NESN, the cable network that broadcasts the Red Sox games, will toss a change up after tomorrow night's contest with the Baltimore Orioles -- airing a reality/dating show called "Sox Appeal." It basically turns Fenway Park into its alter ego, Boston's best outdoor bar. It also highlights a personal gripe of mine, are you going to see the game or are you going to be seen?

Sox Appeal" is just another in a long line of clones spawned by "The Dating Game." The Fenway version will undoubtedly provide a decent level of pseudo entertainment, but it also pushes the Red Sox brand in a sketchy direction. Like it or not by sanctioning a dating show the team ties itself to the attention freaks that take part. If the big question is, can people who share a passion for the Red Sox also find passion in their personal lives? -- my answer is, who cares.

After finally winning the World Series after an 86 year drought in 2004, Red Sox Nation exploded into an international sensation. You'll see the Red Sox "B" on caps and t-shirts just about everywhere -- with the possible exception of the Bronx. Fenway Park is pretty much sold out for every game, and that has brought an unwelcome brand of entitlement to a significant portion of the fandom. Just look at the yahoos behind home plate during any game. There's always someone on a cellphone or preening for the camera. You think these people are baseball fans? "Sox Appeal" is a direct result of this kind of narcissism.

It's been a long time since I've seen a game at Fenway, but I watch plenty of games on NESN. I won't be watching "Sox Appeal" though. Forgive me for only caring about the club and whether they're living up to their lofty expectations and not the sideshow. The Sox are my team, not my lifestyle gurus. I like to think that I have something else to talk about after the last out is recorded. It's great if your significant other shares your love of baseball, but if that's all you've got -- you're going to be thrown out at the plate.

If you believe the Boston Globe's list of hardcover bestsellers "A Thousand Splendid Suns" outsold "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" last week. Yeah, right and pomegranate juice outsold Bug Light at the corner liquor store too. No slag on Khaled Hosseini but I think J.K. Rowling might have moved just a few more books -- of course if you live in the Boston area you know the Globe is never wrong, just ask them.

Anyway, I've got a very busy work schedule, and I cherish my down time with the family -- so I haven't been able to lock myself in a room and pile drive through "Deathly Hallows" nor do I want to. Right now I'm 500 pages in and the story is about to hit overdrive. Once you reach the halfway point in any Rowling book you know it's a downhill sprint to the finish. So far, I love everything she's doing, and I want to savor this one, not chow it down. I'm not a fast reader, in fact I can't manage much more than forty pages an hour. The benefit, as my wife the speed reader reminds me, is I remember just about everything. I know writers love me because I really do pick up on all the little details, but it keeps the number of books I can consume on an annual basis embarrassingly low. I'm over it though, if I like the book I'm gonna finish it -- in due time.

Okay, so why did I title this missive "Code of Silence?" Well, it's because I've been touched and amazed by the courtesy shown by the vast majority of people who've finished "Deathly Hallows." Nobody has spoiled it for me. They've asked how deep I'm in, or if I like it so far, but that's where it stops. There's no, "you won't believe how it ends...!" or "can you believe that Rowling..." Nope, the true Potter fans respect the sanctity of finding out for yourself. It's not like people pick up "Deathly Hallows" without having read the previous six volumes. If you're reading it, it's because you're completing an amazing journey, and you deserve to take the last steps on your own. There's plenty of places to go once you're finished to talk about the whole thing, but those who've climbed the summit seem to be willing to wait at base camp until all have arrived. To each and every one of you I say, thank you.

It's especially hard when you work in the media to avoid spoilers, but when you've been doing it as long as I have you learn how to block things out that can wreck a book, movie or play. The danger is usually in the random encounter with someone who's just an annoying prat. I think it says a lot for the Potter fandom to have such a low level prat index. I'm sure Rowling is pleased.

So, I should have the book finished by the end of the week, and then start the discussion phase. I'm looking forward to it, being the opinionated bugger that I am, but I'm very appreciative of the extra time. We'll talk in a bit.

