http://www.philly.com/r?19=960&32=3796&7=362879&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fdnhollywood%2F Ellen Gray is the television critic for the Philadelphia Daily News. en-us Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:52:17 GMT 2009-09-15T17:52:17Z en-us http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=350179&44=59349037&32=3796&7=362879&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fdnhollywood%2FBig_numbers_for_Lenos_first_night.html Monday's edition of "The Jay Leno Show" averaged more than 17.65 million viewers, according to the preliminary Nielsens, a number that should have NBC executives slapping one another on the back today. Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:52:17 GMT 75e24736999b150c4e986f1206525909 Ellen Gray 2009-09-15T17:52:17Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=350179&44=59289162&32=3796&7=362879&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fdnhollywood%2FJays_first_night.html Well, at least we didn't have to stay up late. NBC's "The Jay Leno Show," billed as a weeknight show with topical comedy, kicked off in prime time tonight with a collection of jokes Leno's clearly been itching to tell for days, weeks, even months. Tue, 15 Sep 2009 03:28:53 GMT 218e9bec60ec14f5ccb4e6ac6ae319f5 Ellen Gray 2009-09-15T03:28:53Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=350179&44=56725362&32=3796&7=362879&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fdnhollywood%2FABC_News_Sawyer_to_replace_retiring_Gibson.html Come January, there'll be yet another new news anchor at ABC's "World News." ABC News announced this morning that Charles Gibson, its main news anchor since May 2006, plans to retire, and that Diane Sawyer will replace him in January. "Diane Sawyer is the right person to succeed Charlie and build on what he has accomplished," ABC News president David Westin said in a statement. "She has an outstanding and varied career in television journalism, beginning with her role as a State Department correspondent and continuing at '60 Minutes,' 'Primetime Live,' and most recently 'Good Morning America.'" That Sawyer will become the second woman to be named solo anchor of a network newscast -- CBS' Katie Couric being the first -- probably won't attract as much attention as the fact that barring any further developments, two of the Big Three anchors will be women. Wed, 02 Sep 2009 16:04:24 GMT cb779538616bb4471c01312a7f932c79 Ellen Gray 2009-09-02T16:04:24Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=350179&44=55045237&32=3796&7=362879&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fdnhollywood%2FTed_Kennedy_coverage_goes_prime_time_too.html Broadcast and cable networks are juggling their prime-time schedules today to cover the death of Ted Kennedy. Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:10:43 GMT 308ca7a8548bb6d23699f97a069f5e87 Ellen Gray 2009-08-26T17:10:43Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=350179&44=52105967&32=3796&7=362879&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fdnhollywood%2FHBO_renews_True_Blood_Hung_and_Entourage.html HBO 's announced the renewal of "True Blood," "Hung" and "Entourage" for next season, but are still talking about the future of "The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency," which stars Philadelphia's Jill Scott as a "traditionally built" detective in Botswana. Thu, 30 Jul 2009 22:29:29 GMT d19fc885c614cc570b2725c2edce7cd5 Ellen Gray 2009-07-30T22:29:29Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=350179&44=52199232&32=3796&7=362879&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fdnhollywood%2FHBO_showcases_Philly_artist_.html "In a Dream," a documentary about artist Isaiah Zagar, who's covered 50,000 square feet of South Philadelphia with his tile-and-mirror mosaics, will premiere on HBO2 Aug. 19. Fri, 31 Jul 2009 16:42:32 GMT d6c460b471a953216c1a92e4791cd9a5 Ellen Gray 2009-07-31T16:42:32Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=350179&44=52098422&32=3796&7=362879&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fdnhollywood%2FJon__Kate_Separate_but_equal.html TLC president Eileen O'Neill's worried enough about "Jon & Kate Plus 8" questions interfering with sessions she's doing -- including, one, a wedding show called "Masters of Reception," produced by Kelly Ripa and husband Mark Consuelos -- so she reads a short statement about her channel's high-rated train wreck. Thu, 30 Jul 2009 20:29:22 GMT 1f2361ef4369be3847204d0646a891c3 Ellen Gray 2009-07-30T20:29:22Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=350179&44=52082162&32=3796&7=362879&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fdnhollywood%2FGuiliana__Bill_Tempting_fate.html Thu, 30 Jul 2009 17:17:17 GMT af01c3545d4520aea0b87e90c806bd98 Ellen Gray 2009-07-30T17:17:17Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=350179&44=51997302&32=3796&7=362879&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fdnhollywood%2FIntervention_MTV-style.html Drug abusers in MTV's target demo will soon have a new place to turn beyond A&E's "Intervention": an MTV show hosted by recovering addict Adam Goldstein -- a k a DJ AM --called "Gone Too Far" that will feature interventions and follow the subjects into rehab and beyond. Goldstein, a Philly native who claims, among other things, to have been the world's only fat cocaine addict, at one point weighing more than 300 pounds, is slim and sober now, but describes his condition as having "an allergic reaction to drugs and alcohol -- I break out in handcuffs." Wed, 29 Jul 2009 17:21:04 GMT 97de36851bc2d9149d0771f9e21d2e0d Ellen Gray 2009-07-29T17:21:04Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=350179&44=51932527&32=3796&7=362879&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fdnhollywood%2FOn_Dobbs_the_facts_and_the_flaps.html CNN/U.S. president Jon Klein's tap-dancing as fast as he can as he attempts to explain why Lou Dobbs is devoting so much time to questions about President Obama's birth certificate. "There are the facts and there are the flaps," says Klein. "There is no doubt" that Obama was born in Hawaii [and is thus a native-born citizen], but there are also people who don't believe it. Tue, 28 Jul 2009 22:21:53 GMT 7d8d4ba8a2a9ebc51d37dcd0a2b19bfe