Rumors That Oprah Riggs Contest In Favor Of African American

Oprah Riggs Contest In Favor Of African American? Oprah Hates the Handicapped. These are two phrases being thrown out around the internet today.

Oprah Winfrey has an online contest going on for those who want to host their own television show. The show will be on her new network, scheduled to launch in January, Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN).

FOX News reported:
“Prior to Tuesday, wheelchair-bound comedian and travel show host hopeful Zach Anner -- who reveals in his pitch video that he has cerebral palsy, which he refers to as the "sexiest" form of palsy -- was the favorite among almost 6,000 entrants, and had taken over the contest’s top spot for over a week.

But in a surprising turn of events on Tuesday, Anner was overtaken by another candidate, Dr. Phyllis, who got more than 300,000 votes in less than 20 minutes and 600,000 within an hour, prompting many to question whether the network, or even Winfrey herself, had played a part in goosing her numbers.”

Oprah hasn’t issued a statement, yet. I think that it is not an unrealistic occurance. I don’t think that anyone was manipulating the numbers. Maybe I am naïve and I simply want to think the best of people. I can’t help but think how easy it is for an error to occur when you are dealing with an online contest. You also should take into account how many people follow Oprah.

If someone did manipulate the numbers, than we need to know. To assume that it is Oprah, and that she is doing it because she dislikes handicapped persons, is a huge insult to her. People need to be careful about what they say on the internet. Implying that Oprah has rigged her contest is a huge insult to her character. People need to remember that gossip spread on the internet can hurt a real person.

TNT's Season Premiere Of Leverage

One of my favorite show’s on television, is TNT’s Leverage. It will be returning for it’s third season of exciting adventure. If you don’t follow this show, let me give you a brief description of it. This show centers around a team of thieves that help people that have been wronged by the rich and powerful. This team is led by Nate Ford (Timothy Hutton) a former insurance investigator.

I was sent the first episode of season three to review for my blog. The end of the second season showed Nate Ford being arrested and the rest of the team set free. This season begins with Nate in jail, and the team trying to figure out how to get him out.

This episode also sets the tone for the rest of the season. A new adversary is introduced, and Nate Ford goes back to his drinking ways. Sophie Devereaux (Gina Bellman), has returned to the team and told everyone her real name. Everyone, that is, except Nate. She’s not sure if he deserves to know.

I really enjoy watching the interactions between this ensemble cast of characters. This show is very fast paced. If you miss a moment, you will miss an important detail of the storyline. Every detail is important to the final outcome of the show. Even with all the action going on, there is still time to include character development and interaction, without detracting from the main storyline.

You can watch TNT’s Leverage on Sunday’s, at 9:00PM. The new season begins June 20, with two back-to-back episodes.

TNT's Second Season of HAWTHORNE

TNT has several remarkable shows in their line-up. HAWTHORNE is one of them. I was sent this first two episodes of it’s second season, to review for my blog. This show is centered around Christina Hawthorne (Jada Pinkett Smith), Chief Nursing Officer of Richmond Trinity Hospital. This show is kicking off it’s second season with the close of Richmond Trinity and the staff being transferred to a new hospital.

The dramatic twist, where Richmond Trinity was a top notch hospital, the new hospital is a run down hospital, with below par care. It also has a Chief Nursing Officer that refuses to give up her position for Christina. This leads to the two of them going head to head, challenging each other’s authority.

The relationship between the staff that transfers in and those that have been there for a while, is complicated. You can see how the hospital’s veteran employees are depressed and without hope or care. The new staff, the ones that are used to providing the best in patient care, struggles at times to fit in.

This season promises to be interesting. There is a new relationship developing for Christina’s daughter. This may lead to mother and daughter clashing. You have two Chief Nursing Officers that are used to managing all nurses, now splitting responsibilities. It will be interesting to see how that situation is resolved.

You can catch the new season of HAWTHORNE on Tuesdays, beginning June 22, at 9:00PM ET on TNT.