Okay, so you're going to see The Police at Fenway this weekend -- you're gonna see a great show, but man are you paying for it. Anyway, here's some stuff you might want to consider.

• If you're seats are along the right field or left field line, watch out for your knees. The seats at Fenway are set to face home plate, not deep center field. That means you have to turn against the grain to face the stage. Doesn't sound like much of a big deal, but believe me it is. Once the concert starts you won't be spending much time on your fanny, but be prepared for some awkward body positions.


• Of course the best seats to be in are the field seats, unless of course a thunderstorm moves through. Bring a small umbrella that you won't mind losing. If you get soaked it's going to be a long uncomfortable night.


• Don't expect a lot of stage banter from Sting and the boys, they let their music do the talking -- generic, "Are you having a good time Boston" is about all you're gonna get.


• The opening act is the band Fiction Plane which is fronted by Sting's son Joe. He plays bass too. It could be deadly.

There are other options. Forget Kenny Chesney at Gillette Stadium tomorrow it's WAY sold out -- that show is actually a much hotter ticket than The Police. If you really want to catch Sting's kid, Fiction Plane is at The Paradise tonight. Go -- then warn others!

Also, ex-X frontman John Doe is a T.T. the Bear's in Cambridge tonight -- on second thought, forget the Stinglette, go see John Doe!

Silverchair returns with a whole new sound, they're at The Paradise on Sunday. It's not the grunge thing anymore so if you go hoping to hear "Frogstomp" stuff you'll be very disappointed.

And just for the quirk factor, actor Danny Aiello is crooning at Regattabar in Cambridge tomorrow night. Papa don't preach indeed!

Have a great weekend.

"Lost" fans we've still got about 5 months to go before our schizoid TV series returns to the airwaves, but bits and pieces about Season 4 are beginning to bob to the surface. At the Comic-con International convention in San Diego today, the show's chief producers will officially announce the return of the character Michael. Did someone cue the crickets? I distinctly heard a cheep, cheep right after I said Michael. Wait, there it is again!

Don't get me wrong, I love "Lost" -- but I can't stand Michael, or his equally whiny son Walt. Michael was last seen at the end of Season 2 when he betrayed his castaway cohorts to "escape" the island. He also blasted away Season 2 additions Ana Lucia and Libby for good measure (let that be a lesson to wayward actors who like to party too much after hours!). We've seen Walt a few times in cryptic passages connected to the equally cryptic Others, but the whole Michael/Walt storyline had pretty much fallen apart. Now they're coming back -- wahoo.

Annoying characters aren't always a bad thing, in fact they can help shape the tone and direction of a show. Michael's backstory is one about a struggling artist who falls in love with a much more career driven woman. Their marriage crumbles just as Walt is coming into the world and Michael's life spirals out of control. Actor Harold Perrineau brings a high level of intensity to his role, but his efforts to win over his now adolescent son are slathered in melodrama. That's not Perrineau's fault, lay that one on the keyboard of the writers. In fact with Michael back maybe the writers can make the show's main hero, Jack, likable again. Man has he become a pathetic drag of late.

Now that everyone knows that "Lost" has an official expiration date (May 2010) I really think the best days could be ahead -- hopefully a lot less water treading. I'm hooked, and I'm on board 'til the end. So welcome back Michael -- and could someone please do something about those crickets.

Massachusetts had a shot at bragging rights for the hometown of The Simpsons but wound up losing out to our sugar shack neighbors to the north. Springfield, Vermont certainly has a better quirk factor than our Bay State equivalent, but if you've ever been to the the Pioneer Valley you'd certainly see plenty of Homer-esque characters. My one worry as the big screen version of The Simpsons arrives on Friday, will the show finally jumped the shark?

I don't think so, and here's why; As long as the writing roster remains strong, and it always has, animation holds onto its freshness longer the Hostess cakes. Those innocent looking, but oh so subversive characters can also get away with just about anything. Lampooning everything from religion, to politics, to sexuality, to celebrity -- nothing is off limits. In a live action setting these topics would be watered down, or come off ham handed. Animation removes that annoying reality factor and allows for unfettered expression. Alright, there are limits on network television, but for me The Simpsons is the most spot on satire on TV. Only Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert can come close but admit it, in many ways they owe a debt to our friends in Springfield. There's more than a little Troy McClure and Kent Brockman in those guys!

