ABC ended the night with 11.5 million viewers and a 7.5 rating/12 share in households, beating out the 11.4 million and 7.1/12 for CBS. FOX (10.3 million, 6.7/11) came in third with its baseball playoff coverage. NBC was a distant fourth with 5.9 million viewers and a 3.7/6, and The CW (2.1 million, 1.4/2) trailed.
ABC also led the adults 18-49 demographic with a 4.0 rating. FOX came in second with a 3.3, while CBS was third at 3.0. NBC averaged 2.4 and The CW 0.8.
Thursday hour by hour:
8 p.m.
CBS: "Survivor: Samoa" (12.9 million viewers, 7.7/12 households)
FOX: American League Championship Series Game 5 - Yankees at Angels (10.3 million, 6.5/10)
ABC: "FlashForward" (9.8 million, 6.2/10)
NBC: "Community" (5.2 million, 3.3/5)/"Parks and Recreation" (5 million, 3.2/5)
The CW: "The Vampire Diaries" rerun (2.3 million, 1.5/2)
18-49 leader: "Survivor: Samoa" (4.0)
9 p.m.
ABC: "Grey's Anatomy" (14.7 million, 9.6/15)
CBS: "CSI" rerun (10 million, 6.4/10)
FOX: ALCS Game 5 (9.6 million, 6.3/10)
NBC: "The Office" (8.5 million, 5.0/8)/"30 Rock" (6.7 million, 4.0/6)
The CW: "Supernatural" rerun (1.9 million, 1.3/2)
18-49 leader: "Grey's Anatomy" (5.2)
10 p.m.
CBS: "The Mentalist" rerun (11.3 million, 7.3/12)
FOX: ALCS Game 5 (11.2 million, 7.2/12)
ABC: "Private Practice" (10 million, 6.7/11)
NBC: "The Jay Leno Show" (5 million, 3.3/5)
18-49 leader: ALCS Game 5 (3.8)
TVGuide.com: Everyone hates the new Mercy Westers. How does that feel?
Robert Baker: I've never been so hated in my life. I think it's the way [fans] should feel. We came on to the show and started wreaking havoc. I'm not like Charles in my everyday life. If I step on an ant, I go into mourning over it. I don't want to ruffle any feathers, so to go up there and do it is actually a blast. The show needs a bad guy. You can't have drama without [one].
TVGuide.com: Do any of them have any redeemable qualities? Will fans grow to like them?
Baker: Yeah, people are going to start seeing that when it comes to doing our jobs, we definitely come through for them. I think it's going to take a while for people to be won over by any one of the Mercy Westers in particular. It's going to be difficult in future episodes for them.
TVGuide.com: Charles pretty much got Izzie fired. Will everyone in the hospital be upset with him?
Baker: Certain people, definitely. I'm sure you can guess which people will be angrier than others about Izzie departing — not everyone though. They're not happy because she's gone; they're just not mad at [Charles] for what happened to her.
TVGuide.com: Are Alex (Justin Chambers) and Charles going to come to blows?
Baker: It's funny, the episode this Thursday, Alex and I do have some stuff together. You see his dislike for me. We don't quite come to blows because that wouldn't be a very fair fight, first of all. Clearly I'm the biggest person to ever set foot on that set. It's a little more passive-aggressive what goes on between he and I. He has me under his thumb a little bit and takes advantage of it.
TVGuide.com: Charles has admitted he's in love with Reed (Nora Zehetner). What's coming up between them?
Baker: It hasn't really come up that much since, but it seems like something might — since Reed and Karev kind of mix it up, and the two of them have that competitive attraction sort of thing, I don't know if there's going to be some sort of weird triangle thing or what.
TVGuide.com: Are there any other love interests in the hospital? There is a new gaggle of doctors; I'm sure people are giving them a second look.
Baker: I know that Cristina [Sandra Oh] and Jackson [Jesse Williams] are pitted in an adversarial relationship that always, on Grey's, seems like it leads elsewhere. The fighting leads to something else. [Laughs] I think maybe them. I'm the odd man out; nobody likes me. The bad guy is always the lonely guy.
TVGuide.com: The Mercy Westers seem to have the upper hand. We've seen them succeed a lot; will we see them fail?
Baker: You're definitely going to see us fail and pretty darn hard. There is comeuppance, so people who are waiting for Mercy Westers to feel the ax, they're going to be happy.
TVGuide.com: What can you tell us about Thursday's big episode?
Baker: There's been a massive apartment-building fire. It's just total chaos. It's a he-said-she-said. There's too many doctors and too much commotion. It's all centered around one patient who we lose. It's trying to find out who was actually responsible for the death of this young lady. I can neither confirm nor deny the hospital of origin of the killing party.
TVGuide.com: What's coming up when Ellen Pompeo and Katherine Heigl return?
Baker: Now that Ellen is back around and Katie is coming back, it's going to be more about reconciling these worlds. I can't say when or how she comes back, but I can definitely say that Izzie is going to give as good as she got when she gets back around to me. People can definitely to look forward to seeing her score some points on [Charles] in the near future.
Sources confirm that T.R. Knight and his boyfriend of about two years, Mark Cornelsen, have called it quits.
"It's amicable," one source says of the breakup, which was first reported by In Touch. "It was just a normal breakup. It just ran its course."
When exactly things fell apart is unclear because...
Cornelsen was with Knight just two weeks ago at the opening of Parade, a stage musical starring the former Grey's Anatomy star. It's Knight's first project since leaving the ABC prime-time medical drama.
We spotted Cornelsen, who is 16 years younger than the 36-year-old Knight, attending the show with another Grey's alum, Melissa George.
Knight's romantic future isn't the only thing now up in the air for the actor. He was scheduled to star on Broadway next year in a revival of Lend Me a Tenor, but a source says those plans could be put on hold because Parade may be moving to Broadway.
Either way, it looks like Mr. Knight will be temporarily relocating from his L.A. home to NYC. And I'm told Cornelsen never intended to join him for the move.
CBS averaged 13.8 million viewers and an 8.6 rating/14 share in households for the night, beating out ABC's 11.1 million and 7.1/12. FOX (7.5 million, 4.7/7) came in third. NBC drew 5.8 million viewers and a 3.6/6 to take fourth, and The CW (3.2 million, 2.0/3) trailed.
The top two spots were reversed in the adults 18-49 demographic, with ABC's 4.0 topping CBS' 3.5. FOX and NBC tied for third at 2.4. The CW scored a 1.5.
Thursday night hour by hour:
8 p.m.
CBS: "Survivor: Samoa" (11.9 million, 7.1/11)
ABC: "FlashForward" (9.12 million, 5.7/9)
FOX: "Bones" (9.11 million, 5.7/9)
NBC: "Community" (5.1 million, 3.2/5)/"Parks and Recreation" (4.7 million, 3.1/5)
The CW: "The Vampire Diaries" (3.9 million, 2.4/4)
18-49 leader: "Survivor: Samoa" (3.5)
9 p.m.
CBS: "CSI" (15.1 million, 9.5/15)
ABC: "Grey's Anatomy" (13.6 million, 8.9/14)
NBC: "The Office" (8.1 million, 4.8/7)/"30 Rock" season premiere (6.3 million, 3.9/6)
FOX: "Fringe" (6 million, 3.7/6)
The CW: "Supernatural" (2.6 million, 1.6/3)
18-49 leader: "Grey's Anatomy" (4.9)
10 p.m.
CBS: "The Mentalist" (14.4 million, 9.3/16)
ABC: "Private Practice" (10.4 million, 6.9/12)
NBC: "The Jay Leno Show" (5.2 million, 3.3/6)
18-49 leader: "Private Practice" (3.9)
TVGuide.com caught up with the 28-year-old Zehetner (Brick, Heroes) to get the scoop on what's coming up. Expect a lot of fighting, and a few new relationships. Find out what else ...
TVGuide.com: Did you have fun taking on this persona unlike anything you've played before?
Zehetner: Yeah, it's different. It's probably the most grown-up role I've had. My friends all laugh whenever I tell them I'm playing a doctor. The doctor stuff is really hard, not just the medical terminology, actually the multitasking. Having to do these surgeries or medical procedures while saying lines, it's like rubbing your head and patting your tummy at the same time.
TVGuide.com: Isn't it rubbing your tummy and patting your head?
Zehetner: [Laughs] You can see I would not be very good at the multitasking if I can't even get the expression right.
TVGuide.com: So tell us about Reed and the other doctors coming into Seattle Grace.
Zehetner: It's like going to a new school. It's like two schools being merged together and you're trying to figure out where do I fit in? You want to be the best and do the best job. We're all worried about our jobs. Reed's very feisty and a very hardworking doctor. She's maybe a little overeager, trying really hard.
TVGuide.com: Which Seattle Grace doc would you say is similar to Reed?
Zehetner: Maybe a bit like Cristina [Sandra Oh], maybe a bit like Karev [Justin Chambers]. In terms of how motivated she is, maybe Cristina. I definitely butt heads with quite a few of the characters. It's kind of in her nature; she can be a little abrasive.
A few things you should know about Grey's Anatomy's sixth season
TVGuide.com: Are these new doctors welcomed into the hospital?
Zehetner: No, there's enough fighting between the Seattle Grace doctors to get the best surgeries and establish their place. They're now getting along and are more established in their roles, so to have people come in and shake that up, I don't think we're very welcome. I don't think we're very happy to have to go into a new place and re-establish ourselves. There's a lot of jockeying over surgeries and a lot of drama.
TVGuide.com: Since there are so many people around, does it almost make the hospital fall apart even more?
Zehetner: Yeah, it's definitely much more chaotic, which is not the best thing in a hospital.
TVGuide.com: Is there anyone Reed actually gets along with?
Zehetner: She's very good friends with Sarah Drew's character, April, whose one of the new doctors coming in. I think the Mercy West doctors are somewhat friendly. Whether they were good friends before that, I don't know, but once you go together, you band together because it's us vs. them.
TVGuide.com: Do the four new doctors bring any secrets over to Seattle Grace that we'll discover as we get to know them?
Zehetner: Everybody has secrets. Kim Raver joins Grey's Anatomy
TVGuide.com: Fair enough. There are a lot of hot doctors at Seattle Grace. Will any of the Mercy Westers go after any of the men?
Zehetner: Yeah, they're all hot. I don't know about that yet. Everybody at some point has some sort of romance on that show. I hope so. I don't know with whom yet.
TVGuide.com: Who would you like to see Reed get with?
Zehetner: I can't choose. They're all very attractive in their own way. Who would you choose?
TVGuide.com: No judgment. McDreamy, McSteamy and Alex Karev.
Zehetner: [Laughs] I also think Kevin McKidd is super sexy.
TVGuide.com: Him too! So no sharing any kisses yet?
Zehetner: No, but I keep making this joke during all the surgery stuff. I'm, like, just throw me in that make-out closet, I'll be fine there, I don't need to do surgeries, but I should probably not say that as it is a show about surgeries — partially.
Nor is it really a huge surprise that the most-watched shows on live TV -- at least those that aren't sporting events -- also tend to gain the most in terms of raw numbers of viewers in DVR. That's been the pattern for the past couple of seasons, and it was the case for the first week of the 2009-10 season.
Nielsen has released its "live plus 7" numbers for the first official week of the season (Sept. 21-27) and in general the shows at the top of the same-day ratings are also at the top of the seven-day list too. "Grey's Anatomy" was the biggest gainer in raw numbers, adding 2.97 million viewers from its same-day total, while "The Mentalist" picked up an additional 2.95 million people.
The biggest gainers in terms of percentages are farther down the ratings: "Dollhouse" grew by 36.5 percent (2.5 million to 3.42 million), and "Fringe" went up by 34.1 percent (5.77 million to 7.73 million). Thirteen shows grew by 20 percent or more during premiere week.
Adding viewers is never a bad thing. But none of the biggest biggest percentage gainers is now suddenly a hit as a result. "Fringe" and "NCIS" each added about the same amount of people, but because "NCIS" was starting off at a much higher level (20.6 million), the 1.93 million viewers it gained is a much smaller percentage of the total.
The DVR numbers also don't necessarily mean a ton to advertisers, since DVRs also let people skip commercials (advertisers tend to use "C3" ratings, which measures how many people actually watch an ad within three days of its airing, as the standard for setting ad rates). The seven-day numbers could, however, help indicate which borderline shows might be worth supporting.
It's also pretty clear that a crowded night of TV makes for a lot of DVR use -- six of the top 10 shows in terms of viewers added aired on Thursday night.
Below are the top 10 shows in the seven-day ratings for Sept. 21-27 in total viewers added; this gallery has the leaders by percentage.
"Grey's Anatomy": 17.06 million to 20.03 million viewers, added 2.97 million
"The Mentalist": 15.09 million to 18.04 million, added 2.95 million
"House": 17.27 million to 20.15 million, added 2.88 million
"CSI": 16.04 million to 18.26 million, added 2.22 million
"FlashForward": 12.5 million to 14.47 million, added 1.97 million
"Fringe": 5.77 million to 7.73 million, added 1.97 million
"NCIS": 20.61 million to 22.54 million, added 1.93 million
"Criminal Minds": 15.85 million to 17.76 million, added 1.91 million
"CSI: Miami": 14.22 million to 16.12 million, added 1.9 million
"Bones": 9.15 million to 11.02 million, added 1.87 million
First up, Wilson’s Dr. Bailey will be headed to Los Angeles for sun and apparently some fun when she crosses over to sister show Private Practice this week. “I’m being overprotective of a patient that I have that of course their care has to happen in L.A. at St. Ambrose – because that’s the only place it can be in the world,” she laughed. “So I’m heading over to Private Practice.”
“You know, Taye Diggs’ character is single now!” Ramirez reminded her, nodding to a recently teased smooch between Bailey and Sam Bennett. But Wilson’s acting like what happens in L.A. stays in L.A. “I don’t share stories,” she insisted with a chuckle.
Despite Bailey’s steamy interlude in SoCal, the rest of Seattle Grace’s staff is about to feel a chill wind as the result of the merger with Mercy West, which will put some of the doc’s jobs in jeopardy. “Not everyone at Seattle Grace is safe,” hinted Ramirez, and Wilson took it further: “Next week is a jaw-dropper. It’s not going to work out for some people.”
Wilson’s also stepping behind the camera as the director of the seventh episode of Grey’s sixth season, airing toward the end of October (the plotline is Patrick Dempsey-centric – “all Derek all the time,” she teases). And Ramirez revealed Wilson’s directorial style is far from the iron-fisted façade Bailey puts out there.
“She was amazing and we all fell in love with her as a director,” Ramirez said. “There was just a calm, grounded energy about Chandra when she walks in, and everybody just kind of feels it. And it’s so nice and you don’t feel rushed and you don’t feel crazy. But the reality is there is a clock going, there’s a budget, there’s all these things but this woman is so grounded and so comforting.”
Wilson countered that part of that calmness may have been due to her acting skills. “After the fact I can say I was as nervous as I-don’t-know-what,” she explained. “But I knew that everything works from the head out so whatever it was that I put out there, I felt that’s what was gonna come back, and a lot of times I felt like we were like ‘Let’s get together and do a SHOW!’
As for Ramirez’s character, she says “Callie has the job of an attending, which is really exciting because her father – they’re on the outs, Callie and her father, which was sort of her financial support as well, and Callie’s dad comes back with an unexpected guest to deal with the falling out and the relationship with Callie and Arizona.”
Also coming back is Ellen Pompeo – though audiences won’t have a chance to have missed her during brief real-life maternity leave. Thanks to some advance planning and a quick birth bounce-back by Pompeo, Meredith Grey will be in every episode this season. “We shot ahead and she just left, and now she’s on her way back,” said Wilson.
“She’s coming back in like a week,” Ramirez confirmed.
In fact, the Seattle Grace set may start looking more like a maternity ward when the cameras aren’t rolling: Pompeo and Chyler Leigh recently had babies, Katherine Heigl just adopted and Eric Dane’s an expectant daddy. Whatever’s been responsible for the show’s off-screen baby boom, Ramirez confessed: “I haven’t been drinking the water.”
Both actresses are looking forward to meeting all of the new arrivals soon. “People are just settling down,” said Ramirez. “And good for them, you know? Children are a beautiful thing.”
Sources confirm that Ellen Pompeo is expected to return to the set of Grey's Anatomy "very soon" after giving birth to baby girl Stella Luna Sept. 15. Thanks to her early return, as well as her willingness to preshoot scenes before the birth (most of which took place in bed after Meredith's liver surgery in last night's ep), it is working out that not a single episode will go Meredith Grey-less.
Pretty good news for Meredith and Derek fans, right?
As for all you Owen and Christina fans who are freaking out over rumors of trouble in paradise...
Sources confirm that 24 and Lipstick Jungle beauty Kim Raver will appear on the show starting Nov. 12 in a recurring role as a surgeon, and if things work out, she could be upped to series-regular status.
So what of the notion that Raver could be a love interest for Owen (Kevin McKidd), as my frenemy has speculated?
"It's possible that they do have some kind of connection," one show insider tells me. "But I think Shonda [Rhimes] and the writers are big fans [of Cristina (Sandra Oh) and Owen] and will do right by them in the end."
McKidd himself hinted at some sort of trouble ahead when he told us, "Someone comes to the hospital that [Owen] was connected to in his past—not his ex-fiancée, but it's somebody we didn't expect. I think it could get a little tricky, but exciting and interesting. Hopefully it will bring [Owen and Cristina] closer in the long run."
I'm told Raver's storyline hasn't yet been shot, so here's the thing: No time like the present to let the powers that be know how you feel about...Crowen? No? Owstina? No? (OK, so their names don't combine to make some cute little annoying moniker...but they're still hot!)
NBC's "The Office" wedding special for characters Jim and Pam also drew nearly 2 million more viewers than the previous week's airing.
For the night, CBS averaged 13.5 million viewers and an 8.4 rating/14 share in households. ABC took second with 10.8 million viewers and an 7.0/11. FOX (8 million, 4.9/8) was third, followed by NBC (6.3 million, 3.9/6) came in fourth, ahead of The CW (3 million, 1.9/3).
In the coveted adult 18-49 demographic, ABC led with a 4.0 rating, beating out CBS' 3.3. NBC took third with a 2.8, followed by FOX, 2.5, and The CW, 1.4.
Thursday night hour by hour:
8 p.m.
CBS: "Survivor: Samoa" (11.7 million viewers, 7.1/11 households)
FOX: "Bones" (9.9 million, 6.1/10)
ABC: "FlashForward" (9 million, 5.9/9)
NBC: "Community" (5.1 million, 3.5/6)/"Parks and Recreation" (5 million, 3.3/5)
The CW: "The Vampire Diaries" (3.5 million, 2.1/3)
18-49 leader: "Survivor" tied at 3.4
9 p.m.
CBS: "CSI" (14.6 million, 9.1/14)
ABC: "Grey's Anatomy" (13.8 million, 8.9/14)
NBC: "The Office" (9.1 million, 5.2/8)
FOX: "Fringe" (6 million, 3.7/6)
The CW: "Supernatural" (2.5 million, 1.6/2)
18-49 leader: "Grey's Anatomy" (5.3)
10 p.m.
CBS: "The Mentalist" (14.2 million, 9.1/16)
ABC: "Private Practice" season premiere (9.5 million, 6.3/11)
NBC: "The Jay Leno Show" (4.8 million, 3.1/5)
18-49 leader: "Private Practice" (3.7)
Daddy Issues: When a disoriented Thatcher was brought into the hospital with Lexie at his side, Meredith was quick to write off his behavior as another drunken episode. But after he vomited blood at Meredith’s feet, Thatcher was diagnosed with end stage liver disease, and required an immediate transplant. Lexie offered to be a donor, but was not a match. In a fit of desperation, she peeked at Meredith’s medical files, learned her sister was a match, and begged her to help. “As crappy as he was to you, he was wonderful to me,” Lexie said. The heartfelt request got through to Mer, who agreed to go under the knife. “If you die, it will break her,” Mer explained to Thatcher. “And I’m not gonna let you do that. I don’t know what it’s like to have a father, but I do know what it’s like to have a sister, and it’s good.”
Mama Needs to Cut: Convinced she will end up on the chopping block because of the limited amount of hours she’s logged in the OR, Cristina went as far as urging Meredith to donate her liver for a chance at scrubbing in. And after overhearing Owen, Derek and Mark discussing a high-risk procedure, Cristina finally got her surgery: a penal implant for an elderly patient. Frustrated with the lack of mentoring she’s received, she accosted the Chief and admitted that she was worried about being let go. But “if I can’t learn, if I can’t use my gift, I guess that scares me more,” she said.
Adventures In Married Life: After a bear sighting, Alex could no longer hide his frustration with living in the wilderness, and was determined to move back into Meredith’s house. But Izzie was having none of it, and made it clear to Alex that she needed to move forward, including returning to work. While assisting Owen with a cancer patient, she pushed the trauma doc to do a second round of surgery in hopes of removing the tumor, citing her own miracle recovery as reason to try. But when the patient died, Owen blamed himself for not handling the situation better, telling Izzie, “You were that one in a million, and you wanted to believe … but you cannot be a doctor and a patient in here. You have to choose.” Izzie was defeated on the home front as well: When she encountered the same bear that crossed paths with Alex, she conceded it was time the couple move.
Callie Cracks the Chief: With an army of attending surgeons at his neck — including best bud Derek — the Chief was ready to accept that the difficult decisions he makes will permanently make him Seattle Grace’s resident bad guy. Enter Callie, who had sought him out to beg for her job back, only managed to say, “This must be so hard for you.” Her moment of compassion earned her a position as an attending.
The hospital merger isn't the only problem the residents of Seattle Grace are having. When Thatcher Grey (Jeff Perry) returns, he throws the Grey sisters into turmoil, as Lexie (Chyler Leigh) fights to save her father's life and Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) doesn't care.
On top of that, the 27-year-old Leigh tells TVGuide.com that the budding relationship between Mark (Eric Dane) and Lexie has a wrench thrown into it. What else could go wrong? Plenty, she says:
Daddy Issues: "Thatcher comes into the hospital and is seemingly drunk," Leigh reveals. "There's this whole question where I'm saying, 'No he's not drunk, something else is going wrong.' Meredith sees him come into the hospital and goes, 'Oh, he's up to his regular antics again.' I have to convince her there's something else going on. You'll find out that he's got some really intense liver issues going on [and] he has to have a transplant."
Sisterly problems: What happens when dead-beat daddy returns? "Meredith is questioning whether or not she should even care [about Thatcher], and whether or not she should feel bad that she doesn't care," says Leigh. "Lexie got this whole and healed kind of a guy and had this really great upbringing. Meredith had an entirely different upbringing of neglect and abuse. It is like you're looking at two separate people. It stirs up some pretty big issues between the sisters and ultimately works out really well. Ultimately Meredith helps her, but not in the way that everyone is expecting."
Hospitals merging: In the first few seasons, the doctors "were really fierce with one another in trying to get cases and surgeries. That comes back this season," Leigh says. "There's an influx of doctors coming in [that] sends everybody into a panic, scrambling to make sure their job is secure. There are four doctors that come into the hospital that are some seriously fierce competition."
Who's leaving Seattle Grace? The hospital lost many staff members in last week's episode, but the layoffs haven't ended there. "Nobody is sure who is going to stick around. The people who you think are safe, might not be. The people that you think [are] totally going to be the ones to go, might not. It really throws a lot up in the air. Lexie, who tends to be a little more insecure about her abilities, she gets thrown easily with competition."
Lexie and Mark on the rocks: "Their relationship right now is pretty stable. They're making good progress, but there is definitely something that comes up soon that throws a wrench in the whole thing. They're coming up on some rough roads. As far as I've been told, it's pretty intense and I'm just hoping that they do [last]."
Empty Hospital: With Pompeo out on maternity leave and Katherine Heigl leaving for a few episodes to film a movie, the hospital is going to be pretty empty this year. "Meredith is still in all the episodes," says Leigh. "They had to get pretty creative on how to give Ellen an out. With Katherine's Izzie being gone, it throws a lot on the plate for Alex [Justin Chambers] and how he has to deal with her being out. It certainly ups the drama factor. You'll see soon enough."
ABC confirms that former '24' & 'Lipstick Jungle' star Kim Raver has been cast as a recurring character, scheduled to join the series in the November 12th episode.
Though the network is not commenting on story lines, EW.com reports that Raver will play someone who may pose a threat to the blossoming Owen-Cristina relationship.
