Speaking of a big win for ABC and the media in general, last night’s NBA Finals Game 4 featuring the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics was the highest rated NBA Finals game since the 2004 Los Angeles Lakers-Detroit Pistons series. With an 11.6 overnight household rating, according to The Hollywood Reporter, it was 6% higher than last year’s rating for Lakers-Magic. And it won the night, earning a 4.7 rating, 14 share and 11.7 million viewers.

In fact, ABC owned the night:

It’s even a win for ESPN.com…

So, with the series tied 2-2, and no favorite apparent, the current winner is still ABC. Congratulations, ABC. You’re the best! (A.K.A. Please throw us a bone for this congratulatory blog.)

You’ve heard the old adage: “you should read Eleventh Hour’s weekly blog post entitled, ‘Around the Creative World’.”

Here are the links:

• How to Train Your Dragon easily won the weekend Box Office with $43,732,319.
• Regency Theaters has purchased the historical Westwood Village’s Bruin and Village theaters. Both theaters were built in the 30s–a time before Perez Hilton, but not the concept of gossip as entertainment.
• Ready for “The Hangover 2″? The cast is finally in place. They are all cashing in this time.
• Tom Cruise gets ready to cash in on this whole crazy “act” he put on a few years ago. Who knew it was all part of his Method, and on big set-up for Knight and Day.
• “I’m a shrimp blogger…” What?
• Stop the sag. “We are better than this.” (Lil Wayne, I think he’s talking to you.)
• You’ll need about $900,000 to advertise during the last episode of “Lost.” I’m thinking about advertising my Facebook page.
• TechCrunch: An iPad App 2,000 Years In The Making: Air Harp
• Speaking of iPads, Seton Hall will supply one, and a 13″ MacBook to all full-time students arriving on campus next fall. Gimmicky…but a good kind of gimmicky.

Brian Laesch has compiled this list of links for Eleventh Hour.

Welcome to the post-Oscars edition of “Around the Creative World.” I thought Steve Martin would make some sort of joke regarding our massively popular, Los Angeles-based blog…but I guess not. That hurts. Not as much as a locker hurts…but still, it’s a Bigelow…I mean, a big blow, to our psyche.

OK, we are over it.

• The Steve Martin/Alec Baldwin-hosted 82nd Oscars attracted 41 million viewers–the most since 2005.
• The Hurt Locker, a film that grossed $20 million, beat out Avatar, a film that grossed the entire U.S. GDP (seemingly), for Best Picture. But did blog buzz predict its win?
• I did not attend any Oscar parties. (I know. It is big news.)
• The Iron Man 2 trailer is out.
• ‘Shutter Island’ is still on top of the box office, taking in $22.2 million this weekend. Now that’s what I call a “shutterout.” Hey-oh!
• Six companies have been invited to place a second-round bid for MGM. Now that’s what I call a roaring competition. (Get it…? OK. I’ll stop.)
• AdAge: Why ‘Modern Family’ Still Drives Toyota
• Apple’s iPad is introduced here by a bunch of laid-back professional hand/lap models. (Do they have an award show for faceless acting?)
• AdFreak: Frito-Lay learns to have fun in small spaces
• Remember the 80s? Remember 8-bit video games? Ever wonder what NYC would look like on Atari? There’ s a map for that.

Brian Laesch said he was done using punchlines related to the Verizon vs. AT&T feud… He was wrong.

Fresh off an over-the-top performance on the American Music Awards, Adam Lambert was scheduled to appear on a number of late night and morning talk shows this coming week.  As of this morning, Eleventh Hour has learned “Good Morning America” has decided to avoid any chance of a repeat performance, kissing his Wednesday morning concert goodbye.

Lambert’s risque performance Sunday evening caused quite a fuss for ABC and Dick Clark Productions, receiving almost 1,500 complaints from viewers.  Soon after the “Good Morning America” announcement of the cancellation, “The Early Show” on CBS jumped on the opportunity to remind everyone the runner-up of “American Idol” season eight would still be appearing Wednesday morning to perform and discuss Sunday’s controversy.

Below is a post interview with Adam Lambert discussing his performance.

