Tommy Davidson to star in Martin spinoff Varnell Hill / Bart Simpson voice Nancy Cartwright launching a Simpsons podcast / Laura Linney joins AMC+'s American Classic
PLUS: Kevin Spacey reprises his House of Cards Frank Underwood character to promote Tim Dillon's Netflix special.
BET+ orders Martin spinoff Varnell Hill starring Tommy Davidson
Davidson will reprise his beloved two-episode Martin talk show host character Varnell Hill from the two-part 1993 episode "Hollywood Swinging" for the spinoff series co-created and executive produced by Martin co-creator, star and executive producer Martin Lawrence and Martin executive producer/showrunner Bentley Evans, reports Deadline's Nellie Andreeva, adding: "There is no confirmation of Lawrence appearing on the show but I hear he is poised to reprise his Martin Payne role in multiple episodes. The announcement comes on the 35th anniversary of In Living Color, on which Davidson was an original cast member." Andreeva adds: "Varnell Hill, which has received an eight-episode straight-to-series order, is a workplace comedy set behind the scenes of the long-running late-night talk show, ‘The Varnell Hill Show.’ Delving into the chaotic world of television production, the series explores Varnell’s journey to remain relevant in an ever-evolving industry and the corporate dynamics of network executives, business stakeholders, and creative teams involved in the making of the show. A blend of satire, humor, cutaways, and fourth-wall breaks, Varnell Hill will feature a mixture of exciting new characters and celebrity guest cameos."
Bart Simpson voice Nancy Cartwright is launching a Simpsons-themed podcast
Cartwright is teaming with Audacy for Simpsons Declassified With Nancy Cartwright, where she will "share untold stories from the animated series over nearly four decades, including behind-the-scenes moments and personal anecdotes from inside the writers room and behind the mic," per Variety. "Each episode will explore the show’s most jaw-dropping predictions and long-running conspiracies, joined by guest stars, writers, directors and celebrities who reveal their favorite fan theories, hot takes and secrets from inside Springfield." In addition to Bart, Cartwright also voices Ralph Wiggum, Nelson Muntz, Todd Flanders, Kearney Zzyzwicz, Database and Maggie Simpson. Audacy also released an image of Cartwright in front of a chalkboard like Bart, writing "I Will Not Start A Podcast."
Laura Linney joins Kevin Kline on AMC+'s American Classic
The three-time Oscar nominee and Emmy winner will play the wife of Joe Tenney's character on the drama series that “centers on Broadway star and notorious narcissist Richard Bean (Kline), who suffers a spectacular public meltdown and returns to his hometown and the family-run theater where he first became aware of his own brilliance.”
Kevin Spacey reprises his House of Cards Frank Underwood character to promote Tim Dillon's Netflix special
It's unclear if Netflix knew about Dillon’s Spacey promo, which the comedian posted to his personal X account this morning to promote his new special, I’m Your Mother, dropping today. Netflix's Netflix is a Joke account hasn't retweeted the Spacey promo. Netflix fired Spacey from House of Cards in 2017 after he was accused of sexual misconduct. In the promo, Spacey then tries to blackmail Dillon with information about his past DoorDash orders. When Dillon informs Spacey his special is streaming on Netflix, the actor replies: “You foul, lonesome, evil little cockroach. But I love you.”
Could Donald Trump Jr. land a Discovery Channel hunting show to please the Trump White House?
New York magazine writer Michael Wolff's profile of Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav reveals that a company representative sought "advice about how the company might advantageously interact with the White House and improve its Trump-age odor. The reported message was to look at the example of Amazon and Jeff Bezos paying Melania Trump $40 million to participate in a documentary about herself. Don Jr. might like a hunting and fishing show on the Discovery Channel, they were told. And that CNN could have more pro-Trump voices — suggestion provided."
Jimmy Kimmel says it's "fair game" for his critics to use his old The Man Show clips to attack him and call him a hypocrite
“I think it’s kind of funny, because the very people who are using those videos as an example of why I’m a horrible person were probably the biggest fans of the show at that time,” Kimmel says in a Rolling Stone profile. “We did the show a little tongue-in-cheek. I mean, if you really watch the show, we are making fun of ourselves through almost the whole show. It was not meant to be taken literally that men are superior to women, but for some people, it was. … But you can pull things out of context and then they are taken literally. And that’s just how it goes.” In the same interview, Kimmel blamed "liberals" who keep "viciously attacking comedians" for helping getting Trump elected. "I think a lot of the outrage is completely manufactured, and it’s like, a lot of these people who are angry aren’t really angry. I think these liberals who’ve done such a good job of viciously attacking comedians are a big part of the reason why Trump is the president right now," says Kimmel. Asked to clarify what he meant, Kimmel said: “I just think human beings in general, when you see something that makes you laugh and you see a bunch of other people laughing, and then somebody steps in with their arms folded and goes, ‘That’s not funny, and here’s why that’s not funny,’ it just doesn’t give you a good feeling about a person. And you want to say to that person, ‘Lighten up.’ There’s no black and white when it comes to comedy. There is no line. The line is different for every person. Dave Chappelle can say things that somebody else might not be able to. I don’t think anybody should be canceled. I really don’t.”
Original The View co-host Debbie Matenopoulos says she's in talks to join Real Housewives of Beverly Hills
“Well, yes, I am currently talking to them," she said on Page Six Radio. "So, when I mean currently, I mean currently. Like last week."
