From the daily archives:

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

December 8, 2009

David Letterman tweets for the 1st time
His very first Tweet on the "Late Show" Twitter was "Do you smell veal and peppers?"


Kenan Thompson: I'm SNL's "black replacement guy"

The "SNL" star tells Howard Stern: "All my impressions are just sh-tty takes on people."


Eric's "True Blood" sidekick Pam promoted

Kristin Bauer will become a series regular next season.


Anthony Michael Hall to guest on "CSI: Miami"

He'll play a doctor turned killer.


"Wizards of Waverly Place" nabs Shakira

She'll appear with Selena Gomez next season.


This week's "Dexter" was Showtime's most-watched show in 10 years

More than 2.1 million viewed Dexter and the Trinity Killer.


Adam Lambert smashes a television

It's all for a commercial for a new music video service.

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December 8, 2009

Ricky Gervais: I won't be cruel or distasteful at Golden Globes
Gervais said today in conference call that won't do politics or anything that will offend when he hosts the Globes: "I'm going to certainly not do anything cruel or distasteful," he says, "but I think gentle ribbing. Anyone who's younger and thinner and richer and more attractive than me. … Rainn's Wilson's safe again. Steve Carell's on the cusp." PLUS: Gervais is a diehard "Dexter" fan — plus, he wants Ryan Gosling on "The Office."


MTV renews "Randy Jackson" and "Taking the Stage"

"America's Best Dance Crew" will return for a 5th season, while "Stage" will be back for Season 2.


"Fringe" hires "Mistress" to play Walter's wife

Irish "Mistresses" star Orla Brady (who also played James Woods' ex on "Shark") will complete the Bishops.


It's Carson Daly vs. Ryan Seacrest

They two similarly bland TV hosts will soon face off on morning drive radio in Los Angeles.


"The Big Bang Theory" leaves "Two and a Half Men" in the dust

Last night's Katee Sackhoff-less episode had 12% more viewers than sitcom king "Men." PLUS: Why is Sheldon kissing Christine Baranski?


TNT renews "Dark Blue"

The Dylan McDermot drama will return next year for Season 2.


History channel plan its first reality TV competition — about history

"Top Shot" from "Survivor" alum Craig Piligian will eliminate players every week based on history-inspired challenges.


"Men of a Certain Age" has a solid debut

The 5.4 million viewers are good news for TNT, which has been struggling with "Raising the Bar" and "Saving Grace."

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December 8, 2009

CBS cancels "As the World Turns" after 54 years
The soap that helped launch the careers of James Earl Jones, Meg Ryan and Marissa Tomei will bid farewell next September.


Bryant Gumbel reveals he has lung cancer

The 61-year-old Gumbel was filling in for Regis Philbin when he broke the news that he had part of his lung removed recently, saying: "I'm okay for the time being."


MTV getting death threats over "Jersey Shore"

Fox News reports that MTV staffers have been barraged by abusive e-mails, phone calls and Facebook messages — many of which involve death threads. “People were going totally crazy, it was a nightmare,” an insider tells Fox, adding: “The MTV building in Times Square was getting crazy threats and they are in the process of hiring more security in bodyguards."
Another sponsor pulls out // Sports Guy: "Jersey" is almost like a Robert Altman film
Shame on MTV!: They wouldn't do a show like this starring blacks, Asians, Jews…


John Lithgow: "Dexter" is also a pretty funny show

"We laughed ourselves silly throughout the Thanksgiving episode," he says of his first regular TV role since "3rd Rock from the Sun." "It was so extreme, but we knew it was going to be a classic horror scene, just the velocity of it. We go from saying grace to me on my back with Dexter on top of me about to slit my throat in 2 1/2 minutes. There's a sort of giddy rush to that. It's also a very funny show. It follows all the rules of comedy. Dexter is constantly revealing these ironic asides that are just hilarious." PLUS: Watch animated "Dexter."


Letterman doesn't shy away from Tiger Woods jokes

Dave opened up last night's "Late Show" — his first since the Tiger scandal broke — by saying if Woods' troubles "happened three months ago, I’d have material for a year." PLUS: Tom Hanks helps Dave deliver the Tiger Top Ten list.


The 2000s: When TV became art

Sure, the 2000s will be remembered for the explosion of reality TV, starting with "Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire?" in early 2000. But, as Emily Nussbaum points out, "for anyone who loves television, who adores it with the possessive and defensive eyes of a fan, this was most centrally and importantly the first decade when television became recognizable as art, great art: collectible and life-changing and transformative and lasting. As the sixties are to music and the seventies to movies, the aughts—which produced the best and worst shows in history—were to TV."


"TiVoed" is losing traction to "DVR'd"

More and more people are saying they "DVR'd" a show instead of "TiVoed," which should make TiVo very happy.

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December 8, 2009

Did CBS go too far with "Frosty the Inappropriate Snowman"?
If a kid googles Frosty, they might end up watching these naughty Frosty videos from "Two and a Half Men" and "How I Met Your Mother."


Oprah keeping Harpo in Chicago

Even if Oprah Winfrey leaves town, her production company will continue to be headquartered in the Windy City.


"Dexter"-loving teen pleads not guilty to strangling his brother

Andrew Conley, 17, told police that killing his little brother made him feel like "Dexter."


Kate Gosselin: My kids are still "sobbing" over "Jon & Kate's" cancelation

"They cried in the van on the way home from school the other day, she tells Barbara Walters in "The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2009" special. "I finally admitted to them, they kept asking, 'Where's the camera crew? Where's the camera crew? We miss them.' And I said, 'Our show is over.' …Eight sobbing kids driving home from school." PLUS: Another reality show? Why was Kate working in a North Carolina restaurant?


Mark Wahlberg: "Entourage" should follow the "Sex and the City" movie model

"People have always complained that the episodes are too short," he says. "And that the seasons aren't long enough, and they want more."


Real-life profs are thrilled to be teaching at "Lost" University

Professors from UCLA, USC and Caltech teach a variety of classes, from physics to philosophy. "It's the perfect marriage of entertainment and education," says Caltech professor Sean Carroll, who teaches Introductory Physics of Time Travel for Lost University. PLUS: Is the "Lost" Season 5 DVD worth buying?


Watch Simon Cowell's 1990 TV debut on a gameshow

As the Guardian notes, Simon's appearance on "Sale of the Century," which he won, "was all self-deprecation and smiles, without a needlessly crushing putdown in sight, is a masterclass in how to preserve your dignity through that crucial first foray in front of camera."


"Better Off Ted" returns tonight, but wouldn't it be better off on Wednesday night?

"Ted" is funnier than ever, but it's stuck behind a "Scrubs" that nobody is watching. Meanwhile, ABC's Wednesday comedy block of "Modern Family," "The Middle" and "Cougar Town" is a hit. PLUS: "Ted" struggles in its first two episodes back.

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ODDS & ENDS

December 8, 2009

Rob Zombie might direct a "CSI" episode

50 Cent: I'd like to do a duet with Susan Boyle

"A Charlie Brown Christmas" will finally get to air tonight

Entertainment Weekly names J.J. Abrams the an entertainer of the decade

MTV spins off "16 and Pregnant" tonight with "Teen Mom"

[Click to read the rest of Odds & Ends]


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