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"Mork & Mindy" makes sense in a vacuum as a network sitcom. In a broadcast world where "My Favorite Martian," "Mr. Ed," and "My Mother the Car" once existed, building a series around a scatterbrained alien who's sent to Boulder, Colorado to study human beings, which leads to him falling in love with one of his subjects, was hardly beyond the pale. But if you weren't around at the time, it'll probably throw you when you learn that the series was actually a spinoff from "Happy Days."

Yes, the nostalgia-infused Gerry Marshall sitcom about high school kids coming of age in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, spawned the show that made Robin Williams a stream-of-consciousness-spouting star. I'll concede that "Happy Days" did have slightly fantastical elements (namely Fonzie's ability to start and stop Al's jukebox with a whap of his hand), but the appearance of an extraterrestrial on the otherwise grounded series should've been jarring.

Conan O'Brien's comedy resume can be stacked up against just about anyone in the entertainment industry. Now, the late-night TV legend is finally getting a long-overdue honor in recognition of his achievements.

O'Brien will receive the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the John F, Kennedy Center for Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., on March 23. Netflix will stream the event, although not live.

The award is given to individuals who have impacted society in a way similar to Mark Twain. The 19th-century American author was noted for his social commentary and witticisms.

“I am honored to be the first winner of the Mark Twain Prize recognized not for humor, but for my work as a riverboat pilot,” O'Brien said, showcasing his signature sense of humor.

"For four decades, Conan O’Brien, has brought his unique blend of the smart, silly, insightful, and hilarious into our homes,” said Deborah F. Rutter,...

For my money, there's one easy answer to the question of the best television show of all time: it's "The Twilight Zone," obviously. Rod Serling's influential series, which originally premiered in 1959, offers something for everybody. There are scary episodes and thought-provoking ones, episodes with aliens and episodes with murder, and episodes that fall into the Western genre, science fiction, horror, and even comedy. That iconic theme music gives everything an air of the surreal, letting us know that we're watching a show where just about anything can happen.

Serling didn't like that the show reran in syndication, but that's part of what made it so enduring. From SyFy marathons to the series' ubiquity on various streaming services, audiences have been discovering "The Twilight Zone" for decades, sinking into its impressive back catalog in an effort to be scared, spooked, or simply entertained.

One of the joys of rewatching "The Twilight Zone...

Hollywood Squares is coming back to television. The classic game show is a form of tic-tac-toe. In the game show, celebrities sit in boxes positioned as a game board. The two contestants then get clues from the celebs and decide if they are lying or telling the truth. Whoever gets tic-tac-toe wins the game.

The first promo shows that Drew Barrymore and Drew Carey will be involved, and it roasted both celebs in the process.

Hollywood Squares Returning To CBS

After several years off the air, Hollywood Squares is returning to television. CBS Mornings host Nate Burleson (a former NFL football star) will host the new version of the game show, and the celebrities will feature several familiar faces.

The original show was the home to some iconic comic actors. Originally airing on NBC, that original show ran from 1966 to 1980. It featured celebrities in the squares ranging from Rich Little...

Chuck Woolery, the charismatic game show host who kicked off the long run of Wheel of Fortune before spending 11 years playing matchmaker on Love Connection, has died. He was 83.

His friend and podcast co-host Mark Young told TMZ that Woolery died Saturday at his home in Texas, and he posted about it on X. No other details were immediately available.

Woolery started out in show business as a singer in the orchestral pop band The Avant-Garde, whose most famous song, “Naturally Stoned,” made it to No. 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1968. The tune later served as the theme song for his (very) short-lived Game Show Network reality series in 2003.

After the Kentucky native performed “Delta Dawn” on The Merv Griffin Show, Griffin offered him a chance to audition as the host of a new game show he had just developed called Shopper’s Bazaar. Woolery beat out former 77 Sunset Strip...

Steven Spielberg was playing with house money as he prepared to make his fifth feature. His previous two films, "Jaws" and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," had combined to gross the 2024 equivalent of $4.4 billion. He could've gotten a shot-for-shot remake of "Andrei Rublev" greenlit if he'd pressed the issue. He also could've hedged his bets and directed "Jaws 2." Whatever he made next, he was going to make it wholly on his own terms.

Spielberg turned that house money into f***-you money, and shot an anarchic comedy that's like watching the richest kid in town craft an immaculate model train set over the course of months, mainline Jolt Cola for a day, and lay complete and total waste to his creation in a shade under two hours.

"1941" is a madcap movie about reckless and irresponsible Americans who've gone wild over an impending Japanese sneak attack on the shores of California.

