The rumors of his death have been greatly exaggerated, forcing Scrubs star Zach Braff to take to YouTube.com to prove to everyone that he is still alive and kicking … as in verbally kicking the blogger (or “douchebag,” as Braff refers to him) who started the quickly-spread rumor that Braff had died of a drug overdose.

The death denial/alive confirmation is worth a look, not just for Braff’s explanation of how he doesn’t have Oprah money, but also for his Scrubs co-star and pal Donald Faison‘s “urban” rendition of Wind Beneath My Wings.

By the way, turns out there is an explanation for the death hoax. Maybe not a good one, but turns out that the guy whose Website originated the rumor is actually a huge Braff fan. Feeling’s probably never gonna be mutual though …

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• Filed in TV News, Ya Gotta See This!
• Tags: Donald Faison, Scrubs, Zach Braff not dead

All the tube news that’s fit to surf …

– Will you tune in for the return of Jon & Kate Plus 8 tonight on TLC (9PM ET). TLC execs claim the Gosselins’ new situation makes them more relatable, but I’d argue that it just makes them more douchebag-able.

– I’m sure I wasn’t the only Guiding Light fan hoping for a last-minute reprieve for the long-running daytime soap, but Light‘s cancelation is officially official now that a replacement show has been lined up. Wayne Brady will host a revival of Let’s Make a Deal that will air in GL‘s place. The soap, which debuted on CBS on June 30, 1952, will air its series finale on Sept. 18.

– There’s still no deal for Paula Abdul, but Kara DioGuardi is definitely returning to the American Idol judges table next season. Meh.

– Futurama will return with new episodes in 2010, and with the original voice talent cast intact.

– PBS has announced a new Sesame Street primetime special, Families Stand Together: Feeling Secure in Tough Times, which will help families with young kids explain and deal with current economic woes. Elmo hosts (with Al Roker, Deborah Roberts and his Muppet pals), and the show is paired with another PBS special, Your Life, Your Money, hosted by Scrubs’ Donald Faison, and aimed at young people. The specials debut on PBS on Sept. 9 (8-10PM).

– More news from Sesame Street: The show’s upcoming 40th season will include a Mad Men spoof. Minus the smoking, drinking, cursing, bed-hopping and, in the case of Freddy Rumsen, pants-wetting, presumably.

– The Emmys snubbed Battlestar Galactica and True Blood, but the Television Critics Association honored the shows last weekend, naming them Program of the Year and Best New Program, respectively.

– The Sunday New York Times featured a story on how badly some reality TV contestants are treated, which was surprising at first, and makes you wonder why they would subject themselves to being locked in hotel rooms and having all manner of communication with the outside world cut off. But then you remember: They’re willing to bare incredibly personal details about their lives on TV – and, according to many of them, they’re often plied with copious amounts of hooch – so maybe not being able to text and Twitter for a few weeks doesn’t seem like such a big deal?

– Another victim of the economy: Marie Osmond‘s comeback talk show.

– On the other hand, Tom Arnold‘s TV comeback is right on track, as the ex-Mr. Roseanne will write and possibly star in a new NBC sitcom, and has a recurring role on the new season of Sons of Anarchy.

– And tonight in primetime:

– The families head for the Grand Canyon on Great American Road Trip (8PM ET, NBC)
– George ‘fesses up to Anne about something on The Secret Life of an American Teenager (8PM, ABC Family)
– ABC has a Sugarland concert at 8PM
– Jon & Kate Plus 8 returns, post-separation, on TLC (9PM)
– Kyra Sedgwick and Kevin Bacon‘s daughter Sosie guest stars as Brenda’s niece on The Closer (9PM, TNT)
– A TV crew sparks rivalry among the girls on Make It or Break It (9PM, ABC Family)
– Old-school nookie is the focus of the series premiere of Sex in the Ancient World (9PM, History Channel)
– Real and Chance try to find skank love again on the Real Chance of Love 2 premiere (VH1, 9PM)
– Shark Week continues with Deadly Waters (9PM, Discovery), a look at the five most dangerous, shark-infested bodies of water
– It’s the season premiere of Guy Fieri‘s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives on Food Network (10PM)
– Kathy works to make her upcoming autobio super spicy on Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List (10PM, Bravo)
– Celia and Dean come up with marketing plans for their new biz on Weeds (10PM, Showtime)
– More Dating in the Dark at 10PM on ABC
– Drama ensues when the musicians move into their new home on Making His Band (10PM, MTV)
– Tony recalls the best street food he’s eaten from around the world on Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations (10PM, Travel Channel)
– TLC premieres its new cake-baking competition series, Ultimate Cake Off (10PM)
– Terrell meets with his estranged dad on The T.O. Show (10PM, VH1)
– And Jackie’s drug use begins to catch up with her physically and with her decision-making at work on Nurse Jackie (10:30PM, Showtime)

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• Filed in Reality, TV News
• Tags: American Idol, Donald Faison, Futurama, Guiding Light finale Sept. 18, Jon & Kate Plus 8, Kara DioGuardi, Marie Osmond talk show, Paula Abdul, Reality TV contestants, Sesame Street 40th anniversary, Sesame Street Mad Men spoof, Sons of Anarchy, TCA Awards, Tom Arnold, Wayne Brady Let's Make a Deal

All the tube news that’s fit to surf …

– I was skeptical about Scrubs returning next season with most of the cast MIA, but the show’s radical makeover, which will shift much of the action from the hospital to the classroom as Dr. Cox (John C. McGinley) and Turk (Donald Faison) become medical school professors, will finally give the oh-so-Emmy-worthy McGinley a chance to get the leading man props he deserves.

– All these guessing games, but really, what else could the big Jon & Kate Plus 8 announcement be on tonight’s episode (9PM ET, TLC)? It’s gotta be a separation/divorce confirmation of some sort, doncha think?

– Here’s a story I hope is just conjecture: Legendary TV news man Walter Cronkite is reportedly “terribly ill.”

– Dancing with the Stars pro Julianne Hough will star opposite People mag’s Hottest Bachelor, Gossip Girl star Chace Crawford, in the upcoming Footloose remake, though rumor has it that producers are hoping she’ll improve her acting skills before filming begins.

– In addition to the cast of Seinfeld, Meg Ryan will also guest star on the new season of Curb Your Enthusiasm.

– Ryan Seacrest confirms via Twitter that he is talking to Lindsay Lohan about starring in a reality show he would produce. Seems like her best option for making some cash these days, as her personal life and professional reputation seems to continue on the downward spiral.

– Simon Cowell has ‘fessed up to making some mistakes as a judge and producer in a lengthy mea culpa published in the British newspaper The Mail on Sunday.

– The West Wing‘s Bradley Whitford and Malcolm in the Middle and Raising the Bar‘s Jane Kaczmarek: one of the most surprising celeb divorces in a long time.

– And free wireless Internet access in New York City is just one of Sci Fi’s promos for its campaign to rebrand itself as the Syfy network.

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• Filed in TV News
• Tags: Bradley Whitford, Chace Crawford, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Donald Faison, Footloose, Jane Kaczmarek, John C. McGinley, Jon & Kate Plus 8 divorce, Julianne Hough, Lindsay Lohan reality show, Meg Ryan, Ryan Seacrest, Scrubs, Simon Cowell, Syfy, Walter Cronkite