~Television Junkie~

Back- With Thursday News

2005-10-06T08:52:00.000-04:00

~ On the off chance that you've spent the last 24 hours under a rock, TomKat is somehow pregnant. I say somehow because to be honest, the only thing more vomit-inducing to me than viewing them as the closet-gay/virginal woman couple is thinking that they've actually had sex...
"Link

~ In case you've been under a boulder for say, the last 6 months Nick & Jessica are splitsville. Or are they? US Weekly says yes as do other media outlets, but to this point they are denying it. Booze, ego, infidelity are all rumored... Link

~ "Hot Properties" too hot? Link

~ Another "X-Files" movie? Link

~ Good Karma for "Earl" Link

Back Tomorrow

2005-10-05T15:38:00.000-04:00

Sorting out some computer problems today.

Quick Bits

2005-10-04T08:58:00.000-04:00

~ Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt, whose marriage officially ended this weekend, have put their $28 million mansion up for sale...Link

~ A sitcom for Melissa Etheridge...Link

~ Kimmel stays on...Link

~ Nipsey Russell dies,,,Link

New Releases 10-04

2005-10-04T08:42:00.000-04:00

Cinderella
The Warriors
The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Motley Crue: Carnival of Sins
The Amityville Horror
Alfred Hitchcock Presents - Season 1
America's Funniest Home Videos - Home For The Holidays
The Bob Newhart Show - The Complete 2nd Season
Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Spike - Love Is Hell
Count Duckula - The Complete First Season
Drawn Together - Season 1
Farscape - Starburst Edition - Volume 6
Into the West (mini-series) - Into The West
Kolchak: The Night Stalker - Kolchak: The Night Stalker
Multiple Shows - Christmas Rocks
Postcards from Buster - Buster's Got The Beat, Buster's Outdoor Journeys
SCTV Network 90 - Christmas With SCTV
Stargate SG-1 - Season 8 Box Set
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Volume 19: Mutants And Monsters
A Twist in the Tale - William Shatner's A Twist In the Tale
Wild Palms (mini-series) - Wild Palms

Monday Prime Picks

2005-10-03T05:52:00.000-04:00

~ Crossover madness continues on "Las Vegas" Wrapping up the special two-part crossover that started last night with "Crossing Jordan," tonight's "Las Vegas" focuses on the reunion of the Montecito security team- Danny (Josh Duhamel), Mike (James Lesure) and Big Ed (James Caan)- with Boston's Dr. Jordan Cavanaugh (Jill Hennessy)as she travels to Sin City to solve the high-stakes kidnapping of a card-counter's daughter.

~ The insanity continues on "Arrested Development" as Michael (Jason Bateman) lies to new girlfriend Rita (Charlize Theron) and tells her he doesn't have a family. The lie catches up with him when the Bluth family tries to surprise Michael by bringing Rita to a family party.

~ "Medium"~ When Allison (Patricia Arquette) dreams she's a woman who's been committed to a mental institution in 1959, she discovers that the woman is real and claimed to be Allison DuBois in 2005. Oooh -- weird.

~ "Prision Break" ~ The riot escalates leaving decisions to be made. watch clips

Sunday Quick Hits

2005-10-02T00:15:00.000-04:00

~ Fantasia's illiterate...Link

~ Marriage advice- Jessica Simpson style!...Link

~ A third show for Martha...Link

Scary!

2005-10-01T13:23:00.000-04:00

These have to be the freakiest shots of Nicole Richie I've ever seen.

Saturday Morning Snippets

2005-10-01T10:26:00.000-04:00

~ Danny Bonaduce's latest bid for attention...Link

~ Paris & Paris- done...Link

~ "I think there must be a journalist school where students are taught how to kill Tara Reid," the 29-year-old actress says in a Steppin' Out magazine issue on newsstands Oct. 12. If only...Link

~ Constantine Maroulis tv deal...Link

~ "The 4400" headed for a third season...Link

~ "The drama unfolds in one room and it is a true testimony to Mariska's acting ability," Why you won't want to miss next weeks "Law & Order: SVU"...Link

~ Chris Noth returns as Mike Logan...Link

Newsbits...

2005-09-30T07:36:00.000-04:00

~ "Will & Grace" under live pressure...Link

~ Brad & Jen doomed from the start?...Link

~ Tara Reid washed up as offers dry out?...Link

~ Star Jones carpet duties bagged...Link

~ It's the Muppets, coming to a post office near you...Link

Thursday Primetime Picks

2005-09-29T13:10:00.000-04:00

~ "Night Stalker" is losely based on the 70's show of the same name. X-Files vet Frank Spotnitz created this show & it stars Stuart Townsend ("Queen of the Damned") as Carl Kolchak, a newspaper reporter who was attacked on a deserted highway 18 months ago. He survived, but his wife wasn't so lucky. Since then, Kolchak's determination to find out who or what killed her has led him to track other unexplained, violent and seemingly supernatural deaths.

~ "Alias" returns for a typical season full of turmoil and drama. Sydney (Jennifer Garner) vows to learn the truth about Vaughn, especially once she discovers she's pregnant with his child. Balthazar Getty ("Pasadena") and Rachel Nichols ("The Inside") join the cast.

~ "Will & Grace" The cast opens the season twice, with a live show that will be redone once for each coast. Lots of possibilities in that itself!

Ficticious Blogging

2005-09-29T09:41:00.000-04:00

A few not quite real blogs kept by television characters...

~ "House"~ Dr. Greg House Link

~ "Law & Order: CI"~ Det. Robert Goren Link

~ "Boston Legal"
~ Alan Shore Link

~ Brad Chase Link

~ Tara Wilson Link

Leave me links if you know of others!

