A weblog of TV news and criticism
David Schwimmer gets engaged to photographer two decades younger than him
HBO bringing "True Blood" back on June 13
Claim: Kate Gosselin is acting like a "total diva" on "Dancing"
"Survivor" Tom Westman: I was wrong about Cirie
Lackluster "SNL" saved by Jerry Seinfeld
Larry David: Pretty, "pretty good chance" that "Curb" will be back
J.B. Smoove will also likely return for Season 7, which David teases might have a Toyota Prius storyline. PLUS: No "Curb" movie for David.
Peter Graves dies at 83
The star of the "Mission Impossible" TV series and, later, A&E's "Biography," died today at his home in the Pacific Palisades at age 83.
Pilots go to Mary Steenburgen, Xander Berkeley, Carly Pople
Also, "Reno 911's" Jerri Kenney and" "Dexter" alum David Ramsey have landed pilot roles.
Will Ferrell hires ex-"SNL"-ers Horatio Sanz & Chris Parnell
They'll play slacker Jon Heder's bad friends in a Comedy Central sitcom.
"SNL' hooks up Tina Fey & Justin Bieber
Fey (and her Sarah Palin impression) will join Bieber on the April 10 episode.
"Battlestar's" James Callis joins "Eureka"
"Dr. Gaius Baltar" will play another Syfy doctor.
USA picks up Sarah Shahi's "Facing Kate"
The "L Word" alum will play a mitigator in one of two new shows USA is offering this year.
"South Park" tackles Tiger Woods — and his press conference
"It's such an important issue in America right now — the sex addiction outbreak," says Matt Stone. "We're all really concerned about him and hope he gets better."
NBC teams with Bobby Flay to search for "America's Next Great Restaurant"
"Top Chef's" producers will helm this reality show in which a contestant not only will win a restaurant but a mentor in Flay.
Guy Pearce and Evan Rachel Wood join HBO's "Mildred Pierce"
The five-hour miniseries will also feature Melissa Leo.
Did Lady Gaga make E! the new MTV?
Lady Gaga picked E! and Ryan Seacrest over MTV to debut her new "Telephone" music video on Thursday night.
Cookbook author sues Jerry Seinfeld again over his "slander" on Letterman
"The Sneaky Chef" author Missy Lapine's first lawsuit for slander was thrown out in federal court. Now she's trying again in Manhattan's supreme court.
"Idol's" Todrick Hall lobbying for "Glee" role
"I'm making it my job now to be my personal campaign manager to get myself a role on Glee," he says. PLUS: Alex Lambert scarred by banana remark.
Paul Schneider leaving "Parks and Rec" to pursue a film career
Mark Brendanawicz will still have a presence on the show through the rest of the season, and perhaps in future seasons, as Mike Schur explains: "In the end, it was a combination of us always knowing that the character would always leave some day, the timing of this movie, and then sort of feeling like, well, the way the character's gone…we were all on the same page here and we decided to write the character out."
Andy Milonakis raps against Jay Leno
The Jimmy Kimmel discovery says "Leno sucks …"
Rebecca Mader wasn't happy with her "Lost" axing
Will Charlotte be back for the final season?
Jude Law's "SNL" promos
Watch him with Pearl Jam and Fred Armisen.
Padma Lakshmi unveils her baby daughter
Check out three-week-old Krishna.
Chad Ochocinco going after ESPNers who criticize his reality shows
"which ever Espn analyst dogs me for my off~season projects at 6 o'clock its going to be WAR!!" the Cincinnati Bengal tweets.
E! reaches a new reality TV low with "Pretty Wild"
Pole dancing meets prayer circles in this reality show about a Playboy mom and her three "daughters," one of whom is accused of burglarizing celebrity homes.
Report: NBC considers rescuing "24"
Twentieth Century Fox approached the Peacock, and wasn't turned down. NBC is said to be mulling taking Jack Bauer from Fox.
Kara DioGuardi's dad to run for Hillary Clinton's former U.S. Senate seat
Joe DioGuardi is seeking the Republican nomination for the New York seat currently held by Kirsten Gillibrand.
NBC taps Summer Glau for superhero drama "The Cape"
The former "Terminator" star has joined "The Cape" as a reporter who goes after corrupt cops and masked villains.
