VIdeo: The Three Most Unlikely People You'd Ever Think Would Make a Promo Together: The Super Bowl Promo for Letterman's Show

O'Hara Departs TV Guide Network

TV Guide President Ryan O'Hara has relinquished his post to pursue "a new opportunity in New York," reports B&C.

Since assuming the position in 2005, O'Hara led a change in programming that included acquiring off-network showings of "Ugly Betty" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm," in addition to creating original programs.

"We have a strong leadership team and a focused strategy to build TV Guide Network into a branded celebration of entertainment and fandom, so this is the right time for me to move on to another new entrepreneurial opportunity that has arisen," O'Hara said in a statement. "I enjoyed my eight years at TV Guide tremendously, and I believe the trajectory of the business has never been better. It is in perfect hands with Lionsgate and One Equity Partners."

-- Allison J. Waldman

Video: Michael Jackson Doctor Negotiating to Turn Himself In

Wink Martindale Has a New Gameshow

Veteran gameshow host Wink Martindale is coming back to TV with a new program on GSN, reports TV Squad.

Martindale will be manning the podium for "Instant Recall," a gameshow premiering March 4 that tests the memories of participants.

Martindale's last TV game was "Debt," which ran on Lifetime from 1996-98. Martindale's most famous game show was "Tic-Tac-Dough."

-- Allison J. Waldman

Is This the Best Super Bowl Ad We'll See?

Ad Age's Ken Wheaton goes so far as to say that this print ad is the best Super Bowl ad ever.

Do you agree?

(The company that makes this product, McIlhenny Company, is based in Louisiana.)

A&E Sets Debut Date for Kirstie Alley Series

"Kirstie Alley's Big Life," the actress' return to series TV, will premiere on A&E with back-to-back episodes on Sunday, March 21 at 10 p.m.

The reality show will chronicle Alley's attempt to get back in shape from the "Fat Actress" days.

-- Allison J. Waldman

OMG: Fox Reportedly Wants Howard Stern as 'Idol' Judge When Simon Leaves

Producers of the most popular series on TV, Fox's "American Idol," have been interested in having controversial shock-jock Howard Stern replace the ascerbic Simon Cowell, according to the New York Post's Page Six.

Cowell leaves the show after this season. He is reportedly making $40 million to $50 million a year.

According to the Page Six story,  a source that was somehow connected to 'Idol' said, "It's one of the few shows that could compete with Stern's $100 million-a-year Sirius contract, and 'Idol' bosses think he'd be even nastier than Simon. They know he would be great TV and would clash with the other judges such as Ellen DeGeneres and the contestants. 'Idol' will do what it takes to sign him."

The article then quotes a second source who said the talks about Stern possibly joining 'Idol' were intended as a ploy to pressure Sirius XM Radio to re-up with Stern. Stern's current contract expires next January.

Finally, the article quotes Stern as recently saying on his radio show, ""I was approached by a major TV network to take over a TV show and leave here and do that next year -- and I did turn it down . . . I'm not even sure if I want to be working. I'm waiting to see what happens."

The article said Fox declined to comment about the story when asked to by a Page Six reporter.

--Chuck Ross

Sparks Fly as Sen. Al Franken Grills Comcast, NBCU Execs

Former NBC star Al Franken, now a Democratic Senator from Minnesota, put Comcast Chairman Brian Roberts and NBC Universal President Jeff Zucker through a grilling during a Senate hearing on Comcast’s proposed takeover of NBCU, B&C reports.

With his aggressive questioning, Franken—a former writer and performer on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live”--made it clear he didn’t think the merger was a good idea, suggesting that any promises the companies made about serving the public interest couldn’t be trusted.

For example, according to the report, "Franken argued that while NBC said back in the early 1990's that allowing networks to own a financial stake in prime time would not edge out independent programmers, that had been the result. Zucker countered that of 18 new pilots, seven, or 39% were not affiliated with NBC, which he said was a large percentage. Which means 60% are, Franken countered."

And Franken intimated Roberts might have misled him in a meeting they had to discuss the merger; Roberts replied that it had been a misunderstanding.

C-SPAN covered the hearing, and if you click here you can watch it. It's about two hours long. If you're interested in the fireworks between Franken, Roberts and Zucker, that starts at about the 1:20 mark.

At an earlier House subcommittee hearing, Roberts and Zucker talked up the deal’s benefits, arguing that a larger company could be more innovative, and would continue to protect its competitors’ access to programming and distribution. Roberts also reiterated that there are no plans to move NBC and Telemundo off broadcast to cable.

--Elizabeth Jensen and Chuck Ross

Video: Fireworks or No Fire When Jon Stewart and Bill O'Reilly Confront One Another? We Report, You Decide

Two of the smartest political TV commentators went mano a mano this week, when Comedy Central's Jon Stewart appeared on Fox News' Bill 'OReilly's "The O'Reilly Factor." The interview was shown over two days. The video below is from last night's show (Feb. 4). In it, O'Reilly posits this mind-boggling hypothetical scenario: That he's going to run for president and wants Stewart to be his VP. 

To see the first part of the interview, which ran on Feb 3, click here.

Epix Picks Up Another Cable System

New pay TV service Epix, which has struggled to get distribution, is being added to Charter Communications systems in May, the Los Angeles Times reports.

The pick-up will give it access to an additional 16 million subscribers.

--Elizabeth Jensen