Latest Gear Live Videos
Summer Reality: Part Two
Posted by David L. Williams Categories: Prime Time, Reality, Bravo, Cable, Hell’s Kitchen, Editorial, Features,
Because everything’s hotter in the summer ... whatever that means.
Another week, another boatload of new and returning reality shows. Here are some thoughts:
As I type I’m watching The Next Best Thing, so you can tell just how into the show I am. So, evidently, this show is about finding the greatest celebrity impersonator. You know how everybody’s been saying that we need a new great celebrity impersonator? Oh, wait, nobody’s been saying that at all. The last time we had a celebrity impersonator on tv it was ... wait, don’t tell me ... oh, I remember. It was Rich Little at the White House Correspondent’s Dinner. It was, well, just as excruciatingly awful as this show.
There was just a montage of Frank Sinatra impersonators on the show, that’s how bad it is. Ooh, and someone just said, “I make part of my living as a Gloria Estefan impersonator.” Evidently 0% equals a “part.” (Okay, I had a much ruder joke in here before that seemed far less mean when I was annoyed by watching this show. It’s gone now because, evidently, I have a desperate need to be liked. Or at least not hated. Apologies.)
It seems to be that we’re scraping the bottom of the barrel on competitive reality shows. Yes, networks, the world needs more singers, fashion designers, chefs, and supermodels. But I don’t know if we need more Rich Littles and Bret Ratners (haven’t seen On The Lot, not planning to).
Actually, I do know. We don’t.
Click to continue reading Summer Reality: Part Two
Advertisement
I Can’t Figure Out Charm School
It’s rare that I regularly watch a show I don’t fully understand. Now, I’m not talking about “Lost,” here; I get “Lost.” Or at the very least, I get the purpose behind the show, the type of show it is, the rules of the world of the show, etc. “Lost” is a serialized drama that has sci-fi elements to it. I get “Lost.” I’m utterly befuddled by “Flavor of Love Girls Charm School.”
I’ve seen the first three episodes (and the little preview special) for “Charm School,” and … I have no idea what the show is about. They’ve taken some of the contestants from the two seasons of “Flavor of Love” and … I’m going to let VH1’s website explain it for us:
“Thirteen of your favorite breakout stars from “Flavor of Love” seasons one and two are back for some heated competition. Living as a group, learning as a group and out for themselves, these former Flavorettes will be rigorously trained in proper etiquette and manners before competing in challenges to determine their poise and grace under pressure.”
Click to continue reading I Can’t Figure Out Charm School
Top Ten: Halo 2 for Vista Improvements
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Editorial, Features, Microsoft, Software, Video Games,
So, Halo 2 for Windows Vista is launching on May 8, 2007, and we have been able to spend some time reviewing the title. Since everyone is familiar with Halo 2, we felt a full review wasn’t in order. Instead, we wanted to clue you in on the ten best improvements we experienced while reviewing the game. These ten features raise the bar for Halo as a whole, and may be a foreshadowing of things to come in Halo 3:
Achievements: If you are looking for something fun that adds another level of fun and challenge to the Halo 2 world, this is it. We have said it before, and we will say it again - Microsoft hit a gold mine with the notion of achievements. No sooner than when we finished a multiplayer deathmatch did we rack up a total of three achievements. Meleeing five people from behind (and thusly earning the Ninja achievement) was nice, but Meleeing someone who already had the Ninja achievement (and thus earning the Flaming Ninja achievement) was even better. We have the achievement to prove it. For those wondering, yes, the achievements you earn in Halo 2 for Vista (or any other Games for Windows game) is counted towards your Xbox Gamerscore.
Continue Reading: Top Ten Halo 2 Vista Improvements…
Read More 
| Playfeed
Sanjaya: The Tic-Tac-Toe Playing Pig
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Music, Prime Time, Reality, FOX, American Idol, Editorial, Features,
I’m starting this article before the foregone conclusion that will happen during tonight’s American Idol results show, that is: Sanjaya isn’t going anywhere. By the time you read this, you and several million other viewers will be annoyed, whoever leaves instead of Sanjaya will be angry, but do you know who’s going to be the most pissed that Sanjaya is sticking around? Four people: Randy, Paula, Simon and Ryan.
I’ve been watching Idol off and on since its inception, and there’s always been one constant (well, two if you count Paula’s “your voice is like a rainbow” comments): no matter who the contestant is, no matter how bad he or she is on the show, Ryan and Paula always supported each and every one of those kids. The Jasmine Triases, the Kevin Covaises, the John Stevenses (not the Supreme Court Justice, the pseudo-crooner), even though they stunk up the joint week after week, Ryan and Paula, the two cheeriest elves on reality tv, were always there to support the kids.
But not anymore.
Click to continue reading Sanjaya: The Tic-Tac-Toe Playing Pig
Is Tyra Banks a Sociopath?
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Daytime, Talk Shows, America’s Next Top Model, Talent, Editorial, Features,
I’m not a psychologist or a psychiatrist; my training in that department goes only up to and including my Psych 101 class freshman year at Cornell. I’m just somebody who watches a bunch of TV, and watches clip shows like “The Soup” which boils down even more TV for me. All this having been said however, let me say this: I think Tyra Banks is a sociopath.
