Michael Chiklis holds his 2002 Emmy for his role in "The Shield."
Variety reports that the Andover native and former “Shield” star will co-executive produce and act in ABC’s drama pilot “No Ordinary Family.”
Chiklis also sealed a development deal with ABC Studios to produce new fare. This means Chiklis will return to the network where he spent four season as the title character in “The Commish.”
“No Ordinary Family” focuses on a family that suddenly develops special powers.
According to Pop Eater, the ad was a reprise of a 2007 spot that Letterman did with Winfrey. This ad was meant to poke fun at the recent tension between Jay and Dave sparked by the “Tonight Show.”
In the commercial, a disgruntled Letterman declares that he’s at “the worst Super Bowl party ever.” Seconds later, the camera pans away to reveal Leno, who admits that Dave “is just saying that because I’m here.”
Letterman and Leno did in fact film the commercial together, at the Ed Sullivan Theater with all three in attendance, according to the Associated Press.
The wire service reported that Rob Burnett, who produces The “‘Late Show,” said it was all Letterman’s idea.
“Dave had this idea, ‘What about getting Jay and Oprah together with me?’ and he wrote it,” Burnett explained. “We said, ‘This is too funny to pass up.’ First we called Oprah.”
Arrangements were quickly made for Leno and Winfrey to fly to New York.
“We really wanted to keep this under wraps,” Burnett said. “There were a lot of internal logistical conversations about how to even get Jay and Oprah into our building secretly.”
The three filmed the ad Tuesday. Leno arrived while Letterman taped his show, disguised in a hooded sweatshirt, dark glasses and a fake mustache.
“It was quick, it was easy,” Burnett said. “The attitude was professional and cordial. Dave and Jay were fine with each other.”
As an arts and entertainment reporter, I have the joy of covering some pretty cushy assignments. The opportunity to cover this past weekend’s seventh annual WineFest at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut was just such an assignment.
This was my first time at the festival. All I had to compare it to was the Boston Wine Expo, held in Boston about two weeks ago. Both are great events, packed with seminars, tastings and celebrity chef demonstrations.
Yes, both offer attendees the potential to get hammered on wine, but there is also a great deal of opportunity to try new things, learn about new varities of wine and generally expand one’s knowledge of a subject that is kind of intimidating. At least it was for me.
When I started covering and attending wine festivals, my knowledge of wine, started and ended with white zinfindel. I actually have a friend who made fun of my fondness for the pink libation. In truth, I had little defense.
Through my experience and curiosity I disovered not only more about what I like, and what wines go with different foods, but also interesting things about the making of wine and “wine trends.”
What are these things? I will be blogging about them all this week on Pop! I will be joined by my thoroughly entertaining colleague, Jill Diver, who will be writing about her own journey to wine lover.
Stay tuned and feel free to throw out questions. If we can’t answer them with out newly acquired wine knowledge, we will try to find someone who can.
Foxborough, Mass. — No cure for the wintertime blues? The New England Patriots Cheerleaders are reminding fans that the return of football season isn’t too far away. An open audition for the 2010 Patriots Cheerleading squad will be held on Saturday, Feb. 20 in the Dana-Farber Field House at Gillette Stadium. Registration begins at 10 a.m.
Mohegan Sun is hosting a Wine Festival this weekend, and yes Pop! will be there. We will be posting here and Tweeting about interesting wine trends and celebrity chefs.
Please check in with anything you would like to know.
Just when you thought the late night brouhaha was over, here’s an example that the ripple effects can still be felt.
Here’s what the Urban Dictionary sent out as their word of the day today:
Leno giver: When someone retires from a legendary television franchise, passes the torch to a worthy successor. Then he gets bored and starts a new show which sucks and then asks for their old job back by firing the successor.
In a sentence: He’s a leno giver.
Now that O’Brien has left “The Tonight Show” it will be interesting to see what the show’s future holds, especially after Jay Leno returns to it in March.
NBC sent this statement, also around noon eastern time:
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. - January 21, 2010 - NBC confirmed today that popular late-night host Jay Leno will return to host “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” from 11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. (ET) beginning March 1, 2010 and that “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” will continue to be broadcast from 12:35-1:35 a.m. (ET). The announcements were made by Jeff Gaspin, Chairman, NBC Universal Television Entertainment.
