Obama Endorses 'Homeland,' the Tale of a Secretly Muslim Political Candidate

Obama Endorses 'Homeland,' the Tale of a Secretly Muslim Political Candidate

One of Barack Obama's favorite shows is about a secret Muslim who runs for office with a possible eye toward harming America from within -- which is exactly what the president's more paranoid critics accuse him of being.

But that, apparently, hasn't diminshed his appreciation of "Homeland," one of several shows he listed as his favorites in a year-end chat with People.

Obama has explained, again and again, that he isn't a Muslim and was born in the U.S. He even produced his birth certificate, partly to swat down insinuations that he's a sort of Manchurian candidate with plans to undermine the U.S. -- after establishing his cover, of course, by ordering the death of Osama bin Laden. (Never mind the idiocy of assuming anyone who's a Muslim must be out to destroy America.)

Also on the executive watchlist: ABC's "Modern Family," which he watches with daughters Sasha and Malia. (Social conservatives may note that it features two happy and well-adjusted gay parents.) "For the girls and me, 'Modern Family,' that's our favorite show," Obama tells the magazine.

First Lady Michelle Obama says the president has to watch "Homeland" and another somber show, HBO's "Boardwalk Empire," on his own. "We don't watch TV with him," she says in the joint interview.

MSNBC apologizes for Mitt Romney-Klan references

MSNBC apologizes for Mitt Romney-Klan references

MSNBC apologized Wednesday night for a report earlier that day that claimed Mitt Romney was using a Ku Klux Klan phrase as a campaign slogan.

Chris Matthews apologized on behalf of the network on his show "Hardball," noting that the report was "irresponsible" and "incendiary" and that the network showed an "appalling lack of judgment."

The initial report, given by Thomas Roberts shortly before noon, was based on a post from left-leaning website Americablog on Tuesday, which pointed out that KKK literature often used the phrase "Keep America America." It then provided an example of Romney using the phrase, and has provided more examples since MSNBC apologized.

The KKK is not the only group to use that phrase, and rest assured most candidates have used some kind of similar-sounding phrase.

Here's what Roberts said on MSNBC: "So you may not hear Mitt Romney say 'Keep America American' anymore. That's because it was a central theme of the KKK in the 1920s, it was a rallying cry for the group's campaign of violence and intimidation against blacks, gays and Jews. The progressive blog AmericaBlog was the first to catch on to that."

Lesson to all those in the media? Best to avoid any Klan references, no matter the circumstances.

Golden Globes 2012 Nominations

Golden Globes 2012 Nominations

The 2012 Golden Globes nominations are in!

Gerard Butler, Woody Harrelson, Rashida Jones, and Sofia Vergara announced the nominees early Thursday morning (December 15). The Golden Globes will air on Sunday, January 15!

After the press conference, the four toasted with Moët & Chandon Grand Vintage 2002, the award show’s official champagne, to celebrate all the nominations, including Sofia’s Best Supporting Actress nod!

Check out the nominees…

Best Supporting Actress in a Series, Mini-series or TV Movie
Jessica Lange
Kelly Macdonald
Maggie Smith
Sofia Vergara
Evan Rachel Wood

Best Actress in a TV Series - Drama
Claire Danes
Mireille Enos
Julianna Margulies
Madeleine Stowe
Callie Thorne

Best Original Song – Motion Picture
“Hello Hello” - Gnomeo & Juliet
“The Keeper” - Machine Gun Preacher
“Lay Your Head Down” - Albert Nobbs
“The Living Proof” - The Help
“Masterpiece” - W.E

Best Actress in a TV Series - Comedy
Laura Dern
Zooey Deschanel
Tina Fey
Laura Linney
Amy Poehler

Best Foreign Language Film
The Flowers of War
In the Land of Blood and Honey
The Kid With A Bike
A Separation
The Skin I Live In

Best Actor in a TV Series - Comedy
Alec Baldwin
David Duchovny
Johnny Galecki
Thomas Jane
Matt LeBlanc

Best Supporting Actor in a Series - Mini-series or TV Movie
Peter Dinklage
Paul Giamatti
Guy Pearce
Tim Robbins
Eric Stonestreet

Best TV Series - Comedy
Enlightened
Episodes
Glee
Modern Family
New Girl

Best Screenplay – Motion Picture
Woody Allen - Midnight in Paris
Michael Hazanavicius - The Artist
George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Beau Willimon - The Ides of March
Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon, Jim Rash - The Descendants
Steve Zaillian, Aaron Sorkin - Moneyball

Best Actor in a TV Series - Drama
Steve Buscemi
Bryan Cranston
Kelsey Grammer
Jeremy Irons
Damian Lewis

Best TV Movie or Mini-series
Cinema Verite
Downton Abbey
The Hour
Mildred Pierce
Too Big to Fail

Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Berenice Bejo
Jessica Chastain
Janet McTeer
Octavia Spencer
Shailene Woodley

Best Original Score - Motion Picture
Ludovic Bource – The Artist
Abel Korzeniowski – W.E
Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross – The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Howard Shore - Hugo
John Williams - War Horse

Best Animated Feature Film
The Adventures of Tintin
Arthur Christmas
Cars 2
Puss in Boots
Rango

Best Actor in a Mini-series or TV Movie
Hugh Bonneville
Idris Elba
William Hurt
Bill Nighy
Dominic West

Best Actress in a Mini-Series or TV Movie
Romola Garai
Diane Lane
Elizabeth McGovern
Emily Watson
Kate Winslet

Best TV Series Drama
American Horror Story
Boardwalk Empire
Boss
Game of Thrones
Homeland

Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Jean Dujardin
Brendan Gleeson
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Ryan Gosling
Owen Wilson

Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Jodie Foster
Charlize Theron
Kristen Wiig
Michelle Williams
Kate Winslet

Best Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
George Clooney
Leonardo DiCaprio
Michael Fassbender
Ryan Gosling
Brad Pitt

Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama
Glenn Close
Viola Davis
Rooney Mara
Meryl Streep
Tilda Swinton

Disney Unveils Cast of 'Violetta'

Disney Unveils Cast of 'Violetta'

Show is the first live-action series co-produced by Disney Latin America and Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Argentine actress Martina Stoessel will play the lead in Violetta, the first original live-action series created by Disney Channel Latin America and Europe, Middle East and Africa, with Argentine tween idol Diego Ramos co-starring, Disney announced Thursday.

