Pop Culture Checklist

The boys of “Jackass” will be taking over MTV for 24 hours straight, starting at noon Saturday.

Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Bam Margera and many others will cause a ruckus throughout the day. They also will show lost footage and taped segments from their time in New York this past week. Also, the show includes an hour-long tribute to the late Evel Knievel.

The idea of the 24-hour special is to promote the launch of Jackassworld.com, where the Jackass crew will be taking their act full-time. The site is uncensored — no bleeps or blurs.  

Lots of good concerts are coming up this spring and summer in the Detroit area. Check out the following concert listings, as well as other music news.

Concert dates:

–The Police, with special guest Elvis Costello, will perform July 26 at DTE Music Theatre. Tickets go on sale Saturday.

–Mike Doughty will be touring to promote his album “Golden Delicious.” He is the former Soul Coughing frontman. He’ll be at the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor on March 16.

–Ringo Starr kicks off his tour in June. He’ll be at DTE Music Theatre on June 16.

–Blind Melon continues its comeback as they kick off a reunion tour. Their album, For My Friends,” hits stores April 22 and introduces us to new lead singer Travis Warren. It’s the band first album since 1995’s “Soup.” They disbanded in 1995 after lead singer Shannon Hoon died of a drug overdose. The band will perform March 16 at St. Andrew’s Hall in Detroit.

–American Idol winner Jordin Sparks will open for Alicia Keys. The tour will make a stop June 3 at Joe Louis Arena.

–Hanson will perform April 19 at Royal Oak Music Theatre. Tickets go on sale at 5 p.m. Feb. 29.  

The following is a list of albums on sale Tuesday, Feb. 26:

-Janet Jackson, “Discipline”

-Erykah Badu, “New AmErykah, Pt. One: 4th World War”

-Goldfrapp, “Seventh Tree”

-Trent Willmon, “Broken In”

-Original Broadway Cast, “The Little Mermaid”

-Joe Budden, “Mood Muzik 3″

-Stellar Kart, “Expect The Impossible”

-Dolly Parton, “Backwoods Barbie”

-Cowboy Junkies, “Trinity Revisited”

-Steve Winwood, “9 Lives”

-Lizz Wright, “The Orchard”

-The Afters, “Never Going Back to Ok”

-CeCe Winans, “Kingdom”  

Hasbro Inc. reported it signed a 6-year deal with Universal Pictures to make at least 4 movies based on games like Monopoly, Battleship, Candy Land and Ouija.

The first film will be released in either 2010 or 2011, with Universal releasing at least one movie a year thereafter.

Four of the 24 finalists on American Idol got the boot last night.

It looks like America got it right: Garrett Haley, Colton Berry, Amy Davis and Joanne Borgella were sent home.

I can’t wait for the day Danny Noriego gets kicked off! He’s the one that butchered Elvis’ “Jailhouse Rock” then couldn’t handle the criticism given by Simon. Please do NOT vote for him!!!

Jesse Martin has decided to leave NBC’s “Law & Order” after 9 years. He played Det. Ed Green.

He will film one more show, where he is written off.

It’s been reported that Anthony Anderson is in final talks to join the show and fill Martin’s void. Anderson was most recently on Fox’s “K-Ville.”

I’m so bummed about this news. Just when L&O is back in rare form and audiences have once again tuned in, this happens. But, the show has had many cast changes and has survived all of them. I don’t think his exit will be any different.  

Happy Thursday everyone! Here’s another installment of the Weekly Buzz, offering the latest pop culture news as well as area events happening this weekend.

OSCAR TIME

The 80th annual Academy Awards is Sunday. It begins at 8 p.m. on ABC. The Red Carpet previews will begin at 6 p.m. on both the TV Guide channel and E! Also, Barbara Walters will have her one-hour Oscar Special at 7 p.m. Sunday on ABC.

TV PREMIERES

Monday — Top Gear (BBC America)

Tuesday — Quarterlife (NBC)

TV FINALES

Tonight — Supernatural (CW)

Friday — 1 vs. 100 (NBC); Monk (USA)

Monday — Salt-N-Pepa Show (VH1)

Tuesday — The Game (CW); Girlfriends (CW)

LOCAL EVENTS

–The 2nd annual River Raisin Ice Harvest Festival will be held Friday through Sunday in downtown Monroe. Live entertainment, ice carvings, food, a blues concert and much more will be held.

–St. Michael We Care telethon will be from noon to midnight Saturday at Monroe County Community College. It will air all day on Monroe Public Access Cable Television and from 6 to 8 p.m. on Fox Toledo. To make a donation, call 457-6000.

–Sunburst Beauty Pageant will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Frenchtown Square mall, 2121 N. Monroe St. It will be located in the Steve & Barry’s Court.

–Fossil Creek Bluegrass Band will perform from 7 to 9 p.m. tonight at Princess Ice Cream Shop, 3366 Sterns Rd., Lambertville.

–The Dundee Parent-Teacher Association will host a Family Carnvial from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday at Dundee High School, 130 Viking Dr., Dundee.

–”Auction on Ice” fundraiser will be hosted by St. Mary Parish Grade School, 151 N. Monroe St. Doors open at 5 p.m. and the silent auction is from 5 to 7:30 p.m., followed by the live auction at 7:30 p.m. Free admission.

