A weblog of TV news and criticism
"The Bachelor's" Jason Mesnick gets engaged to Molly
ABC says "I'm With Stupid" with Judy Greer
Adam Lambert unveils new music video and a collaboration with Lady Gaga
Plane crash may result in a "Desperate" death toll
Jeff Probst: I can no longer name all the 300+ "Survivors"
Jon and/or Kate have appeared on 50 mag covers since March
That's more than any other celebrity, including Brad and Angelina.
The Weather Channel will start showing movies
“The Perfect Storm" will be followed by "March of the Penguins," "Misery" and "Deep Blue Sea" — with weather scrolls included.
ABC picks up a full "Castle" season
The Nathan Fillion drama has held onto much of its "Dancing" lead-in.
Adam Lambert takes photographs with a naked woman
Warning: This Details photoshoot is not safe for work.
Flu bug strikes "Dancing"
Everybody is trying to avoid Derek Hough and Mark Ballas.
"SYTYCD" judge to produce the Oscars
"Hairspray" director Adam Shankman just might be the first Oscar producer to have danced on stage at the Academy Awards.
Comedy Central buys "It's Always Sunny" reruns for $400,000 an episode
"Sunny" in syndication joins the Comedy Central lineup next summer.
Sarah Palin will do Oprah on Nov. 16
Finally, they meet: The former Alaska governor will promote her new book as part of a "world exclusive" event.
"Big Brother" winner confesses to using his prize money to deal drugs
Adam Jasinski from last spring's 9th season could face up to 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine for using his $500,000 winnings to buy 2,000 pills.
NY guv wants to go on "SNL" — and possibly confront Fred Armisen
"I've offered to come on 'Saturday Night Live' because I thought I would help them get the ratings," says Patterson, whose approval ratings are at 20%.
Due to 9/11, Washington has been spared from air-polluting "V" stunt
ABC will be able to freak out people in New York, Los Angeles and other cities, but not Washington, where there are strict limits on the airspace. The "V" skywriting stunt is expected to pollute the sky with 400 gallons of fuel containing 800 grams of lead.
Bronson Pinchot was depressed during "Perfect Strangers"
"It’s really just like a relationship," the 50-year-old says of playing Balki Bartokomous. "At the start, you’re so in love and you can’t believe it, and then you settle down and it’s comfy, and then you start to get bored, and then you get resentful, and I think at the very end, it was pretty bad. Never ever between Mark (Linn-Baker) and I."
Justin Timberlake tries to be funny on ESPN
Watch Justin's new instructional video teaching offensive lineman how to perform.
"30 Rock" taps a real-life porn star to play "Porn Liz"
"I Was a Teenage MILF" star Savanna Samson says of this week's episode: "It's really an honor to play the porn version of the Tina Fey character as I've admired her for years on ‘Saturday Night Live’ and I love what she's done with this series."
"The Jay Leno Show" deserves to live — no, it deserves to die!
The Boston Globe offers "he said, she said" columns defending and blasting the Leno show. "I don’t really need another cop or medical show at 10," says Joanna Weiss. "And so I want 'The Jay Leno Show’' to go on." Meanwhile, Matthew Gilbert denounces 10 o'clock Leno: "This little flurry of staged enthusiasm is as inauthentic as the opening salvo of an infomercial."
Bethenny Frankel is 2 months pregnant
The recently engaged "Real Housewives" star had been trying to keep the news private.
Kate Gosselin will answer your questions in TLC special
Without any more "Jon & Kate" footage, is TLC now flying by the seat of its pants?
"NCIS" boss calls rise to No. 1 "remarkable"
""Everything that is happening is remarkable but it's probably more remarkable to people who haven't watched the show," says exec producer Shane Brennan. "We're a very strange little show," adds Michael Weatherly, of the show's appealing mix of genres. "There's a real '80s and even '70s throwback feeling. You get a kind of 'Barney Miller' feel with it. It's not quite so grim and static and monotone and dour as a lot of crime shows."
Claim: Fans of the smug "Mad Men" like to congratulate themselves
The problem with the AMC "costume drama," says Benjamin Schwartz, " is that it "deliberately shocks its audience by presenting as reasonable and commonplace behavior we now find appalling. He says that "Mad Men" "directs its audience to indulge in a most unlovely—because wholly unearned—smugness. As artistically mistaken as this stance is, it nonetheless helps account for the show’s success. We all like to congratulate ourselves, and as a group, Mad Men’s audience is probably particularly prone to the temptation." PLUS: "Mad Men" used an L.A. landmark as the Rome Hilton.
