Real TV Critics

They just won’t let this poor man rest in peace.  Please let Michael Jackson rest in peace soon.  When you thought we all saw the last of Dr. Conrad Murray, the agony of his manslaughter trial and conviction leading to his upcoming sentencing, we all said “bye-bye” to this tragedy.

But it just doesn’t want to seem to disappear.

Savannah Guthrie with Dr. Conrad Murray on MSNBC

Now NBC News which is the Mother to MSNBC is under fire from the Michael Jackson estate for their airing tonight and tomorrow night of the special Michael Jackson and the Doctor: A Fatal Friendship.

The Today Show has already aired segments of the special but the full effort comes tonight and tomorrow on MSNBC.  John Branca and John McClain, the executors of the Jackson estate, have sent correspondence to network saying “MSNBC seems ready to let [Dr. Murray] say what he wants to say with no fear of cross-examination.”

The estate is upset that there will not be anyone to take Michael Jackson’s side during the Conrad Murray interview.  Now there’s talk of what Murray was compensated by NBC News for his interview that was done before he was convicted.  In most cases convicted criminals cannot accept compensation for doing interviews following the jury’s decision but Dr. Murray was on trial during the time of the MSNBC sitdown.

The estate says the network should “exercise proper judgement and refrain from airing this program.”

These pedophiles are now done.  The upper echelon at Penn State have fired the President of the University and fired coach Joe Paterno.  The campus is an absolute mess as CNN and other networks offer live coverage of what is taking place on the campus of Penn State in Happy Valley which is no longer happy.

Jerry Sandusky and Joe Paterno, coaches at Penn State University

“The magnitude of this event is simply enormous,” said CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin.  “People are horrified across the country…I would be very careful about drawing any larger conclusions about how much support for him (Joe Paterno) there really is,” Toobin continued.

“It was absolutely the right decision,” to fire him said Toobin.

This will without a doubt destroy the image of Penn State football and their university.  “I would not be surprised to see Penn State sued for many millions of dollars,” said Toobin on CNN.

This was the greatest night in America.  Penn State took it on the chin and well they should.  These pigs need to go to prison and if you read the grand jury report it is the most sick, disgusting story in a long time.

Any man that puts his hand in an appropriate way on a child should be castrated.  Period.  There will be more victims who will come out and come forward.  When it does these stupid fucking kids at Penn State who think Joe Paterno is a hero will settle down and realize the gravity of the level of criminal activity of the people running the football program at Penn State.

Rick Thomas

OK so I will admit the late 70′s and early 80′s were the party years.  Second Story Nightclub on 12th and what was that Walnut Street in Philly, the real second story of that club, well $100 bills were rolled up regularly at that location.

It wasn’t a great glass of scotch back then as it is today but gin and tonic.  Club closed at 2AM, home by 3AM and up to work by 9AM.  Yes those were the days my friends.

Today it’s milk and chocolate cookies.  To bed by 9PM.  Yes those were the days.

Illinois Congressman Joe Walsh

But scumbag, deadbeat Dad Illinois Congressman Joe Walsh who doesn’t support his own kids is trending big time on the internet again.  This lowlife, well however he got elected to Congress is the question of the day.  He must have been high or drunk when he lambasted his own constituents at a bar in his district and looked like the true deadbeat Dad we all see on Judge Judy or Judge Mathis.

This video shows why I could never run for elected office because I know I’m a lowlife, yet not a deadbeat Dad.  But let’s be for real Congressman Joe Walsh won’t have a long political career if he doesn’t cut back on the drugs or liquor he was on when he ripped a new one to this person who probably won’t vote for him the next time he’s up for election.

Rick Thomas

In one dumbest career moves ever, Eddie Murphy has told the Academy Awards television program that he will not host the show.  And the Academy has basically told Eddie don’t let the door hit you where the sun don’t shine.

“I appreciate how Eddie feels about losing his creative partner, Brett Ratner, and we all wish him well,” said the Academy in a statement just released.  Ratner was caught on tape using a gay slur at the Los Angeles screening of his new produced movie Tower Heist.

“Rehearsal is for fags,” said Ratner at the screening session.  The videotape blew up all over the web and Hollywood over the last 24 hours with a call that Brett Ratner be removed as producer of teh 84th Academy Awards set for late February.

“I was truly looking forward to being part of the show,” said Eddie Murphy in his comments on his departure from the show.  “I’m sure the new production team and host will do an equally great job.”

Next removal, Joe Paterno.  Stay tuned.

