TV briefs: David Letterman book

A real man of letters: David Letterman is the subject of a new comic book about his life: "FAME: David Letterman." The book, released March 13, is written by CW Cooke and art by Noumier Tawilah.

"Letterman's story is a pretty amazing one, and yes we do address the late-night wars in this comic book, I think they were an important part of television history," publisher Darren G. Davis said. Read more →

Former Olympic diver guides celebs on reality show 'Splash'

PASADENA -- The 10 celebrities looking to belly-flop their way to a win on the new ABC reality competition show "Splash" bring little or no diving experience to the pool.

They won't have to take a long walk off a 10-meter stand on their own. They get to pick the brain of one of the most notable divers in American swim history: multiple Olympic medal winner Greg Louganis is their mentor. Read more →

'Bates Motel' explores how Norman became 'Psycho'

PASADENA -- In the 1960 Alfred Hitchcock horror film "Psycho," it was made clear how things turned out for cinema's best-known mama's boy. What the new A&E series "The Bates Motel" wants to do is provide some insight into just what would make a loving son keep his mummified mom sitting around the house while he killed motel guests.

"The Bates Motel," from producers Kerry Ehrin and Carlton Cuse, stars Vera Farmiga ("Up In the Air") as Norma Bates and Freddie Highmore ("Charlie and the Chocolate Factory") as the 17-year-old Norman Bates. Read more →

TV briefs: 'Star and the Forces of Evil'

Getting animated: The Disney Channel has ordered "Star and the Forces of Evil," an animated comedy adventure about a fun-loving magical teen princess from another dimension who -- after a few bold skirmishes with other-worldly monsters -- is sent by her Royal Parents to live with the Diaz family on Earth. Eden Sher (ABC's "The Middle") provides the voice of the lead character, Star Butterfly.

Production has begun for a scheduled fall 2014 premiere. Read more →

Like magic, Gomez back on Disney Channel

You would think Selena Gomez would have enough to keep her busy with working on a music career, starring in four feature films and being the focus of every tabloid magazine and TV show.

But despite everything going on in the life of the 20-year-old performer, Gomez decided one day -- while watching the Disney Channel -- that she needed a little more work. Read more →

TV briefs: "What Not to Wear"

Cleaning out the closet: The TLC series, "What Not to Wear," is coming to an end after 10 seasons. The final episodes begin in July.

In each episode, TLC resident fashion experts Stacy London and Clinton Kelly face an assortment of fashionably challenged contributors, providing them with invaluable fashion advice and life-changing transformations, inside and out. Read more →

Hollywood Notebook: Film action heroes put box office to sleep

There was a time when the name Schwarzenegger, Stallone or Willis meant legions of fans would pile into theaters to see them punch and shoot their way through any army of foes. But it's not been a good year for the muscle-bound actors, who once kicked the living daylights out of all box office competition.

Arnold Schwarzenegger officially returned to acting in mid-January with "The Last Stand," playing a small town sheriff who must stop a drug kingpin from escaping to Mexico. Schwarzenegger had made a brief appearance in the "Expendables" movies, but this was the first time he had to carry the load on his own. Audiences greeted his return to acting -- after a brief break for politics -- with apathy. The movie netted less than $12 million domestically. Even his "Raw Deal" made more than $16 million back in 1986. Read more →

Poor early ratings don't worry KMJ radio leadership

Leaders at KMJ (AM 580) say they aren't worried about the first numbers from Arbitron, a leading monitor of radio-listening trends, that showed a drop in the average share of listeners for the station following the loss of nationally syndicated talk shows hosted by Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and others at the end of December.

Patty Hixson, general manager and senior vice president for KMJ, and station program director Skip Essick said Thursday they look at more than the numbers for a single month. Read more →

New on DVD: Cirque du Soleil, 'Hitchcock'

This week's new DVD releases take you to worlds of fantasy, filmmaking and furry heroes.

"Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away," Grade B: A young woman is pulled into a magical world of acrobats and artists. Read more →

Bentley: Loss of Hannity, Limbaugh hurts KMJ

Early ratings numbers from Arbitron, a leading monitor of radio listening trends, show the loss of nationally syndicated talk shows hosted by Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and others by KMJ (AM 580) has hurt ratings for the local talk/news radio station.

Preliminary numbers for the winter ratings reveal that in January, KMJ, a station that has long dominated this market when it comes to listener totals, dropped to seventh place with a 5.0 rating. Read more →

Hollywood Notes: 'Oz' follows the yellow brick road of 'Wizard'

If you're trying to understand where the new feature "Oz the Great and Powerful" comes in the lengthy mythology of the Emerald City, you'll see when the movie opens Friday that it takes place several years before Dorothy Gale was swept away by a tornado as depicted in the 1939 classic "The Wizard of Oz."

The movie tells the story of how a carnival magician became the Wizard. Read more →

'Switched at Birth' looks to make loud statement silently

SANTA CLARITA -- For years, Marlee Matlin was the lone spokesperson for how the deaf can lead normal lives -- even as actors. She's getting some help now from the ABC Family series "Switched at Birth."

The show tells the story of two teen girls -- one deaf (Katie Leclerc), the other fully hearing (Vanessa Marano) -- who learn they have been raised by the wrong parents. Read more →

Documentary on photographer Pop Laval airs on KVPT

Claude "Pop" Laval took more than 100,000 photos that captured every aspect of life in the central San Joaquin Valley during the first half of the 20th century. It would take weeks -- even months -- to look at all of the noted photographer's work, but KVPT (Channel 18.1) is providing a way to see a small sampling.

