Reader Review
Children's Music, Part III
There are a lot of dinosaur songs, mostly for children, and many individual songs are scattered across divers albums. Here are a few albums primarily featuring dinosaurs intended for the children in all of us.
Way back when Jim Henson was alive, between the two Muppets shows, he produced a tv program called Dinosaurs, which was so good and made fun of so many political figures it was cancelled. Meanwhile, the show released an album called Big Songs with characters from the show singing. The Baby sings I'm A Dinosaur, the anthem of all bratty kids everywhere. Charelene, the teen ager, gets to speculate about growing up In A Perfect World. Earl the Ralph Kramden-like working stiff commiserates over Poor Slobs With Terrible Jobs. His Fran sings a beautiful cajun dinosaur love song, Stone Age Bayou. Even the Disney web site doesn't seem to have the CD, but if you can dig it up, I highly recommend it. If you can find copies of the show, they're also highly recommended.
Dinosaur Rock, one of several albums by DinoRock, which puts on theater productions. The CD alternates between spoken dialog and songs based on the characters introduced. Loads of fun. The songs range in styles from yodelling to swing to folk. Tyrannosauraus rex... rex... rex... is a nifty country song while Leapin' Lizards goes bluegrass. You can dance to The Sauropod Swing while Stella Stegasaurus tells her story in oom-pa.
Dr. Jane isn't exactly a children's singer -- she's a filk singer and paleontologist who sings for science fiction fans at science fiction conventions. Many of her songs require a college education to really appreciate. Still, they're all G-rated and the music is good enough and bouncy enough that kids will enjoy what you're listening to. The first, and my favorite, of her CDs is Fossil Fever. You might be able to get it (and the other Dr. Jane CDs) online here, but almost any medium-to-large sf con will have one in the huckster's room. Dinosaurs dance heavily to The Graviportal Polka and sing sweetly of the Ambition to fly. A paleontologist catches Fossil Fever in ragtime and learns to Digga Digga Bones.
Dr. Jane's Remains has a nice doo-wop variant of At the Hop called At The Loch about the search for Nessie. The true story of Who Owns the Bones was written before the final decision over Sue the Dinosaur was rendered by the courts and the exhibit went on national tour. More academic songs and a diversity of song stylings round out a good album.
It doesn't have any dinosaur songs, so I'll only mention Wackademia in passing. Getting a PhD in Paleontology requires dealing with college bureaucracy and other scientists, and her experience is reflected in Drivel (to the tune of Dave van Ronk's River) and Anthem To Bureaucracy. Aria in Ape Flat Minor is bouncy and The Overflowin' Cat Box Blues is universal.
You hate him but your toddlers love him but you'll both like Barney Rocks!. Sure, there are a few cuts which are just old songs recycled, but the first couple, That's How You Make Rock and Roll and Rock-N-Roll Star are great, especially if you know the characters from the show. Anything Can Happen if you use your imagination and Pumpernickel is about breads. Believe it or not, this Barney is recommended.
Dave Romm is a conceptual artist with a radio show and a web site and a very weird CD collection. He reviews things at random for obscure web sites. You can read all his music recommendations from Bartcop-E here.
Thanks, Dave!
Alex's Entertainment Report
Alex
Weekly Review
from Harper's Magazine
HARPER'S WEEKLY REVIEW - 26 February, 2002
The Pentagon said it was planning a new propaganda office called the
Office of Strategic Information, which will seek to feed news items to
the foreign media in an effort to manipulate public opinion. Such
items will not necessarily be true. The plan also calls for computer
network attacks on media outlets whose news coverage is deemed
counterproductive. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld claimed that
the new office will not lie to the public but might "do things," which
he characterized as "tactical deception," to confuse the enemy.
Rumsfeld subsequently tried to distance himself from the office and
muttered that "all the misinformation and adverse publicity that it's
received" might have doomed it.
ABC announced a new "reality" show
about American soldiers called "Profiles from the Front Line";
the show will be produced in cooperation with the Pentagon and Jerry
Bruckheimer, the producer of "Top Gun," "Pearl Harbor," and
"Black Hawk Down."
President Bush continued his Asian tour. In
China he told students that America is "a nation guided by faith," a
nation "with the soul of a Church." Later, at a banquet in the Great
Hall of the People, President Jiang Zemin sang "O Sole Mio." Bush did
not sing.
