By Jessica Wedemeyer
7:12am PDT, Jul 26, 2019
Disney avoids trial by settling long-running "Home Improvement" profits lawsuit
Disney has settled a six-year-old lawsuit with the creators of "Home Improvement" just weeks before the case's Sept. 9 trial date, The Hollywood Reporter reported on July 24. Though it's unclear how much the Mouse House forked over to the team behind the hit '90s sitcom — on which Tim Allen starred for eight seasons — the plaintiffs were seeking $40 million in damages for unpaid royalties. According to THR, they allege that Disney undercut the show's profits by charging massive distribution fees and then selling the comedy into the New York market for practically nothing.
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Kathy Griffin made $75M making people laugh — but the phone's not ringing
According to a Los Angeles Times profile that hit the Internet on July 18, Kathy Griffin has banked $75 million making people laugh over the years but hasn't been able to find work since May 2017 — when she posed with a Halloween mask smothered in ketchup to resemble Donald Trump's severed head. "I'm still totally blacklisted," she said. "No agency will touch me. No network will touch me. No streaming service will touch me. Nobody. And yet, I'm an earner. I've made them all money, and I'll make them money again. I have to dig myself out of this hole." A production company exec who spoke with the L.A. newspaper confirmed the comedienne's statements, saying that although he agrees with her politics on a personal level, he passed on purchasing her upcoming documentary because he was worried "she'd say or do something horrible in the midst of doing PR for the film." Added the exec, "I guarantee you we walked away from a lot of money."
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"The Code" canceled after one season on CBS
CBS canceled "The Code" on July 23, a day after the freshman military legal drama aired its season finale — which will now serve as its series finale. "Thank you to all you wonderful people who watched @TheCodeCBS. Last night was our finale and sadly, no more. I'll never make General. But I loved this cast of stellar actors & know we'll meet again. Semper Fidelis," tweeted lead actress Dana Delany.
RELATED: The best TV shows about the military
Shannen Doherty to guest star in "super-emotional" role on "Riverdale" Luke Perry tribute episode
Shannen Doherty will guest star in a "special role" on a Season 4 episode of The CW's "Riverdale" that pays tribute to Luke Perry, her late former "Beverly Hills, 90210" co-star and longtime friend. According to TheWrap, the season premiere, which is set to air on Oct. 9, "will reflect Luke Perry's enduring legacy and the indelible imprint his character, Fred Andrews, had on 'Riverdale.'" Showrunner Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa said during the drama's July 21 Comic-Con panel that Luke wanted Shannen to appear on the show since its first season: "They were such good friends, and when we were putting together this tribute episode, we wanted to make it as special as possible, and so we asked Shannen to do a pivotal, super-emotional role," he said. "She read the script and immediately said 'yes.' It's very impactful." The former teen idol died on March 4 after suffering a massive stroke a few days earlier. He was 52. He made his final appearance on "Riverdale" in April.
Stephanie Pratt says she won't be returning for Season 2 of "The Hills" after slamming co-stars
Stephanie Pratt took to Instagram on July 23 to say goodbye to the recent reboot of "The Hills." She kicked off a lengthy rant by saying she was "drained from this year" and "so happy to be back home in London." She then took aim at her co-stars, calling brother Spencer Pratt "evil" and his wife, Heidi Montag, an "awful human being" and "a hideous person." She went on to label former friend Audrina Patridge "crazy" for allegedly spreading lies about her relationship with Justin Bobby Brescia. The "Made in Chelsea" alum signed off by congratulating the show on scoring a second season. But that doesn't mean she'll be back for it: Stephanie responded with a curt "no" when a fan asked in the comments section, "OMG are you on season 2??"
WGN America releases emotional trailer for Dog the Bounty Hunter's new show
On July 22, WGN America released an emotional trailer for Dog the Bounty Hunter's new show, "Dog's Most Wanted," which chronicles his manhunts with The Dirty Dozen, as well as his late wife and partner Beth Chapman's battle with lung cancer. (She died at 51 on June 26, more than two months before the series' Sept. 4 debut.) "I love her, and I'll do anything for her," Dog says in the trailer, which shows the duo kissing as Beth sits in a hospital bed, as well as praying with friends and family while seated around a dining table. "If I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die in my boots," she says at another point in the clip. "My wife is, was, and always will be the heart and soul of 'Dog's Most Wanted,'" Duane Chapman added in a statement from WGN America. "Beth wanted nothing more than for the show to go on, and I am so proud of the legacy that she left behind. She lived and died for this show, and she would be so proud of how hard we worked bringing these criminals to justice."
HBO boss responds to petition for "Game of Thrones" final season do-over
During a July 24 press conference in Beverly Hills, HBO president of programming Casey Bloys shared his thoughts on the viral petition calling for the premium cable network to remake the eighth season of "Game of Thrones," which was widely loathed by diehard fans. "There are very few downsides to having a hugely popular show," he said. "One I can think of, when you try to end it, many people have opinions on how to end it. I think that comes with the territory. The petition shows a lot of enthusiasm and passion for the show, but it wasn't something we seriously considered. I can't imagine another network would."
Tarek El Moussa lands his own HGTV series
HGTV announced on July 23 that it's moving forward with Tarek El Moussa's new show, "Flipping 101." The 14-episode series, which is set for early 2020, will follow the "Flip or Flop" star as he mentors amateur house flippers. Tarek will also star on the upcoming eighth season of HGTV's "Flip or Flop," as well as the HGTV digital series "Tarek's Flip Side." Both debut on Aug. 1.
