News

Before becoming the face of Sex and the City, Sarah Jessica Parker wasn’t exactly sold on the idea of joining the show. She had doubts about whether she was cut out for the fast-paced, fashion-heavy world the series promised. In fact, she felt she wasn’t suited for that life at all, unsure if the glitz, glam, and nonstop attention aligned with who she really was off-camera.

But despite her hesitation, Parker took the leap, and the rest is HBO history. Looking back, it’s wild to think the woman who defined Carrie Bradshaw nearly passed on the role that changed everything.

Sarah Jessica Parker almost walked away from Sex and the City Sarah Jessica Parker as Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City | Credits: HBO

“I don’t think I’m suited for that life.” That’s what Sarah Jessica Parker told Kristin Davis on the latest episode...

With the papal conclave meeting last week, Stephen Colbert brought in an expert on the subject who also happens to be a classic Saturday Night Live character. Father Guido Sarducci (Don Novello) graced the Ed Sullivan Theater on The Late Show last week, delivering his traditionally offbeat predictions, none of which actually came to pass. Colbert is a famously devout Catholic, but he clearly doesn't have any problem poking a little fun at the church.

The chain-smoking Sarducci came out looking for an ashtray: although Colbert insisted that he couldn't smoke on network television, Sarducci told him that current Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had decreed that menthols were okay, and also good for polio. He also offered his opinions on the movie Conclave: he wishes it was animated, because if the cardinals had moved like Sonic the Hedgehog, it would have been half an hour shorter.

Glenn Padnick, who co-founded Castle Rock Entertainment, served as its TV president and was a key player in bringing its crown-jewel sitcom Seinfeld into existence, has died. He was 77.

His reps told Deadline that Padnick died February 25 of complications from Erdheim-Chester disease, a rare illness he lived with for a quarter-century.

Padnick shepherded the Jerry Seinfeld-fronted comedy juggernaut into being and produced and oversaw the NBC series through all nine seasons, making an uncredited on-screen cameo in the Season 4 episode “The Pilot.”

Alan Horn, co-founded Castle Rock in 1987 along with Padnick, Rob Reiner, Martin Shafer and Andrew Scheinman in 1987, said of Padnick: “We found ourselves having a phenomenal run with what is unquestionably one of the most famous situation comedies in television, Seinfeld. And he was the point person as president of Castle Rock Television.”

During his career as a TV executive, Padnick also produced several hit comedies of...

John Corbett says he regrets getting into acting, or at least not expanding his Hollywood presence by producing or directing.

The “Sex and the City” actor, who recently reprised his iconic role for the “And Just Like That” revival series, explained during the podcast “Fly on the Wall” that he finds himself “waiting” on film sets.

“Have you ever sat in a fucking waiting room of a doctor’s office for like an hour and been like, ‘what the fuck?,'” Corbett said during the podcast, which is hosted by Dana Carvey and David Spade. “For me, that’s what making a movie is like, because I’m not part of any creative process.”

Corbett recalled first working as an extra on “Square Pegs” with Sarah Jessica Parker before both of their respective “Sex and the City” castings. Yet Corbett felt like he was regulated to rom-coms and “chasing the...

Real Sex and the City fans know that over the course of six seasons, Carrie Bradshaw had impressively abysmal taste in men (Berger, Politician Pee Guy, the stoner dude who lived with his parents….the list goes on). But even a broken clock is right twice a day, and amidst all those duds, a few gems have stood out. Most notably, there’s Ben, Carrie’s bespectacled, shaggy-haired politics writer in the Season Two episode “Freak Show,” with whom she famously blows it after he catches her rummaging through his...

Sarah Jessica Parker's iconic role in Sex and the City launched her career to new heights, earning her multiple awards and cementing her place in pop culture. Before her Sex and the City fame, Parker showcased her versatility in various TV shows and movies, including Hocus Pocus, Girls Just Want to Have Fun, and The First Wives Club. From her early Broadway debut to her comedic roles on TV and in films, Sarah Jessica Parker's easy charm and talent as an actor have made her a beloved figure in Hollywood.

For over 25 years, Sarah Jessica Parker has been a household name thanks to her career-defining role in HBO's Sex and the City. The six-season comedy-drama series chronicles the misadventures of Carrie Bradshaw (Parker) and her New York City pals — Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon), Charlotte York (Kristin Davis), and Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall). But Sex and the City is only...

Marc Charles Williams, better known as Mars Williams, the front-and-center saxophonist of ’80s New Wave bands The Waitresses and The Psychedelic Furs, died Nov. 20 of the rare and aggressive ampullary cancer in a Chicago hospice facility. He was 68.

