matt.mitovich

Ratings: Super Bowl, Minds "Soak" Up Viewers

The exact numbers are still being tallied, but Sunday's rain-drenched Super Bowl XLI is shaping up to be the highest-rated since 2000, when St. Louis took on Tennessee. (Sample approximate head count: 88.5 million were tuned in at 7 pm/ET.) UPDATE: CBS touts XLI as "the second most-watched Super Bowl of all time, averaging 93.15 million viewers... and the third most-watched program in television history, behind the series finale of M*A*S*H and Super Bowl XXX."Lead-out Criminal Minds, in turn, enjoyed its "highest-ever numbers in metered markets"  with, for example, about 26 million tuned in at the midway mark  though the CBS drama was down roughly 33 percent versus Grey's Anatomy's famous year-ago post-Super Bowl audience.UPDATE: CBS says Criminal Minds (26.23 million) as well as its own lead-out, The Late Late Show (5.15 mil), hit all-time highs.Lastly, an aside: So, come February 2015, the Super Bowl logo will be an ugly "IL"? (Perhaps Chicago can host.) And just an "L...

Tue, Feb 6, 2007

Survivor Regular Cops to Drug Use, Distribution

The on-site doctor for CBS' Survivor, Adrian Cohen  you've seen the hunky Aussie rush to help several injured players, and on Oprah, among other places  has admitted to an Australian medical tribunal that he used cocaine to combat stress on the job. He's also accused of inappropriately obtaining prescription drugs and allegedly distributing them on Survivor and other shows. Survivor host Jeff Probst tells TV Guide that Cohen "has always been very professional. A very experienced emergency doctor, he's helped me on several occasions, helped most of our crew and castaways.... And many times he is the first guy helping locals in some pretty remote places." So will the globe-trotting doc himself be snuffed? Exec producer Mark Burnett, who also worked with Cohen on Eco-Challenge, will await the verdict of the tribunal before taking any action.  Reporting by Ileane Rudolph

Mon, Feb 5, 2007

Buffy Creator Dumps Wonder Woman

It's a sad, sad day for fanboys everywhere. According to the Hollywood Reporter, Buffy and Angel creator Joss Whedon has bailed on Warner Bros. Pictures' Wonder Woman feature. "I had a take on the film that, well, nobody liked," he wrote on www.whedonesque.com. "[The suits and I] just saw different movies.... nonsympatico. It happens all the time." Bah! At this rate, when that pic finally gets made, Lauren Graham's gonna be too, er, mature to play the (other) part she was born to play. (Oh, and at least one Today's News reader owes Matt Mitovich an apology.) Next up for Whedon is the thriller Goners, which he's directing for Universal.In other comic-book/feature news, WB Pictures has signed Night at the Museum director Shawn Levy to take over its adaptation of The Flash, which is hardly as good as Wonder Woman, but hey, it's something.Monday's Today's News was written by Ben Katner.

Mon, Feb 5, 2007

How CBS Kept Dave 'n' Oprah's "Super" Love Secret

Amidst the kissing Snickers guys and flirty checkout gals, perhaps Super Bowl XLI's most unexpected commercial (video link) featured Indianopolis native David Letterman cuddled in front of a TV with Chicago resident Oprah Winfrey, who famously went 16 years between visits to the late-night icon's show. Letterman's winning line: "You want the Bears, and I want the Colts, but we both win because we're in love." But how did the ad sneak onto the airwaves with zero hooplah? According to CBS, the one-time-only spot was taped in secret on Jan. 24, at Late Show's Ed Sullivan Theater, perhaps proving to fast-food-industry-infuriating K-Fed that sometimes less is more.  MWM

Mon, Feb 5, 2007

Box Office: Messengers Delivers

Call it "ghoul power": Horror flick The Messengers placed first at the box office over the weekend with a take of $14.5 million, which handily trounced the $13 million haul of second-place finisher (and the weekend's only other new release) Because I Said So. Rounding out the top five were Epic Movie with $8.2 million, Night at the Museum with $6.75 million, and Smokin' Aces with $6.3 million. In other movie news, Pan's Labyrinth has surpassed Like Water for Chocolate to become the highest-grossing Spanish-language film ever to play the States. (It's kitty is up to $21.67 million and counting.)

