June 2011

June 22, 2011

Ryan Dunn was extremely drunk when he crashed — 2 1/2 times the legal limit
Police say Dunn's blood alcohol content was .196. The legal limit in Pennsylvania is .08.


Randy Jackson: Talk show host?

The "American Idol" judge is shopping a daytime talk show that would be hipper version of a talk show, and it won't be limited to music.


Alan Ball mulls ending "True Blood" after Season 5

He's currently in negotiations for a 5th season. "I don’t know if I have any left in me after that," he says. We'll see."


DirecTV transforms Peyton & Eli Manning into "Football Cops"

Watch the NFL QB brothers as '70s-era police officers.


"Teen Mom's" Amber Portwood checks into rehab

A week after her suicide attempt, Amber says: "I am going to rehab for anger control issues and depression."


"Seinfeld" bagel shop is closing

H&H Bagels, which Kramer picketed in front of in the famous Festivus episode, is shutting down after nearly 40 years.


Aaron Sorkin quits Facebook

"The Social Network" and HBO writer said he felt like a "grumpy old man" with his feelings about social media.


Paris Hilton reunites with Nicole Richie

The former "Simple Life" stars (and frenemies) exchanged a warm hello last night at a party in Hollywood.


Blake Shelton is emerging as the true star of "The Voice"

He's in stark contrast to Christina Aguilera, who looks like she's sitting on a queen's throne.


Check out more "Breaking Bad" Season 4 photos

Why is Gus in the superlab?


Justin Bieber refers to Letterman as "my uncle dave"

His tweet about today's "Late Show" comedy bit instantly made "Uncle Dave" a worldwide trending topic on Twitter.


Kim Kardashian's ex Reggie Bush is dating a Kardashian lookalike

Bush's new squeeze, Melissa Molinaro, looks so much like Kim Kardashian she recently appeared in an Old Navy commercial that intentionally confused viewers.


Discovery's "Life on the Wire" profiles the famous Wallenda family

Cameras follow the Wallendas as they develop a high-wire act.

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June 22, 2011

Ryan Dunn had 23 driving citations before his accident
In the past 13 years, the "Jackass" star was stopped 10 times for speeding and careless driving and three times for driving with a suspended license. PLUS: Taiwanese animators tackle the Roger Ebert controversy.


High school dropouts may get their own MTV reality show

Is MTV about to glorify another "less-than-ideal lifestyle?


NBC gives Donald Trump an "Apprentice" raise, to $65M a year

NBC agreed to pay Trump and Mark Burnett $160 million over two years.


Claim: "Bachelorette" Ashley slept with Bentley

Is that why Ashley Hebert was so devastated by Bentley's departure?


Watch Ricky Gervais promote his new little person comedy

"Life's Too Short" with Warwick Davis.


Tom Hanks dances to the weather on Univision
Watch his appearance on "Despierta America."


Jon Stewart apologizes for lying about Fox News

"I might have said during (my Fox News) interview that viewers of Fox News are the most consistently misinformed viewers," he said, before going into a big list of Fox News lies. "As it turns out, I was misinformed — which should not have been surprising, because I do watch a lot of Fox News." PLUS: Did Stewart lie again about Fox News?, and Cameron Diaz removes Stewart's stitches.


Adam Levine angers Adam Lambert fans with "Voice" remarks

"I'm not familiar with that song, but you just forced me to like it," the Maroon 5 singer said after a performance of "Whataya Want From Me," adding: "You probably sang it better than the person that sang it originally. So, good job."


Jason Segal & John Krasinski sing karaoke

They were hanging with "Community's" Alison Brie and Krasinski's wife Emily Blunt in an Ann Arbor, Michigan bar when they suddenly went on stage to perform.


Forbes hires Lauren Conrad

She'll write about her fashion business for Forbes Lifestyle.


Fox's "Locke & Key" will be shown at Comic-Con

It will be the first time a failed pilot has been showcased at the summer event.

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June 21, 2011

Mike Tyson's childhood inspires an HBO drama directed by Spike Lee
"Entourage" creator Doug Ellin is also on board "Da Brick," loosely based on Tyson's youth.


Hugh Hefner's Lifetime wedding special will air after all

The jilted Hef tweets that the "Marrying Hef" special will be shown in July with a "runaway bride" theme.


