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Thanksgiving is a theme long integrated into the world of entertainment. From movies based on the holiday to sitcoms incorporating it into their plots, there are several sitcoms that have made Thanksgiving a staple setting for their heartfelt and comedic moments. From Friends to Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Fresh Off the Boat, and many many more have episodes dedicated around the holiday. Yet, none seems to have captured the chaotic essence of the holiday quite like Cheers does.

Cheers | Credit: NBC

Nestled in the heart of Boston, the bar where everybody knows your name was already iconic for its humor, perfect comedic timing, rich characters, and balanced laughter with emotional depth. Yet, the show reached an even higher height when its perfectly made Thanksgiving episode came out. Now, celebrated as one of the most memorable holiday episodes in the history of television, Thanksgiving Orphans remains a classic.

Just like every other episode of the show,...

Celebrated for his movies like Men in Black, The Fugitive, and No Country for Old Men, Tommy Lee Jones has become an iconic figure in the film industry. With a career spanning decades, he has portrayed a wide range of characters, from complex protagonists to standout supporting roles, as well as some unforgettable villains.

A still from Men in Black | Credit: Sony Pictures

Beyond his on-screen talent, Jones is equally known for his no-nonsense demeanor. His disdain for the celebrity spotlight is a testament to his authenticity, as he’s openly stated that he only engages in the “celebrity game” out of necessity, not personal desire.

Tommy Lee Jones’ Stance on Celebrity Spotlight

Despite being one of the most acclaimed figures in Hollywood, Tommy Lee Jones is famously private, as he is known for his reluctance to reveal personal or political beliefs. The Oscar-winning actor has kept his personal life,...

Steve Carell is headed to HBO.

The former star of The Office will lead the cast of an untitled single-camera comedy from Ted Lasso co-creator Bill Lawrence and Matt Tarses (Scrubs). HBO has handed out a straight-to-series order of 10 episodes for the series, which had been the focus of a multiple-platform bidding war.

The comedy is set on a college campus and centers on an author’s complicated relationship with his daughter. Lawrence and Tarses, who previously collaborated on Scrubs and who are currently working on the Apple series Bad Monkey, will write the first episode.

“HBO has long been a standard bearer of quality TV. Getting to do a show there with Steve Carell is an immediate career highlight for Matt and me. Nothing can go wrong now,” Lawrence said.

The series hails from Warner Bros. Television, where Lawrence recently renewed his overall deal. Lawrence, Tarses and Carell will exec produce the comedy.

Naruto humanized villains, showing no one is born evil, exploring second chances and redemption. Naruto rejected norms in anime, showcasing gray morality, diverse characters, and challenging tropes. Naruto's impact goes beyond anime, inspiring other series, centralizing Crunchyroll, and becoming mainstream.

Naruto is a household name even for people who know nothing about anime. Its popularity spans the entire world and is one of the most profitable franchises of all time. Anime as a medium wouldn't be where it is without it, and the impact it has had is very hard to quantify.

Adapting the hit manga by Masashi Kishimoto which has more than 250 million copies in circulation, the anime is not only one of the most recognizable in the medium, but also in the general entertainment industry. Spanning 15 years, the anime may have ended in 2017, but it is still one of the most relevant series with an incredibly large and strong fan base.

In the "The Simpsons" episode "Flaming Moe's, the put-upon bartender Moe Szyslak (Hank Azaria) finds his bar struggling to stay afloat in the wake of increased job satisfaction and family bliss in the city. Homer (Dan Castellaneta) suggests Moe try a new cocktail. Homer then reveals the recipe for a cough syrup-infused drink — the Flaming Homer — that becomes more flavorful after you set it on fire. Moe mixes one and it's an instant hit. Moe also instantly claims credit for inventing the drink, much to Homer's consternation.

The redubbed Flaming Moe is a huge success, and Moe's dive bar quickly grow into a massive event space where Aerosmith performs. Eventually Homer, fed up with not receiving any credit or money, reveals the secret ingredients and Moe's quickly returns to being a dive.

This episode, written by Robert Cohen, was inspired by a similar "rivalry" between "Simpsons" creator Matt Groening and...

Before "All in the Family" became one of the most groundbreaking sitcoms of all time, it was a non-starter with two failed pilot episodes and counting. The first, titled "Justice For All," was taped 3 years before the original show's run and featured a cast including Carol O'Conner and Jean Stapleton, who would go on to play married couple Archie and Edith Bunker in the final version of the show. The actors playing the Bunker family's daughter Edith and son-in-law Michael were different, though, played by Kelly Jean Peters ("Cagney & Lacey") and Tim McIntire ("Soap"), whose character was initially named Richard.

