Sarah Chalke To Star In ABC’s ‘How To Live With Your Parents’ Comedy Pilot

Sarah Chalke To Star In ABC’s ‘How To Live With Your Parents’ Comedy Pilot

Scrubs alumna Sarah Chalke is set as the lead in the ABC comedy pilot How to Live With Your Parents for the Rest of Your Life, from Accidentally on Purpose creator Claudia Lonow. The multi-camera/hybrid comedy, produced by 20th Century Fox TV and studio-based Imagine Television, is in the mold of another 20th TV comedy, How I Met Your Mother – a multi-camera comedy that is shot without live audience and features more scenes than a regular sitcom. Based on Lonow’s own life, How to Live With Your Parents for the Rest of Your Life, which can certainly vie for the longest series title crown, is described as an outrageous comedy with lots of heart. It centers on Polly (Chalke), a recently divorced, single mom, who moves in with her eccentric parents, Elaine and Max, a couple who’s full of life but knows no boundaries. The casting stems from the development/talent holding deal Chalke signed with 20th TV in the summer. It keeps Chalke, repped by UTA and John Carrabino, on ABC where she is recurring on the upcoming season of Cougar Town. She recently co-starred on the short-lived CBS comedy series Mad Love.

Ratings Rat Race: ‘Who Do You Think You Are’ Down In Return; ‘Gifted Man’, ‘Fringe’, ‘Grimm’, ‘Nikita & ‘Supernatural’ Tie Lows

Ratings Rat Race: ‘Who Do You Think You Are’ Down In Return; ‘Gifted Man’, ‘Fringe’, ‘Grimm’, ‘Nikita & ‘Supernatural’ Tie Lows

Friday night poses a lot of questions, and not only the network propensity to schedule shows with questions as titles on the night, like Who Do You Think You Are? or What Would You Do?. Questions like: Is the night doomed for regular-budget fare, especially scripted originals? Can anything besides older-skewing shows like Blue Bloods or newsmagazines thrive on Friday? Last night provided some more food for thought.

With a lineup of reality/newsmagaines, ABC tied CBS’ scripted dramas, the second time this season that ABC has done it with CBS’ Friday lineup in originals. Additionally, all younger-skewing shows tied their season/series lows last night: Fox’s Fringe (1.1/3), which was down a tenth from last week; NBC’s Grimm (1.4/4), which tumbled 22% from its last original 2 weeks ago as the show transitions from a Chuck to a Who Do You Think You Are? lead-in; the CW’s Nikita (0.5/2), even with its last new episode 3 weeks ago; and Supernatural (0.7/2), also flat with its season low 2 weeks ago. They were joined by CBS’ freshman A Gifted Man (1.2/4), which matched its series low in its return to originals after 2 weeks off. The network’s other 2 Friday dramas, CSI: NY (1.6/5, 10.2 million) and Blue Bloods (1.7/5, 11.3 million) were both down a tenth in 18-49 from their last originals 2 weeks ago. CBS, the only Big 4 to maintain an all-scripted Friday lineup, is taking a first step toward changing that this midseason, with the introduction of Undercover Boss to the night in 2 weeks.

At 8 PM, the third season premiere of NBC’s  docu-reality series Who Do You Think You Are? (1.1/4, 6 million) was down 15% from the show’s second-season premiere the same night last year. Still, given that Who Do You Think You Are? replaced the low-rated Chuck, it posted NBC’s largest audience and tied the second highest 18-49 rating in the hour this season. Fox’s newly renewed Kitchen Nightmares (1.6/5, 3.8 million) was up 14% from last week to take back the demo lead in the hour from ABC’s Shark Tank (1.5/5, 5.2 million) which was flat with last week. Among the newsmagazines, ABC’s Primetime: What Would You Do? (1.4/4) was down 18%, 20/20 (1.7/5) was up 13%. NBC’s Dateline (1.1/3) was down a tenth.

Fox Picks Up Two Sony TV Comedy Pilots Produced By Peter Tolan & Jamie Tarses

Fox Picks Up Two Sony TV Comedy Pilots Produced By Peter Tolan & Jamie Tarses

Fox has handed two more comedy pilot orders, both cast-contingent.

Let It Go, written/executive produced by DJ Nash (Traffic Light) and executive produced by Peter Tolan, is an ensemble comedy about a married couple, his best friend, and her sister as they try to navigate, negotiate, and sometimes manipulate society’s unspoken rules. CAA-repped DJ Nash, currently co-executive producer on NBC’s Bent, is exec producing with Tolan and Tolan producing partner Michael Wimer. Sony TV is producing with Tolan’s Fedora banner.

