Television

Living the Legacy: TV’s Best Achieve Tartikoff Status

January 30, 2012

The legendary television executive Brandon Tartikoff set a high bar in the industry, one that still sets a standard in the nearly 15 years since he passed away, far too young. Yes, he is always remembered fondly—but nowhere does his inspirational legacy come into clearer focus than at the annual Tartikoff Legacy Award ceremony.

The 9^th annual edition was held at the Fontainebleau Resort inMiami Beach during the 2012 NATPE Market & Conference, in a lively ceremony hosted by “Access Hollywood’s” Billy Bush, a self-described aspirant to one day achieving the award.

The four honorees represent a diverse slate of television talent: Matthew Weiner, creator and executive producer ofAMC’s award-winning drama “Mad Men”; Cecile Frot-Coutaz, CEO of FremantleMedia North America (FMNA) and executive producer of “American Idol”; Fernando Gaitán, vice president of production and content for Colombia’sRCNTV and creator of “Ugly Betty” (“Yo Soy Betty la fea”); and Dennis Swanson, President of Station Operations forFOX Television Stations Inc.

Lily Tartikoff always speaks eloquently, and recalled how Brandon knew Swanson, who was an early champion of her Revlon Run/Walk benefiting women’s cancer research.

It was Dick Ebersol, a recipient of the Tartikoff award last year, who introduced Swanson, noting that in his storied 40-year career, Swanson has worked at all four broadcast networks, discovered Oprah when he was a GM in Chicago, put Regis and Kathie Lee together at ABC and was instrumental in the resurgence of Monday Night Football.

Swanson thanked his wife of 50 years and reminisced about some of his fondest television moments, aside from telling Oprah to “just be herself.” One of those was making the Christmas tree lighting at Rockefeller Center, which had previously been a tape delayed segment, into a live show.

Frot-Coutaz may not be a household name, but she is the center of the “American Idol” universe. FreemantleMedia CEO Tony Cohen recalled meeting the executive early on, and knowing she had what it took to run the North American division of the company – and handle the likes of Simon Cowell and Simon Fuller. He also joked that she’s been called a kitten and a shark, kind of cute, but then she bites.

Gaitán also came in for some good-natured ribbing by Guillermo Arriago, a director, producer and screenwriter. Picking up the animal theme, he compared the Colombian television titan to a tiger.

Gaitán stepped up to the stage with a woman, creating some momentary confusion. Was she the star of one of his new shows? She certainly wasn’t an Ugly Betty, quite the contrary. No, it turns out she was his translator, as he said he did not know how or like to speak English. The language barrier certainly did not prevent him from making a well-received speech citing the major influence American television had and continues to have on him as the VP of production and content for RCN TV.

When it came time for Matthew Weiner to be introduced, Lionsgate television president Kevin Beggs did the honors. “He has indelibly changed the TV world. He’s a consummate showman, a master craftsmen, a visionary who inspires people,” Beggs said. “’Mad Men’ will make its mark for generations to come.”

And with that pronouncement, a comical taped message of congratulations from his coworkers on the award-winning drama was rolled, many of them alluding to his notorious demand for secrecy about the scripts. “I have to sign a nondisclosure for my own show?,” remarked Lionsgate’s Jon Feltheimer in one of the bits.

Saving the best for last, Jon Hamm acknowledged Weiner’s plethora of awards, saying he could put all of them on his head, but it still wouldn’t be “this,” the actor pointing to his own handsome visage.

Weiner immediately commented that he couldn’t believe he was unaware that all of this was shot on his own set without his knowledge. He relayed his youthful experience with television, from when he was a bad student whose parents forbade him to watch it except on Friday and Saturday nights, but that he made up for it during his college years. Weiner said he idolized Tartikoff, especially his respect for the audience.

Weiner acknowledged the risk that Lionsgate and AMC took with “Men,” which has been a critical darling and a pop cultural force since it premiered five years ago.” I got to turn a hidden vice into a way of life,” he said. “I wanted people to be entertained.”

Filed Under: Entertainment, Events, Television Tagged With: Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award, Cecile Frot-Coutaz, Colombia’s RCN TV, Dennis Swanson, Fernando Gaitán, FOX Television Stations Inc., FremantleMedia North America, Lilly Tartikoff, Mad Men, Matthew Weiner, NATPE, Rick Feldman

Gervais Gets Neutered, Silence is Golden for The Artist

January 17, 2012

It was the second coming of Ricky Gervais to the emcee podium of the Golden Globe Awards, or actually, the third. After last year’s controversial performance, people forget that the British comedian also hosted the 2010 edition of the kudocast.