O'Conner explained in his memoir "I Think I'm Outta Here" that he largely rewrote the original pilot script himself, and the pilot was recorded in New York in October 1968. According to a Time Magazine 50th anniversary retrospective by Daniel S. Levy, network execs weren't pleased with the casting choices for...

Data released by Hub Research is providing insight into how Gen Zers watch video, and what kind they’re most likely to stream.

Gen Z may be the most connected generation ever to live on the planet Earth. With the myriad of social media options available and the ubiquitous nature of smartphones, it seems you can find just about any type of video you want on your phone nowadays, and new data from Hub Research is showing just how much Gen Z in particular is taking advantage of that connectivity.

Hub’s data shows that 88% of Gen Zers use their phone to stream video weekly, more than 30 points higher than respondents 35+. Gaming and non-premium video are the most-used categories of entertainment for Gen Z audiences. Despite what may seem like an opportunity to pursue this age group, customers shouldn’t expect a huge growth in the offering of mobile-only streaming plans.

John Mulaney's "Baby J" is a painfully honest and hilarious exploration of his drug problems and rehab stint, proving he's still one of the funniest comedians today. Norm MacDonald's "Nothing Special" is a unique and poignant special recorded from his home without an audience, showcasing his comedic genius and earning three Emmy nominations. Paula Poundstone's "Cats, Cops, And Stuff" demonstrates her mastery of crowd work and storytelling, making her a standup legend and a joy to watch.

The best comedy specials of all time highlight the true art form of standup comedy and the many talents in the industry. Determining the best standup special is a question that has never failed to elicit debate among long-time audiences. A lot of them come from what many consider to be comedy's Golden Age, the '70s - dominated by the likes of Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Andy Kaufman, Richard Lewis,...

The very best in Canadian music is being recognized.

On Wednesday, the annual Polaris Music Prize announced its long list of eligible nominees for the prize, which is awarded to Canada’s best album of the year.

Read More: Terri Clark Feels ‘A Lot Of Gratitude And Humility’ Ahead Of Canadian Music Hall Of Fame Induction

Included in the long list are artists like Feist, whose album Multitudes was released in April, as well as Alvvays’ Blue Rev, Daniel Caesar’s Never Enough, U.S. Girls’ Bless This Mess, Jessie Reyez’s Yessie, Andy Shauf’s Norm and many more.

“The Canada Council for the Arts is proud once again this year to present the Polaris Music Prize Long List in support of extraordinary and diverse musical talents from across Canada, coast to coast to coast,” said Carolyn Warren, Director General, Arts Granting Programs Division, Canada Council for the Arts.

Apple TV+ led both the comedy and drama fields when it comes to nominations for the Hollywood Critics Association’s 2nd annual Hca TV Awards in streaming. The outlet’s “Severance” 12 nominations; “Ted Lasso” was next with 11. “Severance” was recognized for streaming drama series, actor, actress, supporting actor, supporting actress, directing and writing. “Ted Lasso” was nominated for streaming comedy series, actor, supporting actor, supporting actress, directing and writing; “Ted Lasso Presents: The Missing Christmas Mustache” was nommed for short form animated series.

The Hca TV Awards are unique in featuring several drama and comedy categories for both broadcast and cable. And it’s also unique for splitting broadcast/cable and streaming into separate nominations and ceremonies. The streaming nominees will be announced later this afternoon.

Netflix’s “Stranger Things,” Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building” and Hulu’s “Dopesick” each landed nine nominations. Other major nominees included Netflix’s “Squid Game” with seven,...

Netflix will present a posthumous Norm Macdonald comedy special Netflix announced on Thursday. The special, titled “Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special,” was self-taped in the comedian’s home and will premiere on May 30.

The former “Saturday Night Live” star left behind an hour of unused material that he filmed at home during the Covid lockdown. He intended to reshoot it in front of an audience, but didn’t get a chance before his death in 2021.

“Norm worked so hard on a new hour of material and wanted it to be seen. While this version of ‘Nothing Special’ was not originally meant to be the final product, Covid restrictions prevented him from filming in front of an audience. We want to make sure his fans see this very funny hour. He left this gift for all of us,” said Lori Jo Hoekstra, Norm’s long-time producing partner and executive producer of the special said in a statement.

