December 2010

FCC chair to approve Comcast-NBC merger, with conditions
If approved, the merged company would be prevented from favoring its own content versus its rivals and withholding its content from rivals.

"Seinfeld" will air Festivus episode today in syndication — after uproar
An employee of Sacramento's Fox affiliate was outraged when he discovered that "Seinfeld" didn't plan to air the famous 1997 episode in the month of December. So he called Sony Pictures to complain. "I said, 'I'm feeling that my religious beliefs are being compromised here," said the employee, Greg Saunders. "There is no Festivus episode scheduled, and that's blasphemy.'"

"Sarah Palin's Alaska": Coming to DVD in 2 versions
Due April 5th, one version of the DVD will feature all the episodes while another will contain bonus Palin documentaries.

"16 and Pregnant" actually helps lower the teen birthrate, gov't finds
A new report from the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy actually credits "16 and Pregnant" with lowering the birth rate in 2009, following a 5% increase from 2005 to 2007. A spokesman for the study says: "Some critics say these shows glamorize teen pregnancy, but our survey data shows that's not the case – that not only do they not glamorize it, but teens who have seen it suggest it makes the realities of teen parenthood more real to them."

"Modern Family's" Rico Rodriguez launches his own clothing line
The 12-year-old Rico and his older sister Raini have started RAR Fashions, clothing for kids. "We hope y'all enjoy the clothes and wear them loud and proud!" says Rodriguez.

Leno and Jimmy Fallon are dominating late-night
Both "The Tonight Show" and "Late Night" hit season highs last week. However, Leno is down 6% in the 18-49 demo from Conan's "Tonight Show" a year ago.

Oprah Winfrey Network looks like any other cable channel — except for the "Oprahness"
"At its best, OWN carefully illuminates the Oprah way," says Hank Stuever, who reviews the new shows on OWN, which launches on New Year's Day. "At its worst, the network is simply like any other mediocre cable channel, desperate to fill its schedule grid with shows that feel new enough to draw viewers in and addictive enough to keep them couchbound … That is the great discrepancy to a life spent Obeying Oprah: She asks you to live to the fullest, but to do that, you'll need to sit around a lot and watch TV." PLUS: Where's Oprah?, and Gayle King cried when she saw Oprah shed tears over her.

"Dr. Who: A Christmas Carol" manages to offer a fresh take on the story of Scrooge
Of the Christmas Day special, airing on BBC America, David Wiegand writes: "Things may turn out as they always do in 'Christmas Carol' adaptations, but very few versions get to that old happy ending with quite this much imagination." PLUS: Keep your tissues handy.

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Is a 3-D Yule Log really all that special?

Jane Lynch: "Glee's" Super Bowl episode contains unprecedented Sue "hissy fit"

Letterman & Conan recently spoke over the phone

Amazon selling "The Wire" complete DVD box set for $75

Lauren Graham: Let me sing on "Glee"

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"Idol" finally showcases the terrible Season 10 singers
Watch "American Idol's" Christmas-themed ho-ho-horrible singers promo.

Oprah praises then slams Sarah Palin
Oprah said Palin comes off as "charming and very likable" on her TLC show. But asked if Palin's running for office scares her, Oprah said:  "It does not scare me because I believe in the intelligence of the American public."

Did Conan rip off Jimmy Kimmel?
"Conan" last night aired a Sarah Palin/"Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer mashup — just like the one Kimmel aired on Dec. 7. Did Conan steal from Kimmel, or is a Palin-Rudolph connection too obvious?

"Celebrity Apprentice" drama: Gary Busey picks fight with Meat Loaf
The two reportedly had tyo be "separated by security" when Busey got too touchy-feely.

New York City Mayor Bloomberg gives a special shout-out to Jon Stewart
"The Daily Show" host earned kudos for his help on behalf of 9/11 First Responders.

Check out Bobby Flay on NBC's "America's Next Great Restaurant"
The winner, says NBC, will receive "the biggest reality prize in television history, a new restaurant chain."

Pauly D's "Jersey Shore" spinoff will likely be called "Pauly's World"
The reality show, much of which has already been shot, follows DJ Pauly on the road as he hones his DJ skills.

