Moraes on TV

Ellen DeGeneres makes long-awaited debut on 'Idol'

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 07:00:03 -0500

Note: While Lisa de Moraes attempts to revive her satellite dish (thanks, Snowpocalypse), WaPo Team TV member Emily Yahr recaps the first night of Hollywood Week. In theory, anticipation for a brand! new! judge! on "American Idol" should be higher than ever, especially after months of speculation about how Ellen DeGeneres would fare on the show. But thanks to weeks of run-of-the-mill auditions, useless guest judges, and the fact that Simon Cowell is completely checked out, excitement for Ellen's first night seems rather muted. Actually, she doesn't have much of a chance to make a first impression. Though she shows promise -- not afraid to make a snarky comment, and also provide criticism that isn't stream of consciousness or plain gibberish -- the producers have lots of contestant breakdown material to squeeze into the first episode of Hollywood Week, and Ellen doesn't get a generous amount of screen time. In

Saints kick Colts at Super Bowl XLIV to set TV viewing record

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 14:24:24 -0500

[This report has been updated] Mother Nature and the Saints have bestowed a new TV record on Super Bowl XLIV. Nielsen reports that 106.5 million people watched the underdog New Orleans Saints win the Miami showdown with the Indianapolis Colts -- the largest audience in TV history for a single broadcast. That viewing crowd handily beat last year's Pittsburgh Steelers vs Arizona Cardinals Super Bowl, which had averaged 98.7 million viewers, on NBC. It also beats the series finale of "M*A*S*H," which had held the record as the most watched broadcast in U.S. television history, with an average audience of 106 million (actually 105.97 million). (Frankly, "M*A*S*H's" nearly 27-year record remains the more impressive stat, given that when its series mop-up aired on Feb. 28, 1983 the country had about 75 million fewer people than today (308 million today), according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Not surprisingly, Super Bowl enjoyed

Important Super Bowl television stories

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:45:19 -0500

Pretend these are important TV stories about the Super Bowl we've just posted on the blog: Animal Planet reveals Puppy Bowl's startling lineup. and:

'American Idol' looks back at the auditions

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 07:00:06 -0500

We like to think of the We Saved the Best For Last auditions night as "American Idol's" way of saying "the joke's on you" to all those die-hard fans who've slogged through the eight-ish hours of cross-country auditions the singing competition Fox has aired so far. But first, " 'Idol' has to play catch-up on the General Larry Plant phenom. Mister Pants on the Ground is the only wanna-be Idolette anyone's talking about so far this season. Is that sad? "Idol" introduced him to America and now shows us some of the people who have been covering his tune since. First best-for-last wannabe Idolette, Jessica Furney chooses to sing "Footprints in the Sand," which sounds like one of those glutinous tunes 'Idol' judge Simon Cowell would mock -- except he co-wrote this one, which shocks guest judge Posh Spice. Simon, naturally, loves it and everyone else falls into line. Amanda

"Lost" returns with second smallest debut crowd ever

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:08:00 -0500

[this entry has been updated] First, the good news: For the first time ever, a "Lost" season debut grew compared to the previous season debut. Now, the bad news: Though "Lost"-natics know this is the show's very last season, Tuesday's opening crowd of 12.086 million viewers (preliminary) is the second-smallest season debut ever. It only snared about 600,000 more viewers than had last year's worst-ever debut audience. Three other scripted dramas attracted more people Tuesday night -- all CBS: "NCIS," "NCIS: Los Angeles," and "The Good Wife." You can see for yourself. Here is the "Lost" debut track: LOST Wed 9/22/2004 8:00 PM 18,653,000 LOST Wed 9/21/2005 9:00 PM 23,419,000 LOST Wed 10/4/2006 9:00 PM 18,840,000 LOST Thu 1/31/2008 9:00 PM 16,197,000 LOST Wed 1/21/2009 9:00 PM 11,465,000 LOST Tue 2/2/2010 9:00 PM 12,090,000

