bob_barron

Because most people want to watch them! So that explains why Wrestlemania did the lowest buyrate since Wrestlemania XIII?

Because Vince books his match as the most important match on card.

I assume the match will involve Sting jobbing- if it doesn't- whatever. The fact still remains- They could've brought in Sting to job to AJ. Instead they bring him in to face Jarrett.

It's funny how they bring in Sting to job to Jarrett. They could've brought in Sting to job to Styles which would've given Styles a HUGE rub

I think this is a totally different guy though- That's not who Stan Hooper is. We'll have to wait to decide. Norm basically moved twice during its run- that's not too much. At the end he ended up getting off his community service so he didn't have to be a social worker anymore but he ended up staying. He also turned the tables on Shelly and finally made it so she had the hots for him.

I probably am but the show was funny. Norm did have a better pilot but like I said- it's an easier show to set up. I do think the girl has got to go though- She serves no purpose

A lot of people are thinking the show will be cancelled- but it's got an awesome time slot and weak competition. FOX has a lot of faith in it as it tested very well with audiences. The show needs time to mature and grow. They have to be very careful with how they handle the butler. Norm's smart about stuff like that- so I have high hopes for Gary. Norm had a very easy set up and was Norm just being Norm with a laugh track. Stan Hooper is a different show. Episode 1 was meant to introduce you to Waterford Falls and try to get some laughs along the way. Once they get everyone settled- the show should be smooth. Norm got canceleld because ABC is a bunch of morons. The show was a ratings hit as the lead out for Drew Carey. So ABC moved it to before Drew. The show still did fine ratings and then for some reason- ABC moved it to Friday. Of course it's gonna die there. I'm just happy that the show did manage to wrap up all it storylines. I didn't notice the overuse of the laugh track too much- I guess I'm used to it. I think a lot of people were setting themselves up for Norm being Norm Macdonald the sarcastic smartass. He's not doing that this series. If you're looking for the Norm of 'Norm' and 'Dirty Work' you will be dissapointed. Norm is the star of the show. Everything revolves around him and he just comments on the craziness that he find himself in. I knew going in I was getting a different Norm- and I was prepared for it. I think some people went in with different expectations and got a different Norm.

A Minute with Stan Hooper: I want more minutes! When I heard the plot of A Minute with Stan Hooper- I was a little bit sceptical. I had trouble seeing how Norm Macdonald could play his usual character under the context of a TV newsman. Then when I found out that Norm was playing someone completely different I began to have faith in Stan Hooper. Artie Lange assured me that it was really funny. I think that Norm himself is worried about alienating his fanbase with the show- when I talked to Norm on the phone he said I hoped I wouldn’t be disappointed and that I would enjoy the show. Well one episode in and I’m already sold. I enjoyed the show’s style of humour- it wasn’t cute one liner after one cute liner- the jokes seemed to work for the most part and I’m already enjoying some of the characters. A show like Stan Hooper takes a bit of time to find its comedic peak. With an ensemble piece like that it’s hard for every character to find their voice in one episode. The show did a great job of establishing everyone and giving the audience a peak to their comedic potential. The only one I’m not feeling so far is Chelsea. Norm was perfect in his role. I liked how he just watched the action unfold and filled in the blanks with his comments. It’s a different Norm then what we’re used to but he was just fine as Stan Hooper. Watching him react to the actions of the small town will be a lot of fun to watch in the coming weeks. I admire Norm for taking on something different instead of playing a sarcastic idiot. Penelope Ann Miller didn’t really have much to do but she played the wife just fine. She seems to be Stan’s conscious and moral centre. I’d like to see her get more funny lines but I’m enjoying her interactions with the butler. I’m really enjoying Eric Lively so far. Having him get to share a lot of his scenes with Fred Willard and Norm should really help him go places. His character had the down home small town thing down pat. Daniel Roebuck is fantastic and was the best non-Norm or Fred part. I loved his voice, his mannerisms- everything about him had me laughing my ass off. This character could really be the breakout of the show. Garrett Dillahunt was very funny but too underused. His character has a lot of potential and I’m very interested to see how the show plays up the gay thing. Brian Howe just screams breakout potential and Norm knows this. I just hope he isn’t overused and shoved down our throats like other sitcoms will be. He needs to be used sparingly- whenever you just need a scene of laughter- use the butler. If he’s used too much he’ll just wear thin. Fred Willard was terrific. I’m disappointed that he’s only a guest star since the show is immediately lifted by his presence. I think Norm didn’t think the father-son conflict would work for 22 episodes so having him there sparingly to lighten up the mood a bit. I liked how the show got right to the point. Most sitcoms would stretch out Norm wanting to leave New York and live in a small town- but like the premiere of Ed- it got right to the point. No meandering bullshit- the synopsis of the show was done in 15 seconds. I loved the premiere episode and a show like this can only get better. It takes a long time to flesh out and establish all the characters so Stan Hooper will take some time before it finds it comedic peak. I look forward to seeing where the storylines flesh out and what happens next. Thumbs Way Up

