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Tag: NBC

  • Florida Could Require Registration for Bloggers Writing About Elected Officials

    Florida Could Require Registration for Bloggers Writing About Elected Officials

    Florida is raising eyebrows with a bill that would require anyone blogging about the state’s elected officials to register or face fines.

    According to NBC affiliate WFLA, Florida Senator Jason Brodeur has proposed a new bill that would force bloggers writing about the “the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, a Cabinet officer, or any member of the Legislature” to register with the state and file monthly reports if they receive compensation for what they write.

    The bill goes on to say that the bill “does not include the website of a newspaper or other similar publication,” but reading the bill’s text leaves tremendous room for interpretation and does not definitively rule out any type of news coverage.

    What’s more, the bill doesn’t even limit its scope to bloggers within the state of Florida:

    “Blogger” means any person as defined in s. 1.01(3) that submits a blog post to a blog which is subsequently published.

    “Blog post” is an individual webpage on a blog which contains an article, a story, or a series of stories.

    The bill then outlines a schedule of monthly reports bloggers would be subject to:

    If a blogger posts to a blog about an elected state officer and receives, or will receive, compensation for that post, the blogger must register with the appropriate office, as identified in paragraph (1)(f), within 5 days after the first post by the blogger which mentions an elected state officer.

    Upon registering with the appropriate office, a blogger must file monthly reports on the 10th day following the end of each calendar month from the time a blog post is added to the blog, except that, if the 10th day following the end of a calendar month occurs on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the report must be filed on the next day that is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.

    Failure to comply would lead to some hefty fines:

    A fine of $25 per day per report for each day late, not to exceed $2,500 per report.

    It seems that Senator Brodeur may need a primer on the First Amendment and how it applies to bloggers, as well as all news coverage in general. In the meantime, it’s highly unlikely such a law — if the bill even passes — would ever survive a legal challenge.

  • Court Ruling Spells the End of Locast

    Court Ruling Spells the End of Locast

    Lowcast has informed subscribers it will be ending its service following an unfavorable court ruling.

    Locast takes free, over-the-air local channel broadcasts and streams them over the internet. The solution was popular in many areas, with the company covering 55% of the US population, or more than 179 million people. Streaming service Sling even partnered with Locast to offer subscribers access to local channels, a traditionally weak point for Sling.

    While other companies have been shut down for charging a fee for similar services, Locast was free and operated as a non-profit. The company did solicit donations mid-stream, and that appears to be what caused the problem. ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC sued, alleging the donation solicitation still broke the law. Unfortunately, the court sided with the broadcasters.

    Although Locast originally planned on continuing to offer the service without the donation solicitations, it appears to have altered plans and has suspended service, effective immediately. The company notified customers in an email:

    As a non-profit, Locast was designed from the very beginning to operate in accordance with the strict letter of the law, but in response to the court’s recent rulings, with which we respectfully disagree, we are hereby suspending operations, effective immediately. 

    The court ruling and Locast’s decision is a major blow to cordcutters and is an unfortunate win for an industry that has a long reputation of ruthlessly squashing anything that challenges the status quo — including things that benefit its customers.

  • Sling TV and Dish TV Lose Some Regional Sports Networks

    Sling TV and Dish TV Lose Some Regional Sports Networks

    In the ongoing saga of streaming services and content providers, Sling and its parent Dish have lost some regional sports networks (RSN).

    RSNs are some of the most coveted, and yet most elusive, channels. Virtually every streaming service has had and lost RSNs at some point. Sling and Dish are the latest to lose some of those channels. Dish will lose access to the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN), and both companies will lose access to NBC Sports Washington, NBC Sports Bay Area and NBC Sports California.

    “The current RSN model is fundamentally broken,” said Brian Neylon, Group President, DISH TV. “This model requires nearly all customers to pay for RSNs when only a small percentage of customers actually watch them. As the cost of these channels continues to escalate, we no longer think it makes sense to include them in our TV lineup.”

    The disagreement stems from MASN and the NBC RSNs wanting payment based on all customers, rather than those customers actually using the channels. Sling and Dish argue that this is an antiquated model that’s no longer appropriate in the age of a la carte streaming packages.

    “Our proposal to offer sports fans access to RSNs is simple, and provides choice and value to all of our customers,” added Neylon. “It would allow DISH TV and SLING TV customers to choose to subscribe to the RSN channels they want — such as the regional MASN and NBC sports networks — on an a la carte basis, similar to premium subscription channels. With this updated RSN model, no customer would be forced to pay for content they don’t watch, and the RSNs would determine the price customers would pay for their channels.”

