Jeff Dodge's 2012 Golden Globe Predictions

(Image courtesy of MTV)

Whenever the Emmys, Golden Globes and Oscars come around, I always make my predictions for who will win over at TV Watch Online. With the 2012 Golden Globe Awards coming up Sunday night (8pm ET/5pm PT, NBC), I have now posted my predictions online. Click HERE or the link below to check them all out.

JEFF DODGE'S 2012 GOLDEN GLOBE PREDICTIONS

Who do you think should win? Does it conflict with who you believe will actually believe? Share your own predictions in the comments below.

Video of the Week [January 11]

As I mentioned on Tuesday, I want to share various quotes, photos and videos on this blog whenever I come across something that stands out to me. Yesterday, I shared my first Quote of the Week, a Nelson Mandela quote about education, which is my favorite quote of all time. Today, I will feature the first Video of the Week.

A TV show I was watching last week showed this YouTube video of a cat pushing another cat down  an opening. It's very short, but extremely hilarious. Here is this week's Video of the Week:

What'd you think of this video? What do you think was going through that cat's head to think he should push the other one down?

If there's a funny or other stand-out photo or video that you've seen lately, send it to me via Twitter, e-mail or in the comments below, and I might share it on this blog.

Follow me on Twitter @TheJeffDodge. I tweet various thoughts and opinions there. Anything I post on this blog will be tweeted there as well (so that's the best way to find out when the blog's updated). If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, either tweet me, e-mail me or leave a comment below.

Quote of the Week [January 10]

(Image courtesy of South Africa The Good News)

I love coming across fantastic, inspiring, moving, funny and other quotes that stand out to me. So I thought I'd share various quotes that I've come across in the weeks to come. My idea was to share one a week here on this blog (once in a while, I might switch out a quote for a Tweet of the Week if there's a certain tweet that stands out to me).

Here's this week's Quote of the Week:

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to to change the world."

--Nelson Mandela

I fist came across this quote back in my Junior or Senior year of high school. Our history teacher had us go around the room, read the various quotes on the posters and other papers hanging on the walls, and pick a quote to write about. I picked the above quote. And ever since that day, this quote has stuck in my mind.

At the time, I was planning on becoming a teacher after high school and college. I did begin majoring in Elementary Education for a while in college, but it never ended up working out for me. And while it still pains me sometimes to think about what could have been, I think in the end, everything worked out the way it should have. I ended up graduating with an English degree and now I'm a freelance writer and editor.

And even though I'm no longer going down that teaching path, the above quote is still my favorite quote ever because it's so very much true. Look at our education system right now. Look at what it takes now to get a good job in our country. Look at the gap between the rich and poor. It's everything. It all comes back to education. An education can do wonders.

What does an education mean to you? What do you think receiving a strong, quality education can do for our next generation? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Tomorrow (Wednesday, January 11) will be my first first Photo/Video of the Week. It will be just like today's Quote of the Week. I will share either a photo or a video that I've come across lately and want to share with you all. Some TV show was playing a YouTube video last week, and I just loved what happened in the video so much that I knew right away what my first Video of the Week was going to be.

If there's a great quote, photo or video you've come across, send it to me via Twitter, e-mail or in the comments below, and I might share it on this blog.

Follow me on Twitter @TheJeffDodge. I tweet various thoughts and opinions there. Anything I post on this blog will be tweeted there as well (so that's the best way to find out when the blog's updated). If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, either tweet me, e-mail me or leave a comment below.

Recommendations of the Week [January 8]

(Image courtesy of 20th Century FOX)

Well, I've gotten through the first week of this new blog. I hope you have enjoyed all of the flashback writing pieces that I featured over the past several days, from my Harry Potter essay and X Factor On The Scene Report to my interviews with Kaleb Nation and Mahsa, and everything else.

What I would like to do on Sundays is to provide my Recommendations of the Week. These recommendations could be something that happened in the past week that I read, watched, participated in, etc. or something coming up in the following week. And feel free to leave your recommendations in the comments section below; I would love to read what you have to say.

Jeff Dodge's Recommendations of the Week [January 8]:

Movies:
Super 8
Rise of the Planet of the Apes

I watched these two films recently. I loved the vintage 70's feel to Super 8, and paying homage to Steven Spielberg (reminiscent of E.T.). The chemistry between the kids was perfect; it didn't feel forced or out of place. The train crash was one of the best disaster moments in a movie I've ever seen.

And with Rise of the Planet of the Apes, this is one of the best movies I've seen in a long while. The motion capture animation was beautifully rendered. I'm very picky on what movies I'd be willing to shell out money to buy, but I could see myself buying this movie. And I hope Andy Serkis gets the attention he deserves at the Oscars. And it wouldn't surprise me one bit if this film wins for Best Visual Effects (though I would also want Harry Potter to win as well).

TV Shows:
Once Upon a Time (Sundays, 8-9pm, ABC)
Fear Factor (Mondays, 9-10pm, NBC)
Mobbed (Wednesdays, 9-10pm, FOX)

I've been watching Once Upon a Time; it is one of my favorite new shows on TV right now during this 2011-2012 season (along with American Horror Story). I was a fan of Fear Factor when it originally was on the air way back when. And I've been watching every episodes of its return; the gross moments are so gross that it's hard to turn my head away from it.

I'm a fan of Howie Mandel, so I've been watching every episode of Mobbed. I don't know how it's been doing in the ratings, but this is one of the best shows on TV right now. There's so much suspense near the end when we don't know how the invited person is going to react. One recent episode had a guy who has been in an online relationship with a girl for about five years confront her in person about starting a face-to-face relationship. If you're a fan of Howie Mandel, music, dance, drama, reality TV, this is the show for you.

TV/Politics:
New Hampshire Primary

If you're a political news junkie like I am, then it's a great time to be following all the latest political news. After the extremely close results in the Iowa caucus, it's time to focus on New Hampshire, when this state's primary will be held on Tuesday.

Websites:
TV Watch Online (@TVWatchOnline)
Bieber Guy (@Bieber_Guy)
BuddyTV

Jeff Dodge Blog:
Welcome to my BLOG!
2012: What I'm Looking Forward to This Year
Interview with Author Kaleb Nation
Interview with The Apprentice's Mahsa
Jennifer Lawrence - From Winter's Bone to The Hunger Games
The X Factor Seattle Auditions - On The Scene Report
Why I Refuse to Say Goodbye to Harry Potter

BuddyTV (Articles I've Written):
'Necessary Roughness' Season 2 Preview Guide: After the Boom
'Grey's Anatomy': Never Can Say Goodbye
'Grey's Anatomy': With or Without You, Mer-Der
'Grey's Anatomy': Will Pompeo and Dempsey Be Movin' On Up?

