Hello, everybody.

On Mother's Day Sunday, me along with 500 others were presented the gift our significant others would be proud of: the gift of everlasting knowledge as University of Alaska Fairbanks graduates in the largest class ever; over 1,300 degrees being conferred throughout the 2 1/2 hour commencement ceremony. And believe me...it was one worth 15 years in the making.

The theme throughout was family, and for Jordan Culver and stepfather Bruce Bell (whom I've known well since the West Valley years), it was quite an affair as Culver earned her justice degree in just three years with Bell holder of a master's degree in education from the University of Alaska Anchorage; they had their graduation a couple weeks ago.

Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, Jim Leach, was the keynote speaker and was also one of three honorary degree recipients along with artist Danny Pierce and H. Robin Samuelson Jr. A record 50 doctoral degrees were awarded, breaking last year's record of 46.

But let's get to everything from my own perspective: I was listed in the program as getting an associates' degree in Culinary Arts, but decided to graduate with a certificate instead. Things were a whole lot different from when I last took the walk in 1997 as a West Valley High graduate; for one thing: the march from the Carlson Center hallways, down the aisles, and to our seats with "Pomp and Circumstance" played throughout went by at a much smoother -- and more rehearsed -- pace then last time. It's a far cry from the West Valley gym and the near-sweltering indoor heat; thank God they would move those to the Carlson the following year.

Since the UAF graduation was a far bigger deal than West Valley's, another thing that went by fast and furious: The handout of diplomas with Andrew Cassel trying to take constant sips of water reading the 500-plus names. Cassel himself had to take a brief break from that to pick up his theater  bachelor's degree before continuing. By the way, there were a couple distant cheers from the audience when I went up on stage to receive my due. But you know what? Picking up a diploma -- whether it was high school or college -- is like picking up an oversized check from the lottery, except that this one is completely tax-free.

Under that black robe I had on a long-sleeved red and white striped shirt (with my initials "JA" monogrammed on the right sleeve) and dark blue jeans, but I also noticed some of the other graduates wore sneakers, shorts, even flip-flops! Well, at least during the rehearsal on Saturday we were being told to wear comfortable walking shoes; it was not like that in '97 when I had on dress shoes and dress pants. Even a couple graduates jammed on their iPods to help kill time before things got underway at 1:20 pm.

After moving our tassels from right to left and officially being anointed UAF alumni, blue and gold balloons descended from the ceiling followed by some of us throwing our caps in the air (compared to all of us 15 years ago) as well as playing with those balloons. Though I may have shed tears of joy emotionally last time, this time around, I mentally shed those tears while emotionally, I was overjoyed and relieved that it was all over.

It has been quite a journey that took me 15 years to get through, but in the end, I was truly the best of the class of 2012.

Now to another matter at hand: "The Avengers" was tops at the box office again with an additional $100 million to go along with the all-time opening weekend record $200.3 million. A couple weeks prior, "Think Like A Man" was #1.

I saw that in my first trip to the theater in nearly five years, and boy, have things changed...especially in the concession stand! For decades, popcorn, candy, hot dogs, and drinks have been the mainstay; but in the last couple of years (and I think I remember running a "NewsBeat Feature Story" about it several years back on the old Allen Report site), they've added not only pizza, pretzels, and nachos, but now...cheeseburgers with fries, corn dog nuggets, boneless chicken wings, even mozzarella sticks! All of them are made to order, with a counter reserved to pick up your meal.

Now thankfully, all of our multiplexes here in Alaska are with Regal, but rival AMC took things to the next level with what they call Dine-In Theaters. Here's how it works: Go online, find the movie you want to see, and reserve your seat. Simple, huh? Not yet.

The real interesting part comes next: When you get to the theater, actual waiters bring you real menus. Some of the entrees include Bistro Chicken Macaroni and Cheese, Buffalo Chicken Tenders, even Blackened Salmon with Snap Peas. There are also desserts including sundaes and cheesecakes, and even a bar to wash it all down!

Regal, being the #1 theater chain in the country, will probably not follow AMC's lead anytime soon. But with the summer blockbuster season already in full swing despite a fluctuating economy, the term "dinner and a movie" (or "lunch and a movie" if you prefer the matinee screenings) sure got a whole new meaning. So long and stay strong.

Hello, everybody. We were stunned to learn on Wednesday the news no one saw coming: Dick Clark, the television icon who for generations brought the world of pop culture into our homes with "American Bandstand" and "New Year's Rockin' Eve" and whose youthful looks earned him the moniker as World's Oldest Teenager, died from a heart attack at age 82.

Born Richard Wagstaff Clark in upstate New York in 1929, Dick started his career in the mailroom of radio station WRUN. A Syracuse University graduate, Clark later worked at WKTV in Utica as staff announcer before moving to Philadelphia and WFIL-TV (now WPVI) in 1952. It was there where he did "Dick Clark's Caravan of Music" and in 1956, became the new host of a local dance show called "Bandstand" after original host Bob Horn was given the pink slip. The fledgling ABC network took notice, and the following year the program went national airing weekday afternoons and later Saturday afternoons. 

From 1957-89, "American Bandstand" ran for 20 years on ABC before moving to syndication and then the USA Network for its last two years. Decades before MTV, BET, "Soul Train" (with Don Cornelius, who passed a couple months ago), and YouTube, "Bandstand" was the premiere destination where music's hottest acts of the day ranging from Buddy Holly to Barry Manilow, the Beach Boys to the Beastie Boys, The Supremes to Madonna, the Jackson 5 (and Janet) to Bon Jovi, and countless others bursted into our living rooms in light of changing times and trends worldwide. Dances like the Twist, Mash Potato, and the formation of the letters "Y-M-C-A" were created on Bandstand, which led to them being huge hits at parties and dances. The show was also notable for "Rate-a-Record", in which audience members tried out and danced to the newest hits all while giving it a score from 35 to 98 and the phrase "It got a good beat and it's easier to dance to" became a part of our lexicon. Of course, that was long before CD and iTunes previews.

In the early 1960s, Clark moved his base to Los Angeles and started Dick Clark Productions with Bandstand as its flagship program. The company has produced dozens of television shows and specials including the American Music Awards, "TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes" (aka Punk'd 1.0), "Will You Marry Me?", "American Dreams", "Challenge of the Child Geniuses", the Golden Globe Awards, "Greed", "Where The Action Is", "Let's Make A Deal" (1990 version), the Academy of Country Music Awards, "Celebrity Boxing", "Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction?", and "So You Think You Can Dance." They also did TV movies such as "The Man in the Santa Claus Suit", the Emmy and Peabody-winning "The Woman Who Willed A Miracle", and just recently, "The Bling Ring" for Lifetime (no relation to the one Emma Watson's currently shooting). DCP expanded beyond television production with other ventures including Dick Clark's American Bandstand Theater in Branson, Missouri and American Bandstand Grill restaurants all over the country.


Speaking of movies, Dick even starred in "Because They're Young" in 1960, followed by an unfortunate cameo in Michael Moore's Oscar-winning documentary "Bowling For Columbine."