That’s not a value judgment at all. I guess it’s not technically a mental health judgment either because of my aforementioned lack of psychological training. But here’s the thing: I’ve been watching Top Model for a few seasons now, I’ve seen many clips of her talk show (I tried sitting through a whole episode and I just … yeah, no), and something’s always bothered me about Ty Ty Baby and I could never quite put my finger on it. Finally, though, when I saw Tyra salute herself on her talk show for being a trailblazer in African-American history (she was the first person of color to appear as the cover girl on the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition), it all came to me.
She’s not just a narcissist; Tyra Banks has absolutely no sense of empathy. Having no ability to empathize is what (many websites tell me) catapults someone from simple narcissism to sociopathy.
Click to continue reading Is Tyra Banks a Sociopath?
Could Microsoft Charge for a Halo 3 Demo?
Posted by Rob Stevens Categories: Action, Bungie, Editorial, Features, First Person Shooters, Rumors, Xbox 360, Xbox Live Marketplace,
My old friend Billy at Game Informer just posted a rumor that we could see a Halo 3 demo by mid 2007. I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if that were the case, but I’d guess Q3 if it were me. But the more interesting part is that this could be the first demo to come with a price tag.
Pop Quiz: What’s the best way to raise the price for a game beyond the acceptable mass-market threshold without actually raising the price?
Answer…Hide the upcharge in something else that the customers will buy without a second thought. In this case, a chance to play a stripped down, early version of the game (probably multiplayer only) a few months early. My gut instinct is that Microsoft could charge 800 points ($10) for the demo and fans would pay it. That would effectively make the price for the full game $70.
Click to continue reading Could Microsoft Charge for a Halo 3 Demo?
CBS’ Smith: Lacking the Ummph for High-Stakes Drama
Posted by Monica Edwards Categories: Action, Drama, Prime Time, CBS, 24, Editorial,
I was undecided about whether I wanted to tune into the new drama on CBS called Smith starring Ray Liotta and a noteworthy ensemble cast, but made the decision to give it a chance largely due to my female insensibility; basing my decision merely on the fact that the cast included one Simon Baker, the hunky Aussie that I had just “fell in love” with (if I were not already married to my wonderful husband), while watching a silly romantic comedy a few weeks back entitled Something New . Of course that is not what I told my husband. I just asked if he wanted to watch with me, in which case he did since he enjoyed Ray Liotta’s performance in Goodfellas.
Click to continue reading CBS’ Smith: Lacking the Ummph for High-Stakes Drama
Why PS2 Succeeded, and Why PS3 Will Fail
Posted by Rob Stevens Categories: Editorial, Features, Video Games,
The Sony PlayStation 2 had a lot of things going for it when it launched in October of 2000. It would launch more than a year before Nintendo’s GameCube console, a head start that proved to extend the lifespan of the console far longer than the usual five years. Normally, launching a game console outside of that five-year cycle spelled disaster (just ask Sega), Sony managed to make it work, but it wasn’t by virtue of their games. The launch lineup for the PS2 was laughable, and would not improve for the majority of that first year. No, the PS2 sold for one reason and one reason only: including DVD movie playback cheaper than a dedicated DVD player.
At the time of the PS2 launch, a home DVD player retailed for about $399. Sony was selling the PS2 for $299, taking a significant loss on the hardware and expecting to make it up on software sales (often described as the standard game industry model, despite Nintendo not following that model themselves). For the first year, Sony was taking an absolute bath on the PS2 hardware, since the initial software selection was pitiful, yet the installed user base for the machine would pay dividends in the years to come, allowing Sony to secure many exclusives.
Click to continue reading Why PS2 Succeeded, and Why PS3 Will Fail
No “Free Press” In Game Industry
Posted by Rob Stevens Categories: Editorial, Features, Video Games,
Hey Dave…still want to know why there’s no real journalism in the video game industry? It’s because of stories like this, and like this, and like this.
How on earth are you supposed to have a “free press” in the game industry when the companies that admittedly support its existence are constantly trying to keep all of the news under wraps? I suspect that in at least one of these recent cases of IGN pulling content, a deal was brokered for an exclusive in exchange for pulling the content, but when are these companies going to learn that you can’t put the genie back in the bottle?
The games industry is one where companies have seen rampant “idea theft”, concepts shown early to generate buzz which proceed to get ripped off eight ways from Sunday by less talented development houses able to rush a competing product to market. Nintendo was such a victim of this particular tactic (specifically after showing off Super Mario 64 for the first time), that they have become the most secretive company in all of the game industry. So I get it, I understand why these companies want to keep their secrets under wraps ... it’s a matter of securing their revenue stream, and I can respect that.
Click to continue reading No “Free Press” In Game Industry
Advertisement
© Gear Live Inc. {year} – User-posted content, unless source is quoted, is licensed under a Creative Commons Public Domain License. Gear Live graphics, logos, designs, page headers, button icons, videos, articles, blogs, forums, scripts and other service names are the trademarks of Gear Live Inc.