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. Sat, 04 Sep 2010 00:09:29 +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) 2010 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/2010/03/22/showbiz-sandbox-46-hollywoods-latest-meme-is-3d/ http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2010/03/22/showbiz-sandbox-46-hollywoods-latest-meme-is-3d/#comments Mon, 22 Mar 2010 23:29:30 +0000 J. Sperling Reich http://www.showbizsandbox.com/?p=737 http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2010/03/22/showbiz-sandbox-46-hollywoods-latest-meme-is-3d/feed/ 0 "Alice In Wonderland","Avatar","Captain America","Clash of the Titans","Diary of a Wimpy Kid","How To Train Your Dragon",3D,Ben Folds,Chris Evans,Christian Slater,Conan O'Brien,James Cameron A "Wimpy Kid" couldn't beat "Alice In Wonderland" at the box office this weekend. The higher price for 3D tickets has turned "Alice" into Tim Burton's most successful film. And Hollywood studios have definitely noticed how well audiences are respondi... A "Wimpy Kid" couldn't beat "Alice In Wonderland" at the box office this weekend. The higher price for 3D tickets has turned "Alice" into Tim Burton's most successful film. And Hollywood studios have definitely noticed how well audiences are responding to 3D. The new format is so hot that, much to the annoyance of James Cameron, they have gone back to convert some upcoming releases to 3D, such as "Clash of the Titans". With thirty three 3D films presently slated for release in 2010 this has managed to create a bottle neck at movie theaters where there is usually only enough room to show one 3D film at a time.  It's gotten so competitive that Paramount has told theater owners that if they don't play "How to Train Your Dragon" on their 3D enabled screen, they won't send them a 2D print. But that means "Alice's" engagement will be cut short. Beginning to see the problem? While movie theaters don't have enough 3D screens and too much content, the exact opposite is true in the home. Television manufacturers are selling 3D enabled televisions but there is nothing to watch. Have no fear though, Major League Baseball, NCAA basketball and the PGA Masters all have plans for 3D broadcasts.   You can even see talk show host Conan O'Brien in 3D. Granted, you'll have to come to see him in person at one of the 30 live stage shows he's performing this summer around the U.S. Rumors are beginning to surface that O'Brien is edging closer to a deal with Fox for his own late-night laugher. Over in the world of music, two musicians (one professional, one not) use a new website, Chatroulette! (http://www.chatroulette.com/), to create some improvised viral videos.  Finally we touch on some Viacom-YouTube news and Rosie O'Donnell's return to TV in Big Deal or Big Whoop before spending some time trying to understand why Spotify (http://www.spotify.com/int/), Europe's successful music service, is having trouble launching in North America. 'Dragon' Versus 'Titans' Versus 'Alice' In Fight Over 3-D Screens http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ct-dragons18-2010mar18,0,3786136.story (http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ct-dragons18-2010mar18,0,3786136.story) 'Avatar' Director James Cameron: 3D Promising But Caution Needed http://content.usatoday.com/communities/technologylive/post/2010/03/james.... (http://content.usatoday.com/communities/technologylive/post/2010/03/james-cameron/1) 'Avatar' Will Hit Blu-Ray and DVD On Earth Day April 22 http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocomplex/2010/03/avatar-.html (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocomplex/2010/03/avatar-.html) Masters and Final Four In 3D Next Month http://hollywoodinhidef.com/2010/03/masters-and-final-four-in-3d-next-month/ (http://hollywoodinhidef.com/2010/03/masters-and-final-four-in-3d-next-month/) 3D MLB Coming Sooner http://hollywoodinhidef.com/2010/03/3d-mlb-coming-sooner/ (http://hollywoodinhidef.com/2010/03/3d-mlb-coming-sooner/) As Conan-Fox Heats Up A Syndie Scenario Emerges http://www.thewrap.com/ind-column/conan-fox-talks-heat-syndie-scenario.... (http://www.thewrap.com/ind-column/conan-fox-talks-heat-syndie-scenario-emerges-15357) Conan O'Brien Plots A Movie Maneuver http://www.deadline.com/2010/03/conan-obrien-plots-a-movie-maneuver/ (http://www.deadline.com/2010/03/conan-obrien-plots-a-movie-maneuver/) Idol Album Sales: Danny Gokey, Daughtry, Kelly Clarkson, Etc. http://content.usatoday.com/communities/idolchatter/post/2010/03/idol-album.... (http://content.usatoday.com/communities/idolchatter/post/2010/03/idol-album-sales-danny-gokey-daughtry-kelly-clarkson-etc/1) American Idol Airplay: Adam Lambert Climbs, Kris Allen Start To Slip http://www.examiner.com/x-11363-TV-Examiner~y2010m3d22-American-Idol.... (http://www.examiner.com/x-11363-TV-Examiner~y2010m3d22-American-Idol-airplay-Adam-Lambert-climbs-Kris-Allen-starts-to-slip) Chat Roulette Funny Improve #1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32vpgNiAH60 (http://www.youtube. J. Sperling Reich, Karen Woodward & Michael Giltz no 1:03:27 http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2010/03/08/showbiz-sandbox-44-and-the-six-oscars-go-to-hurt-locker/ http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2010/03/08/showbiz-sandbox-44-and-the-six-oscars-go-to-hurt-locker/#comments Tue, 09 Mar 2010 03:14:21 +0000 J. Sperling Reich http://www.showbizsandbox.com/?p=715 http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2010/03/08/showbiz-sandbox-44-and-the-six-oscars-go-to-hurt-locker/feed/ 0 "Alice In Wonderland","Avatar","Precious","The Colbert Report","The Daily Show","The Hurt Locker",Academy Awards,Cablevision,Christolph Waltz,Conan O'Brien,Disney,Hulu The ballots have been counted, the envelopes have been opened and the nominees have undoubtedly returned their ball gowns and tuxes. Finally, after all the news coverage and public speculation about who would this year's Oscars, The ballots have been counted, the envelopes have been opened and the nominees have undoubtedly returned their ball gowns and tuxes. Finally, after all the news coverage and public speculation about who would this year's Oscars, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences put us out of our misery on Sunday during their annual awards ceremony. The proceedings lasted more than three hours as usual and provided very few surprises. Katheryn Bigelow made history by being the first woman to win the Best Director Oscar for "The Hurt Locker", which won six awards in total including Best Screenplay and Best Picture. Jim Cameron's "Avatar" won three technical awards for art direction, cinematography and visual effects. One of the night's biggest surprises was when Geoffrey Fletcher walked off with the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for "Precious", upsetting Jason Reitman's "Up In The Air". As we predicted on last week's episode, Jeff Bridges won Best Actor for "Crazy Heart", Sandra Bullock won Best Actress for "The Blind Side", Mo'Nique won Best Supporting Actress for "Precious" and Christolph Waltz won Best Supporting Actor for "Inglorious Basterds". Damien Bona, co-author of the book Inside Oscar (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0345400534?ie=UTF8&tag=showbsandb-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0345400534)(http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=showbsandb-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0345400534), stops by to help us analyze this year's Oscar results. Believe it or not, there were a few other entertainment news stories this week besides the Oscars. In fact, the Oscars weren't even the only awards show. The Spirit Awards were handed out the day before the Academy Awards and "Precious" walked of with. . . well, just about every top prize. At movie theatres, Tim Burton's 3D adaptation of "Alice In Wonderland" opened to over $210 million worldwide, setting records for a March debut. Over in the world of television, Conan O'Brien may no longer have a talk show, but he does have a Twitter account. Maybe he can use it to promote his upcoming live stage tour. Viacom has pulled "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report" off of Hulu (for now). Is the move just a negotiating tactic for Viacom to get an ownership stake in Hulu? Meanwhile Disney was getting into scuffles of its own. It pulled the entire ABC network off of Cablevision over a retransmission fee dispute with the cable operator. If you don't know what retransmission is all about, make sure to listen to this week's Inside Baseball segment to get caught up on a topic you are sure to hear more about in the months ahead. 'The Hurt Locker' Wins Big At Oscars http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/08/movies/awardsseason/08oscars.html (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/08/movies/awardsseason/08oscars.html) "Precious" Tops Spirit Awards http://www.indiewire.com/article/list_of_spirit_award_winners_in_progress/pem (http://www.indiewire.com/article/list_of_spirit_award_winners_in_progress/pem) Indie Spirits: "Precious" Sweeps, Izzard and LA Live Fizzle http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/2010/03/06/indie_spirits.... (http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/2010/03/06/indie_spirits_precious_sweeps_izzard_and_la_live_fizzle/pem) Conan O'Brien Live Tour Confirmed http://showbiz411.blogs.thr.com/2010/03/05/conan-obrien-live-tour-confirmed/ (http://showbiz411.blogs.thr.com/2010/03/05/conan-obrien-live-tour-confirmed/) Conan Twitter Tracker: How Conan Met Sarah http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2010/03/conan-twitter-tracker.... (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2010/03/conan-twitter-tracker-how-conan-met-sarah.html) Joaquin Phoenix says he's ready to act; just looking for good script http://showbiz411.blogs.thr.com/2010/03/06/joaquin-phoenix-says-hell-come.... (http://showbiz411.blogs.thr.com/2010/03/06/joaquin-phoenix-says-hell-come-back-to-movies/) Viacom Pulls Daily Show/Colbert Report from Hulu J. Sperling Reich, Karen Woodward & Michael Giltz no 1:04:25 http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2010/02/15/showbiz-sandbox-42-tom-cruise-takes-a-pay-cut-and-other-indignities/ http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2010/02/15/showbiz-sandbox-42-tom-cruise-takes-a-pay-cut-and-other-indignities/#comments Tue, 16 Feb 2010 03:32:14 +0000 J. Sperling Reich http://www.showbizsandbox.com/?p=677 http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2010/02/15/showbiz-sandbox-42-tom-cruise-takes-a-pay-cut-and-other-indignities/feed/ 0 "24","Alice In Wonderland","Avatar","Clash of the Titans","How To Train Your Dragon","Lost","Mission Impossible IV","Superman",Bob Iger,Christopher Nolan,Disney,iPad We only talk about "Avatar" for a couple of seconds in this week’s podcast, thank goodness. Instead, we focus on actors campaigning for their Oscars (and a few who aren’t). We also discuss what we call “the 3D movie brouhaha” which has made Jeffrey Ka... We only talk about "Avatar" for a couple of seconds in this week’s podcast, thank goodness. Instead, we focus on actors campaigning for their Oscars (and a few who aren’t). We also discuss what we call “the 3D movie brouhaha” which has made Jeffrey Katzenberg irate. In TV news, co-hosts Karen Woodward (http://www.karenwoodwardonline.com) and Michael Giltz (http://www.michaelgiltz.com/) are passionate about the Olympics and the absurdity of “Lost” (even recaps are confusing!) And, after 28 years, MTV is changing its logo to reflect that the channel is no longer just about “music television”. They may be about 10 years too late. Co-host J. Sperling Reich (http://www.twitter.com/sperling) jumps into one of his favorite topics – new media – and reminds us that this guy named Steve Jobs sits on the board of Disney and is one of the top shareholders. No wonder Disney CEO Robert Igor called the underwhelming iPad “a really compelling device” that could be a game changer. We’ll hold off our thoughts on the new Apple product until we see if it really will change the way entertainment is distributed.  All the top entertainment news stories of the week are rehashed in our Big Deal or Big Whoop segment before we end with some Inside Baseball, and a heated debate over journalistic plagiarism. Programming Note: Sperling is on assignment next week, so we will not be recording a podcast. It’s a good time for you to download a few of our past episodes over on iTunes (http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=315942437) or the Zune Marketplace (http://social.zune.net/podcast/Showbiz-Sandbox/106b3ff8-0b50-4577-8e9d-777626418d31)! Oscar Diva Smackdown http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-02-08/oscars-diva-smackdown/ (http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-02-08/oscars-diva-smackdown/) Alice Might Get Shorter Theatrical Run http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3i6c8a99.... (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3i6c8a99484479c6fe23ff6a8804817a27) http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/the_big_picture/2010/02/are-movie-theater.... (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/the_big_picture/2010/02/are-movie-theater-owners-playing-the-heavy-in-alice-in-wonderland-dvd-controversy.html) Katzenberg Angry Over Warner Bros Clash Of The Titans release http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2010/02/katzenberg-.html (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/entertainmentnewsbuzz/2010/02/katzenberg-.html) Next Spider-Man Movie to be in 3-D http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/02/10/arts/AP-US-Film-Spider-Man-4.html (http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/02/10/arts/AP-US-Film-Spider-Man-4.html) Tom Cruise and Paramount Reunite For Fourth Mission http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3ie48d97.... (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3ie48d97158d5e5659bbcad877a67320a9?imw=Y) MTV's New Logo http://adage.com/mediaworks/article?article_id=142017 (http://adage.com/mediaworks/article?article_id=142017) “Lost” Recap http://www.mediafreakblog.com/2010/02/lost-season-6-answers-answered-ep-2.html (http://www.mediafreakblog.com/2010/02/lost-season-6-answers-answered-ep-2.html) Disney's Iger Takes a Big Swig of iPad KoolAid http://paidcontent.org/article/419-disneys-iger-takes-big-swig-of-ipad-kool-aid/ (http://paidcontent.org/article/419-disneys-iger-takes-big-swig-of-ipad-kool-aid/) HBO Gets Kathryn Bigelow For Pilot http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i2fac53d5f65010f7.... (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i2fac53d5f65010f7c12bdd0489f96600) 24 Headed To The Big Screen http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118014913.html?categoryId=13&cs=1 (http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118014913.html?categoryId=13&cs=1) USA Posts Sharp Drops for White Collar, Psych http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/content_display/news/cable-tv/e3ie4.... (http://www. J. Sperling Reich, Karen Woodward & Michael Giltz no 1:02:47 http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2010/02/01/showbiz-sandbox-40-taylor-aint-swift-at-the-grammys/ http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2010/02/01/showbiz-sandbox-40-taylor-aint-swift-at-the-grammys/#comments Tue, 02 Feb 2010 04:54:35 +0000 J. Sperling Reich http://www.showbizsandbox.com/?p=646 http://www.showbizsandbox.com/2010/02/01/showbiz-sandbox-40-taylor-aint-swift-at-the-grammys/feed/ 0 "Avatar","Catfish","Jersey Shore","Lost","Transformers 3",Alison Willmore,Beyonce,David Wild,Geoff Boucher,grammys,Jay Leno,Kathryn Bigelow The highlights of this week’s entertainment news were the Grammys and Sundance. First though, there was “Avatar”, “Avatar”, and more “Avatar”. The 3D wunderkind was number one at the box office again and has sold roughly 56 million tickets in North Am... The highlights of this week’s entertainment news were the Grammys and Sundance. First though, there was “Avatar”, “Avatar”, and more “Avatar”. The 3D wunderkind was number one at the box office again and has sold roughly 56 million tickets in North America so far. “Titanic” sold roughly 128 million admissions in North America, so if “Avatar” did that, it would gross about $1.2 billion in the U.S alone. But there is more going on in the entertainment world besides “Avatar”. The music world gathered for the Grammys on Sunday, January 31. Geoff Boucher (http://twitter.com/latherocomplex) from the Los Angeles Times (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/herocomplex/) and David Wild (http://twitter.com/wildaboutmusic), one of the writers on the Grammy telecast, join us to discuss the hits (Pink’s performance), the misses (Taylor Swift and Stevie Nicks) and what was going on backstage (Alice Cooper hangs with Smokey Robinson). The Grammys weren’t the only prizes handed out over the weekend. Sundance announced its festival winners and Alison Willmore (http://twitter.com/alisonwillmore), a senior editor at IFC.com (http://www.ifc.com), stops by to talk about her favorite festival films and a few she recommends skipping. (Pause for J. Sperling Reich to geek out asking Alison about all the movies she didn’t manage to see in Park City this year.) Meanwhile, Michael Giltz and Karen Woodward are still arguing over the Jay Leno - Conan O’Brien debacle. This week they have Oprah Winfrey’s interview with Leno to debate. Was Jay able to do some damage control, or will America turn off their TV’s when he returns to “The Tonight Show”? Lastly, in Inside Baseball news, indie film great Miramax has officially shut its doors. Or more accurately, Miramax had their doors shut for them by Disney. The film company, named after the parents of co-founders Bob and Harvey Weinstein, Miriam and Max, will live on as a shell of its former self as Disney searches for a buyer. The closing of Miramax makes those of us who were around when “Pulp Fiction” was released feel very, very old. Avatar Ticket Sales in US http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/27/movies/awardsseason/27record.html?8dpc (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/27/movies/awardsseason/27record.html?8dpc) Is This A Box Office Record with an *? http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-bigpicture30-2010jan.... (http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-bigpicture30-2010jan30,0,7457451.story) Avatar Plot FAIL. http://failblog.org/2010/01/10/avatar-plot-fail/ (http://failblog.org/2010/01/10/avatar-plot-fail/) Breakdown of Avatar Costs http://graphjam.com/2010/01/19/funny-graphs-avatar-costs/ (http://graphjam.com/2010/01/19/funny-graphs-avatar-costs/) Kathryn Bigelow Is First Woman To Win DGA Award http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2010/feb/01/kathryn-bigelow-first-woman-dga-award (http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2010/feb/01/kathryn-bigelow-first-woman-dga-award) IFC’s Sundance Coverage http://www.ifc.com/sundance/ (http://www.ifc.com/sundance/) Alison Willmore's Writing On IFC.com http://www.ifc.com/mt/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&id=6 (http://www.ifc.com/mt/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&id=6) "Winter's Bone", "Restrepo" Lead Sundance Award Winners http://www.indiewire.com/article/sundance_10_awards_in_progress/ (http://www.indiewire.com/article/sundance_10_awards_in_progress/) Best & Worst of Sundance: "Gasland", "Giftshop" Lead Critics Polls http://www.indiewire.com/article/best_worst_of_sundance_gift_shop_gasland_lead_critics_poll/ (http://www.indiewire.com/article/best_worst_of_sundance_gift_shop_gasland_lead_critics_poll/) Sundance Sales Pick Up http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118014532.html (http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118014532.html) Karina Longworth’s Sundance Coverage http://www.voicefilm.com/search.php?tag=sundance&blog_id=175 (http://www.voicefilm.com/search.php?tag=sundance&blog_id=175) Not Even Oprah Can Keep America From Hating Jay J. Sperling Reich, Karen Woodward & Michael Giltz no 1:03:56 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/2009/11/23/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