Jon Bon Jovi couldn’t have predicted this career move when he first sang about Tommy working down at the dock: The ageless hair rocker has been named NBC’s first artist in residence. Read more »
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Bon Jovi Becomes NBC’s Artist in Residence
October 15th, 2009 / Author: Luisa MetcalfeCelebrity Apprentice: The Battle is On!
May 8th, 2009
When Annie Duke takes on Joan Rivers on the live finale of Celebrity Apprentice Sunday night, she won’t just be looking for the win, but she’s also ready for an apology!
On the April 26 episode of the series that saw the firing of Melissa Rivers, daughter and mom Joan resorted to calling their former teammate names and branding all poker players "beyond white trash." Oh, snap!
"I’m no longer taking the things she said about me personally," says Annie, who last encountered Joan as they completed their final task last November.
But it’s Joan’s characterization of the entire poker community that still has the card champion fuming.
"They definitely didn’t deserve what she said," she declares. "There are 70 million of them and they are all really pissed off now."
As for the final task rolled out on Sunday, Annie says that it is a battle of ultimate proportions.
"I stand in the way of the Joan Rivers’ treating people poorly bus, and I little get a little run over by it," Annie teases.
"There are things that happen in the finale that are not in my control that she makes happen. I wasn’t expecting that."
And Annie isn’t expecting to hear words of regret from Joan this weekend when the show broadcast live from New York City’s American Museum of Natural History.
"No doubt there will be some sort of a showdown," Annie theorizes.
"Joan’s going to attack and I’m going to defend myself and it’s going to some create some drama."
Double snap! I’ll be in the audience, so I’ll be sure to bring you back all the commercial break gossip!
Celebrity Apprentice, season finale, airs Sunday, May 10 at 8 p.m. on NBC.
Celebrity Apprentice Annie Duke Speaks her mind!
May 4th, 2009
Annie Duke gives us the scoop on making it to the final two!
“Jingle writing from the depths of despair (oh and I make the final two!).
Last week saw Melissa Rivers’ melt down, letting loose with a tirade like nothing I have ever seen on national TV.
We also saw Joan Rivers quit and had a week of wondering if Joan would be back.
Well, I knew Joan would be back because I figured she only quit for the drama anyway!
It didn’t really matter because either way there was no upside for her to quitting. If she didn’t come back she looked like a diva drama queen who has to fight her daughter’s battles for her.
If she did come back, she looks like a diva drama queen who is full of you-know-what when she threatens to quit.
Either way, she is a quitter. And I thought the one cardinal sin that you do not commit on Celebrity Apprentice was to quit.
Tionne Watkins got fired for merely volunteering to come into the boardroom and support Melissa.
I get that the quitting appears sympathetic because she is quitting over her daughter.
But she knew when she signed up for the show that she would be against her daughter. She knew her daughter would be fired first (after all she is Joan Rivers!).
And she knew she wouldn’t like the firing (who ever does!). She signed up for that and knew what she was getting into.
So that deep into the show when faced with the reality of what she signed up for, she quits. In my book that still just makes her a quitter!”
Want to know what else Annie had to say? Click here to read her full blog.
And watch Joan and Annie go head-to-head in the Celebrity Apprentice live finale on Sunday, May 10 at 8 p.m. on NBC.
Debra Messing Lands New NBC Comedy
April 21st, 2009
It’s been three years since Debra Messing and her Will & Grace co-stars said goodbye to TV audiences after eight seasons on NBC. And now OK! has confirmed reports that the Emmy-winning actress is set to return to the network with a brand-new comedy series.
The 40-year-old beauty has just inked a deal to develop a script for a new sitcom that will be filmed in and around Manhattan. In a straight-from-the-headlines story, Debra will star as a former CEO forced into being a stay-at-home mom by the faltering economy.
And one source close to the show tells OK! you can definitely expect to see her old Will & Grace co-stars popping up on occasional guest spots!
Since the end of Will & Grace, Debra has been keeping busy with two seasons of the USA Network hit The Starter Wife, for which she received an Emmy nomination.
PICS OF DEBRA AT MONDAY’S SMART COOKIE AWARDS:
Celebrity Apprentice: Annie Duke Blogs Away
April 13th, 2009
Celebrity Apprentice contestant Annie Duke has been keeping a blog of her experiences. This week, she gives the TV Fanatic a sneak peek of what she’s been saying since task one!
"Last night’s show covered a task and a half.
In the first task we had to create a display and take away package for Lifelock, an identity theft protection service.
After that, we are asked to put on an Ivanka Trump Jewelry auction to raise money for our charities.
We get the first task delivery and Trump puts Brian McKnight on our team.
When we found out what the task was, I thought immediately that Jesse James should be project manager. He knows a lot about retail display and design and he had not been PM yet so it seemed like a natural fit.
But he didn’t want to do it (luckily, since he ended up violently ill). I also did not want to do it because I was really trying to wait till a money raising task to step up to the plate.
