The Democrats will not have any of their Presidential primary debates on Fox News. So, too bad, Laura Ingraham and Tucker Carlson fans who were just dying to see Jay Inslee and John Delaney distinguish themselves from one another before they decided who would get their vote.
The decision was made following the publication of that New Yorker story that exposed just how deeply entwined the Trump Administration and the network are — which is to say, somehow even more than you previously believed.
In a statement to The Washington Post, DNC Chairman Tom Perez said:
“I believe that a key pathway to victory is to continue to expand our electorate and reach all voters. That is why I have made it a priority to talk to a broad array of potential media partners, including Fox News. Recent reporting in the New Yorker on the inappropriate relationship between President Trump, his administration and Fox News has led me to conclude that the network is not in a position to host a fair and neutral debate for our candidates. Therefore, Fox News will not serve as a media partner for the 2020 Democratic primary debates.”
Obviously President No Puppet had some thoughts on this:
Siiiiiiiiigh.
Alright, listen. I don’t know what the right answer is here.
On the one hand, moderate Democrats are worried that by not hosting a debate on Fox News, they won’t be able to reach out to persuadable Fox News voters who might be looking for an alternative to Trump. On the other hand, it’s unclear that Fox News voters are going to be persuaded by any Democratic candidate, moderate or no. (And as the daughter of two Fox News viewers — neither of whom liked Trump during the primaries but now support him — I’m here to tell you, they are not persuadable.)
On the one hand, Fox News does have a few honest journalists who I genuinely believe would moderate the debate fairly, including Shep Smith, Martha McCallum, and Chris Wallace. On the other hand, Fox News is just straight-up State Media propaganda at this point, come on.
On the one hand, denying Fox News a debate just plays right into the Propagandist-in-Chief’s and the Right’s hands and allows them to perpetuate the narrative that Democrats are snowflakes who are scared to be confronted with the “truth” or defend their positions or whatever. On the other, these assholes were going to spin the narrative aroudn these debates to their benefit no matter what happened.
And in conclusion:
What is cancer can fuck right off? We’re rooting for you, Alex.
A couple of things about Alex Trebek: Our own Whitney was on Jeopardy once — against Ken Jennings, in fact, whom she had to loan a dime at lunch (it was a dime, right, Whit?) — and had lovely things to say about Mr. Trebek.
As for me, I tried out for Teen Jeopardy when I was only 13 or so, and didn’t make it in part because the test we had to take had SO MANY SPORTS QUESTIONS ON IT. We had a Q&A with Alex Trebek after taking the test, and I asked him WHY THERE HAD TO BE SO MANY SPORTS QUESTIONS ON THE TEST. He laughed and reminded me that it is a trivia competition, but I feel like this clip validates my argument:
Here’s how Riverdale honored Luke Perry:
And Jason Priestly finally found the words for his friend.
Well, Ian McShane is a chatty little bitch, isn’t he?
As you know, I’m not a sports person to say the least (see above), and I don’t know any of the sports people involved in this story about how a Chicago sports radio station bungled a Game of Thrones meme, but I do recognize that the whole story is very very funny even without all of the context.
Lauren Cohan all but confirmed that she will return on The Walking Dead in some capacity.
Amazon’s Lord of the Rings series is going to take place in “the second age,” if that means anything to you nerds.
Sex Monster News
Today’s R. Kelly’s news: he was> taken back into custody over unpaid child support just hours after his interview aired yesterday, and Chicago police are looking into whether or not he sexually assaulted a 13-year old.
CBS will reair the entire R. Kelly interview with Gayle King Friday night if you missed it. Maybe Jesse Waters should tune in.
Yesterday, Senator and Air Force veteran Martha McSally revealed that she had been raped by a senior officer in a Senate Armed Services subcommittee hearing on sexual assault in the military. Norah O’Donnell interviewed her for CBS This Morning, and it will air in its entirety tomorrow.
Terry Crews said some things on Twitter that were problematic about how gay couples can’t give proper nourishment to children or something, and also how women can’t know how to raise boys to be successful men. But then? He sat down with his co-star Stephanie Beatriz and educated himself on why these statements were hurtful and wrong, and GET THIS: he apologized! Without equivocation! What a concept!
Renewals
- WOW — Women of Wrestling has been renewed for a second season on AXS TV.
