Television news from metro.us/boston

Pat LaFrieda makes 'High Steaks' TV

JULIA FURLAN, NEW YORK — Wed, 16 May 2012 17:37:38 -0400

Seventeen years ago, Pat LaFrieda hung up his stockbroker's suit, put on an apron and became the fourth generation of his family to spend his nights in a freezer full of meat. Now, more than 500 of New York's top restaurants depend on the LaFrieda family for their meat, poultry and artisanal burgers. With the decision to create "Meat Men," a reality TV show about the business, the pressure to impress is higher than ever.

Your great-grandfather, the first Pat LaFrieda, founded the company in 1922. Did you always plan to work in the business?

Not really, no. I was a stockbroker on Wall Street, and I truly hated it. I went to my dad and said I'm considering working full-time at the company to grow it. You could tell he wasn't so happy about that. He said, "You're going to be rubbing pennies together!" At first I was getting up at 3 a.m. to prepare orders, then jumping in the van to make deliveries, then changing into a suit between lunch and dinner to solicit new clients.

Obviously, your dad has seen that it worked out. What is challenging about working with him?

Working in the family business is tough, and anyone who's had that experience would understand. My dad led the course for so many years, but we still have this tension between us about how to get something done. But the best part of my day is at 3:30 a.m. when he walks in that door -- I feel so much safer.

What's it like add the pressure of a reality TV show to the tight schedule?

We already work long days, and it's even tougher with a crew of sometimes 20 camera people following you. You're trying to get all your trucks out and restaurants supplied, but Big Brother is over your shoulder. One of the most gratifying things about this show is seeing my dad on TV. He's a guy who's always stood behind the scenes; it's our culture and the way we were brought up. My dad was always skeptical that people wouldn't care where the meat came from, and now that they do care it blows his mind.

Where does the meat come from?

We predominantly source our meat from Wichita, Kansas -- it's 100% Black Angus cattle. The harvesting facility was the only one built from the ground up by Temple Grandin [the animal rights activist] and that really comes out in the product.

What is your favorite meal?

My favorite type of meat is lamb, so I really like a boneless lamb loin with the belly of the lamb wrapped around the underside of the eye, rolled in a thick mustard and then rolled in breadcrumbs and roasted. That's my all-time favorite dish.

You work overnight in a 35-degree freezer, slicing and cutting. What's the most rewarding part of your job?

We're a small business, and I really like the fact that we have helped other small businesses flourish. My favorite restaurants are the small ones, where the chef/owner is still in the kitchen. Seeing the restaurants as busy as they are, even in this economy, and seeing their customers happy with the meals they eat --that's the most gratifying part of my job.

Who would replace Jennifer Lopez on 'American Idol'?

CASSANDRA GARRISON/METRO, NEW YORK — Wed, 16 May 2012 16:40:00 -0400

Jennifer Lopez could be taking her final bow as a judge on Fox's "American Idol." E! is reporting that sources close to J.Lo told reporter Mark Malkin that she is planning on leaving the world-famous singing competition because she is "too busy."

Lopez's schedule certainly is a packed one — between filming for "Idol," shooting movies like "What to Expect When You're Expecting," raising twins, going through a divorce with estranged husband Marc Anthony, and dating younger backup dancer Casper Smart, she's one busy lady.

While Fox has yet to confirm the rumor that J.Lo is leaving "Idol," show executives are very aware that she's been wishy washy about continuing.

After she admitted she might not have a third season of "America Idol" in her, executive producer Nigel Lythgoe hoped to win her over.

"I know how much she loves doing the show and how much she cares for the kids," he told TMZ. "We want her back. I want her back."

But if she does decide the leave the show, then we can really only focus on one thing: who will replace her? We've come up with a list of celebrity ladies we think would be suited for the role, given their current professional status and past involvement with these types of singing contests.

Mariah Carey. She's one of pop's biggest names, but her name isn't quite as big as it used to be. She hasn't had a surge of press since her unexpected (but still in tact) marriage to Nick Cannon. We think she's the perfect balance of sass and honesty, plus she's had a couple public meltdowns in the past, so we're betting on a few off-the-cuff remarks from her, especially during auditions. Her kids are old enough for day care now, so it's time for Mimi to get back to work.

Jessica Simpson. She is the perfect example of someone who is still a household name, but hasn't done a whole lot of work recently (much like J.Lo before she took the judge's chair). Now that Simpson has had her baby (finally!), she'll be looking to reclaim the limelight. She's already had experience in television with her show "Fashion Star." Was that just the beginning of Simpson's new career in reality TV? Plus, we picture her as the perfect "I'm too nice to say you suck" replacement of Paula Abdul.

Miley Cyrus. Yes, she is old enough to be a judge, actually. In fact, she came close to the position already on "Idol" rival show "The X-Factor," but Demi Lovato beat her out for the job. We were surprised to hear that Cyrus was even a contender, given her hugely active music career, and no apparent need for extra exposure, but she's proven that she'd consider a shift to television, at least temporarily.

Mandy Moore. While we've seen more of her on the big screen than the concert stage in recent years, let's not forget her fame began with a pop music career. She's another example of a once A-list celebrity who could use a good opportunity to stay relevant and "Idol" might just be it for her. We imagine she'd give off the same genuine vibe of wanting to coach people that former judge Kara DioGuardi seemed to radiate. The only question is whether Moore is just too... neutral.. for "Idol."

