Around the Tubes: February 25, 2022

         

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting.  This post includes blurbs on The Man Who Fell to Earth, Hip Hop 50, Florence + the Machine, Eddie Vedder, Mandy Moore, James Brown, and George Thorogood.

- SHOWTIME has released the official trailer for THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH, which will premiere on Sunday, April 24 at 10 p.m, with the first two episodes airing back to back. ET/PT. The new series stars Oscar nominees Chiwetel Ejiofor and Naomie Harris, along with Jimmi Simpson, Rob Delaney, Sonya Cassidy, Joana Ribeiro, Annelle Olaleye, Kate Mulgrew, Clarke Peters and Bill Nighy.  Inspired by the Walter Tevis novel of the same name and the iconic David Bowie film, THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH will follow a new alien character (Ejiofor) who arrives on Earth at a turning point in human evolution and must confront his own past to determine our future. Harris plays Justin Falls, a brilliant scientist and engineer who must conquer her own demons in the race to save two worlds.

- As part of the network’s HIP HOP 50 banner, SHOWTIME announced that CYPRESS HILL: INSANE IN THE BRAIN (w/t) will premiere Wednesday, April 20 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. Chronicling the legendary L.A. rap group Cypress Hill, the documentary film will debut along with two newly acquired titles LA MADRINA: THE SAVAGE LIFE OF LORINE PADILLA, premiering Friday, April 15 at 8 p.m. ET, 5 p.m. PT, and BUSHWICK BILL: GETO BOY, premiering Friday, April 29 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.   Told through the intimate lens of photographer and director Estevan Oriol (LA Originals), CYPRESS HILL: INSANE IN THE BRAIN is a smoke-filled journey across the lives and careers of the groundbreaking, genre-defying Hip Hop group, Cypress Hill. Their unique sound, influenced by their Latin roots and West Coast upbringing, was built on a movement rooted in true authenticity: from cultivating the flower, to smoking it, to rapping about it, their influence is forever burned into the musical landscape of Hip Hop as they continue to stay relevant after 30 years. Using a treasure trove of never-before-seen archival footage captured by Oriol himself, as well as images of band members B Real, DJ Muggs, Sen Dog and Eric “Bobo” Correa, CYPRESS HILL: INSANE IN THE BRAIN tells the story of a brotherhood that has withstood the test of time to create a truly original, everlasting legacy.

- Florence + the Machine debut a new song, “King,” today alongside a video by acclaimed director Autumn de Wilde. Listen and watch here.  “King” is a meditation on womanhood, family, femininity and the subverting of expectations in which Florence Welch declares: “I am no mother, I am no bride, I am king”.  “As an artist, I never actually thought about my gender that much,” Florence says. “I just got on with it. I was as good as the men and I just went out there and matched them every time. But now, thinking about being a woman in my 30s and the future, I suddenly feel this tearing of my identity and my desires. That to be a performer, but also to want a family might not be as simple for me as it is for my male counterparts. I had modelled myself almost exclusively on male performers, and for the first time I felt a wall come down between me and my idols as I have to make decisions they did not.”

- Eddie Vedder’s highly anticipated album, Earthling, debuts #1 on Billboard’s Current Albums Sales, Album Sales, Rock Albums Charts.  Across the globe and in the US Earthling has made history as it marks Vedder’s highest solo album debut on the Billboard Top Album Sales, Top Rock Albums, Top Current Album Sales Chart, and #1 on Alternative Album Sales (per MRC Data), #1 on the Canadian Top Current Albums, Top Canadian Album Sales, Alternative Album, Current Digital Albums, and LP Vinyl Albums Charts, and continues to hit new highs in numerous countries including Switzerland (#3), Belgium (#5), Netherlands (#5), Germany (#11), UK (#36). In addition, the album was the highest international debut in Italy (#10) and hit Top 10 in Australia.  The album is available on all streaming platforms HERE, on cd (available now) and deluxe cd, vinyl & cassette (pre-order) available HERE. In addition, Vedder was also able to have a limited number of LP’s manufactured with simplified packaging. The records, dubbed “Fresh Pressed” resembled test pressings and were only available at pearljam.com.

- Mandy Moore joins Delilah, the undisputed queen of sappy love songs, on her popular podcast, Love Someone: A Podcast with Delilah on the latest episode.   Delilah says: "For six seasons we've watched her masterful performance as the beloved matriarch, Rebecca Pearson, on the hit series, This Is Us. It's my favorite show - in fact, it's the ONLY show I tune into regularly and I'm pretty devastated it's coming to an end. But Mandy Moore had an amazing music and movie career before the series, making me so excited to see what's next for her. She's got a beautiful new baby boy and some exciting projects in the works. Join us for the inside scoop!"  Log onto www.delilah.com/podcast to listen. The podcast is also available everywhere podcasts are played: iHeart Radio App, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, Pandora and more.

