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Laura Prudom: 'American Idol' Recap: 14 Members Of The Top 24 Are Revealed (Very Slowly)

2012-02-23T06:53:25Z

Another week, another wholly unnecessary, post-audition audition episode of "American Idol," because the judges are apparently unqualified to accurately measure talent until they've heard a contestant sing at least eight times in four different venues. Everything that was revealed in this episode could've been covered in a five minute montage, but the producers have a two-hour timeslot and they're determined to make you sit through every monotonous minute, gosh darn it!

Since I am not nearly as sadistic as the creators of "American Idol," all you really need to know is included in the handy list of survivors and lucky escapees below. I suggest you save your DVR space and just drop in for the last five minutes of the Feb. 23 episode, when the show will roll out its annual "Ridiculous Dancing Montage" that will remind you of the Top 24 in one manageable, filler-free chunk.

The first 14 contestants to make it to the live rounds were:

Jen Hirsch -- The winery worker we first met in Galveston, who was one of many to wow the crowd with a bluesy rendition of "Georgia on My Mind" in Hollywood.
Creighton Fraker -- Jen's fellow group member, the "starving artist" from New York. His quirky tone won't be everyone's cup of tea, but he's certainly been a standout of the audition rounds.
Joshua Ledet -- A soulful crooner who was basically a non-entity during the initial auditions, but quickly differentiated himself from the masses during Hollywood Week.
Haley Johnson -- This peppy blonde is one of many with a strong voice, but not really enough personality to separate her from the crowd this season. Great belter, though.
Elise Testone -- She nailed "It's A Man's World" for her final performance, and her husky tone and sweet runs should help her progress to the Top 12.
Reed Grimm -- Though he's not a member of the Fantastic Four, he's certainly pulled off several super performances; especially his a cappella-turned-drum performance of "Georgia."
Erika Van Pelt -- One of the strongest female voices in the competition, with a tone eerily reminiscent of Pink, the mobile DJ was an easy yes -- though the judges did say that she didn't do as well as they'd hoped throughout Hollywood and Vegas.
Chelsea Sorrell -- The first of several indistinguishable country crooners; from what I recall, Chelsea was a solid enough singer, but likely to be canon fodder in the live rounds since she hasn't been all that memorable thus far.
Baylie Brown -- Another country girl, with the added cachet of having had far more screen-time than Chelsea, due to the fact that she first auditioned back in Season 6, which is apparently super impressive. She mangled Rascal Flatts' "Here Comes Goodbye" in her final audition, but in spite of that, the judges gave her a pass.
Heejun Han -- Best known for his deadpan zingers and rivalry with Richie "The Cowboy" Law (who was thankfully sent home), long-suffering Heejun has always been one of J.Lo's favorites and acquitted himself beautifully in his final song. His hilarious response to Ryan Seacrest's "What are you sweating?" ("Mostly water") was possibly the high point of the episode. Yes, it was one of those nights.
Jessica Sanchez -- I don't remember this sweet 16-year-old at all, but her final performance of "The Prayer" was beautifully controlled and had a sweet, natural purity that literally gave me chills. She wants to succeed so that she can support her family since they're broke from supporting her musical ambitions. No pressure.
Phillip Phillips -- This season's Casey Abrams, which is only a good thing if you liked last season's Casey Abrams. He's graveled and seems to have a great grasp of who he wants to be as an artist, but I predict he'll be even more divisive than Creighton.
Colton Dixon -- The reluctant brother who hijacked his sister's audition after the judges bullied him into performing. He's still far too affected for me, but he's unique and confident. Plus, he's white, male and can play and instrument, so he'll probably win. He tried to make up for stealing his sister's thunder by dedicating his final song to her, but things got awkward again when she told him to ask the judges to put her through next year. Yeah, that sibling rivalry isn't going away any time soon.
Brielle Von Hugel -- Teen diva with a suffocating stage mom. She performed a mid-tempo version of "Killing Me Softly" for her final audition, which was interesting. I think she thinks she's better than she actually is, not sure she'll make the Top 12.