The cast will be rounded out by Mexico's Jorge Blanco and Argentina's Clara Alonso - two well-known faces for fans of Disney Channel Latin America, in addition to a dozen actors from around Latin America, Spain, Italy and Ukraine.

Violetta is about a musically talented teenager who returns to her native Buenos Aires after living in Europe. It will be filmed entirely in Latin America and premiere on Disney Channels across Latin America and EMEA in 2012.

Howard Stern Joins NBC's 'America's Got Talent'

Howard Stern Joins NBC's 'America's Got Talent'

The shock jock announced the news on his radio show on Thursday morning.

Howard Stern has signed a deal to join NBC talent show America's Got Talent as a judge, the shock jock announced on his Sirius XM Radio show on Thursday.

"It's offical - Howard just signed on the dotted line - he is now the newest judge on America's Got Talent!" said a tweet from the show's Twitter handle @sternshow.

Stern said he will start shooting in February and travel the country for the audition rounds, according to people who buzzed about the news online. The show's live airings will move to New York where Stern is based.

“Howard Stern’s larger-than-life personality will bring a thrilling new dynamic to America’s Got Talent starting this summer,” said Paul Telegdy, president of alternative and late night at NBC, in a release that confirmed the news.

An earlier tweet from Stern's show had said: "Yesterday, Howard met America's Got Talent winner @landaueugenejr . Howard says he's a really nice guy but he still shouldn't have won." Stern recently said he would be better on the talent show than David Hasselhoff. The addition of Stern caps off a big week for NBC's reality division, which has delivered much-needed good news for the network. Monday's return of Fear Factor, after its six year hiatus, brought the beleaguered network its best non-sports ratings for the 8pm hour since 2008.

America's Got Talent is produced by FremantleMedia North America and Simon Cowell’s SYCO Television.

TV Tonight 15th of December 2011: Europe, the USA, Canada and Australia.

TV Tonight 15th of December 2011: Europe, the USA, Canada and Australia.

The daily list in alphabetical order, of all the new episodes airing in Europe, the USA, Canada and Australia.

    Argumental S04E07: "Tim Vine, Stephen Mangan"
    Art Mann Presents S07E10: "Pittsburgh Football Mayhem"
    Beavis and Butt-Head S08E09: "Used Car/Bounty Hunters"
    Beavis and Butt-Head S08E10: "Time Machine/Massage"
    Best Dish - The Chefs S01E34: "Episode 34"
    Beyond Scared Straight S02E07: "St. Clair County, IL"
    Big Shrimpin' S01E05: "First Weigh-In"
    Böda Camping S02E07: "TBA"
    Braxton Family Values S02E05: "The Graduate"
    Burn Notice S05E18: "Fail Safe"
    Chef Hunter S01E06: "Villa Antonio"
    Chelsea Lately S05E189
    Coach Trip S08E04: "Series 8, Day 4"
    Conan S02E20: "Dax Shepard, Kunal Nayyar, Dawes"
    Coronation Street S52E253: "Thur 15 Dec, 2011"
    Crimewatch UK S28E20: "Series 28, Show 9"
    Crimewatch UK S28E19: "Series 28, Show 8"
    D.U.I. S01E06: "Jody & James"
    D.U.I. S01E05: "Travis & Casey"
    Dama til S01E07: "Dama til Audun Lysbakken"
    Days of our Lives S47E26: "Ep. #11736"
    Deal Or No Deal (UK) S07E94: "Episode 1774"
    Dickinson's Real Deal S08E19: "Series 8, Episode 19"
    Doctors S13E166: "The Season to be Jolly"
    Drop Down Menu S01E29: "Episode 29"
    EastEnders S27E199: "December 15, 2011"
    Emmerdale S40E294: "December 15, 2011 [Episode 2]"
    Emmerdale S40E293: "December 15, 2011"
    Fairground Attractions S01E05: "Series 1, Episode 5"
    Frank Skinner's Opinionated S03E06: "Reginald D Hunter, Sarah Millican"
    General Hospital (US) S49E180: "#12454"
    Good Vibes S01E09: "Mondo Mia!"
    Good Vibes S01E08: "Red Tuxedo"
    Grand Designs S11E14: "The Great British Property Scandal Special (2)"
    Halv åtta hos mig S07E60: "Västervik - Magnus"
    Hollyoaks S17E249: "December 15, 2011"
    Hotel cæsar S28E125: "Season 28, Episode 125"
    I Almost Got Away with It S04E11: "Got to Escape From the Rock"
    Impact Wrestling S08E63: "Season 8, Episode 63"
    It's All About Amy S01E03: "Episode 3"
    It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia S07E13
    Jeopardy! S28E64: "Show #6269"
    Jimmy Kimmel Live S09E177: "Robert Downey Jr., Lenny Kravitz"
    Late Show with David Letterman S18E177: "Tom Hanks, My Morning Jacket"
    Life's Too Short S01E06: "Episode 6"
    Living with the Amish S01E04: "Episode 4"
    Masterchef - The Professionals S04E25: "Series 4, Episode 25"
    Naruto: Shippuuden S10E44: "Kiba's Determination"
    NFL Thursday Night Football S06E06: "Jacksonville Jaguars at Atlanta Falcons"
    Nissene over skog og hei S01E15: "Season 1, Episode 15"
    One Life to Live S44E107: "Ep. #11086"
    Person of Interest S01E10: "Number Crunch"
    PhoneShop S02E06: "Revenge Of The Razz"
    Pointless S05E79: "Series 5, Episode 79"
    Prime Suspect (2011) S01E10: "A Gorgeous Mosaic"
    Project Accessory S01E07: "Bugging Out"
    Prosto w serce S02E74: "Season 2, Episode 192"
    Rang 1 S01E08: "Season 1, Episode 8"
    Rev S02E06: "Series 2, Episode 6"
    Rules of Engagement S06E07: "The Chair (FKA Game of Thrones)"
    Russell Howard's Good News S05E08: "Series 5, Episode 8"
    Selling New York S04E09: "Big Decisions And Fast Deadlines"
    Sket Dance S01E37: "Episode 37"
    Storm Chasers S05E5001: "Behind the Storms 2011"
    Strictly Come Dancing - It Takes Two S08E54: "Series 8, Episode 54"
    The Bold and the Beautiful S25E188: "Ep. #6217"
    The Colbert Report S07E160: "Daniel Craig"
    The Daily Show S16E160: "Matt Damon"
    The Ellen DeGeneres Show S09E68: "Paris Jackson"
    The Family (2011) S01E04: "They're Not Kids Anymore"
    The First 48 S12E02: "Love Kills/Justified"
    The Jeremy Kyle Show S07E70: "December 15, 2011"
    The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson S07E214: "Sean Hayes, John Hodgman"
    The League S03E11: "The Guest Bong"
    The Manor Reborn S01E04: "Episode 4"
    The Mentalist S04E10: "Fugue in Red"
    The Rosie Show S01E39: "Rosie's Comedy Year in Review"
    The Tonight Show with Jay Leno S19E210
    The View S15E72
    The World's Strictest Parents S04E07: "Changed My Life"
    The X Factor (US) S01E24: "LIVE Results Show #7"
    The Xtra Factor S08E35: "Best and Worst 2011 - 4"
    The Young and the Restless S39E185: "Ep. #9800"
    This is England '86 S02E03: "Series 2, Episode 3"
    This Week (2003) S10E13: "December 15, 2011"
    Thuis S17E79: "Season 17, Episode 79"
    Tonight with Trevor McDonald S13E51: "Counting on Christmas"
    truTV Presents: World's Dumbest... S12E06: "World's Dumbest Pranksters 2"
    Vermist (2008) S03E07: "Dooms"
    Weed Wars S01E03: "Harborside's Employee Betrayal"
    Winx Club S05E23: "Biker Chick Wedding Crashers"
    Without You S01E02: "Episode 2"

There is Going to Be an Eastwood Family Reality Show (As In Clint)

There is Going to Be an Eastwood Family Reality Show (As In Clint)

There aren't many people in Hollywood who've had a career like Clint Eastwood's, rising up from bit player in the '50s to tough-guy leading man in the '70s to one of the most respected movie directors in the '90s and beyond. So where to go next, you ask, for the 81-year-old legend? If I said, an E! Network reality show, home of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, how might that strike you? Downgrade? Well, it's happening.

TMZ reports that the show is already shooting. But if you're already burning your DVD copy of Unforgiven in protest, there is some comfort in knowing that Clint will linger mostly in the background. According to TMZ, the show is actually going to "explore what it's like to live in a family of 'Hollywood royalty,'" and will "focus on the relationship between Clint's wife Dina Eastwood, their daughter Morgan, and Clint's 18-year-old daughter Francesca." Might we glimpse the types of family songwriting sessions that yield lyrics like, "Whisper through my Gran Turino...?" We can only hope.

'The Vampire Diaries' scoop: Will Tyler and Caroline pull through? Plus, where has Bonnie's mom been?

'The Vampire Diaries' scoop: Will Tyler and Caroline pull through? Plus, where has Bonnie's mom been?

Usually around this time of year, we're counting down to the holidays. Presents! Time off of work! Parties! Other, less shallow things we pretend to care about! This year, though, we'd gladly skip the last two weeks of December if it would make January 5 come sooner. It's been a month without "The Vampire Diaries." We've suffered enough.

What to expect moving forward from that perpetual Damon-Elena-Stefan love triangle. The short version? Damon and Elena get closer, while elsewhere, Stefan gets increasingly awesome.

Still, one of our favorite things about "The Vampire Diaries" is that the secondary characters are just as richly developed as the ones who show up on the billboards -- and we're just as invested in Tyler (Michael Trevino) as we are in Damon. So, of course, when we caught up with E.P. Julie Plec last week, we made sure not to only focus on the Salvatore triangle. After all, when we last saw Tyler, things weren't looking good for him, though he may have disagreed.

The final scene between Tyler and Caroline (Candice Accola) broke our hearts. He's accepted (and even welcomed) his transformation into being a hybrid, even given the fact that it essentially makes him a servant to Klaus, who has tried to kill pretty much everyone he knows. He no longer has to endure painful transitions when the moon is full, so as far as he's concerned, the worst is behind him.

He's wrong.

"Tyler and Caroline have a lot to overcome," Julie says. "Because Tyler, on his own, has a lot to overcome. It's pretty bleak, right now, and it's only going to start to get bleaker before it gets better. "

We're going to focus on that "it gets better" part and tune out all the rest.

As far as Caroline is concerned, she doesn't know that she can love someone who is controlled by someone she hates so vehemently. " I loved what Tyler said to Caroline at the end of the last episode, which was 'I can't hate this, because it's better. Because I don't have to go through that pain. Because in a way, I feel free, so fight for me, and fight for us,'" Julie reminds us. "She doesn't know if she can, so when we come back, he's not happy with her. He's not happy with anything."

Without Caroline keeping him grounded, the worst parts of Tyler start to surface -- and he begins to understand that along with all the benefits of being a hybrid come great consequences. "He's got Klaus whispering in his ear saying 'I need you to do this for me. You need to 'serve your master,'" Julie explains. "Tyler is in a very, very bad situation that almost has catastrophic consequences. It's going to take him a while to earn his way back into the good graces of our heroes, his friends, and Caroline."

Meanwhile, we'll also be getting a little deeper into Bonnie's (Kat Graham) emotional state. Yes, when we return from hiatus, Bonnie and Jeremy (Stephen R. McQueen) are still dealing with the fall-out from the ghostly infidelity issue -- albeit in very different ways.