- Celebrating the pioneer of funk James Brown, Urban Legends, a division of UMe, Universal Music Group’s global catalog company, has teamed up with multi-instrumentalist and member of The Roots, Stro Elliot, to create Black & Loud: James Brown Reimagined by Stro Elliot, out NOW. The album, consisting of ten remixes of classic James Brown songs, will be available digitally on DSPs, physically as an LP on black vinyl, and will also have a clear vinyl color variant available as an e-commerce exclusive on the Urban Legends website HERE. Listen to the first single, "Machine No Make Sex," now HERE.

- As George Thorogood himself once put it, "I guess a good song is a good song is a good song, you know?" And what we have here is a collection of hard-stompin,' party-down, good songs—all penned by Mr. Thorogood himself. Scheduled for release on April 15, 2022, the aptly named album The Original George Thorogood brings together the best from the rock and roll heart and fevered brain of George Thorogood and his unstoppable, longtime band, The Destroyers. The Original George Thorogood will be released on CD, digitally, and in two vinyl LP configurations, including black vinyl and, for the ultimate collector, a limited-edition Translucent Orange LP. Preorder The Original George Thorogood HERE now.

Previewing Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber

Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber starts with the CEO of UberCab asking a potential employee, “Are you an asshole?”  Then he distracted by someone else and goes on a lengthy monologue that feels like I was watching at 1.5x speed.   Once done, he finally returns to the potential employee and asks, “Are you an asshole?”  The first time he asked, I though the obvious answer should be no, but after the monologue then I was thinking that UberCab CEO really hopes he answers yes.  I will not spoil what the answer was, not because I fear it will ruin the opening scene for you, but to be honest, the opening scene came me at such a breakneck speed, I forgot what the answer was, or if he even game an answer.

 

Super Pumped is created by the duo behind Billions, Brian Koppleman and Sam Levine.  Watching it, you probably would not even need me to tell you as the new show seem Billions after doing copious amounts of cocaine.  Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s Travis Kalaneck, founder of Uber (you will learn what happens to the “Cab” part of the name fairly early) comes across as a mix between Bobby Axelrod and Mark Zuckerberg, specifically the Social Network version, not the real one.  And much like how the finance talk on Billions goes way over my head, much of the tech talk goes way over my head, especially comes from someone who seems to be talking at 1.5x speed.

 

Another way you can tell the show is done by the team behind Billions, it seems like they spent most of their budget on music.  In the first episode, there is not one, not two, but three Pearl Jam spanning three of their first for albums.  Before you get mad that Vitology gets skipped over, a song from that album shows up in the second episode.  Then even more Pearl Jam songs in episode three.  Okay, they do not spend their entire budget on artists that will cost you a pretty penny (considering the amo8unt of earl Jam songs, I have to wonder if you get a discount if you buy in bulk) because they also managed to get Quintin Tarantino to narrate the first season.

 

With Gordon-Levitt dialed to eleven for most of his performance and the always hyper Tarantino narrating (though, it is surprising how little he actually narrates) it is nice the show also features Coach Taylor himself, Kyle Chandler.  He plays the money guy who does not always sees eye to eye with founder who likes to speak first, think about what he says either.  While not in the main cast, Noah Weisberg plays an employee of Uber and is probably best known (only known?) as Danny Michael Davis, the Mark Zuckerberg stand in at SPRQ on Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.  Facebook is the subject of the already announced second season of Super Pumped.

 

Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber airs Sundays at 10:00 on Showtime.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: January 20, 2022

 

Billions:  Finally a cameo I recognize.  Though if this season is about the Olympics, why bring in a college basketball coach?  Where are the Olympics?  Michael Phelps?  Carl Lewis?  Simone Biles?     But that running total of expenses was extremely cheesy and I have to wonder why it took six seasons to do that?

Are they finally going to give Sacker a storyline?  I feel like everyone I feel like mentioning her, I have to look up her name, she has been that insignificant.  Everyone under Chuck always have except when the one guy went after him yet Bobby always had people under him who seemed integral to the plot.  I wonder if she has a play separate from Chuck and Prince.  Everyone always has their own play, this is Billions.  I guess we just have to wait to see what that is.

 

Snowpiercer:  We have not seen Melanie this season and she was absent for most of the second half of last season, and now she is just haunting everyone.  They never found her body, will we actually see her alive again?  She cannot possibly be at the Horn of Africa where they are traveling to, can she?    They seem to be going further and further from where she was last seen so it does not seem they will be back her way anytime soon.

 

Pam & Tommy:  There was a scene in Wayne’s World where the titular character went to a gas station and when interacting with the attendant there, broke the fourth wall and said he knew that this was a small part, but couldn’t they have gotten a better actor for the part.  The joke was, they swapped out that actor with Charlton Heston.  I thought of this scene when Tommy confronted Third Eye Blind.  I was expecting fireworks considering the lead singer is as big a douchebag as Tommy Lee, but they cast some bland actor who could not have been a more boring, non-descript white dude.    Meh.  But I will say, this episode sucked the least.  I had a big laugh at Nikki Sixx reading the newspaper.  Like that ever happened.

 

Single Drunk Female:  Why do so many employees at that grocery store wear tank tops under their work aprons?  Especially since I believe the most recent episode took place in April.  I am not sure I am returning to a store like that.

