matt.mitovich

Bob Barker Has No Say in His Rightful Heir

Will it be George? Mark? Jm. J Bullock? Whomever The Price Is Right decision-makers wind up tapping to fill Bob Barker's shoes, the retiring game show legend will have had no say in the matter. "I haven't asked to be involved, and they have not asked for my advice," he tells the Toronto Sun. Confirming that George Hamilton got a look-see, as well as (yeah, you would have to think) younger folk, Barker says at least one, undisclosed) name recently entered the mix. But it's not Rosie's. "[She] wants the show," Barker notes, "but I don't think they're considering a woman."As for who will inherit his pet population-controlling sign-off, Barker hopes that another daytime fave, Dr. Phil, will grab the baton  though he wasn't the first choice. "When Katie Couric was trying to figure out how to end [her Evening Newscasts], I told her how," he shares. "But, uh, she turned me down."

Fri, May 25, 2007

Blake's Take: American Idol Needs to Keep Current

Not only does Blake Lewis have no regrets or have done anything differently during his American Idol run, but he says the competition actually ended on the highest of notes for him. "It was amazing, every week a different experience, and I ended with a bang, [playing] with Doug E. Fresh," he told TVGuide.com during a conference call. In fact, rather than have season-finale jitters, he says, "The most calm I have been this entire season was playing the Kodak Theatre both nights."Blake may best be remembered for bringing his special something to the Idol stage, an arena previously known for proffering traditional pop music versus his beatboxing flair. Hopefully, Blake says, a precedent was set by his near-winning run. "I can only hope that [Idol] keeps a contemporary edge," he told reporters. "There was definitely a lot of 'classics' going on this year, and I think that the show, to have continued success, needs to play more in favor to what's out there, what's current."As for his own...

Fri, May 25, 2007

Idol's Jordin: H'wood Must Get Over the "Thin" Thing

Freshly crowned (and audibly hoarse, the poor thing) American Idol Jordin Sparks says she has the best-possible support system in place to contend with the pressures that fame, especially at such a young age, can bring. On the topic of the biz's "ideal image" concepts, she said during a Friday conference call, "That 'super-thin' stuff, Hollywood needs to get over it." As for expectations to be seen on the party scene, the 17-year-old said, "I've got a really good family around me, and I'm pretty sure they'll keep me grounded. They're always like, 'Don't let it go to your head, Jordin,' and I'm like, 'OK!' As long as I've got them with me, I'll be OK."On a very separate topic, Jordin shared this scary notion: runner-up Blake Lewis has tried to teach her how to {wait for it} beatbox. "But I'm really horrible at it," she admitted, laughing. "I entertain myself by trying to do it, but I can't do it!"In related news: AmericanIdol.com is streaming the final minutes of Wednesday's overtime...

Fri, May 25, 2007

Idol's Jordin: H'wood Must Get Over the "Thin" Thing

No Sir: Paul McCartney Snubs "Cheesy" Idol

Despite rumors of a possible season-finale drop-by and the abundance of Beatles tunes on display Wednesday night, Paul McCartney did not and perhaps will not ever grace the American Idol stage. The Fab fourth reportedly has a standing invitation to visit Idol, but his peeps "find the show cheesy," a source tells the New York Daily News, and feel "it's beneath him." But dressing up as a clown and having a seltzer fight with Jacko in "Say, Say, Say"? Not cheesy.

Fri, May 25, 2007

Short Cuts: Girls Next Door, Gay Robot and More

E! premieres Bedtime Stories: The Best of The Girls Next Door Monday at 9 pm/ET, leading into the new season of The Simple Life.... Matt Lauer and Meredith Vieira will host and former 60 Minutes boss Don Hewitt will produce for NBC a one-hour celebration of the annual Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular, to air in prime time in December, says Variety.... Gay Robot, an Adam Sandler-produced Comedy Central pilot that never got picked up but instead has been dwelling on MySpace, may find new life as an animated series, says the Hollywood Reporter.... Speaking of Doug Jones (and I was), Pan's Labyrinth topped the DVD sales and rental charts last week. I still havent seen it, argh.

