CBS Launches New Initiative to Provide More TV Roles for Performers With Disabilities

Chris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic Ohana Festival is California’s coolest music festival, literally, and there’s a case to be made for the figurative usage too. Eddie Vedder’s annual beachside gathering takes place yards away from the Doheny State Park cove where he learned to surf, and steady breezes over the weekend provided waves for dozens of surfers on one side of the chain-link fence and end-of-summer mellowness for about 15,000 concertgoers on the other. The festival doesn’t just have ocean draft to recommend it; there were rock squalls from Jack White, pop lungpower from Pink, whatever additional currents were caused by Stevie Nicks’ flowing garments… and, further down the bill, an honestly eclectic lineup that was like a continual 13-mph breath of fresh air.

Michele Amabile Angermiller Tony Danza will be crooning the classics with his live show, “Tony Danza: Standards & Stories,” at the Catalina Jazz Club in Los Angeles next month. The run, set for Nov. 1 to Nov. 5, marks the first of many upcoming performances to celebrate the venue’s 36th anniversary.  The show is described as “combining timeless music with wit, charm, storytelling, and a dash of soft shoe and ukulele performances.”  Danza and his four-piece band perform his favorite standards from the Great American Songbook while interweaving stories about his life and personal connection to the music. Danza’s career spans decades, with starring roles on “Taxi” and “Who’s the Boss?” He has also had major roles in such hit films such as “Angels in the Outfield,” “She’s Out of Control,” “Hollywood Knights” and “Don Jon.”

Dennis Harvey Film Critic Located halfway between the coming-of-age nostalgia of “Stand by Me” and the horror content of … well, nearly every other Stephen King-derived movie, “Mr. Harrigan’s Phone” ends up too mild on either count to make a memorable impression. Still, John Lee Hancock’s adaptation of the same-named novella (which led off King’s 2020 collection “If It Bleeds”) handles the rather thin source material adeptly enough to make for an entertaining middleweight drama tinged with the supernatural. It premieres on Netflix Oct. 5, getting Halloween month off to a moderately creepy start.  Craig (Colin O’Brien) is still a child when his mother dies of cancer in 2003, leaving him alone in his Maine small town with an equally bereft father (Joe Tippett). It is a welcome distraction, then, when his Scripture recitals in church attract the attention of Mr. Harrigan (Donald Sutherland), a billionaire financial tycoon who’s retired to this nondescript burg in order to spend his twilight years out of the spotlight. His eyes are failing, so he offers Craig a regular after-school gig of reading aloud from literary classics — starting, rather inappropriately, with “Lady Chatterley’s Lover,” but soon embracing Dickens, Conrad, Dostoevsky and so forth.

Anna Tingley The furry friends of the Justice League can now be enjoyed on 4K. After arriving on HBO Max last month, “DC League of Super-Pets” will finally be released on 4K Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD on Oct. 4. The superhero comedy smashed the box office in July, beating out Jordan Peele’s “Nope” with an impressive $25 million debut. Based on the DC Comic of the same name, the film follows Superman’s dog Krypto the Super-Dog, played by Dwayne Johnson, as he teams up with the rest of the Justice League critters to rescue their kidnapped owners. Krypto’s main ally is Ace the Bat-Hound (Batman’s dog, voiced by Kevin Hart), alongside a group of sheltered animals voiced by Natasha Lyonne, Vanessa Bayer, Diego Luna, Thomas Middleditch and Ben Schwartz, among others. The main villain of the film is Lula, a silky-voiced guinea pig played by Kate McKinnon who attempts to foil Krypto’s grand plans. “Though very much a comedy about a scruffy team of critter heroes, it’s also a movie that makes room for the famed demigods of the DC universe; it’s a full-on superhero extravaganza,” writes Variety film critic Owen Gleiberman in his review. “Watching it, what you realize — it’s something we all know but don’t think about too often — is that the gargantuan comic-book movie spectacles that our culture is fatally addicted to are all, in essence, cartoons.” So, how can you watch “DC: League of Super-Pets” online? You can stream the film with an HBO Max account, with plans starting at $9.99/month. Or, starting Oct. 4, you can purchase the film digitally on Amazon Prime and order the Blu-ray version in 4k below: Courtesy of Amazon

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer The National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE), which holds trade shows for the TV industry, announced on Monday that it will file for bankruptcy. The organization said the pandemic had forced it to cancel its flagship events, leading to a drop in revenues and requiring it to draw on reserves. A bankruptcy filing was expected as soon as Tuesday. NATPE said it will restructure under Chapter 11, and that it still plans to hold its annual conference on Jan. 17-19, 2023, in the Bahamas. “NATPE is looking at all possible options to restructure, including raising funds through strategic alliances, and continue to operate NATPE as a more streamlined and reorganized operation,” the group said in a statement. “For almost 60 years, NATPE has been the leading global professional association for content producers, distributors, developers, streamers and buyers across all distribution platforms. NATPE is optimistic that it will emerge from the reorganization process in the same position.”

