michael.ausiello

NYPD Blue Recast Crisis!

Producers of NYPD Blue are hoping the third time's the charm when it comes to casting the show's new female detective. After two unsuccessful attempts at filling the role  first with newcomer Rosa Arredondo and next with Beverly Hills, 90210 grad Vanessa Marcil  they've now recruited big-screen siren Jacqueline Obradors to play Latina cop Rita Ortiz. The star of Six Days, Seven Nights and Tortilla Soup, who debuts in tonight's episode (at 9 ET on ABC), tells TV Guide Online that she's relieved to have made it this far. "Let's put it this way, I didn't sleep a wink the night before my first day," she admits. "I had to get up at t

Tue, Dec 18, 2001

Titus Star's Emmy Woes

How does Christopher Titus feel about Emmy's continued snub of his TV dad Stacy Keach? "I think it's a national disgrace," the candid star of Fox's Titus groans to TV Guide Online. "Not since Archie Bunker has there been a character you hated so much and loved so much at the same time." For his part, the erstwhile Mike Hammer suspects that members of the Academy of Television Arts &amp; Sciences may just plain hate his heartless alter ego  not to mention the show itself. "I think we're edgy to the point where we are somewhat challenging of the prurient interests of society," Keach offers, "and I think that Emmy doesn't want to endorse that necessarily." Still, the 60-year-old acting vet  who acknowledges that Hollywood for years "typecast me as a serious dramatic ac

Tue, Dec 4, 2001

Moulin Rouge: The Show Goes On!

Call it the little film that can-can. Though it grossed less than $60 million last summer in the U.S., Moulin Rouge  Baz Luhrmann's dizzying, pop-infused romance starring Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor  is on the brink of becoming a cult phenomenon. Not only can it lay claim to a hit soundtrack, the highly-stylized work of art spawned an award-winning MTV video ("Lady Marmalade"), a successful clothing line and  most shocking of all  bred a new generation of movie musical enthusiasts. And the film's recent theatrical re-release  not to mention the arrival of the VHS/DVD versions on Dec. 18  will no doubt recruit more purv

Wed, Nov 28, 2001

Dell's Whiz Kid: ''Dude, You're Getting the Scoop!''

In the market for a new computer? Dude, you've probably thought about getting a Dell. How could you not given how often the company runs those commercials featuring pesky pitchman Steven proclaiming to consumers, "Dude, you're getting a Dell!" Whether you love him, hate him or love to hate him, there's no denying that he's getting the job done: Since the first of the spots were unveiled last year, Dell's profits have been climbing. Even Ben Curtis, the up-and-coming actor behind the persuasive PC pimp, has seen his stock rise as a result of the national exposure. "I got to read for [Road Trip director] Todd Phillips the other day for a stoner role," reveals the 21-year-old NYU acting major, who remains confident that fame won't be as fleeting for him as it was for "Where's the Beef?" granny

Tue, Nov 27, 2001

Al Roker: He Loves NY!

When it comes to the extra-tight security at Thursday's 75th Anniversary Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Al Roker is taking a decidedly hands-off approach. "I'm sure there are [added precautions], but I'm not aware of them," admits the Today show weatherman, who will host the NBC telecast (beginning at 9 am/ET) alongside his morning show cohorts, Katie Couric and Matt Lauer. "If you really start thinking about that, it takes away from... the parade. "There are people who are much better at worrying about that stuff than I am," he continues. "Just like the Today show, people always [ask], 'Are you worried for your safety out there [on the plaza]?' I don't think about it. Now, if I see a guy with red tubes strapped around his waist... and wires coming out of his chest, I might shy away from him. But otherwise, you do what you do." This much seems certain: In light of the ongoing war on terrorism, safety will be a top priority at t

Thu, Nov 22, 2001

Al Roker: He Loves NY!

