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Jimmy Fallon Repurposes Dave Letterman’s Top-10 List
3 hours ago
“I love that guy,” Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon effused tonight of David Letterman — one night after Letterman announced he would retire next year. “It’s hard to imagine late-night TV without him, ’cause he revolutionized it. He made it what it is today. And, after I heard the news, I kind of started thinking about reasons why Letterman is retiring. … If you want, I could just read my Top 10.” Top 10 Reasons Letterman Is Retiring: 10. Wants to quit while he’s still able to compete on Dancing With The Stars 9. Made millions selling crack to Rob Ford 8. Time slot was getting too “Jimmyesque” 7. He’s not retiring — he’s “consciously unhosting” 6. Stop! Hammock time! (“Well, some of them aren’t going to be great, guys,” Fallon said when audience reacted to that one with deafening silence.) 5. Hillary/Letterman 2016! 4: After 31 years, finally got through to the Obamacare website 3. One word: »
- LISA DE MORAES, TV Columnist
Fox Eyes Reality Show About Struggling Couples Who Switch Partners For Weekend
6 hours ago
Exclusive: Is Fox heading back to Temptation Island? I hear that the network is in talks for a pilot order to Couples Retreat, a new reality project that would put couples to the test. Unlike Fox’s controversial Temptation Island, which was trying to break couples whose relationship was not strong enough, Couples Retreat aims at helping couples whose relationships are struggling using an unconventional method: “each agree to go on a fantasy weekend with the opposite-gender partner of a similarly matched couple.” The provocative concept, which likely will draw swinging-couple references, is sure to raise eyebrows. The project, which is now casting, comes from Red Arrow-backed Kinetic Content, run by Chris Coelen, who previously worked on ABC’s Wife Swap. Related: John De Mol’s Social Experiment Series ‘Utopia’ Lands At Fox Under new Fox alternative president Simon Andreae, the network has been pushing the envelope with provocative social-experiment »
- NELLIE ANDREEVA
Deadline Big Media 79 – The Amazon Streaming Box Podcast
8 hours ago
In this week’s podcast, Deadline’s executive editor David Lieberman and host David Bloom wrap up the latest in the big Aereo case before the U.S. Supreme Court later this month, including briefs from an unexpected collection of supporters and financial backer Barry Diller’s comments on the TV service’s future if it loses. The two Davids also weigh Amazon’s rather tardy arrival as a purveyor of video-streaming devices with this week’s launch of the Amazon Fire TV; the Tribune Co.’s evolution as its digital wing buys one TV-oriented data company and relaunches another; and Discovery’s latest in a flurry of deals, as it launches a digital studio in partnership with two big-name Hollywood veterans, Ron Howard and Brian Grazer. Listen to the podcast in your choice of audio formats here: Deadline Big Media podcast 79 (.MP3 version) Deadline Big Media podcast 79 (.M4A »
- DAVID LIEBERMAN, Financial Editor
‘How I Met Your Mother’ Fans To Get Their Happy Ending? Series’ DVD Set To Include Alternate Ending To Series Finale
9 hours ago
Exclusive: Four days after the How I Met Your Mother series finale, fans of the show are still reeling from the controversial ending that saw the mother die, Robin and Barney divorce and Ted end up with Robin, leaving viewers stunned. Reaction has been overwhelming, with the Himym finale dividing fans and instantly becoming one of the most debated series closers ever, with fans starting a petition to have the ending changed. They may get their wish. Related: Quiet Groundbreaker: How ‘Himym’ Pushed The Sitcom Form I have learned that the controversial sequence was not the only conclusion the Himym writers considered. I hear creators Carter Bays and Craig Thomas also contemplated an alternate ending, which will be included in Himym‘s upcoming DVD set. I hear the alternate ending does not involve additional footage but rather a different editing of the episode. Himym producers and studio 20th Century Fox »
- NELLIE ANDREEVA
David Letterman Talks About Phoning Les Moonves And The Real Reason He’s Quitting: Video
10 hours ago
After yesterday’s face-slap announcement that he will retire next year, David Letterman told his Late Show audience tonight, “A year from now, I’ll be on a beach with a metal detector.” He also mentioned getting an unexpected response when he called CBS chief Leslie Moonves to tell him the news. And as for Letterman’s longtime makeup person — well, have a look for yourself: Related: Who Will Inherit David Letterman’s Late-Night Seat? David Letterman Through The Years: Video La Mayor Urges CBS To Bring Letterman Successor’s Show To West Coast »
- THE DEADLINE TEAM
Q&A: Producer Colin Callender On His Next Chapter, Converging Theater, Film & Television And Taking On Harry Potter
11 hours ago
Colin Callender‘s first producing effort, a nine-hour TV adaptation of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s stage production of The Life And Adventures Of Nicholas Nickleby launched UK’s Channel 4 and won him his first Emmy in 1983. After a stint as an independent producer in his native Britain, Callender joined HBO where he shepherded films and miniseries like Angels In America, John Adams, Maria Full Of Grace and American Splendor to the tune of 104 Emmy Awards, 29 Golden Globes, 3 Oscars, and top awards at the Sundance Film Festival. Since leaving HBO in 2008, he has kept a low profile. Having started his career in theater, as stage manager at London’s Royal Court Theatre, Callender returned to his roots and built a theater slate during a break from television because of a three-year non-compete with HBO. His first play ever as a producer was Nora Ephron‘s Lucky Guy starring Tom Hanks, »
- NELLIE ANDREEVA
Media Stocks Pulled Down As Investors Unload Tech Holdings
11 hours ago
The tech-heavy Nasdaq fell 2.6% today, apparently reflecting fears that many companies — after soaring in 2013 — will report disappointing info on Q1 sales. The concern has been building: Netflix, for example, is down 25.7% over the past month. But it seemed to spread today, and soured the rest of the market with the Standard & Poor’s 500 -1.3% and the Dow Jones U.S. Media Index -1.7%. Viacom, down 2.8%, was the hardest hit Big Media company followed by Fox (-2.6%), Comcast (-1.8%), CBS (-1.7%), Disney (-1.5%), Discovery (-0.8%), Time Warner (-0.4%), and Sony (-0.3%). News Corp was the only gainer in the group, rising 0.1%. In the broader media universe, Barnes & Noble fell 5.4% — for an 18% drop in the two days since Liberty Media said it will sell 90% of its holdings in the book retailer. Tech-oriented media companies followed including Netflix (-4.9%), Pandora (-4.9%), Google (-4.7%), Facebook (-4.6%), Yahoo (-4.2%), RealD (-4%), and Amazon (-3.2%). Only a few media stocks appreciated. »
- DAVID LIEBERMAN, Financial Editor
NBC News Unveils New Guest Booking Unit
11 hours ago
NBC News chief Deborah Turness today officially announced that streamlined booking has come to the division. NBC has been working for months to streamline guest booking across its various programs — news and entertainment. Here’s Turness’ memo about the new unit: Dear All, Being the home of newsmakers and exclusives is a top priority for NBC News, and given that we live in an increasingly competitive environment, it is crucial that we leverage our scale and mount a highly coordinated effort to get the big prizes. Therefore I am pleased to announce our new approach to guest booking: Starting next week, the bookers across the division will form one collaborative booking unit led by Matt Zimmerman. As Vice President of Booking, reporting to me, Matt will coordinate all booking across NBC News, leveraging the many assets of the News division as well as the larger offerings of NBCUniversal. In this new role, »
- THE DEADLINE TEAM
Les Moonves Gets Another Post-Letterman ‘Late Show’ Location Letter, NYC Pol Wants Show To Stay In Big Apple
11 hours ago
Looks like David Letterman‘s recently announced upcoming retirement is turning into an East Coast and West Coast battle royale. Yesterday La Mayor Eric Garcetti moved fast and made the first move. The SAG-aftra card carrying Mayor sent a letter to CBS boss Les Moonves asking him to bring the successor show to Letterman’s Late Show to the City of Angels. The note was part of Garcetti’s pledge to do everything he can to increase TV and Film work in La amidst runaway production. It wasn’t quite Mayor-to-Mayor but today NYC City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito reached out to Moonves to make sure CBS keeps its 11:30 Pm late night show in the Big Apple. (see the letter below) Related: L.A. Mayor, Production Alliance Cheer New Film/TV Tax Credit Legislation Watch David Letterman Announce His Retirement David Letterman Through The Years: Video Like Garcetti, Mark-Viverito »
- DOMINIC PATTEN
‘12 Monkeys’ Picked Up To Series At Syfy
12 hours ago
Syfy has given a series order to 12 Monkeys, a drama based on the 1995 Universal Pictures film directed by Terry Gilliam. The project, written/co-executive produced by Terry Matalas & Travis Fickett (Nikita) has received a 12-episode order for a January 2015 premiere. 12 Monkeys was one of two pilots most recently ordered by Syfy. The other, Bryan Fuller’s High Moon, is not going forward. 12 Monkeys, from Universal Cable Prods. and Atlas Entertainment, producer of the movie, follows the journey of a time traveler (Aaron Stanford) from the post-apocalyptic future who appears in present day on a mission to locate and eradicate the source of a deadly plague that will eventually decimate the human race. Amanda Schull, Noah Bean and Kirk Acevedo also star. Natalie Chaidez (V) serves as showrunner and executive produces alongside Atlas Entertainment’s Charles Roven and Richard Suckle. Jeffrey Reiner directed and executive produced the pilot. “12 Monkeys is a »
- NELLIE ANDREEVA
