Hollywood's Real Estate Deals of the Week: Beyonce and Jay-Z, Ryan Phillippe, Blake Lively and Gerald Levin

NBC"Chuck" With the Christmas just two weeks away, programming on the broadcast networks are reflecting the holiday lull. Running Christmas programming and a Blue Bloods repeat, CBS still managed to top the night among the 18-49 demographic averaging a 1.4 rating, steady from last week when it aired originals. But NBC took advantage, bringing back Chuck and Grimm to boost its demo average to tie for first. It's been several weeks since NBC aired its regular Friday schedule, but last night's ratings performance proved that viewers would follow -- at least where Chuck was concerned. The Zachary Levi-directed episode of Chuck drew 3.7 million total viewers at 8 p.m., that's 500,000 more viewers than its last original in November. Among adults 18-49, the series improved slightly to a 1.0 rating. Following a trial run on Thursday night at 10 p.m. (in place of Prime Suspect), Grimm (5.4 million, 1.6)continued its steady run in its usual time slot following Chuck at 9 p.m. posting similar numbers to its last original. ABC placed third with an average rating of 1.3. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (5.1 million, 1.3) grew just a tad and 20/20 (4.7 million, 1.3) was flat. Fox and the CW aired reruns. Refresh for the latest ... PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery Preview NBC's Fall Key Art for 'Playboy Club,' 'Grimm,' 'Whitney,' More TV Ratings Grimm Chuck

The Roots Must Now Apparent Late Evening Music with NBC

Ahmir Khalib Thompson also called "Questlove" Following an accidents with GOP presidential candidate Michelle Bachman lately, Jimmy Fallon's house band The Roots will have to apparent their Late Evening song options with NBC, in line with the Connected Press. NBC received fire in November when the Roots carried out the 1985 Fishbone song "Lyin' A-- B---" as Bachmann walked onto stage. The network later apologized for your incident and mentioned this rock band happen to be punished. NBC apologizes to Bachmann Wanted for Fallon intro music NBC is becoming while using extra key to make sure it doesn't happen again. Roots front guy ?uestlove mentioned they know your final decision that the network won't stand in the way humor. "It absolutely was kind of wrong will be able to throw (NBC) beneath the bus without allowing them to know exactly what it was, therefore i understand in the business perspective," he told the AP."It's still a comedy show, to ensure that they promise not to board my toes or that type of factor, nonetheless they certainly have to know the title in the song, the subject couple of the song, [and] could it be viewed as insult?"Can you accept NBC?

Ken Russell Was Hoping to Remake 1976 X-Rated Alice Musical... with Lady Gaga

When the late filmmaker Ken Russell passed away last week at the age of 84, he’d been planning to remake the infamous 1976 X-rated Alice in Wonderland musical in which Alice is taken on a tour of Wonderland by a randy White Rabbit. Ahem. And who had Russell hoped to bring along on his naughty trip down the rabbit hole? Lady Gaga, of course! Well, kinda; The Guardian reports that Russell, according to producers who are still moving forward with the project, had hoped to bring Gaga and Rihanna aboard to contribute songs to the musical, penned by composer Simon Boswell. Roger Daltry, who starred in Russell’s film adaptation of The Who’s Tommy, had been asked to play the Mad Hatter; is it much of a stretch to envision Lady Gaga as the White Rabbit, guiding young Alice along in an erotic romp through Wonderland? The producers are currently seeking a new director to take over from Russell, who left behind a near-complete script. More details over at The Guardian, but in the meantime, check out a peek at the infamous 1976 Alice (Sample ditty: “What’s a nice girl like you doing/on a knight like me?”) for a taste of the raunchy fantasy that inspired the project: Raunchy Alice musical could be Ken Russell’s final legacy [Guardian]

