- Which 'NCIS' Star Got His Start On 'The Cosby Show'?
Michael Weatherly is gearing up to celebrate the 200th episode of "NCIS," which he stars on as Special Agent Tony DiNozzo. And while Weatherly has enjoyed quite a run on the military procedural, he told "CBS This Morning" (weekdays, 7 a.m. on CBS) about his less-than-auspicious start in show business, which included a one-episode fill-in spot as Theo's roommate on "The Cosby Show."
Weatherly told the story of his early days as an actor and how he fell into the "Cosby" cameo. "I had nothing on my resume except stuff I made up, it was all completely fictional," he said, joking that lying was much easier in the days before IMDB and Google. "My manager represented a guy who played Theo's roommate, and he booked a movie with John Turturro and wasn't available. But I was the same size as him, so she called me and said, 'Get out to Queens, you're gonna meet Bill Cosby and if he signs off on you, you're gonna be working this afternoon, they're taping. And I met him and he was in a track suit smoking a cigar, he had a rubber chicken nailed to his dressing room door. I did okay, but they never invited me back ... it was a one shot deal."
Fortunately for Weatherly, his "NCIS" gig has lasted quite a bit longer.
The 200th episode of "NCIS" airs Tuesday, Feb. 7 at 8 p.m. EST on CBS.
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- Roger Daltrey Books 'Once Upon a Time' Role
Here's a tri-level scoop for "Once Upon a Time" fans, with each layer more intriguing then the last. Ready to go down the rabbit hole?
- Nancy Snow: CBS Exploits Murrow Legacy In Revived Person to Person
It's been over fifty years since Edward R. Murrow walked the corridors of CBS, his mother ship network for decades of highbrow radio and television broadcasting. The Murrow reputation for putting quality content before network profit makes his shadow loom large as the patron saint of American broadcast journalism. His programs include See It Now, in which he eviscerated the junior senator from Wisconsin, Joseph McCarthy, as well as his last CBS Special Report, Harvest of Shame, where he spoke to the American conscience about the plight of the migrant worker. Another popular Murrow-hosted program was Person to Person, the Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous meets Entertainment Tonight of its day. It had enough fluff to feed a Girl Scout troop. Murrow had earned enough serious credentials in his career to pull off the puffy celeb beat without being in danger of demoting his brand.
No American journalist today can come close to the Murrow legend and legacy. Both Murrow and Walter Cronkite, who outlived his CBS colleague by forty-four years, are the bookends of respectable broadcast journalism, which explains in part why CBS was once called the Tiffany Network under the long tenure of William S. Paley.
CBS is trying to revive the Murrow brand with a new duo for its 21st century version of Person to Person. Lara Logan, chief foreign affairs correspondent known best for her appearances on 60 Minutes, and Charlie Rose of CBS This Morning, are slated to premiere the program with George Clooney, Warren Buffett and Jon Bon Jovi. Here's the CBS teaser for the first show scheduled for Feb. 8th:
PERSON TO PERSON shows you how Hollywood's most popular leading man unwinds away from the lenses of the paparazzi, where perhaps the world's most successful investor conducts his billion-dollar deals, and the home studio where one of the world's most legendary rockers composes and records his music.
Co-executive producer Susan Zirinsky of 48 Hours fame (or what I like to call Saturday night at the morgue) says about the P2P venture: "What sets our broadcast apart is the unique access."
Zirinsky left out the last part of the sentence. "What sets our broadcast apart is the unique access to wealthy celebrities and what they eat." In a show teaser for this Wednesday's premiere, Lara Logan is seen asking George Clooney about the contents of his refrigerator. Oy vey. How is this any different from all the celebrity carpet bombing of the American mind going on already?
In his time Murrow never favored Person to Person, not only because he seemed bored with the format but also because it was referred to as "Murrow Lite," which generally means not good taste in TV programming or beer. He always preferred radio and said of his London Blitz broadcasts from the rooftops of the British Broadcasting Corporation that he sought "to describe things in terms that make sense to the truck driver without insulting the intelligence of the professor." Though he thrived in television, Murrow viewed the medium as having a dumbing down effect because it overemphasized the visual spectacle and downplayed the creative, interpretive mind of the viewer.
CBS is heavily marketing Murrow's image in its rollout of the 2012 Person to Person. It's doubtful that this show will have the staying power, that is, unless producer Zirinsky can somehow combine a murder mystery with peeking into George Clooney's cupboards.