In South Korea, the President managed to abstain from
calling North Korea evil except when he was told that axes used to
kill two American soldiers were in a North Korean museum. "No wonder I
think they're evil," he said. North Korea dismissed Bush as "a puppy
knowing no fear of the tiger," and "a man bereft of elementary
reason."
Vice President Dick Cheney defended President Bush's "axis of
evil" doctrine and said that "most Americans find it reassuring to
have a commander in chief who tells the truth and who means exactly
what he says."
( continued at Weekly Review )
--Roger D. Hodge
From 'TBH Politoons'
Great Site!
Thanks, again, Tim!
In The Chaos Household
Last Night
Sat on NBC for most of the night....'Watching Ellie' wasn't as bad as anticipated, and
Julia Louis-Dreyfus has a better voice than expected. Her husband is producing the show, so maybe
he has a clue to her strong points? Michael Keaton did a smart turn on 'Frasier'.
Also watched 'Dave' and am currently watching 'Craiggers' with Shirley Manson.
Tonight, Wednesday, CBS has the '44th Annual Grammy Awards'.
NBC has a fresh night with 'Ed' (Kelly Ripa guests), 'The West Wing', and
'Law & Order'.
ABC is also fresh with 'My Wife & Kids', 'Jim', 'Drew Carey', 'The Job',
and '20/20 Downtown'.
The WB has the movie 'Dumb & Dumber'.
Faux has the movie 'Rush Hour'.
UPN has a fresh 'Enterprise' (more Vulcans), and a rerun 'Enterprise'.
Anyone have any opinions?
Or reviews?
(See below for addresses)
At London Premiere Of ''Shipping News''
Chelsea Clinton
Chelsea Clinton upstaged movie stars at the London premiere of "The Shipping News," signing autographs for fans outside the Mayfair cinema.
The daughter of former President Clinton was accompanied by her American boyfriend Ian Klause at the charity screening Monday of the film that stars Judi Dench and Kevin Spacey.
Chelsea Clinton
Producer Backing His Man - Sorta, Kinda
Aaron Sorkin
NBC said on Tuesday it stands by Aaron Sorkin's right to speak his mind, following "The West Wing" creator's recent comments that
the country is pretending that President Bushis competent and brave.
"Obviously we respect Aaron's right to say whatever he thinks," Jeff Zucker, President of NBC Entertainment, said in a conference
call with reporters. "We would never get in the way of his right to speak his mind."
While NBC stood by Sorkin's right to speak out, the network took exception to his characterization of the special, noting that Brokaw
prefaced the show by saying that Bush's schedule was loaded up for the occasion.
"Aaron and Tom spoke last night," Zucker said. "Aaron apologized for getting that wrong."
Aaron Sorkin
Grammy Awards Tonight
U2 & More
Will U2 find what it's looking for on Wednesday, when it competes for eight Grammy Awards at the music industry's biggest bash of the year? Or will the
Irish rock quartet be rattled by folk musicians, soulful R&B divas and tireless troubadour Bob Dylan?
Nothing is ever certain about the Grammys, whose industry voters frequently stun music fans with oddball choices, including last year's album of the
year prize to semi-retired jazz-rock recluses Steely Dan.
Bluegrass musician Alison Krauss, R&B singer Brian McKnight and rap duo Outkast received five nominations each. Producer T-Bone Burnett, Canadian
pop singer Nelly Furtado, young rock band Train, Aerosmith rocker Steven Tyler and roots-rocker Lucinda Williams each earned four nods.
But eight-time Grammy-winning producer Phil Ramone warned that there are no certainties. "The mixture is so cool at the top in each category
that I'm not sure that anybody's going to walk away with as many Grammys as people think," he said.
The last time a country album won the album race was in 1969 when Glenn Campbell's "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" beat Jose Feliciano,
the Beatles, Richard Harris and Simon & Garfunkel. Still, the "O Brother" soundtrack was "an astounding sleeper hit" with U.S. sales
of four million units to date, said Spin's Michel, and could emerge as the dark horse winner.
The 44th annual Grammy Awards will be held at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles. Most of the 101 prizes will be handed
out during a fast-paced afternoon ceremony. The main televised ceremony, hosted by comedian Jon Stewart and featuring performances
by the likes of U2, Dylan, Keys, Arie, 'N Sync, and some of the "O Brother" artists, will begin at 5 p.m. PST/8 p.m. EST).
U2
New Bosom Buddy?
Rosie O'Donnell
Rosie O'Donnell has a new bosom buddy - the woman who flashed the "Rosie O'Donnell Show" audience on live TV last week.
