There’s a whole lot going on at The Office these days. In the last week alone:

• Jack Black, Jessica Alba, and Cloris Leachman have all been cast for the show’s big hourlong post-Super Bowl episode. According to Zap2it’s Korbi, the entertainers were already filming their guest-star stints earlier this week, as well, which will reportedly have them appearing in a movie that some of the Office workers are watching.

In other words, Black et al won’t be in the office itself, but on a screen somewhere within the office. Kind of takes the fizz out of the whole idea of seeing Jack and Steve Carell cut it up together, doesn’t it?

Also, it seems the trio are the only three big names on tap for the special episode, which is a relief for those of us who believe stunt casting is almost never a good a thing.

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The ink is barely dry on ABC’s utterly depressing cancellation of technicolor dramedy Pushing Daisies, and already much-loved series star Kristin Chenoweth has a new gig on her plate.

Variety reports that the petite powerhouse — she does Broadway and stuff, too, you know, right? — has landed a starring role in NBC’s forthcoming David E. Kelley Chicago-set legal drama Legally Mad.

For those who don’t know, Kelley, husband of actress Michelle Pfeiffer, is the same writing and producing creative mastermind who brought television fans sometimes whimsical, always successful series like the recently ended Boston Legal, which was a spinoff of The Practice, as well as Ally McBeal, Chicago Hope, and my all-time personal favorite, Picket Fences. Why is no basic-cable network syndicating that one?

Obviously, Chenoweth and Kelley are an excellent match, and her role sounds winning, too, right down to the eyebrow-raising name Skippy Pylon. The character is described as “a cheerful and brilliant attorney who nonetheless exhibits flashes of psychosis — and enjoys being mistaken for a teenager.” Since Kelley admits he has long desired to collaborate with Chenoweth, perhaps he had her youthful height (she’s one inch shy of five feet) in mind when creating the role, possibly just for her.

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It’s a nice gig if you can get it, and this year, two extremely talented and phenomenally popular entertainers with rhyming names (which I’d never noticed before) — Tyler Perry and Halle Berry — have.

Fox announced earlier this week that Perry and Oscar winner Berry will share hosting duties during the network’s broadcast of the 40th NAACP Image Awards next year. The ceremony annually honors individuals who champion and further diversity in the arts.

Berry has received an impressive four Image Awards in the past, while Perry has been nominated numerous times and has seen his TBS sitcom House of Payne and his feature film Why Did I Get Married? earn outstanding series and acting honors.

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Comedy website Funny or Die wasn’t kidding earlier this month when the news came out it would offer the entire second-season premiere of HBO’s Flight of the Conchords online, starting today.

The proof is in the video after the jump, so watch and enjoy an advance screening of New Zealand’s Grammy-winning comedy duo Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie in “A Good Opportunity.” It’s available at your convenience, until the Internet run ends this Sunday. Afterwards, you’ll have to wait to catch the episode when it debuts on television Sunday, January 18, in the show’s regular 10pm EST time slot.

An added bonus in the Web version is a preview for HBO’s forthcoming comedy series East Bound & Down, starring Danny McBride (Tropic Thunder, Pineapple Express), which premieres on Sunday, February 15, at 10:30pm EST. Unfortunately, if you’re not located in the United States, you get bubkes right now. Sorry! Not my fault.

Follow the jump for the video (if you’re in the USA).

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It was *so* good to catch funnyman Eddie Izzard, last seen on the small screen in the prematurely canceled FX dramedy The Riches, hanging out with Conan O’Brien on his chat show early this morning. If you didn’t already know, the British standup comedian and standout actor has a prime role in the upcoming Tom Cruise mega-buzz flick Valkyrie.

The movie is about Hitler and Nazis and assassination attempts and a whole bunch of other depressing whatnot, which is why I’ve been having a mighty hard time understanding why it will be released on Christmas Day. With Eddie in the cast, it can’t be all that dark, though, right?

