Posted at 8 a.m. Thursday, June 5

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama’s getting equal time on “The View.”

Well, his wife, Michelle, is.

Michelle Obama will sit in as co-host with Barbara Walters and the other “View” women on June 18, ABC said. It’s her first time as both guest and co-host on the show.

According to AP, the talk show had invited her to be a guest, but she answered that she would like to host just like Cindy McCain, wife of Republican presidential nominee John McCain, did in April.

“Equal time—that's hard to argue with,” the show’s exec producer Bill Geddie told the AP.

John McCain has been on “The View” several times. Barack Obama has appeared twice, including earlier this year when Walters got a little flirty with him. When Obama claimed that his distant cousin, Brad Pitt, got the better looking side of the gene pool, Walters said, “We thought you were very sexy looking.” Take a look:

Posted at 12:45 p.m. Friday, May 30

Haven’t had enough “Sex” yet? I’m talking about “Sex and the City: The Movie.”

The big screen follow of the HBO series opened Friday with a lot of hoopla. But just in case you haven’t read enough, see enough or heard enough about the film, Cynthia Nixon—aka Miranda—appears on this week’s edition of BBC America’s “The Graham Norton Show.”

She talks about “Sex,” of course. The show airs at 9 p.m. Saturday. Here are some clips.

Here he asks Cynthia and the othe guest, David Mitchell of "That Mitchell and Webb Look," if they know terms that came to light in "Sex and the City."

I love this clip. Graham says what everyone else is thinking.

Posted at 5:15 p.m. Wednesday, May 28

When Usher’s got something to say, you let him say it.

That’s what Damien Fahey, host of MTV’s “TRL,” learned Tuesday when the R&B star stopped by the show to promote his new album, “Here I Stand.” It dropped Tuesday.

In an unprovoked rant, Usher took over the segment, dismissing reports that he and his wife, Tameka Foster, were separating and calling out all the haters and gossip about his personal life “trash.”

He seemed to be finished, but when Fahey tried to move on, Usher butted in again to dispel another long-held belief: That his wife caused the him to fire his mom-ager, Jonetta Patton.

“I hear y’all talking crazy out there, she’s a beautiful black woman. Stop. Stop talking. And I love her. Stop it.”

VOTE IN REDEYE'S "BEST CHARACTER ON TV" ONLINE TOURNAMENT

Posted at 12:30 p.m. Monday, May 5

Mayor Richard Daley, Ellen DeGeneres and Maggie Daley at the Saturday taping. Click on the photo to view the Ellen in Chicago gallery. [Michael Rozman photo/Warner Bros.]

Ellen DeGeneres and Mayor Richard Daley pulled a fast one on Chicago.

When the mayor introduced Ellen on Saturday for the Chicago taping of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” he called her Helen.

Apparently it wasn’t one of Daley’s famous blunders, as Chicago media—including me—reported over the weekend.

The mayor was in on the whole thing.

"He knows her name is Ellen," Jodi Kawada, the mayor's deputry press secretary, told me Monday. "He's been a fan of hers for a long time."

Ellen on Monday released this statement, according to her publicist: "I love that the Mayor calls me 'Helen.' It's a little running joke we have. Thank you Mayor Haley."

According to the publicist, when Ellen called Mayor Daley during her April 15 episode, he jokingly called her Helen before correcting himself. It’s been an ongoing gag on the show since then, the publicist said. Kawada, who wasn't at the taping Saturday, confirmed that.

Apparently I haven’t been watching the show enough.

“I guess we assumed everyone would know it was a joke,” Ellen's publicist said, referring to the mayor’s “flub” on Saturday.

Ellen played up the joke throughout the taping, at one point even explaining how he might remember her name.

“The city has a whole transportation system named after me. ‘L’-En,” she said from the stage. The mayor was laughing down below.

The gag grew even larger when guest Robin Williams took the stage. He called Ellen several names, and even told the crowd he was “Reuben.”

The Chicago show is supposed to air at 3 p.m. Tuesday on NBC5/WMAQ. To read my original report about the taping, go here.

Posted at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, May 2

Ellen DeGeneres opens her Chicago show on Saturday. Click on the photo for my "Ellen in Chicago" gallery. [Michael Rozman photo/Warner Bros.]

I danced with Ellen DeGeneres on Saturday, and I got a T-shirt to prove it.

I also received a free piece of Pizano’s pizza, wet clothes and cold fingers.

