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Monday, September 29, 2008

NBC Strong on Sunday, "Desperate Housewives" Top Show of the Night for ABC.

Source: Zap2it.com


Ratings: Football Carries NBC Again Sunday
'Desperate Housewives' is the night's top show, but NBC's stronger overall



Fast National ratings for Sunday, Sept. 28, 2008

ABC got a solid premiere from "Desperate Housewives" Sunday night, but it wasn't enough to dislodge NBC from the top of the ratings heap.

NBC scored an 8.2 rating/13 share for the night (which may change some because of its live NFL telecast), narrowly beating ABC's 7.8/12. CBS, 6.9/11, finished third, while FOX, which also had some live sports, drew a 6.4/10. The CW was way back at 0.9/1.

In the adults 18-49 demographic, NBC's 5.2 rating led the way. FOX, 4.6, beat out ABC, 4.4, for second. CBS drew a 2.6, and The CW fell below the 1.0 mark.

Late-afternoon NFL games and "The OT" combined for a 9.5/16 on FOX at 7 p.m. CBS took second with NFL overruns "60 Minutes," 7.7/13. The season premiere of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," 4.5/8, put ABC in third, ahead of "Football Night in America," 3.8/7, on NBC. The CW aired a "One Tree Hill" repeat.

NBC took the lead at 8 p.m. with "Sunday Night Football," 9.2/14. "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" rose to 7.4/11 on ABC. The conclusion of "60 Minutes" and the season premiere of "The Amazing Race" scored a 6.2/10 for CBS. Premieres of "The Simpsons," 5.6/9, and "King of the Hill," 4.2/6, were fourth overall for FOX and second in the 18-49 demo. The CW went with "Privileged."

At 9 p.m., the "Desperate Housewives" premiere delivered an 11.4/17, down some from last season's premiere but still good enough to top NBC's NFL broadcast, 10.1/15. "The Amazing Race" and "Cold Case" averaged 7.3/11 for CBS. "Family Guy," 5.5/9, and "American Dad," 4.2/6, held steady for FOX, while The CW finished its night with "America's Next Top Model."

NBC reclaimed the lead at 10 p.m. with its coverage of the Chicago Bears-Philadelphia Eagles game, 9.5/15. "Brothers & Sisters" debuted to an 8.0/13 on ABC, while "Cold Case" and "The Unit" delivered a 6.2/10 for CBS.

Sunday, September 28, 2008

WWE's RAW/SmackDown Supershow at Toronto, Canada, Ticket Prices

WWE Hyping Huge RAW/SmackDown Supershow, Ticket Prices
Date Added: September 28, 2008
Story By: Patrick Boucher
Sources: WrestlingObserver.com, ProWrestling.NET

-- WWE is hyping the December 22nd event in Toronto will be a RAW & SmackDown taping show. Here is the preview they are sending out, "Witness two of the most exciting WWE television shows take place the same night, under one roof for one ticket price," reads a post on the Air Canada Centre website. "First see Smackdown live and then be a part of Monday Night Raw hen it is broadcast live to the world from Toronto."

-- Speaking of the RAW/SmackDown supershow, tickets for the event go on sale October 25th. Ticket prices are listed at $60, $40, $30, $25 and $20.

SmackDown News, Rey Mysterio, McCool

Updates on Rey Mysterio & SmackDown, McCool, More
Date Added: September 28, 2008
Story By: Marc Middleton
Partial source: Wrestling Observer

- Ever since Rey Mysterio left the SmackDown brand for RAW, the Hispanic rating for WWE on Friday night's has gone way down. While we don't have any data on RAW's ratings in that demographic, we do know it has been a slow drop for SmackDown and now the show only does slightly above its national average among Hispanics. This explains why Primo and Carlito were put on the show and pushed with the Tag Team belts.

- The latest WWE Shopzone releases include CM Punk and Jeff Hardy hooded sweatshirts and the Unforgiven 2008 DVD and DVD/t-shirt packages.

- WWE Divas Champion Michelle McCool was a special guest of U.S. Olympic Volleyball Gold Medalists Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh at the AVP Crocs Cup Shootout presented by the Bud Light Manhattan Beach Open last weekend in California. McCool made the first ceremonial serve before the tournament began.

SmackDown! 1-2 Punch Card for Friday (Oct. 3) on MyNetworkTV

-- Here is the updated card for SmackDown's big MyNetwork TV debut this coming Friday night:

Triple Threat Champions Match:
Chris Jericho vs Triple H vs Matt Hardy

8 Man Tag Team Match:
JBL, The Brian Kendrick, MVP & Kane, vs Rey Mysterio, Jeff Hardy, Batista and Finlay

Diva's Champion vs Women's Champion Match:
Michelle McCool vs Beth Phoenix

US Champion vs IC Champion:
Shelton Benjamin vs Santino Marella

Remember, none of the titles will be on the line.

FOX Sunday Returns Tonight!

FOX Sunday:
- Viewer discretion is advised.
8:00/7:00c - The Simpsons (season premiere)
8:30/7:30c - King of the Hill (season premiere)
9:00/8:00c - Family Guy (season premiere)
9:30/8:30c - American Dad (season premiere)

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Legendary Paul Newman Dies at the Age of 83

Source: Yahoo!

Legendary actor Paul Newman dies at age 83
Saturday September 27 9:16 AM ET

Paul Newman, the Academy-Award winning superstar who personified cool as an activist, race car driver, popcorn impresario and the anti-hero of such films as "Hud," "Cool Hand Luke" and "The Color of Money," has died. He was 83.

Newman died Friday after a long battle with cancer at his farmhouse near Westport, publicist Jeff Sanderson said. He was surrounded by his family and close friends.

In May, Newman he had dropped plans to direct a fall production of "Of Mice and Men," citing unspecified health issues.

He got his start in theater and on television during the 1950s, and went on to become one of the world's most enduring and popular film stars, a legend held in awe by his peers. He was nominated for Oscars 10 times, winning one regular award and two honorary ones, and had major roles in more than 50 motion pictures, including "Exodus," "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," "The Verdict," "The Sting" and "Absence of Malice."

Newman worked with some of the greatest directors of the past half century, from Alfred Hitchcock and John Huston to Robert Altman, Martin Scorsese and the Coen brothers. His co-stars included Elizabeth Taylor, Lauren Bacall, Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks and, most famously, Robert Redford, his sidekick in "Butch Cassidy" and "The Sting."

He sometimes teamed with his wife and fellow Oscar winner, Joanne Woodward, with whom he had one of Hollywood's rare long-term marriages. "I have steak at home, why go out for hamburger?" Newman told Playboy magazine when asked if he was tempted to stray. They wed in 1958, around the same time they both appeared in "The Long Hot Summer," and Newman directed her in several films, including "Rachel, Rachel" and "The Glass Menagerie"

With his strong, classically handsome face and piercing blue eyes, Newman was a heartthrob just as likely to play against his looks, becoming a favorite with critics for his convincing portrayals of rebels, tough guys and losers. "I was always a character actor," he once said. "I just looked like Little Red Riding Hood."

Newman had a soft spot for underdogs in real life, giving tens of millions to charities through his food company and setting up camps for severely ill children. Passionately opposed to the Vietnam War, and in favor of civil rights, he was so famously liberal that he ended up on President Nixon's "enemies list," one of the actor's proudest achievements, he liked to say.

A screen legend by his mid-40s, he waited a long time for his first competitive Oscar, winning in 1987 for "The Color of Money," a reprise of the role of pool shark "Fast" Eddie Felson, whom Newman portrayed in the 1961 film "The Hustler."

Newman delivered a magnetic performance in "The Hustler," playing a smooth-talking, whiskey-chugging pool shark who takes on Minnesota Fats played by Jackie Gleason and becomes entangled with a gambler played by George C. Scott. In the sequel directed by Scorsese "Fast Eddie" is no longer the high-stakes hustler he once was, but rather an aging liquor salesman who takes a young pool player (Cruise) under his wing before making a comeback.

He won an honorary Oscar in 1986 "in recognition of his many and memorable compelling screen performances and for his personal integrity and dedication to his craft." In 1994, he won a third Oscar, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, for his charitable work.

