Can't get enough Michael Jackson on TV? You're in luck:

TODAY

* noon: VH1 Classic Jackson music video tribute runs through midnight Sunday.
* 7 p.m.: MTV's "America's Best Dance Crew" featuring Michael Jackson music.
* 8 p.m.: TV One's "Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration" two-hour all-star concert salute.
* 9 p.m.: CNN's "Larry King Live" Michael Jackson tribute.
* 9 p.m.: ABC's special "20/20," "Michael Jackson: The Man and His Music," starting with his 1968 Motown audition tape.
*10:30 p.m.: VH1's "Michael Jackson: King of Videos" video tribute.

SATURDAY
* 10:30 a.m.: E!'s "E! News Special: Michael & Farrah: Lost Icons" two-star mashup.
* 12 p.m.: TV One's "The Jacksons: An American Dream" five-hour miniseries tracing the singer's life. (Also airs tomorrow on TV Land at 2 p.m.)
* 7:30 p.m.: BET's "Forever the King: A Tribute to Michael Jackson" features recollections from celebrities and fans.
* 8 p.m.: CNN's "Michael Jackson -- Man in the Mirror" traces the singer's life from when he was a child prodigy in Gary, Ind.
* 10 p.m.: "Bio Remembers: Michael Jackson"

SUNDAY, June 28
6 p.m.: MTV2's three-hour Jackson music video marathon.
7 p.m.: TV One's "The Life & Times of Michael Jackson" one-hour documentary .
8 p.m.: "The BET Awards" features a Michael Jackson tribute.

MONDAY, June 29
* 8 p.m.: Fox's two-hour Michael Jackson-themed "American Idol" episode.

WEDNESDAY, July 1
* 8 p.m.: MyNetworkTV re-airs "2006 World Music Awards" which feted the 25th anniversary of "Thriller" Album and awarded Jackson for selling more than 100 million albums.
* 10 p.m.: E!'s "E's Michael Jackson" one-hour documentary features home video and interview footage with family and friends.

*ABC and NBC are going virtually all-obit in primetime tonight.

Both networks are airing dueling Farrah Fawcett specials at 10 p.m. Fawcett died this morning at St. John's hospital in Santa Monica after a long battle with cancer. ABC's "Farrah Fawcett: Her Life, Her Loves, Her Legacy" had originally been scheduled for Friday but got moved up a day after news reports said she was not expected to survive today. Several hours later, NBC announced it would air a news-division produced "Farrah Fawcett: The Life and Death of an Angel" in the same timeslot.

But Farrah's not-unexpected death got totally eclipsed this afternoon by the shocking death of Michael Jackson, 50, at his Holmby Hills home in West Los Angeles. Not long thereafter, both networks announced dueling Michael Jackson tributes for the 9 p.m. hour.

CBS, which had decided to pass on a Farrah Fawcett special tonight and was sticking with its timeslot-winning "The Mentalist" at 10, decided late today to instead give viewers the options of watching a Michael Jackson special at 10 -- opposite the two Farrah specials.

Still with me?

And then there's the Fox broadcast network. It has no news division to produce an obit special. Therefore, Fox decided that on Monday it will rerun one of the episodes of this past season's "American Idol" in which 13 Idolettes each took turns singing a different Michael Jackson tune. This year "Idol" had a Michael Jackson-tune week.

ABC News and NBC News have been fighting over Farrah Fawcett's carcass today.

It all started at 10:18 a.m. ET today when ABC News announced that sources close to Farrah had told Barbara Walters "these could be her final hours."

Of course we now know Farrah died at St. John's hospital in Santa Monica around 9:30 a.m. But anyway, based on Babs's tip, ABC decided its "20/20" special about "the life, love and legacy of actress and iconic beauty...who appears to be in her final days," might appear a tad stale by its Friday airdate. So ABC announced that special would instead air tonight at 10.

Then, at around 3:30 p.m., NBC sent out an email alerting the press NBC News would air a Fawcett special -- also at 10 p.m. tonight. This will put NBC News's "Farrah Fawcett: The Life and Death of an Angel" in head-to-head combat with "20/20's" "Farrah Fawcett: Her Life, Her Loves, Her Legacy."

