Aubrey Plaza to Appear in NBC’s Special “Parks and Recreation” Reunion Episode

Posted on April 25, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Aubrey Plazais going back to Pawnee, to Pawnee…

The 35-year-old half-Puerto Rican actress/comedian and her fellow Parks and Recreation cast mates will return to Pawnee, Indiana, for a one-time special amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The half-hour scripted special to benefit Feeding America’s COVID-19 Response Fundis set to air on Thursday, April 30 at 8:30 pm ET/PT.

All of the original characters from the series will return in the Universal TV-produced special, played by original cast members Amy Poehler, Rashida Jones, Aziz Ansari, Nick Offerman, Plaza as April Ludgate, Chris Pratt, Adam Scott, Rob Lowe, Jim O’Heir, and Retta.

Several guest stars from the Pawnee universe may pop in as well.

The story comes from the events of the day – Pawnee’s most dedicated civil servant, Leslie Knope (Poehler), is determined to stay connected to her friends in a time of social distancing.

“Like a lot of other people, we were looking for ways to help and felt that bringing these characters back for a night could raise some money,” said executive producer Michael Schur. “I sent a hopeful email to the cast and they all got back to me within 45 minutes. Our old ‘Parks and Rec’ team has put together one more 30-minute slice of (quarantined) Pawnee life and we hope everyone enjoys it. And donates!”

The special comes five years after viewers said farewell to the iconic comedy series.

“In such uncertain times, we can’t think of anyone better than Leslie Knope to unite our country with her unbridled enthusiasm and compassion,” said Lisa Katz and Tracey Pakosta, Co-Presidents of Scripted Programming, NBC Entertainment. “A huge thank you to Mike Schur and the cast of Parks and Recreationfor putting this wonderful special together and bringing a smile to all our faces while raising money for such a worthwhile cause.”

State Farmand Subaru of Americawill each make matching donations of $150,000 and, combined with NBCUniversaland the writers/producers/cast of Parks and Recreation, a total of $500,000 in matching donations will be made through May 21.

Parks and Recreationreceived a Peabody Award for excellence in television programming, an AFIhonor as one of the Top 10 Television Shows of the Yearand several Emmynominations including Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Writing and lead actress for Poehler, who won a Golden Globe for her performance in 2014.

NBC Renews America Ferrera’s Comedy Series “Superstore” for Fifth Season

Posted on March 5, 2019 by Tom Castaneda

There’s more in (super)storefor America Ferrera…

NBC has ordered a fifth season of its critically acclaimed comedy series Superstore, starring the 34-year-old Honduran American actress.

The series has maintained solid ratings in its current season to date. In Live+7, Superstore is averaging a 1.4 rating in adults 18-49 and 4.4 million viewers overall its Thursday 8-8:30 pm timeslot against rival programming as The Big Bang Theory, Grey’s Anatomy and NFL Thursday Night Football.

In delayed viewing, Superstore’s next-day 0.85 rating in adults 18-49 increases by 154% to 2.16 rating after seven days of linear and digital viewership.

The series also is a strong digital performer, deriving 44% of its live plus seven day plus digital rating in adults 18-49 from non-linear sources, the second biggest percentage on the NBC schedule behind only Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

“Week after week Justin Spitzer, our amazing writers, and cast and crew masterfully deliver a comedy that not only makes us laugh but speaks to the larger issues of the day,” said Lisa Katzand Tracey Pakosta, Co-Presidents of Scripted Programming, NBC Entertainment.

Created and written by Justin Spitzer, Superstore centers around Amy (Ferrera), the store’s most stalwart employee as well as the glue holding the place together. Jonah (Ben Feldman), who is often the target of his colleagues ribbing, is joined on the floor with his fellow associates, including sardonic Garrett (Colton Dunn), the ambitious Mateo (Nico Santos) and sweet teenager and new mom Cheyenne (Nichole Bloom).

Superstore is produced by Universal Television in association with the Spitzer Holding Company and The District.

Superstore returns to the NBC lineup for the remainder of its fourth season at 8:00 pm on Thursday, March 7.

