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 Contenders: 16 For ’16, Facing Suge Knight, Roots, Window Warriors, Hailee Steinfeld, Puppies Make Me Happy, and The Last Ship.
- The Contenders: 16 For ’16 – an eight-week series that spotlights former presidential candidates and the campaigns that lost them their bids for the White House, premieres on PBS on Tuesday, September 13 at 8:00 p.m. (check local listings) Exactly what does it take to win the most important job in the world? The Contenders: 16 For ’16 attempts to take on this question with insight from Jesse Jackson, John McCain, Mitt Romney, Howard Dean, Gary Hart, Michael Dukakis, among others, who are vocal in discussing what went wrong and what they would do differently if given the chance. The Contenders: 16 For ’16 is part of PBS Election 2016, a multi-platform initiative that brings together PBS news, public affairs, documentary and digital programming to create the country’s most complete and objective coverage of the 2016 election cycle.
- National Geographic Channel docu-series Facing takes an immersive look at the real stories behind some of modern history’s most larger-than-life characters. Each hour long episode will tackle the myths, legends and truths behind powerful headline-makers, including Pablo Escobar, Saddam Hussein, Suge Knight, Vladimir Putin and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Facing Suge Knight premieres Tuesday, Sept. 13, at 9:00. From his shattered dream of playing in the NFL to Tupac and Biggie Smalls, old foes and former friends connect the bullet holes to map the billion-dollar rise and fall of Suge Knight. Interviewees include Vanilla Ice; Virgil Roberts, music industry lawyer and Suge Knight’s mentor; Gary Ballen, former road manager for N.W.A.; Los Angeles Police Department detective Greg Kading, lead investigator of the Death Row Records file; Sharitha Golden, Suge Knight’s former wife; and Death Row Records artists The D.O.C. and Danny Boy.
- The Emmy nominated event series Roots, exclusively streaming on Hulu starting Monday, September 15th.
-GSN, the leader in game shows and competitive entertainment, will premiere its new skill-based competition series Window Warriors, Tuesday, November 15 at 9:00. The network also revealed today the three judges for the series, including Carson Kressley, the Emmy®-winning television star, style expert, best-selling author and fashion designer known to TV viewers for his appearances on “Dancing With the Stars,” “How To Look Good Naked,” and his breakthrough role as fashion guru on the iconic series “Queer Eye For The Straight Guy” – he will also appear in the upcoming season of “Celebrity Apprentice”; Tai Beauchamp, a former magazine editor turned style influencer, content creator, public speaker, media personality, and entrepreneur, who engages women around the world with her genuine approach to celebrating inner and outer beauty; and Douglas Little, a master in the world of visual merchandising whose work includes some of the most beloved store windows on New York’s 5th Avenue, as well as design work for movies, TV and Broadway. His client list includes Van Cleef & Arpels, Barney’s New York, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus and many more. The judges join host, Garcelle Beauvais (“Hollywood Today Live,” “Spider-Man: Homecoming”) in determining the country’s top window designer.
- While in NYC to open for Meghan Trainor at Radio City Music Hall as part of The Untouchable Tour, Hailee Steinfeld stopped by Late Night with Seth Meyers to perform her new hit single, Starving. The track, released earlier this summer with production duo Grey and featuring GRAMMY award-winning artist/DJ/producer Zedd, is already climbing the Top 25 at Top 40 radio, has hit #13 on the iTunes US Pop Chart, is Top 10 in Spotify’s US Top 50, currently approaching 60M streams, and hit top 5 on the Shazam future hits chart.
- Puppies Make Me Happy will be at the Surf City Surf Dog event on September 25th. Dog owners from Florida to Australia will be at the event- it's centerpiece… a multi-heat surfing competition with dogs as contestants. Last year our team, Bakio and Brian Downes came in second place and this epic photo was taken! Hawaii natives Brian and Bakio have been surfing for years and make an incredible team. I would love to connect you to Brian to discuss this unique event, working with the Puppies Make Me Happy team and what it's like to surf with your dog!
- TNT, a division of Turner, has extended its recent renewal for The Last Ship, adding a fifth season of the epic drama. Currently in its third season, The Last Ship is reaching an average of 7.1 million viewers per episode across multiple platforms and ranks as one of basic cable's Top 10 summer dramas with adults 18-49. The action-packed series airs Sundays at 9:00, with the season finale slated for this weekend. The entire third season is also available through TNT's digital, mobile and VOD platforms.
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 Masters of Sex, Shameless, POV (Point of View), Frank Zappa, Blue Oyster Cult, Weiner, Smithsonian Channel 9/11 programming, Showtime Tuesday Sports Block, Genius, and Street Fight.
- Viewers can now sample the fourth season premiere of the critically-acclaimed SHOWTIME drama series Masters of Sex across multiple platforms, ahead of its linear premiere on Sunday, September 11th at 10 p.m. ET/PT. MASTERS OF SEX stars Emmy® and Golden Globe® nominee Michael Sheen and Emmy nominee Lizzy Caplan as real-life pioneers of human sexuality, William Masters and Virginia Johnson. Season four will begin in 1968 and into the “swinging ‘70s,” during which time the series’ characters will take on new partners both professionally, personally and sexually. Starting now, consumers who do not subscribe to Showtime can watch the season four premiere for free on SHO.com and Facebook. Consumers can also sample the premiere of Masters of Sex for free across multiple television and streaming providers’ devices, websites, applications and free On Demand channels.
- Showtime released the new poster art and official trailer for season seven of its No. 1 comedy series Shameless, premiering on Sunday, October 2 at 9:00. SHAMELESS stars Oscar® nominee and Emmy® winner William H. Macy as Frank Gallagher and Golden Globe® nominee Emmy Rossum as his daughter, Fiona. The series also stars Jeremy Allen White, Ethan Cutkosky, Shanola Hampton, Steve Howey, Emma Kenney, Cameron Monaghan and Isidora Goreshter.
- Emmy®-nominated filmmaker Bernardo Ruiz takes an unflinching look at the hard choices and destructive consequences of the U.S.-Mexico drug war in the acclaimed documentary Kingdom of Shadows, which will have its national television broadcast premiere on the POV (Point of View) documentary series on PBS on Monday, Sept. 19, 2016 at 10:00.
- In his trailblazing and incredibly prolific career, artist, composer and all-around musical pioneer Frank Zappa released more than 60 albums in his lifetime, as a solo artist and with his bands the Mothers of Invention and the Mothers. Coupled with more than 40 posthumous releases since his death in 1993 at 52, figuring out where to start in Zappa’s vast, genre-leaping catalog can be daunting. ZAPPAtite – Frank Zappa’s Tastiest Tracks, due September 23 on Zappa Records/UMe and available for pre-order now, collects some of Zappa’s best known and beloved compositions, from his early psychedelic rock beginnings to his avant-garde experimentation, jazz-rock explorations, symphonic suites and satirical send-ups, compiling them into one easily digestible collection and offering key entryways into the many musical worlds of the visionary musician. Available on CD and digitally, with vinyl to come at a later date, the album is divided into three courses – Appetizers, Entrees and Desserts – and the food-centric theme oozes throughout the album art, which features Zappa in a diner on the cover, a track list that resembles a menu and some of Zappa’s favorite eats. The 18 compositions that make up ZAPPAtite were compiled by Zappa’s son Ahmet Zappa and encyclopedic Zappa archivist, “Vaultmeister” Joe Travers. “This isn’t a greatest hits album as Frank didn’t really have ‘hits,’ per se, nor is it a ‘best of’ since that would be an impossibility to fit so much awesome onto one disc,” says Ahmet Zappa. “It’s a veritable smorgasbord of musicality for the curious and a buffet of favorites for the fans, ZAPPAtite collects a cross section of my favorite songs composed by my dad, that lean more towards the rock side of his expansive repertoire. I hope you're hungry because this meal for your ears rocks!”