Thursday Morning Pings

2005-09-29T09:23:00.000-04:00

~ Martha cans Chuck...Link

~ Paula Abdul dodges...Link

~ "Prison Break"..."The Office" and more renewed already...Link

~ Whoopsie! Jennifer Garner reveals what we already knew...Link

~ "Desperate Housewives" fans, ABC wants you!...Link

~ ABC Soap fan?...Link

2005-09-28T12:18:00.000-04:00

~ "Criminal Minds"~ This show moves to its normal night and time. Tonight an arsonist sets fire to a college campus -- but unfortunately, little physical evidence remains. This forces Gideon (Mandy Patinkin) and his team to rely solely on psychological analysis to identify the perpetrator...Official Site

~ "The Apprentice: Martha Stewart"~ The 15 remaining contestants open competing flower shops and vie for customers in New York City's West Village. One project manager can't handle the tension on his team, while the other team's leader makes a pricing decision that may cost them the win...Official Site

~ "Lost"~ I'm more confused than ever. ABC has decided to air the premiere again at 8 p.m. & at 9 p.m., we check in with the guys on the raft, as Michael (Harold Perrineau), Sawyer (Josh Holloway) and Jin (Daniel Dae Kim) fight for their lives in the ocean after Walt's (Malcolm David Kelley) abduction. Meanwhile, trouble continues inside the hatch...Official Site

~ "Law & Order"~ This is part 2 of a case begun on SUV last night. Fontana and Green seek the aid of Detective Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) when they discover a money-laundering scheme involving a mother-daughter team (Lynda Carter, Estella Warren) Benson had dealt with in a past case...Official Site

~ "CSI: NY"~ makes its second-season debut tonight. The "CSI: NY" offices have relocated to a Manhattan high-rise with new faces on board to match the new surroundings...Official Site

Not Every Couple Is Unhappy...

2005-09-28T07:05:00.001-04:00

Kelly Ripa & Mark Consuelos in NYC last week.

Weds. Quick Hits

2005-09-28T07:05:00.000-04:00

~Paris “stealing the thunder from really talented actors who have learnt their craft,”... Link

~Is "The Amazing Race" lost?... Link

~Geraldo to sue NY Times?... Link

~Streaming Monty Python...Link

Nielsen's Week of Sept. 19-25

2005-09-27T17:03:00.000-04:00

1 CSI CBS 9:00PM
Thu 17.3 26.0 19,031,000
2 DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES ABC 9:00PM
Sun 17.3 25.0 19,111,000
3 LOST ABC 9:00PM
Wed 13.8 20.0 15,244,000
4 CRIMINAL MINDS PREVIEW SP(S) CBS 10:01PM
Thu 12.5 20.0 13,753,000
5 CSI: MIAMI CBS 10:00PM
Mon 12.3 19.0 13,608,000
6 GREY'S ANATOMY ABC 10:01PM
Sun 12.0 19.0 13,244,000
7 LAW &ORDER:SVU NBC 10:00PM
Tue 11.1 18.0 12,244,000
8 60 MINUTES CBS 7:53PM
Sun 10.8 17.0 11,923,000
9 NFL MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL ABC 9:07PM
Mon 10.8 18.0 11,935,000
10 NFL MONDAY SHOWCASE ABC 9:00PM
Mon 10.3 16.0 11,332,000
More...

One You Can't Miss!

2005-09-27T14:19:00.000-04:00

"Boston Legal" returns for a sophomore season (on a new night) of hilarity. While I can safely say I'd never want to be represented by the law firm of Crane, Poole & Schmidt but damn, I do love watching them in action.

No one on this planet speaks their own name as much as Denny Crane- "I'm Denny Crane." (Played by William Shatner)- he doesn't just introduce himself to everyone he passes, but he says it with a huge dose of self-importance. Clearly a legend from another time, in his own mind.

Give Crane a few drinks at the end of a long day & maybe just maybe then he'll admit what everyone else knows, he's not as sharp as he once was. Don't count him completely out though because more often than not, Denny Crane does get the job done.

Aside from Crane's ego the other constant in each episode is that Alan Shore will become even more of a skirt chasing sleaze.

James Spader really knows how to pick his characters & this one is paydirt. While I get the appeal of Alan Shore, I don't quite understand it. Women are drawn to him like maggots on garbage, yet it's not a physical thing. He's a dog, but a charming dog & every now and then his heart comes through.

Shirley Schmidt (Candice Bergen) plays with the big boys and more often than not she seems to be the attorney with reall balls. I think she fired her first casualty within 10 minutes of walking through the front door of Crane, Poole & Schmidt.

Bringing Bergen in partway into the first season was a stroke of genius. The show needed a strong female lead that could hold her own against Shatner & Spader's skirt-chasing caracters. Shirley Schmidt seems to really hold the firm together in a tough as nails meets mother hen kind of way.

Rhona Mitra and Mark Valley play two of the hotshot younger attorneys. Tara (Mitra) is sharp, beautiful & sleeping with Alan Shore. Brad (Valley)seems much less personable, sort of the stuffed shirt of the bunch. Betty White is also thrown into the mix, cast as Alan Shore's secretary. Actually, he can only have a secretary over the age of 60 in order to keep sexual harassment claims against him to the bare minimum!

The casts' banter is backed by rich, creative writing that will leave you in stitches. TiVo one episode, you'll be TiVoing them all.

Trust me.

~ TV.com

~The Unofficial Boston Legal Site

"She's Pregnant!"

2005-09-27T12:12:00.000-04:00

~ Donald Trump and Melania Knauss are expecting a .Baby this spring . This will be Trumplette number 5 for him, baby number one for her.

I'm not the only one that thinks she resembles a blow up doll, right?

Didn't think so

Tonites Picks

2005-09-27T09:27:00.000-04:00

It's of the most anticipated new series this season, "Commander-in-Chief" stars Oscar winner Geena Davis as Mackenzie Allen, the independent vice president of the United States.

In the pilot episode Mackenzie Allen, who serves as Vice President of the United States, has a tough decision to make, whether or not to go against the wishes of the dying current President. He has asked her to step down and let someone a little more appropriate take his place in the Oval Office. However, it's not only the President that is calling for her resignation, it's her entire party which elected her as the Vice President to start with.
Mac Watch

~"My Name Is Earl" pulled in great ratings last week for NBC. Tonite
Earl (Jason Lee) decides to quit smoking but but this proves to be more difficult than he imagined. In the meantime, Randy and Catalina try to trick Earl into apologizing to an intimidating former classmate (guest star Silas Weir Mitchell), whom Earl let spend two years in prison for a crime he didn't commit.

