TV

I have a friend, Oz Roberts, who watches reality TV. That's about all he ever watches.

I think it's catching.

The first show I watched was "Project Runway." Then it was "Design Star," "Dancing With the Stars," "So You Think You Can Dance" and Gene Simmons' show. Then came my addiction to watching HGTV. Now, I'm watching "Flipping Out" on Bravo.

At least I know Chris Elwood, who's on "Flipping Out." That's my excuse for watching that show.

So now, I can't make fun of people who watch "Survivor," "The Apprentic," "The Amazing Race" or "American Idol." I've become one of them. Except I don't watch those shows.

I know I will not watch "Celebrity Apprentice." I read that the Donald wants to have Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton and Britney Spears on that version of his show.

Yuck. If that happens, it really is the end of western civilization as we know it.

The Libby Awards

For reasons I won't go into now, I missed last Saturday's Libby Awards at the Liberty Theatre.

Let's just say I got very busy and forgot. I couldn't believe it!

I always have fun at the awards show. I get to dress up and be a presenter.

Thank goodness Jackie Egins was there to back me up.

Anyway, here are the winners.

Oh, and most embarrassing of all? I was given the Community Media Award for print!

The winner in the broadcast division was Greg Funderburg of WTVM 9 and the print media company was the Columbus Times.

The other winners:

Community Church Sponsor: St. James CME Church, pastor Rev. Reginald G. Barnes Sr.

Youth Leadership Award: Curtis McCloud

Community Organization Award: The Links

Corporate Award: Synovus

Rising Star: Michael Young, who played C.C. White in "Dreamgirls"

Newcomer Award: T.J. Abner, who played the Wiz in "The Wiz"

"Dreamgirls"
Best Supporting Actress: Samantha Daniels (Deena)
Best Actress: Nadiyah Hollis (Effie)
Best Supporting Actor: Edward Senior V (Curtis)
Best Actor: Ometrise Richmond (Jimmy)

"A Star Ain't Nothing But a Hole in Heaven"
Best Supporting Actor: Laura Lowe (Mamie)
Best Actor: Tiffany Hutchison (Pokie)

"The Wiz"
Best Supporting Actress: A tie between Cheryl Johnson (Adaperle) and T'Nesha Pruitt (Glinda)
Best Actress: Samantha Daniels (Dorothy)
Best Supporting Actor: t.J. Still (Gatekeeper)
Best Actor: Antonio Lawrence (Lion)

Best Song in "Dreamgirls": "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" sung by Nadiyah Hollis
Best Song in "The Wiz": "Home" sung by Samantha Daniels

Best Play: "Dreamgirls"

Congratulations to all!

I hope I'm invited back next year. I promise I'll be there!

Thank God it's Friday!

Do you ever get so happy that it's the weekend you could almost cry?

I've been so tired that all I'm going to do this weekend is sleep. I'll wake up when the dogs wake me up, but that's it.

I'm not leaving the house.

Really.

Of course, I feel like I'm coming down with the dreaded summer cold. And with my mother's precarious health, I'm not going to see her this weekend. The last thing she needs is a cold.

If anyone needs me, leave a message.

I may or may not call you back this weekend.

Sayonara.

HGTV Wants You!

Well, HGTV wants you if you're in the market to buy a house.

The show, "My First Place," features first-time home buyers and the problems they face. The show follows people as they look for a house, bid on it, go through the inspection process and buy a house. Then they follow-up and see how they're doing once they've settled in.

I really haven't seen the show, though I watch a lot of HGTV. I really like "What's With That House?" and "House Hunters." I really don't know how people can afford to buy those houses on "House Hunters," but that's probably because I work at a newspaper.

I was flipping channels one night and saw someone I know on "What With That House?" I knew that my friend Roger Nygard, who is a filmmaker (he directed "Trekkies"), had a new house, but didn't realize that he was on that show. I think it's called the Petal House.

Getting back to "My First Place," if you're interested in being on the show, e-mail casting coordinator Keri Grogan at kgrogan@highnoonentertainment.com and ask her for an application. Or you can e-mail myfirstplace@highnoonentertainment.com and ask for an application.

Filming begins in September, so get in touch with Keri soon if you want to be on the show.

And if you are chosen, let me know so I can write about it.

Single tickets for the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts are on sale now

If you're like me and can't afford to buy season tickets to the various series at the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts, single tickets have gone on sale. Now, I can pick and choose the shows I want to attend.

These dates are in order, not by series:

The Golden Dragon Acrobats: 7 p.m. Sept. 7. Bill Heard Theatre. All children's tickets are $5; adult tickets are $10-$22.

The Four Tops: 7:30 p.m. Sept. 20. Bill Heard Theatre. $29.50, $39.50, $42.50.

Masked Marvels and Wondertales: Presented by Michael Cooper, 7 p.m. Oct. 2. Bill Heard Theatre. All children's tickets are $5; adult tickets are $8-$15.

George Carlin: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 11. Bill Heard Theatre. $29.50, $39.50, $49.50.

Up Close and Personal: Clint Black. 7:30 p.m. Oct. 12. Bill Heard Theatre. $44, $48, $52.

Pilobolus Dance Co.: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 20. Bill Heard Theatre. $22.50, $27.50, $32.50.

Edgar Meyer, Sam Bush and Jerry Douglas: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 27. Bill Heard Theatre. $26, $33, $39.

3 Mo' Divas: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 8. Bill Heard Theatre. $39, $45, $49.

Trinity Irish Dance Academy: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 30. Bill Heard Theatre. $19, $25, $29.

Cantus Christmas 2007: 7:30 p.m. Dec. 17. Legacy Hall. $32.

Tosca: Presented by the Teatro Lirico d'Europa, 7:30 p.m. Jan. 24, 2008. Bill Heard Theatre. $28, $32, $42.

Imani Winds: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 9, 2008. Legacy Hall. $36.

Anne Murray: 7:30 p.m. March 11, 2008. Bill Heard Theatre. $37, $43, $49.

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof: Presented by the Montana Repertory Theatre, 7:30 p.m. March 13, 2008. Bill Heard Theatre. $19, $29, $32.

The Cleveland Orchestra: 4 p.m. March 30, 2008. Bill Heard Theatre. $55, $65, $75.

A Year With Frog and Toad: 7 p.m. April 15, 2008. Bill Heard Theatre. All children's tickets are $5; adult tickets are $8, $15, $17.

Woven Harmony: With Robert and Rebecca Bluestone, 7:30 p.m. April 25, 2008. Legacy Hall. $32.

Giselle: Presented by the St. Petersburg Ballet Theatre, 7:30 p.m. April 29, 2008. Bill Heard Theatre. $10, $25, $39.

It looks like another great year for the RiverCenter. Let me know what you think.

For more ticket information, call the box office at 706-256-3612.

Chris "The Trash Guy" Elwood

I still haven't been able to talk to Chris about his involvement in "Flipping Out," a new reality show on Bravo TV.

I did, however, go on the Web site and some of the things on it are hilarious. You ought to check it out.

I had lunch with my friends Bill Rich and Cameron Faucette Friday. Cameron is a designer and she's obsessed with watching shows like "Flipping Out."

She said she didn't realize that Chris was on the show. I guess she didn't read the L-E Web site where I put that he was on. If I could only get my friends to read!

The show is great. The guy who actually does the house flipping, Jeff Lewis, is a maniac. He's insane.

Watch the show and tell me what you think. It's on Tuesday night at 10 p.m. on Bravo.

(Chris is a 1993 graduate of Pacelli High School, and has appeared in a movie called "How High" and was on a season of "Punk'd" a few years ago.)

Good going, Troy!

My good friend Troy Heard is in Hollywood, Calif., directing a show.

What show?

Well, one that he probably won't be able to produce in Columbus.

It's "Debbie Does Dallas: The Musical."

I told him that he could.

After all, there's no nudity. OK, there's a flash, but it's not a porn movie. It's just based on one.

And where there would be sex scenes, there are big song-and-dance production numbers.

It actually sounds like a lot of fun.

It opens tonight at the Key Club. One the guest list are Fred Armisen of "Saturday Night Live," Adam Rifkin who wrote and directed "Detroit Rock City," Daniel Waters who wrote "Heathers" and a new movie called "Sex and Death 101" and Josh Olson, who was nominated for an Academy Award for writing the script of "A History of Violence."

Believe it or not, it's the Los Angeles premiere! And a local boy is directing.

I'm sure I'll get an e-mail in the morning from him. I'll keep you posted on the reviews.