Around the Tubes: 6/17/16

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on Roadies, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Hell Below, Bitten, and Outside Television.

- Showtime is offering viewers an early opportunity to sample the highly-anticipated music series Roadies ahead of its linear premiere on Sunday, June 26th at 10:00. The first original series from creator, executive producer, writer and director Cameron Crowe, Roadies is a one-hour comedy featuring an ensemble cast headed by Luke Wilson (Old School, Enlightened) and Screen Actors Guild® Award nominee Carla Gugino (San Andreas). The series gives an insider’s look at the reckless, romantic, funny and often poignant lives of a committed group of roadies who live for music and the de facto family they’ve formed along the way. ROADIES chronicles the rock world through the eyes of music’s unsung heroes and pays homage to the backstage workers who put the show on the road while touring for the successful arena-level group, The Staton-House Band. Consumers who do not subscribe to Showtime are now able to sample the TV-14 rated version of the series premiere for free on YouTube, Facebook and SHO.com. The pilot is also available for download as a free video podcast on iTunes. Consumers can also sample the premiere episode for free across multiple television and streaming providers’ devices, websites and applications and free On Demand channels.

- Tune in to watch Red Hot Chili Peppers on AT&T Live at the iHeartRadio Theater L.A. airing exclusively via nationwide broadcast this Friday, June 17 at 9:00 on the AUDIENCE Network, DIRECTV Ch 239/U-verse Ch 1114.

- A new Smithsonian Channel series will chart the stealthy game of undersea warfare from the greatest submarine campaigns of World War II. The six-episode Hell Below premieres Sunday, July 17 at 9:00. It profiles the strategic masterminds behind the brutal tactics of Nazi U-boats and reveals the extraordinary feats of Allied subs in the Atlantic and Pacific. Both the Axis and Allies employed unrestricted submarine warfare to bring their enemies to their knees in World War II. Submariners on both sides were a special breed of warrior, always volunteers, often fighting alone. Sub warfare evolved rapidly during the war, as German U-Boats and American submarines attacked military targets and commercial shipping. Submarine attacks created chaos and unnerved adversaries. And while the world’s oceans provided concealment and protection, the environment was unforgiving. Each hour-long episode of HELL BELOW features expert analysis and stock footage along with dramatic re-enactments filmed aboard authentic World War II era submarines, placing viewers in the heart of the action.

- Based on the "Otherworld" novels by New York Times best-selling author Kelley Armstrong, Bitten stars Laura Vandervoort ("Smallville", "V", "Haven", Ted) as Elena Michaels, the world's only female werewolf. For three seasons, the show's rabid followers have tuned in as Elena evolved from a photographer who hides her dark secret after being bitten, to a ferocious leader of the Stonehaven pack. Bitten: The Final Season picks up several months after the harrowing battle in the season two finale. Bolstering their ranks in the wake of the carnage, the Stonehaven Pack is on the hunt for the Russian Alpha and his brethren, seeking to end a decades-old vendetta. Meanwhile, Elena struggles with Pack Alpha Jeremy Danvers' new draconian leadership style, and makes a shocking and surprising discovery about herself.

- OUTSIDE TELEVISION, America’s only national 24/7 network dedicated to the active adventure lifestyle, has big plans for the month of June. Next week, new seasons of DISPATCHES and LOCALS will premiere in addition to a new original series, MAVERICK MOMENTS. If that wasn’t enough, Outside TV has also dedicated a day’s worth of programming to celebrate International Surf Day on Monday June 20th followed by the world premiere of MAVERICK MOMENTS (9pm ET) and then season six premiere of DISPATCHES (9:30pm ET). Don’t have access to Outside TV? No worries – we’ve got you covered with a month long free preview through Sling TV which runs from June 20th to July 20th.

Around the Tubes: 6/10/16

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on House of Lies, Barely Famous, Winsanitty, Power, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Keith Urban, and Masters of Sex.

- This Sunday, June 12th at 9:00, our favorite corporate sharks are boarding their last flight, in grand, historic style, to Havana, Cuba for the conclusion of the Showtime comedy series House of Lies. Shot entirely on location and directed by series creator and executive producer Matthew Carnahan, this final episode, “No Es Fácil,” marks the first time an American scripted series was shot in Cuba since the restoration of diplomatic relations. Don Cheadle (Miles Ahead) headlines the stellar cast, which includes Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars), Emmy® winner Ben Schwartz (Parks & Recreation), Josh Lawson (Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues), Donis Leonard Jr. (Criminal Minds), and Emmy winner Glynn Turman (In Treatment). As we conclude the series, the Pod is assessing their personal portfolios: in their constant quest for the almighty dollar, how much is enough? How much money buys happiness and at what cost?

- Season two continues to satirize the reality TV genre by exploring the endless hypocrisy of Hollywood wealth and fame. Each episode of Barely Famous, featuring multi-hyphenate producers, actresses and writers Erin and Sara Foster, dives into the world of celebrity in a docu-style format through the eyes of the delusional, hilarious and beautiful Foster sisters. Celebrity cameos this season include Chris Martin, Chelsea Handler, Kate Hudson, Jessica Alba, Zach Braff, Kate Upton, Cindy Crawford, Brooke Burke, Dr. Phil, Ali Larter, Lauren London, Joey Fatone and more. Check out the Supertrailer here.

- GSN has partnered with participation TV technology company iPowow on the new game show series, Winsanity, to allow viewers – for the first time ever in cable TV – to play along at home in real-time on their mobile devices against other viewers, see their results on-screen and also get a chance to win prizes throughout the season. The play along at home feature will be part of the show, beginning with the series debut on Thursday, June 9 at 9:00 on GSN. The new iPowow play-at-home game at WinsanityLive.com, allows viewers watching the show in real-time to play along for free and stack the facts in the correct order, using their smartphone, tablet or laptop.

- Anchoe Bay Entertainment gears up for the much-anticipated release of the Starz Original series Power: The Complete Second Seasonon Blu-ray™ and DVD on Tuesday, June 14th. Executive Produced by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson and created by Courtney A. Kemp (“The Good Wife”), POWER is a drama that straddles the opulent Manhattan lifestyle of the rich and infamous and the underbelly of the international drug trade. The second season picks up where it left off: James "Ghost" St. Patrick (Omari Hardwick) doubling down on his drug business to save his nightclub and dream of a legitimate future. His work troubles pale in comparison to juggling his relationship with his wife, Tasha (Naturi Naughton), and his first love Angela (Lela Loren), who's also an Assistant United States Attorney investigating his drug organization. Ghost is set further back from his dream by his business partner Tommy (Joseph Sikora) who loves the drug game, and his former mentor, Kanan (Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson), fresh out of jail, and looking for revenge. Season two has Ghost in a race against himself: can he get out of the drug game alive before Angela discovers who he is? The third season of POWER premieres on a new night Sunday, July 17 at 9:00 on Starz.

- Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ Greatest Hits collection will be available on vinyl for the first time in North America on July 29 as a double LP on 180-Gram Black Vinyl. The album is the biggest selling in the band’s illustrious catalog, with sales surpassing twelve million copies since its 1993 release.

Tune in to watch Keith Urban on AT&T Live at the iHeartRadio Theater NY airing exclusively via nationwide broadcast this Friday (tonight), June 10 at 9:00 on the AUDIENCE Network DIRECTV Ch 239/U-verse Ch 1114.

- Niecy Nash and Betty Gilpin will be guest stars on the fourth season of Showtime Networks’ critically acclaimed drama series Masters of Sex Nash, who will appear in a multi-episode arc, plays Louise Bell, a local AA - chairperson running Masters’ (Michael Sheen) court-ordered daily meetings. She fervently believes in AA’s message, and uses it to push Masters to reevaluate his life. Gilpin, who will also appear in a multi-episode arc, will play Nancy, a former medical student of Barton’s (Beau Bridges), who partners with Masters adding a second MD to the practice. Production on season four recently began in Los Angeles.

Around the Tubes: 6/3/16

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on Purity, The Look of Silence, Masters of Sex, Shameless, The Affair, Homeland, Mind of a Giant, and White Famous.

- Showtime announced the pick-up of the new limited series Purity, based on the novel of the same name from best-selling author Jonathan Franzen, and starring and executive produced by internationally-acclaimed actor Daniel Craig. Todd Field (Little Children, In the Bedroom) will write, direct and executive produce, along with executive producers Scott Rudin, Eli Bush, David Hare and Jonathan Franzen. Hare and Franzen will also serve as writers on the series. Field will direct every episode. Purity will be a 20-episode limited series set to air over the course of two years on Showtime. Production will begin in 2017.

- Joshua Oppenheimer’s Oscar®-nominated The Look of Silence is the incredible story of a man confronting his brother’s killers and demanding they accept responsibility for their crimes. Adi, an optometrist who survived the 1965 Indonesian genocide, takes this unimaginable step in a society where murderers remain in power. To break the spell of submission and terror, he forces them, and us, to reckon with his country’s dark history. A companion piece to Oppenheimer’s The Act of Killing, also an Oscar® nominee, The Look of Silence has been hailed as a “masterpiece” by The New York Times for bearing witness to the collapse of 50 years of silence. Winner, Grand Jury Prize, Critics Prize and Human Rights Award, 2014 Venice Film Festival. Trailer.

- Showtimw announced its fall premiere schedule, with the critically-acclaimed drama series Masters of Sex returning for a fourth season on Sunday, September 11th at 10:00, and the seventh season of the network’s No. 1 comedy series Shameless premiering on Sunday, October 2nd at 9:00. Then, on November 20th at 10:00, the third season of the Golden Globe-winning hit drama series The Affair will make its debut. The three series will be available on Showtime on-air, on demand and over the internet. Also Homeland will shift from its regular slot in the fall to a winter premiere in January 2017. The series will return to the U.S. after spending the last two seasons shooting in South Africa and Berlin. Season six is set to begin production in New York starting in August.

