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News, Rumors and Gossip

Fast national ratings for Thursday, Feb. 9, 2012

For the night, though, CBS still managed to pull ahead with 14.3 million viewers and an 8.7/14 household rating. FOX came in second with 12.2 million (7.2/11), followed by ABC (7.3 million, 4.7/8), NBC (3.9 million, 2.6/4) and The CW (2.4 million, 1.6/2)

Unfortunately for "Idol," the reality hit couldn't tear away "Big Bang's" demo crown, because the CBS sitcom managed to just barely eke out a win in the adults 18-49 demographic, landing a 5.5 to "Idol's" 5.2. For the night, though, FOX finished first with a 4.0, followed by CBS' 3.6, ABC's 2.6, NBC's 1.7 and The CW's 1.0.

8 p.m.
FOX: "American Idol" (17.9 million viewers, 10.4/17 households)
CBS: "The Big Bang Theory" (16.1 million, 9.7/16); "Rob" (11.0 million, 6.6/10)
ABC: "Wipeout" (5.2 million, 3.0/5)
NBC: "30 Rock" (3.9 million, 2.6/4)
The CW: "The Vampire Diaries" (2.96 million, 2.0/3)
18-49 leader: "American Idol" (5.7)

9 p.m.
CBS: "Person of Interest" (15.1 million, 9.1/14)
ABC: "Grey's Anatomy" (10.1 million, 6.6/10)
FOX: "The Finder" (6.5 million, 3.9/6)
NBC: "The Office" (5.2 million, 3.2/5); "Up All Night" (3.7 million, 2.4/4)
The CW: "The Secret Circle" (1.76 million, 1.2/2)
18-49 leader: "Grey's Anatomy" (3.9)

10 p.m.
CBS: "The Mentalist" (14.3 million, 8.9/15)
ABC: "Private Practice" (6.6 million, 4.6/8)
NBC: "The Voice" repeat (3.5 million, 2.4/4)
18-49 leader: "The Mentalist" (2.9)

Grey's Anatomy Redux: Love Is in the Air but Not for Every Doctor!

WHAT WE LEARNED

Late for Love: It's taken eight seasons but we finally realize why the dating pool of our doctors is so small: not because they need to service the show's cast within the walls of Seattle Grace, it's because they are too busy to date out of the hospital! Fellow docs make very forgiving dates. Lucky for Bailey (Chandra Wilson), her hot doctor boyfriend understands the pressures of her job and makes the most romantic in hospital date right under the wire before they all turn into pumpkins! It's pretty cute seeing Bailey finally happy and not forever having to explain why she has to be at the hospital so much. Doctors for everyone!

Won't Beg: Behold the magic healing power of the boiler room. It's like that giant rhythmic fan has healing hypnosis powers. Just two sessions, some sincere tearful begging from Cristina (Sandra Oh) and Owen (Kevin McKidd) is feeling a bit more willing to forgive. We hope those crazy kids can work it out. But never willing to forgive is Teddy (Kim Raver). In fact we think Owen better watch out for a scalpel to the back. We get that she's still grieving, despite her protests, but wishing Owen died it Iraq? Harsh, dude. Way harsh.

Lexie's Exes: Who knew that sweet innocent Lexie Grey (Chyler Leigh), whose heart lives in her vagina, would have one of the more complicated love lives on Grey's? We must say she is persistent. That girl will not let a lack of a date and babysitting duties keep her down. Adorable little Zola was a perfect wing woman when Aunt Lexie showed up to "talk" to Mark (Eric Dane). Good thinking, use the baby as an excuse! Shame Mark was already having a romantic date with his bromance, Jackson (Jesse Williams). Or was this really most gorgeous threesome on Grey's ever? Don't pretend it didn't cross your mind.

Bonus Awww: Callie (Sara Ramirez) and Arizona's (Jessica Capshaw) romantic date in Derek's trailer. Again: Awww. Do we really need to say anything else?

ONE-LINERS

"I'm not hitting much of anything these days." —Lexie

"I can't do it in front of the duckies." —Meredith

"If you don't tell him about it you bleed out and read about in a cheap locket." —Lexie

WHAT LIES AHEAD

Siblings in Seattle: What's better than one Dr. Shepard to save a life? Two! Derek's sister, from sister show Private Practice is making the trip up north and no doubt there are stormy unresolved sibling issues ahead.

Early Emmy Campaign: Dr. Webber's wife Adele wasn't even in tonight's episode and we still cried. Her Alzheimer's is getting worse and in an upcoming episode she takes a violent turn. We think that Emmy voters should probably just bubble wrap a statue and send it to Loretta Devine right now.

We're surprised, this Seattle Valentine's Day was shockingly therapeutic for most couples, give or take a few deaths, car crashes and tears. Do you think Cristina and Owen can bury the hatchet? Will Lexie ever get the chance to tell Mark how she feels?

