Best Week Ever

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Best Week Ever logo.
Best Week Ever logo.

Best Week Ever (BWE) is a weekly television program on the United States cable/satellite network VH1. It started airing in 2004. On the show, comedians analyze the past week's developments in pop culture, including recent happenings in entertainment and celebrity gossip.

Contents

[edit] Format

The show follows a similar format to that set by the popular miniseries I Love the 80s and its successors (which was based on a format put together by the BBC). Each new episode airs on Friday evening at 9:00 PM, and repeats are usually broadcast several times over the weekend. At the end of every episode, the panelists name which celebrity, group of people, or object has had the best week ever. (Some winners include: Shrek, Seinfeld fans, Bob Barker, Arugula won by default, smoke, Little Richard, the Nintendo Wii, and "that blonde chick on The View".)

Every September, VH1 runs a special episode entitled Best Summer Ever, recapping major events in pop culture throughout the season. Likewise, VH1 runs a Best Year Ever episode at the end of each calendar year. The show's tagline is, "It's everything you love, everything you missed, and all the stuff you need to see again." Popular recent fare of the show include the Paris Hilton prison scandal, Aaron the Asian cowboy from the reality television show Hell's Kitchen, and the (by popular consensus on the show) disappointing finale episode of The Sopranos.

When the series started, VH1 ran a special once-a-month episode called Best Month Ever, but episodes have ceased production.

Some panelists on the show and other contributors add stories to an online weblog where fans of the show can get an idea of what will be covered in the upcoming episode. Fans can also add their opinions of the stories. In addition, the show has podcast and IPTV elements, including Best Night Ever, where a host goes through the night or weekend in television in a four-minute segment, and extra footage and segments on VH1's VSPOT online channel.

The humor on Best Week Ever can best be described as irony, as comedians assess this week in pop culture. Sometimes actors and musicians also have guest spots on the program. Several panelists were members of the improvisational comedy troupe Respecto Montalban.

[edit] Criticism

In its recounting of the events of the past week, Best Week Ever has been seen as a sign of the short attention span of millions of Americans. In a 2005 interview on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams said: "We have such short attention spans. Heck, VH1 has a show about last week."[1] In an article on the Pipe Dream website about VH1's decade-retrospective shows, writer Jeanette Duffy notes that "VH1 has moved on from exploiting entire decades to making us reminisce over events that happened just days ago in the Best Week Ever", jokingly suggesting that cable networks might eventually produce the "Best Five Minutes Ever".[2]

[edit] Cast

Since its premiere, the show's announcer has been Larry Kenney, though in some weeks Leer Leary, a Kenney sound-alike (or a panelist doing an imitation of his voice) is used when he isn't available.

Current and former panelists include:

[edit] Segments

  • "The Sizzler" (originally "Buzz Saw"), a brief discussion of "hot" celebrity gossip. Recent segments have been styled as a parody of celebrity tabloid shows (such as "The Insider").
  • "The Express Lane", a quick review of the biggest pop culture stories.
  • "Five Good Reasons", coming up with reasons to do one particular thing, such as vote in the 2004 elections or see the worst movie of the week.
  • "Upgrade/Downgrade", giving a thumbs-up or -down on items in a certain category.
  • "In Case You Missed It", the week's best moments in television.
  • "What Your Purchases Say About You", decoding the hidden messages in your spending.
  • "Doug Benson: Pop Culture Bachelor", comedian Doug Benson gives roses to events of the week he wants to see more of in a similar manner to the ABC show The Bachelor.
  • "Paul F. Tompkins: Celebrity Defender."
  • "Idol Worship", a recap of events on American Idol that week.
  • "Ask Best Week Ever", a segment in which some guy will answer questions from fans.
  • "Hot/Not Hot", a summary of three weekly stories; the third is always of an odd theme.
  • Doug Benson TSI: trailer scene investigator. Doug Benson discusses recent movie trailers.

[edit] List of Best Week Ever Recipients

[edit] 2007

Date Who had the Best Week Ever
January 19, 2007 Bindi Irwin
January 26, 2007 Old Ladies
February 2, 2007 Daniel Radcliffe
February 9, 2007 Self Absorbed Celebrities
February 23, 2007 Ester Tognozzi
March 2, 2007 Girls with Great Personalities
March 9, 2007 Frenchie Davis
March 23, 2007 Phil Spector's Hair
March 30, 2007 The Great American Dream Vote
April 6, 2007 Alanis Morissette
April 20, 2007 Shaun Ellis (wolf researcher)
April 27, 2007 People Who Didn't Deserve the Spotlight
May 11, 2007 Summer Reality Shows
May 18, 2007 Kelly Clarkson
May 25, 2007 Heroes (TV series)
June 8, 2007 Phillip Wellman
June 15, 2007 Bob Barker
June 22, 2007 Star Parker
June 29, 2007 Dramatic Prairie Dog
July 13, 2007 J. J. Abrams Fans
July 20, 2007 Dogs
July 27, 2007 Filipino Prisoners [2]
August 3, 2007 Tay Zonday
September 14, 2007 Chris Crocker (internet celebrity)
September 21, 2007 The Censor Ball
September 28, 2007 Boner Killers
October 12, 2007 Soulja Boy
October 19, 2007 Overly excited people
October 26, 2007 Anderson Cooper
November 9, 2007 Midget Mac
November 16, 2007 Moral Bankruptcy (2 girls 1 cup)
November 30, 2007 Aspiring MC's

[edit] 2008

Date Who had the Best Week Ever
January 18, 2008 Corey Worthington
January 25, 2008 Ricky from Project Runway
February 1, 2008 80's Popstars
February 8, 2008 Everybody's Girlfriends
February 15, 2008 Gary Coleman
February 29, 2008 Man Emotions
March 7, 2008 Tyra's Ego
March 14, 2008 Susan Mitchell
March 21, 2008 Fat Animals
April 11, 2008 Sarah Jessica Parker
April 18, 2008 Tyler Hemmert
April 25, 2008 Inappropriate Behavior
May 2, 2008 Claymates
May 9, 2008 Terrible Moms
May 23, 2008 Copter Swatting Guy
May 30, 2008 Arnel Pineda

[edit] Best year ever candidates and winners

[edit] 2004

Candidate Status
Paris Hilton Nominee
God Nominee
Britney Spears Nominee
Some Dudes Winner
William Hung Nominee

[edit] 2005

Candidate Status
Weathermen Nominee
Kanye West Nominee
Angelina Jolie Winner
Tyra Banks Nominee
Cheaters Nominee

[edit] 2006

Candidate Status
Junk Winner
Tim Gunn Nominee
Oprah's friends Nominee
David Hasselhoff Nominee
Kevin Federline Nominee

[edit] 2007

Candidate Status
Sanjaya Malakar Nominee
Rehab Winner
Daniel Radcliffe Nominee
Internet sensations Nominee

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ [1]
  2. ^ bupipedream.com

[edit] External links