D-d-d-did you watch it?

If a glowing piece of the radical rock was something you dreamed of when you were younger, Nickelodeon is giving you another chance to make that dream come true.

"My Family's Got GUTS," a family version of the popular 1990s game show, premiered tonight on Nick. Contestants compete in events similar to the original GUTS, including the basketball "Sky Slam," a football throwing competition and a soccer ball scoring battle.

And of course, we get a glimps of the trademark Aggro Crag - intimidating as ever.

The show will run weeknights at 8 p.m. starting tonight (Monday) until Friday, Sept. 26. The series is comprised of two, 11-episode tournaments, each of which includes an hour-long finale and a half-hour special. This season's finale will air Saturday, Sept. 27 at 8 p.m.

Unfortunately, MFGG took a backseat to tonight's episode of "Gossip Girl" (my crack in television form), but I did manage to catch a few minutes of it during CW commercial breaks...

Props to Nickelodeon for revitalizing one of the greatest shows in the station's history--especially amidst a period of what I consider comparatively lackluster children's programming--but nothing is ever going to live up to the good ole' GUTS days.

This new host, Ben Lyons, can't hold a candle to Michael O'Malley's enthusiasm (and oddly enough Lyons is the new host of the popular critic show "At the Movies"). And Nickelodeon actually had the audacity to bring in a judge with a funny accent who's not Moira Quirk ("Let's go to Mo - MO!").

Maybe I'm just hating a little bit because my family is too old to go on the show now, as is likely the case for most of the original GUTS viewing audience. Watch the clip below. Seriously - how badly did you want to go on this show when you were younger? I remember screaming at the stupid kids who missed an actuator and yelling about how badly I would own them if only I were given the opportunity to try out...



Thanks, Dave!

'Hole' lotta laughs

If you're like me, you've spent your entire day watching the first Sunday of the NFL season... and that means you've probably seen the commercial for FOX's new game show, "Hole in the Wall."

But if you haven't, you need to watch the clip below. Ignore the urge to condescend simplistic and slapstick humor -- people being smacked by a moving wall in an attempt to win money is funny.



FOX may not be leading its fall lineup with the best programming, but it's certainly got my attention!

Contestants contort their bodies to fit through holes in a moving wall. If they are unsuccessful, as it appears many of them will be, they get knocked into a pool. The winning team receives $25,000 and gets to take on the Blind Wall (seemingly even more impossible than the regulation round) for a chance at an additional $100,000.

The show, which will air a sneek peak at 8 p.m. tonight, is taken from a popular Japanese television show, if that's any indication of what hilarity will ensue.

And if that's not enough to whet your viewing appetite, maybe the 300-pound woman attempting to fit through a figure skater-sized hole will.

Belting and blogging it out with Bret

A big thanks to my co-worker, Geoff, who--after months of listening to me and fellow reporter Stef dish about "Rock of Love II" every Monday morning--informed me that Bret Michaels would be on FOX's "Don't Forget the Lyrics" tonight.

I must also thank (and apologize to) my boyfriend, who graciously let me off the phone when I made mention that Bret Michaels was on TV. With only a slight groan, he managed a sarcastic--yet, understanding--"I know, he's hot," and we said our goodbyes.

And in an effort to squeeze the life out of my love for Bret (and the aggregate 25 minutes of "DFTL" once you subtract commercial time), here is my live blogging of the heavenly occasion.

I missed the first 10 minutes of the episode, but tuned in just in time to see Bret, sporting his favorite rainbow bandana over those luscious locks, belting out some Tom Jones. But wait, why is Wayne Brady singing along with him? Ohhh, that's right. He can't remember that this show is supposed to be about other people...

9:14 - Bret launches into some warm, fuzzy moment about how even after all these years, he is still passionate about what he does. He wants to get some money for kids at St. Jude's. This is a great opportunity. And he aptly selects the "Inspirational Song" category.

9:15 - The screen reveals a battle of titans: Bette v. Barry, and Bret goes with Mr. Manilow. I'd much rather see Bret sing "Copacabana," but hey, can't have it all. He instead croons "Looks like We Made It," and the pathetic women in the audience go nuts when he sings, "I touched you." I shouldn't make fun of them; I'd be doing the same thing.

9:17 - Bret reveals that he has spent months in a tour bus listening to Barry Manilow and Metallica. I think he's kidding...but Barry must be honored.

9:23 - In the "Southern Rock"category, Bret sings some ZZ Top, and those dance moves...a bit awkward, Bret. I hope he moves better than that in the bedroom...for Ambre's sake, of course.

9:25 - Oh hey, another overly dramatic buildup to revealing the correct lyrics--and another commercial, shocking. This is almost as bad as American Idol.

9:29 - In order to reveal the correct lyrics to the ZZ Top song, Wayne directs Bret to sing the last few lines acappella style, baby. But Wayne decides to showboat a little more by unnecessarily harmonizing. Bret succeeds and adds, "Good vibes." Yes, Bret, good vibes indeed.

