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Don't touch that dial: Test Pattern tunes into television, entertainment and pop culture links, gossip and idle chat from around the Web. Our annual commercial contest, held every summer, recognizes the best and worst in TV advertising. Multi-link Monday offers up five fast, fun links to fill in those workday boredom breaks. Other topics range from movie mistakes to canceled shows we're still mourning. ("My So-Called Life," anyone?)

MSNBC.com Television Editor Gael Fashingbauer Cooper started Test Pattern in 2003. She also operates her own pop-culture Weblog, Pop Culture Junk Mail, which began in 1999 and has earned praise from Entertainment Weekly and the New York Times. You'll occasionally see her on MSNBC cable or hear her on radio discussing the ABCs of TV.



Linkage: Ebert's blog, Kimba the White Lion

Posted: Thursday, May 08, 2008 10:16 AM by Gael Fashingbauer Cooper
Filed Under:

I'm in training today...have to relearn all the software that was second-nature to me not so long ago. But I'll throw a few fun links up as I find them.

EBERT SPEAKS
He calls it a journal, but Web surfers know better: Roger Ebert now has a blog! The cancer-stricken critic may not be able to speak, but his voice rings out as loud as ever. (Via Web Goddess.)

'WHO LIVES DOWN IN DEEPEST, DARKEST AFRICA?'
A co-worker is wondering: If "Speed Racer" is now a big-screen movie, can "Kimba the White Lion" be far behind? Some of us have fond memories of watching the two cartoons back-to-back. Here's a YouTube link to remind you of Kimba. (Thanks to Denise O. and Paige for the link.) And don't miss our "Speed Racer" quiz.

WHEN IN SCRANTON, STAY AT SCHRUTE FARMS
Did you catch John McCain on "The Daily Show" last night suggesting that he had picked Dwight Schrute from "The Office" as his running mate? It might have worked had McCain known who Schrute was...instead he had to stop, pull a cue card out of his pocket, and read the name as if he'd never seen it before. (Note: The NY Times says McCain IS an "Office" fan. Coulda fooled me.)

You can watch the video on Wonkette. But we "Office" fanatics know Dwight would never settle for the #2 spot on the ticket. His platform? Five portions of beets a day for everyone!

HIGH-GULL, not HIGH-JELL
Our own Courtney Hazlett reports that Katharine Heigl may not be long for "Grey's Anatomy." Personally, I like the Izzie character, though not paired with George -- that was just wrong. The NY Daily News somewhat gleefully trashes the actress, but come on. If someone mispronounced my name (and they do, all the time), I think correcting them is just fine. (Daily News link via TV Tattle.)

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Comments

I would race home to see Speed Racer reruns in the late 70's. I remember it being followed by Johnny Sakko and his Flying Robot, which I found on iTunes. That is a movie I'd like to see made. Just make sure it is as cheesy as the original.

Mike, Schaumburg, Ill. (Sent Thursday, May 08, 2008 3:00 PM)

Thanks for the tip on Ebert's blog!

Bill Crider (Sent Thursday, May 08, 2008 3:28 PM)

Mike: My husband just watched Johnny Socko! He had an ollllld VHS tape that we just burned to DVD. His favorite line is "Hurry, robot! Into motion!" Ah, good times.

Gael Fashingbauer Cooper (Sent Thursday, May 08, 2008 5:33 PM)

Gael: I've always wondered why the robot had to perform some dance sequence before he fights or shots his missiles. It never made sense, but it is fun to watch now!  

Mike, Schaumburg,Ill (Sent Thursday, May 08, 2008 6:25 PM)

I remember being into Battle Of The Planets back in the late 70's/early 80's.  Like Speed Racer, BOTP was another Japanese import.  Great voice casting, good storylines and the best cartoon soundtrack bar none in my humble opinion.  And needless to say, Princess will always be my "cartoon crush", just as sure as there are some women out there who had a thing for Mark and/or Jason.  They should make a live-action film out of this show.  G-FORCE!!

Matty, Boston, MA (Sent Thursday, May 08, 2008 6:57 PM)

Ah, yes. I remember BOTP, though when I was a kid I always called it G-Force. I guess I just liked when they said it. Wasn't there a little guy who just made noises?

Mike (Sent Thursday, May 08, 2008 8:03 PM)

Ain't it always the way?  An unknown actor hits it big with a series and then gets lucky with a couple of movies, and all of a sudden, they’re to big for the tv show (and their britches) that made them popular in the first place.  Of course Heigl’s leaving, she thinks she’s going to be a Movie Star.  Just wait, in about a year, you’ll be asking Heigl who

and sadder for it (Sent Friday, May 09, 2008 2:53 PM)

Short term memory on so many people, they'll probably think a revival of "Kimba" is a rip-off of "The Lion King".  (I remember when the first "Lord Of The Rings" movie came out - there were bloggers angry about Gandalf being a rip-off of Dumbledore!)

Toby OB, NYC, NY (Sent Saturday, May 10, 2008 12:58 AM)



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