This whole "Betty White as 'SNL' host" movement has been fascinating to watch. Think about it: the users of a decidedly 21st century technology, Facebook, got together in support of a star who started working before the vast majority of the site's users were even born. No one on FB is looking to have Tony Curtis be a guest panelist on 'The Marriage Ref,' or want Dick Cavett to be the new host of 'The Tonight Show,' for instance.

Most people were overjoyed to hear that the online movement to get her on the show was a success; now, according to WNBC and People magazine, White's 'Saturday Night Live' hosting gig has an air date: May 8. She'll be part of a Mother's Day-themed episode which will feature former cast members who are also moms, including Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Molly Shannon. Rachel Dratch will also be there; she's not a mom but tended to play one in a lot of her sketches when she was a cast member.

Continue reading Betty White's 'SNL' Hosting Gig Set For May 8

 

Filed under: TV Royalty, Saturday Night Live, Reality-Free

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(S09E12) With our illustrious leader away on a covert mission for the state (you didn't hear that from me), I agreed to step in for this penultimate episode of 'Scrubs.' Hopefully, he'll be back in time for next week's finale as it may be his last chance. Still no word on the fate of 'Scrubs' 2.0 beyond these two episodes; I suspect ABC is holding out just in case ratings go up with the show as part of their successful "ABC Comedy Wednesday" block.

The episode itself was a bit of a mixed bag. I'm still just not able to get into Cole as a character. He's far too cartoonish for my tastes. At least J.D.'s antics were tempered by the sense that he was a person we could believe in, while Cox showed a vulnerable side underneath all his venom. I'm still struggling to believe in Cole as a sympathetic character.

Luckily, some moves were made to correct that as the episode wound down. Words of wisdom from one Bob Kelso making the difference in that one; what an interesting progression Kelso's character has had over the seasons.

Continue reading 'Scrubs' - 'Our Driving Issues' Recap

 

Filed under: OpEd, Scrubs, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free

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(S05E16) Ah, the beauty of farcical theatre. The simplest of tasks laid to waste by the outrageous shenanigans and outlandish responses of one brilliant comedian. In this case, Julia Louis-Dreyfus. She needed help from no one in the cast to make her extended stay on the subway platform funnier and funnier to watch as the episode progressed.

That's good news because Richard, Matthew and Barb were pretty busy back at Christine's place ... doing stuff. At least the writers bothered to give us a reason that Matthew is still hanging out and eating at Christine's as if he lives there. The catfighting between Richard and Matthew about all their roommate annoyances with one another certainly brought me back to my roommate days. Man, do things get annoying.

Barb's role this week was to spread the message that texting while driving is incredibly dangerous. No matter where you are. I certainly didn't expect her to come flying into the scene when she did.

Continue reading 'The New Adventures of Old Christine' - 'Somehow, Subway' Recap

 

Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, OpEd, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free

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After being just a rumor and then unofficially officially announced, it's now officially official: Conan O'Brien is going on tour. It's going to be called the "Legally Prohibited From Being On Television Tour" and it starts April 12 in Eugene, OR. Andy Richter and members of the band will go with him and they're actually hitting a lot of cities (30 in all). Tickets will be available at TeamCoco.com or through TicketMaster.

Here's the complete list of cities. The most interesting part of the tour? He's going to play both Universal City (where he did 'The Tonight Show' for seven months) and 30 Rock (where he did 'Late Night' for years).

 

Filed under: Celebrities, Reality-Free

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Here's tonight's TV lineup (all times Eastern).

• At 8, CBS has a new 'Survivor,' followed by new episodes of 'CSI' and 'The Mentalist.'
• NBC has a new 'Community' at 8, then new episodes of 'Parks and Recreation,' 'The Office,' '30 Rock,' and 'The Marriage Ref.'
• FOX has new episodes of 'American Idol' and 'Kitchen Nightmares.'
• History Channel has a new 'Modern Marvels' at 8, followed by a new 'Food Tech.'
• At 9, ABC has a new 'Grey's Anatomy.'
• There's a new 'Real Housewives of Orange County' at 9, then a new 'Real Housewives of New York City.'
• At 10, Lifetime has a new 'Project Runway.'
• FX has a new 'Archer' at 10.
• Food Network has a new 'Ace of Cakes' at 10.
• Also at 10: Current has a new 'InfoMania,' followed by a new 'Rotten Tomatoes Show.'

Check your local TV listings for more.

After the jump, the late night talk shows.

Continue reading What's On Tonight: 'CSI,' 'Grey's Anatomy,' '30 Rock,' 'Ace of Cakes'

 

Filed under: Late Night, Programming, Celebrities, Talk Show, What To Watch Tonight, Reality-Free

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On January 1 we reported that former football star and actor Merlin Olsen was suing NBC Universal, NBC Studios, and 20th Century Fox for exposing him to asbestos over the years. Now comes word that Olsen has died of mesothelioma in California.

Olsen was someone who had successful careers in both sports and acting. TV drama fans will remember him from his roles in 'Little House on the Prairie' (he played Jonathan Garvey) and 'Father Murphy' (as the title character) and football fans will remember his long pro football career playing for The Los Angeles Rams. He was the 1962 Rookie of the Year and retired in 1976 after being named to the Pro Bowl fourteen times. He also had a career as a sports commentator and analyst.

Olsen had roles in other TV shows and movies as well, including 'Aaron's Way,' 'Fathers and Sons,' 'Kung Fu,' 'The Brian Keith Show,' and 'Petticoat Junction.'

 

Filed under: Celebrities, Obituaries, Reality-Free

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New York City socialite Tinsley Mortimer is the focus of this reality show about her life and "friends."