First Review: Bluelist Australia

Get ready for 20 to 1 meets Getaway with a dash of the offbeat.

Bluelist Australia is a travel guide put together by Lonely Planet, who asked Australians to nominate their favourite and best-kept secrets.

Hosted by actor Samuel Johnson, this half hour show isn't as traditional as the popular commercial offerings. For starters they're only travelling around Oz, so the budget feels decidely more modest. And the presenters aren't as Colgate perfect (and that's a good thing) as we're used to.

They've managed to throw in HG Nelson, Susie Porter, Jesse Martin, Marieke Hardy and Robbie Buck.

It also doesn't feel like there's quite so much product placement going on. You know that trick, "here we are from some tropical locale which just happens to be a destination of one of our show's sponsors."

So it's all fairly unassuming, and that's also a good thing.

Lonely Planet had thousands of Aussies logging on to its website to nominate their favourite travel experiences in Oz.

So I must admit I was a little disappointed to see what made the final cut.

The Yarra Valley? Kakadu? Margaret River? Kangaroo Island? Sure they're all perfectly lovely. But I was hoping for some undiscovered gem. At least HG Nelson in Mildura managed to entertain me.

And the MCG? Sydney Harbour. Yawn. C'mon guys, surprise me.

Marieke Hardy's urban tour of Canberra also missed its two biggest exports: Politics and Porn.

Don't get me wrong. Bluelist Australia is a diverting, colloquial, upbeat slice of Australiana.

If we'd had a few more of the closing videos sent in by viewers this would be a more interesting itinerary of hidden secrets.

Bluelist Australia premieres 8:00pm Wed June 6 on SBS. Read more...

Memo to BB

Two more intruders on Big Brother this Sunday?

Well at least it's a ploy you managed to keep under wraps from us.

But will I be able to discern these new blondes from the brunettes? Will they be girls with breast implants or boofhead surfer dudes? I can't keep up separating my Aleishas from my Emmas (oh wait, she's the one with the real twist when she gets out, right?).

But here's the real point I wanna make....

If there isn't anybody over the age of 40 don't bother waking me.

I'm just not very big on reruns this year.

Luv David x.

And what do YOU think? What kind of intruders will save the show?
Read more...

Chaser takes a break

Commercial programmers breathe a sigh of relief.

The Chaser's War on Everything is taking a mid-season break - a very long one too.

There are only three more eps left to screen before they rest.

Then we are stuck with repeats of edited 2007 eps. The boys aren't back until September. September! In a no holds barred admission they will dub the eps The Chaser's War on Repeats.

And The Sideshow will also take a rest after June 23.

Press Release:

A shameless recycling of the highlights from the 2006 series of The Chaser's War on Everything which no-one watched.

"We went back through all 26 episodes of The Chaser's War on Everything from 2006 and found 7 shows that almost stand the test of time," said Julian Morrow, Executive Producer of The Chaser's War on Everything.
"The other 3 episodes didn't really work last year, but we needed something to make up the numbers. It was either that or a three part documentary on Creationism which the ABC Board wants us to screen."

The Chaser's War on Repeats will include many highlights from the 2006 series including:
* Chris Taylor's irresponsible campaign to make wearing a stocking on your head socially acceptable;
* testing the Lessons of History by attempting to get a Trojan Horse past the nation's slackest gate-keepers;
* probing airport security by booking domestic plane tickets in the names Al Kyder and Terry Wrist; and
* the infamous Bulldogs Merchandise stunt which led to Chas Licciardello being arrested for offensive behaviour.

It will also include a raft of typographical errors that made it into the first series.

"We've always thought that running repeats mid-season is lazy and an insult to loyal audiences," said Morrow. "But we're also hypocrites, so we welcome the ABC's decision to run repeats."

The Chaser team hopes its mid-season break will fuel yet more idle media speculation about what other projects they might be doing next.

The Chaser's War On Everything returns on Wednesday, September 5 at 9pm on ABC TV.

Kindly link to this website when sourcing or posting on messageboards, thanks! Read more...

Paris Hilton: The Simple Cell Life

So Paris has been incarcerated.

And so begins 23 days of torture -for the rest of us who have to endure the media fallout. So ok maybe I'm contributing to it! But hey, it's payback for all that celebrity slutdom that's been foisted upon us.

And now finally when we really wanna see the real life of Paris Hilton it's going to be denied us. Booooo.

So roll on tabloid journos and Entertainment Tonight, bang on People Magazine and TMZ.com, Perez Hilton (no relation) and Richard Reid this is your dream come true. But why can't some clever producer give us a nightly parody like The Michael Jackson Trial? That was a hoot. Read more...

Today sings happy birthday

Dean Geyer, Human Nature, Guy Sebastian and Damien Leith are some of the names the Today show will draw upon for its 25th birthday celebrations later this month.

As the show wings its way around the country for public telecasts different performers will appear in different cities.

Sydney will get David Campbell. Melbourne has The Androids.

