Category Archives: Blog Posts

Blog Posts, Television

Andy Greenwald is a word magician of the television arts

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Last week, Grantland’s masterful television commentator, Andy Greenwald, delivered one of those brilliant pieces of prose that have amazingly become par for his contributor page course. Whether or not you agree with Mr. Greenwald that The Americans is the “best show on television” is not the point (I can find reasonable justification for this argument), but rather how Greenwald’s written ideas and the eloquent delivery thereof make watching television exponentially better. It is no coincidence that my ascendant television watching identity and desire to occasionally write about it have been aligned with my time as an avid Greenwald reader. His influence is felt in the same way that a Roger Ebert review always made the movie experience better or how a Bill Simmons column (and the Grantland Chief who thought that Andy Greenwald would be a perfect choice to write about television for the almost three-year-old sports and entertainment commentary Mecca) makes my lifelong NBA fan experience that much more amazing and fantastic.

Today Greenwald unleashed his latest treatise on the state of modern comedy through the lens of Jimmy Fallon’s twelve show old The Tonight Show tenure and the Jerry Seinfeld web series, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.. As a loyal viewer of this new Tonight Show iteration and great admirer of Jimmy Fallon, Andy Greenwald gives an incredible voice to the giant bear hug that I thought I had been receiving from Fallon’s inclusive and infectious brand of laughter generation. Yes, I have enjoyed Jimmy Fallon and I had a reasonable understanding why, but through Greenwald’s written filter, it all becomes so much clearer and, subsequently, that much more rewarding.

Blog Posts, Television

‘Gotham’ casts Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle

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The upcoming Gotham series continues to add actor batarangs to its casting utility belt. David Mazouz will be playing thirteen year old Bruce Wayne, post parents murder and pre masked vigilante phase. You may remember young Mazouz from the recent Fox drama Touch starring Kiefer Sutherland, but based on the relative success of Touch, you probably don’t. Selina Kyle will be newcomer Camren Bicondova, whose character description matches what would have happened to Little Orphan Annie if she had never met Daddy Warbucks. All of this remains incredibly exciting. If you had told any version of my younger self that in 2014 there would be a new Muppet movie release, a new U2 album (not yet announced, but it should be here by the end of summer), a movie directed by Christopher Nolan (bring it, Interstellar), and a new Batman live action series, I would have asked if I had died and gone to heaven. For now, I am content with a trip to Gotham.

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Blog Posts, NBA, Television

Monday night TV: when amazing happens

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Television the night after the Oscars can often be a little bit anticlimactic.  Apparently the following and diversified artists didn’t get the memo.

“Hey Kevin Durant.  I am not going to give up that MVP so easily.” – LeBron James (hypothetically), after scoring 61 points against the Charlotte Hornets to-be

Gonzo stopped by Jimmy Kimmel to promote Muppets Most Wanted and discuss best practices for chicken relationships.

One night after the “Adele Dazeem” incident, Idina Menzel spent some time with Jimmy Fallon and the Roots playing kid instruments.  Yes, she knows what it means to “let it go.”

And finally, The Daily Show has a new correspondent.  Welcome to the NBC sitcom star and late night talk show of your own farm system, Jordan Klepper.

Blog Posts, Television

Billy on the Street’s Best Tweets of the Week – February 22-28

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When inspired (mind you his track record of inspiration is nearly as consistent as Julia Roberts playing defiance in every role), I will collect the best Billy Eichner tweets of the past week for your reading pleasure. Let the comedic BRILLIANCE commence…

Apparently, Alec Baldwin’s scope is wide…

And finally, all of this is leading up to the return of a show that has the highest ratio of both laughs and Leah Remini references to airtime…

Blog Posts, Television

Jimmy Fallon Lip Syncing competition part II – Paul Rudd domination

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In what is fast becoming a Jimmy Fallon late at night show tradition (the first iteration featured Stephen Merchant and Joseph Gordon Levitt on Late Night), Paul Rudd and Jimmy Fallon went head to head in a lip syncing battle this week.  For so long battling a tarnished legacy from Milli Vanilii fraud, Beyoncé vocal performance conservatism, and whatever this Ashlee Simpson SNL stint was (whatever happened to Ashlee Simpson, anyway?), lip synching is making a comeback.  Like Full House and Saved By the Bell nostalgia, kid instrument song performances, and Justin Timberlake collaborative magic, Jimmy Fallon is at the forefront of this movement.  Jimmy’s performance was impressive, but Paul Rudd literally dropped the mic.  Enjoy!

Blog Posts, Television

Greatness: The return of “The Americans” and what Andy Greenwald has to write

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There may be many reasons to either watch tonight’s second season premiere episode of The Americans (if you were lucky enough to experience season one last winter) or to make the sound and enlightened investment to DVR tonight and catch up on season one over the next several weeks through an iTunes or an Amazon Prime purchase, but there is really only one definitive source to find out exactly why you should. Mr. Andy Greenwald, Grantland’s extraordinary television commentator, conveys his sentiments on The Americans with such eloquence, such insightful passion, and such beautiful prose.  This is a master writing about a masterful show and I can only aspire to both of their collective standards of excellence.

His summation at the end best conveys an already realized central conceit – The Americans is a great television show and deserves a look:

“Nothing else on TV can match The Americans for the dizzying highs of its suspense or the unsettling depths of its emotion. But the reason it’s become the best show on television is more simple: In spite of its radical premise and perilous plots, the most discomfiting aspect of The Americans is its familiarity. All long-term relationships, whether between nation-states or lovers, involve delicate negotiations. They all demand loyalty. And they all require sacrifice. Recognizing this doesn’t make us American. It makes us human. The glorious struggle is our own.”  Amen.

To summarize: Watch The Americans.  Read Andy Greenwald.  You will be the better because of it.

The Americans airs Wednesday nights at 10:00 PM on FX.  Andy Greenwald is a staff writer for Grantland.

Blog Posts, NBA

At least I am not a Knicks fan (or when an NBA team reaches the Tyson Zone)

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Disaster has struck Manhattan and it has nothing to do with an overwrought Avengers-like movie plot device.  The New York Knicks, due in part to unrealized expectations of a signature NBA franchise in the signature American city, are in a most dangerous place.  The following headlines currently adorn espn.com main news section:

“Reports: Wife alleges Felton threatened her”

“J.R. Smith: Headband tug only an illusion”

“Dirk drops Knicks on buzzer-beater”

The horrifying thing is that this is just one day in the house that James Dolan built and things could get a whole lot worse.  On a roster that features Metta “malice in palaces” World Peace (for now), Kenyon “dark alley all-time great” Martin (providing the NBA aggressive unrest for over a decade), and J.R. “I love childish behavior!” Smith, and the ensuing departure of Carmelo “there is no way I am sticking around for this” Anthony, anything is possible.  I am genuinely scared.  Stay tuned.