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Trump Talks Martha, Randall and Apprentice No. 5!

The Donald has spoken. "When you win the World Series, like we did with The Apprentice, you don't make too many changes," Donald Trump says on the eve of the NBC series' fifth edition. "The big change is always the cast." True, but there are some other surprises this time around. Premiering tonight at 9 pm/ET — in its new Monday time slot opposite 24 — Trump has called in some reinforcements, as he reveals in this TV Guide Q&A. TV Guide: I'm sure you're happy with the performance of last season's finale, because the ratings had been down a bit.Donald Trump: There was a lot of confusion with Martha [Stewart's edition of The Apprentice]. A lot of confus

Mon, Feb 27, 2006

Trump Talks Martha, Randall and Apprentice No. 5!

Who's Man Enough to Tackle Dirty Jobs?

Think of the muckiest, scariest and nastiest jobs in America, and Mike Rowe has probably tackled each and every one of 'em — and all on national TV. As the host of Discovery Channel's Dirty Jobs (Tuesdays at 9 pm/ET), Rowe has thus far gotten down and very, very dirty on 85 different gigs, sharing a shift with the actual men and women who do the decidedly nonglam work that keeps our society going. (Hey, somebody's got to fish those golf balls out of all those water hazards!) TVGuide.com: So, what led you to Dirty Jobs?Mike Rowe: It was a crooked road, really. I was an actor who lost his way, then I lost a horrible bet and I auditioned for QVC. Against every synapse in my brain, I accepted

Tue, Jan 31, 2006

L Word Newbie Is a Gender Bender

These days gays, lesbians, drag queens — even male-to-female transgender characters — are almost as common in movies and on TV as the "bitch diva" and "fat funny guy." But except for the tragic Boys Don't Cry, women who yearn to be all man are rarely seen. Showtime's look at L.A. lesbian life, The L Word (returning for Season 3 on Sunday at 10 pm/ET), remedies that with a new character named Moira/Max, nutty Jenny's (Mia Kirshner) latest squeeze. We interviewed Daniela Sea, an actor active in New York's downtown art scene, about playing a girl who wants to be a boy. TVGuide.com: Who is Moira/Max?

Fri, Jan 6, 2006

Freddie Star Is a Real Prinze Charming

Although film star Freddie Prinze Jr. has turned his real life into a sitcom — the appropriately titled Freddie, airing Wednesdays at 8:30 pm/ET on ABC — don't confuse him with the character he plays on TV. Here, the actor talks to TV Guide a

Wed, Dec 21, 2005

7th Heaven Pop Says Goodbye: Part 2

In Part 1 of TVGuide.com's Q&A with Stephen Collins, the actor spoke candidly about WB's unexpected — by cast and crew members, especially — decision to make this 7th Heaven's final season, and even hinted that an agreement might have been arrived at to trim the series' costs and perhaps keep it on the air. Here in Part 2, Rev. Eric Camden's portrayer elaborates on that thought, updates us on the spin-off talk and discusses his Rick Nelson worship.TVGuide.com: Are you saying that the 7th Heaven cast would have made some sacrifices to keep it on another year? Would that have been a discussion?Stephen Collins:

Mon, Dec 12, 2005

7th Heaven Pop Says Goodbye: Part 1

After 10 years as the WB's unsung savior, 7th Heaven is being sent to, well, programming heaven. The network declared the show "too expensive" to keep running and announced that this season would be the family drama's last — though there is some talk of a spin-off. In a two-part interview, TVGuide.com spoke with Stephen Collins, who since Heaven's debut has played Rev. Eric Camden, the paterfamilias of seven kids — which some might call hell, but maybe that's just us — about the show's value, its abrupt cancellation and more. TVGuide.com: When did you find out that Heaven was canceled?Stephen Collins: [Series creator] Brenda [Ham

