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GSNN Originals Ed, Farrah & Michael |
Posted 6/29/09 |
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Ed McMahon... Farrah Fawcett... Michael Jackson. Three pop culture icons with game show ties, and the guys in the booth salute all three of them. Plus, we'll see exactly what Gordon and Jason saw at America's Got Talent, we try to beat the skid in Final Jeopardy, and we travel to Hollywood... and beyond.
Meanwhile, Jason's back from vacation. And
we're happy to have him back. That makes one of us, apparently. |
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"5th Grader" Returns Hot-Dog Eating Champion Takes on the Quiz Tonight From the Futon Critic |
Posted 7/3/09 |
Hot Dog Eating Champion Joey
Chestnut competes for $1 million on this atypical quiz show
that tests adults' lack of knowledge as revealed by how much
they've forgotten since elementary school. Chestnut will
answer various questions ranging from art to geography and
math to social studies, and if he finds himself in need of
some assistance, he will have the opportunity to get help from
real grade-schoolers who will offer what they think is the
correct answer on an all-new episode of "Are You Smarter Than
a 5th Grader?" airing Friday, July 3 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) on
FOX.  The Futon CriticHitFix |
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China Gets "Guts" Extreme Sports Competition Will Localize From the Hollywood Reporter |
Posted 7/3/09 |
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MTV Networks International will
see one of its formats air on Chinese television for the first
time when "Tiao Zhan Xiao Yong" Shi runs on state-owned China
Central Television this summer. The primetime series is an
adaptation of Nickelodeon's action sports game show "Guts." Episodes allow child contestants to live out some of their greatest sports fantasies in a competitive arena and to try out basketball, high jumping, wave pool, racing track and the show's trap-laden mountain climbing challenge. |
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1 vs. 100 A Hit on XBLA Game Available to Gold Subscribers From Examiner |
Posted 7/3/09 |
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A recent game show from NBC has
spurred Microsoft into creating a new game version for Xbox
Live subscribers.
Known as 1 vs. 100, the Xbox game allows you to compete with
other players through Xbox Live for points and even prizes! To play, you must be an Xbox Live Gold subscriber, meaning that you pay for your subscription to play online games through Microsoft. You can check your subscription status by selecting "Memberships" under the "My Xbox" section of your Xbox (known as the NXE). |
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Spinning the Wheel on the iPhone Available for $5 at App Store From InfoWorld |
Posted 7/3/09 |
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"PRETT- G--D" That's how InfoWorld describes Sony Pictures Television's $5 Wheel of Fortune app for iPhone. The game plays pretty much like every other video game incarnation of a TV game show, and it's certainly fun. A few imperfections mar the experience a bit, but don't negate the fun. This is your mother's Wheel of Fortune. Although the game's evolved some in the approximately 300 years it's been on the airwaves, you're still pretty much playing hangman for money. The iPhone version smartly offers a few different play modes. The fastest way to play is "Toss-Up Game." It's a single-player race against time; letters reveal at random in the puzzle, and you've got to solve it before time runs out. The faster you do, the more virtual cash you earn. In "Normal Game" mode, you can choose whether to play against easy, medium, or hard opponents, or you can again play solo. Normal mode features the game's eponymous wheel, and the developers included a feature that's simple, and screamingly obvious when you think about it--and yet, it's a blast. |
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Three Ways to Be a "Millionaire" Yes, the Phone Game Is One of Them! From the Futon Critic |
Posted 7/3/09 |
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Who wants to be a contestant on
"Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?" Here's how to apply for the
highly-anticipated 10th anniversary edition hosted by Regis
Philbin and running for 11 nights in August, Sundays-Thursdays
at (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) from August 9 to August 23 on the ABC
Television Network. There are multiple ways (see below) to become a contestant on "Millionaire," including the original phone game that was used when the show premiered in 1999 and video submissions - an all-new method that will enable people to upload videos of themselves directly to the show's producers. Would-be contestants can use more than one method to try to get on the show but will only be selected one time. No former "Hot Seat" players are eligible, and you must be at least 18 years old, a legal U.S. resident and meet all eligibility requirements. First, THE PHONE GAME at 1-800-999-7878. Phone lines are open for 10 contest days from 7 p.m. ET to 3 a.m. ET, starting at 7 p.m. on July 6th and ending at 3 a.m. ET on July 16th. Call the 800 number and attempt to answer general knowledge questions by putting the 4 answer choices in correct order. People who correctly answer all 5 questions will select one of the 6 available tape dates. A random drawing will be held from among all the people who selected the same tape date to receive an eligibility call to qualify to become a finalist on the program. If a person meets all eligibility requirements they will be flown to New York City with a companion for the opportunity for the chance to play in the hot seat. Call Limit: One call per person per contest day. (Note: A computer game has been established for persons who have physical disability that prevents them from using a telephone to participate in the Phone Game. Go to www.abc.com keyword Millionaire for details.) Effective immediately, up until 3 a.m. ET on July 16, people can submit a 2-minute video explaining why they would make a good contestant and what they would do with the $1 million. The Producer will select people from among all videos submitted to advance to an