The hyped-up fascination of who he would offend this year paid off again in the ratings, with Nielsen estimating that about 16.8 million viewers tuned in to Sunday night’s NBC telecast.

But mirroring his insistence that Johnny Depp was on recreational drugs, Gervais apparently took some recreational nice pills before the show. With a few exceptions, his jabs just didn’t have the bite that aroused such vitriol last year from the likes of insult target Robert Downey Jr.

Trashing Kim Kardashian and comparing her unfavorably to Kate Middleton? Standard fare for any standup comic. Dissing Eddie Murphy for bailing as host of the Oscars but saying “yes” to “Norbit?” Fair game. Asking Depp if he’d even seen “The Tourist,” a film he’d trashed last year? Amusing.

The wrath of Ricky, despite endless promos touting it, turned out to be pretty toothless during one of the few gigs where it’s okay, and even expected, to drink on the job. After reading the rules he was supposed to follow, like no profanity (yeah, right) and no jokes about Mel Gibson, he quickly followed up with an innuendo-laden rant about Jodie Foster’s (film) “The Beaver,” which the actress/director seemed to take in good humor by giving a thumbs-up from her seat in the Beverly Hilton ballroom.

Similarly, evoking sexual innuendo and insults, he lashed into Madonna in his introduction to her as a presenter, which she quickly turned around to bash him. “Ricky, if I’m still like a virgin, why don’t you come over here and do something about it? I haven’t kissed a girl for a long time. (Pause.) On TV,” she said–as he ran back and forth behind her on stage.

It was one of the funniest moments of the show, which, despite its reputation for raunchiness saw its share of dignified moments, starting with Christopher Plummer’s acceptance speech as supporting actor for his role in the little-seen film “Beginners,” and continuing with Helen Mirren and Sidney Poitier’s presentation of the Cecil B. DeMille award for lifetime achievement to Morgan Freeman.

There were other Oscar-worthy acceptance speeches as well, not surprisingly, from those who have taken home those more “esteemed” trophies—as Gervais called the grand dame of award shows in comparing it to the Globes—like Kate Winslet (for the lead role in HBO’s “Mildred Pierce”) and Julian Fellowes for PBS’s “Downton Abbey.”

Hollywood Foreign Press Association voters went all in for quality television, awarding new and niche shows and their stars golden statuettes. “Homeland,” “Boss,” “Episodes” and “Enlightened” thus have frontrunner status on the road to the Emmy Awards, while critical and popular favorite “Modern Family” added to its trophy case with the prize for best television comedy and “Game of Thrones” scored with a win for supporting actor Peter Dinklage.

But back to the show. Seth Rogen drove the lewd scale to a new low when he took the stage as a presenter with actress Kate Beckinsale and promptly remarked upon being unable to contain his physical arousal. (That must have been on the same teleprompter that wasn’t there for Rob Lowe and Julianne Moore—resulting in their ad lib of cold reading for Steven Spielberg.) She never regained her composure as they proceeded to present an award.

Who would have guessed that in addition to Gervais’ planned profanities, Meryl Streep caused a bleep when she apparently uttered an expletive upon realizing she forgot her reading glasses as she took the best actress prize for her role as Margaret Thatcher in “The Iron Lady.”

Leave it to the ever suave, sophisticated, sexy two-time winner of the night, “The Descendants” star George Clooney to be both funny (coming out on stage with Brad Pitt’s cane, making fun of Michael Fassbender in “Shame”), and touching (complimenting best actor rival/friend Pitt on his humanitarian work).

If there were any residual effects of the anti-French sentiment from the Bush era, the people behind the burgeoning awards powerhouse “The Artist” dispelled it with their charm in receiving three Globes, including the top prize as best comedy/musical.

As that black and white art house film is showing the world, sometimes silence can be golden–and Rogen could surely take a lesson from that.

Filed Under: Awards Season, Entertainment, Featured Stories, Television Tagged With: Brad Pitt, Elton John, George Clooney, Golden Globes, Kate Winslet, Madonna, Meryl Streep, Ricky Gervais, The Artist, The Descendants

As Rumors Become Fact, Kutcher’s Boss Lauds the TV Biz

November 17, 2011

As the news broke that “Two and a Half Men” star Ashton Kutcher’s marriage to Demi Moore was in fact over, CBS Corp. president and CEO Les Moonves was engaged in a conversation before an audience of hundreds of people in the media business at the HRTS newsmaker luncheon at the Beverly Hilton.

