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More Drama at "Grey’s Anatomy"

February 28, 2007

TMZ is on fire today with reports about the lunatic goings-on among the cast at “Grey’s Anatomy.” Accroding to the site, the shows stars are feeling "blindsided" by the announcement that a “Grey’s Anatomy” spin-off is planned for Kate Walsh’s character.

The move allegedly prompted Katherine Heigl to end contract talks completely. People Magazine is reporting that she’s both “disappointed and hurt” that she’s not as "highly valued" as Isaiah Washington or Sandra Oh.

TMZ is also reporting that Isaiah Washington, fresh off his apology tour for calling TR Knight a “faggot,” has been rumored to have hired emergency Public Relations doctor Howard Bragman and his company to help revive the actor’s public image.

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Posh Reality

NBC has signed a deal for six episodes of a half-hour unscripted series that will chronicle the former Posh Spice's relocation from Europe with her soccer-star husband, David, to Los Angeles.

The series, which may air this summer, will be produced by Simon Fuller, the ''American Idol'' magnate who managed the Spice Girls pop group that included Beckham, the trade paper said.

How a celebrity transfers her support system, including publicist, stylist and personal assistant, to a new town will be a focus of the show, which also is expected to include her shopping for items like a home and car, Variety reported.

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Kristin Chenoweth: Comin’ Up Daisies

February 27, 2007

Bryan Fuller is shooting a new pilot for ABC, and the cast keeps getting more exciting.

The pilot, entitled “Pushing Daisies” is about a guy who can bring people back to life just by touching them. After news that Lee Pace (“Wonderfalls,” The Good Shepard) has been cast as the lead, news came this week that Kristin Chenoweth has been cast to play his love interest.

The Tony-Award-Winning Chenoweth, whose work has been seen on TV shows like “The West Wing,” and the short-lived “Kristin,” is thought to be the inspiration for Sarah Paulson’s character in Aaron Sorkin’s “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.”

(Plot lines have mirrored her relationship with Sorkin, and the complicated navigation of reconciling a big gay following with an uber-Christian background.)

We’re excited as all get-out for Bryan Fuller’s new show. He’s currently a co-executive producer on “Heroes” (NBC) and was responsible for shows like “Dead Like Me” and “Wonderfalls.”

Check out our interview with him here.

This Year’s “Idol” Nudie Pics

It happens every year around this time in the competition. Naked pictures of one of the semi-finalists on “American Idol” surface and internet speculation goes berserk that the television show is harboring porn stars.

They really need more people to watch? This year, the pictures revolve around semi-finalist Antonella Barba.

However, Barba's best friend, Amanda Coluccioa, says that the aspiring singer is not the subject of the "really bad" graphically sexual pictures purported that were posted on the Internet last week. Although, she's not totally denying that Barbra hasn't been in some almost-dirty pictures.

''The really bad ones aren't her. I've studied them,'' Coluccio told The Star-Ledger for Monday's newspapers. ''It's not her nose. She's never had (acrylic nail) tips (like the woman in the photo) in her life. She's the least slutty person I know.''

Coluccio did not return phone messages from The Associated Press left at her home.

Meanwhile, here in the 20-year-old's hometown, where signs abound wishing her good luck, friends and strangers alike are supporting Barba, saving their condemnation for whomever posted the pictures online.

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Bobby Brown Arrested

That Bobby Brown just can't catch a break, and this time it has nothing to do with Whitney.

Singer and reality television-star Bobby Brown was ordered on Monday to remain in a Massachusetts jail until he pays $19,000 in late child support and court fees, his lawyer said.

''We're diligently working on getting those funds available from outside sources,'' said Phaedra Parks, an attorney in Atlanta where Brown currently lives. Parks doubted Brown would get out of jail before Tuesday morning.

Parks said Brown has been struggling to meet monthly payments to Kim Ward, the mother of his two teenage children.

''Although this agreement was put in place when he was Bobby Brown the star, this agreement is being enforced when he is not always able to find work,'' Parks told The Associated Press. ''He hasn't made an album in quite some years.''

Brown is in the midst of a divorce from pop diva Whitney Houston, after 14 years of marriage.

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Send Oscar to Cable

February 26, 2007

That’s the first critical salvo launched by TV critic Tom Shales of The Washington Post.

“Virtually everything about the Oscarcast, except for a few mercifully brief features, was entirely, punishingly too long.”

His solution: send the show to cable if they can’t cut it down to a more manageable size.

We here at BBC don’t mind spending several hours in front of televisions. And there were definitely enjoyable moments last night. Such as when Ellen pointed out that “America didn’t vote for Jennifer Hudson, and she’s here. American did vote for Al Gore, and he’s here!”