Clark was also a splendid game show host, most notably for the $20,000, $25,000, and $100,000 Pyramids. Besides those, he also did "The Object Is", "The Challengers" (which he also produced), "Scattergories", and "Winning Lines" (CBS' short-lived attempt to cash in on the million-dollar game show craze in 1999-2000). Other work from outside his production company included "The Other Half" (with Mario Lopez and Danny Bonaduce), the U.S. version of "The Krypton Factor" in 1981 and in the early '90s, host of the Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants. At one point in the '80s, Dick had a show on each of the Big Three networks: Bandstand on ABC, Bloopers on NBC, and the $25,000 Pyramid on CBS.

But of course, there was one other thing that truly defined Dick Clark to the end, and it summed up in four simple words: New Year's Rockin' Eve! Except for 2004-05 when he was suffering a stroke (Regis Philbin did the honors), we counted down the final few seconds of the old year with Clark while celebrating the first few moments of the new. With his speech still slurred due to his stroke, the countdown to 2012 with successor Ryan Seacrest would be his last appearance, though the last news from him would be putting up his Bedrock-style home in Malibu for sale in March.

Upon news of his death, tributes immediately started to pour in from everybody young and old; here are some of them:

• Ryan Seacrest: "I am deeply saddened by the loss of my dear friend Dick Clark. He has truly been one of the greatest influences in my life. I idolized him from the start, and I was graced early on in my career with his generous advice and counsel. When I joined his show in 2006, it was a dream come true to work with him every New Year’s Eve for the last 6 years. He was smart, charming, funny and always a true gentleman. I learned a great deal from him, and I’ll always be indebted to him for his faith and support of me. He was a remarkable host and businessman and left a rich legacy to television audiences around the world. We will all miss him."
• Motown founder Berry Gordy: "I’m saddened and devastated over the loss of my dear friend, Dick Clark. We were friends for over 50 years. My thoughts and condolences go out to his family, especially his wonderful wife, Kari, who took such incredible care of him always. Dick was always there for me and Motown, even before there was a Motown. He was an entrepreneur, a visionary and a major force in changing pop culture and ultimately influencing integration. It happened first emotionally. Music can do that. He didn’t do it from a soap box, he just did it. That’s who he was. ‘American Bandstand’ was a platform for all artists. For me personally, he helped bring Motown into living rooms across America. Dick did everything with class, style and integrity. He was a true gentleman. His groundbreaking achievements in music and television ensure that his legacy will live on forever."
• Gladys Knight: "My heart and prayers go out to the Clark family… A true inspiration…"
• Larry King: "Dick Clark was a great friend, true legend, & a master journalist. Nobody did what he did better. It was a pleasure to be in his company."
• Smokey Robinson: "I loved Dick Clark. He was so instrumental in my career as well as all the other Motown acts and so many others in the recording business. Good bye my friend, rest in peace."
• Quincy Jones: “Rest in Peace my good friend Dick Clark. A pioneer who’s mark on American culture will be felt forever."
• President Barack Obama: "Michelle and I are saddened to hear about the passing of Dick Clark. With 'American Bandstand,' he introduced decades' worth of viewers to the music of our times. He reshaped the television landscape forever as a creative and innovative producer. And, of course, for 40 years, we welcomed him into our homes to ring in the New Year. But more important than his groundbreaking achievements was the way he made us feel - as young and vibrant and optimistic as he was. As we say a final 'so long' to Dick Clark, America's oldest teenager, our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends - which number far more than he knew."
• Neil Patrick Harris: "For ever, Dick Clark... So long."

Just like Mike Wallace who was gone a couple weeks ago on Easter Sunday, we've grown up with Dick Clark throughout the last five decades. Whether it was rocking America, creating a game show Pyramid, laughing at other celebrities' mistakes, or toasting in the New Year in our jammies, he has always been a presence in our homes and lives. He said it best that "Music is the soundtrack of your life", and his, good and bad, provided us a whole lot of memories. Dick has left us a legacy that he once crafted, but never be equaled. 

And to that, we say...so long (and stay strong).

Hello, everybody. We're just a few paragraphs away from ending the suspense once and for all with the announcement of the starting field for Sexiest Woman of 2012, but first up...

"Dancing With The Stars" announced the Season 14 cast on Tuesday, and among those about to shake it (partners' names are in parentheses): Telenovela star William Levy (Cheryl Burke), tennis great Martina Navratilova (Tony Dovolani), soap opera's elder stateshunk Jack Wagner (Anna Trebunskaya), soul/R&B legend Gladys Knight (Tristan MacManus), infotainment sexpot Maria Menounos (Derek Hough), sexy soprano Katherine Jenkins (Mark Ballas), Melissa Gilbert (Maksim Chmerkovskiy), "The View's" Sherri Shepherd (Val Chmerkovskiy), Disney star Roshan Fegan (Chelsie Hightower), singer Gavin DeGraw (Karina Smirnoff), Donald Driver of the Green Bay Packers (Peta Murgatroyd), and Steve Urkel himself...Jaleel White (Kym Johnson)!

With "The Voice" already owning Monday nights so far and "American Idol" continuing to slip, this season's roster will do all it takes to not only win our votes, but the ratings as well. I can see Sherri as the first to go with Jaleel, Maria, and Gladys to possibly go all the way. We'll find out starting March 19.

And now...the other announcement you've all been waiting a year for:

All week, I've been thinking up the 120 names fit enough to take down the two names who currently own the Sexiest Woman of the Year title, revising them along the way. Well, the wait is over, so without further ado here they are starting with the Juniors:

Group A

Shailene Woodley

Vanessa Hudgens

Emma Stone

Dianna Agron

Hayden Panettiere

Nina Dobrev

Julianne Hough

Ashley Greene

Alexa Vega

Rihanna

Group B

Candice Accola

Selena Gomez

Kate Upton

Kristen Stewart

Jordin Sparks

AnnaLynne McCord

Ashley Benson

Maria Sharapova

Emma Watson

Lea Michele

Group C

Emma Roberts

Victoria Justice

Taylor Momsen

Demi Lovato

Jennette McCurdy

Lucy Hale

Miley Cyrus

Miranda Cosgrove

Nikki Reed

Naya Rivera

Group D

Taylor Swift

Lacey Schwimmer

Dakota Fanning

Jessica Lowndes

Heather Morris

Tulisa Contostavlos

Jennifer Lawrence

Aimee Teegarden

Blake Lively

Emmy Rossum

And now, the Seniors, with the fourteen Academy Award winners scattered throughout (numbered in parentheses):

Group A

Reese Witherspoon (1)

Kristen Bell (2007 runner-up/2008 winner)

Sandra Bullock (2)

Meryl Streep (3)

Katherine Heigl (2006 third-place finisher)

Cameron Diaz

Charlize Theron (4)

Anne Hathaway

Heidi Klum

Carrie Underwood

Group B

Kylie Minogue

Jennifer Aniston (2006 runner-up/2008 third-place finisher/2009 winner)

Jessica Biel

Rachel Bilson

Britney Spears (1999 winner/2000-01 third-place finisher)

Mila Kunis

Nicole Kidman (2001 winner) (5)

Helen Mirren (6)

Kate Winslet (7)

Kate Beckinsale

Group C

Halle Berry (8)

Madonna

Kaley Cuoco

Maria Menounos

Jessica Alba (2000 and 2003 winner)

