matt.mitovich

Big Reunions Ahead on The 4400, Ugly Betty

Did you see this one coming, 4400 fans? Young Lily reunites with Richard (Mahershalalhashbaz Ali, who himself returns this Sunday) when original cast member Laura Allen appears on the USA Network series' Aug. 19 episode. How can this be, since Lily (as played by Tippi Hedren) died of old age last season? Watch for the scoop on that and more in my upcoming Interviews & Features Q&A with Ms. Allen.... Vanessa Williams' real-life ex-husband, Rick Fox, will guest-star on at least two episodes of Ugly Betty this season. Look for things to "get heated" when Fox appears as Wilhelmina's bodyguard, says People.

Mon, Aug 6, 2007

Big Reunions Ahead on The 4400, Ugly Betty

Gossip Girl to Start Dishing a Week Early

The CW has moved up the series premiere of Gossip Girl to Sept. 19, a week earlier than planned, to better capitalize on the onset of the high school and collegiate school years and also avoid debuting opposite Bionic Woman and Private Practice, Variety reports. What's more, GG will now benefit from having the season premiere of America's Next Top Model as a lead-in. In fact, the Josh Schwartz-created sudser is enjoying such good buzz that there is already talk it is ripe for midseason interruption by the Pussycat Dolls reality series! (I joke... hopefully.)

Mon, Aug 6, 2007

Gossip Girl to Start Dishing a Week Early

Pre-DUIs Lohan Said She Would Never Drive Drunk

This is nearly as ironic as good ol' "Personalities on Parade" saying that LiLo was committed to getting clean, in a story that ran mere days after her second DUI. (Gotta hate that long lead-time.) In an interview with the September Elle given before her first DUI scrape, Lindsay Lohan said it's "scary" living under the ever-watchful eye of a media "looking for me to, like, trip, so they can be like, 'Lindsay's wasted and driving drunk.' "I'm much more responsible than that," the starlet fronted. "I would not do that." (To be fair, she may have meant "...only once.")Lohan is now reportedly holed up in Utah's Cirque Lodge rehab facility, though her rep tells Us magazine that to confirm that buzz "would be counterproductive to the medical treatment she's receiving." As would be passing off two garage-door remotes and a strap of Velcro as a SCRAM bracelet.

Mon, Aug 6, 2007

Pre-DUIs Lohan Said She Would Never Drive Drunk

SVU Vet Makes Directing Debut, and More Movie News

Law & Order: SVU's Tamara Tunie will make her feature-film directing debut with See You in September, an indie romcom starring Justin Kirk (Weeds), Estella Warren (my occasional dream) and David Eigenberg (Sex and the City).... Also per Variety, Disney has big-screen dibs on the Brit lit hit The Dangerous Book for Boys (shop Amazon.com).... Jane Leeves (Frasier), Caitlin Wachs (Commander in Chief) and Colton James (7th Heaven) are among the cast for Endless Bummer, a 1984-set teen comedy.

Mon, Aug 6, 2007

SVU Vet Makes Directing Debut, and More Movie News

Sheen Pals Call Richards a Phony, Usher Now a Groom

The peace between former marrieds Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards has been broken, with friends of the Two and a Half Men star telling the New York Post's Page Six that Richards is opposing a bid for more lenient visitation rights. (As is, Sheen must be supervised  usually by Richards' nanny, whom his pals dismiss as a "spy" for the kids' mom.) The Post also hears that Richards asked Sheen to father another child for her, and faked sending "congratulations flowers" to his new fiancée Brooke Mueller for the sole purpose of good PR. Richards refutes the claims as "disgusting," telling the Post that the flowers were a legit olive branch and that her focus now is her family and career, not a third child.In other love notes, after abruptly canceling their lavish Hamptons wedding, Usher and Tameka Foster tied the knot Friday in Atlanta, at the office of the R&Ber's lawyer  so forget about asking for the toaster you sent them back.

Mon, Aug 6, 2007

Sheen Pals Call Richards a Phony, Usher Now a Groom

Hillary Does Dave as Other Contenders Do Daily Show

Late Show with David Letterman will celebrate its 14th anniversary with an Aug. 30 visit from no less than 2008 presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. This marks the seventh time Bill's honey has dropped in on Dave.Not to be outdone, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart has landed its own lineup of White House hopefuls: Sen. Joseph Biden is a guest on Aug. 16, followed by Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson (loved him in Rocky V) on Aug. 20, and Barack Obama on Aug. 22.