Rita Moreno to Receive NATPE’s Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award

Posted on November 17, 2018 by Tom Castaneda

Rita Moreno is a legacy…

The National Association of Television Program Executives (NATPE) will honor the 86-year-old Puerto Rican actress, dancer and singer with its Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Awards in 2019.

The 16th annual Tartikoffs, as their called,will be doled out at NATPE’s conference in Miami in January. They are named for the late NBC Entertainment chief who assembled the network’s top-rated programming lineups in the 1980s.

Moreno, whose career has spanned more than 70 years, is an “EGOT” winner (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony), as well as a Kennedy Center honoree who currently stars in Netflix’s One Day at a Time.

She’s also one of 23 people who have achieved what is called the Triple Crown of Acting, with individual competitive Oscar, Emmy and Tony awards for acting. She has won numerous other awards, including various lifetime achievement awards and the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian honor.

In addition to Moreno, other honorees include Betty White, Henry Winkler, Byron Allen, Bob Greenblatt and Mara Brock Akil.

Conference organizers said the award recipients are recognized “for exhibiting their extraordinary passion, leadership, independence and vision through their diverse work in being a part of the creation and distribution of content for the world’s traditional and digital marketplaces.”

Olmos to Take Part in Center Theatre Group’s 50th Anniversary Event

Posted on April 5, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a special homecoming for Edward James Olmos…

The 70-year-old Mexican American actor will take part in a star-studded event to celebrate the Center Theatre Group’s 50 years of excellence.

The event will feature a one-night-only production from writer, director and producer Robert Egan, followed by dinner in downtown Los Angeles’ Grand Park.

Co-Chairs Robert Greenblatt, chairman of NBC Entertainment, and Sue Tsao, Center Theatre Group board member will be joined by celebrated alumni like Olmos, Alfred Molina, Annette Bening, Matthew Bourne, Danai Gurira, Phylicia Rashad and more.

The celebration, taking place on May 20 at the Ahmanson Theatre, will spotlight Center Theatre Group’s education and community outreach programs as well as its continuing role in creating new work and helping to define the role of theatre both in Los Angeles and beyond.

“We are thrilled to have so many incredible artists returning to help us celebrate this exciting milestone, and the power of theatre to shape the cultural landscape of Los Angeles,” said Center Theatre Group Board President Kiki Ramos Gindler. “Our 50th Anniversary Celebration will bring together some of our most beloved and talented artists to reflect on Center Theatre Group’s proud history of world-class productions, innovative programs and field-defining new work.”

Olmos, an Academy Award nominee for his performance in Stand and Deliver, starred in the in the Center Theatre Group’s production of the Chicano protest musical Zoot Suit as El Pachuco back in 1978. Oscar-nominated actor Demian Bichir stepped into that role for the revival of the Luis Valdez play, also produced by the Center Theater Group.

Suarez Inks Production Deal with Universal Television

Posted on May 24, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Flody Suarez is going Universal…

The Latino producer and former NBC executive and his producing partner Jeffrey Seller have signed a production deal with Universal Television.

“Jeffrey’s spectacular track record on Broadway and his knack for finding and nurturing brilliant new talent, such as the creative forces behind Rent, Avenue Q, In the Heights and Hamilton, is nothing short of remarkable,” NBC Entertainment and Universal Television chairman Bob Greenblatt said. “There is more and more cross-pollination these days from theater to television, especially at NBC, and we’re excited to see where he and Flody’s instincts and talent relationships will go in the world of television.”

Under Greenblatt, who has strong theater ties and has been involved in a number of Broadway productions, including Hamilton in which he is an investor, theater has had significant presence on NBC. That includes the series Smash as well as live stagings of The Sound of Music, Peter Pan, The Wiz Live and the upcoming Hairspray and A Few Good Men.

This marks Suarez’s return to NBC where he was a vice president of development, working on such shows as ER and Just Shoot Me. He is currently a consultant on Full Frontal with Samantha Bee and recently consulted for Sony on NBC’s drama The Blacklist.

