Wednesday QUICKIES
EDITOR'S NOTE: JUST LIKE WITH LIFE, THAT HEADING SOUNDS BETTER THAN....WELLLLLL.....NEVER MIND.....
A FEW QUICK DWEEB ITEMS, BEFORE I GET CAUGHT BLOGGING ON THE JOB. (THEY SUPPORT DWEEBING,.....WHETHER THEY KNOW IT OR NOT).
FIRST UP, SAD DAY IN MUDVILLE ---
CPB takes a budget beating in House
By Brooks Boliek
WASHINGTON --
The House Appropriations Committee voted Tuesday to slash funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and refused to fund the service for 2009.
The committee, which is responsible for writing the nation's spending bills, allocated $400 million to CPB for 2007. In addition, the committee decided against acting on funding CPB in 2009, eliminated the funding for the Ready to Learn grants and refused to fund the service's conversion to digital TV.
In all, public broadcasting's budget was reduced by 17.4%, the CPB said.
CPB is funded two years in advance in an attempt to blunt political influence.EDITOR'S NOTE: UMMM...YEAH....HOW'S THAT WORKIN OUT, THEN? In addition to complaints by conservatives that public broadcasting is too liberal, Republicans also have chafed at the advance-funding mechanism, claiming that it removes needed flexibility.
Said CPB president and CEO Patricia Harrison, "Anything less than full funding will not only present public broadcasting with an unfunded federal mandate to convert to digital broadcasting, it will also undermine its ability to both offer essential educational services and provide a backbone for a national emergency alert system."
The committee's vote sets up another round of fighting over public broadcasting, which has weathered controversy over alleged conservative efforts to unduly influence the service and the perception of a liberal bias.
John Lawson, president and CEO of the Association of Public Television Stations, called the committee action shortsighted.
"Many of these members decry indecency on television but voted today to eliminate funding for noncommercial, educational programming for kids," Lawson said. "They call for improving education and teacher quality but zero out funding that uses technology to bring professional development to teachers. ... This action seems to be a willful disregard for what public broadcasting means to America." EDITOR'S NOTE: YA THINK?!
The fight over funding now goes to the House floor and then onto the Senate, which is traditionally more amenable to CPB funding.
EDITORS' NOTE: AND WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT STUPIDITY
Mother appeals decision to keep HP in schools
A few months ago, mother-of-four Laura Mallory filed several complaints against all six Harry Potter books, saying they included "evil themes, witchcraft, demonic activity, murder, evil blood sacrifice, spells and teaching children all of this." EDITOR'S NOTE: AND HER LIPS GOT SOOOOO TIRED WHEN SHE TRIED TO READ THEM, TOO!
Even though she hasn't read any of the books because they're "too long,"EDITOR'S NOTE: AND I REST MY CASE! she noted that it would be difficult for children to distinguish between the fantastical events in the books and real life, EDITOR'S NOTE: NO, IT IS ONLY DIFFICULT FOR HER TO DISTINGUISE BETWEEN THE TWO; I'M SURE THE KIDDOS WOULD BE JUST FIIIIINNNNNE. and attempted to have them removed from school libraries in Gwinnett County.
Although this is true to an extent, the dark side of the books are portrayed in a bad light; no one thinks Voldemort's the hero.
More importantly, Harry Potter teaches kids (and adults alike) how good can overcome evil.
On April 20th, scores of educators, parents and students showed their support for the books in a public hearing, and both the local school and system media committees concurred. In fact, the support for the books remaining in school libraries was so strong that hearing officer Su Ellen Bray offered ten reasons why they shouldn't be removed and on May 11th, the Gwinnett Board of Education voted that the novels should stay.
Mallory appealed this decision on Friday, and the legal services division of the Georgia Department of Education will now determine the next step in this debate. EDITOR'S NOTE: SINCE THIS IS HAPPENING IN GEORGIA, IT MIGHT BE DIFFICULT FOR THE DEPT. OF EDUCATION TO FIND A 'MINYAN' OF BOARD MEMBERS WHO CAN READ, BUT HERE'S HOPING THEY COME DOWN ON THE SANE SIDE OF THIS.
AND NOW, MORE THESPINGMERGINGWITHDWEEBING ---
Zeta Jones in Marshall's Gypsy?
“Chicago” duo Rob Marshall – he being the director – and Catherine Zeta Jones - she being the foxy lass with the lungs – look set to reunite on a film version of “Gyspy”, according to Liz Smith.