  • Stephanie Mills On Doing “The Wiz” Again After 40 Years

    Stephanie Mills absolutely blew everybody’s socks off during NBC’s The Wiz Live! on Thursday.

    While Stephanie Mills was one of the lesser known cast members to this generation, she made an impression with a voice that hasn’t been touched by age since her original performance 40 years ago as Dorothy.

    Stephanie Mills held her own against musical superpowers Queen Latifah and Mary J. Blige and her enthusiasm for the show shined in every song.

    Stephanie Mills held the starring role of Dorothy in the original Broadway production, but was just as wonderful as Aunt Em on Thursday’s show.

    To Stephanie Mills, it was coming home.

    Thank you for tuning in! Hope you enjoyed #theWiz

    A photo posted by Stephanie Mills (@iamstephaniemills) on

    So excited for this and for YOU @msamberpriley #thewiz #nbc #tonight

    A photo posted by JoJo (@iamjojo) on

    She said, “I’m so glad and so happy that the journey continues. Forty years ago, who knew that ‘The Wiz’ would be thought about, let alone be relevant in 2015.”

    She added, “It’s almost surreal re-living it, because as I sit back and watch the rehearsals, in my mind I go back to when I first did the rehearsals back in 1975. And it’s like wow, this is really happening.“

    The original Broadway version of “The Wiz” won 7 Tony Awards and earned Stephanie Mills a Drama Desk Award nomination.

    Being a seasoned stage performer, Stephanie Mills was prepared, but still a little nervous before the live event on Thursday.

    She said, “I am so nervous, but what has helped it is that I’ve been rehearsing for two months, and we’ve been rehearsing it like a Broadway show. I’m comfortable with Broadway and doing shows with theater. I can do that with my eyes closed.”

    She added, “So as long as I think that in my head — that it’s just another performance — I’ll be fine. You get nervous when you start to think ‘Oh, why is there so many cameras,’ but if I think ‘This is a show at the theater’ I’m going to be fine.”

    And fine she was! Such a great performance by this treasured icon!

    What did you think of Stephanie Mills as Aunt Em versus her turn as Dorothy?

  • Miss USA Picked Back Up for TV; Trump Sues for $500 Million

    The Miss USA enterprise, run by tycoon and equal opportunity offender Donald Trump, has finally found a channel to land on. After the NBC network unceremoniously severed ties with Donal Trump following his statements that Mexicans were “rapists,” the Miss USA ogle-fest has now landed on Reelz. Yep, Reelz.

    What’s worse, network insiders claim that they got the event for a song because no one else wanted to touch it.

    Reelz Channel paid “no more than $100,000” to license Donald Trump’s Miss USA pageant, according to the insider. And the CEO of the network is already distancing himself from Trump.

    Reelz CEO Stan E. Hubbard said his network “does not endorse Trump’s comments regarding Mexicans. I am not a supporter of Donald Trump for president.”

    The Miss USA catastrophe is just one of many that The Donald has gotten himself into by virtue of the announcement of his running for President. Not, his actual running, mind you, but simply the announcement.

    Trump said at his campaign announcement that Mexicans crossing U.S. borders are “bringing drugs, they’re bringing crime, they’re rapists, and some, I assume, are good people.”

    Univision and Televisa dropped Trump and Miss USA like a hot combover. NBC responded to Trump’s statements by issuing one of their own.

    “Donald Trump’s opinions do not represent those of NBC, and we do not agree with his positions on a number of issues, including his recent comments on immigration. At NBC, respect and dignity for all people are cornerstones of our values. Due to the recent derogatory statements by Donald Trump regarding immigrants, NBCUniversal is ending its business relationship with Mr. Trump.”

    And that’s how Donald Trump ran for President and lost his biggest ally in his Miss USA endeavors. Trump claims he is not taking this setback lying down. Speaking on The O’Reilly Factor, Trump said of his former Miss USA partners:

    “I just sued Univision for 500 million dollars. It was just filed. The papers were just filed so that will be interesting. Because Univision, I have a signed contract for five years on the pageants they have no right to terminate. They didn’t even send me a letter, they terminated with a PR statement. They called me also – one of the top people at Univision so apologetic, ‘Donald. we shouldn’t be doing this, I know that. We’ll pay you whatever money you need or whatever money you want.’ They have a five-year contract without termination and they terminated with a PR statement so we just sued them for $500 million.”