~The Amazing Race" has decided to turn up the heat with the eighth installment. "TAR: Family Edition" will feature 10 teams of four family members on a trek around the world. At every destination, the families will compete in a series of challenges (just like previous seasons), and only when the tasks have been completed will they learn their next destination.

~"House" was clearly one of last season's runaway hits & it returns tonite. Check out the official site to see what you've already missed.

2005-09-27T08:51:00.000-04:00

Tuesday Morning Style

~ "Desperate Housewives" pulled in huge ratings

~ The search for anchors at 2 networks...Link

~ "Wife Swap" family harassed over racist remarks...Link

~ Sitcoms are alive & well...Link

~ Pamela Anderson filed a request for a restraining order against a man she claims confronted her and her children. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for Oct. 3 in Los Angeles.

~ Splitsville...
Sopranos Jamie-Lynn DiScala and her husband-manager, A.J. DiScala, have separated after two years of marriage...Comedian Kathy Griffin filed for divorce from her husband of four years, Matt Moline..."One Tree Hill" stars Chad Michael Murray and Sophia Bush have separated after five months of marriage .

Will & Grace- Live

2005-09-27T06:42:00.000-04:00

Official press release...

NBC’S EMMY-WINNING ‘WILL & GRACE’ KEEPS IT REAL AS REHEARSALS BEGIN FOR ELECTRIC LIVE PREMIERE ON SEPTEMBER 29 MARKING COMEDY’S FINAL SEASON

Alec Baldwin Guest-stars and Live Audience Will Include 100 Charity-givers Who Helped Raise $10,000 in Funds for American Red Cross and Hurricane Katrina Victims

BURBANK, Calif. -– September 26, 2005 -– The cast of NBC's Emmy Award-winning "Will & Grace" (Thursdays, 8:30-9 p.m. ET) is currently rehearsing for its final season with a challenging live season premiere on Thursday, Sept. 29 (8:30-9 p.m. ET) that will feature returning guest star Alec Baldwin -- and will include 100 audience members who contributed a total of $10,000 for the American Red Cross and Hurricane Katrina victims.

The eighth season debut of "Will & Grace" will mark the series' first live episode. Two versions will be telecast, one live for the East Coast and one for the West Coast, resulting in different jokes to be used in each separate broadcast. The first show will shoot at 5:30 p.m. (PT) for the East and again at 8:30 p.m. (PT) for the West.

Multiple Emmy-winning director James Burrows will direct the premiere.

The charity-givers in the live audience bid on nbc.com for the privilege of attending the show (50 will be at each of the night's two live broadcasts). Each of the 100 people paid $100 – amounting to $10,000 – which was donated to the American Red Cross disaster relief fund.

Last year's season-ending cliffhanger left Grace (Emmy winner Debra Messing) in a romantic bind with a married man while Will (Emmy winner and repeat 2005 nominee Eric McCormack) discovered that Karen's (Emmy winner and 2005 repeat nominee Megan Mullally) ex-husband Stan -- thought to be dead -- was in fact, alive.

The season premiere will follow up on these plot lines, and also offer viewers more news on Jack's (Emmy winner Sean Hayes, who also was nominated in 2005) new job as the host of his own talk show. Baldwin (also a 2005 Emmy nominee for his performance in "Will & Grace") returns as Will's new boss who is secretly working for Stan while also romancing Karen.

David Kohan and Max Mutchnick are the creators and executive producers of "Will & Grace." Burrows is director and executive producer. Gary Janetti, Tracy Poust and Jon Kinnally serve as executive producers and showrunners. "Will & Grace" is a production of KoMut Entertainment in association with NBC Universal Television Studio and Three Sisters Entertainment.

New Releases 9-27

2005-09-26T18:48:00.000-04:00

Out Tomorrow on DVD &/Or Video:

"Carlito's Way: Rise to Power"
"Creature Comforts: Season One"
"Evil Dead 2: Book of the Dead Special Edition"
"Face"
"Family Guy Presents Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story"
"Gilmore Girls: Season Four"
"Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer: Special Edition"
"Hogan's Heroes: Season Two"
"Ice Queen"
"Law & Order: Special Victims Unit: Season Two"
"Lords of Dogtown"
"Robots"
"SpongeBob SquarePants: Season Three"
"Star Trek: Enterprise: Season Three"
"Taste of Chaos"
"The X-Files: Colonization"

Goodbye Max.

2005-09-26T16:26:00.000-04:00

Don Adams, best known as klutzy secret agent, Maxwell Smart has died. The 82 year old actor took a role that spoofed James Bond and turned it into television magic...
Yahoo News

Photos from Wireimage

Monday News Blips

2005-09-26T16:13:00.000-04:00

~ Bo Bice's a daddy

~ I know that David Hasselhoff has a cult-like following in Germany, but this is just scary!

HASSEL TO THE THE HOFF?
from huffingtonpost.com

Ice-T is to produce David Hasselhoff's first hip-hop album.

The pair are neighbours in Los Angeles and are said to have struck up a close friendship.

Hasselhoff has had some success as a singer, releasing seven albums. He's also said to be very popular in Germany.

Ice-T, who was one of the first real hip-hop stars in the late 1980s, said: "The man is a legend. And we are going to show a whole new side of him."

The rapper is said to be convinced that the 51-year-old for Knight Rider and Baywatch actor can take on the biggest names in rap, reports The Sun.

Ice-T added: "He's gonna come out as Hassle The Hoff - I promise you. The Hoff will surprise people with his rap skills and humour.

Monday Morning Pings

2005-09-26T09:40:00.000-04:00

~ Demi Moore & Ashton Kutcher...Did They???

~ Chris is Rock solid on UPN...Link

~ Don't fret if you missed the premiere of Lost...Link

~ Oprah's Broadway venture...Link

~ Matt LeBlanc to replace Kirstie Alley...Link

Law & Order: CI Returns...And So Does Nicole

2005-09-26T00:11:00.000-04:00

Nicole Wallace. That name is sure to get some type of reaction out of any Criminal Intent fan. Wallace (played by Olivia D'Abo) is the only perp that has the balls to challenge detectives Goren- "Bobby" as she calls him- (Vincent D'Onofrio) & Eames (Kathryn Erbe) on all levels. She is the worst of the worst, killing over 15 people including her own 3 year old daughter, yet her brilliance keeps her out on the streets.