His most recent academy nod was a supporting actor nomination for the 2002 film "Road to Perdition." One of Newman's nominations was as a producer; the other nine were in acting categories. (Jack Nicholson holds the record among actors for Oscar nominations, with 12; actress Meryl Streep has had 14.)

As he passed his 80th birthday, he remained in demand, winning an Emmy and a Golden Globe for the 2005 HBO drama "Empire Falls" and providing the voice of a crusty 1951 car in the 2006 Disney-Pixar hit, "Cars."

But in May 2007, he told ABC's "Good Morning America" he had given up acting, though he intended to remain active in charity projects. "I'm not able to work anymore as an actor at the level I would want to," he said. "You start to lose your memory, your confidence, your invention. So that's pretty much a closed book for me."

He received his first Oscar nomination for playing a bitter, alcoholic former star athlete in the 1958 film "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof." Elizabeth Taylor played his unhappy wife and Burl Ives his wealthy, domineering father in Tennessee Williams' harrowing drama, which was given an upbeat ending for the screen.

In "Cool Hand Luke," he was nominated for his gritty role as a rebellious inmate in a brutal Southern prison. The movie was one of the biggest hits of 1967 and included a tagline, delivered one time by Newman and one time by prison warden Strother Martin, that helped define the generation gap, "What we've got here is (a) failure to communicate."

Newman's hair was graying, but he was as gourgeous as ever and on the verge of his greatest popular success. In 1969, Newman teamed with Redford for "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," a comic Western about two outlaws running out of time. Newman paired with Redford again in 1973 in "The Sting," a comedy about two Depression-era con men. Both were multiple Oscar winners and huge hits, irreverent, unforgettable pairings of two of the best-looking actors of their time.

Newman also turned to producing and directing. In 1968, he directed "Rachel, Rachel," a film about a lonely spinster's rebirth. The movie received four Oscar nominations, including Newman, for producer of a best motion picture, and Woodward, for best actress. The film earned Newman the best director award from the New York Film Critics.

In the 1970s, Newman, admittedly bored with acting, became fascinated with auto racing, a sport he studied when he starred in the 1972 film, "Winning." After turning professional in 1977, Newman and his driving team made strong showings in several major races, including fifth place in Daytona in 1977 and second place in the Le Mans in 1979.

"Racing is the best way I know to get away from all the rubbish of Hollywood," he told People magazine in 1979.

Despite his love of race cars, Newman continued to make movies and continued to pile up Oscar nominations, his looks remarkably intact, his acting becoming more subtle, nothing like the mannered method performances of his early years, when he was sometimes dismissed as a Brando imitator. "It takes a long time for an actor to develop the assurance that the trim, silver-haired Paul Newman has acquired," Pauline Kael wrote of him in the early 1980s.

In 1982, he got his Oscar fifth nomination for his portrayal of an honest businessman persecuted by an irresponsible reporter in "Absence of Malice." The following year, he got his sixth for playing a down-and-out alcoholic attorney in "The Verdict."

In 1995, he was nominated for his slyest, most understated work yet, the town curmudgeon and deadbeat in "Nobody's Fool." New York Times critic Caryn James found his acting "without cheap sentiment and self-pity," and observed, "It says everything about Mr. Newman's performance, the single best of this year and among the finest he has ever given, that you never stop to wonder how a guy as good-looking as Paul Newman ended up this way."

Newman, who shunned Hollywood life, was reluctant to give interviews and usually refused to sign autographs because he found the majesty of the act offensive, according to one friend.

He also claimed that he never read reviews of his movies.

"If they're good you get a fat head and if they're bad you're depressed for three weeks," he said.

Off the screen, Newman had a taste for beer and was known for his practical jokes. He once had a Porsche installed in Redford's hallway crushed and covered with ribbons.

"I think that my sense of humor is the only thing that keeps me sane," he told Newsweek magazine in a 1994 interview.

In 1982, Newman and his Westport neighbor, writer A.E. Hotchner, started a company to market Newman's original oil-and-vinegar dressing. Newman's Own, which began as a joke, grew into a multimillion-dollar business selling popcorn, salad dressing, spaghetti sauce and other foods. All of the company's profits are donated to charities. By 2007, the company had donated more than $175 million, according to its Web site.

In 1988, Newman founded a camp in northeastern Connecticut for children with cancer and other life-threatening diseases. He went on to establish similar camps in several other states and in Europe.

He and Woodward bought an 18th century farmhouse in Westport, where they raised their three daughters, Elinor "Nell," Melissa and Clea.

Newman had two daughters, Susan and Stephanie, and a son, Scott, from a previous marriage to Jacqueline Witte.

Scott died in 1978 of an accidental overdose of alcohol and Valium. After his only son's death, Newman established the Scott Newman Foundation to finance the production of anti-drug films for children.

Newman was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the second of two boys of Arthur S. Newman, a partner in a sporting goods store, and Theresa Fetzer Newman.

He was raised in the affluent suburb of Shaker Heights, where he was encouraged him to pursue his interest in the arts by his mother and his uncle Joseph Newman, a well-known Ohio poet and journalist.

Following World War II service in the Navy, he enrolled at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, where he got a degree in English and was active in student productions.

He later studied at Yale University's School of Drama, then headed to New York to work in theater and television, his classmates at the famed Actor's Studio including Brando, James Dean and Karl Malden. His breakthrough was enabled by tragedy: Dean, scheduled to star as the disfigured boxer in a television adaptation of Ernest Hemingway's "The Battler," died in a car crash in 1955. His role was taken by Newman, then a little-known performer.

Newman started in movies the year before, in "The Silver Chalice," a costume film he so despised that he took out an ad in Variety to apologize. By 1958, he had won the best actor award at the Cannes Film Festival for the shiftless Ben Quick in "The Long Hot Summer."

In December 1994, about a month before his 70th birthday, he told Newsweek magazine he had changed little with age.

"I'm not mellower, I'm not less angry, I'm not less self-critical, I'm not less tenacious," he said. "Maybe the best part is that your liver can't handle those beers at noon anymore," he said.

Newman is survived by his wife, five children, two grandsons and his older brother Arthur.

___

On the Net:

http://www.newmansown.com/

SmackDown! Leaves A Good Rating As It Leaves The CW, ABC Wins Friday with Presidential Debate

Friday 9/26/08

-Total Viewers:
ABC: 8.74 million, CBS: 7.39, NBC: 6.50, Fox: 4.42, CW: 4.41

-Adults 18-49:
ABC: 2.6 rating/8 share, CBS and NBC: 2.0/ 6 each, Fox and CW: 1.4/ 4 each
______________

Source: Zap2it.com

Ratings: Presidental Debate Is Great for ABC Friday
Despite a strong showing for a rerun of CBS' 'The Mentalist,' ABC won the households and adult demo numbers for the night

Fast National ratings for Friday, Sept. 26, 2008

It should be noted that due to the live nature of Friday night's Presidential debate, with a 6 pm pre-prime start time on the West Coast, the time-period based affiliate ratings are not truly accurate and will likely change dramatically as the numbers are finalized.
Photo on the right: Diane Sawyer of ABC News

Although this marked the first Friday of the official 2008-09 TV season, the debate between Presidential candidates Sen. John McCain and Sen. Barack Obama threw the programming for a loop, landing ABC the ultimate win with its coverage.

ABC averaged a 5.6 rating/9 share in primetime to bring it to the top for the night. CBS came in second in households at 4.8/8, followed by NBC with a 4.1/7. FOX took fourth place with a 2.8/5, while The CW trailed with a 2.4/4.

Similarly, ABC took the prize with the 18-49 demographic with a solid 2.6, well ahead of tied rivals CBS and NBC with 2.0 apiece. Also tied were FOX and The CW with a 1.4 each.

CBS actually led at 8 p.m. with its rerun of the premiere of "The Mentalist" earning a strong 5.2/9, while ABC's special "20/20" featuring Part I of "Portrait of a President," in which Diane Sawyer delved into the early lives of Obama and McCain, drew a respectable 4.6/8. Third place went to FOX's "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?" with a 3.3/6, followed by NBC's "America's Toughest Jobs," 2.9/5. The CW brought up the rear with its "Friday Night SmackDown!"

