May 2011

Check out CBS' new fall shows
Watch previews of J.J. Abrams' "Person of Interest" with Michael Emerson, Jim Caviezel and Taraji P. Henson, "A Gifted Man" with Julie Benz and Patrick Wilson, "Unforgettable" starring Poppy Montgomery and Dylan Walsh, "2 Broke Girls" with Kat Dennings and Garrett Morris, and "How to be a Gentleman" starring David Hornsby, Dave Foley, Kevin Dillon and Mary Lynn Rajskub.

Ashton Kutcher compares "Two and a Half Men" gig to winning the lotto
Kutcher was officially introduced today at CBS' Upfronts: "In my 13 years in show business," he said, "I've never received more emails and phone calls from people congratulating me for this job. You almost think I've won the lotto … which I kind of did … I got the best job in show business and I"m exited about that." PLUS: See the photo of the new "Men" screaming (and another photo), and Jon Cryer "complains": "Did you have to get a tall guy?" — we're now "One and Two Men."

"Celebrity Rehab"-er Jeff Conaway in critical condition after apparent overdose
The former "Taxi" star, now 60, is in the hospital, unconscious and suffering from pneumonia after apparently overdosing on drugs.

Roseanne Barr: The Roast?
Roseanne has asked Lisa Lampanelli to organize a roast for her, either as a planned event for charity or with "just us two bitchin' bitches."

[Permalink]

Olivia Munn joins Aaron Sorkin's HBO cable news drama
The "Daily Show" fake correspondent will play a sexy financial analyst. PLUS: "In Treatment" alum Allison Pill is also joining the HBO drama.

CBS has so many hits it had to put a new scripted show on Saturday
"Rules of Engagement" will become the first CBS scripted show on a Saturday night since 2004. What if the move is a success? "It could put eyes on Saturday night," says Tim Goodman. "That's an unheard of idea these days."

Forbes' celebrity power list: Oprah is No. 2, Bethenny Frankel is No. 42
Lady Gaga knocked Oprah from the No. 1 spot this year. Other TV personalities making the list include No. 9 Simon Cowell, No. 28 Charlie Sheen, No. 33 David Letterman, No. 56 Jay Leno, No. 92 Tina Fey and No. 93 Courteney Cox.

"Jersey Shore" cast will work in a pizzeria in Italy
Their job at Florence's O' Vesuvio Pizzeria has already angered a rival pizzeria, which has vowed to shun the Americans. PLUS: "GTL" begins.

J.J. Abrams: Fox wanted to know the whole "Alcatraz" story before picking it up
Fox execs didn't want a "Lost"-like scenario, so they asked producers to write up a secret document telling where the drama would be headed over the long-term. "The fact that Fox asked for that was a massively helpful thing for all of us," says Abrams.

Is Haley Reinhart the only "Idol" to have grown this season?
What makes this year different from previous "Idols," says Ann Powers, is that nearly every member of the Top 13 came in fully formed and committed to a particular style, which is one of the reasons the judges have been having a tough time judging. Not so with Haley. "Only Reinhart has offered a series of musical performances that shed light on her internal development," says Powers. "She started out technically impressive but a little callow, a show poodle. Over time, she connected with her material and began to tell us the story of herself." PLUS: Is Scotty McCreery the "Idol" favorite going into the Final 3?, and country radio rejects Scotty and Lauren.

"The Good Wife" ends season with an exquisite, old-fashioned season finale
"Closing Arguments," says Matt Zoller Seitz, "reminded me of why I fell in love with this show in the first place, and why I continue to watch it even when its ripped-from-the-headlines plots feel labored and its workplace soap opera tangents become too, well, soapy. Like the series as a whole, this episode — directed by series co-creator Robert King, and co-written with his wife and collaborator Michelle King — is old fashioned in the best sense. Every scene is written, acted and directed with maximum intelligence and minimum fuss." PLUS: "Good Wife" is like a "social-realist version of 'Lost.'"

"Glee" was almost the anti-"Glee" with sympathetic Sue Sylvester
Sue had become such a cartoon super-villain this season that it was stunning to see the "Actual Sympathetic Human Sue Sylvester" for a change. PLUS: Was "Funeral" to pat a "rescue" for Sue?, why this week's episode was infuriating and disappointing, Sue calls Cory Monteith by his Twitter name, Monteith and Chord Overstreet are twins, and Women's Health puts Heather Morris in a bikini.

[Permalink]

"Real Housewives of New Jersey" premiere was biggest in franchise history

Diehard fans campaign to save "The Chicago Code"

Bad news for "Breaking In": Ratings plunge without "Idol"

Is TiVo poised for a comeback?

Mary McDonnell: "The Closer" spinoff will be like "The Closer" in gravitas, humor, tone

[Click to read the rest of Odds & Ends]

CBS: We never considered canceling "Two and a Half Men"
Executives were always expecting the sitcom to return. Meanwhile, CBS entertainment boss Nina Tassler wouldn't reveal what character Ashton Kutcher will be playing. She would only say that Chuck Lorre has "cooked up something fabulous…Everybody will see in the fall." PLUS: Could Charlie Sheen still make $2M an episode?

CBS: Sunday is now "our prestige night"
The addition of "The Good Wife" vs. "Desperate Housewives" sets up a "battle of the housewives."

Maria Shriver disses Arnold Schwarzenegger on Oprah
"You have shown love, support, wisdom, and most of all," she said on last night's Oprah finale spectacular with a big pause, "the truth."

Arnold Schwarzenegger's affair revelation won't affect "The Governator"
No changes will be made to the "fictional" Stan Lee cartoon, despite this week's revelation of a love child.

Conan O'Brien pokes fun at NBC and TBS
"Budgets are a little tighter," he said of working for TBS, adding: "We are No. 1 in TBS' key demo: people who cant afford HBO." As for NBC, Conan made fun of the current changes at "Today."

"SNL" promos reunite Justin Timberlake & Andy Samberg
Meet their twin sisters.

Snoop Dogg wants to make a "'hood" version of "Idol"
Says the hip-hop star: "I'm looking for a deal from one of you TV networks to give Snoop Dogg his own 'hood TV show where I can find America's hottest 'hood artists."

Ralph Macchio not surprised by "Dancing" elimination after "disrespectful" comments
After his elimination last night, Macchio said: "I thought some of the comments were disrespectful and not constructive for how I can better myself."

Kid Rock to again host the CMT Music Awards
"I'm looking forward to crossing that bridge again this year," he says.

Syfy acquires Canadian "Lost Girl"
The Canadian drama (watch here) revolves around a demon seductress who feeds off sexual energy.

Shows could be delayed under new Hulu deal
The delay would allow News Corp., NBC Universal and Disney to shop shows to other streaming services.

Ex-Tiger Woods mistress Rahcel Uchitel getting a PI reality show
Cameras will follow along on her new career as a private investigator.

Real "$#*! My Dad Says" father and son tweeters reacts to cancelation
Justin Halpern says he was "basically the luckiest a**hole who ever roamed this earth." His 75-year-old dad told him, "I'm proud of you. You're a bust-ass kid."

Jon Stewart vs. Bill O'Reilly, Part 2
Watch the 2nd part of their debate, as aired on last night's "O'Reilly Factor."

Watch 29 years of Mary Hart in 3 minutes
Friday will mark Hart's final day with "Entertainment Tonight."

[Permalink]

CBS' fall schedule: "CSI" to Wednesdays, "Good Wife" to Sundays
"Person of Interest" will take over "CSI's" Thursday at 9 slot as "CSI" moves to the Wednesday 10 o'clock slot. "The Good Wife" is moving to 9 o'clock on Sundays, while "How to be a Gentleman" gets the post-"Big Bang Theory" slot on Thursdays. On Mondays, "Two Broke Girls" will follow "How I Met Your Mother" at 8:30. "Unforgettable" will air Tuesdays at 10. "A Gifted Man" will kick off CBS' Friday lineup and "Rules of Engagement" has been shipped to Saturdays. CBS entertainment boss Nina Tassler says of her new schedule: "To move 'CSI' out of that time period, you really had to have big guns, and we do."