online test, which is held July 17. Producer will select from among those who received a passing score on the online test to receive an Eligibility Call to qualify to become a finalist on the program. If a person meets all eligibility requirements they will be flown to New York City with a companion for the opportunity for the chance to play in the hot seat. People can go to www.abc.com keyword Millionaire to submit videos. "Millionaire" producers hit the road during the month of June to conduct contestant auditions in Nashville, Charlotte, Indianapolis, Tampa and Kansas City, Missouri. Auditions will also be held in Houston, Texas on Wednesday, July 1. No advance sign up is required for road auditions but space is limited, people are seen on a first-come, first-served basis and not all people may be seen. For audition information, go to www.abc.com keyword Millionaire or www.millionairetv.com. "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" is produced by Valleycrest Productions Ltd. Michael Davies is executive producer. The Futon CriticBuzzerblog About.com Game Shows Providence Journal |
 The phone game has returned for "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" (photo courtesy Disney-ABC TV) |
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Religion a Game in Turkey Players Complete for "Salvation" From Reuters |
Posted 7/3/09 |
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What happens when you put a Muslim
imam, a Christian priest, a rabbi and a Buddhist monk in a
room with 10 atheists? Turkish television station Kanal T hopes the answer is a ratings success as it prepares to launch a gameshow where spiritual guides from the four faiths will seek to convert a group of non-believers. The prize for converts will be a pilgrimage to a holy site of their chosen religion -- Mecca for Muslims, the Vatican for Christians, Jerusalem for Jews and Tibet for Buddhists. But religious authorities in Muslim but secular Turkey are not amused by the twist on the popular reality game show format and the Religious Affairs Directorate is refusing to provide an imam for the show. "Doing something like this for the sake of ratings is disrespectful to all religions. Religion should not be a subject for entertainment programs," High Board of Religious Affairs Chairman Hamza Aktan told state news agency Anatolian after news of the planned program emerged. The makers of "Penitents Compete" are unrepentant and reject claims that the show, scheduled to begin broadcasting in September, will cheapen religion. "We are giving the biggest prize in the world, the gift of belief in God," Kanal T chief executive Seyhan Soylu told Reuters. "We don't approve of anyone being an atheist. God is great and it doesn't matter which religion you believe in. The important thing is to believe," Soylu said. |
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Mark Burnett Gets a Star Ceremony to Take Place Next Week From CBS2.com |
Posted 7/3/09 |
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Mark Burnett, the British
paratrooper turned American TV whiz, will get a star next week
on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Burnett is executive producer of the CBS smash "Survivor", as well as the shows "The Apprentice," "Celebrity Apprentice" and "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?" Media reports sometimes say Burnett created "Survivor" but that show was actually created by Charlie Parsons. Still, Burnett is credited with giving the show the slick look and quick pacing by which all reality competition shows are now judged by. Burnett, who is married to actress Roma Downey of "Touched By An Angel" fame, will receive the 2,387 star next Wednesday. The Burnett star will be located in front of the Supply Sergeant store, chosen because it sells survivor gear. Other Burnett vehicles include "Eco-Challenge," the MTV Movie Awards, "The Contender" and Martha Stewart's daytime chat show "Martha." Burnett's next series, for ABC, is called "Shark Tank", which will pit budding entrepreneurs against each other in hopes of selling their business ideas to well-heeled backers. |
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Katie Holmes to Hoof It for 100th
SYTYCD Tribute to Judy Garland Already Shot From People |
Posted 7/3/09 |
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It’s official! Katie Holmes will
perform on So You Think You Can Dance in celebration of the
FOX show’s 100th episode, airing July 23, in a song and dance
tribute to Judy Garland. While buzz about her appearance began when photos of Holmes clad in dance gear at the CBS studios in L.A. hit the web last month, it wasn’t her first visit to the show. “She absolutely adores dancing as does her daughter,” according to executive producer Nigel Lythgoe, who said Holmes and her daughter Suri, 3, have been visiting the show’s dress rehearsals for a couple of years now. Recently, Holmes has been rehearsing herself, sometimes until 11:30 p.m. — with breaks to be with Suri, Lythgoe says — on a New York street scene designed for the number, which was lit by famed cinematographer Dion Beebe, with direction and choreography by her friend, Tyce Diorio. Inspired by Garland’s song “Get Happy” from the 1950s musical Summer Stock, Holmes will wear “the jacket, the little hat,” Lythgoe says. “It’s just an iconic look. And Katie Holmes has got the legs. Wow!” |
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America's "Funniest" ABC Orders Show from "Last Comic" Producers From the Hollywood Reporter |
Posted 7/2/09 |
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ABC has ordered a new reality
competition show from two "Last Comic Standing" producers in
which comedians have to be funny on the fly. In "The Fast & the Funniest," a group of stand-ups travel cross-country competing in challenges and performances. The first three to reach the final destination will perform for a cash prize. The project's order is contingent on casting, with APA-repped Page Hurwitz and Javier Winnik producing the show. "Funniest" could represent a more urgent take on the comic-competition series format made popular by "Standing," which ran for several years on NBC until it was canceled in 2008. If greenlighted, "Funniest" would debut on the network in late midseason or next summer. It joins ABC's upcoming auto-competition series "Crash Course" and the Jamie Oliver weight-loss series among the network's reality efforts in development. Hollywood Reporter |
