How to survive Conan withdrawal

So you've watched all the YouTube clips you could find and ripped 'em to your hard drive. Your DVR has gotten frequent replay of the last two weeks of Tonight Show episodes. You've downloaded all of the old Late Night sketches and specials available on iTunes.

After all that, how else do you survive seven Coco-free months--and potentially more after September if he doesn't land back on TV? (I won't be cynical, dammit! He WILL get back on TV, Rupert Murdoch-willing!!!)

Kittens and COCO-nuts, here are some suggestions on how to deal:

• Become acquainted with other redheaded comedy pioneers. If you aren't familiar with the work of Lucille Ball or Carol Burnett, get to know them ASAP. (And let's be honest here--who hasn't seen an episode of I Love Lucy in their lifetimes?) Lucy's still on TV Land, I believe, but you'll need to do a YouTube search for Carol clips. I'm particularly addressing this to the younguns in the Peanut Gallery, who were not fortunate enough to grow up with either The Carol Burnett Show or Carol Burnett and Friends. I've still got Carol DVDs that I haven't watched yet. Now's the perfect time!
• Feel free to steal my Conan playlist. I created it after his last episode of the Tonight Show. I selected some obvious ones here, but I also included tunes from artists who appeared on the show during its all-too-brief run on the airwaves (as well as a couple of tunes from Late Night):

1. "Surrender," Cheap Trick
2. "We're Going to Be Friends," the White Stripes
3. "Sulphur to Sugarcane," Elvis Costello
4. "You Never Know," Wilco
5. "Need You Now," Lady Antebellum
6. "Chasing Pavements," Adele
7. "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)," the Chipettes
8. "Nothing But a Miracle," Diane Birch
9. "Tik Tok," Ke$ha
10. "The Night Chicago Died," Paper Lace
11. "Cousins," Vampire Weekend
12. "Where Do I Begin (Theme from Love Story)," Barry Manilow
13. "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," the Rolling Stones
14. "Long May You Run," Neil Young and Stephen Stills
15. "Free Bird," Lynyrd Skynyrd
16. "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday," Boyz II Men

• Check out other quirky, offbeat comedy shows. I highly recommend Flight of the Conchords. And while you're at it, get the FotC soundtracks as well.
• Go visit the blog of former Tonight Show blogger, Aaron Bleyaert. You can visit his blog here. He seems like one extremely cool dude. And he's starting a web show with other former Tonight Show staffers. Looking forward to that!
• Try not to search Google News too much for all of the latest info. If Conan's name doesn't show up in the first few articles that come up in the Entertainment section, nothing big has happened.

And there you have it. I'm sure that my other darling kittens and COCOnuts have some suggestions out there...fire away!

How to survive Glee withdrawal

Yesterday I read on the Entertainment Weekly website that there were 70 days till Glee returns with brand new episodes. Today, obviously, there are 69. So how does a kitten cope with the lack of new episodes? The possibility of Will and Emma becoming an official couple? How will the Finn-Puck-Quinn melodrama play out? And what about Sue?

Well, during my lunch break I came across an article on Yahoo! Entertainment: "Tips on Surviving the Glee Hiatus." Kittens, I present you with said list, as well as my thoughts on this advice:

• Go back to high school with Popular DVDs: If I had Netflix this would be an option. But I don't. And I seriously doubt the remaining Blockbuster in my area would carry them.
• Listen to the Spring Awakening soundtrack: Lea Michele, aka Rachel Berry, was nominated for a Tony for this musical. Alas, I am well over my iTunes budget for the month, so this will have to wait.
• Watch encores of The Pregnancy Pact on Lifetime: NO. THANK. YOU.
• Skip to the singing scenes on Pushing Daisies: See my comment about the Popular DVDs. Although I may have to succumb to this one, since I am rawther fond of Kristin Chenowith, and she's coming back to Glee for at least another episode--hopefully two!
• Watch Jessalyn Gilsig die on Nip/Tuck: This clip had better be on YouTube! I can't stand Terri! I never liked her from the first episode. Will is too good for her; she's just so incredibly shallow and fake and possessive and...ooooohhhhh!!!!
• Meet figure skater Johnny Weir: To quote the Yahoo! article, "There's little that's more fabulous on television these days than the over-the-top "Glee," but Olympic figure skating might give it a run for its money — especially the amazingly glittering and theatrical Johnny Weir." Well, I do have the Sundance channel, but rarely, if ever, watch it. I have seen Johnny Weir perform, though. He's all right; no Brian Boitano, though.
• Rent Julie and Julia. The wonderful Jane Lynch plays Julia Child's sister in this movie, and is almost unrecognizable. I love Jane Lynch, I love Meryl Streep, and I frakkin' heart this movie. Rent it? I'll buy it!

Well, kittens, those tips are fine and dandy and all--but I'm a working gal. I don't have time to sit in front of the computer screen or the TV for so long and watch all that stuff! So here's how I've been coping:

• Sister Kitten got me the DVD box set for Christmas. One of the best Christmas gifts I received this past year.
• Sister Kitten also got me the two soundtracks. Do I have a tres fab sister or what? I much prefer volume one over volume two, though.
  
• Jane Lynch is amazing in A Mighty Wind. She co-starts beside John Michael Higgins as a singer in a hokey folk band. A must watch; and she's killer at improv!
• Watching Matthew Morrison perform at last year's Kennedy Center Honors. He sang "Springtime for Hitler" during the Mel Brooks tribute. (This song, for those of you who may not know, is the signature tune from The Producers.) And he dances, too!!! HE DANCES!!!!

• Watching any Glee parody I can get my paws on. Witness this clip from Late Night with Jimmy Fallon:

• Take comfort in knowing that Glee has a definite, guaranteed return date of April 13, 2010 on FOX.

A definite return date...

...unlike someone else who just left the airwaves... :(

Tomorrow, my guide for surviving Conan withdrawal.