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On Wednesday April 16 2025, NBC broadcasts The Kelly Clarkson Show!

Season 6 Episode 132 Episode Summary

The upcoming episode of “The Kelly Clarkson Show” promises to be an exciting one. Kelly Clarkson will kick things off with her popular segment, Kellyoke, where she will perform “Love So Soft.” Fans of her music can look forward to an energetic rendition that showcases her powerful voice and vibrant stage presence.

In addition to Kelly’s performance, the episode will feature actress Olivia Munn. Known for her roles in various films and television shows, Munn is expected to share some fun stories and insights from her career. Her appearance will add a lively dynamic to the show, making it a must-watch for fans.

The episode will also include a fun segment called “Ping Pong Snack Attack.” This game is sure to bring some laughter as guests compete in a playful challenge. Paul W. Downs and comedian...

A lot of the writers who worked on great TV shows have complained about getting unhelpful editorial notes from network executives. Like Dan Harmon, who once wrote a Community episode about a guy who pens useless notes that no one pays attention to — that he named after a real-life Sony exec.

But Seinfeld, one of the biggest shows of all time, seemingly didn’t have much of a problem with network interference. After all, it was an executive’s note that reportedly led to the creation of Elaine’s character. In general, Seinfeld didn’t have to put up with a ton of network meddling — and that may be because execs were terrified of giving Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David feedback.

Former Seinfeld writer Carol Leifer recently guested on Jason Alexander’s podcast Really? No Really, and naturally, they discussed their shared history with everybody’s favorite show about nothing.

Everyone knows what a bad speech sounds like. But very few know how to write good a one — and even fewer have what it takes to write a truly funny speech. Veteran comedy writer Carol Leifer happens to be one of those talented few. In addition to shows like Seinfeld, Hacks and Curb Your Enthusiasm — just to name three — she’s also written for awards ceremonies like the Oscars and the Emmys as well as countless speaking engagements. So, it was a natural fit for her to co-write How to Write a Funny Speech… for a Wedding, Bar Mitzvah, Graduation & Every Other Event You Didn't Want to Go to in the First Place along with fellow comedy writer Rick Mitchell. Released last week, the book serves as a practical guide for anyone looking to craft a humorous speech, even with little to no experience.

I recently spoke with Leifer over...

The 97th Academy Awards were held on Sunday night, i.e., the Super Bowl for movie fans. That comparison might sting a little for ABC, which probably wishes it could achieve Super Bowl ratings numbers for the Oscars, especially following Hulu's glitchy livestream, which likely contributed to a decrease in viewers for the first time in four years.

According to Variety, the 2025 Oscars attracted 18.1 million viewers to watchAnora claim Best Picture of the year, down 7% from the 19.5 million people who tuned in for the 2024 ceremony. Given that ratings for the awards ceremony have seen much lower lows, this is a respectable number, but it may be a sign that some of the films, beyond box-office behemoth Wicked, weren't sampled by casual moviegoers and mostly appealed to more dedicated cinephiles.

Related2025's Academy Awards Were One of the Best in Years

The 97th Academy Awards did not mock the nominees...

Will Conan O'Brien host the Academy Awards again? The question has been on everyone's lips since his performance during last night's ceremony. Thankfully, Walt Disney TV's Rob Mills, the executive VP of unscripted and alternative entertainment in charge of these things, has some thoughts on the matter, too. And in a new interview with Variety, the executive lays out his thoughts on that, some of the night's biggest jokes, and more.

Though hardly confirmation of anything that may or may not happen in the future, Mills put the ball directly in O'Brien's court when it comes to hosting the award show again, confirming to the outlet that ABC's parent company was deeply satisfied with the job the comedian did. Considering how thankless it can be to host an awards show (just ask all the other folks who have hosted award shows), it's a huge compliment to O'Brien's ability to appeal...

Chris Rock is playing coy about hosting the Academy Awards again. The former host — who was involved in one of the most memorable moments in Oscars history when he was slapped by Will Smith onstage — remained vague when asked whether or not he would tackle the role taken on by Conan O'Brien in this year's ceremony.

Considering all that he had to endure not only during the 2022 Oscars, but the fallout after the fact, it's not surprising that the Fargo star was hesitant to commit to returning. But given that Rock was all about "forgiveness" when E! News asked him about it at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party, we could absolutely see a world where he comes back and hosts the show again. But if you want to know exactly what he had to say about the matter, keep reading below!

RelatedChris Rock Faces Humorous Threat from Another Round Director...

Conan O’Brien shocked the Oscars with a joke about the ongoing beef between rappers Kendrick Lamar and Drake, and it’s one that earned the joke writer some cash. Comedian and writer Skyler Higley was the brains behind the joke, and he revealed on X during the show: “Wrote the Kendrick Lamar joke and bet our executive producer $50 that it would kill. Just made $50.”

Higley, who writes for CBS’ “After Midnight” and previously worked with O’Brien on his TBS talk show “Conan,” was one of several writers who worked on the 2025 Oscars. The staff also included Amberia Allen, José Arroyo, Josh Comers, Dan Cronin, Jessie Gaskell, Berkley Johnson, Ian Karmel, Brian Kiley, Laurie Kilmartin, Carol Leifer, Jon Macks, Matt O’Brien, Agathe Panaretos and Mike Sweeney.

