matt.mitovich

Next on Idol: Blimey, It's a British Invasion!

This just in from Fox:"Legendary British artists Lulu and Peter Noone will work with the top 11 finalists next week on American Idol.... On Tuesday night, the contestants will sing hit songs from the 1960s British pop invasion." As part of the Wednesday results show, Lulu will perform her hit song "To Sir, with Love," and Noone will perform "There's a Kind of Hush."Crap. Does this mean next week's ratings will have to be converted from the metric system? UPDATE: No, it does not.

Thu, Mar 15, 2007

Fall 2007: CBS Serves More Pie Stars

Geez, who had Stiffler pegged as the career feature-film star? But I get ahead of myself. The latest pilot-casting news from Variety and the Reporter: CBS could soon be home to three American Pie stars. Jason Biggs is a Wall Street whiz who dies in a Blackberry-related car accident and, since Hades is full, is forced to endure "Hell on earth" (aka a life devoid of his fancy career, apartment and such) in I'm in Hell. Chris Klein, meanwhile, is the series lead's best buddy in The Captain, which has also added comic Al Madrigal as a janitor. Ricki Lake is the mom in The Middle, ABC's comedy about a lower-middle-class family in the Midwest. Michael McKean is a low-level congressman's chief of staff in ABC's The Thick of It. Penn Badgley (John Tucker Must Die) has joined the CW's Gossip Girls.

Thu, Mar 15, 2007

The Ex Files: Duchovny's Single Dad Lands a Date

Showtime has greenlit 12 episodes of an as-yet-untitled series starring David Duchovny as a writer with a 16-year-old daughter. He still longs for his ex-wife, yet at the same time harbors an insatiable appetite for beautiful women (ideally those who do not use black oil for mascara). The series is pegged for an August premiere, where it will be paired with Weeds.

Thu, Mar 15, 2007

Coming Soon: More Lessons from 5th Grader

Fox has ordered 13 additional episodes of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, the No. 1 new program of the 2006-07 TV season in all demos.... Bravo premieres Shear Genius, a competition for high-end hairstylists and featuring such guest judges as Frederic Fekkai and José Eber, on April 11 at 11 pm/ET, following the Top Design season finale.... IFC premieres the compelling doc This Film Is Not Yet Rated March 31 at 11 pm/ET.... Dress My Nest, hosted by Queer Eye's Thom Filicia, debuts March 28 at 11 pm/ET, on Style Network.

Thu, Mar 15, 2007

Isaiah Washington Donates $25K to Slave Documentary

Grey's Anatomy star Isaiah Washington, who has traced his roots to Sierra Leone (by way of DNA testing), has donated $25,000 to a computer-animation project telling the story of Bunce Island, an 18th-century slave-trading castle that sent African captives to North America. "The stories of the innumerable Sierra Leoneans that were forced into slavery have yet to be extensively told," Washington said in a statement to the AP. "I believe this project will begin to shed some much-needed light on the region, both past and present."

Thu, Mar 15, 2007

Angelina Leaves Vietnam Orphanage with New Son

Angelina Jolie on Thursday left the Tam Binh orphanage in Ho Chi Minh City with a 3-year-old boy who she plans to adopt. Well, I sure hope she's adopting him! I don't care who you are, you can't just go walking into orphanages and grabbing kids. Unless you're, like, Madonna. I digress. Jolie and the tyke then got into an SUV bound for the Department of Justice  wave hi to Superman, Quang!  where officials say an adoption ceremony will be conducted later today.

Thu, Mar 15, 2007

At the Movies: Cannes Has Thirteen's Number

Per Variety, Ocean's Thirteen will make its international premiere at this year's Cannes Film Festival.... Don Cheadle will produce, star in and make his feature-directing debut with a Miles Davis biopic.... Per the Hollywood Reporter  as Kristen Bell shared with TVGuide.com two weeks ago  the Veronica Mars star will topline Forgetting Sarah Marshall, a "romantic disaster movie" penned by and costarring How I Met Your Mother's Jason Segel.... Daniel Craig is in talks to join Julianne Moore in Blindness, based on Jose Saramago's acclaimed novel.... Rider Strong will reprise his role of Paul in Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever. 30 Rock's Judah Friedlander is also on board.

Thu, Mar 15, 2007

Short Cuts: Borat, House and More!

House scribes Garrett Lerner and Russel Friend have inked new deals that will keep them at the NBC Universal production house through 2009, and elevate them to the title of executive producers on the Fox drama.... FX has ponied up $30 million for cable rights to Night at the Museum, Deck the Halls, Date Movie and The Marine.... Borat topped both the DVD sales and rental charts last week. Placing No. 2 in sales was Disney's for-the-love-of-god-hurry-because-it's-heading-back-into-the-vault Peter Pan.... Jonathan Antin (Blowout), Giulana De Pandi (E! News), Vanessa Manillo (sleeps with Nick) and Jerry Springer are among the judges for the Miss USA Pageant on March 23.

