Hollywood meets Hamilton

On tape from Hollywood, it’s Hamilton, Ohio: Tonight you’ll finally see “Sons & Daughters,” the ABC sitcom fictionally set in Hamilton (9 p.m., Ch. 9). But don’t look too hard for Hamilton, because you won’t see/hear anything except for a reference to Cincinnati (“I’m pretty in Cincinnati. I’m not pretty in a general sense”) and bowling alley signs (“Hamilton Bowl”). You’ll also see the full context of the two scenes promoted by ABC on its website and airwaves – the little girl saying, “We’re going to Hell because we’re Jews!” and a Hitler-style mustache painted on the elderly aunt who had made that remark originally to the little girl. Part of the humor is how relatives of main couple can’t relate to the husband being married to a Jew, and raising their kids Jewish.
Star/co-creator Fred Goss, a Michigan native and Christian married to a Jew, says he pulled this subplot from his own life.
“I’ve got relatives in West Virginia and Michigan who, until I brought my wife home, had never met a Jew. I thought it was interesting to place her (Liz, the main character’s wife) in a world where there aren’t many Jews.”
The “going to Hell” remark “is racism out of sheer ignorance, because they’ve never met a Jew. They had no concept.”

Your favorite CBS shows?
Chances are CBS just renewed one of your favorite shows. In a rare move, CBS announced a full-year renewal for the fall season for three new shows and 11 old shows. The list: How I Met Your Mother, Criminal Minds, Ghost Whisperer, The Amazing Race, Survivor, 60 Minutes, Cold Case, CSI, CSI: Miami, CSI: New York, NCIS, Numb3rs, Two And A Half Men and Without A Trace.
CBS premieres “The Unit,” another crime drama, today (9 p.m., Ch 12) with Dennis Haysbert (“24”), Scott Foley (“Felicity”), Robert Patrick (“The X Files”) and Regina Taylor (“I’ll Fly Away”).

No joke
This is no radio stunt by a station during a personality’s vacation. Jonathan “Jay” Love really has left WDBZ-AM (1230), the Buzz of Cincinnati. Love helped put the station on the air in 2000 for his father, J. Ross Love, who owns it. Love has quit to become the fund-raiser for AIDS Volunteers of Cincinnati (AVOC). No replacement has been named for his 1-4 p.m. shift.

Joey update
You can guess what NBC thinks of "Joey." It returns to TV tonight, with back-to-back shows, 8-9 p.m. (Ch 5) -- against “American Idol,” the No. 1 show on TV. This is what some TV folks would call "burning off episodes" or "just keeping the lights on." Don't expect "Joey" to return for fall. Frankly, the show doesn't deserve another season. Right?