DEATH OF SUPERMAN'S SUPERWOMAN AND THE LATEST ON THE IDITAROD

Good evening. The aftermath of Sunday's Oscars was short-lived, as Hollywood returned to normal today by waking up to the news of the death of Dana Reeve. The widow of Christopher Reeve passed away late Monday night at the age of 44 from lung cancer.

Reeve was diagnosed with the disease last summer, though she has never smoked. Dana has been right at Chris' side from when he was paralyzed in 1995 till his death in October 2004. Her last public appearance was just several weeks ago singing at a retirement celebration for hockey star Mark Messier.

Lung cancer deaths among non-smokers is uncommon and at a small percentage; according to "Inside Edition", the two main causes are secondhand smoke and radon. We're not sure how Reeve got the disease, but I'm sure it was probably secondhand smoke.

With Dana about to join her husband in heaven, her son will have to carry the burden. And the Reeve legacy will continue on with him.

Now, as promised...on to The Last Great Race, the Iditarod. For the 34th time, it's 83 of the best mushers from all over the world -- actually, it's 80 now; we've got the first three scratches -- versus 1,150 miles of the most treacherous terrain that even the "Brokeback Mountain" cowboys can't handle, as they face frozen rivers, frigid weather, and whatever else comes their way.

With defending champion Robert Sorlie not running and climates getting warmer, this year's race may be less challenging than previous years. And with a nice check of $69,000 and the keys to a new Dodge truck awaiting who crosses under the famed burled arch in Nome first, this is definitely one amazing race worth keeping an eye on...well, minus the fast forwards, road blocks, detours, and yields from that other "Amazing Race."

As to who's leading right now? It's Doug Swingley, on the hunt for a record-tying fifth win; he left Nikolai at 7:09 pm Alaska Time, followed by Jeff King (6:15 pm), Ally Zirkle (6:45 pm), and just moments ago at 9:15, Hugh Neff. Lori Townsend, Sandy McKee, and Gary Paulsen are the first three out of the race.

Of course, you can follow the race from checkpoint to checkpoint by heading to Iditarod.com; they now have the Iditarod Insiders site for deeper coverage with daily video reports from the trail. But the catch is this: You're gonna have to fork over $19.95 (annual individual price) for all this; the stuff's ain't for free, pal! Well, unless you feel like paying up, stick with the main site.

Anyway, we'll see what happens from now till who reaches Front Street in Nome first. Will Swingley hold onto his lead, or will somebody be like when "Crash" took the Best Picture Oscar and score the biggest upset in Iditarod history? Find out in the next several days, and good night.

'"CRASH"ING THE GAY COWBOYS' PARTY AT THE OSCARS

Before I get to my annual Oscar recap, some sad news: We've learned that baseball Hall of Famer Kirby Puckett, who led the Minnesota Twins to Game 7 of the 1991 World Series and later ending up winning the title for his team, died tonight at the age of 44 from suffering a stroke and undergoing neosurgery.

Well...I dunno about you, but while I was watching -- and taping -- the 78th Annual Academy Awards on my TV (which was tape delayed here in Alaska while it was live in the Lower 48), I usually spoil myself with the E! post-show on another TV. And lo and behold, when I looked at who took Best Picture, I was in shock and awe mode.

Yes, instead of the heavily favored -- and lampooned -- "Brokeback Mountain", the 3 hour, 33 minute ceremony on Sunday ended with quite possibly the upset of all Oscar upsets as "Crash" claimed that prize along with two others for Original Screenplay and Film Editing. "Brokeback" also took three honors for Director (Ang Lee), Adapted Screenplay, and Original Score.

On the acting side, it was a huge night for two major favorites: George Clooney copping Supporting Actor for "Syriana" and Reese Witherspoon, Lead Actress for "Walk The Line." Oh yeah, Philip Seymour Hoffman got Lead Actor ("Capote") while Supporting Actress went to a pregnant Rachel Weisz ("The Constant Gardener").

By the way...I was sure glad I changed my Best Picture pick from "Brokeback Mountain" to "Crash", because after five tries...I FINALLY GOT ALL SIX PICKS RIGHT FOR THE FIRST TIME!!!!!!!!!

As expected, "March of the Penguins" received Documentary Feature, while Original Song went to..."It's Hard Out Here for a Pimp?" This is the second time the Academy gave that award to a rap song; the first was Eminem's "Lose Yourself" three years ago.

But it was not a good night for sound mixer Kevin O'Connell. His 18th chance at bringing Oscar home for "Memoirs of a Geisha" wasn't to be; he lost to "King Kong." But both films walked out of the Kodak Theater with three statuettes along with "Brokeback" and "Crash." Guess the old "Schoolhouse Rock" song said it best: Three was a magic number.

However, as far as the ratings were concerned despite host Jon Stewart and producer Gil Cates and orchestra conductor Bill Conti trying to keep things under control, 30 million -- the number of people who tuned in for all this -- wasn't all that magical. Viewership was down 10% from last year when Chris Rock hosted.

Despite that, the best moments belonged to the fake attack ads for the nominees, as well as Will Ferrell and Steve Carell presenting the Makeup award with...well, makeup on their faces.

But before the stars took their seats, they've got a lot of press to meet...and a lot of posing for them. Dazzling Brit Keira Knightley may have lost to Witherspoon, but she was already a winner in her one-shouldered, purple-hued Vera Wang number. Charlize Theron was amazing in her Christian Dior, while Jennifer Lopez glammed in green. Jessica Alba looked like Oscar herself thanks to her gold-colored gown by Versace, and Jennifer Garner's Michael Kors almost had her causing a near slip-up when she went onstage. Unfortunately, Dolly Parton and Helena Bonham Carter were more like misses than hits; did Carter's hair dresser stop halfway or something?

So...what next now? For George Clooney, he has come a long way since his first television stints on "The Facts of Life" and "E/R" with Elliott Gould in the mid-'80s before the "ER" we know made him a household name and a worldwide sex symbol, with "Sexiest Man Alive 1997" and "Sexiest Man of 2001" titles. The next film we'll be seeing with "Academy Award Winner" below his name will be "Ocean's Thirteen", reuniting him with Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts.

Reese Witherspoon, on the other hand, after short but sweet roles in "Election", "Twilight" (alongside Paul Newman), "Pleasantville", and "Cruel Intentions" (where she would co-star with future husband Ryan Phillippe), knew that something big and better were coming her way thanks to "Legally Blonde", which made her millions. And now, the Southerner with what we thought to be $29 million added to her huge bank account but reports were later denied is now the belle of Hollywood's ball. Even though she won't be the highest-paid actress ever, her next film will eventually lure new fans to the slowly deserted theaters...given the theme to this year's awards was "Let's Go to the Movies."

The 78th Annual Academy Awards was quite a night of surprises aplenty. But in the end, it was one film that "Crash"-ed "Brokeback Mountain's" party.

Tomorrow, we segue from the end of Oscar's Amazing Race to Alaska's Amazing Race that's already underway: The Iditarod. Good night!

Well, considering that no one cares about Animated Feature and Foreign Language Film, I'm going to bypass those and head straight to the conclusion of "Oscar Countdown Week" with Best Picture and my predictions.

Best Picture
(Producers' names are in parentheses)

"Brokeback Mountain" (Diana Ossana and James Schamus): Two young cowboys in the 1960s develop a strong bond that turns to love over the course of a summer in the Wyoming mountains. As they share herding duties in an isolated setting, Ennis and Jack find themselves drawn into a relationship--made impossible by the time and circumstances in which they live--that will color the rest of their lives.

"Capote" (Caroline Baron, William Vince and Michael Ohoven): When the murder of a family in Kansas captures the interest of celebrated writer Truman Capote, he travels to their small hometown to research what will become his best-known book. As the details of the crime unfold and the two killers are captured and tried, Capote's involvement with the case becomes both morally ambivalent and deeply personal.

"Crash" (Paul Haggis and Cathy Schulman): The lives of a diverse group of people living in Los Angeles connect and clash over the course of two days. As a series of events unfolds that will heighten already-existing racial and cultural tensions, individuals are brought face to face with complexities that their prejudices have prevented them from seeing.

