matt.mitovich

Halle Makes Like Britney, Engages in Shear Madness

You'd never catch a certain Idol contestant pulling a stunt like this, but Halle Berry is going to shave her head for the upcoming feature Nappily Ever After. In it, she plays a woman who dares to go bare after her hair starts falling out. For most of us, the movie will be a romantic comedy. But for America's Next Top Model contestant Jaeda, who spent an entire cycle weeping over her cute pixie-'do makeover, the pic will surely fall into the category of "horror."

Fri, Apr 6, 2007

Rachael Ray Elected Prom Queen

Moved by the plight of students at Enterprise (Alabama) High, who lost eight classmates in a tornado, Rachael Ray paid for their prom, planned their dinner menu and helped cook it. And although the cynic in me wants to make a crack about how altruistic it was of her to tape it all for an episode of her talk show to air later this month, I can't bring myself to do it. She made yummer out of blech. Good for her.

Fri, Apr 6, 2007

RIP: A TV Legend Passes Away

Tom Moore, who helped ABC compete with the big boys back in the 1960s as the network's head of programming, has died at the age of 88. Among the secrets of his success? He began targeting advertiser-friendly young viewers. So, in a way, I think this makes him at least partially responsible for (ick) Laguna Beach.

Fri, Apr 6, 2007

Short Cuts: SNL, Heidi's Hills, Dreamgirls and More

NBC premieres the behind-the-scenes doc Saturday Night Live in the '90s: Pop Culture Nation on May 6 at 9 pm/ET.... Responding to claims that she was wheeled into the OR Monday to get breast implants, The Hills' Heidi Montag tells Us, "What I do to my body is... no one's business but mine." To which I can only imagine the reporter replying, "Of course. Now who are you, exactly?".... Coming May 1: Dreamgirls: Showstopper Edition, a two-disc DVD (also available in Blu-ray and HD) featuring 12 extended/alternate scenes, including Jennifer Hudson's never-before-seen performance of "Effie Sing My Song".... On the late Princess of Wales' July 1 birthday, NBC and VH1 will air A Concert for Diana, featuring performances by, among others, Elton John and Duran-squared. Friday's Today's News was written by Ben Katner

Fri, Apr 6, 2007

Runway's Gunn Locked 'N' Loaded for Season 4

Tim Gunn finally squeezed the trigger. After negotiating with Bravo for months, the style guru has signed to return as mentor to the wannabedesigners on the fourth season of Project Runway, starting this summer. Gunn, who's leaving his longtime job at Parsons School of Design to join Liz Claiborne, says in a statement, "I am thrilled to make it official that I will be back in the workroom. We are in the midst of casting the designers now, and I can already see that it will be another amazing season." But just to be on the safe side, Gunn is developing another show  Tim Gunn's Guide to Style, for Bravo.  Reporting by Ileane Rudolph

Fri, Apr 6, 2007

Sopranos Creator Finds YouTube Vid "Very Funny"

A popular and amusing condensation of The Sopranos' run-to-date into one seven-minute video (posted on YouTube) has one very highly placed fan. David Chase, the HBO mob drama's creator, TV Guide is told, saw the video and "laughed all the way through. He really liked it and thought it was very funny and well-done," says our source. Good news for anyone scared of a whacking.  Reporting by Ileane Rudolph

Thu, Apr 5, 2007

"Idol Gives Back" Adds Housewife, Lotsa British Peeps

Fresh from Fox:"The original American Idol, Kelly Clarkson, along with Hugh Grant"  as in American Dreamz?  "Keira Knightley, Forest Whitaker, Helena Bonham Carter, Daniel Radcliffe"  Emma must be holding out for a bigger per diem  "Teri Hatcher and Mr. Bean (Rowan Atkinson), are scheduled to appear on 'Idol Gives Back,' a two-night special airing Tuesday, April 24 and Wednesday, April 25. These celebrities join previously announced talent Gwen Stefani, Josh Groban, Pink, Michael Bublé"  really, again? Can I write his material this time?  "Annie Lennox, Il Divo and Borat Sagdiyev."

Thu, Apr 5, 2007

Idol's Gina: Brighter "Smile" Could Have Saved Her

Speaking with Gina Glocksen the day after her American Idol dismissal, I, a professed fan of the rocker chick, couldn't help but suggest that the livelier rendition of "Smile" she gave us Wednesday night might have kept her around if she had delivered it, you know, 26 hours earlier. "That's what Randy [Jackson] said!" Gina responded with a laugh. Still, she doesn't regret her decision to tone down her act (if not her pierced tongue) this week: "I was happy to show America that I also have a voice, and not just a rocker image."OK, maybe she does have one regret: bidding adieu before the Jon Bon Jovi/"rock" week. "I was going to sing "Livin' on a Prayer," she told TVGuide.com. "Everything happens for a reason, though!"

