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“Chappelle,” “Reno” in Syndication
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Comedy, Cable, Syndication, Ratings,
Ah, syndication—the promise land. Well, at least it gives fans of shows the opportunity to see their favorite episodes again, while picking up brand new viewers who might have missed the show the first time around. The latest shows heading for syndication in the fall are Reno 911! and Chappelle’s Show, both from Comedy Central. “The sitcom arena is always one that works well for stations, but there’s not as much product coming down the pike,” said Jim Packer, president of worldwide television distribution at MGM. MGM Studios has been in talks with stations to air the shows. “South Park has already broken the cable-to-syndication taboo and really proven that a show that works on Comedy Central can make it in syndication quite well.”
Reno 911! will be starting its fifth season on Comedy Central, with a film, Reno 911!: Miami, expected in February. Chappelle’s Show began in 2003, with the second season winning its time slot for men 18-34, and a DVD of season one going on to be the best-selling DVD of a television show. Chappelle left the show during the third season, with the final shows airing as Chappelle’s Show: The Lost Episodes.
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| Yahoo! News
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Megan Mullally Show Canceled
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Daytime, Talk Shows, Syndication, Cancellations, Ratings,
I feel really bad about this cancellation. I loved Megan Mullally on Will & Grace, and when I heard she would have her own show, I thought it would be a really good fit. Unfortunately, I don’t have a lot of spare time to watch daytime talk shows, but what little I saw of The Megan Mullally Show, I wasn’t thrilled. Some of it was interesting, but I think Mullally’s interviewing could have had a little more zip.
I guess I’m not the only one who was expecting more—after less than five months, the syndicated show has been canceled. The show wasn’t even given the green light to finish out the season, so you know things must have been bad. Production was halted immediately, and the remaining episodes will be shown through January. “I am extremely proud of the show we created and am thankful for the passion and tireless efforts of (executive producer) Corin Nelson and the entire staff,” Mullally said in a statement Wednesday. Not to fear, I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of Mullally in some format (stage, TV, movies) in the future.
Read More | Yahoo! News
Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune Through 2012
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Games, Syndication, Ratings, Renewals,
Wow, here are two shows that have legs. I mean, I can remember both of these when I was a kid, and that was ages ago! Seriously though, both Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune have been around since the mid-70s and this latest announcement proves that the shows’ concepts translate through the years. The renewal will take both game shows through 2012, with CBS Television Distribution giving each a two-year extension of their current deal. At the end of it all, Wheel will have run 29 years on the air, with Jeopardy! trailing closely behind at 28 years. Harry Friedman, the shows’ executive producer through Sony Pictures TV, said “With these unprecedented renewals, we will continue to infuse our classic games with energy and originality through 2012 and beyond.” Who can go wrong with the colossal viewership of both shows—Wheel averages more than 46 million per week; Jeopardy! comes in at 37 million per week.
Read More | Zap2it
Tyra Banks Dresses as a Dude
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Talk Shows, Cable, Syndication, Cable/Satellite,
Oh Tyra, what are you up to this time around? You may recall last season on her show, Tyra Banks dressed as a 350-pound woman to experience what it was like to be an overweight person. And now, she’s going to see what it’s like to be a guy—going undercover as a member of rapper Chingy’s entourage. The 32-year-old model has already donned the makeup and filmed her experience for an episode of The Tyra Banks Show scheduled to air on November 13th. Banks endured five hours of makeup and prep to become a man, saying, “I actually had a suit thing that went over me that made me have pecs and, like, a six-pack. And I was so muscular that it covered all of that breast tissue underneath it. We had to give me like, a heavier brow bone and a man’s chin and bone structure.” Tune in for Tyra’s transformation and see how people perceived her as a dude. And know that underneath, she’s gorgeous—no fair.
Read More | Yahoo! News
Oprah Pays it Forward—With Debit Cards
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Daytime, Talk Shows, Syndication,
Ever the gift-giver, Oprah gave the audience of Monday’s show something a little bit different. Each member of the audience received a $1,000 debit card. But here’s the catch—each person must donate that money in some way to someone else. While it’s not a car or extravagant gift, the debit cards are, as she puts it, the “gift of giving back.” The 300 audience members received the cards, sponsored by Bank of America, to donate to the charity of their choice. “I can honestly say that every gift I’ve ever given has brought at least as much happiness to me as it has to the person I’ve given it to,” Oprah said. “That’s the feeling I want to pass on to you.”
To keep people honest, they are not allowed to give the money to a relative, but they can divide it among several charities. They also received a DVD recorder for taping the experience of donating their money. The stories will air on a future show. Oprah told her audience, “You’re going to open your hearts, you’re going to be really creative, and you’re going to spend it all at once on one stranger or spend a dollar on every person. Imagine the love and kindness you can spread with $1,000.”
Read More | Yahoo! News
Weighing in on Megan Mullally and Rachael Ray
Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Daytime, Talk Shows, Syndication,
Well, now that I’ve caught a bit of both Megan Mullally’s and Rachael Ray’s new daytime offerings, it’s time to weigh in. I have always enjoyed Mullally’s character on Will & Grace and find her very entertaining when she’s on other talk shows. So, she definitely has a likability-factor. She’s quirky and fun, nice but not too nice, and has a lot of energy. Overall, I found her to be delightful (at the risk of sounding old-fashioned), but I do think she has to find her groove. There were a couple of moments on today’s show with guest Eva Mendes, where I found she could have interjected more into the conversation. Her interview with Jenny McCarthy yesterday was fun though, and I find her show opening to be interesting enough.
Rachael Ray also has a lot of energy—and perhaps too much! I’m wondering if they will tell her to scale back the intensity because she is over the top with enthusiasm. I do watch her Food Network 30 Minute Meals because I enjoy cooking, but have never been able to stomach her other shows on the Food Network. With her new talk show, it’s almost unwatchable—perhaps because of her mile-a-minute chatter or just the fact that she is so completely overexposed. Food TV shows, cookbooks, magazine, daytime talk, guest appearances… just too much of Ray for my tastes! The Hollywood Reporter is even calling her show “potentially annoying.”
Read More | Yahoo! News
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