March 2011

Jimmy Fallon shows "political 'tude" expressing outrage at Obama

Is NBC afraid "The Paul Reiser Show" will become a hit — with older viewers?

Oops: "CSI:NY" leaves behind a New York City bus stop on an L.A. street

Watch the intro for the rejected Lauren Conrad reality show

What if Alex Trebek called college football games?

[Click to read the rest of Odds & Ends]

Elizabeth Taylor: Recalling her TV past
The acting legend's television work mostly consisted of miniseries like "North and South," TV movies, soap opera cameos and voicing cartoon characters, including Maggie from "The Simpsons." PLUS: Biography Channel sets a 2-hour special for Thursday.

How about Jeremy Piven as Charlie Sheen's replacement?
According to Radar Online, Piven is the latest rumored name to surface to replace Sheen on "Two and a Half Men."

"Modern Family" getting the "Actor's Studio" treatment
The six adult leads will all sit down with James Lipton on "Inside the Actor's Studio" on May 16. PLUS: A French bulldog is joining the "Modern Family" cast.

Eric Stonestreet: I always auditioned for "Andy Richter type" roles
The "Modern Family" star tells Conan (and Andy) of always getting rejected when he auditioned for "Andy Richter" parts.

"Torchwood" debuts on Starz on July 8 — check out the poster
The 4th season "Torchwood: Miracle Day" is being promoted with an earth-like bomb.

Christina Aguilera joins Twitter
Joining "The Voice" has prompted her to begin tweeting.

"Bachelor" Brad Womack also joins Twitter
His 2nd tweet: "Btw Em and I are better than ever." PLUS: Could Brad return for a 3rd "Bachelor"!?

Check out the "Glee" Warblers album, due April 19
The 13 tracks include "Teenage Dream" and "Do Ya Think I'm Sexy?" PLUS: 3 Warblers competed on NBC's "The Sing-Off" last year.

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TCM to honor Elizabeth Taylor with a 24-hour marathon
The April 10 memorial will include "National Velvet" and "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" PLUS: Watch Taylor's "General Hospital" outtakes.

"GMA" wants Chris Brown back following his outburst
Robin Roberts made the plea on this morning's show, saying "we'd love to have another chat with him."

HBO signs Zach Galifianakis to create a comedy series
The "Bored to Death" star is producing a mockumentary starring comedian Brody Stevens, which will feature a cameo by Galifianakis.

Simon Cowell: NBC's "The Voice" sounds "boring"
Cowell, joined by his new judge L.A. Reid, also tells Ryan Seacrest he "possibly" will have a male and female co-host for "The X Factor." (mp3 link)

Report: There is "no chance" Warner Bros. will bring Charlie Sheen back
According to TMZ, it's only up to Warner Bros. whether Sheen comes back or not. PLUS: Kimmel says Sheen's lips taste like cinnamon and moon beads, and Sheen's lawyers were denied this morning in their attempt to halt arbitration.

Sarah Silverman responds to Charlie Sheen's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" slam
"Personally I think that's funny," she says of the edited out comment.

"Boardwalk Empire's" Paz de la Huerta arrested
She allegedly threw a glass at "The City" star Samantha Swetra and then punched her in the face after the reality star made a joke about her.

Original "Glee" song rises to No. 2 on Billboard charts
"Loser Like Me" had the 2nd-best sales week for a "Glee" song.

"Parks and Rec's" Leslie Knope to publish a "Pawnee" book
"Pawnee: The Greatest Town in America," due out on Oct. 4, will also feature contributions from other "Parks and Recreation" characters.

"Idol's" Stefano Langone: Check out his mugshot
Also read the DUI report for his DUI arrest 10 months ago.

Cartoon Network announces 13 new shows, including "Thundercats" and "Looney Tunes Show"
Other new shows include "Green Lantern: The Animated Series," "Secret Mountain Fort Awesome," "DC Nation" and "Lego Ninjago."

Matthew Perry, 41, is crushing on 20-year-old Kristen Stewart
"It is still almost arrestable," Perry tweeted of his crush on the "Twilight" star. Another Twitter user had to remind him that Stewart was 4 when "Friends" premiered.

