Andy Richter and Conan O’Brien really want you to know that their short-lived, but critically acclaimed sitcom Andy Barker, P.I. was released on DVD this week, and they’re not above using The Tonight Show to spread the good word about the show that starred Richter and was produced by O’Brien:

By the way, if you have a Richter fan on your holiday shopping list, his other funny, canceled-too-soon sitcom, Andy Richter Controls the Universe, was released on DVD earlier this year, meaning there’s a double dose o’ Andy DVDs for those who love them some Richter. And really, who isn’t in that group?

• No Comments
• Filed in Late Night, TV on DVD, Uncategorized, Ya Gotta See This!
• Tags: Andy Barker P.I., Andy Richter, Andy Richter Controls the Universe, Conan O'Brien, Tonight Show

All the tube news that’s fit to surf …

– No worries if you’re not in Los Angeles or don’t have a ticket to the Michael Jackson memorial at Staples Center on Tuesday: Networks planning live coverage of the event at 1PM ET include: ABC, NBC, Fox, CNN, MSNBC, E! Entertainment and TV Guide Network.

– In case you thought everyone is feeling nostalgic about Michael Jackson and tuning in for every bit of MJ coverage, think again: New York congressman Peter King unleashed a YouTube rant about the rampant media coverage of the music star’s death this weekend.

– The New York Times says that instead of adapting to The Tonight Show‘s older audience, newbie host Conan O’Brien has drawn a younger audience to the show – his viewer age has dropped from 55 to 45 in just a month.

– Also in the Times: a profile of Buddy Valastro, better known as the star of TLC’s great summer series Cake Boss (Mondays, 10PM ET).

– Let’s hope William Shatner has some part in this boob tube-to-big screen makeover: A comedy movie take on 1982-86 ABC cop series T.J. Hooker.

– After her surprise weekend resignation, will Sarah Palin become a Fox News show host?

– Just as the networks seem (inexplicably) committed to putting Hilary Duff on TV on a regular basis, they also seem determined to make us watch (also inexplicably) watch Bruce Willis/Demi Moore offspring Rumer Willis. After guest gigs on Medium, CSI: NY and Army Wives, the celeb spawn has signed on for at least one episode of 90210, where she’ll play a lesbian character named Gia.

– Who’s having a great summer? USA Network, with returning hit Burn Notice and new hit dramedy Royal Pains, is on track to have the best summer ratings ever for a cable network.

– There’s a Saturday Night Live reunion happening on the big-screen comedy Grown Ups, which stars Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Tim Meadows, Maya Rudolph, Rob Schneider, David Spade, Norm MacDonald, Tim Herlihy and Colin Quinn in the story of a 30th-year class reunion. Sounds like a potentially good flick, but seeing that line-up together in a comedy really makes you miss Chris Farley, no?

– And tonight in primetime:

– On The Secret Life of an American Teenager (8PM, ABC Family), Amy and Ricky have have a major fight
– Is it all over for Wes on The Bachelorette (9PM, ABC)? The network promises a very dramatic rose ceremony …
– Can Brenda smooth over relations between the LAPD and some of the city’s gangsters on The Closer (9PM, TNT)?
– Alanis Morissette guests as Nancy’s gynecologist on a new Weeds (10PM, Showtime)
– Buddy bakes a Sweet 16 confection on Cake Boss (10PM, TLC)
– It’s Disco Week on Dance Your Ass Off (10PM, Oxygen) and somebody appears to have a major meltdown
– Kathy decides to write a celeb tell-all on Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List (10PM, Bravo)
– Zoey dines with Dr. O’Hara and Jackie breaks (more) rules to help a little girl with a very sick mom on Nurse Jackie (10:30PM, Showtime)

• 1 Comment
• Filed in Boob Tube to Big Screen, Reality, TV News
• Tags: Adam Sandler, Buddy Valastro, Cake Boss, Chris Farley, Conan O'Brien, David Spade, Hilary Duff, Michael Jackson memorial, Rumer Willis 90210, Sarah Palin Fox News, Saturday Night Live, T.J. Hooker, Tonight Show, William Shatner

All the tube news that’s fit to surf …

– Mad Men, season three, August 16 at 10PM ET on AMC. Be there, or be somewhere else, somewhere where people don’t knock back three vodka gimlets before lunch, aren’t nearly as dapperly-attired as Don Draper (Jon Hamm) and don’t have offices that are bigger than my entire New York City apartment. Yeah, not sounding nearly as much fun as Mad Men, right?

– Is designer Vera Wang going to be competing on the next season of Dancing With the Stars? And if so, does that mean we can count on less cheesy costumes?

– Plus-size model Emme has been hired to host Fox’s More to Love, the reality dating show that will feature “average-looking” people

– Discovery Channel’s 22nd annual Shark Week kicks off on August 2.

