TV Craze

2009 WWE Draft Results; Jericho is SmackDown! once again!

2009-04-14T20:17:00.003-05:00

Full List of Roster Changes in the 2009 WWE Draft
Date Added: April 13, 2009
Story By: Marc Middleton
- Here is the complete list of WWE roster changes coming out of tonight's WWE Draft:

* WWE United States Champion MVP goes from SmackDown to RAW
* Big Show goes from SmackDown to RAW
* WWE Women's Champion Melina goes from RAW to SmackDown
* Matt Hardy goes from SmackDown to RAW
* WWE Champion Triple H goes from SmackDown to RAW
* CM Punk goes from RAW to SmackDown
* The Miz goes from ECW to RAW
* Chris Jericho goes from RAW to SmackDown
* Kane goes from RAW to SmackDown
* Vladimir Kozlov goes from SmackDown to ECW
* WWE Divas Champion Maryse goes from SmackDown to RAW
* WWE Intercontinental Champion Rey Mysterio goes from RAW to SmackDown

Source: ProWrestling.com
_______________________

RAW picked up 6 draft picks, while SmackDown! picked up 5 draft picks, and ECW picked up 1 draft pick for this year's draft.

"Transformers 3" Release on 2012 --- Not 2011!

2009-03-22T02:57:00.002-05:00

Source: Zap2it.com

'Transformers 3' will release in 2012, not 2011
Michael Bay says Paramount botched announcement

Sometimes, even giant transforming robots need time off.

While Paramount announced yesterday that "Transformers 3" would bow on July 1, 2011, director Michael Bay disputes that in a comment on his blog shootfortheedit.com:

"I said I was taking off a year from Transformers. Paramount made a mistake in dating Transformers 3 - they asked me on the phone - I said yes to July 4 - but for 2012 - whoops! Not 2011!!! That would mean I would have to start prep in September. No way. My brain needs a break from fighting robots."

No reply yet from Paramount on the goof. "Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen" still hits theaters on June 24 this year.

"The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" Scores Big Ratings with President Obama's Apperance

2009-03-22T02:51:00.003-05:00

Source: Zap2it.com

Obama's 'Tonight Show' racks up ratings
President gives Leno his best numbers since '05

President Obama's appearance on "The Tonight Show" Thursday gave the show some of its biggest ratings in years.

The president's interview with Leno drew an 11.2 rating/26 share in the overnight ratings, a preliminary sample of 56 major markets. That's the biggest "Tonight Show" rating since it drew an identical number on Jan. 24, 2005, for a tribute to Johnny Carson, who had died the previous day. The last time it drew a bigger audience was in 1998 on the night of the "Seinfeld" finale.

Obama's appearance marked the first time a sitting president had appeared on "The Tonight Show."

VIDEO: Obama on 'The Tonight Show'

Final numbers for Thursday's telecast won't be released until next week, but it's probably safe to say that "The Tonight Show" outdrew anything in NBC's prime-time lineup for the night, and most of the competition's offerings as well. The 11.2 rating was also more than double the show's 3.9 metered-market average for the season.

The big lead-in helped "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (3.9/13) to the best ratings of its young life -- and the best for "Late Night" since Jan. 24, 2005, when the "Tonight" Carson tribute delivered a similarly large audience.

Obama's appearance will likely end up among the highest-rated shows during Leno's "Tonight" tenure. At the moment it's tied for fourth with the Carson tribute and trails only the "Seinfeld" finale, Leno's 1992 debut as host and the show following the "Cheers" finale in 1993.

NCAA March Madness Makes CBS a Happy Camper for Friday.

2009-03-22T02:48:00.001-05:00

TV Ratings: March Madness makes CBS happy Friday
NCAA tournament scores an easy ratings win

Fast National ratings for Friday, March 20, 2009

Day two of the NCAA basketball tournament gave CBS an easy ratings victory on Friday night.

CBS averaged a 5.2 rating/9 share in primetime (the numbers will change a bit when adjusted for the live broadcast). ABC took second at 3.8/7, followed by NBC at 3.0/5. FOX drew a 2.4/4, and The CW trailed with a 1.0/2.

In the adults 18-49 demographic, CBS (2.9) was the only network to register above a 2.0 rating. ABC finished second in the demo at 1.7. FOX, 1.4, edged NBC, 1.3, for third. The CW earned a 0.6.

The Eye's basketball coverage posted a 5.1/9 at 8 p.m. "Wife Swap" put ABC in second with a 3.3/6. "Howie Do It" finished third for NBC, just ahead of the 2.3/4 for "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" on FOX. "Everybody Hates Chris" and "The Game" averaged 1.1/2 for The CW.

CBS ticked up to 5.4/9 at 9 p.m. with more March Madness. "Supernanny," 3.5/6, kept ABC in second. "Dollhouse" scored a 2.6/5 to move FOX ahead of NBC and "Friday Night Lights," 2.5/4. The CW aired an "America's Next Top Model" repeat.

The tournament returned to a 5.1/9 at 10. ABC's "20/20" scored a 4.5/8, topping the 4.1/7 for "Dateline" on NBC.

Ratings information is taken from fast national data, which includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are preliminary and subject to change, especially in the case of live telecasts.

Source: Zap2it.com

SmackDown! 500th Episode - Tonight at 8/7c only on MyNetworkTV

2009-03-20T19:37:00.005-05:00

All the major superstars of RAW, ECW, and SmackDown! will join the party to celebrate SmackDown!'s 500th Episode!

WWE Champion Triple H vs. Vladimir Kozlov

WWE United States Championship: Shelton Benjamin (c) vs. MVP

WWE Intercontinental Champion JBL vs. The Undertaker (non-title)

Also tonight:
- Shawn Michaels vs. Kane

WrestleMania 25 Wallpaper: Triple Main Event (From Kupy)

2009-03-20T16:36:00.003-05:00

WrestleMania 25 Main Events:

- WWE Championship: Triple H (c) vs. Randy Orton
- WWE World Heavyweight Championship: Edge (c) vs. John Cena vs. The Big Show
- Icon vs. Icon: "The Phenom" The Undertaker vs. "The Heart Break Kid" Shawn Michaels

Legend: (Color represents the superstar's brand)
- Blue: SmackDown!
- Red: RAW

Batista in Manila 2 - Wallpaper (From KupyWrestlingWallpapers.info)

2009-03-15T19:01:00.003-05:00

WrestleMania 25 Wallpaper

2009-03-15T18:49:00.003-05:00

Download wallpaper on (different sizes):
http://www.wwe.com/content/media/wallpapers/wrestlemania25.html

Update on the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania -- CARD

2009-03-15T18:46:00.001-05:00

Source: ProWrestling.com
New Match and More Confirmed for WrestleMania 25
Date Added: March 14, 2009
Story By: Marc Middleton

- Coming out of last night's SmackDown, here's the updated card for WWE's WrestleMania 25:

WWE Title Match
Randy Orton vs. Triple H

World Title Match
Big Show vs. John Cena vs. Edge

Brother vs. Brother Match
Matt Hardy vs. Jeff Hardy

25 Divas Battle Royal
Featuring Divas of the past and present, with the winner being crowned Miss WrestleMania

The Streak On The Line
Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker

Money in the Bank Ladder Match
Finlay vs. MVP vs. Shelton Benjamin vs. Kane vs. CM Punk vs. Kofi Kingston vs. Mark Henry vs. Christian Cage

Fridays are CBS Fridays!

2009-03-15T18:41:00.002-05:00

TV Ratings: Another Friday, another CBS win
'Ghost Whisperer' pulled in the best ratings of the night

Fast National ratings for Friday, March 13, 2009

Friday's ratings went the way they always do: CBS took the crown easily with no serious competition.

CBS averaged a 6.4 rating/11 share and 10.1 million viewers for the night, way ahead of second-place ABC (3.5/6, 5.18 million). NBC took third with a 3.0/5, topping the 2.5/4 for FOX. The CW drew a 1.2/2.

In the adults 18-49 demographic, CBS was the only network to break the 2.0 mark, finishing with a 2.2. ABC finished second with a 1.6. NBC, 1.5 just edged out FOX at 1.4, and The CW trailed with a 0.7.

"Ghost Whisperer" boasted the night's biggest audience at 8 p.m., scoring a 6.9/12 for CBS. ABC was a distant second with its special 100th episode of "Wife Swap," 3.0/5. "Howie Do It" put NBC in third, beating the 2.2/4 for "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" on FOX. New episodes of "Everybody Hates Chris" and "The Game" averaged 1.3/2 for The CW.

CBS stayed on top at 9 with "Flashpoint," 5.9/10. "Supernanny" delivered a 3.3/6 for ABC. NBC's "Friday Night Lights," 2.7/5, just edged out FOX's "Dollhouse," 2.6/4. The CW retained most of its audience with a repeat of this week's "America's Next Top Model," 1.2/2.

"Numb3rs" completed the CBS sweep with a 6.4/11 at 10 p.m. ABC's "20/20" posted a 4.4/8, and "Dateline" drew a 3.6/6 for NBC.

Ratings information is taken from fast national data, which includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are preliminary and subject to change.

SmackDown breaks MyNetworkTV record for the 11th time.

2009-02-01T18:01:00.004-06:00

- As reported on WWE.com, SmackDown! broke through the 4-million mark for MyNetworkTV (even though SmackDown! is a consistent in registering more than 4 million viewers when it aired on The CW) and breaking the record for MyNetworkTV's highest viewership for 11 times out of the 17 weeks it aired on MyNetworkTV.

RAW Ratings Update, SmackDown! Airing Live before WrestleMania 25.

2009-02-01T17:57:00.001-06:00

Source: ProWrestling.com

Update on SmackDown Airing Live, Monday's RAW News
Date Added: January 30, 2009
Story By: Marc Middleton
- As noted earlier, this week's RAW scored a 3.6 cable rating. The show was ranked #1 in A18-49 with a 2.37 rating and #1 in cable in M18-49 with a 3.18 rating. 5.2 million viewers watched RAW this week with a median age of 37 and a male skew of 67%. RAW was down 6% this week with A18-49 and down 8% with M18-49 from the previous week with Vince's return.

- It's now confirmed that WWE Friday Night SmackDown will air live on Friday, April 3rd for the WrestleMania weekend Axxess event in Houston, TX. The show will be WWE's final "go home" episode before WrestleMania 25 that Sunday night. Tickets for Axxess including the Friday night event with SmackDown go on sale this Saturday morning.

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - WWE Champion Jeff Hardy vs. Big Show (non-title) - 12/26/08 - Friday, 8/7c on MyNetworkTV!

2008-12-26T13:51:00.001-06:00

Big night for Hardy
WWE Champion Jeff Hardy will face Big Show on SmackDown in a non-title match. Can Hardy continue his ride at the top of WWE or will the World's Largest Athlete bring the high-flyer back down to reality?

Kate Walsh's Husband Files of Divorce

2008-12-14T16:23:00.002-06:00

Source: Zap2it.com

'Private Practice' Star Kate Walsh's Husband Files for Divorce
The couple has only been married for 15 months

Kate Walsh doesn't only have marital problems on TV.

The "Private Practice" star's husband, Alex Young, has filed for divorce, reports "Entertainment Tonight."

According to court papers, the couple has been separated since Nov. 22, just before Thanksgiving. Young cites irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split.

Walsh, 41, and 37-year-old Young, a production co-president at 20th Century Fox, in February 2007, and he proposed three months later. They had gone public with their romance in April at a Los Angeles fundraiser for the now president-elect Barack Obama.

The couple tied the knot in September 2007 in Ojai, Calif. The ceremony was attended by friends, family, actress Kate Beckinsale and her director husband Len Wiseman, as well as "Grey's Anatomy" costars Katherine Heigl, Chandra Wilson, Sara Ramirez and Justin Chambers.

Walsh first played Dr. Addison Montgomery on "Grey's Anatomy" before spinning off to her own series, "Private Practice," both on ABC.

The CW Announces New Sunday Night Schedule: "Jericho" returns on The CW in reruns.

2008-11-30T14:40:00.002-06:00

Source: CWTV.com (http://blog.cwtv.com/?p=381)

THE CW ANNOUNCES THE NEW SUNDAY NIGHT SCHEDULE

The CW Network announced its new Sunday night schedule today with a lineup that includes quality scripted series and contemporary theatrical films from the MGM library.

The night will begin with first-season episodes of The CW’s series EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS (5:00-5:30 p.m.) and THE GAME (5:30-6:00 p.m.), followed by back-to back second-season episodes of THE DREW CAREY SHOW (6:00-6:30 and 6:30-7:00 p.m.). First-season episodes of the critically acclaimed drama “Jericho” (7:00-8:00 p.m.) will be followed by various MGM feature films (8:00-10:00 p.m.).

Beginning Sunday, November 30, the schedule will be:

All Times ET
5:00 – 5:30 p.m. EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS
5:30 – 6:00 p.m. THE GAME
6:00 – 6:30 p.m. THE DREW CAREY SHOW
6:30 – 7:00 p.m. THE DREW CAREY SHOW
7:00 – 8:00 p.m. JERICHO
8:00 – 10:00 p.m. THE CROCODILE HUNTER: COLLISION COURSE

Additional film titles from MGM will include “The Cutting Edge,” “Revenge of the Pink Panther,” “Trail of the Pink Panther,” “Spaceballs,” “Carrie,” “Throw Momma From The Train,” “Mr. Mom,” “Anti-Trust,” “Three Amigos!” and “Teen Wolf.”

WWE Announcement: SmackDown Main Event at Armageddon

2008-11-29T15:29:00.002-06:00

View: http://www.wwe.com/shows/smackdown/results/

It's official: WWE Champion Edge defends the gold in a Triple Threat at Armageddon
Written: November 29, 2008

After meeting with the WWE Board of Directors following SmackDown, General Manager Vickie Guerrero has announced that at Armageddon, her husband Edge will defend the WWE Championship in a Triple Threat Match against Jeff Hardy and Triple H. (Match Preview)

As new WWE Champion Edge reemerged on SmackDown with his gold raised high, the WWE Universe witnessed three of SmackDown’s top Superstars, Jeff Hardy, Vladimir Kozlov and former WWE Champion, Triple H battle for clock supremacy to see who would face the Ultimate Opportunist at Armageddon, only to be left in a shroud of uncertainty until this morning's announcement.

