Yesterday I told you that insiders at “Law & Order” really feel that S. Epatha Merkerson will sign a new contract. She said previously that she was leaving. Her rep told me yesterday that she’s really, really leaving. “It’s not a contract ploy,” he says. Somehow, I still think she’ll be persuaded to stay for one last record breaking season. That is, if Dick Wolf doesn’t kill off her character at the end of this season…
…And I hear the folks at HBO had to ante up “a lot” to get the cast of “True Blood” back for its next season. No, Anna Paquin won’t be paid twice since she announced she’s bi-sexual…
…We know that Matthew Rhys re-signed for another season of “Brothers & Sisters,” as did other cast members. But will ABC renew the show? The ratings are terrible, and the show is simply adrift. What could have been “Knots Landing” meets “thirtysomething” has lost all focus. They should try and get the creator, Jon Robin Baitz, back on board. Especially embarrassing is the waste this season of Rachel Griffiths on an idiotic story line involving a French stud boyfriend…
Here in New York, we lost something special last week: the Joey Reynolds show on WOR Radio. WOR Radio has really become a creepy outpost for right wing conservative radio buoyed by commercials for wacko products. There’s nothing entertaining about listening to hate-filled Glenn Beck, Michael Savage, and even John Gambling III (who has really gone ’round the bend since returning to the station after an 8 year absence) rant on and on. Now the once great station has canned the lovable Reynolds for syndicated George Noory, who talks every night about UFOs, ESP, and cosmic happenings. Reynolds gave the station a heart and soul, now something it lacks sorely other than New York institution Joan Hamburg. I sure hope Joey lands somewhere soon. He knew that New Yorkers have no time for space ship watching. We’ve got real stuff to do…
