Same Old Same Old? And Harry Bids Farewell

MOVIE RELEASES Welcome to the summer of superheroes and sequels (and prequels….):

June

3: X-Men: First Class James McAvoy, Kevin Bacon, Jennifer Lawrence, Rose Byrne, January Jones

10: Super 8 Kyle Chandler, Elle Fanning, directed by J.J. Abrams

17: Green Lantern Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard

24: Cars 2 voices of Owen Wilson, Bonnie Hunt, Larry the Cable Guy, Cheech Marin, Tony Shalhoub, John Ratzenberger

July

1: Transformers: Dark of the Moon Shia LaBeouf, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, Frances McDormand

15: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes

22: Captain America: The First Avenger Chris Evans, Hugo Weaving, Dominic Cooper, Tommy Lee Jones, Stanley Tucci, Samuel L. Jackson, Derek Luke

29: The Smurfs voices of Neil Patrick Harris, George Lopez, Alan Cumming, Katy Perry, Hank Azaria, Jayma Mays, Sofia Vergara, Anton Yelchin Cowboys and Aliens Daniel Craig, Olivia Wilde, Harrison Ford Crazy, Stupid, Love Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Julianne Moore, Kevin Bacon

FUN FACT:

John Ratzenberger—At his audition for Cheers character Norm Peterson, he suggested the character he ended up playing for eleven years—the hilarious know-it-all barfly Cliff Clavin. Ratzenberger has voiced a character in every Pixar film. They consider him a good luck charm.

WHAT IS THAT?

Upfront: Last month, the big broadcast networks (FOX, ABC, NBC, and CBS) held their annual upfronts. As you may know, this well-publicized event is how television audiences learn which of their favorite shows are returning and which have been canceled, which pilots (first episodes of new series) have been picked up to series, and what the fall prime-time lineup will look like. TV stars turn out in radiant, well-dressed droves. Promos for new series are aired, and network bigwigs attempt to explain their decisions and generate hype for their upcoming fall season. But why is the event called an upfront? It is because the meeting kicks off a vital advertising sales period for the networks. Its primary goal is to allow potential advertisers to purchase commercial airtime “up front” before the new season begins. And, as we know well of the ratings-driven industry, advertising is everything. Next time you buy a product or service because of a TV commercial aired during your favorite show, write, e-mail, or tweet (many have Twitter accounts) the company immediately to let them know that you did. Chuck fans launched another successful “Save Chuck” campaign in recent months using this strategy, which helped the spy comedy earn a fifth and final season.

OH, FOR THE LOVE OF…SINGING

Well, American Idol just finished off a strong tenth season despite a shift on the judging panel (for the better? for the worse?) and a few new ploys to keep audiences interested. NBC recently launched a reality singing competition (The Voice) with four celebrity judges from across the music-genre spectrum and a short-lived audition gimmick that hopefully compensated for the cheesy décor. It has done well for the Peacock, but completing its mission of finding a genuine, appealing, lasting “voice” will help cement the show’s position on the schedule—and in the battle of singing competitions. Of course, notoriously blunt and sharp-tongued Simon Cowell will be back on FOX this fall with the American version of The X Factor, which has produced such phenomenal singers as Leona Lewis and Alexandra Burke in Britain and has been copied in many other countries.

The auditions are held in front of audiences of several thousand people, the performances are more ramped up, the contestant pool is wider (in age and in number—they have groups!), and contestants are mentored by the four judges (which will include Cowell’s former AI co-judge Paula “Too Nice” Abdul). The show will feature two hosts, one of whom is Pussycat Doll lead Nicole Scherzinger, who was a judge for NBC’s all-a capella series The Sing-Off (bumped from summer to fall this year). The latter is recommended, especially for those who prefer a smaller dose of behind-the-scenes drama and an assortment of fresh and traditional a capella tunes. By Cassaundra Brooks