Already halfway through the work week, and that much closer to Father’s Day! Just a reminder if your looking for gift ideas for Dad check out the Cayuga Marketplace on our homepage.

Speaking of Dad, who would you vote as America’s favorite TV dad? According to a new Harris Poll, Dr. Cliff Huxtable of The Cosby Show tops the list. The ’80s sitcom character’s blend of humor, patience, discipline, and multi-colored sweaters have once again proven that Bill Cosby struck all the right chords.

2. Ward Cleaver of ’50s show Leave it To Beaver
3. Jim Anderson of another ’50s TV favorite, Father Knows Best
4. Opie’s dad, Andy Taylor of ’60s comedy The Andy Griffith Show
5. David and Ricky’s dad, Ozzie Nelson of ’50s family staple The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
6. Mike Brady, The Brady Bunch
7. Tom Cunningham, Happy Days
8. Charles Ingalls, Little House On The Prairie
9. Ben Cartwright, Bonanza
10. Tim Taylor, Home Improvement
11. Danny Tanner of Full House
12. Archie Bunker of All in the Family
13. Steve Douglas of My Three Sons
14. (tie) Homer Simpson of The Simpsons and Al Bundy of Married with Children

MERCYME PLANS TO HIT THE STUDIO THIS SUMMER

MercyMe plans to hit the studio this summer to begin work on a new studio album, but to tide fans over until then, they recently came out with a new best-of collection called 10. The set features the band’s singles and also marks ten years since the release of MercyMe’s “I Can Only Imagine,” a song written by frontman Bart Millard about his father’s early death. They’ll be out on the road promoting the new best-of album this summer.

No Doubt had the right idea deciding to hit the road before making a new album. The band is already feeling inspired and plans to hit the studio this fall to record new music. The new set will likely be out next year. No Doubt is currently on its first tour in five years.

AUTOVANTAGE “DRIVER’S ROAD RAGE SURVEY:

Least Courteous Cities (Worst Road Rage) for 2009:

1. New York, New York
2. Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas
3. Detroit, Michigan
4. Atlanta, Georgia
5. Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota

Most Courteous Cities (Least Road Rage) for 2009:

1. Portland, Oregon
2. Cleveland, Ohio
3. Baltimore, Maryland
4. Sacramento, California
5. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Movie Clip Trivia Answer: Red Planet

It’s a new release Tuesday! Here’s what’s new to DVD:

Movies
1. Friday the 13th (Extended Killer Cut)-Jared Padalecki, Amanda Righetti
2. Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes to Jail-Keshia Knight Pulliam

TV on DVD
1. Burn Notice: Season 2
2. Family Guy: Vol. 7
3. Everwood: Season 2
4. Saving Grace: Season 2
5. The Secret Life of the American Teenager: Season 2

Musically

Critics are giving the Jonas Brothers’ fourth album, which comes out today, mixed reviews. While the Associated Press says that Lines, Vines and Trying Times gives the pop sensation some musical credibility, the Chicago Tribune thinks that the instrumental attempts to mature their sound actually “bog things down.” “Turn Right” and “Black Keys” — the latter written solely by 16-year-old Nick Jonas — got the best reception from the AP, but both that source and the Tribune call the brothers’ collaboration with Common on “Don’t Charge me for the Crime” the worst track on the disc. According to the reviews, “Paranoid,” “Much Better,” and “Hey Baby” are the other standout tracks on the album, and the country-sounding “What Did I Do to Your Heart” is listed as a miss.

Also American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert is already in the recording studio working on his debut album. According to the Los Angeles Times, Lambert spent about 5 hours in the studio with hit making producer RedOne who is responsible for Lady Gaga’s two biggest hits, “Just Dance” and “Poker Face.” RedOne told the paper of his plans for Lambert, “I want to go rock — David Bowie and Queen, but make it more easy for people to get, It has to be rock, but with an interesting dance angle to it, you know? You’ll like it.”

