Listen to the Joystiq Podcast (because your ears can't read)
AOL Television

Posts with tag new orleans

TV Squad previews FOX's new shows

foxFox really only has a handful of new pilots to premiere next season because it's holding on to mega ratings-getters like American Idol, House, Prison Break, and 24... to name a few. It's replacing last season's stinkers such as Standoff and Justice.

At its upfronts presentation last month, the net announced two new reality shows, three new comedies and five new dramas. Of those, we have seen all the comedies and dramas except a drama called Nashville, which Fox has not yet released for preview.

Continue reading TV Squad previews FOX's new shows

Demme's Katrina documentary to air on PBS starting tonight - VIDEO

9th ward homeDirector Johnatan Demme obtained over 200 hours of footage of the Katrina aftermath, and the resulting documentary, Right to Return: New Home Movies from the Lower 9th Ward will air for five consecutive nights on Tavis Smiley's PBS show beginning this evening. You can check for times in your area by clicking here. The series concludes on June 1.

Continue reading Demme's Katrina documentary to air on PBS starting tonight - VIDEO

The Upfronts: FOX

fox logoThis year, FOX is hoping for a stronger fall season with a shorter baseball hiatus. Instead of 26 game nights, FOX is expecting to air only 14 games leading up to and including the World Series. Once again, FOX's January schedule has FOX poised for a win in ratings with non-stop 24 and renewal of American Idol. One schedule item worth noting is The Sarah Connor Chronicles, based on the Terminator movies. Fox chose to hold it until mid-season because they want a strong female audience, which is something they get when American Idol returns.

In: 'Til Death, House, Bones, The Simpsons, Family Guy, King of the Hill, American Dad, America's Most Wanted, Cops, Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?, American Idol, 24, Prison Break,

New: K-Ville, New Amsterdam, The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Back to You, Return of Jezebel James, Rules for Starting Over, Kitchen Nightmares, Canterbury's Law, Nashville

Out: The Winner, Standoff, Drive, The War at Home, The O.C., Justice, Happy Hour, The Rich List, Vanished, The Wedding Bells, The Loop

Moving: 'Til Death, Bones (spring)

Continue reading The Upfronts: FOX

Spike Lee wins journalism award for HBO doc

spike leeDirector Spike Lee has won a George Polk award for his documentary about the effects of Hurricane Katrina on New Orleans. Called When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts, the doc chronicled the natural disaster and the disastrous way the federal government responded to the humanitarian crisis. The awards are considered among the highest honors in American journalism, along with the Peabody.

Lee's documentary was four hours long and initially premiered to a New Orleans crowd before airing on HBO last August. The program was filled with news photos and video footage, and all sorts of interviews from celebrities and regular folk who recount their experience in the aftermath of Katrina. Ultimately, the federal government and the Army Corps of Engineers are blamed for the sub-par levees and the response to the disaster.

Fox greenlights post-Katrina cop drama

foxFox gave the green light to a pilot about cops living and working in post-Katrina New Orleans. It's one of four Katrina-related projects that were being pitched to networks for the next television season, but it's the only one that is moving forward. K-Ville is an hour-long drama that tells the stories of the police officers who stayed behind when the hurricane hit.

Other New Orleans-themed shows include two more cop shows based in the city that ABC passed on, and one called NoLa that NBC passed on even with the possibility that Spike Lee would direct the pilot. It's surprising, really, that K-Ville made the cut because the crisis in New Orleans continues. If nothing else, maybe it will renew the public's interest in that very damaged city.

[Via TV Tattle]

One Night Only kicks off on BET this evening

dreamgirlsOne Night Only: The Series, a new reality show on BET, debuts tonight at 7:30pm. The new series follows a group of students from McDonogh 35 High School, the oldest African-American high school in New Orleans, as they compete for roles not in Dreamgirls, but in One Night Only: Live on the Stage, a multi-media tribute to Dreamgirls. Taped in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the series will not only focus on the upcoming musical, but on the students' efforts to rebuild their homes and communities. Watching high school kids try out for a musical doesn't really interest me, but the mix of trying to be "normal" kids while dealing with one of the worst natural disasters in U.S. history might make this one worth checking out.