Mon, Aug 6, 2007

Hillary Does Dave as Other Contenders Do Daily Show

Weeds, Wild Hogs and More Short Cuts

This past Friday at 4:20 pm (ha!), FanLib.com launched an official contest inviting Weeds fans to imagine their own resolution to the Season 2 finale. (Good luck, but you won't come close to how the Aug. 13 season opener actually plays out. Unless you've either seen it or pen your entry while gobsmacked by some Acapulco gold.) Go here for deets.... The year's No. 1 comedy, Wild Hogs, roars onto DVD Aug. 14.... Maurice "Maury" Hill, the last surviving cast member (as Captain Hayward) and a writer of Space Patrol, died on July 12 of heart complications. He was 89.

Mon, Aug 6, 2007

America Gets More Talent and Standing Comics

NBC has granted early pickups to both America's Got Talent and Last Comic Standing, which currently are wrapping their second and fifth seasons, respectively.With an average audience of 12.1 million total viewers, AGT is this summer's most-watched program  even besting Hasselhoff's "hamburger" video  while LCS recently gave the Peacock a six-month time-period high in key demos.

Mon, Aug 6, 2007

America Gets More Talent and Standing Comics

Box Office: Bourne Be Too Wild, Busts Records

Jason Bourne's third round of big-screen butt-kicking not only topped the weekend box office, but its $70.2-million haul set a new record for an August debut (besting Rush Hour 2's $67.4 mil). The Bourne Ultimatum also represented personal highs for series lead Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass. The Simpsons Movie dropped to second place (with $25.6 mil), while Underdog ("Unnn-derdog!") swooped in with a No. 3-worthy $12 mil. Rounding out the top five were Chuck & Larry ($10.5 mil) and Hairspray ($9.3 mil).Among other openings: Andy Samberg's Hot Rod pulled in at No. 9 (with $5 mil), Bratz didn't make many friends (placing at No. 10 with $4.3 mil), Anne Hathaway's Becoming Jane drew a million bucks at 100 screens, J.Lo's El Cantante did 3.2 mil at 542 screens, and The Ten opened at 25 select venues with $117,500.

Mon, Aug 6, 2007

Box Office: Bourne Be Too Wild, Busts Records

Deadly Attack Takes Place at Ving Rhames' Home

A 40-year-old caretaker was found mauled to death early Friday morning at the Los Angeles home of actor Ving Rhames. According to authorities, the victim had been attacked on the lawn of Rhames' Brentwood home by as many as four mastiffs, the actor's favorite breed. The dogs, which weighed close to 200 lbs. and were known to roam free on the property, were seen being taken away by Los Angeles animal services. The victim had been caring for the dogs for the past two years, and has yet to be identified. Rhames was not at home at the time of the attack  he's currently on location in Europe shooting a movie.Rhames, who most recently appeared as a gay cop in the Adam Sandler comedy I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, is best known for his roles in Pulp Fiction and the Mission: Impossible movies. He was quoted in a 1999 interview with the Los Angeles Times as saying the mastiff made an excellent guard dog, and were originally bred to guard slaves. "It could be around you every da...

Sat, Aug 4, 2007

Deadly Attack Takes Place at Ving Rhames' Home

No Jail for Nicole Richie Today

Despite earlier reports that Richie would turn herself in to serve her four-day sentence later today, she will not go to jail tonight, according to TMZ.The pregnant Simple Life starlet will complete her sentence  resulting from a DUI charge back in December  in Lynwood jail, the same place Paris Hilton paid her consequences.

Fri, Aug 3, 2007

Short Takes: Spider-Man, Stevie Wonder and More!

