People’s Choice Awards: Up for a Webby!

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We know awards. We live them and breathe them all year and we follow them closely each step of the way. No matter which awards show, we know the value of each and every one and like to stay in the know about how talented people are being recognized across the board. We kick off red carpet season and all throughout the rest of the year we watch with excitement as each ceremonial honoring of the very best takes place. We happen to honor the favorites in movies, music and TV, but we are no strangers to all the other greatness happening in the world. Which is why we were beyond thrilled to learn that our very own People’s Choice Awards iPhone App – the one that enables you to effortlessly cast your votes anywhere, anytime – is up for a Webby Award! That’s right, folks, we are not ones to toot our own horns, but we are making an exception (toot! toot!) because we a) are very proud of our accomplishments and b) we need YOUR help! (More on that later.)

For those of you who may not be familiar with the Webbys, they are essentially the very best of the Web, which this day and age can mean anything from a cool website to an ingenious social media campaign to a fancy mobile app, and everything in between. It’s a way to shine a light on the most creative, intuitive, forward thinking and thought provoking “stuff” in the interactive world. That’s a pretty wide net to cast… which is all the more reason we are beyond excited.

Now here’s where you come in: the Webbys have what’s called the “People’s Voice” award (not to be confused with the award of the very same name that vocal powerhouse Christina Aguilera received at our 2013 show) so we are reaching out to enlist all of our fans to help us bring home the trophy! After all these years of us enabling you to decide which of your favorites get to win, we’re hoping you might be willing to return the favor and make us the “People’s Choice” er, “People’s Voice” for Best Mobile App in the Webby’s Entertainment category. We think it’s a reasonable request, and we’re hoping you’ll feel the same.

It’s incredibly easy to do – simply go to this website, log in (you can use your Facebook or Twitter account, which makes it super painless) cast your vote, and then share with your friends. We’ll be forever grateful.

Win or lose, we will always deliver the best possible ways for you to keep voting for your favorites in movies, music and TV in the years to come.

Now voice your choice in today’s featured poll and tell us which of the features of the Webby nominated People’s Choice iPhone App is your favorite?

Award Voting
Entertainment Polling
Show Photos & Videos

Post a Comment (0) 9:04 am on April 22, 2013

All’s fair in love and Wars

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I have recently joined an exclusive club whose members include poker champion Annie Duke, skateboarding legend Tony Hawk, Oscar nominee Minnie Driver, and boy band idol Lance Bass.

What the heck do I have in common with this eclectic group, you ask?  I’ll tell you.  Each of us has appeared as a guest judge on the same baking competition show.

That’s right, my friends, this Sunday night at 8/7c I’m making my Food Network debut on a People’s Choice Awards-themed episode of Cupcake Wars.  (Cue crowd noise.)

I obviously can’t/won’t reveal any spoilers about the show… you’ll have to tune in to see what happens.  But suffice it to say that I had a blast with host Justin Willman, judges Candace Nelson and Florian Bellanger, and carpenters Jake and Justin Blecha.  The entire crew was absolutely delightful and the bakers were fantastic.  What can I say… it was an amazing experience!

Here’s what I can tell you:  The bakers came from L.A., Detroit, Scottsdale, and Matawan, NJ.  Cupcake Wars fans chose the ingredients for the first challenge (the people made their choices, get it?) and the winning cupcakes were served at the 2013 People’s Choice Awards V.I.P. wrap party.  Have I titillated you enough to get you to set your DVR?

I am a huge fan of cupcakes, in general, Cupcake Wars, in particular.  I don’t know much about the nuances of baking cupcakes (my specialty is monkey bread), but I’m well versed in the art of eating them.   And while I’m no expert at judging the appropriate level of moistness or the interplay between ingredients — I’ll leave that to Candace and Florian — I certainly had my own opinions on the countless delicious cupcakes I sampled that day.  And delicious they were.

So, my little cupcakes, be sure to watch the People’s Choice Awards episode of Cupcake Wars on Sunday, April 21, at 8/7c on the Food Network.

Today’s Poll:  This Sunday’s episode of Cupcake Wars on the Food Network is all about the People’s Choice Awards.  Which past Cupcake Wars guest judge is your favorite?

