The Vent Of The Week

"Dennis Rodman Slams Obama"

2013-05-18T11:02:00.001-04:00

Dennis Rodman, who has asked North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for the release of a Korean-American man sentenced to 15 years of hard labor, says he may just have to do it himself.
"I'm calling on the Supreme Leader of North Korea or as I call him 'Kim', to do me a solid and cut Kenneth Bae loose," Rodman said on Twitter last week.

But after he, unsurprisingly, didn't get a response from "friend" Kim Jong Un, Rodman says he's going to the country himself.

"I'm gonna try and get the guy out. It's gonna be difficult," Rodman tells a paparazzo.
"We got a black president who cant even go talk to him? Obama can't do sh-t. I don't know why he won't go talk to him," he said of talking to the North Korean leader.

Bae was sentenced last week for unspecified "hostile acts" against the state. North Korea claims the 44-year-old Washington state man entered the country with a disguised identity.

"William Shatner Pitches Captain Kirk In 'Star Wars' To Abrams On Kimmel"

2013-05-18T10:58:00.000-04:00

On 'Jimmy Kimmel Live', William Shatner appeared during a segment in which fans were pitching ideas to JJ Abrams for 'Star Wars' to present his own idea.

"Yeah, you know... Hans Solo, Lando? Captain Kirk! No rules, no shirts, you know, road trip of a lifetime kind of thing," said Shatner.

"That actually sounds pretty great," said Abrams.

"Yeah it is... because I wrote it," quipped the actor.

He also weighed in on the fans' suggestions: "But I agree with those weird people that Leia and Chewy should do it. They should do it, JJ! I've made some sketches here. Hot stuff! This is box office!"

"Phil Jackson Compares Kobe Bryant & Michael Jordan"

2013-05-18T10:53:00.001-04:00

Phil Jackson opened the 'Tonight Show with Jay Leno' last night and during his interview spoke about the differences between two of the best players the game has seen: Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan.

"This is something people have asked me over all the years I've coached these two guys," said Jackson as he added something telling. "They both have this competitive zeal that's unmatched. However, competitiveness for Kobe stops at the end of the basketball court. He's not competitive anymore." "Michael wants to race you to the car, he wants to beat you at ping-pong, you know, he wants to play cards with you, he wants to beat you in golf. All those things. He's competitive all the way through." "Their game: Michael had these incredible hands where he could take the ball, just show it to a guy and get him off his feet.

That alone was a difference maker for him as a basketball player. Little better shooting percentage, little more consistent with the type of game he's going to play. Little more into the team system." "Kobe didn't have all the schooling," he added. "But both of them championship players, no doubt about it." Jackson spoke about how he once arranged a face to face meeting between the two. "First thing he does, he sits down, he says to Michael: 'You know I could beat you one on one, right?'" Jordan's advice to Kobe was to stay inside the team offense but bring out his game when it really mattered in the fourth quarter. Jackson also went into what happened with the Lakers coaching job earlier in the season. He said the team approached him about the opening and he told them he would let them know by Monday. But midnight on Sunday, the team called him and said they had filled with role with what they felt was the best fit for the team.

"Barbara Walters Tells Letterman She Held Fidel Castro's Gun"

2013-05-18T10:48:00.002-04:00

While discussing her career with David Letterman, Barbara Walters recalled interviewing Fidel Castro in 1977. "I spent a lot of time with Fidel Castro," began Walters. We travelled through..."
"What does that mean Barbara?," Letterman joked. "I'm just trying to... one would not do it today," she said. "We spent ten days travelling through the mountains. He was trying to show me how they were going to make it a resort." "I held his gun, believe it or not, in my lap," she said before a hint of realization hit her. "I would like to tell to tell everybody that this segment has not been rehearsed. Let's get back to the President so I can have a little more decorum."

"Adam Sandler Tells Leno To Go To Fox"

2013-05-18T10:44:00.000-04:00

Jay Leno is readying to exit stage left from NBC’s Tonight Show next February. So Adam Sandler was a guest Thursday and offered a little unsolicited advice about Leno’s post-Tonight plans. Of course, Sandler doesn’t mention that the problem is that Fox would have to get clearance for any late-night show from the affiliates who get to keep all the ad revenue from their late local news. Fox then might have to compensate them for any lost revenue.

