TV Guide Author: anthony.layser

What's Next for the Virgin Director?

The 40 Year Old Virgin was one of the few flicks filling theaters in 2005. This little tale about a guy who has unbelievably bad luck with the ladies made over $100 million at the box office and marked the directorial debut of TV veteran Judd Apatow (Freaks and Geeks, Undeclared). Buoyed by a stellar cast that includes The Office’s Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, Catherine Keener and Apatow favorite Seth Rogan, the DVD arrives in stores today and looks to be a popular stocking stuffer. Last week, Apatow spoke with TVGuide.com about stalking, body-hair removal and the eventual rise of the dorks. TV Guide.com: What is the appropriate age for a guy to lose his virginity? Judd Apatow: You know, there are so many different cultures in this vast world of ours. Who am I to determine when people experience love for the first time? I gues

Tue, Dec 13, 2005

How Aeon Flux Leaped from TV to Theaters

Peter Chung was a director for the Nickelodeon series Rugrats when he first came up with the idea for Aeon Flux. Set in the future and following a character who is one part nihilistic assassin and one part sexually charged vixen, TV's Aeon was a slight departure from the adventures of mischievous talking babies. Ultimately, it would become Chung's contribution to MTV's experiment in adult-oriented animation called Liquid Television and would earn its own series of full-length episodes. A decade later the slinky shooter is set to make her big-screen debut in Aeon Flux, with

Fri, Dec 2, 2005

How Aeon Flux Leaped from TV to Theaters

CSI Spitfire Takes Center Stage

Perhaps inspired by the Las Vegas setting, the creators of CBS' CSI must never sleep. Rather than resting on their laurels, the makers of the original forensic phenomenon continue to surprise with fresh approaches to the show's storytelling. One of the ways the CSI formula has resisted becoming, well, formulaic is the addition of new faces to the mix. The brash and uncompromising Sophia Curtis, played by Louise Lombard, is one of these emerging characters. In tonight's episode of CSI (Thursday at 9 pm/ET) — the first of two parts entitled "A Bullet Runs Through It" — Curtis finds herself in a very precarious situation. Normally an investigator, she suddenly becomes the one being investigated after a shootout leaves a cop killed by what is suspected to be friendly fire. It's the first time Curtis, who has grown into a featured character, will take ce

Thu, Nov 10, 2005

CSI Spitfire Takes Center Stage

Perhaps inspired by the Las Vegas setting, the creators of CBS' CSI must never sleep. Rather than resting on their laurels, the makers of the original forensic phenomenon continue to surprise with fresh approaches to the show's storytelling. One of the ways the CSI formula has resisted becoming, well, formulaic is the addition of new faces to the mix. The brash and uncompromising Sophia Curtis, played by Louise Lombard, is one of these emerging characters. In this week's episode of CSI (Thursday at 9 pm/ET) — the first of two parts entitled "A Bullet Runs Through It" — Curtis finds herself in a very precarious situation. Normally an investigator, she suddenly becomes the one being investigated after a shootout leaves a cop killed by what is suspected to be friendly fire. It's the first time Curtis, who has grown into a featured character, will take

Wed, Nov 9, 2005

Nip/Tuck's Matt: Is He The Carver?

When Nip/Tuck premiered on FX three years ago, the character of Matt McNamara, played by John Hensley, was your regular high-school student. Since then, things have become a bit more... complicated. Last season he was involved in an affair with his life coach, Ava, a woman twice his age. Next he discovered that his father's business partner is actually his biological dad. Then he found out Ava was once a man. (And you thought finding a date to the prom was stressful!) TVGuide.com recently caught up with the closely shorn actor to get an idea of how things got so out-of-hand. TVGuide.com: The character of Matt had a pretty tumultuous run there on Nip/Tuck. Do you miss doing scenes that aren't extremely intense?John Hensley: Quite frankly, I tend to have a hell of a lot more fun with the intense scenes. Part of it is the ability to sink your teet