Bravo confirms new "Real Housewives of NY" star
Day spa chain owner Cindy Barshop will join the cast as a single mom to twin girls.

Tara Manning out at "Hawaii Five-0"?
Manning says producers have decided to "alter" their plans for her little sister character.

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Paula Abdul offers a taste of "Live to Dance"
The reality competition, says Paula, is "about celebration. It's about celebrating acts that move forward as opposed to who's going home. We're the only show that has all ages — you can be anywhere from 6 to 106."

David Schwimmer becoming a daddy
Schwimmer will become the 4th "Friends" star to become a parent.

"Million Dollar Money Drop" producer: We were right
A couple did get the Post-It note answer wrong: "Million Dollar Money Drop" stands behind the answer that was revealed on the show," says the producer.

"Ugly Betty's" Mark Indelicato criticizes "Glee" for portraying Kurt as the victim
"I just don't understand why the gay character is portrayed as the weak link—or the person who can’t stand up for themselves," says the 16-year-old.

Soap star Rebecca Budig wins "Skating with the Stars" — but nobody cares
Last night's finale bombed in the ratings. PLUS: Listen to 911 call for contestant Brandon Smith.

Fox teases "The X Factor"
With a giant "X" in Philly.

Check out "Big Love" Season 5 photos
Also take a look at the Season 5 poster.

What would the "Community" cast look like as The Avengers?
Who would play the Hulk?

mtvU names Defense Secretary Robert Gates "Man of the Year"
The former Texas A&M university president who has run the defense department under Bush and Obama is "really a role model as a public servant who has avoided the partisan rhetoric," says the MTV college network.

Bill Maher celebrates Christmas by slamming Oprah's "Favorite Things"
"Oprah’s show purports to be a lot about spirituality," he says in a Christmas message. "If it was, then wouldn't she tell her worshipping flock to sit down and stop losing your shit over material stuff."

Jack McBrayer: "30 Rock" dodged an "Idol" bullet with 10 o'clock move
"It’s not like the content changes," he says. "I can’t imagine any of our cast will be doing full frontal nudity anytime soon. Except from maybe Tracy Morgan." PLUS: Kenneth the Page poses with real NBC pages.

Conan offers proof that he live-tweeted last night's "Conan"
Before the show even started, Conan tweeted: "OMG. I'm watching 'Glory Daze'. What the hell is this?!!" and "Good God – this is my lead in! I'm suing everyone!"

TLC touts "My Strange Addiction"
One woman sleeps with her blowdryer, another is addicted to eating toilet paper.

Voice of "The Lone Ranger's" Hi-Yo Silver! silenced
Fred Foy, 89, was the voice behind "Hi-Yo, Silver!" both on radio and TV. He went on to become the voice of ABC throughout the '60s and '70s.

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Crystal Bowersox's 1st week sales top Lee DeWyze
The "Idol" runner-up scored 58,000 sales in her week, compared to 39,000 for the "Idol" champion.

White House seeks Jon Stewart's help on the 9/11 First Responders bill
Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reports, "If there's the ability for that to sort of break through in our political environment, there's a good chance that he can help do that. I think he has put the awareness around this legislation."

George Lopez: I was joking about running for L.A. mayor
He was only kidding when he said he'd run in eight years.

"Band of Brothers" star Damian Lewis joins Showtime's "Homeland"
He'll play an ex-POW Marine opposite Claire Danes in the terrorism drama.

Ali Larter welcomes a son
The former "Heroes" star gave birth to Theodore Hayes on Monday morning.

"Jersey Shore's" Vinny spoofs Old Spice commercials
Watch a preview of Vinny on MTV New Year's.

Viral "Bed Intruder" sensation Antoine Dodson reveals a new song on George Lopez
Check out "Chimney Intruder."

"Million Dollar Money Drop's" mistake costs contestants $800K
A couple got an answer right, yet lost all that money.

"Sammy the Bull" Gravano makes a cameo on "Mob Wives"
The VH1 reality show features the famous mob turncoat's daughter, Karen Gravano.

Jimmy Fallon & Jack Black perform a futuristic "Peace on Earth / Little Drummer Boy"
They used drums and paint. PLUS: Fallon's "Drunk on Christmas" album debuts on iTunes.

