“My Name is Earl” has been canceled from NBC‘s roster for some time now, but there were rumblings that TBS might pick up the series for new episodes. Not so much, says 20th Century Fox:

“While we had hoped to find a way to produce additional episodes for TBS, in the final analysis we simply could not make the economics work without seriously undermining the artistic integrity of the series. As none of us, [series creator] Greg [Garcia] included, want the show to go out on anything but a high note, we regret that we must put to rest any speculation that Earl will continue. We are grateful to everyone at TBS for their enthusiasm for the series and wish to offer our heartfelt thanks to the cast and crew of My Name is Earl for their incredible work.”

It’s an interesting trend to watch these days with networks trying to pawn off their failed series on the cable channels. USA picked up SVU while “Reaper” seemed close to finding a new home at SyFy or Spike, neither of which worked out. So was this a smart move for TBS? Hard to tell from here but I’d guess they knew what they were doing or possibly had watched an episode already.

“Earl” stopped being funny for me about half-way through its first season so I’m not sorry to see this one go, but I’m interested to hear what NBC puts in its place on Thursday nights. Maybe they’ll bump up “Parks & Rec” to 8pm and find something new for 8:30pm. We’ll know before too long.

Source: EW

Frank TV returns tonight on TBS at 11pm for its first episode of its 2008 season. I’d never seen the show before TBS sent over a few screener episodes so I gave it a go and, well, I’m not sure it’ll be for everyone. If you enjoy skit shows closer to Mad TV than SNL I think you’ll probably enjoy this one. If you’re not a fan of skits at all then Frank TV won’t be your thing.

This season Frank Caliendo adds on a couple of impersonators with Mike McRae and Freddy Lockhart to give the show some extra depth. Ironically, Freddy Lockhart outshines even Frank with his Ice-T impersonation in a fake ad for Blueberry Lemonade. Then again, if you’re not watching L&O:SVU it might be lost on you.

2008 Season Premiere for Frank TV:

The first episode of FRANK TV’s 2008 season opens as Oliver Stone prepares to follow his new movie W with a fresh take on the Bill Clinton-Monica Lewinsky affair. Next up, James Gandolfini has a new show about puppies, while David Letterman is doing a new show for kids. Yoda, Obi Wan Kenobi and Mace Windu hang out in a diner. Superheroes face congressional hearings on steroid usage in an animated sketch. Rapper Ice-T gets confused over why he’s promoting lemonade. And John McCain makes his pitch to be the whitest president in history.

Congratulations to Jim Gaffigan and the rest of the “My Boys” cast on TBS. “Boys” was just renewed by the cable network for its third season and will return in early 2009.

“This past summer, ‘My Boys’ continued to catch on with audiences and critics,” said Michael Wright, TBS’ top programmer. “It’s that truly rare television combination of a talented cast with great chemistry, extremely smart and funny writing and outstanding production.”

When “My Boys” returns it will do so with a 9-episode order. Should the ratings continue to increase as they did between seasons 1 and 2 (1.0 million to 1.5 million) you can expect TBS to option out a fuller season of shows.

Source: THR

Kevin Nealon is no stranger on what it takes to be funny with his background of nine seasons on Saturday Night Live, including the role of Weekend Update host, and countless appearances in Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison projects (Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore, Zohan, & more). Most recently Kevin can be found on Showtime’s comedy “Weeds”, now in its fourth season.

I was beyond lucky with the chance to speak with Kevin about what we could look forward to in this year’s TBS “World’s Funniest Commercials” special. Read on to find out what it takes to make Mr. Subliminal himself laugh when it comes to commercials.

Hollywood Hills: This will be your fifth season of hosting TBS’ Funniest Commercials Special, is that right?
Kevin Nealon: Yes, I believe it is.

HWH: Are you seeing the commercials out do themselves each year or are they having a hard time topping previous years’ commercials?
Nealon: Not really. I think that this year’s special is probably the best one to date.

