Posts with tag Britney Spears
Posted Sep 10th 2008 3:40PM by Joel Keller
Filed under: Interviews, How I Met Your Mother, Reality-Free

Yes, I know:
I just spoke to Carter Bays a couple of months ago, right before
How I Met Your Mother's season finale. But there was so much news coming out about the show over the summer --
The Bro Code,
a wedding, self-contained episodes,
Regis -- that I felt I had to speak to him again before the fourth season started on Sept. 22.
(Well, I actually wanted to talk to both Carter and his show-running partner Craig Thomas, but, as usual, the mystery man was elsewhere. I've met him more than once, though, so I know he does exist.)
Anyway, I could have spoken to Bays at the CBS press tour party in July, but I wanted to get a bit more in depth, so we arranged a phone interview; that took place a couple of weeks ago, right after the third episode of the fourth season wrapped. He was a bit more evasive about those topics than he's been in the past, but he still provided me some good information about the upcoming season, the "haunting" singing voices of his male stars, and what it's like to see his show being played on an airplane. Interview is after the jump.
Continue reading Carter Bays of How I Met Your Mother: The TV Squad Interview
Posted Sep 4th 2008 10:38AM by Brad Trechak
Filed under: Awards, Reality-Free

It looks like after some divisiveness on the subject (including a
report confirming her non-appearance), Britney Spears will in fact be
making an appearance at the 25th MTV Video Music Awards this coming Sunday in Los Angeles. Britney has been nominated 16 times for VMAs but never won a Moon Man.
This year she has three nominations. With that, I don't know why anybody would think she wouldn't show up. I realize that many thought her last VMA appearance/performance was a trainwreck, but look at what she was going through at the time.
Britney does not have a performance scheduled and I would guess that her appearance will likely be more demure (if MTV is capable of such a thing). I presume she'll just be accepting the award (I think she'll win something. It would be a good career boost. Even Scorsese won an award eventually). Of course, I could be complete wrong. Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of MTV executives?
My question is: will Britney's appearance at the VMA's make you more likely to tune in?
Posted Aug 28th 2008 5:25PM by Kona Gallagher
Filed under: OpEd, Music and Variety, Awards

There's a difference between cheap, tawdry publicity stunts that are (pop) culturally significant and those that are just, well, cheap and tawdry. An example of the former is
Madonna's infamous VMA performance from 2003 in which she performed and locked lips with not only
Christina Aguilera, but
Britney Spears as well. An example of the latter would be basically anything involving
Katy Perry.
if you've walked past a TV, into a retail store or gotten into a car this summer, chances are you've heard Katy Perry's single, "I Kissed a Girl." There's an even bigger chance that if you just read that sentence, "I Kissed a Girl" is now going to be stuck in your head for the rest of the day. Perry is performing that song during this year's
VMA telecast on September 7th, and if you haven't already guessed, she's looking for a girl to kiss.
Continue reading Katy Perry plans to make out with a female celeb at the VMAs
Posted Aug 27th 2008 10:42AM by Kona Gallagher
Filed under: Programming, Celebrities, Awards

Look, I'm just going to go ahead and take credit for this one. Obviously Britney listened to me when I praised her for
her awkwardly funny VMA promos with this year's host, Russell Brand, and agreed that that was enough for this year. Her manager,
Larry Rudolph, has confirmed that despite reports, Brit will not be picking up the sparkly underwear from the cleaners in order to perform at this year's
VMAs.
Fans of unruly extensions and gum-smacking need not fear, however: there is still a good chance that Ms. Spears will make an appearance at the fête. Britney is nominated for Video of the Year for her single, "Piece of Me." Even though
Britney Spears has been nearly synonymous with MTV and the VMAs for most of her career, she's never actually won one of the coveted moon men, so I'm not sure how good her chances are of actually making an acceptance speech. Regardless, I wouldn't be surprised if producers still find something for her to do during the show; if there's one thing for which Britney can always be relied on, it's creating buzz. Well, that and
single-handedly keeping Cheetos in business.
The MTV Video Music Awards air on September 7.
Posted Aug 12th 2008 12:25PM by Kona Gallagher
Filed under: OpEd, Video, Music and Variety, Celebrities, Awards

We all know the story:
Britney Spears got divorced, shaved her head, beat a car with an umbrella, went to rehab for a little while, and generally acted in an unstable fashion in front of the paparazzi. Then, last year, she was supposed to put all of that behind her and reclaim her rightful crown as a pop princess by performing her new single, "Gimme More" at the
MTV Video Music Awards.
So she opened the show--but her performance was more befitting a zombie stripper than a multi-platinum artist. Things continued to go downhill for a while, until her dad stepped in. After that, it was better extensions, visits with her kids and guest spots on
How I Met Your Mother. It was good all around.
Now, after several months of relative stability, Britney may be ready for a comeback from her comeback. Along with VMA host
Russell Brand, Spears is starring in a couple of promos for the VMAs. The videos are after the jump.
Continue reading Don't call it a comeback: Britney's VMA promos - VIDEOS
Posted Aug 11th 2008 11:23AM by Kona Gallagher
Filed under: How I Met Your Mother, Celebrities, Casting, Reality-Free

