TLC Cancels ‘All-American Muslim’ Reality TV Show

A TLC network reality television show about Muslim families living in the Detroit area is ending after one season.

TLC spokeswoman Laurie Goldberg said Wednesday the “All-American Muslim” series won’t be back. Its eight-episode run ended in January.

“All-American Muslim” attracted attention when a conservative Christian group called for an advertiser boycott. At least two companies announced they were pulling ads. TLC says the protest caused a backlash in which new advertisers signed on.

One episode focused almost entirely on the conflicted feelings the show’s participants had about marking anniversaries of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, when Muslim extremists destroyed the World Trade Center and killed thousands of people.

After a strong start to the series, ratings faded. The series was considered a long shot to return. –Care2

The Honest Bachelor

Which TV Shows Were Most Influential?

The most influential show in the history of television never finished a season among the 20 most popular programs in the Nielsen ratings.

In its most popular season, "Hill Street Blues," which ran from 1981 to 1987, came in 21st place. And yet, according to a group of veteran TV critics and college professors who study the media, it was the TV series that most changed the direction of television programming.

Meanwhile, other series such as "ER" and "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," both monster hits that were the most popular shows in several seasons, failed to get even one mention from the panel of a dozen professional TV watchers queried by CNN.

In all, 46 shows were cited as having a strong influence on TV but none was mentioned as often as "Hill Street Blues."

That NBC series "paved the way for TV drama to grow up and be truly adult," said Matt Roush, TV critic at TV Guide Magazine.

It was "the prototype for a serious complex view of inner-city crime," added Elayne Rapping, professor of American studies and media studies at the State University of New York.

Others cited its large diverse cast at a time when this was a rarity and said it laid the groundwork for complex network dramas.

Here are the next most influential shows chosen by the panel:

2. (tie) "I Love Lucy"

This is the show that pioneered the multicamera approach to situation comedies, said Ken Tucker, TV critic for Entertainment Weekly. It created "the template for all sitcoms to come," added Neal Justin of the StarTribune in Minneapolis.

2. (tie) "The Sopranos"

Up until it got on the air, "nobody had ever tried to make a show in which the protagonist was not merely unsympathetic, but actually evil," said Glenn Garvin of The Miami Herald. "Now, from 'Dexter' to 'Sons of Anarchy,' it's a common practice."

4. "The Tonight Show"

Whether with Steve Allen or Johnny Carson, it "established the model for late-night talk comedy programming still in use today," said Robert J. Thompson, professor of television and popular culture at Syracuse University.

5. (tie) "All in the Family"

It set a standard for sitcoms because "it managed to mirror all the tensions and contradictions, both essential and timely, of life in America while it boldly addressed a time of great political change," said Mary McNamara, TV critic for the Los Angeles Times.

5. (tie) "Survivor"

Though it premiered in the summer, said Mark Dawidziak of the Plain Dealer in Cleveland, its huge success "led to the reality boom of the last 12 years and paved the way for series like 'American Idol' and 'Dancing With the Stars.' "

7. (tie) "The Cosby Show"

Not only was this the top-rated show for five consecutive seasons but panelists give it credit for reviving the situation comedy and for being the first series to feature a family headed by black professionals.

7. (tie) "60 Minutes"

This long-running show finished in first place for three consecutive seasons, establishing the format for all TV newsmagazines to come. Meanwhile, says Dave Walker of the Times-Picayune in New Orleans, "it inadvertently turned TV news from a public service into a profit center."

7. (tie) "Friends"

Panel members praised its fresh approach to ensemble comedy, which looked deceptively simple. "It made network executives think that any show built around five or six attractive people would be a hit," said Maureen Ryan, TV critic for AOL.

10. (tie) "The Today Show"

It invented morning television and woke up network executives to the profit potential at that time of day.

10. (tie) "American Idol"

Though TV had amateur talent shows before, such as "Star Search" and "Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts," this series demonstrated the enormous potential of the genre.

Several panelists gave a nod to MTV's "Real World" for creating the modern reality show in which nonactors are placed in pre-planned situations.

