It's a strange frightening world we live in where Arrested Development gets cancelled but NBC keeps Joey running even though its ratings, to use the scientific term, "really suck." So why does NBC not yank it from the lineup? According to today's issue of EW, Matt LeBlanc gets paid no matter what, and the network would have to pay a penalty to Warner Brothers if the show were cancelled early. Basically, it's just cheaper for NBC to keep the show going. If that's how shows live or die in TV land, I may just turn off the set for good and start entertaining myself with finger puppets. 

I loved Everybody Hates Chris, and apparently I wasn't the only one with love for Hate, because more folks tuned into see the first episode of the series based on Chris Rock's childhood than tuned in to see Joey, which isn't based on Chris Rock's childhood. Yes, a UPN show actually got more viewers than an NBC show. That's pretty freakin' impressive, Mabel. Let's just hope the creators don't get caught up in all the hype and continue to make a good show.

John Larroquette played one of my favorite television characters of all time, Dan Fielding, on the hilariously irreverent series Night Court. Unfortunately, after Night Court it seems like Larroquette lost his audience. He went on to star in his own series after Night Court ended its run, and while The John Larroquette Show lasted three years (which isn't bad for a sitcom) it never really found its voice. Nevertheless, Larroquette still pops up from time to time (and the fact that he won an Emmy for a guest spot on The Practice means he's still got the chops). He'll be returning to NBC to appear in two episodes of Joey opposite Matt LeBlanc. His first appearance will be on September 29. One more bit of Larroquette trivia: he was the narrator who read the opening text in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

No, it's not a stripper! It's Miguel Nunez, Jr., who will play a fellow actor who becomes good friends with Joey Tribbiani.

Look, they can add the Muppets to this show and film the whole thing underwater, as long as gets funny.

• Out: Law and Order: Trial By Jury, American Dreams, Medical Investigation, Committed, The Contender, Third Watch.
  
• New: The Apprentice: Martha Stuart, Three Wishes, E-Ring, Fathom, Inconceivable, My Name Is Earl, Thick and Thin, Four Kings.
• Returning: Scrubs, Fear Factor, Las Vegas, The Biggest Loser, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Law & Order, Joey, Will & Grace, The Apprentice, ER, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Crossing Jordan, Medium.
  
• Moving: The West Wing (Sundays, 8-9 p.m. EST), The Office (Tuesdays, 9:30-10 p.m. EST), Dateline NBC (Fridays 9-10 p.m. EST).

Read on for show descriptions.

When President Bush held his press conference on the first night of sweeps (and a Thursday to boot), many shows were knocked off the air for the night. CBS decided to go with pushing back Survivor: Palau and CSI (which meant Without A Trace didn't air), and NBC skipped Joey and Will and Grace and went right to The Apprentice at 9. So, the shows that got pre-empted will now air as follows: Without A Trace will air the episode tomorrow night (Weds) at 9, right after that you've-got-to-be-kidding-me Dr. Phil special with Pat O'Brien (hey, is it really a good thing to air that in the 8 pm hour?). At NBC, they'll air the Joey and Will and Grace eps this Thursday, and the episode of Joey that was supposed to air this Thursday will air after another new episode on May 12. The Will and Grace episode that was supposed to air this Thursday will now air on Tuesday, May 10, at 9:30? Got that? I don't think Joey would have all that straight. How you doin?  

President Bush will break into primetime tonight (the first night of sweeps!?) with a live press conference at 8 p.m. EST. He'll tackle the wildly popular topics of Social Security reform and rising energy prices. All the while, Americans will be thanking him for interupting Joey and not doing this last night and throwing off the whole Lost/American Idol times. The White House did move up the telecast because some networks *cough*CBS*cough* didn't want to postpone their highly rated shows. I always try and stay netral in politics on blogs, but I must give some credit to this President, he sure doesn't interupt TV much and his speeches are usually pretty short. Now back to our regular programming...