American Idol executive producer Nigel Lythgoe (top right) spoke with EW.com today about the recent reports that Jeff Archuleta (bottom left, with David and mother Lupe), the father of 17-year-old Idol contestant David Archuleta, has been barred from participating in his son's preparations for the show. Here's what Lythgoe had to say:
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: There have been reports that Jeff Archuleta was banished from backstage, but then David's vocal coach gave a radio interview in which he said that wasn't the case. What light can you shed on this?
NIGEL LYTHGOE: "Banished" is a terrible word, isn't it? It sounds like we're in some far-off kingdom. He has been asked not to participate in the choice of music with David or be in the room when David is working out his routines that he wants to sing. He's fine to be in the studio -- nothing wrong with that. We just want David to be able to be free like everybody else to get on and do what they want to do.
Does that have anything to do with the lyric change during David A.'s performance of "Stand By Me?"
There was a lyric change that happened that was a total misunderstanding. Just another, um, step along the way of us saying, "Okay, this is what we want to happen from now on."
The vocal coach had said Jeff being asked not to participate backstage was more of an issue of fairness, essentially that David Cook and Syesha Mercado don't have anyone helping them out choosing songs or making arrangements.
No, no, no. It has nothing to do with fairness. We just want everyone to have an equal opportunity, and if that's fairness, fine. But this is more of just the fact of let's take some pressure away here, you know? It's like anybody appearing in front of their mom and dad. Let's just open up the pressure cooker, release the pressure, and you just get on and do what you gotta do.
The rap on the father is that he's a bit of a stage dad.
And what is a stage dad, or a stage mom? It's someone who's protective. That's all.
(Click here for EW.com's latest episode of Idolatry, focusing on dream song choices for the final 3.)
Jennie Garth, an original cast member of Beverly Hills, 90210 from 1990-2000, will reprise her role in the CW spinoff that's in the works for this fall. Garth, last seen kicking up her heels on ABC's Dancing With the Stars, will reprise her role as Kelly Taylor in the new series. She'll play a guidance counselor at her alma mater, West Beverly Hills High, where all the new characters are enrolled. The casting of Garth follows other high-profile additions to the show's grown-up cast, including Lori Laughlin (Summerland) and Jessica Walter (Arrested Development).
Simon Cowell did not mince words today when asked whether Paula Abdul should have apologized to Jason Castro this week for critiquing his second song before he'd even sung it. "I don't think [an apology] is necessary, to be honest with you," the American Idol judge told reporters while promoting America's Got Talent at NBC's summer season press day in Pasadena. "I think the whole thing has been blown out of proportion. It was a live show. She made a mistake. He's a grown-up. Look, it's a high class problem. He's singing in front of 25 million people. They're all lucky to be on the show. You've got to put it in perspective. The year it becomes normal is the year I'll probably leave. I genuinely like it when it's a bit loopy."
Cowell did not hide his feelings about the Idol songwriting competition, which last year yielded the oft-mocked "This Is My Now" for winner Jordin Sparks. "I have nothing to do with it — I'd like to bring in the best songwriters in the world," said Cowell, who joked, "You can guarantee either the word 'proud' or 'moment' will be in the song. How about 'I'm Proud to Be in this Moment Now'?" When asked if the final two will get to change up the arrangement to better suit their vocal styles, Cowell hinted at a glimmer of hope: "I won't give it away, but there's a slight change to last year which is going to be an improvement."
Country music star John Rich, of Big & Rich, attacked American Idol at a press conference this morning. "American Idol infuriates me as an artist," Rich said at NBC's "All American Summer" Press Day in Pasadena, where Rich was stumping for his talent competition show, Nashville Star (which is moving to NBC after five seasons on USA). "You can tell when somebody's comment was scripted. You can tell when a [competing] artist was told to wear this and sing that. That's not going to happen in [Nashville Star]." Rich, who will function as a judge and mentor on Nashville Star, as well as produce the album of the NS winner, said he was especially upset when Paula Abdul commented Tuesday night on Jason Castro's second song before the dreadlocked contestant had actually sung it. "Why don't you just walk up on stage and slap them right across the face while you're at it?" Rich said. "It's not a problem of [a judge] being tough on somebody. You've got to be tough on people and be honest with them. But you've got to respect these people. This is their entire life hanging by a thread....I'm sure [Paula] is a fine lady, but I thought that was a very, very disrespectful thing."
