matt.mitovich

Low Blow: Pal Says X-Rated Pics Aren't Idol Beauty

Had a bad day, indeed. Last week, photos surfaced of American Idol wannabe Antonella Barba in various states of undress, wearing only her cupped hands or rose petals or a wet T-shirt. Then over the weekend, racier fare bubbled to the surface of the Internet, photos that purport to show Barbra engaged in a sex act. Yet Amanda Coluccio, who auditioned for Idol alongside Barba (but got booted in Hollywood), says the X-rated pics are not of her friend."I've studied them," she tells the Newark Star-Ledger, echoing some/many of us, "and it's not her nose." As further evidence, Coluccio says her gal pal "has never had [acrylic nail] tips" like the woman in the photo. "She's the least slutty person I know." So Amanda's least slutty friend does the rose petals/hands/wet T-shirt things? I wanna party with her.For more on how this controversy, deserved or not, might affect Antonella's chances, read TVGuide.com Interviews & Features.

Tue, Feb 27, 2007

Anna Nicole: Mother's Appeal over Contested Burial Site Will Be Heard

On Monday afternoon, not long after circuit court judge Larry Seidlin rejected Virgie Arthur's request to overturn the decision that empowered a court advocate to determine Anna Nicole Smith's burial site, a Florida appeals court issued a stay, ruling that Smith's remains cannot be moved to the Bahamas until a challenge is heard from the starlet's estranged mother. According to the Associated Press, the court gave other attorneys in the case until Tuesday afternoon to respond to the challenge.

Tue, Feb 27, 2007

To Iraq and Back: ABC's Woodruff Meets the Press

After getting injured in a roadside attack near Baghdad on Jan. 29, 2006, ABC newsman Bob Woodruff remembers seeing his body floating on a cloud below him. He passed out and didn't wake up for 36 days. Once out of his medically induced coma, he saw his wife, Lee, and said through a pained smile, "Honey, where have you been?"It's been a long journey back for Woodruff, but on Tuesday at 10 pm/ET, he returns to ABC News with an hourlong special, To Iraq and Back, in which he reports on his rehabilitation and how traumatic brain injuries like his are taking a toll on troops in Iraq. A book about his ordeal (In an Instant, written with his wife) is also hitting bookstores this week.Meeting with reporters on Monday, Woodruff looked and sounded like the man who was named coanchor of World News Tonight in late 2005. The only noticeable difference is his occasional searching for a word. He's been relearning language skills, and says he's seeing improvement all the time. "Will I get back to 1...

Tue, Feb 27, 2007

California Girl Bares All in Front of Oscars' Millions

Sunday night on international television, Lindsay Miller, a 22-year-old California native, appeared alongside the biggest film stars in the world  in the nude. As the winner of a Dove contest that called for real people to submit homemade commercials about real beauty, Miller had her 30-second spot introduced by Grey's Anatomy star Sara Ramirez during the Academy Awards telecast. The ad featured the recent college grad and aspiring film editor singing and dancing in the shower  a bold endeavor, considering she was sudsing up in front of many millions of viewers. "I probably thought it wouldn't get to the point where a good portion of America was seeing it all at once, and that it wouldn't make it any farther than my video camera," Miller admits. "But now that it has, I'm thrilled for what it represents." To see the contest's top 10 ads, go to DoveCreamOil.com.  Reporting by Rebecca Paley

Mon, Feb 26, 2007

X-Men's Anna Paquin Banks on Blood

Oscar winner Anna Paquin is making her first foray into series television as the female lead in True Blood, an HBO pilot from Six Feet Under creator Alan Ball and based on Charlaine Harris' Southern Vampire book series about vampires inhabiting a small Louisiana town. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Paquin will play Sookie Stackhouse, a waitress who can read people's minds and falls hard for a bloodsucker. (Additional casting information within Comments.)

Mon, Feb 26, 2007

It's Official: J.J. Abrams to Direct New Star Trek

Though news of the project first broke back in April 2006, J.J. Abrams only this past Friday officially signed on to take the com as director of a new Star Trek feature film, sources tell the Hollywood Reporter. The man who gave us M:i:III (oh, and Lost), Abrams has been developing Star Trek XI  which reportedly concerns Kirk and Spock's early years at Starfleet Academy, and which I have to believe is very tentatively titled  for months, as a producer and writer.

Mon, Feb 26, 2007

Brothers' Mother Is Hot for Teacher

Curious where Brothers & Sisters' Nora's reborn interest in writing and art is going? (C'mon, be nice. At least, I dunno, seven of you are.) Would you believe... the boudoir? Later this season, Peter Coyote (Erin Brockovich, E.T.) will appear on several episodes of ABC's hit freshman serial as Mark August, a professor and potential romantic interest for the widow Walker. I foresee fisticuffs with Dr. Andy Brown.

Sun, Feb 25, 2007

Is Lost Finding Its Way Back?