Tue, Nov 8, 2005

Halloween's Creator Delivers New Horror

Showtime is laying claim to the deepest, darkest destination on the cable dial. The blood curdling began over the weekend with Don Coscarelli's "Incident on and off a Mountain Road," the first of the network's highly anticipated Masters of Horror anthology. The 13-part series (premiering new installments Fridays at 10 pm/ET) is the brainchild of veteran writer-director Mick Garris (Phantasm). The idea was simply to give a select group of filmmakers an hour episode each in which to spill their guts (and gore) on screen with unlimited creative freedom. The only constraint: to make each creation with under $2 million dollars. Not too shabby considering contributing master Tobe Hooper

Mon, Oct 31, 2005

Showtime's a Treat for Horror Fans

Tonight at 10 pm/ET — in plenty of time for Halloween — Showtime will lay claim to being the deepest, darkest destination on the cable dial. The bloodcurdling begins with Don Coscarelli's "Incident On and Off a Mountain Road," the first of the network's highly anticipated Masters of Horror anthology. The 13-part series is the brainchild of veteran writer-director Mick Garris (Phantasm). The idea was simply to give a select group of filmmakers an hour episode each in which to spill their guts (and gore) on-screen with unlimited creative freedom. The only constraint: to bring each creation in under $2 million dollars. Not too shabby considering contributing master Tobe Hooper

Fri, Oct 28, 2005

World Series Vet Is Ready to Play!

Joe Buck has already reached the pinnacle of his profession at the age of 36. As Fox's lead play-by-play commentator, he voices both the Super Bowl and World Series broadcasts. Last week — in other words, before his late pop's beloved Cardinals got knocked out of the National League Championship Series — Buck spoke with TVGuide.com about the MLB play-offs, his allegiance to St. Louis and what other professional mountains he aspires to climb. TVGuide.com: How do you approach baseball postseason matchups differently than regular broadcasts?Joe Buck: I think the main thing is you've got people looking at these teams who they haven't seen all year. You've got more casual fans watching and saying, "Who is Mark Buehrle or who is Joe Crede and what are the White Sox all about? What are the Cardinals all about? What are the Astros all about?" I think yo

Fri, Oct 21, 2005

Earl's Brother Has His Own List

Of all the shows debuting this fall, NBC's My Name Is Earl (Tuesdays at 9 pm/ET) may be the most original and irreverent. (And the early ratings seem to agree.) Jason Lee stars as Earl, a hapless loser with a checkered past who's trying to get karma on his side. Ethan Suplee (Mallrats, American History X), who plays Earl's simpleminded brother Randy, spoke with TVGuide.com about the new show and whether he'd like the opportunity to make up for any missteps in his own past. TVGuide.com: How would you describe Randy?Ethan Suplee: I think of Randy as a kid. It's not that he's stupid; he's just young and innocent. He loves his older bro

Tue, Oct 4, 2005

Jiminy Glick Is the Talk of Himself!

After spending much of his career as an obscure gossip columnist, Jiminy Glick burst on to the scene in 2000 making appearances on The Martin Short Show. He followed it up by hosting Comedy Central's Primetime Glick, where his unique style of interview and keen interest in banal minutiae brought audiences closer to their favorite stars. Now, he's the star, as Jiminy Glick in Lalawood gets its DVD release on Oct. 4. Recently TVGuide.com turned the tables on the rotund interviewer and put him in the hot seat.  TVGuide.com: Jiminy Glick in Lalawood is framed as a movie within a faux David Lynch movie, a satire of such films as

Mon, Oct 3, 2005

Family Guy's Stewie Has an Untold Story

One question has always plagued fans of Fox's The Family Guy: How could beer-swilling homunculus Peter father Stewie, a refined yet maniacal football-headed genius? The mystery spurred show creator Seth MacFarlane to craft a classic tale of a man setting out to discover his roots. Well, sort of. Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story, available on DVD Sept. 27, is 80 minutes of the same type of crass material we've come to expect (and love) from The Family Guy. It's also MacFarlane's first feature-length effort. He gave TV Guide.com all the sordid details. TVGuide.com: Did you originally envision Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story as a movie or a series of episodes?Seth MacFarlane: We did it when we were first coming back, so we weren't really sure how the show was going to do, or whether anyone would even buy something lik

