Well, I have an inside scoop on all the ABC shows reurning, and not returning after the strike….soooo here is what I know.

Dirty Sexy Money, Private Practice & Pushing Daisies will NOT be back this spring… new episodes for these programs will be ready for the fall.

As for the rest of their shows:

New Episodes for Spring 2008

According to Jim – 18 (ugh, boring)
Boston Legal – 6
Brothers & Sisters – 4
Desperate Housewives – 7
Grey’s Anatomy – 5
Lost – 5 (ONLY 5!!!???)
Men In Trees – 10 (who watches this?)
Samantha Who – 6
Ugly Betty – 5

Prime schedule by day:

Mondays
7 – 8:30P Dancing with the Stars (3/17/08)
8:30 – 9P Samantha Who (3/31/08 )
9 – 10P Bachelor (3/17/08 Premiere – 5/12/08 Finale)
**Bachelorette (5/19/08 Premiere following Dancing w/ Stars Finale)

Tuesdays
7 – 8P According to Jim (2 30 min episodes back to back)
8 – 9P Dancing w/ Stars Results (3/25/08)
9 – 10P Boston Legal (4/8/08)

Wednesdays
7 – 8P Wife Swap
8 – 9P Supernanny
9 – 10P Men in Trees (2/27/08)

Thursdays
7 – 8P Lost Encore
8 – 9P Lost (3/13/08 last new episode before moving to new time period)
9 – 10P Eli Stone

**Ugly Betty will return to 7-8p time period probably in late April to air 5 new episodes through May Sweep – no return/finale dates estimated yet

**News Magazine (no show description) will probably fill 8-9P time period between end of Lost new episodes & beginning of Grey’s

**Grey’s Anatomy will return to 8-9P time period probably in late April to air 5 new episodes through May Sweeps – no return/finale dates estimated yet

**Lost will move to 9-10P time period in April to air 6 (5 + 1 saved from previous 8 already filmed) new episodes through May Sweeps – no return/finale dates estimate yet

Fridays
7 – 8P Grey’s Anatomy Repeats
8 – 9P Desperate Housewives Repeats
9 – 10P 20/20

Saturdays
7 – 10P Movie

Sundays
6 – 7P America’s Funniest Home Videos
7 – 8P Extreme Makeover: Home
8 – 9P Oprah’s Big Give (3/2/08)
9 – 10P Here Come the Newlyweds (3/2/08 Premiere)

**Desperate Housewives may return on 4/13/08 with new episodes in 9-10P time period, and then move to 8-9P time period on 4/20, with possible 2 hr finale on 5/18/08.

**Brothers & Sisters may return to 9 – 10P time period on 4/20/08 with new episodes, with finale on 5/11/08.

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It sure seems like Jay Leno will now be free to perform his nightly Tonight Show monologue. That’s because I’ve learned that the Writers Guild Of America has decided quietly not to go to war with its prominent member. ”We are not interested in a battle here between Jay and the Guild,” a WGA insider just told me. Earlier today, the WGA made a public statement that “a discussion took place today between Jay Leno and the Writers Guild to clarify to him that writing for The Tonight Show constitutes a violation of the Guilds’ strike rules.” I’m told that Leno explained to the WGA he thought he was following the WGA rules because of a provision in the Guild’s so-called “Minimum Basic Agreement” that allows for a performer to write for himself. But then the union made clear that the pact also clearly states that this provision does not apply to a Guild member who also happens to employed on the show as a writer. (Leno is both a writer and producer of The Tonight Show which is owned by NBC.) Leno admitted last night on the air during his first show back from strike hiatus that he wrote his own monologue. But Leno’s “explanation” for breaking strike rules sounds conveniently disingenuous to me considering that Jay has an army of lawyers to ensure no such confusion. Now get this: I’m told Leno can “ad-lib” his monologue. He just can’t “write” his monologue. Huh?Meanwhile, early ratings for late night TV’s return show that Jay scored a 5.3 rating and 12 audience share in the nation’s 55 largest markets for his best ratings in two years, according to Nielsen Media Research. Leno’s ratings were up 47% over what he achieved before the strike. David Letterman’s Late Show had a 4.3 rating and 10 share, or 39% better than his pre-strike average. I don’t find this surprising, since Leno had been consistently beating Letterman for years and TV viewing habits don’t change overnight. Plus, there was the “car wreck” phenomenon at work and audiences may have wanted to watch how The Tonight Show would fare without writers.