TNT's New Show Memphis Beat

Starring Jason Lee (My Name Is Earl) and Alfre Woodard (Three Rivers), TNT‘s new show, Memphis Beat, is a laid back show that has it‘s moments. The show is produced by George Clooney and scheduled to premiere on TNT, Tuesday, June 22 at 10:00PM ET. I received an advance copy of the show to review for my blog.

I was a little disappointed that the show didn’t grab me the way TNT’s other shows have. I didn’t now like it, but I wouldn’t stop what I was doing to go watch it. The show does have promise. It is my hope that the action and drama seemed slow to develop because the writers concentrated on introducing the characters.

There were two parts of the show that did catch my attention. It is these two parts that give this show a little hope for a successful season. The first was a rooftop scene between the lead character, Dwight Hedricks (Lee) and the so called son of an abused, elderly woman. I know Jason Lee best for his comedic ability, and this scene really showcased his dramatic, leading man skills. If the writers concentrate more on this side of him, the show could be a success. The second scene that I enjoyed was at the end. Jason Lee was singing in a blues bar, and he actually has a nice voice.

I would be remiss in reviewing this show, if I didn’t comment on Alfre Woodard’s performance. I couldn’t find fault with any of her scenes. She is the star of all the scenes she is in. If the show was centered on her, instead of Jason Lee, if would be a resounding success. Alfre Woodard plays Lt. Tanya Rice, Detective Hendricks new boss. She is the opposite in temperament to Lee’s character, and you love her for it. She is intelligent, strong, authoritative, and handles her laid back detective with ease.

I look forward to watching additional shows of Memphis Beat. I would like to see more attention on Alfre Woodard’s character. She could make this show a huge success if they focused more on her. I would also like to see Lee given more of an opportunity to show his dramatic acting skills. I’ll be tuning in to TNT on Tuesday’s, at 10:00ET, to see if this show can live up to it’s potential.

The Tyra Show Needs Better Researchers

I watched The Tyra Show today, and it was centered on “cyber haters.” Let me start off by saying that I like Tyra and I watch her show occasionally. That being said, I feel that the show needs better researchers. This particular episode started off with 4 guests. Tyra referred to them as bloggers, yet it was never mentioned what their blogs were.

During the time that these guests were on, it was said that they were anonymous commenters and that they would leave hateful comments of celebrity gossip sites. There is a big difference between a commenter and a blogger. I am a blogger. My website is a blog. I write articles/posts and people (commenters) leave comments on different posts that I write.

After watching Tyra, and listening to her refer to her guests as bloggers, I became frustrated and annoyed. The discussions were centered around comments that they make online. Leaving comments on a post does not make that person a blogger. Yes, you can be both a commenter and a blogger. My point is, nothing that was said on The Tyra Show indicated that these people were bloggers, except the fact that Tyra referred to them as such.

It frustrates and annoys me that Tyra’s staff did not prepare her well enough for this episode. The show ended up showing bloggers in a bad light. There are bloggers out there that are haters. It’s pathetic and sad. I try to use my blog to help people, and it is disgusting that there are people that will use their blog to hurt people. My point is that, in this case, I think bloggers are being insulted. The show makes us look bad, and it appeared that this people were not even bloggers.

TV Series Parenthood Raises Autism Awareness

I wrote about the show Parenthood, when it first came on. Now, several shows into this new series, and I am still watching it. Adam (Peter Krause, "Six Feet Under"), the oldest Braverman sibling, and his wife Kristina (Monica Potter, "Trust Me") are adjusting well with their son Max (Max Burkholder, "Brother and Sisters"), who was recently diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome.

In last night’s episode, Adam’s father, Zeek (Craig T. Nelson, "Family Stone," "Coach"), moves in with the family. It was interesting to watch the dynamics between father/son, and grandfather/grandson. One very poignant scene was when Craig T. Nelson’s character describes what it s like living with his son’s family. He said that Max ruled the house.

It was obvious that he didn’t approve. Here is a man that was used to having everything revolve around him. He was in charge of the household when his kids were growing up. Now, he is in his son’s house, and their schedule and lives revolve around Max. Then he saw what happens when the schedule is disrupted. He realized how important predictability can be for a child on the spectrum.

