“Grey’s Anatomy” star Katherine Heigl declined to be included on the list of potential Emmy nominees, citing bad material from the writers on the show. It was her second public statement against the script writers. She gave a snotty interview earlier this year calling her character Izzie’s affair a “ratings ploy” and saying that she wanted more “cooperation between the business end and the creative end” of the series. Now people who are close to the situation are speaking off the record to the New York Times. They say that writers and producers on the show are super pissed (I’m paraphrasing here) that she has the gall to so publicly diss them. It’s thought that Heigl wants out of her multi-million dollar contract, which extends until the 2009/2010 season, so that she can continue with her burgeoning movie career.

The latest disagreement flared on Wednesday, when a Los Angeles Times Web site devoted to Emmy coverage noted that Ms. Heigl, who last year won the award for best supporting actress in a drama series, was missing from the nomination ballot for the same award this year.

Asked why, Ms. Heigl said that she had decided not to have herself submitted for a nomination. “I did not feel that I was given the material this season to warrant an Emmy nomination and in an effort to maintain the integrity of the academy organization, I withdrew my name from contention,” she said in a statement. “In addition, I did not want to potentially take away an opportunity from an actress who was given such materials.”

A spokeswoman for Ms. Heigl said Friday that the actress would not comment further. Spokeswomen for ABC Studios, which produces “Grey’s Anatomy,” and for the ABC broadcast network also declined to comment. And a spokesman for Shonda Rhimes, the creator of the series, said she would not comment either.

Two people involved in the production of the show said that the program’s writers and producers were angered by what they considered a slap by Ms. Heigl at the people in the writers’ room. The people spoke on the condition of anonymity, which was granted because they have been involved in discussions with the program’s top executives about the situation but were not authorized to speak on behalf of the series. The series is to begin production on its fifth season on June 25.

[From The NY Times via We Smirch]

The Times notes that “Grey’s” commercials are the second most expensive on television, and that a 30 second spot on the ABC show runs for $400,000, which is only behind Fox’s American Idol in ad costs. If Heigl leaves it could significantly affect revenue, and her statements have the potential to scare away advertisers even if she sticks around.

What is this woman going to do when she finds she’s not box office gold and can’t get another television job? She’s screwing over the show that made her a star, and she also dismissed the movie through which she had her big break, calling Knocked Up “sexist” and her character a “shrew.”

She has two movies coming up, including a romantic comedy with Gerard Butler, and a feature based on the memoir of a woman who escaped from the FLDS polygamist cult. She’s co-producing the polygamist movie, and as Helen pointed out in her earlier article about Heigl’s Emmy diss, it’s not exactly surefire hit material.

Katherine Heigl is shown out at lunch with her husband, Josh Kelley, on 6/6/08 in Los Feliz, California, thanks to Splash News.

Katherine Heigl has declined to submit her name to be a contender for an Emmy Award this year, releasing this press release to explain her absence.

“I did not feel that I was given the material this season to warrant an Emmy nomination and in an effort to maintain the integrity of the academy organization, I withdrew my name from contention,” she tells Gold Derby. “In addition, I did not want to potentially take away an opportunity from an actress who was given such materials.”

LA Times

It is not unheard of for multiple Emmy winners to withdraw their names to give others a chance, but they would normally announce this before the nominations were released. Katherine has released the information after a request for a statement, making it looks like she really is stubborn and obstinate.

This year Grey’s Anatomy hasn’t been very good, particularly Katherine’s character Izzy has been dull. Possibly as a result of Katherine last year publicly criticizing the writer’s for the storyline, saying her character’s storyline was a ‘ratings ploy’.

Katherine is really outspoken in interviews and says some unflattering things about scriptwriters. If this is what she says to the press when she is, I presume, self censoring, I think she must be very difficult to work with. If she keeps criticizing everyone she works with she may find herself unemployed very soon.

I think that Katherine is trying to move away from television into film, although her last film 27 Dresses was a hit it was an awful movie. Her only other film post-Grey’s was Knocked Up, and she’s signed on for another comedy about polygamists, which could be a poor move depending on how the charges against the sect in Eldorado, Texas pans out in public opinion.