The scenes between D'Abo & D'Onofrio are always amazing, filled with palpable chemistry and excellent writing. He has often referred to Nicole as a "sparkling little girl" and somehow in spite of commiting such evil crimes, there is childlike innocence in D'Abo's eyes.

Grow was an apt title for this episode because for once, Nicole showed that she can love another human being enough to do the right thing. Sure, she got away but not before ushering a little girl to safety. The ending left the door open for D'Abo to return yet again without painting the character into a complete corner.

Chris Noth was also on board last night's show, albeit briefly. Still, it paved the way for next week's episode- one that will feature detectives Mike Logan (Noth) & Carolyn Barak (Annabella Sciorra) in what looks to be a gritty episode. The blending of old & new characters looks to be a great idea for this show. I love the psychological twists of Goren & Eames but am also looking forward to the physicality that Mike Logan is sure to bring. Splitting caseloads & having each duo front 11 episodes this season is a stroke of brilliance, one sure to breathe new life into an old favorite.

Was It Worth The Wait?

2005-09-25T23:40:00.000-04:00

The Desperate Housewives are back and while things on Wisteria Lane are definetly different, the quirks remain. Susan is still an injury-prone klutz. I mean, somehow she did wrestle that gun away from Zach, but not before nearly biting off her own lip and shooting a booze bottle out of the hand of some poor, disposable neighbor. She and Mike? This week's relationship coin toss lands on a deal breaker & they are off. Susan realized that Mike is in all likelihood Zach's father and that just won't fly. Would you want to sit down to mac & cheese with a disturbed kid that held a gun on you for 6 hours? Me neither.

Even death can't squash Bree's anal need for perfection. She has carried on like a true Stepford, out with the old (her dead hubby's soy milk) & in with the temporary (her mother-in-law is grieving for both of them). Watching Bree lift Rex out of his coffin in front of a church full of people to change his tie before burial was priceless.

Lynette made every woman proud in this episode by doing what mom's do best- everything. Watching her wrestle to change a toddlers diaper while successfully selling herself to a new company was multitasking at its best and her informing her husband that motherhood is a 24 hour a day job with no exceptions was realistic.

Gabi is still scheming and Edie continues to dig at Susan but the big plot twist...who is being kept in the Applewhite's basement??

Sneak A Peek of Wisteria Lane

2005-09-25T17:00:00.000-04:00

Having a hard time waiting until tonite's season previere? Catch a few clips...Here

Sunday Newsbits...

2005-09-25T06:49:00.000-04:00

~Hurricane Rita forces Real World Key West Cast out...link

~"Curb Your Enthusiasm" is back tonite for more "mockumentary" fun at the expense of star/creator Larry David. A near-death experience changes Larry, and it brings a revelation about his father and a sandwich named after him. link

~It's a brand new night & time for the political gang...link

~Grey's Anatomy returns for a second season...link

~LYNDA CARTER AND ESTELLA WARREN GUEST STAR ON "SVU" AND "LAW & ORDER" SEPT. 27-28
Released by NBC

"SVU's" Mariska Hargitay and Ice-T Continue Pursuit of Carter and Warren on "Law & Order," Sept. 28

Lynda Carter ("Sky High," "The Dukes of Hazzard") - in a devilish departure from Wonder Woman and the honorable protagonists the actress has portrayed in the past - takes a villainous turn alongside Estella Warren ("Her Minor Thing") as a devious mother-daughter con-artist team in back-to-back episodes of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" and "Law & Order" (Sept. 27-28 at 10 p.m. ET/PT). Carter and Warren first appear on "SVU" and narrowly escape prosecution, only to resurface on "Law & Order" in the midst of another deadly scheme that lures Detectives Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and Fin (Ice-T) back as their pawns for the ultimate insult and double cross
link

Bits & Pieces

2005-09-24T18:37:00.000-04:00

~ Head Cases was so not funny...link
~ Don't let the title fool ya, everyone definetly does NOT hate Chris...link
~ Martha's ratings? Not a good thing...link

Better With Age...

2005-09-24T18:24:00.000-04:00

Bon Jovi Perform on NBC's The "Today Show" Concert Series - September 23, 2005...Wireimage

Sexiest Reality Men and Women's 2006 Calander Launch Party

2005-09-24T18:21:00.000-04:00

Who's your favorite? Trishelle...Beth...Ryan...Wireimage

Fairypalooza...

2005-09-24T18:15:00.000-04:00

Fairypalooza Premiere of Rugrats Tales From the Crib arrival pics...

Wireimage

2005 VH1 Hip Hop Honors

2005-09-23T10:03:00.000-04:00

Info on the The show and some images from Wireimage

SNL Returns October 1

2005-09-23T10:02:00.000-04:00

Released by NBC

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE RETURNS OCTOBER 1

NBC'S 'SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE' KICKS OFF ITS 31st SEASON OCTOBER 1 IN HIGH-DEFINITION AND WITH HIGH-POWERED STARS

October Shows To Feature Meteoric Rising Comedy Stars Steve Carell and 'Napoleon Dynamite's' Jon Heder, Oscar Winner Catherine Zeta-Jones and National Hero Lance Armstrong

Musical Guests Include Grammy Winning Chart Toppers Kanye West, Franz Ferdinand And Sheryl Crow

Newcomers Bill Hader and Andy Samberg Join Cast as Featured Players

NEW YORK - September 22, 2005 - "Saturday Night Live" roars out of the gate as it continues its extraordinary run - its thirty-first season - on October 1. The show also makes its debut in High Definition. (NBC, 11:30 pm - 1:00 am ET)

The season premiere will be hosted by skyrocketing comedy star Steve Carell hot on the heels of his sleeper blockbuster comedy "The 40 Year-Old Virgin" and the return of his critically acclaimed NBC television series "The Office." Outspoken and award-winning hip-hop artist Kanye West will join Carell as musical guest.

Prior to "Virgin," Carell's meteoric cinematic rise began with breakout performances opposite Will Ferrell in "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" and Jim Carrey in "Bruce Almighty." On television, Carell was well known as a regular correspondent on the award-winning "The Daily Show" and is currently starring in NBC's American adaptation of the acclaimed British comedy "The Office" which has been met with praise stateside.