The saddest part of the new Person to Person on CBS is that it exploits the visage of a credible journalist to try to capture eyeballs to the screen, a screen already permeated with so many trivial details about people whose lives are already above and beyond those 1 percenters we've been hearing about lately. We deserve more programs with an investigative look into corporate malfeasance, not someone's in the kitchen with George.
Nancy Snow is Professor of Communications at California State University, Fullerton. She is completing a book on Edward R. Murrow as Director of the United States Information Agency under John F. Kennedy to be called Truth is the Best Propaganda.
- Meet Ms. Brown, A.K.A. Vanessa Williams
Did you recognize the iconic voice behind Ms. Brown, the latest M&M's spokescandy, introduced in Sunday's hugely popular Super Bowl spot? The formidable Chief Chocolate Officer is voiced by none other than industry vet Vanessa Williams. It's a perfect fit, really, considering that Ms. Brown was inspired in part by Wilhelmina Slater, the ruthless publishing executive Williams played on "Ugly Betty."
Williams spoke exclusively to The Huffington Post Canada to find out everything there is to know about Ms. Brown, from her Ivy League credentials to how she gets along with the other spokescandies. We also chatted about what's on deck for Williams after "Desperate Housewives" wraps in April.
How did you become Ms. Brown? What made you say yes to this character?
Well, it was an easy one. When I saw the breakdown, they described her as someone who was like Wilhelmina. I said 'Huh, well I kind of created that character, so I guess it's perfect!' So I signed on and had no idea that the first major rollout would be the Super Bowl ad, which is also fantastic. We were in the top 5 in the USA Today poll!
How did you approach Ms. Brown? Were you channeling Wilhelmina?
She obviously doesn't have a cruel streak or obliterate people like Wilhelmina, was so adept at doing that [Laughs]. So it's certainly different in that way. But I think it's a matter of tone and a matter of portraying someone who's capable and in charge. That's how I approached it, and that's why it works.
What kind of feedback did you get after the commercial aired?
I didn't tell anybody. My youngest daughter knew and that was pretty much it. So after it aired, my phone started blowing up and my Twitter account started going crazy. People were asking 'Is that you, is that you?' It's actually flattering that people recognize my voice!
Do you think you and Ms. Brown share any characteristics?
Well, Ms. Brown graduated from an Ivy League school and majored in business. I graduated from Syracuse and majored in musical theatre! So it's a completely different type of business. She's well-travelled and so am I. She's single and has no kids, so that's another big difference. But she does like to work hard and be in control, and I certainly have a lot to manage in my career.
What can we expect to see from future commercials? Will she be interacting with the other spokescandies more? Does she get along with them?
[Laughs] Well, she does. Ms. Brown is definitely the brains behind it all. She's the one who introduced all of the other coloured candies -- it was her idea. Miss Green is the other female gal on the candy crew. She's somewhat witty but she's definitely more flirty. Yellow is a bit naïve and clumsy, but he's charming. Orange is the pretzel that is a mess -- paranoid and always afraid of being eaten. Blue is kind of cool. He's up on his current events. Red is the life of the party and the goofball. He was the one who shared Ms. Brown's Super Bowl commercial, and he's always willing to make a fool of himself. He thinks he's the leader, but Ms. Brown runs it all. They all get along, but they know that Ms. Brown is the boss.
They respect her.
Yes! And she's 70. I think she looks fabulous for 70 years old.
What else do you have on the go?
I have a book that's coming out that I wrote with my mom. It's coming out on April 17, and it's called 'You Have No Idea.' Then when "Desperate" finishes at the end of the season, we'll see what else I have coming up. I've got a holding deal with ABC so we'll see if there's another show that makes sense for me to step into.
Is there anything else you think fans would be interested in knowing about Ms. Brown?
We're opening the Museum of Chocolate today in SoHo. We're doing a brown carpet event tonight and introducing a 300-pound sculpture of Ms. Brown. She's also making an appearance on "Celebrity Apprentice" starting in February. So she's quite busy herself!
- John Polly: WATCH: 'Drag Ya Later with Jon & John' Takes On 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Season 4, Ep. 2
This week on a new episode of everyone's favorite drag-queen reality competition show (aka RuPaul's Drag Race), the ladies took it to the wrestling ring! And now Jon and I are counting down the five most glorious moments of the episode's body-slamming excitement in the latest installment of Drag Ya Later with Jon & John.
From big ballers Rick Fox and John Salley to the athletic wonder that is Ms. Latrice Royale, see what we had to say about this week's challenge.
SPOILER ALERT: Jon and I reveal this week's winner and discuss which queen had to "sashay away," so if you've not yet seen the full episode, go view it first at LogoTV.com.
Also, for more of Jon and me, follow us on Twitter at @JonMallow and @JohnPollySays.
Now... are you ready to RUUUUUMMMBLE?
WATCH:
- PHOTO: 'Modern Family' Stars Celebrate Prop 8 Ruling
Just as the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage in the state of California, was unconstitutional, one of TV's most famous fictional gay couples appealed to the better angels of their Twitter followers.
Both Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet, who play partners Mitch and Cam on ABC's Emmy-winning sitcom "Modern Family," posted a photo on their WhoSay accounts asking "How could you not want to see us tie the knot?"
After Tuesday's ruling, it looks like no matter who doesn't want to see them get hitched, there's nothing they can do to stop it. Wedding episode, anyone?
PHOTO:
- Ricky Gervais & Karl Pilkington Riff On HuffPost
As a longtime The Huffington Post blogger, Ricky Gervais has a lot of love for our site. His best friend Karl Pilkington, however, isn't quite as fond of us ... or, our name at least.
While the pair shot some upcoming "You've Got" videos for AOL, Gervais decided that he and Pilkington ought to give us a shout out. When we got this video, we were quite touched -- until Karl, who stars in Gervais' Science Channel series "An Idiot Abroad," decided he would take no part in the greeting.
We still had a great time interviewing you, Karl, and we still enjoy your show -- and we're not ashamed to admit it.
- Jaimie Etkin: 'RuPaul's Drag Race' Recap: The Queens Take The Ring
Note: Do not read on if you have not seen Season 4, Episode 2 of "RuPaul's Drag Race."
We kick things off with a whole lot of shade for Jiggly Caliente, who nearly went home last week. In memoriam of the first queen to go, Alisa, apparently Jiggly deemed to necessary to wear a slashed, off-the-shoulder top a la Sammi on "Jersey Shore."
Jiggly is worried that the other queens are doing more than just reading her: "I feel like there's a target in the back of my head and all these bitches are trying to assassinate me," she says.
But ooh, gurl: We got SheMail. Ru's come to pump up the girls and says it's time for some necessary roughness (just don't hurt the face).
For the mini-challenge, the queens have to literally make asses of themselves. They have 30 minutes to use a whole lot of foam, packing peanuts and the like to stuff some junk in their respective trunks. And it's gonna be tight because, as Dida Ritz explains, padding requires "at least a good hour to even start."
Sharon Needles also has some advice: "When making your ass, always draw the shape of Africa. Or as Latrice would say, the homeland." But she's "Polynesian, bitch."
Time to walk for Ru, who is apparently not a fan of the cottage cheesiness Jiggly is serving up. Phi Phi O'Hara, Willam and Chad Michaels win the challenge and that gives them advantage for ...
Wrestling?! The girls will become the luscious ladies of the fictional WTF and will each be coming up with her own over-the-top wrestling character. Now, the mini-challenge winners pick their teams.
Phi Phi goes with Latrice, LaShauwn and Kenya. Willam picks Dida, The Princess and Jiggly. And Chad Michaels claims Milan, Sharon Needles and Madame LaQueer, the last woman standing.
Ru tells them each team needs to decide who will be the heroines (faces) and villains (heels). As they discuss, Madame LaQueer is quickly proving to be the weakest link on Team Chad because she has a bad ankle. [Note: If this were "Watch What Happens Live!" and the drinking game alert term was ankle, I would be physically incapable of writing this, and maybe anything else, ever again.]
Willam is really happy with her team and Dida says they're gonna ace it.
Then, the ladies head to the ring to meet with three professionals -- Hollywood's Own, El Chido
and King of Submissions -- who can help them choreograph their fights.
While Jiggly throws shade and screams about New York, The Princess stays pretty mum. "Princess is giving closed captioning while [Jiggly's] in stereo," Willam jokes. I will not lie to you, I am really coming around to her. She's kind of hilarious.
As is the beloved Sharon Needles, who really shows her versatility in this episode, in addition to her smack talking skills. "Come on, Madame. Mah damn face is sick of looking at you," Ms. Needles taunts to LaQueer.
Back in the workroom, Ru checks in on all the teams and Jiggly assures her she'll be luscious. And then our fearless host announces that the guest judges will be Billy B., Rick Fox and John Salley. Willam says, "I think i'll tuck extra tight for Rick Fox and John Salley."
Now, let's the games begin.
First up is Team Phi Phi and though I do not watch professional wrestling so I'm unclear of its standards, this intro set up looks like bad porn, not that I watch that either.