Must Hire, from Sony TV and Jamie Tarses’ Fanfare, was written by Reed Agnew and Eli Jorne (Wilfred) who executive produce with Tarses and Julia Franz. It centers on an uptight, young executive who hires his dad for an entry level position and is shocked to discover that his new hire is a disruptive office clown.

Bobby Cannavale Joins HBO’s ‘Boardwalk Empire’ As New Regular In Season 3

Bobby Cannavale Joins HBO’s ‘Boardwalk Empire’ As New Regular In Season 3

A new man will be threatening Nucky Thompson’s reign on the upcoming third season of HBO’s Boardwalk Empire. Bobby Cannavale has joined the cast of the mob drama as a series regular. He will play Gyp Rosetti, a charming but ruthless gangster who challenges Nucky (Steve Buscemi). The cast of Boardwalk Empire, created by Terence Winter and executive produced by Winter, Martin Scorsese, Tim Van Patten, Mark Wahlberg and Stephen Levinson, is a regular short following the demise of Michael Pitt’s character in the second season finale. The series repeated as a double SAG Award winner this past weekend in the best drama ensemble and best actor (Buscemi) categories. Cannavale, Emmy-winner for his recurring role on Will & Grace, recently completed a ten-episode arc on Nurse Jackie and wrapped production on the feature Lovelace. The actor, repped by ICM and Framework, starred alongside Chris Rock on Broadway last year in The Motherfucker With The Hat.

Bill Maher Performs 'Unbaptism' on Mitt Romney's Dead Father-in-Law

Bill Maher Performs 'Unbaptism' on Mitt Romney's Dead Father-in-Law

The outspoken atheist took it upon himself to free the late scientist of his posthumous Mormon baptism.

Bill Maher is making waves (and history) after performing the very first "unbaptism" live on HBO.

The outspoken atheist took it upon himself to free the late father of Mitt Romney's wife from his posthumous baptism, in which he was named a member of the Mormon religion.

"In case you didn't hear, it was discovered last week that Edward Davies, Ann Romney's father -- an enthusiastically anti-religious scientist who called organized faith 'hogwash,' was posthumously baptized in the Mormon tradition 14 months after he died," he said on Friday's episode of Real Time With Bill Maher. "They tried to do it sooner, but he wouldn't stop spinning in his grave."

Donning a sorcerer's hat and wielding a magic wand, Maher then produced a black and white photograph of Davies, on which he performed his mystical ritual. The brief ceremony was made complete with references to Laverne and Shirley, Harry Potter and The Blair Witch Project.

"By the power granted in me by the Blair Witch," he declared, "I call upon the Mormon spirits to leave your body the fuck alone."

"Brother Edward, in this world you had to put up with Mitt Romney," he concluded. "You've suffered enough."

'The Only Way Is Essex' Lucy and Mario on rocks, Arg skates

'The Only Way Is Essex' Lucy and Mario on rocks, Arg skates

The Only Way Is Essex continues with more laughs, romances and bust-ups this weekend on ITV2.

James 'Arg' Argent is given a rollerskating treat by Joey Essex and Diags to help him get over his sad break-up from Lydia Bright.

Meanwhile, new cast member Cara Kilbey stirs up matters between Lucy Mecklenburgh and Mario Falcone further by revealing that she was one of the girls that Falcone has been sexting

Confronting Falcone later in the episode, Mecklenburgh says: "I don't understand though, Mario. Why was I not enough in the first place? You're messaging absolute skanks.

"They're disgusting. Why are you messaging them? Why?"

Talking about her previous affair with Mark Wright, she adds: "I was drunk and I made a stupid mistake. You're stone cold sober messaging girls to meet them…"

The Only Way Is Essex airs Sunday at 10pm on ITV2

Mark Wright, Dougie Poynter pitching 'fun-packed' TV show

Mark Wright, Dougie Poynter pitching 'fun-packed' TV show

I'm a Celebrity stars Dougie Poynter and Mark Wright are reportedly hoping to land their own TV show.

The former TOWIE castmember has been pitching to producers "a high-energy, fun-packed entertainment" format featuring himself and the McFly bassist, the Daily Star reports.

"Mark and Doug are itching to land their own TV show, something they can front together as a duo," a source said. "Mark has loads of ideas and is really serious about trying to get producers to consider them.

"They're both really active and sporty so a high-energy, fun-packed entertainment show would be ideal. They have a huge fan base, individually and together. Most girls fancy them but they also appeal to men as they've got the blokey banter."

The insider claimed that Poynter and Wright, who finished winner and runner-up respectively of last year's I'm a Celeb, are hoping to channel the reality show's hosts for their new project.

"Mark has admitted Ant & Dec are a huge inspiration," they said.

In recent times, Wright has also been tipped to release a dating book and star in a British crime film alongside Kelly Brook and Danny Dyer.