Andy Baldwin

• Cinematical muses over the recently announced movie project about the assassination of Martin Luther King.
• TV Squad counts down the five worst TV character names of all time.
• Apparently today is National Coming Out Day, and Film Experience has an homage to the out and proud members of the film community.
• Rolling Stone's Rock & Roll Daily reports that Madonna could follow in Radiohead's footsteps by ditching her record label.
• Aquarium Drunkard has a Bob Dylan retrospective box giveaway!
• Vulture has the shocking news that Fox has shut down the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" sing-alongs!
• Popwatch asks who your top TV icons are, kicking things of with fond words for Chevy Chase.
• TV Cocktail has the news that "Bachelor" Andy Baldwin is being deployed to Iraq.
• YumSugar wants to know if you agree with the "Top Chef" Fan Favorite winner.
• Pop Candy links to a free sampler of music from the upcoming CMJ festival.

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Every once in a blue moon we'll see celebrities acting as really good role models for health. Since it doesn't happen all the time, I really enjoy sharing it with you when it does...

A real treat for you today, is seeing Felicity Huffman, participating in The Nautica Malibu Triathlon at Zuma Beach, in Malibu, CA. I am always impressed when anyone completes a triathlon, but even more impressive is that a few hours later Felicity Huffman was dressed to the nines at the 2007 Primetime Emmy Awards -- Now that's inspiring! I am totally motivated by her at this point, especially since a lot of other celebs would have thrown out the idea of doing a triathlon on such an important celebrity celebration day. You go girl!

To see more pics of Felicity, William H. Macy, David Duchovny and Andy Baldwin (The Bachelor, in case you were wondering) participating in the tri, just read more

• Today is the 30th anniversary of Elvis Pressley's death and to honor him, fans from all over the world are making trips to the site of his birth in Mississippi, where one fan died and others were hospitalized due to extreme heat. Obviously the legend hasn't lost his strong fan base since his tragic death. - AP
• Amy Winehouse walked out of rehab yesterday after staying for less than 48 hours. Hopefully her friends and family will find a way to get her the help she needs. - The Sun
• A Broadway musical inspired by Clay Aiken and his fan base has closed down after only one day. Why does this not surprise us? - TMZ
• Bachelor Andy Baldwin and his fiancée Tessa Horst have decided to call off their engagement after three months. Guess some relationships are more fun when the cameras are rolling. - InTouch
• House costars Jennifer Morrison and Jesse Spencer have also decided to called off their engagement, although they will continue working together. We bet that could get a little awkward. - People

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On this week's finale of my guiltiest pleasure, "The Bachelor," Andy Baldwin proposed to San Francisco social worker Tessa Horst, whom I thought was the better of two fairly dull choices. Andy will face some of the rejected bachelorettes tonight in the "After the Final Rose" special, which I'm betting will be more exciting than the sappy, cliche-filled proposal episode. Meanwhile, this morning, I had a chance to join some other reporters in a chat with the couple about the parts of their relationship that we didn't get to see on TV, what it was like to have so many women vying for Andy, and what comes next for them. Here are some of the highlights:

How hard has it been to keep your secret?
Andy: We've been walking around New York and I've been screaming it from the top of my lungs. It's no secret any longer.

Tessa: It's a huge relief to have it over. Everyone around us was still watching [the show] as if it was present. We're just really excited to move forward from here.

What have you learned about each other since the show ended two months ago?
Andy: We've seen each other four times, talked to each other all the time on the phone. We've definitely commented how much better we know each other now than even at the end of the show. The risk we took in getting engaged is getting better and better.

Tessa: Andy snores. And he wakes up at about 5 a.m. every morning, as if that's a normal time to get up and start your day.

Andy: Tessa's a good cook, and she sweats a lot from her armpits.

Lots more, so read more

• After a few too many drinks one of final three Bachelor contestants accidentally spilled the beans about winning Andy Baldwin's heart. Wow, violating that confidentiality agreement is definitely going to cost her a pretty penny! - Page Six
• George Lucas recently told Fox News that he was not impressed by Spider-Man 3. "It's silly. It's a silly movie," he said, "There just isn't much there." This is from the man responsible for Jar Jar Binks! - TMZ
• Joss Stone says she had "no idea" she won a Grammy last year for R&B performance by a duo or group, but was excited to receive it anyway this week. We're sure it made her day. - AP
• Tom Sizemore, who's already on probation for a prior drug charge was arrested with drugs again this week. Sounds like he's the next one off to rehab! - AP
• Jamie-Lynn Sigler admits that her 1991 album Here to Heaven was crap. "There was no creative process at all...I hated every moment of it," she says. So is she offering refunds? - Page Six
• Billy Ray Cyrus didn't have any hard feelings about being kicked off Dancing with the Stars last night. "I had a great time. I can't believe a hillbilly like me got to do this," he said. Congrats to him for making it this far. - People

Photo copyright 2007 ABC, Inc.

I should not like "The Bachelor." I should hate it with a fiery passion. I should especially not like "The Bachelor" right now, because I find this year's eligible man, Andy Baldwin, lacking anything resembling a personality. Why should I want to watch 25 women beg and plead and sell each other out for a chance to date a bland dude who looks like a Ken doll says things like "Gosh, you sure do look pretty!" and "These women are smart!" without a trace of irony? There seems to be something icky and anti-feminist about it all (and no, the fact that "The Bachelorette" exists doesn't make it better).

And yet, you know where I am every Monday night after "Heroes" ends? Sitting on my couch with a pint of Ben & Jerry's in hand, watching "The Bachelor." If it's a drug, I'm officially addicted. Sure, sure, I watch it for the comedy (and there's a lot of it — remember the bad math? the national anthem?). But I also cheered a little when Andy saw past Stephanie South Carolina's big boobs and kicked her to the curb this week, and I've caught myself having several conversations since then about whether Tessa, Stephanie Kansas or Danielle will end up with the final rose. It's hard for me to justify why I love this show so much, so I'm asking those of you who share this sickness to do it for me in the comments below. On your marks, get set, defend!

"The Bachelor" has built a franchise on fairytale romances that seem too good to be true, but even so, new bachelor Andy Baldwin's resume seems a bit over the top. I mean, the guy is:

• A Navy lieutenant
• A doctor
• A triathlete
• A humanitarian who recently went on a mission to help Laotian villagers

Starting tonight, this classic all-American hero is looking for love on national television. Of course, there are 25 pre-selected pretty young bachelorettes ready to vie for his hand. And, apparently, he does find the love of his life in the end.

I've always thought there's something a little gross about this whole franchise, and at least one critic has said that despite Andy's impressive resume, he's a bit of a doofus. But if "The Bachelor" is going to be back, I'm glad it's in this more straightforward format rather than, say, another excessively contrived version with a prince. The show starts tonight at 9:45 p.m., right after "Dancing with the Stars." Check out the video preview at the show's official site and let me know what you think. Will you be watching?

Photo copyright 2007 ABC, Inc.