Raver is no stranger to working with "Grey's" creator Shonda Rhimes. The actress starred in Rhimes' "Inside The Box" pilot for ABC earlier this year.
Here are details on the family and the charity event:
Six years ago, Jay and Elena bought the perfect home, a home they could live in forever and that would easily expand as their family grew. But before they had a chance to build their first addition, an onslaught of problems, from carbon monoxide leaks to mold and rotting wood, brought their dreams for their home to a halt. Before they could begin tackling the growing list of issues with the structure, their 9-year-old son, Cameron, was diagnosed with leukemia. Despite the mounting medical bills and the fear of having to leave their home due to the dangers it presented to Cameron's recovery, the Marshall family came together and rallied their community behind their son's "Be Positive" campaign. The "Be Positive" campaign, named after Cameron's blood type, has already brought in around $40,000 for the Children's Hospital at Darthmoth and leukemia awareness, including $3,500 Cameron raised on his own. Now it's up to Ty and the designers to build Jay, 39, Elena, 40, Beau, 17, Olivia, 14, Kennedy, 11, Cameron, 9, Emilie, 8, Faith, 6, Rylie, 5, and Nina, 3, a safe and healthy home that will allow their family to continue to grow and the "Be Positive" campaign to flourish.
The Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope & Healing at Central Maine Medical Center opened in March of 2008. Dempsey created the Center in response to his mother's multiple bouts with ovarian cancer. In its first year, the Center had over 6,000 direct patient contacts and served over 2,000 on its toll-free cancer help-line. More information can be found on the Center's new website: www.dempseycenter.org.
The Dempsey Challenge will serve as the primary fundraiser for The Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope & Healing at Central Maine Medical Center, which provides free support, education and wellness services to cancer patients and caregivers. Through the event, Dempsey is hoping to raise awareness about the disease through cancer education, prevention and early detection, and promote physical activity as an important part of daily life. Some 3,500 Dempsey Challenge participants may choose one of four cycling routes (10, 25, 50 or 100 miles) or a 5K (3.1 mile) run/walk and are encouraged to create or join teams to build camaraderie and assist their fundraising efforts. (www.dempseychallenge.org).
The event will be held on Saturday & Sunday, October 3 & 4, 2009.
She really does walk the walk -- in a three-year-old hybrid car.
While there's a lot of yammering out of Hollywood about the environment, most stars of Oh's calibre would never be caught with their spray-tanned legs emerging from a vehicle that wasn't fresh off the lot.
Yet Oh, the star of TV's Grey's Anatomy, is seen all over town in her light-blue Toyota, dings on bumpers and all.
Her alma mater, Sir Robert Borden High School in her hometown of Ottawa, should be proud she's keeping things up. As student council president there in the 1980s, she led the charge against the use of styrofoam cups.
"She's great," says Carly Lee, who works at the Whole Foods market in Los Angeles where Oh, 38, is known to shop.
"A lot of people say they're for the environment, but it's the small things that say a lot about people -- you'd be surprised how many celebrities wouldn't be caught dead even using recyclable bags.
"Sandra lives what she preaches, she would never not remember to bring her own bags and she's proud to drive around in a pretty old car."
"Private Practice" had a pretty solid premiere to wrap up last season's cliffhanger, and both "The Mentalist" and "Fringe" built some on their numbers from last week.
CBS averaged 14.2 million viewers and an 8.9 rating/15 share in households for the night. ABC finished a strong second with 12.5 million viewers and an 8.0/13. FOX (7.6 million, 4.7/7) was a distant third. NBC (5.5 million, 3.4/6) came in fourth, ahead of The CW (3 million, 1.9/3).
In the adults 18-49 demo, ABC's 4.7 rating led the way, beating out CBS' 3.8. FOX took third with a 2.5, followed by NBC, 2.2, and The CW, 1.4.
Thursday night hour by hour:
8 p.m.
CBS: "Survivor: Samoa" (11.7 million viewers, 7.1/12 households)
ABC: "FlashForward" (10.8 million, 6.7/11)
FOX: "Bones" (9 million, 5.6/9)
NBC: "SNL Weekend Update Thursday" (5.1 million, 3.3/6)/"Parks and Recreation" (4.6 million, 3.0/5)
The CW: "The Vampire Diaries" (3.5 million, 2.2/4)
18-49 leader: "FlashForward" and "Survivor" tied at 3.7
9 p.m.
CBS: "CSI" (15.6 million, 9.7/15)
ABC: "Grey's Anatomy" (15.4 million, 9.8/15)
NBC: "The Office" (7.3 million, 4.3/7)/"Community" (5.8 million, 3.4/5)
FOX: "Fringe" (6.2 million, 3.7/6)
The CW: "Supernatural" (2.6 million, 1.6/3)
18-49 leader: "Grey's Anatomy" (6.0)
10 p.m.
CBS: "The Mentalist" (15.2 million, 9.8/17)
ABC: "Private Practice" season premiere (11.5 million, 7.6/13)
NBC: "The Jay Leno Show" (5 million, 3.2/5)
18-49 leader: "Private Practice" (4.5)
The musical, which opens Sunday at the Mark Taper Forum, is based on the true story of Leo Frank, lynched for the murder of a young girl who worked in the factory he managed. Knight plays Frank.
Knight said he's grateful for everything he learned on "Grey's Anatomy."
He said he watched this season's premiere of the ABC medical drama, which bid goodbye to his character, Dr. George O'Malley.
"It was fascinating ... not knowing what was going to happen and being on that side of things," Knight said. "They do just beautiful, beautiful work. If that doesn't sound condescending, I was so proud of them. It was a beautiful episode." So Knight, 36, had to learn to act while singing. "When I moved from singing with my voice teacher and then with the music director, and then you had to do it in front of the cast, each of these kind of steps has been, 'OK. Now I've got to get through this, got to get through this.' One day, when I was singing and I had this larger note and it just went, `Ahhh!!!' I don't know what it sounded like. Goat-ish, kind of? Those are moments where you go, `I did that now. I totally cracked in front of the entire cast and, OK, at least that's done.'" "Parade" director Rob Ashford says he wasn't looking for a big voice. "It's about the inside of this man that bubbles out," Ashford said. "I knew (T.R.) was that kind of actor." "Parade" co-star Charlotte d'Amboise says Knight is "incredibly smart and sweet and generous." "Everyone's going to have the same story about T.R.," added fellow actor David St. Louis. "T.R., on birthdays, he brings in not one, not two, but three or five cakes for that one person's birthday." Knight said he isn't sure what his next move will be after "Parade" passes by. "Regardless of the medium, I just want to work with people that — I mean, if I'm lucky enough to work. Every actor has that, `This will be the last time. This will be it.' If I can be greedy, I'd love to work just with people I admire and respect. That would be the best." The Center Theatre Group production, which comes from London's Donmar Warehouse, runs through Nov. 15.
And it has nothing to do with not being on the show anymore or even the not-so-nice ending he had with Grey's creator Shonda Rhimes. "Right now I'm working on a house so the TV is in a box, so unfortunately I don't know a lot of what's going on right now," Knight told us yesterday at L.A.'s Mark Taper Forum theater, where he's starring in the musical Parade (opening on Sunday, Oct. 4). "I have to catch up." He did, however, manage to catch the season premiere. What did he think? Keep reading to find out… "It's fascinating to see it, not being involved in it anymore, because it was a very different experience," Knight said. "I knew a couple of things that were going to happen, but not being there, not seeing it, not being a part of the filming process, being removed from it—you are able to see it in a different way." In Parade, Knight plays Leo Frank, a real-life Jewish factory worker in Atlanta who was sentenced to death in the early 1900s after being found guilty of killing a 13-year-old child laborer.
Donning heels and a black sweater-dress, the Grey's Anatomy star, 39, said, "everything is fantastic" on the home front, and that the best thing about being a new mom is "everything. I'm the luckiest girl in the world!" Though both Pompeo and Katherine Heigl, who recently adopted baby girl Naleigh, are still both on breaks from filming their ABC medical series, Pompeo says their daughters' social calendars are bound to fill up. On the agenda: Possible play dates, but only when Stella "catches up a little bit" in age to Naleigh. "She's a lot older," notes Pompeo.
The latest addition is Sarah Drew (not to be confused with Eastwick’s Sara Rue), who will recur as April, a fourth doc from Mercy West Hospital in a storyline involving a merger with Seattle Grace Hospital. The merger, announced by The Chief in the season premiere, will actually take place on the Oct. 15 episode. Sarah, who celebrates her 29th birthday Oct. 1, previously played Hannah Rogers on Everwood and more recently was Kitty Romano on Mad Men. She joins previously announced Mercy West newcomers Robert Baker, Jesse Williams and Nora Zehetner as doctors out to take down our Seattle Grace favorites in a ruthless competition that will leave some without jobs.
ABC averaged 15.3 million viewers and a 9.8 rating/16 share in households for the night. CBS was a fairly solid second with just under 14 million viewers and an 8.5/14. FOX (7.3 million, 4.6/7) finished a distant third. NBC (5.3 million, 3.4/6) came in fourth, and The CW trailed with 3.2 million viewers and a 2.0/3. In the adults 18-49 demographic, ABC's 5.8 ratings was more than two points better than that of second-place CBS (3.7). FOX took third in the demo with a 2.5, followed by NBC at 2.2 and The CW at 1.4. Thursday's hourly results: 8 p.m. ABC: "FlashForward" series premiere (12.4 million viewers, 7.7/13 households) 18-49 leader: "FlashForward" (4.1) 9 p.m. ABC: "Grey's Anatomy" season premiere (17.1 million, 11.0/17) 18-49 leader: "Grey's Anatomy" (6.6) 10 p.m. ABC: "Grey's Anatomy" (16.5 million, 10.6/18) 18-49 leader: "Grey's Anatomy" (6.6)
Audacity of Hope: For a brief moment, George fans wondered if a goodbye was necessary when Lexie claimed the body was too tall and the others questioned Meredith’s finger-writing interpretation skills. But Callie checked for his Texas-shaped freckle and confirmed the end of 007. Unless, of course, Izzie starts hallucinating again. (We bet George would be up for some ghost sex.) Four Residents and a Funeral: When the remaining four original interns stepped away from the burial unable to control their snickers, it had the authenticity, emotion and humor of season 1, and reminded us of why we started TiVo-ing the show in the first place. She’s Alive: Izzie has been brought back from the brink of death and is showing improvement. (Notice she’s not cured, so the Katherine Heigl exit rumors can continue.) Her recovery left her new hubby distant and constantly worried about her fragility. “You made me let you in. You made me love you. If I lose you, I won’t survive,” he cried in one of the most poignant scenes. Mister Skin: Whoever came up with the idea that Deredith should sleep their way through their grief in every room of their house and get caught by Izzie and Alex should get a raise. If the same person is responsible for showing off Sloan’s body (with conveniently placed steam) in the shower and a shirtless Hunt, it should be a big one. McDreamy’s abs should be featured as much as his hair. Blast From the Past: Grey’s has a history of hiring big names and turning them into character actors (Eric Stoltz, Christina Ricci, Tyne Daly and Chris O’Donnell) and the tradition continued with Martha Plimpton as a mom desperate to get help for her son who proved hard to diagnose. Bet that Goonies line “Never say die” came in handy. Bailey Breakdown: Seattle Grace’s tough cookie started to unravel after George’s death. Bailey told Derek of her plan to be detached and cold in the future: “I have to stop caring so much. I have to save it for my son. I can’t keep giving it away here.” Dang, Yang: Owen’s shrink instructed him to abstain from sex with Cristina, saying, “To heal, he’s going to have to start talking. If you get lost in lust, he won’t start.” No sex made Cristina grumpy. She made one inappropriate comment after another (including one about cancer patients unfairly getting the good popsicles), nicknamed a boat-accident “patient ceviche” and butted in on Bailey’s case. These Lines: “He was kind of a dorky little dude. Was he hung?” and “Yeah, I played the cancer card. I’m gross. Whatever,” and “If you know a way to sugarcoat a colostomy bag, I would like to hear it,” and “How gay are you on a scale from 1 to gay?” Group Think: The duty of narrating fell on all the regulars this time and it was a nice and unexpected touch, especially as the voiceover dealt with the stages of grief and how they look different depending on whose wearing them. Bravo. Ripped from the Headlines: Like hospitals across the U.S., Seattle Grace is facing budget cuts and layoffs. The Chief made Arizona cry when he denied her MRI request and Torres jumped ship when he couldn’t give her a promotion. The board was breathing down his neck, offering his position to Der and eventually came up with a plan to merge with their biggest competitor, Mercy West. The Chief announced, “I wish I could tell you all you will survive.” As fear spread across everyone’s faces, you couldn’t help but think things are going to get ugly.
Meredith Grey Where Were We? Mer had an impromptu Post-It Note "wedding" to Derek, the "honeymoon" for which was interrupted by the discovery that the mangled John Doe was George. What's Next? She's enjoying the perks of being a newlywed, which includes a lot of naked time with Shepherd. To accommodate Pompeo's maternity leave, Mer will be MIA for part of the season. Derek Shepherd Where Were We? He operated on Izzie, which resulted in some memory loss, and he was attempting to save George's life. What's Next? It seems somebody in the corner office thinks Dr. Shepherd might make a good chief of surgery. Look for an upcoming Derek-centric episode. The Chief Where Were We? The Chief watched as the hospital's rankings fell and two of his residents almost died. What's Next? He's being ousted by the board. Some call it a witch hunt. Cristina Yang Where Were We? Cristina finally told the post-traumatic stress disorder-afflicted Owen that she loves him. What's Next? Love is great and all, but when is she going to get some? Plus, she has new interns to torture — and they all seem suspiciously familiar. (Think Mini-Me.) Owen Hunt Where Were We? Owen was considering re-enlisting; a tense meeting with his mother derails that plan and he agrees to get treatment for his PTSD. What's Next? He thinks sex will interfere with his therapy, but he offers emotional support for Cristina. Callie Torres Where Were We? Callie attempted to prevent George from joining the Army, which caused a rift with Arizona, whose brother died while serving in the military. What's Next? Callie has a surprising reaction to George's death — and his last wishes. Arizona Robbins Where Were We? Her budding relationship with Callie was strained. She also lobbied to get Bailey to consider the pediatrics fellowship. What's Next? She is there for both Callie and Bailey in their times of need. Alex Karev Where Were We? Alex struggled to help Izzie, his new wife, retain her memory. He's last seen trying to rescusitate her, ignoring her DNR order. What's Next? He has to tell Izzie that George has died. Also, Alex and Izzie are moving out of Mer's house. Izzie Stevens Where Were We? Well, she appeared to be dead actually, strolling through the halls with also-presumed-dead George, she in her favorite pink prom dress; he in a military uniform. What's Next? She survives, but the road won't be smooth for Izzie when a hospital merger threatens her job. In the meantime, she does make some interesting wig choices. Mark Sloan Where Were We? In an effort to one-up Derek, Sloan asked Lexie to move in with him. What's Next? Real estate-wise anyway, Sloan will be moving closer to Callie. Lexie Grey Where Were We? After a season of heartache, Lexie decides not to move in with Mark. What's Next? Lexie is consumed by guilt after George's death. She busies herself with new responsibilities at the hospital. Miranda Bailey Where Were We? She turned down a pediatric fellowship in the hospital to be a general attending. Her husband left her. What's Next? Bailey shuts down after George's death, which affects her medical judgment. George O'Malley Where Were We? After suddenly deciding to enlist in the Army, he was nearly killed after jumping in front of a bus to save a stranger. What's Next? It depends on your particular religious beliefs, I suppose. His funeral is kind of funny though. Yes, funny.
The Knocked Up star and her singer husband Josh Kelley finalized the adoption of 10-month-old Nancy Leigh from Korea last week, revealing their applications were fast-tracked because the tot has special needs. Heigl explained, "They wanted to get her to us as quickly as possible." Now the National Enquirer reports the baby - nicknamed Naleigh - had an operation soon after she was born to fix her heart defect. A source tells the tabloid, "Doctors said the congenital heart defect had to be treated quickly to save the baby's life."
"She will be an amazing mom," Butler told PEOPLE at the premiere of his new film Law Abiding Citizen in New York City Wednesday. "She's incredibly responsible, smart and loving. This is a huge deal for her and she's going to take to it like a duck to water." In fact, the Scottish actor, 39, said Heigl used her maternal instincts on him while working together. "She mothered me," he said. "Anytime I was feeling under the weather or was having a hard day, that's when she was amazing. She would always come and check on me. I think she's naturally a caretaker in the best way." Heigl, 30, and her musician husband Josh Kelley, 29, recently adopted 10-month old Naleigh from South Korea after a six-month long process. "It's great that she did that," Butler said of Heigl's decision to adopt a special needs baby. "It's just a testament to her character and to her personality that she went out of her way to do that. It's a beautiful thing."
Obviously, no fan of T.R. Knight's George is going to be exactly happy with Thursday's return of Grey's Anatomy(* * * out of four, ABC, 9 ET/PT), not when the two-hour return is built around his death. Still, there's good news to be had in the skillful way the show handles the tragedy in its first hour, the only one made available for preview. There's well-played grief (particularly from Debra Monk, returning as George's mother), dark humor, and a needed reminder that work and life go on in the person of a concerned mother (a strong guest turn by Martha Plimpton). Aside from forcing the doctors to focus on her son's illness — an understandably single-minded determination that leads to a very nice scene for Jessica Capshaw and Chandra Wilson— Plimpton's character also seems set to provoke a management crisis at Seattle Grace. Things are not looking good for the Chief (James Pickens Jr.), and while that's bad for him, it could keep Derek (Patrick Dempsey) busy with a problem that does not involve Meredith (Ellen Pompeo). And really, among all the story lines percolating here, from Callie's (Sara Ramirez) torment over George's death to Cristina's (Sandra Oh) complicated relationship with Dr. Hunt (Kevin McKidd), a story for Derek that doesn't hinge on a Meredith crisis is key. The show needs to let them be happy and stable for a season at the minimum. Oh, and on the needs-and-desires front, it would also be nice — and a healthy change of pace — to see Grey's go an entire season without any on-screen ghosts or off-screen conflicts. Or, if conflict is unavoidable, at least have the sense to shut up about it. Now that would make viewers happy.
The couple, who appeared in the 12-minute home video with former teen beauty queen Kari Ann Peniche, 25, are suing Gawker Media for copyright infringement for more than $1 million. Nick Denton, publisher of Gawker, responded in a Twitter message: "To quote the great Marty Singer – Eric Dane's lawyer – if you don't want a sex tape on the internet, 'don't make one!'" In the lawsuit, Singer argues that Gawker was warned that posting the video on its Defamer.com violated the couple's legal and privacy rights, but that the blog "went on to maliciously distribute an uncensored copy" of the tape. Dane, 36, and Gayheart, 38, "were partially and sometimes fully disrobed in the video, recorded it behind locked doors in Peniche's bedroom," the lawsuit states. Singer, as well as a publicist for Dane, weren't immediately available for comment.
The Grey's Anatomy star, 39, welcomed a daughter, Stella Luna Pompeo Ivery, on Sept. 15 in Los Angeles, her rep confirms to PEOPLE. The couple – who wed in 2007 – announced the pregnancy in April. There's been quite the baby boom on the Grey's set – costar Katherine Heigl recently adopted a daughter, 10-month-old Naleigh, while Chyler Leigh is also a new mom to daughter Anniston Kae, 4 months.
Heigl spokeswoman Melissa Kates says the couple named the 10-month-old Nancy Leigh, after the actress's mother Nancy and her sister Margaret Leigh. The girl will go by the nickname Naleigh. Kates says both parents and Naleigh are together and doing well. The couple is putting photos of their daughter up on http://www.jasonheiglfoundation.org, the Web site of Heigl's animal-rescue foundation. Heigl plays Dr. Izzie Stevens on ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" and is currently shooting the film "Life as We Know It." She and Kelley, a singer-songwriter, have been married since 2007.
"It's so inspiring," Lawrence told PEOPLE at the Governor's Ball following Saturday's Creative Arts Emmys, where she was nominated for outstanding guest actress in a drama for her Grey's guest spot. "I know she'll be a great mom." According to Lawrence, Heigl, 30, possesses several qualities that make her a natural. "When I was working [on Grey's], I watched her multitask, creating the career that she wants and supporting her lovely husband [musician Josh Kelley], who was on set, and her connection with her own mother," she said. "Katie is a very modern woman who will pursue her passions and not feel limited by anything, and I think that bodes well for her motherhood." While Lawrence hasn't yet spoken to Heigl, "her mother and I are in contact," says the actress, who will appear on the upcoming season of HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm as a doctor. "Katie as a mom is the kind of gal that makes me feel good about the future," she says. "She is smart and happy and free of constraints of 'Oh, I should do this, I shouldn't do this.' For her, motherhood's [going to be] like knife in butter. She'll [set] a great example for that little girl."
Each is a nominee. Baker's freshman hit "The Mentalist" earned him a nomination for best actor in a drama. Sutherland won that award in 2006, and is nominated this year for his role in a special "24" movie. Fey is up for best actress in a comedy, the award she won last year. The live telecast is scheduled for 8 p.m. Eastern Time on Sunday. The academy says other presenters include Jon Hamm of "Mad Men" and the "Gossip Girl" twosome of Blake Lively and Leighton Meester. Also taking the stage to hand out trophies will be Alyson Hannigan and Jason Segel of "How I Met Your Mother," Stephen Moyer of "True Blood," NBC late-night host Jimmy Fallon, Dana Delany of "Desperate Housewives" and Chandra Wilson of "Grey's Anatomy," the academy said Monday.
Morgan is in talks to join the "Red Dawn" remake, according to Variety. He'd step into the role of Lt. Col. Andrew Tanner, who in the 1984 original was an Air Force pilot shot down by the Soviets and rescued by the teen-rebel Wolverines. He trained the Wolverines in military tactics before coming to an explosive end. That role may change: Variety calls Tanner a U.S. Special Forces commando. Morgan, who starred as The Comedian in "Watchmen," will join a cast including Adrianne Palicki, Connor Cruise, Josh Peck and Chris Hemsworth. "Red Dawn" has a tentative release date of Sept. 24, 2010.
Looks like somebody changed the subject. "Katherine and Josh are adopting a baby," the actress's rep confirms to PEOPLE. The couple are adopting a girl from Korea; Heigl's sister also was adopted from Korea. Heigl, 30, who married Kelly in December 2007, recently hosted a baby shower for Ellen Pompeo. And last week, Heigl got a leave of absence from Grey's Anatomy to film the movie Life As We Know It. Heigl's adoption plans were first reported by RadarOnline.
The actors have become tabloid fodder in recent months with details emerging about their sex lives and reported drug taking. The latest report in the National Enquirer suggests Dane and Gayheart were spotted snorting a white powder at a bash in the Hollywood Hills in late 2008. A source tells the publication, "I think Eric and Rebecca were there to get high. It didn't take long before she asked where the coke was. They went into another room and started snorting lines of cocaine. I watched them do it... I saw Rebecca snort lines a couple of times - and Eric at least once." But the couple has slammed the allegations, blasting the insider's account as a "bunch of lies". Their representative tells GossipCop.com, "It's mean and untrue. If it happened, where are the photos?" Dane and Gayheart made headlines last month when home video footage of the pair frolicking naked with pal Kari Ann Peniche leaked online. The video featured the seemingly intoxicated threesome passing a camera around and dreaming up porn names for each other.
And the actress — who has appeared on Heroes and Everwood — was so anxious about her first day of work, she had nightmares. “Honestly, I was terrified,” Zehetner told PEOPLE on a call from Los Angeles following her first day of shooting. “I’m actually a huge Grey’s fan. It’s this big show, and you’ve kind of identified with the actors and characters before you’ve ever met them. It adds a certain layer." While Zehtner couldn’t say much about her character, she did find out that her name will be Reed. “I like my name,” she adds with a laugh. According to TVGuideMagazine.com, Reed is “feisty, very smart and competitive,” and is likely to butt heads with at least one of the familiar faces. To prep for the part, “I watched 14 episodes in two days, which is a lot of TV,” Zehtner tells PEOPLE. “It was really good, but then I think it started to stress me out. I started to have nightmares because I knew I was starting this week. Then I had to cut myself off.” But it turns out that Zehtner had nothing to worry about. “Everybody was really, really nice and welcoming,” she said. “It’s such a talented group of people, and I’m very honored to be one of them for a bit.” As for the vibe on set, “Everybody was in a very silly mood,” she says. “They were dancing around and singing. I know that sounds really ridiculous, but there was actually literal singing and dancing in the rehearsal.” It’s too soon to say whether the recurring resident could become a series-regular, but Zehtner says she’d be “thrilled to pieces” to join the cast full-time.