“We’re pleased that Jay is returning to host the franchise that he helmed brilliantly and successfully for many years,” said Gaspin. “He is an enormous talent, a consummate professional and one of the hardest-working performers on television.”
Leno previously hosted “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” from May 1992-May 2009. The program will continue to showcase many of the features that made Leno America’s late-night leader for more than a dozen years.
“The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” is from Big Dog Productions in association with Universal Media Studios. Debbie Vickers is the executive producer.
“Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” made its broadcast debut on March 2, 2009 with “Saturday Night Live” alum Fallon as the host of the comedy-talk show. The program serves as a platform for comedy, music and A-list talent out of NBC’s Rockefeller Center Studio 6B. Fallon is joined by his house band — the critically acclaimed, Grammy-winning hip-hop band The Roots. Earlier, Fallon launched his “Late Night” video blog (or”vlog”), giving viewers behind-the-scenes access to his preparation for the show’s official launch at www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com.
Fallon joined the cast of “Saturday Night Live” in 1998 and quickly became an audience favorite for his impressions of actors and musicians as well as for creating many memorable recurring characters. In 2000, he became co-anchor of the segment “Weekend Update” alongside Tina Fey.
Fallon also appeared in the Emmy Award-winning miniseries “Band of Brothers,” and his feature films include “Almost Famous,” “Taxi” and “Fever Pitch.”
Lorne Michaels, Emmy Award-winning creator of “Saturday Night Live,” is “Late Night’s” executive producer. Michael Shoemaker, also an Emmy Award winner, is the producer, bringing over 20 years of experience at “Saturday Night Live.” Gavin Purcell, from G4’s critically praised “Attack of the Show,” serves as co-producer. “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” is a production of Universal Media Studios in association with Broadway Video Entertainment.
Here is the statement NBC released today around noon eastern time:
NBC and Conan O’Brien have reached a resolution of the issues
surrounding O’Brien’s contract to host “The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien.”
Under terms of an agreement that was signed earlier today, NBC and O’Brien will settle their contractual obligations and the network will release O’Brien from his contract, freeing him to pursue other opportunities after September 1, 2010.
O’Brien will make his final appearance as host of “The Tonight Show” on January 22.
Executive Chef Evan Deluty of Stella Restaurant invited a selection of Boston’s premier chefs to cook for a fundraiser to help Haitians.
Chefs include:
Dante de Magistris, Restaurant dante
Anthony Caturano, Prezza
Michael Schlow, Radius
Marc Orfaly, Pigalle
Evan Deluty, Stella
All of the proceeds will go directly to Grammy-Award winning musician, Wyclef Jean’s foundation, Yéle Haiti. Through Yéle Haiti, Jean uses music, sports and the media to reinforce projects that are making a difference in education, health, environment and community development.
This one-night-only fundraising event includes an open full bar, passed hors d’oeurves, such as parmesan arancini, crab cakes, pizzas, bistecca tartare, and music by Chef Deluty’s favorite jazz band to set the charitable mood. Sip on a cocktail, feast on some finger foods, and make a difference for those in need.
When: Tuesday, January 26, 2010
6:30 to 10:30 p.m.
Cost: $100 per person – all of which will go to Haiti. For reservations please call 617-497-4200 or visit online www.bostonstella.com.
Where: Stella Restaurant
1525 Washington Street
Boston, MA 02118
617-497-4200
NBC announced Sunday that it plans to move Andover comedian Jay Leno’s 10 p.m. primetime show to 11: 35 p.m. after the Olympics in February.
This would move Leno back to his old timeslot, and necessitate a move for Conan O’Brien’s “Tonight Show” to 12:05 a.m.
O’Brien released a statement today that he would quit the “Tonight Show” if it moved half an hour later, because the move itself would be damaging to the show.
What do you think about this move by NBC? Brilliant or stupid?
Finding out what the Merrimack Valley does for fun has been a mission of Rosemary Ford's since she became a full-time Arts and Entertainment reporter at The Eagle-Tribune in 1998.
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