Thursday, October 27, 2011

New Expendables 2 image published online

A brand new image in the group of The Expendables 2 has made an appearance on the internet and it gives action fans their first on-set take a look at franchise newcomer Chuck Norris.The shot features Norris alongside Dolph Lundgren and Terry Deck hands, marking off three large action names.The very first image to become published in the shoot in Bulgaria demonstrated Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger buddying up, so we are due one with Jason Statham, Liam Hemsworth, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Jet Li and Randy Couture.Unbelievably, Norris is 71. Try not to get a face too close while you understand this image or even the extra fist he's hiding under his beard will break with the screen and punch you.The Expendables 2 opens August 2012.

Monday, October 24, 2011

'Book of Mormon' Star, Obama Speechwriter and 'Modern Family' Director Sell Whitened House Comedy to NBC

NBC gets back to politics.our editor recommendsPreview NBC's Fall Key Art for 'Playboy Club,' 'Grimm,' 'Whitney,' More'Book of Mormon' Tops Tony Nominations With 14 The network grants a put pilot resolve for 1600 Penn, asingle camera comedy from twentieth century Fox TV, in regards to a dysfunctional family that simply transpires with live at most famous address in the usa. The coveted project originates from Tony-nominatedBook of Mormon starJosh Gad, former Leader Obama speechwriter Jon Lovett and Modern Family director Jason Winer, all whom assists as executive producers. THEATER REVIEW: Book of Mormon Lovett brings his personal expertise because the project's author, with Winer aboard to direct. 1600 Penn marks Gad's second project in development at NBC. The first kind Back star,who's presently filmingThanks for SharingoppositeGwyneth Paltrow, can also be writing a higher-concept comedy in regards to a family on the highway. PHOTOS: Preview NBC's Fall Key Art for 'Playboy Club,' 'Grimm,' 'Whitney,' More Gadis repped by ICM and Brillstein Entertainment Partners Winer, that has directed instances of New Girl and Apartment 23, is repped by ICM and Variety. Lovett is repped by CAA, Variety and Shaun Frankel of McKuin Frankel Whitehead. Email: Lacey.Rose@THR.com Twitter: @LaceyVRose Related Subjects NBC Modern Family

Friday, October 21, 2011

Healthy Hollywood: Great Food Friday Veg Out Like Olivia Wilde!

First Released: October 21, 2011 1:06 PM EDT Credit: Getty Images NY., N.Y. -- Caption Olivia Wilde poses in the Rob Lauren Spring 2012 fashion show throughout Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week at Skylight Studio in NY City on September 15, 2011Olivia Wilde, Russell Brand, Natalie Portman and Hathaway As Catwoman are only a couple of of Hollywoods beautiful individuals who refuse to meat. Even former fast-food junkie Leader Bill Clinton has had on the vegan diet to become more heart healthy. Ever think about joining the veggie pact? Healthy Hollywood favors an ambitious vegetarian diet Time passes meatless most nights and also have great intentions to be a vegetarian 24/7, however i fight to resist the periodic juicy steak. I'll continue trying though! When I know, as being a vegetarian is more healthy on many fronts helping keep our physiques lean. At this time is a superb time for you to provide a plant-based diet a try! October is Vegetarian Awareness Month, a period that reminds us to give a couple of meatless foods into our day. In the end, studies do indicate a vegetarian diet has numerous advantages. Concentrating on meals which are real, whole and plant-based enables you to definitely fuel the body through the day with no unwanted effects of excess calorie and body fat consumption, highlights nutritional expert Tracy Wilczek, from the Pritikin Durability Center & Health spa in Miami. The fiber in plant-based meals helps you to satiate, as the perfect delivery and mixture of vitamins, minerals, natural sugars, water and anti-oxidants provide your body the correct fuel without over-loading the machine, adds Tracy. Rather than shocking the body by getting rid of all animal items at the same time, Tracy indicates adding more plant-based meals into foods and snacks you already eat. Choose more whole grain products to exchange refined ones (oatmeal, brown grain, wheat grains pasta, quinoa, etcstart every dinner having a salad. Remember small steps will always be simpler when attemping to change a longtime habit. Do not worry about not receiving enough protein inside a vegetarian thats a typical myth. Many people are of the opinion that protein only originates from animal sources, and for that reason want to eat it multiple occasions each day. Protein, however, can also be present in many plant-based meals in addition to beans, beans, soy items, whole grain products, as well as in lesser amounts in veggies and fruitsbut the more compact levels of protein during these meals consumed in lots of serving throughout your day accumulate, reminds Tracy! So, exactly what does an average vegetarian meal seem like? Heres an average days menu in the Pritikin Durability Center Breakfast: Oatmeal (created using soymilk or water), plenty of berries or any other fruit. Snack: A mug of lentil stew and/or bit of fruit (both choices are portable and simple after some planning). Lunch: A sizable salad created using any mixture of vegetables (green spinach, mixed vegetables, cucumbers, all kinds of peppers, shallot, tomato plants, jicama, dill, balsamic vinegar) sliced mango. Snack: No-salt-added hummus with veggie stays and/or bit of fruit or Yams Apple Salad. Dinner: To start, a starter salad starter veggie soup grilled tofu or bean dish, steamed broccoli (or any veg of preference), brown grain/baked potato or yamsOramaranthOrhammer toeOrentire wheat couscous (any cooked wholegrain) baked apple. Make sure to consume a multitude of fruits, veggies, and whole grain products but additionally beans, beans and soy items, because these are primary causes of plant-based protein meals. For small steps, have 2 days from the month vegetarian after which assess your feelings as well as your body looks. Happy greening! For additional info on vegetarian diet plans, take a look at world wide web.pritikin.com. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Corporation. All privileges reserved. These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Pic monitoring service aims to enhance forecasts

