matt.mitovich

Dancing Stars Take Their Tootsies on Tour

Is Dancing with the Stars' Season 1 winner, Kelly Monaco, among those fox-trotting to a venue near you? No, but Season 2 champs Drew Lachey and Cheryl Burke will join Joey McIntyre, Lisa Rinna, Joey Lawrence, Willa Ford and Harry Hamlin and their respective pro partners on a 38-city tour kicking off Dec. 19 in San Diego, and finishing Feb. 11 in Atlantic City, N.J. In related news, ABC has announced that Show Me the Money, a new quiz show hosted by William Shatner, will premiere Nov. 22 at 8 pm, replacing Dancing's results show.

Fri, Oct 27, 2006

Musical Notes: A Duran Duran Defection Defection

In a statement on their website, Duran Duran announced that due to an "unworkable gulf between us" under which the group could no longer "effectively function," guitarist Andy Taylor has left the band. "Although disappointed about this, we are excited about the next chapter of the Duran Duran story," the message goes on to say.... Mariah Carey's manager says that a financial default by the concert promoter, not lackluster ticket sales nor outrageous backstage demands by the diva, caused the cancellation of her weekend show in Hong Kong.

Fri, Oct 27, 2006

At the Movies: Faces of Death Lives On

Speaking of drowsy athletes hitting a vaulting horse at top speed, 1978's Faces of Death, which purported to depict actual human and animal deaths, is being resurrected as a low-budget horror flick.... Also per the Hollywood Reporter, Will Farrell and Woody Harrelson are teaming for Semi-Pro, a comedy about the final season of the now-defunct American Basketball Association.... The Farrelly Brothers are directing Baster, a romantic comedy about a woman's longing for a baby.... Per Variety, infamous filmmaker Roman Polanski will cameo as a French police officer who harasses Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan in Rush Hour 3.

Fri, Oct 27, 2006

Short Cuts: Law & Order, Ryan Seacrest and More!

Law & Order: Criminal Intent will become the first drama series since 2001 to air weekday reruns in broadcast syndication when it unspools reruns on Fox-owned stations starting next fall.... Ryan Seacrest confirmed on Thursday's Extra that he and Dick Clark will again cohost ABC's New Year's Eve special this Dec. 31.... A Dec. 19 street date has been announced for the straight-to-DVD sequel American Pie: The Naked Mile, featuring what is undoubtedly another blink-and-you-miss-it cameo by franchise vet Eugene Levy.... Disney Channel presents a Halloween-themed Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on Saturday, Oct. 28, at 9 am/ET.

Fri, Oct 27, 2006

Ratings: The Nine Is Now No. 3

This Wednesday, as Fox took a knee with rained-out World Series coverage.... Dancing with the Stars' results show set a new season high with 19.85 million total viewers. Soon-to-be-relocated 30 Rock (6 million) anted up 150,000 more viewers versus last week, while the soon-to-be-MIA Twenty Good Years (5.4 mil) surged 400K. Per the fast overnights, Lost (16.795 mil) again edged out Criminal Minds (16.589 mil). One Tree Hill (3.57 mil) bounced back from last week's season low by reclaiming 600,000 heads. The Nine (8.02 mil) shed another half-mil, thanks in no small part to two million-plus peeps again tuning out at 10:30 pm. Dateline seized the opportunity to claim the hour's No. 2 spot with an audience of 8.68 million.QUESTION for those who watch (or have tried to watch) The Nine: Why do you think so many are tuning out halfway through each episode? The same nine million-plus seem to check in each week, but then... whammo. Mass exodus. Like clockwork. Pl...

Thu, Oct 26, 2006

Casting About: 24 Elects a Vice President, and More!

Do not drink the White House Kool-Aid: Powers Boothe has been cast as Noah Daniels, vice president to commander in chief Wayne Palmer, on Fox's 24, which debuts Season 6 on Jan. 14.... Per the Hollywood Reporter and as spilled earlier this week by the assorted Ausiello columns, Kip Pardue is joining ER as a male nurse/new love interest for Linda Cardellini's Sam, while Mark Deklin (who has had a recurring gig on Justice) is joining Desperate Housewives as Bill Pearce, a handsome widower who gets cozy with soon-to-be children's-beauty-pageant consultant Gaby. (Wait 'til he sees what her talent is....)

Thu, Oct 26, 2006

Standoff Returns with a Bang

As a ramp-up to the Oct. 31, post-baseball return of Fox's Standoff, TV Guide Channel will air the first four episodes of the freshman drama this Sunday from 3 to 7 pm/ET. The mini-marathon will be hosted by series stars Ron Livingston and Rosemarie DeWitt.

Thu, Oct 26, 2006

Has NBC's Good Years Come to an End?

As I noted yesterday, not one of the 3,653 words in NBC's press release about 30 Rock's upcoming move to Thursdays, where it will follow the returning Scrubs, addressed the fate of Twenty Good Years, 30 Rock's current lead-out. Today's Hollywood Reporter recap of the schedule shake-up, however, says there are "no immediate plans" for the return of John Lithgow and Jeffrey Tambor's tepidly received collaboration, though the series "is in production on its 13-episode order, and might come back in mid-season."

