NBC's new slogan: "more colorful"
When "The Jay Leno Show" debuts in two weeks, NBC will unveil a branding campaign that is aimed at harkening back to its Peacock heritage. "The NBC peacock is 53 years old but has incredible heritage and brand equity," says NBC's marketing boss Adam Stotsky. "We've seen research that suggests an incredible unaided awareness that the icon means NBC." He adds: "Color is also what we strive to do in our programming."
"The View" gals finally win a Daytime Emmy, so does "Bold and the Beautiful"
Both shows, for the first time ever, won awards for best daytime talk show hosts and best soap opera, respectively. Rachael Ray and Tyra Banks also won Emmys, for the 2nd year in a row.
George W. Bush's daughter Jenna joins the "Today" show
Jenna Bush Hager, now 27 and a Baltimore school teacher, will contribute stories on education on a part-time basis.
"Glee" will drop several soundtracks
The first one, "Glee: The Music, Volume 1," will go on sale Nov. 3 with 17 tracks, including "Sweet Caroline" and "Gold Digger."
Twitter teams with "Glee" & "Fringe" for "tweet-peats"
Cast and producers will be live online this week to chat on Twitter during encore presentations of their episodes.
Kate Mulgrew joins "Mercy"
The former "Star Trek: Voyager" captain will play mom to one of the show's leads.
"Greek" star heads to "Grey's Anatomy"
Jessie Williams will play somebody in the medical field as part of a multi-episode arc.
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DJ AM dies: What will happen to his MTV reality show?
TMZ reports that Adam "DJ AM" Goldstein, 36, was discovered dead this afternoon in his NYC apartment. His death comes less than a year after he survived a plane crash in South Carolina. In April, MTV announced that DJ AM would star in a reality show called "Gone Too Far," which would chronicle tough-love interventions. In a Twitter post on Tuesday, DJ AM tweeted that he just wrapped up filming in Connecticut. PLUS: Watch DJ AM talk about his reality show, in an interview last month.
ABC to celebrate Matt Damon's lifetime achievement
He may only be 38, but Damon acting work is deserving of the American Cinematheque's lifetime achievement award, which ABC will air in March.
Jay Leno rounds out his 1st week with Tom Cruise, Miley Cyrus
Jerry Seinfeld will appear on Monday, followed by Cruise on Tuesday, Robin Williams on Wednesday, Halle Berry, Bruce Hornsby and Eric Clapton on Thursday and Drew Barrymore on Friday.
NASA astronauts will wear a Stephen Colbert patch
In commemoration of the "Combined Operational Load Bearing External Resistance Treadmill" that's going into space.
Garret Dillahunt's latest guest gig: "Burn Notice"
Since "Terminator's" cancelation early this year, Dillahunt has popped up on "CSI," "SVU" and "Lie to Me."
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TV network viewers are getting older and older
Eight years ago the median age of a network viewer was 43. Now it's 51, with CBS having the oldest viewers.
"Reading Rainbow" says goodbye after 26 years
After 250 awards, including two dozen Emmys, the LeVar Burton-hosted series aired its last episode this morning due to lack of funding. Each episode cost $150,000 to $175,000, but additional funds never came through. PLUS: Remembering "Reading Rainbow."
Jon Gosselin admits marriage was over last October, says he's in love with Hailey
"I went to therapy," says the "Jon & Kate" star. "I have huge bills so (detractors) can't denounce that … For (Kate) to say she'd been working on it – well, I'd been working on it too, and at one point in time I just gave up. There's a point in time where you just say, 'This is not going to work.' So I just moved on." That point, he says, was October 2008. In May, he started "talking to Hailey Glassman, but they didn't start dating until the divorce papers were filed. Now, he says, they are "boyfriend and girlfriend." PLUS: "Jon & Kate" send their sextuplets to school.
"Ugly Betty's" braces will come off later this season, but fans are "freaking out"
So says Ana Ortiz, who points out that fans are divided over Betty's makeover. "There’s a huge sort of battle," she says, "half the people are like, get them off! And other people are like, no! It’s Betty!”
IBM files patent for a Twitter TV remote control
You'll be able to tweet instantly from the couch, without a laptop or smartphone.
