Report: NBC Wanted Jon Stewart to Host ‘Meet the Press’

“Before choosing [journalist Chuck] Todd, NBC News President Deborah Turness held negotiations with Jon Stewart about hosting ‘Meet the Press,’ according to three senior television sources with knowledge of the talks,” reports Gabriel Sherman on the website of New York…

L.A. Police Reviewing Stephen Collins Sex Abuse Claims That Surfaced in 2012

“[A]n audio recording surfaced this week [on TMZ] in which a man whom police believe is [actor Stephen] Collins confessed to exposing himself to and sexually abusing three underage girls. Police in Los Angeles and New York said they reviewed…

Attention Ad Buyers: Is a 30-Second Spot on NBC’s Upcoming Live Special ‘Peter Pan’ Worth as Much as a Spot on the Popular ‘The Big Bang Theory’?

Based on the ratings home run NBC scored last December with its live presentation of “The Sound of Music,” it wants marketers to pony up at least as much money for its “Peter Pan Live” as they spend for a…

Scarlett Johansson to Star in TV Series Based on One of the Inspirations for ‘Downton Abbey’

“Sony Pictures TV is bringing together one of the biggest movie stars, Scarlett Johansson, and the work of one of the most celebrated American novelists, the Pulitzer Prize winner Edith Wharton (‘Age of Innocence’), for a limited series project that…

From TV to Dance to Broadway to Fine Art to Films, He Was Truly a Multitalented Artist. As Unique as Uncola. Geoffrey Holder Dies at 84

“Geoffrey Holder, 84, the dancer, choreographer, actor, composer, designer and painter who used his manifold talents to infuse the arts with the flavor of his native West Indies and to put a singular stamp on the American cultural scene, not…

Turner Cuts Will End Up Close to 1,500, Company Says. Included Will Be About 1,000 in the Metro Atlanta Area. CNN Reports About 300 Jobs — Close to 9 Percent of Its Workforce — Will Be Cut From CNN Worldwide

“Turner Broadcasting Systems Inc. will cut its workforce by about 10 percent, or 1,475 workers, in the coming weeks through layoffs, buyouts and other measures, the company announced Monday,” reports Christopher Seward in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The story reports: “Atlanta-based…

Say What? NBC Developing Series Based on Characters From This 1989 Theatrical Feature That Entertainment Weekly Once Called ‘the Greatest Modern Movie Romance’

NBC has reportedly made a “script commitment plus penalty” deal for a series that follows the characters first seen in a hit 1989 romantic comedy. “Fire up the boomboxes,” writes our good friend Nellie Andreeva at Deadline.com in another of…

U.S. Supreme Court Clears Way for Same-Sex Marriage in 5 More States, Bringing the Number of States to 30 Where Same-Sex Couples Can Wed. It’s our Non-TV Story of the Day

The U.S. “Supreme Court cleared the way Monday for an immediate expansion of same-sex marriage by unexpectedly and tersely turning away appeals from five states seeking to prohibit gay and lesbian unions,” writes Mark Sherman of the Associated Press, adding,…

In the ’60s ‘Kicks’ Was a Hit. In the Early ’70s ‘Indian Reservation (The Lament of the Cherokee Reservation Indian)’ Went to No. 1. Paul Revere of Paul Revere and the Raiders Dies at 76

“Paul Revere, organist and ringleader of the long-running rock band the Raiders, passed away [Saturday, Oct. 4, 2014] at his home in Idaho, the band’s official website revealed,” reports Rolling Stone. The story reports: “Revere was 76. No cause of…

Attention ‘Breaking Bad’ Fans: AMC Breaks Video of ‘Better Call Saul,’ the Song. Lyrics by Show Creators Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould. Here’s the Video. The Spinoff Series Starts in February