http://www.showbizsandbox.com Showbiz Sandbox is a podcast featuring industry professionals J. Sperling Reich, Karen Woodward and Michael Giltz’s humorous viewpoints, insightful analysis and insider opinions on the latest entertainment news headlines. The weekly podcast features renowned industry guests, as well as phone calls and emails from listeners who voice their own opinions on the child’s play of the entertainment business. Thu, 29 Jul 2010 01:48:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 en hourly 1 Showbiz Sandbox is a podcast featuring industry professionals J. Sperling Reich, Karen Woodward and Michael Giltz’s humorous viewpoints, insightful analysis and insider opinions on the latest entertainment news headlines. The weekly podcast features renowned industry guests, as well as phone calls and emails from listeners who voice their own opinions on the child’s play of the entertainment business. J. Sperling Reich, Karen Woodward & Michael Giltz no J. Sperling Reich, Karen Woodward & Michael Giltz sperling@showbizsandbox.com sperling@showbizsandbox.com (J. Sperling Reich, Karen Woodward & Michael Giltz) 2009 The podcast that brings you all the dirt on the news making headlines around the entertainment world. Entertainment, Movies, Film, Television, TV, Music, Theater, Broadway http://www.showbizsandbox.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/showbiz-sandbox-podcast-artwork-with-photos.png http://www.showbizsandbox.com http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2009/12/07/showbiz-sandbox-32-grammys-and-spirits-and-comcast-oh-my/ http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2009/12/07/showbiz-sandbox-32-grammys-and-spirits-and-comcast-oh-my/#comments Tue, 08 Dec 2009 06:26:10 +0000 J. Sperling Reich http://www.showbizsandbox.com/?p=538 http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2009/12/07/showbiz-sandbox-32-grammys-and-spirits-and-comcast-oh-my/feed/ 0 "The Blind Side","The Princess and the Frog","Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn","Twilight Saga: New Moon",ABC,Adam Lambert,Comcast,David Wild,Eugene Hernandez,IndieWire,Lala,NBC Universal Rolling Stone contributing editor David Wild joins us this week to talk about the 52nd Annual Grammy nominations, a subject he knows a lot about since he's one of the writers on the awards show. If music isn't your thing than maybe independent film is. Rolling Stone contributing editor David Wild (http://www.twitter.com/wildaboutmusic) joins us this week to talk about the 52nd Annual Grammy nominations, a subject he knows a lot about since he's one of the writers on the awards show. If music isn't your thing than maybe independent film is. Eugene Hernandez (http://www.twitter.com/eug), editor of indieWIRE (http://www.indiewire.com) drops by to discuss the Spirit Award nominees as well as the official selections of the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. In other news, Sandra Bullock continues to impress moviegoing audiences in "The Blind Side" which knocked "Twilight Saga: New Moon" out of first place in the North American box office over the weekend. Speaking of "Twilight" who would you like to see direct the fourth installment of the franchise, "Breaking Dawn"? J. Sperling Reich (http://www.twitter.com/sperling), Michael Giltz (http://www.michaelgiltz.com) and Karen Woodward (http://www.twitter.com/kwoody3939) agree that it's probably not going to be Tim Burton, Peter Jackson or Quenten Tarantino as Moviefone suggests. But then stranger things have happened. Kind of like Apple buying Lala (http://www.lala.com). What could they possibly be planning to do with the struggling music social network?  Singer Adam Lambert's performance controversy gets moved back to Big Deal or Big Whoop this week where we also debate whether an Entourage movie and Alec Baldwin's acting future are worth our attention. Finally, we end with some Inside Baseball and review Comcast’s proposed purchase of NBC Universal. Should anti-trust regulators be concerned? Is this the beginning of the end or the beginning of the beginning? David Wild's Book: He Is . . . I Say: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Neil Diamond (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002ECEUT4?ie=UTF8&tag=showbsandb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002ECEUT4)(http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=showbsandb-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B002ECEUT4) Surprise! Few Surprises In Grammy Nominations http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/04/arts/music/04grammys.html (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/04/arts/music/04grammys.html) Spirit Awards: The Nominees