Jeff Hardy set the standard early, winning the first Beat the Clock Challenge Match with a high-octane win over The Brian Kendrick in 12:13. After taking Ezekiel Jackson out with a lightning kick through the ropes, Hardy delivered a Swanton Bomb on Kendrick to secure the victory, making him the Superstar to beat.

Matt Hardy put everything on the line for the sake of his brother, battling tenaciously with the mighty Moscow Mauler, Vladimir Kozlov, while keeping one eye on the clock. The Extreme champion’s endurance paid off, as time expired without a winner, thereby sealing the door shut on Kozlov’s opportunity to be part of the Armageddon main event.

After a grueling match, Triple H hit the Gold Standard with a Pedigree. However, WWE Official Mike Chioda had been knocked out, and struggled through glazed eyes to finally deliver the three-count. However, after raising The Game’s hand in triumph, indicating that he had beaten the clock, a second WWE Official, Charles Robinson ran down to dispute the outcome. The two officials came to the consensus that Triple H and Jeff Hardy had earned their win in exactly the same amount of time, 12:13, leaving the WWE Universe in a state of confusion and suspense as to who would be facing Edge at Armageddon until this morning.

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - Official Preview (November 28, 2008)

2008-11-27T20:59:00.001-06:00

The new WWE Champion Edge will be on SmackDown for the first time since his surprise return at Survivor Series. What will the Rated-R Superstar have to say about where he has been and what his plans are now that he is back on top?

ABC's "LOST" Season 5 - Promo - "You Found Me" - The Fray (new song)

2008-11-23T01:49:00.004-06:00

For full length of the song (without video), visit The Fray's Official MySpace page:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=8378633

ABC's "LOST" Season 5 Official Trailer - "You Found Me" by The Fray (new song)

2008-11-23T01:46:00.001-06:00

Meteor Lights Up the dark sky of Edmonton in Canada.

2008-11-22T22:14:00.002-06:00

CBS Sweeps Thursday

2008-11-22T21:10:00.001-06:00

Prime-Time Ratings:
Thursday 11/20/08

-Total Viewers:
CBS: 13.90 million, ABC: 10.67, NBC: 77.0, Fox: 4.57, CW: 4.40

-Honorable Mention:
The Office (NBC)

-Adults 18-49:
CBS: 3.9 rating/10 share, ABC: 3.7/10, NBC: 3.3/ 9, Fox: 1.9/ 5, CW: 1.8/ 5
__________________________

TV Ratings: CBS Easily Wins Another Thursday
'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation' is, as usual, the night's most watched show

Fast National ratings for Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008.

Although "Grey's Anatomy" still delivered the night's highest demo ratings, CBS had no problems sweeping Thursday in overall measures.

CBS averaged an 8.6 rating/14 share overall for the night, far ahead of ABC's 6.9/11 and the 4.8/8 for NBC. FOX had a 2.8/4 to narrowly beat the 2.7/4 for The CW in fifth.

Among adults 18-49, CBS did a 3.9 rating to nip ABC's 3.7 rating in the key demographic. NBC's 3.3 was good for third, followed by FOX's 1.9 rating and the 1.8 rating for The CW.

"Survivor: Gabon" started CBS off in first, doing a 7.6/12. ABC's "Ugly Betty" was second with a 5.4/9. NBC's "My Name Is Earl" and "Kath & Kim" held third, barely beating the 2.9/5 posted by both The CW's "Smallville" and FOX's "Kitchen Nightmares."

At 9 p.m. CBS' "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" won the hour with an 11.3/17, holding off the 10.0/15 for ABC's "Grey's Anatomy." NBC's "The Office" (4.9/7) and "30 Rock" (4.4/7) were third, beating FOX's "Kitchen Nightmares." On The CW, "Supernatural" had a 2.4/4.

"Eleventh Hour" completed the CBS sweep at 10 p.m. with a 7.0/12. NBC's "ER" had a 5.9/10, leaving ABC's "Life on Mars" in last with a 5.3/9.

WWE Survivor Series 2008: Final Card

2008-11-22T13:01:00.001-06:00

- Undertaker vs. Big Show (Casket Match)
- Jeff Hardy vs. WWE Champion Triple H vs. Vladimir Kozlov (Triple Threat Match)
- Team Batista vs. Team Orton Traditional Survivor Series Elimination Match
- Team HBK vs. Team JBL Traditional Survivor Series Elimination Match
- Team SmackDown vs. Team Raw Divas Survivor Series Elimination Match
- World Heavyweight Champion Chris Jericho vs. John Cena

SmackDown! Viewers Update

2008-11-22T12:59:00.003-06:00

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! registered 3.66 million viewers for the 11/14/08 episode, this is down from its new record high of 3.68 million viewers for the 11/07/08. The A18-49 demographic rating maintained at 1.2/4.

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - Official Results (November 14, 2008)

2008-11-15T20:21:00.002-06:00

Results:
Facing the extreme
By: Michael Burdick
November 14, 2008

As the headlining Survivor Series matches were being finalized, Jeff Hardy continued his extreme tirade throughout SmackDown, causing major disruption to several of the Superstars. And even Undertaker - emerging from a casket in the middle of the ring - was not as shocking as Jeff Hardy’s frightening new look to match his reckless insanity. (WATCH PHOTOS)

Contract Signing for WWE Championship Match at Survivor Series (PHOTOS)
SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero had scheduled a simple contract signing for the WWE Championship Match at Survivor Series between WWE Champion Triple H and Vladimir Kozlov. But things quickly turned extreme when Jeff Hardy suddenly jumped from the top rope and put the Moscow Mauler through the table. Hardy then proceeded to rip up the championship contract and throw it in The Game’s face.

Jeff Hardy def. Undertaker (Extreme Rules Match) (WATCH PHOTOS)
As Undertaker and Hardy seemed to be reaching the climax of an absolutely brutal Extreme Rules Match, Big Show charged to the ring. The World’s Largest Athlete chokeslamed The Deadman and caught the advancing Hardy in midair, before Undertaker nailed him with the steel chair. However, with The Phenom’s attention on Big Show, Hardy was able to clobber him with the same chair, paving the way for him to hurl himself off the turnbuckle, over the top of the ladder and down upon The Deadman – executing a breathtaking leg drop that sealed his amazing victory. Following the match, SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero told Hardy that if he beats Triple H next week, she will make the WWE Championship Match at Survivor Series a Triple Threat Match.

The Brian Kendrick def. WWE Tag Team Champion Carlito (WATCH PHOTOS)
When Carlito became distracted by the attack on his younger brother Primo by Ezekiel Jackson outside the ring, The Brian Kendrick seized the moment and executed The Kendrick to claim a strutting conquest.

Divas Champion Michelle McCool def. Maria - (Divas Championship Match) (WATCH PHOTOS)
Divas Champion Michelle McCool utilized a wrenching ankle hold on Maria to score a painful submission triumph in a match for the Divas Championship. Festus & Jesse had journeyed down to ringside - teddy bear in hand - to view the match close up. But when the Corn-Fed Colossus realized Michelle had hurt Maria, he charged into the ring after her, forcing the champion to quickly dive out of the ring to safety.

ECW Champion Matt Hardy def. United States Champion Shelton Benjamin – (Non-Title) (PHOTOS)
ECW Champion Matt Hardy hit the Twist of Fate out of nowhere to overcome United States Champion Shelton Benjamin in an intense, hard-fought Champion vs. Champion Match.

Kung Fu Naki def. Montel Vontavious Porter; Khali Kiss Cam (PHOTOS)
Thanks in part to the emergence of The Great Khali, Kung Fu Naki surprised MVP with the Chain Kick, giving him a huge win over the Ballin’ Superstar - once again costing SmackDown’s highest paid athlete his incentive bonus. After leveling MVP at the conclusion of the match, the Punjabi Playboy presented yet another edition of Khali Kiss Cam. However, in an unexpected twist, after dropping MVP for the second time with a two-handed chokeslam – Khali decided to have the lucky lady from Manchester give MVP the kiss instead.

Why Same-Sex Marriage is WRONG! It affects everyone!

2008-11-15T20:18:00.000-06:00

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - Extreme Rules Match: Undertaker vs. Jeff Hardy - Nov. 13, 2008

2008-11-13T21:59:00.002-06:00

Going to new Extremes

Undertaker will step into the ring for a one-on-one Extreme Rules Match with Jeff Hardy on SmackDown. Will The Phenom show any mercy to the Superstar who attacked him with a steel chair last week? Relive that moment now. Watch SmackDown Quick Cut

FOX Pushes "The Cleveland Show" to Fall 2009

2008-11-11T19:55:00.003-06:00

FOX Pushes 'The Cleveland Show' to Fall 2009
Arianna Huffington set for an ursine recurring role

Conspicuously left off of FOX's recently announced midseason schedule, "The Cleveland Show" has been pushed to next fall.

But don't take that move as a bad sign for the "Family Guy" spin-off. In addition to admitting to the premiere delay, FOX also announced that it has ordered a full season of the animated comedy.

That means that FOX has now ordered 22 episodes of "The Cleveland Show," which will star Sanaa Lathan, Nia Long, Kevin Michael Richardson, Mike Henry and Seth MacFarlane.

"FOX picking up nine more episodes of our show is proof that an African-American can make it in this country," says, um, "Cleveland Brown" in FOX's press release. "This is a milestone for the United States of America."

FOX initially set "The Cleveland Show" for a midseason launch. It follows Peter Griffin's neighbor (Henry) as he moves to Virginia to be with his high-school sweetheart (Lathan) and her kids. His son Cleveland Jr. will also be part of the show.

In addition to announcing the full season order and the fall start, FOX also made a rather peculiar addendum: Arianna Huffington will take a recurring role on the series.

The presence of the blogger, radio host and politically shifting pundit would be odd enough. What's more, though, Huffington's character will be part of the family of talking bears who live in Cleveland's new Virginia neighborhood. The ursine spouse of Huffington's character will be voiced by MacFarlane.

With the "Cleveland Show" reassignment, the jury is still out on FOX's other unscheduled midseason comedy, the Mitch Hurwitz-produced "Sit Down, Shut Up."

WWE News: SmackDown Sets New High Records for MyNetworkTV.

2008-11-11T19:49:00.003-06:00

- SmackDown! attracted 3.7 million viewers to MyNetworkTV for Friday, November 7. SmackDown! was up 700,000 viewers from last week's (Oct. 31) 3.01 million viewers because of Halloween, where people go out trick-or-treating.

- SmackDown! also established a high in the A18-49 (1.3 rating).

- NOTE: SmackDown!'s viewing levels on MyNetworkTV are still down from The CW/SmackDown viewing levels. SmackDown! averaged 4.7 million viewers on The CW while SmackDown! on MyNetworkTV is currently averaging at 3.6 million viewers.

ABC, CBS Tight for Monday night.

2008-11-11T19:43:00.001-06:00

TV Ratings: 'Stars' Align for ABC Monday
'Dancing with the Stars,' CBS comedies rule the night

Fast National ratings for Monday, Nov. 10, 2008

Monday's Nielsen ratings followed their typical pattern, with ABC bringing in the biggest total audience and CBS' comedies paving the way to a demographic win.

ABC drew a 9.1 rating/14 share for the night to lead the way. CBS, 7.5/11, finished a healthy second. There was a steep drop from there to third-place NBC, which managed only a 3.8/6. FOX, 3.2/5, came in fourth, and The CW pulled down a 2.0/3 in fifth.

CBS topped the adults 18-49 demographic with a 3.9 rating. ABC, 3.4, took second. NBC grabbed third with a 2.6, followed by FOX, 2.1, and The CW, 1.6.

As usual, ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" (11.7/17) had the biggest audience by a wide margin at 8 p.m. CBS finished second with "The Big Bang Theory," 6.2/9, and "How I Met Your Mother," 5.9/9, and tied ABC for the lead among adults 18-49. "Chuck" earned a 3.9/6 for NBC, beating "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" on FOX. "Gossip Girl" delivered a 2.1/3 for The CW.

ABC held the lead at 9 p.m. with the final half-hour of "Dancing with the Stars," 12.3/18, and "Samantha Who?," 7.3/11. "Two and a Half Men," 8.9/13, and "Worst Week," 6.0/9, kept CBS in second. "Heroes," 4.7/7, continued to struggle for NBC, although it still finished ahead of "Prison Break," 3.2/5, on FOX. "One Tree Hill" held steady for The CW.

"CSI: Miami" put CBS on top at 10 p.m. with an 8.9/15. "Boston Legal" scored a 5.8/9 for ABC, and NBC's "My Own Worst Enemy" slumped to a 2.7/4.

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - Official Results (November 7, 2008)

2008-11-08T19:11:00.003-06:00

Results:
Going to the extreme
By: Michael Burdick
November 7, 2008

ORLANDO, Fla. – After coming so close to winning the WWE Championship – time after time – and being told by SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero that he doesn’t have what it takes to become WWE Champion, a recluse Jeff Hardy made it clear to the WWE Universe that he would use any means necessary to get another chance.

(WATCH SMACKDOWN QUICK CUT)

The Miz & John Morrison def. WWE Champion Triple H & Jeff Hardy (DQ) (PHOTOS)

Jeff Hardy showed up to his tag team match determined to show Guerrero that he could overcome “The Dirt Sheet” stars on his own. Once Triple H tagged him in to the match, he refused to tag out again. When he was unable to score a pinfall and The Game came to his aid, Hardy snapped, causing the disqualification as he swung and threw a steel chair wildly at both Miz and Morrison.

Vladimir Kozlov def. Undertaker (DQ) (WATCH PHOTOS)

Determined to demonstrate the extreme nature of his cause, Jeff Hardy went on to sabotage the main event match between the undefeated Vladimir Kozlov and Undertaker. Hardy attacked the Moscow Mauler with a chair, simultaneously handing Kozlov a win by disqualification and an apparent chance at WWE Champion Triple H at Survivor Series. After the bell, the out of control Hardy danced with death, smashing The Phenom over the head as well. He then returned to Guerrero and secured himself an Extreme Rules Match next week against the legendary Deadman.

United States Champion Shelton Benjamin def. R-Truth – United States Championship (PHOTOS)

The Gold Standard successfully survived an explosive onslaught by R-Truth, hitting his devastating Pay Dirt to reign supreme and retain his United States Championship.

Brie Bella def. Victoria (WATCH PHOTOS)

After Brie Bella beat Victoria with a surprise inside cradle, she once again sought refuge under the ring. When both Victoria and Natalya began dragging her out from completely different places, it was revealed that the mysterious Diva actually has a twin! The dynamic duo proceeded to give their opposition a simultaneous beat down. WWE.com has learned that Brie’s twin is named Nikki and has secured exclusive post match photos. Check back tomorrow for an exclusive photo shoot with the Bella sisters.

