TV Guide Author: michael.ausiello

Alias Star Sees Red

Those eye-catching billboards promoting ABC's critically acclaimed spy caper Alias  featuring a provocative image of the show's leading lady, Jennifer Garner, sporting a candy-apple dye job  have been stopping traffic nationwide since making their roadside debut in August. Garner herself slammed on the breaks the first time she saw the IMAX-sized work of art. "It really knocked me off my feet," recalls the 29-year-old Texas native, who was driving with her actor-husband, Scott Foley (Felicity), at the time of the sighting. "Even though I was expecting it, and I knew that they were out there and I knew what they looked like, I was completely overwhelmed and thrilled. "But it's really not that big of a deal," she ad

Fri, Oct 19, 2001

Ally Falls for X-Men Mutant

Further proof that movie stars in search of quality roles are turning to TV in increasing numbers: James Marsden  who played visor-wearing mutant Cyclops in the box-office smash X-Men  joins the cast of Fox's Ally McBeal on Oct. 29 when the show kicks off its fifth season. For his part, Marsden sees little difference between the two mediums. "I've always been a big fan of good work, and I don't think it needs to be separated by television and film," he tells TV Guide Online. "And [Ally creator] David E. Kelley was [someone] that I've always really wanted to work with, because as an actor, you want good dialogue... it helps you shine. "I still have every intention of maintaining a film career as well," adds the 28-

Fri, Oct 19, 2001

Drew Barrymore: A Real Trooper

Drew Barrymore can't seem to catch a break when it comes to promoting her latest film, the Penny Marshall-directed dramedy Riding in Cars with Boys (opening tomorrow). First, she had to face the media at the film's Oct. 7 press junket mere minutes after news broke that American-led military action had commenced in Afghanistan. And days later, in the midst of rehearsals for Saturday Night Live at NBC's Rockefeller Center headquarters, the actress learned that anthrax had been detected in the building. (The assistant to the network's top newsman, Tom Brokaw, tested positive for the skin form of the disease.) The 26-year-old Charlie's Angels star joked about her run of bad luck d

Thu, Oct 18, 2001

Smallville's Lex: Hair Today Gone Tomorrow

Before Michael Rosenbaum was handed the role of a twentysomething Lex Luthor on the WB's new Superman saga Smallville (premiering tonight at 9 pm/ET), producers issued him a stern ultimatum. "They pretty much said, 'If you want to be Lex, you've got to shave your head,'" the chrome-domed actor tells TV Guide Online. "I tried on a bald cap, but I looked like a conehead. So I said, 'Alright. Let's be a man about it. Let's shave it.'" Truth be told, Rosenbaum  who previously worked for the WB as a star of the short-lived comedy Zoe, Duncan, Jack &amp; Jane  would have gotten his bikini line waxed if the plum part called for it. "It took about a week for it to settle in," recalls the 29-year-old New York native of his first days playing one of pop culture's most famous bad guys. "I was on the s

Tue, Oct 16, 2001

Roseanne Star's Shocking Transformation

Former Roseanne spitfire Sara Gilbert has not soured on TV  despite making a failed comeback attempt last year on CBS's short-lived clunker Welcome to New York. In fact, the sister of Little House on the Prairie's Melissa Gilbert says that if anything, her passion for the small screen has intensified of late. "I think I really see myself doing TV [now] more than ever," the actress tells TV Guide Online. "I love TV so much. It's the most fun... just to get a new thing every week and have the [live] audience come in and to get to work with those actors. It's just awesome." And while much of her career has been built on playing sarcastic sidekicks like Roseanne's Darlene  a role that netted her two Emmy nominations  Gilbert wants to expand her repertoire. That may explain why

Mon, Oct 15, 2001

Meet Eminem's New Girlfriend

Rising starlet Brittany Murphy  whose haunting Don't Say a Word catchphrase "I'll never teh-ell" is proving to be this year's "Show me the money!"  is plenty forthcoming when grilled about her newest big-screen leading man, controversial rapper Eminem. The 23-year-old actress recently met the Real Slim Shady in preparation for her role as his girlfriend in The Untitled Detroit Project, an upcoming drama loosely based on the Grammy winner's life. "He's great. I adore him so far," Murphy gushes to TV Guide Online. "He's a good person. He's an honest person and he's funny and talented  and really lovely to be around." That's all well and good, but can the potty-mouthed lyricist cut it as a thespian? The odds certainly are not in his favor: When it comes to making the jump from music to movies, for every

