24 is returning early to the Fox network, having been previously delayed by the writer’s strike and Kiefer Sutherland’s DUI jail time. The series was originally not going to make it to television until early 2009.

The new series, which was originally due to air Stateside in January 2008, will now not go out until January 2009.

To help fans make the transition over the long break, a made-for-TV prequel is planned for the autumn. The two-hour special will be set in Africa a year after the events portrayed in day six.

“(Jack’s) a soul in turmoil and has been moving from place to place trying to find somewhere he can be at peace,” explains a source. “But he winds up in Africa in the middle of a coup.”

Hello Magazine

The programme will lay the groundwork for next season’s action which begins and ends at 8am and plays out against a Washington backdrop.

Is Fox bringing back 24 for a special event to test how audiences feel about Jack Bauer now that Kiefer has done some jail time? I’m not sure how much Kiefer’s reputation has been sullied by the drink driving arrest and prison sentence. While it was hardly a first offense, in fact I think you might describe his drinking as a ‘problem’, people didn’t seem to react the same way they did when Paris, Nicole and Lindsay were arrested. Maybe there’s a different standard for women when it comes to a DUI arrest.

It’s possible the network is also hesitant to commit to a full length series because of the anticipated actors strike. I hope the strike doesn’t go on for too long, if it does go ahead. Another season of tv like this one and I’ll turn my television into a fish tank.

Just for a laugh, here’s Kiefer getting arrested for the new series. It’s like a reenactment for those of us that missed the real life drama. Will this be shown on 24 or America’s Most Wanted?

Picture note by Celebitchy: Kiefer Sutherland is shown on the set of “24″ on 5/11/08, thanks to Splash News.

I really don’t want to lay into Britney Spears. I feel like there is this unacknowledged agreement in the media that we all treat her with kid gloves right now, because she’s not falling apart as badly as she was. In fact you could almost say that she’s pulling her life together. And I am nothing if not a big supporter of the underdog. I love hearing about the girl with the drug problem who ended up going to Yale. And for Britney Spears, getting to be on How I Met Your Mother TWICE is pretty much her equivalent. However to be honest, I think she got into college because of her money or her name, or maybe slept with the dean or something. Because she was not competing with the rest of the students.

Though Brit seemed to get some decent reviews for her first performance, I thought she ranged from stilted and awkward to cheesy and overdone. This time around more reviewers seemed to be honest about her performance - it was sub par at best. the writers gave her a few more lines and made her more integral to the story – definitely a big mistake. To be fair to Britney, How I Met Your Mother seems to be suffering from some strike-induced stress, because it hasn’t been quite up to par lately. If you just started watching it for the first time because of Britney, it’d be fair to think it was mediocre at best. But it actually is one of only three great sitcoms left on the air in this pathetic age of reality crapivision. The other two being the illustrious Office and 30 Rock.

Bringing Britney back onto the show reeked of a desperation that How I Met Your Mother should not have bowed to. They clearly shoehorned her in at the last minute. Several reviews noted that she and Neil Patrick Harris had absolutely no chemistry. Harris told the Associated Press that the show shouldn’t employ Britney again, and should steer away from Will & Grace-esq stunt casting. Even though he later retracted his comments (in a manner you could tell was forced), I’m sure it made things awkward between him and Britney – and the result was flat, even in Harris’ usually brilliant performance.

Overall it led to a lackluster night. Britney should stick to what she used to be good at – performing songs. She clearly knew how to put on a great show, and that’s where her fans probably want to see her. While it’s nice to try to stretch your wings a little, acting is not her forte. My cat and I gave a more convincing performance of infatuation last night when we wrestled over the last bit of a ham sandwich. Brit, we’re routing for you. Keep up the good work, do great things from here on out – just stay away from television.

Here are some clips from Brit’s performance last night.

Britney Spears is back for a second time on the CBS show How I Met Your Mother. Her first appearance on March 24 in a cameo as the secretary to a dermatologist earned the show its highest ratings ever, so it makes sense that they would ask her back. Her episode will air Monday May 12.

