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/2010/07/26/showbiz-sandbox-64-buzzing-about-comic-con-digital-comics-and-e-books/ http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2010/07/26/showbiz-sandbox-64-buzzing-about-comic-con-digital-comics-and-e-books/#comments Tue, 27 Jul 2010 06:32:52 +0000 J. Sperling Reich http://www.showbizsandbox.com/?p=938 http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2010/07/26/showbiz-sandbox-64-buzzing-about-comic-con-digital-comics-and-e-books/feed/ 0 "Animal Farm","Batman 3","Catfish","Green Hornet","Inception","Salt","Scott Pilgrim vs. The World","The Avengers","The Walking Dead",Alex Billington,Alex Pham,Amazon Geoff Boucher of the Los Angeles Times, Alex Billington of First Showing and Anne Thompson of indieWIRE all attended the 41st annual Comic-Con. They stop by to fill us in on all the the movies and television shows that managed to generate a lot of buz... Geoff Boucher (http://twitter.com/LATherocomplex) of the Los Angeles Times (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocomplex/), Alex Billington (http://twitter.com/firstshowing) of First Showing (http://twitter.com/firstshowing) and Anne Thompson (http://twitter.com/akstanwyck) of indieWIRE (http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/) all attended the 41st annual Comic-Con (http://www.comic-con.org/). They stop by to fill us in on all the the movies and television shows that managed to generate a lot of buzz (as well as a few that fizzled). We recap the pop-culture convention's highlights and breaking news items. Of course, before Comic-Con invited movies and television shows to the party, it used to be about buying and selling comic books. However, as Alex Pham (http://twitter.com/alexpham) of the Los Angeles Times (http://www.latimes.com/news/la-fiw-0718-reading-20100718,0,1216316,full.story) informs us, physical comic books may be an endangered item thanks to the growing popularity of digital comics. These newfangled comics have animation, sound effects and narration. Pham also explains how e-books are changing the future of how and what we read. E-books were the source of major controversy in the publishing world this past week. Literary agent Andrew Wylie announced he would bypass traditional publishing firms and form his own digital publishing company to release e-book versions of his client's work, including out of print work from the likes of John Updike and and Philip Roth. Rachel Deahl (http://www.linkedin.com/pub/rachel-deahl/1/b13/a16), senior news editor at Publishers Weekly (http://www.publishersweekly.com), tells us why this move was so controversial within the publishing industry. During Big Deal or Big Whoop we rant about the week's top entertainment headlines, including Justin Bieber's acting debut, Netflix's Canadian venture as well as some jail time for Lindsey Lohan and Wesley Snipes. Comical voicemail messages from Viacom head Sumner Redstone are the topic of this week's Inside Baseball segment. Comic-Con 2010: The Hero Complex Version http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocomplex/2010/07/comiccon-2010-the.... (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocomplex/2010/07/comiccon-2010-the-hero-complex-collection.html) First Showing's Comic-Con Coverage http://www.firstshowing.net/category/comic-con10/ (http://www.firstshowing.net/category/comic-con10/) Thompson On Hollywood's Comic-Con Coverage http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/category/comic-con/ (http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/category/comic-con/) Digital Comics: Nemesis Or Sidekick To Comic Book Culture? http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ct-digital-comics-20100723,0,3873557.story (http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ct-digital-comics-20100723,0,3873557.story) Electronic Reading Devices Transforming The Concept Of A Book http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jul/18/business/la-fiw-0718-reading-20100718 (http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jul/18/business/la-fiw-0718-reading-20100718) Literary Agency Plans E-Book Editions http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/22/books/22odyssey.html?_r=1 (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/22/books/22odyssey.html?