mary.murphy

Dick Vitale, College Basketball's Most Famous Voice, Is Back!

Dick Vitale got a standing ovation before he even entered the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, on Feb. 6. Students waiting in line for that night's North Carolina-Duke game were cheering, "Dickie V! Dickie V!" as the popular and loquacious ESPN analyst arrived five hours before tip-off. Their cheering, he says, "brought me to tears." This wasn't just the emotional candor sports fans have come to expect from college basketball's most famous voice. The 68-year-old Vitale was making his return to TV after two months in which he had undergone and recovered from throat surgery, followed a month later by a prostate operation. "I feel like I am 12 years old again," Vitale says from his home in Sarasota, Florida. "When I was laid up, I felt like I was my age, and I don't ever want to feel that way again." For three seasons, Vitale struggled with a raspy and hoarse throat, w

Fri, Mar 7, 2008

Dick Vitale, College Basketball's Most Famous Voice, Is Back!

Portia de Rossi and Joely Richardson Couple Up on Nip/Tuck

How often does an actress get a chance to play a part that could be taken out of her life? "I am a lesbian playing a lesbian," notes Portia de Rossi of her new role on Nip/Tuck. "But she’s a different woman than I am, so the most surprising thing is how emotional it’s been for me." It is the first time de Rossi (Arrested Development) has played a lesbian on screen — a risk she was willing to take only now, three years after she went public about her relationship with Ellen DeGeneres. De Rossi’s character, Olivia Lord, an acupuncturist with a teenage daughter, made her first appearance last week as the girlfriend of Julia

Tue, Nov 13, 2007

Portia de Rossi and Joely Richardson Couple Up on Nip/Tuck

Heroes' Hayden Panettiere Speaks Out About Animal Activism

What looked like a scene from a Hollywood thriller turned out to be a real-life episode in the life of teenage Heroes' star Hayden Panettiere. There she was in tears and putting her life in danger last month as she surfed the waters off the coast of Japan trying to stop the slaughter of dolphins with a group of activists called Sea Shepherd. (See news story.)   "I risked my life," Panettiere told TV Guide. "A lot of people in this world will say they are involved in causes and organizations, but they don't actually do something. It was a great feeling to be there physically, making a difference." In the video of the event, which is now making the Internet rounds (watch it here), the attacks on pilot whales by Japanese fishermen are so violent that the ocean water turns into a red sea. "It

Fri, Nov 9, 2007

Heroes' Hayden Panettiere Speaks Out About Animal Activism

Heroes' Hayden Panettiere Cheers on Her Brother Jansen

It's the ultimate high-school girl's fantasy. You're on a Hollywood soundstage, surrounded by a hairdresser, makeup artists and racks of beautiful clothes. An MTV camera crew follows you as you shoot a commercial for which you're getting paid big bucks.Welcome to the world of Hayden Panettiere, who's been in front of the cameras since her first audition for a commercial at 8 months old, "before she could even sit up straight," says her mom, Lesley Vogel. Panettiere, who turns 18 on August 21, stars on the NBC hit Heroes as Claire Bennet, the character who inspired the catchphrase "Save the cheerleader, save the world."At this Sunday-morning shoot, Hayden is joined by her 12-year-old brother, Jansen, who's followed her into show business. In the Nickelodeon m

Thu, Jul 19, 2007

Heroes' Hayden Panettiere Cheers on Her Brother Jansen

Inside TV Guide's Search for America's Next Producer!

Get ready for a small-screen smackdown. The 10 contestants on TV Guide Network's new reality series, America's Next Producer (premiering tonight at 8 pm/ET), display attitudes ranging from boastful to breathless. But they all want to get ahead in Hollywood, and they're not afraid to mix it up. The 10-episode series — the net's biggest original production yet — will search for the next Jerry Bruckheimer or Dick Wolf. But viewers who think a producer is the fat cat behind a desk writing checks will learn that that image is far from reality. "In the past, producers delegated a lot," says Last Call host Carson Daly, who delivers the

Wed, Jul 18, 2007

Inside TV Guide's Search for America's Next Producer!

