WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - Official Preview (August 29, 2008) - Tonight at 8/7c on The CW!

Preview:

Steel City SmackDown
August 22, 2008

In less than two weeks, WWE Champion Triple H defends his title in an unprecedented five-man WWE Championship Scramble Match at Unforgiven. But first, The King of Kings will take on one of his Scramble opponents – United States Champion Shelton Benjamin – on SmackDown in a non-title Champion vs. Champion bout. Can the Gold Standard send a message to Triple H, or will The Cerebral Assassin demonstrate why he is a 12-time World Champion?

Undertaker has made it clear. He’s not interested in forgiving SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero or members of “The Family.” Last week, Chavo Guerrero, Bam Neely, Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder felt The Deadman’s wrath. Who is next?

At SummerSlam, a fired-up Montel Vontavious Porter overcame the high-flying Jeff Hardy in a hard fought bout, thanks in part to the involvement of United States Champion Shelton Benjamin. But on SmackDown, Hardy gets a second chance at MVP in a SummerSlam rematch. Will The Legend Thriller get some payback against SmackDown’s Franchise Playa?

Last week on SmackDown, an angry Big Show expressed his displeasure at not being considered for a WWE Championship Scramble qualifying match by clearing house in the 10-Man Battle Royal. What will The World’s Largest Athlete do this week?

Stay tuned to SmackDown on The CW Network at 8/7 CT as all of SmackDown’s Superstars get ready for battle at Unforgiven.

2000 Sydney Olympics Fake Exposed!

Orchestra admits 'miming' at Sydney Olympics in 2000

SYDNEY (AFP) - Eight years after it hosted an Olympics that were famously hailed as the "best games ever," Sydney has had to confess that it faked one of the key musical performances at the opening ceremony in 2000.

The revelation came after it emerged that nine-year-old Lin Miaoke was just lip-synching when she "sang" a patriotic song before 91,000 people and a global television audience during the August 8 opening ceremony at the Beijing Games.

Orchestra bosses have admitted that the Sydney Symphony Orchestra (SSO) mimed its entire performance at the ceremony, and that some of the real music was in fact recorded by rival musicians in Melbourne.

"It was all pre-recorded and the MSO (Melbourne Symphony Orchestra) did record a minority of the music that was performed," SSO managing director Libby Christie told Australia's Fairfax newspapers earlier this week.

"It's correct that we were basically miming to a pre-recording," she said.

The respected orchestra gave the fake performance because Olympics organisers "wanted to leave nothing to chance" and a second orchestra was found to record the backing tape because of a "mountainous workload" in Sydney, Christie said.

The admission has columnists in Melbourne -- which has a longstanding rivalry with glitzier Sydney -- crowing over the fact that its musicians ghosted a crucial performance by their arch-rivals.

The head of the MSO confirmed the performance had been pre-recorded but defended the move, saying it was "purely a workload issue" and in no way reflected on the relative quality of either orchestra.

"It's nothing to do with priorities or which orchestra is better. It was decided to split (the work) between the two orchestras," he said.

"It's quite a normal practice and if the Olympics had been in Melbourne, the Sydney Symphony would have been involved -- I'm sure of that."

Christie said the Sydney orchestra had very rarely mimed performances but had done so at the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Sydney, while the MSO said it had used a backing tape at the opening ceremony of the 2006 Commonwealth Games.

Beijing Olympic officials went on the defensive two weeks ago when it was revealed that pigtailed Lin Miaoke, who became a celebrity in China after her performance, had not actually done the singing.

It later emerged the real voice belonged to chubby seven-year-old Yang Peiyi, who was deemed not attractive enough to go on stage, and that the switch was ordered by a politburo member of China's ruling Communist party.

FOX Fall Premieres

Drama
24 (2001-present) ('Season 7 Premieres January 2009')
Bones (2005-present) ('Season Premiere Sept. 3rd')
Fringe (2008-present) ('Series Premiere Sept. 9th')
House (2004-present) ('Season Premiere Sept. 16th')
Prison Break (2005-present) ('Season Premiere Sept. 1st')
Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008-present) ('Season Premiere Sept. 8th')

Sitcom
Do Not Disturb (2008-present) ('Series Premiere Sept. 10th')
'Til Death (2006-present) ('Season Premiere Sept. 10th')

Animation
American Dad! (2005-present) ('Season Premiere Sept. 28th')
Family Guy (1999-2002, 2005-present) ('Season Premiere Sept. 28th')
The Simpsons (1989-present) ('Season Premiere Sept. 28th')

Reality/Non-Sports Competition
American Idol (2002-present)
America's Most Wanted: America Fights Back (1988-present) ('Season Premiere Sept. 6th')
Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (2007-present) ('Season Premiere Sept. 5th')
COPS (1989-present) ('Season Premiere Sept. 6th')
Don't Forget the Lyrics! (2007-present) ('Season Premiere Sept. 12th')
Hell's Kitchen (2005-present)
Kitchen Nightmares (2007-present) ('Season Premiere Sept. 11th')
The Moment of Truth (2008-present) ('Season Premiere Sept. 4th')
So You Think You Can Dance (2005-present)
When Women Rule the World (2008-present)

Sports
NASCAR on FOX (2001-present)
Major League Baseball on FOX (1996-present)
NFL on FOX/FOX NFL Sunday (1994-present)
Four of the five games in the Bowl Championship Series (2007-present)

Late Night/Variety
MADtv (1995-present) ('Season Premiere Sept. 13th')
Talkshow with Spike Feresten (2006-present) ('Season Premiere Sept. 13th')

Awards Ceremony
Teen Choice Awards (1999-present)
NAACP Image Awards

Next Week's CW Season Premieres **Reminder**

You don't want to miss the most-anticipated premiere on TV, "90210," premiering with a 2-hour series premiere on Sept. 2 at 8/7c only on The CW.

The CW

Sept. 1
8:00 p.m. - Gossip Girl (season premiere)
9:00 p.m. - One Tree Hill (season premiere)

Sept. 2
8:00 p.m. - 90210 (2-hour series premiere)

Sept. 3
8:00 p.m. - America's Next Top Model (2-hour season premiere)

COMPLETE LIST:

Drama
90210 (2008-present) (Series Premiere Sept. 2nd)
Easy Money (2008-present) (Series Premiere Sept. 14th)
Gossip Girl (2007-present) (Season Premiere Sept. 1st)
One Tree Hill (2006-present) (The WB, 2003-2006) (Season Premiere Sept. 1st)
Privileged (2008-present) (Series Premiere Sept. 9th)
Reaper (2007-present)
Smallville (2006-present) (The WB, 2001-2006) (Season Premiere Sept. 18th)
Supernatural (2006-present) (The WB, 2005-2006) (Season Premiere Sept. 18th)
Valentine, Inc. (2008-present) (Series Premiere Sept. 14th)

Sitcom
Everybody Hates Chris (2006-present) (UPN, 2005-2006) (Season Premiere Oct. 3rd)
The Game (2006-present) (Season Premiere Oct. 3rd)
Surviving Suburbia (2008-present) (Series Premiere Nov. 02nd)

Reality/Other
America's Next Top Model (2006-present) (UPN, 2003-2006) (Season Premiere Sept. 3rd)
In Harm's Way (2008-present) (Series Premiere Sept. 14th)
Stylista (2008-present) (Series Premiere Oct. 22th)

Michael Phelps to Host "SNL" Season Premiere

Michael Phelps Scores 'Saturday Night Live' Gig
The Olympic champion will host the show's season premiere

Sure, Michael Phelps is the most decorated athlete in Olympic history and arguably the greatest swimmer of all time. But is he funny?

TV viewers will get a chance to find out when Phelps hosts the season premiere of "Saturday Night Live" on Saturday, Sept. 13. He'll be joined by musical guest Lil Wayne.

The show will mark the acting debut for Phelps, who will add his name a pretty sizable roster of athletes who have hosted the show. He'll also be aiming to join the list of jocks who are remembered for their successful stints as host (Joe Montana, Peyton Manning) rather than those who have fallen flat (LeBron James, Wayne Gretzky).

Phelps, of course, is coming off his historic performance in the Olympics, where he won a single-Games record eight gold medals in swimming and set or helped set seven world records. He's currently making the talk-show rounds and will appear on "The Tonight Show" Sept. 8 before heading to New York for "SNL."

Hip-hop star Lil Wayne has had a pretty good summer too. His album "Tha Carter III" sold more than a million copies in its first week of release and has spawned three top-10 singles. He'll also be making his "SNL" debut.

"Saturday Night Live" is leading off its season with four straight new episodes and seven originals in its first eight weeks. The cast and crew will also produce a trio of prime-time election specials that will air on Thursday nights in October.

Meet your the Castaways of CBS' "Survivor: Gabon"

Source: Zap2it.com

Meet Your 'Survivor: Gabon' Castaways
New "Survivor" season will feature a video game champ and an Olympic gold medalist.

