Super Size Free

Morgan Spurlock strikes again!

Less than a month ago, when NBC announced plans to revive their old sweeps strategy of inflating sit-com running times, their press release billed it as a "SUPER-SIZED COMEDY NIGHT." However, now, their online banner ads refer to the episodes as "extra long," "expanded" and "extended" - pretty much everything short of that gluttonous phrase once so popular at McDonald's until they coincidentally eliminated it just after Spurlock's Super Size Me debuted at Sundance (though this move had "'nothing to do with that (film) whatsoever.'").


I'll leave the phallic double-entendres to Will & Grace for one more week

And on NBC's website, the Super Size extra long episodes of Will & Grace, My Name is Earl and The Office are again referred to as either "Special Extended Episode" or "Special Extended Season Finale."



Oh, I'm on to you, NBC. You can call it whatever you want... I still know that each episode is one-third more fattening than your average portion!

The More You Know

I know I love you, Pam

How great were those in-character The Office PSAs NBC ran last night? I'm kind of shocked (and impressed) NBC actually put them on the air at the risk of dilluting their 17-year-old, Emmy Award-winning "The More You Know" campaign and confusing viewers.

In fact, I'll admit that when I first saw the Timothy Treadwell-esque Dwight spot, I thought for about two seconds it might be real. Yes, I'm gullible.


"We need Rainn! Downy is hungry, Tabitha is hungry!
Melissa is eating her babies!"

Anyway, check them all out. And prepare to learn a lot about CDW.


It's like, you know...

Also, just because I can't remember the last time TV made me laugh out loud this hard, I present the following quote from Kelly (delivered perfectly by Mindy Kaling):

I never really thought about death until Princess Diana died. That was the saddest funeral ever...

That and my sister's.

Will & Restraint

I'd like to nominate Will & Grace for a special Emmy for doing an entire episode about a gay cowboy bar without a single reference to Brokeback Mountain (not even a "Just Jack? Just Jack Nasty!"). Pretty impressive.

Also impressive - NBC apparently ran something of a Shohreh Aghdashloo theme night, featuring the brilliant actress on both Will & Grace and ER. Sadly, I didn't learn of her stint in the ER until it was too late, and I'm afraid she's not quite as adept at comedy as she is at heart-breaking drama (to be fair, it wasn't the best written special guest role ever on the show), but still... bravo, NBC.

Now if only 24 could stop killing characters off long enough to bring Dina Araz back from the dead.

Predictable

Okay boys and girls, time for another Pop Culture Petri Dish challenge! As always, you're competing for The Official Pop Culture Petri Dish Gold Star, a modeling contract with top management company Ford Models and a photo spread in Elle Girl magazine shot by renowned fashion photographer Gilles Bensimon (just wanted to see if you were paying attention -- actually, you just get the Star).

In honor of tonight's very special "All-New NBC Music Event" honoring Ray CharlesJamie Foxx, Jamie Foxx: Unpredictable, I want you to predict:

A) How many minutes into the show Jamie Foxx will first reference Ray Charles...

and

B) How many times Ray Charles is mentioned by name (this includes "Ray Charles," "Ray," "Charles," "Mr. Charles," "Brother Ray," "Ray Charles Robinson," "Ray Robinson" "Mr. Robinson" or anything similar).

Bonus: How many times will Jamie Foxx speak/sing as though he IS Ray Charles?

Post all predictions in the Comments section. I'll attempt to tabulate the results, if I can make it through the entire hour.

Must See Conspiracy?

Am I being paranoid or should we read something into the fact that the date "June 10" was mentioned prominently, back-to-back, on both My Name is Earl and The Office tonight (on the former, it was a date of birth, on the latter it was a wedding date)?

What do you have planned for June 10, NBC? Is it a good surprise or a run-for-cover surprise?

Poduct Placement

Was it coincidence or savy synergy that the new video iPod was featured so prominently (as the best Secret Santa gift ever) on The Office yesterday... the very same day NBC announced it would be offering, among other series, The Office for download on iTunes?

Somebody's Got a Case of the Sednesdays :(

The West Wing's live episode went off without a hitch. Its website... not so much.

Sed Bartlet

Apparently NBC is moving the show yet again, hoping to make Sednesdays their new night of Must See TV. Can't be any worse for them than Thursdays.