FRANKLIN AVENUE CONTEST: Soundtrack and Book to Beginners

"Thumbsucker" director Mike Mills is behind the new indie feature "Beginners," which hits theaters on June 3. The movie stars Ewan McGregor as a graphic designer who specializes in record covers. (Being married to a graphic designer who specialized for years in recording packages, that hits close to home for the Franklin Avenue crew.)

McGregor plays Oliver, who finds new love just months after the death of his father. "This new love floods Oliver with memories of his father who -- following 44 years of marriage -- came out of the closet at age 75 to live a full, energized, and wonderfully tumultuous gay life," the movie blurb reads.

A companion book contains all the drawings which Mike Mills drew, and that Oliver (played by Ewan) works with in the film. Via Focus Features, we have a prize package for one Franklin Avenue reader: Beginners: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack as well as Drawings From the Film Beginners By Mike Mills. Simply email us at our Yahoo email address (to your right) and the Blogger Baby 2.0 will pick a name out of a hat. Happy movie-going!

Got Any Burning Questions for Gene Simmons and Family?

Got a question for Gene Simmons, Shannon Tweed or their offspring? I'll be moderating a panel tomorrow morning at the Factual Entertainment conference featuring the stars and producers of A&E's "Gene Simmons Family Jewels."

The show, which returns in June for season six, is now the longest-running celebrity docu-series on TV. More info on the panel:

Hear from the quintessential first family of reality about how their on-air lives intertwine with real family life. Bona fide celebrities before the debut of "Gene Simmons Family Jewels" in 2006, how have Gene Simmons and Shannon Tweed's lives changed since they've been "under the microscope" of a reality series? Is there anything they would change if they were to do this all over again? And what advice can they give when it comes to creating a captivating docusoap? Gene Simmons, Shannon Tweed and their children, Nick and Sophie, promise an interesting, unusual and entertaining glimpse into their not-so-private lives and into the making of the longest running celebrity docuseries on television today.

Add your questions below!

Double Coachellas, OMG

Tickets for 2012 Coachella already go on sale this Friday, June 3, at 10 a.m. (and continue until June 10). But that's not the big news. The Coachella Festival announced on Tuesday that next year's event will be held over the course of two weekends: April 13-15, 2012 and April 20-22, 2012.

"That means same lineup, same art, same place, different people," the event's website proclaims. "We know many of you were unable to attend this year's festival because passes sold out much sooner than anticipated. We were truly surprised by the overwhelming response and remain honored by your passion and enthusiasm. We also know some of you purchased through non legitimate sources and were inconvenienced, gouged or totally scammed."

In other words, CO-ACHELLAS. Thanks, I'm here all week.

MIKE ON TV: Chatting With Entertainment Tonight About TV's Returning Stars

Quite a few TV stars are back where they belong this fall -- TV -- including Last Man Standing's Tim Allen (and Nancy Travis, for that matter); Ringer's Sarah Michelle Gellar; Smash's Debra Messing, among others. Above, I chat (and do a faux walk!) with Entertainment Tonight about the trend.

Choice Cuts: May 2011 Playlist

May 2011

Cant Keep Johnny Down -- They Might Be Giants (2:23)
May Seem Macabre -- Peter, Bjorn and John (4:42)
Starry-Eyed -- Ellie Goulding (2:57)
Scissor Runner -- Jenny And Johnny (2:58)
The Shark Fighter! -- Aquabats (2:57)
Love To Get Used -- Matt Pond PA (3:34)
Turning Tables -- Adele (4:10)
Make Some Noise -- Beastie Boys (3:32)
Sadness Is A Blessing (Gold Panda Remix) -- Lykke Li (4:32)
The Healthy One -- Laura Stevenson & The Cans (2:23)
Wait & See -- Holy Ghost! (3:43)
No One's Gonna Love You -- Cee Lo Green (3:29)
Exile Vilify -- The National (4:45)
Can't Stop Thinking about You -- Brett Dennen (4:05)
Dinner -- Blood Orange (4:50)
Sunshine Eyes (Channel Swimmer Mix) -- Polarsets (4:40)
Seashell -- Scala and Kolacny Brothers (3:25)
Golden State -- Delta Spirit (3:13)
Go Outside -- Cults (3:24)
Upside Down -- J. Pinder (3:52)
Need You Now -- Cut Copy (6:10)

For our complete list of playlists from 2001 to present, go to our Choice Cuts sister blog.

It's Time For the Voice of Summer: The Dodgers' Outstanding Billboard Campaign

This billboard almost makes you forget about all the drama surrounding the Dodgers. I see it every day on my drive home from work, and every day I admire the beauty and simplicity of it. The back of Vin Scully's head. (Plus, the fact that you don't see his face -- and you don't need to.) The use of that classic-seeming font. The smooth design.

It's part of this year's well-done Dodgers billboard campaign, as chronicled by the Vin Scully is My Homeboy blog, where we also found an excellent photo of the billboard (as seen on Beverly Blvd., near Virgil).

Conan Wants a Street; Maybe Try Burbank First?

"Oprah recently got a street in Chicago named after her," writes Conan O'Brien's Team Coco blog, "so Conan thinks it's only fair that he get some random street named after him too."

But... TBS' "Conan" tapes on the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank. I know it takes away from the joke... but then again, I bet Burbank would actually do it. C'mon, Beautiful Downtown Burbank, make it happen!

Retro Friday: High School Graduation, 20 Years Later

Whoa. How did this happen: It was 20 years ago this weekend that I graduated from Radford High School in Honolulu.

TWENTY YEARS. I remember when my parents hit the 20-year high school mark. Doesn't seem like that long ago. But 1991 was, indeed, 20 years ago. Yikes.

My high school had three valedictorians and one salutatorian (me). So someone came up with the idea of giving everyone's speech a theme: "Yesterday," "Today," "Tomorrow" and "Forever." Above, I give my "Forever" speech.

And below, here's my pal Anthony giving his speech, "Today":




Meanwhile, a pic of just a portion of my senior class. Time to play "where's Mike?"

Local Media: Worth $415 Million in April

(Flickr Pic by Tracy O.

Radio-Info's Tom Taylor reports on a new study from analyst Jim Boyle, who used Media Monitors data to figure out that agencies spent more than $415 million in April on Los Angeles-area TV, newspaper and radio.

Here's more:

The data shows this breakout – the top nine TV stations, led by KABC-TV’s $51 million, hauled in $285 million. The top two newspapers did $85 million, with the Tribune Company-owned L.A. Times doing $70 million.

The top 20 radio stations did $38 million. That list was led by CBS Radio’s modern rock KROQ at $2.94 million and Clear Channel CHR KIIS-FM at $2.48 million. A station Boyle identifies only as an “FM Spanish AC” did an impressive $2.24 million, and an “FM Mexican” station did $2.2 million.

Another way to slice the baguette is to look at total number of spots. The top 10 cable systems ran 223,500 spots in April. The top 9 local TV outlets ran 198,900. The two newspapers did a combined 2,800 ads. And the top 20 radio stations were clocked with 198,000 spots.

Spotted in New York, Part 5: Shortest Shake Shack Line I've Seen

This may be the shortest I've ever seen the line at the Shake Shack in Madison Square Park. Granted, it was 3 p.m. on a rainy afternoon -- but this may be the best that it gets.

I decided to forgo the burger and instead get some frozen custard. It was Sunday, and the flavor of the day was Red Velvet. (The "B" line, for non-hamburger and shake items, was even shorter: Just two people ahead of me.)



It was good. But honestly, I was hoping for something more than just vanilla frozen custard with pieces of red velvet cake. And luckily, I walked so much in New York that I could afford to be a bit bad.

Here's a recap from a previous Shake Shack visit in NYC (May 2009)

And here's our Rate-A-Restaurant review (May 2007)

L.A. Conservancy's Last Remaining Seats Starts Tonight

One of our favorite events of the entire year, the Los Angeles Conservancy's Last Remaining Seats, kicks off on Wednesday night at the Orpheum Theatre.

Last Remaining Seats opens the doors to some of downtown's most glorious old movie palaces -- and for one night, they're once again used to screen classic films as they were intended. And this year, the event (whch started in 1987) is celebrating its 25th year.

Tonight's screening,the 1954 Hitchcock classic "Rear Window," is already sold out. More details:

The season opens with a sold-out screening of the Alfred Hitchcock thriller Rear Window (1954), starring James Stewart and Grace Kelly. Renowned film critic and historian Leonard Maltin will host the evening and introduce the film. Robert York will perform before the screening on the Orpheum’s 1928 Mighty Wurlitzer organ, the last remaining theatre organ on Broadway. Nearly two thousand people will fill the beautifully restored 1926 Orpheum Theatre to kick off this special anniversary season, which runs through June 29 in the Broadway Historic Theatre District.

Read our post from last year's Last Remaining Seats (in which we caught the screening of "The Graduate" at the beautiful Los Angeles Theatre) here.

There are still tickets remaining for many of the screenings. Here's a list:

May 25
Rear Window (1954) - SOLD OUT!
Orpheum Theatre
June 1

The Music Man (1962)
Los Angeles Theatre

June 8
Captain Blood (1935)
Million Dollar Theatre

June 15
King Kong (1933)
Los Angeles Theatre

June 22
Zoot Suit (1981)
Co-presented with the
Latin American Cinemateca of Los Angeles
Million Dollar Theatre

June 26
Sunset Boulevard (1950) - SOLD OUT!
Palace Theatre

June 29
Safety Last! (1923)
Orpheum Theatre

License Plate of the Day: USC Hammer Edition

It's the USC Hammer! Either that, or MC Hammer is showing his allegiance to the Trojans. Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em!

