Pop Culture Checklist

–Maroon 5 scheduled a world tour to support their platinum-selling album, “It Won’t Be Soon Before Long.” It kicks off Sept. 29 at the Palace of Auburn Hills, and then they go coast to coast. If you miss the September show in Michigan, then you could try to catch the Oct. 5 show at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, or the Oct. 7 show at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.
–The Cure is releasing a double album of its 13^th studio release. It’s not yet titled, but it’s coming out in October. According to frontman Robert Smith, they will sell the double-CD version at a single album price. 
He added about the new songs: “There are songs about relationships, the material world, politics and religion. They’re very upfront and dynamic. People will be surprised how stripped-down and in-your-face the record is.”
The band plans on performing a North American tour in the fall.
–Foo Fighters has a new album coming out Sept. 25. Their sixth album is called “Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace.”
Frontman Dave Grohl said this about the sound: “It has always been my dream to mix Steely Dan with No Means No,” and “There’s a four-piece rock band…but then there are songs where the middle sections turn into this mass orchestrated swarm and ridiculous time signatures.”
–Collective Soul made a deal with Target, making it the exclusive physical retailer for the group’s next album.
Their album, “Afterwords,” will be released on Aug. 28. It also will be issued by the band’s EI Music Group imprint, and the set will be available digitally on iTunes.
Lead singer Ed Roland said this about the album: “It’s all there – heavy, melodic rock to the three-minute pop song. We’re still a guitar-oriented band, but we’re more confident than ever in the music we’re making and the reason we’re making it.”

An online leak about the Primetime Emmy Award finalists in the comedy and drama series was released last week. 

The site, www.theenvelope.com, posted the list of the top 10 finalists in each category. According to the site, here are the drama finalists: Boston Legal, Grey’s Anatomy, Lost, Friday Night Lights, Heroes, House, 24, Dexter, Rome, and The Sopranos. 

The comedy finalists, according to the site, are: Desperate Housewives, Ugly Betty, My Name Is Earl, The Office, Scrubs, 30 Rock, Two and a Half Men, Entourage, Extras, and Weeds. 

Official nominations for the 59^th Primetime Emmy Awards will be announced on July 19.

Here are the top 10 box office movies from last weekend: 

1. Transformers, $67.6 million 

2. Ratatouille, $29 million 

3. Live Free or Die Hard, 17.4 million 

4. License to Wed, $10.4 million 

5. Evan Almighty, $8.1 million 

6. 1408, $7.1 million 

7. Knocked Up, $5.2 million 

8. Fantastic Four, $4.15 million 

9. Sicko, “3.65 million 

10. Ocean’s Thirteen, $3.5 million

Don’t forget, the ‘World Series of Pop Culture,” a game show tournament, begins at 9 p.m. tonight on VH1. Sixteen teams compete in a tournament to determine who knows the most about popular culture.
If you think you are a pop culture whiz, then you might win some cash. There will be a nightly online trivia contest called “TriviaDome” that has a $2,500 prize. A $10,000 prize will be awarded after the final episode on July 20.
The contest works like this: It will ask you 25 multiple choice questions, one after the other, of increasing difficulty. You have 20 seconds to answer each question. The first person to get all 25 answers right in the shortest time is the winner. In case no one answers all 25, the person who answers the most questions correctly will win.
To play, you must register at www.worldofpop.com. The contest begins immediately after the “World Series of Pop Culture” on VH1, and continues every night throughout the season. A leader board will be displayed on the site when the game ends at 10:20  p.m.
For more information, visit www.worldofpop.com or go to the World Of Pop blog at www.worldofpop.com/blog.

Good luck!

