Five-time Emmy nominee Sandra Oh has announced that she will depart Grey’s Anatomy following its upcoming 10th season, ending in May 2014. The actress said Tuesday, “It’s such an interesting thing to play a character for so long and to actually get the sense that she wants to be let go as well.” “Creatively, I really feel like I gave it my all, and I feel ready to let her go.” “[Cristina] wants to be let go, and I am ready to let her go. We have to start the process, story-wise, for the writers to think of why she’s going to go.” Oh signed a two-year deal with the series in May 2012, as did co-stars Ellen Pompeo and Patrick Dempsey, whose deals are also up next spring. “I’ve gone through a lot of therapy over this,” Oh said. “I started thinking about it because I had to prepare myself. I gave myself two years to emotionally let go.” Despite the emotional departure of the acclaimed actress who brought us Cristina Yang, fans shouldn’t expect the hospital itself to close up shop. ABC Entertainment President Paul Lee said at this summer’s Television Critics Association that he hopes Grey’s Anatomy will continue to run for “many years.” How much it will resemble the show that premiered in 2005 and once averaged over 20 million viewers a week remains to be seen, but it will go on. Grey’s Anatomy Season 10 kicks off September 26 with a two-hour premiere.
The doctors will be in on ABC starting in late September. And so will the dancers, fixers and detectives, as this network has announced its full fall premiere date calendar. It will kick off by another season of Dancing with the Stars and be highlighted by a two-hour episode of Grey’s Anatomy. Scroll down now and prepare to work that DVR in a few months… Monday, September 16 8:00-10:00 p.m. Dancing With the Stars Friday, September 20 8:00-8:30 p.m. Last Man Standing 8:30-9:00 p.m. The Neighbors 9:00-10:00 p.m. Shark Tank Monday, September 23 10:00-11:00 p.m. Castle Tuesday, September 24 8:00-9:00 p.m. Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 9:00-9:30 p.m. The Goldbergs 9:30-10:00 p.m. Trophy Wife 10:00-11:00 p.m. Lucky 7 Wednesday, September 25 8:00-8:30 p.m. The Middle 8:30-9:00 p.m. Back in the Game 9:00-10:00 p.m. Modern Family (one-hour premiere) 10:00-11:00 p.m. Nashville Thursday, September 26 9:00-11:00 p.m. Grey’s Anatomy (two-hour) Sunday, September 29 8:00-9:00 p.m. Once Upon a Time 9:00-10:00 p.m. Revenge 10:00-11:00 p.m. Betrayal Wednesday, October 2 9:30-10:00 p.m. Super Fun Night Thursday, October 3 10:00-11:00 p.m. Scandal Thursday, October 10 8:00-9:00 p.m. Once Upon a Time in Wonderland
Grey’s Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo was among the People’s Choice Awards winners Wednesday night. For Favorite Dramatic TV Actress, not Favorite Crotch Shot. She might as well have won the latter, though. When she walked up to accept the honor, she held up her dress, spread her legs and flashed her crotch for all to see. Grey’s Anatomy ? More like Pink’s Anatomy! Or something. Sorry. Ellen Pompeo Crotch Shot
The halls of Seattle Grace are about to get a whole lot less steamy. McSteamy, that is, as star Eric Dane has announced his intentions to leave Grey’s Anatomy. “I am extremely grateful to everyone at Grey’s, ABC and Shondaland for the experience and memories I have had over the course of this run,” Dane told TV Line in a statement. “It has been wonderful to work alongside and learn from a creative force such as [creator] Shonda Rhimes.” Dane will stick around to finish off his character’s storyline – Season 8 concluded with Mark Sloane’s long-time love, Lexie, dying in a plane crash – as Rhimes said the actor “did not come to this decision lightly,” adding: “We’re a big family here at Grey’s with a long history together and Eric will always remain an important part of our family. I wish him the best and I look forward to watching him as he continues to steam up the big and small screen.” Grey’s Anatomy Season 9 premiere on ABC September 27. This move should free Dane up with more time to film another naked movie .
Former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky will be appealing his convictions on dozens of counts of child sexual abuse, his defense team says. After a trial that featured graphic testimony from eight victims, jurors late Friday found Jerry Sandusky guilty on 45 of the 48 sexual abuse counts. The eight victims, now young men, testified that they were boys when Sandusky forced them to engage in sexual acts over the course of 15 years. After being found guilty, Sandusky, 68, was taken immediately to the jail in Centre County, Pa. He will be sentenced officially in about 90 days. He likely will be sentenced to serve the rest of his life behind bars. Sandusky’s defense team plans to file a motion for appeal , claiming he had ineffective counsel, based on lawyer Joe Amendola talking to the media. A linchpin of the appeal will also be prosecutor Joe McGettigan’s statements during his closing argument, when he told jurors that Jerry Sandusky could have proclaimed his innocence during an interview with Bob Costas on NBC. That violates Sandusky’s right to post-arrest trial silence, his camp argues. His attorneys will also ask the judge to sentence Sandusky to concurrent sentences, with the maximum of 20 years. For 45 convictions? Fat chance. His own adopted son, Matt Sandusky , has accused Jerry of the same thing. It’s possible an appellate court will throw out all objections on the basis of the testimony being too overwhelming to have warranted any other outcome. As of Saturday, Sandusky was placed on suicide watch in jail, according to reports. This does not mean that Sandusky is necessarily suicidal, but the judge wanted “to put the precautions in place first and then evaluate later.”
As Tropical Storm Debby continues to rain down on Florida, we decided to take a look at some famous Debbys (Debbies) who have taken the celebrity world by storm: Debbie Rowe . Former wife of Michael Jackson; mother of his two older kids. Debbie Clemens. Wife of Roger Clemens; alleged HGH user. Debbie Gibson. ’80s teen pop sensation (pictured). Debbie Allen. Actress, dancer, director, recent Grey’s Anatomy guest star. Debbie Reynolds. ’50s Hollywood icon; mother of Carrie Fisher. Debbie Van Pelt. True Blood Season 4 werewolf killed by Sookie. Little Debbie. Mmm. Delish. Who’s your favorite Debby/Debbie? Did we forget any? Tell us in the comments! And for up-to-the-minute storm updates, here’s a link to the NOAA storm forecast .
‘American Idol’ host is setting himself up for a long career and (eventually) the ‘Today’ anchor job with new NBC gig. By John Mitchell Ryan Seacrest Photo: Getty Images This morning on “Today,” Ryan Seacrest confirmed a few rumors and shot down a few others. The “American Idol” and “E! News” host and reality-TV mogul announced that he was officially joining the NBC team, beginning with its prime-time coverage of the London Olympics this summer, and that he would continue on as host of “Idol” while scaling back his on-air work at E! “I’ve worked with the E! network for years, and NBC Universal and E! are in the same family. The plan is for me to join the NBC family and continue to have a role on the E! network,” Seacrest told “Today” anchor Matt Lauer. “The first assignment for me will be with the prime-time team at the Olympics on NBC.” After establishing what he would be doing, Seacrest and Lauer continued through an awkward conversation about what he would not be doing, at least not just yet: gunning to take over Lauer’s anchor job on “Today” when his contract expires later this year. “I see you doing this as long as you want to,” Seacrest said to Lauer when pressed about his rumored negotiations with “Today” producers. “So the question is: How long will you be on the ‘Today’ show?” “We have talked about this, joked about this,” Lauer continued. “There is no tension here.” With Lauer’s future with “Today” still in question, Seacrest’s arrival at NBC brings with it some major implications. Here are the top three: Seacrest Is Being Primed to Replace Lauer During their back-and-forth over whether he’d been approached to replace Lauer, Seacrest played coy, joking that his conversations with “Today” producers “were mostly about filling in to do weather.” He never explicitly denied that he was in talks to host, making the subtext of the conversation pretty clear: the anchor job at “Today” remains Lauer’s as long as he wants it, but Seacrest is largely being brought onboard to wait in the wings and learn the ropes. Lauer is reportedly deep in tough negotiations with “Today” and NBC to remain on the program, and the consensus opinion seems to be that the network is looking to do whatever it takes, including meeting his reported $25 million salary demand, to keep him for the near future. That’s a lot of money, but the “Today” show is a cash cow — generating $450 million in ad revenue in 2010, according to New York magazine — and the net sees Lauer as integral to keeping “Today” on top. Lauer provides the stability that is key to success in morning news and is a master at mixing the serious and the silly, which is important when your job is to both report on the war in Afghanistan