Fri, May 25, 2007

And Just Like That, Pirates 3 Breaks Spidey's Record

No, not the first-weekend box-office feat... the number of theaters it's debuting in. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End hits a record 4,362 screens on Friday, 110 more than carried Spider-Man 3 at that film's launch. Still, Pirates' 167-minute running time not only edges out the Idol finale, it threatens to anchor down the sequel's booty haul.

Fri, May 25, 2007

At the Movies: A Re-Mastered Universe

Warner Bros. and überproducer Joel Silver are in talks to acquire the rights to the '80s TV 'toon Masters of the Universe, for the purpose of staging a live-action feature not stunk up by Dolph Lundgren.... Per Playbill.com, Nathan Lane and John Turturro join Elle Fanning in Nutcracker  The Untold Story, a cinematic take on the beloved ballet.... Cuba Gooding Jr. is a friendly high-school janitor in Harold, an indie comedy about a prematurely balding teen.

Fri, May 25, 2007

Ratings Exclusive*! Idol. Lost. And... We're Out

Starting off the night with 22.9 million total viewers and building to a crescendo of 34.9 mil, American Idol's finale averaged 29.47 mil over its "two hour" run. And by two hours, I mean, like, 2:10. But why quibble or castigate a network for blatantly irking the increasingly vital DVR-using public? Oh, I digress. Idol's season-ender delivered a 16-percent smaller audience than a year ago, when Taylor clipped Kat.As for Lost, the ABC serial's jaw-dropping season finale began at 9 with 12.2 mil, and wound up with 15.45 mil going, "Um, wha?!" That's good for an average of 13.65 mil, a drop of 22 percent from Season 2's own climax.* Meaning, only I typed them up this particular way. (Sorry, "in" joke.)

Thu, May 24, 2007

Ratings Exclusive*! Idol. Lost. And... We're Out

Isaiah's PSA Debuts During Tonight's Grey's

As previously detailed in the TV Guide News Report, Isaiah Washington's mea-culpa public-service announcement on behalf of GLAAD and GLSEN is ready to roll. Produced in 20- and 30-second versions, the spot will get its first airing tonight during a two-hour block of Grey's Anatomy repeats. Per GLAAD, the script reads as follows:"Words have power. The power to express love, happiness and joy. They also have the power to heal. When you use words that demean a person because of their sexual orientation, race or gender, you send a message of hate. A very powerful message. But we all have the power to demand better from one another and from ourselves. We have the power to heal and change the world by the words we use."

Thu, May 24, 2007

Tina Turner Was Wrong: We Do Need Other Heroes

Heroes, which with Monday's first-season finale called into question the fate/mortality of a handful of characters, is introducing at least four or five new faces next "volume." The incoming lot, the Hollywood Reporter hears, includes a boyfriend for Claire, a 28-year-old African-American mother, an Irish mobster and a caliente Latina  though the talk is that these newbies may only stick around for short arcs.All I can say is that Claire's beau better not break her heart! Because if he does... well, she'll just self-heal it.

Thu, May 24, 2007

Fox's Prison Gets Crowded with Newcomers

When Prison Break unspools the latest leg in Michael and Linc's ongoing quest for truth, justice and the American way, expect to see some new faces enter the mix. According to the Reporter, with Mikey and some of the gang now holed away in a squalid Panama prison, the show is casting a mysterious and (of course) wrongfully imprisoned fisherman, said fisherman's beautiful girlfriend, a Panamanian drug lord and a female operative for a government conspiracy group. (Can't not have one of those, after all.)

Thu, May 24, 2007

Weeds Singles Out an Olsen Twin

Mary-Kate Olsen has landed a costarring role on Showtime's Weeds this season, playing Tara, a Christian girl living in the new Bible-thumping development of Majestic, and a love interest for Nancy's handful of a son, Silas. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Olsen  in this, her first major solo role sans Ashley  will appear in 10 of the 15 episodes.Weeds creator Jenji Kohan tells the Reporter that Olsen was "absolutely charming" at her read-through, "and seemed like a great fit. Audiences have seen only one side of Mary-Kate, but here we'll see her in a whole new light." And, I'm thinking/hoping, without the mondo sunglasses.

