As one door closes in the TV industry, another opens -- or at least that seems to be the case for John Leguizamo, after ABC picked up a new untitled comedy based loosely on the actor's life after passing on another pilot he was set to star in.

According to Deadline, the new half-hour project is inspired by Leguizamo's life as a fish-out-of-water husband and father on the upper West Side of New York. His character will struggle to balance his privileged lifestyle (including his wife and spoiled kids) with his friends and old life in the Bronx. Trying to keep him grounded and in touch with his Latin roots will be Leguizamo's mother and grandfather.

The actor will co-write/produce the untitled comedy with former "Family Guy" co-showrunner Chris Sheridan, as part of a development deal with ABC. Leguizamo's scrapped project, titled "The Kings of Van Nuys," was based on the UK comedy "Only Fools And Horses." Although ABC passed on the initial pilot for "Kings," they ordered a retooled version, but that too was declined earlier this week. According to TV Guide, "Kings" was ABC's second attempt at adapting the British show, and would've co-starred Dustin Ybarra as Leguizamo's brother and partner in a number of ill-advised get-rich-quick schemes.

Would you watch a comedy based on John Leguizamo's life?

They've been going non-stop. With New York screenings and lavish dinners, a quick jump across the pond for the London premiere, and back for the New York party at MoMA and appearances on many talk shows, Hugh Jackman was positive we'd all be sick of him by now. From his Jean Valjean role in Les Miserables, transformed from the bitter prisoner hunted by Javert to a spiritually liberated and rich factory owner, and his generous on-the-spot performances at various celebrations including a lunch hosted by Ron Meyer, Jackman is truly a songman you want to have around.

Even by Peggy Siegal's high standards, the entertainment value at The Four Seasons for Tuesday's lunch was through the roof. She had planned for Peter Cincotti, who performed a jazzy "Master of the House" on piano for celebrants seated around the restaurant's back room pool. But you could not keep Samantha Marks, Les Mis' Eponine, down. Before leaving for Dublin to perform in Oliver!, the girl from the Isle of Man sang the American classic, "Summertime." Jackman followed with "The Way You Look To[day]," serenading his wife Deborra-Lee Furness. Anne Hathaway led the cast in "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."
Eddie Redmayne (Marius) gathered Daniel Huttlestone, the movie's Gavroche, for a photo shoot; not only is he a fellow revolutionary, but Redmayne is a fan of the 13-year-old, an actor since age eight. Isabelle Allen, young Cosette, who graces the movie poster was happy to be in New York for the first time for her film debut. Kim Cattrall announced that she would be starring in Sweet Bird of Youth in London. When asked whether she preferred stage to television and movies, she gamely said she liked it all, but theater was a discipline. You have to plan your day around it. "I feel like a nun going to chapel," said the most sexually adventurous of the Sex & the City stars.

The Les Mis party moved on to The Museum of the Moving Image tribute to Hugh Jackman where Liev Schreiber, Mike Nichols, Rachel Weisz, Christopher Nolan, Anne Hathaway and Eddie Redmayne lauded Jackman in between clips of his many films, among them Wolverine, Australia, Kate & Leopold, Swordfish, The Prestige as well as Les Miserables. Rachel Dratch assumed an Australian accent and introduced a clip of Jackman telling a bawdy tale of his father fighting a kangaroo, an Aussie Christmas tradition SNL style.

A version of this post also appears on Gossip Central.

2012 isn't even over yet, but that doesn't mean you can't look forward to 2013. At least that might be the motto at Warner Bros. On the heels of that fantastic trailer for "Man of Steel," the studio has released another OMG-y tease for a future blockbuster: Guillermo del Toro's "Pacific Rim."

Following a viral tease that focused on news reports detailing the destruction of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge by a giant monster from the sea, the "Pacific Rim" trailer fleshes out the story further. Thanks to an undersea portal (!) to a far away universe, Earth is now overrun by giant monsters, or "kaiju," which is Japanese for "strange beast" or "giant monster." The only way human beings can stop said kaiju? By building equally giant human-controlled robots called Jaegers, specially designed to punch the alien beasts in the face.

"Today, we are canceling the apocalypse!" shouts Idris Elba at one of the trailer's high points. Indeed.

Watch the trailer above, or head over to Apple to check it out in HD. "Pacific Rim" is out on July 11, 2013.

Julianne Moore will return to "30 Rock" for the series finale. In a statement to the Associated Press, Moore revealed that she'll be back on the NBC comedy.

"I'm in a van on my way to Queens to do '30 Rock,'" Moore said in the statement. "I heard the news this morning right before yoga. I was just about to shut off my phone. Unfortunately, I knew the nominations were being announced, so I was worried."

Moore was nominated for a Golden Globe her portrayal of Sarah Palin in HBO's "Game Change." She recurred on "30 Rock" during the show's fifth season as Nancy Donovan, a childhood sweetheart of Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin). During her time on the series, Moore's character competed with Avery Jessup (Elizabeth Banks). In the end, Jack ended up picking -- and marrying -- Avery. However, the characters have since divorced ... so could Nancy be returning to go off into the sunset with Jack?

"30 Rock" ends its seven-year run on NBC on Thursday, January 31 at 8 p.m. EST.

You're unlikely to find two characters as diametrically opposed as Seth Gabel's new villain (dubbed "The Count") on "Arrow" and his understated performance in new film "Allegiance" (released Dec. 28 in New York and Los Angeles, available on VOD now) -- but that's probably the point.

