SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

Summer has now started and we will be back with our normal weekly ratings report with the first four nights numbers and analysis in the fall, but we still will have our regular how the sitcoms did all summer long! Here are our summer ratings:

Happy Independence Day and welcome to SitcomsOnline Digest! In true spirit of Independence Day, it seems that current topical controversy and "freedom of speech" issues, no matter which way you look at them, have managed to creep into the TV news during this surprisingly busy news week. Plus, we have less controversial news about new Growing Pains and King of the Hill DVDs. Let's get going!

HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB

HOME MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

• We mentioned last week that Growing Pains would be moving forward on DVD soon, and this week, Warner Archive gave us a date. Growing Pains - The Complete Fifth Season will arrive on July 14.
• Olive Films is remaining dedicated to getting King of the Hill finished up on DVD, and on August 25, fans will see King of the Hill - The Complete 11th Season arrive on DVD, leaving two more to go.

Who to Follow: Pamela Adlon (Twitter), "that lady guy"

Claim to Fame: Pamela Adlon may not be a name that resonates with everybody immediately, but her name before her marriage (and subsequent divorce), Pamela Segall, might be more familiar. One of her first roles ever was on The Facts of Life playing Kelly, a mostly forgotten character who was actually a regular character (and received a billing in the opening credits) during the fifth season. After that, she did a lot of guest work on series, until she found one of her true callings in voice work in 1996 (usually voicing the characters of young boys), starting in Bobby's World. Her biggest role as a voice actor was as Bobby Hill on King of the Hill. These days, though, she isn't limiting her work to voice acting, as she is an executive producer and recurring character on the series Louie.

Tomorrow is the 4th of July so Happy 4th of July to all of you out there in advance! We hope you enjoy the day off on our country's birthday! It's time to relax and watch some TV on this holiday! We are known for letting you know what marathons are airing on TV on holidays and we will do the same for this 4th of July as well! So, bring out your beach towel, BBQ some hot dogs, and stay cool indoors and watch some television!

Among the key marathons include a marathon of Reba on TV Land from 12pm-9pm. TV One will air two marathons on 4th of July, with Good Times up first from 9am-4pm then Sanford & Son from 4pm-12am. IFC will once again air the classic '60s series Batman with a marathon from 6:15am-9am, but this year they will mix it in with The Monkees from 9am-12:30pm. VH1 has a weekend marathon of Saturday Night Live on Friday, Saturday and Sunday all-day starting at 11am each day. Of course it wouldn't be the 4th of July without a Twilight Zone marathon on Syfy from 8am-3:30am. BBC America has a Star Trek: The Next Generation marathon that runs today and all-day on the 4th of July thru 9pm. Disney XD will have a marathon of Doctor Who from 12pm-10pm. Decades will have their weekend binge marathon and this time it will be Dobie Gillis all weekend long starting Saturday at 1pm. WE tv has a Will & Grace marathon from 10am-5pm, followed by Law & Order from 5pm-1am. Oxygen spends the fourth with a Sex and the City marathon from 1-6pm.

Other marathons of note include a 4th of July marathon of game shows on Buzz TV which includes Body Language, Match Game, Press Your Luck, Card Sharks, Super Password and Password Plus. Starz has a marathon of its hits series Power from 12pm-12am. Sundance TV will air a marathon of the series Rectify starting at 2pm. It wouldn't be a holiday without a marathon of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Pivot delivers with one from 12pm-9pm. Comedy Central showcases a Drunk History marathon from 11:30am-9pm. It's America's birthday, so why not a marathon of American Ninja Warrior on Esquire from 8am-12am? ION Television has a Criminal Minds marathon from 9am-11pm, while USA Network goes with a NCIS marathon from 1pm-11pm. And if you're into reality TV, we have a Keeping Up with the Kardashians marathon starting at 8am on E! and a Flip or Flop marathon on HGTV starting at 7am. More marathons include TNT's Matrix movies marathon starting at 7pm, Arnold Schwarzenegger movies marathon on IFC starting at 12:30pm, Rocky movies marathon on Spike TV starting at 9am and of course a marathon of the movie Independence Day from 1pm-1am on AMC.