Who is more prepared for "Survivor" glory, an Olympic champion or a video game champion?

That's one of the mysteries that will be answered this season on "Survivor: Gabon -- Earth's Last Eden."

CBS announced the cast for the 17th "Survivor" installment on Wednesday (Aug. 27) and among the 18 castaways are Crystal Cox, part of the gold medal-winning 4X400 meter relayed team at the 2004 Olympics, and Ken Hoang, a gamer described as the "current international champion of Nintendo's Super Smash Brothers Melee."

After pitting fans against favorites in its most recent season, "Survivor" is back to a regular civilian cast, though several of this season's contestants describe themselves as lifelong fans and at least one -- 61-year-old retired nurse Gillian -- claims to have applied for "Survivor" 15 times. There's a doctor, a lawyer and a high school teachers, plus the usual students and personal trainers. There's also a down-on-his-luck maintenance man and Jessica Kiper, who's selling herself short as a "pin-up" girl, since "Gilmore Girls" devotees will recognize her from a multi-episode guest run.

There are contestants who plan to use their brains and their bodies to get ahead and there's at least one woman -- 29-year-old Los Angeles resident Corinne -- who is a "self-described bitch."

Sure, we'll miss the opportunity to see Amanda Kimmel mess up another "Survivor" crown at the final Tribal Council, but it's good to have plain old "Survivor" back in its first journey to Africa since Season Three.

"Survivor: Gabon -- Earth's Last Eden," hosted as always by Jeff Probst, will have its two-hour premiere on CBS on Thursday, Sept. 25 at 8 p.m. ET and, for the first time, the series will be broadcast in high definition, if your TV happens to be equipped for such things.

Your 18 new "Survivor" castaways:

Name: Ace Gordon
Age: 27
Hometown: Naples, Florida
Occupation: Fashion photographer

Name: Robert "Bob" Crowley
Age: 58
Hometown: Portland, Maine
Occupation: Physics teacher

Name: Charlie Herschel
Age: 29
Hometown: New York City
Occupation: Lawyer

Name: Corinne Kaplan
Age: 29
Hometown: Los Angeles
Occupation: Pharmaceutical sales

Name: Crystal Cox
Age: 29
Hometown: Durham, North Carolina
Occupation: Former Olympic athlete

Name: Dan Kay
Age: 32
Hometown: Boston
Occupation: Lawyer

Name: Danny "GC" Brown
Age: 26
Hometown: Portland, Oregon
Occupation: Maintenance man

Name: Gillian Larson
Age: 61
Hometown: Temecula, California
Occupation: Retired nurse

Name: Jacquie Berg
Age: 25
Hometown: Santa Barbara, California
Occupation: Medical device sales rep

Name: Jessica "Sugar" Kiper
Age: 29
Hometown: Brooklyn, New York
Occupation: Pin-up model

Name: Kelly Czarnecki
Age: 22
Hometown: Buffalo Grove, Illinois
Occupation: Retail sales

Name: Ken Hoang
Age: 22
Hometown: Westminster, California
Occupation: Professional gamer

Name: Marcus Lehman
Age: 28
Hometown: Atlanta
Occupation: Doctor

Name: Matty Whitmore
Age: 29
Hometown: Pacific Palisades, California
Occupation: Personal trainer

Name: Michelle Chase
Age: 24
Hometown: Los Angeles
Occupation: Music producer

Name: Paloma Soto-Castillo
Age: 24
Hometown: Downey, California
Occupation: Student

Name: Randy Bailey
Age: 49
Hometown: Eagle Rock, Missouri
Occupation: Wedding Videographer

Name: Susie Smith
Age: 47
Hometown: Charles City, Iowa
Occupation: Hairdresser

"Hole in the Wall" for FOX

FOX Sneaks 'Hole in the Wall' Onto Schedule
The Brooke Burns/Mark Thompson-hosted series will be teased twice before its Sept. 11 premiere.

As befits a series about people trying to fit themselves into tight spaces, FOX has managed to squeeze several sneak previews for "Hole in the Wall" into its schedule.

Although it will air in hour-long blocks on Thursday nights at 8 p.m. ET starting on Sept. 11, "Hole in the Wall" will get to strut its stuff with a 30-minute episode on Sunday, Sept. 7 and a 25-minute taste on Tuesday, Sept. 9.

Hosted by Brooke Burns and Mark Thompson and based on the popular and already frequently repurposed Japanese format, "Hole in the Wall" asks contestants to wedge their bodies through cut-out shapes in a swiftly approaching barrier wall. The team with the most points at the end of the competition will win $25,000 and the chance to face the "Blind Wall" for the opportunity to win an additional $100,000.

The newly scheduled sneak previews will give "Hole in the Wall" potentially impressive sampling. The Sunday episode will follow FOX's first NFL doubleheader of the season, while the Tuesday episode will air after the exhaustively promoted series premiere of "Fringe."

NBC Leads Tuesday with "Talent" & the DNC

'America's Got Talent' Return Leads NBC Tuesday
Post-Olympics ratings for the show are down, but still lead the field

Fast National ratings for Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2008

NBC got another ratings victory Tuesday thanks to the return of its top summer series, while the combined totals for the Democratic convention rose a little.

For the night, NBC averaged a 5.9 rating/10 share. FOX took second with a 4.0/6, edging out CBS' 3.9/6. ABC, 3.1/5, came in fourth. The CW trailed with a 1.5/2.

NBC also led among adults 18-49 with a 2.6 rating. FOX finished second at 2.0, while ABC and CBS tied for third at 1.6. The CW put up a 0.8.

"America's Got Talent" returned with a 6.3/11 for NBC at 8 p.m. A repeat of "NCIS" earned a 5.0/8 for CBS. ABC's "Wipeout" took a fall from its previous average, managing only a 3.9/7. "House," 3.2/5, put FOX in fourth. The CW went with a "Smallville" rerun.

The second hour of "America's Got Talent" improved to 7.3/11 at 9 p.m. FOX moved up to second with another "House" encore, 4.7/7. "Big Brother 10" scored a 4.3/7 for CBS. "Wanna Bet?" was fourth for ABC, topping the 1.5/2 for "Reaper" on The CW.

NBC once again led the network coverage of the Democratic National Convention at 10 p.m., drawing a 4.1/7. ABC posted a 2.9/5 and CBS a 2.4/4.

WWE Monday Night RAW Broadcasts for 8/25/08

Tonight RAW will broadcast on two cable channels. On the Comcast schedule grid, RAW is to air on USA Network at 10/9c [2 hours] but will NOT be LIVE due to the U.S. Open Tennis tournament.

Second, RAW is also LIVE! on Sci Fi (USA Network's sister network) at its regular time 9/8c.

It is up to you if you will watch the LIVE broadcast on Sci Fi or wait until 10/9c to watch it on its original cable network, USA Network.

CONFIRMED MATCHES/SEGMENTS for Tonight's RAW:

- HBK Live on RAW!
- Batista vs. Kane
- World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk vs. JBL (non-title match)
- Intercontinental Championship: *new Intercontinental Champion Santino Marella vs. Kofi Kingston - *new WWE Women's Champ Beth Phoenix vs. Kelly Kellu (non-title match)

"American Idol" Has A Fourth Judge

'American Idol' Crowns a Fourth Judge
Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson will be joined by Kara DioGuardi

There will be a new judge joining Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson when " American Idol" returns this January.

FOX announced on Monday (Aug. 25) morning that Grammy-nominated songwriter Kara DioGuardi will join the judging panel for the eighth season of "American Idol" when the singing juggernaut returns to air this January.

"We are turning the heat up on 'Idol' this year and are thrilled to welcome Kara to the judges' table," says series creator and executive producer Simon Fuller. "She is a smart, sassy lady, and one of America's most successful songwriters. We know she will bring a new level of energy and excitement to the show."

FOX boasts that as a songwriter and producer, DioGuardi has worked with the likes of Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani, Celine Dion, Faith Hill, The Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus and Santana. She has also collaborated with a slew of "American Idol" favorites including Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Katharine McPhee, Taylor Hicks, Bo Bice and Clay Aiken.

"For the past seven seasons, Paula has had to endure the experience of being the only woman at the judges' table," says FOX's alternative programming guru Mike Darnell. "She's been as an island of consideration and gentle criticism between Randy and Simon, offering her invaluable expertise as a performer and No. 1 artist to the thousands who have competed on 'American Idol.' With Kara by her side, Paula finally has some back-up and now there is going to be a lot more 'girl power' on the show."

The core "Idol" trinity of Simon, Paula and Randy has been intact since the show first launched, joined occasionally by an assortment of variably successful celebrity guest judges. But dedicated "American Idol" fans know that this isn't the first time the series has added a fourth judge. Rapper-DJ Angie Martinez was introduced to the team before the start of the show's second season, but she quit after only four days of judging auditions, blaming the difficulties in criticizing aspiring singers.