Once upon a time in late night television, it was customary for talk shows to fill up their couches as the evening's episode progressed. The first guest would do their segment and then move down a spot on the adjacent couch, making room for the next guest to yap with Johnny Carson, Dick Cavett or whoever. What with the barnacle presence of sidekick Ed McMahon, Carson's couch could get especially crowded some nights. Sometimes this got tense (like the time Burt Reynolds inexplicably went after "Double Dare" host Mark Summers on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno"); sometimes it was chaotic comedy bliss (which is what happens when you ask Carson to rein in the irrepressible duo of Robin Williams and Jonathan Winters); and sometimes it was just plain surreal.

This tradition started to fade out of fashion in the 1980s when "Late Night with David Letterman" introduced its one-guest-at-a-time approach.

Eddie Murphy plans to remake the comedy classic "It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" with a star-studded ensemble cast. The original film featured an expansive cast of comedy legends, but a modern remake faces challenges in assembling such a large group. A successful remake could focus on a tight central cast and use the original's approach of filling out margins with comedy legends.

Eddie Murphy is working towards remaking a comedy classic, even if it would be incredibly hard to actually pull off. Eddie Murphy has been a major comedy star for decades, rising to prominence while becoming a breakout star on Saturday Night Live. Since then, Eddie Murphy's best movies have made him one of cinematic comedy's most enduring actors. His latest ambition seems to be bringing of his personal favorites back to movie screens, recreating a sixty-year-old classic for a new generation.

It'd be an inherently difficult task,...

“You’ll see it! You’ll see it under this big W. You can’t miss it! A big, big, W!” And that’s just what Eddie Murphy is hoping to get with his planned remake of 1963 ensemble comedy classic It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. He has even started lining up the cast, dropping Martin Lawrence into the fold in the early stages.

Speaking with Entertainment Tonight, Murphy said, “I got this other idea for something with Martin. I’ve been developing it for years. Did you ever see a movie It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World? Well, I got a script, it will be delivered any minute now written by Jez Butterworth [Dial of Destiny, Ford v Ferrari] and I’m trying to do a remake of that movie.” He added, “It’s one of my favorite movies of all time and if I do it, if the script turns out right,...

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,...

Quick Links The History and Winners of the Mark Twain Prize The Reception Toward Kevin Hart and His Mark Twain Prize The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor has recognized comedy legends like Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, and Dave Chappelle over the years. The transition of the Prize from PBS to Netflix in 2024 raised eyebrows, with Kevin Hart receiving mixed reactions for his selection. Viewers questioned Netflix's choice of Kevin Hart for the prestigious award, suggesting other comedic greats were more deserving of the honor.

For the last 25 years, the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor has recognized some of the all-time greats who have made us laugh. Richard Pryor, Carl Reiner, Bob Newhart, Lily Tomlin, Steve Martin, Tina Fey, Will Ferrell, Eddie Murphy, and a certain Mr. Huxtable (later rescinded), among others, have all received the prestigious honor over the years.

Before Netflix took over, the first two ceremonies...

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...

A year after it moved from its longtime PBS home to CNN, the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor is switching telecast partners again. Netflix has struck a multi-year deal with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts to move the Mark Twain Prize event to the streamer.

The deal begins this year, with Kevin Hart honored at the ceremony. This marks the 25th anniversary of the Mark Twain Prize, and Hart will be recognized “for his extraordinary contributions to the genre and his impressive achievements across comedy, film, and television.” This year’s event takes placeat the Kennedy Center Concert Hall on Sunday, March 24, and will be taped to premiere on Netflix on Saturday, May 11 — as the Netflix is a Joke Fest takes place in Los Angeles.

Performers set for this year’s Mark Twain ceremony including Dave “Lil Dicky” Burd, Dave Chappelle, Jimmy Fallon, Tiffany Haddish,...

I wrote up an obituary for Richard Lewis, who succumbed to a heart attack Tuesday night at 76, and was left feeling surprisingly bereft. I wondered why his death was hitting me so hard. I was a longtime fan, but I’d never met the man. I respected his comedy, but I didn’t necessarily think of him as one of the all-time greats – just a solid, uniquely neurotic, funny man who seemed to have a brilliantly manic way about him. When I think of him now, he’s bent over, stalking the stage, right hand on forehead, gesturing like a crazy man, looking like someone whose brain is about to burst out of his head.

Yes, he was unfailingly hilarious every time he showed up on “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” significantly mellower than in his younger years but still carrying plenty of sharp wit and irony whenever the camera was on him.

In the "Twilight Zone" episode "A Game of Pool", Jack Klugman plays a would-be pool champion named Jesse who feels that he would be more widely recognized for his billiard skills, were he not living in the shadow of the late pool champion James Howard "Fats" Brown. Jesse posits that if he had had the opportunity to play against Fats, he would definitely win. In a supernatural twist, Fats (Jonathan Winters) arrives from the afterlife to accept the challenge. The ensuing game, however, comes with a stipulation: if Jesse wins, he will indeed be granted the lifelong reputation as the greatest pool player of all time. If he loses, he'll die in obscurity. Jesse accepts.

