Showing posts with label Press Release. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Press Release. Show all posts

Friday, April 13, 2018

Around the Tubes: 4/13/2018


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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 Claws, Patrick Melrose, The Chinese Exclusion Act, Florence + the Machine, Snow Patrol, The Weeknd, Madison Ryann Ward, Drop the Mic, and Million Dollar American Princess: Meghan Markle.

- TNT's Claws is back, and the fierce women of the Nail Artisans of Manatee County are now under new management – the Russians. Niecy Nash, Carrie Preston, Judy Reyes, Karrueche Tran, Jenn Lyon, Jack Kesy, Kevin Rankin, Jason Antoon, Jimmy Jean-Louis, Suleka Mathew, Harold Perrineau and Dean Norris star in the hour-long dramedy series, which returns for season two on Sunday, June 10, at 9:00 on TNT.


- Showtime has unveiled a new video tease for its new five-part limited series Patrick Melrose starring Oscar nominee and Emmy® winner Benedict Cumberbatch. Based on the acclaimed Patrick Melrose series of semi-autobiographical novels written by Edward St. Aubyn, the series will premiere on Saturday, May 12 at 9:00. Patrick Melrose is an acerbic and fearless look at the protagonist’s harrowing odyssey from a deeply traumatic childhood to his remarkable survival as an adult. In scheduling Patrick Melrose for five consecutive Saturdays, Showtime is expanding to a new night of original programming, joining the network’s existing sports and movie offerings on Saturday nights.

- On May 6th, 1882 – on the eve of the greatest wave of immigration in American history – President Chester A. Arthur signed into law a unique piece of federal legislation. Called the Chinese Exclusion Act, it singled out by name and race a single nationality for special treatment: making it illegal for Chinese laborers to enter America on pain of imprisonment and for Chinese nationals ever to become citizens of the United States. The Chinese Exclusion Act, a two-hour film for national broadcast on PBS during the 2018 season, will explore in riveting detail this little known, yet deeply resonant and revealing episode in American history – one that sheds enormous light on key aspects of the history of American civil liberties, immigration, and culture – during one of the most formative periods of U.S. history. Directed by Ric Burns and Li-Shin Yu. Narrated by Hoon Lee and featuring the voices of Russell Wong, Fenton Lee, Yuet-Fung Ho and Josh Hamilton. Produced by Steeplechase Films and the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM). Premieres Tuesday, May 29, 2018 from 8:00 on PBS.


- Florence + the Machine unveil a brand new track, Sky Full Of Song today. Listen and watch the A.G. Rojas-directed video HERE. In partnership with Record Store Day, a limited edition, double A-side 7” vinyl will follow on April 21.

- Today, Snow Patrol debut their music video for Life On Earth, a new song from Wildness, the band’s first record in seven years. The music video was premiered today by British Astronaut Tim Peake and was shot at the European Space Agency in Holland. Watch the music video for Life On Earth here.

- Grammy Award®-winning and multi-platinum selling music artist The Weeknd has released a video for Call Out My Name. Watch the video HERE. The Weeknd secured his third consecutive #1 album with My Dear Melancholy,. In addition to the #1 album, all 6 tracks from the project landed in the Top 40 of the Hot 100.

- While on a trip to New York, Madison Ryann Ward wrote the melody to Mirror, a song that would go on to be the first single on her upcoming debut album. The idea came to her while at a taping of Jimmy Fallon where she watched her friend James Poyser play in the show’s band, The Roots. Eager to work out the chords for the melody that floated around in her head, she ducked in a Guitar Center in Times Square to find a keyboard and record a voice note on her phone that same night.

- Drop the Mic continues to bring the heat with more epic celebrity rap battles in Season 2 including:
Seth Rogen vs. Joseph Gordon-Levitt Shawn Mendes vs. Odell Beckham Jr.
Charli XCX vs. Tove Lo James Corden vs. Dr. Phil
Mark McGrath vs. Jodie Sweetin Karrueche Tran vs. Taye Diggs
Shaggy vs. Matthew Lillard Chris Jericho vs. Laila Ali
Hanson vs. Sam Richardson Michael K. Williams vs. Trevor Jackson
Redemption Battle with The Walking Dead's Chad L. Coleman vs. Chandler Riggs
Previously announced battles include Shaquille O’Neal vs. Ken Jeong, Luis Fonsi vs. Terry Crews, Molly Ringwald vs. Jon Cryer, Jerry Springer vs. Ricki Lake, Assassination of Gianni Versace star Darren Criss vs. Stranger Things star Gaten Matarazzo, Jay Pharaoh vs. Marlon Wayans, Luis Guzman vs. Gabriel Iglesias, Lindsey Vonn vs. Gus Kenworthy, and “Glow” vs. “Pro” which includes Glow cast members Jackie Tohn, Kate Nash, Sunita Mani and Britney Young battling against WWE Superstars Nikki Bella, Brie Bella, Carmella and Alicia Fox. Drop the Mic, hosted by Method Man and Hailey Baldwin, returns to TBS on Sunday, April 15th at 10:30 with season premiere rap battle showdowns with Shaquille O’Neal vs. Ken Jeong and Jerry Springer vs. Ricki Lake. Drop the Mic is produced by CBS Television Studios and Fulwell 73 Productions.

- As the world waits for the wedding of Prince Harry to American actress Meghan Markle on May 19, Smithsonian Channel™ takes a unique look at the couple’s relationship through a historical lens to spotlight how this revolutionary royal couple is following in a long tradition of exceptional American women who married into European nobility. This special edition of the hit series MILLION DOLLAR AMERICAN PRINCESSES combines archival material and interviews to explore Meghan Markle’s story in the context of other American “princesses” – from Consuelo Vanderbilt to Rita Hayworth and Grace Kelly – who crossed the Atlantic before her to marry into European aristocracy. Million Dollar American Princess: Meghan Markle premieres Sunday, May 13 at 9:00 on Smithsonian Channel.

Friday, April 06, 2018

Around the Tubes: 4/6/2018



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 Brian Wilson, Yellow Submarine, Erin O’Dowd, Jade Bird, Rosetta Tharpe, The Affair, Ice Bridge: The Impossible Journey, Catch-22, and The Last O.G..

- Harmonies. That’s what Christmas songs are all about for music legend Brian Wilson. From the seminal 1964 classic The Beach Boys’ Christmas Album to his acclaimed 2005 solo effort What I Really Want for Christmas Wilson has been bringing holiday cheer to the world for more than five decades. This holiday season, for the first time Wilson and his crack band of musicians and vocalists along with long time bandmates Al Jardine and Blondie Chaplin will be performing the Christmas Album in its entirety along with cuts from his solo Christmas album and other holiday fan favorites. For ticket info please visit: brianwilson.com.

- Abramorama announced today a deal with Apple Corps Ltd. and Universal Music Group (UMG) to theatrically release The Beatles’ classic 1968 animated feature film, Yellow Submarine, across North America this July in celebration of its 50th anniversary. Abramorama, Apple Corps Ltd. and UMG have teamed to give Beatles fans of all ages the opportunity to come together and share in this visually stunning movie and soundtrack. Abramorama originally partnered with Apple Corps, Imagine Entertainment, White Horse Pictures, StudioCanal and UMG’s Polygram Entertainment on the Ron Howard documentary The Beatles: Eight Days a Week – The Touring Years. Abramorama has a proven track record in the music-driven film space, partnering numerous times with Neil Young, Pearl Jam and Green Day and now once again with Apple Corps Ltd.

- Erin O’Dowd announces her debut album, Old Town, set for release on May 4, 2018 via Horton Records. Produced by Travis Linville, Rolling Stone acclaimed singer-songwriter and longtime guitarist for Hayes Carll, the album is a tribute to O’Dowd’s Oklahoma roots. Noted for her skilled songwriting and often compared to legends like Emmylou Harris and Loretta Lynn, Old Town is a refined introduction to who O’Dowd is as an artist. The album offers a fresh perspective of roots music that weaves introspective lyrics through influences of classic country, psychedelic folk, and soul-driven Americana. In addition to a variety of instrumentation by Linville, Old Town has an all-star instrumental lineup, including Grammy-nominated John Fullbright on keys and legendary Midwest pedal steel player Roger Ray of the Red Dirt Rangers. American Songwriter announced the album and premiered the video for the first single, “Trick Pony” today. Old Town is available for pre-order on April 6 via iTunes, with a free instant download of “Trick Pony”.

- Jade Bird: Lottery: The Tonigh Show:


- As The Godmother of Rock & Roll Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s highly-anticipated induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Early Influences wing approaches, Verve/UMe is bringing the trailblazer’s vaunted catalog into the digital age, making more than 200 songs available for download and streaming, most for the first time ever. The initiative, which includes seven long out-of-print albums and all 130 singles she recorded for Decca between 1938 and 1956, began on March 30 with the release of three albums: 1951’s gospel hymns LP Blessed Assurance, originally on a Decca 10-inch LP and now expanded with three rare bonus tracks; an expanded edition of her acclaimed 1958 Decca collection, Gospel Train, with two rare bonus tracks; and her spirited 1960 self-titled album Sister Rosetta Tharpe,

- Showtime has released a new teaser for season four of the Golden Globe® Award winning drama series The Affair. The series, starring Golden Globe nominee Dominic West, Golden Globe winner Ruth Wilson, Emmy® Award nominee and Golden Globe winner Maura Tierney and Screen Actors Guild Award® nominee Joshua Jackson, will premiere on Sunday, June 17 at 9:00.


- An astonishing discovery found jutting from an eroding coastal cliff on an island in the Chesapeake Bay in 2012 is challenging scientists’ long-held theory about the first humans to inhabit North America – where they originated, and how and when they arrived. It points to an explosive theory: Ice Age people made an epic journey across a massive ice bridge spanning a frozen Atlantic about six thousand years before people trekked across what is now the Bering Strait. The extraordinary find could rewrite history and upend our understanding of early human migration. Using archaeology, geology and genetics, a new one-hour documentary follows the expedition and search to uncover new evidence that could unravel the 20,000-year-old mystery. The film uses re-creation and state-of-the-art CGI to bring to life the ancient frozen wilderness and the fearsome Ice Age beasts that once ruled our continent. Ice Bridge: The Impossible Journey premieres Wednesday, April 18 at 8:00 on Smithsonian Channel.

