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Here's What We'll Be Watching on TV This Summer

BuzzSugar — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:30:35 -0700

ABC, CBS, and Fox have joined NBC in releasing their Summer schedules in recent days, and while we're still waiting on The CW, this already gives us a pretty good sense of how the season will look. There's a lot of reality, of course, but at least one cool scripted series is also on the schedule. Here are some of the goodies:

Swingtown, the CBS series about '70s swinger couples, will finally see the light of day! It's scheduled to air Thursday nights at 10 starting June 5.
So You Think You Can Dance will be the centerpiece of Fox's Summer schedule again (yay!), following last year's pattern of performance shows on Wednesdays and results shows on Thursdays. The show will also have a two-night premiere starting Thursday, May 22, and continuing the following Wednesday.
NBC is touting this as its All-American Summer, thanks to the August broadcast of the Summer Olympics. Apparently, a big part of that is American Gladiators, which returns May 12.
The High School Musical reality show, now called High School Musical: Summer Session, will begin airing July 20, taking over both Sundays and Mondays for three weeks and ultimately airing on Mondays until the grand-prize winner is chosen.
ABC's two big reality franchises, The Bachelorette and The Mole, both kick off in May: The Bachelorette starts May 19, while the new edition of The Mole starts May 26.
Last Comic Standing, meanwhile, returns to NBC May 22.

As for other reality shows, there's a ridiculous-sounding crop in the works - many of which were in my spot the fake pilot quiz. To check out a list, just read more.

CBS has Greatest American Dog (dogs and their owners competing on various tasks), Million Dollar Password (like the old-school game show but with celebrities and Regis Philbin as host), and Jingles (contestants have to write jingles pitching products, sports teams, or entertainment options).
ABC has Wipeout (the falling-down game show), I Survived a Japanese Game Show (which ships contestants to Japan and judges them on how best they adapt to the culture, which just sounds odd), and Dance Machine (which pits regular people against each other in "dance-offs" to popular songs).
NBC has two we've already talked about, but they're so crazy I have to mention them again: The Baby Borrowers (teenage couples are entrusted with raising children) and Celebrity Circus (exactly what it sounds like). Luckily, ABC has canceled its own celeb-circus show.

Photos courtesy of CBS, NBC, and ABC, Inc.

Buzz News Roundup, 4/7

BuzzSugar — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 13:26:35 -0700

Newsday talks to Nicollette Sheridan about her future on Wisteria Lane (caution: spoilery).
The full Lollapalooza lineup has been announced and the headliners that leaked Friday (Radiohead, Rage Against the Machine, Nine Inch Nails) are confirmed, Billboard reports.
Tobey Maguire will star in the dramatic thriller Hungry Rabbit Jumps, writes Variety.
Zap2it reports that cast members from Scrubs, Cheers, and The Office will serve as "talent scouts" for this summer's Last Comic Standing.
The French comedy Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis (Welcome to the home of the Ch'tis) has surpassed Titanic to become the most successful movie in France ever, Reuters reports.
According to Billboard, Duran Duran is looking to collaborate with the Arctic Monkeys and Mark Ronson on a music project.

"Last Comic Standing": Which City is Funniest?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 08:15:00 -0700

NBC's stand-up comedy show "Last Comic Standing" returns tonight for its fifth season. If you're like me, you might have just done a double-take at the words "fifth season" - I honestly had no idea the show had been around for so long. This year, "Last Comic Standing" is changing things up by giving the hosting gig to Bill Bellamy (who will always be Mr. "MTV Jams" to me) and adding a $250,000 cash prize to the package of goodies awaiting the winner.

The judges traveled to eight cities around the world to audition contestants, and the results of some of those open calls will be seen on tonight's two-hour premiere. But videos culling the best and worst from the audition cities are already on YouTube, so we can start guessing which city will be the funniest.

I usually stay away from "Last Comic Standing" because I don't want to watch a lot of embarrassingly awkward jokes, but some of these clips at least made me chuckle. I liked the comics from Tempe the most, but that's probably because I watched their clips first. To check out the rest, just click over to London, San Antonio, Sydney, New York, Los Angeles and Montreal. Curiously, Minneapolis was the only audition city not to make it to YouTube so far.

Will you be watching the show? And, based on these clips, which city deserves the most laughs?