- Across Africa, elephants are in crisis. Each day, 96 elephants fall victim to poachers, human-elephant conflict and habitat loss. In 2013, Paul G. Allen launched the Great Elephant Census, the first pan-African aerial survey of savanna elephants in more than 40 years. Soon after surveyors began their work, they observed something that truly surprised them. In the past 40 years, in the face of growing threats, elephants have changed where and how they live in their historic ecosystems. This incredible discovery, combined with the latest studies from the top elephant researchers in the world, revealed that elephants are learning to adapt and survive in ways we’ve never seen before. We join the experts in Africa to see their work firsthand in Mind of a Giant, premiering Sunday, June 19, at 9:00 on Nat Geo WILD.

- Showtime has given a pilot order to White Famous, a half-hour comedy executive produced by Academy Award® winner Jamie Foxx and Tom Kapinos. White Famous will be written by Kapinos, based on an idea by Jamie Foxx, who will guest star in a recurring role. A co-production between Lionsgate Television and Showtime, the project will focus on a talented, young African-American comedian whose star is rising, forcing him to navigate the treacherous waters of maintaining his credibility as he begins to cross-over towards becoming “white famous.” White Famous marks a return to Showtime for Kapinos who created, wrote and executive produced seven seasons of the hit series Californication.

Around the Tubes: 5/27/16

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on Of Men and War, Hip Hop Honors, Roadies, I Am Rebel, Barely Famous, Left Behind, Hater, and Dating Naked.

- Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, affects almost 30 percent of the 834,467 Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans treated through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Consumed by anger and traumatic memories long after their return, soldiers often resort to drugs or suicide to end their suffering. Filmmaker Laurent Bécue-Renard provides a searing account of how the disorder has affected veterans and their families in Of Men and War, an unparalleled look at the enduring consequences of PTSD and the role treatment can play in helping soldiers reclaim their lives. The documentary, an Official Selection of the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, has its national broadcast premiere during the 29th season of POV (Point of View) on Memorial Day, Monday, May 30, 2016 on PBS. American television’s longest running independent documentary series, POV is the winner of a 2013 MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions.

- With hip hop dominating pop culture, VH1 today announced the triumphant return of Hip Hop Honors to celebrate the trailblazing first ladies of hip hop. The show will pay homage to the female pioneers, trailblazers and trend-setters who lead a movement and infiltrated the ranks of the male-dominated genre to make their voices heard and still do today. VH1’S Hip Hop Honors will air Monday, July 11th at 9:00 Live from NY. (Scooter's Note: The gender specific idea is absurd, other than Queen Latifah, who is worthy of being honored? How about honoring Nas, EPMD, Gang Starr, Geto Boys, Biz Markie, The Pharcyde, The Roots, Coolio, Black Sheep, Leaders of the New School, or even 3rd Base first. I cannot imagine anyone will be that excited to see Lil Kim, Foxy Brown, Even and whoever did the female part to Positive K's I Got a Man.)

- Showtime has debuted the new trailer for its highly-anticipated comedy Roadies, the first original series from creator, executive producer, writer and director Cameron Crowe. With an ensemble cast headed by Luke Wilson (Old School, Enlightened) and Screen Actors Guild Award nominee Carla Gugino (San Andreas), the one-hour music series will premiere on Sunday, June 26th at 10 p.m. ET/PT on air, on demand and over the internet. Roadies gives an insider’s look at the reckless, romantic, funny and often poignant lives of a committed group of roadies who live for music and the de facto family they’ve formed along the way. The series chronicles the rock world through the eyes of music’s unsung heroes and pays homage to the backstage workers who put the show on the road while touring for the successful arena-level group, The Staton-House Band.


A backyard chemist invents the world’s most infamous club drug. A crime scene photographer changes the way police fight crimes. A civil rights activist hijacks a plane, causing sweeping airport security reforms. The first dark-side hacker revolutionizes computer security. These seemingly disparate stories share a common thread: outsiders finding their voices by rebelling against the status quo. Beginning Sunday, June 5, at 9:00, National Geographic Channel will take viewers inside these relatively obscure stories with I Am Rebel. Executive produced by Doug Liman (“The Bourne Identity,” “Suits,” “Covert Affairs”) using his signature style of propulsive, action-packed and character-driven storytelling, each episode of I Am Rebel is told entirely through first-person interviews and stylish and suspenseful re-creations that blur the line between feature films and documentaries. Each story reveals the lightning bolts of change that can emerge from the fringes of counterculture, effecting change that reverberates through history.

- VH1 announced Wednesday, June 29th at 10:00 will be the premiere date for the celebrity filled second season of Barely Famous, featuring multi-hyphenate producers, actresses and writers Erin and Sara Foster. Celebrity cameos this season include Chris Martin, Chelsea Handler, Kate Hudson, Jessica Alba, Zach Braff, Kate Upton, Cindy Crawford, Brooke Burke, Dr. Phil, Ali Larter, Lauren London, Joey Fatone and more. VH1’s Barely Famous returns with six, half –hour episodes on Wednesday, June 29th at 10:00PM & 10:30PM ET/PT.

- To be trapped behind enemy lines is every soldier’s worst nightmare: a situation all fighters train for, few experience and even fewer survive. From the producers of National Geographic Channel’s critically acclaimed Locked Up Abroad and Inside the Hunt for the Boston Bombers, new series No Man Left Behind combines gripping personal testimony with vivid reenactments and archival footage to shed light on the stories of modern war heroes and special agents who overcame incredible odds in some of the most hostile environments on earth. Premiering in the U.S. on Tuesday, June 28, at 9:00,

- Coming off their successful collaboration on the Peabody Award-winning documentary Listen To Me Marlon, Showtime will once again team up with acclaimed filmmakers R.J. Cutler (The September Issue, The World According to Dick Cheney) and John Battsek (Searching For Sugar Man, The Tillman Story) on a feature-length documentary about the extraordinary life and times of comic legend John Belushi. For the first time, Belushi’s widow Judith Belushi Pisano has agreed to cooperate with the making of a film about the late comedian’s life, and provided the exclusive photo of John from her private collection. Directed by Cutler and produced by Battsek, the documentary is set to begin production in the fall, with long-time Belushi collaborator Sean Daniel serving as executive producer along with Bill Couturie. Cutler will also produce. The film will be produced in association with Sky Atlantic.

- Ben Shepherd returned to his garage rock roots and assembled a group of musicians that became Hater, in Seattle, playing guitar alongside Soundgarden band mate, drummer Matt Cameron, as well as ex-Monster Magnet guitarist John McBain, Devilhead vocalist Brian Wood, brother of the late pre-grunge outfit Mother Love Bone singer Andrew Wood, and fellow Devilhead bassist John Waterman. Their self-titled debut album was recorded in between Soundgarden's Badmotorfinger,1991, and, their Grammy Award winning album Superunknown,1994. Hater was released on A&M Records on September 21, 1993, and is now being reissued on CD, and for the first time digitally and on vinyl, by UMe on July 15th.

- VH1 turns up the heat as the network’s provocative reality dating series Dating Naked returns for a third season on Wednesday June 29th at 9:00. Hosted by Rocsi Diaz, this season once again features two main daters, David and Natalie, as they search for love on a tropical island paradise. Shot on location in Bora Bora, the two explore the art of romance, free of preconceived notions, stereotypes – and clothes. Each week, two new men and women will strip down for a shot at igniting a spark with our primary daters – but in the end, only one can win their hearts. Over the course of 12 one-hour episodes the competition gets HOT as sexy new singles arrive on the island each week, vying for David and Natalie’s affections. Produced by Lighthearted Entertainment and VH1, Dating Naked season 3 premieres Wednesday, June 29th at 9:00 on VH1.​

Around the Tubes: 5/20/16

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on Dr. K’s Exotic Animal ER, The Return, Marvin Gaye, Squeeze, Richard Marx and Friends, Missing Dial, ALL ACCESS: Quest For The Stanley Cup, Carol Burnett's Favorite Sketches, House of Lies, and Will.

- Whether it’s emergency surgery on a squirrel monkey or X-rays on a skunk, there is no such thing as a boring day at Dr. Susan Kelleher’s exotic animal ER. Each episode, rock-star-vet Dr. K and her talented team brace for injured animals that run, fly, crawl or slither through the door. Dr. K’s Exotic Animal ER premieres Saturday, May 21, 9:00 on Nat Geo WILD. This season, Dr. K has her hands full with more incredible creatures with critical cases. From an albino python with a respiratory illness to a marmoset plagued by a mystery ailment, it’s a roller-coaster ride for the staff, loving pet owners and animals. Still, no matter whether the patient is cute and cuddly or big and deadly, Dr. K understands these pets are her clients’ beloved family members. With boundless compassion for animals, Dr. K and her team perform heroic feats to save their patients and help their families.

- In 2012, California amended its “Three Strikes” law—one of the harshest criminal sentencing policies in the country. The passage of Prop. 36 marked the first time in U.S. history that citizens voted to shorten sentences of those currently incarcerated. Within days, the reintegration of thousands of “lifers” was underway. The Return examines this unprecedented reform through the eyes of those on the front lines—prisoners suddenly freed, families turned upside down, reentry providers helping navigate complex transitions and attorneys and judges wrestling with an untested law. At a moment of reckoning on mass incarceration, what can California’s experiment teach the nation? The Return the remarkable and timely new documentary film from three-time Emmy nominated filmmakers Kelly Duane de la Vega and Katie Galloway that will have its national television debut on the PBS series POV this Monday, May 23 at 10:00. (Check local listings.)​ The trailer is available here.

- It’s been 45 years since the release of Marvin Gaye’s momentous album, What’s Going On, May 21, 1971, on the Motown subsidiary Tamla Records. To mark the occasion, Universal Music Enterprises is preparing a series of special vinyl releases, including a seven-LP box set, Volume 3: 1971-1981, which features on 180gm vinyl Gaye’s final seven studio albums for the label, on May 27, a follow-up to the first two installments of the collection. The albums included are: What’s Going On (1971), Trouble Man (1972), Let’s Get It On (1973), Diana & Marvin (1973), I Want You (1976), the double-LP Here, My Dear (1978) and In Our Lifetime (1981). In addition, four of the albums from the box set - Let’s Get It On, Diana & Marvin, Here, My Dear and In Our Lifetime – will be made individually for the first time in several years. Also releasing for this anniversary is a special 10” vinyl EP, available June 24, featuring the original 7” mono single versions of “What’s Going On” and “God Is Love” on one side, which are different to the later album versions, and two “Motown: Re-imagined” versions of the title song on the other side: a duet version with new Motown artist BJ the Chicago Kid and an unplugged “Coffeehouse Mix,” both using only the original instrumentation. This unique “What’s Going On” EP will also be released digitally.

