Gawker
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portraits
Les Moonves' Daydream, on Canvas
Look, it's the portrait of CBS boss Les Moonves and his wife Julie Chen that hangs in their den. It shows various hangers-on toasting the couple as Les is maybe getting a hand job? [NYT]
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Comment by TheHonJudgeSmails: The artist has a difficult time spelling the word "Pellegrino". 8 Responses | Other threads
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les moonves
Les Moonves Confident 'CSI' Will Crush Leno: 'By A Lot'
As Jeff Zucker foists his last hopes for NBC on Leno and his arsenal of funny newspaper-clipping typos, his arch nemesis—future galactic despot Les Moonves—couldn't help but engage in a favorite pastime: More »
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By SethComment by thomashenry: What angle haven't they tried yet with their go-to franchise?...how about "CSI Swingtown"? Sex-snuff orgies every week! Solve the crime... 3 Responses | Other threads
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upfronts
CBS Not Reinventing The Sitcom And Cop Show Wheel Here, Folks
Following a detour in last season's CBS programming strategy which saw the network throw a few wackier ideas against the fridge to see what stuck (Drac Steele, Vampire P.I. and The Singing Venetian, Hugh Jackman's addition to the musical-casino genre, were what stuck), it seems they have returned to the dependability of laugh-tracks and procedurals for the fall 2008-09 season. At their upfronts announcement this morning at their New York offices, Les Moonves and trusty commandantes Nina Tassler and Kelly Kahl made official their last-minute, 22-episode order of The New Adventures of Old Christine, the unlikely story of what happens when Elaine loses her balls and spends the majority of her leisure time bickering with her ex-husband and his new girlfriend. Following them on Wednesdays is a new sitcom, Project Gary, starring Jay Mohr, while another new, single-camera comedy, Worst Week, joins the Monday night lineup, alongside all the wisecracking nerd-geniuses and Britney guest spots you've come to expect. More »
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By SethComment by PaisleyPajamas: @NoWireHangers: No doubt. How does a dude with a hairline that looks like Mrs. Cunningham on Happy Days get... more » | Other threads
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defamer
Mel Gibson To Don His Actor's Hat Once More
· Mel Gibson has signed on for his first acting job since Signs and We Were Soldiers back in 2002. In Edge of Darkness, a feature based on a BBC miniseries from the '80s, he'll play "a straitlaced police investigator whose activist daughter is killed, probably by the Jews." [Variety] More »
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By SethComment by Little Mintz Sunshine: Just so that I'm clear about this, "Charlotte Simmons" is a a book about a young college girl written... more » | Other threads
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family feuds
Viacom PR Admits 'Public Crapping' May Not Bode Well For New Pay Network
The week that started with Les Moonves and Phillipe Dauman kickboxing in Sumner Redstone's corporate steel cage will apparently end with Dauman retreating to his corner of the Viacom boardroom for medical attention. Or at least that's the impression we glean from today's gloom-and-doom survey of the Great Pay-Cable Cockfight of 2008, during which Paramount broke off from cousin network Showtime after failing to renegotiate an output deal for its titles. On their own now with partners Lionsgate and MGM/UA, even Viacom/Paramount flacks acknowledge finding little comfort in the TV wild: More » -
defamer
Paramount, Showtime, CBS Spend Weekend Fighting in Grandpa Sumner Redstone's Sandbox of Death
While most of us fled the office to enjoy early spring, Sumner Redstone spent another relaxing weekend watching his corporate children at Viacom gouge each others' eyes out. And this time around he got his money's worth, with Paramount finally breaking free from CBS/Showtime to start its own pay-cable and VOD service with MGM and Lionsgate. It's an untidy, somewhat shocking scenario that we (and seemingly the rest of the Web) can't yet make sense of, but join us after the jump to parse the winners and losers at a glance. More »
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By STVComment by JacobFreeze: The Post [www.nypost.com] sees the evil hand of Philippe Dauman in this mess, but with Viacom and CBS stock prices... more » | Other threads
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defamer
Tyra Banks And Ashton Kutcher Combine Deadly Reality Forces
· If the concept of the two names Tyra Banks and Ashton Kutcher (Tyrashton?) melding into a single, reality-TV -producing force for ABC would drive you to incontinence with excitement, well, maybe you should take a bathroom break before reading this story. [THR] More »
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By SethComment by Victor Ward: @Sweet Panda Love: Bravo's Lost Girls Episode 3, season 2: Rose finds that all of the clothing on the plane... more » | Other threads
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les moonves
Congratulations, Returning Writers
Leaders of the writers strike declared a "huge victory" over the suits when they won a larger share of revenues from internet video. Oh yes? One of those suits, Les Moonves of CBS, says the TV network learned during the stoppage that it didn't need nearly as many expensive scripts and pilots. Explaining healthy earnings, he says: "I think there's been a lot of wasted spending...You don't need to spend $5 million on a pilot." So let's get this straight: writers traded in the traditional pilot season, the audition for their boldest ideas, for a cut of non-existent internet revenues. But don't be too harsh in judging their business acumen: this is why they're writers.
