TVSquad

I've written many times here about how much I hate the tabloid shows, whether it's Access Hollywood, TMZ, or Entertainment Tonight. One of the worst is ET's sister show, The Insider. Besides having a despicable host (Pat O'Brien -- what's with that little fake laugh he does all the time?) and the lamest writing this side of a junior high student newspaper, it's also evil and dumb.

Take last night's episode. I don't watch the show, but I didn't get to my remote quick enough to change the channel after the news ended and I caught the teaser opening. They showed singer John Mayer with a gun to his head, a rather raw photograph that looked like it was taken across the street from a bank. Was Mayer being held hostage in a holdup? Was one of Jennifer Aniston's exes there telling him not to see her anymore? OMG! Stay tuned to this breaking news!

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.

Several months ago I made a promise that I was never going to watch the daily tabloid shows again. And I held on to that promise for a long time, and didn't watch Entertainment Tonight, The Insider, Access Hollywood or the other shows. Until last night, that is. I wanted to see if there was any news on the Owen Wilson story (though these shows claiming they have "breaking news" is truly laughable in this day of the web and instant info). I just want to report that these shows are still disgusting, ridiculous, and sleazy.

Example: On The Insider, Pat O'Brien showed clips of the hospital, with Samuel L. Jackson arriving and also Owen Wilson's brothers driving in a car to or from the place. And then they show "last known photos of the actor" (taken, um, August 8), and O'Brien describes Wilson as "running his hand through his hair," and you see Wilson with a serious look on his face. O'Brien is clearly implying that they can decipher something from a quick photo taken weeks ago on some street. Give me a break.

Good news for fans of celebrity gossip dished out by a gay man with a love for MS Paint: popular online muckraker Perez Hilton is coming to VH1 as the host of What Perez Says, a series of one-hour specials that Hilton himself is describing as "like PerezHilton.com come to life, but even juicier." The new series debuts in September.

I suppose it's somewhat ironic that Perez is becoming part of the celebrity world he so gleefully attacks on his blog. Of course, in this age when almost everyone is a celebrity in some form or another, it's not too surprising.

• Claudia Cohen: She was one of the more famous gossip columnists, and had a regular spot on both Live with Regis and Kathie Lee and Live with Regis and Kelly, as well guest spots on Curb Your Enthusiasm and ESPN. She got her start writing for The New York Post also wrote the "I, Claudia" column for The New York Daily News. Cohen died last Saturday of complications from stomach cancer that was first diagnosed six years ago.

• Two guys play the Beverly Hills, 90210 theme on one guitar.
• More talk about a merger between CBS and CNN.
• This fall's new shows can teach you a lot about life.
• The season is over, so why not catch up on some reading?
• Star airbrushes Jennifer Aniston.
• Rate the season at AOL Television's Best and Worst poll.
• Mo Rocca hangs out with Former President Bill Clinton.

Michael Ausiello at TV Guide is reporting a big scoop: NCIS star Mark Harmon is threatening to walk off the hit CBS show.

Citing inside sources, Ausiello says that Harmon has always been fed up with producer Donald Bellisario's (Magnum, P.I., JAG, Quantum Leap) "chaotic management style" and wants off the show. The source also says that Harmon is one of the nicest guys on television and that he's in the right on this one. The dispute is described as "a big standoff."

So I'll ask you readers the same thing that Ausiello asks his readers: can NCIS survive without Mark Harmon, or is he the main reason to watch the show?

[via TV Tattle]

This clip is worth it for the reaction of Gawker editor Emily Gould. She seems completely shocked and unprepared.

Jimmy Kimmel was guest host on Larry King Live on Friday night, and the topic was gossip, celebrity stalking, and the various celeb mags and web sites. Though usually irreverent, Kimmel was dead serious about confronting Gould about the many false or mistaken sightings that readers (or as Gould calls them, "citizen journalists," gag) sent into Gawker Stalker.

• Ken Levine has some thoughts on American Idol.
• Betty Hutton passed away earlier this week.
• Jim Gaffigan talks about muffins and cakes.
• Best Week Ever isn't too happy that Zarf wasn't nominated for a Daytime Emmy.
• Some people in Hollywood use drugs.
• Will the phrase "Fair & Balanced" make it to the Hall of Fame?
• Maxim picks the 10 best infomercial products. Wait, isn't the Chia Pet ad just a commercial and not an infomercial?

MTV is really getting into this whole idea of TV viewers also becoming TV content providers. First they add a new viewer video category for the MTV Movie Awards, and now they're looking for guest hosts for Total Request Live.

Fans of the show have to answer six questions to enter, including which celebrity that they'd pick to star as in a movie about their life, who they would pick for the ultimate TRL guest list, and how they would describe TRL to someone who has never seen the show before (that last one is easy: they play music videos, a celeb comes on, and the kids in the audience go nutso). MTV and Acuvue will pick four winners who will each host a day in May.

You also have to upload a picture of yourself. So please, make sure you're attractive.

[via TV Guide]