Nevertheless, it's still clear to me that Latrice and split-show off Kenya have the attitude down. I am kind of loving it.
Next is Team Willam and the leader is still throwing out zingers, calling Jiggly a "plus-sized Jujubee," who I miss dearly, by the way.
Juju, I mean, Jiggly, is worried that The Princess' lackluster performance in the ring will affect him. "If I get in the bottom two because of this bitch? It ain't gonna be cute," she says. Noted.
And the best for last is easily Team Chad. Between their costumes (Madame LaQueer's cleaving-showcasing, Britney Spears-inspired red pleather catsuit) and the storyline (the villains give the heroes crabs after sleeping with their boyfriends), they're easily the ringleaders. I think specific props should go out to Chad and Sharon, the latter of whom is a new woman this episode and looking uber-fishy.
Speaking of which, there is an angle of Sharon Needles that thoroughly amazes me. These tucks ... I mean, after four seasons of "RuPaul's Drag Race," I will never get it.
Sharon is on fire; she says to Madame LaQueer, "Alright Kirstie Alley before 'Dancing with the Stars."
And the show's over. Back in the workroom, the ladies discuss family and Madame LaQueer says she has none anymore; her friends are her family. Chad's seriously pouty lips quiver and they embrace. She better not cry and f--- with that mug. There's no crying on "Drag Race" because it's runway time!
Ru is looking very ruffled and '70s, complete with hoop earrings and a fro (which is just how I like my RuPaul) and it's time for the ladies to show off their girliest looks.
- Kenya is up first in a magenta sequined mini-dress and Nicki Minaj wig. She's precious.
- LaShauwn is serving "bubble gum, yum yums ... Going girly beyond." Chew on that.
- I've said it 83 times and I'll say it again: Sharon is really just blowing my mind. She looks amazing on the runway, as Michelle notes, "a lost Arquette sister." Sharon says she wanted to show the judges she could bring beauty to the stage even though it's foreign to her. Success!
- Jiggly says she is serving "Banjee girl meets Sweet 16." I only know what half of that means and I'll buy it.
- Milan is feeling like black Barbie meets a Valley girl. Her dress is see-through. What kinda Barbie's was she playing with? Since John Salley is there, though, Milan says she'd rather be a "Salley girl."
- Madame LaQueer is sporting an asymmetrical hairstyle straight out of "Edward Scissorhands." And she says it's the most beautiful she's ever looked on the show (i.e. in two episodes).
- Dida comes out and Michelle says, "I thought it was P. Diddy's Mom." Dida says she's giving fish, face and vogue. She knows her runway is "fierce" [snap].
- Chad Michaels looks very Paris Hilton and she says she is serving up "girly girl realness fish on a stick." Ru adds, "Heidi Montag called and she wants her old body back."
- The Princess is loving her little girl rockstar ensemble and her red windblown hairstyle. But Ru is sensing a bit of Cameron Diaz. "There's something about The Princess," he says. Gross.
- Phi Phi is serving up "telenovela realness." She says she was going for a dragged out Miami housewife" and judges are just eating her up. "Her legs are like peanut butter ... easy to spread," Ru says.
- Latrice Royale is "pretty in pink." Star Jones called and "wants her old body back," according to Ru.
- Willam's look is "rich bitch mistress." She says she's "serving girlie girl on a platter to go, sauce on the side." Billy B. thinks it's "'Toddlers and Tiaras' where are they now." I wish.
Team Chad Michaels wins it and Madame LaQueer and Chad Michaels get some risque wigs for being the creme de la creme. No, that's legit the brand.
LaShawn gets ripped a new one, while the judges love Kenya and Rick Fox calls Latrice "Shag-Quille O'Neal Latrice."
When the ladies leave the stage, the judges wonder if Willam's attitude will get in the way and if The Princess is charismatic enough. Rick says Dida was "going for 'Sex and the City,' but it was more like Sex in the Alley." Billy B. sees literally nothing wrong with Kenya or Latrice.
So it's not surprising that Latrice, Kenya and Phi Phi are all safe. Ru asks Jiggly if there's more from her than "Queen of the Hood"? That's to be determined. Nevertheless, she's safe.
The judges decide that The Princess is channelling pink, but her performance was beige. Thus, she's up for elimination. Willam is also safe as is Dida, but LaShauwn will join The Princess at the bottom.