Well, not necessarily. As the entertainer points out during the interview, this role is a very dramatic turn for him. He plays a man named General Erich Fellgiebel whose presence is integral to the film’s plot.

Check out the following video of the appearance to see an intriguing clip from the movie, featuring star Cruise. And, of course, Eddie and Conan get along fabulously while discussing other stuff, such as the international (non-)status of holidays like Christmas and Valentine’s Day, and also just how wonderful France is (you’ll never guess why).

A video of Conan’s interview with Eddie and the trailer for Valkyrie follow the jump.

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Here’s some excellent news for the legions of House of Payne fans yearning for more of Tyler Perry’s programming on television: TBS recently announced that his second sitcom, Meet the Browns, has a January premiere date.

The show will debut on Wednesday, January 7, at 10pm EST to be exact, and as Perry devotees know, it’s based on his play and feature film of the same name. Both of the previous versions revolve around one Leroy Brown, who opens a retirement home in response to his father’s dying wish.

Cast members include David Mann (Madea’s Family Reunion) in the lead role of Leroy; Mann’s real-life wife Tamela Mann (Diary of a Mad Black Woman) as Leroy’s daughter Cora; Lamman Rucker (Why Did I Get Married?) as his doctor nephew Will; Denise Boutte (Days of Our Lives) as Will’s wife Sasha, a nurse; Jeanette Sousa (Supernatural) as attractive social worker Carmen Martinez; and Antonio Jaramillo (CSI: Miami) as maintenance engineer Jesus Hernandez, who is studying to become a lawyer.

Currently, Meet the Browns has ten half-hour episodes scheduled for its rookie season, which will feature more of Perry’s signature hands-on influence since he once again serves as director, executive producer, and occasional writer. That’s all good as far as fans are concerned, I’m sure, so don’t forget to mark your calendar for the big series premiere.

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It’s time to say goodbye for now to the merry Buy More gang we all know and love. Monday’s episode is Chuck’s second-season fall finale, and the show plans to deliver one last holiday-inspired misadventure, this one called “Chuck Versus Santa Claus,” before heading off to hiatus.

When a small-time crook literally crashes into Buy More on Christmas Eve and then holds Ellie, Devon, Chuck, and other staff members hostage, Sarah and Casey prepare to storm the store to save their so-called asset.

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Cool casting news: It looks like Scrubs star Sarah Chalke is heading back to Lifetime in another made-for-TV project.

The Canadian actress many sitcom fans know best as fictional Sacred Heart’s Dr. Elliot Reid last appeared on the network in the successful 2006 movie Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy. Now, she’s set to star in the four-hour mini-series Maneater, slated to premiere in 2009.

The series is based on the book of the same name by Starter Wife novel author Gigi Levangie Grazer (and, yes, the Debra Messing mini-series turned series is based on that bestseller, as well). Chalke plays self-involved, 31-year-old socialite Clarissa Alpert, who becomes determined to snag a famous Hollywood producer named Aaron Mason as her husband and enlists her entire family and group of friends to help.

Timothy Busfield, who has been busy filming episodes of series like Lipstick Jungle and Without a Trace lately, will direct, and writer Suzanne Martin, a two-time Emmy winner for Frasier, will handle the adaptation.

If you’re a Chalke fan or if this sort of chick-TV is your thing, get happy because there’s little doubt the project is destined to become another hit for Lifetime — the combination of talent is just too potent for it to be any other way.

The Sarah Silverman Program is calling it a second season tonight at 10:30pm EST with the 16th and final episode “Vow Wow.”

Watch and be amazed — or dazed — as silly Sarah takes on the institution of marriage at her sister Laura’s expense. In addition to making fun of her sibling’s recent engagement to Jay, Sarah goes one step further by claiming to do the same with her dog Doug (!).

The situation then becomes that much weirder when Doug performs a heroic act and Sarah’s “love” for the pooch deepens as a result. If nothing else, it will be interesting to see if Silverman & Company can pull off such a very bizarre plotline.

Check out a preview clip from the finale after the jump.

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