Tracy Morgan will star in a new Paramount+ comedy series that is set in the same world as the CBS show “The Neighborhood,” Variety has learned.
The half-hour multi-cam comedy is titled “Crutch.” Morgan stars in the series as Francois “Frank” Crutchfield, or Crutch to those who know him well. The character is described as “a Harlem widower whose empty-nest plans are put on hold after his millennial son and free-spirited daughter move back home.”
“The Neighborhood” star and executive producer Cedric the Entertainer will also executive produce “Crutch,” with CBS Studios producing. Production will begin later this year.
“I’m excited to be expanding our ‘The Neighborhood’ universe by producing a show with the legendary comedian Tracy Morgan,” said Cedric The Entertainer. “This new character is the close cousin to my character Calvin Butler, and you will enjoy some of their many similarities. Morgan plays Crutch, a ‘say-it-like-it-is’ widowed...
The half-hour multi-cam comedy is titled “Crutch.” Morgan stars in the series as Francois “Frank” Crutchfield, or Crutch to those who know him well. The character is described as “a Harlem widower whose empty-nest plans are put on hold after his millennial son and free-spirited daughter move back home.”
“The Neighborhood” star and executive producer Cedric the Entertainer will also executive produce “Crutch,” with CBS Studios producing. Production will begin later this year.
“I’m excited to be expanding our ‘The Neighborhood’ universe by producing a show with the legendary comedian Tracy Morgan,” said Cedric The Entertainer. “This new character is the close cousin to my character Calvin Butler, and you will enjoy some of their many similarities. Morgan plays Crutch, a ‘say-it-like-it-is’ widowed...
- 5/6/2024
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
2017-05-24T11:34:13-07:00Tracy Morgan Talks About Near-Fatal Accident in New Special
Tracy Morgan was ready to share his tragic experience with a massive audience.
The 48-year-old comedian launched a new Netflix special titled “Staying Alive” where he tackled the challenges of his June 2014 near-fatal accident with humor.
“I just decided I wanted to get it out of the way, so we can have a good time and laugh because this isn’t the only thing that has happened in my life,” explained the “30 Rock” star to Fox News.
Read the rest of this article at Page Six.
Tracy Morgan has also appeared in The Tracy Morgan Show and Scare Tactics.
Tracy Morgan was ready to share his tragic experience with a massive audience.
The 48-year-old comedian launched a new Netflix special titled “Staying Alive” where he tackled the challenges of his June 2014 near-fatal accident with humor.
“I just decided I wanted to get it out of the way, so we can have a good time and laugh because this isn’t the only thing that has happened in my life,” explained the “30 Rock” star to Fox News.
Read the rest of this article at Page Six.
Tracy Morgan has also appeared in The Tracy Morgan Show and Scare Tactics.
- 5/24/2017
- by EG
- Yidio
“Enlisted” showrunner Kevin Biegel has closed a two-year overall deal at ABC Television Studios. Under the terms, the former Fox sitcom creator and executive producer will serve as a consulting producer for “The Real O’Neals.” Previously, Biegel co-created the ABC hit comedy “Cougar Town” with Bill Lawrence. In addition, his past credits include NBC’s “Scrubs,” Fox’s “Grounded for Life” and NBC’s “The Tracy Morgan Show.” Also Read: 'Enlisted' Showrunner on Criticism of Military Portrayal: 'It's Horsesh-t' “Enlisted” was canceled by Fox during its first and only season. Biegel flirted with Yahoo Screen in an...
- 6/17/2015
- by Tony Maglio
- The Wrap
Comedian Tracy Morgan is in critical condition today following a six-vehicle auto crash that claimed the life of one and seriously injured three others. The accident occurred on a Mercer County stretch of the New Jersey Turnpike around 1:00 Am, when Morgan was returning from a comedy show in Delaware. According to police, his Mercedes-Benz limo bus overturned after it was rear-ended by a semi trailer.
Morgan was air-lifted to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Center in New Brunswick, where he remains in the intensive care unit. “His family is now with him and he is receiving excellent care,” says publicist Lewis Kay. ”We don’t anticipate much of a change in his condition today but will provide a further update once more information comes available.” Two other members of his entourage are also in critical condition.