Wed, Sep 28, 2005

Nip/Tuck Doc Gets In Her Cuts

Tonight at 10 pm/ET, Nip/Tuck will embark on its third season, having matured gracefully over its previous two. By combining mind-bendingly twisted story lines with a stellar cast, the creators of FX's award-winning drama have built themselves a beauty. One integral part of that cast is Roma Maffia, who, as Dr. Liz Cruz, portrays a character many critics refer to as the conscience of the show. TVGuide.com caught up with the good doctor — an alum of Chicago Hope and Profiler — to get her take on what keeps Nip/Tuck from sagging. TVGuide.com: Are you having as much fun shooting Nip/Tuck's third season as you had with the first two?Roma Maffia: I'm actually having more fun. The first year was really hard, because we wanted to make it work. The second year, at least for me, felt like a lot

Tue, Sep 20, 2005

Peter Fonda Lands Some Truly Hot Gigs

Peter Fonda has been making movies for more than 40 years, but he still takes an almost childlike pleasure in surprising audiences. At age 65, there is no doubt that he's the same man who shocked the establishment and, in the process, changed American filmmaking, as one of the creators of the counterculture classic Easy Rider. TVGuide.com got a chance to talk to Fonda about his role in the Hallmark Channel's Supernova (a sci-fi thriller about the sun's possible explosion and decimation of mankind, premiering Sept. 5 at 8 pm/ET), and his experience shooting the recently wrapped comic-book adaptation, Ghost Rider, starring Nicolas Cage. TVGuide.com: What kind of research did you do for Supernova?

Mon, Sep 5, 2005

Peter Fonda Lands Some Truly Hot Gigs

Peter Fonda has been making movies for more than 40 years, but he still takes an almost childlike pleasure in surprising audiences. At age 65, there is no doubt that he's the same man who shocked the establishment and, in the process, changed American filmmaking, as one of the creators of the counterculture classic Easy Rider. TVGuide.com got a chance to talk to Fonda about his role in the Hallmark Channel's Supernova (a sci-fi thriller about the sun's possible explosion and decimation of mankind, premiering Sept. 5 at 8 pm/ET), and his experience shooting the recently wrapped comic-book adaptation, Ghost Rider, starring Nicolas Cage. TVGuide.com: What kind of research did you do for Supernova?

Fri, Sep 2, 2005

The Blues Brothers Celebrates 25 Years

Twenty-five years after fulfilling their mission from God, the gospel of Jake and Elwood is still being praised by legions of followers. The Blues Brothers director John Landis, star Dan Aykroyd and a host of other contributors to the film celebrated the anniversary by putting on a live-via-satellite Q&A and screening event for those devotees on Aug. 29, the day the collector's edition DVD hit stores. Since Mr. Landis has never been involved in an event like this before, TVGuide.com was kind enough to give him a few warm-up questions, while simultaneously getting the scoop on Showtime's upcoming Masters of Horror series. TVGuide.com: How has The Blues Brothers maintained its popularity?John Landis: I think ultimately it's because it's e

Tue, Aug 30, 2005

The Blues Brothers Celebrates 25 Years

Twenty-five years after fulfilling their mission from God, the gospel of Jake and Elwood is still being praised by legions of followers. The Blues Brothers director John Landis, star Dan Aykroyd and a host of other contributors to the film are planning to celebrate this anniversary by putting on a live-via-satellite Q&A and screening event for those devotees on Aug. 29, the day the collector's edition DVD hits stores. Since Mr. Landis has never been involved in an event like this before, TVGuide.com was kind enough to give him a few warm-up questions, while simultaneously getting the scoop on Showtime's upcoming Masters of Horror series. TVGuide.com: How has The Blues Brothers maintained its popularity?John Landis: I think ultimately it

Mon, Aug 29, 2005

Richard Lewis Hated Curb Star as a Kid

Richard Lewis has spent the last 35 years explaining to audiences why his life is hell. So it's no surprise that he decided to title the DVD box set of his first three cable specials Concerts from Hell. The collection, which includes I'm in Pain, I'm Exhausted, I'm Doomed and a recent 90-minute interview with Lewis, hits stores Sept. 13. Twelve days later, the lovable neurotic will pop up on the season premiere of the award-winning Curb Your Enthusiasm. TVGuide.com spoke with Lewis about the art of complaint and how he once harbored an almost palpable hatred for a teenage Larry David. TVGuide.com: What's it like for you to watch Concerts from Hell now?Richard Lewis: The thing about those shows is that when

