The Slug

Drew Carey Needs "Price is Right" Improvement

(AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)

The Slug made no bones about how we felt about Drew Carey becoming host of "The Price is Right." We weren't pleased with that decision. So we gave him some time to settle into his new daytime gig before passing judgment. However, he's been at it for over a week now, and we can remain silent no longer. Yesterday's episode sent us over the edge. Although Carey is a little better than we originally expected — granted, those expectations were really, really low — The Slug can't tolerate these three things:

1. Carey has developed a nervous twitch where he'll fumble with his coat pocket on camera. Maybe he's just checking to make sure $500 is in there, in case a contestant's bid is exactly right. Whatever the reason, it drives us nuts. Keep your hands out of your pocket!

2. Before playing Barker's Bargain Bar (thankfully they didn't change the game's name) Carey has a running joke that the game is named after Ezekiel Barker, the "founder" of "Price is Right." That's not funny — or respectful to the dude who the game is actually named after.

3. Carey keeps flubbing Bob's "help control the pet population" spiel at the end of the show. Even when he gets it right, his delivery sounds completely forced. If he doesn't truly care if the audience spays and neuters their pets, he shouldn't say it.

Real Estate for Sale in Middle-Earth

(AP Photo/HO/Turbine)

You'll soon be able to own your own virtual home in Middle-earth. That's because "Lord of the Rings Online" is introducing player housing on Oct. 24. The homes will cost up to 20 gold pieces. The interiors can be customized and decked out with hundreds of items. Dwarves will dwell in Ered Luin. Men will maintain residences in Bree-land.  Elves will exist in The Tower Falls. And hobbits will hang in The Shire. How precious! 

The Name of the Game

(AP Photo/HO/World Cyber Games/Marcus R. Donner)

As you might have heard, The Slug was in Seattle last weekend. One of the reasons we traveled to the Emerald City was to attend the World Cyber Games Grand Final. It's sorta like the Olympics for gaming geeks. More than 700 competitors from 74 different countries battled in games like "Gears of War" and "Counter-Strike" for $448,000 in prize money. Team USA ended up nabbing the most medals. You can see our report on the action in this week's "Up Down Left Right," the AP's weekly video game video.

Let the World Cyber Games Begin

(AP Photo/Derrik J. Lang)

The World Cyber Games Grand Final — could that name be any longer? — kicked off here in Seattle last night with an Olympic-like ceremony. We've covered gaming competitions before, but we've never seen any video game contest as epic as the WCG Grand Final. Competitors from all over the world are battling each other  in multiplayer matches in games like "Gears of War," "Counter Strike" and "WarCraft III" throughout the huge Qwest Field Event Center. You can be a spectator online or in person. The action continues through Sunday.

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.

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? 

Favoritest Photo of the Week: Worlds Collide

(AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

What happens when you mix America, Italy and China? See above. Our Favoritest Photo of the Week comes to us from the other side of the planet where the Venetian Macao Resort Hotel opened this week. Just like the Venetian in Las Vegas, there's even a faux canal with singing gondoliers. (We once witnessed a proposal there ourselves.) Sail away with the original caption:

Gambling tables are set inside the casino during the opening ceremony of the Venetian Macao Resort Hotel in Macau Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2007. Casinos like the Wynn and Sands have already helped this southern coastal Chinese city surpass the Las Vegas Strip as the world's most lucrative gambling center. American billionaire Sheldon Adelson aims to take a step further with the US$2.4 billion (euro1.8 billion) Venetian scheduled to open Tuesday. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

"Price is Right" Set Makeover is a Winner

(AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

We're not too excited about Drew Carey taking over Bob Barker's role as "Price is Right" host. We were disappointed in his game show prowess after attending the first "Power of 10" taping. However, if these photos originally posted on Golden-Road.net are totally true, we're flipping out over the new "Price is Right" set — in a good way! Luckily, the traditional layout remains, but the new colors and icons are deliciously retrotastic. If you wanna see this baby in person, you can get tickets from CBS.

