"Swingtown" TV Series Close To Being Cancelled

It's looking less and less likely that CBS will renew the series "Swingtown" for another season. The beleaguered 1970's based show has been ratings disaster for the network, and in the end may all come down to simple numbers.

News reports are surfacing that the network is shopping the series around to cable networks. This is a bad sign for "Swingtown", as a last ditch effort to get a show picked up on cable is usually a sign the show is getting ready for a permanent hiatus.

CBS moved the show to Friday nights, the death slot for any show, where it's ratings dropped even more. This shows CBS might not have had high hopes for the show about two generations of friends and neighbors in a Chicago suburb who explore new sexual freedoms and seek connections with each other in the middle of the social and sexual revolution.

Swingtown may have been too risky and provocative for the normally conservative network. The show contains content dealing with sex, adultery, drugs, adultery, orgies and wife swapping. This is not normal fair for CBS, and the show may well be better suited for cable.

Watch "Swingtown" Criticism and Review



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Miley Cyrus Dead? - Not True. False Rumor Running Rampant

Despite the lightening speed that this rumor is circulating around the internet, fifteen-year-old Miley Cyrus is NOT dead.

The rumor, started as a hoax on both Digg and Wikipedia, reports that Miley Cyrus, the infamous singer and Hannah Montana TV series star, died in a tragic and fatal car accident on Friday, September 5.

As of Saturday morning, no such event had been reported by any mainstream news organization, and the story is being called a hoax. Several sources close to the young actress say, "The report is simply not true."

In fact, Miley Cyrus is currently filming her latest movie project "Hanna Montana: The Movie", due in theaters next May, a story that picks up when Hannah Montana's popularity begins to take over her life, and Miley Stewart (Miley Cyrus), on the urging form her father (Billy Ray Cyrus) taken a trip to her hometown of Crowley Corners, Tennessee to get some perspective on what matters in life the most.

Cyrus has also just completed work on the animated family comedy "Bolt" due this November.

In "Bolt", Cyrus takes the starring role of Penny, opposite John Travolta and Nick Swardson, in the story about a German Shepherd (Travolta), who has lived his whole life on the set of his action TV show, where he believes he has superpowers. When separated from the studio by accident, he meets a cat and a hamster named Rhino, and learns that he doesn't have superpowers and that the show is not realistic.

Watch Miley Cyrus And John Travolta In "Bolt" Movie Trailer



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New Jerry Seinfeld And Bill Gates Microsoft Ad Gets Thumbs Down

We watched it. And we didn't get it. We're talking about the new Microsoft television ad starring funnyman Jerry Seinfeld and Microsoft founder Bill Gates.

In the commercial, Jerry Seinfeld is in a mall when he sees Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates at a "Shoe Circus" store. The comedian then helps Gates pick out a new pair of shoes while they joke about showering with clothes on, Gates being a size 10, and platinum credit cards for a fictional shoe store.

The ad has drawn mostly negative reviews after premiering Thursday night during NBC's broadcast of the National Football League's season kickoff game. The spot was the beginning of a highly publicized $300 million advertising campaign that Microsoft is launching to try and combat Apple's popular television commercials.

It's a madcap ad that says a lot in 90 seconds, but there is no direct mention of Microsoft or its operating system, Vista. Microsoft says this is just a teaser ad and there is much more to follow. But we think they have a long way to go if they are going to dethrone the popular Mac vs PC commercials.

You be the judge:

Watch Jerry Seinfeld And Bill Gates Microsoft Commercial


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Wife of CNN's Jack Cafferty Dies Unexpectedly

CNN commentator Jack Cafferty was not at work today, nor did he update his blog due to some sad news.

Cafferty's wife of 35 years, Carol, died unexpectedly Friday morning.

Jack and Carol have two daughters, Leslie and Leigh, and Jack has two girls from a previous marriage, Julie and Jill.

No other details were available from CNN or Cafferty's rep.

We wish Jack and his family well.
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Lindsay Lohan Turns Down $700,000 Playboy Offer

Lindsay Lohan, the lesbian leaning friend of Samantha Ronson, has turned down a $700,000 offer from Playboy for a topless eight-page layout in the magazines 55th anniversary issue for January.