  • Dolly Parton: Hit Song ‘Coat Of Many Colors’ To Be Made Into A TV Movie

    A day after announcing its 2015-2016 schedule, NBC got down to the brass tacks and unveiled its plan to turn Dolly Parton’s hit “Coat of Many Colors” into a TV movie that will be aired next season.

    The made-for-TV movie pays homage to Parton’s 1971 hit, which she also claims as “her favorite.” The song, which is largely autobiographical, is about a girl whose mother made her a colorful coat out of rags given to her family. But when she wore her new coat to school, she was greeted with laughter from classmates who ridiculed her for wearing rags.

    That girl would later grow up to write hit songs like “Jolene” and “9 To 5.” She would also have her own theme park and become one of the most loved country singers of all time.

    Parton’s colorful coat would eventually be placed on display at her Chasing Rainbows Museum in Tennessee.

    NBC Entertainment Chairman Robert Greenblatt announced the news with more fanfare than expected during the network’s upfront press event.

    After announcing the news of Parton’s TV movie, the star actually walked out onstage and performed the songs “Colors” and “I Will Always Love You” with Greenblatt playing the piano.

    The special is described as a look “inside the tight-knit Parton family as they struggle to overcome devastating tragedy and discover the healing power of love, faith, and a raggedy patchwork coat.”

    Sources also say the TV movie is just the first of several Parton songs that will be adapted, as the network wants to bring more family-friendly programs to primetime.

    While being treated to two songs by Parton was a nice touch, the upfront presentation was remarkably lacking in details about where the network’s new season was going.

    Viewers and advertisers expecting an explanation on why the network seems to have abandoned comedy and news shows were left disappointed.

    But here’s hoping that the 15-minute Dolly Parton interlude was enough to appease them.

  • NBC Is Pulling a Netflix and Dropping All 13 Episodes of ‘Aquarius’ at Once

    NBC has caught the binge-watching bug.

    The network had decided to take a page from Netflix’s book and just dump an entire season of a new show for viewers to stream at their pleasure. Following its May 28 premiere, the new David Duchovny – Charles Manson show Aquarius will land online. All of it.

    NBC says you’ll be able to stream all 13 episodes of the first season for four weeks on NBC.com, the NBC app, and video on-demand. The show will also continue to air on a week-to-week basis in its normal timeslot.

    “With Aquarius we have the opportunity to push some new boundaries to give our audience something no broadcast network has done before,“ said NBC entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt. “We are fully aware how audiences want to consume multiple episodes of new television series faster and at their own discretion, and we’re excited to offer our viewers this same experience since all 13 episodes of this unique show have been produced and are ready to be seen. I appreciate the enthusiasm we’ve gotten from the producers of the show and our partner Marty Adelstein of Tomorrow Studios to launch this series in a new, forward-thinking way.”

    It certainly is new and forward-thinking for a broadcast network. This is a first.

    While the move to forgo the traditional release structure is a huge deal for a network, The Hollywood Reporter has something that’s possibly more interesting.

    The episodes will only be available for the first four weeks of the run. And it makes sense considering producers have cut two versions of the series. Sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that one will be more broadcast friendly with the other intended to push the envelope on streaming.

    This isn’t just R-rated bonus scenes – this is apparently two different cuts of the series. If online streaming becomes a place where networks like NBC, FOX, ABC, and CBS can push the boundaries and create content with more adult elements, boy would that be a game changer.

    Image via NBCAquarius, Twitter

  • Allison Williams’ Wedding Hampered By Brian Williams Scandal, Says Father Is An Honest Man

    Allison Williams has postponed her wedding to College Humor co-founder Ricky Van Neen. Partly because of work, but also because the scandal that led to her father, Brian Williams, being suspended by NBC News. Brian Williams recently confessed that he exaggerated his reporting on the crisis in Iraq back in 2003. During a Q&A with Seth Meyers at 92Y in New York on February 18, Allison opened up about her father and the scandal.

    “This has been a really hard time. We have also been very lucky, counting our blessings. We have our health. We have each other. It’s been incredible to experience the outreach from people you love, family, friends, and then people we don’t even know, strangers, just reaching out saying we want him back on TV,” Allison said. “It’s been tough, though. Obviously, toughest on my dad, who bears the full burden of responsibility for it.”