Set Your Wii Remote to Stun

(AP Photo/HO/Bethesda)

Here's some news that will surely please Trekkers and Wii geeks alike: Bethesda Softworks has announced that the first "Star Trek" game is coming to the Nintendo Wii (and Sony PlayStation 2) this fall. "Star Trek: Conquest" is set in "The Next Generation" era. The strategy space game will allow Wii captains to maneuver their starships throughout the galaxy with Wii remotes. What? No using your Wiimote as a phaser? 

Comic-Con Jealousy

(AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

As you could probably tell, we weren't at Comic-Con this year. Boo. However, we don't want to leave you out in the cold if you weren't able to get down to San Diego for all the hot geekiness. So let us point you in the direction of our colleague (and "Up Down Left Right" co-host) Ryan Pearson's asap dispatches from the convention floor. We're so jealous! He was hanging by Jessica Alba's side, found five really cool things, watched awesome teaser trailers and interacted with fans.

Drew Carey to Take "Price is Right" on the Road

(AP Photo/HO/The WB/Jeffrey Thurnher)

This is gonna make that whole "come on down" thing a tad confusing. "Price is Right" host-elect Drew Carey says he's taking the long-running daytime staple on a trip away from the Bob Barker Studio at CBS Television City. During today's first taping at the Kaufman Astoria Studios of his new CBS prime-time game show "Power of 10," Carey told the audience (which included The Slug, thankyouverymuch) that the famous "Price is Right" set would be packed up and make stops across the country — with New York as a probable destination. Good luck getting that Big Wheel and Plinko board through airport security.

"Price is Right" to Become the Drew Carey Show

(AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)

Guess we'll have to stop living in denial. In case you hadn't heard, Drew Carey has been officially tapped to replace Bob Barker as host of The Slug's favoritest game show "The Price is Right." We'd heard rumblings about this funnyman as the front-runner for Bob's job for a few weeks now but didn't publicly weigh in on The Slug, hoping that the rumors weren't true. Sigh. Pocket Change is often difficult to accept.

Drew Carey is nice and all, but we're just not sure he has that certain je ne sais Barker. We'll give him 10 Chances to see if he makes us Bonkers. Only then will we implore CBS to Let 'Em Roll right off the Golden Road. He'll get his first chance tomorrow 'cause we're scheduled to attend a taping of his new primetime game show "Power of 10." Come back tomorrow to see if we think Carey is a Hole in One (or Two).

Looking Back at E3

(AP Photo/Stefano Paltera)

After spending a week in Los Angeles with Becks, Posh and gaming geeks, The Slug is back on the East Coast, baby. This year's E3 Media and Business Summit will probably be remembered for its controversial decision to downsize and focus on compelling new content. Nintendo introduced two innovative controllers. Sony paraded its social networking platform "Home" and continued to tease with "Killzone 2." And Microsoft is putting its money on more family-friendly fare and something called "Halo 3." Find out what The Slug thought about the swag, setup and more as we ask ourselves questions about E3, after the jump.

Moment of E3 Reflection

(AP Photo/Stefano Paltera)

Now this is some social networking! During the first night of E3, The Slug attended five parties: Capcom and Sony's low-key cocktail hour, Nintendo's jumbo-shrimp-filled reception, Eidos' over-the-top "Age of Conan" celebration, Bethesda Software's Saddle Ranch Club rodeo and Electronic Arts' "Rock Band" concert featuring a super-secret performance by Queens of the Stone Age. You can see our exploits (in which we channel Brooke Burke from E's "Wild On") in this week's "Up Down Left Right."

Today, we've got meetings lined up with over a dozen game developers from  Midway to Microsoft to preview (and hopefully test drive) their upcoming games. It's strange. The mood seems to be somber at this year's downsized E3, despite the gaming industry's boom and game-play innovations. Perhaps that's just because of the hassle of getting from Point A to Point B since the expo isn't being held under one roof. Many are speculating it'll be the last E3 ever, but The Slug thinks this party is just getting started.

Back to School at E3

(AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

E3 festivities officially kick off tonight with Microsoft's press conference at Santa Monica High School. Yes, they're holding their press conference at a local high school. Microsoft is gonna fill an auditorium with a few thousand video game geeks. How redonkulous is that? If a bunch of football players barge in and start handing out wedgies, we're totally telling Mr. Belding. However, most gaming blogs are speculating that they're unveiling a new version of the Xbox 360. Score! We hypothesize it'll have something to do with recording television.