- Hulu announced this week that Golden Globe Award-winning actor Hugh Laurie has joined the cast of Hulu's Original limited series Catch-22 from Paramount Television, Anonymous Content, George Clooney and Grant Heslov.

- He’s back! TBS’ The Last O.G. starring Tracy Morgan, Tiffany Haddish and executive produced by Jordan Peele has claimed cable’s top comedy slot with Tuesday’s premiere generating 1.8M total viewers and 882K 18-49 viewers in Live + Same Day and is expected to hit a Live +7 projection of 1.252M. The series is tracking as #1 among all cable comedies this year, including premium services. This marks the biggest cable comedy premiere since 2016, the largest scripted cable comedy premiere since 2015, and the strongest TBS original debut ever. More than 6.9M total viewers (3.3M 18-49) tuned into the show over a three-night, five-telecast launch on TBS and TNT following the NCAA Final Four tournament.

Saturday, March 31, 2018

Around the Tubes: 3/31/2018



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 Handmaid’s Tale, The ChallengePatrick Melrose, Conan, I’m Dying up Here, Animal Kingdom, Garbage, Ian Erix, Marian Hill, Shaggy, Sawyer Fredericks, and Showtime.

- Hulu released the full length trailer for the second season of The Handmaid’s Tale. The first two episodes of the 13-episode season launch on Wednesday, April 25th.


- MTV’s legendary competition show The Challenge returns with the premiere of an epic ten-week special event The Challenge: Champs vs. Stars. Hosted by WWE Superstar and former challenge competitor, Mike “The Miz” Mizanin, “Champs vs. Stars” will feature ten celebrities and all-star athletes along with ten highly skilled, fan-favorite champions from past “Challenge” seasons. For the first time ever, teams will be mixed with both celebrities and “Champs” where they will face off in weekly eliminations, until one team will prove they are the ultimate “Challenge MVP.” Winners will compete for a chance to take a share of the $150,000 cash prize to donate to their beloved charities. “The Challenge: Champs vs. Stars” premieres April 17, 2018 at 10:00.


- Showtime has announced that its new, five-part limited series Patrick Melrose starring Oscar® nominee and Emmy® winner Benedict Cumberbatch will premiere on Saturday, May 12 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Based on the acclaimed Patrick Melrose series of semi-autobiographical novels written by Edward St. Aubyn, Patrick Melrose is an acerbic and fearless look at the protagonist’s harrowing odyssey from a deeply traumatic childhood to his remarkable survival as an adult. In scheduling Patrick Melrose for five consecutive Saturdays, Showtime is laying the groundwork to expand to a new night of original programming, joining the network’s existing sports and movie offerings on Saturday nights.

- TBS’ Conan will take the show internationally for the ninth time in three years as the popular host travels to Italy. Conan Without Borders: Italy will be a primetime special premiering Wednesday, April 11 at 10:00 For his latest adventure, O’Brien put a different spin on his usual travel shows bringing along fan favorite show staffer Jordan Schlansky.

- Showtime has released the trailer for the second season of I’m Dying up Here. Created and executive produced by Dave Flebotte and executive produced by Golden Globe® winner Jim Carrey and Michael Aguilar, the fictional I’m Dying up Here explores L.A.’s famed ’70s stand-up comedy scene, with an ensemble cast led by Academy Award® winner Melissa Leo (The Fighter) and Ari Graynor. The 10-episode season of I’m Dying up Here will premiere on Sunday, May 6 at 10:00.

- his summer, the infamous Cody family is back as TNT's hit drama Animal Kingdom returns for its third season. In last season’s shocking cliffhanger, Baz (Scott Speedman) was shot while on his way to Mexico after framing Smurf (Ellen Barkin) for murder. Season three opens with Smurf in jail and her grandson J (Finn Cole) in charge of the family business. The Cody men find themselves increasingly divided as they fight for both control and their independence, but have to come together when outside threats emerge. Deran’s (Jake Weary) drifter dad Billy (Denis Leary) comes back to make amends, but may have other motives.


- Garbage announced the release of the 20th anniversary edition of their legendary second album Version 2.0. Due for release on Stunvolume/PIAS on June 22, the package will feature the whole original album, as well as 10 B-sides from the era. Pre-order the digital album HERE and visit Garbage.com for updates on standard and deluxe Vinyl formats. The typically visceral "Lick The Pavement" is the first offering from the reissue and is out today. Listen to the song HERE.

- Misfit Mindz Entertainment, an imprint of Nordican Music Group/The Orchard/Sony Music Entertainment is set to release a benefit record from Ian Erix -- featuring survivors of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting -- with 100% of all profits going to victim's families and survivors of gun violence in addition to non-profits that support social justice movements, such as the student formed March For Our Lives and #NeverAgainMSD organizations. The recording, "Raise Some Hell", pays homage to the recent lives lost, but is not a sad or sappy song. It is, instead, an up-tempo and empowering battle anthem calling the youth to hold truth to power and rise up against injustice anywhere they see it.

- On April 20, Island Def Jam/UMe is set to properly fete Donna Summer, the undisputed Queen of Disco and The First Lady of Love, with Summer: The Original Hits. This catchy collection of Summer’s greatest hits is a companion to Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, an exciting new Broadway musical based on her rich and storied life. Previews for Summer: The Donna Summer Musical commenced on March 28, 2018, at the legendary Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in New York City with the official opening on April 23, 2018.

- Platinum-certified Philadelphia duo Marian Hill’s highly anticipated sophomore album, Unusual, is set for release on May 11th. The album features ten tracks written and produced by Jeremy Lloyd (production/songwriting) and Samantha Gongol (vocals/songwriting) of Marian Hill. See the full Unusual tracklist below. Pre-order Unusual now here.

- Legendary reggae musician, Shaggy teamed up with Canadian crooner, Massari to release their new record, Why via 300 Entertainment and Brooklyn Knights Entertainment. With an accompanying lyric video, "Why" is an uptempo club jam with a smooth chorus.

- Sawyer Fredericks is thriving on independence and artistic freedom. As a follow-up to his acclaimed debut album, 2016's A Good Storm, the highly-anticipated Hide Your Ghost sheds the high gloss major label treatment, and stays true to Frederick's honest and elegantly stripped down style, a self-described "free range folk", incorporating elements of blues, roots rock, and jazz with live instrumental arrangements throughout. The album is available today, March 30, on iTunes, Spotify, FYE.com, and all FYE locations.

- Showtime Networks Inc. has announced the launch of its stand-alone streaming service SHOWTIME and its authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME on LG Smart TVs. SHOWTIME is the first cable network to launch on LG webOS Smart TV platforms including on the recently debuted 2018 LG OLED TVs with AI ThinQ® and LG SUPER UHD TVs with AI ThinQ.

Friday, March 23, 2018

Around the Tubes: 3/23/2018



I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on The Last O.G., National Treasure: Kira, Shaquille O'Neal Presents: All Star Comedy Jam: I'm Still Laughing, Poetry in America, Idols, Icons + Influencers, Waco: The Longest Siege, and John Prine,

- Tracy Morgan and Tiffany Haddish star in TBS’ The Last O.G., a new comedy series that Morgan executive produces alongside creator and executive producer Jordan Peele. Beginning April 3, episodes will air Tuesdays at 10:30.


- National Treasure: Kira featurette featuring interviews with writer Jack Thorne, executive producer George Ormond, director Euros Lyn, and cast members Sarah Lancashire, Lucian Msamati, and Paapa Essiedu. National Treasure: Kiri will premiere Wednesday, April 4 only on Hulu.


- Comedian and actor Bill Bellamy (Any Given Sunday, How to Be A Player) takes center stage to host the eighth and final installment of Shaquille O'Neal's comedy franchise, Shaquille O'Neal Presents: All Star Comedy Jam: I'm Still Laughing, premiering on SHOWTIME on Friday, March 23 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on-air, on demand and over the internet. Filmed at The Rio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, the new special features comedy veteran and fan-favorite Bruce Bruce (Think Like A Man, The Wash, Idlewild) teaming up with Huggy Lowdown (Tom Joyner Morning Show), Aida Rodriguez (Last Comic Standing, The Comedian) and Brian "Da Wildcat" Smith (2015 Winner of The Nationwide Shaq All Star Comedy Competition) for a hilarious line-up in a high-energy night of comedy.


- New episodes of Poetry in America will be on public television stations nationwide starting Wednesday, March 28 through Wednesday, May 2. (Check local listings as some stations will debut the series at other times during the spring.) Poetry in America features Shaquille O’Neal, Cynthia Nixon, Frank Gehry, Bono, Herbie Hancock, Yo-Yo Ma, and more exploring poems on subjects close to their heart in twelve visually stunning episodes. The new series aims to inspire Americans of all ages and bring communities together through poetry.

- Aspire (@tvASPiRE), the network that reflects, shares and celebrates the experiences of black culture and urban lifestyle, announced today that its second episode of Idols, Icons + Influencers will premiere Sunday, March 25 at 8:00. Done in partnership with ABFF Studios, the television and production arm of the American Black Film Festival (ABFF), this dynamic new interview series brings viewers inside the lives of leading Black figures in film, television, sports, arts, music and social action, through one-on-one intimate and candid conversations. In this episode, host Chris Spencer (executive producer of Grown-ish, Real Husbands of Hollywood) sits down with actress Regina Hall (Girls Trip, Think Like a Man, The Best Man) in front of a live audience for an honest, and often hilarious conversation, filled with personal stories about the successes and setbacks in her life and career and some surprising lessons she’s learned along the way. Each taping is followed by a meet and greet hospitality event where the audience can engage with the featured guest. The first interview in the series was with acclaimed director, writer and producer Malcolm D. Lee (Girls Trip, Best Man Holiday, and Barbershop: The Next Cut). The third installment will premiere this August.

- Twenty-five years after federal agents raided an armed religious compound outside of Waco, Texas that was led by self-proclaimed messiah David Koresh, a new documentary tells the inside story of the sect and the bloody battle that resulted in one of the longest standoffs in American history. Featuring previously unseen archival footage and using only firsthand accounts by survivors and those directly involved in the tragedy, Waco: The Longest Siege looks at unexplored facets of the Waco story, the Branch Davidians and their charismatic leader, and the uneasy relationship between the media and national law enforcement agencies, which further complicated the deadly series of events that claimed 75 lives, including 25 children. Waco: The Longest Siege premieres Monday, April 9 at 8:00 on Smithsonian Channel.

