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Hailing from the U.K., David Oyelowo wasn’t familiar with the term “government cheese,” the processed cheese given to welfare recipients and to U.S. schools and food banks since the 1940s. But his new Apple Original series, “Government Cheese,” gives the term new meaning anyway.

“It’s a very intriguing title,” Oyelowo tells Variety, previewing the series. “A good title is a very hard thing to find — especially a title that has layered meanings and is analogous to what the show is about.”

Oyelowo stars as Hampton Chambers, the patriarch of a family living in southern California’s San Fernando Valley in 1969. The Chambers – wife Astoria (Simone Missick) and sons Einstein (Evan Ellison) and Harrison (Jahi Di’Allo Winston) — are a quirky bunch pursuing lofty and seemingly impossible dreams.

The plot kicks off when Hampton is released from prison, and, as the series synopsis explains, his long-awaited family reunion...

The comedy series Survival of the Thickest, created by Michelle Buteau and Danielle Sanchez-Witzel (The Carmichael Show), hasn’t just survived, but thrived — and a new trailer from the long-awaited Season 2, set to debut March 27, finds Mavis Beaumont (played by Buteau) and crew back and better than ever. Check it out above,

The ensemble cast of Buteau, Tone Bell, Tasha Smith, Marouane Zotti, Peppermint, Garcelle Beauvais, Anthony Michael Lopez, and Liza Treyger return, along with new guest stars Anderson .Paak, Deon Cole, Tika Sumpter, Monét X Change, Honey Balenciaga, Sandra Bernhard, and Bevy Smith.

Survival of the Thickest is a story only Buteau can tell. Inspired by her acclaimed book of essays of the same name, the first season’s eight episodes followed Mavis, a stylist whose life is blown up after she catches her partner (Taylor Selé) in bed with another woman.

We’re just along for...

Kevin Hart is transforming from comedian to cartoon.

BET+ on Wednesday released the first trailer for its new animated series Lil Kev, created and produced by Hart, who will also voice the titular character. The half-hour comedy, which is inspired by Hart’s life and comedy, will premiere on Thursday, March 6.

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Set in North Philadelphia in 1993, the series follows “12-year-old Kevin Hart,...

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The Upshaws is a family comedy series but not exactly fit for watching with a family. The Netflix original series is created by Wanda Sykes and Regina Y. Hicks, and it follows the Upshaw family living in Indiana as they deal with wilder and funnier obstacles life puts in their way. The Upshaws stars Mike Epps, Kim Fields, and Wanda Sykes. So, if you loved the hilarious family drama, quirky characters, and entertaining stories in The Upshaws, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

The Carmichael Show (Tubi & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – NBC

The Carmichael Show is a comedy series created by Jerrod Carmichael, Ari Katcher, Willie Hunter, and Nicholas Stoller. The NBC series follows a fictional version of Jerrod Carmichael as he discusses many controversial topics with his family and live-in girlfriend. The Carmichael Show stars Jerrod Carmichael,...

It’s a drag queen’s world, and Katy Perry’s lucky to be guest-judging in it.

The artist formerly known as Katheryn Hudson has secured a seat at the judges’ table for the Season 17 premiere of RuPaul’s Drag Race (Jan. 3, 8/7c), as revealed in MTV’s just-released trailer below.

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Along with Perry, the lineup of Season...

“The Office,” “Parks and Recreation,” “Abbott Elementary” and now “St. Denis Medical,” the latest in a line of television workplace mockumentary comedies. Mentioning these previous titles shouldn’t be a knock against “St. Denis,” as it feels like it was designed to purposefully coast on these titles’ previously established rhythms, ensembles, dynamics and storylines. It’s a gentle, familiar-feeling show, and while it really works when it finds spiky, surprising and even uncomfortable ruffles to the formula, it plays pretty well when it’s just pulling it off too.

To describe the show’s world is as simple as saying “‘Modern Family’ but the family is doctors,” or “‘Scrubs’ but they’re aware of the camera.” The Emmy-nominated Allison Tolman (“Fargo”) leads an ensemble of medical professionals as our Leslie Knope-esque overachieving supervising nurse Alex.

Along for the ride are fussy doctor David Alan Grier (“The Carmichael Show”), egotistical surgeon...

Lil Rel Howery is set to make his directorial debut and star in the horror comedy Haunted Heist, which will co-star Tiffany Haddish. The film was written by Carl Reid, who co-wrote the script for Hulu's 2024 release Mr. Crocket, a horror movie about a sinister children's television show host. French distribution outfit The Coven, which recently enjoyed big success with Terrifier 3, will distribute Haunted Heist.

The plot, according to Deadline, is as follows:

...four estranged friends reunite at what appears to be a typical house. But one friend has ulterior motives; he plans to rob the place and needs their help to find an antique worth a fortune. But the house is straight up haunted, and the group must squash their differences to survive the night and an insane pack of ghosts.