Time to lipsync for their lives to "Bad Girls" by Donna Summer and LaShauwn just doesn't commit the way The Princess does, even though she pulled it out of nowhere. So The Princess (chantay) will stay and LaShawn has to sashay away. She's a young queen and, as she says, "some of these girls are between 40 and 50 so it was sickening"
She signs the mirror with "Stay true 2 U" and it's on to the next.
- Susan Dormady Eisenberg: An Interview With Terence Winter: Executive Producer, Writer, and Creator of HBO's Boardwalk Empire (Part 1)
HBO's Terence Winter loves to dazzle viewers with plots that take both surprising and truthful turns. "Storyteller" should be Winter's middle name, and as executive producer, head writer, and creator of Boardwalk Empire, his commitment to narrative integrity fuels the show's success.
Winter has reason to feel proud because the accolades keep coming. Two weeks ago, Boardwalk won the 2012 SAG Award for Best Ensemble, a welcome follow-up to the 2011 Writers Guild Award for Best Writing in a New Series and the 2011 Golden Globe for Best Television Series Drama. Boardwalk's second season ended this past December 11 with a closing shot that electrified the fans, but Winter and his creative team had already been in their writers' room since September, devising plot lines for season three. The producer is also collaborating on a new series with Boardwalk's executive producer, Martin Scorsese, and rock icon, Mick Jagger. He's so busy these days, he admits that his secret desire is to "read a book that's not connected to work."
Winter, known to colleagues as Terry, is a canny Brooklyn native who takes nothing for granted, not even his success, although he broke into TV in the 90s without a single industry contact. After a few years of writing sitcoms, he found his dream job in 1999 working for producer David Chase of The Sopranos. Over the next seven years, Winter wrote (or co-wrote) 25 Sopranos episodes, earning four Emmys and three Writers Guild Awards, a track record that led to his current high-profile role at HBO. The following is Part One of our recent telephone interview in which Winter riffs on Boardwalk Empire and The Sopranos, and his next project.
As you're developing season three of Boardwalk Empire, what's the most difficult challenge of keeping the show fresh?
Well, where do I begin? We ended in the late summer of 1921 and now it's New Year's Eve 1922, so we're jumping ahead sixteen months. The world has changed in a lot of ways and so have our characters, and we're having to reintroduce everyone. Obviously, season two ended with a very dramatic moment with Nucky Thompson (played by Steve Buscemi) killing Jimmy Darmody (Michael Pitt) who in many ways was like a son. Season two was the wrap-up of many story lines that we've set up since the pilot when Jimmy told Nucky, 'The world is changing with Prohibition and you can't be a half gangster anymore.' So one of the biggest shifts is that we've seen Nucky evolving from a 'half gangster' into a 'full gangster' -- and it's been a long arc to get us there.
Is Nucky's killing of Jimmy his Don Giovanni moment, when he crosses the line?
Yes. I never really thought of it that way, but that's a good analogy.
I'm concerned about Nucky's wife Margaret who, as the season ended, was signing over Nucky's prime land to the Catholic Church. Will Nucky kill her, too?
All I'll say is, she's still alive! (Laughs) It was a daring act, but Margaret (Kelly Macdonald) is a daring person, and I think she felt very duped by Nucky. He poured his heart out to her about how she meant everything to him, so she married him and didn't testify against him, thus saving his life. But when she learned about Jim Neary's suicide she knew Nucky was complicit in his death; she also knew it was a lie when Nucky told her Jimmy Darmody had joined the Army again. She decided, 'The hell with this!' So signing the deed to the church was like writing a check to God and saying, 'I'm paid in full.' And now they can move on with their lives, though she's made Nucky pay. That land is the price for Margaret getting Nucky off the hook.
You seem to have an ability to take amoral people with a lot of flaws and make them sympathetic.
It's challenging in a way, but if you depict anyone with all the colors of human emotion and show those moments -- with their families, with their children -- the worst of us have elements of real humanity...Up until The Godfather, I don't think we ever went home with a gangster before, and The Sopranos took that to another level. You saw Tony and his kids and they became very relatable, and it sort of screws with the audience's head. On one hand, they think this guy's despicable, but they also see that he has the same kind of fights with his teenage daughter that everyone has. Yet every time the audience starts to relate to these characters and thinks, 'He's a fun, cuddly kind of guy I'd like to have a beer with,' he beats someone to death with a shoe, and the audience's reaction is always, 'You fooled me! You made me feel something, and then you made me feel something very different.'