9:31 - So when the producers think "Rock," they think Meatloaf "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad" and "Hit Me With Your Best Shot"?? Bret chooses Pat Benetar, but all I can think of is how terrible I am at Guitar Hero.

9:32 - Bret takes one of his lifelines and brings his solo bandmate, Steve, onstage. But not before introducing his other lifeline, long-legged Leah. "We are...old friends," he says, adding in a completely obvious throat clear. Aaaand now he's describing their friendship as a spiritual, romantic relationship that began one night behind his tour bus. Oh. This is awkward.

9:35 - I wonder if everyone (or maybe I should say, 'anyone') in America is loving this is as much as I am.

9:37 - Bret is wondering if he should go with his gut feeling: "I dont want to blow it all right now because I feel good" - oh Bret, talk dirt to me, haaaa. Get it? Get it??

9:42 - Extremely long pause to reveal the fate of the Pat Benetar song...aaand they're right. $100,000. Way to go Steve. Now get off the stage.

9:43 - The Who - Baba O'Reily. Yeah, love this song. Ooh, a little air guitar. Hot.

9:44 - Air guitar quickly followed by 8 blank spaces and some awkward dead air. "Don't cry. Don't raise your eye," it's only $200,000 for sick children, Bret.

9:48 - Surprise, another commercial. It's getting too close to the end of the show. There's no way he's gonna get this.

9:52 - "I'm here for all the right reasons," Bret says. Is that a veiled shot at some of the girls from "Rock of Love"?

9:53 - WOW, he got it. Moving on to the "Hair Band" category... Nine missing words for Quiet Riot's "Come On Feel the Noise." Does anyone else remember when this song was in Ore-Ida french fry commercial?

9:54 - So, Wayne Brady--seriously, can you stop singing along? He's harmonizing and it's clearly not working. And completely throwing Bret off his game.


9:55 - Can we say anticlimactic? Bret doesn't even venture a guess at the blank spots and cashes out at $200,000--split between Juvenile Diabetes Fund and St. Jude's Children's Hospital. Whatta guy. 9:56 - Wayne calls Bret's friends back on stage, and Bret clearly pushes Steve out of the way to put his arm around Leah. Shafted. Watch out, Ambre.

9:57 - Oh, by the way, let's reveals the lyrics that no one in the venue knew. At least Kevin DuBrow isn't alive for this...? No? Too soon? Okay, sorry.

9:58 - On a happier note, Bret's going to debut a song from his solo album? I am so totally running to iTunes when this is over to download it. Yeah, I'm a huge sucker.

9:58:30 - Oh God, I ALREADY OWN IT. ahahahaha <---that was my completely genuine reaction, btw.

Contestants, ready...to become Gladiators?

The first season of American Gladiators has come to a close with one male and one female contestant winning $100,000 and an SUV each and being crowned the newest Gladiators.

Evan Dollard and Monica Carlson will join the ranks next season, and hopefully be shot up with steroids to be on par with the likes of Wolf and Siren (just kidding...kind of).

Evan clearly smoked his contestant, beating his own personal best record on the Eliminator (1 min, 23 sec.) by four seconds. The other guy had no shot, especially because Evan terrorized any climbing activity and made the incredibly difficult handlebar thing look like child's play.

The girl's race wasn't quite a blow out, as Shanay Norvell gave Monica a run for her money up the cargo net, but Shanay died on the pyramid (one of the easiest parts of the Elimiator) and Monica ran away with the competition.

Enthralling stuff, really, I know. Try to find a hobby until the second installment of the show returns.

RELATED LINKS:
"Gladiators, are you ready?"
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Reinventing Lace, Zap, Blaze, Laser...

Though the revival was announced back in August, a commercial during Sunday football brought a tear to my eye thinking about the countless hours I spent hoping to someday be on the greatest physical competition game show of the '90s: American Gladiators.
"We're not going to completely reinvent the wheel here, but we're making it better, faster and stronger," said an NBC exec. Is he going to credit Kanye West for those adjectives there?

NBC will be bringing back the hit show, which ran from 1989 to 1996. The new 'Gladiators' will follow eight gladiators (four male and four female) as they take on more regular-ish people. The spin, as NBC suggests, is that "players will be given the opportunity to train for their match -- and viewers will be given a glimpse of their personalities prior to the actual competish."

....Is that really an incentive to watch? What I really care about is if they're bringing back that hamster ball challenege, or if they're still going to use tennis balls in The Eliminator.

The show was set to tape this month, but because of the writer's strike, it's looking more like January of next year.

Critics are saying that NBC is sinking to new lows by bringing back the show, but honestly, I'm going to check it out. But I really hope they bring back Nitro and Diamond, and they're like, 45 years old and still whooping ass.