Megan Mullally Joins ‘Party Down’

Chandra

Two-time Will & Grace Emmy winner Megan Mullally is already rebounding from the recent failure of her 2009 ABC midseason sitcom In the Motherhood. Earlier this week, cable network Starz announced the actress and former talk show host is the latest talent to join the cast of its popular original comedy Party Down.

Megan Mullally

The sophomore series revolves around a group of aspiring entertainers who toil as caterers in Los Angeles while waiting for their big break to finally happen. Mullally is set to play Lydia Dunfree, an optimistic middle-aged single mother of one 13-year-old daughter named — check this out — Escapade.

Since Escapade (I will never get tired of typing that) is an aspiring actress, Lydia relocates them both from their small town to Hollywood in order to put the teenager’s dream in motion, regardless of her inexperience with show business.

Of course, Lydia also ends up working at the show’s central Party Down catering company, where she’ll look for love when she’s not busy earning a living and helping her offspring become famous.

Says Mullally about her new gig: “I’m so excited to be joining Party Down, one of my favorite TV shows. I’m a big fan of the series and really thrilled to have an opportunity to work with such a terrific cast and talented group of writers.” Lucky her and us!

Look for Party Down’s Mullally-flavored second season to launch in April 2010.

Photo: Newscom

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‘Samantha Who?’ Star Heading to Kelsey Grammer Sitcom

Chandra

Samantha Who? may not have made it past a sophomore season, but already former star Melissa McCarthy has lined up a new comedy-TV gig.

Melissa McCarthy

Entertainment Weekly scoops that the Gilmore Girls alumna is next set to appear in another ABC sitcom, the new Kelsey Grammer series Hank.

After describing the upcoming show as “painfully unfunny” (I wouldn’t know personally since I haven’t watched any clips yet), EW reports that McCarthy will have a recurring role portraying a character named Dawn, who just happens to be the sister-in-law of Grammer’s title character via marriage to his brother Grady (The Office’s David Koechner).

Unfunny or not, I’m glad McCarthy will still be around on the small screen next season. Maybe her presence will give the sitcom a much-needed boost if it does actually have problems in the laughs department.

Photo: Melissa McCarthy (Newscom)

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‘Cheers’ Vet Shelley Long Joins ‘Modern Family’

Chandra

Very nice casting news here. TV Guide Magazine reports that Cheers alumna Shelley Long has landed a recurring role on ABC’s highly anticipated upcoming sitcom Modern Family.

Shelley Long

Long will play Dede Pritchett, the former wife of Ed O’Neill’s (Married with Children) lead character Jay. Described as somewhat “fragile” and “searching for herself in the world,” Dede will arrive in town when Jay marries his much hotter and much younger new wife Gloria (The Knights of Prosperity’s Sofía Vergara), a native of Colombia.

According to Modern Family executive producers, although Dede’s original intentions are to right a wrong she committed before leaving the picture, she’ll instead make a huge scene at Jay’s nuptials after downing a little booze. And then I assume much hilarity will ensue.

Incidentally, the Modern Family gig will be Long’s first continuing sitcom role since her work on Frasier, which ended in 2001, and a couple of appearances on the short-lived 2004–2005 ABC comedy Complete Savages. I’m sure many fans will be thrilled to have her back in form, in the genre, and on the small screen.

And, yes — I reckon that’s Scrubs star John C. McGinley standing behind Long to the left in the photo above. They were attending NBC’s 75th Anniversary celebration in 2002, back when Scrubs was still an NBC series. Now both will be on ABC sitcoms, so isn’t that swell?

Photo: Newscom

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‘Scrubs’ Adds Dave Franco

Chandra

Wow, that was fast! Actor Dave Franco, who wrapped up a short-lived stint on the canceled CW dramedy Privileged in February, has already landed another comedy gig. The 24-year-old Greek and Do Not Disturb alum will next appear as a new regular cast member of ABC’s long-running medical sitcom Scrubs.

Dave Franco/Do Not Disturb

According to reports, Franco’s character, Cole, is a rich yet not-too-bright — and proud of it — medical student who will no doubt enjoy special treatment from some since his parents donated an entire wing to the school that will serve as the series’ next primary setting.

One of the people who will not be impressed with him, however, is John C. McGinley’s wry Dr. Perry Cox. Apparently, Cole’s knack for making mistakes — and not giving a damn about it, either — will rub the good doctor every wrong way possible. Sounds like good times to me.

Scrubs is currently in between seasons but will return for a ninth go-round during 2009–2010.

Photo: Fox

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‘Rita Rocks’ Adds Swoosie Kurtz

Chandra

Lifetime’s original comedy Rita Rocks is a very lucky show indeed. The network announced this week that the series has landed Pushing Daisies alumna Swoosie Kurtz for a recurring role during the upcoming sophomore season.

Rita Rocks

Kurtz played eyepatch-wearing Lily Charles on the late great ABC dramedy, and she also recently had a guest-star gig on the “Tiny Bubbles” episode of Showtime’s hit rookie comedy Nurse Jackie, where she played one of Coop’s two moms, alongside fellow veteran actress Blythe Danner.

On Rita Rocks, Kurtz is set to portray a mother yet again, this time that of the garage band-member main character Rita Clemens, played by King of Queens veteran Nicole Sullivan. Now that’s casting worth getting excited about.

Photo: Danny Feld/Lifetime Networks

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