http://www.indiewire.com/article/spirit_awards_the_nominees/ (http://www.indiewire.com/article/spirit_awards_the_nominees/) Fewer Films And A New Section For Sundance 2010: Competitions Lineup Announced http://www.indiewire.com/sundance_10_competitions_lineup_announced/ (http://www.indiewire.com/article/fewer_films_and_a_new_section_for_sundance_10_competitions_lineup_announced/) 5 Directors Who Could Tackle 'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn' http://insidemovies.moviefone.com/2009/12/02/directors-who-could-tackle.... (http://insidemovies.moviefone.com/2009/12/02/directors-who-could-tackle-the-twilight-saga-breaking-dawn/) Apple Buys Music Service Lala At A Fire Sale Price http://mediamemo.allthingsd.com/20091204/apple-in-talks-to-buy-lala/ (http://mediamemo.allthingsd.com/20091204/confirmed-apple-in-talks-to-buy-music-service-lala-com/) Apple Strikes Deal To Buy Music Startup Lala http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/05/technology/.... (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/05/technology/companies/05apple.html?_r=2&hpw) ABC Drops Lambert From Kimmel and New Year's Eve Slates http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/2008-12-6-the-beat-goes-on/posts/abc-drops-adam.... (http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/2008-12-6-the-beat-goes-on/posts/abc-drops-adam-lambert-from-kimmel-and-new-year-s-eve-slates) FCC Complaint Is At Center of ABC and Adam Lambert's Woes http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2009/12/even-though-lambert-was.... (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2009/12/even-though-lambert-was-received-well-last-week-for-his-performances-on-the-early-show-and-the-ellen-degeneres-show-abc-has-o.html) Alec Baldwin Says He'll Quite Acting After '30 Rock' http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/Movies/12/01/alec.baldwin.quits/index.html (http://www.cnn. J. Sperling Reich, Karen Woodward & Michael Giltz no http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2009/11/30/showbiz-sanbox-31-blind-sided-by-adam-lamberts-double-standard/ http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2009/11/30/showbiz-sanbox-31-blind-sided-by-adam-lamberts-double-standard/#comments Tue, 01 Dec 2009 03:41:01 +0000 J. Sperling Reich http://www.showbizsandbox.com/?p=524 http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2009/11/30/showbiz-sanbox-31-blind-sided-by-adam-lamberts-double-standard/feed/ 0 "Avatar","FlashForward","The Blind Side","Twilight Saga: New Moon","Up In The Air",Adam Lambert,Eminem,George Clooney,James Cameron,Jason Reitman,Jay Leno,Lachlan Murdoch While we all still may be sluggish from all the turkey and stuffing on Thanksgiving, the North American box office sure wasn't. It set a record for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend as once again "The Blind Side" surprises everyone. While we all still may be sluggish from all the turkey and stuffing on Thanksgiving, the North American box office sure wasn't. It set a record for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend as once again "The Blind Side" surprises everyone. The Sandra Bullock m... J. Sperling Reich, Karen Woodward & Michael Giltz no http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2009/11/23/showbiz-sandbox-30-modern-warfare-stuns-hollywood/ http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2009/11/23/showbiz-sandbox-30-modern-warfare-stuns-hollywood/#comments Tue, 24 Nov 2009 04:08:57 +0000 J. Sperling Reich http://www.showbizsandbox.com/?p=513 http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2009/11/23/showbiz-sandbox-30-modern-warfare-stuns-hollywood/feed/ 0 "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2","Lost","Soapdish","The Blind Side","Twilight: New Moon",Academy Awards,Adam Lambert,Ben Fritz,Disney,Documentaries,Hulu,Jessica Bendinger As predicted, the teen vampire romance “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” opened this week and earned record breaking box office. The second installment of the "Twilight" franchise made $140 million in North America, As predicted, the teen vampire romance “The Twilight Saga: New Moon” opened this week and earned record breaking box office. The second installment of the "Twilight" franchise made $140 million in North America, making it one of the largest openings in history. The film did manage to break the record for highest grossing midnight screening when it opened Friday morning. What might be more amazing is that the Sandra Bullock vehicle "The Blind Side" came in second with an impressive $34 million. Opening so strongly against a powerhouse tent pole like "Twilight" makes Bullock one of the more bankable stars in Hollywood