At the midway point of the Oscars ceremony, O’Brien walked out on stage and joked: “We’re halfway through the show, which means...

There isn't a more rigidly formulaic television genre than the sitcom. Over a tightly telescoped span of 22 minutes, writers must introduce, escalate and resolve a situation, all while giving audiences the belly laughs that have hopefully made the show appointment viewing. They typically only have a week from table read to filming, which leaves the production some room for adjustments, but little in the way of experimentation. It's all got to be on the page.

Even for a show like "Seinfeld," where the cast maintained a high degree of spontaneity throughout each episode? Where Kramer's (Michael Richards) abrupt entrances seem to throw off the entire gravity of Jerry's (Jerry Seinfeld) apartment? Where Elaine's (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) signature shoves feel like they come out of nowhere? Where the banter takes so many unpredictable twists and turns that the actors appear to be consistently off-guard?

If you're not familiar with how sitcom production works,...

Everyone's favorite canoe-paddler and gigglepuss extraordinaire, Nick Offerman, has been confirmed as the official Show Announcer for this year's Academy Awards ceremony. The Parks and Recreation funnyman will join host Conan O'Brien in show duties that are sure to bring the funny to this year's Oscars. And he's not the only famous face (or voice) to be newly confirmed to present or join the broadcast of the 97th installment of cinematic accolades.

The news was confirmed on Wednesday by The Hollywood Reporter while speaking with executive producer and showrunner Raj Kapoor and executive producer Katy Mullan. The event will be the first time the Emmy Award-winning performer has attended the ceremony.

Also planning to work that night are Oprah Winfrey, Selena Gomez, Ben Stiller, Willem Dafoe, Goldie Hawn, Sterling K. Brown, Joe Alwyn, Lily-Rose Depp, Ana de Armas, and Connie Nielsen — all of whom have been confirmed as presenters at the awards.

The stars were out on both coasts for the 2025 Writers Guild Awards on Saturday (February 15).

The annual awards show honors outstanding writing in film, television, streaming, news, radio, and promotional categories.

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story star Nicholas Alexander Chavez was in attendance at the New York ceremony, held at Edison Ballroom, where he took the stage to present.

Joining him in NYC included Ilana Glazer, Bowen Yang, J Smith Cameron, Roy Wood Jr, Busy Philipps, Jelani Alladin, Julio Torres, Celine Song, Sandra Oh, Jesse Eisenberg and Michael Cyril Creighton.

On the West Coast, stars like Kiernan Shipka and Erin Foster were among those attending the LA ceremony at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills.

Keep reading to find out more…

Also at the LA event included Megan Park, Justine Lupe, Ernie Hudson, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Lisa Ann Walter, Adele Lim, Joel Kim Booster, Utkarsh Ambudkar and his wife Naomi,...

The 77th annual Writers Guild Awards were handed out on Saturday in concurrent ceremonies at the Edison Ballroom in New York and Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles.

Shōgun took home the prize for Best New Series, beating out fellow first-time nominees such as English Teacher, Nobody Wants This, Fallout and Mr. and Mrs. Smith. The Hulu series also won for Best Drama and Episodic Drama, while Max’s Hacks took home the trophy for Best Comedy, and HBO’s The Penguin won for Limited Series.

More from TVLinePaleyFest 2025: Agatha All Along, Matlock, Hacks, Cobra Kai and More Join LineupWriters Guild Awards 2025: Evil,...

Anora kept up its impressive run to the Oscars on Saturday, adding the Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay to its considerable haul. The win for the the Sean Baker film came a week after Anora swept the Directors Guild of America and Producers Guild of America top prizes, cementing itself as the frontrunner heading into the Academy Awards on March 2.

RaMell Ross and Joslyn Barnes‘ script forNickel Boys, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Colson Whitehead, scored for Best Adapted Screenplay at the WGA Awards, which honor the best writing in movies, television, news, and radio.

The key WGA categories of Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Original Screenplay are seen as a bellwether for the impending Academy Awards, though the nominees rarely match up. Scripts produced outside the guild’s collective bargaining agreement or written by a non-union member are deemed ineligible. This year, six...

Sean Baker’s Anora, written by Baker, and Nickel Boys, written by RaMell Ross and Joslyn Barnes, took the top film prizes at the 77th annual Writers Guild Awards tonight, for Original Screenplay and Adapted Screenplay, respectively. The awards were handed out in concurrent ceremonies in Los Angeles and New York. See the full winners list below.

On the TV side, it was a big night for HBO/Max, which won the Comedy Series award (Hacks), Limited Series (The Penguin), Comedy/Variety Series and Specials and TV & Streaming Movie categories, as well as for Disney/FX’s Shōgun, which topped the Drama & New Series fields.

Anora is coming off a string of wins, including top honors from Directors Guild and Producers Guild, putting it in frontrunner status for the Academy Awards. It’s nominated for six Oscars including Best Picture as well as Directing and Original Screenplay for Baker.

Ross...

