Can women comedy writers be any hotter? Two comedy pilots picked up today — both from female creators! NBC has given the green light to an untitled multi-camera comedy from The New Adventures Of Old Christine creator Kari Lizer. The untitled comedy (form. Lady Friends) hails from Warner Bros TV and Lizer’
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NBC Picks Up Kari Lizer Female Buddy Comedy Pilot
ABC Greenlights Sisters Comedy From Stephnie Weir & Claudia Lonow
On the heels of ABC picking up drama pilot Gilded Lillys earlier today, the network just greenlighted a half-hour pilot, multi-camera comedy Counter Culture. Written and executive produced by writer-actress Stephnie Weir and executive produced by Claudia Lonow, Counter Culture revolves around three aging sisters running their family diner together in West Texas who find that sibling dynamics are always getting in the way of getting the job done. Weir won’t act in Counter Culture, which will be co-produced by Sony TV, where Weir has had a deal (she penned the 2010 ABC/Sony TV comedy pilot Wright Vs. Wrong starring Debra Messing), and ABC Studios. Lonow is expected to have a great pilot season. The Accidentally On Purpose creator has another comedy project at ABC through 20th TV and Imagine TV, which is very hot and already has a put pilot commitment, making a pilot order very likely. The pickup for Counter Culture extends female comedy writers’ hot streak this season.
Seth MacFarlane Double Grammy Nominee, Faces Barbra Streisand And Tony Bennett
In between juggling 5 series: Family Guy, American Dad, The Cleveland Show and the upcoming Flintstones and Cosmos reboots, his first feature and emceeing duties at the Comedy Central roasts, Seth MacFarlane is fostering a budding music career. And tonight, the uber TV producer earned 2 Grammy nominations. One was for a song from Family Guy, Christmastime Is Killing Us which he co-wrote, in the Best Song Written For Visual Media category. It was the only song from a TV show to make the cut. The other nod was an even bigger surprise. MacFarlane’s debut album as a singer, Music Is Better Than Words, was nominated for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album alongside heavyweights Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett and Harry Connick Jr. and international sensation Susan Boyle. I think it is safe to say that this is the first time MacFarlane’s name has been mentioned in the same sentence as Ms. Streisand. (Below is a snippet from one of MacFarlane’s sold-out live performances of Music Is Better Than Words, which was turned into an EPIX special.) MacFarlane was not the only creator of primtime comedy series to land a Grammy nomination tonight. 30 Rock‘s Tina Fey earned one in the Best Spoken Word Album category for narrating the audio version of her bestselling book Bossypants, while Louie‘s Louis C.K. is nominated for his comedy album Hilarious. Among the … Read More
Cable Pilot Castings: Andrea Rosen To Star In ‘Andrew Gurland’, 3 Join ‘Village People’
New York-based actress-comedian Andrea Rosen (Comedy Central’s Michael & Michael Have Issues) has landed the female lead opposite Andrew Gurland in Showtime’s comedy pilot The Andrew Gurland Project (form. Gurland On Gurland). The project, produced by Showtime in association with CBS TV Studios and Glenn Gordon Caron’s Picturemaker Prods., is a first-person documentary comedy written, directed and starring filmmaker Andrew Gurland, which reflects his real family life and the challenges he faces pursuing the next phase of his career. Gurland and Caron are executive producing. Rosen is with Gersh.
Sebastian Sozzi, Rachel Cannon and Sadie Calvano have joined Jennie Garth in the ABC Family’
R.I.P. Jack Elinson
TV comedy writer Jack Elinson, whose career stretched over 50 years, died Thursday at his home in Santa Monica. He was 89. His numerous credits as writer during the 1950s included the series All-Star Revue, The Colgate Comedy Hour, The Duke, The Jimmy Durante Show, Hey, Jeannie!, The Johnny Carson Show, and The Real McCoys. During the 1960s, The Danny Thomas Show (aka Make Room for Daddy), The Andy Griffith Show, Hogan’
APA Signs Veteran Comedy Writer Ed Yeager
Veteran comedy writer-producer Ed Yeager has signed with APA. He was at ICM. Yeager created, executive produced and ran the CBS comedy series Gary Unmarried. He also co-created the ABC Family comedy series Ruby & The Rockits and worked such sitcoms as the WB’s Reba, CBS’ Still Standing, ABC’s Dharma & Greg, Grace Under Fire and Roseanne and NBC’s Suddenly Susan. Yeager also wrote the Fox Atomic comedy feature The Comebacks.