Jennifer Lopez (2001 runner-up)

Anna Paquin (9)

Sofia Vergara

Eva Longoria

Gwyneth Paltrow (10)

Group D

Scarlett Johansson (2004 third-place finisher)

Stacy Keibler (2007 third-place finisher)

Natalie Portman (2002 runner-up) (11)

Penelope Cruz (12)

Jennifer Love Hewitt (2002 third-place finisher)

Christina Aguilera (1999 runner-up)

Olivia Wilde

Courteney Cox

Marisa Tomei (13)

Angelina Jolie (14)

Finally, we have the Underdogs:

Group A

Leighton Meester

Kristin Cavallari

Bar Refaeli

Olivia Munn

Sarah Hyland

Katy Perry

Jennifer Hudson

Nancy O'Dell

Rachel McAdams

Erin Andrews

Group B

Amanda Seyfried

Paula Patton

Adriana Lima

Kelly Brook

Laura Prepon

Michelle Williams (actress)

Karina Smirnoff

Lindsey Vonn

Elizabeth Hurley

Connie Britton

Group C

Jennifer Morrison

Nicole Scherzinger

Christina Milian

Kelly Clarkson

Brooke Burke-Charvet

Ashley Tisdale

LeAnn Rimes

Lacey Schwimmer

Zooey Deschanel

Minka Kelly

Group D

Amber Heard

Jane Lynch

Emily VanCamp

Kym Johnson

Sarah Shahi

Anna Faris

Miranda Kerr

Elizabeth Banks

Audrina Patridge

Cheryl Burke (2009-10 third-place finisher)

Coming off her surprise third Oscar win seen by 39.1 million viewers, the early favorite right now is Meryl Streep (she or Helen Mirren -- both in their 60s -- could be the oldest Sexiest Woman winner ever); but the ones to also watch for are Lucy Hale, Emma Stone, Emily VanCamp, Kate Upton, Sofia Vergara, Nina Dobrev, and Zooey Deschanel.

The process is the same as last year:  Top 90 ladies (30 Juniors, 30 Seniors, 30 Underdogs) after the preliminary round will go on to Round 1 where 60 will remain -- 20 from each category -- for Round 2 when it'll be down to only 30 (10 apiece).

Starting in Round 3 when we return in the fall, the real battle begins with the categories removed and last year's third-place finisher Kate Walsh plus a mystery entrant joining the remaining field. The top 20 ladies after that join last year's co-winner Hilary Duff in Round 4, and...

The top ten from Round 4 plus two more from the Second Chance Round will meet that other big winner, Sarah Michelle Gellar, in the final round (which, if everything goes according to plan, will be in mid-November)!!!

So yes, it's going to be an exciting spring and fall asking the question of questions: Who is the Sexiest Woman of 2012? It all begins on Monday, March 26, so so long and stay strong!

Silence was golden at the Oscars!

Hello, everybody. At the inaugural Academy Awards ceremony in 1929 (which was actually a banquet, but you get the idea), "Wings", a silent film though sound was starting to become a big deal, was the first Best Picture winner. Well, flash forward 83 years and 3 hours and 13 minutes later to Sunday's 84th annual awards, and "The Artist" taking us back to those bygone times in a big way.

Both that film and Martin Scorsese's "Hugo" each collected five awards, but it was "The Artist" that barked up the most important bounty: Best Actor (Jean Dujardin, beating out odds-on favorite George Clooney), Director (Michel Hazanavicius), and Best Picture of 2011. One of "Hugo's" honors was for Visual Effects, and sharing that: Former Fairbanks resident Ben Grossmann!

Almost 30 years after her last win, Meryl Streep returned to the Oscar stage to claim Best Actress for "The Iron Lady" over heavily favored Viola Davis (her "The Help" co-star Octavia Spencer received Supporting Actress) in a near upset. And 82-year-old Christopher Plummer is the oldest acting winner ever thanks to his Supporting Actor prize for "Beginners." Other big winners include "An Adaptation" (Foreign Language Film, Iran's first), "Rango" (Animated Feature), and "Undefeated" (Documentary Feature).

After an eight-year hiatus, Billy Crystal out-Ricky Gervais Ricky Gervais (or make that, out-James Franco and Anne Hathaway James Franco and Anne Hathaway from last year) in his ninth go-around as emcee kept things breezing along throughout the evening, even with an abbreviated version of his opening medley to incorporate the nine Best Picture nominees.

An hour or so prior to all that, the stars went around the red carpet, where white was the order of the day for Milla Jovovich (Marchesa), Gwyneth Paltrow (Tom Ford), and Rooney Mara (Givenchy). Of course there were others, like Michelle Williams in Louis Vuitton and Jessica Chastain in Alexander McQueen among others, but the big talk was saved for Angelina Jolie showing leg in Atleier Versace (it even got its own Twitter), and Jennifer Lopez appearing to be showing a little extra alongside Cameron Diaz on stage. By the way, an injury forced Halle Berry to watch the awards at home, as she was going to be one of the presenters.

So, who was the showstopper? To coin that term from one former WWE alum to another, has to be Stacy Keibler looking like a golden goddess in her Marchesa. Even though her guy graciously lost, she was a true winner in our book; for Stacy, being at the Oscars was indeed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Who knew that the woman who came into our lives as Miss Hancock in WCW and would carry her sexiness over to WWE, "Dancing With The Stars", and beyond would wind up being front and center in front of an even larger television audience than Wrestlemania on the original Grandest Stage of Them All?? She'll remember this night for as long as she lives, trust me.

Oh, and after looking like a princess last year, Natalie Portman this year? She looked more like a paupette in her vintage 1954 Christian Dior.

With 17 nominations and her two previous wins, she was Susan Lucci done right. And now with her third trophy, Meryl Streep is back in the spotlight thanks to her role as Margaret Thatcher. Five years ago at this time, Helen Mirren's Queen Elizabeth won her the gold, proving that female British icons can nab you the richest American-made prize in entertainment.

But after all the hardware was passed out, one film proved that at the 84th Annual Academy Awards, silence was indeed golden.

Now...one of the people featured in the In Memoriam montage was Whitney Houston, and there's already fallout from last weekend's star-studded funeral. Why?

The cover of the latest "National Enquirer" had a photo of Whitney in an open casket, allegedly taken before the service. Tons of media outlets threw huge fits about it, calling that move "morbid" and "shameful."

From an editorial perspective...what's the big deal? Martin Luther King, Jr's funeral was open casket and televised to the world; so was James Brown's, but why Whitney? It was the "Enquirer" that also ran a photo of Elvis Presley in his open casket after he died in 1977, while the "New York Post" did the same thing with John Lennon three years later. I think it's both good and bad on both fronts: good for business, bad because they want to capitalize on Houston's death even further. But I can give you this: It was our final ever glimpse of a music icon who was troubled to the end. So long and stay strong.

Hello everybody, as we're about to head into the weekend of weekends, especialy on Sunday where DVR drives are expected to crash everywhere.

We begin with one of the Super Bowls of auto racing, the Daytona 500 and Danica Patrick's NASCAR debut (I'm more into the Indianapolis 500). That'll be followed by the Super Bowl of basketball, the NBA All-Star Game in Orlando; unfortunately, that phenom known as Jeremy Lin won't take part.

