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NEWS / ARTICLES

Dick Clark: Rockin' it on New Year's since 1972

"There have been many memorable moments," says Clark, 82, whose annual televised celebration marks its 40th anniversary this year.

"The year of the Iran hostage crisis, the ball almost didn't drop," he says; in 1980, the owner of One Times Square wanted to cancel to protest Iran's detention of 52 Americans. "Then, of course, there was the millennium," Clark says. "The most nerve-racking would have to be the first New Year's Eve after the 9/11 tragedy."

Musical moment? "It would be difficult to pick my favorite. One of the most memorable has been Barry Manilow, who has performed his song It's Just Another New Year's Eve several times."

It began on a 'Bandstand'

In an e-mail interview with USA TODAY (Clark was slowed by a stroke in 2004 that impaired his speech), he reminisced about NYRE's longevity and colorful history. "Strangely enough, New Year's Rockin' Eve probably began on Dec. 31, 1959, when we broadcast a New Year's Eve version of (the music/variety show) American Bandstand from WFIL in Philadelphia on ABC," Clark says. "The actual first formal telecast was on NBC Dec. 31, 1972. It was hosted by Three Dog Night, with performances by Helen Reddy, Al Green, and Blood, Sweat and Tears."

The whole idea, he says, was to offer younger viewers an alternative to CBS' annual telecast of bandleader Guy Lombardo and his Royal Canadians, whose audience skewed somewhat older.

It's now known as Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve With Ryan Seacrest, and Clark has handed off the heavy lifting to the American Idol host. This year, the show has been expanded to include its anniversary party, a bicoastal two-hour special beginning Saturday at 8 ET/PT on ABC. The East Coast host is Jenny McCarthy; in the West, it's Fergie of the Black-Eyed Peas. And Clark and Seacrest will host the traditional broadcast from Times Square beginning at 10, with performances by Lady Gaga, Pitbull, Hot Chelle Rae and Justin Bieber with Carlos Santana. The celebration includes a special performance by Beyoncé from the London leg of her tour.

"It's fun to join in this festive occasion and become a part of such a massive event," says Clark, who, despite his health problems, has no plans to retire. "I enjoy the annual appearance, though I wish my delivery was as easy as it used to be. I'm encouraged by the many people who tell me I'm an inspiration to them." He says he tries to keep a positive attitude "and attack every day with the thought things are going to get better."

'A pinch-myself moment'

Seacrest, who joined the show Dec. 31, 2005, says he was a fan growing up in Atlanta. "I remember being in awe of the big event in Times Square and dreaming big and thinking someday I want to go to New York and see the ball drop. I don't think at the time that I thought I'd be doing that standing there with him in Times Square. To this day, it's a pinch-myself moment."

A TV wunderkind in his own right —Ryan Seacrest Productions produces hit shows including Keeping Up With the Kardashians— Seacrest says he has modeled his career in part on the example Clark set and considers him a visionary. "He was always a great host, but he always had his eye on the business as well, and I admired that.

"What I've learned about this show is that the beauty of it, the tradition and the simplicity are the reasons it's so successful," Seacrest says. He and Clark plan to continue bringing in exceptional live performances in years to come — past years have included Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez and Taylor Swift— while keeping in mind the crucial midnight moment.

"The magic of that ball drop is always going to be the main event," Seacrest says. "To dress it up and embellish it with some of the biggest stars in music would be my goal."

Joey Lawrence Is Shirtless and Ripped: Photos

The actor, who currently has a hit with ABC Family's Melissa and Joey, put his flawless physique on display Thursday afternoon during a shirtless workout at a park in L.A.

Lawrence, 35, who typically sports a closely-cropped buzz cut, showed off new longer locks – and muscles galore – during his exercise outing.

Whoa, indeed.

American Dreams Actor Heads to The Secret Circle

We've learned that a very attractive American Dreams alum will be paying a visit to Chance Harbor's coven of witches on The Secret Circle and has a close connection with one of our resident witches. A family connection. Dun-dun-dun!

So who's the new guy in town? And who is he related to?

Melissa's cousin is coming to town!

We've exclusively learned that Arlen Escarpeta, best known for his portrayal of Sam Walker on American Dreams, is set to play Holden (Catcher in the Rye reference?), Melissa's relative who is no stranger to Chance Harbor.

Holden is described as smart, funny and great looking (obviously), but a difficult past has made him tough inside and out. He's set to make his return to the witchy town in episode nine.

While we can't tell you what brings Holden to town, we can tell you that you might find out why he decides to pay a visit after watching tonight's episode, Slither, which you can see two scenes from right here.

Escarpeta recently appeared in the horror films Final Destination 5 and Friday the 13th, so he'll feel right at home on the increasingly scary Secret Circle.

The Secret Circle airs tonight at 9 p.m. on the CW.

'Harry's Law' and Brittany Snow address cyber bullying and teen suicide

Following the suicides of teens like Jamey Rodemeyer and Tyler Clementi, who were tormented by peers because of their sexuality, the episode examines the fault of the bully, as A.D.A Kim Mendelsohn (Camryn Manheim) charges the blogger - the self-titled "Queen of Snark" - with negligent homicide.

Brittany Snow, who will exit the series this season, is the co-founder of Love is Louder, an anti-bullying charity, so the episode has a particular resonance for her. Snow recorded the PSA below, which will follow Wednesday's episode. "If you've ever felt mistreated or misunderstood, there is hope, and there is help," she says in the video, below. "I can tell you, it gets better, and love is louder than hate."

Watch the episode, titled "Queen of Snark," on Wednesday at 9 p.m. EST on NBC.

Joey Lawrence Pays $1,000 to Rescue a Dog from Australia - Whoa!

Filming a movie in Australia, the Melissa & Joey star stopped by a local shelter and spotted a true jewel: a female black Labrador-Australian heeler mix.

"She was just the most amazing little thing ever," he told PEOPLE at the American Humane Association Hero Dog Awards presented by Cesar Canine Cuisine.

"We had to bring her home. It cost me, like, $1,000 to get her into the country, but it was worth it. She's just an amazing animal."

The dog, later named Tiffany, got her moniker from one of Lawrence's movie locations, a boat with the same name. When shooting wrapped, it was time to pay up – and deal with some red tape.

"You know how the regulations work here," he said. "We had to ship her in and she had to go to a special hangar at LAX."

Once at her new home, Tiffany got a new best friend in Lawrence's other dog, a golden retriever named Dakota. And despite her high price, Tiffany turned out to be very low maintenance.

"Balls. They love their tennis balls," Lawrence said of his dogs' favorite toys. "Don't waste your money on all the trinkets or the $50 case of balls. They gnaw, they rip off all the stuff, getting them down to just the rubber."

Blue Bloods Meets the Mafia: It's Going to Get Dangerous for Jamie

"Isn't it funny how things turn out?" Estes tells TVGuide.com. "I'm really excited because there's a lot to tap into in organized crime and it's something that could work really well for us."

In the Season 2 premiere, Jamie (Estes) will go on his first undercover assignment at a bar — sniffing out whether it's selling drugs and alcohol to minors — and ends up befriending the mysterious Noble (Eric Morris), a member of the Sanfino family. But Jamie only learns this later when his dad, Frank (Tom Selleck), brings up their meeting.

"Frank finds out Noble thanked Jamie for helping out at the bar and Jamie says, 'How do you know this?' And Frank says, 'His phones are tapped. He's part of a Mafia family,'" executive producer Leonard Goldberg says. "So inadvertently, Jamie has become friends with one of those guys. The guy has been trying to call him to thank him and invites him out for another night, and it's a big risk and decision for Jamie — he decides he's going to remain friends with him to see how far it goes."

Goldberg and his fellow producers are also playing a waiting game with the story line. The hope is for it to be a running arc through the season, like how the Blue Templar/dirty cops one was last year. While fan interest in the Blue Templar story somewhat waned toward the end of Season 1, Goldberg doesn't think that will be the case here.

"The Blue Templar was a mystery and [that involves doling out] pieces of information at a certain pace, here and there. This one is not a mystery," Goldberg says. "We know they're a crime family, so it's about what can happen if you're involved with one. I think this will be a more intriguing story for Jamie and the fans. As it progresses, I think it's going to turn out well. We're going to see a lot of Jamie. It's going to get dangerous for him. He'll still be doing work as a police officer, but [the Sanfino arc] is going to overtake him."

Complicating matters is the fact that Jamie meets Noble's sister, who as Goldberg describes, is "a very, very attractive sister" and may either be a Mafia princess or a good girl. "As far as I know now, they're not dating or anything yet, but I'm hoping something comes together," Estes says.

Though neither Goldberg nor Estes feels Blue Bloods needs a running story to keep viewers hooked, they both believe it plays into the "drama" component of the series. "I think episodes of Blue Bloods very much stand on their own a lot of the time, but it's not just a procedural," Estes says. "The show's nature is more character-driven, so for us, as actors, it's nice to have a continual story that we can pick up from week to week, instead of just moving from case to case. That's what makes us unique."

After creators Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess left the show in May, rumors flew that the duo butted heads with CBS over the network's wish to make the show more of a procedural. Goldberg denies the reports and assures that the show is not any more or less of a procedural than it was last year.

"It's a family drama first and foremost," he says. "Yes, we have a police story, but what makes our show different is the family aspects of it. When we read all the mail we get and when we test the show, the audience is most interested in what happens with the family whether in their personal lives or involving a case like perhaps with this one. It's the emotion that makes it different. They always [name] the dinner scenes as their favorite."