He made it through Paulagate 2008, but is American Idol's Jason Castro ready to call it quits? EW's Jessica Shaw was on the scene as the Idols rehearsed for Neil Diamond week (read her "Why Song Selection Matters" feature here) and spoke with Castro on Monday afternoon: "I'll get around to practicing," he promised her, after noting that his brother and a friend had visited over the weekend and that his Saturday meeting with Diamond had gone "really bad" because he didn't yet know his songs. "What happens happens. I'll sing and if people like it, they like it. And if they don't, they don't. I'm kind of ready to go home."
You're kind of ready to walk off America's biggest stage???
"It's been overwhelming," Castro continued. "I got 150 balloons yesterday delivered to the studio because people heard I was sick last week. That's cool, but that's just weird."
Motley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee is no stranger to reality TV (remember Tommy Lee Goes to College?), but that doesn't mean he's a fan of celebreality. Following a press conference and performance to announce Motley's new album, Saints of Los Angeles, and this summer's Crüefest tour, the always-outspoken stick-man revealed he could have had Bret Michaels' VH1 gig but turned it down. "They asked me to be on the second Rock of Love and I was, like, 'Are you out of your f----- minds? F--- no!," he told EW.com. "I think it's the stupidest s--- I've ever seen." Crüe singer Vince Neil, ironically, was more forgiving of their Poison peer. "I think it's pretty funny," he said. "Trying to deal with 20 chicks in the same house? You gotta hand it to the guy."
Lee hasn't given up on television entirely, however. He and rapper Ludacris have signed on for Battleground Earth (a show premiering on Discovery's new Planet Green network) in which the two will criss-cross the country in various competitions designed to raise awareness of environmental issues. And just to show he's serious, this weekend Lee heads to San Francisco to join the Grateful Dead's Mickey Hart and Phish drummer Jon Fishman on stage at the Green Apple Music Festival, one of eight free Earth Day concerts being held around the country. He's also planning to make the ultimate sacrifice sometime in the coming weeks: "I'm gonna quit smoking," he declared. "Or I'm gonna try."
iTunes doesn’t include live individual American Idol performances or recordings in its weekly chart of the most downloaded songs, but if the online music retailer did, the Idols would likely be landing near the top. Just consider the artists they’ve covered: After David Cook name-checked Chris Cornell’s version of “Billie Jean,” sales jumped from 224 to 14,861 weekly downloads, while Jeff Buckley’s “Hallelujah,” sung by Jason Castro, shot to the top of the charts with sales of 174,553. As for video performances, after April 9’s Idol Gives Back, six clips hit the top 10, including the Idols’ opening number cover of Rihanna’s “Don’t Stop the Music,” which went all the way to No. 1, beating new videos by Madonna and Mariah Carey. Apple's iTunes store was recently named the top music retailer in the country, surpassing Wal-Mart for the first time. Could Idol be the reason why?
Add a former American Idol top three finalist to the fast-growing list of Archie devotees. Season 5's Elliott Yamin told EW.com at last night's ASCAP Pop Music Awards that he's rooting for young David Archuleta to take the crown this year. "It would be really cool to see a young kid like him win," he said. "I really love his songs, and musically, he's very talented. He plays the guitar, piano... it's nice to see [Idol] bringing out the creative sides of those kids." As for the other male contenders? "No one's really impressed me this season," Yamin maintains. "David Cook is okay, Michael Johns is alright, but it's anybody's game at this point."