#1 Recommendation: Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Tomorrow (Monday, January 9), my next Bieber Guy review will be up over at my Bieber Guy Blog. This week, I will be reviewing Justin Bieber's book, First Step 2 Forever.

Follow me on Twitter @TheJeffDodge. I tweet various thoughts and opinions there. And anything I post on this blog will be tweeted there as well (so that's the best way to find out when the blog's updated). And if you have any questions, comments or suggestions, either tweet me, e-mail me or leave a comment below.

Today's Feature: Why I Refuse to Say Goodbye to Harry Potter

(Image courtesy of Daily Mail)

Today is Day 5 of featuring either a writing piece or something I have participated in from the past couple of years (and originally posted on either the T.W.O. BLOG or OMGWire). Yesterday, I featured my On The Scene report from attending one of the Seattle audition tapings for The X Factor. I hope you enjoyed getting the inside scoop on that, as well as the pictures.

Today is the final day for this feature as part of Launch Week. Last summer, the final Harry Potter movie was released. And after I saw that final movie for the first time, I started writing down my thoughts on it all ending. I put it aside for quite a while. But when the DVD was released a couple of months ago, I thought it would be the perfect time to share it online. The below essay was originally posted on OMGWire.

Until Next Time...
Or, Why I Refuse to Say Goodbye to Harry Potter
By Jeff Dodge

I didn't want to write this. I really didn't. It's been about four months now since the final Harry Potter movie came out, and I may have been in denial. In denial that the end was here and it's passed by me in a flash. I didn't want to write this, because I didn't want to say goodbye.

I first met Harry Potter in 1999. I was 11, the same age Harry was when he received his letter to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I never received mine, but I got so much more than just a mere letter. On Christmas Eve of that year, I received the first three books as a Christmas gift from my step-grandma. I had never heard of this series before, but thanked her because she knew I loved to read. Little did she (or I) know how much that one choice would change my life forever, would turn out to be more than just a simple gift.

But it didn't start that way. I began reading Sorcerer's Stone, and can you believe it when I say I didn't get very far before I stopped reading and stored the books away? At that time, it didn't catch my attention for some reason. A few months later, though, I was going through my closet and rediscovered Harry Potter sitting there with my other books. I decided to give it another chance. And boy am I glad I did. I can't even imagine what my life would have been like if I didn't. Before I knew it, I had swallowed up all three pretty much in one gulp and hungered for more. The problem? The fourth book wouldn't be released until summertime. And so Harry Potter went on the backburner again, but only temporarily. On the morning of July 8, 2000, I received a call from my mom (I had stayed at my grandparents' beach house the previous night) that UPS or some other delivery truck had pulled up and delivered a package. She didn't think she had ordered anything, so she was a little confused. But when she opened it, there was Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. I had completely forgotten that I had entered a contest through one of the bookstores at the mall to win a free copy of the book. I told her to make sure to bring it with her when she came out to the beach house later that day. To the average person, two weeks might seem like a short time to read a 734 page book. And at the time, it was fast for me. (My speed time would quicken for the remaining books).

Goblet of Fire changed everything. Not just for me, but for the fandom and the franchise. After Goblet of Fire, I discovered Harry Potter fansites, who were all dissecting and analyzing the books for clues to what would happen next. I read through every single news item and rumor to see what the plot of book 5 would be. It was excruciating to have to wait three (THREE!!!) years for Order of the Phoenix.

Tragedy struck just over a year later, on September 11, 2001. Just over a year after we read that Voldemort returned to the wizarding world, just as strong as ever. Who hijacked those planes and flew them into those towers? Were they You-Know-Who's most trusted and loyal Death Eaters, sent to cause chaos and destruction in the Muggle world? No explanation, not even one involving Harry Potter, could create any sort of reasoning for what happened on that day.

We were not only having to wait three years for the next book, but also reeling from the horror of 9/11. Fortunately, we had something to look forward to in the meantime, something to keep our mind off of the tragedy. The first movie came out in the fall of 2001, and my great-aunt and I watched it together that November. Before this, my great-aunt had fast become a Harry Potter fan as well. We may be two generations apart, but it goes to show that Harry Potter is no mere "children's" series. I still remember leaving the theater after seeing that first movie and questioning the differences between the book and the movie. My aunt pointed out that not everything can make it into a movie. That's when I first learned about the ways of translating a book for the big screen. She and I have gone to every single HP movie in theaters, and switching over to IMAX when Harry Potter started playing there (beginning with Prisoner of Azkaban).

And over the years from one movie to the next, I cheered and jeered along with every other fan on the filmmakers' decisions. Cheered for John Williams' iconic music. Jeered the exclusion of who the Marauders were (effectively destroying one of the major plot points in the entire movie). Praised the darker tones of the latter films. Winced at Daniel Radcliffe's terrible crying ability in PoA and the freeze-frame of his face as the final shot of the movie. Criticized Michael Gambon's portrayal of Dumbledore in GoF and OotP. And applauded the filmmakers' attention to detail with the sets, costumes and locations.

But back to the books now. When Order of the Phoenix finally came out in 2003, I zipped through it in three days. My grandpa was extremely impressed with my speed time there (my parents were on vacation at the time). I became angry along with Harry when nobody (not even Dumbledore or his best friends, Ron and Hermione) would tell him anything over the summer about what the wizarding world was doing after the return of Voldemort. Starting with GoF and continuing with this book, the frenzy was on to pre-order the books as soon as they went on sale for pre-order online, and to have them delivered the same day as the release date.

Two years later came Half-Blood Prince, which is my favorite HP book to this day (and I beat my record by finishing it in two days). Sure, it takes on the darkness that the previous one did, but J.K. Rowling (or Jo, as we call her) perfectly balanced it out with the comedy, which I loved. During the climax when Dumbledore and Harry have returned to Hogsmeade/Hogwarts after seeking out the locket horcrux, my heart began to beat fast seeing how weak Dumbledore had gotten. And up on the astronomy tower, my heart beat faster and faster as Malfoy, Snape and the Death Eaters had Dumbledore surrounded. When Snape carried out the deed, my whole body felt numb. How could that have happened?

