A weblog of TV news and criticism
Season 8 "Dancing" alum Lawrence Taylor arrested in rape of 15-year-old
"Bones": What's a cable-quality show doing on network TV?
Check out Matt Damon on "30 Rock"
"Mad Men" spoiler: Don Draper driving in a …
Matt Groening offers a peek at the "Futurama" birthing device
Harry Connick Jr. steals the "Idol" show — and possibly Simon's job
Did producers notice how great Connick was this week? As Lisa de Moraes notes, "Connick, a.k.a. New Blue Eyes, treated his 'Idol' gig as seriously as jury duty, in marked contrast to all those drive-by mentors who spent as little time as possible in the company of the Idolettes, preferring to simply use them as props for album-plugging. Foxx tops this list, too. Turns out, Connick is also very funny — unscripted funny, that is, as opposed to new judge Ellen DeGeneres's canned-corn cracks."
James Gandolfini might play an HBO cab driver
"The Sopranos" star is reuniting with HBO to produce and possibly star in a NYC remake of "Taxi-22," a French-Canadian drama about a struggling politically incorrect taxi driver.
Walton Goggins promoted to "Justified" regular
Boyd Croder will become a more-permanent fixture on the FX series.
Comedy Central's slate: Jesus Christ, "Intercourse," "Live Sex Show," "Rich Dicks"
The 22-project Comedy Central slate includes "JC," an animated comedy in which Jesus escapes his dad and lives in NYC. Also on tap: "Patrice Oneal's Guide to White People," "A**Holes," "The Fuzz" and "Intercourse with Whitney Cummings."
TLC orders more "Toddlers and Tiaras"
The child beauty pageant reality show will return for a 3rd season.
Elizabeth Perkins exits "Weeds"
She'll end her five-year run by moving back to the big screen.
"Futurama" returns June 24 — Check out characters' "Rebirth"
Comedy Central has a sneak peek of the skeleton "Futurama" cast.
Jimmy Kimmel joins Twitter
His first tweet was a love message to Justin Bieber, in Spanish (watch the video).
CBS orders daytime Emeril cooking game show
Will Emeril Lagasse replace "As the World Turns"?
"Breaking Bad's" Cousins: We are as tough as we look
"Really, we are," Luis Moncada says of him and his brother, Daniel. "We've been around the block. I was in jail a long time ago, so I went through that. I was in a gang. Everything bad you can think of that happened to someone, happened to me and my brother."
Bret Michaels recalls asking, "Am I dying?"
The rocker said he was asked by a doctor if he had any kids upon his hospitalization for a brain hemorrhage. "And I said in these exact words, 'Am I dying? If I'm dying, I want to see my kids, but if I have a chance, I don't want them to see me in this condition.'"
NY newspaper under fire for comparing the Obamas to "Sanford & Son"
The conservative Smithtown Messenger showed before and after pictures of six presidential couples. But for Michelle and Barack, the "after" photo was replaced with "Sanford & Son."
Conan visits Google HQ
In advance of today's tour stop in San Jose, Conan O'Brien spoke to Google staffers this morning, an event that allowed him to get in a "Tonight Show" slam. He and Andy Richter also got to take in Google's "front-cleaning" toilets.
HDNet to offer a "Girls Gone Wild" reality show
Mark Cuban, HDNet's president, says of the behind-the-scenes 12-part 30-minute "Girls Gone Wild Presents: Search for the Hottest Girl": "It's a perfect fit for the new, unrated, late-night programming block that we air as part of our ‘Guys Night In' line-up every Thursday."
William Shatner gets another Bio Channel show
In "Shatner's Aftermath," Shatner will profile Americans who became overnight celebrities. As part of its new slate, Bio is also spinning off "I Survived" and "Celebrity Ghost Stories."
Daniel Dae Kim: "Lost" crewmembers helped keep sub scene warm
He says of the "really poetic" scene: "I was really happy with production because the water temperature was quite warm. And it was actually made warmer by some of the crewmembers, if you know what I mean. (Laughs.) I leave it at that." PLUS: Was last night plausible in real life?
Porn company planning to release a "Kendra" sex tape
Kendra Wilkinson is suing to try to block the release of the sex tape by Vivid video.
"Glee's" Heather Morris has naked past
Check out her (tasteful) nude photos.
Gabourey Sidibe wants "Glee" role: "I live and breathe for Amber Riley"
"I wouldn’t want to have a sing off with Amber because she’s actually a friend of mine,” she says. “She’s amazing and fun and it would be so cool to be on the show with her and hang out with the cast. I’m a huge fan.
