Archive: July 2009 (79-91 of 104)

Jul 13 2009 06:34 PM ET

Breaking: Maura Tierney sets the record straight about her 'medical evaluation'

Categories:

Maura-parenthood_l Maura Tierney has just released a statement to clear up rumors regarding her health. Last week, NBC announced that it was delaying the fall launch of her new drama, Parenthood, while the actress underwent a “medical evaluation.”

“In an effort to guard my privacy, it seems that the wording of NBC’s press release has unfortunately caused some confusion and undue alarm about my health. I have discovered a tumor in my breast which requires surgery. I will not know either my exact diagnosis or course of treatment until that surgery is performed. My doctors have all assured me this is a very treatable condition. I’m very optimistic as to the outcome and want to thank everyone who has sent positive thoughts and support. I look forward to going back to work soon.”

Send positive energy Maura’s way via the comments section below!

Jul 13 2009 05:33 PM ET

Ratings: 'Big Brother' continues its reign

Categories: TV Ratings

There’s no surer sign of summer than Big Brother dominating pretty much every night when people bother to watch TV. This Sunday was as sunny as ever for the 11th-season reality hit, as BB averaged 6.8 million viewers (yes, that’s a victory during the warm months) and, along with stalwart 60 Minutes (7.9 million), helped win the night for CBS. The rest of the weekend was more of the same: Reality triumphed with Fox’s Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (5.7 million) on Friday, while burnoffs like NBC’s Kings (1.6 million) and the series finale of CBS’ Harper’s Island (3.9 million) were buried on Saturday.

Here, a look at Sunday’s lineup:

Time Show Viewers (in millions)
7 p.m. 60 Minutes (CBS)
America’s Funniest Home Videos (ABC)
Great American Road Trip (NBC)
‘Til Death (Fox)
Valentine Inc. (The CW)
7.9
4.6 (repeat)
2.7 (repeat)
1.4 (repeat)
.6
7:30 p.m. Just for Laughs (ABC)
American Dad (Fox)
4.4
1.8 (repeat)
8 p.m. Big Brother 11 (CBS)
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (ABC)
The Simpsons (Fox)
Merlin (NBC)
Hoosiers (The CW)
6.8
5.0 (repeat)
3.7 (repeat)
3.6
1.1
8:30 p.m. King of the Hill (Fox) 3.1 (repeat)
9 p.m. Cold Case (CBS)
Meteor (NBC)
Family Guy (Fox)
Desperate Housewives (ABC)
5.6 (repeat)
5.1
4.4 (repeat)
2.5 (repeat)
9:30 p.m. The Simpsons (Fox) 4.0 (repeat
10 p.m. Without a Trace (CBS)
Brothers & Sisters (ABC)
6.0 (repeat)
2.1 (repeat)
Jul 13 2009 04:22 PM ET

Ryan Seacrest signs three-year pact with 19 Entertainment

Categories:

Ryan Seacrest has signed a deal with 19 Entertainment that will keep him on board as host of American Idol and see him developing other projects with Idol creator Simon Fuller through 2012, his rep confirmed to EW.com today. Some published reports valued the contract at $15 million per year, more than triple Seacrest’s current salary.

“I’m truly appreciative of being part of a show that has had such an
enormous impact on popular culture across all ages,” Seacrest said in a
release. “I look forward to expanding the relationship with Simon Fuller
and Bob Sillerman [Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CKX, the parent company of 19] who share the same visionary approach to
entertainment media that I strive for with every project.” Check back at this blog item throughout the day for any additional updates or details regarding the pact.

Jul 13 2009 03:48 PM ET

Armchair Casting Director: 'Friday Night Lights'

Categories: Friday Night Lights

Friday-night-lights_l Friday Night Lights has started scouting Hollywood talent agencies for new season 4 blood. Over the weekend, casting officially got underway for three new series regulars and one recurring guest star to fill the void being left by exiting MVPs Adrianne Palicki, Zach Gilford, and Minka Kelly. Condensed character descriptions are below.

