On Gear Live: Samsung S95C: The OLED TV You Can’t Afford (to Ignore!)

Shalom in the HomeDr Phil better get out his “A-Game” because new television therapist Rabbi Shmuley Boteach is red hot right now and moving up in the ratings with TLC’s Shalom in the Home. It’s good stuff.  Rabbi Shmuley is not made for TV therapist.  He’ll tell you like he sees it - but not in the Dr. Phil type of way.  He’s an Oxford-trained theologian and philosopher who’s written a dozen-plus books on relationships and families and counseled thousands of people through all of life’s challenges. The show now has video podcasts available for your “Oy-Pod.”

Here are some of his Shmuleyisms:

  • You can’t be a good parent without being a good spouse.
  • There are two kinds of parental love: the love you give your kids, and the love you give your spouse. Kids with loving spouses grow up believing in romantic love.
  • It’s your kid’s job to resist. It’s your job to impose your will.
  • Good discipline is just another form of love.
  • Ten percent of life is what happens; the other 90 percent is what you do about it.
  • Many of us parent out of fear - fear of alienating our kids, fear of making the wrong choice - but fear never leads to the right destination.
  • You cannot fix your children without also fixing yourself.

Shalom in the Home airs Mondays at 10 ET/PT on TLC. They’re also looking for families to be on future episodes.  You can find an application on the Shalom in the Home Web site.


Read More | Shalom in the Home


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Kathy Griffin As a long time fan of Ms. Griffin’s I’m looking forward to June 6th when Bravo will unveil another fresh and frisky season of Kathy’s usual dirt dishing adventures. I have a particular fondness for the way she finds a humorous, yet biting way, to oust and joust her C-List and higher celebs.  This season however promises to have a more focused purpose. Looks like our Ms. Griffin has made an impassioned plea to upgrade and elevate herself from the ranks of a lowly D to what, I can only imagine, she views as a more promising C.  But with this plea comes in return an impassioned and pleaful reply of my own to our funny girl.

Does Queen of the D understand what she might be in for if she jumps rank? Gone will be the days of second-class accommodations and reporting from the press bridge on the E! Network (which ok, I can see the benefit in leaving that behind…) but with the pros come the cons. The cons could include bike chases down Sunset and poorly crafted lies about her on the cover of rag mags statewide (afterall we’re still talking only C List here). Now I’m not saying that Ms. Griffin can’t handle herself, or that she is not long over due for a celeb list promotion. I’m just asking the question; does she really understand what she’s in for? With her fan base growing and her visibility bringing her, well, more visibility, I have a feeling it won’t be long before Ms Griffin climbs the Celeb List rankings on her own. She won’t need any impassioned pleas or PR gags. And it will be interesting to see, when that time comes, if she dedicates the next season to getting herself back on the D List. Besides, does she really want to be seated at award tables with Tom Cruise and Gwen Paltrow? Although, on second thought, that would make one hell of an episode.


The 4400The third season of The 4400 will premiere Sunday, June 11 on USA. Those of you who haven’t kept up with the story of 4400 people who mysteriously disappeared over the years and were returned all at once (unaged and with amazing new abilities) have a chance to catch up on the first two seasons. The 4400 Marathon, will start on Sunday June 4 at 9am EST. If you can’t devote an entire day (although you’ll surely want to) you can simply watch the “Cliff’s Notes” version, The 4400 Special: Unlocking the Secrets airing that evening at 10 o’clock.

Season three will reveal even more about the 4400 returnees, including Isabelle – a one-year-old baby with extraordinary powers who awakes one day as a grown woman, and Shawn – a young man with the power to heal. This show is completely addictive and provocative. You won’t want to miss one second of it.


