Superbowl wrap-up: Favorite ads, favorite Mannings, and the Bissell Kitty Half-Time Show

Eli Manning

So let's talk Superbowl, shall we? Last night was a night of surprises, disappointments, and lots and lots of cheese (at least it was where I was sitting). Whether you were tuned in to the Bowl itself or one of the alternatives we offered last week, chances are you've by now heard that the New York Giants won in a last-minute upset and Paula Abdul was a no-show. And with all due respect to the pharmaceutical industry, I think that's a blessing in disguise for all of us.

In case you missed the Animal Planet's Fourth Annual Puppy Bowl (and you dare to call yourself an American?!), it was a whopper of a show: Abigail took the MVP award despite being yellow-hankied TWICE and the Bissell Kitty Half Time Show was once again the height of excitement, with a dozen or so doe-eyed ragamuffins running for dear life from a hail of confetti (much like Tom Petty at the actual game). Although one puppy suffered the natural results of hitting the water bowl too hard (Mrs. Roper!), this year there was no pooping on the field.

In related news, Paula Abdul did not perform as expected at the actual Superbowl halftime show. Instead she delivered a video of what appears to be her lip-synching in a crowd of about 250 overcaffeinated people on a tiny stage. Abdul sounds like Janet Jackson and looks like La Toya in the clip, and as the camera never gets close enough for a positive ID, I'm not convinced it isn't.

Look for yourself:

The Superbowl ads, which are usually the best part or at least the most interesting part of the broadcast, were as lame as ever (and Michael didn't find them particularly gay-friendly, either). Didn't the producers make a big to-do about how this year's ads weren't going to be as violent or offensive as past years? Uh, no. They were just as packed with grievous bodily harm as ever, this time to folks like Justin Timberlake and some guy from Prison Break. And what the hell was up with those dancing lizards with Naomi Campbell? Is that what she sees when she closes her eyes? No wonder she's always throwing things.

Peyton Manning

But of course the real big news is that Eli Manning managed to save the game and ensure that he can go out to eat in the Tri-State area for the next year without fear of bodily harm. Now that the younger Manning is the golden boy and older bro Peyton has already established himself as both a quarterback and Saturday Night Live host, who's your favorite?

Vote in the handy poll below!

Taryn Manning