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O.C. Over; Marissa Lives

In the land of e-commerce, Marissa lives. But the “O.C.” gal has been seriously downsized. She’s on sale!

WWW.SaveMarissaTShirt.com is now hawking the leftover “Save Marissa” T-shirts for only $5.

This has got to be painful to Marissa! What would she say? She’s not a discount-kinda-gal, is she?

Ah, well, such is life. Maybe $5 is a really great deal. Who knows what they’ll be worth in a few years. Nothing? Nah…

Networks Fight Over Hiccups

February 23, 2007

So there’s this teenage girl in Florida. Her name is Jennifer Mee. And she’s had the hiccups for four weeks. Nobody knows why, she’s had a battery of tests, including CT Scans, blood tests, MRI’s, and doctors still haven’t any idea what’s going on. Which has happened before – there are stories of people who go YEARS with the hiccups. (Sorry Jennifer…)

The part that really interests us though is the amazing amount of time, energy, and money that’s been spent trying to get the rights to cover the story in the national media. “The “Today” show is reported to have moved Jennifer and her family from their hotel room before her interview, in order to stop the phone calls and notes slipped under the door from “Good Morning America” asking for the story.

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Soprano’s Actor “Not Cold-Blooded”

Former ''Sopranos'' actor Lillo Brancato Jr., who faces a real-life murder charge in a police officer's death, said he isn't the thug he believes he has been made out to be.

''I'm not the monster that they portray me as in newspapers, a cold-blooded killer and all of that. I'm not that person at all,'' he told WCBS-TV in a jail interview that aired Thursday.

Brancato and a co-defendant are awaiting trial in the December 2005 shooting of Officer Daniel Enchautegui, who was shot while off-duty.

Prosecutors said Enchautegui confronted Brancato and Steven Armento while they were breaking into a Bronx apartment in search of prescription drugs. Armento is accused of firing the fatal shot.

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American Idol: Unstoppable

February 22, 2007

There’s just no way around “American Idol.”

The ratings-eating monster has placed Fox squarely ahead in the ratings this week, as it won both Tuesday and Wednesday nights in the key 18-49yo demographic.

And here’s the amazing part, the show has hit a season low, with a Tuesday night rating of 11.7 – a loss of ten percent from last week.

TVWeek is reporting that CBS and NBC’s procedural crime dramas have not been holding up against “Idol” – even as CBS has previously claimed that it’s Tuesday night lineup was designed to be “Idol-proof.” The two networks tied for second place on Tuesday night.

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Lawsuit for Aniston Topless Pics

Oh Perez Hilton, will you ever learn?

Universal City Studios Productions LLLP filed a lawsuit claiming that the gossip blogger posted a stolen topless photograph of Jennifer Aniston on the Web.

The studio filed the suit Tuesday claiming the stolen image was posted on the perezhilton Internet site by Mario Lavandeira, aka Hilton.

The picture was allegedly ''misappropriated and illegally copied'' during production or post-production of the 2006 romantic comedy hit ''The Break-Up,'' starring the actress and Vince Vaughn, the suit said.

The shot of Aniston, 38, was not included in the final version of the movie, which earned more than $118 million at the box office.

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Marcia Cross Has Twins

Marcia Cross, who plays the red-headed housewife from ABC’s “Desperate Housewives” has given birth to fraternal twin daughters. Cross named the girls Eden and Savannah and all are “doing just fine.”

Cross, 44, was put on "full bed rest" in January, suspending her work on the show, as producer’s decided not to write her pregnancy into the plotline. Cross met and became engaged to the proud father, stockbroker Tom Mahoney, in 2005.

Congratulations from all of us at Brilliantbutcancelled.

Are You the New Maytag Man?

February 21, 2007

The Maytag man has always been a source of fascination around here. There’s such a schticky old-school-advertising swerve to him. He’s lonely because the machines never break -- simple, classic fare.

And since appearing on television in 1967, he has only been played by three actors. The contract of the current repairman, Hardy Rawls, is not being renewed.

Whirlpool Corp., based in Benton Harbor, Mich., bought Maytag of Newton, Iowa, last year, and company officials say finding a new repairman is part of plans to revitalize the Maytag brand. Whirlpool officials say they want the new repairman to be energetic, young at heart, and outgoing. But he indeed has to be a man. America, it seems, is not yet ready for a repairwoman - at least according to their market research.

''If you think of other advertising icons out there ... where is Ben Crocker? Where is Juanita Valdez? Where's the Pillsbury doughgirl?'' said Jeffrey Davidoff, Maytag's vice president of brand marketing.

''I think there is something that (consumers) see the repairman partially as a person, but really as a character. To be true to that character, one of the things we had to do was stick with a man,'' Davidoff said.

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“Stargate” Transfer

We love a good cross-over character. Laverne and Shirley were spun-off from from "Happy Days." The families on "The Beverly Hillbillies," "Petticoat Junction" and "Green Acres" were all intertwined. And then, of course, there was that awesome William Shatner/Patrick Stewart "Star Trek" movie. It's one of the best thing about the universes on television, you can show up on another show as the same character.

And April is shaping up to be a big month for the folks over at both “Stargate” series. The remaining episodes of the third season of “Stargate: Atlantis” will air concurrently with the final 10 episodes (ever) of “Stargate SG-1.”

And there are even more surprises in store. As the original "Stargate" shuts down for good, there are plans to transfer at least of the crew to the Pegasus galaxy, where the "Atlantis" crew will undoubtedly need her.

She knows so much about that gate, you see. And they’re going to need all the military personnel they can find when they encounter the promised new race.

Production on season four of “Stargate: Atlantis” begins next month.

Sunday Night Reality at NBC

February 20, 2007

We understand that the majority of American viewers still seem to be swallowing the tripe that is reality TV, and here comes further proof that you should convince your Neilsen-family friends to start watching more scripted televison.

NBC has announced plans to shuffle its schedule to create an “All-Non-Scripted” Sunday night line up, by moving “Crossing Jordan” to Wednesday nights, and replacing it with “Deal or No Deal.”

NBC is hoping that the move will revive ratings for “The Apprentice” by moving it out of a timeslot that competes with "Desperate Housewives" (ABC) and "Cold Case," (CBS). Last week, “The Apprentice” drew only 7.9 million viewers – the lowest number in years. The trick will be getting viewers to watch the Donald-Trump-led realityfest at 10pm instead of 9pm.

"Crossing Jordan," will move to Wednesday nights, where it will compete with “American Idol,” along with “Friday Night Lights” and “Medium” – for an all-drama Wednesday night lineup. NBC is our parent company.

Ray Liotta DUI

Actor Ray Liotta was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence after crashing his car into two parked vehicles in Pacific Palisades, authorities said.

Liotta, 52, (he is?) was taken into custody just before 8:30 p.m. Saturday and booked on a misdemeanor DUI charge, said Los Angeles Police spokesman Mike Lopez. He was released after posting $15,000 bail and ordered to appear in court next month.

No one was injured in the collision. Liotta was alone in his car, Lopez said.
A message left at the office of Liotta's publicist Matt Labov was not immediately returned.

Liotta stars with Tim Allen and John Travolta in the buddy comedy ''Wild Hogs,'' set for release March 2. He is best known for playing gangster Henry Hill in the 1990 movie ''Goodfellas.'' His most recent television work, the detective drama “Smith” was the first cancellation of the Fall 2006 DeathWatch.

That Don Trump Loves a Good Stunt

We love the idea that Donald Trump is going to wrestle someone. We love even more that if he loses, he has to get rid of the combover.

That’s the thing that Trump wants everyone to ask questions about and get themselves all worked up over, but we all know, that's not the way it’s going to go down.

Over the weekend, Trump and World Wrestling Entertainment owner Vince McMahon announced that they will each pick a wrestler to represent them in the ring April 1 at Wrestlemania 23 at Detroit's Ford Field. If their pick is beaten in the ''Battle of the Billionaires,'' the loser will get his head shaved after the match.

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TV Violence: Government Intervention?

February 16, 2007

A draft of a government report currently being circulated through the halls of the FCC is stirring up the debate over TV violence again.

The report suggests that Congress could craft a law that would let the FCC regulate violence on television as much as it regulates sexual content and profanity. All of this could be handled by barring it from being aired during hours when children may be watching, for example.

''In general, what the commission's report says is that there is strong evidence that shows violent media can have an impact on children's behavior and there are some things that can be done about it,'' FCC Chairman Kevin Martin said Thursday.

The issue is bipartisan. Martin, a Republican, gave a joint interview to The Associated Press with Democratic Commissioner Michael Copps.

''The pressure to do something on this is building right now,'' Copps said, noting that TV violence comes up regularly during media ownership hearings he conducts across the country. ''People really feel strongly about this issue all across this land. This is not a red state or a blue state issue.''

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Parker Posey: Sitcom Queen

She's best known as the first lady of any movie made for under a million dollars, but Parker Posey will play the lead in a pilot being shot for FOX by "Gilmore Girls" creator Amy Sherman-Palladino.

