Pop Culture Checklist

Clark Main of Erie will be featured in a new reality show called “Murder.” 

It premieres at 10 p.m. Tuesday (tonight) on Spike TV. He will be featured in the Sept. 4 episode. 

The TV show follows contestants who attempt to solve a real-life homicide pulled from police files. The crime scenes are recreated so the teams can experience exactly what the original detectives encountered. They have 48 hours to solve the crime. 

The show is hosted by Detective Tommy LeNoir, a 27-year law enforcement veteran from Arlington, Texas. In each episode, he escorts two groups of contestants into the replica crime scene. The groups immediately begin collecting evidence. The groups are given a list of potential suspects, and can listen to interrogation tapes. 

After 48 hours is up, each group must present their findings to Detective LeNoir. He then reveals to the groups what actually happened at the crime scene and reveals which group identified the correct killer. 

The winning group will have a donation made in their names to a selected victim’s charity. 

The Evening News will be publishing a feature on Clark early next week. 

Check out the show tonight, and don’t forget to watch Clark on Sept. 4. 

–“Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End” will be out on DVD on Dec. 4. You can purchase a single-disc DVD ($30) with bloopers and audio commentary, or buy a two-disc special edition ($35) with hours of extras.
–“Saw IV” is coming to the big screen on Oct. 26. Check out www.bloody-disgusting.com for the first look at the movie’s official poster. (It’s not pretty!)
–D.J. Caruso will direct “Y: The Last Man,” an adaptation of the Vertigo comic book. The story is about a mysterious plague that wipes out almost all the male mammals overnight. The few surviving males, a magician and his pet monkey, search for the cause of what wiped out the male chromosomes from the world.
–Vince Vaughn and Reese Witherspoon are in final negotiations to star in a comedy called “Four Christmases,” according to USA Today. They will play a couple who struggle to visit all four of their divorced parents’ homes on Christmas Day.
–The DC comic book “Jonah Hex” will be made into a movie. The character is a gunslinger and bounty hunter who always wore a Confederate army uniform and had the right side of his face disfigured. The character was introduced in the 1970’s in the “All Star Western” series, and later had its own series in 1977.
–“Southland Tales” will be released on Nov. 9, according to IndieWIRE. It stars Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Sean William Scott, Justin Timberlake, Mandy Moore, Cheri Oteri, Kevin Smith, and Amy Poehler.
Set a year from now in L.A., the movie is an epic story over a three-day period that culminates in a massive July 4^th celebration.

Here’s the top 10 box office movies from the weekend: 

1. The Simpsons Movie, $71.8 million 

2. I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, 19.1 million 

3. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, $17.1 million 

4. Hairspray, $15.6 million 

5. No Reservations, $11.8 million 

6. Transformers, $11.5 million 

7. Ratatouille, $7.2 million 

8. Live Free or Die Hard, $5.4 million 

9. I Know Who Killed Me, $3.4 million 

10. Who’s Your Caddy, $2.9 million 

Well, it’s a tough job, but somebody had to do it.
When my boss asked me on Friday morning to go to The Simpsons Movie for work, I happily accepted. I know, it was a rough assignment!
So I was one of the first of about 100 local fans to catch the film on Friday afternoon at Regal Cinemas at Frenchtown Square mall.
 I wasn’t sure what to expect because sometimes movies can be a let down, especially since The Simpson’s have been riding such a high since they were introduced 18 years ago.
But let me reassure you that there is no let down here. In fact, it met every expectation. Homer is at his best, especially with all those great one-liners, and many of your favorite characters are included.
The movie, which debuted on Friday, focuses on Homer’s character. Homer must save the world from a catastrophe that he created. The devastation he creates causes the President, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and the Environmental Protection Agency, to help solve the problem. In the process, Homer seeks redemption and forgiveness from his family, especially his wife Marge.
It is rated PG-13 for a reason, since there is some cussing but it’s not so bad where you have to keep the kids home. In fact, all ages – young and old – watched the movie premiere on Friday. Out loud laughter was heard throughout the entire movie, especially when Bart shows us more than we have ever seen of him…if you know what I mean!
Go see it. It’s funny. And the best part about the movie is that you don’t need to be a die-hard fan to enjoy it. It’s an hour-and-a-half of good humor and fun.
That’s just my take. Let me know what you think. Did you like it? What’s your favorite part of the movie? What’s your favorite Homer one-liner?

