The Slug

Favoritiest Photo of the Week: Buy a Vowel

(AP Photo/Peter Kramer)

Our mother thinks photos featuring folks with closed eyelids are automatically bad. However, we think if Vanna White, Pat Sajak and a giant "Wheel of Fortune" cake are involved, all is forgiven. However, there's one thing that does bug us about our Favoritiest Photo of the Week this week. How come there's no "Bankrupt" or "Lose a Turn" spaces on that cake?! Whatever. You know we'd still eat a slice. Take the original caption for a spin:

"Wheel of Fortune" host Pat Sajak and co-host Vanna White arrive at Radio City Music Hall to celebrate the 25th anniversary of "Wheel of Fortune" sponsored by People magazine in New York, Thursday Sept. 27, 2007. (AP Photo/Peter Kramer)

It's a DigitalLife Afterall

(AP Photo/Hillary Rhodes)

Yesterday, we attended the first-day festivities at the DigitalLife technology, gaming and entertainment event here in New York. As far as video games go, there wasn't anything new. "Lord of the Rings Online." "BioShock." "Gears of War." Been there. Played that. (Of course, that didn't stop us from playing them again in this week's installment of "Up Down Left Right.") What was new at DigitalLife was a barrage of robot products. Spy bots. Cleaning bots. There was even a robotic Elvis. No thanks, DigitalLife. Didn't we learn anything from the "Terminator" movies?!

Josie Maran Foxtrots Off "Dancing"

(AP Photo/HO/ABC)

Goodbye, Josie Maran. It's like we never knew you. Wait. We really didn't know you.

"Top Chef" Has Got Game

(AP Photo/HO/NBC)

After last night's gamey elk elimination challenge, we now have our final three on "Top Chef." Bon appétit. Previously, we thought this was Casey's competition to lose, but then Dale served up that sob story about getting fired and dumped. Could the judges have a sweet spot for the mohawked chef? Whatever happens, we hope we never have to hear the contestants whine about showing the judges "what they can do" ever again. Bring on the vending machines and Bacardi product placement!

Meet the Duchess of Cornwax

(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Yikes. We just can't look away from Madame Tussauds' Duchess of Cornwall wax figure, which was unveiled today in London. Last June, Camilla Parker-Bowles modeled for sculptors and personally selected her figure's eyes, outfit and accessories. Weird. What's stranger is that The Slug has already seen a waxy Camilla over at Louis Tussauds' Waxworks in Niagara Falls. This one is definitely better — or scarier. You decide.

"Samantha Who?" Cares

(AP Photo/HO/ABC)

Can you induce amnesia? 'Cause we'd like to forget we watched the first two episodes of ABC's "Samantha Who?" This new comedy, premiering Oct. 15, stars Christina Applegate as an amnesiac who awakens from an eight-day coma and learns she was previously nasty. This show has a stellar supporting cast. Besides Applegate, there's Jean Smart from "24" and "Designing Woman," Jennifer Esposito from "Rescue Me," Melissa McCarthy from "Gilmore Girls" and Barry Watson from "What About Brian?"

Unfortch, none of these very funny actors can rise above the cutesy but flat material in "Samantha Who?" Hmph. ABC canceled "Knights of Prosperity" for this? Strangely, the setup itself is hilarious. Amnesia? Comedy gold? Who knew!? However, every single joke is as forgettable as Samantha's past. We're fairly certain we didn't laugh out loud once while watching this show, well, unless somebody bumped us on the head and we totally forgot. Maybe we should watch a few more episodes just to make sure.

"Dancing" with the Gentlemen

(AP Photo/HO/ABC)

The men took center stage on "Dancing with the Stars" last night, turning this dignified ballroom competition into a rowdy locker room. Mark Cuban kept wagging his tongue on the dance floor. Albert Reed wouldn't stop making faces at the camera. Floyd Mayweather was constantly gyrating his hips. And Wayne Newton was, well, he was just kinda creepy. Thankfully, racer Helio Castroneves brought class, distinction and an impeccable routine to an otherwise bizarre episode. We can't wait until "Dancing with the Stars" mixes genders once again.

