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Barbara Walters to interview Sarah Palin

If your TiVo or DVR can't get enough of the syrupy charm of the former Alaska governor, you might want to install a memory upgrade.

Barbara Walters will do a sit down with Sarah Palin on the heels of her new memoir, Going Rogue, in a five-part series starting Nov. 17.

Five parts? Seriously? Wouldn't one suffice? She's only doing ONE interview with Oprah Winfrey and Oprah is the supreme overlord of the female television universe. Does "a five-part series with Sarah Palin" meet the textbook definition of overkill?

Rosie O'Donnell rises again to haunt Sirius XM show

Rosie O'Donnell is back to run her mouth again on Sirius XM.Rosie O'Donnell reminds me of a sexually transmitted disease.

I might have enjoyed my first experience that brought me in contact with her. But she's grown painfully irritating over the years, and I can't seem to get rid of her now. No matter what happens, she just keeps coming back to irritate me further -- leaving me to wonder what ever led me to welcome her irritation in the first place.

When O'Donnell proved too annoying even for The View, and then flamed out on her disastrous one-off variety show, I thought we'd seen the last of her. But it looks like we'll at least "hear" from her again, as she's moved away from the TV talk circuit and taken a gig hosting her own satellite radio talk show on Sirius XM.

Continue reading Rosie O'Donnell rises again to haunt Sirius XM show

Janet Jackson in primetime special ... talking, not singing

janet_jackson_portraitABC News has landed Janet Jackson for a primetime special. The award-winning singer will not be singing and dancing. Instead, she will be talking about her brother Michael Jackson. Good Morning America host, Robin Roberts, will be doing the in-depth interview with Janet.

The show will air on Wednesday, November 18, at 10 p.m. (Eastwick will be pre-empted). The interesting thing about the timing is that Janet's new CD compilation, a double set of her hit songs called Number Ones, will be released on November 17

Continue reading Janet Jackson in primetime special ... talking, not singing

Heroic Brit dies protecting CBBC kids from elephant

A CBBC tour guide died protecting children from a mad elephant.When watching any nature special from PBS or the BBC featuring dangerous wild animals photographed at reasonably close range, how often do you stop and consider the very real danger men and women are in while getting that footage?

That danger proved deadly this past weekend when a rampaging African elephant trampled and killed a British tour guide (Anton Turner, 38) who was trying to protect a group of children visiting Tanzania.

The kids were in Africa serving as TV hosts for the CBBC (BBC's children's channel) show, Serious Explorers. Seven children were planning to follow the steps of Victorian explorer Dr. David Livingston.

Reports say, when the elephant charged a group of the CBBC kids, Turner challenged the elephant and attempted to shoot his rifle at the animal. But, he was unable to open fire in time and was trampled. Turner leaves behind a pregnant wife.

Continue reading Heroic Brit dies protecting CBBC kids from elephant

Could this have been the "crazy" thing Shepard Smith was talking about?

The other day, Fox News newsman Shepard Smith announced on his Facebook page that something "crazy" would be going down on his show. Just what kind of crazy are we talking about? A monkey wearing a Napoleon hat crazy? Putting two bananas in your ears and barking like a walrus crazy? TiVoing Brothers crazy?

He never officially confirmed just what the "crazy" thing would be, but I wonder if this is it. Smith, the Fox News Channel's equivalent of Edward R. Murrow, issued an official apology for his network's (and I'm actually quoting) "lack of balance."

The "lack of balance" in question referred to Fox correspondent Shannon Bream, who conducted an interview with Republican candidate for New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, but failed to nail down his Democratic opposition Jon Corzine. Smith said he didn't know the candidate wasn't interviewed and that "If I had control, it wouldn't have happened." Quick, someone check The Weather Channel for Hell's temperature and five-day forecast!

Something "crazy" is going to happen on Shep Smith's show today

Shep SmithShep Smith is one of my favorite people on TV, and I never miss his show at 3 PM each day. Today we might want to make a special effort to watch.

On Facebook last night, Smith promised that "something crazy" was going to happen on the show. Now, I'm assuming it's on the show because he says it's going to happen "right here," and I assume he means the show and not on his Facebook page. Check out the video and see for yourself.

Any guesses? He has a new site but, jeez, I hope that's not all it is.

[via TV Newser]

Glenn Beck don't come cheap

Glenn Beck on the cover of his new bookIf your town wants to honor Glenn Beck with his own day, you better check the cushions in the couch for change and start taking up a collection.

The mayor of Mount Vernon, Wash. recently gave Glenn Beck his own day, and the taxpayers will now have to fork over more than $17,000, most of which was for police overtime.

Where are the teabaggers when you actually need them to protest unfair taxation without representation?

A.O. Scott and Michael Phillips on revitalizing At The Movies

A.O. Smith and Michael Phillips head up the new season of At the Movies.It looks like the new crew at Disney's At the Movies is turning the ship around.

The new series run with fresh hosts (New York Times film critic, A.O. Scott (left), and Chicago Tribune film critic, Michael Phillips (right)) has gone 180 degrees in the other direction from the lighter, more sensationalized previous season.

