TVSquad

I've only seen two episodes of Extras, the HBO comedy starring Ricky Gervais. The show just ended, but not before Gervais got in a scathing monologue about how celebrities act and why the public is wrong to idolize them. It's December 20 and I thought I already had all of my favorite TV moments of 2007, but this one makes it just under the wire.

The show has always been listed as a "comedy," but there's a lot of serious, painful truth in the show too, as illustrated in what Gervais has to say during an appearance on a reality show within the show. This isn't just the Andy Millman character talking, it's Gervais himself. You'll nod your head in agreement, and maybe even cringe a little bit. What a way to end the series.

FOX is giving The CW pages a run for their money -- the network's hired a bunch of, dare I say it, "Fox-y" microphone runners for the tour.

Like yesterday, they all dress in a theme of whatever panel is going on. On Sunday, they were TV reporters for Back to You; today, they're in commando fatigues for The Sarah Connor Chronicles. You get the idea.

One of pages, Cal, who used to be a cashier (and aspiring actor) at my local health food store, says hi during a break. I got a feeling back then that I'd end up seeing him at TCA one day, but I always thought he'd be on a panel for a new series.

J-Lo is the new Debbie Allen. Just like Allen before her, J-Lo is ushering young dance hopefuls into the television limelight. Unlike Debbie Allen, who played Ms. Grant on Fame, J-Lo will not be giving the following speech on MTV's Dancelife: "You want fame? Well, fame costs, and right here, is where you start paying - in sweat."

Lopez, who started out as a fly girl on In Livin' Color and wound up a one-woman corporation, is the producer of MTV's latest reality series - Dancelife, premiering on January 15th. The series follows the story of six dancers looking to make it big in the rough and tumble world of professional dance. You can read the stars' bios online, and an extended preview video has cropped up on YouTube. The series looks like it falls on the Laguna Beach-end of the reality show spectrum - more soap opera than competition. At least, the show's stars have more talent than your average Laguna Beach high schooler or Twentyfourseven party promoter. Now, if only I could "remember, remember, remember their names."

Joey Fatone, one of those guys who used to be in a band with Justin Timberlake, has decided that Dancing with the Stars is popular enough for him to participate. He told a Florida radio station that he had turned down Dancing three times before but now he'd like to give it a shot, noting, "it's kind of popular now." But, he doesn't want to wear "those stupid tuxes." Riiiiight. Because being in a boy band is so, like, rad. Going into Dancing with that attitude isn't going to win very many votes. Drew Lachey managed to get past his boy band past to win the second season, but can Joey do the same?

Also rumored to be on the next edition of Dancing is Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson.

Entertainment Weekly ran an interesting online reader's poll asking, "Who deserves more fame?"

While I'm not sure I'd wish big time, privacy-destroying fame on any of my favorite performers, there are definitely some TV actors out there who are severely underrated.

Who was included on the EW list? Christopher Gorham, Ugly Betty; Allison Mack, Smallville; Sara Rue, Less Than Perfect; Nathan Fillion, Firefly; Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki, Supernatural; Wendell Pierce, The Wire; David Hyde Pierce, Fraiser; Matthew Settle and Damian Lewis, Band of Brothers; the cast of Everwood; Clea DuVall and Nick Stahl, Carnivale; Mary Lynn Rajskub and Roger Cross, 24 and Tahmoh Penikett, Battlestar Galactica.

Remember Debbie Allen's Fame opener? "You want fame? Well, fame costs, and right here, is where you start paying in sweat."

Now it looks like kids will have to ante up in chicken and beer as the man Bill O'Reilly dubbed a "foul-mouthed thug" Ludacris takes the reigns of Nickelodeon's latest production for its teen network N.

Entitled Halls of Fame, the weekly drama follows the trials and tribulations of two sisters accepted to a Philly-based performing arts academy.

Luda will be acting as the show's co-executive producer and music supervisor. You can also expect to see him popping up in a recurring role. Sounds like a great idea if O'Reilly's culture warriors don't get a hold of it.

The show promises a behind-the-scenes, realistic look at what it takes to come up in the entertainment business. Whether or not that involves Fame's young starlets shaking their "money makers" remains to be seen.