The columnist says “…the Weinstein Company is close on the heels of director Rob Marshall for a movie version of the show about the evolution of that famous stripper - Gypsy Rose Lee - and her infamous stage mother, Rose. This incredible "best damn show I've seen in years!" (courtesy of New York Times critic Walter Kerr) opened to acclaim in 1959 with Broadway's hit-making powerhouse, Ethel Merman, in the role of Mama Rose. The Arthur Laurents "book" with Jule Styne music and Sondheim's lyrics has been revived over and over, usually successfully, with such as Angela Lansbury and Tyne Daly playing the part. Hollywood made a botch of it back in 1962 when they put the sleek Rosalind Russell in the role. (The only saving grace of this version was the delicious Natalie Wood as Gypsy.)”.
They did a film based on Gypsy a few years back, called simply “Gypsy”, which starred Bette Midler as Mama Rose, and Cynthia Gibb (god, whatever happened to her?) as the stripper, herself. EDITOR'S NOTE: ACTUALLY, IT WAS A TV MOVIE, AND I SEEM TO RECALL IT BEING PRETTY GOOD. AND IF THE PROBLEM WITH ROSALIND RUSSELL WAS HER SLEEKNESS, WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT THE CASTING OF ZETA-JONES? (SHE MIGHT BE GOOD IN THE ROLE, BUT SHE SURE AIN'T A PAST-HER-PRIMER, HUH?
ON THE OTHER HAND, ANYTIME SOMETHING FROM BROADWAY (AND SOMETHING CLASSIC AND GOOD FROM BROADWAY) GETS MERGED WITH SOMETHING TO DO WITH ROB MARSHALL, AND THEN THAT SOMETHING BECOMES A MAINSTREAM MOVIE, ALL IS GOOD.
AND IN ANOTHER QUESTION-ABOUT-THE-CASTING MOMENT......
Daredevil gets a Magnum?
Ben Affleck as Magnum P.I?
Talking to UGO.com, via FilmForce, Charles Floyd Johnson, one of the producers of the original TV series, waxed lyrical on the forthcoming film version of the 80s hit.
We’ve heard the George Clooney rumours, now Johnson says Ben Affleck – wasn’t he linked to the “Hawaii Five-O” movie, at one point? – is another name that he’s heard banded about for the role of the Ferrari-driving hotshot.
One interesting thing, apparently Tom Selleck might only have him self to blame for losing the role in the film version. Sucks, would’ve loved to have seen Selleck – old or not – back in the role. EDITOR'S NOTE: I AGREE. REPUBLICAN THOUGH HE IS, SELLECK IS WONDERFULLY CHARISMATIC. AND MORE AND MORE SO AS HE AGES. THE VOTE IS STILL OUT ON WHETHER OR NOT AFFLECK CAN EVEN ACT, BUT WHAT HE DEFINITELY DON'T HAVE (AND PROBABLY NEVER WILL) IS CHARISMA. HE IS WHITE BREAD AND PASTE ON THE SCREEN. IMHO...
Says Johnson, “I think there's a reality to it and I think it will be wonderful, but unfortunately it won't star Tom. He was asked to do six or eight TV movies and at that time he really wanted to do it as a feature, so he held out on it and probably now they will consider him too old to do it."
According to Johnson, it’ll be a “Brian Grazer movie”, so there’s always the possibility of Tom Hanks, too. EDITOR'S NOTE: STILL NOT QUITE RIGHT, BUT BETTER THAN AFFLECK.
EDITOR'S NOTE: AND NOW, TOYS AND BIZ STUFF (OH MY?) ----
Cartoon toys with Mattel
Cartoon Network's worldwide consumer products division has announced an exclusive, multiyear master toy licensing deal with Mattel Inc. that covers seven original Cartoon Network shows for 6- to 11-year-olds and also carries a first-look option on all newly created original series and programming.
Under the terms of the global deal, Mattel will have licensing rights to multiple toy and game categories for both the Cartoon Network brand and seven individual shows, including "Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends," "The Powerpuff Girls," "Camp Lazlo" and "The Life & Times of Juniper Lee." The agreement marks the first time Cartoon Network has licensed its brand name in the U.S.
Existing relationships that cover original series "Ben 10" and "Codename: Kids Next Door" will remain unaffected by the deal
All 'Simpsons' all the time
NEW YORK -- In the months before 20th Century Fox unspools its big-screen version of "The Simpsons" on July 27, 2007, parent company News Corp. plans to leverage all units of its entertainment empire to promote the film, allowing them to benefit from the halo effect of the popular content brand, president and chief operating officer Peter Chernin said Tuesday.
Speaking at the Deutsche Bank Media & Telecommunications Conference in Santa Monica session that was available via webcast, Chernin said News Corp. held a three-hour meeting last week with about 40 executives from across the company, including its licensing, home video, book, satellite TV and TV network operations from around the world, as well as the film's executive producer, James L. Brooks, to discuss broader strategies related to the film's release.
By looking for synergies within the company, Chernin told investors that News Corp. could win several hundred million dollars in incremental revenue from the "Simpsons" film during the next couple of years. EDITOR'S NOTE: AND GREED IS SO VERY GOOD.
