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  • Katie Holmes Turns Coy When James Corden Asks Which “Dawson’ Creek” Costar Was Better Kisser

    Katie Holmes was coy on Wednesday night while a guest on James Corden’s Late Late Show. Along with fellow guests Judd Apatow and Ryan Reynolds, the group chatted about Dawson’s Creek–the hit TV show on which Katie Holmes became famous.

    Corden stirred things up a bit when he asked Katie which of her costars–James Van Der Beek or Joshua Jackson–was the better kisser.

    Katie Holmes turned the tables on James Corden, however.

    “Who do you think?” she coyly asked him.

    “I think Der Beek, because I would get straight up in his grill,” James Corden said.

    “I went to high school with Josh, and I can tell you right now, he’s a terrific kisser,” Ryan Reynolds said. He and Joshua Jackson attended Kitsilano Secondary School in Vancouver together.

    “Well, I mean if he says so…” Katie Holmes said, laughing at the foolish things the three men were saying.

    Those who remember the days of Dawson’s Creek likely recall that Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson were dating when the show first aired. That would have made choosing Van Der Beek as the better kisser a bit uncomfortable.

    Another uncomfortable topic that came up on The Late Late Show was how kissing an actor on TV compares with a real-life first kiss.

    “It’s so awkward because with a first kiss in [real] life, if it doesn’t go well you can kinda be like, ‘Oh I gotta get home,’ or ‘thanks.’ You never have to deal with that person again,” Katie Holmes explained. “But on screen, you’re gonna have to have lunch and you’re probably have to work together tomorrow, so it’s a little bit [awkward].”

    Were you a Dawson’s Creek fan? Do you remember a much younger Katie Holmes when she starred on the TV show?

  • Katie Holmes Talks Kissing “Dawson’s Creek” Costars, Who Was the Better Kisser?

    Katie Holmes was a guest on The Late Late Show on Wednesday night, and she chatted with James Corden–along with fellow guests Judd Apatow and Ryan Reynolds–about her time on Dawson’s Creek. The talk soon turned to kissing, and the question arose about which of her former costars–James Van Der Beek or Joshua Jackson–was the better kisser?

    Playing coy, Katie Holmes turned the tables on Corden.

    “Who do you think?” she asked him.

    “I think Der Beek, because I would get straight up in his grill,” James Corden said.

    “I went to high school with Josh, and I can tell you right now, he’s a terrific kisser,” Ryan Reynolds said. He and Joshua Jackson attended Kitsilano Secondary School in Vancouver together.

    “Well, I mean if he says so…” Katie Holmes said, laughing at the foolishness the three men conjured.

    Those who remember the days of Dawson’s Creek likely recall that Katie Holmes and Joshua Jackson were dating when the show first aired. That would have made choosing Van Der Beek as the better kisser a bit uncomfortable.

    Another uncomfortable topic that came up on The Late Late Show was how kissing an actor on TV compares with a real-life first kiss.

    “It’s so awkward because with a first kiss in [real] life, if it doesn’t go well you can kinda be like, ‘Oh I gotta get home,’ or ‘thanks.’ You never have to deal with that person again,” Katie Holmes explained. “But on screen, you’re gonna have to have lunch and you’re probably have to work together tomorrow, so it’s a little bit [awkward].”

    Something else that’s awkward is the rumor flying around (yes, it’s still out there) that claims Katie Holmes is dating Jamie Foxx.

    Do you think there’s any truth to the rumor?

  • Leslie Mann, Dakota Johnson Get “Handsome” Reporter To Unbutton His Shirt

    Leslie Mann and Dakota Johnson seem to have bonded during their time together on the set of How To Be Single, and now the duo are having a blast on the film’s press tour.

    Mann and Johnson sat down recently for an interview with a “handsome” reporter and proceeded to refuse to answer his questions unless he gave them what they wanted; namely, an unbuttoned shirt.

    “You look like you have really big muscles. Do you work out a lot? You look like you pump iron,” Dakota asks after Leslie tells him he’s handsome and asks if he’s single.

    The reporter, Chris Van Vliet, was a good sport and went along with the women, unbuttoning his shirt and giving them some lines of his own.

    Of course, Mann is happily married to writer/director Judd Apatow, and the couple share two beautiful girls (both of whom made an appearance in his film Knocked Up, and This Is 40, which Mann co-starred in). Leslie and the girls are often featured on Judd’s Instagram account, where the couple share moments from a life often peppered with celebrity sightings.

    On our way. The American Comedy Awards are gonna rock!

    A photo posted by Judd Apatow (@juddapatow) on

    I could have posed better.

    A photo posted by Judd Apatow (@juddapatow) on

    Leslie Mann and Judd Apatow met on the set of The Cable Guy in 1997, and the rest was history. Apatow says he felt a connection with her immediately, unlike any he’d ever felt before, and recalls telling someone on set that he was going to marry her someday.

    “There goes the future Mrs. Apatow,” Apatow said. “I had a soul connection instantly. I meant it. That’s why I remember it.”