Chicago – When we last talked to author/actor/producer and Chicago native Cindy Caponera in 2017, she was working on the excellent Showtime Network series “I’m Dying Up Here,’ about stand up comics in the 1970s. She’s currently in Chicago and will appear in the ongoing “Messing with a Friend” at the Annoyance Theatre. Click Messing for ticket info.

Cindy Caponera was born on the Southside of Chicago in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. She honed her comic skills with two stints in at The Second City, and began her television writing career with the early Comedy Central series, “Exit 57.” She landed a writing gig on “Saturday Night Live” in 1995, and after three seasons on that show has worked as a freelance TV writer ever since. Her credits includes “Norm,” “My Boys,” “Sherri,” “Ground Floor,” plus Showtime’s “Shameless,” “Nurse Jackie.” And “I’m Dying Up Here.” In 2014, she published her collection of essays,...

The Conners executive producer/showrunner Bruce Helford, who had been friends with Norm Macdonald for two decades, shared memories about the comedian and former SNL Weekend Update anchor, who died Tuesday at the age of 61 after a long, private battle with cancer.

Helford first worked with Macdonald on Roseanne in 1992. Helford was an executive producer on the hit ABC comedy series, on which Macdonald was a writer for about a year before he left to join Saturday Night Live. During Macdonald’s 1993-98 tenure on the NBC sketch show, he guest starred on Helford’s ABC comedy series The Drew Carey Show and, following his exit from SNL, teamed with Helford to co-create and executive produce The Norm Show (aka Norm), a multi-camera comedy series headlined by the comedian and also starring Roseanne’s Laurie Metcalf. It ran on ABC for three seasons.

Norm Macdonald Remembered: Seth Rogen Praises “Comedy...

When news broke on Tuesday that Norm Macdonald had died, comedians, actors and writers took to social media to mourn and remember the life of the famed “Saturday Night Live” alum. Macdonald died of cancer at age 61 after a private struggle with the disease.

Macdonald was best known for starring on “Saturday Night Live” in 1993 and his anchoring “Weekend Update” until early 1998, when he was replaced by Colin Quinn. He gave dry, sardonic and memorable impressions of Burt Reynolds, David Letterman, Larry King and Quentin Tarantino and more during his five-year run on the show. During his career, he was also a writer on “Roseanne,” created “The Norm Show” with Bruce Helford on ABC and appeared in movies and shows like “Dirty Work,” “Billy Madison,” “The People vs. Larry Flynt,” “Dr. Dolittle,” “The Orville” and more.

“Saturday Night Live” shared a statement, saying, “Today is a sad day. All of...

Norm Macdonald, the deadpan comedian, actor, writer and “Saturday Night Live” star, has died after a battle with cancer, Variety has confirmed. He was 61.

Macdonald privately battled the disease for almost a decade. “Norm was an original! He defined American humor with honesty and blunt force,” Jeff Danis, president of Dpn Talent and one of Macdonald’s reps, told Variety in a statement.

Dozens of comedians, including Seth Rogen, Jon Stewart, Ron Funches and Jim Gaffigan, paid tribute to Macdonald, “one of the greatest comedians to have ever lived,” on social media.

The comedian got his start in showbiz as a writer on “Roseanne” in 1992 after making rounds at comedy clubs in Canada. He joined the cast of “Saturday Night Live” in 1993, and the next year, began his memorable stint as “Weekend Update” anchor until early 1998, when he was replaced by Colin Quinn. Macdonald was known for his dry humor,...

Norm Macdonald, one of the most famous cast members on “Saturday Night Live,” died Tuesday after a nine-year battle with cancer, according to his management firm. He was 61.

Macdonald was best known during his run on “SNL” from 1993-98 as the anchor of “Weekend Update.” During a tenure that ran through the O.J. Simpson trial and the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal, Macdonald was key in turning the news parody segment into one with a more political tone. His relentless jokes at the expense of Simpson were believed by the comedian to be a major reason why he was shockingly fired from the show, as NBC exec Don Ohlmeyer was a friend of the disgraced Buffalo Bills football star.

Macdonald was also known for starring alongside Will Ferrell and Darrell Hammond in the popular “Celebrity Jeopardy!” sketches, where he impersonated Burt Reynolds. While Hammond’s Sean Connery directly antagonized Ferrell’s Alex Trebek...

Saturday Night Live veteran Norm Macdonald has died following a private battle with cancer. He was 61.

Macdonald was reportedly battling an undisclosed cancer for almost a decade, which he chose not to disclose to friends, family or fans.