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CBS Sets Up "Neighborhood" Matt Rogers to Host Game for CBS From Multichannel News |
Posted 7/2/09 |
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"There Goes the Neighborhood", a
new seven episode reality-competition series, premieres
Sunday, Aug. 9 (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television
Network. The series features eight families in a suburban
neighborhood who are enclosed by a massive 20-foot wall as
they compete in family-friendly games for the grand prize of
$250,000. In what promises to be the ultimate social and family bonding experiment, this neighborhood will be cut off from the outside world as it becomes family vs. family in a competition to win upgrades for their lives and their homes. With virtually no electricity and no ability to text-message, watch television or surf the Internet, these families will be forced to reconnect and work together as a team. For the duration of the competition, the eight homes will be surrounded by the daunting wall with no way in or out. Each week, another family will be voted out of the game until one victorious group remains to claim the $250,000 grand prize. "This show is truly a social experiment," says executive producer Mike Fleiss. "We've never seen anything like it before. An entire neighborhood trapped behind a giant wall. It's insane!" The show is produced by Next Entertainment and Jay Bienstock Productions in association with Warner Horizon Television. Mike Fleiss ("The Bachelor," "High School Reunion") and Jay Bienstock ("The Apprentice") are the executive producers. Matt Rogers ("American Idol," "Really Big Things") is the host. The Futon CriticVariety New York Post |
 Matt Rogers will host "There Goes the Neighborhood" for CBS (photo courtesy Discovery) |
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A Narrow Wipeout "Dance" Gets Beaten in Both Hours From TV Guide |
Posted 7/2/09 |
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At 8p last night, ABC's Wipeout
topped the hour with 7.8 million total viewers, up 100K
week-to-week. So You Think You Can Dance's Top 14 performance
show, however, led the demos, and averaged 7.65 mil over its
two-hour run. At 9p, America's Got Talent was the night's most-watched program, delivering 11.3 million viewers (up 9 percent week-to-week). ABC's I Survived a Japanese Game Show (3.83 mil) dropped 350K. So who won? Depends on who you ask. People who track the 18-49 demo will claim a narrow victory for "So You Think You Can Dance", with it and competing series drawing to a dead heat elsewhere.
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Looking for Britain's Best Brain Five Picks Up Series, Nintendo Sponsors From Kombo |
Posted 7/2/09 |
| Nintendo is set to fund it's own TV show starting in October. Britain's Best Brain will be fully financed by Nintendo, under the agreement that Nintendo can advertise the Nintendo DS on the program. The show will tape eight one hour episodes which have contestants using memory, co-ordination, numeracy, recognition and risk assessment. | |
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Big Brother 11: And The HouseGuests Are... 12 of the 13 Revealed From Reality TV World |
Posted 7/2/09 |
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CBS has announced the identities
of 12 of the 13 houseguests who will be competing on Big
Brother 11 and revealed the season will feature a "kickin' it
old school" format twist. Upon entering the Big Brother house, the 12 initial houseguests will learn that they will be competing as one of four familiar high school cliques -- "popular, athletes, brainiacs and off beats" -- and the teams will apply not only to food and luxury challenges but also to eviction safety. "You may have graduated, but the truth is we never leave high school and this summer we are going to prove it," said executive producer Allison Grodner. "From the brains to the jocks to the off-beat, everyone will be able to identify to one of these cliques, giving the viewers a group to root for and against from the very beginning. The division will cause instant drama." "Their backgrounds are diverse, but they have two things in common: a fierce competitive spirit and a desire to win the half-million dollar prize," Big Brother host Julie Chen said during a Wednesday morning Early Show video segment that introduced the 12 houseguests. The 12 houseguests will also be joined by a thirteenth "mystery houseguest" who will "join the game and give an advantage to one of the cliques," however the houseguest's identity won't be revealed until Big Brother 11 premieres on Thursday, July 9 at 8PM ET/PT, according to a CBS spokesperson. Following its premiere, Big Brother's eleventh season will settle into the summer staple's regular thrice-weekly broadcast schedule, with Sunday night episodes airing at 8PM ET/PT beginning July 12 and Tuesday night episodes airing at 9PM ET/PT beginning July 14. Similar to previous Big Brother seasons, the Thursday episodes will serve as the eleventh season's live eviction shows beginning with the July 16 broadcast. The Big Brother house has been "transformed into a mean, green, eco-friendly living machine" for the show's eleventh season, according to CBS, which added the interior walls are covered with a reconstituted wood panel product made from re-claimed wood flakes, thus reducing the amount of lumber used to build the house. In addition, the houseguests "will be made fully aware of the amount of waste they create" throughout the eleventh season and will be asked to recycle and place all food items in an outdoor manual compost center or indoor automatic composter. The Head of Household room has been designed to resemble the seaside in Big Sur, CA -- complete with driftwood hanging on copper patina tinted walls and a working waterfall using recycled water. Twelve of the announced 13 houseguests are... - Braden Bacha, a single
28-year-old surfer from Santa Monica, CA There is also
a 13th houseguest which has not yet been revealed. His or her
identity will be revealed July 7 ahead of the season premiere
July 9. |
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Want to "Face the Ace"? Online Qualifiers Announced From Poker News |