NBC also announced that on Friday night it will re-air its two-hour watch-Farrah-die video, "Farrah's Story." NBC already ran the "documentary" on Friday, May 15. In case you missed it, it was shot with Farrah's very own video camera over the past two and a half years and is narrated by Farrah as she explains her battle with cancer.

Because we like to do things right, we contacted CBS to find out what Farrah special it had planned for 10 p.m. tonight. CBS reported it is sticking with "The Mentalist."

Not coincidentally, "The Mentalist" has been winning the hour handily since moving there earlier this year.

Late night hosts prayed for fresh material. And god gave them Gov. Sanford:

Craig Ferguson on "Late Late Show":

Conan O'Brien on "Tonight Show":

Dave Letterman on "Late Show":

Stephen Colbert on "The Colbert Report":

Jon Stewart on "The Daily Show":

The motion picture academy hopes it has figured out a way to attract more viewers to its Academy Awards broadcast on ABC - up the number of Best-Flick nominees from 5 to 10.

That way, fans of 10 films, instead of fans of five films, will tune in to see if their fave flick wins The Big One.

Take that, Golden Globes!

It's not really a new concept - back in the really old days ('30s and 40s) the Best Picture derby was jammed with nominees, including nine years with 10 noms and even a couple years with a dozen contenders. FYI, the academy ended the practice after the 1943 Academy Awards - the year "Casablanca" was named best picture. Casablanca" (which, in case you just came out from under a flat rock, is a great WWII flick that starred Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Claude Rains, Paul Henreid, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, and so on) competed in a field of nominees that included "For Whom the Bell Tolls", "Heaven Can Wait", "The Human Comedy", "In Which We Serve", "Madame Curie", "The More the Merrier", "The Ox-Bow Incident", "The Song of Bernadette", and "Watch on the Rhine"

But, of course, the greatest year ever for best pix nominees is generally considered to be 1939, when the contenders were: "Stagecoach," "Wuthering Heights," "Dark Victory," "Love Affair," "Goodbye, Mr. Chips," "Ninotchka," "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," "Of Mice and Men," "The Wizard of Oz" and winning "Gone with the Wind." No idea what I'm talking about? Lucky you -- most of these movies can be seen on Turner Classic Movies. Sadly for all of us, the Academy Awards did not start being broadcast on TV until 1953.

"After more than six decades, the Academy is returning to some of its earlier roots, when a wider field competed for the top award of the year," academy prez Sid Ganis announced in a canned statement spread around by Oscar broadcaster ABC. Unfortunately, the news release did not explain why the trophy show abandoned the practice back in the 40s.But it's safe to say the movie studios are happy with the plan because, presumably, 10 movies nominated for best picture meanw more ticket sales than 5 movies nominated for best picture. Not that ticket sales are hurting these days: despite the recession, movie ticket sales this year are up by more than 17 percent according to tracking firm Media by Numbers. And that's not just about ticket prices being higher - number of tickets sold was also up by about the same percent which is one of the biggest sales spikes in recent movie history.

Also happy: trade papers which are struggling and dying, and now hope to enjoy 10 Best Picture Nominee For Your Consideration ad-buying campaigns instead of just five.
But happiest of all has to be ABC, which could see a much needed ratings hike for the Oscarcast.

The 2009 Academy Awards broadcast clocked about 36 million viewers which is the trophy show's third smallest audience in recent history. That's only slightly better than '08's trophy show, when a mere 32 million tuned in to see "No Country for Old Men" named best picture.

On the flip side, there are some - okay, me - who think the Academy will be hard pressed to come up with 10 nomination-worthy flicks for the '10 trophy show. The next batch of nominees will be announced on Feb. 2, 2010 and the Oscar clambake will be held Sunday, March 7 of '10.What, among the crop of flicks that have been release so far this year, is worthy of a nomination? "The Proposal"? Hangover"? "Year One"? "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen"? "Up"? Anybody? I'm asking - seriously.