- Squeeze, the seminal British pop act whose songs have tenderly and wittily chronicled life and love stretching across four decades, are launching a U.S. tour, their first as a band in four years. Squeeze will be supporting their latest album Cradle to the Grave that was released October 2015 their first album of new songs in 17 years. Following a successful, critically-acclaimed acoustic duo run in 2015 aptly titled The At Odds Couple Tour, Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford have now brought together the full band for a 19-date run. Tickets go on sale this Friday May 20, with additional dates to be announced. For up to date tour information please visit: squeezeofficial.com.

- Tune in to the AUDIENCE Network special Richard Marx and Friends airing Friday, May 20, at 9:00 (DIRECTV Ch 239/U-verse Ch 1114). Watch as the GRAMMY-winning singer/songwriter thrills the Hollywood crowd at Red Studios in Los Angeles with his band and an orchestra, performing both his hits and new fan favorites. Marx's esteemed colleagues--singer/songwriter Eric Benet and legendary rocker Kenny Loggins--drop by and join in on a few classic tunes. In the episode, Marx also joins Ted Stryker for an in-depth interview covering a wide range of topics throughout Marx's 30-year career. Richard Marx's "Greatest Hits Tour" is now underway (HERE).

- National Geographic launches a covert investigation into the disappearance of adventurer Cody Dial. Missing Dial premieres May 22 at 10:00 on the National Geographic Channel.


- Showtimw Sports is giving viewers an opportunity to sample the first episode of the anticipated new series ALL ACCESS: Quest For The Stanley Cup across multiple platforms and devices as well as on NHL Network following the series premiere on Friday, May 20 at 9:00 on Showtime.

- This June, audiences can tune in to PBS for the very best of the legendary variety series The Carol Burnett Show with Carol Burnett's Favorite Sketches. Distributed by TJ Lubinsky's TJL, the premiere provider of nostalgia pledge programs to public television stations, the special will air nationally on PBS on June 3rd at 9:00 (Check Local Listings).

- On Sunday, June 13th at 9:00, our favorite corporate sharks will board their last flight, in grand, historic style, to Havana for the conclusion of the Showtime comedy series House of Lies. Shot entirely on location and directed by series creator and executive producer Matthew Carnahan, this final episode, “No Es Fácil,” marks the first time an American scripted series was shot in Cuba since the restoration of diplomatic relations.

- TNT, a division of Turner, has given the greenlight to Will, an unconventional period drama centered on a young William Shakespeare, played by newcomer Laurie Davidson. Will is the newest of five bold original series coming to the network over the next year, a slate that also includes Animal Kingdom, Good Behavior, The Alienist and Tales from the Crypt. Today's news comes as TNT joins its fellow Turner brands as part of the Turner Upfront 2016 presentation in New York. Also announced this morning, TNT has ordered a pilot for Civil, a gripping drama about a second American Civil War. And Niecy Nash (Reno 911, Scream Queens, The Mindy Project) has just been cast in TNT's previously announced pilot for Claws, an outrageous dramedy set in a Florida nail salon.

Around the Tubes: 5/13/16

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on 2016 iHeartCountry Festival, Genealogy Roadshow, Winsanity, OF Man and War, AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to John Williams, Animal Kingdom, Killing Reagan, Success Magazine, The Possibility of Fireflies, and Hitler’s Folly.

- Tune in to watch the 2016 iHeartCountry Festival airing exclusively via nationwide broadcast this Friday, May 13 at 9:00 on the AUDIENCE Network DIRECTV Ch 239/U-verse Ch 1114.

- From possible links to the accused in the Salem Witch Trials to heroes of the Wild West, PBS’ Genealogy Roadshow uncovers more family secrets in the series’ third season, which premieres Tuesday, May 17, 2016, at 8:00 p.m. ET and airs Tuesdays through June 28 (check local listings). Part detective story, part emotional journey, Genealogy Roadshow combines history and science to uncover fascinating stories of diverse Americans this season in and around Albuquerque, Miami, Houston, Boston, Providence and Los Angeles. Each story links to the larger regional (and often, national) history, to become part of America’s rich cultural tapestry. See a season three clip here.

- GSN, the leader in game shows and competitive entertainment, will debut its innovative new game show series, Winsanity, on Thursday, June 9 at 9:00 pm ET/PT. The series, hosted by actor Donald Faison (“Scrubs”), is unique in that the game play offers the opportunity for prizes to be won not only by the contestants but also by the studio audience. GSN has also partnered with participation TV technology company iPowow to allow viewers to play along at home in real-time for a chance to win prizes throughout the season.

- The “devastatingly raw” documentary OF Man and War about American soldiers grappling with traumatic memories of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and their grueling recovery in a special treatment program, which first debuted at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, will have its national TV debut on the PBS series POV on Memorial Day, Monday, May 30, 2016. Filmmaker Laurent Bécue-Renard, who spent five years with returning veterans whose minds remained on the battlefields, will be available for interviews ahead of the broadcast. The director traced the journeys of his film subjects through 14 months in residential therapy and more than four years of the veterans’ family life. Fred Gusman, founder of The Pathway Home featured in the documentary, is also available for interview.

- Steven Spielberg will present John Williams with the American Film Institute's (AFI) 44th Life Achievement Award. This marks the first time in AFI history that America's highest honor for a career in film will be bestowed upon a composer. Williams' career will be celebrated at the private Gala Tribute on June 9, 2016, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Calif. The televised special, AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to John Williams, will air on TNT on Wednesday, June 15, at 10:00, followed by an encore presentation on sister network Turner Classic Movies (TCM) on Monday, June 12, during a night of programming dedicated to Williams. This marks the fourth year the Emmy®-winning AFI special has aired on Turner networks.

- TNT is expanding the premiere of its bold new drama series Animal Kingdom to two hours and moving the launch to a new date. The series will now debut with the two-hour opener on Tuesday, June 14, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT). Animal Kingdom stars Emmy® and Tony® winner Ellen Barkin (Sea of Love, This Boy's Life, Ocean's Thirteen), Scott Speedman (The Strangers, The Vow), Shawn Hatosy (Southland, Reckless), Ben Robson (Vikings, Dracula: The Dark Prince), Jake Weary (Pretty Little Liars, It Follows), Finn Cole (Peaky Blinders, An Inspector Calls), Daniella Alonso (Revolution) and Molly Gordon (Love the Coopers, Ithaca).

- National Geographic Channel (NGC) announced today that veteran actor Tim Matheson (“The West Wing,” “Burn Notice,” “Animal House”) will star as the actor turned California governor turned president in the network’s forthcoming two-hour scripted movie Killing Reagan, joined by Cynthia Nixon (“Sex and the City,” Tony Award for “Rabbit Hole”) as first lady Nancy Reagan. The director will be Rod Lurie (“The Contender”), a self-professed political junkie, with a script written by Eric Simonson, an Academy Award winner for Best Documentary, Short Subject.

- Restaurateur and TV host Guy Fieri is one of the most commercially popular—and out of the box—chefs in the business. This has sometimes drawn the ire of his critics. But Fieri’s fast and furious rise to fame shows no signs of slowing down. And his brand, a global behemoth that spans dozens of restaurants, five books, multiple hit TV shows, a line of sauces, a collection of cookware, a brand of knives, and an upscale wine, continues to expand. In SUCCESS Magazine’s June cover story, the food world’s most down-to-earth chef shares how he tunes out the noise, puts his family first, and keeps his brand fresh. For full stories, pick up the June issue, on newsstands May 12. For more information about Success Magazine and additional personal development content, visit success.com.

- Courtney Love and Joey King will lead the cast of The Possibility of Fireflies, with Deborah Chow (“The High Cost of Living”) directing from a screenplay written by Dominique Paul, author of the original novel. The film is produced by Amy Green, Chantal Kreviazuk and Raine Maida of ARC49 Entertainment. Patrick Ewald and Shaked Berenson CEO and Co-Founder of Epic Pictures will serve as international sales representatives and UTA Independent Film Group will be representing the film domestically. The announcement was made today by Ewald and Berenson of Epic Pictures.

- PLYMPTOONS has announced the US release date of Bill Plympton’s new feature mockumentary Hitler’s Folly, a merciless satire in which Adolf Hitler is reimagined as a successful animator and artist. Hitler’s Folly will be released for free download at plymptoons.com on Friday, June 3.

Around the Tubes: 5/6/16

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on The Return, Wicked Tuna, Skin Wars: Fresh Paint, Missing Dial, Foreign Bodies, and Chelsea.

- In 2012, California amended its “Three Strikes” law—one of the harshest criminal sentencing policies in the country. The passage of Prop. 36 marked the first time in U.S. history that citizens voted to shorten sentences of those currently incarcerated. Within days, the reintegration of thousands of “lifers” was underway. The Return examines this unprecedented reform through the eyes of those on the front lines—prisoners suddenly freed, families turned upside down, reentry providers helping navigate complex transitions and attorneys and judges wrestling with an untested law. At a moment of reckoning on mass incarceration, what can California’s experiment teach the nation? The Return, winner of the Audience Award for Documentary at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival, kicks off the new season of POV (Point of View) on PBS on Monday, May 23, 2016 at 10 p.m. (check local listings). Now in its 29th season, POV is American television’s longest-running independent documentary series and the recipient of a 2013 MacArthur Foundation Award for Creative and Effective Institutions.

- After weeks of fishing filled with treacherous conditions, multiday trips, sleepless nights and record-breaking catches, the North Atlantic bluefin season is coming to a close and the captains of National Geographic Channel’s hit series Wicked Tuna are in a fierce battle to the finish. Tempers flare and the pressure builds as captains and crews reach their boiling points in a desperate scramble for last-minute paydays. Four boats are within striking distance of the title, but only one can go home the champion.  The high-octane Wicked Tuna season five finale premieres Monday, May 16, at 9:00, followed immediately by National Geographic Channel’s only live show-after-the-show, Reel Talk Live, at 10:00 (tape delayed on the West Coast). The season’s captains and crews join host Mike Catherwood (@MikeCatherwood; “Loveline”) before a live audience to answer fan questions, reveal behind-the-scenes details and look ahead to what’s next.