For an outsider to come into a home with an autistic child, it could be like walking into another world. Face it, we do a lot of adjusting for our child. It gets to the point that it is easier for the family to do that. Then, over time, it becomes natural. Seeing things from the grandfather’s point of view, reminded me why my parents sometimes have a difficult time watching my son. Especially, since my son is nonverbal. When he is upset, he has an extremely difficult time communicating with his communication device. I try to make sure my parents know all of his triggers, but I always miss a few or they forget.

I think the writers are doing a great job with this show. I believe that the more people that watch it, the more they will understand what our lives are like. So, if you are not watching this show, DO SO.

Catching Up On Celebrity Apprentice

I am a huge fan of Celebrity Apprentice. This season has been the best. There are five remaining celebrities, and I think they are all great. Holly Robinson-Peete, Bret Michaels, Marie Kanellis, Sharon Osbourne and Curtis Stone have been great to watch. Sunday’s episode was fun to watch. I was hoping that Holly’s team would win. I’m partial to her, because she is playing for autism.

I think Bret Michaels has shown a great ability to take on tasks, work with others, and mediate well between two strong personalities. I was a little worried when Trump started talking about firing him. When you think about it, the reason Bret was most likely because he didn’t have much sleep. Between the concert and the assigned task, he was probably at the end of his endurance. A good night’s sleep is what he needed.

But, I don’t see that happening anytime soon. The show ended with Trump calling everyone back to the Board Room. I like Cyndi Lauper, but I am glad she was fired and not Holly or Bret. Next week, 3 more celebrities will be fired. I’ve been thinking about who they should be, and it’s a tough call. Curtis Stone will probably be first choice. He hasn’t demonstrated the leadership ability that the others have.

I’d like to see Marie Kanellis and Sharon go, too. No offense, they are both great, but I feel that Bret has been the strongest and Holly is playing for autism. Holly has been really strong, but I’m not sure if I would consider her better than Sharon. That’s a tough call. Who do I pick as the winner? I have to say Holly, because of her charity. If she goes up against Bret, I will be really torn. I do think that Bret has been better on the show.

Who do you want to see in the Season Finale?

Here is a Bonus Boardroom scene from their website.

The Horse Boy Touches Your Heart

PBS will be airing “Horse Boy” on Tuesday, May 11, 2010 at 10:00PM. (Check your local listing for the exact time in your time zone). This is a documentary following a family with an autistic son. I was sent an advance copy to review. Rupert Isaacson and Kristin Neff talk frankly about their son Rowan and about their feelings, hopes, dreams, disappointments and guilt. They have tried traditional and non-traditional treatments for their son, in hopes of finding a cure for him.

This documentary follows them to Mongolia, in order to combine non-tradional healing (shaman healing) and horses. Rupert is a former horse trainer, and had kept his son away from horses, for fear of him getting hurt. One day, Rowan had gotten away and wandered into the neighbors yard. There, he came face to face with the neighbor’s old mare, Betsy. The two formed a connection. Upon seeing this, Rupert was amazed at how his son changed when around this old mare.

I enjoyed watching this documentary. Both parents expressed concerns and observations about their son, and I found that I was able to relate to a lot of what they were thinking and feeling. I had one problem with the movie, and that was the description of autism by Roy Richard Grinker, Ph.D. In his description of autism, he said that individuals with autism range from the, “Severely mentally retarded who is completely nonverbal, to somebody who is a socially awkward mathematics of physics professor.” My son is nonverbal, and he is extremely intelligent. I hope that people that watch this movie will not assume that all nonverbal, autistic children are mentally challenged.

The progress that Rowan made during and after the trip to Mongolia was amazing. I don’t think it was the Shaman’s that caused the changes that occurred. I have noticed that my son makes leaps in his developmental progress after we take trips with just the three of us (when our daughter is with my parents). I think it is because he gets both my husband and myself working with him 24/7. He has our full, undivided attention. Last year, after a weekend at the beach he went from not being potty trained, to 75% potty trained. Within the next week, he became fully potty trained. That’s huge.

