Who is the best male TV star of all time? Our photo gallery above takes on the tough task of ranking the 50 greatest actors and performers. Agree or disagree with our choices?
With over 70 years of television to consider, we had to provide ourselves with a few rules to help simplify things. One of those was that every man in our gallery must have been an ongoing leading star at some point, preferably more often than not. That’s why you will not see such classic supporting actors as Art Carney, Tim Conway, Don Knotts, Peter Dinklage and more. We also do not include any news/sports anchors or journalists such as Walter Cronkite, Edward R. Murrow, Peter Jennings, Howard Cosell since they are not performers.
In order to place them in the rankings, we were looking at a combination of quality (top rated shows with the public or critics...
With over 70 years of television to consider, we had to provide ourselves with a few rules to help simplify things. One of those was that every man in our gallery must have been an ongoing leading star at some point, preferably more often than not. That’s why you will not see such classic supporting actors as Art Carney, Tim Conway, Don Knotts, Peter Dinklage and more. We also do not include any news/sports anchors or journalists such as Walter Cronkite, Edward R. Murrow, Peter Jennings, Howard Cosell since they are not performers.
In order to place them in the rankings, we were looking at a combination of quality (top rated shows with the public or critics...
- 6/4/2024
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
In 1972, Burt Sugarman came to NBC with an idea: What if, instead of going off the air when Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show ended, they aired a late-night music series, aimed at younger viewers? NBC turned him down three times, so he ended up buying time on the network himself to prove there was an audience for late night TV after The Tonight Show.
Needlesstosay, he was right. The show he created, Burt Sugarman’s The Midnight Special, went on to air on NBC Friday nights for nearly a decade, welcoming the top music acts and comedians of the time. And in short order, NBC, seeing that there was indeed an appetite for more late night TV beyond just The Tonight Show, launched a pair of new late-night entries on other nights of the week–Saturday Night Live and The Tomorrow Show (which would ultimately be replaced by Late Night With David Letterman...
Needlesstosay, he was right. The show he created, Burt Sugarman’s The Midnight Special, went on to air on NBC Friday nights for nearly a decade, welcoming the top music acts and comedians of the time. And in short order, NBC, seeing that there was indeed an appetite for more late night TV beyond just The Tonight Show, launched a pair of new late-night entries on other nights of the week–Saturday Night Live and The Tomorrow Show (which would ultimately be replaced by Late Night With David Letterman...
- 6/4/2024
- by Mark Malkoff
- LateNighter
Albert Brooks: Defending My Life pays tribute to a pioneer whose irreverent humor has spanned late night TV, comedy albums, features, animated voice work and a novel. But what makes the film sing is the extended rap session between Brooks and his dear friend Rob Reiner, who directed the HBO documentary. The Hollywood legends met as teenagers at Beverly Hills High School, and Reiner structures the film around a lunch in which they swap anecdotes and punchlines about Brooks’ influential career. It’s an energizing way to frame what might otherwise be just another gushy celebrity profile.
Onscreen, Brooks tells stories about the early days of Saturday Night Live and Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show, his friendships with Carrie Fisher and Stanley Kubrick, the seven movies he’s written and directed and the marriage that made him a new father in his 50s. Many of today’s wry humorists owe a debt to Brooks,...
Onscreen, Brooks tells stories about the early days of Saturday Night Live and Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show, his friendships with Carrie Fisher and Stanley Kubrick, the seven movies he’s written and directed and the marriage that made him a new father in his 50s. Many of today’s wry humorists owe a debt to Brooks,...
- 6/3/2024
- by Matthew Jacobs
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
For a long time the place for up-and-coming comics to get a real chance at breaking into the public’s consciousness was a five-minute stand-up feature on a late-night show.
An entire generation of the biggest-name comics—Letterman, Leno, Crystal, Seinfeld, Shandling, Pryor, Williams, DeGeneres—recognized that a shot in front of the national audience drawn nightly to Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show was, in success, a golden ticket to a celebrated career.
Is that still true?
The answer is more complicated than it used to be because comics now have the opportunity to build a following solely on social media, doing sets on You Tube or Tik Tok, etc.
And younger comics, much more raised on the attraction of those social media sites, often look to score there rather than on TV, because many contemporary comedy clubs now book more often based on number of followers than a single hot set on late night.
An entire generation of the biggest-name comics—Letterman, Leno, Crystal, Seinfeld, Shandling, Pryor, Williams, DeGeneres—recognized that a shot in front of the national audience drawn nightly to Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show was, in success, a golden ticket to a celebrated career.
Is that still true?
The answer is more complicated than it used to be because comics now have the opportunity to build a following solely on social media, doing sets on You Tube or Tik Tok, etc.
And younger comics, much more raised on the attraction of those social media sites, often look to score there rather than on TV, because many contemporary comedy clubs now book more often based on number of followers than a single hot set on late night.
- 6/1/2024
- by Bill Carter
- LateNighter
Buoyed by a two-year deal at HBO, a weekly CNN presence and a new book, Bill Maher now has decided to describe himself as a “centrist.” Is it a claim in vain?
Having watched his show for years and done several shows with him, I suspect he’s instinctively too “incorrect” to qualify for “moderation.” Strategically, some feel he shouldn’t even try.
The audience for stand-ups and for TV in general is changing noticeably, to some performers’ discomfort. At their annual upfronts, TV executives two weeks ago no longer were obsessed by that premium 18-49 age group, acknowledging that their remaining audience is becoming geriatric – 66 for the ABC network, for example, and 69 for Fox News.
Stand-up comics report their crowds at arenas or clubs are aging as well, and they are adjusting their routines accordingly. Even the jokes seem less coital, more socially consensual.
So will the more mature...
Having watched his show for years and done several shows with him, I suspect he’s instinctively too “incorrect” to qualify for “moderation.” Strategically, some feel he shouldn’t even try.
The audience for stand-ups and for TV in general is changing noticeably, to some performers’ discomfort. At their annual upfronts, TV executives two weeks ago no longer were obsessed by that premium 18-49 age group, acknowledging that their remaining audience is becoming geriatric – 66 for the ABC network, for example, and 69 for Fox News.
Stand-up comics report their crowds at arenas or clubs are aging as well, and they are adjusting their routines accordingly. Even the jokes seem less coital, more socially consensual.
So will the more mature...
- 5/30/2024
- by Peter Bart
- Deadline Film + TV
George Maksian, who spent 44 years as a film and TV columnist for the New York Daily News at a time when it had the largest circulation in the U.S., died at 94 on May 23. No cause was given.
Working out of the newspaper’s former home on E. 42nd St. in Manhattan, Maksian covered the celebrity beat and was widely syndicated.
His interview list included Ed Sullivan, Howard Stern, Johnny Carson, Barbara Walters, David Letterman and Bette Midler.
But Maksian held a special reverence for Mike Connors of TV’s Mannix, a fellow Armenian-American. Both were born of parents who escaped the Armenian genocide.
Maksian once said sportscaster Howard Cosell wrote a four-page letter to the editors complaining about his boxing coverage.
Maksian reported that Cosell had complained about being forced by ABC to continue covering boxing, objecting to the brutality. But Maksian found out that Cosell’s contract allowed...
Working out of the newspaper’s former home on E. 42nd St. in Manhattan, Maksian covered the celebrity beat and was widely syndicated.
His interview list included Ed Sullivan, Howard Stern, Johnny Carson, Barbara Walters, David Letterman and Bette Midler.
But Maksian held a special reverence for Mike Connors of TV’s Mannix, a fellow Armenian-American. Both were born of parents who escaped the Armenian genocide.
Maksian once said sportscaster Howard Cosell wrote a four-page letter to the editors complaining about his boxing coverage.
Maksian reported that Cosell had complained about being forced by ABC to continue covering boxing, objecting to the brutality. But Maksian found out that Cosell’s contract allowed...
- 5/29/2024
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Early in Faye, Laurent Bouzereau’s entertaining portrait for HBO of screen legend Faye Dunaway, Bette Davis in a Johnny Carson clip names her without hesitation as the one star with whom she would never work again. Considering this is clearly a very authorized and deeply respectful bio-doc, it’s surprising how candidly it digs into the star’s reputation for being temperamental and demanding. Dunaway even plays into it herself — the first words we hear are her impatiently nudging the director to roll cameras on the present-day interview that binds the many recollections and self-reflections together.