Come Oct. 30, Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2 will be available on Blu-ray HD in the Spider-Man High Definition Trilogy Set. Spider-Man 3 will also be available as a stand-alone. Living legend Stevie Wonder is going to tour the U.S. for the first time in decades starting Aug. 23. At present, the Wonder Summer's Night tour is set to include 13 cities, but he may still add a few dates. TNT has OK'd a pilot for Family Man, an hour drama starring William H. Macy as an everyday dad by day, criminal mastermind by night. If he really wants to do projects this kooky, he oughta just join wife Felicity Huffman on Wisteria Lane and be done with it, already.Friday's Today's News was written by Ben Katner.

Fri, Aug 3, 2007

Short Takes: Spider-Man, Stevie Wonder and More!

Geeks to Hollywood: We Want Wonder Woman! (We Want Her Bad)

In a recent poll of 1.6 million geeks er, subscribers, TiVo asked which comic book character and/or classic cartoon they most wanted to see given the Transformers treatment. The results: In the comic book category  with Joss Whedon on board or not  the nerds want to see Wonder Woman take flight in her invisible jet like there's no tomorrow  she won 29 percent of the vote. Shockingly, the Green Lantern (I'm sorry, who?!) came in second with 26 percent. In the cartoon TV show category, The Jetsons came out on top with a whopping 30 percent of respondents in favor of seeing Jessica Alba in Judy Jetson drag. (OK, I made up that last part, but you know they were all thinking it.) Family Guy came in second with 25 percent, and  sorry, Ausiello  The Smurfs trailed with 18 percent.

Fri, Aug 3, 2007

Geeks to Hollywood: We Want Wonder Woman! (We Want Her Bad)

Nicole to Check in to Same Deluxe Prison as Paris

She's such a copycat! TMZ reports that the affluent Ms. Richie will do her four days' time at Lynwood jail, her Simple Life costar's home away from home for 23 earth-rattling days. The momster-to-be could have done her time at a private facility, but if she'd chosen to do so, she would have had to serve her entire sentence  all four days... in a row! By going to Lynwood, she could get sprung by the sheriff as a result of overcrowding and what passes for good behavior before she's even had a chance to reject her first meal. In related "news," dad Lionel Richie tells Us magazine, "In spite of what has happened, I continue to love her and cherish our relationship." And here I wasn't aware that they actually had a relationship. He goes on to take what I assume is a pot shot at La Hilton: "[Nicole] has not blamed others for her problems and is growing up very quickly, albeit in the heat of the media spotlight." Yeah, poor thing.

Fri, Aug 3, 2007

Nicole to Check in to Same Deluxe Prison as Paris

Britney and Lindsay Parodied in Song

Which is hard, because, of course, technically, Spears and Lohan are already singers who are parodies. The Swedish group I'm from Barcelona has released a single called "Britney" that asks, quite reasonably, "Why did we care if good old Britney wants to shave her head?" And the Morning Zoo at 98.5 FM in Vegas has turned Shop Boyz hit "Party Like a RockStar" into "Party Like a Lohan," with digs like "a pocket full of blow and a point one two."

Fri, Aug 3, 2007

5th Grader to Air Twice a Week  and Still No Recess!

After Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? returns with a two-hour special on Sept. 6, the quiz show will air twice a week for a month. So besides new episodes every Friday, there will also episodes on Thursdays throughout September. However, I suspect that if you asked even a 4th grader, they'd tell you this smacks of overkill. (Does no one remember the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire phenom?)

Fri, Aug 3, 2007

5th Grader to Air Twice a Week  and Still No Recess!

At the Movies: Jennifer Aniston Steals Lisa Kudrow's Husband!

The romcom Management has signed former Friends Jennifer Aniston and Steve Zahn, who played Phoebe's first husband  you remember, the gay ice-skater. The actress formerly known as Rachel will play a traveling saleswoman whose one-night stand with motel manager Zahn results in what I assume is going to be an uproarious case of stalking. But today's oddest couple has to be Charlie's Angels director McG and Little Miss Sunshine screenwriter Michael Arndt. The former is going to direct the latter's new script, Nightcrawlers, an FX-heavy action-comedy about a neurotic who enlists the help of his childhood nemesis to overcome his fear of the dark.

Fri, Aug 3, 2007

At the Movies: Jennifer Aniston Steals Lisa Kudrow's Husband!

Divorce Wars: Ellen Barkin Shakes Down Her Ex

Ellen Barkin is suing her former husband, Revlon honcho Ron Perelman, for nonpayment of $3 million he promised to pay her film company. Of note is that back in '06, the billionaire did pony up the first of what were to be eight installments in the amount of $468,160. If Judge Judy has taught me nothing else, it's that once you start signing checks, it indicates that an agreement was, in fact, made. OK, so my legalese is lacking. Basically, Perelman's screwed.

Fri, Aug 3, 2007

Divorce Wars: Ellen Barkin Shakes Down Her Ex

Sean Penn, the Toast of Venezuela

Venezuela's president, Hugo Chavez, has publicly given props to Sean Penn for taking a stand against the war in Iraq. The politico even hopes to meet with the actor when he isn't busy touring the poorer neighborhoods of the country. "What drives [Penn] is consciousness, the search for new paths," Chavez said in a televised speech. He then read aloud from the Oscar winner's open letter to President Bush — you know, the one in which he calls the chief and his cronies "villainously and criminally obscene people."

Fri, Aug 3, 2007

Animal Lovers Get a Hate-on After Elisabeth Shares Her View

After cheerfully describing her experience of cutting off a chicken's head on The View, Elisabeth "For This, We Lost Rosie?" Hasselbeck is being called on the carpet by PETA. A statement from the organization that speaks for our fine-feathered friends reads: "PETA has two words for Hasselbeck  'Cluck you!' Next to Barbara and Joy, who expressed compassion, Elisabeth sat there chirping about the joys of killing defenseless birds. Conservatives love animals, too, and she ruffled a lot of feathers today. Now that Whoopi has joined the show, maybe it's time for Hasselbeck's head to go on the chopping block." Whether, like Ausiello and I, you'd sooner go hungry than order a McNugget, I think that's a movement we can all get behind. Yay? Nay?

Fri, Aug 3, 2007

Animal Lovers Get a Hate-on After Elisabeth Shares Her View

Hey, Paula... You're a Freak!

The New York Post reports that in the American Idol judge's house there's a salon chair where she gets her hair and makeup done every day. When the process of humanizing her begins, she'll sit down, set an alarm, then pass out from all the painkillers she's on. When the alarm goes off and she comes to, if her face isn't camera-ready, there's apparently hell to pay. Abdul's rep tells the paper, "There's no alarm that I've ever seen." Operative words: "I've" and "seen."

Fri, Aug 3, 2007

Uh-oh! Fox Upends Its Fall Schedule

Your poor TiVo is gonna be so confused. Let me try to help. Bones is moving to Tuesdays at 8 pm/ET, frosh series New Amsterdam has been bumped to midseason, Kitchen Nightmares has been relocated to Wednesdays at 9 ET, and Don't Forget the Lyrics! is staying where it is on Thursday nights. Got all that? More immediately, the summer series Anchorwoman has had its premiere date changed to Aug. 22.

Fri, Aug 3, 2007

matt.mitovich

Big Reunions Ahead on The 4400, Ugly Betty

Gossip Girl to Start Dishing a Week Early

Pre-DUIs Lohan Said She Would Never Drive Drunk

SVU Vet Makes Directing Debut, and More Movie News

Sheen Pals Call Richards a Phony, Usher Now a Groom

Hillary Does Dave as Other Contenders Do Daily Show

Weeds, Wild Hogs and More Short Cuts

America Gets More Talent and Standing Comics

Box Office: Bourne Be Too Wild, Busts Records

Deadly Attack Takes Place at Ving Rhames' Home

No Jail for Nicole Richie Today

Short Takes: Spider-Man, Stevie Wonder and More!

Geeks to Hollywood: We Want Wonder Woman! (We Want Her Bad)

Nicole to Check in to Same Deluxe Prison as Paris

Britney and Lindsay Parodied in Song

5th Grader to Air Twice a Week &#151; and Still No Recess!

At the Movies: Jennifer Aniston Steals Lisa Kudrow's Husband!

Divorce Wars: Ellen Barkin Shakes Down Her Ex

Sean Penn, the Toast of Venezuela

Animal Lovers Get a Hate-on After Elisabeth Shares Her View

Hey, Paula... You're a Freak!

Uh-oh! Fox Upends Its Fall Schedule

5th Grader to Air Twice a Week and Still No Recess!