The series will also feature guest appearances by Jennifer Hudson, Blair Underwood, Dwayne Martin, Tisha Campbell Martin, George Faison and Damone Roberts.

Free download of Studio 60's Christmas musical performance

Trombone ShortyIf you didn't see Studio 60's Christmas episode, then you should. Not only was it one of the show's best, but it featured a musical performance by New Orleans musicians displaced by Hurricane Katrina that's sure to put a lump in your throat. The musicians were led by Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews in an original arrangement of "O Holy Night." You hear carols a thousand times, and after awhile, they lose the power to move you. This performance brought all that power back. You can now download the track as a free MP3 from NBC's Studio 60 website or iTunes.

Continue reading Free download of Studio 60's Christmas musical performance

Comic Relief raises $4 million

comic reliefLast week's Comic Relief telethon raised $4 million for victims of Hurricane Katrina. It aired simultaneously on TBS, HBO and AOL. Robin Williams, Whoopi Goldberg and Billy Crystal headlined the Comic Relief telecasts of the 1980s to raise money and awareness about homelessness. The original Comic Relief stage shows raised about $50 million.

Did anybody watch Comic Relief on November 18th? I caught a little bit of it but had to turn it off because A) Robin Williams is no longer funny, and B) Dane Cook isn't funny either. I was actually more interested in the on-location stories about the current situation in New Orleans than the performances by a long list of guest comedians.

What's on tonight: Deadwood, Entourage, Little League, Brotherhood, Emeril

  • EntourageAt 7, NBC has more coverage of the 2006 Visa Gymnastics Championships.
  • The WB has an episode of the canceled series Just Legal, though I'm not sure if it's a new ep or a repeat. There's another episode at 9.
  • At 8, CBS has a new Big Brother: All-Stars.
  • ESPN has The Little League World Series at 8.
  • TNT has Ben Affleck and Uma Thurman in Paycheck at 8.
  • There's a new Emeril Live on Food Network at 8, "New Orleans: Healing One Meal At A Time."
  • Also at 8: Encore has Kim Basinger and Chris Evans in Cellular.
  • At 9, HBO has a new Deadwood, followed by new episodes of Entourage and Lucky Louie.
  • USA has a new episode of The 4400 at 9, followed by a new Dead Zone.
  • HGTV has a new Design Star at 9.
  • At 10, Showtime has a new Brotherhood.

What's on tonight: Hell's Kitchen, Life On Mars, Saved, baseball, football

  • Kyle XYAt 8, FOX has the two hour season finale of Hell's Kitchen.
  • ABC has Song For New Orleans at 8.
  • NBC is showing the latest Psych at 8, followed by a new Treasure Hunters.
  • There's a new Kyle XY on ABC Family at 8.
  • Also at 8: ESPN has pre-season football action, the Raiders vs. the Vikings, while ESPN2 has more coverage of The Little League World Series.
  • At 9, USA has a new Monday Night RAW.
  • Bravo has a new Tabloid Wars at 9.
  • Also at 9: TNT has a new episode of The Closer, followed by a new Saved.
  • At 10, BBC America has a new Life On Mars.

A star is born on Celebrity Poker Showdown

Finally, a non-celeb takes down the celebs on Celebrity Poker Showdown.

Ida Siconolfi, who won the Bravo online tournament to get a seat in last night's show, played a fantastic game to beat Fred Savage, Jennifer Tilly, Doug E. Doug, and Brett Butler, and will now go on to the championship match later this season.

When I heard that Bravo was going to pick a regular viewer to get a seat on Celebrity Poker Showdown, I thought it would be some online gaming geek or some really obnoxious person who would try to outdo the celebs when it came to over the top humor.  Not so. Ida proved to be classy, quiet, and one of the top players that has ever been on the show.

