Wednesday, July 8, 2009

July 8, 2009

"Project Runway's" 16 contestant revealed, plus judges Lindsay Lohan & Christina
Half of them contestants hail from New York.


Maria Shriver invites Kate Gosselin to her A-list Women's Forum

The "Jon & Kate" star will appear alongside Katie Couric, Madeleine Albright, Kelly Preston, Cindy McCain, Elizabeth Edwards and Kelly Preston.


3 new Billy Mays infomercials will debut, with his family's blessing

Research has found that his ads still produce positive responses from viewers, even after his death.


Wentworth Miller meets "Law & Order"

Check out the "Prison Break" star on the set of "SVU."


Ex-"Oz" star joins "The Mentalist"

Terry Kinney is joining the cast as an investigations agent.

Meet the Vegas "Top Chef" contestants
From Puerto Rico, Haiti, San Francisco…


"Scooby-Doo" director to helm the "Smurfs" movie

The film will hit theaters in 2-D and 3-D in December 2010.


31 million watched Michael's memorial — fewer than Princess Di and Reagan

Keep in mind, though, that Nielsen's 31.1 figure counting 18 networks that televised the event doesn't count online viewers. Ronald Reagan's funeral in 2004 drew 35 million and Princess Diana's funeral captured 33.2 million in 1997.


Jason Bateman confesses to a past of drugs and alcohol

The former "Arrested Development" star compares his childhood to "Risky Business."


More syndication for "30 Rock"

Fox and Tribune stations will carry the Tina Fey comedy, starting in 2011. Yesterday it was announced that Comedy central and WGN had bought the cable rerun rights.


"Bachelorette" admits: I was blinded by Wes

"I know I kept him for WAY too long," explains Jillian. "I FULLY admit this."


Eric McCormack will play an "SVU" sugar daddy

He'll guest star in the 2nd episode of next season.


Michael's memorial was a shared worldwide moment — for 1 billion people?

Thanks to online streaming and its presence on countless TV channels around the world, the Jackson memorial was shown live everywhere from Japan to France to Africa. AEG Live, which organized the memorial service at Staples Center in Los Angeles, said the televised broadcast probably reached about 1 billion people worldwide, though there's no way to determine if that's accurate. PLUS: Mariah Carey apologizes for her performance.


U.S. Olympic Network announced, upsetting the International Olympic Committee

The IOC is none too happy with the United States Olympic Committee's plans to launch a network exclusively devoted to the Olympics and Paralympics.


University of Utah sends cease-and-desist letter to "Big Love"

The university wants its logo erased from the season finale before Season 3 hits DVD. Producers have until July 20 to respond.


Boston "Real World" star Sean Duffy is running for Congress

Duffy, the 1997 "Real World"-er who became a D.A. and married Rachel Campos from "Real World San Francisco," announced this morning that he'll run as a Republican for Wisconsin's 7th Congressional District. Duffy isn't the first "Real World"-er to run for Congress. Last year Kevin Powell from Season 1 ran for Brooklyn's congressional seat.


Mister Rogers' hacked Web site releases malware

The Web site for Family Communications, the Pittsburgh production company Fred Rogers founded in 1971, was recently the victim of a malicious software attack.


Blind man begins competing on the Aussie "Dancing with the Stars"

"I wish I could see it on the replay, actually, joked paralympian Gerrard Gosens after this week's performance. (Watch the video)


Have reality TV casting directors run out of good-looking single people?

How else to explain Wes competing on "The Bachelorette"?


"Ugly Betty" gets her own Diet Coke bottle

In Britain you can buy an exclusive "Betty Bottle."


Letterman's Top 10 roasts Sarah Palin

Dave is still making fun of the Alaska governor, this time with the "Top Ten Messages on Sarah Palin's answering machine."


Atlanta lures "Vampire Diaries" and Fox's "Past Life" away from Hollywood

Both series will be shot in Georgia, thanks to local tax incentives.


Is Jay Leno's 10 o'clock car entrance idea in bad taste?

Should "The Jay Leno Show" host be showcasing his wealth amid a bad economy?


Why Hulu succeeded where other video sites failed

"Hulu is where you go for network TV," says Saul Hansell. "That's different from YouTube, which is where you go to watch the biggest collection of video that isn't on TV. Hulu, in effect, is Amazon.com to YouTube’s eBay."


Is Mischa Barton getting too bloated for "The Beautiful Life"?

The former "O.C." star apparently looks much bigger as she begins her new modeling role.


Mark Burnett: Old "Apprentice" may return, 20th "Survivor" will be "really cool"

Burnett, who received a Hollywood Walk of Fame star this morning, says the original "Apprentice" could be fitting in our current recession. But, he adds, there are no plans to scrap the celebrity version. "There's certainly a real place there for finding people who've lost jobs but who are really smart and driven — it's just a bad economy — and that would be a good thematic season: giving people another chance," he says. As for the 10th anniversary/20th season of "Survivor," Burnett says, "We'll do something really cool but we certainly won't be making any big format changes."


HBO brings back Robin Williams for "Weapons of Self-Destruction"

His first stand-up special in seven years.


Will Michael Jackson memorial propel "Britain's Got Talent's" child star?

Berry Gordy says he wants to sign 12-year-old Shaheen Jarfargholi to a record deal, while Simon Cowell says he was "brilliant."


McDreamy & McSteamy will appear together on the big screen

"Grey's Anatomy" docs Eric Dane and Patrick Dempsey have signed on to Gary Marshall's "Valentine's Day."


Sarah Jessica Parker: Another dating columnist TV show?

The "Sex and the City" star has purchased the rights to "Prospect Park West," penned by New York magazine dating columnist Amy Sohn.


"NYC Prep" stars' Ivy League prospects could be damaged by reality stardom

"It definitely will hurt them for college admissions," says Katherine Cohen, Ph.D., founder of IvyWise, a college admission counseling company. "If you're putting yourself out there as someone who spends most of the night partying and drinking rather than making a positive impact on your school and your community, this will affect their chances of getting into a selective college. It simply can’t help these kids."

ODDS & ENDS

July 8, 2009

Oops!: NBC News accidentally buries Betty White

"I'm Not Here To Make Friends" has become the reality saying of the year

NBC's special effects-heavy "Day One" leaks online

Coming to NBC: "The Storm" and George Costanza's "Meteor"

Fox delays "Dollhouse" by 1 week // "Dollhouse" DVDs crash Fox server

"I have never worked out," admits "Gossip's" Blake Lively

Check out Tom Brady on "Entourage" golfing with Mark Wahlberg

"Daria" finally coming to DVD, in summer 2010

E! delves into the lives of "Baseball Wives"

Las Vegas "Top Chef" premieres Aug. 26

From "Psycho" to "Fargo": 15 movies that almost became TV shows

Watch Sacha Baron Cohen's rare "Bruno" interview, with Letterman

"Rock of Love" reject is ruining "L.A. Ink"

P. Diddy may have to go to court for "Making the Band" lawsuit

It's Adam Carolla & Jimmy Kimmel, Part Deux

PBS' transforms archaeologists into reality TV stars in "Time Team America"