Lance Bass (Season 8)

Cody Simpson (Season 7)

Kate Walsh (Season 6)

“Weird Al” Yankovic (Season 8)

Post a Comment (0) 7:59 am on April 19, 2013

I’m About to Get Medieval

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I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. I love the city of New York. It just never ceases to amaze me. Having recently moved to a new neighborhood in the city that I was born and raised in, I find myself all atwitter about what the future holds. The new neighborhood is called Washington Heights and, so far, I’ve had pleasant experiences at all the restaurants I’ve ventured to, enjoyed breathtaking views of the George Washington bridge and Hudson river during evening walks, and met the nicest people while at the swing set with my daughter. This past weekend, needing a break from the daunting task that is unpacking, my family and I strolled up 4 blocks to Fort Tryon Park, home of the Cloisters museum. I remember visiting this museum as a teenager during high school field trips and, in hindsight, never really appreciating the beauty. Now, in my old age, I am taken aback by how gorgeous the building – built in the 1930s to resemble architectural elements from Medieval Europe – actually is. Looking up at it from the surrounding Heather Gardens, I all of sudden felt as if I was actually in Medieval Europe, standing on a hill in France, perhaps, heading to an abbey for mid day mass. I know that is a very specific visual, but I have a very romantic perception of what Medieval Europe was like, even though I know from my history books that it was more deadly and disease stricken than one can even possibly imagine. I have Hollywood to thank for my romanticization of the time period because, even though half the population was killed off by the plague or in one of the many wars fought over land rights and religion, there were still good looking guys and good looking girls falling in love, and I love a story about a hero. Let’s discuss a few of my favorites, shall we?

Since 1908, which marked Robin Hood’s first appearance on the screen in the silent film Robin Hood and His Merry Men, the beloved English character has appeared in over 60 movies and television series. Everyone knows the basics. Robin Hood stole from the rich and gave to the poor. His friends were Little John and Friar Tuck, his love interest was Maid Marian, and he was known for his ability with a bow and arrow. Hollywood’s most well known version of the classic tale has to be 1991′s Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves starring Kevin Costner, Morgan Freeman, Alan Rickman and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. It grossed almost $400 million worldwide at the box office and was nominated for an Oscar. Coming in at a close second is 2010′s Robin Hood starring Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett which raked in $322 million worldwide. Both of these stories featured epic battle scenes and centered around stories of courage and revenge. Then there is my favorite Robin Hood tale, 1993′s Robin Hood: Men In Tights starring Cary Elwes and Dave Chappelle. This spoof, brought to us by the genius Mel Brooks of Blazing Saddles fame, made fun of all the previous Robin Hood films. The Earl of Nottingham became the Earl of Rottingham. Maid Marian wore an Everlast chastity belt, and Cary Elwes poked fun at Kevin Costner for not delivering his Robin Hood performance in an English accent. It really is a delightful film and, along with all the other versions, has helped to solidify Robin Hood as one of the most recognizable names in Medieval history.

When Mel Gibson spoke the words “Every man dies, not every man truly lives,” William Wallace became a household name. A Scottish landowner who died in 1305, Wallace fought in the Wars for Scottish Independence against the English armies who ruled them. He died a gruesome death at the hands of the English King Edward I, and is depicted throughout Scotland in statues and honored by monuments. But it was 1995′s Braveheart that introduced the character to the American masses and attracted viewers to the notion, albeit untrue, that all his actions and sacrifices had been for the love of a woman. Gibson’s film won five Oscars that year, including Best Picture, and the film grossed $210 million. I have seen this movie close to 100 times and can recite each line from memory, and even though I realize the story is a completely fictional account of Wallace’s life, I can’t help but be swept away in the romantic notion of the film that freedom, if you believe in it, is attainable to all.

King Arthur has always had a special place in my heart, ever since I portrayed him in my 2nd grade school play. I had a silver sword made out of tin foil and a blue tunic made out of crepe paper. A girl named Amy played Princess Guinevere and a boy named Nikolai played Sir Lancelot. Thankfully, I don’t believe we covered the affair in the 2nd grade version, but rather stuck to the courage and honor of the Knights of the Round Table. Like Robin Hood, this character has been immortalized in film many, many times, most notably by Disney in 1963′s The Sword in the Stone , 1995′s First Knight starring Sean Connery, Julia Ormond and Richard Gere, and 2004′s King Arthur starring Clive Owen and Keira Knightly. In their own ways, all these films tell the story of Arthur and his Knights, and their defence of Camelot against Saxon invaders during the late 5th century. Sounds boring, I know, but like I alluded to before, the love triangle between the King, his most trusted Knight Lancelot and his Princess Guinevere is what keeps the story interesting. It’s hard to wrap your head around how dark the Dark Ages of Medieval Europe actually were when you are watching Richard Gere and Julia Ormond make out.

Those are some of my favorite tales of yore. Which of these films about a classic hero is your favorite?

Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
Braveheart
King Arthur

Post a Comment (0) 8:54 am on April 18, 2013

Duets: Is Two Always Better Than One?

