Railbird 2004–2019

Media/TV/Film Archive

He’s Out

British racing pundit John McCririck became the second contestant booted off of “Celebrity Big Brother” last night. “Thank God I’m out,” he said after the decision was announced. McCririck was denied one of life’s necessities during his captivity, reports Louis, our man in Great Britain: “He went on a sulk for a day and a half because Big Brother would not give him any Diet Coke. He refused to speak to anyone in the house until he was given some. Big Brother taunted him by offering all the other housemates some in private and then offering him a glass of tomato juice.” That is cruel.

Posted in Media/TV/Film on January 18, 2005

The Reviews Are In

And the headlines say it all. The movie about a zebra who thinks he’s a racehorse wins no love from critics. “Racing Stripes” …
– Pulls up lame
– Fails to show
– Can’t break out of the pack
– Brings up the rear
– Hits trifecta of cute, crude, and contrived
– Ebony without irony
– A horse of a disappointing stripe
– An also ran
– No barn burner
– More nag than racehorse
Ouch. Love the wordplay though.

Posted in Media/TV/Film on January 15, 2005

Dream Derby: Week 1

“American Dream Derby,” airing on the Game Show Network, premiered on January 10 and features 12 contestants vying for a prize of $250,000 and a stable of eight Thoroughbreds. Each week, one contestant is eliminated following a match race. The final episode will air live on February 21.
Episode 1: In which introductions are made.
The show opens with shots of the contestants wandering around Santa Anita Park intercut with interview clips. Here’s a determined-looking woman named Susan telling the camera, “There’s nothing I care more about than horseracing,” and a young man named LaVar looking dazed to be at a racetrack. “I’m from the hood,” he says. There may be no horses in the hood, but there are lots of horses in Delaware, where another contender named David grew up learning about racing from his handicapper/horse owner father. David is cocky — he’s not the only one to say he’s confident, but he is the only to say, “I feel I’m going to win.” I have a feeling he’s not long for this game.

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Posted in Media/TV/Film on January 11, 2005

Dream Derby Premieres Tonight

“American Dream Derby” premieres tonight on the Game Show Network at 9 p.m. The New York Times declares the show “less idiotic than many examples of the reality genre,” yet the challenges involved — contestants dig through manure with their bare hands, dunk their heads in a molasses and oat-filled trough, and race around the track with 120lbs on their backs — suggest it’s not that much less idiotic. No matter. It’s about racing, and that’ll be enough to get me in front of the TV tonight.
Related: The Baltimore Sun profiles contestant Jewel Savage, racetrack novice and devoted Christian, the Times-Picayune interviews Dean Pellegrin, self-described “funny guy,” and back in December, Ocala resident Susan Bosso talked about her experience filming the show with the Star-Banner.

Posted in Media/TV/Film on January 10, 2005

A Favorite for Eviction

Legendary British racing pundit John McCririck is one of eight cast members on the new season of the reality series “Big Brother.” Locked up in a house with former actress/model Brigitte Nielsen, feminist Germaine Greer, and a gaggle of minor celebrities, the “self-confessed sexist” has wasted no time offending his housemates. (ThisIsLondon)

Posted in Media/TV/Film on January 7, 2005