & Billy Joe Shaver Th 12/18: Rosie O'Donnell, Jeff Altman Fr 12/19: Josh Brolin, Jay Thomas, Darlene Love https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfurmGiKZ5k

Twenty-plus years of the Best Three Minutes of XMAS... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfurmGiKZ5k

I think the show has been criticized in the past for its smarmy gotta-have-an-uplifting-voiceover-moment-to-tie-it-all-up-in-a-pretty-bow moment that ended some of the episodes. I also think you may be over-remembering the number of episodes with an end-the-show-with-a-group-hug moment. I'm sure there is some ModernFamilyFanatic out there who has stats on how many episodes had "group scenes" and how many just ended with a snarky couch comment. A good show needs to have a mix. I really enjoy the mixed-up family episodes, where you have members of each family group tied into separate storylines. Not only is it refreshing to see the interaction, but I suspect the actors also enjoy working with varied others.

I loathed those "5-star" episodes. I am just not impressed by places where rates start in the 500s a night. Unwrapped homemade chocolate on the white sheet? Sounds messy. And I thought the worst part was the measly "tip" given to the pre-screened TV-friendly workstaff. How about giving them a free weekend in one of those presidential suites, complete with some spending cash? It's the least the hotels could do for the infomercial. Always glad when the beloved Blanche returns, even though this week she and the "conference center" makeover were barely featured. I did like that they deleted the repetitive "Anthony drops by and fears Blanche won't get it done/right" snippet and the Sherwin Williams paint plug. There must be ways to feature her without it being so predictable. Also liked the focus on security for the Maine motel. That's something I don't recall getting much attention before. After 50 episodes it can be hard to find a new angle.

I suspect that when Will and Ari return to Salem, only a handful of SalemDays will have elapsed. They will talk about it being "weeks and weeks" but maybe 4 days will have passed in Salem. If Jessica Blake Fallon (Jean Bruce Scott) can return after nearly 30 years, a month's worth of episodes isn't anything to sneeze at.

Hope Williams Welch Brady has always been loaded. It was a key point in her burgeoning romance with Bo Brady when Hope returned from boarding school in the 80s. That was part of the dynamic the show highlighted. Spoiled rich girl and tough reckless biker. Bo teased her incessantly about it. Her wealth has been alluded to throughout the years, although under some writing/production regimes, there were discussions that the Bo and Hope had dipped into/depleted that nestegg, first to buy a replacement Fancy Fance boat, to launch a P.I. firm, and to finance their short-lived career as bounty hunters. Wikipedia: On December 24, 1974, while crossing the street, an oncoming car careens towards Hope and Addie, but Addie pushes Hope's baby-carriage out of the way, just in time to save her baby daughter, but not herself. Addie dies, and Hope is taken in by her maternal grandparents, Tom and Alice Horton, until Doug is strong enough to take care of her. Addie, who was wealthy from her first marriage to Ben Olson, leaves Doug and Hope with financial security. Soon after Addie's death, Doug marries Hope's half-sister Julie Olson. Hope is sent off to boarding school and is not seen again until the 1980s. ..

Oh! That was the epic Miami Storyline, complete with a 5-minute musical montage of Shane driving across the causeways of south Florida, heading to Victor's mansion where Victor was hosting Kimberly. A gorgeous location shoot. Kim was pretending to be romance Victor (to get the goods on Victor to help Shane find "The Purse The Power and The Pawn"). Victor knew she was lying. Shane was pretending to be some wealthy high-roller, although Victor knew he was ISA. Kim slept with Victor to keep him from killing Shane. Andrew Brady Donovan (Jeannie T's big brother) was born nine months later after a torturous pregnancy wherein Kim found evidence that her mother had given birth to Victor's child, presumed that she was that child, and believed that she had been impregnated by her birth father. That of course led to the revelation that Bo was actually the child in question, just as Bo was about to shoot Victor dead. Ah, the 80s. And yes, DOOL actually used Phil Collins song. And that's not Rotox romancing Savanah Wilder....it's bar-owner-turned-attorney Chris Kositchek. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWlEN-DiPcY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUUnEfLgSGE&index=86 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=050irijRKx4 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQZ1IqlfLDw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1NtTq-RubE

I predict she is actually Sarah Horton. No, she isn't an adult playing name games a la Jeannie Theresa. Instead, "Serena" is the screenname/pseudonym/identity she uses as part of her internet dating profile. She won't live in Salem and her romance will be with someone who hasn't seen recent Horton family photos and is also somewhat embarrassed by internet trolling, er dating (ie Eric). Just a thought......

It will probably turn out that when they were considering adopting a baby during Round One, they also went to some fertility specialist who harvested seed to analyze sperm count in addition to testing Kritter's ability to carry a child to term. Of course, they'll tape "new flashbacks" and discuss it as if everyone in their lives all knew about it.

I was almost certain that Bonnie's impromptu 4+ hour midday trek from Sonoma County to Chico (believe me, I drive it, it takes forever) would reveal that Daddy Alvin was secretly paying a huge chunk of rent on that upscale murder house and that he had arranged for the AA Realtor to move them in at the lowball $900 rent. It was nice they didn't do that sitcom-y thing. Or maybe that will be the Big Reveal that happens once full family reconciliation appears imminent.

