Hot Box: Television to talk about

Open Mouth, Insert Foot: Writers and producers for the ABC hit Grey's Anatomy are fuming after Katherine Heigl said last week that she had opted out of the Emmy race because she was not given good enough material to work with last season. The remark has fuelled speculation in Hollywood that Heigl, 29, wants out of her contract on the series. This is the second time in little over a year that a dispute between Heigl and the show's producers has spread beyond the studio soundstage. Heigl may well be the most visible star in the show's ensemble cast.


Life Off Mars: Veronica Mars fans could be in for a reunion on NBC's Heroes this fall when Francis Capra, who played toughie Weevil on Mars, joins the show as recurring character Jesse. TV Guide says Jesse is a villain who will cross paths with Peter Petrelli (Milo Ventimiglia). Still to be confirmed is whether the former Veronica, Kristen Bell, will reprise her Heroes role as Elle Bishop.

Fox Hearts Huckabee:
Mike Huckabee, a former Republican presidential hopeful, has been hired by Fox News Channel as a political commentator.
Huckabee, who served as governor of Arkansas for 10 years, dropped out of the race in March after John McCain won enough delegates to clinch the Republican nomination.

"I hope to bring the unique perspective from `inside the dragon's belly' as well as to try and speak for the millions of hardworking middle-class Americans who really do feel that their voices are not being heard," Huckabee said in a statement.

Voight 24's New Villain:
In his first series role in 40 years, Jon Voight has signed on for the upcoming seventh season of 24. On the Emmy-winning Fox drama, Voight will play Jack Bauer's (Kiefer Sutherland) nemesis and the one pulling the strings behind next season's terrorist threat. The character will be introduced during 24's two-hour Season 7 prequel, now shooting on location in South Africa and slated to air Nov. 23, with Season 7 of the series kicking off in January.

Pay Up, Say Idol Musicians: A musicians union has filed a federal lawsuit in the U.S. against the producers of American Idol, claiming musicians were underpaid because the show's live music was re-recorded for reruns. The American Federation of Musicians filed the suit seeking unspecified damages last week in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, alleging that American Idol Productions Inc. violated a collective bargaining agreement.
That contract says the show's musicians should be paid royalties for rebroadcasts of the show, the lawsuit said.


LATE NIGHT

Strombo at 11: Dave Foley

Letterman at 11:35: Mike Myers, Adele

Leno at 11:35: Anne Hathaway

Stewart at 12:05: David Iglesias

Kimmel at 12:06: Rerun

Colbert at 12:35: Kenneth R. Miller

Ferguson at 12:37: Alfred Molina, Salman Rushdie

Conan at 12:37: Mario Batali, the Lordz

Daly at 1:36: Dan Abrams