Unfortunately, Bonnie doesn't get much time to heal. "Bonnie gave herself over to the relationship with Jeremy and it ended badly," Julie says. "She's really been struggling. When we get back from the hiatus she gets pulled right back into the witch side of business. She's been helping deal with hiding the coffins and all the other things that are going on, being the only witch in town."

As if she didn't have enough to deal with... enter her absentee mother, Abby, played by Persia White. Though Abby and Bonnie have a rocky history, Bonnie finds some solace in her mother, simply given the fact that she's not involved with the Salvatores. Yet.

"I can't give away too much in terms of the catalyst that brings them together and in terms of the mythology," Julie says. "But I'll say that emotionally, Bonnie needs a touchstone that is disconnected from this vampire life. She finds that in the mother who, as we'll learn, abandoned her a long, long time ago -- and abandoned being a witch, too. There's some great conflict there, and we're just scratching the surface right now, but I'm very excited to dig into it."

Jeremy, on the other hand, is regressing a bit. After being (understandably) traumatized by losing Anna again, he's a little lost -- and he's a little reckless. Elena and Alaric (Matt Davis) become seriously concerned about his behavior and his safety. Rightfully so, too -- because it's Jeremy who (indirectly) lands Alaric in the hospital, where he'll meet Dr. Fell (Torrey DeVitto), a love interest with some surprising connections to Mystic Falls.

We've got more scoop for you -- particularly about the new doc -- but you'll have to wait. See, we can do a cliffhanger, too! (We might need Julie to give us some lessons, though... ours aren't as good as hers.)

We don't need to remind you, but we do it anyway: January 5. 8 p.m. EST. The CW. See you there.

Spain's Antena 3 Merges With Rival Broadcaster La Sexta

Spain's Antena 3 Merges With Rival Broadcaster La Sexta

Deal will give the new group more than 40 percent of the ad market, second only to Mediaset Spain.

MADRID - Spain's Antena 3 and rival broadcaster La Sexta announced late Wednesday a merger that revamps the Spanish television landscape and sees the smaller La Sexta absorbed into the Antena 3 Group.

La Sexta shareholders will receive 7 percent of the newly formed group, with an additional 7 percent maximum through staged, completed objectives from 2012-2016 linked to the newly formed group's performance. Previous to the consummated merger, Antena 3 shareholders will increase the group's capital through an emission of new stock. 

The move will be submitted for regulatory permission as well as for approval from Antena 3's shareholders in the first quarter of 2012.

Under the terms, Antena 3 will assume 70 million euros ($90.8 million) of La Sexta's debt, but will corner 25.7 percent of the television audience and go head to head with sector leader Mediaset, which took full control of Prisa's free-to-air channel Cuatro earlier this year giving it the undisputed lead with 26.4 percent of the audience share.

A merger between the two has been in the works for two years and is seen as commercially desirable, particularly after Mediaset Espana acquired smaller Spanish rival Cuatro earlier this year and merging their advertising portfolios into one company.

La Sexta's November 7.2 percent audience share compares to Antena 3's 18.5 percent share, which sits behind pubcaster Television Espanola and Mediaset's main channel, formerly known as Telecinco.

According to the latest figures, Antena 3 would now corner 41.6 percent of advertising investment on television, compared to Mediaset's 43.5 percent.

The Spanish Association of Advertisers immediately decried the news as "creating a duopoly" that will have "awful consequences."

Abercrombie & Fitch Slams 'The Situation' in Detailed Lawsuit Response

Abercrombie & Fitch Slams 'The Situation' in Detailed Lawsuit Response

The "substantial" offer for "Jersey Shore" cast member Mike Sorrentino to NOT wear Abercrombie clothing was $10,000 and came after the retailer had put out a press release. Will the First Amendment and Sorrentino's trademark inadequacies protect the company from a $4 million lawsuit over an alleged publicity stunt?

Last month, Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino from Jersey Shore sued Abercrombie & Fitch over what he saw was a less-than-amusing publicity stunt. The retailer had offered him a "substantial payment" to stop wearing its clothes, and introduced a line of clothing that seemingly aped Sorrentino's famous catch phrases. In response, MPS Entertainment, the company owned by Sorrentino and his brother, filed a $4 million lawsuit alleging trademark violations, deceptive advertising and misappropriation of his publicity rights.

On Monday, Abercrombie & Fitch responded in court with a very detailed motion to dismiss. The clothing company tells a slightly different story of what happened. Additionally, the defendant attacks Sorrentino for weak trademark claims and says the Jersey Shore castmember is interfering with its First Amendment right to make light of a troubling situation.

Here's A&F's side of the story, which begins on an episode of Jersey Shore that aired on August 11.

Throughout the episode, A&F says that Sorrentino wore green Abercrombie sweat pants bearing its logo.

The retailer says it was concerned that "the prominent display of its A&F logo would be viewed as an endorsement by A&F of the raucous behavior on the show."

Reality TV shows often blur out brand names. Not this time, allegedly. So A&F sent a letter to MTV with a request that its marks be pixilated out of future episodes. Along with the demand allegedly came an offer that MTV, Sorrentino and other castmembers would be paid money for not wearing its products. Sorrentino's camp says it never got such an offer, but here's a look at the letter to MTV co-general counsel George Cheeks, revealing that the "substantial" offer to stop wearing A&F clothing was for $10,000

In his lawsuit, Sorrentino says that A&F's efforts to contact MTV were all part of a "marketing ploy." Even if MTV was contacted, the star says that such an offer was never conveyed to him. A&F responds that it doesn't matter. "Whether the offer letter went directly to Sorrentino is immaterial, and does not establish the falsity of the offer that Plaintiffs allege was made," the company writes in its motion to dismiss.

Sounds good. Here's the problem: Was this a sincere and timely offer?

The letter above is dated August 15, yet A&F had already had put out a press release three days earlier noting that it had offered compensation to Sorrentino to cease wearing A&F products. Additionally, although one presidential candidate is getting slammed as being out-of-touch for casually offering up a $10,000 bet in a recent debate, we'll wager that "up to $10,000" wouldn't impress many Hollywood dealmakers as being very "substantial."

A&F does somewhat better in attacking Sorrentino's claims that certain A&F clothing infringed his trademarks.

A&F says it had placed an order in January 2010 for two t-shirts featuring phrases that parodied Jersey Shore. The company says that Sorrentino was aware of the parody t-shirts  for almost a year and never objected.

The retailer goes on to dispute Sorrentino's trademark dominion over "The Situation" and "GTL," saying the evidence shows merely that the reality star has applied to register those marks. The applications have not yet been granted by the U.S. Trademark Office.

Additionally, the use and "good will" of the mark is questioned. It's noted that MPS supposedly acquired rights to a stylized upside-down "Situation" mark and design from a retailer named Yak Shoes, but A&F questions the validity of this assignment since there has been no transfer of business nor evidence that the mark and design has been used. Besides, A&F points out that the asserted trademark registration and A&F's clothing aren't very similar and its products are unlikely to confuse consumers.

The clothing retailer provides some good reasoning to doubt whether Sorrentino will eventually succeed in registering GTL. It's pointed out that Viacom (parent company of MTV) actually holds a trademark registration for "GYM TANNING LAUNDRY" and has been offering on its website t-shirts for sale bearing "GTL."

"Based on both MTV's and other Jersey Shore castmates' use of 'GTL', Plaintiffs cannot establish that they are the single source of goods being offered under the alleged mark 'GTL', and their unfair uncompetition and false designation of origin claim under 1125(a) must fail," says the brief.

Perhaps most important is the question whether A&F's use of Sorrentino and his catch-phrases is constitutionally-protected free speech. A&F says that its shirts and use of the star's likeness was parody -- clearly a joke, not intended to convey sponsorship:

"A&F's t-shirt bearing the phrase 'The Fitchuation' was a pun or turn of phrase, parodying Sorrentino's nickname for himself as 'The Situation'. As Plaintiffs plead, Sorrentino has appeared on several nationally televised programs and as such is a public figure, subject to being parodied by virtue of his presence in the public eye. Additionally, the t-shirt bearing the phrase 'G.T.L. (You Know The Deal) Fitch', was poking fun at the Jersey Shore castmates self proclaimed habit of doing the 'GTL', i.e. 'gym, tanning laundry.'

We have no idea what makes the average guido in Jersey laugh, and we know the old saying that the best way to kill a joke is to explain it, but was this actually humorous? Whether the judge chuckles and chucks....stay tuned.

Newest 'Justified' Season 3 Trailer: Raylan and Boyd Tangle in the Marshal's Office

Newest 'Justified' Season 3 Trailer: Raylan and Boyd Tangle in the Marshal's Office

We're still mourning Mags Bennett and her apple pie jars, but a new promo for the upcoming third season of FX's "Justified" suggests the old Raylan Givens/Boyd Crowder friction will bubble up and provide plenty of action in the new episodes that launch in January.

In the clip, we see Boyd -- who very craftily maneuvered himself into position to be the new godfather of Harlan County at the end of season two -- trying to make U.S. marshal (and Boyd's old high school pal) Raylan give Boyd access to someone who's going to be on the receiving end of a special brand of Harlan justice.

Raylan refuses -- "You think I'm going to hand a man over to you to be murdered, like he is what, some pig I borrowed from ya? -- and that leads to a smackdown and lots of shattered glass in the marshal's office.

Check out the video clip below to see who's on the receiving end of the punch that sends one of the fellas flying, and mark Jan. 17 on your primetime calendar for the "Justified" season premiere:

Hot for Winter: Your January Premieres Calendar

Hot for Winter: Your January Premieres Calendar

There was a time, believe it or not, when the January TV slate meant simply more of the same old same old. But for a while now, pretty much ever since a little show called 24 decided to unspool its latest breakneck day in the new year, the heart of winter has signaled a near-avalanche of fresh TV goodness.

By popular demand, TVLine presents this first pass at a handy calendar of January 2012′s biggest premieres, including the latest batches of American Idol, Justified, Pretty Little Liars and White Collar, the farewell run of One Tree Hill, and the debuts of newbies such as J.J. Abrams’ Alcatraz.

Season and series premieres are denoted in BOLD, and we’ve also included finales, specials and many — though by no means all — return dates for current shows that are on or entering holiday hiatus

Busy Philipps on Cougar Town Delay, Dashed Globes Dreams, Slashed Storylines: 'It Sucks'

Busy Philipps on Cougar Town Delay, Dashed Globes Dreams, Slashed Storylines: 'It Sucks'

Busy Philipps won’t be waking up Thursday morning with visions of Golden Globe nominations for herself or her fellow Cougar Town cast members dancing in her head. “That’s not going to happen now. No one’s seen the show this season,” says Philipps, lamenting the fact that ABC has not only failed to find a spot for the hilarious ensemble comedy on its 2012 schedule, but also reduced its Season 3 episode order from 22 to 15.

Philipps says the Cougar Town cast has already shot 10 of those episodes, and that the show’s writers may have to cut back a storyline focusing on a new love interest for Laurie. “The writers have amazing stuff planned out for this season, and now they’re going to have to condense,” she says. “I feel bad for them. I feel bad for everyone. It’s a bummer. It sucks.”

The good news, though, says Philipps, is that Season 3 contains “some of the funniest work we’ve done since the beginning of the show. I’ve seen a couple of the episodes. The one Courteney [Cox] directed came out incredible.”

Plus, teases Philipps, there’s a new addition to the cast with major breakout potential: Briga Heelan, who’s been cast as the very young woman Grayson (unwittingly) impregnated years ago. “[Briga] is threateningly funny. She’s so good! She’s going to be a huge star,” Philipps predicts. “You heard it from me first.”

What’s more, while Laurie will indeed embark on a new romance with a military man who’s stuck in the Middle East — read more about how that relationship will work in this week’s Ask Ausiello! – the show will also address her burgeoning romantic feelings with Travis. “There’s a really good episode toward the beginning of the season where the two of us discuss our relationship a little bit,” Philipps explains. “It’s funny and sweet.”

