Gawker
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aaron sorkin
Aaron Sorkin-Like Presence Invades Facebook In The Name Of Research
We invite devoted Defamer readers to think back now, to almost two years ago to the day. The U.S. dollar dominated global free markets. Whitney Houston was in the middle of a liquor-store-robbery crime spree that left dozens dead. And a little show by the name of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip had captured the imaginations of the American working class, caught up weekly in its by-turns harrowing and inspirational tales from the front lines of the network sketch comedy wars. If you're still with us, you'll too recall Defaker, the Defamer-inspired mock gossip site that attempted to promote the series on NBC.com by opening itself up to visitor comments. Several harsh insights followed ("Aaron Sorkin, I'll be seeing you soon! Posted by: Crack | September 21, 2006 08:30 PM" springs to mind), the site was quickly shuttered, and the ill-conceived exercise was chocked up by the lauded series creator as yet another example of the ugliness that will inevitably spring forth from the anonymous blogging wilds. More »
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By SethComment by Little Mintz Sunshine: This bodes well for my treatment "LinkedIn: When a Stranger Links". In case the studios aren't interested in horror,... 1 Responses | Other threads
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trade roundup
The Emmys Didn't Totally Ignore 'Studio 60'
· While underappreciated Aaron Sorkin masterwork Studio 60 was not, as we falsely represented earlier, a nominee for the Best Drama Emmy, the show did pull in a respectable five nods, including one for Eli Wallach in the role of Blacklisted, Alzheimer's Afflicted Writer Who Tries to Steal a Photograph That Has Meaning to Him. [Variety] More »
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By MarkComment by thehmsbeagle: How the fuck did Studio 60 get more than twice the nominations Friday Night Lights did? It's almost as though... more » | Other threads
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defamer
Aaron Sorkin Opens Up About The Demise Of 'Studio 60'
With the final episodes of ill-fated sociopolitical drama Studio 60 on The Sunset Strip now all ignominiously burned off by the network that renounced its onetime anointed Nielsen Messiah, showrunner Aaron Sorkin is ready to reflect upon the possible reasons that his much-hyped peak behind the scenes at a curiously humorless late night sketch comedy show failed. (In case you missed it, our recap of the series finale is here to help you get some closure.) While Sorkin is willing to admit to making "too many mistakes for it to survive," he posits that Our Obsession With Hugely Successful, Famously Troubled Man Behind The Curtain might have gotten in the way of the public's enjoyment of his characters' lively banter about the ethics of employing hostage-reclaiming mercenaries in Afghanistan or concerning potentially fatal pregnancy complications. Reports the LAT's Patrick Goldstein after a sit-down with Sorkin: More » -
defamer
The Complete Guide To The Series Finale Of 'Studio 60'
You may not have realized it, but at just a couple of minutes before 11 p.m. last night, the final credits rolled on Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, ending Aaron Sorkin's bold, ill-fated experiment in melding the light-hearted Hollywood world of late-night sketch comedy shows with the absurdly high geopolitical stakes of his Emmy-winning White House drama, The West Wing. And while a lesser showrunner recently chose to cloak the last moments of his beloved series in frustrating ambiguity, Sorkin was confident enough in his creative choices to allow a metaphorical Man in the Members Only Jacket to wander the halls of the darkened studio, bringing each storyline to a satisfying conclusion with a bullet to the back of every character's head. Because we suspect that many of you missed the series finale, we're happy to run down how each of your favorite players finished up his or her primetime existence. [Warning to the DVR users whose selfish insistence on time-shifting the show kept it from reaching its Nielsen potential: There are spoilers ahead.] More » -
trade roundup
On Broadway, Aaron Sorkin Rekindles Tumultuous Love Affair With Television
ยท Aaron Sorkin returns to Broadway with The Farnsworth Invention, a play about the birth of television, the deliciously flawed storytelling medium he recently sought to redeem with a little-seen primetime serial about the life-or-death stakes involved in producing a weekly sketch comedy show. [Variety] More »