The Sweet Hereafter. What a powerful movie- I wasn't paying attention to it too much (my roomate was watching it) and even I was tearing up and was emotional at the end

I've met a ton of famous people through living in New York City. Kristin Davis, Tina Fey and Norm Macdonald are the three nicest I've had encounters with. Lara Flynn Boyle and Marisa Tomei are total pricks

Fred Willard isn't a regular cast member Choken. He's just a reoccuring guest star. Fred Willard is HILARIOUS. The guy is awesome. I loved the show tonight- I'm gonna write a more in-depth review now

I hope not- the title of the show has become a running gag between me and my friends.

More Stan Hooper reviews- http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...ion_hooper_dc_1 and from the AP- Norm Macdonald stars in a new sitcom, "A Minute with Stan Hooper," premiering 8:30 p.m. Wednesday on Fox. The former "Saturday Night Live (news - Y! TV)" star plays a TV essayist who, with his wife (the sparkling Penelope Ann Miller (news)), moves from New York to Wisconsin to be closer to the regular folks he reports on. But the locals are loco, and Macdonald milks buckets of laughs from the looniness around him (and wouldn't you know, he's lactose intolerant!). "Minute" may not be the cream of TV sitcoms, but it's a step up from the usual cheese. http://www.suntimes.com/output/rosenthal/c...ftr-phil29.html http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?...29/DD188927.DTL From the Atlanta Journal Constitution- A MINUTE WITH STAN HOOPER" When it's on: 8:30 p.m. on Fox (starts Oct. 29). What it's about: A New York TV news personality (Norm Macdonald) moves to a small Wisconsin town in search of old-fashioned values. He may be the only one surprised to find an "America" quite different from the one he's always waxing poetically about it. Does it work? Better than you'd think. The characters are goofily complex, including the omnipresent butler Hooper doesn't want and a pair of brothers-who-aren't-really-brothers. Fred Willard is the big man about the small town, who may not be as gosh-darn ingenuous as he seems. Will it last? Creator Barry Kemp was a writer and executive producer on the late, great "Newhart," and if "Hooper" can consistently capture that same quirky vibe, it's got a shot. Fox will have to be patient, though, and let it gradually find its audience. http://www.freep.com/entertainment/tvandra...29_20031029.htm http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/entertain...ion/7127240.htm http://www.cleveland.com/entertainment/pla...23536249661.xml From St. Petersburgh Times- Tonight 8, That '70s Show; 8:30, A Minute With Stan Hooper; 9, The O.C. ODDS FOR SUCCESS: 5 to 1. THE LOWDOWN: The success of an early run of The O.C., launched in August as a summer series, prompted Fox to kick The Bernie Mac Show to Sunday and bump Cedric the Entertainer's lame-o sketch comedy show off the schedule, vacating the 9 p.m. hour. Still, Wednesday is the big leagues. The O.C., a drama about a poor, at-risk teen brought to wealthy Orange County, Calif., will fight for young viewers with the WB's Angel, for wealthy viewers with NBC's The West Wing and for female viewers with ABC's The Bachelor. Earlier in the night, the only meaningful competition for Saturday Night Live alum Norm Macdonald's turn as an Andy Rooney-style TV commentator in A Minute With Stan Hooper is ABC's middling comedy It's All Relative at 8:30 and NBC's hour-long Ed at 8. http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/entertain...s+for+Wednesday http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/ent...lum/7113863.htm http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/7116460.htm http://www.nola.com/living/t-p/index.ssf?/...08857259920.xml

It's been getting mostly good reviews. I've read some poor ones in the NY Times and the Toronto Star but the show seems like something Norm has never done before. USA Today has been raving about it and giving it a lot of press so I have hopes for it. TV Guide named it as a show to watch.

