On TV: Future for 'Chuck,' Name Leno's Show, The Curse of Paula Marshall, More

Columnist Lisa de Moraes was online Friday, May 8 at 1 p.m. ET to take your questions about the drama, comedy and heartbreak of the world of television -- both onscreen and behind-the-scenes.

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Mobile, AL: You're always pimping Craig Ferguson, and I will grant you that his monologues are pretty funny, BUT please agree with me that his little skits are deathly lame.

Lisa de Moraes: Wait just a gol darned minute -- is that really how you spell it -- gol darned? -- Anyway, my point is, I'm not always pimping Craig Ferguson. Sometimes I'm pimping Jon Stewart and sometimes Conan (like when he did such a great job during writers strike)...but, to get to your question at last, yes the skits are Benny-Hill-lame and I wish they would lose them....

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washingtonpost.com:

poll by twiigs.com

Lisa de Moraes: Last week, a chatter suggested we name Jay Leno's upcoming NBC primetime show and came up with "Jay Leno at Night" or something like that and I suggested -- tactfully, of course because I am the very definition of tact -- we could do better. After a full week of brainstorming (starting last night around 7 p.m.) WaPo TeamTV came up with the following and we hope you will cast your vote...

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Alexandria, Va.: So, is Izzie really going to get the boot?

Lisa de Moraes: Yes, because I have been eating my vegetables every night for months now and I was promised....

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unanswered questions: So...

Did Meredith and Derek get married later? Will they ever get married?

Are they setting up Alex to perpetually be the guy with baggage? (you know, once Izzie dies)

Could this show be any more predictable?

Lisa de Moraes: No.

No.

Yes.

No.

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Saint Paul, Minn.: Okay Lisa -- Tell us what you think of The Fashion Show, Bravo's replacement for Project Runway. I thought it was okay, if predictable. Like Misrahi, but I have no idea who his co-host is and why she's even there (why explains why I can't think of her name). What did you think?

Lisa de Moraes: Her name is Kelly Rowland and she hails from Destiny's Child -- I know, what? -- and copycat shows nearly always fail. The only thing that might save it is the viewer voting...

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Hell's Kitchen: Do you watch "Hell's Kitchen"? This is the first year I've seen it and it's scary addicting, much better than this season of "American Idol"! Do you see this show having staying power?

Lisa de Moraes: It's already had staying power -- it's in its fifth season now. And, sadly, I am not a huge fan...screamers are not my thing.

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Silver Spring, Md.: Any news on Harper's Island? I'm enjoying the ride and hope it doesn't get cancelled.

Lisa de Moraes: CBS moving it to Saturday suggests it is not going to be back. I hold out little hope -- okay, no hope -- for its return.

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Riggle room: Didn't Rob Riggle do a great job on "Gary Unmarried" this week? I wonder if he'll get a recurring part. That's another show I hope stays on the air. Jay Mohr has great comedic timing, as does Paula Marshall. And there still seems to be chemistry behind the pair, too.

Lisa de Moraes: Gosh, where to start. Did you ever see Jay Mohr on a wonderful Fox comedy called "Action"? What the heck happened to the guy? He used to be edgy. We loved him when he was edgy. Now he's all fat and Jim Belushi-esque and scary.

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Vienna, Va.: Paula's performance was bad, wasn't it? The dreadful song (which sounds like ubiquitous "ring-tone" rap) was bad.

Gwen Stefani wasn't that much better (voice-wise), but at this point, it doesn't matter (She's Gwen Stefani of No Doubt).

Just a thought...

Lisa de Moraes: I thought Stefani was hilarious but I'm guessing that was unintentional. Paula, you have to admit, looks great for a 40-something, you gotta admit. Yes the tune was dreadful but was it any worse than Lady Gaga's tune a few weeks back any worse? And don't even get me started in re Jamie Foxx's performance...Far more importantly, did you see that Paula is now saying Ladies Home Journal made up that interview in which Paula is alleged to have said she was addicted to painkillers and and went into rehab last Thanksgiving. She says she did go to that place named in the story but for a spa mini-break and she's never been addicted to painkillers and, this is the best part, has never been drunk...