His death was announced by his family on a GoFundMe page last month, but has more recently gained widespread attention. His brother Paul R. Williams confirmed the cause of death to The New York Times for an obituary posted today.

Following his initial stints in the Waitresses and Psychedelic Furs – both bands were early MTV favorites with videos often spotlighting the playful Williams, and he would reunite with the Furs throughout his life – the saxophonist went on to lead his own jazz ensembles including the influential, Grammy-nominated acid jazz group Liquid Soul in the 1990s.

A statement posted by his family on the GoFundMe page reads, in part, “Until the end, Mars’ inexhaustible humor and energy,...

In a sign of how serious the cost-cutting efforts are at Condé Nast, The New Yorker has parted ways with longtime contributor and satirist Andy Borowitz.

The humorist acknowledged the cuts on his Facebook page. “Dear readers, If I May Be Serious: Because of its financial difficulties, The New Yorker has been forced to cut costs. As a result, it has decided to stop publishing The Borowitz Report,” he wrote. “I want to thank my colleagues at The New Yorker who have made writing for it such an honor for the past 25 years. And I want to thank you, my readers, for your incredible enthusiasm and support. You’re the reason I do what I do, and when I figure out what I want to do next, you’ll be the first to know.”

Borowitz, who has written for the magazine since 1998, has penned his satirical column the Borowitz Report...

Solaris Entertainment is developing a documentary about groundbreaking comedy writer Anne Beatts, her former business partner Eve Brandstein and Solaris managing partner Michael Bloom announced exclusively to TheWrap on Friday.

Beatts, who died in 2021, was the first woman to write for “Saturday Night Live” and helped pave the way for more women to enter the comedy field, Brandstein, who co-directed and produced the 2022 John Lennon documentary “The Lost Weekend: A Love Story,” said.

Also Read:

‘Someday It Won’t Seem So Weird': Why Don’t More Women Host Late-Night TV?

Brandstein and Beatts first worked together on the beloved 1982 series “Square Pegs” starring Sarah Jessica Parker. “[Anne] came from New York and the whole ‘SNL’ scene. I was a little in awe of her comedy credentials at that point,” Brandstein said. She teamed again with Beatts on “Just Say Julie,” starring “Earth Girls Are Easy” writer Julie Brown.

“There weren’t...

Weigel Broadcasting Co. is flipping its digital broadcast network Decades into the sitcom-centric Catchy Comedy on March 27, Variety has learned exclusively. The over-the-air network will focus on a library of classic comedies, with an emphasis on key female stars including the signature shows from Lucille Ball, Mary Tyler Moore and Carol Burnett.

But also central to the Catchy Comedy lineup are key series from Norman Lear, as well as some of the most lauded sitcoms of all time – including the original “Night Court,” which is back in the spotlight thanks to the success of the revival series on NBC.

Unlike Decades, which wasn’t measured by ratings, Catchy Comedy will be Nielsen-rated. “That takes it into a different sphere, in terms of advertiser availability and access,” said Neal Sabin, vice chairman of Weigel Broadcasting Co. “There are many advertisers that won’t look at these networks unless they’re rated,...

Tony Dow, the actor who personified the role of America’s big brother as the elder sibling Wally Cleaver on the TV classic sitcom Leave It to Beaver, died today. He was 77, and had been battling cancer.

His death comes a day after his passing was mistakenly reported by his management team and his wife.

A statement on his Facebook page now reads:

We have received confirmation from Christopher, Tony’s son, that Tony passed away earlier this morning, with his loving family at his side to see him through this journey. We know that the world is collectively saddened by the loss of this incredible man. He gave so much to us all and was loved by so many. One fan said it best—”It is rare when there is a person who is so universally loved like Tony.”

Our heart goes out to Tony’s wife, Lauren, who...

Tony Dow, the actor and director best known for playing the stalwart older brother Wally Cleaver to Jerry Mathers’ Beaver in the iconic series “Leave It to Beaver,” died Wednesday after it was incorrectly announced Tuesday that he had died. He was 77.

“We have received confirmation from Christopher, Tony’s son, that Tony passed away earlier this morning, with his loving family at his side to see him through this journey. We know that the world is collectively saddened by the loss of this incredible man,” read the statement on his official Facebook page.

His son Christopher said in the Facebook statement, “Although this is a very sad day, I have comfort and peace that he is in a better place. He was the best Dad anyone could ask for. He was my coach, my mentor, my voice of reason, my best friend, my best man in my wedding, and my hero.