The 31-year-old actor may be best known for playing Lincoln Lee on Fox's "Fringe" and the dysfunctional Jeremy Darling in ABC's gone-but-not-forgotten "Dirty Sexy Money," but his latest performances seem poised make you view the star in a whole new light.

The Huffington Post caught up with Gabel earlier this week to discuss his villainous "Arrow" role. Light spoilers ahead.

Let's talk a little bit about your role on "Arrow," since it sounds like your character is pivotal to the story.
Yeah, that was so much fun to do, and so much fun to be a part of. I love how much people are interested in it because it seems like a smaller show, but they are doing really great work over there, and a lot of people are paying attention. So I’m honored to have been a part of it, and I hope I get to continue to do so. The character is the most fun I’ve ever had playing a part.

What can you reveal about your first episode, Episode 12 [titled "Vertigo"]?
I play a character called The Count, who is based on Count Vertigo of the comic book series. And the super powers that the comic book character had are manifested in a drug called Vertigo that I sell on the street. So my character is a street drug kingpin that basically rules the streets of Starling City, and he’s quickly rising to a higher station and [forming] a evil empire and The Arrow needs to stop him. And I, interestingly, welcome the challenge because I love having a force for me to fight against, and the opportunity to really prove my power over Starling City.

The show has been subtly teasing Thea's [Willa Holland] experimentation with drugs since the pilot. Do you have any direct scenes with Willa or are they mostly with Stephen Amell?
It’s mostly with Stephen, but I like to feel like I have ... I’m kind of involved in what Thea is going through.

How did the producers describe the role to you, and how did you become involved with the show?
[Executive producer] Greg Berlanti called, who I worked with on "Dirty Sexy Money." And he said that there was a Joker-type character coming up on "Arrow," which was intriguing and something I thought maybe I wanted to avoid, because you hear "The Joker" and you think of Heath Ledger. There’s just no way to come anywhere near that. So when I saw the character I was really interested to see if I could create something that had a similar energy but definitely distinct from what Heath had done, and make sure that I can do something that was my own version of that thing, and I felt like I did. I worked really hard on it, and it’s definitely the most risk that I’ve ever taken playing a part.

And you've only shot one episode so far, correct?
I’ve only shot one, and it’s up in the air whether or not there’s going to be more. We’re kind of talking about it now.

I believe [executive producer] Andrew Kreisberg described your character as the first time that Oliver has actually created a supervillain through his own actions. Is there anything you can tease about that aspect of the character without spoiling anything?
I can say that our showdown leads to potentially more future showdowns in which I become more powerful.

Did you go back and read up on the comics out of curiosity, since the role is obviously less fantastical than the original version?
Yeah I kind of looked online. Wikipedia is definitely very helpful. But mostly it was just, in the amount of time that I had to prepare, I wanted to watch as much of the show as I could and really make sure that I understood the world of the show because when you hear “comic book” you might make impressions that it’s one thing. But I think what’s so great about “Arrow” is that they really ground everything in reality. And so in playing this character that, on the page, could be very over the top, I wanted to make sure that he still fit in the world that they were creating. And so I spent a lot of time trying to find that balance ... He’s flamboyant, theatrical, grounded, and very street. I really wanted to make sure that I was in my body, and that I was physically intimidating while at the same time not being afraid to be over the top.

"Arrow" returns Wed., Jan. 16 at 8 p.m. EST on The CW.

Check back for more from Seth Gabel about "Fringe," which airs Fridays at 9 p.m. EST on Fox, and his movie "Allegiance."

Tell us: Are you excited to see Seth Gabel on "Arrow?" Share your predictions below!

Jennifer López is feeling charitable. In a new video published on her official website, the singer asks her followers to donate at least $1 to help give the biggest Christmas gift ever.

“For the 12 days of Christmas I want to do something special with you guys. Let’s be part of the biggest Christmas gift ever,” López says in the video. “If each one of you guys who follow me on Twitter and Facebook can give at least one dollar, five dollars would be ideal, we can do something that has never been done before. We could collect millions of dollars.”

But the best part of the two-minute home video is the adorable cameo of her children with her ex-husband, salsa singer, Mark Anthony, Emme and Max, who run into the camera and mami’s arms to scream “Marry Christmas, everybody!” and “Give, give, give!”

The amount collected will be split between The American Red Cross and hurricane Sandy’s victims, Boys & Girls Club of America, and Children's Hospital Los Angeles.

As if the simple act of giving weren’t enough, those who donate to the cause will automatically enter into a contest where you could win a trip to Puerto Rico to attend JLo’s last concert from her "Dance Again World Tour" on December 21 and 22. The winner will also be able to meet the singer backstage.

To become part of the Jennifer López, Biggest Gift Ever (#jloschristmasgift), visit her website www.omaze.com/jlo.

The Golden Globes incite a variety of reactions from the nominees. From the sleeping to the grateful, many TV stars shared their feelings about the honor.

Showtime cleaned up in the nominations with "Homeland" picking up three nominations in the acting categories and one for Best Drama Series. Matt LeBlanc and Don Cheadle were also nominated for their Showtime comedies.

In a somewhat unusual twist, NBC's "Smash" will go up against comedies "Modern Family," "Episodes," "The Big Bang Theory" and "Girls" in the Best Comedy or Musical Series category.

Take a gander at the reactions of some of TV's biggest names below.

It's a Chrismukkah miracle! Adam Brody, best known (and still beloved) for his role as Seth Cohen on "The O.C.," will guest star in two episodes of "House of Lies" Season 2, Showtime announced Thursday.