Thu, Oct 26, 2006

TBS Begs You to Show 'Em the Funny

TBS is teaming with MySpace to give aspiring comics a chance at stardom in Stand Up or Sit Down Comedy Challenge, an online competition that invites wannabe cutups to submit video samples of their cracking wise via a special MySpace profile. The top five finalists (as voted on by MySpace users) will perform in a comedy special hosted by George Lopez and airing on TBS on Nov. 27.

Thu, Oct 26, 2006

Sesame Street Tackles International Adoption

In original episodes premiering Nov. 6 and 7 on PBS Kids, Sesame Street will address the important and emotional topic of adoption, as Gina, the [ahem] single-mom veterinarian, adopts a baby boy from Guatemala. As controversy swirls around the tiny newcomer, Gina is forced to detail the adoption ordeal on "The Antelope-ra Runfree Show." Or, I wish.

Thu, Oct 26, 2006

At the Movies: A New Roald Dahl Adaptation

Per Variety, Fox Animation is bringing Roald Dahl's Fantastic Mr. Fox to the big screen, using several forms of animation, primarily stop-motion. Wes Anderson will direct.... Charlize Theron will join Woody Harrelson, Nick Stahl and Dennis Hopper on Ferris Wheel, an indie drama about an 11-year-old girl abandoned by her mother.... Night at the Museum, starring Ben Stiller and Robin Williams, will simultaneously be released in conventional and IMAX theaters on Dec. 22.... Per the Hollywood Reporter, Heather Graham and Dylan McDermott are a beatnik couple in the indie drama A West Texas Children's Story.... Mystic River's Kevin Bacon and Marcia Gay Harden are in talks to reunite for Rails and Ties, the directorial debut of Alison Eastwood, daughter of Clint.

Thu, Oct 26, 2006

Short Cuts: A Stud Is Found, and More!

(And no, he wasn't discovered atop this news blog.) Rather, Aurora, Colorado, science teacher Gionni Thompson is the winner of DIY Network's Stud Finder contest, and as such will host his own home-improvement series in 2007.... With eight nods, ATL's T.I. (I'm woefully lost already) leads the nominees for the inaugural BET Hip-Hop Awards, to air Nov. 15 and be hosted by Katt Williams. Busta Rhymes netted six nods, followed by Chamillionaire with five.... Over the Hedge topped the DVD sales chart last week, while The Break-Up was the No. 1 rental.... This year's Nobel Peace Prize Concert, to be held Dec. 11 in Oslo, Norway, will be hosted by Sharon Stone and Anjelica Huston, and will feature performances by Lionel Richie, Simply Red and others.

Thu, Oct 26, 2006

NBC Thursday Scrubs Back In. Plus: Ratings!

A "fresh release" from NBC unveils a new Thursday-night lineup, as follows, and effective Nov. 30:8 pm/ET: My Name Is Earl8:30 pm: The Office9 pm: Scrubs (returning for Season 6)9:30 pm: 30 Rock (relocated from Wednesday)10 pm: ERNBC's press release goes on to say that "various specials" will fill the Wednesdays 8-9 pm hour, but spends not one of 3,653 words discussing the fate of 30 Rock's lead-out, Twenty Good Years.Separately, NBC has announced that Medium will return Nov. 15 at 9 pm, with a two-hour episode before settling into its regular time slot (Wednesdays at 10) the following week.A little aside here about TUESDAY'S RATINGS, as there isn't much to trumpet: Fox's World Series coverage (13.9 mil) bested all but 8-9:30 pm's Dancing with the Stars (20.56 mil); Friday Night Lights (6.33 mil) fumbled another 270,000; Help Me Help You (11.07 mil) gained 200,000; and Veronica Mars (3.31 mil) was up 100 thou versus last week.

Wed, Oct 25, 2006

Grey's Boss Diagnoses Recast Talk as "Ridiculous"

As part of a People article in which Grey's Anatomy's Isaiah Washington expresses his "sincere regret" and "unfortunate use of words" during an Oct. 9 on-set tussle involving cast mates Patrick Dempsey and T.R. Knight (the latter of whom subsequently came out as gay), series creator Shonda Rhimes rebuffs talk that Washington will be replaced in the role of Burke. (ER alum Eriq La Salle was a name frequently mentioned amid the murmurings.) "I found [those rumors] not only ridiculous but offensive," Rhimes tells the mag. "The [idea] that one black [actor] was interchangeable with another seemed disturbing to me." Asked to also chime in on the controversy, Meredith Grey said, "Why wasn't Derek happy that I chose him?"

Wed, Oct 25, 2006

CSI Plans for Grissom's "Liev" of Absence

This just in from CBS, and as first spilled here in the Ausiello Report by my barely able-to-control-himself buddy:"Tony Award-winning actor Liev Schreiber joins the cast of CSI in his first appearance in a broadcast television series, playing the recurring role of a seasoned CSI who has established a strong reputation in various police departments across the country before joining the veteran team at the Las Vegas Crime Lab.""I think he's one of the finest actors of his generation," exec producer Carol Mendelsohn says in the press release, noting that CSI first approached Schreiber early this summer. "It was a long shot — he really doesn't do television — but he was patient and I think amused, as we promised that we'd create a character he couldn't refuse to play. [We] got a wonderful, complex character as a result." Adds Schreiber: "I am a fan [of CSI], how could I say no?" Schreiber (The Manchurian Candidate, RKO 281) first appears in Episode 12, to air in January 2007.