TNT & TBS upfronts: "Conan" to visit NYC, "Closer" spinoff
Conan O'Brien is returning to New York for Halloween week, TBS announced. The cable network formally greenlit "The Wedding Band." Meanwhile, TNT announced the "The TNT Tuesday Night Mystery," a slate of contemporary crime dramas. TNT also picked up the "The Closer" spinoff and LAPD crime drama "Major Crimes," which stars Mary McDonell and will debut after the series finale of "The Closer."

A-listers bid a "spectacular" farewell to Oprah
Stars like Tom Cruise, Beyonce, Will Smith, Michael Jordan, Jerry Seinfeld and Maria Shriver came out Tuesday as Oprah taped two of her final shows in an arena holding 20,000 people. "Oprah Winfrey, you are surrounded by nothing but love," said Hanks. "We just want to say thank you for what ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ has meant in our lives."

[Permalink]

Can "House" cope with the loss of Cuddy?
How will the show deal with just one major female character next season? PLUS: Read Lisa Edelstein's statement.

Maria Shriver spent last night dining with Oprah
Hours before news of her husband's affair broke, Shriver was in Chicago dining with Oprah, Gayle and Stedman. Any chance they were talking about a visit to the final Oprah?

Jimmy Kimmel roasts NBC, "X Factor," Ashton Kutcher — and ABC
Kimmel's annual Upfront comedy routine didn't hold back. He said Ashton Kutcher will succeed as Charlie Sheen's replacement because "he did a very good job of replacing Bruce Willis." And "The X Factor," he adds, "is the best idea of 2002. It's like 'American Idol' meets a mirror."

CW picks up reality shows "Re-Modeled" and "The Frame"
"The Frame" isolates 10 teams of two, putting each team in a single room while monitoring them "Big Brother"-style 24 hours a day. "Re-Modeled" follows along as small modeling agencies from around the world are combined to form a super-agency.

Save "America's Most Wanted" campaigns begin
"Criminals all over America will be rejoicing if AMW is cancelled," says Jim Sitton, whose 6-year-old daughter's killer was captures thanks to John Walsh. Sitton has started one of several "Save AMW" Facebook pages. PLUS: Why Fox is wrong to cancel "AMW."

What will "HIMYM" do to Barney?
"How I Met Your Mother" is planning four big episodes for Barney for November sweeps.

About 30 soap opera fans protest outside ABC's Upfront presentations
They waived signs this afternoon outside NYC's Fisher Hall while standing behind police barricades, protesting ABC's decision to cancel "All My Children" and "One Life to Live."

Cee-Lo Green: We may release an old duet I did with Christina Aguilera
Now that they are "Voice" colleagues, Cee-Lo says the song they worked on for the "Burlesque" soundtrack should see the light of day.

AMC declines to order any pilots, at this time
The cable network had been seriously considering six pilot scripts after a pilot script "bake-off" in early March.

"Survivor" Phillip: Playing a character paid off
The first three or four days, Phillip Sheppard says, he was actng like his normal self. "What did it get me? Nowhere," he says. "They poked fun at me. … It wasn't getting me anywhere being the man that I normally am in my everyday life." PLUS: Jimmy Fallon & Howie Mandel hosted a "Survivor" campfire for the finalists.

In praise of "Castle"
"'Castle' is in a class by itself," says Steve Weinberg, "because of the ways the writers intentionally infuse humor into the otherwise heavy story line. Trying to make audiences laugh is one of the most difficult tasks in writing for any medium."

[Permalink]

CW renews "Nikita" and "One Tree Hill," cancels "Hellcats"
They'll return next year for a respective 2nd and 9th season. "One Tree Hill's" order is for 13 episodes.

CBS mulls moving "CSI" out of Thursdays
As "CSI's" ratings continue to decline, there's talk of rebuilding Thursdays — without mainstay "CSI."

CW picks up "Ringer," "The Secret Circle" and "Hart of Dixie"
Josh Schwartz reunites with former "O.C." star Rachel Bilson for "Hart of Dixie," which has her playing a doctor in a small Southern town. "The Secret Circle" from the author and executive producer of "The Vampire Diaries" stars Britt Robertson from "Life Unexpected." And "Ringer," of course, stars Sarah Michelle Gellar.