Brian volunteered so we went with him. Natalie Gulbis stepped up on the other side.
I thought Natalie did an amazing job. I thought Joan Rivers was very harsh about her in her private interviews.
But I think Natalie kicked ass because she somehow managed to squash the conflict between Joan and Clint Black, which sure seemed like an impossible task.
She kept the team incredibly harmonious and I think she went with the best idea during the brainstorming session, and really played to her team’s strengths in the task. She did a great job with managing the deadlines…"
Want to hear how Annie feels about her own team, Athena? Check out her blog at annieduke.com.
Celebrity Apprentice airs Sundays on NBC.
Celebrity Apprentice Ouster: Scott Hamilton speaks!
March 12th, 2009
The Olympic athletes always seem to get a short ride on Celebrity Apprentice (remember Olympic softballer Jennie Finch?).
So is the case for ice-skating legend Scott Hamilton, who was booted off the show Sunday night after losing the Zappos.com superhero task.
Scott rang up the TV Fanatic to explain why he should have never been project manager in the first place, and where things stand between him and fellow KOTU player Tom Green.
Can you believe you were out of the game so early?
I would have liked to have stayed longer. It was totally against my strategy to be a project manager that early, and I would have never taken on a marketing task. You’re so vulnerable to the client and opinions, not like a fundraising task.
You were assigned to create a superhero for Zappos.com. How did you wind up naming yours “EEE?”
We were over an hour late presenting a name, and the producers told us they weren’t leaving the room until we did. And we had nothing. I kind of went with knowing it was quirky and weird, but thinking e-commerce, you’ve got the E in there. All I needed to do was put a “Z” in front of those three “E”s and we would have won, I truly believe that.
Do you think Tom was really the downfall of your task?
He was performing. Look at the way he is in the billboards, he’s in a devil’s costume; he’ll do anything to win this game. He’s known for being out of control, and he pretty much was. We were all pretty much in agreement that the hero should be a female character, and he kept presenting the same idea, this Zorro character on a horse. He pretty much wore me out with that.
Have you and Tom made up?
I have nothing but love for Tom Green. As we came out of the boardroom, I told him, “Please tell the guys I’m sorry I let them down, and I’ll see you in L.A.” when it was over, it was over. I harbor no ill feelings.
Will you still shop at Zappos.com?
I never have, but now that I know the brand is out there, it’s really cool, I think I’ll check it out.
Who do you think will win?
Hard to say. Just on who won last year, Piers Morgan, the way he won was being kind of mean. In that regard, I think Joan Rivers has set herself up for that role. Joan being a tough New Yorker, I think she’ll go really far in the game.
Celebrity Apprentice airs Sunday at 9 p.m. on NBC.
Heroes Gets Another Chance
March 5th, 2009
Good news, Heroes fans – the NBC action-drama will be back next season, despite speculation that the series would be punished with a cancellation in light of its decline in the ratings.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, NBC entertainment president Angela Bromstad says the network is set to order 18-2o episodes for next season. However that’s less air-time than the first season’s 23 episodes and the third season’s 25 (season two was cut short due to the writers’ strike).
One reason for Heroes‘ lengthened life could be the network’s sci-fi pilot Day One, which would benefit from keeping the popular action-drama around, and might even air during the same Monday night block.
"Day One is a big event and we’re looking at that to come into the Heroes spot," Bromstad says."It’s right now being looked at as a 13-episode run – something people could commit to and we could make a big splash with."
Nick Cannon to Host America’s Got Talent
February 9th, 2009
It takes a certain amount of talent to host a TV show, and NBC thinks Nick Cannon is up to the job – Mariah Carey’s husband has just signed on to emcee America’s Got Talent after Jerry Springer announced he wouldn’t be back for the fourth season.
"I’m thrilled to be working with NBC," Nick says of his new gig, adding that those at the network "understand my vision as not only an entertainer but as a creative show producer."
Nick will be backed by judges Sharon Osbourne, David Hasselhoff and Piers Morgan when the show returns this summer. The actor/musician has some big shoes to fill– besides Springer (who had cited commitments to his own show and a stage role as his reasons for leaving) Regis Philbin has also held the title of host.
"I look forward to working with the network and their executive team on America’s Got Talent and other shows to come," says Nick, who will be working on additional projects with NBC as well.
Matt Lauer to Interview President Obama
January 26th, 2009
A chat with President Barack Obama can’t be easy to get these days, but NBC’s Matt Lauer has accomplished just that, nabbing the new commander-in-chief for an interview right before the Super Bowl on Feb. 1.
The Today show host’s talk with Obama will air live from the White House during NBC’s pre-game coverage of the Super Bowl, with additional footage airing on Feb. 2 during Today.
Matt’s chat with the prez will be the first televised interview from the White House since the Jan. 20 inauguration of the 44th president. And if the audience for past interviews featuring Obama is any indication, this one will be watched by millions as well.