'Laugh-In' Comic Actor Alan Sues Dies at 85

LOS ANGELES (AP) Alan Sues, who brought his flamboyant and over-the-top comic persona to the hit television show "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In" in the 1960s and 1970s, has died, a close friend said Sunday night.Sues died of cardiac arrest on Thursday at his home in West Hollywood, Michael Gregg Michaud, a friend since 1975, told The Associated Press."He was sitting in a recliner watching TV with his dachshund Doris who he loved in his lap," Michaud said.Sues had various health problems in the last several years, but the death came as a shock to friends, Michaud said. He was 85.A native Californian who moved to NY in 1952, Sues began his career as a serious actor and in 1953 appeared in director Elia Kazan's "Tea and Sympathy" on Broadway.But he would be remembered for his wild comic characters.They included "Big Al," an effeminate sportscaster, and "Uncle Al the Kiddies Pal," a hung-over children's show host, on "Laugh-In," the TV phenomenon that both reflected and mocked the era's counterculture and made stars of Goldie Hawn, Lily Tomlin and many others.Sues also donned tights as the commercial spokesman for Peter Pan peanut butter, and appeared in the popular 1964 "Twilight Zone" episode "The Masks."Fellow cast members and crew from "Laugh-In" remembered him as even more entertaining behind the scenes."Alan Sues was one of those guys even funnier in person than on camera," Ruth Buzzi, a co-star who appeared in many skits with Sues, said on her Twitter account. "Across a dinner table, over the phone ... hysterical. We'll miss him."Executive producer George Schlatter, who would eventually bring Sues to "Laugh-In" after seeing him alongside future co-star Jo Anne Worley in the Off-Broadway comedy "The Mad Show," said Sues was "a free spirit," an "outrageous human being" and "a love child.""He was a delight; he was an upper," Schlatter told the Los Angeles Times, which first reported the death. "He walked on the stage and everybody just felt happy."Sues would always be best known for "Laugh-In," which he left in 1972 before its final season.But Michaud said the Peter Pan spots brought Sues nearly as much recognition in later years.And he said the "Twilight Zone" episode brought him appearances at sci-fi and autograph conventions for decades."Fans of 'The Twilight Zone' are cuckoo," Michaud said.Michaud said that while Sues was always cast as the stereotypically gay character, he believed he needed to hide his own gay identity during his years on television."He felt like he couldn't publicly come out," Michaud said. "He felt like people wouldn't accept him."Sues was grateful for "Laugh-In," but wasn't happy he was typecast in his comic persona as he sought to return to more serious acting.He got one chance that he cherished in 1975, the serious role of Moriarty with the Royal Shakespeare Company in "Sherlock Holmes" on Broadway.He stayed with the show until it closed the following year, then went out to perform it with the touring company.In later years he would make many more theater appearances, do voiceover work for television, and appear in guest spots on TV series like "Punky Brewster" and "Sabrina the Teenage Witch."Sues is survived by a sister-in-law, two nieces and a nephew.There were no immediate plans for a memorial.Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. By Andrew Dalton December 5, 2011 LOS ANGELES (AP) Alan Sues, who brought his flamboyant and over-the-top comic persona to the hit television show "Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In" in the 1960s and 1970s, has died, a close friend said Sunday night.Sues died of cardiac arrest on Thursday at his home in West Hollywood, Michael Gregg Michaud, a friend since 1975, told The Associated Press."He was sitting in a recliner watching TV with his dachshund Doris who he loved in his lap," Michaud said.Sues had various health problems in the last several years, but the death came as a shock to friends, Michaud said. He was 85.A native Californian who moved to NY in 1952, Sues began his career as a serious actor and in 1953 appeared in director Elia Kazan's "Tea and Sympathy" on Broadway.But he would be remembered for his wild comic characters.They included "Big Al," an effeminate sportscaster, and "Uncle Al the Kiddies Pal," a hung-over children's show host, on "Laugh-In," the TV phenomenon that both reflected and mocked the era's counterculture and made stars of Goldie Hawn, Lily Tomlin and many others.Sues also donned tights as the commercial spokesman for Peter Pan peanut butter, and appeared in the popular 1964 "Twilight Zone" episode "The Masks."Fellow cast members and crew from "Laugh-In" remembered him as even more entertaining behind the scenes."Alan Sues was one of those guys even funnier in person than on camera," Ruth Buzzi, a co-star who appeared in many skits with Sues, said on her Twitter account. "Across a dinner table, over the phone ... hysterical. We'll miss him."Executive producer George Schlatter, who would eventually bring Sues to "Laugh-In" after seeing him alongside future co-star Jo Anne Worley in the Off-Broadway comedy "The Mad Show," said Sues was "a free spirit," an "outrageous human being" and "a love child.""He was a delight; he was an upper," Schlatter told the Los Angeles Times, which first reported the death. "He walked on the stage and everybody just felt happy."Sues would always be best known for "Laugh-In," which he left in 1972 before its final season.But Michaud said the Peter Pan spots brought Sues nearly as much recognition in later years.And he said the "Twilight Zone" episode brought him appearances at sci-fi and autograph conventions for decades."Fans of 'The Twilight Zone' are cuckoo," Michaud said.Michaud said that while Sues was always cast as the stereotypically gay character, he believed he needed to hide his own gay identity during his years on television."He felt like he couldn't publicly come out," Michaud said. "He felt like people wouldn't accept him."Sues was grateful for "Laugh-In," but wasn't happy he was typecast in his comic persona as he sought to return to more serious acting.He got one chance that he cherished in 1975, the serious role of Moriarty with the Royal Shakespeare Company in "Sherlock Holmes" on Broadway.He stayed with the show until it closed the following year, then went out to perform it with the touring company.In later years he would make many more theater appearances, do voiceover work for television, and appear in guest spots on TV series like "Punky Brewster" and "Sabrina the Teenage Witch."Sues is survived by a sister-in-law, two nieces and a nephew.There were no immediate plans for a memorial.Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Rankings Corporate Jungle: CBS CSI: NY Hits Low, NBCs Family Pic Tanks Wheres Grimm?