Halle Berry, Penélope Cruz, Elle Fanning, Whoopi Goldberg, Scarlett Johansson, John Lithgow, Amy Poehler, June Squibb and Bowen Yang will be presenting at the 2025 Oscars, the Academy announced on Tuesday. They join last year’s acting winners Robert Downey Jr., Cillian Murphy, Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Emma Stone in handing out statuettes on March 2, when the 97th Academy Awards take place at the Dolby Theatre Ovation Hollywood, hosted by Conan O’Brien.

As previously announced, the show will see the return of the “Fab 5” format, where previous winners stand on stage and heap praise on each of this year’s nominees. In the past, the format has been used for the acting categories, but not this year, given the implosion of “Emilia Pérez” lead actress Karla Sofía Gascón’s campaign due to her history of bigoted tweets. Instead, five previous winners will assemble to highlight below-the-line talent.

The 97th Academy Awards...

For the millions of people who haven’t even heard of the movies nominated for Best Picture this year, there’s still a very good reason to watch the Academy Awards: comedy.

After all, this year’s ceremony will be hosted by none other than Conan O’Brien, who previously hosted the Emmys, the MTV Awards, the NFL Honors, and, of course, the esteemed Audiencey Awards.

We also just learned who will be writing this year’s ceremony. In addition to several names that may or not be pseudonyms for Bruce Vilanch, the team includes comedian Carol Leifer. While she’s written for hit shows like Saturday Night Live, Modern Family, The Larry Sanders Show, and most recently, Hacks, a lot of us first became aware of her because of Seinfeld.

Leifer was Emmy-nominated for her work on Seinfeld, writing six episodes (and working as a story editor on dozens more), including classics like “The Rye.

Gold Derby’s top news stories for Feb. 3, 2025

California band Dawes follows Grammys performance by releasing “I Love L.A.” cover as charity single

After losing their homes in the Los Angeles wildfires, Dawes opened the 2025 Grammys with support from Grammy-winning musicians St. Vincent, Sheryl Crow, Brad Paisley, Brittany Howard, and John Legend. Their rendition of Randy Newman‘s classic “I Love L.A.” was one of the most memorable moments during the music kudos. Now they’ve released the song, with proceeds going to the Recording Academy and MusiCares’ Los Angeles Fire Relief Effort. You can also contribute to wildfire relief efforts here.

Dune: Part Two, Demi Moore among winners at 2025 Saturn Awards

Presented by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror, the 52nd Annual Saturn Awards honored the best achievements in genre films and TV shows, and the big winner of the night was Dune: Part Two, which claimed Best Science Fiction Film,...

Oscars executive producers Raj Kapoor, who also serves as showrunner, and Katy Mullan revealed the members of the production team for the 97th ceremony, which will be hosted by Conan O’Brien Sunday, March 2.

Rob Paine returns as co-executive producer and Taryn Hurd as do producers Sarah Levine Hall. Supervising choreographer Mandy Moore and lighting designers Bob Dickinson and Noah Mitz also rejoin the team. Producers Jeff Ross and Mike Sweeney will be first-time team members.

Writers for this year’s show include Amberia Allen, José Arroyo, Josh Comers, Dan Cronin, Jessie Gaskell, Skyler Higley, Berkley Johnson, Ian Karmel, Brian Kiley, Laurie Kilmartin, Carol Leifer, Jon Macks, Conan O’Brien, Matt O’Brien, Agathe Panaretos and Mike Sweeney.

As previously announced, the show’s production team also includes director Hamish Hamilton, production designers Misty Buckley and Alana Billingsley, and music director Michael Bearden.

The 2025 Academy Awards will take place March 2 at the Dolby Theater at Ovation Hollywood.

The Oscars have revealed key members of the production team for the 2025 awards ceremony, airing on March 2.

Executive producer and showrunner Raj Kapoor and executive producer Katy Mullan announced on Monday that Rob Paine will return as co-executive producer and Taryn Hurd and Sarah Levine Hall will return as producers. All three won Emmys back in September for their work on the 2024 Oscars.

Mandy Moore will be supervising choreographer, having performed the role last year. Not to be confused with the singer, Moore’s credits include “La La Land,” Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, “Dancing with the Stars,” “So You Think You Can Dance” and “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.” She won Emmys for the latter three.

Veteran lighting designers Robert Dickinson (68-time Emmy nominee and 18-time winner) and Noah Mitz (30-time Emmy nominee and two-time winner) also rejoin the team.

Producers Jeff Ross and Mike Sweeney, who have worked with O...

The Academy has named its production team for the 97th Academy Awards ceremony.

Rob Paine is set to return as co-executive producer, and Taryn Hurd and Sarah Levine Hall return as producers. Also rejoining the team are Mandy Moore as the show’s supervising choreographer, and Bob Dickinson and Noah Mitz as lighting designers. Producers Jeff Ross and Mike Sweeney join the team for the first time.

Moore is no stranger to the Oscar space. Last year, she was behind the choreography of Ryan Gosling’s “I’m Just Ken” performance.