As for those famous Reagan family dinner scenes, they're still around this year — but not as often.

"We haven't shot one for every episode, but the ones we've shot are great," Estes says. "There are no big fights yet, but there's a pretty big moment for Tom in one. He does something he's never done before at the dinner table, so keep your eye out for that."

Blue Bloods premieres Friday at 10/9c on CBS.

Estes a player in star-heavy 'Bloods'

But growing up, Estes was able to "experiment" with a large family, so to speak.

"My parents are from bigger families, I'm not," said Estes, 32. "I have no brothers and sisters, but I have a lot of cousins. So I was kind of able to experience a big family and then go home when I was younger."

But that's the perfect scenario, isn't it? You get to feel the connection to a big family, but then go home to your own bed and not have a brother putting you in a headlock or something.

"And my toys didn't all get broken," Estes said. "I don't know, but it felt like a win-win."

It's a win-win right now for Estes on the cop/family drama Blue Bloods, which returns for its second season Friday, Sept. 23 on CBS and CTV.

Not only does Estes get to work with a famous cast -- which includes Bridget Moynahan, Len Cariou, Jennifer Esposito and Amy Carlson in addition to the afore-mentioned Selleck and Wahlberg -- but Estes' character, Jamie Reagan, is a major player amid all that star power.

"It certainly is an ensemble," Estes said. "For the actors it's a great schedule -- except for maybe Donnie, who works harder than anybody on the show. But for sure, it has been very exciting.

"Tom Selleck is just a presence and an icon, and people love to see him as the commissioner of New York City. I've been told my scenes with Tom are very good, but other actors know this -- when you're working with a great actor, it makes you better. So that's a compliment to Tom when people tell me that sort of thing."

Blue Bloods focuses on the extended Reagan clan, which has been involved in New York City law enforcement for multiple generations. Jamie, arguably the family's golden boy, is a graduate of Harvard law, but he gave that up and came back to be a cop after one of his older siblings was killed in the line of duty.

One of the ongoing story lines in Blue Bloods is whether that was a good decision by Jamie, and if it was, what kind of cop is he going to be?

In the second-season premiere, titled Mercy, Jamie accidentally gets positioned to do some valuable undercover work.

"Jamie is at this bar, making sure it isn't serving alcohol to minors and that there isn't any drug activity on the premises," Estes explained. "But he ends up helping out this one guy, only to discover that he now is friends with someone who has organized crime connections.

"So it looks like Jamie might be able to do a little more undercover work as the season progresses, and I'm looking forward to that."

Coincidentally, while at the bar, Jamie flirts with a character named Mandy, played by Cassidy Gifford, daughter of Frank and Kathie Lee Gifford. Also, Tony Bennett and Carrie Underwood guest-star as themselves.

"I guess I don't really feel qualified to answer that question," Estes said when asked why he thinks Blue Bloods connected and survived for a second season when so many other new TV dramas failed last year.

"It is really competitive. And we've done really well on Friday, which traditionally is a tough night for TV.

"My guess and my feel is that Blue Bloods is just a great premise for a show."

Will Estes' cousins must be proud.

'Glee' newbie Vanessa Lengies on Sugar's upcoming revenge (of sorts) and her scary moment with Idina Menzel

Slightly rested up (and very sore), Lengies called EW earlier today to chat about her new (somewhat polarizing) role, tease what’s next for the character (scenes with Idina Menzel!), and talk about her surprising heroic moment on set (hint: bagels are dangerous).

EW: So, Sugar is an odd character, and that’s saying a lot considering the collection of characters we have on Glee.

VANESSA LENGIES: What I like about her is that she’s so strange is that everyone — even on set — has ideas about what Sugar should be and do.

Well, once they told you who she was going to be — a talentless, self-diagnosed person with Asperger Syndrome — what did you think of that?

When I got the audition, it was written she was going to be the new bitch. And, well, I have experience playing the bitch role. [Laughs] But I wanted to make her different. When I went in for the audition, [Glee director] Eric Stoltz was in there, and they weren’t sure who Sugar was going to be. And when we were on set, it was the same thing. We tried this and tried that. So I was excited to see the show, too, because I wanted to see what version they were going to go with. It was just really fun. I wanted her to be a little more dynamic.

Were you worried about the Asperger joke at all? That seemed to garner a strong reaction among some viewers.

No, I wasn’t. I think that’s something Glee does very well. It talks about and addresses and touches on issues that are very sensitive to most people, but having the issues talked about on such a high-exposure show, it bring things to people’s conversation. I like that a lot about Glee.

Is that an aspect of the character we’re going to dig into deeper in the next few episodes?

Eric and I had this conversation where we weren’t sure if she has it or…I’m not sure to what degree it is until I see more [scripts]. But we definitely touch on it again. So far, to my knowledge, we don’t go into the depths of Sugar’s background yet, but it is part of her character.