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Ferguson: Craig's the perfect show for DVR: you get some sleep, then the next day you can enjoy the monologue and his surprisingly engaging interviews, all in about a half-hour sans skits and commercials.

Lisa de Moraes: He has become a good interviewer, hasn't he...oh wait, that's pimping for Ferguson...

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Chicago: Your reference to "Action!" reminds me of a recent interview with Ileana Douglas in which she mentioned ticking of the show runner and seeing her participation severely drop. Did the gentleman who plays Pete on "30 Rock" annoy Tina Fey?

Lisa de Moraes: Too bad she didn't also mention that she and Mohr also completely dissed TV critics at the press tour before the show debuted, and the show's quick cancellation. Maybe that wasn't a good idea either. We filed her in our Dumb As Hair category of on-air talent.

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Portland, ME: I'm not happy with a lot of the moves NBC is making, but on the other hand, the shows they are airing don't have a very big audience. Is aggravating as it is for me, the American people cry out for formulaic law, medical, and forensic dramas. Mediocrity to the People!

Lisa de Moraes: "Seinfeld" was also a big hit for this network. I get that NBC has been trying some "different" things, they just need to be good "different" things, rather than just "different." Did you see "Kings"? Yikes. NBC has the added problem of having let its audience become so nichy its own on-air is not nearly as effective a promotional vehicle as it used to be in the network's glory days. That, in turn, makes is harder to promote new product. And so the vicious circle begins...

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UK: What is your opinion of Russell Brand? He is particularly good as a guest on late night talk shows - especially David Letterman, who indicates befuddled amusement at Brand's phraseology and ability to spin a mighty good yarn.

As unique as Brand looks and behaves, he could probably do quite well if he finds the right vehicle in which to showcase his talent. I think the dude is just funny.

Lisa de Moraes: He needs a late night cable talk show...one in which he can nick purity rings without risking network censure -- which rules out MTV..

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How could you?: Oh, Pookie. I'm a faithful reader of your (non-AI) columns and the chat, but after your Zeppelin dis (the AI cover was better than the original?!), I just don't know if I can see you anymore...

Lisa de Moraes: Hey, I was in-the-moment when I wrote that...anyway, that's my excuse and I'm sticking with it...

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Craig Ferguson: What is the deal with his snake mug? He seems quite fond of it. Is there a backstory?

Lisa de Moraes: His producer told me someone gave it to him but I can't remember who it was. Really helpful, right? Sorry.

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Anonymous: Chuck? Any word?

Lisa de Moraes: Nope!

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Paula Marshall in Gary: Paula Marshall's in "Gary Unmarried" - she's the Number 1 Show Killer. The show's not coming back.

Lisa de Moraes: Interesting story on that. I've called Paula Marshall a show killer many times, because it's like saying there are four major networks. Anyway, she emailed me to let me know she was displeased and how unfair it was and wondered if "Gary" is renewed would I have the guts to say maybe she is not a show killer any more. I said 'you betcha' and she should keep me posted in re renewal. Then the guy who created "Cupid" and cast her in that short-lived show came to the press tour and told a whole story about casting his good friend Paula Marshall and how was he to know her middle name was "Showkiller."

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AI: I think Seacrest should produce an Adam + Allison reality show (A+A go to the salon! A+A paint each others nails!) Each episode would end with a duet. I think that would be far more entertaining that that horrible Kardashians show or that tanning salon show. What do you think?

Lisa de Moraes: Seacrest has a mondo production deal at E! This is the perfect show for that network. Seriously. I would watch that.

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Farrah Fawcett: Have you seen any of the Farrah Fawcett TV special that is upcoming? Considering Ryan O'Neil just gave an interview that pretty much states that she has little time left, I wonder what the point of the special is?