Firweworks in primetime are on NBC (Macy's 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular) from 8-10pm (with an abbreviated encore at 10pm). PBS has a A Capitol Fourth live from Washington D.C. at 8pm. Bring out your lawn chair, throw some burgers on the BBQ, and watch some television!


It's Friday, so it is time for "Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows" for the coming week. This is where we list what sitcom stars are appearing on talk shows for the coming week, the stars are both current and past sitcom stars, so this is for all sitcom fans of all eras!
For the week of July 6-10, 2015, we have many current sitcom stars and past sitcom stars on TV talk shows! All times listed are Eastern. So get your DVRs (or whatever you use) ready! Ready? Here is all what you need to know for the coming week!


Monday, July 6, 2015

• Melissa McCarthy (Mike & Molly) - Watch Melissa on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:34pm on NBC.
• Hannah Simone (New Girl) - Hannah appears on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
• Aziz Ansari (Parks and Recreation) - Aziz is a guest on a repeat of Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Cristela Alonzo (Cristela) - Tune in to see Cristela on a repeat of Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Debra Messing (Will & Grace) - Debra stops by Watch What Happens: Live at 11pm on Bravo.
• Jerry Ferrara (Entourage) - Jerry is a guest on a repeat of Last Call with Carson Daly at 1:35am on NBC.
• Damon Wayans Jr. (New Girl/Happy Endings) - Damon appears on a repeat of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
• Nick Jonas (Jonas L.A.) - Nick drops by The Meredith Vieira Show, so check your local listings.
• John O'Hurley (Seinfeld) - John appears on The Meredith Vieira Show, so check your local listings.
• Lea Thompson (Caroline in the City) - Lea is a guest on a repeat of The Queen Latifah Show, so check your local listings.
• Raven-Symone (That's So Raven/Hangin' with Mr. Cooper/The Cosby Show) - Raven-Symone chats on a repeat of The Real, so check your local listings.
• Zachary Levi (Less Than Perfect) - Zachary talks about Geeks Who Drink on NBC's Today in the 10am hour and on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 12:30pm ET. He will also be on People Now and the AOL Build Show.
• Sara Rue (Impastor/Malibu Country/Less Than Perfect) - Sara discusses her new TV Land comedy Impastor on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am and on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 12:30pm ET.
• Ashley Tisdale (Clipped/The Suite Life of Zack & Cody) - Ashley is tentatively scheduled to appear on Access Hollywood Live, so check your local listings.
• Sheryl Lee Ralph (Instant Mom/Moesha/It's a Living) - Sheryl is tentatively scheduled to be part of the Plugged-In panel on Access Hollywood Live, so check your local listings.
• Alfonso Ribeiro (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air/Silver Spoons) - Alfonso appears on The Boris and Nicole Show, which airs on select Fox-owned stations, so check your local listings.
• Nicole Ari Parker (Second Time Around) - Nicole and her husband Boris Kodjoe are guests on People Now.

Tuesday, July 7, 2015

• Lizzy Caplan (The Class/Party Down) - Watch Lizzy on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
• David Spade (Rules of Engagement/8 Simple Rules/Just Shoot Me!) - David is a guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:34pm on NBC.
• Jennette McCurdy (iCarly/Sam & Cat) - Jennette appears on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:34pm on NBC.
• Maya Rudolph (Up All Night) - Tune in to see Maya on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
• Jane Fonda (Grace and Frankie) and Lily Tomlin (Grace and Frankie/Malibu Country) - Jane and Lily are guests on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
• Kumail Nanjiani (Silicon Valley) - Kumail appears on a repeat of @midnight on Comedy Central at midnight.
• Joe Morton (Grady) - Joe stops by The Wendy Williams Show at 12am on BET or on your local stations.
• Billy Gardell (Mike & Molly) - Billy is a guest on The Meredith Vieira Show, so check your local listings.
• Ashley Tisdale (Clipped/The Suite Life of Zack & Cody) - Ashley appears on People Now.
• Constance Zimmer (Entourage/Good Morning, Miami) - Constance is a guest on the AOL Build Show and on PIX11 Morning News on WPIX in New York.
• Bernadette Peters (Mozart in the Jungle) - Bernadette appears on LIVE! with Kelly and Michael, so check your listings.

