MEMO TO: CHANNING DUNGEY, CHAIRMAN AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE, WARNER BROTHERS TELEVISION GROUP FROM: STEVE LEBLANG, MEDIA CONSULTANT RE: YOU, TOO CAN #KNOWDRAMA Hello again, Ms. Dungey. And please allow me to pick the pieces of crow I’ve been having for breakfast out of my teeth. One minute while I turn my head away. OK, now … Read more
Elaine Low is a self-described “one-time cub reporter” who is now described as a “staff writer” for THE ANKLER, the insurgent entertainment website co-founded by a couple of veteran journalists who grew dissatsified with the direction and monopoly that Jay Penske has taken the industry’s legacy brands, including VARIETY! and co-founder Janice Min’s former purview, … Read more
If you were to judge Edgar Bronfman, Jr. strictly on his track record as a media executive, you might conclude that the fact he believes he’s qualified to steer a studio as troubled as Paramount in 2024 might suggest he probably has imbibed a bit too often in the products his family has produced for … Read more
In another life, perhaps Phil Donahue might have been a song and dance man. Heck, his soulmate and life partner was none other than Marlo Thomas, who came from the DNA of one of the most successful TV performers of its early days, and whom a lot of us, myself included, fell in love with … Read more
Recently I went on a scavenger hunt to track down exactly where a movie that a few folks I sort of know had produced and acted in was finally going to be able to seen. It had been produced two summers ago and was supposedly in negotiations with every “major” platform and had been offered … Read more
I am actually breathing a rare sign of relief this morning. Against what sometimes seems to be insurmountable odds and, frankly, an awful lot of internal and external sturm and drang, today’s musing is yet another milestone. Counting the ones we have under counsel moved to our AisleOfWit domain, this is the 1000th post on … Read more
There was yet more news about a departure of note from Warner Ranch yesterday, where the noted unslinger Yosemite Zas allowed this news to be released. The LOS ANGELES TIMES’ veteran observer Meg James did her best to make it seem both voluntary and well thought out: Warner Bros. Discovery’s head of U.S. networks Kathleen … Read more
When someone manages to cheat death for more than 98 years, when they pass it’s often seen as more of a celebration of life than a tragic event. In the case of Peter Marshall, it still seems like we were left a little shortchanged. This was not an unexpected passing; besides his advanced age, Marshall … Read more
Far too often in my lengthy career I’ve been tasked with the unfortunate responsibility of having to tell extremely proud and dedicated creatives that their baby is, at least in terms of hard numbers, ugly. That’s an even less easy place to be in when more than a smattering of tastemakers, especially those with pulpits … Read more
I don’t know about you, but it seems like whatever news is coming out of media companies lately is eminating from the Department of Redundancy Department. Yesterday yet another legacy company’s demise dominated the news cycle, as exemplified by what VARIETY’s Brian Steinberg wrote: Paramount Television Studios, a production facility originally aimed at getting Paramount … Read more