Lisa de Moraes: May sweeps ratings?... Follow-up episode of my fantasy reality series "Celebrity Autopsy"?... Want more?

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Brooklyn, NY: Does Idol not give back no more?

Lisa de Moraes: Not this year. They decided to rest it this year, probably because last year pulled in less cash than the year before. They could not have picked a better year to rest it, right?

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Chuck: Tell me please what I need to do to save "Chuck." Can't believe all the junk being renewed - "Chuck's" one of my favorite shows in a long time and I watch a LOT of TV!

Lisa de Moraes: I'm guessing NBC is holding off so fans will keep buying Subway sandwiches and then they can take those sales stats to other advertisers to impress them and get them to sign product placement deals. Of course, I love a good conspiracy theory -- especially the ones I've made up. But seriously, don't you think it's brilliant?

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re:Jay Mohr: So ... should CBS just call the show "According to Gary?"

Lisa de Moraes: Or, better yet, cancel it...

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Speaking of late night programming: Is it just me, or does David Letterman seem to be phoning it in lately? I wouldn't blame him if he was. Between his health scares, his first-time fatherhood experience and his relatively new marriage, he obviously has other stuff on his mind. He should probably retire and let Leno (or Conan) talk over his slot. He can't possibly need the money at this point.

Lisa de Moraes: Letterman appears to have been in phone-in mode for years. But then something will happen -- like McCain standing him up -- and he wakes up and is brilliant and it tides us Letterman fans over for a few more months. But really, are you saying getting married or having a kid is a valid reason for not doing a good job at work? Can I come to work for you?

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Fairfax Station, Va.: Hi ya Pooks. Gotta ask - at the end of the day, do you get a chance to read all the comments made after you post your AI blogs? You, my dear, are the all-reigning, all supreme Queen of Snark. But some of these comments posted just make me LOL!! (And I'm one of those posters!)

washingtonpost.com: Moraes on TV

Lisa de Moraes: I do read all the comments. I adore the comments.

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Harsh!: Mentioning the dying Farrah Fawcett and "Celebrity Autopsy" in the same sentence is just cruel. Pookie!

Lisa de Moraes: And making a "documentary" of her own death to pitch to NBC News is?

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Paula Abdul ROCKS!: Seriously, am I the ONLY person who liked her performance on "American Idol" this week? Sure, she barely muttered the words to her own song, but dang!! she looked G-ood! dancing and prancing around that stage. Admittedly, I had the biggest crush on her in the 80s - when I was young and impressionable - but give the pill-poppin', Coke-cup-sippin' whackjob her props!!

Lisa de Moraes: We did -- she looked terrific in that little ice-skaters outfit. Seriously.

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NBC Upfront:DC: So was there any point to NBC's upfront? No Chuck, Earl, Medium news. Plus, two shows that it renewed decreased even more in the ratings this week (Parks and Recreation AND Southland)?

washingtonpost.com: NBC Pickups Announced - Moraes on TV

Lisa de Moraes: Actually, NBC calls it its "in front" presentation -- as in, look how far out in front of the competition we are which, as I said in column, you gotta hand it to them is very cheeky for the fourth-placed network. Originally, NBC said it was going to unveil its new primetime schedule this past Monday. Then it changed, and the story was NBC was going to announce all its pickups that day. By the time I flew up to NYC for the presentation, NBC had decided to just announce some of its pick ups. And the schedule and rest of the pickups are going to be announced the same week all the other networks unveil their schedules, Broadcast Upfront Week, like god intended. Though it does kind of undermine their whole "we're in front" thing...

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Washington, D.C.: Chicago is so right about Illeana Douglas! I saw her on Chelsea Handler's show, and I've loved Illeana since To Die For. The woman was a total airhead. Totally clueless, and flaky. Shows she's a tremendous actress since she hasn't come off that way on film.

