Thompson on Hollywood

Date Night's Tina Fey Rechannels Sarah Palin on SNL

Tina Fey is the hardest-working woman in show business, creating and starring in NBC's hit sitcom 30 Rock and starring with Steve Carell in Date Night, which is far smarter and more grown-up than most studio comedies these days. Fey's no fool: to boost the movie's opening weekend, she returned to SNL to rechannel Sarah Palin, who is, conveniently, back in the news. Fey announced the "all Sarah Palin all the time" "Sarah Palin Network," with such new series as "Todd!" and "Hey Journalist, I Gotcha!":

By Anne Thompson
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April 11, 2010 8:24 AM
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Court Sets Back FCC Jurisdiction Over Net Neutrality

In a blow to the FCC's ability to require net neutrality by expanding broadband and barring internet service providers from favoring their own content at the expense of others, on Tuesday a three-judge Federal Appeals court panel ruled against the FCC. Here's The Wrap and THR:The court tossed out an Aug. 2008 cease and desist order by the FCC against Comcast, which had slowed transfer speeds for peer-to-peer file sharing service BitTorrent.

By Anne Thompson
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April 6, 2010 4:42 AM
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HBO Treme Hype

More than ever, I am reminded that at this time of year, as much as I love movies, I'd rather be watching television.

By Anne Thompson
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April 5, 2010 8:52 AM
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Jimmy Fallon Tries Out iPad Plus Reviews

Do I absolutely need an iPad? No, I have a MacBook and a BlackBerry. But I really want one. Can I afford $500 for an iPad? Yes. How many dinners out would pay for it? Not so many. It's totally tax-deductable, I need to write about it for my work. I could kill all my subscriptions and save lots of trees, sit in my breakfast nook every morning and read the iPad instead. And I could carry it in my purse with me instead of packing up the laptop. I just might be getting up to join the throngs tomorrow morning.

By Anne Thompson
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April 3, 2010 6:42 AM
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HBO, Hanks, Spielberg Deliver Must-Watch The Pacific

Tim Appelo reviews Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg's follow-up to HBO's Band of Brothers, The Pacific.

By Anne Thompson
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March 21, 2010 5:49 AM
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Conan O'Brien and Fox Talk Real Deal

NBC paid $50 million to refurbish the old Jack Benny stage on the Universal lot, and is willing to lease it back to O'Brien for his new late night show, which could go to Fox, reports the LAT, one of several cable channels (not Comedy Central) or into syndication.

By Anne Thompson
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March 17, 2010 5:12 AM
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Trailer Watch: Scorsese's Boardwalk Empire

Many top directors are turning to HBO. Given the level of interest in quality dramas for adults at the studios, who wouldn't? HBO's the last place willing to spend big bucks for that kind of cinema.

By Anne Thompson
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March 16, 2010 12:39 PM
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Time Cover Boy Hanks' The Pacific Launches Sunday on HBO

I confess: I am at SXSW wishing I had time to watch the DVDs for The Pacific that HBO delivered the day I left town. At $200 million (more than Rome), the ten-part series is the most expensive HBO has ever made, and earned Tom Hanks the cover of Time (like HBO, a Time Warner company). It's the flip side to Hanks and Spielberg's brilliant and harrowing World War II series Band of Brothers, which broke out Damian Lewis.

By Anne Thompson
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March 13, 2010 12:21 AM
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Oscar Red Carpet Video: Psyihoyas Talks The Cove

On the red carpet before his documentary feature Oscar win, The Cove director Louie Psyihoyas previewed some of the things he would try to say on stage--before being played off--and backstage as well.

By Anne Thompson
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March 8, 2010 11:05 AM
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Oscar Party Circuit: HBO and Weinstein Co.

The Oscar party circuit continued Saturday night with HBO's Peninsula party, presided over by documentary doyenne Sheila Nevins. (Five out of the eight doc Oscar-nominees are connected to HBO.) Rob Kenner admitted that he's never been involved with a movie that has done as much publicity as Food Inc., while Roadside Attractions co-heads Howard Cohen and Eric d'Arbeloff were crossing their fingers that Oscar predicters are right to place The Cove as the front-runner to win the doc Oscar.