Brian Grazer to Produce
84th Academy Awards® with Don Mischer

Beverly Hills, CA – Academy President Tom Sherak announced today that Academy Award®-winner Brian Grazer will join Don Mischer as a producer of the 84th Academy Awards. This will be the first time Grazer has produced the Oscar® telecast.

“Brian Grazer is a renowned filmmaker who over the past 25 years has produced a diverse and extraordinary body of work,” said Sherak. “He will certainly bring his tremendous talent, creativity and relationships to the Oscars®.”

“I am thrilled to welcome Brian Grazer as my partner and that we will be  collaborating to produce an outstanding show,” echoed Mischer.

“It’s very gratifying to be part of a show that honors excellence in the medium to which I have devoted so much of my career,” said Grazer. “Don is a legend, and I am excited to work with him.”

Brian Grazer and Brett Ratner

“I too am delighted that Brian will join Don in producing the Academy Awards and I am looking forward to our producers delivering the movie event of the year,” commented Academy CEO Dawn Hudson.

Grazer has earned four Academy Award nominations. He won a Best Picture Oscar in 2001 for “A Beautiful Mind.” In 1984, Grazer was nominated in the writing category for “Splash,” and he received Best Picture nominations in 1995 and 2008 for “Apollo 13″ and “Frost/Nixon,” respectively.  His other film credits include “Spies Like Us,” “Kindergarten Cop,” “The Nutty Professor,” “Liar Liar,” “8 Mile” and “Cinderella Man.”  His current projects include the about to be released “J. Edgar” and the just released “Tower Heist.”

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, 2012, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar® presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.

Chelsea’s on the market again!  Time to get the Match.com profiles up and running one mo’ time.  Let’s see, there was “Fitty” as in 50 Cent, Dave Salmoni from Animal Planet, Ted Harbert who is the CEO of Comcast and now out the door is Andre Balazs whom she started dating in January.

Eeenie meenie miney mo!

Jason Bateman, Jennifer Aniston, and Chelsea Handler

Chelsea Handler is having fun.  Hey she’s 36 years old so why not.  She’s no longer dating Andre yet the couple seems to have a bit of class as they are keeping quiet on the reason for the split.

She told Piers Morgan that she had “very strong feelings’ for Balazs back in May.  Hmmm….June, July August, September, October, just starting November…OK what did he do?

Anyway Us Weekly says the couple was touchy feely back around Halloween so he must have done something.

Always the man’s fault right?

Being a kid from Philly doesn’t make me anywhere near a Penn State fan.  I went to Temple University and we hated Penn State.  Always kicked our asses in football. Every year.   Except for the fact that underage kids were abused by those sick, perverted, bottom-feeding Bangkok visiting sex-crazed coaches at Penn State I’m glad this arrogant university that let little boys be abused is under serious fire.  I hope they all go to prison, including Joe Paterno.

Amazing what stank makes the TV news isn’t it.

But let’s not forget the great Philly boxer Joe Frazier.

Then all over TV has been the end of the trial of Dr. Conrad Murray.  More stank.  This scumbag calls himself a doctor?  He’s now in prison, living in a cell that’s about the size of a New York city studio apartment on suicide watch.

Good.

But more crap on television.  But wait there’s even more.

Herman Cain.  Yes Herman Cain.  “Fingers” as I like to call Herman Cain.  This is another well dressed lowlife like Dr. Conrad Murray all over the news these days who makes we wanna throw up.  This guy still thinks that having four women charge him with sexual harassment or assault is not enough content to prove he’s a liar and a sexual predator.  Yes I will call him a sexual predator.

More crap on television.  More stank.

A trio of stank.  Joe Paterno, Dr. Conrad Murray and Herman Cain.  Burning up my LG TV and my texting fingers.  Sick human beings.

And with all this stank in the news we all forgot but must not forget the great Philly boxer Joe Frazier.  Used to drive by Joe Frazier’s Gym in North Philly all the time.  Flew first class on a plane with him a couple of years ago.  I’ve met a lot of really cool people in first class.  None at the level of Joe Frazier.

And I got the upgrade.  Nobody working this blog can fly first class.

Most readers of this blog may be too young to remember Joe Frazier.  But I and a lot of people grew up watching him fight the fight against some of the greatest boxers of all time including Muhammad Ali.

So while we look at the news, watching the stank, let’s remember that Joe Frazier died Monday at the age of 67.

Rick Thomas

Details are still coming in about the passing away today of rapper/actor Heavy D who was apparently rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles for an unknown medical reason.  The 44 year old Heavy D, born as Dwight Arrington Myers was pronounced dead at 1PM at Cedars after being rushed to the facility from his Beverly Hills home and was conscious and talking on arrival.