Lisa de Moraes: Love her as an actress. As an interview subject, not so much...

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Action!: Here's my public service announcement: "Action!" is available on Hulu. A chance to see the edgier, thinner, betterer Jay Mohr.

washingtonpost.com: And Buddy Hackett! Hulu - Action

Lisa de Moraes: Please -- watch it for Buddy Hackett if for no other reason. enjoy...

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18-49/18-34 Demo vs. Total Viewers: Is CBS the only network where total viewers matter. I know CBS likes a high demo number too, but it seems that it's the only network that likes a good number for total viewers? This true - do the other networks only care about the demo?

Lisa de Moraes: Hahahaha....CBS is the only network touting total viewers because CBS is the only network getting total viewers. Except, of course, shows like "American Idol" and "Dancing with the Stars" -- Fox and ABC do talk about the tonnage on those shows because they're actually getting tonnage. If NBC suddenly became the most watched network and "30 Rock" started clocking 23 million viewers a night, trust me, NBC would be talking about its 23 million viewers.

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Lisa de Moraes: His producer told me someone gave it to him but I can't remember who it was. Really helpful, right? Sorry. : It was a gift from Mary McCormack. Craig Ferguson officially has the most badass mug in the history of late night

Lisa de Moraes: Phew! -- I wasn't going to sleep tonight trying to remember this. Thanks...

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Boston: Can we have a moment, please, for the untimely (debatable) demise of Joss (I love you!) Whedon's show "Dollhouse"? Somebody give this guy a serious break. PS -- his performance on the live broadcast episode of "This American Life" was brilliant!

Lisa de Moraes: We don't know for sure this show is a goner. It just looks like one. But why does he keep doing shows for Fox? He would have been much better off going to cable with this project. Could it be he wants the bigger bucks?

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San Diego: When will we know when NBC formally regrets the Leno at 10 decision? When people start getting fired?

Lisa de Moraes: When NBC announces on Tuesday, May 19 it has picked up seven drama series for midseason -- aka benchwarmers for the 10 p.m. timeslot Monday through Friday...

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Washington, D.C.: Do you follow "Biggest Loser"? What do you think of it?

Lisa de Moraes: I'm amazed it's doing so well as a two hour series. This whole super-sizing of reality series is quite an interesting story....

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washingtonpost.com:

poll by twiigs.com

Lisa de Moraes: Voting results so far show "Everybody Hates Conan" and "Law & Order: SVLeno" neck and neck for the lead. I can't believe this. I love "Lax-in' with Leno" and it wasn't even my idea.

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Alex-ville, Va.: Pookita -- Are you going to the White House Correspondents Dinner? If so, who are taking? Simon? Dr. House?

Lisa de Moraes: I am going, and you should see my dress! I am dateless this year, sigh...

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Showkillah: The fabulous Paula Marshall has a recurring role on Californication and it's being renewed. So, you know, whatever.

Lisa de Moraes: Maybe the curse has been broken. No one would be happier than moi...

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Speaking of Dollhouse...: There's one more show right? Tonight?

What's the difference between tonights "Season Finale" and this mystery straight-to-DVD 14th episode you have talked about before on here?

Lisa de Moraes: This is a great story: Fox bought 13 episodes. Fox decided the first episode was so bad it was unairable, so Whedon made another first episode and has been cannibalizing stuff from the original pilot episode -- the one even he said publicly was too confusing -- in other episodes in the 13-ep order. So, and follow me closely here, Fox paid for 13 episodes but only got 12 that it could air. But 20th Century Fox TV -- which is producing the series and which is on the same lot as Fox -- also sold the show overseas and is putting out a first-season DVD, as a 13-episode series. So, because the first episode was, you know, unairable, they had Joss make a 14th episode, which is now being called the 13th episode. Only instead of giving it to the Fox network to make amends for the sucky first first-episode, they want Fox to pay more to get the 14th episode which would actually be a 13th episode. Fox has politely declined....