Throughout their game, Fats points out that living well and happily is more important than the hard-edged fame of being a great pool player. Jesse doesn't listen. He wants fame.

Jesse, perhaps shockingly, wins the game.

The Twilight Zone is a classic TV show known for its scary and creative stories that explore mature themes and societal commentaries. It paved the way for other classic horror anthologies and has been revived multiple times, but none have matched the inventive nature of Rod Serling's original series. The best episodes teach valuable lessons while delivering spooky and suspenseful tales that have captivated viewers for decades.

The Twilight Zone is still considered one of the scariest and most creative TV shows of all time, and the best Twilight Zone episodes remain iconic decades later. It deals with mature themes and commentaries on society and blends them into well-crafted creepy and suspenseful stories that have terrified viewers from generation to generation. The best of the best has a lesson to teach its audience but hides it within a well-crafted spooky tale that is at turns terrifying, creepy, and often fantastical.

In 2017, The Hollywood Reporter gave me the opportunity to write an oral history about a passion of mine, The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, the groundbreaking variety program anchored by Tommy Smothers, who died Tuesday at age 86, and his brother, Dick. Airing on CBS from 1967-70, the controversial show offered an alternate television universe for a young generation, filled with sharp humor, political satire, rock music and relevance. Not ahead of its time but rather right on it.

I compiled countless interviews with what felt like every surviving performer from the show, including Steve Martin and Rob Reiner. Everyone except the brothers themselves, who had proved rather elusive.

Through back channels, I finally acquired Tommy Smothers’ cellphone number, along with a series of warnings. First, I was told, be persistent because he hardly ever answers his phone. Second, be persistent because he probably won’t return your call. And third, don...

Kevin Hart is the next recipient of the prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American humor.

Hart, who starred opposite Mark Wahlberg in Netflix’s Me Time buddy comedy and will appear in Eli Roth’s big-screen adaptation of the popular video game franchise Borderlands and Netflix’s comedy-thriller Lift, will be recognized for his contribution to American culture and comedy with an award named after the 19th-century novelist and essayist Samuel Clemens, also known as Mark Twain.

“For over three decades, Kevin Hart has been a source of laughter across America and throughout the world with his iconic characters, inimitable physical comedy and relatable narratives. An accomplished writer, producer, actor and comedian, he has made lasting contributions to the comedic landscape and represents our celebration of American humor at the Kennedy Center,” Kennedy Center president Deborah F. Rutter said in a statement on Wednesday.

Hart, who has his own entertainment company,...

Kevin Hart will be awarded the 25th Mark Twain Prize for American Humor by the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts next March, joining a roster of previous recipients that includes Carol Burnett, Bill Murray, David Letterman, Dave Chappelle and last year’s honoree Adam Sandler.

“I’ve been doing comedy since the inception of this award 25 years ago,” Hart said in a statement. “To be honored in this commemorative year feels surreal. Comedy is my outlet for social commentary and observations on life – I am grateful to the Kennedy Center for recognizing my voice and impact on culture.”

The prize will be presented to Hart at a gala performance on March 24, 2024, in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Broadcast and casting details will be announced at a later date.

The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor recognizes individuals who have had an impact on American society in ways...

Albert Brooks and Rob Reiner, now both 76, have been best friends since high school, having met in the drama club at Beverly Hills High. (Richard Dreyfuss was also in their class.) Both were what might now be referred to as “nepo babies” in that both of their fathers had successful careers in comedy — Rob as son of the legendary Carl Reiner, creator of The Dick Van Dyke Show, and Albert the son of Harry Einstein (yes — his real name is Albert Einstein), a radio comedian who found fame as a character called Parkyakarkus. Harry might have gone on to greater heights had he not suffered a fatal heart attack moments after his routine at a roast of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz in 1958. Eleven-year-old Albert was listening live on the radio that night.

We learn those amazing facts and so many more on HBO’s Albert Brooks: Defending My Life,...

Dick Curtis, a veteran comedian and character actor, died September 16 in Los Angeles of heart failure at the Va hospital in Westwood. He was 95 and his death was confirmed by longtime friend and TV writer, Paul Jackson.

Curtis’s varied career spanned song and dance, nightclubs, TV, movies, commercials, producing for Pm magazine, and cutting two record albums.

But he was perhaps best known to TV viewers as the straight man to Jonathan Winters on his eponymous CBS series. Curtis also appeared in many weekly TV shows of the ’60s and ’70s, including The Andy Griffith Show, Batman, That Girl and The Dick Van Dyke Show, among others.

Born in Detroit, Michigan, he was a U.S. Marine in World War II. Returning to civilian life, he appeared on the Jack Benny Show.