Abigail Disney has shut down Fork Films, the documentary and feature film company behind “Crip Camp,” “One Child Nation” and “The Tale,” a drama about sexual abuse that starred Laura Dern. As part of the closure, fewer than 10 positions have been eliminated. Abigail, a filmmaker and philanthropist, is also the granddaughter of Roy Disney, the co-founder of The Walt Disney Company. A spokesperson for Fork Films said the staff was notified of the closure in February, and have been working to wind down the company by Sept. 30, 2022. Disney’s most recent film, “The American Dream and Other Fairy Tales,” which she co-directed with Kathleen Hughes, debuted at the Sundance Film Festival and was recently released digitally. The film examines the issue of economic inequality and ballooning CEO compensation packages. The movie made headlines as Disney drilled down on the employment and union practices at the theme parks run by The Walt Disney Company. In the film and dozens of subsequent interviews, Disney has consistently and unflinchingly taken the company to task, describing the corporation’s promises of “upward mobility” as “neoliberal claptrap.”

Zack Sharf Naomi Watts just earned strong reviews for leading Amazon Prime Video’s English-language remake of “Goodnight Mommy.” This month, she’s headlining Ryan Murphy’s latest Netflix thriller, “The Watcher.” She’ll also be reuniting with the mega-producer to play Babe Paley in the Capote-centric second season of FX’s “Feud.” All of this is to say Watts’ acting career is thriving, which is not what she was told by an unnamed Hollywood figure after her U.S. breakthrough in David Lynch’s “Mulholland Drive.” Watts was 33 at the time, which many in Hollywood viewed as old. “I was told, ‘You better get a lot done because it’s all over at 40 when you become unfuckable.’ And I’m like, ‘What? What does that mean exactly?'” Watts recently told Entertainment Weekly. “Then you think about it, and you go, ‘Oh, right. When you are no longer reproductive, when those organs are no longer functioning, you are not sexy, so, therefore, you are not hirable.’ That just made me so mad.”

Michaela Zee editor Fox Sports Films has announced the upcoming original documentary “David Ortiz: Legend of the Fall,” spotlighting Boston Red Sox veteran and Fox MLB analyst Ortiz (aka Big Papi). The sports documentary is set to premiere Oct. 14 on FS1. “David Ortiz: Legend of the Fall” follows the baseball career and legacy of Ortiz, from the Red Sox’s three World Series championships to his Hall of Fame induction. The documentary film features exclusive interviews with various teammates and rivals, along with behind-the-scenes footage showcasing Ortiz’s intimate moments and celebrations. “This film sends the message to my fans that if you have faith and don’t quit, you can achieve your dreams,” said Ortiz in a statement. “I was very fortunate to achieve mine and I am humbled by my entry into the Baseball Hall of Fame. I am honored that Fox Sports, Check Point Productions and my very own Big Papi Productions captured my baseball career and special moments at the plate – giving me the gift of being able to relive these precious times in my life. I am equally proud of my accomplishments off the field and being able to share them with my family and community. I hope my fans will enjoy the film as much as I have.”

Katie Reul editor “Encanto” swept the 37th annual Imagen Awards, which was held Sunday at Downtown Los Angeles’ La Plaza de Cultura y Artes, but the Disney musical movie was closely matched by several wins from Hulu’s “Love, Victor.” Overall, “Encanto” creators took home the most awards of any nominated project and were recognized for Best Feature Film, Best Music Composition for Film or Television, Best Music Supervision for Film or Television and Best Director – Feature Film, which co-director Charise Castro Smith was not expecting. “I’m pretty sure my mom is never going to live down the fact that I won a best director award when nominated against Stephen Spielberg,” Castro Smith, who is also known for producing “The Haunting of Hill House,” joked with the audience during her acceptance speech. “That’s serious bragging rights for her Zumba class.”

A candid response. While discussing her love life, Savannah Chrisley weighed in on rumors that she is dating Matt Stell.

Making a name for themselves. An attempt to create a reality TV series took an unexpected turn when Pretty Wild became a deep dive into Alexis Neiers‘ involvement with the infamous Bling Ring.

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Quiet! Cobra Kai season 5 may have just premiered, but Ralph Macchio is already sharing what’s hopefully to come for the Netflix hit. 

Does art imitate life? Kaley Cuoco and Johnny Galecki kept their real-life romance a secret — partially out of concern that it would ruin their Big Bang Theory characters’ relationship for fans.

Word on the street is — even the stars of The Real Housewives of Potomac are confused by Ashley Darby’s divorce from Michael Darby.