This year’s host, Conan O’Brien, is also on the team of writers. Rounding out the team are Amberia Allen, José Arroyo, Josh Comers, Dan Cronin, Jessie Gaskell, Skyler Higley, Berkley Johnson, Ian Karmel, Brian Kiley, Laurie Kilmartin, Carol Leifer, Jon Macks, Matt O’Brien, Agathe Panaretos and Mike Sweeney

The show’s production team also includes director Hamish Hamilton,...

With less than a month to go until the 97th Academy Awards, the show’s executive producer and showrunner Raj Kapoor and executive producer Katy Mullan have announced the members of their production team for the telecast, which will be hosted by Conan O’Brien. The 2025 Oscars will air live on ABC and stream live on Hulu on Sunday, March 2, at 7 p.m. Et/4 p.m. Pt.

Returning to the telecast are Rob Paine as co-executive producer, Taryn Hurd and Sarah Levine Hall as producers, Mandy Moore as supervising choreographer and Bob Dickinson and Noah Mitz as lighting designer.

Producers Jeff Ross and Mike Sweeney are joining the team for the first time.

Joining O’Brien as writers for the show: Amberia Allen, José Arroyo, Josh Comers, Dan Cronin, Jessie Gaskell, Skyler Higley, Berkley Johnson, Ian Karmel, Brian Kiley, Laurie Kilmartin,Carol Leifer, Jon Macks, Matt O’Brien, Agathe Panaretos and Mike Sweeney.

The Writers Guild of America West and Writers Guild of America East have chimed in with their selection of the best writing among television and film offerings of 2024. The 2025 WGA Awards nomination announcement was delayed a week due to the devastating fires that hit Los Angeles and scorched more than 40,000 acres. The guild currently plans to stick with its Saturday, February 15th date for the awards ceremony.

Ceremonies will take place in Los Angeles at the Beverly Hilton and in New York City as the Edison Ballroom.

WGA Awards 2025 Nominees

Original Screenplay

A Real Pain, Written by Jesse Eisenberg; Searchlight Pictures

Anora, Written by Sean Baker; Neon

Challengers, Written by Justin Kuritzkes; Amazon MGM Studios

Civil War, Written by Alex Garland; A24

My Old Ass, Written by Megan Park; Amazon MGM Studios

Adapted Screenplay

A Complete Unknown, Screenplay by James Mangold and Jay Cocks, Based on the Book Dylan Goes Electric!

TV’s best scribes are getting their moment in the spotlight: The Writers Guild of America West (Wgaw) and Writers Guild of America East (Wgae) have announced nominations for the 2025 Writers Guild Awards ceremony, which is to be held Saturday, Feb. 15.

The TV nominees include a number of first-timers, including the final season of Paramount+’s supernatural drama Evil, HBO’s Batman spinoff The Penguin and freshman series like Prime Video’s Fallout and FX’s Shōgun. Of course, usual suspects like Hacks, The Bear and Abbott Elementary are all present and accounted for as well.

More from TVLineSAG Awards 2025: Nobody Wants This Duo,...

While Hollywood continues to reel from the devastating L.A. wildfires, the WGA is honoring some of the film industry’s best and brightest by announcing the 77th annual Writers Guild Awards nominees. The yearly celebration of excellence in film, TV, new media, news, radio, and promotional writing is always a highlight of the year, as the event brings attention to many hard-working individuals across a broad spectrum of entertainment.

Anora, A Real Pain, Challengers, Civil War, and My Old Ass are among the films nominated for the Original Screenplay category, while shows like The Boys, The Diplomat, Fallout, Mr. & Mr.s Smith, and Shōgun compete for Drama Series excellence.

The WGA plans to announce the winners on February 15 in New York at the Edison Ballroom and in Los Angeles at the Beverly Hilton.

Here are the nominees for the 77th annual Writers Guild Awards:

Screenplay

Original Screenplay

A Real Pain,...

Hit Man and My Old Ass join awards heavyweights Anora, A Real Pain and Dune: Part Two in the Writers Guild of America (WGA) nominations announced on Wednesday after being delayed due to the ongoing LA wildfires.

Scroll down for nominations

Challengers and Civil War are included in the original screenplay category, while Wicked, Nickel Boys and A Complete Unknown are in contention for adapted screenplay.

Vying for documentary honours are Jim Henson: Idea Man, Kiss The Future, Martha, and War Game.

Eligibility rules excluded The Brutalist, Conclave,Emilia Perez,All We Imagine As Light,Hard Truths, andThe Outrun.

The...

Anora, Challengers, A Complete Unknown, Nickel Boys and Wicked are among the feature film screenplay nominees for the 77th annual Writers Guild Awards, which revealed its nominees Wednesday to honor the year’s best in film, TV, new media, news, radio and promotional writing.

Winners will be announced February 15 during concurrent ceremonies in New York at the Edison Ballroom and Los Angeles at the Beverly Hilton.

Today’s nomination comes after the WGA delayed its announcements from last week due to the impact of the devastating wildfires across Los Angeles last week. Several groups delayed their noms announcements in order to extend voting deadlines including the Oscars.

Last year’s WGA Awards saw The Holdovers and American Fiction win the top film awards at the strike-delayed ceremony, which came after the Oscars were handed out and Cord Jefferson’s American Fiction won the Academy Award for Adapted Screenplay.