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I am the lucky owner of a brand spanking new 2013 Ford Escape. Well, I’m leasing, but still. It’s a new car and it’s mine. May not seem like much to the average person but I haven’t ever owned a new car, and I’ve been carless entirely for the past (ahem) 15 years. How did I pull that off? Well, I live in New York City. And as you may or may not realize, owning a car is really unnecessary in the city. There could not be a more complex public transportation system in all the world. Unless you need to leave the city (which I find I need to do more and more these days) a car becomes nothing more than a hunk of metal collecting dust. Why? Because unless you have tons of disposable income, you can’t really drive around the city during the day since there is no where to park besides ridiculously expensive parking lots. But, if you are going in and out of the city often and find yourself driving in the off hours and weekends, a car can actually be really liberating and useful as a city dweller – or so I’m now finding.

Not having been driving regularly until recently, I also have not been listening to the radio much since this day and age, who is listening to terrestrial radio in their homes? It’s either a playlist in iTunes, a station on Pandora or a vinyl record from my husband’s collection that is usually blaring in our apartment. So I’ve recently been reminded how irritating it can be to channel surf and hear the same 5 songs over and over and over and over. I mean, seriously – with the wealth of incredible music out there, how is this even still possible? The only upside is that I am now becoming intimately familiar with today’s pop chart toppers. So intimate that I feel like I need to take a shower, but nevertheless, at least I am up to speed, which is more than I can say for my pre-car self. And being a little more in the know, I’ve noticed something else: Duets are making a comeback.

Hear me out. Back in the day, they were a staple. In fact at some point, they were probably even more common than solo performances. But in the world of pop music, they are not a constant. There was definitely a big wave of them in the 80s: “Secret Lovers”, “(I’ve Had) The T ime of My Life”, “Easy Lover”,” Up Where We Belong”, and so on and so on. And not only were they common, they were hugely popular. Every song on that list is beyond well known and at least one of them will now be stuck in your head for the rest of day (sorry!) Now, fast forward through the 90s and today and try to think of  some stand out duets. Not as many coming to mind, are there? That’s what I’m saying! There really haven’t been too many to speak of. The only one that jumps out at me is Brandy and Monica’s “The Boy Is Mine” from 1999. This was the first time I can remember two similar artists of the same gender joining forces and giving duets a whole new meaning, which paved the way for artists like Beyonce and Lady Gaga to do the same years later with “Telephone.”

Which brings me back to today. The first time I heard P!nk’s beautiful voice singing the first few lines of “Just Give Me A Reason” I was instantly hooked. There is just something about her voice coupled with that beautiful indie meets pop melody that had me at hello. However, a verse later when I suddenly noticed the voice of Nate Ruess, I was slightly taken a back. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m as huge a Fun. fan as anyone, and I love his voice, but given that they are both singing at the same octave and have similar tone qualities to their voices, it was almost like: what’s the point? P!nk was doing fine on her own! Of course, 15 thousand times later, it has grown on me and now I can’t imagine it any other way. I love their harmonies, I find the lyrics to be universally relatable and equally powerful – “We’re not broken, just bent, and we can learn to love again” – and  the song should be playing during every marriage counseling session across America. And I can only imagine how incredible it would be to watch these two powerhouses perform the song live. Here’s hoping I’ll get that chance one day soon.

Onto the next song that got my attention while driving around town is Rihanna’s “Stay” featuring Mikky Ekko. Again, who doesn’t love Rihanna? The girl can do no wrong and has been churning out hits since making a splash with “Umbrella.”  The piano riff is hypnotizing and her voice is unadultered, unaffected and pure, which is always nice to hear in a pop song. (She is also equally refreshingly natural in the video where she appears in the buff, without even a dab of makeup on her.) The lyrics had me intrigued… ”If you dare, come a little closer.” Then suddenly, I heard his voice – again, nothing against Mikky, but Rihanna certainly had it covered. I don’t think the male addition takes anything away, but not sure exactly what it adds, other than, as in the case of P!ink and Nate’s dance, the dynamic of the stuggling relationship brought to life by these two talented individuals. So, what’s the verdict? I’m a fan but it may only be because I’ve heard it so many times, which I’m convinced is why the radio stations insist of putting these songs on such frequent rotation. You have no choice but to be brainwashed into liking them.

I’m curious to see if anyone else will follow suit, or if this seeming resurgence of duets in pop music will be short lived. Only time will tell…

Voice your choice in today’s featured poll and tell us which of these chart topping pop duets is your favorite?

Just Give Me A Reason
No Air
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Stay

Post a Comment (0) 10:19 am on April 17, 2013

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER: MARCH TV FINALE ROUND-UP

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I blog to you today to bring your attention to the finales (some season and others series) of television shows that may have escaped your notice in the month of March due to the incredible amount of original content shuffling on and off your TV screens.

