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Designing Women Re-Unite

October 27, 2006

The setting was California, but Georgia was on the minds of audience members at the Museum of Television & Radio. Why? Because Dixie Carter, Jean Smart, Annie Potts and Delta Burke -- the original stars of the sitcom ''Designing Women'' – were in the house.

''Well, every few years we talk about getting together for lunch or something, and it never seems to work out. So this is nice,'' said Smart.

''It's thrilling,'' added Carter. ''It's so exciting, being asked to come out.''

Airing on CBS from 1986-93, ''Designing Women'' followed the full lives of four Atlanta interior designers. Thanks to reruns, the show has rarely left the airwaves.

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Oprah Can’t Save Madonna

You know there’s trouble asunder when the two most fabulous, rich and powerful women in the universe cannot help each other.

Madge went on Oprah Winfrey’s enormously popular talk show this week to try and calm down the ruckus about her stealing, er, adopting a baby from Malawi.

And it didn’t work.

While the father has reversed course, again, and now supports the adoption. A judge postponed the hearing on Madonna's plan.

Judge Andrew Nyirenda held a closed, 90-minute hearing on Friday. He then set another hearing for Nov. 13 to allow lawyers for the committee to submit additional arguments on why the adoption process should be reviewed and why the committee should be a party.

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Tumbling to Beijing in AM

October 26, 2006

The athletes better get to bed early. ‘Cause NBC wants them ready to play early in the AM.

Swimming and most gymnastic finals at the upcoming Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics will be held in the mornings. This will allow NBC to televise those high-profile events live in the lucrative prime-time American market.

The IOC announcement brought swift criticism from Australia, whose powerhouse swim team and Olympic committee had lobbied for night finals.

''The only thing that gets me cranky is that (the IOC) have made the decision for commercial reasons, not for the good of the sport,'' Australian coach Alan Thompson said.

The decision by the International Olympic Committee on Thursday ends months of negotiations between the IOC, international sports federations and TV broadcasters, whose purchase of exclusive rights fees account for more than half the Olympic revenues.

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Whose Prison Break Is It?

October 25, 2006

For four years in the 1960s, two brothers were on the run, fleeing authorities after a prison break at a juvenile facility. Robert Hughes, wrongfully incarcerated at 16, turned to older brother Donald, who helped him escape.

Sound familiar? Sound just like the plot of ''Prison Break''?

The Hughes brothers think so, too.

In a federal lawsuit, they say their agent sent Fox a manuscript in 2001 chronicling their experiences and the network wasn't interested. So they were surprised when, last fall, Fox began airing ''Prison Break.''

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World Series Ratings Slump

Fox is looking for 3 million people. That’s how many fewer folks did NOT watch the World Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and Detroit Tigers on Saturday. The game had the lowest household rating ever for a World Series match-up, according to Nielsen Media Research.

The game was seen by 12.8 million people, down from last year's opening game (15 million).

Ratings improved for the second game, which had 18.2 million viewers on Sunday. That was a million more than last year's Game 2, Nielsen said.

So is it down, or up?

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Dick Clark Sells Microphone & Playboy Mags

Fifty years after his first appearance on ''American Bandstand,'' Dick Clark is ready to let go of the microphone.

No word on exactly what he’ll be doing for New Year’s Eve 2006. Last year, was, well, a bit awkward.

The famed host is auctioning off a number of items from his personal collection of musical memorabilia, including the microphone he used beginning July 9, 1956 -- his first day on the rock 'n' roll show that made him famous.

''It's tough to part with that one,'' Clark said of the microphone, which was valued by Arlan Ettinger, president of Guernsey's auction house, at between $10,000 and $100,000.

Other items to be sold include a bass guitar that Paul McCartney played when he was a Beatle, a beaded glove that Michael Jackson wore in his moonwalking phase and the harmonica that Bob Dylan played in ''The Last Waltz.''

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Veronica Mars: Punk to Prep

October 24, 2006

Goodby CBGB-chip and hello Dartmouth-style Prep. That’s the trajectory for the CW’s (only?) star … other than Tyra Banks.

The title character of the CW series has left high school this season and is going to college, doffing her dark threads and spiked tresses for something a little more stylish.

Just don't call it ''mainstream,'' says Kristen Bell, who plays Veronica.

''It's simply that she doesn't feel the need to spike her hair up and wear so much black leather and stuff that's tough,'' Bell says of her character.

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Who Wants To GoogleTube?

Everyone in television wants free content. And everyone in television broadcasting wants to jump on the YouTube bandwagon because it "looks" like the next huge thing that will Change The World (just like MySpace, or AOL, or color television, hell, even radio ... remember?).

So, Carson Daly is the new sheep trying to lead the flock. He¹s starting a contest for aspiring video-film-media-makers to post their videos on YouTube. It¹s a bit complicated: 18 challenges according to a report in The New York Daily News, 18 winners of $1000 who then compete for the grand prize of $100,000 and the opportunity to get their video on NBC.

http://www.itsyourshowtv.com/

Excuse us for sounding so jaded and down on the project. Really, truly, some talented folks are going to get some deserved exposure.

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Conan the Skelavision-ator

Conan v. Skelator

Watching Conan O'Brien's ''Late Night'' on Halloween may be a scary proposition -- the entire episode will be in ''skelevision.''

Hunh?

The October 31 edition will be a painstakingly reconstructed rerun of a show last May, with all featured performers appearing as skeleton puppets, NBC announced Monday. The episode featured Larry King, ''House'' co-star Omar Epps and pole dancing workout instructor Sheila Kelley.

Oh my. This has to be a new low.

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Simpsons Clan Strike Anti-War Pose

October 23, 2006

Breaking News from “Springfield.” This year, the “Simpsons’” are coming out as an anti-war family … for Hallloween.

What will they wear? Tie-dye? Bell-bottoms?

No way. These are new-school anti-wars cartoon characters.

In the episode titled “Aliens invade Springfield” to stop mankind from obtaining “weapons of mass disintegration.” The alien’s mission is called “Operation Enduring Occupation” and turns into a “quagmire.”

“You said we would be greeted as liberators!” one of the aliens says, echoing defenders of the war in Iraq.

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Love! Valor! Angela Lansbury!

This murder, she didn’t write. But Ms. Lansbury will be acting her heart out, certainly. This time on Broadway, where she has already had an illustrious career (4 Tony awards).

Lansbury will perform in a new play by Terrence McNally (“Love, Valor, and Compassion”).

Even better: she’s starring opposite an equally fantastic actress of the old, old, old Diva School: Ms. Marian Seldes.

The play called “Deuce,” concerns two retired tennis players (Lansbury and Seldes) who meet again at the U.S. Open. It will premiere May 6 at the Music Box Theatre in NYC. Preview performances will begin sometime in April.

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