The daily gossip: Magic Mike 2 might actually happen, and more

(Image credit: Facebook/Magic Mike)

last updated 8 January 2015

1. Magic Mike 2 might actually happen

Good news for anyone who thought there was too much "tease" in the feature-length striptease that was Magic Mike: According to star Matthew McConaughey, a sequel is probably on the way. "I know it's something that's legitimately brewing," says McConaughey at MTV News. McConaughey adds that the sequel wouldn't happen without costar Channing Tatum, who's taking a break from acting after spending the past two years "cranking it out for a while" — unwittingly coming up with a possible plot point for Magic Mike 2.

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As Amazon Studios takes its first baby steps into the world of original content creation — they grow up so fast! — the new production company has tapped John Goodman to star in an original pilot called Alpha House, which will follow four senators who live in a rented house together in Washington, D.C. Deadline reports that Goodman will star as Senator Gil John Biggs, a "large man with large appetites." Alpha House is being written by Doonesbury creator Gary Trudeau, so audiences can presumably look forward to pretending to understand its political satire.

Proving that there's no lazy gimmick American Idol won't try to shore up its flagging ratings, Thursday night's episode saw former judge Steven Tyler show up to audition for the series — in drag. (Don't all laugh at once.) Alas, "the judges immediately saw through the disguise," reports iVillage. Fortunately, the panel didn't wave Tyler through to Hollywood, which means that American Idol viewers will only have to contend with four irritating judges this season, not five.

NBC's 30 Rock went to that great big TV network in the sky last night, but mourning fans can comfort-food themselves into oblivion with a fairly underwhelming consolation prize: Ben & Jerry's "Liz Lemon"-themed Greek Frozen Yogurt. ABC News reports that the frozen yogurt features a "blueberry lavender swirl," and is intended to honor the show's leading lady — even if it's way, way healthier than anything the character would choose to eat.

If there was an Emmy for Nakedest Actress, Girls star Lena Dunham would have been a lock before the first episode of the HBO series had come to an end — and according to Dunham, she never plans to change. "My point with getting naked is never proven," says Dunham in an interview at People. "It's not like, 'Oh, I did it first season and now you guys get that there's women of a certain size on TV so I'm done!'" Now that Dunham has issued her 89th definitive statement on the nudity in Girls, the issue can finally be put to rest — until tomorrow, when some other interviewer asks her.

Scott Meslow is the entertainment editor for TheWeek.com. He has written about film and television at publications including The Atlantic, POLITICO Magazine, and Vulture.