This was not a problem ‘back in the day’ (aka my childhood, aka one score and some years ago). After February sweeps, you could forget about setting your VCRs for a good long stretch, without fear that you were missing any new, scintillating content, and actually crack open a book or two to feed your brain before reconvening on the couch for the final stretch of original programming known as May sweeps.

These days your DVR can barely grow cold from the season finale of one show before a new show is premiering and you forget all about that 10, 13, 16, or 22 episode obsession that just concluded. Already we’ve forgotten about Rick vs. The Governor on The Walking Dead and are wondering if Brienne and Jamie’s days are numbered this season on Game of Thrones. Before March fades too far in the rear view mirror, I’d like to shine some love on the shows that are gone, but the hours of fun entertainment not yet forgotten.

Leading with the most recent and obvious finale, we have The Walking Dead. As I’ve blogged before, I went from a zombie fraidy cat to a zombie lover all due to this crazy little show. This season was up and down for many (up as always due to Daryl and Merle; down in a large part due to the inanity that was Andrea.) But all in all I thought it was a solid season with some stellar acting from Andrew Lincoln as the increasingly burdened, cracking Rick Grimes and the interesting villainous turn of David Morrissey as the one eyed sociopath, The Governor (or Guv’ner as us Southerners liked to call him). The paralleling of the two men and their journey’s towards and away from madness was a compelling storyline for the season even if it did kind of fizzle in the end. Oddly, even as I was rooting for Rick to pull back from going completely off the deep end, I didn’t mind The Governor embracing his extreme dictator; perhaps it was because he wore the crazy – and his eye patch – quite well. And, yes, I’ve been told by my friends that they worry for my TV sanity in my crushing on The Governor.

Another drama whose finale you may have missed (heaven knows the ratings indicate that many of you missed it) was NBC’s Deception, which was the network’s attempt in capturing the lightning in a bottle that ABC found last season with Revenge. Now in no way would I say this show came close to being the edgy, campy soap that Revenge was in season one, but the ‘Who killed Vivian Bowers’ central plotline was pretty well done for a 13 episode season. The stars all acquitted themselves nicely, especially Victor ‘Alias Spy Daddy’ Garber, Tate Donovan, John Larroquette, and Katherine LaNasa; and it was just plain nice to have a female lead in the form of Meagan Good who was a woman of color and allowed to be smart, and sexy, kick ass, drive the story, and have her own love triangle. While it’s a long shot to be renewed for a second season, the first season was complete enough that if you have a free rainy Saturday afternoon and are in the mood to OnDemand an 11 episode murder mystery, you can’t go wrong with Deception.

Switching gears to not only the half hour, but the animated series genre, we had not one, not two, but three animated shows take their final bows in March: Cartoon Network’s Green Lantern: The Animated Series, Young Justice, and the most heartbreaking series finale of all Star Wars: The Clone Wars.

It’s no secret that LucasFilm is transitioning into a new phase/regime that’s moving away from all things Lucasverse and towards more things Disney-verse and so SW: The Clone Wars concluded its five year successful (IMO) campaign in redeeming the SW franchise. After the near lethal blow of the prequel series, The Clone Wars somehow meticulously put together over 100 episodes of beautifully evolving complex story and animation that somehow appeal, to both kids and adults, culminating  in a final arc of episodes that brought the whole prequel series together and left you literally weeping and gaping in awe as the screen faded to black. This was no mere cartoon: The Clone Wars could easily have given any one hour live action drama a run for its money. You know the angst and drama and devastation you were supposed to feel when Obi-Wan and Anakin fought to the death in Episode III? You actually get that in the series finale of The Clone Wars. It’s a shame that just as the franchise is launching into a new phase, the workhorse that kept it  in a position to be embraced again by many fans gets dumped by the wayside.

Like with SW: TCW, Green Lantern: The Animated Series exceeded the bar set by its movie predecessors, and went on to become an exciting, original, well-crafted story that not only could stand on its own, but wipe out memories of its origins to make you believe that nothing came before it. If SW:TCW is a contender as one of the top dramas of 2012-13 season, I’d say GL:TAS is a contender for one of the top sci-fi programs of the season. In 26 episodes you not only get practically all the basic Green Lantern comic book lore, it’s delivered in a way that makes you love this universe, it’s characters, and completely forget about Ryan Reynolds. The creators were aware that a second season wasn’t in the cards and so they crafted a finale that was a complete solid story. If I was weepy at the end of SW:TCW finale, the final image of Green Lantern:The Animated Series had me flat out bawling. And, yes, I know I’m a thirty-something grown woman, but I dare you to watch this entire series all the way through and get to that final image (I will not spoil it for you!) and not find that your ‘allergies are acting up’. If they aren’t then you are stone.cold.

