Pop Culture Checklist

The following is a list of premieres, finales, and special presentations starting today on television.

Here is the latest schedule:

PREMIERES

TUESDAY, NOV. 20

11 p.m. — Frank TV (TBS)

THURSDAY, NOV. 22

10 p.m. — October Road (ABC)

MONDAY, NOV. 26

9:30 p.m. — Notes from the Underbelly (ABC)

TUESDAY, NOV. 27

10 p.m. — Cashmere Mafia (ABC)

NEW TIME SLOT PREMIERES

MONDAY, NOV. 26

9 p.m. — Samantha Who? (ABC)

10 p.m. — October Road (ABC)   

SEASON FINALES

MONDAY, NOV. 19

10 p.m. — The Bachelor (ABC)

10 p.m. — Weeds (Showtime)

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 21

8 p.m. — Phenomenon (NBC)

THURSDAY, NOV. 22

10 p.m. — Tim Gunn’s Guide to Style (Bravo)

TUESDAY, NOV. 27

9 p.m. — Dancing with the Stars (ABC)

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 28

10:30 p.m. — Pageant Place (MTV)

THURSDAY, NOV. 29

10 p.m. — Run’s House (MTV)

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS

SATURDAY, NOV. 24

9 p.m. — Battlestar Galactica: Razor (Sci Fi)

WEDNESDAY, NOV. 28

8 p.m. — Shrek the Halls (ABC)

FRIDAY, NOV. 30

8 p.m. — My Night at the Grammy’s (CBS)

The 3-D film “Beowulf” took top honors at the box office over the weekend with $28.1 million.

It doubled the runner-up. The Bee Movie finished second with $14.3 million.

Here’s the top 10:

1. Beowulf, $28.1 million

2. Bee Movie, $14.3 million

3. American Gangster, $13.2 million

4. Fred Claus, $12 million

5. Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium, $10 million

6. Dan in Real Life, $4.5 million

7. No Country for Old Men, $3 million

8. Lions for Lambs, $3 million

9. Saw IV, $2.3 million

10. Love in the Time of Cholera, $1.9 million     

TV viewers will soon be feeling the impact of the writer’s strike.

Two shows — The Office and Big Bang Theory — already ran all of their new episodes. That’s right, no more new episodes for the foreseeable future! It figures, too, because these are two shows I never miss!

Other shows are almost out of new episodes. Reaper, Back to You and Bionic Woman have 2 left each. Yikes!

TV Guide compiled a strike chart, a list of shows and the number of new episodes left before reruns. For a complete list, go here.

NBC will be auctioning off collectibles from The Office, Heroes, 30 Rock, Las Vegas, and Friday Night Lights starting Monday at www.nbc.com.

For the right price, you can own some cool props. The first group of items go on the block Monday through Dec. 3. It includes Michael Scott’s (Steve Carrell) Timex watch and Hawaiian “Convention” shirt from The Office; a poker set used by the cast of 30 Rock; a signed Letterman jacket from Las Vegas’ Josh Duhamel, and a signed football by cast members from Friday Night Lights.

Each auction will last two weeks, with a new group of items becoming available about every three weeks.

Good luck in the bidding wars!

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 pop culture news if you don’t see it here.

LOCAL EVENTS

–Monroe’s Holiday Parade is at 3 p.m. Sunday from the corner of S. Monroe St. and Jones Ave., traveling north on Monroe St. through downtown.

–Santa Claus will visit with children from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday after the Monroe Holiday parade, in the Monroe Bank & Trust headquarters building at 10 Washington St.

–”Teenstock” will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday at Ellis Referance & Information Center, 3700 S. Custer Rd. For teens only — the event includes several band performances, free food, prizes, and internet cafe.

–”Chicago” will be performed at 7 tonight, Saturday and Sunday at River Raisin Centre for the Arts, 114 S. Monroe St.

–The public is invited to an art exhibit at Monroe Street Gallerty. It’s from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday at the gallery, located at 34 1/2 S. Monroe St. Live music, food and refreshments are included.

–Outlaw Professional Wrestlin’s “Toys for da Kids Night” will be held from 6:30 p.m. to midnight Saturday at Arthur Lesow Community Center, 120 Eastchester St.

