Monday, November 30, 2009

Joanna Krupa
Katey Sagal
David Guetta (featuring Akon)

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Jessica Alba
Columbus Short
The Bravery

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Taye Diggs
Kaley Cuoco
Ruben Paul

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Laurence Fishburne
Los Lobos

The Reviews Are In!

George has only been on the air for 10 minutes and all the TV personalities are already weighing in — everyone from Larry King to Regis & Kelly to “ESPN Sports Center” hosts Neil Everett & Stan Verrett. And of course, even Lou Dobbs…

Funniest Clip from Last Week’s Show

Sandra Bullock is married to Discovery Channel’s Chicano motorcycle builder and prime-time outlaw James James. She tells George that she would do anything to be more Latina if she could… And so George Lopez gets Chola girl to give her a “chola” makeover!

Sandra gets a makeover from chola girl

Taylor dropped by Lopez Tonight on TBS on Thanksgiving. The New Moon actor reunited with his Sharkboy & Lava Girl co-star George Lopez. If you missed the interview here are the clips.

It is almost as if Tyler Perry can do no wrong. His movies are always box office hits. For four years straight, he has come with multiple films, each one has set records. In 2007, Perry decided to shift some of his focus to weekly sitcoms. The first, “House of Payne,” became a hit, in 2008, only one year after it premiered, it was already in syndication.

After the success of “House of Payne,” Tyler Perry teamed up with TBS for another sitcom. In January 2009, he premiered “Meet the Browns,” which has become another record-breaking hit. Unlike traditional sitcom deals, TBS has ordered multiple episodes of Perry’s work in advance and all he does is film these episodes.

“Meet the Browns” has been guaranteed a 100 episode run. Due to the success that the series brought to the cable network, TBS, it has been confirmed that this series will hit syndication. Perry’s first sitcom, “House of Payne,” hit syndication and has done very well there. TV stations across the nation want to have Tyler Perry sitcoms.

Once the 100^th episode of “Meet the Browns” airs, the series will be hitting the syndication market.

I’ll put this one in the “I’ll believe it, when I see it” category.

In a recent interview, Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig said he wants to tighten the playoff schedule in 2010. Anyone who has watched the postseason recently, knows there are too many off days between games and series.

Los Angeles Angles of Anaheim manager Mike Scioscia was very critical of the playoff schedule when his Angels played just eight games in 20 days.

Say what you want about Bud Selig, but there is one thing you deny–he always addresses baseball’s problems and does his best to try to fix them.

Does he always do things the right way? No, absolutely not. Are there major problems in baseball? There is no question.

But Selig is not afraid to admit there is a problem and I really do believe he does his best to try to fix the issue. This is unlike NBA Commissioner David Stern, who believes his league is perfect and thinks a ref fixing games is water off a duck’s back.

While I believe Selig would prefer to have a best-of-seven League Championship Series played in nine days and even more day playoff games, he is not calling the shots here. The TV networks are.

See, the networks are paying baseball and not the other way around. Anyone who works in sales will tell you the client is always in control.

And if the client spends $3 billion like FOX and TBS does to broadcast baseball games, then they are REALLY in control.

If TBS feels they can get higher ratings and more money from their advertisers on a Wednesday night instead of a Saturday night, how can baseball say no you can’t do that?

And the reality is, a network like TBS uses baseball to plug their crappy shows that nobody watches like Frank TV and The George Lopez Show. TBS wants the most eyeballs possible to advertise their own programs.

That’s why there is an unnecessary off day between Game Four and Five of the AL & NLCS. FOX and TBS can get a better return on their investment by having two games on two separate days at 8:00 pm, rather than having one game at four and one at eight on the same day.

I have no idea what the compromise is between baseball and the networks. But I would be shocked if Selig gets the networks to shorten the schedule next year.

Like I said, I’ll believe it, when I see it.

You can follow The Ghost of Moonlight Graham on Twitter @theghostofmlg

Streaming Media West is in full swing.  With 150 speakers and 40 sessions, it is a real treat that all the videos will soon be posted at StreamingMedia.com. The video to my Commonwealth Club Smarter TV event from earlier this week will also soon be available on FORA.tv.  Between the two events, there was much discussion about the features (entertainment, social, commerce) of the connected devices and their ability to serve as monetization platforms for indie content, so this post is dedicated to providing a short synopsis of what was discussed and an overview of the market offerings.

Xbox 360
- 16mm consoles in North America, 33mm worldwide
- 1.5mm active before and after the Superbowl
- starting at $199 plus subscription to Xbox LIVE
- 25,000 pieces of content via Netflix (17,000) and Zune Marketplace
(Paramount, Lionsgate, Sony, MGM, Disney, ABC, CBS, NBCU, TBS, MTV, WB)
- Indie games get 70/30 split on XBLA via creators.xna.com/en-US
- Indie content best path to Xbox is via New Video, a Zune aggregator
- The Guild, Xbox chart-topping show, was a direct deal
- Magical friending features allow 8 Xbox LIVE living rooms linked to watch same shows, also integrating FB photos, Twitter, Last.fm
- Xbox is working toward a remoteless future with Project Natal
(per Marc Whitten, Xbox @ SMW talked about going from one to many to many to many, the channel of one, from audience to community, from programming guide to contextual search and social discovery with ratings and recommendations, tapping into the 300mm FB users, and 25mm Twitter users, and 1B+ mobile phones, PC was smart then got connected, phones were connected then got smart, TVs are now smart and connected, Xbox creating a world where it all just works – gaming, internet, tv, focused on content, community, curation, control; more details at:  http://itvt.com/interview/6110/radio-microsoft-xbox-live-general-manager-marc-whitten)

Ps3*
- 8mm+ consoles in North America, 29mm consoles worldwide
- starting at $299 includes Blu-ray player, no charge for access to Net
- Sony launching Sony Online Service for movies, tv, music, books, games
- 10,000+ hours of download content, 14,400 TV shows, 2,300 movies
- 40 partners incl Netflix, Lucasfilm, Cinetic FilmBuff, ContentFilm Intl, Image Ent, MPI Media, New Video, Showtime, Starz, G4, E!, Summit Entertainment, Weinstein, HD Net, VIZ Media, FUNimation, Magnolia,
- Best path to PS3 is via New Video, aggregator for iTunes, Hulu, Zune..
- Social integration with Facebook games

Wii*
- 56mm consoles worldwide,
- Japan video service: original branded programming, CinemaNow
- no US movies or TV yet, Netflix maybe never

TiVo
- 1.6mm – 3.5mm subscribers, launched 10yrs ago
- $249 + $129/year (also bundled with cable/sat packages)
- DVR stores up to 1TB of TV, broadband features, integrated search
- 50,000+ VOD movies/tv via Netflix, Amazon, Blockbuster, CinemaNow, Disney, YouTube, Rhapsody, Music Choice, Live365
- Thousands of video podcasts which indie producers can add to at:
www.tivo.com/rssvideo
- Indie producers can also get on TiVo Amazon VOD via CreateSpace.com
- no FB integration, Twitter onscreen chat, can share lists w friends
- in-show purchasing with remote related to specific ad campaigns
(per Evan Young, TiVo @ Commonwealth Club Smarter TV)

Apple TV*
- 500,000-6mm units sold, now starting at $229
- 50,000 tv episodes,175,000 podcasts, 2500+ movies
- Fox, Lionsgate, MGM, Miramax, New Line, Paramount, Sony, Touchstone, Universal, Disney, WB, YouTube…
- Best path on to iTunes is via an aggregator like E1 or New Video

Boxee
- 700,000 free software downloads, expect to be at 1mm by CES
- Boxee box – partnering with TV, Blu-Ray, DVR, Game Console OEMs
- 180 partners incl Netflix, MLB, eGuiders, Pandora, Last.fm, Flickr, KidMango..
- Open SDK for indie producers to put up a channel: developer.boxee.tv
- Integrating payments platform for monetization of show content, merchandise
like having first two episodes ad-supported, buy now button for the rest of the season
- monetization should be available by summer 2009
- 2009 improve platform, grow user base, 12/7 Boxee Beta Unveiling w global search
- Cool friending feature to generate virality
(per Andrew Kippen, Boxee @ Commonwealth Club SmarterTV)

Roku
- 400,000 give or take a few hundred thousand units sold
- $79, $99, $129 wifi models sold on Roku.com and Amazon
- Netflix, Amazon, MLB, Revision3, Twit.tv, Blip.tv, Mediafly
- Open SDK enables any indie producer to launch own channel
- not about social interaction, no merchandising
(per Jim Funk, Roku @ Commonwealth Club SmarterTV)

Vudu
- 100,000 units sold starting at $150
- now licensing to LG, Mitsubishi, Vizio
- On-Demand TV/Movies, Pandora, YouTube, Flickr, Picasa..
- Select video podcasts, RSS Feed not accepting indie content yet
(per Rob Holmes, Vudu @ SMW)

Yahoo! Connected TV
- On Samsung, Sony, LG, soon Vizio (WiFi TV), Toshiba (DVD player)
in 13 different countries, remote with slider keyboard
- CBS, Y! Finance, eBay, Amazon, Blockbuster, Flickr, USA Today, Twitter
- Widget SDK: http://connectedtv.yahoo.com/developer
- Leverage 70mm US and 6000 existing widgets to bring best of the web into a TV friendly environment
- No app commerce, open surf or in-show merchandising yet
(per Russ Schafer, Yahoo! Connected TV @ Commonwealth Club SmarterTV)

