Hollywood Shootout Gets the ShowBizWiz Seal of Approval

If you are interested in the movie business, check out the syndicated TV show Hollywood Shootout. It is a 30 minute show that airs on various stations depending on the television market, so check your local listings for time and channel. It is hosted by Peter Bart, editor-in-chief of Variety magazine, which is like the Bible for many in show business, and Peter Guber, Hollywood mogul/producer, who has worked on some legendary productions over the past several decades. This is not another thumbs up/thumbs down movie review show. It talks about the movie business from the inside out, covering topics like marketing of films, production techniques, they discuss the careers of various producers, directors and actors. These guys know how Hollywood works, and due to their clout and connections they are able to secure some impressive guests. They did a 2 part show with Steven Spielberg where the legendary director talked about how he chooses which films to direct, they talked about his early films like Jaws and Close Encounters and how they compare with later works like Schindler's List and Saving Private Ryan. Spielberg talked about his collaboration with Jeffery Katzenberg and David Geffen and how they formed Dreamworks SKG. Other guests I have seen on the show include James Caan (Guber knew him from his days working for the studio that did The Godfather), Jon Favreau discussed his directing of Iron Man, and Diablo Cody talked about how writing the screenplay for Juno launched her career to the next level. Philip Seymour Hoffman was on the show discussing the craft of acting, and his role in Capote. The set for the show is designed to look like a coffee shop with movie posters on the walls and extras posing as patrons in the backround. The show is a winner since Guber and Bart are not a pair who are on the sidelines of the movie biz, they are insiders sharing their precious nuggets of information with the rest of us.

Curb Your Enthusiasm is Another Hit for Larry David

As the co-creator of Seinfeld, Larry David saw enormous success. After Seinfeld he created Curb Your Enthusiasm, another 30 minute comedy for HBO. Only this time, Larry is in front of the camera, not behind the scenes. A lot of the show is improvised, and co-stars include Richard Lewis and Ted Danson. Larry plays himself, a television mogul living in Los Angeles with his wife played by Cheryl Hines. Larry's manager in the show is Jeff Garlin, who is married to the foul mouthed Susie Essman. The main concept behind the show is that each week, Larry does something stupid and Cheryl gets mad. This was also the basic concept for Everybody Loves Raymond and The King of Queens. Being such a Seinfeld fan, I bought the first season of Curb on DVD having never seen the show. I do not have HBO, but I knew that if Larry David was involved, it would be good. The show sometimes will make you cringe when you see the uncomfortable situations Larry gets himself into, but it is worth checking out, especially for Seinfeld fans. Larry's character is a lot like George Costanza. He's a shlub who always seems to screw things up. Apparently Woody Allen is a fan since he has recruited Larry David to appear in his next film.

A Refreshing Change of Pace for the 2008 Grammy Awards

Last year at this time I wrote about how I felt old and out of touch after watching the Grammys. Well this year was the 50th anniversary of the awards show and they had more than just contemporary artists appearing. I knew that this year's show would be different when it opened with a Frank Sinatra/Alicia Keys duet. Morris Day and the Time performed Jungle Love after a 15 year abscence. I liked their music a lot in the 80s. Prince was a presenter and there was a Cirque du Soleil performance of a Beatles themed show. The never humble, always egotistical Kanye West accepted an award but was knocked down a few pegs by Vince Gill. Ringo Starr presented Gill with his award and Vince asked Kanye from the stage if he had ever been given an award by a Beatle. While many American Idol winners have faded away, Carrie Underwood still seems to be a strong force in the world of music and she performed on the telecast. Lifetime achievement Grammys were announced for the likes of bluegrass pioneer Earl Scruggs, virtuoso violinist Itzhak Perlman and jazz drummer Max Roach. Herbie Hancock had a big night and performed an excellent piano duet with another artist performing Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. Going back to the infancy of rock and roll, Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard performed. In the past, the Grammys seemed to focus too much on contemporary R&B and rap artists, but this year there was something for everyone to enjoy.

My Favorite Films of 2007

I would recommend all of these and they would all receive a letter grade of A or A- in my opinion.

Music and Lyrics-funny flick with Drew Barrymore and Hugh Grant about a washed up 1980s singer

Reign Over Me-Adam Sandler and Don Cheadle star in this drama/comedy about a guy who lost loved ones in 9-11

Ratatouille-another great Pixar film about a rat who is a chef in Paris

Waitress-Keri Russell is outstanding in this sweet, heartfelt comedy/drama

Hairspray-feel good, upbeat musical revival of John Waters' creation

Superbad-funny, risque comedy about high school life

No End in Sight-documentary about the mess in Iraq

Bella-a touching, romantic movie about adoption

Enchanted-a naive Disney princess tries to figure out life in Manhattan

Late Night Shows Return-Some with Writers, Some Without

A bearded David Letterman returned to the air last night after a 2 month hiatus with a new show and a contract with his writers. Letterman's company, Worldwide Pants, reached a deal with the writers to work on his show and Craig Ferguson's Late Late Show. The writer's strike still continues though, and Leno and Conan were back sans writers. Harkening back to the writer's strike of the 1980s, Letterman brought back his director from NBC to do a segment called "Hal Gurnee's Network Timekillers". Letterman's top 10 list featured striking writers joking about their demands in the negotiations. Robin Williams was on Dave's show, as well as a taped cold open from Hillary Clinton. Williams said that Letterman resembled General Robert E. Lee. Conan also sported a beard last night. Letterman took the stage amid dancing girls holding picket signs. Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee crossed picket lines and appeared with Jay Leno. The screen actors guild is urging its members to not do shows with Leno, Jimmy Kimmel, or Conan since they are not employing writers. So, the CBS shows may get better guests.

Leno is averaging 4.4 million viewers this season. Letterman averages 3.6 million viewers. The numbers for Leno and Letterman are down 25 and 15% respectively compared to last season. With people losing interest in Leno, one has to wonder what he will do next year when Conan takes over. In the 12:35 am slot, Conan and Ferguson are in a virtual tie, with 1.8 and 1.7 million viewers respectively. Jimmy Kimmel's ABC show averages 1.8 million viewers and has Nightline as its lead in. Leno, Conan and Kimmel are not allowed to do many of their comedic bits such as traditional monologues due to strike restrictions. The main question is, how will this affect the ratings? This strike may be a big break for Letterman and an opportunity to win over Leno, which has not happened in a long time. Let's see how long the strike lasts, and how long it will be before Leno, Conan and Kimmel draw up their individual deals to get the writers back. The Daily Show and The Colbert Report return next week to Comedy Central with no writers, which should be an enormous challenge for Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert.

Here is a link to some clips and comments from the Today Show's Meredith Viera and Al Roker.

*Some information from msn.com.