Although the impending divorce was not a topic of conversation, Moonves had plenty to say about the show, and the television business in general, as he was interviewed by Variety’s Brian Lowry.

“Things happen. Shit happens– things you don’t want to happen,” said Moonves about replacing Charlie Sheen with Kutcher on the popular comedy. “The ratings are up and we’re happy Charlie is doing well, we’re happy how Ashton has done and we’re glad the chapter is closed. There’s no good that can come out of things when there’s rancor and lawyers involved in a television show.”

Lowry started off the presentation by noting that the last time Moonves appeared before the Hollywood Radio and Television Society was in 2006 when the big news was Katie Couric taking over the CBS News anchor desk, and that Viacom’s Tom Freston had been let go because he missed out on the opportunity of MySpace. Cue laugh track.

“Technology has been a friend to the content business, and Netflix and Amazon are paying more for content,” Moonves noted about the changes in the past five years, as he continually pounded the point that it’s all about content.

“We’re the best game in town,” he said several times about the television business, which will experience a banner year in 2012, with the influx of huge amounts of political advertising revenue. “The key is to get all the eyeballs watching online to count. It’s the same challenges as the newspaper industry faced, but we’re doing a lot better than they did.”

CBS is known as the broadcast network with the oldest audience, but Moonves said he hates when he sees that the 18-49-year-old demographic is the only one that matters, noting that the average age of the “60 Minutes” viewer is 63.

“There’s no such thing as an upscale 18-year-old, unless they’re my kids,” he said. “A big hit is watched by everyone. The idea of programming for niche is silly.”

Moonves said he and colleagues like CBS Entertainment president Nina Tassler, who have worked together for 15 to 20 years now, look at shows holistically from their original broadcast runs to syndication to international sales to what Netflix will pay them for shows.

“But it is better to have 100% of the bucket,” he said, referring to the fact that hit shows like “Men” and “The Big Bang Theory” are produced by Warner Bros., which gets a piece of the pie.

The CBS honcho reflected on the initial rockiness of the merger of CBS andParamount, the future of Showtime, which he sees as strong, as well as the poor track record of CBS Films. It has released five movies in the past two years, only three of which have broken even and none of which, he said, would be eligible for any Academy Awards.

“The TV business is much better than the film business,” he said. “I’m at my core TV guy. The TV guys don’t get enough credit. They don’t get to use the private plane.” Unless their name is Les Moonves, of course.

He reflected back on the long run of “Everybody Loves Raymond,” in which his brother represented Ray Romano in negotiations with the network and thus, he recused himself, noting that Romano was paid a lot more money than he would’ve coughed up as the show ran well past its prime.

“I told my mother, ‘Your son is an asshole,’” Moonves said about the situation.

When asked about CBS’ paucity of cable networks, especially compared to NBC’s, Moonves said he wished they had more, while again stressing that the broadcast model is not broken.

Lowry commented on what he called the class of 1989: Moonves, Bob Iger, Peter Chernin, Jeff Bewkes and Howard Stringer, who, with the exception of Chernin have all run studios, he said, while wondering if there was something in the water at the time that made them all such industry leaders with longevity.

But Moonves jokingly shooed aside any possibility that he would be appearing before the same group in 2016. We’ll see about that.

Filed Under: Entertainment, Featured Stories, Television Tagged With: Ashton Kutcher, CBS, Les Moonves

The Reed Family–The New Incarnation of the Cosbys

October 11, 2011

You could call it “The Cosby Show” for this generation. It’s BET’s new original comedy, “Reed Between the Lines” premiering tonight at 10/9 Central on the cable network.

Starring Malcolm-Jamaal Warner and Tracee Ellis Ross as Mr. and Mrs. Reed, parents of three adorable children, the half hour scripted series aims to capture the complexity and humor of navigating traditional African American family values with contemporary ideals of honest, open communication between parents and their children.

Alex and Carla Reed are a power couple–he a professor, she a psychologist, trying to keep their love and sex life alive as they juggle careers, coworkers and kids, making for some funny interactions on the road to having it all.

The network, which has been on huge ratings roll, is pulling out all the stops to make this a success, starting with a screening and glitzy premiere party recently featuring all the cast members at Soho House Los Angeles, and then another event in New York.

