HBO was the big winner at Saturday's Creative Arts Emmys, the precursor to this Sunday's main event. The pay cabler picked up 20 awards, including six for The Life and Death of Peter Sellers and five for Deadwood. Amanda Plummer and Ray Liotta won best guest actress and actor in a drama for their respective turns on Law & Order: SVU and ER, while guest-star comedy kudos went to Will & Grace's Bobby Cannavale and Desperate Housewives' Kathryn Joosten. South Park, meanwhile, nabbed best animated program and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition was named best reality series. Speaking of EM: HE...
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John Leguizamo
More details are emerging about John Leguizamo's 12-episode guest stint on ER, which kicks off Oct. 20. According to NBC, the actor-comedian-Sexaholic will play Dr. Ernesto Clemente, "a dynamic supervising physician who shakes up the ER with unconventional ideas and cutting-edge technology." OK, he's just asking to get a helicopter dropped on him.
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Question: Love your column! Anything on ER?
Answer: Well, as I (read: me, me, me, me, me!) broke exclusively in Monday's Entertainment News, John Leguizamo is joining the cast as a new doc for at least 12 episodes. And yes, this is the part that was originally earmarked for John Stamos.
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Question: You've often said that you have many shows you watch every week and others that you just tune in to occasionally. So what shows are on your "must-see" list every week? And more interestingly (or painfully), if you were away for a week, in what order would you watch your regular shows upon your return?
Answer: This isn't so much a question as it is a game. But I'm game, so here goes. First off, any sitcoms and reality shows on my "must-see" list tend to fall off when I go away for a week's vacation (as I often do midwinter, even if it means skipping a week of February sweeps). The comedy exceptions: Arrested Development, which you can't afford to miss a single episode of; maybe Scrubs and hot HBO comedies like Curb Your Enthusiasm. No "must-see" reality show makes the cut, not even The Amazing Race, Survivor or American Idol. Once an episode has aired, I figure I'll be reading about it anyway if I can't watch it live. So that leaves, as you'd expect, a long list of dramas.
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John Leguizamo
Marking his first major drama-series gig, John Leguizamo is joining the cast of ER this season, TVGuide.com has learned. Details about his role could not be immediately confirmed, but sources say the actor-comedian will play a new doctor at County General in at least 12 episodes beginning in late October. ER producers have been on the prowl all summer for a big-name actor to fill the void left by Noah Wyle. Their first choice, John Stamos, was forced to nix the gig after ABC went and renewed Jake in Progress for a second season. Turns out that wasn't a joke; they really did renew it.
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Goran Visnjic
Question: Is it true that Goran Visnjic is among the finalists to take over as James Bond? And what does this mean for him on ER?
Answer: Yes, it's true. But should he get the role, it wouldn't mean the end of Kovac. "We have a contingency plan," says exec producer David Zabel. "We would film a bunch of stuff [with Kovac] at one time for later episodes. Or, depending on where the Bond film was shooting, he might be able to work on both at the same time. That's what [George] Clooney did. He was shooting Batman & Robin for part of the day and ER the other part."
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Question: With the news that Sherry Stringfield has quit ER, I wanted to add to your view that ER only came alive last season with two great guest stars. I say the other great episode last season was Weaver (beautifully played by Laura Innes) meeting her birth mother. With Innes generally underused last season and Dr. Lewis going, don't you think John Wells and Co. should use a little writing magic to put Weaver firmly back in the ER, where she is so watchable, and give the show a greater dynamic?
Answer: The marginalization and, often, invisibility of Weaver is just one of many boneheaded moves on the part of ER over the last few seasons. Laura Innes has made that character one of the most fascinating love-to-hate-her authority figures since Nurse Ratched of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. I know the actress has gone behind the scenes to direct episodes of this and several other series, but I miss her in front of the camera. And so does the show ...
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Robert Forster (Jackie Brown) and Michael Michele (ER) will play Wichita, Kan., detectives in a CBS TV-movie about serial killer Dennis Rader, aka BTK, who was arrested in February and faces up to 175 years in prison for his 31-year killing spree. Gregg Henry, who I totally remember as the creepy friend in Body Double, will portray Rader.
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It's Carrie Fisher (aka Princess Leia) on Smallville! Who's she playing? When does she start? Click over to today's new Ask Ausiello for the scoop. Also in AA: news about ABC Family's Melrose Place reunion, the latest on those Scott Speedman ER rumors and an exclusive preview of The O.C.'s third season!
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Question: I read somewhere that NYPD Blue alum Kim Delaney was going to have a recurring role on ER this season. Is that true?
Answer: Apparently not, since David Zabel laughed in my ear when I mentioned it to him. "I never heard that one," he said. "I don't know anything about it, but I like Kim Delaney. I'm gonna see if she's available!"
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