For Ken Erhlich, executive producer of the Emmy broadcast, the goal is clear. "The war cry is always, 'What are we going to do and how are we going to make it better?' We did some inventive things, we changed it up, we understand that this is the industry's big night. This means something and we can't trivialize it, but we certainly can have some fun with it." He told me that last year, prior to the Emmy-in-the-round broadcast, a memorable -- and successful show.
In 2008, the decisions about the 60th anniversary Emmys are still in the works for the September LA broadcast, but one decision has already been made. It won't be in the round. While it looked good on air, the industry didn't like it. "People loved it at home. It had a great look, but you know, you try things, you want to bring something fresh to the show."
Hole in the Wall, this summer's latest Japanese game show ripoff, has announced its hosts. Actress Brooke Burns and L.A. weather anchor Mark Thompson will be presiding over Fox's version of human Tetris. Both have game show experience, with Burns having served as the host of Dog Eat Dog and Thompson providing the voiceover for Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?
Hole is being brought to America by American Idol producers FremantleMedia North America and came to be after clips of the Japanese version became hugely popular on YouTube. Ellen DeGeneres also got a kick out of the Japanese competition, not only featuring several clips on her talk show, but even going so far as having audience members participate in her own version.
For the first time in a long time, something was different about the Daytime Emmys. No, it's not that they're on in primetime; that happened years ago. What was different was the 35th Daytime Emmys opted to forgo the theater setting and seat the stars at round tables. As co-host (with All My Children's Cameron Mathison) Sherri Shepherd told the AP days before the AP, "Usually everyone is sitting in a row. This year, it'll be like a wedding. We're also going to do something so that fans will be able to get a view of what's going on at the different tables." That would be web video created by the actors at every table - table cam. Perfect for hams. The vids are at SOAPnet. For details about the show from the winners backstage, check out AOL.
So did the seating arrangements make a difference? Well, it depends. Those who were there probably had a better time because there was an open bar, just like the Golden Globes. For viewers, it still looked like the Daytime Emmys, including many familiar faces winning. After a strained attempt at comedy for the opening -- blending All My Children fictional characters with The View's real hosts -- the show commenced.
Her announcement is in response to this week's ruling from the California Supreme Court that everybody has a "right to marry" whomever they choose. The justices ruled that the state's ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional. It makes California the second state, after Massachusetts, that will allow same-sex marriage. The legal battle began in San Francisco when the mayor allowed same-sex couples to marry (Rosie O'Donnell and her partner, Kelly, married at that time).
All you kids who were out buying up posterboard and markers to make your "Ellen DeGENEROUS" signs so you could wave them at next week's Idol Gives Back special need to stop before you waste all that paper. Think green, people. Due to a scheduling conflict, Access Hollywood says Ellen DeGeneress dropped out of co-hosting the special. The special is set to tape this Sunday, and apparently that conflicts with production on her own show.
I think we need to make a controversy out of this. I'm going to say she dropped because Danny Noriega was eliminated from the competition and she thinks it was a homophobic move by producers. Now, run with it! I'd help but I need to keep my schedule clear and wait for that phone call. I've always wanted to meet Ashley Tisdale -- er, I mean Robin Williams, and Bono and other big names like that. You know, like Annie Lennox, Miley--I mean, Heart! ... Dammit!
So, AOL TV did a poll about America's favorite talk show hosts and 1.3 million people made their feelings known. Interesting results. I didn't agree with some of them, like who I like waking up with. Diane Sawyer was the top choice, but I'd go for the second place finisher, Matt Lauer. As for whom to go to bed with -- TV talk show wise, that is -- I can't believe most of the people chose Jay Leno. Is he really that popular? I prefer David Letterman; I'm a sucker for the Top Ten lists.
