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Jan 16 2008 -

Dec 30 2007 - In an article on the Top Shows of 2007 at The Orlando Sentinel, CSI is listed as #5 - "The long-running drama displayed new bursts of energy and creativity. The departure of Sara Sidle (Jorja Fox) was the show at its best."

Dec 29 2007 - Check out these YouTube videos for more on the Writers Strike and CSI:

• CSI Miami and strike
  
• Gary Dourdan on strike line
  
• Pam Veasey/writer on strike line
  
• Paul Haggis, Marjorie David, Scott Wilson (aka Sam Braun)
  
• Marg Helgenberger on strike lines
  
• David Rambo, part 1/2
  
• David Rambo, part 2/2
  
• William Petersen on E.T.

Dec 27 2007 - Carol Mendelsohn wrote a piece for MovieCityNews in which she talks about how she got into writing. "I was one of the first viewers to loyally embrace television.  I was only three when my family's first black and white TV set was plugged into the living room wall.  It was more cabinet than TV, but I loved it with a passion that has consumed my entire life. I quickly became a walking encyclopedia of TV facts and trivia.  I watched everything, which in Chicago was only three network stations and the great WGN, Channel 9, which played Hollywood movies, all day and all night, when the Cubs weren't in season." ... "In study hall, while others were studying, I was conjuring up episodes of the Big Valley and The Virginian in my head.  I could hear the voices of my favorite characters.  And when a line I made up didn't sound right, I'd rewrite it.  Some things never change. I never told anyone about these 'voices'.  I didn't want to be labeled as a crazy.  It wasn't until I got my first staff job that I confessed my eccentricity.  And that's when I discovered that someone else heard voices, too. Writers hear voices.  Which is why I never think of writing as writing.  To me, it's more like dictation.  Which raises a fundamental question.  If I'm not doing the writing, who is? ... Due to the overwhelming sense of camaraderie and solidarity I now feel toward all writers on the picket lines, at Friday rallies and membership meetings, I can be honest here.  I believe that when certain WGA members pass on, they go to a Writers Room in the sky.  And when you are stuck on a scene or a story isn't working, if you just 'knock on the door of the universe' before you go to sleep and ask for help, those Writers in the Sky will pull an all-nighter and have a fix for you in the morning.  REST at link above.

Dec 24 2007 – The Chicago Tribune reported that “Actor William Petersen, who's from Evanston and stars in "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," dropped the ceremonial first puck before the [Blackhawks] game.”

Dec 24 2007 – Singer Shooter Jennings will sing two songs on the Jan. 10 episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. "It's awesome for my music to be recognized and chosen by these music supervisors, who I'm sure had their pick of any country artist in Nashville," said Jennings. "We had a blast during the taping, and this is a great avenue to get songs like 'This Ol Wheel' and 'Higher,' which are crowd favorites, heard by the masses." Jennings will also perform on The Late Show With David Letterman on Jan. 2nd. Source: www.cmt.com. *** TV Guide added - Jennings said: “Jewel is in the episode, too.The CSI music supervisor decided on me and [my band, the .357s] and called. I was like, 'F--k, yeah, we'll do it!' The episode is set in Vegas during Rodeo Week and we're the band playing in a honky-tonk bar. We're performing two songs off the new record, 'This Old Wheel' and 'Higher,' and this massive fight breaks out between a prostitute and a buckle bunny [rodeo groupie]!” The episode tfollows the CSI team as they investigate two murders during the annual bull riding rodeo in Las Vegas, which may be connected to illegal bull breeding. Jewel is set to make a cameo appearance performing the national anthem at the rodeo event. *** The Tennessean added: ""They were looking for a scene at a country bar, and they needed a band," said Shooter Jennings, the twang-happy son of country legend Waylon Jennings. "Right now, I'm looking hard to find avenues outside of country radio. I wish the radio would embrace me and a couple of other people. I wish their heads weren't so far up their own (expletive) with it. I'm so in love with country music and the history, and I want to keep it alive and pumping and bring it to the kids and do good for country. But country radio thinks we're not their market, or that they need an older audience."

Dec 24 2007 – Several articles on the Writers' Guild strike and CSI:

• Contact Music - Dec 19: Marg Helgenberger revealed that 'the Golden Globe Awards will be far from starry because so many celebrities are planning to stay away, if the striking writers picket the event as planned. Speaking from the picket lines in a rain-soaked Hollywood on Tuesday (18Dec07), Helgenberger said, "I already know there's many nominees that have already called my husband and said they aren't crossing the picket lines."
• BuddyTV- Dec 07: "I have so many friends that are writers and they do what I can't do, and I think that's why actors have come out in droves on the picket line" Helgenberger, who plays Catherine Willows on CSI, told Entertainment Tonight.  "We rely on them to speak, we rely on them to give us the words that make people think and make people feel, and we're just sort of the instrument that brings that to life."
• Statesman - Nov 23: University of Texas graduate Joe Conway worked for many years as an English teacher at St. Stephen's Episcopal School. He wrote the screenplay for the 2004 movie 'Undertow' and is working on an original script, 'The Other Side,' about an American forced to walk in the shoes of an illegal immigrant. Just before talks broke down Nov. 4 between the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Pictures and Television Producers, Conway finished the first draft of a new script, 'Part Time Crime.' The next day, he joined a picket line in Los Angeles. Day 1: According to our union leaders, we're each expected to put in 4 hours a day, 5 days a week on the picket lines. No sweat, I think, but as I enter my third hour marching back and forth in front of the studio gate, it occurs to me that striking is hard work. Almost as hard as writing. I do a lot of pacing when I write, yeah, but I'm usually not also struggling to hold a sign over my head in a stiff wind. Raleigh Studios, I discover, is where a lot of popular TV shows are taped: "CSI: Miami," "Boston Legal," "Medium." The Screen Actors Guild is supportive of our strike but its contract doesn't expire until spring 2008, so the actors continue to work, at least until their scripts run out. Now and then I see an actor I recognize drive through the studio gates. One of my great thrills on this day is when the guy who plays the janitor on "Scrubs" rolls down his car window and tells me to "Hang in there, brother."
• Washington Post - Nov 20: Farrelly said he was on hand to support the disabled actors and writers who bolstered the Warners picket line for the day. Most Farrelly brothers films feature at least one character with physical or mental disabilities. "We're used to fighting to get what we want; we do it 24/7," said Robert David Hall, a disabled actor on "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" who joined the picket line in a wheelchair. "Their demands are incredibly reasonable."
• Hollywood Today - Nov 19: Levitan and the other show runners are coordinating closely with Patric Verrone and the Writers Guild negotiating committee, which itself is loaded with Showrunners like Marc Cherry, creator of “Desperate Housewives” and Carol Mendelsohn of “CSI.” That was done on purpose to put the Showrunners front and center in the guild leadership, unlike the writer's strike in 1988, when Showrunners ended up being a divisive force. This time around, the Guild laid the groundwork in advance of the job action to ensure that Showrunners would be with them.
• USA Today - Nov 15 - Among other stars who showed up to support the strikers: George Eads (CSI). "Since the pilot, we've hashed things back and forth with the writers to make things more conversational. I've had a couple of meltdowns on the set. I feel horrible putting a pen to the page at all. For eight years I've been working toward this point of being more of a presence on this show, and it's happening now — with a love interest. She's a social worker whose beauty radiates from within. But now this is all put on the shelf (until the strike ends)."
• Eonline - Nov 14: "There isn't an actor I talk to who hasn't felt what the writers are going through," said CSI star William Petersen, who was there with costars Marg Helgenberger, Wallace Langham and other show folks.
• Hollywood Today - Nov 08: “The writers wanted to make a deal and were willing to negotiate until there was a deal, but the other side never made us an offer, never put an economic package on the table, so here we are on the picket line,” said Carol Mendelsohn, Executive Producer and Co-Creator of the CBS hit “CSI,” who is a member of the guild negotiating committee. … The producers are negotiating the same way they manage, so it isn't a complete surprise, according to Donald Todd: “Most of us, especially the show runners, have been in this business long enough to know how we're dealt with, and we accept it. We understand they're going to bring a non-starting deal to start. It's going to waste time. Then they are going to back off and call it a concession. That is the way our day to day operations are…so there's no reason to believe they would behave any differently on the larger issues, and that's exactly what they did.” “Nobody has anything to win in a strike,” added Carol Mendelsohn. “The writers aren't trying to win anything. The writers are just trying not to lose what they already have. If management takes away all the money they want to take away now, next time they are going to come after our pension and health benefits. So this is an issue that affects unions and guilds everywhere. This is a moment the writers happen to be on the front line.”
• Variety - Nov 07: On the picket lines, the showrunner rally -- held in front of the Walt Disney Studios -- brought out a who's who of big name scribes, among them Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse ("Lost"), Marc Cherry ("Desperate Housewives"), Shonda Rhimes ("Grey's Anatomy"), Neal Baer ("Law & Order: SVU"), Carol Mendelsohn ("CSI"), Josh Schwartz ("Chuck"), Shawn Ryan ("The Unit"), Alan Ball ("Six Feet Under"), Greg Daniels ("The Office") and Joss Whedon ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer").
• Backstage - Nov 02: The TV regulars with whom Back Stage spoke expressed concern about the strike but in general were not extremely worried about productions shutting down, saying it's out of their hands. "You read about this stockpiling of scripts, but in TV you don't have enough manpower or hours in the day to stockpile," said Marg Helgenberger, star of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and Rosenberg's wife. "You'd have to have three staffs working 24/7 to make that happen; that's not how it works." Helgenberger said she has kept tabs on the strike through CSI executive producer-writer Carol Mendelsohn, who is on the WGA negotiating committee. Helgenberger said Mendelsohn, like Counter, hopes a strike can be avoided. "[She is] hopeful that something's going to be hammered out.... I think they're going to be far apart from what we want, but she seems to think there will be some kind of compromise that will be amenable. Because she has a show to run, she doesn't want to strike," said Helgenberger, adding, "It seems there's enough worrying out there as it is — so many people wringing their hands. I'm not going to join the wringing of the hands."
• Variety 0 Oct 28: The disagreement's certain to put added pressure on showrunners to decide which union -- the WGA or the DGA -- should have the final word on interpreting the hardline strike rules, issued three weeks ago. Four showrunners (Neal Baer of "Law & Order: SVU," Marc Cherry of "Desperate Housewives," Carlton Cuse of "Lost" and Carol Mendelsohn of "CSI") are members of the WGA negotiating committee. "It is an essential element of our basic agreement that the guild not only refrain from striking during the term of the basic agreement, but also that the guild assure employers that our members will continue to perform DGA-covered services during the term of the basic agreement," the Directors Guild said. "These provisions are treated very seriously by the companies and the courts, and we take these obligations very seriously as well."
• Watching CSI - CSI producer/writer David Rambo wrote to fans: What made the delivery extra special was that it arrived just as Jorja Fox started walking the line with us.[David Berman, William Petersen and Robert David Hall joined the line a few days earlier] We are all grateful, thank you – Now, in all seriousness, I have to tell you that food and water are turning out to be in bountiful supply at our picketing spot. The generosity of fans, agents, production offices, and others is overwhelming. We talked about this phenomenon on the line today, and wanted to let you know that we're more than well cared-for. In fact, we're beginning to feel a little guilty that you and others have been so generous. What we'd really like most, if you do want to continue to show support for our strike, would be for the fans to make additional donations to CASA in honor of the striking writers. That way, our strike is helping others in far less fortunate circumstances in addition to protecting our writers' rights. Would you mind sharing this request with any fansites you think would like to know? By the way, there is an excellent short video that tells the story of the really simple issue at stake on YouTube. The address is (see link above) The CSI fans are the greatest. All of us on the show — writers, producers, cast and crew — are grateful for your support at this challenging time. Thank you very much, David Rambo
• Watching CSI: Gary Sinise chatted with writers as they picketed a CSI:NY shoot in downtown Los Angeles. “Pretty soon, we will all be out of a job,” Sinise told Writers Guild Assocation. members who peppered him with applause and thank-yous.

Dec 24 2007 - Entertainment Today lists celebrity Christmas memories. Marg Helgenberger says, “My tradition is doing my holiday shopping on the fly. Whenever I have a chance throughout the year, I pick up my gifts for everyone. Gift by gift, I find them, sometimes in the most unusual places. But when I see something perfect for a family member or friend, I get it, even it it's July. By the end of the year, all my shopping is done, and I'm not stressed out.” And the New York Post mentioned that 'there's a new site called gigglefishgifts.com which features "eco-friendly" gifts made from recycled or sustainable materials. The site's attracted some heavyweight celebs, including Heidi Klum, Jennifer Garner, Liz Phair, Marg Helgenberger, Ellen Pompeo and many more.'

Dec 24 2007 - MarylandDaily reports that CBS Broadcasting, Inc. has asked that all toy CSI: Crime Scene Investigation "fingerprint examination kits" and "field kits "be pulled off store shelves and not be sold because fingerprint powder in the kits may be contaminated with asbestos. Public Justice, America's public interest law firm, wrote to CBS late last week on behalf of the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, requesting a meeting to discuss ADAO's findings that all five kits from lot "AG 100" that it tested were contaminated. CBS, toy manufacturer Planet Toys, ADAO, and Public Justice met Tuesday and discussed the discrepancy between ADAO's test results and the results of independent tests commissioned by Planet Toys that did not find asbestos in other samples. Planet Toys reported that tests of kits from lot “AG 100" found no asbestos. Some kits, however, may be contaminated while others are not. The parties are working together to develop a protocol for further testing. In the meantime, CBS has asked Planet Toys to remove the product from the market. “Given the grave health risks associated with asbestos exposure, ADAO agrees with CBS that the toy kits should be removed from retail shelves. They should also be placed out of reach in homes until the testing dispute is resolved," said Linda Reinstein, ADAO Executive Director. "Once asbestos is inhaled or swallowed, the damage is irreversible.”

Dec 23 2007 – In an article at the Edmonton Journal on an Edmonton Oilers game, it said…. CHICAGO - William Petersen, better known as CSI investigator Gil Grissom on the CBS crime drama, didn't have to be called down from the stands to solve this one. This was just one more case of the Edmonton Oilers failing to turn a 2-1 lead into two valuable points. On the eve of the NHL's holiday break, the Oilers were defeated 3-2 by the Chicago Blackhawks at the United Center on Sunday night. … OIL DROPS -- Petersen was not only in the building, but in a Blackhawks jersey. He dropped the puck ... On his first shift, in his first fight, Stortini had to answer to Ben Eager for an earlier check. He dropped his gloves, but the bout did go to the Blackhawks winger.

Dec 21 2007 - Entertainment Today reports on Celebrity Christmas Memories - Marg Helgenberger, star of the CBS hit drama CSI, says, “My tradition is doing my holiday shopping on the fly. Whenever I have a chance throughout the year, I pick up my gifts for everyone. Gift by gift, I find them, sometimes in the most unusual places. But when I see something perfect for a family member or friend, I get it, even it it's July. By the end of the year, all my shopping is done, and I'm not stressed out.”

Dec 20 2007 - BuddyTV profiled Marc Vann, who plays CSI supervisor Conrad Ecklie. “Quite simply, Grissom is more respected, and is a better CSI. Ecklie is competitive. So mostly, it's professional jealousy and the fact that Grissom doesn't always do stuff by the book, or the way Ecklie thinks it should be done. In Ecklie's mind that's a formula for eventual disaster. And, Grissom is well liked by his subordinates, which drives Ecklie nuts. That's not a winning formula for good management, in Ecklie's mind,” said Vann. Part of Ecklie's distaste for Grissom also stems from his belief that Grissom is as career-minded as he is. As such, Ecklie often assumes that Grissom's requests for delays or equipment are attempts to sabotage him and does not appear to have qualms about retaliating…. “I would like to see Ecklie do something truly heroic, we think he's changed, and then turn right around and be his old prickly self. Or, to see an opportunity for there to be a shift in the relationship with Grissom or with the team, but Ecklie just ultimately won't go there. That, to me, would be realistic, and tragic, and decidedly human,” he said.

Dec 13 2007 - Star Telegram said of tonight's episode ... A first-run episode features a timely plot line about dog fighting (“Lying Down with Dogs”); a performance by co-star Robert David Hall's cheekily named band Dr. Robbins and the DeComps; and an appearance by Dennis Christopher, who after dozens of roles (including a brief appearance in the most recent CSI) is still best-known for playing the leg-shaving bike racer in the charming 1979 sleeper Breaking Away. CTV added One series regular will be showing off his special skills on an upcoming episode of the investigative hit, "CSI." Robert David Hall, who plays Dr. Albert Robbins, will perform on the show with his group, "Dr. Robbins & The DeComps Band."

Dec 13 2007 - Whittier Daily said: Five inspiring role models for young people were recognized by Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Los Angeles and the Inland Empire at the annual Rising Stars Gala held at the Beverly Hilton. The honorees included Mark Goldston, Ann Daly, Carla J. Christofferson, Katherine E. Goodman and Laila Ali. Jason Alexander hosted the evening, which raised $850,000 for local Big Brothers/Big Sisters' programs. Actor Gary Sinise and The Lt. Dan Band entertained the more than 700 guests. Honorary gala dinner co-chairwomen were Sherry Lansing and Melanie Cook, along with event chairwoman Pam Dawber. … Dr. Drew Pinsky of Pasadena emceed the gala, which featured a compelling WordTheatre performance, "Mysteries of the Mind" created especially for the event by Cedering Fox and featuring Blair Bess, Jon Tenney, Gary Dourdan, Catherine Dent, Richard Schiff, Lisa Gay Hamilton, Tess Harper and John Heard with music by Amy Keys and Nelson Kole.

Dec 12 2007 - PRWeb press release - The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) is proud to have provided its expertise to the hit primetime television series, “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” for an upcoming episode focusing on the brutal and illegal world of dog fighting—and helping to educate millions of Americans in the process, on the inhuman and inhumane nature of this fiendish practice. The episode, titled “Lying Down with Dogs,” is slated to air on Thursday, December 13th (9:00-10:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. It was created in close consultation with two of the ASPCA's on-staff experts on anti-cruelty, who are considered leaders in their fields: Dr. Randall Lockwood, senior vice president, Anti-Cruelty Initiatives, and Dr. Melinda Merck, forensic veterinarian and the country's only “animal CSI.” With over 40 years of collective experience between them, Drs. Lockwood Merck have assisted in the investigation and prosecution of hundreds of dog fighting and animal cruelty cases, including the 2006 Atlanta “puppy torture case,” and the recent Michael Vick case. “We applaud CSI's brave decision to feature a storyline exposing the barbaric act of dog fighting—an abominable form of animal cruelty,” said ASPCA President & CEO, Ed Sayres. “By showcasing the cruel realities of dog fighting, “CSI” is helping us greatly to elevate public awareness of this crime, which we believe will help to further galvanize the public in taking action against cruelty to animals.” At the close of the episode, CBS will also air a CBS Cares anti-cruelty public service announcement featuring “CSI” star, William Petersen and his dog, Bruno. Tens of thousands of people in the United States are involved in professional dog fighting, and many more are involved in street fighting, an informal form of dog fighting, often involving young people. Dog fighting is illegal in all 50 states. For more information on dog fighting and anti-cruelty, and to learn what you can do to fight it, please visit www.fightcruelty.org.

Dec 11 2007 - Gary Dourdan turned 41.

Dec 06 2007 - Zap2it.com's critic broke down and watched CSI, because Warrick was in the front of the drama in “Cockroaches.” The episode was directed by movie great William Friedkin of The French Connection fame, and it shows. The irony, of course, is that Friedkin launched William Petersen's career, but Gil Grissom is almost peripheral to the story. Nope, it's all about Warrick, and Warrick wears it well. …. I loved the scene where Warrick and Candy end up together -- and that's only partially because a shirtless Gary Dourdan is an inspiring sight. Just the combination of the white room, Warrick's messed-up perspective, the hypnotic background music and the layered voices really worked for me.

Dec 06 2007 – The Sun-Times does not bemoan the loss of Jorja Fox, as they say the real star of CSI are the special effects. "CSI's" graphical graffiti is so whiz-bam cool, its success as pop iconography reminds me of the "Simpsons" episode where Homer goes to space and thinks he'll be a hero for saving a space shuttle. But instead, the metal rod he uses to keep the shuttle door shut becomes the hero, as Time magazine proclaims, "In Rod We Trust." "CSI" is just like that. Sure, the detectives are wily, but where would they be without machines that analyze hair, fiber, bullets, wood, blood and all that junk? Where would they be without super-cool and offbeat closeups of dying people, and camera angles that spin in slow motion around bodies falling from windows? … But certainly, much of the appeal comes from that fancy artwork, which looks better than it ever has. While that chef lectured about taste buds, you saw a sleek montage: a woman libidinously lipping down on food, a closeup of a graphically enhanced tongue and a virtual tour of how brain endorphins shoot through the human body. READ MORE AT THE LINK ABOVE.

Dec 05 2007 - USA Today says "Keep those corpses coming," in regards to CSI's eighth season. It is " showing few signs of wear in its eighth season, ranking as TV's top scripted series (21.1 million viewers) and enjoying critical acclaim for recent episodes." The episode "Cockroaches" reunites William Petersen with director William Friedkin, who gave the actor his start in the movies in 1985's To Live and Die in L.A. "It's amazing in our eighth year to have stuff that gets us this excited," says Petersen, who plays team leader Gil Grissom. (Another possible event, having Two and a Half Men writers pen a CSI episode and vice versa, began in jest last summer, but nothing has been formally discussed, says Jonathan Littman, president of Jerry Bruckheimer Television, which produces CSI.) … As with all scripted shows, momentum likely will be slowed by the Hollywood writers' strike. After tonight's episode, only two more originals are scheduled, including one on Dec. 13. Another wild card awaits: the future of Petersen, the center of the CSI ensemble. His contract ends after this season. Some people on the "Cockroaches" set, including Friedkin, referred to this season as the actor's last on the show. Petersen says he hasn't decided. "As we all think in our jobs, 'I could be doing something else.' I think that's true for me and for Grissom. So we have to solve that somehow," he says. He took a break last season to act in a play and plans to act in one in Chicago next November. New contract talks haven't started, Littman says. If Petersen left, CSI would go on, but he wants the actor to stay. "We would never want to lose Billy." ***** And in USA Today, William Petersen said of Friedkin: "I have a movie career because of him. He's the first guy I ever learned from in terms of film.” Friedkin first saw Petersen when the young stage actor performed in A Streetcar Named Desire in Toronto. He was impressed by Petersen's interpretation of Stanley Kowalski, nothing like Marlon Brando's memorable depiction of the character. And he noticed Petersen's appeal. "There were all these young women coming to see Streetcar," he says. When Friedkin cast Petersen in L.A., he says he got more than a good actor. "He had played football. He did almost all his own stunts." Tonight's CSI episode, "Cockroaches," will be less of a procedural and more open-ended as it follows the troubles of Warrick, who is being pulled down by a pill addiction, a divorce and the work uncertainty caused by the departure of longtime colleague Sara Sidle (Jorja Fox). In the process, he becomes a murder suspect during an investigation of Vegas' new Mob. Warrick is feeling alienated, Dourdan says. The actor, however, feels just the opposite, enjoying the deeper character exploration and the fresh take of a new director on a well-oiled series in its eighth year. "There's a lot of energy. I feel in heaven right now to be working with (Friedkin)," Dourdan says. "The last time it was like this was when (Quentin) Tarantino directed" the fifth-season finale. Fox's departure also has added a twist to keep this season from feeling routine for both cast and characters. It's life imitating art, or vice versa, says Petersen, who plays CSI team leader Gil Grissom. He says he will miss Fox and that her character's "graceful exit" makes it likely she will return in a future episode. "This changes a whole lot of things for Grissom," who was Sara's lover, he says. Finally, "He was seemingly able to commit to another person. We'll see how he deals with that." And there's more at Seattle P.I. as well.