"Good Wife" and "Cougar Town" portray women the same way
Julianna Margulies' Alicia and Courteney Cox's Jules are "incomprehensible invaders: independent, single (or single-ish) older women seeking change in their lives and succeeding (sometimes, at least)," says Jon Caramanica. "As a result, they're treated like fragile, curious creatures that might implode on contact. Or lash out." PLUS: Margulies elevates "Good Wife."
Bloated "Dancing" has become predictable // Kelly O. hospitalized
Coming to Fox: Polygamists and "Daylight Robbery" housewives
"Criminal Minds" celebrates 100 episodes with a giant cake
Did "Celebrity Fit Club" make Kevin Federline suddenly skinny?
Tracy Morgan backtracks on anti-Cheri Oteri and Chris Kattan comments
"Extreme Makeover" creator Balloon Boy's dad lied to me last month
Tom Forman, who produces "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," says he met with "liar" Richard Heene last month about a possible project. Heene promised Forman that he didn't pitch his project to anybody else, when in fact he tried to sell the same show idea to TLC. PLUS: Heene's reality show has a theme song.
"Green Acres"/"Addams Family" theme song writer dies
Vic Mizzy, 93, created catch theme songs that have endured.
"Big Brother" winner charged with drug dealing
"BB9" champ Adam Jasinski was charged today in U.S. District Court in Boston with possession of oxycodone pills with intent to distribute.
NBC spins off "The Biggest Loser's" Jillian Michaels
She'll travel across the country and help the overweight in "Losing it with Jillian."
Judge doesn't bar Rod Blagojevich from "Celebrity Apprentice"
But the federal judge in the ex-Illinois' governor's case is worried that he'll shoot his mouth off.
"Lie to Me" earns 3 more scripts despite slow start
The 2nd-year drama hasn't been producing great ratings, despite having "The Shield's" creator as showrunner.
David Hasselhoff may do an American version of his UK family reality show
A&E is looking to sign The Hoff and his family to a reality show that will probably be similar to British TV's "Meet the Hasselhoffs."
Joss Whedon to direct a "Glee" episode
“Joss directed one of the great musical episodes in the history of television on Buffy,” says Ryan Murphy, “so this is a great, if unexpected, fit. I’m thrilled he’ll be loaning us his fantastic groundbreaking talent.”
Michelle Obama to make a quick "Jay Leno" cameo
She'll respond Friday to Leno's "10 at 10" questions via satellite.
"Bored to Death" creator asks Twitter followers if he could watch at their house
Even Jonathan Ames has trouble getting HBO.
Rod Blagojevich may lose "Celeb Apprentice" gig
Federal prosecutors want the former Illinois governor yanked from the Trump show because they're concerned the reality show will taint his jury.
ABC promoting "V" with giant Vs in the sky
Skywriters will put up the Vs starting Friday at 26 landmarks nationwide.
"SNL" is stuck in the past — and too dependent on Kristin Wiig
"Too many of the bits that are funny are either retreads of older bits or about subjects that were originally funny 20 years ago," complains Leslie Gray Streeter of Saturday's episode. "I don’t get it – a show that’s so deliciously pointed and timely during election season can’t rouse more than a couple of news and issues-related bits any other time? Even the cold open, featuring the president’s shirt-ripping mad alter ego 'The Rock Obama,' was funnier the first time. And there’s still entirely too much reliance on Kristin Wiig – what was the point of hiring two more female actors if they’re almost never seen or heard from?"
Which network will buy the Balloon Boy family reality show now?
NBC? Fox? TLC? Will the reality show be filmed before or after the parents go to jail? PLUS: Balloon dad has criminal past.
Wilmer Valderrama will play the "Dog Whisperer" in Fox comedy
The sitcom will be inspired by the life of Cesar Millan.
Check out the naked Marge Simpson
Here are explicit pics from her Playboy spread.
ABC lifts ban on "The Jay Leno Show"
"Apparently, the boycott has been lifted," Leno said Friday before welcoming his 1st ABC guest, "Brothers and Sisters" star Rachel Griffiths. "They realize we are here to stay. We are doing well. We welcome ABC back to the fold. And we hope to promote other wonderful ABC shows like 'Lost' and FlashForward.'" PLUS: NBC affiliates continue to suffer.
