Four kids aren't enough for Heidi Klum.

Klum has partnered with LMNO Prods. to develop "Seriously Funny Kids," in which she travels to where the kids are -- schools, playgrounds, etc. -- to get young ones' takes on different things.

LMNO knows a thing or two about kid-centric reality shows, having produced the Bill Cosby version of "Kids Say the Darndest Things" for CBS in the late 1990s.

Read more here.

This is real. A press release today from CBS News:

NEW EXCLUSIVE VIDEO OF RECENT INTERNET SENSATION, "THE SMOKING BABY," TO AIR ON CBS NEWS' "THE EARLY SHOW," THURSDAY, JULY 1

NEW YORK, June 30, 2010 — CBS News' THE EARLY SHOW recently visited Aldi Rizal, the two-year-old Sumatran smoking baby/turned internet sensation, and his parents in Indonesia. The interview with Aldi's parents and more exclusive footage will be broadcast Thursday, July 1 (7:00-9:00 AM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

As part of the exclusive, THE EARLY SHOW spent two days with the family, filming them at home and accompanying them to the outdoor market where the small boy's parents sell fish. The disturbing new video includes adults willingly helping the two-year-old by lighting his cigarettes for him. His parents said that he is currently in a rehabilitation program to help wean him off the habit, but he continues to smoke at least a pack of cigarettes a day.

Hmm. Not sure that sounds like a great use of CBS News' dwindling resources. But what the hell, they've captured more disturbing pictures of a two-year-old smoking cigarettes, so it's worth it, right?

IFC's acquisition of rebroadcast rights for "Freaks and Geeks" means, among other things, that one of the greatest pilots in TV history will be televised for the first time in ages. If you haven't seen it, set your DVRs for it on Friday.

Not since "The Wonder Years" (and maybe before that) had a television program come close to launching with such a pitch-perfect depiction of the comedy and drama of growing up. The "Freaks" pilot was filled with great moments throughout, and it's impossible not to watch the climax without melting.

Of course, the remaining episodes of the too-shortlived series weren't exactly shabby.

The increasingly comedy-oriented IFC also acquired "Freaks" little brother "Undeclared," which didn't quite live up to its sibling but still was plenty enjoyable. That will bow on the cabler in the fall.

Former Republican presidential hopeful and current Fox News host Mike Huckabee is testing the syndication waters.

Twentieth TV announced on Wednesday that it would give "The Huckabee Show" a six-week tryout on seven Fox-owned stations, including WNYW New York. (Los Angeles is not included in the station roster.)

“Governor Huckabee is a dynamic figure with a loyal fan base," said 20th TV prexy Greg Meidel in making the announcement.

Hour-long will focus on politics and culture. Huckabee will tape “The Huckabee Show” in New York in front of a live studio audience, and will also continue to host Fox News Channel's weekend show “Huckabee.”

Producing vet Woody Fraser, who's also behind Huckabee's Fox News show, will exec produce "The Huckabee Show."

“Our goal is common sense and common ground in an uncommonly entertaining way," Huckabee said.

Added Fox TV Stations programming senior VP Frank Cicha: “We’re always looking for topical programs helmed by distinctive personalities that can pair well with news. Governor Huckabee has a good command of key issues of the day and will be a unique voice for daytime television.”

20th TV, the Fox TV Stations and Fox News Channel all fall under the domain of News Corp.'s Roger Ailes.

The syndication unit has regularly used its stations as a testing ground before taking properties across the country. That's what 20th and the Fox stations are also doing with Craig Kilborn's "The Kilborn File," which bowed Monday on KTTV/Los Angeles and six other Fox-owned outlets.

"The Huckabee Show" will air weekdays on WNYW New York (12:00 PM), KDFW Dallas/Fort Worth (1:00 PM), WFXT Boston (10:00 AM), WAGA Atlanta (1:00 PM), WJBK Detroit (12:00 PM), WTVT Tampa (11:00 AM) and KMSP Minneapolis/St. Paul (10:00 AM).

Bad news for fans of Starz's critically acclaimed half-hour "Party Down": Looks like the party's over.

The pay cabler has canceled "Party Down" after two seasons. Also given the ax: "Gravity."

Here's what Starz said in a statement:

“After careful consideration, we’ve decided not to continue on with subsequent seasons of Party Down and Gravity,” says Stephan Shelanski, executive vice president of programming for Starz Entertainment. “We’re grateful to everyone involved in the shows, and are proud to have had them on the channel. Starz remains committed to aggressively expanding our original programming lineup.”

Both shows were already in the Starz pipeline -- or in "Party Down's" case, already on the air -- when Chris Albrecht arrived and began giving the channel a major programming makeover.

"Party Down" had plenty of critic buzz -- and even just landed a TV Critics Assn. nomination for outstanding comedy. But the show didn't garner what Starz really needs -- viewers. The show's finale last week averaged just 74,000 viewers. Yikes.

It also didn't help that "Party Down" stars weren't locked into the show -- and kept leaving for bigger pastures. Season one star Jane Lynch moved on to bigger fame on "Glee," while star Adam Scott -- who's also a producer -- is now a regular on "Parks and Recreation.

Starz Media produced the show, which comes from exec producers Rob Thomas, John Enbom, Paul Rudd and Dan Etheridge. Show stars Scott, Ken Marino, Ryan Hansen, Martin Starr, Lizzy Caplan and Megan Mullally.

"Gravity," meanwhile, centered on a group of people contemplating suicide. The dark comedy came from EPs Jill Franklyn, Dan Pasternack and Eric Schaeffer.

Show starred Robyn Cohen, Rachel Hunter, James Martinez, Seth Numrich, Ving Rhames, Krysten Ritter, Eric Schaeffer and Ivan Sergei.

Busy Albrecht has a host of projects in the works at Starz -- including the U.S. adaptation of "Torchwood," which has been ordered to series, as has the sequel to "Spartacus." Also picked up: "World Without End." Other titles in the works include "Blackrock," "Camelot," "Insatiable," "Men of the Dusk," "Peace Keeping," "Waterloo" and "William the Conqueror."

Meanwhile, "Party Down" star Martin Starr is, um, not too pleased with Starz's decision:

The CW is looking to get a jump on the major broadcast nets, sticking with an early September launch this fall.

C-Dub announced Wednesday morning that the netlet's fall 2010 season will kick off Wednesday, Sept. 8 with reality staple "America's Next Top Model," now in its 15th cycle. Also that night, net bows newcomer "Hellcats."

The following night, Sept. 9, the CW unleashes its Thursday night sked -- including the return of "The Vampire Diaries," followed by new actioner "Nikita."