In a memorable Dick Van Dyke Show appearance on the episode Coast to Coast Bigmouth, he played Johnny Patrick,...

History was made 10 years ago at the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards held Sept. 22, 2013. It was the first time in history that a streaming service took home a trophy. Three Netflix series — the “Arrested Development” reboot, “Hemlock Grove” and the lauded “House of Cards” — earned a total of 14 nominations. “House of Cards” helmer David Fincher won an Emmy for the pilot episode. Netflix had earlier received two Creative Arts Emmys,

The TV landscape has changed dramatically in the past decade. When the 75th Primetime Emmy nominations were announced July 12rh, several streaming service programming scored multiple nominations. Apple TV +’s “Ted Lasso” leads the streaming service nominations with 21, followed by Prime’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” with 14, Netflix’s “Beef” and “Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” with 13 and “Wednesday” with 12; followed by Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building” with 11.

And several of the nominees and winners from a decade ago...

The Twilight Zone is still considered one of the scariest and most creative TV shows of all time, and the best Twilight Zone episodes remain iconic decades later. It deals with mature themes and commentaries on society and blends them into well-crafted creepy and suspenseful stories that have terrified viewers from generation to generation. The best of the best has a lesson to teach its audience but hides it within a well-crafted spooky tale that is at turns terrifying, creepy, and often fantastical in nature.

It was definitely ahead of its time and The Twilight Zone paved the way for other classic horror anthologies such as The Outer Limits, Tales From The Darkside, and Tales From The Crypt. There have also been many revivals of the TV series, including a recent one by Jordan Peele, but no matter how good the stories were, they never really matched up to the...

Perry Cross, who served as Johnny Carson’s first producer on The Tonight Show before he exited to run an ABC program hosted by Jerry Lewis that came and went after 13 episodes, has died. He was 95.

Cross died March 9 of kidney cancer at a hospital in Los Angeles, his son, Larry Cross, told The Hollywood Reporter.

Cross started out producing Ernie Kovacs’ CBS weekday morning show in 1952 and also worked on The Red Skelton Hour, Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In, The Dinah Shore Chevy Show, The Soupy Sales Show, Life With Linkletter, The Garry Moore Show and several Jonathan Winters live specials during his career.

Cross had been producing The Tonight Show in the immediate aftermath of host Jack Paar’s departure on March 30, 1962, guiding the NBC program in Hollywood and New York that featured guest hosts for six months until Carson took over.

NBC wanted Cross to be Carson’s producer,...

Actor and comedian Adam Sandler will be receiving the 2023 Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. The ceremony will be held on March 19 for a later airing on PBS.

Sandler first became famous as a cast member on “Saturday Night Live.” He followed with a popular film career, with such movies as “Billy Madison,” “Happy Gilmore,” “The Wedding Singer,” “The Waterboy,” “Big Daddy,” “Punch-Drunk Love,” “Uncut Gems” and “Hustle.”

The first Mark Twain prize was given in 1998 to Richard Pryor. Other recipients have included Jonathan Winters, Bob Newhart, Neil Simon, Lorne Michaels, Whoopi Goldberg, Lily Tomlin, Steve Martin, Carol Burnett, Eddie Murphy, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Bill Murray, David Letterman, Dave Chappelle and Jon Stewart.

PREDICTthe 2023 Oscar nominees through January 24

Make your predictions at Gold Derby now. Download our free and easy app for Apple/iPhone devices or Android (Google Play) to compete against legions...

I started my new essay film, It’s a Zabriskie, Zabriskie, Zabriskie, Zabriskie Point, with an attractive if patently absurd proposition. I was convinced that one could seamlessly edit together Antonioni’s Zabriskie Point with Stanley Kramer’s It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. Imagine situating Daria Halprin, Mark Frechette, and their “dirty hippie” friends in California desert landscapes next to Milton Berle, Ethel Merman, Jonathan Winters, Buddy Hackett, Mickey Rooney, and the rest of that legendary cast.

One narrative universe, with just a little editing room hocus-pocus!

There are lots of highlights, but to whet your appetite: University radical Mark Frechette flies his stolen aircraft right past the one piloted by Mickey Rooney and Buddy Hackett as they spin out of control. Daria Halprin ignores a hitchhiking Jonathan Winters. Milton Berle leaps right into a cascade of amorous sand-covered bodies. Spencer Tracy and Daria Halprin in a torrid extramarital affair.

Robert Morse, who translated Broadway stardom into a film career in the 1960s, then re-emerged decades later as one of the stars of “Mad Men,” has died. He was 90.

Writer-producer Larry Karaszewski, who serves as a VP on the board of governors for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, tweeted news of Morse’s death on Thursday.

“My good pal Bobby Morse has passed away at age 90,” he wrote. “A huge talent and a beautiful spirit. Sending love to his son Charlie & daughter Allyn. Had so much fun hanging with Bobby over the years – filming People v Oj & hosting so many screenings.”