Sandra Oh: Cristina and Owen Head to Couples Therapy!

It may seem like Cristina (Sandra Oh) and Owen (Kevin McKidd) are moments away from divorce, but Sandra Oh tells TVGuide.com that they will make a real effort to mend the relationship starting Feb. 16, when the couple spends the entire episode with a therapist. "If you have ever been to couples therapy it's really, really challenging," Oh says, adding that she hopes the Owen-Cristina explosion does not spell the end of their marriage. "Every marriage has to go to a brink," she says. "Both of them are deeply hurt for their various reasons."

"You see a marriage in peril and we take our time exploring that quite honestly," Oh continues. "I'm extremely pleased with the storyline because a lot of times people get together, and break up or whatever, and it's fast. The writers are really taking their time to see when people are at loggerheads, and both sides of the argument can be understood. That's where it gets really, really tricky."

The tension between the couple will also begin to affect Cristina's other relationships. Uncharacteristically, Cristina won't even turn to Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) for comfort.

Says Pompeo: "Cristina doesn't want her help. She's dealing with it solo and pushing Meredith away. Certainly, it's going to get worse before it gets better."

Check out a sneak peek of this week's Grey's Anatomy, which airs Thursday at 9/8c on ABC. (Video)

Fast National ratings for Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012

(The "BBT"-"Idol" half-hour numbers are: 16.4 million viewers and a 5.4 adults 18-49 rating for "Big Bang" and 15.8 million and 5.0 for "Idol.")

Also Thursday, "The Finder" dropped some from its series high last week, "Grey's Anatomy" was up slightly with its alternate-universe episode and "30 Rock" fell on NBC.

CBS brought in 14.1 million viewers and an 8.6 rating/14 share in households for the night, topping the 12 million and 7.1/11 for FOX. ABC (7.4 million, 4.8/8) came in third. NBC managed only 3.6 million viewers and a 2.3/4 in finishing fourth. The CW (2.2 million, 1.5/2) was up a tick vs. two weeks ago when it last ran original episodes.

FOX led the adults 18-49 demographic with a 3.9 rating. CBS was not far behind in second with a 3.5. ABC took third at 2.5, followed by NBC, 1.5, and The CW, 0.9.

Thursday hour by hour:
8 p.m.
FOX: "American Idol" (17.1 million viewers, 10.1/16 households)
CBS: "The Big Bang Theory" (16.4 million, 9.7/16)/"Rob" (11.3 million, 6.7/10)
ABC: "Wipeout" (5.9 million, 3.3/5)
NBC: "30 Rock" (3.2 million, 2.2/4)/"Parks and Recreation" (3.65 million, 2.4/4)
The CW: "The Vampire Diaries" (2.7 million, 1.8/3)
18-49 leader: "The Big Bang Theory" and "American Idol" tied at 5.4

9 p.m.
CBS: "Person of Interest" (14.9 million, 9.1/14)
ABC: "Grey's Anatomy" (9.6 million, 6.3/10)
FOX: "The Finder" (6.9 million, 4.2/6)
NBC: "The Office" (5.3 million, 3.2/5)/"Up All Night" (3.8 million, 2.3/4)
The CW: "The Secret Circle" (1.75 million, 1.2/2)
18-49 leader: "Grey's Anatomy" (3.5)

10 p.m.
CBS: "The Mentalist" (13.5 million, 8.5/14)
ABC: "Private Practice" (6.65 million, 4.6/8)
NBC: "The Firm" (3 million, 2.0/3)
18-49 leader: "The Mentalist" (2.8)

Grey's Anatomy Redux: Destiny Is Destiny, Even in Alt-Universe!

So how would life be different if Meredith didn't have a terrible childhood and therefore didn't take to drinking tequila and going home with complete strangers? Fortunately, we don't have to wonder anymore!

Let's just say the results are...different. We find out that a bright and shiny Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) might not be best after all. And maybe there is some a lot of truth to the whole destiny thing...

WHAT WE LEARNED

All-Powerful Ellis: Remember that time Meredith wore a really creepy high ponytail to impress Derek's mom? Well, this episode was a little like that. Familiar but with a slightly crazed smile. Ellis Grey (Kate Burton) is such a powerful figure, even in death, so it only makes sense that in life she is positively stifling. That's not to say we are happy she's dead. OK, maybe it is better for the pecking order at Seattle Grace.

McDepressing: We admit it, initially we were allured by this shiny happy well-run Seattle Grace, but very soon, the happy facade start crumbling and the truth comes out. Alex is a jerk in any universe. Izzie, Burke, and George would still be M.I.A. And our favorite couples would be miserable without their soul mates. Funny how that all works out.

