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Archive: August 2011 (157-169 of 344)

Aug 17 2011 08:05 PM ET

Charlie Sheen roast will be a 'comedy intervention'

by James Hibberd

Categories:

How do you mock an actor with as many alarming recent issues as Charlie Sheen?

By delivering a dose of tough-love medicine, says Comedy Central’s “roastmaster general” Jeff Ross, who gave some hints as to what viewers can expect when Sheen gets skewered on Sept. 19.

“These roasts are often therapeutic for a person,” Ross says. “These are things he needs to hear. No one deserves to be roasted more than the warlock. I see this as a comedy intervention. This is the first step of what you could call a comeback.” READ FULL STORY »

Aug 17 2011 07:20 PM ET

'America's Next Top Model': Cycle 11's transgender Isis King gets her own promo -- EXCLUSIVE VIDEO

by Tanner Stransky

Categories: Advertising, America's Next Top Model, Broadcast, EW Exclusive, First Look, Reality TV, Television

As you probably know, Isis King — the memorable, self-identified transgender contestant from cycle 11 of America’s Next Top Model — is a part of the cast coming back to be judged by Tyra Banks and Co. for the show’s All-Stars edition premiering Sept. 14 on The CW.

Isis broke ground when she appeared on the show in 2008 because she is transgender — the first such contestant ever on Top Model. (Isis was born a man, but Banks herself paid for Isis’ sexual reassignment surgery, completed in 2009.)

Isis finished Cycle 11 in tenth place, but she could still be a force in the latest outing this fall. EW has your exclusive first look at the promo touting Isis’ return — complete with totally intense eyes, as you can see above — to the competition.

Watch the clip here:

READ FULL STORY »

Aug 17 2011 04:44 PM ET

Reunion alert! TWO 'Buffy' alums will play [spoiler] and [spoiler] on 'Supernatural'

by Sandra Gonzalez

Categories: Casting Scoops, Supernatural, Television

Image Credit: Mark Sullivan/WireImage.com

Forgive me. Are these tears in my eyes? Indeed, they are, but they come only from the pure joy as CW confirms to EW that two Buffy alums — Charisma Carpenter and James Marsters — will be guesting in the fifth episode of Supernatural this season. But who will they play? READ FULL STORY »

Aug 17 2011 04:12 PM ET

'Grey's Anatomy' scoop: Will there be an 'all boys' episode?

by Sandra Gonzalez

Categories: Grey's Anatomy, Scoop, Television, TV Scoop

Image Credit: Adam Taylor/ABC

It takes a strong Grey’s Anatomy fan to follow creator Shonda Rhimes on Twitter. She’s a clever woman with enough vague teases to send any hardcore fan into a “Why isn’t it September yet!?!?” rage. Exhibit A, a tweet sent yesterday about an upcoming episode of hit drama: “Table read for the all boys episode of Grey’s Anatomy was hilarious!!!”

An “all”-what? Not that I’d personally complain about an all-beef episode, but her tweet certainly made me curious about the specifics. If you were too, read on. READ FULL STORY »

Aug 17 2011 03:26 PM ET

Online jihadist calls for David Letterman's assassination

by James Hibberd

Categories: Television

Image Credit: CBS

A website forum frequently utilized to spread Al-Qaeda dispatches has posted an assassination threat against David Letterman.

According to the SITE Intelligence Group, a private company that tracks extremist websites, a commenter called on Muslims to kill the CBS late-night host after taking offense at a joke made on the program. A poster calling himself Umar al-Basrawi wrote: “Is there not amongst you a Sayyid Nosair al-Masri (may Allah release him) to cut the tongue of this lowly Jew and shut it forever. Just as Sayyid (may Allah release him) did with the Jew Kahane.” Sayyid Nosair al-Masri was tried for the murder of Rabbi Meir Kahane in 1990.

