TV this week: Britney Spears on ‘Glee’; the Situation on ‘Dancing With the Stars’; questions answered on ‘The Event’
The second week of the television season offers a lot of drama. Here’s a list of highlights:
1. Will it be the end for Fox’s “Lone Star”? The Texas soap opera bombed in the ratings at its debut last week. Most critics loved it, but the drama does ask viewers to care about a scam artist/bigamist as hero. Yes, [...]
‘Saturday Night Live’: Amy Poehler, Katy Perry and Elmo should help
Current events have handed the writers of “Saturday Night Live” a gold mine.
This season’s premiere can draw on the Katy Perry-Elmo furor that engulfed “Sesame Street.” Perry is the musical guest tonight.
The Iranian president certainly did his part this week at the United Nations.
Stephen Colbert’s visit to Capitol Hill will supply material.
NBC Universal chief Jeff [...]
Casey Anthony: Where does the case stand?
Where does the Casey Anthony stand? A status hearing Monday should provide answers.
Court administrators said Anthony will not attend, WESH-Ch. 2 anchor Jim Payne said tonight. Anthony is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her daughter, Caylee.
Payne also noted: “This week prosecutors turned over almost 50 pages of FBI documents to the defense. [...]
Lifetime renews ‘Army Wives,’ ‘Drop Dead Diva’
Kim Delaney stars in "Army Wives." Photo credit: Lifetime
“Army Wives” will be back for its fifth season next year, and “Drop Dead Diva” will be coming back for its third season.
Lifetime Television announced the renewals this afternoon.
You can expect 13 episodes each from the two scripted hours next year.
Are you happy, viewers?
Nancy Dubuc, president and general manager of Lifetime Networks, said in a release: ” ‘Army Wives’ and ‘Drop Dead Diva’ have lead Lifetime’s charge in scripted programming and are key components to our success. We are so happy with these two special programs and are excited to pick them up.”
How much good publicity will $100 million, Oprah Winfrey appearance buy Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg?
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. Photo credit: Markham Johnson/AFP/Getty Images
How best to combat an unfavorable movie about you?
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg has decided to get out in front of “The Social Network” by dropping by Oprah Winfrey’s show on Friday.
I realize that many people don’t like Winfrey, but she still has one of the strongest brands in television. If you want to get your story out — whether you’re Jon Stewart, Sarah Palin or Wynonna Judd — you take it to Lady O.
A lot of money helps combat bad publicity, too. On Winfrey’s show, Zuckerberg will reportedly donate $100 million to public schools in Newark, N.J.
Will moviegoers keep that generous image of Zuckerberg in mind when they go off to see a nasty Zuckerberg in “The Social Network”?
It’s going to be a case for media studies for years to come. And “The Social Network,” with Jesse Eisenberg as Zuckerberg, could be in the headlines for months to come. It’s supposedly one of the best movies of the year. Aaron Sorkin (“The West Wing”) wrote it, and David Fincher (“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”) directed it.
“The Oprah Winfrey Show” airs at 4 p.m. weekdays on WFTV-Ch. 9.
Jennifer Lopez gets top billing over Steven Tyler in ‘American Idol’ announcement
Jennifer Lopez at a June gala. Photo credit: AP Photo/Evan Agostini
So how to read the “American Idol” news today?
Reading is the way to go, because there was rarely sound for the online presentation this afternoon.
But there will be three judges next season: Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler.
Lopez got top billing in the Fox release, which proclaimed her a “global superstar.” All six people who went to see “The Backup Plan” have to agree.
Fox also described her as a “Golden Globe-nominated actress, platinum-selling recording artist, movie producer and entrepreneur.” But is she any good as a judge?
Aerosmith frontman Tyler, who was listed second, was described as a “multiple Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter, and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee.”
I think those credentials will matter more on “American Idol.” The show’s 10th season begins in January.
Fox also announced that Jimmy Iovine, chairman of Interscope Geffen A&M Records, will be an in-house mentor on the show.
How much of his mentoring will we get to see? His instruction might be the most interesting part of the show.
Why did Lopez get top billing in the announcement?