Then came the dreadful day that was July 21, 2007, the day the final book came out. I dreaded that day like the plague, just like I dreaded the day four years later when gearing up for the final movie. The first chapter of Deathly Hallows was all about Voldemort, which didn't seem to be a good sign for Harry's prospects. All within my first two days of reading, two fatalities occurred that got to me. I was stunned to find out that Hedwig died. Sure, she never talked and was never a major character in the series. But Hedwig symbolized Harry's childhood, and ours as well. And we knew were were growing up when this fateful event occurred. Out of all the major deaths in the series, none have matched the shock and emotion I felt when Bellatrix's knife stabbed Dobby, causing his death. Dumbledore was a bigger and more present character than Dobby, but for some reason, Dobby's death stung. That was hard to recover from. On the third night, just before midnight, I finished the final chapter, the final page, the final paragraph and then the final sentence: "All was well." Sure, Harry turned out all right in the end, but how could anything be well right now, when the series that I grew up with just came to an end? I wasn't thinking about the future movies or anything else; I was focused on the books.

As I said, I first met Harry Potter in 1999 during my first year of middle school, and the same age that wizards and witches begin at Hogwarts. The final book came out a year after I finished high school. And the final movie was released only a month after I graduated from college. I think the timing of it all is very symbolic, don't you think?

There are only a few major things in my life that I can point to and specifically say how much it's influenced me to become the person I am today. One is a combination of attending 10th Street Middle School (where everyone has to play an instrument) and watching American Idol. Through those two outlets, I not only learned how to play music, but I gained an immense appreciation and love for music of all kinds. The other is being introduced to Harry Potter. And I wouldn't have it any other way. I don't remember everything I learned in school (sorry teachers), but I do know Harry Potter pretty much inside and out (thank you Jo!).

If it weren't for Harry Potter, maybe I wouldn't have appreciated J.R.R. Tolkien or C.S. Lewis even more than I already did. If it weren't for Harry Potter, maybe I wouldn't have been introduced to Twilight, The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, Tunnels, or The Hunger Games. But I did. Who knows, maybe I wouldn't be writing my own stories now if it weren't for Harry and Jo. And for that, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Who would have thought that a book would cause millions of people around the world to go to their local bookstore...at midnight, no less, and read, no matter if it was the middle of the night or the middle of the afternoon? That's what the power of a book can do.

I didn't want to write this, because I didn't want to say goodbye. The tagline for the final movie claimed, "It All Ends." But I realize now that I don't have to say goodbye; that I, in fact, refuse to say goodbye, that it doesn't have to end here. Why? Because "It is out choices, Harry..." as Dumbledore so wisely put it. I choose not to give up. Harry Potter will always be in my life, long after the books and movies. I look forward to the many times when I will go back and revisit the book series (including Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Quidditch Through the Ages, and The Tales of Beedle the Bard), starting with "Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much" and concluding with "All was well," rewatching the movies, listening to the soundtracks again, being able to experience the Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme part someday for myself, and yes, with the new chapter that is Pottermore. "It's not really goodbye, after all." Dumbledore never spoke truer words. However flawed, he always had the wisest of words to pass on to us.

But more than all of that, what Harry Potter has give me already is something that I can never give up. It's embedded deep within me, in my veins, in my heart, in my brain, in my whole being. The story of Harry Potter is on the fiction shelf in your local bookstore and library. But in truth, there is nothing fiction about it at all. "Of course it's happening in your head, Harry," Dumbledore said, "why should that mean it's not real?" There's nothing fiction about the power of choosing between what is right and what is easy, the power of choice itself, of love, of friendship, of loyalty, of right and wrong. That is all real, and it all has sprung forth out of the pages and into our everyday lives and made us who we are, has made me who I am and who I will always be.

I didn't not want to write this. But I did. And now I am glad I did. Because instead of saying goodbye to Harry Potter, I am looking at this as a book itself. With the release of the final movie behind us, we have finished one more chapter on this journey. Another chapter will begin soon. And another after that. And even more, for years and decades to come. I can look back on all the great memories, and reminisce. That is why this isn't goodbye. Harry once said of Dumbledore, "He'll never be gone -- not as long as those who remain are loyal to him." I would say the same thing of Harry. Harry Potter will never be gone, not as long as those who remain are loyal to him (and to Jo).

So I thank my step-grandma for introducing me to the series in the first place. I thank my great-aunt for being there with me on this journey through all the books and movies. And a very special thank you and immense gratitude to Jo herself for the series that defines a generation. My generation, in fact. (Mine is the only generation to have grown up with the series, and I wouldn't have it any other way). That day on a train when an idea popped into her head about a boy who discovers he's a wizard. Who knows how that idea sprang forth in the first place. That's the great thing about writers; a genius idea can come out when nobody expects it.

And I come away from this being able to gladly quote J.K. Rowling herself as she concluded the chapter of this journey that is the books, and that is...

All Was Well.

Jeff Dodge, Ravenclaw

Follow me on Twitter @TheJeffDodge. I tweet various thoughts and opinions there. And anything I post on this blog will be tweeted there as well (so that's the best way to find out when the blog's updated). And if you have any questions, comments or suggestions, either tweet me or e-mail me.

Stay tuned for my Recommendations of the Week, which will be up here on Sunday.

See ya later...

Today's Feature: The X Factor Seattle Auditions - On The Scene Report

(All images courtesy of Jeff Dodge)

Today is Day 4 of featuring either a writing piece or something I participated in from the past couple of years. Yesterday, I featured my opinion piece on why Jennifer Lawrence would make a great Katniss in The Hunger Games, based on my viewing of Winter's Bone.

Today's feature is an On The Scene report I did last summer (June 2011) when I attended one of the Seattle audition tapings for The X Factor season 1. It was originally featured on OMGWire. But for the first time, I will also be including the pictures I took while there.

The X Factor Seattle Auditions: On The Scene Report
On Wednesday, June 29, 2011, I attended one of six audition tapings in Seattle for Simon Cowell's new singing competition show, The X Factor. If you are not familiar with this show, it essentially replaced Pop Idol (the original Idol incarnation in the world) in the U.K. Unlike the various Idol shows, including American Idol, Simon Cowell has direct control over The X Factor. He's the creator, executive producer and judge. During season 9 of Idol, he made a deal with FOX here in the states that would, besides letting him retire from Idol, bring The X Factor to American and debut in the fall of 2011.