I might even have to root for her in the championship game.

Comic Relief returns to help Katrina victims

comic relief; robin williamsComic Relief launched 20 years ago to raise awareness and funds for the homeless. It went off the air eight years ago but, according to The Hollywood Reporter, it is making a comeback this year to benefit the still-suffering victims of Hurricane Katrina. Traditional Comic Relief headliners Robin Williams, Whoopi Goldberg and Billy Crystal plan to lighten the mood during a benefit performance that will broadcast simultaneously on TBS, HBO and AOL on November 18th. Previous performances raised $50 million for the homeless cause. This time, the benefactors of the fundraising will be children and animals.

Fantasia gets her own Lifetime true story

fantasia barrinoAmerican Idol winner Fantasia Barrino will star in a Lifetime Original Movie about her own life, called Life is Not a Fairy Tale: The Fantasia Barrino Story. The press release describes her story as "inspired by the true story of Fantasia Barrino, a teenage mother who overcame poverty, sexual abuse and illiteracy by using her incredible voice to rise to national prominence." Fantasia will play herself. Loretta Devine (Crash), Viola Davis (Traffic) and Kadeem Hardison (A Different World) will also star. Debbie Allen will direct.

Filming begins later this month in New Orleans.

Celebrity Poker Showdown returns May 31

I'm not sure I'm thrilled by this news. Don't get me wrong, I love Celebrity Poker Showdown, but I really liked Phil Gordon. He isn't coming back. Instead, he'll be replaced by poker great Phil Hellmuth, who win join host Dave Foley. Could be interesting though.

The guest lineup looks good for the New Orleans-based eighth season on Bravo (eighth? Oh, yeah, they have more than one a year), so it should be fun:

Game 1: Jorge Garcia, Michael Ian Black, Andrea Martin, Greg Behrendt, and Kim Coles.
Game 2: Jason Alexander, Kevin Sorbo, Bryan Cranston, Jamie Bamber, and Susie Essman.
Game 3: Fred Savage, Jennifer Tilly, Doug E. Doug, Brett Butler, and online tournament winner Ida Siconolfi
Game 4: Jenna Fischer, Mario Cantone, Rocco Dispirito, Jordan Peele, and Keegan-Michael Key.
Game 5: Andy Dick, Macy Gray, Christopher Meloni, Joy Behar, and Robin Tunney.

Andy Dick walks into a bar....

andy dickPolysexual comedian Andy Dick has, in his own manic way, become the Andy Kaufman of the new century. It's not always evident where his act ends and reality begins, and he's been known to drive his fellow actors insane by never making it exactly clear where that line is. I mention this because the gay blog Queerty has some gossip about the insane funnyman, and I'm not quite sure if it was a result of Andy just having some fun, or actually, well, living up to his last name. Apparently, Andy stopped by a gay bar while in New Orleans shooting an episode of Celebrity Poker Showdown (well, after shooting the episode, they didn't film it in a gay bar). Anyway, according to rumor, Andy ordered a drink and then walked away, claiming he didn't have to pay for it because he was a celebrity. After a heated exchange, Dick paid for his drinks, and then groped a female patron. I'd like to think it was just Andy being Andy, trying to get a rise out of the bartender while intending to pay for the drinks all along. Not paying for your drinks, especially in a city trying to get back on its feet after the Katrina disaster, seems like, in more ways than one, a dick move.

Next Page >

Featured Stories

fall tv schedule
meet the tv squad

Categories

RSS Feeds

Powered by Blogsmith

AOL TV's Top 5


More Features


watch full episodes online

TV Squad Newsletter

Get TV Squad's daily posts emailed to you daily. Sign up now!

Sponsored Links

Most Commented On (7 days)

Blog Roll

Other Weblogs Inc. Network blogs you might be interested in: