Color Daily Television

Thursday, November 19, 2009

BET.com Launches Its First Web Series 'BUPPIES' Starring Tatyana Ali

This Addictive 10-Episode Series is about the Loves, Laughs and Heartaches of Los Angeles' Young Black Professional Elite

NEW YORK, Nov. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- BET.com will debut the much buzzed about web series BUPPIES on Tuesday November 24th for a ten-week run. Set in the glitzy and glamorous world of the Black Hollywood, BUPPIES chronicles the relationship dramas of a group of slightly dysfunctional but inseparable friends as they navigate the tricky terrain of L.A.'s young black power elite. The groundbreaking web series is the first of its kind to feature an African-American principal cast, and stars actress Tatyana Ali as Quinci Allen ("The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," "Young and the Restless").
"We're very excited to have this dynamic web series shown on BET.com. BUPPIES is a great extension of the existing content and overall digital platform, satisfying users on a whole new level," commented Denmark West, President of BET Digital Media Group. "Additionally, Tatyana Ali is an amazing actress with undeniable talent. She brings a fresh, relatable element to our site, and we're happy to work with her."
Episode one finds Quinci, the socialite daughter of a Hollywood celebrity, trying to recover from the loss of her father and being dumped by her basketball star fiance. In what ends up as a misguided attempt to cheer her up, Quinci's friends throw her a big birthday celebration that unfolds into a compelling series of personal dramas and deep secrets that create the heart of this fascinating series.
BUPPIES was created and produced by critically acclaimed filmmakers. Creator, writer and director Julian Breece's first film was an official selection of this year's Sundance Film Festival. Just this year, he and his producing partner, Aaliyah Williams, were highlighted as part of IndieWire's "Top 10 New Voices in Black Cinema." Their production company, Game Theory Films, produced the series along with Tatyana Ali and her sister Anastasia's production company HazraH Entertainment. Tatyana Ali serves as an Executive Producer of the series along with producers Aaliyah Williams and Anastasia Ali.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

MTV Networks Acquires Exclusive Television Rights to Critically Acclaimed Concert Film Michael Jackson's 'This Is It'

Image by _skynet via Flickr

NEW YORK, Nov. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- MTV Networks (a division of Viacom (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:VIA.B) , has acquired the exclusive United States television rights to air one of the most anticipated films of the year -- Michael Jackson's This Is It.

The critically acclaimed and commercially successful film becomes available to MTV Networks in 2011, and continuing through the entire six-year network window. The deal includes all domestic channels under the MTV Networks umbrella, including MTV, VH1, VH1 Classic and Palladia and rounds out the music networks' commitment to celebrating the life and legacy of Michael Jackson. The arrangement also extends to Viacom's BET Networks, including its newest channel, Centric. Channels and premiere dates will be announced at a later time.

THIS IS IT, premiered nationwide on October 28, earning the #1 box office spot for the weekend and offering Jackson fans and music lovers everywhere a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the performer as he developed, created and rehearsed for his sold-out, historic comeback concerts that would have kicked off this past summer at London's O2 Arena. Chronicling from March through June, 2009, the film is produced with the full support of the Estate of Michael Jackson and drawn from more than one hundred hours of behind the scenes footage, featuring Jackson rehearsing numerous songs for the show. Audiences are given a privileged and private look at Jackson as he was never before seen. In raw and candid detail, Michael Jackson's This Is It is the last documentation of Michael Jackson at work, capturing the singer, dancer, filmmaker, architect, creative genius and great artist at work.

Kenny Ortega, who was both Michael Jackson's creative partner for the concert tour and the director of the stage show serves as the film's director. The film is being distributed worldwide by Sony Pictures Releasing. One of the best reviewed film of the year, Michael Jackson's This Is It has already reached $222.6 million in box office receipts worldwide.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony to Be Broadcast Nationally For the First Time on Public Television

Lighting Ceremony Will Also Be Streamed Live at www.thenationaltree.org December 3rd At 5:00 p.m. EST/2:00 p.m. PST

WASHINGTON, Nov. 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National Park Service and the National Park Foundation announced today public television stations nationwide will broadcast the 2009 National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony across the country for the first time. In partnership with WETA, Washington, D.C.'s flagship public broadcasting station, public television stations will begin airing the 60-minute lighting ceremony on Friday, December 4th and continue throughout the holiday season. Viewers are invited to check their local public station schedules for exact broadcast dates and times.

In addition, the public will be able to view the lighting ceremony live, as it happens, on Thursday, December 3rd at 5:00 p.m. EST/2:00 p.m. PST at www.thenationaltree.org. The public is also invited to visit the interactive site now and throughout the holiday season to experience all the behind-the-scenes festivities of the event from the story of the first National Christmas Tree to the one-of-a-kind ornaments made each year by ordinary Americans to hang on 56 trees -- one for every U.S. state, territory and the District of Columbia. Visitors to the site may also create their own customized, interactive e-card for the holidays.

A first-time lottery for free tickets to the ceremony saw approximately 37,000 people submit their names for a chance to attend the tree lighting. Celebrity performers who will help celebrate at the ceremony will be announced next week.

