Stephen Colbert Seems to Be Reluctant to be Stephen Colbert

TV Tattle

Stephen Colbert seems to be reluctant to be Stephen Colbert

After more than three weeks hosting The Late Show, Colbert doesn’t seem comfortable in his own skin — it’s like he’s still wearing his Colbert Report mask, says Tim Goodman. “Part of what’s confounding about it is that Colbert seems to be protecting himself from being himself in some way — at least from being too open and, if not vulnerable, then softer or more welcoming than he’s used to,” says Goodman. “And that makes perfect sense. He’s a comedian and actor who has played mostly with irony and satire, which has kept him at a distance from being himself.”


HBO says it intends to rectify Westworld’s casting notice calling for “genital-to-genital touching”

HBO reacted to the controversial extras casting notice with the following statement: “It was not requested, written or approved by HBO, Warner Bros. Television, or the producers, and contains situations that we do not require of any actor. We are rectifying immediately the discrepancies in this vendor’s document with our actual on-set practices, which provide a professional and comfortable working environment for all performers.” PLUS: Westworld’s extras casting notice is stricter than porn, and what’s the difference between “genital to genital touching” and porn?


Hillary Clinton’s staff didn’t like Tim Gunn’s dissing of her pantsuits

One of the newly released Clinton staff e-mails contains the subject line “Tim Gunn, talking smack.” It points out an article in which the Project Runway star said Clinton dressed like “she’s confused about her gender.”


Friends
alum David Schwimmer to star in a British sitcom

He’s joining the Channel 4 comedy Morning Has Broken, playing the new American producer called in to rescue a failing UK breakfast show.


Rob Lowe calls out Grey’s Anatomy in speaking out against the objectification of men on TV

Lowe tells Vulture: “We did a whole sequence of why he left The Grinder. And the reason he left is he felt objectified. People go on and on about the objectification of women, and rightly so. But what about the objectification of men? When was the last time you saw Grey’s Anatomy?


NBC scraps Adam Levine’s music miniseries The 1970s

Hayden Christensen and Kelsey Grammer were to star in the 10-hour exploration of the music industry of the ‘70s.


CBS orders Genes, a
Michael Crichton medical soap

The ER creator’s latest medical drama follows “a brilliant doctor who saves his dying patient’s life using a miraculous gene therapy — infused with his own DNA — only to realize the side effects have turned her into a dangerous sociopath.”


Twin Peaks revival adds Prison Break’s Robert Knepper

His mysterious role on the reboot will be alongside Amanda Seyfried and her mysterious role.


Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ son is on the Northwestern basketball team

Charlie Hall, a 6-foot-5, 205-pound freshman, has walked on to the basketball team of his mom and dad’s alma mater. Louis-Dreyfus and her SNL alum husband Brad Hall met as students at Northwestern University.

Trevor Noah’s Week 2 Daily Show guests include Rachel Maddow, Aaron Sorkin and Seth Rogen

Also, Winter on Fire director Evgeny Afineevsky will be Noah’s guest on Wednesday. PLUS: Noah’s Daily Show lacks Generation X irony, skepticism and bitterness, and Noah needs to work on his interviews.


George R.R. Martin further debunks the Game of Thrones movie rumors

“The idea is still powerfully attractive,” he says of a movie. “Not just to me, but to many  people connected with the show. Actors, directors, producers, writers. How not? It would be a great way to end. Which doesn’t mean it is going to happen.”


John Oliver releases a special Facebook video to debunk the site’s privacy hoax

“The only true way to protect your content on Facebook is by posting this video,” said Oliver.


Syfy cancels The Bazillion Dollar Club after 1 episode

The tech-themed reality show is now looking for a new home.


Jessica Jones steps over beat-up bar patrons in new Marvel promo

The Netflix superhero series’ latest promo is set to Joan Jett’s Bad Reputation.


Honey Boo Boo stars in her 1st music video

The former TLC star, now age 10, is now trying to launch a music career.


Duck Dynasty’s Sadie Robertson to make her movie debut

The Dancing with the Stars alum is starring in I Am Not Ashamed, playing one of the victims of the Columbine High School massacre.


Ed Sheeran and Orange is the New Black’s Ruby Rose will co-host MTV’s Europe Music Awards

The EMAs will be shown on Oct. 25.


Critics Choice TV and Movie Awards will become one awards show

The two awards show will become combined into one starting next year.


MTV reality stars reunite in Washington, D.C. to remember Diem Brown

Real World alums Puck and Congressman Sean Duffy were among those raising awareness for ovarian cancer.


How to Get Away with Murder books The Fosters star Sherry Saum

She’ll guest in a mysterious role.


Turner Classic Movies to celebrate “Trailblazing Women”

Throughout October, TCM will show films from 47 female directors.


Veronica Mars alum Enrico Colantoni is headed to Powers

He’ll play an anti-Powers U.S. senator from Montana on the PlayStation series.


Here’s a look back at all the failed new fall TV shows from the past 5 years

From 2010 to 2014, 121 fall network shows premiered on network TV. Only 47 of them were renewed and 34 are still on the air.


Why retired late-night talk show hosts grow retirement beards

“He’s letting himself be who he is,” says Douglas LaBier, director of the Center for Progressive Development, of Letterman’s crazy retirement beard. “He’s saying, ‘F–k all the image!’”


The Simpsons
goes black-and-white for this year’s Treehouse of Horror

Here’s your first look at “old-timey” Lisa, Bart and Grandpa Simpson.

Is Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. changing too much?

Season 3 kicked off with many changes.


Grandfathered confirms Bob Saget’s Full House reunion with John Stamos

Saget will play Stamos’ best friend. PLUS: How an obsessed John Stamos fan reacted to Grandfathered.


Watch the new American Crime Story: People v. O.J. Simpson teaser

Featuring a view behind O.J.’s head.


Check out Jeff Probst as a teen

The Survivor host was once a longhaired teenager.


Why Fresh Off the Boat’s family dinner this week was so revolutionary

Has a fictional Asian-American family ever sat together for dinner before on TV?


NBC will keep Neil Patrick Harris’ Best Time Ever at 10 pm for 1 more week

For the second week in a row, the Peacock has delayed his variety show’s move to the 8 o’clock hour. PLUS: Best Time Ever is becoming less rushed.

Relive ex-Teen Mom star Farrah Abraham’s wild time on Britain’s Celebrity Big Brother

Her three-week run on the British reality staple may result in criminal charges.


Bethany Joy Lenz joins TNT’s Home

The One Tree Hill alum will co-star with Andrew Buchan in a suburban family-with-secrets drama.


Ian Somerhalder is naked in new Vampire Diaries promo

A new Season 7 teaser shows Somerhalder removing a towel from his waist.


Friday Night Lights
alums reunite to meet Scott Porter’s son

Porter posted a pic of his son with Matt Lauria and Gaius Charles.

CBS’ Code Black has a great cast, but it’s a pale imitation of TV’s great medical dramas

Led by Marcia Gay Harden, Code Black is adept at medical drama clichés, but it lacks any personality of its own. PLUS: Great character actors make it better it should be, and it feels as fresh as ER but two decades too late.