Message to Miss Simpson: Milli Vanilli Called - They're Embarrassed For You

Good morning, everyone. Well, I plopped on the Tivo yesterday and got to see the performance that everyone was talking about: Ashlee Simpson's performance on Saturday Night Live from over the weekend. In case you haven't heard about it yet, Simpson was out on stage to perform her second song of the evening. As the band started up, the vocals for the first song she performed kicked in as she was still getting ready to perform. In other words, she was busted trying to lip-synch. The best was, at the end of the show where they gather the performers together to say good night, she blamed HER BAND for performing the wrong song. I take it "her band" being the guy in the control booth who hits the play button. Now, her father is blaming acid reflux disease. Just sad.

But this goes a little bit further, and people lip-synching in concerts. We all know that nowadays a lot of artists do it. Janet Jackson once admitted to it, stating that the dance routines that she does leave her to winded to actually sing, which is a valid reason. BUT, then what's the point seeing them in concert. You're pretty much just getting a live performance of a music video. Is that worth $50 a ticket? In my opinion, no. I could sit at home and watch you on MTV with a better view and better sound quality for a lot less. Probably part of the reason why they're reporting that many concert tours didn't do too well over the summer (I'm sure though that the #1 reason by far is the ticket price).

Farewell to 'The Office'

Since I already had the Tivo kickin', I decided to also take in the special grand finale episode of "The Office", a British sitcom that has been running on BBC America. For those of you who don't keep up with the "Britcoms", this show was a faux-documentary about a group of cubicleites at a British paper company called Wernham Hogg. The show is based around the often eccentric boss of the firm David Brent, his flunkie Gareth, and the only voice of reason Tim.

The finale, which ran over the weekend, shows what has happened to the Wernham Hogg group three years after the documentary "aired" on BBC 2. In the final regular episode of the series, David was fired as the district manager, so in this episode we see what he's done with himself over the previous three years. Unfortunately for him, his raging ego and lust for the spotlight have made him a sad individual as he makes "celebrity" public appearances at local pubs and is a travelling salesman for janitorial products. However, he still makes random appearances at his former employer where his old position was taken over by his protege Gareth (who is the only one who pretty much seems the same from then to now). Sadly, Tim seems a much sadder individual as a mind-numbing job can have that affect on you over time (just ask me). In addition, the last episode showed the woman he cared for leaving with her fiance for the United States just as he gains the courage to tell her how he truly felt.

Unlike American sitcoms, this episode doesn't have the typical happy ending. Rachel doesn't get off the plane, Monica & Chandler don't have twins and move off to Long Island, and Joey doesn't get a spin-off. In keeping with its documentary feel, it just allows for the finals ends to be tied together as you realize that these people's lives are still on-going. Great series and great ending! Unfortunately, after ruining my favorite BBC series Coupling, NBC will be taking a stab next year with an American version of The Office (didn't they already try that once with the Fred Savage series "Working"). Can't imagine that it'll even be able to come close to the original.

Random Thoughts

• Because I know you want to know here's "Other Stuff Currently Saved on my Tivo"
1. Two episodes of American Chopper from the Discovery Channel (the one's where
   they build the Lance Armstrong bike)
2. Yesterday's airing of Coyote Ugly on USA
3. The Shield from Sunday night on FX
• Since I mentioned the show "Working" (which I was a fan of back in the day), remember the episode where Winnie Cooper made a guest appearance as the boss's "bad" daughter in that leather outfit??? PURRR!!! That's why this week's "Girl I'd Stalk If I Weren't So Lazy" is Danica McKellar. She'll probably only be remembered as Winnie Cooper, the girl every guy wish they had living next door to them from "The Wonder Years", but she's also incredibly brilliant as she took time out of her acting career to pursue a degree in mathematics from UCLA. She'll even help you with your math homework (send questions to math@danicamckellar.com). Gorgeous, and smart too. Almost makes me want to get off my lazy ass, but.... Nah... Instead, I can get my Danica fix and be lazy as she'll be making a guest appearance on the UPN show Eve next Tuesday night. If ever there was a reason to watch anything on UPN, this would be it. If you go to her website, you have to go to her Fan Mail section, because it just perfectly illustrates the type of person she is.
• Did anyone see the on-court fight last night between the Bulls and Wizards? Finally, the people who actually would pay to go see a preseason matchup between the Bulls and Wizards get their money's worth. Now, if only the Atlanta Hawks had throwdowns every night.