A Strange Sister: In our universe, Lexie (Chyler Leigh) had the perfect childhood, but here, Lexie is tattooed junkie orphan—yet that often-present love triangle still exists. Or given another few alt-episodes to brew, it could. We are so weak, one little pep talk about family and hearts and med school from Jackson (Jesse Williams) and we are toast. (Why did they break up again?) But then, in comes Mark rescuing an overdosing Lexie, and we are pulled under. (Why aren't they back together yet?) Seriously, how does Shonda Rhimes do this to us even in this crazy alternate reality? We are hopeless.

Tequila Throwback: One really awesome thing about Shonda Rhimes is that she knows her audience, especially the longtime loyal viewers. There were so many delightful trips down memory lane, and we aren't just talking about Mark Sloan making a shirtless entrance. It's all about the details, and while last year's musical event might have missed the mark, here some familiar songs like Rilo Kiley's "Portions for Foxes" and Tegan and Sara's "You Wouldn't Like Me" throw us right back into vintage Grey's mindset. And now we are believers that, no matter what, Meredith and Derek would have ended up at that bar. Who knew tequila and anonymous sex could be such a romantic destiny?

ONE-LINERS

"Please don't call me Mandy." —Dr. Bailey

"Trust me, you two do not want to be the next Shepherds." —Alex

"She wants everyone around her to be ordinary, so she can be extraordinary." —Meredith

"Oh. This is awkward." —Mark

WHAT LIES AHEAD

Bad Bad Way: It's going to get ugly for Cristina and Owen, and just in time for Valentine's Day! Rhimes took to her twitter to warn fans about just how bad things will get: "What is coming next will be difficult. And painful. And very very adult." No doubt viewers are going to need counseling as much as this couple does. Group hug. Pass the chocolate.

Seattle Gets Sunny: Summer Glau is checking into Seattle Grace! Get it? Sunny? Summer? OK, we admit it was a stretch. But regardless, our favorite geek goddess is coming soon. If she's playing a patient, no doubt she'll be making us cry.

Well that was fun, wasn't it? We wouldn't have minded spending a bit more time in alt-universe land, but we guess that's what the series DVDs are for! So who was your favorite alt character? Is life better off without Ellis Grey manning the ship? Do you believe in destiny yet?

'Grey's Anatomy' reveals 'what if': What did you think of the alternate reality?

In the hour, Meredith dreamed of a world in which her mother, Ellis, had never gotten sick, and in fact had wound up married to Richard. Having grown up in a stable household, Meredith -- who considered Richard to be her father and took his last name, Weber -- barely resembled the dark-and-twisty woman we met in the pilot episode.

The ripple effect left us with alternate versions of all of our favorite characters. Meredith's "person" was not Cristina, but April, leaving Cristina alone in her grief after Burke left town. Meredith was engaged to Karev, having brought out his good side -- but even his good side couldn't overcome his cheatin' heart, and it was revealed that he was sleeping with April all along.

Callie and Owen were married with two kids, though by the end of the episode, it was clear that Arizona was the one for her. Meanwhile, Owen was struggling through his PTSD, relying on Skype sessions with Teddy and secret support from Cristina to maintain balance. Under Ellis' iron fist, Bailey was nowhere near the "nazi" we know and love -- and she had terrible hair.

Perhaps the most dramatically changed was Lexie, whose father had committed suicide after her mother's death. When we see Lexie in the alternate reality, she's a drug addict with a cocaine-addled heart and little hope for survival until Meredith steps in at the hospital.

As for Derek -- he and Addison were together and expecting (though we're not sure how Meredith's mother impacted Addie's reproductive issues), but not particularly happy. Unmotivated and uninspired, Derek's nickname around the hospital was McDreary, a mood that wasn't helped much when he discovered that the baby Addison was carrying was actually Mark's.

The lesson lies in the fact that by the final moments of the episode, Meredith and Derek found themselves, feeling damaged and lonely, at the bar, with plenty of tequila on hand to fuel a fated (if belated) connection. Perhaps, no matter what the circumstances, destiny is destiny?

What we do know is this -- it was good television. In fact, Season 8 of "Grey's Anatomy" has restored our faith in the series. It's been one heartbreaking twist after another, which is exactly what we seek from this show.

Feud Alert! Dance Moms Mother Strikes Back After Katherine Heigl Diss

We thought Abby Lee Miller would be the first of the outspoken Dance Moms cast to give her two cents, but we were wrong!

Christi Lukasiak, one of the (saucy) mothers on the show, had a phone-in radio interview with Pittsburgh's 100.7 Star, and the hosts asked Christi what she thought about Katherine Heigl's recent Dance Moms diss, in which the actress criticized the show as "demeaning" and "belittling" to the girls with routines akin to "burlesque."

Well, Chloe's mom had no idea about Heigl's comments until that moment, but you can bet a pair of jazz shoes that she gave her a piece of her mind...

"Well, very interesting," Lukasiak said, "First of all, the music doesn't seem all that adult. Second of all, I recall Katherine Heigl being in a movie about sleeping with an older man when she was about 12, so..."

And that right there, folks, is how a Dance Mom fires back.

