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Dakota Johnson and Sean Penn in DaddioPhoto: Sony Pictures Classics

Maybe it’s the metaphor. The transition, the feeling of getting caught in between two places while not really being in either one. Moving characters from Point A to Point B, internally and externally. There is room to grow in the back of a taxi.

What we now consider reality television began with MTV's The Real World, and throughout the '90s, until Survivor premiered, it served as the template. Besides Cops or the many Cops knockoffs that littered the nooks and crannies of cable and syndication, reality TV in the '90s was largely candid in nature, typified by The Real World, Taxicab Confessions, and Road Rules (which in the early seasons was just The Real World in an Rv). Out of this era came one of the most archetypal and memorable reality villains of all time: The Real World's David "Puck" Rainey.

Pawn Stars chronicles the daily activities at the 24-hour Gold & Silver Pawn Shop in Las Vegas. The show isn't scripted, but segments are scheduled in advance so both the seller and experts can be present. The series premiered in 2009 and featured a constant stream of customers attempting to hock their worldly possessions. Pawn Stars immediately became the highest-rated show on The History Channel, and over the years it has also become one of the most successful reality shows in TV history.

HBO was interested in developing a gritty show focused on activities at the shop's night window. They considered it a logical follow-up to their highly successful Taxicab Confessions documentary series, but Rick Harrison didn't like the pilot. In his autobiography, he said that the customers were treated like animals in a zoo and that it was misleading about the way he does business. There's no doubt that the...

After the nearly complete, 90-million “Batgirl” movie was cancelled by Warner Bros. Discovery, fans are wondering what other HBO Max content might be on the chopping block.

Read More: ‘Batgirl’ Star Leslie Grace & Zoe Saldana React To 90-Million Superhero Movie Being Shelved

The announcement of the HBO Max-bound DC superhero film’s cancellation shocked Hollywood last week, with CEO David Zaslav saying on an earnings call, “We’re not going to launch a movie to make a quarter and we’re not going to put a movie out unless we believe in it.”

“Batgirl” had been set to star “In the Heights” actress Leslie Grace in the title role, along with J.K. Simmons, and the return of Michael Keaton as Batman.

Along with “Batgirl”, the company also scrapped the animated “Scoob!: Holiday Haunt”, and planned projects like the Greg Berlanti DC series “Strange Adventures”, and a “Wonder Twins” movie.

Read...

MTV has tapped longtime HBO exec Sheila Nevins to launch a new MTV Documentary Films unit, the Viacom network announced on Monday.

Nevins, a legendary documentary producer and executive who spent nearly four decades at HBO leading its efforts in the genre, will oversee the new division as it develops documentary films and specials for third-party streaming services, premium networks and MTV’s own platforms.

Per MTV’s announcement, the network seeks to “embrace a new generation of filmmakers exploring the social, political and cultural trends and stories important to young people.”

Also Read: MTV to Launch Reality TV-Themed Convention 'RealityCon'

“MTV has always been at the forefront of youth culture, and the generation that is growing up now will change the world in ways we can’t even imagine,” Nevins said in a statement. “I’m excited to join MTV with electrifying stories that explore the crises and commitments...

With the burgeoning Golden Age of documentaries, top non-fiction talent has never been more in demand. After landing a big promotion at A&E that put her charge of series as well as television, Molly Thompson got snapped up by deep-pocketed Apple TV to run their documentary content; one of the Silicon Valley giant’s first big buys was upcoming documentary “Elephant Queen.” And now MTV Studios has hired ex-HBO Documentary Films president Sheila Nevins to launch MTV Documentary Films.

There’s competition for top documentary talent and Nevins knows how to get it. Even in the specialty film world, documentaries are about the only thing working these days as theatrical narrative films are looking less and less commercially viable.

At HBO, Nevins reigned atop of the documentary pyramid for decades, adapting to more and more competition and new technology. Before Nevins’ exit from HBO a year ago, where she...

You’re out… you’re partying… you’re tipsy. We’ve all been there, but for the folks in the upcoming horror flick Night Fare, things are about to take a left turn for the worst. Should have called an Uber instead. From French… Continue Reading →

The post Taxicab Confessions Turn Deadly in Night Fare appeared first on Dread Central.