"Good Night, And Good Luck." (Grant Heslov): In the paranoia-ridden 1950s, Senator Joseph McCarthy pursues a grandstanding witch hunt for suspected Communists that destroys the lives of those he accuses. Appalled by the resulting climate of persecution and fear, veteran CBS reporter Edward R. Murrow and his producer, Fred Friendly, decide to confront McCarthy with an investigation into his tactics.

"Munich" (Kathleen Kennedy, Steven Spielberg and Barry Mendel): In the aftermath of the tragic slaying of eleven Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich Olympics, a secret band of highly trained agents is formed to track down and kill the men responsible for the murders. As their mission unfolds, its repercussions begin to take a psychic toll on Avner, the group's leader.

My Predictions
We've now come to the biggest question of all: Who will walk out of the Kodak Theater with Oscar gold on Sunday? To recap how I did last time in 2004 when the last of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy swept the night, I was right on everybody but Supporting Actor.

Supporting Actor: George Clooney
Supporting Actress: Rachel Weisz or Catherine Keener
Actor: Philip Seymour Hoffman (no contest)
Actress: With South Africa's Charlize Theron and Brits Judi Dench and Keira Knightley all sitting this one out, this will be an all-American battle between one of the "Desperate Housewives" (Felicity Huffman) against the now $29 million woman (Reese Witherspoon). Many "Housewives" fans are rooting for Huffman while the rest of us are favoring for Witherspoon. So, unless there is a tie and that she has come a long way from "Cruel Intentions" and the two "Legally Blonde" films that made her millions...I should say that it'll be The $29 Million Woman, aka Reese Witherspoon, when the smoke clears.
Director: Ang Lee
Best Picture: Just like most of you, I'm getting tired of all those "Brokeback Mountain" jokes and parodies myself. Fedullo and I brought up my picks today and I told him that "Brokeback" will take the big prize. But since this is the Academy Awards, upsets do sometimes happen, so I will not stick with my original pick. In the end, we could be seeing party, uh, "Crash"ers on the stage instead of the gay cowboys. Then again, I could be wrong.

We'll see how I fare on Sunday. And Monday, I'll have my complete take on all this as only I can. Have a good weekend.

PRESIDENT TRUMP: COULD IT HAPPEN? PLUS DAY THREE OF "OSCAR COUNTDOWN WEEK"

Good evening. Now, for years on the newsgroups I've been bashing and bantering about the various entertainment news shows pilferating the airwaves and that I've done a special commentary -- "Safe Route, Sleazy Route" -- about them. Of all those on the air, the best and most serious one of the bunch has to be "Showbiz Tonight" on CNN Headline News live at 3:00 here in Alaska (7:00 on the East Coast). The reason why they're better than "Entertainment Tonight" (a show I still watch occasionally after 20-odd years), "Access Hollywood" (a show I can't stand because of lots of graphics and Billy Bush) and others is for good reason: They actually report on entertainment NEWS, not gossip like the latest on Brad and Angelina!

One such example was their lead story on tonight's show. It may be two years away, but the New York State Independence Party wants Donald Trump -- yes, Donald Trump -- to make the move from Trump Towers to the White House! That's right; a website has been put up by the party to help draft Trump so that he could be hired for the top job of all top jobs: President of the United States.

In 2000, Trump seriously considered running for President under the Reform Party -- the same one that had Ross Perot as their candidate in 1992 and 1996. But now, with the Bush Administration continuing to seep into trouble and the Democrats still working on a master plan to take back Capitol Hill in November's mid-terms, the time could be right for a major change in Washington, and The Donald could be leading the charge.

But...could it really happen? Sure, he's sold more real estate than any realtor in the world (especially the lady who sold us our house); his "Apprentice" is now in its fifth season; he's got a hot daughter (Ivanka) and wife (Melania)...but could it mean a change of tune from "For the Love of Money" (The Apprentice's theme song) to "Hail To the Chief" come 2008? I don't know, but look what happened to Arnold Schwarzenegger when California elected him as their next Governor in 2003.

If Trump does happen to make the official word that he's running for the most powerful CEO in the world, then you know it'll be front page news. And the voters at the polls could be sending a huge message to the Republicans: "You're fired!"

Now, before we head to day three of my Oscar Countdown Week, you probably know that Best Actress nominee Reese Witherspoon, win or lose on Sunday, will be getting a huge paycheck: $29 million for "Our Family Trouble", eclipsing Julia Roberts as the highest-paid actress of all time by $4 million when Roberts got $25 million for her Oscar-winning role as "Erin Brockvich." And if she happens to win on Sunday, it could mean fatter paychecks...not to mention a possible cover spot on People's "50 Most Beautiful People" issue this spring. We'll see what happens; and with that said, on to...

Tonight, the Directing and Screenplay nominees:

Directing
(Directors' names are in parentheses)

"Brokeback Mountain" (Ang Lee)
"Capote" (Bennett Miller)
"Crash" (Paul Haggis)
"Good Night, And Good Luck." (George Clooney)
"Munich" (Steven Speilberg; he got that very same honor for "Schindler's List" and "Saving Private Ryan" in 1994 and 1999 respectively)

Adapted Screenplay

"Brokeback Mountain" (Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana)
"Capote" (Dan Futterman)
"The Constant Gardener" (Jeffrey Caine): A British diplomat in Africa is drawn into a dark world of corruption and danger following his wife's murder. The mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of activist Tessa Quayle and the crime's possible ties to the international pharmaceutical market spur her grief-stricken husband Justin to search for answers that may put his own life at risk.
"A History of Violence" (Josh Olson): Tom and Edie Stall and their two children are living a quiet and seemingly ordinary small-town life when an encounter with two violent criminals disrupts their world. The quick-thinking ease with which Tom dispatches the pair leads to admiring news stories...and the arrival in town of the menacing Carl Fogarty, who insists that Tom is not what he seems.
"Munich" (Tony Kushner and Eric Roth)

Original Screenplay

"Crash" (Paul Haggis and Bobby Moresco (Screenplay); Paul Haggis (Story))
"Good Night, And Good Luck." (George Clooney and Grant Heslov)
"Match Point" (Woody Allen; his 21st nomination with three wins): When tennis pro Chris Wilton is befriended by the wealthy Tom Hewett, he finds himself drawn into the circle of Tom's family and friends and is soon engaged to Tom's sister, Chloe. His seemingly assured future is jeopardized, however, by his attraction to Tom's fiancée, aspiring actress Nola Rice.
"The Squid and The Whale" (Noah Baumbach): When writers Bernard and Joan Berkman enter into an acrimonious divorce, the emotional lives of their two sons suffer. Fourteen-year-old Walt sides with the father he adores, failing to see the self-centered pomposity that has alienated Joan, while their younger son, Frank, begins acting out at school as he becomes increasingly lost within his new, fractured family life.
"Syriana" (Stephen Gaghan, won Adapted Screenplay for "Traffic"): A CIA agent, an Arab prince, a Texas oil man, and a corporate attorney are among those caught up in a web of international conspiracies that reaches from Washington to the oil fields of the Middle East. As powerful oil interests and corrupt governments jockey for power and wealth, the lives of those who stand in their way are placed in jeopardy.

That's all from me tonight; tomorrow, Animated Feature and Foreign Language Film as Oscar Countdown Week continues. Good night!

Good evening. We continue "Oscar Countdown Week" with the Lead Acting nominees. Everybody in Best Actor are one-timers, while in Best Actress...well, it may be a "Desperate Housewife" vs. a "Legally Blonde" beauty in a battle to the death (unless there's a tie), but we've got two past winners and another newcomer hoping to put a stop and score the biggest upset in Oscar history. Here are the fields:

Best Actor

Philip Seymour Hoffman, "Capote": Philip Seymour Hoffman portrays author Truman Capote in the years leading up to the writing of his best-known book, "In Cold Blood."

Heath Ledger, "Brokeback Mountain": As Ennis Del Mar, Heath Ledger portrays a cowboy in the 1960s whose love for another man has a profound effect on his life.

