Station Breaks: Letterman's 30 Years in Late Night; Is American Idol Going Down? and more

Howard Stern will help David Letterman mark 30 years in late night TV when he makes his 21st appearance on Late Show with David Letterman, Wednesday, February 1st.  He has guested with Dave a total of 41 times, if you count the NBC Letterman show.   As of the first of February, Letterman will have hosted 5,443 shows and welcomed 17,904 guests in his 30 years in late night TV.   

The Big Bang Theory topped American Idol in adults 18-49 for the second consecutive week in the common half-hour and also placed first in viewers, adults 25-54 and adults 18-34, according to Nielsen preliminary live plus same day ratings for Thursday, January 26th.  Big Bang was first in households (9.6/15), viewers (15.96m), adults 25-54 (6.8/17), adults 18-49 (5.4/15) and adults 18-34 (4.0/13).  

Emily Maynard, 25, who became "engaged" to Brad Womack on The Bachelor, a couple of years ago, will be the next Bachelorette, ABC has officially announced.  “I think she’s America’s sweetheart and I think it will be a home run,” host Chris Harrison said on Good Morning America.  Maynard, a single mom from Charlotte, N.C. who ended her tumultuous relationship with Womack, 38, last summer, has signed on to star in the eighth installment of the reality show, which will premiere this spring. She will be the first single mom to be in the spotlight on the show.