Chuck Lorre and Bill Lawrence Sound Off on Comedy During COVID, the Fate of Sitcoms, and Their Very Different Charlie Sheen Experiences

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaThe Toronto International Film Festival is ready to welcome audiences back to in-person premieres and screenings after COVID-19 forced the 2020 edition of the annual celebration of movies to unfold largely online.This week, TIFF announced that while it still plans to show films virtually for press and film executives who can’t travel to Canada because of travel restrictions or other concerns, it will return to showcasing movies at some of its most

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeReimagining a classic TV format is difficult under any circumstances. But the creative team behind NBC’s new primetime take on “College Bowl” had to do it in the middle of a pandemic.

Danielle Turchiano Senior Features Editor, TVCulinary producer Kim Seeley was working in a restaurant in Los Angeles when her executive chef brought her onto the “Hell’s Kitchen” for Fox.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeThe film version of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s “Hamilton” was never going to be an Oscar contender, due to Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences rules that recorded stage productions are not eligible for consideration.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeComedian Bill Engvall has signed on to star as host of the new weekly Circle TV series “Blue Collar Auction.” The series, from Venture 10 Studio and Parallel Entertainment (which founded the Blue Collar Comedy Tour), “Blue Collar Auction” will feature Engvall as head auctioneer, engaging viewers in competition as various items are sold to the highest bidder.The series will auction off collectors’ items, such as celebrity memorabilia and automobiles, to

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeGreetings from Variety Awards Headquarters! Today is June 14, 2021, which means it’s 3 days until nomination-round voting starts on June 17; 11 days until the Daytime Emmys telecast on June 25; 14 days until nomination-round voting ends on June 28; 29 days until nominations are announced on July 13; 66 days until final-round voting starts on Aug. 19; and 97 days until the Primetime Emmys telecast on Sept.

EXCLUSIVE:  Another big streamer sale of a finished film! Paramount+ and Showtime won an auction for North American rights to Queenpins, the STXfilms comedy that stars Kristen Bell, Kirby Howell Baptiste, Paul Walter Hauser, Vince Vaughn, Dayo Okeniyi, Joel McHale, Nick Cassavetes, Jack McBrayer and Annie Mumolo. With streamers like Hulu in on the bidding, Paramount+ and Showtime won with a deal north of $20 million. That is a healthy profit over the budget.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeJon & Vinny’s is offering pizza with extra chess this weekend. As part of Netflix’s For Your Consideration campaign for its limited series “The Queen’s Gambit,” the streamer has partnered with the popular local pizza chain to hand out custom pizza boxes promoting the show’s awards hopes.As part of the campaign, the Jon & Vinny’s green and white cardboard pizza boxes have been redesigned into chess boards.

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The Kominsky Method has settled in for its third and final season, with the Emmy-nominated Chuck Lorre-created show dropping its final six episodes on Netflix on Friday.

EXCLUSIVE: Rachel Bay Jones (Dear Evan Hansen) is set for a recurring role on the second season of CBS comedy The United States of Al, starring Adhir Kalyan and Parker Young, from Chuck Lorre, David Goetsch and Maria Ferrari.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeAfter 12 years of playing Penny on “The Big Bang Theory,” which became TV’s most-watched sitcom and ultimately earned her $1 million per episode, Cuoco was in the same space a lot of TV stars are in after the end of their long-running shows. Do you take a break? Tackle movies? Attempt to top that once-in-a-lifetime TV mountaintop? Ask the “Friends” cast: Sometimes it takes a while to find that next big thing.

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Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeA few weeks ago, James Corden, his band and his writers were having a laugh about a new hotel chain that superstar music producer Pharrell Williams was opening. That led them down the rabbit hole of discussing what celebrity they’d actually like to see open a hotel.