The Great Khali def. Montel Vontavious Porter (PHOTOS)

The Great Khali and Ranjin Singh interrupted the VIP Lounge in order to treat the WWE Universe to another sizzling Kiss Cam. (WATCH PHOTOS) Although MVP refused their invitation to stick around and stormed out – paving the way for the Punjabi Playboy to kiss two of Orlando’s sunniest sweethearts – the Ballin’ Superstar returned to get a few shots in. A vengeful Khali earned a victory over MVP with his mighty two-handed chokeslam, leaving his adversary one win short in his continued quest to earn his promised intensive bonus. With another mark in the loss column, will MVP earn his bonus by the Survivor Series deadline? Or will he have to pay back the multi-million dollar signing bonus from his original contract?

Ezekiel Jackson def. Jimmy Wang Yang (WATCH PHOTOS)

In retribution for Jimmy Wang Yang’s win by disqualification over The Brian Kendrick last week, Ezekiel Jackson manhandled the Asian redneck, ruthlessly hurling him into to the canvas for the pin. After the bell, Jackson’s associate once again treated Yang to The Kendrick.

LOST Returns to ABC this January!

2008-11-08T19:07:00.003-06:00

Source: Zap2it.com

'Lost' Returns in January
Season five gets a two-hour premiere on Jan. 21

Set your "Lost" countdown clocks to 75 days: ABC has set the show's season premiere date.

The show will open its fifth season with a two-hour premiere starting at 9 p.m. ET Wednesday, Jan. 21. It marks a return to Wednesdays for the show, which aired after "Grey's Anatomy" on Thursday nights at the end of last season.

Other than the date and the episode titles -- "Because You Left" and "The Lie" -- ABC hasn't released any information about the new season. It's expected to run for 17 episodes -- with the 17th partially making up for last year's strike-shortened 14-episode season -- which would put the season finale in late April or early May.

It remains to be seen what the addition of "Lost" to Wednesday nights will mean for ABC's current lineup on the night. " Private Practice," which ABC picked up for the full season a couple weeks ago, is likely staying put, but it's potentially bad news for either "Pushing Daisies" or " Dirty Sexy Money," both of which have been struggling in their second seasons.

The network has yet to announce a full midseason schedule. ABC also has three comedies, including NBC pickup " Scrubs," and three new dramas on tap for 2009.

"Lost" ended its fourth season by showing how the Oceanic Six got off the island and formed their cover story, with flash-forwards showing all six people decidedly unhappy with their post-rescue lives and realizing they have to go back. Which could be a problem, as the finale also showed Ben (Michael Emerson) moving the island to points unknown. And then there's the matter of Locke (Terry O'Quinn) being revealed as the man in the coffin.

Answers to some of the questions posed by those developments will start coming in 75 days.

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - Official Preview (Nov. 7, 2008) - Tonight @ 8/7c on MyNetworkTV

2008-11-07T17:47:00.001-06:00

On the line
Vladimir Kozlov wants an opportunity at the WWE Championship, and SmackDown's GM obliged him, telling the Moscow Mauler that if he can defeat Undertaker, he will face Triple H for the gold.

Ex-24 Star Moving to Lost

2008-11-07T17:17:00.001-06:00

Source: Zap2it.com

Ex-'24' Star Is Getting 'Lost'
Reiko Aylesworth is in talks for a recurring role

Former "24" star Reiko Aylesworth may soon be involved in a different sort of international intrigue on "Lost."

Aylesworth is in negotiations to take a "major" recurring role on the upcoming season of the ABC series, according to The Hollywood Reporter. She would appear in at least four episodes of the show, which will make its return early next year.

The character Aylesworth would be playing is described as "a smart and successful professional woman with a love for the outdoors who is looking for the right man." This being "Lost," that could mean almost anything. Could she be:

- A heretofore unseen Other who's been working behind the scenes in searching for the "right man" -- say, John Locke (Terry O'Quinn)?

- An operative for either Ben (Michael Emerson) or Widmore (Alan Dale) who's helping track the movements of either side's adversaries?

- Someone who gets involved with one of the Oceanic Six? (Note to the character: If this is the case, you're looking in the wrong place for the right man.)

Aylesworth is best known for playing CTU agent Michelle Dessler on "24" for three-plus seasons. She had a recurring part on "ER" last season and has recently appeared in the movies "Aliens vs. Predator -- Requiem" and "Mr. Brooks."

"King of the Hill" on Adult Swim

2008-11-07T17:10:00.002-06:00

Source: Zap2it.com

'King of the Hill' to Reign Nightly on Adult Swim
The Emmy-winning animated show will kick off the programming in January 2009
Mourn not for Hank Hill and his Texas family after they leave FOX next year. Long live "King of the Hill" on cable.

Adult Swim announced that "King of the Hill" will help kick off the expansion of its late-night programming block, which will soon run seven nights a week.

Beginning in January 2009, the new schedule will have Adult Swim goodness starting at 10 p.m. every evening. Thanks to a multi-year licensing agreement with Twentieth Television, the Emmy-winning "King of the Hill" has the honor of beginning the Adult Swim programming each night.

"Adult Swim has been a consistent ratings winner," says Stuart Snyder, president and chief operating officer of Turner Broadcasting's Animation, Young Adults and Kids Media group. "By expanding the network with exciting new programming, which speaks directly to our audience, Adult Swim and AdultSwim.com can continue to grow and be the dominant brand with men 18-34."

Mike Lazzo, Adult Swim's senior VP of programming and production adds, "With 'King of the Hill' joining 'Family Guy' in our Adult Swim lineup we now have two of the greatest animated series ever made."

Adult Swim has topped the ratings with men 18-34 for 12 of the last 14 quarters.

"King of the Hill" is currently in its 12th season on FOX and has not been renewed for the following years. There's been much speculation as to its fate, including interest by ABC to pick up the animated series.

"CSI" Still on Top of Thursday But "Grey's" Leads the Demo.

2008-11-07T16:58:00.001-06:00

Prime-Time Ratings:
Thursday 11/06/08

-Total Viewers:
CBS: 13.75 million, ABC: 11.16, NBC: 7.64, Fox: 4.55, CW: 4.27

-Adults 18-49:
CBS: 4.0 rating/10 share, ABC: 3.9/10, NBC: 3.3/ 8, Fox: 2.1/ 5, CW: 1.8/ 4

Source: PIFeedBack.com
___________________

TV Ratings: 'CSI' Grabs Another Victory
'Grey's Anatomy' grows and leads Thursday's 18-49 rankings

Fast National ratings for Thursday, Nov. 6, 2008

"Grey's Anatomy" scored some of its best ratings of the season Thursday, but they weren't enough to overtake CBS and win the night.

CBS averaged an 8.5 rating/14 share for the night, beating out ABC's 7.3/12. NBC took third with a 4.7/7. FOX, 2.9/5, narrowly beat The CW, 2.6/4, for fourth.

CBS also led among adults 18-49, its 4.0 rating just edging ABC's 3.9 for the top spot. NBC finished third in the key ad demographic with a 3.3. FOX averaged 2.1 and The CW 1.8.

"Survivor: Gabon" gave CBS the lead at 8 p.m. with a 7.3/11. "Ugly Betty" drew a 5.8/9 for ABC. "My Name Is Earl," 4.0/6, and "Kath & Kim," 3.4/5, put NBC in third. "Smallville" earned a 2.9/5 for The CW, beating FOX's "Kitchen Nightmares" by a small margin.

"CSI," 11.2/17, had the night's biggest overall audience at 9 p.m., but "Grey's Anatomy," 10.1/15, drew better adults 18-49 numbers. "The Office," 4.7/7, and "30 Rock," 4.6/7, held onto third for NBC. A second hour of "Kitchen Nightmares," 3.0/5, moved FOX ahead of The CW and "Supernatural."

At 10 p.m., "Eleventh Hour" scored a 7.1/12 to complete the CBS sweep. ABC's "Life on Mars," 6.0/10, topped NBC's "ER," 5.7/10, for second.

Source: Zap2it.com

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - Official Results (October 31, 2008)

2008-11-01T20:17:00.004-05:00

Results:

A night for fright
By: Michael Burdick
October 31, 2008

SAN DIEGO – Just five days after Cyber Sunday, MyNetwork TV hosted a special Halloween-themed edition of SmackDown full of Superstar tricks, costumed Diva treats, and a wicked Casket Match set by devilish General Manager Vickie Guerrero.

Undertaker def. Chavo Guerrero (Casket Match) (WATCH PHOTOS)
Even with Big Show becoming more than a casual observer, the fate of Chavo Guerrero in a Casket Match against Undertaker seemed set in stone. After punishing the self-proclaimed "Mexican Warrior," The Phenom signaled to the referee that the end was near. But, as he was about to send Guerrero to his doom, Big Show slammed the casket door closed. Then, when The Deadman countered his opponent’s attempt to use a chair with a vicious chokeslam, Big Show attacked. However, the trick was on The World’s Largest Athlete as The Phenom pulled the top rope down, sending the charging Superstar tumbling over the ropes and onto the top of the looming box of death. Undertaker then hit Guerrero with the Tombstone and rolled him into the coffin for the win.

Vladimir Kozlov calls out Triple H; General Manager Guerrero gives Kozlov an opportunity (PHOTOS)
Vladimir Kozlov came before the WWE Universe, demanding a title opportunity against WWE Champion Triple H. When The Game emerged and pushed for a face-to-face confrontation without securing a title match, the Moscow Mauler backed off. Later, after watching her nephew lose to Undertaker, Vickie Guerrero informed Kozlov that if he beats The Deadman next week, she will award him a chance at the WWE Championship at Survivor Series.

The Miz & John Morrison def. WWE Tag Team Champions Carlito & Primo (Non-Title Match) (WATCH PHOTOS)
In a heated tag team match, the Shaman of Sexy grabbed the rope just as Carlito was spring boarding off it, allowing the self-proclaimed “chick magnet” to execute a Mizard of Oz for the win. Will the WWE.com “Dirt Sheet” co-stars have the same luck against DX on a special three-hour edition of Monday Night Raw’s 800th Episode Celebration? (full story…) (WATCH PREVIEW)

Six-Diva Tag Team Match: Maria def. Victoria (WATCH PHOTOS)
The Sexiest Women on Television put their sultry Halloween costumes on display in a special Halloween Six-Diva Tag Team Match. Divas Champion “Army Brat” Michelle McCool, “Bunny” Maria & “Cleopatra” Brie Bella defeated “French Maid” Maryse, “Police Officer” Natalya & “Wacky Banana” Victoria. In the end, Maria tagged herself in – much to the surprise of Michelle – and hit a cross body from the top rope for the victory.

Six-Man Tag Team Match: Jeff Hardy def. MVP (PHOTOS)

In a ghoulish match, ECW Champion Matt Hardy, Jeff Hardy, & Rey Mysterio took on the frightening forces of Kane, Mark Henry & Montel Vontavious Porter. In the end, Jeff Hardy proved victorious; hitting the Ballin’ Superstar with the Swanton Bomb after his brother Matt delivered the Twist of Fate.

Jimmy Wang Yang def. The Brian Kendrick – DQ (PHOTOS)

Jimmy Wang Yang dressed up as the legendary “John Wayne Yang.” But after he hit the Moonsault and looked as if he would pin The Kendrick outright, it was Ezekiel Jackson who showed true grit. After pulling his associate out of the ring before the three-count could be completed – causing the disqualification – Jackson unleashed a devastating attack on the would-be Duke.

The Great Khali’s special Trick or Treat Edition of The Kiss Cam (WATCH PHOTOS)

The Great Khali and Ranjin Singh hosted a very special Trick-or-Treat edition of Kiss Cam in which the Punjabi Playboy plucked one Beatrix “The Wicked Witch of San Diego” from the audience and knocked her off her feet with a very haunting Halloween kiss.

Witness the terrifying WWE Zombies

Halloween Night Favors CBS. CW Registers All-time Low on Fridays.

2008-11-01T20:07:00.003-05:00

Friday 10/31/08

-Total Viewers:
CBS: 10.41 million, ABC: 4.91, Fox: 4.58, NBC: 4.12, CW: 1.16

-Adults 18-49:
CBS: 2.2 rating/8 share, ABC: 1.4/ 5, Fox: 1.1/ 4, NBC: 0.9/ 3, CW: 0.5/ 2
______________________

Source: Zap2it.com

TV Ratings: CBS Has 'Numb3rs' Over 'Lipstick Jungle' on Friday
Schedule changes pay off for CBS, not so much for NBC

LOS ANGELES -- Fast National ratings for Friday, Oct. 31, 2008

It was television trick-or-treat for viewers on Halloween as the networks beging to tinker with their Friday night schedules. CBS won the night in households with a 6.7 rating/13 share, more than double the audience of ABC for the night, 3.3/6. FOX came in third with a 2.9/6, followed by NBC, 2.7/5, and The CW, 0.8/1.

CBS also drew in the 18 to 49-year-olds with a 2.2. ABC came in second with a 1.4. FOX mustered a 1.1, while NBC and The CW mustered a 0.9 and 0.5, respectively.

" Ghost Whisperer" started the evening strong for CBS, averaging a 6.1/12 for the hour. NBC started the evening in second place with "Deal or No Deal" edging out FOX's game show " Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?" ABC went with " Wife Swap," 2.5/5, while The CW offered up " Everybody Hates Chris," 1.0/2, and " The Game," 0.9/2.

At 9 p.m., CBS replaced freshly canceled drama "The Ex List" with a repeat of "NCIS" and scored the best ratings of the night, 7.2/13. " Supernanny" improved ABC's numbers for the night and kept the network in second place with a 3.0/5. FOX rose to third place with " Don't Forget the Lyrics," 2.8/5, while NBC slipped to third with " Crusoe," 2.6/5. The CW's encore of "America's Next Top Model" managed a 0.8/1.

CBS finished the evening at 10 p.m. in first place courtesy of " Numb3rs," 6.8/13. ABC had its best numbers of the night from " 20/20," 4.6/9, while NBC's decision to do some schedule-swapping did not favors for the ladies of " Lipstick Jungle," for 2.3/4.