"We had originally intended for 'American Idol' to have four judges," says executive producer Cecile Frot-Coutaz. "We've seen from our international series that having a fourth judge creates a dynamic that benefits both the contestants and the viewers."

"American Idol" completed its seventh season in May. Despite countless media reports about the show's declining ratings, it still ended the year as TV's most watched program by a wide margin. Long-time creative force Nigel Lythgoe recently announced he was stepping away from "American Idol," but the planning for next season appears not to have skipped a beat.

DioGuardi is talking to reporters this afternoon and stay tuned to Zap2it for additional updates.

"DWTS" Returns with An All New Season and Cast!

Meet the New 'Dancing with the Stars' Cast
Lance Bass, Olympian Misty May-Treanor are among this season's competitors

A pair of Olympic gold medalists, a second member of *NSync and a a nine-time Emmy winner will take the floor on "Dancing with the Stars" this fall.

[On the photo: Lance Bass]

The cast, announced on "Good Morning America" Monday (Aug. 25), hewed pretty closely to several leaked lists of possible competitors for the show's seventh cycle. Among those vying for the disco-ball trophy are Grammy winner Toni Braxton, celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito and Lance Bass, who will follow in the footsteps of his former bandmate Joey Fatone on the show.

The two Olympians are Maurice Greene, the 100-meter champion at the 2000 Games in Sydney, and beach volleyball champ Misty May-Treanor, who just won her second gold medal with partner Kerri Walsh.

The new season will also feature the show's youngest performer ever in " Hannah Montana" co-star Cody Linley, who's 18, and its oldest in Cloris Leachman, 82, who has an Oscar (for "The Last Picture Show") and a passel of Emmys (most recently for a guest spot on "Malcolm in the Middle" in 2006) on her resume.

Also competing: reality star Kim Kardashian, who told "Dancing" host Tom Bergeron on "GMA" that she suffered a gash on her foot Sunday night in a hotel room but will be still be able to compete; former NFL star Warren Sapp; and sitcom actor Ted McGinley.

"Dancing with the Stars" begins its new season on ABC Monday, Sept. 22. Here's the full rundown of the cast:

Name: Lance Bass
Famous for: Being part of *NSync.
Partner: Lacey Schwimmer

Name: Toni Braxton
Famous for: Her platinum-selling and Grammy-winning recording career.
Partner: Alec Mazo

Name: Brooke Burke
Famous for: Hosting CBS' "Rock Star" and various E! shows.
Partner: Derek Hough

Name: Rocco DiSpirito
Famous for: Accolades as a chef, NBC's reality show "The Restaurant."
Partner: Karina Smirnoff

Name: Maurice Greene
Famous for: Winning the 100-meter gold medal in the 2000 Olympics.
Partner: Cheryl Burke

Name: Kim Kardashian
Famous for: The E! series "Keeping Up with the Kardashians."
Partner: Marc Ballas

Name: Cloris Leachman
Famous for: A long TV and film career, including " Mary Tyler Moore" and "The Last Picture Show."
Partner: Corky Ballas

Name: Cody Linley
Famous for: Playing Jake Ryan on "Hannah Montana."
Partner: Julianne Hough

Name: Susan Lucci
Famous for: Starring on "All My Children" and finally winning a Daytime Emmy after years and years of being nominated.
Partner: Tony Dovolani

Name: Misty May-Treanor
Famous for: Defending her beach volleyball gold medal at the 2008 Olympics with teammate Kerri Walsh.
Partner: Maksim Chmerkovskiy

Name: Ted McGinley
Famous for: Roles on "Married ... with Children," "Dynasty" and numerous other shows.
Partner: Inna Brayer

Name: Jeffrey Ross
Famous for: His stand-up comedy and appearances on Comedy Central's celebrity roasts.
Partner: Edyta Sliwinska

Name: Warren Sapp
Famous for: An NFL career in which he won a Super Bowl and made the Pro Bowl eight times.
Partner: Kym Johnson

2008 Beijing Summer Olympics Closing Ceremony Gives NBC A Huge Advantage over other Networks.

Source: Zap2it.com

NBC Celebrates Final Olympic Victory on Sunday
Two weeks of boffo Olympic ratings conclude for NBC

Fast National ratings for Sunday, Aug. 24, 2008.

The closing ceremony of the Summer Olympics ended a wildly successful two-week ratings run for NBC with a Sunday night win.

Overall, NBC averaged a 13.6 rating/ 23 share for the night, far ahead of the 3.8/6 for second place CBS. ABC was third with a 2.9/5, followed by FOX's 19.3 and the 0.6/1 for The CW.

NBC averaged a 6.9 rating among adults 18-49, dominating the key demographic. ABC and CBS posted matching 1.5 ratings to tie for second, with FOX's 1.2 and the 0.3 rating for The CW right behind.

The primetime sweep for NBC began in the 7 p.m. hour with a 9.4/18 for the Olympic closing. CBS' "60 Minutes" had a 4.4/8 for second, with ABC's 3.1/6 for "America's Funniest Home Videos" good for third. Two episodes of "'Til Death" on FOX had no trouble beating a 0.5/1 for a "One Tree Hill" episode.

NBC's Olympics coverage was up to a 14.9/24 in its second hour. CBS got a 4.0/7 from "Big Brother" for second. ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" held third, beating the 2.5/4 for "The Simpsons" and "Family Guy" on FOX. The CW's "Everybody Hates Chris" and "Aliens in America" made barely a ripple.

In the 9 p.m. hour, NBC's Olympics telecast peaked with a 16.3/25. ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" moved up to second with a 3.5/5, beating the 2.7/4 for CBS' "Million Dollar Password." FOX held fourth with "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles," which more than doubled the 0.8/1 for two episodes of "The Game."

NBC closed with a 13.8/23 in the 10 p.m hour. CBS' "Cold Case" did a 3.9/7 for second and ABC held third with a 2.1/4 for "Desperate Housewives."

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - Official Results (August 22, 2008)

Results:
All is Unforgiven
By: Michael Burdick
August 22, 2008

QUAD CITIES, Ill. – It was a night for seeking repentance and rising to the challenge as SmackDown stood witness to the return of Undertaker on Friday nights, and saw other Superstars looking for a new chance at championship gold.

As a result of The Phenom sending Edge to Hell at SummerSlam, SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero underwent a dynamic attitude change, showing remorse for what she said was not the “real” her and blaming the Rated-R Superstar for all her past wrongdoing to WWE Superstars and the WWE Universe alike. She claimed that she was very excited about the return of Undertaker and hoped our fans would join her in giving him a standing ovation.

But, not everybody was ready to hear it. After reading a prepared statement and begging him for forgiveness on bended knee, the reemerging Deadman made it clear to Guerrero that forgiveness would not be granted when he decimated Chavo Guerrero, Bam Neely and WWE Tag Team Champions Curt Hawkins & Zack Ryder.

Four chances at ultimate glory
Earlier, before bedlam erupted around members of “The Family,” Guerrero made the announcement that throughout the evening, a series of qualifying matches would take place to find out which four Superstars would join WWE Champion Triple H in the first-ever WWE Championship Scramble Match at Unforgiven.

The Brian Kendrick was proclaimed the winner of the first qualifying match – a 10-Man Battle Royal that included Hawkins & Ryder, Vladimir Kozlov, Armando Estrada, Jimmy Wang Yang, Funaki, Super Crazy, as well as newcomers Scotty Goldman and Ryan Braddock. Although Big Show was overlooked as a participant by General Manager Guerrero, he was not to be denied – smashing his way into the ring on his own accord and eliminating the majority of Superstars including The Brian Kendrick himself. However, because Ezekiel Jackson caught and deposited his associate back in the ring before his feet hit the floor, the reeling Kendrick found his hand raised at the sound of the bell – earning a place in the Championship Scramble.

In the second qualifying match, Montel Vontavious Porter stole a victory over Festus via count-out. Once the fierce battle made its way outside the ring and the referee began his 10-count, the Ballin’ Superstar seized the moment by kicking an unsuspecting Jesse, distracting the Corn-fed Colossus long enough to get back in the ring and pick up the win in the final second. Will MVP’s self-proclaimed destiny to become a World Champion come true at Unforgiven?

In his continued obsession with possessing all the championship gold he can get his hands on, United States Champion Shelton Benjamin beat Finlay in the third qualifying match of the night. Benjamin’s victory was assisted by the Belfast brawler’s rival, Mike Knox, who snuck down to ringside and grabbed Finlay’s son Hornswoggle, giving the Gold Standard the distraction he needed to hit paydirt and solidify his spot in the WWE Championship Scramble.