"Celebrity Rehab"-er Michael Lohan charged with misdemeanor domestic violence
Prosecutors allege that Lindsay's dad beat up his live-in girlfriend Kate Majors, who happens to be Jon Gosselin's ex.

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Showtime yanks its current shows from Netflix
"Dexter," "Californication" and other shows still on the air will soon be pulled from the streaming service. But shows that are no longer on the air like "The Tudors" will remain.

Aflac's new post-Gilbert Gottfried ad features a speechless duck
The new Aflac ad features a duck in a silent film.

ABC: We're sticking with Chris Brown on "Dancing with the Stars"
Brown will perform on next week's results show, one week after his "GMA" breakdown.

Rebecca Black talks to Jay Leno
The 13-year-old YouTube sensation (with 36 million views and counting) got to meet Bradley Cooper during her "Tonight Show" appearance. (Watch her sing with the band)

Charlie Sheen recruits a 3rd goddess
Her name is Megan Levant, a 26-year-old ex of Pauly Shore.

"Real Housewives of New Jersey" hubby steps down, under pressure from the governor
Caroline Manzo's husband, Albert, resigned from a water commission, after New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie suspended him.

James Franco makes up with Bruce Vilanch
The Oscar feud is over after Vilanch insisted his Franco-bashing comments were taken out of context.

S. Epatha Merkerson joins a CBS pilot
She's joining a medical drama from the writer of "Erin Brockovich."

"CSI" celebrates 250 episodes
With a cake and William Petersen.

"Big Love," "Skins," "Pretty Little Liars" ends season on a high
All three cable series had high ratings for the season and, in "Big Love's" case, series finale.

Why did "30 Rock" dress Jane Krakowski like a dog?
And why is Tina Fey picking up garbage?

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Simon Cowell: I'm behind "The X-Factor" rumors
Cowell says he authorized his company to leak whomever he's considered and met with for "the X Factor" jobs. "The media have got it because our company leaks any information — if we meet anybody, the whole world knows about it," he says. "But I don't have a problem with that." PLUS: Cowell has never heard of Taylor Momsen.

"Survivor" praised for cleaning up its mess — unlike its foreign counterparts
Many of "Survivor's" spinoffs leave their locations in a state of disarray, something that Mark Burnett makes sure doesn't happen with the American version. "It's very accurate to say we leave places better than we arrive," he says.

Will "Mad Men" return in 2011?
AMC is hoping to launch Season 5 this year, but "Breaking Bad" and "Walking Dead" may push back "Mad Men" to January 2012.

William Shatner is "looking forward" on his 80th birthday
"Looking back is not a good idea when you're this age," he says. "Looking forward is a better idea, because you can be blinded by the sun looking forward." PLUS: The Shatner aging timeline, and George Takei says happy birthday.

Kristy Swanson drops in on "Psych" — as a vampire?
The former "Buffy" star will guest-star as a woman suspected of being a blood-sucker.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers may get the HBO "Hard Knocks" treatment
If there is an NFL season this year, the Bucs are the fave for the HBO reality show.

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Letterman tries to talk Katie Couric into staying at CBS
Says Dave: "You can't just pull the rug out from under the viewers."

James Gandolfini signs up for another HBO movie
The former "Sopranos" star is also producing the film based on the book, "Eating With the Enemy: How I Waged Peace With North Korea From My BBQ Shack in Hackensack."

"Lost" boss Carlton Cuse "gets" into the sports fitness business
For a Funny or Die video with C.J. Wilson of the Texas Rangers.

Tina Fey passes "Fey on Gay" quiz
At the GLAAD awards, Fey said that she's getting a Rachel Maddow haircut the moment "30 Rock" is canceled.

Matthew Morrison to duet with Gwyneth Paltrow on his solo album
They'll perform "Over the Rainbow." PLUS: "Glee" Principal Figgins offers Spring Break tips.

"HIMYM" juggles pain, laughs and John Lithgow
"Legendaddy" was so good it should be Neil Patrick Harris' Emmy submission episode. PLUS: Harris does "Legendaddy" podcast, and Harris is selling his house for $1.6 million.

"Top Chef' runner-up launches Syfy cooking show
Marcel Vigneron stars tonight in "Marcel's Quantum Kitchen."

