Josh Duhamel and Fergie tie the knot

Sorry, ladies, Josh Duhamel is off the market.

I know. It hurts a little, despite the fact that you had no chance of ever landing him. But it was nice to dream that someday he could come along and be your Tad Hamilton, right?

Duhamel and pop singer Fergie were married Saturday in Malibu in what can only be described as a fairytale wedding featuring thousands of white roses. The ceremony took place in Malibu at Church Estates Vineyards, according to People magazine. I’ve seen photos of the site and it looks like something out of a Monet painting, complete with ponds, swans, a French chateau, magnolia trees and stunning gardens.

Fergie wore a white Dolce and Gabbana gown. Her 10 bridesmaids wore black, according to People.

Fans of Las Vegas, you’ll be happy to know that Duhamel’s costars, James Caan, Vanessa Marcil, and Molly Sims, were in attendance. I’m not sure about James Lesure. The People article didn’t mention him.

Also, there was no mention of Duhamel’s former All My Children stars and pals Rebecca Budig and Cameron Mathison, so I’m curious to know whether they made the trip to California for the celebration. (Call me silly, but I like to think that all my favorite onscreen characters are still friends off screen.)

Plenty of other celebrities attended the ceremony, including Fergie’s friend Mario Lopez, Jerry O’Connell and Rebecca Romijin, Kate Hudson, Kid Rock, and Fergie’s band mates from the Black Eyed Peas.

The couple has dated for several years. This is the first marriage for both.

Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Duhamel. We wish you all the best!

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On the set of "When in Rome" with Josh Duhamel and Kristen Bell

Two of my favorite TV actors are starring together in an upcoming film that is poised to become a gigantic hit. (No, that’s not wishful thinking. It’s a fact that when Josh Duhamel and Kristen Bell are associated with a project, smart viewers like yourself will flock to see them.)

Duhamel (Las Vegas) and the adorable Bell (Veronica Mars) are filming When in Rome and took a few minutes to talk to ET in this video clip. Will Arnett is also in the film and chimes in during the interview, too. It’s good stuff, and I wanted to share, not only because any chance to see Duhamel and Bell chatting is worth a blog post, but because I want to give this movie some press.

When in Rome is about a young art curator (Bell) who finds herself aggressively pursued by a band of wannabe lovers after she steals coins from a Roman fountain.

No official release date has been issued, but I’m hearing sometime in early 2009. Enjoy!

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Las Vegas cast to get keys to the city

UPDATED: January 11 with photos from the event.

If you live in Las Vegas and are a fan of the TV show Las Vegas, you might catch a glimpse of the NBC stars tonight.

Las Vegas Mayor Oscar B. Goodman is presenting the keys to the city to the cast and the executive producers of the NBC show Las Vegas in a ceremony at the Palms tonight.

Josh Duhamel, Molly Simms, Vanessa Marcil, James Lesure, and Camille Gauty are walking the red carpet from 6-7 p.m., followed by the ceremony at the Palms.

For any Tube Talk readers attending, I expect a full report. And pictures of Josh Duhamel, of course!

UPDATE: Thanks to kind Tube Talk reader Kim, here are some photos of the cast from last night's event. Check out Josh Duhamel's t-shirt, featuring a photo of James, with hair. Too funny.

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Las Vegas’ Danny hot for Fergie

Those of you who watched Las Vegas on Friday night were treated to a cute inside joke.

As Montecito president Danny McCoy walked into a teenager’s room to negotiate a horse deal, a Fergie song played in the background. Fergie posters plastered the walls and her face was featured in a slide show on the kid’s computer.

As McCoy took in all the Fergilicious adoration, he slyly commented with a grin, “Fergie fan, huh? Me, too. What a coincidence.”

I couldn’t help but laugh out loud as Josh Duhamel delivered the line. If you don’t know, (and I’m not sure how that’s possible unless you avoid all celebrity news) Duhamel is engaged to the pop singer. The two met on Las Vegas a few years ago, when Fergie was performing with The Black Eyed Peas.

OK, my job is done here: Strange moment on Las Vegas explained.

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Josh Duhamel engaged

Another one bites the dust. Sorry, ladies, but Josh Duhamel is off the market.

Duhamel recently proposed to longtime girlfriend Stacy Ann Ferguson, according to his publicist. The two have been dating for about three years and currently live together. In case you live under a rock, Ferguson is better known as “Fergie” and is a pop singer, formerly of the Black Eyed Peas.

That sound you hear, hearts of single ladies and Tube Talk Girl breaking. As loyal readers know, I’ve had a celebrity crush on Duhamel since his days on All My Children. The man is fine and pretty much the definition of tall, dark and handsome, with a wicked sense of humor. It’s a lethal combination.