But Leno knows full well he could lose viewers if he stops his topical monologue (which is what Conan O’Brien appeared to do last night). But if Jay keeps doing his signature stand-up opening, that immediately levels the playing field with Letterman whose production company Worldwide Pants, which owns The Late Show and the Late Late Show took great pains to obtain a WGA interim agreement in order to come back on the air with an intact writing team. It sure looks like Jay will have the last laugh at the union’s expense.

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I have a feeling this controversy not only isn’t going away but will probably deepen over the next days: Jay Leno admitted last night on the air during his first show back from strike hiatus that he wrote his own monologue. That’s a huge problem because it violates the strike rules of one of his unions, the Writers Guild Of America, which is currently on strike and picketing NBC and Leno’s Tonight Show. Leno did deliver what was a funny monologue. So the big question is who wrote it: WGA members or scabs (i.e. the usual contingent of joke writers who hang out around Jay’s kitchen table)?

Leno addressed that very issue during the monologue: “You know what I’m doing? I’m doing what I did the day I started. I write jokes and wake my wife up in the middle of the night and say, ‘Honey, is this funny?’ So if this monologue doesn’t work it’s my wife’s fault,” he explained. “We are not using outside guys. We are following the guild thing… We can write for ourselves…”

Earth To Leno: That’s not the way the WGA interprets its strike rules as spelled out here: “The Strike Rules, among other provisions, prohibit Guild members from performing any writing services during a strike for any and all struck companies. This prohibition includes all writing by any Guild member that would be performed on-air by that member (including monologues, characters, and featured appearances) if any portion of that written material is customarily written by striking writers.” (See my previous: WGA Reminds Returning Jay And Conan: No Monologues.)

Now the question is what will the WGA do about it? The irony is that Leno last night sounded so proud of the jokes he claimed to have written for his monologue. Jay’s in a tough spot, to be sure: after years of beating Dave week after week, Leno could fall to No. 2 now that he’s doing The Tonight Show without his writing team because NBC won’t bargain with the striking writers. Whereas Letterman’s production company Worldwide Pants owns The Late Show (not CBS) and negotiated an interim waiver from the WGA allowing Dave to return on air with his writing team intact. Sure Leno’s ratings may stay the same or even go up as audiences anticipate a potential on-air train wreck. But can they stay there? Will America’s late night viewing habits change? And will NBC suffer?

What makes the situation even trickier is that Leno has been very supportive of his own picketing writers and the entire WGA since the strike began two months ago (see photo above) by delivering food and drinks to the scribes walking the line. So the WGA, which has made it clear it’s picketing NBC and not Leno, may not want to make an example of a high-profile member like Jay for breaking its strike rules.

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Did you know that AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, or known as the assholes who won’t give writers the money they deserve) president Nick Counter’s son-in-law is indeed a Hollywood writer. He’s WGA member Alex Kurtzman, who partners on scripts with Roberto Orci (Transformers, Mission: Impossible III, The Legend Of Zorro, The Island, Star Trek). Alex Kurtzman is married to Counter’s Director/Producer daughter, Samantha Counter, who is also a WGA member. Wow, daddy, looks like that heart of yours is made of pure ice….or maybe its made of dollar signs surrounded by ice then locked in a very durable cage. (looks like your daughter Samantha was preggers in this photo taken at Sundance 2006, so now your neglecting your grandchild as well! yikes.)

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This is the 12th of the Writers Guild Of America member-conceived Internet videos for Project “Speechless” featuring A-list Screen Actors Guild talent (CLICK IT).

For the first time in the TV and movie industry, high-profile SAG actors are together taking their talents directly and exclusively to the Internet, the very medium which is at the center of the current WGA labor strike against the Alliance Of Motion Picture & Television Producers. The project, conceived by director/writer George Hickenlooper and writer Alan Sereboff, made its exclusive weekend debut here on my Deadline Hollywood Daily with 11 videos. Starting today, the “Speechless” campaign now debuts on its new site, SpeechlessWithoutWriters.com, which will be adding new videos every day in both high-res and low-res versions.

CAST: David Schwimmer, Kate Beckinsale, Chic Eglee, Susan Sarandon, Benito Martinez, Walton Goggins, Sean Penn, Richard Benjamin, Paula Prentiss, Paula Garces, Garry Marshall, Lizzy Caplan, Holly Hunter, John Amos, Gary Dourdan, Matthew Perry, Bill Hader, Robert Patrick, James Lemar, Joshua Jackson, Matthew Modine, Bill Macy, Andre Benjamin (aka Andre 3000), Rosanna Arquette, Jill Kushner, Chazz Palminteri, Cch Pounder, Tim Robbins, Sean Penn, Christine Lahti, Eva Longoria, Patricia Clarkson, Amy Ryan, Frances Fisher, Justine Bateman, Jason Bateman, Ed Asner, Nicolette Sheridan, Felicity Huffman, America Ferrera, Judith Light, Rebecca Romijn, Ana Ortiz, Ashley Jensen, Mark Indelicato, Tony Plana, Freddy Rodriguez, Eric Mabius, Christopher Gorham, Michael Urie, Laura Linney, Alan Cumming, Michael Jace
CREATIVE TEAM: George Hickenlooper, Alan Sereboff, Kamala Lopez, Jill Kushner, Michal Shemesh
MUSIC: Mother Tongue
TECHNICAL TEAM: Joel Marshall, Justin Shumaker

