December 2011

Lowe's yanks "All-American Muslim" ads amid pressure from Christian group
The Florida Family Association, a conservative Christian group, had been calling for advertisers to boycott the TLC reality show, claiming it hid an Islamic agenda that endangered the United States. Lowe's, for its part, said: "We did not pull our ads based solely on the complaints or emails of any one group. It is never our intent to alienate anyone."

Oprah spinoff "The Nate Berkus Show" canceled
The Oprah spinoff will end its run after this season.

Report: Rachel Crow meeting with Disney
According to TMZ, "The X Factor" star could star in a number of Disney projects, for TV, movies and the radio. PLUS: Watch Nicole Scherzinger crying backstage with Rachel.

Pam gives birth to her "Office" baby, offscreen
Jim and Pam last night announced the birth of Philip Halpert in a blog post.

[Permalink]

CW delays "Ringer" and "90210" for a reality show
The reality show "Remodeled" will blanket The CW for two weeks, delaying "90210" and "Ringer's" return till late January.

Alanis Morissette is coming to "Up All night"
She'll play Maya Rudolph's former '90s bandmate.

Was Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer bullied?
A Special ed professor has written alternative to the Christmas Classic, accusing Santa Claus and his reindeer of being bullies.

Spoiler: Katy Perry films "SNL" sketch with an A-list movie star
Perry was spotted today on the streets of New York filming for "Saturday Night Live." PLUS: Katy Perry & Stefon – Behind the scenes, and Kristen Wiig and her new boyfriend are being called "Wiigetti."

Donald Trump may cancel his 2-candidate GOP presidential debate
"I have to look into it," he said after only Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich signed up.

Simon Cowell will appear on UK "X Factor" finale this weekend, via satellite
Simon will make a cameo before the winner is announced.

Michelle Duggar names her unborn child before having it buried
"We named that baby Caleb even though we didn't know if it was a boy or girl because that miscarriage was early," she says. "We will name this child and will know that we will see those children again someday in heaven."

Why "New Girl" is the worst TV show of 2011
According to the Washington Post, Zooey Deschanel is the worst thing on TV.

Has "Parks and Rec" become the "Friday Night Lights" of comedy?
Turns out both NBC shows have a lot in common. PLUS: "Citizen Knope" was a triumph in comedy and emotion.

What's next for "Community"?
The cast reveals what they've been filming, even though whether it will air is uncertain at this point.

In defense of "The Office"
As last night's Christmas episode proved, the cast has settled down with Ed Helms as the boss.

[Permalink]

AMC acquires "CSI: Miami" reruns
The cable network will begin airing the first 10 seasons starting in January.

"Doctor Who" coming to PlayStation
A series of video games is in the works.

Michael K. Williams on Chalky White vs. Omar from "The Wire"
For his "Boardwalk Empire" character, Williams says, "I channeled my ancestors. I went to my father, my uncles, my godfather, all these men who helped shaped me as a child who are no longer here in the physical, I pulled different characteristics from them." PLUS: Watch Agent Baby in "Boardwalk Empire State of Mind."

Michael C. Hall: There are no plans for a "Dexter" musical episode
Despite Hall's Broadway background, we will never see "Dexter" singing.

VH1 makes a "Pop-Up Video" for a Fiat ad
Fiat hopes the ad boosts sales of the 500 Abarth subcompact.

Should "X Factor" change its elimination process?
Should the save-me song be eliminated after last night's shocker?

"Vampire Diaries" casts Klaus' brothers
British actor Caspar Zafar and Australian actor Nathaniel Buzolic will play the recurring roles of Finn and Kol, respectively.

Claire Danes: I still haven't watched "24"
"I'm a bad, bad girl," she says of the previous series from the "Homeland" honchos. "I love 'The Wire.' That, I guess, could qualify as being in the same family as Homeland, but yeah, I'm not like a spy aficionado or geek or anything."

Check out Kings of Leon on "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia"
See the band members working as bartenders.

