THE BEST OF SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE (SNL)

They're back… we're talking about the ensemble cast of the comedy show Saturday Night Live with the BEST OF segment compilations of shows previously aired in the USA. Saturday Night Live has been a hit in America since its first telecast 34 years ago October 11, 1975. The first two editions of this seasons program features the best its talented ensemble comedians. SNL has spawned numerous comedians to prominence including Eddie Murphy, Will Ferrell, Bill Murray, Billy Crystal, Dan Aykroyd, Mike Myers, Dana Carvey, Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, Tina Fey (who now portrays Republican Party Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin and many other great comedians made their claim to fame. Morgan is also featured on 30 Rock. Of it's a laugh you're looking for this is it…

WHO'S A BETTER MAN THAN LETTERMAN?

That question was asked almost two decades ago when the iconic Tonight talk show host Johnny Carson retired. Several comedians were gust host of the show for over a year with the goal being that the NBC Network was seeking a suitable replacement of a man who was a legend in his time and had hosted the show since the 60's.

The two top runners were Jay Leno and David Lettermen who were stand up comics who were frequent gusts on the Carson Tonight show. Leno got the job and Letterman went to rival network to go head to head against Leno and the Tonight show. Letterman started slowly but over a period of time became a major competitor to Leno and the Tonight show for ratings numbers.

Up until this past spring the CNBC Network in the Asian Pacific region was television the Leno Tonight show on weekends. When Leno's contract expired the Network replaced him but gave him a new show that aired an hour earlier. When that was done CNBC Asia dropped the show.

Now fast forward and full circle the David Letterman show is being televised in the evening during the week on the Star World Network in the Asian Pacific region. For those who get American humor Letterman is a must watch. One of his strengths is his bantering and joking with his guests. He most notably has a row with Madonna several years ago about how she took a pee that received major media attention.

FIRST EDITION

ESPN's humorous football headlines show First Edition featuring Richard Keys has returned to the air in the Asian Pacific region. One of the program's most interesting segments is when they review the headlines of footballer's behavior throughout the week with Keys offering some humorous comments. The program airs Friday nights and repeats at mid-day Saturdays. Please note the TV schedule below.

MISSING PERSONS

The Australia Network show is back with investigators searching for missing persons in Australia. One of the most interesting aspects of this program is for those who are not familiar with Australia it gives an insight of the mentality of the people and some scenic settings. The program airs Friday evenings in the Asian pacific region.

THEY (CNN) DID IT AGAIN

CNN the WAR CHANNEL did it again reporting information that they failed to verify and made another erroneous breaking news report thus alarming the viewing public. The so called NEWS CHANNEL reported Wednesday August 19 in the Asian Pacific region that there was a bomb explosion in Indonesia. Later in the day they gathered the FACTS that it was an erroneous report that it wasn't a bomb explosion but a TRAINING EXERCISE. It's reminiscent of one of their most blatant blunders when they reported that there was a bomb explosion in Israel but after THEY FOUND THE FACTS that it was only a SONIC BOOM.

Apocalypto is must watch on the Star Movie Channel - Touchstone Pictures poster

APOCALYPTO

This Mel Gibson directed and produced thriller is back again on the Star Movie channel. Set in the Mayan jungles long ago there is no English spoken but there are sub titles. It's a gripping story about sacrifice and savagery. The version that airs on Star Movies has a15 minute section that is edited out. That involves the chopping off of heads that roll down the Mayan temple stairs.

According Gibson regarding the Mayan setting of Apocalypto is "merely the backdrop" for a more universal story of exploring "civilizations and what undermines them."

Gibson filmed Apocolypto mainly in Catemaco, San Andrés Tuxtla, and Paso de Ovejas in the Mexican state of Veracruz. The waterfall scene was filmed on a real waterfall called Salto de Eyipantla, located in San Andrés Tuxtla. Other filming by second-unit crews took place in El Petén, Guatemala, and in Great Britain.

Apocalypto was originally slated for an August 4, 2006, release, but Touchstone Pictures delayed the release date to December 8, 2006, due to heavy rains and two hurricanes interfering with filming in Mexico. Principal photography ended in July 2006.

The film was released in the United States on December 8, 2006, to generally positive reviews from film critics. Some Hollywood notables praised the film. Actor Robert Duvall called it "maybe the best movie I've seen in 25 years." Director Quentin Tarantino said, "I think it's a masterpiece. It was perhaps the best film of that year. I think it was the best artistic film of that year." Actor Edward James Olmos said, "I was totally caught off guard. It's arguably the best movie I've seen in years. I was blown away.

If its blood and gore you're looking for then rent or buy the DVD. IT'S A MUST WATCH and worthy of being in your DVD library.

---

AMERICAN IDOL RERUNS TRANSLATED IN KHMER LANGUAGE

It seems that American Idols licensing partner Freemantle Media is doing business in Cambodia as Cambodia's My TV is airing reruns of the show with Khmer translations on Sunday afternoons. My TV is positioned in the channel previously designated for the CTN (Cambodian Television Network) International channel. That channel has been moved to a less favorable position from 51 to 68 which is at the end of the channel spectrum on many of the older TV sets in Cambodia.

---

WORTH WATCHING

A TV program worth watching is Trails From The East. The program travels through Asian countries and interviews its citizens about their culture and religion. Previous shows that have aired were from Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, India, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Syria, and most recently they have been traveling through Jordan.

8 PM Cambodia/Thailand =

9 PM Hong Kong/Singapore =

10 PM Malaysia

 

---

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

11:00 AM - I'm a Celebrity…Get Me out of Here! - Star World

12:00 PM - Trails From The East - Australia Network

FRIDAY

11:00 AM - PRISON BREAK - Star World

12:30 PM - UFC (ULTIMATE FIGHTING) - True Sport 2

SATURDAY