News

After tapping two new VPs and a Director of Development in April, Hollywood-based TV and film production company Dakota Films has promoted Tally Barr to Evp Development and Production. Barr has more than a decade in comedy, animation, unscripted, and shortform production with credits including Celebrity Deathmatch, Brand X With Russell Brand, Status Updates, Popzilla, the Emmy Awards and the MTV Movie Awards under her belt. She recently served as associate producer on Arrested Development on Netflix and is supervising producer on Dakota’s Deadbeat for Hulu.

Well, this sucks. Two months after moving "Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell" to new spin-off channel Fxx, FX has canceled the comedy/talk show. Hosted by stand-up Bell and executive produced by Chris Rock, "Totally Biased" eagerly tackled topics of politics, race and gender, and had been bumped up to a scheduled of four days a week after starting as a weekly series on FX. The Hollywood Reporter confirms the news, which was first reported by Defamer. While a success on FX, "Totally Biased" had struggled in the ratings in its new spot and schedule. It wasn't helped by the fact that the new network Fxx is only was available in 72 million homes, 26 million fewer than FX. Ratings in recent episodes dipped as low as 10,000 total viewers. FX canceled its other attempt at late night talk shows, "Brand X with Russell Brand," in June. The last new episode of "Totally Biased" will air tomorrow.

No bias here: Comedian W. Kamau Bell’s late-night cable talk show was canceled Wednesday in the wake of delivering nearly non-existent ratings in its new home on Fxx. Since moving from FX to its comedy-focused spin-off network Fxx two months ago, Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell has barely registered an audience, typically delivering less than 100,000 viewers at 11 p.m. weeknights.

The show ran for two seasons and follows another ex-fx late-night talk show behind the woodshed, Brand X with Russell Brand. Totally Biased’s final episode will air Thursday night.

The It Crowd

Creator Graham Linehan has posted a photo of Chris O’Dowd, Richard Ayoade and Katherine Parkinson finishing up rehearsals for the one-off wrap-up special of Brit sitcom "The It Crowd". The forty-minute finale will air later this year.

Nurse Jackie

Showtime has renewed the Edie Falco-led half-hour dramedy "Nurse Jackie" for a sixth season. The series will wrap up its fifth season this month.

"Nurse Jackie" has averaged 3.1 million viewers a week across all of its linear and VOD plays. That marks a 10% gain from season four. [Source: Variety]

Brand X With Russell Brand

FX won’t be ordering more episodes of "Brand X With Russell Brand," but have picked up a scripted live-action comedy pilot starring the actor that is said to be akin to "Curb Your Enthusiasm". [Source: Deadline]

Boardwalk Empire

HBO has announced that "Boardwalk Empire" will kick off its fourth season on September 8th. [Source: TV...

I have ongoing mental debates with myself as to why no one else has realized that Russell Brand is one of the worst things to happen to American culture. MTV refused to learn that lesson while making him the face of their flagship Video Music Awards for two years (in 2008 and 2009), and despite the fact that he was in a pair of admittedly hilarious movies—2008's Forgetting Sarah Marshall and its 2010 sorta-sequel, sorta-spinoff Get Him To The Greek—those flicks thrived with hilarious writing, with a barely adequate vessel to deliver such lines. On his own, Russell Brand is despicable. And I'm not just saying that because he's also in 2013's upcoming Despicable Me 2, I'm saying it because he's a crass asshole whose brand of humor isn't the least bit appealing to any mammal.

Now, newly minted FX Productions CEO John Landgraf—not the guy who hired him for a nightly talk show,...

"Brand X With Russell Brand" will likely not be back for another season, FX's John Landgraf acknowledged during a meeting with press on Thursday. "I don't think were going to bring 'Brand X' back," Landgraf -- who was promoted to CEO of FX Networks and FX Productions this week -- said, while noting that FX still has an ongoing relationship with Brand, and is developing a new series, loosely based on Brand's life. Also read: Danny McBride's 'Chozen' Chosen as First New Fxx Series Landgraf also acknowledged that the ratings for the Charlie...

