Jim ‘The Anvil’ Neidhart Dead at 63

Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart, a professional wrestler who was part of the Hart family wrestling dynasty and is the father of World Wrestling Entertainment star Natalya, died on August 13. He was 63

A two-time World Wrestling Federation tag team champion as part of the Hart Foundation with real-life brother-in-law Bret “The Hitman” Hart, Neidhart was a highly recognizable character in the late 1980s and early ’90s, unmistakable with his goatee and pink garb. Bret Hart said he was “stunned and saddened,” at the news of Neidhart’s death. “I just don’t have the words right now.”

Neidhart was known to younger audiences for his appearances on “Total Divas,” the wrestling reality show, and for being Natalya’s father as well as the father-in-law of Tyson Kidd, a former World Wrestling Entertainment performer.

A Florida native, Neidhart took up wrestling in 1979 after playing preseason football for the Oakland Raiders and Dallas Cowboys, training with WWE Hall of Famer Stu Hart in the Hart Dungeon in Calgary and earning his nickname by winning an anvil-throwing contest. He married into the Hart Family when he wed Stu’s daughter, Ellie, and came to the WWE when it purchased Stu Hart’s Calgary Stampede Wrestling in the mid-’80s.

He left WWF for the first time in 1992, but returned with a larger Hart Foundation in 1996 and 1997 with three of his brothers-in-laws, striking a rivalry with Stone Cold Steve Austin. He is survived by his wife and daughters Jennifer and Kristen, in addition to Natalya (whose given name is Natalie). Citing the Pasco Sheriff’s Office, TMZ reported that he died after striking his had in a fall at his home in the Tampa area, with 911 audio it obtained describing a man having convulsions at around 6:30 a.m. Eastern.

Lawler Family Questions Suicide Ruling in Death of Brian Christopher

The family of former WWE star Brian Lawler is speaking out, saying they don't believe he killed himself in his jail cell as the TBI investigates his death.

Just before his death last month, he made a 15-minute phone call to his father.

"He said I'm going to die in here," his father, wrestler Jerry Lawler, said. "He just kind of went on about the conditions there."

A few hours later, his mother received a different call — this time from someone at the jail saying Brian had gotten into a fight that caused him to get stitches.

That was the last call the family say they got, until one last one from a deputy sheriff.

"He said 'Mr. Lawler, I got some bad news.' He said 'Your son Brian has hung himself.'"

"Hanging" is listed as the cause of death on Brian's death certificate.

The Lawler family is still in shock and disbelief, and their lawyer Ted Hansom says it just just doesn't make sense. There are so many unanswered questions.

"In the case, the question is what is the mechanism that was used? Where did it come from? If he's in a cell by himself how did he get to it?" Hansom said.

NEWS: Stephen Nichols, Greg Rikaart, Christopher Meloni, Misha Collins, Terrence Howard, Shiri Appleby

Stephen Nichols plays Steve "Patch" Johnson on Days of our Lives.
Photo Credit: Howard Wise/JPI Studios

Stephen Nichols previews his return to Days of Our Lives
[SPOILER ALERT] "He’s not welcomed at all—by anyone, least of all by Kayla. He tells her right off the bat that he wants her back, and that he wants his family back. But she’s not having it. Patch goes and has a little talk with Hope and sees how pissed she is that Bo has abandoned his family. But Patch does not buy that for a minute. He and Bo were best friends since they were 16. He knows Bo would never just up and leave his loved ones without a serious reason, but he’s the only one who believes that. So Patch is determined to find him. "

On a possible return to General Hospital during "Fan February" and the 50th anniversary: "If they were ever truly serious about bringing me back for a long-term story, then they would have made a serious offer. And there was none of that. They brought back all those great actors for the 50th anniversary Nurses Ball and they did call me for that. I said, “Are you kidding me?” No, not for me. I felt slapped by that experience and I can’t believe that most of those actors went ahead with that plan. They are so talented and worth so much more than that."

The Young and the Restless star Greg Rikaart books "pivotal arc" on TNT's Major Crimes
Rikaart is joining the TNT drama for a multi-episode arc in the role of Bobby G. Monroe, a confident young lawyer and anti-death penalty activist who is currently defending Slider (Garrett Coffey), the young man awaiting trial for the murder of Alice Herrera.

Rikkart, who will juggle his Major Crimes stint with his ongoing Y&R duties, will first appear during the second half of the show’s recently-expanded fourth season (which resumes November 2).

Oz and law & Order: SVU star Christopher Meloni recalls his screen test, which was for a soap opera
“My first screen test was for a soap opera. A seduction scene. Fresh out of acting lessons, I was all method-y. I went sleazy. Grabbing the actress, I French-kissed her. Staring daggers at me, she said, ‘You mother f - - ker!’ ”

The best and worst series finales, charted
Github user OrganicIrradiation used IMDb user ratings on individual episodes to determine which shows were the most disappointing, and Dexter came in at No. 1.  Click to expand the chart on the right.

Jon Stewart jumps into ring for WWE SummerSlam
Unshaven, retired Daily Show host Jon Stewart moved from basic cable to pay-per-view to host SummerSlam, World Wrestling Entertainment's summer spectacular, reports CBS News correspondent Vladimir Duthiers.

"You know, I've spent the past 16 years talking about politics. It's nice to be back in reality," Stewart said in the ring.

