Program Planner: Aug. 3-9
Sunday’s Oklahoman, which includes TV Week, hits the newsstands in the Oklahoma City area on Saturday afternoon. And it arrives at the doorstep (or hopefully nearby) early Sunday morning.
But for those who can’t wait to begin planning the upcoming week around the best TV has to offer, here is a sneak peek at programs worth watching the week of Aug. 3:
SUNDAY AUGUST 3, 2008
◊“Cold Case” (9 p.m. on CBS): Country music singer Tim McGraw’s songs are prominently featured in the episode “The Red and the Blue,” which originally aired in December 2006.
◊“Factory” (9 p.m. on SPIKE): This painfully funny look at life as a factory employee ends its first season.
◊“The Fastest Man on No Legs” (9 p.m. on BBC America): This new documentary chronicles the story of Olympic hopeful Oscar Pistorius, a double amputee from South Africa.
◊“The Forgetting: A Portrait of Alzheimer’s” (12:20 a.m. on OETA-13): This 2004 documentary examines the disease that robs people of their memories. Actor David Hyde Pierce (”Frasier”) moderates a new half-hour panel discussion after the film.
◊“HGTV Design Star” (8 p.m. on HGTV): Viewer votes decide the third-season winner, who will get his or her own HGTV show.
◊NFL Preseason Football (7 p.m. on NBC): The Hall of Fame Game features the Washington Redkins taking on the Indianapolis Colts.
◊“Pam: Girl on the Loose” (9 p.m. on E!): Actress Pam Anderson (”V.I.P.”) gives viewers an inside look at her life in this new observational series.
◊“Studio DC: Almost Live” (7 p.m. on Disney): Disney Channel stars, including Miley Cyrus, the Jonas Brothers and Ashley Tisdale, share the stage with the Muppets in this sketch comedy special.
◊“Summer Showdown” (9 p.m. on HGTV): This four-episode series pits HGTV designers and carpenters against each other in a design duel, with a panel of celebrity judges picking the winner. The premiere episode features “Design Star judges Vern Yip and Cynthia Rowley going head-to-head. Judges include Keenen Ivory Wayans (”In Living Color”), Kim Fields (”The Facts of Life”) and Emily Procter (”CSI: Miami”).
◊TCM’s Summer Under the Stars — Gregory Peck: Among his 12 films airing in the festival today are 1947’s “The Paradine Case” (7 a.m.), 1946’s “The Yearling” (4:45 p.m.) and 1954’s “Man With a Million” (9:15 p.m.).
◊“Sunset Tan” (9:30 p.m. on E!): Back for a second season is the reality series that follows the staff at an upscale Los Angeles tanning salon. Erin, one of the staff members is from Oklahoma.
MONDAY AUGUST 4, 2008
◊“American Gladiators” (7 p.m. on NBC): The champions are crowned on the two-hour season finale.
◊“Baghdad High” (8 p.m. on HBO): This new documentary follows four Iraqi teenagers through their senior year of high school as they juggle their studies, friendships and family lives.
◊“The Biggest Chinese Restaurant in the World” (8 p.m. on Sundance): This four-part documentary series profiles The West Lake, a massive five-star restaurant located in the capital of the Hunan provice in China.
◊“I Want to Work for Diddy” (8 p.m. on VH1): This new series follows 13 applicants as they compete to land a job as Diddy’s personal assistant.
◊“Luke’s Parental Advisory” (9:30 p.m. on VH1): This new series provides an inside look at the life of hip-hop’s original bad boy and former member of 2 Live Crew, Luther “Luke” Campbell.
◊“Nashville Star” (9 p.m. on NBC): Find out who wins the Warner Bros. Nashville recording contract and a trip to China to perform at the Beijing Olympics in the show’s sixth-season finale.
◊“New York Goes to Hollywood” (9 p.m. on VH1): Tiffany “New York” Pollard looked for love for two seasons on “I Love New York.” This new series follows her as she tried to make it big in Hollywood.
