Tv News
1. British actor-comedian Russell Brand to host this year's MTV Video Music Awards
By ERIN CARLSON - July 24, 2008
NEW YORK (AP) _ MTV is staking its brand on a lesser-known one: Russell Brand.The British actor and comedian will host this year's Video Music Awards, set to air live from Paramount Pictures Studios in Los Angeles on Sept. 7, MTV told The Associated Press on Thursday.Brand recently co-starred in...
2. Pamela Anderson living with ex-husband Tommy Lee, starring in new reality show
By DERRIK J. LANG - July 24, 2008
LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Pamela Anderson is shacking up with Tommy Lee again — but not like that.The 41-year-old former "Baywatch" star is living with her ex-husband and their two sons — Dylan, 10; Brandon, 12 — in Lee's Calabasas enclave while her new Malibu mansion is under...
3. Balthazar Getty says he's separated from his wife, embarrassed by photos of him kissing Miller
By Associated Press - July 23, 2008
NEW YORK -- Balthazar Getty says he's separated from his wife and is embarrassed by recent photos of him kissing a topless Sienna Miller in Italy. "The breakdown of a marriage is a very difficult and painful experience, especially when children are involved," Getty, 33,...
4. Who's got the better campaign pictures? Hard to compete with Obama this week
By DAVID BAUDER - July 23, 2008
NEW YORK (AP) _ Barack Obama has packed his overseas trip with presidential images: a helicopter ride over Iraq with the U.S. military commander; a visit to a Holocaust memorial; a meeting at Afghan President Hamid Karzai's palace.He even found time to sink a three-point basketball shot before...
5. 'Gossip Girl' will launch another racy campaign to lure viewers to its second season (OMG!)
By FRAZIER MOORE - July 22, 2008
NEW YORK (AP) _ "Gossip Girl" will get people talking. At least, that seems likely as the CW network brings to a boil its new campaign for the sexy prep-school soap.The show's second season begins Sept. 1, following an August promotion to put viewers, um, in the mood. And here's a twist: The racy...
6. Reality villain Omarosa calls talk show host Wendy Williams 'a fake and a phony'
By DERRIK J. LANG - July 21, 2008
LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Omarosa is not sorry for sparring with Wendy Williams. "I stand by everything I said," Omarosa told The Associated Press on Tuesday.The reality star — whose full name is Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth — appeared Monday on "The Wendy Williams Show" to promote her...
7. Denise Richards heads to court seeking changes in custody agreement with Charlie Sheen
By Associated Press - July 21, 2008
LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Denise Richards went to court Monday seeking changes to a custody arrangement with ex-husband Charlie Sheen — but didn't get everything she wanted.Richards and her attorney brought a video to Los Angeles Superior Court to try to bolster their case, but a court commissioner...
8. Talk-show host Tavis Smiley tackles Obama, race and his own advocacy journalism
By KINNEY LITTLEFIELD - July 21, 2008
LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Tavis Smiley is all wound up. His voice is rough from too much vocalizing, but the host of public television's "Tavis Smiley" talk show and public radio's "The Tavis Smiley Show" is on an oratorical roll about race, politics, and his fellow African-American, presumptive...
9. 'Greek' TV star Scott Michael Foster arrested for alleged drunken driving in Hollywood
By Associated Press - July 21, 2008
LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Scott Michael Foster, star of ABC Family's frat-house series "Greek," has been released on $5,000 bail following his arrest in Hollywood for misdemeanor drunken driving.Police say the 23-year-old Foster, who plays Kappa Tau President Cappie on "Greek," was arrested at 12:20 a.m....
10. Roger Ebert and Richard Roeper cutting ties with 'At the Movies' TV show
By DON BABWIN - July 21, 2008
CHICAGO (AP) _ Roger Ebert is leaving the balcony — but hinting that he's not finished with television.The famed film critic announced Monday that he is cutting ties with the nationally syndicated program he and the late critic Gene Siskel made famous, a day after Richard Roeper said he was...