"And she doesn't know that when I put my daughter to bed every night, you know, like, we have a long talk, and the kind of relationship I have with her. I don't let anybody mess with my kid. C'mon, have you seen the show? I'm constantly going to bat. I think if anybody fights for their kid, it's me, you know?"

Christi also shoots down any idea that she and the other mothers are "exploiting" their children, and instead argues that they are giving their girls, who want to be a part of this industry, a great opportunity.

So how does the interview end?

"Katherine Heigl can suck it," radio host Bubba said. "Yeah, that's what I say, but you said it, not me. I'm just agreeing," Christi exclaimed.

Stay tuned!

Mer Is Pretty in Pink and 9 Other Things to Know About Grey's Anatomy's Alt-Reality

These are just a few of the ways the world of Grey's Anatomy is turned upside down when Meredith imagines what life would be like if her mom had never gotten sick. In a special alternate-reality episode, airing Thursday at 9/8c on ABC, Ellis Grey (Kate Burton) was never stricken with Alzheimer's, and Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) had a very different upbringing. Instead of dark and twisty, Meredith is happy and engaged... to Alex Karev (Justin Chambers)!

Bad news MerDer fans: Derek (Patrick Dempsey) and Addison (Kate Walsh) are also still married. And she's pregnant!

TVGuide.com hit the set of Grey's Anatomy to get the scoop on the new Seattle Grace gang. Plus: Check out a first look at the alt-reality episode!

Meredith is pretty in pink: "She wears a lot of pink, and she's in love with Alex Karev," Pompeo explains of this very different, very happy Meredith. "They're like the perfect, preppy, yuppie couple. She's also still always trying to please her mother and she's vying for her approval all the time."

Video

Derek is grumpy smurf: Without Mer in his life, Derek is still unhappily married to Addison, which has greatly affected his personality. "We call him McDreary," Pompeo says. "He's a grumpy guy in the hospital, nobody likes him and nobody talks to him."

Addison is still around: Since Mer never got in between Derek and Addison's failing marriage, Addison never left Seattle. Instead, "she's majorly in denial," Walsh says. "She's a little different, not as bitchy, but still bitchy. It's a nice surprise for the 'Addek' fans, to see one take of what they would've been like if they were together. It's not necessarily so pretty."

Ellis is large and in charge: Since Ellis was never diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's, she was able to stay at Seattle Grace and move up in the ranks. "She's such a huge name in the medical profession," Chandra Wilson explains. "She runs that hospital with an iron fist, so you have to be at the top of your game when you're dealing with her."

Richard is with Ellis: In this reality, Richard Webber (James Pickens Jr.) finally got up the nerve to leave his wife Adele to be with Ellis. "We see a Richard who is very much in love with Ellis," Pickens says, "but he's also concerned that she has alienated her daughter. We finally see him take a stand and tell Ellis that she's subverting this girl's ambitions. Ellis understands it, but she also knows how to work Richard as well and she has a way of manipulating the situation and getting him to align with her."

Video

Miranda is "Mandy": As we saw in the flashback episode in Season 6, Bailey used to be a shy intern who went by the nickname Mandy. "We're revisiting Mandy," Wilson says. "She kind of got stunted right there at Mandy since the Chief wasn't able to mentor her the way we know that he had. She's just as smart, just as competent, but hasn't gotten to the place where we know Bailey will just go off on you in a minute. She had to keep it in check with Ellis Grey being in charge."

Owen is married to Callie: "Callie (Sara Ramirez) being with Owen (Kevin McKidd) is the largest mistake of both of their lives," executive producer Shonda Rhimes says. "It's very funny because they so have no business being together. She's so pining for this peds surgeon and she doesn't know why. It's because she never had Mark Sloan (Eric Dane) there and Erica Hahn (Brooke Smith) never came because Callie was the heart surgeon. She never had her first experience with a woman." (To note: Kim Raver's Teddy is still in Iraq, though she and Owen keep in touch.)

Callie is head of Cardio: "This Callie is a cardio surgeon," Ramirez explains. "She's close with Ellis Grey, who heavily mentored Callie. The result of Ellis Grey having mentored Callie really influenced the direction she took so Callie is really at the top of her game in this reality."

Cristina is flying solo: Without Meredith as her person, Cristina (Sandra Oh) has become a very stern, lonely, serious doctor. "For me, my inspiration was Emily the Strange and Wednesday Adams," Oh says of playing the new Cris.

Video

Arizona is ... still looking good to Callie: "Arizona is much more sophisticated and polished. Everything about her is ambiguous; she's not with anyone, male or female," says Jessica Capshaw. But even in the alt-reality world, Calzona is meant to be. "You start to see Callie questioning what would have happened had she made a different decision, and that is inspired by a certain pediatric surgeon," Ramirez adds.