◊“Reel Comedy: Pineapple Express” (11 p.m. on Comedy Central): Comedian Paul F. Tompkins vists the set of ◊“Pineapple Express” to talk to the film’s stars, Seth Rogen and James Franco, about reinventing the buddy comedy genre. The movie opens Friday in theaters.
◊“Saving Grace” (9 p.m. on TNT): A teenage girl and her stoner boyfriend become suspects in the disappearance of the girl’s mother in the new episode “It’s a Fierce, White-Hot, Mighty Love.”
◊TCM’s Summer Under the Stars — Marie Dressler: Among her 15 films airing in the festival today are 1929’s “The Divine Lady” (8:30 a.m.), 1931’s “Reducing” (2:45 p.m.) and 1930’s “Min and Bill” (9 p.m.).
◊“Teen Choice 2008″ (7 p.m. on Fox): Miley Cyrus (”Hannah Montana”) hosts the 10th annual event that honors teenagers’ favorite movies, TV shows, music, performers and athletes. She’s also nominated for four of them for her singing and her TV show. Nominees with Oklahoma ties are “American Idol” winners Carrie Underwood (for choice red carpet fashion icon female) and David Cook (for choice TV male reality/variety star).
TUESDAY AUGUST 5, 2008
◊“Celebrity Family Feud” (7 p.m. on NBC): Competing for $50,000 for their charity are the casts from “My Name Is Earl” and “The Office.”
◊“Guiding Light” (2 p.m. on CBS): Emmy Award-winning talk show host Montel Williams guest stars as Clayton Boudreau, a dean at the fictional Springfield University.
◊“How To Look Good Naked” (9 p.m. on Lifetime): The reality series returns for a second season, with host Carson Kressley (”Queer Eye for the Straight Guy”) advising women on how to bring out their beauty without plastic surgery or extreme dieting.
◊“Million Dollar Listing” (10 p.m. on Bravo): Big money and high drama return for a second season in this docuseries. It follows Hollywood’s top real estate agents who, despite the softened market, will stop at nothing to close seven-figure deals.
◊“Smash Lab” (9 p.m. on Discovery): Ben Bailey (”Cash Cab”) will narrate the second season of :Smash Lab,” which combines science and technology to develop new and improved solutions for real-world problems.
◊TCM’s Summer Under the Stars — Claude Rains: Among his 12 films airing in the festival today are 1938’s “Four Daughters” (8:45 a.m.), 1942’s “Kings Row” (3 p.m.) and 1944’s “Mr. Skeffington” (9 p.m.).
WEDNESDAY AUGUST 6, 2008
◊“The Baby Borrowers: Town Hall Special” (8 p.m. on NBC): This special reunites the cast and producers for a town hall discussion. Viewers can send in questions via nbc.com.
◊“The Ellen DeGeneres Show” (9 a.m. on KOCO-5): In this rebroadcast from January, Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett talks to Ellen about his initiatives to help Oklahoma City residents lose weight. Also appearing on the show are Neill and Amanda Harmer from Bethany, who were contestants on the fifth season of “The Biggest Loser.”
◊“Hard Knocks ’08: Training Camp With the Dallas Cowboys” (9 p.m. on HBO): The Dallas Cowboys team up with HBO Sports and NFL Films for an all-access look at what it takes to make it in the National Football League. This marks the fourth season of the sports-based reality series and the second time that the cameras have focused on the Cowboys’ training camp.
◊“Man vs. Wild” (9 p.m. on Discovery): In the third-season premiere, Bear Grylls tries to survive the challenges of the desert in Baja, Mexico.
◊“Mythbusters” (8 p.m. on Discovery): In the summer premiere, the team investigates the tall tale of the moon landing hoax.
