October 2008 Archives

Today's cuppa: Irish breakfast tea

Click here to go to Zap2it's "From Inside the Box" blog to see my interview with Greg Gutfeld, host of FOX News' late-night comedy-news show "RedEye w/Greg Gutfeld," a story which will also be offered to newspapers in syndication.

I recommend you go there, then come back here, because, loyal Cuppers, I have very nearly saved the best of Gutfeld -- who blogs at "The Daily Gut" -- just for you.

Here's a sampling of our further conversation.

Each night, Gutfeld's "disgusting" (or so Gutfeld says) sidekick, writer and editor Bill Schulz, offers the Billabuster, his liberal (or at least contrarian) counterpoint to Gutfeld's generally conservative monologue, a k a the Gregalogue. I admit to Gutfeld that I've been known to fast-forward through the Billabuster.

Gutfeld: "Yeah, I've been getting a lot of that lately. I think it's time. You're not the first person who's said that. I think half the time (the Billabuster) is really good, but it's a hard thing to do on 'RedEye.' My Gregalogues are generally fairly tongue-in-cheek. It's hard to take a counterpoint to something that isn't taking itself too seriously.

"I'm actually, a lot of time, in my own Gregalogues, making fun of my own opinion."

"RedEye" recurring guest Sherrod Small, a New York comedian, recently also appeared on the FOX News weekend talk show "Huckabee," and asked a question of host Gov. Mike Huckabee.

Gutfeld: "It's amazing. I hear rumors that they're actually going to do a show together. It's going to be 'Huckabee and Small.'"

Since "RedEye" is at least partly political, I wonder whether either a presidential win by GOP contender Sen. John McCain of Arizona, or by Democratic contender Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, might affect how the show is done.

Gutfeld: "I would say, you should just tackle each day's stories with the same attitude no matter who wins. So I don't think, if McCain wins, that will affect how we do our show, or if Obama wins, that that will affect how we do our show.

"But if Obama wins, there will be more stories to tell, because you're going to have a Democratically controlled House and Senate, and if they start going down their Christmas list, it's going to be an interesting  year. There will be a lot to choose from."

Some in conservative circles are concerned that an Obama win, coupled with the aforementioned Democratic majorities in Congress, might revive efforts to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine, which could force broadcasters to allot time equally to differing political viewpoints. No one knows right now if this will happen, but if it did, it would likely have its greatest impact on conservative talk radio, which has proven in recent history to be more financially successful than its liberal counterpart.

Gutfeld: "The hilarious thing about the Fairness Doctrine is, why does it apply only to talk radio? That is because the overwhelmingly successful kind of talk radio is conservative, or what you'd call commonsense talk radio. That is the only area the Fairness Doctrine is focusing on.

"It doesn't apply to the Web. Think about entities like the Huffington Post or the Daily Kos. If you said, 'OK, if you go to the Huffington Post, and you count the number of people that post there, 99.99 percent are liberal -- you have to cut that in half.'

"Of course, that's completely ridiculous, but that's what they're talking about with talk radio. If you just apply it to another realm, you see the idiocy.

"I wouldn't be surprised if the idea is reintroduced, and I wouldn't be surprised if Obama doesn't veto it. Then again, I don't know, he could surprise you."

As a citizen, Gutfeld's focus in this seemingly endless political campaign isn't always on the candidates (and for the record, he has said he is a McCain supporter).

Gutfeld: "I don't mind the candidates. I mind the behavior of supporters. I could definitely stomach Barack Obama, but I can't stand the endless stream of knucklehead celebrities that feel they need to open their mouths in support. All it does is hurt his cause.

"There is a certain kind of almost fascism...behind these supporters, that if you don't accept the world of Obama unquestioningly, there's something wrong with you.

"I think he's an exceptional person. There's no question, he's one of the smartest political people I've seen, but I just can't stand this Messiah complex. It makes me ill.

"On the other side, McCain's campaign is just troubling at times. You don't know what's going on.

"There are issues, but it's really not about the candidates. For me, it's about supporters and stuff. That's what annoys me.

"But basically, it's a great time to be working on a news network."

Gutfeld also isn't in the mood to hear overseas comments on whether America is ready for an African-American president.

Gutfeld: "I'm not offended, but a little bit insulted, by people who assume that America has a problem with electing a black president. This is usually from European critics. I've lived in England, and I've been around the world. There's far more discrimination going on in other parts of the world that you'd ever see in America.

"America is the most successful melting pot in the history of the world. Don't tell us we're racist. They have to look in their own backyards."

Gutfeld started as a magazine writer and editor and later was a Huffington Post blogger and author before becoming the host of "RedEye." But he hasn't done what many other conservative pundits have done and served a stint as a radio talk-show host.

Gutfeld: "Yeah, I've guest-hosted Dennis Miller's show. I've done a lot of radio shows as a guest. It's a lot of fun. It's a lot of freedom. You don't have to take a shower, and you can eat a sandwich."

But, will Miller -- a regular contributor to FOX News' "The O'Reilly Factor" -- appear on "RedEye?"

Gutfeld: "Not yet, but we've been gently prodding him. I'm sure he's going to do it, but we haven't nailed him down. But we will. He's a big fan."

Today's cuppa: Yorkshire Gold tea, double-bagged in the big mug

Fear not, Halloween shall not scare me away from posting!

Coming soon to this space, Greg Gutfeld of Fox News' "RedEye W/Greg Gutfeld" on having fun with the presidential election...

Mike Rowe of Discovery Channels' "Dirty Jobs" on the dirty jobs of former presidents, and the dignity of work...

and Vince McMahon of USA Network's "WWE Monday Night RAW" on celebrating 800 episodes and honoring the troops...

Stay tuned...

Today's cuppa: waiting on the new shipment of Mystic Monk Coffee, so rockin' in the meantime with Newhall Coffee Patriot Blend

A few days ago, I went to the 20th Century Fox lot to join a handful of TV writers and FX executives, along with series creator Shawn Ryan, to see the last two episodes of "The Shield." The extended finale airs Tuesday, Nov. 25.

With luck, it won't be too long until we get the last-season DVD (so I can pack it off to my distant cousin, an independent contractor in Afghanistan, who got the first five seasons on DVD, along with lots of Halloween candy to share with his compatriots. Enjoy, guys and girls! "The Shield" and sugar shock for all!).

We also had a chance to chat with Ryan and FX chief John Landgraf, and that conversation will appear after the finale airs.

I am sworn to the most excellent and ultimate secrecy as to the fate of rogue LAPD Detective Vic Mackey and the rest of the characters. Just watch me dodge my own hard-hitting questions.

Does Vic Mackey die at the end?

(silence)

Does he live?

(silence)

OK, let me put it this way, does he get what he deserves?

Depends on your definition of hell. There could be mixed reactions to the ending. I thought it was pretty sweet.

How about the rest of the crew at the Barn? Like Dutch Wagenbach?

Dutch gets what he wants and more than he bargained for, and he comes through.

Claudette Wyms?