Bonus Scoop: Pompeo and Chambers, who might just be the only Seattle Grace characters who haven't hooked up, will be smooching. "Oh my god," Pompeo says of her reaction to reading the script. "You have to understand, Justin is like my brother. I was so not into kissing him. I love him, and I think he's one of the hottest guys on the planet for the record, but yeah, it's like kissing your brother."

Are you excited for the alt-reality episode? Watch the first 10 minutes of the episode here — where you'll find out just what happened to Lexie (Chyler Leigh) — and then hit the comments with your thoughts. Check out another sneak peek below:

Video

Katherine Heigl Slams Dance Moms, Calls It "Demeaning" and "Belittling"

It's safe to say that Katherine Heigl is not a huge fan of the show after slamming it on her iVillage blog for sending inappropriate messages to young girls.

"I watched with open-mouthed amazement as girls as young as seven were encouraged to dress provocatively and shimmy around a stage doing a dance performance that could just as easily been a burlesque routine," she wrote.

"I kept thinking all these girls were missing is a pole! I was also horrified by the way their instructor spoke to them when she felt they weren't up to snuff," Heigl writes. "It was demeaning, belittling, and downright unkind."

And then it came to the topic of how Abby addresses the little girls.

"There is no reason to break anyone down in order to prepare them for inevitable disappointment or unkindness," she says. "There is no reason to diminish anyone's self-esteem in order to get them to try harder next time. Especially not a child's."

Although Heigl doesn't agree with the young girls parading their bodies on stage, she explains it's not their fault and they possess great talent.

"The young girls on Dance Moms are wonderfully talented, spirited ladies who should be encouraged to perform since they seem to truly have a knack for it...I just wish they were being inspired, instructed and supported for their gifts as I was when I found my creative path."

Watch the First 10 Minutes of Grey's Anatomy's Alt-Reality Episode

The Thursday, Feb. 2 episode of Grey's Anatomy will feature an alternate reality where Ellis Grey (Kate Burton) was never stricken with Alzheimer's, leading to a very different upbringing for Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo). The once dark and twisty doc is now happily... engaged to Alex Karev (Justin Chambers)?! The bad news? Derek (Patrick Dempsey) and Addison (Kate Walsh) are also still married... and she's pregnant! (Get even more scoop on the alt-episode here.)

Those are just a few of the shockers in store. Watch the first 10 minutes of the episode below to find out which Seattle Grace doc has changed the most: www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaFA94gHyds

How naked is Katherine Heigl in 'One For the Money'?

Heigl, 33, assures us that she took every precaution to keep herself covered while appearing to be nude onscreen in the romantic comedy that opens today.

"I go to great lengths to protect all the private bits," Heigl says. "It can look quite absurd actually.

"It is never fun to take off your clothes in front of a room full of people," she adds, pointing out that she was sufficiently undressed enough to be freezing during the scene in which she gets handcuffed to the shower curtain pole.

"They were gracious enough to let me run warm water between takes," Heigl says.

So was she ever even tempted to just go for it in the scene?

"My mother would have killed me," Heigl says, speaking of her manager mother, Nancy.

That said, Heigl's bounty-hunter character Stephanie Plum in Money does apprehend one old man who is comically sitting stark naked in his apartment. That extra had no problem showing a little more.

"He was not bashful in the least," Heigl says. "He didn't go full method. He had his underwear on. But that fanny shot was all him."

"He really went for it."

Katherine Heigl goes for "Money" in new caper film

The film is based on author Janet Evanovich's best-selling novel about Stephanie Plum, a divorced, unemployed woman who becomes a bounty hunter to pay the bills. To date, there are 17 installments of the popular book series.

"Money" sees Plum entering the profession, only to find herself chasing down a onetime romantic acquaintance and becoming entangled in a murder. The Emmy award-winning Heigl sat down with Reuters to talk about the film, her life as a working mom, adopting another baby perhaps within the year and a bad smoking habit she just can't seem to quit.

Q: Were you a fan of Janet Evanovich's books?

A: "I read the books when I was first approached about the project. The first one led to the second and by the time I got to the 10th, I was pretty hooked and obsessed. I just love Stephanie. She's savvy, brave and has a big heart. Her perspective on life and people is sort of wacky, charming and fun. She's got this great caustic sense of humor that I really responded to."

Q: And action film is a bit different for you. What was the most difficult thing for you to learn while shooting the film?

A: "I was pretty bad with the handcuffs. I really wanted to master the art of cuffing somebody quickly and efficiently. There's something about holding somebody's hands in a crossed way and trying to slap a cuff on. I didn't want to hurt the co-stars I was working within the scenes."

Q: You've established yourself as a romantic comedy actress. Is that a genre you feel comfortable in?

A: "If you asked me the same question two years ago I would have said, I love doing romantic comedies because those are the movies I tend to only watch. I want to laugh and believe in true love and romance. I'm still thrilled to be in those movies but at 33, I wouldn't mind breaking out of that genre a little bit. This movie had a murder mystery vibe to it, a kind of a caper film, so it was a different spin on the same formula."