  • Mila Kunis Joins Kristen Bell and Christina Applegate in Untitled Comedy Penned By ‘The Hangover’ Writing Team

    Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell and Christina Applegate prove that stars do align.

    The threesome have all signed on to star in an untitled STX comedy, which was formerly under the stewardship of Judd Apatow.

    According to Us Weekly, the romp was originally titled Bad Moms, was set to be released by Paramount and produced by Apatow, with Leslie Mann on board to star. All of that has changed. What does remain is The Hangover writers, Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, who have stayed on to write and direct. Suzanne Todd (Alice in Wonderland) and Bill Block will produce.

    “Jon Lucas and Scott Moore are masters at creating relatable characters that audiences instantly embrace, and then putting them in hilarious real-life situations for great comedic results,” STX president and CCO Oren Aviv said in a statement. “This film provides the rare opportunity for a half-dozen strong female lead roles, and we are thrilled to have assembled an exceptional cast led by Mila Kunis, Christina Applegate, Kristen Bell. We can’t wait to start production and be part of the magic this team will bring to the screen.”

    The film with Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell and Christina Applegate will reportedly focus on three overworked mothers, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The stressed out mommas decide to switch up their lives a bit to free themselves from the responsibilities of everyday life. Needless to say, that decision leads to problems with the “perfect” clique of mothers, led by the head of the PTA.

    Who thinks this new Mila Kunis — who will likely relate as a new mom — romp will be just a little be awesome?

  • Judd Apatow Slams Bill Cosby in Spot-On ‘Tonight Show’ Stand Up Routine

    Judd Apatow doesn’t include Bill Cosby on his list of BFFs. In fact, the director has made it unequivocally clear recently that he believes Cosby is guilty of the alleged drugging and rapes that have been front and center in the media in recent months.

    While a guest of Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show Monday, the Trainwreck director did a stand up comedy routine that slammed Bill Cosby and–the serious nature of his alleged crimes aside–was hilarious, too.

    “Cosby is still out on the road. Isn’t that weird? He’s like doing stand-up. What do you think his act is like? Do you think he’s still talking about it?” Judd Apatow began, before transitioning into a Bill Cosby impression. “You ever been in trouble with the wife? You ever get into the dog house with the wife?

    He continued with his Cosby imitation.

    “And my wife, she said to me, ‘What is this in the paper about the raping and the drugging and the women?’ And I said, ‘Do you like your life? Do you like the house, the jet? Then have a cappuccino and shut the fo-que up!’” Judd Apatow declared.

    Judd Apatow has been outspoken about his feelings about the Bill Cosby scandal for some time.

    In a recent conversation with Whoopi Goldberg–who previously believed Bill Cosby to be innocent–he convinced the co-host of The View to change her stance on the issue.

    Did you catch Judd Apatow on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon earlier this week?

    What is your take on his Bill Cosby-bashing stand up routine?

  • Whoopi Goldberg Stops Backing Bill Cosby. Here’s What She Learned.

    Whoopi Goldberg may be softening her once-hard stance about Bill Cosby. After duking it out with fans and viewers of The View for months, the host sat down to learn a little more about the whole Cosby mess.

    Whoopi Goldberg broke from the usual format of The View to have a one-on-one discussion with Dan Abrams, ABC News’ chief legal affairs anchor, about what the Cosby scandal.

    “I’ve been taking a lot of heat for various reasons,” Goldberg told her guest.

    In past episodes, Whoopi has said she has gotten a lot of hate for her insistence that Bill Cosby is innocent until proven guilty, just like every other accused person in the United States.

    “People have been coming after me and saying they’re going to snatch my family,” Goldberg said on one episode of The View. “It’s like being Frankenstein, people coming after you with the fire and they’re going to burn you.”

    Goldberg had held fast to her stance that, even if Bill Cosby is guilty, he should not be assumed as such until there has been a trial.

    “Not any of you threatening me or telling me you’re coming after me because you don’t like what I said is going to change the fact that no one has convicted him, he has not been arrested,” said Goldberg. “The bottom line is, that’s the law. Innocent until proven guilty.”

    Judd Apatow mentioned Goldberg by name as a holdout in the public opinion verdict against Cosby.

    “I think Whoopi Goldberg is trying to be a loyal friend,” Apatow tweeted. “It is sad that Bill Cosby is so sick that he puts his friends in that position.”

    But after her conversation with Abrams, who explained to Goldberg why someone could conceivably get away with drugging and raping women for decades, things seemed to shift. One such revelation was about the statute of limitations on rapes in the states these are alleged to have happened. In essence, the timer ran out on these women being able to charge Bill Cosby with any allegations.

    “I always thought that rape cases were open-ended,” Whoopi Goldberg responded.

    “That’s a shock to me,” Goldberg said. “Because I always thought that if you could take somebody to court then you could have the accuser say, ‘That’s who did it, this is what it is,’ but you’re saying that all that is left to these women is the court of public opinion.”