Morse was Emmy nominated five times for playing the sage Bertram Cooper, the senior partner at the advertising firm that was the focus of AMC’s prestigious series “Mad Men,” from 2007 to 2015. In 2010, he shared the SAG Award that “Mad Men” won for outstanding performance by...

Conrad Janis, the “Mork & Mindy” star who played Mindy’s father, died on March 1 in Los Angeles, his business manager confirmed to The New York Times. He was 94.

In addition to acting, Janis was also a jazz trombonist and appeared on Broadway several times early in his career. He made his film debut in the 1945 comedy “Snafu” and appeared on the big and small screens through the early 2010s. After landing several film and TV roles, he got his biggest break on “Mork & Mindy” in 1978, where he played Fred McConnell, the father of Pam Dawber’s title character.

Janis was born Feb. 11, 1928, in Manhattan to New York art collectors and gallerists Sidney and Harriet Janis. He appeared in the Broadway play “The Dark of the Moon” and was spotted by a Hollywood talent scout, which led to his roles in “Snafu,” “Margie,” “The Brasher Doubloon,” “The Hagen Girl,...

Jon Stewart will receive the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts’ 23rd Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, the organization announced today. The award will be presented at a gala performance on Sunday, April 24, in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall.

“I am truly honored to receive this award,” Stewart said in a statement. “I have long admired and been influenced by the work of Mark Twain, or, as he was known by his given name, Samuel Leibowitz.”

The Mark Twain Prize for American Humor recognizes individuals who have had an impact on American society in ways similar to the distinguished 19th-century novelist and essayist Samuel Clemens/Mark Twain. This year’s ceremony, the first since 2019 due to the pandemic, marks the 23rd year that the Mark Twain Award will be presented and broadcast nationally.

“For more than three decades, Jon Stewart has brightened our lives and challenged our...

As big as it is broad, Stanley Kramer’s take-no-prisoners approach to comedy is embodied by an epic cast that includes just about every working comedian in Hollywood circa 1963. The majority of these much-loved artists are reduced to walk-ons but Jonathan Winters and Phil Silvers will not be denied—they rise above the chaos to connect with the audience in some genuinely funny segments. The film premiered as the first attraction of the then-brand new Cinerama Dome—though the hallowed theater was built especially for the three-camera process, Mad, Mad, World ended up as an Ultra Panavision 70 production.

The post It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World appeared first on Trailers From Hell.

Mort Sahl, a trailblazing political satirist whose biting wit and uncompromising intellect broadened the world of conventional standup comedy, died Tuesday in Mill Valley, Calif. He was 94.

The New York Times confirmed his death with his friend, Lucy Mercer.

In 1953, when Sahl first appeared at the Hungry i, a San Francisco folk singer’s hangout, he was an unknown with little stage experience. But his rapid-fire monologues about politics, social trends and fads quickly earned him the nickname “Rebel Without a Pause.”

“The three great geniuses of the period were Nichols and May, Jonathan Winters and Mort Sahl,” Woody Allen told New York magazine in 2008. Allen credited Sahl’s intellectual brand of humor for getting him into comedy. “He was the best thing I ever saw,” Allen said in another interview. “He totally restructured comedy. He changed the rhythm of the jokes.”

In 2011, his live 1955 recording “Mort Sahl at Sunset...

At the start of “The One and Only Dick Gregory,” Chris Rock hails the standup/activist as “one of the greatest political comedians who ever lived” and the following two hours prove the point. The first-rate doc, written and directed by Andre Gaines, is a reminder to anyone familiar with Gregory of the breadth and prescience of his work; to the uninitiated, it will be an eye-opener.

A title card identifies Gregory as “Public citizen #1, comedian, activist, health pioneer.” Aside from looking at his varied career, Gaines’ doc offers a time capsule of the tumultuous years in which he lived (1932-2017), offering a few shocks at how much of the national anguish has remained unchanged.

The film grabs the audience within the first two minutes and doesn’t let go. The opener mixes archival footage and audio clips of Gregory with testimonials from Rock and others, including Harry Belafonte and Wanda Sykes.

The legendary punk god joins us to talk about movies he finds unforgettable. Special appearance by his cat, Moon Unit.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

Tapeheads (1988)

Rock ‘n’ Roll High School (1979) – Eli Roth’s trailer commentary

A Face In The Crowd (1957) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review

Meet John Doe (1941)

Bob Roberts (1992)

Bachelor Party (1984)

Dangerously Close (1986)

Videodrome (1983) – Mick Garris’s trailer commentary

F/X (1986)

Hot Rods To Hell (1967)

Riot On Sunset Strip (1967)

While The City Sleeps (1956) – Glenn Erickson’s trailer commentary

Leaving Las Vegas (1995)

It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) – John Landis’s trailer commentary

Spider-Man (2002)

The Killing (1956) – Michael Lehmann’s trailer commentary

Serpent’s Egg (1977)

The Thin Man (1934)

Meet Nero Wolfe (1936)

The Hidden Eye (1945)

Eyes In The Night (1942)

Sudden Impact (1983) – Alan Spencer’s trailer commentary

Red Dawn (1984)

Warlock (1989)

The Dead Zone (1983) – Mick Garris’s trailer commentary

Secret Honor (1984)

The Player (1992) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary,...