About 3,000 fans attended the first-ever Chicago taping of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” which took place on Michigan Avenue between Tribune Tower and the river. It featured guests Robin Williams and “American Idol” rejects Michael Johns and Carly Smithson, who sang two songs together.

Lesa Kypuros, 30, of Beecher, camped out next to Tribune Tower at 8 p.m. Friday to get in line early Saturday. She and a friend ended up with the first two stand-by tickets.

“We just want to see Ellen,” said Kypuros, who called herself a big fan. “It’s her first time in Chicago. We gotta welcome her.”

And despite the cold, wind and rain, everyone seemed to be having a great time—including Ellen. She was just as charming and funny as she is on TV. Wait, she was filming to be on TV.

“I guess the saying ‘If you don’t like the weather, stick around for five minutes,’ is not a joke,” she told the crowd, then showed a doctored photo showing what was supposed to be her in a bikini. “This is what I had on during rehearsal earlier [when the sun was out].”

At the end of the 1-hour, 25-minute taping—when the rain really started coming down—Ellen thanked the crowd for standing in the rain.

“I love this town so much.”

I don’t want to give away too many details about the show. You’ll have to tune in at 3 p.m. Tuesday on NBC5/WMAQ to see the episode. And watch for me standing behind Ellen when she introduces the “Idol” stars. I’m wearing a hat.

Some highlights from the taping:

IT’S ELLEN, MAYOR DALEY, NOT HELEN

Mayor Richard Daley fumbled his welcome for Ellen, introducing her on camera as Helen DeGeneres.

“For some reason he thinks my name is Helen,” she said, adding that he might remember her name by thinking of the city’s public transportation.

“It’s like the ‘L,’” she suggested. “‘L’—En.”

SINGING IDOLS

Rejected “American Idol” contestants Michael Johns and Carly Smithson showed that maybe they did get voted off the show too soon. They were pretty good together—singing U2’s “One” and Sam & Dave’s “Hold On, I’m Coming.” Read more at the Vital Idol blog.

NO OPRAH RIVALRY

Despite Ellen fan Brent Dansby’s feelings, there’s no rivalry between Ellen and Oprah Winfrey.

“We’re helping [Ellen] beat Oprah,” the 30-year-old told me before the taping, suggesting that was the reason he and Tucker Holley, 30, stood in line to get into the event. The Printer’s Row residents had ticket No.s 685 and 686 before the taping, and expected to be standing in the back for the show.

Oprah wasn’t there in person, but welcomed Ellen to Chicago via a taped message. She also sent Ellen and her crew Oprah’s favorite pizza from Pizano’s. Ellen upped the order—for her entire audience. (Thanks Ellen!)

ELLEN SHOWS HER BADONKADONK

One segment of Ellen’s show is right up RedEye’s Word on the Street blogger Tracy Swartz’ alley. In “What the hell are these kids talking about,” Ellen has explained to viewers the definitions of such words and phrases as shawty, boo and “drop it like it’s hot.” On Saturday, she explained what a honky tonk badonkadonk is—by wiggling her behind.

ROBIN WILLIAMS-WAAAAA!

Chicago native Robin Williams took over the show during his chat, er, monologue with Ellen. I’m not sure how much will actually make it into the episode, but his jokes—all funny—were a lot like this one: “It’s so cold even the Wrigley Building has nipples.”

HARDEST WORKING MAN IN THE BIZ

Tom Riles, the guy who warms up Ellen's audience before the show and between segments, must drink a whole lot of coffee. He hardly stopped moving from about a half hour before taping began to the end of the show, at least two hours if not more.

Tom explained all the rules—phones off, hug the person next to you, give the person in front of you a back rub, tell your neighbors you love them. He and DJ Stryker also got us on our feet and dancing. And Tom's the guy who tossed out the "I danced with Ellen" T-shirts, one of which I happened to catch.

One of the most endearing things about Tom, who is from Chicago, is how he sings the wrong lyrics to songs, or the right lyrics at the wrong times.

So he wouldn't make it on "American Idol." He does just fine on "Ellen."

Posted at 10 p.m. Friday, May 2

Ellen DeGeneres tapes a segment at Giordano’s in Chicago on Friday. Photos by Michael Rozman/Warner Bros.

Ellen DeGeneres began her invasion of Oprah territory on Friday.

The talk show host taped a segment for an upcoming episode of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” show at Giordano’s downtown. According to the show’s publicist, she played “Deep Dish Dig” at the restaurant.

