Author: Richard Lawson

The Call Sheet

Reese Witherspoon Is Really Going to Space

Reuters

Today in entertainment news: Reese Witherspoon's first sci-fi movie seems to be a go, Leo DiCaprio reteams with an old friend, and Steven Spielberg is adapting a video game.

By Richard Lawson

Mar 4, 2013

The Joy of Dreading the Next Season of 'The Newsroom'

Though we've still months to go before it premieres, it's not too soon to start dreading season two of Aaron Sorkin's yesterday's-news-today drama The Newsroom.

Comments | 1,737 Views

By Richard Lawson

Mar 4, 2013

What We Watched

'Red Widow' Is Not the Answer ABC Has Been Looking For

The latest in the network's tough-mom thrillers — a confusing two-hour premiere centered on the Russian mob in San Francisco — feels more like a fill-in distraction than anything else. Which is exactly what Sunday night doesn't need right now.

Comments | 13,244 Views

By Richard Lawson

Mar 4, 2013

The Smart Set

Brendan Fraser Is Going Broke

Today in celebrity news: The Encino Man is losing all his Mummy treasures, the royals head to the Swiss Alps for a wedding, and CNN is still looking for a morning host.

Comments | 26,944 Views

By Richard Lawson

Mar 1, 2013

The Call Sheet

Taylor Kitsch Is Going Gay

Today in show business news: Everyone's favorite Friday Night Lights hunk is taking on an alternative role, Daniel Radcliffe might soon be lurching around a laboratory, and Liam Neeson continues to baffle us. 

Comments | 19,444 Views

By Richard Lawson

Mar 1, 2013

Movie Review

'Jack the Giant Slayer': Big People, Little World

Today we review a perfectly bouncy little adventure Jack the Giant Slayer.

Comments | 3,336 Views

By Richard Lawson

Mar 1, 2013

You Really Should Be Watching 'Enlightened'

HBO's Enlightened, a metaphysical, half-hour tragicomedy that is in danger of disappearing once its second season, concludes on Sunday night and is, in many ways, the finest and loveliest thing to appear on television in many years. Yes, it's that good.

Comments | 11,185 Views

By Richard Lawson

Mar 1, 2013

What We Watched

'American Idol': The Minor Men

Last night the second group of boys had their turn, opening their song holes and letting mellifluous sound come pouring out like gravy.

Comments | 1,366 Views

By Richard Lawson

Mar 1, 2013

The Smart Set

Erin Burnett Wants to Be Paid to Wake Up Early

Today in celebrity gossip: A CNN star needs more money, it's Justin Bieber's birthday, and Christian Slater went to the Everglades. 

Comments | 16,519 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 28, 2013

The Call Sheet

The 'Today' Show Got Embarrassed

Today in show business news: Today gets upset by a pretty lowly competitor last week, How to Survive a Plague may get the ABC miniseries treatment, and a new Disney musical is based on Shakespeare of all things.

Comments | 24,091 Views

By Esther Zuckerman and Richard Lawson

Feb 28, 2013

Your TV Guide to 2013's Wild New Pilots

We've sifted through all the 2013 television pilots to highlight the potential hits, the constantly recurring trends, and the ideas that are so crazy they just might work... but probably won't.  

Comments | 16,379 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 28, 2013

What We Watched

'American Idol': The Final Girls

Round three of SUDDEN DEATH, the Idol brain trust's leanest, meanest invention since Clay Aiken with a hangover.

Comments | 1,724 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 28, 2013

The Smart Set

One Direction Shoe Assaulter Reveals Herself

Today in celebrity news: The girl who threw a shoe at Harry Styles's crotch comes forward, Perez Hilton has a baby now, and Prince William rescued two people in one day.

Comments | 6,373 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 27, 2013

The Call Sheet

The New 'Annie' Awaits You

Today in show business news: The Annie remake has set a release date, Boardwalk Empire adds two exciting actors, and some pilot casting news that has us excited.

Comments | 1,724 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 27, 2013

Movie Review

'Stoker': The Family That Slays Together

Today we review the new artsy thriller Stoker, from acclaimed director Park Chan-wook.

Comments | 2,526 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 27, 2013

The Smart Set

Michelle and Jason Are No Longer

Today in celebrity news: Michelle Williams and Jason Segel have ended their relationship, so have Rachel McAdams and Michael Sheen, but Matt Damon and his wife are having a second secret wedding.

Comments | 3,962 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 27, 2013

'Downton Abbey' Has Some Very Delicate Growing Up to Do

Perhaps in response to some complaints that last season was too dour and bleak, Downton Abbey seems headed in either a more free-wheeling direction for season four or a tedious after-school special.