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first trailer of “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” — which debuted at the San Diego Comic-Con in July — featured the mournful strains of Bob Marley’s “No Woman, No Cry” (as covered by Nigerian singer Tems) in memory of Chadwick Boseman, the star of the 2018 blockbuster “Black Panther,” who shockingly died from colon cancer at 43 in 2020.And the new trailer for the much-anticipated Marvel sequel, released on Monday, shows that Wakanda — and the Black Panther — will live on. At the very end of the trailer, the new Black Panther makes her entrance — yes, it appears to be a woman! But the identity of the person behind that masked armor is not revealed.The trailer also features a mural honoring the late King T’Challa — and, of course, Boseman — whose character was killed off rather than being recast for “Wakanda Forever.”“They have lost their protector,” says Angela Bassett’s Queen Ramonda as Wakanda faces a new threat from the underground nation Talokan, with Tenoch Huerta playing aquatic enemy Namor.But of course, Wakanda isn’t going down without a fight.

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A different vibe. Whoopi Goldberg was asked how The View has changed since Meghan McCain left the show one year ago — and she didn’t hold back.

Glammed to perfection! Naomi Campbell looked like a breath of fresh air at the Valentino spring/summer 2023 show during Paris Fashion Week.

Drama is served! Doja Cat took the act of getting glammed up to a whole new level during Paris Fashion Week.

Married At First Sight UK star George Roberts has allegedly been arrested following accusations of coercive and controlling behaviour after from three of his ex girlfriends - something he denies. George, 40, is reportedly facing a police investigation over allegations of coercive control and harassment, as reported by The Sun.

Lauren Goodger appeared to be in good spirits as she joined a group of pals at a local restaurant on Sunday. The former The Only Way Is Essex star, 35, headed to an Italian restaurant with her baby daughter Larose, one, to celebrate a friend's birthday after recently revealing that she's "adjusting to normal life" following a heartbreaking few months.

Spoilers for Coronation Street show murderer Stephen Reid targetted by a group of thugs who cause him to crash his bike. Stephen (played by Todd Boyce) claimed the life of Leo Thompkins (Joe First) last week, leaving Corrie viewers horrified.

Taylor Swift in Amsterdam.The actor stars in David O. Russell’s new comedy, which also features Swift in a smaller role and sees her sing alongside Bale and John David Washington towards the start of the film.Bale recalled first hearing the news and telling his family about the forthcoming role alongside Swift, and said his daughter seemed disappointed.“That was a real nice surprise, and I actually didn’t tell anybody about that until afterwards,” Bale said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

L.S. Dunes have announced their first ever UK tour in January 2023.The band is set to play across four cities in the UK, alongside special guests which are yet to be announced.“UK Lost Souls – They said it wasn’t a good time to come visit but we say fUK the dollar and fUK the pound – let’s dance!” the band said in a statement.

Cardi put the what on Offset? Cardi B put down those Offset cheating rumors. The “WAP” rapper tweeted in a now-deleted and NSFW tweet how her and Offset’s relationship is still going strong.

Sir Ringo Starr and his All-Starr band have cancelled further shows in the US after the former Beatles drummer tested positive for Covid. On Sunday night, the 82-year-old cancelled performances at the Four Winds Casino in New Buffalo, Michigan, and Mystic Lake Casino in Prior Lake, Minnesota, citing illness.

Battered media stocks and major indexes bounced higher Monday, reversing course after opening in the red on the first trading day of the fourth quarter.

devastating death of her mom.Chloe Lattanzi — who has reportedly received around $550,000 worth of plastic surgery over the years — took to Instagram on Monday saying she is having her facial fillers dissolved and is considering having her breast implants removed due to the potential harm they could do to her body. The 36-year-old singer made the claim in an Instagram video, which has since expired, responding to trolls who questioned how she could promote the importance of organic diets while receiving cosmetic treatments, according to the Mirror.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A tour bus carrying country music singer and songwriter Hardy and three others was involved in a crash that injured everyone on board.All four people on the bus were treated for “significant injuries” suffered in the crash as they headed home from a Saturday night show in Bristol, Tennessee, Hardy said on social media.

Unsurprisingly, the October TV lineup is filled with horror series and adaptations of famous monsters, vampires, and corrupted men. Vampires, in particular, are having a big month, with updates to “Interview With The Vampire” and “Let the Right One In,” both getting the serialized television treatment following their pre-existing film adaptations.

Historically underrepresented performers will have increased opportunities on television, beginning in the 2022-2023 broadcast season, thanks to the “CBS Performers with Disabilities Talent Initiative,” announced today.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large CBS is expanding its representation and inclusion programs to launch a new “CBS Performers with Disabilities Talent Initiative.” The plan, which starts with the upcoming 2022-2023 TV season, is to make sure the Eye network’s programming includes “meaningful representation and inclusion for all underrepresented groups, including performers with disabilities in series regular, guest star or co-starring roles in current series and pilots, playing characters specifically written with a disability as well as roles that do not specify one.” The new initiative comes following the 2019 Ruderman Family Foundation campaign to increase the audition opportunities for performers with disabilities and improve the portrayal of disabilities in television. CBS was the first network to sign that pledge, to increase the number of roles that cast actors with disabilities.