Johnny Depp plays a vampire, Julia Louis-Dreyfus a veep

If you threw a party and the guest list included Johnny Depp, Kathy Griffin and Buster Bluth from "Arrested Development," you would have one great event. And if Pippa Middleton showed up, you'd have a paparazzi invasion, too. They're all part of this festive roundup of what's new on the horizon and who's having a pop-culture moment.

"Cinema Verite": The HBO film about "An American Family," a pioneering documentary in the reality-TV genre, will be available Tuesday on DVD. It's a fascinating look at how the Louds, a handsome, upscale California family, discover the downside of instant fame in the 1970s when they agree to live their lives in front of a camera. Tim Robbins gives a sturdy performance as Bill Loud, the family patriarch who doesn't count on seeing his flaws examined quite so openly, and Diane Lane is mesmerizing as Pat Loud, the stunning housewife who agrees to the project but is too smart to be comfortable with the exploitive side of the concept. Forty years later, it's still a cautionary tale about trading privacy for fame.

Johnny Depp in "Dark Shadows": Barnabas Collins, fashion leader? When the movie reboot of the beloved late-1960s soap opera hits theaters May 11, expect to see guys copying the smoky eyes, fringed bangs and elaborate smoking jacket combo that Depp, right, uses to play an ancient, brooding vampire hurtled through time to 1972. Seriously? Perhaps not, but men could do worse than to copy the actor (and his fond homage to Jonathan Frid, the original Barnabas, who passed away last week and did a cameo for the movie). After all, Depp has made scissor-handed misfits, unhygienic pirates and obsessive-compulsive chocolate tycoons sexy. And the look already works for Ed Westwick of the CW's "Gossip Girl."

"Kathy": Dear Ms. Griffin, it's great that your new weekly talk show debuted last Thursday on Bravo. But it needs revamping, fast. Some helpful tips: 1) Cut down on the swearing. You're funny enough witho! ut delug ing us with f-bombs and giving the censor at the bleep button carpal tunnel syndrome. 2) Bring on some broadcasting pros instead of your friends for your three-person chat panel. Talking to them about celebrity gossip must be more fun in your living room than it is on the air.

3) Do more filmed bits and spend more time with your boxed-wine-consuming mom, Maggie. 4) The new theme song is nice -- and kudos for singing it -- but you don't have to play it 16 times during the show. You're welcome.

Tony Hale: Yes, of course, it's great to have Julia Louis-Dreyfus back in a TV comedy, this time as Vice President Selina Meyer in HBO's "Veep," which debuts at 10 tonight. But what's even better is the presence of Hale, a cast member of the cult gem "Arrested Development," where he played Byron (Buster) Bluth, the neurotic baby of the family who lost his hand in a seal attack. Here, he costars as Gary Walsh, the loyal assistant who serves as "the body man," i.e. the person who totes the veep's papers and accessories and whispers handy reminders when she doesn't know someone's name. "What you see is the swan, what I'm carrying is her two big, very busy webbed legs and feet," he sums up. Hail to this chief supporting player.

Pippa Middleton media frenzy: When Prince William and Kate Middleton got hitched, the lovely sister of the bride (who rocked her curve-skimming maid of honor dress) got the attention she deserved. Then came the Pippa photo spreads about her wardrobe choices. And the who's-Pippa-dating stories. Now the British tabloids have dubbed as Gungate the scandalous pictures of her seated next to a convertible-driving guy brandishing what looks like a weapon -- and the American media is also fascinated by the flap. Enough. Let's move on to other topics with a brisk pip, pip, cheerio.

Contact Julie Hinds: 313-222-6427 or jhinds@freepress.com