TVSquad

In an announcement that most who remember the older versions of Password would consider a no-brainer, it has been revealed that Betty White will be returning as a guest panelist on CBS' new Million Dollar Password series. And, really, if she wasn't even being considered would it even be Password?

White, who is 86-years-young, was a staple of the original version of Password when it started back in 1961 as well as the revived 70s and 80s versions of the show. Much of that connection came from her marriage to original Password host Allen Ludden. White and Ludden were married in 1963 and remained together until his death from stomach cancer in 1981.

You've heard of Ryan Seacrest, right? Well, one of the most reliable news source in the world, The Globe, tells us now that the folks behind Live are courting Ryan Seacrest to replace Regis Philbin on their morning staple. It makes perfect sense. Consider that Regis, who turns 176 this year, has racked up more hours on television than anyone in history, but now has announced he'll be cutting back his television work to three days a week. Then we have Ryan, who can be seen and heard everywhere from his work on E! to American Idol to New Year's Rockin' Eve to his radio show to American Top 40. Maybe he'd give up his morning radio gig for a morning TV gig. Or maybe record one during the commercial breaks of the other.

I almost missed this story, though, because that same issue of The Globe promised to show me how to win the Lottery and I'm busy spending all the money I'm gonna win! So for now, we'll say the rumor's unsubstantiated but if the Weekly World News or The Onion picks it up, then it's official!

[via AOL]

Three weeks ago it was a hot rumor. Now it's a fact. NBC announced that Kathie Lee Gifford will co-host the fourth hour of Today beginning Monday, April 7th. She'll be teaming up with Hoda Kotb for an hour of chit-chat, info, interviews and what have you. I doubt she'll be singing, but then again, if Kathie Lee can cajole them into rolling a piano onto the set, watch out.

"I am truly honored to join the Today show family, many of whom have been friends and colleagues of mine for years," said Kathie Lee via release. "And I'm especially looking forward to working with Hoda, a bright and beautiful woman I admire very much. Together I hope we will bring a fresh and fun perspective to the topics that affect all of our daily lives."

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.

The summer schedule on NBC won't be filled with just reruns, apparently. The network wants to up their game quotient. That said, American Idol's producer, FremantleMedia North America and NBC are planning a celebrity version of Family Feud. Although there have been multiple variations of the Feud -- daytime, syndication, board game, internet edition, et. al -- this will be the very first time the game show will air as a regularly-scheduled primetime network show. John O'Hurley, who is the current host on the syndicated Family Feud, could be anchoring NBC's primetime celeb affair, but that has not been announced as yet.

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.

Apparently, holding the Guinness World Record for the most time spent in front of a television camera isn't enough. The AP is now reporting that 76-year old Regis Philbin has been signed to host the red carpet show for the upcoming Oscars. Dennis Doty, producer of the show, says he's a great host because "he knows everyone, and everyone loves Regis." The arrivals show for the 80th Annual Academy Awards airs at 5/4c February 24, 2008 on ABC.

I bet Ryan Seacrest is pissed. How dare a hosting gig come up and not be his. How do they expect him to become the new king of all media? But Philbin is one of the most beloved people. I mean seriously, does anyone not like the man? How do you achieve that level of likeability, anyway? I can tell you from personal experience it's not achieved by offering free back massages to everyone you meet. And I thought everyone liked massages, but no! Apparently, they like restraining orders more.

[via Yahoo! ]

Remember the '88 Writer's Strike? Well, while it didn't impact scripted television as much as the current strike, as it occurred largely during the off-season. Yahoo! reminds us that it was during this period that a network was finally willing to take a chance on an unscripted series. Nineteen years later, Cops is still on the air. And back then, reality wasn't even a genre.

Now, networks are all about this alternate form of entertainment/schedule filling. Even if the strike is resolved relatively soon, it may be too late to save the new year's schedule, and thus reality shows are being picked up by the bucketloads to fill the gaps. If the strike continues much into 2008 look for more and more to be put on the air.

As the members of the Writers Guild of America continue to strike, more networks are coming up with what I'll call Plan B. What's that? Why, it's reality television, of course.

With the possibility of a long strike and some scripted shows already out of material, it's likely that most of the holes in the programming schedule will be filled by reality television shows. While reality shows do employ writers (although not necessarily called such -- they're story producers or editors, etc.), those folks are not a part of the WGA. Thus, they're willing to work and are probably looking at the situation as a cash cow.

I'm here to bring you the skinny on what the networks have planned. Remember, please don't shoot the messenger.

Ah, the world of TV, where everything old is new again. Failed sitcoms become cartoons, Adam West gets reimagined as a doddering cartoon mayor, and every old game show is remade into a new, more sparkly version.

Now the twirling-light, ominous music treatment has reached an old favorite: Password. According to Variety, CBS and Fremantle Media are teaming up to produce a new version of the word-association game show, redubbing it Million Dollar Password. And, not only will the old show will be recycled, so will an old host: Regis Philbin has been tapped to host his first prime-time game show since the ABC version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire breathed its last a few years ago.

Welcome to TV Squad Lists, a feature where each blogger has a chance to list his or her own rundown of things in television that stand out from the rest, both good and bad.

Last year, at about this time, I presented you with five relevant reasons not to turn off your televisions during TV Turnoff Week. Well, as Bob mentioned, that week is upon us once again . . . whether we like it or not. So, as I'm short on fresh ideas, let me rehash last year's concept with five more reasons why you shouldn't be turning off the idiot box.

Sanjaya's gone from American Idol: Do you hear that roaring noise? That's the sound of all the Idol purists celebrating that Sanjaya is now gone from their show. This means that they can now get back down to business in choosing who will be the next winner of an exclusive recording contract. Of course, while that finalist will record and receive a good deal of money he or she will probably fade into the background. In the meanwhile, Sanjaya will probably win the Nobel Peace Prize sometime in the near future. I wonder what hairstyle he'll wear during the award presentation?

To slip up is human. Sometimes we know not what we are going to do, or say things we don't mean to say or have any intentions on doing. If you were watching television yesterday and happened to take some notes, you might have learned a thing or two about slips.

After making an appearance and modeling for a 'Max Factor Clothes off Our Backs' charity event in Hollywood yesterday, Carmen Electra was quoted during her red carpet arrival, that she had never fallen on the catwalk before. Shortly thereafter she appeared on the catwalk and didn't realize she had jinxed herself and made a crash landing on the runway. Followed by an encore crash landing by Allison Sweeney of Days of Our Lives. Extra was there with cameras on and more than willing to showcase for all of us to see. How embarrassing.

However hard she fell, it would never be harder than the slip that George and Izzie made on Grey's Anatomy last night...

I reported on the Daytime Emmy Award nominations yesterday and noted that Live with Regis & Kelly wasn't nominated in the Best Talk Show category. While that's technically true, the show was nominated in another category for morning shows. They'll go up against The Today Show, Good Morning, America and Univision's Despierta America in a new category. Regis still wasn't nominated for Best Host though.

Oh, and Regis is doing quite fine after heart bypass surgery yesterday. Kelly Ripa announced the news on the show this morning. One of his doctors said that Reege has "the heart of a 19 year-old." It wasn't clear which 19 year-old this was, but hopefully they will give it back to this person so they can also live a long, healthy life.

Those cruel Emmy bastards. Here Regis Philbin is today, recuperating from his heart bypass surgery (unless it's still going on, which is possible), and he doesn't even get a nomination for Best Talk Show or Host!

Ellen got a nod though, and she led all nominees with 12 nominations. Going up against her for Best Talk Show are Dr. Phil, The View, Tyra Banks, and Rachael Ray. If she's not the winner out of that group, something is wrong somewhere. She's also up for Best Talk Show Host, with the same nominees and also Lisa Rinna, who apparently hosts something called Soap Talk.

The shows up for Best Soap are Guiding Light, The Young and the Restless, One Life To Live, and The Bold and the Beautiful. Bob Barker got a nomination for The Price Is Right. His last day on that show is in June.

Oh, and that Today Show "It's a New Day" theme? It got a nom too.

Here is the full list of nominees.

This morning, Regis Philbin announced to his co-host Kelly Ripa and his audience that he will be having triple heart bypass surgery later this week. He said he's been having chest pain and shortness of breath and "all those little symptoms you hear about". Reg, 75, would've preferred an angioplasty, he said, but there's too much plaque build-up in his arteries so major surgery is necessary. To lighten the mood, Kelly offered to be Regis' nurse and give him sponge baths.

It's not yet clear who is going to fill in for Regis, or for how long. It will probably be a rotating list of celebrity hosts. I can only hope that David Letterman will make an appearance or two- since Regis was so supportive and filled in for him when he had his quintuple bypass 7 years ago.