FX has decided to stop trying to make Brand X With Russell Brand a thing. After one year, two seasons, several format tweaks, and 26 episodes, network boss John Landgraf told reporters today that he's "not moving forward" with the late-night talk show. But FX still wants to find a place for Brand on its lineup: It's developing a scripted comedy project for the actor in which he'd play a version of himself, à la Larry David in Curb Your Enthusiasm.

"Brand X with Russell Brand" has been canceled, FX Networks CEO John Landgraf revealed to reporters during a press conference on Thursday.

However, FX is still very interested in staying in business with Brand, revealing that they're working on a scripted live-action pilot starring the comedian. "[It's] loosely based on his life in the way that, say, 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' is loosely about Larry David's life," Landgraf said. The pilot is in its early stages and a writer has not yet been hired.

"Brand X" went through some major changes between its first and second seasons. The series debuted in June 2012 as a weekly half-hour show, initially without guests, but Brand had an on-stage political analyst Matthew Stoller. As the debut season went on, "Brand X" added celebrity guests and Season 2, which debuted in February 2013, expanded to an hour-long live broadcast format. Stoller was replaced by Steve Jones of Sex Pistols fame.

FX won’t be ordering more episodes of Brand X With Russell Brand, FX Networks CEO John Landgraf said at a press conference today. The network will stay in business with the actor, picking up a scripted live-action comedy pilot starring Brand, which will be based loosely on his life in the vein of HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm. A search is underway for a writer. In the end, “W. Kamau Bell and (executive producer) Chris Rock were more ready to convert to a daily show,” Landgraf said. Totally Biased With W. Kamau Bell, which just logged a series high, will switch to a nightly format when it moves to Fxx in September. ”We saw more potential and upside in audience’s reaction.” Brand X started off as a taped weekly show and moved to a live production for the second batch of episodes. The series aired 26 episodes in total.

Russell Brand has apparently not been invited to become a member of the Church of Scientology. He told "Conan" that he tried to get their most famous member to recruit him while they worked together on "Rock of Ages," but either his pleas fell on Tom Cruise's deaf ears, or Cruise knew better than to take him seriously.

"Every so often, I’d say thing like, ‘Tom, sometimes I’m a bit lost in life.’ See if he would try and get me," Brand told Conan O'Brien. "That man had no interest in getting me in Scientology at all." Or, as Vulture put it, "Cruise just left him hanging on a thread of fabricated despondency."

The more the comedian thought about it, the more it seemed to bother him. "If there’s a cult that don’t want me, I want to know why," he said. Maybe he can...

Check out new clips from FX's Brand X with Russell Brand and The Americans. First up, from Brand X, in the following order: Guys and Dolls: Russell introduces the audience to Steve's muscle-bound plastic playmates. The Princess and a Queen: Did Freddy Mercury really sneak Princess Di into a gay bar? What's Russell Hiding Behind that Pillow? Russell discovers why Kevin Smith doesn't like to sit down. The Stoned Age: When is the right time of life to smoke pot? Kevin Smith explains. Seducing Kevin Smith - Russell mounts the desk and channels Michelle Pfeiffer After that, from The Americans, take a recap of Episode 9 and "Go Undercover" with The Americans and untangle the web of confusion within the last episode.

Check out new clips from FX's Brand X with Russell Brand and The Americans. First up, from Brand X, in the following order: Guys and Dolls: Russell introduces the audience to Steve's muscle-bound plastic playmates. The Princess and a Queen: Did Freddy Mercury really sneak Princess Di into a gay bar? What's Russell Hiding Behind that Pillow? Russell discovers why Kevin Smith doesn't like to sit down. The Stoned Age: When is the right time of life to smoke pot? Kevin Smith explains. Seducing Kevin Smith - Russell mounts the desk and channels Michelle Pfeiffer After that, from The Americans, take a recap of Episode 9 and "Go Undercover" with The Americans and untangle the web of confusion within the last episode.

FX Network has sent along fresh Brand X with Russell Brand clips, prepping fans for the upcoming episode which airs Thursday, 11"00 p.m. First up, in "Sore Eyes" - What do Lady Godiva and Steve Jones have in common? More than you think. Next, in "Play Nice!" - What’s the best way to greet a hate-mongering fundamentalist? After that, watch "Hate: In Charts!" - Here’s the latest edition of “The Truth Hurts.” Follow that with "The Back Door" - Instead of Prozac, Russell suggests this mood elevator In "The Holy War" - Tonight’s Main Event! Henry Rollins vs. The God Warrior. Who wins? Finally, get Training Tips with Henry and Steve - How did Steve make time for debauchery while in the Sex Pistols?...

