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ABC Cancels 'Dream Vote'

March 30, 2007

Mike Duffy called it: "a festival of cheerfully innocuous, sentimental nonsense."

And David Bianculli stated: “My dream vote would be for the broadcast networks to stop making these second-season tossaway reality shows."

Well, he got his way. ABC yanked “The Great American Dream Vote” after only two episodes.

The Donny Osmond-led reality series earned first a 1.9 rating among adults 18 to 49, and then a 1.5 rating.

All is not dark at ABC, though. The new drama “October Road” is pulling down high rating, despite critical panning. And things are holding up well for the folks at “Dancing with the Stars” – which is regularly scoring in the high fours.

No decisions have been made for the longer term on what will fill the hour left by “Dream Vote.”

George Clooney: Not the Perp

If you’ve been on the internet for more than fifteen minutes in the past few weeks, you’ve seen the clips of Lily Tomlin and David O. Russell going bananas on each other.

Yesterday, both radaronline and Defamer.com had claimed that George Clooney (who also famously can’t stand David O. Russell) leaked the clips to the internet. The sites noted that Clooney, who had a well-publicized fight with Russell on the set of the film ''Three Kings,'' is currently working with sound mixer Ed Tise, who also worked on ''Huckabees.''

George Clooney personally responded to rumors by sending a personal note to both sites.

Neither had a role in the clip's release, Clooney said.

''Contrary to popular opinion, neither the sound man, Ed Tise, nor yours truly sent in the David O. Russell tape,'' Clooney wrote in the note released by his publicist, Stan Rosenfield. ''I saw it when we were working on 'Ocean's 12,' and there have been quite a few copies traveling around town for the last couple of years. Any rumor that either of us put it on the Internet is simply false. And I'd offer a million bucks to anyone who would prove otherwise.''

Alec Baldwin: Class Act

We’re well on record as loving Alec Baldwin. We love his crazy foray into comedy, and his apparent glee in his role on “30 Rock.” And now he’s added another reason to love him – in a turn that puts him into category of “serious class act.”

Baldwin was so moved by a March 4 New York Times story about Pvt. Resha Kane's last day with family and friends before going for training to prepare for serving in Iraq that he - not his people - tracked down Kane's mother at a discount store where she works to offer his assistance, his spokesman said.

''I didn't know what to say,'' Kane said. ''And then I asked him if he could send me his autograph. I've never met a star, let alone talked to one on the phone.''

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Al Gore: Emmy-Winner

March 29, 2007

Oscars, Emmys, Vice President of the United States. That Al Gore is really something…

Al Gore will receive an honorary International Emmy award recognizing his role in launching the interactive Current TV channel.

The International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences said this week that it will present the award to the former vice president in a Nov. 19 ceremony in New York.

The Founders Award is presented to a person or organization ''which crosses cultural boundaries to touch our common humanity,'' academy president Bruce Paisner said in a statement.

''We in the media industry are honored that one of the world's leading political figures has joined our global community of broadcasters,'' Paisner said.

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Debate Over “Web Emmy” Honors

When cable television was allowed into the Emmy voting pool in 1987-1988, it was kind of a big deal. Up until that point, the Cable Ace Awards were the order of the day – (remember those?)

But with the invention of media that is created to be screened solely over the internet (or even your cellphone) – what kind of Emmys should be given? (Admittedly, some have already claimed Emmys – including the charity concert Live 8 on AOL.

Whether there will be more honors any time soon, however, remains to be seen. The companies scrambling for ways to profitably mate TV and the Web are glad to submit digital fare for Emmy consideration; the fear and loathing broadcasters had for nascent cable has no place in this synergistic world.

But the TV academies that dispense Emmys are at odds over the issue, with the dispute even landing in court. The East Coast group wants to accelerate the move toward broadband awards while the West Coast one favors a deliberative pace.

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Oprah Hits 'The Road'

March 28, 2007

It’s always newsworthy. People wait for it like Moses waiting for the ten commandments. Every once in a while, Oprah announces the next book for her club.

It’s not a happy one this time. Oprah has chosen Cormac McCarthy's ''The Road,'' a bleak, apocalyptic novel by an author who rarely talks to the media.

''It is so extraordinary,'' Winfrey said Wednesday. ''I promise you, you'll be thinking about it long after you finish the final page.''