"Cougar Town" boss glad to be out of "Modern Family's" shadow
Bill Lawrence, who likely will leave "Cougar Town" after next season, is psyched to be leading off an hour — despite the wait until midseason. As he wrote in a note to the cast, "The positives: our show gets ruthlessly criticized following 'Modern Family' with lower numbers. If we get those numbers leading off an hour, you get praised."

"The Daily Show" gets a new contributor: Al Madrigal
The Mexican-American comedian (watch him here) will make his debut tonight to talk about immigration.

Snoop from "The Wire" pleads not guilty
Felicia Pearson entered her plea this morning to accusations that she conspired to sell heroin. Her jury trial is scheduled for Aug. 9.

Gabrielle Giffords-inspired "LOLA" doesn't air in Tucson, airs with 2 warnings in Phoenix
"Law & Order: L.A.'s" ripped-from-the-headlines episode came with a warning from the show that the episode was "fictional." In addition, the Phoenix affiliate opted to show a longer warning that "viewer discretion is advised."

Will Eliza Dushku join "Torchwood"?
Jane Espenson hinted on her Twitter account that "there's an echo of my past work" in an online spinoff of "Torchwood" called "Web of Lies." PLUS: Watch a preview of "Torchwood: Miracle Day," and "Torchwood" guest stars include Lauren Ambrose, Wayne Knight, Mare Winningham, Frances Fisher and C. Thomas Howell.

Watch the debut of "The Amazing Race Australia"
"Ugly Betty" and "True Blood" vet Grant Bowler hosts the 2nd foreign edition of "The Amazing Race." (Watch Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6 and Part 7)

"The Good Wife": Heir to "The Wire"?
The complex way the CBS drama has turned out, it's become "The Wire's" worthy successor, argues Todd VanDerWerff. "In the latter half of its first season and especially its second season, 'The Good Wife' has grown beyond the simple legal drama crossed with a domestic drama it was during the pilot. It’s now a series that, like 'The Wire,' tells the story of the life and death of an American city, examines the ways systems corrupt and destroy people, and tosses dozens of compelling characters from all walks of life into the storytelling mixture."
Josh Charles on tonight's finale // Matt Czuchry on "Good Wife" vs. "Gilmore Girls"

[Permalink]

Oprah's door to become part of a museum exhibit

Watch Fast Company magazine transform Conan into Madonna

"Top Chef Canada" under fire for using horse meat

Was "Real Housewives of New Jersey" brawl the franchise's worst violence yet?

Ex-"Real Housewives" star Danielle Staub stripping for Scores

[Click to read the rest of Odds & Ends]

"House" loses Huddy
Lisa Edelstein has opted not to return next season rather than take a pay cut.

CBS renews "CSI:NY," cancels "Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior"
There's talk that "CSI:NY" may not get a full 22-episode order for next year.

Watch previews of ABC's new shows: From "Charlie's Angels" to "Pan Am"
Also check out previews for "Man Up," "The River," "Work It," Shonda Rhimes' "Scandal,"  "Revenge," "Once Upon a Time," "Last Man Standing," "Apartment 23" and "Suburgatory."

Katie Couric may become a frequent presence on "GMA"
As part of an ABC deal, will she be competing with Matt Lauer as a contributor to "Good Morning America"?

The Situation sues his dad
A lawsuit the "Jersey Shore" star filed in federal court accuses Frank Sorrentino of illegally using his name and likeness on his website, TheConfrontationSite.com. PLUS: The Situation gets his first Italian hookup.

Kym Johnson & Hines Ward get emotional "Dancing" after Friday's injury
Ward cried after his dance, the first since Johnson's neck injury on Friday. PLUS: Cheryl Burke helped rehearse with Ward, Karina Smirnoff blasts Bruno's "dirty, rude" comments, and can't Ralph Macchio catch a break?

"Breaking In" gets a tryout for its life tonight
The canceled and possibly un-canceled Fox comedy will air away from "American Idol." "It really couldn't have gone any better," says its co-creator. "Fox loves the cast. I always did what I wanted on the show and they loved it creatively."

"Locke & Key" producers are talking to The CW and Syfy
Will they be able to make the economics work for cable?

Watch Stephen Colbert file a Super PAC request
Colbert made a scene Friday at the FEC addressing "500 white people" and taking their money.