Wed, Oct 25, 2006

ABC Nips Makeover, Plans Lost's Return

A flurry of scheduling announcements from the Alphabet network: After one ridiculously low-rated week back on the air, Extreme Makeover "people edition" has been pulled, to be replaced on Fridays at 8 by Grey's Anatomy repeats. (Speaking of extreme makeovers, check out my Nip/Tuck contribution to the Ausiello Report appearing in the Nov. 5 TV Guide.) February 7 has been confirmed as the return date for Lost, which goes on hiatus after the Nov. 8 episode to free up the time slot for Taye Diggs' Day Break (which I started watching last night and it is, like, wowee-zowee good). Boston Legal returns to its original Sunday-at-10 time slot on Nov. 26 for a special airing of the first of a two-part episode, to conclude on Nov. 28.

Wed, Oct 25, 2006

Prison Break Charged with Theft

Brothers Robert and Donald Hughes have filed a federal copyright-infringment lawsuit alleging that Prison Break is based on their own life on the run, as chronicled in a manuscript they sent to Fox in 2001. Back in 1964, then 16-year-old Robert was wrongfully held in juvenile detention because of false testimony from his mentally ill mother. Donald then plotted to spring his younger brother, and the two lived as fugitives for four years. "If we sold the manuscript at this point to a movie studio or network, they'd think we were copying Prison Break," Robert asserts to the AP. A Fox rep says the company has not seen the lawsuit, which seeks unspecified damages, and thus has no comment. Me, I'm worried who the Hughes' "T-Bag" was.

Wed, Oct 25, 2006

Michael J. Fox Accused of "Acting" in Anti-Bush Ad

Michael J. Fox has come under fire for his appearance in election-season TV spots that deride certain GOP candidates for fighting stem-cell research that could potentially cure Parkinson's disease, from which the actor suffers. Conservative pundit Rush Limbaugh, for one, has accused Fox of either being "off his medication or acting" — playing up his writhing and voice-quaking — in the spots, while others have labeled Fox's claims as "mistruths." Limbaugh has since apologized, yet insists Fox has allowed Democrats to "exploit" his illness. This may very well be the first Fox news that Rush hasn't deemed fair and balanced.

Wed, Oct 25, 2006

Toon in Tomorrow: Family Tied Up in Talks

Twentieth Century Fox TV has delayed the start of production on the sixth season of Family Guy, as "courteous" (yet slowly progressing) negotiations with series creator Seth MacFarlane continue, says Variety. Though MacFarlane's current pact doesn't expire for several months, studio execs are reluctant to get underway and then be met with a mid-season holdup.

Wed, Oct 25, 2006

Casting About: Charmed Hottie Gets Fat

Per the Hollywood Reporter, Kaley Cuoco and Caroline Rhea have been cast in Fat Like Me, a Lifetime movie based on the true story of a teen who, as part of a news exposé on obesity, goes undercover at a high school wearing plaid a fat suit. Rhea plays Cuoco's mom.... As reported in Tuesday's NCIS Feature, Once and Again alum Susanna Thompson's first airdate as Gibbs' new love interest has been pushed back to Nov. 7.... Political wavemaker Arianna Huffington wants your vote on which zinger ABC should use when she guests on Help Me Help You later this season. Go here to review the options.

Wed, Oct 25, 2006

In the Works: Simpsons Vets Fly Business Class

Per Variety, Simpsons scribes Josh Weinstein and Bill Oakley are developing Business Class, a single-camera NBC comedy about two sales reps on a nonstop business trip, as well as reworking 22 Birthdays, a CBS dramedy about the parents of first-graders enrolled at an exclusive private school.... Bravo has ordered a second, six-episode season of Work Out, which follows spa owner Jackie Warner and her team of trainers.

Wed, Oct 25, 2006

At the Movies: Clooney Back with O Brother Brothers

Per the Hollywood Reporter, George Clooney will play a killer in Burn After Reading, a spy caper being helmed by Joel and Ethan Coen, with whom Clooney did O Brother, Where Are Thou? and Intolerable Cruelty.... Universal has grabbed the rights to Cobalt 60, a cult comic book set in a postapocalytpic world inhabited by mutants. Zack Snyder (Dawn of the Dead) will direct.... Robert Zemeckis will release the Polar Express-like, digitally enhanced Beowulf, starring Angelina Jolie, in large-format 3-D on Nov. 16.... Per Variety, Sarah Jessica Parker has replaced Rachel Weisz opposite Dennis Quaid in Smart People.... Peter Sarsgaard will join future bro-in-law Jake Gyllenhaal in Rendition, director Gavin Hood's Tsotsi follow-up.... Anthony Mackie (Half Nelson) will play Olympic track-and-field legend Jesse Owens in a biopic shooting next summer.

Wed, Oct 25, 2006