ZillionTV
- Entertainment and marketing service, not selling boxes
- Going through ISPs/telcos, OEMs embedded software stack, direct to consumer
- 60+ content partners including major media players:
Fox, Sony, NBCU, Disney, WB, Lionsgate, Paramount + 60 indie producers
- Self-selectable advertising play, consumer choice ad categories
- VISA rewards to allow interactive in-show purchasing with remote
- Best path to get content onto ZillionTV is content@zilliontv.tv
- And there will be a social component, fan of Nicholas Negroponte’s Being Digital
(per Mitch Berman, ZillionTV @ Commonwealth Club SmarterTV)

Sezmi*
-Just landed $25mm, starting trial in LA
(For more:  http://itvt.com/interview/6109/radio-sezmi-co-founder-chairman-and-president-phil-wiser)

FLO TV
- Bought Channel 55 spectrum in digital transition
- Now able to broadcast TV, no broadband capacity issues, no buffering
- 24/7 access to live sports, breaking news, hit shows, animation,
kids programming, soaps, game shows, reality, comedy, crime dramas
- CBS Mobile, (Y&R, CSI), Comedy Central (quick ht snacking)
- perishable content that offers social currency where live matters
- viewers watch on average 30min/day more than Hulu at 9min/day
- 900min/month more than the average voice minutes used per month
- Peaks at 1pm, stays relatively consistent 2-10pm
- 7/7/09 MJ Memorial 49minutes, most viewed in history of FLO TV
- most watch 150hrs/month, 120-180hrs range,
95% broadcast, 5% on demand
- In the top 100 cities in the US
- ATSCMH standard, DVR capability more of a rights issue
- FLO TV is standard in Japan, not using US technology
- Can’t disclose current subscriber #s, many millions split
between ATT and Verizon
- 99% subscription based, not ad supported model
- Projecting 43mm mobile tv users by 2013, 67mm by 2019
- Focusing on mobile, personal tvs and auto-entertainment
- 3″ PTV is $249, $10/month (first 6m free with purchase)
- working on monthly passes, day passes, event passes
- Established content delivers the comfort and safety of brands they know
- Original content like LXD, Amanda Congdon’s SometimesDaily
keeps them coming back for more
- Path for indie content on to FLO TV incl MyDamnChannel
- FLO TV might be integrated in nexgen iPhone
- No plans for a 20″ FLO TV but great alternative to cable
(per Bill Stone, FLO TV @ SMW)

*not present at SMW or Smarter TV

NATPE, 1/25-28
NATPE, beloved trade association that champions content deal flow, was onsite as well interesting new media companies in being showcased at the NATPE Market in Vegas in January.  The show will have a featured section for the Connected Home, and qualified exhibitors are being offered face time with major media players, venerable press outlets, and possibly even brand sponsors.  For more information, visit www.natpemarket.com, check out our NATPE LATV Fest coverage, or contact evie@natpe.org for exhbitor opportunities.

Back to the party
The party is still going strong tonight with the Reader’s Choice Awards and performance by VJ remixers Eclectic Method.  You can watch it via live stream.  And tomorrow, Epix kicks off the morning keynote which will be streamed live as well, then its another full day of programming.  In addition, there is a sizable show floor with a demo stage and rows and rows of exhibitors.  Check out Google’s little plush googlers. who won Content NOW’s Best of Schwag.  And be sure to stop by Tandberg for their timeshifting keychain and remote mints and Microlink for their pocket frisbees.  End of day, the remarks from Epix will be posted along with those from Revision3, MTV, Next New Networks, FUNimation, Tubemogul, and Electric Farm.  And then when the SMW video posts I’ll circle back on yesterday’s sessions with Hot Topic and HBO Broadband. Many thanks to conference director Dan Rayburn who embraces his attendees, offering them his cell number, free industry analyses and business development introductions. He was an enormous help to me with my Smarter TV event and this post.  He lives and breathes the stuff, and it shows.  Check out his post on the market:
http://blog.streamingmedia.com/the_business_of_online_vi/2009/09/breakdown-on-the-number-of-broadband-enables-devices-sold-in-the-us.html

Wonderful new review of my book just released by ForeWord Clarion. Check-it out at:

http://www.luciasbook.com/index.php?page_id=293

With the Paley Center’s “Dawson’s Creek: A Look Back” panel and the release of “Dawson’s Creek: The Complete Series,” I’ve been on a DC high the past week and a half.  Imagine my delight in finding someone who was not only just as enthusiastic but also chock full of insider stories only true fans like TDW readers could appreciate. And when you combine that with the fact that this guy is also partly responsible for introducing Beverly Hills 90210 to the world, well, that pretty much makes him a teen drama god.

After reading all the DC and 90210 goodness executive producer Paul Stupin shared with me, you’ll never want TDW’s stroll down memory creek to end!

TeenDramaWhore: How was the Paley Center panel?  How did it come about?

Paul Stupin: It came about for two sets of reasons. The first was that there are a  lot of die-hard Dawson’s supporters and fans out there that could support such a event. And the second key element is Sony is planning to issue this monumental all-seasons of Dawson’s DVD collection.

TDW: Yeah! It came out yesterday and I went to three different stores and finally found it!

Stupin: I just think it’s the coolest thing ever. So it was a good opportunity to call some attention to the DVD collection while at the same time having an event for the fans. It was really fun for me because when I did Dawson’s, I look back on it as a very special and rewarding time in my life and to be able to talk about it and see some cast members and see Kevin [Williamson, creator] again was just a blast.

TDW: I’m sure. I wish I could’ve been there!

Stupin: Yeah, you would’ve liked it!

TDW: Oh, I’m sure. Well let’s go back even further, to 1997-1998, and Kevin Williamson comes to you with this idea to make this semi-autobiographical show. What made you come on board?

Stupin: Well, that’s not exactly how it happened but I can tell you. I had read an early draft of this film that he wrote. At the time, it was called Scary Movie but that was going to turn into Scream and they used the original title for something else. I had read a draft of that and I had really responded to the writing. One of the things I loved about it is not only did it have some smart thrills and chills but it also had this great sort of teenage/20-something dialogue. I just loved his voice and I loved the different perspectives that he had brought to the horror genre so I pushed really hard to his agent for Kevin and I to sit down. Originally, I wanted to run two areas by him. The first area was sort of a younger X-Files-esque kind of show and the second one was just a really smart, young ensemble sort of show that could tap into younger characters’ voices. I had ran programming at Fox, so the idea of doing a family show was kind of not on the board because Fox had Party of Five. So we started to talk about potentially doing a show about a number of younger characters who live on the same street. Then Kevin sort of went away and came back and sort of pitched to me a bunch of characters living on the same creek, which, of course, was semi-autobiographical. What made that so interesting is that it specified the idea and made it something unique and took us to a place I had never seen before. And the other thing that made that original pitch so exciting was the characters. He pitched to me the characters of Dawson [James Van Der Beek] and Joey [Katie Holmes] and Jen [Michelle Williams] and how that triangle would work. And then as we were talking about that, we came up with the idea of incorporating another character into the mix who could be a confidante for Dawson and that’s how the character of Pacey [Joshua Jackson] originated.

TDW: I think you really hit it when you said the show was unique. There are a couple of specific things that people are still talking about today and they really want the inside details of how it happened. I know you guys went over a bit of this at the panel but I’d love to hear it from you yourself.  So if we can just go over a couple of different storylines, I’d love to hear what you guys were thinking and the genesis of those. So the first one is in season 2 when we have Jack [Kerr Smith] announce that he’s gay [Episodes 2.14 & 2.15, To Be Or Not To Be... & ...That Is The Question].

Stupin: I think there were two reasons for that. The first reason is it was a great way to integrate in a gay character on our series and to do it from the perspective of the kids we’d come to know and love on the show from the get-go. So the thought of involving Joey in a relationship with Jack and seeing that relationship take a completely unexpected turn and then understanding the emotional impact it would have on Joey’s character, and what it would do to Dawson and Pacey–all that seemed really interesting. And at the time, the thought of integrating a gay character and following that journey seemed really powerful and a way to tap into a whole set of emotions that would make our show even more memorable. One of the things that I love about Dawson’s is that it sort of wore its heart on its sleeve. Not only did it capture the voices and that sense of teenage yearning and teenage love and first-time love, and the power and the strength of all that, with love comes heartache as well in many stories. I think it enabled us to tell a really emotional and powerful story for a character that we’d really come to enjoy in the form of Jack. So that was one element to it and I think for Kevin it was a very personal story as well, and it was a way to again put a whole different perspective on the teen ensemble drama in a way that it hadn’t been done before. The second element to it was the fact that when Joey started that relationship with Jack, it was not going to go on forever. The key relationship in our series was what was going on between Joey and Dawson and Pacey, so the Jack character, that romance, was ultimately going to come to an end. And I think there was the thought of what a powerful way to see the relationship head south when the character starts to realize an insight into his own sexuality.

TDW: Going back to the Dawson-Joey-Pacey relationship, I read in Jeff Stepakoff’s book “Billion-Dollar Kiss” that Greg Berlanti–whom I adore–was the one to suggest putting Joey and Pacey together. I was wondering how accurate that story was in the book.