Look, I don't know what it is, but I'm kind of obsessed with
Regis Philbin. Maybe it's the way his hair doesn't look like it's moved since 1956, or the way he doesn't even bother to hide the fact that he has no idea who half the people are who he interviews. The point is, I get really excited any time I come across some Regis news, so I'm totally psyched that he's set to
guest star on How I Met Your Mother.
Philbin is going to play himself on the sitcom's second episode of the season. Apparently the gang runs into him at Marshall's favorite NYC burger joint.
While having Regis Philbin on the show may not earn them quite the record-breaking ratings that
Britney Spears did, it does offer a distinct advantage: The possibility of one of
Neil Patrick Harris' famous Regis impressions. Harris, who has filled in for Philbin on
Live With Regis and Kelly on several occasions, is known for doing one of the best "Reeges" out there, and that, to me, beats staring at Britney's extensions any day.
Posted Jul 18th 2008 3:26PM by Joel Keller
Filed under: Industry, CSI, How I Met Your Mother, TCA Press Tour, Moonlight, Reality-Free

The first day of the combined CBS / CW / Showtime part of the tour kicked off with the executive session from CBS Entertainment president Nina Tassler. Before she got on stage, the network showed a montage of their shows. It was then I realized, "Boy, I really
don't watch anything on this network, do I?" I mean, outside of the Monday comedies and
The Price is Right, there isn't one show on the Eye net that I tune in on a regular basis.
Anyway, she addressed the departure of William Peterson from
CSI, just about right off the bat, giving the gathered writers a clue as to the nature of the character who will be coming in to fill his void. Oh, and Tassler is studying to become a cantor. For some reason, a reporter asked her about that.
Continue reading CBS executive session: Peterson's CSI departure, Moonlight fans, and a different sensibility - TCA Report
Posted Jul 10th 2008 8:22AM by Kona Gallagher
Filed under: Scrubs, Dirt, Casting, Reality-Free

I'm a sucker for stunt casting. Sure, it can get annoying after a while, (hello
Will & Grace) but I still love seeing a Michelle Trachtenberg on
Gossip Girl or a Britney Spears on
How I Met Your Mother. So I was really excited to read that
Courteney Cox has signed up to guest star on Scrubs this season.
Cox, who was most recently seen on her FX drama,
Dirt, is returning to the small screen for a three-episode arc as Sacred Heart's newest Chief of Medicine. The position was left open after Dr. Kelso (Ken Jenkins) retired at the end of last season. Since Cox is only going to be on the show for a handful of episodes, something tells me that she's not going to do well in her new position. Her character is said to "ruffle some feathers," and it sounds like she's ruffling the wrong ones right out the door.
Continue reading Courteney Cox goes straight to the top on Scrubs
Posted Jun 28th 2008 10:25AM by Brad Trechak
Filed under: Industry, OpEd, Celebrities, Reality-Free

Despite being panned for her performance at last year's MTV Video Music Awards, it seems that
MTV wants her back. the president of MTV Music Networks Van Toffler has been quoted as saying "Everyone deserves a second or third chance, right?"
Spears "Gimme More" performance at last year's awards at the Palms Casino Resort drew 7.1 million viewers according to Nielsen Media Research. It was the show's most talked-about moment.
This year's VMA's will take place at the Paramount Pictures Studios in Los Angeles on September 7th. The show's performances will occur on the lot's various sound stages, rooftops and faux city streets.
Honestly, doesn't Britney have enough money? Shouldn't she concentrate more on attempting to see her kids? She looked pretty out of it during the last show (which is probably the source of all the gossip) and it's time for her to take a long break. Unless, of course, she's being
prepared for the harvest.
Posted Jun 20th 2008 10:21AM by Brad Trechak
Filed under: OpEd, Celebrities, Reality-Free

You knew it was going to happen the minute you heard
she was pregnant. Jamie Lynn Spears, the star of Nickelodeon's
Zoey 101 and sister of pop star Britney Spears,
has given birth to a baby girl.
A friend of the 17-year-old star requested anonymity for this information. The birth has not officially been announced yet, although it seems to be on all the major news outlets. Who do they think they're fooling?
The article mentions that baby-daddy is Casey Aldridge, a pipe-layer from Liberty, Mississippi. Insert your own joke here. The couple is not yet married, but announced an engagement a few months ago.
Fortunately, the fourth and final season of
Zoey 101 was completed before Jamie Lynn became pregnant. Had she not become pregnant, would it truly have been the final season?
Mind you, this now frees up some time for Jamie Lynn. Maybe she can follow in her sister's footsteps and get a
guest spot on How I Met Your Mother?
Posted Jun 14th 2008 1:24PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Grey's Anatomy, Ugly Betty, Emmys, Reality-Free