Last year's host combination of Ben Mankiewicz and Ben Lyons often came off more glib than informative -- leaving both critics and fans wondering what happened to the more measured, analytical tone of former hosts Roger Ebert, Richard Roeper and the late Gene Siskel.

Between the two of them, Scott and Phillips bring decades of entertainment writing and critiquing experience -- combining a love of movies with a willingness to tick off the Hollywood powers that be when necessary.

Continue reading A.O. Scott and Michael Phillips on revitalizing At The Movies

Did Chuck Todd shave off his goatee?

NBC News political editor Chuck Todd had a bet with ABC's Jake Tapper about the outcome of the NLCS, and Todd lost. The deal was this: if Todd lost, he's have to shave off his trademark goatee. If Tapper lost, he'd have to grow one. Todd appeared on Today with White House press secretary Robert Gibbs. Did he shave it off?



[via Mediabistro]

The Heene Family walks into a talent agent's office and says, 'Have I got an act for you...'

The "Balloon Boy" incident, the cleanest name I can give this monumental media f#*$#-up, sounded vaguely familiar to me. In fact, it sounded more like the setup to a classic joke with an incredibly unfunny punchline.

It seems the folks at Countdown with Keith Olbermann noticed that as well and turned the whole thing into another umpteenth retelling of the classic "Aristocrats" joke. If you're not familiar with the infamous joke about a family walking into a talent agent's office, search for it on YouTube. But don't come whining to me that your ears won't stop bleeding.

Is the White House right about Fox News?

Fox NewsYou may have heard that the White House seems to have declared war on Fox News. President Obama has even gone as far as not appearing on one of the Fox News Sunday morning shows even though he appeared on every other network that morning. Now other White House spokespeople are openly saying that the network can't be trusted.

What do you think?


Is the White House right about Fox News?

Ann Coulter has the most annoying voice ever

Ann CoulterI don't fit neatly into any one political category. There are things I like about the Republican party and things I like about the Democratic party. I watch Fox News and CNN equally, and there are talking heads on both networks that I like and don't like.

I will say this, though: Ann Coulter has one of the most annoying voices on TV right now. It's hard to listen to what she's saying, because her whiny voice is so distracting. Sometimes when I'm just listening to her but not watching her, I almost expect to look over at the TV and see a cartoon character droning on about ... whatever.

I don't watch Saturday Night Live regularly, but surely someone must have spoofed her by now. With her nasal voice, hair fixation, and political opinions, she's like a skit waiting to happen.

Aside from their political views, what other commentators just bug the heck out of you? (Yes, I realize I'm going to be in the eye of the storm here; keep it as clean as possible!)

Heene family faked 'Balloon Boy' accident to get on TV

An Adams County sheriff's deputy chases down a UFO shapped balloon thought to have carried the Everyone remembers where they were and what they were doing when they learned about "Balloon Boy." Rather, they remember what they were thinking: "Has the news media completely run out of things to cover today or was Chester the Squirrel That Can Water-Ski taking a day off?"

Every section of your TV had been preempted and saturated with coverage of what sheriff's deputies believed to be a runaway balloon that was carrying the life of an innocent boy with it. It even preempted the so-called cable "news" networks that interrupted coverage of the pending health care reform bill. That move only would have made sense if insurance companies refused to cover victims of hot air balloon accidents because they considered "gravity" to be a pre-existing condition.

And the really funny part is now it starts getting weird. The Larimer County Sheriff's Office said the family faked the whole thing just so they could get on TV.

Continue reading Heene family faked 'Balloon Boy' accident to get on TV

Tim Russert to be honored at journalism museum

tim_russert_NBCThere's no doubt that among his peers, Tim Russert was one of the most respected broadcasters in the business. His sudden death from a heart attack in 2008 is still being felt, especially on Meet the Press where David Gregory has assumed the role of moderator but not made the show his own.

As a way of honoring Tim, the Newseum in Washington will create a Tim Russert exhibit. The Newseum is a journalism museum, and the curators have come up with a unique way to pay tribute to Russert: they will re-create Tim's NBC News office as it was on the day he died, June 13, 2008.

Continue reading Tim Russert to be honored at journalism museum

Paul Shaffer on David Letterman's extortion scandal: "(silence)"

Paul Shaffer on the Late ShowOne notably close figurehead in David Letterman-gate seems to have gone overlooked, a shiny bald one.

Letterman's longtime sidekick and band leader Paul Shaffer has just released a new memoir called We'll Be Here the Rest of Our Lives about his rise to late night music infamy. He talked more than a few ears off about his own life in music, but he's kept very hush-hush on the whole Letterman brewhaha.

"You know, I just can't talk about it," Shaffer told a Time reporter in a recent interview. "There is a legal proceeding going on. I've been advised that I can't comment on that stuff."

He couldn't even tell Harry Smith on CBS' Early Show on his own network just what the mood is like around Late Show central. However, the rest of both interviews offer a very interesting peak into a life in music that has spanned just about every end of the TV dial and a very funny diversion from Smith's persistent reporter powers to get something out of him about the whole scandal. Something tells me Shaffer would have made one hell of a good press secretary.

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