Pop Culture Idiot Investigates: Actors Replaced After The Pilot

You know, I've always wondered why actors are recast after a pilot or during a show's run. Frankly I find it fascinating, here's a few examples...


It's never too late to get a new favorite. When the Class, or better yet How I Met Your Friends debuted, something was a little different from the initial promos. The character who played the ex-jock of one of the classmates was clearly played by Eric Kramer. The commercials that ran shortly before the debut featured David Keith in the role. Keith indeed appeared in the first episode. And look who else did for a millisecond, Eric Kramer, he's on the upper left of the pic. Hoo hah, hah. That's hilarious. Looks like someone did a bang up editing job. Cheers!

Review: The Class has about six too many characters...




The rumbles from this dismissal still reverberate although Joey is over and done with. Actress Ashley Scott first portrayed the character of Joey's hot and married neighbor. With a show plagued with problems, the test audience reportedly found Scott to be the biggest one. The reasons were petty and especially silly. She was replaced with Andrea Anders and they became one of TV's most boring couples ever.

Update: Scott's on Jericho and Joey continues to make new episodes for the Jason Fantasy Network...




There's the original Happy Family, until the cast was shuffled. Hamish Linklater was signed on to play the oldest son Todd. In fact, Linklater was a big part of the promos for this doomed sitcom. In fact, I do see a bit of familial resemblance in that pic. Oddly enough, I think that's important in a show. What happened? The First Todd wasn't seen beyond the early commercials and was replaced by Jeff Davis...

The Fallout: When Happy Family premiered, you could tell that Davis wasn't the best choice, the show was on last than a season. CBS's Out of Practice did all of this better anyway. That's off the air too despite a promising start.






Look, it's Chrissy! Well not really. Susan Lanier was one of the few women cast to play one of Jack Tripper's roomates on Three's Company. In fact, the details were so hasty, Jack was named David at one time. Not on this pilot which also features John Ritter and Joyce DeWitt. The credits and theme song for this particular lineup are particularly odd. It's like they didn't want the show to succeed. Lanier was of course replaced by Suzanne Somers.

The Chrissy Files: See the thing is Chrissy wasn't always a stone-cold idiot. And actually Lanier wasn't too far from Somers's early portrayal.




Wow, one of the only roles made for Ted McGinley didn't even initially cast Ted McGinley. Now this is potentially upsetting news for the Hope and Faith fans. Spoiler Alert: McGinley wasn't the first person to play Charlie Parker, Hope, Jones? I've forgotten already. Josh Stamberg was cast as "Dad" in this pilot. McGinley appeared when the pilot was reshot over a year later.

The Big Implosion: This show was never Taxi but it was good at one time. Hope and Faith did another cast shift, sexed up and replaced the oldest daughter and that was all she wrote.






Looks like Gramps was deleted too...

Saturday Night Live: Cast Updates

You know you're making it in the business when folks like Lorne Michaels send you emails. Lorne just messaged me and said, "Jason, I want you to break the news about the cast departures. That was a few weeks ago, guess I'm a wee bit late...

People have been calling for his ouster for years now, and they got their wish. Despite his impressive, pre-SNL credentials, Sanz never really broke out as an essential player. Most notably, he's been known for cracking up with ex-cast member Jimmy Fallon. Oddly enough, they did their most laughing on skits that weren't that funny. Without Fallon, however, Sanz lost his tenuous context and grasp on reality.

Say What?: Seems like Sanz left the following on his MySpace page:

"Hi my Dear fans and friends alike,
I have decided to not return to Saturday Night Live this season. I wish the best to everyone at the show and expect them to have a great season. It's been a wonderful eight years and I am grateful for all the friends I was able to make and all the great people..."


Oh lordy, that's one for the Too Much Information Files...


Chris Parnell having a whale of a time at my blog's Disco Party...


Although he certainly had his share of good moments, Parnell has also been let go at SNL. Debuting as a featured member the same year as Sanz, Parnell's output too is sketchy. Parnell was canned shortly before the 2001-2002 season. He returned to the show in March of 2002.


The Main Problem: As a straight-man, Parnell was often too straight.
Of course, his raps and the Narnia digital short display his true skills.


Note: Parns looks totally drunk in that pic.



Finesse Mitchell- Not a shock. Mitchell has been on the show for three seasons and really didn't get a ton of laughs. Most egregiously, Mitchell wasn't ever given any great recurring characters and did silly parts of his stand-up at the Update desk. Unlike many cast members who unceremoniously got the boot, I've got a feeling Mitchell is much, much better than what he was given to do on SNL.