Here, I refer to a pet theory I brought up with Landgraf and Ryan ...that  sometimes a series winds up being as much about a minor character as a major one. On "Homicide: Life on the Street," you had the more volatile, high-profile characters of Lt. Frank Pembleton and Capt. Al Giardello, but in a way, it was also the story of Detective Tim Bayliss.

The show pretty much started when he arrived, a fresh-faced newcomer, and ended when he left, a deeply changed, much sadder and much wiser man.

In that same way, "The Shield" is Claudette's story. She is and has been its moral center, its voice of outrage and honesty, its most deeply human character.

In her quiet way, Claudette is one of the greatest female characters ever in TV drama and certainly one of the greatest cop characters. She's also one-half of one of TV's greatest love stories -- and fans know what I'm talking about.

Vic's family?

(silence)

The uniformed officers?

One celebrates; one feels the tug of the past; one steps up when needed.

The Strike Team? Ronnie Gardocki?

(silence)

Shane Vendrell?

Ah, Shane. After Claudette, the most human character.

David Aceveda?

Irritating how pesky little things like elections can get in the way of overweening ambition. If the city of Los Angeles would just appoint Aceveda mayor, how much pain could be spared, how many tiresome stump speeches and handshakes avoided? Who might have lived instead of dying? Darn that democracy.

Any last thoughts?

Glad you asked. If someone can be dehumanized, turned into an object for revenge or abuse, turned into a means to an end, turned into an inconvenient obstacle, how easily then can that person be destroyed?

If Vic had truly thought of Terry Crowley as a human being, could he have shot him in the face to save his own skin? If Shane had truly thought of Lemansky as human, could he have fragged him to save his own skin?

How easily then could Vic shed his own humanity when it suited his needs to do so? Could Shane ever truly do the same?

Perhaps therein lies the difference between the two men, because to the extent that a person dehumanizes others, he does the same to himself. Do it enough, and there's nothing left. By killing Terry Crowley, Vic set himself on a path that could only lead to him losing his soul.

And once you've lost that, can you even feel the loss of anything else?

Which takes me back to my question -- does Vic get what he deserves?

(silence)

Today's cuppa: Newhall Coffee Patriot Blend

Tomorrow night, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama has bought a half-hour of time at 8 p.m. (ET/PT) on CBS, NBC and Fox (who are even delaying the World Series a tad -- check local listings for what happens in Mountain and Pacific time), but not on ABC.

So, I'd like to take this opportunity to do a bit of cheerleading for a little show that could use some help, ABC's "Pushing Daisies," which airs a new episode at its usual time at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Wednesday.

This is a sweet, charming, fantasy-mystery-romance show that puts a smile on my face every week -- and don't we all need a smile right about now?

It's not a hard-charging procedural or a seat-of-your-pants thriller or a high-stakes medical drama, so this candy-colored fable about a piemaker who can momentarily raise the dead is having a hard time of it in the ratings.

May I humbly suggest that if you're only an intermittent viewer or someone who's never seen the show at all, that you take the opportunity tomorrow night to give "Pushing Daisies" a try?

Honestly, what can Sen. Obama have to say that you haven't already heard in this campaign over the last 152 years it's been going on? It's not like it's a press conference where something embarrassing, unexpected or newsworthy could happen.

Besides, you can check out the Obama channel on Dish Network. I'm suspect the half-hour special will go into heavy rotation there. And there's always streaming video on the Internet.

I plan to grab a nice slice of pie and a hot cuppa and settle in to watch "Pushing Daisies" with a grin on my face and hope in my heart. Please join me.

Did I mention there's a dog? You know you want some of that.

Tonight's cuppa: decaf organic dark roast coffee

Last week, I had my first conversation with the charming and delightful comic and actor Dan Whitney, a k a "Larry the Cable Guy," in relation to his upcoming holiday special on CMT. "Larry the Cable Guy's Star Studded Christmas Extravaganza."

Taped this past summer at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center in Nashville, it features co-host Tony Orlando (also on Whitney's holiday special last year on VH1).

Inspired by classic Christmas variety shows of the 1970s, the 90-minute special premieres Nov. 21 on CMT (my syndicated feature story comes out that week), and then it is released on DVD on Nov. 25, in time for holiday giving.

Speaking just as himself and not as Larry -- a cheerful, plaid-clad redneck with no sleeves whose catchphrase is "Git-R-Done!" -- Whitney, a Florida resident born in Nebraska, had a few comments on a few issues not directly related to the special. Here's a few of them.

On prospects for the return of the weekly variety series:

If you had the right person to do it, you could do a weekly one. It's a lot of work, though. Tony Orlando talked to me about his show, how much fun it was and how much of a blast he had, but just how grueling and tiresome it was, to keep it fresh and do new sketches and new topics.

On television that tries to appeal to the urban-hipster audience:

Yeah, maybe. How much money are urban hipsters going out and spending? I'm in my 40s, and all my friends are in their 40s, and they're buying a lot of crap. Nobody markets to us anymore.

On stigmas, stereotypes and Southern accents:

If you go against the mainstream now, you're considered a redneck. Some people on the coasts consider anybody in the flyover, that they're all back-a** idiots, and inbred, too, which is completely wrong....I'm portraying just a dumb guy (as Larry), but there are lots of people who have Southern accents that are brilliant people. Some people think I'm stereotyping everybody, but I'm not.

Certain areas get a certain stigma about them, and it's wrong to do that. There's a lot of people that live in small-town America that are brilliant people. In fact, a lot of your people who become big stars in Hollywood are from the Midwest. Look at Johnny Carson. He was from Nebraska,  just like I am. There are a lot of brilliant people that come out of small towns, that still live in small towns.

On the GOP vice-presidential nominee, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin:

They call Sarah Palin an idiot because she likes to hunt, and they call her this and they call her that, but compared to the people that are up in the Senate now, that put us in this stinking financial mess -- they're supposed to be the most brilliant minds around. Evidently they're not too smart, either.

On the cultural divide:

I remember a long time ago, I was doing a showcase at the Improv in California, and I did a joke about a flea market. The lady that was picking people for the shows said, "I just didn't get his jokes. What's a flea market?" And I'm going, "Oh, gees, you're buying shows to show to Middle America, and you don't know what a flea market is?" It's irritating. But you do what you can do.

On how he and his fellow Blue Collar Comedy Tour members -- Bill Engvall ("The Bill Engvall Show"), Jeff Foxworthy ("Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?") and Ron White -- judge folks:

Us guys on the Blue Collar thing, I mean, they can call us whatever they want. We're all good guys. We don't judge people by their color. We judge people by whether they're an idiot or if they're not an idiot. That's pretty much it.

On being called a redneck:

People can call "redneck," whatever they want to ... I don't see it as a bad thing. I just see it as a good, hardworking person that lives in a small area, doing the best he can to get by. There's nothing wrong with that.

He doesn't go out to wine tastings. He's not into that kind of thing. I think we've come to some kind of a divide in our country where if you don't do stuff like that, you're dumber than everybody else. That's not true at all.

On why he doesn't watch network sitcoms:

There's nothing that interests me about it at all. I don't find any of it funny. All the punchlines are d*ck jokes. I've been around comedians for 23 years. I've heard pretty much all of them.