Other shows receiving honorable mention for their influence on the TV industry: "M*A*S*H," "The Simpsons," "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," "Law & Order," "Lost," "Your Show of Shows," "The Milton Berle Show," "Sesame Street," "The Shield," "American Bandstand" and the UK original version of "The Office."

For this story, CNN consulted the following experts:

Robert Bianco, USA Today
Matt Roush, TV Guide Magazine
Mark Dawidziak, Plain-Dealer in Cleveland
Neal Justin, StarTribune in Minneapolis
Maureen Ryan, AOL
Ken Tucker, Entertainment Weekly
Glenn Garvin, The Miami Herald
Dave Walker, Times-Picayune in New Orleans
Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times
Elayne Rapping, State University of New York
Robert J. Thompson, Syracuse University
Max Dawson, Northwestern University

CNN Entertainment

Hilarious! People Buying Fresh Meat

ABC Blasphemes Jesus With New Show ‘GCB’

ABC-TV has taken blasphemy against God, the Bible, God’s church, and Jesus Christ to new levels of depravity.

The attached advertisement for ABC’s new program, GCB, found in a New York subway, not only is a blasphemous use of the biblical command to “Love thy neighbor.” It also blasphemes Jesus Christ, who died on the Cross to save the souls of all people who have faith in Him.

Based on the book “Good Christian Bi----s” by Kim Gatlin, GCB is about a woman named Amanda Vaughn, played by Leslie Bibb, who returns home to Dallas with her two children after facing marital and financial troubles. GCB’s trailers, ads, and name suggest this series will not be family friendly or even respectful towards Christians.

According to information about the program received by Movieguide, Amanda is a former “mean girl” who has put the past behind her, while her former class mates and victims have not. They are the new mean girls who are as likely to gossip viciously about their returned rival as they are to offer up a humiliating prayer about her in church. As soon as their leader Carlene Cockburn, played by Kristin Chenoweth, sees her arrive she calls her friends, smugly gossiping about how Amanda’s former husband died in a car crash while having an affair with her best friend. Chenoweth’s character then halts the talk saying, “Ladies, it is not appropriate to speak of such things on the phone.” After a pause she continues, “I’ll see ya in church.” Another clip shows Carlene and her friends confronting Amanda about the moral code of their community.

The following scene shows Carlene in an office getting an invitation from a man to “do it.” Turning religious pictures face down, she crawls over the desk, as well as the man, and gives him a heavy kiss. Meanwhile, Amanda’s gun-collecting, shallow mother, played by Annie Potts says, “I feel certain that the good Lord would like me to have a new fur coat.”

Based on the trailers, Amanda Vaughn appears to be the only sane member of this community, and she doesn’t appear to be a practicing Christian. When her mother drags her and her children to church, Amanda tells her mother that she “didn’t raise the kids with any particular religion.” While we all know that there are hypocrites in every institution and every religion, GCB uses southern Christian women as the sole, stereotypical examples of self-indulgence, shallowness and hypocrisy.

Other scenes show young girls being encouraged to wear revealing tops. When one mother expresses concern that her daughter‘s old cheerleader uniform is to tight, Chenoweth’s character tells her not to worry “cleavage helps your cross hang straight.” Later at the game, the football team cheers when the girl’s vest pops open.

Clearly, this isn’t exactly a message Christian parents would want to send their daughters.

Although the series may prove better than its trailers and name suggest, the fact that GCB ridicules God, morality, and Christians, who are little more than stereotypes, raises concerns for both families and Christians. In this light, everyone should remember that ridicule was a tool that Adolph Hitler used to murder six million Jews during World War II. –Movie Guide

Hilarious Commercial!!

Santorum!

First Set Photos From the ‘Star Trek’ Sequel

"Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Spock"?

The first photos from the set of the sequel to 2009's "Star Trek" have leaked, and from what we can see it looks like it will be just as action-packed as its predecessor. What's more, the shots give us the first look at the villain from the film currently in production.

The photos show Zachary Quinto and Zoe Saldana returning to the roles of Spock and Uhura, along with new cast member Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays their still-unnamed adversary. The actors were photographed while they rehearsed and shot a fight scene on a large exterior set in front of a green screen (the background will be added in later digitally).