Fellow passenger James McNair, a writer and friend of Morgan’s, was killed in the accident.
Morgan was air-lifted to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Center in New Brunswick, where he remains in the intensive care unit. “His family is now with him and he is receiving excellent care,” says publicist Lewis Kay. ”We don’t anticipate much of a change in his condition today but will provide a further update once more information comes available.” Two other members of his entourage are also in critical condition.
Fellow passenger James McNair, a writer and friend of Morgan’s, was killed in the accident.
- 6/7/2014
- by Ali Read
- TheFabLife - Movies
Update 3:00 Pm Est: Tracy's publicist released the following statement: "Tracy remains in critical condition at Robert Wood Johnson Hospital. He sustained these injuries in an accident that occurred early this morning as one of several passengers in a chauffeured SUV returning from a tour date in Delaware. His family is now with him and he is receiving excellent care. We don't anticipate much of a change in his condition today but will provide a further update once more information becomes available." ____ "30 Rock" star Tracy Morgan is currently in intensive care after being in a multi-vehicle accident early Saturday morning in New Jersey. According to AP, Morgan was on his way back to NY after performing standup at Dover Downs Hotel & Casino Friday night. His limousine bus, an SUV, two tractor trailers and two cars were involved in the accident that left one person from his limo bus dead, James McNair,...
- 6/7/2014
- by HitFix Staff
- Hitfix
Veteran comedy writer-producer Jim O’Doherty has signed with Paradigm. O’Doherty is the creator/executive producer of Disney Xd’s martial arts comedy Kickin’ It, which was just renewed for a third season. He also recently created/exec produced Nickelodeon’s musical comedy How To Rock based on Meg Haston’s book. O’Doherty’s series credits also include Fox’s Grounded For Life and NBC’s 3rd Rock From The Sun and The Tracy Morgan Show. He was previously with Wme.
- 11/5/2012
- by NELLIE ANDREEVA
- Deadline TV
Chicago – While some stand-up comics shield themselves with an ironic, larger-than-life persona, Kevin “Dot Com” Brown’s approach is more conversational. He mines the humor in his own life while developing a genial rapport with the audience. Some may still find him to be larger than life, but that would most likely be due to his formidable size.
After sharpening his acting chops on stage and screen, Brown got his big break when he was cast as “Dot Com,” the stage-trained actor in Tracy Morgan’s entourage on Tina Fey’s hit NBC sitcom, “30 Rock.” Shortly after Brown’s special appearance at April’s C2E2 convention, Hollywood Chicago spoke with him about his accidental entry into show business, his longtime friendship with Tracy Morgan and how his background as a bodyguard helped him land movie roles.
HollywoodChicago.com: When you were growing up in the Bronx, were there certain...
After sharpening his acting chops on stage and screen, Brown got his big break when he was cast as “Dot Com,” the stage-trained actor in Tracy Morgan’s entourage on Tina Fey’s hit NBC sitcom, “30 Rock.” Shortly after Brown’s special appearance at April’s C2E2 convention, Hollywood Chicago spoke with him about his accidental entry into show business, his longtime friendship with Tracy Morgan and how his background as a bodyguard helped him land movie roles.
HollywoodChicago.com: When you were growing up in the Bronx, were there certain...
- 5/25/2012
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Happy Thanksgiving Eve's Day (or, whatever you want to call it)! Today, we have news briefs about a bunch of classic sitcoms coming to Hulu, what you won't be seeing on Desperate Housewives (photo at right), a Mission: Impossible partnership, what to watch this weekend, and Facebook's new phone. Plus, a few notable premieres in TV history.
Hulu Plus
The TV video website has struck a deal with Carsey Werner TV Distribution to license 11 of their vintage sitcoms. They are The Cosby Show, 3rd Rock From the Sun, Grounded for Life, Men Behaving Badly, That '80s Show, The Tracy Morgan Show, Whoopi, Damon, Game Over, Davis Rules, and Normal, Ohio. The 580 episodes are available for viewing via Hulu's subscription service, Hulu Plus. Some of Carsey Werner's biggest titles -- Roseanne, That '70s Show, and Grace Under Fire -- weren't included in the deal.
