The ABC comedy pilot “Shifting Gears” has cast Daryl “Chill” Mitchell and Froy Gutierrez, Variety has learned exclusively.
The pair join previously announced series leads Tim Allen and Kat Dennings in the multi-cam comedy, which was originally ordered to pilot at ABC back in March.
In the show, “Matt (Allen) is the stubborn, widowed owner of a classic car restoration shop. When Matt’s estranged daughter Riley (Dennings) and her teenage kids move into his house, the real restoration begins,” per the official logline.
Mitchell will star as Ed, described as “a former Marine. He’s a mechanic at the shop and ‘work husband’ of Frankie.” The role of Frankie has yet to be cast. Gutierrez will star as Nick, said to be “Matt’s son and Riley’s younger brother. He’s a game coder but put his life on hold to come home and help his father at the shop.”
Mitchell has recently appeared in shows such as “Fear the Walking Dead” and “NCIS: New Orleans” and previously starred in shows such as “Ed” and “Veronica’s Closet.” He is also known for his roles in films such as “Galaxy Quest,” “Sgt. Bilko,” “House Party,” “Home Fries,” and “Inside Man.”
He is repped by Innovative Artists and Jenny Delaney.
Gutierrez most recently appeared in the long-gestating sequel “Hocus Pocus 2.” He will next be seen in the upcoming feature “The Strangers: Chapter 1,” which will debut in theaters on May 17. He is also known for his role in the MTV series “Teen Wolf” as well as the Freeform series “Cruel Summer.”
He is repped by CAA & Untitled Entertainment
“Shifting Gears” hails from writers Mike and Julie Thacker Scully, who also serve as executive producers. Allen will executive produce in addition to starring, while Dennings will also produce. Marty Adelstein, Becky Clements, Richard Baker and Rick Messina are executive producers on the series as well. John Pasquin will direct and executive produce the pilot. 20th Television will produce.
Source: Variety
P-Valley is inching closer to its return to Starz.
Production on season three of the stripper drama from creator-showrunner Katori Hall has begun production in Atlanta and has promoted three actors to series regular, while also recruiting Mea Wilkerson to join the cast.
Gail Bean (Roulette), Bertram Williams Jr. (Woddy) and Thomas Q. Jones (Mane) have been promoted to series regulars for the third season of the Lionsgate TV-produced show. Wilkerson will also be a series regular, playing the role of Haiku, a new dancer at The Pynk who thrives on chaos and finds solace in the messy choices that ignite her spirit.
Bean joined P-Valley as a recurring character in season two, playing a dancer at The Pynk. Williams has played Woddy, Lil Murda’s (J. Alphonse Nicholson) manager. Jones has recurred as Mane, the leader of the Chief-Fi-Chief gang featured in the series.
Wilkerson is fresh off the Broadway tour of Hairspray. She’s repped by Arcos Management and Abstract Talent Agency.
Starz recently greenlit a P-Valley inspired docuseries, Down in the Valley, to be hosted and exec produced by series star Nicco Annan. The P-Valley cast also includes Brandee Evans and Shannon Thornton. Season two of P-Valley ended in August 2022. Writing and production on the series was delayed by last year’s dual strikes. The series is based on Hall’s play, Pussy Valley.
A premiere date has yet to be announced.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Showtime is keeping its presence in the Windy City.
The premium outlet, now known as Paramount+ With Showtime, has ordered a seventh season of its drama series The Chi. The renewal for the series, created by Lena Waithe, comes two days ahead of its return to Paramount+ With Showtime for the second half of season six.
Production on the seventh season is slated to begin later this month in Chicago.
“Lena Waithe is a generational storyteller, whose authentic and unflinching narratives in The Chi resonate deeply, offering a powerful lens into both the complexities of life in Chicago as well as the Black experience in America,” said Nina L. Diaz, president of content and chief creative officer for Showtime/MTV Entertainment Studios and Paramount Media Networks. “On the heels of a record-breaking season and ahead of this week’s return, we’re excited to provide fans with the promise of more — ensuring that they can continue to enjoy the raw, emotional stories and unforgettable characters that have made this seminal series a resounding success for Showtime.”
The Chi is P+ With Showtime’s longest-running current scripted series, taking that title after Billions finished its seven-season run last year. The coming-of-age story set on the city’s South Side comes from 20th Television and Waithe’s Hillman Grad banner.
