Brothers & Sisters

So according to the preview we saw last Sunday (see below if you missed it), someone’s due to buy the farm on Sunday’s two-hour Brothers & Sisters plot explosion extravaganza. Since the Walkers don’t have a dog or a cat or a goldfish, presumably some human associated with the family is marked for death. Given how unreliable the promos have been, it’s entirely likely that the death will be a decoy, either not quite happening or happening to someone well outside the family circle. This week, let’s take a look at a few candidates for extinction and see if we can figure out what those writers are up to (or at least, those promo weasels).

Prospective corpse: Robert McCallister

Why it might be him: There’s been plenty of spoiler chatter about the would-be governor having a life-threatening medical crisis — and about an actor being cast as a love interest for Kitty. The couple has faced mounting marital tension this season, so his sudden death would dump a big load of guilt on his wife while also freeing the writers from having to resolve the issues in their relationship. Rob Lowe’s always been a bit of a problem plotwise — he’s too big a star to relegate to the sort of seldom-seen status of the other Walker spouses, but too tangential a character to give lots of screen time. A big dramatic death takes care of that, and the promo seems to be leading in that direction.

Why it probably won’t be: There’s been plenty of spoiler chatter about the would-be governor having a life-threatening medical crisis, but absolutely none about Lowe leaving the show. Hard to believe, in this loose-lipped spoiler-crazed day and age, that could be kept a secret. And from a promo point of view, if you’re going to have a big death episode for someone of Lowe’s fame level, I’d think you’d want to leak it a little.

Why I hope it’s not: In their better days, I’ve really enjoyed the chemistry Rob Lowe and Calista Flockhart bring to Robert and Kitty. I miss it now that they’re on the Bad Relationship Plot Track. I’d like to believe we’ll have it back again. Bring back the banter and brain sex! ASAP, if you please. This show could use a little fun about now.

Tomorrow’s Death Watch: Tommy Walker

The series of character check-ups that have taken over this blog will continue tomorrow with a look at Tommy — but as sometimes seems to happen on the show, today Balthazar Getty’s getting bumped in favor of Rob Lowe. This time, it’s just to wish a happy 44th birthday to the actor, who was born on this day in 1964 in Charlottesville, Virginia.

In honor of the occasion, I’ve gone back through the memorable lines round-ups for this past season-and-a-dozen, and picked out some choice bits of senatorial dialog. Did I miss one of your favorites? Add it in the comments. (And if you still want to engage in some checking-up today, go back to the post before this one and respond to Colleen’s comment about the show’s middling use of music. I’ll get to it eventually, too.)

From “Mistakes Were Made Part 2″

I have an idea. How about instead of grilling me on my private and intensely painful public divorce on national television, I take you out for an espresso.

From “Family Day”

I’m beginning to think you have either low self esteem or you’re relentlessly fishing for compliments.

See these shoes? I bought them on the Internet. Sight unseen, never had a problem with them. I’m a very good judge of quality, Miss Walker. I know things are going to fit.

What disqualifies you apart from your lack of experience?

From “Sexual Politics”

Taking care of people is not feminine, it’s a privilege and an honor.

My intentions were noble, albeit my execution was lame, ill-conceived and thoughtless.

From “Valentine’s Day Massacre”

There’s still a few hours left in Valentine’s Day. I think we should go find all the happy couples and, you know, throw things at them.

If we both feel the same way about each other, why should I go? And if you say it’s because you work for me, or you’re on a man cleanse, or because I’m recently divorced, or whatever other excuse you’re going to come up with, then I’m here to tell you, you’re about to be out-argued. Because while you were down there dining, I was coming up with a list of counterpoints.

(more…)

Many underlings and operatives have flitted through the offices of senator and presidential candidate Robert McCallister, but none have made as much of an impression as Travis. The series of check-ups of Kitty and her extended family concludes with an appreciation of the snarky campaign manager.

Origins: Travis has been with the McCallister campaign since the start of Season 2, when he sniped at Kitty for having the nerve to ditch the campaign to go see her injured back-from-war brother in An American Family.

