ABC’s reality dating game show series, which includes “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette,” is expected to face a class-action lawsuit this week for racial discrimination due to its failure of featuring minority contestants on the show.

According to TMZ, attorneys for Nathaniel Claybrooks and Christopher Johnson will file the complaint in federal court on Wednesday morning against ABC production companies Warner Horizon Television, Next Entertainment, NZK Productions and “Bachelor” executive producer Mike Fleiss.

Sources tell the site that both plaintiffs attended a Nashville audition at a local hotel claiming that a producer questioned their attendance before leaving the two out of the normal audition process. Both believe their race led to the producer’s decision to not contact them following the audition.

The show’s lack of diversity over the course of 23 seasons has raised a few questions in recent years as to why there has never been a non-white bachelor. Last year show creator, Fleiss told Entertainment Weekly that he and his production team are always looking to cast for ethnic diversity, “it’s just that for whatever reason, they don’t come forward. I wish they would.”

HBO's hotly anticipated comedy "Girls" premiered last night to 872,000 viewers. The Lena Dunham-created, Judd Apatow-produced series presents itself as a window into a generation. But not everyone is liking the view.

Though "Girls" (Sundays at 10:30 p.m. ET on HBO) received rave reviews from multiple places (Emily Nussbaum touted the show as revolutionairy in a New York mag cover story and HuffPost TV's Maureen Ryan said it was "bold" and fresh"), morning-after reviews seem less enamored.

"Girls feels less like a commentary on this generation and more like an indictment on it," John Kubicek wrote for BuddyTV.com. "These characters have been raised believing that they're special and that they can do anything they want. The problem is that none of them seem to want to do anything. There's nothing particularly special about Hannah's life, no reason that her memoirs would be remotely interesting."

Many writers found the characters unsympathetic, mostly on account of their privilege. (Dunham is photographer Laurie Simmons' daughter and plays the daughter of two professors on the show. Brian Willliams' daughter Allison plays Dunham's roommate).

"Laurie Simmons' daughter's best friend is Brian Williams' daughter. She is uptight, pretty, straight-laced, and has a boyfriend who's just too nice and loving. She wears a retainer when she sleeps, symbolically," John Cook wrote on Gawker. "Laurie Simmons' daughter says Brian Williams' daughter's boyfriend 'has a vagina,' a notion that isn't at all hackneyed and retrograde when it's uttered by a self-aware 24-year-old girl who has tattoos of illustrations from children's books all over her body."

Besides taking issue with the cupcake Dunham's character takes in the bath with her, Jenna Wortham wrote for Hairpin: "My chief beef is not simply that the girls in 'Girls' are white ... The problem with 'Girls' is that while the show reaches -- and succeeds, in many ways -- to show female characters that are not caricatures, it feels alienating, a party of four engineered to appeal to a very specific subset of the television viewing audience, when the show has the potential to be so much bigger than that. And that is a huge fucking disappointment."

Britney Spears is close to finalizing a $15 million deal to serve as the new superstar judge on Simon Cowell's talent show The X Factor, according to online reports.

The "Toxic" hitmaker has been rumored to be in talks to take a seat alongside Cowell and producer Antonio "L.A." Reid on the panel for weeks and now insiders claim the big announcement is imminent.

Spears is said to be ready to sign on the dotted line after being offered a $15 million payday - after she reportedly turned down $10 million.

A source tells E! Online, "Both camps were back and forth on the money but now they have finally come to agreement on the fee.

"That was the big sticking point and now, thankfully, it's been sorted. All they need to do now is work out the smaller points. The fact the money is now set means that there is nothing stopping this from becoming a reality."

Fans had feared the pop star would be too fragile to handle the pressure of the publicity surrounding the show - but reports suggest her fiance, Jason Trawick, will be by her side as a producer.

A source adds, "Jason is expected to be there every day Britney is on set. He is her rock and will help guide her through the process. He is the person she trusts the most."

Spears will sit on the panel alongside Cowell and Antonio 'L.A.' Reid, as well as another female judge.

The two newcomers will replace Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger as judges.
SOURCE

A controversial new housekeeping service in the conservative depths of Texas has caught the attention of local police, despite its insistence that it isn't committing any illegalities.

It's supposed crime? Providing an unlicensed sexual service of entirely nude maids.

The business, Fantasy Maid Service, is based in Lubbock, Texas, which has legislation requiring businesses that are sexual in nature to have a permit to trade.

Lubbock police told the Associated Press that the business "doesn't have a permit to operate a sexually oriented business and officers are watching for any violation, which would bring a $2,000 fine".

While the organisation does not deny supplying nude maids, it denies being a sexual service.

"We really just clean houses. These girls are not performers. They're maids," owner Melissa Borrett said.

Borrett started the firm after having difficult making ends meet as a waitress – she was even forced to live on the nearby Texas Tech University's Occupy Lubbock camp.

"I just decided to go a little bigger, work a little smarter."

The rules and regulations of the business seem to solidify its claim to not be anything near prostitution, steering well clear of offering sex.

The company's website states that there is strictly no touching of the maids, and no attempts to "solicit a maid for sexual services."

However it is arguable that any service which promotes its nudity has an inherent sexuality.

"True Blood" fans, this is the video you have been waiting for: The first truly new promo for Season 5 has arrived.

Paired with the Season 2 premiere of "Game of Thrones," the first promo features lots of fangs, shirtless men and people making out. Oh yeah, it's 30 seconds of new footage.

"True Blood" returns this June with a bevy of new cast members including former "Law & Order: SVU" star Christopher Meloni.

The other "True Blood" spots have been about the inability to escape the past and buried secrets ... that aren't staying underground.

Last time we were in Bon Temps in "True Blood" Season 4, Alcide confessed his feelings for Sookie, the witch was defeated and Tara took a bullet to the head. The promo features a bloody Sookie digging a hole ... but for who?

Watch it the trailer here and speculate in the comments below.

The Real World" is sticking around MTV. The network has renewed the series for a Season 28. Along with "The Real World," MTV handed out another season order to competition series "The Challenge."

"The Real World" is currently filming its 27th season in St. Tomas, with the new season set to debut later in 2012. No location for Season 28 has been announced. The last season of "The Real World," set in San Diego, averaged more than 1 million viewers per episode.

The latest "Challenge" renewal brings the show to 23 seasons. "The Challenge: Battle of the Exes" was a ratings hit for MTV. The competition series paired "Real World" and "Road Rules" veterans who were at one time romantically involved was the most-watched "Challenge" in seven seasons. According to MTV, the show averaged close to 2 million viewers weekly.

"The Challenge: Battle of the Exes" ends with a reunion special on Wed., April 4 at 10 p.m. ET on MTV. Former "Real World" cast member and current WWE star The Miz will serve as host.

Whoopi Goldberg is coming to "Glee." "The View" co-host will appear in multiple episodes of the Fox series, according to TVLine. And Lindsay Lohan may not be far behind.

Goldberg will play Carmen Tibideaux, a professor at New York Academy of the Dramatic Arts -- Rachel and Kurt's coveted NYADA -- who comes to Ohio to oversee auditions. TVLine reports Goldberg will appear in three episodes of the series, the first of which is set to air Tues., May 1. Look for Goldberg's character to deliver the final verdict to Kurt and Rachel. But whether they get in to NYADA or not, Rachel (Lea Michele) and Kurt (Chris Colfer) will appear in Season 4 of "Glee."

The Hollywood Reporter confirmed TVLine's casting report.

"Glee" star Michele took to Twitter to share her feelings on Goldberg's casting.

Goldberg, an EGOT recipient, recently filmed a guest role for ABC's "The Middle." Aside from her hosting duties on "The View," Goldberg has made guest appearances on numerous shows including "The Cleaner," "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" and "Everybody Hates Chris." She starred in a self-titled sitcom from 2003-2004.

TVLine also reports Lindsay Lohan is in final talks to appear on "Glee." The actress, who recently mounted a career comeback with a "Saturday Night Live" hosting gig, would reportedly play herself on the musical comedy. If all goes according to plan, Lohan will appear as a celebrity judge at the glee club Nationals competition.

HBO's highly-anticipated film "Game Change" premiered Saturday night, and it sparked many reactions from viewers from both ends of the political spectrum. The film, based on the book of the same name, chronicles the 2008 presidential election from the perspectives of the GOP presidential candidate Sen. John McCain (Ed Harris) and his vice presidential running mate, Sarah Palin (Julianne Moore).