Brody will play the owner of an adult toy company who forms a relationship with Kristen Bell's character, Jeannie. He joins previously announced guest stars Larenz Tate, Nia Long and Lisa Edelstein.

The Showtime comedy returns Sun., Jan. 13 at 10 p.m. EST.

In other TV news ...

Basketball Hall of Famer to guest-star on "The Office." Julius Erving (a.k.a. Dr. J) will appear as himself, investing in Jim's sports marketing business in Philadelphia. His episode will air Jan. 17. [EW]

OWN orders two shows from Tyler Perry. The multi-hyphenate mogul will produce, write and direct two series for Oprah's network: Drama "The Haves And The Have Nots" and comedy "Love Thy Neighbor." [Deadline]

Sutton Foster's brother joins "Bunheads." Art will imitate life as Hunter Foster will play his sister's on-screen sibling Scotty Simms. He's described as a drifter who falls in and out of love (and marriage) quickly. [ETOnline]

Scott Reeves is leaving "General Hospital." The actor announced that he was let go from the soap Wednesday and that his final episode would air in February. [Twitter]

TV Land renews two shows. The network has picked up Cedric the Entertainer's "The Soul Man" for a second season (with Yvette Lee Bowser set to replace Phoef Sutton as showrunner), and ordered a third season of "The Exes." [Deadline]

January
On the sixth-floor maternity ward
Of a hospital called Lenox Hill,
Two new parents of one little girl
Paid a very big hospital bill.
They brought in their own security.
Their baby, they wanted to guard her.
Jay-Z and Beyoncé went all out
For the birth of Blue Ivy Carter.

February
Bringing Up Bébé hit the bookstores,
Telling us French moms were really wise.
Because when it comes to sitting still,
Their kids supposedly get the prize.
Last year, the rage was Chinese mothers.
Now moms in France are superior.
If you write a book on parenting,
Make sure the grass is always greener.

March
Actress Alicia Silverstone
Posted video feeding her son.
She fed the baby her chewed up food,
And the clip was watched by everyone.
I thought one thing was odd about it:
She sells cookbooks on the same website.
No matter your take on what she did,
It sure made you lose your appetite.

April
She "never worked a day in her life."
That is what a TV pundit said
About mother-of-five Ann Romney,
As if Ann spent all day in her bed.
Let me paraphrase the great Colbert
Who said it as only Stephen could,
You know what has never worked a day?
A public attack on motherhood.

May
TIME Magazine had just one question.
Its cover asked, "Are You Mom Enough?"
Are you a good egg? Or a bad nut?
As a mom, do you have the right stuff?
The bloggers, they all blogged about it.
They wrote about it right off the bat.
And the general consensus was,
"What kind of a dumb question is that?"

June
The Atlantic ran a big story
About the myth of work-life balance.
It addressed systemic barriers
That make "having it all" a challenge.
Society.... Our economy...
And even the company we keep...
The only way you can "Have It All,"
Is if you never needed to sleep.

July
Really big year for Lena Dunham.
On HBO, "Girls" made its debut.
Mindy Kaling got her own sitcom.
And the whole world met Honey Boo Boo.
But my favorite new celebrity,
Claims they're somebody's son or daughter.
Yep, I'm smitten with a made-up kid
Who goes by the name, "Honest Toddler."

August
Since it was a major lifestyle change,
Snooki's pregnancy was headline news.
She became ill from morning sickness,
And not hangovers from drinking booze.
"I've changed," said the star of Jersey Shore,
Whose fame had come from brawls and shoving.
Pregnant, she took the road less traveled.
No tanning. No partying. No clubbing.

September
A Utah mom and her twin toddlers
Had restaurant diners complaining.
The mother let her children eat lunch,
While in the midst of potty training.
There was no need to use a high chair.
There was no need for a booster seat.
They just sat on small toddler potties.
Their mama hoped they'd sh$t where they eat.

October
"Rumour Had It" there was some news:
Adele gave birth, and she had a son.
But she didn't announce baby's name.
The famous new mum was keeping mum.
Adele never named the heartbreaker
Who inspired songs from Twenty One.
So it shouldn't have been a surprise,
She kept this secret from everyone.

November
Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor
Made a brief appearance on TV.
She went to visit Sesame Street.
And chatted with Abby Cadabby.
The judge told the little pink Muppet
A lesson that she needed to hear:
A lawyer is and a doctor is,
But a princess is not a career.

December
When St. James's Palace confirmed the news,
There was such excitement, the earth shook.
It turns out the Duchess of Cambridge
Will need to read her own special book:
What To Expect When You're Expecting
The Third In Line Who Will Take The Throne;
What To Expect When It's Royalty
Who Is Calling Your Uterus Home.

2012 has been a busy year for many entertainers. But try as I might, I can't come up with anyone this year who has worked in as many different mediums and genres as Steven Van Zandt, who was also honored recently at a gala by Little Kids Rock for his stellar career in music and his humanitarian work.

Van Zandt's most recent project is producing six concerts by the Rascals at the Capitol Theater in Port Chester, New York called Once Upon a Dream. These unprecedented six shows (funded through a successful Kickstarter campaign) start tonight, Thursday December 13th, and wrap up next Saturday December 22. If you know anything about the history of the Rascals, you'll know that this is quite an achievement. And judging by his past activities, these concerts promise to be incredible. Van Zandt does not do anything half-way, ever.

