Dish Of Salt: Friday TV Round Up (Bye ‘Monk’! And ‘Lost’ Secrets!)

So Long “Monk”
After eight seasons (and countless hand washings I’m sure!) obsessive-compulsive detective Adrian Monk says ‘Goodbye’ tonight. The series finale of what became one of basic cable’s biggest success stories (opening the door for countless other shows), wraps things up in a nice tidy way with Monk finally learning the truth about his wife’s murder. It’s been a great run for star Tony Shaloub who won a Golden Globe and three Emmy awards for lead actor in a comedy series for the role.
(USA, 9/8C)

Colfer Comes Out
“Glee” star Chris Colfer, who plays the fashionably fabulous out loud and proud Kurt Himmel on Fox’s “Glee,” admitted for the first time on TV to E’s Chelsea Handler that he is, in fact, gay in real life. Apparently I accidentally outed him back in the summer when I asked him at a FOX party about his own coming out experience to his parents, after I had watched a screener of the “Glee” episode where Kurt comes out to his dad. Turns out he didn’t love or appreciate that so much because at a recent CD signing for “Glee: The Music Volume One” he wouldn’t talk to me. I guess one should never assume! But let’s just say I have a LOT of close gay friends and after interviewing him several times, my gay-dar thought it was fairly obvious. I always say, ‘Never be ashamed to be who you are!’ Good for you, Chris. Now hopefully you will talk to me again because you know I’m a huge fan. 

“Bachelor” Break Up
I heard from a source last weekend that “The Bachelor’s” Byron Velvick and his fiancée Mary Delgado had broken up. Remember him? He was the 40-year-old fisherman. She was the hot 30-something who beat out all the 22-year-olds for his love. Oh, and they had some sort of domestic disturbance during their long courtship. Well, last night on Jimmy Kimmel he told his audience that the couple of five years had, in fact, split up. Of course, Jimmy poked fun at the show’s tragic track record of 13 bachelors, zero marriages. Then again, the show is called “The Bachelor” and not “The Marrying Man,” right? Jimmy also ran a funny promo with Tiger Woods as the new bachelor that started with the line, “26 cocktail waitresses and 1 superstar have a date with love.” No Tiger joke goes unturned these days.

McCord’s Crush
Sexy “90210” star AnnaLynn McCord says she is a single gal but she does have a major crush on a Hollywood leading man, Robert Downey Jr. She spilled the beans to me on her love for the dashing Downey at the Hollywood Reporter’s annual Women in Entertainment breakfast this morning, “Have u ever seen ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang’ a hundred times like I have? I’m obsessed. I adore him.” McCord admitted she was a huge “Sherlock Holmes” fan growing up as well, “I can tell you any story right now I’ll give you it start to finish. So when I found out he was doing ‘Sherlock Holmes’ I literally was like thank you, thank you powers that be!”

“Lost” Spoiler?
Executive Producer Carlton Cuse took to his Twitter page last week and revealed that Rebecca Mader, who played anthropologist Charlotte in the show’s 4th & 5th seasons, was filming scenes for the show in Hawaii. Charlotte supposedly died from some weird time travel disease. This morning at that same breakfast event I was at, Mader accidentally revealed something she didn’t mean to say – Namely… just how long she will be sticking around. She told me she was happy that Carlton spilled the beans about her coming back because it took the pressure off her to keep it a secret. Though she didn’t give away any plot secrets when I asked her how many days she filmed she instantly replied, “Only like around three.” Then she realized her ‘Oops’ to me had just given away how long her return role will last on the show, “Ooh, you are good. I have only had one cup of coffee this morning!” Rebecca also said she had no idea she would be asked to come back. She was in NY filming a movie when she got the call. Ian Somerhalder who played Boone in seasons 1 and 2 was asked during this year’s Comic Con. This makes me wonder how much of this show is really planned out completely and how much is written and decided as they go along? “Lost” returns February 2, 2010 on ABC.

Watch my entire interview with Rebecca Mader here

“Drop Dead Diva” Dream Team
One more item from the Women in Entertainment breakfast, which was co-sponsored by Lifetime. Lifetime had a surprise success with its show “Drop Dead Diva” which has secured itself a second season starting in June 2010. Both Paula Abdul and Rosie O’Donnell made guest appearances this year. Star Brooke Elliott tells me she has several dream guest stars she would love to woo to the show for season two. Joan Allen, Kathy Bates and Joan Cusack — All the smart ladies. I love it. I have a feeling all Lifetime would have to do is ask. 

“Flash Forward” and “V” Pushed ‘Til March
Turns out last night’s “Flash Forward” will be the last we see for awhile. ABC announced today that both “Flash Forward” and “V” would not return until March. This allows both shows to air uninterrupted through the end of the season. It also keeps both shows away from competing against NBC’s Winter Olympic coverage. It also keeps fans in the dark for way too long as to what the heck is going on in these shows, both of which I happen to love. “Flash Forward” returns March 4. So, in doing the math, ten episodes have aired. By the time we get to the penultimate flash forward date April 29, 2010, 19 episodes will have aired. A typical TV season lasts 22 to 24 episodes. So, I’m guessing April 29 will not be the season finale and we will see the aftermath of what happens after the six-month flash forward date. Wow, I bet that’s confusing if you are not a fan of the show!

Top TV Quote Of The Week
The med school student character James Franco’s little brother Dave plays on “Scrubs” is supremely annoying as a spoiled rich kid, womanizer on the show…but he did have me laughing this week when he told Doctor Denise how his mom and he go out to bars and she helps him pick up chicks, “She’s my wing mom.”