Yesterday, O'Donnell told viewers that she found the woman involved in the incident online in a chat room devoted to "Rosie O'Donnell Show" fans.
The woman - whom Rosie declined to identify - says she is "horrified" and that she had only wanted to show her family that
she was wearing a shirt they had made for her.
"She said she didn't know why she [was escorted from the show]. She didn't know her shirt went up.
"She was in her car on the way back home to Massachusetts before she figured it out.
Rosie invited the woman onto the show but she declined.
Rosie O'Donnell
Guesting On 'Ally McBeal'
Matthew Perry
Matthew Perry casually mentioned to a producer at a party once that he thought it would be fun to be on "Ally McBeal." He has
always been a fan since the show started.
He tells Access Hollywood that soon after a five-minute phone conversation, David E. Kelley created a character for him who
is nothing like Chandler on "Friends."
Perry says he "looks like Chandler a lot" but he's "kind of a cruel guy." Perry's guest spot is on a two-hour "Ally McBeal," airing April 15.
Matthew Perry
He Keeps Count
Gene Simmons & KISS
It was slightly odd to see grotesque old rocker Gene Simmons and KISS bopping on-stage at the closing ceremony for the wholesome
Olympics. Seems that Simmons partied until dawn yesterday morning with girls whose moms could have been among his groupies. "He
was going for the gold," says one spy of Simmons' late night Salt Lake City antics. Hope none of them posed for his camera - Simmons,
52, is working on a new book featuring nothing but nude shots of the women he's bedded. He claims 4,700 to date, numbers which would
qualify him as an NBA All-Star.
Gene Simmons & KISS
WGA To Honor Posthumously
David Angell
The Writers Guild of America will posthumously honor "Frasier" co-creator David Angell, who died in a hijacked plane during the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
During its annual awards dinner on Saturday, Angell will be awarded the Valentine Davies Award, which recognizes those who have "brought
dignity and honor to the profession of writing." The award is named for the writer of "Miracle on 34th Street."
Angell and his wife, Lynn, were among the passengers aboard American Airlines Flight 11 from Boston, which terrorists crashed into the World Trade Center.
David Angell
How Old Is He?
Liza Minnelli
While not wanting to rain on Liza Minnelli's wedding parade, it must be reported that the supermarket tabs (among other media) are trying
to get some dirt on husband-to-be David Gest. Like, they're combing Californian DMV records to establish that the event producer is
a lot nearer 60 than 48. And they're tying to uncover any audits done of his concerts. And they're rummaging around a luxury Century
City high-rise where Gest supposedly was ordered to move out because his personal goon squad was intimidating the other residents.
Liza Minnelli
New Film Company
Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson is in Neverland again, but this time it's for movies.
The self-proclaimed king of pop has invested between $15 million and $20 million in MDP Worldwide Entertainment Inc., a Montreal-based
film producer and distributor.
The capital infusion gives Jackson's Neverland Entertainment a majority stake in MDP, which is traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange. MDP
principal Mark Damon said the Neverland investment will "significantly expand MDP's production and financing capabilities."
The first picture to go out under the Neverland banner will be "The United States of Leland," which began production this month. Directed by Matthew
Ryan Hoge and starring Ryan Gosling, Don Cheadle and Chris Klein. Kevin Spacey and Bernie Morris produce under Spacey's Trigger Street Prods.
Other titles including the sports action film "The Extremists," directed by Christian Duguay, being released domestically by Paramount Pictures, and
the cyber-horror thriller "Fear.com," directed by William Malone, Being released stateside by Warner Bros.
The ambitions of Neverland Entertainment include TV specials and series as well as the launch of Neverland Animation. That label would produce
direct-to-video and DVD features as well as television programming.
Michael Jackson
What Do Ancient Coins Have To Do With It?
Bruce McNall
Since the scoop the other day about fraudster Bruce McNall being out of jail and preparing to set up a new movie studio, the
former owner of the Los Angeles Kings has been getting a lot of attention - most of it kindly. His old pal, Michael Eisner (Bruce
helped Mike get the Mighty Ducks hockey franchise in Anaheim), is arranging for Disney's Hyperion division to publish a book based
on McNall's letters from prison, producer Dick Zanuck has publicly welcomed him back into the Hollywood community as a "vibrant and
creative" member and everyone seems to want to work with him. The L.A. Times just did a big story on the phenomenon and compared it
to John Travolta's character in "Get Shorty," in which a jailbird with a good script becomes an A-lister in Beverly Hills. I think
it's more like the real life story of David Begelman, the agent/producer who forged his clients' checks but was as welcome as ever in Hollywood.
