TVSquad

If you're anything like me (first of all, God help you), then you've noticed that The Jay Leno Show is slowly starting to morph into the old Tonight Show.

Thankfully, Deal or No Deal host Howie Mandel finally put the last nail in The Jay Leno Show's coffin by giving the big faced host his own desk.



[via The Hollywood Reporter]

I'm not really sure if there's anything else to say about this clip from GSN's upcoming 2009 Game Show Awards (this Saturday at 8). It's 70s pop culture icon Charo presenting at the ceremony as well as taking on Jeopardy champ Ken Jennings in a trivia contest that is obviously tilted in her favor.

Maybe my home town should offer tax incentives to the networks. It's working for Connecticut. Not only did NBC announce that the half-hour syndicated version of Deal or No Deal is returning for a second season with host Howie Mandel, but it will be relocating and filming in Connecticut.

I guess with a game show it doesn't matter where you film since it's the same set all the time, but are there as many incredibly gorgeous chicks in Connecticut as there are in California? Isn't Cali where they all go to see their dreams of being an actress reduced to standing on a stage next to a briefcase?

Two stars from two of NBC's most popular shows are in the hospital, and at least one of the cases sounds serious.

Deal Or No Deal host Howie Mandel was rushed to the hospital in Toronto for an irregular heartbeat. He was admitted to the hospital just so they could monitor him and do some tests. He's expected to be released from the hospital later this afternoon.

The other person in the hospital is Law and Order: SVU star Mariska Hargitay. She reportedly suffered a collapsed lung around the holidays, according to a spokesperson (who says it was a "partially" collapsed lung). There are conflicting reports as to how it happened, either by sledding or some other way, but TMZ says that the lung collapsed for a second time and had to be inflated again. She was nominated for a Golden Globe the other night.

By the way, Mandel is in Toronto to film scenes for his new hidden camera show Howie Do It.

As far as we can tell, here are the responsibilities for hosting Deal Or No Deal:

1. Repeat the painfully obvious rules of the game over and over and over.

2. Loudly announce the names of pretty ladies holding suitcases.

3. Pretend that a game requiring absolutely no skills whatsoever requires skills when choosing numbers in a logically devoid random order.

4. Convince fully-grown adults that you're not pretend-talking on the phone to a villainous, money-hungry banker.

5. Never ever touch the palm of another human being.

What the...? Deal or No Deal has 200 episodes under its belt? It seems like only two years, 10 months and 46 days since the show premiered on NBC. Never in the history of game shows has a simple concept like that of Deal been stretched and bent in order to keep the format fresh. There were two-hour episodes, audience participation episodes, episodes that focused around the contestant. and episodes featuring naked briefcase models. All right, the last one is a fantasy of mine. However, should the executives at Endemol be listening...

For the 200th episode, which preempts Chuck tonight at 8 p.m., Deal will be offering another variation of the game. Four lucky contestants will get the chance to take the Banker's challenge or find the million dollar briefcase in a series of speed rounds. Normally, contestants have a pretty big window to determine if they want to take the offer from the Banker -- the whole concept of the game. This episode they will only have a mere 20 seconds to make the decision.

The Survivor producer is probably not the only person wondering that, but Burnett is getting a little more specific.

Mandel was nominated for his hosting gig on Deal or No Deal in the "Best Reality Host" category. Now, I'm just as surprised as you are to see that DOND is considered a reality show and not a game show (I think it's the amount of time they focus on the contestants and the family members on stage and the tears and the personal stories that tip some primetime game shows into the reality realm). Burnett doesn't think it's fair that you have someone like Jeff Probst, who hosts an unscripted (?) show like Survivor put up against people who host talent shows and game shows.

Indeed she will, but she'll have some help. In a change born of trying to keep current with the state of television today, the Emmys will be hosted by the five nominees in the Reality TV Host category. Klum will share hosting duties with Ryan Seacrest, Jeff Probst, Howie Mandel, and (the man that should win it all) Tom Bergeron.

It's a great idea. The standard formula of these shows is something just asking to be shaken up. Klum is probably the biggest question mark here, for the simple fact that she has Tim Gunn to handle much of the unscripted action. I'll be curious to see how she handles the role, and I'm confident that the rest of the nominees will be just fine. The linked article also has a great stat. The average audience of the five nominated shows has been as high as 70 million. Jiminy. The broadcast takes place Sept. 21st, on ABC.

The daily Deal or No Deal finally has a start date. Now you'll be able to fantasize about Howie Mandell's glowing dome of flesh five days a week as Deal or No Deal begins it's syndication run September 8th. And whereas Regis Philbin was far too busy during the week being all over our televisions to host the syndicated version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, Howie's schedule isn't nearly as dense. In fact, now he can set up a cot right there in the studio. Get himself a mini-fridge and a germ-free bubble to unwind in and he'll be good to go.

Since syndication isn't worth as much as prime time (why do you think there's no million dollar prizes on the regular The Price is Right), the top prize is being reduced to $500,000. But, they're adding an interactive element so that home viewers can cash in on the fun, too. Now you can get paid for sitting at home in your soiled underbritches screaming "Number 7! Number 7!" just because that model has the nicest cans. But, hey! I agree with your logic on that. I want to see her fumble with the latches, too. I mean ... wait ... what were we talking about?

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.

As AOL Television continues their look at the 50 Best TV Comedies -- Ever with their Top 10, we here at TV Squad are also looking at television comedy, but with a slightly skewed difference. Last week, we took a look at the Saturday Night Live cast members from 1996 to 2006 that made it to the big time. This week, we get a bit more serious.

There are those in the industry who say that it is easier to go from acting in a drama to acting in a comedy than it is the other way around. Yet, as you will see from the list we've compiled after the jump, there are plenty of comedic actors who have jumped from the world of comedy films, stand-up comedy, and television sitcoms into the more serious world of drama. In many cases they have had even greater success than they did on the other side of the tracks. There have even been instances where they stayed in the drama genre and never went back to being funny.

Just when you thought awards shows couldn't get any longer, The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences announced that reality show hosts are eligible to receive Emmys. This year's 60th Annual Emmy Awards will include a category called Outstanding Host for a Reality or Reality-Competition Program.

The academy named popular hosts like Ryan Seacrest, Tom Bergeron, Samantha Harris, and Howie Mandel as possible nominees. Ty Pennington, Tyra Banks, and Jeff Foxworthy are also eligible. I'm not surprised that reality hosts are getting this opportunity. The Emmys have had categories for Outstanding Reality Program and Reality-Competition Program since 2001 and 2003, respectively.

President George W. Bush will make a surprise appearance on the NBC game show Deal Or No Deal to thank an Iraqi war veteran contestant for his service to his country. The episode will be airing this coming Monday (Bob breifly mentioned this in his Blogosphere post).

The President's segment was pre-taped at the White House. The contestant, Captain Joseph Kobes, was on the program to try and win enough money to pay off his parents' home. He is a Purple Heart and Bronze Start recipient who completed three tours of duty in Iraq.

Did you get money for Christmas? I don't get money for Christmas anymore. Gift cards have become the money substitute now, for both adults and kids. But if you did get cash for Christmas, or maybe you got a Christmas bonus or maybe you got cash back for that ugly sweater Aunt Sally bought you, here's a guide to some TV show promotional items and other collectibles you might want to buy.

Heroes stamps. Yup, these are official U.S. stamps, and they come with a pic (actually, Isaac-ish drawing) of your favorite hero. Right now they have Claire, Nathan, Hiro, Peter, and also that mysterious helix symbol. What, no Syler?

This is probably the weirdest video you'll watch today. And no, don't worry, the Deal Or No Deal models aren't going to make a guest appearance on The Office. That would be too much to take.

No, the models appear in a promotional video on NBC's web site, re-enacting a scene from the sitcom. You'll see model...um...what's her name, the hot one, in a cast, talking to another model...um...can't remember her name...sitting behind the desk, playing Pam. The scene is even done in the style of the show, with hand-held cameras, sweeping shots to get reactions of characters, and confessionals. The woman playing the Dwight part only has one line but she's actually rather effective.