Regis Philbin Replacement: Who Will Fill His Seat?

Who will fill Regis Philbin’s seat on ABC’s Live! with Regis & Kelly?

Here are 10 names making the industry rounds as potential pairings for Kelly Ripa. Some of these celebrities been previously reported and others are new. At least a couple, we’re told, are non-starters. ABC, unfortunately, has no comment. Here’s what we think:

– Ryan Seacrest: You can’t have a major talk show vacancy without his name coming up. He could clearly handle the job. The trick (as is the case with several names below) is working around his existing deals.

– Jeff Probst: The Survivor host is a superb interviewer, he has co-hosted the show in the past, and his contract is up this year.

– Mario Lopez: Another former Live! co-host. We’re told he’s potentially a popular contender, but that his deal with Extra may hold things up.

– Chris Harrison: The Bachelor host is already in the ABC family. If he can handle crazed bachelorettes, surely he can work with sweet Kelly, right?

– Mark Consuelos: Yup, Kelly’s husband. He’s an actor and reality show host. We’re hearing he’s an unlikely choice.

– Chris Cuomo: The 20/20 host is another ABC insider.

– Anderson Cooper: Woulda-coulda-shoulda. He’s busy trying to get his own daytime talk show off the ground.

– Billy Bush: Like Lopez, there’s an entertainment news program deal to work around — this time, with Access Hollywood.

– Neil Patrick Harris: Considered a fantastic substitute co-host on the show. But would he want the gig?

– Mike Rowe: Now this is an interesting name. The Dirty Jobs host and Deadliest Catch narrator has a ton of female fans. Could this blue collar man’s man pull off the celebrity bantering and hamming it up with Kelly? Why, this could be his toughest job yet.

Bonus: Here’s some names floated by other publications: Nick Jonas, Bryant Gumbel, Glenn Beck, Tom Bergeron, and Larry King.

And, yes, all those who are supposedly being considered are men (though one publication did mention Jane Lynch).

Keep in mind that when Kathie Lee Gifford left Live, similar lists circulated the media as producers began to reach out to prospective talent. And you know who wasn’t named on any of those lists? Kelly Ripa.

Neil Patrick Harris & David Burtka: Thrilled to Be Raising Twins

It's double diaper duty and sleepless nights for How I Met Your Mother star Neil Patrick Harris and actor/chef David Burtka – but the couple wouldn't have it any other way.

"Everyone says that it's such a blur after it happens," says Harris of becoming parents to fraternal twins Harper Grace and Gideon Scott, born October 12th via surrogate. "I find myself constantly just trying to wrap my mind around it."

After almost seven years together, Harris, 37, and Burtka, 35, began the surrogacy process and were "thrilled" to discover they were having fraternal twins.

"We inserted two eggs, one with my sperm, one with David's sperm and they both took," says Harris. Holding their children in the delivery room shortly after their birth was "just absolute joy," says Burtka. "We had two babies that we made. With help."

The family just moved into a "more kid-friendly" home in the Hollywood Hills and the twins have a new nursery with an old-school Disney theme park décor. "Harper has been fussy but Gideon is the easiest baby in the world," says Burtka. "They're just now starting to recognize us and smile."

"I just love the way they smell. And we can use them as an excuse to get out of almost anything," adds Harris, jokingly. "That's cleared the calendar in a good way."

For more of Harris and Burtka's interview, including exclusive photos of their twins, pick up this week's issue of People Magazine on newsstands Friday.

Neil Patrick Harris & David Burtka Welcome 'Happy, Healthy' Twins

It's a boy and a girl!

Neil Patrick Harris and partner David Burtka are officially fathers. The actors welcomed twins Gideon Scott and Harper Grace on October 12th, the How I Met Your Mother star announced on Twitter Friday.

"All of us are happy, healthy, tired, and a little pukey," he wrote.

Harris, 37, announced that he and Burtka, 35, were becoming parents in August. "We're super excited/nervous/thrilled. Hoping the press can respect our privacy," he wrote on Twitter at the time.

According to reports, the babies were born with the help of a surrogate.