Mon, Feb 5, 2007

Who's the Boss? NBC Prez Broadens Empire

According to the Associated Press, NBC's prime-time jefe Jeff Zucker is likely to be promoted to CEO of NBC Universal this week. Zucker is the fella who, on the plus side, got the Friends to be there for us for an extra two seasons, but in the minus column, got behind Fear Factor. In additional to a pay raise and a title change, the promotion will also guarantee the boss unlimited access to Nikki Cox's cell number.

Mon, Feb 5, 2007

Casting News, Circa 1992: Brooke Shields, Grant Show

Apparently, like me, having managed to avoid Suddenly Susan almost entirely, NBC has tapped Brooke Shields to star in its hot-property pilot Lipstick Jungle, based on Candace Bushnell's novel about a trio of affluent Manhattan power mongers. The onetime Calvin Klein model will play a movie mogul/wife/mother. So I guess being scolded irrationally by Tom Cruise worked out pretty well for her.... In other casting news, well-preserved '90s relic Grant Show has landed the lead in CBS' '70s-set drama pilot Swingtown. Can a gig for Patrick Muldoon be far behind?

Mon, Feb 5, 2007

Ryan O'Neal Cast in Real-life Family Feud

Apparently, sometime girlfriend Farrah Fawcett's hard-won victory against cancer wasn't enough to teach Ryan O'Neal what's important in life. According to TMZ.com, the Paper Moon actor was arrested early Saturday morning after firing a gun during an altercation with 42-year-old son Griffin. Perhaps the Assault of the Killer Bimbos and Ghoulies III: Ghoulies Go to College leading man was trying to break it gently to Dad that he'd been cast in The Surreal Life XVII.UPDATE: TV's Extra has obtained this statement from Ryan O'Neal's manager: "It is unfortunate that what should have been an internal family disagreement was escalated to the point that Ryan felt he had to defend himself from Griffin's aggressive, extremely menacing physical behavior (wildly swinging a fireplace poker) in the way he did. The injury to Griffin's girlfriend was caused by Griffin himself and not Ryan, as has been alleged by Griffin. Of late, Ryan has extended himself so far as to insure the young lady and her u...

Mon, Feb 5, 2007

DGA Awards: Departed's Marty Shoots, He Scorsese

If this isn't Martin Scorsese's year, I don't know what will be. On Saturday the helmer of The Departed was named the Directors Guild of America's top filmmaker of '07. Should he fail to go on to win an Oscar, he will be one of only seven directors who weren't able to parlay DGA victories into success at the Academy Awards. I think there's also some bylaw stating that Woody Allen would be allowed to give him a wedgie with no fear of retribution.

Mon, Feb 5, 2007

Might as Well... Make Up: Van Halen Reunites

This summer, David Lee Roth is going on tour with Van Halen for the first time since 1984, Billboard reports. "I am very excited to get back to the core of what made Van Halen," guitarist Eddie Van Halen said in a statement. Uh-huh. And isn't there anything at all that you'd like to say to Valerie Bertinelli?

Mon, Feb 5, 2007

Love Notes: Anne Heche and Kylie Minogue

The estranged husband of Men in Trees' Anne Heche, Coleman Laffoon, filed for divorce on Thursday, requesting joint primary and physical custody of their 5-year-old son, Homer. Laffoon cites "irreconcilable differences".... Apparently, Kylie Minogue can get Olivier Martinez out of her head. People.com reports that, after the Unfaithful hunk was spotted in L.A. with other women, he and the Aussie singer are no longer an item. His loss.

Mon, Feb 5, 2007

Legal Briefs: Paris' No-Sale, O.J. Scot-free Again!