Ring! Ring! It's "Heroes" Calling!

(AP Photo/HO/Gameloft)

While everyone else was waiting in line for "Halo 3" last night, The Slug attended a preview event for Gameloft's "Heroes: The Mobile Game" at the Nokia flagship store in New York. Granted, the game looks more like "Double Dragon" than "Bioshock," but it's kinda cool 'cause you can fly around the city as Peter, teleport through a museum as Hiro and kick butt in a casino as Jessica. Most partygoers were bogarting the phones, but we did get to play the Jessica levels, which were far less annoying than any of Ali Larter's scenes last season.

"Dancing" with the Ladies

(AP Photo/HO/ABC)

How annoying. ABC has divided the season premiere of "Dancing with the Stars" into two parts, well, three if you count Wednesday's results show, or four if you count our planned purging session on Thursday. Tomorrow night, the guys will do their thang. Last night, the female celebrities twirled in the spotlight.

Marie Osmond and Dr. Quinn's routines reminded us of our mom getting her groove on at a wedding reception. Kelly from "90210" and Scary Spice were scarily average. The worst, however, was probably Josie Maran, who'll probably be voted off because, well, who is Josie Maran? Luckily, the popping and locking of "Cheetah Girl" Sabrina Bryan made "Dancing with the Stars" feel like an episode of "So You Think You Can Dance," which is to say she made the show worth watching.

"Heroes" Rips Open New Season

(AP Photo/HO/NBC)

Is it just us or did the "Heroes" season premiere feel like we arrived late to a party where everyone is already drunk? There was so much to digest in this episode — Mohinder's new friend, Nathan's reflection, Maya's power, Claire's new car — that we feel like we have a "Heroes" hangover this morning.

So, question time: Who put Peter in that crate?  What was Nathan looking at in the mirror? Who is Molly dreaming about? Who's the hooded guy? And is Hiro's dad really dead? Overall, the jumpy second season starter gave The Slug a bit of motion sickness — but so do all good roller coasters. What did you think?

"Survivor: China" Goes Below the Belt

(AP Photo/HO/CBS)

The most shocking thing about the premiere of "Survivor: China" last Thursday wasn't the Buddhist welcoming ceremony, Chicken's dismissal, the fact that this season is set in China or that the castaways were stranded in just the clothes they had on. No, The Slug was most alarmed that CBS blurred the underwear of Zhan Hu tribe member Erik Huffman, the curly-haired musician from Nashville. What gives? None of the other skivvy-wearing castaways received a blur.

Sure, "Survivor" has censored plenty of butt cracks and nipple slips from scantily clad contestants over the years, but this incident didn't seem to fall into either category. When The Slug asked a CBS spokeswoman why they blur his shorts, she said, "I don’t know for sure but probably a wardrobe malfunction." Really? Judging from the publicity photo above, Huffman's undies don't even have a trapdoor. First reward challenge should probably feature pants as a prize.

You Guys Have to See "The Bachelor"

(AP Photo/HO/ABC/Karen Neal)

The eleventh season of ABC's "The Bachelor" is looking more like "I Love Flavor of Rock of New York" — or whatever those VH1 reality dating shows are called. That's because the first episode, which debuts Sept. 24, features female contestants who have webbed toes, sing horribly off-key, bend themselves into impressive pretzels or go swimming while everyone else is in formal wear. They're a far cry from Pumpkin, Hoopz and Buckee, but they are the strangest bachelorette batch yet.

"Bachelor" Brad Womack, who's referred to as THE SEXIEST "BACHELOR" EVER multiple times, isn't exempt from the oddness. He continually calls his females suitors "you guys." After meeting the ladies, Womack says, "You guys have far exceeded my expectations." Yes, we know it's just an expression, but it's still a bizarre thang to say to a group of women. We won't be DVRing this "Bachelor," but we are curious to see a future episode where B.Wo will switch places with his twin brother to trick "you guys."