Netlet's Monday night sked follows on Sept. 13 and Tuesdays return on Sept. 14 -- while fans of the CW's Friday night vets will have to wait until primetime TV's actual premiere week (Sept. 24).

The CW reps the first of the broadcast nets to announce their fall premiere dates. Here's the rollout schedule:

Wednesday, Sept. 8
8 p.m. “AMERICA’S NEXT TOP MODEL” (Season Premiere)
9 p.m. “HELLCATS” (Series Premiere)

Thursday, Sept. 9
8 p.m. “THE VAMPIRE DIARIES” (Season Premiere)
9 p.m. “NIKITA” (Series Premiere)

Monday, Sept. 13
8 p.m. “90210” (Season Premiere)
9 p.m. “GOSSIP GIRL” (Season Premiere)

Tuesday, Sept. 14
8 p.m. “ONE TREE HILL” (Season Premiere)
9 p.m. “LIFE UNEXPECTED” (Season Premiere)

Friday, September 24
8 p.m. “SMALLVILLE” (Season Premiere)
9 p.m. “SUPERNATURAL (Season Premiere)

Read more about the decision to end "Larry King Live" this fall, after a 25-year run on CNN, here.

Discovery Channel is foaming with enthusiasm for “Brewed.”

Set for a fall launch, net’s newest series pickup will explore the culture, history and variety of beer through Sam Calagione, the owner of Delaware-based Dogfish Head Brewery.

Skein will follow Calagione as he shares beer-related stories with customers and friends. He’ll also travel around the globe to taste locally made beers.

“Beer has always been my passion. It is so much more than what you see in the glass. I’m excited to share the diligence, daring and creativity that we pour into our work,” said Calagione.

Zero Point Zero Prods. is set to produce. Chris Collins, Lydia Tenaglia and Tim Pastore are exec producers.

After weeks of speculation, Larry King has confirmed that he's stepping down from his CNN talk show, "Larry King Live," after 25 years.

King first broke the news himself via his Twitter account.

Here's what he said at the start of Tuesday night's show:

Before I start the show tonight, I want to share some personal news with you. 25 years ago, I sat across this table from New York Governor Mario Cuomo for the first broadcast of "Larry King Live."

Now, decades later, I talked to the guys here at CNN and I told them I would like to end "Larry King Live," the nightly show, this fall and CNN has graciously accepted, giving me more time for my wife and I to get to the kids’ little league games.

I’ll still be a part of the CNN family, hosting several Larry King specials on major national and international subjects.

I’m incredibly proud that we recently made the Guinness Book of World Records for having the longest running show with the same host in the same time slot. With this chapter closing I’m looking forward to the future and what my next chapter will bring, but for now it’s time to hang up my nightly suspenders.

Here's how King first broke the news -- via Twitter, of all things:

King's exit will now step up the speculation over who might replace him. Top contenders have included "America's Got Talent" judge Piers Morgan, who's been rumored for weeks to be in line for the gig. 

Another name frequently mentioned is Ryan Seacrest, who has served as a substitute on the show -- and whose radio contract with Clear Channel is up. Seacrest is rumored to be considering giving up his morning show, which would leave more time for a CNN show.

Another possibility, Katie Couric, is seen as a longshot. Couric is expected to remain as anchor of the "CBS Evening News."

In regards to the speculation over King's replacement, CNN said in a statement: "Today is about Larry. We will announce plans for the 9pm hour in the weeks ahead."

Here's CNN's official statement about King:

Just as CNN redefined the news business, Larry King defined the art of the television interview. His candor, curiosity and compassion are legendary, and his ability to interview people from all walks of life—world leaders, celebrities and everyday people—has made him an icon.

Having conducted nearly 50,000 interviews over 50-plus years in broadcasting, Larry deserves to take some time for himself and his family. After 25 years at CNN, he will conclude Larry King Live on his own terms, sometime this fall. We are proud and grateful that Larry will continue the next chapter of his storied career at CNN and will host several specials over the coming years.

In a note to staffers, CNN U.S. topper Jon Klein called King "a giant in the industry for as long as most of us can remember":

TO: CNN Colleagues
FR: Jon Klein

Larry King has asked that I share with you a message to his audience that will be broadcast tonight at the top of his show. After 25 years, Larry has decided to take a step back from the nightly grind. He wants to take some time for himself and his family. So he will end his run with Larry King Live on his own terms, sometime this fall.

He is not leaving CNN. Larry is a beloved member of the CNN family and he will continue to contribute to our air with periodic specials.

Larry has been a giant in the industry for as long as most of us can remember. Anyone who ever mattered has sat for an interview on Larry's iconic set. They all know the man it is our privilege to call our colleague and friend--tireless and curious, respectful and inquisitive, caring, generous, influential, a citizen of the world.

We will celebrate his tenure in proper fashion over the coming months. Today is about Larry and about the beginning of a new chapter. It is not about good-bye.

Here's Larry King interviewing Lady Gaga on a recent episode:

CBS has long been synonymous with men's college basketball coverage, but next March the network will have a first when it broadcasts a regular-season game between Duke and North Carolina in primetime.

The broadcast will take place March 5 at 8 p.m. Eastern. Granted, it's on a Saturday when CBS' alternatives are Crimetime reruns and other burnoffs. But still ...

"Duke-North Carolina is one of the most intense rivalries in all of sports," said CBS Sports exec veep of programming Mike Aresco said. "A primetime telecast on CBS Sports will generate enormous interest across the nation as the 'Road to the Final Four heats up."

In April, CBS agreed in a deal with TNT and the NCAA to share broadcast rights for March Madness over the next 14 years.

This just in: Elijah Wood is coming to television.

The "Lord of the Rings" star has signed on for his first major series role, as the star of FX's comedy pilot "Wilfred."

Wood stars opposite "Wilfred" co-creator Jason Gann (who plays the title character, a foul-mouthed dog).

More here.

Of course, for some of us, Elijah Wood is best known for giving "Yo Gabba Gabba" its first-ever "dancey dance" (below).

"The Big Bang Theory" exec producer Bill Prady got a reminder from CBS today: You do your job, and we'll do ours.

The issue: A Tweet that Prady sent out early Tuesday:

Now granted, Prady is right. Sept. 23 is the first Thursday of the new TV season, so clearly, that's the date on which "The Big Bang Theory" -- now on Thursdays -- will launch its new season.

The problem: It's not actually locked in. CBS scheduling guru Kelly Kahl reminded him that nothing was official yet -- via a Tweet.

(You may remember, Prady also prematurely congratulated Shawn Ryan via Tweet on his "Ride-Along" pickup -- even though it hadn't happened yet. Thankfully, it did, a day later.)