SummerSlam needed to be a home run -- it wasn't
Opines Hollywood Chris Hall: "The WWE needed SummerSlam to be a home run. In the wake of declining product interest, which has been consistent in its decline for the past 15 years, the most high-profile SummerSlam event of all time needed to be a company gold mine that would be a turning point in the WWE's fortunes -- not that they're bad. After all, as evidenced by the recent jump in WWE stock -- investors see still see something in the WWE, whatever it may be, considering that, aside from production values and social media outreach, there's nothing that the WWE is exceptional at."

Terrence Howard divorce settlement overturned after judge finds “extortion” played a role
Howard had his 2012 divorce settlement with ex-wife Michelle Ghent overturned when a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge found the actor signed the agreement as a result of “extortion” and “duress.” Judge Thomas Trent Lewis agreed with Howard’s contention that out of fear he signed the divorce settlement, which allows Ghent a portion of his Empire earnings, because she threatened to publicly leak a video of him nude, as well as taped phone sex calls he had with different women.

Empire hit with another lawsuit, this one seeking $500 million
Jon Astor-White claims Empire ripped off his script called King Solomon that he shopped around in 2007.

Supernatural’s Misha Collins says he’s “totally fine” after he was mugged outside a fan convention
Co-star Jim Beaver posted on Facebook, "My buddy and Supernatural colleague Misha Collins was followed out of a restaurant in Minneapolis by three men last night and beaten and robbed. He’s all right, more or less, with some stitches and a fat lip.”

Orange Is the New Black’s Uzo Adubo performed on stage with Taylor Swift
Adubo, who will be playing the good witch Glinda on The Wiz Live!, showed off her singing skills at the Staples Center in a duet with Swift.

Desperate Housewives’ Eva Longoria and Jesse Metcalfe reunite
Longoria and her former TV gardener lover came together at a charity event over the weekend.

One Tree Hill stars reunite
Sophia Bush, Bethany Joy Lenz and Stephen Colletti were among the cast members who gathered together over the weekend.

Twin Peaks composer returning for Showtime’s revival
Angelo Badalamenti, David Lynch’s longtime collaborator who was responsible for the show’s haunting soundtrack, is expected to sign on to score the upcoming Showtime series.

David Boreanaz returning to Bones after being sidelined with a “personal health issue”
Due to Boreanaz’s health scare, writers created a storyline in which Booth goes missing early in the season. Boreanaz says he’ll return to work Tuesday and begin filming scenes that can be inserted into the episodes he missed.

Fear the Walking Dead sets a new cable premiere record with 10.1 million viewers
The AMC companion to The Walking Dead set new premiere records in total viewership and the demo. The Walking Dead launched to nearly half that viewership in 2010, with 5.4 million viewers. Better Call Saul previously had the best-ever cable premiere record in the 18-49 demo.

Katherine Heigl to star in CBS legal drama pilot Doubt, replacing KaDee Strickland
Heigl will play a “a smart, chic and successful defense lawyer” who gets involved with one of her clients. The pilot was originally made with KaDee Strickland and Teddy Sears, who went on to star in The Flash.

ABC Family quickly deletes tweet calling Pretty Little Liars’ transgender villain “He. She. It”
The tweet posted on Tuesday afternoon immediately sparked outrage by ABC Family’s Twitter followers.

Shiri Appleby is pregnant
The UnREAL star announced on Twitter she's expecting her second child.

Scandal adds Alias alum Mia Maestro
Shonda Rhimes, a longtime Alias fan, has cast Maestro in a mysterious role. Maestro currently stars on The Strain.

NEWS: Karla Mosley, Jacob Young, Michael Hawkins, Christian Slater, Stephen Amell, Jen Lilley, Allison Janney

B&B's Maya, Nick and Rick.

GLAAD talks to The Bold and the Beautiful stars Karla Mosley and Jacob Young about trans storyline
"As a woman of color I understand how important it is that we be given the opportunity to write and tell our own stories," says Mosley (Maya Avant). "One of the first things I had to do was acknowledge my own privilege as a cisgender person to be in the position to play this role. I felt it was important that our show include trans actors in this story line and I'm happy to see that's happened. I'm also excited to see more trans actors and stories starting to be included in TV & Film."

"His pull is stronger to her than any business or any other relationship," adds Young (Rick Forrester). "As far as this role affecting me personally. It absolutely has, I have always believed in equal rights. I have and always and will be a strong advocate for the transgender community."

Michael Hawkins and Christian Slater

After nine years, Ryan's Hope alum Christian Slater speaks with his father, original Ryan's Hope star Michael Hawkins
Christian Slater (D.J. LaSalle on Ryan's Hope) recently opened up about mending his relationship with his father, actor Michael Hawkins (original Frank Ryan), after an estrangement that lasted for years.

The actor had a candid discussion with his Nymphomaniac director Lars von Trier in the June-July issue of Interview magazine, in which he said that he has recently reconciled with his dad, now 79, a "manic-depressive schizophrenic."

"He's always had trouble – he was a fantastic actor and extraordinarily charismatic and very, very good looking, but he had a really difficult time working with directors, collaborating with people," Slater told the director, also noting that his mother was his father's agent.

Slater also reflected on his first TV role. My mother became a casting director and she cast me in a soap opera called One Life to Live. I was, like, 8 years old, playing a kid who had hurt himself on a skateboard. I had, like, three lines. I did the lines and everybody in the studio applauded—I was immediately hooked after that. I was like, "This is the life for me."

Marvin Gaye's son plans to sue Empire for stealing his idea
Marvin Gaye III claims he registered a treatment on a show called Diamonds & Ballads with the Writers Guild of America back in 2010. Gaye says the treatment describes a family in the music business -- "a music based 'black' and 'hip' version of Dynasty ... with a little Sopranos." Gaye shopped the treatment around to TV execs and said it was loosely based on the lives of his legendary family and the Berry Gordy family.