Dec 06 2007 - Celebrity Truth said The star of television's 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation', Gary Dourdan, has declared that he's frightened of Hollywood's video paparazzi, telling the US magazine TV Guide that they invade celebrity's "private space". Dourdan had a run-in with a video paparazzi from gossip website TMZ in July, who claimed that Dourdan "violently grabbed our photog outside Hyde, who the actor had mistaken for another guy, and slammed him to the pavement several times, sending his head bouncing into concrete over and over again - all while his camera continued to roll." At the time, a spokesperson for Dourdan told E! News that, "It's our belief that this is a minor incident, exaggerated by an eager paparazzo in order to create a story." The actor still stands by this statement. "I just tried to turn his camera off," Dourdan explains to TV Guide. "The video guys are getting to be a problem. They tape everything you're doing. It's like, 'Wait a minute, you're invading my private space. Stop following me and taping my private conversations with my friends. My license plate. Everything." Dourdan continues, "You start to feel like you're being violated. And I'm not alone. Alot of [celebrities] have had problems with video camera guys. It's scary." 

Dec 03 2007 - Eonline: Gary Dourdan will guest deejay on Thursday at the launch party of clothing line Re:volve at Ron Robinson-Fred Segal in West Hollywood.

Nov 29 2007 – Robert David Hall is mentioned in an article on Legalized Discrimination in Hollywood. Excerpts: Actor Danny Murphy wants to change the world so performers with disabilities are counted and recognized. Murphy, who has been a quadriplegic since a diving accident at the age of 19, serves as the National Vice Chair of the Screen Actors Guild Performers with Disabilities (PWD) Committee. By participating in a national role, Murphy shares his voice to achieve notice for the entire disabled community through the PWD agenda. …. Murphy is co-producing “The History of Bowling,” at The NoHo Arts Center in North Hollywood, CA, March 7 – April 13, 2008, with Open At The Top theatre productions. The play, which was written by disabled playwright Michael Ervin, will also feature performers with disabilities. Robert David Hall (CSI), Lynn Manning, and Murphy will be featured in the performances. “Robert David Hall is the only regular actor on television who is also a performer with a disability. No one really knows how great Lynn Manning is on stage. There are dozens of talented performers with disabilities who are ignored. The message to the entertainment industry is that we're not going to go away.” … For more information on actor and producer Danny Murphy visit www.DannyMurphy.com. “The History of Bowling” will run from March 7 – April 13, 2008, at The NoHo Arts Center located at 11136 Magnolia Boulevard, North Hollywood. For more information visit www.TheNoHoArtsCenter.com or call the box office at (818) 508-7101. READ more at link above.

Nov 29 2007 - “The History of Bowling,” will make history at The NoHo Arts Center in North Hollywood, California. Written by disabled playwright Michael Ervin, the play will feature performers with disabilities. While it may seem like just another Hollywood theatre production, the story of performers with disabilities is one that has been ignored. In fact, according to a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) commissioned report published in 2005 by the National Arts and Disability Center at UCLA, the employment of performers with disabilities in the entertainment industry does not represent real life. Those with disabilities make up 20 percent of the population, yet only half of one percent of all performers in television is disabled with speaking roles. Unlike that statistic, all of the actors appearing in “The History of Bowling,” will be performers with disabilities. The cast includes Robert David Hall (CSI), one of the most prominent working actors with disabilities; Lynn Manning, an award-winning poet and former Blind Judo Champion of the World; and actor Danny Murphy, who has performed in eight Farrelly brothers films, has dedicated himself to advocacy work as the National Vice Chair of the SAG Performers with Disabilities Committee. … Actor Robert David Hall, who is seen every week by 27 million viewers on “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” has been a double amputee since he was 30. Hall, who is the National Chairman of the Performers with Disabilities Caucus for SAG, AFTRA and EQUITY, is adamant that disability doesn't define anyone. “Everyone has obstacles in life. What I am is an actor. I'm an actor who has found success at what I do and I'm very happy. My disability is part of who I am, but not who I am,” Hall said. “Performers with disabilities have the same talents as able-bodied actors. There's a real disconnect with society but they need to know that people with disabilities lead real lives. We're mothers, we're fathers, we're lovers; but there's a stigma showing any disabilities.” READ more at link above.

Nov 28 2007 - JSOnline - Local boy Eric Szmanda - he's a Mukwonago High and Carroll College alum - is in Friday's US Weekly in a piece about the U.S. Campaign for Burma - uscampaignforburma.org - a group trying to end military rule in Myanmar. "It changed my life," the "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" star tells the magazine, of a May trip to refugee camps on the Thai border.

Nov 24 2007 -

Fayette Observer: Q: How can I get in touch with Gary Dourdan of "CSI?" Is he married or dating anyone? — G.M., Fayetteville - A: Write him at 2045 South Barrington Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90025. Dourdan, who turns 41 on Dec. 11, isn't married. We have no idea if he's dating anyone.

Nov 21 2007 - NotableInterviews recently interviewed Robert David Hall. Here are just a couple excerpts from that interview. Click on link above for full text plus video. … Did you start acting before or after the accident? If before, do you think the accident made you stronger? I don't think I realized it at first. I had taken some acting classes when I was in college at UCLA. I was trying to bolster my grade point average. I found that I really, really loved it. This is when I was about 22. But I didn't get into acting because when I was in my 20s I was working as a musician and I had dreams of being a musician. I had never started out wanting to be an actor. But after the accident, people told me 'You could never be an actor now'. When people tell me I can't do something, that's when I want to do it. ** Were there any characteristics that you were able to add to the character? Was the “being in a band with the other coroner” a characteristic that was already in the character, or did you add that? We've been doing this show for many years. My character is not the star of the show — The guy who I was modelled, the coroner in Los Vegas, was a man named Gary Telgenhoff, and Gary himself plays in a heavy metal band. He's a very funny character and I like him a lot. When the writers found out I play guitar, they said 'maybe we can use this as a story idea'. So it all sort of blended together. Everybody has some talent or weird thing that no one knows about. ** The stars of CSI are pretty much set on CSI and do not make guest appearances on other prime time shows, but do you think you will be in another movie or TV show? what do you plan to do after your career? I've done some small films. I've got one coming up called Gene Generation, which you might be able to Google and check out. That's with Bi Ling, who is an Asian actress and it's pretty cool. It's an oddball DNA Hacker movie where I play a villain (and I like that). I'd like to keep acting until I'm 90 if I get that chance. I don't ever want to retire. I'm lucky to make a living with something I love doing. Although one day CSI will go away, acting won't. I hope I get to play the crazed scientist or the demonic grandfather. Acting is just something that's always been with us and always will be.... READ the rest of the fascinating interview at link above.

Nov 20 2007 - Starpulse listed Gary Dourdan as one of the Top 10 Celebrity Bachelors. “We are sure that Gary Dourdan has been on many top 10 lists before, but we just couldn't resist having him on ours as well. He is just gorgeous! Look at those green eyes. They are so hypnotizing and screamed, 'Pick me for your list. Pick me!' and so we did. The "CSI" star, 41, has definitely not lost his hunk appeal. Here CSI actually stands for Cute, Sexy and Irresistible.”

Nov 20 2007 - Variety reported that "Looking at last week for CBS, the final episode for Jorja Fox as a series regular lifted "CSI" to strong numbers (6.5/15 in 18-49, 21.37m), ranking No. 3 for the week in 18-49 and No. 2 in total viewers. And skedmates "Survivor: China" (4.8/13, 14.68m) and "Without a Trace" (4.1/11, 14.41m) led their timeslots as well.

Nov 16 2007 – Robert David Hall gave the workshop's keynote address Tuesday night at UCLA's Anderson School of Management, said the The Los Angeles Times. Hall, who lost both legs in 1978 when he was hit by a drunk driver, spoke about disabilities. "I passionately believe that people with disabilities are undervalued and underutilized," he told the group. Dr. Robbins rarely mentions his disability, Hall said. "The significance of my character is that he's very good at his job." "Images have enormous power," he said. "If we see people with disabilities portraying strong characters on TV and in the movies, there will be a positive result."

Nov 16 2007 - USA Today - “Many famous faces showed up at the Kodak Theater Thursday night to watch Seal serenade his No. 1 angel at the annual Victoria's Secret fashion show. But what took many by surprise was Heidi Klum emerging from the wings with a microphone in hand to sing right back to her man.” … Celebs seated in the front rows for the fashion show and performances by Seal, the Spice Girls and Will.i.am included Eva Longoria Parker, Hayden Panettiere, Michael Vartan, Ryan Seacrest, Neil Patrick Harris, Gary Dourdan, Dean Cain, Ana Ortiz, Jeremy Piven and Rebecca DeMornay.

Nov 15 2007 - New York Daily News: "'CSI' has built its success over the years by being more story-driven than star-driven," Vincent Fitzgerald, who heads the communications department at the College of Mount Saint Vincent in Riverdale, told the Daily News. "Because of that, the show should be able to withstand the loss of one character [Jorja Fox] without suffering in the ratings." … "I'm not certain that anyone who doesn't watch 'CSI,' if they're really familiar with any of the actors or actresses on the show," said Fitzgerald. "I figure [William Petersen, who plays Gil Grissom] is probably the only person that might have an effect because this show really is geared around him. The other characters are more supporting in many ways, and television has shown over the years, repeatedly, that supporting characters can be replaced or eliminated."

Nov 15 2007 - Film.com pondered 'CSI: Changing Times on the Program of the Decade.' When CBS put its fall schedule together in 2000, it paired two new dramas on Friday night. At 8:00 was the remake of the '60s classic The Fugitive, about which observers had high hopes given the success of the Harrison Ford film. At 9:00 was a show whose name was so obscure that it had to be explained by a subtitle, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Even in the higher viewership days of 2000, Friday at 9:00 was not where a network would place a likely hit. CSI had a powerhouse producer (albeit one with no history of TV success) in Jerry Bruckheimer and one Emmy winner in its cast, Marg Helgenberger; but its star was William Petersen, who had been virtually absent from the pop culture radar screen since his starring role in the first Hannibal Lecter film,Manhunter, in 1986. But CSI actually had higher ratings than The Fugitive in its first week, finishing in the Nielsen top ten. Despite the lack of hype, its momentum continued, and while The Fugitive didn't make it past its first season, CSI became a fixture at the top of the Nielsen ratings, where it remains to this day. Now in its eighth season, CSI is the oldest program that regularly appears in the Nielsen top ten, and for most of the 2007 fall campaign it has been trading off the top spot with Dancing with the Stars. At a point in its life cycle where almost all programs would be showing at least a little weakness, CSI has seen little ratings erosion other than what has become typical for all network programming. CSI is now so much a part of the permanent landscape of prime time, like 60 Minutes or The Simpsons, that it doesn't get talked about too much anymore -- it's just always "there." Certainly no cast of a long-running hit has ever been deemed less interesting to gossip columnists or entertainment reporters. You'll see the sixth-billed member of the Gossip Girl cast on the cover of People before you see Petersen there. But as the show faces a milestone today, this is a good time to reflect on its significance. In terms of its ratings success, longevity, and influence, there seems little doubt that CSI will go down as the program of the decade, only the show that precedes it on Thursday nights, Survivor, can possibly claim otherwise. READ entire article at link above.