Either an Emmy isn't worth very much these days, or Hollywood actresses are finding that the publicity from spurning a nomination is worth more than the nomination itself. First
Grey's Anatomy star -- and last year's Emmy winner -- Katherine Heigl removed her name from consideration for an Emmy in 2008, and now another has followed suit.
Lindsay Lohan is not submitting her Ugly Betty performance for Emmy consideration. What? You don't remember Lindsay's performance, those few minutes of a flashback when Betty recalls being used as a dodge ball target in high school? Yeah, Lindsay really put in Emmy-worthy work there!
This is so ridiculous when it comes to Lindsay. There was no chance she'd be nominated, so removing her name is a stunt. On the other hand, Heigl's move is a real slap in the face to the writers of
Grey's Anatomy.
Continue reading Lindsay Lohan bows out of Emmy consideration ... really
Posted Jun 6th 2008 11:59PM by Joel Keller
Filed under: How I Met Your Mother, Celebrities, Casting, TV Squad Awards

As if Britney Spears wasn't having a bad enough year, she is also now the TV Squad staff choice for the most egregious case of miscasting during this 2007-08 season. Yes, friends, for her turns as Abby on
How I Met Your Mother, Brit-Brit is the first recipient of The What the *#@#%! Were They Thinking? Award.
Competition for this one was pretty fierce. Michelle Ryan of
Bionic Woman barely edged Spears out on the readers' choice poll, and to me she seemed like the obvious choice; there were a lot of things wrong with
BW, but Ryan's stiff performance was probably the worst of what was wrong. But by an overwhelming margin, the Squadders thought Britney's casting was the worse offense.
Looking back on her appearances, I can understand the vitrol. It's not that she was awful on the show -- opinions about that are mixed. It's the whole idea and motivation behind her guest stint that most people seem to find so patently offensive.
Continue reading The What the *#@#%! Were They Thinking? Award: Winner - VIDEOS
Posted Jun 4th 2008 10:24AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Celebrities, Reality-Free

It's no secret that the country is in severe financial straits, especially people who are caught in the real estate merry-go-round where they find themselves unable to pay their monthly mortgage. Amazingly, someone as seemingly well-heeled and secure as Ed McMahon is one of those people struggling. Johnny Carson's sidekick on
The Tonight Show is on the verge of losing his Beverly Hills home through foreclosure.Published reports claim that
Ed McMahon's home on Mulholland Drive, part of the gated hilltop development called The Summit, has been on the market for sale since 2006. Unfortunately, moving real estate in a depressed market is very tough. Complicating matters for McMahon is the neighborhood, in particular, one neighbor:
Britney Spears.
Continue reading Tough times for Ed McMahon
Posted Jun 2nd 2008 3:03PM by Jason Hughes
Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Industry, Pickups and Renewals, Reality-Free

I'm sure I'm not the only one who assumed the HBO nightly series
In Treatment, featuring Gabriel Byrne, Blair Underwood, Josh Charles and Dianne Wiest among others, was pretty much going to be a done in one. I really enjoyed the tension they managed to create with essentially two or three people sitting in a room and talking, and while critical acclaim pretty much affirmed that I am brilliant (like I needed their help), the ratings didn't follow.
While official word on the show's fate still hasn't come, what is trickling around is that
HBO is this close to signing Law & Order: Criminal Intent executive producer Warren Leight (see me holding my fingers really close together), with the intention of putting him on
In Treatment should it get the pick-up, which ups the odds of said happening tremendously. I can't imagine the show costs a tremendous amount to produce, aside from paying the top-notch actors they brought on board. Aside from Byrne and Wiest, we'd likely be looking at a new cast of patients with all new conflicts.
Continue reading In Treatment not officially dead yet, may get Leight injection
Posted May 30th 2008 2:02PM by Joel Keller
Filed under: How I Met Your Mother, Heroes, Awards, TV Squad Lists, Reality-Free, TV Squad Awards

When Keith and I were discussing some of the awards that we were going to do for the TV Squad Awards, we initially thought that doing an award about miscasting was going to get us a ton of nominees. Then we started thinking about it, and we couldn't come up with too many names off the tops of our heads. It seemed like our readers were equally flummoxed, as our call for considerations got less nominees than many of the other categories. I guess casting directors and producers are doing a much better job these days, since it seems like Elizabeth Röhm-esque casting disasters are happening less often.
But some names did emerge, which I'll list after the jump. The Squadders will choose the winner, and you'll get a chance to select the Readers' Choice for this award in the poll at the end of the list. So, here are the four people whose casting made us wonder just what the heck people in Hollywood are thinking:
Continue reading The What the *#@#%! Were They Thinking? Award nominees
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