McCarthy, 73, is known for novels such as ''All the Pretty Horses'' and ''Blood Meridian,'' and has been widely cited as an heir to William Faulkner for his biblical prose and rural settings. Critic Harold Bloom, famous for his discerning taste, has called McCarthy one of the greatest living American writers, along with Don DeLillo, Philip Roth and Thomas Pynchon.

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Punk'd is So Over

March 27, 2007

Frankly, we had no idea that it was still on – but it turns out that Ashton Kutcher's show, ''Punk'd,'' is coming to an end after eight seasons on MTV.

“Candid Camera” did it better, but you know the drill…attractive young celebrities fall victim to practical jokes, and then Kutcher jumps out and laughs at them. Among those who’ve been made to feel foolish: Justin Timberlake, Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey, and Frankie Muniz.

The final season premieres April 10, but all eight new episodes will air back-to-back during a ''sneak peek marathon'' April 7, Viacom Inc.'s MTV announced Monday.

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Teletubbies: National Heroes

New Yorkers love to celebrate…pretty much anything, and that’s why we weren’t at all surprised to learn that Mayor Michael Bloomberg will be giving out a key to the city this weekend – to the teletubbies.

Now, don’t get us wrong – it’s not like the furry little creatures don’t deserve it. The show is pleasingly simple, educational, wonderfully british, and has kept children entertained for 10 years.

So, what’s the question that producers and creators get more than any other? Creator Anne Wood told Reuters, “Whether Tinky Winky is gay or not is still the most frequently asked question that we get."

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Mason and Shatner and Shiller, Oh My!

March 26, 2007

Marilyn Manson should probably get his own TV show. Gene Simmons, Ozzy ... why not? But until then we can watch appear as a guest on Henry Rollins' show.

Season 2 of "The Henry Rollins Show" returns to IFC on April 13.

More exciting are the other guests: Ben Stiller (cool) and William Shatner (the coolest).

Loni Anderson: Really Good Receptionist

We're going to have to start watching a lot more shows on TV Land. Especially since we're big fans of Loni Anderson. Yes, Loni of "WKRP in Cincinnati"-fame.

TV Land announced a new fall show (premieres October 10) where actors will recreate real-life version of their roles from classic television shows. So Loni will get a job as a receptionist. And Harry Anderson of "Night Court"-fame will get a job at a real-life courthouse.

Sounds a lot better than Erik Estrada trying to be a real cop. Okay, so maybe it's not that different. But at least legalities and civil rights and crime are not invovled.

Regis Philbin Can't Sneeze

March 23, 2007

He called in to his own show, ''Live With Regis and Kelly,'' on Friday to report that he's in pain, but doing well, after his recent heart bypass surgery.

''Well, you know, I think I'm through the worst of it,'' Philbin told co-host Kelly Ripa. ''I guess I was a little unprepared for, you know, the first week and what they actually do to make this thing happen _ and so, some of it came as quite a shock.''

Philbin, 75, said he's in pain around his heart, back and leg where doctors took some arteries for the bypass.

He said it especially hurts when he sneezes.

''Other than that, I'm dancing, I'm having fun,'' said Philbin, who is expected to return to the syndicated daytime talk show in about a month.

Philbin says painkillers have kept him up at night, causing him to ''wander around the house'' and say some strange things.

''Last night I was yelling _ I'm a little embarrassed to tell you this _ but I was yelling, 'I haven't had sex in 3 1/2 months!''' he said.

Marlon Brando's Booty Benches

Representatives of Brando's estate are suing two furniture companies and a retailer over the sale of a home theater chair called ''The Brando.''

The lawsuit, filed Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court, claims misappropriation of the name of a deceased celebrity. The actor died in July 2004 and permission wasn't obtained to use his name, the estate claims.

The estate's representatives are asking for unspecified damages and a court order to halt the sale of any more goods using the Brando name.

The chairs are being sold by Southern California-based City Leather Inc., Winnipeg, Manitoba-based Palliser Furniture Ltd. and North Carolina-based Palliser Furniture Corp.

Jason Brainard, vice president of City Leather, said officials at his stores were told to stop using the Brando name when selling

Laverne and Shirley: The Return

March 22, 2007

We're totally freaking out.

There isn't one person who works at Brilliantbutcancelled who isn't a big, wicked, nutty fan of "Laverne and Shirley." And so, we went a little nuts yesterday and broke out our party hats when tvweek.com broke the news that Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams are in talks to do a reality television show based on their 1970’s hit “Laverne and Shirley.”

