Locking Up the Oscars

An historic win, a sin of omission, a rude interruption, tears of joy and some killer  one-liners—all part of the lengthy live telecast of the 82nd annual Academy Awards  on ABC. Opening the show with Neil Patrick Harris doing a song and dance number was inspired and attention-grabbing right out of the gate, but the tune disappointed. Still, it won’t hurt his well-deserved new rep as the go-to guy for awards show hosting duties. The...

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“I Just Can’t Stop Loving You”–Minus MJ

Judith Hill belts it out in Beverly HIlls The occasion: a glitzy luncheon at the Beverly Hills Hotel honoring the nominees of  the 41st Annual NAACP Image Awards, to be broadcast live on FOX Friday Feb. 26 at 8 p.m.—but tape-delayed on the West Coast from the Shrine Auditorium.   The highlight: singer Judith Hill, Michael Jackson’s duet partner on “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You” in “This is It,” gave a solo, gut-wrenching performance...

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Burning Grammy Questions

Where was Kanye West when you needed him?  Perhaps he could have mitigated some of the Taylor-phoria at the 52nd annual Grammy Awards, which many people are complaining was more like the Country Music Awards, what with the Zac Brown Brand (who?) winning for best new artist. Ricky Martin—did you get the heat you asked for twice? Kaley Cuoco—was your dress on backwards? Bon Jovi—why did the fan-chosen “Living on a Prayer” only run about...

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Longevity is Everything: Ask the Simpsons

The record books are re-arranging the rankings, moving “Gunsmoke” down a notch and elevating “The Simpsons.” Yes, Sunday night at 8 p.m. marks a special moment in television history: “The Simpsons” will officially celebrate its 20th anniversary, becoming the longest-running scripted primetime show ever. Many people may not recall that the animated yellow family made its debut as interstitials on Fox’s “The Tracey Ullman...

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Another Awards Show? Maybe Not a Bad Idea…

Still pondering the surprising news that the Emmys could be in for some competition—and after the initial knee-jerk reaction of “Oh, great, another awards show,” coming around to the notion that it’s probably a good idea. The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences is one of the few award-granting entities that have an open field with no other awards competition anywhere near its time slot. The show has been airing in recent years...

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