I understand the times that we are in where every act is trying to trump one another to gain attention in the media.  Similar past performances like the Madonna and Britney Spears’ kiss and Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake’s Super Bowl ‘mishap’ may have created similar buzz but this was the first male-male interaction.  Lambert did trump Spears and the Super Bowl for shock value and when you look at it, it’s all entertainment and ABC knew that.  You can always change the channel.

Matt Suttner saw glimpses of the AMAs when Seinfeld reruns were in commercials.

Right before the Cowboys game

Happy Thanksgiving Eve Eve. I hope you are ready for a great meal with family, friends or loved ones. If not, I hope you have somewhere good to go, or good people to be with. And, if not, I wish I could help you out…but I’m too busy being underemployed…

Here are some creative links from around the “creative world.” This is the blog post that updates you on the intangibles, tangibles, and intangibles wrapped in a tangibles’ clothing. Some of these links are business-related, but most are reviewed under the criterion known as “cool.”

• ABC is halting production on “FlashForward.” My initial reaction was that the general public learned their lesson from “Lost” (myself included). But apparently, the work stoppage was built into the production schedule from the beginning. In related news, the fact that Daily Variety calls ABC “the Alphabet” irks me.
• Speaking of production, general public, and irking–in no particular order–FX has won the rights to air the first Twilight film. (I only included this link for SEO purposes. )
• Apparently, Axe body spray is stronger than destiny. Just buy it and you’ll be stealing someone’s soulmate in no time!
• HootSuite has added support for Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter lists. Good for them. I’m a fan.
• Mashable: 5 Important Tips for Successful Web Meetings
• German government officials believe Google Analytics is illegal. I’d say, “nein,” but I don’t speak German.
• Domino’s Noid is back. In my opinion, you can thank those idiotic former employees who posted disgusting videos that I won’t link to.
• Oooohhhhh. Apple throws a grazing hook in the direction of Verizon. (I told you this feud is getting good. Let’s get it on.)
• OTB New York has won the right to show a hot chick in their ads.
• Is Foursquare the next Twitter? (I think it all depends on whether or not CNN’s Rick Sanchez embraces it.)
• In closing, since this is the “Creative World,” here’s a Yahoo! Digital Short called “The Creatives.” I’m glad these three don’t actually dress like hipsters. It gives me hope that I can someday be a normal creative guy. But then again, I also have a big problem with the whole “we actually don’t pay them very well at all” thing.

Brian Laesch is a blogger who compiled this list of links for Eleventh Hour.

Over the last couple weeks, Eleventh Hour has been flipping channels on our tube in hopes of finding some new primetime shows to invest our quality time in.  The ones that hit our radar may need a little more convincing after only an episode or two but a couple new comedies have some promise.  11thr is also excited for the return of a couple classic comedies making their return to our DVR lists.  Below are the shows we are connecting with.  See if you agree?

Newbees:

• Modern Family has a similar Arrested Development feel; pushing the envelope of family interaction.  It’s ok because it YOUR FAMILY, right?  A zany, dry comedy is right up 11thr’s alley.  Hulu allows you to check out the pilot and other tidbits from the show.

• Community is another half hour comedy starring Joel McHale with some guidance from Chevy Chase.  With a diverse cast and some over the top characters, Community may have landed something here.  Spanish class led by Senor Chang, played by Ken Jeong (The Hangover, Knocked Up) highlighted last night’s episode.  Check out the La Biblioteca rap from Abed and Troy.
• Cougartown is the latest effort from Courtney Cox to maintain a career on TV.  Although advertisements can be seen on almost every street corner in the greater Los Angeles area, I’m unsure how long the cougar-hype will last.  The premise is very current with those being divorced being back on the prawl along with the issue of beauty and aging.  It remains to be seen if Cox and crew can keep the viewers clawing for more. Here’s the pilot thanks to ABC.com.