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CBS reveals midseason plans: "Rules of Engagement" to take over for "$#*!"
Starting Feb. 24, "Rules of Engagement will get the post-"Big Bang Theory" slot on Thursdays, replacing "$#*! My Dad Says," which will have completed its season. Meanwhile, "Survivor: Redemption Island" premieres Feb. 16 and the Sarah Chalke and Jason Biggs comedy "Mad Love" will air on Mondays at 8:30, starting Feb. 2nd. "Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior" debuts on Feb. 16 in the Wednesday at 10 pm slot. And "Chaos," starring Freddy Rodriguez, Eric Close and Tim Blake Nelson, will air on Fridays, starting on April 1.

CW may lose its boss
Dawn Ostroff, who helmed UPN before overseeing the launch of The CW, is expected to exit the network by year's end.

Watch "ALF" utter the N-word
A recently uncovered blooper reel reveals ALF to be both racist and sexist.

"Blue Bloods" to get Wednesday tryout, "The Defenders" moving to Fridays
CBS will test out "Blue Bloods" in the 10 pm Wednesday slot for four weeks, while "The Defenders" will replace "Medium" on Fridays."

George Lopez: I'm running for L.A. mayor — in 8 years
"I'm going to run," he said this morning on "Good Day L.A. "Although I don't believe I'll pass the background check now… I do intend to run for mayor at some point of Los Angeles… In eight years."

Judge denies re-trial in "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" dispute
Disney had asked a judge to overturn a verdict awarding $319 million to the creators of "Millionaire."

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Nielsen study suggests DVR users are more likely to watch TV ads
In fact, ratings go up 16% for viewers 18 to 49 who watch within three days. But are they actually watching the ads, or multitasking on the Internet?

Jon Stewart is now a political player with his 9/11 first responders advocacy
But did "The Daily Show" host single-handedly fast-track a left-for-dead bill through the U.S. Congress in a matter of days? Not quite…

Chicago may get its own "Boardwalk Empire," from producer Robert De Niro
Initial work has begun on "Lords of the Levee," a TV series based on the book "Bosses in Lusty Chicago," which tells the story of two early century ward bosses named Bathhouse John and Hinky Dink.

Watch the complete "Jersey Shore" Season 3 trailer
Featuring Ronnie on a stripper pole, Snooki's arrest, her falling down the stars and a girl-fight. PLUS: Does this photo show Snooki smoking pot?

Is Jim Carrey "SNL" stint an attempt to revive his career?
It's been 15 years since he last hosted, and he has nothing to promote. So it seems like Carrey is doing "Saturday Night Live" to go back to his sketch comedy roots that made him famous.

"Justified" returns Feb. 9
The FX series begins its 13-episode 2nd season on Wednesday, February 9.

"Superntural" goes anime
Japanese TV is animating the first season with "Supernatural: The Animation."

Gayle King gets another Oprah Winfrey gig
She'll help moderate "Ask Oprah's All Stars," while the premiere of "The Gayle King Show" has been bumped a week to Jan. 10.

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Sarah Palin might be back for a 2nd season of her TLC show

"I feel like I almost won it instead of lost it," says "Survivor's" Chase

Doctors vote Gordon Ramsay's cookbook as one of the "5 worst cookbooks of 2010"

"Glee" stars: Before they were famous

MTV will spend the holidays airing an abortion special

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Broadway's "The Pee-wee Herman Show" coming to HBO
It'll be a homecoming for Pee-wee, who made his HBO debut in 1981.

Conan as Robo Santa unveils a futuristic holiday set
Check out the new "Conan" set, complete with a Christmas Chicken Sandwich, put together by a holiday guru.

Larry David "celebrates" the Bush tax cuts
He writes in an NY Times Op-Ed: "I'm the last person in the world I’d want to be beside, but I am beside myself! This is a life changer, I tell you. A life changer!"

Bono turned down his own Oprah Winfrey Network TV show
Oprah says she tried to talk the rocker into joining OWN, but he respectfully declined.

Bret Michaels proposes to his girlfriend on VH1
Watch him produce an actual rock of love.

Larry King tries stand-up comedy on Leno
"Normally, I don't do jokes. I do stories," he says.