DOING CHORES CAN HELP YOU KEEP IN SHAPE

No-one likes doing chores, but it might help make them a little more bearable to think about how getting them done can help keep you in shape. Yahoo! Health says that in order to make your chores intense enough to count as exercise, the keys are to do them at a faster pace or intensity, and to try to sustain the activity for a long as comfortably possible without resting. Yahoo! Health lists what it says are the top 10 chores for burning calories (Estimates based on a 150-pound person doing 30 minutes of activity):

1. Moving furniture, 225 calories
2. Scrubbing floors, 189 calories
3. Raking leaves, 171 calories
4. Gardening, 162 calories,
5. Mowing the lawn, 162 calories
6. Washing the car, 153 calories
7. Cleaning windows, 153 calories
8. Vacuuming, 84 calories
9. Washing dishes, 76 calories
10. Doing laundry, 72 calories

PONTIAC, HUMMER BRANDS CAR CONSUMERS WANT GM TO SAVE

Of the General Motors brands slated to be sold, Pontiac is the brand more automotive consumers would like to see saved. According to a CarGurus poll, 44-percent picked the maker of classic muscle cars such as the GTO and the Firebird as the brand they want to see survive elimination. Hummer lands in a distant second place as the choice of 27-percent of the respondents. Saab follows in third place with 20-percent hoping that line is salvaged. Only nine-percent want to see Saturn remain viable. CarGurus CEO Langley Steinert says the popularity of Pontiac isn’t surprising, given its “trailblazing heritage.” But he does find the other results surprising. Noting that Saturn has one of the top 50 selling cars while the best-selling Hummer model ranks lower than 150, Steinert adds that he, quote, “would have expected Saturn to be the other brand consumers wanted to see survive GM’s reorganization.”

Movie Clip Trivia Answer: End Of Days

Welcome back! What an amazing weekend! I had a chance to try out tandem kayaking Saturday afternoon on Cayuga lake with my wife. All went well until the last 15 minutes when we got caught in a downpour and got soaking wet, but it was a lot of fun. I think we both now have a new hobby. Sunday we went strawberry picking in Freeville. MMMM fresh strawberries are so good. We’ll be eating them for a while as we’ve now got buckets full.

Here’s how things played out in the box office this weekend for those who went and saw a new movie:

1. The Hangover, $33.4 million
2. Up, $30.5 million
3. The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3, $25 million
4. Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, $9.6 million
5. Land of the Lost, $9.2 million
6. Imagine That, $5.7 million
7. Star Trek, $5.6 million
8. Terminator Salvation, $4.7 million
9. Angels & Demons, $4.2 million
10. Drag Me to Hell, $3.9 million

AMERICANS WANT ACTION ON HEALTH CARE ISSUES

A majority of Americans support an overhauling of the U.S. health care system. A new PollingReport.com survey shows 62-percent of respondents are in favor of the president and Congress taking action on the issue. Of those who want to see the government make changes, more than 90-percent believe it’s something that needs to be addressed this year. Regarding the approach, controlling costs trumps expanding coverage for those without health insurance. Nearly half of respondents believe medical expenses need to be dealt with, while 35-percent want to see coverage expanded for the uninsured. But the poll indicates over 60-percent of voters would be more inclined to vote for a candidate who supported legislation addressing the issue from either angle. However, respondents don’t want to see those who have health insurance picking up the tab. Nearly 70-percent are against the idea of taxing company-provided employee health care benefits.

Movie Clip Trivia Answer: War of the Worlds

Happy Friday, and saying Happy Birthday to my mom today! For those looking to see a new movie tonight here’s what’s out:

THE TAKING OF PELHAM 1 2 3 (R)

In The Taking Of Pelham 1 2 3, Denzel Washington stars as New York City subway dispatcher Walter Garber, whose ordinary day is thrown into chaos by an audacious crime: the hijacking of a subway train. John Travolta stars as Ryder, the criminal mastermind who, as leader of a highly-armed gang of four, threatens to execute the train’s passengers unless a large ransom is paid within one hour. As the tension mounts beneath his feet, Garber employs his vast knowledge of the subway system in a battle to outwit Ryder and save the hostages. But there’s one riddle Garber can’t solve: even if the thieves get the money, how can they possibly escape?

IMAGINE THAT (PG)

Eddie Murphy stars as a successful financial executive who has more time for his Blackberry than his seven-year-old daughter (Yara Shahidi). When he has a crisis of confidence and his career starts going down the drain, however, he finds the solution to all his problems in his daughter’s imaginary world.

EXCITEMENT GROWING FOR “TRANSFORMERS” SEQUEL

In other movie news,”Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” is poised for a big opening. Fandango.com says the movie presently accounts for 21-percent of its ticket sales, and it’s still nearly two weeks away from hitting the big screen. According to a Fandango poll actress Megan Fox is a big draw, with 81-percent of respondents eager to see her performance in the flick. Just over three-quarters of those intending to see the film note they’re fans of “Transformers” director Michael Bay. Most moviegoers are particular interested in the IMAX version, with 72-percent saying the IMAX presentation, quote, “will be an important part” of the experience. The film’s biggest audience appears to be young adult males. Just over 70-percent of those responding to the poll are between the ages of 18 and 34, and 68-percent are men. “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” will open in theaters on June 24th.