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Re: 18-49/18-34 vs. total viewers: Do ADVERTISERS care about total viewers or just the demo, though?

Lisa de Moraes: Depends on the advertisers. Viagra does not care about 18-34. Viagra cares about 25-54 and even older, which is why you see that add all over sports programs and cable news. The videogame ads you see on "The Daily Show" are from companies that care passionately about 18-34 and not at all about 25-54...

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Paula Marshall = Showkiller?: For a while she was Sean's girlfriend on Nip/Tuck and she didn't kill that show! Then again, she was a supporting character in a cast of characters!

Lisa de Moraes: More evidence the spell may have been broken....

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Falls Church: Pookie, What's to become of "Chuck"? Am I the only one who hearts it? I will be heart-broken if it's gone.

Lisa de Moraes: It has a small, but fanatic, audience.

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"..., has never been drunk... ": I bet there are a few AI discarded coke cups that would beg to differ! I can't wait for the magazine to release the transcript of the interview ... will these people never learn?

Lisa de Moraes: So far the mag is only saying it's standing by its story. This story is so much fun. It's not like we're talking about OK mag here or Enquirer or something. It's Ladies Home Journal..

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Rattlesnake Museum!: I've been to the Rattlesnake Museum! Now that I know that's where the mug is from, it makes it all the more awesome!

Albuquerque is actually a fun city, but the museum is amazing.

Lisa de Moraes: Now I want one of those mugs...

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Leno at 10: I like "'Laxing in Leno", too, but I don't think anybody gets the dual (triple) meaning.

If you're gonna' go new skool (and skip the constipation jokes) maybe you should go with "Chillaxing with Leno"

Lisa de Moraes: Even better! Feel free, people, to send in your own suggestions if you don't like ours...

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Washington, D.C.: Lady GaGa was awesome on "Idol." 1. It was a good song and was no.1 in the country. 2. That was a bat crazy performance that you don't normally see on the show. 3. Paula's performance was just boring and obviously lip-syncing into TWO mics.

Lisa de Moraes: Yes, this has troubled me since Wednesday night.What was up with the two mics. Is two mics the new super lip-synch?

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Anonymous: How long does the Jimmy Fallon nightmare last?

Lisa de Moraes: Until Conan O'Brien has been host of "Tonight Show" for 15 years and GE/NBC/Universal -- by then owned by the federal government -- decides he's too old to host its important late night franchise and gives the gig to Fallon...

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Big Bang: "The Big Bang Theory" is one show that consistently makes me laugh out loud - literally, not in that meaningless "lol" way. I hear they're going to explore a relationship angle between Sheldon and Penny. This has the potential to be the best odd-couple romance since Sam and Diane; but it also could be the worst pairing since Hot Lips Houlihan and Hawkeye from MASH.

I don't think the writers will have any opportunity to explore a will-they or won't they angle, since Sheldon clearly has anything other than sex on his mind. His idea of pornography is probably a fully-outfitted picture of Uhuru or Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) on the wall in his bedroom.

They're not cancelling this show too, are they?

Lisa de Moraes: Golly no -- (took me forever to find the question here, sorry) But I'm hoping that rumor is just someone's nasty idea of a joke.

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Boston: I think Whedon did the show with Fox this time because Eliza Dushku had a deal to do a show with them... But yes, he's typically done far better on platforms that are a bit more under the radar.

Lisa de Moraes: Because his is a niche audience. Nothing wrong with that, but showmakers need to know their audience...

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Washington, D.C.: Is "Lie to Me" coming back? I'd watch Tim Roth read the phone book. Plus, I like that he uses his own accent. (A rarity, see Damian Lewis)

Lisa de Moraes: Yes, how sad we think it's brave of Fox that a broadcast network has finally let someone use their native accent in a starring role....I'm out of time. Bye!

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