- Tune in to the AUDIENCE Network concert special "Blue Oyster Cult" airing Friday, September 2, at 9:00 (DIRECTV Ch 239/U-verse Ch 1114). The classic rock band stopped by Red Studios in Los Angeles to perform their seminal album Agents Of Fortune in it's entirety live. In the episode, the group sits down with Ted Stryker for an in depth interview spanning their history.
- Showtime will debut the world television premiere of the critically-acclaimed documentary Weiner on Saturday, October 22nd at 9:00. Directed and produced by Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg, Weiner, which won the U.S. Grand Jury Prize at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, offers unrestricted access into the life of former congressman Anthony Weiner and his family as they take on the 2013 New York City mayoral race in the face of an on-going high-profile scandal.
- Smithsonian Channel will mark the fifteenth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks with a special day of programming on Sunday, September 11. The marathon will kick off at 2:00 p.m. with an encore presentation of the critically-acclaimed 9/11: Day That Changed the World, which spans from dawn to midnight on September 11, 2001, and goes behind the scenes to show how the events of the day developed.
- It’s game on this Tuesday night, September 6, on Showtime as the network offers a two-and-a-half hour sports block including two anticipated season premieres. An all-new edition of the news magazine 60 Minutes Sports debuts at 8:00, followed by the ninth season premiere of Inside the NFL at 9:00. At 10:00 Showtime Sports presents the second installment of its unique all-access college football franchise A Season with Florida State Foosball, just one day after the Florida State Seminoles begin their season and quest for the 2016 National Championship.
- Academy Award- and Golden Globe-nominated actress Emily Watson (“Theory of Everything,” “The Book Thief”) is set to join National Geographic Channel’s upcoming global anthology series Genius, from Fox 21 Television Studios (“Homeland,” “The People v. O.J. Simpson”), Imagine Television (“24,” “Empire”), OddLot Entertainment and EUE/Sokolow. She’ll play Elsa Einstein, the second wife — and first cousin — of the enigmatic scientist Albert Einstein, to be played in his elder years by Geoffrey Rush and in his younger years by Johnny Flynn, as was previously announced.
- Just in time for the dirtiest presidential election in memory, Street Fight, which for years has only been available on DVD and in theaters, goes up on Netflix on September 1st and also is available on iTunes and Amazon Instant Video. Street Fight is the thrilling Academy Award® nominated story of bare-knuckle politics in America. When a young unknown challenger named Cory Booker (today U.S. Senator from New Jersey) takes on the head of a powerful political machine, he discovers that sometimes elections are won and lost in the streets.
- Today co-anchor Matt Lauer will moderate the NBC News and MSNBC Commander-in-Chief Forum on Wednesday, September 7, 2016 at New York’s Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. The one-hour event will simulcast live at 8pm ET on the NBC broadcast network and MSNBC, and stream live on NBCNews.com. In the first joint candidate event of the 2016 general election, presidential nominees Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump will take questions on national security, military affairs and veterans’ issues from a live audience comprised of service members and veterans.
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, 2016 MTV Video Music Awards, Three Days of Terror: The Chariie Hebdo Attacks, 9/11: The Longest War, Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman, 29th annual Hispanic Heritage Awards, Dexter, Martin Lawrence Doin’ Time: Uncut, From Dusk Till Dawn, Gringo: The Dangerous Life of John McAfee, Hellevator, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, WWII’S Mot Dangerous Raids, and The Handmaid’s Tale.
- The death of a rock and roll legend brings together music’s greatest for an all-star memorial at the famed L.A. Forum in the season finale of Roadies, airing this Sunday, August 28 at 10:00 on Showtime. The episode, entitled “The Load Out,” is inspired by guest star Jackson Browne’s classic song of the same name, which he performs in the episode. The eclectic roster of guest star musicians who gather to pay tribute includes Eddie Vedder, Jim James, Nicole Atkins, Robyn Hitchcock, Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig from Lucius, Joy Williams and Gary Clark Jr. Roadies is created, written and executive produced by Oscar® winner Cameron Crowe, who also personally curates the music for the series.
- The 2016 MTV Video Music Awards will air LIVE from New York’s Madison Square Garden this Sunday, August 28th at 9:00. This iconic awards show has created some of TV’s most memorable moments, from Madonna’s wardrobe malfunctions to Kanye’s presidential bid, you don’t want to miss what happens this year! The VMA’s will be returning to their roots by coming to New York but this is the first time Madison Square Garden has been the home of the VMA’s in the shows’ 33-year history.
- The HBO Documentary Film Three Days of Terror: The Chariie Hebdo Attacks from Emmy®-nominated director Dan Reed will have its national television debut on HBO on September 19th at 8 PM ET/PT. The remarkable film was recently shortlisted for the 2016 Grierson Awards in the UK for Best Documentary on Current Affairs.
- On the 15th anniversary of Sept. 11, the National Geographic Channel will commemorate the tragic events of that fateful day, and the ongoing war that followed, with a daylong television tribute culled from 10 consecutive years of critically acclaimed 9/11 programming and the world premiere of a new compilation special, 9/11: The Longest War. The programming event begins Sunday, Sept. 11, at 12/11c with encores of Giuliani’s 9/11, CIA Confidential: Hunt for Bin Laden, CIA Confidential: 9/11 Mastermind, Witness: D.C. 9/11, 9/11: The Firemen’s Story, the Emmy-nominated miniseries Inside 9/11 and a special encore presentation of George W. Bush: The 9/11 Interview, followed by the world premiere of a powerful new compilation special, 9/11: The Longest War, airing at 9:00.
- Morgan Freeman returns to host an all-new season of multiple Emmy Award-nominated series Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman beginning Tuesday, August 30 at 10:00. Freeman continues to challenge Science Channel audiences to think about daring questions while taking a deeper look at the science behind some of society’s most controversial and timely topics. This season of Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman features some of the world's top experts plumbing deep and sometimes troubling questions, providing new insights on some of our planet’s most compelling topics. In the season premiere, Freeman explores, “What Makes a Terrorist?” Experts examine terrorism through the lens of science, revealing how a terrorist’s brain is shaped and asks, if we can understand how a terrorist thinks, can we actually win the war on terror?
- The Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) announced today the 29th annual Hispanic Heritage Awards will be broadcast nationally Friday, September 30, 2016, 10:00 on PBS during Hispanic Heritage Month. The Awards are among the highest honors by Latinos for Latinos and are supported by 40 national Hispanic-serving institutions. The 2016 awardees who have been announced include Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor (Leadership Award), Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author Junot Díaz (Literature Award), Actress/Singer Angelica Maria (Legend Award), and Latin music’s breakout new superstar J Balvin (Vision Award). Announcements of additional honorees will continue over the coming weeks leading up to the event taping, which will take place on September 22nd at the Historic Warner Theatre in Washington D.C.
- Showtime is celebrating the ten year anniversary of the launch of its groundbreaking original series Dexter with a fan-focused campaign surrounding the hit drama. Dexter, which premiered on the network on October 1, 2006, grew its loyal audience year after year in all of its eight seasons, and was the recipient of the prestigious Peabody Award, as well as 25 Emmy® and 10 Golden Globe® Award nominations. In celebration of #Dexter10, fans will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite DEXTER episodes in a bracket-style competition on SHO.com over the course of four weeks. The top ten fan picks will culminate in an on-air #Dexter10 Fan Marathon on Saturday, October 1st, exactly ten years after the series debuted on Showtime.
- On the heels of a sold-out national tour, comedy great Martin Lawrence hits the stage in this long-awaited stand-up special, Martin Lawrence Doin’ Time: Uncut premiering Friday, September 9 at 9:00 on Showtime on-air, on demand and over the internet. Filmed live at the Orpheum Theatre in Los Angeles, Doin’ Time: Uncut showcases Lawrence’s impeccable comedic skills, physicality and engaging wit. Delivering an unforgettable night of impressions and insights, he touches on everything from sex and relationships to President Obama, Bill Cosby, Hollywood and more. Lawrence is back in a big way and will leave viewers in hysterics, from start to finish. “I look forward to having my third concert film premiere on SHOWTIME,” said Lawrence. “Fourteen years is a long time between concert specials and I am excited to know that my TV audience will be able to enjoy this show as if they came to see me live."