The HillsThe first two seasons of the MTV reality series Laguna Beach: The Real O.C. posed the very serious moral question: Kristin or Lauren? Reality television (and yes, I use the term “reality” loosely) often forces us to choose between two pretty, but vapid blondes. Hello, Paris and Nicole. However the love triangle between Kristin Cavallari, Lauren “L.C.” Conrad, and Stephen Colletti (a guy who honestly, didn’t seem to be worth the trouble) left us a nation divided.

Those of you on the L.C. bandwagon are no doubt excited about The Hills, a Laguna Beach spin-off that follows the fashion student and her new friends through school and an internship at Teen Vogue. After having watched the premiere episode, I’m convinced that The Hills will follow Laguna Beach’s this-can’t-be-real-reality format and that’s what will keep the fans tuning in.

Both Kristin and Lauren fans alike will enjoy watching her fumbling through an internship she isn’t remotely qualified for and partying in an apartment she can’t possibly afford on her own. Oh and of course, the previews have been teasing us with the reunion of L.C. and smarmy ex-boyfriend Jason (although I’ll admit, anyone is better than whiny, undernourished Stephen at this point). I am admittedly much too old to watch a show about over-privileged teens and their antics, but something about Laguna Beach and The Hills just sucks me in. I think it’s one of those “so-bad-it’s-good” guilty pleasures that we all have. Lauren Conrad is mine.

Meanwhile, the third season of Laguna Beach, due to premiere sometime later this summer, will focus on both familiar cast members and new ones, including L.C.’s sister. I think the only question left to ask now is: what ever happened to Lo???


Penelope Cruz Matthew McConaugheyAttention single women and single men - Matthew McConaughey and Penelope Cruz are both available again. Cruz’s spokesman just announced that it’s official that the couple has split up.  The two met while costarring in the 2005 movie Sahara. If you didn’t see that flick, you’re not missing all that much. The two broke up, according to People Magazine, four weeks ago due to busy work schedules.
The University of Texas Alumni, McConaughey appeared in Failure to Launch earlier this year with Sarah Jessica Parker.  Meanwhile, Cruz has a hot film on her hands in Pedro Almodovar’s Volver, (Return ), which caught the eyes of filmgoers at the Cannes Film Festival.

Who knows who they’ll meet on the set of their new projects.  Cruz is in Spain filming Manolete. It’s a drama about the legendary Spanish bullfighter, costarring Adrien Brody. Meanwhile, McConaughey is shooting We Are Marshall, about former Marshall University football coach Jack Lengyel.  Seems like a lot of guys on the set of that one the only big named female co-star is Kate Mara from Brokeback Mountain.


Big BrotherThe summer reality television blahs are about to strike.  American Idol is over. The Amazing Race is over. Survivor is over too.  So that means back to the summer reality television standby of Big Brother will soon be here. The difference is, this summer CBS is putting the fan in the casting director’s chair.  Starting on June 21st, you can pick from a list of 20 former Big Brother All-Stars online to cast this summer’s show.  All 20 candidates will be present when Julie Chen announces the ALL-STARS participants on the season premiere,

If the true Big Brother fan that has watched it all six seasons comes out to vote for the cast of Big Brother 7 it could be the nastiest reality shows we’ve scene in sometime where true enemies in the house and outside in the days that came after their evictions square off again.  Big Brother 7 airs on CBS on Thursday, July 6th, 8PM ET/PT.


Read More | Big Brother Updates


Falcon BeachFalcon Beach hits the air waves Sunday 8/7c on ABC Family. It’s a global series that played on Canadian TV last season. So will it sink or swim here in the US? Here’s how ABC sells it, “Every summer the sleepy New England town of Falcon Beach ignites, and the surf and sand aren’t the only things heating up. When the townies and the rich kids who summer at Falcon Beach collide, the sparks fly.” Steve Byers plays Jason Tanner the Jock of the show.  You might recognize Byers as from his appearances on La Femme Nikita and A Simple Wish.  Or you probably won’t recognize him. He also got some work on MTV’s comedy series 2Gether.