WWE Champion Triple H joined Jim Ross and Tazz at the broadcast table to witness the high-flying Jeff Hardy against The Great Khali in the final qualifying match. When Ranjin Singh decided to distract the Legend Thriller, The Game made his presence known, dropping Khali’s handler before nailing the Punjabi Giant with a chair to set up Jeff Hardy’s humongous win.

And, just when the storm was finding its calm, The King of Kings was interrupted by Kenny Dykstra, a move that led to Dykstra being on the wrong end of a Pedigree.

Diva down
Maria picked up the disqualification victory over Natalya, after Maryse blatantly attacked her in retaliation for the broken nose she suffered several weeks ago. Luckily for Maria, Divas Champion Michelle McCool was quick to even the odds. Will the rivalries between these Divas cool off as summer comes to an end, or are they just beginning to heat up?

Don’t miss the premiere of SmackDown when it makes its move to My Network TV on Oct. 3.

CW Moves "Stylista" Premiere Earlier

CW Moves Up 'Stylista' Premiere
Tyra Banks-produced show will now premiere Oct. 22

The CW's companion to "America's Next Top Model" will open up a little sooner than originally planned.

The network has moved the premiere date of its competition show "Stylista" to Wednesday, Oct. 22. That's a week earlier than originally planned, and will allow the show to fit all eight of its episodes in before the holiday season.

"Stylista" will air at 9 p.m. ET Wednesday, pairing with the 11th cycle of "Top Model" in the fall (encores of "90210" will fill the spot early in the season). Tyra Banks and Ken Mok are executive producers of both shows, and are joined on "Stylista" by Eli Holzman, Desiree Gruber and Jane Cha.

The show features 11 people vying for an editorial position at Elle magazine. They'll work under the guidance of Anne Slowey, the magazine's fashion news director, and perform a variety of tasks ranging from menial, coffee-run duties to designing editorial spreads for the magazine.

After consulting with creative director Joe Zee, Slowey will fire one candidate each episode. The winner gets a job at Elle, a one-year paid lease on a Manhattan apartment and a clothing allowance from H&M. The total package is worth $100,000.

"Stargate Atlantis" Ending Run Soon

'Stargate Atlantis' Ending Series Run
Sci Fi's drama will live on as a movie franchise

"Stargate Atlantis" will end its run on the Sci Fi Channel early next year. But not really.

The series will air its final regular episode in January, Sci Fi announced Thursday (Aug. 21). At the same time, though, the cable network has ordered a two-hour movie that will premiere on Sci Fi and then be released on DVD soon thereafter. The show's producers are hoping to follow the model of parent series "Stargate SG-1," which has released two successful direct-to-DVD movies since its finale.

[On the photo: Joe Flanigan of "Stargate Atlantis"]

"We're excited to tell 'Atlantis' stories on a bigger canvas," series co-creators Robert C. Cooper and Brad Wright say in a statement. "The successes of the two original 'Stargate' movies, 'The Ark of Truth' and 'Continuum,' have shown us the opportunities that the movie format offers. We have plans for both 'SG-1' and 'Atlantis' to remain vital as we expand the franchise."

Joseph Mallozzi and Paul Mullie, who serve as showrunners on "Stargate Atlantis," will write the still-untitled movie. There's no word yet on the film's storyline or which cast members will be featured.

"Stargate Atlantis" spun off from "SG-1" in 2004 and has been a steady performer for Sci Fi ever since. Its fifth season debuted last month and will wrap up in January after hitting the 100-episode mark.

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - Official Preview (August 22, 2008) - Tonight at 8/7c on The CW

Preview:
Is SmackDown on a highway to Hell?
August 17, 2008

At SummerSlam, Edge faced a returning Undertaker in an epic Hell in a Cell Match. The Rated-R Superstar vowed to show The Deadman the "purest form of hell." But after one of one of WWE’s most brutal matches, it was the legendary Phenom who sent the Ultimate Opportunist into the great inferno. With Undertaker back on SmackDown, will SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero – or anyone else – be safe from his vengeful scourge?

WWE Champion Triple H reigned supreme over The Great Khali, defying the odds by hitting the Pedigree in his very first match with the Punjabi Giant at SummerSlam. Now, The Game must defend his title in a five-man WWE Championship Scramble Match at Unforgiven.

This week on SmackDown, it will be none other than The Great Khali and Jeff Hardy who will compete in an Unforgiven WWE Championship Scramble Qualifying Match for an opportunity to face The King of Kings for his crown. What other SmackDown Superstars might get an opportunity to compete for a chance at the WWE Championship at Unforgiven?

Witness the fallout from SummerSlam on SmackDown on The CW Network at 8/7 CT.

Your new "Bachelor"

'Bachelorette' Rejectee Will Try Again
Jason Mesnick is your new 'Bachelor'

DeAnna Pappas got another shot at televised love after being jilted on "The Bachelor," and now the show is returning the favor to the last guy she rejected.

ABC announced Wednesday that Jason Mesnick, a fan favorite from the most recent season of "The Bachelorette," will be at the center of the 13th edition of "The Bachelor," which is set to premiere in January. He's also the sixth person to get a second shot via the "Bachelor"/"Bachelorette" franchise -- all four Bachelorettes and Bachelor No. 4 Bob Guiney were rejectees before getting their own seasons.

Mesnick, 32, is an estate planner from Seattle with a 3-year-old son. He appeared on "The Bachelorette" in hopes of starting another family (he divorced a couple years ago). He quickly became a favorite among the show's fans, many of whom were up in arms after Pappas chose snowboarder Jesse Csincsak over him in the finale.

As ABC puts it, "Jason's female fans flocked to support him, helping him heal from his very public dismissal." The network also notes that "fans rushed to e-mail him in droves, in total sympathy to his plight."

Speculation that Mesnick would be the next Bachelor has been swirling pretty much since "The Bachelorette" concluded its season in early July. Women interested in trying to win Mesnick's heart can apply at ABC.com.

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! Coming to MyNetworkTV, Oct. 3rd (COMMERCIAL)

watch in high quality

The CW Won't Do an Advance Screening for the Highly-Anticipated "90210"

Source: Zap2it.com

WTH?: No advance screening of '90210'
By Hanh Nguyen

Impatient for the new 90210 to start? Well, so is the press.

Journalists received the disappointing news on Monday that The CW will not screen the highly anticipated 90210 spinoff in advance of its premiere on Tuesday, Sept. 2.

"The CW and our studio partner CBS Paramount Network Television have made the strategic marketing decision not to screen 90210 for any media in advance of its premiere," reads an email from the studio. "We're not hiding anything ... simply keeping a lid on 90210 until 9.02, riding the curiosity and anticipation into premiere night, and letting all our constituents see it at the same time."

The statement's assurance about not "hiding anything" refers to the common practice of keeping the media in dark in the event that a movie studio isn't feeling the most confident about the quality of a project. No advance screening means no possibility of a bad review ahead of time.

It remains to be seen if 90210 lives up to the hype or if The CW doth protest too much.

All is not lost, however. Screeners of Privileged, another new CW drama that will premiere a week later on Tuesday, Sept. 9, will be sent out later this week, a studio exec assures us.

90210 stars Shenae Grimes and Tristan Wilds as a sister and adopted brother who enter the baffling world of West Beverly Hills High School. A youthful and good-looking cast populates the teen drama, along with Shannen Doherty and Jennie Garth familiar faces from the original Beverly Hills, 90210 days.

For more premieres, check out Zap2it's Guide to TV Premieres and Returns.

Laser Cannons are in the very near future!

Army Moves Ahead With Mobile Laser Cannon
By Noah Shachtman

The Army is moving ahead with plans to mount a laser cannon on a massive, 35-ton-plus truck.

The service just handed Boeing a $36 million contract to "continue developing a truck-mounted, high-energy laser weapon system that will destroy rockets, artillery shells and mortar rounds," according to a company statement.

Under the High Energy Laser Technology Demonstrator (HEL TD) Phase II contract, awarded Aug. 15, Boeing will complete the design of, then build, test and evaluate, a rugged beam control system on a Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck. Boeing also will develop the system-engineering requirements for the entire HEL TD laser weapon system.

Low power demonstrations are scheduled for 2010, with battlefield-strength laser tests to follow in 2013.

About a year ago, the Army asked Boeing and Northrop Grumman to work up preliminary designs for the HEL beam control system -- and promised to choose a winning model by 2009. So the program appears to be on track. And it's one of a number of energy weapon projects that have been picking up steam, after decades of unfulfilled promise. Relatively easy-to-deploy electric lasers have just about worked their way up to weapons-grade. Boeing recently test-fired the real-life ray gun on its Advanced Tactical Laser -- a blaster-equipped gunship. Raytheon has worked up a prototype of its Phalanx mortar-shooter that uses fiber lasers, instead of traditional ammo, to knock down targets. Even the eternally-delayed Airborne Laser -- a modified 747, designed to zap ballistic missiles -- may finally get a long-awaited flight test.

