If anyone had planned it, it would have felt too soon.
On Monday's season premiere of Weeds, Doug Wilson (Kevin Nealon) sports noticeable ligature marks around his neck. When Andy (Justin Kirk) asks him what happened, Doug replies with signature nonchalance, "[Masturbated] with a noose," a scene we saw in vivid detail in the Season 4 finale. The premiere aired, of course, just days after reports and speculation that actor David Carradine might have died under similar circumstances. (The death remains under investigation; Carradine's manager has said he suspects "foul play.")
For Nealon, the show's apparent ability to echo current events is nothing new. "You know, it's really interesting how Weeds is prophetic in a way; it's kind of eerie," he says. He points to prescient storylines about the California wildfires and the Mexican drug wars. "We did a story about [the show's fictional suburb] Agrestic burning down, and we shoot in Valencia [Calif.], and then Valencia sort of burnt down shortly thereafter," he says.
Nealon says the latest scene was shot last year. "It was too late to have any second thoughts about it." He says the edgy scene is par for the course on a show like Weeds. "I'm never surprised by what the writers come up with," he says. "You have to be willing to pretty much do anything on that show."
Has he ever refused them? "No, not yet," he says.
read more
Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler (300) will costar in The Ugly Truth, a romantic comedy about a chauvinistic TV correspondent who enlists his producer to prove his theories about relationships.... One, two, Freddy is coming back for you! That's right — New Line is relaunching the Nightmare on Elm Street horror series that, among other things, gave Johnny Depp his big break in Hollywood (watch video). Michael Bay will produce; no word on whether or not Robert Englund will reprise his iconic role as Freddy Krueger.... Kevin Nealon (Weeds) is Ashley Tisdale's dad in the comedy They Came From Upstairs. — Mickey O'Connor
read more
Funniest Commercials of 2007Ever since the invention (and obsession) of DVRs and TiVos, most of us have been flying by those pesky commercials without thinking twice. But we tend to forget that some of those ads can be more entertaining than the television shows themselves. Luckily, TBS is giving us our annual countdown of the Funniest Commercials of the Year (hosted by Kevin Nealon) to make up for all those hilarious ads we’ve missed. Get a peek of not one, not two, but three of the funniest commercials of '07 now! Watch it now! | More online videosVH1’s 100 Greatest Songs of the ‘90sWhether you were shaking your rump like the rumpshakha or rockin’ out to Pearl Jam in your finest flannel, you have to admit that the ‘90s had its fair share of hits. All week long, VH1 has been counting down the decade's greatest hits and are wrapping things up tonight with the top 20. So who do you think will make the cut? We’re going with MC Hammer. Or maybe Right Said ...
read more
• A spokesperson for Nicole Kidman tells the New York Daily News it's "not true" that the Aussie beanpole will guest on the coming season of Nip/Tuck, as claimed last week by series creator Ryan Murphy. Intriguing!• Peyton Manning hosts Saturday Night Live on March 24, with musical guest Carrie Underwood.• Governator Arnold Schwarzenegger puts in an appearance on this Sunday's The Apprentice, as part of the winning team's reward. • Kevin Nealon, Jane Lynch, Richard Kind and Wendie Malick are among those who have been added to the guest-star lineup for Thank God You're Here, NBC's improv comedy-challenge series debuting April 9.
read more
FYI, I have a new interview with Kevin Nealon posted today, during part of which we discuss the unlikely Doug-Celia coupling, as well as Kevin's pick to play Doug's never-seen, strip aerobics-obsessed wife, Dana. (I have to say, his dream casting is dead on!) Give it a read, if you get a chance.
read more