Stupin: Well, at the top of every season, we’ll sit and we’ll talk about [our plans]. We take a couple of weeks and we talk about each character and where we were going and what the sort of macro-issues were that we want to cover over the course of that particular group of 22 episodes. And Greg was definitely a part of that and the thought  of telling sort of a whole Joey-Pacey romance did in fact come out of that, absolutely. But I think you can go back, you can look at the pilot and you can look at the chemistry–and I did, in looking at the pilot last week–you can look at the chemistry between Joey and Pacey and you just know they’re sort of two peas in a pod and sooner or later that element of the triangle is going to get explored. So it’s definitely true what Jeff had in the book but I think that Greg was building from the seeds that were established in the original conception of the show, to tell you the truth.

TDW: Right.  Going to a more somber note: this probably came early on for you guys given how you plan the season but a lot of people were really surprised and devastated when in the 5th season Mitch [John Wesley Shipp] died [Episodes 5.03 & 5.04, Capeside Revisited & The Long Goodbye].

Stupin: Yes.

TDW: I’m wondering what the idea for that was. We never knew if it was casting reasons or storyline-dictated.

Stupin: It wasn’t really casting issues. The thing with Mitch was every year we would figure out a way to have 1 or 2 sort of emotional stories between Dawson and his mom and dad. In the first season we had all that great stuff with her affair with a newscaster. That was just sort of natural. The second season we have the story with mom and dad trying the open marriage, and it’s arguable as to how memorable that actually was. It seemed like such a fresh idea. I’m not sure that it translated quite as well as the idea initially seemed. And then after that, when the inter-relationships between the teenagers grew ever-more prominent and people became much more invested, it felt like the parents–though still important–were not quite as much a part of the storylines. So that’s when we would always try to include them, to have them in different things, to have great sort of Dawson-mom, Dawson-dad scenes but I think we were straining a little bit. And I think that when we got to the point of deciding the fate with Mitch, it seemed like we weren’t using him altogether that much in the series, in the seasons. We were using him but we weren’t using him in a huge way. There weren’t any financial or casting considerations. It really did come from the creative angle, in terms of how would it affect Dawson’s character if in fact this happened to his dad, and exploring that, and exploring the unexpected tragedy of it seemed like another way to really heighten the exploration as to who Dawson was, so that’s basically where that came from. And I remember talking to John Wesley and mentioning that the one thing that this would provide is that it was going to take the Dawson-father storyline to a really heartbreaking sense of conclusion and, at that point, we weren’t using him as much as we had in the past.

TDW: How does that contrast, then, to the decision in the series finale [Episodes 6.23 & 624, All Good Things... & ...Must Come To An End] to have another death and this time it be Jen?

Stupin: It was so interesting last week; it came up that in a way it was a great book-end for the series. It frankly never occurred when we were talking about the beginning or the end of the show but one could argue that the series began with a catalyst and that was the arrival of Jen. And the series ended with a catalyst as well, and that was the departure of Jen. And the one thing that I think that it did is it really brought a sense of emotional resonance and power to that final episode, because one of the things with a final episode you want to be able to do, you want to be able to end a series in a satisfying and emotional and interesting way. And if we essentially had the last episode in history for Dawson’s Creek, we could talk about and we could explore issues of mortality involving some of our characters. Then when we talked about it, if we were going to be dealing with the characters’ mortality, she seemed like the most natural character in which to explore that.

TDW: Going back to the catalyst idea, it could be extended that that was really what it took for Joey to finally make up her mind between the two boys.

Stupin: Yeah, I think a little bit. I think the interesting thing was the series sort of ends twice. It ends in the episode before then [Episode 6.22, Joey Potter And The Capeside Redemption] where we get the sense that finally Dawson and Pacey are going to be friends and Joey did actually get to Europe. And I think that had a sense of closure. Then we took it another step and went to a sort of even more sort of larger-than-life ending of exploring who she was going to end up with. I think that was the big question: who was she going to end up with? And I think that that was handled pretty well, too. Like I personally love the thought that what this show was really about was not the romance of Dawson and Joey but about the strength and depth of that friendship and how that friendship was going to exist forever.

TDW: So if you had to answer the question, in your heart of hearts, do you think Dawson belongs with Joey in a platonic, friends soulmates sense and Pacey in the romantic soulmate way?

Stupin: In my heart of hearts, I think we ended it the right away. I think that what she did have in the romance with Pacey was as powerful as the friendship with Dawson. And I think that we were able to come up with a sense of satisfying closure for both of them. ‘Cause I will tell you, weirdly enough, when I was looking at The Sopranos–I’ll weirdly liken it to the conclusion of The Sopranos, at least from my weird perspective, because I was a fan of that. I like to think, in my mind, that Tony Soprano is still out there–maybe it wasn’t going to last forever, but maybe he’s still out there with his family, still dealing with the issues and still dealing with all the balls he was juggling. And in my mind, I like to think that Dawson and Joey are still out there in our alternate TV universe, still communicating with each other and still sharing the inner-most aspects of their hearts and still dealing with their friendship as adults, and that Joey and Pacey still have that romance. Because I feel like what we were able to come up with was, for me, an emotionally-satisfying conclusion for both stories which doesn’t let anyone down. And I know there are people who think Dawson and Joey should’ve been together romantically and I totally understand that point of view but I think we did the right thing.

TDW: Well, as a Joey and Pacey fan, I completely agree with you!

Stupin: Well, I can tell you this: that decision wasn’t made until the last hour was being shot and so if you look at the first hour of that final two-hour, I think at that point we were leaning toward her ending up with Dawson and so there are a few, I think, little cues–for the life of me I don’t remember exactly–that were set up to lead us in that direction and then, frankly, in the last hour, when the last hour was being shot–because it wasn’t shot as a two-hour; it was shot as two separate 1-hours–that when we came up with that conclusion, it caused us to shift things around a little bit. So I’ll tell ya, we were undecided up until the very last minute ourselves.

TDW: Wow. Well, switching gears slightly, you spoke about Dawson and the way he would communicate with Joey. Going off that, both Kevin Williamson and James Van Der Beek are on Twitter these days. I was wondering, had the service existed when the show was on the air, how do you think Dawson would’ve used it, if he would’ve used it? As I said, They’re both on it now, and Dawson was very much a storyteller.

Stupin: Well, I think Dawson might’ve used it to express his emotions. I think he might’ve used it as a shorthand way of communicating with both Joey and Pacey. It’s certainly easier to communicate things to someone by Twitter than it is necessarily in real life. He might’ve, at some point in our storytelling, he might’ve used it to express something that he might not have been so willing to express in person.

TDW: When you look back on the show and the television landscape then and now, what do you think the show’s legacy is?

Stupin: You know, I think for me it’s–well, first of all, I’m so proud of the show. I think the characters were amazing. I think their stories were amazing. I think the quality of the writing, the quality of the direction was–of course I’m biased but I think it was just top-flight. And I really do think it took the young adult teen genre and elevated it from just a niche kind of show to something universal and iconic. I think adults could look at it. When we were doing it we never looked at it as just a teen show.  We looked at it as just a smart, interesting, relationship show that happened to deal with teenagers and though our core audience was teenagers, it was written for everybody, for people in their 20s, their 30s, their 40s. And I really think it managed to transcend all of that and bring an element of quality and exploration to the genre that really took it to the next step.

TDW: Do you have a favorite episode or storyline?

Stupin: You know, I’m so biased. It’s like trying to pick if you have 120 kids which one’s your favorite. But I think for me there are certain sort of moments that I love. There’s certain episodes, like the pilot because it introduced us to that world, and I remember so much of it almost like it was yesterday. The first season-ender when Joey went to visit her dad in prison, I loved that. I loved the detention episode [Episode 1.07, Detention]. A lot of them are some of the original ones. But then I think I love the episode when they graduated high school [Episode 4.22, The Graduate]. I thought that was just sensational. I love the one-hour ender as well as the two-hour series finale ender. I think there’s so many. The episode where they studied and it was an all-nighter [Episode 2.07, The All-Nighter]. The episode where Joey had to enter the beauty pageant [Episode 1.12, Beauty Contest]. I just love all of those.

TDW: Well, conversely, do you have a big regret or something you wish you did differently?

Stupin: Yeah. My biggest regret would probably be, as I think about it–and it was a mistake we made–was the character of Eve. Remember that character?

TDW: Yeah. You guys even have a joke about that in the episode before the series finale.

Stupin: Yeah. I don’t think the first episodes of season 3 really were as memorable as the other episodes. And I think that whole notion of “Is she Jen’s sister? Is she not?”–I don’t think that was that effective. I don’t look back on that run of episodes as my favorites.

TDW: Yeah, I think the fans do agree with that.

Stupin: Yeah, but you know what, we turn it around.  In the middle of that season we turned it around with–

TDW: With Joey and Pacey.

Stupin: Yeah, with Joey and Pacey. And that certainly helped get us back, I think, to our roots.

TDW: Going more to your history, I know you played a bit of a role with the creation of Beverly Hills 90210.

Stupin: Yes, I did.

TDW: What influence, if any, did that show have on Dawson‘s Creek?  If you learned anything from how viewers took to what was really the first teenage show, as Dawson’s Creek is largely considered the next step in the genre.