Progress: Originally, Travis seemed like a stuffed shirt, only onstage to be a foil for Kitty. But as the season progressed, Travis sort of became part of the family, handling matters both professional and personal. He’s the one who clued Robert in that Kitty was pregnant, and heard Robert’s confession about not wanting more kids. He also spilled the beans to Jason about the fact that Isaac, now involved in Robert’s campaign, was the one who outed him years ago. Maybe accidentally, maybe on purpose to get rid of one or the other of them, or maybe just to have a little fun.

Current Status: Travis has taken the fall for a lot of campaign missteps, but he’s still there, advising and mocking. But will there be a campaign much longer to employ him?

Concerns: For these extended character check-ups, I’ve mostly been sticking to characters who’ve been around from the first season, and have a pretty clear Walker connection. But I’m making an exception for Travis, ’cause the character’s really grown on me — a credit, I think, to Denis O’Hare’s prickly performance, and the way it plays against Robert’s self-righteousness and Kitty’s ditziness. If the senator’s presidential quest does indeed run aground, I accept that Travis may have to disappear with it; there’s barely enough room for all the primary characters on this show to keep a secondary character around. But if we have to spend any time in Robert and Kitty’s workplace, I’d sure love for Travis to be there.

Prognosis: Whether Travis stays or goes, I hope he gets to attend at least one big Walker bash. His reactions while listening in on Kitty’s phone call were great; I’d like to see him get a load of her clan in person. And hey, Rebecca should be looking for another older married guy right about now.

Second Opinion: Karyn thinks Kitty and Travis would have been a better match than Kitty and Robert. What are your thoughts on Travis? Share them in the comments.

Brothers and Sisters, ABC, Travis, Denis O’Hare

No, don’t get me wrong, I’m not looking for those two crazy kids to split up. But they both have a little relationship baggage in their pasts to be inspected. The series of check-ups of Kitty and family continues with a look at the loves of the past.

Jonathan
Kitty’s first fiance was also a control freak, although for my money not as charming a one as Robert. He proposed by dropping a ring in a martini glass, and Kitty initially accepted, but an affair with her co-worker Warren got in the way. Prognosis: It’s unlikely we’ll ever see Jonathan again, but … seems like maybe he and Graham might travel in the same big-money circles. If Sarah happened to run into her old almost-brother-in-law, how crazy do you think it would drive Kitty if her old beau dated her sister?

Courtney
Robert’s first wife left him for his chief-of-staff, and claimed that he had an affair with the nanny. Kitty successfully called her bluff about that when Courtney was planning to take it to the talk shows, but it’s clear there’s still a lot of bitterness over the years she gave to Robert’s political career. Prognosis: Courtney will always be part of Robert and Kitty’s life because of Sophie and Jack, but I’ll be just as glad if we never actually see her again. Though I like Marin Hinkle, the character we saw in the one episode she’s had was just unpleasantly frosty. If she does recur, it would have to be something to do with a kid-related crisis.

Warren
Kitty’s liberal counterpart on her political talk show was a goofy departure from serious Jonathan, and the diversion she needed to get rid of that guy. Not really serious relationship material, though, was he? They first slept together on the night Kitty found out about Holly, and tried to make a go of things after Kitty split with Jonathan. But Warren was already distracted by young blond bubblehead Amber, and that cut the Kitty activity short. Prognosis: Warren’s likely gone with the TV show plotline, but he was a lot of fun, wasn’t he? Got on awfully well with Nora, too. If I thought he had enough depth to go for an older woman instead of a younger one, I’d say there might be something there. How crazy do you think it would drive Kitty if her old beau dated her mother?

The Nanny
Do we even have a name for the girl who got the blame for the McCallister break-up, even if she had nothing actually to do with it? She’s done an awfully good job of disappearing, particularly considering that these days, she could probably have made a pretty penny selling her story to the tabloids. Prognosis: You know, unless Kitty completely ditches her career, she and Robert are likely to be needing some childcare assistance in the near future. Good help’s hard to find.

Brothers and Sisters, ABC, Kitty, Robert

Continuing on in a series of posts on the characters of Brothers & Sisters — where they’ve been, where they’re at, and where we’d like them to go — let’s stay with Kitty’s extended family and review the prospects of her brother-in-law.

