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As expected, “Blade Runner 2049” and “The Shape of Water” were the big production design winners for fantasy and period at the 22nd Art Directors Guild Awards on Saturday at Hollywood and Highland. “Logan” was the surprising contemporary winner (production designed by Francois Audouy), but Pixar’s “Coco” made history as the Adg’s first animation honoree (earned by production designer Harley Jessup).

Production designers Dennis Gassner and Paul Austerberry will square off for the Oscar. Gassner, the favorite, created a harsh and brutalistic dystopia for Denis Villeneuve’s “Blade Runner” sequel, while Austerberry’s brought noir and water motifs to Guillermo del Toro’s period fantasy-romance.

For TV, “Game of Thrones,” (period or fantasy), “The Handmaid’s Tale” (contemporary), “Black Mirror” (limited series), “Glow” (half-hour series), and “Will & Grace” (multi-camera series) were the big winners.

Adg honors went to Lucasfilm president and “Star Wars” franchise producer Kathleen Kennedy...

Andy Kaufman was famous for taking things too far. He wrestled women! And taunted those who could easily twist him into a pretzel. With Andy, you simply never knew what was real and what was fake. In February 1981, he guest-starred on Fridays, the short-lived live sketch show that was trying to become ABC’s answer to Saturday Night Live. (Michael Richards and Larry David were among the talent that worked on the show for three seasons.) In one of the show’s most memorable moments, Kaufman dead-stopped in the middle of a live skit about smoking pot, claiming that he...

I like a man who knows how to wield his comma (Victor Borge, anyone?). HBO has released a couple of clips from their upcoming comedy special, "Talking Funny." In the first, Jerry Seinfeld and Louis C.K. discuss punctuating traffic signs; that's an idea I'll be having my own fun with next time I hit the streets. (I'd like to add expletives as well: Yield, Motherfucker!) The gathering of "stand up comedy legends" also includes Chris Rock and Ricky Gervais. Seinfeld seems the odd man out here, but in a proper ice cream sundae, someone has to be the vanilla ice cream. It will be interesting to see where the conversation leads and if anyone dominates the group.

Here's a taste:

While these short clips don't leave us laughing as much as the comedians themselves, I have to believe there's a whole lot of funny headed our way. HBO promises insights...

The paycaster is assured of winning the TV Movie or Mini-Series race as it swept the category. Emmy champ Mick Jackson contends here as well for "Temple Grandin" as does Barry Levinson for "You Don't Know Jack." And three of the helmers on "The Pacific" are in the running -- David Nutter, Jeremy Podeswa and Tim Van Patten. For Drama Series direction, its new marquee series "Boardwalk Empire" earned nods for Oscar champ Martin Scorsese and Allan Coulter. David Nutter reaped a bid for the laffer "Entourage" while John C. Moffitt vies in the Musical Variety category for the Bill Maher special "... But I'm Not Wrong." The other Drama Series contenders are Jack Bender for the "Lost" finale, Frank Darabont for the pilot of "The Walking Dead" and Jennifer Getzinger for the much-hailed "Mad Men" episode "The Suitcase." Another helmer on "Mad Men" -- Leslie Linka Glat...

"Modern Family" E.P. Steve Levitan is amongst the just-announced Director's Guild Award nominees for his the first episode of the series he directed himself -- last season's "Hawaii." (Which basically means that he got a trip to Hawaii and a nom out of the deal. Not bad.)

Also nominated in the Comedy Series category are seven-time nominee Beth McCarthy Miller, for the live episode of "30 Rock," Ryan Murphy for "Glee's" Madonna episode, Michael Spiller for "Modern Family's" Halloween-themed episode, and David Nutter for "Entourage's" "Lose Yourself."

Nutter also finds himself nominated in the TV Movie and Miniseries category with Jeremy Podeswa for "The Pacific's" "Basilone." (Podeswa is nominated on his own for the episode "Home," too.) Also nominated: Mick Jackson for "Temple Grandin," Barry Levinson for "You Don't Know Jack," and Tim Van Patten for "The Pacific's" "Okinawa."

In the Dramatic Series category, Jack Bender...

hollywoodnews.com: Directors Guild of America President Taylor Hackford today announced the DGA’s nominees for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Television and Commercials for the year 2010.

‘Whether it’s a 30-second commercial or a multi-part miniseries, television directors are crucial to the success of any television project.’ said Hackford. ‘As the DGA celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, we salute the critical role of the director in TV and are proud to honor the tremendous range of excellence found in the projects nominated today. Congratulations to all of the nominees.’

The winners will be announced at the 63rd Annual DGA Awards Dinner on Saturday, January 29, 2011 at the Grand Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland in Los Angeles.

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Movies For Television And Mini-series

The nominees for the Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television and Mini-Series for 2010 are (in alphabetical order):

Mick Jackson

Temple Grandin

(HBO...

Fox aims to redefine sketch comedy with a half-hour pilot developed and greenlighted under the network's alternative programming chief Mike Darnell.

The ensemble -- referred to as untitled comedy troupe project, or "Inside Jokes" -- hails from Merv Griffin Entertainment, with "Entourage" co-star Kevin Connolly on board as an executive producer. The pilot is filming this week, hosted by Cameron Bender and featuring five other cast members: Mary Scheer, Jay Phillips, Carrie Wiita, Paul Schackman and Lauren Rose Lewis.

The project is the brainchild of playright/actor/acting coach Ted Brunetti, who first approached Merv Griffin TV president Roy Bank about the idea. Bank brought in Connolly, who has been venturing into directing and producing.

The three will executive produce with Ron Ward and John Moffitt.

Gerry Cohen is directing the pilot for the project, which Bank describes as "a new way of doing sketch comedy."

"You are going to...

Ricky Gervais, award-winning star of the acclaimed series "The Office" and "Extras," has garnered three Emmy Nominations for his stand-up special Ricky Gervais: Out Of England – The Stand-up Special. The nominations included Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special and Outstanding Writing for a Variety, Music or Comedy Special (Ricky Gervais).

"This is particularly special for me, as it is my first Emmy nomination for my stand-up work," says Gervais.

Ricky Gervais received an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series for HBO's "Extras", which received seven other Emmy nominations. Gervais also garnered two Golden Globes, along with Stephen Merchant, as creators of the BBC comedy series "The Office" and "Extras".

In addition to a Golden Globe, "The Office" received BAFTA and Peabody Awards, among many other honours, and was subsequently seen in more than 100 countries, as well as inspiring the hit American series of the same name. "The Office" continues to be the most successful British comedy of all time.

Taped before a live audience at the WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, Ricky Gervais: The Stand-up Special debuted on HBO in November 2008 and featured material from his three sold-out British stand-up tours.

Gervais has also been seen in such feature films as "For Your Consideration", both "Night at the Museum" movies and "Ghost Town". His upcoming movies include "The Invention of Lying", which he co-wrote and co-directed with Matthew Robinson and "Cemetery Junction". Gervais is the only British actor to write and star in "The Simpsons".

Gervais' other comedy ventures include a hit series of podcasts, also featuring Merchant and Karl Pilkington, which earned a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for the most downloads. The hit podcast series is now being made into an animated series for HBO.

Ricky Gervais: Out Of England - The Stand-up Special was written and executive produced by Ricky Gervais; producers, Pat Tourk Lee and John Moffitt; directed by John Moffitt.