Stupin: Well, two things. And it’s an interesting question. The first thing: when I hired Darren Star to write 90210, I felt as if his voice was just so unique in terms of his ability to write characters and come up with dialogue and wit that seemed like it would be a particularly good fit if he put into teenager characters’ mouths. So in a way I think that when I read Kevin’s voice, I felt some of it was the same in terms of being clever and sharp and smart and pop culturally-savvy. I felt like I had found another voice who was capable of taking the genre to the next step. So I felt like both Kevin and Darren brought originally a really unique sense of humor and sharpness to their creation of characters and dialogue. So I think there was a similarity there. The one issue that I took away from 90210, that was very effective in 90210, was the mix of issue-oriented episodes and personal inter-relationships. Though, when we jumped into Dawson’s, we veered away from doing the issue-oriented episodes and explored further just all of the great inter-relationships.

TDW: Going further ahead to the rest of the genre and the teen dramas that are on today, do you think Dawson’s Creek influenced them?

Stupin: I’m sure it did, though I can’t say–you know, again, I’m biased. I don’t know. In my mind, I’m undecided as to what the next real step in the genre is after Dawson’s. I’m not sure what it is. I haven’t watched enough of the shows. I hold, of course again I’m so biased, but I hold everything up to the prism of Dawson’s. I don’t know if any of them that have come since have quite represented that cultural milestone that Dawson’s did.

TDW: Do you think Dawson’s Creek would fly on The CW today? Because it’s so different than what The WB was.

Stupin: Yeah. I’m not sure. I’ve often thought would I be able to sell Dawson’s today? Would I be able to pitch that as a series and get it going, and I’m not altogether sure. Because now, when you look at Dawson’s, we sold it off the strength of the characters and off of the strength of Kevin’s voice being so fresh. Now, I think that the networks are looking for slightly higher concepts. So I’m not altogether sure that a Dawson’s would be able to sell today.

TDW: I have to ask, then, why do you think the 90210 spin-off sold?

Stupin: Oh, I see, are you talking about bringing able to bring it back, for instance?

TDW: Well, no, not for it to be a spin-off. But the 90210 concept today is working.

Stupin: Well, I think the 90210 concept–everyone, myself included, has fondness for that original show. The thought of sort of putting two new outsiders into that world and bringing the  show back is a great way to hook people into a whole new group of characters, and I think it was a great idea. The thing with Dawson’s is I don’t know if bringing the world of Dawson’s Creek back with a bunch of new characters would generate quite the excitement. Because I think when you think about the show, you think about Dawson and you think about the very unique 3 characters, the 4 characters we had, and the actors that played them. And I’m not sure if it was brought back again–I certainly wouldn’t want to redo it with a new Dawson or a new Pacey. So the question would be could we go back to Capeside with a whole new group of characters, and I’m not sure we would be able to put together a new group of people as memorably as we did originally.

TDW: Right. You know, they say lightening strikes once.

Stupin: Right. And you know, I’m afraid you always run the risk of–when you make a sequel to a movie that’s not as good, it kind of reflects negatively on the original movie.

TDW: I completely agree.

Stupin: And I like to think of all our episodes as being so special, I’m not sure it’s something you could bring back.

TDW: Well, my biggest disappointment right now is that Dawson’s Creek is no longer on any channel in America.

Stupin: Really? You know, they gotta get on that! Wasn’t it running like forever in the early morning hours?

TDW: It used to be on TBS. When I was in high school, it used to be on at like 10am. And then they pushed it to 4:30am, 5:30am and then it just faded away there and now it’s not on at all.

Stupin: I’m not sure what the design is on that because I always like to know that Dawson’s is out there.

TDW: I know, I know. It saddens me that it’s just not in repeats anywhere anymore in this country.

Stupin: You know what, those things tend to be cyclical. Maybe in the future you’ll be channel surfing one night. Knowing you, you’ll know way before then but maybe you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

TDW: Fingers crossed.

Stupin: Exactly.

TDW: Well, let’s bring it back and finish on today. You’re with Make It Or Break It on ABC Family. Just looking at your career over the years, what is it about Make It or Break It that you’re here now?

Stupin: Well, what I love about Make It Or Break It is I’m a big fan of the genre, having originally developed 90210 and then developed Dawson’s. When I left to become a producer, I never really thought that my first real success would be in the same genre as 90210 because I actually never thought that lightning would strike twice in that genre for me as quickly as it did. But after I ran Dawson’s, you know, for six years, I developed a real love for the genre. And the thing that I love about Make It or Break It is the idea. It’s a fresh idea, it’s a fresh world. And it provides a pretty unique prism in which to explore sort of teenage relationships in a really unusual way. I mean, these girls aren’t normal teenagers. They’re elite gymnasts and there are rules against relationships as they’re pursuing their passion. How do they deal with that? And how do we deal with the same elements of teenage love and relationships and heartbreak but from a whole different perspective? And I love that about it, and I also love the relationships between the main characters and their parents and their parental figures. I think they’re a really organic element to the show and give us an opportunity to deal with really unusual family situations as well. So that’s why I love it. And also the gymnastics is just really cool. It’s a lot of fun just to see the gymnastics.

TDW: Oh, the gymnastics is just phenomenal to watch.

Stupin: So I think that Make It Or Break It is just such a special show. We’ve done 10 episodes and I think it’s just starting to get its sea legs. I think it has a huge successful life in front of it, I hope.

TDW: Well, best of luck to you on that!

Stupin: Thank you!

Come back next Sunday for another exclusive interview!

TDW Interview Index

Posted by Audiegrl

Latina Magazine/Lee Hernandez—By George, I think he’s got it. Comedian George Lopez’s new late-night talk show, Lopez Tonight, premiered to a very healthy 3.1 million viewers Monday night on three Turner Networks: TBS, TNT and TruTV, says Variety.

1.7 million of those combined total viewers watched the show on TBS—a good thing for the show since that’s where it will air weekly at 11 p.m. But more importantly, the debut—which featured guests Eva Longoria Parker, Kobe Bryant and Carlos Santana—performed solidly among adults (1 million viewers) in the key 18-49 demographic that advertisers love. “That’s higher than the current season averages (though not the premieres) of the adult demo draws for talk shows like CBS’ Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson, ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live and Comedy Central’s The Daily Show With Jon Stewart. If you use the combined three-net number, the show was sampled by more adult demo viewers than Conan O’Brien or David Letterman’s average,” writes The Hollywood Reporter’s James Hibberd.

In even more good news for Lopez Tonight, the show, which aired in place of TBS’s usual reruns of My Name is Earl drew 70% higher household ratings than Earl. “Viewers are ready for a change, and George Lopez is an exciting addition to late-night television,” said Steve Koonin, president of Turner Entertainment Networks. “We are extremely proud of the success of last night’s premiere of Lopez Tonight and are confident the show will continue to be a big late-night hit.”

‘Lopez Tonight‘ offers surprising DNA test to Larry David

Orlando Sentinel—TBS’ “Lopez Tonight” is billing itself as the first late-night show to offer DNA testing of its guests.

The shows promises that its Thursday episode will be different: “Larry David (‘Curb Your Enthusiasm‘) will get the surprise of his life when his true ethnicity is revealed.”

And the show hosted by George Lopez made this questionable boast: “It’s sure to be as good as an episode of ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm.‘”

Spoiler Alert: On the show last night, Larry discovered that he is 63 percent European, and 37 percent Native American.

A spread of delegates from the construction, facilities management, fleet, automotive and the public sectors descended on Microsoft’s Thames Valley Campus on Tuesday, looking to learn, discuss and share practical enterprise mobility best practice.

TBS Enterprise Mobility and Motorola co-hosted the event, Mobilise Your Workforce 9, which Composed has been involved in promoting.

A commonly expounded message was the need to involve field users of enterprise mobility solutions at each stage of solution implementation. Speakers consistently returned to the basic need to consult with the field users of solutions.

Elin Allison from Microsoft mentioned the seemingly simple need to select the right tool for the job; the right device to match the right service. What do you want your field workers to be able to do – whether they’re shipping vehicles from A to B or working on building sites?

Also vital is actively educating large workforces in how to use devices, like Nick Mountfield from vehicle hire firm, Avis has to. Motorola’s Justin Hobbs went that stage further and claimed that field workers can become ambassadors of a new system.

Testing and scaling solutions were also said to be vital. British Car Auctions, who operate a number of cross continental vehicle auction operations, demonstrated the need to intelligently scale a regional solution for potential replication across other countries.

Practical implementation guidance was matched with expert description of specific technologies such as NFC. Steve Reynolds broke down the different radio frequencies used in separate implementations of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), and how it relates to the Near Field Communication (NFC) technologies we are told will become common in the consumer space.

You can visit http://www.mobiliseyourworkforce.com for more detail on the sessions.

I can only hope that you guys love NBC’s The Office as much as I do. The show features incredible acting, writing, and cinematography, and it hardly ever fails to entertain. The misadventures of Michael Scott’s modern office also shows us the power television can still wield. Shows like The Office–shows that refuse to follow the conventional forms and storylines of television programs–can build massive, passionate cult followings. It’s why The NBC Store can charge $25 for Office-themed shirts. In contrast, I’d place the odds of seeing someone in a Two and A Half Men shirt at about 35,072 : 1.

But case in point: TBS, which holds the national syndication to The Office, just aired the Season 5 episode “Business Ethics,” in which Michael Scott (Steve Carell) claims to have watched “Cookie Monster singing Chocolate Rain” thousands of times. That was about an hour ago. Since then, the aforementioned video has several hundred more views and twenty new comments, all referencing the episode. And this happened in syndication, on cable. Impressive.