Sharon Osbourne Spills Talent's Backstage Secrets

America's Got Talent's new judge, the irrepressible Sharon Osbourne, tells it like it is about the Hoff, hissy fits and calling it quits. (NBC's AGT next airs tonight at 8 pm/ET.) TV Guide: How do you feel about replacing Brandy as a judge on America's Got Talent? Sharon Osbourne: I do not feel I am replacing Brandy. She is a gorgeous girl. I am old enough to be her grandmother. TV Guide: Before the second season of America's Got Talent even premiered, there were rumors flying about feuds. Is it true you walked off the set the first week? Osbourne: Yeah, I did. It was a day where there was one young contestant after another. [Fellow judge]

Tue, Jun 12, 2007

Sharon Osbourne Spills Talent's Backstage Secrets

Jerry Springer Talks About Talent, the Hoff and More

Come one, come all! Jerry Springer the ringleader talks to TV Guide about helming NBC's great talent-show circus, America's Got Talent (premiering tonight at 9 pm/ET). TV Guide: Lawyer. Mayor. Talk-show host. Dancer. Like Madonna, you keep reinventing yourself. Why? Jerry Springer: I keep hearing that. It used to be, "Hey, man, I like your show." Now it's "I loved you on Dancing with the Stars." I was just a basic old schlub like everybody else, trying to dance. I think that surprised people. TV Guide: Now you're the new host of America's Got Talent. How has the latest rendition of Jerry Springer been received? Springer: [Laughs] Suddenly it's "good old Jerry." [Since] Dancing with the Stars, the networks have

Tue, Jun 5, 2007

Jerry Springer Talks About Talent, the Hoff and More

Diaz, Poehler and More: A Magical Q&A with Shrek the Third's Fab Five Princesses

Shrek the Third is about to jolt the fairy-tale world. In the third installment of the animated phenomenon (in theaters now), the women save the day. It all starts at the most unlikely event — a baby shower for Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz). In the midst of the joyful proceedings, the castle of the kingdom of Far Far Away comes under attack. That's when Fiona empowers gal pals Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel and Cinderella to take charge. TV Guide sat down at the W Hotel in Westwood, California, with Diaz, Amy Sedaris, and Saturday Night Live stars past and present Amy Poehler,

Fri, May 18, 2007

Diaz, Poehler and More: A Magical Q&A with Shrek the Third's Fab Five Princesses

"Extra"-special RSVP: TV Guide's Housewives Wedding Blog

Day 1: Exciting News. I am going to be on the finale of Desperate Housewives [airing Sunday at 9 pm/ET]. As a way to write a story for TV Guide magazine, I am going to be a guest at Eva Longoria's wedding. Not that wedding! I will be an "extra" at Gaby's wedding to Victor (played by John Slattery). I hope she doesn't get cold feet — after last week's episode, I am worried. Of course, I immediately think I have to lose 10 pounds, or have liposuction. You know how thin those "housewives" are? My inside source on the set tells me that Eva is so thin she is a "size zero-zero." Maybe I can fast for a week and then binge. That what's all the movie stars do for the Oscars. Day 2: I am going for my cost

Fri, May 18, 2007

"Extra"-special RSVP: TV Guide's Housewives Wedding Blog

Sanjaya's Sis Takes on the Hair, the Heckling and Her Brother's American Idol Fate

In the very, very, very beginning of this wild season of American Idol, there were two Malakars: Sanjaya, 17, whom we've heard a thing or two about in the preceding months, and Shyamali, 19, who joined her younger brother for the Hollywood leg of the experience, but couldn't crack the top 24 (let alone the top eight). With Sanjaya sequestered as he braved this past week's performance and results shows, TV Guide invited Shyamali to offer insight into her brother's moment under the pop-culture magnifying glass. TV Guide: How has Sanjaya been doing?Shyamali Malakar: I am proud of Sanjaya and how he handles the controversy around [Idol]. He doesn't read the blogs and doesn't watch TV — he's isolated in the environment — so he doesn't have to be as ex

Thu, Apr 12, 2007

Sanjaya's Sis Takes on the Hair, the Heckling and Her Brother's American Idol Fate

Cybill Shepherd on L Word Lovin': "To Me, Sexy Is Sexy"

In a candid TV Guide interview, outspoken showbiz vet Cybill Shepherd revels in her risky new role as a wife turned lesbian on Showtime's The L Word (Sundays at 10 pm/ET). TV Guide: Isn't joining the cast of The L Word risky? Cybill Shepherd: My kids [Ariel and Zach Oppenheim and Clementine Ford] think it's cool. They were so excited, they were dancing around the house. TV Guide: How do you think they'll feel after they see it? Shepherd: [Laughs] After shooting my first sex scene, I said to my daughter Ariel, "Don't worry, it won't be embarrassing." She said, "Mom, I don't want to know!" TV Guide: What's your character like? Shepherd: Phyllis Kroll is an executive vice chancellor of a maj

