TVSquad

It seems Jeffrey Ross already has the line of the night for Sunday's Roast of Larry the Cable Guy (Comedy Central, 10 PM), which isn't surprising, because he's a longtime Friars Club member. In the trailer, Ross slams, "This is ridiculous, he's not even a real person! Why don't we just roast Dora the Explorer or Popeye the Sailor Man?"

Fictional character he may be, Mr. The Cable Guy has attracted Jeff Foxworthy, Warren Sapp, Toby Keith, Gary Busey, Maureen McCormick, fellow comic Reno Collier, and Roast regulars like Ross, Greg Giraldo, and Nick DiPaolo. "Queen of Mean" Lisa Lampanelli will serve as the first female Roastmaster for the Comedy Central series (the Friars, originators of the roast, have only had a couple of female Roastmasters -- Susie Essman did the Smothers Brothers and Joy Behar did Danny Aiello).

I guess they think he's FOX-worthy. Now to go along with his hit game show Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?, FOX has greenlit an animated series about a NASCAR family by and featuring the voice talent of Jeff Foxworthy. In fact, the same article goes on to report that they're developing a daily syndicated version of Fifth Grader also to be hosted by the redneck king. I could never really get into the show because too often the answer to the titular question is "No" and at this point it's just getting sad how stupid we're collectively getting.

As for the animated series, with the show set in the world of NASCAR, I worry that the premise is too narrow. But if anybody can turn a show about the redneck's sport of choice into a bona fide hit it would be the guy who helped turn the Blue Collar Comedy Tour into a national phenomenon. This guy gets the working class and they love him right back. I suspect he'll be gently poking fun at them much like his "You might be a redneck" jokes. If he goes too gentle, he can just call it King of the Track and be done with it.

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.

Who knew that the American version of Whose Line is it Anyway? would produce so many game show hosts. We have Drew Carey on Power of 10 and Price is Right, Wayne Brady on Don't Forget the Lyrics, and now Improv veteran and bald Adonis, Colin Mochrie, will be hosting a Canadian version of an American game show.

Colin will be hosting Are You Smarter Than a Canadian 5th Grader, which will premiere on Canada's Global network on October 25th. The show will duplicate the format of America's Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader, which airs on FOX and is hosted by comedian Jeff Foxworthy.

I missed the premiere of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? Tuesday night as I had better things to do, like brush my dog's teeth. But curiosity got the best of me Wednesday night and I figured I'd check this show out. Whoa. What a big pile of poo.

I don't think I need to go over everything that's wrong with this show, but as I'm watching it I started to come up with ideas that could make this one kick ass game show and make it feel a lot more like school when I was a kid.

1) If the contestant fails the game, he/she has to sit in the corner of the "classroom". For three episodes. Throw in a dunce cap for good measure.

Hey, Brigitte here with TV Squad Daily. I'll be covering the TV stories I find interesting each day, Monday through Friday, in this video blog.

Today on TV Squad Daily:

• In hopes of creating some extra friction, Survivor: Fiji kicked off the season by separating tribes into the "have's" and the "have-not's" ... but the real force to be reckoned with here is that couch.
  
• I'm hoping to see my favorite side of Jeff Foxworthy, as the host of the new game show Are you Smarter Than a 5th Grader?
  
• We're still reeling about the death of Anna Nicole Smith.

The video's embedded below, or you can download the file directly (Quicktime required). You can also subscribe to this vodcast via our feed.

This seems like an awfully appropriate match-up. Redneck comedian Jeff Foxworthy just signed a deal to bring Blue Collar TV to Country Music Television (CMT). Foxworthy signed on for 12- half hour episodes of Foxworthy's Big Night Out. It's a sketch and stand-up comedy program that also features live musical performances. Production on the program begins in June, at the Alliance Theater in Atlanta, where all programs will be filmed before a live audience.

Foxworthy's new home on CMT is a big win for the cable channel, which saw its biggest ratings ever in the last two years when Foxworthy hosted the CMT Music Awards.