Jacob Latimore, Alex Hibbert, Yolonda Ross, Shamon Brown Jr., Michael V. Epps, Birgundi Baker, Luke James and Curtiss Cook star in The Chi. Waithe executive produces season six with Common, co-showrunners Justin Hillian and Jewel Coronel, Aaron Kaplan, Rick Famuyiwa, ID8 Media’s Derek Dudley and Shelby Stone, and Rishi Rajani, CEO of Hillman Grad. Naomi Funabashi of Hillman Grad and Resheida Brady are co-EPs (Brady has been upped to EP for season seven). Producers Deondray Gossfield and Quincy LeNear Gossfield directed several episodes in season six.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Get ready for Leslie in Paris.
Comedian Leslie Jones will once again be part of NBCUniversal’s Olympics coverage when the 2024 games begin in Paris. The former Saturday Night Live cast member will be the “chief super fan commentator” for the games, providing segments from a variety of events on NBC, Peacock, and other NBCU channels and platforms, as well as her own social media.
The Olympics officially begin July 26 with the opening ceremony on the River Seine, though preliminary rounds in a few sports start two days earlier. NBC will carry live events in its daytime coverage and a mix of highlights and other segments in primetime, while Peacock will stream every sport, including live coverage of all 329 medal events, among its unprecedented scope of programming.
Jones will be on the ground with NBCU’s Olympics team for the first time since the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, Korea. The previous two Olympics, in Tokyo in 2021 and Beijing in 2022, featured largely remote coverage due to strict COVID-19 protocols in the host cities.
“I’m pumped to be heading to Paris to report on Team USA,” Jones said in a statement. “These athletes train for years to compete at the highest level, and I’m so excited to be back in the seat with NBCUniversal, cheering for Team USA and serving as chief super fan commentator. USA!! SLAY ALL DAY!! LET’S GOOOOOO!!”
Jones first became part of NBCU’s Olympics coverage in 2016, when NBC Sports invited her to Rio de Janeiro after she live-tweeted several events.
“We are excited to welcome Leslie back to our Olympic team,” said Rebecca Chatman, coordinating producer for NBC Olympics. “She is a passionate fan of Team USA, and we can’t wait to hear from her at events and sites across Paris.”
The Olympics run from July 26-Aug. 11.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Comedy legend Martin Lawrence today announced he will headline a national arena tour – his first comedy tour since 2016 – kicking off Saturday, July 20. The “Y’all Know What It Is!” tour will head to nearly 40 cities across the U.S. through April 2025 including Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Vegas, Dallas, Brooklyn and Washington, D.C. The tour is set to launch soon after the June 7 release of the highly anticipated Bad Boys: Ride or Die feature film, co-starring Will Smith. Tickets go on sale Friday, May 17 at 10am local. To purchase tickets, visit www.martinlawrenceontour.com.
View the tour announcement video here: Martin Lawrence Y’all Know What It Is! Tour on Vimeo.
“Y’all Know What It Is!” is an all-new stand-up show and fresh one hour set where Martin brings the real talk and finds the funny in everything from family to culture as only he can. Special guests have been personally hand-picked by the comedy maestro and are some of the hottest comedians on the mic including Adele Givens, B. Simone, Chico Bean, DC Youngfly, Deon Cole, Desi Banks, Gary Owen, Jess Hilarious, Mojo Brookzz, Ms. Pat, Rickey Smiley and more. Guest comedians vary by city.
“Comedy gives me that instant gratification,” Lawrence says. “Seeing the fans up close and in person, making people laugh, doing what I love most, this is what it’s all about for me. But hey…y’all know what it is!”
Lawrence, hailed by fans around the world as one of the greatest comics of all time, launched his comedy career in New York City at the Improv Comedy Club. His breakthrough film role came courtesy of Spike Lee in the classic Do The Right Thing! Other film roles followed including House Party and Boomerang. He soon captured the attention of mega producer Russell Simmons who tapped Lawrence to host the groundbreaking HBO series Def Comedy Jam. In 1992, Lawrence landed his own hit series Martin. The ratings juggernaut single-handedly elevated FOX to a major contender against network television stations. Following the finale of his self-titled comedy series, Lawrence went on to star in a string of top-grossing films including Life, Big Momma’s House, and the Bad Boys franchise.