Katherine Heigl is shown on the set of her film The Ugly Truth with Gerard Butler on 6/3/08, thanks to WENN.

Katherine Heigl might be the first of the Grey’s Anatomy core cast to move permanently into film, following her success in Knocked Up and 27 Dresses.

A source close to the actress said: “She’s working really long hours and is ready to move on. She’s a smart one.

“She saw what can happen with someone like Jennifer Aniston, who was crazy successful on TV, but can’t seem to carry a film, and she tested the waters early.”

However, Heigl – who made headlines when negotiations for her contract renewal on the show were made public 15 months ago – may be locked into her contract and will have to continue starring as Dr Isobel Stevens.

The source added to Us Weekly magazine: “I don’t think she’ll be able to get out of it.”

New Zealand Herald

Katherine Heigl is pretty smart, looking at establishing a movie career as well as a television career. Of course, two comedies is not exactly a stellar movie career – dare I suggest that she is not warned by Jennifer Aniston’s career, but rather trying to emulate it. Jen starred in quite a few successful films, and proved beyond a doubt she can act in The Good Girl, but still never had a real film career. She was always Rachael from friends, and with re-runs she probably always will be. I wouldn’t give up a paying job in television just yet, Katherine.

And unlike the character of Izzie, most of us liked Rachael, and we were happy when she ended up with Ross. I for one, and I know I’m not alone, don’t like Izzie. She’s annoying, and a bit stupid, and is dating a married man, and his wife is her boss. She has calmed down in the last season though.

I suspect that the Grey’s Anatomy producers wouldn’t be sorry to get rid of Katherine – in the past she has badmouthed their plotline as being a ratings ploy, and also criticized the Knocked Up writers for making her character a ‘shrew’.

Katherine Heigl is shown outside a restaurant on 4/18/08, thanks to Splash News.

Katherine Heigl has done something we’ve all been guilty of – flirting with a co-worker. The male stars of Grey’s Anatomy are mostly a little old for Katherine, or married, or gay. She found out the hard way when T.R. Knight resisted her initial advances:

The ‘Knocked Up’ beauty was single when shooting began on the hit US show – and 35-year-old hunk Knight caught her eye.

But the actress’ romantic plans didn’t make result in any romantic liaisons – because her lustful looks were ignored as Knight is gay.

She says: “When we were filming the pilot I was single and so was he and I kind of had my eye on him. I was getting nowhere and I was super-confused.

“I was like, ‘Hello? Do I have something hanging out of my nose? Why aren’t you paying any attention to me? Needless to say, it quickly became a friendship once he told me.”

Ireland Online

Katherine got over her rejection pretty quickly and hooked up with sensitive crooner Josh Kelley, and then made no secret of her desire to get married.

She said: “I didn’t propose to Josh – but I suggested strongly that he should propose to me. One day we were sitting in my house, chatting and having a glass of wine, and I said, ‘How do you feel about marriage? Where do you feel this relationship is going? Because I don’t just want to date anymore.

“I had got to the place in my life when I was ready for a commitment. He was so nervous when he actually did it – I found it really endearing!”

Monsters and Critics

He must have been nervous about the lifelong commitment, because it’s not like he had to worry whether she would accept.

Kelley has a new album out, his first since he married Katherine, where he seems to be rubbing our faces in how lucky he is. His lyrics on the album include “She’s so damn pretty” and “She’s unbelievably sexy” and the extra romantic “Cheers to you honey, because you look so money.” Couldn’t he have found a better rhyme?

Katherine Heigl and Josh Kelley are shown below at the “27 Dresses” premiere on 1/7/08, thanks to PRPhotos. Katherine Heigl and TR Knight are shown in the header image outside her house on 2/8/08, thanks to Splash News.

Katherine Heigl is anxious to continue her film career and doesn’t want to be tied to the role that made her famous, Dr. Izzie Stevens on the hit show Grey’s Anatomy. – possible spoiler alert –

Word has it that Heigl has asked producers to kill her off her character on the show because she doesn’t want to be known as just a television star, and wants to break into movies full time.

After starring in the hit films Knocked Up and 27 Dresses, Katherine believes she has outgrown the small screen – and her agent is working overtime so she can devote herself full time to movies, sources say.