Benedict Cumberbatch is a British actor who broke out playing the lead role in "Sherlock," the BBC's modern-day Sherlock Holmes series. In 2011, he appeared in two critically acclaimed films: "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" opposite Gary Oldman, and Steven Spielberg's Oscar-nominated "War Horse." It had originally been announced that Benicio del Toro would be the bad guy in the new "Star Trek," but after he dropped out of the project Cumberbatch was cast in his place.

Little is known about the character Cumberbatch will play, but we can gather some clues from the photos. He appears to be wearing a black Starfleet shirt like Kirk wore in the first movie before he was made an officer. He's apparently strong enough to tussle with Spock, but his rounded ears would indicate he's not a Vulcan. And it looks like he made Uhura mad enough to blast him with her phaser (presumably set to stun, not to kill).

Director J.J. Abrams and the cast from the last movie are all returning for the next installment, but it will not beam into theaters until May of 2013. –Yahoo Movies 

^^^*^^^

Ellen on 'The Bachelor: The Women Tell All!'

What The Bachelor Says About Women And Modern-Day Relationships

There was a time when I allowed myself to believe in the sincerity of shows like The Bachelor. Though exaggerated, the process occasionally worked, and the series satisfied my voyeuristic curiosity. I may not have liked the contestants, understood why they adhered to such unconventional romantic arrangements, or kept a straight face when they repeatedly mentioned "taking things to the next level," but part of me wanted to see it through. I suppose my naiveté paralleled the sentiments of those candidates, each of whom cast aside real life commitments for the chance of finding meaningful love... on TV.

Most people decry the ABC series for promising lasting relationships when an embarrassing few outlast production, but I'm more interested in the way the show depicts women in relationships. It may be a television show based on unrealistic expectations, but it's one of the more longstanding and popular; something about it resonates among audiences, primarily comprised of women, which is curious when one considers how terribly female contestants are portrayed.

Though I'm still watching, fanciful Monday nights with friends and popcorn are long gone. I increasingly find myself screaming at my television like a crazed contestant on the show. It's bad enough that we've had to watch the women whittle away over the years, now tiny in all regions except one, but the show reinforces more than physical stereotypes.

They begin with group dynamics. Female contestants on The Bachelor emote and bicker more than their male counterparts on The Bachelorette; drama is elevated, and the women rarely get along as seamlessly as the men. And who can forget those cringeworthy goodbyes between Bachelors and the women they send packing? Mascara-stained cheeks and "woe is me" speeches reinforce certain stereotypes about women: we fall hard; we fall fast; we are devastated whenever a relationship ends; and we're all certifiably insane.

The Bachelor, meanwhile, returns to the rose ceremony where a bevy of women awaits, one of them holding his next glass of champagne. Even when women wield the choosing power on The Bachelorette, imbalances persist. The woman always appears more emotional throughout the process; she's also more likely to get played by her contestants. Although Ben has chosen to date a manipulative woman on the current season, the Bachelors rarely contend with disingenuous contestants, whereas recent Bachelorettes have confronted too many scheming men to count (Wes, Justin, Frank and who could forget Bentley?).

Although she still controls her fate, she rarely, if ever, insists that the man of her choosing relocate to wherever she lives. Not only does she refrain from insisting on it; she never even mentions it, whereas the Bachelor spends approximately half of his conversations with his suitors discussing whether or not they would be willing to move for him. Express doubt and risk getting voted off the island.

In reviewing successful relationships (those lasting more than a few months) stemming from the past five or six seasons, I note the following:

The Bachelor

1. Andy proposed to Tessa, and she moved to Hawaii where he was stationed.
2. Jason and Molly got engaged, and she moved to Seattle where he lived.
3. Jake and Vienna both moved to LA.
4. Brad unsuccessfully tried to convince Emily to move to his hometown of Austin, so they broke up.

The Bachelorette

1. Jillian chose Ed and moved to Chicago, where he lived.
2. Ali chose Roberto, and they both relocated to San Diego.
3. Ashley chose JP and moved to where he lived, New York City.

In some ways these "findings" are unsurprising. Men traditionally dictated where they and their partners lived; many still do. What's unique about this show, however, is that the arrangement affords one person excessive power over his or her relationships. The Bachelor or Bachelorette theoretically possesses the upper hand, but the Bachelorette never gets there.