Nov 11 2007 – The Sioux City Journal profiles one of its own, Tom Katsis, who has lived in California since 1985, who had a guest shot in the CSI/Without a Trace crossover entitled "Who & What." Katsis, 68, has spent the past few years growing his acting career. He has appeared in award-winning short films, full-length features, TV episodes and commercials, most of which have been available only to viewers on the West Coast. He garnered the "CSI" television part due to "keeping himself out there," he said in a phone conversation from his Los Angeles home, and having his agent, Andy Henry, submit his name for possible gigs. "Typically for television, and especially for one-line parts, you might go in with 10 to 12 other people and then if they like you, you'll get called back later that day with three to five others," he explained. "When my agent called, he said, 'Tom, you're going straight to the producer to read on camera.'" The part called for an "upscale business guy" who utters one line in the show, the most difficult to audition for "because if you don't capture the moment immediately, you're out," Katsis said. Three days later, Katsis was part of the "CSI" cast, shooting on Sept. 19. Katsis portrays a character who is brutally attacked following a heinous assault on his wife. "I survive long enough to crawl out of the house where some soccer players find me and I get to say, 'Please help me!'" he said of his "nifty little part." The character does not survive, Katsis said, "not a surprise, considering I spent almost two hours in makeup and look gruesome." "I hung out with Robert David Hall," Katsis said of the actor who plays the role of coroner Dr. Albert Robbins on the show.

Nov 11 2007 - USA Today covered the CSI / Without a Trace crossover episodes. "…as fond as CBS has always been of mix-and-match crossovers — dating back to the days when the stars of Green Acres, Petticoat Junction and The Beverly Hillbillies used to swim in one another's cement ponds regularly — the results have often been something less than the sum of their parts. Luckily for fans of CSI and Without a Trace, however, tonight's combo-heads in question belong to William Petersen and Anthony LaPaglia — and those two always bear watching, alone or in combination. Indeed, the best reason to watch their special two-hour CSI/Trace case is to bask in their bizarre dynamic. Anyone who likes either show, or who appreciates fine TV acting, should enjoy the byplay between Petersen's wry, odd, observant Gil Grissom and LaPaglia's more aggressive, emotional and active Jack Malone. Yet what works well for the stars is still a mixed blessing for their shows. When the two actors are together and center stage, the gimmick hums along. But the effort to bring and keep them together shortchanges the supporting cast members, who feel so shoehorned that the shows might have been wiser to give them the week off. …. Still, as sweeps gimmicks go, this one goes more smoothly than most, particularly when the two stars are properly aligned. Don't think of it as a lesser episode of CSI or Trace; think of it as an extra hour with Petersen and LaPaglia. Now isn't that better? Read the rest of the review at the link above.

Nov 09 2007 - Robert David Hall turned 59.

Nov 09 2007 - WHPTV.com: CSI: Fact or Fiction? An insider with “CSI” who visited Millersville University Thursday night says it's a lot more entertaining to watch the show than to watch a real crime scene investigator at work. “Let's face it. It's Hollywood, and nothing's going to get in the way of a good story,” says Dr. Gary Telgenhoff. Dr. Telgenhoff is a real medical examiner in Las Vegas. He's also a consultant for the CSI show. “They'll write a scenario or something, and they'll want to know if this could happen or how could it happen better.”

Nov 08 2007 - Pridesource.com said: Speaking of television returns, Jorja Fox may not be completely gone from "CSI." Carol Mendelsohn, head honcho at "CSI," has stated that it is a priority for her to woo the lady-loving thespian back to the hit show. When asked directly if Jorja will be back, Mendelsohn said, "Yes. You can count on it." What will Jorja do on her time off? Among other things, she's producing a one-woman show about Dusty Springfield which will star her friend Kirsten Holly Smith. "The Life & Music of Dusty Springfield" previously workshopped at USC, and now Jorja will co-produce it at LA's Gay and Lesbian Center in February.

Nov 06 2007 – Jorja Fox appeared on ABC's "The View."

Nov 05 2007 - SMH.com reports who donates to which politician: Donors to Hillary Clinton: Martha Stewart, Jerry Springer, Joely Fisher ('Til Death), Khandi Alexander (CSI: Miami), Maura Tierney (ER), Jon Tenney (The Closer), Bradley Cooper (Nip/Tuck) and Marg Helgenberger (CSI). Donors to John Edwards: Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm), Tony Shalhoub (Monk), James Denton (Desperate Housewives), Robert David Hall (CSI), Hank Azaria (The Simpsons), Jason Alexander (Seinfeld) and Meredith Stiehm (Cold Case).

Nov 04 2007 – In an article on the Professional Bull Riders World Finals, USA Today mentioned "The crew from the CBS crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, set in Las Vegas, filmed part of an upcoming episode during Sunday's rides. It will be based on the demise of a rider following the finals. Actor William Petersen, who portrays Gil Grissom, watched the action with PBR CEO Randy Bernard."

Dec 03 2007 - "Divorce should be like Band-Aids, one quick yank and you're done," Marg Helgenberger's experienced Catherine Willows, CBS' "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation." (http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/features/20071203-9999-lz1c3outtakes.html)

Oct 31 2007 - Canada.com wrote an article on 'the top five TV shows that went downhill after its two main characters hooked up" . Listed were 5) Friends: Monica Geller and Chandler Bing, 4) Family Matters: Laura Winslow and Steve Urkel, 3) CSI Las Vegas: Sara Sidle and Gil Grissom, 2) The X-Files: Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, and 1) Moonlighting: Maddie Hayes and David Addison. They said of CSI: After months of speculation, fans of CSI: Las Vegas were recently informed of the long-time secret affair between Gil Grissom (William Petersen) and Sara Sidle (Jorja Fox). Unfortunately, in the wake of Grissom's recent proposal to Sara (she said yes!) followed by the couple's first onscreen kiss, her character is being written out of the show. A strong female lead since the show's inception, Sidle will be missed by both her fans and by Grissom, who will no doubt be left to analyze Petri dishes in the perpetual darkness of his office.

Oct 16 2007 – Broadcasting & Cable reported “CSI was the most-watched show of the week with a 23.76 million viewers. And the show's commercial pods were also the most watched of the week, with 23.82 million viewers tuning in to the show's commercials based on live viewing plus three days of digital-video-recorder playback.”

Oct 16 2007 - LancasterOnLine briefly profiled forensic pathologist Dr. Gary D. Telgenhoff, who spoke at Millersville University 2007 Brossman Science Lecture at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8, in the Lyte Auditorium. The article said he 'sees dead people at the rate of roughly 1,000 a year. He autopsies about 450 of them.' "My perception of humanity is very, very jaded," reinforces Telgenhoff, who is deputy medical examiner for the Clark County Coroner's Office in Las Vegas, Nev., a city known, among other features, for its suicide leapers. … But there are upsides. All that exposure to death and "spooge," which is Telgenhoff-speak for putrefied flesh, has made him hold life more dear. He also said that the 'whopper' cases as portrayed on CSI 'come along once a year "if you are lucky." A few stand out.' "The questions of death and afterlife were always central to me," reflects Telgenhoff, who attended a Christian college. "I finally realized that priests and preachers had no more insight or access to knowledge than any of the rest of us. Why talk to the clergy about afterlife? They've never been there either. At best, it's all unknowable." … He still records music (some of which has been aired on "CSI") and he maintains his Web site. The Skinner rat moniker pays homage to B.F. Skinner, the psychologist who concluded from tests on rats that changes to individual behavior are the result of conditioning by outside stimuli. "I see humans as being rats in a Skinner box," Telgenhoff explains. "Their demise is as expected and anticipated as the sunrise."

Oct 12 2007 - AJC.com covers the "hot jobs" as seen on TV, and said this about CSI: Cecil M. Hutchins, crime scene specialist for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, often speaks to wide-eyed, young criminal-justice students, who are fascinated by the job. After all, they've seen "CSI." That's the sanitized, more theatrical version of his job, he tells them. "It's not a glory job or a glamorous job, but it's a job of deep satisfaction," Hutchins said. As a young officer, Hutchins watched a real crime scene investigator at work and was amazed at how he could visualize what happened by examining the evidence. It was a job most people didn't want back then, because of "the filth and unpleasantness and being around dead bodies all the time," Hutchins said. He's on call 24 hours a day for seven-day stretches, never knowing when or what crimes will occur. He doesn't wear nice clothes, because, if he's doing his job properly, he's going to get dirty. He wears coveralls or a biohazard suit because he's dealing with decomposed bodies, bugs, garbage, blood and bodily fluids. "Sometimes you stop and change clothes because you smell so bad, and sometimes you're so tired you have to get a motel room and sleep," he said. "When you're tired is when you start making mistakes." On "CSI," investigations move quickly in the field and test results come back fast, he's noticed. The average GBI case takes 44 days to close. It's true that crime scene investigators are highly trained and always learning on the job. "You're constantly thinking on your feet — looking to see what you have and where to start. If it's going to rain, you leave the bodies inside and get the tracks and blood outside first," he said. "It requires a lot of skills, like knowing the math to interpret blood-spatter patterns and angles, to stay on top of your game." … He uses sophisticated equipment, but not all the tricks used on "CSI." "You would never pour a liquid casting material into a wound to match a knife blade. It would run through the body," he said. In real life there's more paperwork, and you don't always get scientific evidence.

Oct 16 2007 – Jorja Fox will be leaving CSI before 2008. Here are some articles.

• New York Post - Dec 02: What happens when - after several seasons of making the TV-viewing public come to love and adore you, to feel they know you and, indeed, that they own you - you disappear of your own free will from their screens and their lives? So I had a chance to offer this question to the actress on the very day tabloid TV was shouting things like "Jorja disappears from 'CSI' at last for good," or words to that effect. It was as if she had been banished from the magic kingdom. "Well, I'm not leaving under a cloud. It is much harder for me to leave than to stay. Actually, I've been thinking about leaving for a year and a half. I had to get up the courage. Maybe I'm just having a midlife crisis. Maybe this will be the worst decision I ever make. "You know, at first I thought I'd just do eight episodes. We were the little show in a crummy time slot chugging along. We started out on-air Friday nights - the kiss of death, I thought. So who knew? It became a fan phenomenon. The series worked for us because we were doing stories about new technologies happening right that moment. It made us feel smart. We wouldn't have been able to bring it off if we hadn't done it as a collective with the creator Anthony Zuiker and William Petersen. He [Petersen] likes to interact with the writers and know everything that's going on." .. WILL I go back? Well, I hope to do fu ture episodes, depending on the storyline. Contrary to rumor, I never could be sick of those people. But I wanted to come back to New York, where I'd worked in the beginning; I hadn't been here in two years. "Theater is one of my loves, so I'm open for that after 11½ years of working in prime-time TV, for 'ER,' 'The West Wing' and 'CSI.' I've never been to college, and I think about that. But I kept putting it off, and I am also thinking about having a child, and that's really important. Also, I want to do a lot of traveling and surfing - two of my hobbies. Maybe the universe will get tired of me. I have a one-woman little play about Dusty Springfield opening Feb. 2 at the Renberg Theater in Hollywood. . . . My private life? Well, I have a boxer named Ali, and I couldn't get on without him - you can't live in Los Angeles without a dog."
• New York Daily News: Jorja Fox has confirmed the talk: She has quit "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation." "There are all these things I want to do," the 39-year-old actress told EW.com  yesterday. "Some are personal. Some are professional. And I really need to do some of them before I get too old. If I thought the show were on its last legs, I would've tried harder to stay the course. But I feel like it's going to be around for a while; if I don't want some of those dreams to pass me by, have to get off the ride for a while."
• Miami Herald: Fox is leaving at a time when CSI couldn't be stronger. The season premiere topped Grey's Anatomy by 21 percent in the ratings.
• Meevee: Fox is leaving the show this season, reportedly due at least in part to a contract dispute with producers. (Remember the last time she and co-star George Eads demanded a raise, they came back with tails between their legs a few days later.) In addition to ditching the actress, the producers probably look forward to having Sara's boss, Gil Grissom, dating again. One of the pro-Fox groups has even been raising donations that provided a week's worth of flowers to Fox on the set, with messages accompanying each day's bouquet, such as "If we had a flower for all the times you've made us smile, we would have a garden to walk in forever."
• Philly.com: In an article on actor salary demands… You may have read that Gary Sinise got a healthy salary bump this week. He'll now be pulling down $5 million a year for scowling on CSI: NY. No mention of any increase for his costar, Melina Kanakaredes. If this television season has taught us anything, it's that women in prime time shouldn't ask for raises - unless they are prepared to see their characters tortured or killed. Take Jorja Fox, who has a history of playing contract hardball with the CSI mothership. The show just fed her Sara Sidle to the most diabolical serial murderer ever to hit Vegas, the Miniature Killer, who pinned Sara beneath a car and left her to wander around the desert with a shirt around her head that made her look like a deranged Rhoda Morgenstern. After not coming to terms with the show, Fox will be written out in November, no doubt after Sara absorbs a good deal more suffering. And how about Sarah Wayne Callies, who plays Michael's love interest, Sara, on Prison Break? She wouldn't sign a new contract, so this week Sara's head was delivered in a box to Michael's brother, Lincoln.
• BuddyTV: (Oct 15) Although the 39-year-old actress has neither confirmed nor denied the controversy, supporters have quickly found ways to demonstrate their support by putting up websites such as The Jorja Fox Appreciation Campaign and Dollars for Sense. So far, fans' efforts include sending letters and flyers to the CBS studios and signing online petitions.  Flyers have already been sent from 39 countries, while an online petition called "Keep Jorja Fox on CSI," has already obtained more than 2,100 signatures.  Fans are also trying to raise money through the "Keep Jorja Fox on CSI" campaign which has already sent 100 balloons to executive producer Carol Mendelsohn at the CSI offices along with cards that said, "Don't Burst Our Bubble! Keep Jorja Fox on CSI."  Moreover, there's even a plane that does a flyover while trailing a "Keep Jorja Fox on CBS" banner. … Fox herself has responded to the fan support by sending a letter to The Jorja Fox Appreciation Campaign: "And everyday this week as I arrive somebody knocks on my trailer door and delivers flowers. Beautiful flowers," she wrote.  "Thank you all so much.  I have the coolest, most wonderful fans ever, seriously, hands down.  I'm blown away.  And honestly, the pleasure and the privilege is all mine."
• CTV: In the last few seasons of "CSI," Fox's Sara has become romantically entangled with the head of the CSI department, Gil Grissom. It's unclear what will happen to their relationship. Fan speculation suggests that Sara and Grissom are headed towards an engagement, or Sara could be pregnant.
• Blog.Meevee.com: Fox is leaving the show this season, reportedly due at least in part to a contract dispute with producers. (Remember the last time she and co-star George Eads demanded a raise, they came back with tails between their legs a few days later.) In addition to ditching the actress, the producers probably look forward to having Sara's boss, Gil Grissom, dating again. One of the pro-Fox groups has even been raising donations that provided a week's worth of flowers to Fox on the set, with messages accompanying each day's bouquet, such as "If we had a flower for all the times you've made us smile, we would have a garden to walk in forever." Remember the famous "Saturday Night Live" skit with William Shatner at a "Star Trek" convention? Remember his advice to the gathered Trekkies, I mean, uh, Trekkers? Get a life, people!
• BuddyTV: The noise surrounding Jorja Fox's reported departure on CSI has fueled fans to exert great efforts to keep her character, Sara Sidle, on the CBS show. Although the 39-year-old actress has neither confirmed nor denied the controversy, supporters have quickly found ways to demonstrate their support by putting up websites such as The Jorja Fox Appreciation Campaign and Dollars for Sense. So far, fans' efforts include sending letters and flyers to the CBS studios and signing online petitions. Flyers have already been sent from 39 countries, while an online petition called “Keep Jorja Fox on CSI,” has already obtained more than 2,100 signatures. Fans are also trying to raise money through the “Keep Jorja Fox on CSI” campaign which has already sent 100 balloons to executive producer Carol Mendelsohn at the CSI offices along with cards that said, "Don't Burst Our Bubble! Keep Jorja Fox on CSI." Moreover, there's even a plane that does a flyover while trailing a "Keep Jorja Fox on CBS" banner. In response to her supporters, Fox herself has responded to the fan support by sending a letter to The Jorja Fox Appreciation Campaign which clearly conveys her gratitude and appreciation for all their efforts.

Oct 16 2007 – The LancasterOnline (PA) site reports that Dr. Gary Telgenhoff, forensic pathologist and CSI consultant, will speak at Millersville University 2007 Brossman Science Lecture at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8, in Lyte Auditorium. Tickets are required, but the talk is free and open to the public. "My perception of humanity is very, very jaded," reinforces Telgenhoff, who is deputy medical examiner for the Clark County Coroner's Office in Las Vegas, Nev., a city known, among other features, for its suicide leapers. And so Telgenhoff has come to view human beings as hapless, helpless slaves to passion and circumstance. Pinballs, if you will, knocked this way and that by fate. "So the hamster wheel keeps spinning," he writes in an e-mail interview, "and the rats keep running through the maze. Depressing enough for ya yet?" But there are upsides. All that exposure to death and "spooge," which is Telgenhoff-speak for putrefied flesh, has made him hold life more dear. ... Tickets are available starting Tuesday, Oct. 16. They may be picked up at the Student Memorial Center ticket window from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Tickets may also be ordered by calling 872-3811 and picking up tickets at Will Call. Online ticketing is available at www.muticketsonline.com, but there is a processing charge for each ticket. READ MORE AT THE LINK ABOVE (and it was cool to find a mention of my interview with Dr. T that I'd conducted a few years ago mentioned in the article) :)

Oct 16 2007 - The TV Guide Channel will be doing a special on "CSI:" on October 21st 8pm eastern.

Oct 16 2007 - Broadcasting and Cable magazine reported today that "CSI was the most-watched show of the week with a 23.76 million viewers. And the show's commercial pods were also the most watched of the week, with 23.82 million viewers tuning in to the show's commercials based on live viewing plus three days of digital-video-recorder playback."

Oct 16 2007 - The Detroit News asked “who's your nerd?”, listing which 'TV goofball you can relate to.” Under mystery nerds (Whether in the lab or in the field, your team would be lost without your expertise. While some people get their kicks watching Bond movies for the action and the babes, you get all giddy when you see Q.) they listed characters from Numb3rs, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, NCIS, Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader, but also, “Dr. Albert Robbins (Robert David Hall), the book-nerd-turned-medical-examiner on "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation."

Oct 16 2007 - St Petersburg Times: 'CSI' fan says losing Sara would be a crime - A Dunedin woman is rallying the troops online to keep Jorja Fox on CSI. Swathed in yellow crime scene tape, a large pegboard features the fruits of Devon Pierce's work. One flier pleads "Don't burst our bubble. Keep Jorja Fox on CSI." Another promises it is "saving Sara one dollar at a time." A note of thanks from Fox - a 39-year-old ex-Floridian who has played forensic investigator Sara Sidle since the hit crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation debuted in fall 2000 - compliments Pierce and her friends for their devotion. From a tiny makeshift war room tucked inside her father's clinic and hearing aid service center on Main Street, the 30-year-old wages a campaign to bolster the career of an actor she has never met, who probably makes more in a week than she earns in a year. She wants to keep Sara Sidle on CSI. "To me, it's a little bit inspiring that people can come together and work on something that doesn't have dire consequences," said Pierce, who founded the online bulletin board for crime TV fans, Your Tax Dollarsat Work (www.yourtaxdollarsatwork.org, with a friend from her Dunedin living room five years ago. "It's kind of crazy, I'm the first one to admit it. But it's a good kind of crazy." REST AT LINK ABOVE

Oct 15 2007 - Detroit News had an article on which “TV goofball you can relate to.” Mystery nerds - Whether in the lab or in the field, your team would be lost without your expertise. While some people get their kicks watching Bond movies for the action and the babes, you get all giddy when you see Q. Dr. Albert Robbins (Robert David Hall), the book-nerd-turned-medical-examiner on "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation." 9 p.m. Thursdays on CBS, Channel 62.

Oct 10 2007 - Sundial.com reported that CSUN "temporarily became West Las Vegas University last Thursday, as the cast and crew of the TV show CSI came to campus to film the seventh episode of its eighth season. Key Set Production Assistant Kenny Hanson said the episode's title is "Goodbye and Goodnight" ... Scenes filmed on campus involved series regular Jorja Fox... and guest star Juliette Goglia, who'll be reprising her role as Hannah West, a 12-year-old genius introduced in the sixth season episode, "The Unusual Suspect." Filmed on the quad outside of Eucalyptus Hall, the crime scene features Sidle speaking with West and showing her photograph. Sidle's words and the photograph provoke West, who becomes upset and starts crying and shouting at her. The scene was filmed outside in the breezeway between Sierra Hall and Sierra Tower, which appear as WLVU's dormitories in the episode. Marg Helgenberger , Paul Guilfoyle and George Eads are also in scenes shot at this location. The outside of Sierra Tower will be used to portray as a dormitory building, an inside rooms may also be utilized. Scenes were also filmed outside of the Oviatt Library, near Sequoia Hall. The episode is scheduled to air sometime in November. READ MORE at the link above.

Oct 10 2007 - Dose.ca reports on some fans' reaction to Jorja Fox leaving. "A ratings juggernaut like CSI hardly needs the help of a rabid fan campaign. But after news that CSI star Jorja Fox would be quitting the show, Internet crazies started rallying together to keep her fighting TV crime. So far, online group Dollarforsense.com has deluged CBS's offices with whack-job gifts in the hopes of keeping Fox's character, Sara Sidle, on the show. So far, their stunts have stopped just short of being mistaken as the calling cards of one of CSI's rotating cast of psycho killers. They've hired planes to fly "Keep Jorja Fox on CSI" messages over CBS studios, stuffed execs' offices with balloons and inexplicably sent off 192 chocolate-covered insects. The crux of their efforts, though, revolves around a letter-writing campaign encouraging fans to mail dollar bills to the show's writers and producers. At press time, nearly $10,000 US was awaiting delivery. Curiously, the campaign isn't addressing the cash to Fox herself, who's leaving the show after being reportedly unable to wrangle a sweet enough contract. Ah well, surely the CSI staff will appreciate the year's worth of free frappuccinos."

Oct 08 2007 - Biz/Yahoo reports that Turn Left Energy Drink made a cameo appearance in last night's episode of "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" called "A La Cart." Turn Left posters can be seen in two distinct scenes that revolve around a go-cart racetrack, and, at one point, are shown prominently behind one of the main characters. "CSI" is one of the top-rated shows on primetime television and pulls in a huge national audience. This TV hit was coordinated through Captive Audience, a California-based company that specializes in product placement for television shows and movies. To watch the episode online, please visit www.cbs.com and go to "full episodes," "CSI" and click on "A La Cart." "We continually work with Captive Audience in identifying the best opportunities to highlight our brands," said Aubrey Cornelius, Director of PR for DC Brands. "The product placement on 'CSI' was unbelievable and took up the majority of the screen. We look forward to a multitude of other placements in the future."

Oct 08 2007 - BuddyTV reports that the CSI/Without a Trace crossover will be kicking off the November sweeps (beginning November 1st, back-to-back). It starts with CSI "Who and What," in which the team investigates a double murder. Jack Malone (from Without a Trace) shows up in search of a missing youth. The crossover continues to Without a Trace "Where and Why," in which Malone and Vivan pursue serial killer Terry Wicker in Las Vegas. The search goes back to NYC in this episode.

Oct 08 2007 - There are a number of fan campaigns out there trying to keep Jorja Fox on "CSI:" - you can find a list of them in the blog at JFO (JorjaFox.Net) and in the posts on JAA (JorjaAllARound). Some are quite inventive. One of the campaigns involved having a plane tow a banner in the sky over CBS which read "Keep Jorja Fox on CBS"... the video can be found at YouTube (Thanks to David for the tip)

Oct 08 2007 - FunitureInfo.com reports that Laura Ashley, Inc. announced it is a committed sponsor of the upcoming nationally-television special “Frosted Pink,” which will air on ABC Sunday, October 14, at 4 PM EST. One out of every three women will develop cancer in their lifetime. “Frosted Pink” is a dynamic mix of live musical performances, figure skating, and Hollywood celebrities who will, by appearing together on national television, raise awareness of women's cancers and inspire individuals to take action. The lineup includes: • Musical performances by Rascal Flatts, Olivia Newton-John (breast cancer survivor), Joss Stone, Anastacia (breast cancer survivor), Babyface, and Heart. • Figure skating routines by Katarina Witt, Kristi Yamaguchi, Oksana Baiul, and more; • Celebrity appearances by Sharon Osbourne (colon cancer survivor), Marg Helgenberger, William Baldwin, and more.

Oct 05 2007 - TV Guide covers the 'lighter side of crime fighting. Tonight's CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, entitled "A la Cart," offers a breather, an episode that's "slightly more lighthearted and should be fun for the audience," says Catalani. Our favorite clue-finders dive into two cases: The first is a death at a restaurant where patrons dine completely in the dark. "The dining-in-the-dark story Sarah Goldfinger experienced firsthand," explains Catalani. "She went to a trendy [Laughs] restaurant where you dine in the actual pitch-black darkness, and we thought that was interesting enough to formulate a story around." Catherine (Marg Helgenberger) and Warrick (Gary Dourdan) investigate, and while they don't eat in the pitch black, they do have "some lighter moments with the lights off," says Catalani. When asked if there is still an attraction between these sexy CSIs, Catalani plays coy, answering, "Um, there might be a little bit." And how's Gil (William Petersen) holding up after last week's events? "Grissom is the consummate scientist — he makes himself feel better and productive by involving himself in his work," says Catalani. Shouldn't be too hard... Grissom's work looks like play when he and the team must ride go-carts — all in the name of research, of course — to solve the murder of a racer.

Oct 05 2007 - You can bid on an auction at eBay up until October 7th. This unique auction's description: If you are a CSI fan, William Petersen fan or a collector of rare and authentic television props, this can be yours. This model is an exact replica of Gil Grissom's office from the popular television series CSI. The model is the original prop used in the "Living Doll" episode from Season 7 and estimated to be worth $25,000. The miniature is not damaged in anyway and comes with a signed Certificate of Authenticity. (Unfortunately, due to the glass pane structure it is not autographed.) Or visit ebay for the direct link. The auction currently stands at over $15,000!

Oct 03 2007 – Some Eric Szmanda news. The Washington Post said on September 20th: Eric Szmanda, one of the forensic nerds on "CSI," lingering at the bar after last call at the Old Ebbitt Grill with a couple of friends early yesterday. The actor (jeans, T-shirt, gray hoodie) was in town to present awards to worthy feds at last night's Partnership for Public Service gala.

Oct 03 2007 – There were several articles on Eric Szmanda, as well as other celebrities, writing to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to personally intervene to secure the release of military-ruled Myanmar's democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi (this was before this month's military actions and clampdown on the internet in Myanmar). Google reported that The world's only imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Aung San Suu Kyi, 62, has been held under house arrest in Myanmar for 11 of the past 17 years… Two of the signatories, Hollywood stars Eric Szmanda from the television show "Crime Scene Investigation" and Walter Koenig from "Star Trek," recently traveled to refugee camps on the Thailand-Myanmar border to press for more UN help. At Irawaddy.com, there's more. In June, actor Eric Szmanda, who plays Greg Sanders on the CBS network's award-winning series “CSI,” visited Karen refugee camps along the border with Thailand. Speaking to reporters in Thailand, the “CSI” star said, “The UN can do a lot on Burma… countries in this region can do a lot on Burma, the United States and Europe can do a lot on Burma, but they need to start to speak out, regularly and quickly and with urgency. I think that's the most important thing that we can do.” Szmanda said: “One and a half million people have been forced from their homes, women are systematically raped, men and children have been forced into slave labor. It's time to say 'Enough is enough.'”

Oct 03 2007 – Marg Helgenberger talks to MORE magazine. An excerpt: At age 48 -- well into the Bermuda Triangle for many actresses -- Helgenberger is flying high in her eighth season as a lead on CBS's most popular drama, a show seen by about 20 million people a week. She has earned multiple Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for her portrayal of sexy-steely Catherine Willows, and she has succeeded in bringing a bit of personality to what is basically a classic police procedural. "I had a lot more opportunities last season, and the people on the show have all been very open to suggestions," she says. "But you have to stay within the formula. It's very cerebral." The FULL ARTICLE can be found at the link above, or in the October 2007 issue, on newsstands now.

Oct 03 2007 - CMT reports: Rascal Flatts, Craig Morgan, Olivia Newton-John and Joss Stone will perform in Santa Monica, Calif., during Frosted Pink, a music and ice-skating special scheduled to air Oct. 14 on ESPN on ABC. Other musical performers include Anastacia, Kenny "Babyface" Edmonds and Heart. The program is aimed at raising awareness of breast cancer and available treatments. The special will also include appearances by Peggy Fleming, Sharon Osbourne, William Baldwin, Oksana Baiul, Sasha Cohen, Kristi Yamaguchi and Marg Helgenberger. It will re-air on the Style Network beginning on Oct. 22.

Oct 03 2007 - AdAge reported on ads during CBS's controversial KID NATION show…. The hesitation on the part of some big advertisers to run their commercials illustrates the tightrope CBS is walking by backing the program. Reality shows such as "Kid Nation" generate buzz and chatter, and draw the curious to CBS's airwaves. But the controversy can be enough to dissuade some of the network's biggest sponsors from supporting the shows. One media buyer said certain advertisers remain wary of "Kid Nation," and expects many marketers to follow General Motors' screening method throughout the program's run. In some cases, CBS appears to be running as many promos for its own shows as it is ads for other companies' goods and services. The first ad break in the show contained three ads, then a public-service announcement and a promo for "The Big Bang Theory," a new CBS sitcom. The second ad break also contained three ads, as well as a CBS show promo, a 30-second public-service message from "CSI" star William Petersen, and a one-minute music video about CBS's Friday-night lineup backed up with a song from Celine Dion.

Oct 03 2007 – At SavannahNow.com, a student asks Dr. Nicholas Costrini about CSI and labs really work that way. The reply? “TV crime shows are fun but guilty of fantasy.” The article further states “Regarding how real these forensic pathology television shows are, several aspects immediately come to mind. First, who and what are these people? In "CSI," the characters seem to be police investigators, criminal science technologists, pathologists and lab technicians all rolled into one. That is fantasy. At times, one will see a character peering into a microscope; 30 seconds later he is toting a firearm, telling the villain to raise his arms above his head and arresting him for murder. Nonsense, but fun. Also incredibly unreal is the staging. I have never been in a forensic science laboratory that looks like cocktail lounge with neon signs. Similarly, it would be very unusual to see fabulously dressed curvaceous ladies in high-heel shoes and designer suits in the work-a-day world of a pathology lab. Finally, some of the characters seem a bit young. It takes 12 years to become a forensic pathologist (four years of college, four years of medical school and four years of fellowship). Some of the characters look more like Doogie Howser, M.D. I note that the forensic pathologists are totally assured of their activities. This is in contrast to the TV version of practicing physicians in emergency room, surgery units, etc. who are portrayed as mistake-prone emotional wrecks. Not these boys. These forensic pathologists are sure of their data, and they are absolutely convinced their information leads to a correct conclusion 100 percent of the time. That is real fantasy. Recall all the troubles with the forensics of the O.J. Simpson case. From a technology point of view, these shows love DNA testing. In fact, in the real world, most crimes do not rely on DNA and it is probably used in 1 percent of criminal cases. DNA data alone has never exonerated nor convicted anyone. Another interesting aspect is fingerprinting. The character seems to delight in spraying some chemical material on the hood of a car and having a fingerprint or palm print miraculously appear. That is not the way it happens in real life.” READ the entire article at the link above.

Oct 03 2007 – At BuddyTV, the site, in an August article, quoted William Petersen said "I was terrible in school at science. He [Grissom] was so different than me, and so it was interesting for me to be able to try and do something that I was not familiar with.  Since then, I've become very attracted to science, so it was a good thing for me. "I don't kill insects anymore," he added. "I used to swat flies and my wife used to make me chase the spiders.  I have a whole backyard full of spiders now, webs everywhere.  They're just crawling around the house.” READ MORE at the link above.

Oct 03 2007 – In order to attract more viewers, CBS has created an editing studio, called Eyelab, dedicated to creating CBS-based promotional content that will be distributed across its interactive platforms, including CBS.com and CBS Mobile, said Adweek. The short-form videos will be produced by fans, next-generation online content editors and network producers. CBS' intention is to provide users with the ability to engage and sample its proprietary content. All clips will be tied to content from CBS News, sports, entertainment, late-night and daytime rosters, as well as CSTV and Showtime. "Recognizing that short-form content is what our viewers want online, we're committed to bringing CBS fans short, easy-to-digest clips-which they can take and mash up, rework, re-edit, and no doubt, inspire us with their creativity," said Anthony Zuiker, executive producer and creator of CSI. InternetNews covers this story, as well as MediaPost. The Wall Street Journal added "Ironically, CBS says the inspiration for EyeLab came from a video posted on YouTube last year called "Endless Caruso One Liners." The clip, posted by a 27-year-old British man under the screen name "stewmurray47," is a montage of scenes from "CSI: Miami," showing star David Caruso uttering his characteristically pat catchphrases from the scene of the crime. The clip, just over seven minutes long, has been viewed more than a million times, according to YouTube. CBS has hired six twentysomething digital-video editors to create similar content for EyeLab. They all work outside CBS headquarters, which the network says will make their creative process more authentic. A sample of EyeLab's offerings includes a clip comparing classic vampires to those on the new CBS show "Moonlight" and a montage of high-five scenes from "How I Met Your Mother" set to Strauss's "The Blue Danube" waltz. The studio also will distribute content actually created by users."

Oct 03 2007 - BillyPetersen.com has some great shots of William Petersen from the Bow Wow Wow Celebrity Fundraiser for Much Love Animal Rescue - July 14th 2007

Oct 02 2007 - On October 21st at 8:00 PM ET, check out CSI: INSIDE THE NEXT SEASON. TV Guide Network takes you behind the yellow tape of the CBS hit drama, CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION. This half hour special features a panel discussion with various TV experts as well as interviews with William Petersen, Marg Helgenberger, Gary Dourdan, George Eads, Jorja Fox, Eric Szmanda, Robert David Hall and Paul Guilfoyle from the green carpet world premiere of the interactive exhibit, CSI: The Experience in Chicago.