"The Daily Show" books Central Park performance
Lewis Black will host "The Daily Show & Friends," a night of comedy from the show's correspondents.
Another "Jersey Shore" brawl: Snooki accused of punching girl
Snooki and J-Woww allegedly got in a fight in a Miami bar.
Under pressure from Apple, Ellen apologizes for mocking the iPhone
Ellen says "I got in trouble" with Apple for her iPhone parody ad that she debuted last week. "The people at Apple didn't think it was so funny. So on yesterday's show, Ellen apologized. "I am sorry if I made it look like the iPhone is hard to use," Ellen said. "I love it. I love my iPad. I love my iPod. … I love IHOP. … So everybody at Apple — Steve Jobs, Mr. Macintosh — I apologize."
Teary Elisabeth Hasselbeck apologizes to Erin Andrews for skimpy outfits slam
Hasselbeck's remarks on "The View" yesterday left Andrews in tears, after it was suggested that the ESPN star was attracting stalkers with her skimpy outfits. It was, said Andrews, "a slap in the face to victims of stalking and sexual predators." Hasselbeck says she called Andrews yesterday to apologize. "I'm really sorry," she said.
Craig Kilborn making a comeback with a talk show syndicated by Fox
The former "Late Late" host's show — described as a non-late-night talk show combined with a 'non-political 'Daily Show'" — will not be a Fox network show. Instead, it will air on Fox stations.
Jay Leno jokes: Times Square bomb suspect is a "Team Coco" member
Yet another shot at Conan O'Brien.
Report: Conan won't do Letterman, Oprah or Larry King
Will Conan O'Brien submit to another major TV interview?
Joan Rivers: Conan is a hypocrite
Joan bashed Conan O'Brien this morning during an apperance on Fox News: "I think the hypocrisy is so disgusting … Conan pushed (George Lopez) out of the same spot," she said.
"Bachelorette" will travel the world, hit up Broadway, make a music video
This season's contestants — including a wrestler and a weather man — will enter a Bachelor Broadway competition with "The Lion King." They'll also film a music video with the Barenaked Ladies. That's all in addition to traveling to Turkey, Portugal, Iceland and Tahiti.
A&E's new slate: "Intervention" spinoff, "I'm Heavy," The Hoff, Dee, Danza, Saget
A&E will offer a major dose of celebrity this fall with "Growing Up Twisted" with Dee Snider, "Teach: Tony Danza," "Strange Days with Bob Saget" and an untitled David Hasselhoff stage dad reality show.
NBC touts its upscale viewers to advertisers, as if it was 1999
It's been quite a few years since the Peacock has crowed about reaching upscale viewers.
Simon Cowell endorses the conservative candidate in British election
Electing Tory leader David Cameron as prime minister, says Cowell, is an "opportunity to bring back common sense."
Harry Connick Jr. was great for Sinatra week, but not for "Idol" emotions
Connick "steered the hopefuls toward sharper technique and showmanship rather than delving into their psyches," says Ann Powers. "The emotional side he left up to them." Which, she says, meant that "only a couple of singers could even grasp at the sense of personal power (operative cliche: swagger) that informed Frank's swinging numbers, or the other side of that entitlement — the knowledge that with privilege comes responsibility." PLUS: "Idol's" ratings drop to its lowest since Season 1.
Which was the most wrenching "Lost" death?
Of last night's ending, Jen Chaney says, "It was definitely a powerful scene, although I still think Charlie's death was more elegantly handled and more wrenching, for a couple reasons. We were prepared through all of season three for Charlie to potentially die, but we were still holding out hope — right up until Mikhail showed up with a hand grenade — that he would somehow beat fate. Also, when Charlie died, it felt more final. In this case, we at least know Sun and Jin are still alive in our alt-narrative — in fact, we saw Jin at the hospital, carrying flowers to Sun, right after their underwater demise — so we can take some solace in that."
What a let-down!: Last night left a bad taste // Goodbye, diversity!