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By MarkComment by Sweet Panda Love: Good for you, Sorkin! Nobody gives a shit what's on Broadway. To quote the inimitable Helen Lawson from VALLEY OF... more » | Other threads
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defamer
Saying Goodbye To 'Studio 60'
As the TV upfronts are intended to be a weeklong celebration of possibility and hope, there is generally no place in a network's presentation to advertisers to pause briefly and remember the once-beloved projects that won't be going forward into the Fall season; accordingly, it took a reporter's uncomfortable question to get NBC president Kevin Reilly to reflect upon the legacy of the newly euthanized Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, whose uncompromising, visionary showrunner was just one year ago anointed the savior of the last-place network. Notes the TV Week upfronts blog: More » -
upfronts
NBC Hoping Your Appetite For Its High-Quality Hits Is Insatiable
Having spent the last year riding president Kevin Reilly's "First be best, then be first" programming strategy from an embarrassing fourth place in the ratings to a more critically acclaimed, if still sparsely watched, 2006-07 TV season, NBC today officially announced its Fall schedule, with an exuberant Reilly introducing an equally exciting organizing philosophy for a new and improved slate that includes a six-episode Heroes spin-off, 30 episodes of The Office (with five super-sized installments!), and 25 of My Name is Earl. Reports Variety: More » -
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defamer
NBC Gives You A Chance To Say A Proper Goodbye To Matt, Danny, Jordan, And Lobster Boy
NBC's website quietly brings good—nay, great, shout-Huzzah!-to-the-heavens-and-slaughter-the-fatted-calf—news to Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip's legion of affluent, upscale, and long-suffering fans: The show will return to the airwaves on Thursday, May 24, presumably to burn off the remainder of its first-season episodes, just one day after the end of May sweeps and a week after the network is expected to announce a Sorkin-free Fall lineup at the upfronts. Of course, maverick NBC president Kevin Reilly could shock the world by taking the stage in NY and announcing he's giving the show another 22 episodes, explaining to a room full of disbelieving advertisers, "Come on, it's Aaron Fucking Sorkin! He made The West Wing! I know this sounds crazy now, but If you'd read his breakdown for the second season, where Matt and Danny decide to run in the presidential primary against Obama and Hillary, you'd understand. It's going to work this time, I can really feel it." More » -
defamer
'Studio 60' Parodies Outliving Their Real-Life, Ill-Fated Inspiration
While arriving a little late to the Studio 60 parody party, Conan O'Brien's Studio 6A effort of last Friday night makes up for its lack of timeliness (especially considering the possibility we may never see another new 60 episode outside of a complete first-season DVD release) with its savvy utilization of network-quality production values—we wouldn't be surprised if the Late Night staff tricked NBC into sinking $4 million into the clip by attaching Sorkin's name—and top-tier talent, which has temporarily reinvigorated the moribund form. Spending this brief time with a generously pompadoured, appropriately self-serious Liev Schreiber and a suddenly tragic Mastubating Bear made us unexpectedly choke up, reminding us that we may never again get to spend another intentionally unfunny primetime minute with Matthew Perry and Lobster Boy. More » -
defamer
'30 Rock' Finally Vanquishes 'Studio 60'
From the very moment that NBC controversially decided to greenlight two different series (one hourlong, one a half-hour) set behind the scenes at an SNLesque sketch comedy show and named for the numbered structures (one fictional, one real) in which they were produced, the fates of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and 30 Rock (one disappointing, one vastly superior) were inextricably linked. With Studio 60 indefinitely yanked from the airwaves and creator Aaron Sorkin failing thus far to live up his billing as Peacock Messiah (or even to a lesser, personal mission as Redeemer of a Debauched Medium), the network is now placing its sketch-comedy-related hopes for eventual Nielsen salvation in 30 Rock's Tina Fey, reports Var: More »
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By MarkComment by IKnowThings: But whyatever happened to Rachel Dratch? Now that it has been renewed, can she be a cast member again? more » | Other threads
