• Jamie Horowitz Proposed Cleaning House at NBC's 'Today' Before Being Ousted

    The internal politics and constant discord behind the scenes at NBC's "Today" have become almost as big of a story as anything reported on camera. NBC has spent the last two years scrambling to try and reclaim its former top spot in the morning ratings war. In September, Jamie Horowitz started to observe Today's daily show so that by December new changes could be implemented at his request. A few weeks ago, he gave a five-hour presentation to NBC News head Deborah Furness, and in the end Horowitz was out of a job instead of anyone else. News leaked out recently that Natalie Morales and Willie Geist had been fired by NBC, and while those reports were later discredited, that is exactly part of what Horowitz had in mind. He also wanted Matt Lauer's co-host, Savannah Guthrie, let go to make room for Hoda Kotb instead, and if you are a fan of Al Roker, then you would have been out of luck because Horowitz would have fired him as well.
  • LeAnn Rimes Still Trying to Convince Everyone That Eddie Cibrian's Her 'Soulmate'

    LeAnn Rimes has been making the media rounds to promote her new Christmas album, but of course the main topic of discussion always ends up being her marriage to Eddie Cibrian. At some point in time, Rimes may choose to simply make peace with the fact that people really do not like them as a couple and get on with her life, but she is not exactly there yet. Remember their reality show on VH1 last summer? The ratings were horrendous and Rimes and Cibrian seemed to think that mocking the press would be their ticket to getting fans back in their back pockets. Obviously, that was an epic fail. So Rimes is back to her more normal approach of praising her husband and hoping that her fans will forget how she has said that she fears he will eventually cheat on her. Remember, these two first hooked up while married to other people and, for whatever reason, it was an indiscretion that fans never accepted. In an interview with Mail on Sunday, Rimes explained: "I was meant to be with Eddie. Fans felt as though I was their daughter or sister making a big mistake when we got together, because they've grown up with me. But we both acted from our hearts and that's impossible to turn around. Trust me, we both tried. Look, I've said 'I'm sorry' and made amends. Eddie is my soulmate — he and I completely get each other. We're opposites — I want to go shopping; he wants to ride dirt bikes — but we bring out the best in each other. Divorce is not an option for us. Obviously, if something horrible happened, I would have to take care of myself, but I don't see that happening."
  • Caroline Manzo Reportedly Returning to 'RHONJ' Once Teresa Giudice's in Prison

    We recently told you that Bravo was working hard to try and strike a deal with Caroline Manzo to bring her back to "The Real Housewives of New Jersey." She opted out of filming the most recent season, so the producers brought in a trio of new ladies who just did not click with the audience. Midway through, they brought Jacqueline Laurita back in a desperate attempt to get former fans to tune back in, and they realize that for the show to have any chance of pulling decent numbers, they need a favorite like Manzo back in the fold. Teresa Giudice used to be the glue that held "RHONJ" together, and viewers loved the havoc she wrecked in nearly episode. There seems to be a huge difference between lying about her sister-in-law's activities and bilking people out of millions, and once it was confirmed that Giudice is a criminal, her fans became few and far between. Bravo also has to try and clean up the reputation of the show because Giudice is headed to prison, Laurita's tax evasion has been catching headlines and Joe and Melissa Gorga's business dealings are always questionable. Part of what makes Manzo so popular is that she comes across as the hardworking, Italian mother, something that is respected. According to The Hollywood Life, it looks like Manzo is a sure bet to return to the show for Season 7, especially once Giudice is in jail and the rest of the ladies are in one way or another affected by her absence.
  • NBC's 'Today' in Turmoil: Rumors Circulate Natalie Morales, Willie Geist Have Been Fired, Savannah Guthrie Next?

    The real story of what is going on behind the scenes at NBC's "Today" seems to depend on who you talk to, but one thing is for sure: It is not pretty. On Monday night, Nov. 17, the network confirmed that Jamie Horowitz, who was brought in less than three months ago as the morning show's general manager, had been fired. Horowitz was originally hired to make changes that would help Today climb back to the top of the ratings, but he was met with hostility from nearly everyone when he tried to implement changes. According to a report by Page Six, Matt Lauer found out that Horowitz was gearing up to get rid of Natalie Morales, Willie Geist and even his co-host Savannah Guthrie. Lauer then went to NBC's top brass in protest and had Horowitz fired, proving he really is ultimately in charge of major Today decisions.
  • Lisa Rinna Claims 'RHOBH' Similar to 'Melrose Place' but with No Scripts

    When "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" returns to Bravo this evening for its fifth season, there will be two new faces joining the cast that will be quite familiar to many viewers. Both Lisa Rinna and Eileen Davidson have played hugely popular soap characters with a great daytime television following. Obviously, Bravo is hoping this will translate into fantastic ratings right out of the gate, and it probably has every reason to believe that that can happen. Rinna left "Days of Our Lives" back in the 1990s to hop over to a plumb role on the original "Melrose Place" and, according to an interview with E!, being on "RHOBH" feels similar to that gig. "This is very close to doing "Melrose Place" without a script in your hand. Like everything in life, it's all about timing. It's funny, when I went on to "Melrose Place" it was Year 5. This is Year 5 of "Housewives" ... To be honest with you, after talking about it with my husband, it's been a really great gig for me. It felt right, to be honest with you ... and I like an adventure, I was looking for an adventure."
  • Can Justin Hartley's 'Y&R' Performance Live Up to Gauntlet Thrown Down by Michael Muhney?

