Let me show you how to buy a vowel!

The Wheel of Fortune is an American institution as far as TV game shows go.  Created by the great Merv Griffin and hosted by the ever smirking host, Pat Sajak, the Wheel has become the longest-running syndicated game show in American television history.  For an added dash of sex appeal, the show has made the an institution out of statuesque letter-turner, Vanna White.

Such popularity breeds imitation and so it comes as no surprise that the game show (Three contestants compete against each other to solve a word puzzle for cash and prizes) is presented in 29 different countries around the world, with each version providing it’s own “spin”.

The Daily Helping salutes “La Roue de la Fortune” from France. Hosted by the shameless,  Christophe Dechavanne and elegant letter turner, Victoria Silvstedt, the show is every bit like it’s American cousin, except for the overtly sexual overtones.

An occasional contestant will be chosen not just for her bubbly personality and command of word play, but also for her cleavage.  With the wheel set nice and low, the contestant will find it necessary to lean forward and jiggle in order to give the wheel a decent spin.  The leering host (and other contestants) fail to hide their interest.  Enjoy….

or this one….

Best Supporting Actress
Penelope Cruz, Nine
Vera Farmiga, Up in the Air
Maggie Gyllenhaal, Crazy Heart
Anna Kendrick, Up in the Air
Mo’nique, Precious

Best Supporting Actor
Matt Damon, Invictus
Woody Harrelson, The Messenger
Christopher Plummer, The Last Station
Stanley Tucci, The Lovely Bones
Christoph Waltz, Inglourious Basterds

Best Actress
Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side
Helen Mirren, The Last Station
Carey Mulligan, An Education
Gabourey Sidibe, Precious
Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia

Best Actor
Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart
George Clooney, Up in the Air
Colin Firth, A Single Man
Morgan Freeman, Invictus
Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker

Best Director
James Cameron, Avatar
Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker
Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds
Lee Daniels, Precious
Jason Reitman, Up in the Air

Original Screenplay
Mark Boal, The Hurt Locker
Quentin Tarantino, Inglourious Basterds
Alessandro Camon & Oren Moverman, The Messenger
Joel & Ethan Coen, A Serious Man
Pete Docter, Bob Peterson, & Thomas McCarthy, Up

Adapted Screenplay
Neil Blomkamp & Terri Tatchell, District 9
Nick Hornby, An Education
Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Ianucci, & Tony Roche, In the Loop
Geoffrey Fletcher, Precious
Jason Reitman & Sheldon Turner, Up in the Air

Foreign Language Film
Ajami (Israel)
El secreto de sus ojos (Argentina)
The Milk of Sorrow (Peru)
Un Prophete (France)
The White Ribbon (Germany)

Animated Film
Coraline
Fantastic Mr. Fox
The Princess and the Frog
The Secret of Kells
Up

Best Picture
Avatar
The Blind Side
District 9
An Education
The Hurt Locker
Inglourious Basterds
Precious
A Serious Man
Up
Up in the Air

Nothing draws a crowd like a fight, and the final “Tonight Show with Conan O’Brian” went out with high ratings and a lot of class.  As the final show began to come to an end, Conan welcomed a grizzled, Will Farrell and his extremely pregnant wife, Viveca to the stage in front of a huge American flag and the Tonight Show band. (Also on board for the performance was Billy Gibbons (from ZZ Top, Ben Harper and Beck) How do you close out a show?

Freebird with plenty of cowbells. (and just an update, Viveca gave birth to their third son today. His name is Axel).

One of the more interesting dramas found on American television is the in-house rumble over at NBC.  Jay Leno and Conan O’Brian are engaged in a battle of egos stoked by  greed and lies. Tonight will mark Conan’s departure from the Peacock and set into motion the inevitable landing at Fox.

A Hong Kong news program provides a terrific animated explanation of who is doing what to who, and who else is getting their licks in?

Also shown piling on is David Letterman and Jimmy Kimmel, who has been having a field day at Leno’s expense. The comedy has been sharp and it’s a miscue that NBC will have to contend with for a while. Leno in fact may never have the clout he once had.  This is the English version…click on the video below.

As reported here back in March, Joel and Ethan Coen were planning to make a film based on the book, “True Grit” by Charles Portis. Those that are expecting a rehash of the John Wayne/Glen Campbell movie will be disappointed, for the book was quite a bit different than the movie.  As usual, the cast is terrific.

Jeff Bridges (The Big Lebowski) is Rooster Cogburn and Matt Damon  is Texas Ranger La Boeuf, in what is his first chance to work with the Brother’s Coen.  Josh Brolin (No Country For Old Men), is also in the cast.

The movie is scheduled to be released around Christmas.

Angelique is a  popular Latin American television actress who found quite a following by being on a number of popular soap operas.

The Daily Helping is proud to present our personal favorites for the past ten years.  Now please note that this in no way implies that these are the best artistic efforts for the decade. That’s a bit pretentious.  Instead these are personal favorites that speak to a particular taste.

If you’ve taken the time to put together a list of your own, please feel free to let us know via the comments page.

5)  Alfonso Cuarón’s film, “Children of Men” (2006).  This has been an excellent decade for Clive Owen.  There are more than a few of his movies that could be on this list.  (“The Inside Man”,  “Gosford Park“) Clive is a resistance fighter protecting what may very well be the last pregnant woman on Earth. It’s  edgy science fiction  that drew an audience primarily by word of mouth. It’s likely to be a timeless film. (Look for the wonderful cameo by the great Michael Cain).

4)” The Departed” (2006). Martin Scorsese can put together any cast he wants to and he started with Jack Nicholson to headline his American version of a twisty Hong Kong mob film called, “Infernal Affairs”.  Scorsese called on his muse,  Leonardo DiCaprio to play a deep under cover cop and the always remarkable,  Matt Damon as a spy for the mob, placed highly with the Boston mob task force. Cat and mouse doesn’t do the tension justice. This was a fantasic movie and the best Scorsese picture since” Goodfellas”.

3) “The Dark Knight”, (2008) arrived with great expectations before the untimely death of it’s co-star, Heath Ledger.  Re-tooled over the past ten years and helmed by the very gifted, Christopher Nolan (“Momento”, “Batman Begins”, “The Prestige”), “The Dark Knight” set a new standard for comic book blockbusters. The energy and special effects didn’t hide the story.  Nolan showed that a big budget summer picture can also have depth, character development and a story that refuses to let go from the opening scene.  Christian Bale wears the gear well, and will for as long as he wants to.

The movie will forever be known for Heath Ledger’s remarkable turn as the Joker.  He  joins Norman Bates and Hannibal Lecter as  one of the most most memorable film villains of all time.

2) “A History of Violence” (2005) and “Eastern Promises” (2007) paired versatile actor, Viggo Mortensen with David Cronenberg, a director known for his independent spirit and taste for the grotesque.  Because these films are equally compelling and razor sharp in their construction; it’s hard to separate the two.

1) “No Country For Old Men” was a 2007 screen adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s tight little novel of bounty hunters, unrelenting killers, a lot of drug money and a few good people fighting for their lives.  The affection that the Daily Helping has for The Brothers Coen is well documented here on this site.  As gifted as Joel and Ethan happen to be, it was this film that took them to the next level in both box office and critical appeal.  The film was honored with numerous awards, garnering three British Academy of Film awareds, two Golden Globes, and four Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director (Joel and Ethan Coen), Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor (Javier Bardem, in a truly memorable Moe-like hairstyle).