matt.mitovich

Romance Report: Nick Lachey Pops the Question

No, not that question. He's asked gal pal Vanessa Minnillo to move in with him, and People reports that she said yes. In fact, the couple moved into a new Manhattan condo on April 15 in the middle of that nasty nor'easter we had.... In other relationship news, according to People, Jesse Metcalfe and sweetheart Nadine Coyle (of the Irish girl group Girls Aloud) have called it quits, and Amy Winehouse (whose album is the coolest thing you may not have heard yet) is engaged to gopher Blake Fielder-Civil. I'm sorry, I meant to type "gofer," as neither of them are animated characters.

Mon, Apr 23, 2007

Smart Move: Heroes Star Gets Two-for-One Deal

Heroes' Masi Oka and Nate Torrence aren't even done shooting their big-screen Get Smart yet, and already a sorta sequel is being developed for the DVD market, the Hollywood Reporter says. Get Smarter: Bruce and Lloyd Out of Control, described as "parallel content to the feature film," will be released to video stores 10 days after the movie is released to theaters. Wouldn't a blooper reel have been cheaper?.... Variety whispers that inexpensive Sienna Miller has made off with pricey Lindsay Lohan's role in The Best Time of Our Lives, meaning that Jude Law's ex will vie with Keira Knightley for the affections of poet Dylan Thomas.

Mon, Apr 23, 2007

ABC's Timely Traveler Hits the Road Early

The start date for the new ABC drama Traveler has been pushed up: The series, about a couple of coeds on the lam after being framed for a terrorist act, will now debut on May 10 after Grey's Anatomy. It will then move into its regular Wednesdays-at-10 time slot on May 30, when the premiere gets an instant replay.... On July 19, GSN unveils its version of the U.K. hit Without Prejudice? in which contestants are awarded bucks for making a good first impression. (A word to the wise: breath strips!)

Mon, Apr 23, 2007

Don Imus Back On the Radio

It's true. For the last week, KCAA-AM (Riverdale, California) has been airing repeats of the shock jock's show, prompting CBS Radio to file suit. The station tells the Associated Press that it's trying to educate the public. "On what?" I have to wonder. How to goose ratings by courting controversy? In that case, job well done.

Mon, Apr 23, 2007

Hulk Crashes But Thankfully Doesn't Burn

In his native Australia Saturday, Eric Bana slammed his beloved 1974 Ford XB Coupe into some trees during the Targa Tasmania rally. While he and his copilot emerged unscathed, the car was totaled. And what I suspect hurt the most was that, of 115 cars in the Outright Classic race, he'd only placed 53rd. That's gonna leave a mark. Monday's news was written by Ben Katner.

Mon, Apr 23, 2007

Veronica Mars Stays in School (or Maybe Not)

Speculation has been that if Veronica Mars were to return for another season, the show would undergo a massive change in format that could possibly involve skipping ahead several years in the crime-solver's life. But before all you VM fans panic and start another campaign, there's still a good chance this beloved detective series will remain in the present and move on from there if the network gives it a green light. When creator/producer Rob Thomas put together a pilot of the show four years in the future, hoping the CW's Entertainment president Dawn Ostroff would buy the idea of Veronica as an FBI agent in a sexy Grey's Anatomy-type world, he didn't quite get a standing ovation. Veronica's father, actor Enrico Colantoni, told the Toronto Star, "We shot 10 pages and they saw it and the reaction was, 'That's not our show.'" What Ostroff and others did like was this season's finale (airing May 22). "It was like the first two years, and I think the network was very excited abou...

Sat, Apr 21, 2007

Veronica Mars Stays in School (or Maybe Not)

All in the ABC Family

ABC Family has unveiled its summer and fall schedule, which includes returning tween favorites Kyle XY (premieres Monday, June 11) and Wildfire (January), a pair of new series, the college-set ensemble comedy Greek (July) and the animated Slacker Cats (August), and Tom Bergeron hosted episodes of America's Funniest Home Videos (which are much better than those lame Bob Saget ones). In conjunction with Greek, the channel will launch virtualrush.com next month, yet another social networking site to help you fritter away your workday. Kyle XY also offers an interactive component at KyleXY.com, including exclusive videos, online games and clues to the show's myriad mysteries, like why the title character lacks a navel. It's like so incredibly grody. Inner-city drama Lincoln Heights (September) and the heavenly Fallen (August 3-5) are also back. Raven Snook