Networks catch Tebow-mania
Denver Broncos QB Tim Tebow has become a media sensation. "Right now, Tebow conquers all," says NFL Network's Rich Eisen. PLUS: NFL Network was No. 1 on cable last night, and read Fox NFL Robot Cleatus fan fiction.

"Gossip Girl's" Ed Westwick plays bouncer in real life
The actor reportedly threw out an unruly patron from a bar.

"Snowmageddon": As bad as its title
Saturday's Syfy movie is a cliche-ridden dud. PLUS: How to easily make a Syfy movie premise.

"The Wire's" Dominic West makes his serial killer debut on Sundance Channel
"Appropriate Adult," featuring West as British serial killer Fred West, debuts on Saturday.

Check out "Glee's" Christmas
Featuring Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas."

"Stephen King's Bag of Bones": Deplorably dull
The A&E miniseries is a reminder that King is responsible for a lot of duds.

[Permalink]

"The X Factor's" Rachel Crow breakdown had to be fake, right?
"Because if it was real," says Leslie Gray Streeter, "and Nicole really reacted to the idea of making a judgement as A JUDGE, and if she truly can't handle delivering bad news to someone who signed on for this, then she doesn't need to be a judge. And if little Rachel, even with all of the emotion and pressure and added TV cameras, can't control herself from acting like her toes were being sheared off by piranhas – at least long enough to get off the stage and then collapse in privacy, then she doesn’t need to be there." PLUS: Rachel Crow says everything's OK, was that child abuse?, and Nicole cried for 30 minutes after the show — but stands by her decision.

Rosie O'Donnell lashes out at Letterman
Rosie wsn't happy that Dave made fun of her quick engagement on Tuesday's "Late Show.""Why is that Dave?" responded Rosie. "Why? I don't remember making fun of you when you had sex with all your interns! I didn't make fun of your rampant, throbbing heterosexuality, did I, Dave?"

Lifetime remaking "The Blue Lagoon"
The 1980 movie that starred Brooke Shields will get a modern update.

Claim: Ryan Murphy tormenting his "Glee" cast
Most of the cast hates Murphy, according to Us Weekly, so much so that they are banding together under the leadership of Lea Michele.

"Community" musical episode rips into "Glee"
The NBC comedy's Paramount Studios neighbor was the subject of a vicious mocking last night. PLUS: Rating the musical numbers.

See Katy Perry's new "SNL" promo — with Stefon
"I have no idea where I am, but it's great."

It's a "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" reunion
Watch Melissa Joan Hart and Salem the Cat in a Funny or Die video.

Mo Rocca named a CBS News correspondent
"The Daily Show" alum has gone from fake news show correspondent to real news show correspondent.

"GMA" questions Kris Humphries about Kim Kardashian — he felt "ambushed"
The NBA star didn't expect to be grilled this morning.

Watch the opening to "Starz: Vengeance"
A fight kicks off the season premiere on Jan. 27. PLUS: Starz debuts a new Facebook app.

"Grimm" on Thursday outshines "Prime Suspect"
The NBC drama got about the same ratings in the Thursday slot, but it was still better than "Prime Suspect."

Hulk Hogan sues wife for defamation
Allegations of abuse in Linda Bollea's new book are false, the Hulkster claims in his lawsuit.

Diane Neal pops up on "A Gifted Man"
The "SVU" alum will reunite with Neal Baer for her guest appearance.

"The Cleveland Show" pays homage to "Die Hard"
Sunday's episode is the animated comedy's first movie parody.

Alec Baldwin gets animated as a "crybaby"
Watch the Taiwanese animators' take on this week's incident.

[Permalink]

Occupy Wall Street protesters shut down "SVU's" Occupy-themed set
"We made it so that they could not exploit us and that's awesome," said one protester.

NBA vetoes "Khloe and Lamar's" move to New Orleans
L.A. Laker Lamar Odom was supposed to be part of a three-way trade to the New Orleans Hornets. But the NBA decided to squash the trade.

Eddie Murphy signs up for Spike Lee's HBO TV movie about D.C. Mayor Berry
Murphy is expected to play the troubled former Washington, D.C. mayor Marion Berry.

