Dozens Of TV Shows Cancelled As Networks Clean House

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – It’s house-cleaning time for the major networks as the cancellation ax falls in order to make for new additions in the fall.

Some shows, such as NBC’s “State of Affairs” and “Constantine,” have been off the air so long that it feels they’d already been cancelled. But the formal notice falls just as hard even when if it is long expected.

Among the big four networks, NBC got out the largest broom on Friday, a sign of the struggle it had this year with new series. “Marry Me,” “About a Boy,” “One Big Happy” joined earlier casualties “A to Z” and “Bad Judge.”

On the drama side, “Constantine” and Katherine Heigl’s comeback vehicle, “State of Affairs,” were formally terminated, as was “Allegiance” earlier in the year. The bell is also expected to ring soon for another drama, “American Odyssey.”

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/television/20150508_Reuters_MT1VRT1201491119_Dozens_of_TV_Shows_Cancelled_as_Networks_Clean_House.html#6zhMXiPdXp4eDklM.99

Fox Confirms Keith Urban Will Return To ‘American Idol’

It’s official: Keith Urban is returning to “American Idol” as a judge next season, Fox announced Thursday at the Television Critics Association summer press tour in Los Angeles.

“I will confirm one thing: Keith is going to return to the show,” said Kevin Reilly, Fox Chairman of Entertainment, as he addressed a room full of reporters.  “Keith’s a really funny guy, and I didn’t think he was able to let his full personality shine through” last season, due to the diva drama [between former judges Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj] that overshadowed not just Urban, but also the contestants.

Read more:  http://xfinity.comcast.net/blogs/tv/2013/08/01/fox-confirms-keith-urban-is-returning-to-american-idol/

NBC Cancels Several Series

Last fall it appeared that NBC might finally be making inroads in its quest to return to its former frontrunner status in the Nielsen ratings.  But appearances turned out to be deceiving.  NBC’s success was built on the slender shoulders of just two series, reality competition “The Voice” and freshman drama “Revolution,” and when those shows took a break between December and March, NBC’s ratings again collapsed.

NBC is poised to end the 2012-13 TV season later this month in fourth place among total viewers behind No. 1 CBS, No. 2 Fox and No. 3 ABC.  (NBC will likely rank third place among adults 18-49 behind No. 1 CBS and No. 2 Fox; when it comes to the audience demographics advertisers crave, ABC is arguably in worse shape.)

With an abundance of low-rated series, the pink slips were bound to fly and they did.  NBC canceled “Deception,” “Go On,” “Guys with Kids,” “The New Normal,” “Rock Center,” “1600 Penn,” “Smash,” “Up All Night” and “Whitney,” adding these series to a refuse pile that already included the 2012-13 shows “Animal Practice” and “Do No Harm.”  (NBC has not yet made a decision on the futures of “Hannibal” and “Celebrity Apprentice.”)

NBC will replace these programs with three new dramas and three new comedies this fall, and the network ordered an additional five dramas, three comedies and three reality shows to also air during the 2013-14 TV season.  Previews of these programs will be unveiled to advertisers today in New York as part of the annual “upfront” week when advertisers buy commercial time in programs up front before the start of the fall TV season.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/ae/tv-radio/nbc-cancels-several-series-687406/#ixzz2TBauZcNR

‘American Idol’ Ratings Plummet In Season 12 Premiere

The Mariah Carey–Nicki Minaj feud might not be enough to rescue “American Idol”s” ratings.

Fox‘s singing competition entered its 12th season Wednesday with three new judges and sharply lower viewership.  An average of 17.8 million total viewers tuned in to the two-hour premiere, slumping 19% compared with last season, according to Nielsen.

Read more:  http://www.mcall.com/entertainment/la-et-st-american-idol-ratings-plummet-20130117,0,4166712.story

To ‘Hell’ And Back: Milford, Pennsylvania’s River Rock Inn Featured In Sept. 3 Episode Of New Gordon Ramsay TV Series

Logo of the Fox Broadcasting Company (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

With show titles like “Hell’s Kitchen” and “Kitchen Nightmares” already under his belt, it’s no surprise that Gordon Ramsay has garnered a reputation for being a no-nonsense chef and businessman.

The renowned culinary artist and hospitality expert recently launched his newest reality TV series, “Hotel Hell,” on the Fox network, in which he visits and effectively takes over failing hotels, inns and bed-and-breakfasts across the country.

One of the stops Mr. Ramsay made for the show was River Rock Inn in Milford.  The episode featuring the Pike County business is scheduled to air Monday, Sept. 3, at 8 p.m. on FOX, locally WOLF-TV, Channel 56.

During a recent conference call with reporters, Mr. Ramsay, who owns several restaurants and a hotel of his own, explained his desire to branch out from the kitchen to the hospitality sector was based on his own misgivings and bad experiences as a guest at various places.