During the past couple of months, Simon has not only announced the judges (himself, Paula Abdul, Nicole Scherzinger and L.A. Reid) and host (Steve Jones), but the nationwide casting call has begun, sending the judges all over the country in search of the best big singer or singing group. Their final stop took them to Seattle, in my homestate.

This On The Scene report will take you through my experience of attending one of the Seattle audition tapings.

Key Arena, waiting in line

The action began outside the Key Arena as we waited in line (standing, for over an hour, mind you). Fortunately, it wasn't raining, only some light wind. Not too far away from the line, a camera was set up with a bunch of crew people surrounding it. The host of The X Factor, Steve Jones, was on a slightly raised platform, talking into the camera. His back was to us people in line; he was closer to the front of the line than where I stood, though I was still pretty close and could see what was going on. Since those in the front of the line would be on camera, they had two crew members cuing them when to waive their hands in the air, when to cheer, etc. As a viewer of shows like American Idol, I am familiar with seeing shots like these on camera, so seeing the set-up of it all is interesting to watch in person.

Host Steve Jones

About a yard behind me in line, a producer placed a contestant and her brother and mother into the crowd. With a different crew member holding a hand-held camera, the producer had the contestant talk to her family, and to give the camera other reactions, including having her think about her upcoming audition. After they had the shots they needed, the family were taken out of the line and whisked away. We noticed later on that the producer and camera woman were at a different part of the line way back behind us somewhere, apparently doing the same thing with different people. I found this whole thing to be fascinating. On American Idol, when they do intro videos to certain auditioners, they show various shots of the contestant, sometimes with their family doing things and/or in line. What was particularly intriguing about this was that this line we were in was for people to be in the audience watching the auditions. But by placing that family in in the line, it seems like they're going to make it appear on air to be as if they were in the audition line (maybe recreating when they were initially in the audition line however many weeks before?). If they end up showing that bit on air, it will be interesting to see if they play it the way I just said.

After what seemed like forever waiting in line, we finally made our way inside and to our seats. We were seated a few rows up in the back section. Being in the back section may seem like bad seats, but they were anything but. By being raised up a little, we could see everything -- the stage, the judges and everything else. If you are at all familiar with the Key Arena, you will know how big the arena is inside. But they only used half of it; the other half was blocked off, out of sight. The stage was at about the midway point on the floor. From our vantage point, we were about straight on facing the stage. Most of the right side of the seating in the arena (our right) had a huge covering over all the seats, blocking them from anybody sitting there. I couldn't figure out at first why they did this, but soon realized that most of the cameras were on that side of the arena, facing towards the stage and audience; one of those cameras was on a very long rig and had the ability to make wide, sweeping shots across the audience. There was another camera up in the seating area where people could sit, up and to the right of us. And two more cameras were situated at the back of the stage, facing outward. Besides the judges table, the "control room" was also on the floor, but quite a ways back from the judges. And from where I sat, I could see the monitor where all the cameras' feeds were displaying all at once. And from that, I later realized that one of the cameras on the stage was to shoot the judges.

Leading up to the start of the taping, producers and crew were getting everything ready. And at one point, a lady came up on stage to do sound check. She talked to the audience and proceeded to sing "Last Dance." She was, actually, surprisingly good. Then the stand-ins for the judges talked into the microphones to check for their sound levels. And the audience kept saying we couldn't hear them, so they had to turn up their mics a few times.

According to our tickets, the taping was scheduled to begin at 2pm, but didn't start until about 2:30 or so.

Steve Jones, the host, came out from backstage real briefly to say a few words, but we didn't see him again after that. And we were informed that during the time we were waiting for the taping to begin, the contestants were backstage being interviewed.

Steve Jones talking to the audience before auditions

The judges were introduced and came through the audience, shaking hands and such as they made their way to their seats. Nicole and L.A. got to their seats first, because the audience was there to see Simon and Paula. The order of the lineup at their table, from right to left if you're watching at home on TV, is Simon, Paula, Nicole and L.A. Simon and Paula are in their usual Idol seats. L.A. took Randy's seat. And Nicole had the seat where Kara sat during her first year on Idol.

Before the taping began, each of the judges said a few words to us. And they mentioned that it was Nicole's birthday, so we all sang "Happy Birthday" to her. For quite a while, every singer that came out mentioned her birthday, which I could tell she just loved. Then it died down and there wasn't any mention of it for a long time. Then, during her commends of one contestant later in the afternoon, she randomly blurted out that it's her birthday; the audience laughed at her when she did that.

The first act to perform was a trio of three men. They had beautiful harmony together; they were one of my favorites out of the whole night.

Immediately after that first group departed the stage, the hair and makeup people swarmed the judges table, applying touch-ups to all the judges. I'm sure they were already camera-ready when they first came out, so why do they need it again after only one act has performed? We found that to be quite ridiculous, frankly. I know they have to look perfect for the camera at all times, but this seemed a bit much. The hair/makeup people came back out after a few more acts had passed, and then at least one or two more times during the remaining time of the taping. If you have ever read any of the American Idol on-the-scene reports from various websites (such as EW.com), you'll know that during most of the commercials, Jennifer Lopez had her team out constantly. Sorry for the constant Idol mentions, but it's the closest show I have for comparison.

Whenever a singer or group came on stage, the judges would ask various questions, including finding out their name, age, job and musical influences. And what I found surprising was that the judges would ask for a different song after they first performed. I know that that happens on the Idol auditions, but they asked for different songs quite a lot, even asking some for the list of songs they had lined up. Overall, the judges spent a lot of time with each contestant. There was only one time where they whisked someone off fast. After her song, they did a quick no vote and that was the end of that.

X Factor banner outside arena

Most of the time when the judges were waiting for another singer to come out, they would be chatting amongst themselves the entire time. And even when a singer or group came out, they would continue talking to each other and not acknowledge the singers until they got to their spot on stage. Even though I would hate to have a seat behind the judges (you wouldn't be able to see hardly anything), I would have loved to be sitting right behind them and try to hear what they were saying.

Whenever the judges were taking too long on a contestant, there was a guy backstage who would walk a little on to the stage (but behind the camera) and make a hand motion to signal to the judges that it's time to wrap it up. This happened quite a bit.

I noticed that it seemed most of the auditioners were from out of state. There were a few from Washington, but many were from elsewhere, like California, New York and Tennessee.

