Showbiz Sandbox 421: How “Grand Theft Auto” Got Its Groove On

August 27, 2018

The popular video game franchise “Grand Theft Auto” has already made over $6 billion for its publisher Rockstar. Now as the game moves online its players have listened to 75 billion minutes of music. Players can stream 18 online radio stations as they make their way through the game and even buy a nightclub to book performances by major DJ’s like Black Madonna. It’s the latest digital revenue stream for record labels and artists as sales of physical media taper off.

Meanwhile, just as the Justice Department was set to investigate whether the Paramount Decrees are still necessary, a small movie theater operator in Texas is suing the world’s largest cinema chain, AMC, claiming they colluded with studios to prevent them from getting new releases. The case proves just how hard proving antitrust allegations can be.

In the United Kingdom a movement among actors to be treated more fairly during the audition process has turned into a campaign with its own hashtag; #YesorNo. Actors simply want to know whether they have gotten a role or not after an audition. Some say being ignored entirely is worse than being rejected.

Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including the final season of “The Big Bang Theory,” the Eagles break a sales record in a dubious fashion and Cuba Gooding, Jr. is headed to Broadway by way of “Chicago.”

Read more

Showbiz Sandbox 275: TV Casting Isn’t Just Black and White

March 30, 2015

Thanks to the success of new shows like “How To Get Away With Murder”, “Black-ish”, “Fresh Off The Boat”, “Jane the Virgin” and, of course, “Empire”, Deadline Hollywood reports this year’s pilot season is experiencing an explosion of minority casting. Networks are now writing roles specifically for ethnic actors and demanding series pilots feature a diverse cast. Though long overdue, the suggestion that the “pendulum might have swung a bit too far in the opposite direction” ruffled a few industry feathers.

In less controversial news, the Library of Congress announced the 25 recordings it will be adding to the National Recording Registry this year. Among them are classics by The Doors and Radiohead, Broadway cast albums and hits by The Righteous Brothers and Johnny Mercer. There are even a few historical wax cylinder recordings dating all the way back to the 1890s.

And just when you thought the awards season was long over, the New York Independent Film Critics held their annual meeting to select the IRA Film Awards. Our host Michael Giltz was on hand to argue, discuss and vote for the best in movies from last year with a prestigious group that believes they have better taste than all those other awards shows. We’ll go over the list of winners.

Of course, we also cover the week’s top entertainment news stories including who will replace Jon Stewart as host of “The Daily Show”, the popular television series “Downton Abbey” calls it quits as does Zayn Malik, a now former-member of One Direction.

Read more