HBO buys Leonardo DiCaprio executive-produced series

HBO buys Leonardo DiCaprio executive-produced series

Leonardo DiCaprio is coming to HBO -- in a behind-the-camera capacity, anyway.

HBO is developing a drama series based on the 2009 Josh Bazell novel "Beat the Reaper," with DiCaprio executive-producing.

"Ocean's Thirteen" screenwriters Brian Koppleman and David Levien are penning the project, as well as co-executive producing.

Also executive-producing are Jennifer Davisson Killoran, of DiCaprio's production company Appian Way, and Julie Yorn, of LBI Entertainment, along with new Regency's Arnon Milchan and New Regency alum Bob Harper and Hutch Parker.

New Regency initially acquired the rights to the book, as a potential starring vehicle for DiCaprio.

The Bazell novel revolves around a medical resident in the Federal Witness Protection Program, who describes his history as a mafia hitman through a series of flashbacks. In the present time, he must save a mob acquaintance from his past in order to prevent him from revealing the resident's location to the local crime boss.

Veterans group won't accept CBS, "Hawaii 5-O" apology

Veterans group won't accept CBS, "Hawaii 5-O" apology

Last Friday might not be a day that will live in infamy for CBS, but it certainly created its headaches for the network.

The veterans group the Greatest Generations Foundation is refusing to accept an apology from the network and "Hawaii Five-0" after crew members for the series disrupted a memorial service held at Honolulu's National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

The foundation had arranged a trip to the cemetery for 23 Pearl Harbor survivors to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attacks -- and claimed that the crew was disrespectful during their visit. (The incident occurred on December 9, two days after the 70th anniversary of the attack that lured America into World War II.)

According to the Hawaii Reporter, foundation board member Steffan Tubbs said that the crew refused to halt production during the veterans' event -- including the playing of the National Anthem and "Taps." Tubbs said the crew trampled over graves and demanded that he leave the area. He said a crew member also "shushed" the veterans during a rose-laying ceremony.

"It was a disgrace," Tubbs fumed.

Tubbs' account prompted apologies from both CBS and "Hawaii Five-0" executive producer Peter Lenkov.

Lenkov denied that the crew continued production during the National Anthem and "Taps," adding: "Our production crew is 80 percent staffed with local Hawaiians, many with ties to the military. We recognize the privilege of filming in Hawaii and we are acutely aware of the deserved respect for its culture, history and the reverence that should be afforded to all of our veterans, particularly those who served so nobly in Hawaii and at Pearl Harbor. Furthermore, the series we produce carries a demonstrative pro-military message.

"Any rudeness by our staff can only be attributed to haste to finish our work, not a lack of respect for men and women who have served and sacrificed for their country," Lenkov continued. "And for that, too, we sincerely apologize to any that were offended."

Lenkov's explanation failed to sway the veterans' group, however. On Wednesday, Greatest Generations Foundation president and CEO Timothy Davis issued a seething statement to the network, Lenkov and the series.

"While we would like to accept the apology provided by Peter Lenkov, it seems to us to be little more than a list of excuses for CBS' actions and a couple reasons why we should either discontinue or feel guilty about making such actions known," the group said in a statement. "CBS purports to be a conservative network that honors veterans, yet this behavior stands in blatant contrast to Lenkov's statements of patriotic sentiments.

"n apology for giving offense is not an apology for offensive action," the statement continues. Davis asks that Lenkov "apologize to each of the veterans for what happened, not how our veterans felt."

"Biggest Loser" plunges on night loaded with season lows

"Biggest Loser" plunges on night loaded with season lows

On an evening that was marked by depressed ratings, the season finale of NBC's "The Biggest Loser" shed a considerable amount of viewers Tuesday night to reach a low for fall finales.

And over at ABC, Tim Allen's "Last Man Standing" dropped 19 percent versus last week, hitting its season low with a 2.2/6 and 7.4 million total viewers.

Fox and CBS shared an overall ratings win for a night that saw the season lows for a number of shows, according to preliminary numbers.

NBC's evening began with the special "William & Kate: Inside the Royal Marriage" at 8 p.m., which posted a 1.2 rating/3 share in the demographic, with 5.3 million total viewers.

That number didn't do much to help the finale of "Loser" the following hour, which plunged 33 percent from last fall's finale, taking a 2.7/7 and 7.7 million total viewers.

CBS kicked off the night with "NCIS" at 8 which, while tied for a season low, was still the top-rated program for the night with a 3.5/10 and the most-watched show of the night, with 19 million total viewers. "NCIS: LA" the following hour also tied for a season low, drawing a 3.0/8 with 16.3 million total viewers.

"Unforgettable" closed the night at 10, dipping to its own season low with a 2.1/6 with 11.1 million total viewers. Despite the lows, the network tied for first with Fox in the demo, averaging a 2.9/8, and took a handy win in overall viewership, averaging 15.5 million total viewers throughout the night.

The "Glee" Christmas episode opened up the night for Fox, dipping 3 percent versus last week with a 2.9/8 and 7 million total viewers, followed by "New Girl" at 9, which grabbed a 3.3/8 and 6.7 million total viewers. "Raising Hope" at 9:30 drew a 2.3/6 with 5 million total viewers. Like CBS, the network averaged a 2.9/8, but posted a much lower total viewership, coming in third behind CBS and NBC with an average 6.5 million.

After "Last Man Standing," the rest of ABC's night consisted of repeats.

NFL extends TV deals with CBS, Fox, NBC

NFL extends TV deals with CBS, Fox, NBC

The National Football League reached deals with the CBS, FOX and NBC broadcast networks that will extend television rights for the games through the 2022 season while substantially increasing payments to the league.

The networks agreed to pay annual increases of about 7 percent on average, a person familiar with the deals said. That will lift yearly rights payments to the NFL from the networks to nearly $3.1 billion in 2022, up from about $1.9 billion in 2013, the person said.

The higher payments, which follow a new contract reached with ESPN in September for Monday night games, reflect the importance of sports and particularly the NFL to TV networks. Sports is almost always watched live by viewers, which is of immense importance to advertisers and separates it from most programming such as dramas and comedies, which are often recorded and watched later.