Vince: A charming yet dangerous East Dillon junior. He’s African-American and, when we first meet him, he’s running from the cops. Look for Coach Taylor to put his speed to better use as a member of the Lions. Series regular.

Luke: Vince’s classmate and arch nemesis. He’s Caucasian, cocky, and charming. Reminds some of a young Paul Newman. Dillon’s new geographical breakdown has him playing for the Lions, and he’s not happy about it. Series regular.

Wait, there’s two more after the jump!

Jess: The super-energetic daughter of a onetime NFL hopeful, she knows the game inside and out. When she’s not busy coaching her younger brothers, this sophomore/junior is getting crushed on by every guy in Dillon, East and West. Series regular.

Becky: A freshman beauty queen whose family is purebred trailer trash. Think Blair Waldorf with lousy genes. She finds Riggins in bed with her mother and reacts by trying to seduce him herself. My new favorite character is listed as recurring.

Got casting suggestions? Post ‘em below!

More Friday Night Lights scoop:
How long will Matt be back for?
Connie Britton being awesome
Adrianne Palicki jumps to CW

Jul 10 2009 10:30 PM ET

Exclusive: 'Old Christine' crushes on Eric McCormack

Eric-Mccormack-Dreyfus_l Will & Grace’s Eric McCormack is going back to his sitcom roots with a recurring gig on The New Adventures of Old Christine, sources confirm to me exclusively. The Emmy winner, whose low-rated TNT dramedy Trust Me was (thankfully) axed after just one season, will play a therapist and potential love interest for Julia Louis-Dreyfus. 

McCormack will start work on Old Christine after wrapping a guest stint on Law & Order: SVU. As I reported earlier this week, he’ll play a handsome sugar daddy in this season’s second episode. 

More TV Scoop:

Big Love adds two new faces


Desperate Housewives star returns

Jul 10 2009 06:34 PM ET

Ratings: 'Big Brother,' 'SYTYCD' dominate Thursday

Categories: TV Ratings

Big Brother and So You Think You Can Dance showed summer reality is as stable a staple as ever, even on a night when the network audience was relatively small. CBS’ procedural reruns held strong, while ABC’s combination of burn-off episodes of Samantha Who? and repeats of Grey’s Anatomy and Private Practice struggled.

 

Time Show Viewers (in millions)
8:00 p.m. Big Brother 11 (CBS)
Bones (Fox)
Samantha Who? (ABC)
30 Rock (NBC)
Smallville (The CW)
6.7
5.7 (repeat)
3.6
3.4 (repeat)
1.4 (repeat)
8:30 p.m. Samantha Who? (ABC)
The Office (NBC)
3.2
3.0 (repeat)
9:00 p.m. So You Think You Can Dance (Fox)
CSI (CBS)
The Office (CBS)
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
Supernatural (The CW)
7.8
7.6 (repeat)
2.9 (repeat)
2.7 (repeat)
1.1 (repeat)
9:30 p.m. 30 Rock (NBC) 2.5 (repeat)
10:00 p.m. The Mentalist (CBS)
The Listener (NBC)
Private Practice (ABC)
8.3 (repeat)
3.2
2.2 (repeat)
Jul 9 2009 03:06 PM ET

Exclusive: 'Big Love' adds two new faces

Categories: Big Love

Big Love producers are hard at work on Season 4. Woo-hoo! The first task? Casting two pivotal new roles. They are…

Christie: Barb’s pre-teen niece and Cindy’s daughter. A real hellion.
Dale: An empathetic closeted gay Mormon. A partner in a big 8 accounting firm, he will become the new Trustee of the Juniper Creek Assets and (presumably) a love interest for Albie!

Both roles are recurring. Got casting suggestions? Post ‘em below!