    Allison told Meyers that she supports her father and that he will eventually regain the public’s trust. “One thing the experience has not done is shake my trust and belief in him as a man. He’s a really good man. He’s an honest man. He’s a truthful man. He has so much integrity. He cares so much about journalism. And yes, he’s a really good dad. I know you can trust him because, as any good daughter does, I’ve tested him on that.”

    Allison Williams added that her dad’s suspension put a hamper on her wedding plans. “You sort of think, ‘What could possibly come along that would make me not think about this?’ And then I get Peter Pan and I think, ‘Okay, I will think only about Neverland and then we’ll go back to planning our wedding.’ Then current events started happening,” she said. “So that derailed it a little bit, but it has been this really beautiful through line in our lives. It’s just something we haven’t focused on, but, spoiler alert, we are excited!”

  • Betty White: 93-Year-Old Comedy Legend Lip-Locks With Hollywood Hottie Bradley Cooper

    Betty White made sure that her appearance during the Saturday Night Live 40th Anniversary Special was one to remember when she started making out with hottie Bradley Cooper.

    The 93-year-old Golden Girls star appeared as a guest on The Californians sketch along with Taylor Swift, who played a hair-eating cousin, and Scandal’s Kerry Washington who played the doctor with the hilarious paternity-test results. Sketch regulars Kristin Wiig and Fred Armisen reprised their characters during their short comeback on the SNL Stage. The Hangover star Bradley Cooper then emerged out of the backstage wearing a blonde wig and a pair of short shorts. Cooper played Craig the pool boy in the 9-minute sketch that went overboard when White locked lips with Cooper.

    The crowd went wild as the two shared a passionate kiss that lasted long until the sketch ended. The internet was on fire as #SNL40 became a trending topic.  Fans were insanely jealous over the fact that White made out with one of the sexiest men alive and some are saying how they want to be Betty White when they turn 90.

    Betty White has a eight decade-spanning career in Hollywood, making her one of the greatest comedy legends living today. She became the oldest person to guest host on Saturday Night Live and her episode was considered to be a major ratings success. She even won the Primetime Emmy award for her SNL guest appearance.

    The entire special ran for more than three hours and the event had a bunch of A-listers in attendance. Aside from White and Cooper, stars like Jimmy Fallon, Justin Timberlake, Melissa McCarthy, Tom Hanks, and Paul McCartney were also present during the show. Former cast members like Steve Martin, Chevy Chase, and Eddie Murphy made cameos during the event, paying tribute to the program that helped launch their careers in comedy.

  • Neil Patrick Harris: Variety Show Preview

    Neil Patrick Harris: Variety Show Preview

    Neil Patrick Harris’ new variety show released a promo video that attempted, and failed, to squeeze all of the greatness of the new show into a 15-second super bowl ad spot.

    Neil Patrick Harris begins the spot with, “I only have 15 seconds to tell you about my new really big show, so I thought, instead, why not perform a thrilling number to give you a glimpse of what’s coming? Let’s do it!”

    Then, of course, someone says, “We’re out of time, Neil.”

    Comedic genius.

    The new show will air in the fall and will be a 10-episode old-school-style variety show with Neil Patrick Harris as host.

    Almost broke off my arm during a show last week. Gots the bruises to prove it. Hedwig's outta control. #battlescars

    Fotka zveřejněná uživatelem Neil Patrick Harris (@instagranph),

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91tZ_3srlLs

    The show will have comedy sketches, musical numbers, mini game shows, hidden-camera celebrity pranks, and tons of celebs.

    It was announced back in October that Neil Patrick Harris would be bringing a great new variety show to America. The show itself is fashioned off of the U.K.’s long-running Saturday Night Takeaway from ITV.

    Thank you @TomFord for dressing us for the Tony Awards! Our tuxes were classy fantastic!

    Fotka zveřejněná uživatelem Neil Patrick Harris (@instagranph),

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ut8QW9IqDxc

    After the announcement, Neil Patrick Harris said of his first experience with Saturday Night Takeaway, “As I watched the show, I couldn’t stop smiling. Now that I’ve seen many seasons, my face hurts. It’s a game changer. Nothing like this has been done before, and its unique structure fits right into my random skill set. I can’t wait to roll up my sleeves and have some fun!”

    Paul Telegdy, president of alternative and late-night programming at NBC Entertainment, said of the partnership with Neil Patrick Harris, “All of us here at NBC have been dying to work with Neil, as we’ve watched him brilliantly host the Tonys and Emmys. This series will suit his extraordinary talents perfectly. He is a versatile and thrilling talent for us to welcome into the NBC family.”