"If there's nudity, then the answer's no . . . She's not going down the New York magazine road again," Lohan's representative told Playboy.

In recent months, Lohan and DJ friend Sam Ronson have heated up their romantic relationship calling each other best friends, and being photographed kissing and holding hands on the set of Lohan's latest film "Labor Pains".

It has been rumored the two lovers may eventually get married now that California has legalized same sex marriages, but neither Lohan nor Ronson has commented publicly.

Lohan is currently filming the comedy "Labor Pains" due out next year, about a young woman who pretends to be pregnant in order to avoid being fired from her job. When that gets her a bunch of special treatment by everyone involved in her life, she tries to keep up the lie for nine months.

Also due out next year is the romantic musical "Dare To Love Me", starring Lohan and Raoul Bova, where in the seedy underworld of 1920's Buenos Aires, Tango legend Carlos Gardel is involved in a torrid love affair with a prostitute and sees his life shattered when a bullet takes her life and pierces his own flesh.

Watch Lindsay Lohan In "Labor Pains" Movie Trailer


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Spike Lee Previews "Miracle At St. Anna" For Toronto Film Festival - Watch Trailer

Spike Lee introduced his latest film project, the World War II drama "Miracle at St. Anna," at the Toronto Film Festival (TIFF) this week.

"The people in Toronto really appreciate films," Lee said. "Toronto's a great vehicle, a great launch pad for the film to come out in the fall."

The festival runs through Sept. 13 with a lineup that includes the Coen brothers' comedy "Burn After Reading" with George Clooney and Brad Pitt.

Related Story: Brad Pitt And George Clooney In "Burn After Reading" - Early Review And Movie Trailer

Also previewing will be Keira Knightley's historical saga "The Duchess", Edward Norton and Colin Farrell's cop drama "Pride and Glory", and the supernatural romantic comedy "Ghost Town," with Ricky Gervais, Tea Leoni and Greg Kinnear.

Related Story: New "Ghost Town" Movie Trailer - Tea Leoni Cancels Toronto Trip

Lee's "Miracle at St. Anna" is due in theaters September 26. The film chronicles the story of four black American soldiers who are members of the US Army as part of the all-black 92nd Buffalo Soldier Division stationed in Tuscany, Italy during World War II.

They experience the tragedy and triumph of the war as they find themselves trapped behind enemy lines and separated from their unit after one of them risks his life to save an Italian boy.

Watch Spike Lee's "Miracle at St. Anna" Movie Trailer


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Forbes Releases Prime-Time TV's 20 Top-Earning Women List

Things sure have changed in the world of television. Years ago, hot celebrities on hit shows could draw a very large number of viewers. Not so theses days.

With the proliferation of cable channels and the rush away from network television, even the biggest stars, on the biggest shows are making less then their counterparts did ten years ago.

Back in the good old days, "Friends" cast members, as well as folks like Jerry Seinfeld, could command $1 million dollars per episode. Not any more. But there is money to be made from television, and Forbes has just released its Prime-Time TV's 20 Top-Earning Women list.

Tyra Banks was named top earner. The television diva, who hosts her own daytime talk show, and is host of the smash hit series "America's Next Top Model," brought in a reported $23 million between June 2007 and June 2008.

Heidi Klum earned an impressive $14 million, making her the second highest moneymaker on the list thanks to "Project Runway," among other contracts and hosting jobs.

"Grey's Anatomy" star Katherine Heigl banked $13 million for her portrayal of Izzie Stevens in the television series and her movie roles, including "27 Dresses."

Eva Longoria Parker came in fourth, netting $9 million.

Maura Tierney pulled down $7.5 million for her job on "ER".

Mariska Hargitay made $6.5 million for "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"

Jennifer Love Hewitt drew $5 million for "Ghost Whisperer"

Paula Abdul, believe it or not, made only $5 million for being a judge on "American Idol"

Tina Fey made $4.6 million for creating and starring on "30 Rock"

Vanessa Williams made $4.5milion for her role on "Ugly Betty"

The Forbes top earner list ranked the women based on their earnings between June 2007 and June 2008, and included their television salaries, movie earnings, endorsement and fashion deals.
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