and later interview a “Toddlers & Tiaras” pageant mother. Seacrest already has the lighthearted side of things down, but he needs to bulk up his bona fides as a credible journalist. Don’t be surprised if, following his coverage of the Olympics, the various NBC News properties (“Today” included) take him on as a correspondent to cover some serious stuff. They are going to groom him to be a TV news Renaissance man, just like Matt Lauer. Seacrest Poses More of a Threat to the “Today” Ladies Seacrest’s appearance on “Today” pretty much changed the question from “will he” to ” when will he” join the “Today” team and in what capacity. But if they are grooming him to replace Lauer eventually, it will disrupt the chain of succession at “Today.” When Katie Couric left the show, Lauer stepped into the alpha anchor chair, after years of paying his dues as newsreader and co-anchor. Anne Curry would rightfully assume that position if Lauer left, but many have commented that she has had a “rocky transition to her new role” as co-anchor since Meredith Vieira’s departure. Seacrest’s hiring makes it seem like NBC execs are stacking the deck — and not in Savannah Guthrie’s or Curry’s favor. If the “Idol” host leapfrogs Curry somewhere down the road for the lead anchor chair, it will also keep Guthrie from ascending through the ranks the way her colleagues have before her. “Today” won’t demote Curry in any way — and, to be fair, she hasn’t been all that bad — but the lukewarm reception she’s received makes it unlikely she’ll ever be made lead anchor either. Guthrie, however, has more to worry about. She often steps in when Curry or Lauer are out, and if Seacrest is being groomed for Lauer’s spot, producers may opt to have him step up where she normally would. Seacrest Isn’t Going Anywhere Anytime Soon With his plans to continue on as host of “American Idol” and keep his thriving reality-show empire alive on E!, Seacrest will become an even more powerful media figure after he joins NBC. He has his fingers in just about every genre of television except serious news, and that’s essentially what NBC is offering him. In so doing, it also secures his place in the most stable arena in the media canon. The popularity of reality TV ebbs and flows — remember that “Survivor” and “American Idol” were once the top shows on television and now regularly attract only half the audience they did at their peak — so staking your career to it is kind of like building a house on sand. Seacrest has become a mogul by seizing on zeitgeist — “Idol,” the “Kardashian” franchise he built as a producer, his red-carpet work with E! — but he’s also a 37-year-old man who knows the things that have brought him so much success will eventually fade away. But the news never goes out of style. By getting in good with NBC, Seacrest also secures himself the long-term broadcast career he may have otherwise missed out on had he hedged his bets entirely on “Idol” and his reality-TV empire. For a little perspective, the “Today” show has been on the air since 1952 and is the fourth-longest-running television series ever, behind only “Meet the Press,” “The CBS Evening News” and “Hallmark Hall of Fame.” “American Idol” is puttering along with series-low ratings in its 11th season. So what Ryan Seacrest was really announcing this morning on “Today” was his next chapter. Sure, the timeframes haven’t been set and the ink isn’t entirely dry, but his decision to join NBC as an on-air player marks the transition to a new career. It may resemble the old one, but make no mistake: We are being primed for Ryan Seacrest: News Man. What do you think of Seacrest’s announcement? Let us know in the comments!
We look back at the most infamous renditions of ‘The Star-Spangled Banner.’ By James Montgomery The Fray perform the national anthem before the 2012 NCAA National Championship game Photo: Getty Images It seems odd that relaxed-khaki rockers the Fray would inspire acrimony of any sort (unless you hate “Grey’s Anatomy”), but that’s exactly what’s happened following their performance of the national anthem at Monday night’s NCAA national championship basketball game. To be honest, we didn’t think it was that bad, but critics have been savaging the band for their jangly spin on “The Star-Spangled Banner,” calling it everything from “dreadful” to “acoustic, emo and mercifully quick” ( two assessments that could equally have been applied to the actual championship game, now that we think of it). And while they may not be fair, those criticisms automatically add the Fray to the rather lengthy list of truly terrible national anthem performances. From crotch-grabbing comediennes to winded, warbling sprinters, here’s a look at some of the all-time worst. For the record, we don’t think the Fray’s version belongs anywhere on this list, but, hey, anytime you find yourself included alongside Steven Tyler and R. Kelly, you’ve got to be doing something right … right? Roseanne Barr A performance so putrid we’re still talking about it 20 years after the fact. In a move that was either inspired or completely insane (probably both), the San Diego Padres invited the foul-mouthed