11. Federal appeals court tosses fine against CBS for Janet Jackson's 'wardrobe malfunction'
By JOANN LOVIGLIO - July 21, 2008
PHILADELPHIA (AP) _ Among the most notorious on-screen gaffes ever, Janet Jackson's breast-baring "wardrobe malfunction" on CBS during the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show drew a $550,000 indecency fine from the Federal Communications Commission. Now a federal appeals court has thrown it out.A panel...
12. Leno to say goodnight to 'Tonight' next May; O'Brien takes over late-night franchise June 1
By LYNN ELBER - July 21, 2008
%meta(topic:01016000;ap_topic:general entertainment;subtopic:tv;%)BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — Conan O'Brien will take over the "Tonight" show next June — and what happens to deposed host Jay Leno after that is anybody's guess.Leno's last show will be Friday, May 29, and O'Brien will...
13. Such a 'Deal': Game show's new syndicated version offers daily $500,000 top prize
By LYNN ELBER - July 20, 2008
LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Howie Mandel, the models, the banker and the briefcases all will be in place when the syndicated version of "Deal or No Deal" premieres in September — along with cash for viewers as well as contestants.Players on the new show won't have a shot at the top $1 million payoff...
14. Shannen Doherty going back to the '90210' 'hood, joining Garth, Spelling in new version
By KINNEY LITTLEFIELD - July 19, 2008
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) _ Brenda Walsh is all grown-up and returning to Beverly Hills, 90210, this fall. But cast members of the new CW spin-off, "90210," are speculating whether Shannen Doherty will be equally mature when she reprises her role as Walsh."I have heard some of the stories," ''...
15. Medical examiner says Kallenbach of Howard Stern's 'Wack Packer' died of natural causes
By Associated Press - July 18, 2008
LIMA, Pa. (AP) _ Comedian Kenneth Keith Kallenbach, a long-running member of Howard Stern's "Wack Pack," died of complications from cystic fibrosis, a medical examiner ruled Friday.He died April 24 at age 39 at a hospital near Philadelphia after falling ill in the county jail. Kallenbach was being...
16. Couric's anchor job at CBS safe, her boss says; coverage of Obama overseas trip defended
By LYNN ELBER - July 18, 2008
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) _ Job insecurity may be widespread in the media but Katie Couric still has no need to worry, her boss says.Rumors that Couric will be replaced on the "CBS Evening News" after the presidential election or inauguration are untrue, CBS News President Sean McManus told a...
17. Home Run Derby on ESPN is No. 1 on cable television for week of July 14-20
By The Associated Press - July 17, 2008
Rankings for the top 15 programs on cable networks as compiled by Nielsen Media Research for the week of July 14-20. Day and start time (EDT) are in parentheses:1. "Home Run Derby" (Monday, 8:19 p.m.), ESPN, 6.18 million homes, 9.11 million viewers.2. "The Closer" (Monday, 9 p.m.), TNT, 5.91...
18. Satellite radio penalty of $19.7 million expected to lead to merger approval
By JOHN DUNBAR - July 17, 2008
WASHINGTON (AP) _ Approval of a merger of the nation's only two satellite radio companies was imminent Thursday after the pair agreed to pay $19.7 million to settle charges they violated federal rules.Sirius Satellite Radio Inc.'s proposed $3.6 billion buyout of rival XM Satellite Radio Holdings...
19. Spider envy: ECU professor lets Stephen Colbert choose arachnid that will carry his name
By Associated Press - July 17, 2008
GREENVILLE, N.C. (AP) _ Stephen Colbert has a big decision to make: Which spider species should bear his name?The Daily Reflector of Greenville reported Thursday that East Carolina University associate professor Jason Bond has agreed to name a species after Colbert, host of Comedy Central's "The...
20. List of Primetime Emmy Awards nominations in major categories
By The Associated Press - July 17, 2008
Nominees in major categories for the 60th annual Primetime Emmy Awards announced Thursday by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.Drama Series: "Boston Legal," ABC; "Damages," FX; "Dexter," Showtime; "House," Fox; "Lost," ABC; "Mad Men," AMC.Comedy Series: "Curb Your Enthusiasm," HBO; "...