    Are you excited to see what Neil Patrick Harris’ new variety show will be like?

  • NBC to Stream Super Bowl, Halftime Show in Promotional Effort

    NBC to Stream Super Bowl, Halftime Show in Promotional Effort

    NBC is looking to promote its NBC Sports Live Extra streaming service, and football fans will reap the benefits on February 1.

    The Super Bowl will be available to stream – for free and without a login – on NBC.com and NBC Sports Live Extra. All you’ll have to put up with is “consistent messaging in and around the experience about the ease in authenticating after the end of The Blacklist.”

    Networks have been live-streaming the Big Game for years now (since 2010), but this year NBC is doing something a bit different. The broadcaster is making a big event of it, offering 11 continuous hours of streaming coverage – the Super Bowl pre-game show. Super Bowl XLIX, the Super Bowl XLIX Halftime Show Starring Katy Perry, the Super Bowl post-game show, and The Blacklist.

    This is the first time that the halftime show, one of the most popular elements of the entire Super Bowl broadcast, will be streamed.

    Make no mistake, this is meant as a direct promotion for NBC’s TV Everywhere services.

    “‘Super Stream Sunday’ builds off of NBCUniversal’s commitment to create broader TV Everywhere opportunities for our consumers,” said Alison Moore, GM and EVP, TV Everywhere, NBCUniversal. “We are leveraging the massive digital reach of the Super Bowl to help raise overall awareness of TV Everywhere by allowing consumers to explore our vast TVE offering with this special one-day-only access.”

    But hey, if you can’t watch the game by conventional means you’ll most definitely welcome a free HD stream, right?

    The login-free stream will only work on desktops and tablets, as NBC Sports Digital doesn’t have the streaming rights for mobile (Verizon does).

  • Meagan Good: ‘Deception’ Actress On Changes for 2015

    Meagan Good, known for her role in NBC’s Deception, is a Christian, and part of living her faith includes some big changes for 2015. One of those changes involves not being taken advantage of, following some unfortunate incidents in her past.

    Good explained during a recent interview with the Christian Post that she received a revelation of sorts a while back, and during that revelation realized she was treating people as though she owed them something.

    “..I thought this ‘makes me a good person’… a person that goes above and beyond for human beings in general -in unconditional, love non-judgmental love & genuineness…,” Good wrote in an Instagram message to fans. “The revelation I got is: people will take advantage of you …and exploit your heart, your intentions and your spirit if you allow it..”

    A photo posted by @msgood on

    Good said she prayed for wisdom, clarity and discernment before coming to the conclusion that there are some people she can only love from a distance, albeit unconditionally.

    “… I have learned that there is a balance .. and in this new season of my life there is a purge..
    What I allowed in 2014 -the people who treated me like it was my ‘responsibility’ to support their life and desires in every way, I will not allow in 2015…,” Good wrote. “I don’t have to be the biggest saint of them all all … All I have to do is be obedient …and hear from the Father & respond accordingly….”

    She shared a vow in front of countless fans, seeming determined to not be taken advantage of again.

    “From here on out, that is my vow … mistakes I’ll make in between–but I better understand the goal & the destination… I will not allow myself to be used up so -that I can be “full” when God calls on me to be used,” Good wrote. “#WeAreNoOnesSavior.”

    Meagan Good doesn’t simply talk about her faith. She lives it.

    “My love for God makes everything possible,” she said during a recent interview. “My life keeps getting fuller, and I love giving back. I’m filled with joy, the kind you can only get from knowing the Lord.”

    The kind of faith Meagan Good has will no doubt allow her to make the changes she wants to see in herself for 2015–and to not allow others to take advantage of her any longer.

  • Cheryl Burke Ditches DWTS For New TV Show

    It has been confirmed that Cheryl Burke will not be joining Dancing with the Stars next season. The news came right after it was revealed that DWTS judge Len Goodman will also be leaving the show after the next season. According to reports, Burke will be leaving the ABC dance competition for a new show at NBC. The still-untitled show is still in its early stages, but sources claim that it will be a competition reality show where Burke will perform. Prior to the announcement of her departure, rumors have circulated that Burke was interested in becoming a judge for the show that she has been part of for 10 years.

    Burke issued a statement explaining the reasons behind her departure from Dancing with the Stars. She said in the statement, “I never thought I’d be able to walk away. But after a decade of something, it’s time for me to move on and try something different, to be challenged, to feel inspired. Dancing with the Stars will always be a part of my life.” She continued, “Dancing is what I’ve done since I was a little girl. But it was very clear the show only wanted me back as a dancer. They weren’t interested in using me for other things and letting me grow.”