Congratulations to Duhamel and Ferguson. I wish them all the happiness in the world.

But note to Fergie, “Big girls do cry” when they find out that Duhamel is on his way down the aisle.

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NBC auctioning props

NBC is selling some of the props used by your favorite actors on NBC shows.

The first online auction began yesterday and runs through December 3. More items are being added every few weeks, as the auction continues.

The first auction has some fun items. As of 2 p.m. Michael Scott’s watch from The Office, worn by Steve Carell, was up to $205. Tim Riggins’ football jersey from Friday Night Lights, worn by Taylor Kitsch, was up to $170 (sweat may be included,) and a football autographed by several FNL cast members was up to $105.

Some items weren’t doing so well, though. Poor Sam (Vanessa Marcil) from Las Vegas. Her doggie carrier for Reggie hadn’t earned one bid yet. But Danny’s letterman jacket, worn and autographed by cutie Josh Duhamel, was up to $90.

Heroes seemed to be generating the most interest. The original painting of the cheerleader, Claire Bennet, was up to a whopping $2,500.

Now, before you go firing off the angry e-mails at me about helping a greedy network hawk its merchandise, you should know that a portion of the proceeds are going to the United Way and its organizations.

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The new Knight Rider has surprising connection to old Knight Rider

It’s times like these that I think it’s possible to know too much about television.

If you haven’t heard yet, NBC is bringing back Knight Rider with a new face.

Former All My Children star Justin Bruening will play the son of the original Knight Rider in an updated version of the original TV series. The new Knight Rider will feature a Transformers-esque shape-shifting car in a two-hour pilot, according to Variety.

The real mind blower here isn’t that yet another beloved TV show is being remade. It’s the odd connection that Bruening has to the original Knight Rider, David Hasselhoff. Wrap your mind around this. The actor who played Bruening’s father, Tad Martin, on All My Children is named Michael Knight in real life. In addition, he was married to Catherine Hickland in real life, who was the first wife of actor David Hasselhoff, who played the character of Michael Knight on Knight Rider. Did you get all of that?

In short, on landing this part, Bruening will have played the son of actor Michael Knight on All My Children, the son of the character Michael Knight on Knight Rider, and in both cases, the on-screen son of two actors who were married to the same woman. Strange, right?

See? It’s not always a good thing knowing useless television/pop-culture knowledge.

Regardless of the three degrees of separation of Bruening and Hasselhoff, here’s hoping that Knight Rider is a better remake than The Bionic Woman. Bruening is a decent actor and easy on the eyes. I think he could be the next Josh Duhamel, if Knight Rider has excellent writing and effects.

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Las Vegas premiere: Hello, Tom Selleck!

Friday’s two-hour season premiere of Las Vegas adhered to its Elvis theme song. One could never accuse this show of needing “a little less conversation and a little more action.” It was action-packed from start to finish.

Delinda survived the explosion and shared the news with Danny that she’s pregnant. Sam survived the kidnapping and attempted rape by pushing creepy billionaire Vince out of a plane at 15,000 feet to his death. A Montecito employee robbed the casino, and Ed busted him. Mary’s pedophile dad took three bullets to the chest, courtesy of Mary and Ed. Consequently, Ed, Jillian, and Mary are all on the run from the cops. And the Montecito has a new owner with a passion for cowboy boots, A.J. Cooper, aka Tom Selleck.

Cooper made quite an impression on his first day. We first saw him on a horse, riding the range, before writing a check for $241 million to buy the Montecito. He gave away a fleet of cars and $3 million dollars in cash and let a card cheater go, after making him lose all his ill-gotten winnings. His management style couldn’t be more opposite of Ed Deline’s.

Selleck’s character is eccentric, shaking things up with his “Anything Can Happen” campaign. He doesn’t yet have the effortless chemistry with Josh Duhamel and company that James Cann and Dean Cain did, but I think that’s because his character is supposed to be adversarial with the team at the onset. Cooper is trying to decide if he wants to fire anyone. Cooper came across as a bit cold to the employees, but it worked for him because his character is supposed to be intimidating. He was. Even marine Danny was rattled.

Fans were worried about the future of Las Vegas when news broke last year that Caan and Nikki Cox were leaving the show. Based on the premiere, I’d say that Las Vegas is in good shape. The trademark humor is still intact. From Mike’s fetal development lecture, to Delinda’s morning sickness and growing boobs, to Sam’s fast-talking, there were plenty of laughs. The best line of the night though went to manicurist Polly, who with her broken English, managed to bust an inside joke about Rosie O’Donnell. While giving Selleck’s character a manicure, she told him the Montecito needed a makeover, “like Rosie O’Donnell.” (O’Donnell once rudely went off on Selleck during an appearance on her talk show for his support of the NRA.)

My only beef with the show was the way Ed’s exit was handled. Making him a fugitive is a hard pill to swallow, considering he now has a grandchild on the way that I’m sure he and Jillian will want to see. Couldn’t Ed and Jillian have retired to a golf community somewhere instead?

Next week looks to be even better, as Mike and Danny vie for the top-dog job. It looks like Mike is the frontrunner at this point, but Cooper is a former marine, as is Danny, so they share that bond.

After Friday’s premiere, Josh Duhamel chatted with fans at NBC.com. If you missed it, check out the transcript here.

What did you think of Selleck and the new sheriff in town? Did you feel a huge, gaping hole with Ed and Mary gone? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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First look: Tom Selleck on Las Vegas

NBC just released the new cast photos for this season of Las Vegas, and they include the new casino boss, Tom Selleck. He’s joining the show this season, to help fill the void left by the departing James Caan.

I’m a little giddy at the thought of having Selleck back on weekly television. (Yes, I know it’s not 1985, but some childood crushes never go away.)

Plus, he’s starring on my guilty pleasure, Las Vegas, alongside two of my other favorites, Josh Duhamel and Vanessa Marcil. Most of you know about my embarrassing crush on Duhamel, but you probably don’t know that I’ve had a girl crush on Marcil since her days on General Hospital. I can’t help it. She’s “the most beautiful girl in the world.” Just ask Prince.

If any of you have questions for Selleck, please e-mail me or leave them in the comments below. I’m participating in an interview conference call with him in a couple weeks.

Don’t forget to catch the two-hour season premiere of Las Vegas on Friday, September 28 at 9 p.m. ET.

Enjoy the eye candy below!

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TV stars to appear at MTV Movie Awards

The MTV Movie Awards is an awards show honoring movies, so why am I talking about on a TV Web site? Two words: Josh Duhamel.

OK, to be fair there are a number of television stars slated to appear on Sunday’s MTV Movie Awards, not just Duhamel of Las Vegas. Hotties John Krasinski, from The Office, and Katherine Heigl, from Grey’s Anatomy, are scheduled to present.

Other presenters includes: Cameron Diaz, Lindsay Lohan, Victoria Beckham, Jessica Biel, Mandy Moore, Robin Williams, Justin Long, Bruce Willis, Jessica Alba, Samuel L. Jackson, Amanda Bynes, Chris Tucker, Seth Rogen, Shia LaBeouf, Michael Chiklis, John Travolta, Zac Efron, Tyrese Gibson, Chris Evans and Ioan Gruffudd.

Long-time readers know about my never-ending crush on Duhamel, and I admit it will probably take me to the theater to watch his new film Transformers, that I probably wouldn’t watch otherwise unless someone paid me. Duhamel fighting giant robots, it can’t be all bad can it?

Krasinski and Moore are probably attending the MTV Movie Awards to plug their new film License to Wed, which for the record I would watch, whether or not cutie Krasinski was in it. Since he is, that’s just the icing on the cake.

Mike Myers is also being honored at the show with the “MTV Generation Award” for his contributions to Hollywood. I say it’s about time Myers gets some respect. After all, where would be without his Shrek and one of the greatest words ever introduced into our vernacular: “Schwing?”

So, check out the MTV Movie Awards beginning with the pre-show coverage at 7:30 p.m. on MTV. Duhamel, Shia Lebouf and Tyrese will join MTV News’ Tim Kash to reveal a never-before-seen clip of Transformers.

The show airs at 8 p.m. on MTV live Sunday, June 3. Sarah Silverman is hosting.

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Tom Selleck may be headed to “Las Vegas”

Tom Selleck fans, are you sitting down? Selleck is in negotiations for the role of the new owner of the Montecito Resort & Casino on Las Vegas, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

I know. I know. Simmer down!

If Selleck can work out a deal, he’ll be back on our screen on a regular weekly basis for the first time since Magnum P.I. wrapped in 1988.

If Selleck takes the job, I hope his character fares better than the previous Montecito owners. (A giant squid killed Dean Cain’s character and Lara Flynn Boyle’s character was blown off the roof.)

Las Vegas will be low on testosterone this year, as James Caan vacates his role as Big Ed. So, Selleck could fill the much-needed fun, tough-guy void that Caan is leaving. Caan is exiting the show to pursue his movie career.

