What2Watch: Margaret Cho Isn't Quite Ready For Prime Time
The life and raunchy times of a pioneering comic.
Comedian Margaret Cho in the VH1 reality series 'The Cho Show' -
VH1
Margaret Cho's life is already a well-known quantity, as she is among the more self-revealing comedians out there. So she's a promising subject for a slice-of-life reality show -- the only real question is who in the world would air such a show. It goes beyond Cho simply having a raunchy act; her entire life is unapologetically R-rated. But instead of airing in the middle of the night on a pay channel, VH1 is placing The Cho Show at 11 PM. If Chelsea Handler can get away with her material at that hour, Cho probably won't face too much in the way of complaints. The obvious antecedent for The Cho Show is My Life on the D-List, although Cho has always been more overtly political and queer-identified than Kathy Griffin. But like Griffin, Cho gets key comedic support from her parents and members of her staff. The premiere deals with Cho accepting an award as the Korean of the Year, which causes her to reflect on her ambivalent relationship with the Asian community. If Cho is willing to open up (it's hard to see that being a problem), and if VH1 is willing to having certain sexual techniques and practices discussed on its precious airwaves, this ought to succeed. Olympic Highlights: The prime-time show (NBC, 8 PM) will feature one of the strongest events for the U.S. on the track, the men's 400M, as well as the women's 200M, the men's 110M hurdles, and the beginning of the decathlon. The men's final in beach volleyball, beginning at 11 PM, will find Americans Rogers and Dallhauser spiking for gold. The overnight show on USA (2 AM) will feature coverage of the endless men's 50K walk, and some of the finals in canoeing. The last American boxer in the field, Deontay Wilder, should have his semifinal bout between 3 and 4 AM on CNBC. Big Brother 10 (CBS, 8 PM): April and Jerry are nominated for eviction, but it looks like April will be leaving, thus bringing an end to the little porn show she and Ollie have been putting on. That's the problem with these houseguests: they care nothing at all for our needs. Principal's Office (TruTV, 9 PM and 9:30 PM): This doesn't sound like a promising concept for a reality show. Who really wants to spend more time in the principal's office? The premiere episodes cover the usual assortment of truants, class clowns, and smokin' in the boys' room. Remember when this channel covered the biggest trials in America? Molly and Missy passing notes in pre-calc isn't on the same level. Burn Notice (USA, 10 PM): Arrrrrr! (I think that's the right amount of r's.) Michael goes into the piracy business tonight, as he attempts to trick modern-day buccaneers into making a new theft so he can locate some previously stolen goods. Flashpoint (CBS, 10 PM): The team goes in search of a young man who fled into the woods after he tried to confront his abusive father. Still no word on whether CBS has further plans for this Canadian import, which outpaced its CSI lead-in last week. Glam God With Vivica A. Fox (VH1, 10 PM): This competition series aims to find the next hot celebrity stylist, although real celebrities already have stylists and aren't going to hire off the results of this show, now are they? VH1 competition shows only seem to work when they are gags; when they try to get serious (The Shot), people tend not to care. I won't even get into the wisdom of putting the increasingly odd-looking Fox front and center in this series. Jacked: Auto Theft Task Force (A&E, 10 PM and 10:30 PM): We sure have our share of new reality shows debuting tonight. This one follows a New Jersey unit on its daily rounds, and we know from all those years of Cops how whacked out car thieves can be. The premiere features a helicopter tracking a speeding stolen car through the streets. Randy Jackson Presents: America's Best Dance Crew (MTV, 10 PM): The season finale features a reunion of all the departed dancers, and either the SoReal Cru or the Super Cr3w winning the big prize. This show is beneath the genius that is Lil' Mama. Tabatha's Salon Takeover (Bravo, 10 PM): Tabatha Coffey was one of the more memorable contestants during Season One of Shear Genius. More importantly, she has a foreign accent, which seems to be a requirement for a show like this one, something of a Kitchen Nightmares for hair places. The premiere finds Tabatha trying to straighten out a Long Beach salon. But how hard is this, really? You improve a hair salon by firing people. There! And I work cheaper than Tabatha too. Reality Bites Back (Comedy Central, 10:30 PM): The final four engage in "Hunting With the Stars." When you consider that the comedian contestants on this series are pretty obscure themselves, that ought to give you an idea of the kind of stars they dug up. Basically, they're the type you'd rather hunt than hunt with. Most Popular Stories
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Nosferatu: A Symphony of HorrorFilm.com's FREE movie of the week is "Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror." This 1922 classic of cinema based on Bram Stoker's "Dracula" (but with names changed) directed by F.W. Murnau and starring Max Schrek in one of films most famous and frightening make-up jobs.
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