More from TVLineTVLine Items: Baking Show Premiere, Bb: Celeb Edition Return and MoreCecily Strong Mulls Her SNL Future: 'Things Are a Bit More Up in the Air'snl Cast Shake-Up Ahead? McKinnon, Davidson and Strong Spark Speculation About Exits in Season 46 Finale

“He was most proud of his comedy,” Macdonald’s longtime producing partner and friend Lori Jo Hoekstra told Deadline. “He never...

While Seinfeld is more well-known than Mad About You, both are '90s sitcoms created by comedians who wanted to make a show about living in New York City. Sure, there are a few major differences between the two shows, as Jerry hung out with his single friends and Paul and Jamie were a married couple going through life together.

Related: Seinfeld: 10 Episodes That Go Against The Norm

When looking back on these shows, they share many common features that stand out, although they have their own unique elements that explain their fanbases who still love watching them today.

Max Wright, best known for playing patriarch Willie Tanner on the sitcom “Alf,” died Wednesday. He was 75.

Wright’s family confirmed his death to TMZ. The actor died in his home in Hermosa Beach, Calif., after years of battling cancer. Wright was diagnosed with Lymphona in 1995.

Wright is most famous for his role as the adoptive father to Alf, a back-talking alien puppet who crash-landed on Earth. The series ran from 1986 to 1990 on NBC and featured Wright in every season. His other television credits include episodes of shows such as “Norm,” “Murphy Brown,” “Friends,” “Quantum Leap,” “Misfits of Science,” “Cheers,” “Buffalo Bill,” “Taxi” and “The Drew Carey Show.”

He also played the manager of the iconic “Friends” coffee shop Central Perk in the early episodes of the series, in addition to Norm MacDonald’s boss in the ABC sitcom “Norm.” His film credits include “All That Jazz,” “Snow Falling on Cedars,...

Max Wright, best known as the father on the 1980s sitcom Alf, died Wednesday at his home in California. He was 75.

Wright passed away from cancer, our sister site Deadline reports.

He played Willie Tanner for all four seasons of Alf, NBC’s comedy about an alien life form, which meant he often had to act opposite a puppet of the titular character. Though the series went for laughs, “It was hard work, and very grim,” Wright later told People of the job.

Wright’s other TV work included Cheers, Norm, Quantum Leap, Mad About You, Friends, Hart to Hart,...

Norm Macdonald has had a long, troubled history on television. From his days spent on Saturday Night Live as the brilliant but frequently misunderstood Weekend Update anchor in the 1990s to his consistently canceled shows like Norm, A Minute with Stan Hooper and Sports Show with Norm Macdonald, the comedian can’t seem to catch a […]

The post ‘Norm Macdonald Has a Show’ Trailer: The ‘SNL’ Star Heads to Netflix with a Candid Talk Show appeared first on /Film.

Wesley Mead Dec 5, 2017

Looking for great stand-up on Netflix? We count down twenty-five highly recommended comedy specials on the streaming service...

In the face of ever-declining DVD sales, Netflix has quickly become the foremost place to discover new stand-up material. The streaming giant is on track to release over 50 exclusive specials in 2017 alone, signing big names (with big cheques) from both sides of the Atlantic and beyond.

See related Peaky Blinders series 4: who is May Carleton? Peaky Blinders series 4 episode 3 review Peaky Blinders series 4 episode 2 review Peaky Blinders series 4 episode 1 review

There is a downside to this remarkable release schedule, though. With so many new specials out there, instantly accessible, it can sometimes feel like the smaller fish in the pond are getting short shrift. Amy Schumer, Dave Chappelle and Jerry Seinfeld have all been featured this year alone: with only so many column inches (and so much screen space) to occupy,...

Previous | Image 1 of 12 | NextHonoree George Wendt gets ‘roasted.’ Norm!

Chicago – On September 9th, 2017, it seemed like the whole of The Second City theater on Wells Street in Chicago let out a collective cry of “Norm!” The favorite barfly of TV’s “Cheers,” George Wendt, came back to his old comedy stomping ground at The Second City to participate in “I Can’t Believe They Wendt There: The Roast of George Wendt.”

The roasters included the hottest current TV and movie stars, including Bob Odenkirk (“Better Call Saul”), Keegan-Michael Key (“Key & Peele”) and Jason Sudeikis (“Saturday Night Live”), along with The Second City alumni and celebs Julia Sweeney, Betty Thomas and Joel Murray. The roast was a benefit for Gilda’s Club Chicago, the cancer support community named for the late comic legend, Gilda Radner.