Spider-Man 4 Update

2008-11-01T12:26:00.000-05:00

Source:
http://movies.yahoo.com/mv/news/va/20081031/122544306700.html

Pulitzer pen crafts "Spidey 4"
Friday October 31 1:51 AM ET

Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire got out of a rabbit hole, only to be ensnared by a spider's web.

Lindsay-Abaire, who won a Pulitzer in 2007 for his drama "Rabbit Hole," is in final negotiations to write "Spider-Man 4" for Columbia.

Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire are back as director and star, respectively. Kirsten Dunst also is expected to return for the latest movie featuring the Marvel Comics character.

Plot details are under lock and key. Producer Laura Ziskin had said she would like to aim for a May 2011 release for "Spider-Man 4," nine years after the original movie's debut.

Columbia always has gone off the beaten path during the development process when hiring writers for the "Spider-Man" movies. Alvin Sargent, a veteran scribe best known for 1973's "Paper Moon" and 1980's "Ordinary People," served as a writer on the second and third films. Michael Chabon, another Pulitzer winner, also worked on "Spider-Man 2."

James Vanderbilt previously wrote a draft of "Spider-Man 4."

Lindsay-Abaire's "Rabbit Hole," which starred Cynthia Nixon and Tyne Daly, hit the Broadway stage in 2006 and won four Tonys, including best play. The writer also is known for the play "Fuddy Meers."

Lindsay-Abaire has said in interviews that his plays tend to be "peopled with outsiders in search of clarity," which would put his work on sympathetic terms with Peter Parker, who in his classic incarnation is the perpetual outsider.

The choice of scribe also signals that that filmmakers are intent to focus on character, something that critics said got lost in the third installment.

Lindsay-Abaire, now writing the book and lyrics for the Broadway musical adaptation of "Shrek," has dipped his toe in Tinseltown before, with his adaptation of "Inkheart" due in January. He is also adapting "Rabbit" for 20th Century Fox and Nicole Kidman.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

Science Does Not Contradict With Faith.

2008-10-31T22:56:00.003-05:00

Pope sees physicist Hawking at evolution gathering
Fri Oct 31, 1:52 pm ET

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Benedict told a gathering of scientists including the British cosmologist Stephen Hawking on Friday that there was no contradiction between believing in God and empirical science.

Benedict, who briefly met the wheelchair-bound physicist at an event hosted by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, described science as the pursuit of knowledge about God's creation.

"There is no opposition between faith's understanding of creation and the evidence of the empirical sciences," the pontiff said.

"Galileo saw nature as a book whose author is God."

The Catholic Church found the 17th-century astronomer Galileo guilty of heresy for insisting the earth revolved around the sun. It did not rehabilitate him until 1992.

Hawking is a guest at the week-long event, which will explore the theme: "Scientific Insights into the Evolution of the Universe and of Life."

In an interview with Reuters last year, Hawking said he was "not religious in the normal sense."

"I believe the universe is governed by the laws of science," he said. "The laws may have been decreed by God, but God does not intervene to break the laws."

The Catholic Church teaches "theistic evolution," which accepts evolution as scientific theory. Proponents see no reason why God could not have used an evolutionary process in forming the human species.

The Pontiff admired the technology that allows Hawking to speak through a voice synthesizer. Hawking is crippled by a muscle disease and has lost the use of his natural voice.

Hawking, author of the best-selling "A Brief History of Time," will speak about the origin of the universe at the closed-door event.

(Writing by Phil Stewart; Editing by Catherine Bosley)

"30 Rock" Establishes Series High for NBC

2008-10-31T16:10:00.003-05:00

Prime-Time Ratings:
Thursday 10/30/08

-Total Viewers:
CBS: 14.42 million, ABC: 10.67, NBC: 7.95, CW: 3.88, Fox: 3.81

-Adults 18-49:
CBS: 3.9 rating/10 share, ABC: 3.6/10, NBC: 3.4/ 9, Fox and CW: 1.6/ 4 each
_______________

TV Ratings: '30 Rock' Rolls to Series High
CBS wins Thursday, but Tina Fey's promo blitz helps NBC

Fast National ratings for Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008

CBS racked up another Thursday-night ratings win, but NBC's "30 Rock" grabbed its biggest audience ever following Tina Fey's star turn as Sarah Palin on " Saturday Night Live."

CBS led the night with a 9.0 rating/14 share, beating out ABC's 7.1/11. NBC came in third with a 4.9/8. FOX took fourth with a 2.5/4, edging The CW's 2.4/4 (the two finished virtually tied in total viewers.

The adults 18-49 race was closer, but CBS' 3.9 rating still won the night, topping ABC's 3.6 and NBC's 3.4. FOX and The CW tied for fourth at 1.6.

" Survivor: Gabon," 7.9/13, put CBS on top at 8 p.m. ABC's "Ugly Betty" drew a 5.6/9 to finish second. "My Name Is Earl," 3.9/6, and " Kath & Kim," 3.4/5, were third for NBC. "Smallville" earned a 2.6/4 for The CW, edging a " Kitchen Nightmares" rerun on FOX.

CBS stayed on top at 9 p.m. with " CSI," the night's most-watched show at 11.5/17. " Grey's Anatomy," 9.9/15, however, grabbed the evening's best adults 18-49 rating. " The Office," 5.3/8, and "30 Rock," 5.0/7, which hit series highs in viewers and adults 18-49, kept NBC in third. A new "Kitchen Nightmares," 2.5/4, moved FOX slightly ahead of " Supernatural" on The CW.

" Eleventh Hour," 7.7/13, completed the CBS sweep at 10 p.m. NBC's " ER," 5.9/10, which led the hour in the 18-49 demo, beat out ABC's " Life on Mars," 5.7/10.

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - Official Preview (October 31, 2008) - Tonight @ 8/7c on MyNetworkTV

2008-10-31T16:00:00.000-05:00

Casket Match

Undertaker faces a mystery opponent in a Casket Match. The Deadman comes into the encounter off a huge win over Big Show, who fell victim to The Phenom's deadly submission move. Will his next opponent suffer a similar fate? Preview

List This! Most Extreme Matches: The Casket Match

WATCH: CASKET MATCH PREVIEW

WWE Cyber Sunday 2008: Watch it!

2008-10-27T19:16:00.004-05:00

WWE Cyber Sunday 2008 - Part 1

Cyber sunday 2008 Part 1
Uploaded by thedeadmandu69

WWE Cyber Sunday - Part 2

Cyber Sunday 2008 Part 2
Uploaded by thedeadmandu69

WWE Cyber Sunday - Part 3

Cyber Sunday 2008 Part 3
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WWE Cyber Sunday - Part 4

Cyber Sunday 2008 Part 4
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WWE Cyber Sunday - Part 5

Cyber Sunday 2008 Part 5
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WWE Cyber Sunday - Part 6

Cyber Sunday 2008 Part 6
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WWE Cyber Sunday - Part 6.5

Cyber Sunday 2008 Part 6.5
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WWE Cyber Sunday - Part 7

Cyber Sunday 2008 Part 7
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WWE Cyber Sunday - Part 8 (NO SOUND)

Cyber Sunday 2008 Part 8
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WWE Cyber Sunday - Part 9 (w/ SOUND now, don't worry)

Cyber Sunday 2008 Part 9
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WWE Cyber Sunday - Part 10

Cyber Sunday 2008 Part 10
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WWE Cyber Sunday - Part 11

Cyber Sunday 2008 Part 11
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WWE Cyber Sunday: Match Results (Click each link for each of the match's result)

2008-10-27T19:05:00.001-05:00

- WWE Champion Triple H def. Jeff Hardy
- Undertaker def. Big Show
- Batista def. World Heavyweight Champion Chris Jericho (new champion; special referee "Stone Cold" Steve Austin)
- Rey Mysterio def. Kane in a No Holds Barred Match
- Cyber Sunday Preview Match (United States Champion Shelton Benjamin def. R-Truth)
- ECW Championship Match (Matt Hardy def. Evan Bourne)
- Honky Tonk Man def. Intercontinental Champion Santino Marella (disqualification)
- The Miz & John Morrison def. Cryme Tyme
- Mickie James wins the WWE Diva Halloween Costume Contest

1,500th Post: WWE SmackDown! (10/24/08) Main Event - Triple H vs. The Undertaker

2008-10-25T16:35:00.002-05:00

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - October 24, 2008 - MAIN EVENT: Triple H vs. The Undertaker (Part 1/3)

Smackdown 10/24/08 7/9
Uploaded by MATER07

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - October 24, 2008 - MAIN EVENT: Triple H vs. The Undertaker (Part 2/3)

Smackdown 10/24/08 8/9
Uploaded by MATER07

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - October 24, 2008 - MAIN EVENT: Triple H vs. The Undertaker (Part 3/3)

Smackdown 10/24/08 9/9
Uploaded by MATER07

On the Next... "Smallville" - All New! Next Thursday (10.30.08) - 8/7c

2008-10-25T11:33:00.001-05:00

Jennifer Hudson's Mother, and Brother Found Dead.

2008-10-25T11:17:00.003-05:00

Source: Zap2it.com

Jennifer Hudson's Mother, Brother Found Shot Dead
Suspect in custody, police still looking for Oscar winner's 7-year-old nephew

LOS ANGELES -- "American Idol" finalist and Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Hudson's mother and brother were found dead in her mother's Chicago home on Friday afternoon, according to news sources.

Darnell Hudson Donerson, 57, and her 29-year-old son Jason had been shot to death. Police say there were no signs of forced entry and that the murders appear to have been the result of a domestic dispute. Neighbors say that they heard shots fired on Friday morning, but the bodies weren't found by a family member until that afternoon.

Police are currently looking for Hudson's 7-year-old nephew, Julian King, who police believe were in the house at the time of the shootings. The boy's mother, Jennifer's sister Julia, reported him missing on Friday afternoon.

Late Friday word came that the police have a suspect in custody although Julian has yet to be found. The suspect's identity hasn't been confirmed by police, but other reports have the suspect as William Balfour, the husband of Julia, who is currently on parole after serving seven years for attempted murder. Within the past year he has listed Donerson's address as his place of residence.

Hudson -- who can currently be seen in "The Secret Life of Bees" -- won the Oscar for best supporting actress in 2007 for her role in "Dreamgirls." She became engaged last month on her 27th birthday to David Otunga, better known as "Punk" from the second season of the reality dating show "I Love New York."

WWE Cyber Sunday: Matches and Previews

2008-10-25T11:15:00.001-05:00

- WWE Championship (WWE Universe chooses challenger)
- Undertaker vs. Big Show (WWE Universe chooses type of match)
- World Heavyweight Champion Chris Jericho vs. Batista (WWE Universe chooses referee)
- Kane vs. Rey Mysterio (WWE Universe chooses type of match)
- ECW Championship Match (WWE Universe chooses Matt Hardy's opponent)
- Cyber Sunday Preview Match (WWE Universe chooses United States Champion Shelton Benjamin's opponent)
- Intercontinental Championship Match (WWE Universe chooses Santino Marella's opponent)
- Pick the Tag Team Match
- WWE Diva Halloween Costume Contest

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - Official Results (October 24, 2008)

2008-10-25T11:10:00.004-05:00

Results:
Power struggle
October 24, 2008

LAREDO, Texas – With Cyber Sunday looming, some of WWE’s biggest Superstars were all looking to make strong statements in front of the WWE Universe on SmackDown. The power is in your hands to decide their fate this Sunday. Vote now. WATCH all of the action now in the SmackDown Quick Cut, and check out WWE.com’s exclusive ringside PHOTOS.

WWE Champion Triple H vs. Undertaker (No Contest) (WATCH) (PHOTOS)
In an iconic confrontation, WWE Champion Triple H and Undertaker pushed their bodies to the limit in a battle featuring multiple near pinfalls and counter maneuvers. But before a winner could be determined, Big Show burst into the arena, destroying The Game with a chokeslam and brutally assaulting The Phenom with a steel chair. After the carnage, Vladimir Kozlov viciously attacked the already-battered Triple H.

WATCH Triple H take shots at SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero; Jeff Hardy and Vladimir Kozlov state their case for Cyber Sunday; and The Game stun Hardy with a Pedigree.

Natalya & Maryse def. Divas Champion Michelle McCool & Maria (PHOTOS)
Just when it looked like Divas Champion Michelle McCool was going to pin Maryse, mariachi music filled the air and Maryse popped her shoulder up after a two-count. Next, Jesse, Festus and an entire mariachi band appeared at ringside, setting the scene for the love-struck Festus to present Maria with a flower. The affectionate distraction allowed Maryse to pin McCool. But, the action wasn’t over. When the bell rang, the budding Romeo transformed into the Corn-fed Colossus we all know and love and gave chase to the entire band.

WWE Tag Team Champions Carlito & Primo def. Chavo Guerrero & Bam Neely (Non-title) (PHOTOS)
The rocky friendship between Chavo Guerrero and Bam Neely cost them their match against the WWE Tag Team Champions. After Chavo saved Bam from a near pinfall, the partners engaged in a heated argument, ending with Chavo slapping Bam across the face. With Bam stunned, Carlito took him down with a Backstabber for the win.

R-Truth & Kung Fu Naki def. United States Champion Shelton Benjamin & Montel Vontavious Porter (PHOTOS)
The energetic Kung Fu Naki delivered a karate kick to MVP to earn his tag team the win. United States Champion Shelton Benjamin will be looking to recover from the loss at Cyber Sunday. Vote now for who Benjamin will defend his title against. Then, catch the Gold Standard in the Cyber Sunday Preview Match, streaming live and exclusively on WWE.com at 7:45 p.m. ET.

The Great Khali’s Kiss Cam (WATCH) (PHOTOS)
Ever since The Great Khali starting kissing women in the ring, letters have been pouring in to his camp. Associate Ranjin Singh read a few of them out loud before the “Punjabi Playboy” planted a kiss on the lips of a lucky member of the WWE Universe.

The Brian Kendrick def. Super Crazy (PHOTOS)
Similar to his experience last week on SmackDown, poor Super Crazy felt the power of Ezekiel Jackson. After The Brian Kendrick defeated Super Crazy with The Kendrick maneuver, his brutally powerful associate chokeslammed Super Crazy to the canvas using just one hand.

Lindsay Lohan Takes a Boot from "Ugly Betty"

2008-10-25T11:07:00.001-05:00

Source: Zap2it.com

'Ugly Betty' Loses Lindsay Lohan
Lohan's guest arc is cut from six to four episodes

Lindsay Lohan's guest-starring stint on "Ugly Betty" has been trimmed from six episodes to four. Everyone seems to agree on that.