Which March TV finale made you weepy?

The Walking Dead

Girls

The Lying Game

The Bachelor

Post a Comment (0) 9:20 am on April 16, 2013

GQ: The Stress Reliever

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Everyone handles stress differently. There is no formula for relief , but at some point in your life you just figure out what works. Some people take out their frustrations with a carton of ice cream, others cry until all the stress puddles on the floor, and still others take to hitting a punching bag or going to the gym to sweat out the anxiety. This weekend I discovered that mysource relief is nothing more than sun and the latest GQ.

Having had a pretty awful Saturday morning, I needed a way to get my anxiety out, My leg started its usual nervous tick and I was getting more and more frustrated at everything around me. I tried my usual stress relievers:  I went for a run with This American life playing in the background; sparred with the punching bag at my gym; and finally, ate a bloody red steak for lunch. Sadly, none of it worked.

As I perused my local CVS looking for a box of Oreos (my childhood stress reliever), I came across the latest editionof Gentleman’s Quarterly. This month, I they provided three cover options. Bruno Mars, Jason Bateman or Jimmy Fallon.

I chose Mr. Bateman.

I returned home to my demolished apartment, brought a chair out onto my balcony (a.k.a my fire escape) and didn’t return inside until every page was read. What I learned was that people with a lot of money are very bored. One article was about people spending upwards of $1500 to be fake kidnapped and tortured. Another was about the growing style battle amongst NBA stars. And finally, a feature chronicled how the author of Friday Night Lights has nothing better to do than to buy eighty-one leather jackets in less than 2 years.

While I should have been fuming from reading about all of this nonsense, I realized that by the end I was pretty happy. In fact, it finally occurred to me why people love reading US Weekly or OK! magazine. There is something about reading about other people’s craziness that is a whole lot of fun. Sure, it must be nice to have all of that money to spend, but your life cannot be that great if you are actually paying to be tied up and beaten.

This news may not be all that exciting, but I genuinly believe that reading about another person’s attempts at stress relief can help you work through your own/ So for those of you battling with a case of the Monday’s take a few moments to  read a gossip magazine. From someone who avoided them his who life – I am confident that it will help

For today’s poll:

Which weekly celebrity gossip magazine is your favorite?

In Touch

Us Weekly

OK!

Star

Post a Comment (2) 10:35 am on April 15, 2013

Tourist Season

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Spring has finally sprung in New York.  Rip off the roof and stay in bed!

Yes, I know that the first day of spring was technically on March 20th, but it has been unseasonably cool in the Big Apple until earlier this week when the temperature actually hit the high 70s.  Sure, it’s back to the 50s this weekend, but whatever.

The warm weather brings smiles to the faces of the most jaded New Yorkers.  It also brings the tourists.  They’re easy to spot as they walk around the streets of Manhattan in capri pants and really white sneakers (and that’s just the men) gazing up at the tall buildings and filling the air with a UN assembly’s worth of accents and languages.  Although I have been known to get annoyed from time to time at the throngs of visitors who take over my urban island this time of year, I must admit that I secretly love tourists. I appreciate anyone who wants to come to New York City to explore the sights.  And since I’m an avid traveler myself (I just got back from Dubai and Istanbul), I like to follow the “do unto others” philosophy, as I always appreciate being treated well by the natives of the lands I visit.

I live near The Dakota, the iconic residential building in Manhattan’s upper west side outside of which John Lennon was shot 33 years ago.  Double decker tour buses line up outside the building, sending hoards of visitors to check it out along with Strawberry Fields and the Imagine mosaic which are located across the street in Central Park.  And my office building is at the top end of Times Square and there’s actually a Broadway Theater in the ground floor.  (Current production:  Cinderella.)  I can’t sneak out for a Chipotle burrito bowl without weaving through hundreds of excited folks finding their way to the Museum of Modern Art or queuing up for discount theater tickets at TKTS.

I don’t know if it’s because of my corn-fed midwestern roots or if it’s because I don’t shy away from making eye contact with strangers, but I am one of those people who gets stopped a lot by out-of-towners who are looking for directions. I take it upon myself to be a one-man welcome wagon on behalf of my fair city.  In fact, I carry around a laminated multi-fold Streetwise Manhattan map in my man-bag at all times.  If someone asks me for directions, I whip out the map, show them where to go, then give them the map as a friendly gesture.   (Then I immediately buy another map so I can give it to the next person who asks.)  My hope is that they’ll go back to Duluth or Dublin or wherever they’re from and tell their friends how helpful and friendly New Yorkers are.