    Faced with the explanation of statutes of limitation, as well as the damning testimony from Cosby’s now-unearthed deposition in which he admits to buying Quaaludes for sex with women, Goldberg admitted, ” All the evidence out there kind of points to guilt.”

    Goldberg concluded with a statement directed at Bill Cosby himself:

    “It looks bad, Bill. Either speak up or shut up, because people know now there is a lot more out there than they thought.”

  • Whoopi Goldberg Now Admits Bill Cosby Looks Guilty

    Whoopi Goldberg defended Bill Cosby last week on The View. Since reviewing new information about the allegations facing the former star of The Cosby Show, Whoopi has now changed her mind.

    Goldberg has defended Cosby ever since rape allegations against him resurfaced. In a conversation with ABC’s Dan Abrams on Tuesday, she sang a different tune.

    “I’ve been taking a lot of heat for various reasons,” she said.

    More than 40 women have now come forward and accused Bill Cosby of sexual assault.

    Whoopi Goldberg asked Dan Abrams why–if Bill Cosby is guilty–has he not been arrested or jailed for his crimes.

    Abrams explained that the statute of limitations has run out.

    “That’s a shock to me,” Goldberg said. “Because I always thought that if you could take somebody to court then you could have the accuser say, ‘That’s who did it, this is what it is,’ but you’re saying that all that is left to these women is the court of public opinion.”

    “I always thought that rape cases were open-ended,” she added.

    Dan Abrams explained the current movement to remove said statute of limitations.

    “I do think that we can say to women, ‘If something happens, don’t wait,’ because what waiting does is it can make it harder to prove your case,” Whoopi Goldberg said. “If you want to get him off the street, we need you to step out, and if you step out then he can be put away.”

    Hollywood director Judd Apatow addressed Whoopi Goldberg following her most recent defense of Bill Cosby.

    Has Whoopi Goldberg now seen the light? Between her conversation with Dan Abrams and her Tweets from Judd Apatow, does she feel differently about the allegations against Bill Cosby?

    “It looks bad, Bill. Either speak up or shut up, because people know now there is a lot more out there than they thought,” she said.

    If Whoopi can be swayed, there might be hope for others, too.

    Do you agree?

  • Judd Apatow Calls Out Cosby Holdouts After Quaaludes News

    Judd Apatow has been outspoken about the mess Bill Cosby finds himself in lately. Many people have opinions about what is going on with Cosby, but Apatow says it’s time to stop questioning Cosby’s accusers. Time for benefit of the doubt has run out.

    “I just kept noticing that no one else was saying that this was a bad thing,” said on the Today show. “I would have loved to not talk about it. It’s incredibly sad. It’s one of the most tragic things that’s happened in our business, and I think we do have to stand up for the women and say that we believe you.”

    In America, we do have a rule of justice that a person is innocent until proven guilty, but many believe that the women who accuse Cosby of drugging and raping them have not been properly heard. Besides, there are so many of them from so far back who have very similar stories.

    “We should all be very hesitant about getting involved in anything,” Judd Apatow said. “But when it’s 40 people [making accusations], it certainly is time for everybody to wake up and say we should be concerned about the women.”

    When revelations hit last week that Bill Cosby had admitted to procuring Quaaludes for women he intended to have sex with, Judd Apatow had heard enough.

    “A lot of people got terribly hurt,” Apatow said. “And you know, when you go out on a date you don’t need seven prescriptions for Quaaludes. I’m in show business. Famous people can meet women without the enormous prescriptions.”

    Bill Cosby’s wife Camille Cosby apparently does not like the line of reasoning Judd Apatow follows. According to sources claiming to be close to the Cosbys:

    “Camille still doesn’t believe that Bill provided drugs and had sex with women without their consent. She’s well aware of his cheating, but she doesn’t believe that her husband is a rapist.”

    These sources say Camille Cosby is not about to back down from supporting her husband.

    Camille Cosby is “a proud, dignified but stubborn woman. You can say that she’s standing by her husband, but really, the more people stand against him, the more she perceives it as an affront to her and all that she’s done to make him a star,”

  • Camille Cosby Has Not Denied Charges Against Bill. Here’s What She Did Say.

    Camille Cosby has remained silent in the wake of the release of court documents in which her husband Bill Cosby admits procuring drugs for women he intended to have sex with.

    Camille Cosby has long stood behind her husband as he fought a very public and very embarrassing battle with as many as forty different women who have accused him of sexual misconduct. At this point, one would think Camille Cosby might at least have an opinion about Bill intending to have sex with other women, and buying Quaaludes for them, even if he never went through with it.

    When the scandal first got huge last year, Camille Cosby said she believed her husband to be the victim of these accusations.

    “None of us will ever want to be in the position of attacking a victim. But the question should be asked – who is the victim?”

    After the release of those court documents, Judd Apatow was asked by Esquire Magazine for a response to the information. Apatow also called out Camille Cosby.