In it, the ladies would live together at Marshall’s house and go about their daily lives. Seriously, the real adventures of Laverne and Shirley – does it get any more meta and television reality fabulous than that?!

It wouldn’t be the first spin-off for the ladies: does anyone remember the 1981 animated Saturday morning series: “Laverne and Shirley in the Army” – (seriously, it had a talking pig drill sergeant named “Squealy” – that’s spin-off gold, folks.)

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Regis Doin’ Okay

Quick update on Regis Philbin’s heart bypass surgery:

Kelly Ripa says her co-host on ''Live With Regis and Kelly,'' is back home after having heart bypass surgery last week.

Ripa revealed on Wednesday's show that Philbin, 75, had been released from the hospital two days ago. ''We were sworn to secrecy, I don't know why,'' she said.

''So you couldn't even mention it to me?'' asked comedian Howie Mandel, who was filling in for Philbin. Ripa replied: ''I don't know if I can mention it to you now!''

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ABC Renews Eleven Series

March 21, 2007

Word from TVweek.com today, is that ABC has renewed eleven of shows that have, until now, been missing orders for a second season. The shows, including freshmen series "Brothers and Sisters" and "Ugly Betty" will return in the fall for a fresh season. Which means everyone keeps their jobs.

Two shows that more than likely had cast and crew wondering about their futures (in tv lingo -- it's called "on the bubble") were "Boston Legal" and "Men in Trees." Certainly, everyone must be breathing a sigh of relief on the set.

The pick-ups also included "Lost," "Desperate Housewives," "Dancing With the Stars," "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," "Jimmy Kimmel Live," "Grey's Anatomy" and "The Bachelor."

ABC was quick to point out that though several shows did not make the list ("Knights of Prosperity" and "In Case of Emergency") -- viewers should not mistake them for entirely missing. Sophomore drama "What About Brian," which has averaged a 2.6 rating this season, was also left off the list.

The President of ABC had this to say: "We have had a strong year, with two of the season's breakout hits, 'Ugly Betty' and 'Brothers and Sisters,' and the solid performance of 'Men in Trees. We are pleased that viewers have invested in these new favorites along with our other returning series. These shows provide us with a substantial foundation to make 2007-08 our best schedule yet."

Oh yeah, they'll also be bringing back "America's Funniest Home Videos," "Supernanny" and "Wife Swap." For more on those, check out posts by our "Anonymous Critic."

“Dukes’ Concert Cancelled

March 20, 2007

Yes, the confederate flag is pretty much a symbol of racial bigotry. And yes, Tom Wopat and John Schneider played fictional characters on a television show in the early 1980s. And yes, the car they drove had a confederate flag on it.

But here's where it gets a little crazy. It's 2008, and neither man spends any time waving any confederate flags. Still, they're not allowed to perform in Cincinnati.

John Schneider says the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra canceled a planned ''Dukes''-themed appearance after contracts were signed because some in the community found the show racist and offensive.

''It's a huge shock to me that in this day and age people could be so narrow-minded, especially professional people,'' Schneider said Friday. Although he didn't want to start a feud over the decision, ''I would like for people to examine their motives, however, and their knee-jerk reactions to someone else's prejudice and bigotry.''

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Charwoman Sues Cartoon Family

March 19, 2007

She comes out and she mops up after the show, and among the lovable cartoon old-ladies, perhaps there is no other icon greater than the "charwoman" -- the unofficial mascot of "the Carol Burnett Show." So what greater honor than to have homage paid to her by the producers of the hit Fox comedy "Family Guy?"

Yeah, Carol Burnett doesn't see it that way. The actress has filed a $2 million copyright infringement lawsuit against 20th Century Fox, claiming her cleaning woman character was portrayed without permission.

The U.S. District Court lawsuit, which was filed Thursday, said the Fox show didn't have the 73-year-old comedian's permission to include her cleaning woman character, Charwoman, in an April 2006 episode.

The episode shows Charwoman as a porno-shop maid, and it uses what the lawsuit called an ''altered version'' of Burnett's theme music. The characters in the show also perform Burnett's signature ear tug, the lawsuit said.

Besides copyright infringement, Burnett alleges 20th Century Fox violated her publicity rights.

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Sam Waterston: Bi-Partisan

Well here's an example of fair and balanced celebrity star-turns.

Sam Waterston is putting his star power to work in backing a movement aimed at promoting the political center rather than the left or right.