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FabSugar Exclusive: Rachel Zoe, The Morning After

FabSugar — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:01:50 -0700

Thrilling. That best describes The Rachel Zoe Project premiere last night. The glamour, the gowns, the jewels, the tension - I knew I would be hooked the second time around, what about you? Last night we witnessed the countdown to the Golden Globes, saw Team Zoe's new studio, met some new staff, and bit our nails over the lost pink Chanel haute couture dress. Or was that just me and Rachel? I caught up with the stylist extraordinaire this morning for some coffee talk. We mostly gushed about the gorgeous gowns on last night's show, but we also chatted Brad and Taylor. Here's last night's rehash . . .

Eva's white Dior was my favorite from this year's awards season. It wasn't on the runway, how did you find it?

"The PR people sent me photos even though it wasn't sent down the runway. I'll know that Eva has something coming up, I call it a check note. That necklace is probably my favorite piece of jewelry - ever. When I worked with Keira Knightley for the Oscars in '06, there was this vintage Bulgari piece and this brought that memory back to me. There's nothing like an incredible blob of turquoise. It's a dream scenario."

Speaking of jewelry, how did emeralds call out to you for Debra's navy Vera Wang?

"I love to see color. I don't want to do anything expected, or odd. The idea of emeralds with the navy is a younger, modern way to make something glamorous. You don't need diamonds for glamour. I love mixing colors, the less perfect the better."

To read about asking Karl to alter the Chanel and for some Brad and Taylor scoop,

Cameron's pink Chanel - have you asked designer's to alter before? Just not Karl? Why were you so nervous?

"Yes, I have, but Karl Lagerfeld is up there with my three heroes of all time. When you ask to make a change to an already-brilliant design, it's scary. What if it doesn't work? At the end of the day Cameron is my priority. I want to do what's politically correct, but also what's best for my client. You weigh your odds there. It was scary. Had he said no, I would have had to move on. The worst he could say is no."

New studio? Upgrade! And more staff?

"We actually have two studios now. One for the digital side of my business (The Zoe Report). We're growing Rachel Zoe Inc. And Jordan (the intern) and Marisa (Zoe's assistant). Poor Marisa is so innocent, she's the golden child of the group. She helps balance it out. Brad provides a lot of comic relief, when I'm having a really tense moment, Brad makes me laugh at it all."

It appears Brad and Taylor are getting along better. When they moved the desks downstairs, they banded together as brats. It was funny to see that banter.

"They are, but trust me they still have their moments. And they banter, for better or for worse."

When they talk about you, how does it make you feel?

"Brad isn't really built that way. It's more important to me that they get along with one another than they get pleasure out of making fun of me or patronizing me. If they weren't doing their jobs the way they do, they wouldn't be there. I wouldn't put up with it. We all know where we stand with one another. I compare it to a real family. You take abuse and you make up as if nothing ever happened. Or we don't even make up and just move on. They are so loyal."

It seems this season is going to get heavy with Taylor questioning her loyalty.

"Oh yeah. She'll be doing all season what she did last night. She's bored to tears, but she's not going to complain. But you do see a lighter side of Taylor. She's not programmed that way. I prefer she is who she is on camera, and not pretending to be something she's not. She has a heart of gold, I promise you that." Photo courtesy of Bravo

Noel, Mathew and James Entertain Skins Cast For TCT

PopSugarUK — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 05:12:00 -0700

This weekend James Corden, Mathew Horne, Noel Fielding and a bunch of other comic folk took to the stage at the Royal Albert Hall in front of an audience including some of my favourite Skins castmembers. It was the final night of six days of successful events in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust, including my great night at the Stereophonics gig last Thursday! Mathew and James dressed up as some of the characters from their TV show, while Noel did some of his bizarrely brilliant stand up. Nicholas Hoult took a night off from his play New Boy to see the show alongside his old castmate Kaya Scodelario, and my favourite current Skins castmember Jack O'Connell. What a fun night - and all in aid of a great cause.

To see more photos from the weekend's Teenage Cancer Trust gig, just read more.

View 20 Photos ›

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Pop Watch: Skins - Series Three, Episode Nine "Emily & Katie"

PopSugarUK — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 07:20:55 -0700

This week's Skins focused on the twins, Emily and Katie, and we got some insight into their difficult relationship. After last week's dramatic ending Cook and Effy were absent, but the drama was still in full flow. We'll get to see what's going on with Effy and Cook next week, but this week it's all about the twins, Naomi, Freddie and JJ - I can't wait to hear your thoughts!

To read my thoughts on last night's penultimate episode of series three and to leave your own, just read more.

