TV Guide Author: ben.katner

Oliver's Twist: Maggie Grace

Last week, Oliver Beene introduced Maggie Grace as Elke Nelsonbooster, the hot foreign-exchange student living across the hall from the Fox sitcom's kooky core clan, and in no time, the overeager Beene boys' interest had, um, sprouted. This week — right now, in fact — TV Guide Online pries the rising starlet away from a battery of meetings with VIPs (Very Important Producers) to ask her seven questions that weren't intended to be silly until we realized how much fun she'd have with them. Enjoy! TV Guide Online: So... the hot exchange student, huh? Is Elke the role you were born to play, or what?Maggie Grace: Actually, she's the first girl I've ever played that everyone has a crush on. Also, she's my first hot exchange student. Finally! TVGO: Your Swedish accent sounds pretty good to me. Or maybe, like the Beenes, I was just distracted by your sweaters.Grace: I worked pretty hard on it. Needless to say, I don't have too much

Fri, Feb 13, 2004

Nick Scotti at Night

A glance at Nick Scotti's resum&eacute; quickly reveals that he's done it all: He's sung with Madonna (on his debut CD), he's messed around with Kim Cattrall (on Sex and the City), he's been a soap hunk (on The Young and the Restless) and a matinee idol (in the gay farce Kiss Me, Guido). So, really, what was left for him to do but share his accrued wisdom in his own Style Network series, New York Nick (Fridays at 10:30 pm/ET)? "It's like a three-in-one show," he tells TV Guide Online, summing up the appeal of his goofily engaging half-hour show. "It's part how-to, part reality and part comedy. Originally, it was supposed to be just cooking. Then it kind of mutated — we said, 'You know what? Let's extend these tips to all aspects of life.'" Why not? We're unlikely to try out any of

Wed, Feb 11, 2004

Grammys a Class Act

Color us shocked. We thought that after Janet Jackson's Super Bowl striptease got her barred from the Grammys, her fellow shock and rollers would pull out all the stops to keep CBS' censors on their toes. But last night's live broadcast of the 46th annual award ceremony was — gasp! — pretty darn classy. (It was so tame, in fact, that we didn't feel right calling it damn classy.) Read on, and see for yourself. There were: Tasteful musical numbers. In recognition of the 20th anniversary of Purple Rain, Prince — who, we are pleased to report, kept his tush covered — performed three hits from his 1984 movie soundtrack with Beyonce, who, clearly forewarned about the skirt-blowing power of the wind machine, wore panties. Two hours later, the Destiny's Child vamp returned to bring down the house with a tour-de-force performance of "Dangerously

Mon, Feb 9, 2004

Extreme Wedding: "I Redo"

Picture, if you will, your wedding day: You find yourself face to face with your beloved and... Jeepers! The name is familiar, but you can't place the face! Scary, right? But that's exactly the scenario for which Extreme Makeover recipients Michael and Susan set themselves up in tonight's episode (airing at 9 pm/ET on ABC). They agreed to separate for two months before their nuptials while going under knife after knife. We've said it before, and we'll say it again: Jeepers! "There was a bit of nervous tension at the altar as Mike was lifting up my veil and we saw each other for the first time," the bride admits to TV Guide Online. "But I had a lot of confidence [in the doctors, so I believed] that we'd still recognize each other. And once I saw that it was the same Michael that I'd fallen in love with, just with a slightly smaller nose, everything was very relaxed." Some — including us, if we're feeling both hopeful and

Thu, Feb 5, 2004

Ashton's Punk'd Secret Revealed!

