Jason Schwartzman is HBO’s newest leading man
Jason Schwartzman is officially coming to HBO. The actor will play the lead in Bored to Death, a new comedy from the cable network. Schwartzman has been cast as Jonathan, a struggling writer in this thirties who has a drinking problem. The series, which is set in Brooklyn, follows Jonathan’s post-breakup decision to pretend to be a private eye.
Although he’s not qualified for detective work, Jonathan loves the novels of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett. He’ll luck out and solve a few cases, but his lack of experience will often make matters worse for his clients. Novelist Jonathan Ames wrote the pilot and will serve as the show’s executive producer.
I’m looking forward to watching the Bored to Death pilot now that Jason Schwartzman is on board. He hasn’t done a lot of work on television, but he’s had some memorable leading roles in movies like Rushmore and Shopgirl. As far as TV goes, Schwartzman did a guest spot on Freaks and Geeks and starred in the short-lived FOX series Cracked Up.
Can you picture Jason Schwartzman as a private eye?
Bravo Sets Up Housewives Down South
For its latest locale, Bravo’s Real Housewives franchise has picked a real peach.
The cable network confirmed Thursday that it is planning to set the third installment of its hit reality series in Atlanta.
A preview of what audiences can expect from the privileged southern belles who producers have picked to represent what living in Georgia’s capital is really like is scheduled to air July 30 at midnight.
“Bravo’s Real Housewives franchise has resonated with our viewers across the country, and we think they will be equally fascinated by the lavish lifestyles and personalities of these Atlanta wives,” Bravo executive VP and general manager Frances Berwick said Thursday. “They let us peek inside their exclusive, affluent community and see how they live their often-dramatic lives and manage families and careers. There is truly never a dull day for them.”
The camera-ready hausfraus this time around:
- Deshawn Snow: nonprofit founder, wife of Cleveland Cavaliers baller Eric Snow
- Kim Zolciack: single mom, aspiring country-music singer
- Lisa Wu Hartwell: real estate firm owner, jewelry and baby-clothing designer, model, actress, writer…and wife of Oakland Raiders linebacker Ed Hartwell
- NeNe Leakes: nonprofit founder, wife of real estate investor, two sons
- Sheree Whitfield: single mother of three, clothing-line owner
All of whom are at the center of the Atlanta social scene, Bravo promises.
HBO tells us there’ll be Cake
Like everyone else who has read Sloane Crosley’s book of essays I Was Told There’d Be Cake (side note: “there’d” has got to be one of the weirdest words in the world to type and look at), I loved it. She’s been compared to David Sedaris, but that comparison is actually accurate. Also like most men who read the book, I have a little bit of a crush on her. I think HBO does too.
The cable network has purchased the rights to Cake in the hopes of making a series out of it. There are very few details being released about the possible series, but since Crosley says that the show is going to be more like Curb Your Enthusiasm than Sex and the City, I feel safe in putting this in the “other comedy” category and not “other drama” or “sci-fi.”
Crosley is also a publicist at Vintage Books. Cake is a New York Times Bestseller.
Drake & Josh reuniting for Nick movie
Those kid cable network stars just can’t stay away from their kid cable networks. Except for the ones who go off and do not-so-kid friendly fare, have you seen the leaked peek at Hilary Duff’s new film role. Or the ones who do kid-friendly stuff, like making new ones *cough*Jamie Lynn Spears*cough*. Well, maybe we can still get Zoey 1 1=3. There’s certainly plenty of young mothers out there looking for a positive role model, and the elder Spears isn’t the best candidate so maybe Jamie Lynn will do better.
But I digress. These are nice boys. More than a year after their popular series ended, Drake Bell and Josh Peck will reunite for a Drake & Josh Christmas movie. The plot revolves around the duo working as mall Santa and helper and promising a foster care girl the “best Christmas ever.” The film begins airing this July which means it’s going to be really freaking hot in the beard and Santa gear. I wonder if Miranda Cosgrove will sneak away from iCarly and appear in it. I’m still waiting for that reunion special of You Can’t Do That on Television! I hear Alanis Morissette isn’t doing much these days, and everyone knows slime never goes bad, or stops being funny.