Film monitoring and research company Ipsos OTX's Worldwide Film Group will host a conference from the minds with prominent bizzers to advocate for enhanced industry research techniques. The confab will occur November. 16 in the London hotel in L.A, throughout which MPG intends to unveil a brand new monitoring product. "Research and monitoring techniques have to be up-to-date significantly to mirror the evolution of consumer behavior," stated MPG prexy Vincent Bruzzese. "Present day moviegoer has numerous options for his or her media consumption, which must be reflected inside a film's research and marketing." Confirmed visitors from the meeting include major and independent studio executives, producers as well as other marketing and research heads. Contact Andrew Stewart at andrew.stewart@variety.com

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

WME Signs Tony DiSanto & Liz Gateley

EXCLUSIVE: Former top MTV executives-turned-producers Tony DiSanto and Liz Gateley have signed with WME. DiSanto and Gateley had been without agency representation since they left the cable channel at the end of 2010 to launch DiGa, an independent production company set up as a partnership with Ben Silvermans IAC-backed Electus. At WME, DiGa will be represented by Sean Perry and Lance Klein on the unscripted side and by Ari Greenburg for scripted. DiSanto and Gateley have kept a low profile since starting DiGa in January but have quietly sold a slew of reality and scripted projects and signed number of talent development deals over the past 9 months. They continue to serve as executive producers on the MTV series Teen Wolf, which the duo developed and are also attached to the Weinstein Co.’s American Werewolf In London feature remake. At MTV, where DiSanto served as president of programming and Gateley as head of series development, the two have multiple series commitments. DiGa plans to stay independent but is open to partnering with studios on projects and is exploring new business models. In addition to TV and film, DiGa, which is based in NY City with a production/edit center in Los Angeles, is also active in the digital space.

Soulja Boy States Hes Innocent After Arrest

First Released: October 19, 2011 9:11 AM EDT Credit: Getty Images TEMPLE, Ga. -- Caption Soulja Boy attends the Wager Honours 09 nominee bulletins at Wager Galleries on May 12, 2009 in NY CityHip-hop star Soulja Boy announced his innocence because he experienced a large number of screaming fans outdoors a bail bond company following his arrest on the drug charge in Georgia. CBS Atlanta reviews the artist stated Im innocent, guy throughout the chaotic scene Tuesday as security officers rushed him right into a waiting vehicle. Soulja Boy, also called DeAndre Cortez Way, faces a drug charge after police stopped his rental vehicle in the western world Georgia capital of scotland - Temple. Temple Police Chief Tim Shaw stated police stopped the Cadillac Escalade early Tuesday just because a light wasnt working. He stated officials found marijuana inside. The rapper was launched on $10,000 bond. Copyright 2011 through the Connected Press. All privileges reserved. These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Monday, October 17, 2011

