Seriously? OMG! WTF?

Oh, brother! It’ll be an Everybody Loves Raymond reunion when Ray Romano makes a surprise guest appearance on his former on-screen brother Brad Garrett’s new sitcom, ‘Til Death. Although Brad has denied that Ray will be dropping by (I don’t think [the Raymond cast] wants anything to do with me anymore!� he jokes), an insider tells In Touch that Romano taped a secret spot for the show in front of a live studio audience last week that may air as part of a special episode of the Fox comedy on February 4. Nearly two years after their smash sitcom ended its nine-season run, Brad says that he still loves Raymond  and the feeling is mutual. Ray and I are very tight, he tells In Touch. We have a lovely poker game, we golf and are very good friends!

In Touch Weekly 

I like this show! Did anyone see Thursday’s episode with Anthony Anderson and Margeret Cho playing husband and wife? I hope they bring them back more often!

In what would be a blockbuster pairing of sitcom stars, Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton are in discussions to co-star in a comedy series, "Action News," to be created by writer-producers Steven Levitan and Christopher Lloyd for 20th Century Fox TV. As of Monday night, there was no deal in place for Grammer or Heaton, and the talks were ongoing, sources said. The project is said to be set at a local TV station and revolve around the reuniting of a male and female anchor team (Grammer, Heaton). Top showrunners Levitan and Lloyd planted their flag at 20th as writing and producing partners in July (HR 7/13). Sources said the studio intends to nail down deals with Grammer and Heaton before shopping the script to prospective buyers. The onscreen star power of Grammer and Heaton combined with Levitan and Lloyd virtually ensures a bidding skirmish among networks for the project. Representatives for 20th and the CAA-repped Grammer and Heaton declined comment on the project. Levitan created and executive produced the NBC comedy "Just Shoot Me" and more recently executive produced the Fox/20th Century Fox TV comedies "Stacked," "Oliver Beene" and "Greg the Bunny." Lloyd’s credits range from NBC’s "Wings" to last season’s CBS comedy "Out of Practice."

The Hollywood Reporter

I love Steve Levitan and Christopher Lloyd, but Kelsey Grammer and Patricia Heaton bore me to tears. Yes the two of them have been on some of the longest running sitcoms on television that will live forever in syndication, but they are just so dull. The two of them together will skew older, don’t you think? The one thing on my side is except for The Mary Tyler Moore Show, TV newsroom shows fail. Don’t ask me why, they just do.

 

Disney’s SOAPnet and Warner Bros. Domestic Cable Distribution have struck an off-network deal for the cable network to acquire four seasons of Fox’s cancelled The O.C. and The CW’s One Tree Hill. SOAPnet, seeking to acquire primetime fare that is compatible with its lineup of daytime soaps, has grabbed other Warner Bros. off-net properties in the past, including the short-lived Pasadena and the classic serialized drama, Dallas. The O.C., airing at 6 p.m., and One Tree Hill, at 5 p.m., will debut as a Monday-Friday strip on the cable network beginning April 9.

Broadcasting and Cable 

I can’t wait to see One Tree Hill from the beginning again!

Fox has made a big-bucks, 13-episode commitment to "Action News," the Kelsey Grammer-Patricia Heaton laffer from scribes Christopher Lloyd and Steve Levitan. To win the project, Fox agreed to pay sister studio 20th Century Fox a license fee of $1.3 million-$1.4 million per episode. ABC and CBS both expressed interest in the project, with the Eye dropping out of the bidding first. NBC passed early on. Besides big money and an episodic order, 20th also asked for certain assurances about timeslots and scheduling. It’s unclear if Fox agreed to those requests. Most industry insiders figured "Action News" would end up at ABC or CBS. But Fox Entertainment prexy Peter Liguori said he believes the quality of the pilot script and the on-air talent involved make it a good fit for the net. "Funny is bang-on the Fox brand," he told Daily Variety. "You’ve got a great script, proven writers and great leads with outstanding comedy chops. To us, it’s a triple threat."

Variety 

Why? Why? Why? I think when as they put it have a "triple threat", you have absolutely nothing at all. But granted I can’t stand Kelsey Grammer or Patricia Heaton so that could be why I am so down on this show. I say this will not be the first show cancelled next season (because Fox put so much money into it) but it will be a big failure.

Jeff Foxworthy is looking pretty smart these days — he is set to host the upcoming Fox quiz show “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader.” The comedian, who is a member of the popular Blue Collar Comedy troupe, will serve as emcee of the series, set to bow February 27 in a plum post-“American Idol” berth. The show will air three consecutive nights, February 27-March 1, behind special editions
of “Idol.” As of March 8, it will air three consecutive weeks on Thursdays.

Hollywood Reporter (story) and Jeff Foxworthy (photo)

Call me a redneck but I actually think he is funny and I might tune into the show now because he is hosting. And how cute is that picture if him as a kid?

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