Katherine Heigl, 30, is taking a leave of absence from Grey’s Anatomy to film a new movie, the romantic comedy Life as We Know It. An ABC rep cannot confirm the exact length of time she will be out of pocket — EW.com is reporting a 5-episode hiatus — but tells PEOPLE, “Katherine is taking time off to film a movie. The producers at Grey’s have accommodated past things like that before. It’s a cast of 13 and it is a true ensemble so the show is mindful [of other commitments].” Heigl’s departure is set to begin this month, last into November and will be explained on screen, EW reports. Meanwhile, fellow castmate Ellen Pompeo is due to give birth to her first child in October and is expected to take maternity leave around the same time — an overlap that’s “all being worked out,” the rep tells PEOPLE. The rep also notes that none of these events were surprises for the show. “Shonda [Rhimes] has had plans in place for a very long time.” But don’t expect producers to reveal how they will explain where Izzie is during Katherine’s hiatus. In related casting news, show producers announced that three new characters will join the cast in recurring roles. They will be played by Nora Zehetner, Robert Baker, and Jesse Williams. In June, T.R. Knight announced he was leaving the ABC drama after months of speculation.
Pompeo and her husband Chris Ivery are expecting a baby daughter in October. As an eyewitness told PEOPLE, "Ellen looked gorgeous in a white summer dress with her hair in a braided up-do. She seemed very excited to celebrate with her girlfriends." The catered, outdoor baby bash was held in the backyard. Umbrellas shielded guests from the heat – L.A. temps reached 104 degrees Saturday – and pink flower arrangements and candles accented the tables. Guests brought gifts wrapped in girly pink and yellow colors. Many of the gifts – which included a Sleep Sheep toy mobile, Sleepy Safari stacking toys, organic hooded towels and a Kiddopotamus organic swaddle wrap – came from the Juvenile Shop in Sherman Oaks, where Pompeo is registered. Earlier in the day, Pompeo and her girlfriend Nicole Richie – who also is pregnant – shared some special time together. Pompeo has not let her pregnancy slow her down. When not busy filming new episodes of Grey's Anatomy, she keeps in shape with workout sessions at a local gym. In addition, she and Ivery are remodeling a new home.
Nora Zehetner and Robert Baker have been cast as two of the recurring residents surfacing in Episode 5, TVGuideMagazine.com has learned exclusively. Zehetner (familiar to TV fans from her runs on Heroes and Everwood) will play a doc described by a source as "feisty, very smart and competitive." As such, she is poised to butt heads with at least one member of Meredith Grey's posse. Baker, from The CW's short-lived Valentine, has been cast as the seemingly nicest of the new residents, who may be hiding a nastier side. The casting of these recurring players comes as Grey's prepares to bid adieu to T.R. Knight's George (in the two-hour season opener) and accomodate Ellen Pompeo's maternity leave. But the precise why of the docs' arrival is the big mystery here—and one that series boss Shonda Rhimes isn't willing to reveal. Scrubbing in alongside Zehetner and Baker will be Jesse Williams, playing a charismatic caregiver. Williams' credits include The N's Beyond the Break and the upcoming Joss Whedon thriller "The Cabin in the Woods."
According to court documents filed by by Sandalwood Properties in Santa Monica, on Tuesday, Washington and his wife have fallen behind on their $20,000 a month payments. Washington's landlord claims rent has not been paid on the Venice-area home since November. The actor lost his job on Grey's Anatomy in 2007 after making a homophobic slur during an onset fight with a castmate. A spokesperson for Washington had not returned requests for comment as WENN went to press.
DRAMA Actress "Going from zero to one is a huge shock," Leigh, 27, tells PEOPLE. "One to two was a little more challenging. Two to three was a bit more challenging, but once you get used to multiples you figure out how to put things together quicker. You learn how to organize. With number three coming, you get more confident as a mom. It's like calm mom, calm baby." It doesn't hurt that Anniston, whose older siblings are Noah, 5 ½ and Taelyn, 2 ½, is a mellow baby. "She started sleeping through the night at two months," Leigh says of the infant, who was born just 10 days after Grey's Anatomy's fifth season wrapped. Anni, who is going to set with her mom and a caregiver most days is "so easy going. She's so happy to be held, but good at having her own independent time. That's made a big difference," she says. "I think she kinda knew she was coming into a hectic household!" The well-behaved baby has already won over the actors on her mom's hit show. "Justin [Chambers] nicknamed her Baby Elvis because of her mohawk," Leigh says. Leigh and her husband don't plan on making another addition to their family any time soon. "Three kids is a lot," says West. "But I couldn't imagine our family without her. She just completed it." For more from the interview, as well as an additional photo, PEOPLE's Celebrity Baby Blog.
The pair packed their bags, brought their dogs and headed north in a black Toyota Prius on Friday. Said an eyewitness: "Rebecca looked tired and upset." The Grey's Anatomy star and his wife drove to the romantic and secluded San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito, Calif. "It seemed they really wanted privacy," says the source of the couple, who also went to the Four Seasons Biltmore for a workout on Sunday. The couple spent the weekend going for walks with their dogs, picking up Starbucks coffee and relaxing. They returned to L.A. on Sunday. The tape showing Dane, Gayheart and another woman – reportedly Kari Ann Peniche, a former Miss Teen USA – socializing in the nude was leaked to the Internet earlier this month. Dane's lawyer said in a statement last week: "This is simply a private, consensual moment involving a married couple, shot several years ago, which was never intended to be seen by the public."
At least, that's what the country singer called model Kari Ann Peniche, who's now more famous for getting naked with Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart than for any solo success or foible. "She is evil personified, she is evil in human form. She will hurt anyone she can to make money," McCready told Access Hollywood in denying Peniche's accusation that the troubled songbird was the one who leaked the graphic Dane-Gayheart-Peniche tape. "I did not want to be dragged into all this," McCready said. "I did not want to be a part of this." And neither did Peniche, who exclusively told E! News last week that she is "not some swinger person or somebody you can pay to have sex with." Certainly good to know. Peniche told us that she had no idea the tape was not in safe keeping until she got a call from Dane and his attorney asking, "'You know the video we did? Somebody has it, and what to do we have to go to get it back?'" Dane, who was "obviously upset," called her up and asked her something about McCready, as well, Peniche said. Shortly after the tape hit the Internet, the swimsuit designer told TMZ.com that McCready vengefully stole her computer hard drive when the ladies were bunking together. "If I was going to leak it, I would have done that a long time ago," she told E! News. "If someone else was going to leak it they would have done it a long time ago…I would never leak this tape." And by the way, she added: "There was no sex—he's married! We were just having fun. Meanwhile, Dane and Gayheart opted to get out of town for the weekend. (Wonder why...) The couple and their dogs drove up to Montecito, Calif., Friday for a stay at the luxurious San Ysidro Ranch. They returned to L.A. on Sunday.
Fans were stunned when footage of the husband-and-wife couple frolicking nude with former Miss Teen USA Kari Ann Peniche hit the internet on Monday. In the edited clip, the seemingly intoxicated trio lounge on a bed, passing a camera around and dreaming up porn names for each other. An anonymous source gave the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) a copy of Dane's tape last month, prompting a thorough investigation into the trio's activity on film. A statement released by the LAPD says, "On July 30, 2009, an unnamed source provided the LAPD's Detective Support and Vice Division with a copy of a DVD. According to the source, the DVD contained images that could link celebrities engaging in illegal activity. "The LAPD was in the process of reviewing the voluminous files contained on the DVD when the story was leaked to the media. No determination has been made as to whether or not the DVD contained any information that could be used for a criminal investigation. Some of the information contained on the DVD included archived articles and photographs of porn stars and formally convicted madams, which could readily be found over the internet. "The LAPD will continue to review the DVD for potential evidence. Therefore, additional information about the contents of the DVD will be treated as confidential." Meanwhile, a lawyer for the Grey's Anatomy actor has threatened to sue anyone who publishes the "private, confidential tape," adding, "from what I've seen, it's a naked tape, not a sex tape."
“He has to do a lot of soul-searching to do and has to make some decisions that might change the direction of hospital and/or his life. It is going to have the interns and residents on pins and needles, because they don’t know where their careers are going to go from here,” the actor told TVGuideMagazine.com before handing out a scholarship at the 16th Annual Little Miss African American Pageant in Los Angeles on August 16. “When we left off last season, the hospital was struggling. It had lost its good rating, and [the Chief] spent a good part of the season trying to woo new doctors, getting fancy new machines, and accepting headline-grabbing surgeries," adds Pickens. "This hospital is his baby, and he’ll do whatever to get that rating back up. Some of his methods will be conventional and some not so conventional. We will see that continue to play out this season.” And like everyone else on staff, Pickens explained that the Chief will be greatly affected by George’s passing. “The atmosphere has been a little heavy, somber, because they lost one of their own," Pickens said. "His death affects each member of the staff differently. Everyone feels responsible in some way. In typical Chief style, he will try to hold the place together and keep a stiff upper lip, but it affects him quite deeply as he respected and mentored George.”
Former Playboy model and D-list reality star Kari Ann Peniche—who, actually, was never all that close to being the filling in an Eric Dane-Rebecca Gayheart sandwich—has spoken out about the trio's leaked sex nude tape. And don't let her gas station giggling fool you. She is not happy about her sudden rise to fame. "Kari Anne is extremely upset over this situation," her attorney, David Weintraub, tells E! News. "She considers Eric and Rebecca dear friends and this is an unfortunate incident where consenting adults who were having a little fun are now victims of having personal property stolen and private matters made public." As for which fellow scandalous star's sticky fingers may have gotten hold of the R-rated footage...let's just say the only thing better than a naked tape involving three celebrities is a naked tape involving four celebrities. Mindy McCready, come on down. Peniche was the first to point fingers at the disaster-plagued country star last night, telling TMZ (no doubt playing catch-up after getting scooped on the video's existence by Gawker) that she and McCready were roomies on the VH1 reality show Celebrity Rehab and that McCready stole Peniche's hard drive after a heated argument over money matters. Peniche claims she lodged a stolen-property report with the Los Angeles Police Department over the missing piece of hardware, but the LAPD tells E! News there is no record of such a filing. Last month, the foursome met up and sealed a deal which gave full rights of the footage to Dane. End of story, right? Until yesterday, that is. But if Peniche is still holding a grudge against McCready for the twanger's alleged evildoing, she sure has a funny way of showing it. Last night when the ex-beauty queen (and erstwhile Aaron Carter squeeze) just happened to be caught by paparazzi, she laughed off the scandal, saying she was "having fun with friends." Asked whether she would be pursuing any legal action against McCready, she shook her head no. Guess her temper's not as McSteamy as it once was.
In a statement released Monday evening, the actor's lawyer, Marty Singer, said of the tape being widely discussed and shown over the Internet: "This is simply a private, consensual moment involving a married couple, shot several years ago, which was never intended to be seen by the public." The statement continues: "Although the participants are nude, the tape is not a 'sex tape.' It is a private tape made for only my clients' personal use, and nobody has the right to exploit it. If anyone exploits the tape, they will be violating my clients' rights and will be exposed to significant liability." The third woman in the video reportedly is Kari Ann Peniche, who in 2002 was crowned Miss Teen USA but was later stripped of the title after posing for Playboy.
Fans of the star aren't holding back. "How hilarious is the Eric Dane 3 way sex tape? I'm convinced everyone has a sex tape. There's a lot of anatomy present and it isn't grey, " writes Travonfree on Twitter.com. Most posters on Twitter seem amused – or excited – by the newly surfaced tape, which was first posted on Gawker.com. • "Eric Dane has a sex tape? I think this is the first celebrity sex tape that I actually want to see...Haha..." Tweets thesarahconrad. • Eric Dane has a sex tape now too?! HA! Not gonna lie...I totally have to see it." – audrey_canary • Eric Dane has made a sex tape. See, people? God does answer prayers. – AnnieW177 • Eric dane/Rebecca Gayheart sex tape fail. FAIL FAIL FAIL FAIL! – YasmineBee • Eric Dane & Rebecca Gayheart have a druggy sex tape w/ an old beauty queen. NSFW. FUNNY! – TheDahTheory The third woman in the video is reportedly Kari Ann Peniche, who was crowned Miss Teen USA in 2002 but was stripped of the title after posing for Playboy.
Prepare yourself with the biggest box of tissues you can find because when Grey's Anatomy returns on Sept. 24, everyone will be crying their eyes out. Jessica Capshaw, the newest series regular (Dr. Arizona Robbins), teases the aftermath of George's departure and how things will be different on the set without T.R. Knight. "Heavy" is the best way to describe this season, as compared with the last five. Also, with Amy Brenneman's comment on the drama at Grey's, Jessica tells us how she deals with her 17-hour workdays (ahem, Ms. Heigl), especially since she also has a child. Most importantly, Jessica spills what we all want to hear: Callie (Sara Ramirez) and Arizona's relationship is going to progress this season. Check out the video above to get the details on why this season premiere will be the best yet, and then hit the comments to discuss your feelings on George's death.
What could possibly bring up the spirits of the docs at Seattle Grace hospital and, of course, the audience? Romance! Yes, Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd) and Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh) are getting even closer this year, though something arises from his past that may throw a wrench in the matter. McKidd also reveals how George's death will affect everyone in the hospital, especially Owen, who basically helped George to become the hero. So what are the perks of going to the Television Critics Association? Sitting down with Grey's McKidd and passing all the scoop onto you! How does it feel coming into season six of Grey's Anatomy? I became a series regular at episode 10 last year, so it's nice to be full-time right from the start. How is George's death going to affect everyone? I think it affected Owen Hunt a lot because he kind of mentored him and got him up on his feet as a trauma surgeon. He really felt that O'Malley was going to become the next star head of trauma at the hospital. He didn't encourage him to join the army, but he certainly thought it was an honorable and great thing to do, so I think it's really hit Owen Hunt a lot. In the same token, Owen is used to losing colleagues, and that's part of coming from Iraq and working as a surgeon in a war zone. He's become very assimilated to that, so he's got a better [grieving] mechanism than others in the show. I think he actually becomes a rock for people because he's so used to dealing with loss and grief of war colleagues. Do the producers have plans to replace George? Is someone new going to step into the limelight? I don't know the answer to that one. They haven't said. But I know there are a couple of new interns coming in. It'll be exciting to see who shows up. How is Cristina and Owen's relationship going to develop this year? It's going to get quite complicated in the sense that I think they've gotten over the whole trauma of his past, but then his past comes back again at some point to haunt him. Someone comes to the hospital that he was connected to in his past, not his ex-fiancée, but it's somebody we didn't expect. I think it could get a little tricky, but exciting and interesting. Hopefully it will bring them closer together in the long run. Bottom line: We should be rooting for Cristina and Owen this year, right? Absolutely. They had a rough time last year, and they deserve some happiness this year. Whether they get it, I don't know.
How about with a movie? A source says that Bill Clinton's office got in touch with bigwigs at Sony late last week to request a screener of The Ugly Truth, the Robert Luketic-directed romantic comedy starring Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler. "They called on Friday," the source reports. "And it's already been delivered." A rep for Clinton did not immediately comment.
“I think it’s unfortunate," McPherson said during his Saturday session at the Television Critics Association. "It’s not something I think you want to let consume you or your people because it is what it is. People are going to behave in the way they choose to behave." Heigl recently made a crack about having a 17-hour work day on the Grey's set. "It's cruel and mean," she said. Last year, Heigl said she did not want to be considered for an Emmy nomination because she did not think the material she worked with on Grey's was worthy of recognition. Add those statements to last year's very public salary negotiations and you've got an actress that sounds like she wants off of a big hit TV show to pursue a movie career full time. McPherson said his only concern is that the remarks have been hurtful to the people who work on the show. "There are so many people who work unbelievably hard on Grey’s and all of our shows and go without any notoriety or credit for it," he said. "I just think it’s really hard for them to hear it. Those are the people I would be most concerned about. Not the public. The people who are really busting their tale every day and feel like they’re either being looked down upon or criticized.”
"Grey's Anatomy" star Chandra Wilson will cross over to "Private Practice" in the season's third episode, Rhimes said during the set visit. Miranda Bailey will travel to L.A. to visit her former colleague Addison Montgomery (Kate Walsh) and perform a "very interesting" medical procedure, Rhimes says. Bailey being Bailey, she'll also not be shy about sharing her opinions about the goings-on at Oceanside Wellness, Rhimes adds. Wilson won't be the only familiar face popping up on "Private Practice" early in the season. ABC also confirms that "Party Down" star Ken Marino (who was on set Tuesday, clad in a hospital gown) and former "ER" actress Kellie Martin will also guest in the first batch of episodes. The crossover will continue the relatively free movement of characters between "Grey's" and its spinoff. Walsh has appeared on several episodes of "Grey's Anatomy" the past couple seasons, and last spring Patrick Dempsey's Derek Shepherd guested on "Practice." The new season will pick up only a few minutes after last season's finale, which ended with off-her-meds patient Katie (Amanda Foreman) injecting Violet (Amy Brenneman) with a paralyzing drug and about to steal her baby. The season premiere will deal with the immediate aftermath, while episode two will jump ahead a few weeks, Brenneman says.
Seth Rogen and Judd Apatow appeared on Howard Stern's radio show this morning to talk about masturbation and their new film Funny People, but the pair were soon airing some publicist-unapproved opinions of Knocked Up cohort Katherine Heigl, who memorably revealed to Vanity Fair she found the film "a little sexist" and that it "paints the women as shrews." Rogen and Apatow started riffing on the uplifting elements of Heigl's vibrating panties in The Ugly Truth, before Rogen dropped this quote, "I gotta say, it's not like we're the only people she said some bats--t crazy things about. That's kind of her bag now." So after all this she said-he said stuff, who's left holding the bag? Rogen, who's also in a spat with the guys from Entourage, or Heigl, who seems free with her opinions by Hollywood standards?
Heigl, whose ultimate future on Grey's Anatomy is one of the small screen's great questions, proved her big-screen worth yet again with an estimated $27 million Friday-Sunday debut for The Ugly Truth. The romantic comedy, pairing Heigl with 300's Gerard Butler, took third in the box-office standings behind the family-drawing, hamster-powered comedy G-Force ($32.2 million) and the still-big, but somewhat-sapped Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince ($30 million).
She did her best to to limit the number of takes it took to shoot her vibrating panties orgasm scene in The Ugly Truth. "We all had to stay very focused on the scene because she didn't want to do that 15 times," says Eric Winter, who plays her next door neighbor love interest in the romantic comedy. "She had to keep it fresh every time. So we focused as a group and she hit a home run." That's not to say Winter didn't get a kick out of Heigl's moaning and groaning. "It was hysterical," he says. "It was hard to keep a straight face because I knew what she was going through. It was a lot of eyeballs watching her...She was extremely tired at the end of that day." Mr. Winter had a revealing scene of his own, too... We first see him—and his rockin' muscled bod—in a towel. "It was my McSteamy scene," he says with a laugh. We don't want to give too much away, but Heigl does have a hilarious close encounter with Winter's nearly naked manhood. "I was cool with it," he says. "In the name of good comedy and getting a good rise out of people, it was well worth doing." It was actually the last bit he shot in the movie's three-month shoot. "I had to workout constantly throughout the movie," says Winter. "And for three months, I constantly had to pay attention to what I was eating and making sure I was staying committed." Yes, we asked the studio behind the flick for a body-baring photo of Winter to share with you. Sadly, they didn't have any. Or any that they would share.
In the romantic comedy, Katherine Heigl plays Abby, a buttoned-up television producer who spars with a chauvinistic TV commentator played by Gerard Butler. In one scene, Abby accidentally finds herself being sexually satisfied by a pair of remote-control lacy underwear...during a business dinner in a restaurant! While Heigl's work may not be up there with Meg Ryan's iconic pseudoclimax in When Harry Met Sally, she bravely shows no restraint in her moaning, groaning and body-trembling performance. With that in mind, we thought we'd hit up some sexperts to get the inside scoop on the adult-only knickers, plus we find out which real-life celebs already own a pair or two… "It's a fun secret that people don't talk about," says Kristen Tribby, education and marketing director of L.A.'s celebrity sex shop, Pleasure Chest. "They are good for things like boring holiday parties. It's a great thing for a couple in a playful spirit. It gives them a way to be exhibitionists, but in a discreet manner." But you probably shouldn't take a cue from Heigl on locale. A quiet restaurant isn't the ideal place for public playtime, because they make too much noise. Instead, hit a nightclub. "The remote works form 35-40 feet away," says Jacqueline Deidun, manager of Lover's Lane, a boutique in Sterling Heights, Mich. "You can be on the dance floor and your man can be at the bar." As for celebrity couples who already own a pair, Dana B. Myers of L.A.-based adult toy and accessories company Booty Parlor says she's provided panties for Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott along with E! reality star newlyweds Kendra Wilkinson and Hank Baskett. So the next time you see them on the red carpet, it may not be their BlackBerry that's doing all that vibrating.
In fact, even as her quest continues for the title of queen of romantic-comedy -- she's in deep promotion mode for The Ugly Truth, an "adult" comedy that pairs her with Gerard Butler -- Heigl admits she'll always be Grey's Anatomy's Dr. Izzie Stevens. "I definitely want to go out and explore different personalities," she says. "But I used to have this conversation with the other actors. It's really hard to divorce me completely from the role. It's nine months a year, it's every day, sometimes it's 80-hour weeks, the way I talk, the way I walk, the way I gesture. It's going to slip in there. "I thought for film, I maybe could, but I can't. Some of me is always going to show up in these roles. So yeah, Izzie. "That's why I coloured my hair, because that will fool everybody," she says, facetiously. Still, there are parts of the 'real' Katherine Heigl that can never be expressed on network TV. Hence, The Ugly Truth -- a war-between-the-sexes romp highlighted by a When Harry Met Sally-type orgasm scene involving a pair of remote-controlled vibrating panties. "I love raunchy humour," says Heigl, who scandalized network censors when she yelled "Sh--!" when her name was announced as an Emmy winner. "I don't know why. Maybe I should just be a little more sophisticated. But I just think it's hilarious. I'm not terribly precious about that sort of stuff." In a role that evokes her breakthrough film role in Judd Apatow's Knocked Up (as opposed to her PG followup 27 Dresses), The Ugly Truth casts Heigl as Abby, the executive producer of a chirpy morning show in Sacramento, Calif. Her lukewarm TV career is turned upside down when the station owner hires a crass sex-expert named Mike Chadway (Butler) as its "no BS" relationship expert, a give-'em-sex adviser whose ratings stunts include hiring models to wrestle in vats of Jello. Initially repulsed by him, she nonetheless takes his advice on men to land a handsome doctor (Eric Winter), only to realize that the clean-cut "Mr. Right" doesn't do it for her as much as the "bad boy" Chadway, who gives battery-powered underwear as gifts. The scene at a restaurant, in which the remote falls into the hands of a bored little boy, required 35 different takes from different angles. "Oh, I'm very method," Heigl says with a laugh. "But it was physically exhausting, so much physical movement, tensing of the body. By the end of the day, I felt like I'd run a marathon. Now I know why it's called physical comedy. But really, nobody wants to orgasm 35 times." (Says Butler: "I've got to tell you, no matter how well this movie does, that scene is going to go down in the annals of history in comedies. It's one of the most brilliant performances I've ever seen. She was so, dare I say, bang on?") It hardly needs saying that the movie is getting adult ratings (R in the U.S.). "I have a really strong opinion about that," Heigl says. "I feel like I'm a 30-year-old woman, and as much as I love those younger audiences, and those kind of movies, and I loved 27 Dresses, I still feel like I want to tell a real story to people my age. And we throw f--- around a lot. The thing I love about this movie is they do end up together. "Who knows if they end up happily ever after. But it didn't feel like fantasy. It felt like real life, like two people who were sexually attracted to each other, and then emotionally. "It's not that I always want to do R-rated movies, or that they are the most honest movies out there. But there's something about the ability to be crass, the ability to drop the F-bomb on occasion, the ability to say c---. That, you know, felt real to me, like the world I live in with my friends."
