Best Bets: "DWTS" finale, Oscar contenders, Betty White book
(CBS) Despite fan anger over Kim's short-lived marriage, the Kardashian brand hasn't lost any of its luster. In fact, this week, it threatens to overwhelm pop culture.
Pictures: "Dancing With the Stars"
Pictures: Holiday movies 2011
Tonight, Rob - the only male Kardashian sibling - competes for the "Dancing With the Stars" mirrorball trophy against actor J. R. Martinez and actress and talk-show host Ricki Lake. The last performances take place tonight; the trophy is awarded in Tuesday night's finale.
Also on Tuesday is the publication by St. Martin's Press of an updated version (with Kim's wedding pictures!!) of last year's "Kardashian Konfidential" by Kim, Khloe and Kourtney Kardashian. "Dollhouse," a novel by the three sisters, was published last week. It's about the Romero family, a trio of beautiful deeply loyal sisters whose first names all begin with a "K." How's that for a vivid imagination?
And finally, a new season of the spinoff series "Kourtney & Kim take New York" begins Sunday on the E! network. The reality show chronicles the sisters' retailing adventures in the Big Apple.
Beyond the Kardashians, the week in entertainment looks forward to the holidays and the end-of-the-year awards shows. A number of musical artists and authors are coming out with new works just in time for holiday gift-giving.
Among the albums dropping Tuesday is "Talk That Talk," the sixth studio album by Grammy-winning pop singer Rihanna, and "My Life II...The Journey Continues (Act 1)," the 10th effort by another Grammy winner, R&B singer Mary J. Blige. Also out with new albums are Daughtry ("Break the Spell") and Nickelback ("Here & Now").
Two very popular mystery writers - Sue Grafton and Janet Evanovich - have new books coming out this week. Grafton's "V Is for Vengeance" is being published today and Evanovich's "Explosive Eighteen" comes out Tuesday.
Lisa Scottoline is also a popular mystery writer, but her latest book, due out Tuesday, is a work of nonfiction. "Best Friends, Occasional Enemies: The Lighter Side of Life as a Mother and Daughter," written with her daughter Francesca Serritella, explores the dynamic of mother-daughter relationships.
And Betty White fans will be happy to know that her long-awaited book about her passion "Betty & Friends: My Life at the Zoo" makes an appearance in book stores on Monday. It's filled with anecdotes about animals from an octogenarian who professes to prefer them to humans.
A number of Oscar contenders are making their way to the big screen this holiday weekend. These include "A Dangerous Method" about the feud between Carl Jung (Michael Fassbender) and Sigmund Freud (Viggo Mortensen); the Martin Scorsese-directed 3D mystery "Hugo" about an orphan in 1930s Paris; Michelle William's portrait of Marilyn Monroe, titled "My Week with Marilyn"; and "The Artist," a black-and-white silent film about a declining movie actor and rising starlet.
Thanksgiving weekend is big for family movie-going and families have their choice of two animated holiday films, "Arthur Christmas" in 3D and "The Muppets."
DVD releases include the thriller "Super 8," "Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World," Dominic Cooper's tour-de-force "The Devil's Double" and "Sarah's Key," an indie film adapted from a popular novel.
Thanksgiving usually means football on TV, but this year viewers who are not sports fans can look forward to "A Very Gaga Thanksgiving," a 90-minute primetime special Thursday with Lady Gaga and interviewer Katie Couric. If the turkey doesn't put you to sleep, this may.