Daily Variety articles from April 2010

Daily Variety archives from April 2010

Frosh report card: this season yields solid players ...
April 30, 2010... The 2009-l 0 TV season hasn't been a blockbuster year for rookies, but the networks fielded the most even-performing crop of new series in years. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Just one frosh entry will finish in the season's top 10. However the...

Freddy's back at B.O.
April 30, 2010... Warner Bros. and New Line will hope to scare life back into what has been a slowdown at the domestic B.O., with its debut of horror reboot "A Nightmare on Elm Street" at 3,332 locations. Also entering the frame in wide release is Summit's "Furry...

Col pix goes 'Boom'.
April 30, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Sony is making it clear it wants to be in the Kevin James business, with Columbia Pictures wrapping up a pact to move forward with "Here Comes the Boom," an action comedy that the thesp will star in and produce with...

... As pilots pick up speed.
April 30, 2010... There are no sure things during pilot season--except J.J. Abrams' "Undercovers." The spy-fy drama that Abrams co-wrote with Josh Reims is considered a lock for NBC's 2010-11 schedule. The Peacock is poised to pickup as many as six dramas and...

'Shore'-fire hit boosts Viacom biz.
April 30, 2010... It seemed unlikely when it first bowed, but MTV's raunchy "Jersey Shore" may have been the medicine that Viacom was waiting for. The cable network, the focus of an aggressive revamp after slipping in ratings and relevance in recent years, has...

Political vids hit sour note.
April 30, 2010... CALIFORNIA'S POLITICAL landscape this election cycle has been, for lack of a better term, bizarre. We've had Web attack videos of Barbara Boxer as a blimp, Tom Campbell as a demon sheep and Meg Whitman as a sad looking, Rankin Bass-like puppet...

Michelle Trachtenberg.(Tenpercenteries)
April 30, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Michelle Trachtenberg has inked with UTA. She can currently be seen on the skein "Mercy" and continues to be managed by Framework Entertainment.

Rob Dyrdek.(Tenpercenteries)
April 30, 2010... ICM has signed Rob Dyrdek ("Rob and Big") for representation. Dyrdek can currently be seen on MTV's "Rob Dyrdek's Fantasy Factory." He's managed by JKL Worldwide. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Crispin Glover.(Tenpercenteries)
April 30, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Crispin Glover has inked with Fortitude. He was last seen in "Hot Tub Time Machine" and "Alice in Wonderland" and is managed by 3 Arts.

Craig Shapiro.(Tenpercenteries)
April 30, 2010... Talent agent Craig Shapiro has joined ICM's talent department. Shapiro comes from Innovative Artists and brings over a clientele that includes Jim Parsons, Ian Somerhalder and Eric Mabius. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Jessica Parker Kennedy.(Tenpercenteries)
April 30, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Jessica Parker Kennedy just signed with Gersh. She was recently seen on "V" and continues to be managed by Armada Partners.

Gregg Helvey.(Tenpercenteries)
April 30, 2010... Anonymous Content has signed Gregg Helvey. Past credits include "Kavi" and "The Knife Grinder's Tale."

Tribeca kudos for Teuton drama.(2010 Tribeca Film Fest)
April 30, 2010... German drama "When We Leave (Die Fremde)" and American docu "Monica and David" scored the top awards for world narrative feature and doc feature, respectively, at the 2010 Tribeca Film Fest. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Filmmaker awards went to...

Everyday Rapture.
April 30, 2010... (American Airlines; 740 seats; $116.50 top) A Roundabout Theater presentation of a Second Stage Theater production that is a musical in one act by Dick Scanlan and Shetie Rene Scott. Directed by Michael Mayer. Musical director, Marco Paguia....

Totem.(Theater review)
April 30, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] (Le Grand Chapiteau, Montreal; 2,675 seats; C$135 ($133) top) A Cirque du Soleil presentation of a show in two acts, written and directed by Robert Lepage. Set and props, Carl Fillion; costumes, Kym Barrett;...

