TX/TV

Food Network is really great for filling in the gaps between other networks' programming, though I can't recall ever actually making something I've seen in their shows. My favorite is Everyday Italian because it's so hypnotic. The hostess doesn't seem to know that much about cooking, but you can't look away. Shot of hostess grinning while trying to impress us by pronouncing the name of a cheese with her "authentic" accent. Close-up of hostess's perfectly manicured hands chopping vegetables. Close up on hostess's cute etched measuring spoons and Le Creuset cookware. I like watching Paula's Home Cooking because the hostess periodically spaces out or giggles at the prospect of tasting whatever she's fried up that day. This morning she fried canned Pillsbury biscuits and then injected them with melted butter and honey as a "snack." Look for the show to change names to Paula's Home Cardiologist in the near future. Thirty Minute Meals has the most potentially useful ideas, and the hostess has great catch phrases like, "Yum-O!" None of the shows hosted by men has much appeal, though.

Do you think Boeing is an uncredited producer of Flightplan, the new horror movie set on the gigantic Airbus plane? Also, do we need two horror films set on airplanes coming out at such a close interval? Airplane horror seems pretty implausible since 1) where's the killer going to pop out of, the lavatory? and 2) it's not especially difficult to mobilize the entire plane to help you nowadays if there's even a slight perceived security risk.