Should Old Aquaintence (and His New Partner) Be Forgot

New Year's Eve. Should old acquaintance be forgot...but it's impossible to think of the Champagne soaked holiday without thinking of the world's foremost acquaintance, Dick Clark. We don't really know him. We don't even know how old he is. But every year, a lot of us (admit it you don't go out on New Year's Eve either!), curl up in their PJs with a glass of bubbly and ring in the New Year with Dick Clark's Rock 'N' New Year's Eve. Unfortunately Ryan Seacrest joined Dick as co-host in 2005, so we're embracing a new tradition - the 2nd Annual New Year's Eve Live with Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin. Hopefully the only thing she'll be knockin' out of people's mouths this year will be noisemakers.

The Five Greatest Reality TV Stars of the Decade

When we were asked to come up with a list of the Five Greatest Reality TV Stars of the Decade we were frankly overwhelmed by the possibilities. Since the new wave of unscripted shows started with 1992’s “The Real World,” every day people like AIDS Activist Pedro Zamora, fitness gurus like “The Biggest Loser’s” Jillian Michaels, and home remodelers like “Designing for the Sexes’” Michael “May I interest you in a third color” Payne have held us captive in front of our TV sets. But to pick five stand-outs was no easy task. We finally had to set aside our favorite freaks like “Showbiz Moms & Dads” ultimate stage father, Duncan Nutter, and “Flipping Out’s” obsessive compulsive Arnold Palmer ordering Jeff Lewis, for a handful of stars we thought changed the face of the genre in some way. So with that we give you the Five Greatest Reality TV Stars of the Decade.

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Best/Worst Viral Videos of 2009

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How often do you get an email with a link to the funniest video ever? We get at least a few every time we open our inboxes. Usually, we pass them by. But there are always those standouts that we forward along. Of course, others make us groan and wonder why anyone else would watch them. And so, we present our list of the the best and worst viral videos of 2009.

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Celebs Who Should Go Away in 2010

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It's December and we're looking ahead at 2010 with the anticipation of a new beginning to a new year. 2009 was good to us, entertainment-wise. We were introduced to the brilliant ensemble cast of "Modern Family" and Donny Osmond danced across our TV screens and back into our hearts. We clung to Penelope Cruz's brilliance in "Broken Embraces," and we watched George Clooney soar in "Up in the Air."

Still, there are definitely some famous faces we'd prefer not to see in 2010. Here's our list of celebs that we'd like to go away in the new year.

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Best and Worst Scripted TV Series of 2009

2009 was the year of the comedy. We honestly can't tell you the last time we loved a sitcom. The last few seasons our favorites have been the more dramatic and quirky shows like "Brothers and Sisters," "Pushing Daisies," and "Lost." And even this year we were looking forward to similar fare like "Flash Forward" (which is completely addictive), "Eastwick" (which we were sad to see go), and "Melrose Place" (which was a complete disappointment). What we did not expect was to become fans of the sitcom again after all these years. We are thrilled to say that this year, comedy is king. Our DVR's are working overtime right now trying to keep up with all the funny stuff. Of course, not every one can be a winner and some of the new series didn't make it on our scheduled recordings list. And so, we give you, the best and worst scripted TV series of 2009.

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Best and Worst Reality Shows of 2009

Every year we hear a lot of people saying that the reality genre is dying (we think they're mostly disgruntled script writers). But if 2009 is any indication, docudramas, competition shows, and instructional series are stronger than ever. "The Amazing Race," "American Idol," "Project Runway," and the other big boys keep growing and winning awards, while new reality shows pop up every day. And while it's hard to compete with the heroes that dominate the playing field, there are a lot of emerging gems. Of course, there are some clunkers, too. Here's our look at the best and the worst in the 2009 reality TV shows.

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Best and Worst Movies of 2009

As 2009 wraps up, and the Oscar Race heats up, we take a look at the best and worst movies of the year. Be forewarned, some of our choices may shock you.

