E! denies 'Richards' canceled; 'Hills' ratings rebound; 'Jericho' for kids

>> An E! spokesperson denied a flurry of reports that say Denise Richards’ reality show is canceled:

“’Denise Richards: It's Complicated’ has not been canceled. The series has performed well for us and decisions are still being made regarding a second season.”

Make of that what you will. Networks do try to avoid going on the record to continue fueling speculation about the fate of a show they’ve firmly ruled out. Then again, it’s E!, they might just like the drama.

>> Better late than never: ABC renews "Here Come the Newlyweds" for eight episodes.

>> Received this message in my Inbox. Struggling to wrap my brain around it:

“Shelby, a 10-year old girl who created www.jericho4kids.com who has raised money charities [and] helped raise money to send Jericho Season 1 DVD's to our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, and who has interviewed many actors and music stars was granted an interview with Alex O'Loughlin on Monday, August 25, 2008. During the interview Alex said he thinks 'Moonlight' would make a good movie."

Now ... wha-- okay. Let's ... let's. Okay. First ...  there's a "Jericho For Kids" Web site? Well, it's homepage is ... interesting. Not a nuclear explosion drawn in crayons ... but ... still actually combines a kiddie style and "Jericho." The tagline: "Where kids and 'Jericho' meet." Second, the site is sending "Jericho" DVDs to troops in Iraq? I don't ... really? Third, the kid just interviewed Alex O'Loughlin for the site? Okay, O'Loughlin has ... absolutely nothing to do with "Jericho," but ... that's pretty darn impressive none the less (I've written a half dozen posts on "Moonlight" and never interviewed O'Loughlin). And Shelby, it should be noted, asks better questions than some TV critics. Seems O'Loughlin wanted to be a fighter pilot when he grew up.   

>> Janeane Garofalo reads a “Hills” episode, the result: “Lauren simply comes off as a leech, her neediness sucking her victims dry until they've got nothing left to give.” While on the subject, “Hills” ratings bounced back this week (2.2/6), up 10% from its premiere now that its out from under the Olympics.

>> If "Deal or No Deal" fared best in viewer recall from Olympics ads, yet only scored a 12% boost in the ratings Monday, what does that mean for the rest of NBC's fall lineup?

>> For those who checked out my NBC’s Olympic lessons story, USA Today’s Robert Bianco has a list of his own. Also, when adjusted for population, NBC’s most-viewed boast is slightly less impressive

>> Josh Schwartz looks at the CW’s billboards all over town for “Gossip Girl” and sees more backhand than compliment

>>  For those who missed this post (went up Saturday, quickly got buried), here’s a first look at eight episodes of the final season of “The Shield”

>> TV portrays a lot of rich people

>> Here’s new “American Idol” judge Kara DioGuardi hosting knock-off "The One: Making of a Music Star”

>> RE: Michelle Rodriguez’s one-episode return to “Lost”

>> That video of a Fox News reporter overrun in the streets of Denver