Hulu Plus
The TV video website has struck a deal with Carsey Werner TV Distribution to license 11 of their vintage sitcoms. They are The Cosby Show, 3rd Rock From the Sun, Grounded for Life, Men Behaving Badly, That '80s Show, The Tracy Morgan Show, Whoopi, Damon, Game Over, Davis Rules, and Normal, Ohio. The 580 episodes are available for viewing via Hulu's subscription service, Hulu Plus. Some of Carsey Werner's biggest titles -- Roseanne, That '70s Show, and Grace Under Fire -- weren't included in the deal.
- 11/23/2011
- by TVSeriesFinale.com
- TVSeriesFinale.com
[1] Traditionally, Thanksgiving is a time to get everyone together and remember just how crazy and messed-up your family can be. But if you're a Hulu Plus subscriber, you can spend this holiday ignoring your wacky relatives and hanging out with someone else's instead. Sort of. The streaming service has just acquired the rights to 11 sitcoms from Casey Werner TV Distribution including The Cosby Show, should you want to see what a warm, loving family is supposed to look like, and 3rd Rock From the Sun, should you want reassurance that no matter how bizarre your clan gets, they could be worse. More details after the jump. The Casey Werner deal adds a total of 580 episodes to the Hulu Plus catalog, which already counts over 42,000 full-length episodes according to a blog entry [2] posted by Hulu's Svp of Content & Distribution Andy Forssell last month. In addition to The Cosby Show and 3rd Rock From the Sun,...
- 11/23/2011
- by Angie Han
- Slash Film
Georg Szalai
New York - Online video joint venture Hulu has added The Cosby Show, Whoopi, 3rd Rock from the Sun and eight other Carsey Werner classic sitcoms to its Hulu Plus subscription service. A spokeswoman for Hulu, in which Walt Disney, News Corp. and Comcast's NBCUniversal are partners with private equity firm Providence Equity Partners, declined to comment on the deal, which kicked in mid-month. The content deal covers 11 classic shows and 580 episodes, a source confirmed. The other series included are Grounded For Life, That 80’s Show, The Tracy Morgan Show, Damon, Men Behaving Badly, Game Over, Davis Rules
read more...
New York - Online video joint venture Hulu has added The Cosby Show, Whoopi, 3rd Rock from the Sun and eight other Carsey Werner classic sitcoms to its Hulu Plus subscription service. A spokeswoman for Hulu, in which Walt Disney, News Corp. and Comcast's NBCUniversal are partners with private equity firm Providence Equity Partners, declined to comment on the deal, which kicked in mid-month. The content deal covers 11 classic shows and 580 episodes, a source confirmed. The other series included are Grounded For Life, That 80’s Show, The Tracy Morgan Show, Damon, Men Behaving Badly, Game Over, Davis Rules
read more...
- 11/22/2011
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Hoping to fill up your Thanksgiving weekend with a marathon of "The Cosby Show" or "3rd Rock From the Sun"? If you're a Hulu Plus subscriber, you're in luck. Also read: Hulu Cuts Price for Hulu Plus; Monthly Subscription Now $7.99 The video streaming service has acquired licensing rights for 11 titles from Carsey Werner TV Distribution for Hulu Plus, including the above titles, plus "Grounded for Life" and "Men Behaving Badly," and the short-lived titles "That '80s Show," "The Tracy Morgan Show," "Normal, Ohio," "Whoopi," "Damon," "Game Over" and "Davis Rules." In...
- 11/22/2011
- by Tim Kenneally
- The Wrap
Hip hop legend Heavy D died Tuesday, November 8 in Los Angeles, according to MTV News. He was 44.
Heavy, who was born Dwight Arrington Myers, was mostly known for his role in the group Heavy D & the Boyz. The group recorded an array of hip hop dance hits like 1991's "Now That We Found Love" and 1994's "Nuttin' but Love." Heavy also composed the theme music to the sketch comedy series, "In Living Color."