Here’s...

The 2025 Writers Guild Awards nominations have finally been revealed.

The original screenplay nominees are A Real Pain, Anora, Challengers, Civil War and My Old Ass. The adapted screenplay nominees are A Complete Unknown, Dune: Part Two, Hit Man, Nickel Boys and Wicked.

Top awards contenders The Brutalist, Conclave, Emilia Pérez, Sing Sing and The Substance were not eligible for the WGA Awards’ adapted or original screenplay nominations.

On the TV side, Fallout, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Shogun and The Simpsons all lead with three nominations each, followed by two nominations apiece for The Bear, Bob’s Burgers, English Teacher and Hacks.

The guild was originally set to announce this year’s nominees on Thursday, Jan. 9, but the announcement was delayed twice amid the wildfires that have burned large areas of Los Angeles. The WGA originally set Monday as its new announcement date before again delaying the news “until further notice.” The...

A lot of great movies, actors, and screenplays fall through the cracks during awards season as the Oscars race typically narrows to a handful of expected nominees. That's why it's fun to see what earns attention with some of the other more niche awards bodies. The Writers Guild of America...

The 50th anniversary of “SNL” is about to kick off.

Acclaimed Academy and Emmy award-winning documentarian Morgan Neville is honoring the 50th anniversary of “Saturday Night Live” with docuseries “SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night,” which he executive produces. The four-part series offers a behind-the-scenes look at the history of the beloved sketch series, with each episode taking a different perspective on how the show began.

More than 60 SNL alums are interviewed onscreen, including Amy Poehler, Andy Samberg, Bill Hader, Jason Sudeikis, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Molly Shannon, Pete Davidson, Stephen Colbert, Tracy Morgan, Bob Odenkirk, Tina Fey, Seth Meyers, John Mulaney, Larry David, Will Ferrell, Rachel Dratch, and Fred Armisen.

The first installment, “Five Minutes,” is about the audition process. Emmy Award winner Robert Alexander directs the first episode, which includes never-before-seen audition footage and firsthand accounts from alums as they reflect on their preparation and journey to the “SNL” stage.

The second episode,...

Wild and crazy guys, the van down by the river, and, of course, more cowbell – just some of the classic sketches shown in the new trailer released today for Peacock‘s four-part docuseries SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night.

“Anybody can do comedy,” former cast member Tracy Morgan says at the start of the trailer before delivering the punchline – “But are you funny?”

The upcoming docuseries promises lots of funny moments from the history of Saturday Night Live. In the trailer, Tina Fey, Jimmy Fallon, Will Ferrell, Dana Carvey and Amy Poehler are among the famous faces speaking about the venerable NBC late-night series. Andy Samberg reveals he threw up after auditioning.

The docuseries, Peacock says, will offer a behind-the-scenes look “at some of the American late-night comedy institution’s most iconic elements and rich history.”

The docuseries, executive produced by Morgan Neville, includes four episodes, each taking “a different creative approach...

Peacock has released a first look at SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night, a new documentary series that offers a behind-the-scenes look at some of the American late-night comedy institution’s most iconic elements and rich history.

Executive produced by Academy and Emmy Award winner Morgan Neville, SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night streams exclusively on Peacock beginning January 16.

SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night is a four-part docuseries honoring the legacy of SNL, with over 60 contributors, including SNL alumni, and covering decades of SNL history. Spotlighting some of the show’s most iconic elements, each episode delves into the rich history of SNL and pulls back the curtain on the audition process, the writers’ room, the fan favorite “More Cowbell” sketch and the pivotal Season 11.

Each episode of the docuseries takes a different creative approach to the tapestry of Saturday Night Live and embraces the unique vision of their award-winning directors: Emmy Award winner Robert Alexander...

Although Seinfeld was notable for breaking the norms with its characters and approach to storytelling, it seems that Jerry Seinfeld did take some inspiration from his real-life experiences for one major character in the show. His bond with Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Elaine in Seinfeld is pretty identical to Seinfeld’s real-life bond with ex-girlfriend Carol Leifer.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Elaine on Seinfeld | Credits: NBC

As for Leifer’s stance on it, even though she wasn’t entirely sure of Larry David and his ex-partner’s intentions, the comedian didn’t completely dismiss the theory.

Carol Leifer Entertained the Theory of Being Elaine’s Inspiration Seinfeld | Credit: NBC

Jerry Seinfeld‘s relationship with Elaine in the sitcom reflects his real-life bond with ex-girlfriend Carol Leifer, as the duo maintained their close friendship even after splitting up romantically. When asked if she was the true inspiration behind Elaine’s creation, the comedian added (via news.

BritBox Signs UK Programs From Sphere Abacus

Best-of-British streamer BritBox has bought a package of programs from Sphere Abacus, the UK-based sales house making its debut at MIPCOM in its current guise. Package contains Travels With Agatha Christie with Sir David Suchet from Soho Studios and Two Rivers Media. Suchet is currently on the ground with Sphere Abacus in Cannes, as our report earlier today noted. Also acquired by BritBox are Jon and Lucy’s Odd Couples, The Murder of Sandra Rivett, Breaking Dad: Britain’s Unlikeliest Drug Dealer, Agatha Christie: 100 Years of Poirot and Miss Marple (aka Agatha Christie: 100 Years of Suspense), Diana: The Interview That Shook the World and Susan Hill’s The Small Hand: A Ghost Story (1 x 94’) produced by Awesome and Two Rivers Media. BritBox takes rights for the U.S. and Canada.

