Tube Talk

Couldn’t make today’s TV chat? Here’s what you missed

Gail Pennington — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:20:37 +0000

Here’s the transcript from the July 2 TV chat. The July 9 chat is already scheduled, so if questions and comments occur to you as you read this, go on over and post them.

Gail: Hi, everybody. At my desk early…

Talk TV Thursday; post Q’s now

Gail Pennington — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 04:05:06 +0000

Anybody want to talk TV on the day before the day before the Fourth of July? Maybe you will when I tell you there’s news, at last, about the new season of “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” and I might be prepared…

CBS announces ‘Big Brother 11′ contestants

Gail Pennington — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 22:07:39 +0000

Julie Chen returns as host of "Big Brother 11."

“Big Brother” goes green (with an eco-friendly house) and mean (forcing the houseguests back into high school cliques) for Season 11, CBS said Wednesday in announcing the 12 people who will compete…

Discovery Channel honors Billy Mays today

Gail Pennington — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:05:32 +0000

Billy Mays

A marathon of the Discovery Channel series “Pitchmen,” which began at 11 a.m. today (Wednesday, July 1) and continues through the series finale at 9 p.m., has been dedicated to iconic pitchman Billy Mays. Mays, who starred in the…

ABC wants you to be a millionaire

Gail Pennington — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:05:31 +0000

Or at least to be on “Millionaire.” Here, direct from ABC, is complete information on how to become a contestant on the 10th anniversary edition, set for prime time Aug. 9-23.

“There are multiple ways to become a contestant, including the original…

Bravo wants artists for reality-competition series

Gail Pennington — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:14:32 +0000

Think “Top Chef,” only with paintings and sculpture. Bravo is casting aspiring artists for an as-yet-untitled series being produced by Sarah Jessica Parker’s company, Pretty Matches, with Magical Elves (”Project Runway”).

“In each episode of the series, contestants will create unique…

Chris Kattan is ‘Bollywood Hero’ for IFC

Gail Pennington — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:59:56 +0000

What if Chris Kattan, depressed over his failure to break into leading-man roles, left Hollywood behind in favor of Bollywood? That’s the premise of a three-part miniseries, “Bollywood Hero,” airing Aug. 6-7-8 on the Independent Film Channel (302 on Charter). The…

Meloni, Hargitay reportedly staying at ‘SVU’

Gail Pennington — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 21:45:26 +0000

Hargitay and Meloni: staying!

Michael Ausiello of EW.com reports exclusively that Christopher Meloni and Mariska Hargitay have new, two-year contracts to stay with “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.” NBC had said the show would go on with or without them,…

VH1 orders ‘Pepa’ and ‘Chilli’ — yum!

Gail Pennington — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 21:21:11 +0000

Season 7 of “Celebrity Fit Club” and Season 2 of “Sober House With Dr. Drew” are planned by VH1, along with new series debuting next year. Included: separate shows following Sandra “Pepa” Denton of Salt n Pepa, ”Chilli” from TLC and…

That old bowl? It’s worth $1.07 million, ‘Roadshow’ says

Gail Pennington — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:57:35 +0000

A Chinese Jade collection from the 18th century was appraised — conservatively — at $1.07 million during an “Antiques Roadshow” event in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday. That sets a record for “Roadshow,” which had been aiming to pass the $1 million…