TV's Volunteerism Week starts today
More than 100 shows on network and cable TV will feature storylines or PSAs about volunteering.
Ray Romano bids $16K to dine with "Everybody Loves Raymond's" creator
The auction was held as part of a fundraiser to aid an arts school that helps kids in L.A.'s Skid Row.
Two cable networks are interested in burning off "Southland"
TNT is said to be one of the interested parties, but will "Southland's" new network be interested in producing new episodes?
Horshack returns to high school as an acting teacher
"Welcome Back, Kotter" star Ron Palillo is now teaching freshmen and sophomores at a Florida charter school devoted to the entertainment industry.
IFC acquires "Arrested Development"
The Independent Film Channel hopes "Arrested" fits nicely with the complete series of "Monty Python's Flying Circus," which it also recently picked up.
Japanese candid camera show uses gunfire to prank its mark
Move to Fridays gives "Ugly Betty" low ratings
Fox picks up "Rehab," a comedy
Claim: Will Smith is begging BBC for cameo on "EastEnders"
NFL overrun canceled last night's "Cold Case"
Sheriff: Balloon Boy's family concocted hoax to get a reality show
"It has been a hoax," Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden said of the Balloon Boy stunt. "It was a publicity stunt done with hopes of better maneuvering themselves for a reality TV show." Richard Heene and his wife face felony charges for contributing to the delinquency of a minor, trying to influence a public official and providing false information to authorities, according to the Denver Post. They could face up to six years in prison and a $500,000 fine. PLUS: Parents were obsessed with reality TV, and getting their own show.
Did MTV reality show kill DJ AM?
Experts say "Gone Too Far" may have caused Adam Goldstein to relapse.
Presenting Billy Mays' Tombstone Pizza
Is this Jimmy Kimmel sketch tasteless, or not?
Stephanie Pratt busted for DUI
"The Hills" star was reportedly arrested this morning after leaving Heidi Montag's birthday party.
Whitney Houston wows "The X Factor"
Watch her nearly bust out of her dress before Simon Cowell & Co.
Sarah Michelle Gellar's HBO pilot: Dead?
Gellar's eccentric family comedy "The Wonderful Maladys" reportedly didn't get picked up, though an HBO rep wouldn't confirm it. A poster on Whedonesque.com contacted "Wonderful Maladys" co-star Nate Cordrry and the pilot's director, who both said the show was dead. Gellar, whose body has bounced back from her pregnancy, filmed the pilot in May.
Jimmy Kimmel: Balloon Boy's dad asked me for $25,000
"This is weird," Kimmel said of the time several years ago that Richard Heene approached him to put his name on a rocket going to space.
Jon Gosselin's lawyer calls TLC's lawsuit "weak, feeble and baseless"
Says the attorney: "Jon will vigorously defend against this baseless action, assuming Discovery and TLC choose to go forward with their claim by legally serving him with notice."
Conan and Newark's mayor make nice
Cory Booker explained why he took exception to Conan's insults about him: "When there's a herd going after you, you have to go looking for the weakest gazelle."
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar embarrasses himself on "Jeopardy!"
By answering a question with "Who is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar?"
Maksim Chmerkovskiy subbing for Derek Hough on "Dancing"
Hough is too sick to rehearse with Joanna Krupa, so Maksim may fill in on Monday's show.
"Fringe" is languishing on Thursdays
Did Fox make a mistake putting the sophomore drama on TV's most competitive night and timeslot?
Tim Gunn lands "Sex and the City" gig
The "Project Runway" star will make a cameo in the upcoming sequel.
Gourmet magazine is dead, but it'll live on Sunday on PBS
Ex-Gourmet mag editor Ruth Reichl hosts "Gourmet’s Adventures With Ruth."
TLC sues Jon Gosselin for breach of contract
Two weeks ago, TLC threatened to sue Gosselin for going on Larry King. Today, a suit was filed against the "Jon & Kate" star for not meeting his obligations to the show, for appearing on other shows and for making unauthorized disclosures about "J&K." TLC accuses Jon of entering into "a lucrative arrangement" with "Entertainment Tonight" and "The Insider." The suit also says Jon "routinely sold photographic rights to various media outlets."
Richard Hatch released from federal prison
The "Survivor" winner is now a free man, though he won't be allowed to leave the state of Rhode Island without permission.
Fox Reality Channel will become "National Geographic Wild"
The new channel will be chalk full of animal and natural history programming.