Forty years ago, the CBS sitcom Wkrp in Cincinnati left the airwaves after four seasons and 90 episodes, with program director Andy Travis (Gary Sandy) getting a cake in the face as a reward for turning the titular radio station around. That moment of slapstick TV comedy on April 21, 1982, wasn’t meant to be the last fans saw of the Wkrp crew, but CBS canceled the show two weeks later as it made room on its schedule for shows like Square Pegs and Newhart. Happily, the radio station made a comeback nearly a decade later in The New Wkrp in Cincinnati, but for many fans, there’s no substitute for the original. Now that we’ve reached the 40th anniversary of that series finale, let’s tune the dial back to Wkrp. Check out the trivia ...

And Just Like That... made quite the splash with its premiere on Dec. 9. Not only did it kick off with Mr. Big's shocking death, but it also introduced us to two of our new favorite characters: Dr. Nya Wallace and Che Diaz.

Played by Karen Pittman, Dr. Wallace is a professor at Columbia Law School. She teaches Miranda's (Cynthia Nixon) law class, and although their relationship starts off rocky, they eventually become friends. When we asked Pittman how she initially felt about joining the beloved franchise, she admitted to Popsugar that "there were nerves." She added, "There's nerves anytime you're going to work and you walk out the door and there's throngs of people with their cameras . . . I still didn't know what Nya Wallace was going to be. And part of the process of working with other people and vibing with writers and producers [is] just sort of discovering that as...

Three veteran actors of television and film, known for shows such as Hill Street Blues, Hawaii Five-0, and Emergency!, have sadly passed away in recent days. Basil Hoffman, a prolific character actor who had more than 100 roles across film and TV, died on September 17, according to his manager Brad Lemack. He was 83. Hoffman was perhaps best known for his recurring role as Ed Greenglass on the NBC police procedural Hill Street Blues and Principal Dingleman on the CBS sitcom Square Pegs. He also had roles in Santa Barbara, Courage, New Hampshire, Seinfeld, The Waltons, Murder, She Wrote, The West Wing, and many more. Al Harrington, the Samoan-American actor most known for his portrayal of Detective Ben Kokua on the original Hawaii Five-0, passed away on September 21 following a stroke earlier in the month. He was 85. Harrington, who was one of the last surviving cast members from the original series, also...

Character actor Basil Hoffman, who had more than 100 roles in television shows and movies, died Sept. 17, according to his manager Brad Lemack. He was 83.

He had recurring roles on several series, playing Ed Greenglass on “Hill Street Blues,” Joshua Friendly on “Santa Barbara,” Principal Dingleman on “Square Pegs,” and Simeon Trapp in “Courage, New Hampshire.”

Hoffman was born and raised in Houston, and started his acting career after graduating Tulane U. with a degree in economics. He trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, then began working in commercials and small roles before moving to Hollywood.

He appeared in Academy Award-winning films “Ordinary People” and “The Artist,” and had small roles in films including “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” “Hail Caesar!,” “All the President’s Men,” “Comes a Horseman,” “The Milagro Beanfield War” and “Down With Love.” His other film roles included “My Favorite Year,” “The Electric Horseman,...

Tonight, Saturday Night Live paid photographic tribute to Anne Beatts and Dmx, both of whom died this week.

Beatts, one of the late-night sketch show’s original writers, died on Wednesday at the age of 74. Her cause of death was not disclosed.

Beginning her career in comedy writing at National Lampoon magazine, Beatts wrote for SNL for five seasons, between 1975 and 1980. In concert with her writing partner Roshie Shuster, she created such beloved characters as nerdy high schoolers Todd DILAMuca and Lisa Loopner (played by Bill Murray and Gilda Radner), Laraine Newman’s Shirley Temple-like child psychiatrist and the lustful Uncle Roy (Buck Henry), among others. Earning an Emmy and five nominations for her writing on SNL, Beatts also created the 1982 comedy series Square Pegs, and wrote on such SNL-related projects as Saturday Night Live 25.

Later in Saturday’s show SNL honored Dmx, who passed on Friday,...

Sarah Jessica Parker got a big career boost as a teenager from her starring role in the offbeat, much-praised sitcom “Square Pegs,” which had a one-and-done, brilliant-but-canceled run on CBS in the 1982-83 season.

Parker has paid tribute to “Square Pegs” creator and showrunner Anne Beatts, who died April 7 at the age of 74. Parker recalled her longtime friend and mentor as a unique personality who made an enormous impression on the future “Sex and the City” star, producer, entrepreneur and philanthropist.