When Punk'd prankster Ashton Kutcher made his That '70s Show cast mate, Wilmer Valderrama, think that his new hot rod had been totalled, we thought he was ruthless. But, it turns out, he was merely righteous! "The reason that happened," the Butterfly Effect leading man explains, "is because I got to work [at the Fox hitcom] one day, and these two clowns [Valderrama and Topher Grace] had stolen all my furniture out of my dressing room and hid it in the closets. "I called up security," he continues, "and had them come. We were going to call the cops [before the jig was up]. So [slaughtering what appeared to be Valderrama's car] was just payback." Despite the no-holds-barred trickery behind the scenes of That '70s Show, Kutcher insists that he isn't out to one-up his costars professionally. The idea that, as Demi Moore's high-profile steady and Hollywood's newest matinee idol, he has somehow moved beyond the sco

Wed, Feb 4, 2004

A Better Show Than Friends?

Maybe you've heard: The NBC juggernaut Friends is coming to an end this year. But we bet you haven't been told why you needn't despair: There's another sitcom all ready to take its place, at least according to Topher Grace, adorable dork Eric Foreman on Fox's That '70s Show. "I don't think [our period laugher] will replace Friends," the scrawny leading man says, tongue in cheek. "I think it will far, far surpass Friends as the best show ever in the history of the universe. But I don't want to set myself up for a downfall." Truth be told, we wouldn't be surprised if Grace's smart-ass prediction turned out to be on the money. That '70s Show is on a roll this season, and, with its principals all lined up to continue, it's bound keep on rockin'. For his part, the Win a Date With Tad Hamilton! star still considers himself the luckiest geek alive to have landed the series in the first place. "I was cast out

Tue, Feb 3, 2004

Dynasty Diva Redux

Now that ABC has given the green light to a TV-movie about the making of Aaron Spelling's seminal primetime soap, Dynasty, execs are pulling out their hair — and not because they are imitating babelicious bruisers Joan Collins and Linda Evans, either. (If that were the case, they'd be pulling one another's hair!) The suits are faced with the daunting task of finding two actresses who could fill out their predecessors' Nolan Miller evening gowns. But not to worry: As always, we've got a few bright ideas. See if you don't agree that Krystle and Alexis Carrington would be well played by: Suzanne Somers and

Mon, Feb 2, 2004

Amber Tamblyn Finds Religion

Whatever God is paying his agent, it ain't enough. The man upstairs hasn't had as hip a showcase as Joan of Arcadia since Moses parted the Red Sea. The CBS hit has even made, if not a believer, a questioner of its leading lady, Amber Tamblyn. Being on the series, she says, "hasn't changed [my spirituality] that much, but it's definitely helped me to be more interested in religion in general." The daughter of Twin Peaks' kooky Russ Tamblyn, the General Hospital alumna wasn't taught to put her faith in "a specific religion," she admits. "But I was raised to believe in God. The [basics] of what my father taught me growing up was to find something that I truly believed in, not necessarily to follow his path. He likes to influence me, definitely, [by telling me to] read different things. But he never pushed anything on me." Between her pop's open mind and the all-embracing subtext of Joan, Tamblyn was overdue for a metaphysical

Fri, Jan 30, 2004

Molly Shannon's Baby Dilemma

Molly Shannon is no Sean Penn: She isn't about to deck a photographer for snapping pictures of her. But photograph her infant daughter, Stella, and holy cow! Shutterbugs may see a whole different side of the Saturday Night Live alumna. "The other day, Entertainment Tonight happened to catch a shot of her," she recalls, "and they asked me afterwards, 'Would it be OK if we let that footage air?' "I reeled for like two hours!" she continues. "'Should I? Should I? What should I do?' I finally had to sit myself down and ask myself what was going on." Although the funny lady's endearing neuroses may drive her bonkers, they also make her perfect to star in Fox's mid-season sitcom Cracking Up (premiering March 15). The show's executive producer is Mike White

Thu, Jan 29, 2004

Molly Shannon's Baby Dilemma

Molly Shannon is no Sean Penn: She isn't about to deck a photographer for snapping pictures of her. But photograph her infant daughter, Stella, and holy cow! Shutterbugs may see a whole different side of the Saturday Night Live alumna. "The other day, Entertainment Tonight happened to catch a shot of her," she recalls, "and they asked me afterwards, 'Would it be OK if we let that footage air?' "I reeled for like two hours!" she continues. "'Should I? Should I? What should I do?' I finally had to sit myself down and ask myself what was going on." Although the funny lady's endearing neuroses may drive her bonkers, they also make her perfect to star in Fox's mid-season sitcom Cracking Up (premiering March 15). The show's executive producer is Mike White