Carrie Underwood. She took a year off from music after marrying pro hockey player Mike Fisher, but now she's back on the scene. In recent interviews, though, she's talked about how she enjoys her low-key lifestyle with her husband. "Idol" may not be our idea of low-key, but it's probably a little less demanding than life on tour. She's a huge name in music so this would be a big get for Fox. And who can forget that she's arguably the most successful "Idol" graduate? Who better to judge other contestants than someone who has been through it herself?

CBS makes room for another Sherlock, not much else on fall schedule

AMBER M RAY, NEW YORK — Wed, 16 May 2012 14:00:21 -0400

CBS is sticking with what it does best next season, bringing back 19 current series while adding only four new shows this fall, the network announced at an upfront presentation to advertisers today. The reason is "Elementary," dear reader.

CBS can tout itself as America's most watched broadcast network in overall viewership, so overhauling the lineup isn't necessary. Instead, the network is banking on the resurgent popularity of Sherlock Holmes with the crime drama "Elementary."

In recent years, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's detective has been adapted on the big screen as an action-adventure hero, played by Robert Downey Jr., while the BBC/PBS miniseries "Sherlock," starring Benedict Cumberbatch as a modern-day Holmes, boasts an extremely passionate fan base. CBS's addition to the Holmes canon finds the consulting detective solving crimes in present-day New York City, his loyal assistant, Dr. Joan Watson, by his side. Jonny Lee Miller (coincidentally, a costar of Cumberbatch's in the play "Frankenstein") plays Holmes while Lucy Liu stars as Watson. (Find out what Cumberbatch has to say about the other Sherlocks in our exclusive interview.)

Rounding out the roster of new CBS shows this fall are "Vegas," starring Dennis Quiad and Michael Chiklis as lawman and mobster in 1960s Las Vegas; "Made in Jersey," about a working class woman who uses her street smarts to get ahead at an NYC law firm; and the sitcom "Partners," starring Michael Urie and David Krumholtz as best friend roommates whose relationship is tested when one gets engaged.

New series slated for midseason are drama "Golden Boy," about the meteoric rise of a young NYC cop to police commissioner; comedy "Friend Me," about two Indiana transplants (Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Nicholas Braun) trying to figure out how to have a social life in Los Angeles; and reality guru Mark Burnett's "The Job," which give people the opportunity to interview for their dream jobs.

Returning series include "NCIS," "The Big Bang Theory," "Person of Interest," "2 Broke Girls," "60 Minutes," "The Amazing Race," "How I Met Your Mother," "Mike & Molly," "Hawaii Five-0," "NCIS: Los Angeles," "Survivor," "Criminal Minds," "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," Two and a Half Men," "CSI: NY," "Blue Bloods," "48 Hours Mystery," "The Mentalist," "The Good Wife." "Undercover Boss" will return midseason.

CBS TELEVISION NETWORK
2012-2013 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE
(N=New, NT=New Time, all times ET/PT)

MONDAY
8:00-8:30 PM HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER
8:30-9:00 PM PARTNERS (N)
9:00-9:30 PM 2 BROKE GIRLS (NT)
9:30-10:00 PM MIKE & MOLLY
10:00-11:00 PM HAWAII FIVE-0

TUESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM NCIS
9:00-10:00 PM NCIS: LOS ANGELES
10:00-11:00 PM VEGAS (N)

WEDNESDAY
8:00-9:00 PM SURVIVOR
9:00-10:00 PM CRIMINAL MINDS
10:00-11:00 PM CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION

THURSDAY
8:00-8:30 PM THE BIG BANG THEORY
8:30-9:00 PM TWO AND A HALF MEN (NT)
9:00-10:00 PM PERSON OF INTEREST
10:00-11:00 PM ELEMENTARY (N)

FRIDAY
8:00-9:00 PM CSI: NY (NT)
9:00-10:00 PM MADE IN JERSEY (N)
10:00-11:00 PM BLUE BLOODS

SATURDAY
8:00-9:00 PM CRIMETIME SATURDAY
9:00-10:00 PM CRIMETIME SATURDAY
10:00-11:00 PM 48 HOURS MYSTERY

SUNDAY
7:00-8:00 PM 60 MINUTES
8:00-9:00 PM THE AMAZING RACE
9:00-10:00 PM THE GOOD WIFE
10:00-11:00 PM THE MENTALIST (NT)

'Smash' recap: Episode 15, 'Bombshell'

T. MICHELLE MURPHY, NEW YORK — Wed, 16 May 2012 01:33:55 -0400

All right, let's see what kind of train wreck is in store for the season finale "Smash."

Julia and Tom are making last-minute finishing touches to the script, then dash through the audience that's gathering for the show to hand off the pages to ... who is it, don't keep us in suspense! Oh wait, we will be kept in suspense. Before we can see who's Marilyn Monroe, we get a title card directing us to 12 hours earlier. At that time, the production/creative team is still bickering about who to cast. The ensemble is gathered together anxiously, awaiting the verdict.