Bam Magera breaks down at the Ryan Dunn crash site

Tears streamed down his face during today's visit to the crash site.


Banana Republic will sell 65 "Mad Men"-branded items of clothing and accessories

Starting in August, male and female "Mad" fans will be able to buy clothing and accessories, including suits and dresses.


"Glee" S. 3: 1 musical tribute, no big names, "character, character, character"

Ryan Murphy promises that Season 3 will focus on the characters, with big stories and one musical tribute. "We're not going to have any guest stars," he says. "And we're going to do fewer songs." As for the musical tribute, "It's one I've been working on for two years — it took forever to clear — with a really big artist." PLUS: Murphy reiterates there will be graduating seniors, and Sue Sylvester's nemesis will come out of "The Glee Project."


Keith Olbermann delivers the Letterman Top 10

Top 10 reasons to watch the new "Countdown." PLUS: Olbermann beats CNN in one key demo.


Gary Sinise launching The Gary Sinise Foundation

Launching on the 4th of July, the "CSI:NY" star's charity will have the mission to "Serve Our Nation by Honoring Our Defenders, Veterans, First Responders, Their Families and Those in Need."


Jason Patric joins FX's "Powers"

He'll play the male lead detective with recently cast Lucy Punch.


Has "The Voice" become too mathematically complicated?

"Hey, Mark Burnett: It is summer," says Amanda Miller. "That means no one has to do math."


"Parks and Rec" Season 3 DVD includes a tribute to Li'l Sebastian

Plus, there will be a bunch of commentaries.


"The Walking Dead" lands a "Deadwood" alum

Actor Pruitt Taylor Vince will play Otis, a foreman on Hersel's farm.


Watch the "The Big C" Season 2 trailer

Cathy returns on Monday.

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June 21, 2011

Jon Hamm inks 3-year "Mad Men" deal that gives him a raise
Hamm's 8-figure deal means that "Mad Men" is more than likely to see a Season 7.


Police: Ryan Dunn was driving 130 MPH when he crashed

The local police chief says he's "never seen a car destroyed in an automobile accident the way this car was … even before it caught on fire."


Yahoo! offers to buy Hulu

As a result of Yahoo!'s unsolicited offer, Hulu is mulling whether to sell itself.


All the major networks will air Obama's Wednesday primetime speech

Fox and NBC plan to show "SYTYCD" and "The Voice," respectively, in their entirety after the president's speech on Afghanistan at 8 pm.


"Same Name": Watch David Hasselhoff meet David Hasselhoff

Check out a preview of the CBS show that has celebrities swap names with ordinary people with the same name.


Bristol Palin shares a lot of similarities with "Glee's" Quinn Fabray

Not only did both get pregnant while being drunk on wine coolers, but they both recommitted to abstinence, broke up with the baby daddy and picked a public catfight.


Damon Wayans Jr. & Nancy Travis other TV shows won't recast them

Since "Happy Endings" was picked up, his character on Fox's "New Girl" will simply be written out after the pilot. Meanwhile, Nancy Travis, who stars with Tim Allen on ABC's "Last Man Standing," will depart the CW's "Hart of Dixie" after appearing in the first two episodes.


"Weeds" lets Nancy Botwin kiss a girl in prison

Did Nancy go gay between seasons?


Starz announces a "Torchwood" interactive game with Eliza Dushku

Get ready for "Torchwood: Web of Lies."


Dear Jon Stewart: Quit saying you're just a comedian

"Actually, Jon Stewart, you are an activist," says Will Bunch, "and the cause you fight for is most worthy because — as you do correctly note — it is not a purely ideological one, but the cause of reason."


"The Glee Project" grows in its 2nd week

Without the Tonys as competition, the Oxygen reality show's numbers rose 16%.


"Off the Map's" Valerie Cruz joins Syfy's "Alphas"

She'll make her special agent debut in the series' 3rd episode.


Disney Channel picks up Selena Gomez in "PrankStars"

She'll star in a hidden camera reality show.


"Bring me back," says Sean Bean

Bean says he's jealous of his "Game of Thrones" co-stars.