Beta Sets Globo Co-Pro ‘Discipline

Germany’s Beta Film and Brazilian...

Hollywood, Health & Society, a program of the USC Annenberg Norman Lear Center, unveiled its winners for this year’s Sentinel Awards on Wednesday, ahead of its celebratory ceremony on Oct. 24.

Hh&s has presented the Sentinel Awards for nearly 25 years, recognizing some of the best TV storylines that responsibly inform audiences on critical topics, including climate change, racism, abortion and addiction.

The ceremony, held at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills, will be hosted by comedian and Saturday Night Live veteran Laraine Newman, with presenters including Sarayu Blue from Expats, Matt Shively and Selenis Leyva of Lopez vs Lopez and Yeardley Smith from The Simpsons.

“Television has the power to affect audiences’ perceptions and influence how they view and engage with the world. While entertainment is vital, it should never compromise accuracy, especially when addressing important topics — a hallmark of Norman Lear’s legacy. Thoughtful and responsible storytelling can educate,...

The 2024 Sentinel Awards has unveiled its winners ahead of next week’s ceremony, when awards will be handed out at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills to honor TV series including Grey’s Anatomy, The Morning Show, Abbott Elementary and Hacks.

Presented by Hollywood, Health & Society at the USC Annenberg Norman Lear Center, the Sentinel Awards recognize writers for meaningful and accurate portrayals onscreen on such timely topics as abortion, systemic racism, climate change and mental health. Laraine Newman is set to host the upcoming October 24 ceremony.

Hh&s has presented the Sentinel Awards for nearly 25 years, aiming to recognize some of the past year’s best TV that “responsibly informs audiences on critical topics.”

“Television has the power to affect audiences’ perceptions and influence how they view and engage with the world. While entertainment is vital, it should never compromise accuracy, especially when addressing important topics — a hallmark of Norman Lear’s legacy,...

ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” is set to be honored next week with a Sentinel Award, which will recognize the series’ entire body of work over the past 20 seasons (and heading into Season 21) when it comes to promoting the culture of health. That’s one of eleven awards set to be given out on Thursday, October 24, as the USC Annenberg Norman Lear Center’s Hollywood, Health & Society program recognizes series that make a difference in informing viewers about important issues.

Other shows set to be honored include Apple TV+’s “The Morning Show,” for its discussion on abortion, NBC’s “Lopez vs. Lopez” for tackling addiction, Fox’s “The Simpsons” for looking at wealth disparity, Max’s “Hacks” for touching on the climate crisis, AMC’s “Dark Winds” for its story focus on racism in healthcare, ABC’s “Abbott Elementary” on taking on the dangers of smoking and vaping, and more.

“Abbott Elementary,” “The Morning Show,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Hacks” are among the 11 television shows that will be honored at the Sentinel Awards, which are determined by USC Annenberg Norman Lear Center’s Hollywood, Health & Society program.

“The Simpsons,” “Feud: Capote vs. the Swans,” “Expats,” “Lopez vs Lopez,” “Gen V,” “The Big Cigar” and “Dark Winds” have also been tapped to receive awards at the ceremony, which is set to take place Thursday, Oct. 24 at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills, California.

Programs are recognized for creating television storylines that responsibly informs audiences on various critical topics and have made an impact.

“Grey’s Anatomy” will be feted for its overall depiction of healthcare over the course of its two-decade run. “The Morning Show” is being lauded for its portrayal of abortion in the Season 3 episode, “The Kármán Line,” while “Abbott Elementary” is being honored for its depiction of smoking and vaping in the Season 3 episode,...

The winners of the 2024 Sentinel Awards, organized by Hollywood, Health & Society (Hh&s), a program of the USC Annenberg Norman Lear Center, were just announced in advance of the ceremony that will take place on Thursday, October 24 at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills, CA.

Made in order to recognize some of the past year’s best TV entertainment that responsibly informs audiences on critical topics, this year’s list of Sentinel Award winners include “The Morning Show,” “Abbott Elementary,” and “Hacks,” for the shows’ approach toward tackling important subjects like the abortion, smoking, and climate consciousness, respectively. Last year, the ceremony took place the evening after Norman Lear’s passing, giving the industry their first chance to mourn the TV giant, and cementing the event as a celebration of his life and impact as well.

Comedian, writer, “SNL” alum, and The Groundlings founding member Laraine Newman will...

Mitzi McCall, the delightful actress and sitcom writer who partnered with her husband, Charlie Brill, in a sketch comedy act that famously floundered between sets by The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show, has died. She was 93.

McCall died Thursday at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, her family announced.

The pint-sized Pittsburgh native also played the dry cleaner’s wife who wears a fur coat owned by Jerry’s mom on the 1994 Seinfeld episode “The Secretary,” and she was the mother of Carol Leifer’s optometrist character on the 1997-98 WB sitcom Alright Already.