“Katherine has even suggested to ‘Grey’s’ producers that they kill her character Dr. Izzie Stevens in dramatic fashion so her exit could bring in huge ratings,” a pal of the 29-year-old Emmy winner told The Enquirer. Newly married to rocker Josh Kelley and riding high on her box-office appeal, Katherine has formed a production company with her mother Nancy, whos her manager, and she’s being swamped with movie offers, said the pal.

But leaving “Grey’s Will be an uphill battle because her contract with Touchstone and ABC is ironclad for the next two years, according to another source.

[From The National Enquirer, print edition, March 10, 2008]

The article goes on to say that Heigl might have to fight this out in court if producers don’t agree to let her out of her contract. You can see her trying to do this, and given all the stories that have come out about the fighting and sniping on the Grey’s set, it’s probably not the easiest place to work. Heigl said earlier that she didn’t know where producers were going with the series and called her character Izzie’s storyline a “ratings ploy.”

Heigl was really nervous as a presenter at the Oscars and her voice was shaking and cracking. She said afterwards that she felt out of her league and like a fan rather than someone who belonged there. “It was kind of surreal. I just felt very out of my league, you know? I was sitting behind Cate Blanchett and Jack Nicholson and sitting next to Renee Zellweger. I kind of wanted to get out my iPhone and take pictures.”

She’s explaining why she was nervous, and that’s nice I guess, especially considering how much smack she normally talks whenever she has an audience. I think she’s full of herself and courts the paparazzi too much. Other people like her because she’s so outspoken, but she shares too much for my tastes.

Splash had some photos of the police arriving at Heigl and her new husband Josh Kelly’s house on Tuesday. A neighbor had called them because he was sick of the paparazzi hanging around outside all the time.

Here’s Heigl having lunch with her mom and two interior designers yesterday. I hate it when people smoke when I’m trying to eat. Even when you’re outside it still gets in your space and makes your hair and clothes smell. Thanks to Splash News.

Victoria Beckham, who I will forever refer to as Posh Spice, has been voted the sexiest mother by designers and executives at Victoria’s Secret. I’m not sure I look at those melons she has disguised as breasts and her neon orange glow and come up with sexy. Perhaps they meant skinniest mother? Scariest mother? The mother with a name similar to our company name?

Victoria’s Secret executives and designers have voted Posh Spice the world’s sexiest mum.

Victoria Beckham joins stars Eva Mendes, Josh Holloway, and American Idol host Ryan Seacrest on the lingerie company’s 2008 What Is Sexy? list.

The team of executives and designers who compiled the list looked for attributes such as “passion and humour and style and charisma”.

Sydney Morning Herald

I suspect that Posh only beat Angelina Jolie by the tiniest of margins (about as wide as her teeny waist) and soon will need to pass her crown to Halle Berry.

Is there too much pressure on mothers to be yummy mummies? Posh went into hiding during the later, larger months of her pregnancies, so she wouldn’t be seen as fat. Women all over the world would line up to see that tiny woman fat. I mean, pregnant. Fat would be more fun though. It must be nice for Victoria to get called the sexiest mother, as it can’t be easy maintaining that lithe physique.

Other sexy celebs, according to Victoria’s Secret, include Ryan Seacrest for his smile, Eva Mendes was sexiest actress (not as good an an Oscar but better than a kick in the teeth), and Katherine Heigl and Josh Kelley were sexiest newlyweds.

Header image is an older one of Victoria out with Romeo and Brooklyn.

On Sunday Katherine Heigl, 29, married Josh Kelley, 27, her boyfriend of two and a half years. The pair met on a video shoot for Kelley’s song, “Only You,” and Kelley proposed about a year later. Several of Katherine’s “Grey’s Anatomy” costars were on hand to witness the event, including Justin Chambers, Kate Walsh, Sandra Oh, and T.R. Knight, who served as a groomsman. Despite the December 23rd date, the wedding was held outside in chilly Deer Valley, Utah. The ceremony took place under a heated tent.