Alaska's Governess Sarah Palin took her David Letterman Is A Pervert Media Tour to NBC and CNN on Friday.

On NBC's morning infotainment show, "Today," she told Matt Lauer how she'd found out Letterman had made a "comment" Monday on his CBS late-night show "about the statutory rape of my 14-year-old daughter, Willow."

Palin kicked off her David Letterman Is A Pervert Tour on Tuesday, the morning after Letterman, on his CBS late-night show, made some cracks about Palin's visit to his hometown of New York City .

Letterman noted that an "awkward moment" for Palin had occurred when she and her family were attending a Yankees baseball game and "her daughter was knocked-up by [third baseman] Alex Rodriguez" during the seventh-inning stretch.

Palin and her husband, Todd, responded the next day with coordinating comments, in which they called Letterman's raunchy joke "sexually perverted" and a reminder that "some Hollywood/New York entertainers have a long way to go in understanding what the rest of America understands -- that acceptance of inappropriate sexual comments about an underage girl, who could be anyone's daughter, contributes to the atrociously high rate of sexual exploitation of minors by older men who use and abuse others."

Friday morning, Lauer noted that, on Thursday night, Letterman had taken time in his show to say he regretted the joke and to explain the gag had not been a reference to Palin's 14-year-old daughter, Willow, but rather to her 18-year-old daughter, Bristol.

(During his explanation, Letterman noted Bristol is an unwed mother.)

"Okay, Matt, I would say that you and anybody else are extremely naïve to believe that very convenient excuse of David Letterman's," Palin snapped back at Lauer. "It took a couple of days for him to think of that excuse that, Oh no! -- he wasn't talking about my daughter who was there with me he was talking about some other daughter!" Palin said, apparently forgetting, momentarily, daughter Bristol's name.

Then she packed her bag and took her David Letterman's a Pervert Tour to CNN, where she tried it out on Wolf Blitzer, on "The Situation Room."

"[Letterman] said he made a mistake," Blitzer began. "He said, 'Yeah, it was probably in bad taste.' Are you willing to forgive and forget?"

"I will always forgive whomever is asking for forgiveness," Palin said, before tearing into Letterman again:

"David Letterman's crude, sexist, perverted joke about a 14-year-old girl being 'knocked up' by Alex Rodriguez -- I think he's like 30-something years old -- I think that's pretty perverted." Palin said, warming up.

"But it goes beyond that. Not just that joke, but this insinuation that it's okay, it's acceptable, to talk like that, and then it's acceptable for The Media to not provide the American public, the listeners, the readers, the full context of the joke. Letterman says, 'Hey, I wasn't talking about her 14-year-old.' ... My 14-year-old was there with me at the game -- she was the only one there with me. It wasn't my older daughter, who's in college, taking care of her young family. It was my 14-year-old.

"So, for the American public to not be given a full context of what that joke was all about, I think that's quite unfortunate and also, it is that sad commentary on what Americans are fed in terms of full news," Palin concluded.

Blitzer, like Lauer before him, tried to get Palin to acknowledge that Letterman had gone on national TV to say the joke was a reference to the 18-year-old daughter whom Palin did not name, and who, like Palin says, has a "young family."

"Yeah, a weak, convenient excuse," Palin shot back.

At least she didn't call him naïve.

"And, you know what?" Palin asked Blitzer rhetorically. "Regardless of which daughter, it was inappropriate. I think it contributed to some low self-esteem of many of the young girls in the country. ... I'm so glad to see women standing up and saying enough is enough -- to talk about a 14-year-old being statutory-raped is what this is. Because a 14-year-old would not consent to being knocked-up, quote-unquote, by a gentleman, A-Rod. I think it's degrading. I think it contributes to so many problems."

"Yeah, all right. Let's move on, talk a little bit about politics -- a subject close to your heart," Blizter segued, awkwardly.

By midafternoon Friday, The Reporters Who Cover Television keeping an eye on the David Letterman is A Pervert Tour had been whipped up into such a froth, they started hissing and spitting out headlines like cats in a bag:

Palin Can't Outsmart Letterman!
It's a Culture War!
Letterman and Palin: Both Jerks!
The Outrage-a-Thon Continues!
Palin: Letterman Pretty Perverted!

But, at the end of the day, from the melee, emerged The Voice of Reason: Bristol Palin's baby daddy, Levin Johnston, who was interviewed by "Extra's" Mario Lopez.

Yes, this is the first sweet sign of the apocalypse.

"I think he might have [crossed the line] a little bit, but I don't think he meant to hurt anybody," Johnston said in answer to Lopez's question "Did David Letterman's joke cross the line?"

"He's a comedian -- that's what he does," Johnston said.

Amen.

And amidst the caterwauling, Levi Johnston has somehow emerged as the voice of reason. And Mario Lopez the best interviewer - sure sign of the coming Apocalypse.

Lopez asked Johnston if he thought David Letterman's joke crossed the line. "I think he might have alittle bit, Bristol's baby daddy said. "I don't think he meant to hurt anybody. He's a comedian - that's what he does. People are going to make jokes."

Amen.

Here's Palin with Matt:

Here's Palin with Wolf.

MTV finally got around to confirming what we've known for ages: the 23rd season of "The Real World" will explore the finer points of binge drinking and friends-with-benefits in our fair city of Washington, D.C.

(Marissa Newhall -- The Washington Post)

"In a time when our country has witnessed the impact and spirit of our nation's young people, it is a pleasure to welcome MTV and 'The Real World' cast to the District of Columbia as they utilize the immense opportunities that the District's backdrop will undoubtedly provide," Major Adrian Fenty said in MTV's announcement.

Or, as MTV programming chief Tony DiSanto put it: "The charged atmosphere of Washington D.C., the center of our country's social and political change, will provide an electric setting for this next season of 'The Real World.' We are thrilled to be filming our classic franchise in the heart of where history is being made. It adds a whole new [Zzzzzz -- Oh, sorry, where was he? Oh yes] dimension to the great characters and drama our viewers expect and love from 'The Real World.'"

"Young people have never been more engaged in what's happening in this country and Washington, D.C. is the perfect place for 'The Real World' cast to express their opinions and pursue their passions," "Real World" exec producer Jonathan Murray chimed in for good measure.

This does not sound like "The Real World" we have come to know and love. The 22nd edition sounds more like it. That one, "The Real World: Cancun" debuts June 24. In Cancun, MTV promises, eight new roomies will come together under one roof "to heat things up, as they work hard and play even harder. From sexy hook-ups to blood-boiling fights, the Mexican Caribbean will never be the same as the drama unfolds."

CBS late-night star David Letterman took off his gloves and pounded his new NBC rival Conan O'Brien in preliminary ratings Tuesday night.

Letterman clocked 3.4 percent of the TV homes in the metered markets, which represent about 70 percent of the country. Conan snagged 2.9 percent. It's the first time since Conan debuted as new host of "Tonight Show" that Dave has whomped him. On Monday night, Dave had come close but Conan eeked out another win in the early stats (final ratings for this week won't be available until a week from this Thursday because that's how Nielsen rolls).

Many things worked in Dave's favor Tuesday night, starting with his guest, Julia Roberts -- a late night ratings magnet -- and the Black Eyed Peas. Conan's guest was Eddie Murphy, who is also a very good "get" but, let's face it, no Julia Roberts. Conan also had on Bonnie Raitt -- odd choice for a guy chasing younger guy viewers, but whatev.

And on that subject, Tuesday's Conan show included that taped bit Conan had shown to his predecessor Jay Leno on Leno's last night as host of "Tonight Show." You know, the one in which Conan moderated a focus group of old folks but was made up to look like as Mrs. Doubtfire's older brother so they would not recognize him. The old people were shown clips from Conan's "Late Show." Most of them did not like what they saw -- one even suggested he should be institutionalized -- and hilarity ensued. Now, nobody loves a joke at the expense of The Greatest Generation more than we do, but, if you are really trying to skew the show younger by alienating "Tonight's" older viewers, what's with the deco set? And what's with Conan in a suit? Just asking.