"High Society" star says she was scripted; CW denies it
Socialite Jules Kirby wrote on her Facebook about her offensive comments, "The show is scripted, and we are given lines and characters." CW's response: "With a show like this, it pretty much goes without saying that you can't write this stuff."
"Community's" Donald Glover does a dead-on Obama impression
So why didn't "SNL" hire the former "30 Rock" writer? (Read the NY Times' profile of Glover.)
Conan begins groupie auditions
"Knock twice on the white minivan."
Jennifer Aniston's next co-star is … Heidi Montag!?
The reality star is big-screen bound with a small role in "Just Go With It," a film also starring Adam Sandler and Nicole Kidman.
Crystal Bowersox's baby daddy revealed?
His name is Tony, and he lives in Bosnia, according to Radar Online.
For her VH1 show, Jessica Simpson cracks up at a Buddhist monk
She couldn't help but laugh during mediation.
Report: Conan O'Brien's muzzle comes off on May 1st
Conan will be able to partake in TV interviews starting on the 1st of May, according to Variety. So, who'll get his first interview? Will he go on Larry King? Will he fill in for Regis? PLUS: Introducing Conan's opening act, Reggie Watts.
MTV bans "Jersey Shore" cast from drinking
Apparently the network doesn't want any more boozing going on until Season 2 begins filming.
Betty White tour makes stop at "The Middle"
White will appear in the season finale, playing a school librarian.
At TNT, ordering "Breaking Bad" would've been a fireable offense
So says creator Vince Gilligan, who recalls having a "pleasurable" and "wonderful meeting" pitching his show to TNT. "They dug it," says Gilligan. But at the end of the meeting, says Gilligan, "they said, there's no way in hell they could buy this. They'd get fired if they bought this."
Gay couple out at "One Life to Live"
The marriage of Kyle and Fish didn't help the daytime soap.
"Band of Brothers," revisited
What happens when you marathon through all 10 episodes in one sitting.
Madonna takes on Larry David on "Marriage Ref"
Last night's episode, which also featured Ricky Gervais, was quite a scene. "You're a man-hater," David told Madonna. To which she said: "I hate you." (Watch the full episode) PLUS: Jerry Seinfeld seems to be over-promoting "Ref."
"Degrassi" will air 4 new episodes a week as it adapts the Telenovela format
Season 10 will film at a faster, cheaper pace.
Watch the very first "Degrassi Junior High" episode
PBS has posted the pilot from Jan. 18, 1987 on YouTube.
Michael Vick to compete on Spike TV's "Pros vs. Joes"
Co-host Jay Glazer says Vick was one of the pro QBs at yesterday's taping.
"Skins" dumps its entire cast (again!) as its renewed for Seasons 5 and 6
This is the 2nd time the British drama has been entirely recast, so every two seasons it can re-focus on teenagers who are actually teenagers.
"30 Rock" mocks NBC-Comcast deal, with special guest Jack Welch
How did last night's episode stack up to real life?
Joan Rivers' latest reality show: "Mother Knows Best"
She and daughter Melissa will star in the WE TV series.
Final 4 "Idol" losers suffered from Split Vote Syndrome
"The four ('Idol') dumped," explains Katherine Meizel, "all had potential and an enthusiastic fan base, but they might have suffered from a sort of Idol split vote syndrome, where crossover values and shared demographics become a disadvantage. Lilly and Crystal possibly divided the Lilith Fair vote (hey, Kelly Clarkson is slated to perform on the 2010 tour!), while Alex and Aaron were likely a tough choice for the tween set, as were Katie and the too-similarly named Katelyn … If there had been only Lilly, only Alex, and only Katelyn, I think each would have had a lock on his or her particular market."
Top 12 odds: Crystal is favorite, Paige Miles at bottom // Inside Top 12 party
Has "Idol" become too indie this season?
Kara: "Bikini Girl" stunt saved my "Idol" job // Jack Bauer vs. Bowersox
Jon Stewart unveils his Simon, Randy, Kara impressions
Alex Lambert had most potential // Which Roling Stones songs should they sing?
"Survivor's" Heroes have been unmasked as quite awful people
"Russell, crazy as he is, nailed it in the first episode when he said that now the heroes have turned into villains," says Rich Heldenfels. "Tom, who first time around was great at building a team, is now part of a bunch of people who cannot work together; it's the Beatles making the White Album."
