Erspamer firing latest trouble at OWN

The dismissal of longtime The famous host oprah Winfrey confidant and OWN professional Vice president Lisa Erspamer means the cabler still has not found its mojo and corporate owner Discovery may be losing persistence. Erspamer, who was simply by Winfrey's side for 18 years but didn't have network experience, was fired because OWN has fell greatly lacking anticipation if this was released last year. Although thought fans of "The The famous host oprah Winfrey Show" would instantly follow her brand to possess, that merely has not been the situation. In May 2011, the professional shuffle started when Boss Christina Norman was release and changed by Peter Liguori. Erspamer's niche was together with her associations with celebs, nurtured while she was on "The famous host oprah." She showed up a complete year prior to the network debut and was instrumental to get reality skeins "The Judds" and "Why Don't You? With Shania Twain" around the air. Yet, associated with pension transfer series on OWN, the two unsuccessful to ignite. Parent company Discovery has ponied up $300 million to date, with little return on its investment, and also the Maryland-based conglom might be making personnel choices with increased authority than in the past. Changing Erspamer with an interim basis is Discovery vet Rita Mullin, who's senior Vice president of content technique for Discovery Fit & Health insurance and continues for the reason that role. She also performed most in a number of TLC hits, including "Jon and Kate Plus 8," and there is hope that they can steady the ship at OWN prior to the internet finds a lasting alternative. Presently within the company like a consultant is former network chief Suzanne Daniels, who went the WB and Lifetime. It's unclear whether Daniels would want to consider dealing with greater duties at OWN. Winfrey, who assigned a lot of the duty if this found starting OWN, is becoming more hands-on in recent several weeks and it is dealing with presidents Erik Logan and Sheri Salata to locate a winning mixture of programs. Among the couple of vibrant spots continues to be "Oprah's Next Chapter," that is off and away to a proper begin with a typical 924,000 audiences tuning in every week. And there is also docuseries "Thanks for visiting Sweetie Pie's," concerning the goings-on in a St. Louis restaurant. Missing the objective, however, may be the much greater profile "The Rosie Show," with Rosie O'Donnell. The talkshow is calculating only 200,000 per episode. The 2009 week "Rachael Ray" vet Shane Farley was hired to exchange Page Hurwitz as professional producer. Contact Stuart Levine at stuart.levine@variety.com

Nikki Reed Feels The Snap

She'll co-star within the dubstep dramaThough Nikki Reed is generally located on the edges from the Twilight franchise (she's Rosalie Cullen within the films), she's departing the sparkly vampire existence behind to co-star with Mike Hoffman in Snap, a brand new mental thriller occur the field of subterranean Dubstep.Hoffman, last observed in Barney's Version, will have an excellent yet introverted music performer who expresses themself through his musical arrangements. His existence appears to become opening just a little as he evolves a crush on the social worker (Reed). But his devils rise again when their brief romance peters out, and also the answers are both shocking and tragic. So that one most likely will not finish having a large song-and-dance number along with a hug, then?Victor Teran has written the script and can co-direct the film with Cima Productions partner Youssef Delara. The happy couple just labored together lately, with Delara writing and co-pointing and Teran creating stylish hop drama Filly Brown, which took its premiere in the Sundance Film Festival. Their plan's to begin shooting Snap at the end of March and also have it ready over time to go in next year's fest.

