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Matt LeBlanc to Join ‘Top Gear’ as Host
4 hours ago
London — Former “Friends” star Matt LeBlanc has been revealed as one of the new presenters of BBC motoring show “Top Gear.” LeBlanc’s appointment marks the first time the show has ever had a non-British host in its 39-year history.
He joins lead presenter Chris Evans on the revamped show, which is expected to return to TV screens in May.
LeBlanc commented: “As a car nut and a massive fan of ‘Top Gear,’ I’m honored and excited to be a part of this iconic show’s new chapter.”
Evans said of his new ‘Top Gear’ presenter: “Matt’s a lifelong fellow petrolhead and I’m thrilled he’s joining ‘Top Gear.’ Acting out our craziest car notions on screen is a dream job and I know we’ll both be debating some epic road trip ideas. We can’t wait to share what we’ve been up to on screen later this year. »
- Leo Barraclough
WikiLeaks’ Julian Assange to Surrender if Un Denies Appeal
7 hours ago
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will surrender to British authorities on Friday if the Un rules against him.
In a statement on the WikiLeaks Twitter feed, Assange said he would “accept arrest” and leave the Ecuadorian embassy in London where he’s lived since 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he currently faces charges of sexual assault.
“Should the Un announce tomorrow that I have lost my case against the United Kingdom and Sweden, I shall exit the embassy at noon on Friday to accept arrest by British police, as there is no meaningful prospect of further appeal,” he said.
“However, should I prevail and the state parties be found to have acted unlawfully, I expect the immediate return of my passport and the termination of further attempts to arrest me.”
Assange and his supporters believe the rape allegations are an attempt to extradite him to the United States, where he »
- Variety Staff
Shari Redstone Ignites War With Philippe Dauman Over Viacom’s Future
12 hours ago
The rapid-fire series of events Wednesday laid bare what insiders already knew: Shari Redstone is on a collision course with Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman for control of the Redstone family trust that will inherit her father’s iron-clad control of CBS Corp. and Viacom. A battle is expected to flare Thursday at Viacom’s board meeting to address the resignation of Shari’s 92-year-old father as chairman, which follows on the heels of Sumner Redstone’s resignation as CBS Corp. chairman on Wednesday and the elevation of CBS president-ceo Leslie Moonves to the chairman’s post.
Shari Redstone and Dauman are expected to face off at the meeting given the statement she issued Wednesday asserting that Viacom needs an independent leader, not someone who is connected to the Redstone family trust. Moonves fits that description; Dauman does not.
“It is my firm belief that whomever may succeed my father as »
- Cynthia Littleton
Queen Latifah on Hollywood’s Diversity Problem: ‘Take That Emotion & Turn It Into Action’ (Video)
12 hours ago
Diversity took center stage at this past weekend’s Screen Actors Guild Awards with Queen Latifah, Idris Elba, Uzo Aduba and Viola Davis earning statues, but much conversation at the annual award show was about another — the Oscars, which failed to nominate any actors of color, sparking a global conversation about Hollywood’s diversity problem.
From the time the stars stepped onto the red carpet to the moment they won their awards, the buzz was all about how to fix the industry’s issue with diversity.
“Just continue to make the voting bodies look like the public, and then we’ll be fine,” Queen Latifah told Variety backstage at the SAG Awards, referring to the Academy’s recent decision to overhaul membership so that future Oscar voting will better reflect diversity.
Speaking on her personal experiences, just moments after she won Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television »
- Elizabeth Wagmeister
Shari Redstone: Dad Sumner Has ‘Flourished’ Since Ex-Girlfriend Herzer Pushed Out (Exclusive)
12 hours ago
At the same time Shari Redstone injected herself Wednesday into the intrigue over the future of the twin entertainment giants controlled by her family — CBS and Viacom — the entertainment heir also moved to foreclose her father’s one-time girlfriend from continuing to play a role in his life.
Magnate Sumner Redstone has “flourished” and been happy ever since Manuela Herzer was pushed out of his life last October, daughter Shari contends in a declaration filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, as part of an ongoing legal dispute over the elder Redstone’s care. The declaration marks the first time Shari Redstone, 61, has publicly entered the emotional dispute over the care of her 92-year-old father.
Shari’s four-page statement to the court depicts a sometimes rocky relationship with her father that she says has been repaired in recent months, allowing her and her children to bond with Sumner Redstone (known as »
- James Rainey
Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders at CNN’s New Hampshire Town Hall: Live Blog
13 hours ago
Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders headline CNN’s New Hampshire Town Hall on Wednesday, the first of two back-to-back events after Clinton emerged the ever-so-slim winner after the Iowa caucuses.