"Real Housewives of O.C." hubby is being sued for fraud
Three Laguna Beach residents are suing James Bellino over a property he owns and operates.

Fox documentary a "Welcome Home" to past "Idol" winners
Watch the "Idol" special, now posted on YouTube, recounting the journey of all nine winners.

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"Barney Miller" star Steve Landesberg is dead at 65
Landesberg, who died of cancer, was nominated for three Emmys for playing Det. Arthur Dietrich on "Barney Miller." Most recently, he played a psychiatrist on the Starz series "Head Cases" from 2007 to 2009.

George H.W. Bush narrates "It's a Wonderful Life" for NBC's visually impaired viewers
The broadcast is part of a fundraising effort for the School for The Blind.

Mary Lynn Rajskub coming to "Raising Hope"
She'll play the wife of Cousin Mike and three other husbands. PLUS: Billy Baldwin returning to "Gossip Girl."

"Big Love" star Ginnifer Goodwin: I've been on Weight Watchers for 23 years
The 32-year-old explains to Health magazine: "It's the only thing on the planet that doesn't dehydrate you or just make you miserable. I've never had a dramatic weight problem, it's just that I tend to indulge, and then I need to get back on track so I can button my pants."

Conan will live-tweet "Conan" on Tuesday
Conan O'Brien will offer commentary on tomorrow's show featuring Kevin Spacey and Kristen Schaal.

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Tracy Morgan's kidney transplant forces him to miss 2 "30 Rock" episodes
Morgan is still recovering from the Dec. 10 surgery.

Sarah Palin uses her TLC show to bash Michelle Obama
Palin last night made a dig at the First Lady over her "Let's Move" fitness campaign. Meanwhile, Palin also responded to Aaron Sorkin's criticism: "Is his name Alan or Aaron?"

Fox may add a soundtrack during the Super Bowl game
The network is already testing out playing music (watch here) to accentuate sideline shots and breaks from the game. But in-game music could be coming to the Super Bowl. "It's a possibility," says Fox Sports' president.

NFL games made up 27 of the 50 highest-rated programs in 2010, including 8 of the Top 10
What explains the boost in ratings this year? Could it be fantasy football?

Betty White named Entertainer of the Year
"It's ridiculous," White says of the Associated Press honor. "They haven't caught on to me, and I hope they never do."

"Sir Simon Cowell"?: Simon poised to join the knighthood
Queen Elizabeth II is expected to knight Cowell next year.

Starz's "Camelot" will debut on April Fool's Day
The 10-episode drama stars Joseph Fiennes as Merlin, Jamie Campbell Bower as Arthur and Eva Green as the darkly powerful sorceress Morgan.

Pepsi beats Coke to become the official drink of the U.S. "X Factor"
The sponsorship is a major coup for Pepsi, which has watched Simon Cowell drink Coke on "American Idol" for the past nine seasons.

UK's FCC investigating "The X Factor" over sexy Christina, Rihanna dance numbers
More than 4,000 people have lodged complaints over Christina Aguilera and Rihanna's performances earlier this month.

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Why Fabio's "Survivor" victory was one of the best in recent memory
"Here's why," explains Leslie Gray Streeter: "Whether or not you agree with his win (and I always gotta assume that the people who've lived with them in the rainy, foodless rain forest know best), his victory ignites one of the most basic 'Survivor' arguments – What does it truly mean to outwit, outplay and outlast? Is it merely the act of getting to the finals, which is something 17 other people were unable to do? Or is it about the big moves you made, the alliances you brokered and broke, the crazy blindsides you engineered?"
A fitting winner // Perfect wrap-up to a lackluster season // Partying with "Survivors"
Fabio talks about manipulating his fellow castaways // What happened to his hair?
Jeff Probst: I will vote myself off "Survivor" if you don't like "Redemption Island"

$1 million is the star of the show on "Million Dollar Money Drop"
The Kevin Pollak-hosted game show begins a four-night run tonight relying "on one modern game-show trope after another," says Hank Stuever, "from the Lucite platforms, to the seizure-inducing laser light show, to the manufactured responses (the audience's; the contestants'), to the ladies who hurry onstage to help rearrange the bundles of cash for the next round." PLUS: Watch the British "Million Pound Drop."