– Matt Mitovich at TVGuide.com says Rick Springfield will play, fittingly enough, Rick Springfield, when he guest stars on the new season of Californication, but he’ll be a naughty Rick Springfield, one whose sex play makes David Duchovny‘s Hank “look like a Jonas brother.” Not that I’m buying that whole purity ring business about the Jonas Bros. …

– In celebration of its 15th anniversary, TCM has created its own social network site, TCM Classic Film Union, for movie buffs.

– Gordon Ramsay has apologized for, well, basically, for being a tool. You can watch the apology here.

– I reeeally want to like Dr. Drew and trust his motives, but a real doctor prolly should offer to help Lindsay Lohan, or a less-famous addict, whether or not she accepts a reported six-figure offer to appear on his reality show, Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew, right? Of course, the story seems to be originating with Lohan’s dad, so, grain – no, make that rock, huge, ginormous rock – of salt on the whole thing.

– The Shield creator Shawn Ryan is going back to FX with a comedy about private detectives, called Terriers.

– Futurama‘s back! With 26 new episodes in 2010!

– Good news for David Letterman: He, with guest Julia Roberts, beat Conan O’Brien‘s Tonight Show on Tuesday. Worse news for Conan: His ratings keep dropping. Don’t count him out tho; remember his first years as Late Night host?

– More ratings wars news: Judge Judy beat Oprah. Whoa.

– ABC’s getting a jump on the competition by announcing its fall premiere dates.

– The ratings for the Nurse Jackie series premiere were so good, Showtime’s already greenlighting a second season, so go ahead and get hooked.

– Heidi Pratt‘s launching her own line of dry shampoo, after her shampoo shenanigans on I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here. I’m sure Oscar Blandi is shaking in his celebrity hair-cutting boots.

• No Comments
• Filed in Celebreality, Late Night, Reality, TV News
• Tags: Californication, Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew, Conan O'Brien, Dancing With the Stars, David Duchovny, David Letterman, Discovery Channel, Don Draper, Dr. Drew, Drew Pinsky, Emme, Futurama, Get Me Out of Here, Gordon Ramsay, Heidi Pratt, I'm a Celebrity, Jon Hamm, Jonas, Judge Judy, Julia Roberts, Lindsay Lohan, Mad Men, More to Love, Nurse Jackie, Oprah, Rick Springfield, Shark Week, Shawn Ryan, TCM Classic Film Union, The Shield, Tonight Show, Vera Wang

Conan O’Brien‘s debut as Tonight Show host may have gotten mixed reviews, but the episode did get the highest ratings for a Monday night Tonight installment in four years. Some people were down on the fact that much of the episode seemed like an introduction to Conan, but, hello, a lot of the regular Tonight Show audience doesn’t stay up for the post-Tonight hour.

I thought it was totally appropriate, particularly the clever cold opening, which had Conan running across the country, from his old New York City home to his new Hollywood studio.  It was a nice nod to the fact that Conan and crew realize they’re playing to a broader audience on Tonight than they were in their 12:30 timeslot.

What did you think? Is Conan Tonight Show-worthy? Will the new Tonight Show be a nightly appointment for you?

• No Comments
• Filed in Late Night, TV News
• Tags: Conan, Conan O'Brien, The Tonight Show, Tonight Show, Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien

All the tube news that’s fit to surf …

– The Sunday New York Times magazine has a great profile of Conan O’Brien, as he prepares to begin his stint as the new host of The Tonight Show. And yes, he too was surprised that Leno‘s getting that nightly 10PM timeslot.

– The next edition of The Real World, The Real World: Cancun, debuts on MTV on June 24. It’s the show’s 22nd season.

– Even reality TV stars are haggling for more money. The New York Post reports that the Real Housewives of New York City want more than the $50,000 per episode they received for season two (up from $5,000 per ep for season one). Whaddaya think? Are they worth it?

– Wanna keep up with all those celebrities are Tweeting about? E! will begin running a crawl of celebrities’ Twitter postings at the bottom of the screen during its programming.

– Just what every desk needs: a Jeff Probst bobblehead.

– TBS might save My Name Is Earl.

– Chuck creator Josh Schwartz says not to worry about those rumored cast cuts; he thinks we won’t even be able to tell where the budget cuts are being made when we watch the show next season.

– MacGruber, the movie, is an idea whose time should definitely come.

• No Comments
• Filed in Boob Tube to Big Screen, Chuck, Comedy, Drama, Late Night, Reality, TV News
• Tags: bobblehead, Cancun, Chuck, Conan O'Brien, E!, Jay Leno, Jeff Probst, Josh Schwartz, MacGruber, MTV, My Name Is Earl, Real Housewives of New York City, Real World, Real World: Cancun, TBS, Tonight Show, Twitter