Bruce McNall
Tuesday Night In LA - The Recording Artists Coalition
4 Los Angeles Concerts
The Eagles, Billy Joel, No Doubt, the Dixie Chicks, Eddie Vedder and others are playing a series of benefit concerts the night before Wednesday's
Grammy Awards for a unique cause: each other.
The four Los Angeles concerts Tuesday, to benefit the Recording Artists Coalition, represent a shot across the bow of the recording industry
from the people whose work it markets.
The artists' coalition was actually born two years ago during a battle in Washington over a change in copyright law. Henley, Sheryl Crow
and others successfuly fought the change, which they believed would make it impossible for musicians to own their recordings.
This time, the coalition is fighting to change a California law that prevents recording artists from terminating contracts after
seven years. It also wants to be a watchdog for musicians as the digital era changes the way music is distributed.
While each show has an impressive lineup, conspicuously absent are any rap, R&B or Latin artists — a sign of the trouble Henley has
had increasing the coalition's ranks beyond its current 140 members.
4 Los Angeles Concerts
Re-Locating To NYC
Roseanne
Roseanne is going legit. The lady is moving. First, into senatorial circles. Last week it was a heavyweight din-din honoring Dick
Gephardt for some reason at the home of Toni Kramer in the presence of such political brains as Chaka Khan and Camryn Manheim.
Now she's coming to New York. To embrace life upon the wicked stage. Not to go to plays. To be in plays. Even entertaining the
concept of a one-woman production.
It's bye-bye to TV, sitcoms, talk shows, husbands like Arnold and Ben and whatever the first one's name was, and it's hello to Broadway.
Roseanne
Gerry and the Pacemakers, Too
Paul McCartney
The Beatles' hometown on Monday marked the birthday of George Harrison, the band's quiet and spiritual guitarist who died of cancer in November.
Paul McCartney dedicated an a cappella rendition of "Yesterday" to Harrison during a tribute concert at Liverpool's Empire theater on Sunday night.
Before the show, McCartney remembered the bandmate he met as a teen-ager riding the bus to school.
"We go way back," McCartney said. "We both used to live in Speke and he used to get on the bus one stop after me. We used to have a half
an hour on the bus to talk about guitars and music and stuff like that.
"He was a lovely bloke. He gave a lot to the world — his music and his spirituality. He was always a very strong man. I think he would
be delighted with this," he added.
The concert — which included a performance by The Beatles' contemporaries, Gerry and the Pacemakers, and other Liverpool musicians — took place
on the day Harrison celebrated as his birthday, though official records list it as Feb. 25.
Paul McCartney
The Gang's All Here
Mel Gibson
Mel Gibson was coming to the White House on Tuesday night to show President Bush his new Vietnam war movie, "We Were Soldiers."
The fact-based movie, which opens on Friday, is about a 34-day battle in the remote Ia Drang Valley in the central highlands of South
Vietnam in November 1965. It was the first major encounter between North Vietnamese and American soldiers, and the 400 troops of Lt.
Col. Hal Moore, played by Gibson, were outnumbered by the 2,000 North Vietnamese.
White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and national security adviser Condoleezza Rice would be
among those attending the showing in the White House movie theater.
Mel Gibson
Not A Happy Camper At The BAFTA's (And A Biter, Too?)
Russell Crowe
Actor Russell Crowe exploded with rage and pinned a television executive against a wall at the Bafta Awards dinner, it was reported today.
The trouble started when Crowe, 37, discovered that the poem he had recited as part of his Best Actor acceptance speech had been cut by the BBC.
The burly actor targeted the show's director Malcolm Gerrie at the after-awards dinner at the Grosvenor House Hotel.
Mr Gerrie was talking to rock star Sting when he was approached by two of the actor's security men. They escorted him to a storage room
where the actor was reportedly awaiting.
The Sun claimed today that Crowe slammed Mr Gerrie against the wall and jabbed his finger into his chest, before warning: "I don't give a
f*** who you are. Who on earth had the f***ing audacity to take out the Best Actor's poem? You f***ing piece of sh**, I'll make sure you'll
never work in Hollywood."
The only other hiccup during the awards ceremony was the red carpet which frothed with foam in the rain, marking the designer dresses
and ruining the shoes of numerous stars such as Kate Winslet.
It is not the first time Crowe has been connected with threatening behaviour off screen. Two years ago, the actor was reportedly
involved in a brawl in a Sydney nightclub in which he bit out a chunk of a victim's neck and spat it out.
