S. Epatha Merkerson Scheduled for the Today Show

According to Broadwayworld.com, Law & Order’s S. Epatha Merkerson is scheduled to be on The Today Show on Friday, February 15, 2008.

Broadwayworld.com says:
“S. Epatha Merkerson, currently appearing in Manhattan Theatre Club's critically acclaimed production of Come Back, Little Sheba, will be a guest on NBC's "The Today Show" this Friday, February 15 in the 9 AM hour. "The Today Show" airs in the tri-state area on WNBC, check local listings for additional information.

Merkerson will sit down with "The Today Show" host Al Roker to talk about her acclaimed performance as 'Lola' in Come Back, Little Sheba as well as her role in the long-running series "Law & Order."

Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner and Tony Award nominee Merkerson ("Lackawanna Blues,") and Drama Desk Award winner and Tony nominee Kevin Anderson (Death of a Salesman, Orphans) head the cast of this new production which also includes Joseph Adams ("Dirty Sexy Money"), Chad Hoeppner (Butley), Daniel Damon Joyce (Broadway debut), Lyle Kanouse (Big River), Zoe Kazan (The Prime of Miss Jean Brody), Brian J. Smith (The Fabulous Life of a Size Zero), Keith Randolph Smith (Jitney), Brenda Wehle (Talking Heads) and Matthew J. Williamson ("Will & Grace"). The production is directed by two-time Emmy Awardâ winner Michael Pressman ("Law & Order," To Gillian on Her 37th Birthday).

"Lola (Merkerson) is a faded beauty queen trapped in a lonely marriage to Doc (Anderson), a recovering alcoholic on the brink of relapse. When a pretty young woman becomes a boarder in their cluttered Midwest home, their lives are unsettled as unspoken passions rise to the surface. As the emptiness of their marriage is laid bare, can they find their way back to each other or will they be undone? This new look at William Inge's great American story is an absorbing tale of lost hopes and unfulfilled promise, told with unflinching honesty and heartbreaking power," describe press notes.”

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Sam Waterston: The Killing Fields on MOJO HD This Month

If you have the MOJO HD channel, and you're a Sam Waterston fan, please be aware that they are showing the movie "The Killing Fields" this month. This is Sam's Oscar nominated performance. The movie is gripping, horrifying, and very moving. It is one of those films that once you see it, you will not forget it.

MOJO HD's Synopisis says:

"The Killing Fields is a romanticized adaptation of an eyewitness magazine story by New York Times correspondent Sidney Schanberg. Covering the U.S. pullout from Vietnam in 1975, Schanberg relies on his Cambodian friend and translator Dith Pran for inside information. Schanberg has an opportunity to rescue Dith Pran when the U.S. army evacuates all Cambodian citizens; instead, the reporter coerces his friend to remain behind to continue sending him news flashes."


Show times are as follows:

Wednesday February 13, 4:00AM ET
Saturday February 16, 8:00PM ET
Sunday February 17, 1:00AM ET
Monday February 18, 10:00PM ET
Friday February 29, 4:00AM ET

Here’s a story I wrote on my other blog, There Are Their Stories, about The Killing Fields, here.



Check out my blog home page for the latest Law & Order information,
HERE!

Also, see my companion Law & Order site,
These Are Their Stories.

Law & Order Criminal Intent Valentine

Here’s a little Law & Order Criminal Intent E-Valentine, starring the “faces” of Vincent D’Onofrio and Kathryn Erbe. Thanks to a friend of mine who made this from the Jib-Jab web site and emailed it to me. I thought you would all get a chuckle out of it, too. (Apologies to Vincent and Kathryn.)

Law & Order Episode Summaries for the Week of February 10

The "Mothership" Law & Order is running a new episode this week, with SVU and Criminal Intent rerunning episodes previously aired this season. The previews of Law & Order's "Illegal" looked really interesting, so I hope we'll get another great episode this week!

Law & Order SVU “Savant” Episode 09-04, Re-Air Date February 12, 2008
A mentally challenged girl (Paulina Gerzon) is the only witness to the attack that left her mother in a coma. The detectives suspect the uncooperative husband (Aidan Quinn), but he has some powerful legal support to keep him from testifying, so the department reluctantly resorts to questioning the child in order to piece together the events of the crime. Starring Markisa Hargitay and Chris Meloni. Guest stars Vincent Spano, Jayne Atkinson, Peter Riegert

Law & Order Criminal Intent “Offense ” Episode 07-08, Re-Air Date February 13, 2008
A witness in a well-publicized rape trial is found dead. Evidence points to the college football-team members being prosecuted for the rape, but further investigation reveals a connection to an attorney with an agenda. Starring Chris Noth, Alicia Witt. Guest stars Peri Gilpin, Andrew McCarthy.


Law & Order “Illegal” Episode 18-08 Air Date February 13, 2008
A CASE WHERE A COP KILLS A WOMAN RAISES TENSION IN THE D.A.’S OFFICE – A murdered woman is found in an alleyway dumpster after a riot at an immigration rally. Detectives Cyrus Lupo (Jeremy Sisto) and Ed Green’s (Jesse L. Martin) investigation leads to an auxiliary cop’s over zealous attempt to stop the riot. The political nature of case elevates tension in the DA’s office as DA Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston) assigns ADA Josh Lethem (guest star John Pankow) to prosecute the case. But Lethem has his own biased agenda, bringing McCoy’s liberal background into question. Also starring: S. Epatha Merkerson, Linus Roache, and Alana De La Garza.


Check out my blog home page for the latest Law & Order information,
HERE!

Also, see my companion Law & Order site,
These Are Their Stories.

Law & Order “Quit Claim” Never Quits

This was another excellent episode for the clearly improved Law & Order. They’ve gotten back to basics (meaning less personal information about the characters being shoved at us), which has allowed them to concentrate on the story.

In this episode, an apparent con artist, Kim Brody (January Jones), seemingly pulls the wool over everybody’s eyes, all the while leaving a trail of bodies and a real estate scam in her wake. She even seems to con the Feds into getting her busted out of custody from the DA’s office by using a terrorism angle with the real estate scam. She cons her attorney and just about anyone else all the way through the case. She does it so well that she almost causes Cutter to compromise his ethics to indict her. Of course, at the end, we’re left to wonder who she really is and if there is a con, how complex is it?

There were a few things that didn’t seem quite right with the episode in the first half. For example, why wasn’t the real estate con brought to the forefront earlier? One would think the people who found themselves evicted when their property was sold underneath them, despite being told that the title was only being passed along temporarily, would have complained to someone. I believe the detectives said that it appeared this had gone on for two months, which seems long enough for complaints to surface. The other matter is that again, the detectives use odd methods when wiring or monitoring a sting. Last week, they had a politician wired; yet she was able to somehow stop the tape. This week, they manage to have proper surveillance in the room where the sting was taking place, yet they didn’t seem to find the need to wire THE PERSON who was the major player in the sting. This allowed her to easily separate with the suspect, and her apparent accomplice. I think the Law & Order people need to take a refresher course called “Proper Wiring and Surveillance for Maximum Impact” or something like that.

The dialog and relationships between characters are much more natural. Lupo/”Lupes” (Jeremy Sisto) and Green (Jesse Martin) seem comfortable enough with each other to have a dialog about whether it’s socks on or socks off during sex. When Lupes admits to being “socks on”, Green had the right answer, “I get it man, I just can’t believe you’re telling me that.”

Rubirosa (Alana De La Garza) was on top of everything. She comes up with an ingenuous way to show how someone’s appearance can change as they get older by showing her own picture when she was younger. Cutter (Linus Roache) responds to seeing the photo by saying, “Whoa, might have stood a chance with you then.” It was a bit of a mystery to me, though, as to why it seemed that he was just seeing the picture while they were in court. Wouldn’t she have shown it to him beforehand? She also catches the mismatched socks on the defense attorney.

Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston) seems to be very comfortable in his new DA skin. First, his comment that when talking to higher ups with the Feds, saying, “Every response from him consisted of a verb, a subject, and 9/11. The arrogance.” Jack later fights the Feds by “taking prisoners” and arresting some of them for kidnapping so he can use them later in a “prisoner exchange.” But Jack clearly knows when to draw the line and cut his losses, in this dialog:

McCoy: This is a far as I go.
Cutter: Are you telling me not to do it?
McCoy: You’re a grown up, you’re on your own. I’m getting off the train.
Cutter: (to Rubirosa) How about you?
Rubirosa: All aboard.

Later, however, Rubirosa attempts to smack some sense into Cutter when she tells him she’s getting off the train when Cutter seems ready to suborn perjury. Thankfully Cutter does the right thing and backs away at the last moment.

This episode had an interesting story, good dialog, and clearly shows a solidified cast that hopefully will keep the show around for much longer. And maybe it sets up another instance where Ms. Brody can get her comeuppance – if it’s due – in a later episode. Because we know that Law & Order never quits.


Check out my blog home page for the latest Law & Order information,
HERE!

Also, see my companion Law & Order site, These Are Their Stories.

Law & Order SVU: Ice-T in the News

Ice-T

(Sorry, no pics of CoCo were decent enough for this blog)

Probably one of the weirdest Super Bowl parties that I’ve ever heard of – and one that doesn’t seem to fit the man – was Ice-T’s “Tupper-bowl” party. It seems that Law & Order SVU’s Ice-T and his wife, Coco, partnered with Tupperware to host the first ever 'Tupper-bowl' party. According to a PR Newswire press release:

“The Tupperware Tailgate celebrated the culmination of an incredible football season for the New York Giants and the upcoming Super Bowl, as well as raised money for the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club of America.

The party was held in a private lounge at Jay-Z's 40/40 club in New York and was the place to see and be seen. Over 200 guests were in attendance and celebrity highlights included: Oscar-winner, Tatum O'Neal; Sex and the City star, Chris Noth; Law and Order SVU stars Adam Beach and B.D. Wong; Frank Whaley from The Wire, and NBA players Vince Carter of the New Jersey Nets and Jason Williams of the Miami Heat.

"Tupperware unites us all. Tupperware's going to save the world," proclaimed party host, Ice-T. "We're all here tonight to root on our home team, have some fun and raise money for our local Boys & Girls Club friends."

Guests enjoyed "Tuppertini" cocktails and "bowl-food" themed hors d'oeuvres served in Tupperware, and danced to music provided by celebrity DJ, D-Nice. The crowd was treated to impromptu performances by Ice-T and renowned hip-hop legends such as Positive K, Smoothe Da Hustler, Khrist, Grandmaster Caz, Kool Herc, and Melly Mel.”

Now really – is Tupperware going to unite us all and save the world? Hmmm, don’t think that’s the answer.

In a separate news story, the Arizona Republic reports that Ice-T and his wife CoCo bought a home in the southern area of Chandler, Arizona. The Arizona Republic says:

“Rapper-turned-actor Ice-T and his swimsuit-model wife have purchased a home in a cozy south Chandler neighborhood, a place where they plan to unwind away from the celebrity limelight by blending into a sea of HOA-regulated color schemes.

Nicole "CoCo" Marrow, who seven years ago married the former Cop Killer rapper who now plays a cop on TV, bought a home in Carino Estates in October.

The real-estate purchase, she said, will put an end to six years of renting property in Tempe.

CoCo is from the area. Ice-T has a son who lives in the Valley. So, every winter and summer, during breaks from filming Law and Order: Special Victims Unit in New Jersey, the pair sojourn to the Valley.

"It's an escape out of the celebrity zone of New York or LA," Ice-T said, adding that it's close enough to Los Angeles and Las Vegas to make quick business trips.