Welcome to the weekly buzz…a little early. I normally post the “weekly buzz” on Thursdays, but since I’ll be on vacation, you’re getting your buzz earlier this week.
In case you’re new to this, the weekly buzz offers listings of upcoming shows, movies and local and regional events. As always, please add any events or shows not mentioned.
I’ll talk to you next week – have a happy 4^th of July!
I scream, you scream, we all scream…for ice cream!!! Yes, July is National Ice Cream Month. Wahooo! Finally, a no-guilt way to eat one of the best desserts EVER!
The national observation was designated by President Ronald Reagan in 1984. Thanks Ronald! To celebrate, go out and get some ice cream every day. What a great excuse to splurge!
TV SHOWS
–Boomerang, the commercial-free sister network of the Cartoon Network, is running a marathon of “The Flintstones” beginning on Wednesday. It is airing all 166 episodes from 6 a.m. Wednesday to 5 p.m. July 7. (The show premiered on Sept. 30, 1960 and ran for six years).
–A new season of CBS’ “Big Brother” is back on Thursday. There is a new twist. An “America’s player” will have a chance to win money by executing tasks chosen by viewers via text-messaging and online voting.
–Back by popular demand is Jericho, which was saved from cancellation from fans showing their support. CBS will add new episodes in their lineup this fall as a mid-season replacement. In the meantime, CBS will be running the show on Fridays this summer, starting with the pilot episode at 9 p.m. Friday.
–“Live Earth” will be aired on Bravo on Saturday, aka 7-7-07. It’s a concert to combat global warming. It will air from 9 a.m. Saturday on Bravo until 2:30 a.m. the next day. Performances include Madonna, John Mayer, Duran Duran, The Police, Red Hot Chili Peppers and many more.
–World Series of Pop Culture, a VH1 game show tournament, returns Monday. Based on Entertainment Weekly’s Pop Culture quiz, 16 teams (made up of three people) compete in a tournament to determine who knows the most about popular culture. It airs at 9 p.m. Monday on VH1.
MOVIES
-Transformers opens TODAY. I saw a preview showing at Regal Cinemas at Frenchtown Square mall last night. I have to admit that I wasn’t rushing to the movie theater to see this one, but by the time it was over, I was a fan. It’s really good, and the special effects are awesome!!!
“License to Wed” also opens today. It stars Mandy Moore, Robin Williams, and John Krasinski (who plays Jim in the TV show “The Office”).
MUSIC
The reformed Smashing Pumpkins are releasing a new album – yeahhh! I love this band, and like so many fans, I’ve been waiting for this CD for a long time! It’s called Zeitgeist and it’s available on July 10.
Other July 10 CD releases:
–Mike Jones, “The American Dream”
–Aly & AJ, “Insomiatic”
–The Cheetah Girls, “The Party’s Just Begun”
–Interpol, “Our Love to Admire”
–Bad Religion, “New Maps of Hell”
–Tracy Lawrence, “The Very Best of Tracy Lawrence”
–Crowded House, “Time On Earth”
–They Might Be Giants, “The Else”
MUSIC SHOWS
–Rally by the River at Promenade Park, Toledo. It’s located on the west bank of the downtown riverfront. The next show is from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday. Cost is $5 a ticket. Kids 12 and younger get in free with a paid adult. To buy a ticket, call (419) 249-4090.
–Toby Keith will perform on Thursday and Friday nights at DTE Energy Music Theatre, Clarkston. Also at DTE, the Charlie Daniels Band will play on Saturday, and Live will perform on Sunday.
–Get your tickets for the Violent Femmes, performing July 12 at Royal Oak Music Theatre. Buy tickets at (800) 919-6272 or online at www.tickets.com or www.royaloakmusictheatre.com. For a complete list of show, and more ticket information, call (248) 399-2980 or visit their website.
LOCAL EVENTS
–Milan Community Fair will be held from Thursday through Saturday at Wilson Park in downtown Milan. It’s an all-day event. Numerous events will be held each day, including a fireworks show on Friday night. For more information, call 439-2749 or visit www.milanfair.com.
–Charmed Lives Pet Rescue is hosting an adoption and micro-chipping event from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at Downtown Hound, 148 N. Monroe St. Cost is $15.
–State Park Explorers is holding an “Insect Hunt” program at 3 p.m. Friday at the Campground Pavilion at Sterling State Park, Frenchtown Township. For more information, call 289-2715.
REGIOINAL EVENTS
–4^th of July Parade & Park Activities will be held July 4 in Oak Park. A parade begins at 11 a.m., starting on Coolidge, west on Oak Park Blvd. Other events include pony rides, kids games, a moonwalk, live bands, and more. For more information, call (248) 691-7555.
–Comerica Tastefest will be held from Wednesday through Sunday in Detroit. The festival includes food and entertainment. More than 40 Michigan restaurants will be selling “tastes” of their specialties. The festival is free and open to the public.
–The National Cherry Festival in Traverse City begins Saturday through July 17. Visit www.cherryfestival.org for all the details.
–“Music Under the Stars” returns to the Toledo Zoo on Sunday. Throughout July and August, free Sunday evening concerts will be held, beginning at 7:30 p.m. featuring the Toledo Symphony.
–“Thunder Over Michigan Air Show” will be held Saturday and Sunday at Willow Run Airport, 801 Will Run Airport, Belleville.
The air show will feature more than 85 military aircraft, including the U.S. Navy Blue Angels. Tickets are $15 until Friday, then $20 at the gate. Children ages 15 and younger are free. Parking is $5 if pass is purchased in advance, and $10 at the gate. Proceeds will help the Yankee Air Museum rebuild its complex, which was damaged in a 2004 fire.
Tickets are available at www.startickets.com, by phone at (800) 585-3737 or use the StarTicketsPlus kiosk at any Meijer store.

I found this to be interesting, especially if you love this kind of stuff. 

This month, researchers are visiting Michigan’s Upper Peninsula in search of evidence of the legendary creature “Bigfoot” or “Sasquatch.” 

They are focusing their search on eastern Marquette County, according to Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization officials. They plan on interviewing residents who may have encountered Big Foot and are looking for evidence to support a presence. 

Officials say members of the organization have either glimpsed Bigfoot or gotten close enough to hear the creature in all but three of 30 expeditions in the U.S. and Canada. 

The legend of Big Foot dates back centuries. Skeptics have challenged ‘sigthings’ and believe Bigfoot was actually a “gigantopithecus,” a branch of primitive man believed to have existed 3 million years ago. 

What do you guys think about this? Are you a believer?