Daily Links: 1/29/10

- The first four minutes of Season 6 of Lost have leaked onto the internet!!!!!!!!

- Kurt Warner, one of the best quarterbacks of the last decade in the NFL, has retired.

- Singers Carrie Underwood and Jennifer Lopez, sports announcer Jim Nantz and New York Yankees player Nick Swisher all make guest appearances on How I Met Your Mother in coming weeks.

- For those of you interested, here's an update on the cast of 80's TV show Barney Miller.

- Jay Leno was on Oprah on Thursday. He said Conan destroyed The Tonight Show franchise with his low ratings, and that he lied when he said he would retire in 2009 during a 2004 broadcast.

- The trailer for Wall Street 2 has been released. Well worth watching!

- Grace's mom could be getting remarried already on The Secret Life of the American Teenager.

- Parks and Recreation has been renewed for a third season. To quote Kenan from Kenan and Kel, "WHY???"

- Jersey Shore will be back for a second season. My response is the same as the above.

- Melissa Joan Hart is returning to TV in a sitcom called "Melissa and Joey" with Joey Lawrence.

- Two WWE wrestlers, Chris Jericho and The Hurricane, were arrested for being publicly intoxicated at a gas station.

- Spike TV is launching a late night talk show. Why not? It's not like we have 300 already on there or anything.

- Jessica Simpson farted during a business meeting.

- The Jeff Dunham Show was canceled over critics feeling his puppet's were racist.

- Just a reminder that Strikeforce returns tomorrow night, January 30th, with the debuts of former Heisman Trophy winner Herschel Walker and Bobby Lashley and Welterweight and Women's Title fights.

Daily Links: 1/25/10

Here's your daily TV news/rumors for January 25, 2010:

- NBC may have already canceled David Tennant's upcoming show.
- Avatar is the highest-grossing film of all-time.
- Joanna Garcia of Privileged and Reba fame is returning to TV with a new sitcom.
- One of the best women's wrestlers in the world, Awesome Kong, has parted ways with TNA.
- Last night's Vikings vs. Saints game was the second most-watched NFC Championship game ever.
- Despite already being renewed for a second season, Spartacus: Blood and Sand was not a ratings success in its debut on Friday.
- How I Met Your Mother will probably air for eight seasons.
- The cast of Jersey Shore is holding out for more money. We can only hold out hope that the show gets canceled.
- Puff Daddy's son got a $365,000 car for his 16th birthday. You know what I got? A draft summons.
- Back in 1985 every major singer at the time appeared on a song called "We are the World" to raise awareness about Africa. They're doing a similar thing for Haiti. The 1985 song had Michael Jackson, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen and Ray Charles. This one has Miley Cyrus and Susan Boyle.
- Gary Coleman has posted bail and is now out jail. I don't get it, couldn't he just squeeze between the bars?
- Footage of Season 6 of Lost! OMG OMFG xoxoxoxoxo!!!
- Just a reminder that Damages returns tonight on FX at 10 PM.

Tooth Fairy Review

Tooth Fairy (Fairly Spoiler Free)
Release Date: January 22, 2010
Starring: Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson
Ashley Judd
Julie Andrews
Stephen Merchant
Ryan Sheckler
Billy Crystal
Seth MacFarlane
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Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson left behind the life of professional wrestling in 2004 for a career in the movies. Many have tried before in the past (Stone Cold Steve Austin, Mick Foley, Roddy Piper, Hulk Hogan) and two are currently doing so in John Cena and Ted DiBiase, but none of them have had the success The Rock has had.

After 2008's The Game Plan, Disney has found their new go-to guy for feel good children's comedies, but unlike that film, Tooth Fairy actually has some appeal to adults. I am 20 years old and was laughing thoroughly out, not just at the charismatic Johnson, but at comedy legends like Stephen Merchant (Extras) and Billy Crystal (Soap, When Harry Met Sally, SNL) as well. Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane also has a short, but humorous cameo.

The film's plot is definitely flawed, but for a sports enthusiast like myself, there is a degree of realism to the story. A former big-time NHL player, Derek Thompson, suffered a shoulder injury that forced him into the minor leagues, and he would never make it back. He has a girlfriend with two children, one of whom he connects with, the other he combats before the two help bring out the best in each other. Without spoiling it for you, there is a happy ending here that comes off as more corny and cliched than worthy of the prior 80 minutes, but I won't knock the film too much for it.