And then of course, we have the Super Bowl of entertainment: The 84th Annual Academy Awards! A number of pre-Oscar parties have already begun and will last well into Saturday night, but let's begin with the stories prior the big show:

A few months ago, Eddie Murphy was tapped to host with Brett Ratner joining alongside Don Mischer as producer; but after Ratner's inflammatory remarks about gays, the two bolted out and Brian Grazer was in...so was Billy Crystal after an eight-year hiatus. And earlier this week, Kodak's bankruptcy led to a name change to the namesake venue; it's now the Hollywood & Highland Center and after ten years, it could be the last Oscars there. 

For some time now, the Academy has been eyeing the Nokia Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles as their new home; it has twice the space (and seating capacity) than the Kodak Theatre and is already host to the "American Idol" finale, ESPY Awards (both used to be at the Kodak), Primetime Emmys, American Music Awards, and MTV Video Music Awards. With those events, it's already been called the Radio City Music Hall of the West. 

If the Oscars join them next year, it's proof that you really don't have to base the awards in Hollywood. Until 2002, they've had them at either the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (now part of the Walt Disney Concert Hall, also downtown) or Shrine Auditorium though during much of the '60s, Santa Monica's Civic Auditorium played host.

Now, to this year's soiree: "Hugo" may be coming in with 11 nominations, but the forecast may call for "The Artist" taking some of the top honors after a few other awards including the BAFTAs. The other seven films up for Best Picture (The Descendants, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, The Help, Midnight in Paris, Moneyball, The Tree of Life, and War Horse)? Well, they'll just have the distinct honor of being nominated.

All four of last year's acting winners will be back to pass the torch; also on the presenters' list: Tina Fey, Emma Stone, Tom Cruise, Will Ferrell, Ben Stiller, Milla Jovovich, Bradley Cooper, former host Chris Rock, past winners Michael Douglas, Halle Berry, Angelina Jolie, Tom Hanks, and Penelope Cruz, and...Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy!

The Best Actor/Actress races are at its tightest ever. George Clooney may have the advantage following the Golden Globes, but Jean Dujardin is hoping for an upset. And it's no longer a battle between Meryl Streep and Michelle Williams, because Viola Davis may add a little color to the mix. 

But the one question we'll be asking as far as fashions are concerned is...What will Stacy Keibler wear? She has always put on a show over the years from WWE to "Dancing With The Stars", and now she'll be part of the biggest show of them all. It sure is a far cry from Wrestlemania and the one time Jeff Hardy copped more than a feel!

The other question is of course: Who will have the ultimate conversation starter first thing Monday morning? Last year, I was right on only Christian Bale, Colin Firth, and Natalie Portman; here are my picks this year. But since Christopher Plummer and Octavia Spencer are guaranteed Supporting Actor/Actress, let's jump right to the categories that really matter:

Best Actor: It is a tight contest, but since he's already tipped as the favorite and that he also has worldwide recognition compared to the lesser-known Dujardin, I'll probably say George Clooney has this lock, stock, and barrel.
Best Actress: We thought it was going to be a showdown between Streep and Williams with the 17-time nominated Meryl as the early favorite, but...it's been ten years now since Halle Berry's win. So in honor of that...Viola Davis.

Best Director: Five years will have passed since Martin Scorsese finally copped his first prize, but even though he claimed a Golden Globe for Hugo, my gut tells me it will go to Michel Hazanavicius for "The Artist".

Best Picture: It's been the odds-on favorite coming in to the awards having claimed Golden Globe and BAFTA honors, so..."The Artist" for the win!

We'll see what happens Sunday night on ABC when Hollywood's biggest prize will be handed out under the watchful eye of Billy Crystal; on Monday, I'll recap them all from top to bottom. So long and stay strong.

Hello, everybody. It was a mix of joy and sorrow at Sunday's 54th Annual Grammy Awards, but let's begin with the joys:

With a return performance since vocal cord surgery that brought down the house, Adele literally swept the board earning all six of the Grammys she was up for including Pop Vocal Album and Album of the Year for "21" and Song of the Year and Record of the Year for "Rolling in the Deep"; she has tied new mom Beyonce for the most haul by a female in one night. Other winners include the Foo Fighters (Rock Song, "Walk"; Rock Album, "Wasting Light"), last year's dominators Lady Antebellum (Country Album, "Own the Night"), Taylor Swift (Country Song, "Mean"), Bon Iver (New Artist), Louis C.K. (Comedy Album), and even Betty White (Spoken Word Album).

And then, there were the sorrows: In the wake of Whitney Houston's death (which I'll get to in a bit), producers scrambled at the eleventh hour to pay tribute to the six-time winner; first with host LL Cool J beginning the show with a prayer for Houston, and Jennifer Hudson's stirring performance of "I Will Always Love You" which was planned on the fly.

The fashions? Taking a cue from Lady Gaga last year, Nicki Minaj went Little Red Riding Hood on us in Atelier Versace, being accompanied by someone as the Pope, while suddenly single Katy Perry left us blue in Elie Saab. But my best-dressed was Rihanna in backless back, while Fergie? I'm sorry, but we can see your humps alright in that orange Jean Paul Gaultier...albeit a little too much.

Now like I said, this year's Grammys came 24 hours after the sudden passing of Whitney Houston at 48. Throughout her career, she racked up over 400 awards including six Grammys, two Emmys, 30 Billboard Music Awards, and 22 American Music Awards, earning a place in the Guinness Book of World Records as the most-honored female act of all time. Speaking of Billboard, she was the only artist to have had seven consecutive #1's in the Hot 100, a feat that has yet to be equaled.

But let's not get ahead of myself. Whitney Elizabeth Houston's journey began on August 9, 1963 in Newark, New Jersey, born to parents Cissy and John Houston. At age 11, she began singing in the junior gospel choir at a local church and during the 1970's, she would perform alongside her mother in nightclubs throughout New York City.

In the early '80s, Houston worked as a fashion model on the wide, appearing in Seventeen, Cosmopolitan, and Glamour. Then in 1983, Arista Records head Clive Davis caught wind of Whitney and after signing with his label, she made her worldwide television debut on The Merv Griffin Show.

Two years later, her self-titled debut album dropped to critical and public acclaim and by 1986, the honors started pouring in. That success would carry over to her sophomoric project, "Whitney", in 1987 with four singles from that album peaking at #1 on the charts, followed by her first world tour. Houston also penned "One Moment in Time", the theme song for the 1988 Summer Olympics.

When the '90s arrived, so did album #3, "I'm Your Baby Tonight"; the reviews were mixed, but the first two singles did garner #1 slots on the Billboard Hot 100. And then came what would be her first career highlight: With the Gulf War beginning to escalate, Whitney performed a very memorable rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner at Super Bowl XXV in 1991. Later that year came a televised "Welcome Home Heroes" concert special for HBO and then another world tour. 

But Houston thought to herself that singing was not enough, so in 1992, she added acting to her resume with "The Bodyguard" alongside Kevin Costner. Despite earning an unfortunate Razzie nomination for Worst Actress, the film turned up a massive profit: $400 million worldwide. 

