Category Archives: Television

Muhammad Ali’s Daughter Maryum ‘May May’ Ali and More Today on Blogtalkradio

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maryum-aliMaryum “May May” Ali: The daughter of boxing legend Muhammad Ali—one of millions of Americans who suffer from Parkinson’s—fills Callywood host Cosandra Calloway in on her Nov. 28 standup showcase at The Comedy Store in Los Angeles, which seeks to raise awareness and research funding for the disease.

dorian-gregoryDorian Gregory: The actor who starred on The WB’s Charmed—and who was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 9—chats with host Joy Keys about his work as national spokesman for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Dorian also discusses his involvement with the L.A.P.D.’s Jeopardy Program for youth at risk.

carol-lieberman1Dr. Carole Lieberman: America’s “Media Psychiatrist”—so called for frequent appearances on shows like Oprah and Entertainment Tonight—stops by Ask the Cyber-Dating Expert to talk with host Julie Spira about her new book, Bad Girls: Why Men Love Them & How Good Girls Can Learn Their Secrets.

Justin Bieber: His ‘Evil Eyes’ Pleased ‘CSI’ Creator Anthony Zuiker

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What does the biggest pop star on the planet do while waiting around the set to film his first foray into prime-time TV?

Interviewed on Tomorrow Will Be Televised, CSI creator and executive producer Anthony Zuiker chats about working with Justin Bieber, who plays Jason McCann—a “troubled teen who is faced with a difficult decision regarding his only brother”—on Season 11 of the hit CBS series, which got under way Sept. 23.

Justin: A touch of De Niro?

Justin: A touch of De Niro?

“It was interesting. He definitely is a young boy,” Anthony tells host Simon Applebaum of the Baby singer.

“He likes to eat a lot of cake. And he likes to skateboard around the set. Does a lot of talking, which is interesting.

“He wasn’t prepared for us to change lines on the fly. So that was kind of a surprise to him. But our actors are professionals. They sat him down, worked the lines,” continues Anthony.

“They thought he did an admirable job acting inside the episode. He looked really Continue reading →

Stephen J. Cannell: 1941-2010. I don’t want my kids to become Hollywood brats, the TV titan told us

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Yet another major Hollywood talent has left us, this one a rare commodity in that town: A down-to-earth family man who, despite his nine-figure fortune, raised his children to be humble, hard-working people.

Prolific TV writer-producer Stephen J. Cannell passed away at his home in Pasadena, Calif., Thursday from complications associated with melanoma. He was 69 years old.

CAPTION: "They're just cogs in the wheel and working very hard and it's working for them," Stephen (above) told us of his beloved children.

"They're just cogs in the wheel and working very hard and it's working for them," Stephen (above) told us of his three beloved children.

During a career that spanned four decades, Stephen created, produced, wrote and often acted in a slew of popular TV series, including Adam-12, Baretta, The Rockford Files, The A-Team, Wiseguy and 21 Jump Street.

His writing credits exceed 450 TV episodes, while his producing and executive producing credits exceed 1,500.

In 1995, Stephen founded his own studio, and five years later began writing novels. Among his most popular books were those featuring the character of Shane Scully, an LAPD detective.

Most recently, Stephen played himself on the hit ABC series Castle. It was on the occasion of one of those cameos that he chatted with our TV Talk host, Shaun Daily.

During the confab, Shaun Continue reading →

Jerry Seinfeld’s Lost Interview: ‘I have no desire to be part of most of the crap you see on TV’

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Long before Jerry Seinfeld signed a deal with NBC to develop his show about nothing, he had nothing but the highest of standards in mind for such a sitcom.

In a 1987 interview with Milling About host Robin Milling—which has never before aired anywhere—the then-33-year-old funnyman chatted about his influences, his development as a performer, the role of confidence in his craft, and the possibility of headlining on the small screen.

CAPTION: "It's not what I did as a kid, but what I fail to do as an adult that makes be a comedian—which is grow up," Jerry (above) said.

"It's not what I did as a kid, but what I fail to do as an adult that makes me a comedian—which is grow up," Jerry (above) said.

When asked, “Do you have any interest in having your own show?” Jerry said:

“No. Not unless it was by some very high-quality people. A Cheers type of situation or something like that.

“But I have no desire to be part of most of the crap you see on TV, just so I could say, ‘Hey, I got a TV show!’ That’s no big deal.

As to which crap in particular, Jerry added, “The Facts of Life. Things like that.”

And speaking of future aspirations, the standup said: “I don’t really have any. I just want to get good at this.