Around the Tubes: January 19, 2022

        

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting.  This post includes blurbs on The First Lady, Deep Water, Eddie Vedder, The Police, Benee, Letterkenny, NBA All-Star 2022, Beyond Ed Buck, Super-Pumped, How I Met Your Father, and Billions.

- SHOWTIME has released the official trailer for THE FIRST LADY, which is set to premiere on Sunday, April 17 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. The new anthology drama stars Oscar^®, Emmy^® and Tony winner Viola Davis (Ma Rainey's Black Bottom), as former first lady Michelle Obama, Oscar and Emmy nominee Michelle Pfeiffer (French Exit) as Betty Ford and Emmy and Screen Actors Guild^® winner Gillian Anderson (The Crown) as Eleanor Roosevelt. Produced for SHOWTIME by Lionsgate Television, the 10-episode series, created by Aaron Cooley, is executive produced by Oscar winner Cathy Schulman (Crash), who also serves as showrunner, and Oscar and Emmy winner Susanne Bier (The Undoing) executive produces and directs all of season one.

- In recognition of all the twisted Valentines out there, Hulu has released a teaser trailer along with the poster for the psychological thriller “Deep Water,” starring Ben Affleck (“Gone Girl”) and Ana de Armas (“Knives Out”), directed by expert thrill master Adrian Lyne (“Fatal Attraction,” “Indecent Proposal”). “Deep Water” will debut March 18 exclusively as a Hulu Original in the U.S.  Based on the celebrated novel by famed mystery writer Patricia Highsmith (The Talented Mr. Ripley), “Deep Water” takes us inside the marriage of picture-perfect Vic (Affleck) and Melinda (de Armas) Van Allen to discover the dangerous mind games they play and what happens to the people that get caught up in them. Directed by Adrian Lyne from a screenplay by Zach Helm and Sam Levinson, based on the novel “Deep Water” by Patricia Highsmith, “Deep Water” stars Ben Affleck, Ana de Armas, Tracy Letts, Lil Rel Howery, Dash Mihok, Finn Wittrock, Kristen Connolly, Jacob Elordi, Rachel Blanchard, Michael Braun, Jade Fernandez, Grace Jenkins, Brendan C. Miller, Devyn Tyler and Jeff Pope. The film is produced by Arnon Milchan, Guymon Casady, Benjamin Forkner and Anthony Katagas.

- Watch an intimate conversation between Vedder and Bruce Springsteen which was filmed on Bruce's farm in New Jersey as the two break down Vedder’s new album, Earthling - from production and appearances by Stevie Wonder, Ringo Starr, Elton John and Andrew Watt, to Vedder’s songwriting. Directed by Thom Zimny, the special originally debuted on Amazon Live and is now available on Eddie Vedder’s YouTube page.  Watch it HERE

- The Police - Greatest Hits is being reissued on vinyl via UMe/Polydor in celebration of the 30^th anniversary of the original release. Remastered at Abbey Road and cut at ‘half-speed’ for ultimate sound quality, the set contains two heavyweight black LPs with expanded artwork and packaging in a bespoke gatefold sleeve which enhances the original artwork.  A multi-platinum selling global smash on CD, it had a limited vinyl release upon its original release in 1992 which has long been out of print resulting in the original vinyl copies becoming highly sought after by fans. This collection is a perfect introduction to The Police for new admirers, original fans and vinyl collectors alike. It is available to pre-order now from https://ThePolice.lnk.to/TheGreatestHits.

- New Zealand alternative pop star BENEE presents the music video for her dreamy new single “Beach Boy” out now—watch HERE. “Beach Boy” heralds the arrival of her much-anticipated LYCHEE EP on March 4^th.  Once again, BENEE delivers a larger-than-life cinematic visual (directed by Rory Pippan, creator of her hit “Supalonely” video), her widescreen vision filled with “BitchCraft” and escapades with a vampire boyfriend.

- - Hulu reveals first look teaser trailer and exclusive image from debut season of the "Letterkenny" spin-off starring "Shoresy" creator and writer Jared Keeso in title role.  Debut season slated to launch Spring 2022.  The six-episode, half-hour Hulu Original comedy sees the foul-mouthed, chirp-serving, mother-loving, fan favorite character, Shoresy, join a senior AAA hockey team in Sudbury on a quest to never lose again.

- NBA TV will be the destination for extensive coverage of NBA All-Star 2022, with live and original programming starting Thursday, Feb. 17. Wall-to-wall live programming from Cleveland will include All-Star practices and media availabilities throughout the weekend as the NBA celebrates its 75th Anniversary season, plus the latest news and analysis from a premier roster of commentators via the network’s signature studio show, NBA GameTime.  Two members of the NBA 75th Anniversary Team – Charles Barkley and Julius “Dr. J.” Erving – will be featured in Basketball Stories: “Sir Charles & The Doctor” on Monday, Feb. 21, at 8 p.m. ET. The hour-long one-on-one conversation with the two former Philadelphia 76ers teammates will include them discussing their time together in the City of Brotherly Love, top moments from their careers and more.