◊“Primetime: Inside Out” (9 p.m. on ABC): ABC News correspondent Bob Woodruff, who speaks Mandarin Chinese, reports on the global transformation that is taking place in the country that is home to more than 1.3 billion people. In just 30 years, more than 600 million people have been lifted out of poverty in China.
◊“Real Vice Cops Uncut” (9 p.m. on SPIKE): This new series chronicles the exploits of real vice squads all across the United States.
◊“Saving General Motors” (8 p.m. on CNBC): This special goes inside America’s largest car company to show how it is fighting for survival against low-cost and high-quality foreign competition.
◊TCM’s Summer Under the Stars — Anne Bancroft: Among her 13 films airing in the festival today are 1955’s “The Last Frontier” (5 a.m.), 1972’s “Young Winston” (1 p.m.) and 1985’s “Agnes of God” (1 a.m.).
◊“Tyler Perry’s House of Payne” (9 p.m. on TBS): In this 2-part summer finale, which marks the show’s 100th episode, Calvin and Miranda are about to get married.
THURSDAY AUGUST 7, 2008
◊“Dragons’ Den” (8 p.m. on BBC America): Five multi-millionaires are ready to back the best new ideas and innovations in this reality series. Items being pitched this episode include a new plant watering system and innovative jewelry designs.
◊“Larry Flynt: The Right to Be Left Alone” (8 p.m. on IFC): This new documentary offers an intimate glimpse into the personal life of Larry Flynt, the controversial publisher of Hustler magazine.
◊“Last Comic Standing” (7 p.m. on NBC): Jon Lovitz (”Saturday Night Live”) and Jon Reep (last season’s winner) will perform stand-up comedy routines on the show’s sixth-season finale. Also, the “Last Comic Standing” will be revealed and win an exclusive talent deal with NBC, a new Honda Pilot and a starring appearance in Jubilee! at Bally’s Las Vegas.
◊“Live From Abbey Road” (9 p.m. on Sundance): The music series taped at London’s Abbey Road Studios features performances by Alanis Morisette and Elbow.
◊“My Boys” (9 p.m. on TBS): Marilu Henner (“Taxi”) and Mimi Rogers (”Penny Dreadful”) guest star in the show’s summer finale, in which Bobby’s wedding hits a snag.
◊TCM’s Summer Under the Stars — Greta Garbo: Among her 14 films airing in the festival today are 1926’s “The Temptress” (5 a.m.), 1933’s “Queen Christina” (2 p.m.) and 1932’s “Grand Hotel” (11 p.m.).
FRIDAY AUGUST 8, 2008
◊Olympic Summer Games 2008 (7 p.m. on NBC): The XXIX Olympiad begins with the opening ceremonies live from Beijing.
◊“Puppy Games” (5 p.m. on Animal Planet): This three-hour program will feature dozens of adorable pups taking part in a series of competitive games and events, including swimming, gymnastics and soccer.
◊TCM’s Summer Under the Stars — James Garner: Among his 12 films airing in the festival today are 1959’s “Alias Jesse James” (5 a.m.), 1967’s “Hour of the Gun” (5:15 p.m.) and 1964’s “The Americanization of Emily” (2 a.m.).
◊“Today” (7 a.m. on NBC): Singer Celine Dion performs live from Rockefeller Plaza in New York City.
SATURDAY AUGUST 9, 2008
◊“Primeval” (8 p.m. on BBC America): Making its U.S. premiere is this British science-fiction thriller. It stars Douglas Henshall (”It’s All About Love”) as a zoologist who discovers prehistoric creatures in the present day.
◊TCM’s Summer Under the Stars — Fred MacMurray: Among his 14 films airing in the festival today are 1935’s “Grand Old Girl” (5 a.m.), 1958’s “Good Day for a Hanging” (4 p.m.) and 1941’s “Dive Bomber” (12:45 a.m.).
◊“True Confessions of a Hollywood Starlet” (8 p.m. on Lifetime): This original Lifetime movie stars recording artist JoJo as a troubled teenage actress. After a stint in rehab, she is sent to live incognito with her aunt (played by Valerie Bertinelli) in Indiana.
