CMI on TV

Michelle Obama Guest Stars on Parks and Recreation Season Finale
by: Kristine Marsh | Friday, February 28, 2014 - 2:45pm

She’s made more than 100 television appearances. Her next one will be on “Parks and Recreation’s” season finale, April 24. But she’s not an actress. She’s first lady of the United States, and she’s Hollywood royalty. 

Mrs. Obama clearly enjoys the spotlight, and the liberal TV industry is happy to give her the attention. She has been a frequent guest on “The Late Show,” “The Daily Show” “The Colbert Report,” “Rachael Ray,” “The Tonight Show,” and “The Biggest Loser,” among many othes. She has danced with Jimmy Fallon, partied with Al Roker, and squealed over cute puppies at this year’s Puppy...

The Subtle Conservative Virtues of ‘House of Cards’

by: Curtis Kalin | Wednesday, February 26, 2014 - 12:23pm

Is it a family show? No. Do I recommend anyone under 18 watch the show? No. But, beyond its obvious appeals to sex and violence, Netflix's Emmy Award winning political drama, “House of Cards,” is an allegory of the Obama era in American politics.

Set in present day Washington, D.C., the show chronicles Frank Underwood and his ruthless pursuit of power. The second season debuted on Netflix on February 14. More after the video.

   

Right off the top, Democratic President Garrett Walker may display powerful oratory from time to time, but he is the weakest and most easily manipulated leader I have ever seen. He relies heavily on Majority Whip Rep. Frank Underwood...

Prattling On
by: Evan Mantel | Monday, February 24, 2014 - 9:40pm
Baddie Madeline Pratt shown hanging out with conservative politicians John Boehner and Allen West.

The Blacklist

With the ending of the fabulous Sochi Olympics,* we can finally return to our regularly scheduled programming. To sustain its momentum (and more importantly viewers' eyeballs), NBC kicked off the week with their mega-blockbuster vocal competition, The Voice, and what I consider to be the best new show on TV this year, The Blacklist.

I'm sure The Voice continued to do Voice-y things (...

Rake Bigamy Sodomy and Traditional Marriage
by: Evan Mantel | Thursday, February 20, 2014 - 10:27pm

Rake cast membersI'm shocked, shocked I tell you! I believed the main stream media when they said that conservatives who argued that homosexual marriage could lead to polygamy were fear mongering cuckoos. I mean, what kind of nutjob would try and make something as clearly wrong and illegal look good?

Turns out Rake has taken on that inglorious task. And, if I'm being honest, done it quite well. Well almost. If only he wouldn't have married the third woman. Because, you know, three's a crowd. I mean, two loving marriages is understandable and something we should sympathize with. But how could someone have three loving marriages? INCONCIEVABLE!!!

Lest you accuse me of forcing the connection between...

Dutch Speed Skating Coach Slams ‘Foolish’ American Football
by: Sean Long | Thursday, February 20, 2014 - 4:40pm

Attacks against football might be okay for some, but not for CNBC host Joe Kernen.

When a Dutch Olympic coach blamed American losses in speed skating on football, Kernen responded by passionately attacking speed skating. The Dutch coach, Jillert Anema claimed that football essentially wastes American athletic talent “in a sport that sucks.”

Joe Kernen responded by saying that he had recently tried to watch speed skating, but was distracted by some paint drying on his wall. Given the choice, he quickly “settled on the paint, just watching the paint dry.”

Anema told CNBC reporter Michelle Caruso-Cabrera that football was “meant to kill each other, to injure each other.” He also suggested that the United States would not be able to win speed skating in the future because Americans are “so narrow-minded.”

Kernen sarcastically asked if the Dutch “have Sunday night speed skating” where they just watch people “go around and around and around.” Perhaps...

‘The Following’: Sophomore Slump or Just Sophomoric?
by: Matt Philbin | Thursday, February 20, 2014 - 10:41am

Unlike some, I was never let down by “The Following” last season. To the contrary, as the run went on and stuttered to a climax, James Purefoy’s Joe Carroll became manic (scenery chewing is, I believe the good old showbiz term), the show became mesmerizing. The writers earned my respect by being gutsy enough to off some first-tier and high-second tier characters, and to get blood on the good guys’ hands. 

So even when Carroll disappeared from the last episode of the fall in a predictable confusion of fire, noise and pain, I was looking forward to this season. Yep, Joe Carroll had survived – duh! – but in Season 1 the writers had shown a resourcefulness that seemed to match his.

But … a body-swap with his brother? Oy! And Kevin Bacon’s Ryan Hardy, going all rogue in the time-honored way good-cops-go...

'Walking Dead' -- Paging Ms. Borden, Ms. Lizzie Borden ...
by: Matt Philbin | Thursday, February 20, 2014 - 9:19am

Ummm. We have nothing to add to this.

H/T https://www.facebook.com/DeadThread

Michael Sam: Hero or No?
by: Evan Mantel | Monday, February 10, 2014 - 5:25pm
Michael Sam announces he's gay.
Michael Sam announces he's gay.

 

"I am an openly, proud gay man."

And with those words, Michael Sam became... well... nothing at the moment.  He can't rightly be called the first openly gay football player at an FBS school, because he has left college. Nor can he properly be called the first openly gay NFLer, because he has yet to be drafted.

Baring something truly shocking, however, Sam will become the first openly gay NFLer when he is drafted this May. Sure, some anonymous team officials and a vocal minority of Twits (the...

'Walking Dead' Second Half Premier -- Questions
by: Matt Philbin | Monday, February 10, 2014 - 8:48am
  • So why on earth didn’t Michonne wait for the Governor to change and make him one of her dogs?
  • Wouldn’t the polite thing be to give Hershel’s head back to his body?
  • Will we see more flash backs to “Samurai Charcuterie?”  
  • I see from the teaser that the two little girls who shot the lesbian (between the frickin’ eyes!) at the end of the tank battle will be in the next one. But must they always stand together like that? All I can think of is “The Shining.” “Would you like to play with us, Daneeeeee?”
  • What must that much chocolate pudding do to your digestive tract?
  • Show of hands: who thinks Carol will show up again before the season is out?
  • Should Rick one day turn on Karl and...

Modern Family's Got Secrets
by: Evan Mantel | Thursday, February 6, 2014 - 1:48am

Secrets. We've all got 'em. I've got 'em. You've got 'em. Heck! Even Victoria's got 'em.

Modern Family's got secrets too. Alex wants to surprise her mom for her birthday. Jay had a dream about his dog. Manny and Luke are filming a zombie parkour movie. Haley wants to keep her photo exhibit a secret.

These aren't malicious secrets. No one is wrong to want their privacy respected. Claire and Phil's spying on Luke and Manny with a drone got me thinking (a dangerous pastime, I know).

I don't think it's a coincidence that Modern Family included a spying scene with a drone. Clearly, they want us to think about Amazon's proposal to deliver packages to your house with a drone. Or the government spying on us. I'm not sure. You be the judge...