Wed, Nov 21, 2001

Brad Pitt: That's What Friends Are For

Ever since Brad Pitt was spotted breathing the same airspace as Friends star Jennifer Aniston, rumors swirled that the movie hunk would make a guest appearance on her NBC comedy. Now, more than three years since the couple's courtship began, Pitt is finally delivering on the hype: This Thursday, the Oscar nominee will play an old high school pal of Monica's (Courteney Cox Arquette). So, naturally, when Pitt showed up at a weekend press conference to promote his role in Steven Soderbergh's upcoming remake of the Rat-Pack classic Ocean's 11, TV

Tue, Nov 20, 2001

X-Files Reacts to 9-11

Add Fox's X-Files to the list of TV shows impacted by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Executive producer Frank Spotnitz confirms to TV Guide Online that the FBI saga's upcoming storylines will inevitably reflect America's new reality. "I don't think it's going to affect what we do in a literal fashion," he says, "but I do think it can't help but affect the stories we're telling and what we care about, what we're worried about, what's on our minds. "We're working on a mythology [episode] now and you want to find a way to be thematically relevant and say something true about fighting evil and fanaticism and irrationality," Spotnitz adds. "But you want to do it in a way that is appropriate and doesn't trivialize what's really going on in the world. We've got a certain palette to paint on, which is the paranormal, and it just does not feel at all appropriate to mix that with real-life events."

Fri, Nov 16, 2001

Ellen DeGeneres: Oscar Host?

Might Ellen DeGeneres's universally-lauded performance as host of the 53rd annual Primetime Emmy Awards earlier this month lead her to snag the granddaddy of all gigs  the Oscars? That's the buzz in Hollywood. "Ellen did such a good job at the Emmys  even snaring that rare thing, a standing ovation from a cynical Hollywood crowd  that it's inevitable she's now considered a serious candidate," says Tom O'Neil, author of Movie Awards and host of award-predictions website GoldDerby.com. "It doesn't matter that she's not a movie biz insider. Johnny Carson did an ace job hosting the Oscars five times." Oscar organizers aren't ruling the idea out  especially considering perennial emcee

Thu, Nov 15, 2001

Alias/Felicity Crossover!

Felicity's Greg Grunberg  who has been juggling his role as madcap inventor Sean on the WB drama with a recurring gig as a wisecracking CIA agent on ABC's Alias  insists that Keri Russell and co. are not bitter that he was chosen to make the jump to the acclaimed spy caper and not them. "So far, they've been really great," Grunberg winks to TV Guide Online. Besides, he adds, "you can't have more than one [Felicity castmember] on Alias. It gets weird." Grunberg confesses that his friendship with J.J. Abrams  the creative force behind both shows  likely gave him the edge over his co-stars. "I've known J.J. my

Thu, Nov 15, 2001

Titus Psycho Returns!

Why didn't Christopher Titus incorporate his leading lady's recent off-screen pregnancy into his Fox sitcom Titus? After all, Cynthia Watros's Erin character is largely based on Titus's own bride, Erin  who also just gave birth. "Nothing kills an [adult] TV show quicker  whether it was Little Ricky coming back [on I Love Lucy] or Mad About You having a kid  than adding a kid to it," Titus tells TV Guide Online. "Especially on our show with the hard comedy we do. You add a kid into the mix, all of a sudden it takes some of the fun out of that." An interesting point of view, considering the comic's decision to, well, add a kid to the cast this season (which kicks off tonight at 9:30 pm/ET). Rachel Roth, who played Erin's teenage niece Amy in on

Wed, Nov 14, 2001

Titus Star's Money Woes

Titus scene-stealer Zack Ward may not have received a pay hike for his work on the comedy's upcoming third season (kicking off Wednesday at 9:30 pm/ET), but don't expect him to stage a dramatic sick-out &#224 la the supporting casts of NBC's The West Wing and CBS's Becker. Explains the cut-up: "My renegotiating angle is, 'Hey man, I'd like to have some more cash, okay?' They're like, 'No.' So [I threatened], 'I'll go back to work for what you were paying me before!' I'm not contentious about it." That's not to say, however, that Ward felt an increase wasn't warranted. "My attitude is, I get paid pretty good money to do what I do," admits the 28-year-old actor, who plays Dave, the dim-witted younger bro of series star Christopher Ti

Tue, Nov 13, 2001

Bernie Mac's Kiddie Crisis

Fox's brash new family satire The Bernie Mac Show (premiering Wednesday at 8:30 pm/ET) may be polarizing critics, but few would argue that the original King of Comedy struck gold casting his scene-stealing co-stars: "Adopted" whippersnappers Camille Winbush, Jeremy Suarez and Dee Dee Davis. "We looked at some talented kids," the comic-turned-actor tells TV Guide Online, "but the individuals who made it earned it." Adds Kellita Smith, who plays Mac's wife on screen and off: "They are amazing. They are [wise] beyond their years." But will they be sticking around? Given Bernie Mac's clever premise  reluctant parents (Mac and Smith) take in his drug-addicted sister's three

Mon, Nov 12, 2001

X Exec: "Mulder and Scully Had Sex"

Diehard X-Files fans are still recovering from last May's shocking season finale, which found Mulder and Scully sealing their eight-year-long (frustratingly platonic) partnership with a humdinger of a kiss. Further setting X-Philes' hearts aflutter was the strong inference that the baby boy Scully (Gillian Anderson) had just delivered was fathered by David Duchovny's UFO chasin' alter ego. But now, on the eve of the show's two-part ninth-season premiere (Part 1 airs Sunday at 9 pm/ET on Fox), reality has begun to set in: Mulder's gone (Duchovny's off making movies), leaving Scully nursing a broken heart — not to mention one downright spooky tot. And if that wasn't bad enough, the single mom also has to contend with the warrior princess herself —

Fri, Nov 9, 2001

AbFab Duo Just Says No

The ads promoting the new six-episode season of Britain's campy comedy import Absolutely Fabulous (Monday, 9 pm/ET on Comedy Central) proclaim that "Sin is in, Sweetie." But as the show's creator and star tells it, two of Patsy and Edina's favorite bad habits are out. "I just didn't have quite the desire to smoke as much," writer-director Jennifer Saunders (Edina) tells TV Guide Online. "People kept saying to me, 'Do you want a cigarette?' In the last [season], I remember being desperate to smoke all the time, and this time I just felt, 'I can't be bothered to smoke anymore.' Also, the same with the drinking. The drinking is kind of 'By the way' instead of so highlighted." Fans of the man-hungry, pill-popping misfits need not worry: The tag-team addicts didn't lose any of their trademark edge during AbFab's five-year hiatus. Patsy (

Fri, Nov 9, 2001

Island Guru Trashes Spy TV

Here's a shocker: Even the brainchild behind Fox's raunchy and critically reviled Temptation Island has standards. Executive producer Chris Cowan tells TV Guide Online that when it comes to deplorable reality shows, one program stands head and shoulders above the rest: NBC's modest summer hidden-camera hit Spy TV. "Spy TV sucks," he seethes. "That show is awful." However, while critics thumbed their noses at the series on moral grounds  TV Guide's Matt Roush griped that "Spy TV finds sadistic new spins on hidden-camera high jinks"  Cowan takes issue with it on a creative level. "[The producers] don't understand where the joke is. They have such an opportunity; the concepts are so good. [But then] they're ready to pull the joke and they either reveal it too soon or reveal it too flat. They didn't get enough complexity in the joke, they don't know where the laugh is, there's way too much voiceover, they don't tr

Wed, Nov 7, 2001

NYPD Blue Mystery: Is Danny Dead?

When NYPD Blue kicks off its ninth season tonight (9-11 pm/ET), one of last May's biggest cliffhangers will be resolved: What happened to Rick Schroder's Det. Danny Sorenson? A source close to the show confirms widespread speculation that with Schroder off the ABC cop drama, Blue producers decided to send his troubled character on a stairway to heaven. "They find his body decomposed," the insider whispers to TV Guide Online. "So, apparently, a long time has passed since he died." Asked about the DOA chatter, executive producer Bill Clark reveals only that the Silver Spoons alum will definitely not appear on the show this season. Why? "I think that would have been a bit of a disservice to Mark-Paul [Gosselaar]," he explains, referring to the former

Tue, Nov 6, 2001

Backstage Scoop at the Emmys!