'American Idol' in Denver

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 07:00:28 -0500

Victoria Beckham has been asked to rejoin "American Idol" auditions in Denver to reprise her role as Pretend Paula, even though she did a lame job last time.Why not more Neil Patrick Harris? How about a Fox sitcom star instead? Seth MacFarlane? Brad Garrett? Denver's "Bikini Boy" Ty Hemmerling. (Michael Becker -- Fox) Wannabe Idolette Mark Labriola says he gets mistaken for Jack Black at least once a day but he's okay with that because he's sure Jack Black "gets girls." He tells the judges he loves cheese when asked to name one interesting thing about himself. Yeah, this guy's a total chick magnet. He mentions his mother allegedly abducted him when he was just four years old and he spent six years on the lam -- which apparently he doesn't think is as interesting as his love of cheese. The judges are so relieved he didn't audition like Jack

Mark Burnett show about the terminally ill attracts few viewers

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 11:56:25 -0500

"Survivor" executive producer Mark Burnett's new reality series -- in which people are granted their dying wishes -- handed in its dinner pail, kicked the bucket, bit the dust, cashed in its chips, and bought the farm, Thursday when the pilot episode and clocked CBS's smallest audience for an original episode of, oh, anything in the Thursday 8 p.m. timeslot during a TV season since 1991. Only about 4.6 million people could bear to watch the first of what Burnett had no doubt hoped would be many episodes of "Live for the Moment." You may remember it was originally called "Live Like You're Dying" which we liked so much better, but we're guessing fell victim to some focus group, or advertiser, or network suit who decided that name was too creep-inducing. As, apparently, was the program itself, even though it had things going for it -- things like having

Jay Leno begs Oprah for forgiveness today

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 10:28:22 -0500

Leno today making his pilgrimage to the first Station of the Cross on his road to redemption before NBC re-anoints him host of "The Tonight Show." First stop is always Oprah. Really -- it's a rule. Anyway, lucky people who live in Chicago will get to see it first because Oprah's syndicated show airs there at 9 a.m. CST. Here in Washington, we can't see it until 4 p.m. EST. But Oprah's camp, Harpo Productions, tossed us a meager scrap that's supposed to tide us over until 4 (or until the plucky Associated Press reporter in Chicago files a report -- or some plucky reporter at the ABC station in Chicago, which has the broadcast rights to "Oprah" in the Windy City). Here's the scrap: Oprah: Have you talked to Conan in person? Leno: I haven't talked to him through all this. No. I haven't. Oprah: Did you want to pick up

NPH, Joe Jonas show the best and worst on 'Idol'

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 07:00:08 -0500

Note: Lisa de Moraes is recovering from the collision of the Winter TV Press Tour and NBC/Conan debacle, and will be back next week. In the meantime, WaPo Team TV member Emily Yahr recaps the Dallas auditions: At the beginning of the Dallas auditions, Ryan Seacrest reminds us that the city has been home to several memorable "American Idol" moments, including Season 1 winner Kelly Clarkson's first audition, and the image of Paula Abdul breaking it down to Renaldo Lapuz's "We're Brothers Forever." A vision in pink, Dallas auditioner Vanessa Johnston. (Michael Becker -- Fox) And after Wednesday night, we learn the city will soon have one more distinction: The unique honor of having both the very best guest judge and the very worst guest judge in 'Idol' history. Kara DioGuardi tells the camera that Guest Judge #1, Neil Patrick Harris, has been in the business since he was just

It's Kara vs. Katy on 'Idol' Los Angeles auditions

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 07:00:07 -0500

Note: Lisa de Moraes is recovering from the collision of the Winter TV Press Tour and NBC/Conan debacle, and will be back next week. In the meantime, WaPo Team TV member Emily Yahr recaps the Los Angeles auditions: As an "American Idol" audition city, Los Angeles is always a mixed bag -- you never know whether you're going to get a polished professional who was this close to making it, or someone delusional enough to move to Hollywood to become a singing sensation. Out of 27 people that Ryan Seacrest alleges got golden tickets, we see a whopping five that make it through to Hollywood, and the most entertaining part is a mini-feud between Kara DioGuardi and guest judge Katy Perry. Austin Fullmer goes all out at 'Idol's' Los Angeles auditions. (Michael Becker -- Fox) Guest judge #1 Avril Lavigne arrives on the first day, wearing a hoodie that looks

Jay Leno to keynote White House Correspondents Dinner [updated]

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 12:59:00 -0500

White House Correspondents Association has picked this week's most unpopular stand-up comic Jay Leno be the keynote speaker at this year's White House Correspondents DInner. An NBC rep confirmed the invitation to The TV Column. In fairness, the association asked Leno weeks ago -- when he was just the host of a primetime show that was failing five nights a week. But by the time he appears at the annual Washington bash, which the past few years has become a Hollywood Petting Zoo, Leno will be the guy who pushed Conan O'Brien out to become the newly returned host of NBC's "The Tonight Show." And the butt of pretty much every other talk show host's jokes for the past couple weeks. (UPDATE: Jay Leno, wasting no time on his Road to Late-Night Redemption, after successfully knocking off "Tonight Show" host Conan O'Brien, will make his pilgrimmage to the first of

Conan O'Brien: I can no longer make fun of NBC programming

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 21:35:02 -0500

The day NBC and Conan O'Brien announced they are breaking up, here's what Conan has to say in his "Tonight Show" opening monologue -- on NBC: "NBC and I hammered out an agreement for wrapping up my time here as host of the Tonight Show. The general terms of the contract are all over the Internet. But there are some provisions in the contract you may not know about: -I am prohibited from coming within 500 yards of 11:30. -I must return the Etch-A-Sketch my contract was written on. -I'm not allowed to make fun of NBC programming. I have to let the programming speak for itself. -The cop who escorts me off the lot after my last show must have the rank of lieutenant or higher. -Max Weinberg must surrender his key to the women's locker room at the NBC gym. -Have to watch at least one NBC show

It's official! Conan to leave NBC [updated]

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 13:59:50 -0500

[Updated 11:35 a.m.] Late-night talk show host Conan O'Brien and NBC have finally signed their deal for Conan to exit as host of "The Tonight Show,' NBC confirmed today. "NBC and Conan O'Brien have reached a resolution of the issues surrounding O'Brien's contract to host 'The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien,'" NBC and Conan said in a statement Thursday around noon EST. Soon-to-be former "Tonight Show" host Conan O'Brien. (Reuters) Minutes later, NBC issued another statement on its own announcing that Jay Leno will return to host "The Tonight Show" on March 1. "We're pleased that Jay is returning to host the franchise that he helmed brilliantly and successfully for so many years," NBC Universal Television Entertainment Chairman Jeff Gaspin said in that statement. "He is an enormous talent, a consummate professional, and one of the hardest working performers on television." Conan's manager, Gavin Polone gave word of his client's

'American Idol' makes wishes come true in Orlando

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 07:00:38 -0500

Orlando is where dreams come true, "American Idol" announces at the start of Wednesday's auditions episode. 'Idol' judges Randy Jackson and Simon Cowell, and host Ryan Seacrest are, however, in Miami, boy-bonding. Which leaves judge Kara DioGuardi to cozy up to this night's Pretend Paula, Kristin Chenoweth. Theo Glinton in all his mirrored glory audition in Orlando. (Fox) Chenoweth is revered in legit theater circles. But her "stint" on "Glee" has made her famous, Seabiscuit explains. By "stint" he means "one episode on a series that airs on the same network as does 'Idol'." We, however, know she's actually famous for being the chick who inspired the most annoying character ever created for prime-time television: Christian Comic Chick on Aaron Sorkin's "Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip." Kristen and Kara fall instantly in love with each other and begin to behave like sisters from Jersey -- giggling, hugging each other,

NBC's Jay vs. Conan war: No laughing matter

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 18:41:21 -0500

NBC's Great Late-Night Disaster of 2010 has been mostly blamed on NBC. Popular opinion has NBC at fault for Conan O'Brien's decision to leave "The Tonight Show" before the network could move it to midnight in order to squeeze Jay Leno back on to its late night lineup at 11:35 p.m. But Huffington Post has posited another theory: it's the fault of Will Ferrell. Mark Malkoff, who bills himself as a comedian/filmmaker, blogs on Huffington Post that "every time Ferrell has appeared as the first guest on a talk show the show hasn't lasted long than a season." He calls it "The Will Ferrell Curse." The Evidence: Ferrell was the first guest on John McEnroe's talk show which, Malkoff noted, lasted six months. Ferrell was the first guest on Megan Mullally's talk show, which lasted five months. Ferrell was the first guest on Conan's "The Tonight Show," which will have

Featured Advertiser

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 18:41:21 -0500