Katy Perry: "SNL" pitched me a lot sketches about my boobs
"I was cool about that, but I'm not sure all of it (got) in," she says. "So we'll see."

Oprah Winfrey Network may target black viewers
A new soul food reality show may be part of OWN's shift toward the African American community.

ABC orders 1 extra "Castle" episode
That brings this season's total to 23.

Donald Trump's GOP debate rejected by Rick Perry and Michele Bachmann
All but two Republican presidential hopefuls have turned down the Dec. 27 debate on the ION channel. Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum are the only candidates to agree to the debate.

Lea Michele: I changed my last name because of bullying
"Sarfati. That's my real last name," the "Glee" star tells Jay Leno. "I don't use it a lot because I got Lea So-fatty, Lea So-farty at school."

Andie McDowell's daughter named Miss Golden Globe 2012
Rainey Qualley, 21, is an aspiring singer and actress.

"Justified" bringing back Jim Beaver
He's expected to reprise his role of mine manager Shelby.

[Permalink]

Uma Thurman joins NBC's "Smash"
She'll appear in five episodes as a "famous and somewhat difficult movie star."

"Moonshiners" becomes Discovery's highest-rated series premiere
About 2.8 million viewers watched the reality show on Monday.

Kris Humphries will be on "GMA" Friday — not talking about the divorce
Kim Kardashian's estranged husband is forbidden from discussing their relationship, per the terms of their prenup.

On Russia's "King of Queens," the Kevin James role is played by a skinny guy
"They do have fat guys (in Russia)," says a Sony exec who oversees the remake. "And they do have funny guys. But we didn't find the perfect intersection of those two things."

Why is "The Office" making Andy Bernard a Michael Scott clone?
The NBC comedy, says Chuck Barney, "just seems to be retracing its steps with Andy, who shares too many of Michael's characteristics. Both men are odd, insecure, needy and socially awkward. It's like the writers were so fearful of changing the show's dynamic that they clung to the same oil' formula. Unfortunately, Helms was always better in smaller doses." PLUS: Dunder Mifflin truck to hand out "Office" paper in New York.

Octomom to earn 6 figures for a Ustream TV show
Nadya Suleman will talk about parenting and other issues on the show, which will broadcast from her home.

Alec Baldwin offends widow of 9/11 American Airlines pilot
Cheryl McGuinness Hutchins, whose husband died aboard the first plane to crash into the World Trade Center, is outraged over Baldwin complaints in his Huffington Post article. PLUS: American Airlines received more than 2,000 comments over Baldwin, and flight attendants want Baldwin on no-fly list.

"Friends" orange couch and door frame are up for auction
The items are expected to fetch $6,000 and $2,000, respectively.

"Survivor's" Cochran: Meeting Jeff Probst was one of the highlights of my life
"Can you believe I talked to Jeff and he knows my name?" says John Cochran. "I've made eye contact with him! It's unbelievable to me. It's a thrill! That was one of the more surreal moments of my life, meeting Jeff and talking to him. I think he's fantastic. All I want is his approval."

"Cagney & Lacey" reunite
Sharon Gless and Tyne Daly are hanging out in London as they star in separate West End plays.

"Revenge" creator has an endgame, says there are 3 different styles of episodes
Says exec producer Mike Kelley: "I started the show with a quote from Confucius: 'Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.'" PLUS: "Revenge's" midseason finale summed up in one long sentence.

Kevin Pollak to judge "SVU"
He'll be joined by Fisher Stevens on the Jan. 11 episode.

Ryan Seacrest is more popular than Matt Lauer, especially among young women
A marketing survey reveals why NBC may want Seacrest on "Today" — he's appealing to more young viewers than Lauer. PLUS: Seacrest is a perfect fit for "Today."

"Castle's" Tamala Jones recalls her brain aneurysm
The actress was 23 when she suffered the debilitating condition, which she miraculously recovered from.

Is "redneck" reality TV relying too much on Southern stereotypes?
Shows like "Hillbilly Handfishin'" aren't showcasing the reality of the South, especially when it comes to minorities.