“We need to shoot; I’m here now, come on,” says an exasperated Dunaway. Seated on a comfortable-looking sofa in an airy New York apartment living room, she huffs, “This is the worst seat in the world. I’m not happy with anything here.” But when she then snaps, “I need a glass of water,...
“We need to shoot; I’m here now, come on,” says an exasperated Dunaway. Seated on a comfortable-looking sofa in an airy New York apartment living room, she huffs, “This is the worst seat in the world. I’m not happy with anything here.” But when she then snaps, “I need a glass of water,...
- 5/28/2024
- by David Rooney
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Later today, the Cannes Film Festival will reverberate with the sound of one of America’s great jazz singers.
An exclusive screening of Sloane: A Jazz Singer will take place this afternoon at the Riviera 1, the primary screening venue of the Marché du Film. The documentary directed by Michael Lippert explores the vocal artistry of Carol Sloane, who recorded more than two dozen albums in a career that began in the early 1960s.
Sloane: A Jazz Singer was named Best Documentary at the Santa Fe Film Festival and the Rhode Island International Film Festival and was an official selection at the 2024 Palm Springs Film Festival, and the 2023 Cinequest, DocEdge, and Heartland film festivals.
‘Sloane: A Jazz Singer’
“Sloane: A Jazz Singer follows legendary vocalist Carol Sloane as she prepares for one last live recording in New York at the age of 82 while reflecting on a remarkable but largely unknown career...
An exclusive screening of Sloane: A Jazz Singer will take place this afternoon at the Riviera 1, the primary screening venue of the Marché du Film. The documentary directed by Michael Lippert explores the vocal artistry of Carol Sloane, who recorded more than two dozen albums in a career that began in the early 1960s.
Sloane: A Jazz Singer was named Best Documentary at the Santa Fe Film Festival and the Rhode Island International Film Festival and was an official selection at the 2024 Palm Springs Film Festival, and the 2023 Cinequest, DocEdge, and Heartland film festivals.
‘Sloane: A Jazz Singer’
“Sloane: A Jazz Singer follows legendary vocalist Carol Sloane as she prepares for one last live recording in New York at the age of 82 while reflecting on a remarkable but largely unknown career...
- 5/17/2024
- by Matthew Carey
- Deadline Film + TV
In my latest video review I sit down to check out Late Night With the Devil, a “found footage” movie following a live television broadcast in 1977 which goes horribly wrong, unleashing evil into the nation’s living rooms.
October 31, 1977. Johnny Carson rival Jack Delroy hosts a syndicated talk show ‘Night Owls’ that has long been a trusted companion to insomniacs around the country. A year after the tragic death of Jack’s wife, ratings have plummeted. Desperate to turn his fortunes around, Jack plans a Halloween special like no other, unaware he is about to unleash evil into the living rooms of America
Directed by Cameron Cairnes and Colin Cairnes, Late Night With the Devil stars David Dastmalchian, Laura Gordon and Ian Bliss. The film is available to watch on Shudder, in the US, now.
October 31, 1977. Johnny Carson rival Jack Delroy hosts a syndicated talk show ‘Night Owls’ that has long been a trusted companion to insomniacs around the country. A year after the tragic death of Jack’s wife, ratings have plummeted. Desperate to turn his fortunes around, Jack plans a Halloween special like no other, unaware he is about to unleash evil into the living rooms of America
Directed by Cameron Cairnes and Colin Cairnes, Late Night With the Devil stars David Dastmalchian, Laura Gordon and Ian Bliss. The film is available to watch on Shudder, in the US, now.
- 5/16/2024
- by Kevin Haldon
- Nerdly
Throughout the six-episode run of Netflix’s Everybody’s in L.A., John Mulaney’s comedian guests kept trying to find ways to describe the live talk show’s chaotic-bordering-on-surreal atmosphere. “I feel like this entire show is a Banksy!” a confused Jon Stewart suggested. Nikki Glaser perhaps explained it best, by telling Mulaney, “It’s like an inside joke that only you are in on.”
That line applies just as well to Mulaney’s delightful 2019 Netflix special John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch. Both then and now, the...
That line applies just as well to Mulaney’s delightful 2019 Netflix special John Mulaney & the Sack Lunch Bunch. Both then and now, the...
- 5/14/2024
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Rollingstone.com
Oprah Winfrey said that she owns the “major role” she played in modern diet culture, saying she has taken time to process her own shame and now wants to support her audience in their own shift toward healthier mindsets.
“I wanted to gather all of us together because I believe that we have reached a pivotal moment in the way we talk about and the way we think about our bodies,” Winfrey told her in-person and virtual audience during Thursday’s Weight Watcher YouTube live special.
The talk show host went on to say that she acknowledges “that I have been a steadfast participant in this diet culture. Through my platforms, through the magazine, through the talk show for 25 years and online, I’ve been a major contributor to it. I cannot tell you how many weight-loss shows and makeovers I have done, and they have been a staple since...
“I wanted to gather all of us together because I believe that we have reached a pivotal moment in the way we talk about and the way we think about our bodies,” Winfrey told her in-person and virtual audience during Thursday’s Weight Watcher YouTube live special.
The talk show host went on to say that she acknowledges “that I have been a steadfast participant in this diet culture. Through my platforms, through the magazine, through the talk show for 25 years and online, I’ve been a major contributor to it. I cannot tell you how many weight-loss shows and makeovers I have done, and they have been a staple since...
- 5/10/2024
- by Zoe G Phillips
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It all started when Rob Reiner tried to convince Albert Brooks to let him film his own version of “My Dinner with Andre” titled “My Lunch with Albert Brooks.” His high school chum refused. After someone else came to Brooks wanting to make a documentary about him, the financing fell through. Then the men decided to combine the two things.
“There’s about 4000 documentaries now,” said Brooks at an FYC event with Reiner and moderator Judd Apatow this week at the Academy of Motion Pictures. “It’s the way they’re willing to spend money without spending real money. Everyone has a story and 99 out of 100 are done pretty much the same way. Either the person’s no longer living, or they’re being talked about from an off-stage voice. So to be able to do that this way…that’s what makes it special. Because it’s Rob and...
“There’s about 4000 documentaries now,” said Brooks at an FYC event with Reiner and moderator Judd Apatow this week at the Academy of Motion Pictures. “It’s the way they’re willing to spend money without spending real money. Everyone has a story and 99 out of 100 are done pretty much the same way. Either the person’s no longer living, or they’re being talked about from an off-stage voice. So to be able to do that this way…that’s what makes it special. Because it’s Rob and...
- 5/10/2024
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Aida Rodriguez is a Puerto Rican and Dominican comedian, actor, and writer. In 2019, she had her own half-hour special on Netflix's hit comedy series "They Ready," executive-produced by Tiffany Haddish and Wanda Sykes. In November 2021, she released her first-hour stand-up special "Fighting Words," which premiered on Max, and in October 2023, Rodriguez released her memoir "Legitimate Kid."
For Mental Health Awareness Month, we asked Latine comedians we admire how comedy has supported them in overcoming trauma and confronting life's most significant challenges. Read the pieces here.
I've always viewed comedy as a coping mechanism for people who are in lower economic situations or just dealing with very hard circumstances. In the words of Kevin Hart: "Laugh at my pain." My upbringing was no different. I didn't really engage in comedy as much when I was younger because I was a very shy and timid kid. But humor was always around me,...
For Mental Health Awareness Month, we asked Latine comedians we admire how comedy has supported them in overcoming trauma and confronting life's most significant challenges. Read the pieces here.
I've always viewed comedy as a coping mechanism for people who are in lower economic situations or just dealing with very hard circumstances. In the words of Kevin Hart: "Laugh at my pain." My upbringing was no different. I didn't really engage in comedy as much when I was younger because I was a very shy and timid kid. But humor was always around me,...
- 5/6/2024
- by Aida Rodriguez
- Popsugar.com
George Lucas changed the course of science fiction and influenced generations to come with his epic space opera Star Wars. While the filmmaker only helmed the first film in the original trilogy, he was involved in the creative decisions that have made the franchise one of the most loved pop cultural milestones in Hollywood.
