Thursday... Last Comic Standing... Final 5 Revealed

These guys confused me from the start.

Tonight was the "Final Performance show" where all 8 comedians would perform "for your vote," though only five of them would advance to the finals, where they would... compete for our vote?

I'm so lost. Ok, so last week, America voted and eliminated three out of the eight. I get that. Tonight, all eight performed and five were left. And, numbers were given. We were told we'd be voting for the Last Comic Standing.

After voting for Iliza, I get this message:

Thank you for voting! Remember that you can vote up to TEN times for your favorite! Make sure to tune into Last Comic Standing next Thursday to see if your favorite comics advance.

Advance? I thought tonight's performance was the last performance and that I'd be voting for the winner. From eight to five to one seems a little drastic. So, I don't know what the hell is going on. Anyway, on to the show.

The problem with elimination results shows is predictability. They announced that Marcus won the challenge last week and would be one of the top five. The first performer was Ron G, who was eliminated. The second performer is not going to be, obviously. That performer was Jim Tavare. I was a bit surprised, because I don't think he's funny. Especially tonight. I mean, he's better than Ron G, but that isn't saying much. Next up was Louis Ramey. This is basically the only spot that could have gone either way. I'm not even talking performances, just the order. Louis was "safe."

Now, what have we got? Three in the top five. Three to go, and two spots left. Now, there is zero percent chance that the next performer will be eliminated, because two comedians left with two open spots would not be dramatic at all. So, Jeff Dye performed, probably without any feelings of pressure whatsoever. Which left two: Iliza, who dominated both of her showdowns, and Sean, who I don't believe even got many votes to be sent to a showdown.

This stunk for me, because I wanted one of the two to win, and obviously there was only one spot left. I pretty much knew Iliza would get in, which is fine. I honestly liked Sean's aggresive insulting humor more as a personality trait than a written comedy set. Didn't work as well on stage.

So, next week, there will be five. Will they perform? I still don't know. Next week IS the season finale, but like American Idol, they have to fill at least a half hour with something. all the other shows have been two hours, at least. Clip show, perhaps?

I'm predicting Iliza, simply because we've seen more of her. I didn't love her set tonight, but I think familiarity is going to help her out. Jeff Dye is my runner up, with Louis being the long shot dark horse. Jim has no chance. Marcus is good, and I guess he could win, but I just think you need more than doing impressions to be considered a real comic.

Bill Bellamy needs to join the Shawn Wayans School of Not Being Funny Anymore.

Cheers! ... is not on this list.

First of all, I'd like to thank everybody involved in making this blog. This is my 58th post: and you know what that means! A list of 58 of my favorite television shows! In no particular order, I give you my totally random list!

24

30 Rock

Alias

Ally McBeal

American Idol

Angel

Big Bang Theory, The

Boomtown

Boston Legal

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Clerks.

Coupling (UK)

Cupid

Dead Like Me

Entourage

Everybody Hates Chris

Family Fued

Firefly

Friday Night Lights

Friends

Gilligan's Island

Gilmore Girls

Grounded For Life

Heroes

House

How I Met Your Mother

It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

Just Shoot Me

Lost

Lost

Monk

Mr. Bean (UK)

My Name Is Earl

Mystery Science Theatre 3000

News Radio

Office, The (UK)

Office, The (US)

Penn & Teller: Bullshit!

Perfect Strangers

Popular

Psych

Saved By The Bell

Scrubs

Simpsons, The

Smallville

Spin City

Standoff

Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987)

The Drew Carey Show

The Joe Schmo Show

Titus

Tru Calling

Two Guys and a Girl ... Pizza Place

Undeclared

Veronica Mars

What I Like About You

Wonderfalls

Friday... Psych

Rachael Leigh Cook is guest starring on Psych.

This is a most pleasant surprise!

Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog

While not really a TV show, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog (heretoforthwence known as Horrible) is approximately an hour long musical film from the mind of Joss Whedon. Whedon already had a bit of a musical hit with "Once More With Feeling," a sixth season episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Wikipedia notes that Feeling was ranked the 13th best musical all-time by Channel 4 in the United Kingdom.

