CHUCK BARNEY: Could Jay Leno wind up in Jimmy Kimmel territory?

Tag : continuously cast

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. News and notes from television's summer presstour:
With chatter heating up that ABC might be interested in recruitinglate-night host Jay Leno when his deal with NBC expires, is JimmyKimmel running scared? Not quite.
As a tension-breaking prank, Kimmel showed up here Wednesdaymorning during ABC's executive press conference and posed as areporter. Wearing a ball cap and jeans, he jokingly peppered ABCentertainment chief Stephen McPherson about the network's allegeddesires to woo Leno. Kimmel, of course, is ABC's current late-nightman.
Among the questions posed by the phony reporter: "Are you at allafraid that if you replace Jimmy Kimmel, he might do somethingcrazy to you and your car?"
Joking aside, McPherson told reporters after the session he wouldlove to have Leno on his air, but added, "I can't believe NBC wouldlet him go."
McPherson insisted there's room for both Kimmel and Leno at ABC("It would be a great pairing") and said he could envision ascenario where Kimmel's show would air earlier in the evening("That would be a huge possibility") before Leno's.
Such a lineup might mean the death of "Nightline" - a possibilitythat arose in 2002 when ABC made a failed run to lure DavidLetterman from CBS.
JACK'S BACK: The writers strike was a gigantic buzzkill for anumber of reasons, but perhaps chief among them: "24" fans weredeprived of seeing Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) kicking bad-guybooty.
The series still won't return to the air until January, but to whetsome appetites and get the adrenaline pumping, Fox will air atwo-hour "24" prequel movie on Nov. 23.
So here's the intel: Shot on location in South Africa, the film hasour man Jack coping with an international crisis. Meanwhile, hereat home, the nation prepares for a new female president - played byCherry Jones - on Inauguration Day. Taking place just a few monthsbefore the new day dawns, the prequel will set the stage for Season7.
"It wasn't the easiest place to shoot," Sutherland said of the "24"production that left Los Angeles for the first time. "There wasvery little sunshine and it was probably the windiest shoot I'veever been on. But we went there with one of the best '24' scriptswe've ever had."
Joining Sutherland in the prequel will be Jon Voight (aka AngelinaJolie's dad), who will play a villain, and Gil Bellows ("AllyMcBeal") as a State Department officer. Voight's role will continueinto the season, but the prequel is it for Bellows.
Sutherland praises Fox for its decision to hold off Season 7 for afull year when the strike hit.
"I think ultimately they made a courageous choice and correct onein waiting," he said. "We've always done better when we've able toair all 24 episodes continuously. They had to make a hard decision,but I think the whole television season was disrupted badly, that Idon't think the people who aired half a season won."
WELCOME, KATIE HOLMES: ABC confirmed a juicy little piece ofcasting news on Wednesday: Katie Holmes will do a one-episode gueststint on "Eli Stone" this fall.
"It's a great role for her," McPherson said. "She'll do somesinging and dancing."
The gig reunites Mrs. Tom Cruise (and Suri's mom) with "Dawson'sCreek" producer Greg Berlanti, who oversees "Eli."
"He and Katie wanted to get back together," said McPherson, whosaid she'll shoot her scenes over the next few days. "We'reexcited."
A GRAND FINALE? "The Shield" kicks off its final season on FX onSept. 2, but already some cast members are hyping the seriesfinale, which has been shot and is in the can.
"It's the greatest finale ever," raved CCH Pounder. "It blew mysocks off. This finale is exactly what Vic Mackey (Michael Chiklis)deserves."
Added Chiklis, "What thrills me about the finale is that you willnot see this coming."
"The Shield" creator Shawn Ryan, of course, provided no details ofthe finale episode, but said it will avoid the pitfalls of otherseries that lose their pace and tone in an attempt to provide ablockbuster finish.
"We stay true to ourselves. It will feel like 'The Shield'universe," he said.
THE LONG GOODBYE: In other FX news, the network announced that"Nip/Tuck" will end its run in 2011 with a batch of 19 episodes.Meanwhile, the show is getting set to return in January to completeits strike-interrupted fifth season.
-"Rescue Me," which is due back next spring, will have Michael J.Fox dropping in for a four-episode arc as the boyfriend of TommyGavin's (Dennis Leary) estranged wife. The character will use awheelchair.
-Marcia Gay Harden will join other newcomers William Hurt andTimothy Olyphant ("Deadwood") on the second season of "Damages." Inaddition, Ted Danson will return for a few episodes as the sinisterArthur Frobisher, who was left for dead in the Season 1 finale."Damages" returns in January.
Chuck Barney: cbarney@bayareanewsgroup.com