While Lucas’ billion-dollar franchise has fans worldwide, the movies have also come under stark criticism. Since the beginning of the franchise with A New Hope, Lucas has been accused of writing bad dialogue and crafting stories that were more kid-friendly. Lucas himself admitted to his shortcomings with dialogue and mentioned that the movie does not require smart lines.
George Lucas Has A Reason For Bad Dialogues In Star Wars George Lucas on the sets of Star Wars: A New Hope
One of the biggest criticisms of the Star Wars franchise under the creative leadership of George...
While Lucas’ billion-dollar franchise has fans worldwide, the movies have also come under stark criticism. Since the beginning of the franchise with A New Hope, Lucas has been accused of writing bad dialogue and crafting stories that were more kid-friendly. Lucas himself admitted to his shortcomings with dialogue and mentioned that the movie does not require smart lines.
George Lucas Has A Reason For Bad Dialogues In Star Wars George Lucas on the sets of Star Wars: A New Hope
One of the biggest criticisms of the Star Wars franchise under the creative leadership of George...
- 5/5/2024
- by Nishanth A
- FandomWire
Los Angeles is not the first city fans would associate with comedian John Mulaney. That would be Chicago, his hometown and the backdrop to innumerable childhood anecdotes in his stand-up act, or New York, where he broke out as a writer on “Saturday Night Live” and shot a special at Radio City Music Hall. But L.A. is where Mulaney now lives; it’s also currently home to the second iteration of Netflix Is a Joke, a massive, weeklong comedy festival organized by the streaming service as a show of genre dominance. (Netflix stand-up head Robbie Praw used to run programming at Montreal’s vaunted Just for Laughs event and has essentially created a West Coast version.) And so we have “John Mulaney Presents: Everybody’s in LA,” a weeklong special event combining studio segments, pre-taped sketches and man-on-the-street interviews into a sort of pop-up talk show.
“We’re only doing six episodes,...
“We’re only doing six episodes,...
- 5/4/2024
- by Alison Herman
- Variety Film + TV
Johnny Carson has arrived on Netflix. Or rather, a deepfake version of him has.
A scene in Jerry Seinfeld’s new movie for the streamer features the comic in a scene with Johnny Carson and Ed McMahon on a 1960s-era episode of The Tonight Show.
Unfrosted, which is Seinfeld’s directorial debut, follows the (highly fictionalized) creation of the Pop-Tart in the 1960s.
The scene in question features Seinfeld’s character, fictional Pop-Tarts mastermind Bob Cabana, appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in 1963. Since Carson passed away in 2005, creating the scene meant deepfaking Carson’s face while an actor delivered the lines in Carson’s voice. That role went to comedian Kyle Dunnigan.
In an interview with Comicbook.com, Unfrosted co-writer and producer (and former Fox late-night host) Spike Feresten revealed that Dunnigan insisted on finding new angles into a Carson impression.
Continue reading Jerry Seinfeld’s Unfrosted Features...
A scene in Jerry Seinfeld’s new movie for the streamer features the comic in a scene with Johnny Carson and Ed McMahon on a 1960s-era episode of The Tonight Show.
Unfrosted, which is Seinfeld’s directorial debut, follows the (highly fictionalized) creation of the Pop-Tart in the 1960s.
The scene in question features Seinfeld’s character, fictional Pop-Tarts mastermind Bob Cabana, appearing on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in 1963. Since Carson passed away in 2005, creating the scene meant deepfaking Carson’s face while an actor delivered the lines in Carson’s voice. That role went to comedian Kyle Dunnigan.
In an interview with Comicbook.com, Unfrosted co-writer and producer (and former Fox late-night host) Spike Feresten revealed that Dunnigan insisted on finding new angles into a Carson impression.
Continue reading Jerry Seinfeld’s Unfrosted Features...
- 5/3/2024
- by Nick Riccardo
- LateNighter
Zack Norman, a veteran character and producer who appeared in films including Romancing The Stone, Cadillac Man and several for director Harry Jaglom along with guested on The Nanny, The A-Team, Baywatch and other series, died April 28 of natural causes. He was 83.
His son-in-law Jeff Briller confirmed the news to Deadline.
Born Howard Zuker on May 27, 1940, Norman received an executive Mba from Harvard Business School before embarking entering show business. He performed as a comedian through the latter half of the 1960s and working the Playboy Clubs, the Flamingo and Copacabana with the Temptations. He made his TV debut in 1969 doing stand-up on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.
He made about a half-dozen films in the 1970s before working on a pair of memorable ’80s films: He had a small role in Milos Forman’s Ragtime (1981) before being cast as Cousin Ira in Robert Zemeckis’ Romancing the Stone (1984). His character uttered the oft-quoted line,...
His son-in-law Jeff Briller confirmed the news to Deadline.
Born Howard Zuker on May 27, 1940, Norman received an executive Mba from Harvard Business School before embarking entering show business. He performed as a comedian through the latter half of the 1960s and working the Playboy Clubs, the Flamingo and Copacabana with the Temptations. He made his TV debut in 1969 doing stand-up on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.
He made about a half-dozen films in the 1970s before working on a pair of memorable ’80s films: He had a small role in Milos Forman’s Ragtime (1981) before being cast as Cousin Ira in Robert Zemeckis’ Romancing the Stone (1984). His character uttered the oft-quoted line,...
- 4/29/2024
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Zack Norman, the stand-up comic, actor and producer perhaps best known for his turn as a crocodile-loving antiquities smuggler in Romancing the Stone, has died. He was 83.
Norman died Sunday night of natural causes at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, his family announced.
Norman collaborated frequently with director Henry Jaglom, with the two working together on Tracks (1976), Sitting Ducks (1980), Venice/Venice (1992), Babyfever (1994), Déjà Vu (1997), Festival in Cannes (2001), Hollywood Dreams (2006), Irene in Time (2009), Queen of the Lot (2010), The M Word (2014) and Ovation (2015).
In Robert Zemeckis’ action-adventure Romancing the Stone (1984), starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner, Norman and Danny DeVito play the smuggling cousins Ira and Ralph, respectively.
“Look at those snappers,” Ira says in admiration whenever he sees a croc.
(He and Douglas would get into a legal spat over a company that they co-founded.)
Norman also appeared on the big screen in James Toback’s Fingers (1978), Milos Forman...
Norman died Sunday night of natural causes at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, his family announced.
Norman collaborated frequently with director Henry Jaglom, with the two working together on Tracks (1976), Sitting Ducks (1980), Venice/Venice (1992), Babyfever (1994), Déjà Vu (1997), Festival in Cannes (2001), Hollywood Dreams (2006), Irene in Time (2009), Queen of the Lot (2010), The M Word (2014) and Ovation (2015).
In Robert Zemeckis’ action-adventure Romancing the Stone (1984), starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner, Norman and Danny DeVito play the smuggling cousins Ira and Ralph, respectively.
“Look at those snappers,” Ira says in admiration whenever he sees a croc.
(He and Douglas would get into a legal spat over a company that they co-founded.)
Norman also appeared on the big screen in James Toback’s Fingers (1978), Milos Forman...
- 4/29/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Los Angeles’ iconic seaside diner Patrick’s Roadhouse at the edge of Pacific Palisades may have slung its last hash brown.
Amid a long-term lease negotiation, and after the financial battering of the pandemic, the half-century-old restaurant just off Pacific Coast Highway, known for its bright green exterior and kitsch décor, is attempting to raise $250,000 for back rent and building improvements as it holds discussions with potential new business partners about the possibility of a return.
While off the radar of industry cognoscenti in recent years, it had long been an unpretentious lure for A-listers like Johnny Carson, Sean Penn and Lucille Ball as well as execs including Jeffrey Katzenberg and onetime Paramount Pictures president Ned Tanen. Its most important Hollywood connection, though, may be its namesake: the seasoned character actor Patrick Fischler, son of the original owner Bill Fischler, who has since died.
Patrick Fischler
Fischler, best known for portraying...
