So here's where my Indie Cred takes a nosedive for the next 48 hours or so...

300 Strong

So Sunday is The Simpson's 300th episode and Fox is celebrating. Fittingly they're having a Married With Children reunion the same night which actually makes sense if you remember the fact that the first Simpson's episode -- Simpsons Roasting On An Open Fire -- aired the same night as The Married With Children Christmas episode with Sam Kinison as a guardian angel. I still remember being so excited that a) the quirky little animations from the Traci Ullman Show were getting their own show and b) there was actually going to be another animation show in Prime Time and c) Life In Hell's Matt Groening seemed to have finally hit the big time (which, since I was a cartoonist at the time, was very big news indeed.)

Unfortunately it seems as if Fox is going to trot out celebrities that have nothing to do with The Simpsons (judging by the commercials such big names as Ashton Kutcher, Frankie Muniz, Bernie Mac and other folks from the Fox stable of evening programming) to give tribute to America's (lovable) Animated First Family. Why not do something classy like, I don't know, just show the frickin' episode and allow the show's excellence to speak for itself rather than use the event as a chance to plug other shows on the network. Oh well. At least we've got at least another two years of The Simpsons and for that I suppose I should just be greatful.

Idols R Us

I admit I have a sick fascination with American Idol and this season has already sucked me in. Already America has voted in two sub-par singers one of who seems to be a mere support system for a rather formidable pair of breasts and a great head of hair. Last night we got our second taste of the next batch of singers and while I have no idea how the voting is going to turn out I'm already pleased that a plus size type like Ruben Studdard has made it this far. Of the contestants we've seen over the past two weeks this kid actually seems to have a voice and double plus points for actually singing a Carpenter's song while being aware of the pain that lies just underneath the melody. The contrast was all the more apparent since he followed Hadas' rather flat reading of yet another Carpenter's song. (The girl is hotter than hot but that's no substitute from talent. Oh wait a minute, she's from California so one could forgive her for thinking it was.)

Then we have Candace Coleman, who looks like about three of my ex-girlfriends and is due to be this season's Nikki McKibbin...only Candace can actually sing with that smoky lower register of hers.

Okay, I'm freaking myself out. I promise to return to my stoically indie/hipster self now.