"Steve Carell Returns To The Office"

2013-05-18T10:42:00.002-04:00

Steve Carell reprised his role as former Dunder Mifflin manager Michael Scott after all — appearing about 45 minutes into The Office finale to be Dwight’s “bestest mensch” (read: best man) at his wedding to Angela. After Michael unexpectedly appears, Dwight (Rainn Wilson) says: “Michael, I can’t believe you came.” His former boss replies: “That’s what she said.” Later in the episode, he tells the documentary crew: “I feel like my kids all grew up and married each other — it’s every parent’s dream.” Carell earned six Emmy noms for the role but never won. He left the series after its seventh season.

TV Character of the Week

2013-04-26T22:24:00.003-04:00

Barney Stinson: Mr. Stinson is the Master of the Possimpible

"History Renews Vikings"

2013-04-07T20:12:00.001-04:00

History Channel announced today that it is picking up another season of Vikings. The first scripted drama for the network, Vikings will return for 10-episode second season next year. Production is set to begin this summer. The show’s first-season finale will air April 28. The renewal comes five episodes into what has been a successful run for the series. With a lead-in from the Mark Burnett-produced The Bible, Vikings had 6.2 million viewers, 2.5 million adults 18-49 viewers and 2.7 million adults 25-54 catch its March 3 debut. That topped the broadcast networks at 10 PM in the 18-49 demo. The series has emerged as the No. 1 new cable series of the year.

"Star Trek Gun Sells For More Then 200k"

2013-04-07T20:08:00.001-04:00

The prop weapon created for Star Trek‘s William Shatner was only expected to bring in $50,000 on the auction block. But Saturday’s $231,000 score led a slew of film-related memorabilia sales at Hollywood Legends’ two day auction, Reuters reports. Also sold: The alien survey buggy from Alien snagged $10,625, Christopher Reeve’s Superman IV costume went for $25,000, and Marilyn Monroe’s Some Like It Hot bra fetched $28,125. Even the custom “Black Beauty” car from 2011′s The Green Hornet nabbed $46,875.

"MMA Fighter Faked Death"

2013-03-23T13:29:00.003-04:00

Mixed martial arts promoters Christos Piliafas and Scott DiPonio were shocked to learn that one of their fighters was a suspect in the holdup of a Michigan gun shop this week. After all, it was only two weeks ago that they raised more than $1,000 to help the amateur heavyweight's family pay for his funeral.

Charles Rowan, 25, didn't die in a February car wreck while en route to his fifth bout, as his girlfriend, Rosalinda Martinez, claimed that night, according to DiPonio. The couple and a friend, Michael Bowman, were in a Gladwin courtroom Friday to hear the charges against them: armed robbery and assault with intent to murder. Each requested a court-appointed attorney.

"Ashley Williams Joins Keep Calm & Karey On"

2013-03-23T13:26:00.002-04:00

Ashley Williams has joined another 20th TV pilot, ABC comedy Keep Calm & Karey On, from Andrea Abbate. The project centers on Karey (Kelly Preston), the clean-nosed black sheep in a family of petty thieves, drug addicts, and narcissists. When her brother is sent to prison, she decides to raise his kids along with her adopted black son and give them the normal lives they deserve. Williams, repped by Gersh and Luber/Rocklin, will play Karey’s sister Penny. She replaces Majandra Delfino, who was originally cast in the part. (She is now on 20th’s comedy pilot for CBS Friends With Better Lives).

"VH1′s ‘The Jenny McCarthy Show’ Gets Renewal"

2013-03-23T13:26:00.001-04:00

VH1 is extending The Jenny McCarthy Show with an order for seven more episodes. The pop culture talk show, which premiered February 8, will wrap its original order with the show next Friday, March 29. After a short break, Jenny McCarthy will be back on the air with the seven new episodes on Friday, April 12 in its 10:30 PM time slot. The renewal comes amidst talk that McCarthy is being considered for the seat on The View that is being vacated by Joy Behar. McCarthy recently shot down the rumors, stressing her commitment to her VH1 show, though she said that she will make guest appearances on the ABC panel talk show while the search for a permanent co-host is on. The Jenny McCarthy Show debuted with 201,000 viewers and has remained stable, drawing 196,000 viewers last Friday.