And, in an attempt to fabricate drama from a completely pedestrian episode, the show ended on a "cliffhanger" with proud daddy Adam Brock left in limbo until the next episode -- though I can't fathom him being sent home, especially after his rousing performance of "Georgia" in Hollywood.

We mostly lost a few faceless nobodies who hadn't been given any exposure during the audition rounds, and I didn't even catch their names, but there were a couple of surprises. The consistently fantastic Lauren Gray was eliminated, despite her commercial-skewing, Kelly Clarkson-meets-Adele sound. She had great range and a lot of personality, so I wouldn't be surprised if she was brought back as a wildcard (or are we not doing that this year?) but it's somewhat baffling that she was let go in the first place. And despite the catchy name, Neco Starr was also sent home, which made more sense since his last performance sounded nasal and whiny.

On Feb. 23, the 10 remaining members of the Top 24 will be revealed, and thankfully, next week, we can finally get on with the actual singing competition. Were you surprised by any of the judges' decisions?

"American Idol" airs Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8 p.m. EST on Fox. Next week, "Idol" will also air on Tuesday (2/28) at 8 p.m. as the semifinalist boys perform.

Gang Needs Brad And Jane To Fight On 'Happy Endings'

2012-02-23T06:51:44Z

"Happy Endings" (Wed., 9:30 p.m. EST on ABC) introduced a rather unusual annual tradition the gang has been enjoying for years. Well, most of them have been enjoying it. So much so that they apparently go out of their way to make t-shirts, and consider it the official beginning of spring. The "it" in question is a huge blow-out fight between Brad and Jane.

The problem this year was that Brad and Jane simply weren't fighting. Every time the gang thought something was going to set them off, they instead managed to brush it off like it was no big thing. But realizing that for whatever reason this was something their friends needed, Brad and Jane decided to fake the sixth "Spring Smackdown" for their benefit.

But the fake fight, and fake getting away from one another into the arms of their friends, just didn't sit right with anyone. It still didn't feel like spring was coming. Luckily, an open patio door led to a real fight. But this time, rather than simply sitting back and enjoying the fight, the gang came together to instead help the couple realize the silliness of it and instead make up. Maybe they'd all grown up a little bit this year.

Special shout-out to "Bear Max." It was a bit abrupt, and seemingly out of character considering he'd just recently started a serious relationship that was developing nicely, but it was so funny it was almost forgivable. For the transformation into Pooh Bear alone, just go with it for the laughs.

Watch "Happy Endings" every Wednesday at 9:30 p.m. EST on ABC.

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Kat Vs. Nina As Women Struggle On 'Survivor'

2012-02-23T06:36:27Z

In only the second week of the competition on "Survivor: One World" (Wed., 8 p.m. EST on CBS), the women's tribe continued to struggle with communication. At least they got their leadership situation taken care of by appointing high school teacher Sabrina. She proved a competent and capable leader around camp, but it still wasn't enough.

This season, fans were promised more challenges without Jeff overseeing them, and they got one in the reward challenge. While the women remained competitive in this one until the bitter end, the men once again pulled off a victory. They would continue their winning streak into the immunity challenge as well. This one had them having to squeeze past one another on a narrow balance beam.

While the men quickly figured out a strategy, the women couldn't quite figure it out. They threw blame on their boobs getting in the way, and on Kat jumping into the water needlessly twice, but it came down to a lack of leadership and communication. On this one, Monica had figured out a way for them to do it, but by the time anyone heard her it was too little too late. The women started getting themselves across the beam, but they couldn't catch up to the strong lead the men had established.

So it was back to tribal council for the women, though this time they had a pretty clear target going in. As the oldest member of the tribe, Nina had never quite fit in, and they decided she was a liability. Nina made a strong case for Kat simply because of her ditzy move at the challenge. The women's alliance openly admitted that they basically regretted some of their alliance choices, but they stayed true to the one they'd created and sent Nina packing. Down two, they need to get it together soon if they want to stay competitive in the game.

Find out who gets eliminated next on "Survivor: One World," Wednesdays at 8 p.m. EST on CBS.