On March 26 1969, on a quiet country road outside Biloxi, Mississippi, John Kennedy Toole took his own life. Aged just 31, the literary professor and author left behind two unpublished novels. Over the course of the next decade, Toole’s grieving mother Thelma dedicated her life to ensuring the second of these, “A Confederacy Of Dunces,” found publication. Eventually, she succeeded, and the New Orleans-set picaresque tale of slovenly philosopher and medievalist Ignatius J. Reilly went on to sell over two million copies and won the Pulitzer Prize in 1981, making Toole one of only three writers to win the prize posthumously.

Almost as much as the book itself, readers were intrigued by the unique journey the novel took to publication, with a flamboyant yet grief-stricken mother dedicating what remained of her life to ensuring her son’s genius was recognized by the world.

Inevitably, with such a successful novel and such a compelling lead character,...

Disney Plus has added a content disclaimer to the beginning of 18 episodes of “The Muppet Show,” which started streaming on the platform on Friday.

“This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures. These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now,” the disclaimer reads. “Rather than remove this content, we want to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it and spark conversation to create a more inclusive future together.”

The disclaimer has been added to a total of 18 episodes throughout the show’s five seasons, including those guest hosted by Jim Nabors, Joel Grey, Steve Martin, Peter Sellers, Cleo Laine, James Coco, Spike Milligan, Crystal Gayle, Kenny Rogers, Beverly Sills, Jonathan Winters, Alan Arkin, James Coburn, Joan Baez, Johnny Cash, Debbie Harry, Wally Boag and Marty Feldman. The label has been added to each episode for a different reason; but for example, during Cash’s episode,...

There’s a telling moment in “Belushi,” R.J. Cutler’s meticulous and touching life-and-death-of-a-comedy-legend documentary, in which John Belushi, a rising star at Second City in Chicago, gets asked during a radio interview what he thinks of Lou Costello — who was, in the interviewer’s eyes, another genially wacked, roly-poly comedian. Belushi, clearly annoyed, says: Nope, don’t like him. Belushi then goes on to say that he’s not a comedian beholden to the past; he’s out to create something new. That sounds like something a lot of comedians might say, but in Belushi’s case it really was true. Even a live-wire original like Robin Williams saw Jonathan Winters as a god, and Belushi did have influences (including Winters and Bob Newhart). But — his what-the-hell magnetism, and his compulsion to push everything he touched to extremes.

It may sound like an evasion tactic when a documentary keeps...

Actor/Producer David Arquette joins Joe & Josh to discuss the movies that made him.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

Scream (1996)

Never Been Kissed (1999)

3,000 Miles To Graceland (2001)

Bone Tomahawk (2015)

Spree (2020)

Gremlins (1984)

Muppets From Space (1999)

It’s A Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie (2002)

Unforgiven (1992)

The World According To Garp (1982)

Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid (1969)

Slap Shot (1977)

The World of Henry Orient (1964)

Breakfast At Tiffany’s (1961)

Insomnia (2002)

One Hour Photo (2002)

The Long Goodbye (1973)

A History Of Violence (2005)

Last House On the Left (1972)

The Tripper (2006)

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1910)

The Wizard of Oz (1925)

Funny Bones (1995)

There’s Something About Mary (1998)

The Gold Rush (1925)

The French Lieutenant’s Woman (1981)

Wild Style (1982)

The Shining (1980)

One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)

Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982)

Dreamscape (1984)

Brainstorm (1983)

The Dead Zone (1983)

The Warriors (1979)

Commando (1985)

Somewhere In Time (1980)

Escape From New York (1981)

Being There (1979)

The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu (1980)

Targets (1968)

Pleasantville (1998)

Hidden Agenda...

For those who grew up in the 1980’s and 1990’s, you watched the TV show “Mork & Mindy” on ABC every week and were invited into the hilarious world of Robin Williams. The man was a genius and every funny thing he said was comedy gold. Some of the funniest episodes were with Jonathan Winters.

It was also during this time that audiences saw him in films such The World According To Garp, Good Morning Vietnam, Popeye, Birdcage, Good Will Hunting and the amazing Dead Poets Society.