Finally, the show went on. After two unprecedented postponements stemming from the Sept. 11 attacks, the 53rd annual Primetime Emmy Awards were held last night, and as expected, politics and patriotism  both real (musical tributes, stirring speeches) and fictional (The West Wing's second-consecutive best drama series victory)  played a major role. But did anyone watch? With a nail-biter of a World Series finale airing opposite the kudocast on Fox, the consensus backstage in the Jade West restaurant-turned-press room was that the Yankees weren't the only ones headed for defeat Sunday. Even Emmy honcho Bryce Zabel struggled to put a positive spin on the potent counterprogramming. "That's the breaks," he sighed. "But on the other hand, the idea that there's a live baseball game going on at the same time as the Emmys really sends a powerful message to the rest of the world." Well, the message it sent to many in attendance at Los Angeles's S

Mon, Nov 5, 2001

New Ally Hunk Playing the Field

Note to Ally McBeal's man-hungry Elaine (Jane Krakowski): There's a new hunk in town  and he's available. Josh Hopkins joins the cast of the Fox dramedy tonight during the show's fifth season premiere playing lawyer Raymond Milbury. But Elaine better be willing to share: Hopkins tells TV Guide Online that he doesn't want to see his alter ego settling down with any one of Cage and Fish's comely counselors. "I want to be dating all of them at the same time and not have any of them know it," winks the actor, whose credits include playing Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen in the TNT film Pirates of Silicon Valley and a recurring role on the WB's Jack &amp; Jill. "You can't really go wrong. They're all beautiful and talented, so just point me in

Mon, Oct 29, 2001

Downey's Ally Cohort Promoted

When Ally McBeal kicks off its fifth season on Monday (9 pm/ET on Fox), Regina Hall's legal eagle Corretta Lipp will be sans her trusted associate, Robert Downey Jr.'s Larry Paul. "It's a whole new ballpark for ol' Corretta," admits the actress, now a series regular. "She's got a new [job at Cage and Fish] and a new attitude." Hall says that she hasn't spoken to Downey since he abruptly exited the Emmy-winning dramedy last spring following his drug-related arrest. "It was basically a professional relationship," she concedes. "He's in my prayers for a continued recovery... [He'll] definitely be missed." Downey isn't the only Ally castmember MIA this season: Taye Diggs,

Thu, Oct 25, 2001

Keri Russell's Red Hot Summer

It was just the kind of summertime drama the tabloids live for: Felicity heroine Keri Russell and sexy Red Hot Chili Pepper Anthony Kiedis  enjoying a swim off the coast of San Diego last June  are pulled to rescue by lifeguards after getting caught in a riptide! Within hours, the rumor mill was spinning out of control with talk that the Golden Globe winner's near-death experience blew the cover on her hush-hush romance with the rock star. Sadly, Russell insists that her seaside scrape wasn't nearly as riveting as press reports indicated. "There was no drowning. I'm actually a fabulous swimmer," the 25-year-old actress tells TV Guide Online, adding that, despite what people may have read, she and Kiedis were not alone at the time. "I was with [Felicity co-star]

Wed, Oct 24, 2001

James Woods Blasts Media

Two-time Oscar nominee James Woods has some advice for up-and-coming thespians on how best to deal with the increasingly celeb-conscious media: "Pretend you're in a deposition, and know that they'll [most likely] ask you questions and not care about the answer," he seethes. "They just wait until you're tired, set you up and destroy your reputation. The press is unequivocally the enemy." Ouch! Ironically, the 54-year-old actor made those comments while talking up his latest film, Riding in Cars with Boys, with that very same adversary. Still, he admits that the process of giving interviews is one that he would "not ever do again in my life  not for one second ever  if I didn't feel an ethical obligation to the film." Woods has kinder words for another staple of celebrity life: the fans. "I'm famous for being nicer to my fans than anybody

Tue, Oct 23, 2001