By Jessica Wedemeyer
8:10am PST, Nov 9, 2018
CBS fires sitcom showrunner for using "inappropriate language"
TVLine reported on Nov. 5 that CBS fired "Fam" co-showrunner Bob Kushell for using "inappropriate language in the workplace." Series creator and former co-showrunner Corinne Kingsbury will now serve as the sole showrunner for the sitcom, which is set to debut mid-season. Nina Dobrev stars on the series as a woman from a rough family who's engaged to a man with an upstanding family.
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ABC shells out to keep "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy!" after big offer from FOX
According to Variety, ABC owned-and-operated stations dropped big bucks to keep "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy!" through 2023 after FOX made a lucrative offer to steal the two programs, which have aired on ABC O&Os since 1990. ABC reportedly stepped up its offer, which hasn't been rivaled in years, but did not match the offer from FOX. Variety reports that CBS Television Distribution, which has distributed the two shows since 2000, "likely calculated that the audience disruption" caused by a network change wouldn't be worth the extra money. The trade magazine points out that FOX's attempt to take over the shows is part of their plan to rebrand their broadcast programming following Disney's purchase of 21st Century Fox earlier this year.
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Amber Portwood wants to quit "Teen Mom OG" — "I can't do this anymore"
Amber Portwood tweeted about her desire to quit "Teen Mom OG" on Nov. 5, the same day an episode aired on which the reality star revealed that she and ex-fiancé Matt Baier once suffered a miscarriage. "I can't do this anymore," she wrote. "I have to quit this show. … The heartache this show has put me through is too much to bear anymore. If I will not be shown then there's nothing more to do. My name will not get smeared anymore. I hope everyone is resting easy with the money they've made off of heartache and pain that I've endured." She then tweeted, "[There are] other things that I will do and it will be to help people like I've always only wanted to do!" It's unclear what exactly set off the reality star, who bonded with Kristina Anderson — who's now married to her other ex-fiancé, Gary Shirley — over their experiences with miscarriages on the Nov. 5 episode of the MTV show. Amber returned to Twitter on Nov. 6 to disparage the haters: "You guys are the reason people commit suicide. Words hurt and I'm such a sweet person and those parts are never really shown. I've only wanted to help children and teenagers not go through what I did including my daughter," she tweeted.
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Veteran Dan Crenshaw says Pete Davidson shouldn't apologize for joke; "SNL" co-star Kenan Thompson says it crossed the line
Pete Davidson landed in hot water after he joked on the Nov. 3 episode of "Saturday Night Live" that former Navy SEAL Dan Crenshaw — who was elected to Texas' 2nd Congressional District during the midterm elections on Nov. 6 — looks like a "hitman from a porno" because he wears an eyepatch. (The politician lost his eye to an IED blast in Afghanistan in 2012.) Crenshaw doesn't need an apology, though. "I want us to get away from this culture where we demand apologies every time someone misspeaks," he said in a video published by TMZ on Nov. 4. "I think that would be very healthy for our nation to go in that direction. We don't need to be outwardly outraged. I don't need to demand apologies from ['SNL']. They can do whatever they want, you know. They are feeling the heat from around the country right now, and that's fine. … But I would love [Davidson] and 'Saturday Night Live' to recognize something, which is that veterans across the country probably don't feel as though their wounds they received in battle should be the subject of a bad punchline for a bad joke. And here's the real atrocity in all this: It wasn't even funny, right? It was not original. It was not funny. It was just mean-spirited. And that's how I feel about it." Davidson's "SNL" co-star Kenan Thompson addressed the controversial joke during a Nov. 5 appearance on the "Today" show. "It definitely seems it [crossed a line]," he said. "My father's a veteran — Vietnam, and I personally would never necessarily go there. But it's tough when you're fishing for jokes — like, that's how stand-ups feel — like there's no real filters out there in the world when they're trying to go for a great joke or whatever. And we try to respect that, but at the same time, when you miss the mark, you're offending people. So you have to really be a little more aware in my opinion. … [Davidson] definitely missed the mark."