We went through something similar after Boardwalk's season two finale. During seventy years of TV, the audience came to feel that the rules are, you can't kill the second lead on your TV show! Whatever's going to happen, it's all okay because there's no way they can kill the star. So people just got settled in and the question became, 'How's he [Jimmy] going to get out of this at the last minute?' And at the last minute, it played out exactly the way they didn't think it would happen which is that Nucky did kill Jimmy. And if you watch the episode, it's all there. Jimmy Darmody knows he's going to be killed and this is what he feels he deserves. But the audience couldn't accept the idea that we broke the conventions of television and killed off the second lead, even though, according to the code of gangsters, Nucky couldn't let that transgression [Jimmy's betrayal] go unpunished.
I gather you're especially happy with that plot device. Why?
Viewers are so savvy now, and there's so much chat about everything on the internet. People talk about the plots and what happened, and they see your tricks a mile away. So the fact that we could shock people was very satisfying for me.
Are you already mapping out future seasons so you know where the show is heading, or are you allowing things to develop slowly?
It's a little of both. We really have to take it one season at a time, hoping that the audience wants to continue to see this series and that HBO wants to continue to produce it. I want to take a very optimistic view and assume we'll be on for many seasons to come, so ultimately I have a couple of ideas of how it would end. But until we get there I'm not ready to etch that in stone -- or even edge it onto paper with an ink-jet printer.
How will the Prohibition era boost the show's drama during season three?
We're moving into 1923 when the Twenties really became the 'Roaring Twenties.' The economy began to boom and this became the Flapper Era. The parallels between then and now are obvious because that period mirrors the world we live in today. Prohibition, for instance, is the model for the illegal drug business; it's what made millionaires out of gangsters. People were buying political favors, and big business controlled everything. But from a more practical standpoint, there haven't been many shows about Prohibition since The Untouchables and the era was ripe to be explored. It's appealing to do it on HBO where you can show things honestly.
You based the character on a real person, Nucky Johnson, but you changed his name to give yourself more leeway, right?
I didn't want to be married to the real guy's life story. I realize we have certain real characters such as Al Capone and Lucky Luciano, and if you don't know their history, it's easy to find on the internet. So in order to stay ahead of the audience I knew we needed to fictionalize as many characters as possible, and I wanted to take our Nucky into places that the real Nucky Johnson might never have gone -- emotionally, violently. I also didn't want to sully the real person's reputation in case he has family. That wouldn't be fair.
Are writers' rooms the best way to produce great television?
I've heard of shows that don't have rooms and it sounds kind of weird. First of all, the experience is really fun. You get to sit around a table with five, eight, or ten really funny, smart people and talk about stories all day, and it's a great way to work if the room is functioning well. The meetings can last for weeks on end -- for The Sopranos, for instance, we'd sit for six weeks, eight or nine hours straight, and even eat lunch together, and talk all day asking, 'What if this? What if that?' and then we'd start generating story ideas. For Boardwalk Empire season three, we spent two months last fall, and then we split up and everyone went off to write their episodes, and as of now we already have the bulk of season three written.
Is it true that you, Martin Scorsese, and Mick Jagger have already met with HBO executives to discuss a new hour-long series?
Yeah, our work is ongoing. I've written the pilot and am currently developing what will be season one, and hopefully it will happen during 2012-2013. It's set in New York in the early Seventies at the dawn of the hip-hop, punk, and disco era. It centers around a record-company executive who's going through a personal crisis and takes off from there. Years ago, Mick and Marty had collaborated on the documentary, Shine a Light, and they wanted to do a project, and since I'd written for Marty on Boardwalk, they brought me in and we kicked around a lot of ideas. Mick will be an integral part of the project; he's a tremendous resource.
Do you think that series TV can rival movies as an art form?
I look at the feature films that come out, and by and large, 85 percent of them are things I wouldn't in a million years sit down and watch. The more interesting storytelling is happening on television, by a long shot. One of the nicest things I ever read about our show was that a critic felt Boardwalk Empire could be the beginning of the blur between television and cinema, because the production values are so high and the storytelling is so compelling.
How do you feel about reality TV?
I've stumbled on some reality TV that I think is interesting, such as Rock of Love with Bret Michaels, or Project Runway, or Danny Bonaduce's show from a few years ago, I Know My Kid's a Star. It has its place. TV is a level playing field, and you're competing for eyeballs. So look, does Jersey Shore make me sad for humanity that this is what's passing for entertainment? Well, this is a business and if that's what millions of people want to watch, I can't fault someone for producing it. And I'd be lying if I said I wasn't sucked in by some shows, such as anything about repairing a house, or people playing poker. I'll stop on that, and for fifteen minutes I'm in a trance. So I can't really criticize it because I'm part of that audience sometimes -- mostly not -- but I get it.