Horrible was produced during the writer's strike for "a low six figures" and Act I appeared online on July 15, with Act II going "live" on the 16th, and Act III the 18th with the intention of all the videos going offline at the end of the night on July 20. All three acts were available for purchase on iTunes.

Horrible stars Neil Patrick Harris, Nathan Fillion and Felicia Day. Fillion and Day both worked with Whedon on Buffy, and Fillion also starred in the TV series Firefly and the film spin-off Serenity. Harris stars in How I Met Your Mother, which also stars former Buffy cast member Allyson Hannigan and has seen guest appearances by Alexis Denisof and Amy Acker (Angel).

Dr. Horrible (Harris) is attempting to get into the Evil League of Evil, but he must prove his worth to the League and it's leader, Bad Horse. While the first phase of his plan is mildly successful, he accidentally introduces his love interest Penny (Day) to the "hero," Captain Hammer (Fillion). The two connect, and Dr. Horrible must keep going. He lets his plan be known publicly through his video blog, and gets caught and beaten (literally) by the LAPD and Captain Hammer. All the while, his alter-ego Billy continues to try and talk to Penny while doing laundry. The two finally do connect, but not until after she starts to date Captain Hammer.

Thursday... Last Comic Standing

So, Iliza Shlesinger won again. Handily. I was shocked that Papa CJ started with jokes I hadn't heard, but he pulled out the "sucking your wife's tits" for the 3rd or 4th straight week... I'm glad he's gone. Paul Foot was just awkward, and it took him about 90 seconds to deliver one average joke to begin his set. He sucked during the prop comedy challenge, too.

I don't remember how much I liked Sean Cullen during the auditions, but he's pretty funny. I like Jeff Dye too, I remember liking him from the beginning. I think once Ron G goes home, it'll be more fun to watch. The guy just pisses me off.

It's too bad Esther Ku went out last week, she wasn't funny but at least she was cute. And it would have been interesting to see two girls last a long time since there were only two to begin with in the top 10. I'm a little surprised there isn't a gay finalist - or at least ... colorful. Maybe one of them is gay, I don't know. Iliza could be for all I know. But TV has become so gay-friendly. Aaanyway, rant aside. Iliza shouldn't be challenged again next week, and I think the home viewers get to vote, so she should be safe.

Chips Ahoy!

I watched a game show called Duel tonight. I've played something similar online before, but I'm not sure what the name of the game I played was.

It's an interesting spin on a trivia game. You have 10 chips. For each multiple choice question, you can cover as many answers as you have chips to play it safe. If you use four chips, you'll get it right and lose three of them. Once your chips are gone, you lose. Or something like that.

So if you know the answer, you can use one chip while your opponent might not know it and play four, losing three of them. After beating a person and given an opportunity to double your money with only one chip and one choice for a question, you can quit or take on another opponent.

I don't think it's going to take off like some of these prime time game shows have been lately (I really wish they'd get Jeff Foxworthy off the air), but it's another one that's funt o play along with at home.

I was going to play a game at ABC.com but I don't want to register.

Tuesday... Celebrity Family Feud

So, the first thing that bugs me a little bit about this is that these "families" aren't always families. Kathy Lee Gifford brought her family, as did that Dog guy. That's what I thought it was going to be all the time. But tonight's episode featured The Office, American Gladiators, and My Name Is Earl cast members. I get the idea, both playing for charity and promoting NBC shows at the same time.

The cast of Earl, on both sides, stayed in character. Randy (Ethan Suplee) played dumb, saying licorice sticks make more noise as they get older. Catalina said her "go-go boots" did the same thing (????) Camden's group seemed to play characters, but still give relatively smart answers. That is, until the final round when Tim Stack (who supposedly plays himself on the show, although I'm sure he isn't really a drunk) ignored his teammates to give ridiculous answers to the question that would have stolen the point bank.

The Office cast members did not play their characters, and even used their real names. Which of course made The Office win easily over The Camdens (though who knows if they would have won if Tim actually played the game).

I had to think it was planned. But I bet the charities of the "Earl" gang were pissed.