Panthro's Back! ThunderCats' Kevin Michael Richardson on the Missing Thunderian

ThunderCats Relax, ThunderCats fans. Panthro isn't dead. "I noticed a little bit of a rumor about that," Kevin Michael Richardson, who voices Panthro in the Cartoon Network remake, tells TVGuide.com. "Someone said that on Facebook, and I was like, 'Really?'" When ThunderCats made its triumphant return to television in July, fans were outraged that Panthro, an integral part of the original '80s-era ThunderCats team, was absent without a satisfactory explanation. In the reboot, Panthro is first reported to be killed in action. Later, a false Panthro is revealed to actually be the evil Mumm-Ra in disguise. After all of this misdirection, it's a relief to know that we'll see the real Panthro back, however briefly, on Friday's episode (8:30/7:30c on Cartoon Network). What's on your Watchlist? Create one and add favorites like ThunderCats In "Song of the Petalars," Lion-O and his gang are running from lizard assassins when they happen upon the Petalars, creatures who live their entire lifetime in 24 hours. Through this short-lived race, the ThunderCats learn a valuable lesson about keeping hope alive. Here's a peek at Lion-O's first encounter with the Petalars: "It was really a heartfelt episode," says Richardson, who's also known for voicing Cleveland Jr. on The Cleveland Show. "I saw a rough cut of it a couple months ago and I must say we were all in the room saying, 'Wow.' Atticus [Shaffer] (The Middle) played the young child in the episode. ... He was like a one-take wonder with the amount of lines he had to squeeze in such a short amount of time." Although Richardson doesn't divulge any details about where Panthro has been ("The show will address that," he says) or how he meets up with Lion-O, it's not difficult to guess. "I was very impressed with how they introduced him," he says. "I'm not really supposed to tell you. It's when you least expect it and it's when the team really needs him the most. It's brief but it's really action-packed and a very cool entrance, I must say. He'll show his silhouette and then he'll use the nunchaku, showing off his skills, but he uses the ThunderTank mostly. It is sweet. Just think of a pimped out version of the old one. It's bada--." Ho! Check out ThunderCats videos Here's more from the interview with Richardson, who identifies with Panthro. They're both bald!: What's your previous knowledge of ThunderCats? How were you approached to play the voice of Panthro?Kevin Michael Richardson: I remember watching it back in the '80s. I had some ankle surgery because of a sports injury and so I was in the hospital and it would come on every day more than once. Here I was, a big guy watching ThunderCats. I really enjoyed it. Panthro was my favorite, I must say. So when they approached me for this job, I was blown away. I had no idea that they were going to try to make a new one. The fact that I was cast in the role to boot was just the icing on the cake for me. Why was Panthro your favorite Thunderian? How has his character changed in the new version?Richardson: From the original, he's tough, he's strong and has that gravitas to him, but he also had some heart. ... It wasn't just this, big brash tough guy. He had wisdom to teach to the rest of the ThunderCats, even though he wasn't the appointed leader. I just loved him. In this new twist that they have on it, he's still a tough guy, he has some lightheartedness to him, however, he's a little more edgy. There's a lot less B.S. to him. He's a little scarred up. You can see some battle scars. I don't know how he got [the scar over his eye] yet. I think that's going to come up in some future episodes though. Since you were familiar with Earle Hyman's work as the previous Panthro, how did you try to make the voice for the updated Panthro different?Richardson: A lot of times when people cast me, they want this big, deep black voice ... And I tend to recycle them with different roles from time to time. Fortunately, Panthro is not really a big, black dude, but a big fat cat. From what you and I remember from back in the day, he did have this nice, smooth, ethnic touch to his voice. So I had no idea [what to do]. It could have been anyone: an Asian, a Puerto Rican, Caucasian, who knows? Richardson: When I went on tape, I said, "Who is this guy, really?" And I thought: tough, strong, silent type. That was all I kind of get in my head. It was kind of a Michael Clarke Duncan-ish, Keith David-ish feel. Two good friends of mine. So I tried to add a texture to him. ... It kind of flowed out a little differently from the other guys I do. I kind of loved what came out. ... I know they wanted an authoritative voice, a lot less B.S., almost brooding. ThunderCats photos Are you jealous of Will Friedle for the "ThunderCats, ho!" battle cry that he gets to do as Lion-O? Do you want Panthro to have his own?Richardson: No, actually I was cheering for him every time he said it. I just looked at him, and was like, "Dude, you get to say that every time!" So I'm like a little kid and grabbing his shoulder. I think he might have to see a chiropractor because I might have thrown his spine out of whack. They sit me across from him now because I used to grab him every time he said that line. What's your take on this new Mumm-Ra? Is he among the scariest cartoon villains of all time?Richardson: He's pretty hard core in this one. If you remember the same thing in the old series, he gets all big and strong and buff, when he turns into like, Super-Mumm-Ra. This guy, I don't know what they did to him, but they Hulked him out. This guy is pretty bada-- on this series. So how psyched are you that they found a bald Thunderian for you to play? Actually, he has more of a fringe thing going on than the previously fully bald Panthro.Richardson: (laughs) What are you trying to say? Yeah, is that what's going on with his face now? It's kind of designed almost like Hellboy's hairstyle. I noticed that. I thought that was kind of cool. Bald brotha, nothing wrong with that. But is he really "bald"? Aren't they cats covered with fur?Richardson: Yeah, so maybe it's really short fuzz. That's what we're looking at. How do these feline Thunderans maintain their hair? Do they shampoo?Richardson: You know what? I don't even want to go there because I know how my cat takes a bath. And if I were around Cheetara, forget it, my wife would probably punch me in the face. Did you have a cartoon crush growing up? I liked Snake Eyes from G.I. Joe and Speed Racer's Racer X.Richardson: Cheetara definitely sprouted a few [manly hairs] on me, I'd say. But the thing is I already hit puberty by then, but I think she helped a few more grow. Ain't it the truth. I'm trying to think back... it wasn't necessarily animation; it was more live action when I was a kid. It was Jaime Sommers on the Bionic Woman. I was this kid just fascinated by this chick who could kick my a--. How do you unleash your inner panther/Panthro? Is there catnip involved?Richardson: You'd have to ask the wife that. That's getting kind of personal. Here's one more peek at ThunderCats' "Song of the Petalars," which airs Friday at 8:30/7:30c on Cartoon Network.

Cannavale scrubs into 'Nurse'

CannavaleBobby Cannavale will join the cast of Showtime's "Nurse Jackie" for its fourth season. He'll play a tough hospital administrator sent by All Saint's new parent company. He'll appear in all 10 segs of the Edie Falco starrer, which begins production in September in Gotham for a 2012 premiere.Cannavale most recently starred opposite Chris Rock on Broadway in "The Motherfucker With the Hat." Contact Variety Staff at news@variety.com

Gavin DeGraw Cancels More Tour Dates After NYC Attack

Gavin DeGraw has canceled eight more performances after being attacked and hit by a cab in New York City earlier this week. "Due to the recent attack and resulting injuries, Gavin DeGraw has been advised by his doctor to take additional time to recover from his concussion, broken nose and other injuries," his rep tells The Hollywood Reporter in a statement. He had been performing with Maroon 5 and Train. Canceled dates include: Bethlehem, PA-August 14 Hersey, PA-August 15 Nashville, TN- August 17 Indianapolis, IN-August 18 Des Moines, IA-August 19 Chicago, IL-August 20 Clarkston, MI-August 21 Toronto, ON- August 22 He'll rejoin on Aug. 24 in Columbia, Md. The last dates are Aug. 25 in Syracuse, NY and Aug. 26 on Holmdel, NJ. DeGraw was released from the hospital earlier this week after undergoing surgery. He was attacked by three men in New York City's East Village around 4 a.m. on Monday, and then hit by a cab several blocks away. Related Topics Gavin DeGraw

Jon Cryer On Recent Two And A Half Men Drama: It Was An Awful Thing To Be A Part Of

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Jon Cryer is glad to be back at work and away from the drama that plagued Two and a Half Men earlier this year. It was an awful thing to be a part of, Jon said of the conflict between Charlie Sheen, CBS, Warner Bros. and Two and a Half Men creator Chuck Lorre, on KTLAs morning show on Wednesday. Im glad that some measure of peace has come out of all of it, but I never want to go through it again. When asked about the rumored death of Charlie Sheens character, Charlie Harper, which is expected to occur in the season premiere on September 19, Jon said the plot is a little different than has been reported. I read that theres some sort of meat explosion. I dont want Americans to be afraid of their meat and meat by-products, he said. There is no meat explosion Im not allowed to say much about it. He did add, however, Its funny. Jon also said he has been enjoying working with Ashton. Theyve managed to bring in Ashton in a really terrific way, Jon said, turning his talk to the season premiere taping. He tore the roof off the joint. Hes just amazing. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Nigel Lythgoe: The 3 Idol Idol judges Coming back

FIRST Released: August 10, 2011 3:57 PM EDT La, Calif. -- Season 11 of yankee Idol may have three familiar faces in the idol judges table. The American Idol Show producer Nigel Lythgoe introduced on On Air with Ryan Seacrest on Wednesday morning that Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler and Randy Jackson together with host Ryan Seascrest would return pick up. In my opinion remained as awaiting the state bulletins however i am delighted to express that three idol judges, together with the brilliant host of yankee Idol has returned for the following season, Nigel stated. Based on Ryan, J.Lo, Steven and Randy is going to be facing Idol hopefuls shortly. Auditions with all of three begin in a few wks, Ryan Tweeted on Wednesday. The American Idol Show Season 11 will premiere on FOX in The month of january 2012. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Corporation. All privileges reserved.These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Family of Real-Life 'Pizza Bomber' Not Laughing at 30 Minutes or Less

In Ruben Fleischer’s upcoming comedy 30 Minutes or Less, Jesse Eisenberg plays a pizza delivery man coerced into robbing a bank by two thugs (Danny McBride and Nick Swardson) who strap a bomb to his chest and threaten to detonate him. Comedy ensues, of course, but the real-life 2003 event that loosely inspired the film didn’t end so hilariously, as the family of late Pennsylvania pizza man Brian Wells would like to point out. Wells’s story has unsettling parallels in the film, in which McBride plots to have his father killed for his inheritance and forces Eisenberg’s pizza boy to rob a bank in order to fund the operation: According to reports, on August 28, 2003, Erie, PA resident Wells, who worked delivering pizzas for Mama Mia Pizzeria, met with accomplices in a pre-meditated plot to rob an area bank using a fake bomb collar as a prop so he could feign innocence if caught; unbeknownst to Wells, his colleagues planned to strap an actual bomb to him, forcing him to chase a series of clues in hopes of defusing it in time. (Wells’s family maintains that he was an innocent victim in the plot.) Wells entered Erie’s PNC Bank and demanded $250,000, only getting $8,000. He then began frantically chasing down the clues that would release him from his bomb, left under rocks by his accomplices around town. When the police caught up to him, Wells pleaded for help removing the device. Less than an hour after he’d been strapped to the bomb it detonated, killing Wells. Understandably, Wells’s surviving family members have voiced their objections to Fleischer’s new film mining laughs from their tragedy. In an email to the AP, Wells’s sister Jean Heid admonished the filmmakers: “It’s hard for me to grasp how other human beings can take delight and pride in making such a movie and consider it a comedy. I don’t think it’s funny to laugh at the innocent who are victimized by criminals, who care nothing for human life.” Sony rep Steve Elzer responded, claiming filmmaker ignorance. “Neither the filmmakers nor the stars of 30 Minutes or Less were aware of this crime prior to their involvement in the film,” he said. “The writers were vaguely familiar with what had occurred and wrote an original screenplay that does not mirror the real-life tragedy.” It’s hard to completely buy the Sony defense, especially in light of the many parallels between the plot of 30 Minutes or Less’s (details clearly conveyed in the film’s marketing campaign): Real Life Case: Set in Eerie, PA 30 Min. or Less: Set in Grand Rapids, MI Real Life Case: Crime masterminded by Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong, who sought to bankroll a $125,000 hit on her father to inherit his fortune, working with collaborators Kenneth Barnes, William Rothstein, and Floyd Stockton. 30 Min. or Less: Crime masterminded by Dwayne (McBride), who seeks to bankroll a $100,000 hit on his father to inherit his fortune, working with collaborator Travis (Swardson). Real Life Case: Wells gets a call to deliver pizzas to an empty lot, where his collaborators meet him and outfit him with a bomb collar against his will. He has 55 minutes to rob a bank. 30 Min. or Less: Nick (Eisenberg) gets a call to deliver pizzas to an abandoned stockyard, where his assailants meet him and outfit him with a bomb vest against his will. He has less than nine hours to rob a bank. Real Life Case: Wells robs the PNC Bank using a modified shotgun, then looks for the clues to removing the bomb collar. 30 Min. or Less: Nick and his best friend Chet (Aziz Ansari) rob a bank using fake guns, then look for clues to removing the bomb vest. You decide: Does the plot of 30 Minutes or Less “mirror the tragedy” of Brian Wells’s tale, or not? Better question — is it possible the filmmakers and stars were so unaware of the real-life tragedy while making the film (or “vaguely familiar,” in the case of writers Michael Diliberti and Matthew Sullivan)… and how much do the answers to those questions matter to most moviegoers? [AP via CinemaBlend, Cleveland Plain-Dealer, CNN]

Olivia Wilde to experience porn star Linda Lovelace?

Olivia Wilde has suggested that they could play Deep Throat star Linda Lovelace within an approaching biopic.Within an interview with E! Online (through the Playlist), Wilde accepted she was thinking about the role: "I am being careful about my next project since I am now ready where I can be very picky."On playing Lovelace, she added: "It might be a significant honor... It's this type of awesome role. She would be a fascinating lady-with where she originated from to Deep Throat to then dealing with Gloria Steinem and Nora Ephron. It is fascinating."Simply to clarify things, Wilde is speaking in regards to a possible role inside a new project from Howl company directors Take advantage of Epstein and Jeffery Friedman. There's another Lovelace movie, titled Inferno, presently within the works.Inferno will star Malin Akerman (who changed Lindsay Lohan) because the porn star switched activist. Could this be another situation of two plainly similar movies coming within several weeks of one another, like Capote/Infamous, Deep Impact/Armageddon, Antz/A Bug's Existence et al?Lovelace (real title Linda Susan Boreman) grew to become worldwide famous with breakout skin flick Deep Throat, before later proclaiming that she was forced against her will into pornography by former husband Chuck Traynor.She continued being an open anti-pornography activist. Thinking about her fame, and also the drama and scandal that defined her existence, it's really no surprise that they continues to be designated for that movie treatment.If Wilde signs on, maybe it's a hell of the role on her, however the movie could suffer if Inferno is first from the gate.Wilde is presently taking pleasure in a run of box-office ubiquity: she'll be observed in Cowboys & Aliens and also the Change-Up this summer time, within Some time and Butter to follow along with later around.