But as for the reasons why? Well, that's where the story gets interesting.

Depending on whom you ask, either Lohan was a diva on the set of the ABC series who clashed with the show's star, America Ferrera, or Ferrera was "mean" to Lohan and engineered the "Mean Girls" star's exit.

First, the pro-"Betty" side. "It was a mess," a "production source" tells the New York Post's Page Six. "Lindsay would show up every day with an entourage of people." The source also says Lohan's dressing room was in such poor shape that it had to be repainted.

The source also claims Lohan refused to be on set until after Ferrera was already there, and when they rehearsed a scene from Thursday's (Oct. 23) episode, titled "Granny Pants," in which Ferrera's Betty de-pantses Lohan's character, "she wasn't wearing any underwear."

Not so, claims a Lohan defender -- or, as Page Six quotes this person, "Bulls***!" Lohan was, in fact, wearing a G-string in the aforementioned scene, and didn't think Ferrera was going to pull her pants down in the rehearsal. "But she did," the "Lohan pal" says. "Lindsay was so embarrassed, she started crying."

As for the entourage claims, the friend says Lohan's "sober companion," assistant and manager were on set, along with girlfriend Samantha Ronson, and that her publicist showed up a handful of times too. The dressing room was also used by cast members of the FOX show " Fringe," "so maybe they messed it up."

Meanwhile, E! is saying that creative issues forced the issue, quoting a source saying that Lohan's interpretation of her character wasn't in line with "Betty's" tone.

CBS Tops Thursday Again, Beating World Series, and Grey's.

2008-10-25T11:05:00.001-05:00

TV Ratings: 'CSI,' 'Grey's Anatomy' Beat World Series
CBS continues its Thursday winning streak

Fast National ratings for Thursday, Oct. 23, 2008

The Tampa Bay Rays evened the World Series Thursday night, but FOX couldn't catch up to CBS in the ratings.

CBS won the night with a 9.1 rating/14 share. FOX came in second with a 7.2/11 (its numbers will change some after adjusting for live viewing coast-to-coast), beating out ABC's 6.9/11. NBC took fourth at 4.7/7, while The CW earned a 2.3/4.

The Eye also topped the adults 18-49 demographic with a 4.3 rating. ABC and FOX tied for second at 3.5, with NBC not far behind at 3.2. The CW trailed with a 1.5.

"Survivor: Gabon," 7.8/12, gave CBS the lead at 8 p.m. Game 2 of the World Series (along with the pre-game show) scored a 6.5/10 for FOX. "Ugly Betty," 5.7/9, put ABC in third, ahead of "My Name Is Earl" and "Kath & Kim" on NBC. "Smallville" drew a 2.6/4 for The CW.

CBS increased its lead at 9 p.m. thanks to "CSI," the night's top-rated show at 11.4/17. "Grey's Anatomy," 9.5/14, was second for ABC, dropping FOX's World Series coverage to third. "The Office," 4.5/7, and "Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday," 5.1/8, kept NBC in front of The CW and "Supernatural," 2.0/3.

At 10 p.m., the World Series rose to 7.7/13, tying for the lead with CBS' "Eleventh Hour." NBC's "ER," 5.7/9, beat out ABC's "Life on Mars," 5.4/9, for third.

Check Out The CW4Kids!

2008-10-25T11:02:00.000-05:00

Terrence Howard Replaced in "Iron Man 2"

2008-10-21T19:52:00.002-05:00

Howard Says Being Replaced Was 'Surprise of a Lifetime'
by Matt McDaniel October 21, 2008

Many people were stunned by the news last week that Don Cheadle, and not Terrence Howard, would be playing the role of James "Rhodey" Rhodes in "Iron Man 2." None more so, apparently, than Terrence Howard himself.

Howard recently spoke to NPR to promote his first album, "Shine Through It," and the topic of being replaced in the sequel to the hugely popular comic book adaptation came about. And the Oscar-nominated actor sounded as confused as anyone about the rationale behind the change.

"It was the surprise of a lifetime. There was no explanation, [it] just up and vanished. And I read something in the trades that implicated it was about money... but apparently the contracts that we write and sign aren't worth the paper that they're printed on sometimes. And promises aren't kept, and good faith negotiations aren't always held up." Hear the full interview >>

Marvel Studios, who produced "Iron Man," offered no comment when the story originally broke. But The Hollywood Reporter spoke to sources who stated that negotiations with the actor "fell through over financial differences," which Howard disputes.

The announcement especially confused fans of the comic book since it is widely believed the character of Rhodey will have a bigger part in the sequel. Towards the end of the first film, Rhodes looked at Tony Stark's second attempt at the Iron Man armor, the silver "Mark II" version, and said to himself, "Next time, baby." This was a hint that Rhodes would get his own armor, just like he did in the comics. His upgraded and more heavily armed suit goes by the name War Machine, and concept designs for the character have already been created.
Don Cheadle, an Oscar nominee in his own right, has not issued a statement about the casting. Cheadle and Howard both appeared in the 2005 Best Picture winner "Crash." Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow are both expected to return for the sequel, as is director Jon Favreau.

For his part, Howard doesn't seem to be holding onto any grudges. He is touring in support of his album, a collection of self-penned, jazz-inspired tunes on which he sings and plays guitar. He told NPR he is trying to hold onto the calm nature he developed growing up in a tough neighborhood.

"I found a peacefulness in me, though, that -- even in getting slapped when I was a little kid, when I would get attacked -- even though I was strong enough to stop it I would never hit back, back then... Even now, I didn't hit back."

"Iron Man 2" is scheduled to open May 7, 2010.

CBS' "Men" Tops the A18-49 Demo.

2008-10-21T19:46:00.002-05:00

Prime-Time Ratings:
Monday 10/20/08

-Total Viewers:
ABC: 14.10 million, CBS: 11.60, NBC: 6.96, Fox: 5.59, CW: 3.34

-Adults 18-49:
CBS: 3.9 rating/10 share, ABC: 3.3/ 8, NBC: 2.9/ 7, Fox: 2.2/ 5, CW: 1.7/ 4
____________________

Ratings: 'Two and a Half Men' Is Monday's Demo King
CBS comedies score an 18-49 win while ABC grabs the most viewers

Fast National ratings for Monday, Oct. 20, 2008

"Two and a Half Men" led CBS to a demographic triumph Monday night, but ABC and its dancing stars still ruled the overall ratings.

ABC drew a 9.2 rating/14 share for the night, beating out CBS' 7.3/11 for the top spot. NBC finished a fairly distant third at 4.3/7. FOX, 3.3/5, came in fourth, and The CW trailed with a 2.1/3.

CBS led the adults 18-49 demo with a 3.9 rating. ABC finished second at 3.3. NBC, 2.9, took third, followed by FOX, 2.2, and The CW, 1.7.

"Dancing with the Stars," 11.9/18, once again dominated the 8 p.m. hour. CBS snagged second with "The Big Bang Theory," 5.8/9, and "How I Met Your Mother," 5.7/8. NBC's "Chuck," 4.0/6, improved a little on its recent performances and finished third. "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" drew a 3.1/5 for FOX, a point better than "Gossip Girl" on The CW.

ABC held the overall lead at 9 p.m. with the end of "Dancing with the Stars," 12.7/18, and "Samantha Who?," 7.4/11. "Two and a Half Men" (8.9/13) -- which was also the night's top show in the 18-49 demo -- and "Worst Week" (6.3/9) kept CBS in second. "Heroes," 5.1/7, came in third for NBC. FOX's "Prison Break" improved a little on its lead-in, as did The CW's "One Tree Hill," which scored a 2.2/3.

"CSI: Miami" easily won the 10 p.m. hour for CBS with an 8.7/14. "Boston Legal," 5.8/10, was second for ABC, while "My Own Worst Enemy" could muster only a 3.7/6 for NBC.

WWE News: SmackDown Wrestler MVP's Losing Streak

2008-10-19T17:38:00.002-05:00

A Look at MVP's Losing Streak on SmackDown
Posted by: Wrestling-Radio.com

- WWE SmackDown Superstar MVP is on a huge losing streak. He hasn't won a match on television in nearly two months -- the SmackDown after SummerSlam in a win via count out over Festus. He's lost nine consecutive matches, including nine clean pinfall losses. He's also lost on eight consecutive editions of Friday Night SmackDown. Here is his loss report:

08-29 SmackDown - Pinfall loss to Jeff Hardy.
09-05 SmackDown - Pinfall loss to Shelton Benjamin.
09-07 Unforgiven - Pinned twice; by Jeff Hardy, and by Triple H at the conclusion of the match.
09-12 SmackDown - Lost Fatal Four Way Match to Jeff Hardy when Kendrick was pinned.
09-19 SmackDown - Pinfall loss to Triple H.
09-26 SmackDown - Pinfall loss to Triple H in tag match vs. Triple H & Jeff Hardy.
10-03 SmackDown - Pinfall loss to Jeff Hardy in All Star Eight-Man Tag Team Match.
10-10 SmackDown - Pinfall loss to Jeff Hardy.
10-17 SmackDown - Pinfall loss to R-Truth.

WWE News: Fans Demand "SmackDown!"

2008-10-18T18:37:00.002-05:00

WWE Universe demands SmackDown in Kentucky
Written: October 18, 2008

The WWE Universe is a force to be reckoned with. According to The Lexington Herald Leader in Lexington, Ky., it seems the WWE Universe isn’t getting what they want, and that’s Friday Night SmackDown.

Since moving to MyNetwork TV a few weeks ago, our fans in Lexington haven’t been seeing SmackDown on the airwaves each week because the MyNetwork TV affiliate, WBLU-62, broadcasts a weak signal and is not on cable. Because of this, many WWE viewers can’t pick up their favorite Friday night show.

One die-hard member of the WWE Universe has gone so far as to place an advertisement in the Herald Leader, asking our fans to take action. (Read more on this story) Now, thanks to the power of the WWE Universe, it seems SmackDown may move to another station in Lexington. (Read more on this story)

While the SmackDown saga continues and until the MyNetwork broadcast issues are resolved in Lexington, WWE.com reminds the WWE Universe that each week, they can follow up-to-the-minute, live coverage of SmackDown each week on the main page of WWE.com. WWE’s official Web site also offers complete SmackDown results, vivid photo galleries, thrilling videos and SmackDown’s Quick Cut, which is an action-packed, recap video of each week’s show.

ABC Says Goodbye to "Opportunity"

2008-10-17T16:55:00.001-05:00

Source: Zap2it.com

ABC Knocks 'Opportunity' Off Schedule
The low-rated game show is going away indefinitely

ABC's game show " Opportunity Knocks" won't be knocking on anyone's door anytime soon.

The network has pulled the show, which was among the lowest-rated shows on any of the Big Four networks this fall, from its Tuesday night schedule. A recap of the previous night's "Dancing with the Stars" will take its place in the 8 p.m. ET slot, starting next week.

The Ashton Kutcher-produced series, in which a crew depends on suburbia to mount a game show in a family's yard and asks questions based on their lives, has produced nine episodes thus far, three of which have aired. ABC says it plans to bring the show back at some point but hasn't scheduled anything yet.

"Opportunity Knocks" averaged a shade under 6 million viewers in its three airings, putting it in the lower echelon of new shows this fall. Its adults 18-49 rating was only 1.7, which trailed even the likes of " 90210" and " America's Next Top Model" on The CW.

It's the second new series to be pulled from the schedule this season, following FOX's comedy " Do Not Disturb."

"Mars" Down, "Hour" Up!

2008-10-17T16:41:00.002-05:00

Prime-Time Ratings:
Thursday 10/16/08

-Total Viewers:
CBS: 14.58 million, ABC: 10.42, NBC: 7.81, Fox: 3.98, CW: 3.60

-Adults 18-49:
CBS: 4.2 rating/11 share, ABC: 3.7/10, NBC: 3.4/ 9, Fox and CW: 1.4/ 4 each
____________________

Ratings: 'Eleventh Hour' Up, 'Life on Mars' Down
CBS scores an easy win on Thursday

Fast National ratings for Thursday, Oct. 16, 2008

CBS gained the upper hand in the battle of British remakes on Thursday as "Eleventh Hour" improved on its premiere while ABC's "Life on Mars" dropped off.

CBS easily won the night with a 9.1 rating/15 share. ABC finished second at 6.9/11. NBC took third at 5.0/8. FOX managed only a 2.6/4, but that was just good enough to beat the 2.2/3 for The CW.

In the adults 18-49 demographic things were a little closer, but CBS still prevailed with a 4.2 rating. ABC, 3.7, came in second, and NBC was third at 3.4. FOX and The CW tied for fourth at 1.4.

"Survivor: Gabon" kicked things off for CBS with a 7.9/13 at 8 p.m. "Ugly Betty" delivered a 5.6/9 for ABC. NBC grabbed third with "My Name Is Earl," 4.2/7, and "Kath & Kim," 3.9/6, which fell off from its premiere last week. The CW's "Smallville," 2.5/4, beat out FOX's "Hole in the Wall" for fourth.

CBS stayed on top of the overall ratings at 9 p.m. with "CSI," 11.6/18. "Grey's Anatomy" scored a 9.6/14 for ABC and had the night's best rating among adults 18-49. "The Office," 4.8/7, and "Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday," 5.3/8, kept NBC in third. FOX's "Kitchen Nightmares," 2.3/3, moved ahead of "Supernatural" on The CW.

At 10 p.m., "Eleventh Hour" drew a 7.8/13, an improvement on last week's series premiere. NBC got a 5.9/10 from "ER," while "Life on Mars" fell off from its debut and finished with a 5.6/9 for ABC.

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - Official Preview (October 17, 2008) - Tonight @ 8/7c on MyNetworkTV

2008-10-17T16:35:00.002-05:00

Power vs. Form
Vladimir Kozlov and Jeff Hardy go one-on-one for the first time ever tonight on SmackDown. Can Hardy end the Moscow Mauler’s undefeated streak?

Watch: Match preview Last week's encounter

McCain-Obama III Dominates Prime Time Wednesday.

2008-10-16T18:03:00.004-05:00

Ratings: McCain-Obama III Dominates Wednesday
Final presidential debate draws solid numbers on three nets

Fast National ratings for Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2008

The third and last presidential debate of the 2008 campaign drew a sizable crowd Wednesday night, with ABC, CBS and NBC all outdrawing postseason baseball on FOX.