Critic Michael Riedel calls from the "Post" for Eileen. She says he'll be the first to know who the new Marilyn will be, but everything will be fine. She doesn't convince anyone, including the overly excited Ellis, who's eavesdropping as per usual. Never change, Ellis. Karen annoyingly answers a call from her "fiance," dropping that news in front of her peers like one would drop her hanky in front of a handsome man to passively get his attention in those old-timey flicks. Ivy's mom also calls to harass her so we can see Bernadette Peters' alter ego again. You know what? Bernadette Peters would have an alter ego who is just another version of herself. Never change, Bernadette.

Derek's rifling through a woman's clothing rack and thinking of the times either Karen or Ivy has performed in those outfits. Much like with Eileen's beau who thought Rebecca was good because she was "hot," Derek seems to cast sheerly based on sex appeal. In the end, we see Karen show up in that wretched purple shift with the Peter Pan collar, and then Derek announces to everyone that Karen will be playing Marilyn as of that night. That pretty much guarantees she will not be playing Marilyn by the episode's end. You can't fool us, "Smash."

... wow, it's a shiny, new SMASH! Still no official exclamation point, though.

Julia tells Karen that she can ask for help if she needs it because everyone wants her to succeed. In the background, Tom's face disagrees intensely. Maybe Tom and Julia should have exercised their ridiculous contractual powers of voting in cast members? We still want to see the paperwork on that one.

Karen calls Dev to tell him the good news; she invites him to see her perform. Tom and Julia get to work on that new song they need in a matter of hours. Julia shows Tom some lyrics and he says, "Not so much, honey." She crumples it up and starts again.

Ellis storms up to Eileen and makes a case for Ivy being Marilyn. Eileen humors him, but says he doesn't get a vote. He does get to pick up some Starbucks. Then Ellis admits that he poisoned Rebecca Duvall. He explains that peanuts grind right up! He needs an evil villain laugh, because he's already got the over-explainy-monologue-that-ends-up-thwarting-the-bad-guy part down. He says he's not an assistant, he's a producer. Eileen corrects him: He's fired. She kicks him out of the theater. Might want to get a restraining order while you're at it, Eileen. Dude just nearly killed someone, and now you're gonna piss him off?

Karen and Swift are practicing "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" but Karen forgets the blocking, has the wrong lyrics and needs a costume fitting. Drama! The lights go out (again), and Swift confronts Julia in the dark. He says he thought he came back because she needed him, but she doesn't have to run away from him. She says she's not, she's running away from herself. Swift says that he told his wife about their affair and she left, taking their 3-year-old. Of course Frank walks in and sees Julia trying to comfort Swift. He walks out angrily.

Julia chases Frank out. He says he just can't trust her. She says they can just count on the good outweighing the mistakes. Leo shows up with lunch, looking more bloated than ever. They say ridiculous things about love and vinegar and how life is better when they're all together. Rebecca's pathetic death scene from last week had more emotional depth than this dialogue.

Inside, Eileen's worried they skipped "Howl" but LINDA SPEAKS! and says that it's a matter of the costume not fitting. Um, just rehearse without the dress? Probably practice is more important than costuming at this point. We also aren't convinced that Rebecca's size is that much different than Karen's. Tom strolls up and says he needs to talk to Derek, but Derek assures him that he needs to finish that song first.

Tom bitches to Julia instead, who indulges this rant about how Ivy's better, even though she's heard it 800 times. True friendship! Julia mutters to herself that the good stuff in is better than the bad, like a crazy lady.

At rehearsal, Karen goes through "I Never Met a Wolf Who Didn't Love to Howl" while Ivy glares from the wings and imagines herself doing it instead - back at Nick Jonas' birthday party. And she's doing it better, because who are we kidding? Do they ever use the same set twice in this show, by the way? Not that there's too much going on with the sets anyway; "Bombshell" is no "Ghost."

Derek is very pleased with Karen's performance. Ivy wants to know why she wasn't picked. He says he just sees Karen as Marilyn. "She just has something that you don't." Ouch. Ivy thanks him for his honesty and walks off in tears. Dev asks her where Karen's engagement ring is, and Ivy lies that she didn't find it. Maybe she threw it in the trash next to Karen's sunglasses? Just to prove to us that she's lying, in case we didn't already know, "Smash" shows us Ivy gazing at Karen's big, fat diamond in the green room.

Eileen says that number was great, but it was also the only one Karen got right. She wants to talk about putting Ivy in at least temporarily, but Derek ignores her. Well listen, you don't ignore ANJELICA HUSTON. She says she's got $7 million in this production and she wants to have a conversation right now. That's a much better argument than the writers' teamwork voting contract. Of course Karen's standing right there and overhears Eileen screaming that she's not right for the part.

Ivy does the right thing and gives Karen the ring, but she also tells her how she got it. She compares Dev to Joe DiMaggio (not in a million years, lady). Karen chooses not to believe Ivy, and Ivy asks why she'd lie about something like that. Well, to upset Karen before she's supposed to go onstage? Which is exactly why you're doing it that way and right now? We believe Ivy has a good heart and also wants Karen to know the truth, but the way she's doing it is definitely calculating, so she can't be let totally off the hook.

Karen confronts Dev with the ring and he fesses up, which is big of him, but Karen's understandably upset. Linda speaks AGAIN! and tells Karen she needs to get back onstage, and Karen leaves mid-talk. Eileen says she appreciates Karen's hard work, but Karen doesn't buy it. Then Eileen's ex-husband randomly shows up, so let's expect some flying drinks soon!

Backstage, Tom wants to know why they're in this crazy business. Sam says it's beautiful and brings them joy. He kisses Tom and tells him to get back to work. We love Sam, but we're ready for him to get hit by a bus or something that isn't completely chipper, righteous and boring.

Eileen talks to her hubby while fixing herself a drink. UH-OH. He wants to know if their daughter helped fund the show, and Eileen says she doesn't use Mahatma Katie (we just saw that actress being equally plain in "The Columnist," by the way, so it's not all Theresa Rebeck's fault). Eileen says to go away. He says he bought a ticket, so he'll be back tonight. Eileen drinks her drink instead of throwing it! Hey, at least that one is free.

Julia and Tom bicker because he wants to add a gospel element and Julia wants to do something less literal and simpler. Julia starts to cry because Karen's not going to be good enough for their precious musical. Hate to break it to you, sweetheart, but it's not that good of a musical. Karen actually misses her cue and Linda says she walked out. THREE LINES!

Julia throws up, and she says the last time she threw up she was pregnant with Leo. How very selfish of Julia to get knocked up when there are perfectly decent homeless babies in China!

Nick Jonas takes a break from "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying" to bring Eileen back her Degas, even though this show is never going to reap a lick of profit, so that sort of undermines their entire agreement. Eileen complains that the show lost its star and her assistant went psycho. Lyle says Ivy was a spectacular Marilyn. TEAM IVY!

In the dressing room, Dennis is saying that Ivy would have never run away from the part. Well, she did totally fall down and run away from "Heaven On Earth," but why let a little precedent get in the way of your leading lady butt-kissing?

Dev is in an alley where Derek decides to look for Karen in case she took a break to go dumpster diving. The director says to the fiance, we kid you not, "She's mine now."

Derek locates Karen hiding behind some costume racks and although everyone's been looking everywhere, he acts like she was easy to find. Karen says she can't do it and she doesn't want to do it. But Derek is very good at telling women how they feel and what they should think. He says, "Art isn't therapy. We aren't here to work out our personal problems. We're here to take those problems and completely exploit them." She tells him to knock it off. She says her whole life is completely ruined. Aside from having supportive parents, an amazing apartment and the role of a lifetime? Poor baby, one little thing goes wrong with your boyfriend and you shut down? Shut up, please. She doesn't shut up; says Derek doesn't understand love. She really says that. Can Ellis please bring this girl some peanuts? Derek says Karen understands love and Marilyn understood love, and now Karen fully understands her character's heartbreak. So ... yay?

The creative team has just asked Ivy to fill in. And then Derek walks up with Karen, all ready to start after that uplifting speech. They start getting ready to rehearse the new ending, even though the lyrics aren't done. We learn that one of the other dancers is named Bobby, so we thought we should mention it.

Bernadette shows up to congratulate Ivy, but Ivy informs her that she wasn't picked, and then she cries. "I'm just in the chorus, mom. You should just go home." Well, still, she might want to see you? Just a thought. Bernadette stands there, upset – what happened to her being a big, mean Mommy Dearest? Tell Ivy to suck it up and go steal every scene, like she always does.

Side note #1: If Ivy were just suddenly asked to fill in, how would the costumes fit her?
Side note #2: Isn't Ivy now the understudy, hence one broken kneecap away from reaching her dream?

We're back to the opening moments, with Julia and Tom rushing the final pages to Karen. She opens with "Let Me Be Your Star" and runs through some of the other numbers we've seen this season. Backstage, Ivy continues to sulk. Karen does the final dying scene, but instead of flopping to her death, she sings some simple lyrics as a reprise to "Secondhand White Baby Grand." Then Swift sings a reprise to "Mr. and Mrs. Smith." Derek tells Karen that no matter what happens, she should never doubt that she's a star. And then he decides that he does understand love after all. Good to know, Derek.

Karen comes back onstage in gold to sing a summary of the story she's been telling for the past two hours, ostensibly. "When you see someone's hurt and might need a hand, don't forget me. / When you sing happy birthday to someone you love or see diamonds you wish were all free, don't forget me." Were we in danger of forgetting Marilyn Monroe? Just wondering. That's the moral of this whole story, really? Dev smiles proudly from the audience. We also see Julia and Tom, Nick and Eileen sharing content glances. At the very least, something interesting is happening backstage – to wit, Ivy takes a handful of pills to off herself. Well, at least someone's committed to her part. Method acting!

And that's that! "Smash" has somehow been renewed for Season 2, so we'll see the fallout of all these breakups, pregnancies and potential suicides (yeah right) just as soon as we've had enough time to forget this show ever existed. Look, we're masochists so we'll come back for more of this – but on one condition: more Ellis.

SMASH!