He has produced several television series, including 8 Simple Rules, The Tick and The Book of Daniel.

NBC Renews Ferrera’s “Superstore” for Second Season

Posted on February 24, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

America Ferrera is still on Cloud Nine…

NBC has given an early renewal to midseason comedy Superstore starring the 31-year-old Honduran American actress.

The comedy joins breakout fall drama Blindspot, solid new Chicago addition Chicago Med and fellow midseason entry Shades of Blue as the freshman NBC series that have already secured Season 2 pickups.

Superstore has done well for NBC, which has struggled in the comedy genre for the past couple of seasons. After a promising ratings start in the preview behind The Voice, Superstore has held up well as the 8:00 pm Monday anchor, pulling in very respectable numbers with no lead-in, both in Live+same day and delayed viewing.

Season to date, Superstore is averaging a 2.1 rating in adults 18-49 and 6.9 million viewers overall in Live+7, making it NBC’s highest rated first-year comedy in two years.

Superstore also delivers an upscale audience, indexing at a 112 among adults 18-49 living in homes with $100K+ incomes.

Superstore is set behind the scenes of a big box retail megastore, Cloud 9. It centers around Amy (Ferrera), the megastore’s most stalwart employee as well as the glue holding the place together, and newly hired Jonah (Ben Feldman), a naive dreamer determined to prove work doesn’t have to be boring. Their fellow associates include the sardonic Garrett (Colton Dunn), the ambitious Mateo (Nico Santos) and the sweet pregnant teenager Cheyenne (Nichole Bloom). Overseeing them all are Glenn (Mark McKinney), the store’s affable, clueless store manager, and Dina (Lauren Ash), the aggressive assistant manager who lives by a very specific code — namely the store’s employee handbook.

Superstore was created by Justin Spitzer, who serves as an executive producer with director Ruben Fleischer, David Bernad and Gabe Miller & Jonathan Green.

“We’re thrilled to renew a show that’s so incredibly funny and relatable, full of great characters who are brought to life by an amazing cast and creative team,” NBC Entertainment president Jennifer Salke said.

Superstore is produced by Universal Television, Spitzer Holding Company and The District.

Aguilera Returning for Season 10 of NBC’s “The Voice”

Posted on October 8, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Christina Aguilera will be spinning again soon…

The 34-year-old part-Ecuadorian American singer will join fellow coaches Adam Levine, Blake Shelton and Pharrell Williams for Season 10 of The Voice, NBC has confirmed.

Aguilera, who helped launch the reality singing competition as the sole female coach, appeared in the first three seasons before taking a break for Season 4, with Shakira filling her seat.

The Burlesque star returned in Season 5, but then took a long hiatus for Seasons 6 (Shakira) and Season 7, with Gwen Stefani replacing Shakira.

Aguilera then returned for Season 8, before taking yet another break for the current installment (Season 9).

The Voice is currently averaging a 3.5 rating, 11 share in adults 18-49 and 12.6 million viewers overall in L+3 in weeks 1 and 2 of the current season, according to Nielsen and the network.

The Emmy-winning reality series also debuted with six-month time-period highs for NBC on both Monday and Tuesday.

The Voice hails from United Artists Media Group, Talpa Media USA and Warner Horizon Television. The series was created by John de Mol, who serves as executive producer along with Mark Burnett, Audrey Morrissey, Lee Metzger and Jay Bienstock.

“The coaches on The Voice continue to bring incredible energy, unrivaled musical expertise and a want-to-win attitude that makes for the perfect ingredients of a two-time Emmy-winning show,” said Paul Telegdy, President, Late Night and Alternative Programming, NBC Entertainment. “We can’t wait to see what season 10 will bring.”

The 10th season of The Voice will begin in February.

The Final Season of Plaza’s “Parks And Recreation” to Air on Tuesdays Beginning in January

Posted on December 2, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

It’s the beginning of the end for Aubrey Plaza…

NBC has scheduled the seventh and final season of Parks And Recreation, starring the 30-year-old half-Puerto Rican actress/comedian, to air on Tuesdays beginning in January.