NBC grabbed the night's biggest audience with a 5.7 rating/9 share. ABC and CBS tied for second in households at 5.4/8, with ABC drawing a few more total viewers. FOX drew a 4.7/7 to take fourth, and The CW trailed with a 1.6/3. Because of the debate and live sports, numbers for all of the Big Four networks will change some in final nationals.

The Peacock also led among adults 18-49 with a 3.2 rating. ABC finished second in the demographic with a 2.5, and CBS and FOX tied for third at 2.4. The CW pulled in a 1.0.

In a tightly bunched 8 p.m. hour, FOX's coverage of the National League Championship Series (5.0/8) had the most viewers, even though CBS' "New Adventures of Old Christine" and " Gary Unmarried" which averaged 5.2/8, had a slightly better household rating. NBC's " Knight Rider" was right behind at 4.9/8. " Pushing Daisies," 4.2/7, improved slightly on its previous performances for ABC. An " America's Next Top Model" clip show drew a 2.2/4 for The CW.

The presidential debate aired on ABC, CBS and NBC at 9 p.m., with NBC's 6.3/9 grabbing the biggest share of the broadcast audience. ABC drew a 6.2/9 and CBS a 5.7/8 for the hour. Baseball on FOX earned a 4.4/6, while The CW went with a "90210" repeat.

The debate and follow-up analysis averaged 5.9/9 for NBC at 10 p.m. ABC finished a close second at 5.8/9, while CBS came in at 5.2/8. The Philadelphia Phillies' clinching of the NLCS posted a 4.6/8 for FOX.

Original "Gladiator" Tomb Found!

2008-10-16T17:59:00.001-05:00

Original 'Gladiator's' Tomb Unearthed in Rome
Rossella Lorenzi, Discovery News

Oct. 15, 2008 -- Italian archaeologists have discovered the tomb of the ancient Roman hero believed to have inspired Russell Crowe's character in the hit movie "Gladiator," Rome's officials announced on Thursday at a press conference.

Marble beams and columns, carvings and friezes first emerged from the Roman soil during construction work to build a residential complex in Saxa Rubra, not far from the headquarters of Rai, Italy's state-run television station.

According to Cristiano Ranieri, an archaeologist who led the excavation at the site, the huge fragments belonged to a monumental marble tomb built on the banks of the Tiber River at the end of the second century A.D.

"This is the most important ancient Roman monument to come to light for 20 or 30 years," Daniela Rossi, an archaeologist for the city of Rome, told reporters.

Further excavation revealed a huge marble inscription that declares the tomb belonged to Marcus Nonius Macrinus, a general and consul who achieved major victories in military campaigns for Antoninus Pius, the Roman emperor from 138 to 161 A.D., and Marcus Aurelius, emperor from 161 to 180 A.D.

Born in Brescia in northern Italy in 138 A.D., Macrinus was one of the emperor's favorite men (his villa on the shores of Lake Garda is currently under excavation). He was consul in 154 A.D. and proconsul of Asia in 170 to 171 A.D (consuls were the highest civil and military magistrates in Ancient Rome).

----

Source: http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2008/10/16/gladiator-tomb-rome.html

"Desperate Housewives" Star Injured

2008-10-16T17:56:00.001-05:00

Source: Yahoo!

'Housewives' actor injured in motorcycle accident
By DERRIK J. LANG, AP Entertainment Writer
Wed Oct 15, 2:10 PM PDT

Gale Harold was in critical condition Wednesday after the "Desperate Housewives" actor crashed his motorcycle the day before, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Harold was awaiting further tests at USC Medical Center, spokeswoman Adelaida De La Cerda said. She gave no further details on his injuries.

Publicist Nancy Seltzer said Wednesday that Harold fractured his shoulder, and "Housewives" creator and executive producer Marc Cherry said he apparently has swelling on the brain but is expected to recover.

"We're hearing he's going to be fine, but he's going to be recovering for a couple of weeks," Cherry said.

Selzer said no one else was injured, but did not provide further details on the Tuesday wreck, which was first reported by TMZ. The California Highway Patrol said it had no information about the accident.

Harold plays Jackson, the boyfriend of Teri Hatcher's character Susan Mayer on the ABC show. The character plays a pivotal role in the fifth season's eighth episode, a November sweeps installment which finds several Wisteria Lane residents trapped inside a nightclub fire.

Cherry said Harold had been filming scenes all week for the episode and had been scheduled to be on set Tuesday. He said they would await the actor's prognosis before deciding how to proceed, but that at least some changes would have to be made.

"We know we're going to rewrite one scene," he said.

ABC's "Samantha Who?" Benefits from "DWTS" Reception.

2008-10-14T20:00:00.003-05:00

Prime-Time Ratings:
Monday 10/13/08

-Total Viewers:
ABC: 13.51 million, CBS: 11.47, NBC: 7.31, Fox: 7.28, CW: 3.38

-Adults 18-49:
CBS: 4.0 rating/10 share, ABC and NBC: 3.2/ 8 each, Fox: 2.4/ 6, CW: 1.7/ 4
______________________

Ratings: ABC Is 'Who' Wins Monday
'Samantha Who?' premiere benefits from 'Dancing' lead-in; CBS takes the demo crown

Fast National ratings for Monday, Oct. 13, 2008

The season premiere of "Samantha Who?" didn't reach the heights it did last season, but it did still help ABC secure a ratings win Monday night.

ABC scored a 9.0 rating/14 share in primetime, beating out the 7.3/11 for second-place CBS. FOX took third in households at 4.8/7, although NBC (4.5/7) finished in a near-tie with FOX among total viewers (FOX's numbers may also change some because it had live sports on the air). The CW finished with a 2.3/3.

CBS snagged the top spot among adults 18-49 with a 4.0 rating. ABC and NBC tied for second at 3.2. FOX averaged 2.4 and The CW 1.7.

"Dancing with the Stars" once again ruled the 8 p.m. hour with an 11.5/17. "The Big Bang Theory," 5.8/9, and "How I Met Your Mother," 5.6/8, put CBS in second. Game 4 of the National League Championship Series came in third for FOX, beating out the 3.7/6 for "Chuck" on NBC. "Gossip Girl" drew a 2.3/3 for The CW.

ABC stayed on top at 9 p.m. with the end of "Dancing with the Stars," 12.0/17, and "Samantha Who?," 7.9/12. CBS remained in second thanks to "Two and a Half Men," 8.9/13, and "Worst Week," 6.3/9. "Heroes" improved slightly on last week's all-time low, drawing a 5.2/8 for NBC. FOX's baseball coverage delivered a 4.7/7, while The CW held steady with "One Tree Hill."

"CSI: Miami," 8.6/14, moved CBS to the lead at 10 p.m. "Boston Legal," 5.6/9, was second for ABC. The NLCS drwe a 4.8/7 for FOX, while the premiere of "My Own Worst Enemy" managed only a 4.7/8 for NBC.

Smallest of All Cameos: Capt. America in "Incredible Hulk"

2008-10-14T19:50:00.002-05:00

Captain America Found in Marvel Movies
by Matt McDaniel October 14, 2008

The weekend after "Iron Man" opened, people everywhere were buzzing about the secret scene after the end credits with Samuel L. Jackson in a cameo as Marvel Comics' Nick Fury. It was so successful, actually, that a subsequent scene Robert Downey Jr. filmed to go at the tail end of "The Incredible Hulk" was moved up to the last scene in the film and featured in TV commercials.

But what escaped most viewers' notice were hints in both movies signaling the forthcoming appearance of another Marvel icon: Captain America. With "Iron Man" out on DVD now, and "The Incredible Hulk" hitting shelves next Tuesday, sharp-eyed fans can catch tiny glimpses of Cap if they know where to look.

A few perceptive observers noticed during the theatrical run of "Iron Man" that in the scene where Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) walks in on Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) as his armor is being removed, there was something on the workbench behind him. Circular, with red and white stripes and a half-completed star in the center, it was speculated that this was Captain America's iconic shield.

[PICTURE: http://l.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mo/pseudoblog_ironmancap400.jpg]

In a Q&A session in Santa Monica last month, director Jon Favreau confirmed that it is indeed Cap's shield. He said a visual effects artist at Industrial Light & Magic had placed it there just as a joke. But Favreau loved the little "Easter egg" and decided it should stay.

Captain America himself made a cameo in "The Incredible Hulk," but don't feel bad if you didn't see it. While director Louis Letterier had hinted in interviews that they had shot an appearance, the scene ended up on the cutting room floor. But now it can finally be seen in the bonus features on the DVD, as first spotted by FilmSchoolRejects.com.

[PICTURE:http://l.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mo/pseudoblog_filmschoolcap400.jpg]

[PICTURE:http://l.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/mo/pseudoblog_filmschoolcap200.jpg]

In the original opening scene of the movie, Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) travels to the Arctic, away from civilization, to try to end his own life and rid the world of the Hulk. There, buried in the ice, is the frozen body of Captain America. It's a little difficult to make out the figure, but again he can be identified by his shield.

The character is scheduled to get his own film, called "The First Avenger: Captain America," in May of 2011. Then he's expected to join Iron Man, Hulk, Thor and other Marvel heroes in the group "Avengers" movie that July. The speculation is that the first movie will be his origin story, set during World War II like the initial comics. Then he will be frozen and brought back in modern times to join the team, just like he did in the books. Jon Favreau has stated he'd like to direct "The Avengers," but first he's focusing on "Iron Man 2," hitting screens in May 2010.

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - WWE Championship - Tonight at 8/7c on MyNetworkTV!

2008-10-10T16:56:00.002-05:00

Coming off both Superstars' most impressive victories at No Mercy, WWE Champion Triple H faces his largest challenge to date as he defends the title against Big Show, for the first time ever on Friday Night SmackDown.

Source: WWE.com

Seth MacFarlane's "Cavalcade" Generates Huge Viewership in the Internet.

2008-10-10T16:37:00.002-05:00

Source of article: MediaWeek (exluding the video)

Seth McFarlane's 'Cavalcade' Generating Massive Viewership
One short, Super Mario Rescues The Princess, has amassed over 6 million views on YouTube alone
Oct 10, 2008

-By Mike Shields

Seth MacFarlane’s experiment in original content for the Internet is off to a roaring start.

The first six of a planned 50 animated shorts to be produced by the Family Guy creator— dubbed Seth MacFarlane’s Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy—have generated 14 million total views since their Sept. 9 debut across various syndication partners, according to distributor Media Rights Capital. One short, Super Mario Rescues The Princess, has amassed over 6 million views on YouTube alone.

Last month MacFarlane and MRC launched Cavalcade in a unique partnership with Google, which besides launching a branded channel on YouTube (which to date boasts of 100,00 subscribers), is distributing these shorts across the Google Content Network--often in the form of ad placements. Thus far however, it appears that YouTube is responsible for the lion’s share of traffic; the Cavalcade channel was YouTube’s most popular during the week ending Sept. 12, generating millions of views in less than 48 hours. Among the other popular YouTube clips is A Dog on the $25,000 Pyramid, which has been viewed over 1.5 million times on the site to date.

The first 10 of the MacFarlane-produced shorts are being sponsored by Burger King. The fast food company’s branded channel, youtube.com/bk, is now the second most popular sponsored channel of all time on YouTube.
___________________________

"CSI" Season Premiere Solid for CBS, A Good Start for ABC's "Life on Mars"

2008-10-10T16:12:00.002-05:00

Prime-Time Ratings:
Thursday 10/09/08

-Total Viewers:
CBS: 15.96 million, ABC: 11.54, NBC: 8.80, Fox: 6.54, CW: 3.61

-Adults 18-49:
CBS: 4.9 rating/13 share, ABC: 4.0/10, NBC: 3.9/10, Fox: 2.1/ 5, CW: 1.5/ 4
____________

Ratings: 'CSI' Debut Draws Big Numbers Thursday
'Life on Mars,' 'Eleventh Hour' in dead heat, baseball soft for FOX

Fast National ratings for Thursday, Oct. 9, 2008

The season premiere of "CSI" led CBS to a ratings win Thursday.

It was a busy night across the dial, as a pair of new series battled to a virtual tie at 10 p.m., a "Saturday Night Live" special scored solid numbers for NBC and postseason baseball whiffed on FOX.

CBS averaged a 9.6 rating/15 share in primetime, beating ABC, 7.7/12, by better than 4 million viewers. NBC took third with a 5.5/9. FOX, 4.4/7, came in fourth, though its numbers will change some because of its live sports coverage. The CW drew a 2.3/4.

In the adults 18-49 demographic, CBS' 4.9 rating led the field. ABC finished second at 4.0, followed closely by NBC at 3.9. FOX averaged 2.1 and The CW 1.5.

"Survivor: Gabon" put CBS on top at 8 p.m. with a 7.8/13. "Ugly Betty," 5.8/9, snagged second for ABC. "My Name Is Earl," 4.4/7, and the premiere of "Kath & Kim," 4.7/7, were third for NBC. Game 1 of the National League Championship series snagged fourth for FOX, ahead of "Smallville," 2.6/4, on The CW.

The "CSI" premiere, with the team tracking down Warrick's killer, scored a 13.7/21 at 9 p.m. -- far and away the night's biggest audience. "Grey's Anatomy," 9.7/15, kept ABC in second. NBC stayed in third with "The Office," 5.4/8, and a "Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday" special, 6.3/9. FOX's baseball coverage earned a 4.3/6, while The CW dropped off a little with "Supernatural."

At 10 p.m., the debut of "Life on Mars" won the hour for ABC with a 7.7/13. CBS' "Eleventh Hour" premiere was right behind at 7.3/12, but it lost a lot more of its lead-in than "Mars." NBC's "ER" drew a 6.0/10, and led the hour in the 18-49 demo.

"Heroes" Falls; ABC, CBS lead the night.

2008-10-07T19:17:00.002-05:00

Ratings: 'Heroes' Falls Further Monday
ABC, CBS lead the night as NBC stumbles

Fast National ratings for Monday, Oct. 6, 2008

The decline of "Heroes" continued Monday as the show hit a new ratings low, leaving NBC well behind ABC and CBS for the night.

ABC led the overall ratings race with a 10.2 rating/16 share for the evening. CBS finished second at 7.4/11. NBC, 4.2/6, was well off the pace in third. FOX took fourth with a 3.5/5, while a night of repeats on The CW drew a 1.3/2.

CBS scored a victory among adults 18-49 with a 3.9 rating. ABC finished second in the key advertising demographic with a 3.7. NBC, 2.8, came in third, followed by FOX, 2.2, and The CW, 0.8.