Sat, Apr 21, 2007

Hairsprayers May Kick Up Their Heels on DWTS

Who knew schlockmeister John Waters would ever become this mainstream? According to E! Online, the folks behind Dancing with the Stars are in talks to bring some of the stars of the upcoming movie musical Hairspray onto the reality juggernaut as guests. Based on the Broadway smash that was inspired by Waters' delightful 1988 flick of the same name, Hairspray boasts quite a cast of cinematic hoofers, including John Travolta (Saturday Night Fever), Queen Latifah (Chicago) and Michelle Pfeiffer (Grease 2... not quite the word but she did shake her groove thang). While nothing is set in stone or even Aquanet, if the deal does happen, look for the crossover later rather than sooner, since Hairspray doesn't hit theaters until July. In the meantime, check out the fabulous trailer. Raven Snook

Fri, Apr 20, 2007

Dreamgirl Turns Into a Princess

Tony-winner Anika Noni Rose  a.k.a. the Dreamgirl who doesn't have a Grammy or an Oscar or a million-plus Google hits  will voice the title character in Disney's upcoming hand-drawn animated feature The Frog Princess, according to Playbill.com. Set in New Orleans in the '20s, the film is a FEMA female take on the classic Grimm Brothers fairy tale with Rose playing Disney's first-ever African-American heroine  although she'll spend most of her time complaining that it's not easy being green. Raven Snook

Fri, Apr 20, 2007

Harry Potter Horses Around on Broadway

The current London production of Equus featuring Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe in a very, er, raw performance, will hit the Great White Way in 2008, according to Broadway.com. Radcliffe doffed his signature eyewear  not to mention his clothes  to play a troubled teen with a thing for horses in the revival of Peter Shaffer's Tony-winning play. Although the 17-year-old actor earned raves for his stage debut, British tabloids carped about his controversial nude scene. New Yorkers, however, are thrilled that Radcliffe is bringing a good old fashioned peep show back to Times Square. Raven Snook

Fri, Apr 20, 2007

Childishness May Cost Alec Baldwin Visitation Rights

I'd hate to be the 30 Rock star's PR person right about now. After his and ex-wife Kim Basinger's daughter, Ireland, 11, missed his scheduled call the morning of April 11, he left her what can only be described as a disturbing voicemail message which TMZ.com obtained and printed. "I don't give a damn that you're... a child or that your mother is a thoughtless pain in the ass who doesn't care about what you do," he reportedly railed. "You've made me feel like [doody].... You better be ready Friday the 20th to meet with me." After hearing the tirade, a judge immediately revoked Baldwin's visitation rights; on May 4, his future visitation rights, if any, will be decided by the court. In response, a Baldwin rep issued this statement to Extra: "In the best interest of the child, Alec will do what the mother is pathologically incapable of doing... keeping his mouth shut and obeying the court order. The mother and her lawyer leaked this sealed material in violation of a court order. ...

Fri, Apr 20, 2007

Childishness May Cost Alec Baldwin Visitation Rights

NBC Still Refusing to Order More Law

Can you imagine NBC without Law & Order? I mean, isn't that like Sesame Street without Big Bird? Donald Trump without the combover? American Idol without the hype? But it could actually happen. According to the Hollywood Reporter, a month into their negotiations, the network and series creator Dick Wolf have yet to agree on a deal to bring back the original L&O and Law & Order: Criminal Intent (which, OK, I can picture NBC without). What's more, they aren't expected to make a final decision until May. Isn't all this going to make it awfully hard for Vincent D'Onofrio to start auditioning for that shiny, happy 7th Heaven spin-off?

Fri, Apr 20, 2007

Dad Hits Britney, Baby, One More Time

Britney Spears may have been steamed enough at manager Larry Rudolph to can his ass for forcing her into rehab, but her pop, Jamie Spears, has an entirely different take on the music-biz biggy. "When Larry talked Britney into going into rehab, he was doing what her mother, father and team of professionals with over 100 years of experience knew needed to be done," he's told the New York Post. "She was out of control. Larry was the one chosen by the team to roll up his sleeves and deliver the message, to help save her life. The Spears family would like to publicly apologize to Larry for our daughter's statements about him over the past few weeks. Unfortunately, she blames him and her family for where she is at today with her kids and career. Larry has always been there for Britney. For this, we will forever be grateful to him." In response, the hot mess told the paper through her rep, "I am praying for my father. We have never had a good relationship. It's sad that all the men that h...

Fri, Apr 20, 2007

It's Official: You've Got Sharon Osbourne, Not Brandy

NBC has finally announced that when America's Got Talent returns to the tube on May 29, Brandy won't have David Hasselhoff to contend with anymore — in her seat will be Ozzy's missus, Sharon, who, I dare say, ought to be able to handle any oversized halfwit that lumbers her way. Piers Morgan will also be returning, I should mention. Because I know you worry so.