We feel like this is a match made in TV heaven actually. Amy Sherman-Palladino's dialogue has the same whip-fast dialogue that made Aaron Sorkin famous. And Parker...totally up to that task.

The show, "The Return of Jezebel James," show is standard lady-comedy fair: Uber-successful children's book editor Jezebel returns to her home town to ask her estranged sister to carry her child. Another "Gilmore Girls" alum, Scott Cohen, will play the boyfriend to one of the two sisters, though which one is unclear.

Posey has appeared in "Superman Returns," "For Your Consideration," and recently on television, "Boston Legal" and "Will & Grace."

Cagney and Lacey: Redux

February 15, 2007

Sharon Gless and Tyne Daly have both played countless roles in their long careers as actresses. And yet, they will always been identified by their breakout roles on ''Cagney & Lacey,'' the 80’s police drama about a female detective duo fighting crime in a man's world.

''I haven't seen it for 17 years or whatever it's been,'' Daly, who played Mary Beth Lacey, told The Associated Press on Tuesday. ''Eighteen years? 25 years? ... So, you know, I haven't seen them in a very, very long time, but walking down the street in New York City I still get 'Cagney and Lacey' instead of, you know, other stuff I've done.'
'
The series, which featured Sharon Gless as Chris Cagney, will mark its 25th anniversary on May 8 with the DVD release of its first season. The four-disc package, from MGM Home Entertainment, also contains a two-part documentary and commentary from Gloria Steinem, who championed the show for featuring women in roles that typically went to men.

''I'll be really interested to see if anybody wants to see them again,'' said Daly, 60.

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Al Franken Running for Congress

Al Franken announced yesterday that he will run for the Senate in 2008, making it clear that the comedian and author of ''Rush Limbaugh Is A Big Fat Idiot'' wants to be taken seriously as a political figure.

Franken said he would seek the Democratic nomination to challenge Republican incumbent Norm Coleman and immediately acknowledged the doubts voters may have about electing a former ''Saturday Night Live'' performer.

''Minnesotans have a right to be skeptical about whether I'm ready for this challenge, and to wonder how seriously I would take the responsibility that I'm asking you to give me,'' Franken said in a video on his Web site.

''I want you to know: Nothing means more to me than making government work better for the working families of this state, and over the next 20 months, I look forward to proving to you that I take these issues seriously,'' he said.

Franken's announcement came on the final day of his show on the liberal radio network Air America. His decision instantly makes him a serious contender and brings national attention to the race. He said he supports universal health care, greater efforts to find alternative energy sources and stronger congressional oversight of the executive branch.

Franken had been considering a run since 2003. He said several weeks ago that he would leave Air America and privately told prominent Democrats about his plans to seek office.

More Olbermann for NBC

NBC News announced Thursday it had agreed to a ''second term'' with MSNBC ''Countdown'' host, Keith Olbermann, whose contract was due to expire. The extension will take him into 2011.

Besides feuding with Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly, Olbermann has become a liberal hero. He has seen his ratings increase since launching a series of anti-President Bush commentaries late last summer.

His prime-time program averaged 715,000 viewers in January, according to Nielsen Media Research. While his audience is often less than a third of O'Reilly's in the same time slot, Olbermann's viewership is up 85 percent over January 2006.

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"24" Writer Defends Show

February 14, 2007

There’s a great article at TVWeek today, in response to the latest flap about shows like “24” and “Lost” contributing to the war on terror.

Quick background: a recently-published New Yorker article claims that some US military personnel are concerned that the torture scenes, extreme tactics, and general all-the-bad-guys-are-Muslim attitude shown on “24” -- is not only eroding our reputation around the world, but also contributing to the rise in torture among American servicemen in Iraq.

In an interview with TVWeek Publisher Chuck Ross, "24" writer David Fury is defends the show.

“It’s disturbing to think that members of our military learning their techniques and training are getting it from entertainment like ‘24,' One would think that their training would be far more extensive in the real world and that they’d understand that this is a heightened reality.”

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OC Creator Promises "Satisfaction"

In just two short weeks, "The OC" will be no more. And as brilliant but cancelled television shows go, we have to say, nothing got us through the cold winters than those golden bronzed teenagers in California. So this week's news that Josh Schwartz is promising a "satisfying ending," filled us with joy.

We most certainly hope so.

Four-seasons and 92-episodes about the loves and lives of rich, golden California teenagers and the parents that watched over them (or not). We think that deserves a good ending, unlike so many cancelled shows that get unceremoniously yanked from the shedule.