Amid a long-term lease negotiation, and after the financial battering of the pandemic, the half-century-old restaurant just off Pacific Coast Highway, known for its bright green exterior and kitsch décor, is attempting to raise $250,000 for back rent and building improvements as it holds discussions with potential new business partners about the possibility of a return.
While off the radar of industry cognoscenti in recent years, it had long been an unpretentious lure for A-listers like Johnny Carson, Sean Penn and Lucille Ball as well as execs including Jeffrey Katzenberg and onetime Paramount Pictures president Ned Tanen. Its most important Hollywood connection, though, may be its namesake: the seasoned character actor Patrick Fischler, son of the original owner Bill Fischler, who has since died.
Patrick Fischler
Fischler, best known for portraying...
- 4/25/2024
- by Gary Baum
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Bill Maher’s podcast network continues to expand, and its latest project aims to bring a little late night to the podcast world.
Variety reports that Maher’s Club Random Studios has signed “Friend in High Places,” a new podcast hosted by comedian Matt Friend, with a launch planned later this spring.
Friend—best known for his impressions of figures like Donald Trump and Howard Stern—is a prime example of a comedian who found wide exposure on social media. He currently boasts over 470k followers on Instagram, 47k on Twitter, and 1 million on TikTok. Friend has gone viral appearing on The Howard Stern Show (as Stern), performing impressions on award show red carpets, and meeting David Letterman on the street (again as Stern).
The 25-year-old comic (and former intern for Fallon’s Tonight Show) has cited Johnny Carson as an early influence on his comedy, and it seems that...
Variety reports that Maher’s Club Random Studios has signed “Friend in High Places,” a new podcast hosted by comedian Matt Friend, with a launch planned later this spring.
Friend—best known for his impressions of figures like Donald Trump and Howard Stern—is a prime example of a comedian who found wide exposure on social media. He currently boasts over 470k followers on Instagram, 47k on Twitter, and 1 million on TikTok. Friend has gone viral appearing on The Howard Stern Show (as Stern), performing impressions on award show red carpets, and meeting David Letterman on the street (again as Stern).
The 25-year-old comic (and former intern for Fallon’s Tonight Show) has cited Johnny Carson as an early influence on his comedy, and it seems that...
- 4/25/2024
- by Nick Riccardo
- LateNighter
Elvis Presley made a fortune over the course of his life, but this didn’t stop his father from worrying about his finances. Elvis spent nearly as quickly as he earned, funneling money into hobbies, vehicles, and gifts for his friends and family. He also purchased expensive presents for strangers. He once gave someone a life-changing gift after reading about them in the newspaper.
Elvis Presley bought a stranger an expensive gift
While Elvis had a reputation for giving away cars — Johnny Carson even joked about it in one monologue — his gift-giving did not stop there. Once, while reading the newspaper, Elvis learned about a local woman in need of a wheelchair. He did not hesitate to buy her the nicest, most expensive one he could find.
Elvis in ‘Blue Hawaii’ | Paramount Pictures/Courtesy of Getty Images
“Man, that woman’s face was a picture when he just walked into...
Elvis Presley bought a stranger an expensive gift
While Elvis had a reputation for giving away cars — Johnny Carson even joked about it in one monologue — his gift-giving did not stop there. Once, while reading the newspaper, Elvis learned about a local woman in need of a wheelchair. He did not hesitate to buy her the nicest, most expensive one he could find.
Elvis in ‘Blue Hawaii’ | Paramount Pictures/Courtesy of Getty Images
“Man, that woman’s face was a picture when he just walked into...
- 4/23/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Halloween night is the time when the veil between the world of living and the dead is at its thinnest. Jack Delroy, the host of a late-night show, decides to run a Halloween special episode titled “Late Night with the Devil.” In this very show, Lilly appears as the only survivor of the mass suicide of a cult that worshipped the demon, Abraxas. Assuming you’re here after watching the movie, let’s jump right into Lilly’s origins and her eventual fate.
Spoilers Ahead
What happened at the First Church of Abraxas?
Szandor D’Abo founded the infamous first Church of Abraxas and led its followers. The cult was known for breeding children for sacrifice, and that led to the FBI raiding it. The followers refused to bow down to the authorities, and they set the church on fire. The mass suicide killed everyone inside the church, and only...
Spoilers Ahead
What happened at the First Church of Abraxas?
Szandor D’Abo founded the infamous first Church of Abraxas and led its followers. The cult was known for breeding children for sacrifice, and that led to the FBI raiding it. The followers refused to bow down to the authorities, and they set the church on fire. The mass suicide killed everyone inside the church, and only...
- 4/18/2024
- by Aniket Mukherjee
- Film Fugitives
Popular television personality Jimmy Kimmel was chosen as the official host of the 2024 Academy Awards that concluded in March. This was the 4th opportunity for the celebrity to anchor the coveted Oscars after previously doing so in 2017, 2018, and 2023. He now stands in 4th place along with Whoopi Goldberg in the list of celebrities who have hosted the awards maximum times.
Television personality Jimmy Kimmel (image credit: Wikimedia Commons)
During the ceremony, Kimmel publicly read out a post by Donald Trump trolling his performance as a host, and followed it up with his own scathing reply to the former President. Trump who once again took to social media to roast the presenter, ended up making a big faux pas when he mixed him up with Al Pacino. Kimmel then hit back with a trademark priceless comment that is trending on social media.
Jimmy Kimmel’s Epic Reply To Donald Trump Is...
Television personality Jimmy Kimmel (image credit: Wikimedia Commons)
During the ceremony, Kimmel publicly read out a post by Donald Trump trolling his performance as a host, and followed it up with his own scathing reply to the former President. Trump who once again took to social media to roast the presenter, ended up making a big faux pas when he mixed him up with Al Pacino. Kimmel then hit back with a trademark priceless comment that is trending on social media.
Jimmy Kimmel’s Epic Reply To Donald Trump Is...
- 4/18/2024
- by Sharanya Sankar
- FandomWire
The 1970s– an era of “unrest and mistrust, fear and violence,” says the opening minutes of Colin and Cameron Cairnes’ Late Night with the Devil, accurately reflecting the viewpoint of the burgeoning moral panic of the time. Fear mongering-ish as that sounds, after a decade of Christianity in crisis mode– including a 1966 Times cover asking, “Is God Dead?”– and the “Satanic” cult murders by the Manson Family in 1969, the ’70s were a time of peak (at least until then) obsession with all things occult, planting the seeds and ultimately leading to what would be known as the full-blown Satanic Panic in the decade to follow. The devil was believed to be real, and he was to be feared, expelled, and/or worshiped– in real life and reflected in dozens and dozens of horror films and countless categories of other media within that era.
Late Night with the Devil toys with all this,...
Late Night with the Devil toys with all this,...
- 4/17/2024
- by Julieann Stipidis
- bloody-disgusting.com
February 17, 2024 officially marked Jimmy Fallon’s 10-year anniversary behind The Tonight Show desk. But as far as the comedian is concerned, he’s only just getting started.
On Sunday, Fallon took part in a panel conversation at Deadline’s Contenders Television: Los Angeles, where he touched on the history of The Tonight Show and Johnny Carson’s record as its longest running host, with a little less than 30 years under his belt. So for Fallon, 30 seems to be the magic number.
“I’m gonna go, ‘You guys want me? Let’s break the record,’” the SNL alum said of his plan to be in it for the long haul. “Let’s go, let’s do 30 years!”
While three decades would indeed make Fallon the longest tenured host of The Tonight Show, he’d need to hang in there a little longer to break an even bigger record: longest-serving late night...
On Sunday, Fallon took part in a panel conversation at Deadline’s Contenders Television: Los Angeles, where he touched on the history of The Tonight Show and Johnny Carson’s record as its longest running host, with a little less than 30 years under his belt. So for Fallon, 30 seems to be the magic number.
“I’m gonna go, ‘You guys want me? Let’s break the record,’” the SNL alum said of his plan to be in it for the long haul. “Let’s go, let’s do 30 years!”
While three decades would indeed make Fallon the longest tenured host of The Tonight Show, he’d need to hang in there a little longer to break an even bigger record: longest-serving late night...
