Thursday, February 23, 2012

The CW Renews America's Next Top Model for Cycle 19: Co-Erection dysfunction Edition!

Richard's stood a rough year on Grey's Anatomy already getting taken the fall for Meredith and walked lower as Chief of Dallas Sophistication. Now Adele's illness may pull him within the hospital altogether. "Adele's Alzheimer's is progressively getting worse," James Pickens Junior. notifies TVGuide.com. "It's apparent because the Alzheimer's is making her a hazard to... Discover More > Other Links From TVGuide.com Darlene AllenKate BurtonLoretta DevineJames Pickens Junior.Grey's AnatomyEllen Pompeo

Friday, February 10, 2012

'Star Wars' Special: Six Underrated 'Phantom Menace' Figures

by Ryan Rigley You will find a lot of good reasons to see "The Exorcist: Episode I" in three dimensional a few days ago. First of all being the range of memorable figures the movie introduces. Sure, Qui-Gon Jinn and Darth Maul are awesome. But what from the film's unsung heroes? I am speaking about figures which have maybe ten or fifteen minutes of screen time in the absolute most. "Phantom Menace" does a fantastic job of acquainting us with several interesting figures that people rarely when see or listen to again most of the subsequent prequel movies. Here are the more memorable ones. » Boss Nass: This Ankura Gungan is leader from the Gungan High Council. He's also body fat, eco-friendly, and adorable. Boss Nass's catchphrase is really a "HURBLBLBLBLBLBLBLBLBLA" seem he produces by trembling his jowels as quickly as he is able to, getting saliva all around the process. Type of just like a sneezing puppy. Type of. » Sebulba: Most widely known very little Annie Skywalker's arch-enemy, Sebulba may be the Dick Dastardly of podracing. What i mean is, he'll visit absolutely nothing to win. He's wiped out and hurt a lot of fellow podracers through the years together with his reckless driving and flat-out cheating. Also, he uses his hands and eats space frogs together with his ft. » Ben Quadinaros: Many people wouldn't even recognize this person by title. But his huge, gemstone-formed face and paper-thin braches are difficult to forget. Quadinaros did not possess a single line within the movie, but he did possess a major energy coupling malfunction in a crucial time throughout the Boonta Eve Classic podrace. Now he'll forever be appreciated as "that guy whose engines skyrocketed." » Roos Tarpals: Captain from the Security Forces of Otoh Gunga, this Gungan military leader shown his expert level military prowess throughout the Fight of Grassy Flatlands. Under Tarpals' leadership, the Gungans could defeat 100s of fight droids without a penny but a couple of giant water bubbles. Younger crowd includes a sweet mustache. » Watto: Probably the only living being to be uneffected through the Jedi Mind Trick, Watto likes you one factor and something factor alone: money. This junk-dealing Toydarian is rude, cheap along with a slaveowner. And most importantly off, he appears like the romance child of Luis Guzman along with a flying elephant. » Captain Panaka: It's really no easy task protecting the Full of Naboo from waves of fight droids sent through the Trade Federation. But Panaka handles to complete the unthinkable, remaining very calm and collected the whole time. Captain Panaka is really a indigenous to Naboo and mind from the Royal Naboo Security Forces. Whether it were not for him, Padme surely could have been wiped out and Luke and Leia would not happen to be born! » Not Jar Jar Binks: Seriously, he's the worst. "Phantom Menace" talked about now in Talk Nerdy! Who're your preferred "Phantom Menace" supporting figures? Inform us within the comments or hit us on Twitter!