Mon, Dec 5, 2005

Mandy Patinkin Hunts Down Dangerous Minds

He has played Che Guevara and Georges Seurat on Broadway, is a constant presence on concert stages, and his TV roles include a doctor, a hunchback, and a dead guy. Now, on CBS' Criminal Minds (Wednesdays at 9 pm/ET), Mandy Patinkin plays FBI profiler Jason Gideon. We talked to the actor-singer about the series, his role, his health and his blessings. TVGuide.com: So who's Jason Gideon? He has to get inside the minds of truly vile and evil perps, and he's — shall we say — intense.Mandy Patinkin: He's somebody who has a dark past, has made mistakes through impulsive behavior and doesn't intend to go [there] again. He's about eliminating suffering, sa

Wed, Nov 23, 2005

Mandy Patinkin Hunts Down Dangerous Minds

Patricia Wettig Vexes as Prison Break's VP

Patricia Wettig was a loyal cancer-stricken wife in thirtysomething, an upright judge in Courthouse and a principled CIA shrink in Alias. But boy, has she switched gears for Fox's freshman hit, Prison Break (Mondays at 9 pm/ET). At first seen only in shrouded shots chopping garlic and slicing peppers, she was recently revealed to be not only the evil power behind all the intricate plots and mayhem, but the country's vice president! What is going on here? TVGuide.com: My, you're creepy, Madame Vice President.Patricia Wettig: Oh, I know! I'm so mean. I was just in Chicago filming an episode where I was nastier than

Mon, Nov 7, 2005

Patricia Wettig Vexes as Prison Break's VP

Mira Sorvino Takes On a Human Tragedy

In the Lifetime two-part movie Human Trafficking (airing Oct. 24 and Oct. 25 at 9 pm/ET), Mira Sorvino plays Kate, a Russian-born ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agent out to break up a ring that traffics women and children across international borders. We talked to the Oscar-winning actress about the movie, her activism and her new life as a working mom. TVGuide.com: Is Human Trafficking to the international sex trade what Traffic was to drug smuggling?Mira Sorvino: Yes. [We] want the film to be a tool for awakening people to this growing problem. The film weaves together three stories: We follow two Eastern European women who are brought into the U.S. and made to work as prostitutes, and a young American girl who is kidnapped in the Philippines and sold into sex slavery. One

Mon, Oct 24, 2005

Geena Davis Sets a "President" as Chief

While we all remember Geena Davis' big-screen outings —  including The Accidental Tourist (for which she won an Oscar), Thelma & Louise, A League of Their Own — her TV series have been as forgettable as her lips are memorable. Well, not anymore: Davis is commanding on ABC's new hit Commander in Chief (Tuesdays at 9 pm/ET). As the United States' first female president, Mackenzie Allen, she has to handle foreign and domestic enemies, not to mention her domestic duties as a wife to husband Rod (Kyle Secor) and mother to three

Tue, Oct 11, 2005

CSI: NY Star: "I Wanted to Leave"

Tough-talking detective Aiden Burn was abruptly fired on the Oct. 5 episode of CBS' CSI: NY. But was the lady cop's portrayer, original cast member Vanessa Ferlito, unexpectedly ousted as well? TVGuide.com asked the 26-year-old, Brooklyn-born and -raised actress for the skinny behind her exit . TVGuide com: Sorry that you're leaving CSI: NY.Vanessa Ferlito: No, it's a good thing. But it's sad if you watch the show, I guess. TVGuide.com: CBS wanted some big changes in CSI: NY this season. Were you one of those changes?Ferlito: Oh, no! I was the one who wanted to leave. TVGuide.com: Why? Were you unhappy with the direction of your character?Ferlito: I had no intention of doing an hour TV show. I had just wrapped the movie

Fri, Oct 7, 2005

South Park Gets Cleaned Up

Mr. Hankey made the cut. So did Chef's famed chocolate salty balls. But when Comedy Central's South Park goes into syndication on Sept. 19, don't expect to see all your favorite naughty bits. Distributor Mort Marcus says he has been "nip-tucking" the raunchy 'toon for broadcast, albeit with a little help. "We set up what I call a station board — kind of like a board of directors — and they represent a large cut of our broadcast stations," he explains. "What we do is whenever there is anything that is even a remote issue — and this has been going on for a year, as we have well over 100 episodes [to edit] — we address the board by showing them the clip to see if it's OK and then we offer suggestions for what we think we should cut. And then the station board says yes or no." It's a process that has never been done with any other series entering syndication. (Leave it

Thu, Sep 1, 2005

South Park Gets Cleaned Up

Wed, Aug 31, 2005

What Makes Baltar Tick on Galactica?