AMC developing series about mistreated sitcom wives inspired by Erinn Hayes' character getting killed off on "Kevin Can Wait"
On Nov. 2, AMC announced that it's developing a show called "Kevin Can F— Himself" about "the secret life of a woman we all grew up watching: the sitcom wife … a beauty paired with a less attractive, dismissive, caveman-like husband who gets to be a jerk because she's a nag and he's 'funny.'" (Think Debra on "Everybody Loves Raymond" or Lois on "Family Guy.") According to a statement from the network, the series will alternate "between single-camera realism and multi-camera zaniness" and ask, "What happens when this supporting character is presented as a real person?" and, "What if that person is pissed?" The working title is clearly inspired by the now-defunct Kevin James CBS sitcom "Kevin Can Wait," which ended in May 2018 amid controversy. The sitcom shed viewers when it infamously killed off Erinn Hayes' female lead — the title character's longtime wife — at the conclusion of the first season. ("omg," the actress tweeted along with three laugh-crying emojis when she caught wind of the AMC announcement on Twitter.)
What's next for Megyn Kelly? Experts say her options are limited
There are few options for Megyn Kelly following her late October parting of ways with NBC. No other mainstream news networks — including FOX, her former home network — are interested in working with her, USA Today reported on Nov. 5. The newspaper suggested that the controversial host could go back to working as a lawyer, focus on writing another tell-all, sign on with Fox Nation (FOX's upcoming streaming service) or the conservative Sinclair Broadcast Group, launch her own online show or host a new syndicated show à la Oprah — though each of those options would be perceived as a major step down for her. Several media experts told USA Today that in spite of the challenges she faces, it's unlikely Megyn will just retire or quietly fade away. That said, her failure to generate high ratings at NBC makes her an unattractive option for most media platforms.
"Breaking Bad" fans torn over report that a movie is in the works
"Breaking Bad" fans are divided over a Nov. 6 report claiming series mastermind Vince Gilligan is developing a film based on the hit AMC show. (The movie will reportedly center around a kidnapped man's journey for freedom.) "They better not ruin it! Don't mess with one of the best shows ever," tweeted one fan, perfectly capturing the sentiment of many "Breaking Bad" loyalists. "I will absolutely see the #BreakingBad movie. Loved the series. Love #BetterCallSaul. I know fans worry that it might be too much, but Vince Gilligan is involved on all levels, and he's been brilliant with the series!" argued another fan of the franchise, which includes the prequel "Better Call Saul."
Netflix sends "Bodyguard" star funny apology after staffer refuses him water
During a Nov. 1 appearance on Los Angeles' KTLA 5, Richard Madden revealed that while visiting the Netflix offices recently, an employee stopped him from taking a water bottle. "I walked in and I was told I was in the wrong building. But there was a fridge of water, Netflix-branded water, that I went to grab a bottle of," said the "Game of Thrones" alum. "They said, 'You have to go around the corner for your show.' And I said, 'Cool, I'll just grab a bottle of water,' and I was told no, I'm not allowed to, it's 'for Netflix employees only.' I said, 'Well, I'm a Netflix employee — I'm on a show.' They were like, 'Sir, you have to put that water back now.' I was like, 'Seriously? Surely I can have a bottle of water.' They were like, 'No, you have to put it back. You have to leave now, sir. Your building is around the corner.' They held the door for me and I left the building." (The Scottish actor stars on the BBC series "Bodyguard," which started streaming on Netflix for American audiences in late October.) A few days later, the actor took to his Instagram Story to reveal that Netflix apologized by sending him a box of branded water bottles along with a hilarious note. "Dear Mr. Madden — Our deepest apologies for the water bottle situation," it read. "Normally, we give them out gladly, but your fans are always so thirsty… Love, Netflix."