The series will premiere on January 13 and air back-to-back episodes from 8-9 PM until February 24, when it will wrap its run with an hourlong finale following the Tuesday cycle premiere of The Voice.

Throughout its run, Parks And Recreation had aired on Thursdays since its launch, as part of the network’s

signature Thursday comedy block.

The series will launch two days after NBC’s January 11 broadcast of the 72nd annual Golden Globes, co-hosted by Parks & Recreation star Amy Poehler and Tina Fey.

“Mike Schur and Amy Poehler, along with their incredible producers, cast, and crew, have given us one of the great television comedies of all time, and we’re inordinately proud of Parks And Recreation,” said NBC Entertainment chairman Robert Greenblatt. “In an effort to give it the send-off it deserves, we wanted to ‘eventize’ the final season to maximize the impact of these episodes, which really do take the show to a new level.”

Parks & Recreation also stars Aziz Ansari, Nick Offerman, Chris Pratt, Adam Scott and Jim O’Heir.

Last season, the series averaged a 1.6 rating in adults 18-49 and 3.8 million viewers overall in Live+7 averages. It was the third-most-upscale primetime series on the Big 4 in 18-49 living. It was also the youngest show on ABC, CBS or NBC last season, with a median age for its audience of 41.7.

Miguel to Serve as a Mentor on NBC’s “The Voice” This Season

Posted on September 10, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Miguel is headed to The Voice…

The 27-year-old half-Mexican singer-songwriter has signed on to serve as a mentor on the upcoming fifth season of NBC’s hit singing competition.

Miguel will join fellow mentors Cher, Ed Sheeran and Ryan Tedder on the show this season.

He’ll partner up with returning coach Cee-Lo Green to advise the member’s of Green’s team.

“Believe” songstress Cher will team up with coach Blake Shelton. British star Sheeran will lend a helping hand to Christina Aguilera‘s team. OneRepublic‘s frontman Tedder will mentor Adam Levine‘s team.

“This group of wildly successful musicians will add their distinctive talents to their respective teams,” says Paul Telegdy, President of Late Night and Alternative Programming on NBC Entertainment. “I know Christina, Adam, CeeLo and Blake are very much looking forward to having them come aboard.”

The new season of “The Voice” premieres on Monday, September 23 at 8/7c on NBC.

Xtina and Cee-Lo return to the show after taking a break last season and were replaced by Shakira and Usher, who will return for the sixth installment in 2014.

Carey to Perform at the “Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular”

Posted on May 29, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Mariah Carey is preparing to set fire to the Fourth.

The 43-year-old half-Venezuelan American singer and American Idol judge and country superstar Tim McGraw will celebrate the nation’s 237th birthday by performing at this year’s Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular.

Carey’s husband, Nick Cannon, will host the special, which will air on NBC on Thursday, July 4, from 8:00-10:00 pm ET, with an encore presentation of the second hour of the special at 10:00 pm ET.

“Mariah Carey and Tim McGraw are the perfect complement to Macy’s exceptional fireworks display,” said Doug Vaughan, EVP of Specials and Late Night Programming for NBC Entertainment. “NBC is thrilled to have these amazing artists join us in celebrating America’s birthday.”

The two crooners have already proven their talents in the music industry. Carey is the best-selling female artist of all time with 200 million sold albums and several chart-topping singles. Meanwhile, McGraw was recently certified as the most-played country artist of the past 20 years.

In addition, a superstar will help design the show, which is being called “It Begins With a Spark”. Usher will lend his artistic inspiration and talent to make the best party to celebrate U.S.A.’s independence day.   ”

This year Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks will be transformed into a giant party in the sky captivating audiences along the Hudson River and on television screens across the country,” said Amy Kule, executive producer of Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks. “Since 1976, Macy’s Fireworks have grown in scale and artistry. With this collaboration with Usher, we are taking the show to the next level of entertainment spectacle, combining the very best of Macy’s Fireworks with Usher’s unparalleled artistic vision.

No word yet on what song(s) Carey will perform.

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Celebrating the Latino Influence

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