While the entire premise sounds promising, the phrase "insane pack of ghosts" will certainly pique the interest of the horror community.

Get Out actor Lil Rel Howery is set to make his directorial debut in Haunted Heist, a comedy-horror movie penned by Mr. Crocket scribe Carl Reid, Deadline reports today.

In addition to directing, Howery will also star alongside Haunted Mansion actor Tiffany Haddish.

In Haunted Heist, “four estranged friends reunite at what appears to be a typical house. But one friend has ulterior motives; he plans to rob the place and needs their help to find an antique worth a fortune. But the house is straight up haunted, and the group must squash their differences to survive the night and an insane pack of ghosts.”

The comedy-horror movie reunites Howery and Haddish; the pair previously collaborated on The Carmichael Show, Uncle Drew, and their Best Friends Comedy Tour in 2023.

“I’m so excited to be working on this project in front and behind the camera,” Howery told Deadline. “It’s...

Exclusive: Lil Rel Howery (Get Out) is set to direct and star in comedy-horror Haunted Heist, alongside Tiffany Haddish (Girls Trip).

The Coven, fresh off the theatrical success of Terrifier 3, has signed on to represent the feature from a script by Carl Reid, writer of Hulu horror Mr. Crocket. It will mark Howery’s directorial debut.

In Haunted Heist, “four estranged friends reunite at what appears to be a typical house. But one friend has ulterior motives; he plans to rob the place and needs their help to find an antique worth a fortune. But the house is straight up haunted, and the group must squash their differences to survive the night and an insane pack of ghosts”.

Filming is being lined up for January 2025 with The Coven launching world sales at the American Film Market this week in Las Vegas.

Howery will produce Haunted Heist with Death Ground...

It’s suddenly been, if not an embarrassment, then for sure a nice flush of riches in the indie film space as high-profile festival and well-reviewed fare continues releasing into awards season. This week we’ve got a return guest with wide re-release of Godzilla Minus One.

Emilia Perez is hitting 125 theaters, quite a few for Netflix. This weekend Apple opens Steve McQueen’s WWII-set Blitz, starring Saorsie Ronan on three screens in London, two in NYC and one in LA. Warner Bros. is launching an Academy run for Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2 starring Nicholas Hoult and Zoey Deutch. Disney is doing the same for Laurent Bouzereau’s documentary Music by John Williams at the El Capitan in Hollywood and Regal Union Square in Manhattan.

La Cocina, Memoir Of A Snail and doc Black Box Diaries expand in week 2.

Jumping in with Searchlight Pictures’ Jesse Eisenberg written-directed comedy A Real Pain...

Exclusive: Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon have launched Winter Coat Films, which has signed a first-look deal with Sony Pictures Television to produce scripted series for streaming and cable platforms. The Oscar-nominated husband-and-wife duo have partnered with producer Dani Melia, who will serve as president of Winter Coat Films.

“Kumail and Emily are a dream team – artists who bring humanity, humor and authenticity to everything they explore,” said Katherine Pope, President Sony Pictures Television Studios. “We couldn’t be happier to support them and their newly formed production company, which we know will be hugely successful.”

Nanjiani and Gordon most recently served as executive producers on Hulu limited series Welcome to Chippendales, which earned Nanjiani an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie. They also executive produced and wrote the praised Apple TV+ anthology series Little America, which ran for two seasons.

Shameik Moore and Susan Sarandon‘s bowling comedy “The Gutter” has landed North American distribution at Magnolia Pictures, the studio announced Tuesday.

Following a world premiere at SXSW, the Village Roadshow Pictures production from codirectors Yassir Lester and Isaiah Lester (“black-ish”) secured the deal via negotiations with Magnolia SVP of Acquisitions John Von Thaden and Village Roadshow Pictures, CAA, and UTA on behalf of the filmmakers. Yassir Lester wrote the script.

Costarring D’Arcy Carden, Jay Ellis and Paul Reiser, the comedy also features appearances from Kim Fields, Jackée Harry, Paul Scheer and Adam Pally. It will hit theaters and stream on demand Nov. 1.

“Joining a lineage of absurd, riotous bowling comedies, ‘The Gutter’ knocks them down in grand style,” Magnolia Pictures co-CEOs Eamonn Bowles and Dori Begley said in a statement obtained by TheWrap. “We’re excited to be rolling this out in November.”

“We are grateful and humbled...

Emmy Award nominee Ramy Youssef is bringing even more of his genius to Netflix.

The writer, director, comedian, and actor is entering into a creative partnership with Netflix in which he will develop and create serialized first look projects through his production company Cairo Cowboy.

This new deal deepens the Golden Globe winner’s relationship with Netflix, which began with the Peabody- and Gotham Award–winning comedy Mo. Youssef co-created the series about a Palestinian refugee’s life in Houston, with its star, Mo Amer, and serves as an executive producer. Mo is currently in post-production on its second season, which will bring the titular character’s asylum journey to an end.