21. ABC: Rumors aside, Heigl is sticking with 'Grey's Anatomy'; actress had criticized show
By Associated Press - July 17, 2008
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) _ Katherine Heigl is sticking with "Grey's Anatomy" despite voicing displeasure about last season's script quality, the network's programming chief said.Heigl's previous comments raised speculation that she might want to leave the ABC medical drama — rumors that ABC...
22. Nebraska man sues Jesse James, and his company over custom car he says was never delivered
By Associated Press - July 17, 2008
LOS ANGELES (AP) _ A Nebraska man has sued custom car and bike-maker Jesse James, claiming the former television host failed to deliver a custom automobile despite paying more $420,000.Michael B. Jones, of Omaha, Neb. filed the suit on Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court against James and his...
23. Jimmy Kimmel, ABC boss banter over post-'Tonight' Leno, but subject is serious
By LYNN ELBER - July 16, 2008
LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Jimmy Kimmel can joke about how his late-night job might be affected when Jay Leno becomes a free agent — at least when his ABC boss and hundreds of reporters are around.A comedy bit involving Kimmel and ABC Entertainment President Stephen McPherson drew laughs Wednesday...
24. Former 'NewsRadio' TV star Andy Dick arrested in SoCal on drug and sex allegations
By Associated Press - July 16, 2008
MURRIETA, Calif. (AP) _ Andy Dick was arrested early Wednesday for investigation of drug use and sexual battery after the comedian allegedly pulled down a teenager's top, police said.The former co-star of the TV sitcom "NewsRadio" was released from a detention center after posting $5,000 bail....
25. 'CSI' series star William Petersen leaving in 9th season but door remains open to guest shots
By LYNN ELBER - July 16, 2008
LOS ANGELES (AP) _ William Petersen is leaving "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," a move that might have fans of his brainy crimebuster Gil Grissom screaming bloody murder.Petersen has agreed to return for occasional guest appearances and will remain a "CSI" executive producer but his run as an...
26. Al Reynolds opens up about his marriage to Star Jones: 'I still love her'
By DERRIK J. LANG - July 15, 2008
LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Al Reynolds continues to have a soft spot for Star Jones, despite their impending divorce."I still very much love her," Reynolds told The Associated Press on Monday. "I do. I can't lie to you."Jones' soon-to-be ex-husband is opening up about his relationship with the former...
27. Rush (the band, not Limbaugh) to guest on 'The Colbert Report'
By JAKE COYLE - July 15, 2008
NEW YORK (AP) _ Rush will be appearing on "The Colbert Report," and it's not Limbaugh.The Canadian band Rush, which hasn't performed on U.S. television in more than three decades, will play their classic "Tom Sawyer" on the Comedy Central show Wednesday (11:30 p.m. EST). The Geddy Lee-led trio,...
28. Czar Nicholas II leads Josef Stalin in contest to choose greatest Russian in history
By LYNN BERRY - July 15, 2008
MOSCOW (AP) _ Ninety years after he was executed, Czar Nicholas II is leading a tight race to be named the greatest Russian in history.His closest competitors? Soviet dictator Josef Stalin and Vladimir Lenin, the founder of the Soviet state that killed the last czar and his entire family.The...
29. Jimmy Kimmel and Sarah Silverman have ended their relationship, their publicists say
By Associated Press - July 15, 2008
NEW YORK (AP) _ Jimmy Kimmel and Sarah Silverman have broken up, their publicists said Monday. "Jimmy and Sarah have no further comment," Kimmel's spokesman Lewis Kay told The Associated Press, confirming the split that was first reported on Vanity Fair magazine's Web site.Silverman's publicist,...
30. Curtain rises on Obama's family, to senator's later regret
By DAVID BAUDER - July 13, 2008
NEW YORK (AP) _ It's the interview scoop that quickly gave Barack Obama second thoughts, and not because it revealed he leaves his suitcase where his children can trip over it.The "Access Hollywood" interview in which Obama and wife Michelle allowed daughters Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, to participate...
