Monday, September 16, 2013

In Memoriam at this Year's Emmy's Will Have a New Take

CBS announced today that Sunday's Emmy Awards will feature the traditional
“In Memoriam” segment, with an additional twist.  The telecast producers have selected five individuals who warrant special recognition. To honor them, close friends and co-workers have been invited to provide personal tributes which will be presented during the ceremony, held at the Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles and telecast live on Sunday, Sept. 22, (8:00 PM, ET / 5:00 PM, PT) on CBS.

Those who will provide special tributes include Edie Falco, who will remember “Sopranos” co-star James Gandolfini; Michael J. Fox, who will pay tribute to “Family Ties” producer Gary David Goldberg; Jane Lynch will remember her friend and “Glee” co-star Cory Monteith; Rob Reiner will pay tribute to his long-time “All in the Family” cast member Jean Stapleton; and Robin Williams will remember his friend and mentor Jonathan Winters (“Mork and Mindy”).

“The ‘In Memoriam’ is a very emotional and evocative segment for the Emmys, or any annual awards program,” said Executive Producer Ken Ehrlich. “These five individuals brought us such great entertainment and joy, so having their close friends share personal remembrances is something that will be very meaningful for television audiences across the country and across the generations. And our traditional ‘In Memoriam’ segment will be presented in a unique new format that will give added importance to an already much anticipated segment of the Emmy show.”

Ehrlich was one of the first producers to enhance the “In Memoriam” feature when he added a live musical component during the Grammys 10 years ago. Following the traditional remembrance segment, he produced a live performance of The Clash’s “London Calling” with Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, Dave Grohl and others in tribute to Joe Strummer, who died earlier that year.

The 65th Emmy Awards are executive produced by Ken Ehrlich. Neil Patrick Harris is both host and producer, and the telecast is directed by Louis J. Horvitz for AEG Ehrlich Ventures, LLC in association with the Television Academy. If you plan to Tweet this story, please use #Emmys and mention the official Emmys Twitter handle @primetimeemmys.

Facebook to Have Screen Time During Dancing with the Stars

If you think your TV screens are cluttered with information now - crawls,
Tweets, logos - get ready for more.

ABC and Facebook announced today that they are partnering to bring "real-time social conversations" to your TV.  ABC will be the first entertainment network to integrate Facebook's newest tools for broadcast partners on primetime television with the season premiere of "Dancing with the Stars" tonight (8:00-10:01 p.m., ET). 

Facebook will be bringing the conversations already taking place about "Dancing with the Stars" online to the TV screen by enabling the audience to see how many people on Facebook are talking about the contestants, where the couples are generating the most buzz, whether they're more popular among males or females, and where their fans live. Real-time conversations about the show from Facebook users will be displayed during the broadcast. 

"Being the first entertainment partner to leverage this new technology exhibits our commitment to producing the best live experience possible," said Marla Provencio, EVP and Chief Marketing Officer, ABC Entertainment Group. "We are always looking for ways to innovate and engage our loyal fan base, and feel 'Dancing with the Stars' in particular is the perfect fit to kick off this new initiative."

Added Nick Grudin, Director of Partnerships at Facebook: "Debuting with 'Dancing with the Stars' as our first entertainment partner is a natural fit. From cheering for their favorite contestants to debating judging decisions, the show drives passionate conversation from viewers. Now the TV audience will get a real-time snapshot of the social discourse across the nation."

The new season of "Dancing with the Stars" will feature celebrities Elizabeth Berkley, Corbin Bleu, Brant Daugherty, Bill Engvall, Valerie Harper, Keyshawn Johnson, Christina Milian, Bill Nye, Jack Osbourne, Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi, Leah Remini and Amber Riley. 

"Dancing with the Stars" is produced by BBC Worldwide Productions. Conrad Green, Ashley Edens-Shaffer and Joe Sungkur are executive producers. Alex Rudzinski directs. "Dancing with the Stars" is broadcast in 720 Progressive (720P), ABC's selected HDTV format, with 5.1.

Danny Glover Comes to Series TV on NBC Entry

Emmy nominee and film star Danny Glover (“Lethal Weapon,” “The Color Purple”) will guest star in an episode, titled “Minor Infractions,” on NBC’s “Ironside” as Ironside’s (Blair Underwood) father, Frank.  He will appear in a flashback sequence, which reveals some insight into Ironside’s family history in the last days before his father enters prison.

From Universal Television in association with Davis Entertainment and Yellow Brick Road Productions, “Ironside” premieres on Wednesday, October 2, at 10-11 PM ET/PT.  The series stars Blair Underwood, Spencer Grammer, Pablo Schreiber, Neal Bledsoe, Kenneth Choi and Brent Sexton.  Ken Sanzel, Teri Weinberg, John Fox, John Davis, Ron West and David Semel serve as executive producers.

Saturday Night Live Adds New Cast Members

NBC's "Saturday Night Live" has added six featured players, Beck Bennett, John Milhiser, Kyle Mooney, Mike O’Brien, Noël Wells and Brooks Wheelan to the cast.

SNL enters its 39th season on September 28, with Tina Fey as host and musical guest Arcade Fire.

"Saturday Night Live" is produced in association with Broadway Video. The creator and executive producer is Lorne Michaels.
John Milhiser, Kyle Mooney, Mike O’Brien, Noël Wells and Brooks Wheelan to the cast.