TV picks: Tuesday, May 15

AMBER M RAY, NEW YORK — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:14:22 -0400

"Glee"
COMEDY. New Directions performs for guest judge Lindsay Lohan at Nationals — as if Lindsay Lohan were the kind of class act teens should be seeking approval from.
8 p.m., Fox

"Pregnant in Heels"
REALITY. OK, reality TV conspiracy theorists, here are the details: "Pregnant in Heels" star Rosie Pope gave birth on Sunday, which was Mother's Day, which was just two days before the show's Season 2 premiere. A little too coincidental, right?
Season premiere, 10 p.m., Bravo

"NCIS: Los Angeles"
DRAMA. Callen finds himself in trouble again. Like, "this finale needs two hours and will end on a cliff-hanger" kind of trouble when he tangles with the criminal mastermind the Chameleon.
Season finale, 9 p.m., CBS

"Fashion Star"
REALITY. The final three contestants create pieces for each retailer, with the winner named the inaugural "Fashion Star." Oh, and there’s that nice little prize of a capsule collection sold in H&M, Macy's and Saks Fifth Avenue.
Season finale, 10 p.m., NBC

ABC looks to country music, the supernatural for 2012-13 schedule

AMBER M RAY, NEW YORK — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:52:20 -0400

ABC is going a little bit country, a little bit supernatural with its 2012-13 primetime schedule.

The network announced the addition of 10 new series at an upfront presentation to advertisers today: dramas "666 Park Avenue," "Last Resort," "Mistresses," "Nashville," "Red Widow" and "Zero Hour," and comedies "The Family Tools," "How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life)," "Malibu Country" and "The Neighbors."

Both "Nashville" and "Malibu Country" center around country music singers — the serious-minded "Nashville" stars Connie Britton as a country legend who finds herself in competition with a Music City up-and-comer played by Hayden Panettiere, while sitcom "Malibu Country" stars Reba McEntire as a singer who put who career on hold for her country crooning husband, who hit it big — and then cheated on her.

Meanwhile, the network that brought us "Lost" tries for another supernatural hit with "666 Park Avenue," about a glamorous apartment building that may be owned by the devil ("Lost" star Terry O'Quinn); "Zero Hour," following a paranormal enthusiast (Anthony Edwards) whose wife gets caught in a mysterious conspiracy; and the comedy "The Neighbors," about a couple who unwittingly move into a New Jersey neighborhood occupied by aliens.

Rounding out the roster of new shows are Shawn Ryan's "Last Resort," about a submarine crew gone rogue, British import "Mistresses" about four best friends (led by Alyssa Milano), mob drama "Red Widow" based on the Dutch series "Penoza," family/work comedy "The Family Tools," and the "How to Live with Your Parents," about a single mom (Sarah Chalke) who moves back in with her folks (Elizabeth Perkins and Brad Garrett).

Returning series include: "America's Funniest Home Videos," "The Bachelor," "Body of Proof," "Castle," "Dancing with the Stars," "Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23," "Grey's Anatomy," "Happy Endings," "Last Man Standing," "The Middle," "Modern Family," "Once Upon a Time," "Primetime: What Would You Do?," "Private Practice," "Revenge," "Scandal," "Shark Tank," "Suburgatory," "20/20" and "Wife Swap."

The full ABC schedule (new shows in BOLD; those not listed will be added to the schedule at a later date):

MONDAY:
8:00 p.m. "Dancing with the Stars"
10:00 p.m. "Castle"

In January:

8:00 p.m. "The Bachelor"
10:00 p.m. "Castle"

TUESDAY:
8:00 p.m. "Dancing with the Stars the Results Show"
9:00 p.m. "Happy Endings"
9:30 p.m. "Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23"
10:00 p.m. "Private Practice"

In January:

8:00 p.m. "HOW TO LIVE WITH YOUR PARENTS (FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE)"
8:30 p.m. "THE FAMILY TOOLS"

WEDNESDAY:

8:00 p.m. "The Middle"
8:30 p.m. "Suburgatory"
9:00 p.m. "Modern Family"
9:30 p.m. "THE NEIGHBORS"
10:00 p.m. "NASHVILLE"

THURSDAY:

8:00 p.m. "LAST RESORT"
9:00 p.m. "Grey's Anatomy"
10:00 p.m.   "Scandal"

FRIDAY:
8:00 p.m. "Shark Tank"
9:00 p.m. "Primetime: What Would You Do?"
10:00 p.m. "20/20"

In November:

8:00 p.m. "Last Man Standing"
8:30 p.m. "MALIBU COUNTRY"
9:00 p.m. "Shark Tank"
10:00 p.m. "Primetime: What Would You Do?"

SATURDAY:
8:00 p.m. "Saturday Night College Football"

SUNDAY:
7:00 p.m. "America's Funniest Home Videos"
8:00 p.m. "Once Upon a Time"
9:00 p.m. "Revenge"
10:00 p.m. "666 PARK AVENUE"

VIDEO: Is your pop culture knowledge better than President Obama's?

CASSANDRA GARRISON, NEW YORK — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:07:20 -0400

President Obama chatted with the ladies of "The View" about his stance on gay marriage, the economy and the upcoming election in an episode that aired today. Important stuff and all, but what we really cared about was the little quiz he took on pop culture.

President Obama, who said "I like hangin’ out with women," answered questions from Joy Behar about the Kardashians, "The Avengers," Jessica Simpson and sexy mommy porn book "50 Shades of Grey." The president actually did a pretty good job and proved he has a decent knowledge of pop culture, although we can't decide whether this is a good thing or a bad thing.

Here's a break down of the quiz and how the president answered. Is your pop culture knowledge better than the commander in chief's?

Question: Which Kardashian was married only 72 days?

