Well folks, the news I have been dreading to hear is upon us. For those of you who haven't heard by now, the TV show "Alcatraz" has been cancelled by FOX. Much like the real inmates of the prison for which the show is named after, the show was unable to escape the harsh scrutiny of the network.

     In case you were frozen in carbonite for the past six months, "Alcatraz" was about the supposed closing of the Alcatraz prison on March 21, 1963. The premise of the show is that it wasn't closed due to unsafe conditions, but due to the fact that all the prisoners and guards have vanished without a trace. You find out that the disappearance was a government operation, and a special agency was developed to handle the prisoners when they returned to modern day San Francisco. However, the prisoners return with no recollection of where they were, along compulsions to find certain objects and to continue their criminal habits. The show started out strong with 10 million viewers, and it had renewed the public's interest in the actual Alcatraz prison. It got to the point that the National Park Service has had to install warning signs for its public tours. Fans of the show had broken away from tours in an attempt to find the "nerve center" that is shown underneath the prison.

     While the show started out high viewership, unfortunately it did not last. It aired on Monday nights, and once other shows on other networks started their new seasons, people left "Alcatraz" to go back to their shows. After that happened, the ratings fell. If FOX just put the show on Wednesdays at eight, when NOTHING is on, Alcatraz would have done just fine. I find it unfair that a TV show suffers because all networks are clamoring to be the Monday night king. So because of the unwillingness to change the time slot, they decided to cancel the show, and piss off plenty of viewers who will never know why these prisoners have come back. I just wonder what they will do with all those left over "Alcatraz" promotional t-shirts they won't be able to sell.

     Well folks, it's that time of the year. The weather is getting warmer, and the grass is getting greener. We are finally getting into the season of the American tradition known as...crab fishing? That's right, crab fishing. Tonight marks the premiere of the eighth season of Deadliest Catch, which happens to be my favorite show. Judging by the commercials, this season is going to leave you on the edge of your seat!

     For those of you not in the know by now, Deadliest Catch is a reality series on the Discovery Channel that follows several crab fishing vessels out into the Bering Sea in search of "red gold" (crab).This profession is known as the most dangerous and deadliest profession in the world, and this is no lie. I have been watching this since the very beginning, and aside from plenty of injuries, there are people that were once on the show, that aren't anymore.  The show also allows the viewer to watch and connect with the crews on each ship. You see frustrations, anxiety, joy, and sorrow. I have watched young greenhorns grow up into full share deckhands. I have also witnessed men weep over the loss of loved ones and fishing legends (R.I.P. Phil Harris). This Emmy award winning show is also one of a few shows out there that shows one of the many ways a boy can become a man. Through strength and determination, they overcome ridiculous obstacles to bring home Alaskan King Crab.

     So what does this season have in store for our favorite sea cowboys? Well aside from the huge ocean swells, freezing rain, sea ice and the sub-zero climate, their crab quota has been cut in half. That means they will only be able to catch half of what they usually catch in a season, meaning less money to make. Let's not forget about the sons of the late Phil Harris. From the commercials, it appears that the Harris brothers are no longer working on their father's ship. Instead, they are working on two separate vessels, the Time Bandit and the Northwestern. I wonder why they would do such a thing, but I guess there's only one way to find out. Put on your Deadliest Catch promotional t-shirt, and grab a seat because tonight at 9PM EST Discovery Channel will air the one hundredth episode season premiere or Deadliest Catch.    

     As we begin the month of April, we're getting closer to an important day in television history. April 5th will mark the 25th anniversary of the first signal broadcasted by FOX television. Since 25 is a big milestone, it should come as no surprise that FOX will be celebrating this achievement with a T.V. anniversary special. They announced that they have one in the works, and while it appears that they do not have a host for the special yet, it does include a reunion of the stars of the beloved (by me, atleast) sitcom Married with Children.

     To celebrate, Fox will be doing a special revival of In Living Color. They also plan on getting David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, and X-Files creator Chris Carter for a segment in which hopefully they will answer all the unanswered questions left in the shows wake. Other former Fox stars, including Beverly Hills, 90210’s Shannen Doherty, Jason Priestly, Gabrielle Carteris & Ian Ziering, Ally McBeal’s Calista Flockhart, and The Tick’s Patrick Warburton are also set to appear on the special. Now here's my favorite part, FOX is also bringing Married with Children’s Ed O’Neill, Christina Applegate, Katey Sagal, and David Faustino back together to salute the comedy series and pay tribute to Fox’s most memorable moments.

