• Alyson Hannigan
• America Ferrera
• Amy Poehler
• Eva Longoria Parker
• Tina Fey

If this were not the People’s Choice Awards, we could go ahead and crown Tina Fey, but when you get outside of NY/LA entertainment circles, things aren’t quite so one-sided.  Tina Fey is seen as smart, but not necessarily the genius who should automatically get every comedy award.  She’s funny, but she’s not any funnier than any of the other nominees.

(And yes, I think 30 Rock is a great show)

I think Amy Poehler is funny, but she’s stuck on a not so good, not particularly funny show.

I think Ferrera is due, especially if you count her work on Ugly Betty season four. 

So, Ugly Betty Fans, I urge you to go to The People’s Choice Awards site and vote for America!

Image: INF

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TV Guide

The show cross-promotes the program in a very creative way, with Betty proposing a story about it in mode, complete with a mosquito-net-clothing photo shoot.  I would imagine some kind of (real) appeal is going to be aired during or immediately after the show as well.

The show’s stars recently appeared at the UN promoting the program (and the episode) in person.

"It’s really a perfect marriage," said Judith Light. "Betty Suarez is a person who has a great heart and a great soul. So in this story, it’s not a stretch at all that she comes from a place that wants to help other people. She’s trying to change hearts and minds about the way we all relate to each other."

Executive producer Silvio Horta wanted to feature the UN on the show, which led to a discussion about Nothing But Nets. 

"We took that back to the writers, and they said, ‘Mosquito netting [and] fashion — that’s very logical," producer Richard Heus joked. "But we put that together and it worked. The storyline resonated with pretty much every member of the cast and crew. It was something we all could easily support and feel is very important. We’re very grateful."

Tony Plana thinks Ugly Betty is the perfect show to highlight the program. 

"We represent inclusion," he said. "We’re already connecting with a set of issues because of our cultural identity, and we are passionate about that. … To know that we are able to extend that [passion] beyond culture and social economics to social awareness about issues of this nature just makes you feel so wonderful about the work that we do."

The season premiere of Ugly Betty is (finally) October 16th at 9/8c.

Image: Bauer Griffin

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The clip also introduces Megan.  Not “meh gun”, but “Mee-gun”.    She is bitter toward Betty because she lost her office (which she worked four years to get) to Matt.  She is a little snotty to Betty, especially about her pink bunny, and her chair in the conference room.

But most of the meanness in this clip belongs to Matt.  He introduces what his job will be: as an intermediary between the editors and the editors in chief.  All submissions for ideas have to come through him.  Every side comment he makes is a back-handed insult of Betty (only she knows this, though).

Betty introduces the idea of the malaria problem in Africa, and Matt mocks it.  Megan then works with the idea, trying to steal it for herself.

I can see where Betty’s over-the-top memory of her fist day comes from.

I know some of you will disagree with me, but I think Matt is more likeable as an unlikeable guy, in the same way Willi is at her best when she’s plotting and scheming.

Another good thing from this preview is we see Betty as the underdog, with America Ferrera bringing back that new-girl vulnerability we haven’t seen in a while.

More previews to come…

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A couple of small children, who are quite adorable, joined Ferrera as she exited the trailer.  I don’t think they are part of the shoot – but they sure are cute.

America, in the deep red coat, is beautiful and stylish (love the butterfly pin). I THINK the photos I’ve included with Ferrera totally in costume are from the same shoot.  The shoes, scarf, and gloves “Betty-fy” the outfit, although much more subtlety than in the past (especially Ugly Betty season 3).  Of course, in one of the pics, a dress with big polka dots peeks from beneath her coat, so Betty definitely still has a uniqueness to her style.

I will say that with her parted bangs, trimmed eyebrows and almost-polished look, this incarnation of Betty is quite attractive.  I’ve always loved Betty anyway, but back in the day I would have definitely asked this Betty to dance on ladies’ night. 

She does still have her braces at this point .  I’m going to assume the episode in which the braces are removed will not be done quietly.  Shoot, it might even be a good subplot for the musical episode.  

More pics after the jump!

Finally – a smile!

Images: Bauer Griffin

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Question: Regarding Ugly Betty, got any spoilers that don’t involve Matt and Betty? –Kelcy
Ausiello: Mode’s getting a new editor! Her name’s Amber, she’s in her 20s, she’s Asian, and is a master at the backhanded compliment. Casting is under way. Also, I’m hearing (and already laughing) about a possible mob subplot involving Hilda.

Interesting news about the new editor.  I like the backhanded compliment idea because it’ll add some missing snarkiness to the show (if you’ll remember, Charlie did this sort of thing all the time.)  It’s entirely possible that this character will be a rival to Betty, and will give America Ferrera a chance to show off her reactive comedic chops again.  Marc would still insult Betty directly, letting America use that “I can’t believe you just said that” look, and the new editor could say something that would cause Betty to use her “I’m trying to work this out to see if it’s an insult” look.

Of course, the new editor could be an ally to Betty (kind of a surrogate Christina).  After all not EVERYONE at Mode has to be mean to Betty when they first encounter her.

As for the mob subplot with Hilda, this is extremely intriguing.  Hopefully, Archie’s not mobbed up, but even if he is, this opens up all kinds of story lines, and I can see how Ana Ortiz would really embrace the story.  You can tell, the producers have been looking for a good story to tell at the Suarez house that fits the overall fell of the show – I think this might just do the trick.

Image: SplashNewsOnline.com

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Did you see the Spring TV Preview recently posted by EW? It’s quite a handly little reference guide, and the page that focuses on Ugly Betty gives us some great new insight on the refocusing on Betty we’ve previously talked about.

After giving a recap of “where we left off”, they let us know where things are going, and provide a much more in-depth quote from America Ferrera (about the direction of the show) than we’ve seen before. Apparently, she spent hours with Silvio Horta watching the show. What they realised was surprising:

”In the second season we lost a lot of what we loved about Betty,” says Ferrera. As Horta explains it, ”We were getting away from Betty’s point of view. The show had become incredibly funny, but it started to lose some of its heart.” As we know, Horta wrote the word “Heart” on a dry erase board and left it there to inspire himself and the writers.

They started working with a new executive producer, Joel Fields, the replacement of Marco Pennette. They’ve forged a new direction, which focuses on the love triange (Shippers Unite!), the return of Wilhelmina to Mode, and, get this: a Meade Publications softball game, perhaps featuring Naomi Campbell! I LOVE this idea, it could be an even better version of the paintball match.

Ferrera is happy: ”If anything good came out of the strike, it’s that we were able to step back and breathe,” she says. ”We’re coming back with our heads on straight.”

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