Seeing all these folks navigating NYC for the first time makes me think of the many movies in which the main characters do that very thing.  The humor stems from the “fish out of water” — who aren’t used to the wacky ways of Gotham — getting into mischief at various iconic landmarks. Hilarity ensues.  Here are just a few examples, most of which are, curiously, from the 1980s:

Big  (1988)

Fish out of water:  Joshua (Tom Hanks)

Key New York landmark:  FAO Schwarz

Big Business  (1988)

Fish out of water:  Sadie and Rose (Bette Midler and Lily Tomlin)

Key New York landmark:  The Plaza Hotel

Coming to America  (1988)

Fish out of water:  Prince Akeem (Eddie Murphy)

Key New York landmark:  Madison Square Garden

Crocodile Dundee  (1986)

Fish out of water:  Mick (Paul Hogan)

Key New York landmark:  Columbus Circle Subway Platform

Enchanted  (2007)

Fish out of water:  Giselle (Amy Adams)

Key New York landmark:  Times Square

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York  (1992)

Fish out of water:  Kevin (Macaulay Culkin)

Key New York landmark:  Central Park

The Out-of-Towners  (1999)

Fish out of water:  Henry and Nancy (Steve Martin and Goldie Hawn)

Key New York landmark:  Grand Central Station

Splash  (1984)

Fish out of water (literally):  Madison (Daryl Hannah)

Key New York landmark:  Rockefeller Center Ice Skating Rink

You get the idea.

The next time you see a tourist struggling with getting around your home town, think of these movies and lend a hand.  Hopefully they’ll go home and sing the praises of your friendliness.

TODAY’S POLL:

What’s your favorite ’80s movie about out-of-towners navigating the streets of New York City?

Big

Coming to America

Crocodile Dundee

Splash

Post a Comment (0) 8:53 am on April 12, 2013

The First Hundred Days

As my colleague so eloquently stated in yesterday’s blog post, summer is right around the corner. Here’s my reaction to that, taking a page out of the equally eloquent Liz Lemon: “What the What?” How the heck did that happen so fast!? I have yet to put away my woolen wears and I am tragically unprepared to start wearing the revealing clothing that the summer heat requires of us. But there is no denying it, as the calendar doesn’t lie. We are in mid April, folks, which means the first 100 days of 2013 are behind us. We here at People’s Choice headquarters are constantly monitoring Nielsen ratings, box office figures and Billboard stats to keep aware of what shows, movies and artists you the fans will ultimately choose to become our nominees. So lets do a quick recap of the stand out movies, music and TV stars who will most likely be top of mind for you come voting season this fall.

I’d say it’s a pretty safe bet that Oz the Great and Powerful will see one, if not many, nominations come November. It currently has the highest weekend debut of 2013 at just over $79 million, and after 4 weeks is totaling close to $214 million. I can’t tell if you guys will pick James Franco as a Favorite Movie Actor nominee, but I suspect you will show some love to either Mila, Rachel or Michelle in the Favorite Movie Actress category. The question will be: which witch will you choose?

Identity Thief, while not the recipient of a box-office shattering opening weekend, definitely stands out thus far as a fan favorite with over $131 million in ticket sales. And I can’t blame you. We here are huge fans of what those two comedians accomplished in that hilarious tale of friendship and I will be shocked – SHOCKED I tell you – if Melissa McCarthy and Jason Bateman aren’t in contention for Favorite Comedic Movie Actress and Actor.

The Croods, with over $127 million in box office thus far, should definitely be a 2014 People’s Choice Awards nominee but the question is: in what category? As you know, you guys will have the chance to vote on which categories to keep and even introduce some new ones come September, so if you think The Croods deserves a spot in the Favorite Movie category, it shall be so. But if you see fit to bring back the Favorite Family Movie category, we can discuss that too. You also might choose to nominate the voices from this film, ’cause let me tell you there are a ton! Just like you bestowed Johnny Depp with the honor of Favorite Animated Movie Voice in 2012, you may choose to honor Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone or Ryan Reynolds with the same distinction in 2014. Only time will tell.

Now onto music. “Suit & Tie,” the hit single from Justin Timberlake’s long awaited third studio album, The 20/20 Experience, only peaked at #3 on the Billboard charts, but with JT’s fanbase and popularity, I’d say it’s enough to get him nominated in the Favorite Male Artist category. Will you choose to honor the song, too, even though it hasn’t become an instant classic, like some of JT’s previous works? I’ll be interested to see if the album rises, and if you even decide to keep Favorite Album as a category.