Next up, you can see Youssef on the forthcoming comedy Golf, starring Will Ferrell as a fictional golf legend. Youssef co-created and executive produces the 10-episode series with Ferrell and Josh Rabinowitz.

Tubi, Fox’s free streaming service, has announced its list of August titles. The Tubi August 2024 slate features new Tubi Originals and numerous action, art house, Black cinema, comedy, documentary, drama, horror, kids and family, romance, sci-fi and fantasy, thriller, and Western titles.

As a leading ad-supported video-on-demand service, the company engages diverse audiences through a personalized experience and the world’s largest content library: over 200,000 movies and TV episodes, a growing collection of Tubi Originals, and nearly 250 Fast channels.

You can watch the Tubi August 2024 lineup for free on Android and iOS mobile devices, Amazon Echo Show, Google Nest Hub Max, Comcast Xfinity X1, and Cox Contour.

You can also watch the service on connected television devices such as Amazon Fire TV, Vizio TVs, Sony TVs, Samsung TVs, Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, Android TV, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and on the Tubi site.

Tubi Originals

Documentary

Defying Death:...

Survival of the Thickest star Michelle Buteau is promising a “bigger and blacker and better” season two as filming commences amid a mixture of emotions for the co-creator and co-executive producer for the show, whose work on season one alongside her cast and crew was locked out of this year’s Emmys nominations due to a “glitch” in the submission process.

Co-created and co-executive produced by Danielle Sanchez-Witzel (The Carmichael Show, New Girl) and based on Buteau’s 2020 book of the same name, the A24-produced scripted comedy debuted on the eve of last year’s historic SAG-AFTRA strike and in February was revealed by its star to be returning for season two.

Now, the comedian, TV host, and author is back on set as the next chapter of Survival of the Thickest begins. It’s an arc where everyone is “taking chances” and “putting themselves out there,” Buteau promises,...

Bill Cobbs, an actor who worked so steadily over decades that he was immediately recognizable to most TV- and movie viewers, died Tuesday at his home in California. He was 90.

Cobbs’ family announced the death on Facebook. “We are saddened to share the passing of Bill Cobbs. On Tuesday, June 25, Bill passed away peacefully at his home in California,” the post reads. “A beloved partner, big brother, uncle, surrogate parent, godfather and friend, Bill recently and happily celebrated his 90th birthday surrounded by cherished loved ones. As a family we are comforted knowing Bill has found peace and eternal rest with his Heavenly Father.

Exclusive: Chicago entrepreneur Knowledge Beckom is teaming up with longtime friend and collaborator Lil Rel Howery to bring the inaugural Whats Funny Comedy Festival to Chicago this fall, Deadline can exclusively reveal.

The festival will take place from September 16th-22nd at the historic DuSable Museum of African American History, along with a few other prime Chicago locations. It represents a labor of love for Beckom and Howery, driven by their desire to provide something unrivaled to their hometown of Chicago. Their vision for this yearly spectacle is to celebrate humor and fellowship while highlighting the skills of gifted comedians, both up-and-coming and established, at the same time providing them the opportunity to network with industry insiders.

In addition to live comedy performances, the festival will feature assorted vendors, merchandise, food, musical performances, special panels with comedic legends, and the taping of Howery’s first self-produced stand-up special, which will close out the week.

NBC wants to spend a little more time at St. Denis Medical.

The network has ordered five more episodes of the upcoming hospital comedy, TVLine has confirmed, bringing the total Season 1 episode order to 18. (Our sister site Variety first reported the news.)

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The new comedy, which is slated to air Tuesdays at 8/7c this fall, is a mockumentary set at “an underfunded, understaffed Oregon hospital...

Ari Katcher is a comedy writer. He’s an expert in story structure and instrumental in helping comedians like Ramy Youssef turn their autobiographical stand-up into a scripted series (“Ramy”). He did the same for his close friend and longtime collaborator Jerrod Carmichael as co-creator of the NBC sitcom “The Carmichael Show” and screenwriter of the comedian’s directorial debut “On the Count of Three.”

Katcher is also the co-creator and director of the unscripted “Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show,” in which the standup turned the cameras on his personal life. The show is revelatory in its unbridled honesty that spares no one, least of all Carmichael himself. It also demanded that Katcher be both concerned friend and a goal-driven storyteller, often at the same time.

“I was kind of writing the stories as they go,” he said. “[I was] having to balance what is good for him versus what is good for the story,...

Will Ferrell and Ramy Youssef are co-creating “Golf,” a comedy series set at Netflix, with Ferrell also set to star. Josh Rabinowitz also serves as co-creator.

Ferrell will play a fictional golf legend in the 10-episode series. Youssef will also appear onscreen in the series, but details regarding his character are being kept under wraps.

Youssef and Rabinowitz serve as showrunners, and executive produce alongside Ferrell, Jessica Elbaum and Alix Taylor for Gloria Sanchez Productions; Rian Johnson, Ram Bergman and Nena Rodrigue for T-Street; and Andy Campagna for Youssef’s Cairo Cowboy.

Ferrell is best known for his sevens seasons as a “Saturday Night Live” cast member and starring in films such as “Elf,” “Anchorman,” “Talladega Nights” and “Step Brothers,” having co-written the last three titles with Adam McKay. More recently, he has appeared in “Barbie,” “The Shrink Next Door” and “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga.” Ferrell...

Netflix is ready to tee off with Will Ferrell.

In his first scripted TV comedy series, Ferrell will star in a scripted comedy series titled Golf. The streamer has picked up 10 episodes of the series, which is co-created by Ferrell, Ramy Youssef — who will also have an onscreen role — and Josh Rabinowitz (Babes, Ramy, The Carmichael Show).

In Golf, Ferrell will play a fictional golf legend. Details on Youssef’s part are being kept under wraps though sources say the show isn’t a two-hander. (Netflix also stresses that Golf should be capitalized, though it’s unclear if it’s an acronym.)

Youssef and Rabinowitz, who previously teamed for Hulu’s critically praised comedy Ramy, will serve as showrunners and exec produce Golf alongside Ferrell, Jessica Elbaum and Alix Taylor for Gloria Sanchez Productions. Rian Johnson (Peacock’s Poker Face), Ram Bergman and Nena Rodrigue will exec produce for T-Street,...

Will Ferrell is making a rare foray into scripted television in a big way.

The former SNL star, whose acting credits have mainly focused on films, is co-creating the new Netflix comedy series Golf alongside Ramy Youssef (Ramy) and Josh Rabinowitz (The Carmichael Show). Ferrell and Youssef are set to star.

In his first leading role in a comedy series, Ferrell will star as a fictional golf legend. Details regarding Youssef’s role are under wraps.

Ferrell was previously developing a series following a professional golfer who becomes the face of a controversial new league competing with the PGA, as Deadline reported exclusively back in 2023. “It also evokes one of Ferrell’s signature movies, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. The series is in a similar tone, I hear, bringing Ferrell back to the sports arena he also explored in Blades of Glory and Semi-Pro,...

A trip to the green is in full swing!

Today, Netflix announced Golf, an upcoming scripted series that will star Will Ferrell in his first TV comedy as a fictional golf legend. Also appearing in the show is Ramy Youssef.

Co-created by Ferrell, Youssef, and Josh Rabinowitz, Golf was given a 10-episode order. Youssef and Rabinowitz will be showrunners and executive producers for the series. Ferrell, Jessica Elbaum, and Alix Taylor are executive producers for Gloria Sanchez Productions. Rian Johnson, Ram Bergman, and Nena Rodrigue are executive producers for T-Street. Andy Campagna is an executive producer for Cairo Cowboy.

In the meantime, get your Ferrell fix with Talladega Nightsand Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, streaming on Netflix now, and look for the forthcoming documentary, Will & Harper, featuring Ferrell and directed by Josh Greenbaum...

If you love a semi dysfunctional and their humorous antics then you are in for a treat in Amazon Freevee’s Dinner With The Parents. Based on a British series titled Friday Night Dinner, the Freevee is created by Jon Beckerman and it follows the Langer family as they get together one day every week for a family dinner and try to survive it without actually killing each other. Dinner With The Parents stars Michaela Watkins, Dan Bakkedahl, Henry Hall, Daniel Thrasher, and Carol Kane in the lead roles. So, if you loved the sibling rivalry, weird dad, and high-strung mom in Dinner With The Parents here are some similar films you could watch next.

Friday Night Dinner (Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Channel 4

Friday Night Dinner is a British sitcom series on which Freevee’s Dinner With The Parents is based. Created by Robert Popper, the Channel 4 series...

Jerrod Carmichael returns to HBO and Max, but this time, his whole world’s the stage. The Emmy-winning comedian (“Jerrod Carmichael: Rothaniel”) takes a darkly funny look at his own life and quest for love, sex, and truth in “Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show,” an eight-episode docuseries premiering this Friday, March 29, at 11 p.m. Et on HBO and streaming simultaneously on Max with new episodes due out weekly. You can watch with a subscription to Max.

How to Watch ‘Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show’ Series Premiere When: Friday, March 29, 2024 Where: Max Stream: Watch with a subscription to Max. Sign Up$9.99+ / month Max.com About ‘Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show’ Series Premiere

Jerrod Carmichael returns to HBO for “Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show,” an eight-episode docuseries that follows the Emmy Award-winning standup comedian and filmmaker on a “darkly funny” and “tumultuous quest for love, sex, and truth.”

This marks Carmichael’s first HBO and Max project...

Jerrod Carmichael has a problem. “I didn’t know it was a problem,” he says during his new HBO series, “Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show.” But recent events have made it clear that it is, in fact, a problem. A big one. What is it? “I only like to do exactly what I want to do.”