    “I don’t think there is anything new here. It is only new to people who didn’t believe an enormous amount of women who stated clearly that he drugged them. We shouldn’t need Bill Cosby to admit it to believe forty people who were victimized by him. I am sure there are many victims who have not come forward. Maybe now more people in show business and all around our country will stand up and tell the people he attacked that we support you and believe you. I also hope Camille Cosby and Phylicia Rashad will now stand with the victims and not with their attacker.”

    Perhaps now is a good time to review what Camille Cosby has said. In her statement, she never categorically denied that Bill Cosby did what he was accused of. She simply said he was “the man you thought you knew,” meaning the public.

    She also said she does not know the man she has seen portrayed in the media for months. She also bemoaned that the alleged victims accusing Cosby had not been “vetted.”

    In none of this does she deny. She just claims ignorance, bewilderment, and frustration. Here is her statement in full.

    “The man I met, and fell in love with, and whom I continue to love, is the man you all knew through his work. He is a kind man, a generous man, a funny man, and a wonderful husband, father and friend. He is the man you thought you knew.

    “A different man has been portrayed in the media over the last two months. It is the portrait of a man I do not know. It is also a portrait painted by individuals and organizations whom many in the media have given a pass. There appears to be no vetting of my husband’s accusers before stories are published or aired. An accusation is published, and immediately goes viral.

    “None of us will ever want to be in the position of attacking a victim. But the question should be asked – who is the victim?”

  • Amy Schumer Doesn’t Hold Back With Her Hilarious Jokes At MTV Movie Awards

    Amy Schumer said before hosting Sunday’s MTV Awards that she would “make some people mad,” and she may have been telling the truth about that.

    Amy Schumer, the star of Comedy Central’s Inside Amy Schumer, hosted the MTV Movie Awards with some off-color, albeit hilarious jokes that may have touched a nerve for some.

    In a pre-taped spoof of the year’s top films, Amy Schumer delivered the same type of material she usually reserves for the stand-up routines.

    She took on Boyhood by telling a young boy she would end up getting HPV and screaming at strangers in The Bachelor’s hot tub and wore a cannula while asking when she would get high from it in a spoof of The Fault in Our Stars.

    “Is anyone else not getting high from these things? Is this a trick or something?” she asked.

    She promised to hit Kevin Hart of Jupiter Ascending “pretty hard” and she delivered. Not surprisingly, Amy Schumer also managed to incorporate a slew of masterbation references throughout the telecast.

    Amy Schumer went political by referring to Sunday’s announcement of Hillary Clinton entering the presidential race.

    “After months of speculation, Hillary Clinton today announced…she’s taking Zayn’s spot in One Direction,” Schumer said enthusiastically.”First woman in One Direction: I never thought I’d live to see the day!”

    Entertainment Weekly made a list of her best jokes, which included:

    – “I don’t want the winners to worry about their speeches going too long, because MTV is the one network that refuses to play music.”

    – “The Movie Awards are the only show where the best movies are nominated and voted on by the same people who keep Catfish and Teen Mom on the air. Thank you for that. Keep it up.”

    – “Do you know how many movies Kevin [Hart] made this year? Two million. He made two million. Did you see Boyhood? He’s the boy, age 9. He was the fake baby in American Sniper.”

    – “Magic Mike XXL. It really is magic. Anytime I watch those guys, at least two of my fingers disappear. It’s so weird.”

    – “Furious 7—which is what they’re calling the people that saw Jupiter Ascending. If you don’t get that, that’s why that joke works.”

    – “This drought in California is horrible. I can’t. And I just found out about it right now. Like all I can think about for another couple minutes. Support your Congress thing, and like, science. And just tell Wall Street, like, bring back our water.”

    Amy Schumer is slated to appear next in Judd Apatow’s upcoming Trainwreck.

  • Amy Schumer On How Falling In Love Is More “Terrifying” Than Fun

    Amy Schumer makes her living as a funny lady, but she isn’t afraid to delve into some darker territory when it comes time to talk about love, and that’s just what she did with Judd Apatow for the film Trainwreck. The film premieres in July, but it made its debut at SXSW over the weekend to a sold-out crowd, so fans of her naughty humor can expect the same brilliance she gives them on her show Inside Amy Schumer.

    The film has a lot of Amy in it, she says; not only when it comes to her feelings on love and how difficult it can be, but also for the family aspect. Comedian Colin Quinn plays her father, who is battling multiple sclerosis–just like her real dad.

    “There is no denying that there is a lot of me in this movie. I, as they say, went there. It’s really personal. It’s about stuff I was struggling with and am constantly battling,” Schumer told Entertainment Weekly.

    Schumer is killing it in her career right now; not only is her show about to start up a third–and no doubt just as successful–season on Comedy Central, her stand-up routines are garnering huge laughs and great reviews. According to the Chicago Tribune, Amy knows how to play up her raunchy brand of humor for each audience.

    “Regardless of what happens on the film front, the comic is already a master standup. During the first of two shows at the Chicago Theatre on Friday night, Schumer held the sold-out crowd in rapt attention for a solid hour. The crowd roared with non-stop laughter at her eccentric, sly and irreverent world view,” wrote Chrissie Dickinson.

