And we wonder why animals attack.
This is news that will not make my wife very happy at all.
'Flight of the Conchords' might end soon
Jemaine Clement says a decision will be made in a month
By Alex Dobuzinskis, Reuters
Nov 3, 2009, 02:25 PM ET
"Flight of the Conchords" star Jemaine Clement has said his offbeat HBO comedy series may not continue for a third season because it requires so much work, but a final decision will be made within a month.
Clement told Reuters that he needs to discuss the future of the show with his co-star, Bret McKenzie, and with the director of the series, James Bobin.
"It very likely might not" return for a third season, Clement said.
"It could come back in a shorter season or like a special," he added.
The largely autobiographical "Flight of the Conchords," an offbeat, cult favorite in the U.S., tells of two New Zealand bandmates named Jemaine and Bret who move to New York to try to make it in the music business.
The show began in 2007 and is based on Clement and McKenzie's folk parody band Flight of the Conchords. The second season ended this past spring on the U.S. network HBO.
This year, the show gained an Emmy nomination for best comedy series, but lost to NBC's "30 Rock." Clement also was nominated for best lead actor in a comedy series.
Clement, who took flight on a solo career last week starring in a new movie "Gentleman Broncos," said he and McKenzie are challenged to keep up with the work required for the show.
"We've got to write the series, but we've also got to write the songs, and just dividing your time into those two writing tasks is really tricky," he said.
Clement, who also told Reuters in January that Season 2 could be the last for "Flight of the Conchords," said its end would be "bittersweet" because "it's so hard" to produce.
"Flight of the Conchords" averaged 3.1 million viewers per episode last season, in-line with Season 1, HBO said.
"We've left their future entirely in their hands," said Nancy Lesser, a spokeswoman for the network. "We would love to have more, and we left an open door at HBO."
Last year, Clement and McKenzie's musical duo Flight of the Conchords won New Zealand's first Grammy since 1984, for their EP "The Distant Future." They won for best comedy album.
Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin are going to host the Oscars this year. Huh, that should be pretty good.
Steve Martin, Alec Baldwin to co-host Oscars
By Hanh Nguyen
Zap2it.com
November 3, 2009 4:09 PM
The 82nd Academy Awards will get into the buddy act with Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin.
Oscar telecast producers Bill Mechanic and Adam Shankman announced Tuesday that "the team of Steve and Alec are the perfect pair of hosts for the Oscars. Steve will bring the experience of having hosted the show in the past and Alec will be a completely fresh personality for this event."
In true comedic form, Martin quipped, "I am happy to co-host the Oscars with my enemy Alec Baldwin."
Baldwin also added, "I don't play the banjo but I'm thrilled to be hosting the Oscars -- it's the opportunity of a lifetime."
Teaming Martin and Baldwin up could bode well for the telecast. Not only are they starring opposite each other in the upcoming romantic comedy "It's Complicated," but they rank at No. 1 (Martin with 15 shows) and No. 2 (Baldwin with 14) for hosting "Saturday Night Live" the most times.
Baldwin is currently starring in the Tina Fey comedy "30 Rock," while Martin, who's hosted the Oscars twice, is currently touring with with the bluegrass band Steep Canyon Rangers in support of his latest album "The Crow: New Songs for the Five String Banjo."
The 82nd Academy Awards will be telecast on ABC from the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood on Sunday, March 7.
Bruce played Washington D.C. on Monday night.
November 2 / Verizon Center / Washington DC
Notes: Bruce began the night dedicating the show to the recently departed Lenny Sullivan, "our brother in arms,” noting "this was his favorite song" before opening with the welcome return of “Outlaw Pete." Other early highlights included a strong rendition of "Night." Often overshadowed by the better-known Born to Run songs that surround it in the set, it really stood out as the top-notch rocker that it is.
Bruce had been picking fewer request signs at recent shows, to the point where it was beginning to feel like an obligation. But in DC he was ready to take plenty of setlist input from the fans in the pit, and he had fun gathering a good number of signs before making his picks. The tour premiere of "Stand on It" segued into "Seven Nights to Rock" in a transition that took the band a little by surprise, but came off pretty smooth regardless — a high octane medley with the sort of energy usually saved for the encores. "Growin' Up" was prompted by a very impressive sign; no story this time, but a great choice nonetheless.
"Pink Cadillac" returned to the set due to popular demand — three separate signs. Bruce had a lot of fun with this raunchy crowd favorite (probably his best known B-side), sheepishly declaring it "a masterpiece" at the song's end. The requests choices were all upbeat and fun numbers, and that was no mistake. The DC crowd tends to take some convincing to party, especially on a Monday night, and the cavernous, skybox-heavy Verizon Center seems better suited to corporate events than rock 'n' roll shows. But throughout the main set, Bruce put on a muscular and fun show despite poor sound quality, and by the encores he was winning over the fans in the nosebleed seats.
The encores had a couple of great moments. Ali Weinberg joined the band on accordion for "American Land," and Clarence's solo during "Hard Times” reminded everyone that he still knows how to bring it. Curtis and Cindy got their usual chance to shine during that song; but the real treat came after "Rosalita." Bruce led the band into a stunning and celebratory "Higher and Higher" and, in a clearly unrehearsed moment, brought the backup singers over to each sing a verse center stage at his microphone. When Cindy initially seemed unsure of the lyrics, Bruce started her out with some call-and-response vocals until she was ready to soar on her own, her soulful voice quite literally bringing the song higher. This was a truly wonderful surprise performance that deserves to be repeated over the next few weeks.
Spotted in the crowd: Rahm Emanuel (back for more Bosstime after catching the DC show this spring), David Axelrod, and Vincent Pastore.
Setlist:
Outlaw Pete
Prove It All Night
Hungry Heart
Working on a Dream
Thunder Road
Tenth Avenue Freeze-out
Night
Backstreets
Born to Run
She's the One
Meeting Across the River
Jungleland
Waitin' on a Sunny Day
Stand on It
Seven Nights to Rock
Growin' Up
Pink Cadillac
Lonesome Day
The Rising
Badlands
Encore
Hard Times
No Surrender
American Land (with Ali Weinberg)
Dancing in the Dark
Rosalita
Higher and Higher
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