Jennifer Kydd plays another one of the leads in the role of Paige Bradshaw. Jennifer appeared in the TV series as Doc for PAX/CTV and Zoe Busiek: Wild Card for Lifetime. Kydd’s little big screen work includes Rush of Fear for Carlton America and Heart of a Stranger for Lifetime. She also starred in the series pilot of See Robin Jones for USA/Family Channel and performed in the feature film Love That Boy. 

On interesting thing about the show is that it’s big on indie music.  Including bands like Pilate, Doctor, Paper Moon and Matt Mays & El Torpedo along with some bigger label artists like Sam Roberts, Holly McNarland and Sloan. According to the show’s Web site, “For now, they’re making the most of every minute while it lasts. There are no right answers, just the endless possibilities of summer. What does that mean for the dreamers and the schemers, the lovers and doubters, the people tied to the past and the ones trying to break free from it? That’s the thing about Falcon Beach. Anything is possible. But somebody’s bound to get burned.”

Does that include the summer TV viewer? Forget the sunscreen…bring the remote just in case.


The principal cast members of Grey’s Anatomy should be thankful.  Not only were they were each rewarded with $200,000 bonuses for their fine work on their show, but they received them before their ratings started to tank next year.  (That is, of course, because they are moving to Thursday nights @ 9pm).  It’s always nice to get a raise before your next performance review…


I’m ashamed to admit this – but I am secretly obsessed with Disney’s TV-movie High School Musical. (It’s true. I use my six-year-old daughter as a front to cover up my love of Disney’s “tween” shows and made-for-TV-movies). High School Musical is basically a modern day rip-off of Grease in which two teens from different cliques fall in love despite the odds. Oh, and there’s singing. Lots of singing. I’ll admit that the plot is contrived and the acting is mediocre at best, but the movie was mesmerizing anyway. The songs, although corny and combined with laughable choreography, are extremely catchy and guaranteed to get stuck in your head. Description

The film follows two teens, Troy (the basketball star) and Gabriella (the shy honor student) as they discover their love for singing and work up the courage to audition for the high school musical. Of course, their prospective cliques do not approve of their newfound interest in singing, nor does the school’s resident brother-and-sister musical star team, Sharpay and Ryan. I won’t give away the ending, but it’s completely predictable so I’m sure you can figure it out.

What makes this movie not just watchable but actually enjoyable is both its absurdity and its simplicity. It has the ingredients for any popular musical or teen movie and somehow manages to succeed at being both simultaneously. Don’t expect the cast to be winning Emmy awards or record contracts anytime soon, but you’ll still fall in love with their adorable characters.

Even if you don’t love this kind of movie, you will likely find it less frustrating to watch than some of the other stuff your kids turn on. 

Apparently I’m not alone in my forbidden love. High School Musical, which premiered this January, was the Disney Channel’s most successful movie to date. Ask around and you’re likely to find parents and older siblings furtively buying the DVD or bestselling soundtrack for themselves. I, of course, bought it for my daughter. No really. It was for her. I swear.


Hell's KitchenThe second season of Hell’s Kitchen is set to premiere June 12 on FOX and it couldn’t be any sooner after the season finale of Bravo’s watered-down Top Chef. Twelve aspiring chefs will compete for the opportunity to operate their own restaurant at the Red Rock Casino Resort Spa in Las Vegas.

Last season’s winner was Michael Wray, a 27-year-old chef who…oh who are we kidding, no one really cares about the cast of anonymous punching bags disguised as contestants. The truth is, those of us who tune into Hell’s Kitchen do so for its brutally honest host, British chef Gordon Ramsay. He makes American Idol’s Simon Cowell seem like Mr. Rogers.

Watching the fury Chef Ramsay unleashes upon the contestants is somewhat like watching a Weather Channel documentary on tornados. You’re appalled at the carnage and destruction, but at the same time you just can’t look away. Most of all you’re relieved that it isn’t happening to you and that is what makes Hell’s Kitchen damn good television.


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