Fri, Oct 12, 2001

Men's Woman Kisses and Tells

The National Organization for Women (NOW) may want to dispatch one of its crusaders to the set of the WB's new "Sex and the City for gents" comedy Men, Women &amp; Dogs. In the show's debut episode  airing Sunday at 8:30 pm/ET  surfer dude Eric (Niklaus Lange) french-kisses his loyal pooch Betsy, and before catching his breath, plants a sloppy one on his girlfriend Michelle (Heather Stephens). And if female viewers find that revolting, Stephens says the reality was far more eww-inducing. "[Niklaus] had sardine oil and chicken-flavored baby food all over his mouth to make sure that the dog would lick him," the actress groans to TV Guide Online. "So, the dog licks him, he jumps into bed, pulls me in and I get a humongous mouthful of chicken and

Fri, Oct 12, 2001

Felicity Enters Senior Year

On tonight's fourth-season premiere of Felicity, our favorite coed finds herself at a major crossroads as she embarks on her senior year of college. "We're focusing very much on Felicity's love life versus her real life," explains the show's executive producer/co-creator J.J. Abrams, "meaning she's about to graduate college, and is she any better off now than when she first got there?" Well, if this four-star episode  written by Abrams and directed by his Felicity partner, Matt Reeves  proves anything, it's that this WB drama is never better than when it explores the internal struggles of its title heroine. To that end, Abrams and co. have resurrected a popular character from the first and second seasons: Felicity's audio pen pal-slash-sounding board Sally. And that's not the

Wed, Oct 10, 2001

2001 Emmys: Canceled or Postponed?

Now that the 53rd annual Primetime Emmy Awards has been called off for an unprecedented second time  the most recent postponement came Sunday following U.S.-led air strikes in Afghanistan  rumors are rampant that despite the old Hollywood adage, this show may never go on. But Bryce Zabel, chairman and chief executive officer of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, insists that no such decision has been made. "We're not at this point calling it a cancellation," he said at a press conference yesterday. "We're looking at all the options... We've simply gone ahead and said for now we're postponing." The ceremony was originally slated to air Sept. 16, but was called off following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. After much discussion, Academy officials and CBS decided to reschedule the show for Oct. 7  albeit with a much more somber tone (read: no lavish gowns, no after-parties and no Joan Rivers). Noted Em

Mon, Oct 8, 2001

Atlantis Star "Numb" After Attacks

Like millions of other Americans, actress Hope Davis watched in horror as terrorists brought down the World Trade Center's Twin Towers on Sept. 11. But as a native New Yorker  and someone who saw the catastrophe unfold in-person from outside her lower Manhattan apartment  the nightmare literally hit home. "You can't walk down the street to get the milk or walk the dog and not [think about] it," the 37-year-old Hearts in Atlantis star tells TV Guide Online. "They put up a huge wall of remembrance, like a shrine, and there are hundreds and hundreds of pictures [of those presumed dead]. It's like 100 feet long. You can't forget for a minute what's happened. I still feel kind of numb; it's hard to accept." The experience had such a profound impact on Davis that she briefly considered switching careers. "Right after things happened, there was this, '

Thu, Oct 4, 2001

Burning Questions for Buffy's Creator

All eyes are on Buffy the Vampire Slayer tonight, as the acclaimed dramedy kicks off its sixth season on a new network and with a renewed energy. Of course, with big hype comes even bigger expectations: Will the show be able to maintain its high creative standards  especially coming off of what many believe was its strongest year yet? How will Buffy fare sans her bloodsucking beau Angel, who was stranded on the WB? When the ratings come in, will UPN  or the WB  have the last laugh? All of these questions will be answered soon enough (TV Guide critic Matt Roush tackles the creative issue in Today's TV). In the meantime, Buffy's proud papa, Joss Whedon, addresses more pressing concerns  like will UPN allow Tara and Willow to finally get it on!

Tue, Oct 2, 2001

Patriotism Is Alive and Well in Alias

Conventional wisdom says that given the current climate in America, now would not be the ideal time to launch a TV show about government conspiracies and secret agents. But the brainchild behind ABC's sublime espionage saga Alias (debuting Sunday at 9 pm/ET) begs to differ. "I believe that stories of morality, stories of good versus evil, and stories about a hero are things that people could use right now," the show's creator-executive producer, J.J. Abrams (Felicity), tells TV Guide Online. "Alias is about a young woman [Jennifer Garner] who herself is a victim of violence. She's a very smart, strong-willed, ultimately vulnerable young woman who is actively fighting against evil forces to make her life and the country a better place. "In some ways," adds Abrams, "I think Alias is even more pertinent now than it was before  though that was never the intention when it began

Fri, Sep 28, 2001

Ally McBeal's Billy Is Back!

Don't count out the ghost of Billy Thomas on Fox's Ally McBeal just yet: The specter's portrayer, Gil Bellows, tells TV Guide Online that being employed at another network won't preclude him from haunting his former flame should the need arise. "If there's a special reason, I would go back," says the actor, whose CBS drama, The Agency, debuts tonight at 10 pm/ET. "But it would have to be a special reason." The last time Ally producer David E. Kelley called on Bellows to resurrect Billy was in the spring, when the character was to provide "counsel" to Calista Flockhart prior to her wedding to Robert Downey Jr.'s Larry. And although Downey's arrest for

Thu, Sep 27, 2001

CNBC's "Money Honey" Recalls Sept. 11

Although polls indicate that a majority of Americans want the World Trade Center's Twin Towers rebuilt, CNBC's Wall Street wiz, Maria Bartiromo, isn't ready to support such an effort. "To be honest, I don't know if I'd want to work in a building that tall," she confesses to TV Guide Online. "It's so sad to look at our skyline now, but maybe from a safety point of view... I don't know. I'm on the fence about it." Bartiromo (aka the "Money Honey") certainly has reason to be apprehensive: The popular host of Market Week was just blocks away from Ground Zero when disaster struck. "I was in my office [at the New York Stock Exchange] getting ready to go on the air with one of my updates and I saw on TV that one tower was on fire," she recalls. "I ran outside and called my office, and [while] I was on the phone, a plane comes out of nowhere and crashes right into the second tower. I couldn't believe what I just saw." And before she could even begin to proc

Wed, Sep 26, 2001

MTV Tackles Osama bin Laden

Longtime MTV newsman Kurt Loder's Manhattan crib is located three blocks from where the World Trade Center's Twin Towers once stood, and he admits his neighborhood has been transformed into a "horrific, terrible" mess. What's more, as a result of his pad's proximity to the crime scene, he's only been allowed to return once since last Tuesday. "I can't get home. I'm sort of locked out and I just don't know what's going on," he sighs to TV Guide Online. "I was back once Friday night for 15 minutes and gathered up some clothes and then I had to leave again." Miraculously, Loder adds, his apartment escaped with little damage. "But there's like a half inch of dust over everything because we left the windows open," he explains, adding that the inconvenience is but a small price to pay. "I feel very, very fortunate." As it is, Loder probably wouldn't have been spending much time at home this past week anyway. The author and former Rolling Stone editor is b

Thu, Sep 20, 2001

Entertainment Newsmags Show Respect

In any other week, Yasmine Bleeth's recent arrest on alleged drug charges would command big headlines on the syndicated entertainment shows Access Hollywood, Entertainment Tonight and Extra. But in the wake of last Tuesday's horrific terrorist attacks, such celebrity scandals are being tossed aside like yesterday's news. "We're not touching Yasmine Bleeth," Access Hollywood executive producer Rob Silverstein insists to TV Guide Online. "It's not something we're interested in. If none of this ever happened, of course, that's something we would cover. But we don't think stories like that are appropriate at this time." While Access, ET and Extra have been pre-empted by news coverage in much of the country since Tuesday, most affiliates were expected to return to normal programming this week. And in addition to the Bleeth blackout, Silverstein says viewers tuning in can expect a kinder, gentler Access

Wed, Sep 19, 2001

The Story Behind the Emmy Delay

The decision to delay the 53rd annual Primetime Emmy Awards for three weeks  from Sept. 16 to Oct. 7  marks a first in Emmy history: Never before has a news event delayed TV's biggest night. But clearly, never before has there been a news event quite like last Tuesday's deadly terrorist attacks in New York and Washington D.C. "In the past, TV academy leaders always decided, in the great Hollywood tradition, to go on with the show no matter what happened  even in 1980 when no stars showed up because of an actors' strike," notes award show expert Tom O'Neil, author of The Emmys and host of showbiz-awards website GoldDerby.com. "But this year Emmy leaders were afraid that it might look heartless of Hollywood to carry on with a posh party for itself and bestow gold trophies for best comedy actor and actress at a time of national mourning." There was n

Tue, Sep 18, 2001

TV Nets Scour Content

As television networks scramble to remove any inappropriate programming content related to Tuesday's deadly terrorist attacks, HBO is admitting that it dropped the ball when it came to Sunday night's broadcast of the 1994 action flick Drop Zone. The film stars Wesley Snipes as a U.S. Marshall thwarting a international drug plot. One scene features a brutal hijacking of a commercial airliner. "This one obviously was missed," an HBO rep sighs to TV Guide Online. "We have pulled 11 movies so far from HBO and Cinemax channels. We apologize that we overlooked this one. The people in scheduling are in the process of still pulling other programs from the schedule for the upcoming weeks. I guess there are so many to go through and screen." Last week, HBO made the decision to yank print and on-air promotions for its World War II epic Band of Brothers. However, the 10-part Sunday series h

Tue, Sep 18, 2001

Entertainment Newsmags Show Respect

In any other week, Yasmine Bleeth's recent arrest on alleged drug charges would command big headlines on the syndicated entertainment shows Access Hollywood, Entertainment Tonight and Extra. But in the wake of last Tuesday's horrific terrorist attacks, such celebrity scandals are being tossed aside like yesterday's news. "We're not touching Yasmine Bleeth," Access Hollywood executive producer Rob Silverstein insists to TV Guide Online. "It's not something we're interested in. If none of this ever happened, of course, that's something we would cover. But we don't think stories like that are appropriate at this time." While Access, ET and Extra have been pre-empted by news coverage in much of the country since Tuesday, most affiliates were expected to return to normal programming this week. And in addition to the Bleeth blackout, Silverstein says viewers tuning in can expect a kinder, gentler Access

Tue, Sep 18, 2001

The Story Behind the Emmy Delay

The decision to delay the 53rd annual Primetime Emmy Awards for three weeks  from Sept. 16 to Oct. 7  marks a first in Emmy history: Never before has a news event delayed TV's biggest night. But clearly, never before has there been a news event quite like last Tuesday's deadly terrorist attacks in New York and Washington D.C. "In the past, TV academy leaders always decided, in the great Hollywood tradition, to go on with the show no matter what happened  even in 1980 when no stars showed up because of an actors' strike," notes award show expert Tom O'Neil, author of The Emmys and host of showbiz-awards website GoldDerby.com. "But this year Emmy leaders were afraid that it might look heartless of Hollywood to carry on with a posh party for itself and bestow gold trophies for best comedy actor and actress at a time of national mourning." There was n

Mon, Sep 17, 2001

TV News Coverage Makes the Grade

As expected, Americans were fixated on their television sets Tuesday night as some 60 million people tuned into the major networks for news coverage surrounding the devastating terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C. Viewing levels peaked between 8:30 and 9 pm when President Bush addressed the nation. Of course, that 60 million figure doesn't include the millions glued to cable channels such as CNN, MSNBC and Fox News. (Reportedly, 75 percent of all TV viewers were watching one of the broadcast or cable nets  a number that some have called extraordinary.) On a whole, critics have given high marks to the wall-to-wall coverage. "Mistakes have been few and swiftly corrected under the most trying of circumstances," enthused Ed Martin of the industry newsletter The Myers Report. "Every anchor person and every reporter on every network is to be commended." USA Today columnist Peter Johnson, meanwhile, applauded the TV news in

Fri, Sep 14, 2001

Entertainment World Halts to Mourn

Tuesday’s devastating terrorist attacks against the United States shut down the entertainment industry, closing major Hollywood studios, canceling awards shows and shutting down both Disney theme parks. As before with tragic events that reach across the country  most notably President Kennedy's assassination in 1963  Americans turned to live TV coverage to try to sort through the shocking news. All regular network programming was suspended throughout Tuesday and most of Wednesday. The major television networks  ABC, CBS, NBC  featured non-stop coverage of the assault and its aftermath. MTV and VH1 replaced its regular programming with reports from CBS News, and QVC halted all shopping, opting instead to post a message urging viewers to donate blood. Behind the scenes, the networks debated whether to push back the premieres of some of their fall shows this week. (For the latest, see Entertainment News.)

Thu, Sep 13, 2001