The soundtrack was a completely different animal, with her version of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You" hitting #1 on both the Hot 100 and R&B charts and staying there for weeks. And then came these all during 1994: Eight American Music Awards including the Award of Merit, 11 Billboard Music Awards, five World Music Awards, and three Grammys including Record of the Year and Album of the Year.

During the mid-'90s, she shifted her attention to films with "Waiting to Exhale" (with Angela Bassett), "The Preacher's Wife" (with Denzel Washington), and the TV movie musical "Cinderella" (with Brandy and Whoopi Goldberg). Then in 1998, she was back in the recording studio working on "My Love is Your Love", which had a funkier difference than her last three albums but managed to churn out stronger reviews.

At the turn of the century, that's when everything changed. Whitney performed at Michael Jackson's 30th anniversary concert in 2001 looking extremely thin; the reasons according to her publicist? Houston was "under stress due to family matters, and when she is under stress she doesn't eat." "Just Whitney" came out in 2002, then in 2004, Whitney toured again, this time overseas. 

Her last album, "I Look To You" was released in 2009, and she performed her single "Million Dollar Bill" on UK and Italian versions of "The X Factor" to Richter scale reviews. Despite that, the album went platinum. A new world tour would later follow in the hopes she would make a "triumphant comeback", but poor reviews, rescheduled shows, and cancellation of some due to illness had many fans saving their money. And last September, Whitney was supposed to be executive producing and star in a remake of the movie "Sparkle" with Jordin Sparks. 

In addition to all those achievements and then some, Whitney was also a humanitarian, being involved in the Freedomfest concert in 1988 for then-imprisoned Nelson Mandela, the Special Olympics, United Negro College Fund, and the Whitney Houston Foundation for Children, which she formed in 1989. 

Professionally, Whitney was on top of the world, but personally? Until the end, not so much. Her problems began when she met and later married Bobby Brown in 1992; the following year, the couple gave birth to their only child, daughter Bobbi Kristina. I could go on and on about the rest including their divorce in 2006, but let's get to the real highlights: Her infamous "Crack is whack" interview with ABC's Diane Sawyer in 2002, and then the "KISS MY ASS!" remark to her husband on "Being Bobby Brown."

There have been some developments since Saturday night involving Whitney's death. Two days prior came what would be her last public appearance and performance, singing "Yes, Jesus Loves Me" with Kelly Price during rehearsals for Clive Davis' pre-Grammy party at the Beverly Hilton. It was there where Houston would be found dead in a fourth-floor suite, her head submegred in the bathtub. Paramedics arrived on the scene in their attempts to resuscitate her, but they gave up hope and Whitney was pronounced dead at 3:00 pm Alaska Time. An autopsy was later conducted, but as of right now, they're withholding the results and her body was flown to New Jersey Monday where a funeral is expected to take place later this week. And believe me, folks: just like the Grammys or Michael Jackson's memorial, it will definitely be star-studded.

News and reaction of her death immediately spread like wildfire, especially on Twitter from Mariah Carey, Toni Braxton, Christina Aguilera, Rihanna, Justin Bieber, and many others. Even her ex-husband Bobby Brown was said to be a little distraught over the news, but during a concert in Mississippi, he blew kisses skyward saying "I love you, Whitney".

To put it in perspective...this came just a week or so after we lost "Soul Train" visionary Don Cornelius, and right now the two have reunited in heaven. But throughout her illustrious career, in good times and in bad, Whitney Houston's music was, as one of her songs put it, the greatest love of all which we cherished. Sure, we may have a show here called "The Voice", but there's no absolute debating that Whitney Houston was the voice. It may be permanently silenced, but it will continue to linger for years to come. And even in death, we will always love her. So long and stay strong.

Another Giant leap for Super Bowl-kind!

Hello, everybody. In a rematch of four years ago, the defensive New York Giants once again had the advantage over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI Sunday night as they clinched their fourth Vince Lombardi Trophy 21-17 with Eli Manning as MVP...in the home turf of brother Peyton's Indianapolis Colts (Lucas Oil Stadium) nonetheless.

The Patriots' last chance to reclaim the lead with Tom Brady attempting a Hail Mary pass to Rob Gronkowski turned out to be an epic fail, as were three fumbles. And Brady wasn't the only one suffering the agony of defeat; team owner Robert Kraft's heart was also heavy, as he was hoping that last-minute win would lift his spirits after the loss of his wife Myra (which explains the "MHK" emblazoned on their jerseys).

But before the kickoff, Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert kicked off the festivities with "America The Beautiful", followed by Kelly Clarkson's flawless rendition of the "The Star-Spangled Banner" (yes, I said "flawless", as opposed to Christina Aguilera's last year). And Madonna at 53 may have taken the stage at halftime earning some mixed reviews, but she would be upstaged by one other singer's illegal use of fingers.

During a performance of Madonna's new song "Give Me All Your Luvin'", British rapper M.I.A. appeared to sing "I don't give a s---", which was followed by raising her middle finger to a record 111.3 million viewers (making the Super Bowl, for three years now, the most-watched television broadcast of all-time). The blink-and-miss moment was seen briefly and then a screen blur afterwards, but it was a bit too late. On Monday, NBC and the NFL issued apologies for the unfortunate incident.

Now what has been called "Finger-gate" harkens us back to "Nipple-gate" from Super Bowl XXXVIII and Janet Jackson's infamous "wardrobe malfunction" that led to the FCC cracking down on indecency. Next week is the Grammy Awards; could we expect a public apology from M.I.A. just like Justin Timberlake's? And what about next year's halftime act? Since the Super Bowl will return to New Orleans next year and the Mercedes-Benz Superdome...hometown girl Britney Spears, perhaps??? In light of M.I.A....maybe not.


Of course in between all that were the other bits of Super Bowl entertainment brought to us by Madison Avenue. What were the best parts? We find out as I count down...

My Top Ten favorite commercials from 

Super Bowl XLVI

10. Go Daddy's "Body Paint" and "The Cloud" (could be the last ones from Danica Patrick now that she's about to heat up NASCAR)

9. Adriana Lima for Teleflora (not that arousing as opposed to...we'll see how the Kia Optima ad also featuring her ranked later)

8. Dannon Oikos Greek Yogurt with John Stamos (would've been better if they included Maria Menounos...who had to live up to her Super Bowl bet by doing "Extra" in a Giants bikini Monday in Times Square)

7. Fiat 500 Abarath (Just so you know, the seductress is Romanian actress Catrinel Menghia. Wish it was Jennifer Lopez)

6. Audi's "Vampire Party" (please don't give the producers of "True Blood", "The Vampire Diaries", and the "Twilight" movies any more ideas)

5. Adriana Lima (again) in Kia Optima's "A Dream Car. For Real Life." (Best. Checkered. Flag. Waver. EVER!!!)

4. Skechers: Go Run (Mr. Quiggly ain't no Kim Kardashian, but that pug can outrun anyone in the Kentucky Derby...or Usain Bolt)

3. Bud Light's "Here Weego" (can't wait for the feline version with "Here, Kit Kat!")

2. Volkswagen's "The Dog Strikes Back" (Already a hit a week before the big game with six million views and counting. Now if there's a "The Biggest Loser: Dogs Edition"...)