I liked the scene where Schue (Matthew Morrison) told her she couldn’t be in the club and she held her ground in this really delusional way. How is she going to come roaring back from that attempted reality check in the next episodes.

I think she’s talked herself out of it. I think she believes 100 percent that he didn’t know what he was talking about. I think it’s the first time she’s ever been told she was a bad singer. I think, at first, she was a little vulnerable. But she shrugged it off and said, “Fine. I’ll find another way. If you don’t want to work with me, you can be replaced!”

Is she going to be a bitch to the entire club, or focus her efforts on Schue?

It’s a form of revenge. I don’t know what I can say! It’s not the typical way of getting back at people. It’s her own way. And it’s not totally revenge, it’s more like, “No, I’m going to be a star. That’s what’s happening.”

So you were on American Dreams and showed your pipes on there. How was it to turn all of that off for this role?

My trick was just to be as committed as humanly possible to the song. It was much easier to do it in the audition because I was doing it a capella. Then when I got there, Brad [Ellis], the piano guy whose hair I ruffle in that scene, he and I had to rehearse. And it was such a shocker that once he started playing the song on the piano, it was harder for me to try to sing it wrong. I was thinking in my mind, “Why do we need a rehearsal for a bad song?” And then I was, like, “Oh! I understand.” And they did it differently because all the songs are pre-recorded on the show. And they thought it would be best if I did it live. So I just did the whole thing live.

I found the hair ruffle and dance hilarious. Did they tell you to do that or was any of it improv?

Everything was improv. My dance, everything. [Glee choreographer Zach Woodley] was so funny. I love working with him. He had me do it for him, and once it saw it, he was like, “Yeah. You’re good.” [Laughs] So the kicks, the butt wiggle [dramatic tone], ”It just came to me,” as the actors would say.

So do you have any favorite scenes so far? Anything you’re excited for people to see?

Yes, but I don’t know how they’re going to edit it. I don’t know if they’re going to cut my favorite part out or not. I have a scene with Idina, and I was improvising and it turned into this super fun thing. I honestly don’t know what I can say! I tweeted about Idina [when] she choked on a bagel, and I helped her to breathe again — it was super scary! But all the responses were, “OMG! Spoiler!” “OMG! Spoiler!” “Idina Menzel is back on Glee!” And my heart dropped to my stomach because I thought I’d done something really wrong. They’re very hush-hush. But, anyway, the scene we did is in episode 4.

Wait, so she chokes on a bagel in the scene?!

No, that happened in the makeup trailer, where she was eating a bagel. That was real life.

How scary!

It was. But it was funny after.

Yeah, once you realized you hadn’t killed the extremely talented woman.

Yeah, [mocking herself] “Once she was alive, everything was funny!” [Laughs]

Couple Watch

Glee Adds American Dreams' Vanessa Lengies

American Dreams vet Vanessa Lengies will recur on the Fox musical as Sugar, a spoiled new student described as a cross between a New Jersey housewife and former Glee guest star Molly Shannon, TVLine reports.

Although Sugar can't carry a tune, at least we know Lengies can move thanks to her three seasons on American Dreams dancing on American Bandstand alongside star Brittany Snow.

Lengies, 26, also plays Nurse Kelly Epson on TNT's HawthoRNe and guest-starred on Castle earlier this year. Her casting follows that of Friday Night Lights alum LaMarcus Tinker, who will play Mercedes' new boyfriend this coming season.

Glee returns on Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 8/7c on Fox.

2011 ALMA Award Nominees

Favorite TV Actress – Supporting Role
Maria Canals-Barrera, Wizards of Waverly Place
Constance Marie, Switched At Birth
Aubrey Plaza, Parks and Recreation
Sarah Ramos, Parenthood
Lauren Vélez, Dexter

Manny Happy Returns! Melissa & Joey Renewed for Second Season

The series stars Melissa Joan Hart as a local politician who hires Joey Lawrence as her family's nanny. The season premiere, which launched last summer, was the network's highest rated comedic debut.

"Melissa and Joey have proven to be a comedic powerhouse, with wonderful chemistry that has resonated with viewers in the tradition of great television pairings," Michael Riley, President of ABC Family said. "As our focus on comedy continues to develop, we're delighted to see it return next year as an integral part of the network's expanding slate of original series."

The two actors are both known for hit '90s shows. Hart starred on Nickelodeon's Clarissa Explains It All and later on Sabrina, the Teenage Witch, while Lawrence starred on NBC's Blossom. The pair then worked together on the television movie My Fake Fiancé.

Melissa & Joey, which wraps up Season 1 in the fall, will return in 2012.

Harry's Law: Brittany Snow and Aml Ameen Exit

Brittany Snow and Aml Ameen won't be clocking in when Harry's Law returns for its second season on NBC, TVLine reports.

