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Cosby gets Twain Prize
Bill Cosby was honored in Washington Monday night with the nation's top humor prize, with fellow funnymen Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld and Carl Reiner among those paying tribute.
Cosby, 72, has won other big awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2002. Still, the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor is special, he said before the show at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, because Twain was the "quintessential American writer -- because he held his language and his love for words in perfect American form."
The tribute will air Nov. 4 on PBS.
-- associated press King hooked on vampire comic
The vampire world just got a new addition to its clan.
Vertigo, an imprint of the American comic-book publisher DC Comics, is launching a new monthly comic book series from short story writer Scott Snyder.
But the traditional type of bloodsuckers won't be found on the pages.
"American Vampire," which hits shelves in March, introduces readers to a new breed of vampire -- more brawny and vicious -- with distinctly American characteristics.
The series' first story arc, to unfold over the course of five issues, will feature a story line by horror novelist Stephen King. Marvel has had success adapting King's pre-existing work such as the "Dark Tower" and "The Stand" miniseries. But this new series represents King's debut in comic book writing. He'll provide the origin story of the first American vampire: Skinner Sweet, an outlaw of the 1880s.
"He really made it his own thing," Snyder said in a phone interview. "It was really inspiring to watch him take these characters and make them and their stories so much better."
-- Yvonne Villarreal 'Promises' revival due
Confirming rumors that have been circulating on Broadway during the last two weeks, producers said Monday that Emmy winners Kristin Chenoweth ("Pushing Daisies") and Sean Hayes ("Will & Grace) would star in a revival of "Promises, Promises," set to open April 25.
The musical, which is based on the Billy Wilder film "The Apartment," will open at the Broadway Theatre, according to Playbill.
Chenoweth will play the role of Fran Kubelik, which was originated by Shirley MacLaine in the 1960 film. Hayes will take the part of Chuck Baxter, originally played by Jack Lemmon.
"Promises, Promises" had its first Broadway production in 1968 and starred Jerry Orbach and Jill O'Hara. It features a book by Neil Simon and songs by Burt Bacharach and Hal David.
In other Broadway casting news, Scarlett Johansson will star opposite Liev Schreiber early next year in a revival of Arthur Miller's "A View From the Bridge."
-- David Ng Haggis quits Scientology
"Crash" director Paul Haggis has severed his ties with the Church of Scientology, in part because of what he alleged is the organization's stance against gay marriage.
Haggis wrote a letter addressed to Tommy Davis, the head of Scientology's Celebrity Centre. In it, Haggis said he was disappointed by the church's tacit denial of gay rights in the debate over California's gay marriage ban.
The 56-year-old Haggis, who won an Oscar in 2005 for co-writing "Crash," said he was quitting the church after 35 years.
The letter, dated Aug. 19, was published in a blog about Scientology and has since been widely circulated online. A publicist for Haggis confirmed that the director wrote the letter.
Davis said Haggis' complaints were based on misunderstandings and that he has since spoken to the filmmaker. Davis strenuously disagreed with Haggis' claim that the Church of Scientology is in any way anti-gay.
-- associated press Film jobs for women still lag
Women are much more likely to hold jobs as directors, cinematographers and other key creative personnel on independent films than on major studio movies, a new study says. But their employment figures still lag well behind men even there.
The report, being released today by the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University, looked at employment figures on 906 feature-length U.S. movies that were shown at one of 25 American film festivals between June 2008 and May 2009.
It found that women made up 24% of directors, writers, producers, cinematographers and editors on these films, with heavier representation in documentaries than in narrative works.
An earlier study by the center found that women held 16% of the equivalent jobs on the top 250 domestic grossing films of 2008.
-- Lee Margulies
Bill Cosby was honored in Washington Monday night with the nation's top humor prize, with fellow funnymen Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld and Carl Reiner among those paying tribute.
Cosby, 72, has won other big awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2002. Still, the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor is special, he said before the show at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, because Twain was the "quintessential American writer -- because he held his language and his love for words in perfect American form."
The tribute will air Nov. 4 on PBS.
-- associated press King hooked on vampire comic
The vampire world just got a new addition to its clan.
Vertigo, an imprint of the American comic-book publisher DC Comics, is launching a new monthly comic book series from short story writer Scott Snyder.
But the traditional type of bloodsuckers won't be found on the pages.
"American Vampire," which hits shelves in March, introduces readers to a new breed of vampire -- more brawny and vicious -- with distinctly American characteristics.
The series' first story arc, to unfold over the course of five issues, will feature a story line by horror novelist Stephen King. Marvel has had success adapting King's pre-existing work such as the "Dark Tower" and "The Stand" miniseries. But this new series represents King's debut in comic book writing. He'll provide the origin story of the first American vampire: Skinner Sweet, an outlaw of the 1880s.
"He really made it his own thing," Snyder said in a phone interview. "It was really inspiring to watch him take these characters and make them and their stories so much better."
-- Yvonne Villarreal 'Promises' revival due
Confirming rumors that have been circulating on Broadway during the last two weeks, producers said Monday that Emmy winners Kristin Chenoweth ("Pushing Daisies") and Sean Hayes ("Will & Grace) would star in a revival of "Promises, Promises," set to open April 25.
The musical, which is based on the Billy Wilder film "The Apartment," will open at the Broadway Theatre, according to Playbill.
Chenoweth will play the role of Fran Kubelik, which was originated by Shirley MacLaine in the 1960 film. Hayes will take the part of Chuck Baxter, originally played by Jack Lemmon.
"Promises, Promises" had its first Broadway production in 1968 and starred Jerry Orbach and Jill O'Hara. It features a book by Neil Simon and songs by Burt Bacharach and Hal David.
In other Broadway casting news, Scarlett Johansson will star opposite Liev Schreiber early next year in a revival of Arthur Miller's "A View From the Bridge."
-- David Ng Haggis quits Scientology
"Crash" director Paul Haggis has severed his ties with the Church of Scientology, in part because of what he alleged is the organization's stance against gay marriage.
Haggis wrote a letter addressed to Tommy Davis, the head of Scientology's Celebrity Centre. In it, Haggis said he was disappointed by the church's tacit denial of gay rights in the debate over California's gay marriage ban.
The 56-year-old Haggis, who won an Oscar in 2005 for co-writing "Crash," said he was quitting the church after 35 years.
The letter, dated Aug. 19, was published in a blog about Scientology and has since been widely circulated online. A publicist for Haggis confirmed that the director wrote the letter.
Davis said Haggis' complaints were based on misunderstandings and that he has since spoken to the filmmaker. Davis strenuously disagreed with Haggis' claim that the Church of Scientology is in any way anti-gay.
-- associated press Film jobs for women still lag
Women are much more likely to hold jobs as directors, cinematographers and other key creative personnel on independent films than on major studio movies, a new study says. But their employment figures still lag well behind men even there.
The report, being released today by the Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film at San Diego State University, looked at employment figures on 906 feature-length U.S. movies that were shown at one of 25 American film festivals between June 2008 and May 2009.
It found that women made up 24% of directors, writers, producers, cinematographers and editors on these films, with heavier representation in documentaries than in narrative works.
An earlier study by the center found that women held 16% of the equivalent jobs on the top 250 domestic grossing films of 2008.
-- Lee Margulies
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