"Castle" shocker, explained
Why would producers do that?

"Chuck" co-creator was "concerned" with season finale before pickup
Chris Fedak also says: "When I named the episode 'Cliffhanger' weeks ago, I thought people were going to hate me. But I've always thought of cliffhangers as a great thing. It tells you more story."

Ashton Kutcher's "Two and a Half" stakes are low after so-so movie career
Kutcher won't lose either way — if "Two and a Half Men" fails, it's because of Charlie Sheen. If it succeeds, it's because of Kutcher. And besides, Kutcher's movie career isn't a big success so the move back to sitcoms isn't a big gamble. PLUS: Kutcher has coffee with Chuck Lorre.

The "SNL" sketch you didn't see: Ed Helms' "Prom Album"
This sketch was cut from dress rehearsal.

ESPN is serious about an Olympic bid — and it has a plan for the NFL lockout
"Our level of interest is very high," ESPN exec John Skipper says of aggressively bidding for the 2016 Olympic games.

ESPN unveils new ESPN2 shows
The Miami Herald's Dan Le Batard will star in "Dan Le Batard is Highly Questionable" and "Numbers Don't Lie" will tackle the day's big sports stories.

[Permalink]

ABC unveils its fall schedule
"Charlie's Angels" will take the Thursday at 8 slot, Tim Allen's "Last Man Standing" will launch a new "Man" Tuesday comedy block at 8 along with "Man Up," and "Desperate Housewives" will be sandwiched on Sundays by "Once Upon a Time" at 8 and "Pan Am" at 10. "Modern Family" will remain at 9 on Wednesdays with "Happy Endings" following it and "Suburgatory" preceding it. Wednesdays will end with "Revenge" at 10. "Cougar Town" will be held till midseason, as will "Good Christian Belles" and "The River." PLUS: ABC's Tuesday comedy block will become "men vs. women" at midseason with the addition of "Cougar Town" and "Apartment 23" starring Krysten Ritter, and check out photos of Christina Ricci in "Pan Am" and "Charlie's Angels," and even more new ABC show photos.

Report: Charlie Sheen borrowed $10M from Warner Bros
Despite his big salary, Sheen was given the WB loan before this season and the studio recouped its money by taking it out of Sheen's paychecks, according to TMZ.

Mike Huckabee turns down GSN's Bible quiz show
The former Republican presidential candidate and Fox News host was asked to host a game show testing biblical trivia.

Sigourney Weaver coming to HBO
She'll guest on the Tea Leoni/Hope Davis fashion comedy "Spring/Fall."

[Permalink]

CBS passes on ESPN-er Colin Cowherd's pilot, with Damon Wayans & Eliza Dushku
The ESPN star is one of three ESPN personalities making a sitcom pilot based on their lives.

Jon Stewart takes on Bill O'Reilly
Watch their Fox News debate over rapper Common.

CBS picks up medical drama "A Gifted Man"
The pilot from the writer of "Erin Brockovich" centers on Patrick Wilson as a competitive surgeon who life is changed when his wife dies.

Sitcoms are making a comback next season
The Big Four have ordered 15 sitcoms, up from 13 last year and eight in 2008. ABC and NBC combined will have 11 new sitcoms.

New Oprah promo mixes classic TV goodbyes
Featured are Mary Tyler Moore, Johnny Carson, Walter Cronkite and the final scene of "Cheers."

Rosie O'Donnell & Elisabeth Hasselbeck make up, via Twitter
Elisabeth and Rosie are planning on doing lunch after a brief Twitter conversation.

[Permalink]

Watch previews of the new Fox shows
Check out "Terra Nova," "I Hate My Teenage Daughter," "New Girl," "Napoleon Dynamite," "Allen Gregory," "The Finder" and "Alcatraz."

John Walsh will begin shopping "America's Most Wanted" for syndication
"I was quite surprised," the 65-year-old Walsh said of his 23-year-old show's demotion by Fox. "We performed hard for you and we had a good year. We caught more guys than we've ever caught."

Kym Johnson cleared to perform tonight on "Dancing"
Despite a neck injury, she'll be ready to go.

