CBS Launches a New Performers With Disabilities Talent Initiative, Tied to Upcoming TV Season

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Megan Thee Stallion will pull double duty as both host and musical guest next month as “Saturday Night Live” returns for its first three shows of the new season. But first, as “SNL” Season 48 launches on Oct. 1, Miles Teller will make his debut as host for the first time. Brandon Gleeson has also been lined up for his first ever “SNL” hosting stint. NBC announced on Tuesday that “SNL” will return with three consecutive shows on Oct. 1, Oct. 8 and Oct. 15, featuring three first-time hosts. First up as host is Teller, who currently stars in the summer blockbuster “Saturday Night Live,” will open the “SNL” season with musical guest Kendrick Lamar. It’s Lamar’s third time as “SNL” music performer; the Grammy winner currently on tour promoting his new album “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers.”

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeAs he prepares to celebrate two decades in late night, Jimmy Kimmel has agreed to stick around for at least three more years. Kimmel announced on Tuesday that he would continue his run as host of ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” through the show’s 23rd season, extending his contract — which was set to expire in the next year. Kimmel has fronted “Jimmy Kimmel Live” as host and executive producer since 2003. “After two decades at ABC, I am now looking forward to three years of what they call ‘quiet quitting,’” he quipped in a statement.News comes as Kimmel prepares to return to Brooklyn next week for the show’s sixth visit to the borough. This marks the first time “Jimmy Kimmel Live” has been back in New York since 2019 (before the COVID-19 pandemic put such trips to a halt, of course). The late night talk show will once again tape in front of a live studio audience at the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Howard Gilman Opera House.

Wendy Osefo is for a couple years, thanks to her two seasons on , but now, it's time for the  of Wendy.«This book is the ,» the Johns Hopkins University professor explains to ET, holding up her new memoir, .«What I learned through this process is, a lot of things that we do --  the ways in which we view life, even our mannerisms or how we view love and loss — come from where we come from,» she reflects, «and this story just starts to peel off some of those layers.»The autobiography digs into all the untold parts of Wendy's story, coming to America as a toddler, raised by a single mom (Susan) who both embraced and bucked tradition from their African roots. «I think that is an amazing show, but because of the interest of time, you have seven women on an ensemble cast, and you can't really get very deep into who we are,» Wendy says of her reasoning for writing her story. «This book is the why.

Saudi Arabian media and entertainment giant MBC Group has officially launched its new headquarters in the capital of Riyadh.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Common Sense Networks has promoted Sharon Kroll Cohen to serve as chief marketing officer of the company, which operates the kids streaming service Sensical. She previously served as VP of marketing for Sensical, a job she has held since December 2021. Kroll will continues to report to Common Sense Networks CEO Eric Berger, who announced the elevation on Monday. “Sharon has been instrumental in the trajectory of Sensical’s success and by extension, the success of Common Sense Networks,” Berger said. “She is an exceptionally talented, strategic, and results-driven executive whose contributions and vision have been essential to our work in redefining digital experiences for kids.”

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large “Saturday Night Live” is about to enter another “transition year,” Lorne Michaels told reporters in the Emmys media center on Monday, moments after picking up another win for variety sketch series. Michaels said the show, which enters its 48th season in October, will announce four new cast members next week. Longtime cast members Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant, Pete Davidson and Kyle Mooney announced their exits last spring, shortly before the season’s final show. Earlier this month,  three more cast members — Alex Moffat, Melissa Villaseñor and Aristotle Athari — departed the show. Michaels said the transition actually would have happened a few years ago, but the COVID-19 pandemic kept the existing cast longer than expected. “ [COVID[ interfered with the natural order of things I think people might have left earlier, but there was no place to go… And there’s nothing after the show except to go home!”

Metallica guitarist and passionate horror enthusiast Kirk Hammett has launched a new project, in which he soundtracks an eerie story he has penned comprised of fictional journal entries.On September 11, Hammett shared a link on social media to a TikTok video that pairs footage of a winding road with moody, fingerpicked acoustic guitar. Alongside that, he linked to his Kirk Hammett Horrors Reddit page, in which he shares the first chapter of a story he’s called I Have to Get Rid of This Guitar I Found.The recording, Hammett explains, is designed to be looped while reading the story.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Estrella Media has hired former NBCUniversal exec Enrique Guillen to serve as the company’s new chief content officer. Guillen will report to Estrella Media CEO Peter Markham and be based in Burbank. At Estella Media, Guillen will oversee U.S. domestic and global content strategy for the company’s TV, streaming, digital, audio, events and digital businesses, including developing, producing, and acquiring all television and film content, overseeing network and station programming, news, sports, digital content, and studio productions. He’ll also handle international distribution of Estrella Media content. “Enrique brings impeccable credentials as a leading executive in global content development and distribution, and he is a perfect fit to help our company accelerate our leadership position,” said Markham. “We look forward to Enrique taking a prominent role in helping us plot our next phase of growth as the changes taking place in our industry present unprecedented opportunities for Estrella Media.”

