I’ve had a fascination to see the rehearsal footage of Michael Jackson’s last show. Sony Pictures has released this clip of Jackson’s staging and singing of “The Way You Make Me Feel.”

The guy was talented.

I was lucky enough to see Jackson on tour. Jackson put on an electrifying show.

The movie culled from the rehearsal footage opens next week for a two week engagement. My guess is that it will be around longer than that.

It’s directed by Kenny Ortega, the guy that was working with Jackson to stage his comeback event. (Ortega also directed and choreographed the “High School Musical” trilogy.)

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"Castle" gets renewal!

Here’s some great, but not surprising news (since I get to see the Nielsen ratings each week.)

ABC gave a full season order to Castle, the mystery drama headlined by Nathan Fillion.

Castle is usually #2 in the time period following CBS’ CSI: Miami and has to date this season, averaged 10.1 million total viewers.

Nathan Fillion and the whole cast are terrific.

Great to see this show continue!

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Did you watch TV on Thursday night?

It is the BEST night to watch. So many good shows on all the networks.

But I have to give a shout out to “FlashForward” and “Grey’s Anatomy.”

“FlashForward” has really hooked me with its terrific and incredibly dramatic concept of engaging characters that have had a glimpse of their future. 

Like “LOST” (which it is favorably compared to) this wonderful show has me completely engaged AND totally surprised at the conclusion of each episode. Great episodes! Can’t wait until next week.

"Grey's" gets good!

Then there is “Grey’s Anatomy.” Sometimes I wonder if this show has already seen its best days. But then they pull off an episode like they did Thursday night and I am left totally amazed and in awe of this show all over again.

The episode, one of their best, tells what happened in one very hectic night in the ER from the point of view of twelve different characters.

Plus, bonus points for how the producers have worked around star Ellen Pompeo’s real-life pregnancy this season.

Great tv. Great show.

I will keep watching.

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Found this link on the web of a couple of guys named Rhett and Link that use the web to spread their brand of what they call “internettainment.” Their “Fireworks Song” is topical and hilarious for the holiday weekend.

They have a full site of stuff.  

Funny stuff. My bet we will see more of these guys in the near future…

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With all the news coverage of Michael Jackson’s death, my two young sons (ages 7 and 10) have been intriqued with who this Michael Jackson character was.

They are too young to have known about his recent legal problems. And we definitely haven’t gone into the molestation allegations that dogged the “King of Pop” in his later years.

They just were curious as to all the attention the death of this performer was getting.

My seven year old’s observation – “Dad, he has a very high voice even though he is 50.”

My ten year old, seeing the Jackson 5 era version of Michael then the older, plastic surgery obsessed performer did not even recognize that this was the same Michael. 

But both are facinated with his music videos and his dancing.

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Finally, I will spend a part of my holiday weekend with my 4th of July annual tradition of watching “1776.”

The musical is based on the story of the founding fathers and the drama behind the signing the Declaration of Independence.

As goofy as it sounds (yes it features a singing and dancing Ben Franklin, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson) its ultimately a very entertaining primer on the history and the amazing politics surrounding the birth of the United States. You can see a clip of Adams, Franklin and Jefferson humorously debating in song the symbol of the new nation. 

A restored version was released on DVD a couple of years ago. 

Put it in your NetFlix cue…it’s fun.