In Part One of the Red Carpet interviews, honoree George Wendt does some reminiscing with Jason Sudeikis,...

“Norm splits people,” says Nerdwriter at the top of his latest video essay on stand-up icon Norm MacDonald. He’s not wrong. MacDonald has spent his career alienating audiences with jokes that repeatedly test an audience’s patience, whether it be through an “offensive” punchline (revisit his time hosting SNL’s…

Read more...

Chicago – One of the great new premium channel TV series, which piggybacked on the “Twin Peaks” return on the Showtime Network, is “I’m Dying Up Here.” Set in the 1970s, it tells the stories of fictional stand up comedians in Los Angeles, and one of the Consulting Producers and series writers is Cindy Caponera.

Ari Graynor as Cassie in ‘I’m Dying Up Here’

Photo credit: Showtime Network

Caponera wrote the latest episode, “Girls Are Funny, Too,” which focused on Cassie (Ari Graynor), as she tries to break new ground in an era where women in comedy had even more obstacles in a man’s show business world. The episode was loose, poignant and funny, and highlighted the excellent cast, which includes Oscar winner Melissa Leo as Goldie, the owner of the club that the stand up comics perform in. Add in Jake Lacy, Al Madrigal, Andrew Santino, Erik Griffin and Rj Cyler,...

What to Watch: Tuesday, May 9

“The Middle,” 8 p.m., ABC

Episode Title: “The Final Final”

Network Synopsis: The Hecks notice that their luck has changed for the better after the Prairie Scouts accidentally paint the Donahue’s address on their curb; Axl misses his final college test before graduation and pleads with his teacher to let him take it; Sue speaks to students at her former high school about college life; and a talk with Brad leads into an impromptu musical number about Sue’s many accomplishments over the years.

Why You Should Watch: Eden Sher may be one of the most underappreciated performers on television, as the perennial underdog Sue Heck, and she has shined as Sue struggles with college. Music numbers are all the rage in TV, of course, and “The Middle” offers up its entry as an opportunity to showcase Sue’s unheralded high school years.

“The Americans,...

Chicago – Local Chicago filmmaking got a major debut last weekend with the premiere of “Landline,” written, directed and starring Matthew Aaron. Appropriately, he got the World Champion Chicago Cubs involved, as the plot includes a PR agency pitching a new campaign to the team. The Red Carpet walk had a couple of featured performers in the film who both are Chicago natives – Jim O’Heir (“Parks and Recreation”) and comedian Jay Washington. “Landline” has a one week run at Chicago’s Music Box Theatre (details below), and on Tuesday, April 4th, 2017, the film will be released digitally through most TV and internet providers.

Ted Gout (Matthew Aaron) is happily married to his husband Jack (Patrick Hartigan), but is suffering anxiety because he needs to land the Chicago Cubs account for his PR company. Unfortunately, his work rival Barry (Chad Michael Singer) is fighting him for it, and his boss Fiona...

“Kevin Can Wait” showrunner Bruce Helford has left the series after just seven episodes have aired, TheWrap has confirmed. Helford is a multi-cam veteran, having created the series “The Drew Carey Show,” “Norm,” “Wanda at Large,” and “George Lopez.” Rob Long will take over on the Kevin James-led CBS sitcom, which recently received a full-season order at the network. Long is best know for his work on “Cheers.” The series opened well in the ratings when it premiered on Sept. 19, drawing 11.1 million viewers and a 2.6 rating. Those numbers have declined sharply over the past six weeks, with Oct....

[[tmz:video id="0_8ed86925"]] Norm Macdonald says the security guard who violently took out the Ryan Lochte protester at "Dancing with the Stars" is just like Ray Lewis ... except he didn't kill anyone.  Norm was at Lax with Fred Stoller when we showed them the crazy video of the Lochte incident ... and that's when Norm did what Norm does, he cracked a hilarious joke.  For the record ... Ray was charged with murder back in 2000 following an incident after a Super Bowl party in Atlanta.

This week a few titles experience a Rebirth! And a few more begin their new lives! What are Jon Kent’s (errr Smith’s) Powers? And is Batman stronger than a Boeing 757? What’s up with Wally? And get ready to feel the Rage!!! All this and more on my reviews for DC Comics Week 06-15-2015.

Click on the images for a larger view.

Batman #1

Story: Tom King Art: David Finch, Matt Banning Colors: Jordie Bellaire

Review: Tom King wastes little time picking the action from where Batman: Rebirth left off. A terrorist with a rocket launcher is loose in Gotham and Batman needs to track him down before something really bad happens! Unfortunately, that's exactly what unfolds leading to the Dark Knight having to go head to head with a dive bombing B757 to save Gotham! To complicate matters further, two new heroes show up going by the names 'Gotham' and 'Lady Gotham,...

Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Joey and Chandler got back together Sunday night after nearly 12 years to honor the man who gave them life. The cast members of Friends were just some of the stars who turned out to honor legendary sitcom director James Burrows in a tribute that aired on NBC.

Stars from Will & Grace, Cheers, The Big Bang Theory and more paid homage to Burrows.

For starters ...

Jennifer Aniston – who fought back tears during the tribute – revealed she "always loved when we would have the flashbacks. I always loved when we would flashback to Fat Monica and Rachel Pre-Nosejob and Ross with his Afro.

Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Joey and Chandler got back together Sunday night after nearly 12 years to honor the man who gave them life. The cast members of Friends were just some of the stars who turned out to honor legendary sitcom director James Burrows in a tribute that aired on NBC. Stars from Will & Grace, Cheers, The Big Bang Theory and more paid homage to Burrows. For starters ...Jennifer Aniston - who fought back tears during the tribute - revealed she "always loved when we would have the flashbacks. I always loved when we would flashback to Fat Monica and Rachel...

Welcome to the second night of Invitationals! If we've learned anything from the first episode of Last Comic Standing, we know that every comic will bring something to the table, and Norm will be nothing but positive. Seriously, I await the moment where Norm just says "I totally hated your act." Maybe I'm speaking too soon. I mean, who knows what tonight will bring?

As we know, the ultimate winner of the show will be rewarded with $250,000, an NBC development deal, and the grand title. Hopefully they also throw a trophy in, or at least a plastic medal or something. You know -- something to put on display on the mantel.

Anthony Jeselnik takes the stage, and opens by saying that he's hosting solely because he couldn't say no to NBC. He then introduces our hosts -- Keenen Ivory Wayans, Roseanne Barr, and Norm McDonald.

Well, friends... here we are. Another season of Last Comic Standing, with a brand new host, (Anthony Jeselnik), a brand new judge, (Norm Macdonald), and a brand new Roseanne (she's blonde now!) I saw Jb Smoove on a commercial for Rent.com recently, so hopefully he left by choice and not forced out by a heartless NBC executive. We're thinking about you, Jb.

As per usual, the winner of the show will be winning $250,000, a development deal, and the amazing title of Last Comic Standing. Tonight is the first of four Invitational shows, which means that jokes will be flying quickly.

Anthony takes the stage and introduces Keenen Ivory Wayans, Roseanne, and Norm. Immediately after, we're introduced to Ryan Conner. He's one of eleven brothers (what?) and the amount of people in the house is illustrated further with a giant party sub. They have to fight for food in the Conner household,...

Last night on late night, John Oliver talked Nsa, FIFA, and contract chicken farming. On Friday, Oprah and Norm MacDonald came on Late Show, Jimmy Kimmel interviewed a Ucsb student whose flute recital invite went viral, and Anna Kendrick hates her “resting bitchy face”.

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

Oliver was surprised to report that the Us House of Representatives has passed a measure (H.R. 2048) to stop the Nsa collection of telephone data. That measure will be opposed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, but has a good chance of passing, due to relatively strong bipartisan support and the support of the President, the Director of National Intelligence, and a federal appeals court.

Next, Oliver discusses the upcoming presidential election for FIFA. President Sepp Blatter, a maligned figure in world sport, stands for re-election. Blatter is responsible for handing out the 2018 World Cup to Russia, the 2022 World Cup to Qatar,...

Perhaps Hawaii Five-0‘s unseen therapist should just wave the white flag and let Steve and Danny agree to disagree?

Related2015 Renewal Scorecard: What’s Coming Back? What’s Cancelled?

In the above sneak peek from tonight’s episode (CBS, 9/8c), Five-0’s top cops are subject to another round of therapy, just as they were in the Season 5 premiere. This time around, the topics at hand include someone’s “control” issues and the other’s tendency to be “overly sensitive.”

And on the heels of Danny paying his partner a compliment (of sorts?), there’s the matter of Steve response in a bothersome,...