On whether doing such comedy movies as "Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector," "Witless Protection" and "Delta Farce" is hard work:

When I was doing movie interviews and stuff, people would say, "Was it hard?" I'd go, "No, it wasn't hard. You read your script." I'm not a good actor, I don't think, by any means. But I put out these goofy movies. I like doin' 'em. They're fun.

But is it hard? Am I drywalling a house? No. It's funny, because you'll hear some actors and actresses, "It's grueling, and I really had to get into this character. It was long hours. We worked through the rain." And I'm thinking, "Turn on the 'Ice Road Truckers' or those frickin' guys up there crabbing (on the Bering Sea), and then you tell me you've got a hard job."

UPDATE: Click here to go to a newer post featuring the syndicated feature story I did on the special.

Today's cuppa: Yorkshire Gold tea

Last week, I headed over to Sony Studios in Culver City to visit the set of the CBS comedy "Rules of Engagement," which hasn't yet returned to the schedule with its third season. But the cast and crew are hard at work -- and this year, the cast includes Orlando Jones (a charming and fascinating guy, BTW) in a recurring role.

I won't be doing a syndicated feature on the show until it gets an airdate, but I'll try to get some quotes, maybe some audio, up here before then. In the meantime, here are some photos from the set and the lot. Click on images to see a larger version.

A trailer (yes, the famous trailer that actors are said to storm off to) and the water tower.

A random but cool set piece in a soundstage I passed on my way to the set.

On the diner set at the "Rules of Engagement" soundstage, fake TV food (OK, it's real, but I don't know how old it is).

Funky pictures in the diner.

The diner kitchen.

Making the set for a house look like a home.

Cast members get made up for a photo shoot.

Ben's Bench. Who's Ben? No idea.

Bikes, trailer, golf carts, pretty sunset -- all from the Sony parking garage.

Today's cuppa: English afternoon tea (for breakfast, I'm movin' fast!)

Let me say up front that by the time I'm Cloris Leachman's age (82), I would fall on my knees (if, indeed, I could even do that) and cry to heaven in gratitude for being one-fourth as nimble and energetic. I'm hardly that nimble and energetic now.

The thought that she's out there tango-ing and salsa-ing and just dancing in general inspires me to step away from the laptop and get on the treadmill or into the pool.

Cloris Leachman has all my admiration.

All that being said, I haven't seen her on ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" in weeks. That's because I fast-forward every time she appears, if I'm watching on the DVR. If I'm watching live, I go make a cuppa or put the laundry in the dryer.

It's not that she's that bad a dancer -- the show has seen worse who lasted just as long -- but I have to agree with those who've suggested that her mugging for the camera, pushing into other dancers' segments and over-the-top interactions with the judges have gotten on my last nerve.

On the other hand, it is the responsibility of the producers and the hosts to keep the show moving along and to be fair to everyone. Someone needs to sit Leachman down and have a serious talk with her. Having fun is one thing. Having fun at the expense of other competitors who are working just as hard is not right.

It's just a little reality show, but that's no excuse for poor sportsmanship and discourtesy, especially from someone who's old enough to know better.

Today's cuppa: office coffee (gotta get some new office coffee. Suggestions?)

Last Friday, I braved the baking heat of Burbank to visit the former NBC HQ (much of the operation has moved to new digs in Universal City) for a photo shoot with John O'Hurley,  winner of the first and only "Dancing With the Stars" dance-off, current host of the syndicated "Family Feud", and the annual co-anchor (with canine expert David Frei) of the wildly popular NBC broadcast of the National Dog Show, airing Thanksgiving Day.

I'll be doing a syndicated feature story on that show, which I plan to link here. O'Hurley also brought me up to date on some of his literary, musical and business ventures (click here for his official Web site). When I dig into that material, I'll do another post, but in the meantime, NBC was kind enough to give me a sneak peek at one of the photos from the shoot.

O'Hurley is posing with a representative of the newest breed (though hardly a new breed) to receive full American Kennel Club recognition. The Dogue de Bordeaux, also known as the French mastiff, becomes the 158th breed recognized by the AKC.

There were two on scene, the large male you see in the picture, and a slightly smaller female who became my new best friend after I scratched behind her ears -- that is, until the next person walked into the room.

I tried not to take that personally.

Also on hand for the shoot were O'Hurley's wife, Lisa Mesloh, a fellow avid golfer (here's a piece about his golf-course proposal and their wedding), and their son, Will.

At not quite two, he just may be the cutest kid ever. (Notice I said "may." No angry letters and floods of cute baby pictures, please. Jars of diced peaches, however, are always welcome.)

Not on hand were two of O'Hurley's dogs that I had met at earlier photo shoots. Maltese Scoshi is quite elderly, and sadly, O'Hurley recently lost Betty, a dachshund/Lab mix that he had rescued from a life as a stray.

But two more members have been added to the O'Hurley family, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (Blenheim, or red and white) and a Havanese that spent most of its time serenely cradled like a baby in the crook of Lisa's arm.

It's a dog's life, indeed.

Today's cuppa: Irish breakfast tea

In August, I posted information on some upcoming TV-related panel discussions at the University of Southern California. After attending one of them, I reflected on aspects of the conversation that took place as part of my syndicated "Open Letter" column, which came out this week.

A few weeks ago, I went to a panel discussion on depictions of torture on television, during which a representative of Amnesty International outlined all the ways in which she believed Fox's thriller "24" has influenced the thinking and actions of a Supreme Court justice, political leaders, military commanders and soldiers in the field.

Her contention was that the show's use of torture as a storytelling device was having a material effect on attitudes toward torture in political, legal and military circles and was contributing to the frequency of incidents of torture.

I have no idea how much truth there is in her contentions, and in my personal opinion, she didn't make a compelling cause-and-effect case.

As "24" was created long before the Sept. 11 attacks -- it premiered shortly afterward, with probably six or so episodes already in the can -- let alone the Iraq War, it's certainly not a response to either.

Interestingly enough, writer/producer Ronald D. Moore, who was also on the panel, says his "Battlestar Galactica" was deeply influenced by the mood of a post-9/11 America. Indeed, his show often features torture, and it's sometimes more sadistic, or even masochistic, than the torture scenes in "24." But since it lives in a science-fiction universe, "Battlestar" doesn't fall under the same scrutiny.

But even allowing, for the sake of argument, that there is truth in the assertions that some people may have altered their attitudes or behavior regarding torture by watching "24," what exactly are the producers of the show supposed to do?

The most obvious answer would be, "Don't depict torture on your show," or, "Don't depict Jack Bauer as an heroic character if he indulges in torture."

Or the argument could be made that no show or film should ever have a torture scene, just in case it influences the weak-minded to inflict harm on others.

In that case, we'd have to nix many future episodes of police shows and espionage dramas, along with war documentaries and James Bond movies (as "Casino Royale" had one of the most brutal torture scenes in recent memory, and it seems to have so far escaped blame for inciting the British military to misdeeds).

