The Big Bang Theory, Community, New Girl, 2 Broke Girls, Among the Shows at PaleyFest; Remembering Paul Ainsley, Jim the Bartender on Three's Company

Wednesday, February 06, 2013

The Big Bang Theory, Community, New Girl, 2 Broke Girls, Among the Shows at PaleyFest; Remembering Paul Ainsley, Jim the Bartender on Three's Company

The Paley Center for Media announced the full lineup of special guest panelists scheduled to appear for the upcoming 30th annual ultimate TV fan festival, PaleyFest: The William S. Paley Television Festival, which takes place at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, March 1-15, 2013. And many sitcoms will be a part of this! The annual celebration of great television will honor members of the Casts and Creative Teams of The Walking Dead, which will serve as the opening night presentation for PaleyFest, Revolution, Once Upon A Time, The Newsroom, Community, whose cast will present a live table read at their unprecedented fourth appearance at the festival; The New Normal, Parenthood, The Mindy Project, Nashville, Arrow, Dallas, New Girl, The Big Bang Theory, 2 Broke Girls, and American Horror Story: Asylum, which will close out the 15-day Festival.

PaleyFest (The William S. Paley Television Festival) is a cavalcade of interactive panel sessions and premiere screenings that connects the worldwide community of television fans and industry insiders alike with the casts and creators of their favorite TV series, and the icons that are changing the face of media. Over the past thirty years, PaleyFest has become a destination event for the worldwide community of television fans who gather each year to connect with the talent, from the stars to the creative teams of the shows, during interactive panel sessions and premiere screenings.
Hulu will expand its relationship with the Festival as the Premier Sponsor for PaleyFest 2013 and will stream full-length panel content and short form clips, exclusively on-demand from each PaleyFest panel on the free ad-supported Hulu, and the Hulu Plus subscription service at www.hulu.com. If you want to go in person, tickets can be purchased at the festival's official website www.paleyfest.org and via its ticket provider www.ticketweb.com.

Here are the sitcom dates: Tuesday, March 5: Community (7:00 pm) Moderator: Michael Schneider, LA Bureau Chief, TV Guide Magazine; Wednesday, March 6: The New Normal (7:00 pm) Moderator: TBA; Friday, March 8: The Mindy Project (7:00 pm) Moderator: Rob Moynihan, LA Correspondent, TV Guide Magazine; Monday, March 11: New Girl (7:00 pm) Moderator: TBA; Wednesday, March 13: The Big Bang Theory (7:00 pm) Moderator: TBA; and Thursday, March 14: 2 Broke Girls (7:00 pm) Moderator: TBA.

Paul Ainsley

We leave you today with some sad news. Paul Ainsley, best known to sitcom fans for playing Jim the Bartender on the hit sitcom Three's Company, has passed away. Paul had a multi-season guest role on the series from seasons 1-5, playing the main bartender at the Regal Beagle, before being replaced by Brad Blaisdell (who played Mike the Bartender) for the rest of the series' run. He was also a fixture in the theater world. He created the role of King Herod in the original Broadway production of Jesus Christ Superstar. Paul passed away on January 19 in Los Angeles from heart-related complications. He was 67.

Among his other guest appearances on TV series were Wings, Babylon 5, and Weird Science. His other select theater career highlights include: originating Thenardier in the first national company of Les Miserables; essaying Mr. Darling/Captain Hook to Cathy Rigby's Peter Pan; succeeding Barry Bostwick and Jim Belushi as the Pirate King in Pirates of Penzance and playing Herbie to Karen Morrow's Rose in Gypsy. Back in 2007, Paul spoke to our friend Eric of JustMyShow.com for an episode of his popular podcast. Another one of our friends, Chris Mann, mentioned there was a memorial for Paul Ainsley on Feb. 3 and Joyce DeWitt wrote a very nice note for the Ainsley family. Paul will be deeply missed, especially fans of Three's Company and the theater community.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Monday, April 19

The Neighborhood - "Welcome to the Hero" (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT)
Dave earns Calvin’s respect when he thwarts a robbery at the barbershop, until the recognition goes to his head and he starts exaggerating the truth. Also, Marty invites an anxious Gemma to give his new stress-busting hobby a try.

Bob Hearts Abishola - "A Tough Old Bird" (CBS, 8:30PM ET/PT)
Bob and Abishola try to help a sad and volatile Kemi who, after being dumped by Chukwuemeka, struggles with the possibility that her happiest days might be behind her.

Breeders - "No Choice" (FX, 10:00PM ET/PT)
Ally is under huge pressure, but no one seems to want to listen to her; Jim and Jackie are excited about a possible move to the coast and, much to Paul's surprise, so is he.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of April 19)

Monday, April 19

Michael Strahan (Brothers) - Watch Michael on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Tig Notaro (One Mississippi) - Tig appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Ron Funches (Hoops/Final Space/Powerless/Undateable) - Ron is a guest on The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation) - Nick will be on A Little Late with Lilly Singh at 1:35am on NBC.
Ted Danson (Mr. Mayor/The Good Place/Help Me Help You/Becker/Cheers) - Ted appears on a repeat of Conan at 11pm on TBS.
Debi Mazar (Younger/Entourage/Working) - Debi talks about the final season of Younger on LIVE! with Kelly and Ryan, so check your listings.
Olivia Holt (I Didn't Do It/Kickin' It) - Olivia will be on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
Michelle Buteau (First Wives Club) - Michelle appears on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, so check your local listings.
Kenan Thompson (Kenan/Kenan & Kel) - Kenan is a guest on The Real, so check your local listings.
John Stamos (Fuller House/Grandfathered/Jake in Progress/Full House/You Again?) - John will be on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
Cristin Milioti (Made for Love/A to Z/How I Met Your Mother) - Cristin appears on The Kelly Clarkson Show, so check your local listings.
Terry Crews (Brooklyn Nine-Nine/Are We There Yet?/Everybody Hates Chris) - Terry and his wife Rebecca discuss their memoir detailing secrets of their marriage, Stronger Together, on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
Danica McKellar (The Wonder Years) - Danica discusses her new Hallmark Channel movie Matchmaker Mysteries: The Art of the Kill on Home & Family on Hallmark Channel at 11am ET/PT.
Ed Helms (Rutherford Falls/The Office) - Ed talks about Peacock's Rutherford Falls on NBC's Today in the 9am hour.