The star of ''Law & Order'' told George Stephanopoulos on ABC's ''This Week'' he has joined Unity '08, a group that would like to elect a bipartisan ticket to the White House.

''There's a huge majority of the American people who are ready for this, who are not represented in the current system. And this is an opportunity for those people to speak up,'' the actor said.

''I think by its existence it will have a beneficial effect on anybody who's running for president, because they will be obliged to look over their other shoulder at the center, and not simply address the partisan factions that have so much sway in primaries,'' Waterston said.

Road Rules: Middle East

March 16, 2007

A new reality TV show in the Middle East has a familiar set-up: Take a group of young adults, put them in an RV and film their every move as they drive across the United States.

But producers threw out out the formula of partying, petty fighting and outrageous physical competitions and instead focused on a loftier goal -- trying to bridge the cultural gap between Arabs and Americans.

''On the Road in America'' debuted earlier this year on the Saudi Arabian-owned satellite channel MBC. It follows four young Arabs -- three men and a woman -- as they travel from Washington, D.C., to California to discover the ''real'' America.

It was produced by a nonprofit company backed by a string of Washington heavyweights -- Republicans and Democrats -- including former President George H.W. Bush, who aim to fight negative stereotypes of America in the Arabic-speaking world.

The company, Layalina Productions Inc., has a board that boasts such names as former secretaries of state Henry Kissinger and James A. Baker III and former U.S. Representative Lee Hamilton.

But unlike the Bush administration's attempts to win over Arab hearts and minds through radio and TV stations here, Layalina, which means ''our nights'' in Arabic, is privately funded.

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Gabor's Husband Sues Bill O'Reilly

You may have seen the incident go down. Bill O’Reilly, sitting behind that round desk, says, “''Look, this guy's a fraud. We know he's a fraud. But let's - what I want to talk about is -- he's done. His credibility is -- is finished.''

He was talking of course, about such important matters as Prince Frederic von Anhalt, who is claiming that he may be the father of Anna Nicole Smith’s baby.

Since the show aired, von Anhalt said people give him dirty looks when he goes to the grocery store.
''They say, 'Look, here comes the fraud,''' he said. ''I get lots of e-mails from people bad-mouthing me. It's very embarrassing.''

And so, he has sued both Fox and Bill O'Reilly.

Von Anhalt, who is married to Zsa Zsa Gabor, filed the defamation lawsuit seeking at least $10 million in damages Wednesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

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Daytime Emmy Nominations

March 14, 2007

The Daytime Emmy Award Nominations were announced this morning. The highlights are brief: “Guiding Light” picked up the majority of daytime soap noms, while soon-to-retire game show host Bob Barker picked up his chance to win his 18th Daytime Emmy.

CBS soap opera ''Guiding Light'' captured a leading 17 nominations, while another CBS soap, ''As the World Turns,'' got 16.

New ''Today'' show host Meredith Vieira was nominated for hosting the syndicated ''Who Wants to Be a Millionaire'' and may be recognized in another category: A new award for morning shows such as NBC's ''Today'' is being established. Those nominations will be announced in April.

''There's so much talk and feature material on the morning shows that has never been recognized,'' said Peter Price, president of the National Television Academy.

It's not a judgment that the network morning shows are no longer news programs, Price said. They still will be able to submit material for the News and Documentary Emmys.

The Daytime Emmys ceremony will be telecast 9 p.m. June 15 on CBS.

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Tori Spelling a Mom!

Big month for the Spelling-McDermott household. Former-90210 star Tori Spelling gave birth to a boy Tuesday morning.

The actress and her husband, actor Dean McDermott, welcomed 6-pound, 6-ounce Liam Aaron McDermott at a Los Angeles hospital, said spokeswoman Meghan Prophet.

The baby is the first for Spelling and the second for McDermott, who has a son from a previous marriage.

The couple wed in May 2006 and star in the reality series ''Tori & Dean: Inn Love,'' which premieres March 20 on
the Oxygen network. Ms. Spelling also starred in the short lived So NoTORIous in early 2006.

'Television Without Pity' Comes Aboard

March 13, 2007

When we miss an episode of "Heroes" or "Lost" (and can't wait for iTunes) there is only one place to turn: TelevisionWithoutPity.com.

So when our bosses at the mothership (Bravotv.com) announced today that they full-on bought the website for all things -- and all people -- TV obsessed, we asked one thing. Can we get the recaps sooner?

