Celebritology Archive: TV
Ann Curry, Hard News Hold Out?
Suddenly NBC second-stringer Ann Curry -- she of the sycophantic Brangelina interviews -- has been cast in the role of a crusading hard newswoman who bravely defies the dumbing down of news by insisting on covering "credible" news like Iran and Darfur rather than give in and start following the Britney beat. Or so Curry, the New York Observer and New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof would have us believe. Curry says she would never stoop to cover a story of, say, a topless Britney Spears caught shoplifting (a hypothetical) and blames average Americans for our insatiable appetite for tabloid journalism. From the Observer's coverage of a conference attended by Curry on how Twitter is affecting the news biz (linked above): "The reason I have to fight every time to do these stories is because the truth is that it's hard to get the majority of Americans or even a...
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Liz
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June 18, 2009; 11:59 AM ET |
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Drew Barrymore on the Brink?
Drew Barrymore is a lot of things: Former child star. Romantic comedy staple. Recovering addict. Producer. Serial dater. She's also, at 34, on the brink of the best acting years of her life. On April 18, we'll see an entirely new Drew when an adaptation of "Grey Gardens" -- based on the life of Jackie Kennedy cousin Little Edie Beale -- airs on HBO. Drew takes on the role of "Little" Edie opposite Jessica Lange, who portrays her equally eccentric mother "Big" Edie. There's been some blowback from fans of the Broadway production of "Grey Gardens," who would've liked to see Christine Ebersole star in the HBO version. But the production was a labor of love for Barrymore, who placed high stakes on the role. As she recently told E! Online, anxiety caused Barrymore to drop a noticeable amount of weight during filming: "The expectations I put on myself...
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Liz
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April 8, 2009; 10:43 AM ET |
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Friday List: Who Can Bring the Funny Back to 'SNL'?
Last weekend, I sat through an entire "Saturday Night Live" for the first time in years. Despite a few rare exceptions -- Andy Samberg's collaborations with Justin Timberlake, Tina Fey as Sarah Palin -- the late night institution lost its edge sometime in the '90s and never seemed able to regain its reputation for cutting edge comedy. But last weekend, guest host (and "SNL" alum) Tracy Morgan totally brought the funny back. Maybe it was his energy. Perhaps he helped the shows writers to polish up their usually lackluster comedy. Whatever it was, one thing is certain: Morgan acted as a catalyst for the entire show. We expected Morgan to totally crush, but somehow everyone else seemed funnier, too. Here's a sampling: Which brings us to today's Friday List mission: If one guest host is capable of bringing the flatlining "SNL" back to life, surely others can, too. Who should...
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Liz
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March 20, 2009; 11:15 AM ET |
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Friday List: Most Annoying TV Personality Ever?
'The View's' Hasselbeck: Most annoying? (AP) Is Elisabeth Hasselbeck the most annoying TV personality? She is according to several readers who wrote in to yesterday's Celebritology Live discussion to register their distaste with the perky blond Republican "View" co-host. Here's the post that kicked off the frenzy: "I loathe Elisabeth Hasselbeck. This bim has basically done nothing of note except marry a rich football player and be on a reality show. Yet she is a very well-paid person on television; for sure she makes more than I ... but other than Kelly Ripa, I can't think of a TV personality I detest more." Does Hasselbeck have you frothing at the mouth, too? Or is it Ann Curry's smiling face that sends you over the edge in the morning? Or are you perhaps contemplating how to avoid ever seeing Jay Leno on your new HD set? Vote for the Most...
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Liz
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January 30, 2009; 10:43 AM ET |
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Catching Up With 'Mad Men's' Bryan Batt
Bryan Batt with co-star Christina Hendricks on the 'Mad Men' set. (AMC) Even if the cigarettes are herbal and he has to give back the sharkskin suits at the end of the day, Bryan Batt agrees: "Mad Men" is basically the coolest show on television ever. And it's not just those impeccably tailored clothes, the spot-on '60s era sets and the unshakably hip vibe. Batt plays Sal Romano on the show -- which will air its season finale Sunday on AMC -- Sterling-Cooper's closeted gay art director. Always available with a quick quip, but equally anxious to deflect attention from himself. "I couldn't have been luckier landing this plum role in such a great place, created by the brilliant Matthew Weiner and to be a part of such a great ensemble of actors," said Batt via phone last week. That may smack of sycophancy, but Batt means every word....
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Liz
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October 21, 2008; 10:33 AM ET |
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Catching Up With Christopher Knight
(Image courtesy Debmar-Mercury/Hasbro) I didn't plan it this way, but Tuesday I found myself on the phone with the third former "Brady Bunch" star I've talked to in the past couple of years. They just keep bubbling up in my path like so many smiling spectres. And, like Cousin Oliver and eldest brother Greg before him, Peter Brady is totally nice -- perky and self-effacing, just like on TV. Except that, of course, I realize that the man on the other end of the phone isn't really Peter Brady; he is Christopher Knight and really, it's not nice of me to keep calling him Peter because he's done a lot in the past few years to get beyond his Brady-ness and Monday will move even further along that continuum when he makes his debut as a game show host. "How do game show hosts get started?" asks Knight as...
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Liz
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September 18, 2008; 10:42 AM ET |
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