Palin dismissed the HBO film -- airing publicly for the first time on Saturday night -- as unimportant.

In an email to ABC News, Palin said her "family has the right priorities and knows what really matters," according to the Chicago Tribune. As she brushed off the film, she also took a swipe at President Barack Obama for having supporters in the entertainment industry.

Both Palin and McCain have said they won't watch the made-for-tv movie that takes a look inside the behind-the-scenes drama of the 2008 campaign. McCain said "it'll be a cold day in Gila Bend, Arizona" when he views the film.

"Game Change" director Jay Roach said the film humanizes the GOP duo. In a recent interview with CNN, Roach said he wished the two would watch the movie.

Perhaps Alison Brie and Gillian Jacobs should have sent some advanced copies of these photos to a certain group of bigwigs a few days ago?

Brie and Jacobs, two of the lady leads of the cult favorite NBC show "Community," get very down and dirty in a new photo shoot for GQ. Unfortunately for the duo, the show was totally snubbed earlier in the day when the 63rd Primetime Emmy nominations were revealed -- it was expected to perhaps get a Outstanding Comedy Series nomination, at the very least -- but at least they win the award for most willing to push boundaries -- both in comedy and attire.

And in the spirit of the show, Brie, who also stars on "Mad Men," was able to tie the two together. "When you're having sex with someone, it really is similar to putting yourself out there and saying, 'I think this is funny and I hope you laugh,'" she said.

A new generation of "Dallas" is headed for the airwaves.
TNT says it is moving ahead with an updated version of the prime-time soap that aired on CBS from 1978 to 1991. The network announed Friday that the 10-episode season will be broadcast next summer.
"Dallas" veteran Larry Hagman will be back at Southfork Ranch, as will his long-ago co-stars Linda Gray and Patrick Duffy. Hagman will reprise his role as villainous oil baron J.R. Ewing. Gray will again play J.R.'s wife, Sue Ellen, and Duffy returns as his younger brother, Bobby.
The new story focuses on the Ewing offspring as they clash over the future of the family dynasty. Josh Henderson, Jordana Brewster and Brenda Strong are among the newcomers to the cast.
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Online:
http://www.dallastnt.com

It is the pointed and tightly wound, can't-miss-a-word dialogue and slow-burning-til-massive-explosion story lines that set up "Mad Men" to be a perennial award winner, but it is without question that is its actors, with their nuanced performances and emotional journeys, that make the show such a hit.
While Jon Hamm's Don Draper is the undisputed lead, the troubled and mysterious ad man with a dark past and present day jawline that delivers as many messages as his mouth, the show relies almost as much on its female scene-stealer, Joan Holloway, played by the irreplaceable Christina Hendricks.
It's her early 60s charm -- she seems to bow down to the ludicrous male-female paradigm and inequitable power structure of the era, while actually turning it on its ear to run the office and sometimes, the personal lives of its inhabitants -- that make her performance so powerful, but there's no mistaking that her body, matching the curvy ideals of the times, stands out as its own sort of character.
Hendricks, a long-time working actress with roles in shows such as "Firefly" and "Kevin Hill," won the pre-written role based on her acting skills, but the sexy factor inherent in Holloway was something she brought to the character in large part on her own.
"When we did the pilot, that was not something that we discussed as a trait for Joan," she told Parade Magazine. "This is something that's developed as a combination of the costuming on the show, the hair and makeup, my portrayal of the role, and [showrunner] Matt's [Weiner] writing. It all kind of came together and that became much more of a focus later. It was just something the audience brought attention to."
Now, with that mix of textured acting skill and knockout looks, Hendricks' career is truly taking off. She co-stars alongside Sarah Jessica Parker in the upcoming comedy, "I Don't Know How She Does It," playing a working woman in New York City -- but in 2011, not 1964.
""I play Sarah Jessica's best friend and partner in crime. We're sort of these harried, rushed business women and I'm there commiserating with her on the side," Hendricks said of the film. "We're trying to be perfect mothers and perfect business women and perfect wives. It is a dream to work with Sarah Jessica Parker. She's everything you want her to be: She's incredibly smart and talented and gracious and very giving as an actress. I just absolutely adore her."