- Legendary singer-songwriter John Prine has joined forces with PledgeMusic in support of his forthcoming album, The Tree Of Forgiveness, his first record of original material in 13 years. With all funds raised benefiting the Stoneman Douglas High School Victims' Fund, Prine will offer signed material exclusively through his PledgeMusic campaign. The album is set for release on April 13, 2018.

Friday, March 16, 2018

Around the Tubes: 3/16/2018



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 Little Fires Everywhere, Leaving Earth: Or How to Colonize a Planet, Paul Simon, Snoop Dogg Presents The Joker’s Wild, Drop the Mic, Defining Hope, and Kidding

- After a competitive bidding war that ignited Hollywood, Hulu has obtained the rights to develop Little Fires Everywhere, the highly-anticipated limited series from Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington, based on Celeste Ng’s 2017 bestseller, as a Hulu Original Series. The project will be produced by Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine, Washington’s Simpson Street and ABC Signature Studios, and will join Hulu’s award-winning slate of original programming. Witherspoon and Washington will also star as leads in the series. Liz Tigelaar (“Life Unexpected,” “Casual”) will write and serve as showrunner and executive producer.

- In what may be Stephen Hawking’s last major television project, Smithsonian Channel explores his controversial position that the survival of the species depends on inhabiting another planet. Planet Earth has been home to humankind for more than 200,000 years, but with a population of 7.3 billion and counting and limited resources, some scientists believe it might not support human life forever. Stephen Hawking, one of the world’s most prominent scientists, believed that humans must have an interstellar escape plan in place within the next 100 years. He asserted that this is the only way to safeguard the future of the human species from the next mass extinction – by leaving Earth and making a new home on another planet. The program visits an exo-planet observatory in the heart of the Atacama Desert, reveals a plasma-powered rocket engine that could revolutionize space travel, explores the giant greenhouses of Biosphere 2 and showcases NASA’s own “robot army.” Hawking, top scientists, technologists and engineers around the globe investigate whether humans really do have what it takes to colonize another planet. Leaving Earth: Or How to Colonize a Planet airs Sunday, March 25 at 8:00.

- Legendary songwriter, recording artist and performer Paul Simon has announced the final leg of Homeward Bound – The Farewell Tour, culminating with four shows in the New York City area: the Prudential Center on September 15 in Newark, NJ (the city where Simon was born), and two nights at Madison Square Garden on September 20 and 21, with an additional concert to be announced soon. As previously announced, Simon and his band will embark on the artist’s final tour May 16 in Vancouver, bringing to the stage a stunning, career-spanning repertoire of timeless hits and classic songs. Tickets for the third and final leg of Paul Simon’s Homeward Bound – The Farewell Tour will go on public sale beginning Friday, March 16 @ 9am ET. Go to PaulSimon.com for ticketing information as it becomes available.

- An hour-long block of comedy, competition and hip-hop returns to TBS on Sunday, April 15 with the hit unscripted series Snoop Dogg Presents The Joker’s Wild at 10:00 and Drop the Mic at 10:30. The network renewed both series after they quickly emerged as the top two new unscripted cable comedies in 2017, reaching an average of 2.7M viewers per episode across TBS’s linear, VOD, and digital platforms, and earning over 250 million social and YouTube views to date.

- The ground-breaking new documentary feature film Defining Hope (www.hope.film) from director Carolyn Jones (The American Nurse) follows eight patients with life-threatening illness, and the nurses who guide them to make critical choices along the way as they face death, embrace hope, and ultimately redefine what makes life worth living. “Defining Hope is a documentary that has evolved over the course of my career,” says director Carolyn Jones. “It’s a journey with nurses and their patients that speaks to the universality of death and leads us to a place of knowledge and power as we recognize that we have agency over the way that we die. To know what we want at the end of life, we have to figure out what makes life worth living.” Produced by Carolyn Jones Productions, the award-winning team behind The American Nurse Project, Defining Hope is presented and distributed nationally by American Public Television (APT), and is slated for release nationwide on public television stations beginning April 1, 2018 (check local listings).

- Showtime has announced that Justin Kirk (WEEDS) has been cast in a recurring role in the upcoming Showtime half-hour comedy Kidding. Kirk joins Golden Globe® winner Jim Carrey, along with Oscar®, Emmy® and Golden Globe nominee Catherine Keener (Get Out), Oscar, Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon) and Judy Greer (Married). Kirk will play Peter, the new boyfriend of Jill (Greer) who is Jeff’s (Carrey) estranged wife.

Friday, March 09, 2018

Around the Tubes: 3/9/2018



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 Pitch Perfect 3 Special Edition, U2, New Wave: Dare to Be Different, Glen Campbell and Willie Nelson, Record Store Day, Bill Nye: Science Guy, Arabian Seas, and Sklars and Stripes.

- Pitch Perfect 3 Special Edition, the highly anticipated follow up to the smash-hit and platinum-selling soundtracks Pitch Perfect & Pitch Perfect 2, is available digitally now. The Special Edition contains the 15 songs from the original, standard CD, along with 7 bonus tracks (22 total). Two additional on-screen performance tracks are also included, “Bend Over” and “Don’t Speak x Hard For Me to Say I’m Sorry,” which is a new mashup from a deleted scene available on the bonus content for the home entertainment release. Pitch Perfect 3 Special Edition soundtrack from UMe/Republic is available digitally here now.

- UMC/Island/Interscope are proud to announce the release of 3 new vinyl reissues from Irish rock giants, U2: Pop (1997), Wide Awake In America (1985) and All That You Can’t Leave Behind (2000).

- U2, Talking Heads, Depeche Mode, Blondie, Duran Duran, Tears for Fears, The Clash, The Cure – over half a billion records sold, but you might have never heard of them if not for a small suburban radio station on Long Island, NY called WLIR 92.7. New Wave: Dare to Be Different, premiering on Showtime on Friday, March 30 at 8:00 on-air, on demand and over the internet, is a nostalgic look back at the rogue radio station on the cutting edge of music throughout the 1980s. Program director Denis McNamara, the station crew and the biggest artists of the era tell the story of how they battled the FCC, record labels, mega-radio and all the conventional rules to create a musical movement that brought New Wave to America.


- Music legends Glen Campbell and Willie Nelson have been nominated for the Academy of Country Music Award for Vocal Event of the Year for their poignant duet “Funny How Time Slips Away.” The 53rd Academy of Country Music Awards will air live on Sunday, April 15, at 8 PM ET/PT on the CBS Television Network. Listen to “Funny How Time Slips Away” here.

- UMe is pleased to announce details for several exclusive, limited edition vinyl releases confirmed for Record Store Day 2018. With special releases from Bobbie Gentry, Chet Faker, David Bowie, Def Leppard, Ella Fitzgerald, Elton John, Frank Zappa, Gloria Gaynor, Marvin Gaye, Soundgarden, Sublime, The Police, The Who and more, UMe’s slate for April’s hotly-anticipated music shopping bonanza is filled with an eclectic and exciting mix that includes re-pressings of classic albums and singles, as well as several U.S. vinyl release debuts. All the special releases will be available at Record Store Day-participating record stores on Saturday, April 21. Visit RecordStoreDay.com for more details and to find your local shops.

- Bill Nye is on a mission to stop the spread of anti-scientific thought and action. Once the host of a popular kids’ show and now the CEO of the Planetary Society, he’s leading a mission to launch LightSail, a satellite propelled by sunlight, while in turn fulfilling the legacy of his late professor and Planetary Society cofounder Carl Sagan. Bill Nye: Science Guy by David Alvarado and Jason Sussberg has its national broadcast and streaming debut on the PBS documentary series POV and pov.org on Wednesday, April 18, 2018 at 10 p.m. (check local listings). The broadcast precedes Earth Day on April 22. POV is American television’s longest-running independent documentary series and will begin its 31st season on television and streaming in summer 2018.

- On May 6th, 1882 – on the eve of the greatest wave of immigration in American history – President Chester A. Arthur signed into law a unique piece of federal legislation. Called the Chinese Exclusion Act, it singled out by name and race a single nationality for special treatment: making it illegal for Chinese laborers to enter America on pain of imprisonment and for Chinese nationals ever to become citizens of the United States. The Chinese Exclusion Act, a two-hour film for national broadcast on PBS Tuesday may 9 at 8:00, will explore in riveting detail this little known, yet deeply resonant and revealing episode in American history – one that sheds enormous light on key aspects of the history of American civil liberties, immigration, and culture – during one of the most formative periods of U.S. history.

- NBA Hall of Fame basketball star and platinum hip-hop artist Shaquille O’Neal reads the immersive Edward Hirsch poem “Fast Break” about the universal experience of playing basketball in a remarkable new 12-part television series Poetry in America that aims to bring poetry to millions of viewers. New episodes of Poetry in America will be on public television stations nationwide starting Wednesday, March 28 through Wednesday, May 2. (Check local listings as some stations will debut the series at other times during the spring.)

- The waters bordering the Arabian Peninsula are home to a host of unique marine animals, from predators like zebra sharks and giant stingrays, to camouflage kings such as the cuttlefish and sea horse. Wade into this little-seen world of ocean oddities with Arabian Seas, now streaming on Smithsonian Earth. Smithsonian Earth is available on Apple®, Roku®, Amazon, Android™ and at SmithsonianEarthTV.com. Kicking off the five-part series is the premiere episode, Carnivores of the Coral Garden, which is now available to stream for free at SmithsonianEarthTV.com. Nine miles off the coast of Oman, a zebra shark scans the ocean floor for crustaceans, while a menacing giant stingray floats by. Soon, night becomes day and new killers emerge, from toxic scorpion fish to crown-of-thorns starfish, both bringing coral devastation.