One lady who came out said "I'm a wreck" after introducing herself. Her clothing seemed a little worn and shoddy, but it fit her quirky personality. She kept saying "I'm a wreck" over and over again throughout her time on stage.

The youngest auditioner was a 13-year-old girl. Either her grandma or mother wanted her to sing "At Last," but the judges wanted her to sing something that she would sing if she were in her bedroom with friends. She had a hard time picking a song, but eventually sang "Man Down" and then "Bust Your Windows." The judges remarked how violent the subject matter of her song choices was, and didn't feel she was ready for the show at this time. She cried after being rejected.

One of the older acts was a group of about four to five 40-year-old women. Paula said they needed to work on their image more. Both Paula and Nicole talked about image and style a lot throughout the taping.

A guy by the name of Stacie came out wearing a completely white outfit that would fit in well in Vegas. I don't remember what he said his age was, but Simon didn't believe him; he thought the contestant was older.

A trio of school-age students came out (high school, maybe?), one girl and two guys. Simon felt they were too theatrical and wanted less of the guys and more of the girl, saying the girl was the star of the group. So she sang on her own. Funnily enough, after her solo, the judges now wanted the group back together again, Because of their theatricality, there was some mention of Glee among the judges.

One auditioner used to have sociability issues, until three years ago when music came into his life.

At one point between singers, the judges took a quick break. Simon darted off somewhere backstage. We know he's a smoker, so I wouldn't be surprised if he was going back to have a smoke. During this break, L.A. left the table as well. But the girls stayed at the table.

Before the third to last contestant came out, a crew woman walked up to the front of the judges table to tell something to Simon. I'm not sure what really happened, if she tripped or what. But whatever happened, she ended up knocking over one of the Pepsi cups, causing the drink to spill all over Paula's lap. You could tell the woman was just stunned and couldn't believe that she just did that. She walked around to the other side of the table and gave Paula a big hug. Crew members, out of nowhere, swarmed the table, cleaning up the mess. I'm surprised that Paula didn't go backstage to change into something else, but they must have been able to clean it up well enough. After they cleaned everything up, the hair and makeup team swarmed the table yet again.

The X Factor Stage

One of the auditioners was a man who was just 70 days out of rehab. Musically, he has been influenced by Eminem, and it certainly showed in his performance. He mixed a few different styles to his song, including R&B, hip hop and rap. The combination of his rehab story and performance caused the judges and audience to give him a standing ovation. The judges wanted to make sure that if he makes it on this show, he needs to stay clean and sober. Simon, especially, wanted confirmation from him on this, even waiting to vote yes until he was satisfied with the answer. The way everything was set up, from the sob story and impressive audition to the standing ovation, I think it's safe to say that they will be showing this audition on air.

I have to say, overall, the talent over the course of this taping was not too bad. Even the ones who were cut had a voice of some sort. There was really only one singer who was absolutely terrible. She performed near the end and argued constantly with the judges when she received negative comments. She couldn't sing a note in tune. She said that L.A. is a big-time producer, Nicole and Paula are both singers, but "what have you done, Simon?" What do you mean, what has Simon done? He's only one of the biggest music producers and television personalities in the entire world. Since she's trying out for this show, I'm assuming she was aware of Simon from being on Idol, so how could she not know this? Simon kept giving her critiques, and she tried to continuously one-up him with smart alek remarks back at him, the "what have you done, Simon?" being one of them. The audience at one point boo'd her, and it looked like she was trying hard to restrain herself from talking back to us. When the judges asked her who told her she could sing, she said her grandma. And "we all know grandmas never lie," she said, to which Simon replied, "Your grandma must be deaf."

One of the best singers of the night was Haley, who I believe had the final spot of the night. She is a 17-year-old high school junior with an impressively great voice. Simon had her name off her selected songs. The judges kept saying no to all of them, except for "Bleeding Love." Simon said she reminded him of when Kelly Clarkson first auditioned back in season one of Idol. When someone like Simon makes a remark like that, you listen. He's been right about a lot of things (including saying that not only would Carrie Underwood win the show, but that she would also sell more records than any previous Idol winner), so a compliment like that is high praise indeed. Being in person listening to singers in a venue like this, the sound is much different than what you hear on TV. So if they air her audition, I hope she sounds as good as she sounded in person, because she's one of my favorites from this taping.

There's no question that Simon's opinion on American Idol meant a great deal, and viewers wanted to know what he would say next (disregarding his final season where he was bored out of his mind). And I greatly missed his presence during season 10, when Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson turned the show into the "that was beautiful" and "you're in it to win it" show and rarely gave critiques. That is why I can't wait for The X Factor to air in the fall. And being there in the arena to hear him was great. I loved his comments, especially the negative ones. Just from this brief glimpse into the auditions, so far my favorite judges are Simon and Paula. Paula was really good at balancing the positive with the critiques. No matter what anybody thought of her during her run on Idol, her final season was her best in terms of what she said, and I saw that at this audition stop. When Nicole was first announced as Cheryl Cole's replacement, there were a lot of negative comments online regarding the decision to put her as a judge. They said she didn't bring a lot to the table as a judge on The Sing-Off. I'm not that familiar with her, so this was really my first time getting to know her and see her personality and such. And I can see why the online reaction was the way it was. Even though we already have Paula on the panel, I can already tell that Nicole's going to be the Paula of the group, doing whatever she can to say something positive. And I couldn't really gauge what L.A. Reid's personality is like. He's definitely not afraid of telling the truth, so I hope that continues during the run of the show.

From where I sat, it was obvious that it was the Simon and Paula show. Nicole and L.A. were in their own little group at the table, talking to each other a lot. But Paula did talk to Nicole frequently as well.

The taping got over at about 5:15pm or so.

As the judges departed, they shook hands and interacted with audience members as they made their way out. At one point, Simon came over to our section. Even though I mentioned we had great seats, that was the moment when I was wishing I was a few rows down.

One of the X Factor trucks outside of the arena

I am someone who loves the behind-the-scenes of movies and TV shows. That is why I love watching the special features on DVD's. And that is why I loved being in the audience for The X Factor. We got to see things that you wouldn't normally see on air. The seating that is blocked off for the cameras, the crew preparing for the show, cuing the audience how to react to the singers, among other things. I can't wait for the Seattle audition to air and see how they edit everything together, what makes it on the show and what gets cut.

The X Factor premieres Wednesday, September 21 and Thursday, September 22 from 8-10pm on FOX.