MTV's "Skins": What went wrong
All the controversy seemed to hide the fact that the American remake was truly terrible, with characters lacking in personality.

Jimmy Kimmel reveals "Hottie Body" blooopers
Turns out pretending to hump balls is tough work.

"The Simpsons'" Springfield recreated — with beads
About 130,000 perler beads was used to create a 3-D model of Springfield.

"Geezers" dominate on "Dancing with the Stars"
Kirstie Alley, who turned 60 in January, and Ralph Macchio, who turns 50 in November, had the best scores of the night. But will they be enough to keep "Dancing" ratings high?

Evan Rachel Wood: Kate Winslet was my naked coach on "Mildred Pierce"
"She coached me through my first nude scene," said Wood, who wore a merkin for her role in the HBO film. "I mean, she's done it all. She was literally next to the camera going (thumbs-up)."

Al Michaels to receive the Lifetime Achievement Emmy for Sports
The "Monday Night Football" and "Sunday Night Football" vet will be honored on May 2.

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ABC cancels Olivia Munn, replaces her with Paul Reiser
"Perfect Couples" has been axed, and "The Paul Reiser Show" will take over its Thursday slot starting April 14.

TNT renews "Southland," orders Eric McCormack drama
"Southland" will return for a 10-episode Season 4, while TNT has ordered 10 episodes of "Perception," a crime drama starring McCormack as an eccentric neuroscientist who helps the government.

Jimmy Kimmel cut Charlie Sheen's Sarah Silverman "whore" slam from his show
When Sheen stormed on to Kimmel's set last night, he put a toothbrush on his desk, and said, "That whore Sarah Silverman left this at my house." Kimmel opted to cut that from the broadcast.

IFC renews "Onion News Network," adds 4 more
Joining "ONN" will be "Commercial Kings," "Whisker Wars," "Bullet in the Face" and "Young, Broke & Beautiful."

New Syfy movies will star Shannen Doherty, Danny Bonaduce, Barry Williams
Doherty will play Hansel's long-lost sister in "Gretl," while "The Brady Bunch's" Williams will join Bonaduce on "Bigfoot." Other Syfy movies include "Zombie Apocalypse," "Snowmageddon" and "St. Patrick's Day Leprechaun."

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Will ABC let Chris Brown perform on "Dancing" following his "GMA" meltdown?
Brown is scheduled to perform on next week's "Dancing with the Stars" results show, but "Dancing" fans are pushing ABC to dump Brown on the official "Dancing" message board following this morning's outburst.

Jay Leno lands Rebecca Black's 1st late-night interview
The 13-year-old "Friday" sensation will appear tonight on "The Tonight Show."

Nigel Lythgoe slams "The X Factor" — Simon has no integrity
Simon Cowell's talent show, the "Idol" boss says, is all about novelty acts. "Simon knows what he's doing," says Lythgoe. "It certainly gives the press something to feed off. But it destroys the integrity of the show."

ABC announces season finale dates
"Cougar Town" gets a one-hour finale, while "Desperate Housewives" has a two-hour season-ender.

Check out the Russian "HIMYM"
Does the Russian version of "How I Met Your Mother" look like a parody remake?

Kathie Lee's son Cody trying out for the USC football team
Cody Gifford, who turns 21 today, is trying to follow in his dad Frank Gifford's footsteps as a walk-on for USC's football team.

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Chris Brown freaks out after "GMA" interview, and smashes a window
The singer ripped off his short and stormed off set after Robin Roberts asked him about Rihanna.

Helen Mirren to host "SNL" with musical guest the Foo Fighters
She'll make her hosting debut on April 9, one week after Elton John.

"Mad Men" closing in on a (delayed) 5th season
AMC and Lionsgate are on the verge of completing a new deal with Matthew Weiner, but expect the 5th season to premiere even later than usual.

Nicole Scherzinger to host "The X Factor"?
The Daily Mail in Britain reports that Simon Cowell is lining up Scherzinger to host and British "X Factor" judge Cheryl Cole for the American version. Scherzinger is latest hosting name to surface, following Enrique Iglesias and Taylor Momsen.