- Randy and Jason Sklar's upcoming long-form audio documentary, Sklars and Stripes, is poised for an April 5, 2018 release on Audible. The comedic audio documentary captures their experiences on the road and, as a bonus on Audible, all listeners receive a full album of the Sklars' stand-up from the tour: The Tour Tapes. The 6-hour Sklars and Stripes is exclusively available on Audible for pre-order now, and will be free with an Audible 30-day free trial or as a premium Audible credit for members.

Friday, March 02, 2018

Around the Tubes: 3/2/2018


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 Smithsonian Channel, Beyond the Opposite Sex The Maestro The Rollie Massimino Story, I Think We’re Alone Now, Snowpiercer, Animal Kingdom, and The Alienist.

- Smithsonian Channel launches into space with four premieres centered around space exploration and humans‘ impact on the solar system. The first special, Billionaire Space Club, on Sunday, March 25 at 8:00, highlights the efforts of billionaire Sir Richard Branson and others to make space travel more accessible to the average person. The Sunday block also takes viewers on a journey revealing how humans have changed the planet Earth and how they will continue to shape its future on Sunday, March 25 at 9:00 in Earth From Outer Space. The following Sunday, April 1 at 8:00, Finding Life in Outer Space explores one of the greatest mysteries of the universe – why life exists – and at 9:00, Leaving Earth: Or How to Colonize a Planet featuring Stephen Hawking reveals the secrets of space travel and what the future holds for exploration and potential habitation beyond Earth. These four hour-long premieres highlight innovators and pioneers who are forging ahead with space exploration to plan for an unknown future.

- In 2004, Showtime introduced viewers to the story of Rene and Jamie with the documentary The Opposite Sex, showing two brave people going through their long-awaited gender affirmation surgeries. Beyond the Opposite Sex, premiering on Showtime on Friday, March 16 at 9:00 on-air, on demand and over the internet, is a follow-up documentary that picks up 14 years later to find that their surgeries, which had been lifelong goals, were far from the finish line of their difficult journeys.

- FOX Sports pays tribute to one of college basketball’s all-time great coaches with a new original documentary, The Maestro The Rollie Massimino Story, debuting Wednesday, Feb. 28, at 11:00 PM ET on FS1 following the Seton Hall at Villanova college basketball game. The Maestro chronicles former NCAA Champion coach Rollie Massimino’s final season with Keiser University, an NAIA Division II program, while he battled brain and lung cancer.

- Momentum Pictures has acquired U.S. rights to I Think We’re Alone Now, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Directed by Reed Morano, Emmy Award-winning director of the acclaimed series The Handmaid's Tale, the film had its world premiere in the U.S. Dramatic Competition section at the festival and was awarded a Special Jury Award for Excellence in Filmmaking. I Think We’re Alone Now follows Del (Peter Dinklage) who finds himself alone in the world, literally, after the human race is wiped out. He’s content in his solitude - until he discovers Grace (Elle Fanning), an interloper on his quiet earth. Her history and motives are obscure, and worse yet, she wants to stay. A visceral psychological journey, the film explores human behavior and the undeniable need for companionship.

- Turner's TNT has tapped award-winning writer and producer Graeme Manson (Orphan Black) to serve as showrunner on Snowpiercer, a futuristic thriller based on the acclaimed movie of the same name. The series stars Oscar® winner Jennifer Connelly (A Beautiful Mind), Tony Award® winner Daveed Diggs (Hamilton, Black-ish), Mickey Sumner (American Made), Alison Wright (The Accountant), Susan Park (Ghostbusters), Sasha Frolova (The Interestings), Sheila Vand (Argo), Katie McGuinness (Dirty Filthy Love), Roberto Urbina (Narcos), Sam Otto (Jellyfish), Tony Award® winner and Grammy® nominee Lena Hall (All My Children), Annalise Basso (Bedtime Stories) and Benjamin Haigh (The Conjuring 2).

- Turner’s TNT has cast Denis Leary (Rescue Me) in season three of the hit drama Animal Kingdom. In this bold, gritty series about a Southern California crime family, the Emmy®-nominated actor joins Emmy® and Tony® winner Ellen Barkin, the matriarch of the Cody clan, along with Scott Speedman, Shawn Hatosy, Ben Robson, Jake Weary, Finn Cole, Molly Gordon and Carolina Guerra. Leary will play Billy, Deran’s (Weary) drifter dad who Smurf (Barkin) kicked out years ago.

- TNT’s The Alienist scored another impressive week’s premiere Monday night holding claim to cable’s #1 new drama series this season and continuing to show strong momentum to achieve an extraordinary 40 percent in-season growth, a trajectory that only two top dramas (in a universe of more than 500 dramas on television) managed to achieve in 2017.

- Over the last two weeks, the editorial boards of Dallas Morning News, Corpus Christi Caller Times, and Bryan-College Station Eagle endorsed Stefano de Stefano, a traditional, pro-business, pragmatic Republican and Houston-based energy attorney in the upcoming Texas Republican Primary Election for U.S. Senate. Forbes followed up with a feature article of their own.

Friday, February 23, 2018

Around the Tubes: 2/23/2018


I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting. This post will include blurbs on The Last O.G., Sublime, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the World Cup™, The Mountain Lion and Me, and Showtime news.

- Comedy superstar and multiple Emmy® nominee Tracy Morgan returns to television with TBS starring in The Last O.G., a new comedy series that he executive produces alongside creator and executive producer Jordan Peele. Beginning April 3, episodes will air Tuesdays at 10:30.


- Southern California’s reggae-punk pioneers Sublime are celebrating the 50th birthday of their dear friend Bradley Nowell with a special animated video of “Boss D.J.,” the acoustic fan favorite off of the Sublime Acoustic: Bradley Nowell & Friends album. The band commissioned renowned animator and artist Andrew William Ralph to create and direct a “looped” animation video that will debut on their official website on what would have been Nowell’s 50th birthday, February 22. In addition to the new video, Sublime will launch a birthday fan-wall on their official website and will have a space where fans can write birthday notes and post memories using the hashtag #BradleyNowell50th as well as exclusive merchandise sold through Sublime’s webstore. For more information please visit www.sublimelbc.com. Furthermore, the classic 1996 self-titled album Sublime is being released as a limited edition double LP on color vinyl this week exclusively from The Sound of Vinyl beginning Thursday February 22. Presented on 180-gram vinyl and limited to 500 copies worldwide, the one-of-a-kind pressing features LP1 on opaque yellow and LP2 on opaque blue. Members of the The Sound of Vinyl Text Message service will receive early access to purchase the limited edition Sublime color vinyl album, one day before it is available for purchase on The Sound of Vinyl website.

- To commemorate the 21st anniversary of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Fox Consumer Products is launching the first-ever Buffy Slay Day on March 10, 2018 for fans who would like to pay homage to one of the original badass chicks – who paved the way for women and girls everywhere -- Buffy! As part of the 21-hour celebration on Buffy Slay Day, fans will have a chance to reward the most important slayers in their lives with cool merchandise. Additionally, Fox Consumer Products plans to uniquely highlight the strong, empowered and celebrated program alongside a wide group of Buffy partners through the following activities: Celebrate this pivotal show and its female heroine by harnessing your inner slayer, of courage, pride, and empowerment. On Slay Day 2018, Buffy fans can reward those who help them slay in their own lives with kickass loot. A wide-range of Buffy themed prizes is up for grabs, including apparel, toy figures, books and more! Details on how to reward the slayers in your lives can be found on BuffySlays.com.

- The road to Russia will go through Austin, Texas as the FOX Sports House opens March 9-12 at the 2018 South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conference and Festivals. With its sights on the World Cup™, FOX Sports kicks off a celebration of soccer at one of the world’s biggest interactive showcases for sports, innovation and the arts.

- Montana filmmaker Casey Anderson has formed a remarkable relationship with one of America’s most powerful predators, a mountain lion named Mama Mo. Casey first discovers Mama Mo one winter night when tracks in the snow appear outside of his home in Paradise Valley, Montana. It sparks Casey’s year-long obsession with the adult mountain lion and her cubs who are hunting in his backyard. Astonishingly, Mama Mo lets him into her world, and Casey uses the latest high-tech tools to capture an unprecedented view into the intimate lives of mountain lions in the wild. Casey not only painstakingly tracks Mama Mo’s every move, even as she crosses into the legal hunting zone, but he even ventures deep inside the lion’s den. The Mountain Lion and Me premieres Wednesday, March 14 at 8:00 on Smithsonian Channel.

- Showtime will celebrate SMILF, The Chi andShameless at the South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conference and Festivals from Thursday, March 15 through Saturday, March 17 with art, food and music at The Showtime House at Clive Bar on Rainey Street in Austin, Texas. On Thursday, March 15, Showtime will feature a diverse lineup of female-fronted bands across multiple genres including rising teenage indie rocker Snail Mail and experimental violinist and vocalist Sudan Archives, in honor of the Golden Globe® nominated comedy SMILF. Golden Globe nominee Frankie Shaw will make a special appearance introducing headliner Princess Nokia, whose music was also featured on the show. Friday, March 16 will be dedicated to the hit drama The Chi, with food from Harold’s Chicken Shack in Chicago, a custom sneaker gallery, Chicago graffiti art and featuring live hip hop artists. Chicago-based artist Joey Purp will perform, along with Lee Fields & the Expressions, whose music is featured on The Chi. The night will culminate with a DJ set from RUN-DMC’s Darryl DMC McDaniels, introduced by THE CHI star Jacob Latimore. And finally, on St. Patrick’s Day, The SHOWTIME House will transform into an “Alibi Bar” pop up, where SXSW badge holders can party like a Gallagher with drinks served by Shameless stars Shanola Hampton and Steve Howey. Musical acts include Low Cut Connie, Tank and The Bangas and headliners WAVVES.

- Showtime Sports continues to expand its position at the intersection of combat sports and culture with a first-of-its-kind, sports talk show, Below the Belt hosted by Brendan Schaub. The twice-monthly, 30-minute show debuts on Wednesday, February 28 on SHOWTIME Sports digital platforms, days before American heavyweight Deontay Wilder defends his WBC title against Luis Ortiz. The announcement was made today by Stephen Espinoza, President, Sports and Event Programming, Showtime Networks Inc.

Friday, February 16, 2018

Around the Tubes: 2/16/2018


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 Word Is Bond, Hard Sun, Barry White, Noah Kahan, UB40, Vic Mensa, Shot in the Dark, Kidding, Ball Street, Twenties, and Deadlier Than the Male.