Smack in the middle of the Cosby connection is Warner, who rose to national prominence on the celebrated, classic comedy series starring Bill Cosby as Cliff Huxtable. His character on the new show, Alex Reed, is an NYU professor and stay at home dad. Hmmm. Huxtable was a graduate of NYU.

“It’s not completely by accident that there are comparisons,” says Warner. “That was definitely the mold we were going for. When you look at the history of Black sitcoms throughout the course of television I think, for the most part, they kind of all fit around the same category.”

Warner says because he spent eight years of his life under Cosby on the show, he’s excited to take that wisdom and experience and bring it to the fictional Reed household, which features its own set of adorable kids, played by Nadji Anthony Jeter and Zoe Soul as twins and Zoe Hendrix, who plays the youngest member of the household.

BETis hoping viewers will also spend a lot of time in the company of TV’s newest comedy clan.

Filed Under: Entertainment, Television Tagged With: BET, Malcolm Jamaal Warner, Reed Between the Lines, Tracee Ellis Ross

Emmy Wrap-Up: The Surprises, The Show, The Parties, The Perks

September 19, 2011

Who would’ve predicted that Emmy favorite Alec Baldwin would remove himself from the proceedings, or that Charlie Sheen would use the occasion of the 63rd Primetime Emmy awards to try to redeem himself in front of his former bosses– and the industry at large? Or that the lead actor from the canceled drama “Friday Night Lights” would score a touchdown by stealing the statuette from front-runners Jon Hamm and Steve Buscemi?

Emmy night was by turns, unpredictable yet rock steady. Jane Lynch’s hosting abilities were just beginning to settle in when one of the most buzzworthy parts of the show took place. All of the lead comedy actress contestants got up on stage as if it were a beauty pageant– apparently, Amy Poehler’s idea. It was a big “gotcha” moment as she ran up when her name was announced as a nominee, quickly followed by all the other funny ladies– and as surprising when it was Melissa McCarthy who took the tiara, the roses and the Emmy award from her comedy sisters.

Between “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” and “The Amazing Race” predictably adding to their already sagging trophy shelves, the only question is what other show stands a chance in their respective categories.

Another given on Emmy night: after the show, it’s off to the parties, often beginning at the Governors Ball where a hall of theLos Angelesconvention center is transformed into a magnificent wonderland. Patina Group’s acclaimed chef Joachim Splichal designed the menu and for the sixth year, Beaulieu Vineyard returned as the Official Wine Sponsor and Grey Goose Vodka, the Official Spirits Sponsor, and designer of the evening’s signature cocktail called, what else, “The Emmy.”

Boozing and schmoozing where the name of the game at parties all over the city, small and large, with another magnificent fete at the transformed Pacific Design Center for HBO and its many nominees and winners, who included Kate Winslet, Peter Dinklage and director Martin Scorsese.

All of the recently concluded “Entourage” cast were in attendance, buzzing about the planned upcoming theatrical film. “Too Big to Fail” stars William Hurt and James Woods worked the crowd, as did Alfre Woodard, Edgar Ramirez, Kathy Griffin, Juliana Margulies and William H. Macy. The entire cast of the five-time Emmy winning comedy “Modern Family” took over a section of the party for a huge celebration going late into the night.

A few days earlier, the Television Academy honored all of its performer nominees with a reception at the PDC catered by Wolfgang Puck, that feted talent including Elizabeth Moss and John Slattery from “Mad Men,” Eric Stonestreet, Ty Burrell, Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Sofia Vergara from “Modern Family,” Melissa Leo, Martha Plimpton, Josh Charles, Johnny Galecki, Brenda Strong, Beau Bridges and Alan Cumming.

Networks and talent agencies, including Showtime and NBC also held pre-Emmy bashes, where all of their respective nominees were still winners in the mood was festive.

But on Emmy night, even for those without the golden accessory named Emmy, it was time to celebrate the best of television.

Filed Under: Entertainment, Events, Featured Stories, Television Tagged With: Emmy Awards, HBO, Modern Family, PrimeEmmys

Sublime Primetime: Emmy-Nominated Writers Dish About Their Scripts

September 15, 2011

In film, writers don’t get much glory, but in television, they’re all that—and even more so if they are up for a golden statuette named Emmy.

And so it was that a group of writers, most of them also showrunners of some of the top comedy and drama series on the tube–along with an acclaimed made for television movie– took the stage at the Writers Guild Theater to discuss their work before a full house.