It was a different story in the 9 o'clock hour, however, when the debate began and viewers flocked to ABC, giving the network a 6.4/10. NBC, 4.9/8, barely edged CBS, 4.8/8, with its coverage. Meanwhile, The CW stayed consistent with a 2.5/4 for its un-presidential "SmackDown" second hour, beating FOX's debate coverage, 2.4/4.

At 10 p.m. for the second hour of the debate, ABC maintained its lead with a 5.6/9, while NBC, 4.5/8, pulled more ahead of CBS, 4.3/7.

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - Official Results (September 26, 2008)


Results:
Keeping your enemies close
By: Mitch Passero
September 26,
2008


COLUMBUS, Ohio – To kick off SmackDown, fans at Ohio State University were treated to a blockbuster match-up that had all the makings for a main event that might normally cap off a night of action.

In an unlikely pairing,
WWE Champion Triple H joined forces with his No Mercy opponent, Jeff Hardy, to take on Montel Vontavious Porter and The Brian Kendrick. Putting their differences aside, The Game and Hardy were able to earn a victory when The King of Kings nailed MVP with a Pedigree for the pinfall. (Watch Photos)

After the win, Hardy and Triple H shook hands. But at No Mercy, animosity will reign as championship gold is on the line.
No Mercy preview …

Kozlov still undefeated
Vladimir Kozlov had never encountered anyone like the 7-foot-3, 420-pound The Great Khali. In a clash of styles, the two beasts locked horns. But before a winner could be decided, Triple H rushed into the arena looking for some payback against the Moscow Mauler. Mayhem quickly ensued, as Khali and Kozlov attacked The Game. But No. 1 contender Hardy didn’t like what he saw and came to help even the odds. (Watch Photos)

Death in the air
Fearful of what
Undertaker might do to him again, Chavo Guerrero nervously entered into his match against Jimmy Wang Yang. Using a rolling wheel kick, Guerrero took down Yang to get the pinfall. But after the match, the house lights went out momentarily, sending Chavo into a panic. It was an ominous sign of things to come later in the night when Undertaker choked Chavo in GM Vickie Guerrero’s office, then suddenly appeared in the ring to decimate the GM with a hard-hitting Tombstone. The deadly maneuver left Guerrero on her back, with The Phenom hovering over her motionless body. (Watch Photos)

New WWE Tag Team Champions
The Family suffered another hit on the night, when
Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder lost their WWE Tag Team Championship to the brothers from San Juan, Carlito & Primo. (Watch Photos)

Deadly duo
In what could possibly be the sexiest tag team in WWE, newcomer
Brie Bella paired up with Maria to take on Victoria and Natalya. But Victoria quickly showed who was boss when she tossed the undefeated Bella from the top rope to the arena floor. The stunned brunette crawled under the ring, but emerged from under the apron with new vigor and attacked Victoria. Next, Bella tagged in Maria, who flung herself from the top rope and used a cross body to drive Victoria to the canvas and get the pinfall. (Photos)

WWE's 1-2 Punch
In the last SmackDown before moving to MyNetwork TV on Oct. 3,
Jesse & Festus brought their MyMoving Co. van into the arena to pick up a few items from under the ring. While packing their van, we got a glimpse of a bound-and-gagged Ryan Braddock and Kenny Dykstra in the back of the van. What other surprises are in store when SmackDown makes the move to MyNetwork TV?

Don't miss
WrestleMania’s World Television Premiere (Oct. 2) and SmackDown's All Star Kick-Off (Oct. 3) on MyNetwork TV. More on WWE's 1-2 Punch ...

Friday, September 26, 2008

ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" Nails Other Networks to Defeat.

Source: Zap2it.com

Ratings: 'Grey's Anatomy' Slices Thursday Rivals
ABC grabs a big win; 'Office' pulls solid demo ratings


Fast National ratings for Thursday, Sept. 25, 2008

ABC won the battle of the two-hour season premieres Thursday night, continuing a strong ratings week for the network.

The Alphabet earned a 10.1 rating/16 share for the night, topping second-place CBS, 7.1/11, by a pretty wide margin. NBC finished third at 4.8/8. FOX, 2.8/4, took fourth, while The CW came in at 2.4/4.

ABC also dominated the adults 18-49 demographic with a 6.0 rating. CBS, 3.8, was second in the advertisers' coveted demo, edging NBC's 3.6. FOX averaged 2.0 and The CW 1.5.

CBS took the lead at 8 p.m. with the premiere of "Survivor: Gabon," 7.8/13. ABC's "Ugly Betty" began its third season with a 6.6/11. Back-to-back episodes of "My Name Is Earl" earned a 3.9/6 for NBC. FOX's "Kitchen Nightmares" was fourth, finishing just ahead of "Smallville," 2.6/4, on The CW.

The season premiere of ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" surged to the front at 9 p.m. with an 11.8/18. "Survivor: Gabon" slipped a little in its second hour, finishing with a 7.5/11. The hour-long premiere of "The Office" scored a 5.3/8 for NBC (and beat CBS in the 18-49 demo for the hour). A second hour of "Kitchen Nightmares," 2.9/4, kept FOX ahead of The CW and "Supernatural."

"Grey's Anatomy" snagged an 11.9/19 for ABC at 10 p.m., beating a "CSI" repeat, 6.1/10, on CBS and the season premiere of "ER," 5.1/8, on NBC.

CBS Wins Wednesday with "CSI: NY"

Source: Zap2it.com

Ratings: 'CSI: NY' Scores for CBS Wednesday
Eye's comedies, 'Knight Rider' don't fare so well


Fast National ratings for Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2008

CBS' pair of crime dramas carried the network to a ratings victory Wednesday, even though the debut of its new comedy block didn't fare especially well.

For the night, CBS averaged a 7.9 rating/13 share, beating out ABC's 6.7/11 for the lead. NBC took third with a 5.1/8. FOX, 4.3/7, came in fourth, and The CW trailed with a 2.1/3. (Numbers for each of the Big Four networks may change some because of a live presidential address at 9 p.m. ET.)

CBS also led the adults 18-49 demographic with a 3.5 rating. ABC took second with a 2.9. NBC, 2.5, finished third, followed by FOX, 2.3, and The CW, 1.6.

The "Dancing with the Stars" results show ruled the 8 p.m. hour for ABC with a 10.3/17. FOX's "Bones" came in second. The premiere of "Knight Rider" managed only a 4.5/7 for NBC, though that was good enough to edge out "The New Adventures of Old Christine," 4.4/7, and the debut of "Gary Unmarried," 4.5/7, on CBS. "America's Next Top Model" drew a 2.7/4 for The CW.

All four major networks aired President Bush's address from 9 to about 9:15 p.m. After that, the "Criminal Minds" season premiere scored a 9.4/14 to move CBS into the lead. NBC moved up to second with "America's Got Talent," 6.5/10. ABC's special "David Blaine: Dive of Death" drew a 5.6/9, topping the 2.7/4 for "'Til Death" and "Do Not Disturb" on FOX. The CW aired a repeat of Tuesday's "90210."

The "CSI: NY" season premiere posted a 9.8/16 for CBS at 10 p.m. The David Blaine special on ABC and the "Lipstick Jungle" season premiere on NBC each drew a 4.3/7, with ABC grabbing a few more total viewers.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Amazing, and Bizarre Strobe Light Star Spotted

Source: http://blogs.usatoday.com/sciencefair/2008/09/astronomers-spo.html


Astronomers spot a 'bizarre' strobe light star


A "most bizarre" strobe light star reported by European astronomers likely belongs to a long-sought family of compact "neutron" stars.

It initially showed up as a gamma-ray burst, leading astronomers to think it was the death of a star in the far-off universe. But after that first gamma-ray pulse, there was a three-day period of activity during which this odd celestial object emitted 40 visible-light flashes before disappearing again. Eleven days later, there was a brief near-infrared flaring episode recorded by ESO's Very Large Telescope. Then the weird object went visibly "silent" again.

"We are dealing with an object that has been hibernating for decades before entering a brief period of activity," said Alberto J. Castro-Tirado, lead author of a paper in this week's issue of Nature.

Astronomers now think this celestial enigma is a 'magnetar' located in our own Milky Way galaxy, about 15,000 light-years away in the area around the constellation of Vulpecula, the Fox. Magnetars are a type of young neutron stars. They boast a magnetic field that's a billion billion times stronger than Earth's.