DeGeneres will tape her show outdoors Saturday afternoon on Michigan Avenue between Tribune Tower and the Chicago River. The publicist said she expects an audience of 3,000 to attend. Sorry, no more tickets are available. I was out there on Friday, and it looks like a majority of that crowd will be standing—unless they hadn’t set up all the chairs yet.

DeGeneres will chat up Chicago native Robin Williams, as well as present a “TV exclusive” duet by “American Idol” rejects Michael Johns and Carly Smithson.

I’m going to the taping, so check back later this weekend and I’ll tell you how it went. The episode is scheduled to air at 3 p.m. Tuesday on NBC5/WMAQ.

Posted at 9 p.m. Thursday, May 1

Sen. Barack Obama continues his pop culture appearances Thursday with a stop on “Late Show with David Letterman.” The Democratic presidential candidate delivered the Top 10 list for the episode, which was taped earlier in the day and will air at 10:30 p.m. on CBS.

And here it is, from the home office in Wahoo, Nebr., of course (courtesy CBS):

Surprising Facts About Barack Obama
10. My first act as President will be to stop the fighting between Lauren and Heidi on “The Hills.”
9. In the Illinois primary, I accidentally voted for Kucinich.
8. When I tell my kids to clean their room, I finish with, “I’m Barack Obama and I approved this message.”
7. Throughout high school, I was consistently voted “Barackiest.”
6. Earlier today I bowled a 39.
5. I have cancelled all my appearances the day the “Sex and the City” movie opens.
4. It’s the birthplace of Fred Astaire. (Sorry, that’s a surprising fact about Omaha)
3. We are tirelessly working to get the endorsement of Kentucky Derby favorite Colonel John.
2. This has nothing to do with the Top Ten, but what the heck is up with Paula Abdul?
1. I have not slept since October.

Posted at 6 p.m. Friday, April 25

If you shrugged and thought “So what?” when you heard the news that Jimmy Fallon will succeed Conan O’Brien on “Late Night” when O’Brien takes Jay Leno’s “Tonight Show” spot in 2008, I’ve got a talk show for you.

In “The Graham Norton Show,” the saucy British TV host Norton gets away with gags no American talk show host would attempt. He’s like a naughty kid who gets to play in the entire candy store. He enjoys challenging his guests—most who are recognizable to U.S. viewers—to reveal the most amazing things.

He’s also keen on audience participation and hidden camera gags. In a great bit from last year, Norton’s camera was put on the shoulder of a woman at a speed dating event. Norton asked the men questions, and pushed a red rejection button when he didn’t like them. Some barely had the chance to sit down before he bounced them.

“GNS” is a campy, sexual, pop culture blender.

And when it airs at 9 p.m. Saturdays on BBC America, it’s just a week after its original British broadcast, so it’s still fresh and relevant.

This Saturday, Season 3 of the show premieres on BBC America with guests Kevin Bacon, Tony Curtis and Swedish pop star Robyn.

Curtis tells all about old Hollywood—how Elvis copied his style (uh huh), his affair with Marilyn Monroe and that he has used Botox. Norton gets Bacon to admit to Googling himself and finding a fan’s bizarre “tribute to Kevin Bacon” video. He also laments the movie that put him on the Hollywood map, “Footloose.”

“I go to Bar Mitzvah’s, weddings, parties, I have to go up to the DJ, give him 20 bucks and say, ‘Please don’t play this song,’ because inevitably the song comes on, everyone starts looking at me and a circle forms around me and I’m supposed to start performing like a trained monkey or something,” Bacon says.

Which gives Norton the perfect cue to get his audience on their feet for the “Footloose” dance. Watch the video above, and tune in at 9 p.m. Saturday. You’ll love it.

Posted at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 2

Lupe Fiasco performs at this summer's Lollapalooza in Grant Park. Photo by alBerto Trevino/RedEye

David Letterman returns to CBS late night on Wednesday, but there’s been a change to the soundtrack.

Chicago’s own Lupe Fiasco will be Dave’s musical guest, performing “Superstar” from his latest album “The Cool.” He replaces Shooter Jennings, who will be on Friday’s show.

It’s Dave’s first live show since early November, when TV writers went on strike. Letterman’s Worldwide Pants production company made a deal with the writers’ union to allow his writers to return to work.

Dave’s main guest Wednesday will be actor Robin Williams.

Watch a video clip of Lupe Fiasco and Mathew Santos performing “Superstar” at this summer’s Lollapalooza.