Jul 9 2009 03:41 AM ET

Ask Ausiello: Spoilers on 'Gossip Girl,' Fringe,' Grey's,' 'Smallville,' and more!

Gossip-Girl-Ausiello_l Question: Could you reward us with a little Gossip Girl scoop? Just enough to tide us over ’til September? Pretty please? –Jon
Ausiello:
There will be a controversial hookup early on in season 3. And one of the participants of said controversial hookup will be Dan. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Question: Is Vanessa from Gossip Girl going to get her own storyline next season? Despite what some may think, there is Vanessa love out there. –Jess F.
Ausiello:
Yes, she’s getting her own storyline. A romance, in fact. With someone she met briefly at the end of last season. Commence with the dot-connecting.

Question: I’m looking for a major Smallville scoop. –Corina
Ausiello:
You found it: The iconic “S” symbol will be all over the show in season 9. Including on Clark’s chest.

Question: I’ll give you a dollar if you have any scoop on the rumor circulating that after season 9 of Smallville there may be a spin-off called Metropolis. –Tan
Ausiello:
My peeps at Warner Bros. are still insisting that some drunk fan probably made that up nothing like that is being discussed at the moment. Now for the awkward part: I’d like my dollar. I accept cash or Diners Club. 

Question: Your frenemy reported that there will be a priest in the Grey’s Anatomy premiere and that someone may be getting married. Care to comment? –Joel
Ausiello:
Yes, there will be a priest, but no, he won’t be marrying anyone off. His presence is needed for something far less celebratory. No further explanation should be necessary.

Question: I’m getting thirsty for some scoop. Got any True Blood? –Sofia
Ausiello:
Sink your teeth into this.

Question: I have never watched Torchwood. Will I be able to watch Torchwood: Children of Earth without being lost? –Kelly
Ausiello:
Hell, yeah. I’m actually only a sporadic Torchwood viewer, so I too had concerns that the five-night miniseries (debuting on BBC America July 20) would be tough to follow. But it’s not. At all. I screened parts 1-3 over the weekend, and they’re ridiculously accessible, not to mention this summer’s second-most entertaining offering (after True Blood, of course). BBC is sending parts 4 and 5 to me on Friday after they’ve aired in the U.K. I guess they were afraid I’d spoil the ending for my friends across the pond. I’d never do that. I’m much more interested in spoiling the beginning for my friends stateside. To wit: In the first two hours, a major character discovers *h** *h* ** ********. And there’s a big ****. And ********* blows up — a very important *********. 

Question: How do we know if we made the cut for your Comic-Con meet-and-greet? –Jennifer
Ausiello:
If you received an e-mail from me last Thursday, congratulations, you made the cut. Everyone else is invited to attend the unofficial gathering behind the police barricades across the street from the venue.

Question: It’s been a long time since we’ve gotten Brothers & Sisters scoop. Do you have any nifty news to share about their fourth season? I’m totally dying here! –Heather
Ausiello:
The premiere will pick up roughly three months after the finale, but little has changed: Kitty and Robert’s marriage remains in train-wreck mode, Sarah is still playing the field, Nora is preparing for her weekly party from hell, and another Walker sib wants a baby.

Question: Is it true that Sendhil Ramamurthy is leaving Heroes? –Mara
Ausiello:
First I’m hearing of it. Let me roll up my sleeves and do some digging. I’ll get back to you. (If anyone has info on Sendhil Ramamurthy’s Heroes status, please email me at ausielloscoop@ew.com. Your anonymity is guaranteed.)

Question: I know that Mary Lynn Rajskub follows you on Twitter. I also know she wants to go to your Comic-Con meet-up. But I can’t wait that long! Any chance you can convince her to reveal something about 24‘s new season? –Joel T.
Ausiello:
All she would tell me is that she shot a scene on Tuesday with Annie Wersching, Mykelti Williamson, and Katee Sackhoff. Okay, she didn’t so much tell me that as I read it on her Twitter feed. As for her request to attend my exclusive Comic-Con soiree, I’m fine with her making a little cameo provided she realizes this is my night. I’m not interested in sharing the spotlight with anyone. If she can agree to those terms and bring along the first three 24 scripts of the new season and pick up part of the tab, I’d be honored to have her join us. 