FX renews 'Sons of Anarchy'

FX has ordered a 13-episode fifth season of "Sons of Anarchy," the cabler's top-rated series in its history. Exec produced by creator Kurt Sutter with John Linson, Art Linson and Paris Barclay, "Sons" has averaged 5.8 million overall viewers (3.9 million among adults 18-49) for initial airings this season, roughly a 30% improvement over season three. Those viewer figures increase by about 50% when encore presentations of each episode are accounted for. The season-four premiere on Sept. 6 was the most-watched program in FX history with 6.5 million viewers. Seven episodes remain in the current season. "Everyone at FX is very grateful to Kurt Sutter, his many writing, directing and producing collaborators and his masterful cast for making such a compelling and beautifully crafted show," FX prexy and general manager John Landgraf said. "It is no small challenge to bring the themes of a great, ancient play like 'Hamlet' into a wholly original television setting and to tell this complex story in a way that is both riveting and accessible to a broad audience." Charlie Hunnam, Ron Perlman and Katey Sagal star in "Sons," produced by FX Prods. and Twentieth Century Fox TV's alternative production arm, Fox 21. Contact Jon Weisman at jon.weisman@variety.com

Friday, October 14, 2011

Peter Tolan Comedy About Firefighters Lands At ABC WIth Put Pilot Commitment

EXCLUSIVE: Peter Tolan is going to the firehouse. In the competitive situation, ABC has showed up Angela’s Bachelor's, a singe-camera comedy put together through the Save Me co-creator, that is occur a Boston firehouse. I hear the project, in the new the new sony Pictures TV where Tolan is within general deal, has introduced a put pilot commitment together with reasonably limited license fee. Based on John O’Reilly’s book Angelina’s Bachelor's: A Novel With Food, the tv adaptation, titled Angela’s Bachelor's, concentrates on well-educated and proper top chef Angela Bracken who, undertaking a really public embarrassment at her new restaurant in NY City, moves to Boston to start again. Carrying out a fire in their apartment, she eventually ends up being the prepare for your males in the local firehouse, raising the tastes and lives in the rough and tumble crew simply because they knock her lower a few pegs and reintroduce her to her humanity. Tolan is executive creating along with his creating partner at Fedora Entertainment Michael Wimer additionally to Robin Schorr and Jenna Glazier of RCR Pictures, that have optioned the novel. ABC is when Tolan had his last broadcast series prior to going to Foreign exchange to co-create with Denis Leary the firemen drama Save Me. That series was the underrated workplace comedy The Job, which Tolan also co-created with Leary. This really is really the fourth buy for Tolan’s company this season. He's writing/executive creating NBC’s comedy starring Sean Hayes and executive creating an FBI profiler drama composed by Josh Berman at ABC plus an adaptation in the French-Canadian comedy Ces Invincibles at Fox. Tolan, Wimer and O’Reilly’s book are repped by CAA.

'X-Men' team hired to pen 'Top Gun' sequel

Ashley Miller and Zack Stentz, who collaborated on the script for "X-Men: First Class," are in negotiations to pen the sequel to "Top Gun" for Paramount and Skydance Productions. Jerry Bruchkheimer and David Ellison are on board to produce. Paramount and Skydance declined to comment. Plot details are nil, as Miller and Stentz have yet to write a script. And no news yet on Tony Scott or Tom Cruise's invovlement, but the addition of Miller and Stentz to the mix shows that Par is serious about moving forward with the project. The team helped steer the way for "X-Men" franchise's best-received pic, which led to a solid B.O. of more than $350 million worldwide. Miller and Stentz are repped by WME. Contact Jeff Sneider at jeff.sneider@variety.com

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Oka!

