Vikki Locke, who has been solo since February when her long-time on-air partner Steve McCoy was let go from B98.5, can finally mention his name publicly.

On her Facebook page, she posted this note to her fans:

Steve’s contract has run out … giving me the chance to speak to you about what happened back in February. Contractually, I was unable to say anything and it has been a stressful four months to say the least. I can only tell you that I believe the change to be an economical decision… Many of you are going through the same thing, not knowing from day to day if you will have a job when you wake each morning. In this day and time I am grateful to be employed. I have a mortgage just like you do. I miss my on-air husband of more than 25 years, and Steve and I remain great friends. If you don’t know, he is currently working in Denver, Colo., and doing very well. I hope his ratings soar. This whole transition has also been difficult for Will and Jessica. This is Jess’s …

Continue reading Vikki Locke finally talks about Steve McCoy’s departure »

Don Draper’s a single man and part of a new ad agency. But does this make him a happier man?

We find out as the fourth season of the Emmy-winning drama “Mad Men” returns Sunday on AMC.

Otherwise, it’s a very quiet week on TV. Burt Reynolds, though looking a bit gaunt after heart surgery, makes a fun guest appearance on USA’s “Burn Notice” Thursday and Starz attempts a historical miniseries Friday. TBS has brought back “My Boys” Sunday despite modest ratings. Comedian Jim Gaffigan has left the show but the spirited bickering among friends remains.

And while Jennifer Love Hewitt fans are still mourning the cancellation of “Ghost Whisperer,” they will embrace her in the made-for-Lifetime movie “The Client List” debuting Monday.

Monday
“The Bachelorette” 8 p.m. ABC — Sure, Roberto is a hottie, but is 25-year-old Ali really going to marry any of these guys?
“Behind the Music” 8 p.m. VH1 (second season finale) — Usher talks about his ups and downs, including his …

Continue reading TV best bets with returns of ‘Mad Men,’ ‘My Boys’ »

If the two local sports talk radio stations were sports teams, 680/The Fan would be like the surging Atlanta Braves while rival 790/The Zone is akin to the more uncertain Atlanta Falcons.

For the past two years, the Fan’s ratings have been consistently better than the Zone’s. In June, the Fan drew 302,500 unique listeners a week to the Zone’s 94.900, according to Arbitron. The addition of the Braves this year has only widened the gap. And while other radio stations were cutting back during the recession, Fan management hired more local talent – from the Zone.

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The Zone has had a rougher time. Its June ratings were its worst in years. It’s about to lose the Atlanta Hawks to 99X. And to instill new talent, the station is holding an open call for on-air hosts ages 21 to 29.

“We need to be younger, hipper, fresher, cooler,” said Zone Program …

Continue reading The Zone vs. the Fan: guess who’s winning now? »

CREDIT: Associated Press

Sports reporter and Atlanta resident Erin Andrews has sued seven hotels including the chains of Marriott and Radisson in a civil lawsuit filed in Chicago Thursday for giving the alleged stalker her room number, according to a Fox News report.

“I’ve filed this lawsuit to hold accountable those who put my personal safety at risk and who allowed my privacy to be invaded while I was a guest at their hotel as well as for actually stalking me and making my most personal moments public,” Andrews says in a statement.

The actual charges were negligence and invasion of privacy.

Michael David Barrett used that information to install a camera in her hotel peephole and videotape her while dressing in Milwaukee and Nashville in 2008.

Andrews recently signed a new contract with ESPN which expands her role there.

Barrett was sentenced in March to 30 months in prison for posting the videos online.

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Continue reading Erin Andrews sues hotels over peeping tom videos »

Adult Swim’s Emmy award-winning “Robot Chicken” is planning a third “Star Wars” spoof set to air December 12 and this one will be bigger than ever: 44 minutes long, or four times longer than a typical episode.

Call it a trilogy of sorts.

“We might have to wait 20 years to do a fourth,” joked Matthew Senreich, an executive producer, along with actor Seth Green.

What has gotten the most press, he said in a phone interview, was one name: Zac Efron. The “High School Musical” star will play Anakin Skywalker. “He’s a fan of the show,” he said. “Seth bumped into him at some MTV Awards.”

Former Atlantan and “Community” star Donald Glover will do also some voices, along with Anthony Daniels, who played C3PO in the films. In the past, they’ve gotten Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill to do voices. Harrison  Ford has expressed interest but has not shown enough interest to set aside the time.