Read more: http://thetimes-tribune.com/lifestyles-people/to-hell-and-back-milford-s-river-rock-inn-featured-in-sept-3-episode-of-new-gordon-ramsay-tv-series-1.1363248

Jennifer Lopez Follows Tyler Off ‘American Idol’

Editor’s note:  I think Randy Jackson might start to get a complex, LOL!

LOS ANGELES — Jennifer Lopez is the second judge in two days to say she’s leaving “American Idol.”

Her representative, Mark Young, said Friday that Lopez is ending her time on television’s most popular show after two years. Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler said the same thing on Thursday.

Lopez broke the news to “Idol” host Ryan Seacrest on his radio show.

“I really was dreading this phone call with you,” she told him. “I honestly feel like the time has come that I have to get back to doing the other things that I do that I’ve put kind of on hold because I love ‘Idol’ so much.”

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20120713/ENTERTAINMENT01/120719681/jennifer-lopez-follows-tyler-off-american-idol-

Steven Tyler Exiting As ‘American Idol’ Judge

Tyler leaving ‘American Idol‘ after 2 seasons; Lopez says his exit will affect her decision

NEW YORK – Steven Tyler says he’s exiting “American Idol” to put rock `n’ roll first.

Tyler said he’s leaving the hit show after two seasons to rededicate himself to Aerosmith, the band he fronts. The rock star said he loved every minute on the hit Fox singing contest but added, “it’s time to bring rock back.”

“After some long … hard … thoughts … I’ve decided it’s time for me to let go of my mistress `American Idol’ before she boils my rabbit,” Tyler said in a statement, making a joking reference to the 1987 Michael Douglas-Glenn Close thriller “Fatal Attraction.”

“I strayed from my first love, Aerosmith, and I’m back but instead of begging on my hands and knees, I got two fists in the air and I’m kicking the door open with my band.”

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=398721

Rabid Fox Attacks Woman In Allentown

City of Allentown from east side (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A woman walking her dog in east Allentown late Tuesday morning thought she saw a small, reddish dog dart out of the bushes near an apartment complex.

Until she saw its teeth and tail.

By then, it was too late.

The fox sunk its teeth into her ankle. The woman grabbed the animal with her right hand and tried to throw it. The fox latched on to her hand.

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/news/local/allentown/mc-allentown-woman-rabid-fox-attack-20120511,0,1722157.story

DeAndre Brackensick: Mom Predicted My ‘American Idol’ Elimination

Logo of the Fox Broadcasting Company (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Editor’s note:  Somebody has to go home every week.  The competition is very strong this season.  Not surprised by the order of eliminations thus far.

Curly-topped high-school senior DeAndre Brackensick is heading home to San Jose, Calif., after getting booted Thursday from “American Idol,” but it didn’t come as a huge surprise.

After the studio audience filed out, the heartbroken teen spent close to 10 minutes soliciting last words of advice from the judges at center stage — and admitted he knew the end was near.

“My mama told me this was gonna be the day,” he told the judges.  “She kind of predicted it. I felt it too.”  

Read more: http://theclicker.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/06/11056799-deandre-brackensick-mom-predicted-my-american-idol-elimination?lite

“American Idol” Judges, Producers Zing “The Voice” & “The X Factor”

The comparisons between “American Idol” and every other singing competition on TV are numerous, but the “Idol” team — judges, host and producers alike — would like to remind you that “Idol” is the first and the best in the game.

Judge Randy Jackson says that although he is friends with Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul and he wishes them the best of luck with “The X Factor,” nothing else can compete with “Idol.”  “I think that ‘Idol’ is still the best TV show of its kind, anywhere.  We’re the original,” he says.  “We kind of invented this whole game that everybody’s now copying.”

Executive producer Ken Warwick goes further, saying that “Idol” is the only reality competition you can count on for real talent.  “This is the show that produces the stars,” he says.  “There is no other series over the years that has produced anywhere near the number of stars that we have.  To be honest, Leona Lewis was kind of a one-and-a-half hit star for a minute, but there’s no Kelly Clarksons, Carrie Underwoods, Jennifer Hudsons.  Coming up on [NBC] now is Kat McPhee — they are real stars.  They really are.  And none of these other shows are producing stars like that.”

Read more: http://tv.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?news=694291&ocid=rr-tv-news

Charlie Sheen Gets New Sitcom

Image via Wikipedia

Just when you thought we had heard the last of Charlie Sheen for a while, he pops back up again.  Charlie just got signed to the FX Network for a new show called Anger Management (based on the Jack Nicholson movie).  Charlie will play the role of a therapist who has his own issues (who says art doesn’t imitate life?)

Sheen has the green light for 10 episodes.  The new show will most likely air in a block with reruns ofTwo And A Half Men.  (Talk about falling in a pile of @#*$ and coming out smelling like a rose!)

Fox Woos Conan

The last Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien had 8 million viewers, which was 1 million more than his début show.

Fox is in negotiations with Conan to bring him to the network in a late night capacity.  Fox’s last foray into a late night show was Chevy Chase which was cancelled after 4 weeks. 

Whoever gets Conan will capture the current wave of popularity his departure from “the peacock” has generated.