Tag: ABC

Nicollette Sheridan’s ‘Desperate Housewives’ Lawsuit Back From the Dead

Much like her character on ‘Desperate Housewives,’ Nicollette Sheridan will not go down without a fight. The leading lady was ousted from the hit ABC show and shortly thereafter, she alleged it was a retaliatory response to her complaints Sheridanagainst series creator Marc Cherry, who she says slapped her during an argument over the script. Though I have zero knowledge of fault in this matter, it’s especially interesting that ABC/Touchstone won’t settle to save face. Perhaps they don’t want to set a precedent. Here’s a legal timeline of the Tinseltown tiff.

2009: Nicollette Sheridan’s character Was Killed Off Desperate Housewives

Sheridan alleged to have “quit” the show, but her unkind words in the press were perhaps a precursor of things to come. Sheridan said, “When the show started it was such a different beast. It was exciting and dangerous and funny and edgy and bizarre. It started feeling a little complacent, and that was very frustrating.” Marc Cherry responded in kind, saying, “Edie’s already slept with most of the guys on the street and has caused about as many problems as she could.” He also said his decision was largely due to the network’s pressure to cut costs.

APRIL, 2010: Sheridan Sues Series Creator Marc Cherry and ABC/Touchstone TV

Sheridan sues Marc Cherry, the series creator of ‘Desperate Housewives,’ alleging battery, gender violence, wrongful termination, and “intentional infliction of emotional distress.”According to Sheridan, she questioned Cherry about his script, and he slapped her in a fit of rage. She reported his actions to ABC and she was fired in retaliation. ABC Studios responded, saying, “While we have yet to see the actual complaint, we investigated similar claims made by Ms. Sheridan last year and found them to be without merit.”

MARCH 2012: Battery Charge Against Marc Cherry Dropped

Marc Cherry was released from the case after the battery charge was dropped. According to the Judge, “the battery claim did not meet the standards of workman’s compensation statutes that apply to these matters.”

MARCH, 2012: The Jury is Locked

A jury of 12 could not reach a verdict, and after an 8-4 deadlock with no settlement in sight, the Judge declared a mistrial. The jury foreman told the court that the 8-4 split was in Sheridan’s favor.

OCTOBER, 2013: Sheridan Loses Bid for Retrial

LA Superior Judge Michael Stern sided with ABC/Touchstone TV and granted a summary judgment dismissing Sheridan’s attempt for a new trial. He ruled based on Sheridan not filing a complaint with the California Labor Commission within six months of the September 2008 incident.

JUNE, 2016: Sheridan Gets New Trial

An LA Superior Court Judge decided that Sheridan can get a new trial. An Amendment to the rules in 2013 helped her case, most notably when an appeals court stated, “there is no requirement that an individual exhaust administrative remedies or procedures.”

 

#Tabloid Gossip: Your Weekly #Celebrity Rundown

Khloe Kardashian has a new love interest. RTW

Wilmer Valderrama and Demi Lovato ended their six year relationship. Radar Online

‘Glee’s’ Mark Salling was indicted for possessing child pornography. HR

Jason Derulo is single. TMZ

Curly Sue won ‘The Voice.’ Stuff

These ‘Real World‘ alums just welcomed their eighth baby. WP

Robin Thicke and his much-younger girlfriend are going strong. JJ

Mo’Nique owes a lot in taxes. Fishwrapper

Amber Heard claims Johnny Depp tried to suffocate her with a pillow. Telegraph

Michelle Collins is leaving The View. Variety

X-Men: Apocalypse — A Full Review

 

Written by Guest Contributor: C. Dillon

The latest X-Men film, “X-Men: Apocalypse,” isn’t the best X-men movie, but neither is it the worst. It does many things right, but somehow the whole seems less than the sum of its parts, and leaves the viewer feeling as though they’ve been entertained, but not fully satisfied.

X-Men_Apocalypse_International_PosterDirector Bryan Singer introduced the world to the cinematic versions of Marvel’s mutant heroes back in 2000, with the critically and financially successful “X-Men.” He returned to direct the sequel “X2” in 2003, and again for “X-Men: Days of Future Past.” As these films are widely regarded as the best in the franchise, it was with great anticipation that fans awaited the appearance of the titular villain in Singer’s directorial hands. Unfortunately, the film – while visually striking and immense in scope – doesn’t fully deliver.

It doesn’t help that this is the third comic based movie this year to feature “good guys” fighting against one another – we’ve seen it in “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice” and “Captain America: Civil War” (will we ever see a comic movie without a colon in it again?), and we see it again here. In this case, characters who have been X-men in the comics (and even in earlier movies) fight against characters who are or will be X-men, in an “all X-men X-travaganza.” While this isn’t necessarily bad, it is become a tired trope already.