Okay, so the NFL and Nickelodeon are teaming up on a 22-episode animated series that will air during football season. Seems like a smart combination of two powerhouse entertainment entities.

Knowing the rigidity of the NFL, I assumed the series would three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust-type material. But points to the pair for the premise of the series, which is more like a flea-flicker. Just imagine John Facenda reading the following:

"Rush Zone: Guardians of the Core" follows Ishmael, a 10-year old boy who was just an ordinary kid until learning that all 32 NFL stadiums also serve as secret strongholds of an otherworldly benevolent life force that he has been chosen to guard. That life force, once the core of a far-off peaceful planet, has been broken into pieces, or shards, which are hidden in every NFL stadium around the country. An evil villain known as Sudden Death is determined to find the shards, reassemble them and end humanity. To stop Sudden Death, Ish is given the physical abilities of an NFL football player (and a few additional super powers) to battle on and off the gridiron. He must work with the Rusherz, the NFL superheroes representing all 32 teams, to stop the Blitz Botz, robots controlled by Sudden Death. Taught by his mentor, O.T. and guided by NFL players and coaches, Ish learns exactly what it takes to be a true hero.

The series is based on the NFL’s online kids site, NFLRush Zone, and feature shorts of two to five minutes. NFL players including New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning and coaches such as Sean Payton of the Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints will voice themselves. All 32 NFL teams are to be represented on the program, which will cap its season with a one-hour special the day before Super Bowl XLV.

“Rush Zone” will also be cross-purposed on Nicktoons.com and NFLRush.com, and excerpts will be shown on NFL stadium scoreboards. So if you're an NFL fan of any age, get ready to call on Ishamel.

Aspiring "Glee" singers can rest easy: The search for a new cast member is back on.

As part of its off-net cable acquisition for "Glee," Oxygen next year will air a reality series documenting the search for a new "Glee" cast member. Show was originally scheduled this year for Fox, but scrapped due to the "Glee" producers' time constraints.

Oxygen also scored two "Glee" marathons in 2011 as part of the deal.

In a separate deal, 20th Television has also sold off-net cable rights for "Modern Family" to USA.

More here.

Haykel will return to the Emmys after producing last year's kudocast. He has a longstanding relationship with exec producer Don Mischer, who announced the appointments. The two worked together on such specials as "We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial" and two Super Bowl halftime shows.

This will be Hare's sixth Emmy show -- though not always as a producer -- and she has teamed with Mischer on a handful of Olympics-related programming.

Danette Herman, who was named coordinating producer, is a longtime Emmy collaborator. This year will mark her 22nd show. Herman has worked on the Oscar broadcast for 34 years.

No director has been announced yet.

The Emmy Awards will be broadcast live Aug. 29 by NBC from the Nokia Theater in downtown Los Angeles. Normally, the show takes place in September, but the Peacock's Sunday schedule is filled that month with NFL broadcasts.

"Breakout Kings," a fugitive chase drama pilot developed for Fox, is looking like it will land soon at A&E Network.

The 20th Century Fox TV project from scribes Matt Olmstead and Nick Santora had strong buzz all through pilot season but didn't get the nod from Fox in the waning days before the net's May upfront. Producers reps began shopping it aggressively, and A&E was a likely candidate from the get-to given its focus on crime procedurals.

Series revolves around a team of federal marshals and the ex-cons who help them track down dangerous fugitives. Olmstead and Santora know the action-thriller territory well from their hitch on "Prison Break."

-- Cynthia Littleton

POSTED BY STEVEN GAYDOS

Coming down the pike on July 21 courtesy of PBS’ “America Masters” series is one of the best music bio docs I’ve seen in years: “Merle Haggard: Learning to Live With Myself’,” a journey into the heartbeat of a complex songwriter, musican and singer whose place in the history of American country music fits nicely in that pantheon that includes Jimmie Rodgers, Hank Williams and Johnny Cash. Not since “Art Pepper: ‘Notes From a Jazz Survivor’” has a doc so movingly conveyed the pain and personal trauma at the heart of the art.

Not coincidentally, both docs are driven by the unflinching honesty of the subject, who takes the job of doc protagonist as seriously as composing and performing.

If you only know the Haggard canon from his biggest hit, “Okie From Muskogee,” you’ll be floored by the lyricism and power of Hag’s pen: “Silver Wings,” “Sing Me Back Home,” “Footlights,” “Today I Started Loving You Again,” “The Running Kind,” “White Line Fever,” “Working Man’s Blues” are only a few of his classics. And his work as a vocalist, picker and musicologist is, as the doc notes, an essential link to the origins of country music that few in the cookie-cutter factory that is contempo Nashville can relate to, let alone preserve.

“Learning to Live With Myself” writer-director Gandulf Hennig has one other first-rate music doc under his belt — 2004’s “Fallen Angel: Gram Parson,” about the short, tragic, yet musically fruitful life of that doomed Burrito and Byrd man. Luckily for Haggard, unlike Parsons, he never tried to keep up on the drug front with Rolling Stones (reformed) bad boy Keith Richards. Where Parsons’ demons demolished him in his mid-20s, Haggard, who not only spent many years in the bag and the bottle but also two hard years in San Quentin, is now in his early 70s and still cooking. He puts everything he’s got into his shows and his recordings, as the doc amply reports.

Richards appears in “Learning” — along with other luminaries such as Kris Kristofferson, Robert Duvall and fellow country giant Ray Price — as one of the many valuable voices of appreciation and personal insight into Haggard’s life, oeuvre and raison d’etre. As Keith explains, “Merle is completely not about showbiz. He has things he wants to show you and things he wants to tell you. That’s what it’s all about.”

Fox has ordered another two scripts for its Adam Goldberg/Seth Gordon laffer pilot "Breaking In."

It's not a series order, but it does trigger an extension of the contracts for cast members, who include Bret Harrison and Christian Slater.

The Happy Madison/Sony Pictures TV project -- about a group of computer geniuses tasked with hacking into top-flight security systems in order to drum up business for a computer security company -- had strong buzz during pilot season. The script orders are a sign that Fox is still interested in tweaking the code for this comedy prospect.

-- Cynthia Littleton

Music cabler Fuse is going Green.

Net has greenlit two original shows set to premiere in the fall: Doc series “Mad Genius,” and interview- and performance-based “Lay It Down,” hosted by Cee-Lo Green of r&b group Gnarls Barkley.

On “Lay It Down,” Green will chat with musicians of several genres, including hip hop, pop and r&b.
Guests will play a handful of tunes and then discuss the songs in-depth. Jason Hervey, Eric Bishoff, and Hayma Washington exec produce.