Read more →

'Vikings' features tough women

The first thing that may come to mind when you mention Vikings is how barbaric they were. But think about the role of women, too.

The History Channel series "Vikings" shows that when the Norse warriors arrived in England and France at the end of the eighth century, it was not unusual for women to be part of the looting and pillaging. Read more →

Fan faves try to Trump each other

PASADENA -- None of the 14 competitors in the "All-Star Celebrity Apprentice" competition will be able to claim ignorance if they get blindsided in the boardroom -- they've all been through the "firing" process by Donald Trump before.

The latest version of the NBC reality competition series brings together 14 fan favorites who will fight for a $250,000 check for their favorite charity. The winner will be named May 19. Read more →

New ABC show 'Red Widow' presents complex heroine

PASADENA -- Television producers have found success with anti-heroes in "Breaking Bad" and "Dexter." Audiences accept the drug deals and serial killings because the illegal activities are done for a greater good.

Now ABC hopes viewers will accept a woman in the anti-hero role in the new crime drama "Red Widow." Read more →

Giant robots do battle in new Syfy series

PASADENA -- Chris Jericho spent years battling his way to fame and fortune in the WWE, but in recent years, he moved outside the ring. He appeared on season 11 of "Dancing With the Stars," performed as the lead singer of the hard rock band, Fozzy, and is even a two-time New York Times best-selling author.

His latest non-tights-wearing job? Host and play-by-play commentator for the new Syfy channel competition series, "Robot Combat League." Read more →

James: From 'Downton' to uptown NY

PASADENA -- Theo James was the beneficiary of the decision by Ryan Phillippe to pull out of the new CBS crime drama "Golden Boy." The British actor, who turned heads in a brief stint on the first season of "Downton Abbey," took over the role of Walter Clark, an ambitious cop who becomes the youngest police commissioner in New York history.

Before he became TV's latest top cop, the 28-year-old James appeared in "Underworld: Awakening," "The Inbetweeners Movie" and "You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger." The fact James isn't as seasoned a performer might have been a problem for the series had the producers not found Chi McBride, the veteran actor who will play Clark's partner. Read more →

New on DVD: 'Client List,' 'Phineas & Ferb,' 'Miss Jean Brodie'

There are a few hidden gems in this week's DVD releases.

"The Client List: The Complete First Season," Grade B-: Jennifer Love Hewitt plays a woman who goes to work at a Texas massage parlor, a job that the single mom takes out of necessity when her husband leaves her. The series is the continuation of the 2010 made-for-cable movie that earned Hewitt a Golden Globe nomination. Read more →

Jimmy Kimmel set to have fun with Oscar stars

LOS ANGELES -- On most talk shows, celebrity guests sit down with the host ready to chat about their latest project. Those who show up for "Jimmy Kimmel Live" had better be ready to do more than talk.

The ABC late-night chat host has persuaded guests to take part in comedy bits. Some of the biggest bits are held for Jimmy Kimmel's annual post-Oscars telecast, such as last year's fake movie trailer for "Movie: The Movie" that featured Meryl Streep, George Clooney, Cameron Diaz, Tom Hanks and Samuel L. Jackson. Read more →

New on DVD: Oscar nominees 'Skyfall,' 'The Sessions' hit stores

Films that earned Oscar attention top this week's new DVD releases.

"Skyfall," Grade B+: Daniel Craig takes his third turn at playing 007 in "Skyfall" (a James Bond movie title that actually makes sense). It's not the world that's in danger this time; the challenge hits closer to home as MI-6 comes under attack. Bond must stop the mysterious Silva (Javier Bardem) before he destroys the British spy agency. Read more →

Disney's 'A.N.T. Farm' takes musical turn on Black History Month

China Anne McClain, star of the Disney Channel series "A.N.T. Farm," grew up in a musical household. Her father's a record producer; her mother's a songwriter and along with her sisters -- Sierra and Lauryn -- she performed as the McClain Sisters.

And Friday night, in an episode of the cable series called "influANTces," China gets to connect with some important musical women when she transforms into Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald and Janet Jackson. The special is pegged to Black History Month. Read more →

New on DVD: Denzel Washington's 'Flight' worth a watch

Two new DVD releases feature an Oscar-nominated actor and a very different role for a popular actor.

"Flight," (Grade B+): A heroic pilot's substance abuse comes into question when he crashes an airplane. Star Denzel Washington received an Oscar nomination for lead actor for his role. Read more →

New on DVD: 'Hotel Transylvania' has some bite

A ghoulish hotel, weird buddies and a nostalgic look at airlines are part of this week's new DVD releases.

"Hotel Transylvania," Grade C+: Dracula (Adam Sandler) has created a hotel for monsters that he believes is completely hidden from the human world. His main motivation for the creepiest lodging this side of "Psycho" is his daughter, Mavis (Selena Gomez). Dracula promised his wife that he would keep their daughter safe, but that's getting more difficult now that she's 118 and ready to see the world. Read more →

‘0 to 5 in 30 Minutes!’ digs deeper with panels

The seventh season of the locally produced “0 to 5 in 30 Minutes!” — starting at 7:30 p.m. tonight on KVPT (Channel 18.1) — will feature a slight change.

Over the first six seasons, each episode has looked at multiple topics. The difference this season is that four of the 24 episodes will be devoted to a single topic discussed by an on-camera panel of experts. Read more →