Nadine Velazquez

(S01E06) "What I tell you? Hot girl. Volkswagen Jetta. It's a law! Like water. Or dinosaurs." - Taco

I really want to like The League. It's full of things I love in a TV show -- male camaraderie, football, and endless dick jokes -- yet I still can't get into it. But, the like the good little TV blogger that I am, I re-screened the first five episodes before viewing the season finale earlier today to make sure I gave it a fair shake.

The League is far from the worst thing on TV, and it's definitely the the best comedy FX has rolled out since It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. However, I'm gonna stick with what I've said already -- there's some serious potential here, but a lot of things need to change before The League returns for its second season next summer.

Fantasy football is a tricky thing. You either love it or you hate it and that largely depends on whether you're good or bad at it. For the most part, the same can be said about FX's newest comedy The League. When it's good, it is good, but when it's bad... well, you get the picture.

The show, which premieres tomorrow night, Thursday 10/29, at 10:30 p.m. after It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, is FX's first solid attempt to produce a lasting companion piece to Sunny and, given some of its predecessors (like Starved or Testees), it'd be easy to write The League off. But, like a two-minute drill that gradually picks up steam, The League might actually go... all... the... way.

OK -- no more football metaphors.

NBC Universal, Donald Trump and Paula Shugart (president of the Miss Universe Organization) announced the celerbrity panel of judges today for the Miss Universe Pageant, which will be broadcast live from Vietnam this Sunday at 9:00 p.m. ET on NBC and Telemundo.. Donald Trump, Jr., Roberto Cavalli, Nadine Velazquez, Jennifer Hawkins, Louis Licari, John Nguyen will judge the competition.

So where are the celebrities? At least Nadine Velazquez is on My Name is Earl. I guess you could argue that Don, Jr. is on The Apprentice but I'd hardly classify him as a celebrity. I'm not saying that some of these judges aren't successful in their fields. Cavalli is an international designer. Licari is a colorist to the stars (I guess he'll be checking the girls for bad roots). John Nguyen is a successful entrepreneur. Jennifer Hawkins won the pageant in 2004. But, as far as Hawkins goes, it's like having Taylor Hicks be a guest mentor on Idol. Lame-O. At least they have real celebrities as hosts. Jerry Springer and Mel B. will led the ceremonies.