Posted 7/1/09 |
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Looking for a chance to match your
heads-up poker skills against some of poker’s most famous
names? Full Tilt is providing just that opportunity, with
online qualifiers now available for seats on the brand new
poker TV show “Face the Ace,” which gives each contestant the
chance to defeat up to three different Full Tilt pros in
head-to-head matches and walk away with as much as $1,000,000. “Face the Ace” begins filming on July 9th in Las Vegas in preparation for its television premiere, which will be on NBC on Saturday, August 1st at 9:00 pm ET. The show, first announced in late April, is described as “part game show, part reality show,” will be hosted by “Sopranos” star Steve Schirripa, and promises to include some formidable poker aces. Among the “Aces” scheduled to appear in various episodes are famed Full Tilt pros Howard Lederer, Phil Ivey, Chris “Jesus” Ferguson, Jennifer Harman, Erick Lindgren, Phil Gordon, Erik Seidel, Allen Cunningham, Andy Bloch, John Juanda, Mike Matusow, Patrik Antonius and Gus Hansen. The show’s format begins with a contest (the online qualifier) facing four smoked-glass doors; behind each is a different “Ace” who will be the opponent in that heads-up matchup. A player who wins hus first match must risk his winnings to play the second match, and must risk his winning again if he wins that second match to try for the hat trick. Winning all three matchups, risking the money each time, would produce the million-dollar winner. Seven one-hour episodes of “Face the Ace” are currently scheduled, running from the prime-time August 1st debut through January 2nd, 2010. Poker News |
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Karl Malden:
1912-2009 "Streets of SF" Actor Played "What's My Line", "Movie Game" From Los Angeles Times |
Posted 7/1/09 |
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Karl Malden, one of Hollywood's
strongest and most versatile supporting actors, who won an
Oscar playing his Broadway-originated role as Mitch in "A
Streetcar Named Desire," died today. He was 97. Malden starred in the 1970s TV series "The Streets of San Francisco" and was the longtime American Express traveler's-check spokesman, warning travelers to not leave home without it. He died of natural causes at his home in Brentwood, said his daughter Mila Doerner. With his unglamorous mug -- he broke his bulbous nose twice playing sports as a teenager -- the former Indiana steel-mill worker realized early on the course his acting career would take. "I was so incredibly lucky," Malden once told The Times. "I knew I wasn't a leading man. Take a look at this face." But, he vowed as a young man, he wasn't going to let his looks hamper his ambition to succeed as an actor.
In the game show world, he
appeared as a guest on "What's My Line?" in 1970 and "The
Movie Game" in 1971. |
 Karl Malden (photo courtesy AP) |
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Mollie Sugden:
1922-2009 "Are You Being Served" Actor Played "Cluedo's" Mrs. White From the BBC |
Posted 7/1/09 |
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Actress Mollie Sugden has died at
the age of 86, her agent has said. The TV star, best known for playing Mrs. Slocombe in long-running BBC sitcom Are You Being Served?, died at the Royal Surrey Hospital after a long illness. The Yorkshire-born actress's twin sons, Robin and Simon Moore, were at her bedside, agent Joan Reddin said. David Croft, one of the writers of Are You Being Served?, remembered her as a "marvelous character" who would never turn down chances to make people laugh. "She would never refuse any sort of comedy situation. No matter how undignified it was, she would always go along with it. She was marvelously funny," he said. Actor Frank Thornton, who played Captain Peacock in the sitcom, told the BBC she was part of a very happy team. "We all enjoyed each other's company, which, if you're doing comedy, is rather necessary," he said. "You can't play comedy with people you dislike. Mollie, of course, was an excellent comedian."
In the game show world, she
was the face of "Mrs. White" on the short-lived British game
show adaptation of "Cluedo" in 1991. |
 Mollie Sugden (photo courtesy Flixster) |
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And Now, Equal Time from the
"Girlfriend" Woman Gets Name-Dropped on "Bachelorette" From People |
Posted 7/1/09 |
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Austin resident Laurel Kagay was
minding her own business and watching The Bachelorette on
Monday when suddenly her name was mentioned, sparking one of
the season’s most dramatic moments yet. Ousted suitor Jake had
returned to tell Jillian that musician Wes still had a
girlfriend named Laurel. Wes denied it; Jake stuck to his guns
— and Laurel sat in shock at home. “I was like, ‘What?’” Laurel, 29, says. “There was this pause before he said my name — and then he said it quite a few times.” But Laurel, who owns the Peach Body Boutique in Austin, would like to clear the air. Although she dated Wes for three years, she says their relationship turned to friendship a year ago. “I’m absolutely not with Wes, nor would I be with Wes if he were going on a show to be with another girl,” she says. “That’s absolutely crazy.” So how did Jake get things mixed up? “I think he was definitely upset about not being on the show anymore,” she says. “And I think Wes did say something about his ex-girlfriend. Maybe he said he still cares about me or whatever. Maybe he talked a little too much about me, and Jake just blew that into something else.” However, Laurel admits, “We are really good friends and we do go out to lunch together, so I could see how people could think we’re together.” Oddly enough, Laurel is also linked to another famous name in The Bachelor franchise — Brad Womack, the Texan who chose no one at the end of his season but introduced fans to DeAnna Pappas, and thus Jason Mesnick, and thus Jillian Harris. Laurel dated Brad for four years, she says, adding that she hears he is still single. People |
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Paula Abdul Drops Dead for Lifetime "Idol" Judge to Guest Star in Original Series From People |
Posted 7/1/09 |
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Paula Abdul will show off her