It was apparently a "mutual decision" with producers, and both actors have been invited to come back as guest stars.

Snow played Jenna Backstrom, the assistant to Harry (Kathy Bates) when she was a patent lawyer, before she traded it in for patent leather at the shoe store. Ameen portrayed Malcolm Davies, whose botched suicide attempt and drug possession case drew Harriet into her current practice. He later worked for her as a paralegal and started dating Jenna.

Harry's Law averaged 9.39 million viewers in its first season. When it returns in the fall, it relocates to Wednesdays at 9/8c, leading into Law & Order: SVU.

Sarah Ramos to star in indie film "Predisposed"

Ramos will star with Jesse Eisenberg, Melissa Leo and Tracy Morgan in filmmaker Phil Dorling's drama.

The movie focuses on a drug addict mother (Leo) and her piano prodigy son (Eisenberg), as she prepares to enter rehab and he into Juilliard. Ramos will play the girl who garners the affections of Eisenberg's character. (Morgan is playing a hapless drug dealer named Sprinkles.)

The movie is due to start shooting next month in New York City.

Ramos is best known for playing Haddie Braverman, the daughter of Monica Potter and Peter Krause in "Parenthood." The show just got picked up for a third season on U.S. network NBC.

Blue Bloods' Will Estes: The Blue Templar "Ends Here and Now"

"I heard about a show one time — I think it was a soap — where they were having a nightmare of a time renegotiating everyone's contracts," Estes, who plays Jamie Reagan, tells TVGuide.com. "So the writers and producers came up with the cliff-hanger of a crazed gunman bursting into the hall and opens fire with an automatic weapon and then it cuts to black. That made it a lot easier to renegotiate contracts because anybody could've been dead. I can tell you that will not happen to us! There is no cliff-hanger at all. You won't have to worry about us."

Instead, on Friday (10/9c on CBS), the family cop drama will wrap up its season-long arc of the Blue Templar — the rogue group of NYPD officers that killed Jamie's late brother, Joe, who was working with the FBI to investigate it. Jamie, who was approached by FBI agents in the pilot to finish what Joe started, had left his crime-fighting family out of the loop all season — until last week when he told Danny (Donnie Wahlberg) after his gun went missing and he was nearly killed driving with faulty brakes.

"I think it was something that he kept to himself because... he felt like joining the FBI investigation would be betraying his family," Estes says. "But gradually Jamie's been made a target. They've tried to kill him. I think at that point, if you're that big of a target and your family's that big of a target, then it's time put something together to try to stop them."

Led by their father, police commissioner Frank (Tom Selleck), the Reagans crack down on the secret society via a big drug bust on dirty cops in connection with the Templar. While speculation has run rampant over who is in the Templar, Estes promises none of the members are the Reagans. This is in spite of, as we've seen, a Blue Templar pin inside Danny's safe and photos of Henry (Len Cariou) and Templar members.

"It's an old little organization, but it's turned into something different," Estes says. "The Reagans are the good guys! Rest assured. Erin Reagan [Bridget Moynahan] is not dirty! She's a good ADA. There isn't a betrayal on any inter-familial level, but there's a betrayal there between members of the force that are our friends on the force who were not known to be involved."

The most obvious suspects would be Det. Malevsky (Michael T. Weiss) and Lt. Bello (Nick Sandow), who have been making shady phone calls regarding Jamie in recent weeks. They're very involved," Estes teases. "It's very cat-and-mouse. I think it's an exciting finale. I think the audience is going to respond to it. There are big, sort of, iconic juxtapositions. Cops always fight the bad guys, but when the bad guys are cops, that's always tough. They're confronting them and the Blue Templar's got to come down."

Because Jamie's a target of the Blue Templar, he is "less in involved than he'd liked to be" in the takedown and is instead working a kidnapping case. But he does get to see some action. "I have a back-up [gun] and I actually get to fire my weapon. That's very big!" Estes says. "A lot of police officers go their whole career without firing their weapon. ... I shoot, I hit my target, but I did not kill him. Maybe I'll get [my first kill] next season."

Though CBS has not yet officially renewed Blue Bloods, the series will likely see a Season 2 — but without creators and executive producers Robin Green and Mitchell Burgess. Estes has "no clue" what's in store for next season, except for what won't be.

"No more Blue Templar. It ends here and now. I'm excited to see what they'll come up for us," he says. "I would love to do more stuff with Nick [Turturro]. We definitely look forward to doing more together. Hopefully I'll still be a cop!"

NBC Renews Parenthood, Harry's Law

The network has also renewed Parenthood and Harry's Law. Parenthood, starring Lauren Graham and Peter Krause, averaged 6.7 million during its second season, and Harry's Law, from David E. Kelley, averaged 9.39 million viewers in its first season. Earlier Wednesday, it was reported that NBC's spy dramedy Chuck is also nearing a deal to return for Season 5.

