Threebute
Most people are encumbered by the choices in front of them.
In this particular case and situation, many will have a dilemma but in my case I have a great “trilemma” on what to watch on TV tonight.
You see, there are three shows that I really need to watch and I don’t have Tivo and there lies the rub.
Anyway, I’ll do what I am expected to do. I have mastered this discipline a long, long time ago and I am an expert now in this undertaking and with it I like my chances in my calloused fingers.
In case you're wondering wtf I am talking about- the art of channel surfing, that is.
I will just relax and enjoy the whole thing while having an ice- cold Belgian White Ale in my hand and some unsalted mixed nuts to munch on for the night.
Sing No Sad Song for The Sopranos
"So, Whadaya know? This sh*t is finally done."
Tonight will be the final episode of the highly- acclaimed TV Show The Sopranos that has caught the average viewer’s fancy for the last 8 years about the dysfunctional Jersey mob family headed by its big boss, Tony Soprano whose fate has been debated and speculated in various internet sites, radio forums, TV talk shows and casual conversations for the past months, a phenomenon that mirrors the pull and popularity of the show considered by many to be one of the best and most popular crime- drama TV shows of all time..
We are always fascinated by crime and the people who commit them, more so the allure of organized crime like the Cosa Nostra or more popularly known as the Mafia.
Ever since Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather which romanticized the Corleone family in the 70s and the subsequent and more violent Goodfellas by Martin Scorsese our fascination with them only grows as time goes by.
For the past two weeks I have been having my own The Sopranos marathon on my laptop courtesy of the internet and I did not regret it one bit.
The show is violent alright with whacking here and there and cuss words after cuss words being uttered faster than the major characters can reload their favored 9mm Glocks but it is well-written, witty and done with great eye for details and through the years have provided us with a lot of stuff about how organized crime works and make their bones in this world and of course, entertainment.
The Sopranos’ family of Tony, Carmela, Meadow and AJ as well as the guy’s inner circle of Silvio Dante, Christopher Moltisanti, Bobby Bacala and Paulie Walnuts with their Italian cum New Jersey accents have become household names. We shared their grief, happiness, eccentricities and peculiarities. In a way, they have become Friends of Ours.
But like they always say, all good show must come to an end so tonight The Sopranos will have their Swan Song and this thing of ours,of being a part of the great run will always be with us no matter what happens to Tony in the end.
And in this case, it is really true that “once you’re part of the family, there’s no getting out.”
So, will Tony be whacked tonight or will he quietly fade into the sunset?
Your guess is as good as mine.
Badabing!
The Boy who would be King
I first saw Lebron James on TV years ago as this 6- 8 man-child and high school phenomenon on the hard court playing for St. Vincent- St. Mary High School out of Akron, Ohio.
Even then you could already tell the enormous talent and the great future of this kid playing ball.
It is only fitting that the Cleveland Cavaliers have picked him, being an Ohio native as No. 1 in the draft among a star- studded cast that have Carmelo Anthony, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh among others that is now known as the Class of 2003.
This year Lebron have carried the Cavs’ franchise on his broad shoulders to its best record in the National Basketball Association (NBA) in years.
He showed maturity in his game beyond his age of 22 years especially in the Eastern Conference Finals where being down 0-2 to the perennial powerhouse Detroit Pistons and overcome the deficit that was highlighted by his ferocious show of heart and power in Game 4 wherein he single- handedly authored the Cavs comeback and scored the last 29 of the Cavalier’s 30 points in a 91- 87 double- overtime thriller at the hallowed ground of the Palace of Auburn Hills in Michigan that broke the Pistons’ vaunted will and resilience and as they went on to become the Best in the East.
We are all Witness to the Jordanesque kind of performance that he dished out that fateful night to say the least which further solidified his standing among basketball gurus' mind as the real heir apparent to his Airness, Michael Jordan. Not Kobe or Melo or T-Mac or D-Wade but Lebron as the chosen one.
Tonight will be Game 2 of the NBA Finals and they are once again down 0- 1 to the physical San Antonio Spurs, a situation that he and his team are no longer strangers. They've been into this kind of hole before but were able to get out and win.
But man-for- man, Lebron and company is in a huge disadvantage here. Experience- wise they are way below Coach Greg Popovich’s team plus the fact that the Spurs have the mechanically- efficient Two -Time Season NBA/Three- Time NBA Finals MVP Tim Duncan in the team.
Add to the fact that the San Antonio Spurs plays like a well- oiled machine and have been there and done that in three separate trips to the finals. It is not an easy task for the casual observer.
But this is the NBA where everything is never certain until the final buzzer sounded or not until the fat lady err the referee blows his final whistle and Lebron will have to prove his mettle against one of the best- defensive teams in the game if he is really fit to be crowned King of the Basketball- dom and not just a pretender to the throne in the eyes of the hoop skeptics.
So, will this year be his coronation or another year of frustration?
Frankly, many people don’t give a damn for in the hearts and minds of the people of Cleveland and the millions of fans who truly love an exciting and explosive game and unparalleled showmanship--
He’s now King James, the one and true King of Basketball.
Tony or not Tony
Tonight, tonight….will be the star- studded Tony Awards Night at the Radio City Music Hall which will be beamed live by CBS at 8 p.m.!
The 61st year where the Antoinette Perry Trophy will be given to the best and the brightest stars of the Great White Way although this year’s productions pales in comparison to the previous years where great and epic productions were the norm.
Although you can’t find a production that can equal Broadway’s past and present treasures like Cats, Chicago, Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera or even The Producers, this year’s nominees are neither lacking in star- power nor spunk that very well suit the discriminating taste of the average theatergoer.
Besides, it is always fun watching real thespians having a great time and getting their “moments” on primetime TV for a change. And unlike before there is no clear- cut favorite in this year’s edition that makes it even more exciting. Do I hear Spring Awakening?
I am rooting for Eve Best though for her riveting performance as Josie opposite Kevin Spacey’s James Tyrone, Jr. of Eugene O’Neill’s play A Moon for the Misbegotten. The play also stars Colm Meaney as Phil Hogan and directed by Howard Davies.
But she’s up against a formidable cast of equally talented actresses in Vanessa Redgrave, Angela Lansbury, Julie White and Swoosie Kurtz though and whoever will take home the Tony certainly deserves it.
Call me biased in this case but I happened to watch the said play on its third day in its limited Broadway run and boy I was floored not to mention I was able to get Kevin Spacey ‘s autograph on my Playbill program.
Incidentally, Moon will have its last show today at the Brooks Atkinson Theater.
Tony Award- winning actor Liev Schrieber as Barry Champlain in playwright Eric Bogosian’s Talk Radio is equally impressive. Theatermania.com gave me a discount that was hard to resist so I ended up listening to him. He cast a really huge shadow on the smoke-filled stage of the Longacre Theater, actually bigger than himself as he rants his way to the bank and hopefully to a second Tony.
It will not be easy road though for in his way will be veteran actor Christopher Plummer in Inherit the Wind, Boyd Gaines in Journey’s End, Brian F. O’Byrne in The Coast of Utopia and Frank Langella in Frost/Nixon.
I can’t say anything nor give my two- cents worth about this year's nominees for the musicals, for truth be told I haven’t watched a single one of them yet and I am of the habit of not writing anything on subjects that I have neither experienced nor seen/heard with my own eyes and ears.
And I don’t swallow whatever the critics say for that’s what they are paid for-- to find loopholes on and about anything. Most of the time they're not correct anyway. Mine will always be a first- hand account of my experiences. Hah-hah.
And let me end this post with a quote from Barry Champlain,
“Everything’s screwed up and you liked it that way, don’t you? You’re fascinated by the gory details. You’re mesmerized by your own fear! You revel in floods and car accidents and unstoppable diseases. You’re happiest when others are in pain! And that’s where I come in, isn’t it?”
In this particular case and situation, many will have a dilemma but in my case I have a great “trilemma” on what to watch on TV tonight.