Origins: Kitty had barely met Robert’s gay brother before trying to set him up with her own gay brother. But since she never completely confessed to Kevin exactly who it was he was meeting for coffee, he mouthed off about his contempt for the senator and did not make a good first impression.

Progress: Jason and Kevin were drawn together again as the planning committee for Kitty and Robert’s engagement party, and again, during the party, for a makeout session in the pantry. A summer romance that we didn’t see led to a declaration of love when the second season resumed. But then Jason, a Methodist minister, went off on a mission in Malaysia (so actor Eric Winter could go off to do the ill-fated Viva Laughlin) and — whether due to a crisis of faith or bad manners — didn’t call Kevin for far too long. When he finally did ring up, it was only to get dumped. An awkward evening with Kevin and old/new boyfriend Scotty after he returned didn’t do much to clear the air.

Current Status: Jason seemed ready to participate in Robert’s presidential campaign, but Travis’s discouraging words and the presence of Isaac — the man who outed him years before in a political attack on his brother — may make that less of an option.

Concerns: And so may the fact that Winter has apparently signed on to a semi-regular role on another series, CBS’s vampire drama Moonlight. That probably means that Team Scotty has won for the time being, too. Congratulations to Winter for the career heat he’s got going, but it’s really been unfortunate for this character. I thought there was nice romantic chemistry between Jason and Kevin, and nice brotherly chemistry between Jason and Robert, and I wish the character could recur as the story requires and not as the actor’s availability allows. I mean, we stuck pins in those Viva Laughlin voodoo dolls for this?

Prognosis: I’ve not watched Moonlight, but my impression is that it’s not the healthiest of new shows. If it gets a stake through its heart soon, I wouldn’t mind seeing Jason and Kevin build a friendship — do Walkers even get to have friends? — down the road a bit, when Scotty’s less threatened.

Second Opinions: Sylviane writes that if Jason comes back, it better be the pre-Malaysia version. What are your thoughts on Jason? Share them in the comments.

_{Photo: ABC.com}

Brothers and Sisters, ABC, Jason, Eric Winter

Continuing on in a series of posts on the characters of Brothers & Sisters — where they’ve been, where they’re at, and where we’d like them to go — let’s stay with Kitty’s extended family and check on the stepkids (with apologies to Colleen — now Jason’s next).

Origins: When we first met Robert’s children from his first marriage, Sophie was giving Kitty a hard time at dinner, resentful of her dad’s attempt to insert a new blonde into their relationship. The fallout sparked the couple’s first fight.

Progress: We haven’t seen much of the senator’s spawn, but Sophie’s usually had something snarky to say to her soon-to-be stepmom. When she told her dad she wasn’t looking for any new half-siblings in the family, it added to the complication of Robert’s reaction to Kitty’s baby craze. Still, though they weren’t necessarily nuts about his remarriage, Sophie and Jack stood up with their father at his wedding (yes, they did, though many viewers seem to have thought they weren’t there at all).

Current Status: Confined together by the flu, Kitty and her stepkids seem to have come to something of an understanding, and Sophie actually managed to be a little nice to her. Courtney, Robert’s ex, will probably load the girl back up with resentment when Sophie gets back home.

Concerns: As with Paige and Cooper, the kiddie plots are never going to overtake the grown-ups, nor should they. But some consideration of this new generation of Walker sibs and half-sibs and step-sibs and young cousins should be part of the plot moving forward. I like the way the show’s definition of Brothers and Sisters has expanded beyond the five Walker siblings into the brother-sister bond of Nora and Saul; expanding the other way a little bit might be interesting, too. The ways that Sarah, Kitty, Tommy, Kevin and Justin interact as adults was formed to a large degree by the way they interacted as kids, and though flashing back that far would be silly, the ways in which the youngest Walkers form their relationships might have some resonance — particularly in the differences between five close-knit kids growing up in what was perceived as an unbroken home and the children of divorce and re-marriage and sometimes re-divorce they’re parenting now.

Prognosis: I’m still waiting for that meeting of Paige and Sophie. Those girls could get in some trouble together.

Second Opinions: Colleen’s suggesting a pool party for getting those girls together. Where would you like to see Sophie and Jack? Share your thoughts in the comments.

_{Photo: ABC.com}

Brothers and Sisters, ABC, Sophie, Jack, Justine Dorsey, Max Burkholder

Continuing on in a series of posts on the characters of Brothers & Sisters — where they’ve been, where they’re at, and where we’d like them to go — let’s stay with Kitty’s family and look in on the senator.

Origins: When Robert met Kitty, she offered to stay away from sensitive questions about his divorce (and alleged affair with the nanny) in an interview if he could keep Justin from going to war. Robert refused, Kitty threw the interview anyway then confessed about it on the air, and Robert decided that the inability to keep a secret is exactly what he wanted in a communications director. It’s a Walker skill-set, to be sure.

Progress: As Robert went from being a senator to a presidential candidate, Kitty came along as communications director, then fiancee and finally wife. An unexpected pregnancy and miscarriage brought up the topic of children; Kitty wants some, but Robert, who has two from his first marriage, isn’t so sure.

Current Status: The senator survived a scandal in which his alleged wartime heroism was revealed to be less heroic than advertised, but it seems likely that his campaign will fall short of the White House.

Concerns: Has there been a more polarizing character on this show? Some folks hate Robert because he’s too perfect, and some love him because he’s Rob Lowe. He’s been accused of hijacking storylines, and credited with raising ratings. Personally, I’m not so much a fan of Rob Lowe as I am a fan of Sam Seaborn, and the fact that this role hits so many of the same notes makes him very easy for me to like. But I also — and I seem to be in the minority here — am really interested in the character of Robert McCallister. I don’t find him bland or boring or excessively perfect at all, though I do think there’s a directness to his personality that contrasts with the Walker neuroses in a way that makes him seem less complex. He’s kind of a control freak, though, and is unable to roll very well when events don’t match his vision. He’d rather keep up the facade and hope that things will work themselves out, as he did with the war story and, likely, the problems with his first marriage. Maybe what attracted him to Kitty was the way she confessed her journalistic dishonesty quickly, when she didn’t have to. And maybe what attracted Kitty to him is … well, hmm, do we know another powerful man in her life who was able to hold onto a facade of happiness and respectability while the truth was far from it?

Prognosis: The end of the campaign may offer an opportunity for Robert to come to terms with the conflict between his career and his character. He may realize that it’s not possible to be “the most ambitious man you will ever meet” and also have a family and an code of ethics. Losing that image of himself as made of ambition will be a hard but good thing. And judging by the kitchen scene in The Feast of the Epiphany, getting Robert more involved with the extended Walker clan will be a good thing, too.

Second Opinions: Colleen would like to get more of a look behind Robert’s control-freak facade. What are your thoughts on the senator? Share them in the comments.

_{Photo: ABC.com}

Brothers and Sisters, ABC, Robert, Rob Lowe

You may not be able to score a fiance as handsome as Rob Lowe, and the pricetag for that Monique Lhuillier dress Kitty wore may be too steep for your budget. But for just $75, you can make sure your beau presents you with Kitty’s engagement ring, or a lovely knocked-off version thereof (’cause, like, Kitty’s still wearing hers).

The bauble is for sale in the ABC store, right next to a variety of Walker Landing picnic baskets and totes and Ts. Do they have a gift shop at Walker Landing, by the way? A little spot where, on the way out after, say, a high-powered political wedding, you could score a couple of wine glasses and a coffee mug? Really, Holly should get on that.

Back to Kitty’s ring, ABC-style. It boasts a center stone that is nearly one carat of cubic zirconia, with baguettes on each side and a lustrous rhodium/platinum plated band. I’m guessing Kitty’s version had diamonds, but maybe she’d better check. I think Robert said something about it being a family heirloom, but you know how much you can trust politicians. They’ll even pretend to want children if it gets your vote.

The ABC store seems to be making a small business of selling imitation engagement rings and wedding bands. If Kitty’s doesn’t suit you, you can also shop for Nicole’s Wedding Band from What About Brian; Carly’s Engagement Ring and Wedding Band from General Hospital; and a rose ring inspired by Wilhelmina’s engagement ring on Ugly Betty.

The authenticity of these replicas may be a “buyer beware” affair, though, since they’re selling something called Elizabeth’s Three Stone Ring in the General Hospital store that looks to me to be exactly the same as what they’re calling Kitty’s engagement ring. Is Robert two-timing our girl, handing out lookalike rings all around? Where’s that annoying muckraking blogger when you need him?

_{Photo: ABC.com}

Brothers and Sisters, ABC, ABC store

Some Brothers & Sisters news to occupy us while we cross our fingers that a last-minute bargaining session might avert the writer’s strike now scheduled to begin a minute after midnight on Monday morning.

On a cheery note, AfterElton is reporting that Eric Winter is indeed skedaddling right back to B&S after the wreck of Viva Laughlin, and will be appearing as soon as Episode 11 (for reference, tomorrow night is Episode 6). There’s kind of a melancholy interview with Winter on Hollywood Joe in which he shares how much he loved Laughlin and how, while he understands B&S fans wishing it poorly, he would have liked it to last. It makes me feel a little guilty … but not that much, ’cause I’m busy doing a little yes! dance that Jason is coming back. (Thanks to Scott for e-mailing me about the AfterElton item, and assuring me that the strike will probably not derail his comeback episode.)

Greg Berlanti, who left as B&S show-runner to start Dirty Sexy Money, will be splitting his creative self up some more by taking on directing duties for a Green Lantern movie (one of his co-writers will be Marc Guggenheim, who according to IMDb co-wrote the “Three Parties” and “Mistakes Were Made Part 2″ episodes of B&S.) Sure hope this doesn’t mean Berlanti will be even less involved in B&S’s creative direction. Of course, if the “S” word happens, nobody may be doing much of anything. Berlanti is quoted in an L.A. Times blog item as expressing concern for his many employees during the potential walk-out. “I want to keep our crew and our actors and everybody working as long as possible to make these shows great. If a strike happens, no one ever wants it to happen, I want the people that work for me to survive it.” I’m not that familiar with the Green Lantern, but doesn’t he have some powers that could be used to, like, overpower evil producers and networks and make them cough up some dough?

(more…)

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about Tommy Walker, and how this new plot that has him apparently having an affair with the office manager while his wife struggles with depression at her faraway parents’ house, presents a decidedly different model from the one we met last season.

Tommy was originally established as the stable, steady brother with the good marriage and the business sense who could be sort of a viewer surrogate in rolling his eyes and smiling at the outrageous doings of his brothers and sisters. He had a few challenges — infertility, anger at Justin — but he seemed in general the least neurotic and most down-to-earth of the bunch. And I’m not saying this just because I am Tommy, according to the “Which Walker Are You” quiz.

The show certainly needs one bemused voice of reason among the chaos. But I think something happened around midseason last year that brought Tommy to the reason-free rounder he is now: The arrival of Robert McCallister. He’s kind of taken over that, “Well, they’re nuts, but they’re family” attitude that grounds the Walker shenanigans in an amusing way.

(more…)

Some news and notes from all around:

Sally Field took part in an Emmy roundtable for Newsweek, along with fellow nominees America Ferrara, Masi Oka, Julia Louis Dreyfuss, and Jeremy Piven. Not a lot of Brothers & Sisters content, but it is an interesting look at actors at various stages in their careers, and Field manages to hold her own around a chatty table (and make a date with Piven for Emmy night).

Greg Berlanti is the focus of an admiring article in USA Today that focuses on his expertise as a show-runner. The article, by Gary Levin, offers some insight into the shaping of B&S, including this observation from Berlanti: “‘You don’t have obvious stakes. You’re not a cop show, you’re not a lawyer show, you’re not a medical show. There are no turning points in people’s lives, so the season and the arc of the characters has to be designed as setups and payoffs’ based on ‘emotional journeys.’” On the page online with the article is a neat photo of Berlanti surrounded by actors from his various series, including Sally Field and Emily VanCamp, that’s worth checking out for its own self.

As Maryann mentioned in the comments a few days ago, the name of the hourlong Brothers & Sisters special airing September 23 may in fact be “Family Album,” not “Family Portrait,” which would make more sense, since the latter is also the name of an episode (hey, I’m working on that recap). “Family Portrait” is still the title on the B&S site as of this writing, but an ABC press release calls it “Family Album,” and offers this description: “‘Brothers & Sisters: Family Album’ recaps the exposed secrets, hilarious adventures and dramatic stories that made the series a breakout hit last season. Exclusive one-on-one interviews with the star-studded cast, including Sally Field, Rob Lowe and Calista Flockhart, as well as with the series executive producers, reveal the casts’ favorite moments, hilarious outtakes and sneak peeks at what’s in store for America’s most loved TV family in Season Two.”

As commenter Emma pointed out, there are now promotional photos from Season 2 on ABC’s website. Click on the “View Full Caption” to read more about them. I’m not sure what you can click on to make them big enough to actually see, though. Does anybody have a tip for that?

Finally, about that cute photo up there: Terry reported in the comments that Rob Lowe “was once again part of the Best Buddies Bicycling event on Saturday. A Maria Shriver charity event I believe and a good cause. His famiy was with him.” You can read more about the event and Rob’s participation in this press release, and more about Best Buddies on the organization’s site.

Where have you been seeing the Walkers? Share your tips in the comments.

Brothers & Sisters, ABC, media, Sally Field, Rob Lowe

The August 31 edition of Entertainment Weekly features a round-up of celebrity scandals of the past 25 years, and Rob Lowe just made it onto the list, with his 1988 sex tape landing at #21, just above O.J.’s fake tell-all and below Courtney Love saying she used heroin while pregnant.

If you’ve forgotten this little blip in the actor’s bio, or are too young to have heard of it (and if so, thanks for making me feel ancient, as if the gorgeous young photo of Lowe that accompanies the below item on the EW site hadn’t already done that), here’s the item from the article:

21. ROB LOWE: SEX-TAPE PIONEER
During the 1988 Democratic convention in Atlanta, Rob Lowe picked up two gals (ages 22 and 16) at a club, invited them back to his hotel, and videotaped the romp. Naturally, the home movie leaked out — and grainy footage of the Brat Packer in action made the tabloid-TV rounds. The underage girl’s mom sued Lowe, but it was settled out of court, and no charges were filed. (He agreed to perform 20 hours of community service.) CAREER IMPACT: MINOR After a brief rehab stint for alcohol addiction in 1990, the star went on to wink at the incident in his work, including the 1999 West Wing pilot — in which his character, a presidential aide, unwittingly sleeps with a hooker. As Lowe noted in 2000, ”At the height of my downfall, I was still making a million bucks a picture.”

And now, let us all say silent thanks that we are not famous, and that nobody is waiting out there to recycle our most embarrassing moments.

Brothers and Sisters, ABC, Rob Lowe

_{Photo: EW.com}

Apparently portraying a presidential candidate and advocating for hybrid cars isn’t keeping Rob Lowe busy enough — now he’s going to be a television producer, too.

According to a report in Variety, the actor will be producing a procedural crime drama for ABC. I know what you’re thinking — “A procedural crime drama! Thank heavens! There aren’t nearly enough of those on television!” This one does have an interesting slant, focusing on a unit that deals only with stalker cases. Lowe had apparently planned to star in it himself, until the role of Robert McCallister got in the way. Now, the show will center on a female detective.

Here’s what Lowe had to say about the project, from the Variety article by Josef Adalian:

“Unfortunately, the idea of stalking is something many people can relate to,” Lowe said, citing stats that show 1.7 million Americans are victims of stalkers each year. And while high-profile celeb cases grab headlines, the vast majority of stalking cases involve civilians — particularly women.

“When I had my first meeting with [co-executive-producer] Alison Cross, she had her own story about stalking,” Lowe said. “And when I sat down for a meeting with ABC Studios, a female exec there had had a stalking experience.”

Lowe said each episode of the potential skein will follow the female head of the stalking unit and her two deputies as they race to capture the stalker before an even more serious crime takes place.

Personally, I’m not up for more weekly woman-in-peril programming, but I’ll wish the show well for Lowe’s sake. As long as it doesn’t take him too far off the Brothers & Sisters campaign trail.