"Oz The Great And Powerful Crosses $300M"

2013-03-23T13:24:00.001-04:00

The Disney pic eclipsed the worldwide milestone yesterday, with the international cume now at $154.2M to go along with $152.9M domestic. Oz The Great And Powerful is likely to pass $175M on Sunday in North America, with spring break vacation and the Easter weekend still to come. Sam Raimi’s 3D fantasy crossed $100M in six days after its huge $80M+ domestic debut March 8 — the biggest opening of 2013 and the third-best March opening ever — and it held its No. 1 spot this past weekend with little in the way of competition for family eyeballs.

"Carla Gugino To Star In ABC Pilot Doubt"

2013-03-23T13:22:00.003-04:00

After a long courtship, Carla Gugino has signed on as the female lead opposite Steve Coogan in David Shore’s ABC legal drama pilot Doubt. Also cast in the project, from Sony TV, is John Pankow. It centers on Vincent (Coogan), a former cop who’s now a cunning but charming low-rent lawyer using his street smarts to work the system for his clients while battling his own demons and wooing his ex-wife Linda (Gugino). Linda is a no-nonsense ADA who has little patience for courtroom antics, especially when it comes to her impulsive ex-husband. Despite their separation, they still hook up occasionally for torrid sex, and although she can no longer live with Vince, it’s apparent that Linda still has a deep affection for him.

"David Lowery To Reinvent ‘Pete’s Dragon’ For Disney"

2013-03-21T09:14:00.003-04:00

David Lowery has hired on with writing partner Toby Halbrooks to script Pete’s Dragon for Disney and producer Jim Whitaker. I’m told they will reinvent the core story of a venerable Disney family film. It will not be a musical and at this point Lowery is just engaged as writer. The original 1977 Pete’s Dragon mixed an animated fire-breather with a live-action cast of actors that included Mickey Rooney, Red Buttons, Shelley Winters, Helen Reddy and Jim Dale, with Sean Marshall playing the orphan boy who comes to a town with his magical dragon, his abusive adoptive parents in hot pursuit.

"Mark Duplass Joins Melissa McCarthy Comedy Tammy"

2013-03-21T09:10:00.003-04:00

Melissa McCarthy is getting some company on the road in her starring vehicle Tammy. The New Line comedy has cast Mark Duplass (Safety Not Guaranteed, The Mindy Project) in a key role in the pic about a woman (McCarthy) who loses her job and discovers her husband is cheating, then hits the asphalt with her foul-mouthed grandmother. She meets a man (Duplass) on her trip and they develop a strange relationship.

"Dax Shepard Joins WB’s The Judge"

2013-03-21T09:07:00.000-04:00

Robert Downey Jr. anchors Warner Bros.‘ The Judge, the David Dobkin-directed project about a lawyer who returns home after his mother’s death only to learn that his estranged father, the town’s judge (Robert Duvall), is suspected of murder. Dax Shepard joins a cast that includes Vincent D’Onofrio and Vera Farmiga. The Team Downey and Big Kid Pictures film is written by Bill Dubuque, who was tapped to redraft Nick Schenk’s original script. Downey, Susan Downey, and Dobkin are producing.

"Ed Reed To Join Texans"

2013-03-20T20:12:00.003-04:00

Free-agent safety Ed Reed is on the verge of joining the Houston Texans, according to multiple reports. Houston is set to bring on a safety in Ed Reed who will give any opposing QB second thoughts about throwing deep. In the last three seasons (including playoffs), Reed has a league-high 17 picks. Twelve of those have come at least 15 yards downfield, good for second-most in the league. Reed, who has spent his entire career with the Baltimore Ravens, visited the Texans last week but left last Friday without a deal.

According to reports, the Texans offered Reed a 3-year deal in the salary range of $4 million per year, though Reed has been seeking a salary similar to the $7.2 million he earned last season. The Ravens, who have seen significant turnover since winning the franchise's second Super Bowl, appeared interested in retaining the nine-time Pro Bowler.

"Danni Allen Wins The Biggest Loser"

2013-03-19T11:11:00.002-04:00

The 14th season of NBC's weight loss show The Biggest Loser came to an end Monday night, and in what amounted to a photo finish, Dannielle "Danni" Allen, a 26-year-old advertising account coordinator from Wheeling, Ill., beat out second-place finisher, Jeff Nichols of Monroe, Mich.
Finishing the competition at 137 pounds, Danni lost 46.9 percent of her starting weight of 258, a loss of 121 pounds. By comparison, Jeff lost 46.6 percent of his starting weight, and his final weigh-in clocked him at 207 pounds -- down from a starting weight of 388 pounds. Third place finisher Jackson Carter lost more than 42 percent of his starting weight, dropping from 328 pounds to 190. The winning contestant not only earns $250,000, but also a spot in a Subway commercial. Gina McDonald, a previously-eliminated contestant, nabbed $100,000 during the finale because she kept up her grueling weight loss regimen even after being booted from the show, losing a total of 113 pounds.