these days. Of course, even "Twilight's" $258 million worldwide opening pales in comparison to what the new video game "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2" raked in during its first five days in stores. Ben Fritz (http://www.twitter.com/benfritz) an entertainment business reporter for the Los Angeles Times (http://www.latimes.com) joins us to talk about the wild success of the video game. Actually, calling it a video game is almost an insult - it’s more like an interactive action movie, and one that made $550 million within five days of its November 19th launch. Fritz is a prolific journalist who this past week wrote tons of stories for the L.A. Times Company Town (http://www.latimes.com/companytown) column and blog. One such story was on the controversy over the Academy Awards’ Documentary short list. Specifically, everyone wants to know why all the documentaries people actually saw, like “Capitalism: A Love Story” and “The September Issue” were left out of the 19 films still in contention for Best Feature Documentary? Who picked the short list docs anyway? Meanwhile over in the land of television talk show host Oprah Winfrey has decided to end her successful daytime show after it's 25th season in 2011. year Maybe it could air on Oprah’s new network. After much prayer and thought, Winfrey is making the decision that she can make more money and build her brand better by launching her own cable network. The next season of “Oprah” will be her last and she will shift her focus to her new network OWN which will debut in 2011. Smart move? Who wins and who loses with Oprah's decision? Speaking of questionable moves, remember the 1991 movie “Soapdish”? Well, it’s coming to a theatre not near you. It’s headed to Broadway instead, where Michael Giltz (http://www.michaelgiltz.com) believes it will probably meet a quick death before being relegated to high school musicals. As usual our popular segment Big Deal or Big Whoop stirs lots of debate on subjects ranging from the nutritional value of movie theatre popcorn to the entertainment value of Adam Lambert’s performance at the American Music Awards (speaking of high school musicals!). Finally, we finish off by discussing Disney's new chief Rich Ross during Inside Baseball. Ross has begun to put is own plans in place at the Mouse House, and he started by ending the remake of "Captain Nemo: 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea", which had already begun preproduction. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Video Game Gets Hollywood-Scale Launch http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ct-duty18-2009nov18,0,5238209.story (http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ct-duty18-2009nov18,0,5238209.story) Oprah Winfrey Announces 2011 End To Her Show http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704888404574546331059957374.html?.... (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704888404574546331059957374.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_MIDDLETopStories) http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091120/ap_on_en_tv/us_winfrey_show_ending (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091120/ap_on_en_tv/us_winfrey_show_ending) The Oprah Effect: Winners and Losers http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2009/11/the-oprah-effect.... (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2009/11/the-oprah-effect-winners-and-losers.html) Frustration Over Oscars' Documentary Short List J. Sperling Reich, Karen Woodward & Michael Giltz no http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2009/11/16/showbiz-sandbox-29-camped-out-for-twilight-new-moon/ http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2009/11/16/showbiz-sandbox-29-camped-out-for-twilight-new-moon/#comments Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:38:12 +0000 J. Sperling Reich http://www.showbizsandbox.com/?p=495 http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2009/11/16/showbiz-sandbox-29-camped-out-for-twilight-new-moon/feed/ 0 "Avatar","Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs","Fantastic Mr. Fox","Gossip Girl","Twilight: New Moon",Adam Lambert,AO Scott,Claudia Eller,Disney,Fandango,Hollywood Reporter,James Cameron There was a debate over titling this week’s episode "The Profanity Podcast "due to some various disagreements and the name of a new sitcom. Intrigued? Read on. - Harry Medved from Fandango.com joins us briefly to talk about next week’s number one movie... There was a debate over titling this week’s episode "The Profanity Podcast "due to some various disagreements and the name of a new sitcom. Intrigued? Read on. Harry Medved (http://twitter.com/FandangoNews) from