While shooting Lifetime’s latest original miniseries, “Maneater,” star Sarah Chalke ended up with her pants around her ankles.

“I have never tap-danced in my life and I was kicked out of the choir in the fifth grade because I can’t sing, but for this movie I had to tap-dance and sing in one scene … when I was supposed to be nine months pregnant,” Chalke told the Daily News. “So I had tap shorts over fishnets around a fake pregnancy belly, and when I put my arms up to tap-dance in front of 300 people, my pants fell down. It was like embarrassment laid on top of embarrassment laid on top of embarrassment.”

“Maneater,” a miniseries premiering this Saturday and Sunday at 9, is based on a book of the same name by Gigi Levangie Grazer, who also wrote “The Starter Wife.”

Chalke plays Clarissa Alpert, a shallow, 32-year-old (who only admits to being 28) socialite who starts planning her wedding to Hollywood’s hottest new producer before they’ve even met.

Though Chalke says she doesn’t have much in common with Clarissa (except that they’re both planning weddings, though Chalke has known her fiance for some time), she was eager to play the part.

“I devoured the book in one sitting and thought it was fantastic. Then I read the script right after and loved it because I thought it was a great combination of funny and heartbreaking,” said Chalke. “I laughed out loud and cried at the end.

“To play a character who, in the course of four hours onscreen, goes from being this gold digger who thinks that all you need in life is the right hair, makeup, clothes and money to realizing what’s really important – I knew it would be a crazy journey,” she added.

Chalke, who previously starred in Lifetime’s “Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy,” is hoping “Maneater” sees the same kind of success as “The Starter Wife,” which was eventually turned into a regular series on the network.

“We’ll see how it does,” she said. “I think it would be fun [to do a series], and I think the material lends itself to that well because of the way it’s set up.”

Meanwhile, Chalke’s other show, ABC’s “Scrubs,” has been renewed for a ninth season.

“I don’t really know what’s going to happen with that yet, but it’s so exciting that it’s going to go another year,” Chalke said. “For all of us, it was such a gift that we even got to do an eighth. After the writers strike, to get to come back and do a proper finale was really cool.”

From the NY Daily News

Hanes(R) today announced it is proud to partner with Susan G. Komen for the Cure and actress Sarah Chalke to join the fight against breast cancer. America’s No. 1 apparel brand is now the Official Apparel Sponsor of Passionately Pink for the Cure, a fundraising program created by Komen for the Cure that inspires breast cancer advocacy and honors those affected by the disease.

To align with a cause women care deeply about, Hanes will offer a special “pink collection” of panties, bras, socks, and graphic tees (including one T-shirt exclusively designed by Sarah Chalke, star of the television show “Scrubs” and television mini series “Maneater”) and has created a campaign Web site, www.hanespink.com, that features interactive content to inspire the public to make a difference in the breast cancer support community. Proceeds from the sale of the Hanes “pink collection” will help fund Komen’s breast cancer research and community outreach efforts.

The Hanes “pink collection,” including Chalke’s T-shirt, will be available on the www.hanes.com Web site in August and in select stores in September. The Official Apparel Sponsor of Passionately Pink for the Cure, Hanes is donating $250,000 ($100,000 in cash and $150,000 in kind) to Komen for the Cure.

Chalke’s specially-designed pink Hanes T-shirt includes the words “courage and strength” over her signature and features pink hearts alongside the iconic pink ribbon for breast cancer awareness. The T-shirt was inspired by the actress’ personal connection to cancer, which includes her long-time friendship with survivor Geralyn Lucas (author of “Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy,” which was adapted into the Lifetime channel movie in which Chalke stars). Chalke’s commitment to cancer is also a result of her close relationship with her aunt and grandmother, who both succumbed to cancer following courageous battles.

“I am so honored to join Hanes and Susan G. Komen for the Cure to raise funds and awareness about breast cancer. It’s a cause that I’m truly passionate about,” Chalke remarked. “Like so many others, my family has been affected by this terrible disease. I am proud to show my true colors and encourage others to do the same through joining me as I go Passionately Pink for the Cure. I feel privileged to have worked with Hanes to design a special T-shirt that will benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure and I’m excited to be part of such a dedicated network.”