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As the WGA strike begins its 4th week, there has been positive news about today’s resumption of contract talks between the writers and the producers. So positive, in fact, that I’m almost fearful to post it. But here goes: a very reliable source says that there appears to be a deal seemingly in place between both sides.”It’s already done, basically,” the insider describes. That’s because of the weeks worth of groundwork by the Hollywood agents working the writers guild leadership on one side, and the studio and network moguls on the other. I was told not to expect an agreement this week.  But my source thought it was possible that the strike could be settled before Christmas.

Look, I don’t want to raise false hope here…. The negotiations starting today will have a news blackout, so don’t expect any significant leaks. But consider the real possibility there’s been a breakthrough. Still, I must caution that this is Hollywood — where defeat is snatched from the jaws of victory nearly every time.

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This is amazing! Another great reason why NY has it all right, and LA is just picking up the pieces. I am a huge SNL fan, always have been, and even if it continues to not be the best of their work, I always will be. Thanks to the New York Times for this amazing article.The continuing writers’ strike meant there could be no new broadcasts. Instead the cast, writers and a few key production staff members had gathered in a subterranean comedy theater in Chelsea to perform the show live on stage for an audience of less than 200, including a Who’s Who of downtown comedy. The TV audience got a rerun of a Nov. 3 show, but at the Upright Citizens Brigade theater there was a rare event born of hammy necessity, unexpected availability and good vibes.

“We’re like cranky trained monkeys if we don’t get to perform,” said Amy Poehler, who is also founder of the theater. “We all thought about what we’re going to do during the strike, and because we have no other skills, we just scraped this together.”

She added: “We’re treating this as an optimistic night. We’re celebrating all the hard-working people who have been laid off.”

About a week in the making and less than a day in rehearsal, the show was a mix of the writers’ favorite old sketches and never-before-seen but already written bits that had been rejected, for raunchiness, humor or time. The cast members did their own makeup and, with the Upright Citizens Brigade staff, found their own minimal props and costumes.

Via text message Ms. Poehler had invited Michael Cera, who had starred with her husband, Will Arnett, on the Fox series “Arrested Development,” less than a week before. He had never been on the show, so his opening bit blended the monologues of past hosts: Donald Trump (“There’s nobody bigger than me!”), Paris Hilton (“That’s hot”), Snoop Dogg (“I see the word shizzle,” Mr. Cera said). Except for Maya Rudolph, a new mother, the entire cast performed, joined by ex-members like Horatio Sanz and Ms. Dratch. Darrell Hammond pulled names out of a bowl and ran with them (Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan ordering pizza; Bill Clinton and Sean Connery getting arrested).

At 1 a.m. Mr. Thompson appeared onstage and introduced “Showtime at the Apollo,” the program that normally follows “Saturday Night Live.” Ms. Poehler interrupted: “We’re just running a little long, could we have some more time?”

Proceeds from the tickets were to go to SNL’s production staff, most of whom had had been recently laid off; some were in the audience. But the performance was less about money than community. (A sold-out live version of “30 Rock,” the Tina Fey comedy, is scheduled for 8 p.m. Monday at the theater.)

I wish I was in NY more than ever right now. Grab a picket sign kids and support your writer friends!

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Well, looks like were in it for the long haul with the WGA strike at full force and no-one in the money grubbing private Producers pool house budging. So, you’re asking yourself, what if I really love “Two and a Half Men” and I want to know how many episodes are left?! Well first off, if you watch “Two and a Half Men” you probably;

a) Didn’t know a strike was going on
b) Are unaware of other shows on TV
c) Really miss your old show, JAG

Anyhow, After the jump is a current list of all the shows, and how many are left of each Pre-Strike. (”Two and a Half Men” is not on this list)

continue reading "How many episodes of your favorite show are left?"

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It’s true, I am a huge fan of Ugly Betty, HUGE. Its cheesy Telemundo type attitude and stylistic flow of a cheesy Batman film makes me want to curl up and watch it over and over on my DVR. As for their new guest star, Penelope Cruz, I would have to say the opposite. As gorgeous as she is, I am just not prepared to see someone else mosey on into Mode Magazine and be some sex pot editor from a competing magazine and try to steal Betty away from Daniel Meade.