Fandango.com (http://www.fandango.com/movieblog/) joins us briefly to talk about next week’s number one movie at the box office, “The Twilight Saga: New Moon.” (Did we get the name right? Can’t we just call it “New Moon” or “Twilight 2”?) Yes, that’s right, we’re prognosticating next week’s number one movie in North America. Hey, when women of all ages are lining up just to catch a glimpse of Robert Pattinson and/or Taylor Lautner at the premiere, you know you might have a hit on your hands. Speaking of hits, is Twentieth Century Fox taking a huge risk by bankrolling a film based on an unfamiliar story with no Hollywood superstars and a budget approaching $500 million? We’re talking about “Avatar,” and particularly Michael Cieply's article in the New York Times’ on the film directed by James Cameron. (So, is Cameron himself not a superstar?) John Horn and Claudia Eller from the Los Angeles Times write that the movie's price tag continues to climbe and that its global marketing campaign could cost as much as $150 million, "Avatar" won't have to do "Titanic" business to make money, but it will have to fill auditoriums around the world for weeks to become profitable. A genre that has proven to be very profitable is animation and family films. But how many of these are really suitable for kids? AO Scott from the New York Times points out that some of the best films are too scary for adults but kids enjoy them just fine. Maybe parents will change their mind if one of these scary animated films wins an Oscar; there are 20 animated films in contention this year for Best Animated Feature. “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” is one of the animated titles vying for an Academy Award. Sony is using the movie as a guinea pig for a new way to distribute entertainment directly to consumers. They’re offering the film online via Internet-TVs, the Play Station 3 and specially equipped Blu-Ray players a month before it is released on DVD. This has movie theatre owners steaming. But is this really an experiment in distribution, or just a way for Sony to sell more televisions, Blu-Ray playes and video game consoles? Speaking of television, Fox cancelled Joss Whedon’s “Dollhouse” and ABC canceled the sitcom “Hank” starring Kelsey Grammer. Bet that’s the last time Whedon does a show for Fox. Also meeting their demise are some of the employees at Al Gore’s Current TV. The network recently let 80 staffers go, as it shifts away from in-house production and towards out sourcing segments, which will be done via acquisitions, co-productions, and the use of outside studios. In music news, John Mayer’s new album “Battle Studies” was leaked online, followed by a battle of his own with a reporter for New York Magazine. Karen Woodward (http://www.industrynexus.com) and Michael Giltz (http://www.michaelgiltz.com) have their own battle over who was in the right – Mayer or the newbie journalist, Christianna Ablahad (http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2009/10/john_mayer_threatens_to_sodomi.html). We cruise through our favorite segment Big Deal or Big Whoop this week covering a wide range of topics; from a new sitcom based on a Twitter poster whose crude username we won't mention here to Omarosa of "The Apprentice" returning to reality television. Finally, we discuss yet another executive shift at Disney. Mark Zoradi the president of Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group and who had been with the studio for 29 years has been ousted. It looks like new studio head Rich Ross is bringing in his own team. 'New Moon' Fans Camping Out In Westwood http://community.livejournal.com/taytay_daily/114637.html (http://community.livejournal.com/taytay_daily/114637.html) For Avatar Budget Pops From The Screen http://www.nytimes. J. Sperling Reich, Karen Woodward & Michael Giltz no http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2009/09/03/showbiz-sandbox-18-its-all-fun-and-games-until-celebrities-start-dyin/ http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2009/09/03/showbiz-sandbox-18-its-all-fun-and-games-until-celebrities-start-dyin/#comments Fri, 04 Sep 2009 02:12:41 +0000 J. Sperling Reich http://www.showbizsandbox.com/?p=370 http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2009/09/03/showbiz-sandbox-18-its-all-fun-and-games-until-celebrities-start-dyin/feed/ 0 "Duplicity","Halloween II","The Blob",Adam Lambert,American Idol,Disney,DJ AM,Jay Leno,Kris Allen,LACMA,Marvel Comics,Megan Fox Landing at the top of the North American box office this weekend was “The Final Destination” with “Halloween 2,” directed by Rob Zombie, coming in third. Zombie may not be part of that Old White Male club of directors that the New York