Around the Set Farewell to Chuck Part 2: Sarah versus. the Faulty Intersect

Chuck, Yvonne Strahovski Can Chuck and Sarah recapture that loving feeling? "The show's a romance," Chuck co-creator Chris Fedak told reporters in a set visit in December. "I believe that is what we discovered very in early stages within the show, the moment we put Zach [Levi] and Yvonne [Strahovski] together, the show grew to become about the subject. I believe the Chuck and Sarah story is in the centre from the show." Farewell to Chuck, Part 1: A Jeffster! swan song Within the two-hour series finale Friday (8/7c, NBC), however, Sarah (Strahovski) intends to interrupt that heart after disastrous occasions within the last episode. So that they can save Chuck's (Levi) existence, she'd downloaded the faulty Intersect, which quickly triggered her reminiscences to deteriorate. "Before we are capable of getting it of her mind, the harm is performed,Inch Levi described. "She's kidnapped by Quinn and type of reprogrammed." Her new orders? Kill Chuck Bartowski. "I do not think the show is all about simply getting the Intersect," Fedak stated. "But that computer is one thing which has certainly haunted Chuck for a long time now as well as haunted his father, who produced it. So somewhat, it is the ghost that continues appearing in the wrong occasions." Chuck's friend Morgan (Joshua Gomez) was the first one to download the tainted computer into his brain, although accidentally. Audiences weren't pleased to begin to see the formerly adorable character become an inconsiderate jerk who frosted his hair and didn't remember his geek past. It had been a relief for Gomez and fans alike once the Intersect was removed, however it's obvious that plot was lounging the footwork for Chuck and Sarah's current dilemma. "It's almost a totally reset of sorts, in which the 'Will they? Will not they?' dynamic type of returns into play, especially in the other half from the finale," stated Levi. "You discover our heroes similar to you found them at first from the show. That creates a considerable amount of emotion along with a considerable amount of fight and yearning... There's a lot of homage towards the pilot, towards the roots of those figures as well as their journey together." The Chuck and Sarah romance may be the vehicle through which Chuck moved between his everyday world and espionage world. His interaction with Sarah came him in to the CIA even much deeper than mere duty might have, and after their marriage, he drawn her back to everyday existence. Their plans for future years -- before her memory was easily wiped -- incorporated an regular family and residential with no more spy work. Within the finale, Chuck seeks the aid of his buddies, family and unpredicted allies to prevent Nicholas Quinn (guest star Angus MacFadyen) from wrecking what's been built in the last 5 years. Strahovski offered some expect the 'shippers. "I must state that within the last episode, what's happening between Chuck and Sarah will weigh heavy on individuals hearts," she stated. "It is so hard. There is a definite component of sadness that we must undergo to get at the ultimate moment. It is a nice note." Lending a hands are Chuck's sister Betty (Sarah Lancaster) and her husband Devon "Captain Awesome" Woodcomb (Ryan McPartlin). "It has been a satisfying finish from the series so far as having the ability to use Betty and Awesome and every one of the figures who at this time that know of the spy existence," McPartlin told TVGuide.com inside a separate interview. "But Betty and Awesome in addition have a job chance that they're going to not need to pass through up. We must determine notebook computer for all of us, notebook computer for Chuck and notebook computer for everyone. You will find some melancholy parts about this all. You will find some large choices to create.Inch From Chuck to Nikita: TV's most sexy crime martial artists Levi did not address gossips that the primary character would die, however the finish from the series will need figures to part in some manner. "Well, it isn't forever. It's really not really that final on the planet of Chuck, whether it would continue," he stated. "Clearly Chuck and Morgan will be close friends the relaxation of the lives. Chuck and Betty continue to be brother and sister, and for that reason Awesome continues to be my buddy-in-law. We'd all still still see one another in some manner, shape, or form, but everyone around you that continues to be produced, and also the world by which all of us live and work has drastically transformed. Therefore we do say goodbyes, a minimum of for the moment." "Then you will you need to be left to type of imagine [what goes on next], I am sure, through fan fiction," added Gomez. Make sure to return Wednesday to look at Part 3 in our farewell to Chuck where the cast shares their most favorite reminiscences and shed a couple of tears. Chuck's two-hour series finale airs Friday at 8/7c on NBC. Are you going to miss Chuck? Do you consider Sarah will be fully cured?

