A brighter shade of Grey

Grey's Anatomy fans will be fully clued in on this new spin-off series, which was introduced to viewers in a special episode of Grey's late last season.

For those who aren't devoted followers, here's the lowdown: Neonatal surgeon Addison Montgomery has given up on her failed marriage to Dr Derek Shepherd (known as McDreamy), which ended when she had an affair with his best friend, Dr Mark Sloan (known as McSteamy).

Deciding to make a clean break, she has moved to Los Angeles, to join the private practice of two of her oldest friends. Leaving behind the drama filled corridors of Seattle Grace hospital seems like a fresh start for Addison - until she arrives in LA to discover her best friends have separated and none of the staff have been informed of their new colleague.

As tempers flare, Addison discovers life is just as complicated on the West Coast. Plus, there is the instant chemistry between her and workmate Peter Wilder.

Produced by the same team behind Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice takes a lighter approach to life and love than the increasingly bleak Grey's. Without the incessant whining of Meredith Grey and the antics of Izzie Stevens, Private Practice makes for better watching than the original series.

Grey's Anatomy: Seth Rogen Responds To Katherine Heigl

Five months after Grey’s Anatomy star Katherine Heigl appeared in the hit comedy Knocked Up, she told Vanity Fair that she thought the movie was “a little sexist”. The film grossed over $200 million and Heigl went on to star in 2008’s 27 Dresses and the upcoming 2000 film, The Ugly Truth. In the Vanity Fair interview, Heigl went on to say of Knocked Up, “It paints the women as shrews, as humorless and uptight, and it paints the men as goofy, fun-loving guys. … It was hard for me to love the movie.” No one involved in making Knocked Up has commented – until now. While promoting the latest Judd Apatow film, Pineapple Express, Seth Rogen finally responded to Heigl’s nasty words about the movie they starred in together.

Rogen told reporters in Australia this week that he didn’t mind if Heigl had an opinion about Knocked Up. ‘‘Thought it would have been nice if she'd said something while we were making the movie,'' he said. ‘‘In one of the hundreds of conversations we all had about our thoughts and feelings about the material and one of the many conversations where Judd was asking us for our input.''

Judd Apatow and Seth Rogen have collaborate on several film together and have the same philosophy on letting the actors get involved in the creative process. ‘We don't hire actors as purely actors,'' he said. ‘‘We make them creative consultants basically and really get their opinions on every aspect. There's an extremely long rehearsal process solely dedicated to having those conversations so, yeah, I thought it was weird.

Before heading back down the red carpet, Rogen had one final comment for Heigl: ‘‘I mean, it won a Women's Image Network Award. Take that! She can take it up with them.''

"Grey's Anatomy," "ER" draw objections in Italy

ROME (Hollywood Reporter) - Television programs with medical and hospital themes get so many details wrong, according to a leading Italian medical group, that Italy's main broadcasters should refrain from airing them.

Annalisa Silvestro, president of the National Federation of Medical Colleges, said that offending programs include imported fare such as "ER," "House," "Grey's Anatomy" and "Scrubs," along with a host of Italian-made productions, several of which are scheduled to premiere with state broadcaster RAI or Silvio Berlusconi's Mediaset when new schedules start in September.

The Order of Medical Professionals of Rome echoed that view.

"These programs are teaching viewers inaccurate views on medicine," Silvestro said. "They are spreading misinformation."

There has been no word on whether RAI and Mediaset plan to adjust their programming in response to the protests.