Terrence Howard, "Hustle & Flow": As DJay, Terrence Howard portrays a drug dealer and pimp seeking a way out of his violent life through music.

Joaquin Phoenix, "Walk The Line": Joaquin Phoenix portrays country western singer Johnny Cash, who overcame drug use and personal struggles in the course of his legendary career.

David Straihaim, "Good Night, and Good Luck.": David Strathairn plays Edward R. Murrow, the revered television journalist who launched an investigation into the witch-hunting tactics of Senator Joseph McCarthy.

Best Actress

Judi Dench, "Mrs. Henderson Presents": Judi Dench portrays Laura Henderson, a widow who breaks with convention when she purchases a vaudeville theater and begins staging risqué revues. Synposis: Following her husband's death in 1937, Laura Henderson resolves to break free from her placid life by embarking on a career as a theater owner. With the help of veteran manager Vivian Van Damm, she astonishes staid London society by opening a vaudeville house.



Felicity Huffman, "Transamerica": Felicity Huffman plays Bree, a pre-operative transsexual who embarks on a cross-country road trip with her troubled teenage son.



Keira Knightley, "Pride and Prejudice": As Elizabeth Bennet, Keira Knightley plays a young woman whose lively, intelligent manner captivates the wealthy Mr. Darcy despite her lack of prominent family connections. Synposis: When Elizabeth Bennet meets the wealthy and eligible Mr. Darcy, she is at first put off by his proud manner and his disdain for the ill-judged behavior of her mother and younger sisters. The growing attraction between them, however, will cause both Elizabeth and Darcy to reassess their initial impressions as they discover each other's true character.



Charlize Theron, "North Country": Charlize Theron plays Josey Aimes, a single mother who is subjected to humiliating sexual harassment after she takes a job at a coal mine. Synposis: When Josey Aimes leaves her abusive boyfriend and returns to her home town, she seeks work at the mining company where her father has long been employed. As one of the few women working for the company, Josey finds herself the object of continual, degrading sexual harassment. Theron won that very same award two years ago for "Monster."



Reese Witherspoon, "Walk The Line": Reese Witherspoon plays country singer June Carter, whose strength and compassion guide her through the early days of her relationship with Johnny Cash. Synposis: The career of legendary country singer Johnny Cash is chronicled in this musical biography. Following a difficult early life, Cash establishes himself as a rising star in the country music world and falls in love with singer June Carter. Both are married, however, and Cash is struggling with serious personal difficulties.

Tomorrow as "Oscar Countdown Week" continues...Director and Screenplay nominees.

FROM OLYMPIC GOLD TO OSCAR GOLD

After two weeks, another Olympic Winter Games for the 20th time has come and gone. Sweden ousted Finland 3-2 to take the men's hockey gold, while Apolo Anton Ohno took gold and bronze in the men's 500-meter and 5000-meter short track speed skating relay respectively. And Bode Miller? Well, he leaves Turin with NOTHING! No medals whatsoever! I guess all this hype about him leading up to the games bit him in the ass.

I think in the end, Miller has become the New Coke (or Edsel or XFL) of the Olympics. I wouldn't be surprised if the next time we see him will be on "Hollywood Squares" as the next Paul Lynde.

Germany takes the most medals out of these games with 29 (11 of them gold), followed by the United States (25; tying Austria with nine golds), Canada (24), Austria (23), and Russia (22). The stage is now set for the 21st Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver in 2010, meaning it could be Advantage: Canada as far as taking the most medals are concerned.

But I guess the real ratings winner -- at least here in Fairbanks -- has to be Bill St. Pierre at Tanana Valley Television. His KFXF Fox 7 and KXD CBS 13 with powerhouses "American Idol", "Survivor", "House", and "CSI" have literally taken a chunk of KTVF's audience these last two weeks, though the final February numbers may say otherwise.

The Olympics may be over, but there's one more piece of gold yet to be handed out: Oscar gold! Next Sunday is the 78th Annual Academy Awards, and as I've been doing on the old "Allen Report" site from 2000 to 2004, all this week I get you ready for entertainment's night of nights with a look at who's up for Hollywood's biggest prize in:

(Please ignore the "NewsBeat" on the top; this came straight out of the graphics archives. As always, film synposes and role information courtesy of Oscar.com)

Supporting Actor

George Clooney, "Syriana": As Bob Barnes, George Clooney portrays a CIA agent who finds himself at the center of a conspiracy to guarantee U.S. access to foreign oil.

Matt Dillon, "Crash": Matt Dillon portrays Ryan, a racist cop whose humiliation of an African-American couple will come back to haunt him during an unexpected encounter.

Paul Giamatti, "Cinderella Man": As Joe Gould, Paul Giamatti plays a boxing manager who works with a down-on-his-luck fighter struggling to make a comeback. Film synopsis: Based on the life of boxer James Braddock, this Depression-era drama follows Braddock's fortunes as his promising career and early successes give way to hard times and despair. As he struggles to provide for his wife and children, Braddock embarks on a comeback in the ring under the guidance of his manager, Joe Gould. Giamatti's nomination is the film's only major one after being snubbed for Best Picture and Actor (Russell Crowe).

Jake Gyllenhaal, "Brokeback Mountain": Jake Gyllenhaal plays Jack Twist, a cowboy who falls in love with another man over the course of a summer in the Wyoming mountains.

William Hurt, "A History of Violence": As Richie Cusack, William Hurt portrays a brutal mobster who finds the man who disappeared after betraying him years earlier. A three-time Best Actor nominee in the 1980's (he won in 1985 for "Kiss of the Spider Woman"), this is his fourth nomination.

Supporting Actress

Amy Adams, "Junebug": Amy Adams plays Ashley, an open-hearted girl from a small town who is entranced by her sophisticated new sister-in-law. Film synposis: Six months after her impulsive marriage, Chicago-based art dealer Madeleine has yet to meet her husband's family. A dual-purpose visit to their North Carolina town--Madeleine hopes to sign a contract with an artist living nearby--leads to an uneasy stay with her new in-laws, whose small-town manners are worlds apart from Madeleine's more sophisticated lifestyle.

Catherine Keener, "Capote": Catherine Keener plays writer Harper Lee, who accompanies her childhood friend, Truman Capote, to Kansas as he prepares to write about a terrible crime. A first-timer, she was last seen in a much more light-hearted fare, Steve Carell's "The 40-Year Old Virgin."



Frances McDormand, "North Country": As Glory, Frances McDormand plays a coal mine employee who must battle both sexual harassment and a crippling illness. Her fourth nomination; her only win was for Best Actress in "Fargo."

Rachel Weisz, "The Constant Gardener": As Tessa Quayle, Rachel Weisz portrays a passionate activist whose investigation into the dealings of an international pharmaceutical company leads to her murder.

Michelle Williams, "Brokeback Mountain": Michelle Williams plays Alma, a cowboy's young wife who learns that her husband's heart belongs to another man. Her co-star and fiance Heath Ledger is up for Best Actor...

And we'll have him and the other Lead Acting nominees as (not "NewsBeat's") Oscar Countdown Week continues. Good night!

THRILL OF VICTORY FOR ROSEY FLETCHER (sort of); AGONY OF DEFEAT FOR SASHA COHEN

Good evening. Well, finally, an Alaskan did medal at the Winter Olympics in Turin today. More on that in a bit, but first...

What started out to be the night for Sasha Cohen hoping to get the figure skating gold medal turned into disaster. In the women's free skate today, she and Russia's Irina Slutskaya all fell down during their make-it-or-break-it showings, clearing the way for 24-year-old Shizuka Arakawa from Japan to come from behind and grab the gold in the end; this was her country's first medal since Midori Ito's silver in 1992. Cohen and Slutskaya settled for silver and bronze respectively while Emily Hughes couldn't match big sister Sarah's success in Salt Lake City four years ago; she ended up in seventh place.

I was hoping for Cohen to pick up where Michelle Kwan left off after she dropped out of these games, but just like Kwan in 2002, one fall did cost it all...well, at least for now. This was her first Olympics, so the next time she'll try to take a stab at that gold will be in 2010 in Vancouver, when the games return to North America. Emily Hughes will be waiting in the wings as well.

