On TV Envy: Contestants Announced for Dancing with the Stars 7

Jay Leno’s Last Day Announced

Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories: Late Night, Talk Shows, ABC, NBC, Gossip, News, Rumors

Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien

What seemed so far off in the future has now been given a date. ’s departure from The Tonight Show will happen on May 29, 2009.

This calendar announcement was announced earlier Monday by NBC. The news ended any speculation that the network might chicken out and keep the ratings winner in place a bit longer. Also solidifying the decision made years ago was the date chosen for ’s time shift: June 1.

Click to continue reading Jay Leno’s Last Day Announced

Read More | Hollywood Reporter

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Jimmy Fallon Takes Over for Conan O’Brien

Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories: Comedy, Late Night, NBC, Saturday Night Live, News

DescriptionWhat was rumored over a year ago is now finally set to happen.  Jimmy Fallon has been tapped to be Conan O’Brien’s late-night successor.

Speculation as to who would fill the 12:30 AM slot has been ongoing since NBC decided to end ’s run back in 2004.  With the 2009 deadline now approaching, the network is formally expected to reveal its newest golden child next month.  (I guess that means more ‘Last Calls’ for snubbed Carson Daly.)

Since leaving , Fallon has appeared in a few film projects including last year’s Factory Girl with Sienna Miller.

Read More | Hollywood Reporter

Leno, Kimmel Provide Each Other Assistance

Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories: Late Night, Talk Shows, ABC, NBC

Jay Leno, Jimmy KimmelAlthough they are technically competitors, the inconvenient has given and something in common to gripe about: the struggle to land a guest.  And since misery loves company, they have decided to set aside network differences to help each other out.

Usually one has to wait for a sweeps period to see a special crossover appearance.  In this case, we only had to wait several weeks into January...and we get two in one night.

So if you really need your Kimmel fix, catch him as a guest on this evening before flipping channels to see him as host.  (The same remote instructions apply to Leno lovers as well.) Or you could simply stick to scripted fare and stay on all night long.

Read More | Entertainment Weekly

Why Jay Leno’s Monologue Must Not Go On

Posted by K.C. Morgan
Categories: Late Night, NBC, News

Jay LenoHey, even celebrities have to follow the rules - a fact that is being pointed out to host by many major media outlets. Here’s the deal: there’s an active going on, but the must go on anyway. At least, that’s the stand taken by .

During a recent new episode of his late night show, Leno delivered a monologue and announced that he’s writing his own jokes. However, under rules those who are still on strike are not allowed to write for any studio’s project. NBC maintains they’re following the rules, while the Guild says Leno is a member and subject to all the strike rules therein - which means, no writing. The entire issue is now going before a union panel.

With all this itty bitty quibbling, it’s no wonder no one can seem to get any negotiations scheduled which might actually end this thing. 

Read More | E! Online

This Week on TV (12/31-1/6)

Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories: Comedy, Drama, Games, Late Night, Music, Prime Time, Reality, Specials, Sports, Talk Shows, ABC, Cable, CBS, FOX, HBO, MTV, NBC, Showtime, Apprentice, The - Donald, Desperate Housewives, ER

Dick Clark, Ryan Seacrest

(Reminder: You can view the whole Revamped TV Programming Schedule here.)

MONDAY (12/31)

  • Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve 2008 (ABC, 10pm):  and will co-host the event.  Is old enough to be associated with a drinking holiday?
  • New Year’s Eve Live (FOX, 11pm):  Idol alums and will perform.  In just a few short weeks, we’ll start caring about a new batch of .
  • Tila Tequila’s New Year’s Eve Masquerade (MTV, 11pm):  NYC masked ball will include Kid Rock and Mary J. Blige.  Has it already been a year since we were forced to watch and kiss?
  • NBC’s New Year’s Eve With Carson Daly (NBC, 11:35pm):  Alicia Keys and Lenny Kravitz will be performing.  This may be the first time in a while someone has stayed awake to watch show.

Click to continue reading This Week on TV (12/31-1/6)


David Letterman Returns With Writer Support

Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories: Late Night, Talk Shows, ABC, Cable, CBS, NBC, Daily Show, The, News

David Letterman has accomplished what no other late night host has managed to do: reach an agreement with the writers.  Of course, owning your own company does have its perks.