Eddie Murphy was a miracle. Today, there is an industry around the show that is designed to be a sort of star-making assembly line, and I think many of the people who have used the show as a springboard to other things deserve that success completely. But when Eddie Murphy made his debut on the show in 1980, "Saturday Night Live" wasn't even guaranteed a spot on TV for much longer. After all, the original cast was gone by that point. The new cast, including Denny Dillon, Gilbert Gottfried, Charles Rocket, Ann Risley, and Joe Piscopo, seemed like a poor replacement for the likes of Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Gilda Radner, and Bill Murray. I was a ten year old nascent comedy nerd, and for me, it was mystifying to see something that had been the absolute center of the comedy universe suddenly drop completely out of relevance. Everything about that...

Chicago – One of the specialities of HollywoodChicago.com is the film and personality interview. The majority of these chats came through me, Patrick McDonald, and I couldn’t narrow it down to a top 10 or even a top 20. For 2014, there were 25 top interviews, and it is a diverse range of voices.

It is a privilege to get the opportunity to participate in the promotional tours, awards ceremonies, film festivals, book appearances, phoners and other lucky happenstances that feature the notable among us. To whittle down the list, I mostly thought about what was said in these interviews, whether inspirational or provocative – plus the status of the participants, whether they are up-and-coming or established.

The interview highlights are broken down by “Background and Behind-the-Scenes” and the “Memorable Quote” associated with each subject, and are often accompanied with exclusive photography by Joe Arce of HollywoodChicago.com. Four notables who just missed the...

Clips of It’s A Wonderful Life appear in all sorts of TV shows and films, some predictable Christmas fare and some you might not expect…

Thanks to NBC’s long-standing tradition of airing Frank Capra’s 1946 festive fantasy drama every 24th of December, It’s A Wonderful Life has become a Stateside Christmas institution. The film’s story of a small town family man facing financial ruin being coaxed back from suicide by an angel who shows him how important he is to the world is now as festive as overspending and overeating.

Its ubiquity means that It’s A Wonderful Life is one of the first ports of call when shows and movies want to inject a festive feel into their fictional worlds, hence it having been subject to more on-screen references, quotes, parodies and homages than you can shake a jingle bell at. The Muppets, The Simpsons,...

Chicago – December 9th is the 2014 second season premiere of “Ground Floor,” the TBS workplace comedy featuring John C. McGinley (“Scrubs”), plus Skylar Astin and Briga Heelan (seen in the film “Pitch Perfect”). Chicago native Cindy Caponera is a writer and co-executive producer on the show.

In a variation on the “Slobs versus the Snobs” scenario, “Ground Floor” is set in a financial company that features a romance between an occupant of the upper floors – where the master-of-the-universe financial consultants hold court – and a worker on the “ground floor,” where the operations and maintenance crew resides. A big part of the hilarity is provided by John C. McGinley, playing a mentor character as in “Scrubs,” but in a softer and gently funny way. The chemistry between the featured couple, portrayed by Astin and Heelan, provides the conflict between the two parts of the company.

The Second Season of ‘Ground Floor’ Premieres December 9th,...

Norm MacDonald has always been a huge fan of Robin Williams. The comedian shared a super sweet story about his first encounter with the "Hook" star when MacDonald was just getting started in the industry. "Hook" Star Dante Basco Pens Heartfelt Letter in Memory of Robin Williams.Norm and Robin were both slated to appear on the "Late Show with David Letterman," back when Robin was already a household-name and the "Saturday Night Live" alum was still doing stand-up.Fans Remember Robin Williams At Iconic Film & TV Sets. See the "Billy Madison" star's endearing story about the comedic legend below: I was a punk kid from rural Ontario and I was in my dressing room, terrified. #RIPRobinWilliams — Norm Macdonald (@normmacdonald) August 12, 2014 Click here to see more Hollywood reactions to the "Mrs. Doubtfire" star's tragic passing. Read more...

If this weekend’s number one movie Dawn of the Planet of the Apes — the second entry in the rebooted Apes franchise — has a spiritual sibling in the original series of films, it is 1972′s Conquest of the Planet of the Apes. While Conquest was the fourth movie in the franchise to arrive in cinemas it is, like Dawn, the second according to the interior timeline of its series and, again like director Matt Reeves’ new film, features an apocalyptic showdown between apes and humans. Thus, it seems appropriate that this weekend Dawn of the Planet of the Apes comprehensively...

Norm Macdonald is tilting at windmills, rolling a stone up a hill, trying to get a late-night television talk show. Since it was announced that Craig Ferguson was leaving the Late Late Show, the devilishly sharp comedian — a legendary talk show guest and, frankly, the best-ever SNL Weekend Update anchor — has been lobbying hard for the hosting gig of CBS' post-Letterman, soon to be post-Colbert, late night show. The 50-year-old Macdonald, infamously fired from SNL by NBC executive Don Ohlmeyer in 1998, has made his case on Conan, marshaled the support...

Earlier this month, Vulture had Norm Macdonald interview David Spade, and in that conversation, Macdonald learned that Craig Ferguson would be stepping down from The Late Late Show. It was the beginning of his eventual social media campaign to try to get the job. Last night on Conan, Macdonald tried to show off just how great he'd be at it by hosting an entire late-night show in one minute. It's hard to say if this will help his chances, unless CBS decides to switch The Late Late Show to a one-minute format. If that's the case, it's all Norm's.

Oj Simpson may Not be the biggest villain in sports history ... so says Norm Macdonald who tells TMZ Sports Aaron Hernandez has him beat -- but there's one guy who stands high above them Both. Macdonald was at Lax when we told him that Hernandez was indicted for two murders  for this morning -- to which Norm replied, "Good Lord, that's just murdering for murder's sake at this point." Dude's hilarious (as usual) but you...

In a new feature at Vulture, David Spade interviewed his old friend Norm MacDonald, and they bandied urgent issues like the demise of "Joe Dirt 2." (This actually upset me.) They also discussed Craig Ferguson's departure from "The Late Late Show" and how they both, at one point, turned down major talk show hosting gigs. Then Spade asked the hard question: Would you consider hosting The Late Late Show, the one that Craig Ferguson just stepped down from? That’s a good question. I don’t know. I think a talk show is tough. I don’t know if I could get it as a white, male host. I think I’m just too much of the same shit, you know? Chelsea [Handler] has a better chance. No, I think you have the quickest wit I’ve ever met, so I think you’d be just fine. Just as fine as Letterman.

Sheldon Cooper is one of the most interesting and hilariously dysfunctional characters on television today. While he has an above genius Iq level, he can be immensely stupid. His greatest flaw, although he would say otherwise, is hubris, and that flaw causes him to continuously put himself in situations that are difficult or at times life-threatening. His need to constantly be the smartest person in the room is always his undoing, and we meet someone who finally forces him to live with the consequences of his actions.

Our quartet of scientists are attending a department function to welcome the new head of the Physics department, Dr. Eric Gablehauser (Mark Harelik - Jurassic Park III), and before it even begins, Sheldon is complaining to Leonard how much he hates these events. Furthermore, he reveals how little regard he has for Gablehauser, who has written several books on the subject of physics...

Comedy Central’s Drunk History is so hilarious if you’re in the right mood, and probably even if you aren’t. So, what’d we learn from “Nashville”? (Nsfw language and somewhat blurry hand gestures ahead.)

Key ‘Drunk History’ Lessons for the week of August 20, 2013

–When Dolly Parton (Casey Wilson) went to New York to tell the RCA executives she was leaving The Porter Wagoner Show, her exact words were “I’m gonna be in f*cking movies. “Are you in or are you out? Back me or back the f*ck off.” And they were like yeah, sure.

Norm MacDonald, best known for his time on Saturday Night Live (when, among other pursuits, he introduced the world to Turd Ferguson), has begun to disseminate his podcast on YouTube. The comedian's Norm MacDonald Live show has joined forces with the Video Podcast Network, which will offer live video for each episode. The first installment features Bob Einstein as the guest. Though Norm (and the video's title) introduce him as Super Dave Osborne, he'll always be Marty Funkhouser and Larry Mittleman to me. No matter how you associate the comic actor (who is also Albert Brooks' brother), it's easy to appreciate his unique, gravelly voice and original jokes. Norm MacDonald Live joins podcasts like Adam Carolla and Big 3 Live on Video Podcast Network, which also continues to host the Animashups web series

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Continuing our ongoing Archer series, executive producer Matt Thompson gives Vulture the lowdown on each episode's inside jokes and obscure references. In last night's installment, "The Honeymooners," Archer and Lana pose as newlyweds to stop a sale of enriched uranium. Here, Thompson tells us about seeing Malory's nemesis Trudy for the first time!Trudy. In the Flesh.We were very conscious that we didn’t want to show her face. It’s like Norm from Cheers always talking about his wife. You hear all these horrible things about her but you never see her. That’s how Trudy is designed. But, in this scene, we wanted you to feel that Malory was really pissed off, and you just had to hear from Trudy. You had to hear her voice and feel Malory being angry about it. But we still decided to frame it so you couldn’t see Trudy’s face.