As for himself, though still mourning the recent loss of his mother, Yamin was in good spirits walking the red carpet at Hollywood's Kodak theater, relishing his time out of the recording studio. The velvety-voiced singer is hard at work on his second album, which he hopes to have out by the fall, and has recruited Janet Jackson's man Jermaine Dupri to lend a hand with production. "I'm looking forward to seeing what he adds," Yamin says. Also on his wish list: D'Angelo. "I've always wanted to work with him, and I've said it in interviews lots of times. Still, we've never heard from him."
After five years on the air, does Jimmy Kimmel Live have a chance at ever nabbing the 11:35 p.m. time slot? Thursday night was a test, of sorts: In honor of its 1,000th episode, the show expanded from an hour to 90 minutes, starting at 11:35. And the overnight results are looking good. According to ABC, overall viewership was up 20 percent from the show's season average; among men 18-34, Kimmel actually tied Late Show With David Letterman.
But long before the numbers came in, Jimmy and pals were celebrating the TV milestone with a private post-show party (and lots of free Jameson Irish Whiskey) at the famed Hollywood Roosevelt hotel. Among those in attendance: Don Rickles, Adam Carolla, David Spade, Kid Rock (the evening's musical guest), Johnny Knoxville, Rebecca Romijn, Paul Reubens, Carson Daly, Andy Milonakis, Dax Shepard, and comedian Doug Benson. Sarah Silverman, who took out a full-page ad in Variety on Thursday congratulating her boyfriend while posing with Matt Damon in tennis outfits, was also on hand to help blow out the candles. She's been knee-deep in writing for the next season of the Sarah Silverman Program, she told us, which is scheduled to start shooting in two weeks. (Damon, sadly, could not make the party. He's shooting a movie in Europe.) As for Kimmel, he's riding high from residual love pouring in from all over Hollywood following the infamous Ben Affleck affair. Coming soon to his couch: ESPY host Justin Timberlake and Stone Temple Pilots, who'll take over Kimmel's outdoor stage for their first reunited TV appearance on May 1.
You didn't have to pay extra-close attention to David Cook's introduction on Tuesday night to hear him credit Doxology (pictured with Cook inset), the little-known Seattle band whose arrangement of "Eleanor Rigby" partly inspired his own performance — he made sure to say it loud and clear. But with this Idol shout-out, does Doxology feel vindicated? EW.com got singer Luke McPherson on the phone after the show, interrupting the band's rehearsal for an upcoming Guitar Center opening (sorry, guys), to find out.
EW.COM: When you first reached out to Idol about this whole situation, were they responsive?
LUKE MCPHERSON: Very. Basically, we got in touch with the 19 Entertainment people and began a discussion on how we could resolve it and what measures could be taken to make sure that proper acknowledgment was given for the arrangement. We've been working through that for the past couple weeks and tonight was the resolution. But they were very supportive the whole time.
In your initial statement, you seemed kind of pissed. Was it because you heard that David did mention the band in his pre-taped interview but it ended up on the cutting room floor?
We were never able to confirm that, and if we came across as angry, that wasn't our intention. None of us were ever really upset. We were concerned because, after the press release, they did start crediting Chris Cornell, Whitesnake, and other artists on a week-by-week basis and we felt like we were left in the dark. But eventually, they came around and ultimately took care of it.
Dolly Parton is in Hollywood this week to show those American Idol kids how it's done (watch for her on the show Wednesday night). But the most intriguing appearance she's made during her time in L.A. these last few days was a brief concert at the House of Blues for a theatrical "group sales" event, where she was touting the wonders of an upcoming Broadway show, 9 to 5, for which she's written a full song score. And let's just get this out of the way now now: It's a given that any new Broadway musical is a long shot, given how most of them lose money — and lots of it. But 9 to 5 on the Great White Way with this particular team has got to be the shortest long shot of all time.
Of course you know it'll be based on the 1980 movie comedy in which Parton costarred with Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. Maybe you don't know that it'll be directed by Joe Mantello, the hottest helmer in New York, thanks to his triumph with Wicked. You're probably not yet aware that it'll star Allison Janney in the Tomlin role; Megan Hilty (currently doing a great Glinda in the L.A. cast of Wicked) in the Parton part; Stephanie J. Block (currently Elphaba in Wicked on Broadway) in the Fonda role; and one of the theater's best-liked actors, Mark Kudisch, in the slot that was occupied by Dabney Coleman in the movie. The book is by Patricia Resnick, the frequent Robert Altman collaborator, who also wrote the 9 to 5 screenplay three decades ago.
