I Am A TV Junkie, A Blog For The Clicker Jockey

Family Guy Behind the Scenes Concert Video, & Spooner Street's Cleveland Brown Leaves Quahog

Seth, Alex and Mike Henry at Disney Hall clip after the jump from my local CW affiliate, but first ...

Mike Henry of course is the voice of Cleveland, and gets his own show coming up in the Fall, but what you haven't known until now is that Cleveland is leaving Quahog.

From the press release:

From the creators of Family Guy and American Dad, comes The Cleveland Show (working title), the story of what happens when Family Guy’s Cleveland Brown moves to Stoolbend, VA, to make good on a promise to his high school sweetheart.

And the show will have a January premiere, as animated shows like this and the Mitch Hurwitz-led Sit Down, Shut Up both need ample lead time before making it to air. They'll replace King of the Hill and American Dad at that time, but I'm sure that we'll see various permutations of the Animation Domination lineup after that as they fine tune. Certainly, however, those other shows will be back.

Why Did I Turn Down Two Red Carpet Invites?

So last month I got invited to a couple of things. The first thing was the red carpet and party to celebrate the 100th ep of Family Guy, which as you know airs tonight on Fox. The other was a party at Hollywood & Highland to celebrate the return of FX's Nip/Tuck.

I know, you'll all gasping in horror.

The fact is, I have no idea what I would do at these things. First off and without a doubt, I personally don't feel that any man with a body image issue should ever volunteer to be in the same room as Julian McMahon. C'mon, the experience would send me right to a See's Candy location.

But most of all, I didn't go because I had no idea of what to do while covering a red carpet. Am I supposed to scream at the people who walk by begging that they stop by to talk to me?

And what of that? What do I have to say to these people. For example, I enjoy Alex Borstein very much,  but I don't particularly need to say hello to her. Nothing personal. Maybe if I was at a friend's house and she happened to stop by I'm sure I would be gracious and more than likely flattering, but I really didn't feel the need to dress up, get in the car, drive the 40 miles to town, check in with some flak, get a badge and then stand in a designated spot where I would end up pleading with people who make television to come talk to me.

Honestly, if the truth be known, I don't really want to know these people in particular. I like watching the shows that they make, but I also enjoy meals at restaurants without having to meet the chef, know what I mean? I like the t-shirt I'm wearing, but I don't need to meet the Honduran national who stitched it.

Of course, it occurs to me that I could be missing something here, which is why I decided to write this and why I thought you (or you or you or you) might want to chime in.

Am I being stupid here? What does one do while covering a red carpet event? Would it even be worth my time?

Because if there's some purpose to it, I'll even take the chance of being within close physical proximity to Julian McMahon.

Lois Griffin With Important Words For All of You

And with this, I say goodnight.

LINK

I'm Gonna Let Quagmire Take it Home

With his homage to that movie with Frank Sinatra and Tony Bill, what was it called? Yes, Come Blow Your Horn.

LINK

'Night all.

Family Guy Live in Chicago in Support of Series Syndie Release

Finally, for the evil monkey in Chris' closet, a break from those wacky Griffins. Maybe he can get the therapy he needs now. Or just grab the cigar box from under Brian's bed (you know what's there).

I don't know what this show entails as I was so busy at Comic-Con that I didn't even get to see the cast do the traditional Comic-Con table read (sorry Alex, I'll try again next year).

I think this is the version of their live event that they do at comedy festivals like Just for Laughs. It should be a fine way to kick off the series going into syndication.

Not for nothing, but if it weren't for all of us buying the DVDs and watching it over and over on TBS and [adult swim] there wouldn't be a syndication release of the series at all, so I think that Seth should charter a plane and come pick us (only us, though) up and fly us to Chicago for the show, a steak, and maybe a walk through the Art Institute's Edward Hopper collection.

Oh, and I could use some walking around money, too. And a date.

Click this for the Variety article which also mentions some of the stations that have picked up the show, including the Tribune station group, which includes KTLA in LA and WGN Chicago, both big on cable systems.

The Biggest Family Guy News on the Web -- With Video

Notice I didn't say exclusive, or only here, because that would be a lie. Let's face it, does stuff happen that I get to find out about first? Well, sometimes (that's right, Joel) but not today. This is all over the web and we'll start at StarWars.com for this:

Seth MacFarlane, the creator and executive producer of the Fox hit animated series, "Family Guy," is scheduled to appear at Star Wars Celebration IV at the Los Angeles Convention Center. MacFarlane, recognized as one of the youngest artists ever to create a television series, also voices many of the show's most beloved characters, including Peter, Stewie, Quagmire, and Brian.

We'll continue the story over at Variety:

Fox's animated hit will kick off its fifth season this September with an hourlong episode that retells the "Star Wars" saga using "Family Guy" characters.

Lucasfilm has blessed the event, which will have the Griffin family acting out all the key scenes and narrative from "Star Wars: A New Hope," the first installment of the franchise. "Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane is a major "Star Wars" fan and was personally involved in getting Lucasfilm on board, an exec from 20th Century Fox TV said.

(snip)

In addition to the "Star Wars" tribute, "Family Guy" will also mark its 100th episode next season, with a two-part special set to air in November.

A we'll end with an entertaining pastiche (that's right, look it up!) of Star Wars moments from Seth, Alex, Alec Sulkin (who your research would reveal is a HUGE Star Wars geek) and the gang at Family Guy:

Remember the "Family Guy" Staff Lockout From Month's Back?

As you know, that is all resolved, and Seth, Alex and the gang are back working on season six.

But, it did back up some work for the staff, and you know animation has a long lag time from script to completion, so this current season five is going to be four episodes short, according to an editor's blog at TV.com.

So don't worry about any talk of a shortened season and possible talk of cancellation, none of that is happening. The show's ratings, especially in the demo, have never been better.

Speaking of the Griffins, it certainly surprises me that Fox is not contesting Thursday nights at all, giving it all away to the other networks. After Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader last night, they ran two of the half hours of Family Guy that were culled from the Stewie Griffin 90-minute DVD movie.

And one more thing: About the Fifth Grader quiz show, certainly anyone with critical thinking skills is smarter than a fifth grader. I may not know what genus the armadillo comes from, but I can apply knowledge to real life situations and make determinations that are appropriate for my well-being.

Casting News: Alex Borstein Competes For "Busiest Woman in Showbiz" Crown Currently Held by ...

... a number of people who self-proclaim the honor, and many who have had it foisted upon them by personal managers with a flair for the dramatic.

Certainly, I don't think HGTV's Suzanne Whang qualifies, even if her manager (at least in 2003) Ken Kragen thinks she does (you remember Kragen, he was the guy behind "We Are The World" and "Hands Across America" and the man who helped Kenny Rogers cross over.

But this isn't about either of them, it's about our Alex, our Ms. Swan, or to you highly animated types, the former Lois Pewterschmidt. First, her DVD is still for sale at her website, and I just picked one up (since my PayPal issues are now resolved) and I'll write about it after I see it.

Also, Alex is not only the voice of Lois, but she's a producer on Family Guy and has a role in the just released "The Lookout," the indie starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt that's getting all kinds of buzz right now, and on Friday, it was announced that Alex is cast in the ABC pilot for the Britcom import The Thick of It, which I'm very much looking forward to because I think the US Congress needs someone to make fun of it.

Oliver Platt and Michael McKean are also cast, and I certainly hope I get to see this. It would also be nice if those kind people with the nice accents at BBC America could rerun the British series before the Fall, because I didn't get to see them all.

More on Alex's DVD after I see it.