''Overall, I'm incredibly proud of the run the show had,'' series creator Josh Schwartz said as production ended this month. Just the day before, he recounted, ''we were filming on location and there were packs of teenagers screaming for autographs when the cast walked by, and crying that the show was coming to an end.''

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Tyra Banks: Swimsuits Forever

Ten years ago, Tyra Banks became the first black supermodel to appear alone on the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition. The 2007 edition features 25-year-old singer-actress Beyonce on the cover wearing a yellow-and-pink bikini.

Banks, 33, recently returned to the Bahamas to recreate the shoot that landed her on the coveted cover, even wearing the same red polka dot bikini _ with a few adjustments.

''I was about 140 pounds on that cover ... and I'm 161 now,'' the 5-foot-10 TV host told The Associated Press on
Tuesday. ''I'd say I looked like a stripper when I put it on."

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Tiki Barber Joins 'Today' Show

February 13, 2007

Only days after playing his final NFL game, Tiki Barber joined NBC Universal on Tuesday for a job that will have him shuttling between the ''Today'' show and football analysis in the fall.

Barber, 31, had his choice of broadcasting jobs since he announced he was retiring from the New York Giants. Fox and ABC/ESPN had also sought him.

''My dream has always been to be on the 'Today' show,'' Barber said.

He'll be a contributing correspondent on the morning show. He said he's interested in stories on health and technology, and NBC said they'd also like to see him doing human interest stories and those on family issues.

He will also be an analyst on NBC's ''Football Night in America,'' the hour-long highlight show that precedes the network's Sunday-night football game. Barber said the ability to stay close to his family in New York made NBC's offer particularly appealing.

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Battlestar Galactica Renewed

This ought to infuriate the Cylons.

TV Week is running a story that Sci-Fi has renewed it’s mega-hit “Battlestar Galactica” for a fourth season. Production will resume this summer on the new 13-episode order, which is expected to premiere in January of 2008.

This is good news, considering the season three premiere came in at 28% lower ratings than the season two premiere. In an effort to see the show into better ratings, season three has been moved to Sunday nights (from Fridays).

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Patricia's Little Brother

David Arquette, who's married to ''Dirt'' actress Courteney Cox, will direct an episode of NBC's drama ''Medium,'' starring his older sister Patricia.

''I was always a bossy little girl and being David's older sister I've bossed him around quite a bit. Now that he'll be directing me it will be payback time,'' Patricia Arquette, 38, said Monday. ''I think it will be really interesting being directed by David because he knows me so well and I feel so safe with him. I think I'll be able to go to some of my darkest places.''

The 35-year-old David Arquette, who stars in ABC's ''In Case of Emergency'' and recently directed his first feature film (''The Tripper'' being released in April), said he was ''really excited to be able to work with my sister Patricia.''

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The Grammy's: TV's Girliest Night

February 12, 2007

Mary J. Blige, Carrie Underwood, and The Dixie Chicks took lead honors at last night's Grammy Awards. And there was no shortage of thank yous to go around.

The Dixie Chicks took home 5 awards including Best Album, Best Song, and most importantly: Best Country Album.
An estimated 20.1 million people watched the Dixie Chicks take home every trophy they were eligible for Sunday night. And because it aired on a different night than "American Idol" this year, the ratings were up 18 percent, according to Nielsen Media Research.

The Recording Academy embraced more serious fare by veteran artists on Sunday, showering the Dixie Chicks with five awards, including the rare trifecta of record, album, and song of the year. Mary J. Blige won three for her comeback record ''The Breakthrough,'' the biggest mainstream success in her 15-year career. And four trophies went to the Red Hot Chili Peppers for their hit album ''Stadium Arcadium.''

Meanwhile, Justin Timberlake - a major focus of the show with two performances and four nominations, including for album of the year -took home two trophies in little-noticed side categories. British singer-songwriters Corinne Bailey Rae and James Blunt, both newcomers nominated for multiple awards, were shut out. And two of the year's biggest hits, ''Hips Don't Lie'' and ''Promiscuous,'' didn't get any awards -both lost out to a remake of Stevie Wonder's decades-old hit ''For Once In My Life,'' performed by Wonder and 80-year-old Tony Bennett.

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TRIO Lives!

The ultimate in brilliant but cancelled: Trio TV.

We don’t know if you’ve had time to see any of the new shows we’ve put up in our video player yet, but there a slew of new ones, and the one we’d like to draw your attention to, is the documentary “Brilliant But Cancelled” --that started our little site here.

A little history on that: A few years back, an idea for a television network called TRIO was hatched by some really talented people who are now our bosses here at Bravotv.com. They showed things like re-runs of “Laugh-In” and a show called “Good Clean Porn” – which discussed the plot points of dirty movies, while blocking out the smutty bits.

