You pops caught you smoking and he said, "No way!". That hypocrite smokes two packs a day

Quick Hitters and Random Thoughts

--A fantastic job by the creators of The Pacific in giving us ten alternately sad, joyous, miserable, disturbing, grim, realistic, optimistic hours of television. You can never say thank you enough to the military past, present and future, but a special shout to Robert Leckie and Eugene Sledge for sharing their stories with us through print and eventually screen. The casting was pitch perfect with everyone turning in stellar performances. Sledge/Joseph Mazzello and Snafu/Rami Malek, of particular note, with the Peleliu arc being some of the most uncomfortable and insane combat scenes ever produced. Just as engrossing were the scenes and dialogue between these two hardened marines.

Loved when Snafu let Sledge sleep when his train stop came up. Hated when Sledge’s dad was helplessly standing outside his son’s door while he had night terrors. The lone criticism I had was at the end when they showed all those secondary characters and only a few rang a bell. Far too often I couldn’t remember that person’s face or what role this person played because they were in and out of the series so quick and so much of the early episodes had fighting in the dark. It’s not Band of Brothers and it wasn’t supposed to be. Quite simply it’s The Pacific and deserves to stand on its own.

--Jesse, Jesse, Jesse. Son, WTF are you doing? Selling the blue to your support group? That’s low, even for you. You reap what you sow. Walt and Gus’ sit-down was one great scene. Walt: “I respect the strategy.”


--I’m not sure how often Party Down puts its episodes up early on UVerse’s VOD, but Steve Guttenberg’s Birthday is up now before it airs this Friday and it is absolute gold from beginning to end. First of all, Steve F’n Guttenberg. Second of all, Steve F’n Guttenberg. Third of all, Lizzy Caplan in a hot tub or maybe that’s first of all.

--Wait, Bernie Carbo once put a hit out on Keith Hernandez?!

--Sure the Astros are dead last in MLB in batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, runs scored, doubles, home runs, but nobody is talking about how they're 18th in stolen bases! Sure their success percentage is third-lowest, but, ehh, whatever.

--Not surprisingly Chuck has been renewed. I gave up on V and FlashForward pretty early, but V is going to get a second season. FlashForward is dead along with Better Off Ted and Scrubs. Scrubs was awful and had a perfectly fine end before this season. I gave Ted a try, but it just wasn’t doing it for me despite some positive critic reviews.


--For some strange and likely extremely stupid reason NBC is moving Parks and Rec to midseason so it won’t be back with new episodes in the Fall with its Thursday brethren Community, Office, and 30 Rock. Instead we get Outsourced in what will now be known as the Kaz Matsui spot in the lineup.
Back to Parks, look April stop being a little girl and just throw yourself at Andy already. He wrote a song about you called “November.” Sure “April” might be a better name for it, but you can’t argue with an artistic genius.

--A Top Chef in D.C. means we’re going to get guest stars like Nancy Pelosi, Joe Scarborough and Buzz Aldrin. Ol’ crazy Buzz Aldrin. Borat’s bit with Buzz was some classic stuff back on Da Ali G Show. Eric Ripert has joined on as a judge which is good for contestant Amanda Baumgartner who seems to be this year’s hottie.


--Seriously, Andy Pettitte is 5-0 with a 1.79 ERA.

--UGO with a list of The Other Girls of Lost or Lost Girls or something like that. #21 is Bai Ling from what I think is universally regarded as the worst episode in the history of Lost – “Stranger in a Strange Land.” But hey now we know the backstory of Jack’s tattoos. Lucky us. Kim Dickens/Cassidy Phillips at 18 who I’ve been crushing on from Treme, Friday Night Lights and Deadwood too for that matter. Another Deadwood alum at 15 in the form of Paula Malcomson/Colleen Pickett. Totally forgot about Andrea Roth/Harper Stanhope whose man, Goodwin, had a thing with Juliet. #8 it mentions is the lovely Gabriela Busoni whose dad had a tumor (can't get away from tumors).

Not sure that Katey Sagal qualifies as an “other girl” since she plays kind of a big part. Same with including Ilana on this. Sarah Shephard/Julie Bowen and Naomi/Marsha Thomason round out the list.


--I’ve been wanting to buy the book from Mark Bittman – How To Cook Everything, but I keep forgetting. I did just buy the app though. I’m really liking it with its easy to use recipe interface that you can match up with what you have on hand or what you’re in the mood for. Worth the $4.99 to me alone for the Udon Noodle and Miso Soup with Shiitake Mushrooms recipe that I added lump crabmeat to. Pretty much idiot proof recipe.

--I wouldn’t think church league basketball is cut throat, but apparently in Pennsylvania it is. Michael Kman coaches that basketball factory known as Our Lady of Lourdes. He’s accused of sending texts to a couple of referees offering $2500 per fixed game. $2500?! How do you have that kind of money to throw around for church league wins? KJ is a ref of honor and integrity, but $2,500 may make him think twice.

--A Napoleon Dynamite animated series? No thanks. What year is this anyway?

--Something is wrong with the universe with a National atop the league in wins and saves. Tyler Clippard (reliever of course) has 7 wins and Matt Capps has 14 saves which means the Nationals have at least 14 wins, I think.

--Ty Wigginton has twice as many HRs (6) as Prince Fielder (12).

--Okay who told Dwight Howard it would be a good idea to interview himself? Was it you Stuart Scott?

--It was about what I expected, but the most impressive part was the way Alistair Overeem tossed Brett Rogers to the mat like he was an 80-pound rag doll.

--There’s early and then there’s Glee already being given the post Super Bowl spot this year on Fox.

--It was only a matter of time, but Duff (Ace of Cakes) is selling his own cake decorating products at Michaels stores. Cake graffiti spray sounds like fun for the kids, not so much the parents though.

--I had no idea Sandra Lee was with New York Attorney General (eventual Governor?) Andrew Cuomo. I think her show is the worst, but then again I don’t know what to think of Brian Boitano’s show. The unintentional comedy is off the charts.


--Wait, I can print out Lost Dharma labels?! How did I not come across these before?

Questions, comments or if you can’t believe that this time next week Lost will be over…