Thu, Jan 29, 2004

Scrubs Diagnosis: Wanderlust

Actors on godawful series thank their lucky stars every time that their audiences shrink. But, since Zach Braff headlines the cast of NBC's sublime hospital sitcom Scrubs, he's kinda eager for more viewers to tune in. Unfortunately, frequent time-slot changes have made a chore of finding his show, never mind getting hooked on it. This week, for example, the show has yet another brand-new berth: tonight at 9:30 pm/ET. "My parents called and told me they sometimes can't figure out when we're on," the endearingly dorky 28-year-old says. "So [if we just stayed in one place] that would be two more people who would be watching every week." On the plus side, outside of the United States, Braff and Co. are revered like the A-listers of Friends. Who knew "zany" lost so little in translation? "I had thought of Scrubs as such an American show," he notes. "There's a lot of pop-culture references to [the States]. Yet when we went on a big pre

Tue, Jan 27, 2004

Scrubs Diagnosis: Wanderlust

Actors on godawful series thank their lucky stars every time that their audiences shrink. But, since Zach Braff headlines the cast of NBC's sublime hospital sitcom Scrubs, he's kinda eager for more viewers to tune in. Unfortunately, frequent time-slot changes have made a chore of finding his show, never mind getting hooked on it. This week, for example, the show has yet another brand-new berth: tonight at 9:30 pm/ET. "My parents called and told me they sometimes can't figure out when we're on," the endearingly dorky 28-year-old says. "So [if we just stayed in one place] that would be two more people who would be watching every week." On the plus side, outside of the United States, Braff and Co. are revered like the A-listers of Friends. Who knew "zany" lost so little in translation? "I had thought of Scrubs as such an American show," he notes. "There's a lot of pop-culture references to [the States]. Yet when we went on a big pre

Tue, Jan 27, 2004

Globes Make the Grade

Last night's live broadcast of the 61st annual Golden Globe Awards was a salute to the best in entertainment in '03. But was the ceremony itself entertainment deserving of a salute? To answer that $64,000 question, TV Guide Online put the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's black-tie back-slap to the test, bestowing upon it points for every moment that genuinely amused us... and taking them away whenever we had to pop a No-Doz. Sixty credits (out of a possible 100) were needed to earn a D-minus. So, did the to-do make the grade? Read on to find out. We stayed up late to do the math for you, people; the least you can do is read our review! Presenter No. 1 Meryl Streep announced, "I've never opened an envelope before." Which must make answering her fan mail quite a challenge. (One point.) Later, accepting her own award, she made a stunning discovery: "I just realized you can see co

Mon, Jan 26, 2004

Family Feud for Obnoxious Fiancé?

When Fox's My Big Fat Obnoxious Fianc&eacute; draws to a close, bride-to-be Randi Coy will learn that, while she was fooling her family into thinking she'd really marry a tubby tool, the reality show's producers were tricking her into believing that her intended was just another contestant. (In fact, he's an actor.) But that doesn't mean the Coy clan wasn't still hoppin' mad over the deception. Have you seen the promos? In future episodes (airing Mondays at 9 pm/ET), those poor people get put through hell! "I don't think [what we did to them] was necessarily cruel," the funny girl insists. "[The prank] was going to end; that was my [justification to go ahead with it]. It was two weeks. I didn't look at it as harming my family. I thought it was going to be all fun, but real emotions did play into it. It got tricky. I got some reactions that I didn't anticipate." Gee, imagine: Coy's nearest and dearest didn't do a happy