Doritos' "Sling Baby" is currently tops in USA Today's annual Ad Meter, but it's nothing compared to my #1 favorite commercial from Super Bowl XLVI once again brought to us by Chrysler:

1. Chrysler's "It's Halftime in America"

(Clint Eastwood's appearance and narration makes it more majestic than ever, which is what their ads compared to the other car companies' are all about)

Though they never cracked the top ten, I also enjoyed Budweiser's "Return of the King" as well as another ad from them ("Flash Fans") which was aired only during the Canadian Super Bowl broadcast but was a hit here in the States. There was also the Chevrolet Sonic's "Stunt Anthem" (I tweeted that we have a hot new star for "Jackass 4"), Pepsi Max's "Check-Out" (with a brief cameo by Regis Philbin!), MetLife's "Everyone" featuring our favorite cartoon characters (Note: Waldo is located near the end in between Jabberjaw and one of the cars from "Wacky Races") and the Toyota Camry's "It's Reinvented" (mmmm...pizza blanket). And the ones that didn't sit out for me? Chevy Silverado's depiction of "2012" (thought it was a bit too realistic for a truck commercial) and CareerBuilder.com's "Business Trip" (more like "Monkey Business Trip")

And last but not least...the Budweiser "Flash Fans" commercial was surprisingly planned, but also over the weekend, there was a flash mob in Times Square paying tribute to Don Cornelius, the mastermind behind "Soul Train" who committed suicide early last Wednesday morning at 75.

Regarded as our people's "American Bandstand", "Soul Train" brought African-American pop culture to our homes years before MTV and BET, with Cornelius as its conductor for 22 of its 35 years on the air from 1971 to 2006 (though it actually began as a local show in Chicago a year earlier). What made the show hot besides icons like Aretha Franklin, Barry White, Queen Latifah, Marvin Gaye, James Brown, Michael Jackson (when he was just that), Al Green, and hundreds others who jumped on board the train? The Scramble Board and the famous "Soul Train Line" segment, which Don even went down at one point with Mary Wilson!

"Soul Train" also used to be the only outlet on television to air commercials for black hair care products like Afro Sheen (which thank God they don't make anymore), Ultra Sheen (which is still around), Sulfur-8 (also still around but smells like rancid donkey urine), and styling kits such as Dark & Lovely and Gentle Treatment for women and S-Curl for men. And looking back at those, we hated them one bit because of the residue left over on our pillows when we go to bed!

But in the last few years after selling his creation to another company, Cornelius would lose his own soul in more ways than one; first with being arrested for spousal abuse before filing for divorce from Russian model Viktoria Chapman, and then being riddled with health problems from dementia to even Alzheimer's disease though he underwent brain surgery in the early '80s. Those right there led to his untimely suicide.

In spite of that, Don Cornelius has left behind a legacy that would later be equated. May he rest in peace, love, and SOOOOOOOUUUUUULLLLLL!!!! So long and stay strong.

Hello, everybody. In what could be his last State of the Union address of either his first term or as President, Barack Obama on Tuesday night made jobs the center of attention as his re-election campaign is already underway. In the 1 hour and 10 minute speech before Congress (including retiring Rep. Gabrielle Giffords of Arizona) and a worldwide television audience, Obama said that America's economy is gradually recovering from a near-fatal recession and that he's vowing to shrink the gap between the rich and poor though he also stated that a million jobs were created in the last 22 months.

Intoning that "we can either settle for a country where a shrinking number of people do really well, while a growing number of Americans barely get by; or we can restore an economy where everyone gets a fair shot, everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same set of rules", Obama laid out plans including steps to help students afford college, troubled homeowners to refinance their homes, and tax cuts for manufacturers. Another proposal is for a crackdown on financial and mortgage fraud, with the establishment of a Financial Crimes Unit as one of the goals.

In terms of national defense, he started the speech with Osama bin Laden no longer threatening America with thunderous roars. And with Iraq out of the picture for good with Afghanistan to later follow, he turned the attention to Iran and preventing them from acquiring nuclear weapons, hoping for a "peaceful resolution" in lieu of military action. 

Obama will follow all this up by hitting the road later this week; first on Wednesday to Iowa and Arizona to tour manufacturing, then Nevada and Colorado on Thursday with energy as the theme, and finally talking about college, education, and training in Michigan on Friday.

But we started this busy day with the release of Republican Presidential nominee Mitt Romney releasing his tax records...as were the nominations for the 84th Annual Academy Awards both at the same time! "Hugo" leads the way with 11 including Director (Martin Scorsese) and Best Picture of 2011; the other eight for that "The Artist" (not far behind with 10), "The Descendants", "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close", "The Help", "Midnight in Paris", "Moneyball", "The Tree of Life", and "War Horse."

It'll be a battle of the hunks between George Clooney and Brad Pitt for Best Actor (along with Demian Bichir, Jean Dujardin, and Gary Oldman), while in Best Actress, it's all about Meryl Streep (in her 17th nomination!) vs. Michelle Williams with fellow veterans Glenn Close and Viola Davis and newcomer Rooney Mara. On the Supporting Acting spectrum, we have Jonah Hill and Melissa McCarthy, who wants to be the second actress after Helen Hunt to add an Oscar to go along with the Emmy she already got a few months ago.

As for Shailene Woodley, Michael Fassbender, Albert Brooks, and Madonna...their Oscar race is over.

Billy Crystal returns after a few years' hiatus to preside over the festivities as the 84th Academy Awards will be given out February 26 on ABC. And considering that there are nine Best Picture nominees instead of the usual five, be prepared for what could be the longest "It's a wonderful night for Oscar..." medley ever! So long and stay strong.

Hello everybody, and welcome to my first blog of 2012.

The big question asked throughout the 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards on Sunday was: Was Ricky Gervais on his best behavior the third time around? I'll have that later, but first:

"The Artist" and "The Descendants" were the top winners, claiming Musical-Comedy and Drama Best Picture respectively, with George Clooney earning Best Actor-Drama for the latter. Meryl Streep got Best Actress-Drama for "The Iron Lady", while Michelle Williams picked up the musical or comedy prize for her portrayal of Marilyn Monroe in "My Week With Marilyn." Coincidentally, Monroe herself was awarded that same honor for "Some Like It Hot" at the 1960 Golden Globes (back when the awards were not that big of an event as it is today). The supporting acting honors went to Christopher Plummer ("Beginners") and Octavia Spencer ("The Help"), while Martin Scorsese received his third directing Globe for "Hugo."

On the television side, "Modern Family" (Best Comedy-Musical) and Kate Winslet (Best Actress-Miniseries/Movie, "Mildred Pierce") added some Globes to go along with their Emmy wins from last September, while there were some familiar names taking the stage to collect theirs: Kelsey Grammer (Best Actor-Drama, "Boss"), Claire Danes (Best Actress-Drama, "Homeland"), Matt LeBlanc (Best Actor-Comedy, "Episodes"), Jessica Lange (Supporting Actress, "American Horror Story"), and Laura Dern (Best Actress-Comedy, "Enlightened"). Other winners include "Downton Abbey" (Miniseries or Movie), Idris Elba (Best Actor-Miniseries or Movie), and Peter Dinklage (Supporting Actor, "Game Of Thrones").

