TVSquad

As the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences tries to whittle the submissions down to actual nominees, it's interesting to take a look at who has made it to the semifinals. It's not a nomination, but it's one step away. Today comes word of the finalists for best comedy actress and best supporting drama actor. There are some surprises.

Chief among those for me is Sarah Silverman. I honestly hadn't even considered her in the running. I'm not much of a fan, but I do like that she is being considered for the simple fact that the base the nominees are drawn from can always use some expansion. And if she is the most surprising inclusion, the most surprising snub just might be Teri Hatcher. Eva Longoria, Marcia Cross, and Felicity Huffman all made the cut, but not Hatcher. Ouch. The rest of the finalists, and the supporting actors from a drama, after the jump.

It certainly won't be the only factor, but the choices made for just who makes up the celebrity panel will go a long way in deciding the fate of this latest incarnation of the classic show. With that in mind, here is the celebrity panel from the recently taped pilot: Sarah Silverman, Norm MacDonald, Bob Einstein (Super Dave!), Scott Thompson (Kids In The Hall), Rashida Jones (The Office), and Niecy Nash (Reno 911). Andrew Daly (Crossballs) is the host.

How does that lineup grab ya? To me, it's not bad. The Reuters article asks if Sarah Silverman is the new Brett Somers or Norm MacDonald is the new Richard Dawson. In a word, no. You just can't fight that kind of nostalgia. So many of us have seen the classic episodes so many times, and have such fond memories of them, that I don't think there is anything they could possibly do to begin to live up to the original.

When I was younger, people I knew had various ways of smoking weed. One guy even made a bong out of an apple once. I didn't know it at the time, but now I look back and he seems like the MacGyver of pot smokers. Though he's not the only one who did such a thing, of course.

Case in point: the cover of the new Comedy Central Home Grown DVD. It's a DVD that showcases various episodes of Comedy Central shows, including Chappelle's Show, Reno 911, TV Funhouse, The Sarah Silverman Program, Lewis Black's Root of All Evil, and Strangers with Candy. This is the cover that Paramount released to media outlets back in March. Now they've changed the cover to this, a closeup of a giant mushroom. Looks like they had second thoughts about having a bong on the cover of a DVD and decided to change it. Of course, I'm not sure if a mushroom connection is something they thought about all the way (and also having some people think of a penis when they see the cover, ahem).

The DVD comes out on June 10.

Brad told you recently about the video that ABC late show host Jimmy Kimmel has prepared to answer girlfriend Sarah Silverman's "I'm F**king Matt Damon" song that she unveiled on his show a few weeks ago. Now comes word that the answer video might debut on Kimmel's post-Oscars telecast this Sunday night.

A lot of people don't like Sarah Silverman, but I find her hilarious. Especially when she's joking around with real-life boyfriend Jimmy Kimmel.

The video after the jump is from last night's Jimmy Kimmel Live. Silverman was a guest (as she often is on the show), and decided to confess something to Kimmel. She made a video back in October (but it wasn't shown until now because of the show's hiatus during the writers strike) for Kimmel's birthday show where she explained that she's actually been having sex with People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive Matt Damon all the while she and Kimmel have been seeing each other. Actually, she doesn't say "having sex" or "making love," she uses another term, which is in the title of the song itself. It's said about 300 times during the song but its bleeped out so I guess it's SFW.

In a reversal of their stance on most of the major awards shows this season, Variety tells us the WGA is not only allowing Guild member Rainn Wilson to host the 2008 Spirit Awards, but he has received a waiver to write gags for it as well. The awards ceremony will be held February 23, a day before the Oscars (which did not receive a waiver), on the Santa Monica beach in a tent.

Broadcast live and uncensored on IFC at 5/4pm Central, the Spirit Awards honors the best in independent filmmaking and tends to feature a lot of off-color humor and remarks. Hell, last year's host Sarah Silverman opened the ceremony with a long discussion of her Mommy parts! Hopefully Wilson won't feel the need to discuss his Daddy parts, but if he wants to tell any off-color stories about Jenna Fischer, I'm all ears. Pam Beesly is my Office crush (Shh! don't tell HR) and now that Jenna's as "single" as Pam is, I can fantasize about both of them without feeling guilty! It's a win-win ... win!

• At 8, ABC has a new Pushing Daisies, then new episodes of Private Practice and Dirty Sexy Money.
• CBS has a new Kid Nation at 8, followed by new episodes of Criminal Minds and CSI: NY.
• NBC has new episodes of Deal Or No Deal, Bionic Woman, and Life.
• FOX has a new Back to You at 8, then new episodes of 'Til Death and Kitchen Nightmares.
• There's a new America's Next Top Model on The CW at 8, followed by a new Gossp Girl.
• PBS has a new Wired Science at 8.
• Food Network has a new Emeril Live at 8.
• At 9, Hallmark has the TV movie Murder 101: If Wishes Were Horses, with Dick Van Dyke.
• At 9:30, HGTV has a new Design on a Dime.
• At 10, Comedy Central has a new South Park, then a new Sarah Silverman Program.
• Discovery has a new Storm Chasers at 10.
• HBO has a new Inside The NFL at 10.
• Also at 10: Bravo has a new Better Half.

Check your local TV listings for more.

I had a very interesting week last week. The high point was an interview I did with Laura Silverman for my podcast. Most of you will know Laura from her role as Sarah's sister on The Sarah Silverman Program. However, she also had major roles on HBO's The Comeback and the comedy classic Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist.

She had some funny things to say about working for HBO and Comedy Central but the best part of the interview was a story she told about Sarah's pooch, Duck, who plays Doug on the Comedy Central show.

Taking a diversion from Will Ferrell videos, someone posted a preview on FunnyOrDie.com for The Sarah Silverman Program. In it, Sarah takes things to new lows as she tries to determine why her dog is so fascinated with licking himself by sampling the orifice in question.

The sample is from tonight's episode. TV Squad tries to warn its loyal audience in advance when television sinks to new lows of depravity. I could barely watch it the third time.