China’s leaders are loving “House of Cards”
As The Washington Post reports, the Netflix series is a hit among Chinese Communist Party leaders: “It”s little surprise that a show devoted to political machinations would resonate in a country with a long history of back-stabbing leadership purges and inner-party struggle. Many in the Chinese public perceive their leaders as brazenly unscrupulous, with the only goal in governance to consolidate power and wealth. But another reason the show may be a success here, some China experts in the United States fear, is because its unflattering portrayal of U.S. politics affirms Chinese government propaganda about American hypocrisy and bullying.” PLUS: Google searches lead to illegal streaming of “House of Cards.”
Justin Timberlake too ill for tonight’s concert — will he be healthy on Friday for Jimmy Fallon?
Timberlake, who postponed tonight’s concert at Madison Square Garden over “health reasons,” is Jimmy Fallon’s only guest on his first Friday night on “The Tonight Show.”
Judd Hirsch joins ABC’s “Forever” pilot
The former “Taxi” star will play the best friend of the lead character, NYC’s star medical examiner.
Jeremy Piven’s “Mr. Selfridge” renewed
The British drama, which also airs on PBS, will return for a 3rd season.
Rebel Wilson has a “backlog” of film projects in case “Super Fun Night” is canceled
The ABC comedy ends its first season tonight, and Wilson says it was rigorous: “For me, it was a seven-day, 17-hours-a-day job. No one could ever prepare you for how insane that kind of schedule is. It’s like doing four and a half movies back to back.”
Jon Stewart recalls his ’80s past as a bartender in a New Jersey punk rock nightclub
Once, a patron pulled a gun on him while X was performing.
Lisa Kudrow’s “The Comeback” wants to make a comeback — but not on any streaming services
Co-creator Michael Patrick King thinks a streaming service or web series would actually hurt the viewing experience of a show like “The Comeback.”
Bravo orders its 1st scripted series: “Girlfriends Guide to Divorce” starring Lisa Edelstein
The series from Marti Noxon also features, Janeane Garofalo, Beau Garrett, Paul Adelstein and a cameo by Carrie Fisher.
“The Crazy Ones” casts Marilu Henner as Sarah Michelle Gellar’s mom
She’ll guest on an April episode.
Watch “The Bachelor’s” Juan Pablo in a local TV ad for an appliance store in Rochester, NY
Viewers in Rochester, NY got to see Juan Pablo in a local commercial during this week’s “Bachelor” episode. Juan Pablo went to college in the Rochester area.
Kristen Bell is refusing to promote “Veronica Mars” with media outlets that publish photos of celebrity kids
Bell won’t promote “Veronica Mars” with outlets like E! Online, accusing them of publishing “#pedorazzi” images.
Can Chris Pratt become a movie star off of “Guardians of the Galaxy”?
The “Everwood”/”The O.C.”/”Parks and Recreation” vet has appeared in many movies in recent years, but “Guardians” is his first truly starring role.
Howard Stern grills Seth Meyers on “SNL” and Lorne Michaels — Kristen Wiig had the best-ever audition
Lorne Michaels never fake-laughs, says Meyers, but Kenan Thompson manages to crack him up every week. Also, he says Wiig had the greatest audition he’s ever seen. PLUS: Meyers introduces himself in new NBC featurette.
Why are CNN anchors so riled up these days?
Is the straight-laced cable news network morphing into Fox News, or MSNBC?
Rob Schneider’s independently produced sitcom will be filmed at a for-profit Florida university
Schneider’s “Real Rob” will be shot at Full Sail University, which he says “has everything a major studio offers.”
Beck recalls rejecting “Mad Men’s” multiple offers to write the theme song
The artist tells Billboard that he remembers saying, “It’s about ad executives in the ’60s? They”re going to make a show about that? Really? Um, I don”t think so.”
Starz’s ballet drama taps the director of Australian film “Animal Kingdom”
David Michôd will helm the pilot episode of “Flesh and Bone.”
HBO reveals details of “True Detective’s” season finale
The March 9 episode will be called “Form and Void.” PLUS: The crazy mythology that explains “True Detective.”
Tim Daly is coming to “The Mindy Project”
No details of his guest-starring role have been released.
Why binge-watching is lame and lonely — it’s “television masturbation”
So argues Roland S. Martin: “Watching ‘House of Cards’ by myself and not at the same time with my friends and social media following is a boring and lonely existence. This may sound absolutely crazy, but binge viewing and not being able to share with others is sort of like television masturbation-you are the only one who gets to be satisfied.” PLUS: “House of Cards” is making TV a social obligation.
Is “Girls” the “Reality Bites” for millennials?
Is Adam Driver the new Ethan Hawke? PLUS: The “Girls” beach house is for rent.
“Wonder Years” star Jason Hervey addresses his “feud” with “Sons of Anarchy” creator
Hervey is producer of Discovery Channel’s “The Devil’s Ride,” a reality show that has really infuriated “Sons of Anarchy’s” Kurt Sutter. PLUS: Wayne and Paul have a “Wonder Years” reunion.
“Flowers in the Attic” casts Cathy’s abusive lover
Will Kemp will play Cathy’s abusive dancer boyfriend.
An appreciation of CeeLo on “The Voice”
Even though his feedback was never practical, it was always deep.
It has to be said: “Downton Abbey” has jumped the shark
“The increasing weakness of creator Julian Fellowes’ writing skills is harming the series, especially in comparison to its first season,” says David Weigand.
USA beats the world in TV addiction
Americans watch more television each day than any other country, a new study shows.
Fiona Apple films a cameo for a French superhero TV show
Check her out as “Feux Verts,” AKA “Green Lights.”
Listen to a podcast devoted to Johnny Carson
Former “Colbert Report” staffer and viral video star Mark Malkoff is talking to big names like Carl Reiner, Mel Brook sand Dick Cavett about “The Tonight Show” legend in his new podcast series.
“Game of Thrones” star Kit Harrington: My great-great grandfather invented the toilet.
John Harrington is responsible for The John.
“True Blood’s” Rutina Wesley makes a plan on “Sesame Street”
Rutina, Elmo and Abby explain the word plan.”
Showtime will show a documentary about Gaddafi
“Mad Dog: Inside the Secret World of Muammar Gaddafi’ airs April 11.
A Hungarian designer created a “Breaking Bad” poster for each of the 62 episodes
Check out Zsolt “Zsutti” Molnár’s artistic creations.
Is it wrong to love “The Real World: Ex-Plosion’s” craziness?
Yes, the twist is stupid. But this season has been highly watchable. PLUS: How the “Real World” pulled off the exes twist.
“Frasier’s” Peri Gilpin signs on for a Lifetime movie
She’ll play the mom of a troubled teen in “The Choking Game.”
“Live” surprises Mandy Patinkin with not 1 but 2 ex-girlfriends
Including one woman who got her first kiss from the “Homeland” star.
Check out more pics of David Tennant filming Fox’s “Broadchurch” remake
Canada is subbing for California in “Gracepoint.”
“The Simpsons” is releasing figurines of its 25 greatest guest stars
Check out figurines of Yao Ming, Britney Spears, Tom Hanks and Hugh Hefner.
Adam Brody confirms that, “yeah,” he got married to Leighton Meester
The former “O.C.” star confirmed his wedding to the former “Gossip Girl.” PLUS: Here is the best Seth Cohen-Blair Waldorf fan fiction.