You see, there are three shows that I really need to watch and I don’t have Tivo and there lies the rub.
Anyway, I’ll do what I am expected to do. I have mastered this discipline a long, long time ago and I am an expert now in this undertaking and with it I like my chances in my calloused fingers.
In case you're wondering wtf I am talking about- the art of channel surfing, that is.
I will just relax and enjoy the whole thing while having an ice- cold Belgian White Ale in my hand and some unsalted mixed nuts to munch on for the night.
Sing No Sad Song for The Sopranos
"So, Whadaya know? This sh*t is finally done."
Tonight will be the final episode of the highly- acclaimed TV Show The Sopranos that has caught the average viewer’s fancy for the last 8 years about the dysfunctional Jersey mob family headed by its big boss, Tony Soprano whose fate has been debated and speculated in various internet sites, radio forums, TV talk shows and casual conversations for the past months, a phenomenon that mirrors the pull and popularity of the show considered by many to be one of the best and most popular crime- drama TV shows of all time..
We are always fascinated by crime and the people who commit them, more so the allure of organized crime like the Cosa Nostra or more popularly known as the Mafia.
Ever since Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather which romanticized the Corleone family in the 70s and the subsequent and more violent Goodfellas by Martin Scorsese our fascination with them only grows as time goes by.
For the past two weeks I have been having my own The Sopranos marathon on my laptop courtesy of the internet and I did not regret it one bit.
The show is violent alright with whacking here and there and cuss words after cuss words being uttered faster than the major characters can reload their favored 9mm Glocks but it is well-written, witty and done with great eye for details and through the years have provided us with a lot of stuff about how organized crime works and make their bones in this world and of course, entertainment.
The Sopranos’ family of Tony, Carmela, Meadow and AJ as well as the guy’s inner circle of Silvio Dante, Christopher Moltisanti, Bobby Bacala and Paulie Walnuts with their Italian cum New Jersey accents have become household names. We shared their grief, happiness, eccentricities and peculiarities. In a way, they have become Friends of Ours.
But like they always say, all good show must come to an end so tonight The Sopranos will have their Swan Song and this thing of ours,of being a part of the great run will always be with us no matter what happens to Tony in the end.
And in this case, it is really true that “once you’re part of the family, there’s no getting out.”
So, will Tony be whacked tonight or will he quietly fade into the sunset?
Your guess is as good as mine.
Badabing!
The Boy who would be King
I first saw Lebron James on TV years ago as this 6- 8 man-child and high school phenomenon on the hard court playing for St. Vincent- St. Mary High School out of Akron, Ohio.
Even then you could already tell the enormous talent and the great future of this kid playing ball.
It is only fitting that the Cleveland Cavaliers have picked him, being an Ohio native as No. 1 in the draft among a star- studded cast that have Carmelo Anthony, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh among others that is now known as the Class of 2003.
This year Lebron have carried the Cavs’ franchise on his broad shoulders to its best record in the National Basketball Association (NBA) in years.
He showed maturity in his game beyond his age of 22 years especially in the Eastern Conference Finals where being down 0-2 to the perennial powerhouse Detroit Pistons and overcome the deficit that was highlighted by his ferocious show of heart and power in Game 4 wherein he single- handedly authored the Cavs comeback and scored the last 29 of the Cavalier’s 30 points in a 91- 87 double- overtime thriller at the hallowed ground of the Palace of Auburn Hills in Michigan that broke the Pistons’ vaunted will and resilience and as they went on to become the Best in the East.
We are all Witness to the Jordanesque kind of performance that he dished out that fateful night to say the least which further solidified his standing among basketball gurus' mind as the real heir apparent to his Airness, Michael Jordan. Not Kobe or Melo or T-Mac or D-Wade but Lebron as the chosen one.
Tonight will be Game 2 of the NBA Finals and they are once again down 0- 1 to the physical San Antonio Spurs, a situation that he and his team are no longer strangers. They've been into this kind of hole before but were able to get out and win.
