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‘Fast and Furious 6’ laps ‘Hangover III’; Hub looking for hits.

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After the coffee. Before trying to persuade Netflix to make another season of “Men of a Certain Age.”

The Skinny: So far I’ve gotten through seven episodes of “Arrested Development.” Unlike others who powered through all 15 like a kid with a pizza in front of them, I’m in no rush and at least like to pretend that I have a life. Plus, I need to have something to do next weekend. Tuesday’s stories include a recap of the holiday weekend box office, a detailed look at the Hub, a kids’ channel owned by Discovery and Hasbro, and the exit of Mike Darnell from Fox. If you are interested in receiving an email alert when the Morning Fix is live, please send me a note.

Daily Dose: In advance of the split of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. into two companies -- one comprised of its TV and movie assets and the other with its publishing holdings -- Bernstein Research analyst Todd Juenger is making his estimates on their respective share prices. The entity 21st Century Fox, which will house the entertainment assets, should trade at $34 per share. News Corp., which will be home mostly to print, will be in the $6 range.

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Racing in the street. With a take of $120 million, “Fast and Furious 6” blew the competition off its back and easily won the Memorial Day weekend box office race. That was almost double the $63 million “The Hangover Part III” made. Last week, industry predictions had “Hangover” making $80 million through the weekend. The movie fell far short of that and was reaching for the Xanax instead. Also opening strong was the animated movie “Epic,” which took in $42.6 million. Overall, it was a huge weekend for the industry. Memorial Day weekend box office recaps from the Los Angeles Times and Hollywood Reporter.

PHOTOS: Billion dollar box office club

Tougher than it looks. On paper it seemed like a slam dunk. Combine a cable programming giant with a toy manufacturer and launch a kids’ channel. But the Hub -- co-owned by Discovery Communications and Hasbro -- is struggling to establish itself as a viable competitor to Nickelodeon and Disney Channel. Some close to the channel question whether Hasbro is interfering too much with the day-to-day operations of the network. A look at the Hub from the Los Angeles Times.

Exit stage left. Mike Darnell, the reality guru at Fox Broadcasting who has spent the last decade as the point person on “American Idol,” is leaving the network. Darnell is considered to be the godfather of reality TV. He’s been involved with the good (“American Idol”) the bad (“When Animals Attack”) and the tacky (“Who Wants to Marry a Multi-Millionaire”). Darnell leaves in advance of what is expected to be an overhaul of “American Idol.” Announcement of his exit -- at the start of a long holiday weekend -- suggests it wasn’t his choice, but Darnell said he was offered a new contract. Coverage of Darnell and the mark he left on television from the Los Angeles Times, TV Guide and Variety.

Did anyone check under the desk? News Corp. and its former general counsel said the company was never given a heads up from the Justice Department that it was probing the phone records of Fox News reporter James Rosen. Last week, the Justice Department, in response to the outcry from the media that it had overstepped its bounds in going after Rosen for his reporting on North Korea, said it had in fact given Fox News parent News Corp. word of its subpoena. Well, maybe it fell off the machine and under a table like in the movie “The Firm” because no one at the company recalls seeing it. Details on this latest twist from the Los Angeles Times and New York Times.

PHOTOS: Celebrities by the Times

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Blue is the new black. The French film “Blue Is The Warmest Color” won the Palme d’Or, which is the highest honor at the Cannes Film Festival. Also doing well at the festival was “Inside Llewyn Davis” from the Coen Brothers and “Nebraska,” directed by Alexander Payne. Festival coverage from the Los Angeles Times and Deadline Hollywood.

Inside the Los Angeles Times: Robert Lloyd on the new season of “Arrested Development.” Viacom and CBS Chairman Sumner Redstone hits 90.

Follow me on Twitter for an endless summer of fun. @JBFlint.



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