Oct 02 2007 – You'd have to be off-line and not watching TV to not have pondered Sara Sidle's fate after last season's cliffhanger, and now virtually everyone knows that Sara did indeed survive her kidnapping ordeal. However, reports coming out of various press outlets divulge that it appears that Jorja Fox will be leaving the show in season 8 of CSI. Here are some quotes from various articles:

• TV Guide: Question: Have you found out anything definitive about Jorja Fox staying or going on CSI? Ausiello: Yes, I have. ||
• TV Guide (Aug 30th) - Can Grissom Save Sara? - Instead of using "Who Are You" as its theme song this season, CSI producers might want to consider the Clash's "Should I Stay or Should I Go." … Executive producer Naren Shankar's not telling. "Let's just say fans will be very satisfied with how it turns out," he says. "No loose ends will be left dangling at the end of the first episode."
• MSNBC (Sep 24) - Should 'CSI's' Sara Sidle live or die? … In the “CSI” (Original Recipe) chat rooms, hard-core fans battle over which fate for Sara is best — for Grissom, the CSI crew and the show in general. Haters rail against both the Sara character and actress Jorja Fox. Many find her long-foreshadowed relationship with Grissom unbelievable or just plain icky. Meanwhile, many romantics find the couple's odd connection dreamy and divine, and want to see it explored. Others just don't want to see the Sara's quirky character disappear from the show. There are pros and cons on both sides of the argument. Here's what it could mean for “CSI” if Sara lives or she dies. Sara lives!… Post-traumatic stress disorder would make Sara's already damaged character more interesting. …It could be a bonding experience. Sara and Nick can bond over their mutual season-ending kidnapping/entrapment/near-death experiences in the line of duty. … There's something else for Grissom to brood over. If Sara lives, there's no way her relationship with Grissom can last. It's got that creepy daddy's girl vibe mentioned earlier, what with the decade-plus age difference. If that yuckiness doesn't do them in, no doubt upper management will want to put the kibosh on the affair. Even if their love isn't against office policy, neither Grissom nor Sara is any good at relationships. When Grissom was away on sabbatical, he didn't even e-mail. He claims he loves her in a letter he never sent, but it was all he could do to send Sara an old twig with a cocoon. This extra trauma will only create a further divide. Fans of the mopey Grissom, rejoice! … No more Jorja Fox contract disputes.  Back in 2004, Jorja Fox (Sara) and George Eads (Nick) didn't show up to work because they wanted to make more money. Instead, they were fired, then rehired with no raise. Rumor has it, Fox is doing it again and that's why Sara got thrown under the bus — or the vintage muscle car. If Sara doesn't make it through, you can blame Fox's lousy management. At least we won't have to read about it any more. … More for Grissom to brood over. With his beloved Sara dead and gone, surely Grissom will be wracked with guilt. If only they hadn't been lovers, then the Miniature Killer wouldn't have taken Sara! Can Grissom ever love again? Will he ever work again? After all, the profession he loves lead to the loss of the woman he loves. Fans of mopey Grissom, rejoice!
• AfterEllen - "CSI" gets a fresh face in Jessica Lucas - For those of you out there, like me, who don't recognize Lucas, allow me to fill you in. Her history includes Canadian teen drama Edgemont and the films The Covenant and She's the Man, which you'll recall from She Made Me Watch This is a remake of Just One of the Guys. And frankly, much as I enjoy Jorja Fox and the character of Sara Sidle, if the character's death would prevent me from having to see Sara and Gil making doe eyes at each other and getting all snugly, then so be it. I have not been able to properly watch an episode of CSI since Sara walked into Gil's bedroom in a bathrobe. The very last bedroom I wanted to see Sara walk into in a bathrobe is one with Gil Grissom waiting on the bed. Perhaps my own fascination with femslash has done something to my brain, but the idea of Grissom and Sara romancing one another disturbs me. I honestly walked around the house after the big reveal mumbling, "My eyes. Oh, my eyes."
• EarthTimes (Sept 28th) - Jorja Fox is reportedly planning to leave the popular police procedural, "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation." E! News has reported that Fox's character, Sara Sidle, will not be on the show after this season's seventh episode. TV Guide has also said Fox will be leaving the long-running series in November. The actress has reportedly been having more trouble negotiating her contract with CBS.
• New York Post (Sept 28th) - SARA lives. The survival of Sara, who was left to die in the Las Vegas desert by the serial murderer known as "the miniature killer" - for the miniature models of crime scenes she would build and leave for CSI investigators - means cast member Jorja Fox will be sticking around for a while on the top-rated CBS drama. Fox's future was in doubt last season as she refused to show up for shooting the season finale because she reportedly feared "CSI" producers were planning to kill off her character. CBS refused to say whether Fox will stick around for the entire season.
• EW.com (Sept 28th) - CSI's Jorja Fox — who was briefly fired from the show in 2004 during an ugly contract dispute with CBS — is expected to leave the top-rated drama before year's end. A source close to the show confirms that Fox, whose contract expired last season, has agreed to appear in six or seven episodes this year before leaving the show that made her a household name and turned her into an unwilling poster child for greedy TV actors. ...Fox is leaving at a time when CSI couldn't be stronger. Last night's season premiere bested Grey's Anatomy by 21 percent in the overnight ratings.
• New York Daily News (Sept 29th) - Jorja Fox's "CSI" character, Sara Sidle, survived a harrowing run-in with a killer in Thursday's season premiere, but now it seems Fox is a goner. Her contract expired in May, and there's been speculation for months that she would exit the show.
• Washington Times (Oct 2nd) - Sara Sidle, the lab technician character on "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," may have survived the first episode of the show's new season. But she won't make it to the last installment. Jorja Fox, who has played the role on the hit CBS series since it began in 2000, will not complete the current season and will leave after the seventh episode in November, E! Online reports. Her departure comes after rocky contract negotiations offscreen and an onscreen story line that has been foreshadowing for months a less than happy ending for her character.
• TV Guide - (Oct 2007) - CSI Exclusive: Sara Lives… But Jorja Leaves! One question from the big Q&A with Jorja Fox - Do you think fans will be satisfied with how the story is wrapped up? Fox: I pray that they're satisfied. It's a really tricky, difficult thing to do. When I was hired back in 2000, I was the last cast member added. They decided they wanted to add a character after the pilot got picked up. And in my little explanation of my character, it said clearly, "A love interest for the character of Grissom." And then, pretty quickly, the writers changed their minds about that; they weren't sure if that was the direction that they wanted to go in. There were so many stories to tell at that time. But, in the meantime, Billy and I as actors — because that's what we had been hired to do — sort of played this beat that we had been told about. So, it's a very tricky thing to have characters on TV start having an affair. I hope that people have enjoyed it. It's been a complete joy for me to play. And the funny thing about our show is, from the very beginning, about 50 percent of our audience wanted more personal-life stories, and 50 percent of our audience just wanted us to stick to the procedurals. The writers know that, no matter what story they're telling, they're letting down somebody. And that's a hard thing to do. So I think they made a decision that they really just had to write from their hearts and hope that people would come along for the story. I think that's what Billy and I have done, too. I don't know if [viewers will] be satisfied. And I stay away from the blogs. I use to check them a little bit when the show first started, but I realized that I was getting really attached to people's approval. And I'd get really freaked out if they didn't like something. So I decided that the only way I could sort of stay true to this character was to just be her and not focus too much on what people were thinking

Oct 02 2007 - The Los Angeles Times (August 29th) said of famed director William Friedkin, ...He also let drop that he will be directing a "CSI" episode this fall at the request of William Petersen, whose career he helped launch in "To Live and Die in L.A."

Oct 02 2007 - Variety reviews the new videogame: CSI: HARD EVIDENCE  (Rated M. $29.99 - $39.99). A Ubisoft presentation of a game developed by Telltale Games and licensed by CBS for Wii, Xbox 360 and PC. Reviewed on Xbox 360. "Hard Evidence," which is already available for PC and Xbox 360 and comes out for Wii in November, is played from an anonymous first-person perspective as players partner up with main characters from the show for each case. Las Vegas CSI unit supervisor Gil Grissom hands out assignments and awards points after each case. Most of the actors from the show, from William Peterson on down, are on hand, and do solid voice work. However, Ubisoft was able to secure only the male voices from the series. Soundalikes provide the voices for Catherine Willows (Marg Helgenberger) and Sara Sidle (Jorja Fox), though they do such a good job that only those who look at the credits may notice. Go to link for rest of review.

Oct 02 2007 - TV Guide: Question: OK, now that you've told us what the CSI part of the CSI/Two and a Half Men scribe swap will be about, what about the Two and a Half Men part? Ausiello: This hasn't been confirmed, but a little birdie tells me that Alan will find a stain on a favorite piece of furniture and decide to use science to discover who was responsible. And Question: Can you give me some Without a Trace scoop? Ausiello: The show's crossover episode with CSI will kick off November sweeps. "It's about a serial killer that goes across the country," explains CSI boss Carol Mendelsohn. "We've had the story in our back pocket for a couple of years, and now that WAT is back on Thursday nights, it's perfect." Mendelsohn adds that the gimmick was "spawned out of the relationship between Anthony LaPaglia and Billy Petersen and [CSI producer/director] Danny Cannon; they've all wanted to work together."

Oct 02 2007 - Check out this MSN Group for a roleplaying game for CSI fans of all shows.

Oct 02 2007 - BostonNow covers CSI: The Experience, which has come to the Museum of Science. Check out The Museum of Science for dates/times (runs through January 1, 2008, and CSITheExperience for details on the display. You can also read this Boston.com article as well.

Oct 02 2007 – Gary Dourdan, alas, has been the target of tabloids recently, reporting on his split from TV presenter LISA SNOWDON. ContactMusic reports. Snowdon confirms she and Dourdan's relationship has ended again; "My little fling with Gary ended just after I went to Brazil. I guess too much time went past and it just kind of fizzled out. "I've decided that it's not a good idea to have a long-distance relationship any more. I want someone local." Then, the paparazzi talk about Speeding problems to the tacky TMZ show with the much publicized paparazzi incident. Fortunately, PRWeb mentioned Gary being seen at the Main Event Red Carpet Lounge at last month's Emmys.

Sep 05 2007 – Gary Telgenhoff appeared at the Lake Superior State University on September 7 in the LSSU Arts Center.

Have LOTS to catch up on. Sorry!

Aug 24 2007 - Some spoilers are dropped at TV Guide. Question: What's the word on Jorja Fox staying/going on CSI? Ausiello: Sorry, but I've been sworn to secrecy. What I can say is that the answer is complicated. Question: The latest rumor on the CSI forums is that Marg Helgenberger isn't planning to renew her contract at the end of the season. Do you have any info on that?. Ausiello: No, but I do believe this is the last season on her current contract (ditto William Petersen), so her moving on is entirely possible. Speaking of Helgenberger, there's a big episode early in the season that will dig deeper into her family drama — specifically Sam's legacy to her. We'll also see her venture outside the lab in an episode that features the return of her real-life husband, Alan Rosenberg. "One of the things he's going to offer Catherine is sort of an opportunity to be on a dream-team-type defense on a high-profile case," explains executive producer Carol Mendelsohn. "And she gets a little touch of the high life doing that. You get paid well, you get to stay in nice hotels, you get to have nice meals.... It's going to be a little tantalizing for her." I guess we'll find out how tantalizing when Marg's contract comes up for renewal next May! Question: Any scoop about the possibility of Lady Heather returning to tangle with Grissom on CSI?Ausiello: No plans that I know of at the moment, but some of CSI's other semi-regulars will be getting a little more airtime this season, per Carol Mendelsohn. "We're going to see more of the lab rats this year," she says. "We love our lab rats. We're going to play up our friendship and their rivalry." She adds, "This is a year in which Nick is going to step forward. The question has always been, 'Grissom is the supervisor, but who's the supervisor in waiting?'" I guess we'll find out when Billy's contract comes up for renewal next May!

Aug 23 2007 - The latest TV Guide (Aug 27th) ponders “CAN GRISSOM SAVE SARA?” Instead of using "Who Are You?" as it's theme song this season, CSI producers might want to consider The Clash's "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" Executive Producer Naren Shankar's isn't talking about Sara's fate (we last saw her under a car).. "Let's just say fans will be very satisfied with how it turns out," he says. "No loose ends will be dangling at the end of the first episode." Shankar though is happy to talk about filming the scene in the September 27th Season opener in which viewers will discover the truth. In the finale, the serial killer had left a miniature version of the crime scene for Grissom. (Then they go on to talk about the set design they used) with 28,000 gallons of recirculated water. There were moments when Shankar says he wasn't sure that Fox would make it through the filming. For a good portion of it, she was stuck under the car, surrounded by recirculated water, and Shankar says he got "a little nervous. Jorja was a total trouper, and everything was designed for 100% safety, but when you're watching, you get a little knot in your stomach." He goes on to say that even those cast members who weren't in the scene showed up to watch, and everyone was blown away by what they had built.

Aug 20 2007 - The National Court Appointed Special Advocate Association is a non-profit that helps children in foster care to find safe permanent homes. They've been serving children across the United States for more than 30 years, and has been a CBS Cares partner for the past four years. William Peterson, plays Gil Grissom on CSI, has agreed to film a PSA to support the work of CASA. In conjunction with the PSA, CBS and CSI has donated one the replicas used in the show to benefit CASA. The miniature as you know, goes with the story line of the miniature killer and it is the one Gil created to get into the mind of the killer. The item is one of a kind. The miniature item is going to be auctioned off on eBay immediately following the season premiere on September 27th. Stay tuned for more details on this once-in-a-lifetime auction.

Aug 20 2007 - Have CSI arrive in your mailbox. Publisher Titan Magazines will be debuting the U.S. CSI magazine this coming Fall. "Explore how science is helping to beat crime in the official magazine companion to the three hit TV series CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationTM, CSI: MiamiTM and CSI: New YorkTM. Each issue of the magazine focuses on a different show in turn and provides exclusive forensic access to the stars and the talents behind-the-scenes who make these compelling crime-solving dramas. Discover how the TV shows are made and get in-depth dossiers on the characters. Every two months CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationTM magazine investigates the making of one of television’s biggest franchises. Be part of the team from this fall!" Subscribe online and save 20% off the newstand price.

Aug 20 2007 - Hollywood Reporter breaks the news that Canadian actress Jesica Lucas is joining the cast of CSI in a recurring role as Veronica Lake, aka Ronnie, a young, vivacious, smart, sought-after newbie CSI in training who gets multiple job offers but chooses to go to Las Vegas because of the increase in crime rates there. Ever since the role cropped up on breakdowns around town, it prompted speculation that the character might be groomed as a replacement for Sara Sidle (Jorja Fox), who was left crushed under a car with her hand barely moving in the Season 7 finale. It is understood that Veronica is designed as a new addition to the team, not a replacement for Sara. Lucas' credits include features "The Covenant" and "She's the Man" and the ABC series "Life as We Know It." She will next be seen in J.J. Abrams' highly anticipated feature "Cloverfield" and New Line Cinema's "Amusement." NOTE: For those of us who remember, Veronica Lake was the name of an actress famous during World War II for her hairstyle - long and with peekaboo bangs. She later cut her hair as many factory workers emulated it and there were safety concerns.

Aug 20 2007 - Variety profiled how cinematographers stylize shows, and in that article, CSI was mentioned: On "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," a small, tight-knit group was involved in the majority of episodes as well. "In all of our meetings during prep, the d.p. is included," says "CSI" co-showrunner Carol Mendelsohn, who alternates running every other episode with Naren Shankar. "We have even had our d.p.s sit in on story pitches when the show requires us to go in a new direction with the visuals, so we're telling the d.p.s and the directors from the start about the direction of the story so all of us can start to think creatively about how we want to do something."

Aug 20 2007 - According to The Hollywood Reporter, the CBS Television Network is close to picking up the drama 'The Man' for midseason with a six-episode order. The pilot, from 'CSI' creator Anthony Zuiker, didn't make the cut during last May's Upfront presentations but remained in contention as a midseason replacement. The drama, which stars the veteran hip-hop artist (legally known as James Todd Smith) as an undercover Los Angeles cop who takes care of an orphan boy, is expected to be reworked and shot by the end of the year.

Aug 20 2007 - CFM News interview CSI associate producer Corinne Marrinan at the 2007Comic Con regarding the book, ULTIMATE CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION. Corinne said "The last book was a was about each episode and what happened in each episode, this is much more a fiction within a fiction in a way. Because we treat it as though these characters are real people and these are their lives and this is the science that they practice and these are some of their cases and their case files so it is a little bit more of an extension of the fantasy and the fantasy of the show. The other book featured had writers, producers, designers talking about the show and how the show was made. Which for the first three seasons of the show, I think that was great because this was a new way of doing things, a new look for television and people wanted to know how that was achieved. Now, people kind of get it now, people have imitated it, and this covers seasons 1-6 but doesn't outline every episode the way the other one did. We chose different episodes that had a certain character on it or for DNA we selected a different episode for that." Read the full interview at the link above. Find out more about the book at DK.com..

Aug 17 2007 - Marg Helgenberger was one of many celebritites attending InStyle mag's seventh annual "Summer Soiree" on August 16.

Aug 15 2007 - In a Q&A column at TV Guide, the following two questions were posed: Question: Have you found out anything definitive about Jorja Fox staying or going on CSI? Ausiello: Yes, I have. Question: OK, now that you've told us what the CSI part of the CSI/Two and a Half Men scribe swap will be about, what about the Two and a Half Men part? Ausiello: This hasn't been confirmed, but a little birdie tells me that Alan will find a stain on a favorite piece of furniture and decide to use science to discover who was responsible.

Aug 10 2007 - Fangoria reports that Robert David Hall appears as Abranham, the mentor to an assassin named Michelle, in the sci-fi thriller The Gene Generation. Tthe story takes place in a “dark, decadent world of our future” where the government has begun selecting the genes and DNA of the fittest left alive to prevent mankind from the extinction it is dangerously close to facing. This process has led to criminal “DNA Hacking,” which assassins have been hired to stop by all means necessary. More at the link above.

Aug 08 2007 - Robert David Hall was mentioned briefly in an article on the jazz DJ Sheehy, who runs an internet radio station out of his own home. Excerpt: "Sheehy records from a converted horse stable in his Burbank backyard in the city's Rancho Equestrian neighborhood. In one 10-by-15-foot room, he has a digital workstation system - a virtual studio in a box. The walls are lined with thousands of CDs and vinyl, plus gold records he won during his radio days as a jazz disc jockey for KTWV-FM (94.7) The Wave. In an attached 5-by-10-foot converted feed room/tack room is the office and announcing booth. There, a rotation of noted TV voice-over and radio personalities - friends Robert David Hall, a former station music director; Ellis Hall, the longtime lead singer for Tower of Power; and Wally Winger, who does voices on "The Family Guy" - filter through from time to time to record wacky station IDs, the voices between the music. All told, Sheehy invested $40,000.

Aug 27 2007 - Newspapers reported that Liev Schreiber (who starred in four episodes of CSI while William Petersen was on hiatus) and actress Naomi Watts, together since 2005, welcomed their first child, a boy born in a Los Angeles hospital. Alexander Pete Schreiber weighted 8 pounds, 4 ounces and measured 22 1/2 inches long when he was born Wednesday, E! News reported.

Jul 27 2007 - The Toronto Star said... Who are you? Looks like CSI producers are making way for a replacement for Jorja Fox's Sara Sidle. A new female character, a CSI or lab tech in her 20s, will turn up in the season's third episode. Sara was last spotted in a car wreck, meaning she probably won't survive. What is known is that Fox will appear in the Sept. 27 season premiere – but under the car.

July 26 2007 - Several magazines talked about star salaries, and NY Magazine summed it up: TV Guide this week released the results of their TV-star salary overview. It will surprise no one that Oprah Winfrey makes way, way more from her show than anyone else on the planet makes from anything, with her annual salary estimated at $260 million. It certainly surprises us that Zach Braff makes a cool $6.3 million a year for his role on the low-rated Scrubs. Certainly no one can deny that making $500,000 per episode of a TV show is insane, even if you are CSI's William Petersen, but which stars provide the most bang for the buck? Who delivers the most butts in seats per salary dollar? We do the math. (read rest of article at link above for other salaries).

Jul 24 2007 - Eric Szmanda turns 32 today.

Jul 24 2007 - Is it over for Sara and Grissom? TV Guide reports that CBS may be casting for a replacement for Sara. Executive producer Carol Mendolsohn told TV columnist Ausiello that a new female character will turn up in this season's third episode. "[She] may be a CSI or lab tech," the boss said. And, according to my casting spies, the junior detective will be in her mid-twenties, fresh out of college and lacking the capacity for self-censorship. Of course, this isn't conclusive proof that Sara won't emerge unscathed from her, um, car wreck. But it certainly seems plausible, even likely, considering what else we've learned this week. ... In any case, at least this much is certain: Fox will appear in the premiere. Says Mendolsohn: "We're certainly going to be seeing her under the car in the premiere." Whether that will require her to act or just to lie very, very still remains to be seen.

Jul 23 2007 - The Orlando Sentinel reports on a brief interview with Jonathan Littman. He mentioned the CSI/Without a Trace crossover, scheduled for the November sweeps period, and said “The Sara-Grissom storyline is going to conclude. Don't take it in that definitive term. It's very smartly done. We have a big storyline finish at the start of the season. It will play out for a few episodes. ... The ambition of their [the writers'] stories is once again extremely high and extremely quirky. That arc worked so well with Grissom and Sara, that we are going to let these characters breathe this year. Everyone has their moments. The characters are going to have their journeys."

Jul 23 2007 - USA Today reported on CBS's party last week, and here are the CSI snippets: The one original CSI guy in attendance, Eric Szmanda, was still excited about his June trip to Burma, where he got to meet people who have been displaced from their villages. "I visited refugee camps and got a taste of what it's like there," he said while chomping on a salad. "At one of the clinics, I saw people whose limbs had been blown off from landmines and children born with crazy birth defects. There was an AIDS ward and a maternity ward all in the same place." On screen, Szmanda says, he's about to meet with producers in hopes of finally getting a love interest for his character. "I do need a love interest or something," he said. "People need to see how Greg lives outside of work. We've gotten to see that from every other one of the CSIs." The first episode of the new season he describes as "probably the most suspenseful and violent episode we've ever had."

Jul 23 2007 - Ubisoft has expanded the CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Hard Evidence, previously available only on PC, to Wii and Xbox 360. It promises a completely new interface.

Jul 19 2007 - The internet tabloids are buzzing about Gary Dourdan's alleged attack against a paparazzo outside the club Hyde early yesterday morning. "Dourdan was sporting leather biker togs when he rolled up on his Ducati around 2 a.m. According to TMZ.com, the Web site the cameraman was shooting for, Dourdan shouted, "'Get that [bleeping] camera out of my face!' The photog obliged, pointing the camera to the ground." With the camera still rolling, Dourdan, 40, fought to get it away from the lensman, whose head hit the "concrete over and over again," according to TMZ. After other paparazzi snapped the scuffle, reported one online website.