"Dancing with the Stars," 11.8/18, put ABC on top by a wide margin at 8 p.m. CBS took second with " The Big Bang Theory," 6.0/9, and " How I Met Your Mother," 5.7/9. NBC's " Chuck" earned a 3.8/6, edging " Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" (3.5/5) on FOX. The CW aired a " Gossip Girl" rerun.

ABC stayed on top at 9 p.m. as "Dancing with the Stars" improved to 12.7/18. " Two and a Half Men," 8.7/13, and " Worst Week," 5.7/8, kept CBS in second. "Heroes" managed only a 5.0/7, its smallest rating ever for a new episode. "Prison Break" posted a 3.4/5 for FOX. A "Privileged" repeat finished the night for The CW.

"CSI: Miami," 9.1/15, moved CBS into the lead at 10 p.m. " Boston Legal" scored a 6.3/10 for ABC, and " Life" came in at 3.8/6 for NBC.

WWE No Mercy 2008 Results

2008-10-07T19:11:00.000-05:00

World Heavyweight Champion Chris Jericho def. Shawn Michaels (Ladder Match)
WWE Champion Triple H def. Jeff Hardy
ECW Champion Matt Hardy def. Mark Henry
Batista def. JBL
Big Show def. Undertaker
Rey Mysterio def. Kane (Disqualification)
Women's Champion Beth Phoenix def. Candice

SmackDown! Makes History for MyNetworkTV.

2008-10-06T20:03:00.001-05:00

Source:
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=92121

MyNetwork Scores With 'Smackdown'
by David Goetzl, Monday, Oct 6, 2008 4:45 PM ET

Did the debut of wrestling on MyNetworkTV help the oft-struggling network get off the mat? Maybe. "WWE Friday Night SmackDown" premiered Friday with 3.2 million total viewers and a 1.0 in the 18-to-49 demo. In the key demo, the performance was notably above what MNTV drew on Fridays last season. But it was 29% below "SmackDown's" premiere last fall when it ran on the CW.

The CW decided not to continue carrying the show -- which was a strong performer but didn't necessarily dovetail with its target audience. Back in February, MNTV cut a deal with the WWE to begin carrying it this fall.

The 1.0 in 18-to-49 topped MNTV's average for Fridays last season, which was a .4, though the network mostly re-ran movies on the night.

"SmackDown," which airs from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., drew a 1.4 in the demo for its premiere on CW last year, and 4.6 million viewers. In the younger 18-to-34 segment, the CW debut was 26% higher.

For the season on CW, "Smackdown" posted an average of 4.7 million viewers and a 1.5 in the key demo.

"Smackdown" was highly promoted by MNTV, taking over all bus fronts in New York as well as other real estate.

WWE No Mercy 2008 Previews

2008-10-04T17:10:00.001-05:00

Click on each link to get a preview of each match.

WWE Champion Triple H vs. Jeff Hardy
World Heavyweight Championship Ladder Match
ECW Champion Matt Hardy vs. Mark Henry
Batista vs. JBL
Big Show vs. Undertaker
Women's Championship Match
Rey Mysterio vs. Kane

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - All-Star Kick Off on MyNetworkTV - Official Results (October 3, 2008)

2008-10-04T16:11:00.003-05:00

Results:
My welcoming party
By: Michael Burdick
October 3, 2008

In an exciting championship extravaganza just two days before No Mercy, more than 50 Superstars, including every WWE champion, were in action to help celebrate SmackDown’s All Star Kick-Off on MyNetwork TV.

WWE Champion Triple H def. ECW Champion Matt Hardy and World Heavyweight Champion Chris Jericho. Jeff Hardy and Vladimir Kozlov involved after the match. (WATCH PHOTOS)
Triple H proved victorious in the Champions vs. Champions Triple Threat Match, hitting the Pedigree on Matt Hardy as he was closing the door on Chris Jericho. But when Jericho attacked Hardy after the match, Matt’s brother Jeff Hardy came to his aid, staying long enough to hit the Twist of Fate on The Game. As Jeff prepared to go airborne from the familiar ladder, however, Vladimir Kozlov came from nowhere to delivered a vicious mid-flight head butt before laying waste to both him and The King of Kings.

Mark Henry & The Great Khali def. Chavo Guerrero. Big Show and Undertaker involved afterward. (WATCH PHOTOS)
With SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero recovering from the Tombstone she received last week from Undertaker, Big Show ruled SmackDown with an iron fist – forcing Chavo Guerrero to take on The Great Khali & Mark Henry in a Handicap Match. After the self-proclaimed "Mexican Warrior" lost due to the Punjabi Giant’s vicious Vise Grip, Big Show presented him with a devastating knockout punch. When The World’s Largest Athlete addressed The Deadman, his No Mercy opponent emerged with a chilling Throat Slash, indicating that Big Show would soon rest in peace.

Jeff Hardy, Batista, Rey Mysterio & Finlay def. JBL, Kane, MVP & The Brian Kendrick. (WATCH PHOTOS)
The All Star Eight-Man Tag Team Match featuring some of the juggernauts of sports-entertainment proved to be an extremely intense back-and-forth battle. In the end, amidst a flurry of fast-paced attacks by both sides, Jeff Hardy ultimately prevailed for his team, following up Rey Mysterio’s 619 on MVP with an explosive Swanton Bomb on the Ballin’ Superstar.

Intercontinental Champion Santino Marella def. United States Champion Shelton Benjamin. R-Truth involved. (PHOTOS)
Santino Marella came to SmackDown for a Champion vs. Champion Match with Shelton Benjamin, bringing the Honk-a-Meter along with him. But, once the action began, it looked like the visiting champion would be visiting the Heartbreak Hotel. However, as The Gold Standard was playing out a beat down, R-Truth suddenly appeared in the crowd, staging a lyrical interruption that caused enough of a distraction for Santino to roll-up Benjamin from the top rope and steal the win.

WWE Tag Team Champions Carlito & Primo with CM Punk def. World Tag Team Champions Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase with Manu. ( PHOTOS)
In a dynamic Six-Man Tag Team Match, the Straightedge Superstar joined forces with the new WWE Tag Team Champions. And, after the Colon brothers cleared the ring of Rhodes and Manu, Punk seized the priceless victory, hitting DiBiase with the GTS.

Women’s Champion Beth Phoenix def. Divas Champion Michelle McCool. Maryse distracts Michelle. (WATCH PHOTOS)
The Sexiest Women on Television surrounded the ring in a historic Divas Lumberjack Match – the first time ever that the Women’s Champion met the Divas Champion head-to-head. At the conclusion of the match-up, The Glamazon took advantage of two different interactions between Michelle and Lumberjack Maryse to hit the Glam Slam and walk out of Green Bay triumphant.

CBS Wins Friday, CW Averages Low Numbers for Friday after SmackDown! left the network for MyNetworkTV.

2008-10-04T15:02:00.001-05:00

Friday 10/03/08

-Total Viewers:
CBS: 8.10 million, Fox: 5.11, NBC: 5.04, ABC: 4.91, CW: 1.74

-Adults 18-49:
CBS: 2.2 rating/7 share, ABC: 1.5/ 5, NBC and Fox: 1.4/ 4 each, CW: 0.7/ 2

___________________

Ratings: CBS' Wins Friday Despite 'Ex List' Falter
The network also dominates the 18-to-49 demo

LOS ANGELES -- Fast National ratings for Friday, Oct. 3, 2008

A night full of premieres clinched a victory for CBS on Friday, garnering the network a 5.3 rating/10 share for the night in households. ABC was a distant second with a 3.4/6, while FOX and NBC tied for third with a 3.3/6 each. The CW finished last with a 1.1/2.

Among 18 to 49-year-olds, CBS was also tops with a 2.2/7. ABC came in second with a 1.5/5. FOX and NBC again tied for third with a 1.4/4, while The CW brought up the rear with a .7/2.

The season premiere of "Ghost Whisperer" started the night for CBS with a 6.0/11 for the eight o'clock hour. "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?" put FOX in second with a 3.8/7, while the season premiere of ABC's "Wife Swap," 2.5/5, edged out NBC's "America's Toughest Jobs" for third place. The season premieres of "Eveybody Hates Chris" and "The Game" averaged a 1.3/3 for The CW.

At 9 p.m., the series premiere of " The Ex List" dipped CBS to a 4.7/8 for the hour. NBC rose to second place on the back of "Deal or No Deal" while ABC held on to third with the season premiere of "Supernanny," 2.9/5. FOX slipped to fourth place with "Don't Forget the Lyrics," 2.8/5, and The CW aired an encore of this weeks " America's Next Top Model."

The season premiere of "Numb3rs" gained back some of CBS' audience at 10 p.m. with a 5.3/10. ABC finished the night in second place with "20/20" and NBC's " Life" dipped to a 3.6/7 in its regular Friday night home.

MyNetworkTV Fall Schedule Update

2008-10-03T17:33:00.003-05:00

Click on the picture to get a better view of it OR go to:
http://www.mynetworktv.com/fall_schedule.php

*subject to change without notice.

How did MyNetworkTV's Thursday Line-up do? (WrestleMania 24 Rating on MyNetworkTV)

2008-10-03T17:10:00.004-05:00

Source: http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=233551

"WWE WrestleMania: The World Television Premiere" did a final number of 1.2 broadcast rating/ 2 share, averaged 1.89 million viewers, and a 0.7/2 in the A18-49 and A25-54 demographics.

"Magic's Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed: Featuring the WWE Divas" did a final number of 1.4 broadcast/ 2 share, averaged 2.26 million viewers, and a 0.9/2 in both the A18-49 and A25-54 demographics.

MyNetworkTV averaged a 1.3/2 (broadcast HH rating/share) in the households, 2.07 million viewers, and a 0.8/2 in both A18-49 & A25-54 demographics.

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - RAW vs. ECW vs. SmackDown Match (Oct. 3, 8/7c on MyNetworkTV)

2008-10-02T23:55:00.002-05:00

Preview:
Triple Threat Match: WWE Champion Triple H (SmackDown) vs. World Heavyweight Champion Chris Jericho (RAW) vs. ECW Champion Matt Hardy (ECW)

When Friday Night SmackDown settles into its new home on MyNetwork TV on Oct. 3, all three World Champions will face off. WWE Champion Triple H, World Heavyweight Champion Chris Jericho and ECW Champion Matt Hardy will compete in a Triple Threat Match.

Don't miss this unprecedented night in sports-entertainment history as, for the first time ever on broadcast television, it will be a night of Champion vs. Champion encounters, including Superstars and Divas from Raw, ECW and SmackDown.

Be sure to tune in on Oct. 3 at 8/7 CT to Friday Night SmackDown on MyNetwork TV.

WWE Friday Night SmackDown: 8-Man Tag Team Match (Oct. 3, 8/7c on MyNetworkTV)

2008-10-02T23:50:00.002-05:00

Preview:
Kane, JBL, MVP & The Brian Kendrick vs. Rey Mysterio, Finlay, Batista & Jeff Hardy

When SmackDown moves to MyNetwork TV on Oct. 3, eight of WWE's greatest Superstars will collide in an Eight-Man Tag Team Match. The match will include eight former title holders, from tag gold to World Championship reigns.

Kane, JBL, MVP & The Brian Kendrick will face off against Rey Mysterio, Finlay, Batista & Jeff Hardy. With the issues between all of the competitors well documented, something has to give on Oct. 3. Who will come out on top during the SmackDown All-Star Kick off?

And just two days before he challenges WWE Champion Triple H for the gold at No Mercy, will No. 1 contender Jeff Hardy stay focused on the task at hand?

Don't miss the unprecedented, Superstar-studded All-Star Kick Off when SmackDown moves to MyNetwork TV on Oct. 3 at 8/7 CT.

WWE Friday Night SmackDown: US Champion vs. IC Champion (Oct. 3, 8/7c on MyNetworkTV)

2008-10-02T23:47:00.002-05:00

Preview:
United States Champion Shelton Benjamin vs. Intercontinental Champion Santino Marella

When United States Champion Shelton Benjamin stands toe-to-toe with Intercontinental Champion Santino Marella on SmackDown's All-Star Kick Off Oct. 3 at 8/7 on MyNetwork TV, The Gold Standard will have history on his side, as Santino's last appearance on SmackDown was one the Italian Superstar would rather forget - an embarrassing encounter with Cousin Sal & WWE Hall of Famer "Rowdy" Roddy Piper. (WATCH)

Marella will look to avoid repeating history when he steps into the ring with the extremely talented Benjamin, but Shelton's a proud competitor who, despite his attitude problems, won't let someone walk into SmackDown's house and embarrass him.

Who will come out on top when the loud-mouthed Marella and the ever-confident Benjamin face off?

Tune into the SmackDown All-Star Kick Off on Oct. 3 at 8/7 CT on SmackDown's new home - MyNetwork TV to find out.

WWE Friday Night SmackDown: Divas Champion vs. Women's Champion (Oct. 3, 8/7c on MyNetworkTV)

2008-10-02T23:45:00.002-05:00

Preview:
Lumberjack Match: Divas Champion Michelle McCool vs. Women's Champion Beth Phoenix

Divas Champion Michelle McCool has seen her star rise since becoming the first-ever Divas Champion in WWE history, but Women's Champion Beth Phoenix won't let that intimidate her when the two Divas go one-on-one on the SmackDown All-Star Kick Off Oct. 3 at 8/7 CT on MyNetwork TV.

McCool will look to bring down one of the most dominating forces in WWE, while Phoenix will undoubtedly hope to add to her impressive in-ring accomplishments.

But surrounding the ring will be Brie Bella, Candice, Eve, Jillian, Katie Lea, Kelly Kelly, Layla, Lena, Maria, Maryse, Mickie James, Natalya and Victoria, as this contest will be a Lumberjack Match - with the ring surrounded by every Diva in WWE.

Which Diva will stand tall as the queen of WWE when the two collide? And will the other Divas be able to keep control on the outside of the ring? Tune into SmackDown's All-Star Kick Off Oct. 3 at 8/7 CT on MyNetwork TV to find out!

WWE Friday Night SmackDown: World Tag Champs vs. WWE Tag Champs (Oct. 3, 8/7c on MyNetworkTV)

2008-10-02T23:41:00.003-05:00

Preview:
World Tag Team Champions Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase vs. WWE Tag Team Champions Carlito & Primo

World Tag Team Champions Cody Rhodes & Ted DiBiase will square off with the newly-crowned WWE Tag Team Champions Carlito & Primo on the SmackDown All-Star Kick Off on Oct. 3 at 8/7 CT on SmackDown's new home - MyNetwork TV.