- ALLBLK, the popular streaming service for Black TV and film from AMC Networks, announced the world premiere of Beyond Ed Buck, streaming Thursday, February 24. Co-executive produced by Jayce Baron and Pose star, Hailie Sahar, Beyond Ed Buck begins by examining and analyzing the tragic deaths of Gemmel Moore (2017) and Timothy Dean (2019), two gay Black men who died at the hands of democratic political donor, Ed Buck. Buck was found guilty of several charges, including supplying fatal doses of methamphetamine to both men in July of last year. 

- SHOWTIME has renewed the new anthology series SUPER PUMPED for a second season, to be based on Mike Isaac's next book, a deep dive into Facebook's transition from groundbreaking startup to the power it has become. The new season will focus on the relationship at the center of that metamorphosis –  between Sheryl Sandberg and Mark Zuckerberg –  and the world-changing forces unleashed, intentionally and unintentionally, as a result. The second season pickup comes ahead of the premiere of the first installment SUPER PUMPED: THE BATTLE FOR UBER, based on Isaac’s bestselling book, which is set to debut on Sunday, February 27 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Each season of the SUPER PUMPED anthology series, featuring an entirely new cast of actors, will explore a story that rocked the business world to its core and changed culture. As in season one, Brian Koppelman and David Levien (BILLIONS, Rounders) and Beth Schacter (BILLIONS) will executive produce, write and serve as showrunners on the series. Paul Schiff will also serve as executive producer. The anthology series is produced by SHOWTIME and is part of Koppelman and Levien's overall deal with the network.

- Hulu has renewed How I Met Your Father for a 20-episode second season. The Hilary Duff starring first season debuted on Hulu on Tuesday, January 18^th.  In the near future, Sophie is telling her son the story of how she met his father: a story that catapults us back to the year 2022 where Sophie and her close-knit group of friends are in the midst of figuring out who they are, what they want out of life, and how to fall in love in the age of dating apps and limitless options. 

- SHOWTIME has picked up a seventh season of its acclaimed drama series BILLIONS, starring Oscar^® nominee and Emmy^® winner Paul Giamatti, Corey Stoll and Maggie Siff. Season six is currently airing on Sunday nights at 9 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME.  In season six of BILLIONS, the dust of season five clears to reveal a world that has evolved. With Axe (Damian Lewis) gone and Michael Prince (Stoll) assuming his place, Chuck (Giamatti) must develop a new strategy that is keener and more sophisticated than before. All the players, from Wags (David Costabile) to Wendy (Siff), from Taylor (Asia Kate Dillon) to Sacker (Condola Rashad), and of course Senior (Jeffrey DeMunn), must sharpen their weapons and look for new alliances in order to survive. Daniel Breaker (Girls5eva), who stars as Scooter, the brilliant and locked-down Chief of Staff for Prince, has been upped to series regular. The ground is ever shifting and the stakes absolute. New king, new war, new rules.

57 Channels and Only This Is On: February 13, 2022

  

Claws:  Well, that ended exactly how I thought it would end after they started the season with Desna shooting a pregnant Quiet Ann.  The writers probably thought they were being clever, butt by adding that scene they really telegraphed the turn big time. Plus I really hate shows about antiheroes where they do not get the comeuppance that they deserve.  Only Uncle Daddy, but he still got to go to gay heaven, so not even the worst ending he could have had.  Then that illusion was confusing, I still am not sure where that second boat came from and how Quiet Ann got on it.

 

Billions:  Last week I was wondering what happened to the Los Angeles Olympics that were already awarded in 2028.  While that city has yet to be mentioned, Chuck did say they were going to try to, “steal the Olympics.”  This show really tries to make it look like it takes place in the real world; it is surprising they would take on something this big especially since the Olympics are clearly not going to move, so it is very obvious Chuck is going to win this war.  But hey, we did get Scooter and Wags bonding over Cat in the Cradle… that was entertaining.

 

Snowpiercer:  Wow, I was not expecting Layton to take over Snowpiercer that quickly.  Though I am not entirely sure what happened.  How did Layton get on the train so fast?  And why did he try to break the window.  Seems like a really dumb thing to do.  But now what?  They go to the Horn of Africa and just hope it is habitable?

 

Pam & Tommy:  Okay, Tommy listing off his list of enemies was pretty funny.  But was that supposed to be Motley Crue that Tommy was recording with?  I thought they were broken up when this whole thing was going on, or at least Vince Neil was no longer there.  But the most interesting Motley Crue event of this week was not on this show but the Nikki Sixx/Eddie Vedder fued.  But really sad Sixx thinks this is a competition, Pearl Jam is one of the greatest bands of all time that still puts out decent albums and the Crue are a joke hair metal band that everyone stopped paying attention before Pearl Jam even put out their first album.  I was shocked to see that Motley Crue has actually put out two albums this century.