At the Emmy Awards that month, Harris said he was getting excited about his new role – and doing research. "I'm trying to read as much as I can, and prep as much as I can," he said at the time. "But there's only so much you can do because each baby is super individual and totally their own person."

Betty White, Neil Patrick Harris & "Old Spice" Claim Early Emmys

She won for being naughty on the subject of muffins, and he won – twice – for singing and dancing.

Betty White's Facebook-generated Saturday Night Live hosting gig and Neil Patrick Harris's turns as Tonys host and special guest star on Glee landed both veteran TV stars in the winners' circle at Saturday night's Creative Arts Emmy Awards in Los Angeles.

Though White, 88, was not at the Nokia Theater to collect her prize (her Snickers ad was also up for TV's highest honor), presenters John Lithgow and Clyde Phillips accepted on her behalf.

Meanwhile, Harris, 37, was present and accounted for – and he gave a special shout-out to Los Angeles Times forums moderator Chris "Boomer" Beachum, the newspaper reports. It was Boomer who revealed that the actor was missing from the list of nominees in the category of best special class, as host of the 63rd annual Tony Awards.

Accepting his gold statuette, Harris said, "I just want to thank Boomer from The Envelope, or I wouldn't have gotten this."

Harris, who also thanked his partner and (co-parent-to-be) David Burtka, is up for a best supporting actor in a series, for How I Met Your Mother, at next Sunday's Primetime Emmy Awards.

Saturday's other winners also included Jaime Oliver's Food Revolution (best reality series), previous Emmy-winning Survivor host Jeff Probst (best reality-show host) and Ann-Margret, for her guest -starring role on Law and Order: SVU.

The ad firm Weiden + Kennedy also received a Creative Arts Emmy for its Old Spice commercial, whose star, Isaiah Mustafa, told the Hollywood Reporter before the ceremony, "This is my first awards show, and I get to be nominated alongside Betty White!"

Neil Patrick Harris to Be a Dad – to Twins

Neil Patrick Harris has proven himself to be a talented performer, singer, comedian – and now he's adding father to his list of accomplishments.

Harris, 37, and his longtime partner David Burtka are expanding their family, the How I Met Your Mother actor confirmed Saturday.

"So, get this: David and I are expecting twins this fall," Harris revealed on Twitter. "We're super excited/nervous/thrilled. Hoping the press can respect our privacy..."

According to E! Online, which was first to report the news, the couple are going to become parents with the help of a surrogate.

Happy Birthday to Neil Patrick Harris!

Neil Patrick Harris turns 37 years old today and like fine wine, he just seems to just get finer with each passing year.

The thrice-Emmy nominated star of CBS’s How I Met Your Mother has been busier than ever with his series, a guest spot on Glee, directing a production of Rent at Hollywood Bowl this summer, and an increasing amount of movie work.

Neil has already filmed the features The Best and the Brightest and Beastly and is in New York City now shooting The Smurfs. He stars as a father-to-be who comes across the li’l blue creatures in Central Park.

E! Online’s Marc Malkin asked Neil Patrick Harris if he planned on returning to Glee next season:”I doubt it,” he said. “I loved doing it but I’m very contractually obligated to a different network. … As much as I’m sure they like the recognition of my name involved with Glee, I think they’d prefer my name be involved with How I Met Your Mother. I can hardly blame them.”

For Gay Celebs, 'Out' Is A Matter Of Definition

Anna Paquin, who is engaged to her 'True Blood' co-star Stephen Moyer, has explained the thinking behind her surprise decision to come out as bisexual in a gay rights public service announcement this April.

"I'm not someone who endlessly talks about her personal life for no reason, but obviously, as someone who identifies as bisexual, those are issues I really care about," she told Zap2it on Tuesday. "It wasn't like it was a big secret. It was just a cause I cared about and privately supported, but not one that I had ever had an opportunity to speak out about in a way that would be useful."

In a year of coming out stories, some more surprising than others (Sean Hayes, Ricky Martin, Chely Wright), Paquin's case casts light on the constantly shifting politics of how we view celebrities and sexuality.

Like celebrity pregnancies, the matter of whether a gay star is "out of the closet" or not is one of those things that should be black-and-white, but isn't. If a star is openly gay among friends and family but hasn't issued a press release, are they considered "out"?

For years, Neil Patrick Harris occupied that middle ground that so confounds journalists who want to stick a label on people. He would attend public events with his boyfriend, but given that they stubbornly refused to have the word "gay" tattooed on their foreheads, it was hard to know what to call the relationship in print.

Reporters are in a similar situation right now with a prominent singer and actress that often goes to media events with the same lady by her side. But because there has been no press release, respectable outlets will not report what seems to be the blatantly obvious conclusion: That the couple is in a public lesbian relationship. (Needless to say, many blogs and tabloids do not exercise that restraint.)

So are relationships like that, to use Paquin's words, "a big secret"? Hardly anyone was surprised when Ricky Martin came out as a "fortunate homosexual man," but that didn't mean the press could call him that before he made his statement. (In 1956, Liberace successfully sued the London Daily Mirror for implying that he was gay. He won $22,000 in damages because the paper called him "fruit-flavored.")

Clearly, celebrities feel more comfortable coming out in 2010 because it is not the career-ending revelation that it would have been for an earlier generation of stars, like Montgomery Clift (who never came out) and Tab Hunter (who did). However, even gay-rights supporters would probably agree that the world is not yet ready to accept a publicly gay actor playing a heterosexual romantic lead in a Hollywood blockbuster. Sean Hayes's credibility was recently questioned by a Newsweek reporter (who is also gay) for playing straight in a Broadway musical.

From a journalist's perspective (at least this journalist, who is gay), sexuality should be reported on as merely a fact, like marital status or hair color or whether they own a dog. However, a rising star who could potentially lose an eight-figure paycheck if he or she were disqualified from a leading role would reasonably look at the matter differently.

The only thing which is certain is that attitudes toward gay celebrities are changing to be more tolerant. Perhaps the next generation's Anna Paquin won't have to do a PSA about gay rights, because it won't be necessary.

Neil Patrick Harris Tops the AfterElton Hot 100 List

AfterElton’s annual Hot 100 list is out and Neil Patrick Harris is once again at the head of the class.

Readers cast their votes in recent weeks and the results are a list comprised of male actors, musicians, athletes, and other prominent celebrities.

The AfterElton Hot 100 began in 2007 in response to Maxim’s Hot 100 and allows gay and bisexual men to pick the celebrities they believe to be the most attractive, regardless of sexual orientation.

This year’s Hot 100 features 26 openly gay or bisexual men including second-place Scott Evans as well as John Barrowman, Adam Lambert, Michael Urie, Cheyenne Jackson, Ricky Martin, Luke Macfarlane, Chris Colfer, Jonothan Groff, Chad Allen, Wilson Cruz, Gavin Greel, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, David Burtka, Nick Adams, Dustin Lance Black, Randy Harrison, Tom Ford, Gareth Thomas, Matthew Mitcham, Darryl Stephens, and Robert Gant.

Here is his reaction to his latest honor: “Holy Pete, a repeat!?!Thanks for the votes, gentlemen. I don’t quite know how to respond - it’s always fun to be on the top of a pile of hot dudes? No, umm - it IS a lot more enjoyable the second time you do it? No, no. How about – I’ve always fantasized having these 99 guys behind me? Truly, though, the fact that David and I both made this list means a lot. Mainly, it means that there will be some enthusiastic role playing tonight. So thanks for that.”

Anderson Cooper, the hard-working CNN anchor and 60 Minutes correspondent, doesn’t discuss his sexuality publicly but he did have this reaction to making the list: “I was very humbled and flattered to be number 11 on your list, until I was reminded I was number 9 on it two years ago. Is it my wattle, or the bags under my eyes? Despite my rapid decline, thank you very much. My trainer is also very thankful, because you have just guaranteed his employment for the coming year.”

Other highlights:

– The three actors at the center of the As the World Turns gay love triangle all finished high on the list: Van Hansis, Jake Silbermann and Eric Sheffer Stevens while Brett Claywell who played Kyle on One Life to Live made the cut.

– Movie star Chris Evans has to settle for finishing in 10th place, nine spots behind brother Scott!

– Four Glee stars are included: Colfer, Groff as well as Matthew Morrison and Cory Monteith.

– Queer as Folk stars are still special to readers with Gant, Randy Harrison and Gale Harold all ranking high.

– A-List movie stars are sprinkled throughout: Brad Pitt, Jake Gyllenhaal, George Clooney, Daniel Craig, Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Colin Farrell, Gerard Butler.

Neil Patrick Harris on “Glee” tonight!

Aren’t you just dying with anticipation? I know I am!

Neil Patrick Harris guest stars on tonight’s episode of Glee. He will play Bryan Ryan, a high school glee club nemesis of Will’s (Matthew Morrison) who resurfaces as a board member at William McKinley High School.

Flashback scenes will show Bryan (in a very unfortunate mullet) picking up girls and getting all the cool solos while Will sits off in the sidelines.

The stage for a present-day rematch is set when Harris’ character announces his intent to cut the arts programs at the school.

Show choir ruined his life, made him feel he could be a star, but all he could do is book Carnival cruises. Now he wants vengeance.

New Release Tuesday!

Here are this week's new releases on Blu-Ray, DVD and CD including "Glee: The Music, Volume 3 - Showstoppers" featuring performances by the Glee cast with Idina Menzel, Kristin Chenoweth, Neil Patrick Harris and Olivia Newton-John).



MOVIES
Extraordinary Measures
The Girl on the Tran
Invictus
The Messanger
The Spy Next Door
Valetine's Day
When You're Stranger: A Film About The Doors

MUSIC
The Black Keys - Brothers
Bo Bice - 3
Glee: The Music, Volume 3 - Showstoppers
Janelle Monae - The ArchAndroid
Jimmy Buffet - Encores
Macy Gray - The Sellout
Moby - Wait For Me. Remixes!
The Rolling Stone - Exile On Main Street

TV SHOWS
The Barbara Stanwyck Show - Volume 2
California Dreams - 3rd Season
The Greatest American Hero - Complete Series
Hunter - 2nd Season
The Jeff Dunham Show - Complete Series
Law & Order: Criminal Intent - 5th Year
30 Days - 3rd Season & Complete Series
21 Jump Street - 2nd Season

American Idol’s Texas Showdown: Simon Cowell vs. Neil Patrick Harris

Carrie Underwood is guest starring on How I Met Your Mother, so it’s only fair that Neil Patrick Harris joined Randy, Simon and Kara in Dallas, Texas, Wednesday as the American Idol audition tour rolled on.

Joe Jonas sat in for the second day in Dallas but didn’t have much to say. Maybe he’s too cool. But like Katy Perry in Los Angeles, Harris, who’s also pretty cool, squabbled with one of the judges. He and Simon, it seemed, disagreed more than agreed and their row was highlighted when Kimberly Carver walked in the room. She sang a jazzy original song, which Harris thought was “quite great.” But Simon told him, “Under normal circumstances you wouldn’t be interested. If it was Jazz TV, yes.” Luckily for Harris, Kara and Randy were on his side and Kimberly got a golden ticket to Hollywood. Thirty others from Dallas will join her there.

Lloyd Thomas, a dock worker at an airline and dad to two little girls, sang “Overjoyed” by Stevie Wonder. He turned out to be one of Simon’s favorites.

Erica Rhodes, who once starred on the kids’ show Barney and Friends, came to the auditions in an all-black S&M getup, complete with a whip. Her song of choice was En Vogue’s “Free Your Mind” — and the judges saw past her outfit and sent her through. Maybe they were intimidated?

Tourette’s syndrome didn’t stop Dave Pittman from auditioning — in fact, singing “Bring It on Home to Me” by Sam Cooke momentarily stopped his Tourette’s syndrome. Simon’s verdict: “People are going to like you.”

Todrick Hall, who performed in the musical The Color Purple on Broadway with Idol winner Fantasia, charmed his way to Hollywood with a clever original song about his Idol audition. Randy said it was on of the best he’s seen this season.

A very casually (tank top, jean shorts) dressed Maegan Wright surprised Kara with her version of “To Make You Feel My Love” — “I really liked it,” she said, “I though this was going to be a joke.” Simon liked her dressed-down approach. It made her audition seem effortless.

Those not moving on from the Lone Star State included Julie Kevelighan, who auditioned in Dallas alongside original Idol winner Kelly Clarkson in season 1, but didn’t make it. Despite a sign that said, “This is my year,” her version of “Black Velvet” was a distaster, according to the judges. Simon told her to add a word to her sign so it would say, “This is NOT my year.” Dexter Ward, who was certain he would make it all the way to the finale and win, left in tears after Randy said his audition “looked like it hurt.” (Maybe it did?) And the “super optimistic” Vanessa Johnston, who dressed like a rainbow, sang “At Last.” Simon said her performance was “like what my nightmares look and sound like.” With a smile on her face, she said, “At least you’re dreaming about me.” That is super.

Neil Patrick Harris Now on Twitter – Racks Up More Than 33,000 Followers on First Day!

If his Tweets are anywhere near as clever as his quips, it’s going to be mighty fun following Neil Patrick Harris on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ActuallyNPH.

His profile has this photo of NPH, in character, as Dr. Horrible and his location Hollywoodland.

In his bio, he describes himself this way: I act some. Dig variety acts, Pixar, puppets, theme parks and great meals.

The Emmy-nominated star of the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother posted his first Tweet at around 2 p.m. today: My first tweet, peeps. I apologize in advance for my slow learning curve. Nice to (sort of) meet you. It’s amazing how quickly 140 charac

By 9 p.m. PST, he already had just over 33,000 followers. Of the response NPH Tweeted via twiterrific: Holy Pete, so many responses! Thanks, gang! I’m still trying to figure out which button does what..! And this 140 character limit is craz

61st Primetime Emmy Awards Tonight!

The 61st Primetime Emmy Awards are tonight (Sunday) at 8:00 pm (ET) on CBS. Hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, it looks like two shows will have a stranglehold on the night: Mad Men for Drama and 30 Rock for Comedy, both coming in with an overwhelming lead in total nominations. But will they really prevail?

Check out the nominees for the major categories below and who I think will win, then make you watch along with me tonight to see who wins.

DRAMA SERIES
Big Love
Breaking Bad
Damages
Dexter
House
Lost
Mad Men *

LEAD ACTOR - DRAMA SERIES
Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Hugh Laurie, House *
Gabriel Byrne, In Treatment
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Simon Baker, The Mentalist

LEAD ACTRESS - DRAMA SERIES
Sally Field, Brothers and Sisters
Glenn Close, Damages *
Mariska Hargitay, Law and Order: SVU
Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men
Holly Hunter, Saving Grace
Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer

SUPPORTING ACTOR - DRAMA SERIES
William Shatner, Boston Legal
Christian Clemenson, Boston Legal
Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad
William Hurt, Damages
Michael Emerson, Lost
John Slattery, Mad Men *

SUPPORTING ACTRESS - DRAMA SERIES
Cherry Jones, 24
Rose Byrne, Damages
Sandra Oh, Grey's Anatomy *
Chandra Wilson, Grey's Anatomy
Dianne Wiest, In Treatment
Hope Davis, In Treatment

COMEDY SERIES
30 Rock *
Entourage
Family Guy
Flight of the Conchords
How I Met Your Mother
The Office
Weeds

LEAD ACTOR - COMEDY SERIES
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock *
Jemaine Clement, Flight of the Conchords
Tony Shalhoub, Monk
Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
Steve Carell, The Office
Charlie Sheen, Two and a Half Men

LEAD ACTRESS - COMEDY SERIES
Tina Fey, 30 Rock *
Christina Applegate, Samantha Who?
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, The New Adventures of Old Christine
Sarah Silverman, The Sarah Silverman Program
Toni Collette, United States of Tara
Mary-Louise Parker, Weeds

SUPPORTING ACTOR - COMEDY SERIES
Tracy Morgan, 30 Rock
Jack McBrayer, 30 Rock
Kevin Dillon, Entourage
Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother *
Rainn Wilson, The Office
Jon Cryer, Two and a Half Men