Both young teams will look to walk away with bragging rights as arguably the best tag team in WWE. While Rhodes & DiBiase's reign would normally give them the edge, the Colons have shown in a short time that their sibling symmetry is nothing short of solid gold success.

Which team will walk away from the SmackDown All-Star Kick Off on top of the tag team world?

Tune in when SmackDown moves to its new home on MyNetwork TV on Oct. 3 at 8/7 CT.

Which WWE Superstar Represents A Major League Baseball Team (How are they alike)

2008-10-02T22:14:00.006-05:00

Source:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/64197-how-are-wwe-superstars-like-mlb-teams

I haven't written a piece on wrestling in a while and I saw it fitting that the next one I did also involved another "sports" love of mine: baseball. The playoffs just started in baseball and it got me to thinking, "Which MLB team is a representation of the WWE superstars?" So I compiled this list but for this submission I will only involve those teams currently in the baseball postseason and a few notable teams who aren't.

Triple H: NY Yankees

It is only fitting I start with the Bronx Bombers despite them being home at this time. The Yankees have won the most championships in baseball and which current WWE superstar has won more titles than HHH? Now this comparison would definitely go to Ric Flair but Naitch is no longer in the WWE and he wasn't going to be winning a world title anytime soon in my opinion.

Trips is the champion for the 12th time right now and just like the Yankees, when he is not champ, you know it's only a matter of time before he gets back into the picture.

Evan Bourne: Tampa Bay Rays

He came out of nowhere (for those who did not know him as Matt Sydal) and shocked the WWE world much like the current Rays did to the baseball nation. Will they ever be able to grab championship gold? That remains to be seen but they both have their respective worlds talking.

John Cena: Philadelphia Phillies

The fans in Philadelphia make this an ideal choice. Cena has tons of fans who cheer for him and then they can quickly turn to jeers. If you've been to or watched a Phillies game you can easily see why I make the correlation. Both are talented in certain aspects yet also have their shortcomings.

Jeff Hardy: Chicago Cubs

Ah, the lovable losers. The boys from Chi-town haven't won a World Series since before some of our grandparents were born. Both are tremendously popular no matter how many times they lose chasing the gold. There is always something that eventually stops the momentum whether it's a wellness policy or Steve Bartman.

Both Hardy and Cubs fans wait with bated breath for the day they eventually break the "curse" and grab the gold.

CM Punk: Florida Marlins

Anybody remember that the Marlins have won two World Series? They won in 1997 and again in 2003. And after both wins the teams were basically dismantled, cheapening the victories.

Punk was and will forever be known as a transitional champion for his first title run. The way the WWE creative team took the title off of Punk was horrible, much like what the owners did to the fans of the fish. The only difference here is that Punk has more fans than the Marlins. I know this because I am a fan of both and have been to many Marlins' games seeing as how I live around the corner from the stadium.

Chris Jericho: Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Jericho is one of the finest wrestlers to ever grace the squared circle. He is exceptional on the mic as well. So why is it that he hasn't won more championships? The same question can be posed to the Angels. They have been a talented organization for the past few years, yet they only a championship in 2002. They are talented enough to win a second championship this year, so maybe they can secure a second one.

Shelton Benjamin: Los Angeles Dodgers

Here is a team with so much potential, so much star power year in and year out. They usually have what it takes to be championship caliber but that doesn't automatically make them a champion.

The Dodgers picked up Manny Ramirez this year and may actually reach the place many have felt they should have been a long time ago. Benjamin is in the middle of a wonderful push right now and it's about time. The man who Jim Ross has called the best pure athlete in the WWE has so much potential yet he's always stuck in the mid-card area.

Batista: Boston Red Sox

Now please don't bash me Sox nation. The reason why I chose "The Animal" is because do we all remember when Batista first broke in to the profession? How green he was. Go back to OVW and look at his days as Leviathan. Even greener.

Yet, here is a man who was able to improve tremendously and eventually capture gold. The Sox broke their curse and have never looked back since. Now we can expect to see both hanging somewhere around the title picture.

Matt Hardy: Chicago White Sox

What does the older Hardy have in common with the Southsiders? Well, if you know about the White Sox then you know about their manager, Ozzie Guillen. There's a passionate man if you've never known one. Matt has that passion and love for the sport as well. They also have that inability to control their emotions as well (heck, through in A.J. Pierzynski as well). Remember the whole Matt/Lita/Edge triangle?

Mark Henry: Milwaukee Brewers

Henry has been around for so long. He's bounced around from show to show, faction to faction, getting in the spotlight only to fall out of it soon after. Before this season the Brew Crew haven't made it to the playoffs since 1982. The "Silverback" was finally able to capture the gold a few months back and it was fitting with the mass improvement he has done.

The Brewers have had the potential for a few seasons now but somehow always seemed to regress when the big time came. We'll see if the addition of C.C. Sabathia will bring success like Tony Atlas' addition did to Henry.

The Great Khali: Pittsburgh Pirates

I just had to put my old favorites here. The Pirates have become a laughing stock of the baseball community. Though the Pirates use to be talented, Khali never was but he's also a topic of ridicule within his community (and I'm not talking about India).

Rey Mysterio: Minnesota Twins

Little Rey Rey is the scrappy underdog always on the brink but probably won't be attaining the highest championship glory for a while. The Twins are that scrappy, talented ballclub. They don't have a big payroll, they don't have necessarily huge household names, yet they seem to always hang around the top.

Tommy Dreamer: Baltimore Orioles

The Orioles have an impressive history. They seem to have been around forever and have some high profile Hall of Famers to their credit. For the last few years though this team has not excelled and made it to the show. Dreamer is the godfather of ECW and as much as his die-hard fans would love to see him involved more and get another title run, it really doesn't look like it is going to happen.

I can go on and on, but I'll save the rest for another day. But what do you think? Feel free to agree or disagree and counteract.

"WWE WrestleMania: The World Television Premiere" Tonight at 8/7c on MyNetworkTV

2008-10-02T17:30:00.002-05:00

WWE's 1-2 Punch kicks off with World TV Premiere of WrestleMania XXIV

MyNetwork TV, in conjunction with World Wrestling Entertainment, will make television history on Oct. 2 with WWE WrestleMania – The World Television Premiere. Earlier this year, WrestleMania XXIV was hailed as the greatest four-hour thrill ride in WWE pay-per-view history. Now, you can relive all the action and excitement of WrestleMania in one lightning-fast hour of groundbreaking music television.

WrestleMania XXIV raised the bar to unprecedented heights with a record-breaking crowd, A-list music and, of course, heart-pounding action from the world’s greatest athletes and entertainers, the Superstars of WWE.

More than 74,735 WWE fanatics representing 22 countries and all 50 states packed Orlando Florida’s Citrus Bowl to experience the exhilaration that is WrestleMania.

Now, for the first time ever, MyNetwork TV and WWE invite you to enjoy that same exhilaration on broadcast television in an innovative presentation combining the high-impact action of WWE along with music from some of the industry’s biggest stars including U2, Metallica, Three Doors Down, and Kid Rock.

You’ll see the shocking knockout that downed The World’s Largest Athlete, the continuation of a seemingly unbreakable winning streak, and the unforgettable, emotional farewell to wrestling’s most prolific champion – all in what will be the most exciting single hour in broadcast television history.

Starring John Cena, Floyd “Money” Mayweather, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Snoop Dogg, John Legend, Edge, Undertaker, Ric Flair and presented in breathtaking high-definition, don’t miss WWE WrestleMania – The World Television Premiere, exclusively on MyNetwork TV, Thursday, Oct. 2 at 8/7 CT.

And don't miss the unprecedented premiere of Friday Night SmackDown on Oct. 3 at 8/7 CT on MyNetwork TV.

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

2008-09-29T17:21:00.002-05:00

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.

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

2008-09-28T22:18:00.001-05:00

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

2008-09-28T22:14:00.000-05:00

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

2008-09-28T22:11:00.001-05:00

-- 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!

2008-09-28T18:32:00.002-05:00

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)

Legendary Paul Newman Dies at the Age of 83

2008-09-27T13:56:00.001-05:00

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

2008-09-27T13:43:00.002-05:00

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)

2008-09-27T13:37:00.002-05:00

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 ...

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

2008-09-26T16:31:00.002-05:00

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"

2008-09-26T16:26:00.001-05:00

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.

Amazing, and Bizarre Strobe Light Star Spotted

2008-09-25T22:13:00.005-05:00

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.

"Eli Stone" Lead Actor Expecting A Baby!

2008-09-23T18:16:00.001-05:00

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

2008-09-23T18:02:00.002-05:00

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.

2008-09-23T17:57:00.002-05:00

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.

ABC Monday Returns Tonight! - 9/22/08

2008-09-22T16:44:00.002-05:00

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

2008-09-22T16:39:00.001-05:00

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

2008-09-22T16:33:00.003-05:00

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.

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

2008-09-21T09:17:00.004-05:00

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....

2008-09-21T09:12:00.001-05:00

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

TV Craze

2009 WWE Draft Results; Jericho is SmackDown! once again!

"Transformers 3" Release on 2012 --- Not 2011!

"The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" Scores Big Ratings with President Obama's Apperance

NCAA March Madness Makes CBS a Happy Camper for Friday.

SmackDown! 500th Episode - Tonight at 8/7c only on MyNetworkTV

WrestleMania 25 Wallpaper: Triple Main Event (From Kupy)

Batista in Manila 2 - Wallpaper (From KupyWrestlingWallpapers.info)

WrestleMania 25 Wallpaper

Update on the 25th Anniversary of WrestleMania -- CARD

Fridays are CBS Fridays!

SmackDown breaks MyNetworkTV record for the 11th time.

RAW Ratings Update, SmackDown! Airing Live before WrestleMania 25.

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - WWE Champion Jeff Hardy vs. Big Show (non-title) - 12/26/08 - Friday, 8/7c on MyNetworkTV!

Kate Walsh's Husband Files of Divorce

The CW Announces *New* Sunday Night Schedule: "Jericho" returns on The CW in reruns.

WWE Announcement: SmackDown Main Event at Armageddon

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - Official Preview (November 28, 2008)

ABC's "LOST" Season 5 - Promo - "You Found Me" - The Fray (new song)

ABC's "LOST" Season 5 Official Trailer - "You Found Me" by The Fray (new song)

Meteor Lights Up the dark sky of Edmonton in Canada.

CBS Sweeps Thursday

WWE Survivor Series 2008: Final Card

SmackDown! Viewers Update

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - Official Results (November 14, 2008)

Why Same-Sex Marriage is WRONG! It affects everyone!

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - Extreme Rules Match: Undertaker vs. Jeff Hardy - Nov. 13, 2008

FOX Pushes "The Cleveland Show" to Fall 2009

WWE News: SmackDown Sets *New* High Records for MyNetworkTV.

ABC, CBS Tight for Monday night.

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - Official Results (November 7, 2008)

LOST Returns to ABC this January!

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - Official Preview (Nov. 7, 2008) - Tonight @ 8/7c on MyNetworkTV

Ex-24 Star Moving to Lost

"King of the Hill" on Adult Swim

"CSI" Still on Top of Thursday But "Grey's" Leads the Demo.

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - Official Results (October 31, 2008)

Halloween Night Favors CBS. CW Registers All-time Low on Fridays.

Spider-Man 4 Update

Science Does Not Contradict With Faith.

"30 Rock" Establishes Series High for NBC

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - Official Preview (October 31, 2008) - Tonight @ 8/7c on MyNetworkTV

WWE Cyber Sunday 2008: Watch it!

WWE Cyber Sunday: Match Results (Click each link for each of the match's result)

1,500th Post: WWE SmackDown! (10/24/08) Main Event - Triple H vs. The Undertaker

On the Next... "Smallville" - All New! Next Thursday (10.30.08) - 8/7c

Jennifer Hudson's Mother, and Brother Found Dead.

WWE Cyber Sunday: Matches and Previews

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - Official Results (October 24, 2008)

Lindsay Lohan Takes a Boot from "Ugly Betty"

CBS Tops Thursday Again, Beating World Series, and Grey's.

Check Out The CW4Kids!

Terrence Howard Replaced in "Iron Man 2"

CBS' "Men" Tops the A18-49 Demo.

WWE News: SmackDown Wrestler MVP's Losing Streak

WWE News: Fans Demand "SmackDown!"

ABC Says Goodbye to "Opportunity"

"Mars" Down, "Hour" Up!

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - Official Preview (October 17, 2008) - Tonight @ 8/7c on MyNetworkTV

McCain-Obama III Dominates Prime Time Wednesday.

Original "Gladiator" Tomb Found!

"Desperate Housewives" Star Injured

ABC's "Samantha Who?" Benefits from "DWTS" Reception.

Smallest of All Cameos: Capt. America in "Incredible Hulk"

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - WWE Championship - Tonight at 8/7c on MyNetworkTV!

Seth MacFarlane's "Cavalcade" Generates Huge Viewership in the Internet.

"CSI" Season Premiere Solid for CBS, A Good Start for ABC's "Life on Mars"

"Heroes" Falls; ABC, CBS lead the night.

WWE No Mercy 2008 Results

SmackDown! Makes History for MyNetworkTV.

WWE No Mercy 2008 Previews

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - All-Star Kick Off on MyNetworkTV - Official Results (October 3, 2008)

CBS Wins Friday, CW Averages Low Numbers for Friday after SmackDown! left the network for MyNetworkTV.

MyNetworkTV Fall Schedule Update

How did MyNetworkTV's Thursday Line-up do? (WrestleMania 24 Rating on MyNetworkTV)

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - RAW vs. ECW vs. SmackDown Match (Oct. 3, 8/7c on MyNetworkTV)

WWE Friday Night SmackDown: 8-Man Tag Team Match (Oct. 3, 8/7c on MyNetworkTV)

WWE Friday Night SmackDown: US Champion vs. IC Champion (Oct. 3, 8/7c on MyNetworkTV)

WWE Friday Night SmackDown: Divas Champion vs. Women's Champion (Oct. 3, 8/7c on MyNetworkTV)

WWE Friday Night SmackDown: World Tag Champs vs. WWE Tag Champs (Oct. 3, 8/7c on MyNetworkTV)

The CW Announces New Sunday Night Schedule: "Jericho" returns on The CW in reruns.

WWE News: SmackDown Sets New High Records for MyNetworkTV.