On Thursday, they will face each other in a debate on MSNBC, an event that was pulled together only recently after some negotiating and back and forth between the campaigns.
The biggest change in the dynamics of the race is that Martin O’Malley dropped out. But the tone is also changing.
Ever since they left Iowa, Clinton and Sanders have gotten more pointed, particularly on Twitter, over who can better carry out a set of progressive priorities. Clinton has called herself a “progressive who gets things done,” while Sanders posted a series of tweets suggesting she has shifted her positions on such things as the Keystone Pipeline and the Trans-Pacific Partnership, as well as on the question of whether »
- Ted Johnson
HBO Redeveloping ‘Lewis & Clark’ Miniseries with Michelle Ashford Rewriting
13 hours ago
HBO’s “Lewis & Clark” miniseries is starting anew, entering a stage of major redevelopment with Michelle Ashford rewriting the six-part script, Variety has confirmed.
The troubled miniseries has already hit many bumps along the road, including production being shut down last summer after director and co-writer John Curran exited the high-profile project, which hails from producers Tom Hanks, Brad Pitt, Edward Norton and National Geographic Studios. Casey Affleck and Matthias Schoenaerts star as the titular 19th century explorers who went on a remarkable three-year journey to map the western United States.
“We have decided to redevelop this project with Michelle Ashford writing,” HBO said in a statement to Variety.
Ashford — who is creator and showrunner of Showtime’s “Masters of Sex” — was one of the three original scribes on the mini, along with Norton and the now-departed Curran. “Lewis & Clark” was greenlit last year at this time.
Affleck revealed the »
- Elizabeth Wagmeister
Watch: ‘Friends’ Cast Members Reunite in James Burrows Tribute Teaser
13 hours ago
The “Friends” cast may be there for all of us one more time. NBC’s tribute to director James Burrows will bring together stars of some of America’s most memorable comedies.
The network’s latest promo for the special released Wednesday shows Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer together again for the two-hour show dedicated to the career of comedy director Burrows, who directed 15 “Friends” episodes, including “The One Where Ross and Rachel Take a Break.”
This almost-reunion is missing one key player, though — Matthew Perry is currently in London for “The End of Longing,” which marks his playwriting debut.
“Matthew may tape something for the tribute,” Perry’s spokeswoman Lisa Kasteler said. “In other words, this is not the reunion people have been hoping for.”
While Burrows was part of one of the most quoted “Friends” episodes in the history of the ten seasons, »
- Margaret Lenker
TV News Roundup: Miley Cyrus To Visit ‘The Voice’; Metallica Will Appear on ‘Billions’
13 hours ago
Miley Cyrus will be an adviser on “The Voice,” while heavy metal band Metallica is set to appear on Showtime’s “Billions,” in today’s news roundup…
Casting
Miley Cyrus will be a key adviser in the 10th season of the NBC musical competition series “The Voice.”
“When Miley speaks everyone pays attention. Our artists are very lucky to have the benefit of her instincts and wisdom,” said Paul Telegdy, President, Alternative and Late Night Programming, NBC Entertainment. “Our viewers will be treated to an inside look at one of the brightest minds in music and the entertainment industry who is at the forefront of pop culture.”
Along with being a singer/songwriter, Cyrus has hosted the VMAs and “Saturday Night Live” and become an accomplished actress, appearing in “A Very Murray Christmas,” “The Night Before,” and a new Woody Allen series for Amazon.
The rock band Metallica will be »
- Jacob Bryant
Bill Cosby Sexual Assault Case Can Proceed, Judge Rules
16 hours ago
A judge in Pennsylvania said that prosecutors can pursue criminal sexual assault charges against Bill Cosby, rejecting efforts by Cosby’s attorneys to dismiss the case at this point, the Associated Press reports.
Cosby’s attorneys sought to dismiss the case on the grounds that he made a deal with a previous district attorney that he would not be prosecuted in connection with Andrea Constand’s allegations of sexual assault in 2004. Cosby’s attorneys claimed then-District Attorney Bruce L. Castor Jr. agreed that Cosby would never be prosecuted, and he would then give a deposition in her civil case.
Judge Steven O’Neill issued the ruling after a two-day hearing, in which current Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele, who brought charges against Cosby in late December, said that a no-prosecution agreement would have overstepped the D.A.’s authority. Catsor testified during the hearing that he thought that the case was too weak. »
- Ted Johnson
From Yahoo to Fox, Corporations Slash Workforces to Adapt
16 hours ago
Both new and old media heavyweights are in the throes of transforming their companies and slashing their workforces as they confront an adapt-or-die moment.
In the past week alone, 21st Century Fox and Yahoo each announced severe cutbacks in their ranks.