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By Nick DentonComment by dxxxxx: Shouldn't CBS shareholders wonder what Moonves was doing (and wasting their money on) all along? I mean it took the... more » | Other threads
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trade roundup
McG's 'Terminator' Stakes A Spot In The Distant Future
· Any plans for Memorial Day weekend 2009? Great! That means you can catch the opening of Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins, McG's utterly essential contribution to the futuristic-robot-killing-machine franchise that keeps on giving. [Variety] More » -
future landmarks
Hollywood Hills Real Estate Listing Brings Us One Step Closer To Mt. Mogulmore
With news that 138 acres of land just west of the H in the Hollywood sign have been put up for sale yesterday by Chicago investors, the last impediment to Mt. Mogulmore—Les Moonves's masterplan of constructing an enduring companion monument to the nine-letter icon—is but a mere $22 million check away. More » -
short ends
Last Negotiator Standing
· Cobbling together various reports about what transpired between the WGA and the studios before negotiations were abruptly halted at the end of last week, the creators of Hollywood Rumble have produced this dramatic recreation of the unfortunate events of late Friday afternoon. More » -
defamer
Angelina Jolie To Sex Up Boring Old Spy Story About Gun-Running And Terrorists
ยท Paramount acquires the rights to the life of spy Kathi Lynn Austin, whose arms-trafficking and terrorism-related adventures could become "an action vehicle" for Angelina Jolie that will ultimately bear little to no resemblance to the intelligence operative's real life. [Variety] More »
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By MarkComment by Little Mintz Sunshine: @Miss d: D, and if it requires acting, we're all fucked. more » | Other threads
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defamer
We've just obtainted the new draft of the planned Les Moonves ad to be published in tomorrow's trades: "Hey, writers—You know what? Fuck you. I'll cancel my disappointing Fall season myself, bit by bit. Goodbye, Viva Laughlin! By the time you go on strike, there won't be anything left for you to walk out on. Love, Les. PS—Tell Patric Verrone to check his mailbox. The ear in that bloody wad of Kleenex is Hugh Jackman's. Just wait until he gets four of Jimmy Smits' favorite toes on Wednesday morning when I sacrifice Cane to the cause." [Var] -
defamer
Today In Saber Rattling: TV Execs Secretly Hoping Writers Will Wipe Out Their Crappy Fall Schedules
Early Friday evening, the WGA announced that it had received strike authorization from 90.3 percent of its voting members, a victory the organization's leadership touted as an "historic demonstration of unity." What the Guild might not realize, however, is that when it returns to the negotiating table today, emboldened by the ability to take to the streets with the best-written picket signs in the history of labor strife, any renewed threats of a potential walkout on November 1 could be playing right into the hands of an evil cadre of media moguls excited by the prospect of having their fall TV programming mistakes wiped out by a work stoppage. More »
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By MarkComment by HwoodHills: @InkStainedWretch: Great point. I completely forgot that the strike will eventually end and then scabs would have to face the facts... more » | Other threads
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defamer
Future galactic dictator Les Moonves, having once again tricked antediluvian corporate overlord Sumner Redstone into believing that his plans of world domination will not include the kind of clumsy assassination attempts being plotted by his traitorous daughter, has earned a new contract that will keep him atop CBS Corp through at least 2011. So convincing was the wily Moonves in renewing his pledge of fealty that Redstone willingly handed over the key that opens the chest housing the enchanted dagger imbued with the power to end his immortal life, telling his trusty lieutenant to make sure it never falls into the hands of his scheming, murderous offspring. [THR] -
defamer
Bob Barker: Not So Fast With The O'Donnell Stuff