Comedian George Lopez debuted “Lopez Tonight” on Monday, November 9.  A veteran of the stand-up stage, Lopez’s foray into late night does little to mess with the familiar format honed by Johnny Carson and tweaked by Leno and Letterman: it includes a monologue, video-taped comedy segment, celebrity interview, and musical guest.

The primary difference, as pushed by Lopez, is the “color” of the show.  “¡Órale!” he exclaimed as he walked out on stage.  “The revolution begins right now!”

It’s an odd role for Lopez, the man who carved out his niche in prime time as a Mexican Bill Cosby.  His eponymous sitcom featured a middle (maybe even upper-middle) class family struggling with the same kinds of life issues faced by any family.  Its lack of depth and specificity relating to Latino life was deliberate.  It didn’t evade “race,” but it rarely let it mean more than “we” are slightly different but still the same.

Putting race at the forefront of his first late-night monologue, Lopez now seems to be making himself both a political advocate (“This is what American looks like,” he proclaimed of his multiracial audience) and a purveyor of “race talk.”  Most of his first monologue focused on the kind of “race comedy” we’ve heard since the early days of Richard Pryor: he made fun of whites (often drawing them as “racially other”), used racial stereotypes to get easy laughs, and even offered some multiracial celebratory jokes (describing how much better “we” look when we “mix”).  The rest of his stand-up built off of relationships and other “general” topics, while consciously carving out the terrain on the edge of “urban hip” (of the marriage of a centenarian and a 20-year old he said “That’s not polishing the knob, it’s called antiquing”).

The problem was, it didn’t reflect the depth, creativity, and authenticity of later Richard Pryor.

George Lopez is selling himself as something new in late night because he is something brown in late night.  The first person of color to host a “major” late night show since Arsenio Hall, Lopez made his statement both literally and symbolically, with his inaugural guestlist composed of Eva Longoria, Kobe Bryant, and Carlos Santana.  But being brown isn’t always representing something new.

Lopez’ taped video segment was a racial tweak of a standard Leno segment.  His camera crew stopped a person of color on the street and talked to them briefly before asking them if they fulfilled a ubiquitous stereotype (they asked a black guy if he had been to jail; an Asian man if he had a small penis).  The audience, and two members chosen from them, then had to guess what the person would say in reply.

Lopez is certainly providing something different in late night.  Frankly, I’m not sure we’ve had this kind of clumsy interaction with the meaning of race and racial diversity in the US since the 70s.  But, so far, that isn’t panning out to be something better.  I’m willing to let him settle in to his new role and see what he has to offer in the weeks and months ahead.  Let’s hope it entails some growth.

GO TO LOPEZ TONIGHT Official Website

QUICK SUMMARY:

George Lopez is the first Latino late night talk show host.  Lopez Tonight premeires Nov 9 on TBS with special guest of Ellen DeGeneres, Eva Longoria Parkers, and Kobe Bryant.  Musical performance was by Carlos Santana.  The show is one hour long and scheduled to host some big celebrities in the upcoming episodes [ Dane Cook, Marc Anthony, Sandra Bullock, Justin Timberlake, Queen Latifah, and Samuel L. Jackson ]

Retweet this Link to share:   Bit.ly/lopez09  or  http://bit.ly/Ftndp

NEWS on Lopez Tonight:

I feel like this is the year for late night changes. Leno moves to primetime. Fallon gets his own show. Conan movies. And now, George Lopez is premiering a new late night show on TBS tonight at 11:00.

It kind-of snuck up on me. Sure, I did receive a press kit a few weeks ago (which included a mini water cooler that keeps me company at work), but for some reason, it just seemed far away. But you know, it isn’t the press kit that’s making me curious about the show. It’s actually the show itself and the landscape at which it’s presenting itself.

Let’s face it. Late night and talk shows are getting to be different. We’ve got new hosts and we’ve got new times. The Leno experiment is just a disaster, no matter how you spin it. Introducing another player–and another network–to the late night game just kinda makes me wonder what’s next. Or at least what made TBS start it. I guess that brings me to George himself.

I think this little excerpt from his recent conference call pretty much sums up his show, so I’ll share it here. I really like his attitude.

So TBS now in getting into the late night business has chosen me who appears to be fearless for all intents and purposes. I have nothing to prove to anybody other than I believe in myself that I can create a talk show that makes network look like they’re standing still.

Now how am I going to do that? First of all, I’m on cable. Language may be a little bit more liberal with language, with content, within intent. Somebody who’s not afraid to throw a punch and directly hit a target…

Without going into too much detail, you can see already that the show’s got his own flair and that he’s taking chances. I’d be willing to try that out.

Now, another aspect of the “premise,” so to speak, still makes me a little nervous. Supposedly, he wants every episode to be kinda different. It should feel like a party, or a club, as he said in the call. And while I think this could be a lot of fun, I wonder if it will either a) not live up to expectations or b) have a lack of consistency leading to a less-than-cohesive show. I guess we’ll see.

But I have high hopes. For one thing, he seems very in tune with what’s “new.” For example, the music. Here’s a quick quote that he shared in the same call about the music of the show, which I think is great:

…I do want to make sure that the music is representative of everything that’s happening, not just everything that’s happening to me.

So bands who–like Kings of Leon or bands that are starting out–that are on the cusp, that are already younger…you know, I don’t want to be Carson Daly but I admire that of breaking bands.

I know this seems like a minor point, but I like the idea that he’ll give the chance to some of the younger performers. We’ve seen Miley Cyrus enough. Let someone new take the stage!

Plus, when he claims that one of his influences is Arsenio Hall, you really wonder what’s coming. Add that to his heritage–the Latino flair that you know will come out–well, I think it’s got promise.

I don’t know if I’ll watch it every night (I tend to fall asleep early), but I know I’ll be checking it out tonight. It looks like it could be a fun show–and definitely a go-to show for weeknights at 11:00 (it’s on Monday through Thursday)–so I look forward to seeing how it turns out.

Acerca de Ohitorisama. Lo que necesitas saber antes de empezar a verla

Ohitorisama es la historia de una mujer, Akiyama Satomi, de 33 años que vive sola. COMPLETAMENTE SOLA. De allí el nombre “OHITORISAMA” (una persona), cual también es su apodo.

Apesar de que Akiyama vive sola, ella quiere aparentar que eso no le molesta, que en realidad es feliz. Ella cree que una mujer exitosa no necesita a nadie, mucho menos a un hombre.

Ella lo tiene todo:

1. CASA

2. TRABAJO

3. CARRERA

4. FELICIDAD?

I just found out today that my thesis proposal for the master of theology program at Toronto Baptist Seminary was accepted. I will defend it (DV) in either late March or early December. My supervisor is Michael Haykin and hopefully Crawford Gribben and Dennis Ngien will be readers. This is all very exciting!

“The Athanasius of Our Century”: An Evaluation of James Ussher’s Immanuel In Light of Patristic Christology

Though he is relatively unknown today, James Ussher (1581-1656), Archbishop of Armagh was one of seventeenth-century Britain’s most influential figures. If in the twenty-first-century Ussher is known at all, it would largely be due to his famous chronology Annales veteris et novi testamenti (1650-1654), a work of immense learning for its day and still popular amongst young earth creationists for its dating of the world’s creation at 4004 BC. If Ussher is to be remembered only for this singular writing project and not for his other important contributions to the academy and the church, the annals of history have played him a bad card. Ussher was nothing short of a prodigious scholar and committed churchman and it is this reputation that should be retained.

As an academic, Ussher was one of the most respected in Britain and the Continent. His recent biographer, Alan Ford, has catalogued accolades that were showered upon Ussher in his lifetime. What follows is only a smattering of examples: John Selden said that Ussher was “a man of the highest piety, singular judgement, and learned almost to a miracle”; Pierre du Moulin called him a “rare ornament non [sic] only to Great Britain and Ireland, but also to the whole Christian world”; and Alexander Morus nominated Ussher as “the Athanasius of our century.”¹ The nineteenth-century collection of his Works consists of seventeen volumes, including a biography and collection of letters.² He wrote on a variety of subjects, from early British and Irish ecclesiastical history to the Septuagint, from British political theory to catechetics and confessional theology.

Much of his writing was controversial, written with an eye to the Roman Catholics of his day. His academic concerns were shaped largely by his love for the church and the desire to see her purity maintained. From his earliest days and throughout his life Ussher defended Protestant orthodoxy against Jesuit intrusion. As a young scholar he debated the famous Oxford philosopher Henry Fitzsimon (1566/69-1643/45) over whether the pope was the antichrist. His professional career was marked by an apocalyptic concern over the papacy. Even to the end of his life he continued to spar with Roman Catholics. For instance, two days before his death he debated a Jesuit in the home of Lord Mordant, the Earl of Peterborough. As a result of Ussher’s victory, Mordant was converted.

Ussher’s love for the church was not merely academic and polemical. He was the Archbishop of Armagh (1626), which at his time made him the primate over all of Ireland. Ussher was thus deeply involved in politics and had a close connection with the religious and political leaders across the sea in England. Ussher maintained correspondence with Archbishop William Laud (1573-1645) and had the ear of both James I (1566-1625) and Charles I (1600-1649). His consistent desire was to see the Church of Ireland reformed according to the orthodoxy of the Genevan settlement. Soteriologically Ussher was a Calvinist and though he defended episcopal government, he had sympathies with Presbyterianism as seen in his later work on a limited episcopacy.³

Due to his towering intellect and his role as a churchman, Archbishop Ussher is a worthy subject to study. The church in the twenty-first century that has by and large forgotten him can profit both from his learning in matters of history and theology as well as from his love for the church.