Kurt Sutter reacts to the reaction to the "Sons of Anarchy" twist
"I feel we did weave it into the fabric of the season," he says.

Why is J.B. Smoove named "J.B. Smoove"?
Says the "Curb Your Enthusiasm" star: "I used to be a dancer in this hip-hop crew back in the day. I was J. Smoove and my partner was J. Groove, so it was Groove and Smoove. When I started doing standup I added the B. I thought, I'll be J.B. Smoove."

OWN documentary looks at "Becoming Santa"
The documentary looks at 44-year-old man as he bleaches his hair to become Santa Claus.

[Permalink]

"MythBusters" cannonball gets Taiwanese animation treatment

Why are viewers fleeing "Glee"?

From "HIMYM" to "Whitney": Why are TV women childless and proud?

Report: "Khloe & Lamar" traded to New Orleans

Charlie Sheen accidentally tweets his phone number

[Click to read the rest of Odds & Ends]

Michelle Duggar suffers a miscarriage of her 20th child
The "19 Kids and Counting" star learned today that their unborn child had died. "It has been a real sad disappointment," she says.

ABC yanks "Man Up"
The freshman comedy has attracted a decent number of viewers  — 8.8 million — but it's losing too much of its "Last Man Standing" lead-in. Plus, it wasn't performing well among 18-49 viewers.

Mariah Carey to perform on "The X Factor" finale
Carey will perform a new song.

HBO close to ordering "Viagra Diaries" with Goldie Hawn
The project from "Beverly Hills 90210"/"Sex and the City" creator Darren Star is expected to shoot in New York City. Hawn will star as a 65-year-old woman who struggles to be single when her husband leaves her.

Kevin Federline collapses filming Australia's "Celebrity Fit Club"
Britney Spears' overweight ex-husband was participating in "Excess Baggage," Australian TV's celebrity weightloss show when he was taken to a hospital after collapsing due to heat stress.

Ed Asner will play the same "Hawaii Five-0" character he played in 1975
The CBS series will use footage from Asner's original 1975 appearance as drug smuggler August March in an upcoming episode.

"Bob's Burgers" gets a visit from "Parks and Rec" stars
Aziz Ansari and Nick Offerman will lend their voices to the Fox comedy.

PaleyFest adds "Two and a Half Men" and "Sons of Anarchy"
"Once Upon a Time" will also be featured at the annual event.

Yahoo!'s comedy channel will launch with a Bill Maher concert
"CrazyStupidPolitics: Bill Maher Live From Silicon Valley" will air on the new web channel on Feb. 23.

How "Community" came up with a musical episode
The writers for tonight's episode insist it has nothing to do with a rivalry with "Glee," which also shoots at Paramount Studios. PLUS: Check out "Community" Legos, go behind the scenes, and is this the end of "Community"?

South Carolina rejects Stephen Colbert's offer to sponsor the GOP primary
Colbert was offering more than $100,000 to rename the contest "The Colbert Nation Super PAC Presidential Primary."

"Batman" artist Jerry Robinson dies: He helped create the Joker and Robin
Robinson, 89, also was a key force in the creation of Bruce Wayne's butler, Alfred, and Two-Face.

[Permalink]

Why Ryan Seacrest on "Today" could work — and why it won't
Seacrest is a skilled broadcaster and a good interview who could easily slip into the job. But will he be taken seriously as a news person? PLUS: Seacrest could serve as Matt Lauer's apprentice, and Seacrest's earnings could skyrocket with "Today" gig.

"Glee" wants Pitbull
The rapper is being courted to play Santana's older brother and Gloria Estefan's son.

"Modern Family" books Bobby Cannavale
He'll play Cam's former clown partner.

Fox won't decide "Terra Nova's" future until the new year
That's according to Jason O'Mara, who adds: "Everyone involved remains confident and optimistic."

Courtney Stodden & Doug Hutchinson reject VH1's "Relationship Rehab"
The couple still is considering reality TV offers.

"The Office's" Ellie Kemper gets engaged to a former Conan writer
Kemper talked about her engagement with Conan O'Brien. Her fiance, Michael Koman, wrote for "Late Night" from 2001 to 2008 and once dressed up as Conan's hot dog.