VH1's "Walk of Shame Shuttle" acknowledges its obvious connection to an early reality show: "Taxicab Confessions," on which passengers shared intimate details of their lives with the driver, only later learning that it was being taped. The VH1 version calls itself "a modern day" version of HBO's show "but with less drunkenness and more hang over humor." It also has fewer confessions. Two comedians and a third driver -- more about her later -- pick up people and drive them someplace. So, there's no walking; there's also virtually no shame. Not that people should be embarrassed about their one-night stands or their sexuality, but there's no hesitation to share in front of cameras. Unlike "Taxicab Confessions," the cameras and the show aren't hidden, so it's a full-on performance from the drivers and a diverse array of passengers. Many of them are very entertaining. One man talks about how excited...

We’ve all seen someone do it: Make the walk of shame home. For some it’s a moment of pride. For others, it feels exactly as its title implies.

But why walk when you can have someone pick you up?

Exclusive: VH1's 'Hindsight' Recreates John Cusack's Iconic 'Say Anything' Scene

That’s where the Walk of Shame Shuttle comes in. The brainchild car service of undergrad-turned-entrepreneur Kellyann Wargo is now the basis for VH1’s new morning after confessional series.

The new show, which features passengers candidly discussing the night before with one of three drivers -- Wargo, Jordan Pease, or Michelle Collins (yes, ETonline’s awards season special contributor) -- is a mix between Taxicab Confessions and those Sonic fast food commercials.

Watch an exclusive trailer above as Wargo explains the inspiration behind Woss and get a taste of the confessions (and brutal commentary) to come.

Walk of Shame Shuttle premieres Wednesday, Mar. 18 at...

You can learn a lot about Devious Maids’ Ana Ortiz and Susan Lucci when you sit them down together. For example: Ortiz still has a keepsake from her college bartending days. “Sean Penn came in, and I was so obsessed with him. I still have one of the dollars . He’s a really good tipper,” she says. And Lucci has been known to watch Taxicab Confessions. “It’s really interesting people watching,” she says, laughing. “You can learn a lot.”

We got them to reveal a few more secrets when they stopped by EW to take our Pop Culture Personality Test.

Fact #1: Jay Leno has been the most popular late night host in America for the majority of the past 19 years.

Fact #2: Comedians, Hollywood insiders, and laypeople alike just love hating on Leno, and have been doing so consistently for over 20 years.

Why? In their minds, the reasons are legion: Because he stole The Tonight Show from Johnny Carson’s rightful heir, David Letterman, way back in the early ’90s. Because he refused to simply retire when NBC tried to replace him with Conan O’Brien in 2009. Because his primetime Jay Leno Show tanked, sinking Conan’s Tonight Show...

Sure, Sunday tends to be overcrowded with high-end TV, including "The Walking Dead," "Shameless," "House of Lies" and "Vikings," but what to watch the rest of the time? Every Monday, we bring you five noteworthy highlights from the other six days of the week. "American Winter": Broadcast Premiere Monday, March 18 at 9pm on HBO Directed by brothers Harry and Joe Gantz, the creators of HBO's long-running nonfiction series "Taxicab Confessions," this HBO documentary looks at eight different families living in the Portland, Or area who've sought advice from a nonprofit for help with housing, bills or other financial difficulties. The film looks at the realities of life in poverty and at the continued decline of the middle class in America. "Top of the Lake": Miniseries Premiere Monday, March 18 at 9pm on Sundance Channel Jane Campion's terrific mystery arrives on the small screen as a seven-part miniseries after...

These days, you don’t know you’ve made it until someone’s shopping around a nude photo or sex tape of you — whether or not you actually made one. In 2012, we were surprised to see the sheer variety of famous people whose intimate moments and communiques were leaked, or threatened to be. Olympians, actors, princes and pop stars were all subject to exposure, much to our simultaneous horror and delight. We hope this doesn’t humiliate them anew, but we decided to recap them all here, in their many flavors:

The Leaks We Saw (and Sometimes Wish We Could Unsee):

Hulk Hogan’s Sex Tape: The weird lighting, the full sushi belly, the ringtone from his daughter’s single — so much about Hulk’s tape with Heather Clem is humiliating in its own right. But when you add the fact that it was allegedly taped by Clem’s husband,...