     Married with Children is one of my favorite shows of all time. It was funny, raunchy, and it was the beginning of a shift in television. Sitcoms used to be like The Cosby Show, where it's one big happy family, and everything is all sweet and innocent. Married with Children changed all that, and can be credited in shaping the way television shows are made today. The anniversary show airs on April 22nd at 8pm, and hopefully I can find my "NO MA"AM" promotional t-shirt in time.

Who else is super excited for Les Mis to finally come to the big screen in musical form? Anyone? Anyone?

I first learned the amazing story from my aunt and uncle, both musicians and Julliard graduates, on a very long car ride to their house in New Hampshire. My sister, and I were visiting them for the week of our February break. We were young and needed something to pass the time, so they turned on some music.

I think they started it mid-way through, and we were thoroughly confused by the lyrics. My uncle finally reached his threshold of questions and decided to pause the tape (yes, "tape") to tell us the story. It was then, at 10 years old, that I fell in love with Les Misérables.

They both had read the novel by Victor Hugo and told us the very long story to the best of their recollection. They started from the beginning, playing the tracks in order and stopping in between songs to get us up to speed on the upcoming one. The car ride from Long Island to where they live in New Hampshire is about six hours. I don't remember how far into the trip they began telling the story (I believe it was fairly early on), but I do remember they were not quite finished as we pulled up their driveway... just to give you an idea of how long the story actually is.

To this day, I love listening to the powerful music; they just don't make plays like that anymore. While others like Avenue Q, Rent and Wicked are up there on my list of Broadway shows, nothing will ever compare to Les Mis; it's in a class all its own. 

It was my first Broadway play. My grandma took me to see it for my 12th birthday and bought me a promotional t-shirt that I still have today. I've seen it twice on my own since then. For a while I knew every single word of it and even memorized the instrumental parts. Now I'd probably need a quick refresher, but I bet I could sing along to most songs (not well, of course). 

I've seen two film versions including the most recent from 1998. Neither of the films I saw were musicals, and neither captured the whole story. To be fair, the play doesn't tell the entire story either, but at least the music helps paint the picture. I was really disappointed in the movies, so when I heard that a new version would be coming out AND that it would be a musical I was (needless to say) super excited.

We still have almost a year to wait, but I can tell it's going to be amazing! Just looking at the cast, I think it's already on the right track, but we won't know for sure until December 14th... Expect a full review :)

    In case you, my loyal fans, haven't figured it out by now, I hold a special place in my heart for the marketing campaign done by Dos Equis involving the Most Interesting Man in the World. In this day and age when marketing of alcohol involves commercials with men doing stupid and pointless acts, it's a breath of fresh air to see commercials that involve a man who has seen it all, done it all, is the best at any task at hand, and even though he doesn't always drink beer, when he does, he prefers Dos Equis. I am sure you all of seen the new commercials that began airing last week with the witty one liners narrated over videos of his amazing feats that he has accomplished. Plus, I am sure that you have even come up with a few lines of your own. Actually, I know you have because at any given day, hundreds of fans on Facebook put up their lines about the over-the-top antics of the Most Interesting Man. Well my friends, you're in luck, because the Most Interesting Man will be selecting one of YOUR lines to be featured in the next advertising piece. Unfortunately, the only people actually in luck right now are the top 64 that were chosen earlier this week.

     Starting last week, Dos Equis created a competition through Facebook, where fans can submit their lines. Once submitted, you must spread the word throughout Facebook and get your friends to vote for your line. If you are one of the top 64 chosen by Facebook and Dos Equis, you have secured your spot in the Dos Equis Legendary Line Postseason bracket. That's right folks, in the spirit of March Madness, this competition is setup just like the NCAA brackets, and you are pitted against one another to see who has the best line. How is the better line chosen? By voting, of course! The top 64 now have to spread the word through Facebook and get the votes they need to beat their opponent and move on to the next round. The contestants must repeat this process through each round until only one is left as the winner. That winner gets the honor of having their line used in the next advertising piece of the Most Interesting Man. Four  runners-up will each receive a promotional award inscribed with their line.

     Was your line not picked? No problem, you can still win a prize. Either you can be chosen at random to win one of the 300 promotional shirts available, or you can fill out a bracket predicting which lines will win which round. Similar to creating a NCAA March Madness bracket, you pick which line will win each round all the way to the final winner. The top ten winning creators of the brackets will each get a personalized sports jersey with the Dos Equis logo and their last name on the back. This is the route I have to take since MY line wasn't chosen. I know, I am just as shocked as you are.