Thu, May 24, 2007

Jerry Springer: Rosie vs. Liz Was a Real Humdinger!

Jerry Springer  a man who knows a thing or two about car-crash television  says that Wednesday's verbal donnybrook between The View's Rosie and Elisabeth was no less than "compelling." "What I liked about it was that it was about something very substantive," he told TVGuide.com on the red carpet for American Idol's finale. "It wasnt about hairstyles and all that stuff. It really was about something thats important. It was pretty electric."Springer  himself a replacement for Regis when America's Got Talent returns  thus fears The View may take a ratings hit once Rosie leaves. "We'll see who they get [to take O'Donnell's place]."  Additional reporting by Michael MaloneyPOLL: Last chance to "pick teams" before I forward the results to the magazine!

Thu, May 24, 2007

Tony Awards: Let's (Again) Put On a (Hostless) Show!

For the second year in a row, CBS' broadcast of the Tony Awards will be host-free, Playbill.com reports. Instead, a cavalcade of big-name actors will engage in awkward banter before bestowing the awards on June 10. Presenters include Liev Schreiber, David Hyde Pierce and Kevin Spacey, all of whom are currently gracing the Great White Way, as well as past Broadway babies like Vanessa Williams, Neil Patrick Harris, Rainn Wilson and William Petersen. Marg Helgenberger will be there, too. (We hear she attended a Broadway show once.)  Reporting by Raven Snook

Thu, May 24, 2007

Twenty Things I Learned This Past TV Season

1. I learned how to type "Isaiah" correctly on the first try. (Yeah, that lesson became kind of imperative.)2. I learned that creating a keyboard shortcut for "from O.C. creator Josh Schwartz" would have saved me loads of time come pilot season.3. I learned that no matter how you ask, no matter which one you are talking to, you will never get an American Idol castoff to pick their favorite to win. Good manners, you say? Top-secret contract clause, I theorize.4. I learned that unless a new series holds onto about 10 million viewers, it's a goner. (Unless it's a kickass comedy starring Tina Fey or the stellar Friday Night Lights.)5. I learned that Rob Lowe simply doesn't age.6. I learned how to spell Dannielynn. Boy, did I.7. I (or rather my e-mail box) learned that Supernatural fans really, really, really want to see Sam and Dean hug.8. I learned that the show you could never imagine cutting from your play list, you actually can, and with little pain. Case in point: Desperate Housewi...

Wed, May 23, 2007

View's "Poor Little Elisabeth" Rips Rosie, Later Says, "I Am Fine"

Joy Behar had no idea what she was jump-starting. By reciting a (literal) list of the Bush administration's assorted black eyes  Abu Ghraib, "Brownie," Rummy, My Pet Goat and "nucular" included  The View's resident comedienne ignited a war of words on Wednesday's show between e-mail pals Rosie O'Donnell and Elisabeth Hasselbeck. (Video now up at YouTube.) It became clear that the shouting match was actually rooted in Liz's failure to succinctly denounce a recent allegation by right-wing pundits that Ro typified the U.S. troops in Iraq as "terrorists." While not even the most detailed transcript would clarify what transpired, the exchange had Rosie at first fending off a squabble, saying the media (hi, there!) would spin it as, "Big, fat, lesbian, loud Rosie attacks innocent, pure, Christian Elisabeth." Soon enough, though, Ro would slam her fair-haired foe as a "double-speaker," and then the claws came out. Speaking to the issue truly at hand, Liz told Rosie to "defend y...