"Kraft: We Wanted Wes Welker Back"

2013-03-19T10:34:00.004-04:00

The owner took some not so subtle shots at Welker’s agents, Athletes First, explaining, “I really believe in this case, his agents misrepresented, in their mind, what his market value was. When you come right down to the bottom line, he accepted a deal in Denver which is less money than what we offered him. In fact, he has a one-year deal in Denver for $6 million. Our last offer, before we would have even gone up and before we thought we were going into free agency, was a $10 million offer with incentives that would have earned him another $6 million if he performed the way he had the previous two years. But in Denver, he’s going to count $4 million against the cap this coming year and $8 million the second year. There is no guarantee that he plays the second year there. He will get $6 million the first year. Our deal, he would have gotten $8 million the first year – our last offer to him."

"Indiana Jones To Visit U.S. Congress"

2013-03-19T10:23:00.001-04:00

Usually Congressional Republicans diss Hollywood during campaigns. Unless they can use film celebrities to promote their causes. So Missouri Republican Congressman Sam Graves is publicizing the fact that no less than Indiana Jones himself, longtime pilot Harrison Ford, will join members of the U.S. House General Aviation Caucus on Tuesday to discuss “issues of importance to the general aviation community”. Ford in 2011 visited the Senate General Aviation Caucus to do the same thing.

"Rainn Wilson Set As The Lead In Backstrom"

2013-03-17T20:54:00.001-04:00

After a lengthy search, The Office‘s Rainn Wilson has been tapped for the title role in the CBS/20th TV drama pilot Backstrom. Also cast in the project, based on the Swedish book series, is Page Kennedy. Written by Bones creator Hart Hanson, Backstrom centers on Everett Backstrom (Wilson), an overweight, offensive, irascible detective as he tries, and fails, to change his self-destructive behavior. In addition to starring, Wilson will serve as a producer. He segues to Backstrom straight from The Office, which wrapped production on its ninth and final episode yesterday. Wilson, repped by WME and 3 Arts, played one of the Emmy-winning comedy series’ signature characters, Dwight Schrute, since the pilot.

"Sean Astin To Co-Star In Surgeon General"

2013-03-16T09:59:00.001-04:00

The Lord Of The Rings‘ Sean Astin has joined Jason Issacs and Kathryn Morris in CBS’ drama pilot Surgeon General. Written by Samuel Baum and produced by CBS TV Studios, the project centers on Dr. John Sherman (Isaacs), the most powerful doctor in the nation, the Surgeon General, who has 315 million patients. Astin, repped by Innovative, LuberRoklin and Dave Feldman, will play Dr. Fischer, a psychiatrist and a member of Dr. Sherman’s team, overseeing the nation’s mental health. He will next be seen in The Call.

"Brian Hartline Works At A Convenience Store In The Off-Season"

2013-03-16T09:59:00.000-04:00

Most NFL players dedicate their offseason to relaxing and working out, but Miami Dolphins wide receiver Brian Hartline has himself a summer job. Hartline inked a five-year, $31 million contract extension with the Dolphins last week, but he has decided to keep his day job despite having a tremendous amount of financial security. On Wednesday while he was speaking with Dan LeBatard on 790 The Ticket in Miami, Hartline said something about being too busy working a drive-thru to keep up with NFL news. LeBatard fluffed it off at first, but quickly realized he was serious.

“Me and my buddies have always wanted to (own a convenience store),” Hartline explained. “(My friend) ran a lot of them in Ohio with his family since he was 15 and we wanted to go into business. We bought our first one in January.” The hosts then began ribbing Hartline and asking him what type of dream owning and operating a convenience store is. “The dream,” he said proudly. “The American dream. Owning your own business.”

"Dan Patrick Approached For Jeopardy Job"

2013-03-16T09:35:00.000-04:00

NBC Sports personality Dan Patrick are among those approached by the studio, along with embattled Today show co-host Matt Lauer and CNN’s Anderson Cooper. Sony Pictures TV is casting a wide net in its search for a successor to Alex Trebek as host of one of the studio’s top properties, veteran game show Jeopardy!. I have learned that NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams.