Posted May 9th 2008 2:00PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Awards, Reality-Free
She's an experienced host, an Oscar-winner, a Broadway star. But is
Whoopi Goldberg hosting the 62nd Tony Awards the answer for the struggling annual broadcast? The Tony Awards, which honors the best in Broadway theater is considered one of the four major entertainment awards, along with the Oscar, Emmy and Grammy. But the Tonys have been losing viewership year after year despite the stars lured onto the broadcast. After having no single host the past two years, CBS has tapped Whoopi to be the emcee for the June 15 live broadcast from Radio City Music Hall in hopes that she'll make a difference in the Nielsens. The last single host was Hugh Jackman in 2005.
While this is Whoopi's first turn as Tony host, she is well regarded for her four stints as Oscar hostess. At the most recent Oscars, when Whoopi was left out of the host-highlight clip package of years gone by, she was ticked off and talked about it the morning after on
The View. Perhaps doing the Tonys will be her way of sticking to the Oscars?
Continue reading Can Whoopi save the Tony Awards?
Posted May 8th 2008 3:36PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Late Night, Talk Show, Reality-Free
How hot is Craig Ferguson? By my thermometer, he's sizzling. His
Late Late Show has risen up to challenge Conan O'Brien in the Nielsens, he was the emcee at the
White House Press Correspondents dinner -- riffing on W. right to his face! -- and now the publishing world wants his story.
HarperCollins has signed Craig Ferguson to write American on Purpose, the story of his life from small town Scottish boy to big time talk show comic. The book is due to be published in the fall of 2009.
As the title suggests, a big part of the story is Craig's choice to become an
American citizen, which he did earlier this year. Craig said he hopes the book "...will inspire other alcoholic punk rock drummers from Scotland to find their true place in U.S. late night television." Well, I say to that, hooray! The talk show host also cracked, "I wanted to get the story down before I get so old I forget it and start believing the crap on Wikipedia."
Continue reading Craig Ferguson inks deal for memoirs
Posted May 8th 2008 11:06AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: OpEd, Daytime, Obituaries, Reality-Free
There are many, many good actors and actresses in daytime. Some shine brighter than others simply because they are so supremely talented that they raise the level of the drama they are creating. There are two women I'm writing about now. They are both daytime actresses of the highest order. One celebrated her birthday yesterday, May 7th. She's
One Life to Live's inimitable Dorian Cramer, actress Robin Strasser. The other, I'm sad to report, passed away last weekend. The incomparable
Beverlee McKinsey was famous for two characters: Iris Carrington on
Another World and Alexandra Spaulding on
Guiding Light. Ms. McKinsey, who'd retired from daytime -- and acting overall -- in 1992 (except for a brief cameo on
General Hospital) died on Friday evening from kidney failure after undergoing a transplant.
I remember vividly watching
Another World when Beverlee McKinsey was front and center. She was a dynamic actress, a real scene stealer. She commanded your attention as the spoiled, grown daughter of millionaire scion MacKenzie Cory, Iris, on
Another World. Her voice saying, "Daddy," is embedded in my memory.
Continue reading TV Squad Soap Report: Two of daytime's all-time best
Posted May 7th 2008 1:23PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: OpEd, Watercooler Talk, How I Met Your Mother, Reality-Free
One of the things that I love about
How I Met Your Mother -- there, I said it, I love the show -- is the mystery surrounding who "mother" is and whether we've already seen her on the show or is she still to be introduced. It's not just the
Lost fans that are watching scene by scene, shot by shot, frame by frame to uncover clues. Take this very cool
observation by a blogger at Seat42f.com.
If you look at the picture, the green boxes, you'll notice that the framed handwritten letter/poem/writing in the background of Stella's home (left), is the same as the framed letter/poem/writing behind the kids in the opening of the show. According to the blogger -- who has HD and studied the scenes closely, it's definitely the same artifact.
Continue reading Another clue in the search for HIMYM's Mother
Posted May 7th 2008 1:02PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Cable/Satellite, Game Show, Dancing With The Stars, Casting
He's an actor, a pin-up hunk, he's tried
Dancing With the Stars, and now he'll see what it's like to be a Jim Lange or Wink Martindale. Cameron Mathison has been tapped to host TLC's new game show
Your Place or Mine? Looking at those eyes, I'd let him redecorate my abode!
"I'm thrilled to be a part of TLC's first game show, and extremely excited about the fun concept," said Mathison. "I think both men and women, of all ages, are really going to enjoy the show because there's a little something in it for everyone." Yeah, TLC is pitching this as a family show. Hmm...we'll see. If it can capture the
Trading Spaces vibe, they may be on the right track.
Continue reading Cameron Mathison dances into game show role
Posted May 7th 2008 9:25AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Industry, Reality-Free
I don't know if this is good news or bad...
