Filed under: Programming, Celebrities, Reality-Free

Leaving G4’s signature daily series Attack of the Show, executive producer Gavin Purcell will be going to network television as he joins the crew of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon as co-producer.

Fallon says Purcell was hired because of the pop culture sensibility of Attack of the Show, which he also wants in his own late night program.

I like Attack of the Show and have ambivalent feelings regarding Fallon on late night. He never seemed particularly impressive on Saturday Night Live, but perhaps he didn’t get a chance to shine that he otherwise would with a solo gig (similar to certain other SNL alumni like Chris Rock). Hopefully, adding Purcell to his team will give his late night show a unique flavor that will distinguish it from others or his predecessor.

Some of our TV Squad team have appeared on Attack of the Show during Purcell’s tenure. I wonder if now they’ll be asking us to appear on Jimmy Fallon’s show? It would be nice. I’m ready for ya, Jimmy.

Permalink | Email this | | Comments

Share This

Filed under: Celebrities, Awards, Emmys, Reality-Free

The Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards — affectionately known as the Shmemmys to Kathy Griffin fans — has at least one more viewer this year. I will be watching the other Emmy presentation, the awards that come before the Primetime Emmys. The big one with all the major categories, musical numbers, clip montages and near-mandatory attendance by the nominees is the Emmys. The other one is the technical awards. But I will be watching for a very good reason: Neil Patrick Harris and Sarah Chalke will be co-hosting the Creative Arts Emmys this year on the E! channel, September 20.

Neil, an Emmy nominee for How I Met Your Mother, and Sarah, who is also a guest/semi-regular on Mother as well as a permanent regular on Scrubs, are a great choice for this gig. They’re smart, funny, quick, attractive and maybe even unpredictable.

I mean, wouldn’t it be a hoot if Neil came on stage in his Dr. Horrible gear and asked Sarah if her Hanes undies were riding up or doing their job? She should then counter and ask him about that smell, you know … the Old Spice? Hey, maybe they should get Bruce Campbell to confront Neil about the Old Spice deal — that was Bruce’s commercial before Neil took over!

Continue reading Awesome! Neil Patrick Harris and Sarah Chalke to host Creative Arts Emmys

Permalink | Email this | | Comments

Share This

Filed under: Celebrities, Reality-Free

In an attempt to appeal to the hip, mod audience, Microsoft is hiring Jerry Seinfeld to be its pitchman for the Vista operating system. This is being considered as a counter to Apple’s successful “Mac vs. PC” commercials. It is expected that he’ll use a variation of the new “Windows, not walls” slogan.

There are two problems with this strategy. First off, while he was an icon of the 90’s, Jerry Seinfeld hasn’t been relevant for a few years now (Bee Movie didn’t do so well, despite his major attempts at promotion). American Express got him when he was a big deal and I’m sure more people used their production as a result, but I’m not so sure that would work now. Plus, it’s not like he needs the money.

Second, the Vista operating system has gotten bad press. I mean baaaaaad press. Much of it deserved. Microsoft would be better served by having Jerry pitch whatever operating system came next rather than Vista, because there is a lot of negative publicity there to counteract.

Permalink | Email this | | Comments

Share This

Filed under: Celebrities, Obituaries, Reality-Free

A roundup of TV people from in front of the camera and behind the scenes who have passed away.

• Julius Carry: He was probably best known for his role as Lord Bowler on The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. Carry was also a regular on The District, Doctor, Doctor, and Do Over, and had recurring roles on Murphy Brown, Boy Meets World, and Two Guys, A Girl, and a Pizza Place. He also did guest spots on many other shows, including Columbo, Diagnosis Murder, Spin City, Caroline in the City, Earth 2, Grace Under Fire, Hill Street Blues, Empty Nest, Tales from the Crypt, Murder, She Wrote, Moonlighting, and many others. His last role was on an episode of The Unit. He also appeared in such movies as The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh, Moving, The Last Dragon, and The Man with One Red Shoe. He died of pancreatic cancer at age 56.

I was thinking about treating myself to a Brisco County marathon this weekend, and now I think that’s a definite.

Continue reading TV Obits: Carry, Pflug, Mooney

Permalink | Email this | | Comments

Share This

Filed under: Saturday Night Live, Celebrities, Casting, Reality-Free

Have you been watching The Line, the online summer series from Saturday Night Live cast members Seth Meyers, Bill Hader, and Jason Sudeikis? Well, then you might already be familiar with the newest addition to the NBC late night show.

The new guy is Bobby Moynihan, who costars in the online series (about two obsessed science fiction fans waiting in line to see a popular space movie). Others might know Moynihan from his years with the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, including his improv work on ASSSSCAT (recently with this guy).

Continue reading And the newest cast member of SNL is …

Permalink | Email this | | Comments

Share This

Filed under: Celebrities, Reality-Free, Star Trek: Original Series

Star Trek icon George Takei was recently roasted by the Friars Club. Author Peter David wrote about the experience on his blog as one of the roasters.

I’m sorry this wasn’t one of the Comedy Central roasts (such as the recent one of Bob Saget) as I probably would have enjoyed watching it “live”. On the other hand, those tend to be hit and miss (the Shatner one was great. Saget was not so much). Also, the Comedy Central roasts tend to get in anybody with a Comedy Central contract to be the roasters (with only a few personally connected roasters lumped in). The Friars Club roasts (which to the best of my knowledge are not televised although there are some taped segments on the website) seem to use more people who have a personal connection with the person being roasted.

At first, I wasn’t certain why George Takei would be the subject of a roast. I could only conclude that his recent association with the Howard Stern show might have given him the necessary contacts to join the Friars Club. I hope the segments of the roast are online soon. They’re probably hilarious.

Permalink | Email this | | Comments

Share This

Filed under: News, Industry, Programming, Celebrities, Reality-Free

Who knew? When DJ Ryan Seacrest joined Brian Dunkleman as co-host on the first season of American Idol back in 2002 no one really thought he would go much farther than that. Fact is, many people thought it was Dunkleman who would go on to bigger and brighter things. Yet here we are, six years later, and Dunkleman is nowhere to be found while Seacrest has become a media mogul and one of the busiest personalities in the world of television. That presence will continue well into the next decade.

Seacrest has just inked a new deal with Comcast Entertainment Group that will keep him connected with their networks through 2012. This means he will remain the anchor and managing editor of E! News Daily and executive director of E!’s Live From the Red Carpet Specials. In addition to that, Comcast will get first-look rights to all of Ryan Seacrest Production’s projects for not only E!, but G4, Versus, Style and The Golf Channel. The agreement also includes increased advertising for Seacrest’s radio properties.

While there are those who feel that Seacrest fell into this string of good luck, I think there is much more to him than we see on the exterior. Behind those good looks and gentle joshing between himself and Simon Cowell on American Idol, Seacrest looks to be a shrewd business person who is on the road to become the next Dick Clark. Considering he has all but taken over the New Year’s Eve mantel from Dick Clark, that road may be very short.

Permalink | Email this | | Comments

Share This

Filed under: Late Night, TV Royalty, Programming, Celebrities, Talk Show, Reality-Free

Here’s who’s on the late night talk shows tonight.

• Charlie Rose: artist Francesco Clemente
• The Daily Show: Senator Mel Martinez (repeat)
• The Colbert Report: Bing West (repeat)
• The Late Show with David Letterman: Kevin Costner, Bob Sarlatte, and Low vs. Diamond (repeat)
• Jimmy Kimmel Live: George Foreman and Alanis Morissette (repeat)
• Tavis Smiley: LL Cool J
• The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson: Jamie Denbo, Alfred Molina, and Salman Rushdie (repeat)

Note: Leno, O’Brien, and Daly are all pre-empted this week for the Olympics.

Permalink | Email this | | Comments

Share This

Filed under: Late Night, TV Royalty, Programming, Celebrities, Talk Show, Reality-Free

Here’s who’s on the late night shows tonight.

• Charlie Rose: Designer Bob Lutz
• The Daily Show: Senator Chuck Schumer (repeat)
• The Colbert Report: Lucas Conley (repeat)
• The Late Show with David Letterman: Shia LaBeouf and N.E.R.D. (repeat)
• Jimmy Kimmel Live: Benjamin Bratt and Huey Lewis and the News (repeat)
• Tavis Smiley: Chazz Palminteri and Joey Cheek
• The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson: Rainn Wilson, Corey Kahaney, and The Hold Steady (repeat)

Note: Leno, O’Brien, and Daly are all pre-empted this week for the Olympics.

Permalink | Email this | | Comments

Share This

Filed under: Sports, Celebrities, Reality-Free

Will Warren Sapp get that slot on Dancing with the Stars like he predicted? We won’t know till next Monday when ABC makes the live announcement on Good Morning America.

However, the former defensive lineman for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Oakland Raiders has landed a new TV job. Sapp is joining Inside the NFL on Showtime, taking a seat beside fellow former NFL players Cris Collinsworth and Phil Simms, as well as CBS broadcaster James Brown.

As a player, Sapp was a force to be reckoned with, albeit as a run stopper in the middle of the line. He also has a reputation for being savvy and a big time talker, a guy who has an opinion about everything and anything. Hmm…smart and loud. That will probably make him a real asset on Inside the NFL. In fact, he might have some of NBA commentator Charles Barkley’s charismatic appeal.

Continue reading Warren Sapp joins the Inside the NFL team

Permalink | Email this | | Comments

Share This