At season's end, both saw "the light" -- Izzie while undergoing surgery and George after pushing a woman out of the way of a bus and being critically injured himself. Heigl, however, put in a 17-hour first day on Grey's last week, a definite vital sign in our opinion. "I'm actually really mad at them right now 'cause they worked me 17 hours on Wednesday and that was mean," Heigl said. "But it's exciting to be back. I've missed my friends and it was really fun to see everybody. It's been two months, but it doesn't seem like much time has passed at all because you're right back on the same set and wardrobe with the same people. "It's like maybe you haven't seen each other for the weekend -- aside from Ellen (Pompeo)'s growing belly. Last time I saw her it was just a tiny bump, and now she has a basketball. "Nothing has changed except for T.R. That was actually really strange, and really hard because he provided so much fun and levity and joy for me and everyone else. "We were sitting there, musing about George's death and Justin (Chambers) said, 'I just keep imagining T.R. on Broadway (he's reported to be in line for a revival of Lend Me A Tenor) while we're here mourning the character's death.' We started laughing and realized he would be laughing really hard too, but he's not here to laugh with us."
The actress is keen to start a family with husband Josh Kelley, but she's convinced she'll pile on weight - and lose her slim physique forever. Heigl tells Star magazine, "One day, sure, but pregnancy scares me. I know I'll be one of those women who looks pregnant all over the body. I'll get fatter and fatter from my toes up."
Knight says his screen time dropped so much by season 5 that he chose to leave the show rather than seek an answer — something he says was hard to come by. “My five-year experience proved to me that I could not trust any answer that was given [about George],” he tells the magazine. “There just comes a time when it’s so clear that moving on is the best decision.” Costar Katherine Heigl initially disagreed with her friend. “I didn’t think it was the right decision,” she says. “I felt like some of the problems could be worked through. But by the time it came to fruition, I was [glad] for him because he was ready to go.” Knight also addresses the dismissal of former costar Isaiah Washington, who used a gay slur in an infamous incident on the set of the show, saying the controversy that followed created tension with Grey’s executive producer Shonda Rhimes. “I think she was concerned about having my statement come out so close to the [initial] event,” Knight says of Rhimes, who he says discouraged him from coming out. Rhimes denies this, telling EW, “I said, ‘If you want to come out, that’s awesome.’” While Knight leaves behind a top 10 show and a $14 million contract, he says the move is best for his career. “From an outsider’s perspective, I get the ‘He’s just a spoiled actor … he doesn’t know how good he has it,’” he says. “There are a lot of people who would like to be in my position. But in the end, I need to be fulfilled in my work.”
Knight said that during "IsaiahGate" — when Washington referred to Knight with an anti-gay slur during an October 2006 on-set argument with Patrick Dempsey — Rhimes "was concerned about having my [coming out] statement come out so close to the event." Rhimes denies it: "I said [to T.R.], 'If you want to come out, that's awesome,'" she told Entertainment Weekly. Fueling Knight's decision to leave were uncharacteristic changes in George (who cheated on wife Callie with BFF Izzie), punctuated by scant screen time for much of Season 5. "There just comes a time when it's so clear that moving on is the best decision," Knight told EW. "No other series regular's character had ever disappeared like mine did." Rather than seek assurances that he'd have more to do come this fall — Rhimes wanted him back for flashbacks — Knight asked out of his contract early. "My five-year experience proved to me that I could not trust any answer that was given [about George's future]," he said. "And with respect, I'm going to leave it at that." Knight says he knows it might seem crazy to walk away from a hit show and $14 million contract. "But in the end, I need to be fulfilled in my work — that's more important than the money." Knight next can be seen in a Los Angeles staging of Parade, opening in September. He then will return to Broadway for a February 2010 revival of Lend Me a Tenor.
Our sentiments exactly. Obviously, in a battle-of-the-sexes comedy like this, the guy and the girl who hate each other at the beginning realize they're meant for each other by the end. But there's nothing even remotely likable, much less lovable, about Heigl's Abby Richter. She's a control freak who runs a tight ship at a Sacramento TV station, producing the morning news with unflappable efficiency and zero creativity. She uses the same approach in her personal life, which is why she's hopelessly single, despite the fact that she looks like Katherine Heigl. Abby prints out talking points to go over with her blind dates, for example, and has a 10-item checklist of requirements for her ideal man. Sure, it's meant as a joke, but come on. The idea of a woman being so rigid and frigid is purely archaic — which is why it's so disheartening that the script comes from three women: Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith, who had much greater success writing female characters in "Legally Blonde" and "The House Bunny," and first-timer Nicole Eastman. Robert Luketic, who also did better work with "Legally Blonde," directs the slapstick antics in rather unspectacular fashion. A scene in which Abby has an accidental orgasm during a dinner with her bosses just falls flat. That gag exemplifies one of the movie's chief problems. "The Ugly Truth" strains to distinguish itself from the other movies of the genre with graphically sexual and profane dialogue; rather than being offensive or amusing, the approach feels like a transparent and desperate attempt at being edgy. Butler's brash Mike Chadway has made a bit of a name for himself in town as host of the cable-access show "The Ugly Truth," in which he spits out misogynistic dating advice and abuses callers. When Abby's station hires him to do his shtick in an effort to boost ratings, he and Abby immediately clash. Naturally, that will change. Not only does he tell her what to say and do when she lands a date with Colin (Eric Winter), her too-good-to-be-true doctor neighbor, he also oversees her obligatory makeover, getting her out of conservative jeans and sweaters and into va-va-voomy dresses and heels. So it's a retread of both "Pygmalion" and "Cyrano de Bergerac," but "The Ugly Truth" settles down some and becomes vaguely tolerable in these scenes when Mike and Abby banter about relationships. Mike's rough charms work on everyone, including the station's bickering husband-and-wife anchor team, played by John Michael Higgins and Cheryl Hines in a waste of both actors' capabilities. Because deep down, of course, he's just as vulnerable and in need of love as everyone else. Butler's regular-guyness makes the character more likable than he should be; but Heigl, for all her screen presence, looks great but seems stiff, as if she's uncomfortable with the wilder physical comedy of the character. It ain't pretty, but it's true. "The Ugly Truth," a Columbia Pictures release, is rated R for sexual content and language. Running time: 100 minutes. One and a half stars out of four.
“Our first day back was Wednesday and it was — I’m going to keep saying this because I hope it embarrasses them — a 17-hour day,” Heigl told David Letterman during a visit to the Late Show on Monday, “which I think is cruel and mean.” One reason for her lack of pep: her good pal T.R. Knight’s departure from the show. “It was actually kind of really great to be back,” she said. “All my friends are there and at this point, they’re sort of like family, but it was a little weird because [T.R.]’s not there anymore.” As open as she is about her feelings about the show, Heigl remained tight-lipped about the fate of her character, who was last seen in an ambiguous scene after undergoing surgery for a brain tumor. “You last saw Izzie, you know, flatlining,” she told Letterman. “So, I won’t give it away but, you know, I’m there so I’m either there as a ghost, on the other side or I survived a disease no one survives.” “I’m guessing if you’re working 17 hours, that means you’re not dead,” Letterman observed. Heigl’s reply: “What if, however, Dave, I was in a bed in a coma for 17 hours, they could do that to me.” Despite the long days shooting the medical drama, Heigl said she hopes Grey’s Anatomy, which returns to ABC on Sept. 24, will stick around for a while. “We have another two years, I think, at least in the contract,” she said. “Hopefully the show goes, you know, ER time, which would be cool.”
"I'm not very good at being a wife because I sort of break them all," Heigl laughed while discussing the film with reporters. "So does he, though, so whatever." She admits that, like her character, she set up a lot of rules about what she wanted in a man when she was single. "I definitely went the whole make-a-list [process]," she said. "I'm definitely a little OCD, I'm particular about how I like things, and how I want things." But she's learned that despite the sometimes dramatic differences between the psyches of men and women, compromise is the key. "You don't have to necessarily completely change who you are to be with someone you want to be with, but you do have to compromise a little bit. You have to let go of a little bit of yourself." After meeting Kelley on the set of his music video "Only You," she threw any rules about waiting for him to call out the window. "The next day I waited until three o'clock and I went, 'Screw it, I'm going to call him.' I called and invited him out to a friend's barbeque. He showed up and we had a great time, and it was on from there." Kelley Keeps It Cool Kelley, however, followed one standard relationship rule of thumb, which she admits worked in his favor. "He played it really cool," says Heigl. "It was at least a couple of months before I was like 'Does this guy like me as much as I like him?' It was very disconcerting, but it was intriguing, and I was so into it! He says now – and I think he's lying – that he was not trying to play it cool. This was just how he was. I was, like, 'Bullsh-t! You are not like that!' That was an act, but it worked so great. It was so mysterious and intriguing." "If you have a guy who is relentless and obviously so into it, sort of puppy dog-at-your-feet, then it's not as sexy and interesting as the guy who plays it a little cool," she says. "I had to really fight for him to like me as much as I liked him. There is a fine line between honest and desperate. You can be honest with someone about your intentions, and how you feel about them, and you can get the 'Thank you.' And that's awful. Or you can be honest and they reciprocate. Sometimes it's just about risking it." No 'I' In Team The risk paid off for the couple, who wed in 2007. "He's just such an awesome guy and it's not a lot of work," Heigl says of married life, though admits there can be the occasional bump in the road. "There is always work, there is always compromise, and stupid moments: 'Really? You can't put your Coke can in the trash? Really?' That will always exist, but I think the most important thing we've learned in the last year and a half, that I've become more aware of and grateful for, is that this person is always on my side." "That is the one thing I think you cannot mess with," she adds. "You have to support each other even when you get pissed. All those underhanded, little snarky comments, all the resentment that bursts at times – you have to remember you're a team. There's nothing more valuable in this world than having that partner, having that person on your side, because it gets kind of lonely, scary, and weird out there. And I love being able to go home to him." InStyle is hosting an advance screening of the film Monday night in New York City.
For two hours, the stars mingled with fans outside the luxury hotel before retreating to the nearby Il Cielo restaurant. Butler, one eye witness tells PEOPLE, was spotted posing for pictures with members of the AC Milan soccer team, in town to play the Los Angeles Galaxy Sunday night. Heigl, barely recognizable with her hair dyed red, was seen leaving the hotel during the 1:45 p.m. evacuation. Police investigated the premises and found no unattended packages or luggage and the hotel reopened two hours later. The bomb threat was delivered via telephone, police told PEOPLE.
“I personally was a fan of Grey’s before I went there so I run the risk of sounding — now that I get to be a part of the cast — braggy because I think it’s awesome!” says the actress, who plays Seattle Grace’s newest resident Dr. Arizona Robbins on the ABC hit. Talking to PEOPLE at the the One Year Anniversary Party for 3.1 Phillip Lim Los Angeles store, Capshaw cited the tear-jerking finale as a reason to love the medical drama. “I’ve heard a lot of people tell me what [was great about the finale was] the insane pace and how heartbreaking it was,” she says, “and emotional and tense and all the good things you tune into television for.” Although T.R. Knight has officially left the show, Capshaw says she’s happy to have more time to bond with Katherine Heigl, whom she called a “wonderful woman.” “She’s a powerhouse — she’s beautiful, she’s funny, she’s strong and she’s certainly got a burden of riches right now,” Capshaw said. “She’s got a wonderful career in so many different ways. She’s always struck me as someone who is really aware at how wonderful she has it.”
Not having him there for the first time in five years threw the actress for a loop. “It was a little bizarre, so I had to call him this morning and be like, ‘Ok, this is what happened yesterday, this is what scenes we shot, this is how we felt about it.’” In the romantic comedy, Heigl plays a romantically challenged morning-show producer who takes dating advice from a chauvinistic TV personality that she is teamed up with, played by Gerard Butler. On-screen the two have a hard time seeing eye to eye, but when it comes to men and women in real life, the truth isn’t ugly at all, says Heigl. “Men and women are absolutely different beings and come from different places and have different head spaces but we can be respectful of that and compromise and ultimately learn from one another.” So what’s Heigl’s own dating advice to guys? Simple. “Don’t not listen.”
"We did the [nomination announcement] rehearsal ahead of time [and] went down the teleprompter three times," Wilson told PEOPLE after receiving and announcing the news alongside fellow nominee, The Big Bang Theory's Jim Parsons. Said Wilson: "My name wasn’t there, so I was like, 'Cool.' " "I'd been completely duped," Wilson, who was nominated for outstanding supporting actress in a drama for Grey's Anatomy and outstanding lead actress in a miniseries or movie for Accidental Friendship, said. "I think they [announced] Accidental Friendship first, if I'm not mistaken. I was so honored for that because I loved everything about making that film." This marks Wilson's fourth nomination for Grey's – and another year she'll face off in her category against costar Sandra Oh. "Last year Sandra and I just sat next to each other at the ceremony holding hands [and] just supporting each other," she said. "Actually, I think this will probably be our most nerve-wracking year ever because it’s continued. If you get nominated the first time and you win, then it’s over with. But when you keep coming back, it kinda messes with your stomach a little bit."
Supporting Actress, Drama Actress, Miniseries or Movie Outstanding Makeup For A Single-Camera Series But before we get to what's bothering her this time, it's important to note she does take the Grey's Anatomy writers off her "on notice" list. "It was a great story to tell and satisfying for me on a million different levels," she says of the Izzie brain-cancer stuff. "This season I had an amazing story line. I am grateful to the writers." Those writers must be super-relieved. Now on to the next issue Katie would like to see resolved. It seems romantic comedies, the genre currently aiding Heigl in her quest of movie stardom, needs to step it up. Before sticking it to the genre, she starts with the compliments, acknowledging something good about her new movie, The Ugly Truth, "I know this is going to sound bad but I'm really glad it's an R. I didn't want to do another PG-13 movie." Then she elaborates about the nature of relationships: "You're probably going to drop the F-bomb once in a while. You're probably going to say some things that are kind of harsh. And you're definitely going to talk about sex. It doesn’t have to be so Snow White and Prince Charming. That's my problem with a lot of romantic comedies: Everyone spends so much time trying to make sure it's the fairytale because that's what the rating calls for." Now we're not entirely convinced that her new R-rated movie doesn't have a tidy fairy-tale ending given the trailer. And, in fact, her last "sexist" R-rated rom-com had a perfect happy ending, too, but whatever to things that make sense! What Katherine Heigl demands, Katherine Heigl gets, or she won't be submitting her name to any awards shows. So someone better get on writing her an R-rated romantic comedy with an unhappy ending that could end in an Oscar, and she'll send you one of these for your dining room (it will surely impress your guests).
"In my early 20s, I didn't know who I was or what I wanted," the Grey's Anatomy star, 30, tells InStyle for August, "and if you're just getting to know yourself while you're in a serious relationship – it's like you're trying on different personalities to see what fits, but there is that real you in there somewhere." Heigl says she found her real self when she met singer Josh Kelley, her husband of 18 months, on the set of his 2005 video Only You. "I was fed up with trying to be somebody else, and got really lucky and met a great guy who loved me for me," she says. Her experiences have not only helped her learn what she wants in romance but also what she wants in a romantic comedy – and she says it isn't always rated PG-13. In a real relationship, Heigl posits, "you're probably going to drop the F-bomb once in a while. You're probably going to say some things that are kind of harsh. And you're definitely going to talk about sex. "It doesn't have to be so Snow White and Prince Charming. That's my problem with a lot of romantic comedies." It's that sass and forthrightness that Ugly Truth costar Gerard Butler says made him fall madly in love with her after watching Knocked Up. "This is the sexiest, smartest, sassiest, funniest actress out there. And suddenly you get told they want you to read a script with her? I love this business!"
Two of "Grey's Anatomy's" dreamiest docs, Patrick Dempsey and Eric Dane, have signed on for the ensemble film "Valentine's Day." Dempsey will be playing a (wait for it) doctor, according to The Hollywood Reporter, while Variety claims Dane will step into the role of a washed-up quarterback. The movie is an Altman-esque star-studded series of interconnected tales that all take place over one Valentine's Day. Check out this cast: Julia Roberts, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel, Jennifer Garner, Shirley MacLaine, Bradley Cooper, Ashton Kutcher, Topher Grace, Emma Roberts and Hector Elizondo. Garry Marshall will direct. "Valentine's Day" is scheduled for a Feb. 12, 2010, release.
The actor, who announced his departure from the ABC hit last month, is set to star in a revival of playwright Ken Ludwig's 1989 farce, Lend Me a Tenor, likely to open on the Great White Way in February 2010, reports Variety. The production will be further distinguished in that its director will be a first timer, actor Stanley Tucci (The Devil Wears Prada and the upcoming Julie & Julia, also starring Meryl Streep). Lend Me a Tenor involves a catastrophic production of the opera Otello. The role Knight, 36, will play, Max, was originated on Broadway by future Alias star Victor Garber, who earned a Tony nomination for it. On Tuesday came the announcement of another star heading to Broadway: Jude Law in Hamlet.
The project, which has been kicking around Hollywood since at least 2001, will be directed for Warner Bros. by "Everwood" creator Greg Berlanti. No start date is set. Heigl has had a solid film career since her breakthrough in the 2007 comedy "Knocked Up." She is following up her rom-com hit "27 Dresses" with the July 24 release "The Ugly Truth," co-starring Gerard Butler.
Fresh from the official confirmation that the actor will not be returning to Grey's Anatomy, it's been announced that he will star as Leo Frank in an upcoming production of the musical Parade at L.A.'s Mark Taper Forum. The show, which won two Tonys after debuting on Broadway in 1998, tells the real-life story of Frank, a Jewish Southerner who was lynched in 1915. He was accused of raping and murdering a 13-year-old girl in Georgia. It's widely believed that Frank was wrongly convicted amid growing anti-Semitic tensions in the South. So when can we see Knight on stage? Rehearsals will begin in mid-August, with previews starting Sept. 24. Opening night is Oct. 4, and the play is expected to run until Nov. 15. Knight's costars have not been announced. "I am very fortunate to return to the theater playing Leo Frank in this incredible, acclaimed production of Parade," Knight told the Los Angeles Times. "After a five-year break, it feels great to be on stage again." Knight appeared opposite Patti LuPone in a 2001 Broadway revival of Noises Off as well as in the 2003 production of Tartuffe. His last New York stage gig was in 2004, in the off-Broadway drama Boy.
“Leaving Grey’s Anatomy was not an easy decision for me to make,” Knight says in a statement to PEOPLE. “I am extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to play this character and will miss my fellow cast and crew very much. I continue to wish them the very best, and wholeheartedly thank all of the fans who have supported me and the show with such passion and enthusiasm.” Producer Shonda Rhimes simultaneously released a statement, saying, “I think I speak for the entire Grey’s Anatomy family when I say we wish T.R. Knight the best in his future endeavors. He is an incredibly talented actor and a person whose strength of character is admired by all of us.” While Knight may be happy to make a departure from the show following a season of sparse screen time for his character, costar Jim Pickens says the actor will be missed on the set. “He’s a good man, and a great actor,” Pickens tells PEOPLE. “We have lots of laughs. I’m going to miss his sense of humor.” Melissa George, who was on Grey’s for several episodes in its fifth season, says she is happy for Knight, who has become a close friend. “He fought for what he wanted, and he got it,” she told PEOPLE Wednesday at the Whitney Contemporaries Art Party in New York. “He’s moving on to amazing things. I love him very much.”
In a somewhat unexpected development, sources told the Hollywood Reporter that Heigl's option on the hit medical drama has been picked up, meaning she will be needed back this fall. Neither Heigl's rep nor a spokesperson for the ABC series would comment for TVGuide.com on her status with the show. For almost a year now — ever since Heigl publicly sounded off on her lack of Emmy-worthy material — there have been loud rumblings that, especially with her film career heating up, the actress would beg out of her contract, which still has three years left on it. That said, Heigl professed earlier this spring that should Grey's boss Shonda Rhimes need her around, "I'm there." Cast mate T.R. Knight fell into a similar situation as Heigl's, but as TVGuide.com reported Wednesday, he had his wish for an early release granted. As such, George — who was critically mangled in a season-finale bus accident — likely will be revealed to have not survived. Cancer-fighting Izzie, however, just may be alive and kicking. Sorry, Denny.
A show source explains that in addition to feeling his character George O’Malley was not getting juicy enough plot lines, the actor was uncomfortable with the spotlight cast on him as a result of show’s success. “From some people’s point of view, T.R. doesn’t realize how good he has it being on a hit show and making the money he’s making,” a source says. “But I don’t know that he ever wanted that. He might be better off going and doing theater. Money doesn’t matter very much to him, and he likes to lead a private life.” Reps for ABC and the actor had no comment on the news, which was first reported by EW.com. Chandra Wilson, who is spending her summer as Mama Morton in Broadway’s production of Chicago, said she understood the tendency for some cast members to want distance from the Grey’s family — even if she doesn’t feel the same way. “If you’re with your family in the house for ten months, all day every day, you’re going to have something to say about it, because that’s your family,” she tells PEOPLE. “Sometimes you want your cousins over; sometimes you want your cousins to get out the way. And that’s okay.”