Nelly is getting ready to roll out his fifth album, tentatively titled Brass Knuckles, on June 24. We caught up with the St. Louis rapper at the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards this past weekend, where he filled us in on some of the record's featured guests, among them Fergie, Usher, Akon, and Ciara, who joins the three-time Grammy winner for a track called "Stepped on My Js." "It is all about the Jordans," Nelly told EW.com. "I sang about Air Force Ones and
you know what I did for grills, it's along the same lines but
this is the best of all three. It is incredible." Still, there's one musician he's dying to record with who hasn't exactly come through...yet. "I'm trying to do something with the Boss, but Bruce Springsteen has been all over the world and busy," Nelly said. "I have a great idea that would be hot. It still might happen. I'm holding out hope." (Reporting by Carrie Bell)
Though Chris Cornell was acknowledged to be the source of David Cook's "Billie Jean" rearrangement on last week's American Idol, another band has come out demanding Cook (pictured) credit their cover of "Eleanor Rigby." Doxology, a rock-soul group out of Seattle (who happen to be pals with last season's runner-up Blake Lewis), claim that on March 11 Cook performed their version of the Beatles' classic — which has been available on the band's myspace page and iTunes since January 2007 — without crediting them.
In a statement issued to the press on Saturday, lead vocalist Luke McPherson contends, "When given the opportunity to speak up and reveal where the arrangement came from, David Cook did not. His silence on the issue implies that the arrangement is his own. It is not." The band is careful to note that they are fans of the show and they are not seeking royalties (which they could have earned off of iTunes sales had their name been mentioned on air). Their impetus: "We just want David Cook and American Idol to do the right thing and acknowledge these facts. It's that simple." Whether Cook was actually aware of their version is still unclear as representatives for Fox could not be reached for comment over the weekend.
Read the band's full press release after the jump.
Award-winning songwriter Kara DioGuardi, who's penned hits for many chart-topping female pop stars — Gwen Stefani, Avril Lavigne, Ashlee Simpson and Kelly Clarkson, among them — has joined the Warner Bros. Records A&R team, though an official staff position has yet to be firmed up. She officially joined the label's A&R team a couple months ago, according to an insider, and is reporting to Warner chairman and CEO Tom Whalley. DioGuardi's main focus is on signing pop acts, and one of her first projects is 21-year-old newcomer Tynisha Keli, whose look is the perfect blend of Lindsay Lohan, Ashley Tisdale, and Britney Spears (all singers whom DioGuardi has worked with in the past), but with pipes that seem much more promising. (Check out her YouTube channel here.)
Named BMI's 2007 Pop Songwriter of the Year, DioGuardi tried to launch her own career as an artist a year earlier, teaming with the Eurythmics' Dave Stewart for a high-concept collaboration called Platinum Weird that never quite caught on. She's also tried her hand at television, serving as a judge on the short-lived American Idol knock-off show, The One. Rumor has it DioGuardi was also on the short-list to be an expert on MTV's Rock the Cradle, another vocal competition series featuring the children of famous — and mostly forgotten — singers like Kenny Loggins, Eddie Money, and Olivia Newton John. That show is scheduled to premiere on April 3. A rep for Warner Bros. corporate could not be reached for comment.
The latest American Idol alum to sign up for the franchise's summer camp extension? Season 5 finalist Paris Bennett, who will join Season 4 runner-up Bo Bice, Season 5's Ace Young and Season 3's Jon Peter Lewis as a mentor to 150 Idol hopefuls. Now in its second year, Idol Camp takes place in Running Springs, Calif., and is comprised of five two-week sessions, kicking off on June 15 and wrapping on August 23. It's open to kids between the ages of 10 and 15 and does not require an audition, but parents should take note of the camp's disclaimer:
Limited enrollment into Idol Camp DOES NOT GUARANTEE entrance into the "American Idol" television series competition, nor will it provide inside information or any other advantage in the "American Idol" audition process.
Well, if your kid's crafty, surely some information can be gleaned from our very chatty EW.com blogger, JPL, who's making his second appearance at the camp? And why is this not a reality show in its own right? The final deadline for applications is April 18th. Kids, start practicing!
He may be taking a breather from touring and performing, but Justin Timberlake continues to diversify his already ridiculously long résumé. In addition to the recently announced NBC show My Problem With Women (for which Timberlake, in a collaboration with Reveille, serves as an executive producer) and upcoming movie roles in The Love Guru (due out this June) and The Open Road (currently filming), the singer is also rumored to be hosting this summer’s ESPY Awards. But his music-production skills remain in high demand: Timberlake worked in London with Madonna, co-writing and co-producing five tracks on her new album, Hard Candy (out April 29) and appearing in Madge's new video, then traveled to New York to induct her into the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame. He was also spotted last week in the Austin recording studio of Spoon’s Jim Eno, where he and co-producer Charlie Sexton were wrapping up sessions with noted songwriter Matt Morris, one of the first artists signed to Timberlake’s own Tennman Records (check out video of the two in the studio here). “He’s kind of like Ray LaMontagne meets Elton John meets Stevie Wonder meets Rufus Wainwright,” Timberlake told us last year. “It’s time for the birth of the hybrid artist. I’m anxious to create an artist that the press has trouble labeling.” Next up: world domination.
One of the strangest exchanges on Oscar night didn’t occur at the Kodak Theatre, but on Barbara Walters' Academy Awards special. The View doyenne told Juno’s Ellen Page that she doesn’t “get” the Moldy Peaches — even though she booked the semiretired duo to perform their unlikely hit, "Anyone Else But You," on her daytime talk show. Page, who handpicked the song for the film, didn't seem to take offense, calmly schooling Walters in the subtleties of indie rock: "It's beautiful, honest, [and] hits me on a level I can't deny."
So how does Adam Green, one-half of the anti-folk act, feel about the slight? "I'm not bitter," he says. "When it comes to Moldy Peaches music, I don't think anyone's taking Barbara's opinion too seriously. From what I understand, she really enjoys that song." And the fact that Walters sang along with Page, he adds, is a testament to the tune's unbelievable reach. "You couldn't surprise me now," marvels Green, whose fifth solo album, Sixes and Sevens, is due March 18. "If Michael Jordan turned out to be the biggest Moldy Peaches fan, I’d be, like, 'Join the f---ing club.'”
Singer-songwriter Vanessa Carlton (far left) is reteaming with Stevie Nicks for the PBS live music program Soundstage, EW.com has learned. The show will feature the singers' duet "The One," which appears on Carlton's latest album, Heroes & Thieves, and the two also take a stab at Bonnie Raitt's "Circle Dance." The airdate has yet to be determined.
Carlton has been raising eyebrows of late with a provocative new Marc Klasfeld-directed video for the song "Hands On Me," which was arranged by her ex-boyfriend, and Third Eye Blind frontman, Stephan Jenkins. The clip features Carlton lying in bed, gently touching herself in (mostly) appropriate places on camera, but hinting at some possibly less SFW touching going on outside the frame.
How do you resurrect a forgotten rapper’s career? Why, take it to
reality TV, of course. Following the success of MTV’s Run’s House and
Snoop Dogg’s Father Hood, we hear MC Hammer is shopping a series that will
showcase the highs and lows of life after superstardom. The onetime Surreal Lifer is talking to several networks, while also preparing to launch dancejam.com, a user-generated dance video site, but has yet
to sign a deal. And he may have to get in line: Ja Rule, Master P, and
even Kevin Federline are also pitching reality programs. Says one
development exec: “It’s insane how many calls we get from rappers
wanting their own TV shows.”
One of Dancing With the Stars' most beloved pros is diversifying. Maksim Chmerkovskiy, who tangoed his way to second place twice, with celebrity partners Leila Ali and Mel B., is taking next season off to pursue other projects. "There are a lot of things in the works that I want to tend to," says the 28-year-old Latin ballroom champion. "People say this show opens doors, but you're so busy doing the show, that you're not able to use the doors." Speaking from the set of the second Dancing with the Stars fitness DVD, due out this fall, Chmerkovskiy, known to fans as Maks, says he'll be back the following season, but won't be specific about his immediate future. The sixth round of DWTS premieres on ABC on March 17. On Tuesday, Feb.19, Good Morning America will break the top secret news of which celeb will be waltzing with which dancer this season. The only thing we know for now is that Maks won't be one of them.
The Hollywood Insider has confirmed that troubled singer Amy
Winehouse (pictured, left) plans to appear at the Grammy Awards on Feb. 10. She's nominated for six
statuettes, but there had been concern that her legal woes would
prevent the Brit from obtaining a visa to enter the U.S. That tangle
seems to have been worked out, but it's still unknown whether she'll
perform.
The Grammys have bigger issues to deal with, anyway. Putting together this year's half-centennial bash has become particularly thorny, thanks to — what else? — the writers strike. The Golden Globes were reduced to a press conference because of the strike, but the Recording Academy insists that, regardless of WGA approval, it's forging ahead with the ceremony.
In his relentless quest for multi-media domination, Jackass' Steve-O is now taking a stab at a rap career. "It's not a joke, but it is hilarious," says one source who's heard the tracks. "It's Steve-O doing a bunch of Whip-Its and rapping!" It's not clear whether an album's worth of material exists -- or if it would get a physical or digital release -- but we hear Steve-O did approach 50 Cent to collaborate. No luck. 50's rep insists, "they are not working together."
As for the rest of the Jackass crew, they're preparing for the February 9 rollout of jackassworld.com, which will also be accompanied by an MTV special featuring a host of guest stars. Chief among them: Willie Nelson, who premieres his new video, "You Don't Think I'm Funny Anymore," (the one with Jessica Simpson, Owen Wilson and Dan Rather racing lawn mowers) on that same sweeps day, with a special introduction by his pal and Dukes of Hazzard co-star Johnny Knoxville.
Is two-time Dancing With the Stars winner Julianne Hough (pictured) trading in her paso doble heels for cowboy boots? Though next season's Dancing lineup has yet to be announced, the 19-year-old Mormon wonder has just signed a multi-album deal with Mercury Nashville, the Universal Music Nashville label that is headed by country music veteran Luke Lewis and home to Shania Twain and Sugarland. Hough's first single is expected to drop sometime in February, with an album due out in late spring or early summer. Hough (who is managed by another music biz legend, Irving Azoff) is currently living in Nashville where she's been recording with David Malloy (Reba McEntire, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band). According to a music city insider, the two "have already cut half the record" and Hough is planning to try her hand at writing songs. Here's hoping she'll have better luck in the major label system than recent American Idol winners.
Moments after NBC announced that The Tonight Show and Late Night With Conan O'Brien would return to the air Jan. 2 despite the ongoing writers' strike, the executive producers for both shows promised that the hosts would "rise to the challenge" and provide some "fun, unpredictable moments." Both shows have been in repeats since the strike began Nov. 4.
"In a perfect world the strike would be over, the writers would be back, and we'd be up and going," Tonight Show EP Debbie Vickers said during a conference call with TV writers Monday. "But we're not in a perfect world. It's a real comfort level [to Leno] to have the writers. It'll be an adjustment. But I don't think they have these jobs if they are not good at improvising. They are comedians. When Jay is challenged, he rises to the occasion."
Both hosts released statements saying that their decisions were aimed at protecting people's jobs. Leno's statement said that since "the talks have broken down and there are no further negotiations
scheduled, I feel it's my responsibility to get my 100 non-writing staff, which
were laid off, back to work. We fully support our writers and I think they
understand my decision." O'Brien said in his statement that he could "either go back to work and keep my staff employed or stay dark and
allow 80 people, many of whom have worked for me for fourteen years, to lose
their jobs.... An unwritten version of Late Night, though not desirable, is possible
–- and no one has to be fired."
