TV: Jason Schwartzman in HBO’s Bored to Death / Tim Roth in Fox’s Lie to Me
Jason Schwartzman (Rushmore, Spun, Coconut Records) will play an aging Brooklynite/alcoholic writer who experiences a nasty breakup and finds himself in the position of a Philip Marlowe-ish gumshoe in the new HBO series Bored to Death. Written by former New York Press columnist and novelist, Jonathan Ames, the half-hour comedy will go into production this September. Seth Gordon, director of The King of Kong, will work as a consultant on the show.
Schwartzman’s character “takes out an ad pretending to be a private detective and starts taking cases — solving some and making others worse.” You may remember that back in 2004 Schwartzman starred in the failed Fox sitcom, Cracking Up, from writer Mike White (The School of Rock). Ames also began developing a semi-autobiographical pilot for Showtime the same year, but it was never picked up. Based on the logline, it’s easy to picture Schwartzman making the role and premise into an irreverent hit.
HBO also has the series, Hung, in development from creator/director Alexander Payne and weeks ago I took a look at the pilot script for Cocaine Cowboys, the rumored series for HBO from Jerry Bruckheimer and Michael Bay.
via Hollywood Reporter / Buzz Sugar
The iffier logline belongs to Lie to Me, a one-hour drama for Fox starring Tim Roth as a “scientist/human lie detector, skilled at reading the human face, body and voice to uncover the truth in criminal and private investigations.” Shades of House: the character’s talent/gift makes it difficult for him to maintain personal relationships.
As long as Lie to Me isn’t peppered with computer-generated eyeball schematics of various suspects in the vein of Robocop, we’ll check it out. Variety reports that the material is inspired by the real life science and life long studies of psychologist/deception specialist Dr. Paul Eckman. Brian Grazer is exec-producing the show, which has been picked up for 13 eps, and begins shooting in August.
You can date Brad Garrett!
Ladies, your dreams have come true. It looks like you will have a chance to date television star Brad Garrett. He’s executive-producing and starring in an online dating reality show called, duh, Dating Brad Garrett.
Garrett is best known for his nine-year stint as Ray Romano’s brother in the popular sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond. He is currently entering his third season as one of the stars of the Fox sitcom Til Death.
“An online dating show seemed like a logical choice given that I’m in the midst of a midlife crisis and averse to pain, which makes getting my ear pierced out of the question,” Garrett said. “And since I’m not picky about my choices, I hope women of all sizes, shapes and colors will be compelled to submit their videos.”
Women can submit videos to the Crackle.com site at Crackle.com/DateBrad. I wonder if he’ll be more popular than Tila Tequila?
Brad Garrett on the Prowl
The big question is whether the ladies will love Brad Garrett.
The Everybody Loves Raymond star has come aboard to produce and star in an Internet reality series dubbed Dating Brad Garrett, which will chronicle the funnyman’s adventures as he goes on various blind dates with 10 different women.
Sony Pictures TV, which produces the actor’s current Fox sitcom, ’Til Death, is overseeing production on 10 episodes, which will premiere this fall on its Crackle.com website. But why is Garrett participating in the project?
“An online dating show seemed like a logical choice given that I’m in the midst of a midlife crisis, and adverse to pain,” Garrett said. “And since I’m not picky about my choices, I hope women of all sizes, shapes and colors will be compelled to submit their videos.”
Potential candidates looking for a shot at love with the 48-year-old divorced father of two can upload their video pitch starting today at Crackle.com/datebrad. Ten femmes will then be selected to hit the town with Garrett by his urologist and his ex-wife, who will act as matchmakers for the comedian.
“I think it’s important to know that I don’t drink alcohol and I don’t do drugs. If you go out with me. You may want to,” Garrett joked in a short online video touting his qualifications. “I’m looking for a woman [who] doesn’t aim high. If you have a low self-esteem, it could be you.”
The comic said with a straight face that he likes little people because “my shrink says I have a Napoleon complex,” adding that “my social life mirrors my movie career.”
“I’m picky but not in demand,” cracked the Emmy winner.
Netizens can also access Dating Brad Garrett via YouTube, AOL Video, Hulu, AT&T and Verizon Wireless’ V Cast video service.
Besides his small-screen work, Garrett has lent his voice to a variety of big-screen animated hits, including Pixar’s Oscar-winning Ratatouille, Finding Nemo and A Bug’s Life as well as Night at the Museum. Other movie credits include Music and Lyrics and The Pacifier.
Kelsey Grammer suffers heart attack
According to People magazine, Kelsey Grammer is in a Hawaiian hospital after suffering a mild heart attack. A rep for Grammer says it happened Saturday morning as he was paddle boarding with his wife near their home in Hawaii. He immediately went to the hospital where doctors determined it was a mild heart attack. He’ll be in the hospital for a few days for observation.
Grammer was most likely enjoying a little time off before he returns to television this fall. His Fox sitcom, Back to You, was recently canceled but he quickly rebounded and took a role on an ABC comedy called Roman’s Empire. He’ll have the title role, actually, as Roman, the wacky patriarch of a wealthy and eclectic family. This new comedy is a departure, of sorts, for Grammer. Rather than the Frasier and Back to You-style sitcoms with multiple cameras, his new project is a single-camera venture.