"Survivor" Russell has an extensive criminal drug history
Russell Hantz was arrested four times before the age of 26, including twice in huge drug busts. PLUS: Jeff Probst explains the birth of the "Next Time on … 'Survivor'" pause.
Which TV stars will "break out" and become A-list movie stars?
Jeff Simon wonders which TV stars will still maintain their fame after their boob tube stint. For instance, he writes, "Anyone looking at 'Grey’s Anatomy' would guess that whenever it is down the road that a priest comes in to give the show last rites, it’s unlikely that Ellen Pompeo has blazing movie stardom ahead of her. But nor, despite her success in Romcoms and Apatow-land, does it seem to me that Katherine Heigl is on her way to becoming the next Jennifer Aniston, much less the next Julia Roberts."
Elisabeth Moss will guest on "Mercy"
The "Mad Men" star will play a cancer patient, who is bald and wears a head scarf.
"Celebrity Apprentice" cast unveiled: Sharon Osbourne, Cyndi Lauper, Sinbad
Rod Blagojevich and Darryl Strawberry are also competing, as well as Summer Sanders, wrestler Goldberg, Holly Robinson Peette, Carol Leifer, Bret Michaels and Sharon Osbourne.
"FlashForward" sucks at trying to be "Lost"
"You know what happened this week?" asks Daniel Carlson. "Same stuff as last week. No progress was made at all in any area."
Balloon Boy pukes twice as his "we did this for a show" comment is scrutinized
"Mom, I feel like I'm going to vomit," Falcon said this morning on "GMA" after being asked about the "for a show" comment made on Larry King.
Balloon Boy's family already pitched TLC on their own reality show
Even before this incident, the Heene family pitched a reality show "all over town." During last night's monologue, Jimmy Kimmel said even he was approached by the dad.
Kelly Ripa returning to "All My Children"
She and Mark Consuelos will be back for the 40th anniversary.
"Lost" plane may crash on "Desperate Housewives"
The Oceanic Airlines cameo is being done just for fun.
Twitter can lead to headaches when TV actors and producers speak their mind
The unfiltered nature of tweeting means that anything and everything — even the "Bones" creator's joke about swine flu on set — can be blown out of proportion. PLUS: Scott Baio gets in Twitter war with "liberals."
ABC did extensive testing before giving "Ugly Betty" a makeover
The result is a brand-new Betty Suarez, who debuts her new look in tonight's two-hour premiere, with silkier hair, tweezed eyebrows and a more fashionable pair of red glasses. Later this season, Betty will get a shorter haircut and, finally, remove her braces. "We thought she could get her braces off, walk out of the dentist's office and trip and bust her teeth so she's back in braces," says exec producer Victor Nelli Jr. He says another possibility is a cast-wide musical routine.
"Glee" cast will perform at the World Series
Major League Baseball had to give the greenlight for "Glee" to perform at Game 3 on Halloween night. PLUS: "Glee" sings "Bust a Move."
Argument over "The Office" leads to jail scuffle
Two female inmates watching "The Office" at the Sheboygan County Jail in Wisconsin got into a hair-pulling fight when another inmate wanted to watch something else.
Why did Lauren Graham join an ensemble, rather than launch her own show?
The new "Parenhood" star says she likes the change of pace from "Gilmore Girls," where she had so many lines.
Caption these "Friday Night Lights" photos
DirecTV has released three stills from the new season.
Why did ABC reject an ad for CougarLife.com?
The dating Web site submitted an a commercial in which construction crew workers ogled a teacher in her late 30s. But the network of "Cougar Town" rejected the ad because, it says, the Web site had yet to launch.
Conservative group wants 7-Eleven to remove Marge Simpson Playboys
Fox wants you to create a "Simpsons" character // Check out a new Marge nudie pic
Did Jimmy Kimmel steal his girlfriend from a show staffer?
Experiment: Women try drinking like "Mad Men" at work // Meet "Mad" prop master
"30 Rock's" ratings fall 27%, while "Grey's" numbers keep on dropping
Balloon Boy appeared on "Wife Swap"
Falcon Heene, the 6-year-old Colorado boy who apparently took off in his family's balloon, starred on the ABC reality show last year with his family.
Sickle Cell might've caused "Real Houewives" death
The medical examiner suggests that sickle cell may have resulted in Ashley "A.J." Jewell's death during a fight at a strip club.
ABC yanking "Hank" for a 2nd airing of "Charlie Brown"
In what doesn't look like a good sign, "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" will air two nights in a row, replacing "Hank" on the 2nd night.