     So I say to all those looking to participate; "Good Luck!" You will need it. After all, this is the Most Interesting Man in the World we are talking about here. The stakes are higher and the prizes are grand. The exposure and bragging rights are well worth the effort to participate in the competition. May the best man win, and of course, "Stay thirsty my friends."

    At one point it might have seemed to Chad Ochocinco that the world was in the palm of his hands. A superstar professional football wide receiver with an attitude and personality that many would argue overshadowed his actual on-field contributions. Chad was a very productive member of his team, but a primary example of his flamboyant persona is Chad's 'OCNN' media outlet, a 'news network' run by Chad Ochocinco. This publicity stunt was developed near two years ago when Chad's twitter account became one of the most popular follows in all of twitter, let alone professional athletes. For those unfamiliar with Chad Ochocinco, here is a brief history. Although this is his tenth season in the NFL, it was only his third as Chad Ochocinco. Three years ago, Chad decided to legally change his last name from Johnson to Ochocinco to reflect the two numbers he has always worn on his jersey; 85. Granted, the number eighty-five is not properly translated to the Spanish language as ocho-cinco exactly, but when you say each number individually you have the origins of Chad's name change. He would joke about his Mexican heritage and once he began regularly using the term 'ochocinco' as a way of describing himself, he saw it fitting that he legally change his name to really spice his act up a notch. It wasn't sufficient enough to simply make lists of his weekly opponents that would attempt to cover him on the field, then cross them out claiming that they didn't have what it takes to cover Chad. So Chad then upped the ante and began sending his opponents care packages filled with bottles of TUMS and Pepto Bismol because their stomachs would clearly become upset trying to game plan for the one and only Chad Johnson/Ochocinco. He was also a showman on the field itself, much to the chagrin of his coaching staff, the NFL and countless fans, especially those that opposed his former team; the Cincinnati Bengals. After scoring a touchdown he would perform an elaborate, pre-meditated celebration, often using props which is a big no-no when celebrating touchdowns in the NFL. 

    You could see how his antics would become tiresome and even frustrating if you are a football purest or opposing fan. Chad had become a sideshow and was well known for being the preeminent self-promoter in the NFL. So with a fresh new last name, Ochocinco took to twitter to expand on his celebrity empire. Despite some of the off-putting behaviors described above, Chad Ochocinco has always had a solid group of fans and they were not necessarily fans of his team. Take me for example, most of the time I am not the biggest fan of arrogant show boaters that insult or offend their opponents, but I didn't see Ochocinco as this type of person. He was always a hard worker on and off the field, he never got into any drugs or alcohol or made the kind of poor life decisions that resulted in a ticket to jail like some of his contemporaries. The only poor decisions he made could be compared to the type of decisions a child would make in the process of trying to have some fun. Despite referring to a grown man's behavior as childish, I don't mean that in an insulting way. I mean it in terms of how we develop opinions of someone based on their actions and how comparatively, his offenses are nothing more than silly and in the eyes of many, actually comical and entertaining.

    Which leads us to the OCNN. While still a member of the Bengals, Chad became frustrated over the fact that his Bengals were perpetually underachievers and hardly had the chance to compete in the playoffs, let alone compete for a Super Bowl championship. Thus, he used the power of social media and wielded his celebrity status to create a playful news network that would cover major events from his point of view, including the Super Bowl. He was even able to recruit some fellow superstar players to be his on-location reporters and in true Ochocinco fashion, he went all out and even supplied his news team with promotional embroidered caps and custom polo shirts. If you didn't know any better, they looked like an actual news network. 

    Equipped with their promotional apparel, microphones and camera men, the crew attended Super Bowl Media Day along with thousands of other members of the media and playfully interviewed and reported on the players and coaches from each of the participating teams. While this was mostly another tactic to gain more publicity for himself, this is the kind of thing that Chad would do that was not only fun to watch, but it didn't offend or hurt anyone. Except for maybe one person, Chad Ochocinco himself. I'd even go out on a limb and assume that he may have come up with this idea because he was so sick and tired of not being able to participate in Super Bowl festivities. Instead of simply attending the events to endorse a product or charity, or even simply just being there to enjoy the atmosphere like countless other NFL athletes do every year, Chad was determined to be a part of it.