President Obama: "That would be Kim." He's right! But the president claimed the only reason he knew this was because her husband was a ball player and he follows basketball. Mmmhmmm, suuuure.

Question: What's the controversial sex book that's on millions of women's bedside tables?

President Obama: "I don't know that." We're not sure if we buy it. What man is going to freely admit they know about the mommy porn book "50 Shades of Grey?" However, the president did say he will ask first lady Michelle about it when he gets home. That might be an awkward conversation.

Question: Did Jessica Simpson have her baby and what was it?

President Obama: "That I don't know." We can't blame him on this one. For all he knows, Jessica Simpson has been pregnant for the last two years. Her gestation period is far more interesting than the actual birth.

Question: Name three of the super heroes in the movie "The Avengers."

President Obama: "Well, I saw 'The Avengers' so this is easy. You've got the Hulk, Captain America, Ironman." He nailed this one! The president likes action flicks!

TV picks: Monday, May 14

AMBER M RAY, NEW YORK — Mon, 14 May 2012 15:00:00 -0400

"How I Met Your Mother"
COMEDY. We finally meet her! Well, Barney's bride, that is. As for the "Mother" — we're not holding our breath.
Season finale, 8 p.m., CBS

"Inside the Actor's Studio"
TALK. Host James Lipton quizzes the cast of "Mad Men." Question 1: How the heck am I going to fill an entire hour if you guys refuse to say anything about the new season?
7 p.m., Bravo

"The Bachelorette"
REALITY. One season of televised dating embarrassment just wasn't enough for single mom Emily Maynard, who may not have been "Bachelor" Brad Womack's one and only, but definitely has the attention of 25 new guys as she gets to head up the rose ceremonies this go-round.
9:31 p.m., ABC

"Smash"
DRAMA. Tom and Julia race to save the show, while a decision Derek makes may leave Karen and Ivy scrambling to save their careers.
Season finale, 10 p.m., NBC

"Kurt Sutter's Outlaw Empires"
REALITY. From the badass who brought us "Sons of Anarchy" comes this documentary series examining criminal organizations from the point of view of those living above the law. Tonight's episode goes inside the world of the Crips.
Series premiere, 10 p.m., Discovery

'Smash' recap: Episode 14, 'Previews'

T. MICHELLE MURPHY, NEW YORK — Mon, 14 May 2012 13:05:51 -0400

Dev's face is a weird choice for an opening shot, but all right. Next we pull back and see that Ivy's asleep next to him, reminding everyone of that trite plot "twist" that happened at the end of last week's episode. Because NBC is pretty sure you would have forgotten otherwise. REMEMBER?

Karen's telling her unnamed dancer buddy that she fought with Dev and that Derek's banging Rebecca, continuing to rehash everything that already happened. We wonder how many minutes this episode can continue without introducing a lick of new material. Ivy is missing, and she has no room to mess up today after what happened with "Heaven On Earth." As the title card would have you recall, today they start live previews.

Ivy and Dev are still canoodling in their hotel room. There's the always-delightful shenanigans of phones looking exactly alike; when it rings, Ivy scrambles to pick it up before Dev. They also have the same ringtone, obviously. It's Jessica – wow, the dancer girl finally gets a name! – saying Derek's about to start notes. Ivy says Derek won't notice if she's not there. Dev and Ivy promise not to tell anyone what they did. Surely this means no one will ever find out, and we'll all be spared the overblown dramatics of that fallout. Right? ... Right?

Frank and Leo are seeing Julia off at the theater and Michael Swift walks by, ignoring all of them. Leo asks if he was the only one who enjoyed that random moment of tension, and Frank assures him that he was. We second that. Julia coldly greets Eileen as the she walks into the theater, and then she goes to sit by Tom and Ellis, who is conspicuously operating a Mac. Julia is not speaking with Tom right now since he agreed to casting Swift. She'll be really useful, since it seems like she's just mad at everybody today. Maybe she should have stayed in New York. Maybe she can channel it into her writing, though?

Derek and Rebecca are kissy with one another; we still have no idea why he's into her. Eileen confronts the director(/choreographer) as he exits the star's dressing room, telling him he'll be in deep trouble if this tryst blows up and ruins anything for "Bombshell."

Karen asks if Ivy's OK. Ivy says that she'll fall apart if Karen's nice to her right now and goes to sit all by herself. Dancer Dennis comments that things always fall apart when a show moves out of town. Derek comes to give notes, mostly welcoming Swift back. The ensemble gets up to rehearse. Rebecca wonders why Karen's acting weird toward her. The reply is, "Are you sleeping with Derek?" Rebecca thinks Karen is interested in him, but Karen says it's Ivy. "Which one is that again?" Karen says she just doesn't want to see anyone get hurt, and Rebecca says she's in the wrong business – a line Karen hears about every other episode. Karen could be replaced by a stick with googly eyes and people could just say to it, "You're too nice!" "You don't want it badly enough!" "You're in the wrong business!" and "Smash" could save a lot of dough.

SMASH!

The first preview is about to begin. Eileen learns that Nick showed up for it. He's wounded from some fight she doesn't want to know about – at least not right now. He bought a ticket, which was sweet but unnecessary, and she drags him up to sit with her in the mezzanine.