“I assure you, there was no one like her. Not that I’d ever met,” Parker said in a statement to Variety.

On “Square Pegs” Parker played Patty Green, an awkward high school freshman at Weemawee High School who was desperate to break into the popular kids’ clique. She palled around with her equally ambitious best friend Lauren, played by Amy Linkers, and their colorful outcast friends including the...

Update, with reactions Anne Beatts, an original Saturday Night Live writer who created some of the show’s earliest breakthrough characters, among them the nerdy high schoolers Todd DILAMuca and Lisa Loopner, died yesterday. She was 74.

Her death was announced in a tweet by SNL original cast member Laraine Newman. A cause of death has not been disclosed.

“Struggling to find adequate and appropriate descriptive words to describe her singular self,” tweeted Sarah Jessica Parker, who starred in the Beatts-created 1982 CBS sitcom Square Pegs. “I need time. Cause I’m coming up short. Gosh, she was really something. Rip Anne. Thank you. For memories very few 17/18 yr olds get to make. X, Sj”

Beatts began her career in comedy writing with a stint at National Lampoon magazine, becoming the Harvard Lampoon spin-off’s first female editor. She wrote one of the magazine’s most notorious spoofs – an ad for the...

Anne Beatts, one of the original writers on Saturday Night Live, has died at the age of 74. Former SNL cast member Laraine Newman first tweeted news of Beatts’ death Wednesday, “Our Anne- an Og SNL writer passed away yesterday.”

Film producer and Beatts’ friend Rona Edwards confirmed the writer’s death to the Hollywood Reporter. Beatts died Wednesday at her home in Los Angeles, but no cause of death was provided.

“Anne was a pioneer – she truly paved the way for women in comedy and female comedy writers in particular...

After news broke on Thursday that Anne Beatts died, celebrities took to social media to offer condolences and share memories of the groundbreaking writer.

Beatts, who was 74, was a pioneering figure in comedy, serving as one of the few women writers on “Saturday Night Live” at the time of its debut in 1975. With her then-writing partner Rosie Shuster, Beatts created some of “SNL’s” most memorable early sketches and characters, including Todd and Lisa Loopner, Uncle Roy, Laraine Newman’s child psychiatrist, Irwin Mainway and Fred Garvin, and male prostitute.

In 1982, Beatts created “Square Pegs,” a beloved sitcom that celebrated the humor, pain and awkwardness of adolescence. Beatts was also the first female contributing editor to National Lampoon.

Original “SNL” star Newman honored Beatts on Twitter.

Michael McKean, who was on “SNL” from 1994 to 1995, also paid tribute to Beatts, writing, “She was awesome.”

Writer Jake Fogelnest wrote, “Anne Beatts was...

Anne Beatts, one of the original writers on “Saturday Night Live” and the creator of the CBS comedy “Square Pegs,” has died at the age of 74. The news was announced by former “SNL” cast member Laraine Newman on Twitter and later confirmed by Beatts’ family.

Beatts won two Emmys for her writing on “Saturday Night Live,” working with writing partner Rosie Shuster on characters like Newman’s Child Psychiatrist, Todd and Lisa Lupner and Uncle Roy.

Her other TV credits include “A Different World,” “John Waters Presents: Movies That Will Corrupt You,” and the late-night talk show “The Stephanie Miller Show.”

She was previously the first female contributing editor at National Lampoon, in addition to writing and performing for the “National Lampoon Radio Hour.” She also penned a weekly humor column “Beatts Me!” in the Los Angeles Times from 1997-98 and has been published in numerous magazines, including Esquire, Playboy,...

Anne Beatts, a pioneering comedy writer who helped launch “Saturday Night Live” and created the 1980s cult-favorite sitcom “Square Pegs,” died Wednesday at her home in West Hollywood. She was 74.

Beatts’ death was confirmed by her longtime friend Rona Edwards.

Beatts was a revered figure in comedy circles given her long resume. She and then-writing partner Rosie Shuster were among the very few women to work on “SNL” at the time of its debut in 1975 on NBC. Beatts was also the first female contributing editor to National Lampoon.

In the early 1980s, Beatts created the CBS comedy “Square Pegs,” which was a launching pad for Sarah Jessica Parker. The series that revolved around a group of awkward high school students was embraced by critics as a breath of fresh air for TV at the time, reflecting the burgeoning youth culture of the 1980s. But the show was canceled due to...

Anne Beatts, the creator of CBS sitcom Square Pegs and an original writer of Saturday Night Live, has died. She was 74.

