Sit Down, Shut Up writers stand up and walk out
And you thought that all that business with the WGA strike was over.
The writers for the new animated FOX show Sit Down, Shut Up have walked out, saying they were misled by Sony Pictures. They thought that under the agreement reached a few months ago they would be represented by the Writer’s Guild of America but Sony actually has them covered under the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees. Under their rules, writers don’t get all those things they fought for, including new media (online, DVD, etc) money or even residuals.
Unfortunately, the writers are pretty much stuck, because Sony has had this deal with IATSE for a decade. Sony has sent the writers breach of contract letters and legal proceedings could begin.
Sit Down, Shut Up is a new animated show from Arrested Development creator Mitchell Hurwitz. It’s going to be executive produced by two former Simpsons producers, Josh Weinstein and Bill Oakley, and has an all-star cast of voices, including Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, Cheri Oteri, Will Forte, and Henry Winkler.
TV Land Awards Party Like It’s 1979
From the Beav to Gary Coleman to Justin Timberlake to The Golden Girls, the 6th annual TV Land Awards had all demographics covered.
The ceremony, taped Sunday night at the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, honored the best and brightest in the world of entertainment, including movies and music, and made for some good TV.
Lionel Richie, who was on hand to receive an Icon Award from Samuel L. Jackson for 40 years in showbiz, performed some of his greatest hits and gave some tongue-in-cheek props to his one-time wild child daughter. “Just surviving 27 years of Nicole Richie…I stand here as a survivor,” he joked (we think).
The showstopper featured host Vanessa Williams warbling the Peter Pan tune “I’m Flying” while classic TV stars Barry Williams, Bernie Kopell, Gary Coleman, Jerry Mathers, Jimmie “J.J.” Walker, Dawn Wells, Alison Arngrim, Ron Palillo and William Katt flew above the crowd dressed as their iconic tube selves.
Other highlights of the evening include:
- Timberlake presented his Love Guru costar Mike Myers with the Legacy of Laughter Award after throwing a shout-out to an overeager male audience member who declared his love. “That’s OK, nothing wrong with a bit of bromance,” Timberlake said.
- Steve Carell gave The Golden Girls stars Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan and Betty White the Pop Culture Award.
- Ed Asner and William Shatner in turn presented Carell and the rest of the Office crew with the Future Classic Award.
- Teri Hatcher saluted the cast of Roseanne, including Roseanne Barr, John Goodman, Sara Gilbert, Michael Fishman, Martin Mull, Johnny Galecki and both BeckysAlicia Goranson and Sarah Chalkewith the Innovator Award.
- After whisking Vanessa Williams off into a waltz, Robin Williams honored his hero and Mork costar, Jonathan Winters, with the Pioneer Award.
- Penny Marshall, Cindy Williams, Henry Winkler, Jack Klugman and Dick Van Dyke bestowed the Legend Award to Happy Days creator Garry Marshall.
The awards will air on the TV Land network June 15 at 9 p.m.
Top ten recurring characters on Arrested Development
The list of qualities that made Arrested Development such a great show is quite long, but somewhere near the top, right after the cast, is the list of recurring characters who were so hilarious. Here my ten favorite acquaintances of the Bluth family.
1. Barry Zuckercorn (Henry Winkler)
It is a credit to the brilliance of Arrested Development that an actor like Henry Winkler, who will forever be identified with the role of Fonzie, can be identified with a character who could not be more different. The hilarity that comes from Barry’s sexual deviancy and complete legal ineptitude is reason enough to watch.
2. Bob Loblaw (Scott Baio)
When Henry Winkler became unavailable the only logical choice to replace him was Scott Baio. I still marvel at the genius of a lawyer who’s name sounds like “Blah, blah blah.”
3. Stan Sitwell (Ed Begley)
Begley has a knack for acting completely normal while looking like a total freak. I am going to shave my body and go as Sitwell next Halloween.
4. Maggie Lizer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus)
I always felt bad that Maggie and Michael never made it work. She was manipulative, conniving and self-consumed. In other words, she would have made a perfect addition to the Bluth family.
5. Larry Middleman (Bob Einstein)
Einstein’s unique ability to act with absolutely no emotion whatsoever made him the perfect choice for this role.
6. Kitty Sanchez (Judy Greer)
It was Greer’s performance as the cross-eyed, silicone enhanced psycho that landed her a starring role on her own sitcom. Too bad Kitty didn’t score a spinoff.
7. Lucille Austero (Liza Minelli)
Anyone who doubts that Liza can do comedy needs to watch her on AD and then go rent Arthur. Not only was she perfectly cast and hysterically funny, she also managed to be oddly alluring, in a “weird lady who lives down the hall” kind of way.
8. Franklin
Whenever GOB was demonstrating his blatantly racist lack of ventriloquial skills, I actually felt bad for Franklin. It was as if he were trapped by GOB’s side and even though he was a puppet, you could still clearly see the look of embarrassment on his face.
9. Warden Stefan Gentles (James Lipton)
Carl Weathers. Thomas Jane. Malik Yoba. Any one of these tough guys could play a warden of a high security prison. However, that’s not how they do things in the Bluth universe. The host of Inside the Actor’s Studio was clearly the only logical choice.
10. Tony Wonder (Ben Stiller)
While this seems like an easy choice, I put Stiller on this list because his performance of Tony Wonder was so funny, it reminded me of the glory that was The Ben Stiller Show.
Aaay! The Fonz Bronzed for Posterity
Here’s a city that knows what’s cool.
A bronze statue of iconic Happy Days character Arthur “Fonzie” Fonzarelli will be going up this summer in the artsy RiverWalk district of downtown Milwaukee.
Cast members from the classic 1970s sitcom including the Fonz himelf, Henry Winkler, Tom Bosley, Marion Ross, Anson Williams, Don Most and Erin Moran and Laverne & Shirley stars Cindy Williams and Penny Marshall, are expected to attend the dedication Aug. 19. (Ron Howard is still toiling away on his strike-delayed Da Vinci Code prequel Angels & Demons.)
The happy day will conclude with an honorary ceremony for the cast at Miller Park before the hometown Brewers take on the Houston Astros.