Now while we've been freezing our asses off here in Fairbanks in 35 below zero temperatures, Ricky Gervais in his third stint as host sure warmed us up in his usual, tarty fashion. Opening the show about "the world's second-biggest awards show being on America's third biggest network" like NBC (followed by an immediate correction that it's the fourth biggest network), he unexpectedly blurted out the "f"-word while introducing Salma Hayek and Antonio Banderas. But one person who wasn't amused was Madonna, who after Gervais said she's "just like a virgin", retaliated with "If I'm still just like a virgin, Ricky, then why don't you come over here and do something about it?" She then went on to say that she hasn't kissed a girl in years...on television.

Another thing that turned up the heat while it was drizzling wet in Beverly Hills? The red carpet, which was rolled out for Angelina Jolie (Versace) and Brad Pitt (Salvatore Ferragamo), George Clooney and Stacy Keibler (designer info for Keibler unavailable), Lea Michele (in a daring Marchesa), Sofia Vergara (Vera Wang), Mila Kunis (Dior), and Heidi Klum (Calvin Klein) among others.

Who was the best of the best? Charlize Theron showing off some leg in Christian Dior Couture followed by Michele. And even though she shares the Sexiest Woman of 2011 title with Hilary Duff, it's her daughter Charlotte to blame for dressing Sarah Michelle Gellar in unsexy Monique Lhuillier. We love you Sarah, but this is the Golden Globes, not an art gallery!

Immediately after the New Hampshire primaries in which Mitt Romney won again, the attention would shift to Cordova, as it has been deep in snow for weeks. The National Guard was deployed to the Alaskan town with one mission in mind: Unhoard the snow and get things back to normal.

This will be my 20-year anniversary since returning home to Alaska in summer 1992, and all that snow burying poor old Cordova is ridiculous! Sure, I've went through hellish colds like the latest one we're enduring now, but from what we've seen...this is turning out to be the best episode of "Hoarders" ever! So long and stay strong.

It's a tell-tale sign we're getting closer to the end of the year, so without further ado and for the 22nd time...

The Top 20 Things That Were Trending in 2011

20. The HP TouchPad becoming a colossal flop (still usable as a paperweight or a small serving tray)

19. Chris Paul joining the Los Angeles Clippers (yeah, like if they would have a chance!)

18. Weinergate (imagine if Andrew Weiner sent that out to Sarah Palin instead

17. Conrad Murray found guilty of dosing Michael Jackson to death (to paraphrase Nancy Grace, the King of Pop was dancing in heaven that night)

16. The Vancouver Riot kissing couple (a.k.a "From Here To Eternity 2")

15. Christina Aguilera fumbling the national anthem at Super Bowl XLV (the ghost of Leslie Nielsen lives!)

14. TIE:Maria Menounos' lower body wardrobe malfunction in Miami/Leaked cell phone nudes of Blake Lively and Scarlett Johansson (suddenly, sales of hand lotion and Kleenex began to skyrocket)

13.   Michele Bachmann (she's Sarah Palin without the glasses but with the wonky eyes of Nancy Pelosi)

12, in her 13th consecutive appearance on this list. Britney Spears (still continues to push the envelope...and in a good way)

11. The paternity suit against Justin Bieber (if that lady went ahead with it, this would've been the greatest episode of "Maury" ever!)

10. TIE: Tim Tebow (him bowing down at every game reeks "The Thinker", except that he has extra protection)/Ted Williams (it's amazing what a homeless guy with a golden voice can do)

9. TIE: Netflix (pissing off customers by boosting their fees since 2001)/George Clooney and Stacy Keibler (he has the looks of a casanova that could rival Brad Pitt; she has the fappable legs of a goddess that could rival Angelina Jolie

8. The downgrade of our credit rating from AAA to AA+ (guess the people at Standard and Poor's have went to one too many AA meetings)

7. Emma Stone (with "The Help" and next year "The Amazing Spider-Man", she's enjoying the career Lindsay Lohan once had but pissed away)

6. TIE: Charlie Sheen's and Ellen Barkin's erratic Twitter behaviors (give them some tiger blood 'cause they're winning, muthaf***ers!)/The X Factor (the anti-American Idol, now that Simon and Paula are together again)

5. Oprah Winfrey's and Regis Philbin's goodbyes (one of them had fans bawling uncontrollably...just like all of North Korea over Kim Jong Il's death)

4. Marc Anthony and Kris Humphries divorcing Jennifer Lopez and Kim Kardashian respectively (apparently, both of them had enough of their asses)

3. Prince William and Kate Middleton (a marriage made in heaven...unlike the one that was made in hell (see Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries))

2. The Kardashians (America's favorite family...to paraphrase Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, for us to puke on!)

And the #1 thing that was trending in 2011 which will continue to be in 2012 come election time:

1. The Occupy (insert city) protests (who will be the 99 percent deciding whether or not the 1 percent President Obama deserves an additional four years in the White House. But you may never know)

 And that's it: The Allen Blog's 2011 Year in Review. From me to you, so long, stay strong, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Part 2: Pop Culture and Technology

Let's all raise our glasses for a great 2011 in the world of pop culture: Couples of British royalty and teen royalty becoming the center of attention, a song about the joys of the last day of the work week becoming the latest YouTube sensation, erratic behavior from someone who thinks he's "winning" while dousing on some tiger blood, the end of one box office saga while another is still clawing along, a new wave of tablet computers trying to out iPad the iPad with Steve Jobs gone, one family giving new meaning to the term "family values", and sexting scandals that would stump Siri to a tee.

"The King's Speech", which was the verbal answer to "Rain Man" dominated the 83rd Annual Academy Awards with four including Best Actor (Colin Firth) and Best Picture, while an expectant Natalie Portman claimed Best Actress ("Black Swan") and a few months later, a baby boy. The ratings with hosts James Franco and Anne Hathaway (who would be the only one busy as a bee this year filling out the Catwoman suit for next year's "The Dark Knight Rises") weren't something worth talking about: A 10 percent drop from last year. Eddie Murphy was slated to front next year's show with Brett Ratner as producer, but Ratner's unflattering remarks would lead to them bolting; Brian Grazer would step in, followed by getting Billy Crystal on speed dial.

At the 53rd Primetime Emmy Awards, "Mad Men", "Modern Family", and "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" continued their streak, while "The Amazing Race" reclaimed their prize after loaning it to "Top Chef" last year. Melissa McCarthy beat out the likes of Tina Fey and Amy Poehler for Best Actress-Comedy honor, and with "Bridesmaids" to go along with "Mike & Molly", she was one of this year's breakout stars.

Oprah Winfrey, Mary Hart (after 29 years at "Entertainment Tonight), Canadian news anchor Lloyd Robertson, and Regis Philbin all bid a fond farewell this year, though we'll be seeing them again in the forseeable future. "American Idol" with Scotty McCreery as this season's winner remained the top television show for the seventh year in a row thanks to some infusion from Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler, but they're going to face an epic ratings battle next year with "The X Factor" (the inaugural U.S. season just won by Melanie Amaro), and why? Former judges Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul, the latter who briefly returned to TV earlier this year with "Live To Dance."

