LittleJudy.com

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About The Yule Log

The New York Tmes has a great article about the history of the Yule Log, WPIX-TV's annual non-stop video of a log burning. They also talk about some DVDs with a similar theme for year-round fun -- including one featuring strippers (don't ask!)

Wonder if JLTV will do a Chanukah menorah?

The TV Watch - Log - The Directors’ Cuts - NYTimes.com.

Sci Fi Channel Out To Save The World

SciFi has launched a new blog featuring a list of contributors that includes physicist Michio Kaku, former astronaut Jeffrey Hoffman and entrepeneur Richard Branson.

Actor Anton Yelchin is also blogging and although he isn't a science or technology guru he is starring in the upcoming "Star Trek" film. I suppose that gives him some geek cred.

The blog, says Sci Fi president Dave Howe, calls upon each contributor to "share his or her unique perspective on the issues, attitudes and trends shaping America and the world. The blog will draw upon their distinct and visionary reflections — voices that represent the choices that we as a society will be making to help shape our own future choices. "

Kaku's first post, "The Most Important Generation May Be The One Now Alive" examines where our civilization fits in the system used by astrophysicists to estimate how advanced civilizations on other planets might be (if we were to ever find them). How're we doing? Not so great now, but the Internet, global trade, omnipresence of English and a global pop culture are signs we're becoming a planetary civilization. Getting there, says Kaku, is going to be a rough transition.

Link: How You Can Save The World | Visions for Tomorrow

Open The Door...

Is he a dream or a dud?

Girls Night Out A Bust On "Idol"

I was SO not impressed with the girls on "American Idol" tonight.

None of them really wowed me and only two gave what I consider enjoyable performances.

The first of the two I liked, Syesha Mercado, sang "Me and Mr. Jones" (italics mine), a sex-change on the original by the great soulman Billy Paul. I thought her phrasing was nice on the song, although I did not like they way they hacked up the song to make it fit the short amount of time she had to sing.

Randy thought it was just aight and suggested she should have selected a bigger song to show off her big, belting voice. Simon thought it was a "silly" song choice because the song was written for a man.

I can see why she made the choice, though. Besides it being such a great song, perhaps she figured if she sang a tune made famous by a guy then she'd be less likely to be compared to the original.

The judges seemed to love Brooke White the most. This year they're allowing the contestants to play instruments when they perform, and she's the first one I've seen that actually looks comfortable with a guitar. She sang Carly Simon's "You're So Vain" (cue the jokes about Simon thinking the song was about him.)  She sang it well, and her performance was very relaxed and comfortable although she did play it safe by not altering the song very much from the original.

So far, out of 20, I'm only feeling 5 contestants. I just hope that by that time it gets down to the Final 12, more of the contestants start to bring it. 

By the way, that's an unintentional pun in the headline. But, it's silly enough that I'll leave it in.

Jessica Simpson's Fun Fearless Males

I was in a silly mood when I got the media alert for next month's gala luncheon celebrating Cosmo's Fun Fearless Male honorees. The list included comedian Dane Cook, football star Tony Romo, and, in the number one spot: musician John Mayer.

I couldn't help but notice they had something in common: they've all been linked to Jessica Simpson. She used to date Mayer, she's currently dating Romo, and she was rumored to have had a romance with Dane Cook although that ended up looking more like a publicity stunt for their movie "Employee-of-the Month."

I thought it was kinda funny. Jessica Simpson is the ultimate Cosmo Girl. Cantcha just picture her curled up with her malti-poo Daisy on her lap taking the "Are You A Hot Challenge" Cosmo quiz?

Oh, and guess who last year's list-topper was? Yup. Nick Lachey.

Coincidence? You be the judge.

Read my full article here: Jessica Simpson's Fun Fearless Males, Cosmopolitan Names Their Annual List Of Hotties ... Guess What Some Of Them Have In Common? - The ShowBuzz.

Michael Jackson & Britney Spears - Together

There's been much more written about the personal lives of Britney Spears and Michael Jackson than about their music. But lest you forget the level of talent both of them were originally famous for, check this little clip out (I think it's from Michael's MSG mega concert almost exactly six years ago.)

If I Were Britney's Manager

By now you've probably seen Britney Spears' unfortunate performance at the MTV VMAs either on MTV itself or on the Web.

I was watching it on the monitors in the studio at work when I realized I was holding my face in my hands a la Macauley Culkin in "Home Alone" as I moaned in horror.  One co-worker yelled out "Judy, you sound like you're in pain!"

So much was wrong with the performance. The lip-synching, the half-hearted dance moves and the trashy outfit were all no-nos.

Unfortunately, I don't think anybody out there is telling Britney "no!"

It was a poor choice to go the slutty route for her comeback performance. To succeed in that style, she would have had to have topped her previous racy VMA numbers including the Madonna kiss and the dance with a live snake.

This just looked desperate.

If I were Britney's manager, assuming she'd even listen to me, I would have had her do something completely different.

I've written before that when she stops with the cooing and breathy moans, she can actually sing. So, she would have blown everybody away if she had opened the show dressed in something classy, sitting on a stool or the edge of the stage and belting out a ballad.

Yes, a ballad. Maybe with a string orchestra, just a piano, guitar or even (at least for the intro) a capella.

It wouldn't have been a big splashy production number, but it would have brought her back some healthy street cred and generated excitement precisely because it would have been totally unexpected.

When asked by USA Today what he thought of Britney's performance, Kanye West said, "I have no words."

When Kanye West is rendered speechless, that means there's a problem.

Going to the dogs...

I had a BLAST at the Westminster Dog Show this week!

Here is one of my videos that's currently up on YouTube:

Britney Belting It Out

And now, a break from whether or not Britney Spears is a good mom, good pet owner, or wearing underwear.

I stumbled on an interesting medley of Britney Spears' vocal performances, correction, best vocal performances as determined by the editor that created the clip. It was submitted to YouTube.com from a 19-year-old from Cologne Germany who goes by the name of Guido and is very excited to be coming to Orlando next year "to work at Disneyland."  We assume that means Disneyworld or the poor kid is going to have to figure out a way to get to Anaheim.

In the medley, you'll see a 10-year-old Britney on Star Search, Britney singing "New York, New York" in an amateur video, and Britney singing one of my favorite Chaka Khan songs ("I Feel For You") on what looks to be the Mickey Mouse Club (it's a little blurry but that looks like Justin Timberlake in one of the shots.)

Britney does let her more powerful vocal chops be heard when she sings the occasional ballad. But it's always a little bit of a surprise since most of the time she kind of growls, moans and pants her way through her dance music.

I'm not saying that's necessarily a bad thing, at least not for a song like "Toxic." But wouldn't it be interesting to hear her sing a song straight up more often? 

It's Your Birthday, And Yours And Yours and Yours

I've seen a lot of birthday lists, especially when I was doing show prep for radio. I don't know about the accuracy,  but I like the way BrainyHistory.com is organized.

I checked my birthday out (May 5), and there were some new names that I hadn't seen before. Nice to know that I'm in good journalistic company, sharing my birthday with Nellie Bly and Brian Williams!

Check yours out and comment on the most interesting person born on your birthday.

They also code where you can add a "Today In History" feed to your blog.