If you watched The X Factor this past fall, one contestant I mentioned above might sound familiar. The singer just out of rehab was Chris Rene, who eventually placed in third. Back then witnessing his audition live in person, I never would have imagined he'd make it as far as he did. Other singers I saw that were shown on TV were the trio of three men who performed first (The Anser) and the girl who talked back to the judges.

I had a blast attending that taping. And if the show ever comes back to Seattle for future auditions, I will do whatever I can to be there again. Over the course of this first season, I wrote up recaps/reviews online. Click HERE to read my thoughts on the finale.

Tomorrow's featured piece will be an online essay I wrote on why I refuse to say goodbye to Harry Potter.

Follow me on Twitter @TheJeffDodge. I tweet various thoughts and opinions there. And anything I post on this blog will be tweeted there as well (so that's the best way to find out when the blog's updated). And if you have any questions, comments or suggestions, either tweet me or e-mail me.

See ya tomorrow...

Today's Feature: Jennifer Lawrence - From Winter's Bone to The Hunger Games

(Image courtesy of EW)

Today is Day 3 of featuring either a writing piece or something I have participated in from the past couple of years. Yesterday, I featured my audio interview with former The Apprentice contestant Mahsa.

Today is an opinion piece. Back in June 2011, I wrote an opinion piece on the T.W.O. BLOG on why Jennifer Lawrence would be great as Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games movie, which comes out March 23. Keep in mind that I wrote it when only one promo image had been released. You'll just have to read it below to find out why my opinion swayed this way that early in the process.

Jennifer Lawrence: From Winter's Bone to The Hunger Games
[June 19, 2011]
Recently, I sat down to watch the Oscar Best Picture-nominated film Winter's Bone on DVD. Winter's Bone has never been on my radar of movies to watch, even during the high of Oscar season. So why, you might ask, did I decide to finally watch it? The answer is because of Jennifer Lawrence, who has been cast in the role of Katniss Everdeen in next year's highly-anticipated The Hunger Games, based on the first book in the bestselling Young Adult trilogy by Suzanne Collins.

When Ms. Lawrence was first cast as Katniss Everdeen, there was an uproar among fans of the book series that she was too old, too blonde, not thin enough, etc. etc. Even during Oscar season, I didn't pay any attention to her, because everyone said she had no chance at winning Best Actress. When her name popped up as the frontrunner for this role [of Katniss], I'm not lying when I say I had no opinion either way on if she was the right person to play Katniss. I was willing to give her a chance at this, and not make harsh judgments when we hadn't even seen any images or video clips of her in the film yet. I didn't really understand why fans were so upset by this casting decision. Somehow, they overlooked the fact that you can change a person's hair color, you can use makeup and other effects to darken skin. You can do all sorts of things to make her look like Katniss. I mean, look at the Harry Potter films or The Lord of the Rings trilogy; hair and makeup, prosthetics, and special effects can go a long way (Tom Felton? Yeah, not a natural blonde).

Then Entertainment Weekly released the first promotional photo shoot of Jennifer in full makeup and costume with brunette hair. Suddenly, the fandom breathed a big sigh of relief, and thus there was a sense of calm and order in the world again. And, by the way, I love the promo shot and immediately got excited for her to play this role.

But back to Winter's Bone now. As far as I'm aware, I have never seen her act in anything before. And since a huge part of why Jennifer was cast in The Hunger Games was because of her moving and powerful role in Winter's Bone, I felt compelled to actually watch it. Jennifer plays Ree, whose father is out on bond and has put the house and property up as his bond. If he doesn't show up for court, Ree and her family will lose the house. So Ree sets out to find him.

There is a scene where Ree's uncle grabs her by the neck/face. Here is where we see Jennifer displaying a great sense of fear and vulnerability, whereas in the scenes before that, we see her defiant and trying to act tough and strong (putting on a front, perhaps?). The character of Katniss in The Hunger Games is not this hugely tough, Lara Croft-type heroine. She does have vulnerability. She does have fear. She is human and has flaws. And Jennifer perfectly captured all of that when playing Ree. And in a scene near the end which takes place in a boat (for those who don't want to be spoiled, I won't say what actually happens in that scene), Ree is very overwrought with emotion. Jennifer's acting in these types of scenes are breathtaking to watch. She is a brilliant actress. And after watching her Oscar-nominated performance in Winter's Bone, I don't have any worries about her taking on the role of Katniss.

When a million names were flying all over the Internet on who should play Katniss Everdeen, one of the front-runners at one point was Kaya Scodelario, who played Effy Stonem in the hit British drama, Skins. I am a fan of that show and thought she should play Katniss after seeing her on that TV show. One of the reasons why other fans thought she would be perfect as well was because she is pretty thin, since Katniss is supposed to have a starved appearance over the course of the games. And many are not happy with the fact that Jennifer is not thin. I'm not sure how they will deal with this aspect, but I'm sure they'll come up with something. This is the only area where I can understand why fans would be upset.

I have faith in Gary Ross, Suzanne Collins and all the filmmakers to create an excellent film that lives up to our expectations. People are saying this new movie franchise could be the next Twilight, not in terms of the story, but in terms of the anticipation, buzz, hype, and box office draw. I believe it does have a chance at that; it's already started. Harry Potter is ending next month. Twilight ends next year. We need a new Young Adult/fantasy franchise to take over, and I am confident that The Hunger Games can fill that role. And with Jennifer Lawrence as the face of these movies, we the fans should have nothing to worry about. I'm not making any judgments about any of the casting choices until I see them in their roles. And I hope others can do that as well. I'm not saying I won't make criticisms about certain elements of the movie; I'm sure I will, but for now, I'm staying out of that department. There is a reason we love the books. So let's support the filmmakers in this journey of translating the story to the big screen.

As I said, when I wrote this piece, we only had that one promo shot of Jennifer as Katniss on the cover of Entertainment Weekly. Since then, we've had a small handful of images released as well as a teaser video and full-length trailer. The trailer is what sold everyone on Jennifer and this movie. I loved the trailer! Ever since it was released in November, I have played it numerous times over and over and over again; I don't think I've played a movie trailer this many times, ever.

During the trailer, when Effie calls Prim's name as a tribute, chills ran through me when I saw Jennifer's Katniss cry out and then volunteer. Just from this trailer, I can see how Jennifer will be bringing what she did in Winter's Bone to this movie to great effect.