Besides the Rascals shows, let's review the rest of his year. He and his cohorts in the E Street Band just completed the first part of an 11-month world tour for Bruce Springsteen's Wrecking Ball album (more shows are planned for next year). He executive produced and starred in the Norwegian crime dramedy Lilyhammer, which drew the highest audience share ever for a TV show in Norway and was also broadcast in England, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, and France to rave reviews everywhere. In addition it was snapped up eagerly in the U.S. by Netflix as their first series production.

Van Zandt celebrated the first decade of his groundbreaking weekly radio show Little Steven's Underground Garage this year, now heard by a staggering 1.2 million listeners globally. He also helms two 24 hour channels on SiriusXM, Underground Garage and Outlaw Country. He runs a record label, Wicked Cool, and writes and produces music for other artists (most recently he produced "All Alone on Christmas," originally written for the film Home Alone, by the delightful Midtown Men). He also serves as chairman for The Rock and Roll Forever Foundation, a non-profit organization established to promote rock 'n' roll and music education. In his spare time (if there is any, which is doubtful) he writes for this very site on topics ranging from presidential politics to what really happened the night they pulled the plug on Bruce Springsteen and Paul McCartney in Hyde Park.

Aside from all the activities cited above, which a normal human being could perhaps handle one in a year, Van Zandt served as music supervisor on Not Fade Away, the coming of age rock and roll drama and feature film directorial debut of The Sopranos' David Chase. The film, out December 21, stars James Gandolfini, and is already getting terrific notices for both the story and the music.

October's Little Kids Rock Gala (which also marked that organization's tenth year) was a magnificent event in which Van Zandt was presented with the "Big Man of the Year Award," given annually to honor the legacy of the late Clarence Clemons. The charity provides free musical instruments and music lessons to kids across the country that might not otherwise have any access to music education. Bruce Springsteen presented the award, also treating those in attendance to a fantastic speech about the friendship he shares with Van Zandt, dating back to the 1960s.

Van Zandt's music was celebrated at the event by a star-studded posse of his peers. Stunning versions of songs he wrote and performed as a solo artist in the 1980s as well as songs he had penned for other artists were presented. The performers, genres, and material literally spanned the decades from Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes in the 1970s to more recently, a 2008 song for Danish band the Breakers. (By the way, architect of the Asbury shore music scene sound? That would be Steven Van Zandt... I'm just saying).

There were multiple standouts. These included Elvis Costello performing the ballad "This Time Baby's Gone for Good" originally on the classic Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes' Hearts of Stone album, 1978. The fabulous Kris Allen nailed the beautiful "The Time of Your Life" from the soundtrack to the film Nine Months in 1995. Michael Des Barres brilliantly presented "Soulfire" which Van Zandt co-wrote five years ago for Danish band the Breakers. Dion and Ruben Blades did a phenomenal duet on "Bitter Fruit" which Van Zandt had written for his 1987 Freedom-No Compromise album. The glorious Darlene Love, who told me earlier that night "Whenever Stevie calls -- I am there," presented a cover of the shoulda-been-a-hit-single "Among the Believers" (from Van Zandt's 1984 Voice of America album). Tom Morello prefaced an incredible version of the anthemic "Sun City" from 1985 (the importance of this song cannot be understated -- it had as much to do with ending South African's apartheid system as anything else) with a stirring introduction:

The song itself was an irrefutable jam which featured perhaps the most revolutionary gathering of musicians ever heard on a recording. It was an inspired song, an inspired video, and inspired American youth who were part of a global movement which eventually pressured apartheid out of existence... it was literally a song that changed the world.

The Midtown Men, Michael Johns, and Jesse Malin also contributed fine performances to the event, which ended with a triple delight from old friends Springsteen, Southside Johnny and Van Zandt: "Until the Good Is Gone" (a thrills and chills ballad from Van Zandt's first solo record, Men Without Women); "It's Been a Long Time" (from the 1991 Better Days album produced and arranged by Van Zandt for Southside Johnny and the Jukes); and perhaps his best known song, the redoubtable "I Don't Want to Go Home," the titular anthem of the first Jukes album. To quote Southside Johnny, "God Bless Steve Van Zandt."

I can hardly wait to hear what he's up to for 2013. Who's with me?

Tickets for the Rascals
Little Steven's Underground Garage
Not Fade Away
Little Kids Rock Finale
The Rock and Roll Forever Foundation

Fox has announced its winter premiere dates for January's new and returning shows, including its Animation Domination and Tuesday night comedy blocks.

Other notable debuts include Kevin Williamson's "The Following," (which HuffPost TV dubbed "the best new show of the season" and reality competition "Stars In Danger: The High Dive."

See all the key premiere dates below. (All times EST.)

Sunday, Jan. 6
4:00 p.m. (live) "NFC Wildcard Game"
8:00-8:30 p.m. "The Simpsons"
8:30-9:00 p.m. "Bob's Burgers"
9:00-9:30 p.m. "Family Guy"
9:30-10:00 p.m. "American Dad"

Tuesday, Jan. 8
8:00-8:30 p.m. "Raising Hope"
8:30-9:00 p.m. "Ben and Kate"
9:00-9:30 p.m. "New Girl"
9:30-10:00 p.m. "The Mindy Project"

Wednesday, Jan. 9
8:00-10:00 p.m. "Stars in Danger: The High Dive" (Two-Hour Special Event)

Friday, Jan. 11
8:00-9:00 p.m. "Kitchen Nightmares" (encore)
9:00-10:00 p.m. "Fringe"

Sunday, Jan. 13
7:30-8:00 p.m. "The Cleveland Show"
8:00-8:30 p.m. "The Simpsons"
8:30-9:00 p.m. "Bob's Burgers"
9:00-9:30 p.m. "Family Guy"
9:30-10:00 p.m. "American Dad"