Backtracking from recent remarks that have been construed in the media as an endorsement of Rosie O'Donnell's candidacy to replace him on the The Price Is Right, retiring emcee Bob Barker today clarified what he meant when he said he had "no doubt" O'Donnell would make a good host, telling the AP, "I have not been asked for my opinion, nor have I expressed one. I think there are several candidates who could do the show, and Rosie is certainly one of them." (To his credit, the discreet Barker made no reference to a heated, closed-door meeting with Les Moonves earlier today in which the CBS Corp. head promised "to sew the balls back on every neutered dog and cat in town [himself] if [Barker] said another word about handing over the show to that [woman of below-average attractiveness].") O'Donnell has yet to publicly comment on this seeming blow to her chances of landing the job, but Defamer has exclusively obtained the ad she is placing-in tomorrow's Variety to address onetime idol Barker's unexpected withdrawal of support, one that echoes her earlier attempt at currying favor with the gameshow legend: More » -
introductions
Getting To Know New NBC 'Rock Star' Ben Silverman
TVWeek corralled just-installed NBC Entertainment co-chair Ben Silverman (pictured above enjoying himself in the general vicinity of soon-to-be sworn enemy Les Moonves of CBS) for a "getting to know you" chat, in which the recently anointed New Peacock Messiah reveals that while he has managed to chug the company's "Choke on Our Quality" Kool-Aid, his acceptance of the gig progressed so quickly that he hasn't yet had time to take care of certain details unimportant to taking the job, like watching all of the network's Fall pick-ups. Reports TV Week: More » -
trade roundup
'Idol' Finale Averages A Disappointing 30.4 Million Viewers
ยท While the two-hour American Idol finale-clusterfuck dominates the ratings, it was down about 20 percent from last year's season-ender. Might this have been God's way of punishing Fox for allowing the ludicrously drawn-out show to stretch nine minutes over its allotted running time, fucking over DVR owners who didn't think to also record the local news if they actually wanted to see who won? Are we bitter? Nah, not much. [Variety] More » -
defamer
'Jericho' Fans Call Down Plague Of Peanuts Upon CBS Tormentors
Fans hoping to revive a cancelled TV series have been relying on increasingly flashy techniques in the hopes of registering on the radars of busy network heads, whose various galactic overlord duties may have rendered them tragically out of touch with the tastes of the common man. Arrested Development addicts pelted Fox execs with foam banana balls. Invasion lovers (yes, they existed) drowned ABC in bottled water. But devotees of the mushroom-clouds- on-Main-St. drama Jericho have decided to go the bulk snack route, inviting fellow grassroots supporters to send roasted peanuts to CBS's offices: More »
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By SethComment by Brenda Dickson's Vagine: @s00p3rm4n: I bet there are alot of people googling gay porn who are really confused. " Those were not the nuts... more » | Other threads
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upfronts
CBS Puts Vampires, Swingers, Exciting Social Experiments Involving Schoolchildren On The Fall Schedule
By this third morning of the upfronts, you are probably exhausted by the constant barrage of stories about new television shows you probably won't have the time or desire to watch. (NBC really nailed it: Who has time for new? Give us more of what we already like! Fill us up with your quality, Peacock!) Still, CBS will take its turn before their advertisers today, unveiling a schedule aimed at convincing the money people that their network is ready to move beyond just mindless sitcoms and syndication-friendly procedural dramas and take a (well-calculated, not too scary) risk or two: that's right, the Eye is going (mildly) edgy! On the Fall schedule: More »
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By MarkComment by Victor Ward: Hugh Jackman and musical numbers?! I'm sold! more » | Other threads
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defamer
Les Moonves Finishes Off Gutshot Imus
For those of you unable to concentrate on your jobs, family, or the heartbreaking news that Angelina Jolie seems unable to love her lone biological child because you've been sick with worry about this Don Imus situation, relief: He's been shitcanned by CBS, and shitcanned good. Our east-coasted siblings at Gawker have smiling CBS Corp. despot Les Moonves' announcement of the firing, who is no doubt a little annoyed that sworn NBC enemy Jeff Zucker beat him to the kill yesterday; he hates being the guy to fire the second bullet at a public execution. More » -
