The Blog According to Buzz

I hate Canadian Idol.

Our singers aren’t as good. Our judges aren’t as good. Our set isn’t as good. Our host isn’t as good.

CI runs in the summer, after 5 months of AI, and, frankly, I am spent on the karaoke kids by that time and need a break. A yodelling lobster fisher’s daughter, or beat boxing hay bailer just doesnt have any impact on me, I can’t watch a second of the show.

That said…

The gang over at Canadian Idol are doing something they deserve a pat on the back for. In 2008, why do we need to stand in line and trudge to major centers to audition? There’s the internets, and streaming audio and video - why can’t we use that??

Well, Teresa Sokyrka wannabes, you can.

No One Left Behind: Canadian Idol Announces Innovative Last Chance Audition Stop on the 2008 Tour

The day after Canadian Idol’s 2008 cross-country audition tour wrapped up in Toronto, CTV announced that the search for Canada’s next Idol is heading into cyberspace, allowing singers in any part of the country with access to a computer to audition for this year’s competition. It’s only the second time in the history of the Idol franchise that competitors have had the opportunity to audition online, marking yet another North American first for Canadian Idol.

By extending the breadth of the national search, producers are now offering every eligible Canadian the opportunity for exposure and a chance to start a professional music career, no matter where they live. Beginning today and lasting until Friday, April 25 at 5 p.m. ET, online Idol competitors simply need to upload video tryouts to the Canadian Idol website

Oooooh .. did they say cyberspace?? I take all that back, they’re still a bunch of losers.

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Jen and I fell in love with Rob and Big when trapped inside our hotel room in Cuba. We were pregnant, not drinking and not smoking, so, there we were in Cuba, watching MTV. It was a Rob and Big Marathon, we saw about 10 episodes in a row. We were hooked.

To understand what we did today, you need to watch what Rob and Big did earlier this season.

So, imagine our surprise while trucking along the A13 in Normandy today when Enrique blasts on Radio NRJ! I grab the camera, flip on the video and the whole family breaks it down Rob and Big style.

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I’ve done some interviews recently, thought I’d throw them up for you to listen to, incase you missed them.

2 weeks ago I chatted up Zach from OneRepublic about their instant success, hanging with Timbaland and why they use MySpace instead of Facebook.

 

 buzz bishop with zach from one republic [8:11m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 

 buzz bishop with james from survivor [3:20m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Today, I got a few quick minutes with the gravedigger, James from Survivor. He made what is viewed as the dumbest moves in the history of the game by holding 2 immunity idols and not playing them. I asked if he learned his lesson and what it’s really like to be stuck on those islands.

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Here's what you heard on the radio today:

    - Nicole Richie got $1M from People.  Christina Aguilera is holding out for $1.5M.  How much do you think the cutest baby pictures in the world are worth?

    - Is this a picture of Michael Jackson's kids without their veils?

    - Walking with Dinosaurs is at GM Place this weekend, while the Canucks are in Florida.

    - It's Obama v Hillary and the return of Lost tonight too.

    - Sick of junk mail? Here's how you can get them to stop sending it. Hint - use a red dot.

    - I'm over Facebook. I've moved on to Twitter.  A lot of people are, there's actually a Facebook Fatigue phenomenon spreading.

    - Ratatouille was almost nominated for Best Picture. It didnt get in cause it's a cartoon.

    - Entertainment Tonight won't be running the Heath Ledger video as promised. People magazine might be running stills. SplashNewsOnline will put the video on the internets (NSFW - language)

    - The SuperBowl commercials are leaking… yesterday Justin Timberlake, today Madonna.

    - Tired of men talking to your ta-tas? You need a Winkee.

    - Are you a proud parent? Make sure you're plugged in to the latest parenting trends for 2008.

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Blog. Twitter. Email.

Sex and the City was an organic hit. It launched and gradually grew in viewership and pop culture influence.

With the writers and creators of that tv series split between two network versions this year (Lipstick Jungle and Cashmere Mafia), they’re trying to recapture the magic to fill the void left by SATC.

But that’s the problem, they’re trying.

The original was big because it was was it was. We fell in love with it gradually, it wasn’t jammed down our throats. These new shows are like a new girlfriend finding out you still long for your ex, so she tries to be exactly like her.

No, it’s over, that ship has sailed. We’ve moved on. We want something new.

Still, Lucy Liu is trying her damndest to be Carrie Bradshaw.

Lucy, I knew Carrie Bradshaw, you are no Carrie Bradshaw, stop trying so hard. You’re going to hurt yourself.

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Bloggers are modern historians. We’re taking pictures, writing down and documenting everything that’s happening around us.

With 36 bloggers last night at Test the Nation, the event will properly be entered into the annals of Canadian Trivia History.