Welcome to the weekly buzz, a segment that offers listings of upcoming shows, movies and local and regional events. It appears every Thursday. Please feel free to add any events or shows not mentioned.
LOCAL EVENTS
First and foremost, don’t forget to visit the Monroe County Fair! It kicks off Sunday through Aug. 4 at the fairgrounds, 3775 S. Custer Rd. For a complete list of events, check out the schedule published daily in the Monroe Evening News.
In other news:
–129 Lounge is hosting its first ever “Michigan Beer Tasting” event. Sample a variety of Michigan-made beers. It will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at the bar, 129 E. Front St., Monroe.
–St. Mary’s Park concert series continues tonight. “On The Beach” will perform rock tunes at 7 p.m. Thursday (tonight) at the park.
–BlackHawk Motorcycle Club, 6791 Sarah Rd., will hold a poker run on Sunday. Signup after 11 a.m. and ride begins at 1 p.m. For more info, call 243-0651.
–Carleton Community Festival will be held Friday and Saturday at Carleton VFW Post 4093, located at 700 Carleton-Rockwood Rd. Festival begins at 5 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. Saturday.
–River Raisin Jazz Series continues tonight, from 6 to 10 p.m. in downtown Monroe. Listen to live jazz performances at 129 Lounge, Café Classics, McGeady’s, Jefana’s on Front, Monroe Street Grill, and Rendezvous.
–Jazz performances will be held from 8 to 10 p.m. Friday at the pavilion in Loranger Square in downtown Monroe.
–MaggieMoo’s of Monroe will hold its Grand Opening on Saturday. It will be held from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. Prizes, clowns, DJ, and celebrity scoopers will be on hand. It’s locatd at 2135 Mall Rd., Monroe.
REGIONAL EVENTS
–The annual “Summer Beer Festival” will be held Friday and Saturday at Riverside Park and Frog Island, 5 E. Cross St., Ypsilanti. Sample over 100 beers prepared by brewers throughout the state. Live music, food also available. Hours are 5 to 9 p.m. Friday and 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday.
–Great Maumee River Dragon Boat Festival will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at International Park at the SS Willis B. Boyer, in Toledo.
–Art on the Mall will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at University of Toledo, Centennial Mall, in Toledo.
–The Chelsea Summer Fest will be held Friday and Saturday in downtown Chelsea. Events include a car show, a Kid Zone, food, and entertainment. For more info, call (734) 475-1145.
–The Jackson RaceWeek Festival is being held over two weekends. It begins Friday and also will be held the following weekend. For all the events, visit www.eventsetc.net or call (810) 494-7186.
–Brighton Summer Fest will be held Friday through Sunday. Kids games, car show, live bands, food, and more will be available. For more info, call (810) 494-7186.
–The Toledo Zoo will host a “Fisher-Price Play Weekend” on Saturday and Sunday. The toy company will bring their Play Space for children ages 6 months to 5 years old to explore the newest toys.
TELEVISION
Premieres this week:
–The 20^th anniversary of “Shark Week” begins Sunday on the Discovery Channel. It runs through Aug. 4. It officially begins at 9 p.m. Sunday with “Ocean of Fear.”
–A/E will premiere “The Two Coreys” at 10 p.m. Sunday. It features the 1980’s teen actors Corey Haim and Corey Feldman. (My personal favorite movie of theirs is “The Lost Boys.” Great movie!)
In other TV news:
–In an interview with ifmagazine, executive producer Howard Gordon for “24” said that Kiefer Sutherland (Jack Bauer) will be hopping to the other coast. He will be in Washington, D.C. That’s right, CTU is gone for the next season.
–HBO renewed “Big Love” for a third season. It stars Bill Paxton and Chloe Sevigny as members of a polygamous family in Utah.
–Fox announced that the Oct. 7 episode of “The Simpsons” will be for comic book lovers. The plot is about Comic Book Guy, who gets competition in Springfield from a new store, “Coolsville Comics & Toys” run by Milo (voiced by Jack Black). It will feature cartoon versions of guest stars Art Spiegelman (creator of Maus), Dan Clowes (creator of Eightball), and Alan Moore (creator of Watchmen).
–Fox has picked up “Hell’s Kitchen” for a fourth season. 
–“Cops” has been picked up for its 20^th season and will celebrate its 700^th episode this fall on Fox. The “20^th Season Anniversary Special Edition” will air on Sept. 18 and its 700^th episode will air Nov. 10.
–After three seasons on Laguna Beach, MTV is moving up the coast. This season, they will be following high school students from “Newport Harbor: The Real Orange County.” It premieres at 10:30 p.m. Aug. 15.
–MTV also is set to premiere the third season of “The Hills.” It airs at 10 p.m. Aug. 13. It stars Lauren (L.C.) Conrad, one of the original “Laguna Beach” stars.
–In yet another MTV show, the 19^th season of “The Real World” will premiere at 10 p.m. Aug. 8. The seven American houseguests will be living in Sydney, Australia.
MUSIC
–CD releases for July 31 are Korn’s untitled album and Common’s “Finding Forever.”
–Tori Amos announced a fall tour in support of her latest album, “American Doll Posse.” It kicks off Oct. 9 in New York and goes through Dec. 17. She will be making a stop in Detroit at the Fox Theatre on Oct. 27.
–“Entourage” will have its own CD soundtrack. The HBO hit show will have its own CD, set to be released on Aug. 14.
–Joni Mitchell is releasing her next album through Starbucks. “Shine” will be released Sept. 25 – it’s her first collection of new material since 1998. The 63-year-old wrote nine of the album’s 10 tracks.
MOVIES
Movies opening on Friday:
-The Simpsons Movie
-No Reservations
-Who’s Your Caddy?
-Talk To Me
-I Know Who Killed Me
DVD releases on Tuesday, July 31:
-Hot Fuzz
-300 (2-Disc Special Edition)
-300 (Wide and Full Screen)
-The Darwin Awards
-The Epic Legends Collection (Braveheart & Gladiator)
-Everything’s Gone Green
-Firehouse Dog
-Lonely Hearts
-Pathfinder
-Yellow
-Kung Fu Hustle (Deluxe Edition)

Never have time to catch up on all those re-runs of your favorite TV shows? Well, the Minisode Network has the answer. 