- Smithsonian Channel will offer fascinating new perspectives on some of the world’s most remarkable and mysterious religious locations in the new five-episode series Sacred Sites, premiering on Monday, September 12 at 8:00. Based on new scientific breakthroughs and compelling archaeological and historical research, the series includes episodes on: the ancient cities of Petra and Hegra; the secrets of the Knights of the Templar; the oracles of Ancient Greece; the magnificent tombs and temples of ancient Egypt; and the ruined great houses of Chaco Canyon in New Mexico.
- Entertainment One (eOne), Miramax® and El Rey Network today announced that the complete premiere episode of season three of From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series will be available for free Digital HD preview two weeks prior to its September 6 broadcast debut on El Rey Network. For fans eagerly anticipating the action-packed, horror-filled new season and newbies interested in sampling the series based on the cult film directed by Robert Rodriguez, the episode "Head Games" will be available at no charge from August 23 to September 6 on iTunes, GooglePlay, Xbox Video, Sony Playstation, Fandango Now and Vudu.
- Showtime continues to expand its slate of bold documentaries under the Showtime Documentary Films banner with Gringo: The Dangerous Life of John McAfee, a new feature-length film making its world television premiere on Saturday, September 24th at 9 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME. Oscar nominee and two-time Sundance Film Festival winner Nanette Burstein (American Teen, The Kid Stays in the Picture) delivers a deep investigation into the mysterious life of visionary anti-virus entrepreneur John McAfee. The film has been selected to make its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival next month.
- GSN, the leader in game shows and competitive entertainment, announced today its horror-themed game Hellevator returns for season two with a special four-week network event, just in time for the Halloween season, with all-new spine-chilling weekly episodes, beginning Friday, October 7 at 9:00. Hellevator is produced by Matador and Blumhouse Productions, in association with Lionsgate.
- The Republican and Democratic National Conventions provided more material than one special could fill. Emmy®-nominated Triumph the Insult Comic Dog returns to harass delegates, the Westboro Baptist Church, and everyone on Media Row. All this plus an elaborate fake book signing and one more attempt to "help" Chris Christie, streaming Thursday, Aug. 25 only on Hulu. Keep an eye out for more election coverage from Triumph the Insult Comic Dog only on Hulu.
- he new Smithsonian Channel series WWII’S Mot Dangerous Raids explores some of the most dangerous and remarkable commando raids of the war. It goes into the heart of the action with elite Allied soldiers facing deadly odds to pull off missions that can change the course of the war. Through first person testimony, cinematic reconstructions, expert commentary, weapons demonstrations and cutting edge video game style graphics, every aspect of each mission is visualized and analyzed. The six-episode series premieres Sunday, September 18 at 9:00.
- This Hulu announced Joseph Fiennes will play Commander Fred Waterford in The Handmaid’s Tale. Joseph Fiennes has joined the cast of Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale as ‘Commander Fred Waterford.’ A founding father of Gilead and powerful, high-ranking official, Commander Waterford rules the household where Offred (Elisabeth Moss) is a handmaid. The Handmaid’s Tale. comes to Hulu from MGM Television and is created, executive produced and written by Bruce Miller, with Warren Littlefield, Daniel Wilson, Fran Sears, and Ilene Chaiken serving as executive producers. Atwood is a consulting producer for the series. Reed Morano will direct and executive produce the first three episodes. The Handmaid’s Tale. is scheduled to go into production in Toronto this fall. The 10-episode series is slated to premiere in 2017.
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 Neighborhood Sessions featuring Dave Matthews Band, Forces of Nature, All the Difference, The Circus, Wild Things Inside the National Zoo, Michael Chiklis, Victoria Justice, Bubba The Redneck Werewolf, Ouch! A Salute To Slapstick, Billions, Ray Donovan, Drop the Mic, and iHeartRadio Music Awards.
- One of the most influential bands in rock history is coming to Turner's TNT this September, when Dave Matthews Band takes the stage for a special 25th anniversary concert. Filmed earlier this year in the band's hometown of Charlottesville, Va., portions of the performance will be presented as part of Neighborhood Sessions, an ongoing series of music specials created by State Farm. The special, produced by Live Nation and directed by Danny Clinch, will feature powerful stories from the local community profiling some of the people who continue to impact the band members’ lives and music. Neighborhood Sessions featuring Dave Matthews Band marks the third special in the Neighborhood Sessions series, which gives the biggest names in music a chance to thank the neighbors who helped make them who they are today, and who continue to help life go right for members of their communities every day. The special is slated to premiere on TNT Sunday, Sept. 11, at 10:00, following the season finale of the epic drama The Last Ship.
- The forces that have kept the Earth on the move since it was formed billions of years ago are explored in Forces of Nature, a BBC co-production that premieres Wednesday, September 14, 2016, at 8:00 (check local listings). In each of the four episodes, the series illustrates how we experience Earth’s natural forces, including shape, elements, color and motion. Although we can’t immediately feel the motion of Earth’s fundamental forces, we witness the consequences, such as tidal bores surging through the Amazon rainforest or the intense and ruinous power of hurricanes.
- The largely invisible and often crushing struggles of young African-American men come vividly—and heroically—to life in All the Difference, which traces the paths of two teens from the South Side of Chicago who dared to dream a seemingly impossible dream: to graduate from college. As this intimate film shows, Robert Henderson and Krishaun Branch’s determination started them on the road to success, but it was the support from people in their lives—parents, grandparents, teachers and mentors— that brought them to their destination. Emmy®-winning producer/director Tod Lending’s film, inspired by Wes Moore’s bestselling autobiographical book, The Other Wes Moore, will have its national broadcast premiere on the POV (Point of View) documentary series on PBS on Monday, Sept. 12, 2016 at 10:00 (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.
- National Geographic Channel is set to premiere Facing, a docu-series that takes an immersive look at the real stories behind some of modern history’s most larger-than-life characters, on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2016, at 9:00. From the producers of the award-winning and critically acclaimed documentary “Facing Ali,” each hourlong episode will tackle the myths, legends and truths behind powerful headline-makers, including Pablo Escobar, Saddam Hussein, Suge Knight, Vladimir Putin and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
- After revealing the pivotal behind-the-scenes presidential campaign moments that led to the Democratic and Republican nominations, The Circus returns Sunday, September 11 at 8:00 on Showtime. Following a brief hiatus, The Circus will return in time to track and cover the first presidential debate, continuing its unprecedented access to the players and key events leading up to the general election. Cameras will crisscross the country alongside nominees Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump to bring you every dramatic moment – from the intense head-to-head debates through election night – as America picks its next president.
- Following a successful first season that garnered over 10 million video views, Smithsonian Channel’s original digital series - Wild Things Inside the National Zoo returns on August 20. Season two, comprised of six episodes, will focus on the same engaging and surprising stories of animal life at Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, D.C., from kiwi chicks and maned wolves to swamp monkeys and pandas. Tian Tian, the famous panda who went viral this past winter when his playful blizzard video became the second most shared Facebook video in first quarter of 2016 with 1.9 million shares, makes an appearance in the first episode. The second season can be viewed on all of Smithsonian Channel’s digital platforms including smithsonianchannel.com/wildinside, mobile apps on iOS and Android, apps on Apple TV, Roku and Fire TV, and on Smithsonian Channel's YouTube channel. In addition, both seasons of Wild Things Inside the National Zoo will be available later this year on Smithsonian Earth™ – Smithsonian Networks’ subscription video streaming service that delivers spectacular original nature and wildlife content in 4K.
- Michael Chiklis reinvents himself once again with the release of his first solo album Influence. Best known as an award-winning television and film actor, Chiklis now steps into a new spotlight to showcase his talents as a rock singer and songwriter with a record whose prominent hooks and overdriven energy recall rock's golden age. The album's first single "In Front of Your Eyes” is currently available to stream and features Steve Lukather on guitar. Stream it HERE.
