Monday, January 11, 2010

I DON'T THINK THOSE WORDS MEAN WHAT YOU THINK THEY MEAN: Fox's big executive session at TCA Press Tour is about to begin, which means we could have big news shortly (Cowell leaving Idol for a U.S. version of X-Factor and a potential resolution to As Conan's Head Spins are the most likely big stories), but until then, let's follow what Linda Holmes has informed us is "Incredibly Significant Breaking News"--Bradley Whitford (the West Wing actor, not the Aerosmith member) has a bitchin' 'stache. (Better picture, via Sepinwall.)

ETA: No Conan news, but yes, this will be the last Cowell-driven season of Idol, with X-Factor to arrive on US shores in 2011. Idol is (apparently) planned to stay on Fox, though not sure who Simon's replacement will be (or if there will be one). Also, Idol and X-Factor will air in different segments of the year. Right now, I think we have to assume Idol for Fall 2010, and X-Factor for Spring 2011, since Cowell is committed to X-Factor in the UK in Fall 2010.

17 comments:

  1. Idol needs one judge who's willing to judge, and without Simon ... I imagine KDG is most likely to be the cruel voice of the industry -- but she hasn't shown it enough yet.

    X-Factor is a neat format -- judges take more of an ownership role over competitors.  Groups can compete.  Let's see.

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  2. Watts3:46 PM

    I couldn't help myself.  Thanks to "My Life" being on Netflix Watch Instantly, I had to screencap the Whitford Walrus from back in '93: http://brizzly.com/pic/11O6

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  3. Watts3:48 PM

    Re: AI: How much will "Simon's Last Season" (and if you believe her interview in EW, Ellen's now-only season) drive up ratings for this year?

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  4. StvMg4:24 PM

    I wonder if they bring in a new judge next year to try to replicate the Simon role. I have a feeling this move could be disastrous for both parties. It could mean the end of Idol, and I still don't think The X Factor will take off here the way it has in Europe.

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  5. Hooray! Now Idol and (as I told Watts) wither and die and Fox will be forced to actually produce real shows instead of letting their quality program die on Friday nights!

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  6. isaac_spaceman4:27 PM

    Josh Malina comments on Sepinwall's twitpic of Whitford.  And from Fienberg's liveblog of the Fox press conference: 

    12:59 p.m. Alan Sepinwall hates Randy Jackson and asks if they'll use Simon's departure as a chance to reevaluate the various judges.

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  7. There's a lengthy colloquy between Malina and Mo Ryan on Twitter concerning mustaches.  And I'm either impressed or dismayed by the level of maturity exhibited such that there has yet to be a mustache rides joke.

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  8. isaac_spaceman4:37 PM

    Suggested Simon Cowell replacements: 

    Li'l Bow Wow
    Stephen King
    Peter Ustinov
    Jon Peters

    Holy moly, what I'd pay to watch Jon Peters on a show like this. 

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  9. Jenn.4:54 PM

    Ben Folds.  And drop kick Randy while you're at it.  Too much to ask to drop kick Kara as well?  I'm open to keeping Ellen, subject to how this season goes.

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  10. Sepinwall say Idol Spring, X-Factor Fall 2011.

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  11. Any chance Simon will sign Paula as a judge on American X Factor? 

    I'm really wondering about what Conan will decide to do. 

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  12. Also, what is with Whitford's 'stache? I get that he isn't really Josh Lyman and the West Wing has been off the air for a few years now, but when did he morph into that? He was all sexy Lyman one minute and now he kinda looks like he should be driving one of those windowless white vans near an elementary school. Creepy!

    1981 cop is no excuse for the look he's rockin'.

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  13. The question is how much money NBC is going to be willing to throw at Conan.  There's a number that keeps him from walking away--I'm just not sure what that number is and if NBC is willing to pay it.  Otherwise, "The Conan O'Brien Show" starts at 11:05 on Fox either in the summer or fall.

    Also recall that Whitford has done a couple of cop pilots that haven't been picked up and is a villain in the Whedon-scripted horror flick that got the delayed so they could 3-D-ify it--"Cabin In The Woods."  The stache is suitable for those.

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  14. Is there really a number that makes it worth staying? I sort of think that he has so much money already that maybe it isn't about money anymore. If he has another offer isn't it possible he'll take it just to take it? And if he doesn't leave, couldn't that have more to do with keeping his staffers (who just uprooted their lives, families, etc. and moved to the west coast less than a year ago) employed? Or maybe that's just naive of me

    If Conan does go to Fox it could be kind of cool. A lot of the stuff he did during the WGA strike was downright hilarious. Unlike Leno - whose "new" show was basically his old show minus a desk and plus a racetrack - Conan actually has what it takes to create a new show.  

    I think Jay Leno is a first class jerk. If he didn't want to retire from the Tonight Show he never should have agreed to it. What he's doing now is so underhanded and sleazy. 

    Whitford's stache may well be suitable for his roles, but it makes him look older and less attractive. Art schmart!

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  15. jcpbmg10:01 PM

    Malina's tweets are always classic. Whitford was on KTLA a few weeks ago and Malina kept sending hystiercal tweets to the show's host that was interviewing Whitford

    Also I feel like he would like this blog- someone needs to get him to read it

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  16. Anonymous10:46 PM

    One thing I thought was interesting about the various tweets from the Fox executive session was that they refused to consider picking up Better Off Ted if it's cancelled by ABC, despite claiming they were desperate to reintroduce live-action comedies. . . .ok, I didn't find that interesting at all, but was looking for an excuse to link to these outtake scenes from BoT, which Alan tweeted and which is not safe for work due to its glorious profanity: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh7Nz4bIwss

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  17. isaac_spaceman12:52 PM

    Jay Leno is the Bret Favre of bad late night TV hosting.

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