Paramore definitely seems slated to become a PCA nominee once again as their self titled album continues to climb charts and generate buzz. Considering you guys voted them Favorite Rock Band two years in a row in 2010 and 2011, perhaps you will choose to do that again. But, of course, only if you choose to bring back that category. So many choices to make!

At the beginning of 2013, Rihanna released “Stay” as the second single from her seventh studio album Unapologetic. The single made it to #3 on the Billboard top 100. Since Rihanna is a 5 time PCA winner, I bet you will find it in your hearts to nominate her for multiple categories again this year.

Now, let’s discuss your favorite TV shows of 2013. Not surprisingly, a lot of the top rated shows on TV right now are all prior PCA winners and/or nominees. Modern Family, American Idol and How I Met Your Mother continue to earn top ratings week after week and it seems pretty likely that you will choose once again to nominate the talented actors, actresses and judges from those shows. There is a LOT of good stuff on TV these days, making the nightly decision of what to watch that much harder. I will be interested to see if you stay true to your favorites by nominating 6 time PCA winner Supernatural again or if you will give someone else a chance?

So, those are just some pop culture tidbits to consider as we make our way into the next 100 days of 2013. I’m already looking forward to seeing what direction you the fans will take the People’s Choice Awards next year. Now tell us, which of these top grossing box office hits from 2013 so far is your favorite?

The Croods
Identity Thief
Oz the Great and Powerful

Post a Comment (0) 10:46 am on April 11, 2013

Summer… Too Soon?

Here at PCA headquarters in New York City, we have had the LONGEST winter ever. The first day of Spring came and went, and even our little furry friend the groundhog didn’t see his shadow, and yet, the warm weather has still been evading us. That is, until, this week. Monday morning we all woke up to what must have been record temperatures for this time of year – it was, unmistakeably, a summer day. And you know what happens in NYC when it gets warm? Sun dresses and sandals make immediate appearances, restaurants open up their outdoor seating and it basically takes people 0.2 seconds to adjust to the warm weather. Even if another cold spell is only days away. I’ve always loved that about New Yorkers… Live in the moment! I say, why not? And I do join in myself – I don’t bust out my summer dresses quite as quickly as others, but I am admittedly wearing my Sam Edelman sandals today.

Now as much as I can enjoy the sudden warmth as much as the next person, what does sort of scare me is that this weather is beyond unseasonable. We literally skipped spring and went straight to summer. How can that be a good thing in a world where, for centuries if not millenia, the seasons have remained the same? Don’t worry, I’m not going to turn this into my soapbox to lecture you about global warming (although I had to at least mention it). Instead, I will keep things lighthearted and talk about- what else? Summer themes in pop culture, of course. Music, specifically – this morning I couldn’t help but sing one of my favorite 80s tunes, Don Henley’s “Boys of Summer”:

I can see you
Your brown skin shining in the sun
You got your hair combed back and your
Sunglasses on baby
I can tell you my love for you will still be strong
After the boys of summer have gone

There is just something about that song that always takes me right to that road trip / top down / sun shining slice of summer time. I love a song that can immediately take you somewhere and make you feel something so specific. And I can’t very well talk about the song without mentioning the genius of the classic line: “Out on the road today I saw a Dead Head sticker on a Cadillac” – one of the best lyrics ever, hands down.

In keeping with songs from the 80s and beyond, another favorite is “Summertime” by the major movie star once known as The Fresh Prince. That’s right, DJ Jazzy Jeff and his sidekick the Fresh Prince turned out one of the first “summer jams” (which have since become a summer staple) and one that, in my opinion, is pretty timeless. Who doesn’t want to “sit back and unwind” when they hear this hook?

Summer, summer, summertime
Time to sit back and unwind

The song was mostly Will Smith doing his thing, rhyming about summer days back in Philly, and although I could never remember the lyrics, all it took was that one simple hook to get me into the summer haze or “summer madness” that he refers to himself.

Lastly there’s the more recent “California Gurls” by pop sensation Katy Perry. Who doesn’t like this song? Apparently nobody since it was still topping the charts a year after it was released, making it a summer jam for two summers straight! Not a common feat by any stretch.

California girls
We’re undeniable
Fine, fresh, fierce
We got it on lock
West coast represent
Now put your hands up
Oooooh Oh Oooooh

Catchy hook, flirty/fun lyrics, west coast pride, and some Snoop Dogg in the mix make for one entertaining song. It may have topped the charts for over a year but I have a feeling it will top summer playlists for years to come.

Now voice your choice in today’s featured poll and tell us which of these songs about summer is your favorite?