We also saw Pittsburgh Steeler Hines Ward and war veteran turned soap opera actor J.R. Martinez tango their way to the "Dancing With The Stars" mirror ball trophies, the end of both "All My Children" and Susan Lucci as Erica Kane, Christina Aguilera rebounding from her Star-Spangled screwup with a stint on "The Voice"; "Once Upon A Time", "Revenge", and "New Girl" among the new shows filling up our DVR drives; and the small screen returns of Claire Danes, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Rachel Bilson with "Homeland", "Ringer", and "Hart Of Dixie" respectively. Oh, and viewers didn't care about "The Playboy Club" (even if you live in a certain part of the country where you were not allowed to see it) or the new "Charlie's Angels."

But the big television story of 2011 was Charlie Sheen and the future of "Two And a Half Men." Apparently, his ego went straight to his brain as he bickered with the show's creator/producer Chuck Lorre, demanding a pay increase. From there, he verbally went psycho calling Chuck names, which didn't sit well with him. Sheen got the pink slip, while Charlie's next move? Twitter, where he reached 1 million followers on the first day. That would be followed by his "Torpedo of Truth" tour criss-crossing the country which got mixed reviews...except for the first night in Detroit, where most fans walked out on the show in utter disappointment and wanting a refund.

While all that was going on, producers scrambled to fill Charlie's shoes; I on this blog even suggested the unlikely name of former NBA player turned actor Rick Fox, given his history of ladies from Vanessa Williams to now Eliza Dushku. Well, they didn't listen to me, and the cattle call would end with Ashton Kutcher signing on the dotted line. When the new season hit, the new "Two And a Half Men" continued its dominance as TV's #1 comedy; but behind the scenes, Ashton's marriage to Demi Moore was about to falter. More on that (and other celebrity couples) later.

In the world of technology this year, new legions of tablet computers were in a bid to outdo the almighty iPad 2, which came out in the spring. One of them, HP's TouchPad, had potential as a serious competitor; but star power like Lea Michele, Russell Brand, and boxer Manny Pacquiao didn't convince us to buy one. After only two months of poor sales, the TouchPad would go in the way of the Edsel, New Coke, McDonald's Arch Deluxe, and the XFL. Other tablets by Blackberry, Motorola, Samsung, and Acer would use the same Android OS for smartphones and they are doing modestly well. And in November, just in time for the holidays, Amazon debuted the Kindle Fire, which costs half the price of the iPad except that it doesn't shoot video or take pictures like the iPad.

Speaking of smartphones...the Apple iPhone 4S, a slightly updated version of the world's #1 smartphone, would be introduced just a day before Steve Jobs' passing. The biggest new feature: Siri, which acts as a personal assistant. I know many of you had fun playing with that.

Despite "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" ending the franchise with a new opening weekend record while "Twilight: Breaking Dawn" proved that franchise still has bite, the box office this year was anything but fun. The only other films that garnered a lot of buzz was "The Help" and George Clooney's double whammy of "The Ides Of March" and "The Descendants", but "Your Highness", "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark", and "Mars Needs Moms"? They did garner some buzz as well...on Netflix queues everywhere! Even Netflix themselves had a rocky year as they upped the monthly fees, which led to unsatisfied customers bolting to Redbox, their local libraries, and a resurging Blockbuster. An attempt to rename their mail DVD rental service as Qwikster crashed and burned.

Music's biggest chart-toppers this year were by Pink with "Raise Your Glass" (which also got the "Glee" treatment), Nicki Minaj who at one point gave a very eye-opening performance on "Good Morning America", Britney Spears becoming a "Femme Fatale" with her latest offering (and capping it all off with her engagement to Jason Trawick), Adele hitting blackjack with "21", Lady Gaga continuing to push the envelope even further, and new tunes from Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, and Rihanna as they've played the globe. We also saw Beyonce showing her baby bump to the world at the MTV Video Music Awards, pulling in both ratings and Twitter records...not to mention some unknown teenager named Rebecca Black paying homage to the end of the work/school week with "Friday."

No year would be complete without a bountiful of scandals. Among them: Leaked cell phone pictures of Scarlett Johansson and Blake Lively having us reaching for the hand lotion and Kleenex, congressman Anthony Weiner showing his...well, you know; the acquittal of Casey Anthony while Amanda Knox experienced freedom once again after years of standing trial in Italy, a phone hacking scandal with Piers Morgan and Hugh Grant among the targets costing Rupert Murdoch the "News Of The World" paper, the iPhone/tablet game Words With Friends getting some unexpected publicity thanks to Alec Baldwin's refusal to pause the game while on an American Airlines flight (and thus being booted off), Conrad Murray guilty of ending Michael Jackson's life, Hank Williams Jr.'s comments about President Obama, House Speaker John Boehner, Hitler, and the Israeli Prime Minister in the same sentence costing him his "Monday Night Football" gig; and of course, Lindsay Lohan from another brief time in jail to her community service job at a morgue to her much ballyhooed "Playboy" spread just recently.

The other most-talked celebrity couple of 2011 besides Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez? George Clooney and former WWE sexpot Stacy Keibler, as thanks to the praise he's been getting with the two films I already brought up, we could be seeing the two together (especially Stacy) next year at the Golden Globes and maybe...the Oscars!

And Kate and William wasn't the only big "I do" of the year, as Nick Lachey and Vanessa Minnillo, Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert, Reese Witherspoon and Jim Toth, Paul McCartney (in his third marriage) and Nancy Shevell, Brooke Burke and David Charvet, Prince Albert II and Charlene Wittstock, and LeAnn Rimes and Eddie Cibrian were among those tying the knot along with them. And among those headed to divorce court: Ashton Kutcher/Demi Moore, Jennifer Lopez/Marc Anthony, Arnold Schwarzenegger/Maria Shriver, Elizabeth Hurley/Arun Nayar (Liz would be engaged to Shane Warne), Olivia Wilde/Tao Ruspoli, and Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn. Meanwhile, Hilary Duff and Mike Comrie celebrated their one-year anniversary saying that baby will make three, and Jessica Simpson's will be popping out next year as well after Eric Johnson popped the question to her. (UPDATE (12/30): After only one year, Russell Brand and Katy Perry are no more as Russell has filed for divorce)

So...who's my pick for Entertainer of the Year? How about Entertainers of the Year: The Kardashians!

Let's face the facts, folks: They were infectious all throughout 2011, keeping the tabloid publishers and gossip sites happy week after week. We had Rob on the aforementioned "Dancing With The Stars" as perhaps the good Kardashian, but Kim had such a year that was both memorable and forgettable: Memorable because she starred in what I called the sexiest Super Bowl commercial ever for Skechers, and forgettable because her marriage to NBA star Kris Humphries lasted longer than...well, the HP TouchPad! (UPDATE: As of publish time, we've just learned that Sinead O'Connor's marriage to Barry Herridge is over after only eighteen days)

What will the forecast be for 2012? With Billy Crystal back in the saddle as Oscars host, could George Clooney take the stage yet again? Madonna will be headlining the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show; will she also be wardrobe malfunction-proof like Fergie this year? And how will "Hunger Games" and "The Dark Knight Rises" fare, as they are two of the year's most-anticipated films? We'll answer these questions and so much more in the year ahead.

Next time...we wrap up the Year in Review with the Top 20 Things That Were Trending in 2011!