Ear on TV: The week of June 23

This weekend marked the beginning of Summer, and so let the "there's nothing on TV" exclamations begin. Here's where I'm supposed to tell you to get off that couch, go outside and enjoy the great outdoors, but the hell with that. Between the mosquitoes, skin cancer and allergies, I'd just as soon eat grass. Instead, why not point your dial to the plethora of live music performances happening this week. Actually, when you think about it, most are happening at night anyway, and besides that, you're going to tape it via TIVO/DVR anyway, right?

The highlight for me, might just be Coldplay playing The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Wednesday,) even though I'm not a huge fan of the britpop band. I'm looking forward to Jon Stewart's interview with Chris Martin, not only because Stewart's a big fan, but also to see whether they revisit Gwyneth's awkward last visit to The Daily Show a couple years back, when Jon asked: "You think my son... could... bang your daughter?" Gwynneth laughed it off, saying "her father's going to kill you." A few days later, Billy Bob Thornton came on and Jon offered up the same proposition. Thornton, scratched his head for a second and said "Hell, why not," as they shook on it. So, will Jon pose the same question to Chris? That's a question I guarantee he won't hear from Matt Lauer, when they play The Today Show on Friday.



Playlist: Picks for the week
Monday, June 23
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: N.E.R.D. (REPEAT)
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Amos Lee
FUEL: The Daily Habit: The Black Angels
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Drive-By Truckers
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Grizzly Bear (REPEAT)
PBS: Tavis Smiley: Ne-Yo
SYNDICATION: Live With Regis and Kelly: Angie Stone
Tuesday, June 24
ABC: Jimmy Kimmel Live: Billy Idol
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Mötley Crüe
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Phantom Planet
NBC: The Today Show: Alejandro Escovedo
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Serj Tankian (REPEAT)
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: Billy Bragg
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin (REPEAT)
Wednesday, June 25
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Tift Merritt
CBS: Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson: Three 6 Mafia
COMEDY CENTRAL: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart: Coldplay
NBC: The Today Show: Natasha Bedingfield
NBC: The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Priscilla Ahn (REPEAT)
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: The Flobots (REPEAT)
Thursday, June 26
FUEL: The Daily Habit: Damien Jurado
NBC: Last Call With Carson Daly: Brett Dennen (REPEAT)
SUNDANCE: Live From Abbey Road: Rascal Flatts, Kate Nash, Herbie Hancock, Corrine Bailey Rae
SYNDICATION: Live With Regis and Kelly: Lenny Kravitz
Friday, June 27
CBS: Late Show With David Letterman: Wild Sweet Orange
FUEL: The Daily Habit: The Briggs
NBC: The Today Show: Coldplay
NBC: Late Night With Conan O'Brien: The Raconteurs
PBS: Tavis Smiley: Carly Simon (REPEAT)
RAVEHD: Later with Jools Holland: The Cure, Jackson Browne, Anita Baker, KT Tunstall, The Futureheads, Embrace (REPEAT)
Saturday, June 28
BBCAMERICA: The Graham Norton Show: Freemasons
NBC: Saturday Night Live: Wilco (REPEAT)
PBS: Austin City Limits: Blues Traveler, Café Tacuba
Sunday, June 29
A&E: Private Sessions: Carly Simon