SUPPORTING ACTRESS - COMEDY SERIES
Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock
Kristin Chenoweth, Pushing Daisies
Amy Poehler, Saturday Night Live *
Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live
Vanessa Williams, Ugly Betty
Elizabeth Perkins, Weeds

REALITY SHOW - COMPETITION
The Amazing Race *
American Idol
Dancing With The Stars
Project Runway
Top Chef

HOST - REALITY OR REALITY COMPETITION
Phil Keoghan, The Amazing Race

Ryan Seacrest, American Idol

Tom Bergeron, Dancing With The Stars

Heidi Klum, Project Runway
Jeff Probst, Survivor *
Padma Lakshmi, Top Chef

* My predictions to win

For a complete listing of all nominated shows and actors go to http://www.emmys.com/.

Neil Patrick Harris: 'We'd Make Very Good Parents'

Despite rumors to the contrary, Neil Patrick Harris, star of How I Met Your Mother and host of this year's Emmys says he and partner David Burtka and are not expecting a child – yet.

Still, "We'd make very good parents," Harris, 36, tells New York Magazine. And they're already making one very good couple.

"We yin and yang very well," he tells the magazine. "I'm just bowled over by him. I'm his forever protector, and I'm happiest when he's happy."

But coming to terms with his sexuality in Hollywood wasn't always so easy for the former child star of Doogie Howser, M.D. "I tried ... dating different girls, being the funny, witty guy at the party," he says.

One person that helped inspire him? A gay Real World cast member. Danny Roberts, of The Real World: New Orleans, "was a unique entity at the time, as someone who was seemingly so confident in their own skin," says Harris.

As host of this year's Emmy Awards, Harris jokes that he hoped to include the Muppets – specifically Statler and Waldorf up in the balcony – in the opening number. And while that plan didn't pan out, the actor jokes, with self-mocking air quotes, that he'll make this year's show the "classy Emmys."

Tune in to the show September 20th to see what he means!

First the Tonys, Now the Emmys forNeil Patrick Harris

Okay, Oscars: fair warning. This year's Tonys host Neil Patrick Harris is going to emcee the September 20th Emmy Awards, it was officially announced Monday after word slipped out July 2nd.

"After having had such a hoot hosting the Tonys, I was thrilled to get the call about the primetime Emmys," said the How I Met Your Mother star, 36, the Associated Press reports.

As for "adding my own voice" to the proceedings, which honors TV's best, Harris wonders, "But which voice to choose? I'm torn between gangsta, foppish Brit and robot. Really proud of my robot. We'll see what happens on the night."

The Emmys will air live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles. Before he hosted awards shows, Harris, who has done Broadway, rose to fame as the bright teen doctor on the classic Doogie Howser, M.D. He also lampooned his own image in the Harold and Kumar movies.

Neil Patrick Harris on Having Kids: Maybe Someday

With costars Alyson Hannigan and Cobie Smulders starting families, is How I Met Your Mother star Neil Patrick Harris next?

In a statement to People, Harris, who recently hosted the Tony Awards to great reviews, didn't directly address a report that he and longtime partner, David Burtka, are searching for a surrogate mother except to say, "We are not currently expecting a baby."

But adds Harris, 36, "Maybe someday …"

Neil Patrick Harris to Host 2009 Tony Awards

The Broadway League and American Theatre Wing announced that out actor Neil Patrick Harris will host this year’s Tony Awards live from Radio City Music Hall on Sunday, June 7.

Harris is a TV icon for his role on Doogie Howser, M.D. early in his career and later took a hilarious turn playing himself in Harold and Kumar Go To WhiteCastle. The out actor currently stars on the hit CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother. N.P.H. also starred in Joss Whedon’s Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog.

Harris has won rave reviews for his work in theater on both coasts, starring in Cabaret and Proof on Broadway, and All My Sons and Rent in California productions.

The L.A.Times nominated Harris for the hosting gig, noting the theater aficionado is “currently producing the theatrical mystery show, Accomplice,” which allows participants to experience a live Hollywood mystery, somewhat similar to premise of the film the Game, and he’s, “served multiple times as the host of the Ovation Awards, which honor achievements in Los Angeles theater,” in the past.