    Cheryl also talked about how her contract with Dancing with the Stars restricted her from doing anything else. She said the same thing to TV Guide in an interview back in October. “Contractually, my contract is over and there’s other opportunities that have been out there for me. It’s so hard for me to talk about this, because I owe my life to Dancing with the Stars. They’ve changed my life completely. They’re my family and it’s always hard to say goodbye,” Burke said in the interview.

  • Cheryl Burke Leaves ABC’s ‘Dancing With the Stars’ for NBC Show

    Cheryl Burke is leaving ABC’s Dancing With the Stars for a new, as yet unnamed, show on NBC. Rumor has it the new show will also be a reality competition series, and Cheryl will no doubt use her talent as a dancer–and maybe even more. Us Weekly confirms that both Cheryl Burke’s departure from DWTS and signing with the new show are done deals.

    “Cheryl is leaving the ABC series for a new variety show on NBC,” a source tells them. “The new NBC show is in its very early stages, but likely will be a competition reality series and Burke will perform.”

    Burke hinted back in the fall that she would soon be leaving Dancing With the Stars. She danced her first season on the show back in 2006 and her most recent contestant partner was Antonio Sabato, Jr.

    “I never thought I’d be able to walk away,” she said during an interview with People. “But after a decade of something, it’s time for me to move on and try something different, to be challenged, to feel inspired. Dancing with the Stars will always be a part of my life. Dancing is what I’ve done since I was a little girl. But it was very clear the show only wanted me back as a dancer. They weren’t interested in using me for other things and letting me grow.”

    “As of now, this is probably going to be my last season. I started when I was 20. I’m 30. I feel like I just want to try new things and just see what’s out there,” she said during an interview back in September.

    “Contractually, my contract is over and there’s other opportunities that have been out there for me,” she said during an interview with TV Guide a couple of months ago. “It’s so hard for me to talk about this, because I owe my life to Dancing with the Stars. They’ve changed my life completely. They’re my family and it’s always hard to say goodbye…to a bunch of people that really believed in me from the start, and continued to believe in me for the last 10 years.”

    Cheryl Burke’s departure from Dancing With the Stars will no doubt leave an obvious void. Fans will be glad they can find her over on NBC, however. It will certainly be interesting to learn what kind of show producers have in mind. Do you suppose it will be in direct competition with Dancing With the Stars?

  • Cheryl Burke Will No Longer Be Dancing With The Stars

    For the past 18 seasons, Cheryl Burke has been one of two consistent professional partners on Dancing with the Stars. With the latest season just wrapping up, Burke is finally moving on to another series.

    People reports that Burke is leaving ABC’s Dancing with the Stars for a new series on NBC in 2015. We don’t know what the series is, but you can at least imagine it will be some kind of competitor to Dancing with the Stars. The current television climate is all about copying what the competition does but making it better. With Burke’s experience on Dancing with the Stars, NBC may be able to craft something that may be able to steal a little thunder from ABC’s series.

    On second thought, she might not be as interested in solely dancing as previously thought. Speaking with the magazine, she sounded a little bitter towards ABC. She claimed the network only wanted her as a dancer, and she obviously wants to start doing more.

    “Dancing with the Stars will always be a part of my life,” Burke said. “Dancing is what I’ve done since I was a little girl. But it was very clear the show only wanted me back as a dancer. They weren’t interested in using me for other things and letting me grow.”

    For NBC, Burke will be performing, but it’s likely she’ll be involved in more than just the performance section of the show. Based upon what she wants, it’s likely she’ll be a producer or maybe even a judge. Another theory is that Burke could be a coach of sorts that helps curate new talent.

    Despite all this, Burke doesn’t regret her experience with the show itself:

    “It’s not so much about winning the trophy,” Burke said. It’s about changing someone’s life, like helping them to lose weight, to gain more confidence, or helping them to believe in themselves. Every person I have danced with had a great experience, and that’s something they will remember forever. I’m so honored to be a part of that.”

    In the meantime, she’s just enjoying life:

  • Sarah Michelle Gellar Reacts to ‘Peter Pan Live!’

    Former Buffy the Vampire Slayer star Sarah Michelle Gellar took to Twitter to relate her take on Peter Pan Live!, along with various other Hollywood personalities.