T.R. Knight made his last appearance as George in the show's shocking season finale in May, and will not be back in the fall, EW.com reports. Knight's exit, unconfirmed by either ABC or his personal rep, suggests that George will not survive the severe trauma he suffered in the end-of-season bus accident. Grey's creator Shonda Rhimes recently dismissed the idea of giving the character an "extreme makeover" and recasting with a new actor as "ridiculous." The good news is that Jessica Capshaw will not only return to Grey's this season, but she has also been promoted to series regular status, sources tell TVGuide.com. Capshaw's Dr. Arizona Robbins arrived midway through last season and quickly established herself as a fan favorite, as the quirky, perky head of pediatric surgery struck a spark with Sara Ramirez's bi-curious Callie. Now all eyes are on Katherine Heigl. The season finale also placed a sizable question mark on the fate of Izzie, who rebounded — only to then suffer an abrupt setback — following brain tumor surgery. Although Heigl has not been lacking for big-screen roles, she said in March that should Rhimes want to keep Izzie alive, "I'm there." Can Grey's possibly weather the loss of two original cast members in one fell swoop? An ABC spokesperson would not discuss Heigl's contract status, while the actress' personal rep did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
I'm sorry for the delay in filing this blog, but the race (like most) didn't go completely to plan, and I soon realized that getting some rest was more important than anything else. I am now home in L.A., trying to catch up on sleep, and about to re-pack for Mid-Ohio. Have I said lately that I have best and most supportive wife and family in the world? They truly are, and I couldn't be doing this without their love, support and patience. As you may know, Don was suffering all week from a respiratory infection, and the heat and stress of the race made it worse. After his third hour-long run in the car, Mirka (our physical therapist) told the team that Don was getting worse and it was to the point of becoming dangerous. She strongly recommended that Don not drive again for his own safety. This had to have been a crushing blow to Don after all his hard work. It also meant that Joe and I would have to pick up the slack, and complete the remaining 18 hours of the trace with only two drivers. It was grueling. There really was not enough time to sleep. We did double stints in the night, but this also meant Joe and I were close at times to reaching our four hours per six-hour limit on driving. When the sun rose in the morning, it did provide some relief and motivation, but then we realized there was still a long long way to go. The car and crew were faultless. Sometime in the morning, I am not sure when, I heard a snap and the rear of the car felt strange. I came into the pits and found we had a broken rear wind mount which took 15 minutes to fix. This was the only problem all race, the only non-scheduled pit stop, and we pressed on. The Porsches all were having issues, and GT2 was becoming a Ferrari rout. Sometime in the morning we reached the top-10 in class, and Joe and I kept making laps. The team was doing its best to keep us going, and I ended up missing a couple of media appointments, but I was just too tired. When I was in the car, I was focused on making laps with no mistakes. When I was out of the car is was food, water and rest. I never really got any sleep. During the last hour, it started to get surreal. I knew I would get to finish the race, with Joe handing the car back to me with 40 minutes to go. We were in 9th, with the 10th place car too far behind to threaten, and 8th too far ahead to catch. I knew I just needed to keep the car running and moving until the finish. I have read the stories where at the end of the race you hear every rattle, every squeak, and you wait for the car to break. I heard nothing; I was more worried about myself breaking! All I wanted to do was hit my marks, make smooth shifts, and just get the race over with! The last Le Mans rule we needed to worry about was that to be a finisher, you needed to cross the finish line within 5 minutes of the overall leader. On the last lap, the car felt as good as ever, and the only issue was traffic as the winners were working out their positions for the victory photographs. That whole exercise was strange, but I was just in survival mode. So we finished, and kept our top-10 streak alive. Since Daytona, every race I've driven in, we've been in the too-10. I can proudly say I'm now a Le Mans veteran with a 9th place finish under my belt. It was an amazing experience, full of memories that will last a lifetime. I need to return, and next time going for a win instead of an experience. 2011 will mark the 20th anniversary of Mazda's historic win at Le Mans, and I just can't help thinking how great it would be to go back to Le Mans, with Mazda, on the anniversary of this win. Our three-rotor RX-8 would sound so good here! I want to thank AF Corse, Team Seattle, Michelin, El Grado Tequila, Watchlivesurgery.tv, Ferrari, my crew both in the U.S. and France, for making this an amazing journey. I also need to thank Mazda. They were gracious enough to give me permission to drive for another brand, and I really appreciate it. A big thanks also goes out to Joe Foster and Don Kitch. Joe, you are a great friend and partner and it was so special to share this with you. Don, your vision and hard work put this whole thing together, and we accomplished great things for the two children's hospitals in both Seattle and France. It was a special week, and thanks for sharing it with me. I also have thank everyone who has followed me all week with this blog on SPEEDtv.com. It's an inspiration reading all of your comments and I look forward to meeting some of you at the track in the future!~Patrick
Choice TV Show: Drama I love a parade After our frustrating Thursday we had an off day on Friday. There was no racing at all, instead the day was spent in the routine of PR and sponsor meetings, talking to film crews, with the annual driver's parade being the last official activity of the Friday. This whole week is amazing, but also long! The event started on Monday, and it's now Friday. The race finally starts at 3 p.m. Saturday. This blog is going to be a little brief than my previous entries, as I need to start getting myself mentally prepared for the event. Once the race starts, I will do my best to do quick updates, but my focus will be on doing the best job I can in the race car, not at the keyboard. The parade was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. It took place in the old part of Le Mans, and it was some 4 km long. All the drivers got to ride in old classic cars provided by local owner. It had a huge street party feel to it, especially with the huge crowd. The organizers predicted a terrible traffic jam to get there, and told me to go three hours early. We had a guide who took a very indirect, but very fast route to the marshaling area. There was little to no traffic, and we were all sort of wondering what the whole fuss was about. We sat quietly to the side in the Mazda6 until we needed to use the bathroom. The marshaling yard was right next to the cathedral and there was a door in the wall that opened to the caretaker's house. Joe asked the family if we could all use their bathroom, and the welcomed us to not only their house, but the side yard of the cathedral. It was a huge, beautiful grassy area when Joe, Don, and myself got to relax and enjoy. While the crowd built, we were getting the best relaxation of the week. The caretaker's 3-year-old son was out playing, and I got to practice my football skills with him. There was a great family feel to the yard. It was a calm oasis in the city and I know how lucky I was to stumble into this setting. I'm consistently amazed at how welcoming and gracious the people of Le Mans, the ACO, and entire country of France have been to me. Merci! When the doors opened up, and Joe, Don and I walked through the door out of our hidden sanctuary, and were greeted by a huge huge huge crowd. A stunning crowd. The sheer volume of people was stunning. The organizers gave a crowd count of 200,000 people! We climbed into Chi tty Chi tty Bang Bang and headed into the mob. It was just an amazing experience. First, I was presented a large trophy, and during the entire parade there were so many people smiling, cheering, and just making Joe, Don and I feel so welcome. We had a great security team take good care of us, and I even enjoyed the boos from a happy group of German Audi fans. It was absolutely overwhelming at times, but it will go down in history as an amazing and special day. After an unplanned and impromptu police escort away, it was dinner with the guys at the home base, and early into bed. Tomorrow we are up early, it's race day!~Patrick
Sometimes, You're The Windshield I should have taken the start of Thursday as a premonition. My body has no idea what time zone I am in, I am tired at the wrong times, awake when I should be sleeping. I woke up late, was late leaving the chateaus, and the traffic at the entrance to the track was backed up, and I was late all day. My French friends keep telling me that this is how it is in France, and I am now adjusted. But today is the last practice and qualifying before the race, and my day is full of sponsor meetings, media interviews, and trying to get fitted and more comfortable in the car. Downshifts were my problem last night, and I'm working with the other two drivers and the fun mechanics as AF Corse to find a pedal height solution that will work for everyone. That is another challenge of endurance racing, in that compromises must be made in driving positions, seats, etc, so the car can fit 3 drivers from 5'10 to 6'4. The fan and media coverage is amazing, touching, but also a little overwhelming. In the Grand-Am Series I am used to the ritual, and the fan base has been growing and taking more and more time. There's 100 times the amount of fan attention here compared to a Rolex weekend I want to make sure I make this clear that I am not complaining. As an actor, these fans buy the movie tickets, watch TV, and as a Racer these fans buy the products my sponsors sell. Taking care of these commitments is part of my job, and I know how lucky I am. I would not be here without them, so I do try to make sure I spend time talking, signing autographs, and visiting with partners and their guests. What I do hope people understand it that this does take energy and attention, and today it is taking its toll. I am one of the most fortunate people on earth, but today I am also one of the most tired. I also keep thinking that there are so many fantastic drivers with exceptional stories to tell more interesting than mine. I wish they got to tell their stories more often, and that they were able to enjoy more of the limelight than me. I know I am getting the attention due to my day job, but I am working hard to develop my skills on the track so I will get attention for them too. And after my lap times in the rain last night, I was feeling pretty good heading into qualifying. Finally, gratefully, it is time to put on the Sparco suit and do what I came to France for: qualify for the 24 Hours of Le Mans! The evening qualifying sessions were broken up into two sessions. The first from 7 until 9 p.m., the second from 10-12. There were three main objectives and thousands of minor ones. Joe will qualify the car as well as possible, and Don and I will qualify for the race. Since we had completed both our minimum lap requirements the night before the last thing is we both need to run laps times within 115% of the fastest car in the class. Based upon last night in the rain, I am confident of both a top-10 starting position if not top-5, and then Don and I will make it easily in the field. Then, suddenly, we actually discovered why Le Mans is Le Mans! The start of the session was delayed due to some track repairs caused by a wreck in the other races. The pressure builds and builds. Finally, almost 25 minutes late the track opens and Joe takes to the track. This session was the last chance (and basically my first chance) to drive the car in the dry and in the daylight. Joe did a couple of laps, came in for some qualifying tires, and headed out to set our team time. His warm up lap was good, and lap two was when he would have gotten well up the grid. We saw the first segment, almost three seconds up on the previous lap, which was the best of the week so far. As we waited for the second segment to pop up with further improvement, excitement built, then we waited, and waited. Finally the segment times pops up on the screen and our hearts sink. A Peugeot threw it off going for a fast time, and Joe was badly balked, almost having to come to a complete halt. So much for our dreams of a top time, but Joe's warm up lap was still looking decent and now we needed to get Don and I into the race. I mean, how bad could it be, right? Don went out and was struggling with a loose condition. Without knowing what the pole time would be, it was always hard to know exactly how fast we need to be, but we knew that Don was too close to the edge. He was also having radio issues, and no one was sure if he could see or read the pit board. My tension level was almost to redline, despite Jacques and Jim working hard to relax and distract me. I could also feel my fatigue. Finally, with the session almost over, it was my turn to make the show. We felt like Don was in, and now I needed to complete the team. Accelerating down the straights, braking hard, delaying my downshifts just a little hoping for smoother engagements. Ahh, better, the Ferrari V-8 barking with each blip of the throttle. The first flyer was great, actually my best time of the weekend. We met the minimum time, so that monkey was off my back. It was back down the straights, hard right at Mulsanne. I was feeling good, process, process, apex as I headed towards Indianapolis, what did Bruni tell me I could do there? Carry 5th? Yeah, I got it, I can do it...or did he say 4th? I was thinking that to myself as the back of the car rotated into the gravel trap on the outside of Indianapolis, backwards. It was a very lonely place to sit in a gravel trap, as you couldn't move. You feel like every eye in the world is staring at you, along with all of Europe since the session was being covered live on Eurosport. Yep, that actor, there in the gravel trap. Where were they last night when I was fast in the rain just 24 hours ago? What gear did he say I could carry? They pulled me out of the gravel, and I drove back to the pits staying well off line because I know I was now and Italian gravel spreader. That is what pro drivers do, they stay off line out of the gravel. And all drivers sooner or later end up in the gravel trap. So I just had to add that to my list. After my crew finished cleaning the gravel out of the car, I did a few more laps just to get back up on the horse. OK, Patrick, focus, focus, focus. By this point the fatigue of the day caught up with me, and I was frustrated. The checkered flag came out and I was thinking of a place to hide! Between sessions I hung with Patrick and Jim and just slowing calmed myself down. The reality is that I'm racing at Le Mans. I'd just officially qualified for the race based upon speed and I would get another crack at it later in the night. The pressure I was feeling was only the pressure I put on myself. Poor Joe was suffering too, along with the crew. Don's sunny nature wasn't any better, either. He had a lot of outside pressure that that he was just trying to make the field. The last session proved to be exciting for the fans with the battle for the pole between Audi and Peugeot. At Team Seattle, our battle was mostly self-inflicted created by our expectations and own fatigue. In the end, Don made the speed that was needed, and poor Joe kept seeing our number in the worst of the best position. But we were in the field, but nowhere where we wanted to be. The drive home may have been the highlight of the day. Here's five friends, giving each other the support required but also the crap that guys who love each other do. Poor Joe was on the phone telling friends and well wishers that we are in the field; we qualified, but we're a little ways back, he told one caller. As soon as he hung up, the entire car started screaming with laughter. We spent the rest of the ride home coming up with different spins on how to say we're the slowest car in the field. "Back pole" was a favorite, along with a few more descriptions that got progressively worse. Still, we all took a step back and realized we're in the 24 Hours of Le Mans! And by Sunday, actually 10 minutes into the race on Saturday, the only thing that matters is that we're here and in the field.~Patrick
"I will certainly be grabbing a glass of champagne!" Wilson told PEOPLE as she made her way into the cast after party at The Gate lounge. "I'm just happy that I sang everything that I was suppose to and feel very good that I didn't mess up my lines." In preparation for her opening night, Wilson, 39, received some very important advice. "My 10-year-old daughter [Joy] said, 'Mom just don't mess up,' " said the three-time Emmy nominee. "That was the advice she gave me and so that's what I took with me on stage and it seemed to have worked." Rooting Section: Though her three children, including Serena, 15, Michael, 3 were not able to see mom on stage, in the audience at the Ambassador Theatre Wilson had her Grey's costars: James Pickens, Sara Ramirez and T.R. Knight with boyfriend Mark Cornelsen, all loudly cheering and applauding. "I talked with them during intermission on the phone and right before the show. They said you know what to do, you will be fine and that we are so proud of you," said Wilson about her children. As for reaction from her costars, "She was absolutely amazing," Pickens told PEOPLE. "She was perfect and should be very proud of her performance. I had a great time watching her." "I paid them lots of money for them to do [the cheering]," Wilson said with a smile. "I'm absolutely thankful they came out. We all try to support each other as much as humanly possible so to have them out there and have friends out there felt really good." "I'm still a little bit nervous like the show is still going on. But I can't wait to do it all over again."
"I'd love to have a nice bus so I could bring my kids racing with me," the Grey's Anatomy star, 43, told PEOPLE after a qualifying run in his Mazda RX-8 for Friday's Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series in Watkins Glen, N.Y. For the actor – who qualified for Saturday's Sahlen's Six Hours of The Glen at position No. 9, the best in his racing career – balancing his passions with his role as a family man (he has a daughter Talula, 7, and 2-year-old twin sons Darby and Sullivan with makeup-artist wife Jillian) is a delicate balancing act. "I would be so happy if they were with me when I race," says Dempsey. "The kids are very young so I need to find a great furnished vehicle for all of us so they can be with me on the track." Off to Le Mans Dempsey, who is traveling around the world to race in different venues – including next weekend's 24 Hours of Le Mans in France – on his summer break from filming Grey's Anatomy, likens racing to acting. "I am very focused," he says. "I sit and wait for a race the same way I wait for a scene to be shot on TV or in film. I pace myself emotionally and calm down so when I am on, I am really on." Even though he has signed for two more years with Grey's Anatomy, when the show breaks for hiatus, Dempsey's professional life is totally devoted to his racing career, which often coincides with fund-raising for favorite charities like breast cancer. "When I am not with the kids, I spend all of my off time from the show working toward improving my racing skills," he says. "I love it. I love the healthy competition." Though his wife and children weren't with him at Saturday's race, his mother, sister and other family members cheered him on. "I grew up ski-racing with my family and to them being here feels like I've come home," he says. "I am looking forward to the day my own kids can be at my side."
"T.R. is an amazing actor and I want him to be there as long as I'm on there," Chambers, who plays Dr. Alex Karev on Grey's Anatomy, told us the other night at the Salvatore Ferragamo benefit for L'Aquila Earthquake victims. "He's wonderful to work with." Besides, Knight's character, Dr. George O'Malley, has so much growing to do. "That's one great thing about the show," Chambers said. "All the characters have so much to explore. The audience followed these young interns coming into this hospital and now they're residents, but they have more to learn as far as surgery, social skills and manners." Former Grey's star Melissa George says she's not convinced that Knight is definitely leaving. No matter what happens, she said, "He will go on to bigger and better things."
The duo will be joined by Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Chairman-CEO John Shaffner for the 8:30 am/ET reveal on July 16. Wilson has received three consecutive Emmy nominations for best supporting actress in a drama, while Parsons has never been shortlisted by the Academy. Could this finally be his year? The Primetime Emmys will air Sept. 13 — a week earlier than originally planned — on CBS.
"A hilarious, ridiculous rumor" is how Rhimes, via Twitter, qualified the speculation. Getting someone new to play a surgically made-over George would conveniently pave the way for T.R. Knight to vacate the role and exit the ABC serial, as has been rumored for many, many months. The increasingly dusty buzz has been that Knight's disenchantment with his Season 5 storylines begat his conspicuously decreased screen time... which, in turn, is said to have disenchanted Knight even further. Now, E! Online is reporting that Knight just this week negotiated his departure from Grey's — a neat trick, seeing as he's still on contract through Season 6, if needed. "That story is utterly false," one well-placed source tells TVGuide.com. "Nothing at all has changed in T.R.'s status." A second industry insider deems the aforementioned blog posting as "total B.S." Rhimes herself recently told EW.com, "There have been lots of rumors about T.R., but T.R.'s never said anything. Take from it what you will." ABC entertainment boss Stephen McPherson also has weighed in on the uncertain future of Knight's character, as well as Katherine Heigl's ailing Izzie. "They've both signed on [for next season]," he told reporters at ABC's upfront. "I can't say whether or not they'll both be there." Reps for ABC and Knight declined to comment for this story.
Multiple sources tell me that T.R. Knight will not be returning to Grey's Anatomy next season. Knight's departure shouldn't come as too much of a shock... Not only was George flatlining at the end of the season finale earlier this month, but the 36-year-old actor has reportedly wanted off the hit ABC series for quite some time. I'm told that tension between Knight and show creator Shonda Rhimes has become unbearable for both. "He hates her, and she hates him," one source said. Knight, an original member of the Grey's cast, was said to have become increasingly frustrated by his character's lack of storyline and camera face time. In December, he asked to be let out of his contract. Insiders tell me Knight has made no secret about George's demise. No word on any future projects for Knight, but at least now he's free to pursue other things. Reps for Knight and ABC declined to comment. Knight's best buddy Katherine Heigl is supposedly still waiting to learn her fate with Seattle Grace. As I was the first to report last July, Rhimes began contemplating an early death for Dr. Isobel "Izzie" Stevens after Heigl took herself out of the running for last year's Emmys because, she complained, the writers failed to give her good enough material to work with. Like George, Izzie was also flatlining at the end of the season finale. Funny enough, Entertainment Weekly recently reported that Heigl will submit her name for Emmy consideration this year for her work as cancer-stricken Izzie.
The Grey's Anatomy star, who broke into movies with 2007 comedy hit Knocked Up, was expected to join Hollywood superstars Julia Roberts, Jennifer Garner and Anne Hathaway in romantic comedy Valentine's Day, due to hit screens in 2011. But according to online reports, the star was booted out of the casting line-up after demanding payment of $3 million dollars, despite working for a maximum of 14 days. A source close to the project tells New York gossip column PageSix that "no other actors asked for nearly that amount". However, Heigl's publicist refutes the rumours - insisting it was the actress who decided not to take part in the film. The rep tells PageSix, "The story is ludicrous. Early negotiations are a daily occurrence in this business, and just for clarification, Katherine walked away from this project for multiple reasons."
The flick, which is scheduled to be released in February 2011, is directed by Garry Marshall and has signed such big names as Julia Roberts, Jennifer Garner, Anne Hathaway, Ashton Kutcher, Shirley MacLaine and Bradley Cooper. An insider told Page Six, "Producers at New Line originally had Katherine on their casting list. They wanted her for the project, but during the talks, she came back demanding $3 million for the role." Our source calls that number "ridiculous" because the movie has "an ensemble cast where there is really no one lead role. Actors are only filming between three and 14 days, and no other actors asked for nearly that amount." A rep for Heigl told Page Six, "The story is ludicrous. Early negotiations are a daily occurrence in this business, and just for clarification, Katherine walked away from this project for multiple reasons." A spokeswoman for New Line had "no comment." It's not the first time Heigl has come across as a diva. In 2007, after "Knocked Up," she told Vanity Fair the Judd Apatow-directed movie "paints the women as shrews, as humorless and uptight, and it paints the men as lovable, goofy, fun-loving guys. I had a hard time with it on some days." She also caused a commotion when she withdrew her name from consideration for last year's Emmy race, slighting the "Grey's Anatomy" writers by saying, "I do not feel I was given the material this season to warrant a nomination." Heigl, whose character was dying of brain cancer, did enter herself in this year's awards nominations.
TUESDAY: WEDNESDAY: THURSDAY: FRIDAY: SATURDAY: SUNDAY: Yet some doctors and cancer survivors say they're more worried that the popular ABC series has been dispensing inaccurate information about treatment options. The two-hour broadcast depicted Izzie and her fellow doctors agonizing over how to treat her melanoma — a deadly form of skin cancer — that had spread to her liver, bowel and brain. Because of the location of her brain tumor, doctors presented her with two unattractive options: surgery that could leave her with severe memory problems or a highly toxic drug called interleukin-2, or IL-2. In fact, doctors never recommend IL-2 for melanoma that has spread to the brain because it can cause bleeding and strokes, says Otis Brawley, chief medical officer at the American Cancer Society. If doctors are concerned about the risks of surgery, they recommend radiosurgery, in which doctors focus intensive radiation on the tumor, he says. Wendy Zocks, a Los Angeles publicist, credits radiosurgery with saving her life. Zocks was 33 when she was diagnosed with melanoma, which spread to her brain the next year. Only after the radiosurgery, when her doctors confirmed her brain tumor had been destroyed, did they give her a combination of IL-2 and other immune system boosters to make sure her cancer was gone. "I hate seeing the wrong message get out there," says Zocks, now 42. "I hate for people to give up hope." Grey's Anatomy representatives were unavailable for comment Sunday. Though TV hospital shows are great drama, they often stretch the truth, says Brawley, who concedes he went into medicine partly because he was inspired by shows such as Medical Center, the CBS drama that aired from 1969 to 1976. "Many people view the cancer problem as much simpler than it actually is," Brawley says. "That's because they get their medical information from television shows. But television shows are by and large fictional, and much of the medical information there is also going to be fictional." Many of the show's fans are obsessing over Izzie's fate. Planetcancer.org, a site for young adults with cancer, features an ongoing discussion about the show. In general, many cancer survivors praise the way Izzie has been portrayed. She's shown suffering through chemo, losing her hair, trying to preserve her fertility and explaining to her mother that melanoma is far more serious than most skin cancers. Only about 15% of patients who have advanced melanoma, like Izzie, are alive after five years. Jacob Burns, 24, of Austin says he's glad that Grey's shone a spotlight on cancer in young adults. But Burns says the fictional Izzie, who becomes friends with other young women getting chemo, got far more support than he did. In reality, he says, most cancer patients are elderly and unable to relate to the unique fears of someone so young. "I just wanted them to portray young-adult cancer patients in that way so that people could understand that we exist, and that it's very lonely and hard," says Burns, who's being treated for a relapse of the leukemia he first developed at 21. As the season finale drew to a close, Izzie's heart had stopped and her friends were trying to revive her with CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Studies show that 70% to 90% of people learn about CPR from TV, where the procedure nearly always succeeds. An analysis of shows such as ER in the New England Journal of Medicine found that CPR saved 75% of TV patients. In reality, CPR saves at most 40%. "It's a rare person who flat-lines and comes back, other than on TV," Brawley says. In other words, Izzie may still have a chance.
And that’s the way show creator Shonda Rhimes likes it. “I don’t know that you should be saying ‘Which one of them lives and which one of them dies,’” Rhimes says in an interview with EW. “I know what happens to the characters.” While viewers are left to wonder until next season, Rhimes admits that even the cast is left in the dark about their characters’ fates. “There was a joke for a while there that if I got hit by a bus [no one would] know how to end the season.” But rest assured, season 6 will be another “crazy experiment” filled with ups and downs, twists and turns, and — who knows? — possibly even more hallucinations. But don’t call it “ghost sex.” “We all thought it was really surprising that anybody thought there was a ghost on our show,” Rhimes tells EW. “We’re a medical show. We thought it was surprising that anybody would look at it and go, ‘Gee, that’s a ghost.’” And as for Meredith and Derek’s Post-It note wedding shocker, “[It] will have big reverberations next season,” Rhimes says. Another element that will be woven into the storyline will be Ellen Pompeo’s pregnancy. “We’re still talking about what we’re going to do and what that’s going to mean,” admits Rhimes. “Ellen is extraordinarily optimistic about what she’s going to be able to do.”
ABC earned an 8.8 rating/15 share in primetime, edging CBS, 8.2/14, for the top spot. FOX was a fairly distant third at 4.9/8. NBC, 3.2/5, came in fourth, and The CW drew a 1.9/3. ABC also led among adults 18-49 with a 4.5 rating. CBS, 3.4, snagged second in the key ad demographic, followed by FOX at 2.8. NBC averaged 2.3 and The CW 1.3. The next-to-last episode of "Survivor: Tocantins," 7.0/12, put CBS on top at 8 o'clock. "Bones" ended its season with a 5.4/9 for FOX. "Ugly Betty," 4.7/8, took third for ABC, topping the season finales of "My Name Is Earl" and "Parks and Recreation" on NBC. "Smallville" scored a 2.0/4 for The CW. "Grey's Anatomy" delivered a 10.5/17 for ABC at 9, beating out the season finale of "CSI," 9.1/14, on CBS. "Hell's Kitchen" took third for FOX. The season finales of "The Office," 4.0/6, and "30 Rock," 3.4/5, kept NBC in fourth, ahead of "Supernatural," 1.8/3, on The CW. The "Grey's Anatomy" finale improved to 11.4/19 at 10 p.m. The last "CSI: NY" of the season posted an 8.4/14 for CBS. The two finales pushed NBC's "Southland" to its smallest audience yet, a 3.0./5.
