Hasan Minhaj accuses The New Yorker of being “misleading” / Paramount+ cancels Fatal Attraction and Rabbit Hole / BravoCon to stream select panels

PLUS: Superman & Lois and All American: Homecoming are downsizing their writers' rooms.

Hasan Minhaj accuses The New Yorker exposé of being “needlessly misleading” in 21-minute video — New Yorker says: “We stand by our story”
The comedian offered a detailed response to the Sept. 15 New Yorker story, in which reporter Clare Malone accuses him of fabricating stories for his standup act and he responded by saying he was delivering “emotional truths.” “There were omissions and factual errors in The New Yorker article that misrepresented my life story, so I wanted to give people the context and materials I provided The New Yorker with full transparency,” Minhaj said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, which initially posted the video. The video, featuring audio recordings of Malone's interview with Minhaj, was later posted on Minhaj's YouTube channel. In the video, per The Hollywood Reporter, Minhaj provides more context on three stories from his stand-up act that drew scrutiny in The New Yorker: being rejected for prom because of racism, his run-ins with undercover law enforcement surveilling the Muslim community in his hometown, and an anthrax scare he had at his home. “To everyone who read that article,” he says, “I want to answer the biggest question that’s probably on your mind: Is Hasan Minhaj secretly a psycho? Underneath all that pomp, is Hasan Minhaj just a con artist who uses fake racism and Islamophobia to advance his career? Because after reading that article, I would also think that.” He adds: “The reason I feel horrible is because I’m not a psycho. But this New Yorker article definitely made me look like one. It was so needlessly misleading, not just about my stand-up, but also about me as a person. The truth is, racism, FBI surveillance and the threats to my family happened. And I said this on the record.” In response to the video, The New Yorker issued the following statement to The Hollywood Reporter: “Hasan Minhaj confirms in this video that he selectively presents information and embellishes to make a point: exactly what we reported. Our piece, which includes Minhaj’s perspective at length, was carefully reported and fact-checked. It is based on interviews with more than twenty people, including former Patriot Act and Daily Show staffers; members of Minhaj’s security team; and people who have been the subject of his standup work, including the former F.B.I. informant 'Brother Eric' and the woman at the center of his prom-rejection story. We stand by our story.”

Paramount+ cancels Fatal Attraction and Rabbit Hole, each after one season
“Fatal Attraction and Rabbit Hole will not be returning for second seasons on Paramount+,” a Paramount+ spokesperson said in a statement. “We want to thank both series’ entire creative teams, crews and the fantastic casts for their dedication to bringing these series to life. Both Fatal Attraction and Rabbit Hole will continue to be available on Paramount+ for audiences to discover.” Starring Lizzy Caplan, Joshua Jackson and Amanda Peet, Fatal Attraction, a reboot of the 1987 iconic film of the same name, aired between April and May. Rabbit Hole, starring Kiefer Sutherland in a return to the espionage thriller genre, aired between March and May.

Superman & Lois and All American: Homecoming are downsizing their writers' rooms
The CW renewed Superman & Lois and All American: Homecoming in June for their respective fourth and third seasons after Warner Bros. Television agreed to deliver the new seasons at a significantly lower license fee to make them feasible for the network under its new lower-cost original programming model. As a result, Superman & Lois is going from eight writers to five and All American: Homecoming will drop from nine to seven writers. The other two returning CW shows, All American and Walker, will see no writers' room reductions.

BravoCon will stream select panels on Peacock, including the one on Vanderpump Rules
Peacock subscribers will be able to stream select panels, plus five episodes of “BravoCon Live With Andy Cohen!,” interviews with Bravolebrities and other behind-the-scenes content. BravoCon kicks off Nov. 3. Additional content will be added through Nov. 10. Panels won't stream live, but they'll be posted shortly after they take place.

John Mulaney and Pete Davidson postpone their comedy shows in Maine in the aftermath of Wednesday's mass shooting
“We are devastated by the events in Lewiston,” wrote Mulaney in a message posted to his Instagram stories, on behalf of himself and Davidson, after 18 were killed and 13 injured in a mass shooting last night in Lewiston, Maine. “Shows scheduled for this weekend in Maine on Saturday, 10/28 and Sunday, 10/29 have been postponed. We are thinking of you all.”

Pat Sajak will finally acknowledge his retirement on-air on tonight's Wheel of Fortune
Sajak had to respond after contestant Rhachel Royal told him on tonight's episode, airing on his 77th birthday: "Congrats on your retirement, we’ll miss you when you’re gone, just do me one favor before you and help me bring this money home.” After the audience applauds, Sajak tells her it was “very nice,” but then asks, “I’m leaving? … The things you learn."

Kiefer Sutherland to narrate Apple TV+'s docuseries on the murder of John Lennon
Murder Without a Trial will feature "exclusive eyewitness interviews for the first time along with previously unseen crime scene photos, shedding new light on the life and murder of the Beatles icon and the investigation and conviction of Mark David Chapman, his confessed killer," per Deadline. Murder Without a Trial is directed by Nick Holt and Rob Coldstream.