Lawrence returns to the Bad Boys franchise with Bad Boys: Ride or Die which opens worldwide Friday, June 7.
The tour schedule (subject to change) includes:
| 2024 | ||
| Saturday, July 20 | Chandler, AZ | Gila River Casino |
| Friday, August 2 | Pittsburgh, PA | PPG Paints Arena |
| Saturday, August 3 | Cleveland, OH | Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse |
| Friday, August 9 | Jackson, MS | Mississippi Coliseum |
| Saturday, August 10 | Biloxi, MS | Mississippi Coast Coliseum |
| Saturday, August 17 | Highland, CA | Yaamava’ Resort & Casino |
| Friday, August 30 | Detroit, MI | Little Caesars Arena |
| Saturday, August 31 | Grand Rapids, MI | Van Andel Arena |
| Friday, September 6 | Raleigh, NC | PNC Arena |
| Saturday, September 7 | Columbia, SC | Colonial Life Arena |
| Friday, September 20 | Louisville, KY | KFC Yum! Center |
| Saturday, September 21 | Columbus, OH | Nationwide Arena |
| Friday, November 8 | Washington, D.C. | MGM National Harbor |
| Friday, November 15 | Dallas, TX | American Airlines Center |
| Saturday, November 16 | Oklahoma City, OK | Paycom Center |
| Friday, November 29 | Las Vegas, NV | Dolby Live (Park MGM Casino) |
| Friday, December 6 | Los Angeles, CA | Crypto.com Arena |
| Saturday, December 7 | Oakland, CA | Oakland Arena |
| Friday, December 13 | Jacksonville, FL | VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena |
| Saturday, December 14 | Hollywood, FL | Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, Fla |
| Sunday, December 15 | Tampa, FL | Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino |
| 2025 | ||
| Friday, January 17 | Southaven, MS | Landers Center |
| Saturday, January 18 | Birmingham, AL | Legacy Arena at the BJCC |
| Sunday, January 19 | Nashville, TN | Bridgestone Arena |
| Friday, January 24 | Brooklyn, NY | Barclays Center |
| Saturday, January 25 | Atlantic City, NJ | Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City |
| Saturday, February 8 | Houston, TX | Toyota Center |
| Friday, February 28 | St. Louis, MO | Chaifetz Arena |
| Saturday, March 1 | Kansas City, MO | T-Mobile Center |
| Friday, March 7 | Atlanta, GA | State Farm Arena |
| Saturday, March 8 | Savannah, GA | Enmarket Arena |
| Friday, March 14 | Milwaukee, WI | Fiserv Forum |
| Saturday, March 15 | Chicago, IL | Credit Union 1 Arena |
| Friday, March 28 | Norfolk, VA | Chartway Arena |
| Friday, April 4 | Bossier City, LA | Brookshire Grocery Arena |
| Saturday, April 5 | Little Rock, AR | Simmons Bank Arena |
For more information, visit www.martinlawrenceontour.com and follow Martin on social media at Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
NBC has renewed “Lopez vs. Lopez” for Season 3, while “Extended Family” has been canceled after one season.
In the recently concluded second season of “Lopez vs. Lopez,” Mayan (Mayan Lopez) and the Lopez family underwent big changes while George (George Lopez) took his first step in sobriety. Alongside the Lopezes, the cast includes Selenis Leyva, Matt Shively, Brice Gonzalez and Al Madrigal.
Per Live + Same Day data from Nielsen, Season 2 premiered to 2.3 million viewers and ranged from 1.5 to 2.2 million viewers for the rest of the season, while NBCUniversal notes that the show has reached 10 million viewers to date across platforms, including Peacock. Season 3 will debut during the 2024-2025 broadcast season.
Series co-creator Debby Wolfe executive produces with Bruce Helford, George Lopez, Michael Rotenberg and Katie Newman. Universal Television produces in association with Mohawk Productions, Travieso Productions, Mi Vida Loba and 3 Arts.
“Extended Family” followed Jim (Jon Cryer) and Julia (Abigail Spencer), who, after an amicable divorce, decided to continue to raise their kids (Finn Sweeney and Sofia Capanna) at the family home while taking turns on who gets to stay with them. Navigating the waters of divorce and child-sharing got more complicated for Jim when Trey (Donald Faison), the owner of his favorite sports team, entered the picture and wins Julia’s heart.