The Hunger Games is less than three months away. The anticipation is continuing to build. And I haven't been this excited about a movie in a long, long time. I'm obviously always excited whenever another Harry Potter movie has come out, but it's different with The Hunger Games because we haven't had a Hunger Games movie before. This is our first venture into it for this young franchise. And I'm going to be there opening weekend to start this part of the journey.

In my intro blog post the other day, I said that one of the things I will use this blog for is to share my thoughts and opinions. I've done that before with pieces like the one above, and I look forward to continuing it here.

Tomorrow's featured piece will be an On The Scene report I wrote up after attending one of the Seattle auditions last June for The X Factor.

Follow me on Twitter @TheJeffDodge. I tweet various thoughts and opinions there. And anything I post on this blog will be tweeted there as well (so that's the best way to find out when the blog's updated). And if you have any questions, comments or suggestions, either tweet me or e-mail me.

See ya tomorrow...

Today's Feature: Interview with The Apprentice's Mahsa

(Image courtesy of NBC)

Today is Day 2 of featuring either a writing piece or something I have participated in from the past couple of years. Yesterday, I featured my interview with author and YouTuber Kaleb Nation from September 2009. Today is another interview.

If you are a fan of NBC's The Apprentice, then you know who Mahsa Saeidi-Azcuy is. She was a contestant on season 10, known as one of the most polarizing and opinionated Apprentice hopefuls the show has ever seen. Whether you were a fan of hers or not, there's no denying the impact she had on the show.

I had the chance to speak with Mahsa in December 2010, just after her season of the show ended, and I immensely enjoyed our conversation. Some topics we discussed included: Her reason for joining the show, if she was accurately portrayed after edits, leaving her job at the D.A.'s office, defending Gene for how he was depicted on the show, her boardroom firing, clearing her name, what she think of Trump now, and what she is doing now post-Apprentice (plus her thoughts on some of the contestants, including Brandy, Clint, and Dave).

There was a period of time a while ago where I had a semi-regular podcast on TV Watch Online. My conversation with her is included in Episode 26 of the T.W.O. Show podcast (and linked to on the T.W.O. BLOG). Click the link below to open up the download page for the podcast/episode (make sure it says 'T.W.O. Show #26') and click the green Download button. It is free, in mp3 format, and lasts just over an hour (the interview itself, though, is 27 minutes and begins at 2:58). The rest of the episode consists of my 2010 Year in Review and Looking Ahead to 2011.

LINK: INTERVIEW WITH MAHSA (THE APPRENTICE 10)

I wanted to have a transcript of the interview out, but never got around to it. But I still do have plans on transcribing it, if you would rather read it than hear it (or do both!). And if you have problems with downloading the mp3 file at all, I ask that you please let me know so that I can deal with any issues.

Right now, Mahsa can be seen once in a while as an on-air talking head on FOX News.

I hope you enjoyed that interview. I sure did. Tomorrow's featured piece is an opinion piece I wrote last year on why Jennifer Lawrence would do justice to playing Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games movie (and I wrote that piece when we had seen only one promo image of her).

Follow me on Twitter @TheJeffDodge. I tweet various thoughts and opinions there. And anything I post on this blog will be tweeted there as well (so that's the best way to find out when the blog's updated). And if you have any questions, comments or suggestions, either tweet me or e-mail me.

See ya tomorrow...

Today's Feature: Interview with Author Kaleb Nation

(Image courtesy of Kaleb Nation)

During this launch week of my new blog, I will be presenting a new tidbit everyday of something that I have written over the past couple of years (and originally posted on either the TV Watch Online BLOG or OMGWire.com) that I was excited to be a part of. Today is an interview.

Meet Kaleb Nation: Blogger. Internet sensation. Writer. And now, published author. He has so far written two books in his Bran Hambric children's fantasy series. When the first book was released in September 2009, I had the privilege to be able to read an Advanced Readers Copy to review it for TV Watch Online. I also had the chance to interview him.

First, though, here is a teaser of what the book is about, according to BranHambric.com:
Bran Hambric, was found locked in a bank vault at six years old, with no memory of his past. For years, he has lived with one of the bankers, wondering why he was left behind -- until one night, when he is fourteen, he is suddenly confronted by a maddening creature, speaking of Bran's true past and trying to kidnap him.

Bran finds that he is at the center of a plot which started years before he was even born: the plot of a deadly curse his mother created...and one that her former masters are hunting for him to complete.

Haunted by the spirit of his mother's master and living in a city where magic is illegal, Bran must undo the crimes of his past...before it is too late.

 To read my review of the book, click HERE.

Below is my exclusive five-question interview with author and YouTuber Kaleb Nation, as it originally appeared on the TV Watch Online BLOG:

TV Watch Online (T.W.O.): Bran Hambric: The Farfield Curse takes place, for the most part, in the city of Dunce. Is this the only city that outlaws gnomes, mages and etceteras? If so, why?
Kaleb Nation: In the story, as of now, Dunce is the only city that completely outlaws magic and gnomes. However, there is still a great deal of prejudice against gnomes throughout the whole world, so it's not much better for them outside. As for the reason why, I'll be writing more about that in one of the book.

T.W.O: Each member of the Wilomas family is unique in their own way. Did their characteristics and qualities come easily to you when writing?
Kaleb: The Wilomases appeared in the story fully formed in my mind. In fact, they have mostly been the same from the beginning, except that Balder was two people (Balder and Nasier) that I merged into one, and Mabel's medicine obsession appeared a few years into writing her character. When I'm writing, the scenes with the Wilomas family are probably my easiest to do, because they really drive their own scenes by themselves!

T.W.O: How did you decide that gnomes would be featured, and why are they discriminated against?
Kaleb: I'm not exactly sure where that idea came from. It was just something that has always been a big part of the story, and never was any different!

T.W.O: Why did you decide that the story would take place in a modern setting, as opposed to a more historical time?
Kaleb: When I had the first idea for the book, way back in 3/3/03, I imagined Sewey and Bran on the rooftop of a modern house. That was simply how it appeared in my mind. I didn't really take the time to think "this is an alternate, fantasy world with cars and buildings instead of knights and castles" because the modern setting was just how the story was originally envisioned.