Times highlighte... Landing at the top of the North American box office this weekend was “The Final Destination” with “Halloween 2,” directed by Rob Zombie, coming in third. Zombie may not be part of that Old White Male club of directors that the New York Times highlighted this week, but apparently he can make a successful film. After reviving the "Halloween" franchise, Rob Zombie will continue to advance the horror porn genre with a remake of the 1958 classic, "The Blob." The biggest story of the week was Disney’s purchase of Marvel Comics. What will this mean for "Iron Man", "Spider-Man", the "X-Men", and "Fantastic Four"? Maybe we’ll find out when Disney continues its takeover of the world with their own version of Comic-Con; the D23 Expo in Anaheim. The four day event will celebrate -- and sell -- all things Disney with celebrity appearances and slick sneak previews of upcoming films, television shows and theme park attractions. Speaking of theme park attractions, Michael Jackson’s death was ruled a homicide. (Okay it only feels like it’s becoming a theme park attraction.) What will happen now? Maybe we’ll find out if we watch the new reality show on A&E featuring the Jackson family. You read that right; the cable network will air a reality series which documents the Jackson family and how they deal with the death of their most famous member. Says Executive Producer Jodi Gomes: "Everybody wants to do a show that's very genuine. They're not shy about talking about their brother, they just want to find it a way to do it honestly." If you’re looking to escape from Michael Jackson news, try “Duplicity,” now out on DVD. Michael Giltz (http://www.michaelgiltz.com) thought it was one of the the best movies of the year so far, do you? Or are you more like Karen Woodward (http://www.industrynexus.com), who would rather watch a Jackson reality show over a Julia Roberts movie? Filed under “Is that really news?”, VH1 wants less unscripted shows about love relationships after a reality show participant on one of their shows, Ryan Jenkins, apparently killed himself after becoming the lead suspect in the murder of his ex-wife. There was plenty of geek love last Sunday when actress (and current Hollywood "It" girl) Megan Fox jumped onto Xbox Live to promote the release of the latest "Transformers" video game, which is based on the recent film she starred in. This was part of Microsoft’s ongoing “Game With Fame” promotion. More breaking news: Noel Gallagher decided to quit Oasis. We’ll report this again in two months after he's rejoined and requit the band for the umpteenth time. In music news you might actually care about, “American Idol” winner Kris Allen and runner up Adam Lambert will release their albums on the same day; November 17th. Let the stampede begin! Maybe Paula Abdul can convince them to perform on “VH1 Divas” which she is hosting on September 17th. Abdul won’t be guesting on “Ugly Betty” however, allegedly because she was too much of a diva to fly commercial. Kristen “Poor Man’s Paula Abdul” Johnston will take the role instead. Of course, no episode of Showbiz Sandbox is complete if we don’t talk about Jay Leno’s new show. (Hey did you hear that Jay Leno has his own show in primetime?) He announced the guests for his first: Tom Cruise (who will introduce a new segment called “10 at 10”, presumably while jumping off a couch), Robin Williams, Halle Berry, Miley Cyrus, Rihanna, Kanye West, and Eric Clapton. And lastly, they listened! The Hollywood Foreign Press Association (which organizes the annual Golden Globe Awards) and Time Warner Cable, in association with Ovation TV, have each agreed to put up $75,000 toward the Los Angeles County Musuem of Art's film program, which had been scheduled to close in October. The funds are enough to keep the repratoiry program alive until next June. Disney To Buy Marvel comics http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/01/business/media/01disney.html?_r=1&hp (http://www.nytimes. J. Sperling Reich, Karen Woodward & Michael Giltz no http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2009/06/15/showbiz-sandbox-8-everybodys-a-critic-on-the-internet/ http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2009/06/15/showbiz-sandbox-8-everybodys-a-critic-on-the-internet/#comments Mon, 15 Jun 2009 23:42:41 +0000 J. Sperling Reich http://www.showbizsandbox.com/?p=140 http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2009/06/15/showbiz-sandbox-8-everybodys-a-critic-on-the-internet/feed/ 0 "Avatar","Conan The Barbarian","G.I. Joe","The Hangover","The Taking of Pelham 123",Adam Lambert,Danny Boyle,DVDs,James Cameron,Jay Leno,Marcus Nispel,Michael Cieply This week “The Hangover” hung around, and “The Taking of Pelham 123” opened at lower numbers than expected. Was the film miscast? - James Cameron proves he’s King of the World, or at least of the digital age, This week “The Hangover” hung around, and “The Taking of Pelham 123” opened at lower numbers than expected. Was the film miscast? James Cameron proves he’s King of the World, or at least of the digital age, by pushing game publisher Ubisoft to create the videogame industry's first stereoscopic title. What does this mean for future relationships between films and videogames? In other film news, “Slumdog Millionaire” director Danny Boyle signed a three year deal with Fox Searchlight; the quasi-classic “Conan The Barbarian” will be remade; and rumors abound that the director of the summer action film “G.I. Joe” was fired. Plus, DVD fans may have to wait a little longer until movies they didn’t bother seeing in the theaters are available for viewing on the couch. Despite repeated warnings, chaos still ensued when the switch to digital TV finally happened in the United States. And though there were obvious clues about his sexual orientation, “American Idol” runner up Adam Lambert finally came out to Rolling Stone magazine. Plus, the debate rages on: Can Jay Leno survive at 10pm? Advertisers sure aren’t happy about his new time slot. And finally: How important are film critics anyway? Just ask the new online movie review aggregator Movie Review Intelligence. "Hangover", "Up" Lead Box Office Again http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3ie636164bd8df42b4e99a0ad58738f98b (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3ie636164bd8df42b4e99a0ad58738f98b) James Cameron's Game Changer? http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118004911.html?categoryid=13&cs=1 (http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118004911.html?categoryid=13&cs=1) Danny Boyle Signs 3-Year Deal http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118004862.html?categoryid=13&cs=1 (http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118004862.html?categoryid=13&cs=1) Marcus Nispel To Remake Conan http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/12/marcus-nispel-directing-conan-the-barbarian/ (http://www.cinematical.com/2009/06/12/marcus-nispel-directing-conan-the-barbarian/) DVD Fans Wait A Little Longer http://uk.dvd.ign.com/articles/994/994433p1.html (http://uk.dvd.ign.com/articles/994/994433p1.html) G.I. Joe Fracas http://weblogs.variety.com/thompsononhollywood/2009/06/gi-joe-fracas-2.html (http://weblogs.variety.com/thompsononhollywood/2009/06/gi-joe-fracas-2.html) The Liberation Of Adam Lambert http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/06/09/the-new-issue-of-rolling-stone-the-liberation-of-adam-lambert/ (http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/06/09/the-new-issue-of-rolling-stone-the-liberation-of-adam-lambert/) Adam Lambert Has Come Out To Rolling Stone, And Change Has Come Indeed http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/americanidoltracker/2009/06/the-days-of-dont-ask-dont-tell-are-over-for-adam-lambert-actually-this-seasons-groundbreaking-idol-never-really-subscribed.html (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/americanidoltracker/2009/06/the-days-of-dont-ask-dont-tell-are-over-for-adam-lambert-actually-this-seasons-groundbreaking-idol-never-really-subscribed.html) Jay Leno As Adman? http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/whats-nbcus-zucker-gonna-do-now-david-letterman-tops-conan-obrien-in-last-nights-ratings/ (http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/whats-nbcus-zucker-gonna-do-now-david-letterman-tops-conan-obrien-in-last-nights-ratings/) Everybody’s a Movie Critic: New Websites and Online Readers Chime In http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/13/movies/13critics.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=michael%20cieply%20+%20rottentomatoes&st=cse (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/13/movies/13critics.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=michael%20cieply%20+%20rottentomatoes&st=cse) Movie Review Intelligence http://moviereviewintelligence.com (http://moviereviewintelligence.com/) Homework: Michael Cieply Reading List Will Warner Grow Tired of New Line, It’s Pet Indie? http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/07/business/media/07newline.html (http://www.nytimes. J. Sperling Reich, Karen Woodward & Michael Giltz no http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2009/05/25/showbiz-sandbox-5-a-travesty-of-american-idol-justice/ http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2009/05/25/showbiz-sandbox-5-a-travesty-of-american-idol-justice/#comments Tue, 26 May 2009 03:57:25 +0000 J. Sperling Reich http://www.showbizsandbox.com/?p=85 http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2009/05/25/showbiz-sandbox-5-a-travesty-of-american-idol-justice/feed/ 0 "Bones","Chuck","Night At The Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian","Terminator: Salvation",ABC,Adam Lambert,Cannes Film Festival,CBS,Fox,Jimmy Kimmel,Jon Peters,Kris Allen The week leading up to Memorial Day was chock full of juicy entertainment news. - The Cannes Film Festival wrapped up in France awarding Austrian filmmaker Michael Haneke it's top prize, the Palme d'Or. Karen Woodward and J. (http://www.showbizsandbox.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/kris-allen-and-adam-lambert.jpg) The week leading up to Memorial Day was chock full of juicy entertainment news. The Cannes Film Festival wrapped up in France awarding Austrian filmmaker Michael Haneke it's top prize, the Palme d'Or. Karen Woodward and J. Sperling Reich recap all the festival winners. In North America the Ben Stiller starrer "Night At The Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian" opened with $70 million against "Terminator: Salvation". McG's attempt to reboot the "Terminator" franchise came in second at the box office with $53.8 million. "Star Trek" continued to rake in the dough with an additional $29.4 million and a cumulative $191 million in North America. Television ratings were also bolstered by the star studded finale of the Fox network's musical reality show "American Idol". Kris Allen beat out Adam Lambert during a telecast that an estimated 28.84 million Americans tuned into. That ties the record for least-watched finale in recent "American Idol" memory, though nmore than 100 million votes were cast, a new record for the show. While Karen believes the results were a travesty of justice, Lambert may not be walking away empty handed after all; Billboard reports the rock group Queen may be interested in the young singer to front the band. Musical pop star Pink wasn't happy with "American Idol" either, though more because she says they butchered one of her songs. Social networking sensation Twitter is working on a reality television series. The web hasn't been as rewarding to "Britain's Got Talent" whose viral video of Susan Boyle has generated more than 70 million views on YouTube, though the New York Times reports that producers can't quite seem to capitalize on the surprise success. "Gossip Girl" star Chace Crawford takes the place of Zac Effron in the remake of "Footloose". Effron is mentioned in an fascinating Entertainment Weekly story about what happens to Disney's teen sensations once they are all grown up and move out of the mouse house. In New York this past week the major television networks held their "upfronts" with potential advertisers. Fox renewed "Bones" and "Dollhouse", NBC renews "Chuck" after an online protest, CBS steals "Medium" away from NBC and Jimmy Kimmel bashes his own network during a presentation to advertisers. Blogger Nikki Finke has all the details. Former Hollywood mogul Jon Peters has to scrap the idea of writing a tell all book once the proposal he sold to HarperCollins leaks. With tons of kiss-and-tell stories about former girlfriends including Barbara Striesand, Pamela Anderson and Catherine Zeta Jones, the once venerable producer sold his book "Studio Head" for $700,000 upfront. However, threatened by lawsuits from some of those mentioned in the book's outline, Peters took it off the market. Journalist Roger Friedman is back on the market. Friedman most recently made headlines after he was fired by Fox News for downloading and writing about the pirated version of "X-Men Origins: Wolverine", released by sister company Twentieth Century Fox. The columnist was picked up by The Hollywood Reporter where his blog Showbiz411 will now be published. Finally, the William Morris Agency laid off 100 agents and employees this week in preparation for the merger with Endeavor. In addition, uber-agent and WMA head Jim Wiatt is rumored to be on his way out. Michael Haneke's "The White Ribbon" Triumphs In Cannes http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-giltz/cannes-2009-day-twelve-ha_b_207204.html (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-giltz/cannes-2009-day-twelve-ha_b_207204.html) http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/chi-0525-cannes-winnersmay25,0,3607116.story (http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/chi-0525-cannes-winnersmay25,0,3607116.story) http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/25/movies/25cannes.html?hp (http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/25/movies/25cannes.html?hp) J. Sperling Reich, Karen Woodward & Michael Giltz no