The Playboy Club is a period drama (which TVGuide.com had spotlighted as one of its 11 Promising Pilots) that explores the lives of the first Playboy bunnies and the men who adored them. Amber Heard, Jenna Dewan-Tatum, Eddie Cibrian and David Krumholtz star. Brian Grazer (24, Parenthood and Friday Night Lights) executive-produces.

Awake, formally known as REM, stars Jason Isaacs as a police detective who's involved in a traumatic car accident and wakes up in two fractured realities. The project comes from Kyle Killen, creator of Fox's short-lived Lone Star and 24's Howard Gordon. Wilmer Valderrama, Cherry Jones, Steve Harris, B.D. Wong, Michaela McManus, Laura Allen and Dylan Minnette also star.

Grimm, a dark and fantastical cop drama, features characters inspired by Grimm's Fairy Tales. The pilot was written and executive-produced by Jim Kouf and David Greenwalt (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel). David Giuntoli, Russell Hornsby, Silas Weir Mitchell, Sasha Roiz, Reggie Lee and Bitsie Tulloch will star. Kate Burton will guest-star in the pilot.

No word on the much-buzzed about Wonder Woman, but NBC is still expected to order Chelsea Handler's Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea.

Earlier this week, NBC ordered Up All Night, starring Christina Applegate and written by Parks & Recreation writer Emily Spivey, as well as a comedy from Whitney Cummings, Steven Spielberg's musical Smash and a remake of Prime Suspect, starring Maria Bello.

'Hellcats': Gail O'Grady runs with a young crowd

Through her co-stars, O'Grady has been introduced to the music of Florence and the Machine and updated her tech skills -- more or less.

"I can check emails," she tells Zap2it, "but I'm not exactly in this century right now. [The girls] have always got something new and advanced. They help me probably with music and keeping me a little younger, I guess. Not that I'm an old bat, but as I said, it's a very young cast."

O'Grady plays Wanda Perkins, an irresponsible former party girl who works at the campus pub at the university where her daughter, Marti (Aly Michalka), is studying pre-law on a cheerleading scholarship.

In the Tuesday, April 19, episode, fans learned that Marti's father, musician Rex, was also a drug addict that abandoned his family when Marti was three (but didn't die, as her mother had told her, perhaps opening the possibility of a guest star at some point).

"I like her spirit," says O'Grady of Wanda. "I like that she's not a quitter. She's always trying to find a better way to -- I shouldn't say it -- skin a cat. I just like that she has a good spirit. She hasn't let life beat her down, and even though she might drink a little bit too much, she's always looking at the bright side."

It's a complicated mother-daughter relationship.

"It's gone back and forth," says O'Grady. "One moment, Marti is the adult, the parent, the next moment, Wanda's the adult and parent. When it first started, it seemed that Wanda was more needy and pulling on Marti a little too much, to the point where Marti had to get away.

"But they go back and forth between who's the parent and who's the child."

In last week's episode, Marti's search for her father's past led her to a record store, where she got some help from clerk Dierdre, played by Michalka's sister and bandmate in 78violet, AJ Michalka.

For O'Grady, this means just one more Michalka to love.

"Aly and I are pretty close," she says, "and Aly's sister, AJ, has a recurring role on the show. She is, like Aly, just one of the coolest people on the planet. I love these girls. Their mom did a really good job. They're smart, and they're funny and full, I think, well beyond their years."

O'Grady says she "holds her breath" when she sees the elaborate and risky cheerleading numbers on the show, and she even has a bit of cheer history of her own.

"I was a cheerleader in junior high," she says. "I tried out for cheerleading in my freshman/sophomore year of high school. I didn't make it, and I thought it was going to destroy my life.

"Oh, gosh, how did I survive not making cheerleading? I don't know. I think I played tennis instead."

Wanda may not have the future that Aly does, but that's OK with her.

"At least, for Wanda," says O'Grady, "she wanted more for her daughter, but she also wants to tag along with her. She wants to be part of it, but some of it she doesn't understand, because she has given her a hard time about being a hoity-toity lawyer.

"She, deep down, like any parent, wants more for her child."

O'Grady says that Wanda also has ambitions for herself.

"Instead of just running the bar, she wanted the manage the bar," she says. "She got that. Then she'd always wanted to be a party planner. She's also exploring different careers and trying to make things better for herself, too. She's not just settling on cleaning up the bar."

But don't expect O'Grady to feel the need to add bartending to her own skill set.

"I can look busy [in the bar]," she says. "I can dry some glasses and put a bottle away."

Blue Bloods Parts Ways with Creators

The married writing team reportedly left over creative differences. According to Deadline, CBS wants to make the show more procedural and less character-driven.

This is the second showrunner exit on the freshman series. Former Numb3rs executive producer Ken Sanzel left the show in August after reported differences with star Tom Selleck.

