TV Hullabloo

The writers' strike isn't stopping CBS. The eye network announced yesterday the second season of The New Adventures of Old Christine will premiere January 28th. CBS also revealed the next edition of Survivor -- the 16th overall -- will kick off February 7th, while Jericho will return for a second season February 12th. That same night, a new season of Big Brother will also begin. Combining these premieres with the writers' strike, CBS has decided to pull The Big Bang Theory, Rules of Engagement, Cane and The Unit from its schedule next month...

NBC announced yesterday Law & Order will return to the network's primetime schedule with a two-hour episode January 2nd...

According to a TV Guide poll, 89 percent of respondents gave a jeer to MARIE OSMOND'S recent wind-up doll performance on Dancing with the Stars, while nine percent cheered it. Another two percent felt that was the moment Osmond jumped the shark...

The King is Dead...On..

DONNY OSMOND has apologized to LARRY KING for statements he made after the talk show host disclosed that MARIE OSMOND's 16-year-old son had entered a rehab facility.

Donny told Today show co-anchor MEREDITH VIEIRA in a taped interview that aired Monday, quote, "I was very upset about it. I thought it was very unfair for Larry King to throw that question at Marie the way that he did." Then Donny learned shortly after the CNN interview on November 14th that the tabloids were about to break the story. That prompted him to explain to NBC's Today show yesterday, "I have to back up and apologize publicly to Larry King because I came out and said some things against him. In hindsight, Larry King did Marie a favor. She was able to make a statement about the situation. ...And so she's grateful to Larry."

In related news, the siblings and former Donny and Marie Show stars are going to reunite for seven shows at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas starting on July 17th. Donny announced to Entertainment Tonight, quote, "For years and years Marie and I have been talking about working together again. The timing is right. The two of us can hardly wait."

The DTWS Diet!

Want to lose weight? Sign up for Dancing with the Stars. The upcoming issue of TV Guide magazine reports that MARK CUBAN dropped 34 pounds by the time he was eliminated from the show. MARIE OSMOND has lost 25 pounds, saying, quote, "I feel so much stronger and younger." MELANIE BROWN also says she's feeling fit, although she claims her rear end has grown in size. Maybe all that dancing will come in handy when Mel B tours with the SPICE GIRLS beginning next month.

Brown isn't the only Dancing with the Stars contestant pulling double duty. Mathison shuttles back and forth with partner EDYTA SLIWINSKA from Los Angeles to New York as he continues work on All My Children. He tells TV Guide magazine, quote, "If you combine all our miles, we've [each] flown around the planet twice. It's about 100 thousand miles so far."

Super Osmonds!

MARIE OSMOND has no plans to drop out of Dancing with the Stars following the death of her father earlier this week. She missed Tuesday night's results show after her father, 90-year-old GEORGE OSMOND, died earlier in the day, but ABC says the singer will remain on the show as a contestant.

Marie, her brother DONNY and other family members will also keep their commitment to appear on this Friday's Oprah Winfrey Show. According to Entertainment Tonight, Donny and Marie will pay tribute to their late father with a performance of The Donny and Marie Show theme song. Donny told Entertainment Tonight that he will also sing "Soldier of Love."