By the way you've got to go to The Simpsons movie website and create you own avatar. If you've ever wondered what you'd look like in Bart's world, here's your chance.http://www.simpsonsmovie.com/

While we're on the animation subject, can I just give a quick shout out to anime fans -- especially those of us with more than a few decades on the odometer. I'm currently watching Gundam Seed Destiny and it's such an over the top delight. Unless you've watched its first incarnation, Gundam Seed, it won't make any bloody sense at all to you, but if you've been on board this epic ride since the start it just keeps getting better. Yeah, yeah I know, teenage pilots, giant mechs, rather androgynous male characters -- don't care. This show creates a complex universe of issues -- war, peace, love, loyalty, betrayal and forgiveness -- and presents it all in 22 minute bursts of drama and energy. There's constant plot twists to keep you hooked, and a J-pop soundtrack that's delightfully eclectic.

It ain't cheap but I buy the DVDs as each collection of episodes comes out. It's worth it to me to get the audio options. I like the Japanese voices not the English dub. Subtitles can be a drag, but I like watching in the form the show was created in. No slag on American voice actors, many of them are brilliant, but I guess I'm just a purist about some things. Besides, I get to learn cool Japanese expressions that confound my work colleagues.

Yosh!

It's pretty tough to get excited about a Tuesday .. especially the first one after vacation, but the entertainment world takes no time off, and that's a good thing -- sometimes you just gotta break up that work week.



So what's cooking tonight. Well you can still get tickets for the Chris Cornell show at the Bank of America Pavilion. Hate to get all nostalgic, but Cornell did his best work with Soundgarden way back in the halcyon days of grunge. I think the real selling point for the show is the opening act, Juliette and the Licks. Actress, singer, and all around hot ticket Juliette Lewis fronts this in-your-face punk outfit. It will be loud, crazy .. mostly 3 chords and a cloud of dust .. and just possibly cathartic.



You could do a lot worse ... especially on a Tuesday

Boston's summer concert season hits its high point (at least when it comes to ticket prices) this weekend when The Police set up shop at Fenway Park. Me? I'm gonna pass, and set my sights on the fall. That's when, for about 3 hundred dollars less, I can see Spoon at The Roxy on October 17. While The Police are certainly worthy of a home run trot, Spoon is the road tested veteran finally getting a shot in "the show."

Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, Spoon's new CD is number 10 on the album chart this week, and that's pretty impressive for an indie rock act. Even better, the CD is one of the band's best. If "You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb" doesn't get some serious radio airplay there's something seriously wrong out there. I point that song out because it's just so damn pop-rock perfect. I prefer "Finer Feelings" -- "Don't Make Me A Target" -- and "My Little Japanese Cigarette Case" much more. Since what I like and what actually becomes a hit usually bares no relation to the other, put you're money on "Cherry Bomb."

Spoon first formed in 1994 in Austin, Texas and has an extremely loyal fan base -- big enough to allow the band to grow with solid CD sales and sold out live shows. Kill The Moonlight was my introduction and I've been on board since -- "Jonathon Fisk" is a killer track. Britt Daniel, the band's lead singer and chief song writer, has a knack for cryptic lyrics wrapped around infectious hooks. Can anyone tell me what "Sister Jack" is all about? Didn't think so, but man once that song gets in your head it won't leave.

I really think Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga is going to launch these guys into the big time, and rightfully so. Daniel is a major talent and his work deserves a much wider audience. If you caught the criminally underrated Will Farrell movie "Stranger Than Fiction" the soundtrack is all Britt Daniel, including many instrumental versions of Spoon songs. I'm confident that fame won't spoil Spoon. Their growth curve is steady, their dedication unquestioned. Spoon is now.