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June 21, 2011

Scott Foley joining "True Blood"
He'll appear in the season finale and, if the show is picked up, return for Season 5. PLUS: HBO Go users can watch Episode 2 one week early.


Can Sarah Palin win an Emmy?

TLC has submitted "Sarah Palin's Alaska" for consideration in four categories: cinematography, picture editing, music composition and best reality program. PLUS: Read the juiciest parts from Bristol's memoir.


"Futurama" transforms Patton Oswalt into a giant monster

Check out his cameo as a 50-foo-tall human-like alien.

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June 21, 2011

"Lost" reunion: Terry O'Quinn joins "Hawaii Five-0"
In a major recurring role, O'Quinn will play a Navy Seal who trained McGarrett. Not only will the role bring O'Quinn back to Hawaii but it will reunite  him with former "Lost" co-star Daniel Dae Kim. PLUS: Kim says: "Welcome back to the island."


Obama to speak to speak in primetime Wednesday at 8 pm

How will the president's troop withdrawal speech impact "The Voice" and "SYTYCD," both of which have new shows on at that time?


Hollywood Walk of Fame to honor Matt Groening, Mariska Hargitay, Adam West…

Also receiving Walk of Fame stars in 2012 are Marg Helgenberger, Patricia Heaton, Walter Koenig and Valerie Bertinelli.


Ryan Dunn's death was violent, coroner finds

According to the coroner, the men were killed by the time officials arrived on the scene.


Kim Kardashian will guest-judge "Project Runway" — will she spar with Tim Gunn?

Last year Tim Gunn called Kardashian a "poseur." "I find that when she's static and still, she has an attractiveness," he said. "I find that when she's moving, it all goes away from me."

 

Nick Lachey will again marry on TV, this time for TLC
The former "Newlyweds" star, who wed Jessica Simpson with MTV cameras rolling, will marry Vanessa Minnillo as part of a TLC special, "Nick & Vanessa's Dream Wedding."


NFL wants to conquer Thursday nights with a 16-game TV package

The NFL currently broadcasts NFL games for less than half the season with games on the NFL Network in November and December. But now the league is reportedly interested in shopping a new full season package of games to another network.


"The Bachelorette" deceived viewers about Bentley

Last week's promos suggested he would return this week, but he never showed up. Now promos suggest he'll appear next week. PLUS: How many times is "Bentley" mentioned in each episode?


"United States of Tara" went out with an effective series finale

It actually worked, even though it wasn't intended to be the final episode.


Griffin Dunne joins Showtime's "House of Lies"

He'll play a consultant in Don Cheadle's firm, along with Kristen Bell.


"Reality shows" vs. "docu-series": What's the difference?

Is there really a difference between the two? According to Oprah Winfrey Network stars like Wynonna Judd, there shows have nothing to do with "reality TV" — they are starring on "docu-series."


"The Killing" shows the problem with noir TV shows

From "Twin Peaks" to "The Killing," says Meghan Lewitt, "the problem with these shows is that they have a tendency to start off with a bang (literally), and quickly fade. After the good and bad guys have been established, the dark secrets brought to light, and the hero's own tortured past revealed, what is left to unspool in season two?" PLUS: Why one critic loved "The Killing's" season finale.


"Combat Hospital" is like an ABC Family version of a medical drama

The Canadian-made, Afghanistan-set ABC series had so much potential, but it's completely divorced from reality. PLUS: It's blandly entertaining, and it's steers clear of the "Grey's" formula.

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TUESDAY ODDS & ENDS

June 21, 2011

Justin Bieber to do a Letterman comedy bit for Wednesday's "Late Show"

How AMC became HBO's nightmare

Claim: "Two and Half Men" will kill off Charlie Sheen in a car crash

Keith Olbermann's 63-minute show will only tick off DVR users

Bristol Palin trademarks her name along with mom Sarah

[Click to read the rest of Odds & Ends]

June 21, 2011

Roger Ebert: "I was probably too quick to tweet" about Ryan Dunn
"That was unseemly," he writes on his blog, "I do know that nobody has any business driving on a public highway at 110 mph, as some estimated — or fast enough, anyway, to leave a highway and fly through 40 yards of trees before crashing. That is true in any event. It is especially true if the driver has had three shots and three beers. Two people were killed. What if the car had crashed into another car?" PLUS: Ebert's Facebook page was briefly shut down over his comment, Bam Magera slams Ebert and Dunn's passenger was a "Jackass" PA, ex-Navy Seal and Iraq war vet.