- 4/15/2024
- by Jennifer M. Wood
- LateNighter
Jimmy Fallon, host of NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, is about to celebrate his 10th anniversary fronting a franchise that first began with Steve Allen behind the desk in 1954, followed by Jack Paar, Johnny Carson, Jay Leno and Conan O’Brien (and Jay Leno again) — and he’s keen to keep it going.
Speaking about Carson’s record as the longest-running (and most-identifiable) host of this seminal late-night show, Fallon said during a panel at Deadline’s Contenders Television event, “I’m gonna go, you guys want me? Let’s break the record, let’s go, let’s do 30 years!”
Related: Contenders TV – Deadline’s Full Coverage
Fallon himself has already spent 25 years at NBC in different incarnations. He started on Saturday Night Live in 1998 (“thinking that’s the goal”) and has now “for more than half of my life been at the same building.”
Fallon’s Tonight Show...
Speaking about Carson’s record as the longest-running (and most-identifiable) host of this seminal late-night show, Fallon said during a panel at Deadline’s Contenders Television event, “I’m gonna go, you guys want me? Let’s break the record, let’s go, let’s do 30 years!”
Related: Contenders TV – Deadline’s Full Coverage
Fallon himself has already spent 25 years at NBC in different incarnations. He started on Saturday Night Live in 1998 (“thinking that’s the goal”) and has now “for more than half of my life been at the same building.”
Fallon’s Tonight Show...
- 4/14/2024
- by Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline Film + TV
It’s been decades in the making, but with Bill Zehme’s epic Johnny Carson biography finally set to hit shelves later this year, the former Chicago Sun-Times journalist tasked with finishing the book after Zehme’s death is speaking out.
In 2002, Zehme earned the distinction of being the sole interview Carson granted in his post-Tonight Show years, profiling the host for Esquire. Upon Carson’s death in 2005, the writer began work on a full-length biography, interviewing scores of Carson’s colleagues and friends, amassing a storage locker’s worth of research.
After Zehme died from cancer in 2023, his friend and former research assistant Mike Thomas took on the monumental task of finishing the book.
In a new interview with The Chicago Tribune, Thomas touches on what it was like to take the reins of Zehme’s book. “Finishing what Bill started has been more than a bit daunting and kind of surreal,...
In 2002, Zehme earned the distinction of being the sole interview Carson granted in his post-Tonight Show years, profiling the host for Esquire. Upon Carson’s death in 2005, the writer began work on a full-length biography, interviewing scores of Carson’s colleagues and friends, amassing a storage locker’s worth of research.
After Zehme died from cancer in 2023, his friend and former research assistant Mike Thomas took on the monumental task of finishing the book.
In a new interview with The Chicago Tribune, Thomas touches on what it was like to take the reins of Zehme’s book. “Finishing what Bill started has been more than a bit daunting and kind of surreal,...
- 4/12/2024
- by Nick Riccardo
- LateNighter
The 2025 Oscars ceremony is months away, but we already know some things about the show, the potential nominees and who may host it.
Read on below for answers to your questions about the 2025 Academy Awards.
When Are The 2025 Oscars?
The Oscars will be handed out Sunday, March 2 — a week earlier than the March 10, 2024 show. The ceremony will start at 4 p.m. Pt/7 p.m. Et — a welcome time change that began with the 96th Academy Awards last March. The show had typically run from 5 p.m./8 p.m. (and often much later depending on speeches).
Who Is Hosting The 2025 Oscars?
The host usually isn’t announced until November or December, but given the show is on ABC through 2028 and given Jimmy Kimmel’s well-received efforts earlier this month, he may well be back again. If so, it will be his fifth time hosting, putting him in company with the great Johnny Carson.
Read on below for answers to your questions about the 2025 Academy Awards.
When Are The 2025 Oscars?
The Oscars will be handed out Sunday, March 2 — a week earlier than the March 10, 2024 show. The ceremony will start at 4 p.m. Pt/7 p.m. Et — a welcome time change that began with the 96th Academy Awards last March. The show had typically run from 5 p.m./8 p.m. (and often much later depending on speeches).
Who Is Hosting The 2025 Oscars?
The host usually isn’t announced until November or December, but given the show is on ABC through 2028 and given Jimmy Kimmel’s well-received efforts earlier this month, he may well be back again. If so, it will be his fifth time hosting, putting him in company with the great Johnny Carson.
- 4/10/2024
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
Tuesday night saw something that, fourteen years ago, might have seemed impossible: Conan O’Brien returned to “The Tonight Show.” And he was greeted with a standing ovation.
He was there, ostensibly, to promote a forthcoming Max series in which he travels the world meeting fans. But he’d come a long way just to get to 30 Rockefeller Center in 2024, and the interview with current “Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon functioned as a peace offering, or a marker of how much time has passed.
O’Brien, after all, exited the program under a cloud in 2010, after a much-followed period of corporate intrigue. Inheriting the show from Jay Leno, O’Brien was set up to fail when NBC programmed a prime-time Leno series, which bombed, as his lead-in five nights a week; O’Brien departed the show after only seven months, at which point Leno replaced him. O’Brien comported himself throughout with a certain pained dignity,...
He was there, ostensibly, to promote a forthcoming Max series in which he travels the world meeting fans. But he’d come a long way just to get to 30 Rockefeller Center in 2024, and the interview with current “Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon functioned as a peace offering, or a marker of how much time has passed.
O’Brien, after all, exited the program under a cloud in 2010, after a much-followed period of corporate intrigue. Inheriting the show from Jay Leno, O’Brien was set up to fail when NBC programmed a prime-time Leno series, which bombed, as his lead-in five nights a week; O’Brien departed the show after only seven months, at which point Leno replaced him. O’Brien comported himself throughout with a certain pained dignity,...
- 4/10/2024
- by Daniel D'Addario
- Variety Film + TV
Many stars nowadays are offered a tremendous amount of money for their roles in media franchises. However, back in the 90s, the scenes of the industry were a bit different than it is today, and getting paid in millions was nothing short of a dream for many A-listers.
Jerry Seinfeld | Source: Wikimedia Commons
Jerry Seinfeld, the lead star of the sitcom Seinfeld was offered such a huge amount of money that would be considered way too high even by the standards of the current scenario of the industry.
Jerry Seinfeld allegedly turned down a whopping amount of $100 million
Jerry Seinfeld is one of the most established stand-up comedians and actor in the industry of all time. The American comedian first rose to fame back in 1981 after he impersonated Johnny Carson by making an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.
Throughout the 80s, Jerry Seinfeld made quite a name...
Jerry Seinfeld | Source: Wikimedia Commons
Jerry Seinfeld, the lead star of the sitcom Seinfeld was offered such a huge amount of money that would be considered way too high even by the standards of the current scenario of the industry.
Jerry Seinfeld allegedly turned down a whopping amount of $100 million
Jerry Seinfeld is one of the most established stand-up comedians and actor in the industry of all time. The American comedian first rose to fame back in 1981 after he impersonated Johnny Carson by making an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.
Throughout the 80s, Jerry Seinfeld made quite a name...
- 4/9/2024
- by Shikhar Tiwari
- FandomWire
Three former late-night stars — or, apparently, “kings” — are sharing a stage together later this year.
Jay Leno, Craig Ferguson, and Arsenio Hall are presenting a night of standup that’s being billed as the “Kings of Late Night.” The trio will perform at the retro-themed San Diego County Fair on June 21, and again at the Mountain Winery in Saratoga, CA, on September 28.
While some might hesitate to call anyone but Johnny Carson a “king” of the genre, the three comics are certainly some of the biggest names in late-night history.
Leno helmed NBC’s Tonight Show twice — from 1992-2009, and again from 2010-2014. Ferguson hosted the CBS 12:30 franchise The Late Late Show from 2005-2014, and Hall’s syndicated Arsenio Hall Show ran from 1989-1994, with a short-lived revival between 2013-2014.
While there are only two dates currently on the books, we could see more, as the three comics have hit the road together before.
Jay Leno, Craig Ferguson, and Arsenio Hall are presenting a night of standup that’s being billed as the “Kings of Late Night.” The trio will perform at the retro-themed San Diego County Fair on June 21, and again at the Mountain Winery in Saratoga, CA, on September 28.
While some might hesitate to call anyone but Johnny Carson a “king” of the genre, the three comics are certainly some of the biggest names in late-night history.