But man-for- man, Lebron and company is in a huge disadvantage here. Experience- wise they are way below Coach Greg Popovich’s team plus the fact that the Spurs have the mechanically- efficient Two -Time Season NBA/Three- Time NBA Finals MVP Tim Duncan in the team.
Add to the fact that the San Antonio Spurs plays like a well- oiled machine and have been there and done that in three separate trips to the finals. It is not an easy task for the casual observer.
But this is the NBA where everything is never certain until the final buzzer sounded or not until the fat lady err the referee blows his final whistle and Lebron will have to prove his mettle against one of the best- defensive teams in the game if he is really fit to be crowned King of the Basketball- dom and not just a pretender to the throne in the eyes of the hoop skeptics.
So, will this year be his coronation or another year of frustration?
Frankly, many people don’t give a damn for in the hearts and minds of the people of Cleveland and the millions of fans who truly love an exciting and explosive game and unparalleled showmanship--
He’s now King James, the one and true King of Basketball.
Tony or not Tony
Tonight, tonight….will be the star- studded Tony Awards Night at the Radio City Music Hall which will be beamed live by CBS at 8 p.m.!
The 61st year where the Antoinette Perry Trophy will be given to the best and the brightest stars of the Great White Way although this year’s productions pales in comparison to the previous years where great and epic productions were the norm.
Although you can’t find a production that can equal Broadway’s past and present treasures like Cats, Chicago, Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera or even The Producers, this year’s nominees are neither lacking in star- power nor spunk that very well suit the discriminating taste of the average theatergoer.
Besides, it is always fun watching real thespians having a great time and getting their “moments” on primetime TV for a change. And unlike before there is no clear- cut favorite in this year’s edition that makes it even more exciting. Do I hear Spring Awakening?
I am rooting for Eve Best though for her riveting performance as Josie opposite Kevin Spacey’s James Tyrone, Jr. of Eugene O’Neill’s play A Moon for the Misbegotten. The play also stars Colm Meaney as Phil Hogan and directed by Howard Davies.
But she’s up against a formidable cast of equally talented actresses in Vanessa Redgrave, Angela Lansbury, Julie White and Swoosie Kurtz though and whoever will take home the Tony certainly deserves it.
Call me biased in this case but I happened to watch the said play on its third day in its limited Broadway run and boy I was floored not to mention I was able to get Kevin Spacey ‘s autograph on my Playbill program.
Incidentally, Moon will have its last show today at the Brooks Atkinson Theater.
Tony Award- winning actor Liev Schrieber as Barry Champlain in playwright Eric Bogosian’s Talk Radio is equally impressive. Theatermania.com gave me a discount that was hard to resist so I ended up listening to him. He cast a really huge shadow on the smoke-filled stage of the Longacre Theater, actually bigger than himself as he rants his way to the bank and hopefully to a second Tony.
It will not be easy road though for in his way will be veteran actor Christopher Plummer in Inherit the Wind, Boyd Gaines in Journey’s End, Brian F. O’Byrne in The Coast of Utopia and Frank Langella in Frost/Nixon.
I can’t say anything nor give my two- cents worth about this year's nominees for the musicals, for truth be told I haven’t watched a single one of them yet and I am of the habit of not writing anything on subjects that I have neither experienced nor seen/heard with my own eyes and ears.
And I don’t swallow whatever the critics say for that’s what they are paid for-- to find loopholes on and about anything. Most of the time they're not correct anyway. Mine will always be a first- hand account of my experiences. Hah-hah.
And let me end this post with a quote from Barry Champlain,
“Everything’s screwed up and you liked it that way, don’t you? You’re fascinated by the gory details. You’re mesmerized by your own fear! You revel in floods and car accidents and unstoppable diseases. You’re happiest when others are in pain! And that’s where I come in, isn’t it?”
Comments
I don't watch the show myself except for an episode every now & then but I can hardly wait to see how it ends though. It is a much acclaimed show naman kasi kaya ayaw ko namang ma-totally out of the loop. We get a kick watching Tony Soprano because my brother-in-law (hubby's bro) looks like a younger version of him. The similarities are uncanny.