Thursday, December 17, 2009

"The Simpsons" debuted 20 years ago today
Fox kicked off the long-running cartoon with the holiday special "Simpsons Roasting on an Open Fire." PLUS: Why "The Simpsons" no longer matter.

Pepsi dumps the Super Bowl
After 23 straight years of mostly memorable Super Bowl ads, Pepsi has decided to sit out Super Bowl XLIV so it can concentrate on other marketing ventures. Last year, Pepsi was the Super Bowl's biggest advertiser.

USA remaking the 1990 film "The Freshman" as a  TV show
The original movie starred Matthew Broderick and Marlon Brando.

Fox sends "House" to knock out "Chuck"
The next original "House" episode has been bumped up so that it'll air opposite "Chuck's" season premiere on Jan. 11.

Jane Lynch confirms: I'll be singing and dancing on "Glee"
“I can’t tell you what I’m singing because it’s top-secret," she says of her debut performance, which will happen in one of the first two episodes back from hiatus. Lynch offered this hint: “It’s a verycold song.”

High school principal bans the word "meep"
The Muppet word was too "disruptive" for teachers and administrators at Danvers High School in Massachusetts, leading many students to wear “FREE MEEP” T-shirts.

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Ashton Kutcher puts all 5 "Beautiful Life" eps. on YouTube, betting it'll be a hit
Can YouTube revive the canceled CW series? Kutcher thinks so, saying on "TBL's" YouTube page: "I want this to be the first show ever that gets more viewers on the Web than what it got on terrestrial television."

Could Simon Cowell leaving spell the end of "Idol"?
Reports say that Simon is planning on launching "The X Factor" in America in 2011.

TCM will celebrate Elvis Presley's 75th birthday with a 20-hour marathon
Priscilla and Elvis pal Jerry Schilling will sit with Robert Osborne for the January 8th event.

Julie Benz: Keeping "Dexter's" secret was "torture"
She says of fan reaction to the season finale twist: "I get a lot of people whispering, gasping, pointing. But everyone wants to talk about it: why it happened, their reaction to it. The biggest surprise has been that people feel like they've lost a real person."

"SYTYCD" winner can't wait to perform at the Oscars
"I was hoping I'd be standing here, but I never would have imagined this day!" says Russell Ferguson. "Everything has fallen into place, everything feels so perfect right now. I couldn't ask for anything more. I'm just honored to be in a position to tell other Krumpers, 'You can do this.' They might even believe me now!"
Finale felt underwhelming // Predictable, but awesome // Russell: A great skier?

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Kevin McKidd to visit "Grey's" webisode

Here's your 1st look at Rachel Bilson on "HIMYM"

Brian Willliams is making another "30 Rock" comeback

Report: Young men are embracing "Mad Men" style

Tina Fey & Steve Carell are reuniting on the big screen for "Mail-Order Groom"

[Click to read the rest of Odds & Ends]