"At World's End" Smoother as a Game

(AP Photo/HO/Disney Interactive)

Big-budget blockbusters: 0. Their video games: 2. We preferred the high-def "Spider-Man 3" game to the longwinded flick and can now safely say the same thing about "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End." While the swordfighting controls are awkward and Jack Sparrow moves slowly, the lush graphics and detailed cutscenes make up for the somewhat plodding action. Besides, all pirate games are awesome. And, you know, trends come in threes so if "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer" is better as a video game than a movie, we're going to quit going to the multiplex altogether.

Nobody Puts This Game in the Corner

(AP Photo/HO/Lionsgate)

We hope you're sitting down — or at least standing on a log — for this tidbit. "Dirty Dancing" is being turned into a PC video game simply titled "Dirty Dancing — The Video Game." Since this news is so bizarre that we're feeling a little faint, The Slug will let the press release do the talking: "Through this action puzzler, Dirty Dancing enthusiasts now have the opportunity to experience the life of Baby, learn to dance with the resident dancing couple, Johnny and Penny, and work alongside the team at the renowned Kellerman’s Mountain House Resort." Now if only we could get someone to make "Ferris Bueller’s Day Off — The Game."

"Guitar Hero" Striking Another Sequel

(AP Photo/HO/Activision)

Video game publisher Activision and developer Red Octane announced that a third installment of "Guitar Hero" will be available for PS2, PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii this fall, featuring new tracks and multiplayer options. Already? And we were just starting to get warmed up on "Guitar Hero II" for the Xbox 360, too. (Not really. See our horrible performance in this asap video.) Our only complaint about this franchise has always been the lack of fan-favorite classics, but the press release is teasing that new tunes like Rolling Stones' "Paint It Black," Heart's "Barracuda" and Beastie Boys' "Sabotage" will be included. Consider us amped.

Stock Up on Bob Barker

(AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)

If you love Bob Barker as much as The Slug does — or at least want to pretend like you do — start faking a big ol' grin because the Game Show Network is scheduling a slew of Very Special Episodes starring "The Price is Right" host except, well, vintage "Price is Right" episodes themselves. (We know why. Sigh.) From May 15 to May 18, Barker will appear as a celebrity panelist on old "Match Game" episodes from the '70s and alongside Rod Roddy and his beauties in "Family Feud" episodes from '91. On May 19, GSN will air editions of "I've Got a Secret" and "Tattletales" that feature Barker cameos. Sniff. We miss him already!

Is Your Child More Photogenic Than Those 5th Graders?

(AP Photo/HO/Fox)

Calling all stage moms and dads! "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?" is looking for a new panel of children to answer questions and make adult contestants feel like dumb dumbs. The only requirement is that aspiring tykes must actually be in the fifth grade next year. An application at Fox.com includes the question: "Who does the student think is the smartest person in the world?" We'd like to suggest Mark Burnett or Jeff Foxworthy as possible answers. Nothing is cuter than kids sucking up to the boss!

"Heroes" and "Top Model" Going Mobile

(AP Photo/HO/The CW)

We're vibrating with excitement! The Slug learned today that "America's Next Top Model" and "Heroes" are being turned into mobile games. In the "ANTM" game from Artificial Life, players will train an avatar representing one of the ladies from the cycle 8 to become a top model. When that girl is eliminated, her avatar will be removed from the game. Harsh! And mini-games based on the show's modeling challenges (walking? connecting with the camera? uh, walking?) will be unlocked each week.

Meanwhile, in "Heroes: The Mobile Game" from Gameloft, gamers will be able to play as superhumans Hiro, Matt, Peter or Niki. (What?! No Claire?!) Interestingly, the press release says the game’s action, penned by writers from the show, will be based on "events from the electrifying first season as well as the hotly awaited second season." Hmmm. We're hot that this could possibly mean Niki will be included in season two. Both games will be available later this year.