    Fast forward to January 31, 2012 when the NFL held Media Day for Super Bowl XLVI between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots. This time Chad Ochocinco would be a part of Media Day again, but this time he was not donning his 'OCNN' imprinted gear. In the most recent off-season, the Cincinnati Bengals traded the disgruntled wide receiver to the New England Patriots. The Patriots, led by soon-to-be Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady, have been known for their high-scoring passing offense despite the lack of any real big name, so-called 'superstar' wide receivers. Many Patriot and Ochocinco fans alike became excited over the potential offensive fireworks that would ensue now that the always reliable Tom Brady was the one throwing the ball to the talented and always productive Chad Ochocinco. But with this change of teams, Ochocinco knew instantly that the curtains had to close on his sideshow in order to remain a member of this notoriously strict, all-business team. Which was a welcomed change for Chad because he would have traded his act for the opportunity to play for a winning, Super Bowl contending team in a heartbeat. This made fans even more excited because the potential for greatness seemed even greater without the possibility of any antics or distractions getting in the way. Sadly for Chad, despite his hard work, best behavior and zero trash talking he just didn't mix very well with the rest of the Patriot's offensive game plans. He still remains part of the team, but his production this year was by far his lowest of his career, rendering him near obsolete. It was almost hard to watch his fall from grace, especially since he seemed to be doing everything right. The Super Bowl media day was not at all what he might have imagined it to be when he longed to be on a team that made it that far. Instead of him sitting at one of the fourteen VIP podiums reserved for the highest profile players and coaches, he was forced to stand on his own at the 13-yard line, away from the gigantic crowds of reporters that were more interested in the other players and coaches. Normally, one would have expected Chad to be the center of attention like he had always tended to be, especially on such a grand stage such as this. Then again, if you are the center of attention after going through a full season with only 15 catches and one touchdown, it's likely that the attention you are getting is mostly negative. 

    So Chad Ochocinco once again did everything right. Some reporters noted that he seemed miserable and out of his element because his new team and underwhelming performance this year didn't allow him to act like the fun-loving Chad we have always known. I don't necessarily agree with the miserable part, I just think Chad has grown, learned and matured as a part of this Patriot team. He must be disappointed that his season wasn't as statistically loaded as some of his past seasons, but I don't believe that it was disappointment or misery that muted him, I would rather lean towards a new all-business Chad who would rather let his game play do the talking. That being said, if Chad had hauled in 75 passes and caught 13 touchdowns this season, he might be singing a different tune. It has been an interesting run for Chad Ochocinco, and he has at least one more game left in him to help write the end of this chapter. Based on this past season, many would predict that Ochocinco will be a non-factor in the Super Bowl just as he was in the Patriots previous 18 games. However, I am personally not as quick to write him off just yet. It is by far the biggest game of his career, he has been waiting and dreaming about playing in the Super Bowl for his entire life which according to him, was since age four when he first started playing football. Maybe the emotion of the big game will get the adrenaline pumping more and he can become more of a factor, or maybe the ineffectiveness of the Patriots' injured and hobbled All-Pro tight end, pass catcher extraordinaire and receiving touchdown leader Rob Gronkowski could open up the opportunity for Chad Ochocinco to become a Super Bowl hero. Only time will tell, kickoff is at 6pm this Sunday on NBC.

          Hello there nation! As some of you may know, last week I disclosed information about Stephen Colbert, his Super PAC, his run to be a presidential candidate, and his failure toward both. I wrote about how he didn't get many votes and therefore withdrew his exploratory committee to be a presidential candidate. I also discussed how temporarily gave control of his Super PAC to his dear friend, and now sworn enemy, Jon Stewart. Unfortunately, he was unwilling to give control of the Super PAC back to Colbert as of last week. Well folks, I have good news! On Monday, Colbert regained control of his Super PAC, and this could not have happened at a better time.

          Since everyone in the world has read my blog last week (you can see it here), all my followers and readers should have a very basic and general knowledge of a Super PAC, how it works and what it does. So it should come as no surprise as to the significance of him getting his pack back by January 31. That date is the day all PACs need to file with the Federal Election Committee and disclose how much they received in donations. By filing with the Federal Election Committee, the amount of money donated, the amount spent on the PAC's cause, and the donors names are available to the public. We now get to see how much money he was able to collect. Drumroll please....

          $1,023,121. That's right, folks. He collected over a million dollars. Now this may not sound like much, especially when you hear other PACs and candidates spending ten to thirty million per primary. However, he is a comedian who formed a PAC much later than anyone else. He doesn't have the time or the same amount of resources as these professional PACs do. Plus, I am sure that plenty of people did not donate to him just based on the principle that he is a comedian and is making a mockery of the political system.  What some people don't realize is that he isn't making the joke about the system, what he is saying is that the joke is the system. I am proud of Colbert for doing what he is doing, and being able to raise the amount that he did. I hope he raises much more and makes more ads with it. We can all help the cause by donating directly, or by buying his promotional t-shirt "Turtles don't like peanut butter". 