Thanks to Nanette for the pic! Keep on sending in your license plates of the day!

Hollywood's Tacky House of Davids Hits the Market

The House of Davids (also known as Youngwood Court), of course, is legendary for its bad taste. And owner Norwood Young, despised by his neighbors for keeping such gaudiness on public display, appears to revel in its tackiness.

But the golden age of Davids could be drawing to an end. Well, depending on who purchases the house, which Young has put on the market for $2.4 million.

The cool part of all this: The listing finally gives us a peek into the inside of the house. And yes, it's as cheesy as you'd expect. Curbed LA has the details:

There are fake dogs everywhere, the dining room furniture is invisible and hanging from the ceiling, and there are either oversized chairs in the foyer or the foyer is tiny. The house has seven bedrooms, seven bathrooms, and 19 David replicas on its front lawn. R&B singer Norwood Young has lived, decorated, and pissed off the neighbors on Muirfield Street since the nineties.

(Flickr pic by Donielle.)

Spotted in New York, Part 4: The Creepy Head of Madison Square Park

It looks like something you might see in a futuristic movie. But this slightly creepy but utterly fascinating head is "Echo," the work of Spanish artist Jaume Plensa. Curbed New York writes, via Mad Park News, that the sculpture is a "giant fiberglass resin face of a young girl in a dream state and was inspired by both a real 9 year old and the Greek nymph Echo."

Mad Park News says the sculpture will be on display through mid-August "as part of the Madison Square Conservancy’s groundbreaking Madison Square Art public art program."

License Plate of the Day: Hawaiian Hulk Edition

Thanks to our pal JustJenn for this one. "It says DAHULK," she writes. "I'm thinking Hawaiian hulk. Then again the car was green..."

Send your License Plate of the Day photos to franklin_avenue(at)yahoo(dot)com!

UPFRONTS: TV Trends for Fall 2011

With clips for all the new fall and midseason network series still fresh in my head (it's been a long week), here are just some of the themes and trends of fall that I've been able to identify. More to come, and feel free to add yours in the comments!

We’re Terrible Roommates, But Hey, We’ll Stick Up For Each Other In The End: Two Broke Girls (CBS), Apartment 23 (ABC), The New Girl (Fox)

I See Dead People, But I Don’t Want It To Stop: Awake (NBC), A Gifted Man (CBS)

I See Dead People, But Please, Make It Stop: Alcatraz (Fox)

You’ve Been Recruited to Help Me Solve Crimes And Look Sexy While Doing It: Charlie’s Angels (ABC), Person of Interest (CBS)

Men Are Wusses:  Last Man Standing (ABC), Man Up (ABC), How to Be a Gentleman (CBS)

Men Are Pigs: Work It (ABC), Free Agents (NBC)

Being a Parent is Hard, Yo: Up All Night (NBC), I Hate My Teenage Daughter (Fox)

Your Show Is Getting Screwed, But We’ll Somehow Spin It As A Good Thing: America’s Most Wanted (Fox), Rules of Engagement (CBS)

I’m New In Town, and Wow, The Townspeople Are Quite Bitchy About It: Suburgatory (ABC), Hart of Dixie (The CW), The Secret Circle (The CW), G.C.B. (ABC), and perhaps Revenge (CBS)

Fairytales are For Realz, People: Grimm (NBC), Once Upon a Time (ABC)

Mad Men Can Barely Attract 2 Million Viewers? Hey, Where’s My 1960s-Themed Drama?: The Playboy Club (NBC), Pan Am (ABC)

Maybe the Thriving Music Industry Will Save TV! Wait, What?: The X Factor (Fox), Smash (NBC), The Sing-Off (NBC)

Watch Out, That Thing Plans To Tear Your Head Off: Terra Nova (Fox), The River (ABC), Grimm (NBC)

Prepare A New Opening Credits Sequence: Two and a Half Men (CBS), The Office (NBC), House (Fox), Law & Order: SVU (NBC) (maybe)

Powerful Women in A Man’s World: Prime Suspect (NBC), Scandal (ABC)

Something Mystical Is Going On Here: A Gifted Man (CBS), Touch (Fox), Alcatraz (Fox), The Secret Circle (The CW), Unforgettable (CBS)

I Faked My Own Death (Or Did I?): Person Of Interest (CBS), Ringer (The CW)

Multi-Cam (In a Single-Cam World): Whitney (NBC), I Hate My Teenage Daughter (Fox), Two Broke Girls (CBS), Last Man Standing (ABC),

You Know This Creepy Town You Just Moved To? YOU’RE ONE OF THEM!: Once Upon a Time (ABC), The Secret Circle (The CW)

The Fat Lady Is Singing: Chuck (NBC), One Tree Hill (The CW), House (Fox) (maybe)

They’re Baaaack: Tim Allen, Kiefer Sutherland, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Rachel Bilson, Christina Applegate, James Van Der Beek, Poppy Montgomery and, yes, Simon Cowell

Who Needs Movies?: Zooey Deschanel, Christina Ricci, Ashley Judd, Kerry Washington, 

UPFRONTS: The CW's Fall Schedule

The CW is pairing up shows from two of its most prolific producers, Gossip Girl's Josh Schwartz and The Vampire Diaries' Kevin Williamson.