Now Greyhound is upset with Alec Baldwin
The bus company issued a statement defending itself in response to Baldwin's slam in his Huffington.

"Desperate" alum Roger Bart lands on "CSI"
He'll play a wig maker for cancer victims.

"Top Model" shocker: Tyra disqualifies a contestant
Was Angelea declared the winner before disqualification? PLUS: Janice Dickinson says "ANTM" is a total sham.

"I Hate My Teenage Daughter" drops 25%
The freshman sitcom wasn't the only show to see a drop in ratings last night.

A&E's "Coma" miniseries will star Richard Dreyfuss, Geena Davis, Lauren Ambrose
Ellen Burstyn, James Woods and Steven Pasquale will also star in the medical thriller set to air in May.

[Permalink]

"Survivor's" Jeff Probst weds
The 49-year-old Probst on Monday married Lisa Ann Russell, the 40-year-old ex-wife of Mark-Paul Gosselaar.

"MythBusters" stars promise to never air footage of the stray cannonball
"It's a wake-up call," said co-host Adam Savage. "Honestly, the feeling of embarrassment is not something we're indulging in right now. We feel for the families and the people affected by this." PLUS: Watch "Mythbusters" survey the damage.

Mindy Kaling to help her "Parks" and "Office" boss create animated shows for NBC
"Parks and Recreation" and "The Office" boss Greg Daniels will executive produce two animated comedy projects, one with Kaling and another with "Parks" writer Alan Yang.

Kris Humphries films an episode of "Man Caves"
Kim Kardashian's future ex-hubby will appear on the DIY network series.

[Permalink]

Ryan Seacrest: "Today" show host?
According to the Wall Street Journal, NBC is courting the "American Idol" host to join "Today" as Matt Lauer's possible successor. The journal notes that talks, which began yesterday, are preliminary and may be a tactic in negotiations with Lauer. The Journal adds: "The meeting is part of a series of discussions that Comcast—which took a majority stake in NBCUniversal earlier this year—has been having with Mr. Seacrest over the past few months about enhancing his role at the company, according to people familiar with the matter."

"MythBusters" stars are very sorry
Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman met with the families of the cannonball incident today, and said their production company plans to pay all costs, including property damages and hotel charges. "We feel really lucky and fortunate that, after a nearly perfect safety record over eight years, that this mishap didn't lead to anybody being injured," said Savage. "We're gathering all the information we can … Our main concern is making sure this never happens again."

[Permalink]

Alec Baldwin apologizes to his fellow passengers in Huffington Post article
"The lesson I've learned," he writes, "is to keep my phone off when the 1950's gym teacher is on duty."

Kurt Sutter hopes to complete a 7-season "Sons of Anarchy" arc
"We're hoping to be able to tell the story we want to tell in a seven-season arc, to have the length of time to do that," he says. "At least we're open to exploring that."

"MythBusters" stars to visit the house their cannonball crashed into
Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman will meet with the homeowner with a cannonball-sized hole in his wall. Discovery, meanwhile, says production company "is currently assessing the situation and working with those whose property was affected."

Marg Helgenberger holds back tears on "CSI" set
Tonight is her final night after 260 episodes.

A&E sets half-hour cop drama in an interrogation room, from "Homicide" team
Tom Fontana and Barry Levinson's "The Box" will take place inside the walls of an interrogation room.

Gabriel Mann explains his "Revenge" hair
"The Nolan continues to evolve as Nolan evolves," he says of his unique hairstyle. "The beauty of it is that he has got an idea of what he wants it to be and I imagine that everyday he goes in the mirror and just does something different. It’s really funny. It’s like it has to be wrangled." PLUS: Emily VanCamp on the fall season finale.

IFC wants to be the channel for hipsters
From "Portlandia" to "Todd Margaret," IFC is targeting a hipster kind of viewer — "someone who has a job but DJs on the weekends or loves to go see rock bands."

How "The Closer" keeps on challenging the TV procedural
After 100 episodes, the TNT drama is still unpredictable, as is Brenda Leigh Johnson.