Only 6 originals remain // Each "Lostie" was actually working for themselves
"Lost" showed that it's willing to pull the trigger // Hurley gets a new, skinnier doll
Team Darlton: We weren't trying to be heartless — we served the story
Yunjin Kim: Finale will bring closure to Sun & Jin // Most chilling episode in years
It won't matter if the "Lost" finale sucks or is brilliant
Chaz Palminteri joins TNT's "Rizzoli & Isles"
Neil Patrick Harris endorses successor Jimmy Fallon as Emmy host
Studies: Live TV-watching is still popular // TiVo doesn't hurt TV advertising
Pregnancy test-maker gets TLC to make "A Conception Story"
Seth Meyers: Betty White's "SNL" week is going fine // Watch her newest promos
NYPD chief name-drops Jack Bauer in Times Square bomb scare
The speedy arrest of Faisal Shahzad drew some eerie parallels to the current "24" season — so much so that New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly couldn't help but notice. Of the arrest, Kelly said today in a press conference: "Now, by my calculation . . . it was 53 hours and 20 minutes. Now we know that Jack Bauer can do it in 24 minutes. But in the real world, 53 hours is a — is a pretty good number." PLUS: Some "24" movie details revealed.
"Lost" finale expanded to 2 1/2 hours
An additional 30 minutes has been tacked on to the two-hour finale, which means that ABC's "Lost" finale night will stretch from 7 p.m. to 1:05 a.m. (counting the "Jimmy Kimmel Live" special), with a 35-minute break for local news.
Oops!: Hollywood Walk of Fame misspells "Julia Luis Dreyfus'" name
It was the first time in 15 years that a Walk of Fame star was screwed up, an embarrassed Walk of Fame said. (Watch Larry David's tribute plus Julia Louis-Dreyfus' speech)
Parents TV Council is outraged, again, by "Family Guy"
The PTC complains of Sunday's episode: "It seems as though ‘Family Guy’ creator, Seth MacFarlane, carefully reviewed the legal definition of broadcast indecency and set out to violate it as literally as he could."
Green Bay Packer to work as a "Criminal Minds" lab tech
Wide receiver Gerg Jennnings makes his acting debut on Wednesday's episode.
Debra Winger joins "In Treatment"
She'll play a former big star who suffers from anxiety.
Kate Gosselin will dance one final time on "Dancing"
She'll return for the May 24 and 25 season finale.
Bret Michaels leaves hospital, expecting a full recovery
Said his doctor: "Mr. Michaels was indeed a lucky person, a very lucky person."
Letterman extortionist sentenced to 6 months in jail
Robert "Joe" Halderman was led out of court in handcuffs to begin his sentence, which also inclues 1,000 hours of community service.
An Emmys hosted by Justin Timberlake & Andy Samberg?
The Emmy-winning "D*ck in a Box" duo were reportedly seriously considered, before the TV academy opted to go with Jimmy Fallon.
Why didn't "60 Minutes" try to contact NBC to balance out its Conan story?
Isn't a crucial part of the newsmagazine's lofty standards getting the other side of the story?
Showtime distributing "Dexter" coffee sleeves for Emmy campaign
The more than 100,000 cups feature Dexter and, when heated, the face of the Trinity Killer.
CBS considered paying ESPN for the NCAA tourney
Last year, CBS was so afraid of losing money over the basketball tournament that there were talks to hand over the 2010 and 2013 tourneys to ESPN, for a price.
iTunes begins selling "The Boondocks" uncensored
Episodes with expletives intact go on sale 12 hours after their Adult Swim premiere.
Meet Jim Henson's raunchy GSN game show puppets
"Late Night Liars," hosted by Larry Miller, is "The Muppets" meets "Match Game."
TV's Top 5 moneymakers: "Idol," "Two and a Half Men," "24," "Grey's" and "V"
Forbes' annual list also includes "Desperate Housewives" at No. 6, "Dancing with the Stars" at No. 7 and "Lost" at No. 8. But what about "Glee"? Fox's hit show ranks No. 45.
It's official: Jimmy Fallon replaces Conan as NBC's go-to Emmy host
Fallon takes over for Conan O'Brien, who hosted the last two NBC Emmy Awards broadcasts in 2002 and 2006.
Steve Carell: My "Office" departure isn't a negotiating tactic
"You know what, it's not a negotiating tactic at all," he tells "Access Hollywood." "I want to spend more time with my kids right now."
Report: NBC claims Conan lied about Leno buyout, "Tonight" not losing money
NBC sources tell TMZ that Jay Leno's buyout isn't $150 million, as the "60 Minutes" report and Conan claimed, but in actuality much closer to Conan's buyout. The NBC sources also say that Conan was specifically told that the network would lose $5 million by keeping him on "The Tonight Show." PLUS: Letterman says: "Welcome to the club, Coco!"
TV Academy to honor 8 "shows with a conscience"
Among the honorees are "CSI," "Glee" and "Private Practice."