Dratch and Fey, Again... Hey, they look like back to back bad dates, huh. Tina Fey, Rachel Dratch also left. Both are on that NBC show that's not the one with Matthew Perry. Those two were on a good while too--and let's face it, neither one are Gilda Radner or Eddie Murphy so they both can hit it...

Verdict: The show will be fine.

Kind of Watching It TV: A Bunch Of Craptasic Shows

TV is getting sillier and sillier, it's actually hard to keep up. I had the good fortune to see some dreadful programs. Let's review them together!

Dr. Phil...I got a taste of the dreaded Dr. Phil house and was it ever bad. This is supposed to be a focal point to the show this season and it's stinks to high heaven. It's overdone, silly, odd and pointless. Here's an idea? How about helping people in the studio? The above pic is Dr. Phil at the "control room" peeping at one of the families who will implode and inexplicably "get better" under his tutelage. It's so tiring...


The Guest Who Won't Shut His Freaking Pie Hole: I head that Dr. Phil is going to live with the folks at the Dr. Phil house. Oh, that can't be for real. Frankly I don't know if I'd want to share my soap on a robe with "Phil."

A Confession: I'd like to backhand Dr. Phil so hard I'd lose my balance.


The Megan Mullally Show- I don't/didn't have high hopes for this one. Despite Mullally's talent, the show is so shopworn and silly that it hit the cringe-worthy mark within five minutes. The debut show had Mullally and singers doing makeshift lyrics to "Age of Aquarius" and "Hair." One of the songs lyrics had to do with making out with Debra Messing. Even as horny as I am, I just don't care. The first guests were Will Ferrell and Jenny McCarthy.



Nice invite, but if that show doesn't get better in a hurry, that couch, table, etc will be in storage so fast it would make Caroline Rhea's head spin.




The Clear Reference Point: While this has Rosie's old show written all over this, Mullally reportedly said she wanted to make this like the Mike Douglas Show. The problem is Douglas wasn't irreverent, he was serious about that hooey/bunk/stuff.


The Greg Behrendt Show- You know, actually Behrendt is a cool, intelligent guy despite his often odd appearance. The problem here? The production values. These guys could talk about all of the hi-fluent stuff they want, the set is pure '90s cheese. I keep expecting to see Richard Bey or a metal chair flying. Another problem is seeing Behrendt in this setting, wearing those little ties and stuff, I keep wanting to see him drop his cards and just do a header in the audience and start wailing away...

What I've Learned: I can't spell Behrendt, I want to type Brendhart, help me somebody!

The Tony Danza Chronicles: This is a heads up for those who didn'theard the news. The Tony Danza Show has been taken off the air. There was an online petition (yeah, they work) to keep the Tony Danza program on and running. Well, you don't see him do ya? It's a darned shame...

Random Mutterings...

The following was transcribed from my diary entries...

Just when I thought I had a strong stomach for this kind of thing, this makes me toss my hypothetical cookies all over my shoes. Without hesitation, Celebrity Duets is one of the worst shows I've ever seen. I should work for me, but it doesn't. I find it so depressing.

You know what really drives me crazy? Those judges. While not much of what Marie Osmond says really registers, the biggest annoyance here is David Foster. You'd think Little Richard and his warmed over shtick would do it, but now, he's got serious competition here. Frankly the sight of Foster and Little Richard together short-circuits my nervous system.

The Solution: Get a new nervous system.


As we all know, we lost the Crocodile Hunter not too long ago. I for one thought it was a piece of oddly devastating news. That fact sure isn't stopping the Animal Planet from running his shows like crazy. I guess they had no idea and they're just playing these programs as they were scheduled months in advance. Still it weird to hear the Crocodile Hunter "chatting it up" and now everything has a subtext.

Solution: Stop playing "Crocodile Hunter" for a few weeks...

Update: A New Enemy It seems now that Australians are killing stringrays in light of the Crocodile Hunter tragedy. We all know doggone well, Steve wouldn't have wanted it that way...



A Perfect C+

I've got to say I'm not taking to this CBS/Katie Couric deal. But I am struck with Couric's dedication and the fact that she's a trouper. She's been doing these recent telecasts without changing her expression, let's call it her "news face." Some might say her face "looks broken" or that it's "totally botox." Me? I think she just a serious minded news reader. I look forward to seeing more of her, in my nightmares...

A Request: Go back to NBC


Mr. Biggs! Live, Hot and In Prison!

I got a bad report on one of my favorite entertainers, Ronald Isley. The lead singer of the Isley Brothers has had an awful run-in with the IRS and it looks like "Mr Biggs" might be doing some down time, in the stony mansion. Despite me being a gloomy gus, I think Isley's sentence will not be the full three years. It's not like he's going to be a prison gang leader shanking people and sounding off to the wardens. Good behavior should expedite matters.