Also making his SNL debut is hip-hop superstar Kanye West. The 28-year-old multiple Grammy winner will perform from his sophomore release "Late Registration" which has debuted at Number One on the Billboard album charts to universal critical acclaim. One of the most vital artists in hip-hop, West has been hailed as "the smartest man in pop music" on a recent cover of Time magazine. The follow-up to the triple platinum "The College Dropout," "Late Registration" has been praised as "an undeniable triumph" by Rolling Stone magazine.

October 8 brings "Napoleon Dynamite" star Jon Heder to the show. The musical guest will be announced later.

An independent comedy that catapulted Heder to cult icon status, "Napoleon Dynamite" debuted at the Sundance Film Festival and went on to box office success and several awards (Aspen Comedy Festival, MTV Movie Awards, Teen Choice). Heder is currently starring in the number one movie in the country "Just Like Heaven" opposite Reese Witherspoon and will soon be seen opposite SNL alums David Spade and Rob Schneider in "The Benchwarmers," as well as opposite Billy Bob Thornton in "School for Scoundrels."

October 22 features Oscar winner Catherine Zeta-Jones and music from hot band Franz Ferdinand.

Zeta-Jones makes her SNL debut after a memorable appearance on the show's 25th Anniversary special with a singing Bill Murray. The award-winning actress will soon be seen in "The Legend of Zorro" reuniting her with Antonio Banderas from their successful film "The Mask of Zorro." Zeta-Jones took home an Academy Award for her work in the musical "Chicago" and was also nominated for a Golden Globe (among other awards) for her work in "Traffic." Other credits include the all-star ensemble "Ocean's 12," "The Terminal" with Tom Hanks, "Intolerable Cruelty" with George Clooney, "Entrapment" with Sean Connery and "America's Sweethearts" with Julia Roberts, Billy Crystal and John Cusack.

Scottish import Franz Ferdinand provides music on the 22nd, performing from their sophomore release "You Could Have It So Much Better." One of the most talked-about acts of the last year, the band toured the world supporting its platinum-selling, Grammy nominated self-titled debut.

Finally, on October 29, SNL welcomes record-breaking seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong and his fianc?e Sheryl Crow as musical guest.

Armstrong's story plays like a Hollywood movie: A deadly disease strikes a promising athlete who not only beats the disease but returns to his sport and wins its top prize...seven times. Armstrong's compelling passion for cycling and his equally strident fight against cancer has made him one of the most admired people today. He makes his first appearance on "SNL" but has tried out his comedy chops in the hit comedy "Dodgeball" where he made a surprise cameo as himself.

Joining her fianc? on the show, Grammy-winning musical guest Sheryl Crow returns to SNL for the third time. Crow will perform from her fifth studio record "Wildflower" which is already enjoying early acclaim.

Also making their SNL debuts are newly cast featured players Bill Hader and Andy Samberg. Hader, originally from Tulsa, Okla. comes to "SNL" via Second City Los Angeles. Hader's improv skills were most recently put to use as a "field agent" on MTV's "Punk'd." Samberg, a native of Berkeley, Calif. also moves east to join the show. Samberg was one of three writer-performer-filmmakers dubbed "The Lonely Island" whose films were showcased on the popular "untelevised television network" show and website: Channel 101.com.

Tabloid Show Replaced by Tabloid Show??

2005-09-23T09:55:00.000-04:00

The official press release regarding Geraldo Rivera's new show...

Geraldo Rivera to Launch New News Program From Twentieth Television in November
Released by Twentieth Television

Geraldo Rivera to Launch New News Program From Twentieth Television in November

Live Half-Hour Strip 'Geraldo at Large' to Embrace Breaking News and In-Depth Investigative Reports

NEW YORK, Sept. 21 -- Twentieth Television today unveiled "Geraldo at Large," a live first-run half-hour news strip hosted by Emmy and Peabody award-winning journalist Geraldo Rivera scheduled to launch on the Fox owned-and-operated stations in November. The announcement was made today by Jack Abernethy, CEO of Fox Television Stations, Inc.

Produced in New York and distributed by Twentieth Television, "Geraldo at Large" will take the most compelling stories we hear, see and read about each day and produce them in a fast, informative and exciting way. "Geraldo at Large" will be on the scene of top stories, with special correspondents and field teams delivering exclusive reports, in-depth reporting, breaking news and top newsmakers.

Regarding the announcement, Abernethy stated, "Strong news reporting and the delivery of comprehensive information to the viewer are key ingredients to success and ones we are going to incorporate into our program strategy. News is a key driver for the Fox owned-and-operated stations and 'Geraldo at Large' will serve as a strong complement to our local stations' newscasts."

Bob Cook, president and COO of Twentieth Television, noted, "'Geraldo at Large' will take our news programming strategy to an entirely new level. Viewers are demanding more topical coverage and stronger investigative reporting in their news. With Geraldo's strong background and experience, we elected to further evolve our news program strategy by launching this show, as it will help us satisfy this requisite among the audience."

"Geraldo at Large" will replace time periods on the Fox O&Os currently held by "A Current Affair," which will remain on the air through October.

Cook continued, "We are very proud of the effort put forth into 'A Current Affair,' which displayed some exceptional work but has not resonated with audiences in the larger markets as well as we would have liked. I want to thank the 'A Current Affair' team, including Peter Brennan, John Tomlin, host Tim Green and the entire staff, for their dedication to the show. I also wish to thank our partner stations on 'A Current Affair.' We are grateful for their support and look forward to discussing with them how 'Geraldo at Large' will better meet their programming needs."

One of Fox News' top journalists, Rivera has covered some of the world's largest news stories for the channel, most recently Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. A legendary television journalist celebrated for his investigative reports, he recently was promoted to correspondent at large for the channel. Rivera joined Fox News in November 2001 as a war correspondent. He was immediately stationed in Afghanistan to cover Operation Enduring Freedom and later in Bethlehem to cover the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Rivera began his career as a reporter for WABC-TV in New York, where he presented a series exposing the deplorable conditions at the Willowbrook State School for the mentally ill. These award-winning reports led to a government investigation and the institution was eventually shut down.

