The Morning Fix: Filling Sawyer's heels. Disney's DVD fix. Did WGA fight dirty? Artie Lange back ... at least for now.
Big heels to fill. ABC News is starting to narrow the search for Diane Sawyer's replacement on "Good Morning America." The newscast will again go coed, with the network eyeing several male candidates to share the set with Robin Roberts. The leading contender appears to be George Stephanopoulos. Analysis from the Los Angeles Times and Broadcasting & Cable.
Disney's DVD solution. Walt Disney Co. is working on a one-size-fits-all technology to allow consumers to buy content across multiple platforms. Code-named "Keychest," the technology is, among other things, seen as a way to combat the eroding DVD market. How it works is very complicated, so you'll just have to read the article in today's Wall Street Journal, then explain it to me.
Fighting dirty? TV writer Jonathan Prince is taking on the Writers Guild over how it investigated member misconduct during the 2007-08 strike. Prince was accused of being a scab but ultimately was found to have done nothing in violation of guild rules. WGA, meanwhile, used a secret informant and broke into his e-mail account to try to dig up dirt on Prince, the writer and his lawyer say. Details from Richard Verrier in the Los Angeles Times.
Oprah to make nice with Palin. Daytime talk show queen Oprah Winfrey will have former vice presidential candidate and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin on to plug her new book next month. The Washington Post's TV columnist Lisa de Moraes notes that last year Winfrey's ratings took a tumble perhaps tied to her political activism and endorsement of Barack Obama. Maybe that is also why Winfrey has been less spiritual/aspirational and more, uh, well, we won't say sleazy, so let's go with down to earth in her subject matter on this year's shows.
Early report card. USA Today takes a look at the new TV season so far and notes that although there are few breakout hits, there are also not so many total disasters. That said, the paper warns viewers not to get too attached to ABC's "Eastwick" and "Hank," CBS' "Three Rivers" and NBC's "Trauma." So far that doesn't appear to have been a problem.
Was that in his flash forward? Marc Guggenheim is leaving as co-show runner and executive producer of ABC's new drama "FlashForward," which is about the aftermath of everyone in the world (well, almost everyone) suffering a two-minute blackout at the same time and getting a glimpse of his or her future. David Goyer will now become sole show runner, says the Hollywood Reporter.
Ferriter's war. Agent John Ferriter, who specializes in realty TV, apparently doesn't like the new reality of working at the combined William Morris Endeavor agency. Deadline reports on Ferriter's battles with his new bosses at WME.
Artie's back. Howard Stern fans breathed a sigh of relief Tuesday when sidekick Artie Lange reappeared after his latest misadventure. Lange, who has struggled with drug and alcohol addiction, said he nearly relapsed. Details from the blog that chronicles all things Howard: MarksFriggin.com.
Inside today's Los Angeles Times: Universal Orlando and Steven Spielberg restructure the director's lucrative deal with the theme park. Patrick Goldstein on the challenges facing this year's Oscar producers.
-- Joe Flint
You're off the mark with the generalization that all Stern fans "breathed a sigh of relief" at the news that Artie Lange was back in the studio. Those of us who didn't quickly sicken of his noise after he went full time just 8 years ago have since tired of hearing his same old stories, same old "jokes" (including homophobic, racist and/or misogynistic remarks that he passes off as "jokes"), and the same old lies and excuses that he justifies as the survivor tactics of a drug addict. Artie's over The Show. He's just around to promote a CD and the next book and any other money he can squeeze out of fans just in case Howard re-signs when his contract with Sirius expires at the end of 2010.
Posted by: A. Freund | October 21, 2009 at 01:40 PM
Not ALL Stern fans "breathed a sigh of relief" Tuesday morning. Many of us were grateful for the respite that Artie's "illness" gave us from his racist, homophobic and/or misogynistic contributions (Artie calls them "jokes"). Yesterday morning, we woke up to the butt-lathering "I LOVE you guys" "I LOVE this job" Artie -- who, not so coincidentally, yesterday started promoting a CD of his original (as in old) material. Artie admits to being a compulsive liar -- but he says it's ok for a heroin addict to lie in order to save his job (or delay his mom's broken heart). This time, he claims he suffered a "mini nervous breakdown" but after seeing a shrink on Monday and getting pumped up on anti-depressants, he's fit for work. On only one point has Artie been honest with Stern's fans. Artie's into his Sirius/Stern job in order to plug and sell as much merchandise and as many "stand up" tickets as he can before Howard's contract expires in December 2010. Artie should turn himself over to Dr. Drew or another competent drug/substance/addiction professional, take a leave of absence from the Stern Show, and attend to his mental and physical health. The laughter that Artie evokes now is from people laughing AT him -- and, under the circumstances, there's nothing funny in what he probably sees as the [hackneyed] dramedy of his on-air "life."
Posted by: Ann Freund | October 21, 2009 at 03:38 PM