    Adam Newman finally returned to "The Young & the Restless" canvas last week by way of Justin Hartley's portrayal. While the character is not fully back in the Genoa City mix, Hartley has had enough interactive scenes to give viewers a feel for what is to come. The actor took over the role, which was recast after Michael Muhney was fired late last year amid a storm of controversy, knowing that he may have a bit of an uphill battle when it comes to winning over fans. Muhney's performance on "Y&R" kept longtime fans glued to their televisions, and after his last scenes finally aired this past January the show's ratings plummeted. Muhney's fans were vocal about how they were not going to support the show once he left it, and then they appeared to back up those words with action. Part of the issue was that Muhney was fired due to allegations of sexual harassment, and then not only were charges not filed, but "Y&R" actually considered rehiring him this past summer, leading many to believe he should never have been cut in the first place.
  • Bravo Hoping to Save 'RHONJ' after Teresa Giudice Leaves by Bringing Back Caroline Manzo

    Can Caroline Manzo save "The Real Housewives of New Jersey"? The Italian mom had enough of the crazy chaos and opted not to do season six of the reality show that just finished airing this week. Bravo gave her family their own spin off show, "Manzo'd with Children" that did even better than the network had hoped, solidifying what they already knew, Manzo has a huge fan base. That's something that could come in serious handy if RHONJ has any hope of returning for a seventh season, especially since Teresa Giudice will be reporting to a Connecticut prison camp in less than two months.
  • NBC's 'Today' Hoping to Land Exclusive 1st Joint American Interview with Kate Middleton, Prince William

    NBC is sure working hard to get in good with the royal family. First the network scored an exclusive interview last summer with Pippa Middleton, and that went so well that Kate Middleton's sister is now said to be in contention for a spot with "The Today Show" as a lifestyles correspondent. Now we are hearing that "Today" is also working hard to try and secure the first joint American interview with Middleton and her husband, Prince William. We told you the other day that the young couple is planning to travel to the States in a few weeks and will be spending time in New York City. There is also a pretty good chance that little Prince George will be traveling with them, and it is an opportunity that NBC is dying to take full advantage of. ABC is also supposedly vying for a similar interview, but because of Pippa's connection with "Today," it seems more likely that they would agree to grant that morning show their first interview.
  • 'Y&R' Hopes Charles Pratt Jr. Can Balance Devastation Caused by Showrunner Jill Farren Phelps

    It has been rumored for months now that Charles "Chuck" Pratt Jr. had taken over the head writing duties on "The Young & the Restless," but there was no official confirmation until yesterday, when the show tweeted the news. Pratt is also now taking on the role of executive co-producer, which means he will be working closely with showrunner Jill Farren Phelps. The two have teamed up in the past on other daytime shows, such as "General Hospital" and "Santa Barbara," and while Phelps is technically still in charge, fans are hoping Pratt will balance out some of her harsh decisions. In the last year, "Y&R" has been hit with a boatload of controversy, making what was brewing behind the scenes a whole lot worse than anything they could have written for the fictional town of Genoa City. Phelps came to the show with the reputation of being a "soap killer" and it is more than a little interesting how, more often than not, after she leaves a show it ends up being canceled within a year or two. Phelps has an edgy kind of storytelling that often ignores the history of the characters on whatever show she is connected to, and that never sits well with longtime fans.
  • Dean McDermott Refuses to Keep 'Opening Up a Vein' and Bleeding on 'True Tori' Just to Collect a Paycheck

    If you have tuned in for any of Tori Spelling's second season of "True Tori," which is currently airing on Lifetime, then you already know it feels like a desperate last ditch grab for attention. Unfortunately, Spelling was hoping that by airing her dirty laundry and allowing cameras to film her therapy sessions with cheating husband, Dean McDermott, she would somehow emerge looking like a tower of strength. Instead she comes across more like an overly dramatic mess with a not-so-secret hoarding problem. The ratings are dismal and now even McDermott says that he is done selling his soul just to pay the bills.
  • Ice-T Likens Jumping into the Cast of 'Law & Order: SVU' to Taking Part in a Bank Robbery

    Danny Pino had his work cut out for him back in 2011 when he joined the cast of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit." Eternal fan favorite Christopher Meloni had just departed after 12 seasons with NBC's hit show, and any actor coming in was going to find it a challenge to try and create a character as beloved as (Un)Stabler was. Show veteran Ice-T was talking about the transition while at the Paley Center for Media this week, and he likened it to pulling off a bank robbery.
  • Lauren Cohan Thinks 'The Walking Dead' Season 5 Premiere Is 'Best Episode Yet'

    Fans of AMC's The Walking Dead are beyond excited to have their favorite series return tonight with the premiere of season 5. The network is teasing that the episode is extremely violent and hits a real emotional cord all in the same hour. Series star Lauren Cohan, who plays Maggie Greene, recently did an interview with Sirius XM ahead of the premiere and admitted that there are moments that even she couldn't watch onscreen from this first episode of the new season.
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