Since people are still lamenting McGruder's departing the print version of "Boondocks," here's one of the things he has been up to, from TBS this morning:

Super Deluxe, the comedy broadband network from Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS, Inc.), has signed a deal with writer/producer Aaron McGruder for an original series of 20 Webisodes entitled The Super Rumble Mixshow. McGruder is the creator and executive producer of the highly successful Peabody Award winning series, The Boondocks, which airs on Adult Swim.

Super Deluxe launched in early 2007 as one of the first Web sites to bring professionally produced comedy videos to online audiences. It features original, short-form content (shorts, series, animation and sketch) from such established comedic talents as Bob Odenkirk, Dave Foley, Norm Macdonald, The Sklar Brothers and emerging artists like animation breakout Brad Neely. In addition to expanding its Web site, Super Deluxe is expanding to other platforms, including VOD, mobile devices, personal media players, and gaming platforms

As you already know, Britney Spears's 16-year-old sister Jamie Lynn is pregnant.

Something about the holiday season, I guess. This time a year ago, Keisha Castle-Hughes was on the big screen as Mary in "The Nativity Story." Off-screen, she was 16 and pregnant.

My favorite tidbit about the Jamie Lynn pregnancy may be this headline from People.com: "Lynne Spears' Parenting Book 'Delayed Indefinitely.' "

"The publisher [The Thomas Nelson company, specializing in inspirational books and Bibles] declined to comment on whether the focus of the book would change in light of the pregnancy announcement," added People.com.

Well, at least it wasn't a book on family planning.

Britney Spears made clear during her second pregnancy that it had not been planned, and it didn't sound as if Brit had done anything to prevent it.

Nor does it appear that Lynne Spears thought much about telling her daughters to be careful in matters sexual. Even with the example of Britney splashed across the tabloids and the Internet, Lynne never imagined Jamie Lynn would get knocked up.

According to People.com, Lynne said in an OK! magazine interview that "I didn't believe (the pregnancy) because Jamie Lynn's always been so conscientious. She's never late for her curfew. I was in shock. I mean, this is my 16-year-old baby."

Baby Mama, now.

"Survivor: China" fans know that fourth-place finisher Denise Martin got in trouble after she claimed she lost her job and ended up taking a demotion when she went on the show. (See one story here, and a statement from her employers here.)

Martin via CBS released this statement today:

I would like to apologize to Mark Burnett, Jeff Probst, CBS, (school superintendent) Nancy Lane, the Town of Douglas and my friends and family. It was not my intention to mislead anyone. I take full responsibility for my actions and hope that you can find it in your hearts to forgive me. I do not feel comfortable about accepting the $50,000. I would instead ask that it be donated to the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Please accept my apology. I would also like to thank all the people who have supported me through this experience.

With an announcement that sounds basically like, "Yeah, what those other guys said," Jimmy Kimmel makes plans to go back against Leno and Conan. Here's the brief word:

New episodes of “Jimmy Kimmel Live” return to air WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 2 (12:05-1:05 a.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.

“Though it makes me sick to do so without my writers, there are more than a hundred people whose financial well-being depends on our show. It is time to go back to work. I support my colleagues and friends in the WGA completely and hope this ends both fairly and soon,” said host Jimmy Kimmel.

Full announcement after the jump. But this is one more indication that the nets are not anticipating fresh scripted programming from their broadcast suppliers any time soon. …

(more…)

Missed this one in my e-mail last week. Full announcement after the jump …

(more…)

Conan,, Jay statements added below, and an item from Deadline Hollywood Daily. Here's the NBC announcement:

After two months of repeats, "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" will resume broadcasting all-new episodes beginning Wednesday, January 2, 2008 (11:35 p.m., 12:35 a.m., respectively).

Guest lineups for the shows will be announced at a later date.

I note that Jay not long ago said he was "an empty shell" waiting to be filled with the work of his writers. But he issued a terse statement about his return:

"This has been a very difficult six weeks for everybody affected by the writers strike. I was, like most people, hoping for a quick resolution when this began. I remained positive during the talks and while they were still at the table discussing a solution "The Tonight Show" remained dark in support of our writing staff. Now that the talks have broken down and there are no further negotiations scheduled I feel it's my responsibility to get my 100 non-writing staff, which were laid off, back to work. We fully support our writers and I think they understand my decision."

Conan has issued a very tortured-sounding statement and admits the show will not be as good without the writers. Here it is:

"For the past seven weeks of the writers' strike, I have been and continue to be an ardent supporter of the WGA and their cause. My career in television started as a WGA member and my subsequent career as a performer has only been possible because of the creativity and integrity of my writing staff. Since the strike began, I have stayed off the air in support of the striking writers while, at the same time, doing everything I could to take care of the 80 non-writing staff members on Late Night.

"So, it is only after a great deal of thought that I have decided to go back on the air on January 2nd. I will make clear, on the program, my support for the writers and I'll do the best version of Late Night I can under the circumstances. Of course, my show will not be as good. In fact, in moments it may very well be terrible. My sincerest hope is that all of my writers are back soon, working under a contract that provides them everything they deserve."

Meanwhile, Nikki Finke at DHD says the Writers Guild is warning Jay, Conan and whoever that they can't do monologues.

– So Todd won "Survivor: China" Sunday night. Ugh. Wasn't happy with any of the final three (or even the final four). In fact, aside from the maneuvers involving the immunity idols, and James's way of playing them (and not playing them), it was a pretty blah season. Hoping for better the next time around.

– — Brian Windhorst. Remember the name. Brian Windhorst. He works for the Beacon Journal and co-wrote with Terry Pluto the new LeBron book. The Plain Dealer, now Terry's workplace, on Sunday repeatedly referred in headlines to "Pluto's new book." You had to read the fine print to find Windhorst's name. Tacky tactic. The Beacon Journal played much more fairly on the authorship issue.

– Good times for Cleveland sports fans. The Cavs are struggling at the moment, but there's still LeBron. The Browns are on the verge of a playoff run. The Indians had a decent, if ultimately unsuccessful season; it's pretty funny that a new DVD about the 2007 Red Sox includes games 5, 6 and 7 of the ALCS but not the first four. But a real vindicaion of the good times in NE Ohio sports came with Time magazine's list of the 10 best sports moments. Cleveland had two: LeBron's performance in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals against Detroit, and the Cleveland gnat attack on the Yankees.

– I have a question about snow-blower etiquette. (And please, no arguing about the drawbacks to snow-blowers. At 56, I am in no mood to shovel.) What's the latest time at night that's appropriate to use one, and what's the earliest time in the morning? Thanks to the blizzard, I was out a couple of times Sunday night, the second time around 10 p.m. But just enough fell that I was at it again this morning. And because of the times that the bride and I go to our offices, I was out around 6:30 a.m.

I could hear another blower going in the distance, so I wasn't the only one ahead of sunrise. But as I was doing a sidewalk toward a neighbor's house, I saw all the lights were still out there, so I stopped a bit short. So, again, how early is too early, how late is too late?

You can find the reader comments from today's Beacon Journal here. Feel free to add more thoughts by commenting on this post.

This came in the e-mail today from the folks at "Jeopardy!" …

Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek is recuperating at his Studio City home after his release from Cedars-Sinai Hospital on Saturday Dec. 15 following his recent minor heart attack.

"I'm truly overwhelmed by the great show of support and compassion expressed in the past few days to me, my family and my coworkers. Even though I know Jeopardy! is ! a very popular program, I was still surprised at the number of people who took time from their schedules to call or send a note of encouragement. I thank you all so very much. I'm on the mend, and will be spending Christmas at home with my family. I will be back in the studio on January 14 to tape our Teen Tournament, which is always one of my favorite competitions. Meanwhile, I hope you will continue to watch and enjoy the program. The shows were taped before my heart attack, so what you are seeing is original, not rerun material. Happy Holidays to all of you. Alex"

For "Lost," it's Jan. 31, a Thursday night. More stuff after the jump.
I'm trying to see some optimism in this move — that ABC is hoping that the strike will be over in time for it to make more "Lost" episodes, instead of just stopping with the eight it reportedly has finished. That maybe there will be a deal by the end of January?
On the other hand, moving "Lost" into the "Grey's Anatomy" slot suggests pessimism — that they're not going to get that show up and running again any time soon, so they might as well fill the time slot with fresh product.
Either way, the winter keeps looking rocky.

(more…)

There's a book title that nags me, by pianist Gary Graffman: "I Really Should Be Practicing." I'll explain why after the jump …

(more…)

The Parents Television Council is screaming about a moment it considers indecent in the Nov. 30 episode of "Las Vegas." According to PTC, the episode "included a side camera shot of a stripper exposing her breasts." I haven't seen the episode, "The High Price of Gas, but it is available at NBC.com. See for yourself, and I'll try to give it a look later.)

I have posted PTC's complete announcement after the jump. But I had to snort at the way PTC is making a big deal about this because the episode was "viewed by hundreds of thousands of children."

Please. This is "Las Vegas." If children are watching, I would want to talk to their parents before I complained to the FCC.

(more…)

It's a night for giggles. I'm even watching the "Saturday Night Live" Christmas special, even though I have seen it and every sketch in it before. Hooray for the Chanukah Song! Bring on Pete Schwety!

And in the giggle mode, I found this the other day while looking up information about "The Bell That Couldn't Jingle," a Burt Bacharach tune.

" alt="Bell" />

This is PROBABLY not the way Bacharach intended for it to be heard (or seen). But it gives me major grins. Perhaps more than tonight's "30 Rock," and that was a pretty funny "30 Rock." I was kind of bummed when Jack's mom broke through the Lemons' cheerfulness, but even that was done well.

Photo shredders for everyone!

You can find all the nominees here.

My friend Alan Sepinwall makes an interesting point about the Globes' TV nominees on his blog (as well as giving me props for the Chamber of Commerce theory of awards). But I'm going to focus on the movie noms here.

I know there's all that talk about the Globes as a barometer for Oscars, and I like some of the nominees. But the Globes still strike me as an award best known for letting potential winners drink before they get their prizes.

As barometers go, they're a weird one because they split so many movie categories between drama and comedy/musical, giving them twice as many chances to pick a winner as the Oscars have. (Or more than twice as many. There are seven nominees for best drama this year.)

And they are prone to the same inconsistencies seen in some other awards. Take "There Will Be Blood," nominated for best drama, and with Daniel Day-Lewis nominated as best actor in a drama, but shut out of the director and screenplay categories.

I know, the Globes build a funnel, since they don't split director and screenplay into drama and comedy/musical, but it still suggests that some movies were simply born, rather than being written and directed.