Morning Briefing:
Adios, "OC": The ironic teen soap "The OC" has only been around since 2003, but it looks like the show has already gone through the boom/bust cycle of popular culture. "'The OC' season-four finale will also be the series finale," creator and executive producer Josh Schwartz announced on Wednesday. "This feels like the best time to bring the show to its close." The final show will air Feb. 22. A "Save the OC" Web site has already been launched, and is pushing the theory that the show is slated to move to the CW once it finishes at Fox. We shall see. (E Online, SavetheOC)
Trump vs. "The View," continued: The ugly Donald Trump vs. Rosie O'Donnell debacle didn't end with 2006. Barbara Walters, who was on vacation during the last weeks of the year, had a few things to clear up, starting with O'Donnell's claim that Trump had filed for bankruptcy. "Just to clarify things, and I quote: Donald Trump has never filed for personal bankruptcy. Several of his casino companies have filed for business bankruptcies. They are out of bankruptcy now. That's the end of the quote." Walters went on: "But while I am clearing things up, Donald Trump also said that I am not happy with my decision to bring Rosie O'Donnell to this table. Nothing could be further from the truth. I have never regretted, nor do I now, the hiring of Rosie O'Donnell." Trump, though, is sticking to his story, and Wednesday phoned in to CNN Headline News' "Showbiz Tonight" to basically call Walters a liar. "Is she going to get on and say that 'I can't stand Rosie'? She has to work with her," said Trump. "Barbara knows what she said to me, and if I really tell you what she said, it just creates havoc." (People, TMZ)
PGA noms: In yet another step in the march toward the Oscars, the Producers Guild of America -- which has correctly picked the Oscar best-picture winner 11 times in the past 17 years -- has announced its nominees for the best movie of last year: "Babel," "The Departed," "Dreamgirls," "Little Miss Sunshine" and "The Queen." Surprisingly not on the list are two pictures many see as strong Oscar contenders: "Letters From Iwo Jima" and "United 93." (Variety's Award Central)
Also:
Rumor has it that alleged couple Kate Hudson and Owen Wilson have called it quits. (Splash News) ... Rapper Busta Rhymes has been arrested again -- since last January, he has been picked up for assault, attempted assault, harassment and possession of a deadly weapon. This time, he's accused of beating up one of his drivers after the man asked for Rhymes' signature for his time card. (New York Daily News) ... The only existing tape of Steve Irwin's deadly meeting with the business end of a stingray has been handed over to his wife, Terri, and officials say all other copies have been destroyed to ensure it will never appear online. (BBC News) ... R&B singer Omarion -- formerly of hip-hop/R&B boy band B2K -- has seen his second solo effort go straight to the top of the Billboard charts, selling 119,000 copies in its first week out. (Billboard) ... Joining actual junk food like potato chips, cheeseburgers and cola drinks, good ol' cheese has been added to the list of foods banned by the British Food Standards Agency from advertising during children's programming in the U.K. (Daily Mail)
Money Quote:
A few selections from Courtney Love's long list of New Year's resolutions posted on her Web site: "Sell the pony get a new horse ... chant for Hillary to win ... learn about money ... don't go to nightclubs with 19 year olds ... no more surgery for any reason other than medical until I really need it in my 60s." (Moonwashed Rose via Rush & Molloy)
Turn On:
Thursday night brings new episodes of "Ugly Betty" (ABC, 8 p.m. EST) and "The Office" (NBC, 8:30 p.m. EST), as well as the series premieres of "Afro Samurai" (Spike, 11 p.m. EST) -- an animated miniseries starring a samurai voiced by Samuel L. Jackson -- and "Final 24" (Biography, 10 p.m. EST), a morbid show about the last day in the life of dead celebrities.
On the Talk Shows:
David Letterman (CBS, 11:30 p.m. EST): Cedric the Entertainer, Switchfoot
Jay Leno (NBC, 11:35 p.m. EST): Hilary Swank, Tom Papa, Akon
Conan O'Brien (NBC, 12:35 a.m. EST): Jarod Miller, Louis C.K.
Craig Ferguson (CBS, 12:35 a.m. EST): Carl Reiner, Tracee Ellis Ross, Max Brooks
Jimmy Kimmel (ABC, 12:05 a.m. EST): Maggie Gyllenhaal, Tom O'Dell, Lindsey Buckingham
Jon Stewart (Comedy Central, 11 p.m. EST): Rajiv Chandrasekaran (repeat)
Stephen Colbert (Comedy Central, 11:30 p.m. EST): Daniel Pinchbeck (repeat)
Get more of the Fix here.
To send a hot tip to the Fix, click here.
Shares