HGTV renews Rock the Block for Season 5
The Ty Pennington-hosted reality show featuring four returning teams seeking a rematch in an effort to add the most value to Florida waterfront homes will return for seven episodes in March 2024.

Ashlee Simpson to star in Christmas movie The Recipe Files for QVC+ and HSN+
The retail-focused streamers are delving into original holiday programming for the second year with Simpson's The Recipe Files, a new series from Curtis Stone, reality competition The Ultimate Gift Wrapping Challenge and food show Seasoned, featuring the personal stories of chefs including Carla Hall.

Sam Esmail says his Metropolis series getting scrapped was "heartbreaking," but his Battlestar Galactica reboot is in "great shape"
“Obviously, it was heartbreaking,” the Mr. Robot creator told Deadline on the red carpet of his Netflix movie Leave the World Behind. “But during the strike, we all understood. And I got to work with a lot of talented people out in Australia, where we were mounting the production. It was a really good experience, and I don’t regret it for a second.” The big-budget series was canceled due to the writers' strike. Meanwhile, Esmail says his Battlestar Galactica series for Peacock is in "great shape" in the aftermath of the writers' strike.

Demián Bichir to star in the Jack the Ripper-inspired ViX original series El Dentista
The Oscar-nominated Bichir will play "The Dentist" in the Spanish-language streamer's Jack the Ripper adaptation, currently filming in Mexico, based on the novel The Foreign Visitor by prominent Chilean scribe Julio Rojas. El Dentista follows Nolasco Black, "a forensic dentist investigating a gruesome murder," per Variety. "His personal tragedy fuels his determination to catch the killer, who turns out to be Jack the Ripper, bent on pursuing his murderous rampage in America. Nolasco, with the help of the secretive Flammarion society, sets out to stop Jack, aided by Sofia, a brilliant chemist. As they collaborate to solve the case, Black and Sofia fall for each other. Jack becomes aware of their pursuit, sparking a deadly showdown."

Some Miami Dolphins players aren't happy to be participating in Hard Knocks: In Season
When QB Tua Tagovailoa was asked about the news Wednesday, he paused for 11 1/2 seconds before saying a word. “That’s probably my reaction,” he said. Cornerback Xavien Howard added: “Hard Knocks is (expletive), especially during the season. No, I’m serious. I’m not a fan.”

Peacock lost $565 million from June to September, a financial improvement over previous quarters
The NBC Universal streamer added 4 million subscribers for a total of 28 million customers.

DirecTV becomes the sponsor of the Holiday Bowl
The long-running San Diego college football bowl game, which has affiliations with the Pac-12 and the ACC, will now be called the DirecTV Holiday Bowl. This year's DirecTV Holiday Bowl will kick off at 8 p.m. ET on Dec. 27 on Fox.

Succession creator Jesse Armstrong to be honored with the International Emmys' Founders Award
“Since its debut, Succession has entered the cultural zeitgeist – obsessing audiences around the world with its highly original cast of characters and Machiavellian plots,” said International Academy president & CEO Bruce L. Paisner in a statement. “We look forward to honoring Jesse Armstrong’s extraordinary talent and global impact with our Founders Award.”

Emily in Paris co-stars Ashley Park and Paul Forman may be dating
The pair were spotted holding hands at The Hollywood Reporter's Beauty Dinner. Reps for the actors have not commented on the possible romance.

CBS is promoting "the spectral relationship" between the American and British versions of Ghosts
A new trailer plays up the similarities between the original BBC version of Ghosts and its American remake. Ghosts UK premieres on CBS on Nov. 16.

Martha Kelly to lead Netflix's limited adult animated comedy series Carol & The End Of The World
Community and Rick and Morty writer Dan Guterman is behind the limited series Carol & The End Of The World starring Baskets alum Kelly in the title role. Here's the logline: “With a mysterious planet hurtling towards Earth, extinction is imminent for the people of the world. While most feel liberated to pursue their wildest dreams, one quiet and always uncomfortable woman stands alone — lost among the hedonistic masses.” Carol & The End Of The World, with a cast that includes Bridget Everett, Michael Chernus, Beth Grant, Mel Rodriguez and Lawrence Pressman, premieres Dec. 15.

Picket Fences child star Adam Wylie arrested for allegedly shoplifting from Target
Wylie, who played Zachary Brock on Picket Fences and who is also best known for his roles on Gilmore Girls and Winx Club, allegedly didn't pay for $108 in health and beauty products when he used Target's self checkout.

Dude Perfect will return for Amazon's Black Friday NFL game
The sports and comedy group, which were featured in four Thursday Night Football alternative broadcasts on Prime Video last season, will return for a Black Friday alternative stream and another game the following Thursday.

The Crown Season 6 Part 1 trailer follows the blossoming relationship between Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed
The trailer for the first four episodes of the final season follows their growing relationship leading up to the fateful crash and the aftermath of shock and grief at the Palace and worldwide. The Crown returns Nov. 16.

Power Book III: Raising Kanan unveils its Season 3 trailer
Season 3, premiering Dec. 1, will continue to follow Kanan Stark’s rise up the ranks.