"The Bachelor" confronts Brad Womack with the women he rejected
DeAnna Pappas and Jenni Croft will appear in the season premiere.

Why Lifetime airs History channel shows, and VH1 runs MTV and Spike shows
What is "Pawn Stars" doing on Lifetime? According to the LA Times, both Lifetime and VH1 "have been borrowing shows from their sibling channels in an effort to juice their sagging ratings before the end of the year."

"Dancing" rumors begin: A WWE diva? A poker champion?
Former WWE Diva Maria and 11-Time World Series of Poker champion Phil Hellmuth have surfaced in the "Dancing with the Stars" rumor mill.

"Perfect Couples" debuts tonight with neither its pilot nor 2nd episode
The episode that is being previewed tonight after "The Sing-Off" finale is, in fact, a later episode of the comedy starring Olivia Munn. PLUS: Tonight was the only chance to give "Perfect Couples" a good lead-in.

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Google TV delayed amid poor reviews

Watch a 12-year-old Lea Michele from a 1998 documentary

Tyra Banks watches old "Next Top Model" episodes, says: "What was I thinking"?

Judge denies request to dismiss "Steven Seagal: Lawman" lawsuit

Jerry Seinfeld "sorry" that his London tickets are selling for more than $1,000

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Next "Survivor" will boot castaways to "Redemption Island"
"Survivor's" 22nd season will be a "massive format change" for the franchise, says Jeff Probst. He says it's like "taking one certainty about 'Survivor' — that when you're out, you're out — and saying, 'Well, maybe not.' It's almost like the losers' bracket of a (sports) tournament." Probst also explains why "Redemption Island" is totally different from the Outcasts from "Pearl Islands." PLUS: Boston Rob & Amber welcome their 2nd child.

Larry Hagman disputes report that he won't do the "Dallas" remake
Is a report that he's off the TNT remake a "scare tactic"?

ABC greenlights Shonda Rhimes' PR crisis management pilot
The pilot is based on famous PR guru and crisis management consultant Judy Smith. PLUS: Watch an extended preview of Rhimes' "Off the Map."

"Bachelorette' Weatherman is a "Skating with the Stars" understudy
"Bachelor Pad" alum Jonathan Novak has been training in case he needs to step in after an injury.

"The Cape" adds Illeana Douglas
She'll battle Summer Glau in her two-episode guest stint.

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Cookie Monster's "SNL" dream comes through — sort of
After making a viral audition tape,  Cookie Monster got to make a cameo on tonight's "Saturday Night Live,," singing "Silver Bells" with Jeff Bridges. UPDATE: "SNL" also has another Lonely Island viral hit with "I Just Had Sex," featuring Akon, Jessica Alba and Blake Lively.

Eric Braeden defends his "HIMYM" exit, calls NPH a "young whippersnapper"
"First of all," says Braeden reacting to Neil Patrick Harris calling him a "D-Bag," "I came back from hip surgery. I was off for three weeks. I’ve doubled my work, 30 to 50 pages a day for me, alone. Everyone knows that I’m exhausted. I was not about to appear on a show for two lines, because that’s what it amounted to." Braeden adds that he was bothered by Harris' choice of words, saying that he "is now suddenly suffering from the first signs of hubris." PLUS: Neil Patrick Harris says, "Now I feel bad for the D-bag comment."

Kunal Nayyar is the final "Big Bang" star to get a raise
His pay is expected to go up from $25,000 to $75,000 an episode. PLUS: Simon Helberg says geeks are cooler than nerds.

Nicollette Sheridan drops abuse claims in her "Desperate" lawsuit
The lawsuit is still proceeding, but in exchange for dropping Sheridan's claim for the intentional infliction of emotional distress, she wont' have to submit to a mental or physical exam. Still, her suit still carries allegations of assault and battery.

"Modern Family" taps Matt Dillon as Claire's ex — and future stepdad?
Dillon will romance Shelley Long when he makes a guest appearance next year.

Ronnie Ortiz indicted for "Jersey Shore" punch
Ronnie could face up to five years for the fight that went down during Season 1.