Favoritest Photo of the Week: Elite Squad

(AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

Our Favoritest Photo of the Week comes to us from Rio de Janeiro where movie posters are apparently gigantic. We love the proportions in this image — OK, OK — and the woman just strolling by in her bikini. The controversial movie advertised here is about the shady workings of Rio's Special Operations Police Battalion. It's caused quite a stir in Brazil. Here's the original caption:

A woman walks past a billboard advertising the film Elite Squad at the Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2007. Elite Squad, a feature film about the shady workings of Rio's Special Operations Police Battalion, wasn't supposed to be released until Thursday, but pirated copies illegally leaked before the premier proved so controversial that police tried to keep the film out of theaters. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

The Slug Jumped Over the "Moonlight"

(AP Photo/HO/CBS/Monty Brinton)

The Slug was so excited when we heard that private detective series "Moonlighting" was coming back to television Sept. 28. But get this: There's no Bruce Willis, Cybil Shepard or any playful romantic tension this time around. In fact, this version features a bunch of vampires. Oh. Wait. The private detective series we watched is just called "Moonlight" and has nothing to do with that show from the '80s? That explains why it's so bland. Basically, "Moonlight" is "Angel" without the "Buffy" mythology or heart. At least "Veronica Mars" scene stealer Jason Dohring keeps thangs moving as a 400-year-old blood sucker. We'll take him over Bruce Willis any decade.

"Dirty Sexy Money" Back Guaranteed

(AP Photo/HO/ABC)

We hate it when this happens! "Dirty Sexy Money" was one of the new fall shows we were most looking forward to totally getting addicted to then feeling gulity about later. Unfortch, after previewing the first two episodes, we just feel guilty. The Slug doesn't think "Dirty Sexy Money" is quite campy or engaging enough, but the potential is totally there. This dramedy about the Darlings, a crazy wealthy Manhattan brood, is basically a less goofy "Arrested Development." Peter Krause from "Six Feet Under" does a great job playing the Jason Bateman straight man role, but the whole thing just ends up making us long for the Bluths. We'll wait to see how much interest "Dirty Sexy Money" accumulates.

"Kid Nation" Needs Lip Service

(AP Photo/HO/CBS/Monty Brinton)

After months of controversy, "Kid Nation" finally became a sovereign state on CBS last night. The reality show featuring 40 kids — and one annoying adult host — left many of us saying, "That's what all the talk was about?" While no bleach drinking or grease burning was shown in the premiere episode, the biggest problem in "Kid Nation" we witnessed was chapped lips. Mommy, did you see Town Council member Laurel's mangled mouth? Those tots should spend their pay checks on lip balm instead of root beer shots!

Jack Bauer Goes to Washington

(AP Photo/Khue Bui/HO/Fox)

Mark your calendars — if you've already bought one for 2008. That's because the Washington-set Day 7 on "24" will premiere Jan. 13.  Despite the fact he looked like a goner on screen, Tony Almeida will return "after being left for dead by a terrorist conspirator in CTU's infirmary," according to a Fox press release. Um. OK. The new season will also feature Bauer on trial (finally!) for his actions, the show's first female president, the return of Chloe and Bill Buchanan and new cast members Janeane Garofalo as an FBI agent and John Billingsley as a security specialist.

Our Early Favorites on "Dancing with the Stars"

(AP Photo/HO/ABC)

Now that the professional dancer pairings on the new season of "Dancing with the Stars" have been revealed, we're changing our tune on who we think could win. Yes, the show doesn't premiere until Sept. 24, so these are very early predictions. The Slug will be keeping an eye on the following three couples.

Mark Cuban and Kym Johnson. Tycoon Cuban might be clunky, but he's competitive and will probably dedicate himself to the dance contest. Besides, Johnson won an Australian "Dancing" edition and once made Jerry Springer look competent during their routines.

Melanie "Scary Spice" Brown and Maksim Chmerkoskiy. Scary Spice is no stranger to dance moves and probably feels like she has something to prove to the world. Mel B. and Maks C. have fiery personalities that could ignite passion on the dance floor. Or disaster.

Cameron Mathison and Edyta Sliwinska. We've interviewed the fun-loving "All My Children" hunk before and think he'll be up for anything. His partner will wear anything. She's the only dancer to have appeared on all five seasons of the show. Isn't it her time to shine?