This write-up contains slight, thematic spoilers regarding the Feb.28 episode of Lost.As I screened the next episode of ABC's Lost (airing Feb. 28 at 10 pm/ET), and as the germ of the idea for this blog entry entered my head, I instant-messaged a flurry of comments to a revered colleague here at TV Guide. In response, I was urged, "Don't be a Lost hater." "But," I hemmed, "this episode is derivative of itself. And the mystery/humor mix is 'off.'" Having now surveyed the entire hour, however, I am here not to hate or even dislike, but rather hold out the highest of hope for the balance of Season 3.Hope is actually the theme of this week's episode. In "Tricia Tanaka Is Dead," Jorge Garcia's Hurley, upon discovering a car inside the jungle, flashes back to the midst of his bad run of post-Lotto luck. (A Chongless Cheech Marin guest-stars as Hugo's pop, and there is a classic "WTF?" Lost moment as Ms. Tanaka's fate is sealed.) It could be argued that it is a critical episode for the ser...

Sat, Feb 24, 2007

FX Gives Nip/Tuck a Bigger... Season

There will be a lot more plastics on FX this fall. The network has ordered 22 episodes of Nip/Tuck for Season 5  the biggest one-year deal in the cabler's history  with shooting scheduled to begin in May or June. TVGuide.com has learned that all the major players will be back and making the move to the show's new Los Angeles setting. That includes Sean's estranged wife Julia (played by Joely Richardson, who had left the show  on what turned out to be a temporary basis  to care for her ill daughter), and those creepy Scientologist lovebirds Matt and Kimber.What's on the operating table for next season? Look for some ego deflation when Miami's hottest plastic surgeons hit Beverly Hills only to discover that they're no longer the scalpel wielders du jour. Don't expect Christian (Julian McMahon) to accept sloppy seconds for too long.  Reporting by Ileane Rudolph

Fri, Feb 23, 2007

Ratings: Grey's Draws Second-best Audience Ever

This Thursday's ratings highlights: American Idol's first results show of the new season topped the 8 o'clock hour with an audience of 24.17 million total viewers. Placing second, Survivor: Fiji (13.59 million) was down almost three mil week-to-week. Each NBC laffer lost heads: Earl (8.7 mil, -440K), Office (8.24 mil, -660K), Scrubs (5.7 mil, -500K) and 30 Rock (4.58 mil, -380K). The big news came at 9 pm, when the conclusion of the burning ferry/sunken Mer'ry saga netted Grey's Anatomy its second-largest audience ever, 27.29 million (a surge of 1.7 mil from last week). Those numbers are only bested by last year's après-Super Bowl episode. Maybe the spin-off should star lucky charms Kyle Chandler and JDM, hmm? UPDATE: That was also ABC's largest audience in the Thursday 9 pm hour with series programming in more than six and a half years (since a May 2000 Millionaire). Also airing at 9, CSI (21.59 million) slipped 880,000, while The O.C. (6.67 mil) left o...

Fri, Feb 23, 2007

Fall 2007: Everwood Exec Taps Charmed One

New pilot castings, from the Hollywood Reporter: Alyssa Milano has been tapped to star as a successful Atlanta lawyer  and the daughter of Mary Steenburgen  in Everwood exec producer Rina Mimoun's untitled drama for ABC. Angie Harmon, who starred in the never-picked-up ABC pilot Secrets of a Small Town, has joined the Alphabet's Women's Murder Club. Brian Austin Green is a gay writer, and Vanessa Lengies (American Dreams) and Jessica Capshaw are women who work with him, in a comedy pilot from Will & Grace's Max Mutchnick and David Kohan. Liz Vassey is a biotech whiz in Fox's The Cure. Johnny Messner is a hotheaded cop in ABC's Judy's Got a Gun. Bruce McGill (Animal House's D-Day) is military in NBC's Area 52 comedy. Will Yun Lee (Thief) is a field operative in NBC's The Bionic Woman. Wherefore art thou Oscar Goldman?

Fri, Feb 23, 2007

Idol Confirms J.Lo and Gwen, Also "British Invasion"

As part of American Idol's first night of viewer-decided eliminations, it was officially announced that both Jennifer Lopez and Gwen Stefani will be performing on the show later this season. Also slated for stop-bys are Jon Bon Jovi, Martina McBride (one of my favorite tennis players), Diana Ross (maybe that fueled the Jacko rumor?), Barry Gibb, and Lulu and Peter Noone from Herman's Hermits (fronting a "British Invasion" theme night. Start shuddering now). In other Idol news, Season 5 finalist Kellie Pickler will perform her new single, "I Wonder," on next week's results show.

Fri, Feb 23, 2007

ABC Uproots Trees, Reheats Six Degrees

To make room for October Road  a new drama about a celebrated author who returns to his hometown, and starring Bryan Greenberg, Laura Prepon and Tom Berenger  ABC is "sitting" Men in Trees effective Mar. 15, Variety reports. Trees is expected to then return in mid-April with new episodes.ABC has also announced that Six Degrees is returning, in a new, Fridays-at-9 time slot, starting Mar. 23.