Beginning June 2009, Chalke will star in a series of Susan G. Komen for the Cure public service announcements dedicated to breast cancer awareness. She also will attend Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure(R) events throughout the year and will host her own “Passionately Pink” parties with her sisters in Canada and friends in Los Angeles.

In October 2009, Chalke will speak out about the cause in a new Hanes print advertising campaign created by The Martin Agency of Richmond, VA. The Hanes campaign website (www.hanespink.com) features highly interactive elements designed by Night Agency of New York City to inspire the public to make a difference in the breast cancer support community. Among the many features, visitors will have the ability to create their own T-shirt designs and invite friends to join the fight.

This effort is the next evolution of Chalke’s continuing relationship with Hanes – she first became part of the Hanes family in 2008 when she was selected as the spokesperson for the wedgie-free Hanes No Ride Up Panty, which included a series of commercials directed by her “Scrubs” co-star Zach Braff.

Getting out of her “Scrubs” and into high fashion for her new starring role on Lifetime Television’s “Maneater” was just what Sarah Chalke needed to find the designer for her dress for her upcoming wedding.

Sarah has been engaged to entertainment lawyer and fellow Canadian Jamie Afifi since December 2006, when Jamie popped the question while the couple was on vacation in Hawaii, but the couple has yet to marry. That may be changing soon, as Sarah reveals to ET that when she tried on a Monique Lhuillier wedding gown for her role as Clarissa, she found the perfect dress.

“I loved the one I got to wear so much that I asked the costumer, ‘What do you think if I get married in this one, and we find a different one for the movie?’” Sarah tells ET.

Those who have read the eponymous book by Gigi Levangie Grazer know that Clarissa begins planning her wedding to Aaron (Philip Winchester) before she even meets him — and then she plots with her BFFs to make it happen!

“Where the similarities between Clarissa and I end is that we’re both planning a wedding, but I met my fiancé through friends on a ski trip, and she stalked hers and picked him out and planned a wedding before she even met him,” Sarah explains. “I hadn’t tried on wedding dresses yet, so it was actually really fun to do that for the part, and I got to try on a ton of these beautiful Monique Lhuillier wedding dresses.”

“Maneater” is the second book by Grazer that Lifetime Television has turned into a mini-series. The first, “Starter Wife,” went to series. So is Sarah up for that if lighting should strike twice?

“‘Scrubs’ did get renewed for season nine,” she points out. “I don’t know yet what [my involvement] will be, but regardless, I’m so glad that it got picked up.”

As for a return to “How I Met Your Mother,” she tells ET, “I actually don’t know the answer to that. “It was just supposed to be for a few days, and then it just kind of evolved into more. The creators of “How I Met Your Mother, ” Craig and Carter and then Bill, the creator of “Scrubs,” were just really generous to let me go back and forth for a little, which was very fun, but I didn’t sleep for about five weeks. I guess we’ll have to see what ends up happening with “Maneater.”

Part one of “Maneater” premieres on Saturday, May 30, followed by part two on Sunday, May 31, both at 9 p.m. on Lifetime Television.

From ET Online

Playing a blushing bride on TV has wrecked SCRUBS star SARAH CHALKE’s real-life wedding plans because she can’t wear the same dream dress twice.

The actress found the perfect gown while planning a wedding for her new TV movie Maneater – and then realised she’d have to make a second choice for her own nuptials later this year (09).
She tells WENN, “I thought it would be great because my character is planning a wedding and I’m planning a wedding – there would be some sort of synchronicity, and I could look at wedding books during scenes.

“We did get to borrow these gorgeous Monique Lhuillier wedding dresses from this rack of 20 dresses to try on. I fell so madly in love with this one dress and I was like, ‘This is the one. This is the perfect dress, it’ll be so great.’ “Then they altered it and I thought, ‘Crap, this is actually the dress I want to wear for my real wedding and I can’t actually wear it for both.”

But at least Chalke has found her dress designer in Lhuillier for when she exchanges vows with lawyer Jamie Afifi.