Leno helmed NBC’s Tonight Show twice — from 1992-2009, and again from 2010-2014. Ferguson hosted the CBS 12:30 franchise The Late Late Show from 2005-2014, and Hall’s syndicated Arsenio Hall Show ran from 1989-1994, with a short-lived revival between 2013-2014.
While there are only two dates currently on the books, we could see more, as the three comics have hit the road together before.
- 4/5/2024
- by Nick Riccardo
- LateNighter
Directed by Cameron and Colin Cairnes, Late Night with the Devil is a supernatural horror film that stars David Dastmalchian in the lead role. In the film, Dastmalchian plays the role of a late-night talk show host and watched several talk shows to prepare for the role, including one that inspired Heath Ledger’s Joker.
David Dastmalchian in Late Night with the Devil
In a recent interview, Dastmalchian spoke about his preparation for the role of a talk show host. The actor revealed that he was recommended an old talk show by the directors, which co-incidentally also inspired Heath Ledger’s turn as Joker. At the same time, Dastmalchian revealed being skeptical about playing a talk show host. Here is everything Dastmalchian has said about his preparation for Late Night with the Devil.
Late Night with the Devil‘s David Dastmalchian Reveals Watching the Talk Show That Inspired Heath Ledger...
David Dastmalchian in Late Night with the Devil
In a recent interview, Dastmalchian spoke about his preparation for the role of a talk show host. The actor revealed that he was recommended an old talk show by the directors, which co-incidentally also inspired Heath Ledger’s turn as Joker. At the same time, Dastmalchian revealed being skeptical about playing a talk show host. Here is everything Dastmalchian has said about his preparation for Late Night with the Devil.
Late Night with the Devil‘s David Dastmalchian Reveals Watching the Talk Show That Inspired Heath Ledger...
- 4/4/2024
- by Pratik Handore
- FandomWire
Conan O’Brien is set to make a shocking return to The Tonight Show. Conan was a staple in households across America for many years, and many of his longtime fans will surely love to see him make his triumphant return. So, what do we know so far?
Conan O’Brien Was A Staple Of Late Night Television
You have to go all the way back to 1993 to trace where Conan O’Brien first planted his late-night seeds. The comedian and host took the reins of Late Night with Conan O’Brien from 1993 until 2009. During that time, he made a name for himself as one of the go-to voices on the late-night talk show circuit.
Even today, many late-night hosts follow the same formula of a quick comedic routine to get the night started, followed by interviewing the various famous guests who pass through. With his trademark red hair, Irish name,...
Conan O’Brien Was A Staple Of Late Night Television
You have to go all the way back to 1993 to trace where Conan O’Brien first planted his late-night seeds. The comedian and host took the reins of Late Night with Conan O’Brien from 1993 until 2009. During that time, he made a name for himself as one of the go-to voices on the late-night talk show circuit.
Even today, many late-night hosts follow the same formula of a quick comedic routine to get the night started, followed by interviewing the various famous guests who pass through. With his trademark red hair, Irish name,...
- 4/4/2024
- by Evan Morgan
- TV Shows Ace
Conan O’Brien has set a return to “The Tonight Show,” slotting a guest appearance for next week’s April 9 broadcast. The occasion will mark the comedian and former late night host’s first time back on the program since his acrimonious exit from NBC in 2010, in which he was replaced by Jay Leno as the show’s host following a seven-month tenure.
O’Brien is on the publicity circuit to promote his coming travelogue series, “Conan O’Brien Must Go.” The show marks O’Brien’s first television project since his TBS late night show “Conan” ended in 2021 after 11 seasons on the air. “Conan O’Brien Must Go” debuts on Max on April 18.
Under the tenure of Jimmy Fallon, who has been helming “The Tonight Show” for more than 10 years, the program has established a pattern of welcoming back previous NBC deserters. In 2014, Fallon welcomed Joan Rivers as a guest, who had...
O’Brien is on the publicity circuit to promote his coming travelogue series, “Conan O’Brien Must Go.” The show marks O’Brien’s first television project since his TBS late night show “Conan” ended in 2021 after 11 seasons on the air. “Conan O’Brien Must Go” debuts on Max on April 18.
Under the tenure of Jimmy Fallon, who has been helming “The Tonight Show” for more than 10 years, the program has established a pattern of welcoming back previous NBC deserters. In 2014, Fallon welcomed Joan Rivers as a guest, who had...
- 4/3/2024
- by J. Kim Murphy
- Variety Film + TV
Hollywood icon Harrison Ford has had a long and successful career playing different roles. But it was his portrayal of Han Solo in Star Wars that skyrocketed his fame and made him a superstar.
Harrison Ford as Han Solo
However, despite such a legacy of the iconic space opera franchise, Ford has always clearly mentioned his opinion on certain aspects of the series and this included his playful criticisms of George Lucas’ dialogue-writing abilities.
Suggested“Yes, I auditioned for it”: Dune 2 Star Christopher Walken Almost Snatched Away Harrison Ford’s Most Iconic Role That Cemented His Legacy
In an interview way back, Mark Hamill, who starred as the protagonist Luke Skywalker in George Lucas’ Star Wars revealed that there was a line that made Harrison Ford threaten to tie Lucas up.
Harrison Ford Was Not Happy with One Particular Line from Star Wars, Written By George Lucas
The...
Harrison Ford as Han Solo
However, despite such a legacy of the iconic space opera franchise, Ford has always clearly mentioned his opinion on certain aspects of the series and this included his playful criticisms of George Lucas’ dialogue-writing abilities.
Suggested“Yes, I auditioned for it”: Dune 2 Star Christopher Walken Almost Snatched Away Harrison Ford’s Most Iconic Role That Cemented His Legacy
In an interview way back, Mark Hamill, who starred as the protagonist Luke Skywalker in George Lucas’ Star Wars revealed that there was a line that made Harrison Ford threaten to tie Lucas up.
Harrison Ford Was Not Happy with One Particular Line from Star Wars, Written By George Lucas
The...
- 4/3/2024
- by Prantik Prabal Roy
- FandomWire
Jean-Paul Vignon, the romantic French vocalist and actor who impressed audiences on both sides of the Atlantic during an eight-decade career, died March 22 of liver cancer in Beverly Hills, his family announced. He was 89.
Performing a repertoire of contemporary pop and American standards, Vignon debuted in the U.S. in 1963 at the famed New York supper club The Blue Angel, where he opened for stand-up comic Woody Allen.
Ed Sullivan would soon showcase him on his Sunday night CBS variety show in eight appearances — including one in which he sang a duet with young Liza Minnelli — and he became a regular guest on Johnny Carson and Merv Griffin’s programs.
Signed to Columbia Records, Vignon released his first U.S. album, Because I Love You, in 1964. Three years later, he had a supporting role opposite William Holden and Cliff Robertson in the World War II film The Devil’s Brigade.
In...
Performing a repertoire of contemporary pop and American standards, Vignon debuted in the U.S. in 1963 at the famed New York supper club The Blue Angel, where he opened for stand-up comic Woody Allen.
Ed Sullivan would soon showcase him on his Sunday night CBS variety show in eight appearances — including one in which he sang a duet with young Liza Minnelli — and he became a regular guest on Johnny Carson and Merv Griffin’s programs.
Signed to Columbia Records, Vignon released his first U.S. album, Because I Love You, in 1964. Three years later, he had a supporting role opposite William Holden and Cliff Robertson in the World War II film The Devil’s Brigade.
In...
- 4/3/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Stephen Colbert’s sit-down with Presidents Biden, Obama and Clinton at last night’s fundraiser at Radio City Music Hall proved to be every bit the draw the Biden campaign had hoped for.
According to campaign officials, the sold-out event raised a record-setting $26 million-plus for Biden’s reelection campaign.
Colbert’s on-stage discussion with the three presidents was at turns both serious and funny, with each warning of the possible perils of a second Trump presidency. In the photo-op of the night, Colbert, Clinton and Obama joined Biden in wearing his trademark aviator sunglasses.
Tickets to the fundraiser, which also featured appearances from Mindy Kaling, Queen Latifah, Ben Platt, Cynthia Erivo and Lea Michele, ranged in price from $225 up to $500,000 a seat, with those contributing at higher levels offered the opportunity to have their photo taken together with all three Democratic presidents.