    Although Schumer says that Trainwreck deals with the darker aspects of love, fans at SXSW were happy with the injection of humor that the comedian brought, as well as the somewhat surprising performances by LeBron James and John Cena.

    “It’s scary to fall in love. I was falling in love with someone when I was writing it and it wasn’t even fun. It’s just terrifying. You’re just waiting to be hurt,” Amy Schumer said.

  • Lena Dunham Hires Real-Life Olivia Pope to Handle Damage Control

    Lena Dunham has reportedly hired the woman who inspired the character of Olivia Pope on ABC’s Scandal to help with crisis management, and it comes just in the nick of time.

    Lena Dunham‘s move to hire crisis management expert Judy Smith (the inspiration for Olivia Pope) of Smith & Company and PMK-BNC chairman and CEO Cindi Berger has come in handy after her faux pas in comparing Judd Apatow‘s disgust for Bill Cosby to someone who’s “obsessed with the Holocaust.”

    While Lena Dunham applauded Apatow’s stand for abused women, she didn’t exactly respond with tact when the interviewer for Timeout New York commented that she had heard some people call Apatow “obsessed” for going after Cosby with such passion.

    Dunham’s response was, “It’s sort of like saying someone’s obsessed with the Holocaust. It’s not ‘I’m so angry about Hulk Hogan’s sex tape.’

    “This is a huge issue, and it speaks to the way that we abuse power and the way that celebrity allows for injustice,” said Dunham. “Everyone else has gone, ‘Let’s hope it’s not true.’ Chris Rock, who’s an incredible guy and who has a strong sense of social justice, has basically said, ‘We’ll see.’”

    Lena Dunham’s crisis team, Judy Smith and Cindi Berger, must have gone straight to work to smooth things over after the quote came out.

    Throwback to last Thursday. Missing my baby boy so bad RN

    Ein von Lena Dunham (@lenadunham) gepostetes Foto am

    On Friday, Lena Dunham took to Instagram with positive comments and a statement about her Bill Cosby comments.

  • Laura Dern, Judd Apatow to Produce Comedy Based on ‘Obsessive Female Football Fans’

    Laura Dern and Girls producer Judd Apatow are teaming up with Universal studios to produce a comedy centered around “obsessive female football fans,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.

    Dern came up with the concept for the ensemble piece and Pam Barker — who collaborated with Trey Parker and Matt Stone on South Park: Bigger Longer and Uncut and co-wrote Hamlet 2 — will write the screenplay.

    Dern and Apatow are producing the comedy, along with Bridesmaids producer Barry Mendel.

    Dern most recently starred in The Fault in Our Stars with Shailene Woodley and Wild with Reese Witherspoon, and she co-created and starred in HBO’s Enlightened. She also appeared in 99 Homes, a drama that was featured at Toronto’s film festival.

    Apatow directed Trainwreck, which was written by and stars Amy Schumer and will be released in summer 2015.

    Eric Baiers, Universal’s senior vice president of production, will oversee the project.

    Most recently, the Golden Globe winner portrays the troubled mother to Witherspoon‘s character in Wild, which recounts the real-life adventures of Cheryl Strayed. After years of reckless behavior as a heroin addict and the destruction of her marriage, Cheryl decides to go on a solo journey along the Pacific Crest Trail.

    Haunted by memories of her mother, Bobbi (Dern), Strayed sets out with absolutely no experience to hike the thousand-mile journey that terrifies, frustrates, strengthens, and ultimately heals her.

  • Pee-Wee Herman Movie is Official! Reubens Told Fallon. Yeah, Right.

    It must be real this time, huh?

    Maybe I’m a skeptic. Maybe I am wrong to have this wait-and-see attitude. But you know, “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me half a dozen or more times, shame on me.”

    When asked about a possible new Pee-Wee Herman movie, Paul Reubens sat across from Jimmy Fallon and said with a straight face:

    “There is going to be one and I was hoping I could make this huge announcement tonight but it’s a week away from being announced. But yeah, Judd Apatow is producing it. This was all leaked three years ago, so a little bit is known…We’ve hired a director; I can’t say yet. But we’re going to start in February.”

    This is a lot like what Reubens told Rolling Stone recently:

    “There’s going to be a big announcement any minute now,. It’s been months and months of being right on the verge of being announced… I thought something was going to go public yesterday, actually, and that you’d be the first person I’d be talking about this with. But I’m thinking there will be something made public very soon. It’s going to get made shortly after the new year. I wish I could tell you about it right now, because…I mean, it’s amazing. It’s going to be amazing. It think it first got leaked four years ago or so that the movie was going to be made, and ever since then it’s just been stalling and stalling. So I’m really ready for this to happen. But I’m not kidding: It’s very imminent.”

