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« Ausiello Report
Exclusive: Lindsay Lohan Finally Getting Ugly?
Lindsay Lohan by Jordan Strauss/ WireImage.com
After pursuing the jungle cat known as Lindsanius Lohanicus for nearly a year, it appears Ugly Betty may finally have caught its prey. Multiple Ugly sources confirm to me exclusively that the comeback-hungry actress is in advanced discussions to guest-star in the show's May 22 season finale, which is currently in production.
But that, my friends, is not the big news.
No, the big news is that Betty producers are currently talking to LiLo's camp about bringing her back next season for a sizable arc – and I do mean sizable. We're talking as many as eight freakin' episodes.
No doubt ABC is looking at the ratings mileage CBS got out of Britney Spears' How I Met Your Mother cameo and is hoping Lohan can perform the same magic for Betty, which, despite firing on all cylinders creatively this season, has seen its viewership tumble by double digits. Depressing, I know.
Specifics on Lohan's character are still being finalized, but the original idea was to have her play a hapless fast-food worker that Betty befriends. Not sure if that would still be the plan.
Now, I know you Betty fans were initially resistant to the prospect of a Lindsay-Betty confab, but in light of the show's recent ratings woes, are you warming to the idea? I certainly am.
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May 1, 2008 3:03 PM
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Congrats to Rebecca Romijn on escaping a sinking ship!
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May 1, 2008 3:07 PM
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Stunt casting heralds catastrophe
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May 1, 2008 3:58 PM
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Yuck.
Great show, horrible actress. I'm tired of seeing her and pretty much refuse to watch anything she's involved with. Anything more than a quick cameo (think Posh) would really ruin the show for me.
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May 1, 2008 4:16 PM
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Ratings are down all over the place - "Ugly Betty" isn't alone in that. I have a feeling once the effects of the strike are forgotten and shows start up again in the fall - things will even out. But if Lohan brings folks to the show and inspires people to try it out or come back ... well then why not? That's the whole point of special guests and seemingly it worked out okay for "How I Met Your Mother" with Britney.
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May 1, 2008 4:25 PM
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Most episodes that came after the strike are horrible: Ugly Betty, Supernatural, Smallville, Criminal Minds. I'm completely bored the last few weeks watching my FAVORITE shows.
Hopefully, next season, the shows will get better.Hopefully.
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May 1, 2008 4:37 PM
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"But if Lohan brings folks to the show and inspires people to try it out or come back ... well then why not?"
Because it will make watching the show painful for the many many many people who are tired to death of Lohan. And because if it's bad enough it may cause some of the current audience to turn it off.
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May 1, 2008 4:45 PM
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are tired to death of Lohan.
I would have assumed the same for Britney - frankly I couldn't believe the ratings went up (for HIMYM) ... but they did!
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May 1, 2008 4:48 PM
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I actually think Lindsay Lohan is a pretty good actress, much better than Britney Spears. I'm not sure how she'll do in such a bubbly comedy/drama kind of show. So if she does a good job, I think it could be fun.
Also, I have to say that I watched this show last season and loved it. It's not winning me over this season. I find Betty/Henry a bit far-fetched and annoying. Also Amanda/Gene Simmons just doesn't appeal to me. I miss Mark and his boyfriend. Although I do like the Judith Light scenes; she's awesome. I don't really watch regularly anymore. Just an episode here and there.
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May 1, 2008 4:54 PM
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I think it would be a good thing. She can actually act, unlike Brit (even though I didn't hate her on HIMYM). I wouldn't mind her being on the show.
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May 1, 2008 5:04 PM
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Ratings will go up for the same reason people slow down to see car accidents - they are obsessed with the horrible.
I'm so over LiLo. She really needs to get over herself and stay away from my Betty!
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May 1, 2008 5:27 PM
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I'm sorry bluefly, but if you think Lindsey Lohan is a good actress, I have to assume you've seen one or two of her movies. She's a Disney Queen, who specializes being the shiny beacon in cheesy dramatic-comedies, why would she have trouble with fluff like Ugly Betty?
Of all the shows on TV right now, I cannot understand why any fan of Ugly Betty would complain about stunt casting. The show is all about camp, which generally includes stunts! My hope is that they don't play her presence down on the show and create some boring character that no one would care about unless someone famous or incredibly talented was playing her.
My problem with the Britney stunt was that her performance was not interesting enough to warrant the attention to a character that did not advance the story in any useful way. I actually preferred her appearance on Will & Grace because her character was both bizarre and had a purpose with respect to the other characters and story.
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May 1, 2008 5:56 PM
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I think Lindsay is a pretty talented actress, but in general I don't like the "stunt casting" that Ugly Betty does: Victoria Beckham, Katherine McPhee, Tim Gunn, Lucy Liu, Jerry O'Connell, Rita Moreno, Kristen Chenowith, James van der Beek, Vera Wang, Eliza Dushku, Bow Wow, Gene Simmons, etc.
On one hand, it's nice that the show can attract that many actors of calibre, but on the other hand, the show really shouldn't rely on it, at the risk of compromising the quality of the story. In other words, I don't like it when they write AROUND the guest actor, rather than fitting the guest into the existing story.
And that guy who won the design show, Project Runway? I could care less about that guest appearance. I realize that Mode is a fashion magazine, and he's a fashion designer, but still, it puts a bad taste in my mouth. I mean really, he's not such a star that he'll attract millions of new viewers to the show.
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May 1, 2008 6:12 PM
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Really, Lindsay Lohan? Really? I love Ugly Betty, and I've actually enjoyed these last two episodes post writer's strike, but geez, L.Lohan as a ratings scheme? The show can't be that desperate, can it?
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May 1, 2008 11:29 PM
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I have a question, isn't about lindsay lohan or ugly betty. My question is:
Will be kristen bell on the third season of heroes? I hope your answer will be yes. Thanks 
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May 2, 2008 6:55 AM
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