Thu, Mar 15, 2007

Skits Hit the Fran as Conan Takes Show on the Road

This just in from NBC:"Late Night with Conan O'Brien is once again taking its show on the road. The top-rated, critically praised late-night show will travel to San Francisco to broadcast five shows in high definition from April 30 to May 4... from San Francisco's landmark Orpheum Theater."Viewers can request tickets at NBC.com. Guests for the weeklong Frisco visit will be announced at a later date.

Thu, Mar 15, 2007

Exclusive: Injured Teen's Lawyer Mum on Civil Suit Against Lane Garrison

An attorney for Michelle Ohana, one of the teens injured in the December car crash that killed a Beverly Hills high-school student, tells TV Guide exclusively that he's gratified that former Prison Break star Lane Garrison, the driver of the car, has been charged with vehicular manslaughter  but that doesn't mean Ohana's family has ruled out filing a suit in the future. For now, though, Santa Monica-based attorney Gerald "Gerry" Laderman says he's allowing the legal system to "run its course, both from a criminal and civil standpoint."Garrison was arraigned March 8, accepting responsibility for the crash that killed 17-year-old Vahagn Setian and seriously injured Ohana and Chen Sagi, 15. Garrison has also been charged with two felony drunk-driving charges and a misdemeanor count of furnishing alcohol to a minor. Though Ohana's injuries were so extensive she has not returned to school, Laderman says, "We're not ready to discuss [the specifics of] her injuries yet."As reported e...

Wed, Mar 14, 2007

Brothers & Sisters Shows Some Dharma Initiative

Sure, Episode 3 of the Ausiello Report vodcast (as well as Mike's fresh TV Guide column) scooped that Jenna Elfman would be guesting on ABC's Brothers & Sisters. But wait, there's more: Dharma's own mom-in-law, Susan Sullivan, will appear in the same April 15 episode, playing... the mother of Elfman's character.Sullivan and Elfman will play Miranda Jones and pregnant Lizzie Jones-Baker, respectively, two members of the Walkers' lifelong nemesis family, as the two clans match wits in a night of board games. And here we thought Kitty was Clue-less.UPDATE: Speaking of hit ABC serials, Ausiello has exclusive, breaking scoop regarding the Grey's Anatomy spinoff. Check it out.

Wed, Mar 14, 2007

Dancing Stars Appear on Rachael Ray's Menu

As the series' March 19 return nears, ABC's "Dancing with the Stars Road Trip"  a traveling dance troupe that has been offering free lessons, hosting parties and holding amateur dance contests as part of its 3,000 mile cross-country tour  dropped by Wednesday's The Rachael Ray Show for a dance-off featuring soap stars Renee Elise Goldsberry, Aiden Turner and Bobbie Eakes, and judged by onetime Dancing machine Vivica A. Fox. "They did such a phenomenal job based on what a short period of time they had [to rehearse]," Ray tells TVGuide.com. "I mean, one hour? I couldn't do that to save my life. And I'm just so excited because that means Dancing with the Stars is coming back. I've been beside myself without it!"  Reporting by Colin Schoenberger

Wed, Mar 14, 2007

Daytime Emmys: CBS Leads Nods, Ellen Battles Viewers

Racking up 53 total nominations, CBS is the network to beat at the 34th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, to be held June 15 in Hollywood. While my sudsy counterpart Daniel Coleridge sums up the soap categories, I can tell you here that the talk show competition has Ellen DeGeneres (with 12 nominations) and The View (10) as front-runners, with the rivals going head-to-head with Rachael Ray in such primo contests as best show and host. (No assemblage of View gabbers has ever won for best host, in nine tries.) Sesame Street was the most-recognized nonsoap program, counting to 12 with its own collection of nods, and Bob Barker stands to collect his 18th Emmy before stepping down in June as host of The Price Is Right. Again, Daniel is compiling a full list of the major races here.

Wed, Mar 14, 2007

In the Works: ABC Calls Bingo in May, and More

 ABC is fast-tracking production on National Bingo Night, a prime-time game show that will afford viewers at home a chance to win prizes  all the while not having to inhale the chain-smoking of the 93-year-old lady playing 24 cards next to you. UPDATE: ABC has set a Friday, May 18, 9 pm/ET debut for Bingo, to be hosted by Extreme Makeover: Home Edition's Ed Sanders. Also per Variety, CBS is developing a game show of its own, from Weakest Link producer Phil Gurin and in which strangers have to wager on how much they trust each other. Or something like that, details are sketchy. TNT's development slate includes Leverage, a Mission: Impossible-like action series; Mrs. America, about a woman valiantly juggling career and family; a remake of the 1960s series The Saint; and a family drama tentatively titled A.D.

Wed, Mar 14, 2007

Casting About: Kidman Denies Nip/Tucking, and More

 A spokesperson for Nicole Kidman tells the New York Daily News it's "not true" that the Aussie beanpole will guest on the coming season of Nip/Tuck, as claimed last week by series creator Ryan Murphy. Intriguing! Peyton Manning hosts Saturday Night Live on March 24, with musical guest Carrie Underwood. Governator Arnold Schwarzenegger puts in an appearance on this Sunday's The Apprentice, as part of the winning team's reward.  Kevin Nealon, Jane Lynch, Richard Kind and Wendie Malick are among those who have been added to the guest-star lineup for Thank God You're Here, NBC's improv comedy-challenge series debuting April 9.