- In honor of Black History Month, Showtime will premiere the documentary, Word Is Bond, on Friday, February 16 at 10 p.m. ET/PT on-air, on demand and over the internet. Directed by Sacha Jenkins (Burn Motherf*cker, Burn!, Fresh Dressed) the film explores the transformative power of lyrics in the world of hip-hop. What was born on the streets of the South Bronx has now taken root globally, and the young poets of New York have helped to spawn regional dialects everywhere.


- Check out the trailer for Hulu's upcoming Hard Sun. The full six-episode season launches on Wednesday, March 7th.


- From his hitmaking '70s heyday until his untimely passing in 2003, Barry White set an unmatched standard for sexy, seductive, soulful R&B. As a vocalist, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist, White created music that was unmatched in its sonic and romantic intensity, highlighted by lush, widescreen arrangements and the artist's deep, dark baritone voice. Over the course of his remarkable career, two-time Grammy Award–winner Barry White scored 106 gold albums worldwide, with 41 of those attaining platinum status, along with 20 gold and 10 platinum singles, with worldwide record sales of over 100 million records. He remains one of the best-selling recording artists of all time. On April 13, Mercury Records/UMe will release the first of a series of catalog releases of Barry White's classic work, in a yearlong celebration of the 45th anniversary of White's first release on 20th Century Records. New collections feature such White solo hits as “Can't Get Enough Of Your Love, Babe” and “You're The First, The Last, My Everything,” along with hits by female trio Love Unlimited ("Walkin' In The Rain With The One I Love," "I Belong To You") and the 40-piece Love Unlimited Orchestra ("Love's Theme," "Satin Soul"), both of which benefitted from White's distinctive songwriting and production skills.

- With over 45 Million streams on Spotify and a rapidly climbing single on the Triple A charts, rising singer and songwriter, Noah Kahan recently released his debut EP, Hurt Somebody. Produced by Joel Little (Khalid, Lorde), the five song EP includes Kahan’s most recent single and title track, “Hurt Somebody” featuring two time Grammy nominated artist JULIA MICHAELS. Kahan, who has previously performed and toured with Anderson East, The Strumbella’s, Milky Chance, and Ben Folds, was recently announced as one of Bandsintown’s “Top 5 Fastest Growing New Artists” and will be hitting the road again this month with LP – dates listed below.


- A Real Labour Of Love is the new album from UB40 Featuring Ali, Astro & Mickey, to be released March 2nd on UMe. As founding members of Britain's biggest reggae band UB40, singer Ali Campbell, second vocalist Astro and keyboardist Mickey Virtue topped the UK singles chart on three occasions and sold 70 million records as they took the ir smooth yet rootsy musical blend to all corners of the globe. Now with 'A Real Labour Of Love' the trio give us a fresh take on the legendary series of albums, putting the focus primarily on reggae tracks from the 1980s.

- une in Friday, February 16 to watch the broadcast premiere of the concert special Vic Mensa on AT&T* AUDIENCE Network via DIRECTV Ch 239, AT&T U-verse Ch 1114 and streaming on-demand through DIRECTV NOW. Airing at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT the one-hour concert with was shot on location at AT&T AUDIENCE Network’s studio in Los Angeles, CA.

- FOX Sports Films is excited to announce the premiere of Shot in the Dark, February 24, 2018 on FOX. This second film in the MAGNIFY documentary series is produced by Los Angeles Media Fund, executive produced by Dwyane Wade and Chance the Rapper and directed by Dustin Nakao-Haider for Bogie Films, and in association with ZZ Productions. “Shot in the Dark” is scheduled to air at approximately 4:30 p.m. Eastern following Villanova vs. Creighton basketball.

- Showtime has announced that Judy Greer (Married) has been cast as a series regular in the upcoming Showtime half-hour comedy Kidding. Greer joins Golden Globe® winner Jim Carrey, in Carrey’s first series regular role in more than two decades, along with Oscar®, Emmy® and Golden Globe nominee Catherine Keener (Get Out) and Oscar, Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Frank Langella (Frost/Nixon). Greer will play Jill, Jeff’s estranged wife who has recently hit a rebellious streak.

- Regina Hall (Girls Trip) and Paul Scheer (The Disaster Artist, The League) are set to join the cast of the Showtime half-hour comedy pilot Ball Street. Starring Emmy® nominated and Golden Globe-winning actor Don Cheadle (Avengers: Infinity War) and two-time Tony Award nominee and Grammy® winner Andrew Rannells (Girls, The Intern), Ball Street is directed and executive produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. The pilot, which has also added Kurt Braunohler (The Big Sick) and Eugene Cordero (Kong: Skull Island), is created by David Caspe (Happy Endings) and Jordan Cahan (My Best Friend’s Girl), who also serve as executive producers and showrunners. Casey Wilson (Happy Endings) will guest star as Tiff, Blair’s (Rannells) girlfriend who appreciates the finer things in life that Blair’s new job may not provide. Reuniting with Happy Endings and Marry Me producers Caspe and Cahan, Wilson will recur if the show goes to series. Production is scheduled to begin in Los Angeles this week. The pilot is a co-production of Showtime and Sony Pictures Television Studios.

- On the heels of her Emmy® win for Best Comedy Writing and the launch of her series The Chi, TBS has picked up writer and Master of None star Lena Waithe’s project Twenties to pilot. Twenties is a single-camera comedy that follows the adventures of a queer black girl, Hattie, and her two straight best friends, Marie and Nia, who spend most of their days talking shit and chasing their dreams. It's a show about friendship, finding love, and messing everything up along the way. Twenties is created, written, and executive produced by Waithe through her production company Hillman Grad Productions and executive produced by Andrew Coles, her manager, for The Mission Entertainment.

- Turner's TNT has given a series greenlight to Deadlier Than the Male (working title), an intense, morally complex thriller about three damaged people trying to start over. Lily Rabe (American Horror Story), Enrique Murciano (Without A Trace), Hamish Linklater (Fantastic Four), Chiara Aurelia (Pretty Little Liars) and Amy Brenneman (The Leftovers) star in the suspense drama. The series is being produced by Bruna Papandrea's Made Up Stories and Turner's Studio T, and executive-produced by Bruna Papandrea (Big Little Lies); Harriet Warner (Call the Midwife, Mistresses), who wrote the script; and Casey Haver of Made Up Stories. Houda Benyamina (Divines) directed the pilot. The series will begin production this summer in New Orleans.

Friday, February 09, 2018

Around the Tubes: 2/9/2018



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 Michael W. Smith, Epic Warrior Women, Cleopatra, Family Feud, and the SAG Awards.


- Michael W. Smith is excited to release his new album “A Million Lights” next Friday February 16th, followed by the release of his highly anticipated live worship album “Surrounded” the following Friday February 23rd. In support of both albums Michael will kick off a North American headlining tour on March 8th, followed by a tour of Israel and another 40-date North American tour this fall. Compassion International, a child-advocacy ministry for which Michael has sponsored over 70,000 children from Third-World-Countries, will present the U.S. tour.

- Smithsonian Channel celebrates Women’s History Month with two new series featuring the real-life stories of women who are symbols of empowerment, independence and strength. Epic Warrior Women exposes history’s most iconic female fighters from the Roman Empire to Central Asia and West Africa. Each extraordinary tale of blood, sacrifice and endurance centers on the life of one young female warrior caught up in the bloody struggles of her time. Epic Warrior Women premieres on Monday, March 19 at 8:00. Cleopatra examines the life of Egypt’s most famous ruler, the sole woman of her time to rule alone. It is a story of survival, political acumen, seduction and notoriety, revealing the reasons her name still resonates today. Cleopatra premieres Monday, March 5 at 8:00 on Smithsonian Channel.

- Survey says: love! Forget flowers and chocolate, enjoy your Valentine's Day with Game Show Network's marathon of romance-themed Family Feud episodes from 5 to 11 p.m. ET on Wednesday, February 14.

- SAG Awards® Executive Producer Kathy Connell yesterday announced the 25th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards® ceremony will be held on Sunday, January 27, 2019. The Silver Anniversary celebration of the previous year’s outstanding film and television performances will be simulcast live on TNT and TBS at 8:00.

Friday, February 02, 2018

Around the Tubes: 2/2/2018



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 Castle Rock, The Trade, Our Cartoon President, Operation Odessa, Escape to the Great Dismal Swamp, Groundbreakers: Superheroes Behind Mask, The Chi, and The Alienist.

- Hulu is incredibly excited to debut its Super Bowl commercial for upcoming original series Castle Rock from J.J. Abrams and the world of Stephen King. Please see below for the link to the spot and make sure to tune in to the big game this Sunday! Castle Rock premieres Summer 2018, only on Hulu.


- From Columbus, Ohio to Guerrero, Mexico and countless cities in between, the opioid epidemic has ravaged communities on both sides of the border. This Friday, February 2 at 9:00 Showtime will debut The Trade, a timely new five-episode docu-series spotlighting the crisis through the eyes of those most affected: the growers, addicts, cartel bosses and law enforcement hopelessly caught in its web. THE TRADE is executive produced and directed by Oscar nominee and Emmy® winner Matthew Heineman (Cartel Land).


- Showtime is giving viewers an early opportunity to sample the premiere episode of the new animated series Our Cartoon President, executive produced by multiple Emmy® winner Stephen Colbert, Chris Licht (The Late Show with Stephen Colbert) and R.J. Fried. The half-hour parody series follows the tru-ish misadventures of the 45th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, and his merry band of advisors and family members. Along with the early episode, Showtime has unveiled the poster art for the series. Our Cartoon President is set to debut on air with two back-to-back episodes on Sunday, February 11 starting at 8:00.


- The newest addition to the Showtime Documentary Films slate, Operation Odessa will make its world premiere at the 2018 SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas. The documentary will premiere on SHOWTIME on Saturday, March 31 at 9 PM ET/PT on-air, on demand and over the internet. From the director and producers of The Seven Five, OPERATION ODESSA is a true crime documentary about a Russian mobster, a Miami playboy and a Cuban spy who sold a Soviet submarine to a Colombian drug cartel for $35 million. An early ’90s gangster epic that hopscotches from Brooklyn to Miami and Cali to Moscow, the film tells the true story of three friends who set out to hustle the Russian mob, the Cali cartel and the DEA for the score of a lifetime. What really happened to the sub, the money and the three amigos has remained a shadowy underworld myth until now.


The Great Dismal Swamp, a vast and impenetrable wilderness covering parts of Virginia and North Carolina, was a treacherous maze of waterways, full of poisonous snakes, blood-sucking insects and black bears. For centuries, rumors circulated that enslaved people had escaped to the swamp, choosing to brave the dangerous environment rather than endure the cruelty of slavery. This film uncovers groundbreaking discoveries that are helping to rewrite history by shedding light on the resistance and resilience of enslaved people who found refuge in the Great Dismal Swamp. Escape to the Great Dismal Swamp premieres Monday, February 19 at 8:00 on Smithsonian Channel as a part of its Black History Month programming.

- We are excited to announce an amazing campaign with our client, Comcast Xfinity, to celebrate and kickoff Black History Month. The Groundbreakers: Superheroes Behind Mask campaign features an original short, print ad and commercial and radio spot, featuring creatives behind some of America’s beloved superheroes and animated series. Premiering TODAY, Xfinity will use the power of the X1 platform to spotlight the pioneering talent behind some of America’s most beloved superhero stories and designs while chronicling the deep-rooted history and representation of the Black community.

- Showtime has renewed its hit drama series The Chi for a second season, it was announced today by Gary Levine, President of Programming, Showtime Networks Inc. Created and executive produced by Emmy Award winner Lena Waithe (Master of None) and executive produced by Academy Award®, Emmy and Golden Globe® winner Common (Selma), The Chi explores the humanity behind the headlines sensationalizing the South Side of Chicago. Ayanna Floyd Davis (Empire, Hannibal) has signed on for season two as executive producer and showrunner. Produced by Fox 21 Television Studios, the series will go back into production in Chicago later this year.

- The Alienist scored an impressive launch last Monday night to become cable’s #1 new drama series this season in Live +3 delivery. This gripping, turn-of-the-century murder mystery has so far reached a cumulative 13.1 million total viewers in telecasts airing last week, nearly half of whom were new to the network. The premiere TNT telecast alone averaged 3.1M total viewers and nearly 1M viewers 18-49 in Live +3, and the network’s Live +35 multiplatform projection is 16 million, making it TNT’s most successful launch event since 2012. New episodes of The Alienist premiere Mondays at 9 p.m. ET/PT only on TNT.

Friday, January 26, 2018

Around the Tubes: 1/26/2018




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 COVER STORY: The Notorious Lottery Heist and Billions.

- Game Show Network’s one-hour documentary special COVER STORY: The Notorious Lottery Heist, premiering on January 28th at 7:00, will explore the story behind the biggest criminal conspiracy in lottery history. Imagine spending $5 and winning a $16.5 million lottery jackpot. You’d claim the prize immediately. But in December of 2011, this Iowa Lottery winner waited until the deadline was almost up before trying to make an anonymous claim, only to eventually walk away from their life changing prize when told they had to reveal their identity. The lottery commission thought this was highly suspicious and initiated an investigation. It took nearly two years before a crime was uncovered in their own backyard – a conspiracy emanating from inside the lottery itself.

- Oscar nominated actor John Malkovich will have a guest starring arc in season three of the hit Showtime drama Billions, playing Russian billionaire Grigor Andolov. Starring Oscar nominee and Emmy® and Golden Globe® winner Paul Giamatti and Emmy and Golden Globe winner Damian Lewis, the third season of BILLIONS will premiere on Sunday, March 25 at 10:00.


Friday, January 19, 2018

Around the Tubes: 1/19/2018




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 Hulu, Eddie Griffin: Undeniable, The Lost Tapes: Malcolm X, CONAN, and Late Night with Seth Myers.

- This week at the Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour, Hulu announced: Hulu officially confirms a new order for Catch-22 Limited Series Event from George Clooney, Paramount Television and Anonymous Content. ER makes its streaming debut on Hulu today in a new deal with Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution. All 331 episodes are now streaming. The Handmaid’s Tale S2 will premiere on April 25th with two new episodes. Hulu picks up March of The Penguins 2: The Next Step to Hulu Documentary slate. Hulu adds a second installment of National Treasure – titled Kiri – to the Hulu Originals slate. All four parts will premiere on April 4th. Fourth and final season of Casual will premiere on July 31st.

- Celebrating his 30-year anniversary in comedy, veteran comedian Eddie Griffin takes to the stage in the hilarious new special Eddie Griffin: Undeniable, premiering on Showtime on Friday, February 9 at 10:00 on-air, on demand and over the internet. Filmed at the Berklee Performing Arts Center in Boston, Massachusetts, Griffin offers his prolific and entertaining point of view on the state of the world, tackling politics, racism, relationships, religion and humanity as a whole. Ultimately reflecting on his long-standing career, he pays tribute to close friends and late comedians Charlie Murphy, Bernie Mac, Dick Gregory and Richard Pryor (among others) with flawless impersonations. With his quick wit and animated delivery, Griffin does not mince words in this comedy event.


- A historic voice in the 1960s civil rights movement, Malcolm X was and continues to be a fascinating yet controversial figure. During his life, he gave voice to the anger and frustration that African Americans experienced during the tumultuous 1950s and 60s in the United States, gaining a reputation for his fiery rhetoric and spellbinding speeches. THE LOST TAPES: MALCOLM X relives the pivotal years of this trailblazing activist using rarely seen footage and audio tapes, including never-before-seen footage of Nation of Islam rallies and recordings made at the Audubon Ballroom on the day of his assassination. The Lost Tapes: Malcolm X premieres Monday, February 26 at 8:00 on Smithsonian Channel.

- TBS’ CONAN will travel internationally for the eighth time in three years for CONAN Without Borders: Haiti, a primetime special premiering Saturday, January 27 at 10:00 on TBS. After hearing President Trump’s disparaging remarks about Haiti, O’Brien immediately decided to announce his intentions to visit the island nation. On January 14, he tweeted “Still reeling from @realDonaldTrump’s very negative Yelp review of Haiti, which means I’ll love it. Headed to Haiti later this week to explore and make some new friends. Stay tuned for my report.”

- Jillian Jacqueline: “Reasons” on Late Night with Seth Myers:

Friday, January 05, 2018

Around the Tubes: 1/5/2018




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 COVER STORY: The Press Your Luck Scandal, The Coronation, The Alienist, and The Circus.

- Hulu, Amblin Television and Warner Bros. Animation today announced a new deal to create and premiere a brand-new version of the iconic family friendly cartoon franchise Animaniacs. Under the two-season straight-to-series order, Steven Spielberg will return as executive producer of the series, with Sam Register, President, Warner Bros. Animation and Warner Digital Series, and Amblin Television Co-Presidents Justin Falvey and Darryl Frank also serving as executive producers. The series marks the first Hulu Original made for families, and with the legacy of these beloved characters, is intended to provide a co-viewing opportunity and experience for families to enjoy together. New episodes are set to premiere on the premium streaming service in 2020.

- Game Show Network, the leader in game shows and competitive entertainment, announced today the premiere of its new documentary special, COVER STORY: The Press Your Luck Scandal, premiering Sunday, January 14 at 7:00. Additionally, the original scandalous Press Your Luck episodes featured in the special will air following the show at 8 and 8:30 pm ET. The COVER STORY special will explore the story of Michael Larson, an air conditioning repairman from Ohio who cracked the game board algorithm and walked away with over $110,000 in cash and prizes. There was a one-in-six chance that each spin he took would erase his winnings, but Larson managed to evade the dreaded Whammy and accumulate the record breaking amount. Audiences went wild, but game show producers wanted to know how he did it. Had he cheated? Or did he simply outsmart the smartest minds in Hollywood?

- In partnership with the BBC and Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), Smithsonian Channel shares the compelling story of the Crown Jewels and the ancient ceremony for which they are used in The Coronation. On June 2, 1953, after 16 months of planning, The Queen set out from Buckingham Palace to be crowned at Westminster Abbey, in a ceremony that was watched by millions of people throughout the world. A ceremony dating back more than a thousand years was to herald the dawn of a new Elizabethan age. As part of the film, to mark the 65th anniversary of Her Majesty The Queen's Coronation, The Queen shares memories of the ceremony, as well as that of her father King George VI in 1937. The special airs in the U.S. exclusively on Smithsonian Channel on January 14 at 8:00.

- The Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills will take visitors inside the opulent Gilded Age of the new TNT series, The Alienist, through multiple costume creations, photography, illustrations, and more from award-winning costume designer Michael Kaplan, the visionary behind the Star Wars sequel trilogy, Blade Runner, Fight Club and Flashdance.
Visitors will have the exclusive opportunity to preview the series’ costumes and other artifacts before its TNT debut on January 22. An unflinching psychological thriller amidst the underbelly of New York City’s “Gilded Age,” The Alienist follows Laszlo Kreizler (Daniel BrĂ¼hl, Rush), a brilliant and obsessive “Alienist” in the controversial new field of treating mental pathologies, who holds the key to hunting down a never-before-seen ritualistic killer murdering young boys. Based on the award-winning, fan-favorite novel by Caleb Carr, with standout performances from Luke Evans (The Girl on the Train) and Dakota Fanning (American Pastoral), The Alienist is a gripping, turn-of-the-century murder mystery like none other: the story of the emergence of the world’s most powerful city that will stop at nothing to bury its darkest secrets.

- Showtime has ordered a third season of the groundbreaking political documentary series The Circus, returning on April 15 at 8:00 on Showtime, with a run of new episodes to air in the spring and another in the fall. Hosted by John Heilemann (NBC/MSNBC, Game Change,), Mark McKinnon, and Alex Wagner (CBS News and The Atlantic), who joins the show as a permanent host this season, The Circus will continue to provide viewers with the same fast-paced, real-time, backstage perspective and eye-catching production qualities for which the show has been celebrated. In the year ahead, the series will explore the stories behind the headlines and pull back the curtain on the behind-the-scenes drama unfolding in Washington and across the country in the run-up to the most consequential mid-term elections in our lifetimes.