"Bones" in talks to reunite the Deschannel sisters
Emily and Zooey may appear together in a December episode.
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Sitcom spoofs a boon for porn: "Brady Bunch" incest? "Mary Tyler Moore XXX"!
Will Ryder, the director of sitcom porn versions of "The Brady Bunch" and "The Cosby Show," calls it "the new gold rush in porn." He adds: "I don’t think people realized that this was more akin to making sitcoms as opposed to making porno. We’re entertainers, not pornographers … We wanted to make Hollywood sitcoms that had sex. And that’s all we’re doing. And we really achieved it." Ryder has directed many "Brady Bunch" porn spoofs, but he doesn't plan to have the adopted brothers and sisters have sex with each other, at least not yet. What's next? Possibly a "Mary Tyler Moore" porno.
Fired "Entourage" Playmate says: I was treated like a "piece of meat"
Irina Voronina claims she was dismissed for refusing sexual advances during filming.
CW saves the Daytime Emmys from becoming a Web-only event
The Daytime Emmys are on life support this year, airing on a Saturday night on the CW.
Study: "Heroes" is No. 1 in illegal downloads, with 55 million stealing the show
A new study ranks "Lost" in 2nd place with 51 million downloads and "24" in 3rd place.
Prankster creates a "Wire" feud by impersonating Baltimore's mayor
A blogger named "R Monkee Esq" created fake Mayor of Baltimore Web sites, a Twitter account and a YouTube channel in successfully duping the British media and the Baltimore Sun.
"Ax Men" star arrested after rolling his jeep with 3 unbelted children aboard
Michael D. Pihl, 48, lost control Wednesday night while driving on an Oregon highway.
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Jon Krasinski gets engaged to Emily Blunt
One month after Jenna Fischer announced her engagement, Krasinski is also set to get married. "The Office" star has been dating Blunt since last November.
"Futurama" is coming out with a limited edition DVD box set
Only 25,000 copies are being produced of the 19-disc collection.
Conan's bacon and white chocolate bust was made to lure him to Minnesota
No Name Premium Meats created the 305-pound bust in response to a pledge Conan made during his affiliate trip that he'd do the show from Minnesota if he could get his body weight in chocolate-covered bacon. NBC Universal says, however, it has no plans to take Conan on the road. PLUS: Conan tries to boost ratings with puppies dressed as cats.
Tim Gunn plans to write an autobiography — in 10 years
"I’m keeping a diary, let me tell you," says the "Project Runway" guru. "There are so many stories I can’t wait to tell. I keep saying, truth is stranger than fiction!”
"Project Runway" all-star sues Beyoncé's costume designers
Chris March claims he never got paid for designing her outfits for her world tour. PLUS: "Runway" finalist Kenley Colins releassed from jail after two "hilarious" days.
Lifetime seems to have watered "Project Runway" down
Has "Runway" become too mommy-ish? Has the "queer quotient" been toned down? Has it become too safe? Amelia McDonell-Parry thinks so, and that's why she says "Runway" is over. "On Bravo’s 'PR,' she writes, "often the edgiest designers were given the opportunity to harness their creativity over the course of the show, she writes. But "in the first two episodes of Lifetime’s 'Project Runway,' the two edgiest and forward-thinking designers—Malvin and Ari—were given the boot before those who lacked innovation or, um, sewing skills."
Laurey Linney's "C Word": She'll star in Showtime's cancer comedy
Linney will also exec produce "The C Word," is a dark comedy in which Linney portrays a cancer patient. "Cancer is not usually the subject of a half-hour comedy," says Showtime's entertainment president, but Laura saw what we did in this complex show — a woman who gets a wake-up call that causes her to shake up her life and family. She will no doubt make this character both heartbreaking and disarmingly funny."
The Hoff will perform on "America's Got Talent"
David Hasselhoff will sing "Feeling Good" during the Sept. 2 semifinal results show.
Mischa Barton calls her hospitalization "a perfect storm"
"Sometimes you have to hit rock bottom about things and have to get the most stressed out just to feel better again," she says. "I got completely stressed out and couldn’t handle everything, and now I feel really in control."
Kristin Chenoweth is the latest "Idol" guest-judge
She'll sit in on this week's Orlando auditions.