Mon, Jan 26, 2004

10-8 Biker Crashes

It's a good thing that Shawn Christian has a good sense of humor. Otherwise, he could get really bummed out over the fact that he's landed recurring roles on one doomed show (Birds of Prey) after another (Pacific Palisades). This week, it's the same-old, same-old: He makes his first and only appearance as Jamie Luner's new love interest on ABC's ill-fated 10-8 (airing Sunday at 8 pm/ET). "I play a rough-riding, leather-wearing vintage-bike owner," he tells TV Guide Online. "Basically, my bike is stripped of its motor, and Jamie [who plays a cop] intervenes." In no time, the odd couple are revving one another's engines. "When you start talking about your '59 Stroker Panhead," Christian chuckles, "the sex is already there. [Our story] is pretty much loaded with innuendo." Told you the former As the World Turns heartthrob had a fully functional funny bone. Soon, he may even get the last laugh. Having given off sparks o

Fri, Jan 23, 2004

Bebe Back for Frasier Finale?

Harriet Sansom Harris may already have made her final appearance on Frasier as the limelight-loving radio shrink's outr&eacute agent, Bebe Glazer. But, like us, she's still holding out hope that, before the NBC hitcom ends its run, she will once again dine on some nice, chewy scenery. "Oh, I hope she comes back!" the Broadway veteran exclaims to TV Guide Online. "I really, really do! I feel like there's another story left in her. "My getting to do that character was really responsible for a lot of the good luck I've had in Hollywood," she continues, too humble to mention that she's landed leads on such series as The Five Mrs. Buchanans, Union Square and the current ABC laffer It's All Relative. "Frasier was one of the very first jobs I got out here. So I have great affection for Bebe." Harris thinks she does? We, er, viewers delight in her over-the-top antics. In fact, the episode in which the nicotine ad

Wed, Jan 21, 2004

Revenge of the TV Nerds

Pity poor Urkel and Screech. Clearly, they were born at the wrong time. Today's TV geeks are such a far cry from the walking punch lines of yore, we're laughing with them more often than at them. And how's this for progress? Some — like Everybody Loves Raymond's unlikely newlywed, Robert Barone — even get the girl. Read on and see for yourself: The tube's new breed of geeks has made it hip to be square. Seth Cohen, The O.C.:Though his own mom has called this green wallflower a late bloomer, it wasn't long before he put away his toy horse to sow his own wild oats. After all, in the span of a Summer (pun intended), the Chrismukkah elf went from Newport's Most Unwanted to the guy atop two — count 'em, two! — hotties' to-do lists. Marshall J. Flinkman,

Mon, Jan 19, 2004

VH1 Rebuilds Berlin

For those of us who hold fast to impossible dreams, VH1 presents Bands Reunited, a beyond-cool new series that brings back together defunct '80s acts for one-night-stand mini-concerts. In its auspicious debut episode (airing Monday at 10 pm/ET), it even allows Berlin founder John Crawford to bury the hatchet with Terri Nunn, the charismatic front woman from whom he had long been estranged. "We hadn't spoken in six years," the singer tells TV Guide Online. "In fact, the last time we talked was a fight [over putting Berlin back on the map]. I wanted to be 50/50 partners with him, and he didn't want that, because he'd always run the band before. I just thought, 'I'm too old, and too good, to do that again.' So for me to have that healing with him was a life-changing thing for me." Although Nunn still records and tours with a rad, revamped Berlin lineup, she shared Crawford's fear that they and their cronies wouldn't be able to pull it toge

Fri, Jan 16, 2004

Dorothy Lanier's Weir Science

Now that Comedy Central has gone crazy for Fox's Mad TV (airing classic episodes of the skitcom at 7:30 pm/ET every weekday but Monday), fans who learned only recently how deadly dull Saturday Night Live is by comparison can catch up on the show's former glories. Foremost among them: Dorothy Lanier, the self-absorbed D-lister played by kooky current cast member Stephnie Weir. "She's my favorite character right now," the funny lady tells TV Guide Online, then goes on to explain the over-the-top starlet's origins. "In Chicago, they have these theater awards, which are like the Tonys. One of our writers and I were both performing in a theater that was nominated, and while we were [at the ceremony], there was an actress who won, and that's where it was kind of taken from." OK, could that flashback be any more boring? Give us the deep dish, Steph —