Jon Stewart: Fox News edited me to look bad

Stewart says he was edited to look like "a woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown." He adds: "I suggest you look at the unedited version online where my emotional states don't seem to change so arbitrarily."


Tracy Morgan apologizes to offended Nashville audience members

"I want to take this opportunity to help and not hurt," he said before hugging the audience member whose Facebook post brought Morgan's homophobic rant to national attention. (watch the video)


"Bachelorette" contestant suffers a concussion

Ames was injured during a Thai boxing match.


"Game of Thrones" has its highest ratings yet with season finale

After launching to 2.2 million, "Thrones" ended the season with 3 million viewers.


FX hires a female lead for graphic novel-based "Powers"

British actress Lucy Punch will star in the supernatural police procedural.


CBS inks deal to keep the Grammys through 2021

The network just signed a new 10-year deal.


Presenting "The Matthew Morrison Story"

Funny or Die and Morrison's celebrity pals reveal how the "Glee" star rose to fame. PLUS: Morrison wants Cheryl Cole on "Glee."


Keith Olbermann on Current: Much the same, but a little less sharp

"You might have missed him," says Hank Stuever, "but rest assured, nobody missed him on television as much as he missed himself being on television." PLUS: Why TV needs Olbermann, and Olbermann defends extending his show into Rachel Maddow's timeslot.


Report: Comcast doesn't like Andy Cohen as a Bravo VP

They enjoy his work on camera, but not off-camera — so much so that, according to Page Six, they'd love for him to replace Regis Philbin.

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June 20, 2011

Conan O'Brien wins a charity auction for a walk-on "HIMYM" role
Conan actually outbid himself for the "How I Met Your Mother" role, which producers wanted to change from a simple bar cameo into a speaking character part. But Conan declined. "I think it's much funnier if I'm in the bar in the background," says Conan.

June 20, 2011

Thomas Gibson closes deal to return to "Criminal Minds"
Gibson has signed on for 2 more years just two weeks before production was set to begin on Season 7.

June 20, 2011

Comedy Central cancels Norm MacDonald & "Onion SportsDome"
The cable network has opted not to go forward with either of its new sports shows. PLUS: MacDonald proposes a web campaign to save the show.


Christopher Meloni's "SVU" replacement is down to 4 finalists

Who will it be — Danny Pino, Kevin Alejandro, David Conrad or Michael Raymond-James?


"Mad Men" and "Modern Family" take Critics' Choice TV Awards

The inaugural awards were announced today in an event that will be shown as a rerun on Wednesday on ReelzChannel.


Ryan Dunn has a DUI past

The "Jackass" star was charged with DUI in 2005 but was allowed to clear his record via a first offender's program.


Cameron Diaz feeds Letterman popcorn, Super Bowl-style

As if Dave was Alex Rodriguez.


Despite all the outrage, "The Killing" was never a cultural phenomenon

"Score another point for AMC, which managed once again to turn TV watching into obsession," says Mary McNamara. "For better or worse, 'The Killing' season finale generated the kind of reaction usually reserved for the final episode of long-running shows." She adds: "The hyberbolic outrage over 'The Killing' seemed aimed at a cultural phenomenon like 'Lost' or 'The Sopranos' that had disappointed or confused its viewers with a strange or inconclusive ending." PLUS: Mirielle Enos responds to the backlash.


Check out Jake Gyllenhaal on "Man vs. Wild"

He'll rough it with Bear Grylls in Iceland in an episode airing July 11.


HBO offers a taste of "Entourage's" final season

With the gang looking out from the top of the Hollywood Hills.


"White Collar" nabs Beau Bridges

He'll play Peter's mentor in an upcoming episode.


Watch 3 seasons of "True Blood" in 5 minutes

HBO has put up a catch-up recap video, as it often does.


DirecTV to offer a germ-free remote for hotels

The special device is the first anti-microbial remote control.


Showtime to adapt "100 Bullets" comic book

The pay network is teaming with David S. Goyer to write the proposed series.


MTV orders a 12th season of "Made"

The 8 1/2-year-old reality show willl return with 20 more episodes.


Judy Greer gets engaged

The "Mad Love" and "Arrested Development" vet is planning to marry her Bill Maher producer boyfriend.

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June 20, 2011

CW announces fall premiere dates
"90210" and "Ringer" kick off the season on Sept. 13, while the Monday lineup of "Gossip Girl" and "Hart of Dixie" debuts on Sept. 26.


"The Killing" ends season with above-average ratings

The 2.3 million people who were disappointed last night were down from the much-watched season premiere. PLUS: There was closure, NY Times critic insists, "The Killing" is a "slo-cedural" — a slow procedural, and and the Sports Guy says, "this was the first TV show to pull a pro wrestling-like betrayal on its fans" and that "forty-three percent of the show consisted of gorgeous helicopter shots of Seattle."


Ashton Kutcher begins work on "Two and a Half Men"

Kutcher was seen with coffee and iPad as he entered the Warner Bros. lot this morning.


A nail salon gets a TV Guide Network reality show

"Nail Files" will follow the owner of The Painted Nail in Sherman Oaks.


Daytime Emmys were like a Vegas infomercial

Daytime TV deserved better than the Las Vegas-celebrating display that was shown last night.


Justin Bieber wears a Kelly Kapowski T-shirt — isn't she older than his mom?

"Saved by the Bell" not only graduated before Bieber was born, but Kelly Kapowski is presumably older than Bieber's mom. (Kelly graduated from high school in 1993, which means she was likely born in 1975. Bieber's mom was born in 1976.)


Can "Jersey Shore" make you dumber?

An Austrian psychologist's study suggests that watching dumb shows can, in fact, make you dumber.


"The Nine Circles of Tracy": Tracy Morgan has layers on layers

They range from "Professional Idiot-Savant" to "Professional White Person Discomforter."


Watch "Law & Order" spoof the Spider-Man musical

Cynthia Nixon played the Julie Taymor role on last night's "Criminal Intent."


"United States of Tara" tonight says goodbye

Will there be a happy ending?


Tracy Morgan will be on "The Marriage Ref's" season premiere

He'll be joined on Sunday by Ricky Gervais and Julianne Moore. UPDATE: It's not clear when Morgan's episode airs.


"The Bachelorette" promises a serious injury on tonight's show

"And it has nothing to do with Bentley," tweets creator Mike Fleiss.


Howard Stern's Anthony Weiner heckler was threatened with bodily harm

Howard TV cameras caught an unidentified man threatening to beat up Benjy Bronk, Stern's writer.


VH1 gets into matchmaking with "Siggy Flicker"

"Siggy Flicker" stars a life coach/matchmaker with the name Siggy Flicker.


Paris Hilton breaks up with her reality co-star boyfriend

Did "The World According to Paris" contribute to ending Paris' relationship with Cy Waits?


Julianne Hough on boyfriend Ryan Seacrest: "We make a good team"

"Both of us have busy lives and busy careers and we’re both really passionate about what we do," she says of her "Idol" boyfriend. "We're a good team. I think when you are both that way and you are in a good relationship, you make it work no matter what."

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June 20, 2011

G4 yanks Ryan Dunn's new show "Proving Ground" in wake of his death
The G4 series premiered 6 days ago to 31,000 viewers. Now in wake of Dunn's death, G4 hasn't decided if it will return. PLUS: Dunn reportedly drank 3 beers and 3 shots before getting behind the wheel of his Porsche, Johnny Knoxville reacts, see crash scene footage, and Roger Ebert blasts Dunn for drunk driving.


TV Smell-O-Vision is close to becoming a reality

Samsung and UC San Diego scientists have found that it's possible for TV sets to generate odor u sing a small device that could emit thousands of odors. "For example, if people are eating pizza, the viewer smells pizza coming from a TV or cell phone," says a UCSD scientist. "And if a beautiful lady walks by, they smell perfume. Instantaneously generated fragrances or odors would match the scene shown on a TV or cell phone, and that’s the idea."


Watch "Breaking Bad's" Season 4 trailer

"The devil's got ahold of me." PLUS: See the cast photo.


Scientists name new mushroom species after "SpongeBob SquarePants"

Introducing "Spongiforma squarepantsii."


NBA star Chris Bosh faces countersuit over "Basketball Wives"

His baby mama is suing to be allowed on the VH1 reality show.


"Falling Skies" has the year's most-watched cable premiere

The Steven Spielberg TNT series debuted to 5.9 million viewers.


51-year-old "Lost" alum marries a 16-year-old aspiring country singer

Doug Hutchison, who appeared in seven "Lost" episodes as DHARMA Initiative leader Horace Goodspeed, tied the knot in Vegas last month with Courteney Alexis Stodden, age 16. Says the couple: "We're aware that our vast age difference is extremely controversial."


Watch the "Weeds" Season 7 trailer

From NYC to Copenhagen.


Ex-"Survivor" winners on "The Amazing Race"?

Rumor has it that Ethan Zohn and Jenna Morasca are competing on next season's edition.


Jennifer Lopez suffers a wardrobe malfunction on German TV

Her top popped out (warning: this link contains nudity) during filming of a German show in Mallorca, Spain.


Stephen Colbert launches his own concert series: "StePhest Colbchella '011"

Bon Iver, Florence & The Machine and Colbert himself will be among this week's performers. PLUS: Watch Colbert's entire commencement at Northwestern.


Betty White films a promo for the AARP

"Get over it," she says.


"Game of Thrones" season finale: When HBO got its mojo back

The Season 1 finale was more than a pivotal moment in the TV series, says Matt Zoller Seitz. "It may be looked back on," he says, "as the moment when HBO, four long years and many dramatically shaky series after the end of 'The Sopranos,' finally got its mojo back. The rest of the hour was altogether extraordinary — expertly structured by series creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, directed by Alan Taylor with the right balance of terseness and sweep, and filled with moments that were genuinely powerful because they represented the culmination of a meticulous, season long buildup: a cathartic release of feeling."
Now "Thrones" is focusing on its powerful women
A satisfying romp // Steered away from the books
Producers talk about the season finale

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June 20, 2011

Ryan Dunn tweeted a photo of himself drinking hours before crash
Near midnight last night, Dunn tweeted this photo (Update: photo was delated) of what appears to be him drinking alcohol. Police say Dunn was the driver in the crash that killed him early this morning.


Neighbors don't want a "Conan O'Brien Way"

The L.A. City Councilman who represents the area that Conan wants renamed says he might be interested, but neighbors don't want a name-change. "I can see Washington, or Lincoln, or one of our famous presidents," says one neighbor. "But not Conan…. he's not funny."


"Mersey Shore": UK gets another "Jersey Shore" spinoff

A Liverpool-based "Jersey Shore" spinoff comes on the heels of "Geordie Shore."


Ron Artest's wife among the "Basketball Wives LA" cast

Kimisha Artest will be joined by Doug Christie's wife, Jackie, Imani Showalter, ex-fiancee of Stephen Jackson and Gloria Govan, fiancee of Matt Barnes.


Marie Osmond is coming to "The Bold and the Beautiful"

She'll appear in episodes later this year.


Spike TV renews "Auction Hunter," plans a live episode

Allen Haff and Ton Jones plan to open a special pod live in primetime.


Patti Smith makes her "Law & Order: CI" debut

The singer, who isn't a TV watcher, says she bought a television just to watch "Criminal Intent."


Jenna Fischer donates an "Office" set visit to help Missouri tornado victims

A Missouri native, Fischer donated the "Office" as part of the Joplin Tornado Relief eBay Charity Auction.


Alec Baldwin's 28-year-old girlfriend may get a reality show

Yoga instructor Hilaria Thomas is reportedly being eyed for a fitness reality show.


Nina Dobrev & Ian Somerhalder take their romance public

"The Vampire Diaries" co-stars attended the MuchMusic Video Awards in Canada last night arm in arm.


Denis Leary hooks up with USA to develop a remake of a British paramedic drama

He's working on "Sirens."


Kurt Warner may return to reality TV

The former "Dancing" NFL QB is meeting with network execs about a possible uplifting reality show.

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June 20, 2011

"The Killing": "Every single thing this show tells you is a lie"
Last night's mess of a season finale, says Alan Sepinwall, was "an insult to the audience who have stuck around for the last three months. And based on my conversation with (showrunner Veena) Sud, it sounds like we're getting more of the same next year. So this will be the last review I write of 'The Killing,' because this will be the last time I watch 'The Killing.' Because I have no interest in going forward with a show that treats its audience this way."
We were robbed: Finale was indefensible after the deal we made by watching
Season finale was fine — until the last 5 minutes
The worst season finale in TV history
In defense of the ending: It will lead to a satisfying conclusion
"The Killing" could've been great with a better showrunner
"There hasn't been a cop-out like this since Tony Soprano!"
"The Killing" was packed with implausibility from the get-go
Dear "The Killing": Don't ruin the great Holder character
NY Times critic insists "The Killing" did resolve who killed Rosie
"Killing" showrunner defends finale // There was no alternate ending

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June 20, 2011

"Jackass" star Ryan Dunn dies in a car crash
The veteran of "Jackass" the TV series and the movies as well as "Viva La Bam" was killed in a Pennsylvania highway car crash early this morning. Just last week, Dunn debuted a new series on G4 called "Proving Ground."

June 19, 2011

Ellen, Dr. Oz win Daytime Emmys
"The Bold and the Beautiful" was named the best drama. PLUS: Host Wayne Brady booed after dissing "AMC" and "OLTL."


Regis Philbin's replacement: Ryan Seacrest? Andy Cohen? Mark Consuelos?

According to the Wall Street Journal, the "Idol" host, the Bravo exec and Kelly Ripa's hubby are among the possible contenders to replace Reege on "Live."


NBC apologizes for cutting "Under God" from the Pledge of Allegiance

The U.S. Open omission led to a flurry of angry tweets.


Jon Stewart gets serious on "Fox News Sunday"

He called host Chris Wallace "insane" (watch here) for alleging that he had a political motive behind "The Daily Show." Did Fox expose Stewart's hypocrisy?


Cee Lo Green defends himself over "homophobic" tweet

"The Voice" judge deleted a tweet criticizing a music critic, with the remark, "I'm guessing you're gay?"


Oops! Nigel Lythgoe tweets out his cell phone number

The "Idol" and "SYTYCD" honcho thought he was direct messaging somebody. Instead, he got 425 calls from his Twitter followers Sunday morning from around the world.


Clarence Clemons was once portrayed by the Cookie Monster

Check out the "Sesame Street" version of the legendary saxophonist for Bruce Springsteen's E-Street Band, who died Saturday at age 69. PLUS: One of Clemons' last performances was last month on the "Idol" finale with Lady Gaga.


NBC wins "My Name is Earl" lawsuit

The writer of a screenplay called "Karma" had sued claiming that the Jason Lee comedy ripped him off.


Starz greenlights Sam Raimi's "Noir," based on Japanese anime

The female assassin series is a live-action take on the 2001 Japanese anime series "Noir."


Cheryl Cole blogs about the past month

"Where do i start?" she wrote "I have had the weirdest past few weeks (nothing unusual there though.) I wouldn't even know how to begin to tell you all about it."


"The Bachelorette's" Chris Lambton gets engaged to ex-"Bachelor" contestant

The Ali Fedotowsky reject plans to marry Peyton Wright, who competed on "The Bachelor."


"Doctor Who" is "Batman"

Matt Smith participated in a Hollywood charity event over the weekend in which he played The Caped Crusader.


Keith Olbermann's 1st guest will be Michael Moore

He will also be joined on Current V Monday by the founder of Daily Kos.

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June 17, 2011

Tracy Morgan meets with homeless gay teens
GLAAD organized today's meeting with two teens who are victims of anti-gay violence.


Louis C.K. again defends Tracy Morgan: I've said worse

"There's a lot of times when I let myself channel bad ideas as a way to do comedy," he tells Slate. I think it's something that's a healthy thing to do, honestly. And I think the person who really f**ked people up and hurt people with Tracy's words was whoever took it out of that Nashville club and put it on the national stage—whoever called Huffington Post or whoever started this shit, and said, 'Guess what Tracy Morgan said,' and announced it to the rest of the world. He wasn't trying to say it to the rest of the world. So when I read stuff like, How are gay people going to feel when they read this? Well they didn't have to read it! They weren't part of that show." PLUS: Why Louis C.K. is wrong in his Tracy Morgan defense, and "Louie's" operating principle is planned chaos.