Half-hour “Mad Genius” examines rebellious artists whose eccentric personalities have resulted in a memorable songlists. Planet Grande Pictures produces, with John Watkin and Eamon Harrington exec producing.

“These programs further demonstrate Fuse’s unique perspective on music programming by adding an entertaining interview and performance show hosted by an acclaimed name in music, and a powerful documentary concept, to our array of live music events and artist-centric programs,” said Sal LoCurto, senior VP of programming.

Fuse, owned by Madison Square Garden Media, recently announced new weekly series “A Different Spin With Mark Hoppus,” which will premiere in September. Net is also set to telecast a Maroon 5 show July 27 from the Beacon Theater in New York.

Nothing's over until it's over, and it's never too late for me to be gullible, but Steve Carell sure doesn't seem to have a hidden agenda in telling E! that he plans to leave "The Office" after the coming season.

"I just think it's time," Steve told our Kristina Guerrero. "I want to fulfill my contract. When I first signed on I had a contract for seven seasons, and this coming year is my seventh. I just thought it was time for my character to go." ...

"It doesn't certainly mean the end of the show. I think it's just a dynamic change to the show, which could be a good thing, actually. Add some new life and some new energy ... I see it as a positive in general for the show."

From Carell's perspective, this isn't exactly a Shelley Long or David Caruso. Carell has already established a movie career, plus it's not as if he has ruled out a return to television in a different series. Beyond that, a certain amount of fatigue with his role on "The Office" is understandable, especially after last season's inconsistent campaign. And let's put it this way: If Carell hasn't built up a financial nest-egg by this point, he's got bigger problems than what he'll do after he stops being Michael Scott.

As for "The Office," Carell's departure is a wild card. An exit storyline could help revive the series, which suffered through its worst season creatively this past year, and a new cast member for ensuing seasons could further invigorate it. But the Carell news doesn't eliminate the bigger question for the series: What of the writer/producer fatigue?

In other words, what happens in front of the camera, even with Carell, is not as important as what happens behind it. "The Office" needs to breathe direction into all its characters; it needs a commitment to story arcs rather than the kind of waffling that went on in 2010-11. (To be clear, I still enjoy "The Office," even if it's not the transcendent comedy it has been.)

NBC has other considerations besides creative ones to address — "The Office" doesn't have to be perfect to be worthwhile to the network after Carell's proposed exit — but not even the Peacock wants to see the sitcom limp through its final days. It's sort of a reverse Catch-22: The better the comeback for "The Office" this year with Carell, the more encouraging it will be to carry on without him.

Those arresting billboards and that teen-friendly premise have paid off for ABC Family. The cabler has ordered 12 additional episodes of recently premiered series "Pretty Little Liars," extending the drama's first season to a total of 22 episodes.

"Liars," which airs its fourth episode Tuesday, premiered June 8 as ABC Family's all-time best series debut in seven demos, including not only teens but also adults 18-34. The hourlong drama, with episode titles like "To Kill a Mocking Girl," has ranked first in cable at 8 p.m. Tuesdays.

“‘Pretty Little Liars’ is a breakout hit for the network,” ABC Family exec veep of original programming and development Kate Juergens said.

Troian Bellisario, Ashley Benson, Holly Marie Combs, Lucy Hale, Ian Harding, Bianca Lawson, Laura Leighton, Chad Lowe, Shay Mitchell and Sasha Pieterse star in the show, based on Sara Sherpard's teen novels and produced by Alloy Entertainment in association with Warner Horizon TV. I. Marlene King, Oliver Goldstick and Leslie Morgenstein exec produce.

Tonight, ABC Family doubles down with its latest drama premiere, "Huge," which Variety's Brian Lowry gives high marks.

As Variety first broke last Thursday, Robert Greenblatt is departing Showtime after a transformative run at the paycabler -- with David Nevins, who just left Imagine TV after eight years -- taking over. Cynthia Littleton's got the full story here.

The first original made-for-TV episode of "Futurama" in seven years drew 2.9 million viewers overall, boosting Comedy Central to its highest-rated night of the year and best Thursday ever in young male demos.

Among men ages 18-24 and 18-34, the 10 p.m. Thursday episode won its timeslot, including broadcast. It was second only to "South Park" for the most-watched season premiere of an animated series on cable.

The second new episode, airing at 10:30 p.m., drew 2.8 million viewers.

"As The World Turns'" Michael Park and Maura West

The cast and crew behind CBS' "As the World Turns" went out with a bang on Sunday night, as the canceled sudser picked up three key acting awards at the 2010 Daytime Emmy Awards.

"World" won for lead actress in a drama (Maura West), lead actor in a drama (Michael Park) and supporting actress in a drama (Julie Pinson). A bit of a going away present for the show, which just wrapped its final scene last week.

Beyond the "World" wins, this year's Daytime Emmy winners included several repeats -- including "The Bold and the Beautiful," which won the drama prize for a second year in a row, while "Cash Cab" once again won for best game show.

It was also a good year for medicine: Mehmet Oz was named best talk show host, for "Dr. Oz," while "The Doctors" won for bets informative talk show. "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" won another Emmy for best talk show.

More on the awards -- and a complete list of winners -- here.

"The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That," which received an order for 40 halfhour episodes from PBS a year ago, will premiere on the pubcaster Sept. 6., with Martin Short doing the voice of El Gato.

Also featuring series regulars Sally, Nick, Thing 1 and Thing 2, "The Cat" aims to entertain preschoolers while teaching them about nature and science. The program is based on the Learning Library series of "Cat in the Hat" books. It's produced by Portfolio Entertainment and Collingwood O’Hare Prods., in association with Dr. Seuss Enterprises, Random House Children’s Entertainment, Treehouse and PBS Kids.

One of my personal favorites for summer viewing is U.K. import "The In-Betweeners," which airs Stateside on BBC America. It has some of the trying-to-fit-in spirit of "Freaks and Geeks," though the characters are old enough that, as my wife pointed out, a strong dose of "Porky's" comes into play as well. And you'll lose count trying to track how many words are bleeped out for the sensitive ears of basic cable viewers. Nevertheless, amid the crudity is a lot of charm and humor.

A new season of the series has already been in production overseas, but for now, BBC America rebroadcasts the 12 episodes that have already been made. You can catch the first two tonight at 11 and 11:30 p.m.

I’m not bashful in telling anyone who’ll listen that I don’t do reality TV.

Unlike my daughter, who watches it all, I’m not interested in dancing shows, celebrities gone wild, dating skeins or seeing hoarders turn there houses into firetraps. Admittedly, I still watch “American Idol” — after the early auditions — but, minus Simon, I can’t promise how much longer that will last.