CMT: We never banned Julianne Hough's video — we world-premiered it!
A rep for the country music channel is refuting Hough's claim that her video was too sexy: "CMT did not ban Julianne's video, in fact we world premiered it back in July. We took it down shortly thereafter due to ongoing contract negotiations with Julianne’s label, Universal Music Group."

Joy Behar hugs Bill O'Reilly in her holiday card
The two have apparently made amends.

"Mad Men" negotiations underway: Will the cast return?
Options for the cast expire on Dec. 31 amid drawn-out talks between Matthew Weiner and Lionsgate TV and AMC. But it appears that the cast's options will be picked up.

Happy Holidays from "Glee"!
Check out the holiday greeting from Jane Lynch and Matt Morrison. PLUS: Kristin Chenoweth talks about her Ryan Murphy musical sitcom, which isn't a "Glee" spinoff.

2.24 million watch Larry King's farewell
Only 530,000 of the 2.24 million viewers were between the ages of 25 and 54, the demo that matters in cable news.

Piers Morgan makes his CNN debut on January 17
Exactly one month from today.

Will Smith developing a Fox crime drama set in China
The project would center on a college student in China who fights crime.

"The Social Network": The Sitcom?
An NBC comedy plans to send up the Facebook story with a comedy about "a self-centered, once-hot internet entrepreneur and his would-be think tank as he tries to maintain the illusion he's a Sean Parker-like CEO."

Whatever happened to "Dawson's" mom?
Check out former "Dawson's Creek" star Mary-Margaret Humes, now 56.

NBC's "The Voice of America" is now simply "The Voice"
However, "The Voice" is a working title that could change before the "X Factor"-like competition debuts in the spring.

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Jim Carrey will host "SNL's" 1st episode of 2011
It will be the 2nd hosting stint for Carrey, who auditioned for "Saturday Night Live" 30 years ago and who last hosted "SNL" in May 1996. He'll be joined by musical guests The Black Keys.

Neil Patrick Harris calls Eric Braedon a "D-Bag" for ditching "HIMYM"
Harris took to Twitter to blast the soap star for pulling out of his role as Robin's dad at the last minute last night because the role wasn't "substantial" enough. He'll be replaced by Ray Wise.

Jeff Probst admits: This is not one of "Survivor's" greatest seasons
"You can't judge a season until it's over because if it ends well, then that will make a big difference," he says. "I'm pretty honest, it’s not one of our greatest seasons and I don’t know how much of that is based on the fact we just came off 'Heroes vs. Villains.' The drop might have inevitable because we just left 20 of the greatest people to ever play."

Kathy Griffin: CNN banned me from saying thie F-word on New Year's Eve
"It's worse this time," she tells Howard Stern after being asked about the last New Year's F-bomb. "This time I have it in my contract that I can't say 'f*ck.' And this time they have it said that if I say 'f*ck' they'll pull me from the air."

John Corbett replaces Lauren Graham's "Parenthood" ex-husband
Corbett will become Sarah's new recovering alcoholic-musician ex-husband, replacing the actor who played the same role in the show's pilot episode.

Coming to TBS: Brian Austin Green & Harold Perrineau in "The Wedding Band"
The alums of "90210" and "Lost" will play best buds who spend their free time playing in a wedding band.

Jon Stewart gets serious with a "Daily Show" panel of 9/11 First Responders
Stewart has become an advocate with his staunch support of a 9/11 health bill. Last night, Stewart interviewers four 9/11 First Responders in a break from "The Daily Show's" usual format.

Julianne Hough: CMT banned my video for being too steamy
The music video features Hough taking off her clothes as she dances in her apartment.

Heather Morris almost "peed my pants" when she learned she was up for "Buffy"
"If they make ('Buffy') when ('Glee') is on hiatus, I don't even care what I do," Heather jokes. "I can just run through the shot and do nothing – even if I’m not Buffy!"

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"Desperate Housewives" cast has already begun renegotiating their contract

"I love Australia": Watch a preview of Oprah Down Under Part 1 and Part 2

HBO teases "Big Love's" Bill, Barb, Nicki and Margene for Season 5

NBC's "The Voice of America" announces nationwide casting dates

"Twilight" screenwriter to adapt Marvel's "AKA Jessica Jones" for TV

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