Meanwhile, an Alaskan finally stands on the medal podium as Rosey Fletcher of Girdwood gets a bronze in women's parallel giant slalom snowboarding, becoming the first U.S. woman to medal in that discipline. Fletcher is now the fifth Alaskan Olympic medalist, joining Kris Thorsness (Los Angeles 1984), Hilary Lindh (Albertville 1992), two-timer Tommy Moe (Lillehammer 1994), and most recently, former University of Alaska Fairbanks student Matt Emmons at Athens. Switzerland's Daniela Meuli claimed gold with Germany's Ameile Kober following her up with silver.

It was about time an Alaskan medaled in Turin as our athletes there performed poorly, fueled by Jay Hakkinen's dissapointing 80th place showing in the men's biathlon last week (Anchorage's Kikkan Randall did way, way better than him; she came in ninth in the women's ski sprint) as well as Scott Gomez and his U.S. men's hockey team eliminated in the quarterfinals along with Canada on Wednesday.

By the way...given the 10-hour time difference between Turin and Alaska and knowing that I love spoiling myself when it comes to results from the games...not to mention ratings for NBC's coverage being down the shitter (I wish I knew somebody in this area with a Canadian satellite dish so they can enjoy the 100% LIVE, crap-free coverage from CBC), I got the news on the figure skating from my cell phone.

Anyway, the 20th Olympic Winter Games will all come to an end on Sunday, meaning NBC afterwards will return to its fourth place standing and here, "Friends" and "Frasier" reruns will be back to their regular times at the 7:00 pm hour following the news. But in the end, it'll be the viewers grabbing gold ourselves -- by tuning out these games! Good night.

CHENEY'S GOT A GUN, AND AN ALASKAN FALTERS IN TURIN

Lots of ground to cover, so on with it!

First up...I'm sure many of you have dusted off your old Nintendo Entertainment Systems and relived your childhood by playing "Duck Hunt" again. Yes, as we already know by now, Vice President Dick Cheney opened some "friendly fire" on Texas lawyer Harry Whittington during a quail hunting jaunt over the weekend. As a result, Whittington suffered a minor heart attack

And with the Winter Olympics still going on in Turin (which I'll get to in a bit), the late nighters went for the comedy gold on that one. All of them...except Conan O'Brien, who has yet to crack a joke or two on this while he's in Finland (he's there because his show is preempted for the Olympics; so is "Saturday Night Live", who'll have to wait till March 4 to play catch-up

Whittington is the first person to be shot by a sitting Vice President since Alexander Hamilton when Aaron Burr dueled him to the death in 1804. Who knew that over 200 years later we would have that similar fate...only this time, it's not that fatal!

To comment, it looks we've finally found some weapons of mass destruction...and it's Dick Cheney packing heat!

Now, the 20th Olympic Winter Games in Turin, Italy; and with Michelle Kwan out, it looks like it'll be Emily Hughes and Sasha Cohen in a duel for the gold.

As for our Alaskan athletes are concerned? Jay Hakkinen of Kasilof fell to 80th place in the 10-kilometer biathlon, while Anchorage's Kikkan Randall and teammate Wendy Wagner advanced to the women's cross-country skiing finals for the first time ever.

Meanwhile, Australia gets their first gold in the games thanks to Dale Begg-Smith in the moguls; American Toby Dawson took bronze. In speed skating, China's Meng Wang took gold in the women's 500-meter. And on the men's hockey side, the U.S. survived a 3-3 tie against Latvia while Canada ousted Italy 7-2.

In the medals count, the United States take the most golds so far with five, followed by Russia and Germany with four apiece. Norway still leads overall with 11 (one gold, five silvers, five bronzes), followed by Russia at nine and the U.S. and Germany both at eight, while Canada and host country Italy have four.

Before I go, an early notice: The next major event after these games is of course the 78th Annual Academy Awards on March 5; and as most of you who used to visit my old site know, I get you ready a week prior with a look at the main categories.

From February 27-March 3, I'll be doing it again with my "Oscar Preview Week." Here's a rundown of what will be covered:

February 27: Supporting Acting Nominees

February 28: Lead Acting Nominees

March 1: Screenplay/Director

March 2: Animated Feature/Foreign Language Film

March 3: Best Picture/My Predictions

That's another inheritance from the "Allen Report", Oscar Preview Week, February 27-March 3.

With that out of the way...see you next time!

BREAKING NEWS: IT'S OVER FOR MICHELLE KWAN

We've just received word that Michelle Kwan's third and final attempt at a gold medal in Turin has come to an end.

Kwan has announced early Sunday morning that due to a groin injury she suffered on Saturday, she has withdrew from the Winter Olympics and therefore ending her chances at a gold medal after her silver and bronze victories in 1998 and 2002 respectively. Emily Hughes, younger sister of 2002 gold medalist Sarah Hughes, is expected to take her place.

Meanwhile, the U.S. and Canada get their first golds in the games; Texas' Chad Henrick was dominant in the 5,000 meter speed skating, while Jennifer Heil of Alberta copped the women's moguls gold. And both countries' women's hockey teams started out strong in huge shutouts; U.S. 6-0 against Switzerland while Canada dethroned host country Italy 16-0!!! Norway leads the medals count with four (two silver, two bronze) followed by Germany with their first two golds.

But once again, the main story right now is Michelle Kwan withdraws from these games. More on this as it develops.

LET THE GAMES BEGIN...THAT IS, IF YOU'RE PLANNING TO TUNE IN!

Good evening. Well, the 20th Olympic Winter Games have already started in Turin, Italy, and this is probably going to be one Olympics that may be a turn-off for television viewers. Why? In the thick of February sweeps, the other shows on other networks have pulled out all the stops to make sure NBC doesn't get any ratings gold.

On ABC, you've got the Sunday night one-two punch of "Desperate Housewives" and "Grey's Anatomy", "Lost", and "Dancing with the Stars." CBS has "CSI", "Survivor: Exile Island", and "The Amazing Race." And over at Fox, there's "House", "24", and the biggest weapon of them all: "American Idol." Here in Fairbanks, with the Fox and CBS stations both run by Tanana Valley Television and based in a small building on a dirt road off Van Horn just a few miles from KTVF (the NBC station), they're pulling no punches whatsoever.

Now I may be watching little or no coverage of the games (well, except to see whether or not Michelle Kwan will finally get that gold), and for good reason: Back in 2000 on the "Allen Report" site, I've talked up a storm about how super-crappy the NBC coverage of the Sydney games were because they were all on tape due to the huge 19-hour time difference between Sydney and Alaska...and that how many, many Americans have screw all that hugely by tuning to the CBC in Canada, where most of the coverage -- including the marquee events like track and field and basketball -- were 100% LIVE!!! It has been the case for Nagano (when CBS broadcast the games in the States), Sydney, Salt Lake City, Athens, and will be again for Turin.

However, if you have a "grey market" Canadian satellite dish or live in either Seattle (where they're still healing the wounds from the Seahawks' Super Bowl loss), Detroit, or Buffalo where CBC is accessible via cable or over-the-air, you're in true luck. I'm pretty sure SOMEBODY in the Fairbanks area, maybe in North Pole or Nenana or Salcha or Delta Junction, has a Canadian satellite mounted somewhere in their home so that they would enjoy the quality, straightforward, no bullshit coverage from the CBC -- as well as "Hockey Night in Canada" and "The National" -- without suffering from Bob Costas and the gang at NBC.

I just wish someday, somehow, ABC with the support of ESPN can get the Olympics back from NBC. Sure, they may have lost Al "Do you believe in miracles? YES!!!!!!!" Michaels to NBC so he could re-team with John Madden for "Sunday Night Football", but since Jim McKay is too old, they could get Chris Berman or John Saunders to anchor for ABC. And oh yeah...we do remember the days when ABC's coverage were far more superior and less crappy than NBC, especially McKay's "They're all gone" while reporting on the horrors in Munich.

Anyway, five Alaskans are competing in these games; we'll find out if one or some or all of them will be arriving back at Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport from Turin with a little gold around their necks as the ultimate souvenir.