A Dada Films (in U.S.) release given Needed Viewing from the Roland Films-James Bruce production. Produced by James Bruce, Lavinia Currier. Executive producer, Andrew Fierberg. Co-producer, Norbert Bogbeyate. Co-executive producer, Isaach p Bankole. Directed by Lavinia Currier. Script, Currier, Suzanne Stroh, Louis Sarno, based on Sarno's memoir, "Last Ideas Before Vanishing When confronted with the planet.InchWith: Kris Marshall, Isaach p Bankole, Mapumba, Will Yun Lee, Mbombi, Essanje, Peter Riegert. (Sango, Akka, French, British dialogue)If movies were prone to sanity tests, "Oka!" is a crazy some guy getting a 3-day beard together with a sock full of kruggerrands under his mattress bed mattress. Suggestive of Monty Python, evocative of Scots novelist William Boyd ("An Excellent Guy in Africa") in most cases disdainful of recent stereotypes and patriarchal white-colored-guy-on-the dark-region tales, Lavinia Currier's film gets the kind of freewheeling sensibility and contempt for conformity that could provide theatrical traction -- even if, when it comes to nearly anything inside the niche arena, the current climate seems particularly hostile. It may be also as hostile since the atmosphere Ray Whitman (Kris Marshall) finds themselves in. Inspired with the real-existence Louis Sarno (adapting his memoir with Currier and Suzanne Stroh), Ray is certainly an ethnomusicologist that's been recording and safeguarding the music activity in the Bayaka pygmies of Yandombe, inside the Central African Republic, which is returning where you can Nj to enhance funds. When his acerbic physician (Peter Riegert) notifies him he's dying, he decides not to watch for liver transplant and rather presses a wealthy patron to purchase another trip to Africa, so they can finish his target the Bayaka. Ray finds a " " new world " " altering in Yandombe. He's still the greatest, whitest guy around, nevertheless the Bayaka are actually acquiring a hard time within the Bantu, whose mayor, Bassoun (Isaach p Bankole), has moved the pygmies in to a smaller sized village and forbidden them from entering their sacred forest. Bassoun is wanting to promote the timber rights with a predatory Chinese businessman, Mr. Yi (Will Yun Lee). The encroachment in the modern round the ancient can be a major theme, both narratively and visually, in "Oka!" (the Bayaka word for "listen"), and upkeep is Currier's apparent message here. But Ray is really a lesser deliverer when compared to a stand-looking for everyone else he towers comically inside the pygmies, who all make affectionate fun of him. Probably the most mischievous residents is Sataka (Mapumba), the tribe's great hunter, who, along with his wife, Ekadi (Essanje), went in to the jungle to leave the capricious rule of law. What's refreshing about "Oka!" is its aversion to the kind of cliches the Bayaka people exhibit as much self-interest as anybody, they'll use Ray for individuals he's worth, and they have their decidedly craven side. Sataka's daughter, Makombe (Mbombi), on whom Ray evolves a crush, plays him as being a sea food. Still, the Bayaka will be the sufferers here: Bassoun desires to frame Sataka with an elephant killing and accuse the pygmies of poaching, which will enable him to move the Bayaka permanently out, and Mr. Yi in. While Ray can be a hero, he's only one of several, similar to the film is simply partly a farcical dramedy about endangered people. It's also a personality film, the wildlife in the Central African Republic playing a prominent role inside the visual storytelling, and Currier eschews the lions and tigers and bears for much more hideous and fascinating kinds of African wildlife. But the majority of the species seen in "Oka!" get a completely new exceeding, including homo sapiens. Production values are often good, d.p. Conrad W. Hall's work exceptional in using the level of smoothness of Africa.Camera (color), Conrad W. Hall editors, Kristina Boden, Nic Gaster music, Chris Berry, the background music artists of Yandombe production designer, Alexandre Vivet costume designer, Delphi Squires appear (Dolby Digital), David Monacchi line producer, Jean Aubert p Tregomain casting, Lisa Hamil. Examined on DVD, NY, March. 11, 2011. (This Season Telluride Film Festival.) Running time: 106 MIN. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Billy Bob Thornton's Daughter Sentenced to two decades jail time

Amanda Brumfield, the estranged daughter of actor Billy Bob Thornton, was sentenced to two decades jail time Thursday on her behalf role inside the dying of her one-year-old goddaughter in 2008. Brumfield was billed of inflammed wrongful dying in May. She is discovered not liable of first-degree murder and inflammed child abuse. Brumfield's lawyers the kid died after diminishing from the playpen, claims prosecutors undoubtedly died due to the injuries sustained by toddler. [via TheWrap] [Photo courtesy: Getty] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