What I can say, however, is that ABC’s “Boston Med” is a show worth watching. Catching the first one on my DVR this morning, I can’t wait for the following seven episodes to unspool.

From Terence Wrong, who also produced the similar Baltimore-based “Hopkins” in 2008, “Boston Med” looks at the inner workings of three Beantown hospitals: Massachusetts General, Brigham and Women’s, and Children’s. We’re introduced to the nurses, doctors and patients who interact there, all of whom can see their lives change in a nanosecond with anything from a gunshot to an errant scalpel.

Too often reality offers us the inane and ridiculous, all for the point of ratings. That’s not to say that ABC isn’t trying to win the 18-49 demo with “Boston Med,” but if it doesn’t win that race — and Thursday’s decently watched premiere indicates it probably won’t — all involved can still hold their heads high with a show that can make a difference in a summer season where the best entertainment usually comes from reading a good book.

ABC execs and "Cougar Town" exec producer Bill Lawrence have speculated for some time that the sitcom's title is keeping some viewers (particularly guys) from tuning in. As the show morphed away from its original focus on the love life Courteney Cox's character and into more of an ensemble, the drumbeat to change the show's title has grown louder.

Such a move is not unheard of, after all. "These Friends of Mine" became "Ellen," and "It's a Living" became "Making a Living" (and then "It's a Living" again). "Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place" became "Two Guys and a Girl." And in one of the more famous cases, "Valerie" became "Valerie's Family" and then "The Hogan Family" after original star Valerie Harper left in a contract dispute.

"Cougar Town" is a catchy name and easily remembered -- so I'm not sure they'd want to give it up so fast. Besides, titles don't always have to be so literal anyway. The Washington Post's Lisa de Moraes jumps into the issue and is conducting a tongue-in-cheek poll for potential replacement names. Here's how things stood yesterday:

This is a bit of a treat for TV geeks... and a bit of a bizarre throwback to the way things used to be for everyone else. In this 1983 video sent to NBC affiliates, then-marketing head Steve Sohmer pitches the Peacock's new fall campaign, "Be There."

Sohmer had just been hired away from CBS by NBC, which was in the ratings dumpster and looking for some marketing heft. This video is classic old school: Sohmer keeps a cigar in his hands at all times. And he can barely contain his excitement for the new "Be There" jingle and campaign. Viewers are gonna be singing along and dancing in front of their TVs, he promises.

Check it out -- they sure don't market the networks like this anymore!

Andy Richter said there was never a doubt in his mind that he'd join Conan O'Brien on the host's new TBS series.

"I'm doing the TBS Conan show because I went back to work for Conan on 'The Tonight Show,'" Richter said. "But that story ended unnaturally."

Richter will now get to see that reunion through, as O'Brien starts prepping his plans for the new show, which bows in November. In the meantime, Richter's plenty busy: He just taped the pilot to a revival of "Pyramid," which is in the running for CBS' vacant daytime slot. And he hosts a TBS "Just for Laughs" special this weekend, featuring the writers from O'Brien's camp.

Richter talks more about how he's put the events of January behind him, and why he might have been better equipped than most of the O'Brien staffers when they suddenly lost "The Tonight Show." Check out his interview here.

In a case of one former Fox executive-turned-producer replacing another former Fox executive-turned-producer, David Nevins (above, right) is expected to take the top entertainment gig at Showtime -- replacing Bob Greenblatt (above, left).

No deal has been announced yet, and Nevins was said to be mulling several options (following his departure as president of Imagine TV, which was revealed today). But a deal is expected shortly, as Greenblatt is indeed stepping down as entertainment prexy after seven successful years.

Speculation about Greenblatt making the decision to move on has been rampant for weeks.

Greenblatt's exit is coming entirely of his decision as his most recent contract is set to expire next month. Exec has had a stellar run of developing signature skeins that have transformed the pay cabler, including "Dexter," 'Weeds," "Nurse Jackie," "The L Word," "Californication" and "The Tudors."

A rep for Showtime declined comment, as did Nevins.

David Nevins is exiting Imagine TV, where he's been based for the past eight years. More here.

"I'm really proud of the work we did here," he told Daily Variety. "We've got great shows on the air, and there's good stuff in the pipeline."

Nevins' Imagine roster is nothing to sneeze at: "Arrested Development," "Friday Night Lights," "Parenthood" and "Lie to Me" are among the highlights. The exec-turned-producer got 12 shows on the air during his tenure.

Deadline first broke the story.

Here's what we wrote on July 1, 2002, when Nevins first joined Imagine.

Wednesday's USA-Algeria World Cup game -- featuring that late winning goal by Landon Donovan -- averaged 8.6 million viewers between ESPN and Univision, making it the second-most watched USA game so far (to be fair, the USA-England match was run on ABC).

According to Nielsen, the average U.S. TV audience for the first three games played by Team USA are up 68% in 2010 vs. the 2006 World Cup.

All three games have averaged 11.1 million viewers via both English-lingo and Spanish language nets. That's up from 6.6 million at this point in 2006.

Because that USA-England match aired on ABC, the USA-Algeria faceoff repped ESPN's highest-rated and most-watched soccer game in its history -- averaging 6.2 million viewers. The game was also ESPN's most-watched weekday morning telecast ever (excluding holidays).

The game was also the highest-rated program of the day on any network among young men demos.

On the digital side, ESPN's ESPN3.com coverage of the U.S. vs. Algeria logged the largest U.S. audience ever for a sports event on the web, the cabler said. The game attracted nearly 1.1 million unique viewers with an average time spent viewing of 43 minutes, ESPN said.

Overall, here's how the games have stacked up so far, according to Nielsen:

“These ratings demonstrate the remarkable increase of interest in U.S. soccer over the last four years,” said Stephen Master, VP of sports at Nielsen. “The numbers are even more impressive when you consider that two of these games were played on weekday mornings, when many viewers are at work. Although more people than ever chose to watch live streaming video of the games from their computers and mobile devices, TV viewing climbed even higher.”

Here's how things shaped up in 2006:

USA plays Ghana this Saturday at 2:30 p.m. on both ABC and Univision.

As a way to say thanks for having to endure countless tales of fashion faux pas and celebrity chatter between Dorothy Lucey and Jillian Reynolds for decades on “Good Day L.A.,” Steve Edwards has been tapped to receive the L.A. Area Governors Award.

Edwards will have his statuette presented to him at the L.A. Area Emmys on July 31 at the TV Academy in North Hollywood.

He’s been host of  KTTV’s Fox “Good Day L.A.” since 1995 but has been a Southern California TV fixture for many years before that. He appeared on “AM Los Angeles” on KABC/Channel 7 from 1984-91.