CELEBRITY DADS — WHO DO YOU WANT TO SEE IN UNDERWEAR?

Brad Pitt’s topping a new list — of the celebrity dads most Americans would like to see in their skivvies. Jockey International conducted the survey, in honor of Father’s Day and the 75th anniversary of the invention of the Brief. Of the one-thousand people polled, 29-percent picked Angelina Jolie’s man. New dad Matthew McConaughey, whose son Levi will also be one next month, captured 24-percent of the vote to take second place. Nearly 20-percent of respondents want to see “Wolverine” star and father of two Hugh Jackman in his underwear, while dad Will Smith, who has a daughter and two sons, is the choice of 16-percent. President Barack Obama gets the nod from 13-percent to round out the top five.

Regarding the president, folks are also weighing in on the boxers-or-briefs question. Most respondents believe Obama is a boxer man, with 42-percent speculating this is his preference in undergarments.

Movie Clip Trivia Answer: You, Me and Dupree

I’m so happy it’s Thursday! Just one more day til the weekend party begins. I think my wife and I may try tandem Kayaking on Saturday. I’ve been in a rowboat and canoe before, but never a Kayak and definitely never a tandem Kayak so we’ll see how it goes!

DAVE MATTHEWS BAND TAKES THE NUMBER ONE ALBUM SLOT

Things are going very well for the Dave Matthews Band as their new album, Big Whiskey And The GrooGrux King, debuted at Number One this week with 424,089 copies sold. The set also topped this week’s Digital Albums Chart, the Rock Albums Chart and the Alternative Albums Chart. It also marks the group’s fifth consecutive studio release to enter The Billboard 200 at Number One. That makes Dave Matthews Band and Metallica the only two groups in history to have five consecutive studio albums debut in the top slot. Big Whiskey And The GrooGrux King has been getting great reviews, with Billboard calling it the group’s best effort yet. Dave Matthews Band is on tour this summer and will also headline the Austin City Limits Festival on October 3rd. The group will perform on the season premiere of Austin City Limits, airing the same day.

CAT CAFES ALL THE RAGE IN JAPAN

There’s a new trend in Japan: cat cafes. Tokyo residents can sit around, sip a coffee — and rent a cat for ten dollars an hour. The magazine reports that with Japan’s economy in deep recession, cuddles are in demand with customers ranging from schoolgirls to engineers. Clients receive a “menu” of the felines available for petting, while balls of wool and plastic mice are complimentary.

TOUGH JOB MARKET SPARKS CREATIVE APPLICATION TACTICS

What would you do to get noticed by a prospective employer? A new survey by CareerBuilder shows that a growing number of job seekers are becoming more creative in an effort to make an impression. Just under 20-percent of hiring managers say they’ve encountered some unusual application tactics, which is a six-percent increase over last year. Examples include one candidate who sent a shoe with a resume to, quote, “get my foot in the door,” while another staged a sit-in in the lobby to get a meeting with a director. Other unique attempts to stand out have included a candidate sending a resume wrapped as a present, saying his skills were a, quote, “gift to the company;” a candidate handing out resumes at stoplights; and a candidate handing out personalized coffee cups. One applicant sent a cake designed as a business card bearing their likeness, while another went to the same barber as the Chairman of the Board and had the barber speak on his behalf.

Movie Clip Trivia Answer: I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry

It’s Hump Day! Another work week just flying by….at least for me.

COLBIE CAILLAT TALKS NEW ALBUM

Colbie Caillat has plans to release her sophomore album, Breakthrough, in August. She recently caught up with Hollywood.TV to talk about the set, saying the album is about “breaking through your own self-doubt and fears and insecurities, and growing up as a person, as a woman, going through situations in life and learning from them.” The first single, called “Falling For You,” will be out this month. When asked if she’d like to ever act one day, Caillat said, “They keep asking. I never had a desire to. I’m going to try to break out of my comfort zone, my shell. And I’m going to think about it.” She recently recorded a version of the Beatles’ “Here Comes The Sun” for the soundtrack to the new film, Imagine That, starring Eddie Murphy, and also appears on Taylor Swift’s latest album, Fearless.

TBS, “MY NAME IS EARL” IN TALKS FOR NEW EPISODES

New episodes of the comedy “My Name Is Earl” could possibly be on the horizon. TBS has engaged in preliminary talks that could result in 13 new episodes of the show, despite its recent cancellation. But even if TBS decides to pick up the series, it is not certain that the show will go on. TBS will not be able to provide the budget that NBC could, and it is not known if the cast will return for a lower-budget production.

In other TV news Mark-Paul Gosselaar sparked hope for a Saved by the Bell reunion after appearing on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon in character as his alter ego on the show, Zack Morris. At Fallon’s suggestion, he committed to a “class” reunion, because he’d “love to see the old gang again.” He pretended to call the character, Jessie Spano, on his early model cell phone, and told Fallon she also agreed to a reunion.

SCHEDULE CHANGES THE MOST DESIRED SUMMER OFFICE PERKS

What’s the one perk you’d like your boss to offer you this summer? According to an OfficeTeam survey, having a flexible schedule is the most desired benefit, with 38-percent wishing they had some wiggle room in their work hours. A close second is the option to leave early on Friday, which is the perk of choice for 32-percent of office employees. Company-sponsored activities, such as a potluck or a picnic, would be welcomed by six-percent, while five-percent prefer a more relaxed dress code during the summer months. More than 450 office workers over the age of 17 took part in the poll.

Movie Clip Trivia Answer: Wedding Crashers

It’s back to work for me after a nice long weekend with family visiting from out of town. We did some hiking, drank some wine, and visited Niagra Falls State Park yesterday. It was spectacular! I’ve been to see the falls on the Canadian side before but never the American side, and I have to say I actually liked it much better. We took a ride on the Maid of the Mist, got drenched at the Cave of the Winds and took the trolley around to the rapid sites and three Sister’s Island’s. Quite the experience and really makes a great day trip if your looking for something fun and new to explore!

Speaking of NEW, it’s a new release Tuesday. Here’s what’s out on DVD:

Movies
1. Gran Torino-Clint Eastwood
2. Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace and Music Director’s Cut (40th Anniversary Edition)
3. The International-Clive Owen and Naomi Watts
4. Crossing Over-Harrison Ford, Sean Penn, Ashley Judd, Ray Liotta
5. Fired Up (Unrated Edition): Eric Christian Olsen, Molly Sims
6. Nobel Son-Ted Danson, Danny DeVito, Eliza Dushku

TV on DVD
1. The Shield: Season 7, The Final Act
2. Perry Mason: Season 4, Vol. 1
3. Reaper: Season 2
4. Get Smart: Season 3
5. Survivorman: Season 3
6. The Cleaner: Season 1

‘CELL PHONE ELBOW’ NOW A COMMON INJURY

According to the New York Daily News, doctors say ‘cell phone elbow’ is popping up more frequently. The condition occurs when the elbow is bent for a long time, which is what happens during increasingly long conversations. “Every time you bend your elbow you stretch that nerve, and nerves don’t like getting pulled or compressed. When you bend it for a long time, it can give you irritation.” The condition is more prevalent in women.

HOW BRIDES AND BRIDESMAIDS’ THOUGHT PROCESSES DIFFERS (This comes from Brides.com)

• More brides-to-be (88 percent) were concerned about super-pricey bridesmaids’ dresses than bridesmaids (55 percent).
• 62 percent of bridesmaids wouldn’t go on a wedding reality show, while only 37 percent of brides say “no way.”
• The Bachelorette Party: Both brides and bridesmaids eschewed travel in favor of staying in the bride’s hometown for the bachelorette party.
• Celebrity Bridesmaid: Trumping Jennifer Aniston, Angelina Jolie, Tina Fey and other female celebs, Reese Witherspoon was the ideal celebrity bridesmaid among brides-to-be and maids alike.
• Fantasy Celebrity Wedding: Brides would most like to replicate Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony’s backyard ceremony, while bridesmaids preferred Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck’s beach nuptials.
• 1 in 5 bridesmaids think the bride-to-be’s “bridezilla” tendencies are ultimately going to tarnish their bond post-nuptials compared to almost 95 percent of brides who thought that their relationship would be the same or stronger.