In a press release today, FOX announced that Ellen DeGeneres would again be taking on co-hosting duties with Ryan Seacrest for the 2nd "Idol Gives Back" special, airing Wednesday April 9 7:30 - 10:30 pm ET. Just like last year, Ellen will host from the Kodak Theatre while Ryan covers from the American Idol stage.
The talent roster continues to expand as well. The complete list (so far) now includes Maroon 5, Heart, Gloria Estefan, Boyz II Men and The Clark Brothers along with already announced Bono, Brad Pitt, Reese Witherspoon, Miley Cyrus, Mariah Carey, Eli Manning, Peyton Manning, Fergie, Chris Daughtry, Carrie Underwood, Annie Lennox, John Legend and Snoop Dogg. Most of these will be the pre-recorded "Give, give, give" but I'm looking forward to seeing Boyz II Men back in action.
Everyone knew that Regis Philbin is the king, now he'll have some extra hardware to prove it. Like a Lifetime Achievement Award from The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. At the upcoming 35th annual Daytime Emmy Awards, June 20 at Hollywood's Kodak Theater, NATAS will present the special honor to Regis, host of Live With Regis and Kelly, during the primetime ABC broadcast. There will be a salute to Regis, no doubt including Kelly Ripa and/or Kathie Lee Gifford, his daytime co-hosts over the years, but the details haven't been announced yet.
Ellen DeGeneres just can't stay away from controversy. Even though she hasn't done anything as ballsy as coming out (I guess you can't do that twice, can you?), which fortunately didn't tank her career, this year was a bang-up year for Ellen in the news. The first dog I am referring to in the title is, in fact, a canine. Did anybody not hear about Ellen's infamous dog story? Ellen adopted a dog from a dog agency called Mutts and Moms, and signed agreements at the time that if the adoption didn't work out, she would return the dog to the agency. I presume Ms. DeGeneres has signed contracts before, but maybe this one didn't count. Maybe this one didn't seem binding. Or maybe she was just in a hurry that day, and didn't actually read it. (MSNBC claims that DeGeneres didn't read the contract, and that her partner Portia de Rossi signed).
The pending writer's strike could mean a surge in demand for reality tv. That is the only reason I can think of why they might be giving Coolio his own reality show.
Kid Rock won't be charged for that "brawl" he was in at the VMA's.
Ellen DeGeneres will be the first celebrity "briefcase babe" on Deal or No Deal.
It's clear that Ellen DeGeneres didn't know what she was in for when she sobbed on her television show earlier this week about a dog rescue gone bad. Ellen cried as she told the audience how she adopted a dog from an animal rescue organization, but it didn't get along with her cats, so she gave it to her hairdresser. That violated the agency's adoption rules, so the agency took the dog away from the heartbroken hairdresser and her family. Ellen pleaded for the agency to return the dog and apologized for screwing up.
Then things got ugly. Fans of Ellen began harassing the rescue organization by sending angry--and sometimes threatening--emails. The owner of the organization said the threats scared her so badly that she closed her doors and stayed home on Wednesday.
On today's show, Ellen asks viewers to leave the organization alone. But she also says that she wants it to return the dog to the hairdresser because the woman's daughter is so attached to it.
Ellen DeGeneres is hoping the power of television and celebrity will give a little dog some special treatment. During today's show, DeGeneres breaks down and sobs as she tells the audience about her effort to find a good home for a dog she adopted.
Here's the story: last month, Ellen and her partner, Portia de Rossi, adopted a Brussels Griffon mix called Iggy. But Iggy didn't get along with the cats, so Ellen gave him to her hairdresser. It turns out, she violated the rescue/adoption agreement with Mutts and Moms, which promptly took Iggy away from the hairdresser. On today's show, Ellen pleads with the agency to return the dog to the hairdresser whose two daughters had become attached to Iggy.
It's pretty heart wrenching stuff- video after the jump.
Ellen DeGeneres is one hell of a trooper. Or she's crazy. You decide.