Wednesday, July 8, 2015

• Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation) - Watch Nick on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
• Ellie Kemper (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt/The Office) - Ellie is a guest on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
• Thomas Middleditch (Silicon Valley) - Thomas appears on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
• Laura Linney (The Big C) - Laura drops by Watch What Happens: Live at 11pm on Bravo. She will also be on LIVE! with Kelly and Michael, so check your listings.
• Bernadette Peters (Mozart in the Jungle) - Bernadette is a guest on Watch What Happens: Live at 11pm on Bravo.
• Mark Feuerstein (Good Morning, Miami/Fired Up) - Mark chats on a repeat of The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
• Will Smith (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) - Will is a guest on a repeat of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
• NeNe Leakes (The New Normal) - NeNe appears on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
• Patricia Heaton (The Middle/Back to You/Everybody Loves Raymond) - Tune in to see Patricia on a repeat of The Queen Latifah Show, so check your local listings.
• Jack Black (The Brink) - Jack talks about Goosebumps on ABC's Good Morning America sometime between 7-9am.
• Rico Rodriguez (Modern Family) and Raini Rodriguez (Austin & Ally) - Rico and Raini stop by to talk about their latest projects on Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT.
• Andy Buckley (Odd Mom Out/The Office) - Andy gives a look at his new series Odd Mom Out on Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 10am ET/PT.
• Michael Rosenbaum (Impastor/Breaking In) - Michael will be on Good Day LA on KTTV in Los Angeles sometime between 7-10am.

Thursday, July 9, 2015

• Betty White (Hot in Cleveland/The Golden Girls/The Mary Tyler Moore Show) - Catch Betty on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
• Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation) - Amy appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
• Simon Helberg (The Big Bang Theory) - Simon is a guest on a repeat of Last Call with Carson Daly at 1:35am on NBC.
• Jennifer Lawrence (The Bill Engvall Show) - Jennifer appears on a repeat of Conan at 11pm on TBS.
• Tom Arnold (Sin City Saints/Roseanne/Tom/The Tom Show) - Tom is a guest on a repeat of The Queen Latifah Show, so check your local listings.
• Freddie Prinze Jr. (Freddie) - Freddie chats on a repeat of The Queen Latifah Show, so check your local listings.
• Haley Joel Osment (Thunder Alley/The Jeff Foxworthy Show) - Haley Joel talks about The Spoils Before Dying on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.
• Cedric the Entertainer (The Soul Man/The Steve Harvey Show) - Cedric is a guest on The Boris and Nicole Show, which airs on select Fox-owned stations, so check your local listings.
• Michael Urie (Partners) - Michael appears on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 12:30pm ET.
• Mark Curry (See Dad Run/Hangin' with Mr. Cooper) - Mark will be on Good Day New York on WNYW-Fox5 in New York sometime between 7-10am.

Friday, July 10, 2015

• Andy Samberg (Brooklyn Nine-Nine) - Watch Andy on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
• Jim Gaffigan (The Jim Gaffigan Show/My Boys/Welcome to New York) - Jim is a guest on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:34pm on NBC.
• Jerry Seinfeld (Seinfeld) - Jerry appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
• Chris Pratt (Parks and Recreation) - Chris is a guest on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
• Jake Johnson (New Girl) - Jake appears on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
• Tracee Ellis Ross (black-ish/Girlfriends) - Tracee chats on a repeat of The Talk on CBS at 2pm ET/1pm CT-PT.
• NeNe Leakes (The New Normal) - NeNe is a guest on a repeat of The Meredith Vieira Show, so check your local listings.
• Laurie Metcalf (The McCarthys/The Big Bang Theory/Roseanne) - Laurie appears on a repeat of The Queen Latifah Show, so check your local listings.
• Kendra C. Johnson (Love Thy Neighbor) - Kendra is a guest on a repeat of The Real, so check your local listings.
• Sanaa Lathan (Family Guy/The Cleveland Show/LateLine) - Sanaa will be on The Boris and Nicole Show, which airs on select Fox-owned stations, so check your local listings.
• Haley Joel Osment (Thunder Alley/The Jeff Foxworthy Show) - Haley Joel is a guest on the AOL Build Show.
• Bernadette Peters (Mozart in the Jungle) - Bernadette talks about Amazon Prime's Mozart in the Jungle on Good Day New York on WNYW-Fox5 sometime between 7-10am and on New York Live on WNBC in New York at 12:30pm ET.

