Category: Television

GIVE THE MAN A CIGAR?
Rumors surfacing again that former President Bill Clinton is in talks with syndication powerhouse King World and CBS about hosting a daytime talk show described as a cross between Oprah and Nightline.

But He’s A Cartoon!

Is Ned Flanders a role model?

Porn Star Proves He’s A ‘Survivor’…OF THE SEX TRADE!
CBS executives have defended the decision to cast porn actor Brian Heidik on the upcoming Thailand edition of “Survivor.”
Reality series have for the most part avoided casting players who already have professional credits under their belt, lest they appear less than “real.”
Heidik’s credits include a stint on “Days of Our Lives,” as well as guest shots on shows such as “Baywatch Nights.” He most recently appeared in a number of soft-core porn movies.
According to a network statement, “CBS was aware of his past film credits, but all of our survivors ultimately have the option to decide what elements of their background they do and don’t want written in their bios. Brian Heidik is certainly not the first actor to omit certain credits from his biography.
“While this is a part of his past, he is now a successful used-car salesman raising a family in the suburbs, and we feel he definitely brings something to the show.”

LAST LAUGH?
Ana Gasteyer is exiting Saturday Night Live after six seasons, her publicist announced Monday. Gasteyer made history as the show’s first pregnant performer.

Kudrow Willing to Make More ‘Friends’
If series star Lisa Kudrow is any indication, fans shouldn’t count their “Friends” out just yet.
Kudrow, for one, may be willing to continue with the NBC sitcom past its upcoming ninth season, which as of now will likely be its last.
Interviewed for the season premiere of Oxygen’s “Conversations From the Edge With Carrie Fisher” (which airs in The States Aug. 18), Kudrow told the host that she didn’t know if this would actually be the final season of “Friends.”
“You know now I hope not,” Kudrow said. “I’m actually comfortable saying I’m not. Which means it probably will be the last year.
“You know we all get along, and we still have fun and the writers are still working really hard and they do good stories,” she said. “You look around and you see that a lot of reasons shows finish is (that) the ratings are really bad. We were No. 1 for the first time ever in our eighth season.”

GIMME SOME SPACEY
Oscar winner Kevin Spacey will narrate “America Rebuilds,” PBS’ look at the aftermath of Sept. 11 – and the rebuilding efforts still underway at Ground Zero.
The 90-minute movie will air Tuesday, Sept. 10.
Filming on the documentary began on Oct. 31. Then-Mayor Rudy Giuliani gave Great Projects complete access to the 16-acre site.
Meanwhile, CBS has announced plans to rebroadcast “9/11” on Sept. 11 following CBS newsman’s Scott Pelley’s exclusive interview with President Bush.
The documentary was shot by French brothers Gedeon and Jules Naudet, who were following the FDNY’s Ladder 1, Engine 7 for a special.
“9/11” originally aired last March and was introduced by Oscar winner Robert DeNiro.

Bored Of Summer TV?
Here are the Fall 2002 premiere dates.

ALL YOU WANNA DO?
CBS announcing that Grammy-winner Sheryl Crow will show up at the Big Brother 3 house and perform an “exclusive mini-concert” as a surprise luxury reward for the houseguests. The special two-hour episode airs August 21 at 9 p.m.

THAI ONE ON
CBS announcing the names of 16 new castaways competing on Survivor: Thailand, the fifth installment of the show debuting September 19. They include a 29-year-old firefighter, a 30-year-old New York cop and, of course, a 23-year-old bartender.
Wanna meet them?

U.S. Senator Joins LAW & ORDER Cast
U.S. Senator Fred Thompson has joined the cast of NBC’s LAW & ORDER, playing the new chief prosecutor. The show is Thompson’s first television role for the former actor. Thompson has appeared in 18 films, including DIE HARD 2. Thompson will play a newly appointed district attorney assigned to ride herd over assistant DAs Jack McCoy and Serena Southerlyn. He will fill the role abandoned by Dianne Wiest.