HWH: With your background as SNL’s ad exec “Mr Subliminal” you are obviously well qualified for this hosting job. So are they letting you pick any commercials for the show?
Nealon: I haven’t really picked too many, but if I see one that’s really funny I will call them and let them know and see if they agree with me. Last time I found the Trunk Monkey.

HWH: Tivo & DVRs are obviously posing a challenge to commercials. What do you think makes for a great commercial that will get viewers to stop and watch?
Nealon: There are different schools of thought on that. A lot of commercials people stop to watch because they are funny, but they’re not really memorable for the product. I personally like the funny commercials. It doesn’t remember to me if I remember the name, just that it was a funny little story that was in 30 or 60 seconds. The world today has such a short attention span that you can just watch the show and a couple of commercials and be entertained.

HWH: Any favorite or least favorite commercials come to mind?
Nealon: There is one that I particularly like that’s called “Walk of Shame” for a beverage that shows all these people doing the walk of shame in the morning after a night of debauchery. They’re walking home dishelved and join up in the street singing. It’s pretty funny, you’ve gotta see it.

HWH: In past seasons a lot of the funniest commercials have been European born. Do you think they have an easier time making funny commercials because of what they can get away with without the FCC restrictions?
Nealon: Yeah, I think the parameters are a little more extended for them so they can get away with more. I think I’ve seen quite a revoluation in American commercials as far as being more risque in the last couple of years and the viewers will see that on this special too.

[In the TBS special] there are also some US commercials made by European companies. One commercial, maybe from Sweden, has a son ask his father where he comes from. So the father takes him for a car ride and tells him about the birds and the bees, then at the end the boy says, “Wow. My friend Frank just comes from Poland.” They’re pretty clever.

HWH: Any of your SNL commercials that you think would be contenders for the next TBS Funniest Commercials special?
Nealon: It’s funny because it’s like those commercials now are almost legitimate commercials. I remember when Chevy Chase wrote a commercial for a razor blade that had four or five blades in it. The first blade would pull it out, the second blade would cut it, the third would cut it more, and so on.

There’s another commercial that Al Franken wrote called “Colon Blow” for bran that really cleans you out. Commercials now are such proponents of bran in your diet that things are catching up.

HWH: Besides your history with SNL’s mock commercials, have you had much involvement in making commercials or do you prefer to be on the receiving side?
Nealon: I must have done about a half dozen commercials, mostly light beer commercials. Coors Silver Bullet, Budweiser, and I did a Nabisco commercial which was pulled off the air after about two weeks because they found copper dust particles in the product. It was my first commercial so I was very excited and then that happened.

HWH: If you were making a commercial selling Kevin Nealon action figures, how would you pitch it?
Nealon: Well it’d have to be in cereal boxes and maybe some different soy products.

HWH: Along with your TBS Funniest Commercials special coming up you’ve got your character on Showtime’s “Weeds”, now in its fourth season. I just heard it would be renewed for two more seasons. Can we expect to see you back for the rest of the series?
Nealon: I hope so, but you can’t really know until the season is about to begin.

HWH: Any Happy Madison projects in the future? I’d love to see you team back up with your SNL pals again.
Nealon: I just did “You Don’t Mess With the Zohan” so I’m up to speed now. I think [Sandler] is off doing another one now. He kinda keeps me in that loop.

HWH: Thanks so much for taking the time to talk with me today about TBS’ World’s Funniest Commercials.
Nealon: It was great talking with you.

“World’s Funniest Commercials” on TBS airs Tuesday, August 26th at 9pm.

The second season of “My Boys” on TBS, starring my favorite comedian Jim Gaffigan, is wrapping up tonight. Bobby is getting married, but not everything is going as smoothly as planned. Check out the preview below:

Bobby’s wedding rehearsal serves as the backdrop to the second-season finale. Here, Bobby chooses his “best men,” and Mike learns more about Maggie (Mimi Rogers). Meanwhile, PJ works to bring bickering siblings Bobby and Jack together. All the while, PJ and her boys reflect on how Bobby’s marriage may upset the status quo. Marilu Henner and Christopher McDonald guest star.