    Here’s the problem. Reubens lies! Who knows why he does it? But he admits that he does. Back in 2007, he told Jimmy Kimmel:

    “Well, here’s the thing. I totally, during interviews, a lot of the time, lie. I make stuff up. The first time it ever happened, someone said ‘What are you doing next?’ And I said, ‘I’m building Pee-Wee Land.’ And it got printed and I started getting phone calls from investors. I made up on your show, and in a couple of other interviews, I was doing a Pee-Wee movie. So now everyone’s going, ‘When’s the movie coming out?’ And there’s isn’t a movie. It’s a little bit awkward.”

    So, it’s really anybody’s guess as to whether and when there will be a new Pee-Wee movie. Maybe Reubens is pumping this in interviews and on shows, using his recently bumped invitation cred to get the chance to push Apatow into confirming or denying the project.

    The rumors about Apatow are actually four years old. But no Pee-Wee project is listed for Apatow on IMDB.

    Still, hope springs eternal.

  • Netflix Lands New Judd Apatow Comedy Series ‘Love’

    Netflix Lands New Judd Apatow Comedy Series ‘Love’

    Score another win for Netflix in the original content realm. The company has just given a big vote of confidence to a new series called Love – committing to two seasons right off the bat.

    Love comes to us from Judd Apatow and Lesley Arfin. The former you know for sure and the latter has written for FOX’s Brooklyn Nine-Nine and HBO’s Girls. Produced by Legendary TV, the new comedy is set to star Paul Rust (Inglorious Basterds, I Love You, Beth Cooper) and Gillian Jacobs of Community fame. They’ll play a couple named Mickey and Gus.

    “Judd Apatow has a unique comedic voice that manages to be delightful, insightful, and shockingly frank — often at the same time,” said Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos in a statement. “Together with Paul and Lesley, he’s bringing a whole new level of agony and ecstasy to this modern day comedy of manners.”

    According to Variety’s sources, Netflix gave the show that two-year guarantee because the really wanted a Judd Apatow show. Apparently, Netflix beat out Hulu for the show’s rights, which went up for bid in early 2014.

    The first season of Love will contain 10 episodes and premiere on Netflix sometime in 2016. Season two will have 12 episodes and will land in 2017.

    Image via Judd Apatow, Twitter

  • Pee-Wee Herman New Movie: When Will This Thing Happen Anyway?

    Paul Reubens has been teasing the coming of a new Pee-Wee Herman movie for ages. Every year there is some new piece of news about an imminent production. The trouble is, the rumor mill has ground on this one for so long that it’s in danger of joining the ranks of Guns ’n Roses’ “Chinese Democracy” — talked about for 15 years, then failing to live up to the expectations it cast.

    Reportedly, Reubens approached Tim Burton, who did the original Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, and was turned down.

    The latest news is that the Pee-Wee project is in the hands of Judd Apatow and a script has been written by Paul Reubens and Paul Rust. But where things go from there is still up in the air.

    IMDB does not even list such a project as in the works for Reubens, Apatow, or Rust.

    Further complicating matters in getting to the bottom of industry news about a new Pee-Wee Herman project is that Paul Reubens admits to outright lying in interviews on the subject. Back in 2007, he teased about a Pee-Wee movie, but later acknowledged that he made the whole thing up. He told Jimmy Kimmel:

    “Well, here’s the thing. I totally, during interviews, a lot of the time, lie. I make stuff up. The first time it ever happened, someone said ‘What are you doing next?’ And I said, ‘I’m building Pee-Wee Land.’ And it got printed and I started getting phone calls from investors. I made up on your show, and in a couple of other interviews, I was doing a Pee-Wee movie. So now everyone’s going, ‘When’s the movie coming out?’ And there’s isn’t a movie. It’s a little bit awkward.”

    One thing that is sure is that Ruebens is playing a non-Pee-Wee character in the upcoming season of The Blacklist, starring James Spader. Word is that Reubens will play “a dapper, finicky ‘muscle’ who handles delicate situations in the criminal underworld.”

  • Martin Scorsese Defends Kodak’s Production of Film

    In January 2012, things could not have looked worse for Kodak. After 123 years of filmmaking, the company, created by George Eastman, had applied for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and looked destined for ultimate failure. Surprisingly, though, Kodak was able to stay on its feet and continue production a little over a year and a half later behind the supervision of Chief Executive Jeff Clarke.

    Despite its perseverance, Kodak faced challenges from ever-improving and cheaper technologies. Film, which had been Kodak’s bread-and-butter for so many years, was falling to the wayside, being replaced by cheaper, lighter, and easier-to-access forms of HD technology. Thanks to the hard work and generous words of multiple directors and film agencies, however, Kodak is in the final stages of cementing agreements to keep film a part of the movie industry for years to come:

    “After extensive discussions with filmmakers, leading studios and others who recognize the unique artistic and archival qualities of film, we intend to continue production. Kodak thanks these industry leaders for their support and ingenuity in finding a way to extend the life of film,” stated Kodak Chief Executive Jeff Clarke.