Friday, December 22, 2017

Around the Tubes: 12/22/2017




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 Pitch Perfect 3, The Chi, The Path. The Looming Tower, Our Cartoon President. The Numbers on Great-Grandpa's Arm, Little Steven, The Velvet Underground, Culture Club, POV, Silicon Valley: The Untold Story, and Family Feud.

- Now graduated from college and out in the real world where it takes more than a cappella to get by, the Bellas return in Pitch Perfect 3, the next chapter in the beloved series. Featuring a cappella mash-ups and medleys from the upcoming Universal Pictures' film, the soundtrack from UMe/Republic is available on all formats here on December 15. Pitch Perfect 3 hits theaters nationwide on December 22. Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson headline the returning cast of Pitch Perfect 3, the follow-up to summer 2015's blockbuster hit that took the honor of highest-grossing live-action movie-musical opening of all time and a #1 soundtrack debut. The eagerly awaited next chapter is led by series producers Paul Brooks of Gold Circle Entertainment and Max Handelman & Elizabeth Banks of Brownstone Productions. The film is directed by Trish Sie (Step Up All In).

- Showtime is giving viewers an early opportunity to sample the series premiere of the highly anticipated new drama The Chi. The series was created and is executive produced by Emmy® winner Lena Waithe (Master of None), and executive produced by Academy Award®, Emmy and Golden Globe® winner Common (Selma) and Elwood Reid (The Bridge, Hawaii Five-O) who also serves as showrunner. The Chi explores the humanity behind the headlines sensationalizing the South Side of Chicago. Showtime is releasing The Chi ahead of its on-air debut Sunday, January 7 at 10:00. Consumers can watch The Chi series premiere for free now on YouTube, Facebook and SHO.com, as well as across multiple television and streaming providers’ devices, websites, applications and authenticated online services and their free On Demand channels. In addition, the episode is available for free on computers through the SHOWTIME stand-alone service’s website showtime.com.

- Hulu released the season three trailer and key art for The Path. The first two episodes of the 13-episode season will launch on Wednesday, January 17th.


- Check out the behind the scenes featurette and first look photos of Hulu Original Limited Series The Looming Tower. The Looming Tower will premiere Wednesday, February 28 only on Hulu.


- On the heels of the State of the Union address, Showtime will premiere its new animated series Our Cartoon President. Executive produced by multiple Emmy® winner Stephen Colbert and his Late Show executive producer, Chris Licht, this new 10-episode parody will follow the tru-ish misadventures of the 45th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump, and his merry band of advisors and family members. R.J. Fried will serve as executive producer and showrunner. Tim Luecke will serve as lead animator and co-executive producer. Matt Lappin will serve as consulting producer. The half-hour series will debut Sunday, February 11 at 8:00 on Showtime, before the 9:00 season premiere of Homeland.


- When 10-year-old Elliott asks his 90-year-old great-grandfather, Jack, about the number tattooed on his arm, he sparks an intimate conversation about Jack’s life that spans happy memories of childhood in Poland, the loss of his family, surviving Auschwitz, and finding a new life in America. Directed and produced by Emmy® winner Amy Schatz, the short film The Numbers on Great-Grandpa's Arm weaves in haunting historical footage and hand-painted animation to tell a heartbreaking story of Jewish life in Eastern Europe before and during the Holocaust. The film, presented with the Museum of Jewish Heritage: A Living Memorial to the Holocaust, debuts Saturday, JAN. 27 (6:00-6:20 pm ET/PT), International Holocaust Remembrance Day, exclusively on HBO.

- Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul are celebrating the season with a very special holiday single. “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want To Fight Tonight),” is out today, Friday, December 15th, at all digital music retailers and streaming services.

- To celebrate the Velvet Underground’s 50th anniversary, Verve Records/UMe is releasing The Velvet Underground, a limited-edition career-spanning box that collects all four of the pioneering band’s studio albums, Velvets collaborator Nico’s debut LP, Chelsea Girl, and a reconstruction of the fabled “lost” 1969 album, making it available on vinyl for the first time. The six albums housed in a special black slipcase will be pressed on 180-gram black vinyl and feature stereo mixes and meticulously reproduced original cover art. The box will also include an exclusive 48-page booklet, featuring vintage photos, lyrics and a new foreword penned by founding member Maureen “Moe” Tucker. Limited to 1000 copies worldwide, the box set, which will be released February 23, is available for pre-order now exclusively at uDiscover.

- Rock Fuel Media is excited to announce the release of Live At Wembley from multi-Platinum and '80s icons CULTURE CLUB. A state-of-the-art DVD, Blu-Ray, and CD package, is out now via Cleopatra Records. The concert will be broadcast on TV in 2018, details of which will be announced soon.


- On February 2, 2018, Zappa Records/UMe will release The Roxy Performances, a definitive seven-CD box set that collects all four public shows from December 9-10, 1973, and the December 8th film shoot/soundcheck, each presented in their entirety for the first time, along with bonus content featuring rarities from a rehearsal, unreleased tracks and highlights from the Bolic Studios recording session. This complete collection, totaling nearly eight hours, documents the Roxy shows as they happened and presents brand new 2016 mixes by Craig Parker Adams from new 96K 24 Bit transfers of the multi-track masters. The set is rounded out with a 48-page booklet that includes photos from the performances, extensive liner notes by Vaultmeister Joe Travers, essays from Zappa family friend, Australian writer Jen Jewel Brown, and American singer/songwriter Dave Alvin, who give their firsthand recollections about the shows, and a selection of archival press reviews. Those who digitally pre-order the box set will receive an instant grat download of “RDNZL.” Culled from the very first show on December 9, the track is a live version of the classic song featuring the never-before-heard 2016 mix that exemplifies the sonics of the new box set. Pre-order The Roxy Performances now.

- Capstoning a year of celebrations for the documentary showcases' 30th anniversary, PBS television series POV is excited to announce its first-ever documentary marathon. Premiering on public television’s WORLD Channel, the binge-worthy marathon will showcase films from POV’s rich and diverse history of character-driven stories over a 24-hour period. Kicking off on New Year's Eve, the marathon will also run 30 films for 30 days on the POV streaming service at pov.org, pbs.org, and the PBS Anywhere app. POV is the longest running independent documentary series on American television. The marathon will also include the television premiere of the film 500 Years by Emmy-nominated and veteran POV filmmaker Pamela Yates, which will broadcast twice on January 1, 2018 at 8/7 p.m. Eastern Time and at 9 p.m. Pacific Time on the WORLD Channel. The film will also begin streaming on Amazon Prime Video on December 1. 500 Years had its world premiere at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival.

- Just south of San Francisco lies a region that has spawned not just new products but whole new industries, from vacuum tubes to radio, microchips to personal computers, mobile devices, apps and social media. Home to Apple and Facebook, Intel and Google, there is simply no other place on earth that can rival its remarkable record of innovation. A new Science Channel three-part documentary series will provide a comprehensive look at the century-and-a-half history of this fascinating place, and reveal how and why it became such a fertile ground for technological breakthroughs. Silicon Valley: The Untold Story premieres Sunday, January 28 at 8, 9 and 10 p.m. It is produced with support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. The Computer History Museum in Mountain View, CA is serving as the community and education outreach partner on the series.

- Deck the halls with a boughs of jolly with Game Show Network's Fa La La La Feud Marathon! Beginning Saturday December 23rd, gather your friends and loved ones to watch Steve Harvey and the Feud families face off in 4 binge-worthy marathons through New Year's Day. Survey says your family will be filled with holiday cheer!

Saturday, December 23rd:
2:00pm – 7:00pm ET
Christmas Eve, Sunday, December 24th:
2:00pm – 1:00am ET
Christmas Day, Monday, December 25th &
Boxing Day, Tuesday, December 26th:
2:00pm – 11:00pm ET
New Year's Day, Monday, January 1st:
2:00pm – 10:00pm ET

Friday, December 15, 2017

Around the Tubes: 12/15/2017




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 Homeland, The Detour, Wu-Tang Clan, Kelsea Ballerini, Herbie Hancock, Full Frontal, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Noticias Telemundo, Kidding, and The Politics of Hate.

- Showtime has announced that the seventh season of the Emmy® and Golden Globe® winning hit drama Homeland will kick off on Sunday, February 11 at 9:00. Starring Emmy, Screen Actors Guild® and Golden Globe winner Claire Danes and Emmy and Tony® winner Mandy Patinkin, the cast of series regulars also includes returning actors Elizabeth Marvel, Linus Roache, Maury Sterling and Jake Weber, and joining the cast this season is acclaimed actor Morgan Spector (Boardwalk Empire). The network’s top-rated drama series, Homeland is currently filming in Richmond, Virginia.


- Created, written and executive-produced by Jason Jones and Samantha Bee, The Detour is an all-too-honest look at the family dynamic. Jones stars in the acclaimed comedy with Natalie Zea, Ashley Gerasimovich, Liam Carroll, Daniella Pineda and Laura Benanti. Season 3 finds the Parkers on the lam in Alaska. After months of running, the family finally finds a community of misfits and decides to settle down and start rebuilding their lives. But they’re not out of the woods, as the law isn’t far behind. While Nate and Robin learn to take on new roles in the family, Delilah starts to become a young woman. And Jareb...well he’s still Jareb. Well-intentioned, bad parenting is at its best in the Land of the Midnight Sun. The third season of The Detour premieres on Tuesday, January 23rd at 10:30.


- Revolutionary hip-hop outfit Wu-Tang Clan has joined forces with PledgeMusic to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their acclaimed second release, Wu-Tang Forever. The group is commemorating the album's debut by offering fans exclusive packages, unreleased content, and limited-edition memorabilia. Fans can pre-order Wu-Tang Forever 20th anniversary packages on the group's PledgeMusic campaign page. The leaders in direct-to-fan platforms, PledgeMusic allows artists to get more personal with their fans, offering pledgers never-before-heard content and items not available anywhere else.

- Tune in Friday, December 15 to watch the broadcast premiere of the concert special “Kelsea Ballerini” on AT&T* AUDIENCE Network via DIRECTV Ch 239, AT&T U-verse Ch 1114 and on-demand through DIRECTV NOW. Airing at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT the one-hour concert was shot live on location at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN in front of an adoring, sold-out crowd on the final U.S. date of her run on Lady Antebellum’s tour.

