My "News Year" Resolutions

While never one to set any personal-betterment goals, that does not preclude me from aspiring to amp up my performance as TVGuide.com's news blogger (Today's News: Our Take) and the domineering-yet-amiable overlord of the Interviews & Features column. Henceforth and herewith, thusly, I present my News Year resolutions, to which I refuse to be held accountable 364 days from now:

— To finally land that (conspicuously) elusive interview with Alyson Hannigan, the only How I Met Your Mother cast member yet to indulge me in a fun Q&A. Is she afraid I will ask some lame, "When is Buffy returning?" question? Don't be, Alyson. Just call.

— To resolve the question of whether a "blast" e-mail from an actor-friend's BFF is "for print," because right now I'm sitting on a huge piece of celebrity engagement news. Hellllppp!

— To get to the bottom of the deepening "streaming Day Break episodes gone missing at ABC.com" mystery. Right now, I suspect that Vinnie Terranova's handler is somehow involved.

— To more subtly stump for my favorite publicist pals. Speaking of which, have you checked out Time Out New York On Demand?

— To confirm reports of a torrid affair between Lost's Smoke Monster and the smoldering remains of Evangeline Lilly's bungalow. (I will scoop People on this one.)

— To see if my college chum Sammy's A&E series, Intervention, can pay Britney Spears a visit.

— To indulge in my yearly Q&A, for any reason whatever, with the way too fun Charisma Carpenter. Seriously, kids, each year I don't publish even half of it.

— To resist the temptation — and it is a strong one — to go up to Japanese tourists awestruck in Times Square, and ask, "Did you just teleport here?"

— To be more discerning about what film screenings I blow off, because frankly it's killing me that I missed out on the chance to see Pan's Labyrinth (for free).

— To find out who has been raiding the chewing-gum stash here at my desk: Ben Katner, or the office cleaning woman.

— To use the considerable power of my particular TV Show Commentary blogs to save shows (e.g., 30 Rock), versus letting them slip into the streamed-online ether (Vanished).

— To answer the big question, the elephant in the room that few journalists are daring enough to touch upon: What sort of goofy plastic glasses are Times Square revelers going to wear come 2010? Worse yet, 2011?

In conclusion, I leave you with a game: Can you tell me the singer of this "resolutions" song from a circa-1976 Bob Hope Christmas special?

Oh, this is my New Year's resolution
I resolve not to be a tomboy, but be sweet
Have Donny Osmond begging at my feet
And to make the other boys aware,
I resolve to borrow Farrah Fawcett's hair!

Hint No. 1: She was my celebrity crush at the time.
Hint No. 2: In retrospect, her sentiments are a tad ironic.

Happy 2007 to all, and to all a happy 2007!

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Posted by

Matt Webb Mitovich

Jan 2, 2007 8:44 AM

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Love the Wiseguy reference
Posted by LisaMBri Jan 2, 2007 8:51 AM Report Abuse

Is it Kristy McNichol?
Posted by paul4295 Jan 2, 2007 9:30 AM Report Abuse

Matt - Happy New Year! And thanks for all the great features you put together for tvguide.com - really some of the funniest reads on the site! And informative, too. I don't want you to think I use you simply for your humor

But thanks, especially, for your commitment to figuring out the Day Break situation - really! How hard can it be? Maybe it's going to another network - we can all hope, can't we?

Here's to a new year of funny features and great scoop for all of us tv-aholics!

Posted by heyheath30

Jan 2, 2007 11:14 AM

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To resist the temptation — and it is a strong one — to go up to Japanese tourists awestruck in Times Square, and ask, "Did you just teleport here?" I'm not a Heroes fan but I had to laugh at that one
Posted by JenJen Jan 2, 2007 11:30 AM Report Abuse

Yes! Please figure out where Day Break went! While I'm very excited that they put up all the episodes from What About Brian (since I seem to have the inablitiy to remember to record it while I'm watching Studio 60) and Brothers & Sisters, I'm very nervous that Day Break is gone!!! You can be my Hero, Matt!!!
Posted by eponine203 Jan 2, 2007 4:17 PM Report Abuse

I read a couple of weeks back that there were gliches in resolving the issue of rights to the music for Day Break, which is why ABC hasn't been able to show it online. Unfortunately, I can't remember where I read it. Sorry, guys. Matt, thanks so much for your delightful contributions to the TV Guide Blogosphere. You're one of my favorites. Happy New Year!!
Posted by Marci Jan 2, 2007 4:46 PM Report Abuse

I will pay you to do the Japanese tourist thing and post the video here on TVGuide.com or YouTube, your choice. Ausiello would want Snapple - what's your drink of choice? Do it! You know you wanna. ">
Posted by toni Jan 2, 2007 5:03 PM Report Abuse

To finally land that (conspicuously) elusive interview with Alyson Hannigan, the only How I Met Your Mother cast member yet to indulge me in a fun Q&A. Is she afraid I will ask some lame, "When is Buffy returning?" question? Maybe she's afraid you'll ask her what she was thinking when she signed on to do Date Movie.
Posted by emster Jan 3, 2007 9:29 AM Report Abuse

Happy New Year Matt! By far my fav TV Guide writer ..keep up the good work! And yes Brit does need an intervention (great show btw)
Posted by lrt1 Jan 3, 2007 9:31 AM Report Abuse

Matt: I just want to echo some of the other posts. You are truly the most entertaining writer on the website. All the others get read AFTER you! So keep up the good work. Also, dying to finish Day Break... Finally, I still say you're the separated-at-birth twin of Nip/Tuck's Julian McMahon. Lucky duck...
Posted by hawkman217 Jan 3, 2007 11:00 AM Report Abuse

I think the song was sung by Kate Jackson. I know she was my husband's fav.
Posted by felinefan55 Jan 3, 2007 2:05 PM Report Abuse

Everyone - Matt posted a comment on the DayBreak blog about an update coming possibly tomorrow in the "Today's News" section of the website ... will have something to do with The Nine as well!
Posted by heyheath30 Jan 3, 2007 2:30 PM Report Abuse

Was it Rosie O'DOnnell?
Posted by DaMess Jan 4, 2007 2:35 AM Report Abuse

this is scary -- i remember that song! i think it was kristy mcnichol, but i'm not 100% sure. but i can hum the tune...and this is how i remember the words:

Oh, this is my New Year's resolution
I will stop being a tomboy, and be sweet
I'll have Donny Osmond kneeling at my feet
And to make the other boys much more aware,
I resolve to borrow Farrah Fawcett's hair!

i can't believe there's another living american who actually remembers that song. and i can't decide if that makes me feel better or worse about the fact that i remember it too.

Posted by genkiboy

Jan 4, 2007 1:18 PM

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