Neil Patrick Harris, who plays Barney on the show, hinted at a potential conflict on set about whether to bring Britney on again. He said in April that “I’m in the minority that our show does not need stunt casting in order to succeed… I just am a real fan of our content. I think we have a great show going, and I hope it’s not screwed up by the desire for 700,000 more viewers.” He later clarified and retracted that statement, most likely after a tense conversation with his employers:

Britney did a great job on the show. She really did. In fact, we are all hoping that she returns rather soon to reprise her role as Abby. Look, that episode garnered our highest ratings of the season — I would never ignore or disrespect that fact. I am just very protective of our show, and its content. I have a high standard of quality, and hope to maintain it on every level. Television is big business, I understand that. I have great faith in our casting department, as well as [Twentieth Century Fox Television] and CBS, to find the appropriate person for every role on our show. I was remiss in speculating otherwise. My job description is to act, and I should really do just that. Britney Spears fits into our make-believe world very well — if she chose to return I can only imagine that Carter [Bays], Craig [Thomas], and the rest of the writers would create a humdinger of a storyline for her. We should be so lucky.

[via Hecklerspray]

Someone got in trouble with some bigwigs at CBS for speaking his mind. The Associated Press originally stood by their article and said “Harris told us unequivocally that he did not believe that Britney should be on the show,” but then they issued a “clarification” and said “Harris did not say that he opposed a return engagement for Spears, and our lead said that he did.”

Either way, Britney is back and looking normal. She’s an adequate comedy actress and it’s not bad stunt casting. In his original anti-stunt casting statement, Harris said “I worry that if they start `Will and Grace-ing’ us too much, that the show will suffer.” Or maybe it will get more attention than it ever has, but all attention is not necessarily good as Harris is likely to argue, especially when Britney is involved.

Word has it – and by “word” I mean the sorta-reliable people over at Fox News – that Jimmy Fallon will definitely replace Conan O’Brien when O’Brien moves over to host The Tonight Show in 2009. Jay Leno is being “forced” into retirement according to Fox, and a lot of gossip has been whispered over the past year or so regarding O’Brien’s replacement.

The word is out among the NBC brass: As rumored and bounced around for some time, Jimmy Fallon is set to take Conan O’Brien’s job as host of “Late Night” in 2009. It’s a done deal. Conan, of course, will be taking over for Jay Leno, who will leave the “Tonight” show in May 2009 as part of a forced retirement.

There’s much debate about letting Leno leave NBC etc., but right now let’s just concentrate on Jimmy. He’s the perfect successor to Conan and should have just as big an audience when he takes the reins. Fallon is one of those great underrated performers. This should be the right milieu for him. Fallon, who recently married producer Nancy Juvonen, is said to be thrilled and ready, if not a little scared, about taking Conan’s desk. He still has to pick a producer and a band, among other things.

[From Fox News]

NBC is expected to make the formal announcement in mid-May when they present their Fall schedule in New York. Though NBC is “forcing” Leno into retirement, it appears he’s just retiring from NBC. He may do a show on ABC that would replace Nightline and push Jimmy Kimmel’s show back a half hour, into the 12:30 slot. He also may go back to promoting Doritos, which is pretty much the only thing I knew about him before he started hosting the Tonight Show.

Jimmy Fallon is pretty funny, and does have a bit of a following. But he hasn’t really done much since he left Saturday Night Live in 2006. He was in an independent film called The Year of Getting to Know Us that was screened at Sundance to terrible reviews. Aside from that, it seems that he’s spent the last couple years… just… chilling. Makes you wonder why NBC decided to go with him – but either way, he’s pretty funny, and hopefully will thrive in his new job.

Here’s Jimmy Fallon in Beverly Hills on March 20th. Images thanks to WENN.

Some days I sit around and think to myself, “That Paris Hilton just doesn’t get enough publicity.” And it really is upsetting, because who is more deserving of love and attention than our dear, demure Paris? That’s right, freaking nobody. Luckily British television station Living TV has decided to take pity on the poor socialite and offer Paris her own show. Because that’s certainly never been done before – and if it had, it certainly wasn’t an incredibly dull half hour of enduring the sound of Paris’ flat affect and wonky eye. This time around, Paris’ costars will be dogs instead of Nicole Richie. Insert your own joke here ___________ ___________ ___ ________.

Paris Hilton is set to host a satellite TV show about pet grooming. The 27-year-old socialite has reportedly signed a deal with Britain’s Living TV television channel to star in ‘Paris’ Pooches’, in which she will manage a beauty parlor for dogs in Bond Street, London. A source told Britain’s Sunday Star newspaper: “The shop is perfect for Paris. It’s a subject she’s passionate about and it’s a way for her to break into UK TV.

“Watching Paris act out her Los Angeles lifestyle, in which tiaras for Chihuahuas are of real importance, should be very entertaining. And she will no doubt be hitting the clubs and parties over here in the same way she does back home.” The hotel heiress — who’s dating Good Charlotte rocker Benji Madden — was recently investigated by Los Angeles authorities after claiming to have 17 dogs — 14 more than city bylaws allow. She once claimed to have 600 pets in her various homes including a Rottweiler dog, a bobcat and a Lhasa Aspo.