defamer
Trade Round-Up: Word 'Terrifying' Thought More Disturbing Than Prince's Demonschlong
ยท CBS's Les Moonves agrees to a skittish Harvey Weinstein's request for a last minute edit removing the word "terrifying" from a Hannibal Rising commercial, which Weinstein apparently feared would induce mass panic in potential ticket-buyers for his film. [Variety] More »
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By MarkComment by Dancing Milkcarton: Following American Idol's latest Nielsen-dominating performance, Fox's desperate competitors are seriously considering having Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell killed. It appears... more » | Other threads
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defamer
Trade Round-Up: Les Moonves Saves Life, Locks Up 'CSI' Producer's Soul For Another Four Years
· If companies like Time Warner are serious about a commitment to new media, then why can't Peter Bart get someone from TW on the phone who knows how to work his fucking TiVo? [Variety] More »
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By MarkComment by NotReadyForPrimeTime: I had a feeling that Les Moonves' crocodile teeth would come in handy. more » | Other threads
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defamer
Trade Round-Up: The Moonves Paradox
Var's Peter Bart attempts to explain the paradox of CBS Corp CEO Les Moonves: He's part ruthless Old Hollywood, power-crazed mogul, part new media and corporate player. We can't think of a candidate who's better qualified to one day enslave us all. [Variety] More »
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By MarkComment by Greasy Thumb Guzik: Kanan Rhodes, how truly not original! I can just see the meetings where Bob Odenkirk & Rainn Wilson are with... more » | Other threads
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sumner redstone
Sting Of Tom Freston Roast Remarks Muted By Secure Knowledge That He Is Richer Than God
It was less than two months ago that ex-Viacom president and CEO Tom Freston exited the company, forcefully nudged out the doors by a doggedly determined Sumner Redstone applying steady pressure to the joystick of his luxuriously appointed mobility scooter. Yesterday, some of Freston's greatest allies gathered to pay irreverent homage to their fallen (if you call a $59 million severance package "falling") idol with one of those outrageous "roasts" those kids who run 99.7% of the world's mass media love so much: More »
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By SethComment by Cutting Makes You Sexy: Xenu, I do. And Seth, thanks for noticing a girl's fetishes. It really makes me feel like... more » | Other threads
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sumner redstone
Sumner Redstone: How I Got Myself Into That Whole Freston-Moonves Mess
Variety finally offers some insight into how recently pinkslip-happy Viacom executive mummy Sumner Redstone decided to cleave his corporate kingdom in twain and install yingy MTV builder Tom Freston and yangy CBS despot Les Moonves as the twin CEOs of his newly split companies, a move that stoked a highly entertaining feud between Redstone's vassals. Notes Var: More » -
trade roundup
Trade Round-Up: Jim Carrey Hears A Who
At yesterday's big, overblown Apple press conference, Steve Jobs unveiled a magical box that allows people to stream their iTunes purchases from their computer to their television. [Variety] More » -
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By MarkComment by raincoaster: The Betty and Veronica of media moguls. But really, don't you just long for the "My footsoldiers will crush you" days... more » | Other threads
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trade roundup
Trade Round-Up: Letterman And Moonves Refuse To Break Their Embrace Until 2010
· If you're not currently in Toronto, you probably don't care too much about what's expected to happen at the film festival, but here's an overview anyway. Fingers crossed that J. Lo and her husband (Enrique something, right?) sell their movie. [Variety] More » -
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By MarkComment by DudeAsInCool: Clearly they felt that Dauman, et al, would be a better team to bring them in to the technological age... more » | Other threads