The series premiered to 710,000 viewers, then dipped to 330,000 with Episode 2 and remained below 300,000 for the rest of the season, per Nielsen’s Live + Same Day data.
Mike O’Malley created the series and executive produced alongside Cryer, Tom Werner, Wyc Grousbeck, Emilia Fazzalari and George Geyer. Universal Television co-produced with Lionsgate.
Source: Variety
Netflix‘s Roast of Tom Brady got loads of press coverage but a different live special from the streamer’s Netflix Is a Joke festival racked up more views over the weekend.
Katt Williams: Woke Foke, which streamed live on Saturday, May 4, earned 4 million views (determined by total viewing time divided by running time) worldwide, according to Netflix’s internal measurement for April 29-May 5. That’s double the 2 million for the Brady roast, albeit with an extra day for users to watch as the roast streamed Sunday evening. The roast had more total viewing time at 6.2 million hours, to 4.1 million hours for Williams’ special — but it was also almost three times as long as Woke Foke.
That both specials made the global top 10, however, is testament to Netflix’s growing capacity to host live events. The streamer’s first live stand-up special, Chris Rock: Selective Outrage, finished outside the worldwide top 10 for its debut in March 2023 (when Netflix ranked shows by total time watched rather than views).
Woke Foke also scored higher in the United States than The Roast of Tom Brady, finishing second among U.S. Netflix users, while the roast ranked fifth for the week. A third Netflix Is a Joke special, John Mulaney Presents: Everybody’s in L.A., also made the U.S. top 10 with its first installment (additional episodes will stream this week). Netflix doesn’t break out views or viewing time by country.
Baby Reindeer remained at No. 1 in Netlfix’s English-language TV rankings for the third consecutive week, scoring 18.6 million views. Jerry Seinfeld’s Pop-Tarts origin story Unfrosted topped the English-language films list with 7.1 million views for its opening weekend. On the non-English language lists, Spain’s The Asunta Case led the series rankings with 11.9 million views, and Kuwaiti rom-com Honeymoonish was No. 1 among movies with 14 million views.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
Kevin Hart received the top honor for seasoned comedians, the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, on March 24 at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. The ceremony where actors and comedians honored — and humiliated — the top-earning comedian will be available to stream on Netflix, May 11.
The ceremony featured entertainers Lil Dicky, Dave Chappelle, Jimmy Fallon, Tiffany Haddish, Regina Hall, Chelsea Handler, Plastic Cup Boyz, Keith Robinson, Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld, J.B. Smoove, Jimmy Fallon, Robin Thicke, and others. During the trailer, Seinfeld cracked, “I can’t think of much Kevin Hart could do for me. I don’t want to be in Jumanji.” Several jokes were pinned to Hart’s five-foot-five-inch stature. Handler, who began with gratitude toward the comedian cracked, “I am so glad that Kevin came into my life, because I always wanted to know what it would be like if 50 Cent and I had a baby.”
Fallon, strumming a guitar and wearing a bolo tie, also poked fun at his height, “He’s so humble and down to Earth, but his feet don’t touch the ground in a chair.”
Hart choked up while thanking his kids, “I breathe for you. I live for you,” he said, and credited his mother for shaping his career: “Take my mom away, and I don’t have an idea of what I want or who I want to be.”
“I fell in love with something I could do for the rest of my life,” he said. “I committed to comedy. I fell in love with something I can grab onto. All my eggs are in this basket and oh my God I’m happy with my choice.”
Harlem Nights’ Richard Pryor was the first to receive the prize in 1998, followed by the Lily Tomlin, Steve Martin, Tina Fey, Will Ferrell, Carol Burnett, Eddie Murphy, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. More recently, Dave Chappelle, Jon Stewart, and Adam Sandler received the coveted statue.
May 6 (UPI) — Paramount+ announced the new Tracy Morgan sitcom Crutch on Monday. The show is a spinoff of the CBS comedy The Neighborhood.
Morgan will play Francois “Frank” Crutchfield. “Crutch” is his nickname “to those who know him well.”
Crutch is a widower whose son and daughter move back in with him in Harlem. CBS Studios expects to begin production this year.
“Crutch will be navigating the ups and downs of having his kids and grandkids back under one roof,” Morgan said in a statement. “You know if I am doing this, there will be plenty of laughs along the way.”
The Neighborhood star Cedric the Entertainer executive produces Crutch with Eric. C. Rhone and showrunner Owen Smith, Aaron Kaplan, Wendy Trilling, and Morgan. Morgan played the role of Curtis on a Season 4 episode of The Neighborhood.
Morgan starred on the NBC comedy 30 Rock. Following his automobile accident in which a limousine he was riding in was struck by a Wal-Mart truck, Morgan starred on the TBS comedy The Last O.G. which also co-starred Cedric.
After a shortened 2022-23 season, Saturday Night Live returned a bit later than usual to kick off its 2023-24 run.
The writers’ strike affected both the end of last season and the start of season 49; the end of the labor action on Sept. 25 meant a mid-October start for SNL — with former castmember Pete Davidson hosting — rather than the late September or early October premiere the show usually has. (The cast is covered under a different SAG-AFTRA contract than the one actors are currently striking against, so they can perform without crossing picket lines.)
The show’s cast returned intact from last season, with James Austin Johnson and Sarah Sherman moving up from featured players to repertory players. Chloe Troast joined the cast as a featured player.
It was revealed on Dec. 16 that Jacob Elordi will be hosting the sketch comedy show’s first episode in 2024 with musical guest Reneé Rapp.
On Nov. 29, it was announced that alum Kate McKinnon would return to the show as a first-time host for the Dec. 16 show, the final show before the holiday break, with musical guest Billie Eilish. Prior to that, Emma Stone hosted the Dec. 2 show for her fifth time, with musical guest Noah Kahan, and on Dec. 9, Adam Driver hosted for his fourth time with musical guest Olivia Rodrigo.
Saltburn star Jacob Elordi made his SNL debut on Jan. 20, with musical guest (and Mean Girls star) Renée Rapp. Dakota Johnson and Justin Timberlake were set for the Jan. 27 show. And The Bear star Ayo Edebiri, coming off her Emmy and Golden Globe wins, made her hosting debut on Feb. 3 with musical guest Jennifer Lopez.
Comedian Shane Gillis hosted SNL on Feb. 24, years after being cut from the show in 2019 for using racial and homophobic slurs during a conversation on a podcast. He was joined by 21 Savage as the musical guest.
In March, Sydney Sweeney hosted the March 2 show, with musical guest Kacey Musgraves, followed by Josh Brolin and Ariana Grande a week later. And on March 30, Ramy Youssef hosted with musical guest Travis Scott. April saw former SNL regular Kristen Wiig join the Five-Timers Club and Barbie Oscar nominee Ryan Gosling host for the third time.
Dua Lipa is now set as the next host and musical guest for the show on May 4, and the season will finish with former cast member Maya Rudolph hosting on May 11 (with musical guest Vampire Weekend) and Jake Gyllenhaal and Sabrina Carpenter serving as host and musical guest for the May 18 season finale.
This story will be updated as new shows are announced. Hosts are listed first, followed by musical guests.
Oct. 14: Pete Davidson, Ice Spice
Oct. 21: Bad Bunny (host and musical guest)
Oct. 28: Nate Bargatze, Foo Fighters
Nov. 11: Timothée Chalamet, boygenius
Nov. 18: Jason Momoa, Tate McRae
Dec. 2: Emma Stone, Noah Kahan
Dec. 9: Adam Driver, Olivia Rodrigo
Dec. 16: Kate McKinnon, Billie Eilish
Jan. 20: Jacob Elordi, Reneé Rapp
Jan. 27: Dakota Johnson, Justin Timberlake
Feb. 3: Ayo Edebiri, Jennifer Lopez
Feb. 24: Shane Gillis, 21 Savage
March 2: Sydney Sweeney, Kacey Musgraves
March 9: Josh Brolin, Ariana Grande
March 30: Ramy Youssef, Travis Scott
April 6: Kristen Wiig, Raye
April 13: Ryan Gosling, Chris Stapleton
May 4: Dua Lipa (host and musical guest)
May 11: Maya Rudolph, Vampire Weekend
May 18: Jake Gyllenhaal, Sabrina Carpenter
Source: The Hollywood Reporter