Fri, Apr 20, 2007

New Potter Will Be Magical to the Max... the IMAX

Yep, young Harry the Wizard will be doing something Julian Sands' Warlock never managed to do: He's being converted to 3-D! The last 20 minutes of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix are being digitally converted into 3-D for the version of the blockbuster-to-be that is being released in IMAX theaters on July 13.

Fri, Apr 20, 2007

Sanjaya to Meet the Prez, Apocalypse Upon Us

Please don't let him attempt "The Star-spangled Banner." The Washington Post reports that American Idol's Sanjaya Malakar has been added to People magazine's guest list for the White House Correspondents Association Dinner this weekend. So if George W. starts sporting a Veronica Lake 'do, don't say you weren't warned.

Fri, Apr 20, 2007

World Trade Center Director to Take On the Prez

Speaking of Dubya, MoveOn.org and VoteVets.org have hired Oliver Stone to helm a commercial that calls into question the Bush administration's military strategy in Iraq, Variety reports. The spot will be made up of clips of U.S. soldiers and their families speaking out against the war. And best of all, unlike so many Stone opuses, it has a time limit: a blessed 30 seconds.

Fri, Apr 20, 2007

Talk of Hills/Laguna Beach Sexcapade Cools

According to TMZ.com, the porn company that was going to put out a sex tape made by The Hills' Lauren Conrad and Laguna Beach's Jason Wahler has rescinded its offer to buy the footage for half a mil because of the alleged stud's recent arrest. "We refuse to support any person who feels that it is in any way acceptable to rattle off... slanderous language about African-American people, homosexual people and the police department," says SugarDVD. Of course, the fact that the couple's antics have been described as "very vanilla" may also have something to do with it.

Fri, Apr 20, 2007

Short Cuts: Meryl Goes from Devil to Nunsense

Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman have been cast as the leads in Doubt, the Miramax adaptation of the John Patrick Shanley play about a priest accused of pedophilia by a nun.... Ocean's Umpteen BFFs George Clooney and Brad Pitt will reteam in the Coen brother's hush-hush comedy Burn After Reading, about a CIA agent who misplaces the disc of the book he's been writing.... Did Louis Gossett Jr. accept nearly $40,000 in Lakers tickets without ponying up the dough? Not on your life, he tells TMZ.com, maintaining that someone forged his signature.... Erik Estrada has been given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Which means the only people left who don't have one are Jan Smithers and that dog from Frasier.

Fri, Apr 20, 2007

Who's Sexiest No Longer Victoria's Secret

Yesterday Victoria's Secret revealed its "What Is Sexy?" list. Among the hotties lauded for... um, their hotness: Justin Timberlake (Sexiest Male Musician), Jessica Alba (Sexiest Actress), David Beckham (Sexiest Dad) and Jay-Z and Beyoncé (Sexiest Couple). Um, have they ever actually seen Jay-Z? Usher he ain't. Hell, Jimmie Walker he ain't!

Fri, Apr 20, 2007

NBC Going to the Movies

Although in recent years theatrical movies have been largely relegated to the Saturday-night death slots, NBC is hoping to help them make a comeback  and gambling big to do so  by scheduling three of them for lucrative Sunday berths during May sweeps. Besides a last airing of Shrek, the Peacock will run the broadcast premieres of Along Came Polly and National Treasure. Try to contain your excitement.Today's news was written by Ben Katner.

Fri, Apr 20, 2007

Idol Boss Not Worried About Sanjaya-less Ratings

Update: To see what Sanjaya told TVGuide.com about his wild style and the thought of possibly quitting, check out the TV Guide News Report.Was Sanjaya a car crash people couldn't turn away from, or was he a deterrent that, now removed, might boost the No. 1 television show's numbers even higher? Whatever the effect the 17-year-old's long-in-the-coming ouster has on ratings, executive producer Ken Warwick isn't fretting. "To be honest with you, and with all due modesty, we're big enough that the ratings don't bother us too much at this stage. We know that were going to be bigger than anybody else," he told TVGuide.com when asked about a Sanjaya-free show perhaps fascinating fewer people. "If they drop considerably, there'd be a reason for us to agonize over them, but the truth of the matter is that on a weekly basis, [Idol aims to] make the most out of all the drama and everything that happens. We honestly don't pay that much attention to [the numbers]." Sorta the same way Sanj' didn...

Thu, Apr 19, 2007

Idol Boss Not Worried About Sanjaya-less Ratings