TV host DeGeneres returns to stand-up comedy after 15 yrs
Winfrey to produce Apple shows
LOS ANGELES, June 18, (Agencies): Ellen DeGeneres is going back to her roots, launching her first stand-up comedy tour in 15 years in a limited run of shows on the US West Coast in August.
The TV talk show host and actress will visit three cities over eight nights, promoters Live Nation said on Thursday.
DeGeneres, 60, began her career in the 1980s as a stand-up comedian in her home town of New Orleans before launching her comedy show “Ellen,” in which her character in 1997 came out as gay and became the first openly lesbian character on television.
Since then, the gay rights activist has become one of the most popular talk show hosts in the United States with her “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” winning 30 Emmys. She also twice hosted the annual Oscars ceremony and the Emmy awards show.
DeGeneres did not say why she had decided to return to stand-up after so many years but the shows will form the basis of a Netflix comedy special to be streamed later in 2018.
Her stand-up tour will visit San Diego, San Francisco and Seattle from Aug 10-23.
Showtime has given a series order to the comedy series “Black Monday.”
The show, which was ordered to pilot under the name “Ball Street,” goes back to Oct 19, 1987 — aka Black Monday, the worst stock market crash in the history of Wall Street. To this day, no one knows who caused it … until now. It’s the story of how a group of outsiders took on the blue-blood, old-boys club of Wall Street and ended up crashing the world’s largest financial system, a Lamborghini limousine, Don Henley’s birthday party, and the glass ceiling. Showtime has ordered a 10-episode first season and is slated for a 2019 debut.
The show stars Don Cheadle, Andrew Rannells, and Regina Hall. Cheadle, who is also an executive producer on the series, returns to Showtime after he starred for five seasons on the premium cabler’s series “House of Lies.” The cast also includes Paul Scheer, Yassir Lester, Michael James Scott, and Eugene Cordero. Casey Wilson will appear in a recurring guest star role with Ken Marino and Kurt Braunohler guest starring.
The series was created by David Caspe and Jordan Cahan, who will serve as executive producers and showrunners. Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, who will also executive produce, directed the pilot. “Black Monday” is a co-production between Showtime and Sony Pictures Television Studios
Tyler Posey has signed on for a recurring role in the upcoming Starz comedy series “Now Apocalypse.”
The series is described as a surreal, comingof-age comedy that follows Ulysses and his friends Carly, Ford and Severine, who are on various quests pursing love and fame in Los Angeles. Between sexual and romantic dating app adventures, Ulysses grows increasingly troubled as foreboding premonitory dreams make him wonder if some kind of dark and monstrous conspiracy going on, or is he just smoking too much weed?
Posey will appear as Gabriel, described as an incredibly charismatic and mysterious guy that Ulysses matches with on a dating app. During their highly-anticipated first date, they can hardly contain themselves.
The series stars Avan Jogia, Kelli Berglund, Beau Mirchoff and Roxane Mesquida.
With the debate around what constitutes fake news continuing to make headlines, Seth MacFarlane has weighed in on how he feels about Fox News’ portrayal of other media outlets.
On Saturday, MacFarlane — who has worked with Fox Broadcasting Company for nearly 20 years, beginning with the creation of “Family Guy” in 1999 — tweeted that he is “embarrassed to work for” the company. The Tweet was a response to CNN’s Brian Stelter, who had tweeted a quote of Fox News host Tucker Carlson encouraging his viewers to “always assume the opposite of what they’re telling you on the big news stations.”
“In other words, don’t think critically, don’t consult multiple news sources, and in general, don’t use your brain,” MacFarlane wrote. “Just blindly obey Fox News. This is fringe s—, and it’s business like this that makes me embarrassed to work for this company.”
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NEW YORK: Television personality Oprah Winfrey has agreed to produce shows for Apple as the iPhone maker prepares to make a push into original content.
An Apple statement Friday offered few details about the role for Winfrey, who hosted a hugely popular talk show before leaving to start her own production company and devote time to philanthropic efforts.
“Together, Winfrey and Apple will create original programs that embrace her incomparable ability to connect with audiences around the world,” the statement said. Terms of the deal were not announced. The news suggested Apple — which reportedly is investing $1 billion in content — is push forward as part of its effort to create a platform to challenge rivals like Netflix and Amazon in internet-based video.