Norman Lear Film Opening in July 2016; New Girl Star to Host Fox Competition Series

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Norman Lear Film Opening in July 2016; New Girl Star to Host Fox Competition Series

Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You, directed by Rachel Grady and Heidi Ewing (Oscar-nominated Jesus Camp, Emmy-winning Detropia) will open in New York on July 8 and Los Angeles on July 15, before expanding to markets across the country. The film previously premiered as the opening night film of the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. Arguably the most influential television creator of all time, Norman Lear indelibly altered America's social landscape, sparking national conversations regarding race, class and politics with his groundbreaking shows All in the Family, The Jeffersons, Good Times and Maude. Praised for its structural innovation, Grady and Ewing's film features the 93 year old Lear, as vital and charming as ever, revisiting the most controversial moments from his career and life. Along the way, comedy and TV icons including Jon Stewart, Amy Poehler, Lena Dunham, George Clooney, Mel Brooks and Carl and Rob Reiner comment on Lear's extraordinary influence.

Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You is the definitive chronicle of Mr. Lear's life, work, and achievements, but it is so much more than an arm's-length, past-tense biopic; at 93, Mr. Lear is as vital and engaged as he ever was. Top-notch cinéma vérité documentarians Rachel Grady and Heidi Ewing seize the opportunity to fashion a dynamic portrait that matches the spirit of their subject. Breaking down the fourth wall to create an evocative collage where past and present intermingle, they reveal a psychologically rich man whose extraordinary contributions emerge from both his personal story and a dialogue with the world.

Hannah Simone: Kicking & Screaming

Hannah Simone (New Girl) will host Kicking & Screaming, the new eight-episode Fox competition series that teams 10 expert survivalists with pampered partners to face the toughest challenges of their lives. From executive producer Matt Kunitz (Wipeout, Fear Factor), and in association with Lionsgate, the series drops these unlikely duos into a tropical jungle in Fiji, where they must overcome dangerous animals, raging rivers, hunger and extreme weather. While these no-nonsense survivalists are accustomed to fending for themselves, there's one thing for which none of their previous expeditions have prepared them: their nature-phobic partners, who think "glamping" is roughing it. To win the competition, and a cash prize of $500,000, the experts will have to drag their partners, Kicking & Screaming, to the finish line. Production is currently underway in Fiji. No premiere date has been announced just yet.

Sitcoms Airing Tonight

Friday, July 3

The Dick Van Dyke Show - Now in Living Color! - (CBS, 8:00PM ET/PT) (Repeat)
CBS will honor the memory of legendary actor, producer, director, writer, comedian and Emmy Award winner Carl Reiner with THE DICK VAN DYKE SHOW – NOW IN LIVING COLOR! A SPECIAL TRIBUTE TO CARL REINER, featuring two colorized back-to-back classic episodes of the beloved 1960s series, Friday, July 3 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. As series creator and co-star, Carl Reiner personally supervised the original colorization of the episodes.

The special features “Coast to Coast Big Mouth,” which ranked #8 on TV Guide’s list of the “100 Greatest TV Episodes of All-Time,” and “October Eve,” which Mr. Reiner considered to be one of the series’ funniest episodes. Both were written by Bill Persky and Sam Denoff.

In “Coast to Coast Big Mouth,” Laura Petrie blurts out a top secret on a national television quiz show, revealing that comedian Alan Brady wears a toupee. The episode, which was the show’s fifth and final season premiere, was originally broadcast on Sept. 15, 1965. “Coast to Coast Big Mouth” won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series in 1966.

In “October Eve,” a painting of Laura returns to haunt her when, despite her having posed fully clothed, the artist (played by Carl Reiner) takes the liberty of “undraping” her. The episode was first presented on April 8, 1964, during season three.

Complete TV Listings

Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of June 29)

Friday, July 3

Kevin Hart (The Big House/Undeclared) - Watch Kevin on a repeat of Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 12:35am on ABC.
Tina Fey (30 Rock) - Tina appears on a repeat of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
Laura Dern (Enlightened) - Laura is a guest on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
Mark Duplass (Togetherness/The Mindy Project/The League) - Mark appears on a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
Melissa McCarthy (Mike & Molly/Samantha Who?) - Melissa guest hosts a repeat of The Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:37am on CBS.
Brett Gelman (Camping/Fleabag/Love/Married/Go On) - Brett appears on a repeat of A Little Late with Lilly Singh at 1:35am on NBC.
Tika Sumpter (mixed-ish/The Game) - Tika talks about the season finale of mixed-ish and her latest project helping new moms on a repeat of Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.
Peter Gallagher (Grace and Frankie/The Secret Lives of Men) - Peter talks about Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist and Grace and Frankie on a repeat of Tamron Hall, so check your local listings.