Jeff Probst on why Survivor backed off physical challenges: We decided to take a different approach from shows like The Challenge
"I would say in terms of why we don't have those, there wasn't a defining moment when we decided to back off of these types of challenges," Probst said on his On Fire podcast, per EW. “There was a period, it was like three or four seasons in a row where we all started feeling, are we pressing a little too hard on the physicality?” Probst adds, “especially in the one-on-one or two-on-two challenges, because we don't want the challenges to be so physical that it's likely somebody will get hurt.”
Fox sets an America’s Most Wanted: Missing Persons event series and an America’s Most Wanted: John Walsh‘s Dirty Dozen special
Fox News anchor Harris Faulkner will host America’s Most Wanted: Missing Persons, a three-week event series premiering April 28 that centers on finding missing people and reuniting them with their families. Premiering May 14, America’s Most Wanted: John Walsh’s Dirty Dozen will look at the history of John Walsh's iconic series that launched in 1988.
Fox Sports teams with Miami Dolphins QB on Tua Tagovailoa on a documentary on Polynesians in football
Culture of Winning: Polynesian Football Pride delves into the success of Polynesian NFL players and the impact their sports success has back on their communities. “I’m proud to share insight on what makes our Polynesian culture so special. We have a rich heritage of success in football. I’m grateful for the legends who paved the way, inspiring us current NFL players to believe our dreams were possible, and humbled to help mentor and inspire the next wave of Polynesian stars in the sport. I hope football fans will find it inspirational.” Watch the trailer.
Atsuko Okatsuka heads to Hulu for her second comedy special
Okatsuka, whose first special was HBO's The Intruder in 2022, will release her next special for Hulu on June 13 with the title Father. “Fans call her ‘Mother,’ but Atsuko is ‘Father’ — thriving professionally yet clueless about basics,” reads the logline. “A 7-year laundry hiatus and learning that marriage licenses precede weddings are just some hilariously relatable discoveries she shares in her special.”
Minka Kelly says she isn't interested in the Friday Night Lights reboot
“I think it’s always best leaving people — if even they do — wanting more. I think leaving that where it was is probably the right thing to do,” Kelly tells Deadline. “Maybe too much sometimes is too much. I don’t know that they need more Lyla.”
Nielsen: Reacher was the most-streamed program in March with 6.6 billion viewing minutes, followed by Family Guy and Bluey
The White Lotus came in at fourth place and Severance was No. 10.
Friends alum Maggie Wheeler believes Matthew Perry visited her as a hawk
The Janice actress also lost a brother to drugs, and believes that Perry and her brother have found each other up in the heavens. “There was an incredible moment — I haven’t talked about this anywhere, but if you believe in these kinds of things. Lots of people talk about spirit showing up as birds… and after Matthew died, I was in a neighbor’s pool," Wheeler said on the Still Here Hollywood Podcast with Steve Kmetko, per The Hollywood Reporter. "And I was alone and there was nobody else was around and I was on my back and I was thinking about my brother, and I said, ‘Look out for him.’ And two hawks flew over my head and flew past me. One circled around and came and got the other one and it flew past me,” Wheeler said. “So, that was a beautiful moment — if you go for that kind of stuff.”
The White Lotus' Aimee Lou Wood explains why she was photographed on the street crying
Many on the Internet speculated that Wood was crying over SNL's "The White Potus" sketch that mocked her teeth. “Thank you so much. Just to say, I actually wasn’t crying about anything that the papers made out I was crying about,” she said Tuesday with a laughing/crying emoji on her Instagram Stories. “Something completely unrelated.”
Gayle King reacts to the meme of her worried face before boarding the Blue Origin space flight
“I didn’t realize that I was being photographed at that moment, nor did I realize that my expression looked so terrified,” King said in an Instagram video. “But I was!”
MTV's The Osbournes is getting a FAST Channel
Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne's 2002-2005 comedy reality show will stream for free as part of a FAST Channel for the first time.
How Ned Brower — Rooney's former drummer and a real-life nurse — landed on The Pitt
"Working in the ER, in a weird way, was similar to the things I liked about being in a band — kind of exciting, a little unpredictable, and you're working with teams," Brower, who has worked in the medical profession for 13 years, tells People of his role of nurse Jesse Van Horn on the Max series. Brower has acted before, with credits including Dawson's Creek and Big Fat Liar.
Check out the first look at Dexter: Resurrection
Vanity Fair's first look includes Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan, plus newcomers Uma Thurman and Peter Dinklage.
E. Jay Krause, Emmy-winning art director who designed sets for Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In and Hollywood Squares, dies at 98
"Over this three-decade career, Krause designed sets for more than 180 productions, work on TV specials featuring such iconic performers as Bob Hope, Diana Ross, Mitzi Gaynor, Shirley Temple, Bing Crosby, Jerry Lewis, Esther Williams, Milton Berle, Danny Thomas, the Jacksons, Don Knotts, Wayne Newton, Carol Channing, Pat Boone and Rudolf Nureyev," Kimberly Nordyke writes in Krause's Hollywood Reporter obituary. "He also designed the original sets for The Hollywood Squares and Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In and received two Primetime Emmy Awards for best art direction — one for The Diana Ross Special and another for The Mitzi Gaynor Special." Additionally, Krause served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, taking part in the harrowing 82-day Battle of Okinawa.
And Just Like That gets a Season 3 trailer, poster and premiere date
The Max Sex and the City sequel series returns May 29.
Watch History Channel's trailer for Kevin Costner’s The West
Premiering May 26, Costner's docuseries explores the fierce battles over land that defined the American frontier — and how its legacy continues to shape the nation today.