–Penny TV
Chance to get “Hallmark Channel Across America” to Oklahoma
Hallmark Channel is looking for quirky celebrations to feature in its new online series “Hallmark Channel Across America.”
Oklahoma surely has several. One that comes to mind is the annual Cow Chip Throwing Contest in Beaver.
But viewers have to let the network know about the events before any will be considered for the series of short films airing exclusively on HallmarkChannel.com.
So go online to www.hallmarkchannel.com/publish/consumer/home/shows/hallmark_channel_across.html/ to submit an event.
That’s also a direct link to the series, and the premiere episode currently airing showcases an annual murder-mystery event in Langley, Wash. Other upcoming short films will feature the Rubber Ducky Regatta in Cincinnati, mass pillow fights through the streets of New York City and the Rotten Sneaker Contest in Montpellier, VT.
–Penny TV
Talking with teen singer/actress JoJo
Crazy as it sounds, here is what prompted me to request an interview with multi-platinum selling recording artist and actress Joanna “JoJo” Levesque, who stars in the Lifetime original movie “True Confessions of a Hollywood Starlet,” premiering at 8 p.m. Aug. 9.
JoJo performed at the 2004 Rock & Roll Gymnastics Championships Tour that stopped in Oklahoma City. Also performing at the event was Olympic gymnastics gold medalist Shannon Miller from Edmond.
JoJo plays a character named Claudia Miller in “Hollywood Starlet.” And that happens to be the name of Shannon’s mom.
“That’s funny,” JoJo said during the recent phone interview. “That was just how the script was written.”
Another topic of discussion was whether JoJo, 17, wanted to concentrate more on acting or singing these days.
“For me, it’s important to separate the two, but I also have school on top of that,” she said. “So for me to do three things at once, like try to film a movie, record and promote an album and keep up good grades in school, it’s really exhausting.
“So when I do an acting project, I like to dedicate myself to that. And when I do music, I like to dedicate myself to that. If I had to choose, I absolutely love acting, but music is something I can’t live without. Whether its professionally or just the shear enjoyment of it, I love the way I feel writing, recording and performing music.”
For more on the interview with JoJo (pictured in Lifetime Photo above), read the story inside the Aug. 3 edition of The Oklahoman’s TV Week.
–Penny TV
Super Soap Weekend set for November
The 13th annual “ABC-SOAPnet Super Soap Weekend” will be held November 15-16 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
Throughout the weekend, fans will have the opportunity to meet stars from “All My Children,” “One Life to Live” and “General Hospital.” Festivities include celebrity motorcades, autograph sessions, game shows, interviews and the chance to purchase one-of-a-kind memorabilia from each of the shows. The Colgate Total Street Jam will close the event each day with live musical performances by some favorite Daytime stars.
Sponsor Colgate Total will also hold a national sweepstakes that will award four trips for four to the event, as well as many other prizes. The sweepstakes will run through Sept. 7, and details are available at www.soapnet.com/.
The “ABC-SOAPnet Super Soap Weekend” is included with theme park admission to Disney’s Hollywood Studios. For future updates and more information about Super Soap Weekend, call the Super Soap Hotline recording at (407) 397-6808 or go online to www.ABC.com/.
Pictured in the ABC photo above is Cameron Mathison (Ryan Lavery on “All My Children”) at last year’s Super Soap Weekend.
NBC juggles fall premiere dates
Network News Release …
NBC has adjusted its primetime premiere schedule for Fall 2008 and uses strong time periods to launch returning drama “Life” and new drama “My Own Worst Enemy.”
Returning drama “Life” will follow “Heroes” on two special Monday broadcasts that will air in addition to its regularly scheduled timeslot on Fridays, giving “Life” four hours of originals in two weeks on Sept. 29, Oct. 3, Oct. 6 and Oct. 10.