Anyway, Dave had several things working for him/against Conan Tuesday night. For starters,
Conan was stuck with NHL playoff coverage on NBC in prime-time, feeding him a pretty weak lead-in audience.

Plus, over on ABC, NBA Finals prime-time play wound up running until around midnight on the east coast. Conan's show starts at 11:35 p.m.; NBA Finals presumably attracts a lot of young men -- young men are Conan's target audience.

Anyway, the last time Dave beat "Tonight Show" in the early, overnight numbers was on Oct. 16 and 17th of '08. The former is the night Sen. John McCain came on Dave's show to kiss and make-up for having canceled on Dave at the last minute to do an interview instead with Katie Couric for CBS's evening newscast. Leno, NBC's "Tonight Show" host at that time, had Sen. Joe Biden as his guest that night. The second night, Oct. 17, Dave's guest was Tina Fey, which doesn't scream "ratings win" -- but Dave was the beneficiary of a boatload of press that day after his McCain reconciliation.

And, just so you know, the last time Dave beat "Tonight Show" for a whole week in the final ratings -- when both were in original episodes, when there was no writers strike, no late start times because of Olympics coverage, blah, blah, blah -- was the week of Nov. 28, 2005. That's the week Oprah came on Dave's show to kiss and make up.

Here's Julia Roberts talking late night with Dave:

Late last week, we brought word that MTV's creaky "Real World" -- the series that is now older than MTV's target audience -- is finally coming to explore the finer points of binge drinking in our fair city of Washington, D.C.

Over the weekend, Web sleuths skulked around a big ol'-heap-of-ugly brick house in Dupont Circle that has been rumored to be the Real World House. It's at 2000 S St. If you drive by, it's the one that's infested with construction workers. In the latest development, the Post's intrepid Reliable Source team tracked down the superdeveloper who owns the joint:

"The Real World: Dupont"? We Ask the Owner

The return of Angela Lansbury -- patron saint of CBS -- drove 7.5 million viewers to the network's Sunday broadcast of the 63rd annual Tony Awards. That's the trophy show's biggest audience in three years and second biggest in the last five.

The three-hour orgy of excess -- the trophy show opened with a montage of the season's musicals, including Elton John at the piano, Liza Minnelli singing, Dolly Parton with performers from "9 to 5," and the cast of Hair performing "Let the Sun Shine In" -- was hosted by Neil Patrick Harris -- star of CBS's youngest skewing series, "How I Met Your Mother."

CBS's Tonycast turned out to be Practically Perfect Counterprogramming to ABC's broadcast of the NBA Finals featuring the Los Angeles Lakers and the Orlando Magic. That's as opposed to the other broadcast networks, which went with the Roll Over Play Dead strategy Sunday night. For NBC that meant a rerun of its miniseries "The Last Templar," which hadn't done well in the ratings the first time around either -- thus can it be said "NBC has done it again!" CW, meanwhile, reran chick-flick "Kiss the "Bride" and an episode of CBS's decomposing drama "Jericho." Fox finished the night in second place among younger viewers with animation nation repeats.

"Billy Eliot," about a miner's son who dreams of becoming a ballet dancer, dominated the trophy dispensing, with 10 trophies. But Lansbury's win, her fifth Tony, for playing the several-sandwiches-short-of-a-picnic medium Madame Arcati in Noel Coward's "Blithe Spirit," garnered one of the night's more moving ovations. Lansbury also presented the lifetime achievement award to composer Jerry Herman, who wrote "Mame" -- the musical that won Lansbury her first Tony. Lansbury was once the most popular player on CBS's primetime; her "Murder, She Wrote" clocked 264 episodes over 12 seasons and ruled Sunday nights. Lansbury played Jessica Fletcher, an author-sleuth living in the seemingly quaint but -- based on the mortality rate -- highly dangerous Cabot Cove.

CBS has been bucking a trend with its trophy shows recently. The Tony Awards is the third in a row that did better ratings than a year ago. The list also includes the Grammy Awards and the Academy of Country Music Awards.

And, in case you missed Sunday's Tonycast, here's Neil Patrick Harris's end-of-show musical recap: