TCA Summer 2012 Press Tour: Cable Day 1; MeTV Network Announced 3 More Affiliates Includes Salt Lake City

Wednesday, August 01, 2012

TCA Summer 2012 Press Tour: Cable Day 1; MeTV Network Announced 3 More Affiliates Includes Salt Lake City

Today is day one of the TCA Summer 2012 Press Tour for cable networks. Among the cable networks going today through Friday are Current TV, Ovation, BBC America, HBO, GMC, Starz, The Weather Channel, Discovery, National Geographic Channels and ESPN. See below for some day one updates!
Moving on, the syndicated talk show Anderson, with Anderson Cooper, is now changing its name to Anderson Live this fall. The one-hour daily syndicated talk show hosted by Anderson Cooper, returns for its second season as Anderson Live on Monday, September 10, 2012, with a brand new show name, new set and new live format with rotating co-hosts. Anderson Live will tape in front of a live studio audience at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City where Cooper will be joined daily by co-hosts for the show's sophomore season. Anderson Live's new set with live capabilities will enable Cooper to cover stories while they are breaking and update his viewers with the latest news, truly becoming water cooler TV in the daytime. Anderson Live will feature interviews with movie stars from the fall's most anticipated films including Richard Gere and the cast of Arbitrage, as well as Emma Watson and the cast of The Perks of Being a Wallflower; TV stars from hit shows including Modern Family's Julie Bowen and Ty Burrell, The Mindy Project's Mindy Kaling and Scandal's Kerry Washington; Comedian and Author Stephen Colbert as well as classic TV stars including Carol Burnett. So stay tuned this fall every Friday when we cover sitcom stars on talk shows like Anderson Live!

On to summer cable press tour day one updates, TV One has announced that its new sitcom The Rickey Smiley Show will premiere on September 18. Comedian and radio personality Rickey Smiley stars as Rickey Smiley, a character loosely based on his own life - a popular, local DJ based in Atlanta, who is the single father to three children. The all-star cast includes Ray J (Moesha, One on One), J. Anthony Brown (Like Family), Lil JJ (Just Jordan), Roz Ryan (Amen), Noree Victoria and Demetria McKinney (Tyler Perry's House of Payne). The series is being produced in Atlanta for TV One by Bobbcat Films. Executive producers are Roger Bobb, Rickey Smiley, Yolanda Starkes-White and Ward White. Executive in Charge of Production for TV One is Tia Smith.

HBO has confirmed that acclaimed series Enlightened and Girls will have their second-season premieres in January 2013. Both series will return for ten-episode seasons. Enlightened tells the story of an ambitious executive at a global conglomerate, who returns to her fractured life after a humiliating public breakdown, determined to lead a more enlightened existence. Golden Globe Award winner Laura Dern stars in the series with Diane Ladd, Sarah Burns, Luke Wilson and Mike White.
Girls takes a comic look at the assorted humiliations and rare triumphs of a group of girls in their early 20s. The cast includes Lena Dunham, Jemima Kirke, Allison Williams, Zosia Mamet, Adam Driver and Alex Karpovsky. The series recently received five Emmy(R) nominations, including Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (Lena Dunham), Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series (Lena Dunham) and Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series (Lena Dunham).

Two additional HBO comedies will be back with new episodes in 2013. Veep returns for a ten-episode second season. The Emmy(R)-nominated series stars Emmy(R) winner Julia Louis-Dreyfus as former Senator Selina Meyer, who becomes vice president, only to discover the job is nothing like she expected, but everything she was warned about. The show also stars Anna Chlumsky, Tony Hale, Matt Walsh, Timothy C. Simons, Reid Scott and Sufe Bradshaw.
Eastbound & Down will be returning for an eight-episode fourth season. Danny McBride stars as Kenny Powers, a star pitcher whose self-destructive behavior knocks him out of major league baseball, leaving him broke, delusional and desperate to regain his former glory. The series is executive produced by Will Ferrell, Adam McKay, Chris Henchy, Jody Hill and Danny McBride.

On the heels of five Hearts stations signing on for the MeTV Network, three Newport stations have now committed to the classic TV network. On Monday (July 30) KTVX in Salt Lake City and KOKI in Tulsa launched the MeTV Network. Another Newport Television station in Syracuse will launch MeTV on WSYR on Monday, September 10, 2012. Salt Lake City's MeTV station can be seen over the air on channel 4.2 as well as on Comcast channel 104. Tulsa's MeTV station can be seen over-the-air on channel 23.2 as well as on Comcast channel 302, Charter channel 292 and Wave Broadband channel 60. Syracuse's MeTV station will be seen over the air on channel 9.2 as well as on Time Warner Cable channel 890 and FiOS channel 470. The MeTV Network now clears more than 82% of the country, serving more than 129 affiliates!

Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows

Thursday, April 9

Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - "A Stuffed Monkey and an Ex-Girlfriend" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
When CeeCee loses her favorite toy, Mandy and Meemaw (Annie Potts) take it as an opportunity to make some money. Meanwhile, Connor contemplates revisiting an old relationship.

Ghosts - "Michael Jackson Goes to HR" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Trevor lands himself in trouble when an inappropriate gift to a co‑worker forces him into an HR meeting only Jay can handle. Meanwhile, Pete unintentionally sparks drama with Alberta after casually mentioning a surprise visit to his ex.

Animal Control - "Scaredy Cats and Card Sharks" (Fox, 9:02PM ET/PT)
When Frank and Daisy lose $5,000 in union funds, they try to win the money back by gambling; Shred and Patel cover the late-night shift at the precinct.

Going Dutch - "The Heart Locker" (Fox, 9:32PM ET/PT)
After throwing out his back, the Colonel is ordered to bed rest; the base is sent to sweep for landmines at a local farm, where Major Shah suddenly finds himself in serious danger when he steps on one.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 6)

Thursday, April 9

Kerry Washington (UnPrisoned) - Catch Kerry on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Riz Ahmed (Bait) - Riz is a guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Nathan Lane (Mid-Century Modern/Only Murders in the Building/Modern Family/Charlie Lawrence/Encore! Encore!/One of the Boys) - Nathan appears on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Arsenio Hall (Arsenio) - Arsenio is a guest on a repeat of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:35pm on CBS.
Jim Parsons (Young Sheldon/The Big Bang Theory) - Jim appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
Judy Reyes (Scrubs) - Judy talks about Scrubs and High Potential on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
Dany Levy (Big Mistakes/Schitt's Creek) - Dan talks about Big Mistakes on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Felicity Huffman (Sports Night) - Felicity dishes on Doc on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
Bryan Cranston (Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair/Malcolm in the Middle/The Louie Show), Frankie Muniz (Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair/Malcolm in the Middle) and Jane Kaczmarek (Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair/Malcolm in the Middle/Help Me Help You) - Bryan, Frankie and Jane talk about Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair on ABC News Live Prime with Linsey Davis at 7pm.
John C. Reilly (Moonbase 8) - NBC's Today has "Head or Tails" with John in the 9am hour.
Billy Magnussen (The Franchise/Made for Love) - NBC's Today catches up with Billy in the 9am hour.
Terry Crews (Brooklyn Nine-Nine/Are We There Yet?/Everybody Hates Chris) - Tamron Hall has a DAYTIME EXCLUSIVE with Terry and Rebecca King-Crews revealing for the first time Rebecca's health battle, so check your local listings.
Kenya Barris (blackAF) - Kenya talks about Prime's Jerry West: The Logo on Access Daily with Mario & Kit, so check your local listings.
Juliette Lewis (Camping/I Married Dora) - Juliette tells Drew about her current run in Broadway show The Rocky Horror Show on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.