All listings are subject to change. Visit our blog and main site for daily updated listings. Leave us comments on our message board or Tweet/Facebook us to let us know what you think of this Friday feature! We do listen!

To Tell the Truth is coming back and in primetime! Hosted by black-ish star Anthony Anderson and produced by FremantleMedia North America, To Tell the Truth is an anarchic and funny re-imagination of the beloved, game show of the same name. The all new version will take the excitement to another level featuring fun characters from pop culture over the six-episode series. To Tell the Truth is coming soon to the ABC Television Network in primetime. Anderson will preside over four famous faces including legend Betty White (who has appeared on previous versions of the show) and actress NeNe Leakes. In each round they will be presented with three people who all claim to be the same person with the same incredible talent, job or achievement. One is sworn to tell the truth while the others are not. The panel of celebrities will have a chance to grill each participant before taking turns deciding who they think is telling the truth. Anderson's brassy mother, Doris, will be the official scorekeeper and asking questions of her own, not to mention embarrassing her son every chance she gets. The celebrity panelist who performs the worst will have to tweet a lie about themselves to the world. Cheche and his Band of Liars will be the house band. Every episode will end with a show stopping stunt/performance.

The celebrity panelists set to appear in each episode include: Betty White - Seven-Time Emmy(R) Award Winning TV legend, actress, author and producer, and passionate supporter of animal health and welfare. Betty is known for her iconic television roles from The Golden Girls and The Mary Tyler Moore Show and more recently on Hot in Cleveland. NeNe Leakes - Actress, TV personality, producer, author and fashion designer most recently seen on Broadway in Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella. Additional Celebrity Guests will join throughout the season. To Tell the Truth is produced by FremantleMedia North America and will be taped in front of a live audience in Los Angeles, California. Barry Poznick, Toby Gorman, Thom Beers, Jeff Gaspin, George Moll and Anthony Anderson are executive producers. Stay with us for a premiere date.

Spike TV, in association with Network Entertainment, presents the definitive look at one of America's hilariously distinctive comedic performers, Chris Farley, in the original documentary I Am Chris Farley. The film will open theatrically in New York and Los Angeles on July 31, 2015 and will debut on Spike Monday, August 10 at 9:00pm ET/PT, followed by DVD, Blu Ray and Video-On-Demand availability. Chris Farley lived his life full speed and committed to making everyone around him laugh out loud, and I Am Chris Farley tells his hilarious, touching and wildly entertaining story for the first time ever - from his early days in Madison, Wisconsin, and at Marquette University, through his work at the legendary Second City to his rapid rise to the top of the comedy world on Saturday Night Live and in hit films like Tommy Boy and Black Sheep.

The film showcases the performer's most memorable characters and skits from television and film, paired with iconic photographs, home movies and family snapshots, to fully round out the story of this comedy legend - a bear of a man who nevertheless had remarkable grace and physicality. Clips from Farley's most unforgettable performances fill the documentary, from his breathtaking Chippendales audition alongside Patrick Swayze, to his comically ill-fated salesman in Tommy Boy, to his diatribes as Matt Foley, the motivational speaker who "lives in a van down by the river!" Sharing insights into the beloved funnyman are such co-stars and colleagues such as Christina Applegate, Tom Arnold, Dan Aykroyd, Bo Derek, Pat Finn, Jon Lovitz, Lorne Michaels, Jay Mohr, Mike Myers, Bob Odenkirk, Bob Saget, Adam Sandler, Will Sasso, Molly Shannon, David Spade, Brian Stack and Fred Wolf, and family members including his brother Kevin, a comedian and actor, and his brothers Tom Jr. and Johnny, with sister Barbara.

