Television

When Kanye West was selected to be the musical guest of the season finale of Saturday Night Live, you’d be hard-pressed to find a person who wasn’t waiting for some sort of news story about how Kim Kardashian showed up and demanded to host or Kris Jenner got into a drunken fist fight with Stefon at the show’s after-party. But aside from West’s strange rant at the Adult Swim upfronts, where he swore that he wouldn’t participate in any comedy sketches, it went off without a hitch. Until today, that is. File this under “With a grain of salt”, but according to Hollywood Street King, West apparently learned that his girlfriend and her mother were “secretly selling images of him and Kim, behind his back” and I assume once he told someone, the immediate reaction was, “This is a surprise?” Regardless, this alleged revelation allegedly led to an alleged argument between West and his alleged future mom-in-law, and it was so bad that it would have made Justin Bieber look like the Pope. “Kanye was an assh*le and he was being very standoffish to everyone there. Lorne Michaels will never invite him back. Backstage Kris Jenner and Kim Kardashian with Kanye and his bodyguards and basically hovering over him while they scream and yell. The whole cast fled out of the way and security had to be called. Kim was crying and Kris was basically being carried away by security. Chris Rock tried to step in but Kanye just brushed him to the side and was like ‘Man! this is nothing.’ Kris was raving and screaming the whole time and she felt bad for Kim.” I really doubt that Lorne Michaels would ban West from the show, because he’s big time attention and ratings. But maybe next time they’ll just put a camera on him and Jenner having it out and let us watch that. They could call it “The Actual Californians”.

Newly found Pearl S. Buck book is to be published via Rickey.org Publisher releasing newly discovered novel by late Nobel-winner Pearl S. Buck in October PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A newly discovered novel by the late Nobel Prize-winning author Pearl S. Buck is to be released this fall. New York-based Open Road Integrated Media says Buck wrote the novel, titled “The Eternal Wonder,” shortly before she died in 1973. The publisher says someone found the manuscript in storage in January. It will be published Oct. 22 in paperback and digital formats. The publisher announced the decision Wednesday, describing the book as the coming-of-age story of a gifted young man whose search for meaning leads him to New York, England, Paris and Korea. Buck’s novel “The Good Earth” won the Pulitzer Prize in 1932 and helped earn her the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1938. She raised seven adopted children and wrote many later works at her farm outside Philadelphia. Copyright (2013) Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and non-commercial use. Users may not download or reproduce a substantial portion of the AP material found on this web site. AP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing. The Voice • American Idol • The X Factor

Mary J. Blige faces $3.4M federal tax lien in NJ via Rickey.org Mary J. Blige faces $3.4 million federal tax lien in NJ, says she’s trying to resolve quickly HACKENSACK, N.J. (AP) — Mary J. Blige and her husband have been hit with a $3.4 million tax lien in New Jersey. Court documents show the Internal Revenue Service filed a notice of a lien on the nine-time Grammy Award winner Feb. 7. That was two days before the Queen of Hip-Hop Soul was honored at a pre-Grammy party in Los Angeles. Blige and husband Martin Isaacs have a home in Cresskill, N.J., about 15 miles north of New York City. Court documents show as of the date of the IRS notice Blige owed more than $574,000 for the 2009 tax year, more than $2.2 million for 2010 and more than $647,000 for 2011. A Blige representative said Thursday she’s working “with her new team to resolve all these issues as quickly as possible.” Mary J. Blige faces $3.4M federal tax lien in NJ The Associated Press Copyright (2013) Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and non-commercial use. Users may not download or reproduce a substantial portion of the AP material found on this web site. AP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing. The Voice • American Idol • The X Factor

CBS up, ‘Idol’ down as traditional TV season ends via Rickey.org ‘Idol’ upended as TV’s top show and CBS strengthens its lead as traditional TV season ends NEW YORK (AP) — CBS strengthened its dominance over the television industry this year at the same time that the unprecedented reign of “American Idol” came to a close. The traditional television season ended Wednesday. Though that marker is losing its meaning with more fresh programming airing during the summer, it’s still a good time to take stock on where the industry stands. For the 10th time in 11 years, CBS was the nation’s most-watched network, the Nielsen company said Thursday. CBS’ margin of victory was wider than any other network in 24 years and it won among 18-to-49-year-old viewers, a group coveted by advertisers, for the first time in 21 years. In prime time through May 19, CBS averaged 11.85 million viewers this season. ABC was its closest competitor, at a full 3 million viewers behind. Fox finished third and NBC was fourth, Nielsen said. The “American Idol” streak of nine years as the nation’s most popular television entertainment program ended this season. Its popularity had been sliding for the past few years — typical of most shows that have been on for a long time — but accelerated this year with a cast of judges that didn’t click and the emergence of NBC’s “The Voice” as a strong alternative. No other show in television history has come close to such sustained dominance. Three other programs have had four-year reigns as the top program in household ratings: the comedy “I Love Lucy” in the 1950s, the western “Gunsmoke” heading into the 1960s and “The Bill Cosby Show” in the 1980s, Nielsen said. The new No. 1 show depends on how you look at the ratings. NBC’s “Sunday Night Football” telecast is technically the narrow winner, but many in TV say that a live sports telecast should not count in the rankings. The Tuesday night CBS drama “NCIS” is the top program otherwise, its first win. TV’s top comedy is “The Big Bang Theory” on CBS, averaging 15.6 million viewers per week. That’s up from 9.4 million viewers during the 2008-09 season, a testament to how the show has grown in popularity with the help of reruns that air frequently on TBS and elsewhere. The weakness of “American Idol” was the biggest factor in Fox’s viewership dropping 20 percent from last season. Both ABC and NBC were down 6 percent, with ABC’s drop slightly steeper among the youthful viewers that both networks aim for. CBS was up 1 percent, its ratings helped because this was the year it telecast the Super Bowl. CBS officials said they still would have won among 18-to-49-year-old viewers even with the Super Bowl counted out. That’s a particular point of pride for the network because their rivals often deride them for having the oldest audience in network TV. CBS Corp. CEO Leslie Moonves had plenty to crow about last week when he appeared before advertisers to introduce the network’s fall schedule. “No matter how many times I tell our success story, I never get tired of it,” Moonves said. “It just gets better and better.” The network’s success breeds stability — 20 series were renewed for next season — and means only the very best of the new shows that it develops can find room on the schedule. That will make CBS hard to beat in the next few years, said Brad Adgate, an analyst for Horizon Media. To unseat the network, CBS would have to see its schedule falter and a rival will need some unusually fruitful years in development, like when ABC introduced “Lost,” ”Desperate Housewives” and “Grey’s Anatomy” in the same year. “I don’t see it happening in the foreseeable future,” Adgate sai

As a rule, we like our love stories to end with a big kiss between the boy and the girl (or other combinations thereof) who have overcome obstacles and issues before setting off together on a life of perfect, eternal romance, unsullied by imperfection or boredom or change or unhappiness. Related Articles: 'Before Midnight's' Director, Stars Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke Celebrate 'the Lowest-Grossing Trilogy Ever' Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy's Relationship is in Trouble in 'Before Midnight' Trailer (Video) Ethan Hawke, Lena Headey Brace for Legalized Killing Spree in 'The Purge' Trailer (Video) read more

Co-EP’s Adam horowitz and Edward Kitsis recently spoiled that season 3 would definitely include storyline from Neverland, Storybrooke and fairytale land that was — Belle’s will be in charge of Storybrooke while our core cast is off in Neverland rescuing Henry and hopefully Neil. Emilie de Ravin confirms that she’ll continue to be a series regular in Season 3. The Lost alum also notes that even though Belle’s memories are all intact and that will have consequences. “She was going along with it though, so therefore you can’t blame him if you’re the one saying, ‘Kick that guy’s a–,” she says, noting that Belle will be devastated about his absence when the show returns. “But also she’ll gain her strength back and she’ll have to if she’s going to protect an entire town.” Red “Ruby will probably be back at some point. She never died, so she’ll be somewhere.” ~ Meghan Ory However, when and if Red returns, she might have some romance in her future! “I know they were talking about exploring a relationship between us, but Meghan just got her own show! So there’s that. But I’m so, so proud of her.” ~ David Anders

"The Hangover Part III" may be the biggest three-quel to hit movie screens this Memorial Day weekend, but in indie circles that tale of Vegas debauchery will have to take a decided back seat to a man and a woman who'll spend an hour and a half having conversations. Related Articles: Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy's Relationship is in Trouble in 'Before Midnight' Trailer (Video) Richard Linklater: Grilled read more

Sundance Selects has acquired North American rights to "The Selfish Giant," a film fable about growing up in contemporary Britain that premiered at the Cannes Film Festival's Directors' Fortnight. The film was written and directed by Clio Barnard, who is best known for the documentary "The Arbor." It was made with the backing of British Film Institute and Film4. Related Articles: Ryan Gosling's 'Only God Forgives': Critics Really, Really Hate the Crime Drama What the Critics Are Saying About Alexander Payne's 'Nebraska': An Oscar Contender? Good Morning, Cannes: DiCaprio Shines, Spielberg's on Jury Duty, and Everybody Gets Wet read more

Paddy Considine and Fares Fares ("Zero Dark Thirty") are in negotiations to join the international ensemble of Summit Entertainment's Soviet-era thriller "Child 44," TheWrap has learned. Related Articles: Tom Hardy, Noomi Rapace in Talks for Soviet Thriller Tom Hardy Attached to Star as Al Capone in Warner Bros.' 'Cicero' Tom Hardy Has No Idea When 'Mad Max 4: Fury Road' Will Come Out read more