# Who is This Unflattering TV Guide Article About? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 23, 2007, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-unflattering-tv-guide-article-about/389017 "2007-01-23T00:02:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-unflattering-tv-guide-article-about/389017/21 "2007-01-23T06:44:56Z")
[QUOTE=Lightray] Given the reference to “George Cloony … George Jetson” I’d say, look for a show with a guest star named… “George”. [/QUOTE] I don’t believe that’s what’s being suggested. The George Clooney reference is a normal comparison of Mr. X to a “genuine A-lister.” Then the Jetson reference shows how far from the A-list Mr. X is, cleverly using another George for the literary effect of parallel construction. It’s as if Dan Quayle had been told “You’re no Jack Kennedy, you’re not even Jack Black.” Quayle’s first name is irrelevant, the Jack/Jack thing is technique. ---
**Author:** ![Lizard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@Lizard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lizard)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-unflattering-tv-guide-article-about/389017/22 "2007-01-23T07:22:22Z")
[QUOTE=Dooku] My guess would be Shatner joining the cast of The Practice. [/QUOTE] _clearing throat_ It’s more accurate to say Clooney is no Shatner. The latter was a star (via Star Trek) when Clooney was still in grade school. Shatner’s total star-power may never have been as high as Clooney’s but he’s been famous for MUCH longer than Clooney has. Besides, it’s obvious Clooney doesn’t have what it takes to face down Khan Noonien Singh. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-unflattering-tv-guide-article-about/389017/23 "2007-01-23T07:43:38Z")
Note that Ausiello didn’t make the George Clooney remark. It’s a direct quote. Here’s the snipped bits: > [@](#): > > …tossing out story lines and even entire scripts. Why hasn’t his ass been canned? Is it because he’s a mega-star? Hardly. The show runner seems to agree with him that he’s a genius and a genuine A-lister. But, um, how do I put this? He isn’t. As one of many disgruntled cast members put it: “He’s not exactly George Clooney.” He doesn’t even have the marquee value of, say, George Jetson. So, any guesses? One of the actual cast members said that he’s no George Clooney. That, to me, screams John Stamos. The more interesting question to me is which cast member made the Clooney snark. I’m guessing Maura Tierney. ---
**Author:** ![Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e68b1a/32.png) [@Abby\_Emma\_Sasha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abby_Emma_Sasha)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-unflattering-tv-guide-article-about/389017/24 "2007-01-23T11:24:25Z")
I am convinced this is Liev Schreiber. In the current Entertainment Weekly there is an article on Liev that states he would only take the role on CSI if he had a hand in the storyline. Plus, he has always struck me as the Prima Donna(primo donno?) type. I really don’t see Stamos or Rob Lowe asking for writing credits as much as I would imagine them trying to get more face time. Stamos and Lowe are pretty boys whereas SChreiber, IMO fancies himself a serious, brooding _artiste_ . ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-unflattering-tv-guide-article-about/389017/25 "2007-01-23T13:19:21Z")
[QUOTE=bouv] That would be awesome if not for the fact that he didn’t do his own voice. [/QUOTE] And Bowie is definitely an A-lister. So it would have to be Iggy Pop in this case. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-unflattering-tv-guide-article-about/389017/26 "2007-01-23T13:38:25Z")
William Peterson is taking a break from CSI? :eek: But he is the hero of all geeks and nerds (including moi). ☹ **Gil Grissom must return** (preferably in the arms of Lady Heather 🆒 ) ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-unflattering-tv-guide-article-about/389017/27 "2007-01-23T13:53:41Z")
[QUOTE=ArchiveGuy] Liev Shreiber is indeed doing an extended stint on **CSI** (subbing for William Peterson) so I believe this is about him. The fact that this is in the present tense rules out Morse, and Shatner is a regular. [/QUOTE] (hijack) Why is William Peterson off? (/hijack) ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-unflattering-tv-guide-article-about/389017/28 "2007-01-23T13:57:30Z")
William Peterson is off for a month to do a play. I agree, Liev Schrieber sounds the most likely, esp. given the piece in EW this week. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2007, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-unflattering-tv-guide-article-about/389017/29 "2007-01-23T14:03:13Z")
[QUOTE=Lizard] Besides, it’s obvious Clooney doesn’t have what it takes to face down Khan Noonien Singh. [/QUOTE] Dude, he’s Batman! Clooney can defeat Khan if he’s… Nah. I won’t say it. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2007, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-unflattering-tv-guide-article-about/389017/30 "2007-01-26T05:39:20Z")
I know absolutely nothing about Liev Schieber’s personality, so I can’t accuse him of being a jerk, or of being the person alluded to. I can say that I saw him on Broadway in “Glengarry Glen Ross,” and he was outstanding. He won a Tony for his performance, so he’s not lacking for talent. Problem is, a Tony doesn’t necessarily carry much weight in TV land, nor should it (not automatically, at any rate). And on a show like “CSI,” the actors are far less important to the viewers than the plots and the crime puzzles. That’s a show on which NO performer should consider himself irreplaceable. Because even viewers who like Grissom would tune in to watch almost any other actor do the investigations, so long as the crimes were still interesting. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2007, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-unflattering-tv-guide-article-about/389017/31 "2007-01-26T07:17:51Z")
[QUOTE=Abby\_Emma\_Sasha] I am convinced this is Liev Schreiber. In the current Entertainment Weekly there is an article on Liev that states he would only take the role on CSI if he had a hand in the storyline. Plus, he has always struck me as the Prima Donna(primo donno?) type. [/QUOTE] Yeah, I finally saw that EW article, and I have to agree. I caught my first five minutes ever of CSI tonight just to get a feel for him in the role, and it seems plausible that he’s a prima donna. I’m thinking his role in the Scream franchise wasn’t too far from his real personality. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-this-unflattering-tv-guide-article-about/389017.md?page=1)