One Way to Celebrate Talk Like a Pirate Day

(AP Photo/HO/Disney)

It's Sept. 19. Happy Speechify Like a Freebooter Day! If you're unsure o' how ter actually speak like a buccaneer, check o' this nifty "Pirates o' th' Caribbean Online" buccaneer translator. Arrr! All here this blog post was run through the translator. That's probably why ye weren't able ter savvy any o' it, ye mute frog-lickin' scallywag. Yes, it e'en translates ill language.

Chatting with the Donatos from "Big Brother 8"

(AP Photo/HO/CBS)

The Slug didn't see that coming. We definitely thought the "Big Brother 8" jury would give the grand prize to Daniele Donato, not her estranged father "Evel" Dick. What was more interesting than Dick's win, of course, was the look on Jessica Hughbanks' face when it was revealed that Eric Stein had been instructed by America on how to play the game all summer long. After the jump, let's see what the Donatos have to say about their surprising win.

LISTEN: What did Dick really think bout the "America's Player" twist?

"Star Trek" Adds Another Crew Member

(AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster/Gus Ruelas/Chris Pizzello)

Is it us or is the emerging new crew of the Enterprise looking way hotter and younger than the original? Zoe Saldana from "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" and "Haven" is the most recent addition to the cast of J.J. Abram's "Star Trek." As Uhura, she'll join Anton Yelchin's Chekov and Zachary Quinto's Spock. Wowie zowie. We can't wait to see who'll be beamed up as Sulu, Scotty, Dr. McCoy and Captain Kirk — and what they'll be wearing. 

Pushing "Pushing Daisies"

(AP Photo/HO/ABC)

The facts are these: Everyone loves "Pushing Daisies." And rightfully so. The Slug hearts the ABC show about a pie maker who brings people back from the dead so much that we've watched the pilot episode three times! It's is the most perfect television experience ever. The direction is magical and innovative. The cast is impeccable and endearing. The plot is involving and fast-paced. The dialogue is snappy and funny.

Unfortch, you can't watch the first episode of "Pushing Daisies" online before the Oct. 3 premiere. Boo. Despite that, we implore you to please, please, please pay more attention to this comedic gem when it finally airs — ahem, Oct. 3, if you're not paying attention — than you did "Wonderfalls," "Arrested Development" and "Knights of Prosperity," especially if you're a Nielsen home.

Our Four Favoritest Moments from the Emmys

(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Despite our best liveblogging efforts, this year's Emmys drew the second-smallest audience in the show's history. Now that we've had more than 24 hours to digest exactly what went down in the round at the Shrine Auditorium on Sunday night, we're ready to reveal what we actually liked about this year's ceremony. (In case you were wondering, what we didn't like was that awkward in-the-round stage, Ryan Seacrest's lame jokes and the lack of loser nominee reaction shots.)  Our four favoritest moments:

Steve Carell's phony win. Our biggest and most genuine chuckle came when Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert announced they were giving Ricky Gervais' Emmy to their "friend" Carell. If that wasn't funny enough, the "40-Year-Old Virgin" gleefully jumped up from the audience and embraced his "Daily Show" alums. Why can't the rest of the ceremony be this silly?

Ryan Seacrest's screen time. When we first heard that Seacrest had been tapped to host the Emmys, we were frightened that the ceremony would turn into an "American Idol" clone. Although he was ultra-annoying every time he appeared on screen, those moments were refreshingly brief. Thankfully, comedians such as Ray Romano, Lewis Black, Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert and even Wayne Brady picked up the slack.

Kathryn Heigl's name checking. Most stars would probably act like they didn't hear the the silky smooth Emmy announcer completely mispronounce their last name when introducing them. Not Heigl. Before she launched into her TelePrompTer presentation, the "Knocked Up" star corrected the announcer. Later, after Heigl won for a supporting actress trophy, she gave the announcer props for getting it right the second time.

Sally Field's acceptance speech. Like a typical mother, Field rambled on and on during her best actress acceptance speech. Just when we started hoping Field would be drowned out by the orchestra, the "Brothers & Sisters" matriarch sprang some saucy language and an anti-war rant on the audience and Fox censors, who cut away from the winner. We really, really liked Field for giving us something to talk about the next day. 