Families flocked to his films where we saw him as Genie in Aladdin, Theodore Roosevelt in Night At The Museum, Alan Parrish in Jumanji, Ramón, Cletus, Lovelace, & the narrator In Happy Feet and as Peter Pan in Hook.

He was nominated for four Academy Awards, winning Best Supporting Actor for Good Will Hunting.

You can stream now on Amazon Prime “Robin Williams – Discovering” https://www.

The Smurfs are coming to Nickelodeon. The ViacomCBS-owned network has partnered with Lafig Belgium and Imps, the worldwide licensors for The Smurfs, on a new original CG-animated series based on the iconic property, along with a consumer products line. Under the deal, Nickelodeon has licensed the global rights to The Smurfs, which follows the beloved characters–Papa Smurf, Smurfette, Brainy, Hefty, Clumsy and others on “all-new adventures packed with humor, heart and high-stakes action,” Nick says. The series is slated to debut in 2021 in the U.S., followed by Nickelodeon channels internationally.

In addition to the content partnership, ViacomCBS Consumer Products will manage consumer products licensing for The Smurfs property across the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Singapore and Malaysia. Vcp will seek new merchandising and promotional partners for The Smurfs classic brand, in addition to a new product line for the new animated series, including toys,...

What can one say about a comedy that just limps along, even when an attractive cast does fine work every step of the way? Even the bit parts are creatively cast in this odd romp infected with a really bad case of The Cutes. Natalie Wood is at her best, but in service of dumb gags: let’s blow bubble gum bubbles! The result so upset Natalie that she ditched her studio contract. The roster of engaging talent includes Peter Falk (in suave leading man mode!), Dick Shawn (less grating than usual), Lila Kedrova & Lou Jacobi (showing real style), Jonathan Winters (wasted) and, of all people, Ian Bannen as Natalie Wood’s uncomprehending husband. Bannen is so good, he drags a real laugh or two from the material. The show has been beautifully remastered.

Penelope

Blu-ray

Warner Archive Collection

1966 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 97 min. / Street Date January 26, 2020 / available through the WBshop / 21.99

Starring: Natalie Wood,...

Jim Lehrer, the legendary journalist who helped set a high bar for TV journalism via his long-running program on PBS, died on Thursday at his home, according to the network. He was 85 years old.

Lehrer was a correspondent for the Dallas Morning News who moved to TV reporting for the local public TV station, Kera. He soon found himself working as a national correspondent for the National Public Affairs Center for Television, then the biggest producer of public-affairs programming for PBS stations. When the Watergate hearings captured national attention in 1973, Lehrer and another journalist he was teamed with, Robert MacNeil, began spending hours and hours on camera, telling American viewers the ins and outs of the extraordinary situation, in which the Nixon administration sought to cover up its involvement in a break-in at Democratic National Committee. The duo held forth over the course of 250 hours, in both daytime and night.

Lee Mendelson, who produced several “Peanuts” and “Garfield” television specials, died at his home in Hillsborough, Calif. on Christmas Day after a battle with lung cancer, according to Palo Alto’s Daily Post.

Mendelson is also known for writing the lyrics to “Christmastime Is Here” from the 1965 TV special “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”

The producer was born in 1933 and began his career in television in 1961 while working at San Francisco’s Kpix-tv. In 1963, he started Lee Mendelson Productions in Burlingame, Calif., according to his website. That same year, following a hit on NBC with a documentary called “A Man Named Mays” made by Mendelson and cinematographer and editor Sheldon Fay Jr., the two made their first Charlie Brown special, “A Boy Named Charlie Brown.” What followed was a 38-year long relationship with “Peanuts” creator Charles Schultz and animator Bill Melendez that lead to over 50 “Peanuts” specials.

Also Read: Jerry Herman,...

Lee Mendelson, the producer behind more than 50 animated TV specials featuring Charlie Brown and the “Peanuts” gang, died on Christmas Day at his home in Hillsborough, Calif., after a long battle with cancer. He was 86.

Mendelson also wrote the lyrics to “Christmas Time Is Here,” a song featured in “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” the 1965 special that turned “Peanuts” into a TV staple. “Charlie Brown Christmas” brought Mendelson the first of his 12 Emmys. The last came in 2015 for “It’s Your 50th Christmas, Charlie Brown.” Mendelson’s work with animator Lee Melendez also brought him four Peabody Awards, an Oscar nomination and two Grammy noms.

A lifelong fan of jazz, Mendelson had the inspiration to hire musician Vince Guaraldi to create original music for “Charlie Brown Christmas,” a touch that helped make the specials stand out with viewers young and old. Over the years Mendelson worked with other notable musicians such as Dave Brubeck,...

By 1979, Loretta Lynn had been recording country music for almost 20 years, with some 50 albums to her credit. The first female artist to be nominated for — and to win — the Cma Entertainer of the Year award in 1972, Lynn’s string of major solo hits was accompanied by five Number Ones with duet partner Conway Twitty. The pair also logged four chart-topping LPs as a duo between 1973 and 1976.

Also in 1979, Lynn was preparing for the big-screen adaptation of her autobiography, Coal Miner’s Daughter, published three years earlier. The story of her spotting...

There must have been some magic in that old silk ratings hat they found, as the annual CBS airing of the animated Frosty the Snowman topped the night’s ratings wars.

The 50th airing of the Rankin-Bass animation special, based on the Walter E. Rollins and Steve Nelson song and featuring the voices of Jimmy Durante, Bille De Wolfe and Jackie Vernon, had an 0.7 rating among the 18-49 set and drew a total audience of 4.04 million in the 8 Pm slot. The numbers were steady with last year’s airing.

CBS doubled down on its Frosty magic with an 8:30 Pm airing of Frosty Returns.The 1992 special, featuring Jonathan Winters as the narrator and John Goodman doing the Frosty voice (with music by Devo’s Mark Mothersbaugh) had an 0.6 and 3.45 million audience. Repeats of Hawaii Five-0 and Blue Bloods closed out the eye network’s night.

At Fox, the WWE Friday...

Bradley Cooper, Tiffany Haddish, Kevin Hart, Trevor Noah, Jon Stewart, John Legend and Chrissy Teigen have been added to the lineup of presenters and honorees set to salute Dave Chappelle as he accepts the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the Kennedy Center, the center announced Thursday.

Chappelle is the recipient of the 22nd annual Mark Twain Prize, and he’ll be recognized for his achievements on “Chappelle’s Show” and as a stand-up comedian during the Oct. 27 event, which will be broadcast on PBS on Jan. 6. It was previously announced that he would receive the prize back in May.

Cooper starred alongside and directed Chappelle in last year’s “A Star is Born,” and Stewart was the longtime host of “The Daily Show” during Chappelle’s tenure with “Chappelle’s Show” on “Comedy Central.”

Also Read: Dave Chappelle Helps Out Fans Who Were Scammed by Giving Them Tickets...

After the initial run of Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! ended in 1970, the mystery loving gang and their ever-hungry Great Dane reunited on the small screen for The New Scooby-Doo Movies in the early ’70s. Joining them each episode this time around were celebrities and pop culture icons ranging from The Three Stooges to the Harlem Globetrotters to Batman and Robin. With this year marking the 50th anniversary of Scooby-Doo and his sleuth solving pals, Warner Bros. is releasing The New Scooby-Doo Movies: The (Almost) Complete Collection on Blu-ray/DVD and The Best of The New Scooby-Doo Movies - The Lost Episodes on DVD this June.

From Warner Bros.: "For the first time ever, nearly all episodes from The New Scooby-Doo Movies, the series that the lovable Great Dane and Mystery Inc. gang encounter some of pop culture’s most legendary names, including Johnathan Winters, Dick Van Dyke, The Three Stooges,...

Jorn Winther, a former soap opera executive producer and director, was killed November 9 in an automobile accident in front of Palm Desert High School outside Palm Springs. He was on a business trip and on his way back to his Sherman Oaks home, his wife of 31 years, Claire, told The Hollywood Reporter. He was 88.

In the 1960s, Winther directed for the ABC music showcase Shindig! and worked on variety shows hosted by Jonathan Winters, Sonny & Cher and Barbara McNair.

He later spent more than five years as an executive producer and director on ABC's One Life to Live, and five years in those roles during two stints at All My Children. He directed episodes of other soap operas including NBC's Another World and Santa Barbara, and the syndicated Rituals. He also served as senior executive producer for NBC's Generations and produced Canadian drama Family Passions.

His shows collected 37 Emmy...

Jorn Winther, the director on the landmark David Frost-Richard Nixon interviews that kept television and radio audiences transfixed over four consecutive nights in 1977, has died. He was 88.

Winther was killed Nov. 9 in an automobile accident in front of Palm Desert High School outside Palm Springs. He was on a business trip and on his way back to his Sherman Oaks home, his wife of 31 years, Claire, told The Hollywood Reporter.

In the 1960s, Winther directed for the ABC music showcase Shindig! and worked on variety shows hosted by the likes of Jonathan Winters, Sonny & Cher and Barbara ...

Jorn Winther, the director on the landmark David Frost-Richard Nixon interviews that kept television and radio audiences transfixed over four consecutive nights in 1977, has died. He was 88.

Winther was identified as a man killed Nov. 9 in an automobile accident in front of Palm Desert High School outside Palm Springs, the Riverside County Coroner's Office reported.

In the 1960s, Winther directed for the ABC music showcase Shindig! and worked on variety shows hosted by the likes of Jonathan Winters, Sonny & Cher and Barbara McNair.

He later spent more than five years as an executive producer and director ...