NBC announces lineup replacing Leno show

Los Angeles — New and veteran NBC dramas and a comedy produced by Jerry Seinfeld will take over the bulk of the prime-time slots soon to be vacated by Jay Leno.

NBC announced Thursday that the freshman drama “Parenthood” and the relocated “Law & Order” and “Law & Order: Special Victim Units” will fill three slots. Another will go to the comedy panel series “The Marriage Ref” from Seinfeld.

“Dateline NBC” will fill another 9 p.m. CST slot.

The new lineup will debut after NBC’s coverage of the Winter Olympics from Feb. 12-28.

Still in flux was NBC’s effort to make way for Leno’s return to late-night TV by bumping Conan O’Brien and “Tonight” to midnight, a plan O’Brien has rejected. The network was in talks with both hosts.

His show will go into a previously scheduled week of repeats on Jan. 25, NBC said Thursday.

O’Donnell: Time for Leno to step aside

Pasadena, Calif. — Rosie O’Donnell said Thursday that it’s time for Jay Leno to step aside for Conan O’Brien and “not try to flatten his tires before he even gets going.”

NBC is seeking to move Leno into his old 10:35 p.m. “Tonight” show time slot and push O’Brien past 11 p.m. again, after Leno’s prime-time show failed. O’Brien is balking at the move after only seven months at “Tonight,” and a negotiated exit from NBC seems likely.

O’Donnell, talking to reporters while promoting an HBO documentary, said she was a huge fan of O’Brien.

“If you’re privileged enough to drive the bus, you should say, ‘Thank you’ and drive it to the best of your ability, and when it’s time for them to hire a new driver, you should say ‘Thank you for allowing me to drive this as long as I did’ and pass the keys to the new guy with red hair, and not try to flatten his tires before he even gets going,” she said.

O’Donnell was even more blunt on her blog, saying Leno had bullied his way back into college so he could be the quarterback again.

Clooney, MTV working on Haiti telethon

Los Angeles — MTV Networks is working with George Clooney to stage a telethon for Haitian earthquake relief.

MTV spokesman Mark Jafar said Thursday that details are still being worked out.

There’s no word yet about other stars getting involved. But Clooney representative Stan Rosenfield said the actor is in the process of helping organize the telethon, which likely would air Jan. 22 on all MTV Networks — which include VH1, Comedy Central and CMT — as well as on ABC, NBC, HBO and CNN.

Thousands are feared dead after the massive earthquake, and the Caribbean island nation desperately needs aid.

‘Hangover’ cast to appear at Golden Globes

Los Angeles — Expect a hangover at the Golden Globes.

Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which puts on the Globes, says the cast of the summer comedy “The Hangover” will serve as presenters at Sunday’s ceremony, along with Felicity Huffman, Helen Mirren and Samuel L. Jackson.

Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis from “The Hangover” will join previously announced presenters Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Aniston, Josh Brolin, Christina Aguilera, Colin Farrell, Julia Roberts, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jodie Foster, Mel Gibson, Sophia Loren and Cher.

The 67th annual Golden Globe Awards, hosted by Ricky Gervais at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, will be broadcast live on NBC.

Anne Hathaway wins Hasty Pudding award

Cambridge, Mass. — Oscar-nominated actress Anne Hathaway can add another honor to her list: a Hasty Pudding award.

She will receive the award at a roast scheduled for Jan. 28 by Hasty Pudding Theatricals at Harvard University. It’s the nation’s oldest undergraduate drama troupe.

The roast features the Harvard men in drag and takes place after a parade down Massachusetts Avenue near the university in Cambridge, Mass.

Hathaway made her name as a teen in “The Princess Diaries” and has shown her acting range in comedies like “Get Smart” and dramas such as “Brokeback Mountain.”

Recent honorees have included Renee Zellweger, Charlize Theron and Scarlett Johansson.

R&B singer Teddy Pendergrass dies at 59

New York — R&B singer Teddy Pendergrass, who was one of the most electric and successful figures in music until a car crash 28 years ago left him in a wheelchair, has died of colon cancer. He was 59.

Pendergrass died Wednesday in suburban Philadelphia, where he had been hospitalized for months.

The singer’s son, Teddy Pendergrass II, said his father underwent colon cancer surgery eight months ago and had “a difficult recovery.”

Before the crash, Pendergrass established a new era of R&B with a raw voice that symbolized masculinity, passion and the joys and sorrow of romance in songs such as “Close the Door,” “It Don’t Hurt Now,” “Love T.K.O.” and other hits that have since become classics.

‘One Tree Hill’ actor Tanner gets prison

New York — An actor from the popular TV drama “One Tree Hill” will spend three months in prison for dealing in stolen Social Security numbers.

A Brooklyn judge ordered Antwon Tanner on Wednesday to report to prison on April 30. He’ll serve five months in home detention after he’s released.

Tanner is known for his TV role as a high school basketball star-turned-coach. He also appeared with Samuel L. Jackson in the 2005 movie “Coach Carter.” He admitted selling more than a dozen Social Security numbers for $10,000 to an undercover agent.