Comedy Headlines for 5/24/13

What’s making news in the comedy world this week…

  • Sundance Channel (with EW magazine) is bringing The Writers Room to TV this summer, beginning July 29. Hosted by Jim Rash (Oscar-winning screenwriter for The Descendants, actor/writer in Community), it’s six half-hour episodes of roundtable talk from TV writers — included among them, the writers of Parks and Recreation and New Girl.
  • Sinbad reportedly has filed for bankruptcy again. The comedian born David Adkins, 56, claimed in bankruptcy filings that he owes upward of $11 million, much of that in state and federal taxes dating back as far as 1998.
  • New Wave Entertainment is bringing a bit of stand-up comedy back into movie theater previews, with a deal in place with NCM Fathom Events. Talent yet to be named. Locations initially include Los Angeles, New York City, Houston, Chicago, San Francisco, San Diego, Phoenix, Boston and Atlanta.
  • Hannibal Buress has signed a development deal with Comedy Central. The deal is multiplatform, which in his case means a recurring role on the upcoming series Broad City, a pilot commitment, a one-hour stand-up special and a national “Comedy Central Live” stand-up tour.
  • Billy Crystal may return to weekly TV for the first time in three decades — he’s attached to star in FX pilot The Comedians as the old veteran performer on a sketch comedy series. It’s based on the 2004 Swedish series Ulveson And Herngren, which starred comedians Felix Herngren and Johan Ulveson. In related news, FX also has given a script commitment to Ray William Johnson, who has 8.8 million subscribers to his YouTube channel.
  • The final eight unaired episodes of ABC’s Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23 have been released online for viewing now through Jun 2, 2013. You can catch up with the now-cancelled sitcom via ABC.com, the Watch ABC Player for iPad, iPhone, iPod touch and Kindle Fire, Hulu and iTunes.
  • Seth MacFarlane posted on Twitter this week that he was too tired to host the Oscars again? “Traumatized critics exhale: I’m unable to do the Oscars again. Tried to make it work schedule-wise, but I need sleep,” he wrote. Of course, it’s only May. Perhaps he’ll get some rest between now and 2014.
  • CBS sitcom Mike & Molly cancelled plans to air a tornado-themed episode on Monday night after a fatal tornado ripped through Oklahoma. The sitcom, which returns for a fourth season with 22 new episodes in 2014, will do so with a new showrunner. Creator/showrunner Mark Roberts is leaving, to be replaced by co-executive producer Al Higgins.
  • Just For Laughs, which produces TV shows and tours in addition to its world-renowned festivals, has changed its agency representation. JFL is now a client of UTA. It had been with CAA.
  • And Critics’ Choice Awards nominations are out, with The Broadcast Television Journalists Association naming winners on June 10, 2013. Nominees in comedy categories include:BEST COMEDY SERIES
    • The Big Bang Theory – CBS
    • Louie – FX
    • The Middle – ABC
    • New Girl – FOX
    • Parks and Recreation – NBC
    • Veep – HBOBEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
    • Don Cheadle (House of Lies) – Showtime
    • Louis C.K. (Louie) – FX
    • Jake Johnson (New Girl) – FOX
    • Jim Parsons (The Big Bang Theory) – CBS
    • Adam Scott (Parks and Recreation) – NBC
    • Jeremy Sisto (Suburgatory) – ABCBEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES 
    • Laura Dern (Enlightened) – HBO
    • Zooey Deschanel (New Girl) – FOX
    • Lena Dunham (Girls) – HBO
    • Sutton Foster (Bunheads) – ABC Family
    • Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep) – HBO
    • Amy Poehler (Parks and Recreation) – NBC

    BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
    • Max Greenfield (New Girl) – FOX
    • Simon Helberg (The Big Bang Theory) – CBS
    • Alex Karpovsky (Girls) – HBO
    • Adam Pally (Happy Endings) – ABC
    • Chris Pratt (Parks and Recreation) – NBC
    • Danny Pudi (Community) – NBC

    BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY 
    • Carly Chaikin (Suburgatory) – ABC
    • Kaley Cuoco (The Big Bang Theory) – CBS
    • Sarah Hyland (Modern Family) – ABC
    • Melissa Rauch (The Big Bang Theory) – CBS
    • Eden Sher (The Middle) – ABC
    • Casey Wilson (Happy Endings) – ABC

    BEST GUEST PERFORMER IN A COMEDY SERIES 
    • Melissa Leo (Louie) – FX
    • David Lynch (Louie) – FX
    • Bob Newhart (The Big Bang Theory) – CBS
    • Patton Oswalt (Parks and Recreation) – NBC
    • Molly Shannon (Enlightened) – HBO
    • Patrick Wilson (Girls) – HBO

    BEST TALK SHOW
    • Conan – TBS
    • The Daily Show with Jon Stewart – Comedy Central
    • The Ellen DeGeneres Show – Warner Brothers Television Distribution
    • Jimmy Kimmel Live! – ABC
    • Late Night with Jimmy Fallon – NBC
    • Marie – Hallmark Channel

    BEST ANIMATED SERIES
    • Adventure Time – Cartoon Network
    • Archer – FX
    • Phineas and Ferb – Disney Channel
    • Regular Show – Cartoon Network
    • The Simpsons – FOX
    • Star Wars: The Clone Wars – Cartoon Network

Sean L. McCarthy

Editor and publisher since 2007, when he was named New York's Funniest Reporter. Former newspaper reporter at the New York Daily News, Boston Herald and smaller dailies and community papers across America. Loves comedy so much he founded this site.

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