Syfy ordering 10 new reality shows, including "Dinner with Deepak"
Deepak Chopra's reality show will join "Monster Man," an "American Chopper"-like reality show about a monster-making team.

Jon Cryer finds a new job on the New York stage
He's joining the New York Philharmonic's upcoming production of "Company."

"Dancing with the Stars" returns to strong ratings
Without "Two and a Half Men," "Dancing's" numbers soared to 1 million more than last fall, averaging 22.3 million viewers.

Judd Hirsch joins "Damages"
He'll play Patty's former mentor.

Kiefer Sutherland: "24" movie starts shooting in January for a summer 2012 release
"We're moving everything toward accomplishing those dates," Kiefer reiterated last night to Jimmy Fallon.

Bill Paxton "hurt" by "Big Love" ending"
"It's not how he envisioned the end of his character’s journey nor the end of the series," says co-creator Mark Olsen.

Funny or Die goes inside "Community" star Danny Pudi's bedroom
"Where the magic happens."

Watch HBO's "Cinema Verite" trailer
Starring James Gandolfini, Tim Robbins and Diane Lane.

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Charlie Sheen crashes "Jimmy Kimmel Live" and kisses Kimmel on the lips
Watch his brief appearance near the end of Monday's show, featuring a big wet kiss.

Happy 80th birthday, William Shatner!"
William Alan Shatner was born on March 22, 1931.

CBS weds Elizabeth Perkins to Michael Chiklis
She'll join Chiklis as his wife in the CBS comedy "Vince Uncensored."

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"The Office" grabs Ricky Gervais and Will Arnett for the season finale
Will either one become the new boss?

Cherry Jones and Natash Henstridge join pilots
Jones will star in NBC's "REM," while Henstridge has been cast in CW's "The Secret Circle." PLUS:  Kathryn Hahn signs up for NBC's "Free Agents."

Conan unveils his Rebecca Black "Friday" spoof
"I'm pretty sure she ripped me off," Conan says of his video, "Thursday."

James Franco feuding with Oscar writer Bruce Vilanch
After Vilanch bashed Franco's hosting skills, Franco posted an image of him and Vilanch scrawled with the words "James f*cked up."

"Desperate Housewives" gives Bree a new love interest
British actor Jonathan Cake will join the ABC series this year, and become a series regular next season.

Restraining order to be lifted against Charlie Sheen
Brooke Mueller won't be asking for an extension of the restraining order that expires on Tuesday.

Watch the choke-worthy trailer for VH1's "Mob Wives"
Featuring the daughter of Sammy "The Bull" Gravano.

"Bachelor" Brad didn't have a medical scare — he saved a man's life
Brad Womack called 911 when he saw a man suffer a panic attack.

Steven Weber to romance Lauren Graham on "Parenthood"
He'll appear in the season finale, and possibly, next season.

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NBC releases its first promo for "The Voice"
With Carson Daly, Christina Aguilera, Adam Levine, Cee Lo Green and Blake Shelton.

Bravo will broadcast its upfronts presentation
Next week viewers of "Top Chef" will be treated to live look-ins as Bravo presents its slate of new shows.

"Bachelor" Brad OK after being rushed to the hospital
Paramedics were called after Brad Womack suffered non-life threatening medical issue.

Dana Carvey offers Letterman a lesson on how to do a Charlie Sheen impression
"You start with Jack Nicholson …"

Check out Ryan Seacrest, high school football star
The "Idol" host was a defensive back for the 1993 Georgia state high school football champion Dunwoody Wildcats.

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TV Land renews "Retired at 35," orders Fran Drescher and Donald Faison sitcoms
"Happily Divorced" will star Drescher, Tichina Arnold and Rita Moreno, while "The Exes" revolves around three divorced men, including Faison and Wayne Knight, plus Kristen Johnston.

Ellen DeGeneres campaigns against 2-hour reality shows
"Celebrity Apprentice," "The Biggest Loser" and even "The Bachelor" have all been part of the two-hour trend plaguing reality TV.

Hines Ward & Chelsea Kane are "Dancing with the Stars" favorites
The Pittsburgh Steeler and Disney Channel star are tied for the best odds, according to BetUs, with Kendra Wilkinson not far behind. PLUS: Why Ralph Macchio should win.