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Phil Finds Out Haley's Not A Virgin On 'Modern Family'

2012-02-23T06:20:43Z

Phil got a huge shock to the system, and with no advanced warning on "Modern Family" (Wed., 9 p.m. EST on ABC), when Alex mistook his reference to "Haley's aversion." Alex thought he said, "Haley's a virgin," causing her to laugh uncontrollably. Until, that is, she realized the mistake, and what she'd just revealed.

It was a difficult realization for Phil, and he struggled to process the information. What does that mean about Haley? About his relationship with his eldest daughter? It's a struggle all too common to fathers of daughters in particular, as protectiveness is a natural state, as is the naive belief that their baby girl will stay their baby girl forever.

Haley tried to gingerly tell him, via talking about Lily's broken doll, that this does't change anything about her. She's still the same girl she ever was, just changed. It took him a while, but he did manage to handle it and realize that it doesn't have to change anything. It's a normal part of growing up.

Perhaps most unexpectedly, he also discovered that Claire had known already for the past three months. When he confronted her about it, Claire began to muster up a defense, but all Phil did was hug her and thank her. He'd given her three more months of believing in the external innocence of his little girl. Haley may have taken that next step toward growing up, but Phil was spared it if even momentarily, and he was grateful for the reprieve.

"Modern Family" anchors ABC's comedy block on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. EST.

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'Hangover' Star Joins Ryan Murphy's Next Project

2012-02-22T23:04:17Z

While fans are still reeling over the "Glee" winter finale, the cast of Ryan Murphy's new NBC comedy is shaping up.

Justin Bartha of "The Hangover" franchise has signed on for "The New Normal," according to The Hollywood Reporter, which revoles around a gay couple and the woman who agrees to serve as their surrogate. Bartha will play David to "The Book Of Mormon" star Andrew Rannells' Bryan as the couple looking to start a family.

Also joining the cast is Scottish actress Georgia King as Goldie, their surrogate, THR reports. Ellen Barkin is already attached to "The New Normal" as Goldie's racist grandmother on the NBC sitcom, co-created by Murphy and fellow "Glee" scribe Ali Adler.

And in more casting news ...

"Superman" alum Brandon Routh will play Michael Urie's boyfriend in "Partners" for CBS. The comedy pilot is from the minds of "Will & Grace" creators Max Mutchnick and David Kohan. [TVLine]

Ryan Phillippe has dropped out of the CBS pilot he was attached to. The actor, who's currently filming a major arc on the finale season of FX's "Damages," would have starred as a cop on the Greg Berlanti project, which was previously known as "Golden Boy." [The Hollywood Reporter]

"Kings" alum Chris Egan is going Disney. The actor has landed the first role in ABC's reimagining of the classic fairy tale "Beauty and the Beast" as Gorrick, a Gaston-like character betrothed the show's leading lady, Grace. [TVLine]

Former "Oz" inmate Lee Tergesen may be back doing small screen crime. TVLine exclusively reports that Tergesen is close to signing onto ABC's drama pilot "Penoza," which is based on a Dutch series of the same name about the widow of an assassinated criminal forced to adopt her husband's role in order to protect her family. [TVLine]

Lawrence Shulruff: A Fast and Furious Look at the Oscars

2012-02-22T23:01:55Z

"Mon dieu!" as Jean Dujardin's character George Valentin might say in the film The Artist if only he could speak. What has happened to the Oscars?

At a time when watching movies has become more and more experiential with 3D glasses, enormous IMAX screen and heart-pounding surround sound systems, the Academy sings paeans to a silent movie? With French actors?

But there's more: With Hollywood executives panicking about dropping movie attendance and the inability to attract younger, hipper viewers, someone needs to ask how the Academy of Motion Pictures selected funnyman Billy Crystal to host the 84th Academy Awards given that few people under the age of 30 have heard of him. What happened? The Lollipop Guild was unavailable?

Can anyone say make-over? It is time to bring style back to the Oscars, and I'm not talking asparagus and hollandaise sauce. Spicing up the broadcast would be a quick fix -- It's time to add some new award categories. So Hollywood, take note. Take a meeting. Take some Tylenol. These recommendations could be the cure for that after-party hangover. Part II.