comedienne to sing the national anthem before a game, and, well, they got everything they could’ve expected … and more. After screeching her way through the song, Barr was showered with boos and showed her gratitude by grabbing her crotch and spitting. Amazingly, this was a huge deal, and she was vilified in the press. Sort of makes you miss the simpler times of H.W. Bush America, doesn’t it? Carl Lewis Hey, he’s an Olympic champion — surely he can sing, right? Wrong. Lewis’ gloriously off-key rendition of the anthem was so bad, people were asking him to give his medals back. As the 20th anniversary of his anthem approaches, it’s difficult to pick the worst (i.e. greatest) moment: His Crayola-colored suit? The part where he cracks a note and, as the crowd jeers, declares “Uh oh! I’mma make up for it now”? Watching members of the Chicago Bulls trying (and failing) to stifle fits of laughter? Nah, you know what? We’re going to go with the New Jersey Nets’ 1993 warm-ups. Those things are still hilarious. R. Kelly Call it the Massacre at Mandalay Bay. Before a big-ticket Vegas boxing match, Mr. Robert Kelly strode to the center of the ring and delivered a delirious, step-show-ready version of the anthem. Sure, he sings it well (since R. Kelly is amazing), but as a sheer stylistic choice, well, this one was a total bomb. Not surprisingly, despite Kelly’s repeated insistences, no one in the audience clapped their hands. Instead, they just booed. Michael Bolton Performing the anthem at Fenway Park, before the Red Sox and the Yankees met for a pivotal 2003 American League Championship game, Bolton made two key errors: One, he totally forgot the lyrics and was forced to read them off the palm of his hand (the crowd lustily booed him for the move), and two, he was Michael Bolton. In Boston. Before a Yankees game. Being from Connecticut wasn’t enough to save him or this performance. Christina Aguilera Poor Xtina. Performing before an audience of millions at Super Bowl XLV, she fumbled pretty much everything: missing notes and screwing up lyrics (we like the part where she goes “the twilight’s last reaming”). She was “devastated” by the mistakes, and since she’s done the anthem so well — and so often — before, we’re willing to forgive this one. Also, we love her on “The Voice.” Steven Tyler Yowch. Tyler delivered a cringe-worthy version of the anthem before the Patriots/Ravens AFC Championship game in January, and not even his sparkly Pats scarf could save him from getting booed. It was wobbly, shouty and even a tad pitchy, dawg. Good thing he’s not responsible for judging a singing competition or anything. Which do you think is the worst anthem? Let us know in the comments! Related Artists The Fray
Move over, Kendall and Kendall Jenner. Sit down, Kaia Gerber. A new celebrity offspring has entered the modeling world. Georgia May Jagger, the 20-year old daughter of rock star Mick Jagger, graces the March cover of Harper’s Bazaar UK. And she isn’t exactly shy: Georgia’s mother, Jerry Hall, tells the magazine that her daughter has actually helped resuscitate her career as a model. “The last couple of modelling jobs I did were with Georgia, like the H&M campaign we did together last year, so she’s given me a bit of a revival. It was great to work with her; I think she’s incredibly sexy. One of the best things about her is that gap in her teeth. She never fixed it. It’s all about that acceptance of the way you are – and she understands that.” She also, hopefully, understands how to avoid the pitfalls that have plagued other young stars. “Georgia saw Keith and Ronnie in action and I think that put her off a bit,” Hall said of her child witnessing some of The Rolling Stones’ antics. “I think she thought, ‘Oh God, I don’t want to be like that.’”
Feud alert! Christi Lukasiak, one of the mothers on Dance Moms , did not take kindly to Katherine Heigl’s criticism of the show, and is firing back with a vengeance. In an interview with Pittsburgh’s 100.7 Star, the hosts asked Christi what she thought about Heigl’s Dance Moms diss , in which the actress criticized the Lifetime show as “demeaning,” “belittling” to the girls and akin to “burlesque.” Chloe’s mom gave her a piece of her mind… “Well, very interesting,” Lukasiak said of the former Grey’s Anatomy star. “First of all, the music doesn’t seem all that adult. Second of all, I recall Katherine Heigl being in a movie about sleeping with an older man when she was about 12, so…” Oooh, that one stings! “And she doesn’t know that when I put my daughter to bed at night, you know, like, we have a long talk, and the kind of relationship I have with her,” Lukasiak adds. “I don’t let anybody mess with my kid. C’mon, have you seen the show? I’m constantly going to bat. I think if anybody fights for their kid, it’s me, you know?” Christi also shoots down any idea that she and the other mothers are “exploiting” kids, and instead argues that they are giving their girls a great opportunity. “Katherine Heigl can suck it,” radio host Bubba chimed in , emphatically. “Yeah, that’s what I say, but you said it, not me. I’m just agreeing,” Christi said. Back to you, Katherine …
