Tuesday, November 24, 2009

November 24, 2009

Fox's midseason schedule sends "Glee" packing 'til April
"Glee" will air its last original episode on Dec. 9, before taking a really long four-month break. The next "Glee" episode will air on April 13, a Tuesday, following the "Idol" performance shows on Tuesday nights. Speaking of "Idol," Simon Cowell & Co. return Jan. 12 and 13 while "24" returns Jan. 17 for its usual Sunday season premiere. "Fringe" will also take a lengthy break through February and March so in can make room for "Past Life." Meanwhile, the final "Dollhouse" episode airs Jan. 22. PLUS: Will the long break destroy "Glee"?


TiVo subscribers are fleeing

The numbers of TiVo users have steadily gone down for the past two years.


Lea Thompson joins "Greek"

She'll play Cappie’s free-spirited mother.


Did Stephen Colbert pad his bobsled suit to highlight his anatomy?

What is up with his "bulge"?


Lisa Rinna shows off her makeup-less face

The former "Melrose" and "Dancing" star admits she "overdid" her plastic surgery.

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November 24, 2009

"Lie to Me" earns a full season
Fox just picked up the "back nine" for Season 2.


Italian-American group wants MTV's "Jersey Shore" canceled

The new reality show featuring the "hottest, tannest, craziest Guidos" (watch the trailer) is "trash television" packed with too many offensive stereotypes, says a nationwide Italian-American group. which is pushing MTV to cancel the show.


Muppets perform "Bohemian Rhapsody"

Watch the "epic, genius, perfect" video.


Gayle King: I'm not replacing Oprah

"That is not true," she says of the rumors. "I haven’t had one conversation with CBS about taking over that 4 PM slot."


About 4.3 million watch the demise of "Jon & Kate"

The TLC show had its biggest ratings in June, when 10 million tuned in to watch the end of the couple's marriage.

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November 24, 2009

"GMA" cancels Adam Lambert performance — "Early Show" snaps him up
The "Idol" champ was dropped. Says ABC: "Given his controversial live performance on the AMAs we were concerned about airing a similar concert so early in the morning." But Lambert has just been invited to "The Early Show" Wednesday to performan and discuss the controversy. He'll also perform on Letterman later Wednesday. PLUS: Lambert says "I respect" "GMA's" decision while Twitter responds with #ShameOnYouABC.


AMAs didn't expect Adam Lambert's performance

According to sources, the sex acts were omitted from rehearsals. "Due to the live nature of the show we did not expect the impromptu moment in question," said Dick Clark Productions in a statement.


"Neil Young" performs the "Fresh Prince" theme

Watch Jimmy Fallon's rendition of "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air."


Paula Abdul pitches herself as the next Oprah

"It would be fun and quirky and it would be insightful," the ex-"Idol" judge says of hosting her own talk show. "It would be fun to jam with the band and have amazing guests and introduce amazing different formats on the show." PLUS: Paula has lost a lot of weight since quitting "Idol."


"The Lying Channel" ends "Jon & Kate" by making Jon look bad

The way TLC ended its biggest hit show was "vile," says David Zurawik, for concluding the series with a "total takedown of Jon Gosselin" while making Kate look as good as possible. "Jon is an idiot, adolescent, self-absorbed, low-life fool of a fool," says Zurawik. "But he is not a bad person for taking his kids off TV, even if Kate said several times Monday night how much the kids "miss" being circus animals for TLC." PLUS: Audio proves Jon breached his TLC contract.


Conan's first black writer has become a big part of "The Tonight Show"

Meet Deon Cole, who has taken on some of Conan's comedy load, especially concerning racially sensitive topics.


Shakira to "Modern Family"?

Sofia Vergara is trying to recruit the Latin singer. "I'm trying to convince her to act," she says. "Hopefully, she'll say yes."

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November 24, 2009

Michael C. Hall takes his "Dexter" voiceovers very seriously
The actor does two versions of the voiceover, one a preliminary version taped in his trailer. Says Hall: "I think (the voice-over) reinforces the sense on the part of the audience that we're seeing things from Dexter's point of view, that we're in on a secret that no one else in his world is and as a result have an intimate relationship to him and are perhaps, just by continuing to watch, knowing what we know, implicated and complicit."


USA renews "Psych" and "Burn Notice"

"Psych's" 16-episode fifth season will air sometime in 2010-11, while "Burn Notice's" pickup became official yesterday.


5 TV families to avoid during Thanksgiving

From the Dunphy/Pritchetts to the Teller/Morrows.


"Cathouse" star was stabbed, shot and slashed multiple times

An autopsy report has found that Brooke Phillips likely died of a gun shot to the right temple.


Blake Lively set to host "SNL"

The "Gossip Girl" star will helm the Dec. 5th edition.


Most new Web TV shows are created by advertisers

Webisodes are borrowing a strategy from the early days of TV, when sponsors names appeared in the title.


ABC helps give Hulu a huge traffic bump

Thanks also to the start of the fall season, Hulu's October figures spiked 47% from September.

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November 24, 2009

Diddy to host a Home Shopping Network "talk show"
He'll appear Nov. 30 for two hours to sell his fragrances on a specially built living room set.


Who deserves to win "Dancing"?

Mya for her talent, or Donny for being entertaining? PLUS: Kelly Osbourne falls on her behind.


Will TVs get their own iPhone-like apps?

Imagine buying applications from an online TV Apps store.


Check out photos from "24" Season 8

Here's Katee Sackhoff, and here's Freddie Prinze, Jr.


National Geo's new "Live Curious" slogan is just an empty phrase

And doesn't its new ad (watch here) reek of bad grammar?


Watch the "Seinfeld" reunion in its entirety

It's the "Curb Your Enthusiasm" reunion with most of the Larry David bits cut out. PLUS: Jerry's apartment now has an iMac, instead of a classic Mac.


It's time for Larry David to retire "Curb  Your Enthusiasm"

He should do what he did with "Seinfeld," suggests Tom Shales. "Strangling the previously golden goose seems like the right idea," he says. "Even though the seventh season contained a wonderfully crowd-pleasing idea — reassembling the cast of 'Seinfeld' (which David co-created with Jerry Seinfeld) for a revised season finale that would also serve as "Enthusiasm's" seventh-season finale — David's seventh was one of his weakest seasons ever and included some of his least plausible episodes." PLUS: "Curb" delivered the best comedy of the year.

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ODDS & ENDS

November 24, 2009

Kris Allen: "A strange woman stuck her tongue down my throat"

HBO offers a glimpse of "Big Love" Season 4

Kirk Cameron clashes with UCLA students while trying to hand out fliers

Was there a Lady Gaga wardrobe malfunction on Leno?

Conan O'Brien:"The New Oprah"  (Watch Part 2)

[Click to read the rest of Odds & Ends]