Edwards has also co-hosted shows such as “Entertainment Tonight” and KCBS’ “Two on the Town.”
Previous local Governors Award winners include other prominent names in local news, including Jess Marlow, Kelly Lange, Jerry Dunphy, Larry McCormick and Dr. George Fischbeck.

TLC has picked up an eight-episode spinoff of its hit reality series "Cake Boss." While that show serves as a docu-style look at the world of New Jersey baker Buddy Valastro and his family, the spinoff is a competition series.

Untitled series will feature Valastro as he puts 10 aspiring cake markets through a series of challenges. The prize includes an apprenticeship at Hoboken, NJ-based Carlo’s Bakery, the setting for "Cake Boss."

Casting for the series has begun; applications can be found here. High Noon Ent. is behind the show, which is set for a December launch.

There are enough cake and dessert-based series to program an entire network these days. Bravo has "Top Chef: Just Desserts" in the works, while besides "Cake Boss," TLC also already has the "Ultimate Cake-Off." Food Network airs "Ace of Cakes," while WE TV's "Amazing Wedding Cakes." Sugar rush!

NBC Local Media's LX.TV, so far known mostly for its localized city guide-style programming, is adding another show to its reality roster.

The production unit is behind "The Match Off," a reality competish that will air on NBC's ten O&O stations (including KNBC Los Angeles and WNBC New York) starting this Saturday, June 26. Show will air at 1 a.m., after "Saturday Night Live."

“‘The Match Off’ is the perfect series for local audiences – nothing is more local than finding a partner," said Morgan Hertzan, Senior Vice President and General Manager, LX.TV.

The six-episode summer series, hosted by Maria Sansone, features matchmakers and clients from New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. Here in L.A., that means Sherry and Eva Singer, Luis Santiago and Kim Lockhart, Julie Ferman and Dianne Bennett. The matchmakers "go head to head to help their singles find love."

Rachel Kamrasch is executive producer.

"The Office's" Ellie Kemper -- better known as receptionist Erin Hannon on the show -- has sealed a deal with Three Rivers Press to co-write a comedic novel with her sister, "The Office" writer Carrie Kemper. (Above, that's Ellie on the left and Carrie on the right.)"Monday Sessions" will center on misplaced diary entries and patient progress notes belonging to single New York therapist Dr. Amy Rice. The entries and notes get more idiosyncratic as Dr. Rice gets inappropriately involved with her clients.

“We are hoping that this is only the first in a series of Kemper-family manuscripts," Ellie Kemper said. "We know that our two brothers are eager to get their own book, Ellie and Carrie: The Worst People In Our Family, off the ground as well.”

Book will be published in spring 2012. Three Rivers Press is an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group at Random House.

"This is the first book we’ve ever written," said Carrie Kemper. "And it’ll be like the tenth book we've ever read. So we’re very excited.”

The Kemper sisters grew up in St. Louis. Ellie Kemper's other gigs include serving as a contributing writer for The Onion, The Huffington Post, and McSweeney's Internet Tendency.

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOALLLLLLLLLLLLLL!

Univision has been cheering its huge numbers thanks to the World Cup. Meanwhile, as Stu Levine notes, they're also celebrating in Bristol, Conn., as ESPN execs expect to see big numbers when the ratings come in on Thursday for Wednesday's USA-Algeria game.

Next up, USA plays Ghana this Saturday. The game, which will be broadcast on ABC and Univision, airs at 2:30 p.m. ET.

UPDATE: Replaced the original YouTube video, which was yanked down by FIFA, with this official video from Univision, above. (Link here.)

Speaking on a panel of industry execs Wednesday afternoon, Conan O'Brien's lawyer, Leigh Brecheen (right), called host's whole turn of events this year "a real learning experience to us."

Brecheen, on stage at the Hollywood Radio and TV Society's "State of the Industry" luncheon, said Team Coco was still haggling with NBC as recently as the launch of O'Brien's concert tour. 

Apparently NBC wasn't keen on allowing O'Brien to advertise his "The Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television" tour.

"It turns out it sold out in one day," said Brecheen, rendering an ad campaign unnecessary.

Brecheen said Team Coco did indeed initially think a deal with Fox was a slam dunk -- but then slowly the reality of Fox's commitments in late night made it impossible.

"We were concerned about the level of fight" needed to made a deal work, she said. The first-run syndication world, meanwhile, was also a possibility -- it's been widely reported that a pitch by CBS TV Distribution was seriously considered by Team Coco.

"First-run syndication would have been an interesting way to go, and perhaps for Conan, more profitable," Brecheen said.

Ultimately, however, Turner was "very aggressive," she said.

"We decided his audience would find him anywhere," she added. 

TBS has made a "tremendous commitment to comedy," Brecheen said. The cabler offered "aggressive financial resources and aggressive commitment to the future."

Fox Entertainment prexy Kevin Reilly then piped in with a reality check: O'Brien's ratings won't likely crack a 1.0 rating at TBS, he said. 

"The decimal will be on the left side of the number, not the right side," Reilly said. "I worked in cable. The decimal will be on the left."

Reilly said that wasn't a knock against O'Brien -- he's a fan, and would have loved to land the comedian at Fox. 

But at Fox, "there would have been an enormous amount of pressure that the decimal was on the right side," Reilly said.

Lifetime is ramping up its pilot orders, picking up three new cop drama projects from scribes Josh Berman ("Drop Dead Diva"), Annie Brunner ("Huff") and Jeffrey Bell ("V").

Pickups rep the first major programming announcement since Nancy Dubuc took over as president and GM of Lifetime Networks. Dubuc announced the orders Wednesday with Lifetime Entertainment exec VP JoAnn Alfano.

“With a strong foundation in scripted programming firmly established by 'Army Wives' and 'Drop Dead Diva,' Lifetime is aggressively expanding its drama series development plate with powerful programs from creative auspices who have strong pedigrees in producing stand-out programming,” Dubuc said. “These pilots developed by JoAnn and her team are the first steps we will take in bringing Lifetime’s scripted strategy to the forefront.”

Hour-long pilots in the works for 2011:

:: "Against the Wall," from Brunner, about a Chicago police woman who joins the Chicago Police Dept.'s Internal Affairs division -- causing a rift with her cop brothers.

:: "Exit 19" comes from Bell and exec producers Nina Wass and Gene Stein. Show, from ABC Studios and CBS TV Studios, centers on a single mother who juggles parenthood with her job as a New York Police Dept. cop.

:: Untitled Berman project, from Sony Pictures TV, centers on a San Diego police detective who's the mother of two and on the verge of divorce.

"Exit 19" has a lengthy development history, having first been set up at ABC for the 2006-2007 TV season. Project eventually moved to CBS, where it was shot as a pilot for fall 2008 with Geena Davis attached as star. When that version didn't pan out either, CBS TV Studios brought it to Lifetime.