Fri, Feb 23, 2007

At the Movies: Questions Surround Justice League Film

Per Variety, Warner Bros. is looking to bring not one or two but a gaggle of superheroes to the big screen, with a feature film based on DC Comics' Justice League of America. Though the specially abled all-star team typically includes such top-shelf crime fighters as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and Aquaman, the studio is not specifying exactly who is on its wish list, nor whether Christian Bale or Brandon Routh would be wooed to reprise their franchise roles.... Universal has re-upped Robert De Niro and hopes to also have back Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand for Little Fockers, a second sequel to Meet the Parents.

Fri, Feb 23, 2007

Anna Nicole: Finally, It Is Decided Where Smith Will Rest in Peace

This just in from the Associated Press: Though he specified no time frame, the court-appointed advocate for Anna Nicole Smith's daughter, Dannielynn, has decided that Smith will be buried in the Bahamas alongside her son, Daniel.But lest anyone think this mess is over, the larger, cash-rich issue of Dannielynn's paternity  is Howard K. Stern the father? Larry Birkhead? Perhaps someone else?  now looms.

Fri, Feb 23, 2007

Manager: Britney Is Not on Suicide Watch

As Britney Spears (presumably) breaks a personal record with her current rehab stay, which is now going on 30 hours, photos have surfaced in the New York Daily News (the one on the paper's cover can be found here) showing the skinheaded siren assaulting an empty car parked outside K-Fed's apartment with an umbrella  and not one of those wimpy Totes minis, either. The bizarre stop on Spears' train wreck was caught by paparazzi Wednesday evening, shortly after Federline had threatened his estranged (and growing estranger... ) wife with an emergency custody hearing concerning their two sons, whom she lovingly calls "Sean something" and "the littler one."UPDATE: In a statement to Extra, Spears' manager deems stories that his client is on suicide watch "absolutely untrue. She is in rehab, and it is very disappointing that various media outlets are running these false stories about her, as Britney tries to get better." As for speculation on who will get the first sit-down with Spear...

Fri, Feb 23, 2007

Love Notes: Studio 60 Star Delivers, and More!

Amanda Peet had planned to attend a Hollywood luncheon on Wednesday, but instead decided to order one baby girl, to go, the New York Post's Page Six reports. It's the first child for Peet and screenwriter hubby David Benioff. In related news, The Black Donnellys is now pregnant.... Father of the Bride's daughter is a mother. Kimberly Williams-Paisley (According to Jim) welcomed her and husband Brad Paisley's first child, a son, on Thursday, says People.... Nick Cannon wedded on a whim Victoria's Secret model Selita Ebanks last weekend in Las Vegas, says Us.

Fri, Feb 23, 2007

Star-studded Encore Won't Save Broadway's Producers

Despite weeks of talk that Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick might reprise the roles they originated in The Producers, so that the musical might eke out an extra few (and likely $old-out) weeks on the Great White Way, the plug instead will be pulled after the Apr. 22 performance  three days after the show's sixth anniverary, the New York Daily News reports. To date, the Broadway staging has earned $300 million, though Max Bialystock insists it's in the red.

Fri, Feb 23, 2007

Calling All Superheroes! Gotham Wants You, Now

Auditions for Season 2 of Sci Fi Channel's Who Wants to Be a Superhero? will be held today (from 4 to 6 pm/ET) and Saturday (from 1 pm to 4 pm) as part of New York Comic Con, being held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. Check the show's website for entry requirements and further details. Hmmm, is this why our Raven Snook is wearing an iron breastplate to work today?

Fri, Feb 23, 2007

Short Cuts: Howard Stern, TV's Sexiest Moms and More!

Last year's chart-topper, Howard Stern, dropped to No. 12 on Talkers magazine's annual ranking of radio's hottest hosts. Rush Limbaugh claims the No. 1 spot this year, trailed by Sean Hannity and Michael Savage.... Volver has been slotted for an Apr. 3 DVD/Blu-ray release.... Showtime will air Al Gore's Oscar-nominated An Inconvenient Truth on Mar. 11 at 8 pm/ET.... Earl's Joy? Heroes' Nikki? Cast your vote for TV's sexiest momma in TVGuide.com's latest poll.

Fri, Feb 23, 2007

Next on Survivor: Did Someone Order Chinese?

Yeah, yeah, Fiji just started, but are you ready for some scoop about the next edition of Survivor? How about Survivor: China? TV Guide hears there's a very strong possibility that the show's 15th cycle will head out to the world's most populous country this summer. Should it come to pass, a key difference will be that if a rival alliance decides to take you out, there will be at least a 30-minute wait.Reporting by Ileane Rudolph

Fri, Feb 23, 2007

Make Room for Daddy: Chicago Hoper Visits Grey's

On the heels of the announcement that Taye Diggs will guest-star on a special two-hour episode of Grey's Anatomy airing later this season and likely serving as the launching pad for a spin-off fronted by Kate Walsh's Addison, here is news that Hector Elizondo is also paying a visit to the hit ABC drama. An Emmy winner during his run as a Chicago Hope doc (and a big reason why Edward ended up with Vivian), Elizondo will play Callie's father.

Fri, Feb 23, 2007