Question: Do you have any scoop on the third season of Damages? When is the show coming back? –Adam
Ausiello:
The writers get back to work this month, and production begins in September. According to my calculations, that puts the premiere around February or March.

Question: Who is your favorite Smurf? –Ava
Ausiello:
It’s a toss-up between Lazy and Vanity, for obvious reasons. Speaking of my true blue friends, I think I mentioned that Connie Britton walked off with one of them when she visited last month. What I didn’t mention is that she promised to stealthily plant the figurine on the set of Friday Night Lights as a subtle shout-out to yours truly. Your challenge — if you think you’re up to it — will be to spot it before the propmaster confiscates it. Think you’re up to it? There may be prizes involved!

Question: Do you have any Fringe news? Pretty please, with a cherry on top that hasn’t been soaked in high fructose corn syrup? –Tyre
Ausiello:
I hear the opening sequence in the season premiere is going to be killer — and I mean that literally and figuratively.

Question: Any tips about the second season of Fringe? –Lolotte
Ausiello:
I can confirm that Charlie (the exiting Kirk Acevedo) does in fact appear in the premiere. I can also confirm that what happens to him will blow your frakkin’ mind.

Question: Any news on a stay of execution for Samantha Who? –Tammy
Ausiello:
Yes, but it’s not good. It’s bad, in fact. Executive producer Donald Todd informed me yesterday via e-mail that all hope is essentially lost. “Sadly, ABC’s strategy to get new viewers — by taking the show off the air for months at a time — did not pan out, and they have no further plans for us,” he said. “The producers, and Christina, remain baffled by the whole thing. As viewers can see in the final episodes airing now, we were heading in a great direction; the calls and e-mails about those episodes are both gratifying and painful.” There was some talk of the show finding a new home on cable, but that too has fizzled out. On the bright side … um … er … I’ve got nothing. 

Question: Can you please give us some Numb3rs scoop? –Lauren
Ausiello:
In the season opener, an assassin targets a political activist in a series of attacks that hide a mysterious agenda. But here’s what you really want to know: Don will deal with the fallout from being stabbed (preview: “Ouch!”), and Amita will weigh Charlie’s marriage proposal.

Question: Give us some scoopage on our favorite steamy apartment complex: Melrose Place! –Jed
Ausiello:
There are two Sydney-centric twists in store. One of them you may have heard about (tee-hee). The other one you definitely haven’t (mwhahahah).

Question: Any truth to the rumor that Adam Lambert filmed a cameo for Glee? –Stephanie
Ausiello:
No, but someone comes out in episode 3. And it’s exactly who you think it will be.

Question: Since CSI: Miami is flashing back to 1997, can we assume that some old favorites will be returning? Like Rory Cochrane? –Katie
Ausiello:
His participation remains a question mark, according to exec producer Ann Donahue. “We’re talking to Rory right now about coming back,” she says. “We don’t know if it’s going to happen yet.” (Click here to re-read Cochrane’s recent comments on the subj
ect. What seemed confusing two weeks ago suddenly makes a lot of sense.) Donahue is able to confirm that Khandi Alexander will return for the Miami prequel. And what about Kim Delaney, who was shown the door at the end of season 1? “We love Kim [but] we didn’t approach her to do this,” Donahue says of the Army Wives heroine. “We [may] mention that Megan is on a task force in Tallahassee.” BTW, for more on CSI: Miami‘s change-of-pace premiere, pick up the new issue of EW, on sale Friday.

Question: I am James Suzuki, a legal practitioner based in London. I have urgent business for you. –James
Ausiello:
I don’t care if you’re flying in from London just to meet me in person. The event is full. 