31. GLAAD praises ABC and FX for inclusion of gay, lesbian characters
By Associated Press - July 13, 2008
NEW YORK (AP) _ The marriage between the gay characters Kevin and Scotty in the season finale of ABC's "Brothers & Sisters" helped the network win the highest praise Sunday from an advocacy group that pushes for more visibility of such characters on television. It was the first wedding of two gay...
32. Limited live TV coverage from Tiananmen Square still a big issue for Beijing Olympics
By STEPHEN WADE - July 13, 2008
%meta(topic:01016000;ap_topic:general entertainment;subtopic:tv;%)BEIJING (AP) — Broadcasters and the IOC are pushing China to keep its promises and open up Tiananmen Square to more hours of live coverage for the Beijing Olympics. Unfettered access to Tiananmen, site of a bloody crackdown on...
33. First photos of Brangelina twins will net fortune
By JOHN LEICESTER - July 13, 2008
PARIS -- They are the ultimate million-dollar babes. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt's new twins, a girl and a boy born by Caesarean section on Saturday, are barely a few hours old but already their first photos are worth a fortune. A million dollars, two, five, 10 even 20...
34. PBS keeps 'King Lear' nude decision under wraps
By LYNN ELBER - July 12, 2008
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- Ian McKellen's acclaimed performance in "King Lear" is coming to PBS, but a public TV executive was coy Saturday about whether his on-stage nude scene will be exposed on air.PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger, who saw the play during its brief...
35. PBS to air Burns' national parks series next year
By Associated Press - July 12, 2008
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns' new series celebrating America's national parks and detailing their history will air in fall 2009, PBS said Saturday."The National Parks: America's Best Idea," is a 12-hour, six-part film that traces the origins...
36. Ed McMahon sues LA hospital, two doctors and an investment tycoon over neck injury
ANTHONY McCARTNEY - July 11, 2008
LOS ANGELES -- Ed McMahon sued a hospital, two doctors and an investment tycoon Friday over a neck injury he has said has left him unable to work, a circumstance he has blamed for his recent money woes. The lawsuit seeks an unspecified amount, claiming negligence,...
37. Actress Genie Francis to return to 'General Hospital'
By DERRIK J. LANG - July 11, 2008
LOS ANGELES -- Genie Francis is checking back into "General Hospital."The 46-year-old actress again will reprise her role as Laura on the ABC daytime soap opera beginning Aug. 26. The character's 1981 fairy-tale wedding to Luke (played by Anthony Geary) was watched by...
38. Zucker: NBC Universal is an 'important' part of GE
By JEREMY HERRON - July 11, 2008
SUN VALLEY, Idaho -- General Electric has no plans to sell its NBC Universal media unit even as the conglomerate moves forward with spinning off slower-growing businesses, NBC Chief Executive Jeffrey Zucker said Thursday.GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt "has made it clear...
39. Get the 3-D glasses ready for `Hannah Montana'
By Associated Press - July 10, 2008
LOS ANGELES -- The hit "Hannah Montana" movie will be nearly inescapable on television this month in every dimension."Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert" will come to Starz in standard- and high-definition starting 9 p.m. EDT Saturday, July 26, the...
40. Tornado videographer denies doctoring footage
By DAVID BAUDER - July 9, 2008
NEW YORK -- A storm chaser accused of doctoring old tornado video and selling it under the pretense that it was taken last week in Nebraska denied wrongdoing Thursday, suggesting that professional jealousy was behind the allegation.The Associated Press and video services...
41. Jamie Lynn Spears poses with baby for mag cover
By Associated Press - July 9, 2008
NEW YORK -- Weeks after giving birth to daughter Maddie Briann, Jamie Lynn Spears is showing off the newborn, sharing memories of a "perfect" delivery and longing to be a Southern soccer mom.Spears and fiance Casey Aldridge welcomed Maddie at a hospital in McComb, Miss.,...