Gaye insists the people in the industry with whom Lee Daniel's associates received emails pitching his treatment. Gaye feels Daniels unwittingly fessed up in 2014 after Empire hit big, when he said, "I wanted to make a black Dynasty." He also said it was similar to The Sopranos.

Days of our Lives casting new role: Summer
Days is seeking a Caucasian woman in her early 40s to play the short-term, contract role of Summer. She is described as a passionate loner who has been in and out of institutions and is a small-time thief. The show is asking for experienced actors only, names preferred, to begin taping at the end of the month.

Days of our Lives star Jen Lilley is a fan of Jeff Striker's new novel, "The Last Recruit"
Lilley (Theresa Donovan) said, “Jeff’s tale weaves shreds of truth into fiction, making for a strong and compelling read … in fact, the storyline is compelling enough to cause even the most serious [of] readers to become immersed in the story.”

One Life to Live alum John Brotherton joins Netflix's Fuller House
Brotherton, who played Jared Banks on OLTL, tweeted the news: "New gig 😎 So honored, so pumped! #FullerHouse #TGIF #90s #blessings 🙏🏻"

Arrow star Stephen Amell gets a match at WWE SummerSlam after challenging Stardust in the ring
Stephen Amell did not fail WWE Monday Night Raw fans when the Arrow star appeared on this week’s episode. But it looks like viewers will have to wait a couple of weeks before the main event.

Amell was standing off to the side when Stardust interrupted a match between Neville and King Barrett. But winning for Stardust had little to do with the match going on – once he spotted Amell, Stardust made his way toward the star and incited a quick throwdown. Watch the brawl above to see Amell wail on Stardust until security gets in the way.

Watch below:

'Rowdy' Roddy Piper Dead at 61

Professional wrestling legend "Rowdy" Roddy Piper has died at his Hollywood, California, home, officials and World Wrestling Entertainment said. He was 61.

Piper's agent, Jay Schachter, said in a statement that "Rod passed peacefully in his sleep last night."

"I am shocked and beyond devastated," Schachter said. "He was an icon, a legend, an amazing man and a true friend." In 2006, the WWE announced that Piper had been diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma and would receive treatment.

Piper, whose real name is Roderick George Toombs, joined World Wrestling Entertainment in 1984; before that he wrestled in the NWA.

NEWS: Niki Flacks, Mishael Morgan, Daniel Polo, Princess Theodora Sayn-Wittgenstei, Katherine Heigl, Ed Sheeran

The Downton Abbey sisterhood goes upmarket for glamorous Harper's Bazaar shoot
In a spread entitled 'The Downton Sisterhood' for August’s edition of Harper's Bazaar, the ladies get their glam-on for a series of gilt-edged shots with photographer posing for Alexi Lubomirski.

What to Watch: July Fourth Weekend Marathon Roundup
Marathons include the following:

Friday, July 4
The Walking Dead (9 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday, AMC)
Sex and the City (2 p.m.-midnight, E!)

Saturday, July 5
Heroes (11 a.m.-4 p.m., G4)

NEWS: Dom Song Used Illegally in OLTL Promo?; NY Writer Diversity Tax Incentives; Sarah Michelle Gellar; James Sutton; Alfre Woodard; Kerry Washington; Eric Braeden

Dom demands his music be taken off ONE LIFE TO LIVE Hulu promos, says he's getting ripped off
Dom, the Massachusetts-born musician who gained some fame a few years ago with his breakout electro-pop hit “Living In America,” claimed this week via Twitter that his song was being used illegally for Hulu ONE LIFE TO LIVE promos.

"So @ABCNetwork @onelifetolive @hulu have used my music 4 over a year without my permission & have decided not 2 pay me #corporateamerica"

New York May Become First State to Incentivize Diversity in Writers' Rooms
Thanks to two new bills currently gaining traction in Albany’s assembly and senate, New York may become the first state to incentivize adding diversity to a production’s writing staff.

WWE Superstars Get Animated For 'WWE Slam City'

WWE and Mattel, Inc. have announced the launch of WWE Slam City, WWE's new kids property that includes an original animated short-form series and a complete line of WWE Slam City merchandise. The 26-episode series, which launches today in the U.S., Canada, and U.K., is comprised of two minute shorts featuring WWE Superstars in their new animated world, WWE Slam City. The first four episodes begin airing Monday at WWESlamCity.com and Cartoonium on YouTube. WWE Slam City toys, including action figures, ring sets and more, are currently available at major retail stores.

The series, filmed in the next generation of stop-motion animation, features a new WWE animated character The Finisher, who fires all of the WWE Superstars and sends them to WWE Slam City to find day jobs. WWE Superstars are plunged into new career challenges as John Cena, Randy Orton, Sheamus, The Miz, Rey Mysterio, Kane, Alberto Del Rio and Mark Henry pack every street corner with work to do and scores to settle. With John Cena as an auto mechanic, Alberto Del Rio as a coffee house barista, Randy Orton as a zookeeper and Sheamus as a theater usher, these Superstars have a new life outside the ring, but still stay true to their WWE personas.

NEWS: Eileen Davidson Back at Work on DAYS OF OUR LIVES; Martha Byrne in CRISIS; New Irish Soap Opera; Aaron Paul Hosts WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW

Former EASTENDERS executive producer John Yorke to head up new Irish soap for TV3
The Company Pictures and Element Pictures will begin filming this summer, with production expected to take place at TV3's HD studio in Dublin.