Woman sues MTV over drunken "Real World: DC" encounter
Golzar Amirmotazedi, 22, claims MTV didn't get her consent when cameras filmed her getting thrown out of the "Real World" house. She claims that she refused to have sex with a cast member and that she was referred to as "that ugly girl" and "mentally unstable."
"Glee": Where's the continuity?
Three things are wrong with "Glee," says Alyssa Rosenberg. One is the continuity, or lack thereof: "In recent weeks," she says, "'Glee' has whipped through plotlines with the jittery energy of the choir's members doped up on pseudoephedrine, and lots of storylines have been lost in the process. Is Quinn, kicked out by her parents for getting pregnant, still living with her ex-boyfriend? Who was making harassing phone calls to Kurt, a gay glee-clubber's, father? What happened to Finn's worries about a college scholarship? And Rachel's desire to have sex, so memorably articulated in early episodes? Also, are her dads just never home?"
Watch 9-year-old Lea Michele sing on "Sally Jesse Raphael"
"Glee's" secret to success: It's basic structure, with real-life singers
"Glee" smart to hook up Finn's mom with Kurt's dad // The new American family!
How to fix "Idol": Muzzle Seacrest, find actual entertainers
The producers, says Robert Bianco, also ought to learn how to produce a live show. He writes: "Do these people have no learning curve at all? Nine seasons in, and they still haven't learned how to finish a live broadcast on time — or, even worse, how to pace it so the last contestant isn't subjected to judging that amounts to little more than a grunt or a grin." PLUS: Why are "Idol's" ratings tumbling? and watch Siobhan on Letterman.
Lionsgate can't imagine "Mad Men" having an end date
If Matthew Weiner came to Lionsgate and AMC with the request for an end date, he would be turned down. As Lionsgate TV president Kevin Beggs explains, "I can't answer for Matt, but I can't imagine a universe in which he doesn't have to do this show, because I think it's so in his DNA that if it's ever handed off to someone else, I think he might have a stroke."
Stan Lee to host a History channel show on real-life X-Men
"Stan Lee's Superhumans" will showcase people who are genetically different, with remarkable abilities.
History channel's lineup includes "History of the World in Two Hours"
Other shows include "The Kennedys," the new "Top Gear," "Vigilante Inspector" and "Chasing Mummies."
Katee Sackhoff: I desperately tried to give "24's" Dana a redeeming quality
"It was weird," she says in wake of last night's episode. "I kind of figured if I couldn’t give her a redeeming quality, I was just going to be the most ridiculously unsympathetic villain ever. I was going to try and make everyone hate her. That was my goal, and I think I succeeded."
Tony Almeida: "24" movie? // Last night's "24" was jarring after Times Square
"Top Chef's" Tom Colicchio named the nation's top chef
Kaitlin Olson & Rob McElhenney are having an "It's Always Sunny" baby boy
Report: Charlie Sheen should end up with $1.3M per "Two and Half" episode
What are the best and worst TV product placements?
Study: TV-watching kids face a life full of problems
Julianne Hough poised for a "Dancing" comeback
After two seasons off, Hough is expected to return for Season 11.
"Jersey Shore" getting its own soundtrack
Unfortunately, The Situation, Snooki and the gang won't be performing on it.
Tom Bergeron explains "Idol's" funk, and why he's not Ryan Seacrest
The "Dancing" host, whose show is neighbors with "American Idol," says: "'Idol' is having the season we had last season, which is everything's just a little out of phase, not quite working. Simon's got one foot out the door, Ellen's getting her bearings, Ryan is overcompensating, the (contestant) lineup is being attacked for not being great."
"Lost" is done and in the can
Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof tonight sent out identitical tweets upon completion of the series finale's editing.
Next week's "Idol" has Bon Jovi and Daughtry
Will they be tied to a movie theme?
"Breaking Bad's" Dean Norris talks about his big scene, and letting his little boys watch
"The seven-year-old and the four-and-a-half-year-old are both boys and they watch," he says. "I just explain to them constantly that it's acting, it's pretend and these are my friends."
David Boreanaz confesses to affair — he feared blackmail
The "Bones" star came forward to People magazine after Gloria Allred approached him wanting six figures, according to TMZ. RadarOnline, meanwhile, claims that the woman was Tiger Woods' mistress Rachel Uchitel.
Jay Leno recycled most of his jokes for Obama
It's not really shocking, but check out a comparison of Leno telling the same jokes from "The Jay Leno Show" and "The Tonight Show" that he used at the White House Correspondents Dinner.