A FEW QUICK DWEEB ITEMS, BEFORE I GET CAUGHT BLOGGING ON THE JOB. (THEY SUPPORT DWEEBING,.....WHETHER THEY KNOW IT OR NOT).
FIRST UP, SAD DAY IN MUDVILLE ---
CPB takes a budget beating in House
By Brooks Boliek
WASHINGTON --
The House Appropriations Committee voted Tuesday to slash funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and refused to fund the service for 2009.
The committee, which is responsible for writing the nation's spending bills, allocated $400 million to CPB for 2007. In addition, the committee decided against acting on funding CPB in 2009, eliminated the funding for the Ready to Learn grants and refused to fund the service's conversion to digital TV.
In all, public broadcasting's budget was reduced by 17.4%, the CPB said.
CPB is funded two years in advance in an attempt to blunt political influence.EDITOR'S NOTE: UMMM...YEAH....HOW'S THAT WORKIN OUT, THEN? In addition to complaints by conservatives that public broadcasting is too liberal, Republicans also have chafed at the advance-funding mechanism, claiming that it removes needed flexibility.
Said CPB president and CEO Patricia Harrison, "Anything less than full funding will not only present public broadcasting with an unfunded federal mandate to convert to digital broadcasting, it will also undermine its ability to both offer essential educational services and provide a backbone for a national emergency alert system."
The committee's vote sets up another round of fighting over public broadcasting, which has weathered controversy over alleged conservative efforts to unduly influence the service and the perception of a liberal bias.
John Lawson, president and CEO of the Association of Public Television Stations, called the committee action shortsighted.
"Many of these members decry indecency on television but voted today to eliminate funding for noncommercial, educational programming for kids," Lawson said. "They call for improving education and teacher quality but zero out funding that uses technology to bring professional development to teachers. ... This action seems to be a willful disregard for what public broadcasting means to America." EDITOR'S NOTE: YA THINK?!
The fight over funding now goes to the House floor and then onto the Senate, which is traditionally more amenable to CPB funding.
EDITORS' NOTE: AND WHILE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT STUPIDITY
Mother appeals decision to keep HP in schools
A few months ago, mother-of-four Laura Mallory filed several complaints against all six Harry Potter books, saying they included "evil themes, witchcraft, demonic activity, murder, evil blood sacrifice, spells and teaching children all of this." EDITOR'S NOTE: AND HER LIPS GOT SOOOOO TIRED WHEN SHE TRIED TO READ THEM, TOO!
Even though she hasn't read any of the books because they're "too long,"EDITOR'S NOTE: AND I REST MY CASE! she noted that it would be difficult for children to distinguish between the fantastical events in the books and real life, EDITOR'S NOTE: NO, IT IS ONLY DIFFICULT FOR HER TO DISTINGUISE BETWEEN THE TWO; I'M SURE THE KIDDOS WOULD BE JUST FIIIIINNNNNE. and attempted to have them removed from school libraries in Gwinnett County.
Although this is true to an extent, the dark side of the books are portrayed in a bad light; no one thinks Voldemort's the hero.
More importantly, Harry Potter teaches kids (and adults alike) how good can overcome evil.
On April 20th, scores of educators, parents and students showed their support for the books in a public hearing, and both the local school and system media committees concurred. In fact, the support for the books remaining in school libraries was so strong that hearing officer Su Ellen Bray offered ten reasons why they shouldn't be removed and on May 11th, the Gwinnett Board of Education voted that the novels should stay.
Mallory appealed this decision on Friday, and the legal services division of the Georgia Department of Education will now determine the next step in this debate. EDITOR'S NOTE: SINCE THIS IS HAPPENING IN GEORGIA, IT MIGHT BE DIFFICULT FOR THE DEPT. OF EDUCATION TO FIND A 'MINYAN' OF BOARD MEMBERS WHO CAN READ, BUT HERE'S HOPING THEY COME DOWN ON THE SANE SIDE OF THIS.
AND NOW, MORE THESPINGMERGINGWITHDWEEBING ---
Zeta Jones in Marshall's Gypsy?
“Chicago” duo Rob Marshall – he being the director – and Catherine Zeta Jones - she being the foxy lass with the lungs – look set to reunite on a film version of “Gyspy”, according to Liz Smith.
The columnist says “…the Weinstein Company is close on the heels of director Rob Marshall for a movie version of the show about the evolution of that famous stripper - Gypsy Rose Lee - and her infamous stage mother, Rose. This incredible "best damn show I've seen in years!" (courtesy of New York Times critic Walter Kerr) opened to acclaim in 1959 with Broadway's hit-making powerhouse, Ethel Merman, in the role of Mama Rose. The Arthur Laurents "book" with Jule Styne music and Sondheim's lyrics has been revived over and over, usually successfully, with such as Angela Lansbury and Tyne Daly playing the part. Hollywood made a botch of it back in 1962 when they put the sleek Rosalind Russell in the role. (The only saving grace of this version was the delicious Natalie Wood as Gypsy.)”.
