Feedback: Ellen Degeneres and Simon Cowell
- Idol Chatter
- I loved the interview with Ellen and Simon. I could hear the ticktock of the comedic timing, even as it was written on the page. She is a master of situation comedy, rehearsed or otherwise. The tension Simon loves to create is begging to be broken, and Ellen will shatter it every time.
- Peter Humphreys-Loving
- Milwaukee
- State of Disgrace?
- As the owner of both knitting needles and a Scrabble board, I find it hilarious that Tim Stack thinks that knitting and board games are less entertaining than Jersey Shore. The inane show is an embarrassment to New Jersey, women, men, hot tubs, ham, and those who can actually pronounce big words like knit and game.
- Victoria Osborne
- Germantown, Md.
Staff writer Tim Stack responds: Victoria, I appreciate your bringing to light the real innocent victims in this Jersey Shore controversy: hot tubs and ham.
I’m Italian, and I don’t find this show offensive — I am entertained by and incredulous over the dim-wittedness of the cast. We can only hope Vinny will learn as he grows. Until then, I’ll keep laughing at this clueless bunch.
Niel Miglio
Kendall Park, N.J.
Clash of the Titans
Can Avatar beat Titanic? I think that’s a big affirmative! For one, the special effects can’t yet be duplicated in your average home-entertainment setup, so viewers are trekking to their local 3-D theater again and again. But the story also speaks to something very primal within ourselves. Many of us, like Sam Worthington’s character Jake Sully, have been disaffected and disenfranchised from society. So it’s no surprise that Avatar is striking such a chord with audiences.
Mark Mortinson
Bremerton, Wash.
- On Target
- Don’t get me wrong. Your whole magazine is great, but I don’t even leave the mailbox before flipping straight to the last page to see who you have your target set on in The Bullseye each week.
- Tony Chance
- Boise, Idaho
- Disney Dud
- Is The Princess and the Frog really a disappointment for bringing in $89 million? With overseas box office, DVDs, and merchandise, it seems like it should be lucrative for Disney.
- Ryan Lucas
- Venice, Calif.
Senior editor Thom Geier responds: Disney animated movies used to dominate the family-film market — but The Princess and the Frog simply didn’t. The movie, which our critic absolutely loved, earned in three weeks of wide release what Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel did in a single weekend.
They’re Baaaaack!
We covered a glut of TV in our winter preview. But that just wasn’t enough for some faithful tube watchers. To them, we devote this display of returning faves that didn’t make it onto our TV grid.
Southland
Returned Jan. 19, TNT
Leverage
Returns Jan. 27, TNT
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Returns March TBA, USA
Friday Night Lights
Now on DIRECTV; April 30, NBC