SITE analyst Adam Raisman tells EW the threat was made on Shumukh-al-Islam, a site where messages from Al Qaeda frequently first appear online in the United States. READ FULL STORY »

Aug 17 2011 02:13 PM ET

Everybody smile! Check out this spectacular new picture of the 'Always Sunny' gang!

by Aly Semigran

Categories: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Television

Image Credit: blog

The gang from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia are continuing to outdo themselves in the countdown to the upcoming season, aren’t they? First came those inspired Hallmark MOW-like promos. (I genuinely hope someone not familiar with the series learns the hard way that Sunny is in no way “television’s most uplifting series.”) Now they’ve gone and made an awkward family photo to trump all other Awkward Family Photos. Now, feast your eyes on the picture, in which Fat Mac, Sweet Dee, Dennis (who seems to be making the same stunned face as Dee), Frank, and Charlie (WITH AGENT JACK BAUER… WHO IS WEARING KITTEN MITTONS! Meeee-owwww!) all pose for a shot that will hopefully hang over every fireplace in America. It’s Always Sunny returns to FX on Sept. 15, which simply cannot get here soon enough. [Vulture]

Aug 17 2011 01:05 PM ET

'MasterChef' finale ratings spike, renewal a safe bet

by James Hibberd

Categories: TV Ratings

Tuesday’s two-hour MasterChef finale shot up in the ratings, delivering the show’s best number of the season.

MasterChef had 6.5 million viewers and a 2.6 preliminary adults 18-49 rating, up 30 percent from last year’s finale, with its second hour ranking as a series high. The cooking competition isn’t officially renewed yet, but with its casting announcements on the air and these finale numbers, you can bet on an eventual pickup. READ FULL STORY »

Aug 17 2011 12:34 PM ET

Official: Jennifer Lopez returning to 'American Idol'

by James Hibberd

Categories: American Idol, Reality TV

Image Credit: Fox

After weeks of negotiations, Fox has made it official: Jennifer Lopez will return to American Idol as a judge for its 11th season.

Lopez returns with Steven Tyler and Randy Jackson, both of whom were already signed up. “Having both Jennifer and Steven return to Idol in 2012 alongside Randy is such a positive reflection on what was a wonderful and hugely successful season last year, and everyone is delighted,” said Simon Fuller, creator and executive producer of Idol.

The relationship between Idol and Lopez has been very mutually beneficial, with Lopez often considered the most popular new addition to the show’s judging team, while the singer’s profile and record sales having climbed from being on the show. Lopez will make a reported $20 million on the show, and signed a one-year contract. Idol premieres on Jan. 22, immediately following the NFC Championship Game.

Aug 17 2011 12:06 PM ET

'Sex and the City' prequel series in the works

by James Hibberd

Categories: TV Biz

HBO is looking to find a new home for its Sex and the City franchise on TV. The company is shopping around a project that could end up at The CW based on Candice Bushnell’s novel The Carrie Diaries, a prequel featuring a teenage Carrie Bradshaw.

“Discussions are underway for The Carrie Diaries, Candice Bushnell’s book about Carrie Bradshaw’s high school years, to find a home as a potential television series,” confirmed an HBO representative. READ FULL STORY »

Aug 17 2011 11:50 AM ET

Maggie Gyllenhaal asks why sex is fun on Discovery's 'Curiosity' -- EXCLUSIVE CLIPS

by Mandi Bierly

Categories: EW Exclusive, First Look, Television

Leave it to Secretary‘s Maggie Gyllenhaal to ask the most provocative question on Discovery’s new series Curiosity. On this Sunday’s episode (for mature audiences), the star of the stimulating upcoming film Hysteria hooks up with experts to find out why sex is fun. For a tease, watch our two exclusive clips below. In the first, she narrates an experiment in which scientists are studying brain activity during a female orgasm. “Inside this MRI machine, she’s about to give herself an orgasm in the name of science,” Gyllenhaal says. Thirty different areas of the brain light up when she finally succeeds. In the second clip, she narrates an experiment by a biological anthropologist at Penn State who concludes that women report more frequent orgasms with men of “high genetic quality,” which could mean the female orgasm functions as an incentive for women to select sexual partners with good genes in case they procreate.