REGIONAL EVENTS

–A children’s theatre workshop is being held Saturday at the Toledo Zoo. The interactive and family-oriented performances features singing, dancing and short theater scenes. Times are 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m.

–On Sunday, the Toledo School for the Arts will present a series of short plays and music and dance performances with a focus on animals. Times are 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. at the Toledo Zoo.

–Jazz & Entertainment will be held at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Erie Street Chowder House at the Market, 237 S. Erie St., Toledo. Advanced tickets are $10, and $15 at the door.

–UT Choir Winter Concert will be at 3 p.m. Sunday at UT Doermann Theater (University Hall), 2801 W. Bancroft St., Toledo. It’s a free event.

–Jazz and blues pianist Mark Lincoln Braun, aka Mr. B, will perform his annual birthday bounce at 8 p.m. Friday at Kerrytown Concert House, 415 N. Fourth Ave., Ann Arbor. For details, call (734) 769-2999.

–Fable-iscious, a musical adaptation of Aesop’s fables, will be performed at 11 a.m. Saturday at Performance Network Theater, 120 E. Huron St., Ann Arbor. For details, call (734) 663-0681.

MOVIE RELEASES…for Friday, Feb. 22

-Be Kind Rewind

-Vantage Point

-Charlie Bartlett

-Witless Protection

DVD RELEASES…for Tuesday, Feb. 26

-30 Days of Night

-Beowulf

-The Darjeeling Limited

-Day Zero

-Death at a Funeral

-Backyardigans: Take of the Mighty Knights

-Newhart: First Season

-Punky Brewster: Season Four

-The Smurfs: Season 1, Volume 1

-Led Zeppelin: The Song Remains the Same (Collector’s Edition)

TV networks are still modifying their lineups since the writer’s strike ended.

Here is the latest breakdown:

ABC

-Lost returns April 24 and will move back to the 10 p.m. time slot

-Desperate Housewives returns April 13 with 5 new episodes and a 2-hour finale

-Ugly Betty and Grey’s Anatomy return April 24

-Samantha Who? comes back April 7

-Boston Legal returns April 8

-Brothers & Sisters arrives April 20

*Pushing Daisies, Private Practice and Dirty Sexy Money will return next season

CBS

-How I Met Your Mother and The Big Bang Theory are swapping time slots when they both return March 17. ‘Bang’ will air at 8 p.m., followed by ‘Mother’ at 8:30 p.m.

FOX

-’Til Death is moving to 8 p.m. and Back To You will go in the 8:30 p.m. time slot when they return April 16.

CW

-Beauty and the  Geek will return for a 5th season at 8 p.m. March 11. The format will be different, though. Contestants will be competing not as beauty/geek pairs but beauties against geeks.

The first ever Rothbury Music Festival includes a huge lineup of acts, led by the Dave Matthews Band. It’s a 4-day festival set for July 3 through July 6 at Rothbury’s Double JJ Ranch. It includes trails, fields, lakes, beach fronts, bars and eateries so be prepared to camp out.

The goal of the festival is to raise awareness of climate changes and clean energy alternatives. Tickets go on sale Wednesday, Feb. 27, at the official Web site, www.rothburyfestival.com.

Here is a list of all the confirmed acts:

Dave Matthews Band

Widespread Panic

Modest Mouse

311

John Mayer

Snoop Dogg

Primus

Michael Franti and Spearhead

Gov’t Mule

Phil Lesh & Friends

Thievery Corporation

Slightly Stoopid

STS9

Colbie Caillat

The Black Keys

Yonder Mountain String Band with Jon Fishman

Gogol Bordello

Citizen Cope

Keller Williams and the WMD’S

The Disco Biscuits

Medeski Martin & Wood Ray LaMontagne

Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi Soul Stew Revival

Drive-By Truckers

Of Montreal

The Dresden Dolls

Gomez

Brett Dennen

Taj Mahal

Mike Gordon

Zappa Plays Zappa

Crystal Method DJ Set

JJ Grey & MOFRO

The Greyboy Allstars

The Secret Machines

Beth Orton

Jakob Dylan and the Green Mountain Rebels

A3

Bettye Lavette

Lotus

Yard Dogs Road Show

State Radio

The Beautiful Girls

Sage Francis

Tea Leaf Green

Emmitt Nershi Band

EOTO

Panjea with Michael Kang

Railroad Earth

Bassnectar

Pnuma Trio

Diplo

Flosstradamus

The Juan MacLean

The Dynamites featuring Charles Walker

Dead Confederate

DJ Rekha

Motion Potion

DJ Rootz

SOJOURN

Bus driver  

For the first time since his suicide attempt last summer, actor Owen Wilson is back to work.

He will begin shooting “Marley & Me,” based on the book by John Grogan. It’s about a couple who adopt a dog to give parenthood a trial run, but they find out the dog is much more than what they bargained for. The movie also stars Jennifer Aniston.

The movie arrives in theaters on Dec. 25, 2008.

I’m so happy they’re making this movie because the book is really good. You will laugh, cry, and laugh again! And it’s a quick read so give it a try!!  

Duane “Dog” Chapman will finally be back on A&E with his show “Dog the Bounty Hunter.”

The network said the show is going back into production in Hawaii asap, but no word yet on when it will be back on the air.

He was suspended months ago after making racial slurs. He apologized and worked with groups to promote racial equality.

I don’t know about you, but I’m really glad it’s back. It was one of my favorite TV reality shows!!