"Live sports, especially football, drives higher audience ratings than anything else on television in the U.S. So NFL is a very important property for these networks," Morningstar analyst Michael Corty said.

Combined with payments from Walt Disney Co's ESPN and satellite TV provider DirecTV, annual payments to the NFL for televising games will reach about $6 billion annually.

In September, the NFL announced an eight-year, $15.2 billion contract extension with Walt Disney Co's ESPN for Monday Night Football. The deal, which includes additional rights beyond just the TV broadcast, represents a roughly 73 percent increase over the previous contract.

Under the new agreement with broadcasters, CBS will continue to televise AFC Sunday afternoon games, and News Corp's FOX broadcast network will keep the NFC's Sunday afternoon games.

NBC, a unit of Comcast Corp, will again carry Sunday night primetime games and the Thursday night NFL season kickoff game. The network will add an annual Thanksgiving primetime game starting in 2012.

The league, which announced the new agreement the broadcasters on Wednesday, said it will expand the number of Thursday night games on its own NFL Network beginning next year, with the exact number not yet determined.

Each network will air three Super Bowls during the nine-year period.

"These agreements underscore the NFL's unique commitment to broadcast television that no other sport has," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement.

Network executives noted the NFL's importance to fans and advertisers in their announcements of the deals.

"No other franchise delivers ratings the way an NFL game does," CBS Chief Executive Leslie Moonves said in a statement.

Janice Dickinson Returns to Reality TV!

Janice Dickinson Returns to Reality TV!

America's Next Top Model, The Surreal Life, The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency, I'm a Celebrity…Get Me out of Here and Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew are a few of the most memorable shows she's appeared on.

Now, she's preparing to add another to the roster: Sober Model House.

We've learned exclusively that she's re-teamed with Stuart Krasnow Productions (company behind her reality show, Janice Dickinson's Modeling Agency) to launch the London-based reality show, which will begin shooting in January.

The premise sounds like a delicious combination of her two most popular shows as Janice moves a bunch of models, who need to get sober, into a UK residence and gives them the tools necessary to get and stay clean.

Janice is clearly paying it forward after her experience on Dr. Drew's show, of which she's said, "Celebrity Rehab really worked on me."

Glee Wedding Bells? Matthew Morrison Promises Big Wemma Stuff Ahead

Glee Wedding Bells? Matthew Morrison Promises Big Wemma Stuff Ahead

Will Emma (Jayma Mays) have to scrub the aisle with a toothbrush before walking down it? These are the types of questions Glee fans will have to think about real soon, because it's a nice day for a very clean wedding.

We just chatted with Matthew Morrison about Wemma's future and his big directorial debut in tonight's Christmas episode, and let's just say we can already picture Rachel (Lea Michele) and Kurt (Chris Colfer) fighting over the bouquet…

Before we got into Matt's directing tactics, we bothered him about how Will has been on the back burner for the majority of this season, and we miss him! So, will we get more Sweater Vest Schuester soon? Oh, yeah.

"Yes, you are," he tells us happily. "When we come back from the break after the holidays it's going to be a lot of Will and a lot of really great storylines. It's already out there that the next episode is called "Proposal," and there's going to be a proposal in a way you've never seen or could have ever imagined in your life." So Wemma fans should gird their loins?

"Hard. Gird them hard," Morrison orders. You heard the man, Wemma shippers! Gird those loins and get those panties in a bunch! Speaking of loins, Morrison has other ideas for Will and Emma storylines. "Emma and Will are living together and I just feel like there's so much that could be done at home," he says. "She's still a virgin, so I think that would be a nice thing to do. [Laughs.] This is like the dirtiest interview ever!"

Well, we did talk about loins a bit. So will we get that Wemma wedding this season? Morrison thinks all signs point to...hopefully! "That'd be kind of fun! That would be great."

As for tonight's Christmas episode, which also marks his directorial debut, Morrison promises that it will be "one of the Glee greats."

"I had such a good time doing it and I think the whole cast and crew were so excited and so behind me. We all had a great time shooting this episode," he says. "We have the black-and-white Christmas special within the Christmas special, and we've never done anything like that on Glee. All the Glee characters got to play a little more heightened, if you can imagine that. [Laughs.] It turned out so beautiful."

Not that it wasn't challenging for him to direct and then hop in front of the camera to act. "That was a little weird. They wrote me kind of light, thank God, in this episode," Morrison tells us. "I would go do a scene and then I finished talking and then I'd say, 'all right, cut!' [Laughs.] I'd cut myself. But [tonight's episode] is really about the Christmas spirit and giving up all pretenses and being joyous. And that's what Christmas is all about."

All you Wemma fans want for Christmas is a wedding, right? Well, if you were nice this year, Santa Murphy might just make your wish come true.

Kenya Bell, Pageant Queen Charged With Assault, Joins Cast of Basketball Wives

Kenya Bell, Pageant Queen Charged With Assault, Joins Cast of Basketball Wives

The past three seasons of Miami-filmed "Basketball Wives" have been filled with physical drama. NBA players' former lovers, ex-wives, baby mamas, and fiancés -- rarely any actual wives -- have repeatedly come to blows on the Vh1 reality series. It's why audiences keep tuning in -- over 4 million viewers watched the season three reunion.

In one episode, Evelyn Lozada (current fiancé of Chad Ochocinco and former fiancé of Antonie Walker) and Royce Reed (baby mama of Dwight Howard) threw cocktails in each other's faces. In another, Tami Roman (ex-wife of Kenny Anderson) popped Meeka Claxton (wife of Speedy) in the face.

Season four of "Basketball Wives", which premieres February 2012, is likely to have even more violence and drama. One of two new cast members is Kenya Bell, a former Miss Michigan who was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon. Last May, she reportedly stabbed her then-husband Charlie Bell with a box cutter in front of their two young children in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan.