That women come off looking so bad is particularly puzzling when one considers that the show's longstanding success depends on maintaining the loyalty of female viewers. Why do professional women like myself continue to watch the show? Your guess is as good as mine, although I'd like to think that we're holding out hope for a level playing field.

At least during the upcoming season of The Bachelorette, filming occurs on Emily Maynard's home turf. For the first time in series history, producers are digressing from LA-based production. Well done, Emily. Well done. –Huffington Post

By Millie Kerr

Follow Millie Kerr on Twitter: www.twitter.com/millieckerr

Carol Burnett Exercise

2012 Oscar Winners List

Cinematography: Robert Richardson, "Hugo"

Art Direction: Dante Ferretti and  Francesca Lo Schiavo, "Hugo"

Costume Design: Mark Bridges, "The Artist"

Makeup: Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland, "The Iron Lady"

Foreign Language Film: "A Separation"

Best Supporting Actress: Octavia Spencer, "The Help"

Film Editing: Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall, "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"

Sound Editing: Philip Stockton and Eugene Gearty, "Hugo"

Sound Mixing: Tom Fleischman and John Midgley, "Hugo"

Documentary Feature: "Undefeated"

Animated Feature: "Rango"

Visual Effects: Rob Legato, Joss Williams, Ben Grossman and Alex Henning, "Hugo"

Best Supporting Actor: Christopher Plummer, "Beginners"

Original Score: Ludovic Bource, "The Artist"

Original Song: Bret McKenzie, "Man or Muppet" from "The Muppets"

Adapted Screenplay: Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash, "The Descendants"

Original Screenplay: Woody Allen, "Midnight in Paris"

Live Action Short: "The Shore"

Documentary Short: "Saving Face"

Animated Short: "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore"

Best Director: Michel Hazanavicius, "The Artist"

Best Actor: Jean Dujardin, "The Artist"

Best Actress: Meryl Streep, "The Iron Lady"

Best Picture: "The Artist"

~ Yahoo Movies ~

Bikini Waxing

Ricky Martin: 'My God Doesn't Make Mistakes'

When Ricky Martin came out in a letter posted on his website last March, the Grammy-winning singer wrote, "I am a fortunate homosexual man. I am very blessed to be who I am." In a new interview with Details magazine, Martin explains that he was referring to God.

Asked what he meant with that comment, Martin responded, "Well, I don't know who your God is, but my God doesn't make mistakes." He also said he believes the holdup for marriage equality in the U.S. has more to do with religion than Congress.

"I don't want to blame the government," says Martin. "I think there is a stolen faith—an interpretation of what God 'says.' That's your God—I have my God. It's about civil rights. I'm not telling you what to believe. I wish people understood that love manifests in different ways. Allow me to have my life and I won't mess with yours. That's when I struggle and get angry and punch the table. And then I talk. Martin Luther King Jr. said, 'Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.'"

Martin, who's been with in a relationship with Carlos González Abella for the past four years, also says that making love "helps" keep him young, and parents don't have to be too tired to have sex.

"You just have to know how and when to do it," says the father of three-year-old twin boys. "But it's funny. Sometimes it's like, 'What, now? On cue?' No, it's not on cue. You just have to be creative."

Martin can be seen as Che in the Broadway revival of Evita beginning in March. –Gay Net

Chinese Scenes from BASE-Book - Matt Gerdes on Vimeo.

Oliver Stone’s Son: The Jewish Christian Muslim

In the midst of all the important news stories competing for my attention lately, I found myself distracted the other day by what, at first blush at least, seemed a decidedly trivial one.  Apparently there exists someone by the name of Sean Stone.  He is twenty-seven years old, and is the son of Oliver Stone, the famous film director, writer, and outspoken fan of Hugo Chavez, Fidel Castro, and other charismatic totalitarians.  Coincidentally, Sean Stone has also appeared in twelve of his father’s own movies, which means he is obviously an exceedingly talented young actor.