WWE Unveils *New SmackDown! Commercial for MyNetworkTV

WWE recently put up a new video on WWE.com about SmackDown!'s season premiere on MyNetworkTV. Click HERE to watch the *new SD! commercial video.

September 1 TV Premieres/Returns

Monday, September 1

8 p.m.
'Prison Break' (FOX) 2-hour season premiere; special time

'Gossip Girl' (The CW) season premiere

9 p.m.
'One Tree Hill' (The CW) season premiere

10 p.m.
'Raising the Bar' (TNT) series premiere

"Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" Delayed til 7/17/09

Source: Zap2it.com

'Harry Potter 6' Release Delayed Till 2009
'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' opens July 17, 2009

Even the half-blood prince couldn't escape the effects of the writers' strike.

The release date for " Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" has been moved back to Summer 2009, Warner Bros. Pictures announced Thursday.

So instead of packing theaters on Nov. 21, fans of the boy wizard will have to wait till July 17, 2009 for the sixth edition of the popular franchise adapted from the children's book series by J.K. Rowling.

"Our reasons for shifting 'Half-Blood Prince' to summer are twofold: we know the summer season is an ideal window for a family tent pole release, as proven by the success of our last Harry Potter film, which is the second-highest grossing film in the franchise, behind only the first installment," says Alan Horn, the studio's president and COO.

"Additionally, like every other studio, we are still feeling the repercussions of the writers' strike, which impacted the readiness of scripts for other films--changing the competitive landscape for 2009 and offering new windows of opportunity that we wanted to take advantage of. We agreed the best strategy was to move 'Half-Blood Prince' to July, where it perfectly fills the gap for a major tent pole release for mid-summer."

The production schedule will not change, however, for the final installment, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," which will be split and released in two parts. The film series stars Daniel Radcliffe as the titular hero, while Rupert Grint and Emma Watson portray his best friends and fellow Hogwarts students Ron and Hermione.

"Dan, Rupert and Emma and all our returning young cast continue to blossom, and our new cast members bring fresh color and life to Hogwarts," says David Yates, who directed the fifth movie "Order of the Phoenix" and is handling the remaining films. "Even as we put the finishing touches on this latest film, we are already beginning preparations on the final two films--we start filming in February--and I am excited to bring this remarkable series to the exciting and moving conclusion its loyal fans deserve."

NBC, Phelps Breaks Records

Source: Zap2it.com

Michael Phelps, NBC Set Olympics Record
Swimmer helps NBC to its best Saturday ratings since 1990

Michael Phelps set one last record at the Olympics Saturday, and in the process he almost lived up to the lofty standards of Richard Mulligan.

Phelps won his eighth gold medal, a record for a single Olympics, as part of the U.S. 4x100-meter medley relay team Saturday night. His performance, and the run-up to it, helped NBC average 31.1 million viewers for the night.

That's the biggest audience for a Saturday-night program on the network since February 1990, when -- believe it or not -- an episode of "Empty Nest," which starred Mulligan, drew 31.4 million viewers. This was back in the days when cable was not yet everywhere and networks still programmed strong shows on Saturday nights.

Saturday's audience peaked at 11 p.m., when close to 40 million people tuned in to watch Phelps cap off his remarkable run with the seventh world record in his eight events, with help from relay teammates Aaron Piersol, Brendan Hansen and Jason Lezak.

NBC says that through the first nine days from Beijing, the Olympics have "reached" 191 million people on TV across all its networks, meaning that many people have tuned in to a least a few minutes of coverage. The broadcast network's prime-time average is 30.1 million viewers, a 15-percent jump from the 2004 Olympics in Athens (26.2 million).

Track and field, individual events in gymnastics and the medal rounds in a number of team sports will dominate coverage in the final week of the Games.

Talk Show Hostess Married!

Source: Zap2it.com

Ellen DeGeneres Marries Portia de Rossi
Couple married at intimate ceremony at their Beverly Hills home

The star of "Mr. Wrong" has tied the knot with her Mrs. Right.

According to People, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi were married on Saturday (Aug. 16) evening at their home in Beverly Hills.

The magazine reports that the intimate ceremony was attended by only 19 guests, including DeGeneres' mother Betty and de Rossi's mother Margaret Rogers. The couple were both dressed by Zac Posen and exchanged rings by Neil Lane. They exchanged handwritten vows.

DeGeneres and de Rossi have been dating since December 2004. DeGeneres announced her intention to wed the "Arrested Development" star on her Emmy-winning talk show back May.

The ceremony came just over three months after the California Supreme Court's May ruling striking down a previous state ban on gay marriage.

Despite their legal recognition within the state, gay married couples still will be denied many federal rights and benefits that straight couples enjoy such as filing a joint federal tax return, Social Security benefits and veteran's benefits. A November ballot initiative -- which in California can supersede legislation and court decisions -- will seek to amend the state's constitution so that the ban on same-sex marriage can be reinstated.

SmackDown! Going Live! on Fridays?

Even though "majority" of Vince McMahon's energy is dedicated to RAW, there has been news backstage that WWE Friday Night SmackDown! might go LIVE on Friday nights. Also, people inside the WWE consider Friday Night SmackDown! equal to Monday Night RAW, and some consider SD! slightly above or above RAW.

Watch "WWE SummerSlam" 2008 for FREE!

Watch it by clicking HERE.

WWE SummerSlam 2008 Matches Results

Undertaker def. Edge (Hell in a Cell Match)

WWE Champion Triple H def. The Great Khali

World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk def. JBL

Matt Hardy def. ECW Champion Mark Henry (Disqualification)

Batista def. John Cena

Montel Vontavious Porter def. Jeff Hardy

Winners Take All Tag Team Match

Jericho crashes HBK's announcement

WWE SummerSlam 2008 - Hell in a Cell: The Undertaker vs. Edge (SmackDown! Main Event)

Preview:
Hell in a Cell: Edge vs. Undertaker
July 25, 2008

When Edge defeated Undertaker at One Night Stand, the Rated-R Superstar and his at the time bride-to-be, SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero, had stipulated The Phenom be banished from all of WWE. But after Edge’s infidelity, Guerrero did the unthinkable, reinstating The Deadman and putting her cheating husband in a match against the returning Superstar at SummerSlam – the dangerous Hell in a Cell Match.

Edge was shocked by the revelation of Undertaker’s return and his subsequent match in the sadistic structure, but perhaps the Ultimate Opportunist’s greatest astonishment was that Vickie had accepted his “heartfelt” apology, only to stun him with the news of The Phenom.

After being banished since June at the hands of Edge, will Undertaker show any mercy to his SummerSlam opponent in a match that he has made a devil’s playground? Will Edge’s past sins come back to haunt him in the form of The Phenom? Or will the Rated-R Superstar rest in peace after Hell in a Cell? And what about Vickie Guerrero, who had a huge hand in banishing Undertaker? Will The Deadman have any sympathy for the scorned GM or her current situation?

To catch the Biggest Blockbuster of the Summer, tune into SummerSlam Aug. 17 only on pay-per-view.

Get great Undertaker and Edge gear at WWESHOP!

WWE SummerSlam 2008 - WWE Championship (SmackDown!)

Preview:
WWE Champion Triple H vs. The Great Khali
July 25, 2008

After proving victorious in Friday Night SmackDown’s Biggest Blockbuster of the Summer Battle Royal, outlasting the likes of Big Show, Umaga, Jeff Hardy and MVP, The Great Khali has earned the right to challenge WWE Champion Triple H at SummerSlam.

A former World Heavyweight Champion himself, the Punjabi Giant is the very definition of immensity. At 7-feet, 3-inches and 420 pounds, he towers over his opponents. His vicious Khali Vise Grip has become legendary and the list of victims that have suffered his wrath is larger than he is.

Since coming to Friday Night SmackDown, The King of Kings has wasted no time in making his illustrious presence known. Despite Khali’s tremendous size and dangerous ability, the champion has proved time and time again that he fears absolutely no one. Just moments after Jeff Hardy was thrown over the top rope like a rag doll in the Battle Royal, Triple H was standing toe-to-toe with his new No. 1 contender. As they sized each other up, neither Superstar showed the slightest trace of fear.

The Great Khali has asserted himself as a force to be reckoned with in WWE. But, if he hopes to hold championship gold high above the WWE Universe, he’ll inevitably have to play The Game.

To catch the Biggest Blockbuster of the Summer, tune into SummerSlam Aug. 17 only on pay-per-view.

WWE SummerSlam 2008 - World Heavyweight Championship (RAW)

Preview:
World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk vs. JBL
August 17, 2008

He was beaten by the reigning World Heavyweight Champion mere weeks ago. What has changed since that makes JBL think he can prevail in a title match against CM Punk at SummerSlam?

In a word: Arrogance.