Q: Did you have the whole family on location with you in Pittsburgh, including your adopted daughter Naleigh?

A: "Yes and it was chaos! (laughs). There was also my dog, my mom's dog, and then my mom would come for part of the filming because she's a producer on this as well. Then (husband/musician) Josh (Kelley) would come in and out because he's always on tour. Naleigh and the nanny were there all the time."

Q: Is Naleigh aware of what you do for a living?

A: "No, she isn't. Naleigh loves to play doctor and has a little doctor's kit. Recently my mom said, 'Naleigh, your mother played a doctor on TV.' And it was the first time that anyone has ever said to her that her mom is on TV. So she's starting to put the dots together."

Q: Any more kids for you and Josh?

A: "Naleigh's three now, so I'm hoping we have another child sooner than later -- at least maybe in the next year. Naleigh loves babies and the whole idea of babies."

Q: Will you adopt again or have biological children?

A: "We'd like to do both, but I'm on an adoption bent at this point. I'm afraid of pregnancy. That terrifies me. After being in (the R-rated comedy) "Knocked up" and having to watch birthing videos, I'm terrified! (laughs)"

Q: You are in a position where you headline your own movies, but you also produce many of them too. Was that always the plan?

A: "For me, there's so much inherent pressure in the position, so I started to feel neurotic and terrified all the time (laughs). I thought the only way for me to calm down was to take an active role in my future, not to sit and wait, but to create my own opportunities."

Q: So what's on the horizon?

A: "I'd love to write something. I'd love to direct. And there's so much great television, I would never rule out the opportunity to do a great TV show. I watch 'Homeland' and think Clare Danes is brilliant and if an opportunity like that came my way, I wouldn't say no."

Q: You've been spotted smoking electronic cigarettes to help you stop smoking. How's that been going?

A: "It's supposed to get you off the real thing, but I smoke it all the time because I don't have to step outside and it never goes out -- except when the battery dies. So I'm smoking it way more than I probably would a real cigarette."

Q: That's not good.

A: "I'm a nicotine addict and it's really ugly. If I could take anything back, smoking would be it. I wish I never picked up a cigarette. That was so stupid. That would be the one thing I would say to my kid as she gets old and inevitably will want to try a cigarette. I will say, 'Sure, go ahead, if you want to be a slave to something for the rest of your life!' I'll always be fighting the addiction."

Sightings

Heigl very nervous playing Plum

Chief among the worriers is Katherine Heigl, who just so happens to be playing Stephanie Plum in One For The Money, a film based on the first of Janet Evanovich's bestselling novels. The film, which Heigl also produced, opens Friday.

Playing the beloved heroine, "Is very nerve-wracking!" says Heigl, over the phone from New York, "because I became a big fan of Janet's, and it was in me not to disappoint her, or her fans, or myself! Because I've become such a big fan of the books. You never know how people are imagining Stephanie, but I feel we've done the characters and the story justice."

Heigl, 33, grew up in New Canaan, Conn., the youngest of five children. Her family was devastated by the death of her older brother Jason, who was killed in a car accident at 15; as Heigl has said in the past, this changed the family dynamic forever.

Heigl became a model and actress when she was still a child, and she was in her first movie, That Night, by the time she was 14.

Being a child actor and model, she says, was a great experience. "I know that always surprises people because you assume it's a lot to ask a kid, to be a professional at such a young age, but for some reason it just suited me, and I had a knack for it. I had a knack for memorizing quickly, I could take direction, and the mechanical aspect of it just worked for me. It was my thing," she says, "and it gave me a sense of purpose."

And a working childhood, says Heigl, was still totally normal. "I'm blessed and happy and secure and I don't have any Toddlers & Tiaras nightmares, or anything," she says, laughing.

The actress made her TV series debut at age 20 (in Roswell), made a few more forgettable movies and then found herself, in 2005, on the most successful TV medical drama since ER. Grey's Anatomy made Heigl an overnight success, not counting the 15 years it took her to get there. The actresses' movie career since then has made her a queen bee of the romantic comedy genre, though she's had some misses in there (Killers; The Ugly Truth) among the hits. She has done big box office in such crowd pleasers as Knocked Up, 27 Dresses and Life As We Know It; The Big Wedding, a comedy about a family event that stars Diane Keaton and Robert De Niro, is up next. Heigl has several other films in development.

She loves her work, "And being able to do something I'm driven and passionate about," but says she has a wider perspective now, courtesy of motherhood.

The passionate animal activist and her musician husband Josh Kelley have a three-year-old daughter, Naleigh, and their lives have changed focus. "I'm trying to define it for myself," says Heigl, who is currently a celebrity blogger on iVillage, where she writes about balancing work and motherhood.

"There's this safety, this groundedness in it, in being a wife and a mother, and those moments that are so gratifying, frustrating and joyful, they put the work in perspective. Before, I put everything on the work."

