After program co-head exited amid sexual harassment accusations, co-director Fern Orenstein has exited the CBS Diversity Comedy Showcase as the program takes on new leadership for the 2018 season. Last month, CBS announced that “The Nightly Show” alum Grace Parra and “I’m Dying Up Here’s” Stephen Guarino were brought on to co-direct the annual program, which highlights a diverse group of comedy writers and actors before an audience of CBS executives, producers and casting directors. Orenstein stepped away from producing the program (though she remains in her role as a casting executive at CBS) in October, after director Rick Najera left amid.
- 12/12/2017
- by Reid Nakamura
- The Wrap
Rick Najera and Fern Orenstein, the producer and casting director of the CBS Diversity Showcase, are what might be called backwards thinkers that have held this particular opportunity for so many actors hostage to negative and unhelpful practices for far too long. It has become very easy to apply the racist label to anything these days but there are still times when it’s necessary and very deserved. The CBS Diversity Showcase is supposed to be a forum where actors and writers can come together to show their works and display what they can do so that they might get noticed
Why The CBS Diversity Comedy Showcase is Racist...
Why The CBS Diversity Comedy Showcase is Racist...
- 11/13/2017
- by Wake
- TVovermind.com
CBS’ Diversity Sketch Comedy Showcase may not be champion the diverse ideals you might think, according to several past participants. In a report published Friday, 20 past participants of the annual workshop told Vulture that casting director Fern Orenstein and the program’s former director Rick Nanjera required black actors to play slaves in sketches, asked Latina actresses to “slut it up” and body-shamed performers of both sexes. Nanjera resigned last month after an investigation by CBS into sexual harassment accusations against him but Orenstein remains employed as the network’s VP of casting. It’s unclear if she is still involved with the 13-year-old program,...
- 11/10/2017
- by Ashley Boucher
- The Wrap
CBS Entertainment has promoted casting executives Karen Church and Fern Orenstein to the role of senior VP, casting. Both will report to Peter Golden, CBS’ executive VP in charge of talent and casting. “For over a decade, I’ve been fortunate enough to work side by side with Karen and Fern, two of the industry’s most talented casting executives,” Golden said in a statement. “Their relationships with casting directors, agents, managers, showrunners and executives are unparalleled, their knowledge of actors is immeasurable, and their passion, dedication and commitment are boundless.” Church, who joined CBS as a director of casting in 1998 and began working in comedy in 2000, handles casting of series-regular and guest star roles on “The Big Bang Theory,” “Two and a Half Men,” “2 Broke Girls," "Mom," and "The Millers," among others. Meanwhile, Orenstein handles casting long-form and event series, reality programming, and the network's original mobile content. She...
- 9/18/2014
- backstage.com
Karen Church and Fern Orenstein just landed new roles, as senior vice president, casting for CBS Entertainment. Church and Orenstein have both been promoted to the position, CBS's executive vice president, talent and casting Peter Golden said Thursday. Also read: CBS’ Les Moonves Sidesteps Ray Rice Scandal; Touts NFL's ‘Phenomenal Ratings,’ Rising Ad Rates Reporting directly to Golden, the pair join CBS casting senior vice presidents Lucy Cavallo in Los Angeles and Amy Herzig in New York. Church (pictured at left), was previously vice president, casting at CBS Entertainment, and will oversee the casting of series regular and guest-starring roles on CBS comedies.
- 9/18/2014
- by Tim Kenneally
- The Wrap
Exclusive: Entertainment veteran Larry A. Thompson will receive the Lifetime Achievement award at the 12th Heller Awards held September 19 at the Beverly Hilton. The awards held by the Talent Managers Association honor talent representatives, managers, agents and casting directors who excel in their fields while upholding the Tma’s code of ethics and standards of practice. Thompson’s credits run deep in the industry: The film and television producer, personal manager, lawyer, book packager, author, Broadway producer, motivational speaker, and founder & President of next-generation La-based talent management, motion picture, TV, and new media production studio the Larry A. Thompson Organization has managed over 200 stars to date in addition to producing films, TV series, TV specials, and TV movies. Confirmed presenters at the awards ceremony include William Shatner, Joan Rivers, and Melissa Rivers. Here’s the full list of nominees: Heller Award for Lifetime Achievement in Talent Management Larry A. Thompson...