At least temporarily, a federal judge has blocked ParisExposed.com from selling off some of the items found in a storage bin whose contents the Simple Life dimbulb forfeited by not paying her bill. The injunction, TMZ.com reports, prohibits the website's operators from hawking, among other things, "photographs, videos and writings depicting [the airhead] in a sexual manner not previously exposed for public viewing." Which, if you ask me, still leaves them room to make a fortune.... Although a federal judge has tossed out a lawsuit filed against O.J. Simpson over the advance he was paid for If I Did It, the father of murder victim Ron Goldman intends to pursue his case in state court.

Mon, Feb 5, 2007

Short Cuts: Spider-Man 2.1, LL Cool J and More!

Arriving on DVD April 17: Spider-Man 2.1: Extended Cut, featuring eight minutes of never-before-seen footage, new commentary and more.... LL Cool J will host the 38th NAACP Image Awards, airing Mar. 2 on Fox.... TVGuide.com's Matt Mitovich previews the week ahead in TV every Monday on The Jimmy Barrett Show on Richmond, Virginia's WRVA 1140, as well as for our friends Down Under on News.com.au's Show Talk. (Don't get confused if you check out the latter, though: The Aussies are, like, six months behind us TV-wise.)Monday's Today's News was written by Ben Katner.

Mon, Feb 5, 2007

Farrah Fawcett's Major Victory over Cancer

Charlie's Angels alumna Farrah Fawcett celebrated her 60th birthday on Friday by declaring victory in her four-month battle with cancer. "This is an extraordinarily happy day for me and my family," she said in a statement declaring herself "cancer-free" following a "tremendously aggressive treatment." "In the face of excruciating pain and uncertainty, I never lost hope," she said, adding, "I hope that my news might offer some level of inspiration to others who unfortunately must continue to fight the disease."For more, see Reuters.

Sun, Feb 4, 2007

This Just In: NBC Subtracts 60 and 30 in March

A fresh release from NBC, cementing the plans to shelve Studio 60 as well as 30 Rock (!), to make room for two new series:"NBC's new mid-season drama The Black Donnellys will premiere on Monday, March 5 (10-11 pm/ET)  following the hit drama Heroes  while the new comedy Andy Barker, P.I., starring Andy Richter, will debut on Thursday, March 15 (9:30-10 pm)."Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip will return later this season on a date to be determined. 30 Rock will return... with original episodes on April 19, after Andy Barker completes its slate of episodes" and Alec Baldwin's SAG Award gathers a good inch of dust. Ahem.UPDATE: I've shared my detailed thoughts on this news in Comments.

Sat, Feb 3, 2007

Walters to Q&A Two Dreamers, and Helen and Ellen

Dreamgirls' Jennifer Hudson and comeback kid Eddie Murphy, Dame Helen Mirren and Oscars host Ellen DeGeneres will sit down for the 26th edition of The Barbara Walters Special, airing Sunday, Feb. 25, at 7 pm/ET (and immediately following the kudoscast for West Coasters).In the Oscar Night Q&As, Hudson says that if she had won Idol, she probably would have never gotten the role of Effie; Mirren talks about disrobing on camera; Murphy shares what winning an Oscar would mean to him; and DeGeneres discusses her plan to differentiate herself from past hosts.

Sat, Feb 3, 2007

John Lennon Fans Take Aim at Lindsay Lohan Film

Fans of the late John Lennon are calling for a boycott of Chapter 27, a critically hailed (yet not picked up at Sundance) look at Mark David Chapman (played by Jared Leto), claiming its release would fulfill Chapman's prophecy of becoming famous by murdering Lennon. Some protesters are even lobbing death threats at Lindsay Lohan, who costars in the film. "It's nonsense," exec producer John Flock tells the New York Daily News, pointing out that Chapter 27's take on Chapman is not sympathetic, and "he comes off as a monster in the end."Elsewhere, Lohan is back at work on her stripper pic I Know Who Killed Me, but, post-rehab, is said to be "moody," "late" and "miserable" on the set, spies tell the New York Post. Also, out of fear of pushing herself too hard, La Lo has bailed on her next project, A Woman of No Importance, in which she was to costar with Annette Bening.