Movie Clip Trivia Answer: My Best Friend’s Wedding

Happy Friday!! Here’s what’s new to theaters this weekend:

LAND OF THE LOST (PG-13)

Will Ferrell stars as has-been scientist Dr. Rick Marshall in the sci-fi comedy Land of the Lost. After Marshall invents a time machine that takes him on a journey through space-time, he finds himself in an alternate universe full of marauding dinosaurs and fantastic creatures from beyond our world. Without weapons and survival skills, Marshall and his team have to fend for themselves in a place unlike any they’ve known before.

AWAY WE GO

Saturday Night Live’s Maya Rudolph and The Office’s John Krasinski star in the comedy Away We Go. They play a young couple traveling across the United States in search of the perfect place to raise their family. The film also stars Allison Janney, Catherine O’Hara, Jeff Daniels and Maggie Gyllenhaal. Academy Award winner Sam Mendes directs.

THE HANGOVER (R)

In The Hangover, three friends go to Las Vegas for their buddy’s bachelor party, but when they wake up the following morning none of them can remember what happened the night before. All they know is that their hotel suite is trashed, they’ve somehow acquired a live chicken and a baby, and the groom has disappeared. The comedy stars Justin Bartha as the groom Doug, Zach Galifianakis as his soon-to-be brother-in-law Alan), and Bradley Cooper and Ed Helms as Doug’s best friends, Alan and Phil. Heather Graham also stars as a stripper.

MY LIFE IN RUINS (PG-13)

In the new romantic comedy My Life In Ruins, Nia Vardalos plays Georgia, a Greek-American tour guide leading a group of misfit tourist around Greece. Georgia can’t stand that the tourists would rather buy a t-shirt than learn about history or culture. Everything seems to go wrong, until one day an older traveler played by Richard Dreyfuss, shows Georgia how to have fun, and gets her to take a good look at the last person she would ever expect to find love with: her Greek bus driver.

HABITS YOU PICK UP FROM A SIGNIFICANT OTHER (Tres Sugar)

Musical tastes: Your iPod might suddenly be filled with ambient music from bands you never heard of thanks to a new crush. The more people they date, the better their libraries.
Reading lists: If you hook up with a nonfiction buff, you might check out the latest releases so you can have your own book club for two.
Vocabulary: I definitely heard my friend’s boyfriend say, “Whatevs!” more than once, after they started spending a lot of time together.
Style: We’ve all seen those shapeshifting couples who slowly begin to dress alike.
TV watching habits: I know some men that blame their girlfriends for a newfound Real Housewives of New York obsession. And if your partner likes sports, you might actually find yourself rooting for the favorite team, too.
Food: If your partner cooks, you might learn to appreciate foods you previously hated.

Movie Clip Trivia Answer:

A beautiful Thursday out there today! It’s so hard been indoors looking out at it. I just want to lay out and soak up some sun. Thankfully the sun should be sticking around for this weekend!

We’ll parents of teens and pre-teens check this out:

MILEY CYRUS ANNOUNCES TOUR, CLOTHING LINE

Miley Cyrus is coming to a town — and store — near you. She’ll be launching a North American tour in the fall as well as designing a clothing line with Max Azria to be sold exclusively at Wal-Mart. The line, which goes on sale in August, includes tops, pants, graphic tees, shoes and accessories, all of which will be priced below $20. Cyrus’s brother Trace and his band Metro Station will open for her on the road. Tickets for Cyrus’s concerts go on sale to the public beginning on June 13th.

Closest Dates:
November 4 - Philadelphia, PA - Wachovia Center
November 15 - Cleveland, OH - Quickens Loan Arena
November 18 - Long Island, NY - Nassau Coliseum
November 19 - Long Island, NY - Nassau Coliseum

ANGELINA JOLIE TOPS “FORBES’” 2009 CELEBRITY 100 LIST

Oprah Winfrey won’t get a three-peat on “Forbes’” Celebrity 100 list, thanks to Angelina Jolie. The actress tops the 2009 edition of the magazine’s power rankings. While Jolie earned just 27-million-dollars, compared to Oprah’s 275-million, Jolie’s high media visibility made up for it. Between June 2008 and June 2009, Jolie had three movies hit the box office — “Kung Fu Panda,” “Wanted” and “Changeling.” Oprah came in at number two after two years of topping the list. Pop stars also made their mark, with Madonna’s 110-million-dollar income and a tour helping her take third place, while Beyonce’s 87-million landed her in fourth place. Rounding out the top five is Tiger Woods. “Forbes” magazine ranks the celebrities based on pre-tax income, as well as exposure on the Internet, TV, radio and print.

