tvnewsgazette

Kenny Chesney won the Academy of Country Music Awards’ Reba McEntire. Entertainer of the Year title for the fourth straight time Monday night on CBS, hosted by

But the show wasn’t without its controversy. This was the first year that fans decided online who would win the Entertainer of the Year’s coveted award, instead of ACM industry members, as in the show’s 43-year history.

After the show, Chesney said backstage that he though fans should be included, but the Entertainer of the Year award should be picked how it has been in the past.

His complaint was that online the award had turned “into a sweepstakes to see who can push people’s buttons the hardest on the Internet.”

Was he still deserving of the award: Yes.

Other winners at the ACMS were:

Top male vocalist: Brad Paisley
Top female vocalist: Carrie Underwood
Top vocal group: Rascal Flatts
Top vocal duo: Brooks & Dunn
Top new male vocalist: Jack Ingram
Top new female vocalist: Taylor Swift
Top new duo or vocal group: Lady Antebellum
Single record of the year: “Stay,” Sugarland
Album of the year: “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” Miranda Lambert
Song of the year: “Stay,” Sugarland (Jennifer Nettles, composer)
Video of the year: “Online,” Brad Paisley (Jason Alexander, director)
Vocal event of the year: “Find Out Who Your Friends Are,” Tracy Lawrence with Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney

Though it’s too late to enter the HGTV Green Home sweepstakes, HGTV is offering another sweepstakes — the HGTV Green Home Giveaway Get More Green Sweepstakes.

This prize package totals $25,000. You can enter the Get More Green Sweepstakes once a day through May 22. After you register the first time, it will be easier to enter provided your computer’s “cookies” are enabled.

Take a 360-degree virtual tour of the eco-friendly custom HGTV Green Home built in Tradition Hilton Head, S.C. online. The tour offers a floor plan and gives ideas on how to make homes more environmentally friendly.

HGTV will announce the winner on live television on Sunday, June 8 at 8/7 Central during a special program.

You can’t miss a season finale for a show you desperately love, but at the same time, it’s almost painful to watch the cliffhangers and then wonder how you are going to wait several months before you see any resolutions to the disasters at the end of the episode.

Tonight I watched the season finale of the CW’s Smallville, my favorite show in the world.

The finale ended with Lex using the orb he collected to “save the world” as he faced Clark in the Fortress of Soltitude. When Lex thrusted the orb into the crystals, Clark was forced to the ground as the Fortress of Solitude started crumbling around them both. Seconds later, a bright light appeared and the Fortress of Solititude — as well as Lex and Clark — disappeared completely.

When Clark first arrived at the Fortress, Lex and him stood facing each other for the first time with Lex knowing that he was Traveler. Lex feels betrayed by his former friend and believes now that it was his destiny to protect the world from the Traveler. He tells Clark if he would have trusted him instead of turning his back on him, maybe he would have helped him become the hero he was meant to be. Kara (who really was Brainac at the time) told Lex that the Traveler was supposed to save the world but instead will destroy it.

Meanwhile, Kara is locked in space by Brainiac. Chloe is arrested by the Department of Domestic Security right after Jimmy proposes to her. Jimmy’s plan to protect Chloe by getting a favor from Lex backfired on him. Earlier in the episode, he told Lex that he wouldn’t spy on Lois, which obviously meant that Lex turned the DDS back on Chloe.

Also earlier in the episode, Clark destroys Brainiac after he puts Chloe in the hospital.

But the big deal (besides Lex and Clark disappearing along with the Fortress) has to be Lana’s farewell. Earlier in the episode, Clark goes to check on her at the hospital only to learn that she has made a complete recovery and has left him a DVD. He goes home to watch the DVD to learn that Lana loves Clark but feels she is preventing him from being the hero the world needs, so she is leaving and is asking him to not come after her. Visibly hurt and not expecting it, Clark breaks down emotionally. Lois walks in on the end of the DVD and comforts Clark.

Will Clark be okay? What about Lex? Supposibly next season Lex will only be in a couple of episodes. So what will the effect be of Lex’s realization of who Clark is? Is Lana gone for good? What will happen to Kara? Will Chloe remain locked away?

This season on American Idol I predicted a lot of things. Like a lot of people, I predicted that the finale would leave the two Davids — rocker David Cook and singing sensation David Archuleta.

I also predict David Cook will be the next American Idol, though you never know. It really depends on whether America voted. David Archuleta is a great singer and deserves to have his music heard. I just don’t think he’s “it’ this year. David Cook just has it all — and his music has already proved popular with iTune® sales. He IS a rocker.

Syesha Mercado has had a great run on American Idol and honestly went a lot further than I imagined. Though I have warmed to her beautiful voice and personality, I would have preferred Michael Johns to be in the final three.

I think I cried throughout the Tuesday show watching as the contestants became floored when they returned to their hometowns to overwhelming support from their fans.

It was touching to see Archuleta and Mercado break down upon seeing their fans come out. I think I evens saw Cook break down for a brief second or two.

I’m glad to see these very deserving individuals see their dreams come true.

It started with 25 women vying to win a rose from bachelor heartthrob Matt Grant, 27, a global financier from London.

In the end, Matt got on his knees and proposed to the woman he loved, Shayne, 22, an actress from California, during the finale of ABC’s “The Bachelor: London Calling” on Monday night.

“Monkey, will you marry me?” He asks. Monkey is his nickname for Shayne.