No answer yet, but we're happy about the expanded family anyway. Seriously, the site has crazy-detailed recaps that are better than most shows, and discussion boards that are savage -- and sometime sweet. Also part of the announcement is the addition of a few new shows to their recapping line-up. And one of them is a favorite, "The Wire."

The best part is that the same people who have brought you that site for many years are all staying on, running things the way they like it. (Did you know that the founders met in a chat room devoted to 90210? You hear that Corben? QueenEve? Mr. Vanity? Steinmiller...)

All in all, some pretty damn good news. Welcome to the family.

Viacom Sues YouTube

These were bound to start happening. This morning, Viacom (the owner of MTV, VH1, Comedy Central and other cable networks) took a swing at YouTube by filing a $1 billion copyright lawsuit against the video-sharing site and corporate owner Google Inc.

The lawsuit marks a sharp escalation of long-simmering tensions between Viacom and YouTube and represents the biggest confrontation to date between a major media company and the hugely popular site, which Google bought in November for $1.76 billion.

Last month Viacom demanded that YouTube remove more than 100,000 unauthorized clips from its site, and since that time the company has uncovered more than 50,000 additional unauthorized clips, Viacom spokesman Jeremy Zweig said.

A quick search of YouTube's site Tuesday turned up numerous clips from Viacom programs including segments from Comedy Central's ''The Daily Show with Jon Stewart'' and Nickelodeon's ''SpongeBob SquarePants'' cartoon.
In the lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in New York, Viacom says YouTube ''harnessed technology to willfully infringe copyrights on a huge scale'' and had ''brazen disregard'' of intellectual property laws.

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'High School Musical' on Ice

You only think we’re kidding.

''Disney's High School Musical: The Ice Tour'' will open August 31 in Lakeland, Florida, and travel to at least 100 cities in the next year, Disney officials said Tuesday.

'''High School Musical' has been a smash hit in virtually every area of the entertainment spectrum,'' said Thomas Schumacher, president of Walt Disney Co.'s Disney Theatrical Productions. ''The ice tour celebrates the fun and music in a whole new way.''

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Arthur Branch for President?

March 12, 2007

“Law and Order” star Fred Thompson is pondering whether or not to run for President. A former Tennessee Governor and more recently: supporter of Scooter Libby, the actor says that he is “giving some thought to it,” and “going to leave the door open'' on a 2008 Presidential bid.

''It's not really a reflection on the current field at all,'' he said.

''I'm just going to wait and see what happens,'' Thompson added. ''I wanted to see how my colleagues who are on the campaign trail do now, what they say, what they emphasize, what they're addressing, and how successful they are in doing that, and whether or not they can carry the ball in next November.''

Thompson, 64, said he was pondering a run after former Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker and other Tennessee Republicans began drumming up support for his possible GOP candidacy, citing his conservative credentials.

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TV News Not Calling Coulter

She’s good TV, you have to give her that.

Television news shows have always loved having Ann Coulter around because she’s blond and frisky and articulate and loves to say outrageous things.

But then last week she used a gay slur in reference to John Edwards during remarks to the Conservative Political Action Conference, and some on TV are wondering whether her shelf life is expiring.

Many were angered by her use of the ''f-word''. Coulter later said she considered it a ''schoolyard taunt.'' She said it was a joke about ''Grey's Anatomy'' actor Isaiah Washington saying he would seek counseling after using the word to refer to a fellow actor.

At least four daily newspapers have dropped Coulter as a columnist, citing her comment about Edwards.
Head-turning remarks are hardly anything new for the author of ''Godless: The Church of Liberalism'' and ''How to Talk to a Liberal (If You Must).'' In ''Godless'' last year, she wrote of World Trade Center widows: ''I've never seen people enjoying their husbands' deaths so much.''

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Who Wants The Simpsons Movie Premiere?

March 09, 2007

Darn movie isn’t opening until July, but we’ve seen the clever trailer for a year. No? And now a battle of the Springfields has begun: they all want to host a premiere.

City officials in Springfield, Oregon, accepted an invitation from 20th Century Fox to compete for the honor of hosting the premiere screening of ''The Simpsons Movie'' in July.

Fox publicist Gwyne Ortiz said Fox has asked 16 Springfields from Oregon to Massachusetts to participate.

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Wrestling with SpongeBob

Every week when the rating for cable arrive in our In Box at BBCancelled.com we shudder and pinch ourselves and wonder if it’s true.