(Note: The above link goes to the scene in question, so be warned if you click on it.)

From time to time, activists have advocated changes in shows to protect children who are too young to make rational judgments about what they're seeing.

But the last time I looked, "24" was not a show for children, and Supreme Court justices, policymakers, politicians, military leaders and soldiers are all fully functioning adults. Are we to assume that these adults need advocacy organizations and storytellers to police what they see and hear, lest they lost their grip on reality?

I know the difference between fantasy and fact. How about you?

Because of the length limitations of the column, I didn't have space to discuss another issue raised at the panel, this time by Ron Moore. He spoke about the so-called "CSI effect," the lingering question of whether the depiction of forensic science on the three "CSI" dramas on CBS, along with other forensic crime dramas, influences criminal juries.

Some don't believe there is a a strong corollary between watching "CSI" and jurors' propensity to either acquit or convict -- as outlined in this study listed on the website of the Department of Justice -- and some give the idea more credence -- such as this article from the Consortium for Science, Policy & Outcomes at Arizona State University.

As a professional consumer of entertainment, it would seem to me that everything everyone sees, hears or reads has some effect on his or her thinking, from transitory and negligible to lifelong and profound. But who can predict which will turn out to be which?

In my own experience, it's sometimes an unlikely thing that has the strongest impact. I've never been able to shake the harsh reality of "Old Yeller,"  a 1957 Disney film which a boy has to kill his rabid dog to protect his family.

At the same time, things fully intended as propaganda for one point of view or another have bounced off me without leaving a mark. For example, I've seen Oliver Stone's "JFK " a bunch of times and thoroughly enjoyed it, and yet I still don't buy his conspiracy theories about the assassination.

But, I was a child when I saw "Old Yeller" on television and an adult when I saw "JFK." Was that the deciding factor? Maybe. I don't know for sure.

This is probably a debate without a clear resolution. Every right, including free speech, comes with a corresponding responsibility, but when you're talking about adults, that responsibility applies as much to the listener as to the speaker.

Today's cuppa: Yorkshire Gold tea

(click on images for a larger version)

Lately things have been a little rough...

But pumpkin season has arrived...

Soon the ground will be turning white...

The holidays will be upon us...

Many of us will be hanging ornaments on trees...

And admiring glowing yellow candle flames...

So don't get all prickly...

We'll be feeling ducky again soon...

Happy Monday, America! This Cuppa's for you.

I took all these photos at the South Coast Botanic Gardens in Palos Verdes, Calif., which was created on the former site of an open-pit mine and sanitary landfill. If a dump can turn into this, anything's possible, eh?

Today's cuppa: Yorkshire Gold tea

Click here to go to Zap2it's "From Inside the Box" blog to see my latest "Heroes" story, a conversation with veteran actor Robert Forster, who just made his debut as the thought-dead Arthur Petrelli.

The story has also moved over the wires, and when it appears in newspapers, I'll update the post with some links.

UPDATE: And here are some links, courtesy of the Pittsburgh (Pa.) Post-Gazette, PopMatters.com, the Honolulu Advertiser and Georgia's Macon.com.

Today's cuppa: hot chocolate (of course)

I did a syndicated feature story this week on the new Comedy Central show "Chocolate News," starring David Alan Grier ("An American Carol") -- who was hilarious in a 2006 episode of "Clean House," when he nominated his brother's family in Northern California to be on the show.

Here's a link to an edited version of the feature story, courtesy of the Fort Wayne (Ind.) Journal Gazette.

When I spoke to Grier about "Chocolate News," I took the opportunity to get an update on how his brother, sister-in-law and nephew are coping with the clean house that host Niecy Nash (who appeared in an early pilot of "Chocolate News") and her team created for them.

"That was really a family emergency," Grier said. "I've gotten more play on that. Niecy and I have been acquainted and friends for a while, and that's the only way I could get my brother to clean his house."

Asked if his brother has maintained the new lifestyle, Grier said, "My nephew has kept his room in tip-top shape. The parents are trying their best, and it's so much better than it was, let's put it that way. But that's the only way I could effect any change, to bring in a TV camera -- or else nothing would have happened."

After many seasons of watching "Clean House," which has had a diverse bunch of families and/or housemates, I've noticed that the clutter -- or as Nash calls it, "mayhem and foolishness" -- pretty much looks the same from home to home, no matter what sort of folks created it.

Asked about that, Grier said, "Well, yeah, there's not a lot of variety in mess. It's a pile of clothes. Usually, it's clutter. Yeah, my brother's become famous from that show.

"I haven't watched the show lately, but it was very traumatic. I can just describe it, it was like power yoga therapy. It's all slammed into a week. The people involved, they just have to go do it."

And, in case you're interested, here's the full "Chocolate News" story as it was submitted for publication...

With "The Daily Show" and its spin-off, "The Colbert Report," Comedy Central has established a strong presence in the world of funny fake news.

And starting in 2003, it was home to "Chappelle's Show," the critically acclaimed but short-lived sketch comedy series starring comedian/screenwriter/producer/actor Dave Chappelle.

Also, from 1990 to 1994, Fox aired "In Living Color," a sketch-comedy series featuring several members of the show-business Wayans family, along with James (now Jim) Carrey, Jamie Foxx and actor/comedian David Alan Grier.

Blend elements of all of these, and the result is "Chocolate News," a sketch-comedy faux-newsmagazine show from an African-American perspective, premiering Wednesday, Oct. 15, on Comedy Central.

Grier plays the show's host and does multiple characters in its "investigative" pieces. He's also executive producer, with Fax Bahr and Adam Small ("MADtv," "Blue Collar TV"), Robert Morton, Peter Aronson, and Jordan Levin, former programming chief at The WB.

"It was my idea," Grier says, "thinking about a lot of things. I wanted to figure out a different way to do sketch and also looking at the landscape of television after Dave Chappelle's show went off.

"And it seems like there was a void. There's no show from an African-American perspective that did comedy and sketch."

Grier didn't want to emulate Chappelle but to do something different.

"It's like 'In Living Color' with a graduate degree," he says, "being able to delve into more political minutiae and all of this race politics, which is part of it, and black culture, that nobody's doing."

Unlike "The Daily Show" and "Colbert," which both rely on the headlines of the day and guest appearances by newsmakers and others, "Chocolate News" is wholly scripted.

"It's not really a news show," Grier says, "It's more of a magazine format, making up and really writing these pieces. Then we had the freedom to comment on any issue. It required more work on our part, because we have to start from scratch."

Of course, when you talk about news from an African-American perspective, thoughts go immediately to Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic candidate for president.

It's been reported, rightly or wrongly, that some late-night comedians have had trouble figuring out exactly how to craft humor around the Obama candidacy. Grier plans to find a way.

"If we're supposed to be from an African-American perspective, which we are," he says, "then we have to be able to address this in one way or another.

"It's like the nation is going through growing pains as we speak, on how to reassess race, how do we redefine it, how do we talk about it, how do we look at it?

"It's amazing for me to witness. I have to tell you, a year ago, I never thought we'd get this far so fast, that Obama would be right where he is now. It's just amazing to watch from a political perspective."