          We are midway through January here in New York when we finally get our first real blast of winter weather. We have been spoiled so far with relatively mild weather up until this week, where we finally had temperatures in the mid 20's to low teens. It is usually at this time when we pine for the warmer weather. Where we look for a beach break, and Corona has the answer.

          We all have seen the commercials for Corona beer. They are very simple, yet very effective. It just involves a guy and a girl, whose faces you never see, just sitting on the beach in their promotional chairs, enjoying an ice cold Corona. Recently, they have taken the commercials a step further, by using people in social situations being "taken" to their beach once they grab the Corona. These commercials send a clear message: "Drink our beer, and feel like you are in a tropical paradise." However, with the use of promotional products and social media such as Facebook, they have taken their ad campaign one step further by introducing a contest aptly called "Corona Beach Break".

          The concept of the contest is pretty simple. On Corona's Facebook page is the tab for the Beach Break. Each week, Corona puts up challenges that the participants must complete. The challenges either involve "checking in" at a particular location, taking and uploading a picture doing whatever Corona describes, or creating an event through Facebook that pertains to the guidelines set by Corona. Every time you complete a challenge, you earn points, which can be redeemed for Corona branded promotional products or prizes. The prizes range from promotional keychains, promotional luggage tags, promotional bottle openers, promotional cups and mugs, and promotional apparel, to more high end items such as kayaks and vacations. The contest is simple to compete in, and Corona went as far as to make an app for smart phones so you can "play on the go."

          The simplicity of this contest is what makes it engaging. I have been playing this for a little while now, and I have accrued a good amount of points. My goal is to win the sailboat, but I have enough right now for the kayak. Since the prizes are all promotional products that have Corona's logo, it's a great way to advertise the brand without the participant realizing it. Integrating the contest with Facebook allows the brand to stay in contact with its consumers, as well as grow the fan base with the contest as bait to their page. They stand to gain a lot of useful information to help market their brand, while rewarding loyal customers. Corona has come up with a great concept and has executed it beautifully.

If you've ever listened to an all-Christmas-music radio station this time of year, I'm sure you've heard the Trans-Siberian Orchestra's rendition of Carol of the Bells. Last night I was lucky enough to go see them live at the Nassau Coliseum. They were AMAZING! Between the lights and stage effects, their impressive ability to play and dance/run around stage and the narrated story, there really was something for everyone... but my favorite part by far is the music. While they put on an incredible show, the sheer talent this group possesses is beyond words.

Worried that photography and videos would not be allowed, I left my camera at home so I had to snag some videos from others. Here are a few highlights :)

Unfortunately, I didn't pick up any promotional products at the concert as I was a little panic-struck from the crowd and rudeness of said crowd so I booked it out of there as quickly as possible. So no programs or t-shirts for me... yet... There's always next year!

Sunday night brought us the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards where many twists and turns surprised audiences. One show that was not such a surprise was Modern Family. ABC's hit comedy brought home five Emmy Awards, which was the most of any network. Modern Family won the outstanding comedy series Emmy Award (for the second year in a row) along with outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series, outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series and outstanding directing and writing in a comedy series.

I was extremely pleased with this outcome because I love the show. I remember coming late to the Modern Family bandwagon, but it was definitely better late than never. The first episode I saw was a random show from season 1. I had never watched The Office before either, so I was not expecting the fake reality approach and it threw me off that first time. Looking back, it also wasn't one of the best episodes. Thankfully, a friend convinced me to give it another try. I ended up falling in love with its humor that is both real and heartfelt at the same time. No wonder it was such a hit at the Emmys!

After seeing Kate Winslet accept her Emmy for outstanding lead actress in Mildred Pierce, I'm kicking myself for cancelling my HBO... I love Kate Winslet in everything I've ever seen her in, and I wish I could see her new miniseries.

One more show I was definitely rooting for was The Good Wife. I would totally buy a promotional t-shirt for this show. I feel like it's a hidden gem in the world of television. It kind of crept into primetime without much hype, and I find it to be one of the most clever shows on TV. Julianna Margulies won outstanding lead actress in a drama series for her performance in The Good Wife this year, which I was very happy with.

Other noteworthy highlights: Charlie Sheen made a surprise appearance and apparently was quite diplomatic. And Mad Med won outstanding drama series for the fourth year in a row. All-in-all, not a bad night for TV.