They did a film based on Gypsy a few years back, called simply “Gypsy”, which starred Bette Midler as Mama Rose, and Cynthia Gibb (god, whatever happened to her?) as the stripper, herself. EDITOR'S NOTE: ACTUALLY, IT WAS A TV MOVIE, AND I SEEM TO RECALL IT BEING PRETTY GOOD. AND IF THE PROBLEM WITH ROSALIND RUSSELL WAS HER SLEEKNESS, WHAT DOES THAT SAY ABOUT THE CASTING OF ZETA-JONES? (SHE MIGHT BE GOOD IN THE ROLE, BUT SHE SURE AIN'T A PAST-HER-PRIMER, HUH?
ON THE OTHER HAND, ANYTIME SOMETHING FROM BROADWAY (AND SOMETHING CLASSIC AND GOOD FROM BROADWAY) GETS MERGED WITH SOMETHING TO DO WITH ROB MARSHALL, AND THEN THAT SOMETHING BECOMES A MAINSTREAM MOVIE, ALL IS GOOD.
AND IN ANOTHER QUESTION-ABOUT-THE-CASTING MOMENT......
Daredevil gets a Magnum?
Ben Affleck as Magnum P.I?
Talking to UGO.com, via FilmForce, Charles Floyd Johnson, one of the producers of the original TV series, waxed lyrical on the forthcoming film version of the 80s hit.
We’ve heard the George Clooney rumours, now Johnson says Ben Affleck – wasn’t he linked to the “Hawaii Five-O” movie, at one point? – is another name that he’s heard banded about for the role of the Ferrari-driving hotshot.
One interesting thing, apparently Tom Selleck might only have him self to blame for losing the role in the film version. Sucks, would’ve loved to have seen Selleck – old or not – back in the role. EDITOR'S NOTE: I AGREE. REPUBLICAN THOUGH HE IS, SELLECK IS WONDERFULLY CHARISMATIC. AND MORE AND MORE SO AS HE AGES. THE VOTE IS STILL OUT ON WHETHER OR NOT AFFLECK CAN EVEN ACT, BUT WHAT HE DEFINITELY DON'T HAVE (AND PROBABLY NEVER WILL) IS CHARISMA. HE IS WHITE BREAD AND PASTE ON THE SCREEN. IMHO...
Says Johnson, “I think there's a reality to it and I think it will be wonderful, but unfortunately it won't star Tom. He was asked to do six or eight TV movies and at that time he really wanted to do it as a feature, so he held out on it and probably now they will consider him too old to do it."
According to Johnson, it’ll be a “Brian Grazer movie”, so there’s always the possibility of Tom Hanks, too. EDITOR'S NOTE: STILL NOT QUITE RIGHT, BUT BETTER THAN AFFLECK.
EDITOR'S NOTE: AND NOW, TOYS AND BIZ STUFF (OH MY?) ----
Cartoon toys with Mattel
Cartoon Network's worldwide consumer products division has announced an exclusive, multiyear master toy licensing deal with Mattel Inc. that covers seven original Cartoon Network shows for 6- to 11-year-olds and also carries a first-look option on all newly created original series and programming.
Under the terms of the global deal, Mattel will have licensing rights to multiple toy and game categories for both the Cartoon Network brand and seven individual shows, including "Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends," "The Powerpuff Girls," "Camp Lazlo" and "The Life & Times of Juniper Lee." The agreement marks the first time Cartoon Network has licensed its brand name in the U.S.
Existing relationships that cover original series "Ben 10" and "Codename: Kids Next Door" will remain unaffected by the deal
All 'Simpsons' all the time
NEW YORK -- In the months before 20th Century Fox unspools its big-screen version of "The Simpsons" on July 27, 2007, parent company News Corp. plans to leverage all units of its entertainment empire to promote the film, allowing them to benefit from the halo effect of the popular content brand, president and chief operating officer Peter Chernin said Tuesday.
Speaking at the Deutsche Bank Media & Telecommunications Conference in Santa Monica session that was available via webcast, Chernin said News Corp. held a three-hour meeting last week with about 40 executives from across the company, including its licensing, home video, book, satellite TV and TV network operations from around the world, as well as the film's executive producer, James L. Brooks, to discuss broader strategies related to the film's release.
By looking for synergies within the company, Chernin told investors that News Corp. could win several hundred million dollars in incremental revenue from the "Simpsons" film during the next couple of years. EDITOR'S NOTE: AND GREED IS SO VERY GOOD.
posted by QOTD (the Queen of the Dweebs) at 1:40 PM
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