Katie's staying at home, recovering from being hit over the head by Effy. Ever the supporter of her sister, Emily dresses as Katie to take an exam for her, with make up on her face to match the bruising.
Naomi kisses Emily at school, she can't keep up her nonchalant act with her for long. Then later, in bed, Emily asks Naomi to the college ball but she says no.
How lovely is Thomas? He gave Emily his shoes and jacket when she was upset. They talk about being hurt by the ones they love - Thomas is still dealing with his Pandora issues.
Ronni Ancona was fab as the twins' mostly disinterested mum, their dad has a huge ego and doesn’t listen. Emily comes out to her family at dinner, her mum's face darkens, and her dad doesn’t listen.
Katie and Emily have a huge fight where Katie accuses her sister of pretending to be a lesbian because she’s jealous of Katie's popularity, Emily fights back about her being used by Freddie and they go to sleep not talking.
The twins’ mum confronts Naomi when she calls round to see Emily, saying her daughter is impressionable, and warns her away.
I really loved JJ’s babbling in the store when there was all that tension between Freddie and Katie. Bless him.
Freddie spilled the news that Emily sleept with JJ to Katie. In the past Katie’s always taken charge, she wants to be in control of Emily’s life and she can see she's not here. So Katie tells Naomi, and it really hurts her.
Pandora’s dance with the teacher was another fantastic comic moment.
The twins have a showdown at the ball after turning up in a foursome with Freddie and JJ. After a huge physical fight, Emily tells Katie that she’s not her - that she’s her own person. She finally stands up for herself.
Emily tells Katie she loves Naomi in front of everyone, and Naomi accepts that with a smile. The pair leave in front of everyone, and Naomi tells Emily she loves her too. Finally, something's working out!!
Pandora and Thomas start again, with Thomas reintroducing himself to his ex-girlfriend. That really warmed my heart!

What an uplifting ending! What did you think of this week's episode? I can't wait to hear your thoughts - are you looking forward to catching up with Cook and Effy in next week's season finale? Let me know!

Sugar Bits - Gwyneth Paltrow to Write Cook Book

PopSugarUK — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 01:00:00 -0800

Gwyneth Paltrow will publish her first cook book next year, My Father's Daughter. It will focus on "the importance of togetherness at mealtime, emphasising that cooking for your family is the ultimate expression of love" and won't include macrobiotic. - Telegraph
Jade Goody has been given some hope after learning that her cancer has spread, as she starts a two-month course of Hycamtin, a new "miracle drug". - The Sun
Jonathan Ross is donating his copy of the first Spider-Man adventure, worth at least £40,000, to help raise funds for Comic Relief. - Mirror
Etta James has denounced President Obama and said she "can't stand" Beyonce, who is "going to get her ass whipped" for singing "At Last" at Barack Obama's inauguration. - PopSugar
The Official Charts Company has launched a new chart for "purely classical" music to join its long-running combined classical chart, which requires 60% of an album to be classical. Katherine Jenkins's Sacred Arias would qualify for the combined but not the new "pure" chart. - BBC
The celebrities taking part in Let's Dance For Comic Relief include comedians Jo Brand, Paddy McGuinness, Dick and Dom, Keith Lemon and Robert Webb; Dragons' Den's Peter Jones, Duncan Bannatyne and Deborah Meaden; and Blue Peter's Tim Vincent, Anthea Turner, Mark Curry, Diane-Louise Jordan, Peter Duncan, Peter Purves, Janet Ellis and Helen Skelton. Anton Du Beke will be in charge and Claudia Winkleman and Steve Jones will host. It starts on 21 February and will run for four weeks. - ITN

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GiggleSugar Interviews Margaret Cho!

GiggleSugar — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 04:00:00 -0700

When I think of Margaret Cho, I think of her hilarious standup act in flashes of representative scenes. There's Margaret telling everyone how weird it is to be an Asian American on an airplane with a flight attendant offering you Asian chicken salad. ("That is not the salad of my people!") There's Margaret imitating her mother's cute Korean accent and puzzling over gay men and their, uh, interest in "the ass." And then there's Margaret imagining how period-centric the world would be if men menstruated. The busy comedian/activist/all-around rad diva took some time out of her schedule to talk with us about her many projects, including VH1's The Cho Show (the second episode airs tomorrow), what it's like to have a day named after you in San Francisco, and who is hotter: Lindsay Lohan or Samantha Ronson?

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To check out the interview (and/or to listen to it!), read more.

GiggleSugar: People feel very connected to you personally. Do you have any funny or crazy fan stories?

Margaret Cho:
People really connect with me for a lot of different reasons. I was the first Asian American person they ever saw on TV, and I was the first person to talk about gay stuff. I think when people see images of themselves in the media they feel like they matter, they exist and they‘re real so a lot of my connection with people who are fans of mine, it goes deeper than just an entertainment or artist kind of relationship, so I don’t really have like, a funny or weird fan story.

