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 …

– Neil Patrick Harris hosting the Emmys … that should definitely happen.

– Let no angle in the Michael Jackson story go uncovered: Anderson Cooper got the scoop on Bubbles the chimp last night on CNN.

– Speaking of celeb deaths, the sad trend continues for TV stars. Streets of San Francisco star (and Oscar winner) Karl Malden got all the press yesterday, but Broadway, big screen and tube star Harve Presnell – he was Dawson’s cantankerous friend/mentor Mr. Brooks on Dawson’s Creek – died on Tuesday at age 75.

– Bravo’s premiering a second season of The Rachel Zoe Project on Aug. 25.

– Christian Slater‘s My Own Worst Enemy flopped, but the Heathers star may be headed back to the tube in ABC’s fall drama The Forgotten. Slater would play a cop-turned-private detective whose daughter was kidnapped.

– Coyote Ugly star Piper Perabo (a fellow Ohio University alum – Go Bobcats!) has signed on to star in the USA drama pilot Covert Affairs, which sounds an awful lot like Alias. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

– Prison Break star Wentworth Miller will be on the other side of the law – playing an NYPD officer – on the season premiere of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (Sept. 23, NBC).

– Lost star Michael Emerson predicts a sad ending for the show, with (more) major character deaths and what he describes as a “series finale for grown-ups.”

– Kiefer Sutherland confirms that 24 will shoot some season eight scenes at the real United Nations. Jack Bauer’s next really long day will unfold in New York City (Jan. 17, 2010).

– This certainly trumps the Flintstone vitamin in TV-related pharmacology: Homer Simpson ecstasy.

– Billy Mays‘ infomercials will continue to air, and Discovery Channel has planned a tribute to the late pitchmen for July 9. Meanwhile, the New York Times has a rundown of five memorable moments from last night’s Pitchmen season (series?) finale.

– There’s official So You Think You Can Dance confirmation that Katie Holmes will be tapping her toes – for a new dance education charity she co-founded – on the show’s 100th episode, July 23.

– And tonight in primetime:

– William Shatner stops by G4’s Attack of the Show (7PM ET) to chat about his new Tek War comic
– A military couple who has spent a lot of time apart is shipped home and given a dream wedding on TNT’s Wedding Day (8PM)
– ABC has back-to-back new eps of the sadly canceled Samantha Who? (8PM)
– Kelly Clarkson sings “I Do Not Hook Up” as the top 14 becomes the top 12 on So You Think You Can Dance (Fox, 9PM)
– A teen who wants to join the Air Force may have her dreams dashed when she becomes preggers on the latest ep of 16 & Pregnant on MTV (10PM)
– Shea becomes a full-on bridezilla on Southern Belles: Louisville on SoapNet (10PM)
– TV Land has a new installment of She’s Got the Look (10PM)
– Science Channel’s Science of the Movies examines 3-D animation (10PM)

• 2 Comments
• Filed in Award shows, Lost, Reality, TV News
• Tags: 24 season 8, 24 United Nations, Anderson Cooper, Billy Mays, Billy Mays Pitchmen, Billy Mays tribute, Bubbles the chimp, Christian Slater The Forgotten, Emmys, Harve Presnell, Homer Simpson ecstasy, Kiefer Sutherland, Michael Emerson Lost, Michael Jackson, Neil Patrick Harris, Piper Perabo Covert Affairs, So You Think You Can Dance Katie Holmes, The Rachel Zoe Project, Wentworth Miller, William Shatner