Full line-up:

Monday June 25 Perth – Burswood
Dean Geyer
Old Man River

Tuesday June 26 Adelaide – State Library
Guy Sebastian
Human Nature

Wednesday June 27 Brisbane - Southbank
Small Mercies
Brooke Fraser

Thursday June 28 Sydney – Opera House
David Campbell
Amy Pearson

Friday June 29 Melbourne – Federation Square
Damien Leith
The Androids

The acts are part of a Sony BMG cross-promotion with Today.
Read more...

Ratings Week 23

Saturday:
1 Seven News Seven 1,455,000
2 Nine News Saturday Nine 1,246,000
3 Ten News At Five Sat Ten 1,234,000
4 Australia's Funniest Home Video Show Nine 1,131,000
5 The Great Outdoors Seven 1,074,000
6 Scooby-Doo Nine 913,000
7 Saturday Night AFL Ten 860,000

Friday:
1 Seven News Seven 1,545,000
2 Today Tonight Seven 1,378,000
3 Nine News Nine 1,334,000
4 Better Homes And Gardens Seven 1,215,000
5 ABC News ABC 1,166,000
6 Home And Away Seven 1,155,000
7 A Current Affair Nine 1,149,000
8 Temptation Nine 1,107,000
9 Big Brother - Friday Night Live Ten 1,072,000

Thursday:
1. Seven News Seven 1.522
2. RPA – Where Are They Now? Nine 1.452
3. Getaway Nine 1.417
4. Today Tonight Seven 1.393
5. My Name Is Earl Seven 1.334
6. How I Met Your Mother Seven 1.240
7. A Current Affair Nine 1.232
8. Home and Away Seven 1.230
9. Temptation Nine 1.229
10. National Nine News Nine 1.210
11. Lost Seven 1.092*
12. ABC News ABC 1.079
13. Deal or No Deal Seven 1.012
14. Law and Order: SVU Ten 0.998
15. The Footy Show Nine 0.979

Nine: 30.2
Seven: 28.6
Ten: 20.0
ABC: 16.1
SBS: 5.2

Wednesday:
1. Seven News Seven 1.641
2. Today Tonight Seven 1.468
3. The Chaser’s War on Everything ABC 1.443
4. Spicks and Specks ABC 1.442
5. House Ten 1.409
6. National Nine News Nine 1.339
7. Police Files – Unlocked Seven 1.304
8. A Current Affair Nine 1.290
9. McLeod’s Daughters Nine 1.289
10. Home and Away Seven 1.278
11. Temptation Nine 1.202
12. The New Inventors ABC 1.158
13. Cold Case Nine 1.109
14. ABC News ABC 1.104
15. Last Chance Learners Seven 1.097


Nine: 26.5
Seven: 26.1
Ten: 23.0
ABC: 19.6
SBS: 4.8

Tuesday:
1. Seven News Seven 1.701
2. It Takes Two Seven 1.593
3. Today Tonight Seven 1.539
4. All Saints Seven 1.430
5. National Nine News Nine 1.361
6. A Current Affair Nine 1.315
7. Temptation Nine 1.307
8. Home and Away Seven 1.290
9. NCIS Ten 1.270
10. The Simpsons – 7:30pm Ten 1.227
11. The Simpsons – 8:00pm Ten 1.194
12. ABC News ABC 1.165
13. Crime and Justice Nine 1.162
14. Neighbours at War Nine 1.092
15. Deal or No Deal Seven 1.087


The Nation 0.772m

Seven: 32.8
Nine: 23.5
Ten: 22.9
ABC: 14.9
SBS: 5.9

Monday:
1. Seven News Seven 1.648
2. Today Tonight Seven 1.540
3. 1 vs 100 Nine 1.473
4. Desperate Housewives Seven 1.392
5. National Nine News Nine 1.326
6. Home and Away Seven 1.311
7. What’s Good For You Nine 1.282
8. The Rich List Seven 1.277
9. A Current Affair Nine 1.240
10. Temptation Nine 1.230
11. CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Nine 1.088
12. ABC News ABC 1.047
13. Big Brother – Live Nomination Ten 1.037
14. Deal or No Deal Seven 1.036
15. Brothers & Sisters Seven 1.018

Seven: 30.1
Nine: 29.0
Ten: 19.5
ABC: 15.2
SBS: 6.3

Sunday:
1. 60 Minutes Nine 1.680
2. Seven News Seven 1.592
3. National Nine News Nine 1.533
4. Shrek 2 Nine 1.528
5. Grey’s Anatomy Seven 1.452
6. Ugly Betty Seven 1.370
7. Where Are They Now Seven 1.296*
8. The Lost Tribes Nine 1.153
9. Big Brother – Live Eviction Ten 1.131
10. ABC News ABC 1.117
11. Big Brother – 6:30pm Ten 1.006
12. Hamish and Andy’s Real Stories Ten 0.955
13. What About Brian Seven 0.945
14. Rove Ten 0.933
15. The Einstein Factor ABC 0.915


* Where Are They Now not broadcast in Adelaide

Nine: 31.5
Seven: 27.8
Ten: 19.8
ABC: 15.7
SBS: 5.2 Read more...