Brothers and Sisters, ABC, Rob Lowe

I’m not sure why actors do so much testifying before Congressional committees. They may know something about their topics, and feel passionate about their causes, but surely there are non-celebrities with greater credentials who might more productively occupy our lawmakers’ time. I suspect it’s more about politicians wanting to meet movie stars than anything else.

But hey, Rob Lowe’s played a politician on TV. More than once! So that lends him some gravitas, right?

His words on behalf of tax breaks for hybrid drivers were captured on video and posted on YouTube by Rep. Ed Markey, chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming before whom Lowe spoke. The representative mentions The West Wing and Brothers & Sisters in his introduction of the actor. According to a Detroit Free Press article, the hearing room was packed, mostly with women. Fascinated with the subject of hybrid autos, no doubt.

Also in the Brothers & Sisters political action news is Sally Field, who spoke during a breakfast briefing on Capitol Hill regarding her anti-osteoporosis campaign, Rally With Sally for Bone Health. Which makes me wonder why Rob Lowe doesn’t have some catchy campaign title: Roll With Rob for Fuel Economy? Lower Your Fuel Consumption With Lowe? A politician needs a slogan, man.

Brothers and Sisters, ABC, Rob Lowe, Sally Field, U.S. Congress

Yeah, we’re all high-minded TV viewers into discussing the intricacies of plotting and fine acting, but heck, it’s Friday, it’s been a stressful week, and who really couldn’t use a little dose of mindless celebrity gossip right about now? Here’s a sampling of news flashes from Gossip Land, gleaned from all the Google alerts that have been building up in my mailbox:

Rob Lowe Killed a Bird!
An unfortunate golf ball incident at a charity game in Iowa got Lowe’s name in a lot of online items this week. While it was undoubtedly embarrassing for the actor and lethal for the goldfinch, it did give Lowe an opportunity to show again that he has a pretty healthy sense of humor about himself. According to an ABC News report: “As the rest of the players in his group broke out in laughter and applause, Lowe raised his arms in mock celebration. ‘That’s my birdie,’ he said after looking at the bird, which lay motionless on the ground. ‘That’s unbelievable. Who comes here and kills the state bird? Only me.’”

Calista Flockhart Will Not Marry!
Lowe’s onscreen fiancee has no intention of wedding anybody offscreen, no matter what the gossips keep saying about Harrison Ford proposing. According to the recent round of non-stories about the non-marriage, Flockhart is quoted as declaring: “Marriage is not important to me. My belief system doesn’t work that way. I feel like our commitment is made in other ways, so I’m very happy (with the way things are).” Celebrity wedding denials often directly precede celebrity weddings, so expect much more fact-free speculation in the weeks and months to come.

Marika Dominczyk Did Marry!
One celebrity couple who actually announced an engagement and followed through on it is Marika Dominczyk, who played Justin’s girlfriend Tyler, and actor Scott Foley, currently of The Unit. According to US Magazine, “The couple wed on Tuesday in a modern Hawaiian ceremony before approximately 30 guests at an exclusive private resort.” If this was a Walker wedding, everyone would jump into the ocean after.

Eric Winter Is Dating a Woman!
And in the time-honored tradition of actors playing gay characters coincidentally being photographed with their beautiful real-life girlfriends, Winter, who plays Kevin’s potential love interest Jason, is shown on the blog Televisionista smooching with Roselyn Sanchez from Without a Trace, whom he has been dating for over a year. They were caught by the camera at a film premiere in her native Puerto Rico.

Balthazar Getty’s Having Twins!
Well, his wife is, anyway. The couple joined Grey’s Anatomy cast members, including Balthazar’s buddy Eric Dane, at a fund-raising event recently to help the homeless, at which, according to USA Today, Mrs. Getty “announced that the couple is expecting twin girls in the fall.” Twins? Yikes. How creepy must it be to have a storyline going in which one of your twins dies shortly after birth when you are in fact expecting twins in real life? That kind of makes me hate that plotline even more. And puts me out of the mood for gossip, anyway.

_{Photo: ABC.com}

Brothers and Sisters, ABC, Rob Lowe, Calista Flockhart, Balthazar Getty, Marika Dominczyk, Eric Winter