Purpose

In recent decades scholarly interest in James Ussher has developed in some measure, seen not only in recent publications,⁴ but also in Trinity College Dublin’s The James Ussher Project headed by Elizabethanne Boran. However, in spite of the growing interest, Ussheriana remains a field largely unharvested. One crop waiting a scythe is his patristic writings.

Ussher was an historian par excellence, especially with regard to early church controversies. At the age of twenty he embarked upon an eighteen-year study of the church fathers (1601-1619). Amongst a host of historical topics, he examined the Roman Catholic claim to antiquity, the debate between Augustine and the Pelagians and Gottschalk of Orbais’ (ca. 804-ca. 869) work on predestination. However, as broad as his historical interests were, the study of Ussher’s patristic writings typically goes no further than his work on the middle Ignatian recension (1644). Here Ussher determined the veracity of six of the seven letters written by Ignatius of Antioch (ca.35-ca.107) now confirmed by scholars as authentic.⁵ While this text-critical discovery is of great importance, other avenues of Ussher’s patristic expertise need to be further explored.

Therefore, the purpose of this proposed thesis is to study a small, yet important, aspect of Ussher’s work that was influenced by his patristic studies. In 1638 he wrote a tract entitled Immanuel, or The Mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God. It was published individually eight times in Ussher’s lifetime with revisions to each edition.⁶ It was also published in tandem with A Body of Divinitie four times, all of which were in London.⁷ Immanuel has continued to be published after his death, even as recently as the edition appended to the reprint of A Body of Divinity.⁸ It is also located at the end of the fourth volume of his collected Works published in the mid nineteenth-century.

The uniqueness of Immanuel to the Ussherian corpus is its non-polemical character. Ussher was a fierce defender of Protestant orthodoxy against Roman Catholicism and later Arminianism and his writings are more often than not coloured with polemical intent. Even his seemingly innocuous work on Gottschalk (ca. 804-ca. 869) was subversive in its Calvinistic undertones.⁹ Immanuel, on the other hand, is notable for the absence of any reference to contemporary theological debate. Instead Ussher offers a clear, orthodox, catholic, dogmatic exposition of the doctrine of the Incarnation.

Immanuel locates Ussher well within the pale of catholic orthodoxy – in particular its western expression – as it concerns the person and work of Christ. Anyone with even a casual understanding of the Christological debates of the early church will recognise the Chalcedonian language in its pages. Dogmatic terminology such as “person,” “nature” and “substance” that were so furiously fought over by Athanasius (ca. 296-373), Cyril of Alexandria (378-444) and Leo the Great (d. 461), are used with ease by the Primate. This thesis will attempt to trace the patristic influences on Immanuel, displaying the comfort and ease that Ussher had in utilising them.

Methodology

This essay will present a two-fold schema of elucidating patristic Christological influences on Ussher’s Immanuel. It will do so first, by tracing its core argument and second, by offering a critical edition of the work in its twelve editions. To fulfill this purpose the following method will be observed.

First, a scholarly essay will be written to introduce Immanuel, setting it in its historical context. This will be an attempt at what John Spurr has called “horizontal” historiography.¹⁰ Was there an occasion for writing? Who was Ussher’s intended audience? Under what conditions did Ussher write, whether political or theological, in Ireland and England? These and other such questions will be explored. As well, the argument in Immanuel will be outlined noting its theological and devotional character. Particular attention will also be paid to the specialised theological terminology that Ussher inherited from the early church. The background of the key Christological terms will be provided demonstrating the meaning behind Ussher’s words as well as an evaluation of how he used the relatively few sources that he cited (Anselm, Augustine, etc). The greater context of Ussher’s Christological writings will also be compared. For instance, articles twenty-nine and thirty in the Irish Articles (1615); the eleventh head of divinity in his A body of divinitie (1645); relevant sections in The Principles of the Christian Religion (1654) and sermons nine, ten and eleven in his Eighteen Sermons Preached at Oxford in 1640 (1659) will be consulted. Second, a critical edition of Immanuel will be produced with a reprinting of its last edition serving as the foundational text. The variants between this edition and those previous to it will be footnoted with explanations for the rationale behind the changes.

A study such as this will be of value to the general Christian reader because Ussher offers a faithful theological exposition of the doctrine of the Incarnation – a key piece of Christian dogma that is foundational for understanding the person and work of Christ. This will also be of value to students of early modern religious history in general and Ussherian studies in particular because it demonstrates the way the post-reformation period received theological terminology and ideas from the early church. There has been a development in reception history amongst historians over the past number of years and an examination of Ussher’s work will be a solid contribution to the field inasmuch as it goes to the heart of the debates that were of prime concern to patristic theologians.¹¹

Survey of Current Scholarship

The most recent biography of James Ussher is that by Alan Ford, professor of theology at the University of Nottingham, entitled James Ussher: Theology, History, and Politics in Early-Modern Ireland and England.¹² This work is now the standard intellectual biography of the Archbishop.

James Ussher is in many ways based upon an earlier monograph by Ford, The Protestant Reformation in Ireland, 1590-1641.¹³ Both are concerned to set Ussher in the broader context of the Irish Reformation, the former work especially. There has been a tendency amongst historians dealing with early-modern Europe to neglect to draw a link between religion and politics. Ford remedies this by his in-depth study of Ussher and the strong connection between his religious and political roles in the Reformation. He traces Ussher’s involvement in academic, ecclesiastical, and political debates, the application of his scholarship to specific problems, and the resultant influence that he had on Ireland and England. Ford is also concerned to examine the broader context of Irish protestantism’s self-identity.

Regarding the role of patristic theology in Ussher’s thought, Ford probably offers the most information out of all of the Ussher works herein cited, but it only amounts to twenty-two non-consecutive pages of discussion. Ford focuses particularly on Augustine and Pelagianism as it related to Ussher’s own Calvinistic theology. He also gives some discussion of Ussher’s role in determining the correct Ignatian recension.

Published in the same year as Ford’s biography is Jack Cunningham’s comparison of the theologies of Ussher and his Laudian counterpart John Bramhall (1594-1663) entitled James Ussher and John Bramhall: The Theology and Politics of Two Irish Ecclesiastics of the Seventeenth Century.¹⁴ This is a reprint of his doctoral dissertation.¹⁵ The work is a curious piece of history writing in that Cunningham seeks an alternative method of categorising the different schools in the post-reformation period. His proposal suggests a discarding of standard taxonomies of low church/high church, Calvinist/Arminian. Instead he seeks to offer nuance to those emphases by connecting them with the Old Testament motifs of “justice” and “numinous” drawn from the Israelite reformation’s notion of yir’ath Yahweh, “fear of the Lord.” According to Cunningham the older distinctions that historians have normally used to understand Protestantism are cut and dry and offer too many dichotomies. Categories like Calvinist, Anglican, Puritan, Presbyterian and Protestant elude precise definition.

In spite of the spurious nomenclature, which falls into the trap of offering yet one more polarized dualism,¹⁶ Cunningham nonetheless offers a useful comparison between two important characters in Irish church history. He evaluates the theological and historical perspectives of each, noting the similarities and differences in their dogmatic and sacramental theologies, their historical writings and involvement in politics. While the book is an important contribution to Ussher studies and is worth citing, some of the author’s perspective is skewed: he writes with an obvious favour for Bramhall over Ussher that taints his scholarship. There are also a significant number of typographical errors in the book. While small mention is made of individual church fathers, no discussion of the early church and its influence on either Ussher or Bramhall is offered.

In 2003 Crawford Gribben of Trinity College Dublin published The Irish Puritans: James Ussher and the Reformation of the Church.¹⁷ Gribben’s academic interest in Ussher began with his doctoral thesis published as The Puritan Millennium: Literature and Theology 1550 –1682,¹⁸ in which the third chapter deals with the apocalyptic undercurrents of Ussher’s controversial writings. Written with the layperson in mind, The Irish Puritans is a helpful introduction not only to Ussher but also to the ecclesiastical and political setting in Ireland. Gribben writes with a degree of sympathy for those who sought to bring the gospel to the Irish. His frustration with some of the reasons for the Reformation’s ultimate failure is at times apparent. According to Gribben, were it not for the importing of English culture with the gospel, the Reformation may have taken deeper root. Very little in the way of Ussher’s theology is discussed and there is no mention at all of the patristic period or any patristic writers. Gribben’s ultimate focus is on the Reformation of the church in Ireland and Ussher’s role in it.

Before Ford, the standard modern source of Ussher’s life was James Ussher: Archbishop of Armagh by R. Buick Knox.¹⁹ At first blush Knox’s work appears to be a biography of his subject, given the title. However, the overarching theme of the work is Ussher’s ecclesiology. The opening chapters do pay attention to matters surrounding Ussher’s life, but for the most part the work is taken up with examining such issues as Ussher’s role as primate, his understanding of the doctrine of the church, how the church should be organised governmentally, the relationship between church and state and Ussher’s relation to presbyterianism. Thus the overall picture is narrower than a typical biography and is more specifically a study of Ussher as churchman. Any discussion of Ussher’s writings and theology predominantly focuses on questions of ecclesiology. There is very little discussion of the church fathers. At the most Knox briefly discusses Ussher’s work on Ignatius.