So, Izzie and George: Dead or alive? The answer offered Thursday night by ABC's Grey's Anatomycertainly seemed to be "dead," as what had been a casually paced two-hour finale suddenly shifted into shocking twin catastrophes, jolting us out of our pace-induced sense of security. But remember, this is Grey's, where people have often gone into the light only to saunter back out again. As always with Grey's, we won't know for sure what's happened to Izzie and George until the show — as in showrunner Shonda Rhimes— wants us to. Some will no doubt read finality into that final scene. But from here it played like a cliffhanger, and a great one, at that. We knew of course that Izzie's life was up for grabs, as Katherine Heigl's character has spent much of the season battling cancer. Still, the two-part episode did an excellent job of keeping us guessing as to her fate, making us think first that she would die; then that she would survive but with no short-term memory; and then that she would recover fully. Then came that last-second spinaround, with Izzie flat lining as her newlywed husband Alex watched in horror. While the doctors struggled to save her, we saw her back in her Season 2 prom dress seemingly meeting on the other side with an also departed George. Still, if Izzie was a surprise, George's brilliantly disguised predicament was the real stunner. At the end of the first hour, T.R. Knight's doctor joined the Army — and then disappeared, as the staff shifted its attention to an unrecognizable man who had heroically thrown himself in front of a bus to save a woman. Just as you were most likely getting annoyed that the show had once again allowed George to vanish (something he did far too regularly this season), Meredith discovered he'd been there all along. He was the hero, and when last we saw him, he appeared to be dying on the operating table. Give credit to the show for pulling off a double feint and leaving us in doubt, something that's hard to do with series regulars. On the other hand, uncertainty is easier to pull off when an actor's commitment to a show, or the show's commitment to an actor, becomes a topic of public discussion. As important as those two life-in-the-balance plot points were, they weren't the only character shifts. Bailey gave up her pediatric fellowship and her husband, pretty much in that order. Cristina decided to take a chance on Owen. And while Derek and Meredith didn't actually get married, they did pledge their love by Post-It, one of those pitch-perfect comic/romantic Grey's scenes that sounds impossible in print but works on screen. Despite the rush provided by those final scenes and the buzz they're certain to provoke, the finale as a whole was not Grey's at its absolute best; for most of the way, it lacked the emotional punch of last week's Izzie/Alex wedding. Even so, it was filled with the kind of lovely, humorous grace notes Grey's does so well: George leading Izzie to the decision she's already made; Cristina forcing herself to tell Owen she loves him; Alex screaming at Izzie, then hoping she'll forget it; and pretty much anything Bailey did. Yet for the show's future health, the best part was seeing Meredith finally happy, looking forward to the future and convinced she should share it with Derek. The will they/won't they dynamic is out of steam; it's time to commit to "they will." Which means next season, we may even get the wedding we missed out on last night. As for whether George and Izzie will attend, we won't know that until the guest list is released.
Izzie must decide if she should have risky brain surgery for the cancer that has plagued her this season. She wrestles with the decision as her fellow doctors at Seattle Grace Hospital pull her in opposite directions. She opts for the surgery and it seems to be successful. But she comes out of it unable to remember anything. Her memory returns, just long enough for her to joyfully hug Alex who she married last week, and then she dies. But it may not be such a shocker. She's played by Katherine Heigl (HY'-guhl), who's leaving the ABC medical drama to concentrate on movies.
The two-hour season-finale of medical drama Grey's Anatomy airs tonight on CTV and ABC, and as usual, Katherine Heigl is at the centre of the drama. Heigl's character, Dr. Isobel (Izzie) Stevens, has a choice to make: She either can have surgery to remove a brain tumour and risk losing her memory; or she can skip the operation and try to treat the tumour in other ways, but the results could be fatal if it doesn't work. Now, many have pointed out that the storyline of Izzie getting sick conveniently emerged just as Heigl was becoming way more high-maintenance on the set of Grey's Anatomy. Do we believe that? Naw, that would be cynical! Nonetheless, the rumours that Heigl might be leaving the show to pursue her movie career haven't completely gone away. So there is no iron-clad guarantee that everything is going to turn out fine for Izzie. Then again, the way Grey's Anatomy has been over-using the deceased Denny (played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan) as an Izzie hallucination, Izzie could pass away and live on for many years as a hallucination herself.
CBS averaged a 7.6 rating/13 share in primetime, just edging past ABC's 7.4/13. FOX came in third with a 4.7/8. NBC, 3.8/6, finished fourth, and The CW trailed with a 1.9/3. The adults 18-49 demo crown went to ABC, which scored a 3.5 rating. CBS took second at 3.2. FOX had a 2.5, just ahead of NBC's 2.4, and The CW earned a 1.3. "Survivor: Tocantins" kicked off the night for CBS in first place for 8 p.m. with a 7.0/12, while FOX's "Bones" had its usual strong showing with a 5.5/10. "Ugly Betty" drew a 4.9/9 for ABC, handily beating the 3.0/5 average for NBC's comedy double shot "My Name Is Earl" and "Parks and Recreation." The CW's "Smallville" came in last. The 9 o'clock hour was a slightly different story with ABC pushing ahead with 10.2/16 for "Grey's Anatomy" and earning a hefty 5.3 in the adult demo. CBS' "CSI" grabbed a 9.1/14, while NBC's "The Office" and "30 Rock" hour averaged a 4.2/7 for third. Following was FOX's "Hell's Kitchen," 3.9/6, and The CW's "Supernatural," 1.8/3. ABC continued to do well at 10 p.m. with the Michael J. Fox special, "Adventures of an Incurable Optimist," 7.1/12, beating CBS' "CSI" repeat, 6.6/11. NBC ended the night with "Southland's" 4.4/8 for the hour.
Leigh, 27, and her husband, actor Nathan West, 30, welcomed their daughter Anniston Kae just seven days after Leigh wrapped filming Grey's Anatomy's fifth season, Leigh's rep tells PEOPLE exclusively. "Both mother and child are healthy," he says. Anniston, who weighed 7 lbs., 1 oz., joins siblings Noah Wilde, 5, and Taelyn Leigh, 2. And the family hasn't ruled out the possibility of more children in the future. "We love our family," West told PEOPLE in November. "If I wasn’t working as much and [Chyler] didn't have the show, we'd have five or six kids." "[Chyler] is a phenomenal actress and an amazing best friend, but hands down, mothering is what she does best," West added. The couple, who met at a pilot audition 10 years ago, will celebrate their seventh wedding anniversary later this year.
"I have no end story or date in mind at all," Rhimes tells the Hollywood Reporter. "I just want us to tell stories as long as we feel it's relevant." This Thursday, Grey's Anatomy celebrates the "century" mark with what is intended to be the wedding of longtime lovebirds Meredith Grey and Derek Shepherd. The odds of that anticipated union going off without a hitch, however, are slim. Where does Rhimes see her doctors-in-love serial heading? Although she at one time "knew exactly how the show was going to end," she now finds the personal and professional adventures of Mer, Der, Cristina et al heading to "a different place than I'd ever expected at the beginning." "We're essentially working without a map," she admits, "and have been for a little while now." So, fellow Grey's fans, since the world seems to be our oyster, what would you like to see happen in the halls of Seattle Grace? Who do you want to see together? Who do you want apart? What sort of non-ghost/hallucination stories would you like to see told?
Dempsey, star of the hit TV series Grey's Anatomy, will join Despain to talk about his love for racing, his driving career in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series and his upcoming attempt to compete in the famed 24 Hours of Le Mans with Team Seattle.
CBS averaged a 7.8 rating/13 share in primetime, beating out ABC' 7.0/11. FOX came in third with a 4.9/8. NBC, 3.9/6, finished fourth, and The CW trailed with a 1.9/3. The adults 18-49 title went to ABC, which scored a 3.5 rating in the advertisers' favorite demo. CBS took second at 3.2. FOX and NBC tied for third at 2.5, and The CW earned a 1.3. "Survivor: Tocantins" put CBS on top at 8 with a 7.1/12. "Bones," 5.5/9, grabbed second for FOX. The return of "Ugly Betty" drew a modest 4.7/9 for ABC, but that was good enough to beat the 3.4/6 average for "My Name Is Earl" and "Parks and Recreation" on NBC. The CW's "Smallville" trailed. "CSI" grabbed the night's biggest audience at 9 p.m., scoring a 9.6/15. "Grey's Anatomy" was close behind at 9.4/15 and led the hour in adults 18-49. "Hell's Kitchen" came in third for FOX. "The Office," 4.4/7, and "30 Rock," 3.6/6, kept NBC in fourth. "Supernatural" drew a 1.8/3 for The CW. The season finale of ABC's "Private Practice," 6.8/12, led in households and adults 18-49 at 10 p.m., but a "Criminal Minds" rerun, 6.7/11, drew more viewers to CBS. "Southland" slid some more, scoring a 4.3/7 for NBC.
The extended return of Izzie's late fiancé drew cries of protest from many Grey's Anatomy fans last fall, but he's an important part of the story that creator Shonda Rhimes wants to tell. "We're heading on a journey," Rhimes says. Viewers "are in the middle and don't have a map, so they can feel lost. But I know where we're going. For me, it's about looking at the larger picture." Despite a few hairpin turns, Rhimes has shown good directional sense operating two series, the fifth-season drama Grey's (ABC, tonight, 9 ET/PT) — which boasts some of TV's most passionate and vocal fans — and the second-year spinoff, Private Practice, whose season ends tonight (10 ET/PT). Grey's, which will hit its milestone 100th episode next week, is enjoying late-season applause from many who now see how Denny fits into the larger scheme, even if they thought it took too long to get there. Practice has earned an early renewal. And Rhimes has earned the continued praise of ABC's top programmer. "She has an incredible voice, just an ability to create characters that really sing," Stephen McPherson says. "She's probably working harder for this network and studio than anybody I know." With two series running smoothly, that voice is also powerful. Rhimes may add to its influence with another pilot, Inside the Box, about a Washington network news bureau. It is a candidate for ABC's fall schedule. With Grey's shooting its season finale, the pilot being polished and planning already underway for the fall season, Rhimes took time last week for a rare sit-down interview in her office, just a short walk from the Grey's set. As executive producer of the two series, sharing supervisory duties with non-writing executive producer Betsy Beers, Rhimes says she didn't know what it would take to run two shows last year. "Right when the (writers') strike started, I was completely burned out. I felt I had nothing left to say. I was this close to being, 'I have nothing left to write.' " The strike pause provided a chance to rejuvenate, she says. This season, she understands the demands and has set work rules for herself, such as substantially trimming an office schedule that used to run to 14 hours a day. It has made things more manageable for the single mother of a 6-year-old adopted daughter, Harper, and has helped her maintain her creative energy. She is delegating more, and praises writers and producers for the smooth operation of the dramas. "I used to dream about the show — not in some weird, spiritual way, but literally your brain working out stuff while you're sleeping," she says. "At a certain point during Season 4, that stopped happening." Writers and producers "have a lot of creative back and forth," Beers says. "But at the end of the day, Shonda is the final arbiter." (Rhimes will be producing, but not writing or running, Box, limiting her time commitment.) 'A little bit magical' Rhimes, 39, a Chicago native and Dartmouth grad, is proud of her Seattle Grace gang at Grey's. She points to the continuing maturation of Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) and her evolving relationship with Derek (Patrick Dempsey). This season's relationship between Cristina (Sandra Oh) and war veteran Owen Hunt (Kevin McKidd) has been a fan favorite, and is far from over. "It feels a little bit magical," Rhimes says. She is pleased, too, with Practice, which moved Grey's neonatal surgeon Addison (Kate Walsh) to a Santa Monica clinic operated by friends. The show has found its footing, she says, grounding its characters and increasing its focus on medical and ethical issues. "Part of what happened this year is the show got a lot clearer about what it is," Walsh says. "It felt more organic about the way cases came up." Grey's is no longer a top 10 show (No. 14, 14.2 million, down 9% this season) but is still strong and ranks fifth among young adults. Practice (9.1 million) ranks lower, but is up 7% since settling into the slot behind its compatible sister series. For all of Rhimes' success, she has a refreshingly low-key style, says Chandra Wilson, who plays Grey's surgeon Miranda Bailey. "She's extremely understated. You would never know that this is the executive producer of two successful TV dramas," Wilson says. She is also a black woman in a business dominated by white men. "I think, to her credit, she is trailblazing without a banner." Of course, even with success there are speed bumps. Rhimes has learned to handle them with an equanimity developed since Grey's first big controversies, including the third-season pairing of George (T.R. Knight) and Izzie (Katherine Heigl) that drew fans' ire, and the off-screen problem of actor Isaiah Washington referring to Knight with a homosexual epithet. Washington was dropped from the show after the season. "Season 3, I always say, was a season where I took everything really personally," Rhimes says. "At a certain point, you grow up and get a thicker skin and realize this is the price of getting to write a show that millions of people like to watch." This season, besides the Denny flap, Grey's has had to deal with talk that Heigl and Knight wanted out of their contracts. Heigl recently said she would honor her contract and was waiting to learn the fate of her cancer-stricken character, and whether Rhimes would have her return. Rumors are buzzing of a story line that could make George's potential return a cliffhanger. Rhimes pauses when asked about the fate of the pair, then adopts a beatific smile. "We love Katherine Heigl," she says. "We love T.R. Knight." She seems surprised more than anything at this season's on-screen controversies: Izzie's hallucinations of Denny (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), including having sex with him, and the departure of Dr. Erica Hahn (Brooke Smith), love interest of orthopedic surgeon Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez). Of Denny's reappearance, she says, "What I thought was interesting was that anybody who knew anything about our show would think we had a ghost on our show. In the world in which our show operates, there is a way things happen, and clearly we don't do ghosts." As the story played out, viewers learned "everything comes together," Rhimes says. Of Hahn, whose departure raised speculation about possible network discomfort with a lesbian relationship: "We didn't have a controversy with Dr. Hahn. The press created a whole thing that had nothing to do with reality." She disagrees with those who say the departure was abrupt and says chemistry, not sexual orientation, was the reason. Callie has become involved with a new woman, pediatric surgeon Arizona Robbins (Jessica Capshaw). "They have that little thing that makes you want to watch them," Rhimes says. She says ABC hasn't interfered, other than asking to tone down a Grey's pig-stabbing scene. Rhimes 'is every character' Perhaps nobody has cared more about the characters than Rhimes. After time spent writing movies (Princess Diaries 2, Crossroads), where characters exist in a finite place, Grey's — her first venture into series TV — allowed them to change over time. "To write characters on a constant basis this way, they really became real to me," she says. They also reveal her personal side. "I'm certainly not going to sit and tell you what's going on in my personal life, but I feel that if you were ever curious about what's going in my life, all you'd have to do is watch the show." Beers says there's a reason for the realistic feel: "Shonda, at various points, is every character." But over time, Rhimes has learned to find distance from her creations. "Part of my growing up in this process — my going from an intern to a resident to an attending — was realizing you have to let the story just be the story, and you can't live inside the world of the characters. You have to have some perspective." Her loyalty to Meredith & Co. is paralleled by an allegiance to the fans, who she feels also have an ownership stake. She and Beers do podcasts, and Grey's writers interact with viewers via the blog Grey Matter (greyswriters.com). Rhimes tries to protect the viewing experience, too. She is famed for giving away few plot details. As a TV fan herself — her likes include 30 Rock, Lost, Weeds, Project Runway, Doctor Who and Torchwood— she thinks spoilers detract from viewers' enjoyment. "It's the Pentagon, but I imagine we're nicer," says Walsh. Rhimes won't say much regarding Practice's finale, which coincides with psychiatrist Violet's due date, except that it ends in a cliffhanger. Will viewers learn whether the father is clinic colleague Pete (Tim Daly) or fellow shrink Sheldon (Brian Benben)? "I think what happens supersedes who the dad is," she says cryptically, adding: "But Violet definitely makes a choice about who she wants to be with." Rhimes had already revealed that Grey's 100th episode would take place on the Meredith-Derek wedding day — but that the nuptials won't necessarily be theirs. She has been guarded about the May 14 season finale. There was no table read (a TV tradition in which the cast sits down and recites the script) and the script was delivered to actors not whole, but in pages. And of course, she won't reveal Izzie's fate. She won't specify when Denny will return, either. But she'll hint at its significance: "Just a reminder: He's not a ghost, and we should all remember what his appearance means."
Q. Hi, Shonda! I love both of your shows! (My 10-year-old daughter knows that Mommy will inexplicably yell at the TV on Thursday nights!) Anyway, I had two questions for you. What was the inspiration for Addison and Naomi's friendship (on Private Practice), and who will Violet choose? (You can e-mail the answer to the second question directly to me: I am willing to sign any and all confidentiality paperwork!) — Nikki Butler, Woodbridge, Va. A. I loved the idea of Addison having an incredibly close friend that she knew from her college/grad school days. Naomi reminds me of my good friend Victoria, who married her college sweetheart and is strong and smart and funny. I wanted Addison to have that person who knew her "way back when." Who will Violet choose? You really think I would TELL you that? I love that you asked, but I have to tell you what I tell everyone — watch the show and find out. Q. As an aspiring writer/obsessive fan, I always pay attention to the credits to see who writes each episode. In particular, I enjoy the scripts that you and head writer Krista Vernoff write, though ALL of your writers are fantastic. So my question is, what serves as your inspiration or influence when you sit down to write a witty yet dramatic script? Also, what advice do you have for an aspiring writer like me OR how does a recently graduated student apply to/get involved with your writing team? A girl can dream …— Nadia Saah, Silver Spring, Md. A. Most of the time, when I begin working on a script for one of the shows, I have an image in my head. A vivid image of something or a scene or bits of dialogue float around in my head after I've been pondering a script for a while. That's when I know that I'm ready to start writing. It's a little bit weird and not at all as magical as it might sound — it's mostly me walking around muttering to myself, waiting for the image to show up so I can get to work. As for advice, the only advice I can give is that you should write. Write every day. Write all the time. Write. Honestly, that is more than half the battle, and a good piece of writing is all you need to get your foot in the door. Hollywood, believe it or not, loves good writing, is desperate for good writing, and when they can find good writing, they reward. There's a lot of bad writing out there. Write good stuff and show it to everyone you know. Q. Just want to say, Grey's Anatomy is a great show, it's my favorite. My question is: Mark has been living in a hotel since he arrived to Seattle. Now he seems to be residing at Casa Grey's. Can't Mark afford his own place being a world-renowned surgeon? Are there plans to have him move somewhere, and will he have any story lines outside of Lexie coming up? — Christine O'Sullivan, Newnan, Ga. A. Wonderful that you asked this! We've been discussing it for months in the writers room. Details about Mark's living arrangements are coming up soon! Q Can you please tell me something about Owen and Cristina in Grey's Anatomy? Will they be together for good by the season finale? Will they have some life-changing events happen? — Iris Woo, Melbourne, Australia Q. Do you see Cristina and Owen as soulmates? Are there any happy times ahead for them? — Lisa Myers, Houston A. I love Owen and Cristina a lot as a couple. I do. But I can't tell you anything about what happens to them because that would be giving away top-secret finale information, and I can't do that. Q. Will The Chief and Meredith come to terms about their relationship and his profound effect on her life? — Maya Saroj, Ottawa, Ontario A. This is the perfect question to be asking just now! The episode that airs tonight focuses on The Chief and Meredith and their shared past. Q. We all know that Alex is in love with Izzie, but what are her feelings toward him? — Several readers A. It's so interesting to me that audiences are not clear about Izzie's feelings for Alex. Is it because she hasn't said those three words? I kind of hate that we need to hear someone say "I love you" to know that they love someone. I think Izzie's actions show how much she loves Alex. I think her choosing Alex shows how much she loves Alex. I think the way Izzie LOOKS at Alex shows how much she loves Alex. There is love there. She loves him. Which makes what is gonna happen next that much more interesting …
TVGuide.com: I want to start off by saying that I for one did not buy you as someone old enough to be Katherine Heigl's mother. Sharon Lawrence: [Laughs] Well, think about it the way I did when they offered me the role. Like Izzie, she got knocked up when she was 16! Like mother, like daughter — there's absolute legitimacy in that. TVGuide.com: Plus, Robbie doesn't fancy herself as being old enough either. Lawrence: Well, no, she's an eternal child down deep ... and right there on the surface too! TVGuide.com: Is Izzie happy to get this surprise visit from her mom? Lawrence: No, she has no idea that her mom is even aware of her circumstance, much less is going to be coming to Seattle Grace. That's an interesting thing to examine, that when someone is that ill, it's a challenge to share it with anybody, much less a parent who has not been particularly responsible. I know a lot of folks who have chronic physical conditions, and one of the biggest issues is how it's going to affect the rest of your family, and what it means to manage their emotions. TVGuide.com: Izzie obviously has her reasons for not wanting her mother to know exactly what's going on. Lawrence: Because someone like Robbie can be much more of a drain than a support, no matter how well-intentioned. I believe that Robbie with every fiber of her being wants to mother Izzie; the question is whether she's capable of giving the sort of care that someone in Izzie's condition really needs. TVGuide.com: As the mother-daughter scenes turn serious, was it easy to go there with Heigl? Lawrence: I tell you, from the first minute that we started working in the rehearsal together, I recognized how open and comfortable she is as an actress. She made it so easy to get to that level of emotional and physical intimacy right away. One of the reasons I've always been attracted to her work is that she just can't fake it, she's so honest. That made my job so easy. TVGuide.com: There's definitely the feeling that these two have often only tolerated each other. There are a lot of "Oh, my crazy mother" eyerolls from Izzie... Lawrence: And yet I think they have a similar passion about life. It's not just about tolerating someone in your family that drags you down; there's an effervescence about both of the characters. TVGuide.com: It's too bad Robbie didn't surface under better circumstances. Based on her first scene, there could have been an effective triangle with her, Alex and Izzie. Lawrence: [Laughs] There is right away a sense that Robbie just can't help herself from responding in that flirtatious way. Justin [Chambers] is another one of my favorite actors on the show. He was really charming and sweet to work with. You know, this is actually my first hospital show in all these years! I'm such a fan of [Grey's creator] Shonda [Rhimes] and [executive producer] Betsy [Beers]. TVGuide.com: Might we see more of you as Izzie's cancer story plays out? There's been talk that they want Heigl back for at least a little bit of next season. Lawrence: The door is certainly open. We really enjoyed the collaboration, and it'd be a pleasure to come back. TVGuide.com: What else do you have going on? Lawrence: I'm producing a music video right now starring Ed Asner, for a great band called The Old Ceremony, based in Chapel Hill, which is where I went to school. It's set in a nursing home and it's about how love never dies. He stars opposite Eileen Ryan, Sean Penn's mother, and it's the sweetest love story. It's really great!
We caught up with Chandra at the Prism Awards this weekend, where she teased the fifth season finale and whether Bailey will even survive what could very well to be the most thrilling Grey's finale ever. Chandra tells us, "In [the finale], we do ultimately find out what [happens with] George (T.R. Knight)—he does make a big decision in that episode. Izzie has a lot of medical [issues] in that episode. And then we have our normal ER catastrophe that goes on. It's got to be something bad going on where all the doctors have to assemble. That much I know." Speaking of George's big decision, there's a rumor he ends up as a trauma surgeon in the army, following in Owen's footsteps. "Is that right? That's coming up too? Lord, I need to read the script that you're reading!" jokes Chandra. Though Chandra is tight-lipped on the rest of the season, she says Bailey continues with pediatric surgery despite the ramifications it has for her marriage. "Everything that I'm doing right now is still working with the kids; it's still trying to potentially go into that fellowship. I do know that my husband is not happy about that—about spending two more years doing the same kind of hours. But when you get a calling, sometimes you have to do your calling." Sounds like Bailey's marriage is in trouble again... Also, with the Chief (James Pickens Jr.) stepping over the line in this week's episode, it seems we're inching closer to the day when he finally retires and takes his leave, but could Bailey really take his place? According to Chandra, "I know that's the Chief's goal, but I think she's spent enough seasons worrying about everybody else and getting distracted by everybody else. She needed to go back and prove the kind of doctor that she really is, and so she did get a chance this season to really concentrate on the medical [side]. She was very successful medically, so to do that and then also venture into pediatrics, she's just competent all over the place right now." It also seems as though someone may have forgotten to give Chandra the message that Grey's Anatomy has been picked up for another season. "Thank you for giving me that piece of information, because you never know. That's really nice. Now I just need my letter, and I need the rest of the pages for [the final] episode! It will be good." As long as Bailey doesn't die in the finale, fans will be all right! "We can't have that. Please. Send out a letter! Start petitioning. Because you know, it could be a nice plot twist. They'll say, ‘You know, we think Bailey's going to get hit by a bus. [It'll] be a nice six-episode arc. America will cry, and you'll be out of a job!' You never know."
Not bad for a fictional couple. The on-again, off-again duo known as "Mer-Der" are set for a May wedding, and series creator Shonda Rhimes enlisted the TV show's staff and ABC's marketing department to make the most of the occasion. The online site, which is built within theknot.com, celebrates the pair played by Ellen Pompeo and Patrick Dempsey. It includes a gift registry page, where visitors are invited to donate to charities that have a connection to the show's story lines. The website says the wedding is set for May 14.
Dempsey, "Dr Shepherd" in the the long-running drama, drove a Ferrari F430GT on the Bugatti course, part of the famed French circuit, as he prepares for a possible tilt at the Le Mans 24 Hour Race on June 13 and 14. "It's a dream for me to be here," said Dempsey who has taken part in motorsport events in the United States. "I am fascinated by the Le Mans 24 Hour Race and I can sense the weight of history on the circuit."