Favoritest Photo of the Week: Domino Effect

(AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

Time for our Favoriest Photo of the Week! If you're just now joining The Slug, every Friday we select an AP image from that week that stimulates our eyeballs more than any other. We love a good party, and there's probably none as colorful as carnival in Rio de Janeiro. We couldn't make it this year (or any other year), but this vibrant photo by AP photographer Jorge Saenz makes us feel like we did — or at least like we're giants playing a game of dominoes. We're not sure. The original subtítulo:

Dancers perform during 'Viradouro' samba school carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro, early Monday, Feb. 19, 2007. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

Feeling Lukewarm for "Ghost Rider"

(AP Photo/HO/2K)

Well, we finally got around to playing that "Ghost Rider" game last night. However, The Slug didn't check out the movie last weekend. (But that's probably for the best.) As originally suspected, trotting around as Johnny Blaze in the PS2 game is basically the same as in "Marvel: Ultimate Alliance" although there's some "God of War"-like moves thrown in for good measure. And the driving sequences are unfortunately terrible. Think: "Mario Kart" but with hellfire, brimstone and not as much fun. We have much higher expectations for another gothic comic book adaptation called "The Darkness," which we'll be checking out at New York Comic Con

Toy Fair 2007: Christmas Comes Early

(AP Photo/Dima Gavrysh)

Yippee! The 2007 American International Toy Fair is in full swing, and The Slug will be reporting on — fine, playing with — all the new bizarre/silly/awesome dolls, robots, gadgets and games. We hear the Rubik's Cube will be showing off a new makeover and the "Desperate Housewives" will be in attendance, well, in doll form, anyway. Check back this afternoon for our take on the toy madness — unless we decide to never come back!

Don't Cha Wish Your Casino Was Hot Like This?

(AP Photo/Derrik J. Lang)

Here's a sneak peek at the new Pussycat Dolls Casino that opens this week. It's not really a casino but a separate sexy gaming area inside Caesars Palace across from the Pure nightclub and Pussycat Dolls Lounge. (Those gals sure do get around.) As you can see, the "casino" features a huge PCD neon sign, leopard-laden poker tables and slot machines featuring lip print icons. Of course, the most out-there elements are the two dancing cages at the center of the themed gaming area and the fishnet-clad table legs. You can see a photo of that "Hot Stuff" after the jump.

Gambling with the Stars

(AP Photo/Derrik J. Lang)

Well, The Slug made it to Vegas! We had no idea until we strolled through the casino that you could actually gamble alongside celebrities like The Munsters and Darth Vader. Seems like half of the slots here feature characters from television shows and movies plastered all over 'em. And some of them talk! After procuring some coinage, we tried out a few. Watch us lose the shirt off our back after the jump.

Watching the Wow Start

(AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

There are several things The Slug thought while attending the launch event for Microsoft Windows Vista today, such as "Wow, the line to get inside is long" and "Wow, this looks like OS X" and "Wow, this is way better than Windows 3.1." Basically, everything we said began with "Wow." After a one-song performance by Angels and Airwaves, Bill Gates and friends dazzled the audience with the new slick operating system. (Gamers unite! PC users can play games against Xbox 360 users.)

Afterwards, launch attendees noshed on fancy hors d'oeuvres and drank booze from three open bars. (Nothing for The Slug, thank you. We're on the clock.) For more on the Vista launch, check out our asap IM play-by-play of the ceremony. Tomorrow, we'll present 10 things we hate and love about Windows Vista. And the day after that we'll probably be saying, "Wow, mother, you shouldn't have bought Windows Vista if you don't know where your computer's on button is located."

Our Favoritest Things in 2006

(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Our long national nightmare is almost over! The year-end lists that plague this time of year will be null and void at the stroke of midnight Sunday. So before we take off for a three-day weekend full of speculating and drinking, here's, um, yet another year-end list! We skipped the crap and just went for our favoritiest pop culture nuggets from 2006. If you disagree or think there was something better, we probably didn't see it — or you're just wrong.