New drama “My Own Worst Enemy” starring Christian Slater (pictured in NBC Photo at right) will make its debut on Monday, Oct. 13 and remain in all originals in its regular timeslot (9 p.m. Mondays) through December.
Following is a summary of NBC’s 2008-09 fall season debuts:
MONDAY, AUGUST 25
7 p.m. — “Deal or No Deal” (returns on next three Mondays, then resumes its regular Wednesday and Friday timeslot in October)
8 p.m. — “Ameria’s Tougghest Jobs” (returns on next three Mondays, then resumes in regular timeslot on Friday, Sept. 19
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16
7 p.m. — “The Biggest Loser: Families”
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22
7 p.m. — “Heroes” clip show
8 p.m. “Heroes” season premiere
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23
9 p.m. — “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24
7 p.m. — “Knight Rider”
9 p.m. — “Lipstick Jungle”
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25
7 p.m. — “My Name Is Earl” (one-hour premiere)
8 p.m. — “The Office” (one-hour premiere)
9 p.m. – “ER”
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 29
7 p.m. — “Chuck”
9 p.m. — “Life” (special preview followed by second preview Oct. 6)
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9
7:30 p.m. — “Kath & Kim”
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10
9 p.m. — “Life” (regular day and time premiere)
MONDAY, OCTOBER 13
9 p.m. — “My Own Worst Enemy”
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17
7 p.m. — “Crusoe” (two-hour premiere)
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30
8:30 p.m. — “30 Rock”
“Dog” gone from Thursdays, moving to Wednesdays
“Greatest American Dog” fans, take note.
CBS is moving the summer canine competition series to 7 p.m. Wednesdays beginning this week. The network decision was made Friday, which was too late to make changes to The Oklahoman’s TV Week and every TV book that hits the newstands.
The reason for the switch? CBS wanted to return the “Big Brother” live eviction show to its familiar 7 p.m. Thursday time period, which is where “Dog” was for its first three airings.
Over its first three broadcasts, “Dog” averaged 7.52 million viewers. The premiere episode on July 10 attracted 9.46 million viewers and was the week’s sixth most-watched primetime program on broadcast TV.
Episode four (7 p.m. Wednesday, not Thursday, on CBS) is titled “Top Dog Model.” For the best-in-show competition, the dogs and their owners spending time with a photographer to come up with a shot to impress the judges.
Regardless of who walks away with the $250,000 cash prize and the title of “Greatest American Dog,” Travis Brorsen from Perry and his boxer, Presley (pictured in CBS Photo above), are representing themselves — and the state — quite well.
–Penny TV
Olympic hopefuls, including OSU wrestler, take “Shot At Glory”
Former Oklahoma State wrestler Daniel Cormier is featured in the 10-part series “A Shot At Glory” premiering July 28 on MOJO HD (channel 734 on Cox Digital Cable).
The series introduces viewers to 11 of America’s most promising athletes who have hopes to excel at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Each installment delves into the mindset and motivation of the competitors as they discuss their intense training schedules and nutrition programs, their mentors and role models and personal stories.
Cormier is profiled in the first episode airing at 8 p.m. July 28. Following is the complete broadcast schedule for the series, which will air at 8 p.m. weekdays through Aug. 8:
July 28 — Daniel Cormier, Wrestling
July 29 — Donny Robinson, BMX
July 30 — Wallace Spearmon Jr., Track
July 31 — Gary Russell Jr., Boxing
Aug. 1 — Kate Ziegler, Swimming
Aug. 4 — Laura Bennett, Triathlon
Aug. 5 — Brett Heyl, Kayaking
Aug. 6 — Samantha Peszek, Gymnastics
Aug. 7 — Tyson Gay, Track
Aug. 8 — Elaine Youngs and Nicole Branagh, Beach Volleyball
Bravo begins search for “Supermodel”
Network News Release …
NEW YORK – July 25, 2008 – Bravo is kicking off a nationwide casting effort for season two of the creative competition series “Make Me A Supermodel,” hosted by Tyson Beckford and Niki Taylor (pictured in Bravo Photo at right).