The mini-network announced a fall 2011 schedule on Thursday that utilizes returning players Gossip Girl, The Vampire Diaries and 90210 to launch new series Hart of Dixie, The Secret Circle and Sarah Michelle Gellar's Ringer.

In what has become a bit of a CW scheduling tradition, the network will use Gossip Girl to launch Schwartz's Hart of Dixie, starring Rachel Bilson, on Monday nights. And Vampire Diaries will lead into Williamson's The Secret Circle on Thursdays.

That leaves Ringer, which debuts on a night Gellar is very familiar with: Tuesdays. (Buffy the Vampire Slayer ran for most of its entire lifespan on Tuesdays, on the WB and later UPN). It will air behind 90210, which is back on Tuesdays.

Meanwhile, besides 90210's move back to Tuesdays, in the CW's other major move this year, action series Nikita slides to Friday, filling the Smallville void on the night (and bumping Supernatural to 9 p.m.).

The CW's long-running America's Next Top Model keeps its long-time Wednesday home, as the network attempts to launch yet another reality show in front of it: This time, H8R.

Here's the CW's fall schedule:

Mondays
8 p.m. Gossip Girl
9 p.m. Hart of Dixie (NEW)

Tuesdays
8 p.m. 90210
9 p.m. Ringer (NEW)

Wednesday
8 p.m. H8R (NEW)
9 p.m. America's Next Top Model

Thursdays
8 p.m. The Vampire Diaries
9 p.m. The Secret Circle (NEW)

Fridays
8 p.m. Nikita
9 p.m. Supernatural

Midseason: One Tree Hill

Spotted in New York, Part 3: Lucky Asian Kobe

I wonder if "Lucky Asian Kobe" would have done any better in the NBA Finals.

UPFRONTS: CBS' New Fall Schedule

For the first time in a decade, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is on the move. The show, which (paired with Survivor) open the door for CBS to take on Thursday nights, is now moving to Wednesdays this fall.

In its place, the Eye has opted to debut the new drama Person of Interest. Meanwhile, in CBS' other big news, the network is moving hot drama The Good Wife to Sunday nights (in Undercover Boss' 9 p.m. slot; that reality show is back in midseason).

Other new shows on the fall schedule: The sitcom 2 Broke Girls will air Mondays at 8:30 p.m., behind How I Met Your Mother, while another new comedy, How to Be a Gentleman, runs Thursdays at 8:30 p.m. behind The Big Bang Theory.

New drama A Gifted Man will open Fridays at 8 p.m.

Here's CBS' fall schedule:

Mondays
8 p.m. How I Met Your Mother
8:30 p.m. 2 Broke Girls (NEW)
9 p.m. Two and a Half Men
9:30 p.m. Mike and Molly
10 p.m. Hawaii Five-0

Tuesdays
8 p.m. NCIS
9 p.m. NCIS: Los Angeles
10 p.m. Unforgettable (NEW)

Wednesday
8 p.m. Survivor
9 p.m. Criminal Minds
10 p.m. CSI

Thursdays
8 p.m. The Big Bang Theory
8:30 p.m. How to be a Gentleman (NEW)
9 p.m. Person of Interest (NEW)
10 p.m. The Mentalist

Fridays
8 p.m. A Gifted Man (NEW)
9 p.m. CSI: NY
10 p.m. Blue Bloods

Saturdays
8 p.m. Rules of Engagement
8:30 p.m. Comedy repeats
9 p.m. Drama repeats
10 p.m. 48 Hours

Sundays
7 p.m. 60 Minutes
8 p.m. Amazing Race
9 p.m. The Good Wife
10 p.m. CSI: Miami

Spotted in New York, Part 2: Inappropriate Boba

Strange day in New York. Got shat on by a bird. Got caught in the rain. Lost my Metro Card. But at least I found this wildly inappropriate sign at a Boba tea shop. ("The joys of sucking on (boba) balls." What?)

The NBC Universal Tower Becomes the "NBCUniversal Tower"

Thanks to my pal Pang-ni for snapping this pic. NBC Universal -- which became "NBCUniversal" after merging with Comcast (where they apparently hate spaces) -- is finally updating their Universal City tower with the new corporate logo.

