Variety and other entertainment news outlets report that male-oriented basic-cable network Spike TV has acquired the syndication rights to all episodes of the Emmy-winning HBO comedy Entourage.

That means the network will have the ability to broadcast every single episode of the show ever produced, including the 78 aired thus far, those in the sixth season to premiere this summer, and those in any subsequent seasons that might follow.

By prevailing over other contenders, such as TV Guide Network, Spike TV has become the first network to obtain syndication rights to the series. It’s no surprise then that the premiere month is already set as January 2010. I imagine Spike TV executives can’t wait to rake in the profits from the very likely Entourage ratings windfall since this is the most high-profile and critically acclaimed series the network has ever had in its stable.

Fans of veteran film and television actor Gary Cole, one of my favorites, can look forward to seeing him on a new show soon.

After he finishes playing Sarah Walker’s father on a November Sweeps episode of Chuck, Cole will continue honing his comedy skills as a regular on HBO’s Entourage next season, the show’s sixth.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Cole will play an old friend of Jeremy Piven’s Ari Gold named Andrew Klein, and they go all the way back to when they first got started in the business. Viewers will meet the character during a three-episode arc that airs this season in November (see following set photo). Should be fun.

If you’re an Entourage fan, don’t forget the show’s fifth season begins tomorrow night at 9pm EST on HBO with the premiere “Fantasy Island.”

Broadcasting & Cable recently conducted a brief Q&A session with series creator Doug Ellin. After agreeing with some viewers’ belief that Season Four was the show’s weakest — never mind the five Emmy nominations, including Best Comedy Series, it earned — Ellin delivers the gratifying news that Round Five will be the best yet in his opinion.

In addition, he discusses the effect of the writers strike on the show’s production schedule, which not only led to a twelve-episode season instead of one with fourteen episodes, but also forced the season to begin this month instead of back in June.

Check out the entire interview Entourage Return Crucial for HBO over at Broadcasting & Cable, as well as the very nice animated trailer for Season Five after the jump.

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Entourage - Season Four

• Discs: 3
• Episodes: 12
• Format: Color, Dolby Digital 5.1, Widescreen
• Languages: English, French, Spanish
• List Price: $39.98
• Run Time: 360 minutes
• Season: Four
• Special Features: Yes
• Studio: HBO Home Video
• Subtitles: Yes

Everybody Hates Chris - Season Three

• Discs: 4
• Episodes: 22
• Format: Color, Dolby Digital 5.1, Widescreen
• Languages: English
• List Price: $39.98
• Run Time: 457 minutes
• Season: Three
• Special Features: No
• Studio: Paramount Home Video
• Subtitles: No

The Color Honeymooners - Collection Four

• Discs: 3
• Episodes: 12
• Format: Color, Full Screen
• Languages: English
• List Price: $39.98
• Run Time: 575 minutes
• Season: N/A
• Special Features: No
• Studio: MPI Home Video
• Subtitles: No

Image details: Ashlee Simpson Hosts Victoria’s Secret Pajama Party served by picapp.com

…briefly.

When HBO’s hit comedy Entourage returns this fall with fresh episodes, three of them will be graced by the lovely presence of Soprano’s alumna Jamie-Lynn Sigler, who earned praise for her portrayal of mobster daughter Meadow over the course of the HBO crime drama’s six seasons.

The actress will reportedly play herself and a potential romantic interest for one of the show’s main men, but nobody is revealing which one or how a relationship will come to be. That means fans are just going to have to wait until (a) the fifth season starts in September or (b) another website starts yakking about a related scoop. It’s anyone’s guess which will come first.

Rapper Bow Wow, also known as 21-year-old Shad Moss and Lil’ Bow Wow, is joining the cast of Entourage next season, the show’s fifth. The budding actor, who’s already starred in several movies and guest starred on TV’s Smallville, reportedly wants to become “the next Will Smith.” That’s a pretty big goal, so good luck with that.

On the HBO comedy, he’ll play a standup comedian named Charlie who becomes a new client managed by Kevin Connolly’s Eric Murphy. Moss has also been cast recently in the sports-themed feature film Patriots, which stars Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker and former Grey’s Anatomy and Bionic Woman star Isaiah Washington.

I have no idea why, but for some reason HBO just posted a new (I think) video taking a look at the first season of its original series Entourage.

The comedy will premiere its fifth season in the fall, so take a look at the video montage to wax nostalgic about the good old days when everything was so fresh and shiny and new.

The cable network calls this Hollywood Minutes 1 (it’s actually just over a minute and a half), leading me to expect a 2, 3, and so on soon.

Video after the jump…

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Jeremy Piven of Entourage is apparently *the* man around the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences after winning his second Outstanding Supporting Actor comedy statuette in a row this year for playing successful Hollywood talent agent Ari Gold. The HBO comedy recently ended its fourth season with renewal for a fifth, which will premiere sometime in 2008.

Piven’s acceptance speech was predictably deadpan and funny, just like his work in the many other movies and TV shows he’s appeared in outside of his present series.

Wow, thank you. Wow, what an— Thank you. What an embarrassment of riches to be able to even play this role. It’s incredible. I’m having the time of my life. When people say we think you’re improvising, it’s the greatest compliment because it’s all written by Doug Ellin. And that’s what we try to do as actors, is to make it seem improvised.

I want to thank our entire crew. I don’t know any of their names, but if I did… No, I know all the names. I celebrate them.

Last year, I impaled myself kissing this [the Emmy statuette] up to my father, and I’m going to do it again because I love him and I miss him and I do it for him. Thank you very much.