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nbc
'Studio 60' CancellationWatch: Sorkin And Company Quietly Playing Out The String
These have been sad days indeed for the dedicated fans of Studio 60, multiple Emmy-winner Aaron Sorkin's unflinching look into the dark soul of late night sketch comedy programming: As the still-healing scars on the underside of our forearm representing each squandered Monday night that's passed without a new installment of the series so vividly remind us, Studio was indefinitely removed from NBC's primetime schedule, a torturously undefined hiatus that has spawned irresponsible, internets-type rumors that the network has held the pillow of cancellation tightly on the face of its slumbering beloved, ending their doomed, if fitfully passionate, partnership without producing the rest of its planned first-season episodes. Not so! (the exact words follow) says THR's Ray Richmond, who's been assured that Sorkin and company are hard at work even as we speak: More »
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By MarkComment by Jonny Bronson: here's an idea, maybe no one with any money to spend on (soap) isn't fucking watching TV until 11pm on... more » | Other threads
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By MarkComment by NotReadyForPrimeTime: This picture reminds me of something. There is a car dealership on the 405 near the Orange County line.... more » | Other threads
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defamer
'Studio 60' CancellationWatch Renewed: Early Yanking Can't Be A Good Sign
This morning brings ominous news for Studio 60's legion of upscale, affluent, and Nielsen-confounding, TiVo-time-shifting fans: Variety reports that NBC is moving up by a week its previously announced indefinite yanking of the series following the show's worst ratings to date, handing over its juicy, post-Heroes Monday night timeslot to [pause for reflexive tightening of the sphincter] Paul Haggis' The Black Donnellys on February 26th. Says Var: More »
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By MarkComment by whoneedslight: I am a Friday Night Lights junkie. The theme music alone makes me weepy. more » | Other threads
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tina fey
Tina Fey Says Thing About Aaron Sorkin That We Are More Than Happy To Blow Out Of Proportion
In what might be the first shot fired in East Coast/West Coast Half-Hour/Hourlong Funny/Unfunny War between NBC's dueling behind-the-scenes-at-a-sketch-comedy-show primetime series, 30 Rock's Tina Fey offered this one-liner at the expense of presumed NBC Messiah Aaron Sorkin: More » -
defamer
Trade Round-Up: Kiefer Sutherland Makes Plans For '24' Downtime
ยท Delays in a 24 feature script free up Kiefer Sutherland to do some non-terrorism-related work during his TV hiatus, allowing him to star in the supernatural thriller Mirrors from director Alexandre "The Hills Have Eyes" Aja. [Variety] More » -
defamer
Trade Round-Up: NBC Madness!
ยท NBC will hand over Aaron Sorkin's 10 p.m. Monday night Studio 60 timeslot to Paul Haggis' drama The Black Donnellys starting on March 5, hoping that the heavy-handed, fender-bender-loving double Oscar winner's new series will hang on to some of hit lead-in Heroes' viewers, but promises that S60 will return to their airwaves at an unspecified date. Also: 30 Rock's slot is being temporarily donated to the Conan O'Brien/Andy Richter midseason comedy Andy Barker, PI, but will be back on April 19th. [Variety] More »
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By MarkComment by Moonshine Mike: Gotta go with PuppyBowl....at least they can piddle at midfield and not get called for a foul... more » | Other threads
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defamer
Trade Round-Up: KISS Finally Ready To Leverage Their Brand For Extramusical Pursuits
ยท Studios aren't as horny as usual to pimp their event movies during the Super Bowl, preferring to spend their ad dollars on hit primetime shows instead of the year's biggest advertising orgy. But for those who change their minds, there's plenty of available space towards the end of the broadcast, when drunken football fans are less likely to pay attention to commercials. [Variety] More »
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By MarkComment by Sulky Girl: I can't stop myself from watching...it's like a hate fuck. Why is the (supposedly) super-talented, christian chick speaking in a... more » | Other threads
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short ends
Short Ends: Jack Bauer's End-Of-The-World Face