Those of us suffering from Kiwi withdrawal won't have to wait much longer: New Zealand's Flight of the Conchords will release their first full-length album on April 22, 2008, Hollywood Insider has confirmed. The news caps off an exciting year for Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie (pictured). Just last week, the duo's EP, The Distant Future (released last summer), scored a Grammy nomination for Best Comedy Album, and in August they learned that their HBO show was picked up for a second season. But unlike their TV counterparts, the guys opted to record their proper debut in L.A. rather than Brooklyn or their homeland. Producer Mickey Petralia (Beck's Midnight Vultures) manned the boards, and Seattle's Sub Pop Records will release the finished product.
Between cheering his kid sister from the sidelines and interviewing contestants as Entertainment Tonight's special correspondent, Donny Osmond has been spending an awful lot of time on the Dancing with the Stars stage. And with sister Marie now claiming a spot on next week's finals, it should come as little surprise that Donny himself is considering signing up for the competition's sixth go-round, which kicks off next March. "They've talked to him about it," said a jubilant — and 30 pounds lighter — Marie following her semifinals victory Tuesday night. "He keeps going back and forth. But he could so do it. He's danced way more than I have, and he'd be so fun, too."
(SPOILER ALERT) Wisteria Lane has gone dark: Production on Desperate Housewives has
come to a strike-induced halt at 10 episodes (which only makes
sense — creator/showrunner Marc Cherry is on the WGA's negotiating
committee, after all). But in true Housewives fashion, the
girls will go out with a bang — or, more accurately, a storm. A
two-episode tornado will hit the suburban enclave and end in a
cliffhanger with plenty of Wisterian drama, says Dana Delany, who plays
icy new homeowners association prez Katherine Mayfair. Not only does
that final episode reveal the secret her husband (Nathan Fillion) has
been harboring, but "people die in it," she hints. "I wouldn't be
surprised if they save the last episode for later, so [viewers] come
back."
After months of grueling toe-to-toe, spit-to-spit competition, actress-turned-tabloid mainstay Shar Jackson (Moesha) took home the prize of Celebrity Rap Superstar last night, beating out runner-up Kendra Wilkinson (The Girls Next Door), rocker Sebastian Bach, über-blogger Perez Hilton — with whom she had some momentary drama — and the far less rhyme-inclined Jason Wahler and Efren Remirez on the MTV show.
Who knew she had it in her? But one listen to Jackson's original rap, "Let It Blow," during which she takes a dig at Britney Spears, will silence all naysayers. Even Jackson ex Kevin Federline, who saw first hand that rapping is no cakewalk, was impressed. "He was texting good luck before the show," Jackson told us. "Then after, he called to say congratulations and how proud he was."
Despite anecdotal evidence to suggest that Big Brother: After Dark has been a boon to Showtime's once obscure sister channel ShoToo, the pay cabler won't release ratings for the show that features nightly video from CBS' Big Brother house. Up until this summer, ShoToo was an also-ran channel in the Showtime family that aired movies and reruns of Showtime series. Once it started airing nightly video from the house in July, however, ShoToo became the talk of the blogosphere and among BB fans who appreciated watching the feeds on TV rather than from their computer monitors (video from the house is available online from Real Player). Even BB insiders have hinted that After Dark has significantly boosted ShoToo's visibility and are even considering whether to have ShoToo extend After Dark's nightly run next summer.
Unfortunately, a Showtime spokesman explained that Nielsen doesn't allow it to release After Dark's ratings - but then a Nielsen spokeswoman countered that Showtime doesn't allow it to release the ratings. Oookay... so that makes a lot of sense. Maybe Showtime's just gun-shy about touting ratings for a show that it didn't produce in the first place? Whatever. We'll tune in next summer if After Dark is back. The final episode of Big Brother, meanwhile, airs Sept. 18 on CBS.
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