Like all brilliant television, TRIO was shuttered before its time, due to a series of circumstances that involve big numbers, long nights, and the disappointment of quite a few people. It was, however, reborn this morning, as getTriotv.com. And the good news is, they’ve kept the look and feel and concept their original mission, which, as stated by Bravo President Lauren Zalaznick “worships the high and celebrates the low, and stays far away from the middle- (brow, that is).”

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Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara: Stars

The Hollywood "Walk of Fame" laid down it's 2,328th star today, for veteran Hollywood couple Anne Meara and Jerry Stiller. The two have been married more than 50 years, and have two children, actors Ben Stiller and Amy Stiller.

The whole family was on hand for the ceremony, including actor Jason Alexander, who played Stiller's son Geroge Costanza on the long-running "Seinfeld." Stiller now plays a cantankerous father-in-law on CBS' ''The King of Queens.''

Meara has been nominated four times for an Emmy, including for outstanding lead actress for a drama for her title role in the short-lived 1975 CBS legal drama ''Kate McShane.''

Stiller and Meara were members of the improvisational company The Compass Players, then started an act which led to 36 appearances on ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' and countless nightclub and theater appearances.

Stiller and Meara were the fourth married couple to receive a joint star on the Walk of Fame, after Sonny and Cher, television's Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, and radio's Fibber McGee and Molly (Jim and Marian Jordan), according to the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, which oversees the Walk of Fame.

Tony Danza on Broadway

February 09, 2007

Tony Danza has been in “The Producers” since mid-December, and he credits his Brooklyn-upbringing as one of the key reasons he’s able to play the role of Max Bialystock, the rapscallion who uses money from little old ladies to finance what he thinks will be a flop Broadway musical. How do you fill the shoes of a role played first and nearly the signature of a guy like Nathan Lane?

Mel Brooks says that the characters is a New Yorker first - and then he's Jewish. So why shouldn't Brooklyn-born-and-bred Tony Danza, now a budding song-and-dance man, step into Bialystock's shoes in the long-running Broadway musical?

''I am a New Yorker. It's just that I have been living in LA for 28 years,'' the performer says, talking with an outer-borough accent that suggests the man never really left his Italian roots behind. ''I am kind of finding my way back.''

Danza gave a great interview to the AP this week about his evolution - from sitcom star on ''Taxi'' and ''Who's the Boss'' to club performer to talk-show host to Broadway headliner (with his caricature now on the wall at Sardi's).

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Suicidal Robot Under Fire

Did you hear the one about the suicidal robot?

It sounds like the start of a great joke, but actually, it’s the latest in the merry-go-round of people offended by Super Bowl commercials this year. General Motrs Corp. said Friday it has agreed to edit the commercial, in which a quality-obsessed robot jumps off a bridge (in a dream sequence) after messing up on the job.

The world's largest automaker previously said it had no plans to change the spot, which is making the rounds online and is featured on the company's Web site. The ad made its broadcast debut during Sunday's NFL championship telecast.

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Tim Russert: Testifying Aint Fun

Tim Russert, an unrelenting interrogator as host of NBC's ''Meet the Press,'' said Friday it was painful having the tables turned on him by lawyers defending former White House aide I. Lewis ''Scooter'' Libby against perjury and obstruction charges.

The day after Russert spent five grueling hours on the witness stand in Libby's trial, the NBC newsman took questions in the much friendlier setting of an interview on the set of the ''Today'' show with his network colleagues. Asked how it felt to be on the other end of rapid-fire questioning, Russert said, ''It's a lot of easier to throw grenades than it is to catch them. I've got to tell you."

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Anna Nicole Smith, 1967-2007

February 08, 2007

Less than a year after the death of her son, the 39-year-old former Playmate of the Year (1993) died today after being found unconscious in her room at the Seminole Hard Rock Café and Casino in HOllywood, Florida.

A former topless dancer, Smith became a mega-celebrity in 2006 when the Supreme Court ruled that she deserved another day in court as part of a long-running feud over the estate of her ex-husband, oil Tycoon J. Howard Marshall II. Before that, she made a name for herself squeezing into Guess jeans and posing like Marilyn Monroe.

Daniel died September 10 in his mother's hospital room in the Bahamas, just days after she gave birth to a daughter.

An American medical examiner hired by the family, Cyril Wecht, said that Ms. Smith's had methadone and two antidepressants in his system when he died. Low levels of the three drugs interacted to cause an accidental death, Wecht said.

Meanwhile, the paternity of her now 5-month-old daughter remains a matter of dispute.

