Okay, here’s the wacky story of the day…Marie Osmond is looking for love!

That isn’t the strange part.

Her big brother Donny is going to play matchmaker!

And it will be on TV.

As a contest.

On “The Insider.” 

Here is the release I got from fine folks at”The Insider” (which airs weeknights at 7:30pm on RTV 6.)

MARIE OSMOND is looking hotter than ever, and now she’s looking for love! Are you the perfect date for Marie?
For the first time on television, a world famous celebrity is going to let down her guard and let us take control of her love life!

Starting this Thursday, “The Insider” and Marie’s brother DONNY OSMOND are going to try to help find a date for Marie!

What kind of man would the former “Dancing with the Stars” contestant be interested in? Marie says that the man who piques her interest will be “a gentleman.” She says she’s looking for “somebody who is funny… someone with half a brain.”

If you think you have what it takes, submit a video describing why you should have a date with Marie!

There you have it!

If you are a little bit rock and roll to her little bit country and would like to submit a video click here for more information.

*****

“Grey’s Anatomy” returned with a new episode last week with a grisly bear mauling as part of the storyline. Ick.

This week a favorite returns for a visit.

Addison Montgomery (Kate Walsh) is back for a new episode of “Grey’s Anatomy.”

Addison was spun off to her own show, “Private Practice” that debuted strong last fall. But with the writer’s strike lasting so long, ABC decided to wait until fall to bring back “Private Practice” along with “Pushing Daisies” and “Dirty Sexy Money.” 

I have an inkling what is going to happen in the episode, but I don’t want to give away any spoilers.

But it should be a fun episode.

What teenager hasn’t dreamed of being in “High School Musical?”

Well the dream could come true…Disney is having open casting calls for a summer reality series called “High School Musical: Summer Session.” One casting session took place in LA on Sunday. The other one will be held Wednesday, May 7 at Champion Stadium at Disney’s Wide World of Sport in Orlando.

The open sessions will be part of early episodes of the summer show. Kids have to be between the ages of 16 and 22 (darn, that rules me out.) Under 18 requires a parent or guardian to accompany.

Click here to download an application and view the eligibility requirements.

Here is what the official Disney release says:

The producers welcome anyone and everyone ages 16-22 who has dreamed of being center stage — the high school quarterback who’s never tried out for a play but has a song in his heart, the drama club extrovert looking to break into the big time, someone looking to trade the chess club routine for a dance routine — all are invited to try to “Get’cha head in the game,” as the hit song says. The finalists will ultimately participate in a summer music program to hone their skills, and one talented newcomer will receive the opportunity of a lifetime, becoming a part of the “High School Musical” family. The winner will receive a grand prize-details will be announced separately. Lots of fantastic surprises await someone with the talent to go to the head of the class.

*****

I think “The Lord of the Rings” is one of the best movies ever made. (I know it’s three different movies, but really it isn’t. It’s all one story.)

The extended edition of the three movies that make up The Lord of the Rings, “The Fellowship of the Ring” “The Two Towers” and “The Return of the King” is the best DVD set out there. Period!

So I was really excited earlier this year when it was announced that Peter Jackson, the producer/writer/director of “The Lord of the Rings” had finally agreed (after a long legal battle with the movie studio) to produce “The Hobbit,” turning it into a two part movie. 

But Jackson isn’t going to direct it.

I’d be bummed about that except he has hired Guillermo del Toro to direct the movies. Guillermo has directed the two “Hellboy” movies and last year’s “Pan Labyrinth.” (All terrific!)

If Jackson isn’t directing, del Toro is the next best thing (maybe even better!)

Del Toro can handle the fantastical elements of Middle Earth, no problem. But he can also handle the dramatic and emotional weight that comes with a story like “The Hobbit.”

The movies will take four years to produce and will be shot back to back in New Zealand with the same production/special effects team that did the “Rings” films.

Can’t wait!

It’s an all reality show edition of the blog today!

If you were watching “Dancing with the Stars” on Monday night, Tom Bergeron recognized Paula Abdul in the audience from that other reality powerhouse, “American Idol.” EXTRA and other entertainment magazines asked if she was thinking about jumping ship to join “Dancing with the Stars.”

And the answer is, she might! 

Paula, no slouch in her day as a Lakers cheerleader or as a dancing pop star herself in the 80’s, says she loves “Dancing with the Stars” and would LOVE to learn a whole new style of dancing. But she’s not going to give up her regular gig at “Idol.”

Doesn’t mean she couldn’t be a contestant in season number 7 in the fall…

*****

The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences has announced a new catagory for this years Emmy Awards…reality show host!

That means you could see Jeff Probst from “Survivor” dgetting his torch snuffed out by Tom Bergeron from “Dancing with the Stars” or a smackdown between Brits “Supernanny” Jo Frost and “American Idol” Simon Cowell! 

The Emmys will air on ABC later this fall.

*****

Finally, Howie Mandell…meet Darth Vader.

You gotta give NBC’s “Deal or No Deal” credit for trying anything. The show is one of the few success stories for NBC. But after a couple of years, and multiple shows a week, the show is showing some ratings age.

They are into stunts to try to prop up the eroding numbers.

Last week, President Bush made an appearance on the show. In a sign of fading presidential ratings, the primetime show recorded its lowest ratings…ever. Ouch!

Maybe they should have invited Obama or Clinton instead.

Now, just in time for the May sweeps, Star Wars characters like R2-D2, Chewbacca, Storm Troopers and Darth Vader will stride onto the stage in a special themed show. Even Carrie Fisher will be there. And all the models will be dressed as Slave Leia from “Return of the Jedi.”