My first meeting with Harry Potter was reading "Sorcerer's Stone" aloud to my kids. The universe was brand new to me (I mispronounced Slytherin, as SLY-therin, Drak-co rather than Dray-co for Malfoy) but hey, I did my best. We did a chapter a night, and it didn't take long to figure out the J.K. Rowling had tapped into something special. Kid-lit had just taken a giant leap, and a legend was born. Tonight, at midnight, we get the final chapter.

The last Potter I read aloud was "Goblet Of Fire," after that we had to buy two copies when the new editions came out. My wife and I would get bits and pieces of plot from the upstairs bedrooms, then we'd read them ourselves when those giant hardcovers were handed over. Rowling, bless her heart, is a master of writing gobs of pages where just about nothing happens, and I gotta tell you reading 8 million sentences that begin, "Harry, Ron and Hermione..." can make you a little loopy. But Rowling wanted epic heft, and clearly so did her fans. She spun magic.

I feel especially close to Harry because his age matched up so closely with my kids. They've changed as he changed. The film versions have been a bit of a hit and miss affair, but watching the young actors grow into their roles has been fascinating. The latest. "Order Of The Phoenix" is a wonderful ensemble piece. True, you have to know the story to make any sense of it all, but it worked just fine for me. Talking to my now college age kids about the books and the movies is a bonding thing now -- we've taken the journey together, warts and all.

So, what will "Deathly Hallows" bring to the table? With the mass media descending by 12:03 the world will know Harry's fate. I don't care, I'll read it through at my own pace. I'll leave it to Rowling's good judgment to figure out how to wrap it all up. Will Harry die? Who knows. If you've been paying attention though, death is a pretty nebulous condition in the Potter universe. I'll wait for the dispatches from the bedrooms -- then say goodbye.

"Everything Comes Down to Poo," that's one of the nominees for outstanding original music and lyrics in the 2007 Emmy Awards chase, and it pretty much sums up my feelings about the annual event. Don't get me wrong, that tune came from one of the more inspired episodes of one of the best comedies on television, "Scrubs." In fact that series roared back to life this year, and the "Scrubs" musical was the high point. So, was the show itself nominated for an Emmy? No. Was anyone in the cast -- a brilliant ensemble by any measure -- nominated for an Emmy? No. Was Charlie Sheen nominated for an Emmy? Yes. That's why I hate the Emmys.

Sorry, but I just can't take the schizoid nature of the nomination process. Sheen's show, "Two And A Half Men" is such an uninspired mess. There is absolutely nothing special about it. The writing is lazy and insulting, the acting is so bad I wouldn't be a bit surprised if someone yelled out "line please" during a scene. Why do another take when the audience clearly doesn't care enough to demand better. So how can you get excited for the other nominees in Sheen's category when he stinks it up like five day old fish?

Alright, enough bashing let's look at some of the more promising developments. Huge Laurie was nominated for "House," making up for a ludicrous omission last year. Neil Patrick Harris grabbed a nomination for "How I Met Your Mother," very well deserved. "Ugly Betty" was nominated for best comedy and America Ferrera was nominated for her work in the title role. I personally think "Ugly Betty" should be in the drama category. Can anyone tell me what makes "Boston Legal" a drama and "Ugly Betty" a comedy? Just another reason to love the Emmys.

Let's wrap this up with a few quick hits:

• Nice touch that Masi Oka grabbed a nomination for "Heroes," he's the real heart of that show not the cheerleader.


• Bravo for Michael Emerson who plays the creepy Ben on "Lost."


• Sally Field was nominated for "Brothers And Sisters" -- oh please.


• Kiefer Sutherland inexplicably picked up another nod for "24."


• Tina Fey did a great job with "30 Rock," and wacky Alec Baldwin joins her on the Emmy list. Let's all voice mail our congratulations to his cell phone.