Ellen Gray 2009-07-28T22:21:53Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=350179&44=51929337&32=3796&7=362879&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fdnhollywood%2FHeadline_here.html Joy Behar's here promoting her new talk show for HLN (the Channel Formerly Known as Headline News), and (surprise, surprise), she'd love to have Sarah Palin on. Easy to see why -- the former Alaska governor and vice presidential nominee is bound to be a ratings magnet -- but hard to imagine Palin going along. Tue, 28 Jul 2009 21:43:13 GMT 411a727ac2ab82ea960d240c2d2943c1 Ellen Gray 2009-07-28T21:43:13Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=350179&44=51903082&32=3796&7=362879&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fdnhollywood%2FLetting_the_tape_run_on_Rather.html The Television Critics Association's summer press tour kicks off on an educational note, with Karen Herman, director of the Archive of American Television -- a division of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences -- introducing critics to its collection of in-depth interviews with TV legends. And we do mean in-depth. Former CBS News anchor Dan Rather's runs about seven hours, said Herman, and he was willing to do more. Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:58:26 GMT e924161c7b636f87fe8e10f0c054233c Ellen Gray 2009-07-28T17:58:26Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=350179&44=51698972&32=3796&7=362879&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fdnhollywood%2FChuck_gets_musical.html I'm sitting in a ballroom full of more than 4,000 shrieking "Chuck" fans as the cast, led by "Jeffster," sing Queen's "Fat-Bottomed Girls" to kick off a panel on the Best Show You're Probably Not Watching for the people who not only are, but who helped save it from almost certain annihilation by NBC. It's not just another day at Comic-Con. Sat, 25 Jul 2009 18:09:40 GMT 4fc7c51071e277cc15ee2229e66a8ad8 Ellen Gray 2009-07-25T18:09:40Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=350179&44=51614747&32=3796&7=362879&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fdnhollywood%2FCounting_down_to_24.html Fans of Fox's "24" -- more than 4,500 strong -- got a first look at next year's Season 8, which includes a shiny new CTU (yes, it's back) and something even more remarkable: a happy Jack. Yes, I'm going to spoil it for you: Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) survived the biological attack that felled him in Season 7. He'll probably even survive Comic-Con, where he and "24" appear to be much beloved. Fri, 24 Jul 2009 22:52:37 GMT 3d8d9fda329829a703b08f11520071db Ellen Gray 2009-07-24T22:52:37Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=350179&44=51528387&32=3796&7=362879&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fdnhollywood%2FActor_sees_pluses_in_undead_lifestyle.html Had a fun interview just now with actor Paul Bettany ("A Beautiful Mind," "Wimbledon"), who's here at Comic-Con promoting "Legion," a January release in which he'll play the Archangel Michael, who goes up against an angry God in defense of the human race. Starting next month, Bettany will be playing a vampire-killer in a film called "Priest," and though you'd think that might put him on the side of the angels once again, the guy clearly had vamp sympathies Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:57:26 GMT 1da6d128649cd7c45d3700c157d3c870 Ellen Gray 2009-07-24T00:57:26Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=350179&44=51502992&32=3796&7=362879&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fdnhollywood%2FStars_talk_New_Moon.html If we're judging by the length of the line -- which I'm told started forming two nights ago -- then the panel for the next "Twilight" movie, "New Moon," must be one of the hottest tickets at Comic-Con. So, in media terms, was the press conference that preceded it this morning, where "Twilight" stars Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner did their best -- with the help of some publicists -- to keep their focus on their characters' love lives, and off their own. Thu, 23 Jul 2009 18:53:46 GMT e95a6e689ee3a67b156ccdcc3456242e Ellen Gray 2009-07-23T18:53:46Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=350179&44=37737584&32=3796&7=362879&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fdnhollywood%2FCSIs_Petersen_goes_out_big.html Some 24.25 million people tuned in last night to see William Petersen and his character, Gil Grissom say goodbye. Fri, 16 Jan 2009 23:19:24 GMT 1a3fc2a646b181ae397a212b2979c3e7 Ellen Gray 2009-01-16T23:19:24Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=350179&44=37722279&32=3796&7=362879&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fdnhollywood%2FNew_development_for_Arrested_star.html Another day, another double entendre: Portia de Rossi, who plays a scary boss in an even scarier workplace in an upcoming ABC comedy, "Better Off Ted," is asked about the character, which she calls her "favorite." (Yes, fans of "Ally McBeal" and "Arrested Development," she's cheating on you.) "I'm really attracted to strong women -- let me rephrase that, actually," said the actress, who in real life is married to talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres. Fri, 16 Jan 2009 19:45:06 GMT 681e48981a34163258ea5873468f9659 Ellen Gray 2009-01-16T19:45:06Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=350179&44=37674389&32=3796&7=362879&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fdnhollywood%2FNot_quite_a_kissoff_for_Lipstick_Jungle.html Fans of NBC's "Lipstick Jungle" might want to continue to look around for another Friday night date. Because while Angela Bromstad, NBC's new entertainment president, insists the Brooke Shields dramedy hasn't been canceled, its future doesn't feel exactly bright, either. Thu, 15 Jan 2009 23:22:57 GMT f8864297671428a501e8d8a06b4f46b1 Ellen Gray 2009-01-15T23:22:57Z http://www.philly.com/r?19=961&43=350179&44=37595414&32=3796&7=362879&40=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Fphilly%2Fblogs%2Fdnhollywood%2FThe_L_Word_behind_bars.html 'L Word' spinoff will send a character to prison. Wed, 14 Jan 2009 22:12:35 GMT 9baa65f441647379dec302d2aef5538a Ellen Gray 2009-01-14T22:12:35Z