Thanks to your votes, the financial crisis doc from the guys behind "Taxicab Confessions" “Crisis Call 211” won this weekend’s Project of the Week contest for last week! Congratulations to “Crisis Call 211" directors Joe and Harry Gantz. The filmmaker will receive a digital distribution consultation from SnagFilms and is now officially a candidate for Project of the Month. That winner will be awarded with a consultation from the Sundance ...

Here's your daily dose of an indie film in progress; at the end of the week, you'll have the chance to vote for your favorite. In the meantime: Is this a movie you’d want to see? Tell us in the comments. "Crisis Call 211" Tweetable Logline: New doc Crisis Call 211 by Taxicab Confessions producers shows impact to families as huge budget cuts threaten America’s social safety net Elevator Pitch: ...

If you're disappointed that The Real L Word, Season 2, isn't going to be shot in New York, as Chaiken originally threatened promised, fear not. Real New York lesbians will be coming to a TV near you this Saturday when Playboy TV (of all places) premieres its new reality show, Brooklyn Kinda Love.

The Playboy channel is not normally the destination for viewers on the prowl for content that reflects the lives of Lgbt people, but times are obviously changing. Created by the Emmy award-winning team behind HBO's risqué, Taxicab Confessions, Brooklyn Kinda Love puts the daily ups and downs, in and out of the bedroom, of four couples under the microscope, and promises to be "'raw, unpredictable and highly addictive," according to its publicity material.

The mélange of "quintessential" Brooklyn couples includes Bek Allen and Erin Williams, two ladies who have been together for almost three years and plan to marry this summer.

As part of a brand makeover, Playboy TV made its TCA press tour debut Thursday, unveiling two reality shows that seek to draw men and women. One is Brooklyn Kinda Love, a docusoap about four couples living in New York from the producers of Taxicab Confessions. The second is Swing, a docusoap about partner-swapping couples. Making its online debut, here’s the (slightly Nsfw) Swing trailer:

Asked one critic after this screened: “I have a hard enough time finding one woman I want to be with, how do you find multiples?”

Executives at the pay-only network say their research shows...

So… the Playboy channel is reportedly trying to attract a much broader audience (at least, so says the New York Times… specifically, an excerpt from a November article reads: “The channel is too tame to compete with sex-related video-on-demand services… yet too raunchy to appeal strongly to women… Never mind that plenty of titillation is available free with a click of a mouse. So Playboy spent a year conducting focus groups and other research… The outcome: in January Playboy TV will begin shifting from traditional pornography toward a higher-quality, female-friendly slate of reality shows.“)

And one of the first new series developed under this new mission is called Brooklyn Kinda Love, described as a “docu-reality” show produced by the same guys who created HBO’s Emmy-winning Taxicab Confessions. The program will, very closely, follow the sex lives of 4 real-life couples, living in Brooklyn, NYC.

It debuts January 15th. Will you be watching?...

With the Internet dominating adult content for guys, Playboy TV is looking for opportunities elsewhere. The TV channel is expected to announce tomorrow TV for 2, new adult programming slate aimed at couples, which will begin to roll out in January. The first new TV for 2 show is Brooklyn Kinda Love, a docu-reality series from producers Joe and Harry Gantz (Taxicab Confessions), which is set to premiere on January 15. It follows the intricacies of four real couples’ relationships. Other new unscripted shows for the new format include Swing, featuring monogamous as they venture into alternative lifestyles guided by a sex therapist, and Playboy’s Sextreme Makeover, featuring couples who receive intimacy advice from experts.

"The Hangover" director Todd Phillips started his career luring sexual tales from members of the public on late night TV show "Taxicab Confessions". Phillips experienced his first taste of filmmaking on the long-running HBO show, driving loose-lipped passengers around New York City.