Tricia Helfer drops by "Two and a Half Men"
She'll play Charlie Sheen's fiancee's pal.
ABC may go "Skating" with the stars
The makers of "Dancing" are in talks to import an ice skating version of "Dancing with the stars."
Melissa Rycroft has swine flu
"I am indeed recovering from a bout of the H1N1 flu virus," confirms the former "Bachelor" star.
Letterman search warrants revealed
Check out the search warrants, which show that police seized from Robert Halderman's home computer equipment, a camera and a "MY Magazine w/Letterman," plus bank records and more.
Could Letterman leave "The Late Show" next year?
Dave has yet to sign an extension reported over the summer that would keep him on CBS through 2012, which raises questions about his future, especially in the wake of his sex-extortion scandal. PLUS: Meet the defense attorney attacking Letterman.
Taylor Swift to pull double duty on "SNL" — and likely bash Kanye
"I've been thinking about skit ideas for a long time," the 19-year-old says of her Nov. 7 stint. "There are definitely some hilarious things that have happened to me over the past couple of months that I think will be pretty substantial skits." PLUS: Anheuser-Busch buys all "SNL" ads for this week's episode.
Did Conan and Newark's mayor collude on their "feud"?
Conan O'Brien needed the free publicity to kick off the season and Mayor Cory Booker wanted to promote "Brick City," so why not start a feud and get some headlines? Unfortunately for Conan, the feud has done nothing for his ratings.
Billy Mays' widow: We have proof cocaine didn't kill my husband
Findings from a New Jersey medical examiner, she says, contradicts the original report from the coroner.
GQ confirms Betty Draper's breasts are real
The magazine confirms the photographer used "harder lighting" on January Jones that "can create a stronger shadow — that, and body position and perspective could give the illusion that her breasts are bigger."
Mia Michaels says she's leaving "SYTYCD"
"I am officially an adoring fan of SYTYCD…Thank U for 5 wonderful yrs," Michaels tweeted last night.
"Terminator" star Thomas Dekker busted for DUI
The 21-year-old former "Sarah Connor Chronicles" star allegedly hit a 17-year-old bicyclist last night in the San Fernando Valley.
TLC confirms it will stop filming "Jon & Kate" next month
As a result, "Kate Plus 8" will begin airing in late November.
7 problems with "Dancing"
Fatigue, bad casting, lack of a comedy element and the fact that pros are bigger than the stars are what are ailing "Dancing with the Stars."
High schools are finding "Glee" inspirational
At San Ramon Valley High School in the San Francisco Bay Area, "Glee" has not only found fans in the award-winning "powerhouse" choral program, but also in the football program, where the coach is a fan.
NYC "Real Housewives" will have 2 new faces
Faux-socialites Sonja Morgan and Jennifer Gilbert will be recurring on the reality show's 3rd season.
"Jeopardy!" contestant fools producers into playing again 10 years later
A bald Jeff Kirby first competed in 1999. Then, this week, he slipped by producers by competing with a full head of hair.
"X Factor" winner Leona Lewis punched in face
The 24-year-old was confronted by a male fan at a book signing.
"Full House" reunion on Broadway!
John Stamos' "Bye Bye Birdie" preview last night went awry, prompting Bob Saget to go up on stage to bail him out.
Illinois State University will host a special "Brady Bunch" archive
The university to house a special collection of "Brady" memorabilia.
"30 Rock" is still funny, but is it too dependant on showbiz in-jokes?
Making fun of the TV business is both the joy and the limitation of "30 Rock," says Robert Bianco. "As funny as this scattershot sitcom can be, the problem remains that show business (and in particular, GE's business) is a topic of limited long-haul mass appeal," he says. "It can lead to some great, if random jokes. But with rare exceptions, from last season's trip to Liz's high school reunion to any of Jack's encounters with his mother, 30 Rock falters when it leaves the business behind."
"30 Rock" is still laugh-out-loud funny in Season 4
At its best, the show tempers its inside jokes with wide-net humor
"30 Rock" is in danger of becoming too smug and out of touch
"30" hasn't lost its sharp edge // Can it set a record for meta-jokes?
Tina Fey still isn't funny, or convincing, as Liz Lemon
The 5 funniest Tracy Jordan moments // 10 life lessons from "30 Rock"
10 questions for Tracy: What's it like having a girl's name?
Fey: Less stunt-casting this year — "Let's use these great actors"
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