While we wait for the first gold from Turin to be handed out, the 48th Annual Grammy Awards were on Wednesday. U2 were the big winners with five including Song and Album of the Year, bringing their overall total to 21. Green Day received Record of the Year for "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" while John Legend got New Artist. Mariah Carey's comeback did pay off with three awards, but they were all given out during the pre-telecast ceremony where Chris Rock and Senator Barack Obama (D-Illinois) got Comedy and Spoken Word Album honors for "Never Scared" and "Dreams From My Father" respectively.

Kelly Clarkson went from "American Idol" to Grammy Idol when she beat out some heavy competition (including Gwen Stefani, who left the Staples Center empty-handed) by claiming Best Pop Vocal Performance and Pop Vocal Album. By the way, "Idol" clobbered the Grammys in the ratings because of the awards' return to Wednesday; it would've been better if they followed the Golden Globes' lead by holding them on Monday.

As for the fashions on the green carpet, green because Heineken was one of the Grammys' proud sponsors? Alicia Keys in amazing Armani, pregnant Stefani, and Jennifer Love Hewitt in wonderful white hit high notes with me, while Teri Hatcher was ultimately off-key with her Jean Paul Gautier getup. I mean, you could see right through her 41-year-old legs in that one! Then again, it is the Grammys, so she was, oh, desperate to outdo her Golden Globes gown.

Lastly, there were the standout performances. Madonna as the opener showed she still has the body at 47, while Paul McCartney took the Grammy stage for the first time in his life. Mariah Carey with a choir as backup, Herbie Hancock and Christina Aguilera, the salute to Sly and Family Stone with Sly Stone's surprise appearance (and wearing a MOHAWK?!?!), Kanye West and Jamie Foxx, and the show closer with the tribute to New Orleans had everybody abuzz all over...except in Malaysia, where Madonna's peformance was edited out of the Grammy show when it was broadcast there.

Well, although they faced stiff competition from "American Idol" and "Lost", the 48th Annual Grammy Awards was not really a dissapointment, but had a share of hits and misses. And that's "The Plain Truth"...oh, sorry, this isn't the "Allen Report" anymore. Have a good weekend.

DETROIT STEEL CITY

Well, as you probably know by now, the Motor City became the Steel City during Super Bowl XL tonight...Steel, as in the Pittsburgh Steelers. With the final score 21-10, they dethroned the Seattle Seahawks to clinch their fifth title, their sixth since their last win at Super Bowl XIV in 1980. Hines Ward was the game's MVP while hometown boy Jerome Bettis announced that "the Bus" stops there; he's calling it a career after 13 seasons.

With the game taping at home, I was watching it this time at the Blue Loon club a few miles outside Fairbanks. And believe me, the scene there was pro-Seahawks all the way, knowing that they're our regional team. One sign that it was a Super Bowl party to remember: My good friends Glen "Glenner" Anderson and Jerry Evans were there with their sons.

I don't need to explain the atmosphere, but they were really into what were believed to be some missed calls that cost the Seahawks the game. Well, that and the COMMERCIALS!!!

Speaking of which, the favorites according to reaction from the Blue Loon crowd were the Budweiser "streaker", Burger King's "Whopperettes", Bud Light's "Magic Fridge", the two Diet Pepsi spots, and as far as movie ads, "Mission: Impossible 3." GoDaddy.com, with the return of the WWE's Candice Michelle, was not a hit with everybody.

And then, there was halftime starring the Rolling Stones; before all that, it was Aaron Neville and Aretha Franklin belting out the national anthem. Immediately after the halftime show, there were door prizes to be given away, one of them a huge Seahawks carpet mat. Maybe I guess they couldn't find a Steelers mat.

Anyway, we'll find out later tomorrow how many of you tuned in to all this. But for Bill Cowher's Pittsburgh Steelers, 26 years was good enough. And for the Seahawks? Mike Holmgren may already have the Vince Lombardi Trophy from when Green Bay last won, but it's tough trying to win a Super Bowl on their first time. There will always be a next season for Seattle...or one after that, or another after that, and so on.

With another memorable -- and perhaps, controversial -- Super Bowl in the books, have a good night.

WHO'S UP FOR THE OSCAR?

Good evening. I'll get to the Oscar nominations in a bit, but first...

Earlier tonight, President Bush gave his fifth State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress. The main topic was prying America from its long dependence of Middle East oil, but a bigger story before the speech involved Cindy Sheehan yet again. Minutes prior, she was arrested by Capitol Police after she caused a disruption.

Calling for more money for science and math education as well as tax benefits for health saving accounts were also on the agenda tonight. The Democratic response was by new Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, who stated that Bush ignored the national debt, Medicaid cuts, and trying to rebuild the hurricane-wounded Gulf Coast during his speech.

While all that was going on, there were a bunch of protests in many parts of the country in New York, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Chicago, and San Francisco all orchestrated by World Can't Wait, an organization whose mission is to see the Bush Admimistration throw in the towel without waiting till 2008. I don't know about any Alaskan protests in Anchorage or Fairbanks, but if there were they probably had them indoors because of the continuing frigid weather here in the latter.

Now, the L.A. protest started at the Hollywood and Highland complex where the Kodak Theater is. And speaking of the Kodak Theater...it will be where a month from now we could be seeing a Gunfight at the Oscar Corral as far as "Brokeback Mountain's" chances at some booty are concerned!

That's right! Nominations for the 78th Annual Academy Awards were announced this morning, and the main stories were "Brokeback" ponying up eight nods including Supporting Actor (Jake Gyllenhaal), Actor and Supporting Actress (Real-life couple Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams), Director (Ang Lee), and Best Picture of 2005, and George Clooney's triple threat: Supporting Actor for "Syriana," and Original Screenplay and Director for "Good Night, and Good Luck."

Meanwhile, it will be a showdown between Felicity Huffman and Reese Witherspoon for Best Actress while Keira Knightley and past winners Judi Dench and Charlize Theron will sit it out. Terrence Howard surprisingly competes again Ledger, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Joaquin Phoenix, and David Strathaim in the Best Actor prize; and in Best Picture, along with "Brokeback", there's also "Capote", "Crash", "Good Night, and Good Luck", and "Munich." Oh yeah, and "March of the Penguins" is easily up for Documentary Feature, a prize "Super Size Me" almost won last year.

And then there are those whose bubbles were burst, like "Walk The Line" for Best Picture, "Cinderella Man" deprived of any main nods (except for Paul Giamatti's Supporting Actor), and Ziyi Zhang on the Best Actress side. "King Kong" received some recognition from the Academy...but only with four meaningless categories.

The 78th Annual Academy Awards, with Jon Stewart guiding us through the most unpredictable 3 1/2-to-I-don't-know-how-long-they'll-go-to hours in entertainment, will be handed out on Sunday, March 5. Why March? They don't want the Winter Olympics to get in Oscar's way, that's why.

So, will Reese walk the line to Oscar gold, or will "Crash" crash the gay cowboys' party? There are plenty of anwers to these questions and more on that date. Good night, world!

GOOD AS GOLD

Hello and welcome, FINALLY, to my first post of 2006! I was way too busy enjoying the Video iPod I got for Christmas, thus explaining the lateness.

However, there are lots of stuff to bring up, so on with it starting with the 63rd Annual Golden Globe Awards Monday night in Beverly Hills -- yes, on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. With the temperatures here in Fairbanks hovering between 10 to 30 below zero (typical January weather), the "party of the year" turned up lots of heat as usual with wins by "Brokeback Mountain", Reese Witherspoon, Steve Carell, Mary-Louise Parker upsetting the "Desperate Housewives" (though Felicity Huffman did pick up the Best Movie Actress-Drama prize for "Transamerica"), "Lost" now 2-0 in major awards, and...Isaac Mizrahi trying to look down Teri Hatcher's gown and feeling up Scarlett Johansson's boob?! If this was Steven Cojocaru, he would've been kicked off of "Entertainment Tonight" immediately!

As for the golden fashions? Well, the major stand-outs were Keira Knightley, Jessica Alba, Charlize Theron (Christian Dior), Witherspoon (Chanel), and Hatcher (Versace). As for Pamela Anderson, a bra-less Drew Barrymore, and pregnant Gwyneth Paltrow? With the Winter Olympics coming up, they all get bronze ...I mean, worst-dressed medals.

About 18.7 million viewers tuned in for all that; and with the Golden Globes as the ultimate prediction show for the Oscars, things could get interesting beforehand...especially the Best Actress showdown between Witherspoon and Huffman. We'll see what happens on January 30 when the nominations are announced.

We're down to the Final Four now in the NFL playoffs, and one of the teams vying for a free trip to Detroit and Super Bowl XL...the Seattle Seahawks! Thanks to head coach Mike Holmgren and quarterback Matt Hasselbeck, they've been on such a roll in the last few weeks, and there is a chance they could do the "Locker Room Rock" (a forgettable music video they did in the mid-'80s to capitalize on the Chicago Bears' "Super Bowl Shuffle" craze) all the way to Ford Field. But they got to get past the Carolina Panthers in the NFC championship game first.

On the AFC side...well, with the Indianapolis Colts out as are the defending champions New England Patriots, it's all about the Pittsburgh Steelers and Denver Broncos now. I'm going for the Steelers on this one.

The two games that will decide on who'll head to the Super Bowl will be followed by something big north of the border 24 hours later: The Canadian elections. And I'll admit it...I'm one of the few Americans keeping an eye on it because if the Conservatives take this with Stephen Harper elected as their next Prime Minister, it could mean a major advantage to the Democrats hoping to dethrone the Republicans in the mid-term elections in November!

And last but not least...Last week, there was all this flak surrounding James Frey's "A Million Little Pieces", a recent selection in "Oprah's Book Club" (Elie Wiesel's "Night" is the latest one, her 57th) and whether or not Frey faked it all just to sell hundreds of thousands of copies.

"Showbiz Tonight" on CNN Headline News had a story on how past "Book Club" selections have went to the top of bestseller lists on Amazon.com and the "New York Times" and made unknown authors of those books overnight celebrities in the literary community. And it's not just books that are given Oprah Winfrey's seal of approval. If you saw -- and cringed at -- her annual "Oprah's Favorite Things" shows at close to Christmastime as well as that infamous "YOU GET A CAR!! YOU GET A CAR!! EVERYBODY GETS A CAR!!!!!!" episode, you know what I'm talking about.

From laptops to Ugg boots to Burberry coats to flat-screen TVs to diamond watches to gourmet foods to Blackberrys to that aforementioned iPod, if it's among those "Favorite Things", then they'll be selling like hotcakes the moment Oprah mentioned it...except for the iPod, because the electronic geeks rather spent hundreds of dollars for one XBox 360 set.

Now back to the books: I'm not a bookworm myself (alright, so I read "Maniac Magee", but that was a long time ago), but I'm sure many of you have out-Oprahed Oprah with some selections of your own. And just like my poll questions during the "Allen Report's" heydays of 1999-2000, I ask you in my first interactive poll question:

IF YOU HAD YOUR OWN BOOK CLUB LIKE OPRAH, WHAT WOULD YOUR SELECTIONS BE (FICTION AND/OR NON-FICTION)?

E-mail me with your opinion, and I'll post them next time. Until then...so long!

Last year, I was right on Pope John Paul II passing away, but half-right on another cursed team becoming the next to win the World Series; it would be the Chicago White Sox. Here's what I'm hoping will happen in 2006...which, by the way, has already started in Australia:

• The Seattle Seahawks, who've been red-hot in the NFL as of late, will win Super Bowl XL giving Mike Holmgrem the lifelong chance to raise the Vince Lombardi Trophy in the air
• Target will finally get its first store in Alaska -- and it will be here in Fairbanks at the old Fred Meyer
• The Democrats will take back Capitol Hill from the troubled Republicans in the mid-term elections, while Stephen Harper will be elected Canada's next Prime Minister
• XM and Sirius Satellite Radio will finally expand to all 50 states, now that Howard Stern will be heading to the latter at the beginning of the year
• Billy Graham will be the next to go after John Paul II
• Michelle Kwan will finally get Olympic gold at the Winter games in Italy after her previous silver and bronze finishes in Nagano and Salt Lake City respectively
• And with the Chicago White Sox's World Series curse has been lifted, the Cubs will be next after 98 years

We'll see if any of those come true. And from me to you...
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

From October to December, thousands of you voted in my seventh annual polls for the Sexiest Man and Woman of 2005; the latter one was of course the most controversial ever! Here were the final results:

SEXIEST MAN:
Matthew McConaughey--23%
Josh Holloway--18%
Jesse Metcalfe--16%
George Clooney--11%
Ty Pennington--10%
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson/Clive Owen--5%
Phil Keoghan/Usher--4%
Jamie Foxx--3%
TOTAL VOTES: 73 (17 for McConaughey)

SEXIEST WOMAN (FINAL ROUND):
Lauren Graham--28%
Jennifer Garner--20%
Jennifer Aniston--12%
Rachel Bilson--9%
Angelina Jolie--8%
Kelly Clarkson/Sarah Michelle Gellar--5%
Jessica Alba/Kristen Bell--4%
Mischa Barton--3%
Toni Braxton--1%
TOTAL VOTES: 2,281 (Round 1 preliminaries) +
5,972 (Round 2) + 6,076 (Round 3) + 2,147 (main poll; 607 for Graham) =
16,476

GRAND TOTAL FROM ALL POLLS:
16,549 VOTES!!!!!

Congratulations to Matthew McConaughey and Lauren Graham, the Sexiest Man and Woman of 2005! Will one or both of them repeat their victories? Find out next year; and thanks for your votes as always!

Tomorrow...my predictions for 2006 as we conclude our week-long "2005 Year in Reivew"!

Since 1991 (and 1998 online), I've been doing this list that covers who or what has been hot this year. Without any further ado, here for the 15th year are the...

20 (in her SEVENTH STRAIGHT APPEARANCE). Britney Spears and Kevin Federline (Nobody cared about their UPN show, but we did care about their new baby boy)

19. Carrie Underwood (aka Kelly Clarkson gone country)

18. The "Dukes of Hazzard" movie (Which became nothing but a masturbation fest for Jessica Simpson in her Daisy Dukes and bikini)

17. California voters "Terminating" all four of Governor Schwarzenegger's ballot propositions (Suddenly, Warren Beatty seemed very happy)

16. Steve Carell yelling out Kelly Clarkson's name in vain in "The 40-Year-Old Virgin" (It would've been more funnier if "Kelly Clarkson" was subsituted with "Clay Aiken")

15. "Dancing With the Stars" (Cha-Cha-Cha!)

14. "Mad Money with Jim Cramer" (Louis Rukeyser meets Jerry Lewis with sound effects, though he's much more humble on the radio show)

13. "Grey's Anatomy" ("ER" with sex appeal...only that they're on after "Desperate Housewives")

12. Jamie Foxx winning the Best Actor Oscar...and then releasing a music CD just recently (Somebody call Cher!!!)

11. Paris Hilton's too racy Carl's Jr. commercial (That's hot! And wet! And sudsy!)

10. Pat O'Brien's adventures of sex, drugs, and booze (That's so f-ing hot!)

9. Oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge rejected by the Senate (Ted Stevens says it was the saddest day in his life; I say it was the happiest day in the environmentalists' lives)

8. NBC still in fourth place despite "My Name is Earl" being a hit (I'll leave Jaime Pressly alone)

7. Lance Armstrong calling it a career after his seventh and last Tour de France victory (He wanted to retire just so he can bang Sheryl Crow round the clock)

6. My two-week vacation in the South (Okay, I had to put it in there)

5. Martha Stewart's full-fledged comeback with her new daytime show and her first -- and last -- version of "The Apprentice" (a very good thing, I should say)

4. The Chicago White Sox winning the World Series (And in Northside Chicago, the Cubs fans are chanting "Wait till next year!")

3. Hollywood helping out after Hurricane Katrina (Maybe Chris Rock could take back his "George Bush hates midgets" remark)

2. The beginnings and/or ends of celebrity couples (Too many to name; see "Year in Entertainment")

And the #1 thing that had the whole world talking in 2005 that'll slop over into 2006...

#1. The Bush administration in trouble
(Harriet Miers, not responding quickly after Katrina, the CIA leak, and now admittance to wiretapping...Forget Watergate and Lewinsky, they churn out one scandal after another!)

Tomorrow as the "2005 Year In Review" continues...the final results of the Sexiest Man and Woman polls.

From "Everybody Loves Raymond" closing out on a huge note, to TomKat, Brangelina, and Bennifer II, to a very weak box office that had many moviegoers beefing up their DVD libraries, to a "Mad"-man helping us beat the street (Wall Street, that is), to Mariah Carey scoring a John Travolta-like comeback, 2005 entertainment-wise had us either on the edge of our seats or jumping out of them.

Chris Rock rocked the 77th Annual Academy Awards with his edgy self; but there had to be some recognition handed out in between them. Jamie Foxx's portrayal of Ray Charles sang his way to Best Actor, while Cate Blanchett's Supporting Actress helped "The Aviator" pick up the most bounty with five Oscars. But in the end, it was "Million Dollar Baby" that had the TKO with Actress (Hilary Swank), Supporting Actress (Morgan Freeman, who just recently lashed out about Black History Month on "60 Minutes"), Director (Clint Eastwood, who extended usual heavy favorite Martin Scorsese's losing streak to 0-6), and Best Picture of 2004.

Ten seasons were enough for "Everybody Loves Raymond", though the series finale was only a standard half-hour but still managed to get high numbers nonetheless -- as well as a Best Comedy Emmy beating out "Desperate Housewives"...which, by the way, earned Felicity Huffman the Best Comedy Actress prize. "The Daily Show" and "The Amazing Race" were 3-0 in their respective categories, while the Donald Trump/Megan Mullally collaboration of "Green Acres" brought the house down...with laughter!

CBS was of course still the dominant network, while NBC was at the same rut ABC was last year until "Housewives" and Best Drama "Lost" came along: DEAD SOLID FOURTH PLACE!!! But that could change in 2006 thanks to the Winter Olympics and now Sunday Night Football.

On the Fox side of things, they were red-hot thanks to new hit "House" and of course, "American Idol", in which Carrie Underwood was the latest winner. And the first couple of reality TV, "Boston Rob" Mariano and Amber Brkich, helped "Amazing Race" score huge ratings (well, in Canada); but in the end, it would be Uchenna and Joyce Agu at the finish line.

But one of the biggest TV hits of 2005 happened to be "Grey's Anatomy" on ABC. Premiered during mid-season following "Housewives", it quickly rose to the top of the Sunday night ratings and putting that other medical drama ("ER") on life support. "Ghost Whisperer" (CBS), "Commander in Chief" (ABC), "My Name is Earl" (NBC), and "Mad Money with Jim Cramer" (CNBC) on the cable side also had viewers tuning in in droves.

2005 would also be the comeback year for both Martha Stewart and Mariah Carey. Stewart with her new daytime show and her own installment of "The Apprentice" (the latter show flopped), and Carey with "The Emancipation of Mimi" after her last two efforts -- "Glitter" and "Charmbracelet" -- did modest to poor success.

At the box office...well, despite a lot of hits and misses like "Wedding Crashers", "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire", and Peter Jackson's "King Kong", many moviegoers would rather build up their DVD collections instead of spending a day or night at the movies.

Shortly after both the Asian tsunamis and later Hurricane Katrina, the entertainment community once again took time to help those whose lives and/or belongings were lost to the tragedies with a series of telethons. I already brought up Kanye West's comments in the "Year in News", but Chris Rock parodied it on the multi-network "Shelter from the Storm" telethon with "George Bush hates midgets."

Other major stories of the year included: Michael Jackson's acquittal in the child molestation trial, Lindsay Lohan's car crash in front of a stream of paparazzi, Russell Crowe not knowing how to call Australia from the U.S. and throwing a hotel room telephone, Kate Moss' reputation shattered after a British tabloid ran pics of her snorting cocaine, Pat O'Brien's sex 'n drugs 'n booze scandal with X-rated phone messages in between them, and former "American Idol" contestant Corey Clark admitting that there was something really going on between him and Paula Abdul.

So...what was indeed the year's biggest entertainment story? It's all about the makeups and breakups, starting with Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston and their sudden split which later became a divorce. And then, Angelina Jolie was added to the fray. Whether or not Jolie and Pitt really do have something going on between them will remain a mystery...that is, until they surprisingly wed.

Then, there was Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson. When the two got hitched years ago, it was when Nick was the bigger star. But Jessica thanks to the "Dukes of Hazzard" movie has taken much of the spotlight from him, and rumors began to flow about the couple's future. Well, in December, the speculation finally ended when the two split and later divorced.

Renee Zellweger married Kenny Chesney, but that didn't last long. After only four months, Zellweger had that annulled.

But perhaps the one couple that had the whole world abuzz throughout 2005 happened to be Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. Cruise just came off from a brief fling with Sofia Vergara; Holmes was single again after she and Chris Klein called off their engagement. But when they first locked lips in Rome in late April and Cruise jumping for joy in front of Oprah Winfrey, they would never let go ever since.

And there were plenty of legit makeups as well: Christina Aguilera and Jordan Bratman, Donald Trump and Melania Knauss, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner (their baby girl Violet would be born months later), Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher, Heidi Klum and Seal, the aforementioned Rob and Amber, Sandra Bullock and Jesse James, Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles; and in a "civil union" at that very same place of Charles and Camilla's nuptials, Elton John and David Furniss. Oh yeah, and Britney Spears and Kevin Federline introduced the world to baby boy Sean Preston.

Now, all sights are set on 2006; and with awards season already underway, it'll be quite an Oscar showdown as far as "Good Night and Good Luck" and "Brokeback Mountain" are concerned. Will Brad and Angelina finally end all the speculation that they are a couple, and who will be the first one to be no more? And, who will also score a major comeback after Martha and Mariah? Come the new year, there'll be 365 questions and 365 answers to find out.

Tomorrow, my "Year in Review" continues with the Top 20 Things That Had the Whole World Talking in 2005.

Looking back at 2005, it was when George W. Bush's next four years in office would be met with more casulties in Iraq and his government dropping the ball on Hurricane Katrina, while Iraqis would make a (finger) mark in history with their first free elections in over four decades...and not even Saddam can't stop it.

But we began the year with the aftermath of 2004's last big story, the tsunamis in Southeast Asia. While the death toll continued to mount, relief organizations from all over started to pitch in. Even the entertainment community, powered by Sandra Bullock's $1 million donation to the American Red Cross, helped.

At Super Bowl XXXIX, one year after everything blew up in proportions over the Janet/Justin debacle, the focus this time was on the game (and Paul McCartney at halftime) as the New England Patriots easily held off the Philadelphia Eagles 24-21, thanks to -- you guessed it -- another game-winning field goal by Adam Vinatieri. Deion Branch was the game's MVP. And on the college football side, Matt Leinart and his USC team were, to quote one of ABC's slogans from back in the day, "Still The One."

In Washington, Alberto Gonzales became the newest and first Hispanic Attorney General, while 64 people were killed in a series of floods and mudslides in Colombia and Venezuela. Meanwhile, the remainder of the NHL season was canceled, only to see the long lockout finally end later in the year and with the league undergoing an extreme makeover to win fans back.

As they continued to pick up the pieces, former Presidents Bush and Clinton toured the devastated areas in Asia after the tsunamis. And after spending over a decade of terrorizing Wichita, Kansas from the '70s to early '90s, Dennis Rader -- otherwise known as the "BTK Killer" -- was identified and apprehended; he would later be served 10 consecutive life sentences for his crimes.