Although Colbert took part in a private Biden...
According to campaign officials, the sold-out event raised a record-setting $26 million-plus for Biden’s reelection campaign.
Colbert’s on-stage discussion with the three presidents was at turns both serious and funny, with each warning of the possible perils of a second Trump presidency. In the photo-op of the night, Colbert, Clinton and Obama joined Biden in wearing his trademark aviator sunglasses.
Tickets to the fundraiser, which also featured appearances from Mindy Kaling, Queen Latifah, Ben Platt, Cynthia Erivo and Lea Michele, ranged in price from $225 up to $500,000 a seat, with those contributing at higher levels offered the opportunity to have their photo taken together with all three Democratic presidents.
Although Colbert took part in a private Biden...
- 3/29/2024
- by Jed Rosenzweig
- LateNighter
The SNL 1975 casting news continues to pour in. Willem Dafoe is the latest addition to the feature film that’s set behind the scenes of Saturday Night Live’s series premiere.
Deadline reports that Dafoe will play David Tebet, the network executive and press agent who served as NBC’s vp of talent relations from 1959-1979. Tebet was responsible for scouting potential talent and bringing them over to the network — including lobbying for Johnny Carson to take over The Tonight Show when Jack Paar announced his retirement.
Dafoe has a connection to the real-life SNL. Like fellow SNL 1975 cast member J.K. Simmons, Dafoe has hosted the program before. He led a Season 47 episode in January 2022, with musical guest Katy Perry.
SNL 1975 will take place in real-time during the 90 minutes leading up to the premiere episode of Saturday Night Live. The Sony Pictures film is directed by Jason Reitman,...
Deadline reports that Dafoe will play David Tebet, the network executive and press agent who served as NBC’s vp of talent relations from 1959-1979. Tebet was responsible for scouting potential talent and bringing them over to the network — including lobbying for Johnny Carson to take over The Tonight Show when Jack Paar announced his retirement.
Dafoe has a connection to the real-life SNL. Like fellow SNL 1975 cast member J.K. Simmons, Dafoe has hosted the program before. He led a Season 47 episode in January 2022, with musical guest Katy Perry.
SNL 1975 will take place in real-time during the 90 minutes leading up to the premiere episode of Saturday Night Live. The Sony Pictures film is directed by Jason Reitman,...
- 3/29/2024
- by Nick Riccardo
- LateNighter
As you've no doubt heard by now, the royal family is in a state of crisis.
After removing herself from public life for several months, Kate Middleton announced last week that she has cancer.
The Princess of Wales didn't go into specifics with regard to the severity of her condition or the organs affected, but anyone who's ever experienced the ravages of cancer -- either firsthand or by witnessing a loved one's battle -- knows that it's a horrible disease that extracts a devastating toll.
In other words, it's nothing to joke about, which is why Stephen Colbert issued an apology to Kate and her family this week.
In case you missed it, Colbert -- like just about every other public figure in the Western world -- commented on Kate's disappearance and offered some lighthearted speculation about the possible causes.
The clip above is from a monologue that Colbert delivered two weeks ago,...
After removing herself from public life for several months, Kate Middleton announced last week that she has cancer.
The Princess of Wales didn't go into specifics with regard to the severity of her condition or the organs affected, but anyone who's ever experienced the ravages of cancer -- either firsthand or by witnessing a loved one's battle -- knows that it's a horrible disease that extracts a devastating toll.
In other words, it's nothing to joke about, which is why Stephen Colbert issued an apology to Kate and her family this week.
In case you missed it, Colbert -- like just about every other public figure in the Western world -- commented on Kate's disappearance and offered some lighthearted speculation about the possible causes.
The clip above is from a monologue that Colbert delivered two weeks ago,...
- 3/28/2024
- by Tyler Johnson
- TVfanatic
Larry David Calls Trump “Sick Sociopath” and Claps Back at Chris Wallace Over Net Worth in Interview
Larry David had some blunt words about former President Donald Trump and his ongoing false claims that the 2020 election was stolen, calling the mogul a “little baby,” a “sick man” and a “sociopath” while appearing on Chris Wallace’s new streaming show this week.
David, whose long-running HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm concludes its 12th and final season April 7, did not hold back while speaking with longtime cable news host Wallace on his new Max series, Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace? The final season’s plot has David’s curmudgeon character becoming a cause célèbre after he’s arrested for offering water to a woman waiting in line to vote in Georgia, referencing a new law there following the 2020 election. (The plot also invoked Trump’s mugshot.)
“You can’t go a day without thinking about what he’s done to this country, because he’s such a little...
David, whose long-running HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm concludes its 12th and final season April 7, did not hold back while speaking with longtime cable news host Wallace on his new Max series, Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace? The final season’s plot has David’s curmudgeon character becoming a cause célèbre after he’s arrested for offering water to a woman waiting in line to vote in Georgia, referencing a new law there following the 2020 election. (The plot also invoked Trump’s mugshot.)
“You can’t go a day without thinking about what he’s done to this country, because he’s such a little...
- 3/28/2024
- by Kevin Dolak
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Carol Burnett reminisced about her misadventures in late-night television during the legendary comedian’s visit Tuesday to The Late Show.
Speaking to host Stephen Colbert, Burnett recalled a visit to Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show where she intentionally — and unbeknownst to Carson — pretended to be “the world’s worst guest,” answering his many questions with simply “yes” or “no.”
Burnett also appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show seven times, but one visit especially stood out: When she was a guest alongside Elvis Presley. “They put me on first… Nobody wanted to see me.
Speaking to host Stephen Colbert, Burnett recalled a visit to Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show where she intentionally — and unbeknownst to Carson — pretended to be “the world’s worst guest,” answering his many questions with simply “yes” or “no.”
Burnett also appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show seven times, but one visit especially stood out: When she was a guest alongside Elvis Presley. “They put me on first… Nobody wanted to see me.
- 3/27/2024
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
It’s difficult to put into context for those who weren’t there just how big of a star David Letterman was in March of 1994. He had just left NBC nine months earlier—where he’d reigned tall at 12:30 Am for 11 years—to move up to 11:30 Pm at CBS as host of The Late Show. This was a franchise created especially for him, and it made him the highest paid host in late-night history. He was at the height of his powers as a broadcaster, and at this point was number one in the ratings against Jay Leno’s Tonight Show. Being a guest on his show was a rite of passage, much as it had been when Johnny Carson hosted The Tonight Show. If you were sitting opposite David Letterman, you knew you had made it to the big time.
If Letterman was the biggest thing on TV,...
If Letterman was the biggest thing on TV,...
- 3/27/2024
- by Andrew Buss
- LateNighter
Usually known for his notable supporting roles in films such as Ant-Man, Prisoners, Dune, and Blade Runner 2049, David Dastmalchian is taking the lead role in his new film Late Night With the Devil. The movie follows him as a host of a 1970s talk show Jack Delroy, who plans a Halloween special to revive his plummeting ratings, unknowingly inviting evil into the living rooms of America.
David Dastmalchian in Late Night With the Devil.
The film recently hit theatres and has received immense praise, along with facing some controversy over the brief use of AI-generated images. And Dastmalchian has revealed in a recent interview that he drew inspiration for his portrayal of Delroy from the same man as Heath Ledger allegedly did for his iconic role as the Joker in The Dark Knight.
David Dastmalchian Revealed His Extensive Preparation For Late Night With the Devil
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter,...
David Dastmalchian in Late Night With the Devil.
The film recently hit theatres and has received immense praise, along with facing some controversy over the brief use of AI-generated images. And Dastmalchian has revealed in a recent interview that he drew inspiration for his portrayal of Delroy from the same man as Heath Ledger allegedly did for his iconic role as the Joker in The Dark Knight.
David Dastmalchian Revealed His Extensive Preparation For Late Night With the Devil
In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter,...