My Boys: Season 2 Finale preview clip:

My Boys airs on TBS, Thursdays at 10:00pm.

Contest: Enter to win a copy of The Bill Engvall Show Season 1 on DVD.

The Bill Engvall Show season 2 premiere sneak peek:

Find more details on “The Bill Engvall Show” at TBS’ official site for the series.

“The Bill Engvall Show” airs on TBS Thursdays at 9pm.

Contest: Enter to win a My Boys t-shirt.

My Boys season 2 premiere sneak peek:

Find more details on “My Boys” at TBS’ official site for the series.

“My Boys” airs on TBS Thursdays at 9:30pm.

To celebrate the return of “The Bill Engvall Show” on TBS for its second season this Thursday at 9pm, we received a copy of the series’ Season 1 DVD to give away.

1. You send me an e-mail at contests@hwhills.com with your name and mailing address. Please include “Bill Engvall Show” in the subject of your email.

2. You must subscribe to the daily RSS email newsletter. Click here to subscribe. (note: you will be required to activate the email subscription)

It’s that easy! On June 12, 2008 I will pick a winner at random. I will be checking the winner’s email address up against our newsletter subscriptions, and those who don’t have an active subscription will be disqualified. You are not obligated to remain a subscriber, and can unsubscribe any time after June 12th if you wish. Contest is open to U.S. readers only who are 18+.

“The Bill Engvall Show” season 2 premiere overview:

Bill and Susan decide to teach their kids a lesson in responsibility in the second season premiere TBS’s hit series THE BILL ENGVALL SHOW

“But That’s Not Fair” – Thursday, June 12, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT) – TV-PG
Bill and Susan realize the kids have been receiving an allowance but not pulling their own weight around the house to earn it. So they decide to make them clean the garage for free. The kids balk at the injustice and go on strike, setting up a battle of wills. Meanwhile, Bill feels he is been unfairly treated by a cell phone store when he and Susan both complain about the same problem, but Susan manages to convince the store to give her a fancy new phone for free.

The Bill Engvall Show season 2 premiere sneak peek:

Find more details on “The Bill Engvall Show” at TBS’ official site for the series.

“The Bill Engvall Show” airs on TBS Thursdays at 9pm.

TBS has offered up an awesome t-shirt to celebrate the return of “My Boys” on TBS with its second season on Thursday at 9:30pm. Entering is as easy as winning:

1. You send me an e-mail at contests@hwhills.com with your name and mailing address. Please include “My Boys” in the subject of your email.

2. You must subscribe to the daily RSS email newsletter. Click here to subscribe. (note: you will be required to activate the email subscription)

It’s that easy! On June 12, 2008 I will pick a winner at random. I will be checking the winner’s email address up against our newsletter subscriptions, and those who don’t have an active subscription will be disqualified. You are not obligated to remain a subscriber, and can unsubscribe any time after June 12th if you wish. Contest is open to U.S. readers only who are 18+.

“My Boys” season 2 premiere overview:

PJ’s mystery date to Italy is revealed in the season premiere of TBS’s critically acclaimed series MY BOYS

“The Transitioning” – airing Thursday, June 12 – TV-PG
PJ, Stephanie and Stephanie’s new boyfriend, Lance, are on their way to Italy when PJ is called to the first class cabin, where her mystery date awaits. Meanwhile, the trip turns out to be a bit of a disaster for Stephanie. Back home, the guys are having some life changes of their own. Brendan is worried about impending format changes at the radio station. Andy seems to have sold his soul in his new job as a big-time corporate lawyer. And Mike makes the big mistake of sleeping with a waitress from Crowley’s and then not calling her afterwards, prompting the entire gang to be banned from the premises for two weeks.

My Boys season 2 premiere sneak peek:

Find more details on “My Boys” at TBS’ official site for the series.

“My Boys” airs on TBS Thursdays at 9:30pm.