Steve Levitan and Jeffrey Richman (Modern Family), Veena Sud (The Killing), Jason Katims (Friday Night Lights), Greg Daniels (The Office) and Peter Gould (Too Big to Fail) with moderator Mike Scully made the WGA West’s annual “Sublime Primetime” a bit of a laughfest from the get-go.

Scully asked Gould if he got pressure from HBO to add a vampire or have Turtle from “Entourage” stop by the drama about the financial meltdown of 2007-8, centering on William Hurt playing Hank Paulson.

Daniels discussed the challenges of writing Steve Carell’s exit from “The Office” and the impact of his departure on the staff. “I was stressed out about Steve leaving, and wondered how he would say goodbye,” Daniels admitted, noting that they got an extra six minutes for the finale.

“That seems like cheating for the Emmys,” Levitan interjected, and then went on with Richman to break down the story of their nominated script. One thread features kids walking in on their parents having sex—a subject of endless horror, and humor. Another focused on a guest spilling something on an expensive rug and trying to cover it up, which Richman admitted he did in real life.

Sudd talked about her instincts for “The Killing” coming from a dark place, honoring that, and knowing her show was cable-only. She also got some good-natured guff about being the only woman in a group of white guys.

Looking over the entire list of Primetime Emmy Award nominees, she doesn’t have much female company, only Heidi Thomas for “Upstairs Downstairs” on PBS as an individual nominee, Maria Jacquemetton for co-writing the “Blowing Smoke” episode of “Mad Men” and a few women in nominated staffs of shows including “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” and “Saturday Night Live.”

Now that’s kind of sad.

Filed Under: Entertainment, Events, Television Tagged With: Emmy Awards, Friday Night Lights, Greg Daniels, Jason Katims, Jeffrey Richman, Mike Scully, Modern Family, Peter Gould, Steve Levitan, The Killing, The Office, Too Big to Fail, Veena Sud

The Sheen Machine vs. Creative Arts Emmys: All Winning!

September 12, 2011

Even as Charlie Sheen was getting ready to be the brunt of barbs at Sony Pictures Studios during the taping of his Comedy Central roast, his nemesis, Chuck Lorre and former “Two and a Half Men” costar Jon Cryer were starting off the ceremonies at the 2011 Creative Arts Emmys Awards at the Nokia Theater.

And while one ceremony was honoring excellence in the television industry jobs –mainly below the line – the other was bent on mercilessly skewering the man who was once the highest-paid sitcom star on television before he went off the rails. A taste of the proceedings: “How much blow can Charlie Sheen do? Enough to kill two and a half men,” said Jon Lovitz. To which Sheen later replied, while touching his chest, “Here beats an eternal flame. I just need to keep it away from a crack pipe.”

In contrast to his previous vengeful name-calling during a meltdown that created a media frenzy, Sheen never mentioned Lorre by name, but drew a huge response when he told the studio audience, “I did what everyone in America wants to do. I told my boss to fuck off.”

Back at the Nokia, Lorre and Cryer lamely joked around about any casting issues on their show– saying they couldn’t recall any– before launching into the first of a staggering 75 awards that were handed out during the three-hour ceremony.

Both shows will be taped and edited, the Creative Arts Emmys for air on Saturday, September 17 on Reelz Channel (which rescued “The Kennedys” and already brought home some statuettes for its troubles) and the Sheen roast on Comedy Central on September 19th, purposefully airing against the season premiere of “Men,” which is sure to garner, um, epic ratings with Ashton Kutcher’s initial outing taking over the lead role from Sheen.

The CA Emmys gave a huge boost to several shows going into the Primetime Emmy Awards this coming Sunday, especially HBO’s lauded freshman series “Boardwalk Empire,” which won seven golden trophies, nearly half of the pay cabler’s leading 15 statuettes for the evening. PBS was second in total trophies with 10, with awards for “Freedom Riders” and “American Masters” among them.

And although he wasn’t there in person, it was a big night for Justin Timberlake, who received two Emmy awards, one as guest actor for his hosting gig on “Saturday Night Live,” as well as for co-writing the lyrics to the song he performed in his opening monologue.

The 75 categories honor everything from art direction, sound editing, sound mixing, makeup, hair styling, cinematography, special effects, nonfiction programming and variety and music specials, which “The Kennedy Center Honors” took home once again.

As for the miniseries “The Kennedys,” which Reelz picked up after the History Channel dumped it, it made an impressive showing by winning three technical Emmys.

