On the heels of yesterday's announcement by Tyra Banks that she'll soon be ending her eponymous talk show (And sidenote: When is the other shoe gonna drop on that one? Fishy, fishy) comes yet another brewing TV cancellation that may be somewhat of a surprise. It's at this point that I'd ask you to direct your attention to the puppet in my right hand, who will break the news to you in between hacky, racist jibes.
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· Joe Halderman, budding screenwriter, accomplished 48 Hours producer and failed blackmailer, might be praying for a late Christmas miracle in the form of a plea deal. Halderman, who is accused of threatening to expose David Letterman's inter-office romances last September, reportedly "floated an offer to plead guilty in exchange for a one-year prison term." Halderman could face 15 years in the slam if he is convicted of attempting to shake down the Late Show host for $2 million. [NYP]
The underwear bomber sinks MSNBC, Ben Silverman still takes the blame, and more TV Bites after the jump.
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Prayer works according to Joe Manganiello, Alan Ball's latest werewolf, who credits his True Blood casting with the hours of spiritual pleading he clocked 25 years ago: "When I was a little kid, the nun at my elementary school said if you pray for something hard enough, it'll happen. And I would pray every day with all of my heart that God would turn me into a werewolf." Over two decades later, Manganiello's pleas were answered with an invitation to Bon Temps, which crumbled Sookie's future wereman-meat into fitful sobs: "I'm not afraid to admit that I started crying." Now that his tears have dried, Manganiello is subjecting himself to daily "Werewolf Workouts" to get that Lautner 16-pack. [EW]
Last night's episode of 60 Minutes featured warnings about the California water shortage, Lara Logan's visit to Afghanistan, and flying squirrel people; but it was Andy Rooney's insights into the grind of existence that spoke the loudest. Instead of closing off the program with a rant about viewer mail, crowded shopping malls or the general concept of extreme wealth, the curmudgeon extraordinaire directed his grumpiness at New Year's Eve. Eschewing the typical excitement for a new calendar year full of opportunities, Rooney railed against the holiday and vowed to spend the night alone, drowning his misery in a tub of coffee ice cream. The grim (or comfortingly validating) video after the jump.
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Daytime soaps rarely land in Movieline's wheelhouse. But the advent of James Franco's General Hospital career behooves us to acknowledge other ridiculous cast changes -- and this time, we're on the brink of a biggie. As announced in November, Darius McCrary, who has had a rough go of it in the press last we checked, is replacing Shemar Moore as Malcolm Winters on The Young and the Restless. McCrary most famously dazzled us as Eddie Winslow on Family Matters, and his new gig begins tomorrow. In the meantime, let's review his most dramatic television gig yet.
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Hope you're prepared to field makeup tips from a lesser source, because Tyra Banks just announced to People that her talk show will end in spring 2010. The Top Model high-priestess says she plans to launch Bankable Studios, which will bring "positive images of women to the big screen." When we curl in the fetal position and weep, we can almost kiss our own fat ass. After the jump, we revisit five of Tyra's most unbeatable moments.
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The AP is offering a cryptic update on Charlie Sheen's arrest this weekend on charges of domestic abuse -- the Two and a Half Men star allegedly used a weapon. Yikes. Well, let's make an obvious connection to Sheen's best horrible TV appearance and leave this whole thing alone.
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As new TV episodes remain scarce following Christmas, Movieline delves into reality-based cable programming for solace. Eating disorders, antisocial rock stars, countdowns, and bloated film franchises all come into play. Fun for the whole smack-addicted family.
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· After only five seasons and approximately twelve episodes dedicated to the tricky art of hair weaves, our lady Tyra Banks is retiring her Tyra Show. The America's Next Top Model creator will instead attempt to bring her positive, cellulite-revealing image of women to the big screen, thanks to her new film production company Bankable Studios which is currently reviewing five possible projects. Lest anyone think that Tyra's disappearance from daytime will diminish her fierceness quotient, Banks reassured viewers that her "next huge steps will allow [her] to reach more women and young girls to help [them] all feel as fierce as [they] truly are." [People]
Fox prepares for a Cowell-less winter, Jersey Shore faces another group of naysayers, and more TV Bites after the jump.
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Have you ever yearned to see how an animated David Letterman would get along with the Peanuts gang during their Christmas special? The answer, along with the other highlights from last night's after hours line-up, is just a click away.
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Call them sluts, tramps, sexually empowered, "in touch with themselves," or whatever your bedroom religion permits. Still, it can't be denied that the past decade has bred a new kind of television floozy, thanks in part to Sex and the City gently escorting us into the 2000's with its bold bedroom dialogue. After the jump, Movieline recalls the 8 best characters who overindulged in the boudoir.
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Real Housewives of Orange County star Lynne Curtin is having a hell of a year. The domestic matriarch was evicted from her home in August, and now she's skipping court appearances with her husband and earning herself an arrest warrant. Does something about "Real Housewives Star Arrested" sound familiar to you? That's because this happens all the time. After the jump, we investigate five different manacled stars of the Bravo franchise and decide whose crimes most endear them to us on a 1-10 scale. The competition is stiff.
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Across the Atlantic, a grassroots campaign designed to put Rage Against the Machine's 1992 single "Killing in the Name" on the top of the holiday charts ahead of recent X Factor champion Joe McElderry has proven successful: "Killing in the Name" sold 500,000 copies last week, beating the 450,000 units of McElderry's "The Climb." The campaign was created to unseat producer and X Factor judge Simon Cowell as a chart-mongering alchemist. Organizers Jon and Tracy Morter wrote on the wall of one of their Facebook groups: "ALL WE WANT IS A NON-X FACTOR NO.1." Christmas chart-topping is a bragging right in the UK, and Rage Against the Machine's victory is a feat, particularly since the single doesn't recall the likes of the Spice Girls, Cliff Richard, or Michael Jackson -- three of the artists who have earned the #1 in past Decembers. But the strength of the accomplishment sours thanks to Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello's own words, which sound like statements from gross, age-old machinery.
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· Reality television does not discriminate. Case in point, Dr. Conrad Murray, Michael Jackson's doctor who could be convicted of involuntary manslaughter, has struck a deal with a British documentary crew to film his "first day back on the job in Houston." You're probably thinking the same thing we are: "How could the man who illegally supplied the King of Pop with a fatal dose of Propofol continue to practice medicine?" We're not sure, but Murray's spokesman released a statement saying that Murray is already "working 12 hour days ... to pay off his [child support] debt." The footage was taped on November 23 and Murray refuses to let the company air anything until the Michael Jackson investigation is finished. [TMZ]
ABC releases a "new" Lost trailer, Jane Lynch warms up her pipes, and more TV Bites after the jump.
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If you've spent your entire life aspiring to become a police officer only to repeatedly fail the psychological exam, Base Prods. has the answer for you. The company's reality series POV-PD, which is close to being signed with a major cable network, will allow you to live vicariously through a cop thanks to its policemen wearing head-mounted cameras. While it might almost feel like you're running after a drug dealer, burning yourself on scalding coffee or smashing someone into the hood of your squad car, there's one thing you will definitely feel one thing: nausea. [THR]