Back in 2004, when NBC and Universal first merged, the tower's sign (which previously just said "Universal") somehow was changed the EXACT day that the merger was approved. This time, NBCUniversal took a few months. But hey, they're kind of busy over there, you know, saving NBC.

Don't Forget the Other Truth About Schwarzenegger

(AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli)

Don't forget, besides the housekeeper, Arnold also spent the last 8 years screwing California. THANK YOU, GOOD NIGHT! TIP YOUR WAITERS!

(By the way, love the creepiness of this AP photo.)

UPFRONTS: ABC's New Fall Schedule

ABC unveiled an aggressive new fall schedule on Tuesday, introducing a comedy block on Tuesday and big changes on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

Like NBC on Wednesdays next fall, ABC will open Tuesdays with two brand new comedies – kicking off with the Tim Allen series Last Man Standing.

ABC will also give two of its key new series major positions: Charlie's Angels will be deployed for combat duty on Thursdays at 8 p.m. opposite Fox's The X Factor and CBS' The Big Bang Theory. And buzzed-about new 1960s period drama Pan Am lands the spot behind Desperate Housewives on Sunday.

Also on ABC's Sunday extreme makeover, newcomer Once Upon a Time takes over the Sunday night 8 p.m. slot formerly held by Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (which moves to Fridays). ABC is going with all reality on Fridays.

On the bench for midseason: Apartment 23, Good Christian Belles, Missing, The River, Work It and returnees Cougar Town and Secret Millionaire.

Here's ABC's fall schedule:

Mondays
8 p.m. Dancing With the Stars
10 p.m. Castle

Tuesdays
8 p.m. Last Man Standing (NEW)
8:30 Man Up (NEW)
9 p.m. Dancing With the Stars Results
10 p.m. Body of Proof

Wednesday
8 p.m. The Middle
8:30 p.m. Suburgatory (NEW)
9 p.m. Modern Family
9:30 p.m. Happy Endings
10 p.m. Revenge (NEW)

Thursdays
8 p.m. Charlie's Angels (NEW)
9 p.m. Grey's Anatomy
10 p.m. Private Practice

Fridays
8 p.m. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
9 p.m. Shark Tank
10 p.m. 20/20

Saturdays
8 p.m. College Football

Sundays
7 p.m. America's Funniest Home Videos
8 p.m. Once Upon a Time (NEW)
9 p.m. Desperate Housewives
10 p.m. Pan Am (NEW)

Spotted In New York, Part 1: Missing in New York

Posting is slow this week, as I cover the network upfronts for TV Guide Magazine here in New York City. (Read some of my pieces here.)

But I'll be taking pics of unusual stuff all week here in Gotham. First up: Either this is an amazing pillow, or it's stuffed with cocaine. Either way, someone REALLY WANTS THEIR PILLOW BACK.

UPFRONTS: Fox's New Fall Schedule

Dr. House, make room for The New Girl. Fox – the home of TV's bad boys, from Simon Cowell to Homer Simpson – is adding more women to its lineup in an effort to stay on top.

“From razor-sharp comedies to epic dramas to a massive talent competition series, I think we have the goods to continue to be pop culture’s most vibrant platform, as well as the top network," says Fox Entertainment president Kevin Reilly.

Call it the Sue Sylvester effect. The success of Glee, along with the J.Lo-infused resurgence of American Idol, has convinced Fox to further broaden its target audience. That's why this fall the network is adding two new sitcoms with big female appeal: The New Girl (starring Zooey Deschanel) behind Glee on Tuesdays and I Hate My Teenage Daughter after The X Factor on Wednesdays.

But Fox isn't retreating from its core viewership. The network hopes to satiate Idol fans with the long-awaited launch of Cowell's X Factor, which will fill the same Wednesday and Thursday 8 p.m. slots. And despite concerns that the long-delayed Steven Spielberg dino-series Terra Nova might never make it to air, the drama will air Mondays at 8 p.m.

Several shows will share time periods – such as Bones spinoff The Finder, which will fill Bones' slot when Emily Deschanel goes on maternity leave. Shelf space may be less of an issue in 2012, as House may be retired next year (when Hugh Laurie's deal is up).

On Mondays House will help launch two of Fox's biggest new series: Terra Nova in the fall and Alcatraz in the spring.

And in an unusual move, Fox announced that it will go with a four-comedy lineup on Tuesdays in midseason – but beyond Raising Hope, I Hate My Teenage Daughter and New Girl, the fourth show is yet to be determined. Fox is holding a bake-off between pilots Little In Common and Family Album to see which show gets the fourth slot.