Here’s the rundown of who’s writing what, so far:

Miss 604 - No Spoilers Here
Miss 604 - Nerd on Top
Photo Junkie- Team Blogger Photos
Canadian Entrepreneur - Sweep! Sweep!
Calgary Grit - The Answer is Bee
Jon Arnold - Bloggers 1 Rest of World 0
Lainey Gossip - I Love Winning
Right Between the Eyes - Don’t Wanna Brag, But ..
Nunc Scio - The Sweet Smell of Blogger Victory
BlogTo - Backstage Celebrity-ish Interviews
Celeb Edge - SMRT on the CBC
Unsweetened - We Will Blog You
Pen Machine - Yay for the Indoor Kids!

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We weren’t allowed to bring our computers backstage for Test the Nation, but we were allowed to bring our cameras. I left mine on the table, in the capable and secure eyes of Ryan Cousineau while I went to get my buffet lunch.

Ahh.. yes, the surprises on your camera when you leave it alone.

Love me some Amber Mac. I was staring at her in the lobby before the show, she looked like Amber .. but the hair? She’s a brunette now, but as brilliant, funny, and positive as ever - it was cool to get some one on time with one of the smartest minds in new media.

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We’re in Toronto for CBC Test the Nation. Good God it is cold.

It’s “only” -6, but man it’s damn cold. It’s a different cold than Vancouver, Toronto is a dry cold, or whatever it is, it just hurts! My ears were burning, that kind of cold. Your nose hairs (yeah, i got em) get crusty, that kind of cold. You scream “Mother of God!” every 20 steps, that kind of cold.

We’re staying at the old SkyDome Hotel, now a Renaissance. I took a flight with Rebecca, Miss 604 and Kerry-Ann, Lip Gloss and Laptops.

Here are some pics from Rebecca’s post about our adventures so far.

That last picture was taken by Duane Storey at the airport. He tagged me as “Tod Maffin” on his Flickr listing, so I will represent our Mother Corp Mentor in spirit.

We met Karen Barnaby from Team Chef and the Fish House in the elevator on the way back from dinner. She doesnt think the chefs stand much of a chance, they spend too much time in the kitchen!

Tomorrow morning it’s breakfast and a trip to the Hockey Hall of Fame before kicking some ass on Test the Nation. You can take some practice tests to get ready, if you want.

The Blog According to Buzz. Spread the word, ya heard?

Welcome to the last bit of work before the weekend, here's what's on the radio.

    - Yes, I'm doing a whirlwind to Toronto this weekend to be on CBC's Test the Nation.  It's Sunday night at 8p.  Watch and cheer on Team Blogger!

    - Cloverfield opens tonight.

    - Dine Out Vancouver night #3 tonight. Need a list of where to eat? Check this out.

    - Johnny Depp as Michael Jackson?  It's getting my interest, and it just might happen.

    - David Beckham and Snoop are going into business together.  Designing slippers.

    - Are you really really really happy it's Friday?

    - The Canucks celebrate their 200th straight sellout this weekend, and they're running a little contest.

    - The stars are out in Surrey this weekend. Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly and Kathy Bates, to be exact.

    - There's word (again) Paula Abdul could be getting fired from Idol.  So she's trying a music comeback.

    - Nat and Drew had Andrew Morton on discussing his Tom Cruise book this morning. Brilliant. If you missed it, check it out below:

It’s a shirt that features an equalizer that lights up and bounces based on sound around you. You have wires going from the front of the shirt to a battery pack and microphone in your pocket. It’s the PERFECT shirt to wear to represent the Blog Nation on Test the Nation, BUT…

Can you imagine the look on the faces of security at the airport as I stroll up to the scanner with a battery powered shirt complete with wires? Yeah, that would go over well. So the cool T-Qualizer T-Shirt will stay at home.

Instead I think it’s all about the boy. The Zizou shirt will be worn. With pyjamas. (they asked us to wear what we normally wear blogging)

The best part about being on Team Blogger is that we’re not really stars, but stars will be there. Andree Lau is excited to meet Surreal Gourmet, Bob Blumer, to chat him up about his Medoc Marathon where he ran 42 kilometres across vineyards and sampled wine along the way. I hadn’t thought about it, but I’m excited to meet him too.

For his show Glutton For Punishment he assaulted a stage of the Le Tour de France that included L’Alpe D’Huez! That’s a dream of mine, I can’t wait to hear about it.

Other celebs on hand will be Debbie Travis, Farley Flex (Canadian Idol), Carlo Rota (24, Little Mosque on the Prairie), Samantha Bee (The Daily Show), Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica, Top Model) and many more chefs that you’d recognize from Food Network Canada.

CBC’s Test the Nation goes Sunday at 8. It will be taped in Toronto. Where they have winter. -9? Ick.

The Blog According to Buzz. Spread the word, ya heard?.