With an African-American man running for president on the Democratic ticket (after fending off a formidable female primary opponent in New York Sen. Hillary Clinton), and with the Republican Party having its first woman on the ticket with vice presidential candidate Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska, it's a year that defies expectations on many fronts.

"Yes, yes," Grier says, "just what you're talking about is one aspect of the story we talked about -- is this the end of the world? Is this when pigs fly, when monkeys fly out of your butt, when a black man is elected, when a woman -- what else is next?

"All fields are open, and we're really having fun trying to take a smart but really funny look at stuff."

When comedy gets topical, though, and takes on such hot-button issues as race, politics and gender, it runs the risk of giving offense. Again, Grier has other plans in mind.

"I've been asked by other people," Grier says, "do I want to offend someone? No. That's not my goal. My goal is to make you laugh. I don't want to make you hate, but so often in comedy, someone is offended.

"It also seems like, today, everyone's offended by something. I'm not worried about it, but my goal is not to piss people off and make them offended; I'd rather you talked about it at the water cooler."

And sometimes, while pulling stories out of his imagination, Grier has discovered reality can be stranger than comedy.

"I'll tell you," he says, "we did this (sketch for the pilot about) interracial Siamese twins. Then this black woman who's married to this white guy, they had twins. They weren't Siamese twins, but they were twins; one was black, and one was white.

"We read the story, we're like, 'Oh, my God.' Every time we do a story, as bizarre as you think it is, something close to it is reported. It's not that far off."

Today's cuppa: Northern Lights strawberry/maple tea (with polar bears on the box)

This week's edition of my print column "We'd Like to See" looks at the flurry of TV interest in America's only Arctic state. Here's an updated and hyper-linked version...

Suddenly, it's all about Alaska.

On Tuesday, Oct. 14, Discovery Channel premieres "Toughest Race on Earth: Iditarod," a six-part series from the producer of Discovery's "Deadliest Catch" that chronicles the legendary dog-sled race from Anchorage to Nome.

But it's just the latest of several shows focusing on the 49th state.

Although Alaska looms large in the imaginations of many in the Lower 48, the realities of life there have remained mysterious to those who, if they've seen the state at all, usually look at it from the deck of a cruise ship or through a vacation camera lens.

It's fair to date television's current interest in Alaska to the 2005 premiere of "Deadliest Catch," which introduced landlubbers to the wildly exciting and dangerous business of crab fishing in Alaska's Bering Sea -- and to the raffish charms of the fleet's home port, Dutch Harbor.

Although many of the crabbers are not Alaskans -- some come from as far as Seattle -- the show celebrates their rough-and-ready lifestyle and grinning insouciance in the face of peril, necessary to survive what the Bering Sea has to throw at them.

In 2006, ABC premiered "Men in Trees," a comedy-drama that sent a New York writer (Anne Heche) to live in a small Alaskan town (the show actually filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, a bit farther south).

In April, Discovery premiered a travelogue/survival show called "The Alaska Experiment" and an outdoor adventure show called "Expedition: Alaska."

In May, History Channel premiered "Tougher in Alaska," which explores how difficult conditions up north make even the most mundane and necessary tasks vastly more risky.

Thom Beers, the producer of "Deadliest Catch," currently has a Friday-night NBC show, "America's Toughest Jobs," in which contestants take on back- and bone-breaking occupations, three of which -- crab fishing, big-rig driving and gold panning -- took place in Alaska.

This season's edition of The CW's "America's Next Top Model," airing Wednesdays, featured Fairbanks' own Hannah, who often referred to being from Alaska, not having electricity, etc.

Along with its reputation for spectacular wilderness and hardscrabble challenges, Alaska is also at the forefront of such hot-button 21st-century issues as energy and the environment, garnering it a lot of chatter among activists and news reporters.

Topping it all off, the naming of Alaska's Gov. Sarah Palin as the GOP's vice-presidential candidate has set off a new flurry of conversations about what Alaska is and who Alaskans are -- and some of the comments reveal a lack of hard knowledge about what it's like to live in America's northernmost state.

Somewhere among romantic notions of the frontier and glorious views of untamed landscapes lies the truth of daily life in modern Alaska. I'd like to see television take a less sensational and more down-to-earth view of this remote but vital place.

Y'know, while we're at it, it wouldn't hurt television to take a closer look at the 50th state -- Hawaii, birthplace of Democratic presidential contender Sen. Barack Obama. Like Alaska, its image to non-residents is probably largely composed of vacation experiences, movies and old episodes of "Hawaii Five-O" and "Magnum p.i."

But as a few seasons of "Lost" -- which is filmed almost entirely in Hawaii -- have shown us, the islands have mountains, deep forests and cityscapes that don't quite fit into the simpler picture of pristine beaches, luxury hotels and surfing.

The islands also have a long and complex history and a unique social, cultural and ethnic mix.

Alaska and Hawaii are just as much America as Rhode Island, Alabama, Idaho, South Dakota or North Carolina.

It would do us good to learn more about all our states, near and far.

Tonight's cuppa: decaf Irish breakfast tea

It's October, so that means hot Santa Ana winds and the threat of wildfires here in Los Angeles. We've had one burning in the Angeles National Forest east of the city, and it's impossible to forget last year's devastating fires all across the state.

Last November, my coffee-aficionado friend, who's known in certain circles on both coasts as The Scary One, and I took a drive out to Malibu to see the aftermath of the terrifying fires there (click here for video) which swept down from the hills and across the Pacific Coast Highway.

Below are two of TSO's shots from that day, depicting blackened pinecones, and scorched trees on the ocean side of the PCH.

We finish with two shots I took right in the same area nearly a year later, at Pepperdine University on Sept. 18, 2008. They depict the Sept. 11 memorial there -- almost 3,000 American flags, one for each person killed in the terrorist attacks.

Just a reminder that there are things more frightening than a sinking stock market.

MONDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: Another fire in Porter Ranch, north of Los Angeles, called a "blowtorch." Other SoCal fires also burning. Any good wishes you have to spare, could you send them to us for cool breezes and rain? 'Preciate it.

(click on the images for larger version)

Today's cuppa: Newhall Coffee, Patriot Blend

Like a lot of Americans, I've been keeping an eye on the financial news during the last couple of weeks (but not my 401K -- I'll look at that when I'm 60, because if I look now, I may not live that long).

Mostly, I get my TV financial info and commentary from Jim Cramer's "Mad Money" on CNBC -- "Boo-yah!" "Are you ready, Skee-Daddy?" -- and from Fox Business Network, because I'm a big Neil Cavuto fan from way back. These are not endorsements, just my choices. Yours may vary.

As a professional TV watcher, I have a few thoughts (notice I don't say conclusions. I avoid conclusions until much later down the line. Thoughts are far more easily changed as circumstances shift).

Cable TV is all about the moment. It lives on breaking news, live video and high emotion. That's just the nature of the 24-hour newshole beast. It's neither good nor bad in itself, but it's useful to remember just how you reacted in your last personal crisis and whether, two days down the line, you would have looked back on video of that with satisfaction, embarrassment or horror.