Before becoming a member of the original cast of ABC's "Good Morning America," Rivera presented the first television broadcast of the infamous Abraham Zapruder film of the assassination of President John Kennedy as host of ABC's "Good Night America." He then began an eight-year association with ABC's "20/20" as an investigative reporter. One of his hour-long reports, "The Elvis Cover-Up," was for more than two decades "20/20's" highest rated shows. In 1987, he began producing and hosting his first-run syndicated talk show "The Geraldo Rivera Show" for 11 years. In 1998, he hosted a series of investigative specials on NBC.

The winner of the 2000 Robert F. Kennedy journalism award (his third) for his NBC News documentary on "Women In Prison," and the Scripps Howard Foundation national journalism award for "Back to Bedlam," Rivera has received more than 170 awards for journalism, including the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award, three national and seven local Emmys, two Columbia-Dupont and two additional Scripps Howard Journalism Awards.

Rivera is a veteran foreign correspondent who has been on the frontlines in virtually every international conflict since 1973. He has expertise in the Afghanistan region, covering the international drug wars of tribal territories in both Pakistan and Afghanistan. His vast war experience has spanned the violent coup in Chile and the Yom Kippur War to the civil wars in Guatemala, the Philippines and Nicaragua, as well as the ethnic conflicts in Lebanon (1980-83) and Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo (1998-1999). In 2000, he went to Colombia to cover the country's civil war.

Prior to joining Fox News, Rivera served as host of CNBC's number-one rated prime time show, "Rivera Live," where his critically-acclaimed coverage of the O.J. Simpson civil trial verdict set an all-time CNBC ratings record. Rivera is a graduate of the University of Arizona and Brooklyn Law School, and is the author of seven books.

The Fox Television Station group, one of the nation's largest owned-and- operated network broadcast groups, comprises 35 stations in 26 markets, covering nearly 45% of U.S. television homes. This includes five duopolies in the top 10 markets, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas and Washington D.C., as well as duopolies in Houston, Minneapolis, Phoenix and Orlando.

A leader in the domestic program production and distribution arena, Twentieth Television provides a wide array of first-run and off-network programming, as well as feature film packages, to the syndication and cable marketplaces. First-run programs distributed by Twentieth Television include the news magazine "A Current Affair," the popular court show strip "Divorce Court" and the new court show "Judge Alex," which debuted this fall. Twentieth Television also oversees the domestic sales of one of the most extensive libraries of off-net programming in the entertainment industry. This fall, the company is launching the groundbreaking drama "24," starring Kiefer Sutherland, and The Peabody Award-winning sitcom "The Bernie Mac Show" in off-net syndication.

Surprise? Not So Much...

2005-09-23T09:41:00.000-04:00

I won't say I told you so. really, I won't.

But c'mon now. If John O'Hurley & Charlotte Jorgensen were going to have another dance off with Kelly Monaco & Alec Mazo wasn't the ending obvious? Of course the previously defeated John & Charlotte would win. It was like watching the last Olympics Pair Skating competition. There was a winner, but not everyone approved so suddenly two teams got to win.

Preview CBS' Ghost Whisperer

2005-09-23T09:33:00.000-04:00

Early reviews seem to be a bit mixed on this Medium-esque show. You can catch a peek for yourself...
Preview

A Full Night Ahead...

2005-09-22T11:58:00.000-04:00

~ Survivor: Guatemala ~ Ready to watch the latest tribe deal with health concerns while chowing on ants?

~ Dancing With the Stars: "Dance-Off Result Show" ~ After Tuesday night's rematch it'll be revealed who the real winner is (again). My bet is with John O'Hurley.

~ Joey ~ Is it the big break he has been waiting for?

~ ER ~ NBC's long-running hit returns with the expected drama & twists.

~ The Apprentice ~ You know, the original with "The Donald"? That's back for another season starting tonite.

~ CSI ~ Begins its 6th season with quite a lineup

~ Criminal Minds ~ Mandy Patinkin, Thomas Gibson, Shemar Moore are driving this new show.

Have You Met The Girls Yet?

2005-09-22T11:46:00.000-04:00

The 36 contenders were cut to just 13 last night...America's Next Top Model Cycle 5 Finalists'

Geena Davis & the Gang

2005-09-22T09:40:00.000-04:00

~ "Commander-In-Chief" Inaugural Ball and Premiere Screening photos...
Wireimage and
DailyCeleb

Moss Keeps Crashing & Burning...

2005-09-22T09:28:00.000-04:00

how can I resist mentioning the Kate Moss mess? Apparently, the Scientologists'
want to save her soul now. I guess she'll become Tom Cruises' next public mission...Sinking Ship of Deals

Since We're All A Little Desperate

2005-09-22T09:20:00.000-04:00

With the return of "Desperate Housewives," scads of pressing questions will be answered. Or at least addressed. Or something. Please! ...Read More

Thursday Morning Recap...

2005-09-22T06:57:00.000-04:00

~ Martha is all business.. Link

~ The latest from Mystery Island... Link

~ Changes loom for 60 Minutes...Link

~ A Day in the life of Nelly... Link

~ Chris Rock, family style? Link

Fitting Farewell for A News Legend

2005-09-21T18:49:00.000-04:00

2,000 attended a 2 hour service on Tuesday to memorialize Peter Jennings
Hollywood Reporter ~

24's Season 5...4 Hour Premiere

2005-09-21T18:43:00.000-04:00

Released by FOX

"24's" SEASON FIVE CLOCK ADJUSTED WITH FOUR-HOUR, TWO-NIGHT PREMIERE MOVING TO SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, AND MONDAY, JANUARY 16, ON FOX

The clock has already started ticking for the thrilling and unpredictable fifth season of 24, which will now begin one week later than previously announced with a four-hour, two-night season premiere Sunday, Jan. 15 and Monday, Jan. 16 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX. The second hour on Monday, Jan. 16 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) will be the series' 100th episode.

The fifth hour of 24 will air in the show's regular time period on Monday, Jan. 23 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), and the intense series will then unfold on a weekly basis without repeats or preemptions, all the way through the heart-stopping season finale.