REGIONAL EVENTS

–”Lights Before Christmas” opens at the Toledo Zoo on Friday. The event features over 1 million lights, over 200 images, ice-carving demonstrations on Thursday evenings, carolers, holiday treats, and visits with Santa in the Indoor Theatre. Also, the ”dancing lights” show synchronized to classic Christmas music will be back. It will be located in the large grove of trees near Cheetah Valley.

–Hometown Holly Days will be held from noon to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday in downtown Bowling Green, Ohio.

–Hudsonville Annual Holiday Parade will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in Hudsonville. The route is 32nd Avenue, beginning at Highland Dr. and ending at Central Blvd. For details, call (616) 669-0200.

–4th annual America’s Family Pet Expo, the world’s largest consumer pet expo, will be held Friday through Sunday at Rock Financial Showplace in Novi. Agility dog performances, an exotic bird show, and multiple dog and cat breed parades are included. Also, Joe Krathwohl, aka The Birdman of Las Vegas, will perform his show.

 –The annual Macomb County Santa Parade will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 23 in downtown Mount Clemens. For details, call Mayor Barb Dempsey at (586) 469-6818, ext. 317. Or, visit www.downtownmountclemens.com/events.cfm.

GET YOUR TICKETS!

–Monty Python’s “Spamalot” will be performed Nov. 27 through Dec. 2 at The Stranahan Theatre, 4645 Heatherdowns Blvd., Toledo. For tickets and show times, call (419) 381-8851.

–”The Night Before Christmas — The Whole Story” will be performed Nov. 29 through Dec. 2 at Valetine Theatre, 400 N. Superior St., Toledo. For tickets and show times, call (419) 242-2787.

–The Second Annual “Jeff Daniels & Friends” holiday concert will be at 8 p.m. Nov. 24 at the Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty, Ann Arbor. Reserved seats available at ticketmaster.com, the Michigan Union Ticket Office, and all Ticketmaster outlets.

–Comedian Mike Epps will perform with special guest Lavell Crawford at 8 p.m. Nov. 21 at the Fox Theatre. Get your tickets at OlympiaEntertainment.com, the Fox Theatre or Joe Louis Arena box offices, and all ticketmaster locations.

–Daryl Hall and John Oates will perform holiday music from the album “Home for Christmas” along with favorite Hall & Oates songs at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 1 at the Fox Theatre. For tickets, call (248) 433-1515 or visit any ticketmaster locations.

 MOVIES

The following is a list of movies coming out on Friday:

–Beowulf

–Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium

–Love in the Time of Cholera

–What Would Jesus Buy?

DVD

Here are some of the DVDs coming out on Tuesday, Nov. 20:

–Hairspray (thanks for the reminder, Bethany!)

–Nirvana’s “MTV Unplugged in New York”

–Bill Maher: The Decider

–Broken

–Chappelle’s Show: The Series Collection

–Monty Python’s Life of Brian (The Immaculate Edition)

–Rescue Dawn

–Stir of Echoes 2: The Homecoming

–Titanic (10th anniversary edition)

MUSIC

–Live Earth concerts that aired in July will now be available in a 1-CD/2-DVD package on Tuesday, Nov. 20. ”Live Earth: The Concerts for a Climate in Crisis” includes performances by Madonna, Foo Fighters, Keith Urban, Beastie Boys and much more.

The following is a list of some albums due out on Tuesday, Nov. 20:

-Jordin Sparks, “Madamoiselle”

-Amy Winehouse, “Frank”

-Nine Inch Nails, “Y34RZ3ROR3MIX3D”

-Keith Urban, “Greatest Hits”  

-OneRepublic, “Dreaming Out Loud”

-Gorillaz, “D-Sides”

-Sebastian Bach, “Angel Down”

TV NEWS

–Jimmy Kimmel will hos the 2007 American Music Awards Sunday on ABC.

–”October Road” will kick off its second season at 10 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 22 on ABC. It will then relocate to its regular 10 p.m. Monday timeslot on Nov. 26.

Here’s the latest movie news:

 –A live action “Dragonball” movie is being made from the Japanese franchise that includes novels, video games and a TV Show. Justin Chatwin will star as the hero, while James Marsters will play the villain.

–This must be due to the success of the Rob Zombie “Halloween” remake, but a remake to the original “Friday the 13th” is in the works. It’s being directed by Marcus Nispel (Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Pathfinder).

The film will reinvent the franchise, introducing Jason Vorhees in the remake. If you recall, Jason was not in the original, but in the sequel. The setting of Crystal Lake will remain the same.