Based on the successful UK series, the beautiful and talented men and women selected will compete for a chance to launch their modeling career in the hopes of becoming the next big supermodel.
Nationwide casting calls are being held in July and August in the following cities:
Saturday, July 26 – New York, NY
10am – 3pm
IMG/Tiger Aspect
420 West 45th St
New York, NY 10036
Wednesday, July 30 – Los Angeles, CA
11am- 3pm
Radisson Los Angeles Westside
6161 W. Centinela Ave.
Culver City, CA 90230- 3200
Sunday, August 3 – Portland, OR
11am – 3pm
The Hotel Monaco
506 SW Washington St.
Portland, OR 97204
Tuesday, August 5 – Miami, FL
10am – 2pm
Doral Golf Resort & Spa
4400 N.W. 87th Ave
Miami, FL 33178
Wednesday, August 6 – Nashville, TN
10am – 3pm
Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center 2800 Opryland Drive Nashville, TN 37214
For more information on casting go to www.bravotv.com/casting/.
Kanye West, MTV crew pay Oklahoma City veteran a visit
Tirann Laws of Oklahoma City was surprised with a visit from Grammy Award-winning rapper Kanye West recently, and the encounter was caught on camera for the MTV News special “Choose or Lose & Kanye West Present: Homecoming.”
The special will premiere at 9 p.m. Monday on MTV, with a rebroadcast scheduled for 1 a.m. Wednesday.
Laws is one of three young Iraq war veterans featured in the special, that documents West and host Sway Calloway (”Stomp the Yard”) dropping in unexpectedly at the veterans’ homes.
“There are hundreds of veterans out there who are falling through the cracks,” West said in an MTV news release. “They make the ultimate sacrifices for us by laying down their lives, but it seems like a lot of them just get forgotten about.
“I know my music inspires and helps a lot of people, but you can always do more. I teamed up with MTV and took the opportunity to share the spotlight with these veterans and hear their stories.”
Laws served in the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division and did two year-long tours in Iraq. He was recently diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and has started counseling and medication.
He joined the military right out of high school, but now he longs to attend college. While his military service entitles him to partial tuition assistance, it is not enough to cover daily expenses and support his family.
After sharing their stories with West, Calloway and the MTV crew, the veterans received one more surprise. On behalf of MTV and the Dr. Donda West Foundation — named in honor of the rapper’s late mother — Sway and West gave each veteran a life-changing gift by paying off their debts or taking care of their rent or tuition.
“We surprised them at their homes, listened to their stories and then tried to help,” Calloway said. “Because everyone deserves a homecoming.”
–Penny TV
“Passions” props and costumes up for auction
Network News Release …
NBC Universal Television DVD, Music and Consumer Products Group in partnership with Premiere Props and presenting sponsor Soap Opera Digest, is holding a farewell auction featuring more than 750 costumes and key hero props from the daytime drama “Passions.”
A wide variety of costumes and props will be made available to the public, including; Sheridan Crane Boothe’s teal silk dress, Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald’s “Milly of New York” halter gown, Kay Bennett Crane’s “Arden B.” button-up yellow dress, Tabitha Lenox’s magic wands, a paperbound photo album of Luis Lopez-Fitzgerald and Sheridan Crane, Sheridan Crane’s Locket and Rebecca Hotchkiss’s “Wonder Woman” costume.
The auction will take place at the Premiere Props warehouse, 128 Sierra Street in El Segundo, CA, on Aug. 9. beginning at 10 a.m. Fans can also place live bids online at www.icollector.com and www.ebay.com/.
“Passions,” which was the first scripted drama series to join The 101 Network’s original program lineup on DIRECTV, will end its run on The 101 in Aug.
For more information on the auction, go to www.premiereprops.com/.