To put that in perspective for those of us with the financial crisis willies: “A magnetar would wipe the information from all credit cards on Earth from a distance halfway to the Moon,” explains Antonio de Ugarte Postigo, the study's co-author.

Because magnetars can be celestially silent for decades at a time, they're hard to pin unless we're looking at the right place at the right time. Postigo says there's likely a large population of them in the Milky Way even though we've only identified about 12.

The magnetar, known as SWIFT J195509+261406, is a candidate for what scientists have been looking for: A magnetar moving towards a pleasant retirement as its magnetic fields decay.

By Dan Vergano and Jess Zielinski
Photo: The twisting of magnetic field lines in magnetars give rise to 'starquakes', which will eventually lead to an intense soft gamma-ray burst. In the case of the SWIFT source, the optical flares that reached the Earth were probably due to ions ripped out from the surface of the magnetar and gyrating around the field lines. By ESO/L.Calçada.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

"Eli Stone" Lead Actor Expecting A Baby!

Source: Zap2it.com

'Eli Stone' Star Expecting First Child
Jonny Lee Miller recently wed in July


The imminent pitter patter of little feet is no hallucination.

"Eli Stone" star Jonny lee Miller and his wife Michele Hicks are expecting their first child, reports People.

The couple, both 35, held a co-ed baby shower on Satuday (Sept. 20) with friends and family in Los Angeles. They wed in July this year.

Hicks is former model who has appeared in "The Shield" and David Lynch's "Mulholland Dr." She also co-owns a Pilates studio in New York.

Miller was previously married to Angelina Jolie, with whom he co-starred in "Hackers." They separated a year later and divorced in 1999. He currently stars as an attorney who may be a modern-day prophet in ABC's "Eli Stone."

The CW Picks Up "90210" For a Full Season

Source: Zap2it.com

'90210' Picked up for a Full Season
Freshman show has been improving in key demos

Shenae Grimes, who plays the Cheshire-grinning Annie Wilson on " 90210," really has something to smile about now.

The CW has picked up its freshman drama, a contemporary spinoff of the original " Beverly Hills, 90210," for a full season, the network announced Monday, Sept. 22.

"The successful addition of '90210' has taken The CW another step forward in building a cohesive schedule that defines this network as a destination for young women with shows that get our audience talking -- and watching," says The CW's head, Dawn Ostroff. "We're very excited about the chance to watch this ensemble of newcomers and familiar faces coalesce and grow together as we move forward."

The show's two-hour debut on Sept. 2 was watched by 4.9 million viewers, making it the highest-rated scripted series premiere in the network's history. "90210" has been gaining in the target female demos.

The premiere included familiar faces Shannen Doherty and Jennie Garth returning to the old zipcode to greet the Wilson family consisting of Beverly Hills newcomers Shenae Grimes, Tristan Wilds, Rob Estes and Lori Loughlin. Jessica Walter, AnnaLynne McCord, Dustin Milligan, Ryan Eggold, Jessica Stroup and Michael Steger round out the cast.

"DWTS" Puts ABC Ahead of the Pack.

Source: Zap2it.com

Ratings: ABC Sees 'Stars' Monday
CBS gets a demo win; so-so start for 'Heroes'

Fast National ratings for Monday, Sept. 22, 2008


ABC got out of the blocks fastest on the first official night of the 2008-09 season, riding the premiere of "Dancing with the Stars" to a ratings win.

The return of "Heroes" to NBC after a nine-month layoff wasn't as impressive, drawing an audience no bigger than when it left the airwaves last December.

ABC led the night with a 10.9 rating/17 share, drawing about 4 million more viewers than second-place CBS, 8.2/13. NBC came in third with a 5.2/8. FOX, 3.7/5, was fourth, and The CW trailed with a 2.2/3.

CBS managed to capture the top spot among adults 18-49, drawing a 4.5 rating in the advertisers' favorite demographic. ABC, 4.3, finished a close second, followed by NBC at 4.1. FOX averaged 2.4 and The CW 1.5.

"Dancing with the Stars" opened its seventh cycle with a 13.2/20 at 8 p.m., dominating the hour. CBS finished a distant second with the season premieres of "The Big Bang Theory," 5.7/9, and "How I Met Your Mother," 5.9/9. A "Heroes" special/clip show drew a 3.8/6 for NBC, narrowly beating "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" on FOX (the two networks tied in households, but NBC had a slight lead in total viewers). "Gossip Girl" drew a 2.2/3 for The CW.

ABC held the lead at 9 p.m. as "Dancing with the Stars" rose slightly to 13.5/20. CBS got a 9.1/13 from "Two and a Half Men," followed by the series premiere of "Worst Week" (6.8/10), which held onto a little more 70 percent of its lead-in audience. "Heroes" scored a 6.1/9 for NBC. "Prison Break," 3.6/5, kept FOX in fourth, ahead of "One Tree Hill" on The CW.

The season premiere of "CSI: Miami," 11.0/18, put CBS on top at 10 p.m. ABC's "Boston Legal," 6.1/10, took second in households, but the second hour of "Heroes," 5.6/9, had a few more viewers.

Monday, September 22, 2008

ABC Monday Returns Tonight! - 9/22/08


ABC Monday Premieres



8:00/7:00c - Dancing with the Stars (2-hour season premiere, 3 night event)
10:00/9:00c - Boston Legal (season premiere)

Zap2it.com Takes on the Emmys

Source: Zap2it.com

The 60th Emmy Awards show: Every last detail

We here at Zap2it can't recall a time when we've been less collectively interested in the Emmys. Sure, we're stoked that Mad Men and 30 Rock are up for scads of awards, but the honors have been kind of off the radar for us.

But it is, after all, the big fancy night for the TV biz to pat itself on the back, and there's the distincht possibility of cover-your-eyes weirdness with the rotating group of five nominee-hosts. So as is our custom around here, we'll bring you the whole ceremony in live-blog form. Rick will be your tour guide for the first hour.

8 p.m. ET: The show opens with a bunch of stars saying a bunch of famous lines. Jorge Garcia saying "De plane, de plane" and Helen Mirren doing Archie Bunker work best for me.

8:01: Hey, Oprah! She gets to do the opening blather. And plugs the book club. Yeah, yeah.

8:03: Ladies and gentlemen, your five-headed host collective. Why oh why is Heidi Klum wearing a tux? Millions of men across America just turned off their sets.

8:06: The hosts keep saying "We got nothing." No kidding. But those of you who had this time in the "first Sarah Palin joke" pool, congratulations.

8:08: And here is Heidi in her teeny-tiny dress, with her mile-long legs.

8:09: Tina Fey and Amy Poehler present the first award, but first greet everyone watching around the world (and on Mars -- Poehler: "Bleep blorp, you are not welcome here"). Why do I get the feeling that the comedy will be all downhill from here?

8:11: And your first award goes to, predictably and lamely, the Piv for Entourage. NPH and Rainn Wilson, we still love you.

8:12: OK, but his joke about the opening was pretty decent.

8:16: We're back, with Tom Bergeron and Ryan Seacrest sitting in the Monk's set from Seinfeld. Oh man, is this nostalgia gonna slow down the show.

8:19: Your best supporting actress in a comedy is ... Jean Smart for Samantha Who? Not a big surprise here in a pretty even field. Amy Poehler wuz robbed, but it was probably a misdemeanor.

8:21: Not often you hear a timeslot shout-out in an acceptance speech. But Jean Smart is not wrong about the plum position her show has.

8:26: Heidi is now in her third outfit of the evening. I think we need a running count.

8:26: Do we really need a montage for presenters? I'm pretty sure everyone watching knows who the Desperate Housewives are by now.

8:29: They present the award for supporting actor in a drama. Probably not to Zeljko Ivanek, though he deserves it.

8:29: Sweet! Never been quite so happy to be wrong about something like this. He pretty much killed it on Damages.

8:30: And the hits keep coming, with Ricky Gervais. "I couldn't come last year, which is a shame. But I still won. ... Thanks for that."

8:32: Something I learned from the acceptance-speech montage: Jackee won an Emmy. Hmm.

8:33: The Gervais-Carell stuff is gold. "Have you got it on you? ... I made you what you are and I get nothing back. ... I sat through Evan Almighty, give me my Emmy." A little bit Sideshow Bob-with-the-rake, but funny throughout, thanks in large part to Carell's poker face.