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les moonves
Moonves-Freston Feud Elevated To DEFCON 3 Status
There is nothing in this life we enjoy more than stories recounting the petty squabbles of powerful men, so imagine for a moment our delight over today's NY Post article dedicated to the ongoing, though somewhat disappointingly one-sided, bloodfeud between generously betoothed future galactic despot Les Moonves of CBS Corp. and his favorite new pincushion, Viacom's Tom Freston. The Post gives us an overdue State of the Slap-Fight update: More » -
trade roundup
Trade Round-Up: Ace Ventura III: Pet Detective With A Malibu Beachhouse Payment To Make
Fresh off the flop of My Super Ex Girlfriend, director Ivan Reitman convinces a financial backer to contribute $200 million to co-finance ten films over the next five years through his Montecito Picture Co. Producing partner Tom Pollock explains the economics of their hit-and-miss, mid-budgeted comedies: "The kinds of movies we make are in an exceptionally sweet spot in the studio system; we tend to make comedies at a price. When they work, like with Old School and Road Trip, they make a lot of money. When they don't, like Eurotrip, they don't lose much. From a Wall Street standpoint, that's a good risk." Here's to throwing shitty comedies against the wall and seeing what sticks! [Variety] More »
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By MarkComment by Griffin Mill: It's a good thing Tom Freston didn't go to San Francisco to make a deal for MySpace. They were based... more » | Other threads
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defamer
Trade Round-Up: Les Moonves Inches Closer To Destorying Tom Freston
CBS Corp's Les Moonves' sinister plan to slowly destroy corporate rival/brother Tom Freston of Viacom proceeds apace with the announcement that CBS's film unit will produce 4 to 6 mid-budgeted movies a year, which Moonves will then use to stock Showtime and reduce the network's dependence on Freston's Paramount product. That clear? No? Just imagine Moonves kicking Freston in the balls and you've got the gist. [Variety] More » -
defamer
Trade Round-Up: Mogulpalooza!
· Thanks to Beverly Hills-fleeing agencies CAA and ICM and reemerging studio MGM, Hollywood has returned to Century City. But there goes the neighborhood already: Entertainment lawyers have descended to suck the life from he newly vital area. Anon, to Burbank, where the suits won't dare follow! [Variety] More » -
defamer
Trade Round-Up: Les Moonves' Sweet Victory
· Four of the six big media companies saw their stocks rise this year. Among them, CBS' went up 4%, while Viacom went down 10%. Les Moonves was last overheard cackling in his office, inviting his secretary to join him for a slice of a custom-ordered cake iced to resemble a naked, weeping Tom Freston. [Variety] More » -
trade roundup
Trade Round-Up: More Goodbyes To Spelling
· The trades do their memorializing duty by noting the passing of legendary TV producer/dynamo/optimist Aaron Spelling. [Variety, THR, THR] More »
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By MarkComment by RandomHookup: Stocks of various Hollywood publications are up on anticipation of a massive influx of ads kissing Aaron's dead ass in... more » | Other threads
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defamer
Trade Round-Up: Moonves Considering Getting Into Wrasslin' Pictures
· The hands-down winner of the most intriguing lede of the day: "Few grown men get as fired up about princesses and fairies as Andy Mooney..." Also, "Magic blingdom" is a pretty amusing title. Is everyone at Variety totally high today? [Variety] More » -
trade roundup
Trade Round-Up: Janet Jackson's Nipple Still Worth $550K
· "Bombastic" Marvel Studios head Avi Arad, the man responsible for making sure that even the most obscure Marvel comic book character had a movie deal somewhere in Hollywood, is leaving the company for a production deal, a move suspiciously timed in the wake of his selling his shares in the company for a reported $60 million. [Variety] More »
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By MarkComment by livingblinditem: Maybe the $550,000 fine for Janet Jackson's boob is not for it being exposed on the Superbowl a few years... more » | Other threads
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Sat Jul 11
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