Eileen Davidson back at work on the set of DAYS OF OUR LIVES
After eight months away from Salem, Eileen Davidson (Kristen) reported back to the DAYS set on Monday.

Martha Byrne previews her role in NBC's upcoming drama CRISIS
CRISIS centers on students kidnapped from an elite Washington, D.C., school. Byrne plays Marie Wirth, the mother of a victim.

“I’m most excited about that role because it gives me the opportunity to show a broad spectrum of emotions. The whole premise is, what would you do to save your child?” As a soap opera actress, she says, “I got used to kidnappings and all these horrible things happening.”

NEWS: Rosemary Prinz, Eric Braeden, Paige Turco, Dylan Bruce, Jacinda Barrett, Stevie Nicks, Chris Brochu

Former soap star Rosemary Prinz brings her warmth to Playhouse
Prinz, who played Penny Hughes on AS THE WORLD TURNS for 12 years among other soap roles, is in Cincinnati to star in Amy Herzog’s "4000 Miles" at Playhouse in the Park.

She’s still working hard at 84: "My idea of a perfect way to go is, you finish the show, you take your bow, the curtain comes down and that’s it."

WWE shopping 'Raw,' 'Smackdown' and other TV properties
That doesn't mean that those shows will definitely be moving. Although NBCUniversal's exclusive negotiating window with the WWE expired over the weekend, it still has limited rights to match a competing offer.

However, NBCUniversal and WWE are far apart on a price. WWE is looking for a dramatic increase in rights fees and has retained Chris Bevilacqua, head of media advisory firm Bevilacqua Helfant Ventures, to negotiate its deal.

Mae Young Dead at 90

WWE has confirmed the passing of WWE Hall of Famer Johnnie Mae Young.

"There will never be another Mae Young," said WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon. "Her longevity in sports entertainment may never be matched, and I will forever be grateful for all of her contributions to the industry. On behalf of WWE, I extend our sincerest condolences to her family and friends."

Nielsen Twitter TV Ratings: Weekly Top 10 (December 30, 2013-January 5, 2014)

The Nielsen Twitter TV Ratings Weekly Top Ten for December 30, 2013-January 5, 2014 has been released. DICK CLARK'S NEW YEAR'S ROCKIN' EVE WITH RYAN SEACREST 2014 topped all shows with a Unique Audience of over 4.3 million. MASTERPIECE CLASSIC: DOWNTON ABBEY finished third (click the chart to enlarge).

The list is ranked by Unique Audience and include four metrics for each of the top episodes:
* Tweets - Tweets ascribed to a linear TV episode.
* Unique Authors – Unique Twitter accounts that have sent at least one Tweet ascribed to a specific TV episode.
* Impressions - The number of times any Tweets ascribed to a TV episode were seen.
* Unique Audience – The total number of distinct Twitter accounts accruing at least one impression of one or more different Tweets ascribed to a TV episode.

WWE Network Launches February 24

WWE Network, the first-ever 24/7 streaming network, will launch live in the U.S. on Monday, February 24, featuring all 12 WWE live pay-per-view events – including WrestleMania® – valued at more than $600 per year for $9.99 per month with a 6-month commitment. WWE Network will also include groundbreaking original programming, reality shows, documentaries, classic matches and more than 1,500 hours of video on demand at launch.

Fans can subscribe to WWE Network beginning at 9 am ET on Monday, February 24 at WWE.com, and for a limited time will be offered a free one week trial. WWE Network, the first 24/7 network delivered directly to fans through over-the-top digital distribution, will be available on desktops and laptops via WWE.com. WWE Network will also be available through the WWE App on: Amazon’s Kindle Fire devices; Android devices such as Samsung Galaxy; iOS devices such as Apple iPad and iPhone; Roku streaming devices; Sony PlayStation® 3 and Sony PlayStation® 4; and Xbox 360. Availability on additional devices, including Xbox One and select Smart TVs, will follow this summer.

Nielsen Twitter TV Ratings: Weekly Top 10 (December 23-29, 2013)

The Nielsen Twitter TV Ratings Weekly Top Ten for December 23-29, 2013 has been released. WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW topped all shows with a Unique Audience of over 1.26 million. BBC America's DOCTOR WHO special was second (click the chart to enlarge).

The list is ranked by Unique Audience and include four metrics for each of the top episodes:
* Tweets - Tweets ascribed to a linear TV episode.
* Unique Authors – Unique Twitter accounts that have sent at least one Tweet ascribed to a specific TV episode.
* Impressions - The number of times any Tweets ascribed to a TV episode were seen.
* Unique Audience – The total number of distinct Twitter accounts accruing at least one impression of one or more different Tweets ascribed to a TV episode.

INTERVIEW: Francia Raisa and Mike "The Miz" Mizanin Preview 'Christmas Bounty'

THE SECRET LIFE OF THE AMERICAN TEENAGER actress Francia Raisa and WWE Superstar Mike "The Miz" Mizanin star in Christmas Bounty, an ABC Family Original Movie on Tuesday, November 26 at 7 p.m. ET.

Former bounty hunter turned elementary school teacher Tory Bell (Raisa) was ready for a new life when she left the family business behind and moved to Manhattan. But when an old enemy is released from jail and vows retribution on Tory and her loved ones, she returns to New Jersey to take care of him once and for all. When Tory’s upper-class fiancé, James, follows her home for Christmas, she tries to keep her bounty hunting ways a secret, but the plan backfires when James unwittingly becomes involved in the Bells’ mission. Further complicating matters, Tory must work closely with her ex-boyfriend, Mike (Mizanin) to bring down their target and keep James out of certain danger. But as Tory becomes further entrenched in her old life, she finds herself torn between whom she once was and her plans for the future. Will Tory choose her new life with James, or will the thrill of bounty hunting and unresolved feelings for Mike prove too powerful to ignore?