[From Showbiz Spy]

Giving Paris Hilton the opportunity to be around more animals is like giving a serial killer a knife. Could anything good come of it? No. Will innocent creatures be harmed? Probably. Will Paris Hilton somehow be to blame? Yes, equally in both scenarios. There is actually a website/online petition called Tell Paris No! whose mission is to dissuade the heiress from collecting more animals that she can’t/doesn’t care for. Something tells me they wouldn’t be a big fan of giving her free reign over a bunch of helpless puppies. You just know she’s going to stuff one of them down her shirt and run away.

Header of Paris and her boyfriend Benji Madden on April 16th. According to WENN, they were “leaving Gilgamesh restaurant in Camden having arrived at 11.30pm for a very late dinner!! They then headed to Crystal nightclub, where they spent the rest of the evening partying until 3.30am! Paris is wearing a Lamis Khamis dress, a Chanel bracelet and a white crucifix with her black leather jacket.” Older photo of Paris with what I’m going to say is her kinkajou and a chihuahua. Though I’m not 100% sure which is which. Images thanks to WENN.

I can think of few things I would enjoy more in life than being Paris Hilton’s best friend forever. Except pretty much everything else. Yeah, come to think of it, I’d rather bungee jump with a rope that’s too long before I had to spend 15 minutes with Paris Hilton. And apparently a LOT of people agree with me. Paris is starring in some ridiculous sounding reality show where people compete to be her BFF. When casting agents held auditions in New York City, instead of the hundreds of people they expected, they found just 40 waiting in line. And of those 40, most of them seemed to have suspicious motivations.

“There were less than 40 people there,” one audition insider tells OK!. But despite the poor turnout, each of the hopefuls seemed ready to show their unique desire to grab the attention of the casting directors. “There were girls wearing matching pastel prom dresses with Swarovski crystal pendants and updos, ghetto-fabulous girls and two goth-inspired girls with bleach blonde hair, pale makeup, eyelash extensions and leather clothing.”

Additionally, OK! has to question the motives of these attention-seekers, as at least one contender was overheard remarking that she, “totally couldn’t live in the house with Paris,” because “she would be so annoying!” But for those camera-hungry wannabes fortunate enough to merit a call-back, they were approached by a casting director who handed them the show’s version of a golden ticket — a card that read, “You are cordially invited to join us at our audition to become Paris Hilton’s new BFF.”

[From OK!]

Wow. Just… wow. So of the only 40 people that showed up, it sounds like some of them clearly can’t stand Paris, and the rest think they’re attending junior prom. Wonder who they’ll pick? Which of these girls sounds more like Paris? I don’t care who you are, I can’t help but wonder how anyone could deal with someone so flat and vapid. I know there’s other people like that out there, but something tells me Paris pretty much takes the cake. Apparently auditions are still open, so if anyone out there thinks they can handle the heirhead for a few months… looks like the job’s yours.

Here’s Paris and boyfriend Benji Madden arriving at the Hilton Hotel in London today, and Paris visiting a tanning salon. They’re are in town as part of Good Charlotte’s 2008 world tour. Images thanks to WENN.

A couple of weeks ago we reported on how Tina Fey, star and creator of the super-funny “30 Rock,” was dreaming of casting Oprah Winfrey as her best friend on the show. That dream may become a reality, according to a source who was at a recent taping of Oprah’s show, on which Tina was a guest.

Dreams really do come true, and don’t let anyone tell you differently!

Just two weeks ago, while discussing some dream casting options for her NBC comedy 30 Rock, Tina Fey told reporters, “I still want Oprah to play my best friend. I feel like I want to spend time with Oprah, and I don’t know what I need to do to make that happen…”

Well, as of today, it might happen. A Chicagoland source just wrote in with this fantabulous news, “I just got back from a taping of The Oprah Show starring Tina Fey and Amy Poehler for Baby Mama—it’s hilarious, BTW. Anyway, it looks like Oprah may be a guest on 30 Rock next season! Oprah said she had heard Tina wanted to be her best friend, and so Oprah asked whether Tina meant in real life or on the show, and Tina said both. Oprah said ‘Have your people, call my people,’ but she was definitely interested, and she said she’d like to do it. Tina gestured to the people in the audience, to the effect of ‘You heard her say it.’ They also addressed it on-air very briefly. And there is even a shout-out to Oprah in Baby Mama!”