David E. Kelley may be checking out of Life on Mars, the ABC pilot based on the hit BBC crime/time travel drama. According to
Variety, the prolific Mr. Kelley --
Boston Legal, L.A. Law, Picket Fences, Ally MacBeal, The Practice,
Chicago Hope, etc. -- is unhappy with the financial arrangements and if things aren't worked out, he's going to move on.
Life on Mars was a terrific show. The UK version has played on BBC America, starring John Simm and Philip Glenister. Following the British model, the series lasted just two years -- 16 episodes total. In the ABC pilot, which Thomas Schlamme directed, Jason O'Mara (
Men in Trees) is playing Simm's role, Sam; Colm Meaney (
Star Trek: The Next Generation) is Gene. Kelley wrote the American variation on the story of Sam Tyler, a police detective in present day who awakens from a car crash to find he's living in 1973. Has he really gone back in time or is it all in his head?
Continue reading David Kelley may bail on Life on Mars
Posted May 7th 2008 8:39AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Industry, Ugly Betty, Reality-Free
I have to hand it to the producers of ABC's
Ugly Betty; they've re-created the look of New York City and Queens so effectively in the first two seasons that I thought they did film the show in the Big Apple. Well, no. They filmed the pilot in Manhattan and inserted a real location or two here and there, but the bulk of the series has been filmed in Los Angeles. (Although the
Wicked episode was clearly not a Broadway theater -- it was just too spacious!)
Now comes words that
the Ugly Betty production may actually pull up stakes and make New York its real home, complete with costumes, props, studio and stars. The ABC Studios are contemplating the relocation for financial reasons, including very lucrative tax credits. While that's good for the producers, it sucks for the crew. They won't be transported to the city; they'll be let go -- about 150 in all. But if you're a glass half-full kind of person, that's 150 new jobs for New York workers. As for the stars, this change isn't a big deal as most are from New York and aren't objecting to moving -- at least that's the word from ABC.
Continue reading Betty to bite the Big Apple?
Posted May 6th 2008 9:22PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: How I Met Your Mother, Pickups and Renewals, Reality-Free
Attention
How I Met Your Mother fans! There's a 99% chance that the show is returning for a fourth season. CBS still hasn't given the Monday night laugher an official pick up -- which they did for the freshman sitcom
The Big Bang Theory way back on February 15th -- ticking off many a comedy fan (including yours truly). Nothing against
Big Bang; I love the show. But was it more deserving of an early pick up than
Mother? Not to me.
Anyway, I had the chance to interview
How I Met Your Mother's Josh Radnor yesterday and the actor told me that the cast is definitely working on the assumption that they will be back next fall. When I asked him directly if the show will be renewed by CBS, he laughed and said, "I'm not worried, but who knows. It's television and stranger things have happened. We're doing better than we've ever done, although I kind of go to sleep when I read those Nielsen reports. I would think we are coming back. Yes, we are."
That was enough for Josh, but I needed more assurances. Call me needy. I pressed for evidence that Lily, Marshall, Robin, Barney and Ted are all going to be hanging out at McLaren's with me next fall, like usual. "I'll just say this, we are filming a cliffhanger. It's not like we wrap up the series."
Continue reading Josh Radnor on Mother's future: I'm not worried
Posted May 5th 2008 8:25PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Late Night, Celebrities, Reality-Free
Sarah Silverman, the star of
The Sarah Silverman Program, is fu*king Jimmy Kimmel, the host of ABC's late night talk show
Jimmy Kimmel Live. At least we assume so, considering they've been dating for years and kidding about their love story in public -- remember her video, "I'm fu*king Matt Damon,"
which he countered with "I'm fu*king Ben Affleck"? These two are a fun couple and seem to really have it together. However, don't look for Ms. Silverman to ever become Mrs. Kimmel.
Simply stated, Sarah Silverman told People.com
that she's vowed to never marry Jimmy Kimmel. Nothing personal, Jimmy, she just likes things exactly as they are and doesn't want to muck it up with rice, flowers, lace, cake, invitations and all the other wedding malarkey.
Clearly, little Sarah never fantasized about her parents walking her down the aisle, standing under the chuppa with her groom, and seeing the man of her dreams shatter a wine glass beneath his foot, all elements of a typical nice Jewish wedding for a nice Jewish girl like Sarah.
Continue reading Forget it! Sarah says she's not marrying Jimmy Kimmel
Posted May 5th 2008 1:04PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Dancing With The Stars, Gossip Girl
The new
Beverly Hills 90210 is busy casting and coming together, but it doesn't seem like any of the stars from the original Fox hit will be involved. Don't look for Brandon Walsh among the characters, at least not with the man who created him.
Jason Priestley admits that nobody from the new 90210 has even contacted him about an appearance. In a brief interview with momlogic.com, Jason said, "I'm certainly open to it. I loved working on that show. I loved everything I did on that show. I had so many jobs on that show, I loved it so."