- 3/26/2024
- by Laxmi Rajput
- FandomWire
From his childhood job in Disneyland and huge standup success to movie stardom and later life career as a dry humorist this is a fascinating insight into a wild and crazy career
Comedian Steve Martin now comes as close as he’s ever going to get to opening up about his life, his thoughts and his feelings in this absorbingly detailed two-part Apple documentary by director Morgan Neville. Part one is conventionally autobiographical, with archive clips and family photos and Martin’s own sonorous, ironic voiceover covering his painful childhood: failing to please his strict dad and then the extraordinary, 15-year battle to make it as a standup, finally becoming a colossal stadium-level success in his mid-30s powered by smash-hit TV appearances on David Letterman and Johnny Carson. America loved his wacky, formless but almost childishly innocent and in many ways old-fashioned routines – a world away from the tougher...
Comedian Steve Martin now comes as close as he’s ever going to get to opening up about his life, his thoughts and his feelings in this absorbingly detailed two-part Apple documentary by director Morgan Neville. Part one is conventionally autobiographical, with archive clips and family photos and Martin’s own sonorous, ironic voiceover covering his painful childhood: failing to please his strict dad and then the extraordinary, 15-year battle to make it as a standup, finally becoming a colossal stadium-level success in his mid-30s powered by smash-hit TV appearances on David Letterman and Johnny Carson. America loved his wacky, formless but almost childishly innocent and in many ways old-fashioned routines – a world away from the tougher...
- 3/26/2024
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
Morgan Neville is an Oscar, Emmy, and Grammy winning documentarian who has a knack for going deep inside the worlds of various entertainment and media figures in memorable films like the Academy Award winner 20 Feet From Stardom about backup singers; Won’t You Be My Neighbor about Fred Rogers; The Best Of Enemies focused on the rivalry of William F. Buckley and Gore Vidal; Roadrunner which delved into the world of Anthony Bourdain; and films on everyone from Orson Welles to Keith Richards and many others. But in getting Steve Martin to finally commit to a documentary on his life and extraordinary career as groundbreaking stand up comedian to movie star, author, playwright, and musician, Neville got even more than he could have imagined. After HBO’s Defending My Life, Rob Reiner’s recent terrific documentary on a similar comic and film genius Albert Brooks, this insightful and fascinating...
- 3/26/2024
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
David Dastmalchian thought it was a mistake when he was offered the chance to play the lead role in 'Late Night with the Devil'.The 48-year-old actor stars in the horror flick as the 1970s talk show host Jack Delroy but had reservations about taking the part in the movie from sibling directors Colin and Cameron Cairnes.David told The Hollywood Reporter: "I looked at the log line and said, 'Which lead?' There's no way anybody thinks I'm the guy to play a late-night talk show host."There's a lot of roles that I can imagine myself slipping into: Bond villain, Sith Lord, cult leader, creepy suspect number 17, but charming, witty, funny talk show host?"David doubted that he would be able to do the part justice but had an "incredible experience" working with the Cairnes brothers and is looking forward to the rest of the world seeing the film.
- 3/25/2024
- by Joe Graber
- Bang Showbiz
For Late Night with the Devil star David Dastmalchian, all roads lead to and from Christopher Nolan.
In 2007, Dastmalchian was a struggling local theater actor in Chicago, and when Nolan’s The Dark Knight set up shop in the Windy City, he went through a circuitous casting process before eventually landing a part in his very first feature film. Dastmalchian played Thomas Schiff, a paranoid schizophrenic and former Arkham Asylum inmate that Heath Ledger’s The Joker disguised as his fellow honor guardsman during their infiltration of Commissioner Loeb’s funeral procession. When gunshots rang out and chaos ensued, Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) cornered Schiff in an ambulance and then forcefully interrogated him in another location.
14 years later, as Dastmalchian began to prepare for the role of the charismatic but troubled late-night talk show host Jack Delroy in Cameron and Colin Cairnes’ Late Night with the Devil, his greatest inspiration...
In 2007, Dastmalchian was a struggling local theater actor in Chicago, and when Nolan’s The Dark Knight set up shop in the Windy City, he went through a circuitous casting process before eventually landing a part in his very first feature film. Dastmalchian played Thomas Schiff, a paranoid schizophrenic and former Arkham Asylum inmate that Heath Ledger’s The Joker disguised as his fellow honor guardsman during their infiltration of Commissioner Loeb’s funeral procession. When gunshots rang out and chaos ensued, Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) cornered Schiff in an ambulance and then forcefully interrogated him in another location.
14 years later, as Dastmalchian began to prepare for the role of the charismatic but troubled late-night talk show host Jack Delroy in Cameron and Colin Cairnes’ Late Night with the Devil, his greatest inspiration...
- 3/24/2024
- by Brian Davids
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Being an avid fan of “old school” horror, I try to keep an open mind to the newer films, even the “sub-genres”. One of those is the “found footage” chiller that probably established itself with its biggest hit The Blair Witch Project. It opened the floodgates for jittery, shakey phony home video slightly “tweaked” via software trickery. The multiplexes are so bombarded that I almost dread a new one. Oh, but an Aussie filmmaking duo has come up with a new “twist’ that keys right into another bit of nostalgia: classic TV not from the “golden age’ of the 50s, but the often “schlocky” stuff of the 70s. Plus it’s not from daytime or prime time (8 to 11 Pm Est). I mean what kid 47 years ago wouldn’t try to sneak downstairs to the massive 19-inch console TV, sit close to the screen so you can keep the volume low...
- 3/23/2024
- by Jim Batts
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Stars: David Dastmalchian, Michael Ironside, Georgina Haig, Fayssal Bazzi, Ian Bliss, Rhys Auteri, Laura Gordon, Ingrid Torelli | Written and Directed by Cameron Cairnes, Colin Cairnes
A live television broadcast goes horribly wrong in this formidably creepy found footage horror, written and directed by Australian brothers Cameron and Colin Cairnes. Anchored by a terrific lead turn from perennial character actor David Dastmalchian, it’s a cult movie waiting to happen.
Taking a page from British TV’s classic Ghostwatch, but adding a period setting, Late Night With the Devil purports to be the master tapes of a disastrous live TV recording from Halloween 1977, in which a guest on the talk show Night Owls with Jack Delroy (Dastmalchian) attempted to commune with the Devil, live on air, in a bid to gain ratings during Sweeps Week.
Naturally, there’s a build-up before the main event. Early guests on Night Owls’ spooky Halloween...
A live television broadcast goes horribly wrong in this formidably creepy found footage horror, written and directed by Australian brothers Cameron and Colin Cairnes. Anchored by a terrific lead turn from perennial character actor David Dastmalchian, it’s a cult movie waiting to happen.
Taking a page from British TV’s classic Ghostwatch, but adding a period setting, Late Night With the Devil purports to be the master tapes of a disastrous live TV recording from Halloween 1977, in which a guest on the talk show Night Owls with Jack Delroy (Dastmalchian) attempted to commune with the Devil, live on air, in a bid to gain ratings during Sweeps Week.
Naturally, there’s a build-up before the main event. Early guests on Night Owls’ spooky Halloween...
- 3/22/2024
- by Matthew Turner
- Nerdly
Opening in theaters today, a new film set in the world late-night television answers the burning question: Could a late-night show beat Johnny Carson in the ratings if it its surprise guest turned out to be Satan?
Late Night with The Devil is an independent film, as many horror movies are, made in Australia, with mostly unknown Australian actors; but its look and many of its characters will be familiar to anyone in America who has watched late-night TV, especially during the Carson-dominant era of the 1970’s.
This is far from the first time the genre of late night has inspired fictionalized versions of itself in the movies or in other quarters of television. There are many memorable entries in this subsection of entertainment, headed in TV certainly by one of the greatest comedies of all time, The Larry Sanders Show, and in films by Martin Scorsese’s most underrated movie,...
Late Night with The Devil is an independent film, as many horror movies are, made in Australia, with mostly unknown Australian actors; but its look and many of its characters will be familiar to anyone in America who has watched late-night TV, especially during the Carson-dominant era of the 1970’s.
This is far from the first time the genre of late night has inspired fictionalized versions of itself in the movies or in other quarters of television. There are many memorable entries in this subsection of entertainment, headed in TV certainly by one of the greatest comedies of all time, The Larry Sanders Show, and in films by Martin Scorsese’s most underrated movie,...
- 3/22/2024
- by Bill Carter
- LateNighter
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