acting chops in a guest role on Lifetime’s new original series
Drop Dead Diva. “I am very excited to guest star on Drop Dead Diva,” Abdul says. “All of the people are extremely talented and it’s a charming, wonderfully written new show.” Broadway star Brooke Elliott plays the sassy lawyer lead in the dramedy about a shallow model who, after death, finds her soul inside the body of a smart plus-sized attorney named Jane. In a September episode, Jane will go before Judge Nina Hodge, played by Abdul, in a case about a store that refuses to carry plus-sized clothing. People |
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Blake Lewis Returns With New Album "Idol" 2007 Runner-Up Goes from Pop-Rock to Pop-Dance From People |
Posted 7/1/09 |
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Blake Lewis wants you to dance! American Idol’s season 6 runner-up will release his second album, Heartbreak on Vinyl, on Oct. 6 via Tommy Boy Entertainment. Shifting from pop-rock to dance-pop, Lewis says his new album, “the culmination of over 10 years in the dance scene,” will be “filled with electro pop goodness with melodies I cherish.” Currently in the studio finishing the record, Lewis called on producers Rodney Jerkins (who’s worked with Britney Spears and Lady Gaga) and Dave Aude (who’s worked with the Pussycat Dolls) to craft his new high-energy sound. “The music in the dance scene gets me out onto the dance floor to lose my inhibition,” Lewis says of the inspiration behind his new project. “The title is an ode to all the record stores that have been closing down due to my industry eating itself. These are the stores that brought inspiration to all of us music lovers and have led me to make the music I create today.” People |
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Syndies: Low Points Results for the Week Ending June 21 From B&C |
Posted 6/30/09 |
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Syndication ratings tumbled in the
last week of spring, ending June 21, as a majority of
syndicated shows saw ratings drag as balmy weather and U.S.
Open golf preemptions sent viewing levels down. Many strips
dropped to their low points of the season. Of course, those
numbers don’t reflect the double digit increases most
magazines saw June 25, the day of Michael Jackson and Farrah
Fawcett’s passing. Most daytime shows had a very rough go of it as well. CTD’s The Doctors ran its winning streak among this year’s freshman strips to 22 straight weeks even with a 6% decline to 1.6. NBCU’s Deal or No Deal was down 13% to 1.4. Sony’s Judge Karen fell into a tie with Warner Bros.’ Bonnie Hunt after losing 11% to 0.8. Bonnie was flat. Debmar-Mercury’s Trivial Pursuit remained stuck at 0.6. Program Partners’ Family Court was up 25% to 0.5. In game shows, CTD’s Wheel of Fortune dropped to a new season-low 5.6, down 3%. CTD’s Jeopardy also sank to a new season-low, falling 4% to 4.8. Disney/ABC’s Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and Debmar-Mercury’s Family Feud were flat at 2.2 and 1.3 respectively. |
 "Deal or No Deal" will return to syndication in the fall (photo courtesy NBC) |
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"Got Talent" the Hit of the Summer So Far NBC Show Bows #1 From TV By the Numbers |
Posted 6/30/09 |
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Paced by “America’s Got Talent,”
which delivered the #1 series debut of the summer in overall
viewership and was the #1 show of the week in adults 18-49 and
other measures, NBC won the week of June 22-28 in primetime’s
key demographic of adults 18-49, averaging a 1.6 rating, 5
share in adults 18-49 and 5.5 million viewers overall,
according to in-home viewing figures from Nielsen Media
Research. NBC also ranked #1 for the week in adults, men and
women 25-54. “America’s Got Talent” once again demonstrated its broad appeal, as the season premieres of the Tuesday and Wednesday editions of “Talent” were the #1 and #2-ranked primetime programs of the week respectively in adults 18-49, adults 25-54 as well as among teens 12-17. The Tuesday debut of “Talent” was also the #1 primetime show of the week in total viewers, while the Wednesday edition of “Talent” ranked #3 among all programs by that measure. |
 "America's Got Talent" debuts at #1 (photo courtesy NBC) |
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"Dance Your Ass Off" Records 1.3 Million Catch It Next Week on Oxygen From the Futon Critic |
Posted 6/30/09 |
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Oxygen's highly anticipated
dance/weight-loss competition show "Dance Your Ass Off" became
the most watched series premiere in network history among
W18-49, A18-49 and total viewers, according to Nielsen Media
Research Fast Nationals. The telecast drew an impressive 1.3
million total viewers; 614,000 A18-49, 432,000 W18-49, and
173,000 W18-34 launching Oxygen's second night of original
programming on Monday nights. Hits on www.Oxygen.com also reached record breaking levels with nearly 40,000 unique visitors yesterday alone, a record for an Oxygen premiere. The show site has generated more than one million page views since it launched a month ago. Compared to the previous four Mondays' average, last night increased 249% among A18-49 (614,000 vs. 176,000), 211% on F18-49 (432,000 vs. 139,000), 204% among F18-34 (173,000 vs 57,000) and 249% among total viewers (1,269,000 vs. 364,000). This comes on the heels of Oxygen's strongest first six months of the year among A18-49 (224,000, up 8% vs. 2008), W18-49 (172,000, up 16%), W18-34 (91,000, up 25%), total viewers (414,000, up 11%). The Futon CriticBoston Herald New York Daily News |
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Battle of the Bods to Return July 11 Season Two Back-Six to Launch From the Futon Critic |
Posted 6/30/09 |
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Fox Reality will offer up the back
half of its second season of "Battle of the Bods" starting
Saturday, July 11 at 10:00/9:00c. Then on August 15, look for
"Househusbands of Hollywood" at 9:00/8:00c.The Futon Critic |
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"Fit Club", The Entertainer Return to VH1 Network Greenlights New Shows From the Futon Critic |
Posted 6/30/09 |
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VH1 has teamed up The Entertainer