Some sci-fi fans may go ga-ga for the long-limbed beauties who populate fictional otherworlds, but it is a dark-haired Brit of short stature who manages to elicit the biggest roars from Battlestar Galactica enthusiasts. James Callis, who plays shifty scientist and Colonial Vice President Gaius Baltar, has won over viewers with his witty line-readings and steamy couplings with the sultry Cylon Number Six. (Battlestar colleagues say Callis is the on-set comic, as well.) TVGuide.com chatted with the amiable actor on the Sci Fi Channel series' Vancouver set. TVGuide.com: Baltar is getting more Cylon and less human every day. How is he is changing this season?James Callis: A backlog of uncharted guilt starts to plug up the system. It's like a boomerang that has come back; the thing has been thrown out, and it's final

Fri, Aug 19, 2005

ABC Evicts Unwelcome Neighbors

The diverse group of applicants vying for a dream home in ABC's Welcome to the Neighborhood won't become TV stars anytime soon. Less than two weeks before the much-maligned reality show's July 10 premiere, ABC abruptly pulled the plug. The show, in which seven families competed for a house in an upscale Austin, Tex., subdivision, came under fire for its offensive premise: Three white Christian couples living in the subdivision were to choose new neighbors from the contestants — including African-American, Asian-American, Latino and gay families. National Fair Housing Alliance president Shanna Smith, who has seen two episodes of the series, believes it violates the Federal Fair Housing Act, which bans discrimination based on race and religion (among other categories). Smith says she had four "honest and frank confidential discussions" with ABC president Alex Wallau. "ABC clearly wouldn't have created a show where a restaurant would refuse servi

Thu, Jul 14, 2005

Carly Simon's Candid Talk

She's chronicled her romantic angst in song since the '70s, but Carly Simon has always left a piece of her heart in the '30s and '40s. As proof, the 60-year-old singer and songwriter is releasing her fourth CD of standards, Moonlight Serenade, on July 19. We visited the Oscar and Grammy winner at her Greenwich Village duplex in a historic town house. TV Guide: Moonlight Serenade has a very intimate, mellow feel.Carly Simon: Our intention was an album that you could make out to. [Laughs] TV Guide: You actually knew some legendary composers.Simon: Yes. Arthur Schwartz ("Dancing in the Dark") was my parents' [Simon & Schuster publisher Richard Simon and his wife Andrea] best friend. Oscar Hammerstein was a close friend of theirs, too. I have a personal feeling about these songs. TV Guide: Can you feel as passionate about these songs as you do about your own?Simon:

Tue, Jul 12, 2005

"Ray Charles" Joins Six Feet Under

If the little boy introduced on Monday's episode of Six Feet Under looks familiar, it's because you probably saw him in his very first acting job. His name is C.J. Sanders. And in last year's Oscar-nominated biopic Ray, the then 6-year-old gave a heartbreakingly good performance as the young Ray Charles struggling to cope with sudden blindness. It was a bit of a struggle for C.J., now 8, as well. "When I had contacts and I had gook in my eyes — that hurt!" It also hurt when he "would fall over the stairs," he says, because he could barely see when he was wearing the contact lenses. Even at his tender age, though, he grasps how his suffering "helped" him play a blind boy realistically. "It was fun for me to feel that experience, what people have gone through in their life." The only time he wasn't a trouper, admits his mom Sharon, "is a couple of times when he got dust in his eyes. They were huge contacts! I cried every day wa

Wed, Jul 6, 2005

The Lost Truth About Fired Stars

These days any character can get the ax. The shocking deaths of series regulars on Lost and Desperate Housewives prove that no one on television is safe anymore. Ian Somerhalder, who played the ill-fated Boone on Lost, was shocked to learn that he was being killed off. "[I got the call] two days before going back to Hawaii to buy a house," he told TV Guide. The Sopranos' Vincent Pastore thought he was in the clear because his original contract was for six years. That was until his character, Big Pussy, got whacked in Season 2. "The raises came in the third year, when I wasn't around," Pastore says with a laugh. And over on Wisteria Lane, Rex Van De Kamp's early death has some of the rest of the cast feeling a bit... desperate. "The guys joke now about [their fate]," says James Denton. "Who knows what [executive producer] Marc Cherry's plan is? I'm lobbying to live." This killer trend may make

