I was finally able to catch the last episode from season two of "Entourage" on The Movie Network last night, and I was not disappointed. This series is far from perfect, but it never fails to entertain. Three of the main characters are arrested adolescents, and the one adult in the entourage is something of a whiner. On the fringes is the always-annoying Debi Mazar as a publicist. But the reason to watch is Jeremy Piven as uber-agent Ari Gold. Before "Entourage", everyone had seen Piven at work, but very few had a clue who he was. I personally have seen, according to www.imdb.com, 16 films in which Piven appeared, including two ("Serendipity" and "Chasing Liberty") in which he was easily the best thing in an admittedly sorry film. (As for why I saw those films, the reasons are, respectively, John Cusack and my children. And, yes, I have forgiven Cusack for this rubbish. My children are not so fortunate.) If he got any press before this, it was for "Cupid", a failed TV series. But with "Entourage", Piven has made his mark. I can't really do justice to Ari by trying to describe him. Thanks to IMDB, I can share a few great (clean) Ari quotes:

"You fire a guy you create a rival. You fire a woman you create a housewife."

* * *

Ari: From now on ask my permission before you bang one of my assistants.
Eric: How'd you know that?
Ari: 'Cause I know all. And I could have told you that this would end badly. Now I gotta to fire her so you don't feel weird.
Eric: No. Don't fire her.
Ari: All right. Well, I'll just sexually harass her until she quits.

* * *

While listening to his daughter sing:
Ari: [to his wife] Is it me or is her voice getting worse?
Ari's Wife: Ari!
Ari: It doesn't mean that I don't love her but she's just awful baby!

* * *

Lloyd: Ari, swear to me that you will never again say anything offensive to me about my race or my sexual orientation.
Ari: I can't swear to that, but I promise I will always apologize after.

* * * * *

And, finally, my favorite Ari moment. Hyperaroused after his Viagra kicks in, with a tentpole to prove it, his wife deserts their bed after he takes a business call, leading to:

"Come on! I'm like R. Kelly at recess here!"

There are lots of other great quotes from the show on IMDB, although the language is not for the sensitive. The show is almost enough on its own to justify subscribing to The Movie Network, and it even has some Cancon to keep the CRTC happy in Emmanuelle Chriqui.