The online network, which launched in June, is a broadband channel on the MySpace site that offers streaming episodes of vintage Sony Pictures Television series like “Silver Spoons,” “Starsky & Hutch,” and “Diff’rent Strokes.” What makes it unique is that the classic shows that are normally 30 minutes are cut down to 4 to 6 minutes. 

Dialogue has been abbreviated so you can watch shows at a faster pace. Now that’s time management! 

Watch some of your favorite shows at Minisode Network, located at www.myspace.com/minisodenetwork. 

Here is a list of ABC’s fall premieres. For NBC, CBS and the CW, check out earlier blogs posted this past week.
ABC PREMIERES
Monday, Sept. 24
8 p.m. – Dancing with the Stars
9:30 p.m. – The Bachelor
Tuesday, Sept. 25
8 p.m. – Dancing with the Stars
Wednesday, Sept. 26
8 p.m. – Dancing with Stars results show
9 p.m. – Private Practice
10 p.m. – Dirty Sexy Money
Thursday, Sept. 27
8 p.m. – Ugly Betty
9 p.m. – Grey’s Anatomy
10 p.m. – Big Shots
Sunday, Sept. 30
7 p.m. – Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (2-hour premiere)
9 p.m. – Desperate Housewives
10 p.m. – Brothers & Sisters
Tuesday, Oct. 2
8 p.m. – Cavemen
8:30 p.m. – Carpoolers
9 p.m. – Dancing with Stars result show
Wednesday, Oct. 3
8 p.m. – Pushing Daisies
Sunday, Oct. 7
7 p.m. – America’s Funniest Home Videos
Friday, Oct. 12
8 p.m. – 20/20
9p.m. – Women’s Murder Club
10 p.m. – Men in Trees
Monday, Oct. 15
9:30 p.m. – Samantha Who?
Tuesday, Nov. 27
10 p.m. – Cashmere Mafia
Wednesday, Feb. 6
10 p.m. – Lost

TV ratings of David Beckham’s debut with the L.A. Galaxy weren’t spectacular, but gave ESPN a boost. 

Beckham made his debut Saturday night during an exhibition game against Chelsea on ESPN. Due to an ankle injury, he only played the final 12 minutes of the game. The game was sold out with 27,000 people in attendance. 

ESPN reportedly scored the network’s highest ratings for a Major League Soccer game with about 1.5 million viewers. It’s the largest audience for an ESPN telecast involving a MLS team, according to Nielsen Media Research. The telecast was the night’s most watched show among men ages 18-49 and men 25-54. 

Now, ESPN is planning on more L.A. Galaxy games, including two each in August and September and another on Oct. 18. 

However, a sports business blog called “Everything But the Game,” reported that in relation to the rest of sports television over the weekend, the Galaxy game was only average at best. Four other broadcasts – the British Open, afternoon baseball, IRL Honday 200 auto race – all had higher ratings. 

Rumors are swirling around ABC’s show “Lost.” Here’s the scoop, but remember, these are just rumors for now.
1. Negotiations are in the works to bring back Harold Perrineau, who plays Michael, and Malcolm David Kelley, who plays Walt. Agreements are “very close” to being done.
2. Only one new actor will become a part of the fixed cast. They are currently seeking out Peter Stormare for the role. Peter is best known for his role on Prison Break, and probably best known as being the blonde-haired bad guy in the movie “Fargo.”
3. Producers have invited Forest Whitaker to participate in two episodes at the start of the season.
Season four of “Lost” returns on Wednesday, Feb. 6 on ABC. It will air weekly without any re-runs.

A new, digitally enhanced version of the “Muppet Show” is in the works at Jim Henson Studios.
It will feature the original puppets but this time, they’ll be able to walk around. It will be like the original variety show, not a cartoon.
The pilot show is in development. Paul McCartney will appear as a celebrity guest.

Drew Carey is the new host of The Price is Right. 

After months of speculation, the comedian announced his new job during David Letterman last night. 

He should have no problem. Besides being a comedian, he also starred in his own sitcom and has hosted many TV shows, such as the improv show called “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” 

He replaces Bob Barker, host of the show for 35 years before retiring in June. New episodes begin in the fall. 

What do you think of the replacement? Is he a better choice than Rosie? Can he live up to Barker’s legacy? Do you care?