The kids will like it…so will dads.

Okay, here’s the question that was posed at my quarterly poker game with the guys:

If you are channel-surfing, what movies will make you stop surfing and stop to watch?

I’ve asked The Guys to share. 

BRYON’s picks : 

Godfather (1 and 2)

Blues Brothers

That Thing You Do

Goodfellas

SANDWICH says: 

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

Shawshank Redemption

Titanic

Body Heat

and Chinatown come to mind….

BIFF’s picks: 

Paul, I’ll always stop surfing to watch (it’s a long list):

Animal House

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

Remember the Titans (probably seen it 30 times)

Miracle (same as Titans)

Gladiator

Forest Gump

Bull Durham

The Green Mile

Big (I’m still looking for the Zoltar machine)

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

Sixteen Candles

The Shawshank Redemption (the remote gets put down)

The Quick and the Dead

Hoosiers

Titanic (not sure why)

The Glenn Miller Story (Jimmy Stewart - love the music)

American Graffiti (not on enough)

True Grit (something about the eye patch, I guess)

It’s a Wonderful Life

Mr. Deeds

Caddyshack

And in the future - anything with Kate Beckinsale

TRACY’s take: 

Any of the Godfather Trilogy (yes, even number 3)

Casino

Any of the Vacation movies

Any Mel Brooks movie

9 to 5 (I don’t know why)

The Wizard of Oz

Willy Wonka (the original with Gene Wilder)

True Grit

Airplane

The Hope/Crosby Road movies

Any Fred Astaire or Gene Kelly movie

Jaws, Son of Jaws, Son of Jaws II

Plan Nine From Outer Space

And right now anything fit for a three-year-old.

Finally PAUL’S Picks:

The Godfather trilogy

Office Space

The Lord of the Rings (if I have a lot of time)

Jason and the Argonauts or any Ray Harryhausen stop motion masterpiece

Singin’ in the Rain

Or any Godzilla movie (the cheesier, the better!)

Okay, so what movies will you stop surfing to watch?

Click the comment box and share with everyone!     

The comic book movies are coming, the comic book movies are coming!

Over the weekend, I noticed the promotional push for summer movies is in full swing. Several mega-budget movies based on comic books (or cartoons) will be arriving in theatres over the next few weeks.

And I can’t wait. Though some of them I will likely wait to catch on DVD.

I like the summer movies. Big special effect extravaganzas with big name stars and often wild and out of this world plots.

I grew up reading comic books (back when they were only a quarter!) So it’s going to be especially fun to see some of these movies.  

But which ones will fly…and which ones will flounder?

Here are my picks:

“THE DARK KNIGHT” - This is going to be THE comic book movie of the summer! 

A follow-up to “Batman Begins” this one again stars Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne/Batman, Michael Caine as Alfred, and Gary Oldman as Commissioner Gordon. What sets this one apart is the manic performance of the late/great Heath Ledger as The Joker. Ledger looks positively demonic as the villain.

What made the first one so good is that the story was about Bruce Wayne…not Batman. And logically (at least for a comic book movie) explained why he decided to dress up in the bat suit to get the bad guys.

Christopher Nolan, who directed ”Batman Begins” is back again. His take on the gothic “Dark Knight” makes this one the comic book movie to beat. Hands down.  

“SPEED RACER” - The Wachowski Brothers, the guys who dreamed up ”The Matrix” turn the Japanese cartoon “Speed Racer” into a live action, high energy, color saturated, high energy, special effects laden, high energy visual trip.

Did I say high energy enough?

The trailer is stunning. This is going to be an incredibly stylized movie. With high energy.

AND it’s a family film! My kids know all about Speed Racer…and they have never seen the original cartoon!

I’m just hoping the storyline is as exciting to keep up with the visuals. Emile Hirsh, John Goodman, Matthew Fox, Christina Ricci and Susan Sarandon are the stars. 

“IRON MAN” - The first time I saw the trailer for this one, I was impressed. But I have seen the commercials running almost non-stop on Nick that I’m starting to feel I have too much “Iron” man in my system.

Robert Downey Jr. stars as Tony Stark, a billionaire weapons specialist who creates his special suit (in comic books, lots of money allows you to afford your superhero habits.) The casting of Downey, Jr. is the part of this movie that makes me hope for something better than average. He’s unpredictable.

“THE INCREDIBLE HULK” - There has been some bad buzz about this one because it has come out that star Ed Norton was wanting a longer movie. The trailer for this one isn’t encouraging. 

I thought the first HULK was a little boring. Marvel Comics decided to try a reboot to relaunch the character. This is one of those movies that I will likely see…but I’m not in any hurry. I can wait to see it on DVD.

“HELLBOY 2: THE GOLDEN ARMY” - This one will be good.

Honest.

I saw the first “HELLBOY” on DVD and thought it was terrific.

That one and the sequel “The Golden Army” are directed by Guillermo del Toro who is a fantastic director of the fantastic. (If you haven’t seen last year’s “Pan’s Labyrinth” pick it up as a rental sometime. It was nominated for several Academy Awards. It’s a great story and movie!)

HELLBOY is the devil’s spawn who was brought to this world by the Nazis…but rescued and raised by the Allies. Ron Perlman plays Hellboy, a devil-red demon that shaves the horns that grow out of his forehead to stumps. He fights bad demons.

It’s a wacky, comic book premise, but the first movie pulled off the concept with an entertaining and occasionally scary B-movie vibe. And I mean that in a good way.

This one oughta be good.