You may be thinking, “Wait, what’s wrong with that? Don’t we all only like doing what we want?” Sure we do. Except, not really, and not in the way Carmichael means here. He’s saying he doesn’t like doing things for other people. Like, at all. He doesn’t want to drive you to the airport. He doesn’t want to let you crash at his place for a few weeks. He doesn’t want to do the things friends are expected to do simply because it helps someone they care about.

As this slow broadcast network pilot season continues, ABC has ordered its second comedy pilot of the year: “Forgive and Forget,” a multi-camera comedy set to star Emmy-winning “Modern Family” alum Ty Burrell.

Burrell is also on board as an executive producer (through his Desert Whale Prods. shingle) on “Forgive and Forget,” while Eugene Garcia-Cross is writer/exec producer and Robin Shorr is on board as showrunner and exec producer. 20th Television is behind the project, which stars Burrell as Hank, a perennial “life of the party.” According to the logline, Hank gets an unexpected diagnosis, leading him to reconnect with his responsible adult son Ben.

ABC has also ordered the comedy pilot “Shifting Gears,” starring Tim Allen, for this season. That means both of the network’s comedy pilots are multi-camera sitcoms from 20th TV starring veteran ABC stars.

“Forgive and Forget” would rep Burrell’s return to the Alphabet web — where,...

Ty Burrell is returning to ABC.

The two-time Emmy-winning Modern Family star has been tapped to star in Forgive and Forget, a multicamera comedy that has been ordered to pilot at the Disney-owned broadcast network.

From writer Eugene Garcia-Cross (The Santa Clauses, Peacock’s Punky Brewster), Forgive and Forget revolves around Hank (Burrell), the perennial life of the party, who, after an unexpected diagnosis, reconnects with his responsible adult son Ben in hopes of making new memories together.

Garcia-Cross, a 2018 graduate of NBC’s Writers on the Verge program, will also exec produce alongside Robin Shorr (Diary of a Future President, The Carmichael Show, Galavant, The Middle), who will serve as showrunner on the potential series. Burrell will also executive produce via his Desert Whale Productions banner. Forgive and Forget is produced by Disney’s 20th Television, the same studio that delivered mega-hit Modern Family.

Burrell starred in all 11 seasons...

ABC is piloting a new comedy starring and exec produced by Ty Burrell.

Deadline revealed that the multicamera project Forgive & Forget was in the works a year ago and the project, which comes from Punky Brewster duo Eugene Garcia-Cross and Robin Shorr, is now moving forward.

It is the latest pilot order for the Disney-owned network; Deadline revealed that Tim Allen was returning to ABC for a family comedy from Duncanville co-creators Mike Scully and Julie Thacker Sully. That marked the first pilot order of the season for ABC, which has instead been focusing on year-round development.

The show, which comes from 20th Television, follows perennial life of the party Hank (Burrell). After an unexpected diagnosis, Hank reconnects with his responsible adult son Ben in hopes of making new memories together.

Garcia-Cross will write with Shorr as showrunner. They will exec produce alongside Burrell via his Desert Whale Productions banner.

There are many rituals in Dawn (Michelle Buteau) and Eden’s (Ilana Glazer) decades-long friendship, but the most important one happens on Thanksgiving morning.

The best friends of Pamela Adlon’s charming feature Babes meet on that day every year to watch a movie. It can be any film, at any theater. What’s most important is that the two women, friends since they were 11 years old and now separated by no fewer than two trains on New York City public transit, make time for each other.

For the most recent Thanksgiving, seemingly in 2023, Dawn and Eden meet on the Upper West Side for a 9 a.m. show. Dawn, pregnant with her second child, recently moved to the neighborhood with her husband Marty (Hasan Minhaj) and their toddler. Eden still lives in Astoria, the Queens neighborhood she and Dawn spent formative years in, and up until recently both called home.

The 2024 SXSW Film & TV Festival — which runs March 8–16 in Austin, Texas — has cooked up an eclectic spread of studio crowd-pleasers, enterprising TV premieres, and indie gems aiming to break through. Here is some of the most promising fare.

Babes

The canon of Ilana Glazer-led indies about childbearing expands. Following 2021’s “False Positive,” Glazer plays pregnant once again in “Babes,” this time from a film script she wrote with Josh Rabinowitz in Pamela Adlon’s feature directorial debut. The Neon comedy follows Eden (Glazer), who gets pregnant from a one-night stand and seeks help from Dawn (Michelle Buteau), a married mother of two. In other words, “Babes” lets the “Broad City” star do what she does best: lean heavily on the support of a best buddy.

Black Twitter: A People’s History

Come to “Black Twitter: A People’s History” for a who’s who of the funniest moments Black...

Tim Allen is one step closer to returning to ABC for a third time. The Alphabet net has given a pilot order to his latest sitcom, “Shifting Gears,” from 20th Television. Allen is on board to star and executive produce the multi-cam sitcom pilot — which is still a working title — which will also be written and executive produced by Mike Scully and Julie Thacker Scully.

In the project, Allen plays Matt, the “stubborn, widowed owner of a classic car restoration shop. When Matt’s estranged daughter and her teenage kids move into his house, the real restoration begins.”

Marty Adelstein, Becky Clements, Richard Baker and Rick Messina are the non-writing exec producers on the show.

“Shifting Gears” continues Allen’s long association with ABC and Disney, including the long-running hit (1991-1997) “Home Improvement.” Allen later starred on ABC’s “Last Man Standing,” which aired on the Alphabet web from 2011 to...

Updated, 10 Am: HBO has released the official trailer for Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show ahead of its debut later this month. Revolving around Carmichael’s personal life, the show is described as a darkly funny documentary series about Jerrod’s tumultuous quest for love, sex, and truth. New episodes of the eight-episode series will debut weekly beginning Friday, March 29 (11 Pm). Check out the trailer above.

Previous, Feb. 1, 2023: HBO has handed a series order to a comedy documentary series about Jerrod Carmichael’s life. Carmichael will executive produce as part of his overall deal with HBO.

Per the network, the series will center on Carmichael’s personal life, following him through encounters with friends, family, and strangers, all in his quest for love, sex, and connection.

Ari Katcher and Eli Despres will also executive produce. Katcher is set to direct the series.

Carmichael inked a two-year overall deal with HBO last...

HBO has released a trailer for its new original comedy docuseries “Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show,” which will premiere at the 2024 SXSW festival. Dubbed as his attempt at making a personal “Truman Show,” Jerrod Carmichael shows the world startlingly frank discussions with his family and intimate moments of his personal life. Come for the difficult conversations and stay for Carmichael explaining “twunks” to his father. The series will air on March 29 on HBO and be available to stream on Max, with new episodes of the eight-episode season debuting weekly.

Carmichael is an Emmy-winning comedian from North Carolina whose credits include the NBC sitcom “The Carmichael Show.” His recent comedy special, “Rothaniel,” directed by Bo Burnham, was met with rave reviews. The new docuseries is a “darkly funny documentary series about Jerrod’s tumultuous quest for love, sex and truth,” reads the show’s logline.

Burnham himself seems to make an appearance...

A few days before the 96th Academy Awards ceremony, Yorgos Lanthimos’s Best Picture nominee, Poor Things, makes its streaming debut on Hulu on March 7. Akin to Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein tale, Poor Things tells an unbelievable story about the fantastical evolution of Bella Baxter, a young woman brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter. Under Baxter’s protection, Bella is eager to learn. Hungry for the worldliness she is lacking, Bella runs off with Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo), a slick and debauched lawyer, on a whirlwind adventure across the continents. Free from the prejudices of her times, Bella grows steadfast in her purpose to stand for equality and liberation.

Poor Things could dominate the Oscars this year with 11 nominations in various categories. You can check out the complete list of potential awards for this bizarrely charming film below:

Performance by an actress in...

The EFM (European Film Market) continues to heat up, with another promising project hitting the scene. Will Smith will star in the biggest-budgeted project at the show, Sugar Bandits. With a reported budget that circles $80 million, Sugar Bandits follows “a former Special Forces solider who joins an elite, vigilante squad aiming to wipe out the drug trade in Boston, but soon learns things are not what they seem.”

Sugar Bandits has sat on the Hollywood sidelines with Universal setting director Joe Carnahan on the project. However, it’s now heading to EFM, where filmmakers scope out independent projects. Sugar Bandits is based on the screenplay and novel Devils In Exile by Chuck Hogan, with Smith and Jon Mone producing through Westbrook Studios. Ryan Shimizaki oversees the project, with Stuart Ford joining the production effort through AGC Studios, which is financing the film entirely. Additionally, Richard Abate produces via 3 Arts Entertainment.

Director Yorgos Lanthimos’ “female Frankenstein” story Poor Things, which stars Emma Stone (Cruella), is a Golden Globe winner and it’s in the running for multiple BAFTAs and Oscars – and soon we’ll be able to watch it in the comfort of our own homes. Searchlight Pictures has announced they’ll be giving Poor Things a digital release on February 27th, with a Blu-ray and DVD release to follow on March 12th.

Scripted by Tony McNamara and based on a novel by Alasdair Gray (pick up a copy Here), Poor Things is described as being the incredible tale and fantastical evolution of Bella Baxter (Emma Stone), a young woman brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter. Under Baxter’s protection, Bella is eager to learn. Hungry for the worldliness she is lacking, Bella runs off with Duncan Wedderburn, a slick and debauched lawyer, on...

As of this writing, director Yorgos Lanthimos’ “female Frankenstein” story Poor Things, which stars Emma Stone (Cruella), has a 93% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with many reviewers predicting that the film is going to be a contender at this year’s Academy Awards. One of those reviewers is JoBlo’s own Chris Bumbray, who gave Poor Things a 9/10 review that can be read Here and said, “If this doesn’t win Best Production Design and Costuming at the Oscars this year, something will be quite wrong with the Academy.” Poor Things can currently be seen in theatres – but if you haven’t decided whether or not to catch it on the big screen yet, today we have a couple clips for you to take a look at that might help you reach the decision. One is embedded above and another can be found at the bottom of this article.

Scripted...

Norman Lear changed television. That, we know, is an absolute fact, and I’ll get to it in a moment. But what really saddens me at the news of Norman Lear’s death, at 101, is he won’t be here anymore to serve as a voice of reason as the United States continues to lose its mind.

Lear was a World War II hero who spent much of his life defending democracy via what he put on our television screens and also in his high-profile advocacy work. He often talked of what inspired him to be politically active: At 9 years old, Lear was tinkering with his radio when he discovered the bile spewing from anti-Semitic broadcaster Father Charles Coughlin over the airwaves.

“I think about it all the time,” Lear told me in 2019, when I spoke with him multiple times for a Variety cover (among the several times I had...

Exclusive: Immersive virtual reality stand-up series Surrounded is to return for a second season next month with Jack Whitehall, Marlon Wayans, Lil Rel Howery and Mae Martin among the comics lined up.

The six-part series will debut via the Meta Horizon Worlds VR online video game platform, with episodes starting from December 29, including a festival holiday special that drops at 10am Pt.

The comedians’ sets were filmed at the 2023 Just For Laughs Montréal Comedy Festival. The format sees the audience inspiring the jokes, with everyone fair game. It originated as a stand-up comedy show created by Mike Falzone before being adapted for the Metaverse.

Hosted by The Carmichael Show star Howery, the episodes will feature Whitehall, Wayans, Martin, Fortune Feimster, Mark Normand, Chris Redd, Dan Soder, Jay Pharaoh, Meg Statler, Felipe Esparza, Rosebud Baker, Sam Morril, Joel Kim Booster, Hannah Berner, Nate Jackson, Brad Williams, Preacher Lawson, Sasheer Zamata, Brian Simpson,...

Director Yorgos Lanthimos’ “female Frankenstein” story Poor Things, which stars Emma Stone (Cruella), recently had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, and the reactions that came out of that screening said the movie is weird, hilarious, raunchy, and an awards contender. We’re now just one week away from the film’s December 8th theatrical release – and today we have some new promotional material to share! In the embed above you’ll find a featurette that asks, “Who is Bella Baxter?” That being the character Stone plays in the film. At the bottom of this article, we have a clip of Bella Baxter in action.

Scripted by Tony McNamara and based on a novel by Alasdair Gray (pick up a copy Here), Poor Things is described as being the incredible tale and fantastical evolution of Bella Baxter (Emma Stone), a young woman brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist Dr.

Updated: Tiffany Haddish says she will “get some help so I can learn balance and boundaries,” she told Et Online Monday. Haddish pledged “this will never happen again” after being cited for a DUI Friday for the second time in two years.

Just hours after appearing at the Laugh Factory’s Thanksgiving feast event, Haddish was arrested in Beverly Hills early Friday morning.

Lt. Chris Coulter of the Beverly Hills Police Department confirmed that Haddish was booked on suspicion of DUI charges. Haddish fell asleep behind the wheel in the middle of Beverly Drive, TMZ reported, around 5:45 a.m. There were no injuries reported. She later told Et that her Tesla had parked itself when she fell asleep, but was still partially blocking the road.

She was arrested in Georgia on a similar charge in early 2022. Haddish, who recently appeared in “The Haunted Mansion,” was previously arrested Jan. 14, 2022 after...

Director Yorgos Lanthimos’ “female Frankenstein” story Poor Things, which stars Emma Stone (Cruella), recently had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, and the reactions that came out of that screening said the movie is weird, hilarious, raunchy, and an awards contender. We’re now just two weeks away from the film’s December 8th theatrical release – and to build up the hype some more, a new trailer for Poor Things has arrived online! You can check it out in the embed above.

Scripted by Tony McNamara and based on a novel by Alasdair Gray (pick up a copy Here), Poor Things is described as being the incredible tale and fantastical evolution of Bella Baxter (Emma Stone), a young woman brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter. Under Baxter’s protection, Bella is eager to learn. Hungry for the worldliness she is lacking,...

Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie, a sequel to the 2021 film, features the eponymous group with new superpowers as they battle evil scientist Victoria Vance. The movie includes a star-studded cast, including Mckenna Grace, Marsai Martin, Kim Kardashian, and Taraji P. Henson. Lil Rel Howery, known for his work in family-friendly projects, discusses his love for voice work and his upcoming projects, including Good Burger 2 and Dashing Through the Snow.

After its successful box office run, Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie is coming to home platforms, and an exclusive clip introduces one of its new cast members. Both an expansion of the hit Nickelodeon show and sequel to the 2021 movie, the animated adventure finds the eponymous group given superpowers from crystals embedded in a meteor and have to use their new abilities to put a stop to evil scientist Victoria Vance and their arch-nemesis Mayor Humdinger. With a cast of new and returning faces,...

Director Yorgos Lanthimos’ “female Frankenstein” story Poor Things, which stars Emma Stone (Cruella), recently had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, and the reactions that came out of that screening said the movie is weird, hilarious, raunchy, and an awards contender. More of us will have the chance to see Poor Things when its receives a theatrical release on December 8th – and with that date just a month and a half away, a new extended look trailer for the film has arrived online. Check it out in the embed above!

Scripted by Tony McNamara and based on a novel by Alasdair Gray (pick up a copy Here), Poor Things is described as being the incredible tale and fantastical evolution of Bella Baxter (Emma Stone), a young woman brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter. Under Baxter’s protection, Bella is eager to learn.

Neon has picked up rights to Pamela Adlon’s directorial debut “Babes,” a comedy starring Ilana Glazer and Hasan Minhaj.

Glazer, the co-creator and star of Comedy Central’s hit sitcom “Broad City,” co-wrote the screenplay with Josh Rabinowitz. The story follows the aggressively single Eden, who becomes pregnant from a one-night stand and leans on her married best friend (and mother of two), Dawn, to guide her through the gestation and beyond.

Michelle Buteau and John Carroll Lynch round out the cast of “Babes.” A release date for the film has yet to be announced.

Range Media Partners and FilmNation financed “Babes.” It was produced by Susie Fox, Glazer, Rabinowitz, Ashley Fox and Breean Pojunas. FilmNation Entertainment, Range Media Partners and CAA Media Finance handled U.S. sales while FilmNation Entertainment is leading international sales.

Adlon is the co-creator and star of FX’s popular series “Better Things,” which...

Tiffany Haddish is still haunted by how she was treated on her first film.

The “Girl’s Trip” breakout star and recent “Haunted Mansion” actress told the Associated Press in the below video that she was never paid for her film debut, despite being told her salary would be $1,200. Haddish was also homeless at the time.

“My very first movie I ever did that I was the star in, I was homeless while I was shooting that movie,” Haddish said. “They were supposed to pay me $1,200 to do the movie. I wasn’t in the union. It was non-union film so there was nothing I could do about it. They never paid me. They never paid me a dime.”

She continued, “The producers gave me 10 DVDs and said, ‘Sell those. Good luck.’ I never saw the movie.”

While Haddish did not name the film, her first credited role was in 2005’s “The Urban Demographic.

Tiffany Haddish revealed in a video interview with the Associated Press that she did not earn a penny from her first movie, even after it started airing on network television and various streaming platforms following the success of “Girls Trip.” The 2017 comedy, co-starring Regina Hall, Queen Latifah and Jada Pinkett Smith, served as Haddish’s industry breakout. She earned rave reviews and won the supporting actress prize from the New York Film Critics circle, all of which created heightened interest in the work she shot prior.

Haddish was talking to the AP about Hollywood’s changing financial systems amid the SAG-AFTRA strike. She revealed that before “Girls Trip,” she starred in a non-union film and was promised she’d be paid $1,200 dollars. She never made a cent.

“My very first movie I ever did that I was the star in, I was homeless while I was shooting that movie,...

Fox Searchlight pushed their “female Frankenstein” story Poor Things, which stars Emma Stone (Cruella), back from its initially planned September 8th theatrical release date to December 8th, but the marketing machine hasn’t slowed down very much. A new poster for Poor Things has just been unveiled, and you can check it out at the bottom of this article. Along with the poster comes a behind-the-scenes video, and you can watch that in the embed above.

Scripted by Tony McNamara and based on a novel by Alasdair Gray (pick up a copy Here), the film is described as being the incredible tale and fantastical evolution of Bella Baxter (Emma Stone), a young woman brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter. Under Baxter’s protection, Bella is eager to learn. Hungry for the worldliness she is lacking, Bella runs off with Duncan Wedderburn, a slick and debauched lawyer,...

The Upshaws is a family comedy series but not exactly fit for watching with a family. The Netflix original series is created by Wanda Sykes and Regina Y. Hicks, and it follows the Upshaw family living in Indiana as they deal with wilder and funnier obstacles life puts in their way. The Upshaws stars Mike Epps, Kim Fields, and Wanda Sykes. The Netflix series is coming back with its fourth season soon and while you wait for the upcoming season here are some shows you should watch next.

The Carmichael Show (Hulu & Peacock) Credit – NBC

Synopsis: From the comedy of Jerrod Carmichael and Nick Stoller comes an irreverent sitcom inspired by Jerrod’s relationships with his say-anything, contrarian father, his therapist-in-training girlfriend, his ever-hustling brother and his mother who is always, always, always right with Jesus.

The Ranch (Netflix) Credit – Netflix

Synopsis: Set in a Colorado ranch, this multi-camera comedy series stars Ashton Kutcher,...