    Girls actress Allison Williams played the title role in the NBC production, which aired Thursday. The program was watched by 9.1 million viewers, down from the 18.6 millions viewers garnered by NBC’s The Sound of Music Live! last year.

    The live special was narrated by Minnie Driver, who was also cast as the adult character Wendy. Christopher Walken played Captain Hook.

    Commenting on the role, Williams, 26, said, “To most of America I’m going to be a new face, which is part of what’s exciting about it for me. To those people, I’ll be Peter Pan.”

    Gellar chimed in:


    Carrie Underwood, star of The Sound of Music Live! prasied the production:


    Zach Braff is being funny again:


    Anna Kendrick got confused:


    Various other celebrity tweets:

    Christopher Walken perform’s “Hook’s Tango”:

  • Allison Williams Ready to Take on ‘Peter Pan Live!’

    Girls actress Allison Williams will play the title role in NBC’s Peter Pan Live!, which airs Thursday, December 4 at 8/7 c.

    The live special will be narrated by Minnie Driver, who is also cast as the adult character Wendy. Christopher Walken will play Captain Hook.

    Commenting on the role, Williams, 26, said, “To most of America I’m going to be a new face, which is part of what’s exciting about it for me. To those people, I’ll be Peter Pan.”

    Williams, the daughter of NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams, added that she and her grandmother used to act out Peter Pan when she was little. “She was Wendy. My grandfather was Captain Hook and I was Peter, obviously. She would sew my shadow on,” Williams remarked. “She was very, very excited. And then they came to the studio and saw me fly, which was really sweet.”

    Here is a Peter Pan Live! promo:

    While Williams is best known for her portrayal of Marnie Michaels on the Lena Dunham comedy Girls, she is not seeking to distance herself from the risqué HBO series.

    Williams revealed that Dunham was on of the first people she called after landing the Peter Pan role – “She was on location with show executive producer Jenni Konner. And the scream I heard was deafening.”

    Williams on Girls:

    Williams added, ”’Because they’ve heard me talk about these scripts I get sent. There have been things I was excited about but didn’t get. There were things I was excited about but couldn’t do. I’ve spent the last four years with these people and we’ve all been talking about what’s next for us. And they both said, ‘This is better than what we could have dreamed for your next thing.’ And it was exactly how I felt, but it was so meaningful to hear it from them.”’

  • Christopher Walken, Allison Williams Talk Peter Pan

    NBC is releasing previews and a making-of featurette to fire up audiences for its upcoming musical Peter Pan LIVE! The musical is set to air on December 4. It stars Allison Williams (Girls) as Peter Pan and our old friend Christopher Walken as Captain Hook.

    NBC opted to go with another Live musical following the massive success of The Sound of Music LIVE! That production starring Carrie Underwood as Maria drew over 18 million viewers.

    In one of the released behind-the-scene clips, Williams talks about what it’s like to work with Walken, “He is so deeply cool, even when he’s not doing anything he’s better at acting than I’ve ever been. Even when he’s just sitting around, he’s funnier than I’ve ever been.” She added, “For the next generation of kids seeing this as their first Peter Pan, he will be Captain Hook.”

    Walken has been in over 100 Hollywood movies over his illustrious career. But how does the Academy Award winning actor feel about performing a musical live, not only in front of an audience, but also on national network television? “I dance a little, I sing a little — ya know, that’s what I do.” However, Walken admitted that this kind of live performing is “frankly, intimidating.”

    Check out a couple behind the scenes clips for the massive production:

    If you doubt Christopher Walken’s dancing abilities, check out Fat Boy Slim’s video for Weapon of Choice. The iconic video was directed by Spike Jonze.

    Walken, who was trained as a dancer at the Washington Dance Studio, said, “I’m very aware of rhythm. It’s constantly there. Musical theater includes the audience more. For me the audience is another character in the film or play. I’m always aware of it.”

    To see more previews, interviews, and behind the scenes footage for Peter Pan LIVE! click here. The production airs on Thursday, December 4 at 8/7c.

  • Bill Cosby Dropped by NBC as Netflix Weighs Options

    Bill Cosby Dropped by NBC as Netflix Weighs Options

    While comedian Bill Cosby’s future with Netflix is still up in the air at this point, NBC has decided to cut ties with the embattled actor.

    According to a report from The Hollywood Reporter, NBC has decided not to move forward with an upcoming family comedy that was set to star Cosby. NBC wouldn’t provide any additional comment.