Which leads us to another problem – the film spends a great deal of time showing us how En Sabah Nur recruits his Horsemen (Storm, Angel, Psylocke, and Magneto), but then gives them all (save Magneto) very little to do. Aside from bit parts in the final fight, the three non-Magneto Horsemen do nothing besides stand behind Apocalypse and try to look menacing. It is a waste of time in the film, and a waste of opportunity in having these characters actively contribute to the plot.

This can be understood, to some extent, however, because there are simply so many characters. With the X-men franchise seeming to change timelines with each new outing, new characters are introduced, old characters are reintroduced, new versions of old characters are re-reintroduced, and so on. It is confusing for someone who grew up with the comics and has seen all the films – I can only imagine what a casual viewer must be thinking. While the impulse to include every fans favorite character is understandable, it reaches a point where it detracts from the film as a whole. Olivia Munn’s Psylocke in particular is criminally underused, considering how big a part she has played in the marketing of the film to date.

This is not to say that “X-men: Apocalypse” is a bad film. It isn’t. The effects are well done, the characters are generally well cast, the acting is as good as can be expected in a comic book blockbuster. There are some stand-out moments as well – Quicksilver’s main scene, Kodi Smit-McPhee’s portrayal of young Nightcrawler, and many of the inside jokes and Marvel references are all very well done.

Apocalypse himself checks all the right boxes as the “big bad” of the movie – vague plans for destroying humanity, undefined but seemingly overwhelming power, crazy costume and blue skin – but he seemed a bit generic for such a major player in the comics. I do not agree with the common complaint that he was “too easy” to defeat (to describe why would be too much of a spoiler), but I would have liked to have seen more character development than the “humans are bad, and I’m going to kill them all so I can rule the world” routine that we have seen from so many uber-villains before. It is a major pitfall of these types of franchises that each instalment must raise the stakes over the previous one, and it sometimes (as here) fails to make the appropriate impact. Marvel has proven that “smaller” superhero movies can succeed (see: “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” for a prime example), and it would be interesting to see the X-Men go in a similar direction, rather than seeing them face global annihilation over and over again.

In the end, I left the theater feeling that I had seen a good superhero movie, complete with massive action sequences, cool costumes, some good one-liners, and a few interesting characters that I would like to see again. I hope that Mr. Singer and the rest of the crew running the X-Men franchise stop and step back for a moment, reduce the amount of characters, and focus on telling a great story rather than a great spectacle.

Tabloid Gossip: All The News You Missed

Another cast member is leaving ‘Grey’s Anatomy.’ People

Eva Longoria got married in Mexico. Wonderwall

This billionaire threw a tantrum when he was denied entry to Broadway’s ‘Hamilton.’ Jezebel

Behati Prinsloo bared her baby bump. E! Online

Chloe Sevigny has been hit on by sleezy directors. Contact Music

Robert Shapiro revealed what OJ Simpson whispered in his ear. Sheeple

‘Gilmore Girls” Alexis Bledel had a baby. Mtv

Bachelor Nation just welcomed another baby into the world. Hollywood Life

Dax Shepard got snipped, and Kristen Bell wasn’t happy about it. Babble

Lea Michele posted a heartbreaking Glee throwback. Teen Vogue

Kaley Cuoco is in love. Just Jared

Mel B. is renewing her vows. The Sun

‘Playboy’s’ Bridget Marquardt has her own take Kendra and Holly. Us Weekly

Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom are Instagram official.  Refinery29

Andi Dorfman Alleges Josh Murray Was Emotionally Abusive

it's not okay andi dorfmanWe can all remember that awkward, infamous moment on ‘After the Final Rose’ when Nick Viall revealed his sexual liaison with Andi Dorfman in an attempt to understand how she could so quickly cast him aside in favor of her chosen suitor and now ex-fiance, Josh Murray. “If you weren’t in love with me,” Viall said, “then why did you make love with me.” Andi called it a “low blow” and Murray revealed just moments later that he wasn’t phased by the incident. The press then pounced, with obvious questions about a woman could have sex with another man just one day before riding off into the sunset with Murray. And how is it possible Murray didn’t mind? Dorfman now reveals in her new book, “It’s not okay,” that things were not as smooth as she led us to believe. In fact, Murray allegedly called her a “bitch” and a “whore” during arguments, often reminding her of her decision to sleep with another man. He also thought she was “selfish” for wanting to return to work as a an attorney. Murray is predictably unhappy with her book, saying he prays she “finds peace.” And there you have it. Perhaps a dating show is not the proper way to find the perfect partner? Who knew?

ABC Pulls Scandal From the Fall Schedule

Scandal

If Kerry Washington knew that ‘Scandal’ would be held from the Fall schedule over her pregnancy, she certainly proved her acting prowess on Jimmy Kimmel, where she was joined by Shonda Rhimes for a will-Olivia-Pope-Be-Pregnant Q & A. This is a surprising move, but perhaps it reflects Washington’s desire for maternity leave. You won’t see any tears from The Dishmaster, though. Scandal has become far too dark for my enjoyment as of late. It’s tough to root for completely evil, sociopaths who show zero signs of remorse. In short, Washington still speaks to her father, who killed the President’s son, and she’s currently pursuing a man that killed his wife’s father for the inheritance. If there’s any attempt to justify that behavior with “he was following orders to save his own life,” that would indeed be the Nuremberg Defense, and it was dismissed in Nazi Germany.