Jon Stewart pays tribute to "South Park's" Matt & Trey
Read his GQ piece on the "Theater Geeks of the year."

Aasif Mandvi uses Florida governor's press conference to ask him to pee in a cup
Watch "The Daily Show" correspondent try to pass the cup up to Florida Gov. Rick Scott.

"Modern Family" books Ellen Barkin
She'll play Phil Dunphy's real estate nemesis.

"Family Guy" writer recalls getting arrested at Occupy L.A.
"I stood as instructed," recalls Patrick Meighan, "and then I had my arms wrenched behind my back, and an officer hyperextended my wrists into my inner arms. It was super violent, it hurt really really bad, and he was doing it on purpose."

E! considering up to four more Kardashian spinoffs
"I think it will have its own life expectancy," says NBC Universal cable boss Bonnie Hammer, who oversees E!. She expects the two youngest Jenner daughters to get their own reality shows. PLUS: Claim: Kim Kardashian is back to dating Reggie Bush, and Khloe Kardashian may consider in vitro fertilization.

"Downton Abbey's" episodes will be shortened for Season 3
ITV has decided to cut most episodes down by 15 minutes, to a runtime of an hour.

"Sopranos" actor Tony Darrow sentenced to house arrest in extortion attack
The actor, who played Larry Boy Barese and has real-life mob ties, was ordered to spend six months under house arrest.

Mark Pellegrino signs up for "Castle's" film noir episode
The "Lost" vet will play a club owner from 1947.

"Storage Wars: Texas" nabs 4.1M — the best-ever launch for an A&E series
The reality TV spinoff was the most-watched original series premiere in A&E history.

Watch "The Three Stooges" trailer, featuring Snooki
The "Jersey Shore" star gets her eyes poked out.

New NFL TV deals will lead to bigger cable and satellite bills
NBC, CBS and Fox will have to pass on the billions of dollars their spending to consumers in the form of carriage fees. PLUS: CBS beats NBC in battle of Tom Brady vs. Tim Tebow.

Treat Williams: "SVU" role was one of the most extraordinary of my career
Tonight he plays a former QB suffering from dementia who is caught with a 14-year-old hooker.

Newt Gingrich wants Donald Trump to do an "Apprentice" for poor kids
Under the Republican candidate's proposal, 10 poor kids will work as "apprenti" under The Donald.

[Permalink]

Gene Simmons: Madonna is inappropriate for Super Bowl

Check out Fox's poster for "The Finder"

"Big Bang Theory" Episode 100 is ready to shoot

Radio ventriloquist Phil Hendrie guests on "Modern Family"

Smithsonian Channel will air an as-it-happened Martin Luther King Jr. doc

[Click to read the rest of Odds & Ends]

Dr. Oz becomes the 1st man on the cover of Oprah magazine O
"The January issue is all about firsts," says Oprah.

Alec Baldwin slammed by the Association of Professional Flight Attendants
"There is a difference between being funny and being mean," says a spokesperson for the flight attendants organization. "Flight attendants have not been the only recipients of Alec Baldwin’s ill temper."

Remembering the dignified Harry Morgan
The "M*A*S*H" star, who died today at 96, came across as dignified, says Alan Sepinwall. "Dignity isn't an easy quality to portray on screen, much less over an entire career, but that's the word that comes to mind whenever I think of Morgan." PLUS: Watch the TV Archives interview with Morgan.

NBC must approve Questlove's song choices since the Michele Bachmann fiasco
Each "Late Night" song choice must now by cleared by three NBC executives.

History channel remembers Dec. 7 1941 with "Pearl Harbor: 24 Hours After"
Tonight's special follows the events of the "Day of Infamy" hour by hour.

It's official: Simon Cowell returning to "Britain's Got Talent"
Like the British "X Factor," the UK's "Got Talent" suffered in the ratings after Cowell left.

Discovery: "MythBusters" followed safety regulations in cannonball misfire
A local sheriff bomb technician was on hand during the firing of yesterday's cannonball that careened into a house in the San Francisco Bay Area.