_r=1) Agency Publishes 20 'Modern Classics' On Kindle, Cutting Out Publishers http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20011313-1.html (http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20011313-1.html) Random House Prepared To Challenge Wylie Agency's New Publishing Biz http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/content.... (http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/digital/content-and-e-books/article/43925-random-house-prepared-to-challenge-wylie-agency-s-new-publishing-biz.html) Stampede At German Love Parade Festival Kills 19 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-10751899 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-10751899) After Media Frenzy Lindsay Lohan Begins Life In Jail http://insession.blogs.cnn.com/2010/07/22/after-media-frenzy.... J. Sperling Reich, Karen Woodward & Michael Giltz no 1:09:32 http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2010/06/28/showbiz-sandbox-60-reality-tv-doesnt-kid-around/ http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2010/06/28/showbiz-sandbox-60-reality-tv-doesnt-kid-around/#comments Tue, 29 Jun 2010 01:00:34 +0000 J. Sperling Reich http://www.showbizsandbox.com/?p=896 http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2010/06/28/showbiz-sandbox-60-reality-tv-doesnt-kid-around/feed/ 0 "All Quiet On The Western Front","Cars 2","Catcher In The Rye","Eat Pray Love","Knight & Day","The Hobbit","The Office","The Tonight Show","Toy Story 3",Academy Awards,Box Office Futures,Bruce Cohen If you are a minor working on a reality television series it turns out there are no child labor laws that protect you. A month long investigation by the Los Angeles Times found  dozens of kids appearing on reality programs without legal safeguards due... If you are a minor working on a reality television series it turns out there are no child labor laws that protect you. A month long investigation by the Los Angeles Times found  dozens of kids appearing on reality programs without legal safeguards due to widespread uncertainty about how to classify the shows. Times staff writers Matea Gold (http://www.twitter.com/mateagold) and Richard Verrier reveal that most of the popular shows had not obtained work permits to employ minors. Gold joins us this week to provide all the details. It was good news and bad news at the box office. Good news for "Toy Story 3", which finished in first place for the second week and bad news for Tom Cruise, whose latest movie, "Knight and Day" didn't open to boffo numbers. If you'd like to place a bet on how much Cruise's next movie might make, you might never get the chance. The U.S. Congress is set to pass a financial reform bill that would prevent two box office futures exchanges from operating. The government is also getting involved in the annual Lollapalooza festival in Chicago, and not in a good way. The events promoters was subpoenaed last week for an anti-trust investigation. Turns out the "radius clause" in Lollapalooza's contract is preventing Chicago night clubs from booking musical acts. Maybe Coachella's booking rules aren't so bad after all. Google got some good legal news last week when Viacom's $1 billion lawsuit against YouTube for copyright infringement was dismissed. Of course, Viacom will appeal the decision. During Big Deal or Big Whoop we argue about all the week's top entertainment headlines, including whether Peter Jackson will direct "The Hobbit" films, the Library of Congress National Recording Registry adds some hip-hop to its archives and Sylvester Stallone as mobster John Gotti. Reality TV Kids Don't Have A Safety Net http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/tv/la-et-reality-kids-20100627.... (http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/tv/la-et-reality-kids-20100627,0,939452.story) 3D's Diminishing Box Office Returns http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118020899.html?categoryid=13&cs=1 (http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118020899.html?categoryid=13&cs=1) House Adds Movie Futures Trading Ban To Financial Reform Bill http://www.thewrap.com/movies/column-post/congress-keeps-movie-futures.... (http://www.thewrap.com/movies/column-post/congress-keeps-movie-futures-trading-ban-financial-reform-bil-18760) Bruce Cohen and Don Mischer to Produce 83rd Academy Awards Telecast http://www.oscars.org/press/pressreleases/2010/20100622a.html (http://www.oscars.org/press/pressreleases/2010/20100622a.html) Date Of Academy Awards Changing To January? http://wearemoviegeeks.com/2010/06/date-of-academy-awards-changing-to.... (http://wearemoviegeeks.com/2010/06/date-of-academy-awards-changing-to-january/) Academy Invites 135 To Membership http://www.oscars.org/press/pressreleases/2010/20100625.html (http://www.oscars.org/press/pressreleases/2010/20100625.html) Leno's 'Tonight Show' Ratings Stay Below Conan's http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/06/24/lenos-tonight-show-ratings-stay.... (http://tvbythenumbers.com/2010/06/24/lenos-tonight-show-ratings-stay-below-conan%E2%80%99s-will-they-top-them/) Is Lollapalooza A Monopalooza? Subpoenas Issued For Anti-Trust Investigation http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/immaculate-noise/posts/monopolooza.... (http://www.hitfix.com/blogs/immaculate-noise/posts/monopolooza-subpoenas-issued-for-lollapalooza-anti-trust-investigation) So Maybe Coachella's Booking Rules Aren't So Egregious After All http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2010/06/so-maybe-coachellas.... (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2010/06/so-maybe-coachellas-booking-rules-arent-so-egregious-after-all.html) Illinois Attorney General Investigating Lollapalooza For Anti-trust http://blogs.vocalo.org/jderogatis/2010/06/breaking-illinois-attorney-general.... (http://blogs.vocalo. J. Sperling Reich, Karen Woodward & Michael Giltz no 1:04:00 http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2010/04/12/showbiz-sandbox-49-hollywood-experiences-premature-sequalization/ http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2010/04/12/showbiz-sandbox-49-hollywood-experiences-premature-sequalization/#comments Tue, 13 Apr 2010 05:31:52 +0000 J. Sperling Reich http://www.showbizsandbox.com/?p=771 http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2010/04/12/showbiz-sandbox-49-hollywood-experiences-premature-sequalization/feed/ 0 "Clash of the Titans","Date Night","Desperate Housewives","Mission Impossible IV","The Tonight Show",Bob Dylan,Brad Bird,Conan O'Brien,Erykah Badu,Harrison Ford,Jenny McCarthy,Jim Carrey Have you ever wondered why movie studios love to make sequels of hit films? Well, these studios don't even wait for a film to be released before announcing its sequel. Steve Zeitchik of the Los Angeles Times fills us in on the sequel culture that has ... Have you ever wondered why movie studios love to make sequels of hit films? Well, these studios don't even wait for a film to be released before announcing its sequel. Steve Zeitchik (http://twitter.com/zeitchikLAT) of the Los Angeles Times (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/movies/2009/12/steven-zeitchik.html) fills us in on the sequel culture that has taken over Hollywood. Meanwhile, the king and queen of television, Steve Carell and Tina Fey, nudged "Clash of the Titans" out of first place at the box office with their new release "Date Night". While Fey may be making a move to the silver screen, the big news of the week was happening in television - cable television no less. Oprah Winfrey announced five new shows that will air on her cable network starting next January, a lineup that left some industry-watchers befuddled. Another TV personality following Oprah onto a cable network is Conan O'Brien. He surprised just about everyone by announcing he would be starting his own late night talk show this fall on TBS. While analyzing the week's top entertainment news stories including how celebrities are using Twitter these days. We finish off with a little Inside Baseball in which we try and understand why anyone would want to buy Miramax or MGM.  Premature Sequalization: Sequel Culture Runs Amok http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/movies/2010/04/tron-legacy-sequel.... (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/movies/2010/04/tron-legacy-sequel-sherlock-holmes.html) Conan O'Brien Will Do A Late Night Show On TBS http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/12/conan-obrien-will.... (http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/12/conan-obrien-will-do-a-late-night-show-on-tbs/?hp) Winfrey Network Details Programming Plans http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118017455.html?categoryid=.... (http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118017455.html?categoryid=14&cs=1&ref=bd_tv) NBC Attempts To Edit Around Slash's Team Coco Pin http://tv.gawker.com/5511584/nbc-attempts-to-edit-around-slashs-team-coco-pin (http://tv.gawker.com/5511584/nbc-attempts-to-edit-around-slashs-team-coco-pin) Tiger Woods' Nike Commercial Just Doesn't Do It http://www.suntimes.com/sports/2148012,tiger-woods-nike-commercial-08.article (http://www.suntimes.com/sports/2148012,tiger-woods-nike-commercial-08.article) Usher Overtakes Justin Bieber In Top Spot On Billboard's Charts http://www.hitfix.com/articles/2010-4-7-usher-overtakes-justin-bieber.... (http://www.hitfix.com/articles/2010-4-7-usher-overtakes-justin-bieber-at-no-1-on-the-billboard-200) Jim Carrey and Jenny McCarthy Break Up Via Twitter http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/gossip/2010/04/jim-carrey-jenny-mccarthy.... (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/gossip/2010/04/jim-carrey-jenny-mccarthy-split-via-twitter.html) Harrison Ford Joins 'Cowboys and Aliens', Tweets Favreau http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/2010/04/07/harrison_ford.... (http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/2010/04/07/harrison_ford_joins_cowboys_aliens_tweets_favreau/) Producers Guild of America Agrees on New Credit: Transmedia Producer http://www.deadline.com/2010/04/producers-guild-of-america-vote-on-creation.... (http://www.deadline.com/2010/04/producers-guild-of-america-vote-on-creation-of-new-credit-transmedia-producer/) Nicolette Sheridan Sues 'Housewives' Producer http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/07/arts/television/07arts-NICOLLETTESH_BRF.html (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/07/arts/television/07arts-NICOLLETTESH_BRF.html) Erykah Badu Charged With Disorderly Conduct For Music Video http://music-mix.ew.com/2010/04/02/erykah-badu-charged-police/ (http://music-mix.ew.com/2010/04/02/erykah-badu-charged-police/) Nic Cage's House Too Weird To Sell http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/2010/04/08/cages_house.... (http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/2010/04/08/cages_house_too_weird_to_sell) Brad Bird In Final Negotiations To Direct 'MI:4 http://www.firstshowing. J. Sperling Reich, Karen Woodward & Michael Giltz no 51:01 http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2010/01/11/showbiz-sandbox-37-conan-and-lenos-late-shift-shrift/ http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2010/01/11/showbiz-sandbox-37-conan-and-lenos-late-shift-shrift/#comments Tue, 12 Jan 2010 04:18:59 +0000 J. Sperling Reich http://www.showbizsandbox.com/?p=615 http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2010/01/11/showbiz-sandbox-37-conan-and-lenos-late-shift-shrift/feed/ 0 "Avatar","Lost","X Factor",American Idol,Ben Silverman,CES,Conan O'Brien,David Colker,Fox News,Jay Leno,Jeffrey Gaspin,Los Angeles Times It's official: Simon Cowell will be leaving "American Idol" this season and NBC (finally!) admits that airing "The Jay Leno Show" in primetime five nights a week was a mistake. Cowell is headed off to start a new reality talent show, "X Factor", It's official: Simon Cowell will be leaving "American Idol" this season and NBC (finally!) admits that airing "The Jay Leno Show" in primetime five nights a week was a mistake. Cowell is headed off to start a new reality talent show, "X Factor", while Jay Leno is headed back to his old late night time slot, at least for a half-hour. But where will Conan O'Brien's tonight show end up? Right now NBC wants to push him back a half hour. In theaters, "Avatar" just will not go away. It stays firm at the top of the box office again this week. “Daybreakers” staring Ethan Hawke, also did well in its debut, but the Amy Adams vehicle “Leap Year” didn’t leap anywhere. Meanwhile, the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) tries to sell us on 3D television and video rental service Netflix reaches an important agreement with Warner Bros. David Colker (http://www.twitter.com/davidcolker), a business reporter covering technology for the Los Angeles Times (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology) gives us the low down on CES, espcially all the 3D televisions announced at the show (which aren’t even available for sale yet). Do consumers even want 3D television? More importantly, how are we prepared to wear those funny 3D glasses at home? As for Netflix, Will Richmond (http://www.twitter.com/videonuze), president of Broadband Directions and editor of VideoNuze.com (http://www.videonuze.com/), helps us decipher their deal with Warner Bros. The agreement delays the studio's DVD releases to Netflix customers by 28 days while increasing the number of Warner films that are available for digital streaming. In addition, Warner Bros. will lower the per-disc price it charges Netflix to purchase DVDs. That alone could save Netflix millions. Richmond explains why the deal is a win for everyone: Netflix, Warner Brothers, and the consumer. Simon Cowell Leaving Idol http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/11/cowell-to-leave-idol/?hp (http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/11/cowell-to-leave-idol/?hp) 'X Factor' Debut Could Mean A Simon Cowell-less 'American Idol' http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-cowell11-2010jan11,0,2968814.story (http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-cowell11-2010jan11,0,2968814.story) NBC Kicks Jay Leno Out Of Prime Time http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118013563.html?categoryid=1292&cs=1 (http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118013563.html?categoryid=1292&cs=1) NBC Greenlights Six Drama Pilots http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i936d3d2c48ddaeb1a2d9ead12d47b795 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i936d3d2c48ddaeb1a2d9ead12d47b795) First 3D Dedicated Networks Coming To TV http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10425553-93.html (http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10425553-93.html) DirecTV to Offer All 3D Satellite TV Channels To Home Viewers http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2010/01/panasonic-directv.html (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2010/01/panasonic-directv.html) Do Consumers Really Want 3D TV? http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/05/do-consumers-really-want-3d-tvs/ (http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/05/do-consumers-really-want-3d-tvs/) Ben Silverman's Electus Strikes Deal With Yahoo! http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3if944e88734e00aa3e05308366dedea44 (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3if944e88734e00aa3e05308366dedea44) Lost - Is TV Show A Franchise That Will Live On? http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118013523.html?categoryid=14&cs=1&ref=bd_tv (http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118013523.html?categoryid=14&cs=1&ref=bd_tv) Avatar Gets Best Screenplay Nod From WGA http://movies.insidepulse.com/2010/01/12/writers-guild-awards-nominations/ (http://movies.insidepulse.com/2010/01/12/writers-guild-awards-nominations/) Roman Polanski Asks To Be Sentenced In Absentia http://latimesblogs.latimes. J. Sperling Reich, Karen Woodward & Michael Giltz no 1:00:46 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/2009/11/09/showbiz-sandbox-28-why-spider-man-is-hard-up-for-52-million/ http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2009/11/09/showbiz-sandbox-28-why-spider-man-is-hard-up-for-52-million/#comments Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:38:03 +0000 J. Sperling Reich http://www.showbizsandbox.com/?p=484 http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2009/11/09/showbiz-sandbox-28-why-spider-man-is-hard-up-for-52-million/feed/ 0 "A Christmas Carol","Gossip Girl","Precious","Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark","This Is It","V",Academy Awards,Alec Baldwin,Bono,FCC,John Horn,Los Angeles Times We don’t always talk about theater on the podcast, but Los Angeles Times staff writer John Horn wrote a story too good to resist. The Broadway debut of “Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark” has found its greatest enemy is the budget. We don’t always talk about theater on the podcast, but Los Angeles Times staff writer John Horn (http://articles.latimes.com/writers/john-horn) wrote a story too good to resist. The Broadway debut of “Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark” has found its greatest enemy is the budget. Horn joins us to talk about the story behind one of the most troubled productions in Broadway history and how he got the scoop (not to mention the musical's script, soundtrack and a video promo reel). But first, Michael Giltz (http://www.michaelgiltz.com) eats another serving of crow this week, as the Michael Jackson rehearsal documentary "This Is It” held up respectably and indie-darling “Precious” grossed a stunning $1,800,000 on just 18 theaters over the weekend. "Precious" will no doubt be nominated for a few Oscars come awards season. Speaking of the Academy Awards, Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin are teaming up to host next year's Oscar telecast. Karen Woodward (http://www.industrynexus.com) though the decision to go with Martin and Baldwin was dated and hopes they don't hijack the show. On the other hand, Michael and J. Sperling Reich (http://www.twitter.com/sperling) thought it was a good choice. In more frivolous news, Nicolas Cage is suing his former money manager, Samuel J. Levin, for $20 million in Los Angeles Superior Court, claiming he enriched himself while “sending Cage down a path toward financial ruin.” Granted, this is probably not a frivolous topic for Mr. Cage, although he was not exactly careful with his money, Sperling (who once worked as an executive at Cage’s production company) explains. As much as his NDA will allow. Technology and reality reared their ugly heads this week and movie studios are wondering how to benefit. Is the MPAA betraying theater owners? Are day-and-date release windows a good idea? If you have no idea what that even means, listen to the podcast. Were you one of the 13.9 million people who tuned in to watch the series of premiere of “V”? Michael and Sperling were. Will you continue watching? Did ABC do the show a favor by rolling it out in stages by airing a handful of shows in November, and the rest of the season in January)? Maybe this belongs in a future Big Deal/Big Whoop. We cycle through the rest of this week’s top entertainment news stories in our popular Big Deal or Big Whoop segment, and end on a positive note: Oprah may leave daytime, but that’s only so she can take over the world. "Precious" Stuns With $100K Weekend Average http://www.indiewire.com/article/box_office_precious_stuns_with_100k.... (http://www.indiewire.com/article/box_office_precious_stuns_with_100k_weekend_average/pem) Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin Will Team As Hosts Of The Oscars http://theenvelope.latimes.com/la-et-oscarhosts..... (http://theenvelope.latimes.com/la-et-oscarhosts4-2009nov04,0,1066819.story) On Broadway, Spider-Man's Greatest Enemy Is The Budget http://www.latimes.com/la-et-spider-man..... (http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-spider-man6-2009nov06,0,3989809.story) http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/06/.... (http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/06/spider-man-musical-announces-new-producers-star/) Nicolas Cage Compulsive Spender http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-11-03/nicolas-cage.... (http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-11-03/nicolas-cage-compulsive-spender/) The MPAA's Motive In Upsetting Exhibitors Over Release Windows http://celluloidjunkie.com/2009/11/09/the-mpaas-motive.... (http://celluloidjunkie.com/2009/11/09/the-mpaas-motive-in-upsetting-exhibitors-over-release-windows/) http://www.mcnblogs.com/thehotblog/archives/2009/11/what_does_the_m.html (http://www.mcnblogs.com/thehotblog/archives/2009/11/what_does_the_m.html) V Debuts With Massive Ratings http://scifiwire.com/2009/11/v-debuts-with-massive-rat.php (http://scifiwire.com/2009/11/v-debuts-with-massive-rat.php) J. Sperling Reich, Karen Woodward & Michael Giltz no http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2009/10/12/showbiz-sandbox-episode-24-how-to-get-a-hero-complex/ http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2009/10/12/showbiz-sandbox-episode-24-how-to-get-a-hero-complex/#comments Tue, 13 Oct 2009 05:04:41 +0000 J. Sperling Reich http://www.showbizsandbox.com/?p=425 http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2009/10/12/showbiz-sandbox-episode-24-how-to-get-a-hero-complex/feed/ 0 "Couples Retreat","Fantastic Mr. Fox","Flash Forward","Pirates of the Caribbean","The Hobbit","Wes Anderson","Where The Wild Things Are","X-Men",Barbara Streisand,Geoff Boucher,Hero Complex,Jimmy Kimmel Our special guest this week is Geoff Boucher, full time entertainment writer for the Los Angeles Times and part time Wookiee. Geoff began the popular L.A. Times blog, Hero Complex, devoted to caped crusaders, zombies, wizards and all things superhero. Our special guest this week is Geoff Boucher (http://twitter.com/latherocomplex), full time entertainment writer for the Los Angeles Times (http://www.latimes.com) and part time Wookiee. Geoff began the popular L.A. Times blog, Hero Complex (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocomplex/), devoted to caped crusaders, zombies, wizards and all things superhero. With a tag line that reads "for your inner fanboy", Hero Complex has quietly become a huge hit and recently won the award for best online commentary among large websites from the Online News Association. Over the last week, Geoff wrote a series of posts on the blog that look at film franchises entering their fourth turn on the silver screen, including "Lord Of The Rings", "Pirates of the Caribbean", "Spider-Man", and "X-Men". (Check out the reader poll: 'The Hobbit' Will Triumph But 'X-Men' and 'Pirates' Franchises Should Quit Now (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocomplex/2009/10/reader-poll-the-hobbit-will-triumph-but-xmen-and-pirates-should-quit-now.html)) Meanwhile, at this weekend's North American box office, moviegoers made "Couples Retreat" the number one film, followed by "Zombieland" and "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs". The big surprise of the weekend was the little indie film "Paranormal Activity". Made for peanuts, the film is now raking in millions based solely off a social networking marketing campaign. That might be why Michael Giltz (http://www.michaelgiltz.com) and Karen Woodward (http://www.twitter.com/kwoody3939) are dying to see the movie. . . no pun intended. (See the movie, you'll get the joke).  In other movie news, the fur is flying at Fox (both the studio and its upcoming release "Fantastic Mr. Fox"). Writing about the film and its maker, Los Angeles Times writer Chris Lee notes, “To be clear, Wes Anderson did not set out to direct his new movie via email.” Does a filmmaker actually need to show up on set to get a director credit? Clearly that’s debatable. A little less unbelievable is director Mike Nichols being tapped by the American Film Institute to receive the AFI Life Achievement Award. Nor is the news that Roman Polanski is feeling “tired and depressed” in jail according to his lawyer. Swiss officials have said they believe there is a very high risk of Polanski fleeing if he is released on bail. Really?! What would ever give you that idea? Over in the land of TV, ABC has picked up "Flash Forward", "The Middle", "Modern Family" and "Cougar Town", proving that Karen and Michael are going strong in the “Hiatus or Back 9 (http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2009/09/28/showbiz-sandbox-22-the-trouble-with-indie-films-roman-polanski-and-hollywood-guilds/)” challenge.  New DVR numbers show "Flash Forward" has picked up two million viewers including later playback. Raise your hand if you know what “Live + 7” is. (Hint: It’s the ratings for the number people who watched a show both when it aired and on DVR within a week of its original broadcast). In music news, Barbara Streisand's new album, "Love Is The Answer", tops the music charts both in the U.S. and U.K. Stop rolling your eyes. Yes, we don’t care that much about Babs either. Except she’s auctioning off some of her personal belongings on Saturday. See ya there. Nor do we care that much about the late Michael Jackson's posthumous song release, "This Is It". If you want to know what we do care about, we finish off with “Big Deal or Big Whoop”, our new weekly segment where we assess the entertainment world's top headlines. Do we care? Do we not care? Should we care but don’t? Finally, stay tuned later this week for a special installment of Showbiz Sandbox which expands on this episode's Inside Baseball topic; should bloggers be allowed to break journalistic rules. Indiewire's Anne Thompson (http://www.thompsononhollywood.com) and entertainment journalist James Rocchi (http://rocchireport.com/) join our hosts to argue (and we do mean argue) both sides of the issue. J. Sperling Reich, Karen Woodward & Michael Giltz no