The Longhorn Loudmouth has been squeaking by some impressive competition as of late. At The Great American Bash, JBL narrowly escaped with a victory over former WWE Champion John Cena in a brutal New York City Parking Lot Brawl.

Then, to earn his way into the title match, the media maven was forced to team with rival Chris Jericho against Punk. In a last second fluke, JBL quite literally fell into the win by toppling backward onto the Straightedge Superstar for the three-count.

Attaining his precious gold, however, will almost certainly not be as easy as he thinks. From the moment he cashed in his Money in the Bank contract, Punk has proven himself an admirable, determined and cunning champion. The Straightedge Superstar has twice defended against the likes of The Animal Batista, as well as JBL himself.

Will JBL once again be able to seize that which he holds so dear? And just how far is he willing to go? Or will CM Punk continue his seemingly improbable reign as your World Heavyweight Champion?

To catch the Biggest Blockbuster of the Summer, tune into SummerSlam, live and only on pay-per-view.

WWE SummerSlam 2008 - ECW Championship (ECW Main Event)

Preview:
ECW Champion Mark Henry vs. Matt Hardy
July 22, 2008

At SummerSlam, ECW’s physically ferocious champion, Mark Henry, will defend his gold against a passionately determined challenger, Matt Hardy.

The World’s Strongest Champion has been on a tear ever since capturing the ECW Title in a Triple Threat Match against Kane and Big Show. His inhuman strength, combined with his aggressive temper has established Henry as the dominant Superstar in the Land of the Extreme. And now that he has aligned himself with WWE Hall of Famer Tony Atlas, the ECW Champion could be truly unstoppable.

Earning his opportunity to face Mark Henry at the pay-per-view was not an easy feat for Hardy. He had to fight through Finlay, John Morrison and The Miz in a Fatal Four Way Match on ECW on Sci Fi. By overcoming the odds, he showed without a doubt that although he may have lost the United States Championship to Shelton Benjamin at The Great American Bash, he will never be truly defeated. Hardy’s sheer determination to become the best of the best in WWE is the only thing that barely overshadows his incredible in-ring abilities.

Matt Hardy finally has a chance to capture a top spot in WWE, but in order to flaunt that honor he will have to do more than reach the top of the mountain. He will have to smash through it. And this massive mountain will be fighting back, with unbelievably vicious force.

Tune into SummerSlam Aug. 17 only on pay-per-view to catch the Biggest Blockbuster of the Summer.

WWE SummerSlam 2008 - First Time Ever: John Cena vs. Batista (RAW Main Event)

Preview:
John Cena vs. Batista
August 17, 2008

When John Cena and Batista face off at SummerSlam, the world will witness two of the largest, most powerful forces in WWE clash head on – for the first time ever. And to think, the promise of such an earth-shattering collision began over a simple misunderstanding.

When Cena accidentally knocked Batista out of the ring after The Animal’s title bout with World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk, Batista came up swinging, and the two strongmen traded blows.

Those hard feelings seemed to subside when the two shook hands at the beginning of the next week’s Raw. That truce, however, was short-lived.

Batista felt he deserved to face CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Title at SummerSlam. Cena not only felt the same, he also pointed out that Batista had already lost to Punk twice. Just after the two set a match among themselves to determine who would earn the opportunity to face Punk, Shane McMahon interrupted their plans and told them that Raw’s new, yet-to-be-revealed GM had forced them to pair together that night in a tag team match against JBL & Kane.

While Cena and Batista refused to trust one another, the reluctant pair eventually prevailed. At the end of their victorious match, Raw’s new General Manager was revealed to be Mike Adamle. The ECW announcer entered the ring and told the stunned audience that it would be the Chain Gang Commander battling The Animal in a match that guarantees to rattle Conseco Fieldhouse to its foundation.

Ironically enough, the rivals would once again prevail as a cohesive partnership against Ted DiBiase & Cody Rhodes, securing the World Tag Team gold on Raw and adding yet another unique twist to this rare confrontation.

On the last Raw before SummerSlam, DiBiase & Rhodes exercised their rematch clause. Taking advantage of the friction between the SummerSlam opponents, the priceless pair managed to regain their titles. The loss served to further exacerbate the tensions between Cena & The Animal, as Raw came to an end with the two brawling with one another.

To catch the Biggest Blockbuster of the Summer, tune into SummerSlam Aug. 17 only on pay-per-view.

WWE SummerSlam 2008 - MVP vs. Jeff Hardy (SmackDown)

Preview:
Montel Vontavious Porter vs. Jeff Hardy
August 17, 2008

The tension between Jeff Hardy and Montel Vontavious Porter has been mounting for weeks, and will finally explode at the Biggest Blockbuster of the Summer.

Their dislike for one another began on "MVP’s VIP Lounge" on the July 25 episode of SmackDown, where the Ballin’ Superstar described Hardy’s risk-taking behavior as “wreckless” and a “detriment” to both his friends and family.

The Legend Thriller, not taking kindly to MVP’s harsh, personal criticisms, responded by tossing SmackDown’s Franchise Playa from the VIP set. (WATCH)

One week later, Hardy positioned himself at ringside to watch MVP take on Jimmy Wang Yang. After the match, a furious Hardy again took out his anger on MVP with a Twist of Fate. (WATCH)

For months, MVP has complained to SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero about wanting to renegotiate his contract, claiming that he was underutilized on Friday nights. Now that he has the limelight in a major pay-per-view encounter, will Porter shine and get the credit he has been craving?

As for Hardy, who has undergone many challenges this year – from losing his home and dog in a fire, to undergoing a suspension, then moving to a new brand – what kind of ring performance will the four-time Intercontinental and seven-time Tag Team Champion offer?

The time is right for both Superstars to earn a victory, but who wants it most?

To catch the Biggest Blockbuster of the Summer, tune in to SummerSlam, Sunday, Aug. 17, only on pay-per-view.

WWE SummerSlam 2008 - Winners Take All Match (RAW)

Preview:
Winners Take All Match
August 17, 2008

“The winner takes it all.
The loser has to fall.” – ABBA

Double the pleasure, double the pain. That’s the catalyst behind the Winners Take All Match pitting Intercontinental Champion Kofi Kingston & Women’s Champion Mickie James against Santino Marella & Beth Phoenix.

Raw General Manager Mike Adamle created the stipulations for the intergender bout, which dictate that whichever team prevails, that team will earn both titles.

As if the rules governing the bout weren’t unusual enough, there is also the added element of a strange love affair between the Italian Stallion and The Glamazon. The pair has been nurturing a budding, if odd, romance for several weeks now. Ever since Phoenix, a former Women’s Champion, defeated Marella, a former Intercontinental Champion, in an intergender encounter, the two have succumbed to their amorous feelings for one another.

For their part, Kingston & James have been proud defenders of their respective titles. The Intercontinental Champion made an immediate impact when he was brought over from ECW during the WWE Supplemental Draft on WWE.com. James claims the Women’s Championship for her fourth time, most recently after defeating former champion, Phoenix.

How will the romance between Santino and The Glamazon fare under the strain of competing for two championships in one match? Will their chemistry outside of the ring relate to gold inside? Or will the reigning champions make easy work of bickering opponents?

To catch the Biggest Blockbuster of the Summer, tune into SummerSlam, live and only on pay-per-view.

WWE SummerSlam 2008 - HBK's Announcement (RAW)

Preview:
Shawn Michaels' announcement
August 17, 2008

Over the years, Shawn Michaels has treated the WWE Universe to many memorable moments. But at SummerSlam, when HBK addresses our fans, it may be the most memorable moment in the career of The Showstopper, because it’s then that we’ll learn whether Michaels will be returning to in-ring competition.

Michaels is currently suffering from a detached retina, originally sustained when his face was smashed into the Jeri-Tron 6000 by an enraged Chris Jericho. Though he could barely see out of the afflicted eye, HBK fought with Y2J frequently over the coming weeks, culminating in a match at The Great American Bash. The devious Jericho focused all his attentions on the chink in his opponent’s armor: Shawn Michaels’ right eye. After defeating HBK, Y2J immediately began claiming to have ended Michaels’ career by way of severe injuries to his right eye.

A few weeks later, in an exclusive interview on Raw, Shawn Michaels addressed the WWE Universe, stating that he is indeed severely injured not only with his detached retina, but also multiple problems related to his broken ribs. While The Showstopper is laid up for now, the jury is still out on whether he will be able to return to the ring. HBK has one more medical evaluation, for which he will find out the results the Friday before SummerSlam. Then, two days later, at the Biggest Blockbuster of the Summer, Michaels will share his doctor’s findings, which will determine whether HBK will be allowed to compete again.

Could SummerSlam mark the end of the career of one of sports-entertainment’s most celebrated Superstars, or will Shawn Michaels be cleared to return to the legacy he has created for himself?

To find out, make sure to tune into SummerSlam, only on pay-per-view.