Comments | 3,104 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 26, 2013

The Call Sheet

Dark Days at DreamWorks Animation

Today in show business news: Jeffery Katzenberg's animation house is in trouble, we sift through a bunch of pilot casting news, and Jamie Chung from The Real World takes a stab at legitimacy.

Comments | 4,134 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 26, 2013

Selling Music Just Might Be a Business Again

For those of you who've been all doom and gloom about the music industry — claiming the Internet and mp3s and iTouches and all those gizmos have killed it — here's some news that might flip your wigs: the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry reports that its members took in more money in 2012 than it did in 2011. As in, growth. Actual growth.

Comments | 1,035 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 26, 2013

Some Advice for Oscar Winners to Avoid Ruining Their Careers

Now that the Academy Awards have come and gone and the winners have had their trophies engraved, it's time to look forward, to an uncertain future. If they heed our unsolicited advice, a decades-long bounty of roles and accolades awaits them. Should they ignore it, there is only doom and obscurity.

Comments | 5,345 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 26, 2013

The Smart Set

Daniel Radcliffe's Dizzy Date and Other Oscar Party Remnants

Today in celebrity gossip: Some juicy tidbits from Sunday night's Oscars parties, word on what other famous people were doing that night, and some unsurprising news about Anne Hathaway's speech.

Comments | 10,346 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 25, 2013

The Call Sheet

The Return of Gillian Anderson

Today in (non-Oscar) show business news: Every nerd's favorite FBI agent might soon be back on American TV, Michael Jackson's son continues his professional development, and Maya Rudolph wants to do a variety show.

Comments | 11,036 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 25, 2013

Seth MacFarlane Is Oscar Ratings Gold

The numbers are in and, well, you win, MacFarlane. Turns out, if the Academy Awards hope to survive on network television, cultivating a base-level appeal with a "risky" non-traditional host might just do the trick.

Comments | 7,414 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 25, 2013

The Smart Set

The Oscar Parties You Weren't Invited To

Today in a special Academy Awards edition of celebrity gossip: A look at all the post-Oscar bashes and their fabulous attendees, from Vanity Fair conversations to Britney Spears's new hair. Plus an award-show lobby full of toilet water.

Comments | 8,276 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 25, 2013

What We Watched

Seth MacFarlane's Obnoxious Oscars

There were hints of invention and humor throughout the Academy Awards on Sunday, but all told the show was remarkable only in its moments of jaw-droppingly bad jokes from the off-putting and unsteady host — and in its agonizing waste of time.

Comments | 17,956 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 24, 2013

Your 2013 Oscars Recap: That Was Long

Moment-by-moment coverage of Hollywood's biggest night, from the red carpet to the show and all the winners, with Richard Lawson.

Comments | 72,505 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 22, 2013

The Call Sheet

James Van Der Beek Is Back

Today in show business news: James Van Der Beek is returning to TV already, Jane Lynch is now a game show host, and a first look at Catching Fire.

Comments | 5,345 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 22, 2013

Some Important 2013 Oscar Predictions

The Academy Awards are on Sunday! We've already told you who we think the winners will be, but what else will happen during the show? In advance of our live account of all the Oscar night proceedings, here are some probably very accurate guesses. (But not really.)

Comments | 2,626 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 22, 2013

'It Was So Insane It Had to Feel Real': The Other Man Behind 'Argo' Speaks

What began as a simple magazine pitch has now taken writer Joshuah Bearman all the way to the Oscars. (Well, he's working on getting a ticket.) Here's the story of the article that inspired Argo.

Comments | 1,941 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 22, 2013

What We Watched

'American Idol': Ten Man Jam

Like the girls before them, ten of the top twenty boys were brought before the judges last night, five of them to be raised up to the gleaming Valhalla of the semifinals stage, the other five to be cast into the gloomy oblivion of Tartarus.

Comments | 1,524 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 22, 2013

The Smart Set

Megan Fox and Michael Bay Are Friends Again

Today in celebrity gossip: One of Hollywood's most important feuds has been resolved with ninja turtles, Prince Harry has a new girlfriend, Ethan Hawke hates the Oscars, and Diane Lane has split up with Josh Brolin. 

Comments | 4,065 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 21, 2013

The Call Sheet

Joey McIntyre Is Back, Girls

Today in show business news: Your favorite Boston boy bander is back, Justin Timberlake is heading to Rockefeller Center once again, and Bill O'Reilly is thinking about Killing Jesus.

Comments | 1,186 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 21, 2013

Our Oscar Predictions for 2013

Now that we've gone through who we think should win Oscars this year, it's time to take a look at who will actually likely win. We're going to go quickly, category by category all the way down the list, listing the likely winner and one potential spoiler. Happy balloting, everyone!