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Reveals Unexpected Romance

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ often surprises us with unexpected deaths or on-set explosions, but last night’s episode proved romance can be just as shocking. In a movie no one saw coming, Meredith got her groove back with Nathan Riggs, after a parking-lot fight turned into a steamy makeout. Alex also professed his love for Jo and re-proposed marriage, only to receive a sad rejection. Watch both clips below.

ABC Cancels ‘Nashville’ – City Weeps

NashvilleAfter four seasons, endless original music, and two new A-list showrunners heading into season five, ABC decided to cancel ‘Nashville.’ Lionsgate TV will shop the show to other networks, but the stars are already taking to twitter to express their sadness. Major Megan Barry also reacted to the cancellation, saying:

The show has been an enormously successful promotional tool for our city, which is why the State of Tennessee and Metro Nashville were prepared to support production for a fifth season the be filmed here. This is a loss for ABC and for the millions of fans across the world who have grown to love this show. We have enjoyed hosting the cast and crew of the show over the last four years and look forward to future opportunities for film and television production here in Nashville.

The news comes on the heels Hayden Penettiere’s announcement that she will enter rehab a second time to receive treatment for postpartum depression. The writers had tailored each episode around Hayden’s first stint in treatment, and it’s likely she timed this decision around the show’s schedule. The show saw various incarnations, as it was originally a story about an aging country star in competition with an up-and-coming act, but it soon became more about the family of Connie Britton’s character, with Hayden’s character taking a backseat. As an avid fan that watches each week, I’m sad to see it go, but at least this means I will no longer have to see Rayne’s angsty teenage daughter Maddie, whose storyline was so irritating it caused me physical pain. Seriously, though. This is a major loss, but it’s not shocking. ABC had previously threatened to cancel the series heading into season four.

Nyle DiMarco Dances in Silence on DWTS

Nyle_Dimarco_DWTS

Sometimes a little bragging is in order, especially when your suggestion was incorporated into a major network television show. When I saw deaf model Nyle DiMarco keeping up with his competitors on ‘Dancing With the Stars,’ I immediately though they should cut the sound so the audience could view the performance from his perspective. On last night’s episode, they did just that, and the result was captivating. Take a look at my tweet for evidence of my suggestion.

 

Rebecca Romijn v. Yolanda Foster: “Your Children Aren’t Supermodels”

Rebecca_Romijn_Yolanda_Foster

 

After listening to Rebecca Romijn’s recent rant about Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid not being true supermodels, it suddenly occurred to me that the former model and Mrs. John Stamos missed her calling as a co-host of ‘The View.’ When asked for her opinion on the rise of social media supermodels during an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Romijn said:

No one has proven yet that numbers of followers translates to revenue. So it is frustrating. I know a lot of people — legitimate fashion people — can’t stand it. Hate it that these, you know, social media stars are now the supermodels in fashion. They are not true supermodels. And the thing is, I have always looked to Vogue magazine to lead the way, not be a follower. I rely on Vogue to set the standard, not follow what everybody else is doing. So I have been disappointed that fashion magazines have been supporting this trend of social media stars to set our style standards. But it will change; fashion always does. “

Needless to say, Mama bear and current cast member of ‘The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,’ Yolanda Foster, responded harshly, saying, “They accomplished more at half your age in the fashion industry.” So is anyone right, and is it even worth the ruffled feathers? For starters, nepotism and connections run just about every industry, especially Hollywood. Without it, we wouldn’t have Drew Barrymore, Kiefer Sutherland, Michael Douglas, George Clooney, Anderson Cooper, Jane Fonda, Angelica Huston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Robert Downey Jr., etc . . . In fact, from my limited armchair experience, all of my inner circle (outside of Tinseltown) landed their jobs through connections. But connections are only the first step in a long list of qualifications, and they would go nowhere without natural talent and dedicated work ethic. I’d give a list of many connected people in the industry that have failed to prove that point, but it would not be kind to do so. Rebecca does; however, makes a larger point worth nothing. Just because one has a flurry of followers, does not mean their presence alone will push purchases. It also is a slightly lazy choice on the part of the fashion industry, who is using the public to field their stars, rather than finding them on their own. If the vetting process starts with social media rather than an innate ability to scope talent, then you’re going to miss a lot of potential powerhouses. And that goes with any industry. Also, does their focus on their personal life cloud the consumer? Does it become more about the person than the collection? It’s certainly worth exploring, and I find it refreshing that Rebecca actually gave her true opinion, completely unafraid of the backlash. If we focus too much on politically correct talking points we will all be a bunch of robots.