When Oprah buries the hatchet, is there an ulterior motive?
This season has seen a parade of former enemies making up with Oprah, from Roseanne to Rosie to Whoopi. Which begs the question: "Is it really just for the ratings?" asks Allison Samuels. "Is it because she now has a cable network, OWN, and needs a lot of chatty, familiar faces to fill the endless hours of programming?"

"Kennedys" producer: Kennedy family didn't kill the miniseries
Exec producer Joel Surnow blames the corporate overseers of the History channel for dumping "The Kennedys." "The Kennedys have very little to do with this," he says. "They can’t cancel a miniseries. The only people who can cancel it are the people at the highest corporate levels." PLUS: Watch a 22-minute featurette on "Kennedys," and the latest promo.

John Lithgow: I had no idea playing Barney's "HIMYM" dad was a big deal
"I said yes to it before I knew about all this," says Lithgow, who doesn't watch "How I Met Your Mother." "This is very typical of me — I don't really know what I'm doing. Everybody's so excited. There are great expectations now. I'm nervous!" PLUS: Tonight's episode is five years in the making.

David E. Kelley on "Wonder Woman," his female problem, and casting Neil Patrick Harris
In a wide-ranging interview, Kelley talks about his hits and misses, casting Harris for "Doogie Howser" (and ABC rejecting him), the perception he can't write for women and why he ultimately decided to do "Wonder Woman" despite those perceptions.

"Skins" ends its first season: Is it a goner?
A 16-year-old girl defends the controversial MTV series that seems to be only watched by the Parents Television Council.

Every sitcom changes its premise, eventually
From "Cougar Town" to "Community" to "The Office," sitcoms must evolve in order to survive.

"Harry's Law" was supposed to be D.O.A.
Instead, the legal drama from David E. Kelley and starring Kathy Bates has drawn impressive numbers for the struggling NBC, partly because it's a throwback to old-fashioned '70s dramas.

Josh Holloway: I'm taking a TV break after "Community"
"Well, right now I'm giving it a break because you have to sign that rather lengthy contract," he says. "But I'm open with TV still. TV has changed quite a bit, even since Lost. There's a lot of great TV out there now, but I'm giving movies a shot, while I can."

Are reality TV-shunning SAT takers really ignorant of the world?
Reality television, says one Brown University professor, is "the lens through which many Americans see the world. It's incumbent upon us to understand it." A father whose son had to answer the SAT question agrees, saying kids need to be aware of reality. "A kid who can't answer that question is living on the top of a mountain alone," says the father, Lee Rosen. "And I don't want to be raising that kid. I want to raise a kid who has the curiosity and interest that might involve watching 'Family Guy' one day and then live coverage on CNN of the situation unfolding in Japan another. I can't really fathom that it's a good thing to willfully cut your kids off from anything that is such an integral part of our lives. It's just unhealthy."

"The Hard Times of RJ Berger" star is getting groped down there
"I've had a couple of gropers," says Paul Iacono. "People are funny about it. It's never really a problem."

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Former "SNL"-er Victoria Jackson slams "Glee" gay kiss — "sickening!"

"Fringe" ratings fall to an all-time low

Former "Idol" champ Jordin Sparks reveals a "stunning weight loss"

"Jersey Shore's" Ronnie to enter a program to avoid mark on his criminal record

Bravo nipplegate?: Did O.C. "Real Housewife" expose herself on last night's episode?

[Click to read the rest of Odds & Ends]

"Big Love's" series finale was powerful yet infuriating
"The last episode of the drama's fifth season," says Matt Zoller Seitz, "was overstuffed, rushed and brazenly melodramatic, tying off subplots lickety-split, as if working its way down a checklist. And its last 15 minutes built toward a wannabe "one for the ages" climax — a shocking twist that reordered the hour, the season and the show, forcing viewers to view everything that came before in a fresh context. Was the power of that ending justified? Or was it a shortcut to catharsis, wringing emotions through sudden trauma that should have been built to more meticulously and thoughtfully?"
What a copout! // Even Bill (and Lois) got a happy ending
The big moment was "a distillation of the show’s disdain for convention"
"Big Love" creators insist they didn't want a downer series finale
Bill Henrickson was a Bush-era counterpart to Tony Soprano
Was Henricksons' "coming out" a gay metaphor? // Why "Love" wasn't anti-Mormon
Watch producers talk about finale // What "Love" learned from other HBO finales

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Kiefer Sutherland: "24" movie will be released in summer 2012
When asked about the movie this morning on "The View," Kiefer said a first draft of a script has already been written. "It will come out in the summer of 2012," he said.

