CrimeStoppers cashes in

The "Wheel of Justice" has helped save CrimeStoppers. Several Cincinnati businesses will present a check for $90,000 to CrimeStoppers today during Channel 12's 6 p.m. news today. Channel 12, Mayor Mark Mallory and Police Chief Tom Streicher encouraged local businesses to donate to CrimeStoppers at a station lunch in May. This is the payoff, which I mentioned in my "Wheel of Justice" story May 30.

Because CrimeStoppers was running tight on funds, Channel 12’s Deb Dixon had sought independent funding for the 6:45 a.m. Wednesday Wheel of Justice rewards since its Feburary debut. (She spins a carnival wheel plastered with a dozen police mugshots, and police go after that person. So far they’ve caught 26 people in 21 spins!)

The fund-raising lunch was held for two reasons – to give CrimeStoppers some financial security, and to provide weekly "Wheel of Justice" rewards too. In early May, CrimeStoppers officials had said they could run out of money by Labor Day, because of so much crime (and rewards paid) here. The organization had given out $68,000 through April – more than half of last year’s total ($116,000).

Dixon helped establish the local organization in 1981. Now all the TV stations have a relationship with CrimeStoppers.

Collingsworth?

Will someone tell Jay Leno there is no “g” in Collinsworth? Leno mispronounced Cris Collinsworth’s name 3-4 times when the former Bengal and WLW-AM sports talk host was on "The Tonight Show" Friday night. Collinsworth was promoting Sunday night NFL telecasts this fall on NBC. He's part of the 7 p.m. pregame "Football Night in America" with Bob Costas, former NFL stars Jerome Bettis and Sterling Sharpe, sidelines reporter Andrea Kremer and Peter King, the "Sports Illustrated" NFL writer (and former Cincinnati Enquirer sportswriter). The show premieres Thursday, Sept. 7.

SNL news

The big news from Leno’s show Friday was Tina Fey announcing she’s leaving "Saturday Night Live." I’ll miss Tina Fey’s wicked sense of humor on “Weekend Update.” No matter how tired I was, I always tried to stay up and see who she’d rip with a smile. Ever since NBC announced that Fey would star in “30 Rock,” a fall sitcom about a "SNL"-style show (as they say in the TV biz, “write what you know”), I figured she was history at "SNL." I think the show has had a creative renaissance under Fey, who has worked on "SNL" nine years, including six as head writer. Without Fey, they’ll have to come up with another "Weekend Update" anchor team. Jimmy Fallon left a year ago; Fey was paired with Amy Poehler last fall. I'll miss Tina Fey.

And if you love Darrell Hammond’s hilarious impersonations on "SNL," catch him at Grand Victoria Casino Saturday, Aug. 5, t 8 p.m. Tickets are $40 for nonmembers at www.ticketmaster.com.

Grey’s Anatomy to Lifetime

"Grey’s Anatomy" reruns have been picked up by Lifetime. Weekly episodes start next January, with weekday reruns not available until fall 2009.Big Brother update

Big Brother update

If you didn't watch Sunday, Diane Henry of Northern Kentucky will survive another week on CBS' "Big Brothers All Stars." After escaping last week's dismissal vote (8-2), she wasn't put on the chopping block again this week. The show airs 8 p.m. today (Chs 12, 7), and again 8 p.m. Thursday for the voting results.