Raisa and Mizanin spoke with the press this week about the film. Read the interview below:

WE LOVE SOAPS: How did you [Mike] manage to take the MTV brand that you created into your dream career?
MIKE "THE MIZ" MIZANIN: None. Whenever I come to these movies, with The Marine 3: Homefront and Christmas Bounty, I don't want people to look and go, "Oh that's The Miz." I want them to go, "Oh that's Jake Carter. That's a new character; that's something I haven't seen from The Miz before." And in Christmas Bounty I want them to say, "Oh Mikey Muscle is a completely different character." I want them all to have their separate entities. But whenever I'm around backstage you definitely get to see The Miz and witness The Miz, because it's more fun that way.

FRANCIA RAISA: I am going to interrupt! When I met Mike he was so welcoming. He had his dog with him, and I'm a dog person. He treats her like his own daughter. So it was nice seeing the soft side to him.

MIKE "THE MIZ" MIZANIN: I get it all the time, by the way, that "I love Mike but I hate The Miz." I get that at least once a day, so it's nice. It's definitely one of those things I know when to turn it on, I know when to turn it off.

What was it that initially drew you to this role?
MIKE "THE MIZ" MIZANIN: With WWE it's theater, it's live, you're in front of a live audience, you only get one take. If you mess up the entire world is going to see it and are either going to boo you or cheer you at that moment.

However, acting in a movie -- you don't get that initial reaction and you don't get that live audience feel. Doing a movie is a lot nicer on my body. I just got back from Europe for WWE -- we did a European tour for 14 days of constant wrestling, so my body's tired, my mind's tired. When you're shooting a movie it's exhausting in a different way, where you're mentally going at it and you don't get that much sleep. But I do enjoy movies. I do enjoy WWE. I enjoy them both the same. They're a lot different, and they're also very similar.

I'm really excited about Christmas Bounty premiering on November 26, because the cast just got along so well. It's not every day that you get to enjoy such a close-knit cast. Every time we were done with a shoot we would all go sit and just talk. I think you'll see that closeness and that bond that we all had and that love for each other in Christmas Bounty. I think when a cast becomes close you can really see that they enjoy working with each other, and I think we all really had a pleasure working on Christmas Bounty.

FRANCIA RAISA: I agree! Coming off of THE SECRET LIFE OF THE AMERICAN TEENAGER I am not used to doing any sort of action. This was my first time doing action scenes on camera. I did grow up doing martial arts. So, I was intimated to work with Mike, because he is a wrestler and has done this for a long time. But he was really welcoming and really encouraging. In SECRET LIFE it was very "go, go, go, go", because TV tends to have more time. It was a lot of fun and we were able to pick it up really well.

Like Mike said, we all really enjoyed working with each other; we became a family, we definitely bonded. We are genuine friends, so it's definitely going to show on camera. I'm just as excited, because we just watched the movie and you could just tell that there was so much chemistry between all of us!

It was definitely a transition, just because I hadn't done film in a while, but I was really happy to know that this was the first project that I was going to do outside of SECRET LIFE and TV.

Did either of you spend any time with bounty hunters to learn stunts for the role?
MIKE "THE MIZ" MIZANIN: I definitely watched Dog the Bounty Hunter leading up to doing this role, just checking out exactly what bounty hunters do. So that was the extent of what we did. The casting process was put together fairly quickly, so there wasn't an excess of time where you could find a bounty hunter and talk to him.

FRANCIA RAISA: It happened so fast; I found out on a Sunday and I was a plane by Wednesday. So my research was with the director and my cast. I did watch The Bounty Hunter with Jennifer Aniston!

What was your most memorable moment from filming?
MIKE "THE MIZ" MIZANIN: My most memorable moment is one having to do with Francia. I'm so glad I got to be with her in this movie because she taught me a lot on the acting realm and was a constant professional. But there was one day where she was trying to do this savate kick for the movie. And let me tell you something, I can't even do a savate kick. I'm the type of person that likes to give people a hard time, and I enjoy doing little pranks, if you will. If I see someone getting a little aroused I have to keep pushing that button. So I kept pushing it and at one point she was like, "You have to give me a moment!"

So I gave her a moment, and she did the savate kick and it was literally the most perfect kick. I think I'm going to take credit for her savate kick, because of the energy that I gave her during that moment.

FRANCIA RAISA: That made me so mad, haha! That was a pretty memorable moment for me.

MIKE "THE MIZ" MIZANIN: Another memorable moment for me was that I had my first on-screen kiss.

FRANCIA RAISA: Oh yes! I was really excited about that!

MIKE "THE MIZ" MIZANIN: I've been on TV for a while and I never had a movie or TV series where I've had a kiss with another actress, so this was my first time. I guess you could say I was pretty nervous about it, because I didn't know what the rules were. I just went for it, and I think it was Francia's best kiss she's ever had on screen, to be completely honest with you. I mean I'm a really good kisser. You can ask my fiancé!

What traditions or rituals do you have for the holidays?
FRANCIA RAISA: I like to cook a lot, so I'm really excited to cook next week for Thanksgiving. I'm the only one doing it, so I will be up bright and early. Other than that, I like to sleep and watch Christmas movies. This year I will have my entire family watch Christmas Bounty over and over again!