FX Network has sent along fresh Brand X with Russell Brand clips, prepping fans for the upcoming episode which airs Thursday, 11"00 p.m. First up, in "Sore Eyes" - What do Lady Godiva and Steve Jones have in common? More than you think. Next, in "Play Nice!" - What’s the best way to greet a hate-mongering fundamentalist? After that, watch "Hate: In Charts!" - Here’s the latest edition of “The Truth Hurts.” Follow that with "The Back Door" - Instead of Prozac, Russell suggests this mood elevator In "The Holy War" - Tonight’s Main Event! Henry Rollins vs. The God Warrior. Who wins? Finally, get Training Tips with Henry and Steve - How did Steve make time for debauchery while in the Sex Pistols?...

Three of FX’s comedy series — flagship It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, The League and Legit — will help launch new sibling Fxx (formerly Fox Soccer), along with late-night show Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell. Sunny, The League and Legit have been renewed for Season 10, 6 and 2, respectively. Additionally, Totally Biased will expand to five nights a week after it moves to Fxx when the network launches September 2. The plan for Fxx is to start with four original comedy series and one late-night show. The fourth original comedy will likely come from one of FX’s half-hour pilots, FX president John Landgraf said. Live talk show Brand X With Russell Brand will be moving over to Fxx if the show returns for a third season. Langraf said a decision on that would made in the next few months. The new network’s original offerings will go up to six comedy...

Wow.  FX is making some huge moves, adding a new channel called Fxx to the network, bringing the total to three (FX, Fxm, Fxx), each targeting a specific demographic.  FX is home to shows like Sons of Anarchy, American Horror Story, Justified (which has been renewed for a fifth season), It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Archer, The League, The Americans, Louie, Brand X with Russell Brand, and more.  The network's President and General Manager John Landgraf said in...

FX's Brand X with Russell Brand has added Dermot Mulroney as a guest star on the February 28th show. There will also be an encore of the show at 1:00 am Et/Pt. Mulroney, a vastly experienced actor in various genres with over 65 films, has just finished work on John Wells' August Osage County alongside Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts. Prior to that, he worked on the jOBS Steve Jobs story starring Ashton Kutcher. Of course, he's also in the incredible Park Chan-wook film Stoker, starring opposite Nicole Kidman, Mia Wasikowska and Matthew Goode. That film scored a perfect 5/5 score in our review. BrandX aims Russell Brand’s unique, rollicking skillset at the traditional monologue, celebrity interviews, and audiences segments. The series currently airs at 11:30Pm Et/Pt, but will move to 11:00Pm Et/Pt beginning February 28.

FX's Brand X with Russell Brand has added Dermot Mulroney as a guest star on the February 28th show. There will also be an encore of the show at 1:00 am Et/Pt. Mulroney, a vastly experienced actor in various genres with over 65 films, has just finished work on John Wells' August Osage County alongside Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts. Prior to that, he worked on the jOBS Steve Jobs story starring Ashton Kutcher. Of course, he's also in the incredible Park Chan-wook film Stoker, starring opposite Nicole Kidman, Mia Wasikowska and Matthew Goode. That film scored a perfect 5/5 score in our review. BrandX aims Russell Brand’s unique, rollicking skillset at the traditional monologue, celebrity interviews, and audiences segments. The series currently airs at 11:30Pm Et/Pt, but will move to 11:00Pm Et/Pt beginning February 28.

It's a Glee Valentine's Day on Valentine's Day.

News

I guess Rupert Grint is the new Earl Hickey? The Harry Potter star has been cast as the star of Super Clyde, a CBS comedy pilot from My Name is Earl creator Greg Garcia. Grint will play an awkward fast food employee and superhero fanboy who inherits a lot of money and decides to use it to become a super hero who helps the deserving.

In further bad news for Up All Night, NBC has reduced its order from five episodes to just one, according to Deadline.