Comments | 4,032 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 21, 2013

Casting Our Oscar Ballot for Best Picture

With the Academy Awards quickly approaching, we're going through each of the major categories and pretending we're Academy voters. Forget who will win, we have a very important decision to make.

Comments | 1,016 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 21, 2013

Ben Foster to Replace Shia LaBeouf, Esquire Reader, on Broadway

The drama of Shiagate continues! The two latest developments in the saga are encouraging and absurd.

Comments | 1,349 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 21, 2013

What We Watched

'American Idol': Leaving Them in Las Vegas

Sudden death hits the Strip, and it's not so revolutionary as sad and wonderful — mostly sad, but still: We're getting to know everyone before the real competition begins.

Comments | 3,276 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 21, 2013

The Smart Set

Was Shia Fired?

Today in celebrity gossip news: Getting to the bottom of why Shia LaBeouf abruptly left his Broadway play, peeping Rihanna's birthday Instagram, and sighing at a sad story about a storage locker. 

Comments | 8,019 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 20, 2013

The Call Sheet

Shia LaBeouf Bails on Broadway

Today in show business news: Shia LaBeouf has dropped out of a play quite suddenly, NBC is totally screwed, and Michelle Williams has a reality show. No, not that Michelle Williams.

Comments | 3,210 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 20, 2013

Lessons from the End Times of 'Smash'

Any hopes that Smash would rebound after its disastrous second season premiere two weeks ago have been dashed. NBC's musical backstage drama returned last night after a week off for the State of the Union to even lower numbers than the premiere, with a dismal 0.9 rating.

Comments | 4,337 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 20, 2013

Stealing Is Stealing, Even on Twitter

How long until something as ephemeral as Twitter is respected as a protected medium for creation? This may all sound overly dramatic — we're talking about where a fake Guy Fieri menu came from — but the boundaries of ownership do matter.

Comments | 10,510 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 20, 2013

The Smart Set

Scarlett Johansson Might Be Engaged

Today in celebrity gossip news: ScarJo might be getting hitched again if a big ring is to be believed, Justin Bieber goes partying in London, and Anderson Cooper whoops it up in Brazil.

Comments | 2,838 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 19, 2013

The Call Sheet

Beyoncé Really Does Run the World

Today in show business news: The chosen one's documentary performed very well this weekend, Christian Bale is going mountain climbing, and a TLC biopic has been cast.

Comments | 2,967 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 19, 2013

A Different 'Les Misérables' Is Coming Back to Broadway

Mega-producer Cameron Mackintosh cites the wild success of the Les Misérables movie in his reasoning for the New York return of the show, which has been touring around the country successfully for two years. So will it be the same epic you wept through in 1989? Not quite, no

Comments | 1,035 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 19, 2013

Casting Our Oscar Ballot for Best Director

Odd as it may sound, if Ben Affleck had been nominated, well, he'd probably be the favorite. But he's not. And neither is Kathryn Bigelow. Tough category this year.

Comments | 2,308 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 19, 2013

The Smart Set

Duchess Kate Goes Public Again

Today in celebrity gossip news: The Duchess of Cambridge has returned from her "babymoon," Fergie expecting her own little black eyed pea, and Leonardo DiCaprio gets serious about animals. 

Comments | 3,383 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 18, 2013

The Call Sheet

Bill O'Reilly Is a TV Juggernaut

Today in show business news: Killing Lincoln was a big success, pilot season has some hot actors, and The X Factor loses another employee.

Comments | 5,664 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 18, 2013

Fantasy, We Have a Problem

Once Upon a Time has done well-enough, Fringe hobbled along as long as it could, and Fox's Awake made it to a second season, but so many others — AlcatrazDo No HarmLife On Mars — have tanked. Network television currently has a genre problem.

Comments | 5,150 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 18, 2013

Are There Any Oscar Surprises Left?

Last night Argo won the Best Adapted Screenplay prize at the Writers Guild of America awards, seemingly inching the film closer to Oscar sure-thing status. Are there surprises left in any of the big categories?

Comments | 862 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 18, 2013

The Smart Set

Taylor Swift vs. Canada

Today in celebrity news: Taylor Swift is being sued by Canadians, Harry Styles is doing fine post break-up, and Rihanna was harassed at a club.

Comments | 7,187 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 18, 2013

What We Watched

The Downer 'Downton' Goodbye

Though we'd already been through so much on Downton Abbey this season — death, threat of poverty, wrongful imprisonment, thwarted love, cruel betrayal — the show had one last grim surprise for us last night. 

Comments | 9,317 Views

By Richard Lawson

Feb 15, 2013

The Call Sheet

Kyle Chandler for Pope!

Today in show business news: Coach Taylor is headed to Rome, Christina Ricci has a surprisingly old daughter, and Kirstie Alley will soon be on TV again.

Comments | 6,017 Views

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