Probst: Colby is NOT my buddy // Heroes = "Self-Righteous Chocolate Haters"
"Better Off Ted" creator: Please only write polite e-mails to ABC
"Then when the show returns," says Victor Fresco, "the makers of 'Ted' will do something nice for you! What about this: We'll mention each of your names on the show, one or two names per episode, for as long as we're on the air. That could be fun. Or not interesting at all."
Gen. Larry Platt sued over "Pants on the Ground"
A music company claims it got gypped after funding a studio version of the hit "Idol" song.
Is the "Twittercooler" responsible for boosting ratings for big TV events?
Twitter and Facebook have turned the Super Bowl and the Academy Awards into one big virtual living room.
It's back to Philly for "Kendra"
Kendra's hubby, Hank Baskett, has left the Indianapolis Colts after his Super Bowl snafu and rejoined the Philadelphia Eagles. PLUS: "Kendra" is writing her autobiography.
"The Pacific" is as good as "Band of Brothers," but in a more grueling way
The Pacific theater was even worse than Europe, as Robert Bianco notes: "Those differences require a different approach to storytelling. You can't expect the same kind of plot cohesion in The Pacific as you found in Brothers; there is no structurally unifying drive to Berlin, no great overriding strategy to convey, and no single unit to follow. The Marines bonded, but they did not exactly "band"; the casualty rates were too high and the units too fluid for that kind of grouping to occur. Indeed, by the time the film hits midpoint, many of the men you've come to care about will be gone."
Where's the big picture? // "The Pacific" aims to please too many masters
John Seda is weak link // Did Ken Burns' "The War" scoop Hanks and Spielberg?
Behind the scenes // Spielberg: "We needed to acquit the other side of the world"
William Sadler has new respect for his 87-year-old WWII vet dad
Tyler Labine's role is stolen on "Sons of Tucson"
The Fox sitcom forces Labine to play the straight man, an unusual role for the actor. While his co-stars get all the best lines, Mike Hale notes, "The talented Mr. Labine is left to play the same pratfalling sitcom father we’ve seen a thousand times before, albeit one who forgets what his last name is supposed to be and has to sleep in the tool shed behind his not-sons’ suburban manse."
"Sons" is filled with bad decisions // Meet its "Malcolm" director
Nigel Lythgoe: The best pick to replace Simon Cowell is Elton John
Report: Charlie Sheen ready for plea bargain
Amy Ryan: I have no more "Office" plans
"Gilligan's Island's" Tina Louise gets a TCM tribute on Sunday
"High Society" tanks on CW with just 1.26 million viewers
Jon Voight signs on for his first regular TV gig, on Fox
He'll play a legendary Texan in "Midland," with David Keith playing his son.
Katherine Heigl's "Grey's" exit almost a done deal — has her last scene aired?
Heigl never returned to the "Grey's Anatomy" set on March 1st, as planned. So, according to Michael Ausiello, ABC and Heigl decided last week to part ways now, instead of at the end of the season, which means she won't return to the show. Ausiello reports that "Shonda Rhimes has agreed to release the fast-rising movie star from her contract. It’s now up to ABC Studios and Heigl’s reps to hash out a final exit agreement."
"The View" goes off on "Idol" judges; Elton John: Big Mike has "voice of an angel"
"Big Mike has the most God-given voice," says Elton, who compares him to Luther Vandross.
"HIMYM" gets Arianna Huffington to play herself
Turns out that Huffington is producing a pilot with a "How I Met Your Mother" writer starring Sarah Chalke.
Bill Lawrence: "Scrubs" has a 1 in 10 chance of survival
"In my heart and head I felt like 'Scrubs' ended last year," Lawrence says. "This year was a bit of a spinoff, but I really liked it, I liked what they did. They worked really hard."
"Hollywood heartthrobs" — including Alan Thicke — will co-host "Today's" 4th hour
Hoda Kotb will be joined by five hunky guest co-hosts, including Jason Priestley, Kirk Cameron, Ralph Macchio, Andrew Shue and, oddly enough, Alan Thicke.