The Best Sequel: Am I the only one miffed that Fast Five was overlooked -- again? The franchise about street racing has everything you expect in a great movie: clutch actors, clutch plotline, clutch transmissions. (Changing topics for a second, am I also the only who thinks actor Claron Hinds looks like Clutch Cargo?) Did I mention the great chase scenes and the midriff-baring gear heads? Yet the film got blanked by the Academy. Not even an award for best cinematography, whatever that is.

Vin Diesel. Ludacris. The Rock. The film should win an Academy Award for having the actors with the coolest names.

Truth is that sequels are driving the Hollywood engine. Ten of the top 11 grossing films of 2011 were prequels or sequels. Of the past nine years, eight of the top grossing movies were sequels. It just doesn't seem kosher that year after year these cash cows are ignored during the awards season. The Academy seems to think that imitation is the sincerest form of flatulence.

Instead of snubbing this movie-making trend, why not embrace it with its own award category? This will guarantee us a chance to see the same movies we love over and over and over again. (Footnote: Fast and Furious 6 is scheduled for a 2013 release. Plot unknown. Not a big surprise given that I still can't figure out the plots for the first five.)

Best Bat Mitzvah Montage: How is it that this genre of filmmaking had gone completely unrecognized by the Academy Awards? This is especially bizarre when you consider that the production costs for the average bat mitzvah montage exceeds those for most foreign films. And there aren't any subtitles!

Let's also consider that adding such a category would attract a demographic group Hollywood has shamefully ignored over the years -- Jewish teens. In time I expect a spin-off show devoted exclusively to this segment of the industry, and, with a special soundtrack award, there's a logical tie-in with the Grammys. Imagine the scene: Rachel Glickstine's Bubbie is being nominated for best birthday scene which features her racy version of Rihanna's "S&M." The envelope is opened. The winner announced. Rachel jumps from her chair, screaming, "My grammy won a Grammy!" It's an advertiser's dream.

The Salma Hayek Award: Every year the Academy presents a lifetime achievement award to an actor who is wrinkly and grey. Why wait? Why not give the award to someone in her prime while she still looks great in evening wear? I nominate Salma Hayek. And the good news is that it would guarantee she'd be at the show. For 2013 I nominate Penelope Cruz.

Thinking ahead it's not too early to start thinking about next year's host. I'm pushing for Vin Diesel. He's cool. He's hip. He'd look great in a tux, assuming there is one that would fit. All in all, it would be a clutch move.

Is LeAnn Rimes Interested In Joining 'X Factor'?

2012-02-22T22:55:21Z

The latest name thrown in the ring for an "X Factor" judges spot: Singer LeAnn Rimes.

Sources say Rimes is interested in joining the Fox reality hit, with one source adding that sheâs met with Factor co-producer FremantleMedia North America about the gig and other opportunities.

Sharon Blames ITV For Adele's Middle Finger Debacle

2012-02-22T21:58:28Z

Tuesday night at the Brit Awards, singing sensation Adele flipped the middle finger after host James Corden cut her off in the middle of her acceptance speech for British album of the year. Wednesday on "The Talk," (weekdays on CBS) Sharon Osbourne, who hosted the Brit Awards ceremony in 2008, provided some context on the incident.

Instead of the more traditional awards show play-off music, the Brit Awards tasks the host with letting winners know when their speeches have run over time, Osbourne explained. "I hosted that show about four years ago, and you've got three different producers in your ear ... They send you up there and say, 'Whatever you do, get the mic, tell them to stop, that's it.' ... So I understand her frustration ... When I hosted it, they didn't tell the artists, because they didn't want to say who's won, so they don't prep them."

Osbourne had some harsh words for ITV, the network who televised the ceremony. "It's the network. They don't care. They're English. They've got a stick up their bum," she quipped. "If it had been me, I would have said, 'You tell her, I am not telling her."