It is hard for me to argue that The Rock does not carry the film, but that is to be expected when you watch one of his movies. Though Stephen Merchant excels as Tracy, Derek's guide in the film, whose banter with him is on par with Merchant's great work on Extras with Ricky Gervais. If you are not a fan of his brand of humor, which is virtually the same whether it's during a promo on The Undertaker or talking to a little girl, then this movie will be torture for you, but if you laugh at his antics then this is another hit for you.

I am by no means going to say this is an Oscar candidate, but if you're looking for a film that's fun for all ages, I'd recommend checking this out. Not American Pie-funny, but clearly superior to The Game Plan.

Daily Links: 1/20/10

- You can get a free trial of NBA League Pass on TV or the internet until 1/24. Be sure to check it out.

- The CW's new show Life Unexpected drew good ratings. That was unexpected.

- Accidentally on Purpose did well also. There's a chance the show might get renewed.

- A Martin Luther King Jr. movie is coming.

- FOX is making an American version of UK series Torchwood.

- There was a story going around that Reggie Bush would propose to Kim Kardashian if the New Orleans Saints won the Super Bowl. This is not true. Oh, and still no update on Osama bin Laden's whereabouts.

- A new website, conanonfox.com, has been registered but FOX claims they had nothing to do with it. Hmmm..

- African-American Arizona Cardinals wide-receiver Larry Fitzgerald has been receiving speeding tickets. The only thing is, cameras at the scene show white people driving his car.

- Jennifer Aniston and Gerard Butler are officially dating. Still no word on Osama, or whether or not he has love in his life.

- Conan O'Brien has been offered roles on Sons of Anarchy and in a porno movie.

- AskMen just released their Top 99 women list. Your top six: Beyonce, Jessica Alba, Alessandra Ambrosio, Kate Beckinsale, Marisa Miller, Emmanuelle Chriqui. That's not drool coming out of my mouth, that's um....

- The trailer for SNL movie MacGruber is out. Worth watching.

- Jennifer Morrison (Cameron) will return to House, for at least one episode.

- Taylor Swift and John Mayer are dating, and probably writing some bad music together.

- Jennifer Lopez will play a cafeteria lady on Glee.

The Best of PRIDE Fighting Championships on Spike TV: First Two Episode Cards

A lot of hype around Spike TV's new PRIDE highlight show set to premiere on Friday January 15th at 10 PM. Here are the cards for the first two episodes:

Episode 1:
Wanderlei Silva vs. Quinton Jackson
Carlos Newton vs. Anderson Silva
Chuck Liddell vs. Alistair Overeem
Mauricio Rua vs. Kevin Randleman

Episode 2:
Jens Pulver vs. Hayato Sakurai
Wanderlei Silva vs. Shungo Oyama
Plus Mirko Cro Cop and Don Frye.

Roger Huerta to Fight for Strikeforce

Roger Huerta, who recently lost to Gray Maynard, will fight for Strikeforce in 2010. No opponent is named.

UFC News: Kimbo Slice's Next Opponent

Kimbo Slice, who recently defeated Houston Alexander, may face Antoni Hardonk in his next bout. Slice is currently debating remaining at heavyweight and dropping to light heavyweight, but after a brutal cut, which was only to 215, the former seems to be the likely scenario.

The fight would likely take place on the March 21, 2010 UFC Fight Night on Versus card.

Ken Shamrock's Return Fight Announced

UFC Legend and all around Rocky Balboa, minus the comeback part of fights, Ken Shamrock, will return to the MMA circuit to face Seth Petruzelli. Petruzelli came into fame by defeating Kimbo Slice in 14 seconds at EliteXC's last show.

The fight takes place under the International Ultimate Fighting banner on March 6.

Daily Links: 1/4/10

- TV Land is creating a new sitcom starring George Segal (Just Shoot Me), Jessica Walter (Arrested Development, 90210) and Casey Wilson (SNL).

- HBO is also creating a show starring Luke Wilson. Should be good, but man his career has fallen fast, huh?

- Cablevision has dropped Food Network and HGTV from its lineup. My mom is genuinely pissed over this.

- Two NBA players on the same team drew guns on each other over a poker debt dispute. I don't know why they're mad at each other, Tiger Woods is the one sleeping with both of their girlfriends.

- Some gay guy on True Blood is getting a boyfriend. I don't watch the show so I couldn't care less.

- Hayden Panettiere is dating Heavyweight boxing Champion Vladimir Klitschko. There is a huge discrepancy in height between the two as he is 6'6" and she isn't tall enough to go on anything at Six Flags.