Heavy D was transported to an L.A. hospital after a 911 call was placed from his Beverly Hills home. The call was made around 11:25 a.m. Pt to report an unconscious male, but when the ambulance arrived, Heavy was conscious and speaking. He was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead a few hours later at 1 p.m. Et. As of now, the cause of death is unknown.
Heavy was also a film and television actor,...
Heavy, who was born Dwight Arrington Myers, was mostly known for his role in the group Heavy D & the Boyz. The group recorded an array of hip hop dance hits like 1991's "Now That We Found Love" and 1994's "Nuttin' but Love." Heavy also composed the theme music to the sketch comedy series, "In Living Color."
Heavy D was transported to an L.A. hospital after a 911 call was placed from his Beverly Hills home. The call was made around 11:25 a.m. Pt to report an unconscious male, but when the ambulance arrived, Heavy was conscious and speaking. He was taken to the hospital and pronounced dead a few hours later at 1 p.m. Et. As of now, the cause of death is unknown.
Heavy was also a film and television actor,...
- 11/9/2011
- by Bryan Enk
- NextMovie
10 years ago, NBC programs ranked among the most watched on television. In 2001/2002, the peacock had launched successful new series such as Law & Order : Criminal Intent, Crossing Jordan and Scrubs, not knowing that in the following 4 years, they would produce only 5 successful new shows while countless failed, prefiguring the crisis they're into since 2007, a crisis they don't seem to be able to get out of.
In 2002/2003, American Dreams was the only new show that worked, all the other were cancelled : sitcoms In-Laws (15 episodes), Ausa (12 episodes, 4 unaired) and Hidden Hills (18 episodes, 5 unaired), and dramas Kingpin (6 episodes) and Minister Sterling (10 episodes). Both Boomtown and Good Morning Miami were renewed for a second season scheduled for 2003/2004 but halfway through it, they were both cancelled, they ended in December 2003.
During the 2003/2004 season, Las Vegas was the only successful new series, the others were axed : dramas Miss Match (18 episodes, 7 unaired) and The Lyon's Den (13 episodes,...
In 2002/2003, American Dreams was the only new show that worked, all the other were cancelled : sitcoms In-Laws (15 episodes), Ausa (12 episodes, 4 unaired) and Hidden Hills (18 episodes, 5 unaired), and dramas Kingpin (6 episodes) and Minister Sterling (10 episodes). Both Boomtown and Good Morning Miami were renewed for a second season scheduled for 2003/2004 but halfway through it, they were both cancelled, they ended in December 2003.
During the 2003/2004 season, Las Vegas was the only successful new series, the others were axed : dramas Miss Match (18 episodes, 7 unaired) and The Lyon's Den (13 episodes,...
- 9/21/2011
- by Bunky Bunk
- SpoilerTV
Universal Pictures is in negotiation to pick up a pitch for "Do Gooders" comedy from Alex Gregory and Peter Huyck, who will write the script. Judd Apatow will produce, but not direct. The plot details are being kept a secret. Although the comedic script is known to center on Hollywood actors who board charities with hopes to help those in need. Gregory and Huyck are comedy writers, who have worked on such shows as "King of the Hill" and "The Tracy Morgan Show," among others. The duo recently wrote and directed "A Good Old Fashioned Orgy," a comedy whose ensemble cast includes Jason Sudeikis, Will Forte, Lindsay Sloane and Lake Bell.
- 3/19/2011
- WorstPreviews.com
If you were famous, should you use that fame to get involved in public causes, and if so, how would you go about it? Nothing can change the public attitude towards a celebrity faster than seeing someone go overboard promoting a cause -- I don't think my dad will ever watch a Sean Penn movie again, for example, just because of the actor's activism. Naturally, this is a fitting topic for a comedy. Universal is making a deal to pick up a pitch from King of the Hill and The Tracy Morgan Show writers Alex Gregory and Peter Huyck (who also just wrote and directed [1] A Good Old Fashioned Orgy) about celebs with causes. Judd Apatow is set to produce. THR [2] says that Judd Apatow will not direct. The story isn't out in the open right now, but the trade says the film is " known to center on actors with...