Jeff Daniels may star in Aaron Sorkin's HBO cable news drama
The Oscar-winning Daniels is in talks to make his network series regular debut playing the anchor of a fictional cable news show.

Tommy Lee to host his own Syfy show
"Culture Shock with Tommy Lee" will follow the former Motley Crue drummer as he investigates secret societies.

NBC's summer will include "The Marriage Ref," "The Voice," "Love in the Wild"
"America's Got Talent" will also be back this summer, on May 31, joining a slate that includes the Cedric the Entertainer game show "It's Worth What?," "Still Standing" and the adventure dating show "Love in the Wild," which drops 10 men and 10 women in the wilderness. "The Voice," which debuts April 26, will be on the air through the summer.

Arnold Schwarzenegger: TV star?
The former California governor will reveal a new "international TV series" that he's involved next month, but it's unclear what his involvement will be.

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Report: Les Moonves working to get Charlie Sheen back on CBS
The CBS boss has been talking to Warner Bros. Television and Chuck Lorre to work out an amicable solution that would make everybody, including Sheen, happy, according to Radar Online. A source says: "The core issue is, as he put it, the volatile relationship between Charlie Sheen and Chuck Lorre. He believes that if CBS and Warner Bros. TV honchos can find a way to get Chuck and Charlie to speak again, cooler heads will prevail." PLUS: Martin Sheen calls Charlie "emotionally crippled," and Sheen taking his tour to Haiti.

Nicki Minaj: "X Factor" judge?
The R&B singer is reportedly talking to Simon Cowell. PLUS: Mariah Carey reportedly turned down Cowell's offer to become an "X Factor" judge.

HBO making a Dick Cheney miniseries
The VP miniseries will be based on the book "Angler: The Cheney Vice Presidency."

"Big Love" creators call ending a "profound statement"
Co-creator Mark Olsen says they decided the ending before the season even began. PLUS: Carl, explained.

Will ABC cancel "All My Children"?
The network is looking to join NBC and CBS in cutting a daytime drama.

"Pawn Star" arrested for battery
Police took grandson Corey "Big Hoss" Harrison into custody last night after a bar fight.

ABC picks up "Titanic" miniseries
The four-hour project from "Gosford Park" Oscar winner Julian Fellowes will air in spring 2012 to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the Titanic's sinking.

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Report: Fox meets with Charlie Sheen
According to TMZ, Sheen recently met with Fox entertainment boss Peter Rice, Fox reality guru Mike Darnell and Fox Sports president David Hill. No reason was given for the meeting. PLUS: Sheen surpasses 3 million Twitter followers.

Stephen King may write a "Walking Dead" episode
One of the show's stars dropped the news that King is in talks to write a Season 2 episode.

Benjamin Bratt joining "Private Practice"
Details of his new role, aimed at boosting viewership, are being kept under wraps. But Bratt will appear in the season finale before joining the series full-time next fall.

Larry King: I did not diss Piers Morgan
His comment to "Access Hollywood" that "It's like watching your mother-in-law go over a cliff in your new Bentley" was about leaving his CNN show, and not aimed at his successor.

"Law & Order: Los Angeles" shortens its name
It'll now be called "Law & Order: L.A."

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Heather Locklear and Tom Arnold join pilots
She'll star on CBS' "The Assistants," he'll star in ABC's "Other's People's Kids." Meanwhile, "Rescue Me" alum Lenny Clarke has joined Chelsea Handler's NBC sitcom and "Undercovers" star Boris Kodjoe has landed on ABC's "Georgetown.

Taylor Momsen to co-host "The X Factor"!?
Simon Cowell is reportedly interested in hiring the 17-year-old "Gossip Girl"/Pretty Reckless star.