I did enjoy watching this family. I think a long trip in Mongolia is a bit extreme, but the idea of getting away for a long period is great. If my family could do that, we would. Instead, we settle for camping trips on the weekend. My son loves them and he gets to learn new things and, most of all, mommy and daddy are focused on him and his sister. The television, computer and household chores are not taking our attention.

I highly recommend watching this documentary. It is an open and honest representation of raising an autistic child. I felt a connection with this family, as I was watching. I think it will help some people understand what we are going through.

Vote For Dancing With The Stars Celebrity Aiden Turner

I had to record Dancing With The Stars last night. My husband is not a fan. I am. I love it. I watched it this morning and was surprised by some of the performances. Chad Ochocinco & Cheryl Burke started off the show nice with a solid 18 out of 30. But my favorite was Aiden Turner & Edyta Sliwinska. Sorry, everyone else on the show, but I love Aiden Turner. Don't tell my husband. Let's keep it our secret.

Since I couldn't watch it last night, I wasn't able to vote until this morning. This was my first time voting. I have watched this show every season, but have not felt the need to vote until this season. It was easy. I voted for Aiden Turner and Edyta Sliwinska, of course. All eleven of my votes went for them. If you have not voted, you can still go online and vote. If you are not registered, go ahead and register. It's easy. Then vote for Aiden Turner & Edyta Sliwinska. Make all your votes for Aiden Turner & Edyta Sliwinska.

You can also keep up with the Dancing With The Stars celebrity tweets on the ABC website. The only one I care about is Aiden's. I am now following him on Twitter. If you don't watch television, you may not be aware of who he is. Let me enlighten you. He was on All My Children. He was great. I really miss him on there. Maybe, with luck, I'll find him on General Hospital soon. I bet he would be fun as a new love interest for Carly. Of course, Jax won't like that.

Little House On The Prairie The Musical Review

Last week, I heard on the news that the Little House On The Prairie, The Musical would be in Raleigh, NC. I also heard that Melissa Gilbert would be playing the role of "Ma" or Caroline Ingalls. I loved the show growing up. I thought Melissa Gilbert was great as Laura Ingalls. I have watched just about everything on television that she has done. I really wanted to go see her on stage.

I also wanted to see my son's reaction to a live performance. He loves music and dancing. I also felt that his attention span was developed enough that he would be able to sit through an entire performance. After all, he did sit and watch the entire Avatar movie in the theatre.

I contacted their marketing center and they arranged for me to have 4 tickets waiting at the ticket counter. My husband wasn't thrilled. He doesn't like musicals. My children were excited. We arrived at the Progress Energy Center For The Performing Arts early. This place is really nice. I had no problem getting our tickets. We found the bathrooms with a little help. The concession stands and souvenir stands were easy to find. The cost of one bottle of water was $3.00. We bought one and that was it. My daughter wanted me to buy some souvenirs, but we couldn't afford them.

We settled into our seats, which were in the third row. I give them high marks for giving us tickets so close. If we were in the back, I'm not sure that my son would have been as entranced with the show. I'm not even sure if we would have been able to stay for the whole two and a hours if we were seated far away from the stage.

There is one important thing that I need to tell you about today's performance. Melissa Gilbert was not in it. I was very disappointed. I had heard on the news that she was having back problems, so I do understand. Nevertheless, I was still disappointed. The role of "Ma" was performed today by Meredith Inglesby. I thought she did a great job. Her chemistry with the rest of the cast appeared effortless.

The lead character is considered to be Laura Ingalls, played by Megan Campanile, but it was Kate Loprest and her portrayal of Nellie Olson that stole the show. During Act II, Kate literally stopped the show when her perfect comedic timing in one scene had the audience laughing loud and long. The three actors on stage had to wait for us to get ourselves under control before continuing their scene.

My son loved the show. He was sitting up on the edge of his seat, with his eyes fixed on the stage, for most of the performance. A couple of the slow songs had him relaxing in his seat, but once the music from the orchestra picked up, he was back up on the edge of his seat.

I recommend Little House On The Prairie, The Musical as a great family performance. Even without Melissa Gilbert it was worth going to. I am still disappointed. I would have liked to have seen her. I would have liked to have been able to interview her. I also would have liked to have interviewed other members of the cast, especially Kate Loprest. If you would like to know if there will be a performance near you, visit the Little House On The Prairie, The Musical website. You can get dates, times and ticket information on the site.