 

The Book of Boba Fett:  That really felt like a fast food version of television: sure it tvstes good, but the more I think about it, the more I regret it.  It looked great, Mando was great, The Grogu return was great.  Fennic going ninja on the evil doers was great.  The Freetown citizens coming through like the Knights of the Vale was great.  The Wookie refusing to die was great.  Yet, the episode was not great.  It suffered from the superhero syndrome of having to unnecessarily having to destroy a city in the final fight.  I forgot the Rancor was still around.  I do not understand how Raylan got so injured that he was presumed dead, but will be kept alive by Boba’s tank and the mod guy.  It looked like he got shot in the shoulder and only was shot once unlike the deputy who was shot multiple times.  And it was disappointing that Cad Bane made a great entrance only to die in his second appearance.  For a second, I thought that was going to be him in the tank\.  But hey, Darth Maul was cut in half and still survived.

Around the Tubes: January 12, 2022

       

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting.  This post includes blurbs on The Dropout, Conversations with Friends, Eddie Vedder, Aerosmith, Foxes, Lauren Spencer-Smith, Cat Stevens, Futurama, I Love You for That, Vice, and Attica.

- Check out the official trailer and key art for Hulu's "The Dropout." The limited series premieres on Thursday, March 3rd with three episodes. New episodes stream weekly.  Money. Romance. Tragedy. Deception. Hulu’s limited series “The Dropout,” the story of Elizabeth Holmes (Amanda Seyfried) and Theranos, is an unbelievable tale of ambition and fame gone terribly wrong. How did the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire lose it all in the blink of an eye? 

- Check out Hulu’s teaser for upcoming original limited series "Conversations with Friends" based on Sally Rooney's best-selling novel starring Alison Oliver, Sasha Lane, Joe Alwyn, and Jemima Kirke. "Conversations with Friends" premieres with all 12 episodes on Hulu and BBC Three in May 2022.  "Conversations with Friends" follows Frances (Alison Oliver), a 21 year old college student, as she navigates a series of relationships that force her to confront her own vulnerabilities for the first time.

- Eddie Vedder unveils his highly anticipated new album, Earthling, via Seattle Surf/Republic Records. It is available on all streaming platforms HERE, on cd (available now) and deluxe cd, vinyl & cassette (pre-order) available HERE.  He celebrates the arrival by sharing the opener and latest single “Invincible.” The track echoes with raw energy, cinematic synths, heavenly harmonies, and lush guitars.  Fans can also tune in for an exclusive, intimate conversation between Vedder and Bruce Springsteen presented by Amazon Music. In the special, which was filmed on Bruce’s farm in New Jersey, the two break down Vedder’s new album, Earthling - from production and appearances by Stevie Wonder, Ringo Starr, Elton John and Andrew Watt, to Vedder’s songwriting. Directed by Thom Zimny, the special will debut on Amazon Live Friday, February 11^th beginning at 2PM EST and will be available exclusively for 48 hours. The interview will be made available on Eddie Vedder’s YouTube page on Sunday, February 13^th.

-  In the first of many announcements celebrating the 50^th anniversary of the four-time GRAMMY® winning and Diamond-certified rock legends Aerosmith, one of their earliest recordings, Aerosmith – 1971: The Road Starts Hear (UMe), will make its CD and digital debut on April 8. This rare recording from 1971 was recently discovered in Aerosmith’s Vindaloo Vaults and was originally only available as a limited-edition cassette and vinyl release for Record Store Day in 2021. The heavily sought-after RSD release quickly sold out and debuted on the Billboard 200, hitting No. 2 on the Top Hard Rock Albums chart, No. 12 on the Top Rock Albums chart, No. 13 on the Vinyl Albums chart, and No. 19 on the Top Album Sales chart.  The Road Starts Hear can now be preordered/presaved, HERE. In addition, the band’s official online store will also feature a new 1971 collection of exclusive merchandise, available HERE.

- Foxes (Louisa Rose Allen) releases her highly-anticipated new album, The Kick on [PIAS] Recordings. Including the recent singles "Body Suit", "Absolute", "Sky Love", "Dance Magic" and "Sister Ray", The Kick is Foxes’ first album in over five years. Serving as a form of escapism, the record was written and recorded via zoom with producer Ghost Culture (Daniel Avery, Kelly Lee Owens) during the height of the pandemic.  LISTEN TO THE KICK.  Inspired by the desire for freedom that the world collectively shared over the last 18 months of lockdowns, the near-animalistic desperation to socialise, and a longing to dance again, Louisa naturally pivoted the sonics to feed that escapism and create a record that simultaneously feels close to the euphoric, dancefloor-filling pop roots that brought us hits like ‘Let Go For Tonight’, ‘Youth’ and ‘Body Talk’, while still feeling completely fresh.

 

- After independently releasing a series of singles and building a core fan base, Vancouver Island sensation and singer/songwriter Lauren Spencer-Smith partnered with Island Records and Republic Records, both divisions of Universal Music Group (UMG). The innovative partnership allows Lauren Spencer-Smith to keep her independent spirit via her own imprint while tapping into premium services from both labels.  The collaboration was structured with manager and business partner David Ehrlich.  Listen to “Fingers Crossed” — HERE.