- GSN, the leader in game shows and competitive entertainment, announced today the debut of the new one-hour skill-based competition series Skin Wars: Fresh Paint, the first-ever spinoff from the network’s hit series SKIN WARS. Hosted by master of transformation, RuPaul Charles, the new series will debut Wednesday, June 15 at 10:00, immediately following a new episode of Skin Wars.

- National Geographic Channel, a brand synonymous with exploration and adventure, has announced a new foray into the true-crime genre with a covert investigation that hits close to home. In July 2014, 27-year-old experienced outdoorsman Cody Dial, the son of esteemed National Geographic Explorer Roman Dial, embarked on an expedition through the Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica — a dense rain forest in a region known for illegal gold-mining and illicit activity. He never emerged. Did he get lost? Did he get hurt? Or, did something far more sinister happen? National Geographic Channel’s new six-part documentary crime series Missing Dial, premiering on Sunday, May 22, at 10:00 (and available day after air on Hulu and on VOD and TVE platforms), takes viewers inside the deeply personal and truly captivating investigation into Cody’s mysterious disappearance

- TBS's Search Party has added several key players to an already stellar cast. Oscar® nominee Rosie Perez (Pineapple Express, Fearless), Golden Globe® nominee Ron Livingston (Office Space, The Conjuring), Golden Globe nominee Parker Posey (Best in Show) and Christine Taylor (Zoolander) have been cast as recurring guest stars on the comedic mystery from TBS, a division of Turner. In addition, Brandon Micheal Hall (Broad City, The Characters) has been named a series regular.

- TNT, a division of Turner, this week announced a new series with Channel 4 titled Foreign Bodies, a comedic drama about a group of young adults venturing across China, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. The two companies have ordered eight episodes of the series from Eleven and Entertainment One (eOne). Foreign Bodies is scheduled to launch on E4 in early 2017, followed later in the year by its U.S. debut on TNT.

- For your streaming pleasure, Chelsea Handler debuts her highly-anticipated worldwide talk show on Netflix, appropriately titled Chelsea, on Wednesday, MAY 11TH. Chelsea marks Netflix’s first-ever talk show, with all new 30-minute episodes debuting on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 12:01am PST. True to Netflix’s platform, you can stream them anytime, anywhere, so get ready, because #chelseashow is coming!

Around the Tubes: 4/29/16

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on Team Foxcatcher, The Wallflowers, Mygrations, Amy Grant, Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah, Dear Mama, and Genius.

- The incredible true and tragic story of world champion wrestler David Schultz, the centerpiece of a national wrestling training program, comes to life in the riveting new Netflix original documentary feature, Team Foxcatcher. The acclaimed film recently had its world premiere during the Tribeca Film Festival, ahead of its global debut on Netflix today.


- With the release of The Wallflowers’ second album, Bringing Down the Horse, on Interscope Records, May 21, 1996, band leader Jakob Dylan transformed overnight from the scion of one of rock’s living legends to a presence in his own right (or write, as the case may be, as the chief songwriter). The album went quadruple-platinum, selling more than 4 million copies, and produced four multi-format hits in “One Headlight,” “6th Avenue Heartache,” “Three Marlenas” and “The Difference,” earning a total of five Grammy nominations and two Grammy Awards (for “One Headlight”) over two years. To help mark the album’s 20th anniversary next month, Universal Music Enterprises is reissuing the album for the first time on vinyl in a two-LP set on May 13.

- Each spring, in a desperate bid for survival, 1.3 million wildebeests race hundreds of miles north from the dry southern Serengeti plains to the lush grasses of the Maasai Mara in Kenya. It’s an incredibly dangerous journey through a landscape dominated by apex predators, including lions, leopards, hyenas and crocodiles. Tens of thousands of wildebeests won’t make it — so how will humans fare? Premiering Monday, May 23, at 9:00, National Geographic Channel’s new series Mygrations follows a team of 20 men and women in a feat that has never been attempted, as they set out on foot, unarmed and without a map or compass, to follow in the footsteps of the wildebeests. The human herd must cross hundreds of miles of scorched savannah — where water, food and shelter are hard to find but lethal predators roam unchecked — to reach the Mara River, the pinnacle of the wildebeests’ death-defying quest for life.

- Baby, Baby….can you believe it’s been 25 years since Amy Grant’s iconic album, Heart In Motion, was released?! Amy became the first Christian artist to score a #1 hit in the United States when the album’s first single, “Baby Baby”, took the country by storm. With over five million albums sold, five Top 10 radio hits and four GRAMMY(R) nominations, Heart In Motion secured Amy’s place in pop music history. To commemorate the 25th anniversary of this project, we are thrilled that the amazingly talented Tori Kelly has recorded a new version of “Baby Baby”. Hearing the timeless melody and lyric reimagined after all these years by one of today’s hottest voices is a fun and fitting tribute to Amy and the success of Heart In Motion.


- n 1973, Claude Lanzmann began work on a documentary about the murder of European Jews during WWII. Twelve years and more than 200 hours of footage later, he finished “Shoah,” a masterpiece widely considered to be the most important Holocaust film ever made. Exploring the French iconoclast’s arduous path to creating his nine-hour-plus masterpiece, Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah debuts Monday, MAY 2 (9:00-9:45 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO. Academy Award®-nominated in the category of Best Documentary Short Subject this year, the film includes previously unseen outtakes and features the 90-year-old filmmaker’s modern-day reflections on key moments in his life, as well as his hopes for the future.


- VH1, Flavor Unit and Jesse Collins Entertainment add Grammy Award winning artist Alicia Keys to the lineup of heavyweight talent that will be honoring their mothers at VH1’s special one-hour event Dear Mama, premiering Sunday, May 8 at 9:00.

- National Geographic Channel announced today that it will go straight to series with the first scripted series in the history of the network, the global anthology Genius from Fox 21 Television Studios (“Homeland,” “The People v. O.J. Simpson”), Imagine Television (“24,” “Empire”), OddLot Entertainment and EUE/Sokolow. The straight-to-series order will mark the first scripted series for the network, and Academy Award winner Ron Howard will direct the first episode. Each season of the anthology will dramatize the fascinating stories of the world’s most brilliant innovators. The premiere season will focus on scientist Albert Einstein and will be based on Walter Isaacson’s critically acclaimed book “Einstein: His Life and Universe,” adapted by writer Noah Pink. The series will be executive produced by Imagine’s Brian Grazer, Ron Howard and Francie Calfo, and co-produced by Anna Culp; from OddLot Entertainment, Gigi Pritzker and Rachel Shane will executive produce and Melissa Rucker will co-produce; and Sam Sokolow and Jeff Cooney from EUE/Sokolow will also executive produce. Pink will also executive produce alongside a showrunner soon to be announced.

Around the Tubes: 4/22/16

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on Prince, Catching the Sun, Wrecked, Genealogy Roadshow, Angie Tribeca, Ernie Ball: The Pursuit of Tone "Mike Ness', All Access: Quest For The Stanley Cup, Genius be Stephen Hawking, Penny Dreadful, Brian Lee, The Queen at 90, Kansas, and Guerrilla.

- VH1 announced yesterday the on-air plans to pay tribute to the late mega-star, Prince. Beginning yesterday at 5:30 PM ET, Prince’s iconic movie, Purple Rain, will kick of a weekend long marathon. Throughout the following days, VH1’s Sway will host news updates with artists’ memories and fan reactions.
VH1 Programming Schedule:

Friday, April 22:
12:00 PM ET/PT – “Purple Rain”
10:30P PM ET/PT – “Purple Rain”

Saturday, April 23:
9:00 AM ET/PT– “Purple Rain”
4:30 PM ET/PT – 7:00 PM – “Purple Rain”

Sunday, April 24:
1 PM ET/PT – “Purple Rain”
9PM ET/PT – “Purple Rain”

- As the solar industry nears the remarkable milestone next month of 1 million U.S. homes with solar panels, the acclaimed new documentary Catching the Sun from Executive Producer Leonardo DiCaprio will debut on Netflix in all territories this Friday, April 22 (Earth Day). Trailer: catchingthesun.tv

- TBS, a division of Turner, has set the premiere date for Wrecked, the network's new ensemble comedy about a group of strangers stranded on a deserted island following a plane crash. The latest in TBS's growing slate of daring new comedies, Wrecked is set to take off Tuesday, June 14, at 10:00) with back-to-back episodes.


- From possible links to the accused in the Salem Witch Trials to heroes of the Wild West, PBS’ Genealogy Roadshow uncovers more family secrets in the series’ third season, which premieres Tuesday, May 17, 2016, at 8:00 and airs Tuesdays through June 28 (check local listings). Part detective story, part emotional journey, Genealogy Roadshow combines history and science to uncover fascinating stories of diverse Americans this season in and around Albuquerque, Miami, Houston, Boston, Providence and Los Angeles. Each story links to the larger regional (and often, national) history, to become part of America’s rich cultural tapestry. See a season three clip here.

- After putting murderous ventriloquists, bakers and painters behind bars in its first amazing season, TBS's Angie Tribeca is ready to untangle all new webs of deceit in the gripping second season. Rashida Jones, Hayes MacArthur, Jere Burns, Deon Cole, Andrée Vermeulen and Jagger the German Shepherd will be back when the powerful police drama returns Monday, June 6, exclusively on TBS, a division of Turner.


- Tune in to AT&T AUDIENCE Network for: Ernie Ball: The Pursuit of Tone "Mike Ness' on Friday, April 22 at 8:00 (DIRECTV Ch 239/U-verse Ch 1114). Watch as renowned guitarist, singer-songwriter and producer Mike Ness sits down for the new documentary series. In the candid interview, Ness touches on a wide range of topics from how he found his "groove" to rebelling through the music of his band, Social Distortion. The interview digs deep into Ness' songwriting process.