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Alec Baldwin to Host MSNBC "Current Events and Culture" Talk Show

Actor, activist and philanthropist Alec Baldwin will join MSNBC as the host of a new weekly Friday night talk show (10-11 p.m).  “Up Late w/Alec Baldwin” will begin this October. The announcement was made today by Phil Griffin, President of MSNBC.

“After two seasons of my WNYC podcast, I've developed a fondness for hosting a show that involved talking with smart, talented and engaging people in every imaginable field,” said Baldwin. “I'm grateful to MSNBC for helping me bring a similar show to television.”

"I've been talking with Alec for a while and can't wait to bring his personality and eclectic interests to MSNBC," said Griffin. "He's got such passion for ideas and what's going on in the world -  he's going to be a great addition to our line-up."

Baldwin is the winner of two Emmy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, eight SAG Awards and a Television Critics Association Award for his role as Jack Donaghy on NBC’s "30 Rock." He is one of Hollywood's most charismatic and prolific actors, having appeared in over 40 films. Baldwin garnered raves for his performance in Martin Scorsese's "The Departed" and a 2004 Academy Award nomination for his role in "The Cooler" opposite William H. Macy. Other film credits include “Beetlejuice,” "The Hunt for Red October," "Glengarry Glen Ross," "Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat," “The Aviator,” "The Good Shepherd," “It’s Complicated” and Woody Allen’s “To Rome with Love” and “Blue Jasmine.”

Baldwin has hosted the popular podcast “Here’s the Thing” on WNYC since 2011. On “Here’s the Thing,” Baldwin has interviewed a variety of public figures including politicians, policy makers, performers and artists, ranging from David Letterman to Dick Cavett to Republican political strategist Ed Rollins.

In addition to his dramatic credits, Baldwin has proven to be an adept and perennial host of NBC’s "Saturday Night Live" (with 16 hosting appearances to his credit).

Baldwin's production company, El Dorado Pictures, has co-produced the Emmy-nominated miniseries "Nuremberg,"  “The Confession” for Showtime and the feature film "State and Main."

Among his many stage credits, Baldwin won acclaim and a Tony nomination for his work opposite Jessica Lange in "A Streetcar Named Desire," which also garnered him an Emmy nomination for the television adaptation.

Baldwin co-hosted the 82nd Annual Academy Awards in 2010 with Steve Martin.   In 2011, he received his Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  A dedicated supporter of public policy and the arts, Baldwin serves on the boards of the Roundabout Theatre Company, People For the American Way, the Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, Guild Hall of East Hampton and the New York Philharmonic.
new weekly current events and culture talk show to air Fridays from 10-11 p.m. ET. “Up Late w/Alec Baldwin” will begin this October. The announcement was made today by Phil Griffin, President of MSNBC.

Natasha and Luca are MasterChef Finalists on Fox



Natasha Crnjac, a stay-at-home mom from San Diego, CA, and Luca Manfe, a restaurant manager from Astoria, NY were named the two finalists last night in the Fox Masterchef competition. Gordon Ramsay, Joe Bastianich and Graham Elliot made the announcement while also eliminating Krissi Biasiello, a paralegal from Philadelphia, PA, and Jessie Lysiak, a yacht stewardess from Social Circle, GA.    
 
The top two finalists will compete for the title next week.  According to Fox, In their final challenge, Crnjac and Manfe will conceptualize and prepare "the most important three-course meal of their lives." The winner will receive a grand prize of $250,000 and a cookbook deal.


Natasha Crnjac                               Age: 26
Hometown: San Diego, CA             Occupation: Stay-at-Home Mom 

     Twitter: @MC4Natasha

Favorite MASTERCHEF Moment: “Realizing how much MASTERCHEF helped me grow as a person. I’ve never put so much of myself into anything in my life, and MASTERCHEF really pushed me, mentally and physically, and reinforced my love for what I do in the kitchen more than ever.”

Luca Manfe                                      Age: 31
Hometown: Astoria, NY                  Occupation: Restaurant Manager

     Twitter: @MC4Luca   

Favorite MASTERCHEF Moment: “The surprise visit from my wife and winning the mystery box challenge with her support. Needless to say, MASTERCHEF has been the best experience of my life, and I am so grateful for how much I have learned.”

Open casting calls for the next Masterchef competition begin Saturday, Oct. 5, in the following cities:
Cities
Dates
Venues/Times
Phoenix
Saturday, Oct. 5
Embassy Suites Biltmore
2630 East Camelback Road
Phoenix, AZ 85016
10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
New Orleans
Saturday, Oct. 5
Hyatt French Quarter
800 Iberville Street
New Orleans, LA 70112
10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Houston
Saturday, Oct. 12
Doubletree Suites Hotel Houston Galleria
5353 Westheimer Rd.
Houston, TX 77056
10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Orlando
Saturday, Oct. 12
Aloft Orlando
500 South Orange Ave.
Orlando, FL 32801
10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Chicago
Saturday, Oct. 19
 TBA
Columbus
Saturday, Oct. 19
 Hyatt Regency Columbus
350 North High Street
Columbus, OH 43215
10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Kansas City
Saturday, Oct. 26
Kansas City Marriott Downtown
200 West 12th Street
Kansas City, MO 64105
10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
New York City
Saturday, Oct. 26
TBA
Denver
Saturday, Nov. 2
Crowne Plaza Denver Downtown
1450 Glenarm Place
Denver, CO 80202
10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Philadelphia
Saturday, Nov. 2
 TBA
Los Angeles
Saturday, Nov. 9
 TBA