“To me, I feel like I’m a musician and this is my instrument and I want Continue reading →

Betty White’s ‘Hot in Cleveland’ Boss Suzanne Martin: We call her ‘the hammer’

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CAPTION: Betty: Post Platinum Girl's still got it!

Betty: Platinum Girl's still got it!

You’d think that at age 88, Betty White would be slowing down a smidge in the delivery department.

But au contraire, says Suzanne Martin, creator of the hit TV Land series Hot in Cleveland, which marks Betty’s fourth foray into the sitcom arena, after The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Golden Girls and The Golden Palace.

“We call her ‘the hammer’ on the show because she nails every joke,” Suzanne tells Tomorrow Will Be Televised host Simon Applebaum of Betty, who plays Elka Ostrovsky, opposite fellow sitcom aces Jane Leeves, Valerie Bertinelli and Wendy Malick.

Just being around her is Continue reading →

‘Outsourced’ Star Parvesh Cheena: I Cold-Called People in Real Life—and Lied to Them!

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In a comical case of art imitating reality, Parvesh Cheena, who stars in the new NBC sitcom Outsourced—which some critics have frowned upon for perpetuating South Asian stereotypes and being insensitive to the plight of unemployed Americans—survived a telemarketing job by fibbing his way through it.

Interviewed on Film Festival Radio, the funnyman recalls the pre-fame gig.

CAPTION: "After working in an actual call center myself, I usually try to be very patient with workers at call centers-and be as polite as possible," Parvesh (above) tells us.

"After working in an actual call center myself, I usually try to be very patient with workers at call centers—and be as polite as possible," Parvesh (above) tells us.

“Earlier in my career, I worked as a ticket agent who was selling in Chicago,” he tells host Janice Malone.

“Part of our job was working the phones, selling theatre tickets, selling tickets for Shakespeare theatre shows, selling subscriptions and making cold calls.

“There were many times when I called people during their dinner hour! And, of course, I would often bend the truth about what we were selling—as anyone who’s worked the phones has done.

“I would say things like, ‘Oh, yes, I’ve seen this show eight times—and it’s great!’ In actuality I would’ve seen it maybe only once.”

Parvesh, who grew up in suburban Chicago, also addresses allegations of Continue reading →

Marlo Thomas: Phil Donahue ‘Is My Father’ (And on Demi More Divorce Rumors: ‘It’ll Pass’)

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Is there a psychiatrist in the house? If so, please weigh in on this doozy from Marlo Thomas, about her hubby of 30 years, Phil Donahue:

“I didn’t realize until after I married him that he is my father,” the still-sexy-at-72 TV icon tells Milling About host Robin Milling.

CAPTION: "Nobody believes that anybody is happy," Marlo (above) tells us of her would-be marriage-busters. "There's some kind of delight in thinking nobody's happy."

"Nobody believes that anybody is happy," Marlo (above) tells us of her—and Demi's—would-be marriage-busters. "There's some kind of delight in thinking nobody's happy."

“He’s like my father in the fact that he’s very charismatic, he’s a great storyteller, he’s very empathetic to people—he really cares people and he has a basic decency,” she adds of Phil’s connection to her even-more-celebrated dad, funnyman Danny Thomas.

“That’s pretty much all you need to be like your dad. Is he a comedian? No. But he is a charismatic man and he’s a magnet to people.

“People really love him and he’s a good guy and my dad was a really good guy,” says Marlo, whose new memoir, Growing Up Laughing: My Story and the Story of Funny, hits the shelves Sept. 28.

OK. Now that that’s cleared up… Marlo goes on to recall how Danny Continue reading →

Jackée Ex, Elgin Charles, on New VH1 Series: ‘We’re in Production Now. Money Has Been Transferred’

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Jackée Harry‘s hair-stylist ex-hubby is taping more than weaves these days.

Interviewed on Musings of a Muse, Beverly Hills salon owner Elgin Charles—whose celeb clients include Star Jones, Diahann Carroll and Hattie Winston—reveals that  he’s got a new VH1 series in the works, how it came to be and what it’ll be called.

CAPTION: "I am just so rejoiced," Elgin (above) tells us of landing his very own show.

"I am just so rejoiced," Elgin (above) tells us of landing his very own show.

“They approached me,” Elgin, who appeared on Style Network’s Split Ends last year, tells host Suncera Johnson. “I was doing Star’s [hair] at The Insider and I had to leave to go pitch at VH1. So I took two of my other stylists that were on Split Ends with me and we went and pitched.

“I went there with everything that I had. I even had a makeup artist beat my face full of makeup.

“I sat down with four of their execs, and we started talking about the salon—it was supposed to be a 25-minute meeting and it turned into Continue reading →