Favoritest Viral Video: Reverend Alecia. She simply spun, spun, spun around on a gold lamé-covered office chair to "give praise to the name of the Lord," but there was something so hilariously beautiful about it. And just when you thought you've had enough, she spins via split-screen.

Favoritest Song: "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley. Sure, it's played out now, but we remember when, we remember, we remember at the beginning of the year when the infectious beat and repetitious lyrics shook our tush. While OutKast was busy making a movie, Gnarls Barkley's Danger Mouse and Cee-Lo filled the genre-spanning void with the bestest ditty of 2006.

Favoritest Commercial: Little Richard for Geico. Usually we cringe at celebrities shilling in ads. (Case in point: Alan Thicke offering a "second honeymoon" at the Tahiti Village in Las Vegas. Oh, brother.) But Little Richard steals the show while hawking car insurance with the best description of Thanksgiving dinner ever. Whooo!!!

Favoritest Reality TV Show: "Survivor: Cook Islands." It started with a scandal and could've gone horribly wrong. Instead, viewers of this aging reality show were treated to a season of interesting twists that had nothing to do with that racial divide. By season's end, we were left with a dominating multicultural alliance who concluded the potentially viscous game with more integrity than any previous season.

Favoriest Movie: "Borat" and "The Queen." We know. We know. We're lame for the tie, but we couldn't pick just one. Surprisingly, we sorta loved both for the same reason. These scathing looks at two very different cultures successfully undulated between real and fake, fact and fiction. "Borat" did it for laughs. "The Queen" did it for chills. And we're better for watching both.

Favoritest Roller Coaster: Tatsu. Opened in April, this soaring Japanese-themed coaster, which suspends riders horizontally, whirls 170-feet above Six Flags Magic Mountain's other rides and — gulp! — the ground. When we visited Los Angeles in October, we rode in the front and truly felt like Superman.

Favoritest Game Show: "The Price is Right." You can keep "Deal or No Deal," "1 vs. 100," "Identity" and all those other prime-time game shows. They're boring and, frankly, seem phony. We'll take the crazy everyday men and women who compose "The Price is Right" audience any day of the week. And although Bob Barker announced he's retiring next year, we think he's still got it.

Favoritest Scandal: Clay Aiken's hand. When the "American Idol" runner-up put his hand over Kelly Ripa's mouth on "Live with Regis and Kelly," it ignited a firestorm across daytime television. We're surprised it didn't cause any havoc in Harmony on "Passions."

Favoritest TV Show: "Heroes." While "Lost" was busy dragging out its tiresome mysteries — there, we said it — this superhero drama moved forward with superhuman speed, improving upon a very ehhhh first episode and veering clear of copying "X-Men" by focusing intriguing they-could-be-real characters. We can't wait until 2007 to find out if we're on the list!   

Favoritest Video Game: "Loco Roco." Our favorite game this year wasn't on Wii or PlayStation 3. It was on — gasp! — the PlayStation Portable. With spirited graphics, addictive soundtrack and innovate gameplay, we think this gelatinous puzzle game was more vanguard than anything on those next-generation consoles.

Favoritest Blog: Adrants. We love this marketing and advertising blog for exposing bizarre commercials, flogs and silly P.R. campaigns. In a year when the line between entertainment and advertisement became even thinner, Adrants was there to point its finger and giggle. (And no, we didn't pick Adrants because they linked to our HeadOn post.)

Favoritest asap Story We Did: Waiting for Cats. This past year, we had the opportunity to create stories about amazing people (Mr. T, Bazooka Joe), amazing animals (Lassie, mascots), amazing places (Costa Rica, Flea World) and amazing things ("Second Life," Mardi Gras), but our favoritest was simply tailing a group of talented teenagers who were putting on an amateur production of "Cats."

Slugshots: Fantastic George

• George Clooney cuts his own hair?
• That's it. Somebody take the Little Mermaid's voice away again!
• There's a cardigan Welsh corgi in our neighborhood named Nick.
• You get a Wii. And you get a Wii. And you get a Wii.
• Well, maybe he shouldn't cut his own hair.
• Sigh. Guess we have to keep trying for Pro level on "Project 8."
• Carrie Underwood is going to the Persian Gulf. Clay Aiken went to Pennsylvania.