Is the Letter Opener as Mighty as the Sword?

(AP Photo/Derrik J. Lang)

We get some weird and sometimes awesome mail here at The Slug. Definitely file the above object under awesome. It's a letter opener from Sony in the shape of the "Heavenly Sword," their new "God of War"-style action game for the PlayStation 3. However, we don't think we'll be slicin' open your letters with this baby. That's because we played the game this weekend — it was good, not great — and learned that the cursed sword actually drains your life force when you wield it. So please just e-mail us your letters 'cause we need all the life force we can get. For more video game news, unsheathe the latest episode of "Up Down Left Right."

It's All in the Family on "Big Brother"

(AP Photo/HO/CBS)

They did it. They actually did it. Both Dick and Danielle Donato, the estranged father and daughter, made it to the final two on "Big Brother 8" despite claims that Dick cheated. They might as well give Danielle the $500,000 grand prize now because there's no way the jury members will vote for Dick to win. Right? The finale will probably be pretty anticlimactic, but we'll be watching tomorrow just to see how the contestants react to Eric revealing that he was "America's Player." The following day, CBS' "Big Brother" iron curtain will be lifted, and The Slug will be talking to the Donatos. Send us your questions at theslug@ap.org.

Liveblogging the 2007 Emmys!

(AP Photo/Derrik J. Lang) 

It's time for the Emmys, the awards show that's more fun than the Oscars but less trashy than the MTV Video Music Awards. We're liveblogging the ceremony from AP World Headquarters in New York. Keep clicking refresh all night long as we provide catty comments and insights on McEmmys' winners, losers, presenters, acceptance speeches and suspiciously spontaneous moments.

Favoritest Photo of the Week: Head Gear

(AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

It's a two-peat for the Favoritest Photo of the Week. AP photographer (and Pulitzer Prize winner) Oded Balilty impressed The Slug once again with another photo from New York Fashion Week — even though this image looks like it could be from a horror flick. Hey, fashion kills, right? You'll never believe what's really going in this photograph. Wrap your head around the original caption (and see more from this series at Far & Wide, the AP news blog):

A model waiting to get dressed wears protective headgear after hair and makeup preparations backstage at the Willow 2008 spring/summer show during Fashion Week in New York, Sunday, Sept. 9, 2007. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

"Survivor" and "Real World" Stand-Ins

(AP Photo/HO/CBS)

CBS has been posting some pretty cool YouTube videos shot by "Survivor: China" host Jeff Probst. The new season debuts Sept. 20. This one is about the Dream Team, a group of twentysomethings who test out the physical challenges and assist in other departments. They're like cast members, but they compete for beer instead of $1 million. Nice. The Dream Team members even sit at Tribal Council so the set can be lit properly for television. CBS says upcoming videos will be about walking to the challenges and a day in the life of Probst.

"Survivor" isn't the only reality TV show to have a Dream Team. When we visited "The Real World" house in Austin, Texas, a few years back for the AP, the producers also employed seven look-a-likes. Before the actual cast moved in, the look-a-likes — they were just called production assistants, not Dream Teamers — had to just hang out around the house so the camera operators could practice following folks around. They also helped confuse on-lookers who wanted to know who was in the cast before the show aired. Sneaky!

Don't Forget the Emmys

(AP Photo Illustration/Jenni Sohn)

We know it's just three days until the Emmys, but you simply must do more to contain your excitement. Everybody is pointing at you and whispering, in case you hadn't noticed. To help quench your award show thirst — we're sure your MTV VMA hangover has probably subsided by now — The Slug helped craft this fun little interactive asap Emmy quiz. It's sure to kill a few minutes of your workday and inform you just how stupid you are when it comes to crazy award show moments. Good luck.

"Top Chef" Still Flying High

Wow. What a great commercial for Continental Airlines episode of "Top Chef." We were treated to a spicy appearance by guest judge Anthony Bourdain and a challenge twist that not even seasoned reality TV viewers like us saw coming. Unfortch, our favoritest contestant, the ginormous C.J. Jacobson, was booked a flight home in this episode. Boo. Now who's gonna make all the smart-alec remarks in the kitchen!? Over the next few weeks, "Top Chef" will be all over the place: Manhattan, Colorado and Chicago. This show just moved up on our DVR priority list.

