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From Ask Ausiello - March 16 - Happy Birthday Lauren Graham

Question: So... how did your trip to Stars Hollow (aka Gilmore Girls) go!?!?!?!?! — Jennifer Ausiello: I was wondering when someone was going to get around to asking me about that. As you can tell by the photo to your right, they all loved me. They really, really tolerated, er, loved me. There's so much I have to tell you guys that I honestly don't know where to begin, so let's start with my much-hyped cameo as Dragonfly Inn Guest No. 6. Turns out, my character's name changed to Dragonfly Inn Guest No. 1 when producers discovered that, well, I was the only person in the scene with Lauren Graham and Scott Patterson! I'm standing by the bookcase in the back of the main living room flipping through Great Men of Literature by Will Durant when Luke throws one of his trademark tantrums in front of Lorelai. Startled by all the commotion, I take my book and make a hasty exit. The cameras had barely stopped rolling when the raves started pouring in. "I felt like you really needed the book," observed Graham. "You were nothing without the book." Added series creator Amy Sherman-Palladino: "I just couldn't take my eyes off of you. I don't understand why you're wasting your time at TV Guide." Director Michael Zinberg, meanwhile, assured me that unlike that big Felicity catastrophe circa 2002, all of my body parts (well, almost all) will be on display when the episode airs April 26. "The only way you'll get dropped from the episode," he said, "is if they cut the scene all together." And unless they want to jeopardize the upcoming Gilmore Girls cover story (!!!!) I'm working on for TV Guide magazine, I'm fairly certain that my scene will not be cut. Question: You oughtta ask the Gilmore Girls producers to let you bend the fourth wall in "an homage to Cameo Guest Stars Everywhere!" You could just kind of look into the camera over somebody's shoulder and wink. Think of all your fans out there who would tune in just to see that moment! — Tim Ausiello: Are you sitting down, Timothy? Because not only did yours truly bend said fourth wall, he kicked it down completely — and all without anyone noticing. As a treat to all of my loyal Ask Ausiello readers around the globe, I smuggled a very special friend into the Dragonfly and placed him smack on the bookshelf behind me. I suggest you record the episode and play it back frame by frame, because he's just small enough to miss. Question: So, what dirt did you get while on the Gilmore Girls set? — Lauren Ausiello: Although I kinda have to save most of the juicy stuff for my upcoming cover story (!!!!!), rest assured, I'll be sprinkling little scoops and anecdotes in Ask Ausiello in the weeks leading up to said cover story (!!!!). And of course, I'll be providing you with answers to some of those GG queries you bombarded me with last week. But I have to spread this stuff out a little. Because, as some readers have pointed out, this column is called Ask Ausiello, not Ask Ausiello about Gilmore Girls and Keri Russell. Question: So, if Melanie Griffith is out of Gilmore Girls (Ask Ausiello 3/9), who's the actress they're talking to now? Surely you found something out while on set. — Melanie Autin Ausiello: Actually, I jumped the gun when I said Ms. Griffith had turned down the gig. According to Amy Sherman-Palladino, if the scheduling can be worked out, Antonio's paler half — who was recently sidelined with a broken foot — is game to appear on the show either this season or next. "We logistically haven't found the time when she's in town, out of a cast, and available for an episode," Amy told me. "She's interested and all parties are go. It's a story line we won't do unless we have Melanie Griffith. It's for her." I thought about telling Ms. Sherman-Palladino about all the anti-Melanie sentiment pouring into Ask Ausiello in recent weeks, but I just didn't have the heart. She's a big Melanie fan. Question: Where is Lane's dad on Gilmore Girls? Is he around and not seen, or did I miss an episode in which they discussed his present whereabouts? — Lyra Ausiello: From Amy Sherman-Palladino: "We referred to Lane's dad in the first and second seasons, and then we treated Lane like she had