Prior to Blue Bloods, Burgess and Green were executive producers on The Sopranos. Burgess won three Emmys and Green won one for their work on the HBO drama.

Burgess and Green courted controversy when Blue Bloods was credited as "from the executive producers of The Sopranos." Shortly after CBS picked up the series in May 2010, HBO sent a cease-and-desist letter to CBS requesting that the network stop using the Sopranos credit, according to New York Magazine's Vulture.

Despite the behind-the-scenes differences, Blue Bloods has been a winner for CBS. Airing Fridays at 10/9c, the series has averaged 12.3 million viewers.

CBS is currently on the lookout for a new showrunner for Blue Bloods.

A network rep could not immediately be reached for comment.

Brittany Snow Covers 'Maxim' April 2011!

Here is what the 25-year-old Harry’s Law actress had to share with the mag:

On posing for sexy photos: “It’s funny, because I’ve never done anything like this before, so the whole experience was a big step for me. But it was cool. I felt really comfortable and had a great time.”

On being considered a sex symbol: “Oh, hell no! It’s weird. I’ve read in magazines where someone like Jessica Alba says, “I’m not a sex symbol. I don’t even think I’m sexy!” I’m like, Oh, my God, girl, you’re kidding. I mean I hate to sound like the stereotypical actress, but if I’m gonna be honest…I really don’t think I am. But it’s nice when other people think so!”

On her relationship status: “I’m so single. It’s funny. I’m usually a relationship girl. I love being in love and having a partner in crime. But it’s good to be your own partner in crime. God, that makes me sound like I have multiple-personality disorder.”

For more from Brittany, check out Maxim.com!

Blue Bloods' Oddly Perfect Partners Building on "Great Chemistry"

There isn't one in the works, but that hasn't stopped fans from suggesting one to Will Estes and Nicholas Turturro.

"A lot of people come up to us and go, 'You guys should have a spin-off!'" Turturro tells TVGuide.com. "I'm not saying now, but hey — The Reagan and Renzulli Show? I'd watch it! But in all seriousness, we take it as a compliment that they are such fans of us."

While the CBS drama focuses on the Reagans, New York's finest crime-fighting family, headed by Tom Selleck, it's Turturro's and Estes' odd couple pairing of training officer Sgt. Anthony Renzulli and rookie cop Jamie Reagan that's stealing the show week in and week out. Between their comic-relief scenes — like collaring guys in hot dog costumes — Renzulli's wisecracks, Jamie's wet-behind-the-ears earnestness and their effortless rapport, it's easy to see why fans are yearning for more.

"We have a great chemistry," Estes says. "You can never tell if [partnerships] like this will work well, but we developed an interesting dynamic between us. I'm a Harvard grad and dad is the commissioner. He comes from a place of privilege. Nick's character comes from a place of great experience. I respect his experience and don't try to cut him down with where I come from or my education. I think he in turn respects that I don't do that and we've earned this mutual respect in the face of us being two totally different characters."

Renzulli and Jamie are usually off on their own beat; therefore, Turturro and Estes have most of their scenes with each other. The same is true on Friday's episode, in which they try to catch a kid who vandalizes a storefront with graffiti. (The "A" story line for Danny and Jackie is a dead girl at a debutante ball.) With so much one-on-one time, chemistry is not the only requirement. "Me and Will, we've become friends, too," Turturro says. "I think that's most important. You like each other and we have a lot a great time together."

In between takes of chasing down the graffiti offender, the two, both quiet and friendly, chat up a storm during their lunch break, take pictures with fans and crack jokes about Turturro's faux police radio that keeps falling off during every chase take. "We have a lot of fun. It also helps that we tend to get the more comedic elements," Turturro says. Their lighter scenes certainly provide more laughs, but Estes and Tuturro want to tackle heavier material as Renzulli and Jamie's partnership deepens. After all, Jamie is not going to be a rookie forever.

"[Renzulli's] the boss, but he's allowed me to step up and make a couple calls. I've made the right ones a few times and he's seen that," Estes says. "I think they see each other as partners now after all the time they've spent together."

Their professional obligations withstanding, Turturro also would like to see the duo bond on a personal level. Lately, it's Renzulli, gregarious as ever, complaining to Jamie about his wife, but the rookie — still in the midst of the Blue Templar investigation — has been more guarded. "It'd be nice for him to say, 'Hey, you know, I have my family, but I know I can trust you.' I think that would be very believable," Turturro says. "We had a nice scene a few weeks ago. Something happened with his dad and he wanted to help out. He said to me, 'I'm just on the beat with you.' It's like, 'Hey, I've been doing this job a lot longer than you. How do you think that makes me feel?' It was a nice moment. I think he trusts him, but that trust is growing."

Of course, all the future talk is moot as Blue Bloods hasn't been renewed yet for a second season yet — though its healthy numbers on Wednesdays and Fridays put it in good standing. Both actors hope a pick-up is imminent.

"That'd be great. Right now, we just want to make the show good," Estes says. "Maybe if Blue Bloods finishes in nine years, Nick and I will do a spin-off!"

Brittany Snow Teases Harry's Law Romance

"Malcolm (Aml Ameen) and I, we have a love situation, and it kind of gets [mixed] into the work," Snow told TV Guide Magazine at the Rock & Republic/Love is Louder T-shirt launch on February 15. But not everyone's excited about the new love connection. "Harry, Kathy Bates' character, isn't too fond of that happening, so there's a little bit of friction there."

In other romance news, Jordana Spiro will also return to the show before season's end, as the ex-girlfriend of Nate Corddry's character, Adam. "She's a great guest star," says Snow. "We've had some amazing guest stars who play the smallest parts. It's been incredible to work with them."

In fact, after wrapping the first season three weeks ago, the cast is now eagerly awaiting word on a pick-up for Season 2, and their hopes are high. "I think everybody loves this show and people are taking to it really well, so I've been really excited about that," says Snow, who admits waiting for the verdict is nerve wracking. "You never know, because it's TV. But I feel like it's positive."

Do you want Harry's Law to be renewed for a second season?

Pilot Castings: Actors Board TBS' 'Hound Dogs'

The Sony Pictures TV-produced Hound Dogs, which Sheldon wrote and will direct, draws from his experience as a baseball player and is set in the world of minor league baseball. It centers on minor league team the Nashville Hound Dogs and its endlessly upbeat general manager (Tom Verica), a gambling addict trying to outrun his past, as they try to handle life’s ups and downs, both in and out of the locker room. Fortitude-repped Davidovich will play the team owner. Bundy will play a sexy bartender/aspiring singer.

TV Land's Mark Reisman project revolves around 3 divorced guys (David Alan Basche, Donald Faison, Knight) who live in an apartment building where their landlord is their sexy female divorce attorney (Kristen Johnston). The project marks a reunion for APA-repped Wayne and Johnston, who worked together on 3rd Rock from the Sun.

Brittany Snow talks 'Harry's Law,' Kathy Bates, and Love is Louder

"Harry's Law" debuted to successful ratings last Monday night, putting the pressure on for tonight's second episode.

"I guess you always feel a little bit of pressure, because we were up against a rerun of 'Castle,'" says Brittany Snow, who plays Jenna, the assistant to Bates' cynical lawyer, Harry. "That gave us a little bit of leverage, but I think our show is something really different so we constantly keep hoping for the best when it comes to the next week. The episodes, I think, get even better."

While Jenna may come off as a dumb blonde initially, Snow promises that there's a lot more to her. "My character definitely, from the outside, is seen as a ditzy blonde assistant who just kind of says quirky things, and she is that person. She's overly optimistic and enthusiastic about life and things, but as the series goes on you see why she is the way she is. She kind of puts on this bubbly exterior because of the things that have gone on in her life."

She's the perfect foil for Harry, lending some great comedy to even the heaviest scenes. "She's almost the voice of reason for Harry, because Harry kind of views the world in a pessimistic light," Snow tells us.

In an upcoming episode, Jenna and Harry go head to head, which provided a great acting opportunity for Snow.

"Jenna has a storyline that's really funny where my car gets stolen," she says. "Her dynamic with Harry is really interesting because you see Jenna finally stand up to Harry and set her straight. They have a really great couple of scenes where you actually understand where their relationship came from. I got to fight with Kathy Bates, which was a really fun scene to do. It was such a great opportunity for me to get to really act with Kathy."

Despite their bickering, Jenna provides important balance in Harry's life. Snow says, "Jenna kind of keeps her in check about why she's helping the people she's helping and why it's important to help the underdog."

Snow knows a little something about helping the underdog in real life as well. Along with The Jed Foundation and MTV, Snow started the Love is Louder movement in response to the high-profile media coverage when lives of multiple teenagers were lost to suicide as the result of bullying and homophobia in autumn of 2010.

Love is Louder is all about raising the volume of support and kindness offered by groups like The Trevor Project and the It Gets Better campaign. It's about encouraging a message of hope, not hate, and has caught on like wildfire on Twitter and Facebook.

"We've just been so grateful that people have connected with it," Snow tells us. "We started it just as a little idea to get the word out there that you don't have to be alone, and now we're trying to develop it into a legitimate charity."

Snow will be visiting schools and handing out action Kits to encourage teens to reach out to each other and stand up against bullying, and the movement will only grow from there.

"We're working on a documentary and a book and all sorts of fun stuff. It's been really great to work on that because that's something I'm really passionate about, and it doesn't seem like work. I think it was just so needed because so many people were looking for a way to share their opinions or stories or their support."

Watch "Harry's Law" on Mondays at 10 p.m. EST on NBC.

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