She continues, "I said to my husband, when we talked about starting a family, "I'm tired of everything being about me. I want to make it about someone else now. I've focused on my career long enough. Now I want to broaden my scope for love and joy and laughter and everything in between."

Summer Glau joins 'Grey's Anatomy' for episode 816

While no character details have been released, we're already in anticipation mode. "Grey's Anatomy" is back at the top of its game this season -- and yes, we've been crying almost every week. We're not sure we'll ever forgive Shonda Rhimes for the devastating death of Henry. Will Scott Foley ever get a happy ending?

In all seriousness, though, the show has us hooked now more than ever. Striking the perfect balance between joy (babies!) and tragedy (honestly, who kills off Scott Foley!?!), "Grey's" has made it back to the top of our must-watch list, even given the packed Thursday night schedule.

We're beyond psyched for the Feb. 2 episode, in which Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) imagines a world in which she grew up less "dark and twisty" and more "bright and shiny." We're expecting this fun alternate-universe episode to be much more successful than last season's musical hour -- but honestly, we'd tune in just for geeky Alex (Justin Chambers) and goth Lexie (Chyler Leigh).

Fast national ratings for Thursday, Jan. 19, 2012

CBS won the night with 14 million viewers and a healthy 8.5 rating/13 share in households. FOX was close behind with 12 million (7.2/11), followed by ABC (7 million, 4.6/7), NBC (4.2 million, 2.6/4) and The CW (2.1 million, 1.5/2).

In the adults 18-49 demo, FOX managed a win with a 3.9, though CBS was close behind at 3.5. ABC followed with 2.5, NBC with 1.7 and The CW with a 0.9. Thursday hour-by-hour:

8 p.m.
FOX: "American Idol" (17.8 million, 10.2/16)
CBS: "The Big Bang Theory" (15.7 million, 9.3/15)/"Rob" (11.7 million, 7.1/11)
ABC: "Wipeout" (5.8 million, 3.3/5)
NBC: "30 Rock" (4 million, 2.6/4)/"Parks and Recreation" (4.3 million, 2.6/4)
The CW: "The Vampire Diaries" (2.7 million, 1.8/3)
18-49 leader: "American Idol" (5.6)

9 p.m.
CBS: "Person of Interest" (14.3 million, 8.7/13)
ABC: "Grey's Anatomy" (9.3 million,m 6.2/9)
FOX: "The Finder" (6.8 million, 4.1/6)
NBC: "The Office" (6 million, 3.5/5)/"Up All Night" (4 million, 2.6/4)
The CW: "The Secret Circle" (1.7 million, 1.1/2)
18-49 leader: "Grey's Anatomy" (3.4)

10 p.m.
CBS: "The Mentalist" (14 million, 8.7/14)
ABC: "Private Practice" (6 million, 4.4/7)
NBC: "The Firm" (3.4 million, 2.3/4)
18-49 leader: "The Mentalist" (2.9)

Grey's Anatomy Redux: Doctors Go Rogue! And Are Cristina and Owen Doomed?

Did your favorite couple survive the hour? Find out...

WHAT WE LEARNED

Scheming Surgeons: We admit we didn't pay enough attention to our college psychology classes to remember exactly, but we're pretty sure acting out is one of the stages of grief. Grief-stricken widow Teddy (Kim Raver) is on a rampage and she's bringing Cristina (Sandra Oh) along for the ride. If this were a CW show, Teddy would have dyed her hair black and crashed a Porsche by now. Instead, the partners in crime steal surgeries. But the fallout isn't pretty. Owen (Kevin McKidd) brings up possibly the worst thing he can in an argument, and the timing of Zola's birthday bash probably isn't the best place to hash out family grievances. Obviously the whole "you killed our baby" thing has been bubbling under the surface for quite some time and it remains to be seen if Owen and Cristina will ever be able to get past it.

Meddling Mommies: Mark (Eric Dane) has some serious lady issues. Mo' women, mo' problems as they say. There are far too many cooks in the kitchen dictating to his relationship with Lexie (Chyler Leigh) clone, Julia (Holley Fain). Callie (Sara Ramirez) and Arizona (Jessica Capshaw) spent most of the episode, albeit hilariously, trying to give him to say those three little words. While we are still holding out for a Mark-Lexie reunion—it's going to happen—we do appreciate this mature Mark who doesn't want to rush it. But come on Mark, hurry up and dump Julia already!

Stay, Little Valentine: Oh, Grey's Anatomy, how did you know that the one way to cut through our icy heart was to have Richard Webber (James Pickens Jr.) sing "My Funny Valentine" to his ailing wife? That's our kryptonite. Sadly, Adele's (Loretta Devine) health is rapidly declining and this will no doubt only make us sob more in the future. It's quite clear to us that Devine wants a friend for her Emmy statue!