As for Sundays, as expected Fox continues its "Animation Domination" strategy, with one big change: Newcomer Allen Gregory will air in the fall, while fellow freshman entry Napoleon Dynamite is set for midseason (as is the return of Bob's Burgers). - Michael Schneider

Here's the new Fox schedule:

MONDAY
8:00-9:00 PM TERRA NOVA (new)
9:00-10:00 PM HOUSE


TUESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM GLEE
9:00-9:30 PM NEW GIRL (wt) (new)
9:30-10:00 PM RAISING HOPE


WEDNESDAY
8:00-9:30 PM THE X FACTOR Performance Show (new)
9:30-10:00 PM I HATE MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER (wt) (new)


THURSDAY
8:00-9:00 PM THE X FACTOR Results Show (new)
9:00-10:00 PM BONES


FRIDAY
8:00-9:00 PM KITCHEN NIGHTMARES
9:00-10:00 PM FRINGE


SATURDAY
8:00-8:30 PM COPS
8:30-9:00 PM COPS
9:00-10:00 PM ENCORES / AMERICA’S MOST WANTED (specials)


SUNDAY
7:00-7:30 PM THE OT (NFL post-game)
7:30-8:00 PM THE CLEVELAND SHOW
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS
8:30-9:00 PM ALLEN GREGORY (new)
9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY
9:30-10:00 PM AMERICAN DAD

UPFRONTS: NBC's New Fall Schedule

New NBC entertainment chairman Robert Greenblatt knows he can't turn the Peacock network around overnight. That's why the executive is resisting the urge to throw two of his hottest properties — The Voice and the new Steven Spielberg musical drama Smash — on the air this fall.

Instead, Greenblatt describes NBC's fall 2011 schedule as building blocks for the future. On Mondays, the network is making its biggest surprise move, turning The Sing-Off (which aired during the holidays in 2009 and 2010) into a two-hour, weekly series and pairing it with new drama The Playboy Club.

Come midseason, The Voice will be back as a two-hour series on Mondays at 8 p.m., leading in to the much-anticipated debut of Smash at 10. Look for NBC to use the Super Bowl to help launch both series.

On Tuesdays, NBC is holding tight, preferring to stick with incumbents The Biggest Loser and Parenthood. The network is taking another gamble on Wednesdays, opening up the night with two new comedies: Up All Night, starring Christina Applegate, and Free Agents, with Hank Azaria. Harry's Law moves to Wednesdays at 9 p.m., followed by Law & Order: SVU.

NBC will revert to a two-hour comedy block on Thursdays with Community, Parks and Recreation and The Office (30 Rock sits on the bench until midseason). The new sitcom Whitney, starring comedian Whitney Cummings, gets the plum 9:30 p.m. slot behind The Office, while the Maria Bello-led Prime Suspect debuts at 10 p.m.

Chuck moves to Fridays at 8 p.m., followed by new fairy-tale-inspired series Grimm and Dateline NBC.

After Sunday Night Football completes its run, NBC will bring back The Celebrity Apprentice to Sundays and pair it with The Firm, a new drama based on the John Grisham novel, at 10.

Read my interview with NBC's Bob Greenblatt about his new fall strategy here.

NBC's Fall 2011-2012 Schedule
MONDAY
8-10 p.m. — The Sing-Off
10-11 p.m. — The Playboy Club (NEW)

TUESDAY
8-10 p.m. — The Biggest Loser
10-11 p.m. — Parenthood

WEDNESDAY
8-8:30 p.m. — Up All Night (NEW)
8:30-9 p.m. — Free Agents (NEW)
9-10 p.m. — Harry's Law
10-11 p.m.— Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

THURSDAY
8-8:30 p.m. — Community
8:30-9 p.m. — Parks and Recreation
9-9:30 p.m. — The Office
9:30-10 p.m. — Whitney (NEW)
10-11 p.m. — Prime Suspect (NEW)

FRIDAY
8-9 p.m. — Chuck
9-10 p.m. — Grimm (NEW)
10-11 p.m. — Dateline NBC

SATURDAY
Encore programming

SUNDAY
7- 8:15 p.m. — Football Night in America
8:15-11:30 p.m. — NBC Sunday Night Football

License Plate of the Day: Cowboy Edition

All together now: YIHAAW!

Please Stand By: Blogger Problems

I lost a few posts on Thursday due to the Great Blogger Outage of 2011. Still waiting for them to come back... so stay tuned.

Retro Friday: Die Day in Los Angeles, 1963

From the Metro archives. Above, March 30, 1963 -- the final day of service for L.A.'s streetcars.



And to go really back, here's a training film from 1914 for L.A.'s Pacific Electric cars.

Rate-A-Restaurant #250: Hash House a Go Go

Restaurant: Hash House a Go Go

Location: 3535 Las Vegas Blvd S (Las Vegas)

Type of restaurant: Breakfast

We stipulated: We were in Vegas for our first time in more than five years, but with the kids in tow -- so we wanted to try a new place for breakfast that was also kid-friendly. Maria's friend suggested the Imperial Palace outpost of San Diego's Hash House a Go Go.