If Las Vegas lands Selleck, then I applaud executive producer Gary Scott Thompson and his gang. They know how to cast. Cain was a fan favorite, and Selleck is, too.

Selleck has had recent notable guest roles on Friends and Boston Legal, but not a regular weekly gig, much to my dismay. In my Emmy column in 2004, I pondered why the TV folks weren’t chasing Selleck, as he caused quite a fan stir at the awards ceremony when he presented an award. Fans were screaming and whistling to such an extent, the poor guy could barely get through his dialogue.

Selleck would fit well with the fun-loving Las Vegas cast, including Josh Duhamel, Vanessa Marcil, James Lesure and Molly Sims. I’d be willing to bet that he might even bring in some new viewers.

For more Tube Talk stories on Tom Selleck, click here. (Yeah, I'm a little obsessed.)

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Las Vegas Finale Ends With a Bang

by Jennifer Squires Biller

That’s how you end a season finale. Wow! I haven’t been this excited about a cliffhanger since someone shot J.R.

It’s as if the Las Vegas writers came down with Attention Deficit Disorder and couldn’t decide who to put in danger, so they gave every character a dilemma or an impending death sentence.

That’s overkill, you say? Not in Las Vegas. Here, among the fast-paced, fast-talking casino cohorts, a kidnapping, an explosion, and a shooting seem perfectly plausible.

Those of you who missed it, Danny was headed back to Iraq, to take the place of a marine, facing a third tour of duty, who had saved his life. But before Danny went off to war, he grabbed a gun and went after Mary’s pedophile father, who Mary was intent on killing with her own six-shooter. Ed, facing divorce papers from Jillian, discovered that Danny and Mary both went after sicko Daddy, and showed up at the guy’s usual watering hole. All three took aim, shots were fired, and Daddy hit the pavement. Meanwhile, at The Montecito, Sam was kidnapped, by her creepy whale, and smuggled out of the hotel in a trunk, just as gunmen shot up the vault and made a bid to rob the casino. Then, Delinda, desperate to tell Danny about her pregnancy, tried to befriend the emotional marine, only to discover that he had wired a bomb to blow himself up, inside the hotel. Cut to The Montecito exploding — yes, again.

See what I mean about A.D.D.? Las Vegas Executive Producer Gary Scott Thompson said he wanted to write as many cliff-hanging mysteries as possible, so that NBC would be forced to renew the show for next season. Mission accomplished, Mr. Thompson. This one was a winner.

After the show, I asked Thompson who really shot Mary’s daddy. This was his response:

Regarding who shot Mary's father, the online poll suggests Ed. Yet, Danny and Mary had reasons to shoot him. Danny said he would kill him if he ever came close to Mary, again. But, hey, we will see how the voting continues; I might change my mind on who really did it.


Thompson is referring to a poll at the NBC Las Vegas Web page. (And for the record, Mary got my vote.) Also at the NBC site, Las Vegas fans can read a chat transcript that Thompson and actress Molly Sims did with fans after the finale.


Another interesting tidbit about the finale is that Vanessa Marcil (Sam) got carpet burns during her trunk-escape scene. Sims spilled that tidbit during an interview last week. Apparently, Marcil is quite the trooper when it comes to doing her own stunts. And you thought she was just another pretty face.

As this season of Las Vegas comes to a close, let’s take a minute to give props to Mike, now affectionately known as “Peanut Head.” The dude never gets any respect, despite that he’s instrumental every week in solving the big mystery. Now, it appears Mike is going to save Sam. Hopefully, he won’t get blamed for the robbery and explosion. I’d hate for him to have to go back to singing backup for his “Aunt Gladys” Knight. Because, frankly, “It’s hard out here for a pip.”

New episodes of Las Vegas begin next season. Stay tuned to Tube Talk for the premiere date.

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Dean Cain on Style Network tonight

As if we need a network to tell us that Dean Cain is stylish. But there it is. Cain is guest starring on Isaac Mizrahi’s show Isaac tonight on the Style Network at 11 p.m. EST. And rumor has it that Cain may be surfing.

As for other Cain news, I have in my hot little hands a screener for Cain’s new movie A Christmas Wedding, slated to air December 11 at 9 p.m. EST on Lifetime. I plan to watch it this weekend and give you a complete report and, hopefully, some photos.

Meanwhile, you can check out this interview CW11 New York did with Cain about the movie. He also talks about returning to Las Vegas, and his former co-star Josh Duhamel makes a surprise appearance in the interview, too. It’s good stuff. Just pull up the page and scroll down to the "Celeb Interview" section. I’m not sure how long their links stay active, so watch it now.

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Las Vegas finale: Here comes the bride, or maybe not

by Jennifer Squires Biller

Talk about cliffhangers, Las Vegas certainly knows how to produce a season finale. Big Ed took a bullet to the chest. The bride, Delinda, was making eyes at her former flame, Danny. The groom, Dr. Derek, was puking. And I have no words to describe the convoluted mess that is Casey/Sam/Mary/Woody. I need an aspirin to keep it all straight. (Or maybe just a shot of that breath spray Mike is so fond of. I’m convinced it contains more than just cinnamon.)

I’m 100 percent sure Delinda won’t wed do-gooder Dr. Derek. This is party-girl Delinda. Hooking her wagon “’till death to her part” to a man whose idea of a good time is listening to Christopher Cross’ “Sailing,” while male bonding, doesn’t seem like the best idea.

Meanwhile, how funny were the scenes where Sam and Danny were trying to find dates to the wedding? I was hoping they might go together, but then Woody came rushing in at the last minute. It doesn’t matter. There isn’t going to be a wedding anyway, when Ed doesn’t show. So, “thank you” to the gunman for stopping this fiasco before it starts. And once again I ask, how is it that Sam is OK with Casey and Mary dating? Not likely. Bring on the next season, and hopefully more Casey Manning(Dean Cain.) He was a great addition to the cast this season.

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The mysteries of Lost

January 12, 2005

It could be aliens. Or perhaps purgatory. But I don’t think so.

Brace yourself, Tubers. I think I’ve solved the mystery of Lost, by which I mean, I’m as clueless as the rest of you and am guessing, too.

After last week’s episode and much thoughtful discussion with my fellow Lost devotees, I’m convinced the crash survivors are still on Earth. The violent waves and raging sea last week may have been the writers’ way of tying the characters to a current event: the tsunami.

As for the rest of the supernatural events, I’m blaming science. Or the government.

Consider this: the crazy French woman, hereby known as Frenchie, was part of a government science team working on a top-secret experimental project. The project got a bit Frankensteiny, and they unintentionally created an uncontrollable “monster.” It’s a shape-shifting, psychological monster that morphs from a person, to a ghost, to an animal, etc. to play on its victims’ worst fears. It could have been developed as a biological weapon for war. Instead of retrieving the infected team, the government abandoned them in paradise.

Not buying it? Well, it sounded good in theory.

Of course, it doesn’t explain the other mysteries of the island. Like how a paralyzed office worker suddenly can walk and hunt wild boar like he’s Davy Crockett? Or why the severely obese Hurley isn’t losing any weight? Or why the usually brazen Sawyer swims with his jeans on? Does he have chicken legs?

If you don’t agree with my science-experiment-gone-horribly-wrong theory, there are plenty of others to choose from. The religious subtext lends credence to the purgatory idea. Each character seems to have lost something before they boarded the plane. Most of them appear to be seeking redemption for some past sin.

Through the magic, mysticism, and spirituality of the island, the characters are regaining what they lost and getting a second chance. The island seems to be a place to renew one’s faith. Even mine, that television can indeed be a medium to prompt intellectualism.

Lost usually presents more questions than answers, forcing viewers to peel back the layers, analyze dialogue, props, and characters. It is a complex synergy of suspense, drama and humor, as entertaining as it is cryptic. Did Locke see God in the jungle? Or was he consumed by the Devil? Is Frenchie really insane? Did she kill her fellow team members because they became possessed?

Thankfully, the story hasn’t focused much on their survival. It’s more about the characters’ histories, their sins, their fears, their shortcomings, and their desires.

Lost is also a literature lovers’ buffet. The symbolism in the names seems too obvious to be a coincidence. Locke has to be named for philosopher John Locke of The Enlightenment make-your-own-destiny movement. And troublemaker Sawyer, I’m assuming, was named for Mark Twain’s ornery Tom.

Oh, and Ethan could be a nod to Ethan Frome. Then, there was the book that washed ashore: Watership Down. I haven’t read it since 5th-grade, but I recall it was the tale of a group of rabbits, heroism and survival. I could go on with references to Paradise Lost, Lord of the Flies and Robinson Crusoe, but I’ll spare you. Be satisfied to know that Lost combines elements of literature, philosophy, sociology, and theology. And you thought it was just a TV show.

With so many literary references and complex characters, I’ll toss out one more possible theory: the entire show is just a story being told in a gifted writer’s imagination. Perhaps in the last episode, we’ll see the creator sitting at a computer typing the words “The End.”

It could happen. Then, again, maybe they’re just lost.

Originally published 1/12/05 in The Exponent Telegram newspaper.

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