Fri, Jan 19, 2007

Cybill Shepherd on L Word Lovin': "To Me, Sexy Is Sexy"

Courteney Cox Dishes the Dirt about the Tabloid Press

Everybody's favorite Friend, Courteney Cox, is switching gears to play a hard-charging tabloid editrix in FX's Dirt (Tuesdays at 10 pm/ET). Here, she shares with TV Guide how she does it. Plus: The latest likelihood of a reunion for Monica, Chandler, Rachel, et al. TV Guide: You're panting! What's going on? Courteney Cox: I'm on an elliptical trainer. I have to knock it out when I can — I have no time! TV Guide: Mostly because of your new show? Cox: It's extremely challenging to star and produce — it takes a toll. I'm having a ball, but I'm glad it's only 13 episodes. I now understand how hard it is on Patricia [Arquette, her sister-in-law, who stars on Medium].

Tue, Jan 9, 2007

Courteney Cox Dishes the Dirt about the Tabloid Press

Desperate Housewives Preview: Bree Cooks Up a Surprise!

We thought she was dead, but in the Nov. 26 episode of ABC's Desperate Housewives, we were shocked to discover that Alma Hodge (Valerie Mahaffey) was alive and well. And in this week's new episode (airing Sunday at 9 pm/ET), she's coming to Wisteria Lane to — what else? — wreak havoc. "Alma's reappearance has a huge effect on everyone," says series creator Marc Cherry. Especially Bree (Marcia Cross), who faints at the mere sight of her. But in typical Bree fashion, she quickly recovers and throws — what else? — a dinner party, so the neighbors can see for themselves that her hubby, Orson (

Fri, Jan 5, 2007

Desperate Housewives Preview: Bree Cooks Up a Surprise!

Exclusive: The Real-life Crisis Behind Joely Richardson's Nip/Tuck Exit

In a show filled with shockers, the biggest one is not the departure of Joely Richardson's character on FX's Nip/Tuck — it's the departure of Richardson herself. "What the future holds nobody can say," Richardson tells TV Guide, sitting in her trailer next to a vase of roses, a farewell gift from the cast. "It's all up in the air. And I don't know if I will ever be here again." The English actress, who plays Julia McNamara, has kept quiet until now about the family crisis that led to her decision to leave the series. Her only child is facing multiple surgeries on her leg due to a circulation problem with her veins. Daisy, 15, was diagnosed with the rare condition shortly after her first birthday. "Surgeons and hospitals have been a big part of our

Fri, Nov 10, 2006

Exclusive: The Real-life Crisis Behind Joely Richardson's Nip/Tuck Exit

Jeri Ryan Tells All About Swimming with CBS' Shark

Shark star Jeri Ryan speaks with TV Guide about this week's arresting episode (airing tonight at 10 pm/ET on CBS), life after Seven of Nine and her real-life wedding news. TV Guide: When are we going to learn more about DA Jessica Devlin, James Woods' ambitious boss on Shark? Jeri Ryan: This week's episode is the first one where I actually have a lot to do. You find out about Jessica's past, and it humanizes her. It ties into an old case involving a child murderer, before she was the DA. When she first prosecuted the guy 15 years before, he was being defended by James' character, Sebastian Stark. She was convinced he was guilty and did things that weren't on the up-and-up to put him away

Thu, Nov 9, 2006

Jeri Ryan Tells All About Swimming with CBS' Shark

Will Alanis Morissette and Nip/Tuck's Liz Make Beautiful Music Together?

Tonight at 10 pm/ET, FX's Nip/Tuck presents the first of three episodes in which angsty rocker Alanis Morissette guests as Poppy, the anesthesiologist lesbian lover of Roma Maffia's Liz. "She wants me to be my best me, to reach my full potential," Maffia says, referring to Poppy's encouraging Liz to get lipo. "But when I go under the knife, we will see just how much she wants me to have done. She is a control freak." Never one to shy away from a freak of any kind, TV Guide spoke to Morissette about her edgy new gig. TV Guide: This role is a departure for you, isn't it?Alanis Morissette: This is definitely against type. I feel like Poppy is my shadow self, everything that I try not to be — controlling, micromanaging, projecting all kinds of dy

Tue, Oct 31, 2006

Will Alanis Morissette and Nip/Tuck's Liz Make Beautiful Music Together?