Russell Crowe
Medical Insurance Isn't A Given
Denzel Washington
Denzel Washington says his role in the medical-system drama "John Q" made him aware of how many people don't have adequate health insurance.
"I was amazed at how many people fall into that slot," the 47-year-old actor told reporters.
"I worked in a factory before. And I was a garbage man. And worked in the post office before, so I remember, it's not so
long ago. I've still got my unemployment book. So you kind of tap into that. And I like to think I'm closer to that kind
of a character. I'm just a regular guy as far as I'm concerned."
Denzel Washington
It's A Tribute!
'Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash'
It takes some real guts to name your band the "Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash." Maybe that's why Cash approved and let them keep using that moniker.
The San Diego-based group even has the support of Cash's real son John Carter Cash, who produced two songs on their album at the Cash
family studios in Hendersonville, Tenn., near Nashville.
The group's vocalist, Mark Stuart, said he's never lived in a world without Johnny Cash, and Cash represents the second father in his
life "not in blood, but in spirit." Stuart thanked The Man In Black for his strength, grace, courage and commitment to playing his
songs his way without compromising.
"My father has always been open-minded, and he chose the right stars to use his name," John Carter said. "The Bastard Sons of Johnny
Cash are really good guys."
'Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash'
''The Singing Detective''
Robert Downey Jr.
Robert Downey Jr. is set to star in "The Singing Detective," a remake of the famed Dennis Potter-scripted BBC series. Shooting will begin
April 23 with Keith Gordon directing.
The picture, to be financed by Mel Gibson's Icon Prods., will mark the first feature Downey has starred in since the Curtis Hanson-directed
"Wonder Boys" in 2000. He most recently had a recurring role on "Ally McBeal," which garnered him an Emmy nomination and won him a Golden
Globe and Screen Actors Guild award. Downey left the show after a substance abuse relapse, but has attended to his rehabilitation since.
"The Singing Detective" originated as a celebrated six-part BBC miniseries that starred Michael Gambon as a fiction writer hospitalized
with a grotesque case of psoriasis. Most of the action takes place in his fever-plagued brain, as he reworks the fiction of his first
novel, "The Singing Detective," and becomes the protagonist of his story, pursuing Nazis in the 1940s.
Robert Downey Jr.
4 More Years!
Conan O'Brien
NBC has extended "Late Night" host Conan O'Brien's contract for four more years in a deal that reportedly doubles his salary to nearly $8 million a year.
It was more sweet vindication for O'Brien, who was almost fired after his disastrous start replacing David Letterman in 1993 but
has since come to dominate his late-night time slot.
"Late Night" may soon be available to others besides insomniacs and adept tapers. As part of his new deal, NBC is in discussions
to allow a cable network to rebroadcast his shows at an earlier hour.
The Fox network, which has been out of the late-night TV game for a couple of years, reportedly approached O'Brien, offering
him a time slot an hour earlier than his current 12:35 a.m. start. O'Brien instead decided to stick with NBC.
Conan O'Brien
''Stealing Harvard''
Tom Green
It's had more titles than a roomful of Ph.Ds, but the upcoming Tom Green feature once called "Stealing Stanford" has finally gained
a name that can be etched onto its permanent record: "Stealing Harvard."
The comedy, which also stars Jason Lee, concerns the increasingly ridiculous extremes a man goes through to live up to his promise
to send his niece to an expensive premier college.
Previous titles for the Revolution Studios/Imagine Entertainment project included "Promises, Promises, Promises," "The Promise,"
"Stealing U," "Uncle," "Say Uncle" and "Stealing Stanford."
Tom Green
Going To Africa
Bono
Irish rock singer Bono will travel to Africa next month on a fact-finding tour as part of his latest drive to secure debt
cancellation for the world's poorest countries.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill, who shared a platform with Bono at the World Economic Forum in New York earlier this
month, is expected to accompany him.
Bono, 41, real name Paul Hewson, has campaigned tirelessly for Drop the Debt -- formerly Jubilee 2000 -- an umbrella organization
of development and religious groups dedicated to erasing the public debt of 52 of the world's poorest countries, most of them in Africa.
In return, Africa's nations will be expected to provide greater democracy, accountability and government transparency.
One of DATA's funding sources is computer billionaire Bill Gates who, along with his wife Melinda, has created a fund aimed
at bridging the disparity in healthcare between poor and rich countries.