- Showtime Sports continues its commitment to real-time, behind-the-scenes documentary series with unprecedented access to the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs in All Access: Quest For The Stanley Cup. The docu-series will be the first of its kind to nationally televise the championship of a major North American sport as it unfolds. Premiering Friday, May 20 at 9:00 on Showtime, weekly episodes chronicle the Eastern and Western Conference Finals and the Stanley Cup Final as the top-four NHL® teams battle for the chance to hoist the Stanley Cup®, one of the oldest and most iconic trophies in sports.

- PBS President and CEO Paula A. Kerger announced in January at the PBS portion of the Television Critics Association Press Tour that PBS, with National Geographic as its international broadcast partner, has commissioned a new six-part science series. Genius be Stephen Hawking, from production company Bigger Bang, will be presented and narrated by renowned theoretical physicist Prof. Stephen Hawking (watch a preview here). In each episode, a different group of ordinary people will be challenged to think like the greatest scientific minds in history in order to solve some of humanity’s most enduring questions. Genius will air on PBS in the U.S. Wednesdays, May 18-June 1, 2016, 8:00-10:00, and internationally on National Geographic Channel.

- Showtime is kicking off the third season of its hit drama series, Penny Dreadful, which premieres on Sunday, May 1 at 10:00, with a fan-driven art competition. Starting today through Friday, May 13th, fans can submit their artwork to The Penny Dreadful Fan Art Competition on pennydreadful.tumblr.com for the chance to win special prizes. One winner will take home the Grandeur Prize, which includes $1,000 and the opportunity to transform their creation into an official poster, product, or an upcoming Penny Dreadful comic book. On Sunday, June 19th, Showtime will announce the Grandeur Prize Winner during the final two episodes of the third season, which will air back-to-back starting at 9 p.m. ET/PT. SHOWTIME will showcase submitted fan artwork in the Penny Dreadful gallery at sho.com/1VvfxXq.

- American genre songwriter Brian Lee has teamed up with XFINITYSessions and is releasing his concert "Sessions at Willow Grove" on Earth Day 2016. The concert will be available through XFINITY on Demand starting April 22nd, 2016 and running through June 20th, 2016. The on Demand program is exclusively available through XFINITY and will be seen in over 24 million homes in the United States.

- Smithsonian Channel is celebrating Queen Elizabeth’s 90th birthday with a two-hour landmark program. For the last year Smithsonian Channel was granted unprecedented access to Her Majesty and the Royal Family’s lives at Buckingham Palace and across the United Kingdom and overseas. The Queen at 90, premiering Sunday, May 15 at 8:00 on Smithsonian Channel, includes individual contributions from many key figures in her life, including Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry, The Duke of York, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, The Countess of Wessex and Peter Phillips.

- America's preeminent progressive rock band KANSAS will be touring select cities this fall celebrating the 40th Anniversary of their breakthrough album Leftoverture. To celebrate, for the first time in history, the band will be performing the album in its entirety. The tour will showcase two hours of classic KANSAS music including hit songs, deep cuts, and new songs from their soon to be released album, The Prelude Implicit. Tickets and KANSAS VIP Packages for most dates go on sale to the general public Friday, April 22, 2016. Ticket information can be found at kansasband.com.

- Academy Award-winner John Ridley (American Crime, 12 Years a Slave) will write, direct and executive produce Guerrilla, a new six-part limited series set to air on SHOWTIME and Sky Atlantic, that centers on a couple whose passion propels them into making the leap from political activism to radical militancy. Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild® Award winner Idris Elba (Luther, Beasts of No Nation) will co-star and serve as an executive producer through his Green Door Pictures. Ridley will write the majority of the episodes and will direct the first two episodes.

Around the Tubes: 4/15/16

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on Dear Mama, Comedy Knockout, The Drew, Political Idiotest, Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah, Where Am I Now?, Haven, Ray Donovan, Episodes, and Tales from the Crypt.

- This Mother's Day VH1, Flavor Unit and Jesse Collins Entertainment will shine the spotlight on the most important women in the world -- our Moms. This is not a typical honors show though -- the stars will step aside and put their mothers center stage to celebrate the women who sacrificed so much for their success. VH1’s one-hour special event Dear Mama, will premiere Sunday, May 8 at 9:00. Anthony Anderson (ABC’s “Blackish”) will kick off VH1’s Mother’s Day celebration as this year’s host and will also honor his hilarious mom, Doris Bowman. The event will feature multifaceted superstar Queen Latifah honoring her mother Rita Owens, a single mother and former high school teacher in Newark, New Jersey. Trey, Jaden and Willow Smith will also join the mom-fest to honor Hollywood powerhouse Jada Pinkett-Smith. Additional honorary mothers will be announced soon.

- See below for the newly released trailer for truTV's new comedy competition series Comedy Knockout, hosted by stand-up comedian Damien Lemon, which premieres on Thursday, April 21 at 10:30pm ET/PT. Guest comedians this season will include Jim Norton, Sherrod Small, Kevin Barnett, Jamie Lee, Arden Myrin, Chris Distefano, Yamaneika Saunders and many more.


- Showtime will premiere The Drew, a film directed and produced by Baron Davis, that explores the history of a pro-am basketball league in the heart of South Central Los Angeles, on Friday, April 29 at 8:00. The Drew chronicles the unlikely rise of an institution, the men and women who made it possible, and the unifying, positive force it has become.


- GSN, the leader in game shows and competitive entertainment, announced today a new half-hour special event, combining its hit series IDIOTEST with America’s obsession with all things politics. Political Idiotest, produced in association with Popsugar, one of the strongest media brands among millennials, will air Wednesday, April 20 at 11:00.

- Exploring the French iconoclast’s arduous path to creating his nine-hour-plus masterpiece, Claude Lanzmann: Spectres of the Shoah debuts Monday, MAY 2 at 9:00, exclusively on HBO. Academy Award®-nominated in the category of Best Documentary Short Subject this year, the film includes previously unseen outtakes and features the 90-year-old filmmaker’s modern-day reflections on key moments in his life, as well as his hopes for the future.

- EW.com has revealed the cover of writer and actor Mara Wilson's memoir, Where Am I Now?, coming out September 13th from Penguin, and now available for pre-order. The cover also features a glowing endorsement from Broad City's Ilana Glazer, who said: "Growing up, I wanted to be Mara Wilson. 'Where Am I Now?' is a delight."

- For the past five years, Haven, based on the Stephen King novella "The Colorado Kid" and starring Emily Rose, Eric Balfour, Adam Copeland and Lucas Bryant, has thrilled its legions of viewers with its supernatural storylines, VFX-fueled action and drama. And with plenty of dark secrets about to be revealed, along with new guest stars such as the inimitable William Shatner, Haven: The Final Season, out 4/19, is guaranteed to be unforgettable.

- Season four of the hit Showtime drama series Ray Donovan, starring Liev Schreiber in his three-time Golden Globe® and Emmy® nominated role, will premiere on Sunday, June 26th at 9:00 on-air, on demand and over the internet. That same night, Showtime will premiere the new one-hour ensemble comedy series Roadies from creator, writer, director and executive producer Cameron Crowe at 10:00. Check out the Ray Donovan trailer below:


- After four critically-acclaimed seasons, the hit Showtime comedy series Episodes begins production next week on its fifth and final season, it was announced today by Gary Levine, President of Programming, Showtime Networks Inc. The series, starring Matt LeBlanc in his four-time Emmy® nominated and Golden Globe-winning role playing a fictionalized version of himself, is created by award-winning writing partners David Crane and Jeffrey Klarik. Klarik will direct all seven episodes, which will film in London and premiere on the network in 2017.

- TNT, a division of Turner, and M. Night Shyamalan are ramping up TNT's new Tales from the Crypt horror block. The network has officially greenlit an initial 10-episode order of the fan favorite Tales from the Crypt anthology series, based on the original EC Comics. The anthology series will be at the center of each week's chilling lineup, guided by a newly reinvented Crypt Keeper, one of the most popular characters in the Tales from the Crypt universe. TNT's new Tales from the Crypt horror block is now slated to launch in 2017.

Around the Tubes: 4/8/16

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on Penny Dreadful, Those Who Can't, The Mindy Project, Conan, Why Would You Do That?, The Walking Dead, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, Hit The Floor, and Earth Day.

- Showtimee has released a haunting new trailer with new footage of its hit drama series Penny Dreadful, ahead of the much-anticipated third season premiere on Sunday, May 1 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on-air, on demand and over the internet. Starring Josh Hartnett, Timothy Dalton and Eva Green, PENNY DREADFUL is a frightening psychological thriller created, written and executive produced by three-time Oscar® nominee John Logan (Hugo, The Aviator, Gladiator).


- Fallen behind on truTV’s first scripted comedy series Those Who Can’t, well now is your chance to get caught up during Sunday, April 10th’s Cram-Sesh Marathon. Audiences will be able to binge on the first nine episodes from 4:30PM-9:30PM ET/PT and catch up on all the antics that happened at Smoot High in advance of the season one finale airing Thursday, April 14.

- The Mindy Project returns Tuesday, April 12 with all new episodes, only on Hulu. The Mindy Project season four returns for even more adventures! Mindy (Mindy Kaling) faces her greatest challenge yet as she struggles to balance work with being a mom, all while her tumultuous relationship with Danny gets even messier. She's joined by Morgan (Ike Barinholtz) and the rest of the staff of Shulman and Associates as they welcome some new faces (like Garret Dillahunt as Jody, a sexist Southern rascal) and tangle with old rivals like the Midwives upstairs. The Mindy Project continues to deliver its unique mix of wild comedy and heartfelt romance.

- TBS's late-night series Conan is heading back to New York City for the first time in exactly six years for a week of shows from Harlem's Apollo Theater. Host Conan O'Brien last did his show from the Big Apple in 2010 at the Beacon Theatre. This fall's visit to New York, set to take place Oct. 31 – Nov. 3, will continue O'Brien's innovative combination of international road episodes and live shows from various cities across the United States.

