Tommy Ardolino (1955-2012): NRBQ Drummer, Musicologist, Pussycat
Sad to hear of the passing Friday of Tom Ardolino, the gentle soul and longstanding drummer of one of America’s great rock bands, NRBQ. He would have been 55 this…
Friday TV: All Hail ‘Portlandia’
“Portlandia” (IFC, 10 p.m.) is such a funny show you wonder if Fred Armisen is being held back on “Saturday Night Live.” More like he feels inspired to riff with…
The B-52’s at 35: Rockin’ Over to PBS
It's fitting that the B-52’s, the Athens, Ga., party band marking its 35th anniversary this year, the group came out of a Flaming Volcano. It was a drink. “We went…
Thursday TV: “Project Runway All Stars,’ ‘Stuffers’
There will be a lot of familiar faces in the first “Project Runway All Stars” (Lifetime, 9 p.m.) from Mondo Guerra and Austin Scarlett to Elisa Jiminez, Kara Janes and…
The Panapoly of PBS at TCA
The PBS sessions are a high point of the TV Critics Association because the panels, like the programming, offers such a wide variety. Kids programming, “Downton Abbey,” a big array…
A Warning About a Witch Hunt: A TCA Tale
Harry Thomason, the TV producer (“Designing Women”) and friend to President Clinton said he got a call just before the former Arkansas governor was sworn the White House from an…
How Politicians First Got on Late Night TV
The other unusual thing Harry Thomason said about the Clinton years in a TV Critics Assocition panel on an upcoming two-part film on the former president was the first to…
‘Downton’ A Boost for PBS
PBS chief Paula Kerger rode to the TV Critics Association fresh on the success and Golden Globe nominations for “Downton Abbey” and the burgeoning publicity for season two, which starts…
Food Choices Improve for Yul Kwon
Yul Kwon, the 13th season winner of “Survivor” is becoming a fixture of PBS portion of the TV Critics Press Tour. He presented a panel on his series “America Revealed”…
‘Celebrity Apprentice’ Cast Announced
As the field of Republican Presidential contenders shrinks, the new cast of “Celebrity Apprentice” was announced Wednesday. It includes such veterans of reality TV as Adam Carolla, Pen Jillette, Dee…