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- MVD has acquired the exclusive US distribution rights for Bubba The Redneck Werewolf. Based on the cult classic comic book series, the feature film marks the second directorial effort of Brendan Jackson Rogers, who also serves as one of the film's producers. Bubba The Redneck Werewolf coming to Blu-ray, DVD and Digital / VOD on October 11th.
- Turner Classic Movies (TCM) will pay tribute to pratfalls and double-takes with Ouch! A Salute To Slapstick, a month-long programming special featuring more than 50 films exploring the history of slapstick. Hosted by acclaimed stand-up comedian Greg Proops, the special will feature programming from silent masters Chaplin, Keaton and Lloyd to modern master Will Ferrell, and will premiere Sep. 6th and air every Tuesday and Wednesday during the month. Additionally, TCM is once again partnering with Ball State University and Canvas Network to offer a free online multimedia course on slapstick comedy. Enrollment begins today and comedy fans can sign up for the course at TCM.com/slapstick.
- Showtime announced its winter lineup with the Emmy® and Golden Globe®-winning drama series Homeland returning for season six on Sunday, January 15 at 9:00 and season two of the critically-acclaimed hit drama Billions returning on Sunday, February 19 at 10:00. Both series are shooting in New York this Summer with Homeland returning to the U.S. after spending the last two seasons shooting in South Africa and Berlin. New seasons of HOMELAND and Billions will be available on SHOWTIME on-air, on demand and over the internet.
- On the heels of Ray Donovan scoring five Emmy nominations for its third season, Showtime has ordered a fifth season of its hit drama series. Production on season five’s 12, one-hour episodes will begin next year. One of the top-rated drama series on premium television this summer, Ray Donovan returned for its fourth season up double digits year over year and continues to air on Sundays at 9:00. The announcement was made today by David Nevins, President and CEO, Showtime Networks Inc. at the 2016 Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour.
- TBS, a division of Turner, is injecting a little groove into its original series lineup. The network has greenlit Drop the Mic, a new mixture of comedy and music from executive producers James Corden and Ben Winston. Joining them as executive producer is Jensen Karp, former battle rapper Hot Karl. Drop the Mic is already a huge viral and digital success as an ongoing popular segment on The Late Late Show with James Corden. The new series will be produced by CBS Television Studios and Fulwell 73 and is slated to join the TBS lineup in 2017. Drop the Mic will pit four celebrities against each other in a rap battle royale packed with "I can't believe they just said that" moments. Each week's winner will be chosen by the studio audience. TBS has ordered 16 episodes of Drop the Mic, with a host to be announced later. The show is TBS's first new unscripted series since the arrival of Michael Bloom, who joined TBS & TNT in June as senior vice president of unscripted & special event programming.
- iHeartMedia and Turner announced today that the popular, fan-fueled iHeartRadio Music Awards will return on Sunday, March 5, 2017, to the historic, fabulous Forum in Los Angeles. The fourth year of the event will again be televised live on TBS, TNT and truTV at 8 p.m. (ET)/5 p.m. (PT) and simulcast on iHeartMedia stations nationwide, as well as on iHeartRadio, the all-in-one digital music and live streaming radio service.
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 Triumph’s Summer Election Special 2016, Cypress Hill: Live from Austin, Three Days of Terrorr: The Charlie Hebdo Attacks, Martha & Snoop’s Dinner Party, Sully erna, MTV Video Music Awards, and The Affair.
- In Triumph’s Summer Election Special 2016, Triumph makes his return to the Presidential campaign trail, covering delegates, protesters, and the major players as they descend on Cleveland and Philadelphia for the Republican and Democratic conventions, respectively. Triumph has already made headlines conducting a live show directly behind Wolf Blitzer’s panel and commandeering a Westboro Baptist Church demonstration.
- Tune in to the AUDIENCE Network special Cypress Hill: Live from Austin airing Friday, August 12, at 9:00 PM ET/PT on DIRECTV Ch 239/U-verse Ch 1114. The electrifying rooftop performance and interview with the iconic, multi-platinum, hip-hop group was filmed live this past March in Austin, TX. Cypress Hill is currently on a worldwide tour celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the band's self-titled debut album (released August 13, 1991).
- Three Days of Terrorr: The Charlie Hebdo Attacks (debuting Sept. 19 on HBO) is a searing account of the January 2015 terror attacks on Paris which combined the last attack in Europe by Al-Qaeda and the first attack in Europe inspired by ISIS, following the militant group’s self-proclamation in June 2014. The horrific events began on January 7, 2015, when two brothers – members of Al-Qaeda in Yemen – stormed the Paris offices of the satiric weekly Charlie Hebdo, killing 11 people and injuring 11 others before also killing a French police officer. As a massive manhunt for the elusive killers was mounted, an additional 5 people were murdered and 11 wounded over the next two days, which included a harrowing stand-off between police and a gunman, pledging allegiance to ISIS, holding hostages at a kosher supermarket. With unprecedented investigative depth, including exclusive access to hostages, survivors, police, paramilitaries, and intelligence findings and evidence, as well as never before seen footage and photographs, Emmy®-nominated filmmaker Dan Reed (HBO’s “Terror at the Mall”) highlights the courage and resilience of Parisian police and citizens in the face of mass murder.
- VH1, in partnership with Sequential Brands Group, MERRY JANE and 495 Productions, this week announced a new weekly series featuring Martha Stewart and Snoop Dogg teaming together to throw a dinner party that will be the hottest ticket in town. Each will invite celebrity friends over for a half-baked evening of cocktails, cooking, conversation, and fun where nothing is off limits. Martha & Snoop’s Dinner Party (working title) will premiere this Fall on VH1.
- Sully Erna--founder, vocalist, guitarist and songwriter for the multi-platinum rock band Godsmack--will release a new solo album Hometown Life Friday, September 30 via BMG. Composed by SULLY on piano and acoustic guitar and produced in his New Hampshire studio, HOMETOWN LIFE offers a departure from the tribal, world music feel and experimentation on 2010's Avalon; the new album's 10 songs are more accessible, sonically and musically precise.
- The MTV Video Music Awards will bestow Rihanna with its highest honor, the “Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award,” for her decade-long impact on music, pop culture, fashion, film and philanthropy. Rihanna will perform during the ceremony LIVE from New York’s iconic Madison Square Garden on Sunday, August 28 at 9:00.
- BAFTA and César Award-nominated Irène Jacob, often called the preeminent French actress of her generation, has joined the season three cast of the Golden Globe®-winning Showtime® drama series The Affair in a major season-long arc. Jacob will play Juliette Le Gall, a new love interest of Noah's (Dominic West), running from her own secrets, who helps him process a trauma from his past and understand himself a little better. Season three is currently in production in New York, and will premiere on Sunday, November 20th at 10:00 on Showtime.
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 Triumph’s Summer Election Special 2016, Great Performances, 2016 Global Citizen Festival, Sting, Tony Lucca, Mission Critical, America's National Parks at 100, Hip Hop Squares, Might Ship at War: The Queen Mary, America’s Next Top Model, and TBS.
- On the heels of its recent Emmy nomination for Outstanding Writing For A Variety Special, Triumph’s Election Special 2016, Hulu will debut a new, follow-up one-hour special hosted by Triumph the Insult Comic Dog titled Triumph’s Summer Election Special 2016. The new Hulu Original, in association with Funny Or Die, will become available to stream to Hulu subscribers on August 11.
- The PBS Arts Fall Festival returns Friday nights, beginning October 21, 2016, with all new programs, including the highly anticipated look into the making of the Broadway phenomenon Hamilton, a contemporary take on the life of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton. Visionary Lin-Manuel Miranda, the show’s Tony and Grammy Award-winning creator and star, will host this year’s festival. Great Performances “Hamilton’s America” gives viewers a look at Miranda and his colleagues’ creative process during the three years leading up to the Broadway opening of the record-breaking musical winner of 11 Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize.
- Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar, Selena Gomez, Major Lazer, and Metallica will headline the 2016 Global Citizen Festival, the annual free-ticketed event on the Great Lawn in Central Park in New York City on Saturday, September 24, 2016. The Festival will harness actions from millions of Global Citizens around the world to hold world leaders accountable to the progress made toward achieving the Global Goals set out by the United Nations last year. Special guest performances will be given by Usher, Chris Martin, Eddie Vedder, Ellie Goulding, Yandel, and Yusuf/Cat Stevens. Hosts for this year’s Festival will include Chelsea Handler, Deborra-lee & Hugh Jackman, Neil Patrick Harris, Priyanka Chopra, Salma Hayek Pinault, and Seth Meyers.
- On September 30, A&M / Interscope Records are proud to release The Studio Collection, a career-spanning vinyl LP box set featuring all of Sting’s seminal solo studio albums brought together for the first time. The Studio Collection includes eight essential A&M Records albums across eleven LPs – The Dream Of The Blue Turtles (1985), ...Nothing Like The Sun (1987) (double LP), The Soul Cages (1991), Ten Summoner’s Tales (1993), Mercury Falling (1996), Brand New Day (1999) (double LP), Sacred Love (2003) (double LP) and The Last Ship (2013) – with both Brand New Day and Sacred Love available on vinyl for the first time ever.
- Nashville-based singer-songwriter Tony Lucca is set to release a new digital EP on August 5, 2016 via Rock Ridge Music entitled Sessions, Vol. 2: Muscle Shoals. The three tracks on the release came from a day-long session Lucca did in Muscle Shoals, AL 10 years ago when he went to the music town to explore the area and get to know some writers and players in that scene.
- For many of Earth’s species, time is running out. Iconic animals such as black rhinos, mountain gorillas and giant pandas are close to joining dodos and dinosaurs on the unfortunate list of animals gone forever. While working to preserve these threatened and endangered creatures may seem like a daunting mission, Nat Geo WILD believes that it’s a critical one. Today, Nat Geo WILD announced the premiere of Mission Critical, a new monthly programming initiative featuring powerful stories of the most incredible and endangered animals on our planet. The new series hopes to inspire a new generation of animal lovers to preserve and protect our world’s amazing wildlife, and will premiere globally in 131 countries and 38 languages. Every month, Mission Critical highlights species at the forefront of extinction and the brave individuals who are racing against the clock to make a difference. From adorable baby beluga whales to mischievous Tasmanian devils to elusive leopards, the episodes range from heartwarming to tear-jerking in hopes to shine a light on those animals that need our attention most.
- It began as a radical idea to preserve a mysterious land of “boiling sulpher springs.” Now the National Park Service is 100 years old – with more than 400 places we’ve seen fit to save forever. Smithsonian Channel will celebrate the centennial with America's National Parks at 100 premiering Sunday, August 28 at 8:00. The one-hour special tells the story of how this radical idea evolved into an enduring mission shaped by the creativity, resourcefulness and passion of individual Americans.
- VH1 is giving the classic game show Hollywood Sqares a Hip Hop makeover with the help of Ice Cube and his Cube Vision production company in conjunction with Jesse Collins Entertainment and Jeff Kwatinetz’s The Firm. Slated for a Fall 2016 premiere, celebrity contestants will match wits and test their pop culture knowledge with the superstar squares, featuring the biggest names in hip hop, comedy and entertainment. According to Ice Cube: “Hip Hop Squares is going to be fun and spontaneous; unlike typical game shows, viewers should never know what’s going to happen next. When VH1 asked us to join the producing team, we jumped aboard as we have had success with VH1, and we love their team, excitement and commitment to the show.”
- Nat Geo WILD announced today that Emmy-nominated actor Charles Dance (“Game of Thrones”) will narrate the upcoming global miniseries event Savage Kingdom, a rare look at warring animal clans battling for survival in a remote region of Africa that is drying up after years of flood-soaked abundance. The winners are rewarded with the richest hunting grounds in the kingdom, while the losers are fated to exile … or even death. Savage Kingdom premieres Friday, Nov. 25, at 9:00 on Nat Geo WILD and globally this fall in 134 countries and 37 languages.
- For six seasons, The Wonder Years captured the angst of growing up in suburban middle-class America in the late '60s, as seen through the life and times of Kevin Arnold (Fred Savage). Audiences eagerly followed his evolution as a typical awkward teenager who remembered every moment of his transition from childhood with excruciating detail and remarkable hindsight. From his first kiss with Winnie Cooper (Danica McKellar) to his friendship with Paul Pfeiffer (Josh Saviano) and the ups and downs of the Arnold family, fans shared in laughter, love, and loss, but above all, wonder. This 22-DVD set contains all 115 episodes from the six seasons of this landmark series that aired from 1988 to 1993. Included in this specially-priced slipcase set are complete show notes with episode synopses, cast member reflections, "Current Events," and more plus nearly 12 hours of bonus material, as well as an astounding soundtrack of over 300 classic period songs as they were featured in the original broadcasts featuring such artists as: Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, The Byrds, Simon & Garfunkel, Aretha Franklin, James Taylor, and of course, Joe Cocker's unforgettable theme. The Wonder Years: The Complete Series Street Date: August 23, 2016.
- All aboard Smithsonian Channel this August, as the network sets sail on an epic journey to chronicle the spectacular life and times of the singular vessel R.M.S. Queen Mary, as both a luxury passenger liner and a wartime troop ship. Might Ship at War: The Queen Mary, a new one-hour special timed to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the famed ocean liner’s maiden voyage, will premiere Sunday, August 21 at 8:00 on Smithsonian Channel.
- VH1 today announced the host and judging panel for the network’s upcoming reincarnation of America’s Next Top Model, premiering this fall. Singer, actress and entrepreneur Rita Ora will host the reinvented show with supermodel and body activist Ashley Graham, Paper Magazine Chief Creative Officer Drew Elliott and celebrity stylist and image architect Law Roach serving as judges. Show creator Tyra Banks and Ken Mok continue as executive producers of the iconic modeling competition, with Banks making surprise appearances throughout the season.
- TBS, a division of Turner, has greenlit Storyville, a new digital animated series co-created by OkayPlayer. The top-rated network is also in development on Think B.I.G., a scripted series based loosely on lyrics by the late, great Notorious B.I.G. The two projects are the first to emerge from a new strategic content partnership between TBS & TNT and New York-based content and media organization Mass Appeal.
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 Veep, Temple of the Dog, Wicked Tuna, Cesar and Son, Black And White, KT Tunstall, Civil Twilight, A Season with Florida State Football, and Window Warriors.
- All hail to the VEEP! As the political environment heats up leading into the upcoming conventions, HBO Home Entertainment looks to lighten the climate with the Digital HD release of this year's Emmy nominee for "Outstanding Comedy Series", Veep: The Complete Fifth Season (along with 16 additional nominations). Do our presumptive nominees have anything on President Selina Meyer? Watch and find out when every episode (and some great bonus features) are released to all leading digital platforms now.
- Temple of the Dog — the Seattle supergroup featuring Soundgarden’s Chris Cornell, Pearl Jam’s Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard, and Mike McCready, and drummer Matt Cameron (who plays drums with both Soundgarden and Pearl Jam) — has reunited and will tour for the first time ever since forming in 1990. The band will play five cities, Philadelphia, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Seattle, in November. A special ticket pre-sale for fans signed up to the Ten Club, Soundgarden, and Chris Cornell email lists begins immediately and runs through July 27th. Tickets will go on sale to the general public at 12:00 PM local time on Friday the 29th. $1.50 from each ticket sold will benefit the Chris and Vicky Cornell Foundation and an additional $1.50 will benefit Pearl Jam’s Vitalogy Foundation. On September 30th UMe will release a special Temple of the Dog 25th anniversary reissue collection of their landmark album, newly mixed by Brendan O’Brien. The collection will be available in four configurations, including a four disc Super Deluxe, a double LP, a two CD Deluxe, and a single CD. Physical pre-orders are available today along with a detailed list of the contents of each configuration HERE.
