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Friday, Jul. 25, 2008

TV Addict: Brace yourself, we're going Hollywood

No time to watch TV this week. (Sacrilege!) I was too busy eating, sleeping and breathing TV at the annual gathering of writers, producers, network executives and stars in Beverly Hills. In the interest of space, I’ve compiled a list of my top seven — yes, seven — highlights of the week:

7. Will Jason Mesnick be the next “Bachelor”? America needs to know! “We would be bona fide idiots not to consider him for the show,” Bachelor host Chris Harrison told me at the ABC Stars Party. “He’s on my short list.” He added that if it happens, “ Ty would have to take center stage” and hinted that that could even mean filming in Jason’s hometown of Seattle. I happen to know there are hundreds of willing and eager bachelorettes in Seattle alone who want to date Jason, because at least 300 of them have e-mailed me. OK, maybe not 300, but close.

6. Speaking of Seattle, “Grey’s Anatomy” creator Shonda Rhimes must be used to dealing with difficult personalities *cough* Isaiah Washington *cough*, because she was remarkably patient with reporters who refused to shut up about the Katherine Heigl thing. After a full day of doing press, she continued to field The Question That Would Not Die that night: “Katie did not give me a headache, and I think the brain tumor rumor is hilarious.” Say it with me: Seriously. Later, I saw her signing autographs for a couple of kids in the hotel lobby on her way out the door.

5. How much do I love former “Grey’s” star Kate Walsh? She’s as approachable as she is stunning (and tall). We chatted by the bar about how “super sexy” co-star Tim Daly is. I liked those two together when they starred in the short-lived ABC series, “Eyes.” Kate told me that when she got on “Private Practice,” she asked producers to meet with Daly — it was her “one request.” Next thing you know, he’s playing her love interest. I actually hate Kate Walsh.

4. Tate Donovan (of FX’s “Damages,” but he’ll always be Jimmy Cooper to me) doesn’t have a publicist, and it’s much more fun that way. (Or dumb, depending on how you look at it.) At the Fox party, we decided to trade scandalous secrets: He said he woke up somewhere other than his own bed that morning. I said: I stole three containers of roasted almonds from the Fox panel. Jimmy Cooper wins!

3. Speaking of couplings: Some Fox stars brought high-profile dates to the party at Santa Monica Pier. There was Megan Fox, in a Star Wars T-shirt and jeans, goofing off and taking pictures with pals while waiting for fiance Brian Austin Green to finish an interview. When I saw Amanda Bynes, I wondered: How can she walk in those heels? Turns out the more interesting question was: Who is her date? It was “Family Guy” creator Seth MacFarlane.

2. Standing by the dessert table at the CBS party was a very skinny girl in a cute dress. “She needs to eat a cookie,” said a critic standing to my right. I turned to look — and it was none other Robin Sparkles from “How I Met Your Mother.” (Skinny yes, but sparkly nonetheless.) Turns out she has a crush, and it’s not on Ted: “I’m in love with Sarah Chalke,” confessed Robin’s alter ego, Cobie Smulders. “I’m ecstatic about her. She is probably one of the coolest girls I’ve ever met.” But is she the mother of Ted’s kids on “HIMYM”? “We have no idea. I think that their relationship will be an important one. I love our show because anything can happen.”

1. I’m almost done with season four of HBO’s “The Wire,” so I was thrilled to bump into Tristan Wilds (who played Michael on “The Wire”) at the CBS party. He ushered me past some broken glass — very Lloyd Dobler in “Say Anything,” now that I think about it — and we sat down in a cabana at Hollywood nightclub Boulevard3 for a chat. (The cast of The CW’s “90210” spinoff had been there filming scenes for the pilot recently.) So how does one get his head around going from a street kid on the corners of Baltimore to one of the most famous siblings in Beverly Hills? “The two characters aren’t that different,” said Tristan of his new role as Dixon Mills (i.e., the new Brandon Walsh). “They both grew up in environments where they had to grow up very fast.” As for the new cast, no Shannen-versus-Jennie fights just yet: “It was like magic. Everybody clicked.” Ah, so innocent — like the first week in “The Real World” house.

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