Happily, Shayne agrees to marry him on one condition: He may never look at another woman as long as they live.

“You have looked at far too many during our relationship,” she tells him.

The show ends with Matt giving not only his heart, but the final rose to Shayne.

However, Matt broke the heart of the “other” girl, Chelsea, 25, a pharmaceutical sales representative from California. Chelsea was visibly upset during the final ceremony where Matt broke the news that though he cared deeply for her, he did not believe that she was the woman he was meant to spend the rest of his life with. To Matt, she tells him that Shayne was the most fake of all of the women, though Matt defends her. In the limo as she is pulling away, she calls him a fool for his choice.

Watching earlier in the episode where both women were given the opportunity to meet with Matt’s parents in London and then later spend a day with him in Barbados, it wasn’t apparent which woman had won his heart.

He shared a romantic helicopter ride and later time on a private beach with Chelsea. In the evening, Chelsea presented him with a “California Survival Kit,” hoping that she would be the one picked, and expressing her love for him. He assures her that he also was falling for her.

Matt then spends the next day with Shayne parasailing. Later, cuddling on the couch, she gives him a stuffed monkey, because he had nicknamed her “monkey.” She also gives him a photograph of herself on the beach writing the words “I Love You” in the sand. He tells her he is falling in love with her.

Honestly from watching the episode, I was surprised that he picked Shayne — in the finale he appeared the happiest with Chelsea.

While I am surprised, I am happy that this bachelor made a choice and proposed to one of the ladies. I hope that he chose well and wish the couple the best.

If you are a Vin Diesel fan, you won’t want to miss the Vin Diesel Movie Marathon on USA Network Sunday, May 18.

Those who love his action movies won’t be disappointed.

The Movie Marathon will start with 2000 action film “Pitch Black” at 3/2 CST, followed by the 2003 film “A Man Apart” at 5/4 CST and then the 2001 super-thriller “The Fast and Furious” at 7/6 CST.

Last but not least, Vin Diesel shows his softer side in the 2005 comedy “The Pacificer” at 9/8 CST.

Vin Diesel is currently working on a new “Fast and Furious” movie that is tentatively scheduled for 2009.
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If you like the 1984 movie “E.T.” featuring that lovable extra-terrestrial who made “E.T. Phone Home” and Reeses Pieces®  popular, you will want to watch “E.T.” at 7 p.m. CST Friday on the Nickelodeon channel.

One reason I love this movie is I like watching Drew Barrymore as a child.  Another favorite movie of mine of hers as a kid is the Stephen King movie “Firestarter.” Elliott in the “E.T.” movie is played by Henry Thomas , who is still acting. He is currently filming the 2009 movie “Don’t Look Up” and was in 2002 movie “Gangs of New York.”

My favorite part of “E.T.” is probably when they sneak him out of the house in a ghost costume for Halloween.

I enjoy movies that bring out my emotions and this is one of them because as you watch the movie you fall in love with E.T. When he gets sick,  you want him to get better. And when he tries to go home, you want him to stay even though you know he can’t. You literally feel as Elliott does in the movie.

Lifetime Movie Network wants to give one woman the chance to enter the Hollywood movie-making business through the Every Woman’s Film Competition.

To enter, produce a film that is three to five minutes in length and upload it to the Lifetime Movie Network site. Celebrity judges will make the final decision. Last year’s judges include Jennifer Lopez, Angela Bassett, Lauren Shuler Donner, Gale Ann Hurd and Mimi Leder.

What are some of your favorite TV shows?

My favorite show right now is “Smallville” with “Paradise Hotel 2″ and “American Idol” close behind.

I also enjoy “House,” “CSI: Miami,” “Monk” and pretty much anything on the USA Network. I was a big “O.C.” fan until it was canceled, as well as the series “Dead Zone.”

There are many shows on my “to watch” list but some don’t always mesh with my schedule. But if I had the free time I would watch “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Desperate Housewives” and “Supernatural.”

I am looking forward to the new USA Network series that will start in June “In Plain Sight” about a U.S. Marshal (Mary Shannon) and her quirky life. Another one coming up on the USA Network is Debra Messing’s “The Starter Wife,” which originally was a mini series.

Please tell me in the comments what your favorite shows are.

On Mother’s Day Sunday, AMC (American Movie Channel) will present four intense films about mother-daughter relationships for its Mother’s Day Marathon.

The marathon will start at 9 a.m. (ET) with the 1957 film “Peyton Place” featuring Lana Turner and Diane Varsi as Constance and Allison MacKenzie, whose tense mother-daughter relationship simmers to a boil. This film was nominated for seven Academy Awards®.

At 11:45 a.m., Carol Lynley stars as an older, more cynical Allison MacKenzie in the 1961 “Return to Peyton Place.”

At 2 p.m., AMC will present the 1991 film “Not Without My Daughter” featuring Sally Fields as American Betty Mahmoody, who plots to leave her husband (Alfred Molina) and escape an Islamic Iran with her young daughter (Sheila Rosenthal).

At 4 p.m. the marathon will conclude with the final movie, the 1981 classic “On Golden Pond” with Katharine Hepburn and Jane Fonda. Hepburn won the Best Actress Oscar® for her role of an aged mother who helps to restore the relationship between her angry daughter (Jane Fonda) and her husband (Henry Fonda). This movie was nominated for a total of 10 Academy Awards®. The film also won for Best Screenplay.