- 3/19/2011
- by Russ Fischer
- Slash Film
Tamala Jones hates morgues. You'd think that fear would be problematic for her, because she plays sassy medical examiner Lanie Parish on Castle, but she does her homework by watching Dr. G: Medical Examiner instead! I learned this and a lot more about the charming actress.formerly of The Tracy Morgan Show, For Your Love, and Veronica's Closet.when I interviewed her last week. We talked about working with More >>...
- 10/22/2010
- by Stefanie Lee
- TV.com
Some lucky people are getting out of town for Memorial Day 2010. But some of us are staying at home. Luckily, all your favorite channels are doing mega marathons of all your favorite shows.
Zap2it is the one-stop shop for all your Memorial Day programming. From delightfully bad reality TV like "Real Housewives" and "Jersey Shore" to the quirky 1990s dramedy "Twin Peaks" to the serious TCM salute to war movies, there's something for everyone on TV this weekend. All times Eastern, but check your local listings for times and channel numbers.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
A&E (11 a.m. - 6 p.m.): Flip This House
Animal Planet (1 p.m. - 7 p.m.): River Monsters
BBC America (8 p.m. - 8 a.m.): Doctor Who
Bet (10 a.m. - 7 p.m.): Everybody Hates Chris
Biography (8 p.m. - 3 a.m.): Celebrity Ghost Stories
Bravo (9 p.m. - 2 a.
Zap2it is the one-stop shop for all your Memorial Day programming. From delightfully bad reality TV like "Real Housewives" and "Jersey Shore" to the quirky 1990s dramedy "Twin Peaks" to the serious TCM salute to war movies, there's something for everyone on TV this weekend. All times Eastern, but check your local listings for times and channel numbers.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
A&E (11 a.m. - 6 p.m.): Flip This House
Animal Planet (1 p.m. - 7 p.m.): River Monsters
BBC America (8 p.m. - 8 a.m.): Doctor Who
Bet (10 a.m. - 7 p.m.): Everybody Hates Chris
Biography (8 p.m. - 3 a.m.): Celebrity Ghost Stories
Bravo (9 p.m. - 2 a.
- 5/29/2010
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
Tracy Morgan may be approaching a cultural tipping point. The "30 Rock" star is no stranger to the public having been a mainstay on "Saturday Night Live" and his short-lived "The Tracy Morgan Show" over the past decade, but with his recent comedy "Cop Out" and this Friday's "Death at a Funeral," the 41-year-old comedian is truly becoming a household name. What is really driving Morgan's popularity, however, is his increasingly bizarre and laugh out loud hilarious appearances on numerous talk shows. From "The Late Show with David Letterman," where Letterman is so fascinated by Morgan he quizzed "Rock" co-star Tina...
- 4/14/2010
- by Gregory Ellwood
- Hitfix
As my Thursday afternoon time slot to interview Tracy Morgan came closer, I knew I was in for an interesting twenty minutes. As most people have seen and heard over the years, interviewing Tracy is an amusement park ride that even Busch Gardens couldn't conceive. He's blunt. His emotions rise and fall quicker than a roller coaster. And you never know what he's going to say.
When I got to talk to him, he had been interviewing all day in support of his surprisingly emotional and inspirational memoir I Am The New Black, and he was tired. But there was a lot of stuff I wanted to ask him about, only some of which involved his well-publicized smackdowns of SNL co-stars Cheri Oteri and Chris Kattan. There was also his criticism of David Israel and Jim O'Doherty, the creators of The Tracy Morgan Show, and just the general details about...
When I got to talk to him, he had been interviewing all day in support of his surprisingly emotional and inspirational memoir I Am The New Black, and he was tired. But there was a lot of stuff I wanted to ask him about, only some of which involved his well-publicized smackdowns of SNL co-stars Cheri Oteri and Chris Kattan. There was also his criticism of David Israel and Jim O'Doherty, the creators of The Tracy Morgan Show, and just the general details about...