Penelope Cruz took her new beau, Javier Bardem, out for lunch yesterday at one of her favorite LA eateries, the Italian restaurant Madeo.It’s reported that Cruz is going to try the small screen on for size and is preparing to make a guest appearance on the hit sitcom “Ugly Betty.” I’m unsure as to when or where since this strike is still in full swing. Maybe her and Salma are going to just shoot the whole thing on a digi-cam and edit it with a new Mac book. At this point, I may watch it.

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I will try to NEVER be biased about anything without hearing all the sides of the story. When writing my rant about Ellen, it was MY opinion of the story, an amazing comedian and friend of mine Mike Rose, from Planet Unicorn and Stop It fame, sent me this letter from a close friend of his. She was a writer for Ellen on numerous amounts of projects, and just wanted to let the world know what type of person she truly is.

She says:

“First, let me say that I wish that Ellen hadn’t crossed the picket lines. I
wish that she would stop making new episodes in solidarity with her writers.
I know she is under intense pressure from her affiliates and production
companies. Her show is syndicated, and she faces challenges that her late
night compatriots do not. But these are excuses and I cannot defend her
actions against the strike.

But I can defend her character. And I feel that I must.

Ellen hired me to write for her talk show even though I had little
experience. In fact, several of her writers got their start on her show.
She’s not afraid to hire green writers. She certainly took a chance on me.
She was always patient and supportive. I never felt like she was mad or
disappointed when a first draft didn’t pop. In fact, she often told me she
was proud of me. She always challenged me to write better jokes, encouraging
me to “beat” a joke that didn’t pack a strong punch. She made me a better
writer by not settling for average. And I am grateful.

I wrote for her talk show for two seasons. I also wrote for the Oscars with
her last year. Ellen loves her writers, that’s the only reason I got to
write for the Oscars. She asked the Academy to hire me and two other staff
writers from her show, in addition to the 6 other writers already on board.
The Academy asserted that they could only pay us less than half of what they
were paying the other writers. We all agreed to do it anyway. Right after
the show, Ellen gave us each a check. She paid us the difference out of her
own pocket. She said it was only fair and thanked us.

I no longer work on the talk show; I quit at the end of last season to
pursue my career as a writer/performer. It was a difficult decision because
I really loved working for her. Ellen let me move on with grace and kindness
and support. She introduced me to her agent, her managers, and offered to
help me in whatever way she could. She wished me luck and success. I was
incredibly touched by her generosity.

When she was hiring writers for her upcoming special on TBS, I got a call. I
took the job, more than happy to write for her again. Of course, I have
stopped working on “Ellen’s Really Big Show”, because I am on strike.
I will admit that Ellen had long been a hero of mine before I ever even met
her. And I can honestly say, that after working for her for two years, she
still is. She is a kind, generous and caring person. She was wonderful to
me, and I am grateful.

Liz Feldman “

Well, on one hand, I always thought she was actually a decent person, that was never what this was about. It is simply a decision based on morals and principles. She does have a lot of things to consider, and I have no idea what decision I would take if I were in her place. Thank you Liz for your viewpoint on an otherwise nasty situation.

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Well, with the WGA strike in full force many writers are not going to be returning to work anytime soon. The VERY popular Disney show, Hannah Montana, was scheduled to go back into production in February, BUT it looks like it is NOT. Instead they are very heavily underway into pushing for the Feature of the movie, very similarly to ‘HSM3‘ for wide-release. This way, all they need is an hour and a half of the same crap-ass story to make 10 times the money! It looks like all the major cast members will be joining for the film including;

• Miley Cyrus as Miley Stewart / Hannah Montana
• Emily Osment as Lilly Truscott/Lola
• Mitchel Musso as Oliver Oken/Mike Standley
• Jason Earles as Jackson Stewart
• Billy Ray Cyrus as Robby Stewart

I can’t wait to see her character almost get caught as the normal girl she pretends to be in school. I’m sure she will have some big concert she will have to preform at on the exact same day as graduation from High School. Will she be able to make it to both? will the concert overlap with her friends happiness? Damnit! Disney! Will it all work out!!!!??

Thanks to my inside Disney gal “whiskey”

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Late Thursday afternoon a letter went out to all agencies and managers who receive ‘Breakdown Services‘, the program used to deliver casting notices to all representation and in return they use to submit their actors for work on EVERY show out there. To read the letter,
continue reading "In support of strike, Breakdown Services goes FREE"

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