8:36: The variety/comedy/music directing award goes to the guy directing tonight's show, Louis J. Horvitz. That always seems to happen.

8:41: Former Simpsons writer Conan O'Brien steps out of Homer's living room to take the stage and present the Emmy for supporting actress in a drama, "a category that does not threaten me in any way. I had planned on doing a few more jokes, but Katherine Heigl told me she didn't think my material was Emmy-worthy." Nice.

8:43: And your winner is Dianne Wiest for In Treatment. For those of you who didn't watch the show, which I'm guessing is most of you, she was really good.

8:45: Ah, the comedy/variety writer montage, one of my favorite parts of every Emmy telecast. I give the award for best montage to the Colbert Report crew (although the SNL Miis are kinda cool too), and they also win the actual Emmy. Good deal.

8:48: A genuine Colbert is kind of weird to see.

8:50: Steve Martin, ladies and gentlemen. He used to work in TV, you know. He gives a 40-years-late Emmy for writing to Tommy Smothers, who didn't submit his name way back then because he figured the controversy surrounding the show would hurt his fellow scribes' chances. That's kinda cool, actually. Well done, Academy.

8:54: But seriously, this show is gonna run loooong.

8:55: "There's nothing more scary than watching ignorance in action," Smothers says. So much for the no-politics rule.

9:01: Outfit No. 4 for Heidi, a black-and-white number. And oh dear lord, Josh Groban is doing a theme-song medley. This is possibly the worst idea I've ever seen put on camera. And why is Animal not drumming on the drums?

9:03: Make it stop. This is making Baby Jesus cry. And really? Baywatch? Cops? Feh.

9:05: That's probably the first, and I really hope the last, time there's ever a kick line accompanying "Suicide Is Painless."

9:06: Alec Baldwin: "I have watched, thought about and studied actresses since the 1970s." Yeah you have.

9:07: If Laura Linney doesn't win for best actress in a miniseries or movie, something's wrong.

9:08: Nothing's wrong. And if you're scoring at home -- or even if you're by yourself -- that's nine wins for John Adams. Three more and it sets a single-year record.

9:11: Hey gang. It's Dan taking over as your cruise director for the next hour or so, which means I get to stop mourning the untimely demise of Yankee Stadium.

9:13: Sock it to me.

9:14: Various surviving people from Laugh-In are presenting the Emmy for musical, variety, comedy series. Or at least I think that's what they're doing. Meanwhile, millions of young viewers are trying to identify a single person in the wall who isn't Lily Tomlin. It's good to see all these people. It's a pity they haven't been given anything funny to do.

9:17: The Colbert Report may have stolen the writing Emmy, but The Daily Show with Jon Stewart remains unbeatable in the overall series category. "Without Laugh-In, I don't know if I'd get into comedy," an appreciative Stewart tells his presenters.

9:18: Heidi introduced David Boreanaz as the star of The Bones . It's really hard to know if she's making a joke involving co-presenter Lauren Conrad of The Hills, or if she's just confused. Boreanaz and Conrad are revealing the previously announced guest-starring winners, including Ms. Landingham from The West Wing, who sticks around to give the award for directing on a comedy series.

9:21: It's Barry Sonnenfeld for the Pushing Daisies "Pie-lette." We say, "Kudos." The Piemaker is holding Olive's Hand. Good thing he isn't holding Chuck's hand. "Love TV and fear the Internet," Sonnenfeld closes his speech. Oh, I do.

9:24: Tina Fey wins the comedy series writing award for an episode of 30 Rock. "Aw, Nerds!" she says. She is, as always, charming and funny. And in no way does she resemble the former mayor of Wasilla, Alaska tonight.

9:31: Martin Sheen, sitting in the Oval Office set, jokes about how The West Wing won Emmys for everybody but him. That's true. He also says that his show was never partisan. Wait. Are we talking about the same show?

9:34: The president of the Television Academy gives America the chance to check out the score of the Sunday Night Football game. It's Dallas 10, Green Bay 6, if you chose to listen to the guy.

9:35: Christian Slater and Christina Applegate are presenting together. She gets a warm round of applause from the crowd. Or I'm assuming the claps are for her. But maybe the crowd just loves Gleaming the Cube. She vows to crush him in the ratings. He laughs nervously and pretty much agrees that yes, yes she will crush him in the ratings. They give the award for made-for-TV movie to HBO's Recount. Look at Buffy the Vampire Slayer veteran Danny Strong writing an Emmy-winning movie!

9:42: William Petersen and Larry Fishburne will be like ships passing in the night on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, but tonight they're presenting together. They have supporting actor in a miniseries duty, giving the prize to Tom Wilkinson for John Adams.

9:44: "I think now America needs a prune," Stephen Colbert explains to Jon Stewart in what ends up being a not-so-funny joke about how Colbert's character would support John McCain. This is one of their lesser bits. They race through it to give the directing award for a miniseries, movie or dramatic special to Jay Roach for Recount. Roach is played off immediately, because we have to get to the award for writing on a miniseries, movie or dramatic special.

9:49: Kirk Ellis wins for John Adams, grabbing the Emmy from Danny Strong's hands. Sure, he wrote a gazillion of hours of televised history, but we were still rooting for Jonathan/Doyle. Ellis begins to make a political point about how his miniseries was about a time when articulate men spoke articulate words. He gets cut off abruptly without music. Politics or the fact that this show feels like it's running hours long?

9:53: Howie Mandel reminds us that, once upon a time, he was an actor, using St. Elsewhere as a transition point into a tribute to M*A*S*H*. A short tribute. We have to get to a couple people from Grey's Anatomy. Eileen Atkins wins an award for Cranford. But she isn't there. So we move on. Or at least we move as quickly as Don Rickles, presenting with Kathy Griffin, can move.

9:56: "Get upppppp!" Griffin yells to the crowd, urging love from Mr. Don Rickles. "Why did they stand? Was it a Jewish holiday?" Rickles asks. "Next time, just leave a check at the door." Then Rickles makes a joke about the O.J. Simpson jury that I'm not sure I got. The audience also isn't sure they got it. There's a large amount of "Oh, that wacky Don Rickles!" laughter. And discomfort.

9:59: Rickles and Griffin are giving the award for Reality-Competition series. It goes to The Amazing Race. Because that's what the Emmys do. Six wins in a row for The Amazing Race. Yeah, I love it too. But there's nothing wrong with mixing things up a bit, voters.

10:01: The award for outstanding miniseries goes to John Adams. We're shocked! By our count, this is the 12th win for John Adams, breaking an Emmy record. Tom Hanks calls presenter (and his Forrest Gump co-star) Sally Field "Mom." But why didn't he want to make a Punchline joke? Hanks makes a non-partisan political joke and doesn't get played off. He is Tom Hanks, after all.

10:08: Tom Bergeron dropping Heidi Klum is, indeed, funny.

10:09: Kristin Chenoweth and Neil Patrick Harris had a bit, but as NPH puts it, "Thanks to Howie Mandel's prattling, our bit has been cut." Boo! This is the second time the Emmys have hosed Doogie tonight. Yeah, we're looking at you, Piven. They give an award to Don Rickles, for individual performance in a category with lots of possible genres. "It's a mistake," he says before launching into perhaps the night's funniest and most touching speech.

10:12: Glynn Turman and Cynthia Nixon, guest actor and actress winners for a drama, present the Emmy for outstanding direction on a dramatic series to Greg Yaitanes for the "House's Head" episode of House. It's a minor surprise. Wasn't this supposed to be the night basic cable took over?

10:16: Whew. Matthew Weiner wins for writing on a drama series for the Mad Men pilot. Everything makes sense again. "I guess I'm going to have to find something new to complain about," Weiner says.

10:22: Hanh acting as the anchor for this live-blogging relay. We're gonna win for sure.

10:23: Predictably, and averting a tragic cry of "He was robbed!" Paul Giamatti wins for his lead in John Adams and thanks his "fake wife" Laura Linney. Camera was on his real wife though.

10:26: Alec Baldwin nabs the comedy actor award for 30 Rock and gives credit to Tina Fey, whom he dubs "The Elaine May of her generation."

10:28: Glenn Close played off for her Damages win.