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Our Favorite TV Moment of 2009

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It's been a really great year for TV — the best in a long time, we think. So choosing only one moment is practically impossible. But after thinking about all the best bits on "Modern Family" and the twists in the season finales of "Mad Men" and "Rescue Me," we decided to cast our vote for something a little less cynical and more uplifting — "Glee." And while the entire series left us humming and loving Jane Lynch, Chris Colfer, and the rest of the cast, one moment gave us shivers like no other.

After the full season buildup, it was finally sectionals. Mr. Shue was banned from the competition, Sue Sylvester had given the competing teams the set list, and now the kids had to band together and come up with a winning set on the fly. The moment the always-a-diva Rachel appeared at the back of the auditorium belting out, "Don't tell me not to live, just sit and putter..." chills ran up and down our spines. Rachel finally got her well-deserved turn in the spotlight (especially after her selfless act of giving the solo spot to Mercedes). We're guessing Barbra herself was floored by Lea Michele's performance of "Don't Rain on My Parade." The cutaways to Mr. Shue's tears of joy via cellphone and even the audience's seemingly genuine surprised reaction to the performance (the best extras in the biz!) proved to us that TV might not always give us what we want, but "Glee" always gives us what we need.

Written by Amy & Nancy Harrington
Originally for GetBack.com

Our Favorite Foodies

As we do our holiday cooking we pause to salute our most beloved chefs and culinary experts. See who sits at the table in our list of Favorite TV Foodies.

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The Best TV Jingles Ever

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Sick of Christmas carols yet? We are. So to get a break from the fa-la-las and the jingling bells, we turned to our favorite method of escape. Television. This time, not to the shows, but to the commercials — when Rudolph was brought to us by Norelco razors and the Grinch was sponsored by Dolly Madison.

Of course those commercials are great, but it's the killer jingles we love. Once we started thinking about these irresistible tunes, we couldn't stop the flood of memories and the controversy. We had a heated debate (and we agree on nearly everything) about which is the best, the catchiest, most memorable jingle ever. After a lot of back and forth, one of us conceded, and we chose McDonald's "You Deserve a Break Today."

But the runners-up are still so great, they're all worth revisiting. So sit back, grab a box of Good & Plenty, and check out these fine examples of the lost art of jingle writing.

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Happy Humbug Day!

Not everyone enjoys Christmas. We all know a Scrooge - some of us are even known to be one on occasion. So on this Humbug Day, even though they probably wouldn't appreciate the hoopla, we celebrate the Top 5 Ebenezer Scrooge's in Entertainment History. God bless them. God bless them every one.

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Best and Worst Movie Remakes Ever

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If you haven't seen it, the trailer is now out for the upcoming "Karate Kid" remake starring Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan. From what we've seen, Jaden is no Ralph Macchio, and Jackie Chan could never hold a candle to Pat Morita. But it's got to be hard starring in a remake of a beloved classic. The new actors often have big shoes to fill, and all of the technical advancements in the world won't guarantee the film will be better than the original. We admit that it was tough to find many sequels that fared better than their predecessors, but we did find a few. Here's our list of the best and worst movie remakes ever.

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Celebrity Love Children

We were surprised to learn recently that almost 40 percent of the babies born in the U.S. in 2007 were delivered by unwed mothers. Frankly, we're bored with the lack of controversy. Celebrities like Kourtney Kardashian, Angelina Jolie and Nicole Richie are making it acceptable to have kids out of wedlock. We miss the good old days of the scandalous celebrity love child. So we decided to relive some of the better baby-mama scandals of the past and present.

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What's Next for the Stars of Canceled Fall Shows?

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Kelsey Grammer's latest TV series, "Hank," was one of the first casualties this fall, canceled after only seven episodes aired. But don't worry about the star of "Cheers" and "Frasier" — he landed on back his feet after his last failed sitcom, "Back to You."