More Bono
1 - 3 June, 2002
Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee
Her Majesty requests the pleasure of your company for an evening of popular music -- Buckingham Palace on Tuesday signed up top
pop stars for Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee party.
Britain's "pop royalty" -- From Paul McCartney to Elton John -- are to rock the night away in June on the verdant palace lawns which normally
play host to genteel garden parties.
Queen Elizabeth, ever mindful of Britain's changing ways, has adopted a firmly populist stance for the June 3 concert when she is to throw open
the palace gardens to 12,000 lucky free ticket-holders picked in a nationwide ballot.
Lovers of classical music -- heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles is a particularly fervent fan -- were not forgotten.
The Palace is also to be thrown open on June 1 to another 12,000 fans for a concert starring New Zealand soprano Kiri Te Kanawa, Russian
cellist Mstislav Rostropovich and opera's latest superstar duet -- Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorghiu.
Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee
Courtney Never Read Them?
Kurt Cobain's Diaries
Riverhead, a division of Penguin Putnam has snapped up the rights to publish the notebooks of the late Kurt Cobain, the creative force
behind Nirvana, for close to $4 million.
The proceeds will go to Cobain's estate. The book will be published in November.
Last week, editors were literally standing in line to see the 23 notebooks, around 800 pages altogether. Competitors were made to
queue up outside the Edith Wharton Room in downtown New York's Inn at Irving Place; upon entering, they heard a brief pitch from agent
David Vigliano and then got a peek at the property.
The singer's widow, Courtney Love, apparently has never read the books in their entirety and didn't have any input in the project.
According to the source, she doesn't want to see the book before it's published.
Love, however, gave author Charles R. Cross limited access to the diaries, which provided him with insight for his 2001 book
"Heavier Than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain."
Kurt Cobain's Diaries
WARNING: Contains 'Spoilers' For ''ER''
Anthony Edwards
Things aren't bad enough for Dr. Mark Greene - now he's gonna die.
Dr. Greene, who's played by Anthony Edwards, will be killed off by a brain tumor in the May season finale, according to sources.
Greene's death-by-tumor caps off a terrible season for the doctor, who also weathered serious marital problems this year with wife and "ER"
colleague Dr. Lizzie Corday (Alex Kingston). Greene and Corday have an infant daughter who's been very sick after being
given an accidental overdose of medication.
Dr. Greene's death won't be the first time a main "ER" character has been killed off. Several years ago, wide-eyed medical student Lucy Knight
(Kellie Martin) was savagely butchered by an intruder into the ER, who also stabbed Dr. Carter (Noah Wyle). Lucy died, Carter lived.
Edwards' departure from "ER" leaves Wyle as the sole remaining original cast member. He's been on "ER" continually since the show's 1993 premiere.
"ER" remains TV's top-rated drama, averaging 22.2 million viewers this season, according to Nielsen numbers.
Anthony Edwards
Moving To Disney?
Bob Costas
After 22 years at NBC, Bob Costas could be going to Disney World this summer.
Costas, whose NBC Sports contract expires in June, has reportedly been in early talks with ABC and ESPN - both owned by the Walt Disney
Company, according to a report in this week's TV Guide.
ABC and ESPN's potent combination of the NFL, NCAA basketball and Major League Baseball may be just enough to entice the 49-year-old to jump ship.
He would also stand a good chance of getting a bump on his NBC salary, which is currently reported to be about $3 million a year.
Bob Costas
Long Labor Ahead
'Friends'
NBC's hip but aging group of "Friends" could be in for a long labor day in the show's season finale set for May.
Show creators Kevin Bright, Marta Kauffman and David Crane denied that a pregnant Rachel, played by actress Jennifer Aniston, will die
in childbirth on the season finale, despite a recent tabloid report. But she could be in for the longest labor period ever at the hospital
where she gives birth, they said.
The season finale has yet to be written, but the three creators said they do have some ideas for the birth which will occur on the season finale.
What will now be the season finale was nearly the show's series finale, as the contracts for its six principal actors were set to
expire and reports circulated that some were ready to hang up their latte mugs. But after some top-secret negotiations, the group
agreed to come back for a ninth season for a reported salary of $1 million each per episode.
'Friends'
BETTY BOWERS Cooks!
In The Kitchen With BartCop & Friends
'Bob Woodward vs. John Belushi and Me'
Michael Dare - 'The Life and Death of Captain Preemo'
BartCop TV!
Watergate v$ Enron!
From BartCop
The Bush Rap (Sheet)
Special Bonus From BartCop