Up against tough competition in animation category, “Futurama” took home the trophy, another milestone in the show’s resurgence.

It was perhaps somewhat bittersweet for John Walsh to receive the Governor’s Award for his work on “America’s Most Wanted,” a program that was recently dropped by Fox, where it began in the late 1980s after Walsh’s son Adam was murdered, but will find new life on Lifetime.

There were some nostalgic presenting pairs during the ceremony, including Mitzi Gaynor and Bob Mackie presenting, of course, the costume designing awards and Priscilla Presley with Steve Binder, who had worked on Elvis’s 1968 comeback special, a precursor to MTV’s “Unplugged.”

Jeff Probst was unstoppable. The host of “Survivor” won his fourth Emmy, meaning he’s nailed the statuette every single time he’s been nominated.

In a parallel universe, you might suspect Probst would have something to teach Sheen about surviving, but judging by his “Roast” appearance, in which he appeared healthy and in fine form, he seems to be doing just fine on that score. Must be the tiger blood.

Filed Under: Entertainment, Featured Stories, Television Tagged With: Charlie Sheen, Emmy Awards

Bey-by! It’s the Best Moment at the 2011 VMAs

August 30, 2011

MTV’s Video Music Awards are known for generating zeitgeist pop culture moments– like Kanye West’s infamous onstage interruption of Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech in 2009– and this year’s edition was no exception.

The buzziest moment– which generated a record number of tweets, measured by Twitter at 8,868 per second– was pop singer Beyoncé’s big pregnancy reveal, unbuttoning her purple sequined jacket and rubbing her tummy at the end of her performance.

Despite coping with Hurricane Irene on the East Coast, ratings were record-breaking with 12.4 million viewers, making it MTV’s most watched telecast ever, according to the Nielsen Co., up 9% over last year’s show.

But what this show really lacked was a host to stitch together some of its big and unexpected moments, like Chris Brown’s Cirque du Soleil-esque performance, Britney Spears almost kissing in-drag Lady Gaga or Katy Perry’s peculiar cheesehead ornament.

The show started off with a bizarre monologue by Gaga as her male alter ego, a chain smoking Jo Calderone, with slicked back Jerseypompadour hair. It was hard to tell which direction that was going, making for a rocky opening. But props to Lady G for remaining in character all night without resorting to the insanely over-the-top get-ups she usually sports. Meat dress, anyone? Not this time, although Perry took up the slack by doing four costume changes.

Little-known actor/comedian Kevin Hart followed Calderone/Gaga at the top and during the not very funny monologue, continually made references to the fact that he wasn’t hosting, but if he did, he would say whatever he was saying differently. That went over like a lead balloon.

It soon became apparent that there would be no host after all, a departure from years past when personalities including Chris Rock, who was absolutely hysterical multiple times, to Jimmy Fallon, Dennis Miller, Ben Stiller, Jamie Foxx, Shawn and Marlon Wayans and last year, Chelsea Handler who handled the emcee duties.

But having a host-less show was not unprecedented. The VMAs, which date back to 1984 with inaugural hosts Bette Midler and Dan Aykroyd, also went rudderless in 2007 and 2004.

With this year’s material including tributes to the recently departed Amy Winehouse and honoring Britney Spears with the Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award, the guiding hand of a host would’ve been appreciated. Not to mention laughs that might have ensued at appropriate moments.

Russell Brand, who received widespread exposure in theUnited Stateswhen he hosted the VMA’s in 2008 as a little-known comic and actor, and was brought back in 2009 to further acclaim, was obviously available.

As the high-profile husband of multiple nominee Perry and called upon to begin the Winehouse tribute with his reminiscences of her in London about which he’d written, Brand seem to rush through the rather poignant material, perhaps miffed that he didn’t get the hosting gig—or given a cue that the show was running long.

Still, it lurched along and provided other hot-button moments: Chris Brown’s aerial moves along with other performers during a medley of songs that unexpectedly included Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” West and Jay-Z taking the stage to perform. Adele’s emotional rendition of a song that wasn’t the lauded “Rolling in the Deep.” Young the Giant’s debut VMA appearance with a mosh pit crowd of fans from theirCaliforniahometown. Best new artist recipient Tyler the Creator, giving an expletive-filled acceptance speech geared toward kids. Gaga’s performance of “You and I,” for which she was joined by Queen guitarist Brian May.