- Chicago-born-and-bred, Sebastian Maniscalco has tapped Manhattan’s Beacon Theatre as the backdrop for his third Showtime stand-up comedy event Why Would You Do That?, which will be filmed in front of a live audience on May 7th – one of the seven sold out shows at the theatre – to air on the network this summer on-air, online, on demand and over the internet. Directed by Joe Demaio, Maniscalco will deliver his unique brand of physical and quick-witted observational comedy in a new hour of highly anticipated skepticism, all while asking Why Would You Do That?

- This past season brought many unforeseen, exciting and pulse-pounding twists and turns. With the end of every season comes the bittersweet knowledge that we must wait with bated breath until the next ride. To keep your The Walking Dead appetite satiated, Anchor Bay Entertainment proudly continues the tradition of offering fans an opportunity to relive the ever so satisfying and stirring sixth season. The Walking Dead: The Complete Sixth Season will be released on Blu-ray™ + Digital HD and DVD on August 23. Just like the previous award-winning home entertainment releases, The Walking Dead: The Complete Sixth Season will take fans down The Walking Dead memory lane so they can relive all of the season’s most haunting and indelible moments.

- It's a full year for Full Frontal with Samantha Bee. TBS, a division of Turner, has ordered 26 episodes of its new series less than two months after star and executive producer Samantha Bee entered the late-night fray to widespread buzz and critical raves. TBS's order brings the total number of Full Frontal with Samantha Bee episodes to 39, which will take the show to the end of 2016.

- Fans won’t have to wait long for the payoff to Hit The Floor’s jaw-dropping season three finale, VH1 announced today a special one hour episode premiering this Summer. The special will deliver all the excitement, drama and passion that Ahsha & Derek are beloved for and will also explore the huge finale cliffhanger: Who shot Jelena?

- Nat Geo WILD will celebrate Earth Day by shining a light on the wildlife advocates who inspire us to take care of our world and the animals who live in it. Beginning with premieres of the best short films from this year’s Wild to Inspire competition on Friday, April 22, at 6:30, and continuing with an investigation into the new threats facing wild orangutans in Mission Critical: Orangutan on the Edge at 9:00, we will celebrate by honoring the people who get their hands dirty making the world a better place.
Full Earth Day Schedule at a Glance:
6:30/5:30c: Wild to Inspire *PREMIERE*
7/6c: Cougars Undercover
8/7c: Mission Critical: Leopards at the Door
9/8c: Mission Critical: Orangutan on the Edge *PREMIERE*
10/9c: War Elephants

Around the Tubes: 4/1/16

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on The Last Ship, W. Kamau Bell: Semi-Prominent Negro, Behind the Movie, Shameless, Billions, Conan, 2016 TCM Classic Film Festival, Virginmarys, MTV Movie Awards, and Famously Single.

- The wait is nearly over. TNT's epic drama The Last Ship – one of last summer's Top 5 scripted series on basic cable among total viewers, adults 18-49 and adults 25-54 – is preparing to set sail again in its quest to save humanity after a devastating pandemic with a two-hour premiere this summer.


- Critically-acclaimed socio-political comedian W. Kamau Bell stars in his first solo stand-up special W. Kamau Bell: Semi-Prominent Negro premiering Friday, April 29th at 10 p.m. on Showtime on-air, online, on demand and over the internet. Directed by Morgan Spurlock (the Oscar-nominated director of Super Size Me and Freakonomics) and filmed before a live audience at the Roulette Theater in Brooklyn, the film features his uniquely insightful and hilarious views on a host of social and political issues such as gentrification, marriage equality, “mixed-race” children and doing Black children’s hair just to name a few. In Semi-Prominent Negro, Bell confirms his stature as one of the leading cultural critics of our time.

- VH1 is partnering with hip hop legend and producer Ice Cube and Chicago native and Academy Award-winning artist Common, for a one-of-kind community town hall in Chicago. The special Behind The Movie: ‘Exploring Chicago with the Cast of ‘Barbershop: The Next Cut’ will premiere Monday, April 11 at 10 PM on VH1.

- Showtime will be offering catch-up marathons of its hit series Shameless and Billions on-air, ahead of their season finales on Sunday, April 3rd at 9:00 and Sunday, April 10th at 10:00, respectively. The full seasons to-date of both series are also available now on the SHOWTIME streaming service, on Showtime Anytime and Showtime On Demand. Starting this Sunday, April 3rd at 8 a.m. ET/PT, SHOWTIME subscribers can view the first eleven episodes of the sixth season of Shameless , starring Oscar® nominee and Emmy® winner William H. Macy and Golden Globe® nominee Emmy Rossum. Then, on Sunday, April 10th starting at 9 a.m. ET/PT, Showtime will air the first season to-date of the smash hit drama Billions, starring Oscar nominee and Emmy and Golden Globe® winner Paul Giamatti and Emmy and Golden Globe winner Damian Lewis.

- TBS's late-night series CONAN is heading to Asia for the first time ever for a special extended episode shot on location in South Korea. Conan in Korea, starring Conan O'Brien, is set to premiere Saturday, April 9, at 11:00, exclusively on TBS. O'Brien recently caused quite a stir when he arrived in Seoul, South Korea, to the cheers of thousands of screaming fans. That festive welcome kicked off a weeklong trip in which he was joined by Korean-American actor and The Walking Dead star Steven Yuen. The two explored various parts of the country, including the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and the Joint Security Area (JSA). O'Brien and Yuen also teamed up with music sensation J.Y. Park to film a K-Pop music video.

- Turner Classic Movies (TCM) announced today that renowned actor Burt Reynolds is set to attend the 2016 TCM Classic Film Festival, taking place in Hollywood April 28 – May 1, to participate in a sit-down interview about his life and career. In addition to the interview, Reynolds will be on-hand to introduce a screening of The Longest Yard (1974), for which he received a Golden Globe® nomination for Best Actor. The interview will be taped Saturday, April 30 in front of a live audience of festival pass holders at The Ricardo Montalbán Theatre.

- Hailing from Macclesfield, England, the Virginmarys make anthems that scream with all the potent sound and fury of modern punk acts, brimming with the honesty of prime British rock of the early 1970’s, before the wizards and capes overcame the attack and dynamic.



- MTV this week announced that pop superstar Ariana Grande will make her MTV Movie Awards debut to perform her new smash single Dangerous Woman. Colors and New Americana singer/songwriter Halsey will also perform her new song Castle from the soundtrack for the forthcoming Universal release, The Huntsman: Winter’s War. Hosted by Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart, the 2016 MTV Movie Awards will air on Sunday, April 10 at 8:00 from the backlot of Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, Calif.

- Dating is hard enough, but dating as a celebrity? Nearly impossible – until now. E! Entertainment exposes the fascinating romantic lives of Hollywood’s most notorious daters when Famously Single premieres on Tuesday, June 14 at 10:00. In the all-new series, eight celebrities going through relationship rehab live under one roof in downtown Los Angeles and explore their romantic issues together. Through fun challenges and exercises their fame is stripped away and viewer’s will witness them untangle their most private emotional experiences, ripped straight out of tabloid headlines.

Around the Tubes: 3/25/16

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on Vice, Dice, Wild with Sir David Attenborough, Ernie Ball: The Pursuit of Tone "Buddy Guy", Animal Kingdom, The Wonder Years, America's Greatest Makers, Anna of the North, Nothing Left Unsaid: Gloria Vanderbilt and Anderson Cooper, 2016 MTV Movie Awards, and ToonsTV.

- Tomorrow's episode of Vice on HBO explores what life is like for young Palestinians in 2016, as well as the normalization of relations between the United States and Cuba. VICE's "Palestine Now and Viva Cuba Libre" airs on HBO tomorrow, March 25 at 11:00pm

- For the first time in network history, Showtime will hold a special launch for a new series, releasing all six episodes of the new comedy Dice at once to its subscribers. The full season of Dice will be available on Sunday, April 10th starting at 12 a.m., on the Showtime streaming service, SHOWTIME ANYTIME and SHOWTIME ON DEMAND. The first episode of Dice will also premiere on linear TV later that day at 9:30 on Showtime, with subsequent episodes continuing to air every Sunday. The scripted, semi-autobiographical series will follow the life of renowned comedian, Andrew Dice Clay, chronicling the stops and starts of his attempts at a career resurgence in his transplanted home base of Las Vegas. The series also stars Kevin Corrigan, and guest stars Natasha Leggero, Lorraine Bracco, Adrien Brody, Michael Rapaport, Wayne Newton, Criss Angel and Rita Rudner.

- This spring, Smithsonian Channel will celebrate Sir David Attenborough’s 90th birthday, as it rolls out seven consecutive weeks of captivating natural history programs featuring the world’s leading naturalist . The special programming event dubbed Wild with Sir David Attenborough, kicking off Wednesday, April 6, is comprised of a three-part miniseries, a one-hour special, and another three-part limited series.

- Tune in to AT&T AUDIENCE Network for: Ernie Ball: The Pursuit of Tone "Buddy Guy" this coming Friday, March 25 at 8:00 (DIRECTV Ch 239/U-verse Ch 1114). Watch as revered blues legend Buddy Guy sits down for the new documentary series, talking frankly about a wide range of topics--from how he got his start on a 3-string guitar to his close friend Muddy Waters' last words of advice.

- TNT has set Tuesday, June 7, for the premiere of Animal Kingdom, the network's bold new drama starring Emmy® and Tony® winner Ellen Barkin (Sea of Love, This Boy's Life, Oceans 13), Scott Speedman (The Strangers, The Vow), Shawn Hatosy (Southland, Reckless), Ben Robson (Vikings, Dracula: The Dark Prince), Jake Weary (Pretty Little Liars, It Follows), Finn Cole (Peaky Blinders, An Inspector Calls), Daniella Alonso (Revolution) and Molly Gordon (Love the Coopers, Ithaca).


- The Wonder Years: The Complete Fifth Season contains all 24 engaging episodes from Season 5 (October 2, 1991-May 13, 1992) in their original broadcast versions. After a brief stint at the lake and equally brief summer romance in the season premiere, "The Lake," Kevin returns home to start school at McKinley High.