MIKE "THE MIZ" MIZANIN: I don't know how to cook. If you asked me to cook you macaroni and cheese I could get you that, maybe a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, so you definitely don't want me cooking.

Normally WWE has Survivor series on pay-per-view right around Thanksgiving, which is happening this Sunday. Then I fly to my hometown of Cleveland, Ohio, which is my hometown. I celebrate a day that I call "Miz Fest", which is every Wednesday before Thanksgiving. I rent a school bus and I bring about 60 of my high school friends-- yes I said high school -- I basically bring them all on the school bus and we just have a blast through the entire city of Cleveland.

The next day my family goes over to my aunt's house for Thanksgiving. We eat my aunt's dry turkey and her other food that she usually cooks. I've never seen someone try so hard to cook great food and still cannot do it well. So my Aunt Lynn isn't the best cook, but you have to give her an A for effort.

During Christmas, I always love the Christmas movies. I love Christmas Vacation, I love Elf, and now I'm going to be watching Christmas Bounty. I'm actually having a little viewing party on Tuesday over at my friend's house in Cleveland, and I think everyone's going to really enjoy Christmas Bounty, because there's something for everyone. It's not just for girls, it's not just for guys, it's not old people, young people, it's everybody; there is something for everyone. If you like comedy, if you like drama, if you like romance, if you like a little action, guess what, you're going to get it all in Christmas Bounty, and it's going to show that true holiday spirit.

What should fans expect while tuning in to Christmas Bounty?
MIKE "THE MIZ" MIZANIN: It's one of those feel good movies! I think everyone watches their special Christmastime movies. This is a movie that's going to be right up there with all the other ones. I think people are going to really watch, and when they're done watching this movie they're going to come away with a smile on their face, they're going to cuddle with their loved ones a little closer. I think it's just one of those movies that will stand the test of time, and I think people will be shocked to see how great it truly is.

FRANCIA RAISA: I agree! It's just one of those feel good movies that you enjoy watching, and you take yourself away from reality a bit and you tap into someone else's happiness, and you're around your loved ones and you're cozied up in your house. It's one of those movies that's a perfect ending to your night.

MIKE "THE MIZ" MIZANIN: Here's what I want everyone to do on Tuesday night. I want you to get some popcorn, I want you to get your most comfy clothes on, I want you to snuggle with one another, and I guarantee you by the end of that movie you guys are going to look in each other's eyes and say, "I love you."

Can you give a brief synopsis of your characters and Christmas Bounty?
MIKE "THE MIZ" MIZANIN: Christmas Bounty is a movie about Tory Bell, played by the lovely, gorgeous Francia, who does an amazing job. Tory Bell is from New Jersey, she has a New Jersey family, she's raised there, and her family is all bounty hunters. Francia's character wants to get out of that life. She moves to New York City, becomes a school teacher, is living the average, ordinary, everyday life like everybody else. She meets a new guy, who's played by Will Greenberg. She has this new life.

Tory has to come back to New Jersey with her bounty hunters to protect her family, and her new fiancé tags along to meet the family. The family is very eccentric; it's very loud, it's very New Jersey. My character is the ex-boyfriend who is a bounty hunter with her, and we basically have to find the bad guy before he finds us.

There could be a love triangle. You're going to have to tune in at 7:00/6:00 Central this Tuesday, November 26th to check it out.

What preparations did you have to take to make it work between the two of your characters?
FRANCIA RAISA: We met on set! I was working as an actress on SECRET LIFE. I've been training my entire life for something like this. As I mentioned earlier, I did martial arts for ten years.

I think we both just came in with an open mind. We both just wanted to just make a great project, we both were really passionate about the script, we both loved the script, and there was no reason to not get along. Mike's a great guy and he has a great outlook on work, his work ethic is incredible, and he was really trying to make this character great. He was really into learning how to get in deeper with the character and not just have very surface choices. I really wanted to make it look great when it came to fighting, so we worked together to make sure that happened.

I can see us being friends for a lifetime, but we've only known each other a few months! I'm really grateful that he's in my life, even though he gives me a hard time sometimes, but he's like a big brother to me.

MIKE "THE MIZ" MIZANIN: Aw, me too! It was an instant connection between the entire cast; we all just clicked, and it's not every day you get that, to be completely honest with you. I've been on TV shows where people don't like each other, but they have to work with one another. This couldn't be more opposite; everyone was truly likeable, everyone liked each other and wanted to be around each other. Some people would come to set during their off days just to hang out with one another because we were such a close-knit group.

To prepare for this movie I think The Real World got me comfortable in front of cameras, and then the WWE got me comfortable in front of a live audience and theater. I've also done acting coaches, I've done Improv Olympics, so to prepare for this movie I got involved with my acting coach and then just listened.

Whenever I do a movie I always like to base my character off of a couple different characters. When I was in Marine 3: Homefront I went with the Paul Newman, Clint Eastwood, Bruce Willis type of theme. With this one, since Gil did 10 Things I Hate About You I watched some of his movies and his work. Heath Ledger was in 10 Things I Hate About You and really connected with me with this kind of character. I took that realm and brought it to Christmas Bounty.

Gil is a tremendous director, and did a great job with the entire cast. He made everyone look great and be at their best, and created such an ease on set that you can feel.

FRANCIA RAISA: I think we all had the same goal coming into this project, and I think it really shows on camera and it really created a bond between all of us. That's what's important with every cast -- having the same goal to get to the end result. No one was trying to be the star, no one was trying to stand out more. We all really just wanted to work together.

Could you talk about where Christmas Bounty was filmed?
FRANCIA RAISA: We were on location in Vancouver at a house. I loved it out there -- We had so much fun! We were at a mall at one point; that was fun. We both live in LA right now, so we had to leave our home.

It was raining a lot, but the weather did not disagree with us at all times. There was a day where we needed to shoot outside and we could not afford to have rain, and it did not start raining until we stopped shooting and we were done for the day. It's a great city. I loved it out there.

MIKE "THE MIZ" MIZANIN: This is a very fast paced movie and anything weather wise could have really affected the movie, but luckily we got very lucky with a lot of the locations. Vancouver is gorgeous, it's beautiful, it's very green. I like the rain, because I live in Los Angeles now, and it's never raining. I never get to see rain anymore. I'm from Cleveland. I like thunderstorms; I like a little rain in my life. So going up to Vancouver, seeing that rain, seeing the greenery. The people are just absolutely wonderful and so nice.

Did have an action background (martial arts and WWE) help for the action sequences in Christmas Bounty?
MIKE "THE MIZ" MIZANIN: Along with WWE, acting in The Marine 3: Homefront really got me prepared for all the action scenes for Christmas Bounty. I think WWE is as action packed as they come; it's non-stop. It's what we do, learning the performances, adding little things here and there to make sure that the scene flows right and it's perfect.

FRANCIA RAISA: I think Mike had a bigger advantage than me, because he does it all the time. First, I'm not use to action sequences. Second, when I grew up doing martial arts I actually hit people, so it was really hard for me not to actually hit some of the stunt guys or the actors. I was at an advantage, because it helped me with the choreography. It helped me really show that I make it look real. But I was at a disadvantage, too, because I did bruise some people up sometimes.

MIKE "THE MIZ" MIZANIN: You did a very good job, Francia! I think people are going to debate whether or not she showed me up on these action scenes or not, because she has some really cool acrobatic scenes in there. There's a scene where she's on a guy's shoulders. It's pretty incredible some of the maneuvers that she pulled off.

FRANCIA RAISA: You're so sweet. Thank you. I did do all my own stunts! I was fighting to do my own stunts. The only stunt I didn't do myself was jumping off the building in the beginning of the movie. But other than that, I'm on the car, rolling off the car, all of that was me.

If you could describe your Christmas Bounty character's [Tory and Mike] in one word what would it be?
MIKE "THE MIZ" MIZANIN: I would say "strong". That's not just muscle wise, but strong mentally.

FRANCIA RAISA: My nickname on the movie is Tornado, it's Tory "Tornado" Bell, so I'm just going to say tornado.

What was your favorite scene in the whole movie?
FRANCIA RAISA: The fight scenes, the action scenes for sure. Seeing the chaos and having to fight all these guys and really having my dream come true to do action was amazing.

MIKE "THE MIZ" MIZANIN: We did a lot of fun stuff in the bar scene! I've shot guns, I've done fight scenes, I do it all the time, so I like more of the drama stuff where you could really dive into the drama. There's a lot of love, there's a lot of romance, there's a lot of people torn in different directions. I really enjoyed the emotional roller coaster that my character had to go through.

You will see in the credits, we do this little dance number and it was just so much fun. We spent the whole day doing this wonderful scene, and then at the end they were like, "Just go dance up there and see what happens," and we all just had a blast and it was great.

Francia's a professional dancer. Will [Greenburg] and I are not professional dancers. We know what we get from The Grind on MTV. Francia gets her moves from professionals. She's hanging out with Selena Gomez and dancing around with her. I'm a little outside; I'm really good at doing the Harlem Shake.

What's your number one gift on your Christmas list this year?
FRANCIA RAISA: The success of Christmas Bounty. That's what I want - for everyone to enjoy it!

MIKE "THE MIZ" MIZANIN: I don't like giving or receiving gifts because I don't like that initial reaction. Although I do enjoy the love and the family aspect of Christmas, and I love eating with my family and friends and reconnecting with them. I think we all can sit down and watch Christmas Bounty together and really enjoy that. So that's what I enjoy about Christmas and the holiday time.

What's your favorite thing about each of your characters?
MIKE "THE MIZ" MIZANIN: My favorite part was just how different he is compared to me. I'm not really a Jersey type guy; I don't really wear leather jackets. He was just fun to play, because he's very sweet, and granted I'm a sweet person, but I think Mikey Muscles is a little bit more Jersey than I am. So it's nice to play someone different from where you're originally from. I definitely turned on a lot of Jersey music stations. I watched The Real Housewives of New Jersey just to see how these women really talk, and it was a lot of fun putting on a little bit of an accent. So it's cool.

FRANCIA RAISA: I love the heart that Tory has. The minute she felt her family in danger she ran back and wanted to make sure they were okay. She has a big heart for her family, for her fiancé, and even for Mikey Muscles, her ex-boyfriend. The movie is all around love, and you definitely see Tory's heart grow and show throughout the movie.

What projects are you [Francia] currently working on?
FRANCIA RAISA: I actually just got back from Atlanta yesterday, and I ran into Mike at the airport. I shot a pilot for Lifetime called Unreal. It goes behind the scenes of reality TV. This one in particular is a popular reality contest similar to The Bachelor, and I play a field producer. I'm working along Shiri Applebee and Megyn Price and a wonderful cast. Marty Noxon is one of the show creators, along with Sarah Shapiro. I'm excited to get that project going next year once Lifetime picks it up.

I also recorded a Christmas song, so I'm dropping that right before Christmas. It's called "Wish List" so it's going to be my first single coming out.