But this time, Kelsey will be landing on his twinkle toes, as he hopes to make a triumphant return to Broadway, playing Georges, the St. Tropez nightclub owner/emcee in "La Cage aux Folles." He'll croon such tunes as "We Are What We Are" and "Song on the Sand." It's where he belongs. And who knows? If his Broadway run is a long one and enough people see him doing something completely different, maybe he can finally break free of Frasier Crane and come back to TV to try again.

Kelsey's not the only actor to be unemployed after fall TV cancellations. Here are some of the others looking for work and what they have lined up next.

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Surprising Facts About Padma Lakshmi

We've always been a little jealous of Padma Lakshmi, the gorgeous host of Bravo's cooking competition show "Top Chef." After all, she's beautiful, smart, seems to eat whatever she wants while maintaing a flawless figure... and she's an Emmy nominee to boot. Still, despite all of our Padma-envy, we really like her. While on the surface it may look like she's had an easy road to stardom, she's definitely had some bumps on her journey. Check out these surprising facts about Padma Lakshmi through the years.

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TV's Most Fascinating People of 2009

This year's Barbara Walters' Most Fascinating People of 2009 special got us thinking about who would we name as the most fascinating TV characters of the year, if we could play Baba Wawa for a night.

We would start with Cameron Tucker from "Modern Family." These days, there's no one on television that we love more than the big, cuddly gay daddy from our new favorite show. We love his optimism, his devotion to his partner Mitchell's family (even when they aren't consciously devoted to themselves), and his desire to raise his adopted baby, Lily, with some knowledge of her Korean roots (he just needs to learn how to pronounce "Pho"). And even though Cameron is a football-obsessed, sometimes melodramatic party clown named Fizbo, he can come to our play group and unleash his special dance moves any time he wants. At least we know he'll always help to soothe any "hurtful bubbling" that might flare up.

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“National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation” Cast: Then and Now

Photo by Alan Light

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This holiday season is the perfect opportunity for movie fans to pour some rum in their eggnog and look back on one of our favorite holiday movies, "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation."

The third installment of the "Vacation" series hit the big screen in '89, and groupies of the haphazard film family were treated to some holiday cheer, Griswold-style.

Instead of hitting the road, this time Clark, Ellen, Audrey, and Russell "Rusty" Griswold spend their holiday vacation at home. Juliette Lewis and Johnny Galecki joined the cast as the third pair of awkward teens to play the Griswold kids (Dana Barron and Anthony Michael Hall played the parts in the original Vacation, while Dana Hill and Jason Lively took over the roles in "European Vacation.)"

There is some consistency though. John Hughes returned to write the third installment that finds Clark hanging from Christmas lights and wrestling with a manic squirrel. Hughes was at the height of his career in the late '80s, having written and directed such hit movies as "Sixteen Candles," "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" and "Home Alone." Sadly Hughes passed away this year, but we've checked in with members of the cast to see what they're up to now.

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Self-Help TV Shows

Looking to feel better about your life? Then we suggest a double dose of reality TV on A&E on Monday nights. Start with a bit of "Intervention," where you'll (hopefully) realize that things could be a lot worse — your family and friends could be knocking on your door for a little chat about your not-so-wonderful habits. Then follow it up with "Hoarders," and be glad you can even find the door that someone's knocking on.

For us, the shows are unwatchably painful and depressing. Don't get us wrong, we like a good transformation or makeover series as much as the next guy. In fact, some people might say we're addicted to them. So while we seek help for our little problem, take a look at our favorite reality self-help shows.

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The Best Reality TV Show Hosts

Next to "The Amazing Race's" Phil Keoghan, Padma Lakshmi and Tom Colicchio have the best reality gig. After all, they get to torture arrogant gourmet chefs, making them conjure up fancy feasts from vending-machine snacks. They also get to sample the delicacies of innovative young up-and-coming culinary masters. Padma's supermodel past and Tom's hunky-chef vibe have made them the hottest hosts in reality TV. And now they have a shared Emmy nomination to prove they're worth their salt.

We’re anxiously awaiting tonight’s season finale to see who Tom and Padma will declare the new “Top Chef.” And then sadly, they’ll go on hiatus like so many of our other favorite reality hosts have done lately. While we anxiously await next season’s return of our favorite docudramas and competition shows, we take a look at our favorite reality hosts.

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Neurotic TV Characters We Love

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With this week's series finale of "Monk," we said good-bye to one of the most beloved neurotic characters ever. After eight seasons, Tony Shalhoub has hung up his detective hat and his 312 phobias, including panic induced by harmonicas, ladybugs, mushrooms, and milk. We think this laundry list of fears, as well as his germophobia, anxiety disorder, and obsessive attention to detail have made Monk the most "decorated" crazy character in the history of television. But he certainly was not the first and won't be the last. So in honor of Adrian Monk, we give you our favorite neurotics on TV, past and present.

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Too Old for Action

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We thought 58-year-old Steven Seagal’s action days were long gone but now he’s showing us that he can still kick butt in real life with his docudrama, "Steven Seagal: Lawman."  We were shocked to find out that the one-time martial arts master has actually been a deputy sheriff on the Jefferson Parish police force in New Orleans for years.

We’re glad he has a day job because Seagal hasn't made a good action movie that anyone has gone to see since 1994's "On Deadly Ground." You might ask yourself what the former action star has been up to for the last 15 years. Seagal has, in fact, been making movies — more than 25 since "ODG" came out. If that surprises you, then clearly you haven't been trolling the action aisles of your local video store (if you still have one). Over half of those films have gone straight to video.

We still thing he’s getting a long in the tooth to be getting into fist fights on the big screen or on the Louisiana mean streets. And he’s not the only movie star we think is a little too old for action.

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Reality TV Feuds

The best part of reality TV is watching the feuds. And the stars of Bravo's franchise "The Real Housewives of..." are queens in the cat-fight department, as witnessed in this season's grudge match between Kim and NeNe on the Atlanta version of the show. For 12 weeks, we watched them battle it out, culminating in the now famous choking incident in the season finale and NeNe's threat to Kim, "You touch me girl, I will wear that wig off your head. Trashbox." During the reunion, we learned that the two have set their differences aside to kiss and make up... at least until next season.

Also kissing and making up in the feud department are Tori and Candy Spelling, who have been battling since TV mogul Aaron's death several years ago. And so in honor of the Spelling girls' reconciliation, we present the best reality TV feuds through the years.

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Reality TV Can Be Hazardous To Your Health

This year has been the era of reality TV-related tragedies — and no, we’re not talking about Speidi’s "I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here." We’re talking about the real life-and-death stories surrounding some of the nation’s best and worst docudramas.

Our morbid curiosity was peaked this week when A.J. Jewell’s family asked for a second autopsy. For those who aren’t fans of "The Real Housewives of Atlanta," A.J. was engaged to this season’s latest Peach State Diva, singer Kandi Burruss. Much of her story line this year centered on her mother’s opposition to their engagement — she felt he was a male gold-digger looking to cash in on her daughter’s assets to help raise his six children from four different baby mamas.

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Celebrity Sex Tape Scandals

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It certainly seems that Jennifer Lopez has traded up from marriage to marriage. Current hubby and baby daddy, Marc Anthony, seems to be a stable force in her usually tumultuous love life. Chris Judd, who preceded Anthony, was a sweet guy who just didn't seem to be her celebrity equal. But that first Mr. J-Lo, Ojani Noa, who seems to have been looking for ways to cash in on his former wife's fame for years. He's not going to make cash when he submits their 1997 honeymoon sex tape into evidence in court next week. But the move will make the footage public and certainly boost his otherwise not so high profile.

Will the almost 13-year-old sex tapes have a negative impact on Jennifer's career? Probably not. Lots of celebrities have been exposed in sex tapes before, and most of them (sorry, Dustin Diamond, we don't mean you) are doing just fine.

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