Thu, Apr 5, 2007

ET Host and Mario Lopez Join Price Is Right Possibilities

Break out the high-test bronzer, George Hamilton, because you've got new competition. On the heels of talk that Hamilton had the inside line on succeeding Bob Barker as host of The Price Is Right comes reportage that Entertainment Tonight cohost Mark Steines and Saved by the Bell's Mario Lopez are now in the mix. Audition tapes of all the top contenders  including John O'Hurley (what's with all the Dancing with the Stars dropouts?) and former Beauty and the Geek host Mike Richards  are being shown to test audiences around the country. The wannabe who comes closest to meeting expectations without going over wins.

Thu, Apr 5, 2007

Fall 2007: Six-y Erika Christensen Lands in Hell

Who's doing what this pilot season? Says Variety and the Reporter: Erika Christensen (Six Degrees) and David Cross (Arrested Development) have joined CBS' I'm in Hell, playing Jason Biggs' love interest and the devil, respectively. American Idol alum Lisa Tucker is Born in the USA, on Idol producer 19 Entertainment's half-hour sudser for Fox. Billy Brown (Dirt) has been cast on Fox's Company Man. John Heard (Prison Break) has joined ABC's Cavemen. Janina Gavankar (The L Word) is on board the CW's Dash 4 Cash.

Thu, Apr 5, 2007

Re-News: Hills Keeps Rolling, Mo's Still F.A.T.

MTV has ordered a third, 10-episode season of its top-rated series, The Hills, Reuters reports. The Laguna Beach spin-off's just-concluded second season was up nine percent in total viewers versus its freshman foray.... Oxygen will launch a third season of Mo'Nique's F.A.T. Chance with a July 21 casting special followed a week later by a two-hour special set in Paris.

Thu, Apr 5, 2007

In the Works: HBO Drafts Will Ferrell's Ballplayer

HBO has given a pilot order for a comedy series (formerly known as P.E.) to be executive-produced by feature funnyman Will Ferrell and his production partner Adam McKay, and concerning a Major League hurler who returns to his small Southern hometown to work as a gym teacher  and a substitute one at that.... E! has set a July premiere for Chelsea Lady, a late-night talker fronted by comedienne Chelsea Handler.... On April 18 at 8 pm/ET, Speed TV debuts Setup, where up-and-coming drivers race identically outfitted Pontiac Solstice GXPs for a chance at $100,000.

Thu, Apr 5, 2007

TV Land Interrupts Sanford & Son for Movie Night

TV Land will take a time-out from its endless loops of I Love Lucy, Little House and the like to launch its first-ever movie night, Variety reports. "Friday Night Movies" kicks off this Friday at 10 pm/ET with White Men Can't Jump, and in successive weeks will serve up Weekend at Bernie's and Basic Instinct, with titles such as Caddyshack, Pleasantville and Young Frankenstein on the horizon. Basic Instinct? As Ricky would say, "Ay yi yi, yi yi!"

Thu, Apr 5, 2007

At the Movies: Comedies Add Up for Numbers Star

Numbers David Krumholtz has landed roles in a pair of big-screen comedies Attorneys at Raw which he will also write and in which hes a lawyeraspiring rapper and Walk Hard the John C Reilly-fronted Walk the Line send-up Also per the Hollywood Reporter 30 Rocker Judah Friedlander is the engineer of the crew steering Starship Dave a space vessel constructed in the form of Eddie Murphy

Thu, Apr 5, 2007

Short Cuts: Veronica Mars, Ugly Betty and More!

Warner Home Video has issued a statement saying that due to "time constraints," solicited fan testimonial videos will not be included on the Veronica Mars Season 3 DVD set as planned. I knew I shouldn't have done mine naked.... Rep. Hilda Solis (D-Calif.) on Monday presented America Ferrera with a copy of the resolution she introduced to the House of Representatives, commending the Ugly Betty star on raising the profile of Latinos in popular culture.... The interminable penguin movie topped the DVD sales chart last week, while The Pursuit of Happyness was the No. 1 rental.... CNN's American Morning is replacing anchors Soledad O'Brien and Miles O'Brien with rising stars John Roberts and Kiran Chetry.