    Among those directors who voiced their opinions in support of Kodak and its continued production of film were Quentin Tarantino, Christopher Nolan, J.J. Abrams Judd Apatow, and Martin Scorsese. Today, Scorsese released a statement expressing why his continued support of film as a medium is so important to the movie industry:

    We have many names for what we do – cinema, movies, motion pictures. And…film. We’re called directors, but more often we’re called filmmakers. Filmmakers. I’m not suggesting that we ignore the obvious: HD isn’t coming, it’s here. The advantages are numerous: the cameras are lighter, it’s much easier to shoot at night, we have many more means at our disposal for altering and perfecting our images. And, the cameras are more affordable: films really can be made now for very little money. Even those of us still shooting on film finish in HD, and our movies are projected in HD. So, we could easily agree that the future is here, that film is cumbersome and imperfect and difficult to transport and prone to wear and decay, and that it’s time to forget the past and say goodbye – really, that could be easily done. Too easily.

    It seems like we’re always being reminded that film is, after all, a business. But film is also an art form, and young people who are driven to make films should have access to the tools and materials that were the building blocks of that art form. Would anyone dream of telling young artists to throw away their paints and canvases because iPads are so much easier to carry? Of course not. In the history of motion pictures, only a minuscule percentage of the works comprising our art form was not shot on film. Everything we do in HD is an effort to recreate the look of film. Film, even now, offers a richer visual palette than HD. And, we have to remember that film is still the best and only time-proven way to preserve movies. We have no assurance that digital informaton (sic) will last, but we know that film will, if properly stored and cared for.

    Our industry – our filmmakers – rallied behind Kodak because we knew that we couldn’t afford to lose them, the way we’ve lost so many other film stocks. This news is a positive step towards preserving film, the art form we love.

    Due to pledges to continue to support film as a medium from directors such as Scorsese, and from commitments from Warner Bros, Universal, Paramount, Disney, and Weinstein Co. to buy certain amounts of film in the upcoming years, Kodak has agreed to produce 450M linear feet of film over the next year.

    The only question that remains at this point is whether or not Scorsese will film his latest project, Silence, on film. The movie has been in Scorsese’s mind since 1989 and is based on a 1966 novel of the same name from Japanese writer Shusaku Endo. The novel discusses the fate of two Jesuit priests as they travel to Japan to discover the whereabouts of their mentor and spread the word of Christianity to the Far East. Scorsese’s adaptation of the novel will star Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver and is set to be released in late 2015.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Marisa Tomei And Daniel Radcliffe Cuddle In Public

    Despite what Judd Apatow says, there is photographic evidence to prove it.

    Marisa Tomei and Daniel Radcliffe are part of the cast for the new Apatow comedy Trainwreck. There were no official statements released that the two actors were in the film, however, several pictures of both Radcliffe and Tomei were snapped and posted online. The pictures were taken in New York City, which serves as one of the locations for the comedy.

    It appears as if Radcliffe, 24, and Tomei, 49, are a romantic couple in the film. In the pictures posted online, the seemingly mismatched pair is surrounded by a litter of cute dogs. Radcliffe was also spotted earlier this week walking twelve dogs at the same time in the crowded streets on NYC while smoking a cigarette. It looks like he is a dogwalker/trainer in the comedy.

    Apatow is obviously keeping the details of Trainwreck a secret. On the film’s imdb.com page, it simply reads, “Plot details are being kept under wraps.”

    In response to the many pictures taken of Radcliffe walking the dogs (they were all over the internet this week) for Apatow’s film, the director jokingly denied any and all speculation in a tweet.

    The film also stars Brie Larson, Bill Hader, Amy Schumer, Tilda Swinton, and Ezra Miller. Comedian Amy Schumer wrote the screenplay for the movie. Trainwreck is set for a July 24, 2015 release date.

    Image via YouTube Screenshot

  • Ann Hornaday Responds To Seth Rogen’s Tweet Over Shootings

    Ann Hornaday found herself at the center of some controversy this week after her op-ed piece named Seth Rogen and director Judd Apatow as contributors to the Hollywood fantasy that fascinated mass murderer Elliot Rodger, who went on a shooting spree at the University of California’s Santa Barbara campus and killed six women last Friday. Seven more women were injured.

    In the piece, Hornaday says that for Rodger–whose father was a Hollywood director–the fantasy became a huge letdown after he realized that real life is very different from the romanticized stories told by people like Apatow, where the “shlubby guy” always gets the girl. In a 137-page manifesto, Rodgers said that he was tired of being rejected by girls.

    “How many students watch outsized frat-boy fantasies like “Neighbors” and feel, as Rodger did, unjustly shut out of college life that should be full of “sex and fun and pleasure”? How many men, raised on a steady diet of Judd Apatow comedies in which the shlubby arrested adolescent always gets the girl, find that those happy endings constantly elude them and conclude, “It’s not fair”?” Hornaday wrote.

    After Rogen and Apatow took to Twitter to express outrage at Hornaday’s comparisons, she gave an interview in which she explained her reasoning and talked about the haunting video Rodgers recorded before he went on a rampage.

