The Exes
Comedy is very hot this TV season — thank ABC's best-of-class Wednesday comedies (all in repeats tonight), CBS' Monday blockbusters, NBC's cult faves and Fox's giddy New Girl — but two lousy new sitcom arrivals buck the trend, leaving a sour aftertaste.
Normally I'd celebrate at any circumstance that shrinks The X Factor to 90 minutes, but in this case, it opens the door for Fox's unpleasant I Hate My Teenage Daughter (9:30/8:30c), which traps two gifted comedians — My Name Is Earl's Emmy-winning spitfire Jaime Pressly and two-time Tony-winning scene-stealer Katie Finneran — in no-win roles as shrill moms who used to be ugly ducklings and are now cowed by their bratty offspring (forgettably rendered by Aisha Dee and Kristi Lauren), who are turning out to be the sort of spoiled mean girls who tormented the moms back when they were in high school.
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Mark Kelly, Gabrielle Giffords, Diane Sawyer
This week, it's all about Regis Philbin. The irrepressible broadcasting legend, who holds a Guinness World Record for most hours spent in front of a TV camera, will finally give it a rest at the end of this week, as he steps away from Live! With Regis and Kelly (check local listings) after nearly 25 years in national syndication and many years before that in a variety of jobs, including as Joey Bishop's late-night sidekick in the late '60s.
His time on Live! cemented his ...
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Steve Carell
Just months after leaving The Office, Steve Carell is returning to TV — albeit behind the scenes — with a new interview series on Showtime.
Laughing Stock, executive-produced by Carell and David Steinberg, will bring on comedy greats from the last five decades for one-on-one discussions about their careers, influences and the evolution of comedy with Steinberg (Sit Down Comedy with David Steinberg).
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Live with Regis and Kelly
Regis Philbin will receive the Legend Award at this year's TV Land Awards, the cable network announced Monday.
The Legend Award is given to an entertainer or TV show that has stood the test of time and ranks among the most celebrated in entertainment history. Previous winners include Garry Marshall, Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner and Don Rickles.
"Hey, it's about time...
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Bob Newhart
Is television comedy icon Bob Newhart, 81, ready to stage his own Betty White-esque pop culture takeover?
"I don't know if the American public is ready for that," laughed Newhart at a salute to his 50th anniversary in show business at Beverly Hills' Paley Center for Media. But while the star of The Bob Newhart Show and Newhart says starring in a regular a series isn't highly likely ("That's for young people"), he's nowhere near retirement — and he may be teaming with his longtime best friend Don Rickles for a TV project in the near future...
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Kathy Griffin by Richard Wolowicz/WireImage.com
After weeks of rumors, ABC has confirmed Kathy Griffin will help hand out golden statuettes at the Emmys later this month.Who can forget the hubbub when the acerbic comic dissed Jesus while accepting her golden girl for My Life on the D-List at the 2007 Creative Arts ceremony? She's up for two Emmys this year, so brace yourself for more.Joining Griffin will be fellow comedian Don Rickles, two-time Emmy host Conan O'Brien, Christian Slater, Kate Walsh, and Emmy nominees Neil Patrick Harris and Kristin Chenoweth. Harris is logging in some serious time for the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences — he announced the nominations with Chenoweth in July and is also tapped to host the Creative Arts bash on Sept. 13, with Sarah Chalke.ABC airs the 60th Annual Primetime Emmys on Sept. 21. — Joyce EngRelated:• 2008 Emmy Nominations• Housewives, Baby Mamas to Present at Emmys• More Stars Added to Emmy Presenters List
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John Landis and Universal 360 — A Cinesphere Spectacular
John Landis, the director who has brought you such seminal films as National Lampoon's Animal House, The Blues Brothers and An American Werewolf in London, is ready to unveil his latest valentine to film lovers. Debuting Saturday, July 1, at the Universal Studios theme park in Orlando, Universal 360 — A Cinesphere Spectacular
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Penn Jillette in The Aristocrats
Paul Provenza is a seasoned comedy veteran. From stand-up to acting in sitcoms and movies, he's no stranger to the funny bone. So it's not surprising that his directorial debut — a meditation on one unbelievably dirty joke — garnered some serious attention at last year's Sundance Film Festival. The Aristocrats, arriving in stores today on DVD, is a who's who of comedy's finest — from George Carlin to Robin Williams to Jon Stewart to Whoopi Goldberg, and the list goes on and on. Provenza spoke with TVGuide.com about the movie and about one particular telling of The Aristocrats that has gone down in Hollywood lore.
TVGuide.com: This project is the brainchild of you and Penn Jillette
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Question: Just out of curiosity, were Jack Klugman and Tony Randall anything like their Odd Couple characters? I mean, was Klugman that big a slob and was Randall that fussy? Thanks for answering this. — Robbie R., Charlotte, N.C.
Televisionary: I can't say if Klugman was as much of a slob as sportswriter Oscar Madison, who he played on the hit ABC comedy from September 1970 to July 1975, but I can say that at the time, at least, he shared the character's deeply rumpled look. In fact, he said he couldn't shake it if he tried — and try he did.
Take the time he met with the Odd Couple producers to sign his first contract and showed up in a sports coat and slacks. "That's great," they said when they saw him. "We've been looking all over for this kind of sloppy stuff. It's classic. We'll buy it from you." Which would've been fine, except the coat was new and Klugman considered the pants t
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Don Rickles was tearing into celebrities before Triumph the Insult Comic Dog was even a pup. The caustic comic's appearances on The Tonight Show and Dean Martin's Celebrity Roast are legendary, and his role voicing Mr. Potato Head in the Toy Story films introduced his acidic attitude to the Disney crowd. TNT's holiday TV-movie The Wool Cap, in which Rickles plays a kindly neighbor to William H. Macy's down-on-his-luck mute, lets him show off a sweeter side. But never fear: The 78-year-old can still let fly his sharp wit.
TV Guide Online: How was it working with William H. Macy?
Don Rickles: He was great. He treated me royally. He and
Steve Schachter, who wrote the script together, tell me they weren't considering anybody else for my part.
TVGO: Who first called you Mr. Warmth?
Rickles: Johnny Carson did that on The Tonight Show, and I loved it. Merv Griffin called me "the Mercha
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