Fri, Feb 2, 2007

News Keeps It Up with Girl-on-Darth Sex Claim

Despite a denial from Pittsburgh's least-favorite person, the New York Daily News' Rush & Malloy column is standing by its reportage that Sienna Miller and Hayden Christensen actually had sex on camera for the Edie Sedgwick biopic Factory Girl, in theaters today. "We freeze-framed the movie's hot spots (as rigorous journalism demands)," says the Friday column, "and there's no question Sienna and Hayden are deep into their roles." Since the News' first account hit print, Miller (when asked in front of her folks, mind you) refuted the tale, her publicist pegged it as "not true at all," and a spokesperson for the studio deemed it "ridiculous."

Fri, Feb 2, 2007

Love Notes: McDreamy Welcomes Twins, and More!

Grey's Anatomy star Patrick Dempsey's wife, Jillian, on Thursday delivered twin boys named Darby Galen and Sullivan Patrick. The couple have a 5-year-old daughter, Tallulah. Yep, they're all German.... Also according to People: Roseanne vet Sara Gilbert is carrying her and partner Allison Adler's second child. Adler gave birth to the couple's son, Levin, in October 2004.... Weeds' Mary-Louise Parker and beau/"late husband" Jeffrey Dean Morgan appear to have split, says the New York Post's Page Six.... Johnny Knoxville and his wife of 11 years, Melanie, have separated, says Us. Will the divorce papers claim he was a Jackass?

Fri, Feb 2, 2007

Pilot Talk: Will & Grace Boyfriend Is NYC's Mayor

The latest pilot developments, this time per Reuters: Emmy winner Bobby Cannavale (Will & Grace) has landed the lead in M.O.N.Y., NBC's drama about a socially conscious public advocate who suddenly finds himself New York City's interim mayor. Rebecca Mader (last seen on Fox's Justice) has been cast as Jane's top associate at the covert ops agency in ABC's Mr. & Mrs. Smith. Rachelle Lefevre (What About Brian's Heather) has landed the female lead in Life on Mars, David E. Kelley's ABC drama about a detective who gets transported back in time to 1972. Malcolm's dad, Bryan Cranston, will star as a high-school chemistry teacher who, when diagnosed with terminal cancer, uses his mad skills to open a meth lab and thus provide for his family's future, in AMC's Breaking Bad. ER alum Michael Michele is the lead character's friend and a no-nonsense detective in ABC's Judy's Got a Gun, about a rookie female detective. Dania Ramirez (aka X-Men 3's Call...

Fri, Feb 2, 2007

Time Shift Happens: TV's Most DVR'd Show Is...

... a golden oldie known as Lost. So says a marketing survey cited by Friday's New York Daily News. In fact, more than 1.5 million people say they record the about-to-resurface ABC series with the intention of watching/not understanding it later. After Lost in the heirarchy of time-shifted viewing is Grey's Anatomy, followed closely by Heroes, while NBC's entire Thursday comedy lineup gets more than its share of DVR love.

Fri, Feb 2, 2007

At the Movies: Studio Pompeii's Up for Polanski Thriller

Per Variety, Roman Polanski is on board to helm his most expensive undertaking ever: Pompeii, a $130 million thriller set against the backdrop of Mt. Vesuvius before and during its eruption.... Per the Hollywood Reporter, Journey 3-D, an eye-popping remake of Journey to the Center of the Earth starring Brendan Fraser, will hit theaters in summer 2008.... Jason Schwartzman will star in The Marc Pease Experience, about a guy who, 10 years after the fact, is still living off his glory days as the star of his high school's musical productions.... Rob Corddry has been cast as Woody Harrelson's nemesis in the basketball comedy Semi-Pro.... The six-time Oscar-nominated Pan's Labyrinth expands to 1,000-plus screens this weekend.

Fri, Feb 2, 2007