'Heart' belongs to Dixon.(Victor Dixon in Unchain My Heart)(Brief article)
April 30, 2010... Brandon Victor Dixon, fresh off his well-received perf in "The Scottsboro Boys," will portray Ray Charles in "Unchain My Heart," the Charles bio-tuner set to open on Broadway in the fall. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dixon ("The Color...

'Rock' on road trip.(Constantine Maroulis tours Rock of Ages)(Brief article)
April 30, 2010... Constantine Maroulis, the "American Idol" alum who currently toplines the Broadway tuner "Rock of Ages," will hit the road with the show's touring production, launching in September in Chicago. Tour will be the second North American offshoot...

Tuning up for toons: Canuck vfx firm expands into features.
April 30, 2010... Vancouver-based vfx and animation studio Rainmaker has unveiled its first-ever slate of original animated feature projects and is pitching them to distributors. Rainmaker has been primarily known as a service business, doing visual effects...

'Race' goes distance.(Brief article)
April 30, 2010... Broadway play "Race" won't shutter in June after all: The show has pushed back its closing date until Aug. 23. Producers of "Race" recently announced the David Mamet play had recouped its capitalization costs of about $2.5 million, fueled in...

Weather Channel adds vp.
April 30, 2010... NBC and Turner Broadcasting alum Shirley Powell has joined the Weather Channel as exec veep of corporate communications. Powell will oversee all public relations and communications matters for the cabler and its digital and international...

'Tree' to cap Cannes fest.
April 30, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Scribe-helmer Julie Bertucelli's Oz-set drama "The Tree" will screen as the out-of-competition closing film of this year's Cannes Film Festival. Based on the novel "Our Father Who Art in the Tree" by Brisbaneborn...

Peter Pan.(Theater review)
April 30, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] (King's Theater; Glasgow; 1,765 seats; 28 top [pounds sterling]) A National Theater of Scotland and barbicanbitel0 co-production of a play in two acts by JM Barrie, in a new version by David Greig. Directed by John...

Screen Australia hands out coin.(AUSTRALIA)(Dean Craig)(Brief article)
April 30, 2010... "Death at a Funeral," scribe Dean Craig's next project, "A Few Best Men," is among two pics and three TV made-fors to get coin from Screen Australia. Pic leads the latest round of A$8 million ($7 million) in coin announced by the org....

Sydney Fest taps jury prexy.(AUSTRALIA)
April 30, 2010... The Sydney Film Festival has tapped Aussie producer Jan Chapman ("Bright Star") to be the fest's jury prexy. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Chapman will be joined by Sundance fest topper John Cooper to judge the FIAPF-approved official...

Blurbs bounce back: TV ad sales perk up in Germany, Russia.(World News)
April 30, 2010... Television advertising is rebounding in Russia and Germany, as reflected in financial returns from Pan-European broadcasting group ProSiebenSat.1 and Russia's Video Intl., the country's biggest media advertising group, as well as its biggest...

Fortissimo feels the 'Joy'.(World News)(Fortissimo Films acquires rights to My Joy)(Brief article)
April 30, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Fortissimo Films has acquired worldwide rights outside Germany, Russia and the CIS to Cannes competition title "My Joy." The Ukraine-German co-production marks the debut feature for director Sergei Loznitsa. Pic...

HD channels give BSkyB a profit boost.(World News)
April 30, 2010... Blighty's biggest paybox, BSkyB, propelled by higher-than-expected takeup of its HD channels, reported a big jump in pre-tax profits for the nine months to the end of March. Pre-tax profits more than doubled from 339[pounds sterling] million...

Obama drama.(World News)(Renegade: The Making of a President)(Brief article)
April 30, 2010... The best-selling story of President Obama's 2008 election campaign, "Renegade: The Making of a President:' has been optioned by ITV Studios and upstart U.K. shingle Open TV and Film for a minisenes. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Book's author...

A Nightmare on Elm Street.(Movie review)
April 30, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A Warner Bros. release of a New Line Cinema presentation of a Platinum Dune production. Produced by Michael Bay, Andrew Form, Brad Fuller. Executive producers, Richard Brenner, Walter Hamada, Dave Neustadter, Robert...

Phish 3D.
April 30, 2010... (Docu) A Cinedigm release of an Action 3D Prods. production, in association with AEG Network Live. Produced by Wayne Miller. Executive producers, Jeff Lewis, John Rubey, Coran Capshaw, Jason Colton, Patrick Jordan. Directed by Lawrence...

Eye adds to Lurie's job.
April 30, 2010... CBS Corp. has expanded the duties of CBS Interactive chief financial officer Zander Lurie to encompass strategic planning. Zander, previously exec veep and CFO of CBS Interactive, will now serve as senior veep of strategic development for...

Game on for Fox 2000, tome.
April 30, 2010... Fox 2000 has snapped up Cherry Cheva's young-adult novel "Duplikate" for Alloy Entertainment to produce. Rina Mimoun, creator of the short-lived CW skein "Privileged," has been tapped to adapt. Story centers on Kate Larson, who creates an...

Mandate revives 'Death' for LaBeouf.(Shia LaBeouf in The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman)(Brief article)
April 30, 2010... Shia LaBeouf will be popping up all over the upcoming Cannes Film Festival. The thesp, whose pic "Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps" makes its world premiere at the Palais, has also signed on to star in Mandate Pictures' "The Necessary Death...

'Iron' bows strong overseas.(Paramount and Marvel Entertainment's Iron Man 2)(Brief article)
April 30, 2010... Paramount and Marvel Entertainment have kickstarted what should be a red-hot international run for "Iron Man 2." Pic bowed early in six overseas territories Wednesday to the tune of $2.2 million on 960 screens, claiming the top spot in each...

Weekend B.O. preview.(box office)(Brief article)(Statistical data)
April 30, 2010... Weekend B.O. Preview Variety.com/weekend openers Sweet dreams It's been more than two decades since the original Freddy franchise first graced the big screen, with a spattering of more recent reboots. Here's a look at Elm Street's top bows. ...

Scribe in HBO posse.(Doug Ellin, Home Box Office Inc.)(Brief article)
April 29, 2010... HBO is keeping Doug Ellin behind its velvet rope, signing a three-year overall deal with the "Entourage" creator/ exec producer. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Eight-figure pact is an extension of the deal Ellin has been under at HBO for several...

Fallon circles Emmycast gig.(Inside Move)(Jimmy Fallon, Emmy Awards)
April 29, 2010... NBC is close to naming "Late Night" host Jimmy Fallon as this year's Emmy Awards host. The net's choice is expected to be revealed next week, and deals aren't done yet. But according to insiders, Peacock execs lobbied hard for Fallon, and TV...

DGA waits its turn at the table.
April 29, 2010... Now that the DGA has set the date for the start of its contract talks with the majors, the big question on the horizon for Hollywood labor-watchers is when will the WGA take its turn at the bargaining table? The DGA, which has traditionally...

Back to the future for 3D ballyhoo.(tech BYTES)
April 29, 2010... It's been said history doesn't repeat itself, but it rhymes. That's especially true of Variety's coverage of an industry greedy for 3D. Take this sentence for example: "Current cycle of interest and activity in stereoscopy is more in the...

Super sized: 3D boom buoys Imax.
April 29, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Thanks to continued 3D success and a robust international expansion, Imax is expected to have a record-breaking first quarter when it announces its earnings today. On Wednesday, Imax announced a substantial three-year...

Comcast looks ahead: hopes to close NBC U deal by end of '10.
April 29, 2010... Top brass at Comcast Corp. and General Electric remain hopeful that the NBC Universal deal will close by year's end. In talking up Comcast's first quarter earnings on Wednesday, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts said the timing of the union should...

Indie thriller scares up 2.(Below Zero)(Brief article)
April 29, 2010... Edward Furlong and horror film vet Michael Berryman are toplining indie thriller "Below Zero." Signe Olynyk, Bob Schultz, Laura Pursley and Judy Fox are producing the pie, directed by Justin Thomas Ostensen and penned by Olynyk. Shooting...

'Cyrus' adds to BAM sked.(BAM Cinema Festival)(Brief article)
April 29, 2010... New York preems of "Cyrus," "Tiny Furniture," "Freedom Riders" and "Mars" are among the attractions lined up for the Brooklyn Academy of Music's BAM Cinema Fest in June. Sundance buzz magnet "Cyrus," the Duplass brothers movie starring John...

Nantucket picks pics.
April 29, 2010... "Toy Story 3" and Magnolia Pictures' Sundance alum "The Extra Man" will kick off the 2010 Nantucket Film Festival, which has announced a lineup that finishes with The Weinstein Co.'s John Lennon biopic "Nowhere Boy." Latest incarnation of the...

Madge magnifies 'Glee' album spree.
April 29, 2010... The high school chirpers of "Glee" and Madonna's song catalog add up to a No. 1 album this week, as the hit Fox series' third album spin-off enters at the top of the U.S. album chart. "The Power of Madonna," drawn from recent episode in which...

New Period for music man.
April 29, 2010... Former major label topper Phil Quartararo is partnering with entertainment exec Patrick Hughes to found a new Woodland Hills-based firm, Management Period. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Company will provide management, marketing and branding...

Helmer steers NASCAR spesh.
April 29, 2010... Fox Sports and Speed have tapped vet event helmer Roger Goodman to direct the inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Event, which includes tributes to NASCAR legends Dale Earnhardt, Richard Petty and Junior Johnson, will air May 23...

Collected Stories.(Theater review)
April 29, 2010... (MTC's Samuel J. Friedman Theater; /650 seats; $97 top) A Manhattan Theater Club presentation of a play in two acts by Donald Margulies. Directed by Lynne Meadow. Set, Santo Loquasto; costumes, Jane Greenwood; lighting, Natasha Katz; original...

Women Beware Women.(Theater review)
April 29, 2010... (National Theater, Olivier, London; 1,12 7 seats; 30 top [pounds sterling]) A National Theater presentation of a play in two acts by Thomas Middleton. Directed by Marianne Elliott. Sets and costumes, Lez Brothersto +++lighting, Nell Austin,...

Testa tunes up 'Damned'.(LEGIT)(Mary Testa, I'll Be Damned)(Brief article)
April 29, 2010... Main Stem vet Mary Testa will star in a new tuner, "I'11 Be Damned," set for an Off Broadway run this fall. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Testa ("Guys and Dolls," "Xanadu") appears alongside Kenita R. Miller ("The Color Purple") and Kurt Robbins...

A date with 'Abigail'.(LEGIT)(Miss Abigail's Guide to Dating, Mating and Marriage)(Brief article)
April 29, 2010... Ken Davenport will present an industry reading this week of a new play, "Miss Abigail's Guide to Dating, Mating and Marriage," in preparation for a run in Tampa this summer and a potential Off Broadway bow. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Davenport...

China's deep pockets: Mogul touts big-budget 3D mermaid epic.(World News)(Jiang, Jon)(Brief article)
April 29, 2010... Producer Jon Jiang introduced his 3D underwater actioner "Empires of the Deep" to the Chinese media Tuesday, predicting the U.S.-China co-prod will be China's most expensive movie ever with a budget of $130 million. Real estate mogul Jiang is...

Helmer boards 'Hitsville'.(World News)
April 29, 2010... Maria Ripoll ("Tortilla Soup") is attached to direct "Hitsville," an English-language action-thriller set up at Madrid's Intuition Films, Kanzaman and 6 Sales and Mexico's Fractal Communications. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Patrick Juarez's...

Virgin Media forges ahead.(World News)(Virgin Media Group Ltd.)(Brief article)
April 29, 2010... Virgin Media achieved record growth in the first quarter of this year. It added a net 38,300 TV subscribers, the most since Virgin emerged from the merger of NTL and Telewest four years ago. This was accomplished despite a fragile economy and...

Momentum goes 'Beneath'.(Momentum Pictures, Beneath Hill 60)(Brief article)
April 29, 2010... Momentum Pictures has picked up U.K. rights to Aussie pic "Beneath Hill 60" from international sales and production company Intandem Films. The WWI pic, which was released by Paramount Pictures in Australia on April 15, has grossed $1.6...

Soda coin adds fizz.(World News)
April 29, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] U.K. indic distrib Soda Pictures has set up a 2 million [pounds sterling] ($3 million) distribution fund, dubbed the Soda Film Fund, to acquire bigger films and boost its release campaigns. The distrib, which focuses...

Scarpeili wrote hits.(World News)(Furio Scarpelli)(Obituary)(Brief article)
April 29, 2010... Oscar-nominated Italian screenwriter Furio Scarpelli, whose credits include spaghetti Western classic "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly," but who is best known for scores of the finest postwar Italo comedies penned in tandem with writing partner...

Spork.(Movie review)
April 29, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A Last Bastion Entertainment and 11:11 Entertainment presentation. (International sales: The Film Sales Co., New York.) Produced by Christopher Racster, Chad Allen, Honey Labrador, Geric Frost. Executive producers,...

Babies.
April 29, 2010... (Bebes) (Docu--France) A Focus Features (in U.S.) release of a Chez Wam/Studio Canal production. Produced by Alain Chabat, Amandine Billot, Christine Rouxel. Directed by Thomas Balmes. Camera (color, HD), Balmes; editors, Craig McKay,...

Helmer inks for 'Dawn'.
April 29, 2010... With Bill Condon finally confirmed as director of "Breaking Dawn," the final tome in the "Twilight" saga, the only question left to be answered is whether Summit Entertainment will definitely break the story into two films. [ILLUSTRATION...

ICM taps two to top pic unit.
April 29, 2010... ICM has upped Scott Schachter and Adam Schweitzer to co-heads of the agency's motion picture talent department. Schachter will be based in Los Angeles, while Schweitzer will work out of the Gotham office. Toni Howard, who had run the...

'iCarly' star logs into pic.
April 29, 2010... Paramount has inked a deal with British author and screenwriter Emma Forrest to develop a feature for teen television sensation Miranda Cosgrove. Cosgrove, who toplines Nickelodeon TV's popular "iCarly," is one of Viacom's more valuable...

Globes gobble up Gervais early.(Golden Globes, Ricky Gervais )
April 29, 2010... The news that Ricky Gervais will return for the second year as host of the Golden Globes was kind of a no-brainer for NBC, the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn. and Dick Clark Prods. The timing, however, was intriguing. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ...

'Iron'-clad opening.(V)(Iron Man 2)(Brief article)
April 29, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In erupting volcano in Iceland may have vaporized "Iron Man 2's" planned premiere in London, but the powers at Paramount, Marvel and Disney still managed to give the film a superhero's welcome in Hollywood on Monday. ...

Scary 'Street' scene.(V)(A Nightmare on Elm Street)(Brief article)
April 29, 2010... Tuesday night's preem of "A Nightmare on Elm Street" at the Chinese evoked memories of the 1984 original. "I'm so relieved that people were scared tonight," noted director Samuel Bayer at the post-preem bash at Holly W "I've been under an...

'Babies,' stuffed with kids.(V)
April 29, 2010... It was one of those preems where none of the stars showed. Then ! again, since those stars are now only 3 or 4 years old, the makers of the movie forgave them. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Thomas Balmes' doc "Babies" follows four infants from...

Fest test: Tribeca hits halfway mark.(Tribeca Film Festival)
April 28, 2010... A little more than halfway through the 2010 Tribeca Film Fest, a couple of questions seem to recur. The first, regarding the fest's early attention-magnet "Untitled Eliot Spitzer Film": How viable is a theatrical release for a pic with such a...

Time out for Supernanny?(Brief article)
April 28, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Terrible tots and bratty tweens can rest easier: The Supernanny might be hanging up her cape. Jo Frost--who started out starring on the U.K. version of "Supernanny" in 2004--is making noises that she's prepared to...

'Iron' still has polish.(Movie review)
April 28, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Iron Man 2" isn't as much fun as its predecessor, but by the time the smoke clears, it'll do. Much like "The Dark Knight" this Paramount release brings an enormous stash of goodwill to the party, thanks to a...

Lifetime takes page from History.
April 28, 2010... Having rewritten History, Nancy Dubuc's next challenge will be a bit more daunting. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dubuc takes on oversight of Lifetime Networks as its flagship cabler continues its struggle with relevancy--and competing in an...

'Dragon' to fly again for DreamWorks.(How to Train Your Dragon, DreamWorks Animation )(Brief article)
April 28, 2010... While DreamWorks Animation can't wait for its cash ogre to return to the bigscreen next month, the studio has put teeth into "How to Train Your Dragon" as its "next franchise." The toon studio's chief Jeffrey Katzenberg said a sequel to...

UCLA focuses on showbiz 101.
April 28, 2010... UCLA AND USC OFTEN ENGAGE in spirited competition, although at times the scales have appeared almost as one-sided in the media and film realm as they have been on the football field. Under Dean Elizabeth Daley, USC's School of Cinematic Arts...

Isabelle Fuhrman.(Players)
April 28, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Isabelle Fuhrman ("Orphan") has booked the lead in "Salvation Boulevard." She joins an ensemble that already includes Greg Kinnear, Pierce Brosnan, Marisa Tomei and Jennifer Connelly. The thesp also landed a role on the...

Kristin Carey.(Players)
April 28, 2010... Kristin Carey ("Bones") has been cast in the Farrelly Brothers pic "Hall Pass," currently shooting in Atlanta. She plays a character who gets into hall trouble with Owen Wilson and Jason Sudeikis.

Ana de la Reguera.(Players)
April 28, 2010... Ana de la Reguera has been cast as a series regular on "Eastbound & Down." She will play the love interest of Kenny Powers. The thesp was recently seen in "Cop Out" with Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Vincent De Paul.(Players)
April 28, 2010... Vincent De Paul has signed on to laffer "Walk a Mile in My Pradas" with Bruce Vilanch, Tom Arnold and Mike Start. Past credits include Nickelodeon's "Big Time Rush" and "Poseidon."

Marty Ingels.(Players)
April 28, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Thesp Marty Ingels has landed a guest spot on "CSI." Ingels will play a retired theatrical agent mixed up with one of a suspected killer's victims.

Org plans 3D home schooling.
April 28, 2010... Trade org Digital Entertainment Group has created a unit to promote 3D in the home. Called DEG 3D Working Group, the entity consists of DEG studio and manufacturer members and is chaired by Warner Home Video veep Kris Brown. Its sked calls...

Bingo: Scenes of Money and Death.(Theater review)
April 28, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] (Minerva Theater, Chichester, UK.; 283 seats; 27.50 [pounds sterling] ($42) top) A Chichester Festival Theatre production, in association with Duncan C. Weldon, of a play in two acts by Edward Bond. Directed by Angus...

Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo.
April 28, 2010... (Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles; 724 seats; $65 top) A Center Theater Group presentation of a play in two acts by Rajiv Joseph. Directed by Moises Kaufman. Sets, Derek McLane; costumes, David Zinn; lighting, David Lander; sound, Cricket S....

Enron.
April 28, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] (Broadhurst Theater; 1172 seats; $121.50 top) A Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel, Matthew Byam Shaw, ACT Prods., Neal Street, Beverly Bartner & Norman Tulchin, Lee Menzies, Bob Boyett, Scott M. Delman, INFINITY...

Raising the rafters: 'Glee,' 'Idol' put Fox far ahead of rivals.
April 28, 2010... Fox made it look easy last week in primetime, dominating all key demo categories behind "American Idol," "Glee" and "House." "Glee" remains very much in vogue, as its Madonna-themed episode was the frame's top scripted program among young...

Newbies Tru to brand.(TruTV)
April 28, 2010... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] TruTV greenlit eight series for development and renewed five others, including "Conspiracy Theory With Jesse Ventura," at its first dedicated upfront. The caner, which will have 13 returning series overall in 2010,...

Gee programmed to veep.
April 28, 2010... Noriko Gee has earned veepee stripes at CBS. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Gee has been upped in the Eye's programming planning and scheduling department, where she has served as a director since 2007. Working with Kelly Kahl, senior exec veep...