Roger Catlin | TV Eye

Logo on Tour

The Logo Network’s "True Colors Tour" comes to Connecticut this year with a stop at the new MGM Grand Arena at Foxwoods June 6.

Carson Kressley of Bravo's "How to Look Good Naked" hosts the event that will feature Cyndi Lauper, The B-52's and Rosie O’Donnell.

Special guests will fill out the five hours of music at each stop; at Foxwoods it will be Tegan and Sara and The Cliks.

Other stops will feature such artists as Regina Spektor, Joan Jett, Joan Armatrading, Indigo Girls, Nona Hendryx, Wanda Sykes and Deborah Cox.

Getting out the vote is part of the aim of the second annual tour, which begins May 31 in Boson.

A dollar from each ticket will go to the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization.

The tour which stopped at 15 cities last year in its inaugural tour has been expanded to play 24 this year. It only came as close as New York and Boston last year.

More 'Hannah,' Work for Its Co-Stars

A third season for "Hannah Montana" and second seasons for "Wizards of Waverely Place" and the animated "Phineas and Ferb" were announced as part of the Disney Channel upfronts Wednesday.

Two of the three upcoming Disney Channel movies announced for the new season also feature "Hannah Montana" co-stars: "Dadnapped,"  with Emily Osment, Jason Earles and Moiss Arias; and "Hatching Pete," starring Mitchel Musso and Jason Dolley (of "Cory in the House").

A third movie announced, also for the 2008-2009 season, "Princess Protection Program," stars Demi Lovato, the 15-year-old singer songwriter who also performed at the event as presumably the company's next Hannah Montana.

Al Roker to Host 'Family Feud'

Also on the "Today" show Monday some other items that counts as news there:

Al Roker announced he will be the host of the prime time "Family Feud" when NBC begins its celebrity version July 1. It’s a longtime dream of his, the weatherman admits.

Famous people will be invited on with their actual or TV families, he said, opening the door to all manner of TV show reunions. The money they play for will go to charity.

Also announced was yet another world excursion for Matt Lauer in one of those “Where in the World is Matt Lauer” expeditions in which he claims to not even know the location of the exotic locale he’s headed. (Probably not to "Family Feud").

'King of the Hill' Will Reign for 13th Season

One of the longest running comedies and second longest running animated show, "King of the Hill" has been picked up for its 13th season this fall, Fox announced Friday.

The saga of Hank Hill and his family, who miraculously stay the same age, though Luanne recently married Lucky (voiced by Tom Petty) and Hank's dad, the cantakerous Cotton Hill, also croaked last November.

The Emmy winning series has lasted much longer than Mike Judge's initial animated project, "Beavis and Butt-head," and continues to be co-produced by Greg Daniels, who the former writer for "The Simpsons" (which is in fact the longest running animated show and sitcom) who is mastermind behind the U.S. version of "The Office," which will spawn its own spin-off when it returns for a new season in the fall.

NBC, Out Front with Up-Fronts

Originally, NBC was making noises about pulling out of the "up-fronts," those spring announcements of fall schedules put on for the benefit of advertisers.

Instead, it moved up its event by more than a month Wednesday to unveil its plans for the summer, fall and winter.

Chief among the announcements was that NBC would reserve the 8 p.m. hour for family fare, put its shows of widest appeal at 9 p.m. and reserve 10 p.m. for largely crime dramas.

Into those categories comes just four new shows announced for the fall – the most modest roster of any major network maybe ever. They are: the updated "Knight Rider," previewed in a popular recent TV movie; "Kath & Kim," an adaptation the Australian comedy with Molly Shannon and Selma Blair; "My Own Worst Enemy," starring Christian Slater as a man with a split personality’ and "Crusoe" an adaptation of Daniel Defoe’s shipwrecked classic.

Later in the season comes "Kings," a David vs. Goliath variation in a modern kingdom starring Ian McShane ("Deadwood"); "Merlin," about the days of Cemelot "inspired by 21st Century storytelling"; "The Philanthropist," about a guy who decides to do good with his billions; and "The Listener," about a paremedic who can read people’s minds.

New comedies down the pike include a still-untitled spin-off of "The Office" that will "will follow another comic journey, complete with new faces and new locations, but with the same unique sense of humor." It will debut, with an episode of the also returning “The Office” after the Super Bowl.

Coming sooner than later will be four prime time half-hours from "Saturday Night Live" in October called "SNL Thursday Night Live" meant to feed off the coming elections.

A fleet of new reality shows are being readied for the summer. Among them, "Chopping Block," a "Hell’s Kitchen"-like competition involving cooking couples, hosted by Marco Pierre White; "America’s Toughest Jobs" and "Shark Taggers" from the producer of "Deadliest Catch"; and the returns of "American Gladiators," "Most Outrateous Moments," "America's Got Talent," "Last Comic Standing" and "Nashville Star" (moving to broadcast from USA, as previously announced).

Returning this fall for its 15th and final season is "ER." "Lipstick Jungle" has also been picked up for a fall season, as have the previously announced "30 Rock," "Chuck," "Heroes," “Life, "Law & Order SVU," "The Biggest Loser" (this fall: families), "Deal or No Deal" and "My Name is Earl."

The winter brings a return for "The Celebrity Apprentice," "Medium" and "Friday Night Lights," though the latter show will be seen first in the fall only on Direct TV in a special deal.

Among specials, Mira Sorvino stars in a four-hour miniseries "The Last Templar"; Val Kilmer is in his own thriller called "XIII."

What’s not back? The already dead "Bionic Woman," "Journeyman," "Las Vegas" and "Quarterlife" as well as "Scrubs," expected to go to ABC.

Elvis Costello, Chat Host

Elvis Costello hosts a 13-episode talk show concentrating on a different musician each week on the Sundance Channel later this year.

Subjects haven't been announced for "Spectacle: Elvis Costello with …," set to premiere in December. But the series, which will also run on CTV in Canada, Channel 4 in England and other parts of the world through FremantleMedia, is produced in part by another famous rocker, Elton John.

"Elvis Costello is the foremost expert on popular music. I thought it would be sensational to use his knowledge and intelligence to explore the artistry of musicians and other fascinating people involved in making great music, as well as true music aficionados," John says in a statement.

Describing his interviewing approach, Costello says "I'm not interested in extracting some dark secret. I'd rather hear about a bright secret, a deep love or a curiosity that might be otherwise obscured by fame. This is a wonderful opportunity to talk in complete thoughts about music, movies, art or even vaudeville, then frame it with unique and illustrative performances."

It was one of several shows announced Wednesday for the second half of 2008 on Sundance.

More 'High School Reunion'

"High School Reunion," the TV Land reality series that reaches the end of its season in a week, has been renewed for a second season.

Or maybe we should say fifth season -- producer Mike Fleiss produced three earlier seasons of the series for the old WB from 2003-2005.

Like the current one, it invited to a 20 year high school reunion in an exotic locale are given labels -- "The Popular GIrl," "The Bully," "The Pipsqueak," "The Stud" -- and invited to work out past issues.

The current iteration of "High School Reunion" assembling people from an apparently all-white school in Dallas for a getaway in Maui, has been averaging 767,000 viewers each week. Last week, it drew a series high 797,000. It may not sound like much in broadcast terms, but its numbers up 14 percent above the network's average it draws usually with ancient broadcast reruns and recently, 70s movies.

The new season of "High School Reunion" starts in early 2009, TV Land said.

OK, OK, Now You Can Audition

Those hordes of people dying to try out for "High School Musical" now have a place to go.

For "High School Musical: Summer Session," one of eight summer reality shows announced today by ABC, anyone age 16-22 wanting to try out by singing songs from the popular series of movies. They’re especially looking for people who may not ever tried out for musical theatre before.

Finalists will be enlisted into a summer music program to hone skills; there will then be a grand prize but it was not named. Will it be a place in this fall’s “High School Musical 3”? Or a starring role in a yet to be announced Broadway musical version?

"High School Musical: Summer Session" starts July 20, airing Sundays and Mmondays for three weeks before running on Mondays through the rest of the summer. Hosts and judges are yet to be named.

The other seven reality shows announced include: "The Bachelorette," starring Brad Womack reject DeAnna Pappas, May 19; a revival of “the Mole” May 26; "Wipeout," a competition on an extreme obstacle course promises "the most crashes, face plants, impacts and wipe outs ever seen on television"; and "I Survived a Japanese Game Show," which is apparently just what it sounds like, starting June 24.

"Hopkins," starting June 26, is a continuation of the reality series "Hopkins 24/7" that ran eight years ago, about the workings of a Baltimore hospital. "Dance Machine," starting June 27 features people from all walks of life thrown into dance-offs with others to popular songs.

Finally, “Wanna Bet,” starting July 21 will have celebrities such as Drew Lachey, Sherri Sheperd , Bill Engvall and Scott Hamilton bet on stunts to earn money for charity. It will introduce British comedy team Ant and Dec as hosts.

'Burn Notice' Back July 10

"Burn Notice," the stylish series about a spy disavowed by the government who starts his own investigations, returns to the USA Network for its second season on July 10, the network announced this week.

It will be one of a number of new and returning fare to the network come summer.

They include "In Plain Sight," with Mary McCormack as a U.S. Marshal in the witness protection program, starting June 8, new episodes of "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" June 8 and new seasons for "Monk" and "Psych" July 18. (Reruns of those shows begin airing April 6 on NBC). "Monk" reaches its 100th episode Sept. 5.

A second season for "The Starter Wife" won't come until October.

USA also announced it is developing several dramas, including "Royal Pains," about a doctor in the Hamptons; "Shirleyville," about a small town mayor; "White Collar," about a con man working with the FBI; and "The Nanny Files," about a crime solving nanny. They join the previously announced series "American Girl," "Citizen's Arrest," "Halo," "The Expert," "The Oldest Rookie" and "Thank You For Smoking."

In addition, the special "An AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Warren Beatty" is scheduled for July 10.

Season 3 a Go for 'Friday Night Lights'

"Friday Night Lights" is a definite for season three, star Kyle Chandler said Wednesday.

The comments by the star of the NBC series, that a deal had been struck to cut costs and continue the series, came in an interview for NPR's "Fresh Air" with David Bianculi, who posted the news on his website this morning. (He didn't share any particular quotes, though, which will come when the interview is broadcast sometime next month).

The acclaimed "Friday Night Lights" had been on the bubble for NBC even for this, its second season.

It's been averaging about 6.1 million viewers this season, good enough for a ranking of only about 119.

Because of the writers' strike the season didn't quite end. The saga of a small town Texas and its football team ended just as its Dillon Panthers were preparing for the playoffs. Seven of the 22 episodes ordered for the season were not produced.