Beatts died on Wednesday, Laraine Newman, an original castmember of SNL, wrote in a tweet Thursday. “Our Anne — an Og SNL writer passed away yesterday,” Newman wrote.

“Anne was a pioneer — she truly paved the way for women in comedy and female comedy writers in particular who may not have had their shot if Anne hadn’t come before them — but overall, she was my friend — my heart is completely broken,” film producer Rona Edwards, a ...

Anne Beatts, the creator of CBS sitcom Square Pegs and an original writer of Saturday Night Live, has died. She was 74.

Beatts died on Wednesday, Laraine Newman, an original castmember of SNL, wrote in a tweet Thursday. “Our Anne — an Og SNL writer passed away yesterday,” Newman wrote.

“Anne was a pioneer — she truly paved the way for women in comedy and female comedy writers in particular who may not have had their shot if Anne hadn’t come before them — but overall, she was my friend — my heart is completely broken,” film producer Rona Edwards, a ...

Mike Fenton, the legendary casting director who worked on the “Back to the Future” franchise, “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and scores of other classic movies and TV shows, has died. He was 85.

Fenton co-founded what is now known as Casting Society of America in 1982. He was a prominent casting director for more than 40 years, with a mile-long resume that stretched from “The Andy Griffith Show” and “That Girl” to “Chinatown,” “American Graffiti,” “The Godfather II,” “Blade Runner,” “A Christmas Story,” “Norma Rae,” “Footloose,” “Honeymoon in Vegas” and “Chaplin.”

“Working with Mike Fenton was like working in a candy store — he made casting a blast,” Steven Spielberg said in a statement. “His fervent support of actors was the stuff of legend, and after landing a part, any actor’s smile was rarely as wide as Mike’s. He didn’t just support actors, he launched crusades.

Dena Dietrich, a character actress who appeared in numerous TV shows and on Broadway but was instantly recognizable as the face of Mother Nature from a popular, long-running commercial campaign for Chiffon margarine, died Saturday, Nov. 21 of natural causes in a Los Angeles health care facility. She was 91.

Her death was confirmed by SAG-AFTRA in a statement honoring Dietrich’s service as a former SAG National Board member for nearly a decade.

With an impeccable delivery and a lightning shift in mood from matronly sweet to thunderous anger, Dietrich first uttered what would become a classic commercial catchphrase – “It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature!” – in 1971. The commercials, created by the D’Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles advertising agency, had Dietrich dressed in a diaphanous white gown and a daisy-chain laurel, test-tasting what she was sure to be her very own natural butter. Told by a narrator that she was actually eating Chiffon margarine,...

Allan Rich, an actor who was caught up in the Hollywood Blacklist of the 1950s but went on to have a 50-year film and TV career, has died. He was 94. His family said he died August 22 of progressive dementia at the Lillian Booth Actors Home in Englewood, NJ, which is run by the Actors Fund.

A character actor with an instantly recognizable face, Rich had more than 130 roles in television and film, ranging from Serpico and The Gambler to some of the 1970s’ biggest TV shows and a memorable turn on Curb Your Enthusiasm. He also had supporting roles in four Broadway shows during the 1940s and ’50s before he was blacklisted.

Born on February 8, 1926, in the Bronx, Rich was a rising stage actor in the early 1950s when he name came up during the House Un-American Activities Committee led by Sen. Joseph McCarthy because the actor’s Theater Action...

Television producer and executive Al Burton, known for his work on “The Jeffersons” and “Diff’rent Strokes,” died Tuesday at his home in San Mateo, California. He was 91.

Burton leaves behind a six-decade legacy of hit television shows that also included “One Day at a Time,” “Silver Spoons,” “Square Pegs” and “Facts of Life.”

However, long before Burton started working with producer Norman Lear on several television hits, Burton was a student at Northwestern University where he completed his degree in 1948. In 1970, he teamed up with Lear to co-create the soap opera farce titled, “Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman” and continued to work alongside the television legend at T.A.T Communications/Tandem Productions, producing and creating a number of successful network sitcoms.

Burton also developed and executive produced for Universal Television, helping to create “Charles In Charge,” a series starring Scott Baio, and the series “The New Lassie,” which starred Dee Wallace.

New York City – Although many people will never think of Sarah Jessica Parker in any other role than Carrie Bradshaw of “Sex and the City,” the actor makes a major breakout with her new film, “Blue Night,” which premiered (naturally for her) at the 17th Tribeca Film Festival in New York City on April 19th, 2018.