“It’s the easiest work there is,” Senreich said. “They come in, record for maybe an hour or less. …

Continue reading Adult Swim’s ‘Robot Chicken’ working on a third ‘Star Wars’ parody »

Dallas McCade, co-host of the morning show on Kicks 101.5, will be joining Food Network’s saucy Southern chef Paula Deen to co host “Paula’s Best Dishes” Saturday at 11:30 a.m.

McCade wasn’t available for comment but Kicks sent out a press release with the following quote:

“It was wild and crazy; just a couple Dixie divas doing what they do best—cookin’ and talkin’. Paula is a hoot!”

Deen and McCade, the release said, became buddies after Dean visited Kicks’ studios in April 2009. McCade herself is an accomplished cook.

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Continue reading Dallas McCade joining Paula Deen for ‘Paula’s Best Dishes’ Saturday July 17 at 11:30 a.m. »

E! has already done a biography on Usher. Now, it’s VH1’s turn on Monday at 8 p.m.

VH1 provided some preview quotes:

“Behind The Music: Usher” – Premieres Monday, July 19th at 8:00 PM ET/PT

Episode Quotes

“Life is an evolution. So as I look at the reality of who I’ve become, I’m very happy, you know, but at the same time I’m, I’m humbled in every way every day.” – Usher, reflecting on life

“I would not be who I am, what I am, without her.” – Usher on the influence of his mother

“Everyone started talking about this little kid that was just the next Michael Jackson.” – Jonnetta Patton, Usher’s mother, on his first singing appearance

“I could not understand why this was happening to me. Uh, but more than anything, I couldn’t understand why these people were turning their back on me.” – Usher on almost being dropped from his record label at age 15

“At heart I am a lover man, because I’d always wanted to be in a …

Continue reading VH1 going ‘Behind the Music’ with Atlanta’s Usher »

Former Georgia Tech and Detroit Lion Ryan Stewart, Corinne Van Ryck de Groot, and Arle Michel rehearse a scene from "Torn," a Christian drama, at Eyedrum in Atlanta Thursday, July 8, 2010. The play will run July 14-18 at the 14th Street Playhouse. CREDIT: Bita Honarvar

Ryan Stewart is a former NFL player who has become a successful talk-show host on 790/The Zone.

But he’s stretching his skills a bit more now by going into acting. Starting tonight through Sunday, Stewart joins the cast of the gospel play “Torn” for seven performances at the 14th Street Playhouse.

“I’m trying to push my career forward,” Stewart said in a phone interview tonight just two hours before the curtains rise. “It’s a huge challenge.”

He said he was nervous while learning his lines but feels okay now. He’s going to be in three scenes as a club owner who was divorced but is now partying it up. “I don’t see myself as a good or bad guy but very honest.”

From the press release, this is the cast:

TORN’s …

Continue reading Ryan Stewart, Zone sports talk show host, becomes… a thespian! »

The Soul Train Awards will be returning to Atlanta in November, this time at the Cobb Energy Centre.

The taping is set for November 10 and will air on Centric and BET on November 28.

Last year, the awards came back after a couple years off and aired for the first time on BET and Centric. It was taped at the Georgia World Congress Center and honored an emotional Chaka Khan and Charlie Wilson. Performers included Robin Thicke, Mario, local rising star Keri Hilson, and part-time Atlantan Toni Braxton.

Last year’s hosts were Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson. The network has not announced performers, hosts or honorees just yet.

Continue reading Soul Train Awards returning to Atlanta November 10 »

So those British tabloids were right a few weeks back: “America’s Got Talent” judge Piers Morgan is indeed in talks with CNN to take over for Larry King at 9 p.m.

The New York Times confirmed the news yesterday. The deal is contingent on NBC allowing him to work at CNN so it could still be derailed. NBC has control over Morgan and allowing him on CNN would make him a competitor to its news station MSNBC.

If completed, the deal would vault Mr. Morgan, a native of Britain, into the top tier of television interviewers, alongside people like Oprah Winfrey, Barbara Walters and Katie Couric. It will also demonstrate that CNN thinks there is still room in prime time for long-form interviews with public servants and starlets, a stark contrast to the partisan pundits on its higher-rated rivals, Fox News and MSNBC.

The story says Morgan has wanted this job for quite awhile and has been prepping for it by doing interviews on a U.K. show the past year. CNN obviously liked him.

Former CNN …

Continue reading Piers Morgan poised to take over for Larry King »