"Community" stars make a "Save Greendale" video
"We know the Greendale experience is one you'll never forget." PLUS: "Community" creator complains on Twitter about NBC's marketing, and preview Troy & Abed's hip-hop holiday.

Stephen Colbert announces his own Republican debate
To compete with Donald's "Trumptacular." PLUS: Jon Stewart takes on The Donald's debate.

Jason Sudeikis is now dating Olivia Wilde
The "SNL" star has been romantically linked with the "House" alum.

Producers Guild recognizes "Dexter," "Boardwalk Empire," "30 Rock"
See the complete list of PGA Award nominations. PLUS: See who got nominated for Writers' Guild Awards.

Why Newt Gingrich (and Republicans) should adapt the Ron Swanson persona
The conservative, old-school "Parks and Recreation" character has become a sensation. So why doesn't Gingrich — who has some "Swanson-ness" — remake himself in the image of Ron Swanson?

Meet the ladies of "The Bachelor"
Including one grandma.

JJ. Abrams is coming to the CW, teaming with "One Tree Hill's" creator
Their drama project will revolve around an inn in Maine.

[Permalink]

American Airlines: Alec Baldwin was "extremely rude," calling crew names
On Facebook, the airline would only refer to Baldwin as an "extremely vocal customer" who "declined to turn off his cell phone when asked to do so at the appropriate time. The passenger ultimately stood up (with the seat belt light still on for departure) and took his phone into the plane's lavatory. He slammed the lavatory door so hard, the cockpit crew heard it and became alarmed, even with the cockpit door closed and locked … The passenger was extremely rude to the crew, calling them inappropriate names and using offensive language. Given the facts above, the passenger was removed from the flight and denied boarding." PLUS: Baldwin deletes his Twitter account.

"M*A*S*H" star Harry Morgan dies at 96
Famous for playing Colonel Potter, Morgan died today in L.A. Morgan also played Officer Bill Gannon on "Dragnet."

Watch Katy Perry's "SNL" promos
She does a pretty Russell Brand impression.

Producers sue website for spoiling "The Bachelor"
Steve Carbone, AKA "Reality Steve," is being accused of offering money to "Bachelor" and "Bachelorette" contestants. PLUS: "Bachelor" creator Mike Fleiss to judge Miss America, and watch an extended first look at "Bachelor" Ben.

Parents TV Council slams MTV reality shows for using women to trash women
Says the PTC: "The most shocking finding – or at least the most disturbing – was the way the two genders spoke of themselves. The women were overwhelmingly more disparaging when speaking of themselves."

Kurt Sutter talks "Sons of Anarchy" season finale
Last night's big event, he says, "was originally gonna happen in the first season, but then I realized there was a lot of fertile ground in Jax’s ascension, and his figuring out what kind of man he would become. But as we get closer to winding up the series, I wanted at least a couple of seasons with Jax in that chair. For me, Seasons 5 and 6 will be about, can Jax take over for Clay and not become Clay. In this position of power, do you have to become as brutal as Clay to survive?"
When did Sutter think of the other twist? // Ron Perlman on the season finale
Is it time for "Sons of Anarchy" to plot out an endgame?
Strong season ends with a few quibbles // Destination was better than the journey

VH1 renews "La La's Full Court Life"
Season 2 will continue following La La and Carmelo Anthony.

Neve Campbell joins Lifetime's Amish crime drama
The film/backdoor pilot sees the former "Party of Five" star playing the chief of police in an Amish town.

Kristen Wiig dating the drummer for The Strokes?
The "SNL"-er is reportedly seeing Fabrizio Moretti, Drew Barrymore's ex.

Comedy Central orders TV shows from Jeff Ross, Wyatt Cenac, Amy Schumer
Jeffrey Ross will "roast" the week's hot topics on "The Burn: The Roast Master General," while "The Daily Show's" Cenac will star in a show mocking 1980s public affairs shows. Also coming to Comedy Central: Animated "Robots."

Taiwanese animators give a shout-out to "The Simpsons'" shout-out
The ever-popular Next Media Animation was featured on this week's episode.