GS: You have a lot on your plate right now, particularly with The Cho Show which premiered on VH1 last week. I really love the chemistry you have with Selene, your gay friends, and your parents. It seemed to me like a 21st-century family.

MC: It’s like this beautiful, queer, multicultural, and very functional family. It’s really beautiful.

GS: Can you tell me what your vision for the show was?

MC: Well, I wanted to do a show about another Asian American family because I brought the first Asian American family to TV (All-American Girl) and I then I was alarmed that there had not been another one.

GS: Race, and sexuality and gender have been really central to your work and have inspired lots of people to join comedy who might not have felt like they could be a part of it. What do you think the state of race issues in comedy is these days?

MC:
It’s a big deal. Race is still very much a factor in how much we see of you. Like I look at my contemporaries, the people I started with are people like Ben Stiller, and I feel like, considering the difference in our careers, and how far he goes . . . he’s white, he’s straight, he’s a man. I think he’s great, I like him a lot, but . . .Race is a big factor in how successful people become.

GS: With some comedians I get the sense that they’re saying we’re post-identity, post-race, they think race doesn’t matter as much because now we’re all liberated . . .

MC: No! It’s just as bad as it always was. It’s incredibly sexist, incredibly racist, and incredibly homophobic. There’s no difference. It’s not liberated.

GS: I’m wondering if you saw the pictures of the Spanish basketball team . . .

MC:
Oh, yeah. That to me is so offensive but I feel that to them it was supposed to be affectionate. That’s how you’re affectionate, by showing racism. I think that there’s such a casual attitude towards racism against Asians that exists because I feel like the Asian community at large and especially the Asian-American community is not responsible enough to stand up to it and so I feel like it’s my responsibility to stand up to it.

GS: Who are some of the comics who inspired you and who are some of your favorite comedians now, and why?

MC:
When I was growing up, probably Joan Rivers or Richard Pryor or George Carlin or Steve Martin, Whoopi Goldberg, Paula Poundstone. Major huge influence. Love her. And now Wanda Sykes is my favorite. Chris Rock. Dave Chapelle. Bobby Lee. I’m a big fan of comedy.

GS: Do you see comedy evolving?

MC: I feel like comedians are becoming political - they’ve always been political - but they’re becoming more political now, and are even invited into the political realm to talk about politics. I’m an Obama campaign surrogate so to me that’s a very exciting thing to do. And so, I think, comedy has evolved and people are taking us more seriously as social commentators. Which is really cool.

GS: This is more a personal question but is also related to your humor. In your earlier shows like The Notorious C.H.O. you talk a lot about your experimentation when you were younger with sex, drugs and being kinda self-destructive. Do you regret any of that or do you think it contributed to who you are now and to your humor?

MC: I don’t regret that. I feel like . . . I want the brain cells back. (Laughs.) That’s the hard part . . .

GS: Don’t we all!

MC: Cuz I remember I used to be so lightning fast and it was like really crazy how smart I was. And now I’m just f*ckin’ so dumb, and I can’t remember sh*t.

GS: I think that’s age, too, cuz I’m right there with you.

MC: Yeah, but it’s f*ckin’ drugs. For me, it was totally drugs. I have huge gaps.

GS: But you weren’t a huffer or anything? (Laughs.)

MC: No, but you know, I did every drug, and a lot.

GS: You were a San Francisco girl, how could you avoid it?

MC: It’s so fun, but I miss the brain cells.

GS: They’ll regenerate. I think. (Laughs.) So, speaking of San Francisco, how does it feel to have a Margaret Cho day christened by the mayor?

MC: That was April 30. That was just last April. It was really cool and I actually work with Mayor Newsom a lot, because he and I are big gay marriage advocates.

GS: And your parents are still in San Francisco?

MC:
No, they moved. They’re in San Diego now.

GS: They’re so cute!

MC: They’re really cute.

GS: Your parents seem so not uptight!

MC: Well, they have their moments of getting super-uptight. They can’t fight their culture all the time. They can be pretty uptight sometimes and annoying. But they’re super-sweet and really fun, too.

GS: How does it feel to be successful and to also remain rebellious? Do you still feel like an outsider?

MC: I’ll always be an outsider because of who I am. There’s never going to be a feeling where I feel like I’ve arrived or I’m comfortable, but I feel like I’ve created my own thing. I love performing, I love doing standup comedy, and I love writing.

GS: You’ve been married for six years.