Marrow bought the four-bedroom, two-bath house, a regular 2,447-square-foot Shea tract home largely indistinguishable from others on the street, for $435,000.

But neighbors say the celebrity couple have been renovating over the past several weeks and appear to be having extensive work done to the interior.

News of the famous folks moving in already is spreading on the street, which is in an ungated, unremarkable south Chandler neighborhood.

"My husband and I, we think it's very cool that somebody that we grew up with has moved into our neighborhood," said Nicole Hawkins, who lives across the street and owned an Ice-T cassette tape back in the day. "I saw him having CoCo pull her car into the garage, and I was like, 'Oh, my gosh, are you kidding me?'

"We just think it's a cool thing around here."

Others on the block are less familiar with Ice-T's reputation as a founder of early-'90s gangsta rap but, instead, know him for his role as Detective Fin Tutuola from Law and Order.

"I do watch the show," said Judy Goddard, a real-estate agent who added that, when she first heard the news, she wasn't sure who Ice-T was.

Now, she said, she thinks it's neat to have a celebrity buy a house across the street, even if Ice-T and his wife won't be living there year-round.

Despite the couple's celebrity status, the quiet neighborhood northeast of Queen Creek and Alma School roads should fit the lifestyle the pair lead while in Arizona: mostly catching movies, eating out and going to the mall, CoCo said.

Ice-T, she said, plays a lot of Xbox while here.

"When we're at home in New York, it's more like we're always going, going, going," CoCo said. "When we're settled in Arizona, it's more like we're doing a lot of eating and chilling. It's a really kicked-back, laid-back place."

After discussing their new digs with a reporter, CoCo handed the phone to her husband. There was still one question that hadn't been answered: Why this neighborhood?

"Who said I bought a house in Chandler?" he shot back.

Maricopa County public records, he was reminded.

"That's all you're going to get from Ice." "

That's probably a good thing.

Check out my blog home page for the latest Law & Order information,
HERE!

Also, see my companion Law & Order site,
These Are Their Stories.

Law & Order Episode Summaries for the Week of February 3, 2008

The “original recipe” Law & Order is running a new episode on NBC this week, with Criminal Intent rerunning an episode previously aired this season on the USA Network. SVU is being pre-empted for “Super Tuesday” coverage.

The Criminal Intent episode is “Untethered” which contains probably the best performance by Vincent D’Onofrio in the Criminal Intent series. My review of “Untethered” can be found, here.

Law & Order “Quit Claim” Episode 18-07 Air Date February 6, 2008
DETECTIVES LUPO AND GREEN GO UNDERCOVER AFTER A DEADLY HIT-AND-RUN: ‘MAD MEN’S’ JANUARY JONES GUEST-STARS – After a mother and daughter are killed in a hit and run accident, Detectives Green (Jesse L. Martin) and Lupo (Jeremy Sisto) track down the vehicle and find only a stack of $100 bills left inside. A trace on the money leads the detectives to a young couple that is victims of a real estate scam. Green and Lupo decide the best way to crack this case is to go undercover with the help of Kim Brody (guest star January Jones, “Mad Men”), an employee at the title company that handled the closings on the illegal real estate deals. Brody proves not be who she claims, leaving her innocence and real identity in question. Also starring: Sam Waterson, S. Epatha Merkerson, Linus Roache, and Alana De La Garza.


Law & Order Criminal Intent “Untethered” Episode 07-09, Re-Air Date February 6, 2008
A young prison inmate is killed in an upstate New York facility's mental ward. When detective Goren's nephew Donny, an inmate in the same prison, tells Goren he thinks the prisoner was murdered, Goren (Vincent D’Onofrio) goes undercover. In order to determine if a crime was indeed committed, Goren manipulates his way into the same mental ward to either prove or refute his nephew's claims. Also starring:Kathryn Erbe, Eric Bogosian, Tony Goldwyn (as Frank Goren).


Check out my blog home page for the latest Law & Order information,
HERE!

Also, see my companion Law & Order site,
These Are Their Stories.