That’s a wrap! Send questions/comments/anonymous tips to ausielloscoop@ew.com. Back here next Thursday, k?

More TV Scoop:
Big Love adds two new faces
SVU collars Will & Grace star
Desperate Housewives star returns

Jul 8 2009 10:08 PM ET

Paris Jackson's memorial-service comments weren't planned, producer says

Categories: Michael Jackson

Paris_l

The climactic moment of Tuesday’s Michael Jackson memorial service came when 11-year-old Paris Jackson stepped to the mic and spoke through tears: “Ever since I was born, daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine,” she said. “And I just want to say that I love him so much.”

Ken Erlich, the producer of the memorial, has told EW that the moment was in no way planned. “A lot of the show was not scripted,” he says. “A lot of the speakers spoke from their heart. We told them we’d be happy to work with them, but a lot of them — the Smokeys, the Berry Gordys, the people who knew Michael all his life — wanted to speak from the heart, on their own. When [the Paris moment] happened, I had asked the family to come up if they wanted to and say something. I thought, frankly, that we were going to get the brothers and the sisters. This went way beyond that, obviously.”

Erlich also reports that the moment when Usher left the stage to sing “Gone Too Soon” next to Jackson’s casket was similarly impromptu. “He did that on his own and it was wonderful,” says the producer. “All we had time to do with this show is create the sense of it. The rest of it happened because we allowed it to happen. We didn’t want to get in the way.”

You can read more about Jackson’s memorial in this week’s issue of EW, on stands Friday. (Reporting by Archana Ram)

addCredit(“Paul Buck/Reuters/Landov”)

Jul 8 2009 07:00 PM ET

Scoop: 'Mentalist' summons 'Oz' star Kinney

Categories: The Mentalist

Mentalist-casting_lPatrick Jane should have a field day reading this guy: Former Oz actor Terry Kinney is joining The Mentalist as an ex of Lisbon’s (Robin Tunney) and a major player in the Red John investigation, sources confirm to me semi-exclusively.

Kinney, who most recently starred in ABC’s short-lived cop dramedy The Unusuals, will play the recurring role of Sam Bosco, a by-the-book California Bureau of Investigations agent who heads up the division overseeing the Red John case. Bosco served as Lisbon’s mentor as she was coming up through the ranks, during which they shtupped once or twice (or a lot). Further complicating matters: The two share a deep, dark secret!

Bosco is also one of the few people immune to P.J.’s charms. He hates his unorthodox methods and is determined to oust him from the CBI.

Good times all around!

Kinney’s deal calls for him to appear in at least seven episodes.

The Mentalist kicks off its second season (its first in its new Thursday time slot) on Sept. 24.

Jul 8 2009 06:56 PM ET

Exclusive: 'SVU' collars Eric McCormack

Categories: Law & Order: SVU

The parade of top-tier tube talent to Law & Order: SVU continues. Will & Grace Emmy winner Eric McCormack has inked a deal to guest star in this season’s second episode as a handsome (and straight) sugar daddy. As previously reported, SVU‘s season premiere will feature Prison Break‘s Wentworth Miller as a cop.

Jul 8 2009 06:09 PM ET

Warning: Bloody good 'True Blood' spoilers

Categories: True Blood

True-blood_l HBO just released the titles and extended loglines for all five of True Blood‘s August episodes and man, they are juicy. How juicy? So juicy that I’m inclined to forgive them for withholding fresh Blood from me last Sunday. Have a look-see yourself…

Aug. 2: “Release Me”
Betrayed by Daphne, Sam finds himself in an unenviable predicament at the hands of Maryann and her wild-eyed minions. Imprisoned with Hugo in the F.O.T.S. church, Sookie uses her telepathic powers to reach out to Bill, who’s being detained at the hotel by a stubbornly obsessive Lorena. After crossing a line with the Newlins, a fearful Jason tries to sever his ties with the Fellowship of the Sun, but gets plenty of resistance from Steve and his enforcer Gabe.

Crave more Blood? Good ’cause four more spoilery paragraphs await you after the jump…

Aug. 9: “Timebomb”
Sookie’s captivity takes an unexpected turn when Eric arrives to do his
master’s bidding on the eve of the Fellowship’s lockdown. In Bon Temps,
Sam finds himself in hot water after making a gruesome discovery at
Merlotte’s, and Andy proves no help in coming to his defense. Sent home
by Bill, Jessica and Hoyt learn that when it comes to sex, every time
is the first time. Tara and Eggs devour a mysterious meal prepared by
Maryann, with unexpected results. After Jason pays off his debt to the
vampires, Godric looks to enlighten his more single-minded followers.

Aug. 16: “I Will Rise Up”
A wounded Eric plays Sookie for a sucker, to Bill’s dismay, and ends up
getting inside her head. Later, Sookie and Jason bond over their recent
adventures. Blaming Eggs for Tara’s bruises and bizarre behavior,
Lafayette and Lettie Mae try to figure out a way to pry their kin from
Maryann’s clutches. Hoyt defends his relationship with Jessica to
Maxine, to no avail. Jailed by Bud along with a group of Bon Temps
revelers, Sam looks for a way to escape and avoid capture by an
increasingly obsessed Maryann. In Dallas, Eric and the vampires defend
their recent actions to Nan Flanagan and are shocked when Godric
decides to take the fall for their PR disaster.

Aug. 23: “New World in My View”
Sookie, Bill, and Jason return to a Bon Temps turned upside down by
Maryann. Lured to Merlotte’s by Arlene, Sam and Andy find cold comfort
in their refuge from a group of bloodthirsty revelers. Bill discovers
that traditional vampire techniques don’t work on Maryann; Hoyt and
Jessica try to keep a lid on Maxine’s madness; and Sookie tries to push
through the darkness consuming Tara. With all hell breaking loose,
Jason takes the bull by the horns to rescue Sam, at least for the
moment.

Aug. 30: “Frenzy”
With the crisis in Bon Temps careening out of control, Bill seeks out
the advice of Sophie-Anne (Evan Rachel Wood), the Vampire Queen of
Louisiana, but must exercise patience before she gives him critical
information. Meanwhile, Sookie and Lafayette find that protecting Tara
from herself is more difficult than they anticipated; a desperate Sam
turns to an unlikely source for assistance; and Jessica tests Hoyt’s
allegiance to Maxine.

Jul 8 2009 05:36 PM ET

Ratings: Michael Jackson special, 'NCIS' highlight slow summer Tuesday

Categories: TV Biz, TV Ratings

CBS won Tuesday night as a repeat of NCIS narrowly defeated NBC’s America’s Got Talent for the title of the evening’s most-watched program. The only real ratings surprise came at 10 p.m., when ABC’s Primetime: Family Secrets took the hour by growing 5 million viewers week-to-week (and 189 percent in adults 18-49) with a program that revolved around Michael Jackson’s children and featured a rarely seen interview with Debbie Rowe. It’s the highest-rated installment in the three-year-old news series’ history.

Time Show Viewers (in millions)
8 p.m. NCIS (CBS)
Great American Road Trip (NBC)
The Superstars (ABC)
Movie: Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde (Fox)
90210 (The CW)
10.8 (repeat)
4.7
4.2
2.2 (repeat)
1.0 (repeat)
9 p.m. America’s Got Talent (NBC)
The Mentalist (CBS)
20/20: Remembering Michael Jackson
Hitched or Ditched (The CW)
10.4
9.1 (repeat)
5.7
1.1 (repeat)
10 p.m. Primetime: Family Secrets (ABC)
Dateline NBC (NBC)
48 Hours Mystery (CBS)
8.6
6.3
5.5


Read more:

Henning Fog recaps America’s Got Talent

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