Disney, Time Warner, Viacom, Sony Corp. and NBCUniversal have all handed out mass-scale pink slips over the past two years. So has the Weinstein Co. and mighty Espn, which shed 300 positions last year as the powerhouse cabler adjusts to TV’s new business landscape.
Even a once-sparkling young enterprise like Twitter has had to address its bloat, with CEO Jack Dorsey initiating an 8% layoff shortly after taking the helm in October. The social media dynamo acknowledged it had grown too fast in the go-go run up to its November 2013 initial public offering.
“The 30-year expansion in cable networks has pretty much ended. You can’t just keep growing.” Hal Vogel, »
- Cynthia Littleton and James Rainey
Network Pilot Season In a Frenzy Thanks to Cable and Digital Dealmaking
16 hours ago
Not so long ago, January was literally full of drama.
Network TV development execs typically spent the December holidays reading 60-plus scripts for prospective drama series. The following month would be dedicated to debating and strategizing on the best dozen or so to order to pilot. And then, as Groundhog Day approached, they’d do it all over again with comedies.
This year, the broadcast networks were nearly done handing out all of their pilot orders before January wrapped. They have no choice: The chase for top talent and material is now so fierce that the pilot-season timetable might as well be measured in warp factors. No one can afford to dawdle: The traditional broadcast development cycle has to barrel into a marketplace already humming year-round with deal-making for cable and digital shows.
“All the networks are just trying to get out in front of each other — basically, everyone is racing, »
- Cynthia Littleton and Elizabeth Wagmeister
‘Big Bang Theory’ 200th Episode: Wil Wheaton, Adam West Among Guest Stars
17 hours ago
CBS’ “The Big Bang Theory” will bring back some familiar faces for its milestone 200th episode, the network announced Wednesday.
Returning stars who are reprising their roles on the hit comedy include “Good Wife” star Christine Baranski as Leonard’s mother, Dr. Beverly Hofstadter; “The Talk” host Sara Gilbert as Leslie Winkle; John Ross Bowie as Barry Kripke, and Sheldon’s enduring frenemy Wil Wheaton, returning as himself. The 200th episode will also see “Batman” star Adam West making his first guest appearance. No further plot details for the 200th episode have been announced at this time.
The series is also one of several shows to be honored at PaleyFest, the Paley Center for Media’s annual television festival, taking place in Los Angeles this March. “Big Bang” will present a panel featuring the cast and executive producers on Wednesday, March 16. CBS’ top new drama series, “Supergirl,” will also be honored at the festival. »
- Laura Prudom
‘Manhattan’ Canceled After Two Seasons at Wgn America
17 hours ago
“Manhattan” has been canceled with Wgn America opting not to go forth with a third season of the period drama, Variety has learned.
The drama, which premiered in July 2014, marked network’s second original series, following “Salem.”
Created by Sam Shaw (“Masters of Sex”), the Skydance Television and Lionsgate Television co-production starred John Benjamin Hickey and Ashley Zukerman as physicists working on America’s atomic bomb project during World War II. Olivia Williams and Rachel Brosnahan starred as their respective wives with Mamie Gummer, William Petersen and Neve Campbell having joined the cast of the sophomore season.
Shaw served as exec producer with Thomas Schlamme, Dustin Thomason, David Ellison, Dana Golberg and Marcy Ross.
“After careful consideration, we have reached the very difficult decision not to move forward with a third season of ‘Manhattan,'” said Matt Cherniss, president and Gm of Wgn America and Tribune Studios. “We are proud of this critically acclaimed series, »
- Elizabeth Wagmeister
Ratings: ‘The People v. O.J. Simpson’ Sets FX Record for Drama Premiere
17 hours ago
Twenty years after the O.J. Simpson murder trial riveted the nation, FX’s new series on the subject, “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story,” has broken out of the gate a ratings winner.
FX will again wait for three days’ worth of time-shifted viewing before making its ratings pronouncements, but the same-day numbers released Wednesday by Nielsen were pretty impressive. In fact, “People v. O.J. Simpson” set an FX viewership record for an original drama premiere with 5.11 million viewers — eclipsing the previous same-day record of 4.83 million for the network’s first-ever drama, “The Shield.” (Several shows, including “Sons of Anarchy” and installments of “American Horror Story” have had higher season premieres.)
See More: ‘The People v. O.J. Simpson’ Recap: Building a Case for Murder
In adults 18-49, “People v. O.J. Simpson” averaged a 2.0 rating, tying with the CBS special “Super Bowl’s Greatest Commercials” as Tuesday’s No. »
- Rick Kissell
Updated: Leslie Moonves Named CBS Chairman, Replacing Sumner Redstone
18 hours ago
Leslie Moonves will become chairman of CBS Corp., a move that investors may interpret as an effort to solidify the management of the company given questions about the health of its executive chairman, Sumner Redstone, who also holds the same position at Viacom. Redstone will become chairman emeritus of CBS, while Moonves will continue in his role as president and CEO.
The announcement also appears to suggest Shari Redstone, Sumner’s daughter, is playing a greater role in the companies her father controls through his holdings in National Amusements, a movie exhibition chain that oversees about 80% of both CBS Corp. and its sister company Viacom Inc. Shari Redstone has the right to become chairman of CBS and Viacom after her father’s death, per the terms of the Redstone family trust that will inherit his controlling stakes. But Shari Redstone cut a private deal with Moonves assuring him the chairman »
- Brian Steinberg and Cynthia Littleton
Syfy Greenlights Matt Damon & Ben Affleck’s Futuristic Series ‘Incorporated’
18 hours ago
Syfy has greenlit the futuristic thriller “Incorporated,” which hails from exec producers Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, Variety has learned. The series landed a 13-episode order, which is slated to premiere this fall.
Produced by Damon and Affleck’s Pearl Street Films along with CBS Television Studios and Syfy’s sister studio Universal Cable Productions, “Incorporated” was created by David and Alex Pastor, who wrote and directed the pilot, which was picked up last April.
Set in a near future where corporates have unlimited power, “Incorporated” revolves around Ben Larson (played by Sean Teale, “Reign”), a young executive who conceals his true identity to infiltrate a very dangerous corporate world to save the woman he loves — but he’ll soon learn that he’s not the only one whose secrets may have deadly consequences.
Teale will co-star with Eddie Ramos (“Teen Wolf”), Dennis Haysbert (“24”) and Julia Ormond (“Mad Men”).
“The »
- Elizabeth Wagmeister
Marcia Clark Reacts to ‘People v. Oj Simpson’ on ‘The View’: ‘For Me, It’s Reliving A Nightmare’ (Video)
18 hours ago
After the premiere of FX’s “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story,” former prosecutor Marcia Clark appeared on “The View” Wednesday morning, detailing her reaction to watching the new anthology series. “I think it’s amazing,” she said.
While Clark — who is portrayed in the series by Sarah Paulson — is impressed, she still explained that watching the series is extremely painful.
“I can’t watch it the way most people do. For me it’s reliving a nightmare, it’s awful. Every bit of it is awful and hard for me,” she said. “It’s a painful experience and yet I have to tell you it’s a measure of how good it is that it hurts that much because that tells you and they’re getting the big stuff so right. I’m super impressed.”
Continuing to speak on the show tackling important issues, she said: “They »
- Margaret Lenker
‘Better Call Saul’s’ Bob Odenkirk, Showrunners Talk Jimmy McGill’s Transition to Saul Goodman at Season 2 Premiere
18 hours ago
At the Season 2 premiere of “Better Call Saul” at the Arclight Cinema in Culver City on Tuesday night, Bob Odenkirk weighed in on his character’s transition from Jimmy McGill to Saul Goodman.
“I think it’s a big drop off,” Odenkirk said. “It’s a slow journey, and then all of a sudden, he finds himself as Saul, I think that’s how it is going to go. My gut tells me he fights like hell to not be Saul, and then he just gives up for some reason that’s probably pretty potent and painful.”
The executive producers and showrunners of “Better Call Saul,” Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould, said the timeline for when Jimmy would become Saul has been in constant flux.
“In the early going, we thought he would become Saul Goodman by the end of the season, or maybe by the middle of Season 1,” Gilligan said. »
- Jacob Bryant
Fox Sets Participants in 2016 Writers Intensive Program, Partners with Young Storytellers
18 hours ago
Fox has set the 10 participants in this year’s Fox Writers Intensive program, a talent development program that aims to boost the careers of writers from diverse backgrounds.
The Fox Writers Intensive, now in its fourth year, has partnered with the non-profit Young Storytellers Foundation to provide mentoring support for Ysf’s program targeting elementary students in Los Angeles-area public schools.
The Fwi sifted through more than 500 applicants recommended by such orgs as the National Association of Latino Independent Producers, Sundance Institute, Outfest, Film Independent, Women and Hollywood, Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment and the Fox Hbcu Media Alliance. The participants will take part in a four-month curriculum, curated by Film Independent, consisting of workshops, seminars and one-on-one mentoring to help them work on scripts and hone skills to allow them to move into staff writing jobs.
“The growth of the Fox Writers Intensive over the past four years was a distinct goal, »
- Variety Staff
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