Monday, January 25, 2010

In TV WEEK: Better Together, Chatting with Chris Gailus & Jane Carrigan of Global BC

Working side by-by-side could be a challenge for some couples - but not for Global BC news anchor Chris Gailus and reporter Jane Carrigan.

I met with them recently and shared a great chat about the evolution of TV news broadcasting, life in beautiful British Columbia, the secret to maintaining a strong relationship and their participation in the in the upcoming Show of Hearts telethon (this Saturday at 8 pm, on Global), which supports the very important Variety - The Children's Charity. Read about the couple in this week's edition of TV WEEK, on newsstands everywhere. tvweekonline.ca

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Canada for Haiti

An A-list of Canadian artists have signed on to appear this Friday on CANADA FOR HAITI a one-hour, commercial-free special broadcast to raise funds for the devastated country.

K'Naan & The Tragically Hip are scheduled to perform live. And look for appearances by Céline Dion, Justin Bieber, Nelly Furtado, Sarah McLachlan, Barenaked Ladies, Simple Plan, David Foster, Chantal Kreviazuk, Raine Maida and Measha Brueggergosman.

Also taking part are James Cameron, Michael J. Fox, Ryan Reynolds, William Shatner, Rachelle Lefevre, Joshua Jackson, Pamela Anderson, Jason Reitman, Eugene Levy, Norman Jewison, Tom Jackson, Will Arnett, Sandra Oh, Brent Butt, Hugh Dillon, Mike Holmes, Rick Mercer and Alex Trebek and Craig Kielburger (of Free the Children).

Governor-General Michaëlle Jean, who was born in Port au Prince, Haiti, will offer a personal message to Canadians.

A remarkable collaboration between Canadian broadcasters CBC, Global and CTV, CANADA FOR HAITI airs Fri., Jan 22 at 7 pm (ET/PT), and will be hosted by personalities Cheryl Hickey, Ben Mulroney and George Stroumboulopoulos. The broadcast will also be available online and via Canadian Forces Radio.

Donations accepted during the broadcast will go towards a coalition of Canadian NGOs, including Canadian Red Cross Society, Care Canada, Free the Children, Oxfam Canada, Oxfam Quebec, Plan Canada, Save the Children Canada, UNICEF Canada and World Vision Canada.

For more information, go to www.canadaforhaiti.com



Sunday, January 17, 2010

Rollin’ with Ricky at the Golden Globes

Pasadena, CA – After a week of tragic news, it’s time for a little fun. And no place on Earth offers more escapist silliness and glamorous fun than Hollywood, so tonight’s broadcast of the Golden Globe Awards (NBC, 8 PM)is just what the doctor ordered.

The broadcast, easily the most-alcohol saturated, most-fun, and least-credible of the big awards shows, airs tonight, hosted by British comedian Ricky Gervais (Extras, The Office). If you watched last year’s edition, you’ll know why the irreverent, saucy joker was asked to host the Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s big gala-do. He kept the star-studded crowd in stitches with his biting humour.

And judging by his hilarious meeting with TV critics last week, his fans (and who isn’t one?) can expect him to keep the jokes coming at a steady pace, even though he said he wasn’t preparing a script full of one-liners.

“I'm pretty calm because I've got very low standards. I don't really care what happens. They are not really going to invite me back. So I might as well I'm going to be drunk. Everyone else is,” he told critics. And you don’t need a crystal ball to know he’s probably right.

Expect the ballroom at the host Beverly Hilton to be full of Hollywood’s heavy hitters, including: Halle Berry, Cher, Robert De Niro, Cameron Diaz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Colin Farrell, Harrison Ford, Jodie Foster, Tom Hanks, Sophia Loren, Helen Mirren, Julia Roberts, Mickey Rourke, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kiefer Sutherland and Reese Witherspoon.

“Anyone who isn't concentrating will get it…They'd better not talk when I'm on. They can talk when everyone else is on, but they'd better not talk when I'm on. Then they will get my attention, and then they are in trouble,” joked Gervais.

“It all started for us in America here really at the Globes 2004. We thought we were making up the numbers with this little show on BBC America called The Office.

“And then when we won, we couldn't believe it. And we all went up like a motley crew. That was unbelievable…And apparently Clint Eastwood turned to someone at his table and said, ‘Who the fuck are they?’ Which is my favorite quote ever.”

In the spirit of the event and its host, here’s a brief look at some of the major Movie categories, and TV or Not TV's recommendations for Who Should Win and Who Should Be Taunted by Ricky.

Best Drama (Film: Up in the Air, Avatar, The Hurt Locker, Inglourious Basterds, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire.
Who Should Win: The Hurt Locker
Who Should Be Taunted: Inglourious Basterds’ creative team, for making a 152-minute-long mess; one that if it had run for 153 or longer, may well have caused viewers to saw off the top of their own heads.

Director: Kathryn Bigelow; The Hurt Locker ; James Cameron, Avatar ; Clint Eastwood; Invictus ; Jason Reitman Up in the Air ; Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds.
Who Should Win: Kathryn Bigelow
Who Should Be Taunted: Tarantino, for breaking his own record at creating the MOST vainglorious film EVER.

Actor, drama: George Clooney, Up in the Air ; Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart; Colin Firth, A Single Man ; Morgan Freeman, Invictus ; Tobey Maguire, Brothers.
Who Should Win: George Clooney, because he’s Clooney.
Who Should Be Taunted: Tarantino, because he’s Tarantino.

Actress, drama: Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side; Emily Blunt, The Young Victoria; Helen Mirren, The Last Station; Carey Mulligan, An Education ; Gabourey Sidibe, Precious.
Who Should Win: Sandra Bullock, because she’s America’s Sweetheart
Who Should Be Taunted: Tarantino, because he’s Tarantino.