For a guy with a biblical name actor Isaiah Washington has sure made an unholy mess of his career. His now famous multi-use of an anti-gay slur cost him his job on ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" and, in my opinion, rightly so. Yeah, yeah he made the required mea culpas, but I've never been one for deathbed conversions. The whole point of "Grey's" is to be a hip, angsty, emo soap opera ... you can't have a cast member making knuckle dragging comments -- even off camera -- and maintain any kind of integrity. What really floors me about Washington is he works in show business, an industry that depends on the whole human palette to survive and prosper. A homophobe in show business is like a pacifist in the military.

Anyway, it appears old Isaiah is going to land on his feet. NBC has already signed him for a role in the remake of the "Bionic Woman" series this fall. In fact, word is Washington and NBC Universal Studios are talking about another action series as well. Yes, action Isaiah how manly. In fact, Lynn Elber of the Associated Press reports that NBC Entertainment cochairman Ben Silverman thinks picking up Washington is a steal. "It's like A-Rod leaving the Yankees in midseason," Silverman beams.

I'll let you insert your own A-Rod joke, but I think Silverman's take on Washington is way out of line. He's a competent actor. If you just knew him for his role on "Grey's" you'd probably think pretty highly of him. Life, however, is more than what we do, it's who we are. I've never thought the same of Woody Allen since the Soon-Yi Previn thing, and then there's Mel Gibson -- nuff said.

Everyone deserves a second chance and I'm not trying to say that Washington should be drummed out of the acting profession. He should get a shot at a second act. The standing ovation NBC is already giving him, though, is unearned and unseemly.

The Mike Stand gets a little r-and-r next week, but I'll send a blog or two during the break. The Friday before any vacation is like Christmas Eve for me. So much anticipation, and nothing to spoil the fantasy. But, hey time off is time off, a chance to slow everything down for a change. Here's a list of some of the stuff I'd like to get to.

Movies: Order of the Phoenix, Once, Sicko

Food: Fried clams, fried scallops (at Ronnies in Auburn of course). Farm stand fruits and veggies.

Activities: Hopper Exhibit at the MFA, Tennis (the fun, non-competitive kind), biking (the non-peloton kind), hammock time.

Beach: Popponesset in Mashpee

Beverages: Fresh beer, in a bottle from the bottom of an ice filled chest.

Music: Lots of iPod shuffling, need to get reacquainted with the back catalog.

Fondest Wish: Time alone with the FAR better half!

Hey, and while I'm gone ... don't work too hard!

I can be a bit of a homer when it comes to Boston artists ... but I do have my limits. I'll champion a local band or actor or writer when I feel it's justified, but deal some slammage when it's not. Let's bat around a few shall we.

Bands

• the Click Five. Ah, yes the precious power-poppers out of the Berklee College of Music. Gosh they're all just so darn cute with their bed-head hair and pouty lips -- and they write songs and play their own instruments and everything (is the sarcasm coming through?). Big deal. As they say in Texas, big hat no cattle. Stop posing, start playing.
• Buffalo Tom. The real deal. Deserving of a much wider audience. They're new CD "Three Easy Pieces" proves that a 9 year layoff from recording has not diminished their quality.
• Mission of Burma. Vital as ever. Alternative and indie before those words were ever connected to rock music. Proof that passion and experience can be a powerful mix.
• Aerosmith. Bloated and ludicrously overrated. Two decent albums, "Rocks" and "Toys in the Attic." The rest is corporate sludge.
• Boston. See Aerosmith! Okay, they had their moment, but their first two albums are all you need. Brad Delp's pipes were ones for the ages.

Actors

• Matt Damon. Still growing on me, but he seems to get better with age. Smart guy. Grounded. His ability to go from leading man to ensemble actor is impressive.
• Ben Affleck. A good natured goof. Man has he made some bad decisions, and delivered some god awful performances. Still, he seems determined to grow. Easy to make fun of, but hard to dislike.
• Steve Carell. This guy has so much potential, and clearly he's up for just about anything. It's his performance in "Little Miss Sunshine" that I like best though.
• John Krasinski. Cut him a wedge on "License to Wed." He's got a nice everyman vibe.

Authors

• Robert B. Parker. Nothing better than early "Spenser." Nothing worse than some of his current stuff. Are they paying him by the pound now?
• Dennis Lehane. Nice gritty style and he really understands Boston. "Mystic River" was great, but I think the best is yet to come.

Let me know what you think, and we'll do this again soon.

Boston got a visit from the four twitz who'll play the lead roles in "Bratz: The Movie" yesterday. The YMCA on Huntington Avenue let it's summer campers mingle with the mouthpieces of this mindless piece of cinema sludge. Yes, they talked about their "passion for fashion" with inner-city kids -- yeah, you can't make this stuff up! Seriously, who better to talk to kids who live in a city often gripped by spiraling violence than four materialistic dolts who portray characters as plastic as they are?!


The success of the "Bratz" doll line has to be one of the signs of the Apocolypse! They should be more accurately called "Slutz", but I guess that's a little too much truth in advertising. To see little kids walking around with these freakishly made up creatures is truly depressing -- even more depressing is when the kids are freakishly made up themselves! Still, it's the parents who deserve the biggest slam of all ... what the #*&% are you thinking! There is no excuse for this!


Speaking of bratz, Rachel Ray is pushing her undeserved celebrity way past the freshness date. She was running around New York City yesterday with some oversized Dunkin' Donuts iced coffee cups. I didn't mind her so much when she was just a bit player on The Food Network, but now her screeching and mugging antics are everywhere. I can't even buy a freakin' box of crackers without seeing her mug. Go away! Better yet, team up with the Bratz girls and jump into the Thelma and Louise Thunderbird!

Harry Potter has a bad case of wizard angst in "Order of the Phoenix." The 5th movie in the Harry Potter series arrives in theatres at Midnight -- not a bad time considering this edition is definitely not for the little ones. In fact the subtitle of this one could be "Harry Potter gets P.O'd." Adults are idiots, teens are cruel, and everybody's having a bad hair day. A bold step for the series as a whole, but not exactly the feel good movie of the summer.

I'm not going to try to sell you on the J.K. Rowling books or the movie, I'm here to do a little fanboy rave on Brad Neely's alternate take on the Potter universe call "Wizard People." It's a little hard to explain to the uninitiated, but it's basically an "audio book" that retells the first Potter story ("Sorcerer's Stone") in an hilarious, but ultimately complimentary way. Neely's over-the-top voice acting and wild flights of literary fancy are side-splittingly funny. You purchase the the CDs online (they're easy to find, but I'm not going to give you a quick link on this one -- you're on your own!) -- you then sync-up the audio while watching the "Harry Potter and Sorcerer's Stone" movie on TV.

It's all such a hoot when it comes together. Neely's narration feels like a warped edition of "A Prairie Home Companion." It's a lot like "Mystery Science Theatre 3000" too, but rather than just witty asides you get a whole new narrative.

So what's so funny? Well, even Neely's take on the character names are delightfully bent. Professor McGonagall is Professor Hardcastle McCormick. Dudley Dursley is Roast-Beefy O'Weefy. Voldemort is Val-mart. Ron Weasley is Ronnie the Bear. Hermione Granger is the Wretched Harmony. Hagrid is Hagar the Horrible. Draco Malfoy is Mouthoil. Snape becomes a woman named Snake! It goes on and on. Harry, you might be relieved to know is still Harry.

There's a pretty good helping of salty language involved, so I'd put the appropriate age level at 15-plus --- (if the f-bomb bothers you, 17-plus). Neely is so creative that I hope he can start producing original material that's equally good. You can give "Wizard People" a pretty good test drive on YouTube if you want to check it out. It's broken up, but you'll get the idea.

Let me know what you think, and if you really like it -- spread the word.

Two years ago this July, a fire all but destroyed the North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly. This summer the box office is on fire with the arrival of "High School Musical" -- the New England premiere of the Disney Channel juggernaut. First of all let me say I'm thrilled for the folks at NSMT -- "High School Musical" is going to do wonders for the bottom line. I'm also pumped for the teen cast members who are getting an unforgettable opportunity with a professional company. If only the show wasn't the musical equivalent of a Skittles and Mountain Dew dinner!

Yeah, yeah I'm a crank. I should be stoked that tweens, teens and their parents are flocking to a live theatre event. It's all good, clean fun right? Sure. Just like Foxwoods is an "entertainment resort" for dining,dancing and golf. "High School Musical" serves up cliché and stereotypes like oversized turkey legs at a ren-faire. There's no challenge here, it's recycled teen schlock that's been around since "Bye Bye Birdie." That doesn't mean it isn't fun to watch or sing along to, it just means it doesn't have any lasting value. It's a 4th of July sparkler, bright and brilliant one second -- an ashen pile the next.

So, am I saying, "don't take the kids to High School Musical?" Absolutely not -- take 'em, then head out to "The Olive Garden" for some genuine Italian cuisine afterward! (sorry, cheap shot there). No, seriously go -- but make sure you put some more challenging material on the plate in the future.

If you have older teens, take them to see "Spring Awakening" when it comes to Boston. The new production of "Sweeney Todd" will be at the Colonial Theatre in October -- that's an amazing show. Heck, "Wicked" will be back at the Opera House in September, and that show ain't half bad either.

Let "High School Musical" be the spark for some real artistic fire.

With the big screens mostly filled with summer cheese, and TV gummed up with game shows and reality crud, it's good to know that there are some promising coming attractions out there.
Wes Anderson's new movie "The Darjeeling Limited" will open the New York Film Festival in September -- the rest of us will have to wait for Christmas Day. To me it doesn't even matter what the plot is, I'd buy a ticket just knowing Anderson is at the helm. "Rushmore" was such an unexpected joy when it came out in 1998. I hadn't seen his debut, "Bottle Rocket", at the time so I was catching Anderson with fresh eyes. I laughed SO hard, tears of joy ran down my face -- my memories of high school blended with the film's. Jason Schwartzman and Bill Murray could not have been more perfect in their roles. Pure magic.

Anderson's "The Royal Tenenbaums", and "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou" may not have had the wire-to-wire brilliance of "Rushmore", but there's so much to love in those films too. Grab the Criterion series DVDs because they are all keepers.

On the TV side, the buzz is building for the ABC series "Pushing Daisies." The creator is Bryan Fuller who was also behind the short-lived -- criminally short-lived -- FOX series "Wonderfalls." Fuller's latest is a quirky drama about a man who can raise the dead simply by touching them -- and then send them right back to their maker by touching them again. ABC will run the series on Wednesday night's beginning this fall, and with "Lost" on the shelf until early 2008 that's very good news. Bill Carter has an excellent article on "Pushing Daisies" in today's New York Times -- check it out.

Couple other things to consider for the immediate future. New Repertory Theatre will present "Side by Side by Sondheim" beginning Saturday at the Arsenal Center for the Arts in Watertown. Great songs, and talented singers who can do them justice.

Also, 10,000 Maniacs at Lowell's Boardinghouse Park Saturday night. Actually, it's more like 9,999 Maniacs since Natalie Merchant is still AWOL. Still worth it though.

The 4th of July holiday is pretty much a do-it-yourself affair when it comes entertainment. I know a bazillion people will plop themselves down on the Esplanade tomorrow for the Pops concert and fireworks. I'd rather pick up road kill on the highway for 8 hours than do that! You can also watch it on TV -- but honestly is there anything more lame than watching fireworks on TV! If you must see Teeth Lockhart and John Mellenhead hit the free dress rehearsal tonight.

Newton's John Krasinski graduates from "The Office" to the big screen in "License to Wed" which opens just about everywhere today. Most reviews have been pretty brutal. A.O. Scott in The New York Times calls is the worst movie he's seen this year! Yikes. Too bad because I like Krasinski, and his co-star Mandy Moore is kind of goofy and sweet. You'd think Robin Williams as a manic Minister would be on solid comic ground, but apparently not.

The passing of Beverly Sills is a major loss for music lovers of any genre. She brought opera to the people with a smile and an embrace. R.I.P.

I'll be back on Thursday. Have a great 4th.