DeGeneres seriously injured her back over the weekend and is under doctor's orders not to get out of bed. So... she's going to conduct interviews from a hospital bed on her set. Her first guest is Ryan Seacrest and that bedridden interview will air today. She's also expected to explain what happened to her.
Not sure if it's because we're in sweeps, because Ellen loves her show, or because she's trying to outdo the recent Rosie O'Donnell/Elisabeth Hasselbeck news, but she's not letting anything sideline her. Take that, Regis!
*UPDATE: Ellen says she hurt her back while trying to pick up her dog. Isn't it crazy how something so simple can lead to major pain? People has photos of the bed-ridden host.
I thought Jon Stewart did a fine job as Oscar host, but I can understand them wanting to go with a more "traditional" choice. And with Ellen, I think the mainstream people get someone who they can enjoy (her daytime talk show is a hit) and the people who want their humor a little more wiseass will get their way too (people forget Ellen can be quite clever).
In this interview with TV Guide, DeGeneres promises not to suck, and also says that she's not going to copy what people in the past have done. Meaning, she's not going to put on the dance shows and dance a la Billy Crystal. She does say that it's going to be a little more fun and casual than most years.
And her favorite Oscars host was Johnny Carson, so that's a good sign.
Ellen DeGeneres has a new friend named Gladys, an 88-year old woman from Austin, Texas who is quick as a whip. At least, that's who she seems to be. But this Texas newspaper columnist thinks something is fishy. She and her co-workers tried to contact Gladys Hardy and not only could they not locate her, but they found out that the same 'Gladys' is a regular caller on some Texas morning radio programs. And she has a website. That's awfully prolific for an 88-year old woman. When the Texas reporter called Ellen's people, they said they've enjoyed their chats with Gladys but might not call her again.
How did this all come about? Well, 'Gladys' left a hilarious message on Ellen's company voicemail about the placement of a plant on the set and Ellen returned her phone call on air. She's talked to her once again since that episode and even invited Gladys to the show, but she declined. Hmmmm.
A clip of her talking to Ellen is after the jump. I think it's an actor/comedian who has duped Ellen. Watch it and tell me if you think Gladys is a fake.
For Ken Erhlich, executive producer of the Emmy broadcast, the goal is clear. "The war cry is always, 'What are we going to do and how are we going to make it better?' We did some inventive things, we changed it up, we understand that this is the industry's big night. This means something and we can't trivialize it, but we certainly can have some fun with it." He told me that last year, prior to the Emmy-in-the-round broadcast, a memorable -- and successful show. 
For the first time in a long time, something was different about the Daytime Emmys. No, it's not that they're on in primetime; that happened years ago. What was different was the 35th Daytime Emmys opted to forgo the theater setting and seat the stars at round tables. As co-host (with All My Children's Cameron Mathison) 
On today's episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Ellen will announce that 
All you kids who were out buying up posterboard and markers to make your "Ellen DeGENEROUS" signs so you could wave them at next week's Idol Gives Back special need to stop before you waste all that paper. Think green, people. Due to a scheduling conflict, Access Hollywood says 
So, AOL TV did a poll about 
In a press release today, FOX announced that 
Everyone knew that 
It's clear that Ellen DeGeneres didn't know what she was in for 
Ellen DeGeneres is one hell of a trooper. Or she's crazy. You decide.
I thought Jon Stewart did a fine job as Oscar host, but I can understand them wanting to go with a more "traditional" choice. And with Ellen, I think the mainstream people get someone who they can enjoy (her daytime talk show is a hit) and the people who want their humor a little more wiseass will get their way too (people forget Ellen can be quite clever).
Ellen DeGeneres has a new friend named Gladys, an 88-year old woman from Austin, Texas who is quick as a whip. At least, that's who she seems to be. But this 
Doctor Who panel - Comic-Con Report
NBC's Kings panel - Comic-Con Report
The Dharma Initiative wants you - VIDEO - Comic-Con Report