Wed, Mar 14, 2007

Anna Nicole: Birkhead's Lawyer Demands Stern's DNA

The attorney for Larry Birkhead, one of 6-month-old Dannielynn's prospective papas, on Tuesday asked a Superior Court judge to order the late Anna Nicole Smith's partner, Howard K. Stern  who is listed as the father on the child's birth certificate  to get his butt to California and furnish a DNA sample, so that paternity may be decided once and for all. "Put up or shut up, that's what we're asking for," the AP quotes Birkhead's mouthpiece as saying. The judge refused to act on the request immediately, but said he would review the matter in two weeks.

Wed, Mar 14, 2007

Short Cuts: Heroes, Twin Peaks and More!

NBC will rebroadcast "Company Man," the heart-tugging Heroes episode that shed light on HRG's past, on March 26.... Twin Peaks: The Second Season arrives as a six-disc DVD set on April 3, damn good pie not included.... Bravo announced on Tuesday its first-ever media acquisition, the TelevisionWithoutPity website.... Monday's premiere of FX's The Riches drew an audience of 3.8 million total viwers, putting it just ahead of Dirt's own debut.

Wed, Mar 14, 2007

Fall 2007: Superman Will Protect and Serve

Today's pilot-casting quickies, per the Reporter: Dean Cain will play a veteran officer in Protect and Serve, a CBS drama from Las Vegas creator Gary Scott Thompson. Also added to the cast are Eric Balfour (24), Tamala Jones and Monica Potter. Paige Turco (who never thanked me for the roses I sent her some 16 years ago... ) and Jessica Collins (Tru Calling edition) have come on board ABC's drama about four high-powered CEOs/CEO wannabes (played by Dylan McDermott, Michael Vartan, Joshua Malina and Christopher Titus). Raquel Welch is a bombshell former TV star on CBS' The Captain. Following a disappointing Monday table read, production has been pushed back on 24 cocreator Bob Cochran's NSA Innocent, as the lead character is being tweaked and portrayer Stephen Moyer will be recast.

Wed, Mar 14, 2007

It's a Spelling Wee, as Donna Martin Procreates

Tori Spelling and her husband of 10 months, Dean McDermott, welcomed their first child together, a boy named Liam Aaron, on Tuesday. "Tori and the baby are healthy," a rep for the marrieds tells People. "They're all really happy, and everybody's resting now"  now being the operative word, kiddies.The couple's bed-and-breakfast-based reality series, Tori & Dean: Inn Love, debuts March 20 on Oxygen.

Wed, Mar 14, 2007

Tonight, a Top Model First: The Remakeover!

The makeover episode of the CW's America's Next Top Model is always a highlight of the season  we laugh, they cry. But this cycle (airing tonight at 8 pm/ET) promises to make ANTM history: One of the girls gets made over not once but twice! I can't tell you which wannabe Tyra gives the double dose of beautification, but I can promise you that the victim won't come as a surprise. She really, um, needs the help. Guesses, anyone? In other Top Model happenings, a casting call for the next cycle will be held March 24, from 10 am to 4 pm, at the Park Central New York. "Hmm, just how far is that from the TV Guide offices...?" you may hear Matt Mitovich wondering.  Reporting by Ben Katner

Wed, Mar 14, 2007

ScarJo Makes a Date with Woody... and Broadway?

Having starred in Match Point (good) and Scoop (um, Match Point was good), Scarlett Johansson is set to shoot her third Woody Allen film. As-yet-untitled, the pic also stars Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem, and will start production in July in Spain, Variety reports.For an encore, ScarJo might head south... meaning, as the star of a new Broadway staging of South Pacific, to open in January 2008, the New York Post hears. Also on the wish list to play Nellie Forbush are Reese Witherspoon and Kelli O'Hara, though Scarlett, once ardently wooed to front Andrew Lloyd Webber's West End revival of The Sound of Music, is said to be the fave.My new Trivial Matt'rs blog entry talks about ScarJo's naughty turn in J.T.'s music video.

Wed, Mar 14, 2007

300 Adds Up to "Disgust" for Iranians

Speaking to the Ayandeh-No daily, in a story bearing the headline "Hollywood Declares War on Iranians," an adviser to the Iranian president has taken aim at the American box-office record buster 300, attacking it as "part of a comprehensive U.S. psychological warfare aimed at Iranian culture." While the pic is unlikely to get a theatrical run in Iran, "The [bootleg] DVD is already very available," a Tehran-based producer says, "and people are quite angry," saying the comic-book stylized feature presents a distorted view of real-life events. Per Variety, an online petition formalizing Iranians' "disgust at such a heresy" has thus far tallied 35,000 signatures.

Wed, Mar 14, 2007