She reportedly will get $12 million for her work. And, here’s something else: She has a new deal with both Twentieth Century Fox Films and Fox Broadcasting Company. Under that deal, Twentieth Century Fox and Fox Broadcasting get a first look at productions from her Nuyorican Productions.
Fox has a lot riding on Lopez, who was a dancer years ago on Fox’s “In Living Color.” I hope Steven Tyler doesn’t mind taking second billing.
Tyler and Lopez replace Simon Cowell, Ellen DeGeneres and Kara DioGuardi. How do you like that casting, “Idol” fans?
Oh, and congratulations to Randy Jackson on reaching 10 years with the show. He survived. But will he like that status or envy those who have departed?
‘American Idol’ to announce new team — and you can watch
Ryan Seacrest, left, announced that Lee DeWyze won "American Idol" last season. Photo credit: Reuters/Vince Bucci/Fox
Who will be the judges on “American Idol”?
You can find out at 1 p.m. ET Wednesday when Ryan Seacrest hosts a news conference featuring the team. It will be available at americanidol.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/americanidol and on Ustream at www.ustream.com/american-idol.
Simon Cowell, Ellen DeGeneres and Kara DioGuardi are gone.
The names most often mentioned as replacements have been Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler. Randy Jackson is expected to be back.
Bill Clinton tells David Letterman: Hillary wants to be a grandmother more than she wanted to be president
Bill Clinton talks weddings with David Letterman tonight.
The former president explains just how important daughter Chelsea’s nuptials were to the family. Chelsea recently married longtime friend Marc Mezvinsky.
“Hillary wanted this marriage because she wants to be a grandmother more than she wanted to be president,” Clinton tells Letterman.
CBS’ “Late Show With David Letterman” airs at 11:35 weeknights on WKMG-Ch. 6.
The former president cites two reasons that he avoided crying when walking Chelsea down the aisle.
“One is I wanted it to be about her and not me,” Clinton says. “And the second is she had a really big dress, and I didn’t want to step on it, so I had to concentrate on starting out about four inches ahead of her and then I had to stay in step.”
Casey Anthony: Central Florida News 13 takes us inside the Body Farm
Caylee Anthony, the reason most people are interested in this case.
If you want more Casey Anthony coverage, look to Central Florida News 13 at 6 p.m. Monday.
The cable news channel on Bright House Networks will offer a report “Inside the Body Farm” from Adam Longo.
Tonight, the channel promoted the report and highlighted that the case has moved to the so-called Body Farm, which received samples from Casey Anthony’s car trunk. Anthony is charged with first-degree murder in the death of her daughter, Caylee.
Anthony’s attorneys want to know more about tests done at the Body Farm in Tennessee, and that’s why the Central Florida News 13 report could be of great interest.
The channel says Longo “is the only local reporter who has been to the Body Farm,” that he will “take us inside the secret facility” and that he will explain how the work there could affect the case against Anthony. Will you be watching?
Bill Clinton tells ‘Face the Nation’: Barack Obama is getting his groove back
- Bill Clinton speaks a Friday campaign rally in Nevada. Photo credit: AP Photo/Jessica Ebelhar, pool
President Barack Obama was “disoriented … for a while” by the intensity of Republican opposition, former President Bill Clinton told CBS this morning.
The comment came on “Face the Nation” in response to Schieffer’s view that Obama seems to have lost his groove.
Clinton also said that Obama “believed that, if he accomplished a lot on the legislative front, that would be reflected in a better political climate. But the problem is there’s a huge lag time once you get in a deep economic hole between digging out of it and having people feel it. And so I think … if the unemployment rate were 5 percent, we wouldn’t be having this discussion.”
Clinton is upbeat about Obama these days. “I think he is getting his groove back now,” Clinton said. “He’s still fighting for specific things on small business and manufacturing and all the stimulus money that hadn’t been spent for clean energy stuff. And he’s out there combating the opposition now. Maybe that will make a difference. I think it will make some difference. And I think we’ll do better” than expected in midterm elections.
Yet Clinton added that it would increase Obama’s chances of being re-elected in 2012 if the Democrats lose the House this November.
Clinton’s advice about what Democrats should be doing: “People only hire us when things are messed up. They’d much rather hear the Republican rhetoric than ours. We only get hired when the country is in a mess. So the Democrats should focus on what we’re going to do.”