Goofy decisions on ‘Guy’s Grocery Games’

My dear wife Karen and I are relaxing in front of the wide screen with some easy-to-watch TV, as we like to do, and a previously DVR’ed episode of “Guy’s Grocery Games” from the Food Network is winding down. I’m splitting my attention between the contestants and my iPad Air and Ellie B aka Dogamous…

Two songs, too little air time for Syracuse’s ‘Voice’ rep

It was Two and No Thank You for Syracuse area singer Josh Batstone on “The Voice.” For the second song in a row, the teen singer from Fulton, N.Y., turned in a performance that was whittled down to less than a minute of NBC singing competition air time instead of the full-blown drama afforded the…

Josh Batstone gets his shot, and chooses Adam Levine

The singer from the Syracuse area picked the LA coach. It took the fourth show of blind auditions before Josh Batstone, the teenager from Fulton, a snowy burg some 20 miles northwest of Syracuse, got his first camera time on this season eight of NBC singing competition “The Voice.” I was ready with my iPad…

After a couple of shows, Matthew Perry as Oscar doesn’t feel so Odd

After a reboot of the DVR to recapture full utility of my Time Warner Cable On Demand, I sat down to the first two episodes of “The Odd Couple,” the pilot last night and this week’s follow-up this morning. So now I must admit it. My teeth-gnashing regarding Matthew Perry filling the shoes of my…

Odd couple, maybe, odd Oscar, definitely

Let’s talk about Oscar Madison. You know, the fictional sportswriter. Cigar-smoker, beer-drinker, poker-player, buddy to Murray the Cop. Forever cranky roommate to fussbudget Felix Ungar. Oh, yes, that is the crux of the long-lived male tale born in the mind of playwright Neil Simon for the 1965 Broadway production “The Odd Couple,” with Walter Matthau…

Grammys leave me feeling half empty

Most every year I can’t get to sleep after the Grammys telecast has signed off because the annual celebration of what makes music move us has reminded me of great things past and present and stirred hopes for the future, too. Last night I watched the local news, thought about how I’d have to get…

A Super Bowl primer for people of many lands

A Super Bowl primer for people of many lands. I wrote this one to help out non-football-regulars follow the big game last year, before it was New England vs. Seattle with the shadow of Deflategate and before it was Katy Perry set to dance at halftime and before this new set of commercials carefully crafted…

As the football game interrupts the commercials, which will be your favorites?

I remember when everybody loved to talk about the football game. Like way back in the third Super Bowl, before it was one big league that decided this yearly get-together deserved Roman numerals, when upstart renegade Joe Willie Namath stamped his guarantee and his and my New York Jets of the American Football League beat…

Kohlton Pascal decides to pass on ‘American Idol’ Hollywood ticket

The 21-year-old who sounds like an old soul blues singer won’t be trying to match up with the young pop world of “American Idol” in Hollywood after all. My good friend and former colleague Melinda Johnson reports this morning on syracuse.com that Kohlton Pascal of Auburn and Skaneateles and Syracuse, N.Y., has decided to pass…

Dr. Dog sounds cool and has one guy who looks familiar

I’m digging the CBS weekend morning news’ Saturday version more and more. It takes me a while to get comfortable with personalities and style, I readily admit, and weekdays I am an avowed “Today” follower over on NBC. CBS, though, is wise enough to schedule the weekend morning shows to start and last a couple…