Monday, Jan. 14
8:00-10:00 p.m. "Bones" (Two-Hour Winter Premiere)

Wednesday, Jan. 16
8:00-10:00 p.m. "American Idol" (Season Premiere, Part 1)

Thursday, Jan. 17
8:00-10:00 p.m. "American Idol" (Special Two-Hour Season Premiere, Part 2)

Friday, Jan. 18
8:00-10:00 p.m. "Fringe" (100th Episode and Two-Hour Series Finale)

Saturday, Jan. 19
12:00-12:30 a.m. "Inside The Following" (30-Minute Special)

Monday, Jan. 21
8:00-9:00 p.m. "Bones"
9:00-10:00 p.m. "The Following" (Series Premiere)

Thursday, Jan. 24
8:00-9:00 p.m. "American Idol"
9:00-10:00 p.m. "Glee"

Friday, Jan. 25
8:00-9:00 p.m. "Kitchen Nightmare"
9:00-10:00 p.m. "The Following" (encore)

Friday, Feb. 8
8:00-10:00 p.m. "Touch" (Two-Hour Season Premiere)

She's carried the name sex symbol, bombshell and Hollywood legend since her death 50 years ago.

Now, a local neighborhood council hopes Marilyn Monroe's name will also be stamped on a federal building.

A proposal to name a San Fernando Valley post office after Monroe was expected to be discussed Wednesday night at the Van Nuys Neighborhood Council meeting.

Council President George Thomas said Monroe's link to Van Nuys is an important one, because the actress said living in the area was the happiest time of her life.

"Marilyn Monroe is an American icon, and renaming the post office after her is going to be a part of our ongoing efforts to bring light to the history of Van Nuys," Thomas said in a statement. "Our community has a rich heritage of which many Valley-ites are unaware."

Monroe attended Van Nuys High School in the 1940s. She was living with an aunt after an unstable childhood spent in foster homes and as a ward of the state.

Thomas said Van Nuys High School, founded in 1914, boasts many celebrity alumni including Robert Redford, Jane Russell and Natalie Wood. Monroe went on to star in 29 films and had three ex-husbands, including baseball great Joe DiMaggio and playwright Arthur Miller. She died in 1962.

George said after the neighborhood council discusses the effort, it will submit a proposal to newly elected U.S. Rep. Tony Cardenas, who's already on board.

"I think this is a wonderful idea, especially if it's coming from the community," Cardenas said. "Marilyn Monroe is an icon, and my youngest daughter happens to be a huge fan."

Cardenas added, though, naming a post office should be one of his more straightforward tasks after he's sworn in.

"I don't want anyone thinking it will be the only policy I'll be pushing forward. I plan to do some heavy lifting from Day One."

To name a post office, Cardenas would draft legislation and, according to the House Government Reform Committee, all members from the state where the post office is located have to sign on as sponsors of the bill.

The post office that could be named after Monroe, however, has yet to be occupied. The mail center at 6200 Van Nuys Blvd. will be moving to a space at 6513 Van Nuys Blvd., which is the one the neighborhood council hopes will be named after Monroe, Thomas said.

"We will also be looking into making a life-size statue of Marilyn Monroe for either the front of the post office, or along the Erwin Street mall," Thomas said.

The naming of post offices after individuals is a relatively recent practice in the history of the postal service, with the first legislation passed by Congress in 1967.

But since then it has become increasingly common. In the 2003-05 term, one in six laws passed by Congress was for post office naming, according to a 2005 report by the Congressional Research Service. Federal rules say post offices can only be named for an individual who has been dead for at least 10 years, with the exception of deceased presidents and postmasters general.

In 2011, there were 45 congressional bills introduced to name post offices after local heroes, fallen servicemen or women and others. So far this year, there have been more than two dozen bills introduced.

While most of the bills pass, the new name doesn't always stick in the public mind, noted U.S. Postal Service spokesman Richard Maher.

Most people continue to use the geographical name of the post office, postal officials noted.

Thomas said the neighborhood council wanted to get involved with the project to help teach local students the process of how a bill becomes law.

"Most of the reason we wanted to do this is teach the civic classes in high school how this works, from bill to a law, said Thomas, who owns the Van Nuys News Press.

"We plan on doing a series of articles on the process, then speak before the government classes at the local high school, especially Van Nuys High School," he said. "I also am working with the Boy Scouts in the area as a merit badge counselor for citizenship and civics. The fun part of this is going through the entire process. If it takes a year, so be it."

susan.abram@dailynews.com

818-713-3664

twitter.com/sabramla ___

Pour some egg nog, light the fireplace and watch "It's A Wonderful Life" for the millionth time. Maybe even watch it from the one-time home of the film's director, Frank Capra. The mid-century modern has hit the market for $1.575 million, according to Realtor.com.

Capra won three Academy Awards, although not one for his classic 1946 Christmas film. He later retired to this A. Quincy Jones-designed home in the desert community of La Quinta, Calif. in 1961. The 4,221-square-foot mid-century has floor-to-ceiling glass walls and indoor-outdoor living spaces. There are four bedrooms and five bathrooms and a remodeled kitchen. The living room is lined with stone and has a sunken wet bar. The home sits on the tenth hole of the La Quinta Country Club and has mountain and golf course views.