One final thought. When I asked my son what he thought of the show, he typed out "awesome."

New NBC Show Parenthood With Asperger Character

8:00 PM Saturday evening came around and I was complaining, again, that there was nothing on television to watch. Most of the channels play old shows on Saturday. That’s when I noticed that there was a new show on NBC called Parenthood. Apparently, it’s been on for a little while and I never noticed.

Keep in mind, I have only watched the one episode. I still don’t have all the character names down or who all the actors are. The two that I recognized immediately were Craig T. Nelson and Lauren Graham. The show is basically about families. You have Craig T. Nelson as the father/grandfather, his grown up children and their families.

What hit close to home with me was the introduction of a child that was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome in that episode. The father was in denial. The mom was struggling with what she could do to help her child. They had dinner with a family that had a teenage boy with Asperger and the couple was totally out over the top with their approach to treatment. They recommended doing everything at once to help their son. I was like, yeah,

right. Craig T. Nelson’s character gave the advice that they needed to have a plan. Everything can be handled if you just have a plan.

I felt the confusion of the parents. I felt the frustration of the young boy that was not understood. The parents pulled some strings and got in to see a behavior specialist. This specialist confirmed that their child did have Asperger Syndrome. The first thing the father wanted to know was how to cure it. I understand this. My first instinct when my son was diagnosed, was to fix the situation. It was a blow to realize that I couldn’t and I could relate to the father when he realized that he couldn’t

They ended the episode with the father accepting his son and entering his world. It was a nice moment to watch. I look forward to watching more episodes and seeing how these characters develop and the storylines progress. It’s nice to see a show with a child on the spectrum.

What Qualifies As An Appropriate Child's TV Show

Appropriate children’s programming is a controversial topic these days. I feel that it is important that my children watch shows that model appropriate behavior, are non-violent, rated G for language and content. I have noticed that there are less available for my children to watch on television that are appropriate for them to view.

I’ve also noticed that the show that they are watching may be appropriate, but the commercials that are shown are not. I believe that it is unacceptable to put a commercial showing violence while running a children’s show.

I have collected some quotes from parents and professionals on this issue. I have also received some quotes from professionals involved in the selection of children’s shows for television. Some, I agree with and some I do not. I would love to read your comments on what you agree or disagree with.


“I am a mother of 6 year old triplet girls. My girls are not autistic but I do believe currently what is being offered to children on television is harmful. The options are Noggin (appropriate for 2-3 yrs) or ICarly, Fairy Odd parents and Hannah Montana. There is no appropriate options for 5-10 year olds. In addition the commercials are sometimes downright scary. Rudeness or doing disgusting things (like pretending to do a surgery ie: an episode of iCarly) is not appropriate for children to be watching. Are the concepts of sharing and learning to be a friend only developed with toddlers?? PBS is probably the best option, but does really focus on younger children. Thank you for allowing me to share my thoughts.” - Nicki


“As a general pediatrician and pediatric hematologist-oncologist, I am very concerned about not only the explicit nature of shows on family hour--late afternoon--early evening, but also some of the commercials which are invading the world of early childhood and creating questions and situations which would be best left for later childhood or adolescence. Though it is easy enough to turn the TV off, you simply do not know what is going to be on the screen next. Topics of a sexual nature or violence, including some news stories, should be considered for editing before presentation. Children have one chance at childhood, and there is enough reality in their young lives already.” - Louis I. Cooper M.D.


“When DISNEY has a show with a teenage girl setting the mood for a
guy she likes by turning down the lights, lighting candles, and having
fake champaigne, it's pretty obvious that current television shows are
promoting the wrong message to kids under 18 years old.” - Melissa Perry Moraja
Consultant, Author, and Speaker, Melissa Productions, Inc.