Oldies But Goodies:

• It’s Always Sunny in Philadephia is back for season 5 and still up to the same ‘ol high jinks.  The gang attempted to see the Grand Canyon on last nights episode, with little luck.  If you’ve seen the show you know laughs come with the package.  If you haven’t seen the show, what are you waiting for?  The entire cast will be at the Hollywood Palladium this evening for It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia: The Nightman Cometh Live.
• The Office is still one of the top primetime comedy running.  Dunder Mifflin is getting an addition to the family this season along with Michael sharing management duties.  Hulu is again the place to be to see all your season 6 episodes along with past Office installments.
• Curb Your Enthusiam and Larry David are ready for their biggest season yet.  The 7th season has Larry coping with his separation from his wife and trying to swing a Seinfeld reunion show.  The cast of Seinfeld will be apart of Curb for a 4 episode run which is sure to cause a ruckus for former Seifeld followers.

Overall original TV is back and 11thr is tuning in.  We’ll see in a couple weeks if the newbees continue to stick with our oldie favorites.

Matt Suttner needed to take advantage of Hulu more often after seeing the bottomless list of free episode of current and classic TV.

I wasn’t there, but I just wanted to piggy-back Matt’s post and bring you all some more about Comic-Con, headlined by this official footage of Lost’s last appearance at the convention:

Diehard fans of the show (me), know that the reception Lost got during their first Comic-Con a few years ago was huge, and it’s continued to grow throughout the show’s run there. I wouldn’t recommend dressing like the characters, but it would have been cool to check out the panel with creators Damon Lindelof and Carleton Cuse.

And here’s some footage of the Iron Man 2 panel. Another panel that would have been pretty cool to see, at for the all-star lineup and announcements about the cast of the film.

I enjoyed the first Ironman. I’m not sure that the second one will match the quality of the first. (Because that’s a rarity…excluding Dark Knight.) But it should make for a good summer movie. I’m not that excited about Terrence Howard being replaced by Don Cheadle, just for continuity purposes…but it’s not my film, I guess, so whatever. I’d also like to say that I think it’s time for Terrence Howard to do Hustle & Flow 2: Out of Jail For Mo’ Flowin’. But that’s for another blog.

Brian Laesch reminds you that camping out for Comic-Con panels is highly discouraged if you are over the age of 16. Source: the world.

With a record 293 spellers competing in this years annual Scripps National Spelling Bee, the field has narrowed down to 11 after today’s semifinal round.  The last youngster standing will bank over $40,000 in cash and prizes.

Eleventh Hour has learned the spelling bee has received high ratings annually being televised on ESPN for the earlier rounds and switching over to ABC for the finals.  The spotlight shines a little brighter in the later rounds causing more jitters for both the audience and contestants all packed into one ballroom.

One new addition to this year’s bee is funnier-than-usual examples read by pronouncer Jacques Bailly.  Asked by 11-year-old Nicholas Rushlow of Pickerington, Ohio, to use “noisette” (a type of food) in a sentence, Bailly replied: “Gail couldn’t keep her eyes off the piece of noisette in her date’s teeth.”

See how you would stack up against these talented kids. Try testing your spelling skills.

Matt Suttner was a champ at math flashcards growing up but has always been allergic to spelling bees.

It has been announced that The Walt Disney Company has agreed to join NBC Universal, FOX Entertainment Group (News Corp.) and Providence Equity in a collective partnership with Hulu.

Hulu, known for their online commercial supported streaming video of TV shows and movies, will now be showing shows and movies from networks such as ABC, ABC Family, Disney Channel, Soapnet, Comedy Central, PBS, USA Network, Bravo, Fuel TV, FX, Speed Channel, Sci Fi, Sundance, E!, G4, Versus, and Oxygen.

“From our landmark iTunes deal to our pioneering decision to stream ad-supported shows on our ABC.com player, Disney has sought to meet the constantly evolving viewing habits of our consumers,” Robert A. Iger, Disney’s president and chief executive, said in a statement. “Today’s Hulu announcement is the next extremely important step in that ongoing journey.”

The biggest reason for the move is for Disney to reach an audience that isn’t coming to their own site.  Hulu offers a whole new audience of viewers.

Eleventh Hour has also learned that Disney will also obtain three seats on the Hulu board.

The question now is when CBS will jump on board with Hulu.

Matt Suttner thinks Hulu will soon take over the world as depicted in their Super Bowl ad.