no dad. And every now and then we ask ourselves, 'Are we ever going to see Lane's dad?' We talk about having a scene where there's this room in the back of the house and [Mrs. Kim] walks in and there's a little man with a cup of tea — and that's Lane's dad." Question: I'd like to know if Alexis Bledel and Milo Ventimiglia are still dating. — Mary Jane Ausiello: Yes, but it was like pulling teeth to get Alexis to talk about him. I did manage to get her to tell me that "everything's great." Question: What can you tell me about Rory's big crisis (Ask Ausiello 3/2)? — Sophie Ausiello: I have to save the details for the upcoming cover story (!!!!), but let me once again assure everyone that Rory is not going to get pregnant. Question: Do you think Matt Czuchry (Logan) will be back on Gilmore Girls next year? — Sarah Ausiello: Yes. "I don't know what the formal wording of the deal is," Amy says, "but he's on the show for the entire season." In a completely unrelated matter, my colleague Bonnie Vaughan has kindly asked me to solicit burning questions for Donald Trump about this season's Apprentice for an upcoming issue of TV Guide. So, if you got any, send 'em to me ASAP! As an extra incentive, Bonnie has agreed to pay me 20 cents for every Trump-related question I forward her from an Ask Ausiello reader. C'mon, help make me rich, folks! Question: So, will Lorelai and Emily ever speak to each other again before the season ends? — Janette Ausiello: They sure will, although their exchanges will be far from pleasant. Lorelai will even return for a special Friday-night dinner attended by Logan. How do I know this, you ask? Because after I wrapped my guest stint, Amy personally invited me to sit in on a table read for this episode — only the second time she has allowed a journalist this far inside the process. To say the experience ranked among the most exciting 45 minutes of my life is an understatement. I get goose bumps just thinking about it. The biggest laughs were generated by Kelly Bishop (Emily) and Edward Hermann (Richard), who, being the pros that they are, nailed every single one of their line readings as if they had had the script for a month. And they weren't even there in the flesh. Both were teleconferenced in — Kelly from her home in New Jersey and a vacationing Edward from his hotel in Florida. Other interesting tidbits: The episode (No. 20, the one after my cameo) begins with Paris belting out a cover of "I'm Walking on Sunshine," but an embarrassed Liza Weil chose to recite the lyrics instead of sing them in front of her cast mates; Amy's husband, fellow exec producer Dan Palladino, read the role of Logan's father Mitchum in actor Gregg Henry's stead; when Bishop discovered she was missing page 32, Alexis Bledel jumped in and read Emily's lines; and afterward, someone in the room gorged on two cupcakes, three chocolate-chip biscottis and one brownie at the dessert table. (Here's a clue: It was me!) Question: I have a question for Lauren Graham. There are tons of pop-culture references on this show (not all of them favorable), and I was wondering if she ever had to dis something or someone she was actually a fan of? — Ashley Ausiello: From Ms. Graham: "Yes, and I've stood up against things. There was something about Winona Ryder [that I wouldn't say]. I don't like making fun of other actors. And then there was a SARS joke that I didn't want to do, because people were dying at the time." OK, enough Gilmore Girls questions. Doesn't anyone want to talk about Lost? Question: Are Rory and Logan getting married on Gilmore Girls? Is that the crisis? — Fran Ausiello: Nope. Question: Does the crisis with Rory have anything to do with her affair with Dean at the beginning of the season? — Nancy Ausiello: Nope.

This is all he had in the column on Gilmore Girls. Later, I will edit the spoilers for page 1.

ETA: In the Ausiello answer about Alexis reading Emily's lines - I am positive that he meant Scene 32 - not page 32. - Page 32 occurs at the Stamford Eagle-Gazette.

The Crisis maybe interesting - Rory's not pregnant - Rory and Logan are not getting married as a crisis - The Rory - Dean Adultery is not the crisis.

Curiouser and curiouser

For the Sophies - If you didn't pick it up - Logan will be in all of Season 6.