- On the heels of the fifth season of its hit series Wicked Tuna, National Geographic Channel once again pits Gloucester’s finest against the best Southern fishermen, in the third season of the exciting spinoff series Wicked Tuna: Outer Banks, premiering Monday, July 25, at 9:00. It was an exceptional year in Gloucester, Massachusetts, with many captains bringing in record hauls for one of the most profitable seasons in recent memory. Now, winter has descended upon New England, and the prized bluefin tuna have migrated south to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, known as the “Graveyard of the Atlantic.” Three of Gloucester’s top captains are following the fish and trying their luck against a fleet of the South’s best fishermen. It’s a risky gamble — the Outer Banks is a notoriously dangerous fishing spot, where the potential for earnings is offset by the challenges these waters pose. And in addition to the unpredictable, treacherous conditions, the Gloucester captains will have to contend with competition from experienced locals who will stop at nothing to beat them to the catch.
- Nat Geo WILD announced today that world-famous dog behaviorist Cesar Millan (@cesarmillan) and his son Andre Millan are road-tripping across America in search of dogs and their humans who need help and want to share their story in Nat Geo WILD’s new series Cesar and Son [wt]. From canine heroes to unsolvable pooch problems to issues affecting local dog communities, no pup is off limits as the Millans hit the road to help you. Visit cesarandson.com to apply.
- A&E Network’s new original comedy series, Black And White is a provocative weekly in-studio show that tackles the third rail of both comedy and politics: race. Hosted by Christian Finnegan and Sherrod Small, this new series covers the biggest headlines sweeping the nation through the fresh and hilarious points of views of these comedians and longtime friends. Black And White premieres Wednesday, July 27 at 10:30 on A&E.
- KT Tunstall returns with an explosive 11 track collection of songs on her fifth studio album KIN to be released September 9th on Caroline Records. The album will be available for pre-order at all participating retailers, here.
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Civil Twilight, originally from South Africa, and now Nashville based, are living proof of what happens when you stop worrying about being the chosen one and make music built on both the roots that grew you and the love that keeps you thriving every day. Civil Twilight debut ethereal acoustic album Story of an Immigrant streaming via Billboard
available July 15, 2016 via Wind-up Records.
- Showwtime Sports will chronicle Florida State University’s quest for the 2016 College Football National Championship with the all-access documentary series A Season with Florida State Football. The second installment of the groundbreaking series brings viewers behind the scenes and into the lives of the Seminoles with weekly 30-minute episodes throughout the 2016 season. The series premieres on Tuesday, Sept. 6 at 10:00 on Showtime, just one day after the Seminoles’ season opener against the Ole Miss Rebels (University of Mississippi) on Labor Day.
- GSN, the leader in game shows and competitive entertainment, has added actress Garcelle Beauvais (“Hollywood Today Live,” “Spider-Man: Homecoming”) as host of their new skill-based competition series Window Warriors. Window Warriors lifts the curtain on the intensely competitive and theatrical world of visual merchandising. This new series brings the worlds of art and commerce together as the country’s most talented window designers are challenged to conceive jaw-dropping displays each week. From the festive, to the luxurious, to the latest advances in digital effects and sound technology, these artists will push their creativity to the limits in the hopes of winning a $100,000 grand prize, in addition to a feature in a retail design magazine, a one-year contract to design displays for a premiere mall developer, and a career-changing opportunity to design a holiday display at a major department store.
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 Cesar 911, The Incredible Dr. Pol, Open Your Eyes, Behind the Lost Empires, Roadies, Raiders!: The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made, and Showtime,
- On Friday, July 15th, hit show Cesar 911 returns to Nat Geo WILD with all new episodes. Tune-in to see Cesar Millan help dog owners in some of the most unique situations as they learn how to deal with challenges of owning a difficult dog. Viewers will see Cesar employ creative methods ranging from calling in Jillian Michaels to going undercover as a UPS delivery man to help these owners give their dog a chance at a balanced, happy and healthy life. Coming up, Cesar brings in television personality and fitness expert, Jillian Michaels, to work with the owners of an energetic K-9. In The Biggest Loser one couple’s Vizsla Lab mix, Tic Tac, threatens to ruin their dream of living on the water because of his unruly behavior. To help the couple, Cesar calls in his friend Jillian to devise a fitness regime… but this time for the owners themselves!
- Nat Geo Wild's No. 2 Show, The Incredible Dr. Pol, is back with an all new season of sick, injured, oozing, kicking, and biting cases. Follow Dr. Pol and his team as they rush across the Michigan countryside making house calls to a variety of farm animals. Weather they are hard at work castrating a quartet of rowdy alpacas or treating cows with deadly gastric infections, everyone has their hands full in this nail-clipping, bridge-building, bone-repairing abscess-draining season of mending mysterious and sensational solutions. The new season of The Incredible Dr. Pol premieres Saturday, July 16 at 9:00 on Nat Geo Wild.
- Open Your Eyes, which chronicles the amazing journey of two elderly farmers in Nepal as their eyesight is restored, is an acclaimed new documentary directed by Irene Taylor Brodsky (Beware the Slenderman, Peabody Award-winning Hear and Now) which will premiere on HBO on July 18th at 9:00. With today's news cycles seemingly dominated by stories of conflict and negativity, the film presents a remarkable story of the global community coming together to create positive change.
- New technology and the opening of previously closed societies are ushering in a golden age of archaeology, uncovering the secrets of some of history’s most famous empires. Smithsonian Channel has gained access to some remarkable discoveries, and will reveal new insights in a major new programming block: Behind the Lost Empires. The block features specials on the lost city of Pompeii, a recently discovered Roman gladiator school in the heart of Europe, China’s Han Dynasty and its infamous female Emperor Wu, and Burma, the world’s first golden civilization. Pompeii: The Dead Speak kicks off Behind the Lost Empires on Monday, August 8 at 8:00.
- This week, Showtime wrapped production on the first season of the freshman music series Roadies with an impressive roster of musical acts set to appear in the season finale, which will air on Sunday, August 28th at 10:00. The one-hour episode will feature music personally curated by series creator, executive producer, writer and music supervisor Cameron Crowe, and performances from Jim James, Eddie Vedder, Nicole Atkins, Jackson Browne, Robyn Hitchcock, Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig from Lucius, and Gary Clark Jr. The ROADIES soundtrack will be released by Republic Records and Stardog Records. Previously announced tracks include “I Wish I Was Sober” by Frightened Rabbit featuring Mike McCready, “Are You Satisfied?” by Reignwolf, and “Big Love” by Lindsey Buckingham.
- Drafthouse Films and MVD Entertainment have announced the upcoming home video release of Raiders!: The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made on Blu-ray/DVD combo pack on August 16th. After Steven Spielberg's classic Raiders of the Lost Ark was released 35 years ago, three 11-year-old boys from Mississippi set out on what would become a 7-year-long labor of love and tribute to their favorite film: a faithful, shot-for-shot adaptation of the action adventure film, which the New York Times calls "a testament to the transporting power of movie love." They finished every scene...except one; the film's explosive airplane set piece.
- Showtime Networks Inc. and Amblin Partners have entered into an exclusive output agreement under which qualifying Amblin Entertainment, DreamWorks Pictures and Participant Media films theatrically released through December 2021 will air across Showtime®, The Movie Channel™ and Flix®, as well as on SHOWTIME multiplex channels and streaming services. The agreement, which extends the existing relationship between DreamWorks Pictures and Showtime Networks, allows it to exhibit high-profile Amblin Partners’ features across its premium channels on-air, on demand and over the internet. The announcement was made today by Kent Sevener, Senior Vice President, Content Acquisition, Showtime Networks Inc. and Jeff Small, Co-CEO, Amblin Partners.
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 wild_life With Bertie Gregory, Money and Violence, Los East High, Conaan, Boyz II Men, Diana Ross, Cobi, In Their Own Words: The American Masters Digital Archive, Building Star Trek, The Country Network, and Turner Channels renewals.