There's an NBC comedy pilot set in the 80s with J.K. Simmons and Parker Posey playing a married couple. I don't know what to think of that.

After struggling to find an audience all season, The Jeff Probst Show has been cancelled, despite starting out with a two-year order. Probst has strong hosting skills but,...

Russell Brand's Us talk show is to return in a new live format. Brand X with Russell Brand will return to FX from Thursday, February 7 for 13 hour-long weekly episodes in the network's late night schedule. The show will air at 11.30pm after Totally Biased with W Kamau Bell for a couple of weeks, before shifting to 11pm from February 28. Kathy Griffin will appear as a guest on the February (more)...

Russell Brand isn't as bad a guy as the media is making him out to be, according to the lawyer of a man who's suing the comedian and actor for allegedly hitting him with a car in Los Angeles in January. But that doesn't mean that the attorney doesn't want hundreds of thousands of dollars from the "Brand X With Russell Brand" star anyway. Also read: Russell Brand Explains Sarah Palin: "People Want to F--- Her" Personal injury lawyer Robert Fink, who's representing Victor Sneed in a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior...

This year, October’s looking pretty Sunny.

Season 8 of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia will debut Thursday, Oct. 11 at 10/9c, FX announced Monday.

In addition, just as pigskin season’s heating up, the fantasy-sports-league sitcom The League will return for Season 4 in the post-Sunny slot: Thursday, Oct. 11 at 10:30 pm.

Related | Fall Preview Headquarters: Videos, Photos, Schedules and More!

The net is also bringing back Russell Brand’s late-night project Brand X With Russell Brand for an additional seven episodes which will bow on Thursday, Oct. 11 at 11 pm. The Ultimate Fighter Fridays will kick back into action with a two-hour premiere on Friday,...

British funny man Russell Brand may be headed back to movie theaters in "Pierre, Pierre," a politically incorrect romp of a comedy (via Variety). Larry Charles is set to direct the film, bringing raunchy-comedy cred to the project having previously directed "Borat" and "Bruno".

In the film, Brand would play an obnoxious Frenchman who steals the Mona Lisa and tries to transport it from Paris to London. Encountering numerous roadblocks along the way including a "French police inspector, a serial killer named Pigeons--t and his own brothel-owning mother," it doesn't sound like any easy task.

If Brand says "oui," he would replace Jim Carrey, who was tied to the lead role in early in development, along with director Jason Reitman.

Currently, Brand has his own show, "Brand X With Russell Brand" on FX, and he is also in an as-of-yet untitled directorial debut project from Diablo Cody...

London, July 31: Russell Brand has landed himself in hot water after saying that if Sarah Palin ever appeared on his show, he would forget the politics and would talk about her sex appeal.

The 37-year-old comedian made the comment about former Alaska governor while promoting his FX Show 'Brand X With Russell Brand' at the Television Critics Association on Saturday.

"I'd.

Russell Brand began his panel at the 2012 Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour basking in some good news: his stream-of-consciousness FX talk show "Brand X With Russell Brand" had been renewed for an additional 7 episodes. But Brand being Brand, he couldn't let the session pass without issuing a vulgar proclamation about Sarah Palin that immediately overshadowed a discussion about his re-tooled show.

Pontificating on her popularity, Brand mused, "People want to fuck her. That's why they tolerate the other stuff."

Brand's Palin jokes have gotten him into hot water before. In 2008, after hosting the MTV Video Music Awards, he admitted that the network had cut a joke from the telecast involving Palin's then-pregnant daughter Bristol, abortion and the electric chair. "I wanted to say she was forcing her teenage daughter to have a baby because she is so anti-abortion. But also, as a Republican she is pro-execution so she is...

FX touted its continued push into the late-night space Saturday with sessions at the Television Critics Association's summer press tour, hosting sessions for Brand X With Russell Brand and its upcoming entry Totally Biased With W. Kamau Bell. From executive producers Chris Rock and Chuck Sklar, W. Kamau Bell stars in the weekly half-hour series that explores politics, pop culture, race, religion, media and sex. The vocal Russell Brand, meanwhile, fronts his series -- which earned an order for seven additional episodes early Saturday. The first of the initial six installments of Brand X will air Thursday, Aug. 2

read more...