Before we checked on Grimm a few days prior to the Christmas, the rookie NBC drama appeared to become bottoming out, holding steady week-to-week to prevent its publish-premiere slide. However the fairytale procedural was benched once for that holiday, that is understandable, and on the other hand last evening for original movie Bet On Your Existence, which isn't a lot. Last evening, the most recent from the Procter & Gamble/Walmart-funded family movies that air on NBC as time buys came a meager .5/2 in grown ups 18-49 from 8-10 PM and a pair of.two million audiences. It's tied because the cheapest-ranked such movie to air on NBC on Friday or Saturday, in- or off-season. The first, Strategies Of The Mountain, averaged a decent 1.3/5 in 18-49 and 7.8 million audiences in April 2010. The Jensen Project published a .9 and three.9 million in summer time 2010. Both broadcast on Friday. Area Of Vision (.5/2, 2.7 million) along with a Walk During My Footwear (1.3/4, 4.9 million) broadcast on Saturday earlier this summer time. To help keep airing individuals movies, NBC without doubt is earning money around the time buys (and let’s face the facts, it’s not too NBC has cabinets stacked with originals following a brutal fall full of cancellations). However I’d question the arranging option for Bet On Your Existence, which stretches unnecessarily the hiatus of the newcomer series so early into its run. With Dateline (1./3, 4 million) at 10 PM, NBC finished 4th for that evening in 18-49. CBS’ dramas published wall-to-wall declines airing against Fox’s coverage from the Pac-12 Championship Game. A Gifted Guy (1.2/4, 8 million) was lower a tenth in 18-49, CSI: NY (1.4/4, 9.8 million) was lower 18% to some series low, and Blue Bloods (1.6/5, 11 million) was lower 20%. Within the fast excellent, CBS (1.4/4, 9.six million) is tied for No. 1 around the evening in 18-49 with Fox and Univision, but Fox’s amounts are approximate since the rankings for the overall game aren't time-modified. ABC broadcast Extreme Transformation: Home Edition at 8 PM (1.1/4, flat) and also at 9 PM (1.3/4), lower 13%, and 20/20 (1.3/4) at 10 PM. The CW’s Supernatural (.7/2, 1.9 million) was steady, while Nikita (.5/2, 1.7 million) was lower a tenth within the demo.