T.W.O: You have mentioned in previous interviews that a prominent theme found in this book is the power of choice, whether it is with Bran's mother, or Bran himself. Will that theme continue to reappear in the rest of the series, with Bran knowing that he has a choice in aligning with the good side?
Kaleb: Choice is certainly a strong theme throughout the series. When Bran is faced with such a strong predisposition to be a criminal, nearly every choice he makes is an important one so that he doesn't fall for the same fate his mother did. I think that the choices we make in real life are the same way, and can alter so many things that we may never know about -- even if we don't have a mother who is a magic criminal!

Buy Your Own Copies:
Bran Hambric: The Farfield Curse (Book 1)
Bran Hambric: The Specter Key (Book 2)

Kaleb Nation is currently not working on the next book in this series. He has written a Young Adult book and is in the process of editing that at the moment. He is one of my favorite YouTubers and you can find him on YouTube HERE and HERE and follow him on Twitter @KalebNation. His official website is KalebNation.com. He is also currently working on starring in his own reality show. Click HERE to read more on that future show.

That's it for today's featured piece. Tomorrow's piece has to do with Mahsa, a former contestant on The Apprentice.

Follow me on Twitter @TheJeffDodge. I tweet various thoughts and opinions there. And anything I post on this blog will be tweeted there as well. And if you have any questions, comments or suggestions, either tweet me or e-mail me.

See ya tomorrow...

2012: What I'm Looking Forward to This Year

As you could probably tell from my intro post earlier today, I love all things entertainment. Books, movies, music, TV, etc. So it's obviously fitting that my most of the work I do deals with entertainment-related news.

Since we're at the start of a new year (I gotta get used to saying 2012 instead of 2011), I thought I'd take a moment to list some of the entertainment-related things that I am very much looking forward to seeing or reading or whatnot this year. Keep in mind that this obviously isn't everything that I'll be seeing/reading/etc, but it's what would go at the top of the list, I guess you could say.

Movies:
The Hunger Games
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
The Artist
The Amazing Spider-Man
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (& Swedish versions)
Titanic 3D
Hugo
The Adventures of Tintin
The Muppets
Finding Nemo 3D

The two movies that I am most looking forward to are The Hunger Games and the first Hobbit movie. The trailers for these films look unbelievable, and they have gotten me even more excited. The anticipation is building, and the waiting is unbearable. With The Artist, it is ingenious that in this day and age of big spectacles and special effects and 3D that the current front-runner to win the Best Picture Oscar is a new silent film. That's why I really want to see it.

I've been a fan of the original Spider-Man films in the previous decade (well, maybe not #3), so I'm looking forward to this reboot. For some reason, I've never really gotten into the Batman movies (even The Dark Knight, save for any scene the Joker was in), but Spider-Man, to me, is different.

I read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and its two sequels during the latter half of 2011. Sometime in the next few months, I plan on renting the Swedish films and then seeing the American version when it comes out on DVD.

Titanic is one of my favorite films of all time. I remember way back when going to the theater to watch it with my parents and grandma (and possibly my sister as well, I can't remember). We have it on VHS and it's always fun to catch up with it when it airs on TV, though I usually only watch little bits of it since it seems to be on all day when you add in the commercials to this already lengthy film.

The rest of movies are geared more towards kids, though we all know that a quality "kids" film is one that adults can enjoy as well. I read the book that Hugo is based on in a Children's Lit class I took at WWU and immensely enjoyed it. I've never read anything like it before. For Tintin and Muppets, who wouldn't want to see those films? And finally, Finding Nemo 3D. Finding Nemo quite possibly my all-time favorite animated (and Pixar) movie, though it's tough when there's also Toy Story 3 and Happy Feet. With the success of re-releasing The Lion King into theaters with 3D (which I did go to see), Disney is releasing a bunch more. And I'll most likely go to see Finding Nemo in 3D.

TV:
Smash (new series)
American Idol (season 10)
Alcatraz (new series)
American Horror Story (season 2)

Out of all the new shows premiering during this 2011-2012 season, the one I have been most looking forward to is Smash, starring American Idol alum Katharine McPhee. Not only is the show a musical, but it stars one of my favorites from Idol season 5. I'm in! I really hope it doesn't disappoint after the pilot.

After having The X Factor on this fall, it'll be good to come back home to the show that started it all: American Idol, my favorite show of all time (remember what I said about it in my intro post?).

Ever since it came out that J.J. Abrams was developing a show on Alcatraz, I was hooked in. I've been to San Francisco and seen all the tourist spots and all. But there was something about Alcatraz that I just loved, for some reason. And so now when you combine that with one of the best TV people in the business (who created Lost and Alias), it gets me even more excited. The only thing I'm worried about is the crime drama aspect. I'm not a huge fan of crime dramas. Not even the fairy tale aspect could keep me glued in to the crime drama Grimm. So I am a little worried if it relies too heavily on the crime drama aspect that we've seen time and again on any crime shows.

And finally, the second season of American Horror Story, which will most likely air in the fall. AHS became one of my favorite new shows of this past fall. But since there will be a new cast, I'm worried that it won't be as good. But I'm obviously going to tune in and hope that Ryan Murphy is able to recapture what we loved about season 1.

Books:
Will Grayson, Will Grayson - John Green, David Levithan
Room - Emma Donoghue
The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern

Two of the books that I've heard great things about during the past year are Will Grayson, Will Grayson and Room. Check them out on Amazon to read up on them. Even just based on the synopses of both, I'm looking forward to them. And with The Night Circus, I've heard that if you're a fan of Harry Potter or Twilight or any of these popular Children's/Young Adult books, then you'll love Night Circus as well. So I hope to have time to get into that one this year as well.

Music:
Adam Labert: Trespassing

I'm sure there will be many CDs that I will be excited about this year, but since we're only at the start of 2012, we don't know any release dates for most of what will come out. But we do know that Adam Lambert has a CD coming out soon. His debut, For Your Entertainment, is one of my favorites, so I'm can't wait for his sophomore.

Online:
Pottermore (the official debut)

I was one of the Beta testers for Pottermore this past fall. There were things I loved and things where they obviously could have improved on. But now that I'm past the only book they have up there right now, Sorcerer's Stone, I'm just waiting around for the official launch of Pottermore as well as Chamber of Secrets. I just hope us Beta testers have some new material to read this year.

Follow me on my personal Twitter account @TheJeffDodge. I tweet various thoughts and opinions there. And anything I post on this blog will be tweeted there as well.

Are there any movies, TV shows, books, music or anything else entertainment-related that you're looking forward to this year? Feel free to share in the comments.