Meredith Taking Some Time to Enjoy "The View"

For the first time, Meredith Vieira will return to "The View" as a guest. The only way this appearance won't illicit a yawn from this pop-culture blog is if good ol' Meredith truly dishes the dirt on what's gone down since she left for "Today." When she was moderator, "The View" was good-natured fun. Now, it's daytime's biggest train wreck. Hopefully, Vieira won't be all phony. She does have a Photoshopped dog, you know.

Hmmm. Now that "The View" dust has settled, The Slug has a new "View" dream. For November sweeps, we want every loud-mouth who's ever been a co-host on the show — Barbara, Joy, Debbie, Star, Meredith, Lisa, Elizabeth, Rosie, Whoopi, Sherri and , um, Lassie —  to converge around one ginormous half-table for the hottest Hot Topics segment ever. It'd be like daytime's Justice League (or maybe the Legion of Doom). Make it happen, Babs!

"Housewives" Still Funny (and Desperate)

(AP Photo/HO/ABC)

The Slug watched the first episode of the new season of "Desperate Housewives" — yet another ABC show we have a love-hate-love relationship with — and we're happy to report the folks on Wisteria Lane are as entertaining as ever. Like the beloved first season, the housewives have oodles of scenes together. Spoiler alert! Luckily, our favoritest slut Edie Brit didn't actually bite it in the season finale, although we won't reveal the hilarious aftermath of her suicide survival. Oh, and there's a family headed by Kim Delaney moving back into the 'hood, but the mystery they foreshadow seems sorta lame. We hope that means more attention will be paid to the original housewives' storylines.

Reese On Topics Not Including Jake Gyllenhaal

(AP Photo/HO/Elle)

Reese Witherspoon is gracing the October cover of Elle. The long bangs are rocking our world, but doesn't that dress make it look like her bra is showing? Inside the magazine, Gavin Hood, director of her upcoming film "Rendition" co-starring Jake Gyllenhaal, says the pair didn't have an affair. They didn't even film any scenes together! Witherspoon doesn't address the rumors herself. Here's the juiciest quotes:

On dealing with hard times post-split with husband Ryan Phillipe: "There’s this moment in 'Walk the Line' where June Carter says, 'I was never aware of how much I was seen.' I was very aware of how much I was seen."

On the tabloids: "Everybody is hung out to dry now. It’s one thing if you’re up for it and you want it, and you go out without your panties on. But if you’re wearing your panties, gosh darn it, leave me alone!"

On claims that she is always in control: “I wouldn’t be able to do what I do if I were (always in control). I wouldn’t be able to have the empathy or the capacity to understand different lives.”

Step One: Put Your Emmy in the Box

(AP Photo/HO/NBC)

Here's what The Slug wants to know: Will Saturday Night Live's you-know-what "in a Box" be performed at the Emmys? In this story about Kathy Griffin being naughty during her Emmy acceptance speech, AP television writer Lynn Elber says that Andy Samberg hasn't been asked yet. Meanwhile, the academy says that "show elements are in the process of being worked out." Seriously? While the academy might not be ready for Sept. 16 just yet, we here at The Slug are 'cause — just like last year — we'll be liveblogging the ceremony live from the shag carpet in our living room. In the meantime, tide yourself over with this asap podcast about this year's Best Original Music contenders.

MTV VMAs: Gimme a Barf Bag

(AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)

Yes, we saw Britney Spears' MTV Video Music Award performance. Yes, we thought it was horrrrendously bad. But really? What did you expect? Madonna? A duet with Justin Timberlake? Actual singing? Abs? The Slug is afraid that the art of the super-staged award-show comeback is dead. Thanks, Brit Brit. You can throw all the fantasy suites, unnecessary glowing tables, collaborations, Rhapsody ads and Miss Teen South Carolina cameos you want at us, but we still don't think the VMAs are must-see TV anymore. Sorry.