And he claims he's individually responsible for the series moving from the Big Apple to Las Vegas. Phillips tells Details, "I was an intern and HBO needed more English-speaking drivers to get people to talk about f***king, which is my specialty. So I got my hack license and did the show in New York."

"It was thrown out of the city after I asked a guy who wouldn't talk to get out of my cab. The head of the Taxi & Limousine Commission had to write a letter to the New York Post. It said, 'To Mayor Giuliani and the citizens of New York City, we would like...

The Hangover director Todd Phillips started his career luring sexual tales from members of the public on late night TV show Taxicab Confessions.

Phillips experienced his first taste of filmmaking on the long-running HBO show, driving loose-lipped passengers around New York City.

And he claims he's individually responsible for the series moving from the Big Apple to Las Vegas.

Phillips tells Details, "I was an intern and HBO needed more English-speaking drivers to get people to talk about f***king, which is my specialty. So I got my hack license and did the show in New York.

"It was thrown out of the city after I asked a guy who wouldn't talk to get out of my cab.

"The head of the Taxi & Limousine Commission had to write a letter to the New York Post. It said, 'To Mayor Giuliani and the citizens of

New York City, we would like to apologise for the indefensible behaviour of HBO and Todd Phillips."...

More from my inbox…

Casting Brooklyn Couples

The producers of HBO’s Taxicab Confessions seek Brooklyn couples ages 18-35 to follow their real lives for a new documentary series.

Call 877-402-cast for more information on how to apply…

I don’t have any further info on what exactly this documentary series will include, but it looks like some kind of reality TV series, except if HBO is the desired home for the series, it’ll likely be far more edgier than those reality series on network television.

Note that it also doesn’t specify sexual orientation, so I’m guessing both hetero- and homosexual couples are welcome.

Chicago – The new reality series “Lock ‘N Load,” debuting tonight, October 21st, 2009, on Showtime, is a completely wasted opportunity to add something unique and interesting to the debate over gun control. Completely leaving political or personal viewpoints on controversial weapons issues out of my opinion, the show simply isn’t interesting or entertaining.

Television Rating: 1.0/5.0

“Lock ‘N Load” stars Josh T. Ryan, an actor who has been paying the rent by working at a Denver area gun store called “The Shootist”. He’s billing himself as a “gunslinger,” a man who sells guns to average Americans, but he’s really just an out-of-work actor trying to make TV gold out of his customers, who are being taped on hidden cameras set up around the store. In today’s reality TV world, everyone gets their fifteen minutes of fame, whether they ask for it or not.

Josh T. Ryan in Lock ‘N Load.

It was a taxi that was the deciding factor in Jaime Edmondson and Cara Rosenthal's advancement to the Amazing Race 14 finale, and it was also a taxi that was responsible for them coming up just short of the win. "So much of the game is luck and, without fail, we always had bad luck with the taxis, so it really didn't surprise us the final leg for a million dollars that we'd get the taxi driver that we did," Jaime tells TVGuide.com. The former NFL cheerleaders also weren't surprised with Jaime's "mean-girl" label. See what they have to say about their portrayal, as well as what it will take for an all-female team to finally win the Race.

Check out our interviews with winners Tammy and Victor here, and third-place finishers Luke and Margie here.

Read More >...

It was a taxi that was the deciding factor in Jaime Edmondson and Cara Rosenthal's advancement to the Amazing Race 14 finale, and it was also a taxi that was responsible for them coming up just short of the win. "So much of the game is luck and, without fail, we always had bad luck with the taxis, so it really didn't surprise us the final leg for a million dollars that we'd get the taxi driver that we did," Jaime tells TVGuide.com. The former NFL cheerleaders also weren't surprised with Jaime's "mean-girl" label. See what they have to say about their portrayal, as well as what it will take for an all-female team to finally win the Race.

Check out our interviews with winners Tammy and Victor here, and third-place finishers Luke and Margie here.

Read More >...