Boys of Summer (Don Henley)
California Gurls (Katy Perry)
Summertime (DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince)

Post a Comment (2) 10:29 am on April 10, 2013

Left Brain and Right Brain Battle Royale: TV Killjoys

domino-surgery

Once upon a time in another life I was a hard core science geek. Hard core as in I majored in biochemistry as an undergraduate, completed pre-med requirements, and was on my way to medical school before I put the brakes on the whole deal to follow a more insistent calling: film and television. I’m still plugging away at carving out my career in entertainment but my medical science brain never completely left me, which made (and still does on occasion) for quite a pickle whenever I viewed any movie or television show that was science or medicine based. Even keeping in mind the creative writing explanation of ‘dramatic license’, sometimes a movie or show would push things so far — even with a medical consultant supposedly on staff —  that I would often ask myself ‘Are they even trying? Or is it they just don’t care?’

I gave up on CSI because all I could see was how all the characters would contaminate their samples with poor pipetting technique. Adding insult to injury, this ‘crime’ is drawn out in what I like to call ‘pipetting/insert the lab process of your choice’ music videos where viewers get loving close-ups of the pipette tip (or centrifuge or whichever machine was to be featured) intercut with the determined, focused face of whichever lead was in the lab. Seriously? That’s entertainment?  Not even lab researchers find pipetting anything to write home about.

ER reruns would make my eye twitch with how the doctors would perform the most drastic (read: most visually captivating for the viewing audience) action on a poor patient that in the real world would kill them deader than dead, all because it reads better onscreen.  House I could give a slight pass to on this because he was supposed to be extreme and do stupid things and sometimes House jumping the gun in his diagnostic technique was part of the story.

Suffice it to say that, when talking to friends about television shows, discussing medical shows was off limits.  As was anything to do with depictions of the South: specifically my hometown of Memphis which had been briefly been a hot spot for locations with the CW’s Hellcats and TNT’s Memphis Beat. No one wanted to hear my rantings on what was wrong, how it could’ve been fixed, or how the patient would’ve been dead had this actually happened in real life. They liked not getting caught up in the details and didn’t need or want a “TV Killjoy” ruining their shows. Which as a lover of the craft of storytelling, I could appreciate.  I LOVE ‘mothership’ Law and Order, but try watching reruns of it with a lawyer or law student. You’re ready to commit a murder yourself to keep them from interjecting their sneering commentary into a scene and interrupting Jack McCoy steamrolling a witness on the stand. I do not care if Jack McCoy would never be allowed to go on that long in court. l like hearing Sam Waterson get his indignant oratory on.

But being or knowing a TV Killjoy can also be a good thing.  Way back in high school my physics teacher would start each class on Monday by asking ‘Name three things wrong with last weekend’s episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation’ and encourage nitpicking to the nth degree for the sake of learning.  Breaking Bad has helped me keep afresh of my basic chemistry knowledge, testing me on what I know and remember and providing fun talks with my fellow television watching college science geeks.

Currently I’m into historical dramas; Starz’s Spartacus, History’s Vikings, and FX’s The Americans.  And while I don’t know any former gladiators or vikings (though that would be cool except for all the raping and pillaging) I do just so happen to have a friend who emigrated from Russia as a child to live in the states and would roughly have been the same age as The Americans show leads Elizabeth and Phillip Jennings (Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys). And boy howdy does she have an opinion on just how wrong it all is. Forget accent and speech issues (although she says those are wrong, too), according to this friend the psychological mindset of these Russian spies is just all wrong –even Keri Russell’s loyalist is too ‘American’ in her thinking. The hairstyles depicted for 60s/70s Russia are wrong. ‘Where are the braids?!’ she laments; and so on and so on. While her criticisms can border on the tedious, rather than tune her out completely, I do let her have her say. A lot of her nits lead to learning something highly interesting and informative that I never would’ve known. Only when she begins scraping the bottom of the barrel and snarks on Keri Russell’s anachronistic low riding jeans and lack of big 80s American hair do I tell her to take a breather from her lecture and to let me enjoy the waifish Felicity Keri Russell kick a man’s head through a wall for Mother Russia.

What’s your favorite television show set in the 1980s?

Everybody Hates Chris

The Americans

The Carrie Diaries

Freaks and Geeks

Post a Comment (0) 9:33 am on April 9, 2013

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The People's Choice Awards staff is dedicated to providing commentary about the world of pop culture through our daily blog. We are TV producers, digital mavens, PR professionals, and entertainment executives who share a love for movies, music and TV. Each day, a member of our team will divulge insights and opinions on topics from TV star trivia to musical inspirations to the ultimate pop culture guilty pleasures, and everything in between. We can’t guarantee you'll agree with every word, but we promise to always be honest, positive and celebratory in true People's Choice Awards fashion.

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