Pilot Season Hot Trends: Comedies, Books, Formats, Westerns And Big Commitments
Economic recession be damned — the broadcast networks have been spending like it’s 2007 this year. A slew of bidding wars led to a staggering 9 pilot orders/production commitments and 33 put pilot commitments so far this buying season. Additionally, NBC is eying straight-to-series orders for 2 Bryan Fuller-written dramas: a Munsters reboot and Hannibal, based on the Hannibal Lecter character. With dire needs, new owners willing to invest a lot of money in a turnaround and new management eager to make their mark, NBC has been the most aggressive this buying season. In addition to the likely straight-to-series orders, four of the 9 pilot orders/production commitments so far have been given out by the peacock network: comedy Isabel, inspired by a French Canadian format, and John Scott Shepherd’s comedy Save Me, which are casting, and the J.J. Abrams/Eric Kripke adventure thriller Revolution and crime drama Blue Tilt, written by Chris Brancato and starring Ethan Hawke and Vince D’Onofrio, which have pilot production commitments. The remaining 4 pilot production orders went to Jon Favreau comedy spec Tweaked and a multi-camera workplace comedy from Bill Lawrence and Greg Malins at CBS, multi-camera family comedy The Manzanis starring Kirstie Alley and an untitled Dan Fogelman comedy at ABC and the Mike Royce-penned cast-contingent comedy pilot Little Brother at Fox.
Caitlin O’Conner Improv Arrival EXCLUSIVE!
Caitlin O’ Conner
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Photo by David Aguilera/BuzzFoto.com
Model and actress Cailtlin O’Conner was snapped arriving at “The Improv” comedy store in Los Angeles this week in these EXCLUSIVE photos!
CAA Signs ‘Mike & Molly’ Star Billy Gardell
CAA now represents both Mike and Molly from CBS’ sophomore comedy series. Actor-comedian Billy Gardell, who plays the male lead on Mike & Molly, has signed with CAA, which also represents his co-lead Melissa McCarthy. Gardell was with APA. Gardell’s previous series credits include CBS’ Yes, Dear and NBC’s My Name Is Earl. In addition to acting, Gardell continues to tour as a comedian. His latest standup special, Halftime, aired on Comedy Central earlier this year. Gardell continues to be managed by Chris DiPetta at Artists Management International.
Weight Loss Comedy From Chris O’Dowd & Port/Wiseman Lands At NBC With Penalty
EXCLUSIVE: After a lengthy four-way bidding war among ABC, NBC, Fox and CBS, Big Men, a comedy from Irish actor-comedian (and Bridesmaids standout) Chris O’Dowd and writer-producers Joe Port and Joe Wiseman, has landed at NBC with a script commitment plus significant penalty. Setting the single-camera project at the network of The Biggest Loser seems appropriate as it revolves around a group of men who meet at a weight loss clinic. O’Dowd will write the script based on his idea, with Port and Wiseman on board as showrunners. The three will executive produce with 3 Arts’ Dave Becky and Nick Frenkel for 20th Century Fox TV.