In early March, Martha Stewart ended her time at "Camp Cupcake" but would be placed under house arrest for five more months; see "Year in Entertainment" for her huge comeback. Also, almost 25 years after ash was spewed all over the Northwest, Mount St. Helens was back shooting a plume as far away as Portland. And the 2005 Iditarod was once again "The Robert Sorlie Show" where, despite losing his lead one time to Paul Gephardt, it was sleep deprivation that became the key to his second win.

Illinois' chances for a clean sweep in the NCAA Final Four were swept away by North Carolina, winning the men's title 75-70; Baylor took the women's crown over Michigan State. And the battle for Terri Schiavo's life did hang in the balance; in the end, her feeding tube would be cut off permanently and she would later die.

In what was one of the most memorable plays of the year in the 16th hole (I wonder how many of you checked your watches before the ball started to plop down), Tiger Woods dethroned David Toms at the Masters in sudden death. Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles tied the knot after the world said their final goodbyes to Pope John Paul II (which I'll get to later), while Joseph Ratzinger would be elected Pope Benedict XVI.

In Britain, Tony Blair was easily re-elected as their Prime Minister, but that celebration would be short lived as two bombs exploded outside the British Consulate in New York. In the Russian state of Georgia, a live hand grenade landed 100 feet of President Bush while speaking. It didn't detonate. And during the Memorial Day holiday, the decades-old mystery as to who "Deep Throat" was was finally solved: It was W. Mark Felt.

The Indianapolis 500 was more like the Danica Patrick 500 as she became the first woman to lead in the race. But her chances at becoming the first female winner came up short, as low fuel led to Dan Wheldon picking up the checkered flag. Also in June, the San Antonio Spurs claimed their third NBA title over defending champion Detroit Pistons. Maybe they won just to make Eva Longoria happy.

Here in Fairbanks, Eielson Air Force Base was one of several military installments threatened to close down forever; in the end after public support from all over fueled by a public hearing, the base was saved. At least I still have my "Save Eielson!" T-shirt and wear it on occasion.

24 hours after London was awarded the 2012 Olympics, a series of explosions occurred at public transportation areas in what was called Britain's 9/11; 56 people were killed. And my two-week summer vacation in the South didn't stop me from following other news like John G. Roberts' appointment to the Supreme Court, Hurricane Dennis wreaking a little havoc in Florida, another terrorist attack on London (only this time, the bombs failed to explode) with only a single injury, NASA's return to space after the Columbia disentragation, and of course, the Tour de France becoming the Tour de Lance (Armstrong) for the seventh and last time.

Everybody survived after an Air Canada flight crashed outside Toronto's Pearson Airport, while settlers would be forced out of the Gaza Strip and West Bank. Pat Robertson's televised remarks about Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez needing to be assassinated put him in the news again. In late September, after the passing of William Rehnquist, John Roberts would be given the Chief Justice job; and in early October 25, people were killed in a series of bombings in Bali. And at the World Series, one Chicago team managed to lift a decades-old curse to clinch the title: The Chicago White Sox.

Election Day 2005 was a good one for the Democrats when Jon Corzine took New Jersey's gubernatorial seat away from Doug Forrester, and Tim Kaine over Jerry Kilgore in Virginia; Michael Bloomberg earned another four years as New York's mayor. But it was an even worse night for Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose four ballot propositions all went down in defeat in California. That to go along with the victories in New Jersey and Virginia are expected to set the stage for the Democrats taking back Capitol Hill from the Republicans in next year's mid-terms and in 2008.

Meanwhile in Canada, Prime Minister Paul Martin's Liberal government was rocked by scandal, and one day after a no-confidence vote brought it down, a general election was set for January 23. And New York was hit with a transit strike with Christmas a few days away, causing commuters everywhere looking for alternatives to get around the Big Apple. After a scary three days, the subways and buses were back in service.

All throughout 2005, we said our final goodbyes to Peter Jennings, Eugene McCarthy, Richard Pryor, Nipsey Russell, TV producer and personality Ralph Edwards, former British soccer star George Best, pro wrestler Eddie Guerrero, Canadian newscaster Earl Cameron (whose Eugene Levy's Earl Camembert on "SCTV" was based on), John Spencer, Arthur Miller, Charles Rocket (best known for dropping the F-bomb during "Saturday Night Live's" disastrous 1980-81 season), Don Adams, Bob Denver, Chris Schenkel, Simon Wiesenthal, Barbara Bel Geddes, Rosa Parks, James "Scotty" Doohan, Shirley Chisolm (the first ever black U.S. Congresswoman), Sandra Dee, Hunter S. Thompson, Pat Morita, Eddie Albert, Luther Vandross, Johnny Carson, Anne Bancroft, explorer Norman Vaughan, and in April, Pope John Paul II...who made a couple of brief visits to Alaska in the '80s.

But of course, the biggest story of 2005 has to be Hurricane Katrina, which completely left much of New Orleans and the Mississippi coast in ruins. And knowing that I lived in Mississippi in the late '80s/early '90s as well as vacationing there four times including just this past summer, it has hit me personally. Thankfully, the storm missed many spots -- including my aunt's house in Gulfport, which remained intact. Katrina would of course be followed by Rita and later Wilma weeks later, making 2005 a record year for hurricanes.

However, the biggest question as far as the aftermath was concerned was: Where was the help? Fingers throughout were pointed at FEMA dropping the ball, and the lateness of federal aid led to humanitarian organizations from around the world piping in almost immediately. Even New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin and rapper Kanye West with his "George Bush doesn't care about black people" remark set off fireworks on whether or not the race issue was to blame.

Many people will still pick up from the mess left over by Katrina as 2006 starts; also, with the Bush administration continuing to be in trouble, will it be a big break for the Democrats come the mid-terms and will Hillary Clinton be in or out as far as 2008 is concerned? Now that one Chicago baseball team (White Sox) won the World Series, will that other one -- the Cubs -- finally be next after close to a century? And now that John Paul II is gone, will Billy Graham be next, saying that he's looking forward to dying "with great anticipation?" Come 2006, these questions and more will be answered.

Tomorrow as my "2005 Year in Review" continues...The year in entertainment, headlined by TomKat, Brangelina, a poor box office, the returns of Mariah and Martha, and television's hits and misses.

MERRY...HOLIDAYS??

Hello, everybody. Well, we're now one week away till Christmas 2005, but as you've heard in recent weeks there's been lots and lots of battles about whether or not we greet everyone a "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays."


Remember this from the old Allen Report site? Yes, I used it from 2000 to 2003 and I wished everyone a Happy Holidays. I've always celebrated Christmas from day one, though I did try my hand at Kwanzaa once in 2003; that was a disaster.

Anyway, with just seven days to go, malls and stores everywhere are already going to colossal overdrive to serve the last-minute shoppers -- especially as far as trying to get that elusive XBox 360 is concerned. If you thought the latest iPod with video (which I'm hoping to get this year) is the must-have item this Christmas, that's nothing compared to Microsoft's latest non-Windows creation.

The price may be $400, but in classified ad among classified ad in the papers, many are going for higher than that...maybe $500, $800, even $1,200 higher!! That reminds me of all those Tickle Me Elmo ads from 1996, when people had to pay hundreds of dollars for that and I would remember counting the ads they appeared in the paper every day; this was when newspapers were starting to be online.

On the iPod side of things...well, there haven't been any ads for that because of the steep prices for the XBox 360, simply because some of you have already paid your $300 for them and also, new shipments to the stores may be coming after Christmas!

If I do happen to get the iPod this year, it will go along with the other big-ticket gifts from previous Christmases like the computers (1986, '89, and '96 with the current one), Super Mario Bros. 3 (1990), the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (1991), and last year's triple threat with the Ronco Showtime rotisserie/accessory kit, "The Simpsons" Season 4 DVDs, and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" Season 7 DVD. We'll see what happens next Sunday, especially if it's the last minute.

Right now, I'm hard at work on my series of pre-prepared blogs looking back at 2005 which you'll be seeing here after Christmas. And as you longtimers know from the old website, it's my own take on the year's big stories (especially Hurricane Katrina) as well as my "Top 20 Things that were Hot" list and the final results of the Sexiest of 2005 polls. That's my "2005 Year in Review", all next week.

See you then, and, uh...Merry Holidays!