READ FULL STORY »

Aug 17 2011 09:58 AM ET

Bravo pondering postponement after 'Real Housewives' death

by Jeff Labrecque

Categories: Real Housewives, Reality TV, TV Biz

Image Credit: BRAVO

With the apparent suicide of Russell Armstrong on Monday, the date for the second-season premier of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, currently scheduled for Sept. 5, is now in doubt. A network source confirms to Entertainment Weekly that Bravo is contemplating a postponement, in light of the death of Taylor Armstrong’s estranged husband, who played a significant role in season 1. Though the Hollywood Reporter published that Bravo was waiting at least 24 hours to make a decision about the fate of the show, the network source insists, “No decisions have been made and there is no time frame on when they might.”

UPDATE: Andy Cohen also weighed in about the network’s indecision on his blog, writing: “We’re all still trying to process yesterday’s very sad news, and looking at how to proceed with the series, which has finished primary production and was set to premiere on Labor Day. We’ll let you know what we decide when we do. In the meantime, we’re sending our thoughts and prayers to Taylor and the rest of Russell’s family.”

Aug 17 2011 09:31 AM ET

'Idol' producer talks Emmy odds, 'X Factor,' openly gay contestants

by James Hibberd

Categories: So You Think You Can Dance

Image Credit: Fox

Coming off a revived American Idol and another season of So You Think You Can Dance, executive producer Nigel Lythgoe has two series and two hosts (Ryan Seacrest and Cat Deeley) nominated for Emmy Awards this year. Idol in particular hopes to break its streak of being nominated for outstanding competition series a record nine times straight without a win. Lythgoe spoke to EW about Emmy odds, how Simon Cowell’s The X Factor will perform, and tackled a rival’s claim that Idol “hides” openly gay contestants.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Idol has been the most popular show on TV for years, and has spawned many imitators, yet has never won the competition Emmy. Is that fair?
NIGEL LYTHGOE: I’m certainly at this point in time not going to moan about the Academy members. I can’t say it’s annoying, but you just hope you’re going to get it. I’m not one of those people who think it’s wonderful to be nominated again, I would like to win it. There’s no question about it.

Do you think Idol can break its streak this year?
I think it’s fair to say if Idol doesn’t win it this year I don’t really ever see it winning. We had such goodwill this year from everybody. The program itself was very strong. It isn’t just about ratings or we would have won it every year. There’s no question Amazing Race is a beautifully produced show. We’re totally different. We’re live the night we do it and make up an entirely new show the next night again. It’s really comparing apples and oranges. But if you look at the actual content from when we first hit air until we closed with our finale with Lady Gaga and Beyonce, it’s remarkable. If it were me, I’d take all that into account.

Obviously the revamp worked, the ratings didn’t miss a beat. Yet some said, “Oh, Idol judges were too nice.” READ FULL STORY »

Aug 17 2011 09:30 AM ET

'Outrageous Kid Parties' season premiere is extremely 'sweet' -- EXCLUSIVE VIDEO

by Breia Brissey

Categories: Reality TV

Prepare yourself for another season of jaw-dropping extravagance on Outrageous Kid Parties. TLC is bringing back the series that showcases parents who spend exorbitant amounts of money on their children’s celebrations. During tonight’s two-episode premiere you’ll meet Donna, a mother who plans a candy-fantasy party for her son’s preschool graduation. Yes. You read that right. Preschool. Her Willy Wonka-themed celebration intends to “sugar up” all the children, and she spares no expense. Her more than $30,000 party bill includes several pounds of candy, aerial dancers, and even a song composed specifically for her son’s entrance into the party.

Next up is Janine, who plans a country carnival for her daughter, Sadie. Sadie’s main request? A ferris wheel, naturally, which Janine promises to provide. Watch an exclusive clip from tonight’s premiere, which airs on TLC at 10 p.m. ET/PT, and then tell us if you’ll be tuning in. READ FULL STORY »