–Does Mark Wahlberg turn down any roles? He agreed to another one. This time, it’s the movie adaptation of “Max Payne.” It’s based on a video game by Rockstar. It’s about a cop who loses his family to a crime and he decides to bend the rules to go after the murderers.

–Pierce Brosnan is back in “The Thomas Crown Affair 2.” The film will be set in Europe and the Middle East, centering on Crown who becomes caught in a centuries-old feud. Rene Russo will not return for the sequel. Shooting begins in January.

–A supernatural thriller called “Stones” will be directed by Ridley Scott. The movie is about a mysterious destruction of ancient sites around the world. Stonehenge will be revealed to be the tie that binds together artifacts that still have primeval powers. Development will resume after the writer’s strike.

–Mickey Rourke is replacing Nicolas Cage in “The Wrestler.” He will play Randy “The Ram” Robinson and tells the story of a retired boxer who returns for one more match. No word yet as to why Cage backed out.

–Josh Hartnett and Sam Rockwell will star in the “End Zone,” an adaptation of the book by Don DeLillo. The movie is about a talented Texas college football running back who’s having trouble getting recognized for his talents. Shooting begins in February in New Mexico.   

Cameron Mathison, the All My Children star, was elminated on Dancing with the Stars last night (nice call, Marge!)

The final four are now in place, and it comes down to three girls and a guy. Remaining are Jennie Garth, Marie Osmond, Helio Castroneves, and Melanie Brown.

I think Garth and Osmond are next on the chopping block…setting up a Helio vs. Mel B. finals. We can only hope! 

Today, Marvel Comics introduced the industry’s first online archive of more than 2,500 back issues.

Marvel Digital Comics Unlimited will offer the archive for $59.88 a year, or at a monthly rate of $9.99 at marvel.com.

Subscribers can access the first hundred issues of key comics, turn pages, and navigate a battle against Dr. Doom by using a “smart panel” viewing feature.

As a benefit to the subscriber, Marvel will offer a free sampler of 250 titles.

Check it out!

Hello everyone! I’m back after taking a few days off. I got a head start on my Christmas shopping so I’m happy about that. While I was gone, there seemed to be a lot of television news. So, here is a list of things TV fans need to know.

–The American Music Awards, hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, will air on Sunday on ABC. This means no “Extreme Makeover” or “Desperate Housewives,” but both shows will be back the following week with new episodes.

Season finales this week:

        –South Park at 10 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14 on Comedy Central

        –Always Sunny in Philadelphia at 10 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 15 on FX

        –The Bachelor at 10 p.m. Monday on ABC

        –Weeds at 10 p.m. Monday on Showtime

Season premieres this week:

        –Project Runway at 10 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 14 on Bravo

        –Frank TV at 11 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 20 on TBS

 –The second season premiere of October Road will be at 10 p.m. Nov. 22. It will then relocate to its regular 10 p.m. Monday timeslot on Nov. 26.

–Dick Clark and Ryan Seacrest will be back again this year to ring in 2008 on “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin Eve.” It starts at 10 p.m. Dec. 31 on ABC.

–FX has ordered two more seasons of Damages. Glenn Close will return, but no word yet on Ted Danson.

–As of now, ABC still plans on running 8 episodes of Lost, beginning in February.

–And this is horrible news: Fox announced that it will not run a partial season of 24, and will not air the show until the writer’s strike is over. (No 24? This strike needs to end fast!!)

–Instead of re-runs during the holidays, many shows decided to take longer winter vacations. Prison Break and Heroes won’t return until Jan. 22; Veronica Mars will return Jan. 23, and next Jericho airs Feb. 21.

–Bernie Mac is returning with a new show on Fox. “Starting Under” is a comedy starring Mac as an opionanated guy who gets divorced, and moves in with his introverted 20-something son.

Welcome to the weekly buzz, a segment that offers the latest pop culture news in the world of entertainment. Local and regional events are also listed.

The weekly buzz is normally posted on Thursdays, but you’re getting it a little early this week because I’m going on vacation. I’ll be back next week.

Without further ado, here it is:

LOCAL EVENTS

–MCMOM (Monroe County Mothers of Multiples) Charity Auction will be held Saturday at Monroe Post 1138, VFW, 400 Jones Ave. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. To check out the items, and for more details, visit www.mcmom.org.

