On Work of Art, the new art competition reality show from Bravo, artists from all over the country compete with each other for $100,000, a solo show at the Brooklyn Museum and some other swanky stuff. This show certainly follows the Bravo formula that’s familiar to fans of Project Runway and Top Chef: Each week, the artists have to use a different medium — in the current episode, they’re working with paint and portraiture — and then they’re given very limited time to create works that are shown in public and judged. Bravo takes them out of their areas of technical expertise to tackle the questions: What makes a good artist? And good art?

The real driving reason to watch this show is the strength of the judges. Actress/model (and host) China Chow, New York magazine art critic Jerry Saltz, gallery owner Bill Powers, curator Jeanne Greenber-Rohatyn and mentor Simon de Pury (the Tim Gunn of this series) make this show accessible while still worth a viewer’s time. The contestants, each specializing in different media with different levels of training, are made up of a number of artists that I had actually heard of, including Trong G. Nguyen, Nao Bustamante and Peregrine Honig, as well as many exciting others, even an architect and a novice that has never been critiqued. Unleash your inner critic and cheer for the work that inspires you and makes you ask: They made this on reality TV?

Jocelyn Matsuo
Hulu’s Content Editor and Art Aficionado

Jocelyn Matsuo shares her latest finds from the Hulu library.

I’ve been doing a lot of interviews. It’s time to return to my roots. Here’s a goodie: Fora.tv. This lecture series focuses on several different good-for-your-mind categories: culture, science, economy, technology, politics and the environment. Each session is an open-ended talk, which leads into a Q&A with the audience. If you’ve got the time and stamina (some of them run 2 hours long) these lectures are super-pertinent — think of them as mega-sized TED Talks.

On the lighter side, I really dig this short and sweet number from the scientist whose work went into Match.com’s dating service. The idea of taking a personality test sounded way eighth grade to me, but clearly this woman has taken it to the bank.

Jocelyn Matsuo
Hulu’s Video Editor

I recently sat down for an interview with Sergio Cilli, comedian/producer/music guy of infoMania, or more specifically, Sergio’s White Hot Top 5 (yeah, that Sergio). Fish, fish, got my wish from my previous blog, infoMania-Mania! See kids, don’t give up on your dreams, sometimes they come very close to true. Here’s the most recent Sergio’s White Hot Top 5, followed by the climax of my career as a blogger. — Jocelyn Matsuo, Hulu’s Content Editor

Jocelyn: Tell me about how you started doing your White Hot Top 5:
Sergio: Current approached me to be a writer/producer for infoMania. I knew they wanted to do something with music, so I pitched this show. I thought it would be funny to do somebody that didn’t like to listen to [pop] music — what would happen if you forced him to listen to it and review it?

Can you describe your process, how you find the lists? And how do you decide the top?
It’s completely sales. A lot of people think that I pick the lists, [but ] I go through iTunes, YouTube, Billboard, Vevo; then I pick what would be the most fun to make fun of, like Black Eyed Peas. I usually am attracted to them, if they have something new that’s on a list, and low-hanging fruit like Ke$ha.

Is that how you say that is Ke$ha [sounding like a British person saying "Fran Drescher"]?
Yeah, I made that mistake the first week. I called her “Keesha” and people wrote in. They’re fact-checkers; I can’t make any mistakes.

What are your top 5 favorite top 5 lists that you’ve done?
The ones that are really memorable to me are the specials we’ve done. [We’ve inserted them in order for easy clicking.]

I really liked that one because I got to do my own Christmas song, making fun of Fred Figglehorn. I don’t know if you know who that is; he’s this 13 year-old kid that is huge on YouTube.

That was just a lot of fun to do.

I did my own version, Adultz Bop, where I did kids’ songs reworked to be adult-themed. It was really tastefully done.

[The next two on Sergio's list aren't available on Hulu, so I've added my favorites, making it Hulu's Top 5 Top 5’s.]

My favorite quote from the whole show. “You just got fact in the face.”

What makes you laugh the most?
In general, I think awkward humor, based in reality. Most of the jokes come from taking it as a serious art form. While they’re singing about taking off their clothes and dancing, obviously in reality that doesn’t really play. Guys crying is funny. Awkward breakups can be funny. The funniest things come out of real-life situations.