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - Official Results (August 15, 2008)

Results:
'Til death do us part
By: Michael Burdick
August 15, 2008

NORFOLK, Va. – Just two days before the Biggest Blockbuster of the Summer, the WWE Universe stood witness to the calculating actions of a mad man, wondering if a legend would emerge to answer his wild taunts.

In anticipation of his match with the reinstated Undertaker in Hell in a Cell at SummerSlam, Edge continued his personal reign of terror on his wife, SmackDown General Manager Vickie Guerrero.

Following last week’s Con-Chair-To to best man Chavo Guerrero, the unprotected Vickie clung to Diva Victoria, fearing both her crazed husband and his SummerSlam foe. When she tried to escape her impending doom, the Master Manipulator cut her off at the limousine pass and took her on a wild wheelchair ride that ended ringside.

The deranged Edge screamed at his wife to apologize for all that she did to The Phenom. He then showed his insane defiance of The Deadman by attempting to call him out right then and there. But, when Undertaker didn’t appear and Edge realized he would be forced to wait for SummerSlam to fully unleash his unchecked rage, he promised Guerrero that it would be the “purest form of Hell.”

Returning the favor
Just one week after The Great Khali sent a devastating message to WWE Champion Triple H with his vicious Vise Grip, The Game answered back with authority. Ranjin Singh started things off by joining Jim Ross and Tazz while the Punjabi Giant watched The King of Kings decimate Kenny Dykstra. Things quickly got out of hand, though, when Triple H “borrowed” Singh to entice his mammoth adversary into the ring. Although he failed to deliver a Pedigree on his No. 1 contender for the second week in a row, The Game sent a powerful message of his own by knocking Khali off his feet and out of the ring. (watch) Will the WWE Champion find his stride and take Khali down at the Biggest Blockbuster of the Summer this Sunday on pay-per-view?

Third time is not a charm
Montel Vontavious Porter attempted, yet again, to interfere in his SummerSlam opponent Jeff Hardy’s match, this time against United States Champion Shelton Benjamin. MVP’s plan ultimately backfired, however. After giving the high-flying challenger a huge victory in the title match over the Gold Standard by disqualification, Hardy rose above his adversary, delivering a Twist of Fate to MVP before hitting both him and the champion with Swanton Bombs. (watch)

Devilish Divas
For the second time in recent weeks, Natalya & Maryse found themselves victorious in tag team action over Divas Champion Michelle McCool & Maria. Although the All-American champion and her partner seemed to have had the match well in hand, McCool allowed herself be distracted by Maryse one time too many, opening the door for Natalya to pick up the win.

A future full of attitude
After reminding the WWE Universe that he is the future of the sports-entertainment and getting his advisor Ezekiel Jackson to utter his first words to the SmackDown audience in agreement, The Brian Kendrick executed an impressive assault on Scotty Goldman in the Superstar’s debut match. Afterward, Jackson dished out his own physical form of “advisement” on the newcomer. (watch)

A Gigantic debut
Big Show wrecked swift havoc on Friday night, sending a pulverizing welcome to swaggering newcomer Ryan Braddock. The World’s Largest Athlete has been a force to be reckoned with since his return earlier this year, and his stock continues to rise as he piles up the victories.

Moscow meets the Midwest
For months now, the imposing Vladimir Kozlov has captured win after win over every Superstar he has encountered in his search for “better competition.” He finally found what he has been looking for in the form of Festus. The Moscow Mauler engaged in a fierce battle with the Corn-fed Colossus before saving his undefeated streak with a raging head butt from the East.

NBC Runs Friday Until Olympics Are Over.

Source: PIFeedBack.com

Friday 8/15/08

-Total Viewers:
NBC: 25.46 million, ABC: 4.46, CBS: 4.34, CW: 4.08, Fox: 3.31

-Adults 18-49:
NBC: 8.2 rating/26 share, ABC and CW: 1.3/ 4 each, Fox: 1.2/ 4, CBS: 1.0/ 3

--------------------

Note: Any prior rating results are based on the final nationals. Since the level of DVR penetration has increased from 13 percent at this same point last year to approximately 23 percent at present, the overall results may be negatively impacted.

----------

-Ratings Breakdown:
NBC’s winning streak continued care of the ongoing 2008 Summer Olympics from Beijing, which averaged 25.46 million viewers and an 8.2 rating/26 share among adults 18-49 for the prime-time (8-11 p.m.) portion. Here is the half-hour breakdown:

2008 Summer Olympics
8:00 p.m. – Viewers: 19.17 million, A18-49: 5.5/21
8:30 p.m. – Viewers: 23.00 million, A18-49: 6.8/24
9:00 p.m. – Viewers: 23.36 million, A18-49: 7.3/23
9:30 p.m. – Viewers: 23.45 million, A18-49: 7.7/24
10:00 p.m. – Viewers: 32.18 million, A18-49: 10.6/31
10:30 p.m. – Viewers: 31.62 million, A18-49: 10.9/32

Comparatively, this beat the four competing networks combined by a hefty 9.27 million viewers and 71 percent in the demo. As for the competition, ABC aired repeat theatrical Legally Blonde (Viewers: 3.92 million; A18-49: 1.2/ 4 from 8-10 p.m.), followed by 20/20 at 5.55 million viewers (#2) and a 1.5/ 4 among adults 18-49 (#2) at 10 p.m. On CBS, encore telecasts of Ghost Whisperer (Viewers: #2, 4.93 million; A18-49: #2t, 1.2/ 4) and Numb3rs (Viewers: #2, 4.62 million; A18-49: #5, 1.0/ 3) led into sure-to-be-axed drama Swingtown at 3.46 million viewers (#3) and a 1.0/ 3 in the demo (#4) at 10 p.m.

The CW ran soon-to-be relocated Friday Night Smackdown! (Viewers: #4, 4.08 million; A18-49: #2t, 1.3/ 4). And Fox capped off the evening with NFL Preseason Football at 3.31 million viewers (#5) and a 1.2/ 4 among adults 18-49 (#4). Needless to say, it will be all about NBC until the Summer Olympics are completed.

Source: Nielsen Media Research data

Mega Manila TV Ratings: August 12-14, 2008

Mega Manila TV Ratings: August 12-14, 2008

Philippine TV: ABS-CBN's "Lobo" Devours Top Spot in NUTAM

Source: PEP

"Lobo" devours July primetime NUTAM rating contest
Bong Godinez
Thursday, August 14, 2008
08:18 PM

Angel Locsin's first fantaserye as a Kapamilya bowed out of contention with flying colors. Cornering the top spot, Lobo—which had its last episode on July 11—emerged as the most watched program last month in the nationwide primetime race alongside Cesar Montano's The Singing Bee.

According to the latest NUTAM (Nationwide Urban TV Audience Measurement) study conducted by AGB Nielsen Media Research Philippines for the month of July, both Lobo and The Singing Bee accumulated identical 33.4 percent ratings, followed by June leader Dyesebel.

Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes garnered a rating of 33.2 percent followed by ABS-CBN's teleserye, Iisa Pa Lamang, which collected a total of 31.8 percent.

Richard Gutierrez's Codename: Asero garnered 31.5 percent to beat Joaquin Bordado's 31.4 grade.

This year's edition of the Ms. Universe pageant held in Vietnam figured prominently in the daytime contest. The annual beauty fest seen around the world secured the third spot via its 19.9 percent rating behind Wowowee's 22.8 percent tally. Leading the race was the Spanish telenovela El Cuerpo Del Deseo with 23.7 percent tucked under its belt.

ABS-CBN's special coverage of the State of the Nation Address last July 28 likewise entered the winning column. Bolstered by its 17.9 percent rating, the SONA delivered by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo overtook perennial contenders Daisy Siete and Eat Bulaga!

Willie Revillame's Wowowee sat solely at 1st place in the daytime category for the Top Weekend Programs. Trailing behind the controversial noontime show was ASAP '08, which gathered a rating of 20.1 percent.

Cinema FPJ settled for 3rd with 19.5 while another ABS-CBN program, Your Song, hauled down 18.1 percent. Rounding up the Top 5 was Eat Bulaga! which garnered a total of 17.2 percent rating.

Picking up from where it left off, Pinoy Dream Academy maintained its strong showing in the primetime category of the Top Weekend Programs. The show's Live Gala Night gained a rating of 30.2 percent while its Little Dreamers edition gathered 28.5 percent to nail the No. 1 and No. 2 spots, respectively. Goin' Bulilit placed third overall with 27.1 percent rating.