"Married with Children" (or Not)

We take no great joy in announcing the divorce of any television star, but it’s worth noting that 32-year-old David Faustiano, who played Budrick ''Bud'' Bundy on the popular TV sitcom “Married with Children,” filed for divorce Monday from his wife of two years, Andrea Elmer Faustino.

According to papers filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, Faustino cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split.

The two married in January 2004 and have been separated since May, according to the court papers. The couple had no children.

''Married With Children'' ran on the Fox network from 1987 to 1997.

JT: Kid’s Choice

February 07, 2007

Nickelodeon has announced that Justin Timberlake will host their 20th Annual Kid’s Choice Awards on March 31st. You can just hear a million little girls squealing.

The awards show, which routinely draws scores of celebrities to get large tubs of green “slime” poured on them (a hold-over from the network’s humble beginnings when it aired the Canadian gem “You Can’t Do That on Television.”)

Execuitve VP of Development and Programming for Nickelodeon, Marjorie Cohn said, "We're celebrating Kids' Choice's 20th anniversary in record-breaking Nickelodeon style, which means this will be the biggest, loudest, messiest spectacle in the show's history, and Justin Timberlake is just the superstar to lead the fun."

The “SexyBack” pop singer (turned actor) is perfect for the part, as he is, according to Cohn, "a big kid at heart, and kids love that about him. He's a Kids' Choice Award winner, presenter, performer and slime recipient. Best of all, he's a great sport who's always game for anything."

Timberlake was less subtle: "There's nothing like Kids' Choice for 'un-adult-erated' fun. While honoring kids' opinions, it taps into the kid in all of us."

TrimSpa, Baby…

February 06, 2007

Well, this was bound to happen eventually…

Former Reality-TV-Princess Anna Nicole Smith and TrimSpa Inc. have been sued in a class-action lawsuit alleging their marketing of a weight-loss pill is false or misleading.

Janet Luna and three people identified as her guardians were named in a lawsuit filed Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court. The lawsuit alleges deceptive business practices and a violation of California's unfair competition law. They are asking for unspecified damages, restitution and an injunction preventing Smith and New Jersey-based TrimSpa, maker of TrimSpa X32, from making claims that users of the pills can lose substantial amounts of weight.

Smith, 39, has endorsed TrimSpa and is a spokeswoman.

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Peacock Gets New President

In the interest of full disclosure, our little site is the brainchild of our parent company, Bravo TV, which is owned by big Granddaddy NBC Universal. And the entire operation is owned by the good people at GE.

Earlier today, Jeff Zucker announced his appointment as president and CEO of NBC Universal. He succeeds veteran television executive Bob Wright, who will become a vice chairman at GE after more than two decades of running NBC.

''Jeff Zucker is a terrific talent and the right person to guide NBC Universal on the next stage of its growth,'' Jeffrey Immelt, GE chairman and CEO, said in a statement. ''Jeff's 20-plus years with NBC give him deep knowledge of the company's strategy, people and culture. In the past few years, Jeff has shown that he is an energetic, focused leader who can rise to a challenge.''

In addition to directing NBC's attempts to revive its prime-time fortunes, Zucker is in charge of a stable of networks including USA, CNBC, MSNBC, Bravo, Sci Fi and Telemundo. The company also owns the Universal theme parks in Florida and California.

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The Super Bowl Ads

February 05, 2007

We had our own SuperBowl party here at Brilliantbutcancelled. And we still don’t know who won. During the game, we had a marathon of “Dead Like Me.” We kept a separate TV on, so that we could watch the ads. Multi-tasking: it’s what being a TV geek is all about.

Overall, we thought hte the ads were safe this year, even the "manly guys don't make out" ad from "Snickers" (pictured above) made us roll our eyes. Nothing really grabbed our attention.

The most noticeable change in this years ads – the YouTube-ification. Several amateurs got their shot at SuperBowl ad glory, by winning contests sponsored by Doritos (Pepsi/FritoLay) and General Motors. Adhering to the usual “guy sees pretty girl” and “boys are doofuses for cool cars” shtick, the ads are just more in the increasingly pile of evidence that we’re about five minutes away from television and the internet being “all the same thing.”

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"High School Musical" Redux

It was one of the biggest entertainment phenomenons of 2006, and it was a shock to pretty much everyone. The success of ''High School Musical'' vaulted the Disney Channel into a tie with USA for top-rated cable network in prime time last year.

The movie's soundtrack sold nearly 4 million copies in the U.S. and was the year's top-selling compact disc, even though you probably never heard songs like ''We're All in This Together'' unless you were a kid around 12 years old or a parent of one.