Dead "Bionic Woman" Walking?

(AP Photo/HO/NBC)

Uh oh. NBC's "Bionic Woman" might be obsolete before she even debuts Sept. 26. There's been so much behind-the-scenes drama, we're beginning to wonder if this reimagination is doomed. (Then again, ABC's "Brothers & Sisters" suffered from off-screen troubles last fall that didn't ultimately seem it matter.) So just how did "Bionic Woman" go from one of The Slug's most-anticipated new fall TV show to something we're simply hoping isn't a steaming pile of nuts and bolts? It's a four-step process, really.

Screwy Schedule. Instead of installing "Bionic Woman" on Mondays with the similarly eccentric "Heroes" and "Chuck," NBC paired it with "Deal or No Deal" and the boring new cop drama "Life" on Wednesdays. That means there will be a ratings catfight between "Bionic Woman" and The CW's juicy new "Gossip Girl." Play nice, ladies.

Casting Calamity. Many folks — The Slug included — were shocked when it was announced that Isaiah Washington, who was removed from "Grey's Anatomy" after making an anti-gay slur, would join "Bionic Woman" for a multi-episode guest-star stint. Don't shows usually only resort to such attention-grabbing stunt casting in their twilight years?

Sister Act. Originally, Jamie Sommers' younger sister was an unruly deaf goth teenager played by Mae Whitman from "Arrested Development." The Slug thought their scenes together in the original pilot were particularly powerful. Guess NBC didn't. The lil' sis has been recast as a not-deaf savvy hacker played by Lucy Hale. Hmmm. This does not compute.

Big-Time Buh-Bye. Last week, executive producer Glen Morgan, best known for his work on "The X-Files," apparently discharged himself from his role as "Bionic Woman" executive producer over — you guessed it! — creative differences. Such a huge departure can't be good, can it? Quick! Somebody press Control-Alt-Delete.

Bringing M.C. Hammer Down

(AP Photo/Olga Shalygin)

When The Slug was just a lil' worm, like everyone else in the early '90s, we loved us some M.C. Hammer. We were "2 Legit 2 Quit." We had to "Pray" just to make it to today. And we loved nothing more than to "Turn This Mutha Out." Despite all that, we often wonder what time is Hammer Time? Apparently, it's 8:15 p.m.

Favoritest Photo of The Week: Sittin' Pretty

(AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

It's Fashion Week here in New York. Again. Instead of selecting a Favoritiest Photo of the Week from the runway — boring! — The Slug is picking this hauntingly beautiful and well composed shot from AP photographer Oded Balilty of some mannequins hanging around the Goldsmith factory. (Yes, we're suckers for mannequin photos.) If you squint, maybe you can see Kim Cattrall in this image. Feast your eyes on the original caption: 

A Goldsmith employee carries a mannequin at the Goldsmith factory in New York Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2007.As Fashion Week gets underway in New York, rail thin models will still be on the runways, but when garments reach the stores, many of them will be displayed on mannequins that more realistically reflect the human form - and the shapes of customers shopping for clothes. Goldsmith also has a line of full-figured mannequins.(AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

Defuser Wins "Who Wants to Be a Superhero?"

(AP Photo/HO/NBC)

Despite recommending it to fill the absence of "Heroes" in your heart and on your DVR this summer, The Slug didn't really get into Sci-Fi Channel's "Who Wants to Be a Superhero?" However, we did check out last night's season finale, which saw Stan Lee selecting The Defuser (real name: Jarrett Crippen) as the winner. We know The Defuser is a police detective in real life, but we never really understood his superpower, other than looking completely redonkulous in purple-and-black spandex. Mr. Mitzvah was robbed.

"High School Musical" Nude Photo Shocker

(AP Photo/The Disney Channel/Adam Larkey)

We don't know what to say. Vanessa Hudgin's rep has confirmed that a nude photo circulating on the World Wide Web is indeed the 18-year-old "High School Musical" star. Uh oh, Gabriella. This is sort of behavior we'd expect from the likes of Britney Spears or Sharpay. At least it's not a sex tape, right? Wow. We never thought we'd say that when referring to a Disney Channel star. The Slug is really curious if this scandal will affect the chances of "High School Musical 3" happening. In the meantime, maybe Vanessa can star in a revival of "Hair" or something?