These four works are the only monographs currently available that deal with Ussher exclusively. None are as ample as the seventeenth- and nineteenth-century biographies by Nicholas Bernard (1656), Richard Parr (1686) and Charles Elrington (1847) and each deal with particular themes. While helpful, certain areas of importance are neglected, in particular Ussher’s patristic writings.

Alongside book-length treatments of Ussher, there are a number of scholarly articles that help to fill out the picture. Once again, though, none of them deal with Ussher as a patristic historian. Of the numerous articles and chapters that have been written in the last century a number are worth briefly noting.

The work of The Worth Library, Dublin’s Elizabethanne Boran is significant for the insights that she gives to Ussher’s own academic life, particularly in reference to library studies and educational development. Her article comparing Ussher’s library with that of one of his colleagues is helpful towards understanding Ussher’s own theological influences.²⁰ As well, her short piece on Ussher’s “Directions for Reading Theology” sheds light on his own understanding of Scripture and theologising within a community.²¹ His “Directions” were drafted to instruct young ministers on how to properly read Scriptures and transmit them to the public.

Alongside short biographical entries in such works at the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography,²² Alan Ford has written a number of articles on Ussher and the Irish Reformation. His journal article in Archivium Hibernicum traces the cordial, albeit tedious, relationship between Ussher and William Laud.²³ This discussion is expanded upon in his biography. Ford’s chapter in a 1998 book on British identity deals with Ussher’s role in the creation of an Irish ecclesiastical and political identity.²⁴

Amanda Capern did her dissertation on Ussher in Australia and her article in The Historical Journal is related to it topically.²⁵ In the article she takes issue with Kevin Sharpe and Julian Davies and their views on the relationship between Charles I and the religious policies of Archbishop Laud. She tests their views by looking at Laud through the eyes of Ussher.

Crawford Gribben evaluates Ussher’s Calvinist theology, specifically his particularism in relation to the doctrine of the atonement.²⁶ Gribben’s piece is a complement to the later work of Jonathan Moore who studied Ussher in relation to John Preston, both of whom are categorised as hypothetical universalists. Gribben analyses Ussher on a literary level, noting the “plain style” that was a hallmark of Puritan writers was lacking in Ussher’s more concealed theological vision.

Conclusion

The importance of the patristic period to post-Reformation thinkers cannot be overstated. Though the Reformed orthodox debated ferociously against their Roman Catholic counterparts, they shared with their interlocutors a common understanding of the person and work of Christ that was hammered out in the fires of the first five hundred years of the church. James Ussher’s professional life was marked by controversy and debate, but his Christological tract Immanuel is conspicuous for its lack of polemic. Instead, it is a piece rich in theological language inherited by the great fathers of the church, particularly Athanasius and Cyril of Alexandria and the maxims of the Chalcedonian Definition. A study of this tract, drawing out the influences of the earlier theologians, can provide insight into how Ussher and those of his sort received the theology of the early church. This can, in turn, be a lesson for Christians today, especially Protestants who are wary of tradition, so that the value of the patristic authors can again be recaptured for the cause of the gospel. May James Ussher, “the Athanasius of our century” be of service to that end.

El popular manga de Chrono Nanae, PEACE MAKER Kurogane, que también goza de una exitosa versión de anime, tendrá su lugar en la pantalla chica en forma de drama.  Se estará emitiendo por TBS y MBS en enero de 2010. Actualmente están en medio de los procesos de casting, buscando tanto amatures como profesionales. En el manga, Ichimura Testsunosuke, el personaje principal, es un joven que ingresa a los Shinsengumi para vengar la muerte de sus padres. A través de la historia se cuenta la vida de varios jóvenes durante el final del período Edo.

Para el mismo se buscan mujeres y hombres entre los 15 y 29 años. Según informan, éstos también actuarán en la versión teatral de la misma que comenzará al finalizar la emisión del drama.

Debi Gutierrez goes from Mommy to Comic in two seconds flat.

While the feisty West Coast comedian, actor and talk show host loads a rack of dishes, the devoted wife and mom is also summoning the mojo and spunk to talk kids, stress and sex in a cross-country interview.  And it works.

“My comedy is based on what goes on in my life, (with) my family, my husband, my girlfriends and even the bedroom!” Debi says of her comedy set—one fans around the country declare is as unique and entertaining as it is undeniably truthful and funny.

“I am every mom!” Debi says. “I have kids, I have a job, I have to bake 38 cupcakes at the last minute, and I pray the soccer team never makes the playoffs! I love my husband but at the end of the day am too tired to show it!”

Better than therapy, Debi is a pro and laying out the non-mysteries of men (and women). Her material is yanked straight from her own life of “doing it all wrong,” she says. The comedian’s male/female-friendly act has drawn sold-out crowds around the U.S. and garnered Debi gigs on Comics Unleashed, The Rosie O’Donnell Show, Ghost Whisperer and Malcolm & Eddie.

She’s also performed on Univision’s Que Locos and at Showtime’s Latino Laugh Festival, Montreal Just for Laughs and HBO’s “U.S. Comedy Arts Festival. This week Wednesday through Saturday, Nov. 11 – 14, Debi brings everything to the stage at the Skyline Comedy Cafe.

Let’s get to know her better first, shall we?

A typical day in the life of Debi Gutierrez goes something like?

I wake up first thing in the morning, like most mommies out there, and get out of bed to get my kid moving! I make breakfast and pack lunch and then I am lucky enough to hand her over to my husband who takes her to school.  Since my husband and I work together from our home office, we have coffee and discuss our game plan for the day.   It’s hard for me to work from home because again, like most mommies, my home is my work as well!  So I could be interviewing with someone across the country while I am loading the dishwasher.

The things that always come with you on the road are…?

My iPod!  I have books on tape and podcasts I enjoy listening to.  I always take a good book, because I rarely get time to read at home!  I take hand sanitizer and Lysol because I am a germ-a-phobe!

What never fails to make YOU laugh is…?

I LOVE Craig Ferguson’s opening sketches!  Those puppets are HILARIOUS!  In fact, I have one on tape I watch when I need a laugh!  Puppets on late night…LOVE IT!

Moments that you’ll never forget from hosting TV, doing stand-up and working on set?

The Rosie O’Donnell Show. The producers booked a last-minute guest–Jennifer Love Hewitt! It was a terrific surprise for me and the audience. She was a delight!  You can see it on YouTube. Funny stuff!

When you get to the Skyline Comedy Cafe next week…

We are going to have a rocking good time!  I am the female comic for men and the women they love!  I speak the truth about how cool men are and how much fun we can have with them. I love bringing couples together and I am better than marriage counseling because you can have cocktails there!  We talk kids, stress and sex.

It feels like you could be anyone’s mom, sister, friend…What makes your show so relatable to people?

Because it is real! My comedy is based on what goes on in my life … I am “mommied” all day and forget to take care of myself. I love my man and have studied men in general and know how they feel, talk, act and (what they) expect.  Men really love my act because they are not put down, and I tell it like it is! I also let men in on women’s thoughts and feelings.

You jumped from teaching high-schoolers to, now, international comedian, actor, speaker…Why did you want out of the classroom and up on stage?

I never started out to be a teacher! I always wanted to be a comedian.  But no parent would ever encourage their kid to be a stand-up comic!  I would watch and study all the greats on Johnny Carson and dream about becoming a comic. And it was a big dream, because at the time I was watching there were very few women in the business and no Hispanics.

One thing we always hear is, you aren’t a “typical” female comic. Did you ever feel a sense of being stereotyped?  What do you think does make your act so different?

Some female comics have reputations for being man haters and bitter about relationships.  Some talk about their body, boyfriends and monthly cycle! Some talk about their mothers or being a mother to the point of boredom.  I don’t do any of that.  I love men! They are cool people! I don’t always understand them. I mean how do you explain someone who spits in a urinal….(I don’t even think he knows why, he just does it!).  I talk about relationships, and the secret to a good one is “if he’s hungry you feed him, if he’s horny you *%$#^ him!”   So easy!!!

I have been written up as being a sexist because of what I say on stage about men and relationships. The truth is, no man really wants to talk and share feelings….HE IS NOT YOUR GIRLFRIEND! He’s a man!  I have been accused of claiming women are powerless in a relationship…Are you kidding me?!  Your guy has a bad day at work and at the end of the day you are naked holding a cupcake?! That is power!  Do your man on a regular basis and you have a man who will walk through hell to get you a glass of lemonade!  That is power! I talk about how frustrating motherhood is and how to fix it! (Bring daddy on board!)  I talk about how women compare themselves to other women and even do favors for women they don’t even like….Screw it, put yourself at the top of your To Do list.  I love talking about these dynamics in such an honest and fun way!  Trust me…women and men love this act and that is what separated me from the female comic who bashes a man and thinks PMS and bikini waxes are funny!

What does your family think of you being a comedian?  Do your kids think Mom is funny?

Nope!  Not at all.  In fact the baby asked us not to tell anyone what I do for a living or that Daddy is Mommy’s booking agent because they will think we are “circus folk.”

Your latest album “He’s Not Your Girlfriend” covers material from your own life. What were YOU “doing all wrong” that lent to this hilarious CD?