Thu, Aug 25, 2005

Richard Lewis Hated Curb Star as a Kid

Richard Lewis has spent the last 35 years explaining to audiences why his life is hell. So it's no surprise that he decided to title the DVD box set of his first three cable specials Concerts from Hell. The collection, which includes I'm in Pain, I'm Exhausted, I'm Doomed and a recent 90-minute interview with Lewis, hits stores Sept. 13. Twelve days later, the lovable neurotic will pop up on the season premiere of the award-winning Curb Your Enthusiasm. TVGuide.com spoke with Lewis about the art of complaint and how he once harbored an almost palpable hatred for a teenage Larry David. TVGuide.com: What's it like for you to watch Concerts from Hell now?Richard Lewis: The thing about those shows is that when

Wed, Aug 24, 2005

Charlie Murphy: "Chappelle's Is Over"

Charlie Murphy wants people to know he's no Frank Stallone or Tito Jackson. He's no "not-as-famous-sibling" gimmick. Judging by the sales for Chappelle's Show DVDs, many may already be well aware of this. After spending more than a decade in the shadow of his superstar brother, Eddie, Murphy's antics as a cast member on Chappelle's have finally made him his own man. Currently he is selling out comedy clubs and has a slate of movies, the last of which, King's Ransom, recently hit video stores. Insider spoke with Murphy about his career and the fate of the show that spurred millions to holler, "I'm Rick James, bitch!" TV Guide: Your first introduction t

Wed, Aug 3, 2005

Pauly Shore Plots Reality Comeback

The Wiezel is all grown up, and he means business. After spending the last few years on an involuntary hiatus, Pauly Shore makes his return to TV with Minding the Store, premiering Sunday at 9 pm/ET on TBS. Shore's latest stab at small-screen success is a reality show about revitalizing The Comedy Store, a Sunset Strip landmark owned by his mom Mitzi, where the likes of Richard Pryor, Robin Williams, Jim Carrey and many others honed their comic chops. TVGuide.com checks in with Pauly about his family, legendary comedians, and his issues with women. TVGuide.com: Your family's at the heart of Minding the Store. Did you set out with that intention?Pauly Shore: Well, The Comedy Store is

Tue, Jul 19, 2005

Pauly Shore Plots Reality Comeback

The Wiezel is all grown-up, and he means business. After spending the last few years on an involuntary hiatus, Pauly Shore makes his return to TV with Minding the Store, premiering Sunday at 9 pm/ET on TBS. Shore's latest stab at small-screen success is a reality show about revitalizing The Comedy Store, a Sunset Strip landmark owned by his mom Mitzi, where the likes of Richard Pryor, Robin Williams, Jim Carrey and many others honed their comic chops. TVGuide.com checks in with Pauly about his family, legendary comedians, and his issues with women. TVGuide.com: Your family's at the heart of Minding the Store. Did you set out with that intention?Pauly Shore: Well, The Comedy Store is my family's business, so of course, you're dealing with my family. But outside of the Store, my brother, my sister, my mom and dad are all a big part of the show, because I'm basically letting the audience in on my life now. Pauly is grown-up.

Mon, Jul 18, 2005

This Monty Python Grad's Tripping

Before 1988, ex-Monty Python troupe member Michael Palin thought he'd be remembered as little more than a very silly person. Then he set out on a journey that would become the travel series Around the World in 80 Days. Seventeen years later, the man who gained fame doing skits about dead parrots and twisted lumberjacks proudly identifies himself as a world explorer, having visited more than 80 countries for his travel documentaries. Here, TVGuide.com talks with the Brit about his new Travel Channel series, Himalaya, debuting tonight at 10 pm/ET.TVGuide.com: Why did you decide to go to the Himalayas?Michael Palin: Well, I made a series called Sahara in 2001 that found a good audience share. I decided I wanted somewhere that would have lots of adventure, quite remote places to get to and difficult territory to work in, which obviously is what people liked about Sahara. So probably in some comfortable restaurant after a nice meal, I agreed

Mon, Jun 20, 2005