Mariska Hargitay confirms changes to her "SVU" role
"I think in the second half of the season, I’m going to go into a different position, which is very exciting," she says of Olivia Benson's new (and reduced) job. It'll be quite challenging and different, but I think it's exciting."

Christina Aguilera delivers the Letterman Top 10
"The Voice" star offers the Top 10 Tips for Aspiring Singers.

Oprah Winfrey Network adding 4 new shows in June
They include Carson Kressley's "Carson Nation," "Visionaries: Inside the Creative Mind," "The Dr. Laura Berman Show" and "Unfaithful: Stories of Betrayal."

News outlets can't resist saying "You're fired" to Trump
It seems like all the media coverage included "The Apprentice" catchphrase in reaction to today's news that The Donald won't be running for president.

[Permalink]

Seth MacFarlane to remake "The Flintstones" — for TV and the movies
Today's deal comes after years of negotiations and concerns over MacFarlane's "Family Guy" past. UPDATE: Fox's "The Flintstones" will debut in 2013.

Jerry Lewis retiring as host of the Labor Day telethon after 45 years
After 45 years, the 85-year-old is walking away after the Muscular Dystrophy Assn. Labor Day telethon was shortened to six mostly not live hours. "I'll be making my final appearance on the show this year by performing my signature song, 'You'll Never Walk Alone,'" says Lewis. "I'll continue to serve MDA as its national chairman as I've done since the early 1950s.  I'll never desert MDA and my kids."

NBC bosses use Upfronts to tout an anti-Jeff Zucker vision
Zucker wasn't mentioned by name, but new NBC entertainment chief Robert Greenblatt assured advertisers he was taking a different tact from his predecessors. "In the past, no one did it better than NBC," he said, adding: "We know some of that has slipped away."

Why is "Survivor repeating its "worst season ever"?
"Survivor: Redemption Island" was awful and predictable, yet their doing it again next season with another "16 idiots" and two returning castaways, argues the Orange Country Register. PLUS: Jeff Probst says there'll be no redemption island tweaks, Boston Rob reacts to Probst's mancrush on him, Phillip eyes movie career, and check out Rob depositing a $1.1M check at the bank.

"The Office's" new boss won't be revealed till next season
"There will definitely be a new boss in 'The Office' come fall, but we won't be revealing that until after the season," says NBC boss Robert Greenblatt. PLUS: NBC unveils "The Office" poster that looks like a classic Georges Seurat painting.

Masi Oka joining "Hawaii Five-0" full-time
The former "Heroes" star will become a series regular next season.

BET wants to revive "Showtime at the Apollo" with producer Jamie Foxx
Foxx, who once was booed off the Apollo stage, is hoping to revive "Showtime" with its original executive producer three years after it was canceled.

Why ABC should cancel "Desperate Housewives"
Last night's episode proved that the seven-year-old series has run out of gas. PLUS: What about Lynette & Tom?

"HIMYM" season finale will skip past May
"This is the first time in the history of our show we're doing a finale that is not set in May," says co-creator Craig Thomas. "We jump ahead to September, basically to the beginning of next season."

Salicious ESPN expose leaving The Worldwide Leader anxious
"Those Guys Have All the Fun," from "SNL" oral history authors Tom Shales and James Andrew Miller, promises to tell-all about ESPN'S boy's club reputation. (Read an excerpt) PLUS: ESPN NHL analyst arrested for domestic violence.

Pearl Jam getting PBS "American Masters" treatment
Cameron Crowe's documentary "Pearl Jam Twenty," debuting Oct. 21, compiles 1,200 hours of footage to mark the band's 20-year history.

PBS looks back 50 years after "Freedom Riders"
Tonight's "American Experience" documentary recounts the groups of blacks and whites who traveled by bus to the South, only to bet met by violence. PLUS: It'll make you "wince with a mix of anger, pain and remorse."

[Permalink]

Some Oprah fans are already suffering from "Empty Oprah Syndrome"

"X Factor" and "Terra Nova": What are the chances both fail for Fox?

Why would NBC postpone "The Voice" for "The Sing-Off"?

President Obama to appear on CMT for tornado relief concert

New York "Real Housewives" star Kelly Bensimon writing a book: "I Want to Make You Hot"

[Click to read the rest of Odds & Ends]

Donald Trump: I'm not running for president
The Donald is going to stick with "The Apprentice" next season. (Watch Trump's announcement at NBC Upfronts.)