- 8/9/2013
- by JEN YAMATO
- Deadline TV
Listed below are the studios and offices for network and cable television.ABCLos Angeles Offices: 500 South Buena Vista StreetBurbank, CA 91521-4651(818) 460-7777Los Angeles Casting: Keli Lee (Executive VP, Casting); Ayo Davis (VP, Casting), Claudia Ramsumair (VP of Casting), Sandi Logan (Executive Director, Casting), Randi Chugerman (Executive Director, Casting); Gene Blythe (Casting Consultant), Billy Murphy, John Villacorta (Managers of Casting), Karen Noble (Casting Coordinator).New York Offices: 77 West 66th StreetNew York 10023(212) 456-7777New York Casting: ABC157 Columbus Avenue, 2nd FloorNew York 10023.Rosalie Joseph, C.S.A. (VP, Casting), Marci Phillips, C.S.A. (Executive Director of Casting), Janet Murphy Butler (Executive Director of Casting & Talent Relations), and Justin Borgstahl (Coordinator).CBSLos Angeles Offices: CBS Television City7800 Beverly Blvd.Los Angeles, CA 90036(323) 575-2345Cbs Studios4024 Radford Ave.Studio City, CA 91604(818) 655-5000Los Angeles Casting: Peter Golden (Executive VP, Talent & Casting), Lucy Cavallo (VP, Casting), Fern Orenstein (VP, Casting), Karen Church (VP,...
- 9/14/2010
- backstage.com
Ann Donahue, one of the executive producers of CBS' CSI series franchise and showrunner of CSI: Miami, is set to talk about the casting process as keynote speaker during the Talent Managers Assn.'s "An Evening With CBS," to be held Tuesday at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood. The event, moderated by Robert J. Dowling, editor-in-chief and publisher of The Hollywood Reporter, also will feature a preview and discussion of CBS' new lineup. The panel discussions will include five senior casting executives from CBS: Peter Golden, executive vp talent and casting; Sheila Guthrie, senior vp talent and casting, network TV; Fern Orenstein, vp casting, movies and miniseries; Lucy Cavallo, vp casting, drama; and Karen Church, vp casting, comedy. Also involved in the panel discussion will be series casting directors including Risa Bramon-Garcia (CSI: NY), Lisa Miller Katz (CBS' Everybody Loves Raymond) and Molly Lopata (movies-of-the-week and miniseries). The event, which starts at 7 p.m., is open to TMA members, managers, agents, industry professionals and media. TMA is a 50-year-old nonprofit trade group that represents professional managers in the entertainment industry.
CBS has inked talent holding deals with Latina actresses Lourdes Colon and Veronica Diaz, both discovered in CBS' second Latino/Hispanic Talent Showcase in October, which the network held in association with the Nosotros organization, SAG and AFTRA. The network will try to cast the two actresses in pilots targeted for fall. Colon's performance at the showcase already earned her a guest spot on CBS' drama Without a Trace. She is repped by manager Stacey Pokluda at Hype Entertainment and Jim Kellem at JKA Talent & Literary Agency. CBS vp casting Fern Orenstein called Diaz "a unique talent that can work successfully in a drama or comedy." Argentina-born Diaz has a background in acting, singing and dancing. Her first high-profile gig after relocating to Miami was on Univision's top-rated variety show Sabado Gigante. Her credits also include the indie Vatos. Diaz is repped by David Feldman of Bloom, Hergot & Diemer and managers Vince Lazzo and Armando Trejo of Conquest Talent Entertainment.
- 12/24/2003
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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