Is wrestling really #1 and #2 still?

Is “SpongeBob SquarePants” really #5 and #10 and #14?

Yes, it’s true. Other than the hot movies that sneak into the top ten – such as Freaky Friday or The Bourne Supremacy – it’s all wrestling or SpongeBob.

Which only makes us wonder: What does Jerry Fallwell (he’s the guy who think Sponge and Starfish are gay, right?) think of this?

And where is the rest of America? Oh yeah, we’re watching “American Idol.”

(The full ratings: after the jump.)

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Prison Break Star: Manslaughter

Actor Lane Garrison was charged Thursday with manslaughter and drunken driving for a crash that killed a 17-year-old boy in his car last year.

The 26-year-old performer was accused of felony vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, felony driving under the influence causing injury to multiple victims and felony driving with a blood-alcohol level above the .08 percent legal limit causing injury. He also was charged with a misdemeanor count of furnishing alcohol to a minor.

He faces up to six years and eight months in prison if convicted.

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Katie Couric Needs Help

March 08, 2007

That’s the word from CBS today as they fired her executive producer and brought in a new head honcho. Ms. Couric, of course, is the well-paid anchor of “The CBS Evening News.” She was brought in after they lost Dan Rather to an internal squabble (as opposed to letting the man retire with dignity).

Then they replaced Rather with Bob Scheiffer, an old goat with a conservative streak but at least he held his own in the ratings. Ms. Couric has only been able to match Scheiffer’s ratings after an initial brush with huge numbers.

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2 Months Prison 4 Jason Wahler

Wahler, 20, star of MTV's ''The Hills'' and ''Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County,'' was also ordered to attend a one-day program at the Museum of Tolerance for uttering racial slurs during the September incident, authorities said.

Wahler is white. Two of the victims are black, authorities said.

According to prosecutors, Wahler was traveling in a car with friends when their vehicle was blocked by a tow truck attempting to move an illegally parked car.

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Star Jones: Talker

March 07, 2007

She must have an excellent publicist, that Star Jones Reynolds. Not only will she be appearing on an episode of “Law and Order: SVU” with Nancy Grace (see below), she’s landed her own daily talk show.

Court TV said Wednesday it had hired Reynolds to run a show about criminal justice issues that intersect with the pop culture world. The show, which has no title yet, will likely start early this fall.

It's a return to her roots for Reynolds, a lawyer who began her TV career as a legal commentator on Court TV in 1991. She was an original co-host with ABC's ''The View,'' starting in 1997, where she became acquainted with the glitz and glamour of show biz.

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Nancy Grace: Actress

We’ve all had it happen.

While watching a TV show, or even a movie, we suddenly get how serious the situation is because a newscaster we know from real life is reporting on the event. Add Nancy Grace to the Larry Kings and Deborah Norvilles of this ouevre.

In her first prime-time acting role, Grace will appear offering faux legal commentary during the season finale of NBC's ''Law & Order: SVU.'' She'll talk about a case involving a man charged with killing a woman and her baby.

(We have to admit we're desperately in love with Amy Peohler's impression on SNL).

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Zach Braff: Plenty of Cash

March 06, 2007

The seventh season of NBC’s “Scrubs” is still in question.

We work for NBC (they’re our parent company after all) and though we’ve not heard anything either way, we think the odds of the hit show not returning are pretty slim.

We know one guy who’ll be checking the trades to see whether or not it’s been picked up.

Zach Braff has made a deal that will make him one of the highest paid actors on television today. As long as the show comes back for a seventh season, Braff will make roughly $350,000 per episode for the 2007-08 season.

We’ve all been trying to determine our opinion of Zach Braff around here today. And we can’t actually get a consensus. We thought we’d open it up to you, dear readers.

Zach Braff: What do we think? Leave us a comment.

Jerry Springer’s Got Talent

That Jerry Springer. Always working on something.

The controversial talk-show host and ''Dancing with the Stars'' alum will be the new frontman of ''America's Got Talent."

Springer is ''the perfect ringmaster'' for the TV talent competition, Plestis said in a statement. ''To say the least, he is known for presiding over an unpredictable show where the unexpected is the typical order of each day.''
Springer has hosted ''The Jerry Springer Show'' for 16 years.

''I've been around some of America's most talented individuals on my talk show,'' he said, ''so I'll feel right at home hosting 'America's Got Talent.'''