"The Hour" adds Peter Capaldi for Season 2
Filming on the 2nd season began this week in London. PLUS: Season 2 will air on BBC America next year.

Rosie O'Donnell recounts her engagement
How did the news break on Twitter?

Check out MTV's new MMA reality show
"Caged" debuts Jan. 9.

Christopher Gorham delves into the "Covert Affairs" season finale
What was the significance of the final scene?

[Permalink]

"MythBusters" accidentally fires a cannonball into a residential neighborhood
Nobody was hurt Tuesday when a cannonball was "misfired" from a bomb range, sending it careening more than 700 yards into a house and minivan in a nearby residential neighborhood. (watch the news report)

American Airlines captain booted Alec Baldwin for slamming a bathroom door
According to TMZ, Baldwin got so angry after he was told to turn off "Words with Friends" that he angrily slammed the lavatory door, which drew the attention of the American Airlines captain.

Sanjay Gupta & David E. Kelley team for TNT medical drama
The CNN chief medical correspondent is entering the scripted TV world with "Chelsea General," a project that Kelly wrote based on Gupta's upcoming novel "Monday Mornings." It centers on five struggling surgeons.

"Pretty Little Liars" was the No. 1 TV topic on Twitter in 2011
No. 2 was "Two and a Half Men," followed by "The Craigslist Killer," the Golden Globes and the People's Choice Awards.

Netflix CEO: HBO is our biggest rival
"They're becoming more Netflix-like," says HBO CEO Reed Hastings, citing the "quite impressive" HBO Go. "I think the two of us will compete for a very long time; hopefully we’ll make ourselves both better through that competition."

Kristen Wiig: I have no plans to leave "SNL"
Following her "Bridesmaids" success, Wiig has no plans to bolt "Saturday Night Live. "I love the cast," she says. "We're like Melrose Place without the murder."

Kathy Griffin visits "Whitney"
She'll play a co-worker of Whitney's pal, Roxanne.

Robin Givens coming to "Suburgatory"
She'll play Dallas' rival — Tulsa.

Why "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" is TV's scariest, most disgusting show
The Bravo reality show went from irksome to obscene with its handling of Russell Armstrong's suicide. PLUS: Did Bravo force Kim Richards to go to rehab?

Mitt Romney turns down Donald Trump's TV debate
"I'm not participating in that," Romney says of the ION debate to be held two days after Christmas.

Hallmark Channel movie teams Carson Kressley & Carrie Fisher
They'll star in "Caroling," a modern-take on Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol."

Discovery's new Velocity network hopes to lure men with 15-minute shows
That's because young men have shorter attention spans.

Kurt Sutter: FX took a big financial hit for "Sons of Anarchy" season finale
"IT WAS," Sutter says in an e-mail in uppercase letters, "SUPPOSED TO BE ONE 90 MINUTE EPISODE, BUT I KNEW AT THE SCRIPT LEVEL THAT IT WAS TWO EPISODES. IT HAD A NATURAL BREAK AND REAL SENSE OF ACT AND ACT 2." PLUS: Who survives?, is the "Sons" soundtrack worth buying?, and Katey Sagal and Ray McKinnon on the finale.

Westerns are making a TV comeback
"Hell on Wheels" is the first of many upcoming Western series.

"X Factor" host: Why I'm always cutting off judges
"I'm wearing an earpiece and there's about five people screaming, 'Shut Paula up. Shut her up now. Move on,'" Steve Jones tells Ellen DeGeneres. "I'm going to have hearing damage in this ear by the end of series." PLUS: Jones hopes to be back next season.

Study: Girls can benefit by watching reality TV
The Girl Scout Research Institute found that reality TV benefits girls in "opening the lines of communication, serving as a learning and motivational tool, and encouraging girls to be active in social causes."

What if "Twin Peaks" met "Parks and Recreation"?
Watch a mashup of the "Parks" and "Twin Peaks" themes.

"Covert Affairs" goes out with an emotional season finale
But will Annie and Auggie finally get together? PLUS: What Christopher Gorham likes, hates.

[Permalink]