How to Come On Down

(AP Photo/Ric Francis)

Lookie here. There's a letter in The Slug's in-box about our favoritest game show.

Thanks for your info on "The Price is Right." I have a quick question for you. I am going to the show in February and am wondering what the producers asked you when you were being filtered through the line. Like where are you from? What do you do? Also, did you get a sense of who they picked and what kind of answers they gave to the producers?

Thanks a million!
Jeff   

Hey Jeff. Thanks for the great question. The Slug was not selected to come on down, so we can only share our personal experience of not getting picked. If you crave more, go ask the folks over at the Golden-Road.net message board. They have far more expertise about "The Price is Right" than us.

Say something interesting. In order of arrival, audience members were brought out in front of producer Phil Rossi (that's what his CBS badge said his name was) before going inside the studio. Phil went down the row and asked everyone where they're from and what they do. That's it. Sometimes he asked further questions (like when we told him we were a journalist, he queried: "Are you going to write about us?") and sometimes he laughed at people's responses or seemed really into them, but they didn't get picked. We suspect Phil cleans up at poker.

Don't be like someone else. During our episode, no young men were selected to come on down. It was mostly women. That's peculiar. Why? Well, some wise people in the audience told us that a young guy won both showcases on an episode filmed the day before. So perhaps demographics are at play? If that's the case, it might be out of your control, Jeff.

Don't have the name of someone else. We've never seen an episode of "Price is Right" featuring two contestants with the same name. So if another Jeff gets called to come on down, you can probably give up hope of playing Plinko. Perhaps you should consider changing your name to something totally unique.

Make 19 friends. The last thing we can recommend to increase your chances is to go in a group. At "The Price is Right," a group is considered 20 or more people who make prior reservations. During our episode, one person was picked from each "group." Good luck getting in the audience and on the show, Jeff. Even if you don't get picked, you'll still have an awesome experience.

While We Were Out

(AP Photo/Robert Evans)

No, The Slug wasn't secretly attending the TomKat wedding in Italy. We really were on an Asian vacation in Malaysia, away from American pop culture. And then we attended the Nieman Conference on Narrative Journalism in Boston. (Shoutout to all the journalists-bloggers we met.) Besides the Cruise-Holmes wedding — someone tell us why Brooke Shields was there?!?! — here's what else we missed:

Gamers went absolutely nuts for the PS3 and Wii launches while The Slug's B.F.F. and asap reporter Ryan Pearson made himself sore with the Wii. Get jealous. We had a PS3 review unit waiting for us at our desk when we got back so we'll dish on the games, graphics and that ol' fashioned controller this week.

There were several shockers on "Survivor." First, there was that mutiny. Hello?! Doesn't anybody see that Jonathan Penner is sooo obviously this season's villain? Somebody vote him off already! Second, that mysterious bottle revealed a two-for-the-price-of-one Tribal Council. Buh-bye to Brad Virata, Rebecca Borman and Jenny Guzon-Bae. Now it's getting good!

Emmitt "Twinkle Toes" Smith won "Dancing with the Stars," and we couldn't be happier. While Mario Lopez looked hotter in ballroom garb than in A.C. Slater acid wash denim, we were rooting for Smith because he was having more fun. (And he's from our hometown of Pensacola, Fla. Holla.)

"Desperate Housewives" is back to its old self. After that amazing hostage episode — told you Laurie Metcalf was awesome — the show's latest two outings felt fresh, mysterious, sexy and sudsy. What do you think is going to happen with that alleged pedophile neighbor? We think the sister in the wheelchair has something to do with it.

"Casino Royale" opened with the blonde Bond — and it didn't even get the No. 1 spot at the box office. We weren't able to get to any preview screenings so we have zero thoughts on why an animated film about a tap-dancing penguin beat 007. This news has left The Slug shaken, not stirred.