Law & Order Episode Summaries for February 2008

I know you all can’t wait to see what’s going to be on Law & Order this month. Here are summaries and the air dates for the episodes in February,

By the way, happy birthday to Linus Roache. I have a little feature about him on my companion Law & Order site, here.


“Quit Claim” Episode 18-07 Air date February 6, 2008
DETECTIVES LUPO AND GREEN GO UNDERCOVER AFTER A DEADLY HIT-AND-RUN: ‘MAD MEN’S’ JANUARY JONES GUEST-STARS – After a mother and daughter are killed in a hit and run accident, Detectives Green (Jesse L. Martin) and Lupo (Jeremy Sisto) track down the vehicle and find only a stack of $100 bills left inside. A trace on the money leads the detectives to a young couple that is victims of a real estate scam. Green and Lupo decide the best way to crack this case is to go undercover with the help of Kim Brody (guest star January Jones, “Mad Men”), an employee at the title company that handled the closings on the illegal real estate deals. Brody proves not be who she claims, leaving her innocence and real identity in question. Also starring: Sam Waterson, S. Epatha Merkerson, Linus Roache, and Alana De La Garza.

“Illegal” Episode 18-08 Air date February 13, 2008
A CASE WHERE A COP KILLS A WOMAN RAISES TENSION IN THE D.A.’S OFFICE – A murdered woman is found in an alleyway dumpster after a riot at an immigration rally. Detectives Cyrus Lupo (Jeremy Sisto) and Ed Green’s (Jesse L. Martin) investigation leads to an auxiliary cop’s over zealous attempt to stop the riot. The political nature of case elevates tension in the DA’s office as DA Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston) assigns ADA Josh Lethem (guest star John Pankow) to prosecute the case. But Lethem has his own biased agenda, bringing McCoy’s liberal background into question. Also starring: S. Epatha Merkerson, Linus Roache, and Alana De La Garza.

“Executioner” Episode 18-09 Air date February 20, 2008 (Episode 18-12)
BEING AT THE WRONG PLACE AT THE WRONG TIME PROVES TO BE DEADLY FOR ONE SURGEON -Dr. Mark Burns (guest star Alan Zweibel) is found murdered in his hotel room while attending a out-of-town convention. Detectives Lupo (Jeremy Sisto) and Green (Jesse L. Martin) learn that Dr. Burns’ made a large withdrawal from his bank account moments before he was murdered. Evidence rules out the con artists who scammed Burns as suspects, but a hotel surveillance tape shows a man with a southern accent vehemently knocking on the door looking for a different physician, Dr. Garrison (guest star James Rebhorn). This finding leads the detectives to believe Dr. Garrison may have been the intended target and his life is still at risk. Also Starring: Sam Waterston, S. Epatha Merkerson, Linus Roache, and Alana De La Garza.

“Tango” Episode 18-10 Air date February 27, 2008
A HIGH SCHOOL GIRL IS KILLED AND THE TWO UNLIKELY SUSPECTS INCLUDE A PROSTITUTE AND PIMP Two inebriated high-school girls, Kelly Daugherty (guest star Lisa Joyce) and Anne-Marie Liscomb (guest star Molly Ephraim), are agitated after their car is towed at a party. Liscomb walks off to make a phone call in an attempt to call a ride, and is found dead in a dumpster days later. After tracking down the cab driver that picked up Liscomb, new information leads the detectives to a drug-addicted prostitute with an affluent past, known as “Sugar” (guest star Maria Dizzia) and her partner Tito Cabassa (guest star Pedro Pascal). A war of words unfold as the detectives pit the prostitute and pimp against each other to see who will talk first. When the case goes up for trial, ADA Connie Rubirosa (Alana De La Garza) appears to have an unrelenting admirer in the jury pool. Also Starring: Sam Waterston, S. Epatha Merkerson, and Linus Roache

Check out my blog home page for the latest Law & Order information,
HERE!

Also, see my companion Law & Order site, These Are Their Stories.