    “Blame isn’t the word I would use….It was so startlingly well made. It had these traditional Hollywood production values — good lighting, careful setting and the palm trees in background. Movies are an escapist art form, and they do not reflect real life. I don’t think I’m blaming Hollywood for this,” she said.

    Hornaday also added that while there are bigger issues at large here, the question of how much Hollywood comes into play in the mindset of those who do unspeakable things still remains, saying that women made up just 16% of the directors, writers, producers, cinematographers and editors in Hollywood last year.

    “Obviously mental illness and guns are the cardinal things we should be talking about, but there’s also this unmistakable sense that this young man was, in a real way, a creation of Hollywood, and the stories that permeate that culture, which are overwhelmingly told from a male perspective.”

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Leslie Mann, Cameron Diaz, Kate Upton Stun on ‘The Other Woman’ Red Carpet

    Leslie Mann, Cameron Diaz, Kate Upton Stun on ‘The Other Woman’ Red Carpet

    Leslie Mann, Cameron Diaz, and Kate Upton wore distinctly different yet equally stunning gowns to the Los Angeles premiere of The Other Woman Monday night.

    The premiere for the romantic comedy, which hits theaters Friday, was held at the historical Regency Village Theatre in Westwood.

    Mann was said to have “stole the show” in a two-piece floor-length bright fuchsia and orange Monique Lhuillier ensemble and matching Oscar Tiye strappy sandal heels.

    Diaz chose basic black in the form of a short, strapless Stella McCartney gown with a plunging neckline. She added interest with a pair of Manolo Blahnik beaded ankle wrap heels.

    Former Sports Illustrated model Upton went with short and strapless too. Her gray Dolce & Gabbana minidress featured silvery flower appliques that matched her shiny silver Giuseppe Zanotti pumps.

    In The Other Woman the three strike up a comical and rather unlikely friendship after discovering they’re all sleeping with the same man. They end up conspiring against the unsuspecting philanderer who is played by Game of Thrones star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau.

    “It’s a story about female friendship. Three women become friends and don’t fight over a lying, cheating man. They realize it’s not worth it. Instead, they come to each other’s rescue and help one another through heartbreak,” Diaz said of the film.

    The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) originally gave The Other Woman an R rating for nudity but downgraded to PG-13 after a ratings appeal.

    “I respect what the MPAA stands for,” Diaz, who attended the hearing, said. “We need guidelines, and I appreciate that. But I thought, in this instance, it wasn’t the right ruling for our film.”

    Mann’s husband Judd Apatow attended the premiere along with their daughters Maude, 15, and Iris, 11.

    A writer and producer known for his work on films such as Knocked Up and The 40-Year-Old Virgin and the hit HBO series Girls, Apatow commented on the ratings appeal and American attitudes toward nudity in movies:

    “It’s interesting because there is more violence than sex scenes in PG-13 movies released here, yet overseas, there is not [as much] tolerance for violence as there is with nudity.”

    An after party was held at the W Hotel in Westwood.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Amy Schumer Stunned by Sudden Fame

    Amy Schumer says the success of her Comedy Central show Inside Amy Schumer took her by surprise.

    “When the ratings first came in, [Comedy Central] was like, ‘Oh, um, 3 million people watched last night.’ I was like, ‘What?’ It sounded like an accident,” Schumer recently told TV Guide.

    When asked about comparisons to actress and comedian Kristin Wiig, Schumer’s response was typically self-effacing: “Um, I hear myself referred to as the next Kristen Wiig zero times per week, but I would love that to be true. Hey, I’ll take Paula Deen’s career if it means money is coming in.”

    Inside Amy Schumer premiered on Comedy Central in April 2013. It was the network’s most-watched series premiere of the year. In May 2013 the show was renewed for a 10-episode second season. Season Two premiered April 1.

    The show features sketches, standup, and interviews from Schumer. Slate has called it “the most consistently feminist show on television,” observing that “nearly every bit is devoted in some capacity to gender politics.”

    Brooke Posch, who is in charge of programming and development for Comedy Central, has said that the network’s viewership is 60% men, and despite the feminist slant of her show, Schumer draws in a 50-50 male-female demographic.

    Schumer says she doesn’t feel any pressure to deliver in Season Two after the smashing success of Season One.

    “Before we went back into the writing room for this season, there was that moment of, ‘Oh, my God, I don’t have anything else to say. What if this season sucks?’ But then we got in there and it was so much more exciting, because this time we knew what we were doing.”

    Paste Magazine praised the Season Two premiere: “Every sketch is a winner from concept to execution, to the point that other comedy writers must get frustrated at how easy they’re making it look.”

    Season Two will see guest appearances from Zach Braff, Janeane Garofalo, Paul Giamatti, and Parker Posey.

    Besides working on her show, Schumer continues to travel with her standup act, Inside Amy Schumer’s Back Door Tour. She’s also writing and starring in Trainwreck which is slated for a July 2015 release and will be produced by Judd Apatow.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons