Ox Notes: May 28, 2008

Australia's version of Dancing with the Stars has approached Tara Reid to compete on the show. Normally, I'd make some quip like, "Let's hope producers of the US version don't get the same idea," but I would absolutely love it if Tara Reid was cast for DwtS 7.

American Idol producer Nigel Lythgoe isn't thrilled about Paula Abdul's public campaign to be cast on Dancing with the Stars.

Maybe Laila Ali's in such a grumpy mood lately because new episodes of American Gladiators are getting beaten in the ratings by reruns, but she told OKMagazine.com that she didn't want her son to be a dancer, she wanted him to be "a serious athlete."

Former DwtSer Cameron Mathison will cohost the Daytime Emmy Awards on June 20 with Sherri "Flat Earth" Shepherd.

Ahead of tonight's new episode of Top Chef: Chicago, People.com has an interview with Dale, who was recently ousted for letting Lisa serve awful-tasting soup.

One of Top Chef's producers was quoted in a Hollywood Reporter article about the ways networks are trying to cut costs at reality shows, which are already notoriously cheap to produce.

The studios reached an agreement on a three-year contract with AFTRA this morning. The contract covers almost a dozen shows, including Curb Your Enthusiasm and Reaper. SAG resumes its negotiations with the studios today.

One of the issues that might be on the table during SAG's negotiations is compensation for voice actors featured in video games, who are paid a fee for their services, but don't get any residuals from game sales. That means that Michael Hollick, who played the lead in Grand Theft Auto IV, won't ever get a cut of the games profits, which have already exceeded $600 million.