Author's note: Part Two of my interview, coming next week, depicts Terry Winter's move from New York to Hollywood as he morphed from an unhappy lawyer into a successful TV writer-producer.
- Lisa Steinberg: Saturday Night Slump
Growing up Saturday nights were what I looked forward to the most. I got to stay up late and watch the kings and queens of comedy reign over the land of television on Saturday Night Live. Legends like John Belushi, Eddie Murphy, Chris Farley, David Spade, Sarah Silverman, Chevy Chase, Jane Curtin, and Gilda Radner would grace the screen and have me hysterically laughing. A tide turned and new blood came on the show and it was filled with the talents of Jimmy Fallon, Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Maya Rudolph, Will Ferrell, Cheri Oteri, Molly Shannon, Horatio Sanz, Tracy Morgan, Ana Gasteyer and Rachel Dratch. Their talents brought a new dynamic to the show that had me invested in the late night sketch show in a new way as they brought funky and fresh spin. Now that Saturday Night Live has again been updated, the sketches and the comedians that are featured have become less charismatic and inspired, and I find myself continuing to wonder weekly why I continue to tune in.
If you asked me to name standout characters on Saturday Night Live from the past that I would imitate and annoy my family with impersonations of, I could probably name at least 20. Thinking about characters from sketches from the current shows, I could name two or three. "Weekend Update" was ruled by titans Fallon, Poehler and Fey and every minute of it had viewers in side-splitting laughter with their cheeks hurting from smiling. You knew watching the three that you were guaranteed to start Sunday with endless conversations about what you had seen the night before.
"Weekend Update" is now helmed by head writer Seth Meyers who leads the update desk alone and seems to do so in a lackluster and unbeguiling manner that leaves little to no laughter resounding in my household. The chemistry and energy that comes from having someone to play off of is lost with having only Meyers to try to execute jokes. Meyers definitely has charm, but the material he recites has him coming off as smug, insincere, and at times the only one finding the joke funny.
The writing on Saturday Night Live used to be unmatched when Fey, Fallon, Poehler, Rudolph, Shannon, and Dratch had the show as their playground. You could spot a Fey sketch a mile away because you knew it was smart and sly and would be well executed. The wake of their departures has left holes in the writing staff which now includes current cast member Andy Samberg. Samberg, who has made a name for himself from his Digital Shorts, has been missing the mark with kooky and off kilter videos that are creepy, quirky, and humdrum.
What once was sharp as a tack writing has been left devoid of any charisma, candor, and wit. Even with magnificently talented celebrity hosts the sketches seem dull and ill designed. New cast members Nasim Pedrad and Vanessa Bayer are reduced to mainly doing sketches that are low brow impersonations of celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Hoda Kotb, or Miley Cyrus while barely there Taran Killam and Paul Brittan are reduced to being invisible. Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, Keenan Thompson, Jason Sudeikis and Fred Armisen are the bread and butter of the show and should be held on to tightly.
Lorne Michaels and his band of merry misfits who seemingly were untouchable at one time have lost their shine and sparkle. Has the era of comedy royalty and sublime humor now reached its end? With a cast that can't hold a candle to the lords and ladies of laughter that once ruled the television airwaves and material that is a dead-end, Saturday Night Live just may be seeing its demise.
- Which 'Parenthood' Couple Takes Things To A New Level?
He's handsome, a doctor, and gets along spectacularly with her son, but is Jasmine ready to take the next step with the seemingly perfect Dr. Joe?
D.B. Woodside returns as Dr. Joseph Prestidge in the all-new episode, posing a heavy question for Jasmine that one can only hope will land him many more sexy appearances in the future.
- WATCH: Kristen Wiig As A Crazy Stalker On 'Portlandia'
Kristen Wiig -- sorry, Oscar nominee Kristen Wiig -- visits "Portlandia" in this week's episode, playing exactly the type of character she naturally would inhabit in the Portlandia universe: A crazed stalker obsessed with Cat Nap, a band comprised of Fred Armisen, Carrie Brownstein and a kitty.
Wiig's obsession escalates quickly, from a big fan to a gun-toting, hostage taking maniac. Of course, Wiig plays it spectacularly. As she and Armisen are two breakout stars from "SNL," we're glad to finally get her on Lorne Michaels' other comedy show.
Fun fact: Wiig's Oscar nomination, for co-writing the screenplay of "Bridesmaids," earns her the distinction of being the first "Saturday Night Live" cast member to earn a nomination while serving as a cast member. (Of course, Bill Murray, Eddie Murphy and a few others were nominated well after their "SNL" stints.)
"Portlandia" airs on IFC on Fridays at 10 p.m. EST (9 p.m. central).
- Is 'Smash' A Ratings Hit For NBC?
Will "Smash" be the ratings hit NBC needs? So far, so good. According to the network, the show brought in 11.5 million viewers with a 3.8 rating in the 18-49 demographic.
The new musical drama debuted after the first two-hour edition of "The Voice's" second season. Season 2 of "The Voice" officially kicked off after the ratings juggernaut of Super Bowl XLVI, pulling in 37.6 million total viewers. The Mon., Feb. 6 installment had 17.7 million viewers and a 6.6 rating in the 18-49 demographic.
"Smash" stars Anjelica Huston, Debra Messing, Megan Hilty and Katharine McPhee and follows the creation of a Broadway musical based on the life of Marilyn Monroe. The show was heavily promoted by NBC over the last few months, especially during the Super Bowl
But a healthy premiere doesn't necessarily mean the show will maintain the ratings. ABC's "Pan Am" took off to more than 11 million viewers, but quickly lost momentum. The show's Sun., Jan. 22 episode had 3.7 million viewers and a 1.2 rating in the coveted 18-49 demographic. "Smash's" future will be determined in the coming weeks.
For more on "Smash," see what the cast and producers had to say about the series in the slideshow below.
- Stephanie Earp: Is 'Smash' A Smash Hit?
A show about Broadway, with original music, starring Debra Messing in a charmingly co-dependent relationship with a fabulous gay man, and Anjelica Huston as a merry divorcée? It sounds like a no-brainer hit aimed squarely at the crowd that used to love smart comedies like "Frasier" and "Will & Grace." But now that the pilot for NBC's much-hyped "Smash" has finally aired, I'm still not sure it can live up to its title.
For one thing, it's not a comedy. Not that there's anything wrong with that, as the expression goes, but I did expect to chuckle, or at least crack a smile. Maybe I've been misled by the aphorisms coined by Noel Coward and Oscar Wilde, but I've always thought that people who write hit musicals -- not that I've met many of them, admittedly -- tend to be witty sometimes. But "Smash" is perilously low on humour. Not a single moment of wit, no instances of repartee, nary a double entendre, not even a lowly pun appeared over the hour.
Perhaps the show is taking a quote from its muse, Marilyn Monroe, a mite too seriously. "Don't make a joke out of me," Marilyn may have asked, but she was a fine comedienne and clearly loved to laugh. A script that had its character delighting in the possibilities of a baseball number could do with a few laughs for us, the actual audience, instead of limiting them to the fictional audience of the future musical.
That said, there is something here. The casting mix of seasoned Broadway, film and television stars means the performances are all strong, but the script -- which really was surpassingly stale considering the subject matter -- isn't giving them much to work with. The strongest element of the show is the tension between the two potential Marilyns, Katharine McPhee and Megan Hilty. The pilot belonged to McPhee, who got to open the show with a rendition of 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow,' the song she pwned on "American Idol," She also rendered Christina Aguilera's 'Beautiful' well, beautifully. McPhee's character got more backstory, more screen time and was obviously meant to be the fan favourite at the end of the night, but don't count Megan Hilty's Ivy out yet. One thing the script handles well is getting you to change your mind about which actress would be best in the role several times -- a precarious postion it can hold onto for only so long, one imagines. Unless we're heading into an "All About Eve" situation, which of course, Marilyn did have a small part in.
In an earlier note on this show, I called it "Glee" for grown ups, but I freely take that back. "Smash" uses music with much more sophistication than "Glee," and the music is "sophisticated." By which of course, I mean not terribly catchy, and occasionally tuneless. Broadway fans, don't even front. Just admit that in any big musical (besides 'Les Miserables' ) there are bum numbers, ones you'd have to listen to the cast recording of eleven billion times before you'd know the melody. My question is, can that possibly work on TV? If it's not a pop song, tried, tested and moments away from being overplayed, do we even want to hear it? I hate most of the music I hear on "Glee," "Idol" and "The Voice" but at least I've heard it before, which somehow rivets me to the screen, to hear just how awful a Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye or The Beatles tune can be made to sound. If I don't know the song, how am I supposed to know if it's being butchered? This is what all these singing competitions have done to me.
I will give "Smash" more time to win me over -- I appreciate that it's smart and upbeat, something NBC used to be really, really good at. If they manage to add funny and tuneful to the list, it might just be a smash.