Chandra Wilson and Dana Delany also received performance awards at the event. Presented by the nonprofit Entertainment Industries Council, the Prisms honor productions that advance public awareness of substance abuse and mental-health issues. FX will air the ceremony September 26 as part of National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month. "In these difficult economic times, when many of us know someone in our lives touched by these issues, the stories we honor with Prism Awards have shown great sensitivity toward those who are experiencing addiction, substance abuse and other mental-health problems," EIC chief Brian Dyak said. Hathaway was honored in the feature performance category for "Rachel Getting Married." The film also received a Prism. Shatner was honored for performance in a dramatic TV show for an episode of "Boston Legal," and Bratt was lauded for a multiepisode arc on "The Cleaner." Wilson received a Prism for the telefilm "Accidental Friendship" and Delany was honored for an episode of "Desperate Housewives." Several TV shows were cited for accurate portrayals of mental health and addiction themes. among them the series "Boston Legal," "Breaking Bad," "King of the Hill," "Law & Order: SVU" and "The Office," the miniseries "Sybil" and the syndicated talk show "Dr. Phil."
CBS led the overall race with a 7.0 rating/12 share, beating out ABC's 6.2/10. FOX came in third with a 4.8/8. NBC, 4.3/7, finished fourth, and The CW trailed with a 1/9/3. ABC topped the adults 18-49 demographic with a 3.2. CBS was right behind at 3.1. NBC took third at 2.7, followed by FOX, 2.6, and The CW, 1.2. "Survivor: Tocantins" scored a 6.9/12 to give CBS the lead at 8 p.m. "Bones," 5.4/9, finished second for FOX. A "Grey's Anatomy" rerun on ABC tied NBC's "My Name Is Earl," 3.5/6, and "Parks and Recreation," 3.4/6, in households, but NBC snagged a few more total viewers. "Smallville" recorded a 2.0/3 for The CW. CBS held the overall lead at 9 thanks to "CSI," 9.2/14. "Grey's Anatomy" drew an 8.8/14 for ABC (and was the night's top show in the 18-49 demo). "Hell's Kitchen" drew a 4.3/7 for FOX, edging "The Office," 4.4/7, and "30 Rock," 3.9/6, on NBC. The CW's "Supernatural" fell off a little bit from its lead-in. "Private Practice," 6.4/11, moved ABC to the top spot at 10. The increased competition meant a ratings dip for NBC's "Southland" (5.3/9), but the cop show still beat "Harper's Island," 5.0/9, on CBS.
Season to date, ABC claims 4 of the Top 10 highest-rated TV series in Adults 18-49, including the Top 2 scripted shows with "Desperate Housewives" and "Grey's Anatomy." During the fall, the Net finished No. 1 in the November Sweep among Adults 18-49 for the fourth year in a row. Most recently ABC is generating mid-season momentum in 2009, delivering across-the-board gains over the same point last year: Total Viewers +6%, Adults 18-34 +14%, Adults 18-49 +8% and Adults 25-54 +6%.
It's fitting that the redemptive power of a well-delivered apology is one of the show's running themes over the next two weeks. If ever a series was in need of seasonal redemption, it's this one. Happily, for those still willing to forgive, the first two post-hiatus outings are Grey's at its moving, funny, broad-stroke best — so good, they may even make up for the midseason slump that preceded them. There's no question that the Return of Dead Denny story line tested the patience of even the most devoted fans, going on too long, going way too far, and turning Izzie into a sex-crazed idiot while exceeding the bounds of acceptable Grey's silliness. Still, the show has a habit of (or talent for) wandering down seemingly unpromising byways only to arrive at a surprisingly felicitous destination. So it has again, as Izzie's battle with cancer has brought Katherine Heigl back into the fold and the show back on point. As always, multiple stories play out, most reflecting upon each other. Izzie's cancer and Meredith and Derek's upcoming wedding are driving plot points, but other issues and characters hover around, from George's gift for trauma surgery to Owen's inability to deal with his own traumas. Parental issues also come to the fore. Next week, Izzie gets a visit from her mother (Sharon Lawrence); this week, Callie gets a visit from her father (Hector Elizondo), a story that finally puts a meaningful spin on Callie's sexuality, rather than reducing it to a tease or a joke. There are light moments, but you're more likely to remember the somber ones: Bailey pleading sotto voce with a father to hug his dying child and accept the inevitable, or another character finding a way to say "I love you" when the words themselves won't work. This is Grey's as you hope it will be, pinning its flourishes to real feelings and keeping its exaggerations to a minimum. Even so, TV is not a one-size-fits-all medium: If this show has never worked for you, it probably won't Thursday night. This is not a transformative episode; it's a return to form, proof that within that form, as Meredith says, "We can always try to be better, to do better."
"It's great news," says Allen. "They're ecstatic." The Grey's Anatomy star, 39, and Ivery, 41, a music producer, were married by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg in a low-key ceremony in November 2007. The couple met in a grocery store in 2003 and began dating six months later. Pompeo, who's recently been spotted shopping for baby gear around Los Angeles, is not the only Seattle Grace doctor having a baby in real life: Costar Chyler Leigh and her husband, Nathan West, are expecting her third child, a girl, in May.
Newly single Jennifer Aniston pocketed a cool $27 million in 2008, according to Parade's annual "What People Earn" issue. Aniston bagged the same amount in 2007. The actress is no match for Jay-Z and Beyonce: The power couple combined for a household income of $162 million ($82 million for him; $80 million for her). On the other side of the spectrum, comeback queen Britney Spears earned $2.25 million (must have spent a lot on lawyer fees, huh?). Country-pop princess Taylor Swift earned $5.5 million. One-woman comedy machine Tina Fey made $4.6 million, but Alaskan Gov. Sarah Palin only reeled in $125,000. Other celebrities on the list include Will Ferrell ($31 million), Kelly Ripa ($8 million), Patrick Dempsey ($3.5 million), Alex Rodriguez ($34 million) and Tiger Woods ($125 million). Trumping them all? Barbie. The plastic babe took in a whopping $3.3 billion.
But the one thing Seattle Grace’s Owen Hunt hasn’t done is procure a McNickname for his character on the ABC show. “They haven’t given me one,” McKidd tells PEOPLE.com with a laugh at a VH1 Save The Music Foundation benefit in San Pedro, Calif. “I’m waiting for that! Some people call me G.I. Joe, but that’s the closest I’ve gotten so far.” Though he couldn’t divulge any show secrets, McKidd hints that Hunt and George O’Malley (T.R. Knight) will develop a close bond as the season progresses. “It’s interesting what happens with my character and O’Malley in the latter half of the season. I kind of connect with him and see potential in him in a field that even he hadn’t thought about,” says McKidd. “So he really comes into his own in this season and I help him realize he has a natural gift for a certain type of surgery.” And Grey’s is also finding creative ways to handle costar Chyler Leigh’s pregnancy, which isn’t being written into the storyline. “There’s a lot of scenes, you’ll notice, where there are two guys standing in front of her and she’ll be kind of peeking around,” he says. “That’s how we’re getting around it, in a very old-school way. She’s really showing now. She’s looking really healthy and really happy.”
The former Grey's Anatomy star and his wife have left their Los Angeles home a week after receiving an eviction notice for failing to pay more than $100,000 in back rent. According to court documents obtained by E! News, the owner of the property, identified as Kevin McCauley of Sandalwood Properties, claims Washington and his missus, Jenisa, failed to fork over the $20,000 monthly rent-to-own payments since November. The landlord gave his celebrity tenant a three-day notice on March 19 to pay the overdue amount or "quit," but got no response from the Washingtons and filed his complaint on March 24. The couple was spotted packing up their belongings earlier this week. They had until today to vacate the residence or face even stiffer penalties. In his legal papers, McCauley had asked for damages of $3,333.33 for each day the couple remained in the house after April 1, in addition to the full $100,000 in overdue rent plus attorneys fees. McCauley lamented having to take the legal action. "They are very nice people, this is an unfortunate matter," he told RadarOnline.com. Washington currently does not have a publicist and was unable to be reached. A court date has been scheduled for April 8 regarding the back rent.
The actor's landlord filed papers on March 24 claiming that Washington was five months behind in rental payments, amounting to a total of $100,000. Washington and wife Jenisa faced being kicked out of the $3.5 million property in Venice, L.A. But rather than being evicted, the star has now voluntarily moved out, according to RadarOnline.com. Washington and his wife were seen leaving the residence on Monday afternoon, and two housekeepers were spotted packing boxes while photographs were taken off of the walls. A source tells the website, "He's moving out today."
Rhimes and her cast, writers and crew took a break from filming the episode to gather on Grey's Los Angeles set Friday to cut a cake celebrating the 100th, which will run May 7. She says she hadn't been focusing on the milestone, when "suddenly we were hitting 100, which feels kind of amazing and very fast." She says she thinks she could do 100 more. "We're really excited, especially the way it's finishing the season, both creative and in the ratings," says Stephen McPherson, president of ABC Entertainment Group. "Some of the questions people had mid-season about storylines are being answered and people who perhaps haven't been as fond of what we were doing are actually coming around and understand what we had in mind." Rhimes promises viewers will see Izzie (Katherine Heigl), who was recently diagnosed with an aggressive melanoma, fight for her life and Cristina (Sandra Oh) and Owen (Kevin McKidd), work on their intense relationship, which has been sidetracked by his post-traumatic stress disorder. Oh says viewers will see more of Cristina's sensitive side and Dempsey says Derek will have "some great resolve with Sloan (Eric Dane)." As for rumors that Heigl and colleague T.R. Knight, who plays George, could be leaving the show, Rhimes says, "As far as I know, when we go out this season, everybody's still going to be around." And Heigl, asked if she wanted to leave or would leave, says, "No. I signed the same contract everybody else" did. She says she loves Izzie's cancer storyline and doesn't know if the character will live or die. "It's very weird. I keep trying to get it out of them and they kind of shrug their shoulders and shake their heads at me and I don't know: Is that good or bad? Am I dead or am I alive? Where is this going?" As for the story of Izzie's illness, she says:"When I'm challenged like this … I just feel a deep sense of gratitude." Pompeo acknowledged that the Izzie-Denny story "went on a little too long with no explanation. Now that we're seeing why that happened, people are, 'Oh, Ok. There's a reason for it.' " She says Grey's has come back around after some "not-so-great episodes," which can't be avoided with so many episodes per season. She thanks fans for sticking with it. "Without the fans, we wouldn't be anywhere."
Heigl said Friday at a studio party to mark the show's 100th episode that her character's fate is in the hands of series creator Shonda Rhimes. She added she would be glad to stay on the show. Heigl also says it's premature to think her days as Dr. Izzie Stevens are numbered. On Thursday's episode, Izzie was seen surviving brain surgery but there had been speculation Heigl wanted to leave the show to do films full-time. The "Knocked Up" actress says she's been lucky to have the chance to balance the series with her film career.
FOX averaged a 9.7 rating/15 share and 16.65 million viewers for the night to finish well ahead of second-place ABC, 7.3/12 and 10.97 million. CBS, 6.5/10, finished third (its numbers will change some because of live sports). NBC, 4.9/8, came in fourth, and The CW trailed with a 2.2/3. FOX also led among adults 18-49 with a 6.1 rating. ABC took second in the key ad demographic with a 3.8, followed closely by CBS, 3.5, and NBC, 3.1. The CW earned a 1.4. The "American Idol" results show scored a 12.9/20 for FOX at 8 p.m., with no other network even within shouting distance. The Sweet 16 round of the NCAA basketball tournament drew a 6.0/10 for CBS. The premiere of "In the Motherhood," 4.6/7, and the return of "Samantha Who?," 4.5/7, put ABC in third, ahead of "My Name Is Earl" and an "Office" rerun on NBC. "Smallville" delivered a 2.3/4 for The CW. ABC moved in front at 9 p.m. thanks to "Grey's Anatomy," 10.3/16. The NCAA tournament improved to 7.0/11 on CBS. "Hell's Kitchen," 6.5/10, got a boost from the "Idol" lead-in. "The Office," 4.9/7, and "30 Rock," 4.3/7, kept NBC in fourth, ahead of "Supernatural" on The CW. "Private Practice" drew a 7.1/12 for ABC at 10. Both CBS' college basketball and NBC's "ER" averaged 6.6/11, with CBS getting a few more total viewers.
Pathway Entertainment has acquired the script "Through the Eyes of a Son," described as an uncensored take on the singer written by his son Lou Rawls Jr., and will develop it as a feature, with Isaiah Washington as the famed crooner. Born in Chicago in 1933, Rawls sang in a range of styles that included blues, soul, funk and R&B, selling millions of albums and earning legions of fans, as well as the accolades of Frank Sinatra. He also, according to the script, had a traumatic life, enduring a poverty-stricken childhood and, in adulthood, intense marital strife. Rawls, who died in 2006, also had a side career in Hollywood, lending his voice to such cartoons as "Garfield" and "Hey Arnold!" and making appearances in movies like "Blues Brothers 2000." Washington, best known for his role on "Grey's Anatomy," next will be seen in "Hurricane Season," the story of a New Orleans basketball team after Hurricane Katrina.
The posh home sits amid the picturesque canals near Venice Beach. Around April 2008, the former Grey's Anatomy star, 45, allegedly agreed in writing to pay $20,000 monthly in rent, with an option to buy the home, but then neglected to pay for the past five months, the documents say. On March 19, a notice was posted on the property informing the Washingtons they had three days to pay up or move out. It's unclear whether or not they vacated the premises. The owner of the home, Sandalwood Properties Inc., is seeking $100,000 back rent, plus attorneys fees and a cancellation of the rental agreement. Calls to the actor's rep and a lawyer for the property weren't immediately returned.
Spoiler alert: Stop here if you want to be surprised when the show airs on ABC. For those who can't stand the suspense: a lethal secret is revealed when the show's Dr. Owen Hunt tries to strangle his love interest, Cristina Yang, while they're both sleeping at the hospital. Other doctors intervene to save Yang, who's played by Sandra Oh. Kevin McKidd, who portrays Hunt, said that while his character was in Iraq, his platoon of surgeons came under attack and "he's the only survivor." There have been hints that Hunt suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. But until Thursday's episode, he hasn't disclosed the wartime injury to people at the hospital and he had cut off ties with people he knew before. "This is the catalyst," McKidd said, "that is going to push Owen to realize he's hit rock bottom" and needs professional help.
T.R. Knight Has a Very Good Reason Why He's Not Watching Grey's Anatomy
(10/2/09) T.R. Knight hasn't really been keeping up with Grey's Anatomy.Ellen Pompeo Makes First Public Appearance Since Giving Birth
(10/1/09) Just two weeks after giving birth to baby girl Stella Luna Pompeo Ivery, a radiant Ellen Pompeo, with husband Christopher Ivery by her side, told PEOPLE "I feel great" as she stepped out Wednesday to attend the collection launch of Adidas Originals by David Beckham and James Bond in Los Angeles.Another New Doc Checks Into Grey's
(9/29/09) Grey's Anatomy has now more than filled the voids left by T.R. Knight, new mama Ellen Pompeo (on maternity leave) and Katherine Heigl (who will temporarily depart the ABC series to shoot another film).Fast National ratings for Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009
(9/25/09) The premieres of "FlashForward" and "Grey's Anatomy" dominated Thursday's ratings, topping CBS' "Survivor"-and-crime drama lineup and taking a good-sized bite out of NBC's comedies.
CBS: "Survivor: Samoa" (11.9 million, 6.9/11)
FOX: "Bones" (8.8 million, 5.5/9)
NBC: "SNL Weekend Update Thursday" (4.7 million, 3.2/5)/"Parks and Recreation" (4.2 million, 3.2/5)
The CW: "The Vampire Diaries" (3.8 million, 2.4/4)
CBS: "CSI" season premiere (15.7 million, 9.5/15)
NBC: "The Office" (7.3 million, 4.4/7)/"Community" (5.4 million, 3.4/5)
FOX: "Fringe" (5.9 million, 3.6/6)
The CW: "Supernatural" (2.6 million, 1.7/3)
CBS: "The Mentalist" season premiere (14.3 million, 9.1/15)
NBC: "The Jay Leno Show" (5 million, 3.4/6)Oh My Grey's! The Top 10 Moments of Grey's Anatomy
(9/25/09) Grey’s Anatomy kicked off season 6 with a two-hour episode that picked up where the finale’s cliffhanger left off. In between the crying fits (which came fast and furious for 120 minutes), we compiled the top 10 OMG (as in ‘Oh My Grey’s‘) moments as the doctors of Seattle Grace tried to survive losing one of their own.Sightings
(9/25/09) In Atlanta to shoot her movie Life as We Know It, Katherine Heigl took new daughter Naleigh to the high-end Lenox Square Mall in Buckhead for a walk. Says a source: "She looked happy."
Grey's Anatomy: Where Were We and What's Next?
(9/24/09) When Season 6 of Grey's Anatomy premieres (Thursday, 9/8c, ABC), George and Izzie are both on death's door. While it's not exactly a secret who lives and who dies, we thought you might need a quick refresher on where we left off — and a juicy tease about what comes next.Heigl's baby had hole in her heart
(9/24/09) Katherine Heigl's newly-adopted daughter underwent life-saving surgery to repair a hole in her heart when she was just two months old.Gerard Butler: Katherine Heigl Will Be an Amazing Mom
(9/24/09) As first time mom Katherine Heigl nests with her newly adopted baby girl, her Ugly Truth costar Gerard Butler raves that she will be a natural at motherhood.Katherine Heigl's Career Isn't the Only Thing on Fire
(9/24/09) She certainly looks content sucking that nicotine stick, doesn't she? Ah, but don't let this picture fool you, as Katherine Heigl has tried repeatedly to snuff out her cigs, telling InStyle magazine recently that she finds the habit "so stupid." Well, if there's one person who might actually provide an incentive for the Grey's Anatomy star to stop lighting up, it's her newly adopted daughter, Naleigh.
'Grey's Anatomy' returns with sadness and determination
(9/23/09) Happiness is in the eye of the beholder.Eric Dane & Rebecca Gayheart Sue Over Nude Tape
(9/23/09) Eric Dane and wife Rebecca Gayheart are suing the pants off the parent company of a blog that posted their nude tape last month.Ellen Pompeo Welcomes a Daughter
(9/23/09) It's a girl for Ellen Pompeo!Sighting
(9/22/09) New parents Katherine Heigl and Josh Kelley shared a "celebratory" dinner at Vermont Restaurant and Bar in L.A., along with the actress' mom and a friend. "They were all in really good moods," says an onlooker. At the table, Heigl's mom surprised her with a gift – a baby T-shirt – which she giddily accepted. The casually dressed couple sipped on cocktails and "really enjoyed the night," the onlooker says.
Heigl and husband adopt baby girl from Korea
(9/17/09) Katherine Heigl and husband Josh Kelley have completed their adoption of a baby girl from Korea.Costar Sharon Lawrence: Katherine Heigl Will Be a Great Mom
(9/14/09) With word now out that Katherine Heigl is adopting a baby girl, Sharon Lawrence, who played Heigl's mother on Grey's Anatomy last season, has high praise for the soon-to-be parent.Emmy presenters include Tina Fey, Simon Baker
(9/14/09) The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences says Tina Fey, Kiefer Sutherland and Simon Baker will be among the presenters at this Sunday's primetime Emmy Awards.'Supernatural' star may live to see 'Red Dawn'
(9/14/09) Jeffrey Dean Morgan usually hunts more exotic targets on "Supernatural," but now the actor may take on more human invaders.Sighting
(9/11/09) Grey's Anatomy star Justin Chambers blew onto the patio of West Hollywood's Chateau Marmont with a couple of guys in tow and settled into a remote corner outside. Chambers looked eager to chat, an onlooker says, and he was really animated, gesturing and chainsmoking until they left at 1 a.m.
Katherine Heigl & Husband Adopting a Girl
(9/9/09) Almost exactly a year ago, musician Josh Kelley said he and wife Katherine Heigl weren't talking about starting a family.Eric Dane's Tummy Watch
(9/8/09) ERIC Dane was very attentive to Rebecca Gayheart at DJ AM's memorial -- fueling rumors she's ex pecting their first child. Dane was repeatedly seen putting a protective hand on Rebecca's stomach during last week's service at the Hollywood Palla dium, also attended by Nicole Richie, Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson. Sources say the "Grey's Anatomy" star and his wife -- who made their first pub lic outing since their nude tape was re leased -- have been trying for some time to become parents.
Dane, Gayheart deny cocaine binge
(9/4/09) Grey's Anatomy star Eric Dane and his actress wife Rebecca Gayheart have hit back at a new magazine expose, which alleges the couple indulged in a cocaine binge at a 2008 Hollywood party.Meet Seattle Grace's Newest Resident!
(9/2/09) There will be new some faces roaming the halls of Seattle Grace on Grey’s Anatomy this season. Nora Zehetner will play one of the new residents appearing on the fifth episode of the new season, which premieres Sept. 24 on ABC.Katherine Heigl Taking Grey's Anatomy Hiatus
(9/2/09) Seattle Grace is losing another doctor — at least temporarily.Katherine Heigl Hosts Ellen Pompeo's Baby Shower
(8/29/09) Mom-to-be Ellen Pompeo was joined by 25 friends, including Kate Walsh, Sandra Oh and Rebecca Gayheart, for a baby shower held Saturday afternoon at Katherine Heigl's home in the Los Feliz section of Los Angeles.Nora Zehetner and Robert Baker Join Grey's Anatomy
(8/28/09) It's a prescription for professional rivalry when Grey's Anatomy introduces a trio of new doctors during its sixth season.Washington facing eviction
(8/28/09) Actor Isaiah Washington is facing eviction from his Los Angeles home - following reports the former Grey's Anatomy star owes over $100,000 in unpaid rent.2009 ALMA Award Nominees
(8/25/09) The 2009 ALMA Awards will air FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 8 to 10 p.m. ET/PT on ABC
Alana De La Garza, Law & Order, NBC
Cote de Pablo, NCIS, CBS
Dania Ramirez, Heroes, NBC
Eva La Rue, CSI Miami, CBS
Francia Raisa, The Secret Life Of The American Teenager, ABC Family
Julie Gonzalo, Eli Stone, ABC
Justina Machado, ER, NBC
Laura Cerón, ER, NBC
Lauren Vélez, Dexter, SHO
Michelle Rodriguez, Lost, ABC
Paola Turbay, The Secret Life Of The American Teenager, ABC Family; The Closer, TNT
Paula Garcés, The Shield, FX
Roselyn Sanchez, Without a Trace, CBS
Sara Ramirez, Grey's Anatomy, ABC
Sightings
(8/25/09) Grey's Anatomy's Justin Chambers and wife Keisha, cozying up at Music Mogul.com's Talent Search finals at L.A.'s House of Blues. "The two cuddled in a table on the balcony directly in front of the stage" as they discussed the competition, says an eyewitness.
Chyler Leigh: Daughter Anniston Kae Is 'Pretty Much Perfect'
(8/25/09) Chyler Leigh's family has been in the midst of a steady growth spurt for the past six years. But with the May 7 birth of their third child, Anniston Kae, the Grey's Anatomy star and her husband, actor Nathan West, have found that parenting gets a little bit easier with each addition to their clan.Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart Take a Weekend Away
(8/25/09) Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart headed up the coast from L.A. to the Santa Barbara area over the weekend – just days after a tape leaked online showing the couple and another woman in the nude.Mindy McCready: Eric Dane's Naked Gal-Pal Is "Evil Personified"
(8/25/09) Mindy McCready apparently doesn't have very fond memories of her Celebrity Rehab days, considering her roomie was the devil.Wait, Who?
(8/21/09) THERE was an odd run-in at the MusicMogul.com party in LA Tuesday night. One-time beauty queen Kari Ann Peniche -- the third star in the Eric Dane/Rebecca Gayheart naked tape -- showed up at the event at House of Blues and walked right up to Dane's "Grey's Anatomy" co-star, Justin Chambers. "She spotted Justin and made a beeline towards him, but he had no idea who she was," said our spy. "It was really awkward."