For more information, visit: www.nps.gov , www.weta.org or http://www.nationalparks.org/

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Spike TV Satisfies the Unconventional Curiosity of Men in a New One-Hour Block With The Return of '1000 Ways To Die' and 'MANswers'

12 Episodes of "1000 Ways To Die" And 10 Episodes Of "MANswers" Premiere Back-To-Back With A Special Sneak Peek On Saturday, December 5

NEW YORK, Nov. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Can one be cooked to death in a malfunctioning jacuzzi? Can you actually rip out an eye with your bare hands? Spike TV delves into the comical irony, the morbid, the sexy and the outrageous in a new one-hour block of returning, original hit series, "1000 Ways To Die" from renowned producer Thom Beers' Original Productions, a FremantleMedia company, and "MANswers" from Fujisankei and Super Delicious. The two series will premiere back-to-back with a special sneak peek right at 12:00am midnight on Saturday, December 5 after the live "The Ultimate Fighter 10" finale. The original series block will then move to regularly scheduled time slots on Wednesday, December 9 at 10:00pm ET/PT and 10:30pm ET/PT on Spike TV.
"1000 Ways to Die" showcases some of the most outrageous true stories about those who succumbed to the grim reaper in the most unorthodox of styles. Each case takes viewers through a fast-paced full reenactment interlaced with dramatic witness testimonials, fun historical tidbits, scientific expert explanations and vibrant CGI effects reminiscent of classic comic books. Playing off the commonly misconceived notion, "that could never happen to me," "1000 Ways to Die" works to dispel the myth in a tongue-in-cheek fashion, highlighting the comedic irony in all the crazy ways people can get themselves killed.
The second season of "1000 Ways to Die" will feature more of the bizarre ways these unfortunates have met their maker, including suffocating in a Murphy bed, exploding breast implants and choking to death on edible panties.
"MANswers" is trivia for men delivering real answers that guys need to know. In each episode, "MANswers" features re-enactments, expert one-on-ones and man-on-the-street interviews to educate Spike viewers on the taboo topics in terms only guys can relate to. The barrage of guy-oriented trivia is presented in a fast-paced, irreverent manner and is fodder for settling barroom bets and water-cooler arguments.
The third season of "MANswers" will get to the bottom of all the taboo topics men really want to know about, including how to survive an elephant attack, whether drug sniffing dogs can get high and what the record number is for having sex in one day. Each episode will also include viewer-submitted MANswers and updates from previous MANswers in which new information has been unearthed.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

The Colbert Nation to Sponsor the U.S. Speedskating Team During Bid for Olympic Gold

The Colbert Nation Replaces DSB Bank In The Netherlands As US Speedskating's Primary Sponsor
NEW YORK, Nov. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- They may not get their own flag at the Opening Ceremonies, but The Colbert Nation will be represented in Vancouver. As revealed during last night's historic show, The Colbert Nation is now the primary sponsor of the US Speedskating team. The announcement was made by Stephen Colbert, Olympic Gold medalist Dan Jansen and executive director of US Speedskating Bob Crowley.
With Team USA having lost its previous sponsor when the Dutch bank DSB folded, The Colbert Nation is stepping up to help America bring home speedskating gold at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver. Donations should be made in the name of The Colbert Nation via www.colbertnation.com.
Said Colbert, "We must ensure that it is America's 38-inch thighs on that medal platform!"
"US Speedskating is thrilled to be able to create a unique partnership between one of the great entertainers in the industry and one of the great sports in the Olympic movement," said Crowley. "Embracing the U.S. Speedskating Team will provide immeasurable exposure for our sport and very talented athletes."

Thursday, October 8, 2009

CBS TV Producer Indicted in Letterman Extortion Plot

A senior news producer in New York for the CBS television network has been charged in connection with an attempt to extort $2 million from late-night talk-show host David Letterman.
New York City District Attorney Robert Morgenthau told reporters Friday that Robert Halderman has been indicted on one count of attempted first degree grand larceny after threatening to expose secrets about the talk show host's personal life. Halderman was arrested late Thursday.
Letterman himself revealed the plot late in his nationally televised talk show late Thursday. Amid jokes and laughter from audience members who were unsure whether the monologue was part of a joke, the 62-year-old talk show host said he received a package in his car three weeks ago containing a letter from a person who knew embarrassing things about his life.
Letterman said he contacted authorities and arranged a meeting with the person, who threatened to expose the talk show host if he was not paid $2 million.
Letterman said he gave the man a phony check for $2 million.
The talk show host told his audience the embarrassing information was that he had sexual relationships with women who worked for him. It is unclear when the relationships took place.
Halderman is a producer with the CBS news program 48 Hours. He faces up to 15 years in prison.
Letterman married long-time girlfriend Regina Lasko earlier this year. The couple has a five-year-old son.
Letterman has been host of The Late Show With David Letterman since 1993 and has been a late-night talk show host for nearly 30 years. Just last week, U.S. President Barack Obama had been a guest on his show.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

President Obama: I was black 'before the election'

Image via Wikipedia

President Barack Obama ended a two-day spree of television interviews Monday with an appearance on comedian David Letterman's late-night talk show.
During the appearance President Obama discussed a number of mostly serious topics facing his administration, including unemployment, his ambitious health care overhaul proposal, and whether to send more troops to Afghanistan.
Mr. Obama acknowledged that Americans are growing weary of the war effort, and said he would first make sure there is a coherent strategy before deciding on troop deployments.
The president also showed a more light-hearted side, accepting a heart-shaped potato from a woman in the audience and discussing his daughters' summer vacation.
Mr. Obama also fielded a question about whether intensely negative reaction by some opponents to his health care plan is due in part to his race. The audience laughed and applauded when he said it is important to realize he was black "before the election." He called it an "extraordinary honor" to have been elected the first African-American president.