Prime Pick
Photo: CMT
Ever wondered what it would be like for a regular old person to try to ride a bull? Wonder no more! Thanks to "Ty Murray's Celebrity Bull Riding Challenge" (8 p.m. EDT on CMT), you have a front-row seat to the sheer terror of bull riding. As Murray himself points out to the assembled D-listers, from Vanilla Ice to Stephen Baldwin, the cowboy's favorite sport isn't just about hanging on for dear life. It takes flexibility, strength and nerves of steel to straddle a 2,000-pound animal that would take great satisfaction in trampling or goring you to death. Former teen heartthrob Leif Garrett shakes like a leaf when he's learning to sit on one of the hulking beasts, and he suffers from debilitating back pain after just one day spent training on a mechanical bull. But my dearest hope for this series is that I'll get to watch that smartass Jonny Fairplay, aka Hippie Wrongstockings of "Survivor" fame, get thrown from a bucking beast and run like hell for his life.
Also…
Anthony Bourdain travels to Brazil and samples the sights and sounds of São Paulo on "No Reservations" (8 p.m. EDT on Travel). On "Meerkat Manor" (9:30 p.m. EDT on Animal Planet), Flower sets out in search of the lost pups that wandered off last episode, and the rival Zappa clan (the dominant male's name is Frank, of course) continues to battle the Whiskers for a prime bit of foraging real estate. And early birds, take note: Salon Editor in Chief Joan Walsh is scheduled to appear on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" on Friday around 7:30 a.m. EDT (show airs 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. EDT).
Weekend Picks
The U.S. Gymnastics Championships air at 8 p.m. EDT Saturday on NBC. A new episode of the BBC drama "Jekyll" airs at 9 p.m. EDT Saturday on BBC America. And on Sunday night, Sundance's "Live From Abbey Road" features the Kooks, Wynton Marsalis and Muse (9 p.m. EDT).
On the talk shows
Regis and KellyABC, 9 a.m. EDT |
Star Jones Reynolds |
The ViewABC, 11 a.m. EDT |
Marcia Gay Harden, guest co-host Beverly Sills (repeat) |
Ellen DeGeneresSyndicated, check local listings |
Demi Moore, Maroon 5, Jack Hanna (repeat) |
Oprah WinfreySyndicated, check local listings |
Laveranues Coles (repeat) |
Charlie RosePBS, check local listings |
An Appreciation of Brooke Astor, David Rockefeller, Philanthropist |
Larry KingCNN, 9 p.m. EDT |
Star Jones Reynolds |
David LettermanCBS, 11:30 p.m. EDT |
David Duchovny, Ryan Howard, Andrew Bird (repeat) |
Jay LenoNBC, 11:35 p.m. EDT |
Michael Moore, Justin Long, Mandy Moore (repeat) |
Tavis SmileyPBS, check local listings |
Merv Griffin (repeat) |
Jimmy KimmelABC, 12:05 a.m. EDT |
Don Cheadle, Zac Efron, Editors (repeat) |
Conan O'BrienNBC, 12:35 a.m. EDT |
Zach Braff, DJ Qualls, Jimmy Carr (repeat) |
Craig FergusonCBS, 12:35 a.m. EDT |
Aisha Tyler, Augie March |
Contributors: Matthew Fishbane, Heather Havrilesky, Amy Reiter
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