Prison Break's Back, and William Fichtner Is in Hot Pursuit

As all but two of the Fox River 8 remain at large on Fox's Prison Break (returning tonight at 8 pm/ET with fresh episodes), the stakes gets higher and the law gets closer. As part of TV Guide's Fall Hot List coverage, we asked William Fichtner what makes his FBI agent tick like the pill-popping time bomb he is. TV Guide: You're playing FBI agent Alexander Mahone, who is deceptively smart and oh so twisted. William Fichtner: The more twisted the better! Who wants to play a straight-away FBI guy? When I read the first two episodes, I thought, "What the heck is going on with this guy?" TV Guide: What's up with those pills? Fichtner: I think his plate is so full he needs a little help. He takes his pills, takes a deep breath and figures out a major piece of the puzzle. T

Mon, Oct 23, 2006

Prison Break's Back, and William Fichtner Is in Hot Pursuit

Rosie Shares Her View on Bedding Dr. Troy!

New Viewer Rosie O'Donnell talks to us about her home life, her return to morning TV, and her risque guest role on Nip/Tuck. TV Guide: What is it like to be back in the limelight with The View and now on Nip/Tuck? Rosie O'Donnell: It is definitely an adjustment. TV Guide: How has it been for the kids? O'Donnell: It is not so much an adjustment for them because they go to a school that does not allow [them to watch] TV. But it was definitely a shift in energy for me once I became available for consumption again. TV Guide: How's it going at The View? O'Donnell: It has been a great few weeks. Everyone was nervous — including me — and wondering how it would be. It is very hard to come into an ensemble in the 10th season. But I think it's working. I used to be obsessed with who was on my show and what the ratings were, what the competitors were doing. Now I don't look. TV Guide: That's

Fri, Oct 6, 2006

Rosie Shares Her View on Bedding Dr. Troy!

James Woods: Up Close and Very Personal

In a candid TV Guide interview, James Woods of CBS' Shark (Thursdays at 10 pm/ET) opens up about his first television series, his 20-year-old girlfriend, and his brother's recent and tragic death. TV Guide: You've had a tough summer with a brief hospitalization, a rash of tabloid headlines and the loss of your 49-year-old brother, Michael, who died of a heart attack just three days after you began shooting the first episode of Shark. How are you holding up? James Woods: I am fried. I'm sort of dizzy all the time and I don't sleep. Since my father died when I was 12 — and Michael was 3 — I had never shed a tear. I've always been stoic about everything. I went through psychoanalysis and never cried. Then m

Thu, Sep 28, 2006

Steven Tyler Rocks Charlie Sheen's House

The lead singer of Aerosmith playing his badass self on CBS' Two and a Half Men? Dream on, you might say, but this Monday at 9 pm/ET, Steven Tyler makes the first of what could turn out to be many recurring appearances as Charlie Sheen's hard-partying, hard-rocking neighbor. TV Guide spoke with Tyler about why he decided to walk this way, onto a sitcom set. TV Guide: Why did you do Men?Steven Tyler: I get hit up for a lot of these shows — [I guess] they want a piece of me as long as I am still walking around coherent — so I can pick my poison. Playing along with Charlie Sheen,

Fri, Sep 22, 2006

Steven Tyler Rocks Charlie Sheen's House

Talking with Charlie Sheen

It's been quite a summer for Charlie Sheen. The Two and a Half Men star has an Emmy nomination and a new girlfriend, as well as a messy custody battle over his children with estranged wife Denise Richards. Sheen opens up to TV Guide about his roller coaster of a life. TVGuide: What do you make of your Emmy nod for lead actor in a comedy series?Charlie Sheen: It was not about the work. It was about the year I've had. It was about the town saying we have really got your back. At least that's what I think it is, if that's the reality. But that's up for debate. Win or lose, the nomination is a huge victory. TVGuide: What's it like to be nominated with your dad, Martin Sheen (as guest star on Two and a Half Men and lead actor on The West Wing)? Sheen: It is pretty cool that my dad and I got nominated. He is the odds-on favorite for best actor. At least Jimmy Gandolfini

Mon, Aug 7, 2006

Rob Lowe Is Seaborn Again on Wing

President Bartlet may not have been eligible for another term, but Rob Lowe has elected to revisit NBC's The West Wing (Sundays at 8 pm/ET). "One line, and Rob was back where he left off," executive producer Lawrence O'Donnell Jr. says of Lowe, who's reprising the role that resurrected his career when The West Wing premiered in 1999. Lowe left the show in 2002 in a dispute over salary and screen time. Now, with the series coming to an end next month, Lowe has signed on to make two guest appearances, with the first of his episodes airing on April 23. "It was a great moment," says O'Donnell. "I saw

Fri, Apr 21, 2006