Time Warner Cable, DirecTV In Stalemate Over Dodgers Channel
12 hours ago
DirecTV subscribers apparently will not be watching any Dodgers games in the near future. Talks have broken down with the satellite TV provider and Time Warner Cable, which handles distribution of the Mlb team’s new SportsNet La channel, according to TWC. Maureen Huff, Time Warner Cable vice president of public relations, told Deadline, “We can confirm that DirecTV has left the negotiating table. We were advised by their negotiating team that they would not counter our last proposal and that conversations were at an end. We are eager for all consumers in the Dodgers footprint to have access to Snla and we hope that other providers will come on board quickly so that the frustrated DirecTV consumers have alternative options throughout the region. We will continue to work tirelessly to make that happen. And, in the event that DirecTV would like to re-engage discussions, we stand at the ready »
- THE DEADLINE TEAM
New York Gov. Cuomo Makes Top-10 List For Retiring David Letterman
12 hours ago
New York’s Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who came under fire for that hefty tax incentive the state gave NBC to bring the Tonight show back to Manhattan — handing over free money to NBC-parent Comcast, critics called it — this morning issued an official: Governor Cuomo’S Top Ten List Of Reasons Why David Letterman Is A New York Legend 10. He has spent more time in the Ed Sullivan Theatre than Ed Sullivan and the Beatles combined. 9. He has made more than 4,500 top ten lists. 8. He continued the Ed Sullivan Theatre’s legacy as a true New York icon by taping more than 4,000 shows at this world-renowned landmark. 7. He helped New York heal by being the first late night talk show host to come back on the air after September 11, 2001. 6. He contributed to keeping New Yorkers working by giving Paul Shaffer a steady job. 5. His shows have been nominated for more than 100 Emmy Awards. »
- THE DEADLINE TEAM
ABC Tweaks Summer Schedule, Slots ‘Sing Your Face Off’ On Saturday
12 hours ago
Following the decision to push limited drama series Astronaut Wives Club to midseason, ABC is reshuffling its summer schedule, which was to feature Awc in the Thursday 9 Pm slot starting July 24. Rookie Blue, originally slated to premiere on July 17 and air in the Thursday 10 Pm slot, paired with Awc, will now slide to 9 Pm and start its season a month earlier, on June 19. (Despite the early start, ABC does not plan to expand the cop drama’s fifth season beyond the previously agreed upon 11 episodes of the 22 produced.) New alternative series The Quest will keep its Thursday 8 Pm slot but its premiere is being pushed back by two weeks, from July 19 to July 31, with Wife Swap airing in the 8 Pm hour on July 19 and 26. There is no replacement yet for Rookie Blue in the Thursday 10 Pm slot in late summer. Additionally, ABC has finally scheduled reality series Sing Your Face »
- NELLIE ANDREEVA
Rob McElhenney, Glenn Howerton & Charlie Day Ink Big New 3-Year Deal With FX Prods. That Includes 2-Year Renewal Of ‘It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia’, Series Pickup Of Tracy Morgan Comedy, Pilot & Script Orders
14 hours ago
It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia masterminds Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day and Glenn Howerton have cemented their status as FX‘s MVPs with a massive new three-year deal at FX Prods for their Rcg Prods. It is said to surpass the trio’s previous $50-million three-year deal with FX, signed in 2011. Like that deal, the new agreement, which will keep the trio at FX until 2017, includes a two-year renewal of Sunny In Philadelphia, which has received 10-episode orders for Season 11 and 12, to not only solidify its status the longest-running live-action comedy series in cable history but also tie My Three Sons for the second-longest-running live-action comedy in television history. Last year, FX flagship comedy series It’s Always Sunny successfully migrated to Fxx, helping to launch the new comedy-focused channel and become its cornerstone program. The upcoming 10th season of Sunny will not launch in the fall as previous ones »
- NELLIE ANDREEVA
Jb Smoove’s Converge Media Inks First-Look Deal With Storyville
14 hours ago
Converge Media Group, the management, production and branded entertainment company founded last year by actor/writer/comedian Jb Smoove, Rick Dorfman, Conan Smith and Adam Benowitz, has signed a first-look reality TV deal with newly launched Storyville Entertainment. This is the first co-production deal for both companies and will give Storyville access to develop and produce unscripted and branded opportunities for Converge’s comedic clientele. That list includes Smoove, Rich Vos, Lynne Koplitz, Pete Dominic, Chris Distefano, Carly Aquillino as well as producers Ryan Ling (Guy Code, Girl Code) and P.J. Morrison (Impractical Jokers, Restaurant Stakeout), and writers such as Frank Santopadre (The Joy Behar Show, The View). Storyville’s Betsy Schechter and Converge’s Smoove, Dorfman, Smith and Benowitz will serve as executive producers for all sales. Since its launch last year Converge has produced Four Courses With Jb Smoove and utilized their talent in marketing campaigns for Pepsi, »
- THE DEADLINE TEAM
Chernin Group’s Billy Parks Joins Astronauts Wanted As Cco
14 hours ago
Astronauts Wanted, No Experience Necessary, the joint venture between Judy McGrath and Sony Music Entertainment, has tapped Billy Parks as chief content officer. Parks is moving to Astronauts Wanted from The Chernin Group where has served as Evp Digital Production and Programming, it was announced today. At Astronauts, he will be responsible for developing and producing series and branded content aimed at young, social-savvy consumers. “Billy’s talent as a creative storyteller is perfect for Astronauts Wanted as we look to engage young people in bold new ways,” said McGrath. “He has a unique understanding of today’s young adults and how they consume, create and share content. Engaging this generation of content creators is our mission. Billy will team with Nick Shore, our Chief Creative Strategist, to develop content with and for the new wave of social media stars.” During his tenure at Tcg, Parks co-created and served as Executive Producer of @Summerbreak, »
- THE DEADLINE TEAM
Fxx Orders Tracy Morgan Comedy Series
15 hours ago
I hear Fxx has given a straight-to-series order to a comedy series starring Tracy Morgan, from Rcg Prods., the production company of It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia‘s Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day and Glenn Howerton, and Sunny writer Luvh Rakhe. This is a brand new concept unrelated to Death Pact, the comedy pilot FX recently produced, from writer-creators Rob Long and Tad Safran, which starred Morgan as a formerly lazy, pot-dealing assistant high school coach who returns to his hometown as a decorated war hero. I hear FX approached McElhenney, Day and Howerton about working with Morgan in January, with the discussions resulting into the new series. »
- NELLIE ANDREEVA
‘Homeland’ Season 4 To Film In South Africa, Will Be Set In Middle East
15 hours ago
After three seasons in Charlotte, Nc, Showtime drama Homeland is leaving the Us to film its fourth season in Cape Town, South Africa. The end of Season 3 found Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes) taking a job as a station chief in Istanbul. Showtime wouldn’t specify where exactly Mathison would work as the new season is still being mapped out, only saying that she is being “assigned to one of the most volatile and dangerous CIA stations in the Middle East where she is back on the front lines in the war on terror.” At TCA in January, Showtime president David Nevins already shed light on the setup for Season 4 with Mathison in the field overseas. “Homeland is a show that is deeply about a field operative (Carrie), and we haven’t seen her much in the field,” he said. “In Season 4 you will likely see her on the ground in »
- NELLIE ANDREEVA
Ratings Rat Race: ‘Wonderland’ Finale Down, ‘The Millers’ Surges, ‘Surviving Jack’ Slips & ‘Community’ Hits Series Low
15 hours ago
David Letterman’s announcement yesterday of his retirement was the big news in TV and certainly the end of an era for late night. However, in primetime, there was another end. Officially cancelled last week by ABC, limited run Once Upon A Time In Wonderland (0.9/3) wrapped its first and only season last night. Having debuted on October 10 last year with 1.7 rating among adults 18-49 and soon dipping below a 1.0, the fantasy drama spinoff of Once Upon A Time was down 10% from its result of last week. The rest of ABC’s night with dramas Grey’s Anatomy (2.6/7) and the ever intrigue-filled Scandal (2.8.9) saw the Shonda Rhimes-produced shows even and down 10% respectively from last week. That’s a season low tie for Scandal. Related: David Letterman Tops Ratings With Retirement Announcement After two weeks of the 2014 Ncaa Men’s Basketball Tournament taking over CBS’ Thursday primetime, the comedies and Elementary were back. »
- DOMINIC PATTEN
Food Network Taps Deirdre O’Hearn As Svp Programming & Development
16 hours ago
Deirdre O’Hearn moves to Food Network from We tv, where she served as VP Development & Talent. In her new role as Svp Programming and Development for Food Network and Cooking Channel, O’Hearn will oversee the programming team, lead development strategy for current daytime and primetime programming as well as manage relationships with outside production partners. The appointment was announced today by Bob Tuschman, General Manager and Svp, Food Network. At We tv, O’Hearn helped develp many of the networks most popular series, including Mary Mary, Swv: Reunited, Kendra On Top, La Hair and Marriage Boot Camp. Earlier in her career, she spent 16 years at A&E Television Networks, most recently as VP of Non-Fiction & Alternative Programming. »
- THE DEADLINE TEAM
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