TV people are supposed to be professionals, but sometimes, they're just people.

So, I tell myself not to get caught up in the anchors' or correspondents' high emotions and to watch with interest but detachment.

To quote David Mamet from "The Untouchables": "Take it easy. It'll all happen in time. This is the job. Don't wait for it to happen. Don't even want it to happen. Just watch what does happen."

Cable TV is equal parts news and opinion, but opinion is usually louder and more insistent. Pay attention to who's saying what. Check their names, their titles, their employers. Take all of that into account.

It may be helpful to remember the words of Abraham Maslow when he said, "If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail." Basically, each person sees problems and solutions through the lens of his or her own perspective and expertise, and their comments should be weighted accordingly.

For younger people who've never experienced a wide market swing or serious financial downturn, this current situation can seem far more frightening than it may be to a seasoned old hand. I look for the seasoned old hands to see what they have to say (keeping Maslow's hammer in mind, of course).

Conversely, an old hand might ring the warning bell earlier because he or she has seen the cost of denial and inaction. Experience cuts both ways, but it's still invaluable in times like these.

On the upside, I'm really enjoying the call-in segments on "Mad Money" and FBN. It's comforting to know that there are so many sensible, bright folks out there in the cable-TV audience asking incisive, perceptive and wise questions. They're listening, and a lot of them get it.

All you can do is all you can do. In this crisis, all you can do is mind your own money and your own situation. The best financial advice comes from your own adviser, who knows your particular goals and needs. Try not to make decisions based on raw fear (yeah, easier said than done, eh?).

Or, in the words (in large, friendly letters) on the cover of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," "Don't Panic." And never leave home without your towel.

A nice, hot cuppa also helps. What you add to it is up to you.

Finally, here's a test to see if the world has ended. Look outside. Is the world still there? That's your answer.

Click here for a post from the good folks at Curbed LA, then read the below. Really. It'll be way funnier. And the photo is frakkin' priceless.

The picture (doctored in a familiar way) portrays an abandoned couch in North Hollywood that bravely sacrificed itself to catch a flipped car.

This is a couch we can believe in.

But I have to wonder, what are chairs doing? Chaise lounges? Loveseats? Wicker porch rockers? There are many segments of the furniture constituency that have yet to step up to the challenge and do their part to avert traffic disasters.

I call on all furnishings -- soft and hard -- to put their arms and legs and camelbacks into the fight.

One couch can't change the world -- but it's a start.

(UPDATE: on a completely unrelated note: quote of the day from a Fox Business Network correspondent on floor of the NYSE, saying traders "can smell the bottom." Of the market. Yeah.)

Today's cuppa: Fast-food coffee.

If you read the entertainment press at all, you can't help but trip over a growing heap of stories about how "Saturday Night Live" is affecting the political landscape in the presidential race. Currently, "SNL" enthusiasats are crowing about how Tina Fey's portrayal of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the GOP vice-presidential contender, is overshadowing the real person.

Really? In whose minds? Not mine, since I haven't watched "SNL" since Dennis Miller left.

This may come as a shock to some people, but not everybody watches "Saturday Night Live." And not everybody who watches the show believes it is a credible player in the presidential race. And to the extent that it may be or actually is -- shame on those who have allowed it to be so (ironically, they're probably some of the same folks who complain that we focus too much on personalities and "distractions," rather than substantive issues).

"SNL" is a comedy show that sometimes does political satire. It has its place in the daily discourse of the nation, as satire always has -- from Roman graffiti to political cartoons to Jib-Jab videos. And politicians want in on the game, making guest appearances on "SNL" and other comedy shows to get their message across.

I'd rather they spent their time talking and listening to the voters, but that's the world we live in.

But if anyone is basing a vote on a "Saturday Night Live" skit -- and I have perfect faith that none of my loyal Cuppers would do such a silly thing -- that person needs to broaden his or her perspective and political education.

So here are a few thoughts that the self-congratulatory "SNL" lovers might keep in mind:

Everyone you know may be watching the show and nodding in happy agreement with everything it says, but you don't know everyone.

It may seem that everyone is writing news stories and blogging about "SNL," but not everyone is a journalist or a blogger.

Any election, from dog catcher to president, is more important to the lives of real people than the biggest-rated night of any scripted TV show, including "Saturday Night Live."

I wouldn't want my elected officials writing comedy skits -- seriously. Big time. Conversely, I don't want comedy writers making pronouncements about policy or how I should vote. Two different skill sets.

Giggling in the face of a hurricane may make you feel better for a moment, but the hurricane will still knock you and your house into next week. Laughter has its place, but it doesn't solve real problems or avert real disasters. That takes work, which is seldom fun.

No doubt, the vast, overwhelming majority of "SNL" viewers take it for what it is and don't make more of it than it is. Then they get up the next morning and get on with their real lives and real jobs and real families and real hard voting decisions, and don't think about "SNL" again until the following Saturday night.

In the end, those are the folks that really count.

Today's cuppa: Yorkshire Gold tea

On Tuesday, Nov. 25, after seven seasons on FX, "The Shield" finally comes to an end, and fans learn the ultimate fate of rogue LAPD Detective Vic Mackey, played by Michael Chiklis.

By then, we will also know the outcome of this year's Major League Baseball World Series. But right now, one thing's for sure -- the New York Yankees won't be in it, since the pinstripers didn't make it into the American League Championship Series.

Instead, the defending World Champion Boston Red Sox take on the Tampa Bay Rays tomorrow, Friday, Oct. 10. And this will make Chiklis -- a native of Lowell, Mass., and a dedicated Red Sox fan -- a very happy man.

But it might be hard to tell which makes Chiklis happier, the fact that the Red Sox are in the playoffs and possibly on their way to another Fall Classic, or the fact that the Yankees are not.

(Photo below: Red Sox relief pitcher Jonathan Papelbon)

In late Oct. 2007, during filming in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles for the penultimate episode of "The Shield," Chiklis took a few minutes to discuss his feelings about the New York team.

"You know me, right? I can truly say to you that I have no hate in my heart, no hate for any person, place or thing. I hate the Yankees. I hate them with a white-hot seething intensity of a thousand white-hot suns. I hate them, really.

"I'm making a T-shirt that says, 'The Yankees Hurt Children.' They bent me as a child. There were things that happened when you're seven -- you don't forget things. The Yankees, it's sort of biblical, my hate for them."

(Photo on right: Yankee relief pitcher Mariano Rivera)

Apparently, though, Chiklis doesn't let these strong feelings alienate him from those closest to him.

"My lawyer was raised in the Bronx," he said. "He's a hardcore Yankee fan. Listen, I also, at the same time, love the Yankees, because what would baseball be without that? We need that. We are the best rivalry in all of sports.

"The fact that we have that sort of cellular hate for each other, in a fun way, it's all sports at the end of the day. Let me tell you what, my lawyer's a good friend, he's a dear friend of mine, but we kill each other."

While the action will be long over for baseball fans by late November, fans of "The Shield" will be ramping up to one of the most eagerly anticipated finales of the last few years.

Said Chiklis in 2007, "This one feels visceral. This feels right; it feels organic. I don't think anybody will be disappointed, because you're getting a real unwinding and unraveling and a real ending to this great story.

"I'm sad. Listen, I'm at the center of it. It's miserably sad. It's like a part of me is being torn out. I can't even go there yet. I have to run this ship. I have to be strong for everybody. ... Two months from now, after the holidays, it'll be like being hit by a balpeen hammer in the head."

Over the years of speaking to Chiklis about "The Shield," he has consistently refrained from revealing his personal opinion of Mackey, always saying he would wait until after the finale airs.

In early September of 2007, I sat down at USC with Chiklis' friend Jim Cramer, host of CNBC's "Mad Money" -- Cramer calls himself the "President of Cramerica," with Chiklis as the "Majority Leader" -- before he was to give a lecture to business students there.

Cramer's as big a fan of "The Shield" as Chiklis is of "Mad Money." Asked whether Chiklis ever opened up to him about Mackey, Cramer said, "He will not tell me now. The closest he came to it -- my sister has two autistic kids, and I said, 'Look, I've got to tell you, my sister would kill to get the money to send those kids to a special school.' And he said, 'That's why Vic Mackey is a great man, because remember what he had to do. He had to rob the Armenian money train in order to pay for the special school (for his autistic son).'"

Told in October that Cramer said he called Mackey a great man, Chiklis grinned. "I said that? Sorry, but he's misquoting me heinously. No, no. That's not what I said. I promise you. Sorry, James, but he's mistaken."

I hope to hold Chiklis to his promise to open up after Nov. 25, especially because I don't expect to get that answer in the finale itself.

Speaking on Aug. 21, 2008, series creator Shawn Ryan said, "We have avoided for a number of years, as a show -- or me, as a show-runner, or Michael as an actor -- tipping our hand in terms of our own moral judgments in terms of the character or the other characters in the show.

"I didn't feel like the final episode was the right time to change that up. I didn't think it was the right time to say, 'Now you're going to hear, through dialogue,' the perspective of the show-runner.' It felt more like the last chapter of a book, the last act of a play, the last verse of a song.

"Whatever we did in that last episode should feel like part of whatever came before it."

Today's cuppa: Darjeeling tea, chased with office coffee

First up, I didn't post a Hot Cuppa Pic of the Week on Monday, because I was so psyched to write about "24: Redemption." This won't make up for it, but here's a cellphone-camera shot of my new desk buddy (purchased from an Orange County craftsman at a fair in Manhattan Beach on Sunday), a ceramic pink elephant bank wearing a tiny blue cowboy hat.

Or, as I like to call him, the Jack "Pistol Packin' Pachyderm" Bauer-phant ...

Anyway, on to business. As related before in this space, in mid-August, I did a set visit to "Heroes," and among the cast members I sat down with was Sylar himself, Zachary Quinto. In another earlier post, I talked about his thoughts on what might happen if the brain-sucking serial killer Sylar were to produce offspring with the electrically charged Elle (Kristen Bell).

But that's not all we talked about.

As a long time "Star Trek" fan -- and a dedicated Spock girl since grade school -- I had to ask about his role as the younger Spock in the upcoming "Trek" prequel, which also stars Chris Pine as James T. Kirk. Due out in May 2009, "Star Trek" is directed by J.J. Abrams and written by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman (the same trio behind Fox's current "Fringe").

Without further ado, Quinto speaks.

On having half an eyebrow and a bad 'do:

"Oh, yeah, those were the unique challenges during shooting the movie, when I had to shave my eyebrows and get my hair cut in that bowl for six months. But I feel like I couldn't ask to be in a better spot, and the work I'm doing is with really talented people, and they inspire me. I'm learning a great deal every step of the way."

On living up to the legacy of Leonard Nimoy as the half-human/half-Vulcan Starfleet officer Spock:

"We're making our own world over there. It's with respect and consideration for what's come before, but I don't feel the onus of having to live up to anybody. I feel like I'm creating my own version of that character in that world. I think all of us are doing that. That was the mandate.

"We weren't trying to recreate anything or live up to anything. We're telling the story with a lot of heart and a lot of respect for how it began, and that's all we can do. Leonard's been very supportive, so I don't have any worries about that.

"Leonard had a really interesting experience coming to Los Angeles. He had an interesting journey. He's an incredible guy. We've become friends, spent time together. I consider that one of the most valuable parts of that experience."

On looking at himself as Spock for the first time:

"It was so surreal. It felt so comfortable, and yet it felt so daunting at the same time. It was a strange duality."

On whether he felt like he'd suddenly woken up at a "Star Trek" convention:

"Yeah, right? Totally. I just went to one last weekend in Las Vegas. It's the biggest one in the country. Leonard and I went to that one. The only ones I've done so far, I've done with Leonard, so it's nice to have that companionship."

On whether he plans to do many more sci-fi conventions:

"I feel like there are a lot of other creative experiences for me based on what I've been able to garner from the show and from the movie, so I look forward to walking those roads before I walk the convention circuit with any regularity.

"A few times a year, maybe -- and mostly I want to enthuse people about the movie, get them excited about it. I actually enjoy going to them now."

On whether he felt restricted playing Spock, whose Vulcan devotion to logic controls his emotions:

"I don't know if that's true. I don't know if his emotional life is any...it's definitely a restrictive feeling sometimes. One is not able to fully express oneself in that world, but that doesn't mean there's any less going on."

On whether playing Spock affected how he went on to play Sylar, who also keeps it very cool:

"I think Sylar's always originated from a place of stillness, and Spock lives there, too, so there's echoes of these two characters in one another. They just happen to exist on very opposite ends of the spectrum."

On the possibility of a "Mirror, Mirror" goatee:

"I'm working on that for the sequel."

Today's cuppa: Birdwing blend coffee

On Friday, I headed over to 20th Century Fox Studios for a screening of the two-hour "24" prequel, called "24: Redemption," which airs on Sunday, Nov. 23 on Fox.

As in the series -- the seventh season of which premieres on Fox in January -- the story is told in real time. Shot in South Africa and Los Angeles, it fleshes out the new season's Africa-based plotline, introduces the incoming president (Cherry Jones) and reveals just how and why Bauer winds up before the U.S. Senate, facing a variety of charges for his activities while repeatedly saving American lives.

Without giving too much away about this terrific movie -- I'll be doing a syndicated feature story to coincide with its premiere -- here's the gist of it (and it won't come as a surprise to "24" fans): Bauer is given, more than once, the choice between self-interest and saving others. Again and again -- not quickly, not easily, not without intense internal struggle -- he opts for the selfless every time.

In the end, one more selfless decision puts him at the tender mercies of elements within the government elected to represent the people Bauer has tried to serve, including a senator who wants Bauer's head.

We'll have to wait until next spring to see how all that turns out.

But one thing is clear to me -- in a TV world full of metrosexuals, nuanced intellectuals, overcapitalized playboys and commitment-phobic arrested adolescents, Jack Bauer is the Last Cowboy.