The actress insists there’s no set date yet but the big day will be “very romantic”.

From Contact Music

If “Sex and the City” is your kind of guilty pleasure, you’ll not only pounce on new Lifetime miniseries “Maneater” but relish every morsel.
The two-parter, which airs at 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, features four attractive — and quirky — female friends and lots of stylish clothes, chatty lunches and sexy situations.

As with “City,” this one started with a book: “Maneater” by best-selling author Gigi Levangie Grazer, who also gave us “The Starter Wife.”

At its core is a plan by the female lead, Clarissa Alpert, to snag a handsome, up-and-coming Hollywood screenwriter/producer. Our heroine is so fun to watch, however, that you’ll find yourself not really minding how dishonest and manipulative she appears to be.

Besides, there’s more to this would-be trophy wife than we see initially. Before the many twists of the plot wind to a close, we discover a different Clarissa, one with heart and values.

More good news: Clarissa is played with panache by Sarah Chalke, one of TV’s most appealing actresses. Chalke not only has range, but as she’s exhibited on “Scrubs,” she’s as adept a physical comedienne as you’ll find on either the small or big screen today.

Best news? Her tour de force in “Maneater” may not end Sunday. If the mini does well, there’s talk Lifetime may turn it into a series just as USA Network did with miniseries “The Starter Wife” starring Debra Messing.

“I think the setup on ‘Maneater’ kind of lends itself to that because you’ve got the close group of girlfriends like ‘Sex and the City,’ ” Chalke said in a teleconference call.

She says she loved playing Clarissa’s transition from “the gold digger with the world by the tail” to the woman who watches this world she’s built begin to fall apart.

One way they’re alike, she added, is they’re both planning a wedding. However, they go about it differently. Clarissa does everything “in the wrong order,” Chalke said. She plans the wedding, even books the hotel, before she even gets to know the groom.

In real life, Chalke has been engaged to fellow Canadian and entertainment lawyer Jamie Afifi for more than two years; they plan to marry this year.

It was kind of a thrilling rehearsal, she said, to wear a fabulous wedding dress — from Monique Lhuillier — in the movie. In fact, the clothes in general were a nice change for Chalke given her character on “Scrubs” is in, well, scrubs much of the time.

“Fashion was such a fun part of it,” she said, singling out the stunning purple dress from Zak Posen that her character wears to meet her intended husband.

Chalke also got a kick out of a scene in which she sings and dances with her mom — considering “I got kicked out of the choir in Grade 5.”

The actress who plays her mom? Maria Conchita Alonso, a surprising choice considering how fair Chalke is.

“We went back and forth on that. Should it be explained? It was decided it wasn’t necessary,” she said.

Clarissa’s dad is played by Gregory Harrison, and “lots of people have parents of mixed heritage,” she said.

Though Chalke seems eager to take this role to series, she’s also happy that “Scrubs” was renewed for a ninth season on ABC. She’s committed to six episodes.

As for how her character, Dr. Elliot Reid, will fit in, Chalke indicated that was still up in the air. “I actually don’t know yet what I’m going to do,” she said. “But I’m excited it’s back.”

From My San Antonio

Is the quirky and adorable Dr. Elliot Reid scrubbing back in for the ninth season of the hit ABC series?

The short answer? She’s still not sure. But the long answer is more fun anyway, right?

The lovely Sarah Chalke is one busy lady. She’s making the rounds promoting her new Lifetime miniseries, Maneater. She’s still a shoo-in to drop by CBS’s How I Met Your Mother. And, unfortunately, she’s also still up in the air about that offer to return to ABC’s just-renewed Scrubs.

“I actually don’t know yet what I’m going to do, but I will very soon. You guys will be the first to know,” says Sarah. “Regardless, I’m excited that the show got picked up again and it’s going to go another year.”

So there you have it. Nothing set in stone yet, but what Sarah said next about what was presumed to be the series finale of Scrubs and where she might end up next may surprise you…

A big reason Sarah might be hesitant to sign that season nine contract? Her new Lifetime miniseries, Maneater, is already being considered to go the way of Debra Messing’s The Starter Wife and be made into a series of its own.

Sarah spills, “I think the setup on Maneater kinds of lends itself to that because you’ve got the close group of girlfriends, sort of a Sex and the City.” (More on Maneater next week.)

Since the eighth-season ender of Scrubs was intended to be the last, the finale finally gave the fans the Jelliot conclusion we always wanted–and Sarah agrees. “I loved the finale. I’m a romantic at heart and I always thought J.D. and Elliot should end up together; I was really happy with how things ended up.” Ditto!

What about the series finale as a whole? “It was really cool getting to see a little bit into the future. And I loved that all of the guest stars came back. To have that day where you have a hallway of people who had guest-starred over the years, it really was a walk down memory lane.”

We know that many of you have mixed feelings about the show coming back with a new format and different characters in place of our old faves, but Sarah is just grateful that the show we all knew and loved was able to bow out at all.

“After the writers’ strike we didn’t know what was going to happen. We thought it might just end on some random, middle-of-the-season episode that would just be it for Scrubs forever,” the actress explains. “That would have been such a tough way to have it end. The fact that we got to finish up that season and do a whole eighth felt like such a gift. Bill got to really end the show the way he wanted.”

And unlike with that show about the town on a hill with one single tree–ahem, we won’t name names–Sarah is nothing but grateful for everything Scrubs has done for her. “It was the best job I’ve had. I got it two months after I moved down here, so a huge piece of my L.A. experience has been on Scrubs. We all felt that we were lucky to have that rare combination of enjoying your character and loving the writing, but also really liking the people you work with.”

Sarah’s not counting out working with some of her Scrubs costars in the future either, including The Janitor’s new ABC series, The Middle. “Neil Flynn is one of the funniest people I’ve ever worked with. I would love to guest on his show and I’m very excited for him that it got picked up.”

Yes, we admit that it sounds as if she’s feeling good about finishing up Scrubs and moving on, but we’ll just have to wait and see where Sarah ends up on our TV’s next season. One thing’s for sure, we’ll definitely be able to find her somewhere–even if it’s not in our favorite fictional hospital.

Now you’re up! What do you think of an Elliot-less Scrubs?

From E! Online

Santa’s elves are making a pit stop at ABC on their way from the North Pole.
Walt Disney Animation, in its first special for its sibling TV network, is prepping Prep and Landing, due late this year. Based on characters created by Chris Williams (Bolt) and produced by Pixar whiz John Lasseter, Prep looks at the high-tech North Pole Christmas Eve Command Center, where coordinator Magee (Scrubs’ Sarah Chalke) pairs disgruntled elf Wayne (Dave Foley) with eager young recruit Lanny (Derek Richardson) to prepare the world’s homes for Santa’s arrival.

ABC hopes to repeat the success it had with 2007′s DreamWorks special Shrek the Halls, which drew more than 20 million viewers. Like that special, Prep “works on two levels,” says ABC’s Vicki Dummer. For kids: “High-tech tools they use,” such as the gingerbread-man-shaped Naughty Detector. For parents: “A lot of inside jokes that are nods to classic Christmas specials.”

From USA Today

Meanwhile, as expected, the ninth season renewal of “Scrubs” appears to now be a lock, with star Zach Braff officially signed on to appear in at least six episodes next year.

As for “Scrubs,” momentum had grown in recent weeks to bring back the show back in a reworked fashion. Besides Braff, Sarah Chalke is on board for six segs. Other stars are locked into pilots, but could return if their shows aren’t ordered — including Donald Faison, John C. McGinley and Neil Flynn.

Creator Bill Lawrence is said to be kicking around various ideas to evolve the show — such as following one of the characters as they move to a different hospital or medical school.

“Scrubs” aired its season finale last week — but the episode’s look and feel was that of a series ending its run. The episode even ended with shots of the “Scrubs” cast and crew hugging behind the camera after they performed their final scenes.

From Variety

There is a storm being caused by gay marriage and we are all in serious trouble. This is a parody of NOM’s Anti-Gay Marriage PSA.