- Nat Geo WILD inspires people to let the wild in every day. The network is dedicated to creating content for animal lovers everywhere to enjoy, whether it’s on TV, in magazines, or in books. Now, Nat Geo WILD is bringing the wild online with the launch of its first-ever digital series, wild_life With Bertie Gregory, premiering Wednesday, Aug. 3, on the network’s YouTube Channel, as well as on NationalGeographic.com.
- Reluctant gangsters, stick-up kids, and scammers hustle for survival on the unforgiving streets of Flatbush, Brooklyn, in Money and Violence: Seasons 1 & 2, available on Digital HD on August 16, 2016 from Lionsgate. The first 3 episodes of Season 1 will be available for free the first 60 days of release.
- Los East High returns for a fourth season with an addictive mix of love, dance, sex and true-to-life drama. It’s a first ever summer season and the Bomb Squad heads off to dance camp with sexy new teammates who tempt Gina (Alex Rodriguez) and Eddie’s (Carlito Olivero) relationship, on and off the dance floor. Camila (Vannessa Vasquez) and Jesus (J.D. Pardo) rekindle their love affair and must fight the odds against them as they attempt to live a crime-free life. And when Jacob (Gabe Chavarria) misbehaves, hearts are broken and the family business is threatened in more ways than one. This season, wedding bells ring while danger lurks in the streets of East LA and the students must rise to action for what they believe in. Someone will need to risk it all to fight for her future and for true love – making this an unforgettable summer.
- Conan O'Brien will welcome an all-star lineup of guests when he returns to San Diego for a week of shows to be taped during Comic-Con® International. The roster includes the stars of the new movie Suicide Squad, the casts of the television hits Game of Thrones and Silicon Valley, "Weird Al" Yankovic and more to be announced later. Conaan's Comic-Con® International shows will be taped at San Diego's historic Spreckels Theatre from Wednesday, July 20 – Saturday, July 23. Each episode will air on TBS at 11 p.m. (ET/PT), with availability across TBS and Team Coco's digital, mobile and VOD platforms the following day.
- Formed at Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts by Nathan Morris and Marc Nelson (who eventually left), later joined by fellow school choir members Wanya Morris, Shawn Stockman and Michael McCrary, Boyz II Men found their inspiration in the echoes of their school bathroom and their city’s tradition in classic a cappella and doo-wop harmonies. Inspired by New Edition, they took their name from one of the group’s songs, and then impressed the band’s lead singer Michael Bivins with an impromptu backstage audition of “Can You Stand the Rain,” leading to his agreeing to manage and produce them. UMe is marking the 25th anniversary of the release of Boyz II Men’s 1991, GRAMMY®-winning debut, Cooleyhighharmony and its multi- GRAMMY®-winning 1994 follow-up, II, with exclusive vinyl releases of both, with the latter, a two-LP set, for the first time ever on that format, on August 19.
- Diana Ross was six years into her wildly successful solo career from the Supremes when she outdid herself, releasing a self-titled project, her seventh studio album, that included two No. 1 pop smashes, “Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You’re Going To)” and the dance-floor classic, “Love Hangover.” Ms. Ross also took two more tracks from the album up the charts, “I Thought It Took A Little Time (But Today I Fell In Love),” which hit the top five of Billboard magazine’s Easy Listening (now known as Adult Contemporary) chart, and “One Love In My Lifetime,” no. 5 on the Soul charts. Diana Ross, the album, peaked at no. 5 on the Billboard 200, no. 4 on the Soul album chart and no. 5 in the U.K. Marking 40 years from its original Motown release in February 1976, UMe is reissuing Diana Ross in vinyl for the first time since then on July 15, following a 2012 two-CD expanded set on the Hip-o-Select/Motown label.
- While singing the blues in dive bars throughout Northern Minnesota, a 12-year-old Cobi dreamt one day of performing on the biggest and most renowned stages in the world. He knew that music made him feel more alive than anything else and that he wanted to bring his art to a much larger audience.
- In a never-before-seen video from In Their Own Words: The American Masters Digital Archive, singer, dancer, actress and civil rights activist Lena Horne shares her disappointment in the lack of progress made toward racial equality throughout her lifetime:
- Smithsonian Channel will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Star Trek with a two-hour special that will take a look at the lasting influence the original Star Trek series has had on the world. Building Star Trek will premiere Sunday, September 4 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Smithsonian Channel.
- This past weekend, as America was celebrating Independence Day and shooting off fireworks, The Country Network (TCN) launched its broadcast in two more viewership markets: Oklahoma City and Memphis--KBZC (UHF Channel 42) and WQEK (UHF Channel 18/PSIP Channel 36) respectively. These two markets will add well over a million DMA market households to TCN's initial 40+ million DMA household-reach across digital subchannel tiers since the network was announced just over three months ago.
- Turner's powerhouse media brands TBS and TNT have renewed three original series currently airing on the networks: the critically acclaimed TNT drama Animal Kingdom, the new TBS series Wrecked and the hit TBS comedy Angie Tribeca.
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 Marvin Gaye, Dreamers, VH1 Live!, The Unknown Flag Raiser of Iwo Jima, Guerrilla, and Turner Classic Movies.
- UMe marks 45th anniversary of Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On with a special What’s Going On 10” vinyl EP that features a duet version featuring with new Motown artist BJ The Chicago Kid, available June 24.
- When DREAMERS—Nick Wold (vocals/guitar), Nelson (bass), and Jacob Wick (drums)—talk about its debut LP This Album Does Not Exist, they assume a collective tone of considerate existentialism. They seek to counter the crassness of pop, the snobbery of jazz, and the pretention of indie that zaps the fun out of any music with meaning. Yet, they want to draw you in, indiscriminate of taste, style, or ideology. This Album Does Not Exist due August 26 via Fairfax Recordings.
- VH1 this week announced a new late night talk show entitled VH1 Live! debuting Sunday, July 17th at 10:00. CNN commentator and BET News host Marc Lamont Hill will anchor the weekly series delivering VH1’s pop culture spin on the hottest entertainment news and gossip.
- Academy Award winning actor Gene Hackman has signed on to narrate Smithsonian Channel’s The Unknown Flag Raiser of Iwo Jima, airing July 3 at 9:00. The one-hour special, produced by Lucky 8 TV, provides new evidence and analysis proving that U.S. Marine Corps Pfc. and Purple Heart recipient Harold Schultz was one of the flag raisers in Joe Rosenthal’s iconic Iwo Jima photo on Mount Suribachi. This evidence led the United States Marine Corps to correct the historical record.
- Screen Actors Guild® Award winner Freida Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire) has joined the cast of the new six-part limited series Guerrilla in the lead role of “Jas Mitra.” Set to air on Showtime and Sky Atlantic next year, GUERRILLA centers on a couple, “Jas” and “Marcus” (casting to be revealed soon), whose passion propels them into making the leap from political activism to radical militancy. Academy Award® winner John Ridley (American Crime) will write, direct and executive produce the limited series. Golden Globe® 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 and the finale, with Emmy Award nominee Sam Miller (Luther, No Good Deed) directing the other episodes.
- Turner Classic Movies (TCM) pays tribute the oldest film genre, and perhaps most classically American, with Shane Plus A Hundred More Great Westerns, a month-long programming special featuring more than 100 of the greatest Western movies ever made. Hosted by acclaimed actor and Academy Award® winning songwriter Keith Carradine, programming begins July 5th and airs from sun-up to sundown every Tuesday and Wednesday in July.
Shane Plus A Hundred More Great Westerns will feature themed programming including:
The Early Years (July 5) – in addition to The Great Train Robbery (1903), these pioneer Westerns include The Squaw Man (1914), the first producing-directing effort by the legendary Cecil B. DeMille
John Wayne/John Ford (July 5) – takes a look at the partnership of the quintessential Western star and director which encompassed 14 films ranging from Stagecoach (1939), the pairs first collaboration, to The Searchers (1956), which many consider the team’s greatest masterpiece
Directed by Sam Peckinpah (July 6) – provides examples of the iconic director’s work including Ride the High Country (1962) and The Wild Bunch (1969), which was noted for taking the Western into unprecedented levels of violence
Epic Westerns (July 12) – includes the Kirk Douglas vehicle The Big Sky (1952) and MGM’s How the West Was Won (1962), a multi-part, star-heavy epic originally filmed in Cinerama
Singing Cowboys (July 13) – a staple of the 1930s and ‘40s in a series of modest and innocently entertaining Westerns, many of them starring Gene Autry or Roy Rogers
Spaghetti Westerns/Clint Eastwood (July 19) – includes two TCM premieres - A Bullet for Sandoval (1970) and Red Sun (1971) - and overlaps with the “Starring Clint Eastwood” theme, which includes Sergio Leone’s spaghetti western classics A Fistful of Dollars (1964) and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1968)
Western Comedies (July 26) – ranging from Go West (1925), starring Buster Keaton, to Hearts of the West, starring Jeff Bridges, as a writer who becomes a star of B Westerns
Great Barroom Brawls (July 26) – highlighting the legendary and elusive Shane (1953), directed by George Stevens and starring Alan Ladd
True Stories? (July 27) – includes far-fetched accounts of Western legends such as Billy the Kid (1941) and Annie Get Your Gun (1950)
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 Ray Donovan, Difficult People, The Unknown Flag Raiser of Iwo Jima, Live at 9:30, Tesla, Tony Lucca, Josh Kaufman, One and Done, Casual, Penny Dreadful, and Full Frontal with Samantha Bee.
- Showtime is giving viewers a chance to sample the season four premiere of its hit drama series Ray Donovan ahead of its linear premiere on Sunday, June 26th at 9:00. Ray Donovan stars Liev Schreiber in his three-time Golden Globe® and Emmy-nominated role as L.A.’s best professional fixer – the man called in to make the city’s celebrities, superstar athletes, and business moguls’ most complicated and combustible situations go away. The series is currently in production on 12 episodes in Los Angeles. Consumers who do not subscribe to Showtime can watch the TV-14 rated version of the season four premiere for free on YouTube and SHO.com. The episode is also available for download as a free video podcast on iTunes. Consumers can also sample the premiere of RAY DONOVAN for free across multiple television and streaming providers’ devices, websites and applications and free On Demand channels.
In season two of Difficult People, premiering Tuesday, July 12 on Hulu, Julie and Billy continue to search for fame, to diminishing returns. Billy embarks on the journey of finding a boyfriend while Julie tries her best to avoid a deeper commitment to Arthur and not become her mother. Julie and Billy continue to have contempt for the word around them while remaining loyal to each other, and, as they get in their own way, learn no lessons.
- For over 70 years, the iconic flag-raising photograph at Iwo Jima has been one of the most reproduced images in history, inspiring books, movies and the Marine Corps War Memorial in Washington, DC. In a new one-hour Smithsonian Channel special, the United States Marine Corps will confirm the identity of a previously unknown flag raiser on Iwo Jima. Forensic evidence provided by Smithsonian Channel and production company Lucky 8 TV reveals that unsung hero U.S. Marine Corps Pfc. and Purple Heart recipient Harold Schultz was one of the flag raisers in Joe Rosenthal’s famed Iwo Jima photo taken on February 23, 1945. The full forensic investigation unfolds with never-before-seen evidence in The Unknown Flag Raiser of Iwo Jima, premiering Sunday, July 3 at 9:00 on Smithsonian Channel.
- Live At 9:30 is excited to announce the launch of LiveAt930.com. Hosted by Squarespace, LiveAt930.com will be the exclusive online destination for the program and feature clips, behind the scenes blogs, and much more from the groundbreaking TV music variety series. Episodes of “Live At 9:30” began airing on public television stations earlier this month. Viewers should contact their local public television station to learn more about when “Live At 9:30” will air locally. After each episode has aired on public television, it will be available in full at LiveAt930.com.
- Tesla’s third album, Psychotic Supper, the band’s third studio album, released on August 30, 1991, was the follow-up to the live Five Man Acoustical Jam, peaking at #13 on the Billboard 200, featuring an aggressive change in direction from the previous disc, landing an impressive five songs on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, including “What You Give,” which went to #7 and even cracked the Billboard Hot 100 at #86. Other memorable songs include “Edison’s Medicine,” which spotlights how its subject received credit for harnessing electricity over the band’s own namesake, Nikola Tesla, which climbed to #20 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks, along with “Call It What You Want” (#19), “Song & Emotion” (#13) and “Stir It Up” (#35). Produced by Michael Barbiero (Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Anthrax) – who also helmed the band’s first two studio efforts -- the album was eventually certified platinum in 1993 by the RIAA, and was included in German magazine Rock Hard’s book of “The 500 Greatest Rock & Metal Albums of All Time.” The band themselves have been quoted as considering Psychotic Supper their best record. To help mark the album’s 25th anniversary in August, UMe is reissuing the album for the first time as a two-LP standard issue vinyl set on July 22.
- Nashville-based singer-songwriter Tony Lucca is set to hit the road this fall for an extensive cross-country tour (see full tour schedule below). Lucca has planned a Southeast, Northeast and Midwest series of co-headlining dates with labelmate Alex Dezen (of The Damnwells) which they are billing as the “Heads or Tails Tour.” (Joining Dezen and Lucca on their run will be Christian Lopez.) Lucca also plans to head out after that with Tyrone Wells for a series of twelve West Coast and Texas shows. For full dates and ticket information, head over to TonyLucca.com.
Josh Kaufman, Season 6 Champion of NBC’s The Voice, releases his first self-titled EP today, now available on all music platforms. The EP features a total of six songs, including his first single “Truth Be Told,” which was released on May 27. Other songs on the EP include the soulfully upbeat “All I Ask,” powerful vocal ballad “Avalanche,” jazzy foot-tapper “Paycheck,” love-inspired “The World,” and catchy radio-ready hit “Digging Deep.”
- Conan O'Brien will once again be immortalized with a set of four Pop! Vinyl figures to be available this July, when TBS's late-night series Conan returns to San Diego for Comic-Con® International. Created by Funko for TBS, a division of Turner, this year's collectible figure designs include "Superman™ Conan," "Stormtrooper™ Conan," "Ghostbuster™ Conan" and "The Joker™ Conan." In addition, the world of Conan will be put on full display through a virtual reality experience at the TBS Comic-Con® booth on the convention floor. During the week of Comic-Con® International, Conan will be taped at San Diego's historic Spreckels Theatre on Wednesday, July 20 – Saturday, July 23, including two rare weekend shows. Episodes will air that Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at 11 p.m. (ET/PT) on all TBS platforms and will be available across TBS and Team Coco's digital, mobile and VOD platforms the day after airing.
- Showtime Sports continues its expansion of unscripted, timely and compelling sports programming with a documentary film featuring projected No. 1 NBA Draft pick Ben Simmons. The network is collaborating with MAGGIEVISION Productions on the Simmons story and his journey to the NBA titled One and Done. The feature length film will premiere in October just prior to the start of Simmons’ rookie NBA season. The announcement was made today by Executive Vice President & General Manager of Showtime Sports Stephen Espinoza.
- The Golden Globe®-nominated Hulu Original and Lionsgate Television comedy Casual from Oscar®-nominated director Jason Reitman and creator Zander Lehmann - which just premiered its second season to critical acclaim earlier this month - will return for a third season in 2017. In addition, Jason Reitman has signed a first look deal with Hulu for all television related projects. This is Hulu’s first development deal of this kind.
- The critically acclaimed SHOWTIME drama Penny Dreadful has slayed its final demon – last night’s jaw-dropping finale marked the series finale of the three-season opus envisioned by creator, writer and executive producer John Logan, it was announced today by Logan and David Nevins, President and CEO, Showtime Networks Inc. This unique mash-up of literary horror has followed Vanessa Ives (Eva Green, in her Golden Globe®-nominated role), Ethan Chandler (Josh Hartnett), and Sir Malcolm (Timothy Dalton) as they’ve worked together, at all costs, to vanquish the evil that relentlessly pursues them.
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.
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.
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.
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.