In the end, it was the announcement of Bey’s bey-by that will be remembered. Yes, that unborn offspring of musical royalty was, to coin a Gaga phrase, born this way.

Filed Under: Entertainment, Featured Stories, Television Tagged With: #VMA, MTV, MTV Video Music Awards, VMAs

Racism, Ratings and George Lopez’ Last Night on Late Night

August 11, 2011

Last Lopez, Tonight

The “baddest show in late night,” as host George Lopez called it, is now relegated to the history books. And if there is such a thing, the television business etiquette books, under the chapter of “How Not to Fire Your Cast and Crew.”

Could there have been any less respectful way for TBS to have made a major schedule change than by unceremoniously dumping George Lopez from his late-night perch with scarcely 36 hours notice?

Last night’s was the final episode of “Lopez Tonight” after two seasons on the cable network, per an abrupt announcement on Wednesday.

The comedian, who hit the airwaves at11 PMhis first year, graciously moved back tomidnightto make way for Conan O’Brien after O’Brien was booted from NBC’s “The Tonight Show”—with a lot more notice, and a nearly global media frenzy.

The two late-night hosts made a big play of working together during TBS’ upfront presentation to advertisers and industry executives this past May in New York.

Lopez, well-known yet often derided for his ethnic humor, termed them “Coco and Loco.”

TBS topper Steve Koonin was quoted as saying the cancellation was a business problem and that “Lopez Tonight” was an expensive show to sustain as it lost ratings, which was the ostensible reason for the booting.

Still, it’s highly unusual– not to mention disrespectful and unprofessional– that there would be so little notice given. It’s not just that Lopez that is losing his gig, but large numbers of staff members who work on the show, including musical director Michael Bearden and the house band, the Ese Vatos.

The network’s sparse statement distributed Wednesday morning read just this: “TBS has reached the difficult decision not to order a third season of Lopez Tonight. Thursday will be the final episode of the show. We are proud to have partnered with George Lopez, who is an immensely talented comedian and entertainer. TBS has valued its partnership with George and appreciates all of his work on behalf of the network, both on and off the air.” It was attributed to simply “TBS Spokesperson,” who apparently has no name.

We haven’t heard the last of this. Critics in certain corners will be calling out Atlanta-based TBS as racist and there could be breach of contract lawsuits.

In his monologue Wednesday night, Lopez himself predictably joked that his ethnicity was the reason for his firing.

“Big news!” he said. “Sony just announced they’re doing a sequel to The Smurfs movie, so today I lost some work because I’m brown, but also I got some work because I’m blue.”

But during his final outing on TBS last night, Lopez expressed no bitterness and was all about the love for his crew, his friends Eva Longoria, Slash, Arsenio Hall, Ron Artest and Derek Fisher—all of whom appeared, and his fans.

Of course, there was some humor about the firing, delivered in the guise of the character called Creepy Little White Girl, who delivered increasingly bad news: that Erik Estrada was being hired as the replacement, that there are not a lot of jobs for Latinos on TV, that a few of them involve whispering to dogs and that he was running out of show titles using his name.

“Thanks for reminding me,” said Lopez, as the band launched into a blistering rendition of Cee Lo Green’s “F— You.”

At the very end, after ordering cameras to shoot the audience so everyone could see how inclusive it was, the host could be seen with tears in his eyes as he proclaimed “Next year inJerusalem.”
Who is having the last laugh here? No one at “Conan” can be resting easy either, as its ratings have also taken a nosedive.

Filed Under: Entertainment, Television Tagged With: Conan O'Brien, George Lopez, Lopez Tonight, TBS

Battle of the Network Parties

August 9, 2011

Breeziest red carpet ever: Fox's beachfront bash

It’s that time of year again when the television networks preview their fall programming for TV critics in a 10-day confab known as TCA Summer Press Tour, headquartered at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

After the daily panel sessions– where critics watch clips and then hammer executives, producers and show talent with questions– it’s time to party and, um, network some more.

Here is our rundown, and it being the television business, our rating of how the bashes stacked up, with a 5 Mojito award the top tier:

Fox

Where: Gladstone’s at the beach, Sunset and PCH

Star Power: Emmy host-to-be Jane Lynch, Jonah Hill, Charlie Day, Jaime Pressly, Kevin Reilly, Seth McFarlane, Lea Michelle, Danny DeVito, Paula Abdul, Cloris Leachman, Dylan McDermott, Zooey Deschanel, Nicole Scherzinger, Antonio “L.A.” Reid, Christian Slater, Cory Monteith, Dianna Agron, Elijah Wood

Highlights: The thematic beach motif started at the Hilton with containers filled with seashells on ocean-blue tablecloths, then continued with the latticework red carpet, which, unlike the typical step-and-repeat, showcased the beautiful Pacific Ocean intermixed with the Fox logo.

