Quick Takes: Journalist’s new beat
More than a year after being detained for 140 days in North Korea while on assignment, journalist Laura Ling is moving to E! Entertainment.
The journalist and author will host the network’s hour-long documentary series, “E! Investigates,” starting in December, the network said. Her first episodes will tackle topics such as the rise of teen suicides and the lives of military wives.
Ling, whose sister is journalist Lisa Ling, has recently worked on Current TV’s weekly investigative program “Vanguard” and also served as the vice president of Current TV’s journalism department. In March of last year, Ling was detained in North Korea when she was reporting from the border between North Korea and China. She and Euna Lee were freed with the aid of former President Bill Clinton in August 2009.
—CNN
British singer’s jail stint ends
George Michael was released from jail Monday after serving almost four weeks for driving under the influence of drugs.
The former Wham! singer received an eight-week sentence Sept. 14 for crashing his car into a London photo shop in July while high on prescription drugs and marijuana. The judge ordered Michael to serve four weeks of the sentence in prison and the rest on parole.
—Associated Press
Drescher tries out talk show
The latest celebrity hoping to land a permanent address on the daytime talk dial is Fran Drescher. Co-producers Fox Television Stations and Demar-Mercury (“The Wendy Williams Show”) said that “The Fran Drescher Show” will get a tryout in L.A. and five other cities beginning Nov. 26.
Drescher is a rape and cancer survivor and author of “Cancer Schmancer,” her 2002 book about her experience fighting the disease.
—Maria Elena Fernandez
Bieber brand’s latest polish
Teen idol Justin Bieber is launching a line of nail polish inspired by his biggest music hits, nail care company OPI said Monday.
With shades such as One Less Lonely Glitter (lavender), Prized Possession Purple (grape), Give Me the First Dance (silver) and Me + Blue (dark blue), the first six colors in the line for Nicole by OPI will be sold exclusively through Wal-Mart retail stores in December.
The remainder of the collection from the 16-year-old singer will be released in Wal-Mart stores in January before being distributed more widely in February.
The nail polish line is the latest product tie-in for Bieber. The baby-faced singer recently became the spokesman for anti-acne skin line Proactiv, and a range of Justin Bieber dolls and toys will be in stores this Christmas.
—Reuters
Banksy tags ‘Simpsons’
The always clever opening sequence for “The Simpsons” took a darker-than-usual turn with Sunday’s episode, depicting the animation process for the Fox series as sweatshop drudgery performed by an exploited Asian underclass.
Created by the street artist and activist Banksy, the sequence was inspired by the fact that much of the rote production work for each “Simpsons” episode is indeed outsourced from the series’ L.A. creative hub to studios in South Korea.
On Monday, “Simpsons” executive producer Al Jean said that although the segment was “toned down a little” for airing, “there was nothing unusual from the network in terms of notes or delays. Fox has a remarkable ability to make fun of itself and be gracious.”
—Associated Press
Finally
Casting: Welsh actor Rhys Ifans has been cast as the lead villain in the next “Spider-Man” film, but Sony didn’t specify who the character is.
Axed: Production has halted on the freshman drama “Outlaw,” starring Jimmy Smits, and NBC will air the final four episodes on Saturdays, beginning this week.
Tribute: The American Society of Cinematographers will bestow its lifetime achievement award in February on Roger Deakins, whose credits include “The Shawshank Redeption,” “Fargo” and “No Country for Old Men.”