Wed, May 23, 2007

Ratings: Idol Lead-out Could Do a Lot Better

This Tuesday's ratings, at a glance: American Idol's final performance show delivered 24.51 million total viewers, a 1.2 mil bump from last Tuesday but down 5.7 mil from a year ago. Lead-out On the Lot, vying with the Dancing with the Stars finale, premiered to just 8.97 mil  less than half of the audience retention House was getting  and not at all helped by 9:30 tune-out to the tune of four mil. DWTS bowed out before 22.6 mil, down 4.6 mil from its previous finale. Tom Selleck's latest Jesse Stone telepic pulled almost 13 mil for CBS, two mil fewer than the series' year-ago entry. Among scripted season-enders, NCIS put up a typical 13.88 mil; Veronica Mars' last two episodes ever* did 1.83 mil and 2.14 mil; and SVU (10.21 mil), slipping 2.3 mil, came in third at 10 pm.* See the Ausiello Report, now, for an intriguing update on Mars' fate.

Wed, May 23, 2007

Funny Money: Last Comic Ups the Stakes

NBC's Last Comic Standing on June 13 uncorks its fifth season with a number of tweaks. Last year's zombie-like Anthony Clark has been replaced as host with Bill Bellamy, while LCS talent scouts Kathleen Madigan, Alonzo Bodden and Ant will scour the entire English-speaking world  not just the U.S.  to find the winner. Other adjustments include a $250,000 grand prize (up from the previous $50K pittance), viewers being able to vote during the head-to-head competitions, and the absence of 24-hour surveillance. Still, executive producer Peter Engel reserves the right to pop up now and again with a camera crew. "And whenever I [do]," he says, "you know it's not good." Too true: the last time he appeared on screen was a cameo in USA High.  Reporting by Raven Snook

Wed, May 23, 2007

Love Notes: A Dynamite Delivery and More!

Jon Heder and his wife Kirsten recently welcomed their first child, a daughter named Evan Jane, says People.... Court TV's Ashleigh Banfield welcomed her and husband Howard Gould's second child, a spectator-glasses-wearing son named Ridley, on Monday.... 24's Kim Raver is expecting; see the TV Guide News Report for details.... Dennis Quaid and his wife of nearly three years, Kimberly, are expecting twins via a surrogate, says the AP.... Idol alum Kellie Pickler tells Us she has been fielding the passes of Nashville Predators hockey star Jordin Tootoo since January.... Tom Arnold has filed for divorce from his third wife, Shelby Roos, after five years of marriage, says the AP.

Wed, May 23, 2007

Cable Channel Likes X-Files Vet's New Hot Meth

According to Variety, AMC is thisclose to greenlighting Breaking Bad, X-Files writer-producer Vince Gilligan's new series starring Bryan Cranston as a suburban husband and father who, upon learning he has terminal cancer, uses his chemistry-teacher know-how to remake himself into a crystal-meth dealer. Soudns like Weeds on crack. Er, meth.

Wed, May 23, 2007

At the Movies: David Boreanaz Claims Victory

Carla Gugino (mmmm... ) and David Boreanaz (Angel Cohn goes, "Mmmm... ") will star in Our Lady of Victory, a drama set against the 1972 feminist movement and featuring Gugino as the head basketball coach at an all-girls Catholic college.... Mike Myers is set to daydream The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, a remake of the Danny Kaye classic. Hey, anyone else remember the Saturday-morning kids' show The Secret Life of Walter Kitty?.... Greta Scacchi is joining the likes of Emma Thompson and Matthew Goode in the big-screen Brideshead Revisited, playing Lord Marchmain's lovah.

Wed, May 23, 2007

Short Cuts: Chappelle's Show, Jackass and More

The Best of Chappelle's Show: Uncensored, offering the Comedy Central series' 25 most memorable moments, arrives on DVD June 5.... MTV's Jackass on Sept. 24 will incarnate itself as a next-gen video game, allowing players to interact with likenesses of Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, Steve-O, et al.... Blade Runner, Bonnie and Clyde, Cool Hand Luke, Magnum Force and Sudden Impact have been selected for hi-def restoration, with Blade Runner set for a DVD re-release later this year, in time for its 25th anniversary.

Wed, May 23, 2007