'The Artist' tops PGA Honours

"The Artist" has won the Producers Guild of America top feature award.The Darryl F. Zanuck Producer of year trophy was handed to Thomas Langmann following occasions Saturday evening within the Beverly Hilton. "The Artist" -- occur the conclusion in the quiet film era and shot in black and white-colored with no dialogue -- assigned "Bridesmaids," "The Descendants," "The Woman while using Dragon Tattoo," "The Help,In . "Hugo," "The Ides of March," "Evening amount of time in Paris," "Moneyball," and "War Equine." Langmann credited "Artist" director Michel Hazanavicius for coming from the pic. "We understood i had been developing a love letter to American cinema," he mentioned within the acceptance speech.With Oscar nominations due to be introduced Tuesday, the PGA win for "The Artist" puts it to the front of honours season contention. 15 in the 22 PGA individuals who win look at win the Oscar to find the best picture and possess matched up up throughout the final four years with "The King's Speech," "The Hurt Locker," "Slumdog Uniform" and "No Country for Old Males." The PGA champion last diverged within the Oscar Best Picture for your 2006 award when "Little Miss Sunshine" won because the AMPAS chosen for "The Departed."The PGA win for "The Artist" came six days after it won the Golden Globe to find the best comedy-musical. It's also acquired noms for director Michel Hazanavicius for your Company company directors Guild of America top featue award as well as the cast for your Screen Stars Guild ensemble award.It's the third year in which the PGA, which has over 4,750 people, has selected 10 films as competitors, in carrying out a lead in the Academy to develop the region from five slots. Both orgs take advantage of the preferential voting system for best picture award.The Weinstein Co.'s "The Artist" is unquestionably the smallest domestic grosser at $8 million because the next smallest was Sony's "Ides of March" at $40 million each.The PGA made a decision within this summer time to remain with 10 nominees due to its top feature award rather than carrying out a modified voting techniques in the Academy of motion Picture Arts & Sciences, which modified its voting in June with a system which will result in between five and ten best picture nominees each year.The producers branch of AMPAS has 8Percent in the voting membership with 450 people from 5,783.Previously, about 80% of PGA nominations will also get an Oscar nom to find the best picture."The Adventures of Tintin" won the PGA's animated film award for Healing For Healing For Peter Jackson, Kathleen Kennedy and Steven Spielberg over "Cars 2," "Kung Fu Panda 2," "Puss in Boots" and "Rango.""Modern Family" won the Danny Thomas episodic comedy award for your second consecutive year. "The Astounding Race" needed the award for competition TV and PBS's "American Masters" won the non-fiction TV award.PBS's "Downton Abbey" needed the David L. Wolper award for longform TV. "Beats, Rhymes and Existence: the Travels from the Tribe Referred to as Mission" won the documentary feature award."Boardwalk Empire" won the Norman Felton award for TV drama, stopping "Mad Males" by using the kudo for your fourth year back to back.As Well As The Individuals who win ARE:Darryl F. Zanuck Producer of year Award in Theatrical Movies:"The Artist" - Producer: Thomas LangmannThe Norman Felton Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Drama:"Boardwalk Empire" (Cinemax) - Producers: Eugene Kelly, Howard Korder, Stephen Levinson, Martin Scorsese, Rudd Simmons, Tim Van Patten, Terence WinterThe Producers Guild of America Producer of year Award in Animated Theatrical Movies:"The Adventures of Tintin" - Producers: Healing For Healing For Peter Jackson, Kathleen Kennedy, Steven SpielbergThe David L. Wolper Producer of year Award in Extended-Form Television:"Downton Abbey" (Masterpiece) (PBS) - Producers: Julian Fellowes, Nigel Marchant, Gareth NeameThe Producers Guild of America Producer of year Award in Documentary Theatrical Movies:"Beats, Rhymes & Existence: The Travels From The Tribe Referred to as Mission" - Producers: Michael Rapaport, Edward Parks (*additional producers qualifications pending arbitration completion)The Danny Thomas Award for Outstanding Producer of Episodic Television, Comedy:"Modern Family" (ABC) - Producers: Paul Corrigan, Abraham Higginbotham, Steven Levitan, Christopher Lloyd, Rob Morton, Jeffrey Richman, Serta O'Shannon, Kaira Walsh, Bill Wrubel, Danny ZukerThe Award for Outstanding Producer of Live Entertainment & Talk Television: "The Colbert Report" (Comedy Central) - Producers: Meredith Bennett, Stephen T. Colbert, Richard Dahm, Tanya Michnevich Bracco, Tom Purcell, Jon Stewart (*additional producers qualifications pending arbitration completion)The Award for Outstanding Producer of Competition Television:"The Astounding Race" (CBS) - Producers: Jerry Bruckheimer, Elise Doganieri, Jonathan Littman, Bertram van Munster, Mark VertulloThe Award for Outstanding Producer of Non-Fiction Television:"American Masters" (PBS) - Producers: Susan Lacy, Julie SacksNews Programs:"an hourInch (CBS)Sports Programs: "30 for 30" (ESPN)Children's Programs:"Sesame Street" (PBS)Web Series:"30 Rock Presents Jack Donaghy, Executive SuperheroInch (NBC.com) Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com

The new sony Pictures Classics acquires 'Sugar Man'

'Searching for that Sugar Man' Browse the reviewSony Pictures Classics has acquired the privileges in The United States to Malik Bendjelloul's directorial debut "Trying to find Sugar Guy."The new sony Classics introduced the offer Friday at Sundance, following its premiere Thursday evening on the planet docu competition.The film is created by Simon Chinn of Red-colored Box Films and executive created by John Battsek of Passion Pictures in colaboration with Canfield Pictures and also the Documentary Company.Josh Braun and David Koh at Submarine Entertainment brokered the offer with The new sony Pictures Classics, with Protagonist Pictures handling Worldwide Sales.SPC noted it is the third film with Battsek following "Eventually in September" and "My Kid Could Fresh paint That."Story explores Rodriguez, a Detroit artist who disappeared into obscurity among gossips of the nasty on-stage suicide. But a bootleg recording found its distance to apartheid Nigeria and, within the next 2 decades, he grew to become a phenomenon. The film follows the storyline of two South African fans who set to discover what really happened for their hero. Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com

On The Set: Jeremy Sisto Reflects On Life In Suburgatory

Jeremy Sisto, Surbugatory Wrapped in a white robe and surrounded by clouds of rising steam, Jeremy Sisto keeps adjusting his underwear. He's filming a scene in the sauna of the Chatswin Country Club, where his Suburgatory character, George, so desperately wants to fit in, but the director isn't happy with how Sisto's boxers keep peeking out. "The steam room - where all the secrets happen," Sisto says with a laugh. It's no secret the ABC comedy is one of the fall's biggest breakouts, and his on-screen daughter, Jane Levy, is quick to credit Sisto for its success. "Jeremy just has this presence," she says. "He's a presence-sucking monster - and he's also pretty funny." Having tackled his share of dramatic roles in the past, the actor was ready for something lighter. "It's always a little scary because senses of humor vary so much," admits the 37-year-old. "But [I'm in] a unique position on this show because I get to ground it to a degree. So I try to play everything with a certain sense of reality." That reality isn't a far reach. Growing up in Chicago, Sisto had a taste of the suburban life. "There was a period in high school when, for some reason, I decided that suburbanites were my enemies or my rivals in a way," says Sisto. But it wasn't all bad. "The first girl I kissed was a suburbanite," he says. "I was nervous, but she was really cool and kind of hard core. It rocked my world!" At its heart, Suburgatory is about father-daughter relationships, an aspect that drew real-life father Sisto to the role. "Some of George's more prominent sides - be they positive or negative - come from a desire to really do well, in particular, by his daughter," says Sisto. "If I feel my child is being deprived of anything that could affect her progress as a person, then I become extremely neurotic and douse the situation with as much help as humanly possible." One experience he's looking forward to sharing with his own daughter is introducing her to his old roles, including his iconic character, Elton, in 1995's Clueless. "It's a rare chance to be able to see your parent as a young person," says Sisto. "She will probably make fun of me." Characters like Elton and George allow Sisto to explore a facet of acting he's eager to perfect: "So much comedy comes out of an earnest, deeply rooted need for one thing or another, trying to get it and caring so much that you lose your sense of self-awareness." Sisto pauses as he's called for another scene, throws his arms in the air and laughs. "I don't know where the f--- comedy comes from!" he exclaims, running back to set half-naked, bathrobe billowing in the wind. Suburgatory airs Wednesdays at 8:30/7:30c on ABC. Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!

Hugh Jackman on Broadway Translates Into Cold Cash

NY (AP) Hugh Jackman has left Broadway with a lot of broken hearts and records.The hunky Australian actor's one-man Broadway concert show closed on Sunday afternoon at the Broadhurst Theatre after having earned $2,057,354 in its final week, the highest weekly gross recorded by the Shubert Organization, which owns the Broadhurst and 16 other Broadway theaters.Over its 10-week run, Jackman earned a whopping $14,638,428, producers said. He now owns 10 of the 11 top grossing weeks at the Broadhurst.Jackman, best known for being the hairy Wolverine in "The X-Men" franchise, routinely sold out the 1,176-seat theater and usually posted weekly grosses of $1.5 million, often higher than rival musicals such as "Jersey Boys," ''Mama Mia!" ''How to Succeed in Business," ''Anything Goes" and "Follies."Only "Wicked" and "The Lion King," produced by other organizations, consistently outdid Jackman. But those shows also had much higher overhead costs.The previous record at the Broadhurst was held by the Al Pacino-led "The Merchant of Venice," which took in $1,175,750 earlier this year. Until now, the Shubert Organization's one-week biggest haul was "Billy Elliot," which earned $1,663,895 during an eight-show stretch last year.During the run, Jackman raised a record $1,789,580 for the charity Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. The run "not only confirms him as one of the most bankable stars in Broadway's history but also as a fundraiser," producer Robert Fox said.Backed by an 18-piece orchestra and six leggy dancers, a charming Jackman belted out about two dozen musical theater songs in "Hugh Jackman, Back on Broadway." It was his third time on the Great White Way, following "The Boy From Oz" in 2003 and the play "A Steady Rain" with Daniel Craig in 2009.The show featured his interpretations of songs ranging from the sexy R&B tune "Fever" to "Rock Island," from "The Music Man" to a medley of classic movie songs such as "Singin' in the Rain" and "Luck Be a Lady." The average ticket went for $160, with top premiums going for $350.Some of the highlights included the eight-minute "Soliloquy" from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical "Carousel," and a collection of songs from Jackman's Tony Award-winning turn in "The Boy From Oz" while wearing Peter Allen-inspired matching gold lame pants and jacket, and gold shoes.Jackman's other stage credits include Australian productions of "Sunset Boulevard" and "Beauty and the Beast." In London he starred as Curly in Trevor Nunn's staging of Rodgers & Hammerstein's "Oklahoma!" Next year, he plans to star in a version of the musical "Les Miserables."Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.