    NBC’s decision comes as old allegations against Cosby resurface and new ones emerge. Cosby, who has been accused multiple times of sexual assault over the years, was recently hit with another allegation – this one coming from former actor and publicist Joan Tarshis. She claims multiple instances of rape over the years, beginning in 1969.

    Cosby has been silent, but his spokesperson has issued a statement refuting all past and present allegations.

    “Over the last several weeks, decade-old, discredited allegations against Mr. Cosby have resurfaced. The fact they are being repeated does not make them true. Mr. Cosby does not intend to dignify these allegations with any comment. He would like to thank all his fans for the outpouring of support and assure them that, at age 77, he is doing his best work. There will be no further statement from Mr. Cosby or any of his representatives,” said a statement on Cosby’s website.

    Earlier today Netflix announced that it was postponing the scheduled release of a new Bill Cosby comedy special. Titled Bill Cosby 77, the special was supposed to hit Netflix on November 28.

    “At this time we are postponing the launch of the new stand-up comedy special Bill Cosby 77,” is all Netflix had to say.

    Netflix seems to have a few options at this point. It can wait it out and see if any further developments emerge that could add some clarity to the situation. It could go ahead and air the thing – but open itself up to strong backlash.

    Or it could just scrap the whole show – which at this point looks like the smartest route.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Nick Cannon To Host “Lifestyles Of The Rich And Famous” Reboot

    “Champagne wishes and caviar dreams” indeed. NBC will be reviving the classic TV show Lifestyles of The Rich and Famous and they have tapped none other than Nick Cannon to host the program. Lifestyles of The Rich and Famous was a popular show back in the 80s and 90s. The TV series was hosted by Robin Leach and showed the lavish lifestyles of some of the richest people in the world.

    A year ago, the Style network was tasked to revive the show with Cannon also hosting. However, the plan fell through after the network was rebranded as the Esquire Network. In an interview with E! News back when Style network’s plans to revive the show surfaced, Nick Cannon expressed his excitement at the gig. “Robin Leach passed the torch to me, now I’m producing and hosting the new Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,” Cannon told reporters. “You know what? I think rich and famous people take themselves too seriously. I’m gonna be just like I am on this show [America’s Got Talent]. I’ll be like what the hell? Gold toilet seats?! Let’s pop bottles.”

    According to reports, NBC’s take on the show is different from Style’s original plan. The new series will focus on Cannon’s point of view and will feature a more fun take on the profiles of the individuals that they will feature. Aside from the profiles of these individuals and their extravagant lifestyle, the show will also shine the light on their philanthropic efforts.

    Instead of the old tycoons that were featured prominently in the old version of the series, this new take will feature new tech billionaires who have pretty much replaced the old guard when it comes to the nation’s richest people.

    The project will continue Cannon’s partnership with NBC, where he also hosts the hit TV show America’s Got Talent.

  • Natalie Morales Planning To Leave ‘Today’ Amidst Power Struggle?

    Natalie Morales, the popular co-host of the Today show, is reportedly seeking greener pastures. According to speculation, this is due to the tense atmosphere behind the scenes of the NBC Show. Sources have told Page Six that Morales is locked in a power struggle with fellow Today show host Tamron Hall and NBC News chief Deborah Turness.

    Morales joined the show back in 2006 as a national correspondent but she was eventually promoted to be the co-host of the show’s third hour. However, she has yet to nab the top anchor spot despite her relatively long history with the company. When Ann Curry left in 2012, Morales was passed over for the job. The gig instead went to Savannah Guthrie.

    According to Page Six’s NBC source, “There’s a lot of tension. Natalie and Tamron are competitive, and there was a big blow up in October between the two. Deborah has an issue with Natalie and has sided with Tamron. There has been zero communication between Deborah and Natalie for a long period of time. It’s the talk of NBC staff.”

    Another insider claims that, “Natalie’s agent at WME has been reaching out discreetly looking for other opportunities for her. She could be interested in a talk show.” WME declined to comment on the matter, however.

    It was also reported that Morales had lunch with the Today show’s executive producer Don Nash to air her grievances, but she didn’t get the reassurance she had hoped for regarding her future with the show.

    In a statement released by Nash, he denied the rumors by saying, “This is total nonsense. As the ‘Today’ show continues to gain momentum, it sounds like someone is trying to stir up trouble that doesn’t exist. Natalie Morales is valued by everyone at the news division from the top down, and her future is with the ‘Today’ show and NBC News.”