10:29 Montage of those we lost in the biz. Somber moments, but still disappointed Charlton Heston clip doesn't feature him talking to a damn, dirty ape or parting seas. Politically odd note of Tim Russert trying to get Hilary Clinton to say whether or not she'd ever run for prez. Estelle Getty, Bernie Mac, Suzanne Pleshette. We fittingly leave with words about heaven from George Carlin.

10:39: Oh look! Bryan Cranston, with a nicely buzzed head, wins for Breaking Bad. He's endearingly touched and honored.

10:41: Despite an odd comedy bit with Craig Ferguson supposedly grabbing Brooke Shields' ass, the show plows on, giving Tina Fey another Emmy for lead comedy actress. She gives a shout out to Julia Louis-Dreyfus. Next, I wanna see her do the Elaine dance, complete with thumbs.

10:45: Rather extended Jimmy Kimmel bit where he presents the best reality host ever (for this year). Pretty funny, especially Heidi's "blue steel" look and a rundown of judges' faux critiques a la American Idol, including that Paula Abdul wants to have sex with Jeff Probst. Get in line, sister. And the winner ... will be revealed after the break, in my next update.

10:50: Jeffy wins for biggest dimples and general hosting skillz.

10:51: A nostalgic clip of the Mary Tyler Moore Show reminds me of why I used to love Nick at Nite. MTM and Betty White give yet another award to 30 Rock (best comedy series), allowing Fey to plug all the other ways to catch the show other than on TV. October 30th, people!

10:56: Much rejoicing in the auditorium and in Zap2it's hearts when Mad Men wins for best drama series. It's a lovely heart-felt speech, but I'm oddly disappointed there aren't '60s-era fashions on stage with him.

10:58: One more look at Probst, and we're out. Relatively painless, except perhaps moments from that Josh Groban thing.

Your thoughts on who won or deserved to win? How did the multiple hosting experiement play work? Any opinions on who should host in the future? Is there a theme song you would have liked to have gotten the Josh Groban treatment?

NBC/NFL's "Sunday Night Football" Hammers The Emmys

Source: Zap2it.com

Ratings: Emmys Fall to 'Sunday Night Football'
Smallest audience for Emmy telecast since the early '90s


Fast National ratings for Sunday, Sept. 21, 2008

A marquee matchup on "Sunday Night Football" led NBC to a ratings victory Sunday, while the Emmy Awards slipped to some of their lowest ratings in more than a decade.

NBC averaged a 10.0 rating/16 share for the night. CBS and ABC tied for second at 6.9/11, though CBS' numbers may change some because of NFL games encroaching on primetime. FOX took fourth with a 3.0/5, and The CW was a mere blip at 1.0/2.

NBC also dominated the adults 18-49 demographic with a 6.7 rating. ABC took second at 3.2, beating out CBS' 2.8. FOX averaged 2.2 and The CW 0.6.

NFL overruns and "60 Minutes" drew a 10.8/19 for CBS at 7 p.m. "Football Night in America," 5.5/10, put NBC in second. The pre-Emmy special "Jimmy Kimmel's Big Night of Stars" earned a 3.2/5 for ABC. Though it trailed ABC in households, FOX had a few more viewers with reruns of "American Dad" and "The Simpsons," which averaged 2.7/5. The CW aired a "One Tree Hill" rerun.

"Sunday Night Football," 10.8/17, moved NBC to the front at 8 p.m. The 60th annual Emmy Awards scored a 7.9/12 for ABC. CBS got a 6.7/10 from "60 Minutes" and "Cold Case." Two more "Simpsons" encores gave FOX a 2.9/5, finishing well ahead of The CW's "Privileged" repeat.

The NFL game between the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers rose to 12.3/19 at 9 p.m. The Emmys improved some to 8.6/13. The end of one "Cold Case" episode and the start of another averaged 5.3/8 for CBS. Two episodes of "Family Guy" finished the night for FOX. The CW got a 1.2/2 from "America's Next Top Model."

At 10 p.m., NBC's football coverage scored an 11.4/19. The Emmys closed with an 8.1/13 on ABC, and pending updates the 12.2 million viewers is the awards show's smallest audience since at least the early 1990s. "Cold Case" and "Criminal Minds" reruns averaged 4.7/8 for CBS.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - Official Results (September 19, 2008)

Results:

Attack of the Moscow Mauler
By: Michael Burdick
September 19, 2008


NASHVILLE, Tenn.Vladimir Kozlov’s demand for better competition has quickly snowballed into an eastern promise of destruction. Once again, his rage turned volatile, bringing unsuspected carnage on both WWE Champion Triple H and No. 1 contender Jeff Hardy.

Just when it looked as if Ezekiel Jackson’s distracting presence would help provide
The Brian Kendrick with another victory, Jeff Hardy suddenly countered for the win. But as The Legend Thriller showed his appreciation to the WWE Universe, the Moscow Mauler emerged to deliver his explosive boot, dropping Hardy for the second week in a row. (WATCH) (PHOTOS)

Later in the evening,
WWE Champion Triple H proved victorious in a hard fought non-title match with Montel Vontavious Porter. But, after The Game devalued the Ballin’ Superstar with his Pedigree, Kozlov emerged once more to attack the champion, slamming through The King of Kings with the force of a runaway Siberian Express. (WATCH) (PHOTOS)

Has the iron jaw of Vladimir Kozlov finally bitten off more competition then he can chew?

Taunting a legend
SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero and Big Show spent their evening in jovial spirits, still relishing in their Unforgiven ambush as they waited for Undertaker’s arrival, claiming they would humble and break him. Chavo Guerrero even went so far as to act out a mock apology in full Deadman dress. But, the Mexican Warrior later paid for his impression, walking into the awaiting clutches of The Phenom.


My Movers Co. is packing up SmackDown
Jesse and Festus are so excited about SmackDown’s move to MyNetwork TV – Oct. 3 at 8/7 CT (1-2 PUNCH TO KICK OFF MOVE TO MYNETWORK TV) – that they continued to make themselves the exclusive moving company of WWE. After giving the packaging treatment to Kenny Dykstra last week, Festus elected to forgo his match with Ryan Braddock to allow time for he and Jesse to wrap the young Superstar to go. (WATCH) (PHOTOS)

Then, at the conclusion of Carlito’s Cabana, My Moving Co. went to work again. Carlito and Primo – Carlito’s brother and the talk show’s special guest - began to discuss the ease in which they won their premiere SmackDown match last week, a non-title contest against WWE Tag Team Champions Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder. When the champions arrived to dispute the claim that the Colons deserved to be the champions, they ended up agreeing to a WWE Tag Team Championship Match with the dynamic brothers next week. (PHOTOS)

When things became heated, Jesse & Festus arrived to bubble wrap the Cabana set, including Hawkins and Ryder, who Festus chased out of the arena with a palm tree.


R-Title Opportunity?
R-Truth picked up his biggest victory to date over a stunned United States Champion Shelton Benjamin – applying a quick counter to a German suplex, allowing him to overcome The Gold Standard and remain undefeated since his debut in WWE. (PHOTOS)

Michelle mashes
Maryse
In an Unforgiven rematch for the gold, Divas Champion
Michelle McCool (MICHELLE'S PHOTO GALLERY) once again silenced Maryse. (MARYSE'S PHOTO GALLERY) Being “the sexiest of the sexy” proved of no help once the ultra-athletic champion hit a devastating Wings of Love on Maryse. (WATCH) (PHOTOS)

Stomping on the punch line
The Great Khali dominated Scotty Goldman, easily pinning the newcomer with one foot. Although Goldman enjoyed a good joke before the match at Khali’s expense, there was nothing funny about the beating the Punjabi Giant laid on his grinning opponent. (PHOTOS)

And at the Helm
Gregory Helms reemerged to make a noticeable appearance on Friday night. He popped in with various comments throughout the night to talk about several of the Superstars. Curiosity is at a fever pitch as to when and if Helms will make his return to SmackDown.

WWE Universe: Don't forget to tune into SmackDown on its new home – My Network TV – on Oct. 3 at 8/7 CT.



BECOME A SUPERSTAR WITH RAW VS SMACKDOWN 2009 at WWE SHOP


Randy Orton: Hoping to be Traded to SmackDown!, but then....

PS: Were you glad when Triple H was Drafted to SmackDown?