The Slug with The Lead Pipe in the Conservatory

(AP Photo/Hillary Rhodes)

Last night, The Slug traveled with our big sister and asap reporter Hillary Rhodes to the ritzy Campbell Apartment inside Grand Central Terminal for a preview event for the "Agatha Christie: Murder on the Orient Express" PC game, which is available next Tuesday. The puzzle-mystery game looks fun and visually stunning. It was refreshing to see something that wasn't aimed at teenage boys and didn't require players to shoot hundreds of aliens.

But the best part of the evening was interacting with folks hired to play characters from the game. (See above, baby.) It was just like that episode of "Saved by the Bell" when the gang attended that weekend murder mystery inside that mansion! We're suckers for a good theme party. Listen to the message we received before the event.

LISTEN: The Slug's voicemail.

Replacements Row

(AP Photo Illustration/Derrik J. Lang)

The Slug has come to one of the last phases of grieving: acceptance. We respect Bob Barker's decision to retire in June. While we're still not sure if "The Price is Right" should continue without him, we do have three recommendations for the producers. Although, we think no matter what happens after Bob leaves, "The Price is Right" will tank after two seasons. On with the candidates!

George Hamilton. He's charming like Bob. He wears suits like Bob. He's tan like Bob. If Hamilton served as host, it wouldn't be too confusing for older "Price is Right" viewers. And this "Dancing with the Stars" runner-up is 15 years younger than Bob so he's still got a lot of "Plinko" explanations left in him.

Kathy Griffin. This mouthy comedian-actress has been on a slew of celebrity reality and game shows as a contestant. "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," "Gameshow Marathon," "Weakest Link" and "The Mole" — just to name a few. Replacing Bob Barker would certainly be Griffin's ticket off the d-list.

Rich Fields. As the current "Price is Right" announcer, Rich Fields adequately replaced the glittery shoes of Rod Roddy. And after seeing Fields warm up the audience with a story about being inspired by original announcer Johnny Olson, The Slug thinks this former weatherman has got what it takes to hold that microphone.

Bob Barker to Hang Up Skinny Microphone

(AP Photo/Ric Francis)

Halloween is usually the happiest of all holidays for The Slug. Candy. Costumes. Fake blood. What's not to love? However, Halloween '06 will forever be remembered as the day Bob Barker announced his retirement from the longest running, bestest daytime game show ever. We feel so lucky that we were able to experience "The Price is Right" earlier this month. Over 35 seasons, zillions of Americans invited the 82-year-old television personality into their home when they were sick, retired, raising kids or simply skipping school. OK. We have to quit typing now. The Slug is starting to tear up.

The Slug Has Got Game

(AP Photo Illustration/Derrik J. Lang)

Because the weather was so darn dreary this weekend, The Slug stayed inside, drank warm beverages and played a bunch of new board games. (Actually, make that just games. None of 'em came with boards. How futuristic!) We rated our three favorites for you since the holidays are right around the corner, which usually means mucho time-killing with the family while waiting for turkeys, hams and latkes.

Fun: "Survivor DVD Blast." The box for this DVD-based trivia game boasts that no board or game pieces are required. But isn't that, you know, part of the fun of playing a game? Instead, all moves happen on the tube. The game even keeps score for you. But unless you're a HUUUGE fan of "Survivor," this game is definitely difficult. Even The Slug didn't know most of the answers.

Funner: "Family Feud." OK. So this is technically a video game, but it can easily be played by multiple people. Since The Slug is a whore for game shows, we loved this highly customizable version of the classic. You can select what era studio to appear in and even edit the appearance of your family. Grandma gets an afro! Unfortunately, you can't select which host will read the survey questions. Boo! We want Richard Dawson! The game's Fast Money final round is particularly fun to play.

Funnest: "Banzai." Based on the absurd G4 show, this Japanese-themed DVD betting game comes with the awesomest accouterment ever: plastic sushi, chopsticks and "Karate Kid"-style headbands that players wear while predicting what will happen in bizarre DVD clips. For example, how many balloons will it take for a chicken to fly? The player with the most chopstick skill usually has the upperhand because betting requires picking up as many plastic sushi as possible in a 15-second span. Super cool.

The Games of DigitalLife

(AP Photo/HO/EA)

The Slug is blogging live from the DigitalLife convention! Geeky, right? But totally fun. While about half of the show is dedicated to gadgets like the new Treo 680 that everyone won't shut up about, the other half is all about games, games, games. The most present, interestingly enough, is Xbox 360 Live Arcade games, such as "Small Arms" and "Assault Heroes," a totally insane retro shoot-'em-up. "Final Fantasy XII" and "Phantasy Star Universe" were all over the place, too. But we just couldn't get into them.

We also played "The Sims 2: Pets" expansion pack, which was soooo cute, but The Slug has one major compliant. No Welsh corgis! We had to load a German Shepherd in the "Create-a-Pet" section and shorten his legs to make our favoritest pooch. Weird. Also, there are game tournaments happening for "F.E.A.R. Combat," "Dance Dance Revolution," "Guitar Hero II" and "American Idol." Yes, people are singing (badly, mostly) at DigitalLife. As if it wasn't loud enough.

What Do You Get a Hedgehog for His Birthday?

(AP Photo/Derrik J. Lang)

Happy Birthday, Sonic the Hedgehog! The hyperactive lil' guy celebrated his 15th birthday today at the DigitalLife consumer gadget and video game convention with a giant orange cake. The Slug was there and we had a piece — with frosting. You know how we do. After the festivities, we took a speedy Sonic-style jog through the show to see what cool stuff is coming out.

Quickly: Windows Vista feels too much like XP, but the new operating system rocks when it comes to multimedia. The graphics on Playstation 3 are purrrty, but the controller is too awkward. The HotSeat Chassis, a go-kartish system for playing driving and flying games, is tons o' fun but would totally ruin players' feng shui. And call us old fashioned, but Nicole Ritchie and Virgin Mobile's new SLICE phone have something in common: Too thin!

Want more? Don't worry. The Slug will be going back to the show to take a closer look at some of the new games coming out this fall for everything from your cell phone to your Wii. Who knows? Maybe we'll help Sonic get his learner's permit on that HotSeat Chassis thingie.

The Price of Success

(AP Photo/Derrik J. Lang)

While we were in Los Angeles, one of our childhood dreams came true. We sat in the audience of "The Price is Right" and met Bob Barker. We imagine the emotions that immigrants experienced while moving through Ellis Island were similar to those that we felt while attempting to get into "The Price is Right." Anticipation. Excitement. Nervousness. Boredom. It's no easy feat attaining a seat in that audience. And we were in no way prepared for this. So, as a public service, here's what it takes to come on down.

Ticket. You can get it from the Web site, have it mailed to your home address or pick it up at CBS Studios. But a ticket does not guarantee admission. Actually, the CBS pages say nothing guarantees admission. But you will need a ticket for the day of the taping to get in.

Order of Arrival Pass. You can't get this puppy online. You have to actually show up to CBS Studios on the morning of the taping. We arrived at 6 a.m. on a Monday, received No. 343 and didn't get in. The next day, we showed up at 3 a.m. and got No. 24. The people in front of the line? Midnight. The Order of Arrivial Pass also determines where you'll sit. We were in the third row. Whee!

Contestant Number. So after you have the above, the CBS pages will place you in numerical order. Then they'll check for two forms of identification: a photo ID and something with your Social Security digits. Don't worry if you don't have the latter. You can mail it in if you're selected to come on down. This number is what producers use to select contestants after being prescreened in line.

Name Tag. You've seen them. You love them. You've always wanted one. (OK. Maybe that's just us.) After waiting for hours and going through all the above, a CBS page will eventually come around and write your name with a big black marker on one of those big yellow price tags that sticks to your shirt. Sorry. No nicknames.

(AP Photo/Derrik J. Lang)

Young Studs Win World Poker Tour

(AP Photo/HO/Borgata)

He can just barely legally drink booze or gamble, but 21-year-old Mark Newhouse can — and did! — win the World Poker Tour last night at the Borgata Event Center in Atlantic City, N.J. He captured the $1,519,020 first prize, beating 22-year-old Chris McCormack in head’s-up action at the 2006 Borgata Poker Open. Both Newhouse and McCormack were the youngest players at the final table. Jeez. When The Slug was 21, we were still watching "Full House" instead of making them.