- Kim Raver has joined the cast of Grey's Anatomy full time.

- Eminem, Katy Perry and Blink 182 top the list of the most anticipated CDs of 2010, which begs the question: who was surveyed and do they enjoy terrible music?

- There is a lot of buzz about Apple's new computer called "tablet".

- ABC has its best ratings of the year for a Sunday yesterday.

- The first round of the NFL playoffs begins on Sunday. Games include: Baltimore Ravens vs. New England Patriots, New York Jets vs. Cincinnati Bengals, Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers vs. Arizona Cardinals.

- Just a reminder that The Secret Life of the American Teenager returns tonight.

UFC News: Gomi's First Opponent, Future Of Paul Daley

- There is talk of Takanori Gomi facing Kenny Florian in the Japanese lightweight's UFC debut. Clay Guida, Sean Sherk and Frankie Edgar are other possibilities.

- As first reported on U News, a Paul Daley/Josh Koscheck fight is all but confirmed for the future.

- Thiago Silva, who suffered his second UFC loss to Rashad Evans last night, may face Forrest Griffin during his next trip to the cage.

Spartacus: Blood and Sand TV Review

We here at U News are proud to present the first review of the new Starz series Spartacus: Blood and Sand.

When: January 22, 2010 10:00 PM Starz
Who: Andy Whitfield as Spartacus
Lucy Lawless as Lucretia
John Hannah as Batiatus
Peter Mensah as Doctore
Manu Bennett as Crixus
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The Tudors, you are not. The latest series from Starz, Spartacus: Blood and Sand, is high on blood and gore, but low on historical basis, reasonable plots and just entertainment in general. The show is a decent counterpart to the current lineup the pay cabler boasts (Party Down, Crash, Head Cases) but Starz is clearly not on the level of HBO or Showtime and this will not be their golden ticket toward reaching that plateau.

If you feel the need to watch that, I would advise you not to do so after eating lunch as this is one of the goriest shows you will ever seen. Even Jason Vorhees would cringe at the amount of blood on Spartacus: Blood and Sand. For the action freak, for the twentysomething male with the maturity level of a desk lamp, this show will appeal to them as I do not think there was a minute without a sword being drawn. For those who want more from a television series, those with high IQs and those who laud well-done story arcs, this may not be your show.

Every series can be traced and compared to something else and there is a bit of The Tudors in Spartacus. There is the corrupt leader, the good-intentioned sidekick and the peasant who becomes a martyr whether that is their intention or not; but the comparisons end there.

Creator Sam Raimi has the Spiderman movies and Xena: Warrior Princess to his credit, but he failed to cast anybody noteworthy or really all that talented in this show. Andy Whitfield plays the title character, but he is a relative unknown with very little experience stateside. An unknown is not necessarily the wrong way to go for the role, but Whitfield fails to achieve the desired quintessential hero admiration that is certain for this part.

You should watch Spartacus: Blood and Sand if you are fan of special effects. You will be blown away by them; they are that good. You should not watch Spartacus: Blood and Sand if you like programs like Damages and Fringe and want strong acting, directing and writing.

UFC News: Next Challenger For Welterweight Title

- The winner of the Jon Fitch vs. Thiago Alves bout at UFC 111 will receive the next title shot against the Georges St. Pierre/Dan Hardy winner at the same event.

- Josh Koscheck, who was recently forced to pull out of UFC 109, may face the winner of tonight's Dustin Hazelett/Paul Daley fight in March.

Strikeforce News: Lashley, Gegard, Fedor, Carano

- Bobby Lashley may compete on the Strikeforce CBS card in April, although this is contingent on an impressive win at Strikeforce: Miami.

- Speaking of the second CBS show, the tentative date is April 17th.

- Dan Henderson vs. Jake Shields is in the works for the show as well, but nothing has been signed yet.

- Despite reports and urging from Muhammad Lawal, he will not be facing Gegard Mousasi on the show.

- Gina Carano is planning a return in the early summer, most likely on a third CBS show.

Gomi, Sylvia and Arlovski Have Found Homes

- Tim Sylvia and Andrei Arvloski will compete for DREAM in the first quarter of 2010.

- Takanori Gomi has signed with Ultimate Fighting Championship and will likely debut in April. Expect Gomi to be featured heavily during Spike TV's upcoming series, "The Best of PRIDE Fighting Championships."