This year's annual William S. Paley Television Festival (also known as PaleyFest) will feature some LAist favorites. The up close and personal television event is sponsored by the Paley Center for Media, and begins April 10 at the ArcLight Cinerama Dome. Tickets go on sale to the public Sunday at 9 a.m. and they're likely to sell out within 24 hours, if not sooner. Most PaleyFest events treat fans to clips from each program (sometimes never-before-seen material) and include a panel discussion with questions from a moderator and the audience. In addition, each panel page on the PaleyFest website now includes an option for fans to submit questions prior to the event. This year's lineup is a strong one and it features: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, 90210, True Blood, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, Dollhouse, The Big Bang Theory, The Mentalist, Desperate Housewives, Unaired Pushing Daisies Episodes, Battlestar Galactica, The Hills, Big Love, Fringe and Swingtown. more ›

LAist went to the 2009 Screen Actors Guild Awards and asked* the likes of Tony Shaloub, Keith Powell (from "30 Rock"), Preston Bailey and Christina Robinson (from "Dexter"), Oscar Nunez (from "The Office"), Julie Benz (from "Dexter"), Cloris Leachman, Charles and Max Carver (from "Desperate Housewives"), and Dana Delaney about their favorite places to get late night food in Los Angeles. more ›

A lot of programs return to or make their premiere on premium cable this Sunday including: "Big Love", "The L Word", "The United States of Tara", and "Secret Diary of a Call Girl". What we most eagerly anticipate is the season premiere of "Flight of the Conchords". The pair of musicians and their hapless manager, all hailing from New Zealand, might not have made a second season due to low viewership but their cult like following gave us one more. So enjoy every episode like a smooth New Zealand Merlot, savor it, because this might be their last run, on HBO at least. more ›

It's a Jon Hamm/"Mad Men" weekend: on Saturday, the man who plays Don Draper will be hosting "Saturday Night Live" and Sunday brings us the season finale of the mult-Emmy-winning show from AMC. Both are a must watch. more ›

If you're not heading home to hit the bottle hard after this week, more power to you. I'm not sure what solace TV will provide this weekend, what with "The Starter Wife", that, despite all the heavy hype, looks less than funny. more ›

During the go-go, greed is good ‘80s, Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous and host Robin Leach became the symbol of American opulence. It was hard not to aspire for 'champagne wishes and caviar dreams.' Of course these days, there are countless shows featuring the upper crust flaunting their wealth. And like a car wreck, we wretch at the sight of such blatant materialism while secretly keeping our eyes glued to the TV set. So... more ›

In Which we Discover how the Golden Girls helped make stuff we like Have you ever written anything? I don't mean like a letter or a note, but something long, something good. Sure, you think you could. A lot of people do. But unless you're actually writing something, you're not a writer. Writing is really time consuming. It's not just about fun and ideas. It's about forcing yourself to sit down, get off the phone,... more ›

Sherman Oaks has a lot going for it. From movie and TV stars to community activism, from dingy Valley corner strip malls to high-end boutiques, this neighborhood of nearly 52,000 residents is never a bore (come on, Desperate Housewives films a bunch here). It is named after General Moses Hazeltine Sherman, a well known real estate developer who bought a good amount of land in the area and sold it off. The community was... more ›

Writers march at the Desperate Housewives location. more photos after the jump... more ›

I “worked” the morning shift today. Reporting into Gate 2 at Warner Brothers before heading to Gate 7 on Forest Lawn. Yesterday afternoon, Gate 7 was dead, but this morning it’s bustling. Lots of traffic coming in and out of the gate. Again, lots of honking and thumbs ups from the passing cars. Again, I’m marching with a lot of writers who work on the Warner Brothers lot. They have ridiculous energy for this... more ›

As it gets closer to Halloween for LAist, a contributer recollects her tale of staring down the serial killer, Richard Ramirez, otherwise known as the Night Stalker. Must think happy thoughts -- okay, free organic chocolate chip cookies for Los Angeles -- now that's a happy thought. Other happy Los Angeles thoughts include an interview with Jack Kehler of The Big Lebowski (he was the Dude's landlord), a beautiful and magical photographic moment in Venice and the press making the speaker of the California State Assembly, Fabian Núñez, run away when being asked hard questions about sketchy luxurious and worldly expenses. more ›

Seattlest watches as a S.L.U.T. is born and Seattle Flickr users go nuts over a local art installation. A restaurant critic demands a Diner's Bill of Rights over a gnat next to her drink, and, in lieu of a Portlandist, Seattlest debates with itself over the identity of the Northwest's crown jewel. Seattlest also joins the guys from Fantagraphics for an ill-fated gun party in the woods. more ›

When I read in Extra, Extra yesterday about the Desperate Housewives marketing onslaught at my local Ralphs parking lot in Valencia, I just had to check it out. I chuckled when I saw the parking stripes -- and I have to admit it was the first advertising that caught my attention in awhile. But I'm still not going to watch the lame show. Nice try, though, ABC. More photos after the jump.... more ›

With the fall TV season just around the corner, a flood of your favorite series hit the stores today. What better way to whet your appetite for what promises to be a long, great Season 4 of ). Lohan finally hits bottom. more ›

Artist: Bitter:Sweet Album: The Remix Game Label: Quango Release Date: September 4th, 2007 I had only ever really listened to the title track to Bitter:Sweet's The Mating Game before I got my hands on this CD of the remixed album. I definitely thought that was a great track by itself but this collection of tunes ended up amazing me. The Mating Game was put out by LA's own Quango Music Group in Spring of... more ›

Weekend Edition Friday - Today "The 7th Voyage of Sinbad" (TCM, 5:00 p.m.) An evening of stop-action animation starts with this one followed by "Jason and the Argonauts" and "Mysterious Island" "NHL Hockey" (5:30 p.m.) Kings @ Stars "NBA Basketball" (KCAL, 6:00 p.m.) Lakers @ Jazz "College Football" (ESPN2, 6:00 p.m.) Fresno State @ Louisiana Tech "College Basketball" (PRIME, 7:30 p.m.) Long Beach State @ USC "Ghost Whisperer/Close To Home/NUMB3RS" (CBS, 8-11:00 p.m.) All... more ›

Friday Night "The Odessa File" (TCM, 5:00 p.m.) TCM presents an evening of spy movies starting with "The Odessa File", followed by "The Quiller Memorandum" "NHL Hockey" (PRIME, 7:00 p.m.) Blackhawks @ Ducks "NBA Basketball" (Fox Sports, 7:30 p.m.) Raptors @ Lakers "Ice-T's Rap School" (VH1, 9 p.m.) Season finale. "Real Time with Bill Maher" (HBO, 11 p.m.) Season finale. "Charlie Rose" (PBS, 11:30 p.m.): The Dixie Chicks and others, well, not other chicks,... more ›

Weekend Edition OK, so the TV Junkie completely missed Friday, this was because of a 50 mile backup on the MassPike so that's unlikely to happen in the near future. Now the TV Junkie is quite drunk in San Francisco which doesn't mean he doesn't want to be drunk in LA with you wonderful people. This doesn't mean it won't happen again, we're only somewhat human. College Football (ABC, ESPN and wherever else, at... more ›

by Kevin McCollister It's unlikely you'll hear about it on the evening (network-controlled) news, but an estimated 800 people attended a rally this morning at the Pan Pacific Park to protest low wages and lack of health benefits for the writers of television's lucrative reality shows. Organized by the Writers Guild of America in support of the striking writers of "America's Next Top Model", the rally also fired up the WGA writers, whose contract... more ›

- Handicapable Pacific Palisades Boy Scout is told that in order to go camping he's got to have one of his parents accompany him. Parents say they would rather accompany the lad to court where they will sue the Scouts. - NBC4 - La Cañada woman falls for the old Illegal Immigrant Wins Lotto and Will Split It With You Trick - La Cañada Valley Sun - Ventura dodged the Wal*Mart-Starbucks urban sprawl of... more ›

The Prime Time Emmy Award nominations were announced today and yes, LAist was left out again this year. We keep waiting for the opportunity to use that old yet tried and true saying "its just a pleasure to be nominated" but we never seem to get the chance. more ›

It's a big day for video on everything except your TV: ABC is going to test out ad-supported free video of LOST and Desperate Housewives online; Broadband shows are getting their own Emmy award; and, UCLA wants you to Get Legal. more ›

Now in its third year, The Other Venice Film Festival celebrates independent film, diversity and music. And, eh, slightly bad attitudes. more ›

The Winter Olympics in Turino -- formerly Turin for those English speakers who thought that extra "o" was just too much to pronounce -- have been akin to the proverbial two-week-old, 500-pound elephant in the room for most Angelenos. Ratings have been down, thanks to a myriad of factors (e.g., hyped superstars coming up duds, other networks throwing up new programs, it's too cold in LA to watch cold sports on TV). more ›

The microphones are on in the CBS-2 webcast booth on the edge of the red carpet, and they're complaining about the lack of celebrity juice that's come by. "It's only 4," the hostess Lisa Joyner says. She must have watched the SAG Awards because she's in lavender just like all the Desperate Housewives. She's just spent a few minutes talking to Miss California, who can be picked out by the not-so-subtle "Miss California" banner draped across her body. more ›

More SAG Awards liveblogging. Watch out, Dakota is coming. more ›

Years ago there was graffiti downtown LA -- on a building that was razed for the Japanese American Museum -- that read WHEN WILL SHE STOP ACTING? We're assuming, when it comes to the Screen Actors' Guild Awards, which are televised to millions, that nobody stops acting. We expect everyone to be glamorous, exhilarated, appropriately humble, and fabulously ON. more ›

We're bouncing back and forth between the NBC and E! red carpet broadcasts. Woah, Dean Cain is carpeteering for NBC and he still looks like Scott Peterson. Dean, it's time to lose the highlights. more ›

We tuned in a little late to the E! pre-red carpet awards. more ›

Transvestites, an inspirational illustrator and a group of snowboarding
pioneers round out this unusual list of limited release movies showing in
Los Angeles this weekend.


• 39
  Pounds of Love - Documentary starring Ami Ankilewitz. Directed
  by Dani Menkin. This documentary follows Ami, a 39-pound Israeli
  illustrator diagnosed with a rare ailment, and his journey to find
  the doctor who predicted his early death. [trailer | local
  showtimes]


• Breakfast
  on Pluto - Drama starring Cillian Murphy, Liam Neeson,
  Ruth Negga, Laurence Kinlan and Stephen Rea. Directed by Neil Jordan. An
  Irish orphan (Cillian Murphy) named Patrick Braden is on a quest to
  find out who his birth mother really is. Along the way, he works as
  a transvestite named Kitten, finds love with a hypnotist and becomes
  involved with illegal IRA bombings. [trailer | local
  showtimes]


• First
  Descent - Documentary starring Shawn Farmer, Nick
  Perata and Terje Haakonsen. Directed by Kevin Harrison and Kemp Curley. This
  film offers a look at snowboarding's origins and domination as the
  leading winter sport in the US. [trailer | local
  showtimes]