“A good children's show combines both education and entertainment and the best show is one where the two are combined in such a way that the kids don't even know they are learning. Kids respond to energy so they love shows where the tone is over the top- like Disney or Nickelodeon. They love to laugh at loud and be the first to get the joke- before the character does!” - Susie Mains, TALENT MANAGER, CO-OWNER OF TRILOGY TALENT




“Thirty percent of children of school age watch more than 3 hours of television per night. Over half the school age children have televisions in their rooms. TV is a big deal and the quality of programming is more and more a concern for parents. It is hard enough regulating the amount of television watched by our children let alone the quality of programming that is aired on the 100 stations coming from our cable box. Parents need to understand and be aware of the programming out there and be able to help their child choose programming that is appropriate for them.
Things to look for are...
1.programs that fit the age and developmental readiness of your child
2.programs that promote the values of your family without lessening your own standards
3. programs that allow your child to think while he/she is watching rather than "zone out"
4.programs with messages that the child can embrace in their own life
5.remember, programs need to add value to your child’s experience and development rather than be something the just fills time or takes them into subject matters that are way beyond their readiness.” - Dr. Philip Dembo , Life Coach, Relationship Expert

Is Simon Cowell Leaving American Idol

Simon Cowell Leaving iIdol/i? Say It Ain't So, Bro! (Someone needs to do something about this spelling)

E! Online reported this morning that this might be the last season that Simon Cowell will be on American Idol? It is rumored that he has another show in the works that will be aired on Fox in 2011. It will be the Aeican version of X Factor, a popular U.K. Show.

How will this affect American Idol? If he leaves, will he be replaced? Can anyone replace him? Simon makes the show fun and real. I tune in to watch the contestants and listen to him criticize them bluntly. He says things that leave our mouths dropping open. We are shocked by a lot of the things he says, yet I personally, find myself agreeing with the majority of it.

Fox and Cowell have not denied or confirmed this yet. If it is true, I think that the show should end. No one can compare to Cowell as a judge on the show. With Paula already gone, and Randy as the only original judge left, I don't think that the show can survive the loss of what I think makes the show what it is.

Cookalong with Gordon Ramsay Live Show

This week, Tuesday, December 15, 2009 at 9/8 Central, you can cook with Gordon Ramsay. I have to admit that I am a big fan of Gordon Ramsay. I love watching Hell’s Kitchen and look forward to the new season. I also enjoy his other two shows on BBC, Kitchen Nightmares and f Word. I was disappointed when he brought Kitchen Nightmares to the US and only did two seasons.

Here are the details about the Gordon Ramsay Cookalong:

“About The Show
Have you ever wanted to make a delicious three-course meal for your family? Want to invite your friends over for a unforgettable dinner? Or would you just like to treat your taste buds to something special? For the first time ever, Chef Gordon Ramsay is going to show you how to do just that, as he invites viewers all over America to cook along with him from the comfort of their very own kitchens.
Based on the U.K. smash hit, Chef Ramsay is hosting the biggest cooking event America has ever seen. During a live one-hour special, hundreds of thousands of viewers will chop, mince, julienne and filet side-by-side with Chef Ramsay, and at the end of the hour, they will have cooked and served their very own fantastic three-course meal. Viewers will be prepped in advance with the list of ingredients, utensils and cookware they will need to keep up with Ramsay and ensure they won't get thrown out of the kitchen. Known for his explosive outbursts and sharp tongue, Ramsay will provide step-by-step directions on how to cook three amazing courses of fresh, healthy, mouth-watering food.
As always, he'll demand absolute perfection from everyone participating, so strap on your aprons, turn up the cooktop and join the 13 Michelin-starred chef live from Los Angeles for the most spectacular and scrumptious cooking television event.
Produced by Gordon Ramsay's own production company, One Potato Two Potato, GORDON RAMSAY: COOKALONG LIVE is an extraordinary hour of live interactive entertainment and the ultimate 21st century food show. Get ready, America - your kitchen needs you.Executive-produced by A. Smith & Co. Production's Arthur Smith and Kent Weed (Hell's Kitchen, Kitchen Nightmares)”

The ingredient, utensil and cookware list is posted on the Gordon Ramsay Cookalong Live site. I can’t afford to go out and buy the ingredients needed to cook these three courses. I wish I could. However, that won’t stop me from watching. If you plan on watching and cooking along, let me know how it goes.