The SBE group had quietly taken over this touristy hotspot last summer and the evidence of its upgraded cuisine was evident everywhere from the platters of raw seafood to the baked crab rolls being prepared by sushi chefs from Katsuya. An ice cream bar featured 21 flavors like sea salt caramel and cappuccino chip and there was a homemade lemonade stand serving up several flavors in Mason jars.

As for the bar–friendly, fast bartenders serve up your drinks of choice in plastic ware.

Rating: 4.5 Mojitos

NBC Universal

Where: SLS Hotel

Star Power: Christina Applegate, Elle McPherson, Nick Lachey, Anna Kournikova, Chevy Chase, Sharon Osbourne, Hank Azaria, Ed Helms, Kathryn Hahn, assorted Housewives, Ken Jeong, John Krasinski, Aimee Teegarden

Highlights: New NBC Entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt obviously pulled out all the stops– and the corporate checkbook– by buying out all the public areas of the hotel and going full-out with items featured on the four-star menu from Jose Andres’s Bazaar. Crowds gathered at the caviar bar where chefs painstakingly topped crème fraiche-filled miniature cones with the miniature eggs before moving on to sample from huge platters of paella and a buffet that featured an absolutely addictive guacamole-filled appetizer. A flip photo booth and temporary tattoos added to the fun. Some complained about long lines at the bar and how dark, crowded, hot and noisy it was. They were called party poopers. Others found those attributes very appealing–and realized that all the elements added up to a very special evening that announced: NBC is back, big time.

Rating: 4.8 Mojitos

: Red carpet traffic jam at NBC’s SLS event

: CBS transforms a parking lot rooftop

MTV

Where: Poolside at the Hilton

Star Power: Director Doug Liman, cast members of his new show “I Just Want My Pants Back,” Jake Busey and other castmates from the new animated series “Good Vibes,” plus Beavis and Butthead–kidding

Highlights: Hanging out by the pool on a warm summer’s eve heading into the sunset, a situation made more enjoyable by a killer raw bar loaded with oysters, mussels, shrimp and crab legs. If your fish fix wasn’t sated, there was the sushi bar featuring spicy tuna rolls, salmon, tuna and yellowtail. The downside: it started early and ended early.

Rating: 4 Mojitos

CBS, the CW and Showtime

Where: Rooftop of the former Robinson’s May parking lot

Star Power: Emmy nominee Melissa McCarthy, Les Moonves & Julie Chen, Chris O’Donnell, Claire Danes, Emmy Rossum, Sela Ward, Kristen Bell, Dr. Drew Pinsky, Sarah Michelle Gellar, J.J. Abrams, Johnny Galecki, William Macy, Jason Segel, Kat Dennings, Rachel Bilson, Lisa Kudrow, Gary Sinise, Kevin Dillon, Patrick Wilson

Highlights: The area atop the parking structure was dominated by a festive, large red pagoda, and the food was Asian-themed: shrimp spring rolls, an array of dim sum and delicious glass noodles were on the menu, served from stands set up around the perimeter of the grounds. Downsides: porta-potties, no champagne or prosecco at the bar and if you don’t like Asian food, you were pretty much out of luck. But the homemade ice cream stand, where bars were hand-dipped in chocolate and rolled in toppings of your choice, was pretty sweet.

Rating: 3.5 Mojitos

ABC

Where: Hilton Beverly Hills Ballroom

Star Power: Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross, Christina Ricci, Jennifer Morrison, Madeleine Stowe, Penny Johnson, Chad Lowe, Dana Delany, Elisha Cuthbert, Jeri Ryan, Cheryl Hines, Robert Carlyle, Benjamin Bratt, Brenda Strong, Teri Polo, James Denton

Highlights: As the last party ofTCA, it was a rather low-key affair in the hotel’s smaller ballroom. Specialty cocktails included Charlie’s Angels vodka, tonic and lime, Revenge martini and the Lying Game sparking punch. Guests lounged on white furniture as they dined on items from the carving station, the pasta bar and a selection of sushi. A photo booth put you in your choice of shows including Desperate Housewives and The View.