“As Lifetime further ramps up its drama development slate, we plan to order additional pilots and series to keep building our growing stable of successful scripted programs next year and beyond," Alfano (left) said.

Other scripted projects in the works at Lifetime include an "Army Wives" spinoff, which, yes, also centers on a female police detective. Looks like Lifetime is pretty determined to get a femme-centric cop drama on the air.

The CBS daytime bake-off just got even more crowded. Popular Australian TV host Rove McManus has shot a pilot alongside Valerie Bertinelli -- hot off the success of TV Land's new "Hot in Cleveland" -- for CBS TV Distribution. 

The pilot joins other shows in contention at the Eye to fill the void left by "As the World Turns," including a foodie gamer hosted by Emeril Lagasse; a mommy-centric gabber fronted by Julie Chen, Sara Gilbert, Sharon Osbourne and others; and a reworking of "Pyramid" hosted by Andy Richter. Read more here.

McManus, by the way, is no relation to CBS News and Sports topper Sean McManus.

In case you didn't have proof before about second acts or the politics of redemption, Eliot Spitzer is your poster boy.

It wasn't too long ago we were all following the breathless coverage of Spitzer's fall from grace -- thanks to his dalliances with Call Girl Ashley Dupree as "Client No. 9." But Spitzer, who has slowly returned to the public eye via TV in the time since he resigned the New York governorship, is now officially back.

As has been rumored for weeks, CNN confirmed Wednesday morning that Spitzer will co-host a new nightly series alongside Conservative columnist Kathleen Parker. The show, which airs at 8 p.m., replaces Campbell Brown's recently canceled show. Parker/Spitzer will officially launch their new show this fall.

Spitzer and Parker "will host a dynamic exchange of opinion and analyses -- their own, and those of their guests and regular contributors -- on the most important, compelling and amusing stories of the day," CNN said.

Said CNN US topper Jon Klein: "Eliot and Kathleen are beholden to no vested interest -- in fact, quite the opposite: they are renowned for taking on the most powerful causes."

Spitzer has become a frequent TV presence and a columnist at Slate; the CNN press release doesn't mention that, um, unfortunate incident from a while back.

CNN still hasn't commented on ongoing rumors that Piers Morgan will also be joining the network.

BTW, before we make too big a deal of Spitzer's fall and rise, remember that TV is filled with second acts. And some of them were convicted and even spent time in the pokey -- think Martha Stewart or G. Gordon Liddy. For all that's been said about Spitzer, he was never charged with any sort of malfeasance.

Gather 'round, kids, and I'll tell you a story about the old days. (Strokes white beard.)

You see, back in the '90s and into the aughts, the network entertainment presidents used to gather every September for a right of passage known as the HRTS Network Entertainment Presidents luncheon.

Inevitably, the same question would be asked every year: Which one of your rivals' series do you covet most?

Those HRTS network president luncheons haven't happened in a few years -- oh, it had to do with ego and which NBC execs should sit on the dais. (Maybe, now that things are a little more clear, the tradition can be revived this fall).

In the meantime, it took the advertising community to finally get the five network entertainment honchos on the same stage. At Tuesday morning's ANA Alliance for Family Entertainment symposium, NBC's Angela Bromstad, ABC's Steve McPherson, The CW's Dawn Ostroff, Fox's Kevin Reilly and CBS' Nina Tassler were all there.

And so was that infamous question. Turns out, the execs all pretty much covet the same shows. Here's what each prexy said they'd steal from a rival:

ANGELA BROMSTAD: "Modern Family"

STEVE McPHERSON: "Glee"

DAWN OSTROFF: "Glee"

KEVIN REILLY: "Modern Family"

NINA TASSLER: "Glee"

Funny enough, Reilly told the crowd that "Glee" was never meant to be considered family-friendly -- particularly because exec producer Ryan Murphy was coming off the rather family unfriendly "Nip/Tuck."

"We didn't say, let's make it family-friendly," Reilly said. "But there was an assumption that it would be 'High School Musical.''

When "Glee" nonetheless started tackling sexy and controversial subjects, a backlash developed -- as critics objected to the adult content.

"I got panicky," Reilly admitted. "But then there was a backlash to the backlash."

"Glee," he noted, was dealing with sensitive issues that might make some viewers uncomfortable, but it also helped bridge the gap between parents and kids, and perhaps triggered family discussions about topics that might not have otherwise been addressed, he said.

All of the execs noted the success of "Modern Family" in helping redefine the family comedy, but noted that the era of broad, sugar-coated family series is long gone. 

"Family takes on a different meaning," Ostroff said.

Unscripted series like "American Idol" and "Undercover Boss" provide much of today's broad, full-family viewing at the networks, the execs noted. 

Asked what it might take to provoke more family-friendly development at the nets, McPherson said money would be a nice start.

"We're all under the same economic pressures," he said.

ANA Alliance has partnered with the Humanitas org to provide seed money to the networks for family-friendly development. And on Tuesday, the ANA Alliance announced that it had secured $10 million in ad dollars from marketers that will be used toward advertising in family shows.

Music cabler Fuse has given the go-ahead for “A Different Spin With Mark Hoppus.”

Weekly hourlong series, hosted by Blink 182 musician-producer Hoppus and set to premiere in September, will offer performances and interviews with a variety of different groups and personalities in various musical genres. “Spin” will also covers news of music industry, including tour info and other happenings.

“The show is a perfect vehicle for Mark’s personality as it will be steeped in music, always entertaining, intimate and funny,” said Sal LoCurto, senior VP of programming and development.

Aside from being punk band Blink 182’s frontman and bassist, Hoppus has branched into the world of producing working with bands such as New Found Glory, Motion City Soundtrack and All Time Low.

The Archive of American Television oral history project is a fantastic initiative sponsored by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation.

With thousands of hours of vid interviews in their collection, the Archive is a treasure for the biz. Just try writing an obit of a major TV figure without tapping into their vid library, much of which is available free online.

Here's a list of the folks that the Archive has identified as its "Class of 2010" inductees who will be interviewed soon.

If they're on long enough, it seems like every talk show will eventually be hit with a power outage at some point in their run. Usually, those talkers take advantage of the situation, having some fun with the brownout -- taping their show via candles, or outdoors.

For ABC's Jimmy Kimmel, whose power went out Monday night an hour before showtime, the talker also found a way to keep things going -- thanks to the host's battery-operated MacBook.

According to a "Jimmy Kimmel Live" spokesperson, the power at Kimmel's Hollywood studio shut down moments before shoot time -- rendering the control room, broadcast transmission center and tape operations area useless.