“The 30-minute ceremony was officiated by Unitarian minister Tom Goldsmith and was followed by a reception nearby. Heigl wore an Oscar de la Renta gown and walked the aisle to a song specially composed by Kelley, according to OK! magazine, which was granted exclusive coverage of the nuptials. Knight told People magazine afterward that the occasion was both “incredible and beautiful.”

While Heigl had been feeling the pressure that comes with handling all those last-minute wedding details, even imploring an E! News reporter at one point to help “fix my seating chart,” the ceremony seemingly went off without a hitch. “You have a fantasy of this big day, this big moment and the sentimental aspect of it,” the bride-to-be told Entertainment Tonight last week, “but I think at the end of the day, I find there is a different level for both of us to the relationship. It is important to honor our families and honor the tradition, to stand up in front of all of these people and say, ‘It’s you and me, and that’s it for life.’ I hope I can just chill out—somebody might need to slap me!”

[From E! News]

Gray’s costar Patrick Dempsey had previously told several news outlets that he wouldn’t be attending Katherine’s wedding, since he wanted to spend Christmas with his children. I think it’s in slightly poor taste to hold your destination wedding two days before Christmas. It’s kind of insinuating to the guests that your wedding is more important than them spending Christmas with their families – or best case scenario, that they should completely alter their holiday plans for you. Many weddings take place during December. It’s a great way to take advantage of already existing nice holiday décor that you don’t have to pay for – though I doubt that was Katherine’s motivation. But you can do it earlier in the month. Having guests choose between their own holiday plans and your wedding seems a little inconsiderate to me. I am shockingly uptight about wedding etiquette. And also a little uncomfortable and grumpy from a large Christmas meal. So between the two, poor Katherine Heigl didn’t stand a chance today. Katherine, hold your next wedding before December 20th, okay? I mean, congratulations to the happy couple.

Picture note by Celebitchy: Katherine Heigl and Josh Kelley are shown at the Knocked Up premiere on 5/22/07, thanks to PRPhotos.

Talk about awkward. Former cast member Isaiah Washington joined the cast of Grey’s Anatomy on the WGA picket lines on Wednesday. Washington was fired from the show after he “reportedly” referred to gay castmate T.R. Knight as a “f*g.” According to pretty much everyone who was there and has talked about it, Washington was referring to Knight. According to Washington, he was referring to himself and/or Patrick Dempsey (depending on which of his interviews you read) in a derogatory manner. However he definitely repeated the word at the Golden Globes, leading to one of the most awkward cast interviews in history.

The WGA dubbed Wednesday “Diversity Day,” and requested that writers and actors who are gay or a minority show up on the picket line. Washington is currently on NBC’s “Bionic Woman.”

Even without a script, the cast of “Grey’s Anatomy” generated plenty of drama Wednesday when they showed up to support picketing writers outside the fabled Paramount Studios lot. Katherine Heigl, who plays Izzie Stevens, and T.R. Knight, who plays her on-screen love interest George O’Malley, were posing for pictures and giving interviews – when controversial former cast member Isaiah Washington showed up. Washington, who played Dr. Preston Burke, was fired from the show in June amid tension that began when he allegedly used a gay slur to refer to Knight and used the word again during a Golden Globes appearance.

He has since apologized, met with gay leaders and checked into rehab on the advice of his handlers. Grey’s creator and writer Shonda Rhimes [who made the decision to fire Washington], considered one of the most powerful black women in Hollywood, was among those picketing at Paramount. Asked if Washington was with the Grey’s group, Heigl, who had previously publicly criticized Washington told The Daily News, “He’s not with me.”

But Washington denied there were problems with his former co-workers. “They’re former castmates. I’ve been in over 25 movies, I have lots of former castmates.” he said.

[From the Daily News]

Sounds like a pretty awkward reunion to me. And while I’m sure Isaiah Washington has lots of former castmates, to my knowledge he hasn’t referred to any of them with unsavory gay slurs. Frankly if I were in his shoes, I would try to keep a low profile for a few years and do my best to keep getting steady – but not attention-producing – work.