They stipulated: Executive Chef, Creator & Founder Craig "Andy" Beardslee's mission: "To keep the fun in food while pulling from the experiences of farm fresh agriculture, live stock, and old recipes with a twist."



What we ordered: Sage Fried Chicken and Hardwood Bacon Waffles Crowned with Fried Leeks and a Maple Reduction. ($15.95)

Kids' "Farmer's Delight" -- cinnamon banana pancake with eggs and bacon ($6.95)

High point: The chicken and waffles combo was great -- nice touch of bacon inside the waffle (my heart thanks you). But the real surprise was the kids' dish -- which honestly, was the proper size for a grown adult.

Low point: I didn't see any smoking going on inside the restaurant, but the Imperial Palace (where this location is based) has such a caked-in smoke smell from its years of service that it can't be avoided. And coming from L.A., you can't help but be noticed and bothered by it.



Overall impression: I'm glad we were warned about the massive portion sizes. Maria and I easily shared the chicken with waffles, while the boys easily split the kids' dish, with some to spare. You're in Vegas on vacation, so why cart out leftovers that you'll never eat? Split a dish, and suddenly it's a great breakfast bargain.



Chance we'll go back:  Quite possibly if we're back in Vegas -- but we'll check out the location at the newer M Resort, where I'm thinking the smoking smell isn't as caked in.

For a complete list of our more than 250 restaurant reviews, check out Franklin Avenue's companion Rate-A-Restaurant site.

License Plate of the Day: Hero Kitty, or Something More Offensive?

Thanks to Franklin Avenue reader Rich, who spotted this plate at the Glendale Galleria. "Wonder how this got past the DMV?" he asks. Rich calls it the "Racist License Plate of the Day" -- and indeed, if you read it as the spelling of a stereotypical pronunciation of "Hello," it is quite bizarrely offensive.

Yet this person is clearly a fan of Hello Kitty... so are they doing it in an ironic fashion? Or did they really mean it to say "Hero Kitty"? (At least, that's probably what they told the DMV.)

My First Fight: A Weekend at the Pacquiao/Mosley Bout

Fight fans were angry with Saturday night's rather lackluster Manny Pacquiao/Sugar Shane Mosley bout, but it was my first-ever opportunity to see a major fight in person, so I at least enjoyed the spectacle and getting to see it all up close.

I brought the family and we did our first drive out to Vegas in nearly six years. Of course, in that time we had forgotten how long that drive is. My favorite moments, of course, are the Zzyzx Rd. off ramp, the abandoned/spooky Rock-A-Hoola water park in the middle of the desert (who thought that was a good idea?) and the view of the desert floor as you're descending to Primm and the state border.

In Vegas, Evan and Nathan got a kick out of the MGM Grand lions and riding the Las Vegas Monorail, end-to-end. The MGM Grand was alive over the weekend, and you could feel the electricity of the fight. (Too bad the actual fight wasn't nearly as electric.)

I couldn't pass up a chance to see the legendary Manny Pacquiao in action, and it was still fun to see the Pac-Man live and in person, and in the ring, and the multitude of fans.

The main event opened with Charice singing the Philippine National Anthem (that brings me back to childhood and the morning sign-on of the Manila TV stations and Clark AB's Far East Network!). Tyrese (and did they do that rhyming-name-thing on purpose) then belted out the Star Spangled Banner. And then... Jamie Foxx stepped out, for some reason, to sing "God Bless America." (Memo to Jamie Foxx: You're not Ray Charles. You just played him in a film. Stop it.)

Mosley came out to LL Cool J's "Mama Said Knock You Out." Literally -- LL Cool J came out rapping along side Mosley. And then the lead singer of Survivor did the same with Pacquaio, crooning "Eye of the Tiger." It was all so very Rocky III anyway.

And then... 12 rounds of boxing. Again, I know nothing about boxing, so I was entertained enough. But even I could tell that this was a lethargic match. And when the crowd started booing, I knew my instincts were at least correct. Pacquiao easily won, and once again the world wonders when -- or if -- he'll ever meet Floyd Mayweather Jr. in the ring.

More pics from the fight:


Waving the flag for Pacquiao


Pacquiao on the big screen


Pacquiao and Mosley in the ring


Pacquiao fans


Not an empty seat in the house at the MGM Grand


Team Pacquiao


Me at the fight


Round five

Irrational Exuberance at the Pump

As I Tweeted over the weekend, it's quite sad to realize how excited I was to see gas under $4 a gallon (spotted in Las Vegas, where we spent the weekend). Oil companies, you've won again. You've managed to make $3 look cheap. Time to get that hybrid.