Season five picks up 18 months after the exciting conclusion of season four, as national security is brutally breached. A presumably dead Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) is actually living a new life with Diane (Connie Britton) and her son Derek (Brady Corbet). A shaky President Logan (Gregory Itzin) is running the nation, while composed Bill Buchanan (James Morrison) commands CTU alongside key operatives Curtis Manning (Roger Cross), Edgar Stiles (Louis Lombardi) and Chloe O'Brian (Mary Lynn Rajskub). Also featured in season five will be Emmy Award-winning actress Jean Smart as First Lady Martha Logan. In addition, Tony Almeida (Carlos Bernard) and Audrey Raines (Kim Raver) return, while Lynn McGill (Sean Astin) joins CTU.

24, created by Joel Surnow and Robert Cochran, is a production of Real Time Productions and Imagine Television in association with 20th Century Fox Television. Brian Grazer, Joel Surnow, Robert Cochran, Howard Gordon and Evan Katz are the executive producers. Kiefer Sutherland is a co-executive producer.

NBC Criminal Intent Press Release

2005-09-21T18:41:00.000-04:00

Wednesday, September 21, 2005
OLIVIA D'ABO TO GUEST STAR ON NBC'S LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT'S SEASON DEBUT, SEPT. 25, 9-10 P.M. ET/PT
Released by NBC

OLIVIA D'ABO TO GUEST STAR ON NBC'S LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT'S SEASON DEBUT, SEPT. 25, 9-10 P.M. ET/PT

D'Abo's Character Returns After Viewers Voted Online to Save Character's Storyline in Season Four

NEW YORK -- September 21, 2005 -- Olivia D'Abo ("The Wonder Years") returns to guest star on NBC's Law & Order: Criminal Intent's season debut as the infamous Nicole Wallace, Detective Goren's (Vincent D'Onofrio) murdering nemesis (Sept. 25, 9-10 p.m. ET/PT). Last season in a network first, NBC offered viewers the chance to decide the fate of D'Abo's character by voting online after viewing alternate endings -- one in which she escaped; the other she perished (10/17/04).

More than 116,000 viewers cast their vote online, ultimately deciding to keep D'Abo's character alive, thus providing further frustration and torment for Detective Goren in his pursuit of Wallace. This Sunday's episode marks D'Abo's fourth turn as the cunning chameleon who resurfaces when she's found romantically involved with a key link to a slain city health inspector. Detectives Goren and Eames (Kathryn Erbe) fear that the daughter of Wallace's love interest may be her next victim.

"Law & Order: Criminal Intent," which returns for its fifth season, features the addition of Detectives Mike Logan (Chris Noth) and Carolyn Barek (Annabella Sciorra). Partners Logan and Barek join the Major Case Squad alongside long-time partners Detectives Goren and Eames on Sunday, Oct. 2 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. The two Major Case Squad detective teams will split the caseloads, fronting 11 episodes each.

"Law & Order: Criminal Intent" is a Wolf Films production in association with NBC Universal Television Studio and is Dick Wolf's third installment of the "Law and Order" brand, the second-longest running drama series in the history of television. Wolf, Rene Balcer, Fred Berner and Peter Jankowski are executive producers.

Her Boobs Are Real Y'All!

2005-09-21T16:03:00.000-04:00

And Tyra Banks proved it while taping her talk show on Tuesday.

After Banks asked the men in the audience to leave, Dr. Garth Fisher from ABC’s “Extreme Makeover” performed a touch test and then the sonogram. He concluded: “Tyra Banks has natural breasts; there are no implants.”

Here my crazy ass was thinking that people might be worrying about things like Hurricanes, Terrorism, War & other pressing issues. All along we just needed to know that Tyra does not have implants in order to live in peace.

Link ~

"More Testosterone Than You Can Shake A Stick At"

2005-09-21T14:35:00.000-04:00

This week's Entertainment Weekly has a blurb on Law & Order Criminal Intent...

LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT
(NBC) 9-10 PM Starts Sept. 25

''It'll be more testosterone than you can shake a housewife at,'' promises executive producer René Balcer of the dramatic shift Criminal Intent takes in its fifth season, with one team of detectives led by Vincent D'Onofrio's Goren and another featuring Chris Noth's Detective Logan. ''We've got Mr. Strange and Mr. Big,'' jokes Balcer about the two characters, whose distinct styles resonate on several levels. ''The Logan episodes [have] a muscular energy. Even the shooting style is going to be a little different — more handheld and on the street.'' One constant: Criminal Intent is still ripping from the headlines with episodes about mafia cops and a prison warden (Corbin Bernsen) whose wife runs away with one of his inmates. Oh — and Olivia d'Abo returns as Goren's nemesis, Nicole Wallace. Now you're interested.

ABC's Extreme Makeover Sued

2005-09-21T14:02:00.000-04:00

The Nielsen's 9-12-9-18

2005-09-21T13:51:00.000-04:00

Top 20 Prime Time Shows

1 NFL MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
2 EMMY AWARDS
3 SURVIVOR:
4 HOUSE
5 NFL MONDAY SHOWCASE
6 CSI
7 CBS NFL NATL POST GAME
8 CSI-SPECIAL(S)
9 LAW AND ORDER:SVU
10 CSI: MIAMI
11 TWO AND A HALF MEN
12 TWO AND A HALF MEN
13 LAW AND ORDER
14 BONES
14 LAW &ORDER:CRIM INT
16 DATELINE FRI
17 DATELINE SUN
18 NCIS
19 EVERYBODY LOVES RAYMOND
20 LAW &ORDER:SVU

Baby Blues?

2005-09-21T13:05:00.000-04:00

It seems even Britney Spears (Chaotic isn't immune to those nasty after-baby hormones.

The buzz is that Spears has been moody since giving birth to her son. “Brit’s mood has been up and down since she came home,” a Spears family friend told Life & Style Weekly. “She’s been crying through the smiles,” adds the friend. Spears’ rep insists that she is doing fine.

Spears is reportedly worried about getting back her once-svelte figure, and is concerned that her cesarean scar won’t heal completely. There’s also a report that hubby Kevin Federline almost forgot the couple’s September 18 anniversary — but made it up to her by buying a sapphire “mother’s ring.”