[From E!Online]

I am excited about this- not because I like Oprah, but because having Oprah appear on the show might actually get more people watching it. Normally, I’m not a big fan of stunt casting, there are a few instances where it’s done really well and with great results, but at this point “30 Rock” can use the ratings.

This week South Park did a great parody of all the infamous YouTube “celebrities.” After the boys make a popular YouTube video “Little Gay Kid” and become internet sensations, they decide to go collect all the money they’re theoretically worth. They encounter all the YouTube celebrities, who can’t seem to get over their 15 seconds of fame.

We’re giving away two copies of the new South Park Imaginationland DVD. If you would like to be eligible to win one, please comment on this post with your favorite South Park quote. The first two great quotes will be chosen and a DVD will be sent to you. Make sure to include your e-mail in the e-mail field so we can get in touch. Here’s an excerpt from the DVD:

In this uncensored, never-before-seen director’s cut, the doors of the world’s imagination are thrown wide open and the boys of South Park are transported to a magical realm in their greatest odyssey ever. Stan, Kyle, and Butters find themselves in Imaginationland just as terrorists launch an attack that unleashes all of mankind’s most evil characters imaginable. With the world’s imaginations spinning out of control, the government prepares to nuke Imaginationland to put an end to the chaos. Racing against time to prevent nuclear annihilation, the citizens of Imaginationland realize their only hope of salvation lies with the unlikeliest of heroes: Butters. Ignoring the impending apocalypse, Cartman goes all the way to the Supreme Court to get justice for his case of dry balls.

And here’s some of the original YouTube internet “celebrities” to enjoy for a second (or 53rd) time.

Update by Celebitchy: On Friday, MSat, Jaybird and I joined heads to pick the best quotes that were up the quickest. We mutually decided on Megan: “Mr. Garrison: ‘I just don’t trust anything that bleeds for five days and doesn’t die.;” and Katie: “Paris Hilton whore off: ‘aww…It’s all wet and squishy down there.’” However, Megan did not enter her e-mail address and thus forfeited her chance to win, which is clearly stated in the post. So the winners were Katie and Anna: “Cartman: M-o-o-o-mmm, Kitty is being a dildo. Mrs. Cartman: Well, then I know a certain kitty kitty who’s sleeping with Mommy tonight.”

Both winners have been contacted and will be receiving DVDs in the mail. Thanks to everyone who entered and added quotes!

Vera from I’m Not Obsessed got profiled on CBS NY in a very nice segment that focused on her success working from home in Long Island. I love Vera’s site and was so excited to see her segment. Her kids are so cute and her husband seems very supportive. Congratulations Vera!

Tina Fey, one of my favorite smart, funny actresses, was recently interviewed by USA Today regarding the future fate of her award-winning but under-watched sitcom, “30 Rock.” Tina, after being asked about the recent stunt casting on CBS’ “How I Met Your Mother,” admitted that she’s been holding out for a certain guest appearance of her own: Oprah Winfrey.

here’s one star Tina Fey would really like to have on 30 Rock. “I still want Oprah to play my best friend. I want to spend time with Oprah,” Fey said in a press conference call a few minutes ago. “And I don’t know what I need to do to make that happen.”

She said Tim Conway (one of her childhood favorites) will be a guest this upcoming season, kicking off April 10 with five new episodes. And as for who she would like to see cast as a love interest for Liz Lemon, she says: “You know who would be good? Peter Dinklage. That guy’s awesome.”

By the way, Peter Dinklage is the actor who appeared in “The Station Agent” and played the angry little person who beats the crap out of Will Ferrell in “Elf.” I agree- he would be totally awesome as a love interest for Liz Lemon! Tina also said that if the right part and the right storyline came along, she wouldn’t rule out asking Britney Spears to appear on her show.

Fey said she’d be happy to have Britney Spears on, but explained that “usually we write a part first and then think about who would be good. If there were a part that was appropriate, I don’t think we’d hesitate to go with somebody like that. I worked with Britney twice at SNL and she was very professional and nice.” She didn’t catch her last night, however, on How I Met Your Mother. She said she’d have to watch it on “the computer.”

[From USA Today]

It might not be a bad idea for “30 Rock” to pull some stunt casting- “How I Met Your Mother,” which is a supremely inferior show, boasted its best rating ever with the Spears cameo. “30 Rock” actually has great writers and an amazing cast, but nobody has noticed- just think what they could do with a big star. They definitely could use the ratings.