Part 2: Although he's having legal woes, Ronald Isley's one of my favorites. As horrible as his crimes were, I say he needs a slap on the wrist and that's all. Ronnie Isley's too much of an icon to go to prison. There, I said it!

Lonelygirl 15: Fake, Fake and Fake

Oh hi, just when everyone thought I in solitary confinement, me and my street team have been pounding the pavement. In this case, it's bad news for the youngsters out there. It seems that YouTube favorite, Lonelygirl 15 is a fake. For the past few months this "home schooled" young woman has been prattling on about a litany of total uninteresting things. Of course, this became popular, with comments sections filled with come-ons, "witty" asides and pure blarney.

Despite the "unrehearsed" environment, this video blog is looking like it's just a bunch of rubbish. Rubbish, wow, I said rubbish--that's scary...


Whoops!: You'd think this character's pitch-perfect ennui and good timing would tip this off as a colossal faker. Not quite. In this case, a computer offers stunning evidence. It turns out some jackasses with time on their hands found that "Lonelygirl15's" reply on a message board came from a computer--at CAA in Beverly Hills. I'm shocked!


Part 120,090 and a Half: In this drama, we are going to eventually find out who this chick is, who "Daniel" is, a guy who appears in the videos. You know what I'd like to know too? If this girl is really 16 if so, she's the oldest looking 16 year old ever...

Update: Lonelygirl15 turns out to be a 19 year old actress from New Zealand named Jessica Rose. This is/was concocted by two aspiring filmakers. Lonelygirl15 will continue even though it's all been a ruse.


Update: Proving the point that all things diabolical or quizzical has a Maryland connection, Lonelygirl15 Jessica Rose was born in Salisbury, Maryland. Oh the horrors, that's about an hour away from the Pop Culture Idiot news tower, I wasn't alerted!!!

Flashback!!!


How could I forget, this fabricated character reminds me of another one. Look, an early pic of storyteller James Frey...

The View: Not Great

Corny....




I just had to watch the 10th season debut especially since Rosie O' Donnell signed on. Being as observant as I am, I noticed that Meredith Vieira and Star Jones were missing, what happened to them?


Despite the occasional funny line, chaos seemed to rule. The transitions were shaky, the banter was forced and O'Donnell was just nervous. There was a weird moment where they all were talking about "Hollywoodland" then Superman George Reeves as file footage of Steve Irwin played. Ridiculous.


Believe or not, the show actually had a guest besides cringe worthy discomfort. Jessica Simpson came out in the world's shortest dress and the camera was able to see what she was wearing underneath, twice. Barbara looked a little tired during this segment, Rosie perked right up and got distracted and that left Hasselbeck and Behar to attain some structure.


During the break, a bearded Bill Geddie hopped up and talked to Rosie and pointed at his head set. I don't know if he was telling her to pipe down, listen or take her neds. It's a mystery!


The Rest: After that disaster the View played a "catch-up" video on Rosie's exploits for the past few years. It pretty much came with subliminal messages like, "Look, she's not crazy," "Rosie's our friend" and "Totally not crazy." It didn't work. After her dreary song, Jessica Simpson came from backstage and hauled out a cake for O' Donnell. For what?

Grade: B- Upped a notch for the laugh/disaster factor.

Carolyn Kepcher: Fired

My blog received some difficult news. A young lady I mentored Carolyn Kepcher has been relieved of her duties with my friend Donald Trump. I knew this was going to happen. Donald slipped a note in my Trapper Keeper during 4th period and told me "Caroline" was history.


This is a history that has been shared by all of us. Throughout the 15 seasons of the Apprentice, we've seen Carolyn mature from shrill/pissy to totally unlikable. In fact, she's a big part of the reason why that show "sucks" now. Reports say that Carolyn was acting like an entitled jackass, getting hefty pay days on the side with his chintzy speaking deals and endorsements. I for one was spefically turned off with those Polident Overnight commercials, she still has her teeth! As we all know Donald Trump isn't one for brazen self-promotion or aggrandizement.


--> %)%)%480235 Oops...indent, over here... Here's what the Donald has to say!

"What I did was a good thing for Carolyn," he said. "I'm doing something that's best for her. She's a terrific person."

Ah, he fired her, he's so munificent. When are they giving out the Nobel Prize again? Here's another one...

"Let's put it this way: She enjoyed the success of 'The Apprentice' very much," Trump said.

Ooh! That's classic Donald--that's a burn.



Nice to see her rebounding, her shirt has a positive message too...