Where’s our film czar? AMC gets heat for ‘Mad Men’ plan.
After the coffee. Before seeing if Fox’s “Dads†overcame bad reviews.
The Skinny: I’ll be curious to see how Fox’s “Dads†did after all the nasty reviews from critics. I watched two episodes of “Dads,†which is from “Family Guy†creator Seth MacFarlane, and my problem was that it just wasn’t funny enough for me. It also proved the point that jokes that work in animation don’t always work as well in non-animated shows. Wednesday’s headlines include the ongoing search for a film czar here in Los Angeles and a backlash against AMC for dragging out the end of “Mad Men.â€
Daily Dose: Mark Hollinger, who has spent more than two decades at cable programming giant Discovery Communications, will exit the company next June when his contract expires. Hollinger has headed Discovery’s growing international operations for the last several years and life on the road has lost its charm. “Having spent 150 or so days away from home during each of the last several years, most often many time zones away, I am looking forward to being back in the U.S. full-time and spending more time with my family. It really is the only reason I would leave such a terrific company and such a wonderful team of people,†Hollinger said.
Big gift. The Dalian Wanda Group, the Chinese media giant that bought the AMC movie theater chain, still has some loose change in its pockets. On Tuesday, it said it would donate $20 million to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the new film museum it is planning to open in 2017. Heck for $5 million more the academy would have probably renamed the Oscars the “Wandas.†More on the donation from the Los Angeles Times.
PHOTOS: Hollywood backlot moments
Tough job to fill. New Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti (not to be confused with fictional Baltimore mayor Tommy Carcetti from “The Wireâ€) made a lot noise about naming a film czar that would focus on runaway production. But as Garcetti approaches his first 100 days in office, he still doesn’t appear close to a decision on what could be a crucial role for the movie and film industry here. The Los Angeles Times on some of the names floating out there and the challenges Garcetti is having.
Growing pains. AMC’s announcement that it would stretch the final season of “Mad Men†out over two years should have been the kind of news that makes people cheer. But to cynical media reporters (are there any other kind?), it was a sign of a network struggling to develop new hits. That AMC is also developing spinoffs for “Breaking Bad†and “The Walking Dead†is also seen by some as a sign that the creative juices are running dry. Vulture takes a look at AMC and says “get it together.â€
No Apple products allowed. The CBS summer series “Under the Dome†about what happens in a small town when it is suddenly covered by a mysterious bubble, wrapped up an amazing run this week. The show was proof that big bets in the summer can pay off. Although the folks of the fictional town Chester’s Mill had no contact with the outside world, they did have plenty of products to tout. Variety on some of the more amusing examples of product placement in “Under the Dome.â€
PHOTOS: Celebrities by The Times
New look. Fox News unveiled its new prime-time schedule that will debut next month. Getting the plum 9 p.m. time slot is Megyn Kelly, who rose to prominence as a daytime anchor at the news network. Sean Hannity is going from 9 p.m to 10 p.m. while Greta Van Susteren moves from 10 p.m. to 7 p.m. to take the slot recently vacated by Shep Smith. More on the moves from the New York Times.
Schmooze skills. When Warner Bros. pulled off persuading “Harry Potter†creator J.K. Rowling to revisit the wizard world she created it was a major coup for the studio’s new chief executive, Kevin Tsujihara. Before rising to that lofty post, Tsujihara was a well-respected home entertainment executive but one of the concerns of him getting the top spot was whether he had the requisite charm for talent. The Hollywood Reporter on how Tsujihara wooed Rowling.
Inside the Los Angeles Times: Greg Braxton on “Big Brother,†which wraps up tonight.
Follow me on Twitter and watch me amuse myself, but not in some weird Anthony Weiner way. @JBFlint.
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