Kim Kardashian turns TV producer with PR reality show
Kardashian has teamed with Bunim-Murray in a reality pilot has been filed starring her PR guru pals. No word yet on which network will pick it up.
"True Blood's" vamp-hating reverend is writing a comic book
Mike McMillian, who plays Rev. Steve Newlin on the HBO series, is working on a comic book titled "Lucid" for his friend, "Heroes" star Zachary Quinto.
"House's" cane up for auction — so are other TV goodies
You'll have to fork over at least $1,150 to win the Hugh Laurie-autographed flame cane, which is being auctioned off by the TV academy along with a whole bunch of other TV souvenirs.
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"Seinfeld" cast reunites on the cover of Entertainment Weekly
Jason Alexander says it was "freaky" how George Costanza "just came right back out" of him.
Conan O'Brien shows off his white chocolate head with bacon for hair
Last night Conan unveiled the 200-pound bust, which broke apart. PLUS: Conan is already repeating guests — Bradley Cooper appeared in June and last night.
"SVU" fan: "Law & Order" helped me catch a crook
Justine Faeth, 24, used her "SVU" knowledge to help the NYPD arrest a career criminal.
Hope Davis: Transforming into Hillary Clinton can be tricky
For instance, Hillary's accent has changed over the years, David says as she preps for an HBO film about the Clintons in the 90s.
"Design Stars" to work in homes of Kathy Griffin, Jason Priestley, Tiffani Thiessen
They'll be charged with building a home office for Griffin, a baby nursery for Priestley and a guest bedroom for Thiessen.
"Royal Pains" star Mark Feuerstein is happy to be part of a hit, for once
As Season 1 wraps up tonight, Feuerstein says: "This one has been the perfect mix/combination/alchemy/synergy of so many different forces, both production-wise, executive-wise, timing-wise, network-wise, and then cosmically. We are … flying high. It's awesome." PLUS: Paulo Costanzo is a lot like his character.
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Kate Gosselin to co-host "The View"
She'll fill in for Elisabeth Hasselbeck on Sept. 14 and 15. PLUS: Jon Gosselin wears "Lies Lies Lies Lies" T-shirt.
Meet the new B.A. Baracus
UFC fighter Quintin "Rampage" Jackson has reportedly been tapped to fill Mr. T's shows in "The A-Team" movie. UPDATE: Jackson's manager denies he's the new B.A.
Bravo's ratings are up, even without "Project Runway"
As Media Life reports, "In the week that 'Project Runway' made its season six premiere on Lifetime, Bravo actually ranked higher in primetime than it did the week that 'Project Runway' had its season five premiere on Bravo itself last July."
Bob Costas hitting the road for "Football Night in America"
He'll host each highlights show from the "Sunday Night Football" location.
"Big Brother UK" canceled, will air its final season in summer 2010
The Channel 4 show, which once was a massive sensation with 69% of Brits tuning in to Season 1, will air its 11th and final season next year after declining ratings. About 2 million viewers have watched this year's "Big Brother," which airs 7 days a week for 93 straight days. PLUS: This year's "BBUK" winner will get $0, as punishment after housemates broke out of the house yesterday.
MTV plans "Made" and "Super Sweet 16" scripted TV movies
The "Made" movie will be in the vein of "Bring It On," while "My Super Psycho Sweet Sixteen" will add a horror spin to the reality show. Also on tap: "Turn The Beat Around," about LA's competitive dance scene.
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According to Dave Itzkoff, "Sopranos" alum Matthew Weiner and his "Mad" writing staff "seem to be so enamored with their characters that they are content to assemble them in potentially interesting settings, let the cameras linger on them and hope that an interesting scene emerges. This unhurried strategy may produce the occasionally transcendent image — think of Don and Betty Draper kissing in the moonlight at the end of the episode — but doesn’t do much to advance the internal narrative of the series."
Co-creator Peter Tolan confirms that the FX series will bow out in two years time. "Within the next couple of weeks, we're going to begin shooting the last 19 episodes, which will be the final two seasons of the show," he says, adding: "I think they're stretching the airing of it out until the 10th anniversary. So if you put 10 episodes on next year and nine the following year, you'll land there."
