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This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.

This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.

Arts & Entertainment

Rockstar: Supernova or Black Hole?

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After being all 4th of July-ed out, this LAist poster settled in for a mellow night in front of the boob tube. But the network pickings were slim. We're talking skinnier than Nicole Richie.

NBC-4 showed two hours of dreck with America's Got Talent. FOX aired two hours of So You Think You Can Dance. And ABC offered viewers George Lopez, Freddie (yes, Prinze Jr. has a TV show) and two repeat episodes of Lost. So we ended up on the channel with the lesser of all evils: CBS-2 for the second installment of Rockstar: Supernova.

This is the rock version of American Idol that last year breathed life into INXS with new lead singer (but kind of a punk) J.D. Fortune. The band went on to minor success with their catchy tune with "Pretty Vegas." So here they go again with "Supernova" -- a patched-together outfit of Motley Crue's Tommy Lee, Metallica's Jason Newsted and Guns N' Roses Gilby Clarke. The TV show will hopefully find them a new singer.

Also back this season are the critiques of too-cool-for-school Dave Navarro (do you think Carmen Electra gets pissed at the way he flirts with host Brooke Burke?) Brooke's robotic hosting skills haven't improved from last season either, but they dress her in skimpy enough outfits, most people aren't really listening to what she's saying anyway.

And as for the singers, Storm Large (we're not kidding) kicked off the show with The Who's "Pinball Wizard," and by and large, half of the singers were just decent enough singing the cover songs of their choice. They were all styled just right and would all fit in nicely in front of the Guitar Center on Sunset. But we liked the kid who sang "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" and the other guy who sang "She Talks to Angels." They're our early favorites.

So with nothing much else on TV these days, we'll stick around to see if Supernova implodes.

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