Tonight is the premiere of Norm Macdonald's new sitcom 'A Minute with Stan Hooper'. Here's the plot- Norm plays Stan Hooper who every week hosts the highly rated segment 'A Minute with Stan Hooper' where he talks about small town life. Stan then realises he shouldn't be talking about small town life if he lives in New York City and him and his wife move to Wisconsin only to find out that small town life isn't what it seems. Here are some reviews- http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/re...an-hooper_x.htm http://www.tricityherald.com/24hour/entert...p-6925688c.html http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/s...1p-117502c.html The show looks really really funny and has a nice pedigree. Norm is the funniest man alive, Barry Kemp (Newhart, Coach) is the producer and Fred Willard is a co-star. So tonight at 8:30, after That 70s Show, before the OC- spend a Minute (and 21 other minutes) with A Minute with Stan Hooper. And post about it here.

The ironman is on Crowning a Champion. I gave it ****3/4. The show is pretty much a one-match show although there is an awesome brawl with Natural Born Sinners and Carnage Crew. A scramble is a match consisting of 4 tag teams (usually) in one match. Instead of tags- you can enter when someone is on the outside of the ring. They're basically spotfests done to get the crowd pumped up

Me talking to Norm only gets a f*ck? I'm dissapointed kkk- I thought that warranted a fuck

I was the one who brought up Stan Hooper. Norm said he hoped I wouldn't be dissapointed by the show.

Sorry Jaxl- Frankie Muniz is already attached.

It's not shitty at all. You'll be able to hear and see everything just fine. You made a great choice

If I ever meet him and he's actually nice for a change- I'll give you a ring Banky

I didn't mess my pants- I was actually calm throughout the call. Then I freaked out and started shaking

Tom Snyder's a cool guy. I always enjoyed the Late Late Show. Good stuff

Okay- ever since I started watching Saturday Night Live- Norm Macdonald became my personal hero, role model and all around awesome guy. I always dreamed of talking to him and just letting him know that I was a big fan. Flash forward to 2003. I still had my dream of talking to Norm. It became almost a sick joke that I hadn’t- I had met everyone associated with Norm (Artie Lange, Conan O’Brien, Lorne Michaels, Colin Quinn, Jim Downey, Penelope Ann Miller) but still never the man himself. With his new show coming out Norm’s doing a lot of media appearances and today he was taping Conan O’Brien. My friend is another huge Norm fanatic and was going to go and meet him. I live in Toronto so of course I couldn’t go and my friend and I devised a plan: He brings his cell phone and hopes Norm is in a good mood. Then he would go up and tell Norm that his friend from Canada is his #1 fan and was too poor to fly down and if he could talk to me on the phone- that’d mean a lot. It wasn’t looking so good. My friend got kicked out of NBC, didn’t see Norm come in and it was looking good. By 8:00 pm I had almost given up hope and went to lie down. Then the phone rang. I ran across my room and picked it up and I heard a familiar voice on the other end. “Hey there buddy- this is Norm Macdonald.” At first I thought it was my friend being a dickhole but then he kept talking and I could figure out it was really NORM FUCKING MACDONALD MY HERO AND GREATEST GUY EVER. We talked about Canada, hockey and his movies but the important thing was that I got to say “Thank you Norm for making me happy all these years.” When I was at my lowest point- Norm’s kind of always been there for me whether it be Dirty Work, his TV Show or SNL. I can pop in a tape and I’ll feel happy again just watching his funny antics. He’s the reason I want to be funny- he’s the reason I try to make people laugh. He is my hero and role model- getting to say thank you really meant a lot to me and he kept thanking me calling me a ‘nice, kind man.’ We even made each other laugh. It means a lot to me that Norm Macdonald cares about his fans so much. It makes me happy to know that he appreciated all those years that I watched him on the TV or went to see one of his movies. Norm could’ve easily declined and I wouldn’t blame him. But in the end- he did something really amazing today and I never thought Norm could get any cooler- but somehow he did.

I've seen 10 Saturday Night Live dress rehearsals: Renee Zelwegger/Eve w/Gwen Stefani Reese Witherspoon/Alicia Keyes Billy Bob Thorton/Creed Jack Black/The Strokes Jon Stewart/India.Arie Winona Ryder/Moby Ashton Kutcher/50 Cent Adrien Brody/Sean Paul/Wayne Wonder Dan Aykroyd/Beyonce I also saw the Hugh Jackman/Mick Jagger episode. SNL tickets are ridiciously hard to come by. Except for Renee and Hugh I had to wait 20 hrs outside to get those tix.