Capra died in 1991 at age 94 in La Quinta, and the home has had several owners since his passing. The director's heyday was in the 1930s and 1940s, and he is perhaps best known for his 1939 film "Mr. Smith Goes To Washington" (besides his Christmas classic, of course). Later, critics said his subjects were too idealistic and out of step with the mood of post-World War II audiences. That may be the case, but for now, let's just pass the egg nog.

Photos courtesy of Realtor.com.

Dylan McDermott returned to "American Horror Story" as the murderous spawn of Bloody Face (Zachary Quinto) and his victim Lana (Sarah Paulson) on this week's episode.

Below, McDermott opens up about playing modern-day Bloody Face, the infamous cry-bating scene from "American Horror Story's" first season, Thredson's skin-covered house (where things will get "more creepy than you could imagine"), Dermot Mulroney, "Philly Justice" and more!

What was your reaction when Ryan asked you to play modern-day Bloody Face?
You know, we had talked in the summer about me coming back in some capacity. I wasn't sure which. And then the day the show premiered, he called me and explained to me this whole Bloody Face thing because I wasn't up to snuff on any of it. I was just instantly fascinated with the idea of me being the son of this serial killer who raped my mother and she tried to get rid of me and all of sudden, I'm this person that's almost a thing that's thrown away and in search of his mother. I was instantly on board for that.

Had the possibility of you playing any other characters come up?
No. He was searching for something for me. But then, when this guy came up, in the writer's room they put a picture of me up with Zach and Sarah to see if I could be their son and I guess it worked out.

Early on, some people guessed that modern-day Bloody Face would be the spawn of Thredson and Lana. Was it hard for you to keep it a secret?
I mean, Ryan Murphy had told people that I was Bloody Face in one interview with EW and so I tweeted that I was modern-day Bloody Face. But he asked me not to talk about that aspect of it with my parents so I honored that.

Was it really you in the first couple episodes with Jenna Dewan Tatum and Adam Levine?
No. I guess they hadn't cast anyone yet.

But it was you on the phone talking to the police and that's when people really started to figure it out.
Yeah, they knew it was me. I wasn't foolin' anybody.

The opening scene with modern-day Bloody Face, who goes by Johnny Morgan, in last night's episode was written before you were cast. But it had a couple nods to Ben Harmon so those must've been added after you signed on.
I don't know. I think it was sort of a happy coincidence in many ways -- the idea of me being in a therapist's office. I don't know how planned out it was because the office looked similar to my office [in Season 1] and me being the patient and not the doctor. You could write a thesis about that scene 'cause there's a lot of things going on in it.

The masturbation line was a funny throwback to the scene we all have scarred in our minds from Season 1.
Yes, of course. [Laughs.] The cry-bating.

Speaking of that, will you have any scenes with Frances Conroy?
I don't unfortunately. I love her. The Angel of Death doesn't visit me for some reason.

You mentioned to EW that you'll have a scene with Sarah and a scene with Zach. How is that possible?
Without giving anything away, I will tell you that it's deeply fascinating stuff because it's psychological. There's a reason why he's a serial killer -- not to justify him by any means -- but there's a reason he ended up the way he did and he's after answers. He wants to know why he was thrown away. He just can't wrap his head around why someone would do that, why somebody would abandon him in such a horrible way so those questions are going to be answered for sure.

Will we also find out how he realized who his parents were?
Yeah, we do. That's coming up.

Johnny mentioned that in search of some answers, he's living in Thredson's very bizarre house. Will we see what he's up to there?
Yes.

Oh god. I don't really want to see those creepy nipple lampshades.
I know, right? And believe me, there's a scene coming in that house that's more creepy than you could imagine. [Laughs.] This post-modern, very clean, strange house, there's a creep factor for sure. But he wanted to be there to be close to his dad.

Some viewers noticed Johnny had a bit of a likeness to Dexter Morgan on "Dexter" and his last name is Morgan. Was there anything to that?
It may have been a coincidence. I don't know. He's just using an alias for a minute.

Is there anyone you got to work with on "Asylum" that you didn't have many scenes with in "American Horror Story's" first season?
I have a big scene with Sarah coming next week so I'm excited to work with her 'cause I think she's doing terrific work.

So you have been watching?
Yeah! If I wasn't on the show I'd still be a fan. I love the show. It's crazy. [Laughs.]

Would you come back for Season 3 of "American Horror Story"?
Yeah. It's hard to find work as compelling as this. Most television, you're walking around with a pair of tweezers and a flashlight looking for evidence so when you get to play interesting characters like this, it's really hard to find.

I know Season 3 is still in its fledgling stages, but if it were up to you, what kind of character would you play next season?
You know what? I feel like Ryan knows me very well and he knows how to create characters for me so I really leave it up to him. I mean, to play Ben Harmon and then Johny Thredson the next year, they couldn't be more polar opposites. For Season 3, he's going to blow my mind with another character, I'm sure.

You tweeted that you saw the Dylan McDermott/Dermot Mulroney "Saturday Night Live" skit from this past weekend.
Of course! How could I miss that?

Is that a common thing for people to confuse you for Dermot Mulroney?
I think it's the name. I don't think it's because we look alike. I think because the syllables in the name are so similar, if you break it down to Dur-mot Mul-rone-y and Dyl-an Mc-Der-mott. You know what I mean? They are similar names and that's how you get the confusion and Derbal McDillet. I tweeted that -- "I am Derbal McDillet" -- and I've never had so many retweets in my life!

You couldn't be on "SNL" because of "American Horror Story," right?
They asked me to come. I'm not ever sure what they had in store for me, maybe the two of us on stage together. I think it worked out for the best. I think it was very funny and I really enjoyed it.