MC: We’ve been together for like 10. We’ve been married forever!

GS: But you still identify as bi or queer.

MC: For sure. Which I’ll always be. That doesn’t change.

GS: That’s wonderful. Are there any other projects that you’re working on that you’d like to talk about?

MC:
I’m doing a show for the Lifetime Channel now called Drop Dead Diva which is a comedy/drama. I play a legal secretary which is really cool and funny. I have to cover up my tattoos in a suit and be super-vanilla which is cool and which I love. And it’s a great show and then I’m going to finish out my tour dates, and then I’m gonna see if I finish out season two of The Cho Show. (I hope we are!) But we don’t know yet.

GS: What are some things that your fans might not know about you that would surprise them?

MC: Like, I am really a dog mom.

GS: Oh . . . ! [This is where I kept quiet about my cat fetish.]

MC: I have three dogs. They’re my whole life.

GS: Silly questions, now. Either or questions: Strawberry or grape-flavored gum?

MC: I can’t chew gum because I’m such a spaz like I would bite the inside of my mouth so much and bite my tongue and then my whole mouth would be filled with blood. It’s really stupid. I’m really dumb about chewing gum. I’m not sure how to. Sometimes, I’m super dumb about stuff. The other thing I’m dumb about is I don’t know how to do the laundry.

GS: I wish I didn’t know how to do the laundry and then I could make someone else do it. Granny panties or thongs?

MC: Um, I’d say thongs. But I do appreciate a granny panty in moderation.

GS: Lindsay Lohan or Samantha Ronson?

MC: Oooh. I love Samantha. (GS: I know!) MC: She’s such a hot dirty butch. I like her a lot.

MC: That’s it Margaret, thank you so much for your time. I hope to catch your show, Beautiful, in Santa Rosa!

Pop Reports: Rain Man at The Apollo Theatre

PopSugarUK — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 03:00:00 -0700

Last night (with Lipstick Jungle on record) I took a trip to the theatre to see one of the first performances of Rain Man in the West End, starring Josh Hartnett and Adam Godley. The play is an adaptation of the movie starring Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise, about a selfish young guy named Charlie Babbitt, whose rich father dies and leaves him very little. The money goes into a trust for an older brother he didn't know he had, autistic-savant Raymond, who he takes on a road trip across the States.

Hartnett takes on the role of Charlie in his West End debut, and - let me get this out of the way first - is ridiculously gorgeous in his Armani suit. Charlie's a fast-talking, swearing-mad, permanently angry character when we first meet him at work.

At this very early stage in the run, Hartnett's extended pauses after other characters finish speaking sometimes feel like he's counting to ten in his head instead of thinking about what the other person's saying. Occasionally I found myself wondering if he'd forgotten his lines, before he quickly came in word perfect with the next one. A little more emotion or movement in these pauses would improve his performance, especially in the first half, and I'm sure as the run progresses he'll become more confident in these silences.

View 5 Photos ›

To read more of my thoughts on the play, as well as a video of Adam and Josh discussing it, just read more.

After Charlie meets Raymond, however, the character begins to soften and Hartnett reflects this well. A couple of the scenes between the two men were really touching, and I could feel the audience were completely behind them and their performances.

Adam Godley's (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) Raymond is predictably the stand out performance, he manages to keep a character that could too-easily become a caricature firmly in the realms of reality. He brightens up every scene he's in and yet to my mind gives a more comprehensive performance than Dustin Hoffman did in the movie - it really is a little odd when he comes out to take his bow with completely different posture and look in his eye. The more time the two actors spend together on stage seems to infuse Hartnett with more confidence as the play progresses, the second half was infinitely more confident than the first, and by the final touching scene I was almost completely won over.

I'm looking forward to seeing this play again a little later down the line in its run. At this stage I'd recommend it as a good play, with touching and comic moments and some strong acting. But by making the first half as confident as the second, it will be vastly improved.

(Also - Josh Hartnett? Still gorgeous. And in his underwear at one point.)

Josh and Adam discussing Rain Man

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What To Sky+: Saturday

PopSugarUK — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 14:00:00 -0700

BBC1 has Olympics 2008, Last Choir Standing and Old School
BBC2 has BBC Proms 2008 and Comics Britannia
BBC3 has Chicken Run
ITV1 has Something's Gotta Give and Who Dares Sings!
ITV2 is new with Xtra Factor: One Year On
ITV4 has Psycho
Ch4 has Big Brother and Save The Last Dance
Dave has Jack Dee: Sent to Siberia
Sky Premiere has Ocean's Thirteen