ONE-LINERS

"That ship has sailed. And sank."—Callie

"You're husband's dead, have some food."—Teddy

"Teddy's boundless grief is one of the best things that ever happened to me."—Cristina

WHAT LIES AHEAD

Is She or Isn't She? Could Izzie Stevens be coming back to Seattle? If it was up to Katherine Heigl, yes! Heigl tells E! News that she's expressed to the producers that she like to come back to the show and she has some ideas about where Izzie is now, "My idea is that she actually, like, figures it out, and finds some success and does really well in a different hospital." Imagine the tailspin that would send Alex in!

Birthday Breakdown: Who knew that a child's first birthday party could get so dramatic? Owen clearly has some issues with Cristina's decision to have an abortion earlier this season. Shonda Rhimes recently told reporters, "It felt like it wasn't closed for Owen. It was closed for Cristina, but it wasn't closed for Owen." And as we saw the issue is wide open again, for the both of them!

Did Owen hit below the belt during the argument? Does Teddy have every right to lash out? How adorable was Zola in that little dress? Are we all sick of Mark's new girlfriend yet?

23rd Annual GLAAD Media Award Nominees

Sarah Drew Welcomes Son Micah Emmanuel

The Grey’s Anatomy star, 31, delivered son Micah Emmanuel Lanfer at 6:21 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18 in Los Angeles, her rep confirms to PEOPLE exclusively.

“She and her husband, Peter Lanfer, are in love with him!” the rep says of the couple’s new baby boy, who weighed in at 7 lbs., 4 oz and is 19 inches long.

“I thought it would be a good idea to wait to find out because I am a control freak by nature,” Drew explained of their decision to be surprised at the birth.

“I’m about to walk into a chapter of my life where I have no control over anything anymore, and I figured I’d ease myself into it by not allowing myself to plan for the sex of the baby. It’s good training for me!”

LIVE TWITTER CHAT WITH "GREY'S ANATOMY" STAR JESSICA CAPSHAW ON 1/19

Grey's Anatomy Scoop: Katherine Heigl Wants to Come Back!

While promoting her new movie, One for the Money, Katherine Heigl discussed whether she'd ever be open to returning to Grey's Anatomy, and the answer may surprise you fans...

According to Heigl, she has already asked to come back on the show.

"I've told them I want to," Katherine tells us. "I don't know... Being a showrunner and being a writer of a TV series like that is so complicated that I mean she's got how many characters are there now? There's a lot and so she's balancing about 40 different storylines, so I don't know if it fits in to their sort of vision for this season or next or however many seasons it goes."

(Video)

Katherine last appeared on Grey's in January 2010, when she left the series to raise her adopted daughter, Naleigh. And she tells us that if ABC or the Grey's producers were to call up and ask for her to return, she'd do it.

"Yeah totally. I really, really, really want to see where [Izzie] is. I just want to know what happened to her and where she went and what she's doing now. My idea is that she actually like figures it out, and finds some success and does really well in a different hospital. She was always floundering you know, and so she was always one step behind the eight ball and I want to see that girl take some power back."

Would you like to see Katherine on Grey's again? Could poor Alex Karev's heart take it?

Josh Kelley, Katherine Heigl create 'Naleigh Moon' video

The sweet tune was written by Kelley for his adopted daughter, and the video was directed by his wife, Katherine Heigl.

Some of his lyrics: "Halfway around my little world you had no idea/that you were my girl/you found my arms and not a moment too soon/I couldn't see past me till I saw you/my sweet naleigh moon"

Meanwhile, Heigl has just posted a new iVillage essay about marriage, in which she writes about some of the ups and downs with Kelley :

Josh and I have only been married four years and though that may seem record-breaking in Hollywood, we're still considered newlyweds to the rest of the world. What I can tell you is that I was infatuated with this man the moment I met him. I was crazy about him three weeks later, and madly in love with him two more after that. More often than not he brings the best out of me and when he doesn't, I tell him the truth about how he's let me down and listen when he tells me the same. He makes me laugh like no one else, he makes me feel safer than I've ever felt, adored with abandon and when he doesn't, I tell him how I feel ignored and listen when he tells me I've driven him away."

Video.

Katherine Heigl Introduces Super-Shy Daughter Naleigh to Jimmy Kimmel

On Tuesday's episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live, the actress' hubby, Josh Kelley, brought their adorable 3-year-old onstage so Heigl could introduce her to the audience.

Naleigh's response was...

Not exactly what mom had in mind!

"She's very hammy. She likes applause," Heigl, 33, said.

But Naleigh clearly wasn't feeling the crowd. Despite her mother's requests, she opted not to "say hello to Mr. Kimmel" or wave to the audience.

"She loves a crowd that loves her," Heigl said as Naleigh shyly sucked on her thumb. "She'll be shy right now, but she loves applause."

Despite the One for the Money star's encouragement, Naleigh didn't talk much—except, of course, to dish on her manicure. Check out the cuteness in the clip.

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