Glee Charms Critics Despite Clichés

Sure, you might miss Glee, but will you really miss Family Guy?

(NEWSER) - Brian Moylan isn’t sure how to feel about the possibility of Fox channels going dark after tonight's midnight deadline with Time Warner: No more mocking of American Idol is a bummer, but life with no more nip/tuck? That’s a bonus for him. He lists the other pros and cons, on Gawker :

• Pro: No more Family Guy.
• Con: No more Glee? Say it ain’t so!

Comic blames bad fit; show now has 2 judging vacancies

(AP) - Ellen DeGeneres is dancing off American Idol after one season, leaving Fox's hit show with two vacancies on its judging panel. If the singing contest intends to revamp itself to stem a ratings slide, it has the opportunity to bring in two new faces for Season 10, which starts in January. Fox has yet to announce a replacement for Simon Cowell, who left after the season finale in May to start a new talent show for the network. More»

But O'Brien still keeping his options open

(NEWSER) - After stalling for two weeks, Conan O’Brien’s talks with Fox have resumed, and certain details make it look as if a deal is imminent. Updates, from the Hollywood Reporter :

• Conveniently enough, O’Brien’s comedy tour has a performance scheduled every day between May 13 and 20—except May 17, which just so happens to be the date of Fox’s upfront presentation.
• O’Brien was invited to participate in Fox’s American Idol special “Idol Gives Back” on April 21, but NBC shot that idea down since O’Brien’s settlement does not allow for any TV appearances until May 1.

Fox dramedy has fans in the residence: Malia, Sasha—and Michelle

(NEWSER) - The cast of Glee will perform at the White House Easter Egg Roll with at least three big fans in the audience—Michelle, Malia, and Sasha Obama. The dramedy-musical set in the world of cutthroat high school extracurriculars airs on Fox, but not the part of the conglomerate that trades in politics. When the first lady extended the invitation, the show's producers juggled schedules to make the appearance possible, Entertainment Weekly reports. More»

New judge DeGeneres doesn't hold back on American Idol

(NEWSER) - Ellen DeGeneres flashed the humor many expected of her in tonight’s screen debut as an American Idol judge—and beforehand got off a shot at departing fellow judge Simon Cowell, saying the acerbic Brit is “actually meaner than I thought.” That tidbit comes via a video on the Fox show’s site ; the daytime talk-show host succeeded in “establishing what seems like a good-natured, jokey tension between the two new co-workers,” Gil Kaufman writes for MTV . More»