The Star is finally extinguished on ‘The View’
Published 9:00 pm Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Happy birthday to me!
Star Jones’ mouth got her in trouble again, but it’s a fitting end to her nine-year run on “The View,” and that means I can finally watch the show.
Almost a decade later, I can finally see what I’ve been missing all this time. I guess Barbara Walters is on there sometimes, and Matt Hasselbeck’s brother’s wife’s sister-in-law, or something?
Jones says she was told a while back that her contract wouldn’t be renewed, but she unexpectedly blurted it out live on Tuesday’s episode, “after much prayer and counsel.”
We wouldn’t have it any other way.
She said the show is moving in another direction and she was invited not to go with it.
Her pre-emptive strike made Walters and the ABC empire strike back, canning Jones virtually on the spot and asking her not to return on Wednesday, Jones told People.com.
Walters reportedly said Jones’ negative numbers were rising, but everyone involved agreed to let her handle her own departure with “dignity,” People.com reported Wednesday.
Apparently, dropping the bomb live on Tuesday wasn’t the dignified approach they were seeking.
Walters said on Wednesday’s show, “It is becoming uncomfortable for us to pretend that everything is the same at this table. And therefore, regrettably, Star will no longer be on this program.”
As for her plans, Jones told People.com, “I’m not sure what the future holds, but I’m absolutely sure who holds the future.”
What will we do without that kind of wisdom?
Sorry I missed it: AMC this week debuted its original movie, “Broken Trail,” starring Robert Duvall and Thomas Haden Church in what sounds like an instant classic Western.
Duvall and Church play an uncle and nephew on a horse drive from Oregon to Wyoming in 1897. Things get complicated when they come upon five Chinese girls who are doomed to be sold into prostitution at a mining camp.
The two-part, four-hour movie event is directed by genre master Walter Hill, known for “The Long Riders” and more recently for his Emmy-winning direction of the 2004 pilot for HBO’s “Deadwood.”
If you missed it too, mark your calendars: Repeats of both parts of “Broken Trail” will air back-to-back at 8 p.m. July 6, July 18 and Aug. 5 on AMC. Check your listings for channel information.
‘Daily Show’ breeds contempt?: A couple of political scientists at East Carolina University released a study last week saying Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” is making young people cynical about politics.
Pffff. Whatever.
Hot on the trail: NBC’s new reality show “Treasure Hunters” got off to an ironic start last week. In the show, teams hop around the globe looking for clues that will guide them to some mysterious treasure.
Its special premiere on June 18 went off just fine, but its first episode in its regular Monday time slot on June 19 wasn’t there. The network had to hold the episode because the NHL’s Stanley Cup Finals went to Game 7, which aired that night.
The scheduling glitch sent viewers on a hunt of their own. NBC aired the first two episodes on Monday night. But the joke is on viewers, because no treasure awaits.
Watch your Spelling: TV Land honors the career of Aaron Spelling, television’s most prolific producer, who died at 83 on June 23.
In addition to tons of stuff on its Web site, TVLand.com, the network will air two installments of its 2004 special “TV Land Moguls” at 10 a.m. Saturday. The shows highlight many of his achievements, particularly through the 1970s, when he created some enduring classics, including “Charlie’s Angels” and “Starsky &Hutch.”
Yes, kids. Those were TV shows before they were movies.
Victor Balta’s column runs Mondays and Thursdays on the A&E page. Reach him at 425-339-3455 or vbalta@heraldnet.com.
For more TV and pop culture scoop, check out Victor’s blog at heraldnet.com/blogpopculture.
