George Steinbrenner once demanded that "Seinfeld" change George's name
When Jerry Seinfeld asked permission to use a New York Yankees uniform in a "Seinfeld" episode, Steinbrenner was fuming after reading the script: "This is how they are trying to get at me," he told his lawyer. "They have named their character after me." PLUS: Seinfeld reacts to Steinbrenner's death.
"Psych" creator: We're still a grass-roots show despite all our success
As Season 5 premieres tonight, Steve Franks says, "It wasn't until this year that it started to feel like a big number. We've been even getting a lot of people saying, 'Hey, you’re the senior show there on USA Network,' and I’m like, 'Oh my god, you're right!' We’re still trying to make the show the best it can be at all times, and it doesn’t feel like the show is aging. It’s cool that in the fifth season it feels like we’re hitting our stride." PLUS: "Psych" writers must be absolutely nuts.
How to cast the perfect reality TV star
Reality execs recently revealed the secrets to a successful reality show, such as getting contestants who live "extreme" lives, who are "completely unguarded" and who can be a tentpole that an entire cast can be built around.
Kelsey Grammer wants to keep "Frasier" money in divorce
Grammer doesn't want Camille to take any of the money he earned from his 11 years on the NBC sitcom.
Asian-American "Jersey Shore" cast revealed
The pilot for "Ktown" was shot in L.A.'s Koreatown last weekend, with an Asian Situation and another cast member who is said to be a gay porn star.
Why Piers Morgan is perfect as Larry King replacement
"First of all," says Matthew Gilbert, "we're not potentially tired of him, as we might be of (Ryan) Seacrest or (Katie) Couric or the like. And then we do so love our Brits! So classy, even when they're being mean and tabloidy! Brits like Morgan sometimes seem able to ask difficult questions of American public figures with greater ease than Americans — they don't need to be loved by viewers in the same way as, say, Oprah or Barbara Walters."
NBC extends deal with Morgan for 3 years, and will have priority over him
CNN is set to pay Morgan $6 to $8 million a year
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Obama sent "Mad Men" a letter of congratulations for Season 3
"He wrote to say he enjoyed Season 3," says Matthew Weiner of the president's letter, which he has framed and hanging outside his office.
"Shaq Vs." will take on Justin Bieber and Rachael Ray
Shaquille O'Neal's ABC reality show returns for a 2nd season with Shaq competing against Justin Bieber, Rachael Ray, Penn & Teller, spelling bee champ Kavya Shivashankar and eating champ Joey Chestnut.
"The Hills" ends with a fake final scene
Cameras panned away to reveal that it was shot on a Hollywood movie studio lot, complete with fake backdrop.
PBS edits out Paul McCartney's George W. Bush jab from White House concert
The jab, which you can watch here, was part of President Obama's ceremony honoring the former Beatle as the recepient of the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.
"Beavis and Butt-head's" comeback is part of MTV's revival of its music video past
New episodes of "Beavis and Butt-head" are in the works, with plans to have the duo mock Lady Gaga.
Check out the recession-era "Apprentice"
"There is nothing more American than a 2nd chance," says a new promo, featuring woeful out-of-work candidates.
Watch "Glee's" Amber Riley perform at the All-Star game
She performed the National Anthem and "Beautiful."
Illeana Douglas joins "Entourage"
She'll play Ari Gold's sister in law.
Syfy's Debbie Gibson vs. Tiffany movie adds Mickey Dolenz
No word yet on what the former Monkee will play in "Mega Python vs. Gatoroid."
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Piers Morgan's deal to replace Larry King is nearly complete
NBC has signaled that it is willing to share its "America's Got Talent" star with CNN, paving the way for a deal to be signed in the next few days.
Supergirl returns to "Smallville"
Laura Vandervoort will reprise her role for the final season.
John Stamos takes the stand, says nothing happened with 17-year-old girl
Stamos testified that he met one of his accused extortionists, Allison Coss, then 17, at an 18-and-over club and ended up "hanging out" and "socializing" with her in his hotel room. But nothing, he insists, happened. PLUS: Check out Stamos and the 17-year-old.
Parents TV Council outraged by the striking down of FCC indecency
The federal appeals court, says the conservative watchdog, "substituted its own opinion for that of the Supreme Court, the Congress of the United States, and the overwhelming majority of the American people."
Ryan Murphy on "Glee" Season 2: Rachel & Finn, plus Javier Bardem
In addition to confirming Bardem's cameo, Murphy says that previous guest-stars Neil Patrick Harris, Idina Menzel and Jonathan Groff may return, but Kristin Chenoweth definitely will be back.
VH1 gives a reality show to Mario Lopez and his pregnant girlfriend
The show will capture Lopez as he becomes a dad for the first time with fiancée Courtney Mazza.
Report: Bret Michaels gets engaged
Michaels popped the question to on-and-off girlfriend of 16 years Kristi Lynn Gibson over the 4th of July weekend, according to Star.
Vanessa Marcil weds a "CSI:NY" star
Marcil and Carmine Giovinazzo got married on Sunday night, with her son with Brian Austin Green in attendance.