Erin Anderws' stalker will serve time near her Atlanta home
Michael Barrett was supposed to do his federal prison sentence in California, but it was changed to Atlanta at the last minute.
Taylor Momsen: I'm taking a "Gossip Girl" break due to concert tour
"The show’s been really great and I’m going to be missing from a little bit of it because I am finishing the Warped Tour," explains Momsen. “I’m on tour this summer and the show starts back up during the middle of the tour."
Coming to Spike TV: Carmen Electra + golf, "Kitchen Nighmares" for nightclubs
Among the shows on Spike's development slate are "Alternative History," Denis Leary's NHL-themed "Rebel League," the paranormal "Haunted Civilization," "On the Rocks" and "Back Nine," a drama about a washed-up golfer starring John Schneider and Electra.
"Smallville" expects the return of Chloe
Producers are "very optimistic" that Allison Mack will be back.
FX renews "Justified"
With solid ratings, the Timothy Olyphant series will be back for a 13-episode Season 2.
"Lost" finale script leaked?
Six pages of the alleged final screenplay have surfaced on an Italian Web site. How do they compare to the alleged leaked final call sheet?
Randy Jackson launches dance music label
DreamMerchant21's first signee is Season 2 "Idol" Kimberly Locke.
Whatever happened to George Costanza's fiancée Susan?
"Seinfeld" alum Heidi Swedberg, now 40, is apparently now playing ukulele amid a string of TV guest appearances.
NBC picks up J.J. Abrams' "Undercovers"
The Peacock gave the married spy drama an early pickup because "we have tremendous confidence in this promising series."
NYPD probe possible "South Park" link in Times Square bomb scare
The SUV packed with the unexploded bomb was left not fare from the offices of Viacom, which owns Comedy Central.
"Daily Show" writers helped write Obama speech
President Obama's White House Correspondents Dinner speech got bigger laughs than Jay Leno's. And no wonder. The President received help from some "Daily Show" writers.
Obama unveils the "Jersey Shore" provision
Watch the president name-drop The Situation, Snooki and J-Woww at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.
NBC is spending more to attract the best TV pilots
Not too long ago, the Peacock would heavily depend on buying in-house projects. But not anymore.
Report: "Dancing" offering $381,000 to Tony Blair
"Dancing with the Stars" apparently really wants the British Prime Minister to compete on the next season of ABC show.
Max Weinberg not out, says Conan's rep
The rep tried debunking a report that Weinberg won't be joining Conan O'Brien on his TBS show by pointing out that nothing is set at Conan's new talk show.
Perhaps Conan should let other do the attacking
The Conan we saw last night on "60 Minutes" — the one with his emotions still raw — may not be good for his image, as James Poniewozik suggests: "I have to wonder if O'Brien is more effective when he jokes about the events and lets other people express the outrage for him. As he launches his TBS show, seeming the outsider who was screwed over by NBC is probably to his advantage. But, like a politician in a race, it may be better for him to leave the attacks to surrogates. (David Letterman, for instance, still seems glad to do it for him.)"
Shame on "60 Minutes" for letting sniping/whining Conan dodge questions
You'd think that "60 Minutes" would at least ask about George Lopez
Conan's take on "Tonight" history is narrow and self-serving
Conan helps make "60 Minutes" Sunday's No. 1 show
Conan vs. Leno: One had an atrocious TV appearance, the other was mediocre
Screw affiliates! CBS posted Conan segment online hours before West Coast airing
Couldn't "24" have gone out with one successful president?
Of President Taylor's recent behavior, Robert Bianco says: "If '24' can't leave us with even one principled, competent, successful president ('successful' rules out Palmer), couldn't it at least not compromise the president in ways we've seen many times before?" PLUS: Check out pics from the "24" wrap party.
Mike Tyson headed to "Entourage"
This season will have a sports theme.
AMC spoils "Breaking Bad" with a promo for next week before episode is over
Thus the ending of last night's episode, which took 2 1/2 days to film and which USA Today spoiled on Friday, was ruined for many AMC viewers who opted to sit through the ads.
Meet your X Factor hosts?: Cat Deeley & Dermot O'Leary
"SYTYCD's" Deeley is reportedly going to host an "X Factor" spinoff show called "The Extra Factor," while UK "X Factor" host (and British "Big Brother" veteran Dermot O'Leary (watch him here) is set to helm the American edition.
Kevin Eubanks: I'm not sure Jay Leno and I will stay friends
"We’ll see," says Eubanks. "I hope so. You know how the business is, how people start to become isolated in whatever project they become involved in. It’s a stressful period in the country and people are busy."
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