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Cheers & Jeers: Curtin Increases on Memorable

Jane Curtin Cheers to Jane Curtin for showing she's still Memorable. Want more Cheers & Jeers? Sign up for TV Guide Magazine now! The onetime Not prepared for Primetime Player - who's already got two hit sitcoms under her belt (CBS' Kate & Allie and NBC's 3rd Rock In the Sun) - brings a significantly-needed spontaneity towards the Eye network's rookie procedural. Star Poppy Montgomery can use a powerful female foil, and Curtin is what the physician purchased as Joanne Webster, a mouthy medical examiner who's been exiled to Queens. In her own first situation, Dr. Webster assisted Montgomery's Barbara Wells make an effort to capture a murderer whose crimes hit a little too near to home. Having a examined veteran like Curtin aboard, odds are Memorable will not slip CBS' mind come renewal time. Exactly what do you think about Jane Curtin on Memorable? Sign up for TV Guide Magazine now!

Monday, February 6, 2012

Global 'Boss' involves TLC, OWN

TLC and OWN are becoming global types of "Undercover Boss" for his or her particular nets. The reality skein which has been successful for CBS will probably be moving for the cable side just like a spinoff series titled "Undercover Boss: Abroad," using footage within the U.K. and Australia. Canadian obligations in the show can also be incorporated afterwards in the year. Skein is positioned to premiere on TLC Feb. 13 since the internet will air back-to-back episodes for fourteen days at 9 p.m. Mondays. Show will launch on OWN March 13. Among the companies being featured are Domino's Pizza, Best Western Hotels and Isuzu. Premise in the show is always that top-ranking professionals from selected companies match the functional class and understand the required steps to complete the job. The first Eye version of "Undercover Boss" presently airs on OWN becoming an periodic special or just like a marathon. At TLC, "Boss" began just like a regularly scheduled series last fall and both Discovery-possessed cablers will air it again this fall. Show is produced by Studio Lambert and professional produced by Stephen Lambert and Eli Holzman. TLC has furthermore introduced they are moving forward with "Southie Pride," from "Jersey Shoreline" producer SallyAnn Salsano. Series will think about the provincial figures who live in the South Boston neighbhorhood that was referred to inside the Film Clip film "Gone Baby Gone." Casting is presently on-going. Cabler has bought eight episodes. Contact Stuart Levine at stuart.levine@variety.com

Thursday, February 2, 2012

AFTRA fund trustees say merger difficult

Trustees of the AFTRA Health & Retirement Funds have entered into the debate over merging the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television & Radio Artists. The trustees, in a statement issued Thursday, have poured cold water on a recently announced "feasibility review" about merging the AFTRA plan with the SAG pension and health plans. SAG and AFTRA had disclosed the feasibility review -- a collection of attorneys' opinions that there's no legal impediment to merging the independently operated plans -- as part of this week's unveiling of the details of a proposed SAG and AFTRA merger. Merger backers are contending that combining SAG and AFTRA will make it easier to combine the plans as a first step toward resolving the problem that performers face in making contributions to the separate plans and then not meeting the earnings qualifications. But AFTRA plan trustees said they have nothing to do with the feasibility review -- while acknowledging that the review's legal opinions included one from co-counsel to the AFTRA Health & Retirement Funds, Jani Rachelson. "The board of trustees of the AFTRA Health & Retirement Funds wishes to make it absolutely clear that the opinions expressed in this 'Feasibility Review' in no way represent the opinion of AFTRA H&R's board of trustees," the trustees said. "The board of trustees did not request or authorize this opinion of Fund co-counsel and had no prior knowledge of this letter before reading the posting on the websites." The AFTRA plan trustees also warned that combining the SAG and AFTRA plans would be a major challenge. "Although there is no doubt that plan mergers are legally permissible in appropriate circumstances, the merger of pension and health funds as large and divergent as the AFTRA and SAG plans raises complex and unique financial, legal and benefit issues which can only be addressed through a comprehensive analysis performed by the funds," the AFTRA trustees said. "No position has been, or will be, taken by the AFTRA Health & Retirement Funds Trustees or its co-counsel until such time as a comprehensive feasibility study is performed." SAG and AFTRA will mail out ballots Feb. 27 to 120,000 SAG members and 70,000 AFTRA members, with a tabulation date of March 30. To be approved, the merger must receive at least 60% of the votes from each union. The unions' summary of the "feasibility study" noted that several hundred multiemployer pensions have merged over the last 25 years, and there is no legal obstacle to merging the SAG and AFTRA pension and health plans. It also said multiemployer plan mergers do not pose any increased risk of loss of benefits. The summary also said, "Mergers are common and beneficial because they strengthen the financial base of the surviving plan, reduce administrative expenses and permit employees to concentrate their covered work under one benefit structure." The debate over whether SAG's and AFTRA's pension and health plans should be merged became a major issue in 2003. In that contest, 58% of SAG voters backed the proposal -- less than 2,000 votes short of meeting the 60% requirement. In that contest, the SAG management trustees on a merger study committee said they could not support merger. "While we take no position on the internal union issue of consolidating memberships, we do serve as fiduciaries of the SAG-Producer Pension and Health Plans and, as such, have a legal responsibility to SAG plans participants," the management trustees said in 2003. "These legal responsibilities, which are borne equally by both Producer and Union Trustees, prevent us from supporting a merger of the SAG and AFTRA plans if the merger is not in the best interests of SAG participants." At the time, SAG president Melissa Gilbert and AFTRA president John Connolly attacked the trustees as meddling in union politics and declared, "We know we can't rely on employers to look out for our best interests." The management trustees denied the accusations that their comments were motivated by a desire to derail the proposed SAG-AFTRA consolidation. Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Auditions Introduced for Shakespeare around the block Productions

Casting company directors Jordan Thaler and Heidi Griffiths are holding auditions for that approaching 50th anniversary from the Public Theater's Shakespeare around the block series. This year's productions in the Delacorte Theater in Central Park are "As You Desire It" and "In to the Forest." Equity principal auditions for shows is going to be locked in Feb.Shakespeare's "As You Desire It" is going to be directed by Daniel Sullivan, with performances scheduled for June. Lily Rabe, who formerly worked with with Sullivan on her Tony-nominated role in "The Merchant of Venice" around the block as well as on Broadway this year, will star as Rosalind. Other roles can be found. Equity principal auditions is going to be held Monday, Feb 13 in NY City.Timothy Sheader and Liam Steel will direct "In to the Forest," that will premiere in This summer. This version of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Broadway musical is dependant on the directors' Olivier Award-winning Regent's Park Outside Theatre London production from 2010. All roles within the show can be found, including some familiar figures for example Cinderella, Little Red-colored Riding Hood, Rapunzel, the Witch, yet others. Equity principal auditions is going to be held Thursday, Feb 2 in NY City."I am delighted that people are adding Stephen Sondheim towards the Delacorte's roster," Oskar Eustis, artistic director from the Public Theater, stated inside a statement. "Our finest artist of musical theater will sit very easily alongside Shakespeare. Sondheim around the block includes a good ring into it.InchEach shows is going to be carried out free of charge this summer time in Central Park. These auditions are mainly for Actors' Equity people, however the casting company directors could also see nonunion stars, if time permits. To learn more about these projects and audition particulars, see the full casting notices on BackStage.com. (Subscription needed.)Thaler and Griffiths have worked with in the Public Theater/NY Shakespeare Festival for pretty much 2 decades, casting a lot more than 200 productions Off-Broadway and also at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. Broadway credits include "Chinglish," "The Tempest," "The Wild Party," "Take Me Out," "Caroline, or Change," "Passing Strange," "Hair," "The Merchant of Venice," and "The Motherf**ker using the Hat."

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Anna Faris signs with CAA

Anna Faris has signed with CAA. "The House Bunny" actress had last year including "What's Your Number" and "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Shipwrecked." Best known for her work in the "Scary Movie" franchise, Faris recently landed the female lead in Paramount's "The Dictator" and has several pics in development including "TMI" at Universal. Faris was most recently repped by Gersh. She continues to be repped by Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern. Contact Justin Kroll at justin.kroll@variety.com