from the "I Love NY" and "I Love Money" shows to launch his
own dating series "The Entertainer," featuring his parents as
well as the infamous basement bachelor pad. VH1 has also
renewed two other hit series: "Celebrity Fit Club" (season 7)
and "Sober House with Dr. Drew" (season 2). VH1 is also on a roll with its debut of new and returning series year-to-date. The music and pop culture network's total primetime viewership was up 12% during the second quarter of 2009 compared to the same period the year before. And, the network has launched nine new and returning series averaging at least 1 million total viewers in their premiere episodes. In fact, VH1 has launched five new series year-to-date averaging at least 1 million total viewers - more than any other cable network this year. "No matter if you're a Grammy Award winning artist, a film actor or a TV reality star with millions of loyal fans, we all share the same desires of the human experience...to succeed, to love, and to live our lives to their fullest potential," said Jeff Olde, Executive Vice President, Original Programming & Production, VH1. "VH1 has generated a lot of buzz over the years by evolving from an outlet that commented on pop culture to a brand that creates it. With these projects, we're continuing to evolve, building on our core storytelling expertise to delve deeper into personalities and issues that connect with millions of our viewers. "The Entertainer" will star Frank "The Entertainer" Moresco and the ever watchful eyes of his parents. Frank is best known as the guy who still lives in his parents' basement from the VH1 shows "I Love New York" and "I Love Money." Meanwhile, his parents have grown ever weary of their 32-year-old slacker son's current living arrangements - their basement. In a last ditch effort to help Frank get out from under his parents thumb VH1 is giving him the opportunity to find love from a bevy of naive hopefuls and the incentive he needs to move out of the basement and on his own. "The Entertainer" has been picked up for ten one-hour episodes and is set to premiere sometime in 2010. "The Entertainer" is executive produced by Cris Abrego, Mark Cronin and Ben Samek for 51 Minds. Executive producing for VH1 are Jill Holmes, Kristen Kelly and Jeff Olde. The Futon CriticB&C |
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Casting for "Untitled Art Project" Bravo's Latest Game Looking for Players From the Futon Critic |
Posted 6/30/09 |
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Bravo's latest stroke on the
reality canvas brings Golden Globe and Emmy Award winner Sarah
Jessica Parker and her production company, Pretty Matches,
together with the Emmy-nominated Magical Elves ("Top Chef,"
"Project Runway") and Eli Holzman, to produce an hour long
creative competition series among contemporary artists. The
Untitled Art Project will bring together thirteen aspiring
artists to compete for a gallery show, a cash prize and a
sponsored national tour. Open calls for artists interested in
competing in this highly anticipated new competition series
will be held in cities across the country starting in July. The Futon Critic |
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Fred Travalena: 1942-2009 Impressionist Hosted "Anything for Money" From FredTravalena.com & CNN |
Posted 6/30/09 |
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Fred Travalena has succumbed to Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma on Sunday, June 28, 2009, after a seven-year battle with the disease. He was 66. His television credits began in the 1970s, as a regular performer on The ABC Comedy Hour and the Dean Martin Roasts. He also has several voice credits on cartoons as well as appearances on nationally-broadcast children's programs. Travalena has also made many guest appearances on game shows and dramatic programs in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. In the mid-1980s he hosted the game show Anything For Money, a game where contestants attempted to guess how much money it would take an ordinary, unsuspecting person to participate in a silly stunt. Travalena was
diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2002 and prostate
cancer in 2003. Following five years' remission, the lymphoma
returned in 2008. |
 Fred Travalena (photo courtesy FredTravalena.com) |
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"Popular"ity Contest Graham Norton to Host Game for WEtv From Multichannel News |
Posted 6/30/09 |
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Next month, WE TV will jump back
into the game show genre. The women's-targeted service responsible for "Spend It Fast!" and "American Princess" will debut "Most Popular", hosted by irreverent British personality Graham Norton, with a sneak peek on July 19. Each week, Norton will ask an audience of 100 women to make judgments that could reward one of seven contestants with a cash prize of $10,000. WE TV viewers will get a sneak peek of the series with a special bridal episode of Most Popular, featuring recent and soon-to-be brides as well, as several brides who appeared in the current sixth season of the network's signature series, Bridezillas. The special bridal episode of Most Popular is scheduled to premiere Sunday, July 19 at 10 p.m. as part of the service's "Wedding Sunday" block. The show, of which WE has initially ordered six, one-hour installments, will then settle into its regular 10 p.m. Thursday time slot on July 23. Scientists say it takes less than five seconds for one person to form an opinion about another. In each episode of Most Popular, the action begins with seven female contestants standing on a stage awaiting judgment. Based entirely on first impressions, the first contestant is sent packing before anyone says a word. With each round the audience, under Norton's guidance, learns more about each woman and votes one of them off. Multichannel NewsC21Media |
 Graham Norton will host "Most Popular" for WEtv (file photo) |
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Let's Make a Deal... You Dress Up, Go to
Pilot CBS Looking for Players From About.com Game Shows |
Posted 6/30/09 |
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Like to dress up in costumes? Good
at making decisions on the fly? Got space in your home for a
gigantic rocking chair? If you answered "yes" to all of these