I know, she looks like a cross between the woman who cut your hair when you were seven and that weird chick from Taxicab Confessions, but believe it or not -- that's Jude Law, the actor, in character for the new film Rage. According to director Sally Potter, Law took on the role of Minx -- "a "celebrity super-model" [who] took on a kind of hyper-beauty for this persona... a 'female' beauty which gradually unravels as the story unfolds." Potter adds, "Strangely, the more he became a 'she', coiffed and made-up - the more naked was his performance. There was great strength in his willingness to make himself vulnerable. It was an extraordinarily intense part of the shoot."

Rage was chosen to premiere at this year's Berlin Film Festival (which is just about to start), so I'm sure we'll hear more about it real soon. Described as "a bitterly funny exposé...

Showtime is developing a reality series documenting gay people coming out to friends and family.

The project is titled "Way Out." In each episode, a closeted individual reveals their true sexual orientation during a group meeting.

Showtime has ordered a pilot presentation from Bryn Freedman, a former journalist and executive producer of A&E's "Intervention," as part of its effort to bolster its unscripted slate.

"It's a show that has universal appeal because everybody can relate to having part of their lives hidden," said Freedman, who is producing the project with Evan Weiss. "The show is all about getting to know the person -- why they have been reluctant to come out and what it looks like to be living a lie, (and) what it is like when people are trying to set you up with dates."

"Out" will show the person's closeted life, document the moment they reveal their orientation to friends and family,...

Hey, prostitutes are people too, okay? There’s real horror here: the “gals” of the legal Nevada brothel the Chicken Ranch don’t ever get to leave the premises, we discover in Episode One of this six-part Sundance Channel documentary series, except for three hours once a week to visit a doctor for their regular recertification as Std-free. But their near-incarceration is all but forgotten as filmmakers Joe and Harry Gantz, who made HBO’s similarly voyeuristic Taxicab Confessions, let soap opera take over. Catfights as the “girls” compete for customers? You bet. High drama as medical issues plague one “gal”? Of course. The problem isn’t that the Gantzes aren’t sympathetic, or even that their apparent thesis that these “girls” are people who deserve our respect isn’t a worthy one: it’s that the upshot of the whole deal is still turning these women into commodities, except...

Taxicab Confessions: New York, New York Part 3Uploaded by HBOclips Shocking. Outrageous. Heartbreaking. Anonymous. The 13th Edition Of HBO’S Emmy-winning Documentary Series, Taxicab Confessions: New York, New York Part 3 Premieres Tomorrow! Heading back to the familiar streets of the Big Apple, the 13th edition of Taxicab Confessions: New York, New York Part 3 presents more intimate, nocturnal [...]...

Bravo has hailed Taxicab Confessions, the latest HBO series to find a cable home in the syndication market.

The NBC Universal-owned cable channel is acquiring nine episodes of Taxicab, a racy, unscripted hidden-camera series in which real-life taxi passengers share the skeletons in their closet with the drivers. Bravo is dispatching the episodes in late-night blocks beginning Friday, including a New Year's Eve marathon.

" 'Taxicab Confessions' was groundbreaking as one of the original reality series," said Frances Berwick, executive vp programming and production at Bravo. "This award-winning show was raw, moving and shocking while at the same time poignant in its portrayal of urban lifestyles."

HBO began airing episodes of the series in 1995. Taxicab will be edited for basic-cable consumption, a Bravo spokeswoman said.

HBO has been unloading a steady stream of its programming to other cable channels in syndication, including such top hits as The Sopranos, which starts next month on A&E, as well as Sex and the City (TBS) and The Wire (BET). Bravo has acquired HBO fare before, launching Six Feet Under this year.

Showtime said Wednesday that it will explore Sexual Healing in a new reality documentary series set to begin production in February. The network has ordered nine one-hour episodes of the show from Joe and Harry Gantz (HBO's Taxicab Confessions) and their production company, View Film. Sexual Healing, which will premiere on the network in the spring or early summer, chronicles the experiences of three couples as they undergo a weeklong relationship workshop led by sex educator/therapist Dr. Laura Berman to work through their problems. The Gantz brothers, Berman and Sam Chapman will executive produce, with the Gantzes also directing.