- Fifty years since its release, the original motion picture soundtrack for Hal Ashby’s 1971 classic cult film “Harold and Maude,” made up exclusively of songs by Cat Stevens, is now available in new 180g 1LP / 1CD / Digital release formats via A&M/Cat-O-Log/UMe. The new edition of the soundtrack combines Cat Stevens’ nine original songs, as well as dialogue from the film, for the first time.  Hal Ashby’s 1971 film about the unlikely friendship-turned-love story of suicidal teenager Harold Chasen (played by Bud Cort) and 79-year-old free spirit Maude (played by Ruth Gordon) is now widely praised as a bona fide cult classic. Filled with dark humor and existential drama, the film represents the potentially glorious benefits that can arise from a balanced partnership between conservative pragmatism and colorful free-spirited idealism. It reveals the deep lying synergy that exists between seemingly opposing views and how, when united, they can flourish to their mutual advantage.

- The future is looking bright for Fry, Leela and Bender at Hulu.  20th Television Animation and Hulu announced today the return of Matt Groening and David X. Cohen's brilliantly subversive animated sci-fi comedy, FUTURAMA.  The announcement was made by Craig Erwich, President, Hulu Originals and ABC Entertainment and 20^th Television Animation Head Marci Proietto.  The order is for 20 new episodes and the series will go into production in February, with a 2023 premiere.  The show’s returning voice cast includes stars Billy West, Katey Sagal, Tress MacNeille, Maurice LaMarche, Lauren Tom, Phil LaMarr and David Herman.

- SHOWTIME has officially started production on I LOVE THAT FOR YOU, the half-hour comedy series starring and executive produced by Emmy^® nominee Vanessa Bayer, with Molly Shannon and Jenifer Lewis also leading the cast.  Previously titled I LOVE THIS FOR YOU, the eight-episode series began production in Los Angeles last week and is set to premiere this spring.  Inspired by Bayer’s own story of overcoming childhood leukemia, I LOVE THAT FOR YOU centers on Joanna Gold (Bayer) who dreams of becoming a host at a home-shopping channel. Shannon plays Jackie, the charismatic star of the network and Joanna’s idol. Lewis plays Patricia, the network’s icy, enigmatic founder and CEO. Additional series regulars include Paul James, Ayden Mayeri, Matt Rogers and Punam Patel.

- SHOWTIME has renewed the Peabody Award-winner and two-time Emmy^®-nominated documentary series VICE for an upcoming third and fourth season. Season three will premiere Sunday, May 1 at 8 p.m. ET/PT, with the first eight episodes airing weekly on Sundays leading to a midseason finale on June 19. The remaining eight episodes of the season will air later this year. Known for delivering immersive reporting from the frontlines of global conflict, civil uprisings and more, this season of VICE will cover a new slate of groundbreaking stories from its team of global correspondents.  Each half-hour episode of VICE relentlessly pursues untold stories of social justice, civil rights and identity, tackling complex geopolitical stories from remote parts of the world and on domestic grounds. The VICE reporting team includes a diverse group of award-winning journalists, including Hind Hassan, Alzo Slade, Seb Walker, Paola Ramos, Gianna Toboni, Ben C. Solomon, David Noriega, and Krishna Andavolu. The series was honored with a 2021 Alfred I. duPont–Columbia University Award for excellence in journalism.

- SHOWTIME Documentary Films has received the first Oscar nomination in its history, with the feature-length documentary ATTICA from Emmy^® winning filmmaker Stanley Nelson (Freedom Riders, The Murder of Emmett Till) and co-director Traci A. Curry in final contention for Best Documentary Feature at the March 27 ceremony. ATTICA recounts in vivid detail the five-day 1971 prison rebellion at the Attica Correctional Facility in upstate New York, which took the lives of 29 inmates and 10 hostages – the deadliest single day of violence Americans inflicted on each other since the Civil War. ATTICA can be seen for free for viewing through the end of February’s Black History Month on Sho.com and YouTube, as well as across multiple streaming and on-demand platforms.

- Showtime Networks Inc. and Bleecker Street have entered into a new and exclusive three-year output agreement, effective in March, under which SHOWTIME will exhibit high-profile Bleecker Street feature films across its on-air, on demand and streaming premium services. Each film will come to SHOWTIME within five months of initial release. The deal will comprise up to 12 films per year, all of which will be released theatrically by Bleecker Street,

57 Channels and Only This Is On: January 6, 2022

  

Claws:  Really, we are supposed to believe Uncle Daddy went to gay heaven?  Dude is definitely going south of the border.  But what a horrible set up job.  Desna just puts all her fingerprints over the gun before even planting it, and then shoots Uncle Daddy with the gun.  It is going to be really hard to set him up now.  I would not be disappointed if Desna joins Uncle Daddy, but she is probably going to get away.

 

Billions:  So Mike Prince wants the 2028 Olympics for New York City?  Umm, who is going to break it to him that those games were already awarded to Los Angeles?  That is about as bizarre as Wags saying Frey would never do that to Henley.  Huh?  They had such a contentious relationship that they named their reunion tour “Hell Freezes Over.”  I do not know, seems like there was a time Frey would have outted Henley for performing a private concert for Kim Jung Un.

