I'm Excited

I'm Excited to go to Florida tomorrow on vacation.
I'm Excited that I am having a boy!
I'm Excited that David Cook won American Idol.
I'm Excited that I discovered Justin Nozuka's latest album (Listen to "After Tonight"--He is also going to be at Mercy Lounge on June 4th.)
I'm Excited for the LOST finale next week.
I'm Excited that friends prayers are being answered.

But I am deeply saddened today for Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman whose 5 year old daughter was tragically killed yesterday in an auto accident. The details of the story are here. Last night Jess and I were talking with Mike and Michelle about how sometimes we think that only bad parents let bad things happen to their kids and how stupid that is of us because bad things could really happen to any child at anytime. We all realized how fragile life was. Then only about an hour later we got the news of the Chapman's daughter. Having a child on the way only makes me more aware of the fragility of life. I know God will use this to bring them to a deeper understanding of Him and use this tragedy for His ultimate good. So while this horrid time of sadness and mourning looms, if there is one hope that the family can have, it is that the love of the Father will transcend time and emotion and the family will all be reunited in eternity....and I'm excited for that.

ACMs

Sunday night is the 43rd Academy of Country Music Awards. This is usually a pretty exciting awards show with great performances. Last year, we saw Sugarland perform on a conveyor belt, Shania came out of hiding, and Tim McGraw introduced the world to "If You're Reading This." However, this year, the academy hs gone astray....way astray.

First the good: Reba is back and hosting for an unprecedented 10th time! We all know how I love her and so I am very glad that she will be back (with Jerry House's jokes none the less). But the academy really demeaned itself this year by allowing the fans to vote on Entertainer of the Year! What the crap!?!?!?!?!? You take a 43 year tradition where 42 top entertainers were recognized by industry peers and put that main category in the hands of the same people who think the best video ever made was Honky Tonk Badonkadonk?!?!?! This is not and should not be a fan voted awards show. We already have the CMT Awards which are fan voted. But the Academy really stooped to a new low to gain ratings this year.

Think of it this way. What if Rascal Flatts or Brad Paisley actually win Entertainer this year. Neither of these acts have won previously and so it begs the question will it mean as much when it doesn't come from their peers, the people who know music the best? Sure, they will get up there and thank their fans and tell them that it is because of them they do what they do but that is all bull. They do the CMT Awards for the fans and CMA Fest for the fans...not the ACMs. It is the difference between the Academy Awards and the Peoples Choice Awards. Both are fine and each have their own place but the respect and dignity that comes with the Academy Awards far outweighs the PCAs. Unfortunaetly, the ACMs have crossed a line that is really sad and will be regretted when the history books are written.

Look for this year's winners to be Brad Paisley (Male Vocalist), Carrie Underwood (Female Vocalist), Rascal Flatts (Group Vocalists), Taylor Swift (Female Newcomer), Lady Antebellum (Group Newcomer). These are all no brainers and there really shouldn't be any surprises. The interesting categories this year are in the Song, Single, and Album of the Year where George Strait is not nominated. The most deserving....Stay by Sugarland. We will see if that little song with big emotion can bring home the gold. Kudos to Miranda Lambert for her Single and Album nods. As for Entertainer of the Year, your guess is as good as mine. I guess it really all depends on who all the little teeny boppers out there logon and vote for 5 million times. My guess then is that its Kenny Chesney again. It's ridiculous. I have to go because I'm starting to getting mad again.

On the Fringe

Fox released its upfront schedule today for the 2008-2009 tv season and the most exciting television show across any network has to be Fringe. Fringe is written and created by J.J. Abrams (Felicity, Alias, Lost) and Fox is wise to jump on the Abrams bandwagon. The 2 hour pilot is rumored to have a 10 million dollar budget! You know it will be explosive with that type of cash. Stars include Joshua Jackson, John Noble, and Lance Reddick. But the main star is unknown Anna Trov who is hoping that J.J. will do for her what he did for Keri Russell, Jennifer Garner, and Evangeline Lily. Below is a brief plot synopsis. Can't wait til Fall!

Fringe Written by J.J. Abrams, Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman
What It's About: When something disturbing, unexplainable and just a bit icky happens to the passengers on an international flight, FBI Agent Olivia Warren (Torv) begins an investigation that leads her to Dr. Walter Bishop (Noble), a renegade scientist whose unorthodox experiments into fringe phenomena led to arrests and eventually institutionalization. Warren can only get Bishop out with the help of his estranged son Peter (Jackson), a young man with a genius IQ, but questionable morals and motivation. The son isn't ready to reconcile with his father, the father isn't ready to be reintegrated into the outside world and Olivia isn't ready to serve as babysitter, but they form an unlikely team. How does the airplane tragedy relate to The Pattern, a spate of unexplained occurrences sweeping the world? And what does any of this have to do with the mysterious Prometheus Corporation, one of the world's most forward-thinking companies? And what do we make of Broyles (Reddick), the head of the Homeland Security's newly formed Fringe Division?

Scrubbing Back In

Evidently, some rumors are true. ABC announced its upfront presentation today which is their big reveal to the public of their 2008-2009 TV line-up. Only 5 new shows made the cut including picking up NBC's Scrubs. In my last blog, you may remember that we said good-bye to this clever comedy. ABC must have seen the light in how funny a show it is (or at least seen the high dollars signs from lucrative syndication deals). So welcome back Sacred Heart. You moved around NBC's network so long, it seems to only make sense that you move to a totally different network altogether.

For the rest of the new shows ABC has scheduled, including a peek at the new Ashton Kutcher produced traveling game show Opportunity Knocks, and the hyped up post-Grey's Anatomy timeslot drama Life on Mars, check out abc.com.

Stay tuned as CBS and FOX each announce their upfront schedules Wednesday and Thursday respectively. (NBC announced over a month ago.)

Scrubbing Out

Tonight is what could be the series finale of one of the greatest television comedies of all time. Scrubs entered into the TV realm with a little budget, a bad time slot, and no heavyweight stars (Zach who??) but by the 4th episode, something amazing started to emerge. Unlike ever before, Scrubs took the half-hour sitcom and turned it into a dramedy never before seen. In 30 minutes, Scrubs takes the viewers from laugh out loud funny to engulfment in a heartstrings pulling moment. From the writing, to the acting, to the guest star placement, Scrubs takes its place alongside the TV greats and could go into the history books tonight. There is much speculation (and probable truth) that Scrubs will move to ABC next year meaning that tonight may not be the last we will see of JD, Turk, Cox and the gang. But the way TV execs jump ships these days, one never knows. So just in case you don't come back....Thanks Scrubs for 7 great years! I hope life is good to you on the other side of the rainbow.