 

"Ugly Betty" Still Funny (and Ugly)

(AP Photo/HO/ABC)

Last season, we had a love-hate-love relationship with "Ugly Betty." In the beginning, we loved her. Then we hated her. By the end of the season, we fell back in love with her again. After watching the first two episodes of the second season — premiering Sept. 28 — we're thinking we're just in like with her now.

While Judith Light's crazy mamatriarch Claire Meade has thankfully been promoted to full-time adversary for Vannesa William's deliciously evil Wilhelmina Slater, there's something too same-same-same about most of this funny series. Henry is still teasing Betty. And Betty is still saving the day in a world where people only care about themselves. Oh, and shouldn't this gal get her braces off at some point? Jeez.

The Slug Won't Take Time to Enjoy "The View"

(AP Photo/HO/ABC)

See that gap in the middle up there? Come Monday, it will be filled with Sherri Shepard. How predictable. The Slug was hoping Kathy Griffin would fill the long-empty Star Jones position on "The View." Sherri is nice and all, but this chatfest really needed a marquee name who's willing to pick celebrity catfights. That's why Rosie O'Donnell made "The View" just so darn interesting last year. Unfortch, we don't think Sherri has the guts to attack The Donald, Kelly Ripa, Claynation or the like. Sigh.

"The Ultimate Fighter" in Bloom

(AP Photo/HO/Spike)

While some reality TV shows flounder as they get older — cough, "Big Brother," cough — others seem to get better with age. That seems to be the case with Spike's "The Ultimate Fighter," the mixed martial arts competition that launches its sixth season Sept. 19. We got our hands on the punchy first episode.

Our favoritest moment happened after one injured fighter launched into a tirade against the doctor who told him he couldn't fight. He stormed out of the hospital and then stopped to smell a flower in the parking lot. That's not a metaphor. This goon actually copped a squat on a rock and plucked a flower off a nearby bush for a whiff. They don't show that kind of wackiness on pay-per-view.

"America's Player" Got No Game

(AP Photo/HO/CBS)

The Slug's had enough of this "America's Player" twist on "Big Brother 8." We were against Eric as our minion from the outset. Sure, he started to win us over this summer, but we're totally off "Team America" after Eric cried in the Diary Room, dissed our favoritest "Big Brother" player ever and bizarrely pushed Jessica's face with his hand while he jostled his tongue in her throat during last night's episode. Gross. Isn't all this stuff worth a penalty nomination or something?

"Heroes" Ahead

(AP Photo/Dima Gavrysh)

Last week, The Slug had lunch with some of the "Heroes" during their world tour stop in New York. Noah Gray-Cabey, James Kyson Lee, Zachary Quinto and Dania Ramirez were super-duper nice. (Yes, even Sylar was a softie.) We thought it was an unusual grouping: the genius, sidekick, villain and new girl. They kept teasing us that they might all be eeeevil in the second season.

That might be partially correct because  — spoiler alert! —  new character Maya will run into Sylar at some point in the upcoming season. Our sneaking suspicion is that they'll be working together à la the Legion of Doom. However, we only think that because Dania and Zach are now friends in real life. 

LISTEN: Zachary Quinto and Dania Ramirez discuss waking each other up and working out together.

Put Down That Controller and Design a T-Shirt

(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

We don't usually do posts about contests or sweepstakes. We're a pop-culture blog, not the freaking Publishers Clearing House. However, we wanted to tell you about Threadless' "E for All" T-shirt design competition for the following three reasons: First, we had a chance to visit Threadless headquarters a coupla years ago for this asap story so we know they're on the up and up. Second, the prize is truly grand: a $400 airfare gift card, lodging, Nintendo Wii, $2,000 and admission to the first-ever "E for All" video game extravaganza for you and a friend. Third, looks like we probably won't get to go to "E for All" so maybe you'll let The Slug be the friend you take since we're the ones that told you about the contest in the first place. Pretty please?