 

Snowpiercer:  So Wilford was going to freeze off Melanie’s arm and just decides against it just because Layton went by him (I am I the only one who just now realized that Layton was his last name?).  It will be interesting if Layton’s discovery will be able to win over any of Wilford’s faithful when the trains join back up.

 

Pam & Tommy:  Well this is turning out to be the longest Funny or Die sketch ever.  As of now, I am leaning towards “Die.”

 

The Book of Boba Fett:  I never thought I would see the day when Raylan Givens got outdueled.  But he is not dead, right?  Cad Bane did shoot him once, but riddled the deputy multiple times.  We got to hear what Raylan was going to tell the town and maybe get some insight of what was with the box of sand the Pykes took out to a desert.  Not that Boba will be lacking soldiers; he got the Wookie, the cyber punks, Fennic, Mando is coming back, possibly with Grogu and his tiny armor with him (obviously he is choosing the armor over the lightsaber, but why not let him have both, Luke).  Maybe Ahsoka who was just randomly at Luke’s academy for no apparent reason other than maybe make us remember she has a spinoff coming.  We may also see some surviving Tuscan Raiders join the fight.  While the Pykes just have Cad Bane.  Although Emilia Clarke has been the Mephisto of the Star Wars universe, so maybe she and Crimson Dawn comes by to even the odds.

 

Single Drunk Female:  How do you do an episode entitled “Shamrocks and Shenanigans” that takes place on St. Patrick’s Day and not feature any House of Pain songs?

Around the Tubes: January 5, 2022

      

I have gotten a plethora of cool press releases have been flooding my inbox recently that you may find interesting.  This post includes blurbs on everything’s gonna be all white, Life & Beth, Florian Picasso, Lyn Lapid, BENEE, Kae Tempest, Bob Marley, Bastille, Nothing Compares, 2nd Chance, Up Here, and The Man Who Fell to Earth.

SHOWTIME^® has released a trailer for everything’s gonna be all white, directed by Emmy^®-nominee Sacha Jenkins (BITCHIN’: THE SOUND AND FURY OF RICK JAMES). In honor of Black History Month, SHOWTIME Documentary Films is premiering the provocative new three-part docu-series, which explores the history of race in America from the perspective of people of color. From the ever-shifting classifications of racial identity, to the generational effects of racism on housing, education and healthcare, to the singular fight of Indigenous populations to reclaim their land from constant encroachment, everything’s gonna be all white delves deeply into the root causes of racial inequities in this country. The first part of the docu-series will premiere on-air on Friday, February 11 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. SHOWTIME will release all three parts, along with a bonus episode, to its subscribers On Demand at 12:01 a.m. ET, prior to the on-air debut of the first episode later that night at 8 p.m. ET/PT. 

- Hulu has revealed the release date of original comedy series "Life & Beth" starring and executive produced by Amy Schumer. The ensemble cast includes Amy Schumer, Michael Cera, Susannah Flood, Violet Young, Kevin Kane, Yamaneika Saunders, Laura Benanti, Larry Owens, Michael Rapaport, Rosebud Walker and LaVar Walker.  "Life & Beth" premieres all 10 episodes on March 18, only on Hulu.  SYNOPSIS: Beth’s life would look pretty great on paper. Impressive to everyone she grew up with.  She makes a good living as a wine distributor. She’s in a long term relationship with a successful guy and lives in Manhattan. When a sudden incident forces Beth to engage with her past her life changes forever. Through flashbacks to her teen self, Beth starts to learn how she became who she is and who she wants to become.  We’ll go on her journey towards building a bigger, bolder and more authentic life. Learning to express herself and living in an intentional way. A trip down memory lane is a strong source of trauma, comedy and moving forward.

- To commemorate the release of their NFT collection, Florian Picasso - the great grandson of the famed artist, adopted by Picasso’s granddaughter Marina - collaborated with John Legend and Nas on a new track titled "Tomorrow.” Available today, Friday, February 4^th. The song was produced and co-written by British artist and producer-legend Stuart Price. Each NFT from the release is be backed by the audio from "Tomorrow," creating a singular visual and sonic experience.  The NFT collection is segmented into different lots, with 5 limited sets of 200 NFT's being sold via their own ManAndTheBeat.com marketplace, powered by Origin Story. There will be a further release via Nifty Gateway of a limited set of 10 pieces, combining for a total of 1010 NFT’s for sale.

- Songstress Lyn Lapid returns with her latest single “I Guess That Was Goodbye”—listen HERE. Inspired by the heartache that results in not being able to say goodbye to a special person and produced by Wendy Wang (Tori Kelly, Nick Jonas, Terror Jr), the song is a gorgeous ballad complete with orchestral strings that lift Lyn’s signature ethereal vocals to a whole new level. Lyn first teased the track on TikTok, where it has amassed hundreds of thousands of views and quickly become a favorite amongst her fans—watch HERE and HERE.