Even this year's host Corden seemed to share Osbourne's sentiments. In an interview with ITV2 after the show, he said, "I don't understand quite why I was made to [cut her short]... I was having the best night of my life and then I had to cut Adele off before she's even had a chance to say, 'Thank you.' She's the biggest star in the world. I don't understand what happened, but I'm upset about it."

TV Replay scours the vast television landscape to find the most interesting, amusing, and, on a good day, amazing moments, and delivers them right to your browser.

'NCIS,' 'American Idol' & 'The Voice' Come Out On Top

2012-02-22T21:44:55Z

NEW YORK -- Viewers gave CBS the week's most-watched show along with 21 others in the top 30 ranking.

Fox was represented only by its two editions of "American Idol" – which ranked second and third – while NBC's lone entry, "The Voice," took fourth place, according to Nielsen Co. figures released Wednesday.

CBS' durable drama "NCIS" won the top spot with a remarkable audience of nearly 20 million viewers.

For the week, CBS' prime-time average was 10.9 million viewers (6.8 rating, 11 share). Fox had 8.7 million viewers (5.1 rating, 8 share), ABC had 6.7 million (4.2 rating, 7 share), NBC had 5.6 million (3.5 rating, 6 share), the CW had 1.1 million (0.9 rating, 1 share) and ION Television had 1.1 million (0.7 rating, 1 share).

Among the Spanish-language networks, Univision led with a 3.8 million viewer average (1.9 rating, 3 share), Telemundo had 1.0 million (0.6 rating, 1 share), Telefutura had 660,000 (0.4 rating, 1 share), Estrella had 220,000 and Azteca 130,000 (both 0.1 rating, 0 share).

NBC's "Nightly News" topped the evening newscasts with an average of 9.4 million viewers (6.2 rating, 11 share). ABC's "World News" was second with 8 million (5.4 rating, 10 share), while the "CBS Evening News" had 6.8 million viewers (4.5 rating, 8 share).

A ratings point represents 1,147,000 households, or 1 percent of the nation's estimated 114.7 million TV homes. The share is the percentage of in-use televisions tuned to a given show.

For the week of Feb. 13-19, the top 10 shows, their networks and viewerships: "NCIS," CBS, 19.59 million; "American Idol" (Wednesday), Fox, 18.89 million; "American Idol" (Thursday), Fox, 18.71 million; "The Voice," NBC, 16.28 million; "NCIS: Los Angeles," CBS, 16.15 million; "The Big Bang Theory," CBS, 15.65 million; "The Mentalist," CBS, 13.55 million; "Person of Interest," CBS, 13.16 million; "Two and a Half Men," CBS, 12.45 million; "Criminal Minds," CBS, 12.20 million.

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ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Co. CBS is owned by CBS Corp. CW is a joint venture of Warner Bros. Entertainment and CBS Corp. Fox and My Network TV are units of News Corp. NBC and Telemundo are owned by Comcast Corp. ION Television is owned by ION Media Networks. TeleFutura is a division of Univision. Azteca America is a wholly owned subsidiary of TV Azteca S.A. de C.V.

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Harry Connick Jr. Talks David & Olivia's Romance On 'SVU'

2012-02-22T21:12:35Z

After 13 seasons, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" finally gave Det. Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) a serious love interest when Executive Assistant District Attorney David Haden (Harry Connick Jr.) entered the picture. Fans who have been anxiously waiting for more Olivia/David action won't want to miss Wednesday night's all-new episode, which we have exclusive video of below.

In the episode, entitled "Hunting Ground," Olivia and David's romantic weekend is interrupted when an underage prostitute goes missing.

As the SVU detectives dig into her disappearance, they find a pattern of several missing escorts who all posted ads on a popular newspaper's website. For Oliva and David budding relationship, however, this means that the line between their personal and professional lives starts to blur, causing a bit of frustration for the two, as the squad races to find the missing girl before it's too late.

HuffPost TV caught up with Connick Jr. on the set of the long-running NBC procedural to talk about the personal connection that inspired him to take the role, David and Olivia's blossoming romance and how even he saw the chemistry between Elliot (Christopher Meloni) and Olivia.

"Law and Order: SVU" airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. EST on NBC. Check out exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from the "SVU" set -- including a very sweet kiss between Olivia and David.

For fans that feel like they don't know much about your character, how would you describe David?

David is very determined at his job, and he's very ethical. He's a hard-worker who believes very strongly in upholding the law and doing what he's supposed to do, which is one of the reasons that I believe he's attracted to Det. Benson. Obviously, she's beautiful and charming, but she's a bit of a mystery to him. He knows that it's going to take a bit of work, but I think he's willing to do the work to get to know her. He's a genuine guy. If he was anything other than that, I would be blind-sided by it because up to this point, he really cares for her. He senses that something has been troubling her, and we had a scene where he was like, "Look, I know something is bothering you, but I want you to know that I'm not going anywhere. It's alright, whatever it is. I can handle it."

This upcoming episode is going to see David and Olivia both juggling their personal and professional lives. Is that going to cause some friction?

For David, love trumps the business. He approaches Olivia and says, "If we want this to work, we have to make a decision. We have to stay away from each other in the work field." And he's making the decision to do that. Their relationship is more important to him than what they both do for a living, and they're both ethical about their jobs.

You're only signed on to do four episodes, so where are things headed for Olivia and David in that short time?

I don't know. I'm going to be just as surprised as everyone else. [Laughs] I think Mariska probably has a better idea than I do, but it's nice, you know? I liked being surprised because that's how these things happen in real ife.

What do you want to happen?

I would like, just as a fan of the show, for her not to get hurt. She's been through so much trauma in her life already, so I would rather, if I had my choice, not be a person who would contribute to any more pain for her. But as an actor, I'm playing a part and it is what it is.

You would also be the most hated person on TV if you break her heart.

Oh, for sure! But sometimes that's the way it is when you play a guy who's not very admired. That's just apart of being an actor. People get so personally invested with these characters that they sometimes translate that to your real personal life. That can be tough, especially when you're not expecting that kind of backlash.

I know that you're a talented singer in real life, so will David serenade Olivia any time soon?

[Laughs] I don't think that's going to happen. Oh man, one of the fun things about playing a guy like David is that he's not a singer. I just finished a show, doing eight shows a week, and sing a lot, so it's nice to play a guy who can't carry a tune. Maybe Olivia will serenade him! That's a nice alternative.

If they did ask you to come back for more than four episodes, would that be an option that you would consider?

Oh, sure! I'm having a great time. It's just a matter of scheduling, but I'd definitely be back. I'm really enjoying my time with Marlska, so I'd love to keep that going.

I know that you said that you were obsessed with the show, so I'm sure you know that there were many fans who wanted Elliot and Olivia together. Where you a big fan of Benson and Stabler?

The thing about their relationship is that it was an impossibility. You always wanted it to work and for it to happen, but you knew it wasn't because he was married, and they loved each other in a different kind of way. It's interesting to see how she's sort of breaking down a little bit and letting David into her emotional circle because that was once a place that she really only let Elliot into. It's fun to be that guy.

I read that your father was the District Attorney of New Orleans. Did that have anything to do with you taking on this role?

There's a lot of things in this script that I call about and ask him. He was the DA of New Orleans for 30 years, so I had a million questions for him about his job and the situations that he found himself in during that time. In fact, the reason I took the role was because of my dad. It's yet another way that I can share my time with him. We're very close anyway, but I had never done a role like this before, and since it's what he does for a living, I thought it would be a nice bond between us.

'GCB' Stars Preview Their Texas-Sized New Drama

2012-02-22T20:43:37Z

"GCB" (premieres Sun., March 4, 10 p.m. EST on ABC) has gotten a bit of a bad rap already. First it was over the many name changes (what was "Good Christian Bitches" got tamed to "Good Christian Belles," which was then shortened to just "GCB"); but then, people started saying the show's portrayal of life in Dallas, Texas, was too over-the-top.

Being from Dallas, Texas, let me assure you: It's not.

I caught up with the show's fabulous cast -- Kristin Chenoweth, Annie Potts, Leslie Bibb, David James Elliott, Miriam Shor, Marisol Nichols, Jennifer Aspen and Brad Beyer -- to talk all about their adventures in the Lone Star State, and why they believe they're in very capable hands.

"We have Bobby Harling, who wrote 'Steel Magnolias,' writing television for us," Potts said. For those uninitiated in the ways of the South, oh my Lord & Taylor -- "Steel Magnolias" is kind of like the Southern Bible (a label that Bibb has now stolen from me after I took her character's shopping-inspired exclamation).

"It comes from truth, as you know, and it comes from love," Aspen said of the show's depiction of the larger-than-life Texas personalities. "There's a real admiration of this area, of these people, of this life."

But if the women are all bitches, what does that make the good-time guys on the show? "They are hot asses!" Aspen said. "All the men on our show are over six feet tall, and we should do a 'GCB' calendar."

"We're like the parents, and they're like the children," Eliiott said. "We look at them as our entertainment."

Watch my full video interview with the cast for more of that entertainment, and tell us: Are you excited for "GCB"?

"GCB" premieres Sun., March 4, 10 p.m. EST on ABC.

The Most Replaceable 'Real Housewives'

2012-02-22T20:22:01Z

These days rumors are everywhere about new cast members of all of the 'Real Housewives' shows. From Vanessa Bryant for 'Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' to Keshia Knight Pulliam for 'Real Housewives of Atlanta,' B-celebrities everywhere are trying to get a piece of the franchise. But which housewives would they replace? Here's a look at the top eight 'wives we wouldn't mind saying goodbye to.

'The Biggest Loser' Contestants Walk Off!

2012-02-22T20:12:23Z

There's a mutiny on the set of "The Biggest Loser," and it's all because of a producer-inflicted plot twist the remaining contestants are not so happy about.

'Real Housewives' Go Skinny Dipping

2012-02-22T20:08:36Z

"The Real Housewives of New York" finished taping two weeks ago with its new cast, and producers are already saying this is the best season yet -- the ladies travel the globe and even go skinny dipping.

"Sonja [Morgan] and Ramona [Singer] have totally bonded and formed a great alliance against the new ladies," a show insider tells me. "They are so inseparable this season that they shared a bed together in St. Barts and even went skinny dipping late one night after enjoying a few glasses of Ramona's wine."

This will be the first season of the hit show since original cast members Jill Zarin and Alex McCord were fired and replaced with Carole Radziwill, a distant relative of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, fashion designer Heather Thomson, and Wall Street wife Aviva Drescher, who is related to actress Fran Drescher.

"This season you will see the ladies travel to London, where Carole thinks it's so funny that LuAnn [de Lesseps] insists that everyone call her 'The Countess,' that she makes all the ladies refer to her as 'The Princess' to mock her," one of the ladies tells me. Carole is the widow of Prince Anthony Radziwill, who died August 10, 1999, at age 40 after a five-year battle with cancer.

But when the ladies travel to Miami and St. Barts, that's where the real trouble begins.

"Things between Ramona and the new ones get so bad at one point they even discussed recreating the bathroom scene from the film 'Bridesmaids' after Ramona gives them her new red wine to taste," an insider tells me. "Ramona now thinks it's her show for sure."

Get a glass of wine in these women and there's no telling what they'll do.

"You know me, I always skinny dip," Sonja tells me. "Why else would you rent a house? I can't tell you if I did it on film or if I did it with Ramona because that would be a storyline and I can get in trouble for that according to my contract."

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Check out all of the "Real Housewives," past and present, below:

'Seinfeld' Actor Hospitalized

2012-02-22T20:06:27Z

Daniel von Bargen is in an Ohio hospital after a failed suicide attempt on Monday morning, TMZ is reporting.

According to the 911 phone call the character actor made from his Cincinnati apartment, von Bargen sustained a self-inflicted gun shot in his head. The 61-year-old appears discombobulated on the phone: "I was supposed to go to the hospital and I didn't want toâ¦ they were supposed to amputate at least a few toes," he said, adding that he is diabetic.

Von Bargen played the characters of Chief Grady in "Super Troopers" and Mr. Kruger on "Seinfeld."

Need help? In the U.S., call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.