ยท This is what it looks like when Kiefer Sutherland watches Valencia get nuked. More »
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By MarkComment by Dancing Milkcarton: While watching last night I was hoping they would have cast his dad as... well, his dad. We get... more » | Other threads
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aaron sorkin
'LAT' Gives Equal Time To Pro-Sorkin Voices
Showing a renewed commitment to journalistic fairness in the aftermath of Aaron Sorkin's shocking exposure of their anti-Sorkin agenda last week, in which the Studio 60 showrunner decried the paper's unacceptable reliance on negative quotes from "disgruntled" individuals whose level of entertainment industry success falls far short of his criteria for having a valid opinion, the LAT today offers equal time to those who have self-published positive words about Studio 60 on the internets: More » -
aaron sorkin
Aaron Sorkin Takes On The L.A. Times, Internets, Unemployed Writers
As part of yesterday's TCA press tour event, TV critics were bussed over to the set of Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, where they were granted some face time with series creator Aaron Sorkin in his behind-the-scenes-at-a-distressingly- serious-minded-sketch-comedy-show environment. When asked to comment on a recent LAT piece claiming that comedy writers don't seem to be fans of the show, the beleaguered showrunner took the opportunity to decry the paper's transparent anti-Sorkin agenda, revealing that his research uncovered the shocking fact that some of his critics might be—audible gasp!—unemployed. Recounts The Oregonian's TV critic on his TCA blog: More » -
awards
Awards Round-Up: Globe Reactions, WGA Pits '30' Against '60'
Just hours after the Golden Globe nominations were announced, better entertainment news bureaus everywhere were on the phone with the lucky, chosen few, who shared their "where they were" moments (let's get a handle of things, folks—these are the Globes we're talking about) and their initial reactions (generally positive, save for double nominee Clint Eastwood, who felt the final installment of his WWII trilogy—a YouTube video of a hamster making its way through a video game prison camp—was sorely overlooked.) A round-up: More » -
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By MarkComment by Little Mintz Sunshine: Frankly, I think he looks like Beaker from the Muppet Show...if Beaker were a smug asshole. more » | Other threads
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defamer
Will The Golden Globes Pretend To Like 'Studio 60'?
With all the bongo-beating build-up to tomorrow morning's announcement of the Golden Globe movie nominations, it's easy to forget that the Hollywood Foreign Press Association's annual awards ceremony also celebrates excellence in the Dramatic Televised Arts. And where Emmy voters are seemingly bound by conservative voting practices (or just can't be bothered to watch the screeners in the first place), the HFPA members are free to reward on merit alone, often taking it upon themselves to champion groundbreaking programming in its nascency. THR looks at the chances for some of this TV season's boldest new voices, including Aaron Sorkin's drama about the serious-minded people who make sketch comedy, Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip: More » -
trade roundup
Trade Round-Up: WGA And Studios Bicker Over Who's The Louder Saber-Rattler
WGA West President Patric Verrone defends the organization's decision to delay contract renewal talks with studios, deflecting accusations of saber-rattling with counter-saber-rattling-accusations about the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers' threats to accelerate production and stockpile scripts if the Guild doesn't immediately do their bidding. [Variety] More »
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By MarkComment by Redondo Dubonnet: Jordan and Danny and Matt and Harriet are going to get married, leave NBS, go into law, and have a... more » | Other threads
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defamer
'Studio 60': The Flowchart
Have you been meaning to check out NBC's hottest, low-rated new drama, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, but haven't yet done so because you're not sure if you're in demographic sweet-spot the network invites into the series' exclusive viewership club each Monday night? This easy-to-understand flowchart (click here to see the full version), put together by a reader with too much free time at work, should assist you in figuring out if you're an undiscovered member of the show's target audience. Enjoy.
