TCA Notes

More from The TCA tour in La-La Land:

Viacom/MTV Networks: (CMT, MTV, VH-1, Comedy Central, TVLand)

– Comedy Central introduced a slew of projects, including a new version of camp classic The Gong Show with new host and alleged comedian Dave Attell. He’s about as funny as Olivia Munn (hey, I used up my Jim Belushi jokes…) The last time The Gong Show aired was the failed 1988-89 syndicated revival, with Don Bleu as host (which WBBM-Channel 2, for some reason, stuck at 11 a.m. from September 1988 to January 1989.)

Comedy Central also introduced a new sketch comedy series from former In Living Color alum David Alan Grier called Chocolate News, a satirical take on contemporary stories.

– CMT is launching a second season of B-celebrity singing contest Gone Country, a success story for the cable net, as well as a new series called Outsiders Inn, featuring the unlikely pairings of Maureen McCormick, Bobby Brown, and Carnie Wilson as they open a country-themed bed and breakfast, premiering next month (all three appeared as contestants on the first season of Gone Country.) Good luck with that…

– TV Land introduces a new reality series featuring George Foreman. If it’s just as good as his sitcom George (LOL)… TV Land is also renewing She’s Got the Look, a modeling competition for women over the age of 35, and High School Reunion.

– VH-1 launches a new reality-competition series called Glam God with Vivica Fox and another reality show featuring comedienne Maraget Cho.

– MTV has one called From Gs to Gents, from executive producer Jamie Foxx. It’s basically a charm school competition, with the winner receiving $100,000 and reverting back to a G.

Rainbow (AMC, We)

– That ’60’s show: The AMC drama Mad Men would end in 2010, and the final episode will be set in 1969, according to the show’s producers. However, AMC has said there is no set timetable for the show to conclude. Mad Men is about the trials and tribulations about the ad industry in that period. Executive Producer Matthew Weiner says his program is a success, despite the small audiences for the drama.

– We TV, an entertainment network targeted toward women, launches a new reality series called The Locator, which helps individuals locate long-lost loved ones. The show premieres Sept. 6.

A&E

– A&E has its first new drama in years called The Cleaner, based on the life of Warren Boyd, who is also co-executive producer. It’s about an ex-addict who pushes others to get clean. It debuts on Tuesday. Meanwhile, sister network The History Channel has new series Sandhogs on tap, but some critics questioned about the programming on the network, some of it having nothing to do with history at all.

National Geographic Channel

– NGeo unveiled a slate of new programs at the tour, including Dogtown, which narrates Michael vick’s pitbulls stint through rehab; Exploration Week, which features explorations around the world; and World’s Toughest Fixes, which deals with mechanical dilemmas and how they are fixed. I wonder if they plan a segment on the Miami Dolphins…

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