Rebecca does an OK job with "Let Me Be Your Star." And we montage through some of the other well-known songs we've seen the cast develop all season. We see clips of backstage, and Linda even speaks to give a cue! Randall cruises by to drop off a smoothie while Rebecca whines about Swift.

Karen and Ivy get a new number, "Smash!" It's extremely boring and lacking in content or purpose – maybe Marilyn just needed a costume change break here or something? Backstage, Ivy and Karen bond. The end of the show includes Marilyn talk-singing some sappy words about people never talking or listening enough and then she dies with zero emotional impact, and no one in the audience claps. That's exactly how we feel.

Walking out, Karen runs into Dev. Ivy comes up, and Karen "introduces" them. Eileen tells the writers that the show needs a new ending immediately, and Julia's like, "But she dies!" Surely they can find some creative way around that?

Tom and Sam are having dinner together; Sam wants him to come to church even though Tom's Jewish. It's weird that Sam wants to hold off having sex, but introduces Tom to his parents and his religion – which are actually much more serious, we think.

Eileen, Nick and Ellis are having a drink together. Ellis thinks the problem is Rebecca, but Nick thinks Rebecca is hot. This is why bartenders shouldn't be casting agents. Ellis says he's just trying to produce, because "someone has to." Kid gets lippy when he's deep into a whiskey neat! He gets sent back to his hotel room. Eileen actually mentions that she sees a lot of herself in Ellis. Awww, we like them so much!

Eileen gets up to sing with the pianist, who's playing Sinatra's "September Song." We see Karen and Dev go back to her hotel together. Tom sees Frank escorting Julia home so she doesn't get distracted on the way and have sex with Swift. Next we hope to see Frank walking around with her on one of those kid leashes.

In bed the next morning, Dev says he shouldn't have "come back" when Karen asked him to give her space (not that he ever actually left town). We're really angry that she says it's fine because she actually wanted him to come back. Thanks for telling the world that girls don't mean what they say and secretly want to be chased down, "Smash"! Why does this show hate women so much? Anyway, Karen says it would have been terrible if RJ had managed to come between them. Then she makes him propose again and accepts it. And then they have an awkward hug. At least when the Ivy/Dev thing inevitably comes to light, it will break up Karen/Dev for good. We don't want to see their unconvincing relationship drag on for another season.

Ivy shows up for rehearsal early and confronts Derek. The last words he said to her were "I love you," and now he's banging the lead. He says the star needs his full attention, and he's going to direct his attention where it's needed. And Ivy will understand, because she's a professional. And with that bit of emotional abuse, they part.

Rebecca's on the phone, "I'm alone in Boston, dying." And she got no applause for it. She's very upset. Apparently she's on the phone with her shrink, who always takes all of her calls because she's so nuts. But mostly because she's rich. Karen enters and tries to comfort her, and then Rebecca starts choking on her smoothie. RANDALL, YOU CAD! The rest of the weekend's previews are canceled. The whole ensemble decides to go to church with Sam. But mostly just so they can fit more songs into this episode, we're guessing.

Eileen and Randall chat outside; Randall insists that Rebecca is too careful with her meals to accidentally ingest peanuts. He says it must have been a deliberate poisoning, and Eileen says, "Who are you, Miss Marple?" Showing your age with that reference there, AH. Eileen just wants to wait until Rebecca feels better to figure out what happened. Derek says he'll visit her in the hospital when she "wakes up" because apparently peanut allergies cause comas now. Eileen laments that this delay is costing them tons of cash. Julia and Tom need to work on a new ending, and Julia's worried about how long Rebecca's recovery might take. They've never rehearsed Karen, even though she's the understudy. They say Ivy might need to step in, so having an understudy at all seems entirely pointless. It's been months full of revisions since Ivy last spent time in this role, so how is she better equipped for the current version than Karen?

Ivy, Ellis, Dennis and an unnamed dancer are day drinking, and we're jealous. They're having the same Ivy/Karen conversation. Ivy gets a text and runs outside to sneakily meet up with Dev. He thinks he left the engagement ring in her room. They're at the Colonial Lodge, by the way. This is a fictional hotel, so don't try to book a room there during your "Smash" reenactment tour (wow that would be the lamest thing ever; if you do it PLEASE e-mail us). Later, at some point, Karen's practicing the songs in case she needs to step in, and Dev is just watching her. Yeah, that moment could have been left on the cutting room floor.

Next, Swift is confronting Julia in the hotel lobby, but she tries to walk past him. He grabs her and physically forces her to talk to him. He's under the impression she wanted him to come back. She says she never wanted him to come back. She shouldn't have told him this since they could lose their DiMaggio. Or it could seriously disrupt his concentration and performance. She needs to play it cool and flirt with the leads until they're happy, like Derek. Derek does everything right on this show.

Julia confronts Tom, saying that if he'd voted against bringing Swift back then it "contractually" couldn't have happened. (Writers do not have contractual voting rights to casting input, in case you were wondering.) She says that he put the show ahead of Julia's family. He cuts her off and says she did that, not him. He told her a million times that running around with Swift was a bad idea, and she kept making poor decisions that ultimately hurt her "perfect family." Julia says she's trying to fix her mistake, but Tom's ruining it. He says he stood by her through all of it. Julia accuses him of being righteous and never thinking things are his fault. (But this really isn't his fault, Julia.) She says they're not a true team, because the show is more important than their teamwork. Stop being mean to Tom! She yells at him and storms out, saying she needs to get back to work. Writing a new ending and a new song sounds like something they should really be working on together, but oh well!