Because his guests were already there, and the show's studio audience was already seated, Kimmel used his MacBook's camera, via Photo Booth, to record the show.

Said a spokesperson: "The sound is certainly not ideal, but the movement is not too impaired as Jimmy was conscious of not moving the laptop too quickly, although it is a single shot. We moved forward with what we had to work with though, and were fortunate to have accommodating guests who were willing to go with the situation."

Seth Rogen ("The Green Hornet"), John Henson ("Wipeout") and country star Dierks Bentley were the show's guests; Bentley performed via acoustic guitar.

I'm always a little suspect of how much of these kind of stunts are real, and how much of it is, well, a stunt. Especially because it always seems like "some" power is still mysteriously available. In the case of "Kimmel," the lights were still working, even if the cameras weren't.

But "Kimmel's" reps swear up and down this was a real brownout, and a real solution to that situation. (My idea, the next time someone is hit with this situation: Race over to the nearest RiteAid, purchase every FlipCam you can find, and have the audience shoot the show. Then edit together the results.)

The MacBook edition of "Jimmy Kimmel Live" airs tonight at 12:05 a.m.

Here's a clip:

Stu: So how would you evaluate the season?
 
Jon:  It was a big success for me. Not in a lifechanging way, but I was thoroughly entertained. I know there have been some complaints about plot and pacing, but I just found the world and almost all of its characters so enjoyable that I pretty much savored every minute. And there were some real highpoints, such as Melissa Leo's final scenes. As long as Sonny and Annie don't ever end up together, I'm cool. 
 
Stu: With "The Wire" as my favorite show of all time, my expectations were exceedingly high. And Simon and Overmyer mostly met them, but I can fully understand the sometimes lack of specific character arcs that bothered a few viewers. Like New Orleans itself, some characters didn't seem to have much of a focus and were content just living in the day.
 
Davis really bothered me early on, but he sort of grew on me, but on the opposite end, would've like to see more of Antoine try to make something of himself in some manner. Wendell Pierce is such a great actor, almost feels he's a bit wasted.
 
Jon: The way I see it, every character had an arc. Creighton, Davis, Sonny, Annie, Janette, LaDonna, Albert ... they all are in very different places from where they started the show. I'm not seeing a lot of contentment when I think of anyone in that group. Davis, the happiest of the bunch, is still churning a ton inside, and in the end is forced back into a job he doesn't want. Toni had the tangible arc of trying to solve Daymo's disapperance, and by the end the emotional one of learning that the pursuit of Truth feels a lot different when it becomes your own personal tragedy. Even Antoine (Wendell Pierce) went from stiffing cab drivers to trying (not always with success) to become a more responsible person, while also reconnecting with LaDonna. Now, these arcs were played out at a certain pace — not every episode yielded a dramatic moment for every character — but I can't think of another main character that didn't have a real journey. And to me, that's what made the flashback to the arrival of the hurricane have even more of an impact.
 
I liked that Simon didn't need to rely on cliffhangers to make things interesting. Even Creighton's suicide, which would have been a cliffhanger on most TV shows — on "Treme," you pretty much knew you were seeing an end, and that the next episode would bring the mourning.
 
Davis grew on me too. He'd be too much for me to handle in real life, but I do feel he matured some, and there's something sweet about him and Annie, even if they're not meant to be a couple in the long run, either.  I'm betting Antoine gets some meatier stuff in season two.  
 
Stu: This is only a minor complaint, but a handful of characters don't seem to have much ambition, and that bothers me a bit. Annie is someone I want to really like -- she seems smart, cute and talented -- but it seems she can't envision much of a life for herself off the streets, and her confidence seems to wane. And when she gives Sonny the time of day after he's caught sleeping with someone else, I want her to run, not walk, away from the situation. Makes sense that she ends up on Davis's doorstep.
 
Also, I think LaDonna will come back in a big way next season, hopefully putting the grief behind her. Seems like there's lots of problems in her personal life that hasn't been explored yet. If she's willing to sleep with Antoine on Mardi Gras day, while her husband seems to be supportive of all she's doing, her problems probably run deep.
 
I guess Creighton's suicide is explanation why John Goodman was never listed as a series regular. While most or all suicides are a huge overreaction to a situation, his depression was so deep he couldn't bear to be around daughter Sophie and wife Toni, despite their immense affection for him. The overflowing Mississippi literally swallowed him up when the levees broke.
 
Jon: I think Annie's young - I think she has ambition and a vision, but it's her lack of self-confidence that sometimes hinders her. She's already learned, after some fits and starts, to get away from the bad guy, and hopefully for her sake she'll become more assertive. I agree with you about LaDonna - now that she's resolved the Daymo situation, her life has lots of interesting potential. Sonny is certainly unlikable at this point, but I have to disagree a bit with our colleague Brian Lowry at BLTV: I'm really eager for season two. And just think if the show stays on long enough for Simon to take on British Petroleum ...

Betty White is proven to bring in viewers when she's on TV, and she proven to bring in the bucks when she's the honoree at a charity event.

The Greater Los Angeles Zoo Assn. raked in $1,191,461 with its 40th annual Beastly Ball, which honored the longtime L.A. Zoo trustee. The shindig drew more than 1,000 guests -- including Variety's Robert Hofler -- to the L.A. Zoo on a balmy night for food and fun under the stars.

ABC may reinstate its current programming department after all.

Alphabet net said as recently as last week that it wouldn't bring back a dedicated department for current programming fare. But with a slew of new series on the fall docket -- not to mention aging staples that might need a little more attention -- the network is said to be reconsidering.

ABC Entertainment Group prexy Steve McPherson broached the subject with staffers today, insiders said.

ABC hasn't fielded a dedicated current department since last year, when network and studio programming operations were merged under McPherson. As part of the restructure, jobs devoted to current programming were axed altogether --- including current department topper Kim Rozenfeld, who moved into a production deal at Disney.

Since then, development execs have also spent time working on current series -- frequently sticking with shows after they made it on the air. That scenario has merit: Instead of shoving a series off to a new set of execs once it hits the air, there's a benefit to keeping development execs involved in the current programming operations of shows they had earlier shepherded through.

At ABC, no decision has been made yet -- and no exec has been identified as a potential department head.

But if it did happen, the return to a current department would come following a similar decision by NBC. Peacock reinstated its current programming department earlier this month under Vernon Sanders, who was tapped to head the unit as exec VP.

CBS and Fox have maintained current programming departments.

Often considered the unsung heroes of network programming, current program execs are usually the first to go when belts are tightened, but eventually webheads opt to bring back the execs that oversee the ongoing health and production of series already on the air.