No Picture
Comedy

“Saturday Night Live” adds three new cast members

When it begins its 38th season this Saturday, Sept. 15, NBC’s venerable late-night institution Saturday Night Live will have a noticeably different look, in terms of cast members. Departing the show are favorites Kristen Wiig, Andy Samberg and Abby Elliott. (still no word on whether Jason Sudeikis would be back, but if not, that would be another big blow to the cast). UPDATE 9/12/12: Variety reports that Sudeikis has re-signed with the show until January. To fill the slots, NBC announced today that SNL has added three featured players — Aidy Bryant, Tim Robinson and Cecily Strong. Bryant trained with […]

No Picture
Awards Shows

Here’s what’s in those MTV VMAs celebrity gift bags

MTV offered a peek at what the nominees, presenters and performers (like P!nk, pictured above) will be receiving in the nifty little gift bags they’ll be getting at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards, airing Sept. 6 at 8pm ET/PT. As a part of the celebrity gifting, MTV will donate to the non-profit organization Lifebeat, Music Fights HIV/AIDS, which is this year’s official charity recipient. One fan will have the opportunity to receive some of the items from the VMA celebrity gift bag by following @MTVNews and red-carpet correspondents (@RealSway, @PositivNegativ, @ChristinaMTV, @JambaJim) on Twitter for clues, then tuning in […]

No Picture
Competition

U.S. premiere of “Yo Me Llamo” is Sept. 9 on Telemundo

We wrote a few months back about the casting calls being held for the U.S. version of the international hit music competition series Yo Me Llamo (My Name Is), and yesterday Telemundo announced the premiere date for the series — Sept. 9. In Yo Me Llamo, the country’s most talented amateur singers/performers vie for $100,000 in cash and prizes by transforming themselves into their favorite musical icons. In auditions held across major cities including Los Angeles, New York, Las Vegas, Puerto Rico and Miami, 15 competitors will be selected during the first three shows to imitate, and even resemble, some […]

No Picture
Music

MTV nets to premiere new Taylor Swift video

MTV, VH1, CMT and TeenNick will exclusively premiere Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” music video to celebrate the one-week countdown to the 2012 Video Music Awards, MTV announced today. Swift had been previously announced as a performer at this year’s VMAs. Her video will premiere this Thursday, Aug. 30, at 7:49pm ET. Swift will take to the airwaves live at 7:49pm ET on MTV, CMT and TeenNick to premiere the video on the special MTV First: Taylor Swift, where the singer will personally introduce the music video for  “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.” The […]

No Picture
Music

One Direction to host “My First Time” pre-VMA special on MTV

Leading up to their debut performance at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards on Sept. 6, red-hot boy band One Direction will host a half-hour special called One Direction: My First Time, premiering Aug. 30 at 11pm ET/PT on MTV. During the special, band mates Harry, Liam, Zayn, Louis and Niall share their thoughts on past VMA performances, as well as the memories they have of watching these artists on TV years before they became One Direction. The guys also provide insight on how they are feeling about making their first appearance on the VMAs. The special also features segments […]

No Picture
Music

Five ways to fix “American Idol”

American Idol is not only close to jumping the shark, it is getting dangerously close to getting eaten by it. And with the show changing judges quicker than Simon Cowell can put away a carton of cigarettes, it would be wise for FOX to revamp the competition immediately. FOX had a good thing going back in the day when the only three judges were Cowell, Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul. Fearing that viewers were getting tired of the trio, executives made the ill-fated decision to replace Abdul with Kara DioGuardi and then add Ellen DeGeneres to the mix. The four-panel […]

No Picture
Lifestyle

TLC’s “Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta” returns with Miranda Lambert

Is it ever sleepytime down South? You wouldn’t think so from all of the Southern-themed series populating the airwaves these days. Amid the housewives and gator getters, Say Yes to the Dress: Atlanta returns to TLC for Season 4, and does so with distinctive country flourish. Premiering Aug. 24 at 9pm ET/PT, the bridal gown drama series (yeah, it’s a reality show, but really, is it ever short on drama?) kicks off its new season with a special episode that finds country star Miranda Lambert helping her band mate from The Pistol Annies, Angaleena, to find the perfect wedding gown. […]

No Picture
Interview

Oprah interviews Rihanna about fame, Chris Brown and more this Sunday on “Oprah’s Next Chapter”

In early February of 2009, police were summoned to a vehicle parked street side in Los Angeles’ Hancock Park neighborhood. There they found 20-year-old pop sensation Rihanna and her then-boyfriend, fellow singer Chris Brown. Rihanna’s face was bruised and bloodied, the result of a violent altercation with Brown following a pre-Grammy party. Photos quickly emerged of Rihanna’s injuries and Brown pleaded guilty to her assault. Though she avoided her former paramour for a time, Rihanna eventually reestablished her friendship with Brown — inciting the ire of the media and fans around the globe. More than three years later, the superstar finally […]

No Picture
Music

British music legends join for Olympics closing ceremony

For those of us suffering from Olympic burnout, take solace. The end is near. The 2012 London Summer Olympic Games come to a conclusion on Sunday, Aug. 12, at 7pm ET on NBC with the closing ceremony, titled “A Symphony of British Music.” Aside from the music and visual spectacle, the closing ceremony also includes the march of the athletes, the transfer of the Olympic flag to the mayor of Rio de Janeiro (host of the 2016 Summer Games) and the extinguishing of the Olympic flame. Bob Costas will host the ceremony, alongside Al Michaels and Ryan Seacrest. The ceremony […]

No Picture
Music

“Larry’s Country Diner” serves up generous helpings of country greats on RFD-TV

Much like the kind of establishment that serves as its setting, the RFD-TV sensation Larry’s Country Diner is meant to be a respite for weary travelers, an oasis that caters to a group of patrons largely ignored elsewhere in the TV landscape. So says Larry Black, a longtime radio host and sometimes film and TV actor who is also the show’s creator. That’s him behind the counter of the fictional (although not everyone realizes it’s made up) diner, entertaining customers and welcoming the visiting musicians, most of whom just happen to be country music legends. Over three seasons and more than 100 […]