Fri, Jun 24, 2005

Moonlighting Star Recalls "Pressure"

Best known as Moonlighting's rhyming receptionist, Agnes DiPesto, whom she played from 1985 to 1989, Allyce Beasley recently taped commentary for the just-released DVDs of the detective show's first two seasons. Must have been a fun chance for the cast to reunite and reminisce, right? Wrong. "Bruce [Willis], Cybill [Shepherd] and I all did it, but on different days," Beasley admits. "I haven't seen Cybill since the show ended. I bumped into Bruce at a store one Christmas."So what's she's been up to since Moonlighting? After a series of TV guest spots and small film roles, the 50-year-old breast cancer survivor carved out a successful voice-over career (Lloyd in Space, Playhouse Disney). "I was a single mom when Moonlighting wrapped, and I wanted to be the one to raise my son," she says. "Doing voice-overs was a good choice for that." Beasley's dream is to play a prostitute on HBO's hit Western,

Tue, Jun 7, 2005

Race Winner's Secret Showbiz Past Revealed!

Just minutes before the country watched Uchenna and Joyce Agu dash toward the winner's mat on The Amazing Race 7, Joyce told TV Guide that her doctor had kindly offered to do a free round of in-vitro fertilization for one last try at having a baby. "I was in tears when I heard," says the 44-year-old, who joined the show with her husband in hopes of winning enough money for the procedure. But if the IVF fails, the couple says they'll adopt, perhaps from the Soweto orphanage they visited during the race. "Those children were so lovely," she says. The Houston sales manager also revealed that she was once an actress (Star Trek: The Next Generation, Silk Stalkings). So who did she play on TNG, which most of us agree was the best Trek series since the original? Ensign Gates. Just like in the picture above, she spent several episodes silently seated at the Enterprise's controls, taking orders from Captain Picard

Mon, Jun 6, 2005

Housewives' Sexy Rex Says Goodbye

Rex Van De Kamp didn't stand a chance. Bree's S&M-loving hubby (played by Steven Culp) went the way of Mary Alice and Mrs. Huber in the season finale of Desperate Housewives — but series creator Marc Cherry says his demise was a long time coming. "Bree is based on my mom. And my dad died, so I told poor Steven, 'Had my dad lived, you'd still have a job.'" Rex won't be the last Wisteria Lane resident to bite the dust, Cherry reveals. "Somebody will meet a surprising end at least once a year," he says. Here, an unbelievably upbeat Culp talks about his departure, his reaction and his plans.TV Guide: We're so sorry. You finally found joy in your sex life and then you had to die!Steven Culp: How like life. [Laughs] TVG: How did you find out that Rex was toast?Culp: In April the guys from the show went on Celebrity Poker Showdown [airing on Bravo

Fri, Jun 3, 2005

The L Word's Pregnant Pause

We've seen plenty of pregnant ladies on TV, but never one like The L Word's Tina Kennard, as played by real mommy-to-be Laurel Holloman. As befits the no-holds-barred lustiness of Showtime's lesbian drama (Sundays at 10 pm/ET), Tina's — and Laurel's — expanding belly didn't keep her from doing love scenes with ex-girlfriend Bette (Jennifer Beals) and the haughty Helena (Rachel Shelly). And how's this for a twist on life imitating art: Now that Holloman has had her child (6-month-old Lola), Beals has revealed that she's expecting! TVGuide.com touched base with Holloman a few weeks before she returned to Vancouver to shoot L Word's third season.TVGuide.com: So now that Jennifer Beals is pregnant, you'll have to deal with her hormonal issues on the set. Fair play?Laurel Holloman: [Laughs] We're pretty good at it now. I'll take care of her this year, because she really took care of me! TVG:

Mon, May 9, 2005