On the other hand,
Priestley makes it abundantly clear that he has no interest in following in the dancing footsteps of two of his 90210 castmates, Ian Ziering and Jennie Garth, by joining
Dancing With the Stars. He just can't dance and he makes no bones about his inability to do a Fred Astaire or Gene Kelly turn. His hobby is on the race track, not the dance floor.
Continue reading Jason Priestley says no to dancing, maybe to 90210
Posted May 5th 2008 8:42AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Cancellations, Reality-Free
I'd like to say I'm surprised by this, but I'm not.
ABC has canceled Men in Trees. Despite being one of the genuinely sweet and funny comedy/dramas on the network -- one that's more rooted in reality than flights of whimsy and pretentiousness --
Men in Trees has struggled to find a home on ABC. It's been shuttled about from day to day, time slot to time slot, in and out of the line up so that it became a gypsy. How were you as a viewer to invest in the romantic adventure that Marin Frist was on in the wilds of Alaska when you weren't sure when the dang show was going to air? A failed attempt
to put the show on Lifetime back in March spelled doom for the show.
Continue reading Men in Trees axed by ABC
Posted May 4th 2008 9:21AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Daytime, Casting, Reality-Free
Is that Carlo Hesser I spy? It looks a lot like Hawk from
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century? Actually, it's both, and his name Thom Christopher. The veteran character actor, who most recently was Colonel Dax on
Guiding Light, is coming back to the soap that he's best known for,
One Life to Live. In 1992, he won a Daytime Emmy for this role.
Soap Opera Digest reports that Thom's will resume the role of Carlo Hesser, evil-doer extraordinare, on June 27.
Christopher's comeback comes on the heels of the major announcement, that is the
return of Andrea Evans as Tina Lord Roberts after a nearly two decade absence. And
One Life isn't done with the splashy returns. Susan Haskell, another former Emmy-winner (for her role as Marty Saybrooke), is also finding her way to Llanview. Never mind that her character plunged off a cliff in a van last year (when Christina Chambers played the part). You'll see, she was thrown from the vehicle and survived somehow. Trust me. Like sci-fi, soap opera deaths are not as final as you think.
Continue reading Another fave returns to One Life to Live
Posted May 3rd 2008 11:05AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Casting
So I was reading this press release about
a new CBS reality show called Greatest American Dog (working title). The network has just named a host of the
Greatest American Dog and his name is Jarod Miller. The show premieres on July 10. What caught my attention was this phrase, "Animated zoologist Jarod Miller." Now, maybe it was just me, but for a moment I envisioned Jarod Miller as Brian Griffin, the dog on
Family Guy. You know, an animated cartoon creation. After all, on
Family Guy, Brian is the most intelligent character, and he has co-hosted a radio talk show.
In fact, the only thing animated about Jarod is his enthusiasm for animals. He's a guy who really loves his job. He's been on talk shows galore, putting creepy crawlies on Rachael Ray and keeping snakes from slithering all over Jimmy Kimmel.
Continue reading CBS going to the dogs this summer
Posted May 3rd 2008 9:06AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Pickups and Renewals, Reality-Free
Do you love Tracey Ullman? Yeah, who doesn't? The lady's a riot. Showtime is so enamored of the Brit-com-queen that they've ordered a second season -- seven fresh episodes -- of
Tracey Ullman's State of the Union. The network has also lined up another English artist for 2009. Comedy star Marc Wootton is locked in for six episodes.
"I won't hold it against them that both are from the U.K.," laughed Showtime prez Robert Greenblatt. "Tracey Ullman is the veteran genius who continues to impress us with her versatility, while Marc Wootton is the up-and-comer who will surprise our audience with his own unique voice. This is an embarrassment of riches for us in the comedy department."
Continue reading Showtime likes the laughs, renews Tracey Ullman
Posted May 2nd 2008 1:01PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Casting, Reality-Free
This sounds like a stroke of genius. Make that two geniuses when it comes to comedy. Catherine O'Hara and Rob Thomas working together.
O'Hara has been cast as the lead in Good Behavior, one of three Rob Thomas projects in the works for next season (although he has stepped back from
Beverly Hills 90210 to concentrate on
Good Behavior and
Cupid). If the ABC dramedy manages to get picked up and O'Hara is heading up the project, they can count on me to tune in. Yeah, I said it. I'm committed if the
SCTV-vet is committed.
Catherine, who might be best known as Kevin's mother in
Home Alone and
Home Alone 2, is better known to comedy devotees for her brilliant work on
SCTV -- Lola "I want to have your baby" Heatherton, and the Christopher Guest mockumentaries like
Best in Show (she was Cookie Guggleman Fleck, the trampy wife of Eugene Levy, both of whom adored their terrier).
Good Behavior is based on
Outrageous Fortune, a New Zealand series about a criminal family. Catherine is Jackie West, the matriarch of the clan, and when her spouse is caught and thrown in jail for five years, she decides that it's time for the rest of the family to go straight.
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