Check out Ed Harris as John McCain
For the HBO movie "Game Change."

CBS picks up 2 NYPD dramas, 1 comedy
The new CBS entries include: Robert De Niro's "Rookies," which has been renamed "The 2-2" starring Adam Goldberg and Leelee Sobieski as rookie NYPD cops; Poppy Montgomery's "The Rememberer," which is now "Unforgettable" in which she plays a NYPD detective, and the comedy "How to be be a Gentleman."

[Permalink]

Boston Rob: Greatest "Survivor" player ever?
He was good at challenges and at being a confidante, but his biggest skill was politicking. As Matt Zoller Seitz notes, "His dominance was so total that after a certain point, it became obvious not only that he was probably going to win, but that there would be no traditional suspense this season — just the more detached sort of excitement that comes from watching a master do his thing." PLUS: Boston Rob says he got lucky he ended up on Ometpe, Matt's emotional roller coaster, about 13.1 million tuned in last night and next season sees a return to the South Pacific.

Did Angus T. Jones push "Two and a Half Men" to hire Ashton Kutcher?
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the 17-year-old is a big Kutcher fan and suggested his casting. PLUS: How the Kutcher deal came together — and how CBS almost went back to Sheen last month, before Warner Bros. said no.

"The Simpsons" apologizes for misspelling Kristen Schaal's name, via Bart's blackboard
On last week's episode, the cartoon credited her as Kristen "Schall."

Michael J. Fox will annoy Larry David in Season 8 of "Curb Your Enthusiasm"
Fox will play the noisy neighbor who lives one floor above David in New York City.

CNN anchor: I'm gay
Don Lemon, CNN's weekend anchor, says of his revelation in his new book: "I'm scared. I'm talking about something that people might shun me for, ostracize me for."

Fox: We don't fear "The Voice's" impact on "The X Factor"
Fox chairman says there's always going to be competition: "In Simon Cowell we have the absolute star of the genre at the pinnacle of his game. There's an excitement and a buzz around ('X Factor') that we’ve never seen before."

Watch the whole town of Florence, Italy follow "Jersey Shore" around town
"The Guidos have landed" — as "Today" notes, the cast has already racked up three traffic tickets in one weekend.

"Dancing's" Kym Johnson practicing with a huge neck brace
Will she wear it on tonight's show?

"Sister, Sister's" Tamera Mowry weds a Fox News correspondent
She and Adam Housley tied the knot Sunday in Napa.

"Brothers & Sisters": What would've happened next season
Executive producer David Marshall also tells what he would've done differently had he known last week's episode was the series finale.

"Leverage" adds "Saving Grace's" Leon Rippy
He'll play a recurring nemesis in Season 4.

[Permalink]

Fox unveils its fall schedule — and Kiefer Sutherland for midseason
Steven Spielberg's "Terra Nova" will air on Mondays, "The X Factor" on Wednesdays and Thursdays, "Alcatraz" will debut at midseason, the animated "Allen Gregory" will air on Sundays, "New Girl" will air between "Glee" and "Raising Hope, "Alcatraz" premieres at midseason and "American Idol" will debut on a special Sunday after the NFC Championship game. In addition, Kiefer Sutherland is returning to the network in midseason with "Touch" from the creator of "Heroes."PLUS: Fox boss explains his fall strategy, and when Fox benches "Glee" at midseason, it will try a four-hour comedy block.

Fox downgrades "America's Most Wanted"
The 23-year-old series will air once ever three months instead of once a week. "We have not made money on the show in quite a while," said Fox entertainment president Kevin Reilly, who added, "we wanted to keep the franchise alive."

A&E gives "Survivor" Russell Hantz his own reality show
He'll star in "Flipped," where cameras will follow as he buys Houston-area houses cheap and re-sells them for a profit.

Marvel to create a "Castle"-inspired graphic novel
"Richard Castle's Deadly Storm" will focus on the Castle character Derrick Storm.

CW picks up Mario Lopez's "H8R"
The reality show will have celebrities confront their biggest haters.

[Permalink]