Thu, Jan 8, 2004

Meet The O.C.'s New VIP

So far, O.C. newbie Oliver seems like a sweetheart, doesn't he? The kind of ex-druggie you wanna just hug. The sort of mental patient you could bring home to Mom, even if Mom is piranha Julie Cooper. But, according to the poor little rich kid's portrayer, Taylor Handley, there may be something a wee bit sour behind his screen counterpart's sweet smile. "Oliver is very intelligent," the 19-year-old tells TV Guide Online (as if we aren't glued to Fox every Wednesday at 9 pm/ET), "and intelligent people are good manipulators." In other words, our hero Ryan (Benjamin McKenzie) won't want to turn his back when main squeeze Marissa (Mischa Barton) is around Mr. Nice Guy. Says Handley: "There's definitely some tension between Ryan and Oliver since Marissa now has a boyfriend and also a friend — especially because my character is very needy due to his past. It kind of takes Marissa's attention away from Ryan." The sullen sexpot might as w

Wed, Jan 7, 2004

Seven Silly Questions for Mickey Mouse

Mickey Mouse is now three quarters of a century old, but whatever you do, don't tell him that. As animated as ever, the adorable rodent has filled up his schedule with more photo ops and marketing meetings than the cast of Friends. But, even as he looks forward to the summer '04 video release of The Three Musketeers — believe it or not, his first full-length feature with Donald, Goofy, et al — he kindly allowed TV Guide Online to bend his ear long enough to ask him Seven Silly Questions. TV Guide Online: Mickey, how is it that after 75 years, you still look as young and spry as you did when we first met you — or rather, when our parents did? Plastic surgery? Botox? Clean living? What's your secret?Mickey Mouse: Aw, gee, thanks, pal. Let's see... I try to eat right, and I mousercise. Oh, and for the occasional wrinkle? A good

Fri, Jan 2, 2004

Insider

Mickey Mouse is now three quarters of a century old, but whatever you do, don't tell him that. As animated as ever, the adorable rodent has filled up his schedule with more photo ops and marketing meetings than the cast of Friends. But, even as he looks forward to the summer '04 video release of The Three Musketeers  believe it or not, his first full-length feature with Donald, Goofy, et al  he kindly allowed TV Guide Online to bend his ear long enough to ask him Seven Silly Questions. TV Guide Online: Mickey, how is it that after 75 years, you still look as young and spry as you did when we first met you  or rather, when our parents did? Plastic surgery? Botox? Clean living? What's your secret? Mickey Mouse: Aw, gee, thanks, pal. Let's see... I try to eat right, and I mousercise. Oh, and for the occasional wrinkle? A good old-fashioned eraser. Works every time! TVGO: Think fast &#

Wed, Dec 31, 2003

ben.katner

Oliver's Twist: Maggie Grace

Nick Scotti at Night

Grammys a Class Act

Extreme Wedding: "I Redo"

Ashton's Punk'd Secret Revealed!

A Better Show Than Friends?

Dynasty Diva Redux

Amber Tamblyn Finds Religion

Molly Shannon's Baby Dilemma

Molly Shannon's Baby Dilemma

Scrubs Diagnosis: Wanderlust

Scrubs Diagnosis: Wanderlust

Globes Make the Grade

Family Feud for Obnoxious Fianc&eacute;?

10-8 Biker Crashes

Bebe Back for Frasier Finale?

Revenge of the TV Nerds

VH1 Rebuilds Berlin

Dorothy Lanier's Weir Science

Meet The O.C.'s New VIP

Seven Silly Questions for Mickey Mouse

Insider

Family Feud for Obnoxious Fiancé?