- Emmy®-winning producer Mark Burnett (Survivor, Shark Tank, The Voice) and TBS, a division of Turner, have brought together a panel of celebrity judges for this spring's exciting new tech competition series America's Greatest Makers, created in collaboration with Intel. The roster includes sports legends Shaquille O'Neal and Kenny Smith; Emmy-nominated actress Mayim Bialik, who co-stars in the hit series The Big Bang Theory; and Massimo Banzi, maker and co-founder and CEO of Arduino, which makes popular development boards for inventors to create. America's Greatest Makers is set to premiere on TBS Tuesday, April 5, at 9:00.


- Epic, swooning and ethereal, Oslo based artist Anna of the North this week premieres her new single, "Baby," streaming exclusively on Noisey.



- HBO Documentary Films presents Nothing Left Unsaid: Gloria Vanderbilt and Anderson Cooper which is directed by Academy Award and Emmy Award nominee Liz Garbus, will premiere exclusively on HBO on Saturday, April 9th at 9:00. In this poignant and revealing feature-length documentary, Vanderbilt and son Anderson Cooper look back at her remarkable life.


- MTV this week revealed the star-studded, first round of presenters for the 2016 MTV Movie Awards, setting into orbit the 25th anniversary of the ultimate celebration of blockbuster movies and the fans who love them. Adding to the high-wattage celebrity sizzle, Charlize Theron, Chris Hemsworth and Jessica Chastain from The Huntsmen: Winter’s War, Seth Rogen and Zac Efron from Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising, Olivia Munn from X-Men: Apocalypse and supermodel Gigi Hadid are scheduled to present. Additional presenters and performers will be announced at a later date. The 2016 MTV Movie Awards hosted by Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart airs Sunday, April 10 at 8:00 from outdoors on the Warner Bros. backlot in Burbank, Calif. MTV also announced that it will honor Will Smith with the Generation Award at the show.

- ToonsTV, Rovio Animation Company's go-to platform for family friendly video entertainment, launched globally today for the all-new Apple TV. Available as a free download with no in-app purchases, ToonsTV features more than 30 channels of high quality, video on-demand (VOD) family entertainment, including the original animated series Angry Birds Toons, Piggy Tales and Stella, as well as its educational Rocket Science Show, developed in cooperation with NASA. ToonsTV also offers renowned animation properties, including Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the Sheep by Aardman, Zooville by National Geographic and Pucca by Vooz.

Around the Tubes: 3/18/16

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on Conan, The Carbonaro Effect, Curious George®, Point Taken, Idiotest, Banta, and Dark Web.

- TBS's Conan the leader in late-night when it comes to featuring the full casts of big movies and series, is getting ready to build on that success, when host Conan O'Brien will welcome the stars and director of the eagerly anticipated movie Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. Ben Affleck, who plays Bruce Wayne/Batman, and Henry Cavill, who plays Clark Kent/Superman, will be joined by fellow cast members Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Laurence Fishburne, Gal Gadot, Holly Hunter and Diane Lane, as well as director Zack Snyder, for the episode, which is set to air Thursday, March 31, at 11. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice opens in theaters on Friday, March 25.

- This week truTV released the first promo announcing that Shaquille O’Neal will make a special guest appearance with magician Michael Carbonaro on the mid-season premiere of truTV’s The Carbonaro Effect, airing Wednesday, March 23 at 10:00. He will help Michael hatch a prank that amazes one of his biggest fans! Check out Shaquille performing his own version of a “disappearing trick” in the promo at youtube.com/watch?v=W_9ybzbBlII. and Dark Net.

- In an extensive, multi-year agreement forged by the NBCU Television & New Media Distribution group, Hulu has secured the exclusive subscription streaming rights to one of the highest-rated kids television properties, Curious George®. The deal will bring past and future seasons of the two-time Emmy® Award-winning series, as well as television specials and feature-length original movies from everyone’s favorite monkey, exclusively to Hulu. All of the offerings will be available to stream in Hulu’s commercial-free Hulu Kids environment. Beginning March 31st, Hulu will become the exclusive subscription streaming home to all nine seasons – over 100 episodes - of Curious George® TV series, which is produced by Universal Pictures Home Entertainment’s production arm, Universal 1440 Entertainment. Hulu will also be the U.S. premiere home to new seasons of the series over the coming years. In addition, television specials including Curious George: Swings Into Spring, Curious George: A Halloween Boo Fest and Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas, along with the feature-length originals Curious George: Follow That Monkey, Curious George: Back To The Jungle and future direct-to-TV specials will become available to stream exclusively on Hulu.

- Americans now can be a part of the national conversation with the launch of Point Taken, PBS’ new, late-night, multi-platform series. Hosted by Carlos Watson, an Emmy® Award-winning journalist and co-founder/CEO of OZY Media, the weekly debate series will champion spirited and civil conversation. Each half-hour program will focus on a single topic and feature journalists, artists, academics, and experts who will passionately and persuasively explore all sides of a key issue. The first of 10 episodes premieres on PBS on April 5, 2016 at 11:00(check local listings).

- GSN, the leader in game shows and competitive entertainment, announced today its original hit series Idiotest, hosted by comedian Ben Gleib, will return for a 40-episode third season, beginning Tuesday, April 12 at 10:00.

- Los Angeles indie rock five-piece Banta are giving fans another taste of their new album with the release of their new song "Hungry Heart." The acoustic ballad was inspired by a book that singer Sharaya Mikael read and connected with. The song can be streamed on Songwriting Magazine and eOne's official Soundcloud.

- On the heels of its season one finale, Showtime has picked up the revelatory documentary series Dark Net for a second season. Produced and developed by cutting edge media and technology company, Vocativ, the docu-series explores the dangers of the internet’s unregulated underbelly known as the deep web. Vocativ uses proprietary technology, exclusive to their company, to reveal new voices, emerging trends and surprising data to identify and develop story angles. With this exclusive technology, DARK NET unveils the stories of a dramatically changing digitally connected world.

- This week, Showtime Documentary Films announced the start of production on a film exploring the incredible career and complicated life of the memorable singer. Hers was the golden voice with the unmatchable range. Six-time Grammy® winner Whitney Houston was one of the most successful female recording artists of all time. After a troubled marriage to singer Bobby Brown and many years of struggles with addiction, Houston died a tragic death at the age of 48. Produced, directed and narrated by acclaimed BAFTA Award winner Nick Broomfield (Kurt & Courtney, Tales of the Grim Sleeper), the film, which will shoot in Los Angeles, will talk to the key people in Houston’s life to create an indelible portrait of the artist.

Around the Tubes:3/11/16

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on Outdoor: Icons Revealed, Skin Wars, He Named Me Malala, Haven, Bob Hope: Entertaining the Troops, Home & Family, and Sheet Music Direct.

- Outside TV, America’s preeminent adventure television network, announces the newest installment of the hit show Outlook: Icons Revealed will premiere this Sunday March 13 at 8:00. The episode will take viewers behind the scenes with Foo Fighters drummer, Taylor Hawkins, as he talks about growing up in Laguna Beach, his love for mountain biking, and his affinity for surfing.

- GSN, the leader in game shows and competitive entertainment, will premiere its third season of Skin Wars, hosted by actress Rebecca Romijn (X-Men), on Wednesday, April 20 at 10:00. Television’s first-ever body painting competition show and GSN’s most-watched original series ever, SKIN WARS seeks to find the most innovative body painter in America. In its third season, twelve contestants will compete in elaborate body painting challenges to avoid elimination and win the approval of judges, including legendary entertainer RuPaul Charles and body painting icons Craig Tracy and Robin Slonina.

- In a new agreement with National Geographic Channels, Hulu has acquired the exclusive streaming video on-demand rights to Academy Award® winner Davis Guggenheim’s feature documentary He Named Me Malala. Following its global television premiere on National Geographic Channel and Nat Geo MUNDO this week, the critically acclaimed feature documentary will make its SVOD debut exclusively on Hulu this summer.

- Haven: The Final Season (Street Date: April 19, 2016) presents hometown heroes Audrey, Nathan (Lucas Bryant), Duke (Eric Balfour) and Dwight (Adam Copeland), with challenges unlike any they've experienced before. Across 13 action-packed final episodes, the town of Haven has been cut off from the rest of the world by a mysterious fog bank and is on its own. Through journeys into the past, the future, and the very fabric between worlds, events in Haven hurtle towards a cataclysmic showdown. Will the heroes be able to rid Haven of "the Troubles" forever, or will the town and its inhabitants continue to suffer the curse? Watch and see as tensions rise, allegiances shift and in a harrowing closing chapter, the mystery of "Croatoan" is finally revealed.

- On May 10, Time Life®, creator and direct marketer of unique music and home entertainment products, will deliver Bob Hope: Entertaining the Troops, a single DVD featuring three TV Christmas Specials: a rare, never-before-released 1951 special from The Korean War Era , along with shows from 1970 and 1971 - two of the most-watched shows in TV history! Featuring Hope's hilarious monologues and guest stars aplenty, these shows prove that laughter is truly the best medicine, regardless of the time zone or terrain.

Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point ball. Dale Earnhardt’s legendary pink race car. The American flag draped around goalie Jim Craig after the “Miracle on Ice.” All of those historic objects from indelible moments in sports are either lost or in dispute. Now, Smithsonian Channel debuts a unique six-hour docu-series, Sports Detectives, on Sunday, April 24 at 9:00, to try to hunt down the truth of what happened and find missing treasures behind some of the most iconic moments in American sports history.

- Hallmark Channel’s Daytime Emmy® nominated series Home & Family in partnership with DreamJobbing announces a nationwide talent search to find the next DIY star to join the on-air team. One lucky winner will be chosen to become a DIY expert on Home & Family for one week in mid-April, joining co-hosts Mark Steines and Cristina Ferrare as the newest creative Family Member. They will create their own DIY projects for a national audience from the Home & Family set at Universal Studios, Hollywood. DreamJobbing is an online opportunity platform created to inspire people by giving them incredible opportunities and a chance to change their story – from once in a lifetime opportunities such as Wildlife Volunteer in Thailand, to full time positions such as Writer for Lance Bass Productions, LLC. Producers are looking for enthusiastic candidates with strong DIY ideas, the ability to show viewers step-by-step how they created their DIY projects, great on-camera presence and a fun personality. Video applications will be accepted from March 7–April 15, 2016. Submission details and additional information can be found at: dreamjobbing.com/homeandfamily.

Sheet Music Direct, the world's leading digital sheet music website and destination, today released the worldwide production version of its Sheet Music Direct PlayAlong iPad app for amateur to professional musicians who want to learn, plan, record, share, and perform their favorite songs using the latest iOS technology. The App is available now on the iTunes App Store for FREE with an in-app store for optional song title purchases.

Around the Tubes: 3/4/16

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on The Path, Spring Broke, The Brainwashing of my Dad, CeeLo Green: Live In L.A., Yanni: The Drem Concert - Live at the Great Pyramids of Egypt, Joshy, and Satan’s Sisters: A Novel of Fiction.

- The Path follows a family at the center of a controversial cult as they struggle with relationships, faith and power. Each episode takes an in-depth look at the gravitational pull of belief and what it means to choose between the life we live and the life we want. Created by Jessica Goldberg, the show is executive produced by Jason Katims and Michelle Lee of True Jack Productions and stars Aaron Paul, Hugh Dancy and Michelle Monaghan.


- On Friday, March 25th at 9:00, Showtime will premiere Spring Broke, a documentary about the raucous history of the infamous spring vacation revelries in Daytona, Florida. The annual gathering started in the early 60s and by the 1980s led to the arrival of tens of thousands of college students, lured by music, sun, endless parties and eventually, the hope to make it onto MTV.


- Right-wing cable news and "conservative" talk radio attract older Americans like graying moths to an angry flame. But why would someone who was either apolitical or a Democrat in younger days become addicted to conservative talk shows in their twilight years? Filmmaker Jen Senko wondered how her WWII veteran and Kennedy Democrat father had been transformed into a Fox News fanatic, suddenly and inexplicably railing against minorities, homosexuals, poor people, and Democrats. Using her dad as an entertaining example, Senko pulls back the curtain to expose the tools and tricks of the wizards behind the right-wing media revolution. And in discovering what happened to him, Senko reveals the all-too-chilling bigger picture of what’s happening behind-the-scenes to influence our national discourse. The Brainwashing of my Dad, which will open theatrically in New York and Los Angeles with a day and date iTunes/Nationwide VOD release on March 18. The film directed by award-winning documentarian Jen Senko.

- Tune in to AT&T Audience Network for CeeLo Green: Live In L.A. airing Friday, March 11 at 9:00 (DIRECTV Ch 239/U-verse Ch 1114). Watch as the GRAMMY-winning singer/songwriter thrills the audience--at the gothic-styled Theatre At The ACE Hotel in downtown Los Angeles--with his electric soul band, performing both his classic hits and new fan favorites.

- The No. 1 selling, composer, producer, multi-instrumentalist and global phenomenon Yanni has performed his distinctive music in exotic and historic locations all across the world. From his groundbreaking concert at the Acropolis to his most recent televised performance at El Morro, Puerto Rico, Yanni has pushed the boundaries of the way audiences experience live music. After performing at China's Forbidden City and India's Taj Mahal, Yanni realized his lifelong dream to perform at the foot of the Sphinx at the Great Pyramids of Giza in Egypt — the last of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World that remains today. The November 2015 concert was captured in 4K state-of-the-art high definition audio and video, and features a career-spanning selection of fan favorites, along with never-before-performed songs and new arrangements of his classic compositions. Yanni: The Drem Concert - Live at the Great Pyramids of Egypt premieres on PBS stations beginning March 5 (check local listings). A CD/DVD or Blu-ray of the historic concert is out June 3 via Sony Music Masterworks’ imprint Portrait Records, and is available for preorder March 4.

- Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), a premier next generation global content leader, and Hulu announced this week that they have joined forces to acquire the North American rights to Jeff Baena’s Joshy, featuring an ensemble cast, including Thomas Middleditch, Adam Pally, Alex Ross Perry, Nick Kroll, Brett Gelman, and Jenny Slate. The film will be released on Lionsgate’s specialty film distribution label, Lionsgate Premiere, and will be available to stream exclusively on Hulu following its theatrical run.

- Tony, Grammy, and Emmy nominated singer/actress Vanessa Williams has signed on to play the lead role in VH1’s upcoming scripted series inspired by Star Jones 2011 book Satan’s Sisters: A Novel of Fiction. Set in the bright lights of daytime television, the fireworks start every weekday at noon when the hosts of "The Lunch Hour" -- a long-running popular TV talk show -- discuss life, love, family, politics, and gossip. Ms. Williams will play the role of Maxine, the creator and host of “The Lunch Hour;” a formidable, powerful, and decisive woman, but fears she's being put out to pasture. Slated for a 2017 premiere, the series will focus on Maxine and her co-hosts, five women with very different points of view, are best friends and sisters...while they're on TV. But behind the scenes, they are “Satan's Sisters” -- a backstage world filled with power struggles, personal demons, diva fits, love affairs, man troubles, cat fights...and cocktails.

Around the Tubes: 2/26/16

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on The Circus, A Year in Space, Penny Dreadful, Deadbeat, America's Greatest Makers, 2016 MTV Movie Awards, They Will Have To Kill Us First: Malian Music in Exile, Dangerous Men, America’s Next Top Model, Bunbury music Festival, and Smurfs™ Epic Run.

- This week, Showtime announced that MSNBC analyst Alex Wagner will be a guest contributor to the Feb. 28 episode of The Circus airing this Sunday at 8:00. Wagner will join the team on the campaign trail in South Carolina this week in the final days before the Democratic primary.

- Scott Kelly, whose current 12-month stay on the International Space Station is testing human limits for space travel and laying the groundwork for a manned mission to Mars, is featured in the first installment of A Year in Space. Scheduled to air on PBS on Wednesday, March 2 from 8:00 (check local listings), A Year in Space is timed to air within a day of Kelly’s planned return to Earth.

- Showtime has released the official trailer for the third season of its hit drama series Penny Dreadful, which premieres on Sunday, May 1 at 10:00 on-air, on demand and over the internet. Starring Josh Hartnett, Timothy Dalton and Eva Green, Penny Dreadful is a frightening psychological thriller created, written and executive produced by three-time Oscar® nominee John Logan (Hugo, The Aviator, Gladiator).


- Yesterday morning Tyler Labine and Kal Penn announced all episodes of Hulu Original Deadbeat season three will return on 4/20.

Hulu_DB_S3_ANNOUNCEMENT_FNL (1).mp4
It's lit. Deadbeat season 3 premieres 4/20, only on Hulu.
Posted by Deadbeat on Wednesday, February 24, 2016

- Emmy®-winning producer Mark Burnett (Survivor, Shark Tank, The Voice) and TBS, a division of Turner, have brought together a panel of celebrity judges for this spring's exciting new tech competition series America's Greatest Makers, created in collaboration with Intel. The roster includes sports legends Shaquille O'Neal and Kenny Smith; Emmy-nominated actress Mayim Bialik, who co-stars in the hit series The Big Bang Theory; and Massimo Banzi, maker and co-founder and CEO of Arduino, which makes popular development boards for inventors to create. America's Greatest Makers is set to premiere on TBS Tuesday, April 5, at 9:00.

- Global box-office powerhouses and stars of the upcoming action comedy, Central Intelligence, Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart today announced via this video they will host the 2016 MTV Movie Awards. This year’s show will tape at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, Calif. on Saturday, April 9, to air on Sunday, April 10, at 8:00. For the first time ever, MTV will take the telecast entirely outdoors and onto the backlot to capture the essence of movie making magic against a dramatic nighttime backdrop. Performers and presenters will be announced at a later date.

- Since 2007, March 3 has been declared Music Freedom Day around the globe. With unique musical events and initiatives in more than 30 countries, the day commemorating freedom of expression and human rights continues to captivate millions. This March, BBC Worldwide North America will release They Will Have To Kill Us First: Malian Music in Exile, a feature-length documentary which bowed at 2015's SXSW Film Festival. Directed by Johanna Schwartz and featuring an original score by Nick Zinner (Yeah Yeah Yeahs), the film - hailed by Indiewire as a "gripping, powerful documentary" and "social journalism of the highest order" by The Austin Chronicle - will open at New York City's Village East Cinema on March 4 and Los Angeles' Laemmle Santa Monica Theater on April 1 and other markets. The commissioned soundtrack, featuring some of Mali's most exciting artists, also releases on March 4.

- Drafthouse Films, the curatorial force behind exceptional repertory releases such as the ninja-blasting synthrock monolith Miami Connection, the psychedelic sci-fi brain-melter The Visitor, and the most dangerous movie ever made, Roar, have announced the their latest cult sensation, Dangerous Men arriving on Blu-ray/DVD for the first time ever this April 5th.


- The most successful fashion show in TV history America’s Next Top Model will rightfully return to the world’s fashion capital New York City for a reinvented debut on VH1. CBS Television Distribution (CTD) and VH1 are partnering on a new season of the iconic franchise for a new generation. Details on the premiere date and a new, re-imagined cast of host and judges will be announced at a later time.

- PromoWest Productions announced today the 2016 lineup for Bunbury Music Festival, set to take place in downtown Cincinnati’s Sawyer Point and Yeatman’s Cove June 3-5. The festival will feature an eclectic lineup spanning three days. Bunbury Music Festival celebrates its fifth year in 2016 and will transform the banks of the Ohio River into a vibrant music festival experience. PromoWest Productions’ Scott Stienecker, festival owner, says, “We are very excited to host the festival again this year. This lineup is the best yet! We are also looking forward to implementing the latest fest technology with RFID wristbands which should alleviate any challenges that we came across in 2015.” Tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com. For ticket information and pricing visit BunburyFestival.com/tickets.

Ubisoft today released an update to its mobile hit, Smurfs™ Epic Run. The update, titled, “Ancient Forest,” is a new zone full of Smurfy content, 15 levels to complete and a new hero to unlock – Pilot Smurf! Smurfs Epic Run is FREE to Download. Here are the links:

- iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/smurfs-epic-run/id969044213?l=fr&ls=1&mt=8
- Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ubisoft.smurfs
- Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01829GFV8