Sarah Jessica Parker of ‘Blue Night’ on the Red Carpet at 2018 Tribeca

Photo credit: Patrick McDonald for HollywoodChicago.com

“Blue Night” is set in New York City, and can be reasonable described as “Carrie Bradshaw through the looking glass.” Parker portrays Vivienne, a jazz singer whose career has always taken precedent over her life. She receives some devastating news, and because she is estranged from her mother, daughter and ex-husband, she has few resources to turn towards. The film follows her character through 24 hours as she processes her news, which includes a guest vocal at an NYC jazz club.

There are shows that have been justly lauded as the best the medium has to offer. And then there are those series that have been unjustly obscured by history ... for the moment. Some are cult faves that never crossed over; others were short-lived hits that didn’t get kissed by the rerun gods. And some were just plain trash. But as Oscar the Grouch used to sing, we love trash — anything dirty or dingy or dusty. Here are a dozen shows that didn't make our "100 Greatest TV Shows" list but damn,...

It is a momentous day for Sex and the City fans around the world as Sarah Jessica Parker celebrates her 50th birthday. While the role of Carrie Bradshaw made Sarah a fashion icon and a superstar, she has starred in a wide variety of films and television shows over four decades. Parker began her career as a child star on the stage in Annie, and has gone on to become an enduring fixture in pop culture.

Her movie career was launched with supporting roles in '80s teen comedies Footloose and Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, but soon she grew into a leading lady with memorable roles in a string of early 1990s comedies. Parker might be best known for romantic comedies these days, but over the last 30 years she's impressed critics in roles as diverse a mystical witch, an egotistical talkshow host and the embodiment of a single woman of the 2000s.

(source)

Birthday shoutouts go to Taye Diggs (above), who is 43, Dax Shepard is 39, Cuba Gooding, Jr. is 46, and Todd Haynes is 53.

Chris Kluwe: I Was An NFL Player Until I Was Fired By Two Cowards And A Bigot

Hate Group Leader Linda Harvey’s Book Maybe He’s Not Gay Pulled From Amazon.com

A Man With Two Penises Did A Highly Enlightening Q&A On Reddit. Yes, there is a Nsfw pic. I just … I mean … wow.

Enrique Iglesias: “My Worst Defect is From the Waist Down.” Sorry, you’re going to have to prove it. Pics or it didn’t happen.

Brian Boitano talks to Thomas Roberts about coming out and going to Sochi

This is why you don’t poke at things

Oh PETA, why do you love to alienate people? I don’t even get the point of this ad. So … meat eaters have to fantasize about … Fidel Castro?...

Let’s just say hypothetically you were at a party and someone asked you what your favorite TV sitcom this season is. Say Brooklyn Nine Nine and you’ll get some nods. Modern Family and everyone will agree. Big Bang Theory? Can’t go wrong there. But…The Neighbors? Chances are you’ll get either blank stares or uncomfortable “Are you serious?” laughter. Here’s the thing, though: It’s funny. Like, actually funny. I’d even say funnier than at least one of those other sitcoms.

I remember talking to series creator Dan Fogelman once and he told me...

Let’s just say hypothetically you were at a party and someone asked you what your favorite TV sitcom this season is. Say Brooklyn Nine Nine and you’ll get some nods. Modern Family and everyone will agree. Big Bang Theory? Can’t go wrong there. But…The Neighbors? Chances are you’ll get either blank stares or uncomfortable “Are you serious?” laughter. Here’s the thing, though: It’s funny. Like, actually funny. I’d even say funnier than at least one of those other sitcoms.

I remember talking to series creator Dan Fogelman once and he told me...

Hocus Pocus has been on the telly a lot lately. I guess that means it's October? I started to watch but Bette Midler forced me away with her insane voicework. I swear every other word in every line of her dialogue she treats like it's the climax of the sentence And the movie. It's just impossible to listen to. Good grief that movie is noisy.

And so much mugging! I'm surprised I still had a wallet by the time the credits rolled.

Remember when Sarah Jessica Parker was a silver screen sex symbol? That girl has had so many acts in her career. The comic but non-ironic sex symbol years were inbetween the memorable TV personas from the early Square Pegs geekery and the Sex and the City Mega-Icon status. Let's call it the "SanDeE*" years. What a strong stretch that was for her. So many enjoyable performances in mostly good films: L.A. Story,...

As we come to the end of our fourth round of the TV Roundtable—our panelists’ take on Square Pegs goes up later today, and they’ll take on Press Your Luck next week—it’s time for you folks to jump on in and offer us your suggestions for the readers’ choice pick, the nominees for which will be revealed at this time on Monday. Post in comments with your picks under the theme of interlopers. Look for the sorts of characters who come into the day-to-day lives of the series’ regular characters and point out how ridiculous they ...

Sure, Sunday tends to be overcrowded with high-end TV, including "Downton Abbey," "Shameless," "Girls," Californication," "Enlightened" and more, but what to watch the rest of the time? Every Monday, we bring you five noteworthy highlights from the other six days of the week. "The Carrie Diaries": Series Premiere Monday, January 14 at 8pm on The CW Take yourself back, back to 1984, when Sarah Jessica Parker was a young actress known for her role in "Square Pegs," high waisted jeans were in style for the first time and Candace Bushnell was still a decade away from starting a New York Observer column about dating in New York called "Sex and the City." The CW's SatC prequel series will a lot less "S"-filled than the HBO one that inspired it, since it follows a 16-year-old Carrie Bradshaw (AnnaSophia Robb) who's living in Connecticut and starts an internship in...

Birthday shoutouts go to Allan Hyde (above), who is 23, Jonah Hill is 29, and Alan Parsons is 64.Ashley Fink will return as Lauren for the January 24th episode of Glee Henry Rollins: Gay Marriage Is Punk Rock. Henry has always been a great ally.Barney Frank On Westboro Baptist Church, prostitution And bigot Antonin Scalia. Congrats to São Paulo, Brazil! Below you can see the Kickstarter Campaign for Gay Warriors, which will document gay military service members and their families.

AIDS activist Spencer Cox passed away this week at the age of 44, and below you can see Anderson and the faboo Rosie Perez pay tribute.

This week marks the 30th anniversary of the release of The Dark Crystal. I so wanted Gelfling wings ... but I'm a boy.

Sam Raimi's Oz The Great And Powerful. comes out March 8th.

Chris Colfer takes a break while filming.

Not to be outdone,...

Let's get the urgent concern out of the way first: Are we Ok with the idea of Lifetime's Steel Magnolias remake? I'm on the fence, but I love Phylicia Rashad, Jill Scott, and mesmerizing newcomer Adepero Oduye. That's the good news. The downside is that a Lifetime remake may expose Steel Magnolias for what it really is: a Lifetime movie at heart.

As much as the lovable 1989 tearjerker comes up in conversation (which is mysteriously a lot, at least for me), it's a slight movie with a plot suitable for the network that brought you She's Too Young and every gymnast biopic featuring a traumatizing uneven bars scene. But that's also Steel Magnolias' charm; though it's a calculated, star-studded weep machine, it's also completely embraceable (and quotable!) on those terms. Here are the reasons it may be The best movie ever.

1. Everyone has a Steel Magnolia spirit animal.

This is so important.

By Rachel Bennett

Television Editor & Columnist

***

Movies used to be gold standard for actors, with George Clooney, Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio leaving the small screen for the big to achieve great professional and financial success.

However, times are changing, and many actors who left TV to work in movies are coming back, including Eddie Murphy, Robin Williams and Michael J. Fox. Due to the addition of cable and subscription-based original programming, better roles are being created that will give actors a chance for the recognition, awards and job security that movies no longer provide. Just look at Claire Danes, who returned to TV to star in Showtime’s Homeland, for which she’s nominated for an Emmy.

There are several actors who should return to TV, but not all of them will. Take a look at the top 10 TV stars who’ve left TV but should return:

10. America Ferrera...

Between Hollywood reboot mania, reunions from the likes of 98 Degrees and the Spice Girls, and the televised resurgence of both Christina and Britney, it’s clear that the 20-teens are saturated with nostalgia for the recent past. That’s no problem for kids of the ’80s and ’90s; since our childhood favorites must be the pinnacle of culture, it only makes sense for those properties to be reborn in a modern context. (We learned our narcissism by watching you, Boomers!)

So when our generation learned yesterday that Lisa Whelchel and Michael J. Fox are both returning to the small screen,...

For the past two years, I've been lucky enough to be a small part of a show called Portlandia. The series -- created by the prolifically talented Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein and returning on Friday for a second season -- has been described by many a stinging satire of Hipster culture. While it does parody Hipster earnestness, the show pays loving tribute to communities Like Portland everywhere -- Silver Lake, Austin, Bolder, Williamsburg, Minneapolis, Northampton, Berkeley, etc, etc, etc -- and much has been made about how the show has puts Hipster Culture in the spotlight.

I must say, however, Hipsters are not a new TV phenomenon. With thick glasses, just-so-avant-garde fashion and knowing smirks, Hipsters have had a special place on TV since the beginning of the medium -- even before the birth of the term. For more than half a century, TV Hipsters have had a profound effect on American culture.

There's a rich tradition on the big and small screen of the high school girl as amateur anthropologist: Molly Ringwald in "Sixteen Candles," Winona Ryder in "Heathers," Alicia Silverstone in "Clueless," Lindsay Lohan in "Mean Girls," Claire Danes in "My So-Called Life," and on and on and on. (Long before she was dissecting the Manhattan singles scene, Sarah Jessica Parker was trying to bring a peaceful accord between the jocks, the popular girls, the nerds and the New Wave kids on "Square Pegs," after all.) If high school is life in miniature, then it needs some kind of wry, clever observer...

When you think of a teenage Sarah Jessica Parker, images of Square Pegs and the original Footloose immediately come to mind But, now that The Carrie Diaries, the prequel to Sex and the City, is officially in the works, we’ll have to try and re-think how we see young Sjp.

As EW reported earlier today, HBO is currently shopping around (so Carrie of them) to find a home for the small screen adaptation of Candace Bushnell’s best-seller that follows Miss Bradshaw through her senior year of high school, a time long before Manolo and Mr. Big came into the picture.

Recovering from a hospital stay can be daunting, especially if it's impossible to decide if the entertainment article you're reading is legit ... or a fever dream caused by the medication.

Four stories from the Hollywood ether materialized this week, and deserve a closer look:

Closet? What Closet?

Nigel Lythgoe

He's baaack!

We've commented many times about So You Think You Can Dance and American idol producer Nigel Lythgoe and his appalling views, from his Brokeback ballroom remarks to his problem with effeminate dancers. Frankly, he's given us a more asshat material than we know what to do with.

Now he's responded to Adam Levine's comments about Idol not allowing gay contestants to be out with this humdinger:

"To be frank, I didn’t understand why we’re talking about contestants being gay or not gay. I don’t go into my dentist and say, “Are you gay?” I don...

My New Plaid Pants Oooooh Asia Argento and Thomas Kretschmann to star in Dario Argento's Dracula 3D.

Blastr the creator of MTV's new series Teen Wolf claims it's inspired by Spider-Man and Buffy. Ugh. I hate that "it's just like everything else" pitch approach to advertising but in this case it worked on me as Spidey and Buffy are two of my very favorite things. Damn you, man.

Ultra Culture "a review of Bridesmaids that's mostly just a rant about marketing."

Deviant Art Princess Leia drawn in  Alphonse Mucha style. Love it.

Last Exit to Nowhere look at this amazing fan photo to your right, in homage to Aliens.

Off Cinema

Socialite Life Glee's Naya Rivera got a record deal.

Boy Culture Do you remember these 70s and 80s tv shows? I had totally forgotten about most of these. A few I do remember vividly (It's a Living,...

Filed under: Movie News

For those of you who think of Sarah Jessica Parker only as Carrie Bradshaw of 'Sex and the City,' you may be in for a surprise at her next outing.

Yes, she's played bimbos and airheads and sex-starved single women in a career that pretty much got off the ground with the TV series 'Square Pegs' (1982) and flourished through 'L.A Story' (1991) and 'Mars Attacks!' (1996). But hey, Parker is also a mom and in her latest, 'I Don't Know How She Does It,' she plays Kate Reddy, a finance executive who is the breadwinner for her husband and two kids.

The film, based on the best-seller by Allison Pearson, co-stars Greg Kinnear, Pierce Brosnan, Kelsey Grammer, Olivia Munn and Seth Meyers and will open Sept. 16.

Check out the trailer after the jump to see a different Parker.

Continue Reading...

I'm on the verge of heading to press tour, so no time for a proper "Modern Family" review, but outside of a goofy James Marsden guest performance and Luke's method of motivating first Gloria and then Haley, this one didn't really work for me, with the Phil/Claire/Jamie Gertz(*) story in particular packed with wacky sitcom misunderstandings.  (*) I haven't seen Gertz in anything in a while, but her performance here felt like she was channeling her Muffy Tepperman character from "Square Pegs" 30 years later. What did everybody else think?...

Sarah Jessica Parker's Hollywood career has spanned over 20 years, with audiences watching her grow from an awkward teen on the 80's sitcom "Square Pegs" to a fashionista in "Sex and The City" - a journey that the 45-year-old star said has come with its share of downsides.

"I don't know what I can do about the aging," the actress said with a laugh in Elle's January 2011 issue.

"Yes, I am aging. Oh my God, I'm aging all the time," she continued. "It's like those flowers that wilt in front of you in time-lapse films. But what ...

Copyright 2010 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.