TV Zone
News, scoops, reviews and more from TV land.
CNN's Howard Kurtz: Mea Culpa
Well, that was different: Howard Kurtz, TV's -- in fact, all of U.S. media's -- most prominent critic/observer stood (or rather sat) before two inquisitors to deflect charges that he was sloppy, over-extended and too often wrong.
He did this, by the way, on his very own show, "Reliable Sources," a Sunday CNN fixture for well over a decade. Happened this morning.
I...
Read more »'The Americans:' A post-game analysis
Photo credit: Handout
FX's laudatory "The Americans" wrapped Wednesday, and I am certain there are fans out there who have many questions - notably, what happens to poor Martha now? But really, there are many more. FX has shipped out this panel disucssion featuring creator and producers Joe Weisberg and Joel Fields, series stars Matthew Rhys, Noah Emmerich, Margo Martindale and Annet Mahendru...It's handled by Huffington Post's exemplary TV Critic, Maureen Ryan:
Oprah asks Jason Collins about 'stigma of being gay' in black culture
Interesting clip and promotion below for Oprah Winfrey's "Oprah's Next Chapter" interview with Jason Collins this Sunday (7:30 p.m.) She asks about family reaction, going on a date, and this: The "stigma" of being gay in African American culture. Take a look:
Matt Lauer to Jay Leno on 'The Tonight Show': 'It's been an interesting year'
Photo credit: Getty Images
Matt Lauer, still very much in damage control after the Ann Curry ouster fiasco and the continued downward pressure on numbers, turned up at "The Tonight Show" Thursday to promote the Psy performance Friday morning on "Today," and perhaps more importantly, to address his own performance.
In one respect, this was a profoundly harmless encounter — as you might expect — but especially interesting to see him describe Kathie Lee Gifford as a close friend, especially close after she came to his defense recently.
Meanwhile, not entirely sure who's giving Matt press counsel but at some point, someone has to tell him: Just say nothing, or — in less polite terms — shut up. A Jay interview doesn't even count as an interview, but as promotion, and to address — once again, even in a highly controlled and positive environment — his ongoing "troubles" serves only to remind viewers that he has ongoing troubles.
The relevant clip:
'Parks and Recreation' finale looms
Photo credit: AP
Dispensing here with the usual banal observation that this season went by really fast, we're here to tell you that the current season of "Parks and Recreation" ends in just a few hours - and that, man, this season went by really fast. What to expect tonight? Possibly the return of one Bert Macklin who investigates a piece of evidence concerning the possible pregnancy of a major character... (Hey, this is a season finale - what would it be without a baby cliffhanger?) Nice clip - my thanks to IGN. take a look:
Marc Maron has a TV show...
Look who has a TV show! Marc Maron, and if the name is not familiar to you then a.) You never download podcasts from iTunes and b.) Never watched the old "Late Night with Conan O'Brien." Maron is (was) one of the true fixtures of both "spaces." He's a stand-up comedy star, but perhaps of greater note, his "WTF" is an interesting and enduring fixture of modern pop culture:...
Read more »Bob Newhart guest stars on 'The Big Bang Theory'
Photo credit: CBS
Not often that a TV legend of the magnitude of Bob Newhart turns up on TV's most viewed comedy so when he does, attention must be paid: Professor Proton - host of Sheldon and Leonard's fave childhood TV show - arrives tonight:
Glenn Beck gets a New York TV berth on Cablevision
Photo credit: Getty Images
Glenn Beck, who left Fox News in a blaze - almost literally - two years ago to launch his on-line pay-for-play network, "The Blaze," has a new home, and it's a familiar one: His channel will be carried by Cablevision starting later this month.
No details on exactly when or where - neither Cablevsion or his representative said where he would land in channel position terms...
Read more »HBO's 'Veep' gets a third season
Photo credit: Handout
HBO's "Veep" has been handed a third season.
No surprise: It's excellent, and funny, and smart, and creative, and has Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Anna Chlumsky and Matt Walsh and Tony Hale and Armando Iannucci as creator and head writer...Well, it's returning. And should.
No additional details from HBO except to say it will be back next year; the current season is in progress. Check it out if you haven't already.
Comedy Central: 'Inside Amy Schumer' - yes, she's from Rockville Centre - is a hit
Photo credit: Natalie Brasington
"Inside Amy Schumer," which bowed Monday night on Comedy Central, bowed very well indeed. So well, the network says it's a hit. Oh, did I mention Schumer's from Rockville Centre?
Amy is. From Rockville Centre. A very nice town, by the way.
Back to the hit. Per the press release:
"The premiere play of 'Inside Amy Schumer' (10:30-11:00 p.m.) drew 1.6 million total viewers and 1.2 million Adult 18-49 viewers (1.1 Adult 18-49 rating) and rated extremely well among young men with a 2.4 Men 18-34 rating and a 2.8 Men 18-24 rating."
[Per me: Extremely well among young men? Could the Schumer Humor include jokes about sex? I dunno...didn't see, but you can draw your own conclusions,]
And per Diane Werts, my esteemed colleague who reviewed this for Newsday on Monday:
"Even when she pushes me too far, I'm eager to hear what Schumer has to say about hot-button topics others avoid. Her shrewd, straightforward perspective and her semisweet, offhand attitude make her reflections fresh and relatable."