Cancelation
- Arrow will end after season 8.
In Development
- Run, from Phoebe Waller-Bridge, has been officially ordered to series at HBO. I WELCOME PHOEBE WALLER-BRIDGE’S TAKEOVER OF ALL TV.
- Mike Schur has signed a long-term deal with NBC, thank the good place.
- Life Undercover, a CIA drama that is produced by and will star Brie Larson, is coming to Apple.
- The Mad About You reboot is happening and it is happening on Spectrum.
- The graphic novel Pashmina is going to be turned into an animated musical on Netflix.
- Comedy Central is going to debut five original shows on YouTube.
Casting News
- Pauley Perrette has joined the CBS pilot Broke.
- Kyle MacLachlan is joining the Carol’s Second Act pilot at CBS.
- Jane Seymour will join the cast of the cast of ABC’s drama pilot Hypnotist’s Love Story.
- Gerald McRaney is joining the Fox drama pilot, Filthy Rich.
- Marcia Cross is joining the Jane the Novela pilot at The CW.
- Peter Gallagher and John Clarence Stewart are joining the cast of the NBC pilot Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.
- French Stewart and Mike Lane are joining the NBC comedy pilot Like Magic.
- Nicholas Pinnock will star in the ABC legal pilot from 50 Cent.
- Michael Angarano and Briga Heelan will co-star in the CBS comedy pilot, To Whom It May Concern.
- Rio Mangini and Del Zamora are joining the cast of The Lost Boys pilot at The CW.
- Victor Rasuk is joining the cast of the ABC pilot The Baker and the Beauty.
- Ernie Hudson will guest star on Arrow.
- Jonathan Van Hess will guest star on Spinning Out on Netflix.
- Jon Beavers and Grant Harvey will recur on Animal Kingdom on TNT.
- Alexa Nisenson will recur in Fear the Walking Dead.
Mark Your Calendars
- Someone Great is going to premiere on Netflix on April 19, and it has quite the cast:
- Brockmire returns on IFC on April 3.
- I Love You, Now Die will debut on HBO later this year.
- grown-ish will return on Freeform sometime in June.
- We already have our first peek at Motherland. It will debut on Freeform … eventually?
- No Good Nick will debut on Netflix on April 15.
- Deadliest Catch will return on Discovery on April 9.
- Black Ink Crew returns on VH1 on March 13.
- Reminder: Idris Elba is going to host Saturday Night Live this weekend:
R.I.P.
WATCH THIS
Supernatural: A flesh-eating demigod is running around, so it’s time to call Rowena. 7 p.m., The CW
Legacies: Landon and MG are missing, y’all. 8 p.m., The CW
A.P. Bio: This is one of the strangest, and darkest, little shows on network TV and I LOVE IT. Please watch because it is a minor miracle it was renewed for a second season. Season premiere. 7:30 p.m., NBC
Superstore: Dina and Garrett babysit on the season premiere. 7 p.m., NBC
Station 19: The team searches for Andy and Sullivan in the mid-season premiere. 8 p.m., ABC
For the People: Those teenagers and their crazy “swatting.” Season premiere. 9 p.m., ABC
The Order: A college student is inducted into a secret order that does magic stuff and there appear to be werewolves. Series premiere. Netflix
Late Night:
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: Sen. Cory Booker, Pamela Adlon, Mumford & Sons
- The Late Late Show with James Corden: Cole Sprouse, Dan Levy, the Jonas Brothers
- Jimmy Kimmel Live: Kate Beckinsale, Jason George, Sam Fender
- Conan: Judd Apatow
- Busy Tonight: Justina Machado, Rita Moreno, Gloria Calderon Kellett
- Watch What Happens Live: Julianne Moore, Diane von Furstenberg
| THUR | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 |
| ABC | Grey’s Anatomy (new) |
A Million Little Things (new) |
How to Get Away with Murder (new) |
| CBS | The Big Bang Theory (new) |
Young Sheldon (new) |
Mom (new) |
FAM (new) |
S.W.A.T. (new) |
| CW | Supernatural (new) |
Legacies (new) |
News/Local |
| FOX | Gotham (new) |
The Orville (new) |
News/Local |
| NBC | The Titan Games (new) |
Brooklyn Nine-Nine (new) |
Will & Grace (new) |
Law & Order: SVU (new) |