–Veterans Day Open House will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at Monroe County Historical Museum, 126 S. Monroe St. It includes war exhibits and displays from local vets.

–13th annual Lights of Freedom Tree Lighting Ceremony will be at 1 p.m. Sunday at Southeastern Michigan Veterans Service Center, 14 S. Monroe St.

–Homeless Awareness Week will be observed from Nov. 11 to Nov. 17. Several events are being held, including “Walk for Warmth” on Sunday. Registration is at 4 p.m. at Loranger Square.

–A Christmas Expo will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday at Church of God, Mountain Assembly, 2393 N. Monroe St. Over 30 vendors will be selling items.

–St. Anthony’s 13th annual Fall Craft Show will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Kenna Hall, 4635 St. Anthony Rd., Temperance.

–Fantasy Christmas Trees and Gala will be held Friday and Saturday at Monroe County Community College, 1555 S. Raisinville Rd. It’s hosted by Mercy Memorial Hospital System. It features professionally decorated trees.

Public viewing is from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Breakfast with Santa is from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturday, and is recommended for kids ages 3 to 10. Fantasy of Trees Gala is from 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, by ticket only. For tickets,  call 240-4488 or visit www.mercymemorial.org/specialevents.html.

–The annual “Writers on the River” event will be held from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday at Ellis Reference & Information Center, S. Custer Rd.

REGIONAL EVENTS

–A Touch of Elvis with Ron Furr will be held Friday through Sunday at Ms. Rose’s Dinner Theater, 25740 N. St. Rt. 25, in Perrysburg, Ohio. Times are 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 3 p.m. Sunday.

–’Great! Scrapbooking Events’ will be held Saturday and Sunday in Mt. Clemens. Shopping shows, vendors, and cropping areas will be held. For details, call (810) 287-7711.

TV NEWS

–Want to be on a reality show? ABC is holding auditions for “SuperNanny” from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday at The Town Center at Levis Commons, located in Perrysburg, Ohio. An open casting call will be for families preparing for a big event, like a wedding or family reunion, or sports-obsessed parents, or parents with mean girls or bullying boys who are in their pre-teen or teenage years.

–Rescue Me on FX has been renewed for 22 more episodes.

–Project Runway 4 premieres on Nov. 14.

–It’s marathon time for SpongeBob SquarePants. Nickelodeon will air the cartoon from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Nov. 12.

MOVIE NEWS

–Good news, 007 fans. Even better news for Daniel Craig fans. The actor has signed on for 4 more “James Bond” movies.

–X-Files is back! On the big screen, though. David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson will be back for a sequel to the movie. It will be released on July 25, 2008 - save the date!

–Shrek will be back for a 4th time. The animated film “Shrek Goes Fourth” is set to hit theaters on May 21, 2010.

–A 3-D film of U2 in concert will be released in January. It will include over 700 hours of footage of the South American leg of the band’s “Vertigo” World Tour. 

The following movies will be hitting theaters on Friday:

-Fred Claus

-Lions for Lambs

-P2

-National Lampoon Presents Electric Apricot

-After Dark Horrorfest 2007 (limited)

-No Country for Old Men (limited)

DVD NEWS

–Fallen Angels, written and directed by Monroe native Jeff Thomas, will be available on DVD on Nov. 13.

–Shrek the Third comes to DVD on Nov. 13. Bonus materials include step-by-step instructions for the Donkey Dance.

–Vintage Johnny Cash TV specials arrive on DVD on Nov. 13. ”The Johnny Cash Christmas Special 1976″ and “The Johnny Cash Christmas Speical 1977″ will be released by Shout! Factory.

The following is a list of some DVDs coming out on Tuesday, Nov. 13:

-Ocean’s Thirteen

-Driftwood

-Christmas Time in South Park

-Golden Boy

-Rise of the Dead

-Miami Vice: The Complete Series

-Urban Justice

MUSIC NEWS

–Led Zeppelin is releasing a 2-disc, 24-track best-of, “Mothership” on Nov. 13. The reissue of the soundtrack to the 1976 concert film “The Song Remains the Same” will arrive Nov. 20 along with a DVD.

–Corinne West will appear at The Ark in Ann Arbor to showcase her new album, “Second Sight.” She will be performing at 8 p.m. Nov. 12 at The Ark. For details, call (734) 761-1451.