'Real Steel' prone to K.O. box office

'Real Steel''The Ides of March'DreamWorks' rock Them sock Them robot pic "Real Steel" won't have trouble knocking out its competition within the weekend's domestic B.O. -- exactly how hard it'll hit is tough to calculate, however.The consensus seems to put the film round the mid-$20 millions, while fellow wide opener, Sony's George Clooney political drama "The Ides of March," is predicted to vary from $ten million and $14 million."Real Steel," which Disney launches today at 3,440 locations, including 270 in Imax, is monitoring best with families and fans, two of the very difficult demos to pigeonhole. Photos specific to fans have observed a malaise available on the market lately (consider photos like "Fright Evening" and "Conan the Barbarian"). Family turnout, meanwhile, is infamously difficult to predict, since tykes aren't taken care of for by monitoring services.With "The Lion King" in 3d and "Dolphin Tale" undertaking very well, "Real Steel" may require the market's family momentum.Warner Bros.' "Dolphin Tale" elevated to No. 1 last weekend, throughout which "Lion King" dropped 52% within the third outing -- a enjoyable-enough hold, considering Disney marketed the re-release just like a two-week engagement. "Dolphin Tale" has cumed almost $40 million in your area "Lion King," $81 million.Overseas, "Real Steel" could manage an upset over "The Smurfs."The film launches day-and-date in roughly 24% in the worldwide market, including Australia, Mexico, Russia and Taiwan. "Smurfs," which has won overseas B.O. for eight straight days (last weekend it collected $10.7 million), narrowly beat "Abduction's" $10.millions of weekend gross.Limited Stateside releases include Emilio Estevez's Martin Sheen starrer "The Means By Which,Inch from Producers Distribution Agency, at 33 locations, while IFC's horror follow-up "Human Centipede 2: Full Sequence" opens at 18 playdates as well as the Weinstein Co.'s eighties-set Juno Temple starrer "Dirty Girl" at nine.With "Real Steel," Friday evening tests will inform them about, since fans are often first-responders and may gauge how well the film plays compared to that demo overall. Disney isn't as concerned about your family aud reaction, since the studio examined the pic extensively, with families rating the film best."Real Steel" includes a relatively modest cost of $110 million after tax savings, particularly for any effects-heavy tentpole.Clooney's "Ides of March," meanwhile, was fully funded by Mix Creek Pictures for just about any reported $12.5 million. The brand new the new sony acquired U.S. rights for the film last November. Set within a presidential primary, with Ryan Gosling since the campaign manager to Clooney's candidate, pic should attract mostly over-25 audiences. Appeal for stars, including Evan Rachel Wood, could attract more youthful moviegoers.The brand new the new sony is using just like a comp Clooney's "Michael Clayton," which acquired $10.4 million throughout its first weekend in wide release in 2007. That film made $49 million in your area. Contact Andrew Stewart at andrew.stewart@variety.com

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Xbox 360 lines up programming providers

The key element of the design will be the incorporation of Microsoft's Bing search engine that will locate content using Kinect's voice and motion controls.Microsoft has lined up nearly 40 new cable and satellite providers, and individual channels to stream live TV and VOD programming through its Xbox 360 videogame console in 20 countries. As expected, Comcast's Xfinity TV, Verizon's FiOS TV, Epix, HBO, Bravo and Syfy are among them ( Daily Variety , Oct. 3), but the U.K.'s BBC, Canada's Rogers On Demand, Telefonica in Spain, Televisa in Mexico, ZDF in Germany, and MediaSet in Italy will also join Xbox Live's lineup of content partners sometime this fall. In addition, Best Buy's CinemaNow will offer up films alongside Netflix, while online entertainment and news sites AlloCin, Sony's Crackle, Dailymotion, iHeartRadio, MSNBC, NBC's "The Today Show," and TMZ will appear on Xbox Live. The integration of YouTube, Vevo and fights from UFC had already been announced at the E3 videogame confab in May. All will offer streams through apps that each company will launch and manage. In most cases, the apps will mirror each company's mobile apps like HBO Go. But the apps will also be a way for channels or speciifc shows to offer up more video or original programming like web series it doesn't have time to air on TV. "By having their own, (content owners) will have the ability to push programming out directly to the consumer," Blair Westlake, corporate VP of the Media & Entertainment Group for Microsoft, told Daily Variety . "They'll be able to tailor the app to the content they produce." Microsoft has yet to disclose an exact date of when the partners will begin appearing on the console, but they will rollout as a relaunch of the interface currently used to control the Xbox Live service, which is being redesigned to better integrate more programming options. The key element of the design will be the incorporation of Microsoft's Bing search engine that will locate content using Kinect's voice and motion controls. Microsoft has sold 10 million Kinect sensors worldwide. Given the sheer number of apps that will appear on Xbox Live, Microsoft is relying on Bing as the way to cut through the clutter of content. A search for a title, for example, will identify all content providers that carry it and various forms -- sequels, videogames, soundtracks -- that may relate. "For many years, we've been talking about 500 TV channels; now we are approaching more than 500 apps," Westlake said. "That's where search will come hugely into play. The ability to find what you're looking for will be key." As viewership of videos on the Xbox 360 has tripled over the past year, Microsoft is eager to up the number of content deals it has for Xbox Live as it looks to turn the console into an all-in-one set-top box that can access all forms of entertainment, not just games. And by adding their services to consoles like the Xbox 360, TV providers believe they can put programming back in front of gamers by turning to the device they're already using rather than hoping they switch to other set-top boxes. Microsoft has sold 55 million Xbox 360s. Xbox Live has 35 million members who pay to access content, versus Comcast's 22.5 million and Verizon's 3.8 million for FiOS TV. "Today's announcement is a major step toward realizing our vision to bring you all the entertainment you want, shared with the people you care about, made easy," said Don Mattrick, president of the Interactive Entertainment Business at Microsoft. "Combining the world's leading TV and entertainment providers with the power of Kinect for Xbox 360 and the intelligence of Bing voice search will make TV and entertainment more personal, social and effortless." The new partners join AT&T's U-verse, Netflix, ESPN 3 and Hulu Plus, in the U.S., Telus in Canada, BSkyB in the U.K., Canal Plus in France, Vodafone Portugal, VimpelCom in Russia, and Foxtel in Australia, which already offered streaming video through Xbox Live in their territories. Through Verizon's FiOS TV, Xbox Live will offer up 26 live TV channels, including MTV, Spike, Food Network, Comedy Central, HBO, CNN and Nickelodeon. In order to use the services, Xbox Live users must prove they are subscribers to the cablers or satcasters, or in Bravo or Syfy's case, confirm that they are paying cable or satellite customers. Full List of Partners and Territories: Australia: ABC iView, Crackle. Foxtel, SBS On Demand Canada: Astral Media's Disney XD, Crackle, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment/Real Sports, Netflix, Rogers On Demand Online, TELUS, UFC, Vevo France: AlloCin, Canal Plus, Germany: AlloCin, LoveFilm, MUZU.TV, ZDF Italy: MediaSet, MUZU.TV Japan: Hulu Mexico: Televisa Portugal: Vodafone Portugal Russia: VimpelCom Spain: AlloCin, Antena 3, Canal Plus, GolTV, MUZU.TV, RTVE, Telefonica U.K.: AlloCin, BBC, blinkbox, BSkyB, Channel 4, Channel 5, Crackle, Last.fm, LoveFilm, MUZU.TV, Vevo, U.S.: AT&T U-Verse, Bravo, CinemaNow, Comcast's Xfinity TV, Crackle, Epix, ESPN 3, HBO Go, Hulu Plus, iHeartRadio, Last.fm, Manga Entertainment, Netflix, Syfy, "The Today Show," TMZ, UFC, Verizon's FiOS TV, Vevo, Facebook, MSNBC, Twitter, YouTube, Zune are available in tens of markets. Contact Marc Graser at marc.graser@variety.com

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Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Canceling 'Playboy Club' No Surprise, No Triumph of Activism

NBCDon Draper called. He says you're fired. Outside of the fact that NBC made the announcement when everybody else was waiting to find out about the new iPhone, nothing about the cancellation of The Playboy Club should come as a surprise. PHOTOS: PTC vs. TV: 10 Television Show Controversies It was the first freshman series to get the axe (and I had that covered nicely with 5-1 odds on my story about series likely to get canceled). Here are a few reasons why you couldn't call this unexpected: 1. It was bad show, period. The writing was weak, the acting spotty and the sexism too ridiculous and obvious to comment on more than once. 2. Nobody was watching it. It had no buzz tune-in numbers and sank in each successive airing, finishing with 3.4 million viewers on its third and final episode. Those are cable numbers -- and not especially impressive cable numbers. The cost of filming The Playboy Club was too expensive to support that kind of tanking. PHOTOS: 10 TV Shows Canceled Faster Than 'The Playboy Club' 3. While the Parents Television Council may feel some vindication in NBC pulling the plug, this cancelation wasn't about boycotts. It was about owning up to the obvious. America did not care for a Mad Men-esque retro series about a lifestyle and brand more dated than any nostalgia could prop up. One would hope that the reason viewers tuned out in droves after sampling it was because it had none of the attributes of a high-quality drama like Mad Men. NBC simply misjudged the appeal of a show like that, despite mountains of evidence from Mad Men that being brilliant doesn't also mean dominating the Nielsens. Nobody bought into NBC's big tent approach to nostalgia, so the Bunnies are no more. NBC did give full season pick-ups to the sitcoms Up All Night and Whitney (that latter decision makes a mockery of my 8-1 odds on its cancellation, but then again NBC doesn't have a whole lot of bench depth, especially with more cutting to come). Unsaid in that NBC renewal announcement -- "We're probably gonna kill Free Agents next." That series is doing even worse than Playboy Club in the ratings. PHOTOS: Fall TV Death Pool: Will 'Charlie's Angels,' 'Whitney' or 'How to Be a Gentleman' Be Axed First? None of this was unexpected, mind you. NBC has a long way to go before exiting the cellar. It has too many holes to patch successfully. The network is likely to plug the Bunny hole with repeats of Prime Suspect, a series that has its own ratings woes, then slot Brian Williams' newsmagazine, the woefully named Rock Center, in the time slot starting Oct. 31. There's no telling if the country is willing to be sold yet another newsmagazine promising to be different and Rock Center has its work cut out for it, battling popular dramas Hawaii Five-O on CBS and Castle on ABC. Speaking of ABC, the network is now on the clock regarding the crash-and-burn that is Charlie's Angels. If it hurries, it can piggyback the cancelation announcement with NBC's for Free Agents, thus minimizing the PR damage. In any case, now that series have had two or three airings, things are about to get awfully ugly. Email: Tim.Goodman@THR.com NBC Fall TV Preview

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Monday, October 3, 2011

Bryan Lourd joins board of LACMA

Lourd CAA partner and managing director Bryan Lourd has been elected to the board of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.Also joining the LACMA board are Mark Attanasio, founder and managing director of Crescent Capital Corp. and principal owner of the Milwaukee Brewers; and Lyn Davis, activist, philanthropist and co-founder of Enviromental Media Assn.Lourd's election to the board is another sign that LACMA is trying to recruit more heavyweights from the showbiz community.Other bizzers on the LACMA board include producer Brian Grazer and Sony Pictures chairman-CEO Michael Lynton. Contact Justin Kroll at justin.kroll@variety.com

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Evangeline Lilly Drops Hobbit Hints, Inspires Nerd Boners While Speaking Elvish

At last night’s premiere of Real Steel, co-star Evangeline Lilly — fresh from shooting The Hobbit in New Zealand, ZOMG — caught up with Access Hollywood for an unusually geeky Access Hollywood chat, during which she dropped a few lines in Elvish. So hot, right LOTRers? See if you can devise plot hints from the Elf-speak dialogue she trilled, after the jump. Something something “Come now!” And something something “The cells are empty!” Good luck figuring it all out, Middle Earthers. My favorite moment comes at the beginning of the chat when Lilly drops some real talk, admitting that with all of the prep crews helping her on set she has no excuse for messing up her Hobbit performance as Tauriel, a woodland elf. If only all actors were so self-aware! And then, the ultimate question: “Are you scared of the fans of this?” Because you should be! My preeeee-cious… Oh wait, my bad. The question was, “Are you scared of the fans of this… because they are such rabid fans?” Same difference, I guess. And Evangeline is rightfully scared. “My character is actually not in [J.R.R. Tolkien’s novel] The Hobbit,” she explains. “My character is an invention of Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Phillippa Boyd, so either fans are going to love her or absolutely despise and be bitter towards her because she’s not authentic.” Aaaaand then Access Hollywood’s on-air interviewer brings it back to LOST, offering the theory that fans of the television series are also huge Tolkien nerds and therefore will forgive Lilly for perverting the legacy of their literary icon. Hmm. Sure? Evangeline Lilly Dishes On Filming ‘The Hobbit’ [Access Hollywood]