Although Charlie and Kenya are getting a divorce, the former Golden State Warriors player may make appearance on "Basketball Wives" -- after all he's got his own made-for-TV drama. Earlier this month, Yahoo Sports reported that he showed up drunk to his DUI court date. Save some of that trainweck for the show, guys.

The other new cast member is Kesha Nichols, who was dumped via email by NBA player Richard Jefferson right before their 2009 wedding. The rest of the cast remains the same with the exception of Meeka Claxton, who will not return to "Basketball Wives" for another season.

The ladies are currently filming season four around Miami. They were last spotted at Philippe’s in South Beach, where Shaunie O’Neal's birthday party was being filmed for the show. Apparently, one diva smacked another diva with her clutch. Oh, Basketball Wives.

Damian Lewis, Eton College And American TV's Upper-Crust British Invasion

Damian Lewis, Eton College And American TV's Upper-Crust British Invasion

Here's a trivia question that's bound to stump all but the most accomplished students of high-brow TV: What do Dr. Gregory House, Det. Jimmy McNulty and Sgt. Nicholas Brody all have in common?

Give up? All three of these red-blooded Americans are portrayed by actors who were educated at Eton College, one of the oldest and most venerable training grounds for blue-blooded Brits.

And they're not alone. Old Etonian (or, for those in the know, "O.E.") actors have been slumming it on the small screen in the U.S. ever since Patrick MacNee first unfurled his lethal umbrella in "The Avengers." Now, a new crop of alumni -- including Tom Hiddleston ("Wallander"), Eddie Redmayne ("The Pillars of the Earth"), Harry Lloyd ("Game of Thrones"), Simon Woods ("Rome") and Max Pirkis ("Rome") -- is making it harder than ever to dismiss the school as an incubator for the elite.

"It seems as if, you want to have somebody starring in an American blockbuster, you come to Eton College," observed Hailz-Emily Osborne, the school's director of drama.

Founded by King Henry VI in 1440, Eton College is an expensive boarding school for boys aged 13 to 18, located 25 miles west of London. The school is defined by ancient traditions and idiosyncracies: Students -- divided into "Oppidans" and "Collegers" -- wear distinctive black tailsuits and white ties, teachers are known as Beaks, and the three semesters making up the academic year are called halves. The school even has its own sport, the Eton wall game, and its own dessert in the form of Eton Mess.

Eton is the alma mater of Princes William and Harry, as well as Princess Diana's brother Viscount Althorp. Prime Minister David Cameron was educated there, as were 18 of his predecessors, including the First Duke of Wellington and Gladstone. In the realm of fiction, James Bond and "Magnum P.I." sidekick Jonathan Higgins both went to Eton.

Old Etonians who have found fame on U.S. television include Jeremy Brett ("The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes"), Christopher Cazenove ("Dynasty") and Charles Shaughnessy ("The Nanny"). But none of those actors achieved the kind of iconic, all-American status now enjoyed by fellow alumni Hugh Laurie, Dominic West and Damian Lewis.

Before he joined "House" as the show's irascible, drug-addicted title character, Laurie was mostly famous for being one-half of a British television comedy duo with Stephen Fry, and for playing a fictional O.E., the quintessentially nice but dim aristocrat Bertie Wooster in the PBS series "Jeeves & Wooster." Laurie's portrayal of Gregory House is so convincing that many viewers remain unaware that, unlike his character, he does not hail from southern New Jersey.

Lewis currently stars in Showtime's C.I.A. terrorist drama "Homeland," in which he plays U.S. Marine Sgt. Nicholas Brody, after bursting onto the scene with his Golden Globe-nominated portrayal of Dick Winters, the central figure in HBO's "Band of Brothers." He also headlined NBC's "Life," in which he played another American in the form of LAPD police officer and ex-con Charlie Crews.

Meanwhile, his contemporary at Eton, Dominic West, tossed out the rulebook with his portrayal of the hard-boiled, hard-drinking Baltimore cop Jimmy McNulty in five seasons of "The Wire." He's since gone on to play a range of dramatic characters, including real-life serial killer Fred West (no relation), smooth 1950s news anchor Hector Madden ("The Hour"), and 17th century ruler Oliver Cromwell ("The Devil's Whore").

In a recent telephone interview with HuffPost TV, West said, "Eton did everything to help me become an actor." He acknowledged the thriving pool of talent, adding, "There do seem to be a hell of a lot of Etonian actors around, but all I can think of is that it's just a school that brings out your talent and nurtures it, and for that I was very grateful."

So what is Eton's secret? Are they producing great actors by accident or by design? Osborne, who's worked at the school for 13 years alongside Director of Theatre Studies Simon Dormandy, says the answer lies partly in the curriculum and partly in the first-class facilities.

The school stages more than 20 theatrical productions each year, from the classics to risky, ultra-modern plays, using the professionally equipped 400-seat Farrer Theatre as well as several smaller venues. The boys also benefit from an annual Director in Residence program.

The students are encouraged not only to act, but to think too. "When a boy has an idea," she said, "everybody around him takes it terribly seriously and we all do our best to to make sure he can do it."

The drama department also arranges master classes, the most recent of which saw Sir Ian McKellen giving "an absolutely stunning" class on the sonnets. Recent graduates like Eddie Redmayne have been conscientious about returning to give talks.

Osborne said that the success enjoyed by Redmayne, Hiddleston, Woods and others has had a "snowball effect" on today's pupils. They now see acting as a real prospect, and "when they see boys they knew in movies and working with Woody Allen, they think, 'I could do that too!'"

Unlike most teenage boys with dreams of stardom, Etonians know how to leverage their organizational skills -- and their connections -- to maximize chances of actually making it. "They plan their careers, and they do a lot of work here to make sure they've got agents," said Osborne. "Now it's a very pro operation."

So, who will be the next big acting talent to emerge from Eton's drama program? One figure to watch is 19-year-old Oxford University undergraduate Henry Faber, who's already carved out an impressive theatrical resume, including 14 productions from his time at Eton.

Attention, producers of quality TV dramas: This opportunity won't last. The time to start shopping for scripts featuring an intense, home-grown 21-year-old American is now. And the breeding ground is in Britain.