Hello everyone! I’m back from vacation and ready to deliver another segment of the Weekly Buzz. Enjoy!
Latest Pop Culture News
-Uh oh! “Lost” is losing a major writing staff member for its final season. Brian K. Vaughan, the one with the comic book ties, has stepped down to pursue bigger and better things, such as writing graphic novel films.
-I can’t believe they’re making this film: Will Forte’s SNL spoof “MacGruber” is headed to the big screen. Ryan Phillippe and Val Kilmer may star in the film that spoofs the 80’s TV show “MacGyver.” Kristin Wiig (best current SNL actor by far) will reprise her supporting role as well.
-Carrie Underwood will release her third album in the fall. The yet-to-be-titled CD will be released on Nov. 3, with the first single hitting the airwaves later this summer.
-FX recently set its fall schedule. Some highlights include the “Sons of Anarchy” premiering at 10 p.m. Sept. 8 with 13 episodes; the fifth season of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” debuts at 10 p.m. Sept. 17 with 12 new episodes, and season six of “Nip/Tuck” begins in October with 10 new episodes.
-Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is dedicating its Friday (July 10) primetime lineup to the late Oscar-winning actor Karl Malden, who died this week at age 97. They will pay tribute by airing “On The Waterfront” at 8 p.m.; “A Streetcar Named Desire” at 10 p.m., and “Birdman of Alcatraz” at 12:15 a.m.
-A big box set of Seasons 1-5 of “The Office” will be released this fall. The release of the Season 5 DVD will be Sept. 8. On the same day, ”The Office – Seasons 1-5 Collection” also will be released. It will be an 18-disc DVD set with every episode shown to date. Cost is $199.98 but you can get it at a pre-order discount on Amazon.
-Ryan Gosling is releasing an album. He is in a band called “Dead Man’s Bones,” which is a goth-folk collaboration between him and Zach Shields. Their self-titled debut album will be released on Oct. 6.
-The Discovery Channel is airing a tribute to Billy Mays at 9 p.m. tonight.
-I’m late on this one, but a couple days ago the Sci Fi Channel officially became “Syfy.” The change is to signify the new direction of its fantasy programming.
-Watch the trailer for “Couples Retreat” starring Vince Vaughn, Jon Favreau, Jason Bateman, Kristen Bell and others. It’s a comedy based on four Midwestern couples who take a journey to a tropical island resort to work on their marriages. It debuts on Oct. 9.
-Michael Jackson is dominating all music sales. According to Nielsen SoundScan, 800,000 copies of his albums were sold in the U.S. last week – nearly double from the previous week. Jackson claims the entire top 10 roster on the top catalog album chart this week. His “Number Ones” collection is the top seller, followed by “Thriller.”
TV PREMIERES
Tonight – Big Brother (CBS)
Friday – Eureka (Sci Fi)
Sunday – Entourage (HBO); Drop Dead Diva (Lifetime)
Tuesday – Miami Social (Bravo)
Wednesday - Leverage (TNT); Dark Blue (TNT); Extreme Loggers (Discovery); Verminators (Discovery); Michael & Michael have Issues (Comedy)
TV FINALES
Tonight – In The Motherhood (ABC); Science of the Movies (Science)
Saturday – Harper’s Island (CBS); Eli Stone (ABC)
Monday – Here Come the Newlyweds (ABC)
Tuesday – ‘Stager Invasion (TLC); Apprentice UK (BBCA); Jail (MNT); Food Party (IFC); Wrong Door (IFC)
MOVIES arriving Friday, July 10
-Bruno
-I Love You, Beth Cooper
Arriving Wednesday, July 15 is Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
DVDs hitting stores on Tuesday, July 14
-Beach Kings
-Grey Gardens
-For All Mankind
-The Edge of Love
-12
-The Horsemen
-The Human Condition
-Rec
-Mad Men: Season Two
-The State: The Complete Series
-Tracey Takes On…The Complete & Final Seasons
-Leverage: First Season
-Van Wilder: Freshman Year (Unrated)
-American Gladiators: The Original Series – The Battle Begins
ALBUMS to be released on Tuesday, July 14
-Daughtry, “Leave This Town”
-Jordin Sparks, “Battlefield”
-Soundtrack, “Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince”
-Celtic Thunder, “Take Me Home”
-The Dead Weather, “Horehound”
-Twista, “Category F5″
-Clutch, “Strange Cousins From the West”
-Chico DeBarge, “Addiction: Reality Music”
-Lisa Lisa, “Life N Love”
-Joe, “Signature”
-Robin Trower, “What Lies Beneath”
-DevilDriver, “Pray For Villains”