First lady urges more stories of military families

Michelle Obama wants to see more stories of military families on TV and in movies, so she came to Hollywood to do something about it.

The first lady met with members of the writers, producers, directors and actors unions this week to discuss Joining Forces, an initiative aimed at increasing public consciousness and support of military families.

She suggested that Hollywood storytellers, and all Americans, can benefit by visiting military hospitals and hearing military stories firsthand.

“It’s not just research,” she said, “it’s an experience.”

While in town, Obama taped an episode of Nickelodeon’s “iCarly” about the main character’s efforts to connect with her dad, a colonel serving overseas, on his birthday.

Another ‘Killing’

AMC has ordered up another season of its critically acclaimed crime drama “The Killing.”

Based on a hit Danish series, “The Killing,” which has followed the aftermath of the fictional murder of a young Seattle girl, has scored high ratings by the cable network’s standards. The first season wraps on Sunday.

Tonys come up short

The 65th annual Tony Awards on CBS drew 6.9 million viewers last Sunday, according to preliminary Nielsen figures, down slightly from the 7 million viewers reported last year and the 7.4 million in 2009.

But the broadcast, which faced tough competition in the form of ABC’s broadcast of the deciding Game 6 of the NBA Finals, saw a 9 percent jump in viewers in the 18-to-49 age group.

Bunnies beached

“The Playboy Club,” a new NBC fall drama revolving around a Chicago branch of Hugh Hefner’s club frequented by gangsters during the 1960s, will not air on KSL-TV, the network’s Salt Lake City affiliate.

KSL, which is owned by the Deseret Media companies, controlled by the Mormon Church, said its brand is “completely inconsistent with the Playboy brand.”