Do you think you [Mike] might want to make more of an acting career?
MIKE "THE MIZ" MIZANIN: With WWE I think there's a tremendous amount of acting that we put across. The Miz is arrogant, egotistical, cocky, believes everything he is, and more, so with WWE you're doing a lot of that kind of stuff anyways. WWE Studios has been doing a great job of dishing out some really good movies as of late, I mean Marine 3 being one of them, but also The Call. We have Scooby Doo coming out in March, so I'm really excited about that because I got to be a voice in Scooby Doo. Anytime you get to play a voice in Scooby Doo you have to be pretty ecstatic, and I was. So that's always fun as well.

I'm also dipping into I have my own radio show on SirusXM 87, Sirius Fantasy Football. It's the fantasy football show, but it also has a little bit more than just fantasy football; it has a little bit of wrestling, a little bit of pop culture, so I have fun with that as well. As far as acting goes, I love it. I do have the acting bug, and WWE satisfies that bug for now. Hopefully I can get more movies with WWE Studios and keep the whole trend going.

What's your favorite Disney theme park?
FRANCIA RAISA: I love going to Toon Town in Disneyland. I'm so mad that it closes so early, because by the time I get to go it's already closed!

MIKE "THE MIZ" MIZANIN: Disneyland.

What is your favorite Disney ride or attraction?
FRANCIA RAISA: Space Mountain! Hands down is the best ride ever. But also Roger Rabbit. I don't know why I have such a love for that little ride.

MIKE "THE MIZ" MIZANIN: It's a Small World after all. I like that one.

What is your favorite food or restaurant within a Disney park?
MIKE "THE MIZ" MIZANIN: Funnel cakes.

FRANCIA RAISA: I love the chimichangas they sell at California Adventure, they're really good. The corn dogs at the entrance at Disneyland are really good, and the churros are really good. I eat a lot. Oh, the turkey legs, you have to try the turkey legs.

MIKE "THE MIZ" MIZANIN: Oh, man, turkey legs definitely. I couldn't have said it better. Turkey leg is good.

Who is your favorite Disney character?
FRANCIA RAISA: I'm going to say Jasmine, because I want to play her if they ever do a movie.

MIKE "THE MIZ" MIZANIN: I say Mickey Mouse, but I also like Roger Rabbit and Jessica Rabbit.

Walker Ragsdale is a freelance blogger with a passion for everything pop culture. For feedback or questions, you can email Walker Ragsdale at Reklawmedia@gmail.com.

NEWS: WWE Star Darren Young: 'I'm Gay'; Megan McTavish Retired & Enjoying Life; DEGRASSI Death

WWE star Darren Young: 'I'm gay'
WWE superstar wrestler Darren Young publicly came out as gay during an unplanned interview with the news entertainment website TMZ late Wednesday. He is the first openly gay wrestler in the organization -- which is the premier professional wrestling company -- according to a tweet by WWE Executive Vice President Stephanie McMahon.

Young made the statement while at an airport baggage carrousel in Los Angeles after being asked if "a gay wrestler could be successful within the WWE."

"Absolutely. Look at me. Ya know. I'm a WWE superstar and to be honest with you, I'll tell you right now, I'm gay. And I'm happy. I'm very happy," Young said in response to the question.

WWE and E! Team Up For TOTAL DIVAS

WWE and E! are partnering to bring viewers the first-ever look into the world of the WWE Divas in the all new docu-series, TOTAL DIVAS. Cameras will follow the lives of five Divas - both in and out of the ring - giving a first-hand look at the electric personalities, compelling personal lives and incomparable in-ring performances that have helped make WWE the most successful organization in sports entertainment history.

David Kreizman Leaving WWE

WWE Creative Team member David Kreizman has given WWE notice that he will be leaving the company.

Kreizman, a former writer for ALL MY CHILDREN and GUIDING LIGHT, will be the third creative team member to leave WWE in the last few months, however he is the first to be leaving on his own accord. Kreizman haS been one of the top WWE creative team members since Eric Pankowski's dismissal right before WrestleMania.

Kreizman has been nominated for nine Daytime Emmy Awards for writing, winning in 2007 as part of the GUIDING LIGHT team. He also won a WGA Award in 2005 for GUIDING LIGHT.

Monday Night Ratings: CARRIE DIARIES Steady, DALLAS Slightly Down

The overnight ratings are in for Monday, March 25.

On the CW, THE CARRIE DIARIES was flat with last week's 0.4 adults 18-49 rating (830,000 total viewers).

On FOX, THE FOLLOWING scored a series low 2.3, down two tenths from last week's 2.5 adults 18-49 rating (6.66 million viewers).

NEWS: Maurice Benard, Wesley Eure, Jesse McCartney, William Roache, Shane Richie

GENERAL HOSPITAL's Maurice Benard: 'Maybe I'll be around for the next 50 years'
"To tell the truth, I wanted to retire at 50. But I couldn't do it. We've got kids and bills to pay. Maybe I'll be around for the next 50 years. Maybe I'll end up playing Sonny with a cane and white hair, or no hair at all. We'll see."

"I think it's great that we've been able to bring a little more balance to the character (of Sonny) and to put him in the position of having to fight for the woman he loves. I do think we can be doing some more with the mob, but they (the producers and writers) know what they're doing."

Cops investigating death threats against CORONATION STREET legend William Roache
Police have launched an investigation into allegations veteran actor Bill Roache has been bombarded with death threats. The CORONATION STREET star, father of LAW & ORDER actor Linus Roache, made headlines this week after he gave a controversial TV interview in which he suggested victims of sexual abuse are paying the price for actions in their "previous lives".