Did you always want to work in comedy? What did you want to be when you grew up?
My earliest memory was that I wanted to be a roofer (because my dad was in construction.) But as soon as I realized what that was, I changed it immediately to comedy. I always loved making people laugh as a kid. It was my goal. On the way to school, like on the bus, I was like “I’m gonna make one person laugh today on the way to school” and if I did, that I felt like I’d filled my quota for the day (and I usually did that by 8:30) so the rest of the day I could do whatever I wanted.

Check Sergio out every Thursday on InfoMania, from CurrentTV. To see more of Sergio check out his sketch comedy team, Cream on YouTube. And catch the latest episode of infoMania here.

Each week, Hulu’s Video Editor, Jocelyn Matsuo, brings to light hidden gems from the Hulu library.

Don’t let the name fool you: The web series Cooking Up a Story is not just about cooking. It deserves some attention as it takes on our relationship with what we are eating in the most modern way I’ve seen. Recently we’ve posted a series of interviews with Michael Pollan, author of In Defense of Food.

Update: The interviews continue here and here.

Jocelyn Matsuo
Content Editor

Each week, Hulu’s Video Editor, Jocelyn Matsuo, brings to light hidden gems from the Hulu library.

Hulu recently launched its NFL section. I have allowed myself to be swept up in the hubbub. Now I can impress my uncle with my newfound knowledge of football history, or search for a specific team. Basically, Hulu is the closest thing I have to a Bookie. Most appropriate for a novice viewer like myself is the HBO series Hard Knocks. Good: Follow your favorite teams through their training camp. Better: Listen to the narrators who study these athletes like the vicious carnivores of the Serengeti (as seen on National Geographic Channel’s Wild).

Check out this clip of rookie RB Felix Jones of the Dallas Cowboys:

Jocelyn Matsuo
Content Editor

Each week, Hulu’s Video Editor, Jocelyn Matsuo, brings to light hidden gems from the Hulu library.

Not to be confused with Shaq Vs., Shaq’s Big Challenge unleashes Shaquille O’Neal’s altruistic side. The NBA star chooses kids from his area who are all morbidly obese, and organizes a program to help them with their weight and self-esteem. The immaturity of the teens and Shaq’s over-confidence make for an … Oh, what am I talking about? Bottom line, this is a documentary/reality show about Shaq whipping some overweight kids into shape.

Check out this action:

Jocelyn Matsuo
Content Editor

Each week, Hulu’s video editor, Jocelyn Matsuo, shares her latest finds from the Hulu vault.

Ah sports, the thrill of battle, the physics-defying feats of strength and will, and the suspense of the clock. Yet some games leave a bit to be desired. You may be wondering to yourself: How can I prevent such disappointment? Good News!

The Big Ten’s Greatest Games Football and Basketball have done the sorting for you. Every game you watch is guaranteed to be exciting.

I’m a UK fan, myself (both University of Kentucky and the United Kingdom, but I mean Kentucky here), and this game gave me an excellent blast from the past.

It’s also a great example of Bobby Knight in action (and it even helped save my team playing Trivial Pursuit 1990’s Edition.) So grab a brewski and sit on the edge of your seat.

Go Big Blue,
Jocelyn Matsuo
Video Editor

Each week, Hulu’s video editor, Jocelyn Matsuo, shares her latest finds from the Hulu vault.

Back in September, I blogged about Current TV as an entire network, but I realize now Current TV’s infoMania didn’t get a fair shake. Infomania is a media review after my own heart. Check out their show description:

“So much info, so little time. Chewing up the week’s media so we can regurgitate it, half-digested, into your mouth. Tasty, filling and enlightening…”

What are you getting from mama bird? The meat, the funny meat, dredged in an appropriate amount of metaphor (unlike yours truly) and fried in “snark.” Result? Wonderful morsels that will delight you and your coworkers for weeks to come. Check out full episodes or clips like Sarah Haskins’ segment, Target Women (by the way, Sarah, if you’re reading this, I would love, love, love to interview you — you’re my hero):

Or her commentary on another show you can find on Hulu, Snapped:

Jocelyn Matsuo
Video Editor

Each week, Hulu’s video editor, Jocelyn Matsuo, shares her latest finds from the Hulu vault.

Ironside, starring Raymond Burr of Perry Mason fame, has all the plot intrigue of a modern detective show, with the swank retro art design of a hipster’s closet. It’s perfect for those of us who grew up watching Nick at Night.

On an academic note, Chief Ironside gives you a time-capsule look at social morals of the ’60s. Check out this episode about the Haight-Ashbury district of San Fran:

It also offers interesting insight at how our language has changed in the last 40 years. Do you think this exchange would fly in 2009? (Then again, Jon Stewart got away with this montage last night.)

Turns out, an alternate definition for that term is “a clumsy or stupid mistake.”

Jocelyn Matsuo
Video Editor

Each week, Hulu’s video editor, Jocelyn Matsuo, shares her latest finds from the Hulu vault.

Getting jealous of reality shows where people have many times your net worth injected into their faces? Luckily, real money-based reality TV is emerging for us all to self-compare, without having to snoop our neighbors’ filing cabinets. Whether you are watching your investment portfolios or minimum payments, feast your eyes on the flow of dough.

Bank of Mom and Dad takes a look at individual cases of chronic debtors, and then cracks the finance whip.

Jocelyn Matsuo
Video Editor

Each week, Hulu’s Video Editor, Jocelyn Matsuo brings to light hidden gems from the Hulu library.

Halfway Home from Comedy Central is a too-short-lived ,improv-based sitcom about a bunch of freshly released criminals sharing a rehabilitation house in Los Angeles.

You’ll recognize a few of the characters, incuding Oscar Nuñez who has another gem on Hulu (you may have heard of it), The Office. You may recognize other cast members too; the whole ensemble is top notch. This is a great example of a show that would have slipped through my fingers without Hulu. See what you think: tune into the pilot episode I’ve embedded below.

Jocelyn Matsuo
Video Editor

Each week, Hulu’s video editor, Jocelyn Matsuo, shares her latest finds from the Hulu vault.

The other day, I met Chelsea Handler and Chuy Bravo. Jealous? You ought to be. Chelsea Lately is apparently the choice late-night show. ¹

This funny gal kept it seriously real on Carrie Prejean’s interview on The Today Show.

¹According to the 2009 Teen Choice Awards²
²According to Wikipedia

I’d also like to give some play to a Saturday night newcomer, Wanda Sykes, whose show, The Wanda Sykes Show, airs Saturday nights. I thoroughly enjoyed it at a time when people actually watch TV, Monday afternoon. Check out the round table at the end and play along with “Know Your Asians” (at 35:29) in her “Inappropriate Games” segment.

Jocelyn Matsuo
Video Editor

Each week, Hulu’s content editor, Jocelyn Matsuo, shares her latest finds from the Hulu vault.

DogTown has all things adorable rolled neatly into one program: kittens, bunnies, ponies, piglets and puppies who need care, and the nice guys who volunteer to help them. This series just warms my little heart. Be prepared for your eyebrows to try to kiss each other and your bottom lip to stick out further than when you’re doing your fish impression.

This docu-series about the Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab, Utah, is just what it takes to cure a little case of SAD or cynicism.

Jocelyn Matsuo
Video Editor & Lover of All Things Cute

Each week, Hulu’s content editor, Jocelyn Matsuo, shares her latest finds from the Hulu vault.

Let’s experiment and little and play this actor/movie game (besides, I like getting comments, so please post your turns). You’ve probably done this before: 1) name a movie or TV show, 2) the next person responds with an actor from that movie or TV show, 3) the next person names a different movie or TV show that the actor has also been in. Then repeat.

I’ll start with a classic:

A show: Arrested Development
Starring Tony Hale (Buster).

Tony Hale also appeared in Andy Barker P.I.,
which also starred Andy Richter (Andy)

Andy Richter, of course, now appears on The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien.

The Tonight Show stars Conan O’Brien, who appeared on The Simpsons …

That leaves it wide open. Now it’s your turn — bonus points if the show or movie is on Hulu, but don’t just cheat with the search function. Unleash your comments, and check some of the links out on the way — I limited it to worthwhile suggestions.

Jocelyn Matsuo
Hulu’s Name Game Champion

Each week, Hulu’s content editor, Jocelyn Matsuo, shares her latest finds from the Hulu vault.

NBC Sports’ National Heads-Up Poker Championship has all the head-game of regular televised Poker, but the format has the fierce, one-on-one battle of the minds that makes for a good spectator sport, even over an entire season. You get to know the pros in style, personality and tells. In fact, you already know some of the competitors from your favorite 90’s sitcoms: Jason Alexander and Brad Garrett get invites, as well as Don Cheadle and Jennifer Tilly.

This series is especially good for poker novices. Heads-Up greatly simplifies the odds and the commentary is clear, while giving player-history that is actually interesting. And with Hulu’s continuous play feature, you can watch episodes back-to-back, just like you’re in the tournament. Here are the starts of the 2008 and 2009 championships to get your started.

2008

2009

Jocelyn Matsuo
Hulu’s Card Shark

Each week, Hulu’s content editor, Jocelyn Matsuo, shares some of her favorite finds on Hulu.

Fifty years from now, I hope to tell my grandkids this: Back in the day, we watched web video in a player, surrounded by ads, low quality, in our basements as a party started to wind down. The only way you could find the funnies was to be in the same room, taking turns showing what you could play if you got really good at the ukulele.

Those times have already changed. I find that as a yuppie, I don’t have time to surf around through sub-par web video to find some viral cat that eats its own booger. Good thing I found G4′s Web Soup:

Web Soup serves up hilarious viral videos in our favorite, high-quality Hulu form.

Jocelyn Matsuo
Content Editor

Each week, Jocelyn Matsuo, Hulu’s Video Editor, shares a pick from the Hulu library.

The Mole is a reality/game show that’s more than the producers creating challenges for a bunch of people hunting stardom. It is a full-on mystery that kept me rapt (and ultimately wrong in my suspicions until the end). Who knew Anderson Cooper could be so devious?

This game show starts out with a classic premise: A group of strangers compete at different games to win money for a collective pot. Only one person will make it to the end to win all the money at the end of the show. There’s the twist, though: One of the players works for the producers to keep the cash prize low. Paranoia, deceit, strategy … bring all your cunning.

I’ll warn you though: don’t check this out unless you’ve got some time on your hands. Season 2 is compelling and you don’t want to waste it by feeling pressured by time and skipping to the end — that’s just not as satisfying.

Jocelyn Matsuo
Video Editor

Hu-Listic: Peep Show Each week, Hulu’s content editor, Jocelyn Matsuo, shares some of her favorite finds on Hulu.

Peep Show has a rather titillating title, so when I was recently propositioned to blog about this show, I wasn’t sure. The idea of selling out — so soon in my Hulu blogging career! — appealed to me, so I checked out the list of things for which I might be willing to whore myself. Fortunately, I found many shows that I might actually like. I dubiously gave them a shot. One in particular completely won me over, and I watched all the episodes in a single day. Peep Show. A British (you’ll realize I have major accent goggles) comedy through the eyes of comedian duo Mitchell and Webb.

It’s awkward and, to American ears, fantastically vulgar. Give it a shot. You might just like it.

Jocelyn Matsuo
Hulu’s Anglophile/Content Editor

Each week, Hulu’s Video Editor, Jocelyn Matsuo shares one of her picks from the Hulu library.

Let’s talk The Tick. This is one of those shows that makes me nostalgic because I actually remember when it was on the air — and I was sad to see it cancelled before its time. I bet you’ve already clicked the embedded player below, just by being reminded that it exists.

Thought we were done with superheroes? Hollywood doesn’t think so (Green Hornet, anyone?), so let’s enjoy the great ones.

Jocelyn Matsuo
Video Editor

Each week, Hulu’s Video Editor, Jocelyn Matsuo brings to light hidden gems from the Hulu library.

Current TV (headed by Al Gore) got a lot of press lately when Euna Lee and Laura Ling were detained and sentenced to 12 years of hard labor in North Korea while reporting for Vanguard, a high quality news documentary program. They cover some things that would make your local TV reporter shake and recoil from fear (both for their safety and at the cost of producing these features). From Gitmo and guns to pirates, these reporters have balls (figuratively, anyway).

I recently realized how varied our offering from Current TV actually is — and it’s not limited to genre. SuperNews! is another ringer. This animated sketch comedy show takes on the best (and worst) of politics, pop culture and technology with bits like “Your Dad Asks Computer Questions.”

Jocelyn Matsuo (jocelyn@hulu.com)
Video Editor