Police are now at his home investigating as the cause of his death at this point are unknown and no signs of foul play according to those at the scene.

Heavy D was one of most incredible rappers leading the genre back in the 1990′s.  His TV credits include Boston Public, The Tracey Morgan Show and Law & Order: SVU.

Well here we go again.  Really do these people who use any type of slur in the public view think they can verbalize something so stupid and not have it blow up on the internet?  Really?

Brett Ratner, producer of the current big screen movie Tower Heist and a stack of other hit movies along with being the producer of television’s Academy Awards, use the word “fags” during a screening of Tower Heist in Los Angeles.

'Tower Heist' Producer Brett Ratner

During a session he was asked about getting the cast to rehearse their lines and actions during the production of a movie and Ratner responded “Rehearsal is for fags.”  He later apologized for his words saying “Everybody who knows me knows that I don’t have a prejudiced bone in my body.”

Further Ratner apologized “for any offense my remarks caused.”

Not good enough.  Brett Ratner was fired from his post as producer of the Academy Awards according to the Hollywood Reporter.  Which quite frankly is the right thing to do because his comment was unforgivable.  And I’m not one who thinks everything the gay and lesbian community is fighting for is something that I would vote for.  Not at all.

But to use any type of slur is unacceptable especially in Hollywood where a large majority of gay and lesbian people are employed.

Rick Thomas

November 8, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Academy Statement Regarding Brett Ratner

 Beverly Hills, CA – This morning, Brett Ratner submitted his resignation as a producer of the 84th annual Academy Awards to Academy President Tom Sherak. Ratner then issued an open letter to the entertainment industry in which he explained his decision.

“He did the right thing for the Academy and for himself,” Sherak said. “Words have meaning, and they have consequences. Brett is a good person, but his comments were unacceptable. We all hope this will be an opportunity to raise awareness about the harm that is caused by reckless and insensitive remarks, regardless of the intent.”

Trying to get to the office but my TV is blowing up this morning.  We started this wonderful day with the arrest of Penn State Pedophiles who work for the football program that is about to be rocked like no other sports program in America.

Penn State Football Coach Joe Paterno

All over cable news, the press conference detailing the charges the State of Pennsylvania is placing on two people involved in the sports department at Penn State.  You can start the clock counting down the end of Joe Paterno’s career as head coach of that football program since some, and unfortunately not most, see him as part of the cover-up by not calling the authorities to report these incidents of child abuse.

Then comes ‘Fingers’ Herman Cain, the touchy candidate for the GOP nomination for President.  Seems he likes to not only harass women but apparently likes to assault women as a fourth accuser was all over TV today saying Herman Cain tried to touch her inappropriately when she met him at a hotel.

Yeah, you can star that clock on Herman Cain’s campaign as well.

Then “Breaking News” as the verdict is in for Dr. Conrad Murray and his trial on the death of Michael Jackson.  And it’s not even noon here in the west.

TV’s blowing up big time.  What a day

Lip syncing on The X Factor?  OK wait a minute…isn’t this the FOX Television Network, owned by News Corp, the company that involved in the serious hacking scandal rocking Great Britain, the United States and the world?

Oh, yeah.  Lip syncing is mild compared to that hacking thing but dang should we expect better from The X Factor?  I think yes but here we have it, a lip syncing controversy on the show that is about real people singing real songs live on national television.

LeRoy Bell on 'The X Factor'

Last Thursday night’s live episode of The X Factor featured 60 year old LeRoy Bell from Tacoma rocking out a song by Usher and David Guetta titled Without You when he definitely went off track with the track of the song showing that he was lip syncing instead of really voicing the words.

A flashback I would say to American Bandstand or since I’m from Philly The Georgie Wood Show on TV when the Delfonics could never lip sync Somebody Loves You but yes I bring you  a blast from the past from Channel 48 in that city.

Now the statement to Entertainment Weekly from FOX on this mishap:

“All competitive songs, including survival songs, are performed live to a backing track. Due to the finalists’ extensive preparation for their Wednesday night performances, the opening ensemble number on the results show is prerecorded, the same way as on other shows.”

OOOOOOKAY!

Whatever that means.

American Idol went in to the same muddy waters a couple of years ago yet it found its way past that scandal, if that’s what you really want to call it but The X Factor keeps winning its time slot on Thursday nights so I wouldn’t think this is going to hurt the show’s popularity at all.

And it gave me an opportunity to mention The Georgie Wood Show which I never thought would ever find its way to this blog.  The late great deejay of the 60′s and 70′s, “the guy with the goods, Georgie Woods!”