Sean was born with the middle name of Christopher, which means “bearer of Christ.” He has now, however, changed his name to Sean Ali Stone, because he has converted to Islam.  In what seems a nod to family tradition, he did not just convert to Islam, he did it in a country run by the kind of tyrants his dad loves, namely Iran.

Young Sean explains his new faith in good old-fashioned addled-celebrity style.  On the one hand: “I have said a simple prayer, ‘There is no God but God, and Mohammed is his messenger.’”  On the other: -Front Page

Women's Health Experts Speak Out

Obama sings 'Sweet Home Chicago'

with B.B. King

Jockey Supports Tim Tebow

Sorry Haters, People Like Ellen DeGeneres

One Million Moms, a side project of the hate group American Family Association, is very angry at JC Penney.

You see, JC Penney, probably drunk at the time on the white man’s fire water, hired Ellen DeGeneres, an openly gay woman, as it’s spokesperson.

“Funny that JC Penney thinks hiring an open homosexual spokesperson will help their business when most of their customers are traditional families,” the One Million Moms wrote on their website.

By ‘traditional’, of course, they mean ‘just like us’.

The One Million Moms is asking people to call JC Penney and complain.

“Please,” they beseeched, “for the love of God, pick up that phone and take a stand against all this evil homosexuality going on. Ellen and people like her need to stop expressing their sexuality they way they want and start expressing it the way we, the One Million Moms, think they should.”

The problem for the One Million Moms, despite the fact there isn’t even close to one million of them, is that Ellen DeGeneres is probably the most beloved television personality going.

“We just don’t get it,” the One Million Moms lamented. “How come it’s not the 50s anymore?”

The One Million Moms want JC Penney “to replace Ellen DeGeneres as their new spokesperson immediately and remain neutral in the culture war that only exists in our heads.”

The Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Discrimination (GLAAD) responded to the One Million Moms with a resounding “fat chance.”

“A vast majority of Americans today support Ellen as well as their LGBT friends and family members,” Herndon Graddick, a GLAAD spokesman said in a written statement. “Selecting an out performer who has inspired and entertained millions, is not only a smart business practice, but a reflection of how LGBT Americans today are an integral and valued part of the fabric of our culture.”

DeGeneres’ daytime talk show has more viewers than the One Million Moms has moms. Ellen averages a whopping 3.38 million viewers a day. Pretending for a moment, like the One Million Moms themselves, that there really are one million moms in One Million Moms, that’s still 2.38 million more viewers than moms.

A few days after the One Million Moms call for action, J.C. Penney confirmed that it “stands behind its partnership with Ellen DeGeneres.”

As noted above, the One Million Moms is a franchise (or something) of the hate group American Family Association. I’m not being facetious in calling them a hate group. The Southern Poverty Law Center has defined them, correctly, as such. You see, if you team up with other people, forming a group, and then hate on gays and Muslims, you’re a hate group.

Even Jesus is embarrassed by them and has changed his religion on Facebook from “Christian” to “Spiritual” in an attempt to distance himself.

The One Million Moms were upset with JC Penney’s decision not to pay them any mind. “Today we learned that our obsession with the way other people have sex doesn’t matter at all to JC Penney and that makes us very sad. America and everyone in it (except for us) will burn in the fires of hell for all eternity.”

GLAAD applauded JC Penney’s decision to stick with DeGeneres, but not really. Seriously, do you think they were all clapping around the water cooler? They did, however, issue a statement of support.

“This week Americans spoke out in overwhelming support of LGBT people and J.C. Penney’s decision not to fire Ellen simply for who she happens to love,” said Herndon Graddick, senior director of programs and communications at GLAAD.

Defeated, the One Million Moms who don’t even number a million have returned to their favorite pastime, which is shooting dirty looks at strangers who seem a little “different”. -By Michael Kindt-The Cagle Post

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Foot Note: Michael Kindt is writer living in South Dakota whose work has appeared in College Times, Midwest Lit Review and in the poetry anthology “It’s Dark & Scary In Here.” He’s the author of “Early Onset of Night, Volume One” and blogs at Early-Onset-of-Night.tumblr.com. Twitter: @MichaelKindt

Black History Month Is Just Another

Form of Segregation

Chris Tucker Funniest Stand Up Comedy

(Warning: Strong Language)