Conan is doing comedy tour for free
Coco just wants to get his "Tonight Show" staff back to work. So roughly 40 people have been hired for the tour, according to TMZ.
Jerry Seinfeld & Kelly Ripa
Watch Seinfeld fill in for Regis Philbin.
Joel McHale: Kat McPhee "kicked ass" on "Community"
"Of course," says McPhee, "my job with Joel was so easy. Come on, you've got to kiss that guy all week long? You don't have to pull my leg to do that. My husband knows that's the reality."
Claim: Kate Gosselin's kids are depressed over her "Dancing" absence
According to Us Weekly, her eight children are being handled by five nannies in her Hollywood absence.
Alan Tudyk joins "Rockford Files"
The "Firefly" alum will co-star with Dermot Mulroney in NBC's remake of the '70s classic.
Dr. Drew criticizes Corey Haim for not doing "Celebrity Rehab"
Drew Pinsky says he had given his number to Haim's concerned friends many times, but he never called.
Next week is Rolling Stones week on "American Idol"
The Top 12 will be tasked with singing classics from the iconic rock band.
Conan O'Brien is licensing the "I'm With Coco" image
Conan is not only embracing "Team Coco" with his new TeamCoco.com Web site, but he's also using the iconic "I'm with Coco" image designed by artist Mike Mitchell for his 30-city tour. "Apparently Conan wanted to get me on board for it – obviously I was honored," says Mitchell, who is getting compensated for the image's use. PLUS: Watch Conan's Twitter followee on "GMA."
Chad Ochocinco gets a VH1 reality show: 85 women will compete for his heart
"The Tournament" will have the NFL diva and "Dancing" star whittle down 85 women (Ochocinco's number), NCAA tourney-style, over 10 episodes.
Adam Lambert plans to release a make-up line for men
The line will not only feature guyliner, but concealer, lip gloss, nail polish and mascara. PLUS: Watch Lambert "Unplugged."
Why "The Marriage Ref" is genius, one of TV's funniest shows
Forget the haters, says Glenn O'Brien, "this is a great show. For my money Seinfeld has done it again. Genius. This is one of the only examples of an intelligent, wit-based game show since the likes of 'What's My Line?' (1950-1967) and 'I've Got a Secret' (1952-1967). It is also a show, like 'Seinfeld,' that is rooted in good old-fashioned common sense, and in dealing with the institution of marriage it goes to the very heart of our culture."
Why does Simon keep bringing up that "Idol" judges give conflicting advice?
The advice has been all over the place because of the four judges, but is Simon annoyed that "Idol" is trying to take the mentoring gimmick from "The X Factor"? PLUS: Big Mike shines, Andrew Garcia is proving to be a one-trick pony.
Nickelodeon announces 6 new shows, 16 renewals
Among the new series are "Kung Fu Panda," "T.U.F.F. Puppy," "Bubble Guppies" Victoria Justice's "Victorious."
Richard Belzer accused of trying to choke an Apple store employee
The "SVU" star was questioned by cops, but wasn't charged, over yesterday's incident. For his part, Belzer says he just put his hands on the employee's shoulders, and she freaked out.
NFL-er turned "Little House" star Merlin Olsen dies
Pro Football Hall of Famer Merlin Olsen, 69, played Michael Landon's sidekick Jonathan Garvey from 1977 to 1981, before going on to star in "Father Murphy" and serving as an FTD flowers pitchman. He also worked as an NBC color commentator for NFL games. (Watch NFL Films' tribute to Olsen)
Confirmed: "Bachelor" star Rozlyn Papa does not have a sex tape
Ex-"Lost" advisor criticizes dynamite face-off // 101 "Lost" T-shirts
TCM to celebrate Clint Eastwood's 80th birthday in May with 24-hour marathon
Kate Gosselin's hair undergoes bob tranformation for "Dancing"
"Human Target" gets Amy Acker for season finale
Conan announces 30-city tour
From April 12 to June 14, Conan O'Brien will take his act on the road, traveling from Atlanta to Vancouver for what he describes as a "half-assed comedy & musical tour." The American Express-sponsored "Legally Prohibited From Being Funny on Television Tour" will feature Andy Richter and "The Tonight Show Band" and promises to provide Conan fans with "a night of music, comedy, hugging, and the occasional awkward silence." Tickets will be available through the new TeamCoCo.com Web site. Conan's longtime exec producer Jeff Ross says the tour is aimed at getting Conan in front of as many people as possible in between talk shows. PLUS: Conan will return to Universal City and perform in an NBC-owned theater on April 24.