Party With a Real O.G. on Mother's Day

Still looking for somewhere to take dear ol' mom for Mother's Day this Sunday? Grab her and head to Royal/T, where Franklin Avenue pal JustJenn is celebrating her new comic-cookbook, inspired by her grandmother (yes, that's the O.G. Grandma). Here's more info about the event:

The book will be available for purchase in the Royal/T shop! AND, if you want to bring your kids, there will be a FREE justJENN stART event in the backspace where they can make justJENN Designs-inspired Mother's Day cards!!

Oh, and did we mention that we'll have Royal/T Milk Tea flavored cupcakes?? Courtesy of justJENN Recipes, of course! They will be sold separately and as part of our special Mother's Day high tea! ($25)

Go to JustJenn Recipes or call 310-559-6300 ex. 3 for more details.

There are quite a few well-done round ups of Mother's Day events, here are a few:

Best Mother's Day Meals in Los Angeles (CBS Local)

Coming Attractions, Mother's Day Edition (L.A. Story)

Mother's Day in Los Angeles, A Roundup and Guide for 2011 (Taster Tots)

Happy Mother's Day to all those moms out there!

Retro Friday: Broderick Crawford Trusts TV Guide

How awesome is this? A black-and-white testimonial from Broderick Crawford, on the set of "Highway Patrol," for TV Guide. Thanks to my dad, who found this on YouTube!

L.A. Cameo: 'Modern Family' Goes Hiking

From this week's episode of "Modern Family": Several characters go hiking at Westridge-Canyonback Wilderness Park in Encino.

Here's a shot from LAMountains.com of that same sign:

76 Learns to Love Its Balls

Five years after the 1947project's Kim and Nathan launched their Save the 76 Ball campaign (and four years after their efforts paid off), 76 is now using the ball as the centerpiece of their new marketing campaign.

Quite a change from a few years ago, when ConocoPhillips announced that it was eliminating all of the 76 "meatball" signs around the country. After the outcry, 76 agreed to keep some of the remaining signs up (and just change the color scheme). Apparently they're glad they did.

License Plate of the Day: Dave Matthews Edition Part II

Dave Matthews fan, meet this Dave Matthews fan. You guys sure love your vanity license plates!

Rate-A-Restaurant #249: Mixt Greens

Restaurant: Mixt Greens

Location: 5757 Wilshire Blvd. (Miracle Mile)

Type of restaurant: Salads

We stipulated: Miracle Mile had been a vast lunchtime wasteland until the food trucks came along. Nonetheless, back when I worked at 5900 Wilshire, I welcomed the addition of Mixt Greens -- particularly because it replaced the dreadful O to Go.

They stipulated: "Mixt Greens was founded in San Francisco in 2005 and has since been voted San Francisco Chronicle's 'Best Healthy Lunch' in the San Francisco Bay Area, as well as being certified as a 'Bay Area Green Business', one of only five restaurants with this designation." Mixt Greens specializes in design-your-own salads, with an escalating price structure depending on what you order.



What we ordered: Design your own salad ($6.95): : choose your greens, 2 staples, 2 specialties & dressing. I chose mixed greens, along with chickpeas, edamame, soba noodles and marinated tofu. Plus a mango citrus vinaigrette.

High point: I enjoy the ability to create your own salad with such a wide array of staples and specialties.

Low point: When Mixt Greens first opened, they were generous with the fixings -- and would add more if you asked. Now, not so much. The portions appear to be smaller, and they're stingy with the extras.



Overall impression: Be careful -- your salad could get really expensive with all the add-ons. That's why I make sure to stick with the basics.

Chance we'll go back:  Now that my office has moved to Century City, it's less likely. And honestly, once the portions got smaller, I stopped going. (It didn't help that I started hitting the food trucks).

For a complete list of our nearly 250 restaurant reviews, check out Franklin Avenue's companion Rate-A-Restaurant site.

The Death of Bin Laden, As Seen on SoCal's Newspaper Front Pages

Daily News: "Bin Laden Killed"

We posted the front page of the L.A. Times yesterday; now here's a collection of more front pages from Monday, reporting the death of terrorist mastermind Osama Bin Laden.


Daily Breeze: "BIN LADEN DEAD"


Santa Clarita Daily Signal: "Bin Laden dead"


Orange County Register: "BIN LADEN DEAD"


San Bernardino Sun: "BIN LADEN DEAD"


Riverside Press-Enterprise: "BIN LADEN KILLED; 'JUSTICE DONE'"


Pasadena Star-News: "Bin Laden Dead"


Inland Valley Daily Bulletin: "BIN LADEN DEAD"


La Opinion: "Bin Laden esta muerto"


Press-Telegram: "Bin Laden dead"

And elsewhere in California:


San Francisco Chronicle: "U.S. kills Bin Laden"


San Diego Union-Tribune: "KILLED"


Palm Springs Desert Sun: "BIN LADEN DEAD"


Ventura County Star: "BIN LADEN IS DEAD"


Bakersfield Californian: "JUSTICE SERVED"