'Grey's' star nude tape probed
(8/20/09) Los Angeles authorities are reviewing Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart’s sex video for any "criminal activity" as part of an official investigation.Grey's Anatomy's Chief on Life at the Hospital
(8/18/09) The first three episodes of Grey’s Anatomy's new season have been shot, and James Pickens, Jr. is pleased that an interesting year lies ahead for his character, Dr. Webber.With "Dear Friends" Like These, Eric Dane Doesn't Need Any Enemies
(8/18/09) There are friends, and then there are dear friends. It's the latter, apparently, who are willing to film themselves naked with you in a hot tub while musing over potential porn names in a, shall we say, less than clear-headed state of mind.Eric Dane's Lawyer: This Is Not a 'Sex Tape'
(8/17/09) A video showing Grey's Anatomy star Eric Dane, his wife Rebecca Gayheart and another women in apparently compromising positions is ancient history and had better not be used for commercial purposes, says an attorney for the married couple.Fans A-Twitter Over Eric Dane Nude Tape
(8/17/09) Eric Dane's Grey's Anatomy character is nicknamed McSteamy. Now it appears the actor's real life may live up to that moniker: A video – which appears to feature the actor, his wife, Rebecca Gayheart, and another woman in some compromising positions – has spread like wildfire online.Pregnant Pals
(8/16/09) MOVE over, Paris Hilton -- Ellen Pompeo is Nicole Richie's new best gal pal. In Touch reports the "Grey's Anatomy" star, who's expecting a baby girl, bonded with Richie, who's also an expectant Hollywood mom, while shopping in Sherman Oaks. "Nicole and Ellen greeted each other with a hug," a source told the magazine. Richie, who already has a 19-month-old daughter, Harlow, was "so excited to offer her help to Ellen" and spent time giving her advice about what to pick up for her nursery.
Sightings
(8/14/09) Grey's Anatomy's Jessica Capshaw, celebrating her 33rd birthday with an intimate party at the Avalon Hotel in Beverly Hills. Capshaw, in a black minidress, sipped champagne and dined on halibut and salad – and chocolate cake for dessert – with about 10 friends and family, including her husband Christopher Gavigan and her sister Sasha. "She was talking about how excited she is to be on Grey's and how grateful she is," says an observer. "She was totally glowing."
Grey's Anatomy Is "Heavy" This Season
(8/13/09) (Video Clip)Grey's Anatomy: Five Questions With Kevin McKidd
(8/10/09) We all know George O'Malley (T.R. Knight) is a goner, which means season six of Grey's Anatomy really starts off on a low note.Bill Clinton Wants Katherine Heigl's Ugly Truth?
(8/10/09) How does a former president of the United States of America relax after helping to free two jailed American journalists in North Korea?McPherson: Heigl Comments "Unfortunate"
(8/8/09) ABC Entertainment chief Stephen McPherson sounded like he's had enough of Katherine Heigl's grousing about Grey's Anatomy.Chandra Wilson crosses over to 'Private Practice'
(8/4/09) "Private Practice" creator Shonda Rhimes is a notorious spoiler-phobe, but with a busload of reporters visiting the set Tuesday, she did let loose with a little bit of scoop on the upcoming season.Seth Rogen Goes Off On Katherine Heigl's "Bats--t" Comments
(7/30/09) They got knocked up together, but these days it's more like they're trying to knock each other out.Nothing Ugly About Katherine Heigl's Weekend
(7/26/09) So, was Izzie's fate sealed by Katherine Heigl's weekend?NERVOUS GERARD BUTLER GRABBED KATHERINE HEIGL'S BREAST
(7/26/09) GERARD Butler's hands tend to wander when he does a love scene. The Scottish hunk, who stars with Katherine Heigl in "The Ugly Truth," which was panned by critics, tells today's Parade magazine: "One time I was supposed to play with Katherine's hair and I kept forgetting my lines. I was so nervous that I grabbed her breast. Afterwards, all I could do is say, 'I'm sorry.' " Sure you were, Gerard!
Heigl Gets Very Good Look at Ugly Costar's Manhood
(7/25/09) Katherine Heigl worked hard to make sure it was a quickie.Katherine Heigl: The Truth About Her Underwear
(7/24/09) If The Ugly Truth hits it big at the box office this weekend, be prepared for a nationwide shortage of vibrating panties.Katherine Heigl loves raunchy humour
(7/24/09) As ambivalent as she's often seemed about the show that made her famous, the only sign of rebellion we see in Katherine Heigl is that she's dyed her famously blond hair dark.Heigl excited by 'Grey's' return
(7/24/09) So who's dead on Grey's Anatomy? It appears cancer-stricken Izzie (Katherine Heigl) is still kicking. However, George (T.R. Knight), is a goner -- at least according to Heigl herself.Heigl terrified of pregnancy
(7/23/09) Katherine Heigl is putting off kids, because she's terrified pregnancy will turn her into a bloated mess.T.R. Knight Says Leaving Grey's Was 'the Best Decision'
(7/23/09) Former Grey’s Anatomy star T.R. Knight is opening up about his departure from ABC’s hit medical drama, telling Entertainment Weekly he saw no future for Dr. George O’Malley, the lovable resident he played for five seasons.T.R. Knight Reveals Why He Left Grey's Anatomy
(7/23/09) T.R. Knight says a "breakdown in communication" with Grey's Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes led him to quit the hit ABC drama — and that Rhimes tried to discourage him from coming out soon after Isaiah Washington used an anti-gay slur.Review: `The Ugly Truth' isn't pretty
(7/21/09) At the end of the drearily formulaic romantic comedy "The Ugly Truth," as our two leads are finally admitting they've fallen for each other (no spoilers here, folks), Katherine Heigl's character asks Gerard Butler's why he's in love with her. Basically, he says he has no idea, only he phrases it with a word we can't reprint here.Katherine Heigl's First Day back at Grey's Was 'Cruel and Mean'
(7/21/09) Katherine Heigl may be back to work on the set of Grey’s Anatomy, but according to the actress, it hasn’t been a super-happy homecoming.Katherine Heigl Breaks Relationship Rules - and It Works!
(7/20/09) Katherine Heigl's character learns the not-so-pretty romantic rules of male/female relationships in her new comedy The Ugly Truth, but the actress admits that she's already tested them with husband Josh Kelley.Sightings
(7/20/09) T.R. Knight and boyfriend Mark Cornelson, circling the pool at the Tropicana Bar at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel before settling by a pillar near the bar. The two stood in animated conversation for a while before wandering off to another spot by the pool where they stood side by side and acted sweetly affectionate.
Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler Evacuate Los Angeles Hotel
(7/18/09) While police were investigating a bomb scare at the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles, actors Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler, inside the hotel promoting their upcoming film, The Ugly Truth, were forced to evacuate, along with 400 other guests.Jessica Capshaw Calls Grey's Costar Katherine Heigl a 'Powerhouse'
(7/17/09) Jessica Capshaw is positively gushing over Grey’s Anatomy.Katherine Heigl on T.R. Knight: "I Miss Him A Lot"
(7/17/09) Katherine Heigl went back to work on Grey’s Anatomy just yesterday, but already she knows it’s going to be a different kind of season. “I miss him a lot,” Heigl told reporters at the premiere of her new movie The Ugly Truth, referring to best friend T.R. Knight, who is no longer on the show. “He was my guy,” she says. “That’s who I went to every day when I wanted to vent, I wanted to share, I wanted advice.”Emmy Reactions: Chandra Wilson 'Duped' by Double Nomination
(7/16/09) Chandra Wilson thought she was just going to be announcing Thursday's Emmy nominations. Turns out the Grey's Anatomy star was a surprise double honoree.2009 Emmy Nominees React!
(7/16/09) "I’m very excited, because it was very unexpected. The fact that there were two – isn’t that crazy? – and that Accidental Friendship got nominated. I’m so happy for the movie, that it got recognition, because I loved it. And most people that saw it were taken with it. It was a really good piece of work, so you want to get recognition for that, so I’m certainly feeling that. And for Grey’s, I just always feel like if the Academy recognizes that I’m still having fun with this woman and still enjoying this woman and there’s still so much to discover with Dr Bailey, then yay!" - Chandra Wilson, Outstanding Supporting Actress, Grey's Anatomy, to TV Guide Magazine
2009 Primetime Emmy Nominations
(7/16/09) The Emmys will air live on CBS, Sunday, September 20 with How I Met Your Mother’s Neil Patrick Harris as host.
Rose Byrne, Damages
Sandra Oh, Grey's Anatomy
Chandra Wilson, Grey's Anatomy
Dianne Wiest, In Treatment
Hope Davis, In Treatment
Cherry Jones, 24
Chandra Wilson, Accidental Friendship
Shirley MacLaine, Coco Chanel
Drew Barrymore, Grey Gardens
Jessica Lange, Grey Gardens
Sigourney Weaver, Prayers for Bobby
Grey's Anatomy
Little Britain USA
Mad Men
Nip/Tuck
Pushing Daisies
What's Bothering Katherine Heigl Today?
(7/15/09) There's always something annoying Katherine Heigl. Good thing she has an August InStyle cover to let it all out.Martha Plimpton cast in "Grey's" new season
(7/15/09) Martha Plimpton has been tapped for a role in a multi-episode story line on "Grey's Anatomy." Starting with the season premiere of the ABC drama, Plimpton will appear as the mother of a young patient. The show's sixth season premieres September 24. Plimpton received a Tony nomination this year for "Pal Joey." She had a recurring role on another television medical drama, NBC's "ER."
Katherine Heigl: Romance Not Always Rated PG-13
(7/14/09) Katherine Heigl plays a woman clueless in the ways of romance in her upcoming film, The Ugly Truth. But in real life, the actress considers herself fairly savvy on the subject.'Grey's Anatomy' stars celebrate 'Valentine's Day'
(7/9/09) They must love conversation hearts over at Seattle Grace.Sighting
(7/6/09) Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart, walking along the Seine in Paris toward the Eiffel Tower. Along the way they stopped at the Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, where Gayheart posed playfully beside the outdoor statues. Next up on their Parisian walking tour, the two stopped by the Trocadero, snapped pictures of the Eiffel Tower and grabbed ice cream before heading to a shaded café for drinks.
T.R. Knight Takes Aim at Broadway
(7/1/09) No sooner does T.R. Knight strip off his Grey's Anatomy scrubs than the former George O'Malley has landed his next gig – on Broadway.New Fragrance Alert: Patrick Dempsey's Second Act
(6/29/09) Just last summer Patrick Dempsey launched his first signature fragrance, Unscripted. And now he’s back, and poised to launch his second masculine scent with Avon this November. Patrick Dempsey 2, WWD reports, will contain notes including mandarin, nutmeg, spiced wood accord and patchouli at a budget-friendly price of $35 for a 2.5-oz. bottle. But what about the name? Patrick explains, “It’s about the intimacy of two people and the strength you get in a relationship. I thought, why don’t we just go with ‘2' and make this about being a couple.” He continues that theme with his advertising campaign, which features the star posed with his wife of ten years, Jillian.
Sighting
(6/25/09) ISLAND HOPPING: Grey's Anatomy star Justin Chambers and wife Keisha Chambers, stopping by the Maui Film Festival's Opening Night Starry Night MoonDance Party at Tommy Bahama's.
Katherine Heigl gets a "Life" with orphan drama
(6/23/09) "Grey's Anatomy" star Katherine Heigl will headline "Life As We Know It," a drama about two single people who suddenly become caregivers to an orphaned girl after the parents, their mutual best friends, are killed in an accident.T.R. Knight Joins a Parade After Grey's Anatomy
(6/22/09) T.R. Knight is going back to his theatrical roots.T.R. Knight Says Leaving Grey's Was a Tough Decision
(6/19/09) After months of speculation surrounding the fate of Grey’s Anatomy’s George O’Malley, T.R. Knight, who plays the lovable doctor, is breaking his silence about his departure from the hit ABC show.Report: Heigl Will Stay on Duty at Grey's Anatomy
(6/18/09) Katherine Heigl's Izzie will still be with us when Grey's Anatomy launches its sixth season on Sept. 24.It's Official: T.R. Knight Leaves Grey's Anatomy
(6/18/09) It’s been a long time coming: After years of unhappiness on the set of Grey’s Anatomy, ABC has granted T.R. Knight his wish to leave the show, Grey’s sources confirm to PEOPLE.Grey's Anatomy Status Report: Knight's Fate Revealed, and More
(6/17/09) With the Grey's Anatomy writing staff due back to work next week, hard decisions are starting to be made about who will and won't be walking the halls of Seattle Grace this fall. And thus far, we have at least one "casualty."LM24: Patrick Dempsey Le Mans Race Blog
(6/17/09) Dempsey files his final blog entry from his eye-opening debut in the 24 Hours of Le Mans.2009 Teen Choice Award nominations
(6/15/09) Surfboards (in lieu of trophies) for the 11th annual event will be distributed during a two-hour special on Aug. 10 on Fox. Fans, ages 13-19, can vote for the winners at TeenChoiceAwards.com.
90210
Gossip Girl
Grey’s Anatomy
House
The Secret Life of the American Teenager
LM24: Patrick Dempsey Saturday Le Mans Blog
(6/13/09) Dempsey gives an update on Friday's activities in what's been a whirlwind week for the multifaceted actor and racer.LM24: Patrick Dempsey Friday Le Mans Blog
(6/12/09) Dempsey reflects back on the team's bitter-sweet run in qualifying on Thursday evening.Grey's Anatomy Cast Cheers Chandra Wilson on Broadway
(6/9/09) Grey's Anatomy star Chandra Wilson razzle-dazzled audiences as she returned to the Broadway stage Monday in her debut performance as Matron Mama Morton in Chicago. And how did it feel being back on the Great White Way?Patrick Dempsey's Dream: To Take Kids on Racing Road Trip
(6/8/09) If Patrick Dempsey has his way, he'll add bus driver to his résumé.Grey's Costar to T.R. Knight: Please Don't Go!
(6/4/09) Justin Chambers doesn't want T.R. Knight to hang up his scrubs just yet.Chandra Wilson, Jim Parsons to Announce Emmy Nominations
(6/3/09) Dr. Bailey and Dr. Cooper are teaming up for the Emmys. Grey's Anatomy star Chandra Wilson and The Big Bang Theory's Jim Parsons will announce the nominations for the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards.Sighting
(6/2/09) T.R. Knight and boyfriend Mark Cornelsen, enjoying spa treatments at the Spa Gaucin at the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point, Calif. The Grey's Anatomy star received an hour-long therapeutic massage.
Sighting
(5/29/09) Ellen Pompeo and hubby Chris Ivery, lounging at the Bagatelle Beach Club in Turks and Caicos. But they were also pretty active, venturing out on a sunset kayaking trip. Ivery helped his expectant wife with her life vest and got into the boat before paddling off. After their time at sea, the couple walked hand-in-hand back to their room and ordered room service.
Latest Grey's Rumors Ripped as "Ridiculous," "False" and "B.S."
(5/28/09) Grey's Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes is nipping in the bud talk that the role of George — who last was seen barely alive after being mauled, mangled and mashed in a bus accident — will be recast with a new actor.Sighting
(5/28/09) BABY ON BOARD: Pregnant Ellen Pompeo and hubby Chris Ivery, enjoying some rest and relaxation at the Bagatelle Beach Club at the Gansevoort Hotel in Turks and Caicos.
T.R. Knight: A Grey's Anatomy Goner
(5/27/09) Dr. George O'Malley is dead.Heigl denies salary demand rumours
(5/27/09) Katherine Heigl's representative has lashed out at reports she was dropped from an upcoming A-list movie ensemble due to her extortionate salary demands.KATHERINE HEIGL IS OVERPRICED
(5/27/09) KATHERINE Heigl has hit another stumbling block on her way to movie stardom. Sources say the actress, whose just-concluded season on ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" might have been her last, was dropped from a top-tier ensemble cast in the upcoming romantic comedy "Valentine's Day" because she demanded an astronomical salary.ABC's fall 2009 primetime schedule
(5/18/09) MONDAY:
8:00 p.m. "Dancing with the Stars" (two-hours)
10:00 p.m. "Castle"
8:00 p.m. "Shark Tank"
9:00 p.m. "Dancing with the Stars the Results Show"
10:00 p.m. "The Forgotten"
8:00 p.m. "Hank"
8:30 p.m. "The Middle"
9:00 p.m. "Modern Family"
9:30 p.m. "Cougar Town"
10:00 p.m. "Eastwick"
8:00 p.m. "Flash Forward"
9:00 p.m. "Grey's Anatomy"
10:00 p.m. "Private Practice"
8:00 p.m. "Supernanny"
9:00 p.m. "Ugly Betty"
10:00 p.m. "20/20"
8:00 p.m. "Saturday Night College Football"
7:00 p.m. "America's Funniest Home Videos"
8:00 p.m. "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition"
9:00 p.m. "Desperate Housewives"
10:00 p.m. "Brothers & Sisters"
Doctors, patients say 'Grey's' cancer story isn't accurate
(5/18/09) The cliffhanger ending on Thursday's season finale of Grey's Anatomy left fans worrying that one of the show's main characters, surgeon Isobel "Izzie" Stevens, had died after having surgery to remove a brain tumor.Grey's Creator Talks About Show's Shocking Finale
(5/15/09) After last night’s two-hour, tear-jerking finale, Grey’s Anatmoy fans are still left wondering what will become of Izzie and George.Fast National ratings for Thursday, May 14, 2009
(5/15/09) The two-hour season finale of "Grey's Anatomy" grabbed the show's best ratings in months and led ABC to the top of the heap Thursday night.Sightings
(5/15/09) Grey's Anatomy cast reunion alert! Kate Walsh threw a birthday party for Sally Ann Brooks, her good friend (and onetime Grey's guest star), at BoHo, a new gastropub in Hollywood. And T.R. Knight and Justin Chambers were on hand to celebrate with their significant others. While Chambers stayed near his wife Keisha, Knight was equally affectionate with boyfriend Mark Cornelsen and "let [him] take a seat on his lap," a guest tells us.
Season finale frenzy: 'Grey's Antomy'
(5/14/09) (Warning for our timeshifting friends: if you haven't watched the finale of ABC's Grey's Anatomy yet, come back when you have.)A tear-jerking season finale for 'Grey's Anatomy'
(5/14/09) "Grey's Anatomy" hands Dr. Isobel Stevens a fateful choice on its fifth-season finale.Izzie's fate in balance on 'Grey's'
(5/13/09) Izzit the end for Izzie?Fast National ratings for Thursday, May 7, 2009
(5/8/09) CBS just barely won the night in the ratings race overall, but the biggest number of the night went to ABC's 100th episode "Grey's Anatomy." Otherwise, the TV landscape looked the same as usual ratings-wise.Grey's Anatomy's Chyler Leigh Welcomes a Baby Girl
(5/7/09) She's merely a few hours old, but Chyler Leigh's third child is already displaying one talent – impeccable timing!As Grey's Marks 100 Episodes, Is an End Date Near?
(5/7/09) Although ABC's Lost, which just last week marked its own 100th episode, is zeroing in on a May 2010 series finale, don't expect Grey's Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes to make like "Team Darlton" and handcuff herself to her own finish line.Sighting
(5/7/09) Sandra Oh, taking a brisk run around Brentwood. "She had her headphones on and looked really into it," an onlooker tells us. "Some people driving by noticed her and slowed down and she quickly put her head down as she jogged in place, waiting for the light to change." Once she got the green light, Oh quickly tore off, her baseball cap nearly blowing off in the wind.
Patrick Dempsey a Guest on Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain
(5/5/09) Television and movie actor Patrick Dempsey will be a featured guest this week on Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain (Sunday, May 10 at 9 p.m. ET) on SPEED.Fast National ratings for Thursday, April 30, 2009
(5/1/09) CBS and ABC staged another close ratings race Thursday, with "CSI" leading the viewer race and "Grey's Anatomy" winning the demographic crown.TV is a 'journey' for 'Grey's' creator Shonda Rhimes
(4/30/09) Yes indeed, Denny's coming back.Shonda Rhimes answers your questions
(4/29/09) Shonda Rhimes, creator of ABC's Grey's Anatomy (Thursday, 9 ET/PT) and Private Practice (Thursday, 10 ET/PT), answers readers' questions:Grey's Anatomy Preview: Izzie's Mom Storms Seattle!
(4/29/09) This week on ABC's Grey's Anatomy (Thursday, 9 pm/ET), as if cancer-stricken Izzie didn't have enough to contend with, her mother, Robbie, makes tracks from the trailer park to Seattle Grace — and unannounced, at that. NYPD Blue alumna Sharon Lawrence shared a look at her, um, "colorful" guest-starring turn.Grey's Anatomy: Bailey Teases a Catastrophic Finale
(4/29/09) As if Izzie's cancer, Mer and Der's (theoretical) wedding and George actually getting a storyline weren't enough for the season finale of Grey's Anatomy, Chandra Wilson tells us there is still a medical disaster that'll call for all hands on deck at Seattle Grace.Izzie dishes about 'Grey's' wedding
(4/27/09) A website that has details about the nuptials of "Grey's Anatomy" duo Meredith Grey and Derek Shepherd - and an invitation to RSVP for the event - drew 1,400 replies in the first 24 hours.'Grey's Anatomy' star Dempsey takes Le Mans pulse
(4/24/09) American actor Patrick Dempsey, one of the stars of blockbuster TV series "Grey's Anatomy", played a new role on Friday when he sampled the historic Le Mans motor racing circuit.Wilson, Delany among Prism winners
(4/24/09) Anne Hathaway, William Shatner and Benjamin Bratt were honored Thursday for individual performances in film and TV categories of the 2009 Prism Awards.Fast National ratings for Thursday, April 23, 2009
(4/24/09) The first night of sweeps was a busy one, with all the networks returning to original programming. It was not, however, a hugely watched night.ABC ANNOUNCES EARLY PICK-UPS FOR NEXT SEASON
(4/23/09) ABC has announced early pick-ups for the 09-10 season of "America's Funniest Home Videos," "The Bachelor," "Brothers & Sisters," "Dancing with the Stars," "Desperate Housewives," "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," "Grey's Anatomy," "Lost," "Private Practice," "Supernanny," "Ugly Betty" and "Wife Swap."'Grey's Anatomy' finally snaps out of its moribund state
(4/22/09) Welcome back, Grey's; almost all is forgiven.Ellen Pompeo Is Pregnant
(4/19/09) Ellen Pompeo and her husband, Chris Ivery, are starting a family together, her rep, Jennifer Allen, confirms to PEOPLE.Jennifer Aniston Earned $27 Million in 2008
(4/10/09) Who needs a man when you've got cash?Kevin McKidd: Give Me a Grey's Nickname!
(4/2/09) Kevin McKidd has gone from playing a time-traveling reporter on NBC’s Journeyman to operating as a troubled trauma surgeon on Grey’s Anatomy.Sightings
(4/1/09) SHADY BEHAVIOR: T.R. Knight, shopping at the Solstice Sunglass Boutique in the Meatpacking District of NYC.
Isaiah Washington on the Move After Eviction Threat
(4/1/09) Isaiah Washington is movin' on out—if not up.Ex-'Grey's' star moves out of home
(3/31/09) Former Grey's Anatomy star Isaiah Washington has reportedly moved out of his Los Angeles home following a row over unpaid rent.'Grey's' cast celebrates 100th episode; Rhimes remains mum
(3/28/09) Derek (Patrick Dempsey) and Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) will get their wedding day in Grey's Anatomy's 100th episode and a wedding will take place on the ABC drama. However, Shonda Rhimes, the famously tight-lipped creator and executive producer, won't reveal if it will be Meredith and Derek tying the knot.Heigl says she'll stay if 'Grey's' will have her
(3/27/09) "Grey's Anatomy" star Katherine Heigl says she's ready to stay with the ABC medical drama if the show decides to keep her character around.Fast National ratings for Thursday, March 26, 2009
(3/27/09) An unusual Thursday that featured "American Idol," live sports and a pair of comedy premieres ended up with FOX on top of the ratings.Isaiah Washington taking on Lou Rawls in biopic
(3/25/09) Singer Lou Rawls is getting the biopic treatment.Isaiah Washington Allegedly $100K Behind in Rent
(3/25/09) Isaiah Washington may be getting kicked to the curb. The actor and his wife, Jenisa, are allegedly $100,000 behind on rent for their Los Angeles home and may be facing eviction, according to court documents filed Tuesday in Santa Monica, Calif.'Grey's Anatomy' Dr. Owen Hunt reveals secret Thursday night
(3/25/09) It's a close call for someone on "Grey's Anatomy" Thursday night.Click here to read part 2 of the News Archive