''We have seen clearly what our audience responds to,'' said Gary Marsh, Disney Channel's entertainment president. ''The challenge is not to fall into the trap of taking the easy way out and making the same kind of thing.''

It's not that people aren't watching closely. When Disney posted 10 questions on its Web site last month asking fans to influence what was in the ''High School Musical'' sequel -- things like choosing which dessert Zeke buys for Sharpay and which ''Hannah Montana'' star should appear in the movie -- more than 27 million votes were cast in 20 days.

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Cartoons Banned in Boston

February 02, 2007

Well, not yet, but the citizens of Boston are angry. To help soothe nerves, Phil Kent, chairman and CEO of Turner broadcasting – home of the Cartoon Network – apologized to the city in full-page ads for ''the confusion and inconvenience'' caused as highways, bridges and river traffic were shut down in several areas while police checked out the signs, some of which had protruding wires.

''We never intended this outcome and certainly did not set out to perpetrate a hoax. What we did is inadvertently cause a great American city to deal with the unintended impact of this marketing campaign. For this, we are deeply sorry,'' Kent said.

''Our focus today and in the days ahead is on demonstrating to you the sincerity of our desire to do what is right. What happened in Boston is a humbling reminder that reputation is something we earn every day. We are working to regain your respect,'' the letter said.

Turner spokeswoman Shirley Powell said the company is in discussions with Boston city officials on how to best make amends.

Guess how? $$$ of course.

Mayor Thomas Menino has estimated the costs in Boston alone would be more than $500,000. Costs incurred by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, state police and the cities of Cambridge and Somerville could amount to another $500,000, officials said.

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Brokeback Bounty Hunter

A woman threw the book at Duane ''Dog'' Chapman, alleging that a member of the TV star’s team threw her down a flight of stairs and broke her back while her boyfriend was being apprehended.

Ouch!

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Audrey Emery and seeks unspecified damages. Two other plaintiffs, including the boyfriend, seek damages from the bounty-hunting team in the same lawsuit.

Emery accuses an associate of Duane Chapman of injuring her at her Pearl City apartment on Jan. 26, 2005 in the course of arresting Stuart Calistro and filming for the A&E reality series ''Dog the Bounty Hunter.''

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Patrick Dempsey: Not Pregnant

That's because his wife had twins for him, Jillian. And guess what! He shockingly named the two baby boys: Isaiah and T.R!

Kidding. But wouldn’t that have been brilliant?

The two youngest Dempseys are actually named Darby Galen and Sullivan Patrick. Besides Darby and Sully (We just coined that nickname!) the Dempseys have a 5-year-old daughter named Talula.

Is it us or does this couple have a flair when it comes to names?!

Hitting on the Hoff

February 01, 2007

Been a while since we had an item about David Hasselhoff. And we apologize for that. He's brilliant but cancelled gold. From "BayWatch" to "Knight Rider," he's always been one of TV's greatest names.

So, we were clicking around the web when we discovered (in a spree of meta) an article at celebritywonder.com that "the Hoff" loves to search the internet for his name … even if the search reveals unpleasant puns and jabs at the hirsute n’ senescent Bay watcher.

Hoff told Britain’s Nuts Magazine:

"I spend a lot of time surfing the net looking at people having fun with me. Have you seen 'Wax on Wax Hoff'? Go to www.waxhoff.com and you can actually wax my chest hair. It's had six million hits. It's hysterical."

We did. It is. You must.

He also seems to have a very good attitude about being a celebutard, something some of his “I-vant-to-be-alone” peers don’t seem to have.

"Anyone who complains about being a celebrity I laugh at.” He told Nuts, “A real hero faces his problems and conquers them. It's an honor to have this level of credibility. Whether people make fun of it is not important. I have the respect of myself, my children and my parents. If you can say that then you should be a happy person."

To get more of your Hoff fix, go here.

Pulling Out the Big Gunn

It's rare that we hear someone shout "Stop the Presses" here at Brilliantbutcancelled. But we were all set to write about Tim Gunn's acting debut on tonight's episode of “Ugly Betty,” when our intern came in with a press release.

The secret is out: Tim Gunn will be leaving Parsons School of Design, where he has worked for the last 23 years to take a job as Chief Creative Officer (CCO) of Liz Claiborne!

Claiborne’s CEO William L. McComb had to say about our Tim:

"While we knew of and had great respect for Tim through his work at Parsons, we like many Americans got to know him even better through Bravo's ‘Project Runway.’ Tim knows we fully support his Bravo projects, including his own upcoming series ‘Tim Gunn's Guide to Style.' In fact, it is his involvement in these initiatives and the design world at large that will help keep Tim vital in this new role."

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