- When Herbie Hancock’s genre-defying River: The Joni Letters, won the 2007 Grammy® Award for “Album of the Year,” beating out Kanye West, Amy Winehouse, Foo Fighters and Vince Gill, it was a victory for musical exploration, inspired musicianship and the kind of creative spirit that the legendary jazz musician has carried throughout his incredible and influential five-decade career. A true milestone, the album was only the second jazz recording to win the top honors in the award’s history, with the first being Getz/Gilberto by Stan Getz and JoĂ£o Gilberto in 1965, 43 years prior. The musical tribute to the iconic Joni Mitchell, which also won “Best Contemporary Jazz Album,” soared up the charts where it peaked at #5 on the Billboard 200. In celebration of the album’s first decade anniversary, River: The Joni Letters, will be released as a 2CD/digital expanded edition with four bonus tracks on December 15 via Verve Records/UMe with the digital release to follow on December 29. Last month, the album was released on vinyl for the first time in the U.S. Pre-order River: The Joni Letters here.

- No Moore! | Full Frontal on TBS. Alabamians dealt a blow to Republicans by narrowly deciding child molester was a bridge too far.


- TBS will premiere the first five seasons of the Golden Globe-winning and critically acclaimed police comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine, from Universal Television, beginning with the series pilot on Thursday, January 4, 2018 at 7pm ET/PT. The show will air consecutive episodes every Thursday from 7-11pm ET/PT on TBS. Episodes of Brooklyn Nine-Nine will also be available on the TBS app.

- Noticias Telemundo announced special news coverage on the conditions in Puerto Rico three months after Hurricane Maria, airing Wednesday, December 20 on “Al Rojo Vivo con MarĂ­a Celeste” at 4 p.m./3 C and “Noticias Telemundo” newscast at 6:30 p.m./5:30 C. This special coverage will be led by “Al Rojo Vivo” host MarĂ­a Celeste ArrarĂ¡s and Noticias Telemundo anchor JosĂ© DĂ­az-Balart on-site in Puerto Rico, and will also be available via NoticiasTelemundo.com and Noticias Telemundo’s mobile app and Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp properties. “Noticias Telemundo will travel to Puerto Rico to provide a first-hand look at the state of recovery 90 days after the passage of Maria,” said Luis FernĂ¡ndez, Executive Vice President of Noticias Telemundo. “We’ll offer comprehensive coverage, including interviews with Puerto Rican officials, residents and celebrities, plus investigative segments and special reports.”

- This holiday season, celebrate with MythBusters as Science Channel airs every episode ever of the iconic series in chronological order. This year’s marathon is bigger than ever, starting with the very first myth – “Jet Assisted Chevy,” which premiered in 2003 – and ending with the latest myths from the new episodes MythBusters. The MythBusters Mega Merry-Thon begins Thursday, December 22 at 12am ET/PT to Wednesday, January 3 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, followed by an all-new episode of MythBusters at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

- Showtime has announced that Oscar, Emmy® and Golden Globe® nominee Catherine Keener (Get Out) has been cast as a series regular in the upcoming Showtime half-hour comedy Kidding. The series stars Golden Globe winner Jim Carrey in his first series regular role in more than two decades and reunites him with Oscar winner Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), who will direct the project.

- Fresh from his recent success with the controversial 99%, Michael Perlman brings you The Politics of Hate which will be available on iTunes in December and on Amazon in January. The Politics of Hate, which partially benefits the Southern Poverty Law Center, offers the most up-to-date investigation on the rise and interconnection of the far-right across Europe and America and points to the support of Russia while examining Trump’s connection. The film features Christian Picciolini, a former leader of the American Nazi and White Supremacist Movement and the author of Romantic Violence. He candidly explores how he and hundreds of thousands of others are recruited and how he now works through his NGO Life After Hate, to pull people out of hate groups. The film also features Mark Potok from the Southern Poverty Law Center who is one of the world’s most notable experts on extremism. The film is complete with archival footage of the struggle with extremism in the U.S. from the 1920's straight through to Charlottesville.

- A2IM's CEO Richard James Burgess Speaks Out On FCC Net Neutrality Vote: "A2IM (American Association of Independent Music) is extremely disappointed in the FCC's decision today to repeal net neutrality rules. This decision will disadvantage all the small and medium-sized enterprises, including the ones that make up our membership, and will negatively affect innovation. This is a fundamentally anti-democratic action that will have unintended consequences for the American economy for decades to come." - Richard James Burgess, CEO A2IM

Friday, December 08, 2017

Around the Tubes: 12/8/2017




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 Tarantula, The Best of the Dean Marin Celebrity Roasts: Volumns 1-3!, POV, The Trade, Darius Rucker, Cash Cowboys, White Famous, and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.


- In a network first, TBS is debuting a full-season binge of the highly anticipated new series Tarantula via the TBS app and TBS.com beginning, Monday, December 4th. The animated half-hour comedy is written and executive produced by Carson Mell (Silicon Valley) alongside executive producers Danny McBride (Vice Principals, Eastbound & Down), Jody Hill (Vice Principals, Eastbound & Down), Brandon James and David Gordon Green for Rough House Pictures, Claudia Katz and Gregg Vanzo for Rough Draft Animation.

- This fall, Dino goes digital with The Best of the Dean Marin Celebrity Roasts: Volumns 1-3! Never before released on any digital platform, the Roastmaster General will be available exclusively on iTunes beginning December 11, with three "Best of" compilation releases priced at $14.99; individual episodes will be available for $1.99 each. The classic TV archivists at Time Life will release additional digital content throughout 2018 and beyond.

- Capstoning a year of celebrations for the documentary showcases' 30th anniversary, PBS television series POV is excited to announce its first-ever documentary marathon. Premiering on public television’s WORLD Channel, the binge-worthy marathon will showcase films from POV’s rich and diverse history of character-driven stories over a 24-hour period. Kicking off on New Year's Eve, the marathon will also run 30 films for 30 days on the POV streaming service at pov.org, pbs.org, and the PBS Anywhere app. POV is the longest running independent documentary series on American television. The marathon will also include the television premiere of the film 500 Years by Emmy-nominated and veteran POV filmmaker Pamela Yates, which will broadcast twice on January 1, 2018 at 8/7 p.m. Eastern Time and at 9 p.m. Pacific Time on the WORLD Channel. The film will also begin streaming on Amazon Prime Video on December 1. 500 Years had its world premiere at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. The marathon will begin broadcasting on the WORLD Channel at 10 p.m. on Saturday, December 31, kicking off with the three-time Emmy-nominated American Promise, which received a top prize at the Sundance Film Festival in 2013. The television marathon will continue until 10 p.m. on January 1, 2018.

- From Columbus, Ohio to Guerrero, Mexico and countless cities in between, the opioid epidemic has ravaged communities on both sides of the border. But what about the lives behind the headlines and statistics? The timely, provocative new five-episode SHOWTIME docu-series The Trade spotlights the crisis through the eyes of those most affected: the growers, addicts, cartel bosses and law enforcement hopelessly caught in its web. Directed and executive produced by Oscar nominee and Emmy® winner Matthew Heineman (Cartel Land) and executive produced by Oscar and Emmy nominee Morgan Spurlock (Super Size Me), The Trade will world premiere at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival and debut on Friday, February 2 at 9:00 on Showtime.


- Tune in Friday, December 8 to watch the broadcast premiere of the concert special “Darius Rucker” on AT&T* AUDIENCE Network via DIRECTV Ch 239, AT&T U-verse Ch 1114 and on-demand through DIRECTV NOW. Airing at 9:00 the one-hour concert was shot live from the iconic stage of the Apollo Theater in New York City. Darius performs hits spanning his country career---from his first country No. 1 single “Don’t Think I Don’t Think About It” to his most recent chart topper “If I Told You” off his just released fifth album When Was the Last Time (Capitol Records Nashville)--to crowd favorites from his career as lead singer of Hootie & the Blowfish. During the concert, Darius brings Robert Randolph on stage for a duet on their “Love What You Do.” The pedal steel rock star stayed on stage transitioning into an Apollo-only-worth collaboration on “Hold My Hand.” As he celebrates this latest milestone and bucket list moment in his groundbreaking, multi-genre music career, Darius joins series host Ted Stryker for an intimate interview on the stage of the legendary Apollo Theater just before the sold-out show.

- Cash Cowboys, currently airing on Saturdays at 10:00 a.m. ET/PT on POP TV, features Colorado-based family, the Huwas, who are 21st Century Colorado cowboys, as they reclaim areas destroyed by naturally occurring disasters – from hurricanes to floods, tornadoes, fires, and more. A family that has had generations of working on the farm, the Huwas apply their knowledge, skill, values and disciplined work ethic to restore the damaged earth. The heart of the series is all about cowboy culture, and the spirit of the West – just as likely to be riding a five-ton bulldozer as a one-ton rodeo bull, a 200-horsepower excavator as a horse on the range. The show is about big equipment, tough terrain, bucking bulls, mother nature, and extreme deadlines that keep them on their toes. The stakes are high, and there is no room for error.

- Academy Award® winner and executive producer Jamie Foxx, who played an over-the-top, satirized version of himself in the pilot episode of White Famous, will reprise his role for the series’ season one finale airing this Sunday, December 10 at 10:30 on SHOWTIME. The episode finds Floyd Mooney (Jay Pharoah) coming full circle as his life is once again turned upside down due to a viral internet video. As the career opportunities start pouring in, Foxx comes calling to offer Floyd a chance of a lifetime.

- GSN, the leader in game shows and competitive entertainment, announced today that it has licensed seasons 14 and 15 of iconic game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, with the show to air Monday through Friday at 3:00pm and 3:30pm ET beginning Monday, December 18. In addition, on Sunday, December 24, fans can catch a stacked marathon airing from 9:00am to 2:00pm ET.

- The King of Morocco Mohammed VI, as Chairman of the Committee Al Qods, sent a message to the President of the United States, Mr. Donald Trump, expressing his "deep concern as well as the inquietude of the people of the Arab and Muslim States" following the information about the decision of President Trump to "recognize Al-Qods as capital of Israel and to move there the Embassy of the United States ".