- 10/26/2009
- by Joel Keller
- Aol TV.
If you wake up tomorrow and see a zombie reaching for you, you would have every right to freak out: it's too early for Halloween and you're not on the set of George Romero's new film. Take a deep breath, though. You might have been set up for the new season of Scare Tactics. Syfy's Candid Camera-style show with a scary twist returns Tuesday, October 6th at 9/8c and we have a preview clip for you. To watch it, click the Video tab above. Be warned, though: it might make you scream and it contains strong language.
Scare Tactics gives people the opportunity to set up their friends and loved ones in elaborately staged scary situations involving movie-style special effects and makeup. The horror hoaxes are intentionally designed to tap into the victim's deepest fears of paranormal and supernatural phenomena. The series is hosted by comedian and actor Tracy Morgan (Saturday Night Live,...
Scare Tactics gives people the opportunity to set up their friends and loved ones in elaborately staged scary situations involving movie-style special effects and makeup. The horror hoaxes are intentionally designed to tap into the victim's deepest fears of paranormal and supernatural phenomena. The series is hosted by comedian and actor Tracy Morgan (Saturday Night Live,...
- 9/29/2009
- CinemaSpy
Former Carsey-Werner senior vp and development chief Kathy Busby has joined New Line Cinema as senior vp production. During her six-year tenure at Carsey-Werner, Busby developed such television series as Whoopi, The Tracy Morgan Show, Game Over and Grounded for Life. She also wrote and directed the short film My Purple Fur Coat, which has screened in more than 10 film festivals and won a prize for best children's short at the Houston Black Film Festival. Busby recently wrapped her second short film, End of Discussion.
Former Carsey-Werner senior vp and development chief Kathy Busby has joined New Line Cinema as senior vp production. During her six-year tenure at Carsey-Werner, Busby developed such television series as Whoopi, The Tracy Morgan Show, Game Over and Grounded for Life. She also wrote and directed the short film My Purple Fur Coat, which has screened in more than 10 film festivals and won a prize for best children's short at the Houston Black Film Festival. Busby recently wrapped her second short film, End of Discussion.
Fox Broadcasting Co. has acquired a half-hour comedy script from veteran filmmaker Ivan Reitman. Reitman, whose credits include the theatricals Old School and Road Trip, is on board as executive producer of That Guy, which centers on a 35-year-old man who decides to embrace a "second puberty" and start living his life like a 21-year-old. Reitman pitched Guy with the script's writers, Josh Lobis (The Tracy Morgan Show) and Darin Moiselle (Special Unit 2). Guy, which drew interest from multiple broadcast networks, comes with a penalty attached. A studio deal has yet to be signed.
- 8/26/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Fox Broadcasting Co. has acquired a half-hour comedy script from veteran filmmaker Ivan Reitman. Reitman, whose credits include the theatricals Old School and Road Trip, is on board as executive producer of That Guy, which centers on a 35-year-old man who decides to embrace a "second puberty" and start living his life like a 21-year-old. Reitman pitched Guy with the script's writers, Josh Lobis (The Tracy Morgan Show) and Darin Moiselle (Special Unit 2). Guy, which drew interest from multiple broadcast networks, comes with a penalty attached. A studio deal has yet to be signed.
- 8/26/2005
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Montecito Picture Co. is ramping up its development slate by pre-emptively picking up two projects, one a spec script, the other a pitch. Spec Disturbia is written by Christopher Landon and is described as a teen thriller homage to Rear Window. Grand Theft Otto, picked up by Montecito as a pitch, is being written by Greg Schaffer and Steve Joe. Alec Berg and Jeff Schaffer, who made Eurotrip with Montecito, also are producing. Otto is a buddy action comedy that has child rapper-actor Bobb'e J. Thompson attached to star. Thompson appeared on The Tracy Morgan Show, which is where he first met Schaffer and Joe. Thompson also did voice work for Shark Tale and That's So Raven The company's Jackie Marcus brought in the projects and will produce along with Montecito principals Ivan Reitman, Tom Pollock and Joe Medjuck. The company has a first-look deal with DreamWorks. Landon co-wrote Another Day in Paradise with Melanie Griffith and James Woods. He also was a writer on Blood and Chocolate. Landon is repped by UTA and manager Kevin Donahue. Schaffer and Joe wrote features Victory and Loco for Warner Bros. and Reverend Pimp Daddy for Sony. Their television credits include Rodney and Veronica's Closet. Schaffer, Joe and Thompson are repped by UTA. Thompson is additionally repped by Lauren Lloyd.