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Federal judges throw out FCC's indecency rule
In a victory for the TV networks, a three-judge federal appeals court today struck down the FCC's indecency policy, ruling that it was "unconstitutionally vague" and created a "chilling effect" that violated the 1st Amendment protection of free speech. "Under the current policy, broadcasters must choose between not airing or censoring controversial programs and risking massive fines or possibly even loss of their licenses, and it is not surprising which option they choose," U.S. Circuit Judge Rosemary S. Pooler wrote in the decision. "Indeed, there is ample evidence in the record that the FCC's indecency policy has chilled protected speech."
"Seinfeld's" George Steinbrenner: One of the most unusual characters in TV history
With the real-life Steinbrenner's passing, it must be pointed out that his "Seinfeld" counterpart was very unique — a real-life person portrayed by two people, Larry David anda man named Lee Bear. PLUS: A look back at Steinbrenner's TV ads.
"True Blood" is starting to resemble "The Wire"
Just like the David Simon masterpiece, "True Blood" is critiquing the war on drugs, says Jason Zinoman. "The substance of this show is in the metaphors, and this season is offering up a wide-ranging and cynical critique of the drug war," he says. "Trust me, this is not as nuts as it sounds." PLUS: Panther joins "True Blood."
John Barrowman lobbies for "Glee" role
The "Torchwood" star wants to play one of Rachel's gay dads. "I have no idea if I'll be in it," he says, "I met with their casting people and I said I'd love to be in it – I'd be good as one of Rachel's gay dads!"
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"Deadliest Catch": Capt. Phil is reality TV's first on-screen death
Throughout Phil Harris' ordeal, the Discovery channel show "has brought old-school documentary sobriety to a genre more often known for shamelessness," says Matt Zoller Seitz. He adds:"It's hard to say how much of its blunt honesty comes from its makers' ethical sense and how much is bound up in its chosen subject– a hard job staffed by men who barely have time to eat and sleep, much less adopt fake, corny screen personas and sustain them over weeks. Either way, 'Deadliest Catch' is a Trojan Horse reality show, smuggling integrity into a morally bankrupt genre. It's as real as TV gets."
Why do we like "Deadliest Catch" so much? // Recalling Phil's final moments
Once groundbreaking, "The Hills" limps to its finale
Tonight ends a taxing season that proved that Lauren Conrad was truly the show's glue, says Jon Caramanica. Without her, the show lost its warmth. "It's been a mighty fall for a show that, along with its predecessor, 'Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County,' helped cement the idea of reality TV as soap opera and also stretched the formal boundaries of the genre," he says, bemoaning the loss of "the long, meditative shots" in favor of quick-cut scenes.
11 life lessons from "The Hills" // Will Spencer Pratt crash the finale party?
"Covert Affairs" is Action-Thriller Lite — fast-paced and fun
USA's first female-driven show, "Covert Affairs" is about Every Woman Starting a New Job," says Mary McNamara. "Because of course it isn't just the bullets and the high-speed car chases that have Annie so frazzled, it's the internal politics, the possibly double-agent new colleagues and Annie's inability to forget That Guy. Action-thriller lite is a newish sub-genre and a high-wire act to maintain, especially when your hero's wearing Christian Louboutins."
In wake of Russian spy ring, real-life has imitated Hollywood
"Covert" proves a straightforward "Alias" is possible // USA = Conspiracy Lite
Ex-CIA agent Valerie Plame is "Covert Affairs'" technical advisor
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Melina Kanakaredes quits "CSI:NY"
Kanakaredes has opted not to return for Season 7, saying of her cast: "I will treasure them forever!" Meanwhile, CBS says, "We hoped Melina would return to 'CSI: NY' for another season, but we respect her decision to move on." PLUS: Will Sela Ward replace her? Did she quit over a proposed pay cut?
Barbara Walters tells "The View": "I'm fully recovered"
Walters, 80, made her first appearance on "The View" this morning, via Skype, to talk about her hear valve surgery, explaining that she has a new valve from a pig or cow. "I’m so glad to be alive, I’m so glad to talk to all of you," she said.
"Hot in Cleveland" gets hot for Joe Jonas
The Jonas brother will play Valerie Bertinelli's son in an August episode.
Oprah tell-all book may become a TV movie, or minsieries
Kitty Kelley has sold the rights to her unauthorized biography for six figures.
"The Dudesons" angers Native Americans
A May episode featuring American Indian stereotypes has prompted calls for a boycott of MTV sponsors. MTV responds, however, that it didn't mean to offend.
Ryan Murphy on "Glee" cameos: No Julia Roberts, Javier Barden is a maybe
"Javier," says Murphy, "… wants to play a Spanish rock ‘n’ roll guy, so if we can make that work… he’s the best there is. (That’s) something we’ll probably do in the first half of the season."
"The Closer" begins Season 6 with a call back to the pilot
Kyra Sedgwick says tonight she's "again a kind of fish out of water and out of her comfort zone."
Angie Harmon: "Rizzoli & Isles" put a halt to my retirement plans
The 37-year-ol was ready to call it quits from acting when the TNT detective series came calling. Now her plans to take care of her three young children full-time have been put on hold. "I don't want to miss out on anything," she says. "It's hard enough to leave in the mornings."
Harmon deserves better than this tedium // A terrific "Cagney & Lacey" throwback
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John Krasinski weds
Exactly a week after his "Office" wife's marriage, Krasinski and Emily Blunt tied the knot in Como, Italy on Saturday. The wedding was attended by George Clooney.