Letterman and his production company, WorldWide Pants, have been sitting down with the for some time now in hopes of working out a deal.  Late today, the two sides came to terms on an independent agreement that would allow both and to come back on Jan. 2nd.  Although the two talk shows will technically be competing with the returns of Leno, O’Brien and Kimmel, CBS will easily have the advantage.  Letterman and will be the only ones with the scripted jokes.

Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart will also be returning - sans writers - on January 7th.

Read More | Reuters

Surprises in Store for Late Night TV

Posted by K.C. Morgan
Categories: Late Night, Cable, NBC, Daily Show, The, Gossip

Stephen ColbertIf you’ve attempted to watch TV at all in the last two months, you know there’s an active in the works. Despite the picket lines, lots of studios are “encouraging” their hosts to get and back behind the desk.

, , and (among others) all intend to bring their shows back to the air beginning in January - but this time, they’re doing it without their writers. When it comes to television, this action is very much like walking a tightrope in the circus…with no safety net.

The hosts are members of the themselves, meaning they’ll have to pass by their union brothers and sisters on their way to work every morning (or afternoon, as the case may be). This membership also means the hosts themselves must continue to follow union rules, and will be subject to the terms and conditions therein. For instance, monologues and talk segments (like Colbert’s The Word) may no longer be part of the program. So…what, then, will viewers see on late night in January? For one, you won’t be getting scripted segments.

Click to continue reading Surprises in Store for Late Night TV

Read More | Yahoo! News

Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart Return to Work

Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories: Late Night, Talk Shows, ABC, Cable, CBS, NBC, Daily Show, The, Announcements, News

Jon Stewart has just announced the January return of its two late-night talk show hosts.  and will ring in their new years on January 7th, five days after Kimmel, Leno and O’Brien have scheduled their starts.  and - like the ABC and NBC programs - will resume production sans writers.  What this means for these ‘news’ shows and their largely scripted formats is unknown.

Stewart and Colbert, who are also members of the , released a joint statement about the decision:

‘’We would like to return to work with our writers. If we cannot, we would like to express our ambivalence, but without our writers we are unable to express something as nuanced as ambivalence.’’

Meanwhile, we may get details later today about the plans for late-night programs.  company, Worldwide Pants, will be meeting with members of the WGA today.  If they can reach an interim agreement, both and could also be hitting the airwaves - with scribes - come January 2nd.

No matter how you feel about the writers’ situation, what do you think about The Daily Show and The Colbert Report returning?  Could they possibly be as good as they were pre-strike—or do you think the quality will suffer?  Will you simply be happy to see them back regardless of the content?

Read More | Variety

Jimmy Kimmel Joins Late Night Returns

Posted by Veronica Santiago
Categories: Late Night, Talk Shows, ABC, CBS, NBC, News

Jimmy kimmel has announced the return of , effective Jan. 2nd.  The talk show will air new episodes the same evening and also start anew.  Despite their support of the WGA, all three hosts hope their participation can prevent other job losses.

Although an official announcement has not yet been made, CBS may soon be seeing a spark of life in late-night as well.  and his company, Worldwide Pants, are hoping to broker an independent deal with the union.  This could allow his program and the to return with their normal writers in tow.

Read More | Hollywood Reporter

The Return of Late Night TV…Sort Of

Posted by K.C. Morgan
Categories: Late Night, Talk Shows, CBS, NBC, News

Jay Leno and will be returning to work directly after the holidays, with new episodes scheduled to air Wednesday, January 2. They’ll be bringing entertainment back to TV, something that’s been sorely missing since the started.

An spokesperson said that Leno and O’Brien still support their writers, but by returning to work will give hundreds of people the chance to do their jobs. Of course, the late night variety programs will go on the air sans writers, so there’s no telling what fans will get. Currently, no guests have been announced for either program.

Meanwhile, and his company, Worldwide Pants, are hoping to broker a deal with the WGA.  If the parties can work out an arrangement independent of the dispute with the producers, the and the could soon also be returning with writers.

Read More | Entertainment Weekly

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