Orton: "I was at the Draft (on June 23) after I got hurt. I was in the locker room watching the backstage monitor. I was hoping to get traded (from Raw to SmackDown). Actually, it's funny because Umaga just got traded to SmackDown. He was like, "Man, you know what? At least I haven't got to be around Triple H no more." So (Umaga) goes to SmackDown and I'm like, "Yeah ... F--k you!" The last Draft pick's Triple H and I'm like (punches the air), "Yes! Oh, my God!" Yes, yes, yes!" I went right up to Umaga and I was, like, "You've got to deal with it now!" It was my favourite Draft pick, to be honest with you. And we got Rey Mysterio, we got Kane, Batista. I've got history with those guys."

Source: Rajah.com

Thursday, September 18, 2008

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - Official Preview (September 19, 2008)


Preview:
Apology expected

September 12, 2008


Following their surprise attack on Undertaker at Unforgiven, SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero and Big Show emerged together to explain their actions as well as to make a startling announcement to the WWE Universe. (WATCH) (PHOTOS)

The dubious duo announced a powerful new business alliance between them, explaining that its primary focus will be to make SmackDown into what Guerrero wishes it to be – and for The World’s Largest Athlete to “get the WWE Championship around his waist” — by forcing The Phenom to give the General Manager the apology she has demanded. But, how will this shocking business union change Friday nights? And what will The Deadman’s response be to this new threat?

WWE Champion Triple H watched as Jeff Hardy became No. 1 contender to his title last week, but The Game will stand toe-to-toe on SmackDown with another Superstar who feels it is his destiny to be a World Champion - Montel Vontavious Porter. Can MVP show that his words are more than just talk when he steps into the ring with Triple H?

Jeff Hardy may have won the Fatal Four Way Match over United States Champion
Shelton Benjamin, Montel Vontavious Porter and The Brian Kendrick — earning him the chance to face WWE Champion Triple H at No Mercy. After the match, Hardy was attacked by the competition hungry Vladimir Kozlov. (WATCH) (PHOTOS) On SmackDown, Hardy faces another hungry challenge when he goes one-on-one with The Brian Kendrick. Will Hardy be able to keep his focus on Kendrick or will the high-flying Legend Thriller find himself distracted?

In a bizarre turn of events,
Festus & Jesse executed a first-class package job to Kenny Dykstra, before wheeling the furious Superstar away on a hand truck. (PHOTOS) Is it possible that these two wacky country boys have “Fed-Ex’d” the outspoken Dykstra out of WWE?

The ecstatic brothers
Carlito & Primo celebrated their sibling allegiance with a non-title victory over WWE Tag Team Champions Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder. (PHOTOS) Will it be long before they get a chance at bringing home the gold?

Find out the answers to these questions and more on SmackDown, Friday night at 8/7 CT on The CW Network.

And don’t miss the premiere of SmackDown on its new home – MyNetwork TV – on Oct. 3 at 8/7 CT.

Be covered in any situation with New Era Baseball Hats at WWE Shop.

CBS Tops Thursday with Reruns, CW's "Supernatural" Gets Surprising Results.

Prime-Time Ratings:
Thursday 9/18/08

-Total Viewers:
CBS: 9.29 million, Fox: 5.44, ABC: 5.42, NBC: 5.24, CW: 4.17

-Adults 18-49:
Fox: 2.4 rating/7 share, CBS: 2.3/ 7, ABC, NBC and CW: 1.8/ 5 each
_____________

Ratings: 'CSI,' 'Flashpoint' Top Thursday
CBS wins overall, but 'Kitchen Nightmares' leads the 18-49 demo

Fast National ratings for Thursday, Sept. 18, 2008

Fans of "CSI" must be gearing up for the show's forthcoming premiere, because the show's rerun ratings were up substantially Thursday.

The crime drama's strong performance helped CBS average a 6.3 rating/11 share for the night, which was well ahead of the competition. ABC (3.7/6), NBC (3.5/6) and FOX (3.4/6) all finished within 200,000 viewers of one another, with FOX grabbing the most total viewers (5.44 million). The CW came in at 2.5/4.

In the adults 18-49 demographic, FOX's 2.4 rating edged CBS' 2.3 for the lead. ABC, NBC and The CW finished in a three-way tie for third at 1.8.

The first of two "CSI" reruns on CBS drew a 5.5/9 at 8 p.m. NBC took second for the hour with "America's Got Talent," 6.3/11, and "My Name Is Earl," 3.3/6. ABC's " Ugly Betty" repeat, 3.1/5, came in third among households, but FOX's "Hole in the Wall" snagged a few more total viewers. The season premiere of "Smallville" earned a 2.7/5 for The CW.

A second "CSI" grabbed the night's biggest audience at 9 p.m. with a 6.9/11. FOX's "Kitchen Nightmares," 3.9/6, finished second in viewers and led the hour among adults 18-49, despite trailing ABC's " Grey's Anatomy," 4.0/6, in households. An hour-long "Office" rerun put NBC in fourth, ahead of "Supernatural," which premiered to a 2.3/4 on The CW.

"Flashpoint," 6.6/11, scored its best ratings of the season to finish the CBS sweep at 10 p.m. "Grey's Anatomy," 4.2/7, kept ABC ahead of NBC and "ER," 2.7/5.

Oprah Winfrey on "30 Rock" this November!

Source: Zap2it.com

Oprah Winfrey Visits '30 Rock' in November
Winfrey filmed her guest role last weekend

Back in April, when Tina Fey was gearing up for the return of "30 Rock" after the writers strike, she had one dream guest star on her mind.

"I still want Oprah to play my best friend," she said then. "I feel like I haven't -- I want to spend time with Oprah, and I don't know what I need to do to make that happen."

Fey must have figured it out, because Winfrey has now made a guest appearance on the show, and NBC has scheduled the episode for Nov. 6. That's one week after the "30 Rock's" season premiere.

Winfrey filmed her long-buzzed-about guest spot over the weekend in New York. Details on just what Winfrey will be doing on the show are scant, though Fey says Oprah "was very funny."

"We are beyond grateful to have her," Fey adds. "Also, I would like to announce that we are officially best friends."

Winfrey joins a list of upcoming "30 Rock" guest stars that also includes Jennifer Aniston, Megan Mullally, the returning Will Arnett and "Gossip Girl" stars Blake Lively and Leighton Meester. The show has earned Emmys for guest stars Elaine Stritch and Tim Conway in the past two years.

"30 Rock" won three Emmys, including Conway's, at last weekend's Creative Arts Emmys and is up for six more at Sunday's Primetime Emmy show.

FOX Turns "Snow White" Into a Drama!

Source: Zap2it.com

Hi-Ho: FOX Turning 'Snow White' Into a Legal Drama
Ken Kwapis will direct the dramedy pilot


FOX has given a put pilot commitment to a legal dramedy based on "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs."

Set up at ABC Studios and developed by Chris Brancato and Bert Salke with writers David Weissman and David Diamond, the tentatively titled "Georgia and the Seven Associates" will be directed in pilot form by Ken Kwapis ("The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants").

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the pilot would focus on young lawyer Georgia Burnett. Banished from a job at a top law firm by her evil stepmother, she takes a job at a small firm of seven quirky lawyers.

Yes, the associates will all have character traits similar to those held by Snow White's beloved dwarfs, insofar as at least one will be grump, another bashful and another sneezy. The trade paper promises that some of the cases would have fairy tale roots.

Writing credits for Weissman and Diamond include the upcoming "Old Dogs" and "When in Rome." Salke and Brancato have served as producers on shows ranging from "Boomtown" to "North Shore."

MyNetworkTV New York Affiliate Hosts A Huge WWE SmackDown! Block Party!

MyNetworkTV New York City Affiliate Hosting Massive Downtown Block Party to Welcome WWE Smackdown Stars



Late yesterday, MyNetworkTV's New York affiliate WWOR My 9 announced that they are hosting a mammoth early-morning, downtown block party to celebrate WWE Smackdown coming to MyNetworkTV this fall. Here are the details:

Date:
Friday October 3, 2008 (the same day that WWE Smackdown premieres on MyNetworkTV)

Time:
From 6:00 am to 10:00 am (be sure to java-up bright and early)

Location:
1211 Avenue of Americas between 47th and 48th, New York City, NY (the FOX building)

WWE SmackDown stars Mr. Jeff Hardy, Mr. Zach Ryder and Mr. Curt Hawkins will be in attendance to autograph pictures, and there will be a special commemorative DVDs of the experience. Given limited space and quantities, be sure to arrive early to pick-up a wristband at the start of the event to guarantee you get a photo or autograph of your favourite star of the ring.