42. TV One to offer extensive Obama coverage
By DAVID BAUDER - July 8, 2008
NEW YORK -- TV One, the cable network aimed at African-American viewers, will cover Barack Obama's nominating convention but is ignoring John McCain's.The network is telecasting live, prime-time coverage of the Democratic convention in Denver Aug. 25-28, followed by "TV...
43. Nat's back as a Peach Pit of a guy on `90210'
By LYNN ELBER - July 8, 2008
LOS ANGELES -- Joe E. Tata is cooking again in the role of Peach Pit diner owner Nat for the new incarnation of "Beverly Hills 90210."Tata, who was part of the original series that aired from 1990 to 2000 on Fox, said Tuesday he was wrapping up his scenes for the pilot...
44. Report: CBS News' Logan talks about baby drama
By Associated Press - July 8, 2008
NEW YORK -- Lara Logan, the chief foreign affairs correspondent for CBS News, tells The Washington Post she is pregnant, and the father is a married federal contractor whom she met while stationed in Iraq. Logan's relationship with Joseph Burkett -- who's in the midst...
45. 'Survivor' producer sued by ex-partner for $70M
By Associated Press - July 8, 2008
LOS ANGELES -- The producer of the hit reality series "Survivor" and "The Apprentice" has been sued in Los Angeles by his former business partner.Conrad Riggs filed the lawsuit against Mark Burnett on Monday. Riggs claims he is owed more than $70 million for his...
46. 'Big Brother 10' contestants
By DERRIK J. LANG - July 8, 2008
A look at the 13 "Big Brother 10" contestants:>Michelle Costa, 28Hometown: Cumberland, R.I.Occupation: Real estate agentMost Unique Item Packed: Crossword puzzlesAudition Process: Costa said this was her second time trying out after sending in an audition tape.Strategy: "I'm going to do whatever it...
47. Meet the 'Big Brother 10' cast
By DERRIK J. LANG - July 8, 2008
STUDIO CITY, Calif. -- "Big Brother 10" is returning to its roots. The claustrophobic CBS reality show is sealing 13 actual strangers -- no ex lovers, secret twin partners or long-lost siblings this time -- inside a makeshift house on a Studio City soundstage for the...
48. Stadium speech by Obama sends networks scrambling
By DAVID BAUDER - July 7, 2008
NEW YORK -- Barack Obama's plan to accept the Democratic presidential nomination at a Denver outdoor stadium instead of the arena in which his party's convention will be held sent the television networks scrambling Monday.Only hours after Obama announced he would make...
49. Steve-O says sobriety won't stop stunts
ANTHONY McCARTNEY - July 7, 2008
LOS ANGELES -- Sobriety won't change some things about Steve-O -- the daredevil prankster says he could still perform many of the radical stunts that made him famous."I can do what I've done in the past," the 34-year-old said after appearing in a Los Angeles criminal...
50. Koppel series shows changes in China
By DAVID BAUDER - July 6, 2008
NEW YORK -- The image of Ted Koppel interviewing world leaders is so ingrained that it feels odd to see him wearing a hardhat for a nervous trip into a Chinese coal mine, or sitting in a Chongqing karaoke bar where teenage girls are hired to "entertain" male...
51. TV's 'Bachelor' Firestone weds in California
By Associated Press - July 6, 2008
LOS OLIVOS, Calif. -- "The Bachelor" is a bachelor no more. Andrew Firestone, star of the ABC-TV reality show, married Serbian model and actress Ivana Bozilovic Saturday, Firestone's publicist Alisha Mahon told The Associated Press. "We're so happy right now, we can...
52. Rachael Ray employee claims anorexia bias
By Associated Press - July 3, 2008
NEW YORK -- A former accountant for Rachael Ray's TV cooking show has filed a $1 million lawsuit saying he was forced out of his job because he has an eating disorder.Aaron Ferguson says in papers filed in Manhattan's state Supreme Court that he has suffered from...