I doubt she can dethrone Julia Louis Dreyfus, but Tracee Ellis Ross has knocked it out of the park nearly every episode. Never watched her UPN/WB/CW/BET show, but have always been aware of her. I am still not much of a fan of Anthony Anderson's style/schtick, but she has been outstanding.

Perhaps because there was no elimination?

Because the in-show live-person infomercial paid for a week's worth of co-host salary.

There is a great TimeOut NY article (http://www.timeout.com/newyork/dance/right-on-cue)from 2008 in which Tony tells his story Tony's partner was the cue card person for Letterman at NBC. When Marty died, Dave hired Tony. Tony may be gone, but as the NYPost screed noted: Worldwide Pants is paying him and his insurance until the Dave leaves the Late Show in 2015.

It's going to be a "whole new View" at least through this season, maybe all the way until big-bash Season Twenty begins in a few years. It's silly, but it's marketing in the 2000s. Nearly every major city has a radio station that still calls itself "new" anywhere from 2-5 years after they re-branded.

News about the former Casa de Consuelos. http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/09/26/kelly-ripa-penthouse-for-20-million/

Mrs Brolin refuses to be recorded unless she can display her "good side". All her interviews must have her facing to her right, showing her "good side". Fallon had two choices: rebuild his set or trade places.

Nicolle was showing her rough edges on that topic. She tossed out a controversial topic, but didn't do a good job in succinctly expanding on the topic. I think she has great potential and will grow into the role, but she clearly is out of her league with these three professional performers, each with decades of experience in front of live audiences. Each week will get better, but she is going to need to speak in short confident, complete thoughts, not rambling paragraphs. She is used to spouting "talking points" that are often crafted not to offend and tend to over-explain. I don't recall what day it was, but one day she got flustered and mumbled something about being with all "these celebrities" as the crosstalk returned to the stage. It seems like she really can't believe she's there.

Because they don't have to pay the 100 or so technical staff to help produce a live show on Friday. It's cheaper to piggyback a second taping earlier in the week. Michael and Kelly do it. HodaLee and KathieLee do it. Ellen pretapes everything and does multiple shows so she can sneak away with Portia for long weekends. I don't understand the obsession with :live: shows. Maybe it's because I have lived on the west coast for 20 years. We don't even get the :live: nightly news. No biggie. I love the Whoopi "look" with her dreads pulled back. It makes her downright gorgeous. I despise the "dreads flopping all over the face" just as I do anyone with bangs that cover their eyebrows/face.

In the hands of a skilled moderator, the pre-set time cues wouldn't come across as so awkward. This is a highly scripted, scheduled program, likely with every break cued to the second. That's not likely to change. A trained moderator (not an actress, not a comedienne) knows how to steer the conversation when there is 90 seconds left, then 60 seconds, then 30 seconds. You can't just blow out 5 minutes of paid sponsors. Plus, local stations have pre-set commercials/promotions already loaded into their computers. Sure, there is a degree of automation already in place. For over a month, my local CBS station launched one minute of local commercials exactly 22 minutes into the CBS Evening News, even though CBS had changed the time cue to Minute 24. The same is likely true for the hundreds of ABC affiliates, especially in markets where The View airs live. (The west coast feeds can always be tweeked.) It does seem that they have reduced the Hot Topic count a bit. The serious/airhead topic flip flop is a bit jarring. I suspect that the rationale is cover all their audience base. Especially in a TV landscape where folks click away when a topic lasts longer than 3 minutes.

They might have moved to the East Side. On Friday, Kelly mentioned that Lola had asked to go to some nail salon on "Second Avenue".

The former Casa de los Consuelos http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2005/12/08/is_kelly_ripa_the_new_donald_trump.php http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2013/01/09/kelly_ripa_lists_crosby_street_penthouse_for_245_million.php#50ede0c8f92ea1536b0406e0 http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/real-estate/kelly-ripa-sells-crosby-st-home-article-1.1795235 http://www.inquisitr.com/1380654/ripas-nightmare-move-kelly-dishes-on-relocation-challenges-with-hubby-mark-consuelos/ New location remains a mystery.....Though they still have their place in "Long Island"

Rosie talks The View. A few highlights...she requested the studio move ("old studio had rats"), pretaped Hot Topic Overviews ("to set the facts"), no "flat earth" comments (ha). http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/rosie-odonnell-the-view-return-interview-1201301076/

<<Michael is: the star of Live with Kelly and Michael, NFL star, Hall of Fame, GMA star>> Every dollar counts. Not quite Colgate or Electrolux. http://www.ispot.tv/ad/7ry1/metamucil-meta-effect-featuring-michael-strahan

The View is airing the entire Final Week Of Barbara as a lead-out for Season 17, leading in to the all-new Season 18. Mo 9/8: David Letterman, Michael J. Fox, guest co-host Jane Fonda (R 5/12/14) Tu 9/9: Jimmy Kimmel, Goldie Hawn, Hugh & Deborah Jackman (R 5/13/14) We 9/10: Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Eric Stonestreet, Martin Short (R 5/14/14) Th 9/11: Meredith Vieira, Star Jones, Joy Behar, Debbie Matenopoulos, Lisa Ling, Rosie O'Donnell, Elisabeth Hasselbeck (R 5/15/14) Fr 9/12: Mayor Bill de Blasio, Hillary Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, Cheri Oteri, Michael Douglas (R 5/16/14)