Just about everyone you love from the old Arrested Development is returning to the new “Arrested Development,” as it’s been announced that Liza Minelli will return to the series, joining Henry Winkler and Judy Greer. No word, yet, on whether Scott Baio’s Bob Loblaw will make an appearance.
Speaking of Baio: I saw an episode or two of his reality show a few years ago, and you know what? That guy is kind of a douche, which upset my decade’s long opinion of him from “Happy Days” and “Charles in Charge.” He’s returning to television, however, in an actual sitcom about a sitcom Dad becoming a stay-at-home Dad. “See Dad Run” is Nick at Nite’s first every original comedy. Here’s a preview, though I wouldn’t bother.
Here’s a promo you might be interested in, for the fourth season of “Modern Family,” a sitcom that has found a nice place to sit and stew in its own stasis.
In ratings news, Dems have more to celebrate today than the 4-point lead Obama has over Romney in the latest tracking polls, the adorable photo of the guy LIFTING the president, or Jimmy Fallon as James Taylor’s brilliant song at the DNC last week, but more heartening for our purposes is the fact that President Obama practically singularly destroyed the ratings to last Thursday’s MTV Video Music Awards, which fell from 12.4 million viewers to 6.1 million viewers.
Kristen Wiig, Andy Samberg, and Abby Elliot departed “Saturday Night Live” over the summer (while Jason Sudeikis may come back), so fresh blood was needed. Lorne Michaels has thus hired two new players, Aidy Bryant and Tim Robinson, both from the Chicago sketch comedy circuit. Here’s what they look like:
Oh, wow! More white people from the midwest. Way to think outside the box, Lorne.
Update: “SNL” adds a third cast mate, Cecily Strong, also white, also from Chicago’s Second City.
Finally, I don’t really care about reality shows, and care even less about singing competitions, and somehow care even care less about rumors regarding who might host those shows. However, I admit I’m a little thrilled to learn that Chrissy Teigen is rumored to be up for a host’s spot on “The X Factor,” and not just because Teigen is seriously a fan of Pajiba (I’m not kidding! She’s tweeted about us, like, several times!). She’s also very funny, very smart, and very bitchy, in the best kind of way. I don’t know if she’ll get the gig, but she would be very good at it, although she might very well show up Simon Cowell in the cutting insults department. I’m not entirely sure what her credentials for hosting a singing competition might be, save for the fact that she’s engaged to John Legend, but I assure you she’d be better than Demi Lovato, who got seriously burned by a contestant during auditions.
Oh, and Teigen is very pretty, too. In the pretty sense!
To be fair, Chicago is a bit of a mecca for aspiring comedians, improvisers, and sketch performers. Complaining that SNL consistently finds its talent in Chicago is kind of like complaining that casting directors are wildly unoriginal for casting 90% of their actors in LA.
e jerry powell
Why is there still a Second City Chicago? Lorne Michaels should just buy the place, shut it down and move everyone to New York at this point. Oh, and the Groundlings, too.
It's been thirty-seven years, people. Time to just pull it all together and brand it.
nosio
Uh, Second City is it's own brand already.
e jerry powell
Aware of that. Given the amount of poaching that SNL has done from both SC Chicago and SC Toronto, Michaels should just claim them as dependents or something.
nosio
GAH. *its
melissa82
What about Ann-Hog? Is Mae Whitman returning!? I know she's on Parenthood and fantastic on it and all, but I've used every single "Her?" joke about a million times and could use some more... Though I'm sure I'll quote everything from the new episodes regardless ...because I'm obnoxious.
Sara_Tonin00
That autotune video was lovely - though even better, it led me to the Cosby Sweater Tweet slideshow, where I found this masterpiece: http://www.uproxx.com/webcultu...
Now *that's* a gif.
John G.
What else is he gonna do? Hire black people? He can't have his entire cast appear in no sketches all year.
Bert_McGurt
Well, that last photo is sure doing its damndest to impart personal bit tingliness. But what is the dude in the background holding? And why is only one of his sleeves pushed up?
I was about to post the same thing. Baio has a loooooong history of douchery.
Fredo
Curse you, John Legend!! I don't care that "Ordinary People" was good and that "Used to Love U" is infectious. Curse your talent and your fortune and your good luck!
/shakes fist at sky like Grandpa Simpson
TK
That Demi Lovato video fills my heart with joy, which is a strange and unfamiliar sensation. I want to run into that guy in a bar and get totaled with him.
tmoney
Um, at least the midwestern white people aren't skinny? Seriously though, Keenan can't play every black person.