Come see the show!  I will explain it all!  Treat your man like a man, quit expecting him to be like a woman. He isn’t wired that way!  He loves you and shows you in other ways; we as women just don’t notice!  (Like…) C’mon. What man likes his home decorated for Christmas? None of them!  But they still spend a whole weekend getting everything out of a basement and putting it all up and then taking it down another weekend to put it all back…and why?  He does it for his girl because he loves her.  That is so wonderfully cool.

You appeal to people across the board. What makes you funny to men and women?

I am honest ABOUT the sexes, TO the sexes!  I don’t bash anyone.  I am a little naughty and raw!  I know when couples leave the show, they appreciate each other in ways they couldn’t achieve in marriage counseling or church!

So you’ve done acting, hosting TV shows and live stand-up. What’s most fun, and what’s most challenging?

I love the stand-up!  It is my show, my research, my observation, my take.  It is challenging because there is no net! The challenging part of stand-up is that audiences don’t always get revved up to see a female comic.  I have a stereotype to shatter before I even get on stage.  I hope this blog helps!

What else should fans know about you before seeing you in Appleton next week?

Check out my web site: www.debiontheweb.com!  You can see me in action! Have fun sharing the clips with each other and then plan on getting a sitter and come on out!

Debi Online

On MySpace

VIDEOS

Come back next week for another exclusive Sneak Peek behind Skyline Comedy Cafe’s unmatched comedy talents!  You can catch DEBI GUTIERREZ live this week in Appleton Nov. 11 – 14. Get those seats before they’re gone; Debi always sells out!

(920) 734-JOKE (5653)   |   Skyline Comedy Official

What to Look for in an Atlanta Relocation Home…..

Atlanta, the sixth-largest city in the Southeastern region and home to over 5.3 million residents, has undergone a transition from a city of regional commerce to a city of international influence. It has been among the fastest growing cities in the developed world for over a decade. And, fortunately for those of us who live here, we see no signs of this slowing down. As a matter of fact, by the year 2020 Atlanta is projected to house over 8 million residents!!! And, with all of the global technology companies and international corporate headquarters such as UPS, Delta, Coca-Cola, CNN, TBS, the Center for Disease Control, etc. there will always be a steady flow of people relocating to the area.

So, when you are being relocated to the sweet tea capital of the world, keep in mind these simple tips when your company or you are looking for your perfect relocation home:

1) LOCATION: How many times have we heard this one?? We’ll, you will need to consider this EVEN MORE carefully in Atlanta, as some of the commutes can have you in your cars for days. Most people who are relocating to the area opt for a “suburban feel” with proximity to “the city” where most headquarters are located…..In comes the ideal town of Sandy Springs. Perfectly situated near I-285 and GA-400, this is one of the BEST areas in terms of family life, proximity, shopping, entertainment and more. The air is clean, people friendly and you have access to just about ANY restaurant, store, etc. that you may need.

As a real estate agent, I spend 90% of my time in the car and doing ANYTHING to avoid the ATL grind and I’m happy to say that Sandy Springs/Atlanta has been my home for the last three years. It’s just SO close to the city and SO safe and suburban. Remembering your location is the first tip to finding a good Atlanta home.

2) FEATURES-Most people that are being relocated to the area tend to hold high power, high stress and highly time consuming jobs. Renovations and rehab are not items that most are able to do and even if they wanted to or could afford to, just don’t have the time. You will want to find a home that has the features you want, so you can move right in and get settled.

3) FINISHED BASEMENTS-While this is really one of the “features” you are looking for, finding a home with square-footage and more importantly, a finished basement will be KEY to your resell value. Atlanta is BIG ON BASEMENTS. And, they MUST be finished. You can find homes that have basements, but don’t actually have bathrooms, bedrooms, full kitchens, etc. Having an In-Law/Teen suite DRASTICALLY increases your property value. And, if you CAN’T find a home with an In Law suite, then be sure to have one built out or finish your basement to help compete with other owners.

4) PRIVACY-This goes for both “inside” and “outside” the home. If you’ve moved here from another location, chances are you will want your friends and family to visit. Be sure to chose a home that has plenty of space, and more importantly, individual suites, rooms and bathrooms, so your guest feel welcome. This also goes for the exterior positioning of your home. You want a home with space that is not too close to your neighbors and boasts an attractive lot.

While these are just some of the things to look for when relocating to Atlanta, other things such as low taxes and schools will also need to be considered. Although, its hard to find all of the items above in a home, its not impossible.

Recently, this BREATHTAKING Entertainer’s Estate with INFINITY Space has recently come up for sale and is the PERFECT relocation home. And, its MUCH MORE THAN MEETS THE INITIAL EYE…..

With a complete renovation from the studs in, this resort-like home proves a luxury living experience with every modern convenience and lavish item available and at only a FRACTION of what you might expect to pay.

Other Detailed Features of this Home Include:
-COMPLETE Chef’s Kitchen with MASSIVE Granite Island and View Into Fireside Family Room!
-Custom-Built Cabinets with EXTENSIVE Millwork and Unsurpassed Detail!
-STUNNING Stainless Steel Appliances and Island 5-Burner Gas Stove!!!
-Hand-Placed Rough-Edged TRAVERTINE Backsplash!!!
-LAVISH Master on Main Suite with EXTENDED, Trey Ceilings, and Private Sitting Area!
-MASSIVE California Walk-In Closet!!!
-UNBELIEVABLE Master Bath Renovation that Boasts His/Her’s Beveled Granite Countertop Vanities!
-Commissioned Master Bath Steam Shower with European Arches and Travertine Accents!!!
-OVERSIZED Whirlpool Tub!!!
-MIND-BLOWING In-Law/Teen Suite Complete with FULL KITCHEN, Bedroom, FULL BATH and LIVING AREAS!!!
-Terrace Level Access to In-Law/Teen Suite!!
-GRACIOUS Keeping Room with Breakfast Nook and Access to both Screened and Open Porches!!!
-DRAMATIC and ELEGANT Foyer Entrance that Opens into Great Room!!!!
-Pristine Separate Dining Room with Loads of Natural Light!!!
-QUALITY 4-side Brick Construction!!!
-SOUND-INSULATED Media Room!
-BUTLER Laundry Room with Cork-Board Flooring and Own Separate BATH!
-PRISTINE APPOINTMENTS AND TOP-NOTCH FINISHES!!!
-HAND-MADE, RED-BRICK, WEEPY WALL WINE CELLAR!!!
-ENTERTAINER’S DELIGHT DECK with Screened in Porch Areas and Open Areas!!!
-COLOSSAL BEDROOMS!!!
-ABUNDANCE of Closet Space–Most ALL Closets in the Entire Home are Walk-In!
-Professional, MATURE Landscaping!!!
-CROWN MOLDING ON EVERY STITCH OF THE HOME, Including the Basement!
-TWO ADDITIONAL BONUS ROOMS, Can be Used at Bedrooms!!
-ABUNDANCE of Space!! I mean SERIOUSLY, YOUR EYES WON’T BELIEVE IT!!
-OVERSIZED FENCED-IN Corner Lot!!!
-New FLOORING Throughout: Gleaming Oak Hardwoods, Slate Tile, Frizze Carpet, You Name it!
-CUSTOM-BUILT Wine Cooler In Kitchen Island!!!
-Upscale Swim/Tennis Community with PERSONAL Life Guard in the Summer located in the heart of Sandy Springs!
-MINUTES TO Buckhead, Exquisite Dinning & Marta!
-PERFECTLY situated off GA 400 and the malls—LADIES BEWARE!
-COZY Neighborhood Community with Ample Family Activities!!!
-And, SO MUCH MORE!!!

With the historical recognition such as Gone With the Wind, the Braves, the 1996 Olympic Games, and over 32 “Peachtree”-named streets Atlanta is constantly reinventing itself.

And with homes for sale like these at such rock-bottom pricing, it’s no wonder why Georgia is On My Mind.

For more information or to schedule your own private tour, visit www.OneWinter.biz or call 678.463.3173

Så kom der igen fremgang i projekt Fixie. JUBII

Jeg er nu kommet så langt at frempind og styr er kommet af, og til den store overraskelse er det muligt at skille headsettet ad.Det gik der så lige en lørdag eftermiddag med, det er bare irreterende at være så afhæning de få timers lys der er på denne årstid. Men jeg regner med at nu kan jeg snart flytte indenfor

Det har krævet en del slag med en hammer for at det virkede. Og tabet er so far kun blevet bolten til til frempinden, den håber jeg at jeg kan få genskabt.
Og så skal jeg lige ud og have fat i en rørtang til få saddelpinden ud, den kan dog bevæge sig. Det håber jeg kan lykkedes at få fat på idag, så kan den – måske være skilt ad i aften og komme til sandblæseren. Næste ting på agendaen er at finde en maler……… som kan lave et ordentligt arbejde.

Og sideprojektet med at redde den gl. Brookssaddel er også i fremgang, nu er den blevet renset og smurt godt ind i fedt, så må tiden vise om det er nok, eller om den er skrotbar.

På indkøbsiden er jeg på jagt efter nav nu. Det skal være et flip flop nav til baghjulet, og helst skal det være fixed/fixed med 2 forskellige gearinger på. Jeg overvejer at finde det hos Keirin Cafe i Berlin, nu hvor vi skal derned igen. De skulle være kompetente til at rådgive, og måske give en ordentlig pris ellers er der TBS i KBH som kan hjælpe.

The Body Shop Mango Body Butter

From www.thebodyshop-usa.com:
The original Body Butter!