O’Dowd had been enjoying a solid acting career in the U.K., including starring on the popular series The IT Crowd. His career shifted into high gear this summer with his breakout performance in the runaway hit Bridesmaids. This marks O’Dowd’s American writing debut. In Britain, he recently created and co-wrote Moone Boy, a comedy series for Sky TV inspired by his childhood, which is now filming. He also is penning a comedy feature funded by the Irish Film Board. UTA-repped Port and Wiseman, who are under an overall deal at 20th TV, serve as co-executive produces on the red-hot new comedy series New Girl. … Read More
HBO Developing Merritt Johnson-Penned Dark Comedy With Don Johnson Producing & Potentially Starring
EXCLUSIVE: HBO is reteaming with Temple Grandin scribe W. Merritt Johnson, this time on the series side. The pay cable network has in the hopper a dark comedy project written by Merritt, which is being developed as a starring vehicle for Don Johnson. Johnson is executive producing the project with his manager Jason Weinberg and Merritt. The dark comedy, based on an idea from Merritt and Chris 
Carmona, who will serve as supervising producer, centers on a suicidal game show host, the role earmarked for Johnson, who is trying to avoid the downward spiral of his life while dealing with the headache of his family and work life. The project expands Don Johnson’s relationship with HBO where he has been recurring on the off-beat comedy series Eastbound & Down. 
The Gersh-repped actor did 2 episodes last year and will return in the upcoming third season to reprise his role as Eduardo Sanchez. In addition to the HBO comedy, Merritt Johnson has a drama in the works at Showtime about the Ball LGBT subculture, which he is writing as well as executive producing with Lee Daniels, who is attached to direct. Merritt Johnson, repped by CAA and Leverage, previously worked on the HBO half-hour drama In Treatment.
Former ‘Daily Show’ EP Josh Lieb Sells Comedy To NBC With Nick Thune, Another One To Fox Produced By Jack Black’s Co.
EXCLUSIVE: Former Daily Show executive producer Josh Lieb has sold two multi-camera comedy projects — one at NBC with actor-comedian Nick Thune and one at Fox that Jack Black’s company is producing. Both hail from Warner Bros Television.
The Lieb/Thune comedy received multiple offers before landing at NBC with penalty. Lieb and Thune will write the script for the project, which centers on a heartbroken hipster who quits his job and city life and moves to a small Oregon town. Thune is attached to star, while Lieb would showrun behind the Fox project, which is in first position. Lieb will executive produce, Thune will co-executive produce. Thune, repped by WME and 3 Arts, has starred in NBC comedy pilots for the past two seasons, Beach Lane in 2010 and I Hate That I Love You last year.
Lieb’s Fox comedy, which has a script commitment, is co-produced by WBTV, Jack Black’s Electric Dynamite and Reveille, where the company has an exclusive production deal. Written and to be executive produced by Lieb, the untitled project centers on a newly divorced father of two who asks his twentysomething sister to move in with him and help him restart his life. After a four-year stint as Daily Show executive producer, WME-repped Lieb left the … Read More
NBC To Stream ‘Up All Night’ And ‘Whitney’ Episodes On Yahoo Before Original Airings
It worked big time for the premiere of Fox’s comedy New Girl, and NBC will now stream the second episodes of its promising new comedies Up All Night and Whitney in their entirety before they air. NBC has struck a deal with Yahoo to have the Wednesday episode of Up All Night and the Thursday episode of Whitney streamed and promoted on Yahoo’s site starting tomorrow morning. Following a 2-week stint of having the pilot of New Girl pilot available on iTunes, VOD, airplanes, Hulu and in hotels, the Fox comedy blew past any ratings projections to open with a 4.8/12 in adults 18-49 and 10.3 million viewers last week. The Yahoo deal does not include NBC’s third new comedy, Free Agents, which appears headed to a quick cancellation.
Tom Gormican/Jake Kasdan Ensemble Comedy Lands At CBS With Penalty
After a three-way bidding war, single-camera comedy pitch On The Verge of Greatness has landed at CBS with a significant penalty. The twentysomething ensemble comedy, from 3 Arts and 20th Century Fox TV, will be written/executive produced by feature writer Tom Gormican, with Jake Kasdan on board to direct and executive produce through his overall deal at 20th TV. Also executive producing are 3 Arts’
R.I.P. Jeffrey Hodes
Comedy writer Jeffrey Hodes has died suddenly from cancer treatment-related complications. He was in his 40s. Hodes had cancer but was in remission and was getting ready for a bone marrow transplant. He went in yesterday for a blood transfusion in preparation for the transplant when he started having breathing problems. An MRI revealed blood in his brain and, after a day in intensive care, he was taken off life support this afternoon. For his entire career, Hodes worked with Nastaran Dibai who was his wife and writing partner. Hodes is survived by Dibai and their young daughter. Hodes and Dibai worked together on such comedy series as According to Jim, 3rd Rock From the Sun and The Nanny and the Kelly Ripa-starring Hope & Faith. Last year, Hodes and Dibai developed a comedy project for ABC with Ripa and her husband Mark Consuelos. “Jeffrey Hodes was a brilliant comedy writer, an amazing showrunner and a wonderful husband and father,” Ripa said. “I considered myself one of the luckiest people alive to call him a true friend. I will miss him terribly.” The Ripa/Consuelos project was executive produced by Aaron Kaplan, who collaborated with Hodes and Dibai on several projects, including the ABC pilot Funny in Farsi, which the writing duo created. ‘
Fox Buys Bill Lawrence Father-Son Comedy With Put Pilot Commitment
EXCLUSIVE: Bill Lawrence has sold a second comedy project this season, landing a second major commitment. I hear Fox has handed a put pilot commitment to an untitled single-camera comedy, which Lawrence will write, direct and executive produce. Inspired by Lawrence’s real-life experiences, it centers on a father-son relationship. This marks the first pilot script Lawrence will write solo since Scrubs. Two weeks ago, he and Greg Malins got a pilot production commitment from CBS for a multi-camera workplace comedy they will co-write together. Both projects hail from Warner Bros. TV where Lawrence is under a rich, long-term deal that started in June. The Fox deal reunites ICM-repped Lawrence with the network’s entertainment president Kevin Reilly, who was in the same position at NBC for some of Scrubs‘ run on the network.
Toronto: Magnet Attaches To Hockey Comedy ‘Goon’
Toronto, ONTARIO (September 13, 2011) – The Cuban/Wagner Company’
Ellen DeGeneres-Portia De Rossi Comedy Lands At NBC With Put Pilot Commitment
EXCLUSIVE: Ellen DeGeneres and wife Portia de Rossi are teaming for a comedy project. After a heated bidding war, a multi-camera comedy executive produced by DeGeneres and starring Arrested Development alumna de Rossi, has landed at NBC with a put pilot commitment. I hear the project, to be written by Samantha Who? co-creator/executive producer Don Todd, is about dueling sisters, one of them played by de Rossi. The project hails from Warner Bros. TV and DeGeneres’ studio-based production company A Very Good Production. It marks the first sale for A Very Good Production, which entered the series development arena in October when it inked a multi-year, multifaceted deal with WBTV and tapped former Comedy Central president of original programming Lauren Corrao to run it. The untitled comedy, which had all 4 major broadcast networks interested, will be executive produced by DeGeneres, Corrao and Todd. WME-repped de Rossi, best known for her roles on Fox’s Ally McBeal and Arrested Development, most recently starred on ABC’s well-received but short-lived comedy Better Off Ted. ICM-repped DeGeneres is coming off another best talk show Daytime Emmy win for her daily talker, which kicked off its ninth season this week. Todd is with the Rothman Brecher Agency. This is the latest comedy project to spark a bidding war and land major commitment as half-hour shows have been hotter … Read More
BREAKING!! Megan Fox Hit Ken Paves Salon In West Hollywood!
Photo Credit: Splash News Online
These were snapped yesterday afternoon.
2012 is slowly shaping up to become an important year in Megan Fox’s career as she transitions from the “that hot chick in ‘Transformers’” to a token hottie in comedy flicks. She’s involved in a total of three films including Sacha Baron Cohen’s “The Dictator,” Judd Apatow’s upcoming comedy “This is Forty” (Jason Segel, John Lithgow, Paul Rudd & Leslie Mann) & a small indy film my John Hamm’s longtime partner Jennifer Westfeldt.
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