It's official: Betty White will host "SNL" on May 8
The Facebook campaign is a success, but Lorne Michaels says he "always wanted" the 88-year-old White to host. Finally, White accepted his offer. "Years ago, I turned it down three times," says White. "It's so New York, and I'm not New York at all. "But my agent said he'd divorce me if I didn't do it, and I love my agent." To help shoulder the load, the Mother's Day "SNL" will also feature a reunion of six former "SNL" ladies: Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Molly Shannon, Maya Rudolph, Ana Gasteyer and Rachel Dratch.
ABC orders "Trust Me, I'm a Game Show Host"
The Mark Burnett game show will have a studio audience try to guess which one of two hosts is telling the truth.
Corey Haim dated the star of VH1's "Daisy of Love" before his death
Haim was introduced to Daisy de la Hoya by Corey Feldman. "I'm sooooooo devastated right now," de la Hoya tweeted this morning. "This is the worst day ever I can't believe this."
Elisha Cuthbert nabs ABC sitcom role
She'll play the bride in "Happy Endings."
Heidi Montag replaces her manager, Spencer Pratt
After nearly five years, Montag is opting for a change, hiring a psychic to manage Team Heidi.
Coming to CW: Flashmob reality show "One Mass Dance" and "Shed to Wed"
One reality show will have couples lose weight together, while the other will have unfurl flashmob-like dances on various cities.
Pilots go to Traylor Howard, "The Wire's" Sonja Sohn and David Gallagher
Also landing roles: Lyndsy Fonseca and Will Sasso.
Corey Haim: 1980s NBC sitcom star
Check him out in the short-lived "Roomies" from 1987.
"Mad Men's" Bryan Batt lands on "Ugly Betty"
Hell guest-star as a soap actor who is set up with Marc. PLUS: Check out Betty without braces.
Jay Leno bounces back to edge Letterman in all ratings categories
Letterman's blackmailer pleading guilty wasn't enough to propel Dave over Jay on Tuesday night.
Conan outraged his Twitter pal was bumped tonight from Larry King
Sarah Killen says, though, that she'll appear on "GMA" on Thursday.
Mario Lopez will become a dad
The 36-year-old Lopez is expecting his first child with his Broadway dancer girlfriend, Courtney Mazza.
"FlashForward" star Joseph Fiennes becomes a father
He and his former Miss Switzerland wife welcomed a daughter on Monday.
Corey Haim turned down "Celebrity Rehab"
According to TMZ, when casting producers called Haim, he was "extremely defensive and insulted, saying, 'It's the last show I'd ever do.'" Haim died this morning of a drug overdose. UPDATE: Haim was approached by "Celebrity Fit Club," not "Celebrity Rehab," according to "Access Hollywood."
Prediction: Barbie will damage the "Mad Men" brand
The $74.95 dolls of Don, Roger, Joan and Betty are an awful idea, says Viv Groskop. "This is a terrible, compromising thing for the Mad Men team to have done," she says. "'Mad Men' – encompassing the characters of Don, Betty and Joan in particular – is a superb brand: super-cool, uncompromising, ironic and iconic. How on earth is it going to sustain its cult appeal if it resorts to the merchandising route? Merchandising is the curse of any televisual brand."
Pal of Letterman's blackmailer: This was a "win" for Robert Halderman
Dr. Bob Arnot, the former NBC correspondent, says Halderman waited until Manhattan got a new D.A. before getting a better plea deal. He adds that Halderman getting only six months in jail is a "win" for him. "This guy had the chutzpah to go up against David Letterman when Letterman stole his girlfriend," he says.
Everybody "South Park" pissed off will reunite for the 200th episode
"What if we bring back the biggest moments and revisit them – basically, we bring back everyone who’s pissed off at us," says Trey Parker. "All the people that are pissed off at 'South Park' the town are going to file a class-action lawsuit against the town. So basically it’s going to be an all-star, who’s who. Tom Cruise and everyone’s going to be back."
"20/20" to devote 2 hours to examining "The Bachelor"
"Inside The Bachelor: The Stories Behind The Rose" will air next week featuring past contestants, including Bachelor Bob and Charlie O'Connell.
"Buffy" turns 13
"Buffy the Vampire Slayer," the TV series, is officially a teenager. "Buffy" premiered on the WB on March 10, 1997. "WOW! I feel old," says Alyson Hannigan.
Planet Green shifting its focus away from the environment
The two-year-old Discovery channel will introduce a new programming block about "conscious living and provocative storytelling."
"Big Love" co-creators: We'll learn from our mistakes
Mark V. Olsen and Will Scheffer realize that this was a frustrating season, especially since it took place within a span of just nine episodes. Both plan to "re-tool" their writing process and whittle down their humongous cast, each of whom had juicy storylines. "We think the show has been the richer for having such a large ensemble," says Scheffer, "but we also feel we're at a breaking point. We've got to pare it down and refocus." But Scheffer wants to point out that, "We're an ensemble show. We love our franchises — teens, wives and Bill, Juniper Creek and Greenes, etc. — and we love our actors." PLUS: "Big Love" is still addictive despite messy season.
"Dating Game" killer: Ex-Bachelor No. 1 killed 4 women, plus 1 child in the '70s
Rodney Alcala, 66, who was convicted of the three decade-old killing spree in February, appeared on the game show in 1978.
Bravo adds 5th night, orders "Mia Michaels," Bev Hills "Housewives," 4 new shows
Among the new shows on tap at Bravo are "Around the World in 80 Plates," "Commander in Chef," "Fashion Masters" and "Hitmakers."
Boss of "Undercover Boss" insists show isn't staged — plans to add female CEOs
Exec producer Stephen Lambert insists "Undercover Boss" can't be staged: "The idea that ordinary people are capable of that level of acting is insane," he says, adding that workers are vetted beforehand. Lambert adds that for Season 2, getting a female CEOs will be a "priority."
Jimmy Kimmel's "Handsome Men" shot their parts separately, over 2 weeks
The "Handsome Men's Club" skit even used stand-ins, says Kimmel's girlfriend/co-head writer Molly McNearny: "One day we shot with [John] Krasinski, [Tony] Romo and Taye Diggs. One day we shot with [Josh] Hartnett and Gilles Marini. Everything else was shot individually. Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner came here one day. Matt Damon shot his last piece on Saturday, the day before [the Oscars]." She adds that it was Lenny Kravitz who came up with the "punk ass bitch" line. PLUS: ABC will re-air Kimmel's Oscar special on Saturday in primetime.
"Handsome" outtakes: "This is like my worst nightmare," said Jennifer Garner
"Idol" girls: Siobhan emerges as the dark horse
Of her "House of the Rising Sun" performance, Ann Powers writes: "Learning that her father is a singer … explains a lot: Siobhan's swagger is the sort displayed by kids whose parents fed them the rock canon before they could chew solids. Her possible victory (possible, not probable: Simon's surely not alone in thinking the formerly mohawked glassblower 'strange') would be a nice first for 'Idol,' the endorsement of a female star standing for a new chapter in the rock and roll continuum."
Do the girls need to get laid? // Kara keeps acting like Ryan Seacrest
"Lost's" flash-sideways: An epilogue in advance?
After last night's episode, Alan Sepinwall says, "I'm sticking with my theory that the flash-sideways are an epilogue in advance – that this is where and when the characters all wound up in the aftermath of the war between Smokey and Jacob's forces. (I have no idea if I'm right, nor will I be upset either way when the reveal comes, but right now it's important for me to have some idea of what the alt-timeline scenes mean, even if it turns out I'm completely wrong. Otherwise, there's no weight to them this late in the 'real world' timeline.)"
Michael Emerson: "It’s almost like I’m playing a different character this season"
"Directed by Mario Van Peebles" // Ben Linus, humanized // Hurley's hair, brushed
"Lost" isn't exactly sci-fi, but it's not fantasy, either // Ilana = Jack's estranged wife?
If you want to play online poker from America, check out this site which offers a current list of the top United States poker sites. Article provides a detailed listing of all US approved poker rooms, history of online gambling in the USA, and state laws on poker.