Russell Brand heads to American TV for the first time with his own FX late-night series, "Brand X" (premieres Thursday, June 28 at 11 p.m. Et).

The British comedian and actor -- best known stateside for his role in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" -- goes back to his stand-up start on "Brand X With Russell Brand." On the first episode of the half-hour show, Brand gets quite spiritual. He kicks off the premiere discussing his meeting with the Dalai Lama and how rumors started that he regaled the Tibetan high priest with tales of his sex life.

"I feel like spirituality is the most thing in our lives," Brand explains to his straight man and Roosevelt Institute fellow, Matt Stoller, wondering why the Us and UK don't have a figure similar to the Dalai Lama. He goes on to discuss Mel Gibson, circumcision and even fellow new FX star Charlie Sheen (whose...

Something seemed to get lost in translation -- or, rather, Russell Brand's thick British accent -- in the funnyman's new FX show, "Brand X With Russell Brand." The series, which premieres Thursday night at 11 p.m., is a free-ranging affair during which, FX says, Brand offers his "unvarnished, unfiltered take on current events, politics and pop culture." Which is only partly accurate. Judging from the first episode of the six-part series, the primary topic of discussion is Brand himself. And the show suffers for it. Also read: MTV Movie Awards: Russell Brand...

NBC’s Whitney is, as we already knew, returning — but with a new showrunner at the helm.

Exec producer Betsy Thomas has stepped down from the top spot, and is relocating to NBC’s Guys With Kids (where she’ll serve as a co-ep), EW.com reports. Succeeding Thomas as Whitney‘s new boss is Wil Calhoun, whose sitcom credits include I Hate My Teenage Daughter, Gary Unmarried and, some time ago, Friends. Got advice for Calhoun on how to improve Whitney? Hit comments!

Whitney Season 2 will air Fridays at 8, leading into Community.

Related | Fall TV Grid: What’s On When?...

Charlie Sheen promised "awesome" success for his upcoming FX show “Anger Management,” during a video message to advertisers at the network's upfronts presentation on Thursday. The former "Two and a Half Men" star also joked that its success would be followed by a “whole lot of credit taking.” FX will debut Charlie Sheen’s “Anger Management” in June along with Russell Brand’s late night show “Strangely Uplifting.” Also read: Charlie Sheen to Ashton Kutcher: Sorry, You Don't Really Suck During the presentation, network president John Landgraf told advertisers that FX plans to order two to...

Comedian Chris Rock signed on the dotted line with the FX network to deliver six, half-hour installments of an untitled late night show premiering this summer. Rock will serve as the show’s executive producer will star fellow stand-up comedian W. Kamau Bell as he dissects politics, pop culture, race, religion, the media, and sex.

“The presentation pilot that Chris and Kamau shot was terrific,” said FX Executive Vice President of Original Programming, Nick Grad. “Kamau is a tremendous young comedian who has a very smart and sharp take on life. Working with Chris will only bring out the best of his talents. This series, along with Russell Brand’s Strangely Uplifting, puts FX on really solid footing in the latenight arena.”

It was also announced today that Rock will be appearing in the new Julie Delpy film, “2 Days in New York” that will show at the Tribeca Film Festival in its Spotlight lineup.

Comedian W. Kamau Bell will star in a talk show produced by Chris Rock that will air on the cable channel FX, reports Laughspin. The weekly show, which currently is untitled, will air for six episodes starting in August, and will include social and political commentary from Bell as he "dissect[s] politics, pop culture, race, religion, the media and sex," according to FX.

In a statement, Bell told The Huffington Post: "Chris Rock is making a little boy's dreams come true."

The San Francisco-based Bell has been performing his widely acclaimed one-man show, "The W. Kamau Bell Curve: Ending Racism in About an Hour," for several years. Last November, he shot a TV pilot based on it entitled "The Bell Curve: Apologies," and although the pilot did not get picked up, it marked the first time he worked with Rock, whose previous foray into late night TV on HBO was critically acclaimed.