The dancers are saying something about Jessica never being able to find her phone, and we wonder what stupid phone-swapping thing is about to happen as a result of this setup. Jessica having a name is causing nothing but trouble. We see the cast going out for drinks and Dev and Ivy exchange weird glances.

Next we're at church, and we get to see Sam's awesome family again. Karen says she "loves church." They joke that if Derek came he would burst into flames. Julia shows up with her family, and Frank thinks church will cure his philandering wife. (Wait, he can be a science teacher and religious? We're going to have to check our "Smash" stereotype guidebook, this one's throwing us for a loop!) Inside, as predicted, Sam starts singing Donnie McClurkin's "Stand." This scene is much more ironic thanks to Leslie Odom Jr.'s role as a do-good preacher on Broadway right now in "Leap of Faith." Sadly, Karen runs up to steal his spotlight.

Tom walks up to Julia afterward and says Marilyn could go to church at the end of the show instead of dying, but Julia says she has a better idea. They apologize to each other. Shortest fight ever on this show!

Dev says Karen was gorgeous singing at the front of the church choir. He's moved to confess about his sins with Ivy. But Rebecca calls, and Karen has to take it. She goes to meet Rebecca at the hospital. Rebecca says she could taste the peanuts in her smoothie but she drank it anyway because she was too scared about the show. And now she doesn't want to go back, either. Karen tries to encourage her to come back because Karen has no sense of self-preservation. Karen says she's not as ambitious as everyone else. Rebecca thinks Karen should get this role. We don't understand how Rebecca isn't contractually obligated to stay with the show. But she won't be totally better for a few weeks anyway.

Back at the hotel, Karen reassures everyone that Rebecca will be fine, even though she was purposefully poisoned. And she's not coming back to "Bombshell." So now they question who will replace her to play Marilyn. The episode ends with Ivy and Karen locking eyes in an unspoken standoff.

Next up is the season finale! We can't wait. TEAM IVY FTW!

Few tweaks to Fox’s fall TV schedule

AMBER M RAY, NEW YORK — Mon, 14 May 2012 08:54:51 -0400

Fox has been the No. 1 broadcast network for eight seasons — so overhauling the primetime schedule isn’t exactly part of the 2012-2013 plan. The network announced the addition of just one new drama and two new comedies to the fall lineup before its upfront presentation to advertisers today.

Most anticipated is “The Mindy Project” from “The Office” star Mindy Kaling, who will play a successful OB/GYN trying to balance work and life. The second new sitcom, “Ben and Kate,” follows two polar-opposite siblings. Both new comedies will air on Tuesdays, rounding out a sitcom block with returning shows “Raising Hope” and “New Girl.”

Fox’s only new drama for fall is “The Mob Doctor,” starring Jordana Spiro as a surgeon tied to the mob through family debts.

Fox will debut two new series mid-season: The comedy “The Goodwin Games,” from “How I Met Your Mother” creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas, about siblings vying for their father’s inheritance; and the thriller “The Following,” starring Kevin Bacon as an ex-FBI agent tracking a serial killer (James Purefoy).

Returning series to the Fox lineup next season include “Bones,” “Raising Hope,” “New Girl,” “The X Factor,” “American Idol,” “Glee,” which moves to Thursdays, “Touch,” “Fringe,” “Hell’s Kitchen,” “Kitchen Nightmares,” “Masterchef,” “Mobbed,” “American Dad,” “Bob’s Burgers,” “The Cleveland Show,” “Cops,” “Family Guy,” “The Simpsons” and “So You Think You Can Dance.”

The full Fox primetime schedule this fall:

MONDAY
8:00-9:00 PM                          BONES
9:00-10:00 PM                        THE MOB DOCTOR (new)

THE FOLLOWING (new) joins in midseason.

TUESDAY
8:00-8:30 PM                          RAISING HOPE
8:30-9:00 PM                          BEN AND KATE (new)
9:00-9:30 PM                          NEW GIRL
9:30-10:00 PM                        THE MINDY PROJECT (new)

THE GOODWIN GAMES (new) joins in midseason.

WEDNESDAY
8:00-10:00 PM                        THE X FACTOR (fall) / AMERICAN IDOL (midseason)

THURSDAY
8:00-9:   THE X FACTOR Results (fall) / AMERICAN IDOL Results (midseason)
9:00-10:00 PM                        GLEE

FRIDAY
8:00-9:00 PM                          TOUCH
9:00-10:00 PM                        FRINGE (fall)

HELL’S KITCHEN returns in midseason.

SATURDAY
7:00-10:30 PM                        FOX SPORTS SATURDAY (fall)

COPS returns in midseason.
ANIMATION DOMINATION HIGH-DEF (new) will join late-prime in 2013.

SUNDAY
7:00-7:30 PM                          NFL Game (fall) / ANIMATION DOMINATION (encores)
7:30-8:00 PM                          THE OT (fall) / THE CLEVELAND SHOW
8:00-8:30 PM                          THE SIMPSONS
8:30-9:00 PM                          BOB’S BURGERS
9:00-9:30 PM                          FAMILY GUY
9:30-10:00 PM                        AMERICAN DAD