McCall had a thriving career as a voiceover artist; she played Mother Goose on Mother Goose and Grimm and worked on other animated projects including The Pebbles and Bamm-Bamm Show, Paw Paws, Darkwing Duck, Yo Yogi! and Ice Age (2002).

And she wrote for shows including 13 Queens Boulevard, Eight Is Enough, One Day at a Time,...

Friends. South Park. Frasier. Family Guy. Some of TV’s longest-running sitcoms premiered in the 1990s, and remain relevant and beloved if not still producing new episodes today. But a decade is a long time, executives try a lot of ideas to fill their schedules, and since broadcast TV programming is kind of a zero-sum game, far more sitcoms premiered than ever found an audience. The question is: which ones deserved better?

A word on methodology here: I took the term “forgotten” very literally. That means I didn’t consider any ‘90s sitcom that’s streaming on a legitimate pay or subscription platform; any ‘90s sitcom that lasted more than one season; and any of which only the pilot is available to watch — illegitimately, since pilots have to jam in so much exposition that judging a show’s quality by that episode alone doesn’t offer an accurate picture of where it aspires to go.

Friends, castmates and fans are sharing their remembrances of and tributes to Richard Lewis, the beloved comedian and longtime Curb Your Enthusiasm actor who died Tuesday at 76.

Lewis was part of the raft of comedians who broke through during the 1980s and gained fame as stand-up comedy began to flood cable TV later that decade and into the ’90s. His contemporaries included Jerry Seinfeld, Paul Reiser, Ellen DeGeneres, Ray Romano, Sinbad, Gilbert Gottfried, Rita Rudner, Larry Miller, Paula Poundstone, George Wallace, Elayne Boosler, Carol Leifer and many more.

Related: Remembering Richard Lewis: A Career In Photos

Lewis probably was best known for recurring on his longtime friend Larry David’s HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm, playing himself as David’s neurotic, often needy longtime best pal.

Related: Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2024: Photo Gallery & Obituaries

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The writing team has been set for the 96th Oscars, which air March 10 on ABC hosted by Jimmy Kimmel.

The group of scribes tasked with writing the show includes Jamie Abrahams, Rory Albanese, Amberia Allen, Tony Barbieri, Jonathan Bines, Joelle Boucai, Bryan Cook, Blaire Erskine, Devin Field, Gary Greenberg, Josh Halloway, Eric Immerman, Jesse Joyce, Kimmel, Carol Leifer, Jon Macks, Mitch Marchand, Greg Martin, Jesse McLaren, McNearney, Keaton Patti, Danny Ricker, Louis Virtel and Troy Walker.

The names were announced Friday by Oscarcast executive producer and showrunner Raj Kapoor and executive producers Molly McNearney and Katy Mullan.

They join a production team first rolled out in October that includes Hamish Hamilton as director, creative director Kenny Gravillis, production designers Misty Buckley and Alana Billingsley, red carpet show executive producer David Chamberlin, and red carpet creative consultants Lisa Love and Raul Avila.

Today, the EPs also said several others have been...

Raj Kapoor, the executive producer and showrunner of The Oscars, and executive producers Molly McNearney and Katy Mullan announced members of their production team for this year’s awards show, which will take place on March 10.

Rob Paine will return as co-executive producer, while Taryn Hurd will return as talent producer. Producers Sarah Levine Hall, Erin Irwin and Jennifer Sharron, as well as music director Rickey Minor and lightning designers Bob Dickinson and Noah Mitz are also rejoining the team.

Jamie Abrahams, Rory Albanese, Amberia Allen, Tony Barbieri, Jonathan Bines, Joelle Boucai, Bryan Cook, Blaire Erskine, Devin Field, Gary Greenberg, Josh Halloway, Eric Immerman, Jesse Joyce, Kimmel, Carol Leifer, Jon Macks, Mitch Marchand, Greg Martin, Jesse McLaren, McNearney, Keaton Patti, Danny Ricker, Louis Virtel and Troy Walker are writers for this year’s show.

Previously announced members of the production team include director Hamish Hamilton and production designers Misty Buckley and Alana Billingsley.

Meredith Hama-Brown’s feature debut “Seagrass,” starring Ally Maki, will debut in U.S. theaters on Feb. 22, beginning with special screenings with the cast and director.

Q&a’s will be held at New York’s Roxy Cinema and Los Angeles’ Laemmle Royal on Feb. 22 and Las Vegas’ Regal Theatre on Feb. 23. Maki will be in Los Angeles, Hama-Brown and cinematographer Norm Li will be in New York, and actor Chris Pang will be in Las Vegas. The film will also have its U.S. festival premiere at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, screening on Feb. 12 and Feb. 13.

The synopsis for “Seagrass” reads, “Set in the mid 1990’s, a Japanese Canadian woman (Maki) grappling with the recent death of her mother brings her family to a self-development retreat. When her distressed relationship with her husband begins to affect the children’s emotional security, the family is forever changed.”

In addition to Maki and Pang,...

The American Film Institute (AFI) has announced its annual list of best films and TV for the past year. The 2023 honorees include summer smash hits “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer”; plus streamer-backed fare like “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Maestro,” “May December,” and “American Fiction”; and indie films “The Holdovers,” “Poor Things,” and “Past Lives.” Animated feature “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” was additionally among the top 10 picks.

Television series “Abbott Elementary,” “Succession,” and “The Bear” returned to the AFI list, as well as new series “Jury Duty,” “Poker Face,” “The Last of Us,” and “Beef.”

“As our nation and our world continue to navigate difficult times, AFI is honored to shine a proper light upon these works of art that lift us up and, ultimately, lead us to empathy,” Bob Gazzale, AFI President and CEO, said in an official statement. “That we do so without competition is AFI’s hallmark, and we...

On May 5, 1979, the writers of Fantasy Island made a strange decision. After 35 successful episodes in which guests paid to live out dreams such as being a king, marrying a millionaire, finding the fountain of youth and having a harem, they offered viewers “The Comic,” in which a guy gets to be a stand-up.

Over the next decades, industries would rise to whisk money from middle-aged middle management in exchange for fulfilling their deepest wishes. They got to put on Dodger uniforms with their names on the back and practice grounders with Steve Garvey at baseball fantasy camps. Play guitar in a band with Roger Daltrey at rock fantasy camps. Get B-12 shots in their ass with Gwyneth Paltrow at the In Goop Health conference. Which makes sense. Because those things are fun. People spend their weekends in softball leagues, playing in bar bands with co-workers and getting detox massages. They...

Based on Gold Derby’s odds, one of the absolute tightest 2023 Creative Arts Emmy races involves Best Variety Special Writing contenders Chris Rock and John Mulaney, both of whom have previously conquered the category and are now facing off for the first time ever. Having both pushed their comedy to new levels of boldness in their respective Netflix specials “Selective Outrage” and “Baby J,” they provide voters with a truly tough choice when it comes to honoring the most impressive writing of the year.

This contest is made even more interesting by the fact that Rock and Wanda Sykes (“I’m an Entertainer”) are competing against each other after jointly earning four writing nominations and one win for “The Chris Rock Show” over two decades ago. Also included in this lineup are the sketch comedy special “Would It Kill You to Laugh?” and the career retrospective “Carol Burnett: 90 Years of Laughter + Love....

Exclusive: Patricia Heaton (Carol’s Second Act) has signed on to star in The Beldham, a new psychological horror-thriller about mother-daughter relationships, marking the feature directorial debut of actress Angela Gulner (Glow).

Others set for the Gulner-penned indie, which is currently in production in Oklahoma, include 2x Emmy and Golden Globe nominee Corbin Bernsen (City on a Hill), Katie Parker (The Midnight Club), Emma Fitzpatrick (Take Back the Night) and Hannah Reese (Baby Money).

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The film has Heaton playing Sadie, a fierce caregiver determined to protect her family from a monstrous presence that threatens to tear them all apart. Mark Meir...

Leave it to a sitcom vet like Melissa Rauch to remind the industry that everything old can be new again. After persuading Warner Bros. TV to dust off the Night Court IP and revive it for NBC, multi-cams are suddenly hot again, with every broadcast network — and even a few streamers like Netflix are putting studio audience comedies in development.

While no one is straight-up abandoning single-cams — the success of CBS’ Ghosts and ABC’s Abbott Elementary have certainly made sure of that — there’s no beating the cost-effectiveness of one of TV’s most tried and true genres.

“Everybody had a hunch they should probably be doing more of them,” says one high-powered comedy agent. “Night Court is a good sign there is an appetite for that. Everything I’m hearing out of CBS, for example, is that...

Exclusive: Patricia Heaton‘s potential return to television is taking shape. The multi-camera comedy from Kapital Entertainment starring and executive produced by the Emmy winner, which was set up at Fox in 2021 with a script-to-series commitment, has found its writers. Comedy veterans Carol Leifer and Andy Gordon have been tapped to pen the untitled half-hour, which also has homed in on a premise.

Heaton is set to star as the host of an upscale lifestyle show, sent to prison for embezzlement and tax evasion. She gets out after two years, forgotten and broke, and moves to Tennessee to live with her estranged sister.

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Los Angeles, CA. September 24, 2018: Jerry Seinfeld at the Los Angeles premiere for “A Star Is Born” at the Shrine Auditorium. Picture: Paul Smith/Featureflash. Depostiphotos

Jerome “Jerry” Seinfeld is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and television and film producer, known for playing a semi-fictional version of himself in the situation comedy Seinfeld (1989–1998), which he co-created and co-wrote with Larry David, and, in the show’s final two seasons, co-executive-produced. In his first major foray back into the media since the finale of Seinfeld, he co-wrote and co-produced the film Bee Movie, also taking on the lead role of Barry B. Benson. In February 2010, Seinfeld premiered a reality TV series called The Marriage Ref on NBC. Seinfeld was more recently directing Colin Quinn in the Broadway show Long Story Short at the Helen Hayes Theater in New York which ran until January 8, 2011.

Description above from the Wikipedia article Jerry Seinfeld,...