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Battlestar Galactica: Renewed, But…

March 05, 2007

This is fair warning. If you haven’t seen the episode from Sunday, March 04, 2007, (we hadn’t), you don’t want to read any further. Unless you’ve heard (we had), in which case…you already know.

Spoiler Alert: Stop reading right now.

Starbuck is not a cylon. She's dead. The character, played by Katee Sackhoff, flew into a swirling cloud and died in a ball of fire. Rumors had, of course, been circulating that she was one of the secret robot bad guys, but it turns out, no…she was just a little nuts.

We’re on record as huge fans of the show, which has recently been renewed for a fourth season, and boasts an ever-increasing audience, despite a move from Friday to Sunday nights. This past week, we even got a chance to catch up with head writer and executive producer Ron Moore.

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George Lucas: TV Nerd

Over the weekend, “Star Wars” creator George Lucas declared what we’ve always known to be true.

Speaking at the Museum of TV and Radio, Mr, Lucas said “the future is in television,” and re-declared his decision to work in television, bringing the Star Wars franchise to the small screen.

According to tvweek.com, Lucas’ future plans include a 3D Animation series (set between Episodes 1 and 2 of the films, during the "clone wars,") and a live action series (set between Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back). The shows will be distributed by Lucasfilm Ltd.

"There's nothing on TV quite like this. I'm excited to push the boundaries of what can be done," he said.

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BBC and YouTube: A Match!

March 02, 2007

They’re kind of polar opposites of the news spectrum, but the British Broadcasting Corporation and YouTube have reached a deal that will allow excerpts of news and entertainment programs to be placed on the site.

The BBC will offer three branded channels on YouTube, the video-sharing Web site bought by Google last year, in a bid to raise its profile and drive extra traffic to its own Web site.

The broadcaster did not reveal the financial terms of the agreement but said it will also get a share of the advertising revenue generated by traffic to the new channels.

BBC Director General Mark Thompson said that YouTube was ''a key gateway through which to engage new audiences in the U.K. and abroad.'' YouTube attracts an estimated 70 million viewers each month.

One new channel, ''BBC Worldwide,'' will show clips from hit BBC programs including motor show ''Top Gear,'' spy drama ''Spooks'' and the nature documentaries presented by David Attenborough.

A second entertainment channel, ''BBC,'' will show clips and short features such as video diaries of actors on the popular ''Dr Who'' TV series.

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New Show for Pam

Good news from the NY Post this morning. Pam Anderson has a new TV show in the works! Yay! Sorta!

We’re fascinated by Pamela Anderson in the way that only TV-loving nerds can be. She’s a survivor, she’s down to earth, and she’s beautiful. She’s like a comic book super-hero secret identity. (nerd gold!)

And the even better news is that she's not going to have to try and be constantly funny – and constantly clothed -- like her last sad foray in the sit-com: “Stacked"!

The new as-yet-untitled show is a "fantasy-based drama" that takes place at a Malibu beach club and will be produced by some of her old "Baywatch" buddies. In other words: these guys will know what Pam does best. (Hint: Run around in a skimpy bathing suit looking for danger.)

We're thrilled! We're also sure Pam is thrilled too since she lives in Malibu and will probably be able to walk – or run in slow motion – to work.

Fifth Graders: Ratings Gold

March 01, 2007

Fox may have found a family-friendly hit to accompany ''American Idol'' after its new game ''Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader'' debuted to record numbers on Tuesday.

The show was seen by 26.5 million viewers, making it the most-watched series debut in Fox network history and the most popular debut of any series since 1998, according to Nielsen Media Research.

It's an almost irresistible television concept: quizzing adults on knowledge found in elementary-school textbooks, with real-life fifth graders standing by to offer help and serve up embarrassment.

The game's first contestant on Tuesday stumbled when asked what month Columbus Day is observed. The schoolkids knew the answer: October.

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Pastore Out of Step

Vincent Pastore, the big cherubic 60-year-old actor that played mobster “Big Pussy” on “The Sopranos” has dropped out of “Dancin With The Stars” after just one week of training.

"I didn't realize just how physically demanding it would be for me. Unable to put forth my best effort, I felt it appropriate to step aside and give someone else the opportunity," Pastore said in a statement Wednesday.

Still we are anticipating the return of “Dancin” on March 19th, which will feature the likes of former 'N Sync member Joey Fatone, country singer-actor Billy Ray Cyrus and Paul McCartney's estranged wife, Heather Mills.

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