Blackberry Maker Hit With Charge on Weak Tablet Sales

NY - Cable giants Comcast Corp. and Time Warner Cable along with smaller cable firm Bright House Networks have agreed to sell wireless spectrum to telecom company Verizon Wireless for $3.6 billion. The companies also struck agreements that will see the cable firms and the telecom giant sell each other's products. SpectrumCo, a joint venture of the cable companies, said Friday that Comcast will receive approximately $2.3 billion from the sale. Time Warner Cable about $1.1 billion and Bright House $189 million. "The agreement comes at a time when consumer demand for wireless services and bandwidth is increasing rapidly," the firms said. "This sale of spectrum is an important step toward ensuring that the needs and desires of consumers for additional mobile services will not be thwarted by the current spectrum shortage." Government action to free up more spectrum is expected, but the deal partners said their transaction that available spectrum is used effectively for the benefit of customers. The deal partners said Friday that they have also formed an "innovation technology joint venture" for the development of technology to better integrate wireline and wireless products and services. "We're excited to be able to offer the nation's best wireless services to our customers and to have Verizon Wireless as a sales channel for our superb wireline services," said TW Cable president and COO Rob Marcus. "We're also pleased to have obtained an attractive price for the spectrum we're selling." "These agreements, together with our Wi-Fi plans, enable us to execute a comprehensive, long-term wireless strategy and expand our focus on providing mobility to our Xfinity services," said Neil Smit, president of Comcast Cable. Dan Mead, president and CEO of Verizon Wireless, added: "Spectrum is the raw material on which wireless networks are built, and buying the...spectrum now solidifies our network leadership into the future, and will enable us to bring even better 4G LTE products and services to our customers." Email: Georg.Szalai@thr.com Twitter: @georgszalai Related Topics

Fox Announces Midseason Schedule

American Idol Fox has unveiled its midseason schedule, and not surprisingly, American Idol will fill the X Factor-sized hole on Wednesday and Thursday nights. Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler, and of course Ryan Seacrest will kick off the show's 11th season on Wednesday, Jan. 18 at 8/7c. The Bones spin-off The Finder bows on Thursday, Jan. 12 at 9/8c. The animated Napoleon Dynamite series will premiere on Sunday, Jan. 15 at 8:30/7:30c. J.J. Abrams' Alcatraz gets underway on Monday, Jan. 16 at 8/7c before moving to 9/8c the following week. Kiefer Sutherland's anticipated new drama Touch premieres Wednesday, Jan. 25 at 9/8c, immediately following Idol. Check out the full schedule: MONDAY Monday, Jan. 16: 8:00-10:00 PM ALCATRAZ (Series Premiere) Monday, beginning Jan. 23: 8:00-9:00 PM HOUSE (Time Period Premiere) 9:00-10:00 PM ALCATRAZ (Time Period Premiere) Monday, March 19: 9:00-10:00 PM TOUCH (Series Premiere) **************************** TUESDAY Tuesday, Jan. 17: 8:00-9:00 PM GLEE 9:00-9:30 PM NEW GIRL 9:30-10:00 PM RAISING HOPE Tuesday, March 6: 8:30-9:00 PM BREAKING IN (Season Premiere) **************************** WEDNESDAY Wednesday, Jan. 4: 9:00-10:00 PM MOBBED Wednesday, Jan. 18: 8:00-10:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL (Season Premiere, Part One) Wednesday, Jan. 25: 9:00-10:00 PM TOUCH (Special Preview) *************************** THURSDAY Thursday, Jan. 12: 9:00-10:00 PM THE FINDER (Series Premiere) Thursday, Jan. 19: 8:00-9:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL (Season Premiere, Part Two) *************************** FRIDAY Friday, Jan. 13: 8:00-9:00 PM KITCHEN NIGHTMARES 9:00-10:00 PM FRINGE *************************** SUNDAY Sunday, Jan. 8: 8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS 8:30-9:00 PM THE CLEVELAND SHOW 9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY 9:30-10:00 PM AMERICAN DAD Sunday, Jan. 15: 8:30-9:00 PM NAPOLEON DYNAMITE (Series Premiere) Sunday, March 11: 8:30-9:00 PM BOB'S BURGERS (Season Premiere)