Seems to me we've never needed one more than right now.

In an entertaining and insightful Web essay called "Cowboys and Secret Agents," published Oct. 3,  Los Angeles-based writer Bill Whittle offered a lively defense of the classic American cowboy.

"You don't evolve past being a cowboy. Being a cowboy is the pinnacle of evolution. Once you're at cowboy, there's nowhere to go but down. Cowboys don't look for fights, but they don't run away from them either. They do what they have to do, when they have to do it. And they usually have to do it alone, because everyone wants Black Bart's gang out of town, but no one wants to walk down the street alongside the sheriff and get shot doing it. "

Of course, the type of cowboy Whittle's referring to could be lifted whole from director Fred Zinneman's 1952 Western, "High Noon," starring Gary Cooper as Kansas Marshal Will Kane, who has just married a Quaker (Grace Kelly) and decided to pack it all in. When a condemed crook (Ian MacDonald) Kane sent to jail -- but who was pardoned on a technicality -- heads to the town to seek revenge, the locals urge Kane to go even faster, for fear his presence will set off a conflict.

But Kane cannot bring himself to abandon his duty and returns, hoping the town will stand with him. Almost no one does -- and even his wife disagrees with him -- and in the end, Kane must stand alone against the gunmen.

Kane ultimately prevails, but disgusted with the cowardice of the townspeople, he leaves after all.

(On an interesting side-note, "High Noon" is almost told in real time.)

In similar moments in "Redemption," the scarred, haunted Bauer, who has steadily traded pieces of his soul and his humanity to protect his nation, friends and loved ones, has the chance to escape with his skin and his freedom. It's clear on his face that there's nothing he wants more. Every atom is his body is screaming at him to leave it all behind, get on that noon train and head out of town (sadly, Grace Kelly is not part of the package).

You already know what he decides.

There are those who thank him, but they are not in the United Nations or sitting as chairman in the Senate committee. Those forces would either leave Bauer to his fate or seek his blood. And because he works in the shadows, Bauer will not even get the thanks of a grateful nation.

(Of course, since he winds up in a Senate hearing room in season seven, maybe that will change. Don't know. We'll see.)

So why does Bauer do it? Obviously, he does it because executive producer Howard Gordon and the "24" writers tell him to. But the reason his choices resonate is because there's something in the American psyche that knows that evil cannot be allowed to stand, that avoiding suffering is not always a virtue, that one man can make a difference, and that in the end, it doesn't matter who besides yourself knows what you've done or who gets the ultimate credit.

Jack Bauer stands alone, but in doing so, he just may stand for the best -- and the cowboy -- in all of us.

UPDATE: Click here for newer post on "24: Redemption," with link to my syndicated feature story.

Today's cuppa: more Darjeeling tea

"Numb3rs" launches it fifth season on CBS on Friday, and I had a great chat yesterday with star David Krumholtz, who reveals that Charlie has a whole new, more grown-up look this year and a new foe, FBI Agent Carl McGowan (Keith Carradine), who stands in the way of Charlie restoring his government security clearance.

Click here to see the story as posted in Zap2it's "From Inside the Box" blog.

UPDATE: Papers love the "Numb3rs"!

The story popped up on Catholic Online, The Stamford (CT) Times, Arizona's AZCentral, The Press of Atlantic City (NJ), Georgia's Macon.com, LoHud.com, of the Westchester (NY) Journal News and the Buffalo (NY) News.

Today's cuppa: Darjeeling tea

To date, Richard Belzer has played the character of Detective John Munch on "Homicide: Life on the Street," "The X-Files," "Homicide: The Movie," "Law & Order," "The Beat," "Law & Order: Trial by Jury," "Arrested Development," "Sesame Street," "The Wire" and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," spanning NBC, Fox, UPN, PBS and HBO.

It's a record that's probably going to stand for a long time in the annals of TV history. But what has Belzer NOT done that actor Jay Karnes HAS done?

"That's the thing," says Karnes, "Belzer doesn't even know I'm on his tail."

Karnes has played the same character on a second show in which the character's name was never mentioned in spoken dialogue.

He played his character from FX's "The Shield," Detective Holland "Dutch" Wagenbach (right), on last season's finale of CBS' "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," as "I.A. Officer Wagenbach." The name was on the script and in the closed captioning.

"It was an interesting experience," Karnes says, "because it was the same sh---y brown suit, same hair, the same loosened tie, same wry sensibility and the same kind of attack on the character, but completely different group of people.

Karnes is playing two different law-enforcement officers on the same network on two different shows airing on consecutive nights.

Karnes is still playing Dutch Tuesdays on the final season of "The Shield," but now he's also ATF Agent Kohn on FX's "Sons of Anarchy," airing Wednesday. But he looks a bit different there (left).

"In fact," says Karnes, "This guy is nothing like Wagenbach at all. With Dutch Wagenbach, there was always some ambiguity. Everybody had an opinion. Some people thought, 'Well, he's a doofus,' and some people thought, 'He's the best cop on the show.' There was always that dichotomy, and both of those opinions were supportable.

"When people would tell me their opinions on (Kohn), people universally think this guy is not a very nice person. I don't want to hear that, because I'm not playing that. He's not aware of it."

Although Kohn is ATF, and the ATF is interested in activities of the gun-running outlaw motorcycle gang at the heart of "Sons of Anarchy" (the creation of former "The Shield" writer Kurt Sutter), Kohn's particular interest is more personal than professional.

He's the ex-boyfriend of Tara (Maggie Siff), a pediatrician in the hospital near the gang's hometown of Charming, Calif. Tonight's episode, "Giving Back" -- which was filming in Tujunga, Calif. (click here for the original post) when I talked to Karnes -- is the third featuring Kohn, who continues through episode nine. According to Karnes, there are big moments to come.

"Everything he's done so far has been fairly charming," Karnes says, "but in this next episode, you begin to see, 'Oh, there's a darkness there.' The only thing that's tipped it to so far is that every time he speaks to Tara, she's really freaked out about it, far more freaked out than anything he's doing would seem to justify.

"So you get the feeling that, 'Oh, there's much more going on there than meets the eye.' It turns out he has a very controlling dark side, and we're going to see a little more of that."

Back on "The Shield," Wagenbach often worked as a criminal profiler, fascinated by serial killers (and he's caught some). But that fascination went a bit over the top a few seasons ago when Wagenbach strangled a stray kitten to see what it felt like to kill.

Asked if he's been allowed near any immature felines on "Sons of Anarchy," Karnes says, "You just won't let it go, will you? It's just something that I can't disarm in any way. I try to get ahead of it. I mentioned it earlier in the conversation, which I hoped would work, but it doesn't happen. You will always bring that up.

"Kurt didn't say this to me, but one of 'The Shield' writers said to me that Kurt always wanted to take Dutch to a much darker place than he went to with the cat. I ultimately felt that it was more interesting that he went to this place and came back.

"He scared himself, became ashamed of himself, and then he, in a sense, recovered from that, as much as you ever can. You do something like that, you're going to be ashamed of it for the rest of your life."