Whether you like it or not, awards season has been thrust upon us. Oscar nominations will be announced bright and early on Jan. 10., with the Golden Globes ceremony only a few days later on the 13th (hosted by no less than the incomparable Tina Fey and Amy Poehler).

If you’re looking for the Mayor of Mesa, you won’t find him inside the box of old thinking.

Whether it’s a pregnant Christian schoolgirl or a pot-selling suburban mother, director Brian Dannelly has never been one to shy away from unlikable characters. Having worked on projects such as “Saved!”, “Weeds” and “The United States of Tara”, Dannelly has always had a knack for dark comedies, which is why “Struck By Lightning” fits right in with his eccentric canon of work.

Cheeky and snarky but with an infectious energy, “Pitch Perfect,” a comedy set in the cutthroat world of competing college a cappella groups, makes us fall in love with the very thing it’s making fun of. It’s ridiculous and predictable but also just a ton of fun, so you may as well give up and give in to your inner musical theater geek.

Cheeky and snarky but with an infectious energy, "Pitch Perfect," a comedy set in the cutthroat world of competing college a cappella groups, makes us fall in love with the very thing it's making fun of. It's ridiculous and predictable but also just a ton of fun, so you may as well give up and give in to your inner musical theater geek.

Performing Arts 2012-13 theater season preview

Beverly Hills, Calif. • Katie Couric is glad she has had some space between her and Oprah Winfrey.

My 7-year-old son has made me an expert at Caesar salad. Though to be fair, some credit goes to April Bloomfield, too.

"Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days” is conclusive evidence that every joke involving a public pool has been done to death. If there’s a little kid in the pool, he’ll unquestionably urinate and splash somebody. You can also count on the long-suffering protagonist at some point losing his swim trunks and having to dodge others in the nude. Then there are gags involving the pool being crowded with kids, being fearful of jumping off the high dive, navigating through the locker room, etcetera. Every adult in the theater will foresee these instances from a mile away. The targeted younger crowd on the other hand, will likely be caught off guard by these scenes and smile in glee.

“Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days” is conclusive evidence that every joke involving a public pool has been done to death. If there’s a little kid in the pool, he’ll unquestionably urinate and splash somebody. You can also count on the long-suffering protagonist at some point losing his swim trunks and having to dodge others in the nude.

NEW YORK (AP) — In the age of social media, NBC now has millions of television critics who make their opinions known about every aspect of Olympics coverage instantly.

The 64th Annual Primetime Emmy nominees are to be announced on July 19. As a memo to Emmy voters, here are my personal selections for the 10 best drama and comedy series of the past television season.

The 64th Annual Primetime Emmy nominees are to be announced on July 19th. As a memo to Emmy voters, here are my personal selections for the ten best drama and comedy series of the past television season.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Comic-Con International, the four-day pop-culture celebration that takes over the San Diego Convention Center each summer, runs Thursday to Sunday. Here's a look at some of the hottest films, TV shows and video games expected at the sold-out 43rd annual convention:

Charlie Sheen can be the life of the party, but he also knows how to steal focus.

Charlie Sheen can be the life of the party, but he also knows how to steal focus.

Just when you thought you'd never hear Def Leppard's "Pour Some Sugar on Me" again outside of a strip club comes "Rock of Ages," a shiny, splashy homage to the decadence of 1980s rock 'n' roll.

If you could be anyone, who would you be? When life gets you feeling low or up against the wall and wishing things were different, whose face would you wish looked back at you in the mirror?

Here's Jenny McCarthy, the 2.0 version.

The summer TV season has begun.

To say that Dina Eastwood — wife of Clint — is close to the boy band Overtone might be an understatement.

“Here you leave today and enter the world of yesterday, tomorrow, and fantasy.” — Plaque at the entrance to Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif.

Sam Huntington, who plays the cursed werewolf Josh Levison on “Being Human,” feels very blessed these days.

Sam Huntington, who plays the cursed werewolf Josh Levison on “Being Human,” feels very blessed these days.