Separately, a source says that Spears wants to have a Kabbalah blessing for the child, and that the Rav — the head of the L.A. based Kabbalah Centre — may perform a “bris-like” ceremony, though it’s “unclear exactly how far they can go on such a thing,” says the source, “because even though she studies Kabbalah, she’s technically not Jewish.”

MSNBC ~

Speaking of Sarah Jessica Parker...

2005-09-21T12:33:00.000-04:00

...she launched her perfume "Lovely" at Marshall Field's in Chicago - September 19, 2005...
Wire Image ~

VH-1's 2005 Hip Hop Honors Pre-Party

2005-09-21T12:31:00.000-04:00

The bash was last night & here are some pics...
Wire Image ~

Richest Chicks in the Big Apple

2005-09-21T10:07:00.000-04:00

Sarah Jessica Parker tops the list of wealthiest women in NYC. Guess buying Manolo's is still a no-brainer for the actress...More of the list...Link ~

Big Brother 6...Another Season Down

2005-09-21T09:38:00.000-04:00

And Maggie wins a cool half-mil...
Finale Recap ~

INXS Has A New Singer

2005-09-21T09:28:00.000-04:00

J.D. Fortune proved that in order to win all it takes is a good voice & the balls to wear a "Go fuck yourself" shirt on television!
More on finale ~

VH1 Season 6 Surreal Life Cast Press Release

2005-09-21T09:23:00.000-04:00

VH1 Announces Excitingly Eclectic Cast For The Brand New Season Of
'The Surreal Life'

NEW YORK, Sept. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Here's the story of seven celebrities
who are moving on up to a de-luxe mansion in the Hollywood hills into
television's most incredibly 'surreal' viewing experience. The mammoth sixth
season cast of VH1's ratings juggernaut "The Surreal Life" includes the man
who's band made Shrek rock, STEVE HARWELL of Smashmouth; the actor who made
George Jefferson more famous than that other Jefferson, SHERMAN HEMSLEY; the
original video vixen, TAWNY KITAEN; the wildest rock and roll axeman ever,
C.C. DEVILLE from Poison; Playboy TV's covergirl, ANDREA LOWELL; and the XX
and XY of the Arquette family, ALEXIS ARQUETTE.
And this season, SPECIAL GUEST STAR FLORENCE HENDERSON joins the show as
the cast's full time and on-call therapist/advisor. Yes, America's number one
television mom will take this wild bunch under her wing and help them through
the strains of reality television.
Slated to air on VH1 in January*, the sixth season of "The Surreal Life,"
will see this brand new cast move through a maze of outrageous events
including taking over a small market TV newscast, a music video shoot,
transforming into a hair metal band, sex therapy with "Dr. Flo," and choosing
an extra cast member from a pool of reality hunks.
The third season of the "The Surreal Life" made its series premiere on VH1
with the now legendary cast of Dave Coulier, Flavor Flav, Jordan Knight,
Brigitte Nielsen, Ryan Starr and Charo. The infamous fourth season cast
featured Christopher Knight, Adrianne Curry, Verne Troyer, Marcus
Schenkenburg, Chyna Doll, Jane Wiedlen and Da Brat. The fifth installment
continued the classic Surreal tradition with a mix of celebrity personalities
including: Janice Dickinson; Jose Canseco; Sandi Denton (Pepa of Salt-n-Pepa);
Bronson Pinchot; Omarosa; Caprice; and Carey Hart.
VH1's "The Surreal Life" is executive produced by Mark Cronin, Cris Abrego
and Ben Samek for Mindless Entertainment and 51 Pictures, Jeff Olde and Jill
Modabber oversee the series for VH1.
Log on to VH1.com now for all the dirt on the new cast, and check back
before the premiere for an exclusive sneak peek at new season!
http://www.vh1.com/shows

Cast Pics ~

More Season Premieres Than You Can Shake A Stick At...

2005-09-21T08:57:00.000-04:00

The best part of September? Nope, not all the kiddies heading back to school. Nope, not the drop in humidity & cooling weather. If we're lucky, it's one of the best months on television. On tap for tonite...

~ Lost~ You know, that show about survivors of Oceanic Airlines Flight 815? I'm quite possibly the only person on the planet NOT into this show, but that means everyone else will be happy tonite.

~ E-Ring~ I think NBC has been hyping this show since about June. I mean, everytime a commercial airs for it, don't you feel like you MUST have seen an episode by now? The cast looks to be very good with Benjamin Bratt, Dennis Hopper & Kelly Rutherford leading the way.

~ The Apprentice: Martha Stewart~ The 16 candidates divide into two teams and each must rewrite a classic fairy tale, making the stories relevant to modern children.

~ America's Next Top Model~ A new season begins tonite. Semifinalists must walk in an impromptu fashion show; the 13 finalists move into their new mansion and ride around town in a stretch limo; a finalist is eliminated.

~ Law & Order~ This series returns for its eleventieth year with lead characters contemplating a deal with the devil in order to get back an abducted girl.

Junkie News...Tuesday Edition

2005-09-20T18:21:00.000-04:00

~ Jerry O'Connell (Crossing Jordan) has bagged himself a fiance. He & Rebecca Romijn have dated for a year.~Link

~ May the best dancer win- again!
"In the spirit of good-natured competition, champion Kelly Monaco and her professional dance partner, Alec Mazo, will meet runner-up John O'Hurley and his professional partner Charlotte Jorgensen, for an electrifying showdown on the dance floor. "

Didn't they do this already about 2 months ago & didn't Kelly Monaco win? Ohhhhh...I get it. Now it's O'Hurley's turn to win! Link ~

~ Robert Patrick guests on what looks to be an explosive season premiere of Law & Order SVU Link~

~ Out on DVD today:

Desperate Housewives- The Complete First Season
The Longest Yard
Robots
Battlestar Galactica-Season one
Lady In White
The Ren & Stimpy Show- Season 5

Television Junkies Unite!

2005-09-20T15:38:00.000-04:00

...And we're off! First day up & running here at Television Junkies and we want feedback. What are you watching? What are you loving? Hating? What oldies need to bite it already? If it's on the ole' boob tube then it's fair game. Yes, that includes new DVD releases, etc.

Please be patient while we get comfy & by all means comments, thoughts, sightings, tips & so on...are all welcome!