Comedian W. Kamau Bell will star in a talk show produced by Chris Rock that will air on the cable channel FX, reports Laughspin. The weekly show, which currently is untitled, will air for six episodes starting in August, and will include social and political commentary from Bell as he "dissect[s] politics, pop culture, race, religion, the media and sex," according to FX.

In a statement, Bell told The Huffington Post: "Chris Rock is making a little boy's dreams come true."

The San Francisco-based Bell has been performing his widely acclaimed one-man show, "The W. Kamau Bell Curve: Ending Racism in About an Hour," for several years. Last November, he shot a TV pilot based on it entitled "The Bell Curve: Apologies," and although the pilot did not get picked up, it marked the first time he worked with Rock, whose previous foray into late night TV on HBO was critically acclaimed.

FX has ordered six episodes of an untitled late-night talk show executive produced by Chris Rock and starring comedian W. Kamau Bell, the network announced Wednesday. The weekly half-hour series, in which Bell will discuss politics, politics, pop culture, race, religion, the media and sex, joins an FX late-night lineup that also includes Russell Brand's "Strangely Uplifting." Brand's show debuts June 28, and Bell's series will premiere at an undetermined date during the summer. The series also marks a return to late night for Rock, former star of HBO's "The Chris Rock...

Having scored critical and commercial hits in the drama, comedy, and animation genres, FX is clearly set on expanding its growing dominion into the realm of late-night talk shows. This summer’s Strangely Uplifting will give Russell Brand a weekly half-hour in which to filter the day’s news through his foppish grandiosity, and today the network has announced another late-night series: an untitled half-hour show starring stand-up comedian W. Kamau Bell. Known for his critically acclaimed solo show The W. Kamau Bell Curve: Ending Racism In About An Hour (and in some circles, The Field Negro Guide To Arts ...

FX is getting into the late-night business with Chris Rock. The network just announced that it bought six installments of a new half-hour series from Rock that will star standup comedian W. Kamau Bell (pictured).

Set to bow this summer, the show will “dissect politics, pop culture, race, religion, the media and sex in a weekly half hour.”

“Kamau is a tremendous young comedian who has a very smart and sharp take on life,” said Exec VP of Original Programming Nick Grad in a statement. “Working with Chris will only bring out the best of his talents.”

Bell is considered...

FX has greenlighted a new weekly half-hour late-night series executive produced by Chris Rock and starring standup comedian W. Kamau Bell. The network has ordered six episodes of the show — in which Bell will dissect politics, pop culture, race, religion, the media and sex — for a premiere this summer. FX’s Evp Original Programming Nick Grad said the series order was made after the network reviewed the project’s “terrific” presentation. “Kamau is a tremendous young comedian who has a very smart and sharp take on life,” Grad said. “Working with Chris will only bring out the best of his talents.” This is FX’s second late-night series order following the pickup of Russell Brand’s Strangely Uplifting, also for a summer premiere. The two shows “put FX on really solid footing in the late-night arena,” Grad said. The untitled Chris Rock/W. Kamau Bell series is produced by FX Prods,...

Russell Brand, the 36-year-old comedian who recently divorced Katy Perry, was out and about in New Orleans yesterday revealing a part of him that we're breast-imating is a solid 38A. Even with the tight jeans and plunging neckline, this outfit is strangely still a style step in the right direction away from his former Yogi-inspired garb. The Get Him to the Greek star will soon be hosting his own topical comedy show... À la The Daily Show with Jon Stewart—titled Strangely Uplifting (not entirely unlike the public's reaction to news of a Mitt Romney lead over Newt Gingrich). This is the actor's first television production deal for his production company, Brand ...

Russell Brand's new FX comedy series Strangely Uplifting will air on Sky Atlantic in the UK. Strangely Uplifting is a six-part unscripted show, which will feature Brand's unique take on current events, politics and popular culture. It is filmed in front of a live studio audience, who he will interact with heavily during the episodes. FX has promised that Brand's series will take on a traditional comedy format and transform it into something "daring, smart and hilarious". "Russell's distinctive and daring look at the world ensures Strangely Uplifting will resonate with Sky Atlantic HD customers. This deal further demonstrates Sky's long-term commitment to investing in brilliant and exclusive programming," Sky's acquisition manager Lucy Criddle said. Sky Atlantic's (more)...