When WGN America expands its burgeoning slate of high-quality original programming this fall with its "Prime Crime" lineup, it will become the exclusive cable home for two of TV's biggest hit dramas, Elementary (as we announced) and Person of Interest (which we also announced). The two popular procedurals, which will join fan-favorite Blue Bloods on weeknights in prime, will give viewers a binge-worthy opportunity to watch these series from the very beginning, diving into the cases and capers that unfold. In Elementary, Jonny Lee Miller (who plays Sherlock Holmes) and Lucy Liu (who plays Dr. Watson) are a modern-day crime solving duo that cracks the NYPD's most impossible cases; and in Person of Interest, Michael Emerson (in the role of billionaire Harold Finch) and Jim Caviezel (as CIA operative John Reese) prevent violent crimes before they happen with the help of an advanced surveillance system known as "The Machine." Taraji P. Henson, who currently stars in Empire, is a regular in the first four seasons of the series. In the teaser campaign the four main characters face off for the first time in a quick-witted test of who's the better twosome and why. Representing the two most significant acquisitions across cable in 2015, Elementary and Person of Interest continue WGN America's transformation as an entertainment destination with popular originals, including breakout hit Salem, critically lauded Manhattan and upcoming dramas Underground and Outsiders, both premiering next year.

Actor, comedian and host Jack Carter has died. He died on June 28 at his home in Beverly Hills, California, of respiratory failure. Mr. Carter was 93.

Carter was the first host of the variety series Cavalcade of Stars on the DuMont Network in 1949-1950. The show appeared under the banner of Saturday Night Revue, a package of two variety shows on a single evening. He hosted his own variety series titled The Jack Carter Show on NBC in 1950-1951.

He made more than 40 appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show. Some of his other television appearances included Texaco Star Theatre, The Colgate Comedy Hour, Stage Show, The Jack Paar Tonight Show, The Hollywood Palace, The Dean Martin Show and The Merv Griffin Show.

Carter's sitcom guest appearances in the 1960s included Hennesey, Make Room for Daddy, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Ensign O'Toole, The Joey Bishop Show, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Mister Roberts, The Lucy Show, I Dream of Jeannie and Julia. His guest appearances in the 1970s included The Partners, Love, American Style, Bridget Loves Bernie, The Odd Couple, Big Eddie, Sanford and Son, The Love Boat, Carter Country and Archie Bunker's Place. He directed two episodes of Here's Lucy in 1971.

His later sitcom guest appearances included Gimme a Break!, Dream On, Kirk, Saved by the Bell: The New Class, Something So Right, Living Single, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Andy Richter Controls the Universe, Just Shoot Me!, Parks and Recreation, New Girl, Rules of Engagement and Go On. He played Arthur Spooner in the original unaired pilot of The King of Queens, but he was replaced by Jerry Stiller and his scenes were re-shot.

Survivors include his wife, Roxanne, whom he married in 1971; sons Michael Carter and Chase Carter; daughter Wendy Carter; and grandchildren Jake and Ava.

Television writer, producer and director Chris Thompson has died. He died in actor Tim Curry's home on June 26 in Toluca Lake, Los Angeles after a long illness. Mr. Thompson was 63.

Thompson's writing career began with episodes of Blansky's Beauties and Sirota's Court. He worked on Laverne & Shirley as a writer, story editor, executive script consultant, director and producer. In 1980, he created Bosom Buddies with Robert L. Boyett and Thomas L. Miller. He also worked as a writer on nine episodes and directed four episodes of the Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari sitcom.

He was the creator of The Naked Truth, Action, Ladies Man and the Disney Channel sitcom Shake It Up!, which starred Zendaya and Bella Thorne. His other sitcom writing credits included Hard Knocks (Showtime), The Larry Sanders Show, Dave's World, House Rules, The Naked Truth, Action, Ladies Man and Shake It Up!. He worked as a producer on The Larry Sanders Show, The Naked Truth, Action, I'm with Her and Shake It Up!.

We thank them for the laughs they brought us over the years. They will be deeply missed.