If you unsure whether or not you receive MyNetworkTV, contact your local cable or satellite provider to see if it is offered by them. MyNetworkTV has primary or secondary affiliate arrangements in almost every American market, although sometimes digital service (set-top boxes) are required to receive it.

NBC Takes the Lead Wednesday

Prime-Time Ratings:
Wednesday 9/17/08


-Total Viewers:
NBC: 10.39 million, Fox: 7.17, CBS: 7.07, ABC: 4.24, CW: 3.11

-Adults 18-49:
NBC: 2.7 rating/8 share, Fox: 2.5/ 5, CBS: 1.9/ 5, CW: 1.6/ 4, ABC: 1.3/ 4
___________________

Ratings: 'America's Got Talent' Scores Wednesday
'Bones' also has a good night, but NBC takes the top spot


Fast National ratings for Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2008

The top ten acts on "America's Got Talent" carried NBC to a ratings victory on Wednesday.

NBC earned a 6.6 rating/11 share in primetime, wining the night by about 3 million viewers. CBS finished second in households at 4.8/8, but FOX, 4.5/7, had more viewers (7.17 million vs. 7.07 million for CBS). ABC was fourth at 3.0/5, and The CW trailed with a 2.2/4.

In the adults 18-49 demographic, NBC's 2.7 rating beat out FOX's 2.5 for the lead. CBS finished third at 1.9, followed by The CW, 1.6, and ABC, 1.3.

"America's Got Talent" scored a 7.0/12 for NBC at 8 p.m. FOX's "Bones" took second overall at 6.1/10 and won the hour among adults 18-49. CBS was a distant third with a pair of "Old Christine" reruns, 3.1/5. "America's Next Top Model," 2.9/5, snagged fourth for The CW, edging a "Wife Swap" rerun on ABC.

The second hour of "America's Got Talent" improved to 8.0/13. CBS moved up to second with "Criminal Minds," 5.8/9. "'Til Death," 3.2/5, and "Do Not Disturb," 2.6/4, put FOX slightly ahead of ABC, which reran a "20/20" special on Britain's royal family. The CW aired an encore of Tuesday's "90210."

At 10 p.m., a "CSI: NY" repeat posted a 5.5/9 for CBS. "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" drew a 4.9/8 for NBC, and ABC's "20/20" special finished with a 3.3/6.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

FOX Easily Wins Tuesday

Prime-Time Ratings:
Tuesday 9/16/08


-Total Viewers:
Fox: 13.89 million, CBS: 7.86, NBC: 7.11, ABC: 5.82, CW: 2.88

-Adults 18-49:
Fox: 5.3 rating/14 share, NBC: 2.7/ 8, CBS: 2.0/ 6, ABC: 2.0/ 5, CW: 1.4/ 4
_______________


Ratings: 'Fringe' Gets a Big Boost From 'House'
FOX cruises to easy victory Tuesday

Fast National ratings for Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2008


The return of "House" to FOX gave a big boost to the network's Tuesday fortunes, as well as those of its big bet for the fall.

FOX cruised to a Nielsen win for the night with an 8.5 rating/13 share. CBS was a distant second at 5.2/9. NBC, 4.7/8, came in third. ABC took fourth with a 3.6/6, and The CW trailed with a 2.0/3.

The adults 18-49 demographic also went to FOX, which drew a 5.3 rating -- nearly double that of second-place NBC's 2.7. ABC and CBS tied for third at 2.0, and The CW came in at 1.4.

"House" began its fifth season with an 8.8/14 for FOX at 8 p.m. An "NCIS" repeat earned a 6.4/10 for CBS. The premiere of "The Biggest Loser: Families," 4.9/8, put NBC in third. "Wipeout" was fourth for ABC. The CW's "90210" delivered a 2.3/4, on par with last week's episode.

FOX stayed on top at 9 p.m. with "Fringe," 8.2/13, which, with the help of its lead-in, gained about 4 million viewers over its premiere last week. Hour two of "The Biggest Loser," 5.3/8, moved NBC into second. The finale of "Big Brother 10," 4.9/8, finished third for CBS. ABC stayed in fourth with the conclusion of "Wipeout," 3.4/5, and a "Primetime" special on UFOs, 3.2/5. "Privileged" finished the night for The CW.

At 10 p.m., CBS' "Without a Trace" rerun led the way with a 4.3/8. ABC's "Primetime" and NBC's "Law & Order: SVU" each scored a 4.0/7, with ABC grabbing a few more total viewers.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

More "Kitchen Nightmares" and "Hell's Kitchen" On the Way for FOX.

Source: Zap2it.com

FOX Keeps Gordon Ramsay in the Family
More 'Hell's Kitchen' and 'Kitchen Nightmares' on the way


FOX has reached a new agreement with Chef Gordon Ramsay, keeping the blustery Brit a part of FOX's programming family for years to come.

The network announced Monday (Sept. 15) that Ramsay's new pact will include two more seasons of "Hell's Kitchen," at least one additional season of "Kitchen Nightmares," a yet-to-be-determined special, plus the potential of additional series projects.

"Gordon has done an amazing job of creating exciting franchises for FOX," say Mike Darnell, FOX's alternative programming guru. "From the first time I met him, it was clear that he would be a big star in America. He has become one of the 'faces of FOX,' and we're thrilled that he will be on our network for years to come."

"Hell's Kitchen" was a FOX summer staple for its first three seasons before FOX opted to launch the latest run last April, yielding the franchise's highest ratings, particularly among adults 18-49, where it ranked as the summer's top program.

The fifth season of "Hell's Kitchen" -- more swearing, more sweating and more poorly cooked risotto -- is expected to premiere on FOX at midseason.

"Kitchen Nightmares," which FOX boasts "explores the softer side of Ramsay," recently launched its second season and is airing on Thursday nights.

CBS Takes a Lackluster Monday, "Gossip Girl" Registers Highest HH rating.

Prime-Time Ratings:
Monday 9/15/08


-Total Viewers:
CBS: 7.31 million, NBC: 6.03, Fox: 5.69, ABC: 5.68, CW: 3.54

-Adults 18-49:
CBS and Fox: 2.2 rating/6 share each, ABC: 1.9/ 5, CW: 1.8/ 5, NBC: 1.7/ 4
_____________

Source: Zap2it.com

Ratings: CBS Wins Lackluster Monday
'Gossip Girl' gets a boost, but reruns rule the night


Fast National ratings for Monday, Sept. 15, 2008

The Monday before the official start of the new season was a quiet one, with a passel of reruns on CBS grabbing the top spot.

CBS averaged a 4.9 rating/8 share for the night. NBC finished second at 3.9/6. ABC, 3.8/6, beat FOX, 3.6/5, for third in households, but the two networks finished in a virtual tie among total viewers. The CW drew a 2.4/4.

FOX and CBS tied for the lead among adults 18-49, each earning a 2.2 rating. ABC took third in the demographic with a 1.9, followed by The CW, 1.8, and NBC, 1.7.

"Deal or No Deal" (5.7/9) won the 8 p.m. hour for NBC. Reruns of "The Big Bang Theory," 4.0/6, and "How I Met Your Mother," 3.6/6, put CBS in second. "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" earned a 3.5/6 for FOX, edging a showing of the movie "Batman Begins" on ABC. "Gossip Girl," 2.5/4, drew its best ratings of the young season for The CW.

CBS moved to the lead at 9 p.m. with "Two and a Half Men," 6.6/10, and "The New Adventures of Old Christine," 5.1/8. "Batman Begins," 4.0/6, jumped up to second on ABC. "Prison Break" scored a 3.6/5 for FOX, while "America's Toughest Jobs" slumped to fourth on NBC. The CW got a 2.3/3 from "One Tree Hill."

A "CSI: Miami" rerun, 5.2/9, kept CBS on top at 10 p.m. "Batman Begins" concluded with a 4.0/7, and "Dateline" posted a 2.9/5 for NBC.



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