questions, then the revival of Let's Make a Deal is looking
for you! That's right, we're finally getting the pilot taping for the new (and maybe improved?) LMAD. This is being planned for CBS daytime, but of course the pilot has to rock before the network will pick it up! We're hearing rumors on who the host may (or may not) be, but all we know for sure is that Monty Hall was heavily involved in the host selection. The pilots tape in Los Angeles, on Monday July 6th and Wednesday July 8th, and you must be available to attend on both of these dates. The pilot will not air, but if the show is picked up and production likes you, they may invite you back for a real episode. To get your spot in the audience and hopefully become a contestant, all of the info you need to apply is at Craigslist. And make sure you check out the YouTube clips that are linked in the ad! Get your info in as soon as possible, because these spots are likely to fill up fast. About.com Game Shows |
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Ed McMahon: 1923-2009 "Star Search" Host Given Standing O at Memorial Service. From MSNBC |
Posted 6/30/09 |
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Friends and family has honored TV
icon Ed McMahon at his memorial service on Sunday. The late
game show host and announcer's service included more than 200
attendees, who all gave him his final standing ovation. The "Tonight Show" sidekick, who died last week, was remembered in a memorial service held at the Church of the Hills at Forest Lawn Memorial Parks and Mortuaries in the Hollywood Hills. His wife, Pam, and their children and grandchildren spoke at the service. R&B singer Natalie Cole gave a heartfelt performance of her song "Smile" with David Foster. Other celebrities in attendance include Jimmy Kimmel, Tony Danza, and Johnny Carson's former wife Joanna Carson, ET reports. McMahon died at the age of 86 on June 23 in Los Angeles. No formal cause of death has been given yet, although he had been battling ill health for so long. Ed McMahon's publicist says a celebration of the late "Tonight" show sidekick, who died Tuesday, is set for July 1. McMahon's publicist, Howard Bragman, tells The Associated Press Friday that NBC will host the untelevised event, scheduled to be held at 5:30 p.m. PST at the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in North Hollywood.
GSNN's Doug Morris
contributed to this report |
 Ed McMahon (photo courtesy PopEater) |
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Crowley Can't Write About Gabon "Survivor" Winner to Pen Memoirs From MaineToday.com |
Posted 6/30/09 |
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If it weren't for the CBS reality
show "Survivor," Bob Crowley probably wouldn't have come out
with a book about his life. So it's a little strange, but perhaps understandable in our super-litigious society, that the producers of "Survivor" wouldn't let Crowley include a single word about his stint on the show in the book. "We had some stuff about the show in there originally, but we sent it to ('Survivor' producers) and they penciled everything out," said Crowley, 58, of South Portland. "When I went on the show, I signed something that said I couldn't write about it for three years." Crowley gained national attention and became a statewide celebrity in Maine when he won "Survivor: Gabon" in December. Gov. John Baldacci later proclaimed a "Bob Crowley Day" in his honor. Crowley won $1 million for "outlasting and outwitting" 17 other contestants in the wilderness of Gabon, on the west coast of Africa, plus another $100,000 for being named the favorite of the TV audience. But in his biography, "Making Waves: The Stories of Maine's Bob Crowley," there are no behind-the-scenes tales about the filming of the hit reality show last year. Instead, there are 126 pages of Crowley talking about his life before "Survivor," and how he came to be the man who won the affection of national TV audiences. The book is an "as told to" project compiled by Crowley's carpool mate, David Hladky, who writes under the name David Ladd. MaineToday.com |
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Melissa Rycroft Engaged "Dancing" "Bachelorette" Finally Takes to the Altar From People |
Posted 6/30/09 |
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Former Bachelor and Dancing With
the Stars contestant Melissa Rycroft is finally headed down
the aisle, proving she may be lucky in love after all. Rycroft got engaged to Dallas insurance agent Tye Strickland on June 26 after they dated on and off for more than two years. "He's my best friend," Rycroft, 26, gushed last April about the 28-year-old agent. The twosome rekindled their romance after Rycroft's engagement to The Bachelor's Jason Mesnick ended via a televised breakup on the After The Final Rose special on March 2. Strickland, who was a frequent audience member during Rycroft's season eight Dancing stint, popped the question to the Dallas beauty at White's Chapel in Southlake, Texas. The couple later joined their respective parents for a celebratory meal at the Brio Tuscan Grille before heading out later in the evening to a reception with more family and close friends. No wedding date has been set. People |
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Ace Young Engaged No Date Set for "Idol" Alum From Us Magazine |
Posted 6/30/09 |
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Former American Idol finalist Ace
Young is engaged, he tells Usmagazine.com. The 28-year-old singer - who finished seventh on the fifth season of the hit Fox show - recently popped the question to Allison Fischer, 20, his costar on Broadway's Grease. See the weight ups and downs of your favorite Idol stars "I found my true love in Grease," Young tells Usmagazine.com. No date has been set. Us Magazine |
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Cowell Gets "X"ed "Idol" Judge to Focus on US Series, "Got Talent" From the Mirror |
Posted 6/30/09 |
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Simon Cowell is set to quit X
Factor to launch a billion-pound global TV and entertainment
empire. After five years on the hit show, the music mogul has made it clear to friends that the next series will be his last. Cowell, 49, plans to join Topshop tycoon Sir Philip Green to create and sell TV formats across the world. One of their first targets could be ITV. An insider said: “Nothing is off limits.” Cowell has made it clear he wants Girls Aloud singer Cheryl Cole, 25, to become the new main face of the show, whose other judges are Dannii Minogue and Louis Walsh. His £20million golden handcuffs deal with ITV ends in December after the next X Factor run, which starts in August. ITV bosses, aware of his pulling power, are still desperately hoping to persuade him to stay. His outrageous put-downs have helped turn the show into a ratings winner with up to 15 million viewers. In the process he has become one of the highest paid TV stars in the world with an estimated £120million fortune. But insiders say Cowell, who is 50 in October, is reviewing his future. Although he wants to continue doing Britain’s Got Talent, he felt something had to give. A close friend said: “He has found X Factor increasingly draining and it leaves him little time for serious business. Now he’s decided this will be his last series and he’s moving on. In future, he will have a more overseeing role.” Cowell is said to be excited over his link-up with Sir Philip. Financial TimesSky News Mirror Newsday |
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Ken Roberts: 1910-2009 Announcer of "Make Me Laugh", "Chance of a Lifetime" From New York Daily News |
Posted 6/29/09 |
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Overshadowed by
the death of Ed McMahon this week, perhaps, was the death of
an equally towering radio/television announcer: Kenneth
Roberts. |
 Ken Roberts (photo courtesy Photofest) |
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Indie Label Fires Back at Lambert New Material Being Recorded for Upcoming Album From E! Online |
Posted 6/29/09 |
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Via 19 Productions, Adam Lambert
issued a statement today about this week's release of some
pre-Idol recordings he had made. The statement reads as
follows: "Last Friday I was surprised to find out that songs I recorded back in 2005 were being released. Since then I discovered the entire track listing, revealed online today. I was shocked to learn that songwriting demos of songs that I co-wrote and recorded over the past few years may be released in an album. Like a rough draft that a writer does before finishing a book, I did not intend my work on these demos to be heard by the public. I was unaware that anyone intended to release these recordings until I heard about it in the press, and I'm very disappointed by this entire situation." Hi Fi responded to Adam's
statement this morning, saying, "As we've already outlined,
releasing this music was always the plan. That plan was
changed by 19 Recordings after Adam won America over with his
extraordinary talent. It's a shame that his management/record
company choose to disavow their client's work and discredit
him as a songwriter. As an independent company whose role it
is to help put this out, we at Hi Fi think this is an absolute
slap in the face to Wilshire Records. That small indie music
company, run by an experienced music producer, Malcolm
Welsford, thrives on finding, nurturing and championing new
talent, and now they find themselves at a tremendous potential
loss. Adam's songwriting partner, Monte Pittman now finds
himself at a tremendous potential loss. Via the press, in the
words of the musician they dedicated so much time and money
to, they are being told that their work with Adam should never
see the light of day." |
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Len Goodman Recovering from Surgery Should Be Back Judging "Dancing" Series (Both of Them!) Soon From Daily Mail |
Posted 6/29/09 |
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Strictly Come Dancing judge Len
Goodman is recovering from surgery to remove a cancerous tumor
in his prostate gland. Goodman kept his diagnosis from all but family and close friends and did not tell the BBC. Last night the 65-year-old said he felt 'right as rain' and would be on the next series in September. He told The Mail on Sunday he will be back on the show in the autumn, and credited his swift recovery to doctors spotting the disease early at his annual check-up. He said: ‘I’ve had the surgery now. Everything’s gorgeously good. I’ll be back in September for sure.’ Len first discovered he had cancer in March but decided not to get treatment until after he had finished filming Dancing With The Stars, the American version of Strictly. ‘I could have said “sorry” and not done the show, but the doctors felt I wasn’t riddled with it and it wasn’t so far advanced that it was a life-or-death scenario,’ he said. ‘It takes a few weeks to get everything set up for the operation anyway, so I went ahead and did the show. I had the surgery done as soon as I got back from America.’ |
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Gale Storm: 1922-2009 Early TV Actress Played "Movie Game", "What's My Line?" From Washington Post |
Posted 6/28/09 |
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Gale Storm, whose
wholesome appearance and perky personality made her one of
early television's biggest stars on "My Little Margie" and
"The Gale Storm Show," has died at age 87. While she was doing that work, she was invited to play such games as "The Movie Game", "What's My Line?", and "You Don't Say". |
 Gale Storm (photo courtesy Washington Post) |
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Cronkite "Not Expected to Recuperate" Legendary Newsman's Family Speaks Out From E! Online |
Posted 6/28/09 |
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Television's most famous news
anchor is seriously ill. Walter Cronkite, once considered the most trusted man in America, is suffering from cerebrovascular disease "and is not expected to recuperate," his family said in a statement. The family said it was forced to speak out "to dispel false rumors." Last week news reports stated the 92-year-old former CBS News stalwart was in grave condition. Cerebrovascular disease affects the blood vessels in the brain, according to WebMD, and is often caused by high blood pressure. "He is resting comfortably at home with family, friends and a wonderful medical team. We thank you for your prayers and good wishes." TV NewserBoston.com E! Online New York Times |
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