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'Arrested Development's' Return: What the Fans Are Saying

News that Arrested Development creator Mitch Hurwitz was planning a "mini-season" of his beloved show, to be followed by a feature film, sent fans running to their mobile devices to spread the word through Twitter.our editor recommends'Arrested Development' Stars Confirm Plans for Show's TV Return'Arrested Development:' 5 Things to Know About the Series' Potential Return Some were ecstatic; others were more reserved. And still others used the news to root for for the return of other beloved-but-canceled TV shows. Actor Joshua Malina "The cast of Sports Night and I are happy to confirm that Arrested Development is coming back for one more season and a feature film!" Cabbie Richards of TSN's Sportscentre "EXCITED that Arrested Development is returning to TV! Movie in the works too. Tobias Funke = my favourite character. Who's your fave?" PHOTOS: Best and Worst TV Dads: 'Modern Family,' 'The Simpsons,' 'Shameless' Questo of The Roots "best news ever to wake up to: Arrested Developement to return on air AND movie!!!!!" PhD student DA Banks "Murdoch is releasing more Arrested Development because he knows it is one of the few distractions that might stop people from #occupywallst" "Great White Snark" Gary W. "Arrested Development back next fall, giving people one more chance to ignore it on broadcast and "discover it" on DVD" PHOTOS: Fall TV's 12 Most Anticipated Shows Robb Hohmann "Shut up about friggin' Arrested Development and get off of my lawn." Tom Erickson, former press flack for Tim Pawlenty "I really hope the Arrested Development team doesn't pull a George Lucas and ruin one of the best shows ever created." Joss Whedon fan (Twitter motto: In Joss we trust) Amrit Atwal "If Fox can bring back Arrested Development, it can fricking bring back Firefly. Corporate mules." St. Louis podcaster Louis Kwok "Any excitement I have for the return of Arrested Development is tempered by remembering how often I actually watch Futurama currently." Austin pop culture aficianado Demi Adejuyigbe "If Arrested Development comes back on Showtime, I will buy a Showtime subscription and cancel it the exact second the show is off the air." Related Topics

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TV Globo leads Intl. Emmy noms

CANNES -- Brazil's TV Globo topped the number of noms for the 39th International Emmy Awards, as it did last year. The nominations, which spanned a record 20 countries, were unveiled by the Intl. Academy of Television Arts and Sciences at Cannes' Mipcom TV mart, which kicked off Monday. "The International Emmy Awards is a tough competition with over 1,000 entries from 61 countries this year," said Bruce L. Paisner, prexy and CEO of the Intl. Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. "The number and range of countries represented by this year's nominees is astonishing and a testament to the growing strength and skill of television production around the world."TV Globo will compete for arts performance, with "All My Life: Adoniran Barbosa"; performance, with Fabio Assuncao ("Songs of Betrayal"); comedy, with "Breaking Up"; and drama, with "Under the Law."Canal Plus' "Spiral," BBC's "Sherlock" and the NHK's "Clouds Above the Slope" will also vie for best drama. The leading thesps from Yellow Birds' "Millennium" trilogy, Michael Nyqvist and Noomi Rapace, nabbed performance nods. The docu category boasts Turner Argentina's "Confesiones de un Sicario," Canada's JS Kastner Producions' "Life With Murder," Japan's Fuji Television Network's "The Nonfiction: Family Meeting -- 7 Years in the Tanaka Family"; and Germany's "Wild Japan," produced by Studio Hamburg DocLights Naturfilm, which has been pre-bought by ORF, Arte, National Geographic and Parthenon Entertainment. Winners will be announced at a ceremony on Nov. 21 at the Hilton Hotel in NY. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

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