In other WGA strike news, there are some pretty loud rumblings that all of the late night hosts – including Jay Leno, Conan O’Brien, David Letterman, Craig Ferguson, and Jimmy Kimmel – will be returning to their shows in mid-to-late January. Though they all stood by their writers and refused to cross picket lines from the beginning, their shows have lost a massive amount of viewership and most of their staff and crew have been fired. No word on how they’ll return. One would assume less or no monologues or sketches, so probably a mostly interview format. Here’s a funny video about the strike starring Saturday Night Live cast member and writer Fred Armisen as fictional studio head/Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers member (they’re the Writer’s Guild’s foes) Roger A. Trevanti.

Katherine Heigl might not be smart enough to know when to keep her mouth shut, but she is clever enough to know when to apologise. Or at least clarify. Katherine recently branded the comedy she starred in ‘Knocked Up’ as being sexist.

She tells People.com, “It’s important to me to take a minute and clarify the quote about ‘Knocked Up’ in Vanity Fair.

“I was responding to previous reviews about the movie the interviewer brought to my attention. My motive was to encourage other women like myself to not take that element of the movie too seriously and to remember that it’s a broad comedy.

“Although I stand behind my opinion, I’m disheartened that it has become the focus of my experience with the movie.

“The truth is, it was the best filming experience of my career. Every person that was a part of making ‘Knocked Up’ helped to encourage, support and inspire me. I never intended for anyone to think otherwise.”

San Francisco Chronicle

Katherine has never been afraid to say what she thinks, previously she’s been known to publicly discuss her pay negotiations, and also suggested that Isaiah Washington should “just not speak in public. Period”.

I’m guessing that Isaiah Washington won’t be invited to Katherine’s wedding to Josh Kelly, but it seems the rest of the Grey’s Anatomy cast has been. T.R. Knight will be serving as bridesman, but Patrick Dempsey won’t be coming, instead he plans to stay home and spend Christmas with his new twins.

“It’s the first Christmas with the boys. They’ll be walking by then, so we’re excited,” he says.

As a result, he won’t be attending his “Grey’s” co-star Katherine Heigl’s wedding, but he shares, “I am so happy for her. I’ve never seen her so happy. He’s a great guy, too, and they are a great couple.”

ET

I wonder what Katherine said to Patrick Dempsey to stop him from attending her wedding? She seems to have chronic foot in mouth disease, doesn’t she know that you never say anything disparaging about your co-workers or boss? Except when you are inside a sound proof room, in a different country, and only when you intend on resigning. Or after your 15th cocktail at the office Christmas party.

Picture note by Celebitchy: Katherine Heigl is shown eating brunch on 12/9/07, thanks to Splash News. She is also shown at the Emmy Awards on 9/16/07, thanks to PRPhotos.

AOL TV has released a list of the ’50 Sexiest Women on Television, Ever’. Normally I can’t stand a list that has the title ‘ever’, because it sort of suggests that this is it for sexiness. People are going to keep on being sexy, no matter how much time passes. Or at least I hope so, because otherwise I’m going to have to enjoy sunsets at the beach in my old age, instead of sexy young lifeguards.

The top 50 features a few obvious choices from the past few generations – remember when Teri Hatcher wearing only Superman’s cape became the most searched for image on the Internet? (And when you consider what other raunchiness you can find on the Internet that is quite an accomplishment.)

There’s also Sarah Michelle Gellar, Carmen Electra, Elizabeth Montgomery, Jennifer Aniston, and any Star Trek fan’s favourite Jeri Ryan, aka Seven of Nine.

TV’s Sexiest Women – Ever

1. Pamela Anderson – Baywatch
2. Farrah Fawcett – Charlie’s Angel’s
3. Lynda Carter – Wonder Woman
4. Heather Locklear – Melrose Place, Dynasty, T. J. Hooker
5. Eva Longoria – Desperate Housewives
6. Diana Rigg – The Avengers
7. Barbara Eden – I Dream Of Jeannie
8. Katherine Heigl – Grey’s Anatomy
9. Catherine Bach – The Duke’s of Hazzard
10. Tina Louise – Gilligan’s Island

AOL

Oh, Pamela Anderson back before she became a big breasted joke, running down a beach in slow motion in that skimpy red bathing suit. She deserves the sexiest woman on television crown, she’s the reason that Baywatch is the most watched show in the world. I doubt it’s for the storylines.