53. Larry Harmon, longtime Bozo the Clown, dead at 83
By JOHN ROGERS - July 3, 2008
LOS ANGELES -- Larry Harmon wasn't the original Bozo the Clown, but he was the real one. Harmon, who portrayed the wing-haired clown for more than half a century, died Thursday of congestive heart failure, said his publicist, Jerry Digney. He was 83. As an entrepreneur,...
54. Priestley says music industry 'a mess' but works
By Associated Press - July 3, 2008
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Jason Priestley says he got a crash course on the Nashville music industry while directing a reality series about the Canadian band the Road Hammers.Priestley, 38, followed the group to Nashville as they sought a record deal."I got there as an...
55. Tears flow at `Army Wives' screening
By MICHAEL WEINFELD - July 3, 2008
WASHINGTON -- Tears flowed freely when two of TV's "Army Wives" met the real-life women they portray on the Lifetime series.Sally Pressman, who plays Roxy, and Brigid Brannagh, who plays Pamela, recently watched an upcoming episode with Army wives and service members at...
56. Sheriff says Discovery Channel won't film at jail
By Associated Press - July 3, 2008
DALLAS -- Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez says the Discovery Channel has changed plans and will not do a documentary about the jail after a judge blocked filming.A judge agreed Wednesday with Dallas County commissioners and granted a temporary restraining order to halt...
57. Sheryl Crow urges preservation of wild mustangs
By Associated Press - July 2, 2008
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Sheryl Crow is urging people to get involved in saving America's wild horses."I think it will be a real shame when we look back and we don't have these incredible species, and I guess my best hope would be that people, individuals, step up at this...
58. Auto racing is No. 1 on cable TV
By The Associated Press - July 2, 2008
Rankings for the top 15 programs on cable networks as compiled by Nielsen Media Research for the week of June 23-29. Day and start time (EDT) are in parentheses:1. Auto Racing: Sprint Cup (Sunday, 1:59 p.m.), TNT, 3.87 million homes, 5.49 million viewers.2. "WWE Raw" (Monday, 10 p.m.), USA, 3.79...
59. Haysbert: Prez role on `24' may have helped Obama
By SCOTT SONNER - July 1, 2008
RENO, Nev. -- Dennis Haysbert likes to believe his portrayal as the first African-American U.S. president on Fox's "24" may have helped pave the way for Barack Obama."If anything, my portrayal of David Palmer, I think, may have helped open the eyes of the American...
60. Dr. Drew: Addicted celebs need more time in rehab
By Associated Press - June 30, 2008
LOS ANGELES -- Hollywood has a serious drug problem, and isn't committing the time it takes to fix it, according to Dr. Drew.Not only are substances plentiful and socially acceptable in most celebrity circles, but stars who seek treatment often opt for abbreviated...
61. `SNL' alum Chris Kattan weds model Sunshine Tutt
By Associated Press - June 30, 2008
NEW YORK -- Chris Kattan, a former cast member of NBC's "Saturday Night Live," tied the knot with model Sunshine Tutt in Yosemite Valley, Calif., on Saturday, his publicist, Jill Fritzo, said Monday. Kattan, 37, appeared on "SNL" from 1996 to 2003. His screen credits...
62. Political focus helps make MSNBC more competitive
By DAVID BAUDER - June 29, 2008
NEW YORK -- Phil Griffin, the NBC News executive who oversees MSNBC, is a coiled mass of energy who needs little provocation to do battle. Now he's got something to fight for.MSNBC is a player in the cable news competition in a way it hasn't been before. The surge in...
63. Japanese game shows coming to America
By MATT HURWITZ - June 29, 2008
LOS ANGELES -- A grown man wearing a diaper is spun around until he can barely stand, then is made to try an obstacle course carrying pitchers of milk without spilling any. Another man, dressed like an insect, flings himself onto a giant-sized "windshield" with a...
64. 'American Idol' winner Studdard weds in Alabama
By Associated Press - June 25, 2008
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Former " American Idol" Ruben Studdard has married Surata Zuri McCants at a church in a suburb of Birmingham, Alabama. But there was no singing during the 30-minute ceremony -- just an exchange of vows, prayers and music provided by a string ensemble....