Thu, Apr 5, 2007

NBC Boss: We Love FNL, But Renewing It Is "Trickier"

As much as lovers of quality TV are celebrating 30 Rock's second-season pickup, the question lingers: What fate will befall NBC's Friday Night Lights? Speaking to Variety, NBC Entertainment president Kevin Reilly calls the FNL sitch "trickier," saying the acclaimed drama has yet to find the right time slot. Still, Reilly offers hope in that FNL "has got a tremendous amount of support internally. We love the show creatively," he says, "and it's got a passionate core audience. All of that is going to work in its favor." Yeah, or else Smash is gonna start smashin' things.My advice? Let's put some fannies in the seats for the state finals next Wednesday!

Thu, Apr 5, 2007

Christmas Story Director Robert Clark Killed in Crash

From the AP wire:Film director Robert Clark, 67, best known for the beloved holiday classic A Christmas Story, was killed, as was his 22-year-old son, in a Wednesday car accident in Pacific Palisades. The two men were in an Infiniti that collided head-on with a GMC Yukon around 2:30 am/PT. The driver of the other car, Hector Velazquez-Nava, 24  who was under the influence of alcohol and was driving without a license  was hospitalized and will be booked for investigation of gross vehicular manslaughter. A female passenger of Velazquez-Nava's was treated for minor injuries and released.

Thu, Apr 5, 2007

I Wanna Rock! NBC Renews Acclaimed Comedy

This just in from the Peacock:"NBC will renew its critically acclaimed 30 Rock (returning to the network's lineup on Thursday, April 5, with a special supersized episode at 8:40 pm/ET) for the 2007-08 season," it was announced today by Kevin Reilly, President, NBC Entertainment. "From the beginning, 30 Rock has proven to be the kind of quality comedy that doesn't come around very often, and we are very pleased to have this show back for a second season," said Reilly. "We expect it to continue to build its increasingly loyal audience and become another of NBC's classic comedy series."A pickup and a 40-minute episode?! HalleJudah!PS. I just watched the new eppy this morning, and it's so solid and so funny. Here's a preview: "I'm going to use my sexuality as a weapon, just like Sydney Bristow. To the wig shop!" (Ah, but who says it?)

Wed, Apr 4, 2007

Fall 2007: Bernie Mac Finds a New Family

Bernie Mac is working with producer Ben Silverman (Ugly Betty, The Office) on Welcome to the Family, an NBC reality pilot in which engaged couples from different religious, ethnic and cultural backgrounds meet each others' families for the first time. Mac will narrate the undoubtedly madcap fallout and serve as executive producer.... Also per the Hollywood Reporter, Friends cocreator Marta Kauffman is exec-producting Gifted, a Fox reality pilot that tests the skills of those who claim to have psychic abilities. [Closing eyes] I see... 4.2 million viewers.

Wed, Apr 4, 2007

Showtime's Tudors Teach Ratings a Lesson

The Sunday launch of The Tudors crowned a slew of Showtime ratings milestones, outperforming the Season 1 debuts of both Weeds (by 78 percent) and Dexter (by 44 percent), and tying Fat Actress as the cabler's highest-rated series premiere in three years. Me, I kept waiting for the yummy Caren Kaye to show up. Never happened, though.

Wed, Apr 4, 2007

Heather Mills Feels "Vilified" for Loving McCartney

Speaking to E! News, Dancing with the Stars "charity activist and campaigner" Heather Mills sobbed as she surveyed the toll her divorce from Paul McCartney has taken on her. "All I did was fall in love with someone madly, and I'm constantly being vilified in the press for it," she shared. As for accusations that the former Beatle's soon-to-be-ex is a gold digger, Mills countered, "If I was, I would've been a very wealthy woman... and that wasn't the case at all." Prior to wedding McCartney, Mills spents 14 years earning money through speaking engagements, savings which she in turn used to help McCartney return to the stage.

Wed, Apr 4, 2007

At the Movies: Heroes Star Plays a Deadly Game

Per the Hollywood Reporter, Milo Ventimiglia has signed on for the horror pic Pathology, playing a hospital intern whose colleagues devise a game to see who can commit the perfect murder, while others vie to determine the cause of death. Alyssa Milano is lucky, lucky Milo's fiancée.... Adam Sandler's life is turned upside down when the Bedtime Stories he tells his niece and nephew start to come true.... I know what you did a decade ago. Per Variety, Freddie Prinze Jr. is producing and will star in Manslaughter, in which five college kids on a Philippines romp try to cover up a death.... Goldie Hawn may star in The Rosenbergs Save Christmas, which sounds like Meet the Fockers meets Christmas Vacation.

Wed, Apr 4, 2007