Craig Ferguson has a frenetic Paris experience

"Le Late Late Show Avec Craig Ferguson" is basically Ferguson dropping by Paris' tourists traps with his sidekick Geoff and guests like Kristen Bell and Eddie Izzard. On Monday, Ferguson dropped by "Ce Soir Avec Arthur," a talk show whose hosts ripped off Ferguson's act.


Stephen Colbert addresses grads at alma mater Northwestern University

"I didn't want to just play Hamlet," the Class of 1986 theater major said on the 25th anniversary of his graduation. "I wanted to be Hamlet." PLUS: Watch Colbert read poetry, and Part 1 and Part 2 of the speech.


Who will "Glee" send to graduation next season?

Will it be Mark Salling? What about Cory Monteith, who turns 30 next season? PLUS: What took so long to get a "Glee's" writers' room established?, "Glee" creator Ryan Murphy gets engaged, and Gwyneth Paltrow joins "Glee" cast on stage.


"The Killing" is "the best 13-hour epiosde of 'Law & Order' ever"

The AMC drama has quickly become much-hated, but Matthew Gilbert argues that it shouldn't be compared to quality dramas like "Mad Men" and "The Wire." Instead, it should be graded next to network procedurals. "As the AMC show wraps for the season on Sunday at 10, the writers have succeeded in giving us both a pulpy mystery and a look at how the truth will arise in its own idiosyncratic way," he says. "The 'Killing' writers have taken full advantage of one of the best attributes of TV storytelling: time. By stretching one case across a season, they’ve been able to delve into every byway on the journey to resolution." PLUS: Joel Kinnaman on Season 1, "Killing" boss says Jay Leno is a fan, and can a quiet crime show become an Emmy contender?


"Royal Pains" gets visits from Wilmer Valderrama and Kyle Howard

They'll each guest in multiepisode arcs this season.


"Idol" announces audition dates and locations

Season 11 kicks off June 28 in St. Louis.


"Locke & Key": Was it that bad?

The failed Fox pilot starring Mark Pellegrino looked to be too complex for network TV.


"Project Runway Latin America" will shoot in Miami

The Spanish-language of "Runway" begins filming on July 11.


Lance Bass creating a VH1 boy band reality show

Boy band alums from Backstreet Boys to New Kids on the Block will appear on the show and each start their own boy bands, which will compete against each other.


Alan Ball's "True Blood" pitch to HBO: "It's about the terrors of intimacy"

Ball recalls that HBO was initially reluctant to go forward with "True Blood." "I understand it, because given everything HBO had been up until that point, it was not an HBO show," he says. PLUS: Anna Paquin on the first three seasons.

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FRIDAY ODDS & ENDS

June 17, 2011

Discovery orders "SEAL Team Six" documentary special

"Entourage" never invited Anthony Weiner for a cameo

"Law & Order: CI" tackles the Spider-Man musical on Sunday

Coming to broadcast syndication: "Rules of Engagement"

"Game of Thrones" has had one of the best 1st seasons ever

[Click to read the rest of Odds & Ends]

June 17, 2011

TNT's "Falling Skies": It's good summer fun
Nothing captures the sweet and thrilling rush of summer like the Steven Spielberg alien invasion series, says Mary McNamara. "Serious without being grim, uplifting without being saccharine, 'Falling Skies' dares to image what feature films will not — a world in which Will Smith or Aaron Eckhart did not bring down the mother ship in time," she writes. "This time, aliens are setting up shop around the world, building huge metal structures over "all the major cities" (which, for purposes of the plot, includes Boston)."
Sometimes, you just crave a good old-fashioned alien-invasion drama
"Spielbergian" sentimentality hobbles "Falling Skies" // Sci-fi paced just right
Lots of hack sociology, us-vs.-them cliches // Acting is listless, unconvincing
Why "Falling Skies" breaks the mold of alien invasion shows
Noah Wyle: Why he returned to TV // Moon Bloodgood got "ER" tips from Wyle

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