Here are the Top 10 weekday and weekend programs for the month of July based on a survey conducted by AGB Nielsen among NUTAM households:

Top Weekday Programs (Daytime)

1. El Cuerpo Del Deseo (ABS-CBN) - 23.7 %

2. Wowowee (ABS-CBN) - 22.8 %

3. Ms. Universe 2008 Vietnam** (ABS-CBN) - 19.9 %

4. Ligaw na Bulaklak (ABS-CBN) - 18.5 %

5. Magdusa Ka (GMA-7) - 18.5 %

6. Pilipinas, Game KNB? (ABS-CBN) - 18.1 %

7. Gaano Kadalas ang Minsan (GMA-7) - 17.9 %

8. SONA 2008 ABS-CBN Special Coverage (ABS-CBN)** (ABS-CBN) - 17.9 %

9. Daisy Siete (GMA-7) - 16.7 %

10. Eat Bulaga! (GMA-7) - 16.3 %


Top Weekday Programs (Primetime)

1. Lobo (ABS-CBN) - 33.4 %

2. The Singing Bee (ABS-CBN) - 33.4 %

3. Dyesebel (GMA-7) - 33.2 %

4. Iisa Pa Lamang (ABS-CBN) - 31.8 %

5. Codename: Asero (GMA-7) - 31.5 %

6. Joaquin Bordado (GMA-7) - 31.4 %

7. TV Patrol World (ABS-CBN) - 31.0 %

8. My Girl (ABS-CBN) - 28.0 %

9. 24 Oras (GMA-7 ) - 23.9 %

10. Kapamilya, Deal or No Deal (ABS-CBN) - 23.9 %


Top Weekend Programs (Daytime)

1. Wowowee (ABS-CBN) - 22.5 %

2. ASAP '08 (ABS-CBN) - 20.1 %

3. Cinema FPJ Da King on ABS-CBN (ABS-CBN) - 19.5 %

4. Your Song (ABS-CBN) - 18.1 %

5. Eat Bulaga! (GMA-7) - 17.2 %

6. Dragon Ball Z (GMA-7) - 15.5 %

7. The Buzz (ABS-CBN) - 14.1 %

8. Entertainment Live! (ABS-CBN) - 13.9 %

9. Wish Ko Lang (GMA-7) - 13.4 %

10. SOP (GMA-7) - 13.0 %


Top Weekend Programs (Primetime)

1. Pinoy Dream Academy Live Gala Night (ABS-CBN) - 30.2 %

2. Pinoy Dream Academy Little Dreamers (ABS-CBN) - 28.5 %

3. Goin' Bulilit (ABS-CBN) - 27.1 %

4. Komiks (ABS-CBN) - 27.0 %

5. Bitoy's Funniest Videos Yari Ka! (GMA-7) - 24.6 %

6. Maalaala Mo Kaya (ABS-CBN) - 24.4 %

7. Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (GMA-7) - 23.7 %

8. Rated K (ABS-CBN) - 22.1 %

9. Pinoy Idol (GMA-7) - 20.4 %

10. Mel & Joey (GMA-7) - 20.2 %



Legend: ** Special

Source: AGB Nielsen Media Research, Philippines

Donald Trump, Ed McMahon's Landlord?

Source: Zap2it.com

Donald Trump Wants to Be Ed McMahon's Landlord
Tycoon plans to purchase TV personality's Beverly Hills home

Ed McMahon will still have a roof over his head thanks to Donald Trump.

The real estate mogul plans to save the "Tonight Show" sidekick's Beverly Hills mansion from foreclosure by purchasing it and then leasing it back to McMahon, report news sources.

In June, the 85-year-old McMahon defaulted on $4.8 million in mortgage loans with a unit of Countrywide Financial Corp. in an attempt to avoid foreclosure on his multimillion-dollar Beverly Hills estate, which he purchased in 1990. This month, he was sued by Westmoore Lending for over a quarter million for not paying back loans that were taken out two years ago.

Trump doesn't know the 85-year-old McMahon personally, but considers it an "honor" to help him, stating, "When I was at the Wharton School of Business I'd watch him every night."

The sale hasn't been completed yet, but McMahon is "optimistic."

"Men in Trees" Star Joins CW Comedy

Source: Zap2it.com

'Men in Trees' Co-Star Moves to 'Suburbia'
Cynthia Stevenson joins CW comedy; HBO's 'Hung' gets female lead

Having braved the wilds of Alaska on "Men in Trees" the past two seasons, Cynthia Stevenson will try her hand at "Surviving Suburbia."

Stevenson will star opposite Bob Saget in The CW's comedy series, which debuts in the fall. In other casting news, Jane Adams ("Little Children") will play the female lead in HBO's pilot "Hung," and comedian Mike MacRae has joined TBS' sketch show "Frank TV," according to The Hollywood Reporter.

"Surviving Suburbia" stars Saget as a misanthrope who wants nothing more than to be left a lone in his suburban home. It will be part of The CW's Sunday lineup, all of which will be produced by studio Media Rights Capital, starting in September.

Stevenson will play Saget's wife. In addition to "Men in Trees," her credits include "Dead Like Me" and the '90s sitcom "Hope & Gloria" and the movies "Home for the Holidays" and "Happiness."

"Hung" follows a high school basketball coach (Thomas Jane) who uses his endowment to improve his lot in life. Adams, whose credits also include "The Wackness" and "The Brave One," will play a single woman who comes into contact with Jane's character.

On "Frank TV," comedian and impressionist MacRae will help lighten the load on Frank Caliendo, playing multiple characters in the late-night sketch show. Its second season is due in October.

First Transgender Contestant on ANTM

Source: Zap2it.com

'America's Next Top Model' Goes Transgender
Isis is the first transgender contestant on the show

Last season saw a plus-sized woman win "America's Next Top Model." Could this be the season for a transgender winner?

One of the 14 women competing on the 11th cycle of "America's Next Top Model" is transgender, reveals Us Weekly.

"My cards were dealt differently," says Isis, 22, who describes herself as "a woman born physically male."

Isis, who shares a name with the ancient Egyptian goddess, doesn't necessarily see herself as a role model for transgender people though.

"I like to help people, but I'm here to follow my dreams," she says.

Hailing from Prince George's County, Maryland, the former receptionist currently lives in New York City and works as a program assistant at a non-profit organization.

GLAAD president Neil Giuliano thinks Isis' presence on "ANTM" is "an unprecedented opportunity for a community that is underrepresented on television. We applaud Tyra Banks and The CW for making this historic visibility of transgender people possible."

"Top Model" returns to The CW for a special two-hour premiere on Wednesday, Sept. 3.

1,600th Post - Another "WTH Vince?" Moment -- Recent WWE Releases

The following is an article from WWE.com:

World Wrestling Entertainment has come to terms on the release of ECW Superstar Stevie Richards, Raw tag team Robbie & Rory ofThe Highlanders, and WWE referee Wes Adams as of Aug. 15, 2008. WWE wishes them the best in all their future endeavors.

_______________

The following is an article from WWE.com:

World Wrestling Entertainment has come to terms on the release of ECW Superstars Stevie Richards and Colin Delaney, Raw tag team Robbie & Rory of The Highlanders, SmackDown Diva Cherry, and WWE referee Wes Adams as of Aug. 15, 2008. WWE wishes them the best in all their future endeavors.

WWE SummerSlam 2008 - RAW Main Event (?): Batista vs. John Cena - First Time Ever!

Courtesy of KupyWrestling Wallpapers!

WWE Friday Night SmackDown! - Official Preview (August 15, 2008) - Tonight at 8/7c on The CW

Preview:
Over the edge
August 9, 2008

As Jeff Hardy gets ready to face Montel Vontavious Porter at SummerSlam, he goes up against United States Champion Shelton Benjamin in a title encounter on SmackDown. Can Hardy upset Benjamin and go into Sunday as the new United States Champion? Or, will the Gold Standard stop the Legend Thriller?

After Mick Foley awakened a sadistic cruelty in Edge, the Rated-R Superstar has unleashed hell on anyone standing in his way. Could this new-found rage give him the support he needs to survive Hell in a Cell against a returning Undertaker at SummerSlam? What will the Ultimate Opportunist do just days before perhaps the biggest match of his career?

Last week in their unprecedented Indian Broken Glass Arm Wrestling Contest, No. 1 contender to the WWE Championship, The Great Khali, applied his vicious Vise Grip to Triple H, sending a message that “The Game” is over. After finding that his patented Pedigree on Khali could be anatomically impossible, how will The Cerebral Assassin successfully defend his gold against the Punjabi Giant at SummerSlam? Will these titans clash again just days before the Biggest Blockbuster of the Summer?

The undefeated Vladimir Kozlov is demanding a better class of competition. After making short work of Jesse, could the Moscow Mauler find what he seeks in the corn-fed colossus, Festus?

And with advisor Ezekiel Jackson providing a hefty distraction at ringside, The Brian Kendrick picked up yet another victory over Super Crazy last week. With Jackson becoming such a decisive factor in The Kendrick’s matches, will anybody be able to stand in his way?

Find out the answers to these questions and more on Friday Night SmackDown on The CW Network at 8/7 CT. And don’t forget to catch SummerSlam, Sunday, Aug. 17, only on pay-per-view.