Have you met Dermot?
Oh yeah. Definitely over the years. Totally.

When will we see "Philly Justice"?
I'm so excited to see it. I'm waiting for it to come out. I don't know where the hell it is. We filmed it a while back. "Parks and Recreation" is a show that's so fun to be on, I can't even tell you. I had a blast doing it with them. It's really a fictional pilot from the '80s, sort of like "The Practice." That's why I wanted to do it because it's kind of like an homage to "The Practice" in many ways, if "The Practice" went off the rails. But it's really a failed pilot called "Philly Justice" and I'm sort of like this sleazy lawyer who's coming on to everybody and weird and strange and the rest of the "Parks and Recreation" cast are filming the pilot. I replace Paul Rudd. He's just not making it and they bring me in to replace him. [Laughs.]

Well, we're excited to see it and the rest of "American Horror Story."
Yeah, we're going to unveil Johnny a little bit more, get under his skin. No pun intended.

"American Horror Story: Asylum" airs on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. EST on FX.

L.A. Reid is leaving "The X Factor" behind.

The music executive will not return for Season 3 and is instead going back to his day job as Epic Records chairman, according to "Access Hollywood."

“I have decided that I will not return to ‘The X Factor’ next year,” he told Shaun Robinson of "Access Hollywood." “I have to go back and I have a company to run that I’ve kind of neglected and it saddens me a little bit, but only a little bit ... I’m not ruling out ever coming back, but I’m definitely not coming back next year ... Maybe I’ll revisit the idea a little later.”

Reid told The Hollywood Reporter that he has "the utmost respect for Simon Cowell, he is the very best and I have had the opportunity to learn so much from him ... Working with him on 'X Factor' has been a once-in-a-lifetime experience, I'm honored to have sat on the panel with such incredible talent."

Who does Reid hope will replace him? “My choice would be like Jon Bon Jovi,” he told "Access Hollywood."

Reid was the first judge hired by Cowell and is the only judge to sit on the panel for both Season 1 and Season 2. Though Reid's exit is a surprise, many have been questioning whether or not Season 2 judges Britney Spears or Demi Lovato would return for Season 3 of "The X Factor." The jury is still out on the fate of those two pop stars.

The hunt for one, or possibly three, more judges could prove difficult, considering it took Cowell four months to officially sign Spears and Lovato after "The X Factor's" Season 1 shakeup in January.

Cowell gave Season 1 judges Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger the boot along with host Steve Jones. Cowell began searching for replacement judges and hosts for "The X Factor" almost immediately.

Miley Cyrus and LeAnn Rimes were also rumored to be in contention for "The X Factor" Season 2, while Fergie shut down reports that she was judging, as did Janet Jackson.

The search for two new hosts to replace Jones wasn't over until October when Fox signed Khloe Kardashian and Mario Lopez for Season 2.

Reid's mentee Tate Stevens could win "The X Factor" Season 2 (and the accompanying $5 million prize) during next week’s finale.

Fox had no comment on the news.

For more on L.A. Reid's departure, head over to "Access Hollywood" and THR.

"The X Factor" airs Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8 p.m. EST on Fox.

Christmas is coming to "The Vampire Diaries" this week (Thurs. Dec. 13), but it might not be such a merry occasion.

Tyler (Michael Trevino) and Hayley (Phoebe Tonkin) have been hatching a plan to unsire Klaus' (Joseph Morgan) hybrids and take him down. "It's all boiled down to this," Trevino told TVGuide.com. "He has his army and he needs to strike now, not only to get revenge, but also to end this love triangle with Caroline."

But Klaus might catch on soon enough to stop them. "As soon as he learns what's going on with Tyler and how there's this hybrid revolution happening, [Klaus] will be utterly furious," Morgan told TVGuide.com. "We've seen some of what Klaus is capable of, but he's going to go very far when this comes to a conclusion."

Could Klaus take his anger out on some of the hybrids? Alyssa Diaz, who plays dominating former hybrid Kimberley on Season 4 of "The Vampire Diaries," talked to HuffPost TV about Hayley's ulterior motives, wanting to be alpha dog and the showdown "Vampire Diaries" fans have been waiting for.

After Kimberley broke the sire bond, she wanted to protect Adrian from turning. Does she have regrets about no longer being unsired or was she just rebelling?
I think she's being rebellious. I think she's been serving Klaus for so long being under his sire bond and she wants to enjoy her freedom and make the most of it and she wants to be the alpha dog that she is.

In last week's episode, Kimberley tried to prove to Tyler that she's alpha. Can we trust her now?
I think you can trust her. She wants the same thing that Tyler wants. She wants to be free and to have her free will and that's what she's fighting for. She gets in Tyler's face because she starts to sense that he's acting like a dictator and that's what she just worked to be free from. So that's why Kimberley's stepping up to the plate and challenging Tyler, like what are his intentions? I think that's what she's questioning.

The way that Tyler tried to settle things was kind of violent. Do you think she really trusts him?
I think she trusts him. Once it got to that point, that climax, and they kind of duked it out, I think she does essentially trust him and is willing to follow his lead.

In the preview for the midseason finale, Tyler tells Kimberley and Adrian, "Tonight, we are taking out Klaus and setting you free." What can you tell us about the plan?
Essentially they are forming their pack. Their pack is intact and they're going to rebel and take over. Power to the people! Power to the hybrids, especially. [Laughs.]

Are they going to confront Klaus at the Mystic Falls Winter Wonderland-themed party?
Yes. The viewers won't be let down. It's a big one. It's gonna be intense.