- BENEE returns with her first new music of 2022, a single entitled “Beach Boy” via Republic Records – listen HERE. The song is produced by Greg Kurstin (Adele, Sia, Beck) and arrives alongside the announcement of her forthcoming EP LYCHEE out March 4th.  “Beach Boy” sets BENEE in her breeziest form to date. A sweetly toned vocal and dreamy guitars evoke sixties beach movies, sun kissed summer days, and perfect beach dates.

- British spoken word artist, rapper, poet, novelist, and playwright Kae Tempest announces a string of headline shows along the East Coast in March in support of their upcoming album The Line Is A Curve out April 8^th via American Recordings/Republic Records. The dates include Washington DC on March 22^nd, Boston on March 23^rd, and Brooklyn on March 24^th. Tickets go on sale this Friday, February 4^th at 10AM local time via http://www.kaetempest.co.uk/live/.

- The Marley Family and UMe will honor the legacy of Bob Marley, commemorating his 77th birthday by honoring his life, legacy, and music with a multitude of in-person, virtual, and philanthropic events.  The Marley Family is celebrating the occasion by returning to Marley's Roots. Seven different events over seven days have been curated to give back to the community in Jamaica in observance of his birthday. The scheduled events include a Back To Our Roots beach cleanup and concert as well as a newly curated exhibition at the Bob Marley Museum, titled The 7 Roots of Bob Marley's Livity, which features the work of young, up-and-coming artists. In addition, a new web series of the same name will premiere on Tuff Gong TV, which explores the natural mystic of Reggae Legend and his enduring influence on Jamaica and the world. Marley's Earthstrong festivities culminate on February 6, with a limited-capacity concert celebration at Tuff Gong International, in Kingston, Jamaica which will be live-streamed on Bob Marley's official YouTube channel. In addition, an extraordinary Lion's Den Concert by Stephen Marley from Miami, FL., will also premiere on February 6. Watch Marley's 77^th Earthstrong ROOTS festivities on Bob Marley's official YouTube channel HERE.

- After building a groundswell of buzz for its arrival, Bastille unveils their anxiously awaited new album Give Me The Future today via Republic Records. Listen to Give Me The Future HERE.  The band set the stage for the record with their latest single “Shut Off The Lights” and announces today they will be performing the song on The Late Late Show with James Corden on February 15^th (check local listings). In addition, the song has garnered over 5 million global streams and has incited widespread applause from tastemakers. V Magazine urged it “might just be the highest they’ve ever gone,” while Entertainment Tonight noted it “focuses on staying in the moment and touches on the intimate connection humans experience with one another.” Watch the official music video for “Shut Off The Lights” HERE.

- SHOWTIME Documentary Films announced today that it has acquired worldwide rights to NOTHING COMPARES directed by Kathryn Ferguson (Taking the Waters, Space to Be). NOTHING COMPARES charts Sinéad OʼConnorʼs phenomenal rise to worldwide fame and examines how she used her voice at the height of her stardom before her iconoclastic personality led to her exile from the pop mainstream. Focusing on Sinéad’s prophetic words and deeds from 1987 to 1993, the film presents an authored, richly cinematic portrait of this fearless trailblazer through a contemporary feminist lens.  NOTHING COMPARES, Ferguson’s documentary feature directorial debut, was an official selection in the World Cinema Documentary Competition at the Sundance Film Festival last week. SHOWTIME is planning a theatrical release later this year in the U.S., UK and Ireland ahead of the SHOWTIME premiere in the U.S., and its international partner streaming platforms later this year. The announcement was made by Vinnie Malhotra, Executive Vice President, Nonfiction Programming, Showtime Networks Inc. 

- SHOWTIME Documentary Films today announced that it has acquired North American rights to the Sundance Film Festival documentary 2ND CHANCE, from director and Oscar-nominated screenwriter Ramin Bahrani (The White Tiger, 99 Homes, Chop Shop).  2ND CHANCE, Bahrani’s feature-length documentary debut, is an exploration of the life and legacy of Richard Davis, the charming and brash inventor of the modern-day bulletproof vest who shot himself 192 times to prove his product worked. SHOWTIME is planning a theatrical release ahead of a network premiere later his year, leading into awards season. The announcement was made by Vinnie Malhotra, Executive Vice President, Nonfiction Programming, Showtime Networks Inc.

- Hulu greenlights musical romantic comedy series Up Here from  20^th Television and Old 320 Sycamore Productions.  Logline: A musical romantic comedy set in New York City in the waning days of 1999, following the extraordinary story of one ordinary couple, as they fall in love – and discover that the single greatest obstacle to finding happiness together might just be themselves – and the treacherous world of memories, obsessions, fears, and fantasies that lives inside their heads.  Original songs for the series by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. 

- SHOWTIME announced today that BAFTA Award winner Bill Nighy (Love Actually) will star in the highly anticipated upcoming original drama series THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH. He will reunite with stars Oscar and Emmy^® nominee and BAFTA Award winner Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave) and Oscar, BAFTA^® and Screen Actors Guild^® Award nominee Naomie Harris (Moonlight), both of whom he worked with on previous projects. The series will premiere exclusively on SHOWTIME later this year.