The Simple Life took Fox to the top of the Tuesday primetime rankings in the adults 18-49 demographic. A solid showing from 8 p.m.'s Navy NCIS led CBS to the nightly win in total viewers, and UPN also had a good night with the 9 p.m. return of America's Next Top Model. Fox's hourlong Simple Life reunion special, a promo-friendly warm-up for tonight's half-hour Simple Life finale episode, brought in 11 million viewers and 5.5 rating/15 share in adults 18-49 in the 8-9 p.m. hour, according to preliminary estimates from Nielsen Media Research. That put a dent in the numbers for ABC's 8-9 p.m. sitcoms, 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter (10.6 million, 3.6/10) and I'm With Her (8.2 million, 3.2/8) as well as NBC's freshman offerings, The Tracy Morgan Show (7 million, 2.8/8) and Whoopi (8.5 million, 3.1/8). CBS won the hour in viewers and was No. 2 in 18-49 with Navy NCIS (14.1 million, 3.1/9).
- 1/15/2004
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
ABC had a solid performance from its Tuesday 8-10 p.m. comedy block but a big bounce at 10 p.m. for NBC's Law & Order: SVU gave the peacock the nightly win in the key demo. CBS took the night in total viewers with its regular drama lineup of Navy NCIS, The Guardian and Judging Amy, which were on par with season averages, according to preliminary estimates from Nielsen Media Research. 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter (11.7 million viewers, 4.0 rating/11 share in adults 18-49) opened the night for ABC with a comfortable lead against NBC's freshman Tracy Morgan Show (7.8 million, 3.2/9) and a repeat That '70s Show on Fox. ABC's I'm with Her held up well at 8:30 p.m. against NBC's Whoopi (9 million, 3.4/9), and ABC's According to Jim (11.4 million, 5.0/12) had a bigger lead at 9 p.m. over NBC's Frasier (10.9 million, 3.9/12) and Fox's "24" (9.4 million, 4.1/10).
Those fast-talking Gilmore Girls will keep at it for at least another season. The WB Network has given an early pickup to the Warner Bros. TV drama series for 2004-05, which will mark its fifth season on the air. Separately, NBC gave a vote of confidence to its midseason comedy The Tracy Morgan Show with a pickup of five additional episodes of the domestic sitcom from Carsey-Werner-Mandabach, NBC Studios and Broadway Video. Gilmore Girls, starring Lauren Graham and Alexis Bleidel as a mother and daughter whose relationship is more like that of best friends, has become a signature series for the WB, though it has suffered a ratings drop so far this season.
- 12/18/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Kathy Busby has been upped to senior vp and the newly created position of head of development at Carsey-Werner-Mandabach. She will continue to report to the indie production company's partners, Marcy Carsey, Tom Werner and Caryn Mandabach. During the past year, Busby, who joined CWM in 1999 as vp development, oversaw the development of the company's three new series, Whoopi and The Tracy Morgan Show for NBC and the upcoming CG-animated Game Over for UPN, as well as the Alan Cumming starrer Mr. and Mr. Nash, a fall 2004 pilot for ABC from producers Steve Martin and Joan Stein. "We have had a wonderful year, and Kathy has played a major part in making that happen," Carsey, Werner and Mandabach said in joint a statement. "She has our sensibilities and believes in combing the landscape for unique projects that are missing from television." Busby also was instrumental in the development of CWM's family comedy Grounded for Life, in its fourth season. Before joining CWM, Busby was director of comedy development at Studios USA TV.
