Brian Donovan

The Emmys have a problem. Well actually, they have a bunch of problems: long, boring, out of touch with what people are actually watching…but none of that is new. The TV awards’ most recent problem is cable – and more specifically, everything on cable being too damn good. Let me explain…

American Idol’s ratings were already dipping last season, and it’s gonna get a lot worse if they replace Simon and Ellen with stunt-casted celebri-blands like J.Lo and Steven Tyler. If producers want to revitalize the show and make it truly interesting, they need unpredictable, they need edge.

You mean to tell me that Tareq Salahi –– the husband in the famous White House crashing couple –– is actually the captain of the US Polo Team? Yeah right. Either you made up the team or you made up the title, I’m not giving you both. I saw him play polo –– badly –– and it was in a dirty field with 20 people watching. Does that strike you as terribly “Real”?

Eat, Pray, Love is a pop culture phenomenon. It was #1 on the New York Times bestseller list for 57 weeks, so now, of course, it’s a movie. The film has three things that will kill with women: the beloved book; Julia Roberts; and the creator of Glee, Ryan Murphy, coming on to direct. But if it’s gonna make the big money and become a Hollywood smash, it’s going to have to play to men as well.