Will anything come to light about Hayley's ulterior motives in helping Tyler and the other hybrids?
Let's say that things will start to get interesting as little pieces start to come out about what Hayley's true intentions.

What do you like about playing a werewolf and vampire on "The Vampire Diaries"?
Well, I've never had the opportunity to play a werewolf and a vampire. That's fun. I just like the fact that Kimberley's strong and she's not going to take anyone's nonsense. She has a voice. She's a strong female.

Did you watch the show before you were on it?
I knew of it and I'd seen a few episodes, but doing the show was my first real experience with the world of "The Vampire Diaries" and it's intense! There's a whole mythology behind it. It's fascinating.

Have you chosen a side: Team Stefan or Team Damon?
I can get myself into a lot of trouble here. I think they each have their qualities. It's hard. If you made them both into one, it'd be the perfect man. It's that kind of situation so I can't choose. I want both of 'em. I'm on both teams.

Will you be back when the show returns next year?
It's possible. Anything goes on "The Vampire Diaries."

You also have "Army Wives" coming up, right?
Yeah! I play Gloria Cruz, one of the wifies. I just got out of my first table read. We start back up this week and the show returns in March 2013.

Will you be working at all with Torrey DeVitto, Paul Wesley's wife, who also appeared on "The Vampire Diaries," and just joined "Army Wives"?
Actually, she just sat next to me at my table read and we had a great discussion about it.

Well, you'll have to tell her you're Team Stefan.
Oh yeah, absolutely!

"The Vampire Diaries" airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. EST on The CW.

"Felicity" only ran for four seasons on The WB back in the late '90s, but the show -- created by J.J. Abrams and Matt Reeves -- still has cult appeal to this day, and launched the careers of stars Keri Russell, Scott Speedman and Scott Foley.

In a recent interview with Playboy, Speedman -- now starring on ABC's "Last Resort" -- revealed that he's thought about the possibility of a "Felicity" reunion, but it's probably not the kind of scenario fans have been hoping for ...

"People want a reunion. I joke that I’d totally do it if it’s years later and my character, Ben, weighs 500 pounds. He’s a shut-in, and they’re bringing paramedics and pulleys to get him out of bed," Speedman told Playboy. "That show didn’t get massive ratings, but the fans we had were rabid. It makes you wonder what guys like Johnny Depp and Robert Pattinson go through. I never got near their level, but I was close enough to get my feet wet, to sort of peek around the corner, see the hysteria and say, 'No, thank you.'"

That hysteria may be why the actor, now 37, wants to stay as far away from social media as possible. "I hate stuff that breaks the wall between a movie or a TV show and the people it’s made for," he admitted. "You want people to buy in, to believe this fiction we’re working so hard to make. So when you have cameras at rehearsals, people blogging and tweeting everything behind the scenes, what happens to the magic? 'Hey, everyone, Scott’s eating a sandwich.' Your personal life becomes your currency. I hate that. So if you see a tweet from me -- and they’re out there -- you know it’s fake."

Speedman's role as XO Sam Kendal on the ABC drama is his first TV role in a decade, and the actor told Playboy that portraying a confident naval officer was a challenge: "I’m the worst. That part of it’s tricky for me, the naval-command thing -- the military way he stands, the way he orders people around. I grew up in Canada, and when you’re Canadian everything comes out as a question. “Um, fire torpedoes?” We have real submariners working as extras, and I always feel they’re looking at me like, 'That kind of sucked, man.'"

ABC declined to pick up "Last Resort" beyond its initial 13 episode order, but the show is airing its remaining episodes every Thursday at 8 p.m. EST.

For more from Speedman, head over to Playboy.com.

The "Tron" franchise has not hit the end of line. One week after THR reported Jesse Wigutow was hired to write a sequel to "Tron Legacy," Garrett Hedlund confirmed that he would return to the franchise as well. Hedlund, who stars in "On the Road," played Sam Flynn in "Tron Legacy," the son of Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges).

"Are we gonna break this now?" Hedlund said to NextMovie, before revealing his involvement. "I'm very excited, Disney's very excited."

Released in 2010, "Tron Legacy" was a sequel to 1982's "Tron." The film focused on Hedlund's Sam searching for his father inside a computer-generated virtual world that the elder Flynn helped design. Joseph Kosinski directed "Tron Legacy," and THR reports that he's attached to its sequel.

That Hedlund and Kosinski would even get the opportunity to re-team for "Tron 3" is somewhat surprising. The film was a perceived financial disappointment for Disney, grossing just $172 million in North America. Overseas, the gross was significantly higher, however, and "Tron Legacy" wound up earning $400 million around the globe. The film cost a reported $170 million to produce.

For more on Hedlund's involvement in "Tron 3," head to NextMovie.

[via NextMovie]

Lea Michele certainly has quite the glow going on for December.

Michele was spotted on the Los Angeles set of "Glee," sporting a neon pink robe between filming. And we've got to say, for some reason Lea's look has us humming the "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" Oompa Loompa song.

Check out Michele's incredibly tan look below:

Janice Dickinson is set to walk down the aisle for the fourth time.

The Daily Mail reports that the former model recently posed with beau Dr. Robert Gerner, 67, and proudly showed off a large diamond ring on her left hand.

The couple have only been dating for a few months and met on a blind date at Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles. According to TooFab, the couple is planning to tie the knot in April.

The 57-year-old has said "I do" three times before, but told the website she's ready to do it again.

"You just know you know it's the right person. He's the ying to my yang," Dickinson told TooFab.