- 12/16/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Sunday was a ho-hum night for the Big Four networks with the exception of CBS, which scored with a football overrun and Christmas-themed telefilm starring Tyne Daly and Jami Gertz. CBS won the night by a huge margin with an assist from a half-hour football overrun into primetime and a solid turnout for its 9-11 p.m. movie Undercover Christmas, which brought in 18 million viewers and 4.7 rating/12 share in the adults 18-49 demographic, according to preliminary estimates from Nielsen Media Research. NBC opened the night with a repeat of last year's Saturday Night Live (6.5 million, 2.4/6) holiday special, followed by a little-watched repeat of The Tracy Morgan Show (4.5 million, 2.0/5). The peacock's fortunes perked up a bit from 9-11 pm. with its airing of National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (9.2 million, 3.9/10).
- 12/9/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Paris Hilton gossip buzz saw of the past two weeks paid off for Fox on Tuesday with solid opening-night numbers for the heiress' TV debut in the comedy-reality vehicle The Simple Life, which drove the network to the nightly win in the adults 18-49 demographic. NBC's domestic comedy The Tracy Morgan Show got off to an OK start with back-to-back episodes in the 8-9 p.m. hour. The same was true for the 10 p.m. debut of ABC's midseason FBI drama Line of Fire, according to Nielsen Media Research. Fox popped at 8:30 p.m. with Simple Life (13 million viewers, 5.9 rating/16 share in adults 18-49). The show that sends Hilton and fellow rich kid Nicole Richie to work on an Arkansas farm for a month soared from its lead-in, a That '70s Show rerun (7.3 million, 3.2/9), and beat NBC's 10 p.m. anchor "Law & Order: SVU" (13.7 million, 5.1/14) for the highest demo score of the night. Simple Life also flexed muscle with teens (7.7/23) and adults 18-34 (5.8/17).
- 12/4/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
NBC has made changes to its Tuesday and Thursday schedules to make room for the new midseason comedy The Tracy Morgan Show, while ABC and the WB Network have bid farewell to L.A. Dragnet and Tarzan, respectively. Meanwhile, NBC has cut back the order for its sophomore series American Dreams from 22 to 18 episodes and has ordered three additional episodes of Ed. In other scheduling news, CBS has announced that it will replace the first part of its canceled four-hour miniseries The Reagans on Nov. 16 with a rerun of a two-episode arc of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. On Nov. 18, when Part 2 of the mini was to air, the network will rebroadcast episodes of CSI: Miami and Without a Trace.
- 11/7/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Tom Papa's comedy Come to Papa is coming to NBC this midseason. Sources said the network has given a six-episode midseason order to the Warner Bros. TV/NBC Studios sitcom about an aspiring writer (Papa) and his wife who dream of making it big but settle for life in their native New Jersey town. Friends veteran Greg Malins penned the pilot with Papa. Malins is executive producing the project, with Papa serving as producer. Come to Papa is the second new comedy series NBC has ordered for midseason. At its upfront presentation in New York in May, the network announced the pickup of The Tracy Morgan Show, starring Saturday Night Live alumnus Tracy Morgan.
- 8/13/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
How hard have independent producers been hit by the wave of media consolidation during the past decade? Pretty hard, according to the WGA. Three days before today's scheduled vote by the FCC that is expected to result in further relaxation of media ownership restrictions, the guild filed comments with the commission highlighting the high volume of network-owned programming slated to air on the primetime schedules of the six major broadcast networks in the 2003-04 season. The WGA's survey found that for the upcoming season, only three out of 124 series on the networks' fall schedules can truly be considered independent productions. In 1992, there were 31 independently produced shows out of a total of 103, according to the guild filing. Of the three series, one of them was World Wrestling Entertainment's WWE Smackdown! two-hour wrestling block on UPN. Carsey-Werner-Mandabach, the last sizable independent company active in primetime production, accounted for the other two: the Fox sitcom That '70s Show and the WB Network sitcom Grounded for Life. In a sign of the times, the two new shows Carsey-Werner-Mandabach has in the works for the upcoming season, the NBC comedies Whoopi and The Tracy Morgan Show, are both co-productions with NBC Studios.
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