Television

Actor Joe Mantegna. He's best known for his work with playwright David Mamet in the films "Homicide," "House of Games" and the plays "Speed-the Plow" and "Glengarry Glen Ross." He's currently starring as Dean Martin in the HBO film, "The Rat Pack." (it debuts August 22)

We feature a special radio documentary about one guy's infatuation with what might have been. As a child, Dan Gediman was chosen to be one of the "Zoom" kids on the 1970s public television show "Zoom." But the deal fell through. As an adult Gediman went to find and interview the kids who were on the show to see what he missed. This segment can also be heard on the next edition of the Public Radio International program This American Life, from WBEZ.

Simmons portrays a neo-Nazi in the graphic and disturbing drama of life in a maximum security prison. The show is produced by Tom Fontana, who also wrote and produced "Homicide: Life on the Street." "Oz" just launched its second season earlier this month. Simmons' film credits include "The Jackal" and "Extreme Measures." His TV credits include: "Law and Order," "Homicide" and "Spin City."

Malick plays Nina Van Horn, a model turned fashion editor on the hit TV series "Just Shoot Me." Malick's real life is not so far off: in the seventies, she worked as a Wilhelmina model. Malick was also on the TV series "Dream On," in the role of Judith Tupper Stone, for which she won four cable ace awards.

David Bianculli reviews "X-Files: Fight The Future,"the movie version of the popular Fox TV series. The film, like the TV show, stars David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson. You can expect the usual roster of aliens, conspiracy theorists and secret government agents. The film opens today.

Peter L. Stein is producer, director and writer of the documentary "The Castro." It will air nationally on PBS this Friday, June 12. "The Castro" is the name of a San Francisco neighborhood that is at the heart of the city's gay community. His film recently won a Peabody Award. He serves as Executive Producer of KQED's series Neighborhoods: The Hidden Cities of San Francisco. AND We'll also hear from Cleve Jones who lived in the Castro district where he became involved in the gay-rights movement. He is featured in Stein's film.

Standup-comic Bob Newhart. This Friday he performs at Carnegie Hall in New York City as part of the Toyota Comedy Festival. Newhart has been a part of the American comedy landscape since 1961 when his debut comedy album "The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart" became a surprise hit. (Now available on CD, on the Warner label) Since then he's starred in three TV shows, including the Peabody award winning original "The Bob Newhart Show." And appeared in numerous films.

TV critic David Bianculli on the 50th anniversary of Milton Berle's appearance on television.

Armistead Maupin is the author of "Tales of the City." It depicted San Francisco gay and straight lifestyles in the 1970's. In 1994 "Tales of the City" was adapted into a controversial PBS miniseries. His second novel from 1980 "More Tales of the City" (Harper Perennial) has been adapted into a Showtime channel miniseries that begins airing this month.

Film critic John Powers reviews "The Truman Show."

TV critic David Bianculli previews the final episode of "The Larry Sanders Show" on HBO which airs this Sunday.

TV critic David Bianculli reflects on the end of "Seinfeld."

Linguist Geoff Nunberf adds his thoughts about the linguistic legacy left by popular TV sitcoms.

This week "Seinfeld" wraps up its nine-year run with it's final episode. We feature a new interview and several archive interviews:Actress Julia Louis Dreyfus. She plays Elaine in "Seinfeld." Elaine is otherwise known as the "Queen of Confrontation" for her ability to take on everyone from cab drivers to soap chefs. Before starring in "Seinfeld" Dreyfus was also a cast member of "Saturday Night Live."

TV critic David Bianculli reviews the season finale of "Homicide: Life on the Street." It's the last episode for regular Andre Braugher who plays Detective Pemberton.

The creator of the Simpsons Matt Groening talks with TV critic David Bianculli about the series. This month, TV's longest running animated series will broadcast its 200th episode. The Simpsons were first featured during episodes of the Tracey Ullman Show. The Simpsons own prime time series premiered in 1990. Groening has a new book called "The Simpsons: A Complete Guide to our Favorite Family."

TV critic David Bianculli reviews "Teletubbies" the British TV series geared for children, one to three years old, which premieres on PBS this week.

TV Critic David Bianculli previews the new PBS series "Moyers on Addiction: Close to Home". Journalist Bill Moyers takes an unprecedented look at addiction and recovery in America with the five-part series Moyers On Addiction: Close To Home, premiering March 29, 1998, at 9 p.m. (ET) on PBS. (Check local listings.)

Betty DeGeneres talks about her life before and after her daughter Ellen Degeneres publicly announced that she is a lesbian. Betty DeGeneres is now the spokesperson for the National Coming Out Project for the Human Rights Campaign. HRC is the nation's largest national lesbian and gay political organization. National Coming Out Day is celebrated every October 11.