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By MarkComment by gorillavsmarykate: WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T GIVE ME THE B-12 SHOT!!!!!!!!!! aahahh!h!hhahhh!hh!h!h!h!!!!!1 more » | Other threads
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defamer
Trade Round-Up: Spirit Awards Recognize Ryan Gosling's Fine, Crack-Related Work
Nominations for the Independent Spirit Awards, the annual celebration of films largely released by the somewhat less corporate-seeming arms of huge multimedia conglomerates, have been announced, with Little Miss Sunshine and Half Nelson both receiving five nods. [Variety] More » -
trade roundup
Trade Round-Up: New Line Prepared To Throw Hobbit Movie Into Hottest Volcano In Mordor
Producer New Line, distributor MGM, and Peter Jackson are locked in an epic battle over who has control over The Hobbit after Jackson declares that he's not willing to talk about directing the film until New Line coughs up the Lord of the Rings profits they've allegedly screwed him out of, while New Line counter-threatens to press on without him, a move that would almost certainly result in global fanboy riots. [Variety] More »
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By MarkComment by raincoaster: Please not Hathaway. PleasenotHathaway. PleasenotHathawayPleasenotHathawayPlease... more » | Other threads
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By MarkComment by gorillavsmarykate: everytime you build Studio 60 a set, an NBC employee loses their wings. more » | Other threads
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trade roundup
Trade Round-Up: Resurgent 'Studio 60' Picks Up A Handful Of Affluent, Upscale Viewers
Comcast pulls the plug on its talks with Al Jazeera International, effectively putting an end to the network's hopes of getting U.S. distribution in time for the worldwide launch of their English-language channel on Wednesday. [Variety] More » -
defamer
'Studio 60' CancellationWatch: NBC Officially Picks Up A Full Season
Good news both for genuine fans of Studio 60 and for those who derive their primary enjoyment from the series from their spirited Tuesday morning discussions about why Jesus running a network Standards & Practices department isn't actually funny: Despite our spies' forecast of an imminent mercy killing, NBC has officially picked up a full season's worth of episodes, giving Aaron Sorkin nine more episodes and many more millions of dollars to continue his bold exploration of the curiously serious side of sketch comedy. THR's Ray Richmond (who notes he called it two days ago) has the press release: More »
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By MarkComment by EvilMinion: I really don't watch Deal or No Deal either. It's way too complicated for dumb little me. What... more » | Other threads
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nbc
'Studio 60' CancellationWatch: NBC Ready To Pick Up Either Nine Or Zero New Episodes
Yesterday, THR columnist Ray Richmond interviewed beleaguered showrunner Aaron Sorkin and gave Studio 60 fans hope that their favorite, serious-minded weekly examination of the culture-salvaging possibilities of late-night sketch comedy shows is on the verge of a season-completing back nine episode order, news contrary to earlier reports (like this one, we imagine) that the series is teetering on the precipice of primetime oblivion. Blogged Richmond: More »
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By MarkComment by gorillavsmarykate: It was obviously the black man's marijuana. So, just to make sure, this week's episode slandered both gay people... more » | Other threads
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aaron sorkin
The One Where Aaron Sorkin Sucks All The Fun Out Of A Routine Teeth Cleaning
Die-hard Aaron Sorkin junkies who find themselves unable to wait until Monday night's Studio 60 broadcast (NBC says they're standing behind it for now, despite nasty, nasty rumors) for their next fix of his signature rat-a-tat, call-and-response banter might find themselves temporarily sated by McSweeney's transcript of Sorkin's last trip to the dental hygenist: More »
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By MarkComment by raincoaster: McSweeney's is far too wistful and tranked to be Sorkinesque. Sorkin would never run a pirate-supply shop! A Radio Shack... more » | Other threads
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the cw
Don't Worry, We Don't Discriminate: All The Blonde Ones Look Alike As Well
The Slug blog thinks it sees evidence of creeping Jordan McDeere-ism in fledgling network abomination The CW's hiring practices, throwing together this side-by-side-by-side to illustrate how current programming VP Gayle Hirsch and drama development VP Joanna Klein (or some combination thereof) resemble Studio 60's maverick NBS executive (who herself is supposedly based on ABC/NBC exec Jamie Tarses). Personally, we don't see it, even though we've always maintained that all brunette TV executives look alike (especially on Headshot Day), but we'll allow that we might be thrown off by both CW employees' impressive ability to muster more complex facial expressions in these liberally airbrushed photos than Amanda Peet has in five episodes' worth of appearances on her show. More »
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By MarkComment by raincoaster: The middle one was airbrushed by the same guy who paints the jets at Boeing. Subtle. more » | Other threads
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defamer
Trade Round-Up: Viewers Prefer Texas High School Football To Overly Serious Sketch Comedy
Because Steven Soderbergh's Che Guevara biopic jones couldn't possibly be satisfied by directing just a single film, he's doing two, The Argentine and Guerilla, with Benicio del Toro as the title character whose image you've long admired on the T-shirt racks of Urban Outfitters. [Variety] More » -
defamer
'Studio 60' CancellationWatch: Plug-Pulling 'Imminent'?
We usually reserve our speculation about Studio 60's chances of being allowed to continue to trumpet the socially redeeming power of unrelentingly serious-minded sketch comedy shows until the disappointing Tuesday morning ratings numbers for NBC's little momentum-stopper come in, but Fox 411 gossip Roger Friedman's report that the network is ready to nail presumed Nielsen Messiah Aaron Sorkin to the crucifix of cancellation forces us to consider the sad possibility that we may have watched our last tortured interaction between Matt Albie and the woman he dumped for singing to Pat Robertson: More »
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By MarkComment by HeatherNumber1: Will they at least wait 'til the inevitable episode in which an overweight member of the cast ODs, prompting every... more » | Other threads
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studio 60
The Demise Of "Studio 60": Proof That Hiring Sting Is A Didgeridon't
A few weeks back, we questioned the wisdom of hiring Sting to make a cameo on the bark-at-the-moon-crazy Bizaaroworld that is Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip. But Aaron Sorkin didn't listen to us—he was too busy ensuring that the next episode would have enough nonsensical blue-versus-red dialogue—and now the show is hovering under the axe. [Idolator]
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Comment by ancalime: Well, to make Sting responsible for failing Studio 60 is as stupid a comparison as to say in China a... more » | Other threads
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trade roundup
Trade Round-Up: Will Ferrell To Sport Nut-Huggers, High Socks, And White Man's Fro
New Line is the latest studio to prove that any pitch in the form of "Will Ferrell is a(n) [occupation for which Will Ferrell seems hilariously ill-suited] is an instant greenlight, signing up the actor for Semi-Pro, in which Ferrell will put on the ball-huggingest pair of shorts ever conceived by a wardrobe department while portraying "Jackie Moon, the flamboyant owner-player-coach of the fictional Flint, Mich., Tropics in the final year of the American Basketball Assn." Woody Harrelson will co-star, though it's not clear if he's playing the complimentarily dim-witted sidekick or Ferrell's cocky rival. [Variety] More » -
defamer
'Studio 60': Yeah, It's Still Not Looking Good
Believe it or not, we take no pleasure in Studio 60's consistently anemic ratings—should NBC eventually cut its losses and send to Cancellation Valhalla the show the network once believed would deliver it to a Nielsen Viking orgy, it will probably just push new hit Heroes back to 10 p.m. and offer it a two-hour lead-in of people shouting at briefcases, robbing us of our enjoyable Tuesday morning debates about how an episode we thought was going to be about Matthew Perry trying to get laid by bimbos who din't know what "writing" is could instead get clogged with stories about senile blacklist victims, resentful parents from Columbus who've been locked in an underground bunker with no access to the pop culture of the past half-century, and black comics getting plucked from obscurity and staffed on the show based on a poorly articulated joke about his barber's insufficient profit margins on high-quality marijuana sales. In any case, the overnight ratings for last night's installment don't look good, especially when framed as a "momentum stopper." THR runs the numbers: More »
defamer
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Mon Jul 6
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