MEN AND WOMEN DIFFER ON IDEAL OLDER/YOUNGER CELEB PAIRING

It seems men and women have a different idea of what would make the perfect older male/younger female celebrity pairing. In a recent poll conducted by the websites Date.com, Matchmaker.com and Amor.com, both sexes gave varying answers on the matter. The women leaned towards actor Jack Nicholson and reality star Kim Kardashian, with nearly 42-percent choosing that option. But actor Mickey Rourke and heiress Paris Hilton topped the men’s list, garnering 25-percent of the vote.
 
Here Are The Complete Results Of The Ultimate Older Celeb/Younger Starlet Couple Poll:

MEN

1. Mickey Rourke and Paris Hilton (25-percent)
2. Jack Nicholson and Kim Kardashian (21-point-nine-percent)
3. George Hamilton and Lindsay Lohan (18-point-eight-percent)
4. Tom Jones and Miley Cyrus (12-point-five-percent)
5. George Clooney and Megan Fox (Nine-point-four-percent)
6. Robin Williams and Leighton Meester (Seven-point-eight-percent)
7. Samuel L. Jackson and Camilla Belle (Six-point-three-percent)

WOMEN

1. Jack Nicholson and Kim Kardashian (41-point-seven-percent)
2. George Hamilton and Lindsay Lohan (25-percent)
3. Mickey Rourke and Paris Hilton (20-point-eight-percent)
4. George Clooney and Megan Fox (16-point-seven-percent)
5. Robin Williams and Leighton Meester (12-point-five-percent)
6. Tom Jones and Miley Cyrus (Eight-point-three-percent)
7. Samuel L. Jackson and Camilla Belle (Four-point-two-percent)

Movie Clip Trivia Answer: V For Vendetta

It’s hump day! Halfway through another work week and finding some more new album news today!

DAVID GRAY TO RETURN WITH NEW ALBUM IN SEPTEMBER

David Gray will return with his first new album in four years on September 22nd, called Draw The Line. There will be guest appearances by Annie Lennox and Brooklyn based singer-songwriter Jolie Holland. Right now Gray has 11 songs slated for the album, though one extra song could be added to the track list. He’s really proud of the new material, explaining, “Every little tiny detail, I feel strong about it all. I feel completely bulletproof with this. I think it shines the light on facets of me as a performer, a writer and a singer that I haven’t perhaps illuminated as brightly enough for a long time.” Look for David Gray out on the road this fall.

In other album news, Mariah Carey has leaked the title of her upcoming CD. It’ll be called Memoirs Of An Imperfect Angel, and will reportedly be a collection of relatable stories that Carey says are “for everybody but in a lot of ways are very (related to the) woman empowerment movement,” That album also expected out this September.

‘AMERICAN IDOL’ AUDITIONS ANNOUNCED!!

Although a new winner has just been crowned, it’s already time to start looking for the next American Idol. The audition process for season nine will kick off on June 12th in Boston. The crew will spend 3 days in each city. The first two are for registration and actual auditioning will take place on the third day:

June 12th -14th — Boston, MA, Gillette Stadium
June 16th-18th — Atlanta, Georgia Dome
June 28th-30th — Los Angeles, Rose Bowl
July 7th-9th — Orlando, Fla., Amway Arena
July 12th-14th Denver, Colo., INVESCO Field
Chicago and Dallas: TBD

CHECK IT OUT: For complete audition info, go to: http://www.americanidol.com/auditions/

RATING THE NATION’S RESTAURANT CHAINS

If you’re looking for a good dining experience, “Consumer Reports” has some suggestions. Over 70-thousand readers took part in the magazine’s Restaurant Satisfaction Survey from April 2007 to April 2008. The top overall picks out of the 101 chains rated were The Capital Grille, First Watch, Biaggi’s Ristorante Italiano, Maggiano’s Little Italy and McCormick and Schmick’s. Among those earning high marks for their food were Texas Roadhouse, Bonefish Grill, Morton’s The Steakhouse, The Original Pancake House and Bravo Cucina Italiano. For good take out, respondents suggested Famous Dave’s, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Olive Garden and P.F. Chang’s China Bistro. Among the tips for getting a good deal were signing up for e-mail updates, researching age-related discounts and eating at the bar. For more information, visit www.ConsumerReports.org.

Movie Clip Trivia Answer: O Brother Where Art Thou