Dinner and drinks with a view! Hotel Hendricks has it all – with the new and improved Isla & Co and Daintree Rooftop bar, it is an obvious NYC hot spot.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large As they get ready for TV’s biggest night, Television Academy chairman/CEO Frank Scherma (above, left) and president/COO Maury McIntyre (right) spoke to Variety about what to expect as the Emmys return. Monday’s ceremony, which airs live starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on NBC and Peacock, is hosted by Kenan Thompson and will feature John Legend performing his new song “Pieces” during the “in memoriam” segment of the show, as well as Zedd as the evening’s DJ, and comedian Sam Jayas announcer. Here’s an excerpt of that chat, which ranges from the logistics behind this year’s ceremonies, the return of the Governors’ Gala, what to expect with host Thompson and the return of producers Done+Dusted and Reggie Hudlin, and what may be next in terms of category rule changes.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor Shannon Bream first tried her hand at journalism at the age of 30 after having earned a law degree. Some of the people working with her called her “Grandma Intern.” They won’t be calling her that on Sunday. Bream will this weekend kick off a new era on “Fox News Sunday,” the jewel of the news side at Fox News Channel, which often gets more attention for its opinion programming. She will be the programs’ first permanent female host and will be the first permanent replacement for Chris Wallace, who burnished his reputation for prosecutorial questioning of newsmakers and politicians over a tenure that lasted just under two decades. Wallace raised eyebrows in late 2021, when he announced on air he was leaving the show. He later disclosed he had jumped to CNN, where he is slated to host a new program for both HBO Max and CNN’s Sunday schedule.

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.

CBS announced Thursday its Performers With Disabilities Talent Initiative in an effort to give historically underrepresented performers increased opportunities on television. The initiative will begin taking effect in the 2022-2023 broadcast season.

Kourtney Kardashian has sent temperatures soaring in the campaign pictures for her new fashion range with BooHoo, which will focus on sustainability.The mum-of-three showed off her gym-honed body as she unveiled some of the gorgeous items of clothing in the collection – ahead of its launch at New York Fashion Week on September 13. The Poosh founder looked stunning as she modelled an array of outfits from the 45-piece collection with a price range of £5 to £75.

London nightclub Fabric has announced the launch of new record label, Fabric Originals, which aims to release “special projects from the artists that form the present and future of boundary pushing club music globally”.The first release on the label with be a split twelve-inch from Eris Drew and Octo Octa. Other records from DJ Bone, Helena Hauff, I Jordan, Sherelle, Lcy and Marcel Dettmann are also on the way.Eris Drew’s contribution, ‘Day After A Night With U’, says Fabric, “draws on elements of the artist’s classic keyboard orchestrations within the context of acid breaks, adding chest-rattling bass notes to anchor the track’s eyes-down 4/4 rhythm”.“The track’s spiritual sensibilities push to the fore further with an infectious soul vocal sample and vintage feeling synths”, it adds, “alongside an almost spiritual mysticism that permeates the song’s skittering production and upbeat melodics”.“A sensual reverberation of shared love breaking the shackles of anxiety, the track’s acid line rips through the centre of the ornamental keyboards, just like the coming together that inspired the night that ripped open Eris’ heart to fill her with love during a personally difficult time”.Meanwhile, Octo Octa’s ‘Stars & Water’ was created in reaction to Drew’s track, and, says the label, “takes on a similarly heartfelt tone.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Comedian Hasan Minhaj is returning to Netflix next month with his latest standup special. “Hasan Minhaj: The King’s Jester” is set to premiere worldwide on Oct. 4 on Netflix. “The King’s Jester” reps the second stand-up comedy special that Minhaj has produced and starred in for Netflix. The latest special, filmed at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, features Hasan discussing some of his recent life events. Netflix reports that in the special, Minhaj “shares his thoughts on fertility, fatherhood, and freedom of speech.” Prashanth Venkataramanujam directed “Hasan Minhaj: The King’s Jester.” Minhaj’s previous stand-up comedy special was titled “Homecoming King,” which aired in 2018 and garnered him a Peabody Award.

EXCLUSIVE: Fans of The Bay can now find the digital sudser on Peacock.

Octo Octa titled ‘Day After A Night With U / Stars & Water’.The former track boasts a soul vocal sample and vintage-style synthesisers. It’s described as “a sensual reverberation of shared love breaking the shackles of anxiety” that sees Drew channelling “spiritual sensibilities”.On ‘Stars & Water’, Octa takes cues from classic house with the cut building progressively in energy.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large When the Television Academy revealed this year’s Primetime Emmy submissions in June, there were a few glaring omissions. Fans of Netflix’s young adult drama “Heartstopper” (pictured above) were particularly perplexed, until they learned that the show instead opted to vie for a trophy in the new Children’s & Family Emmy Awards run by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. With this move, the coming-of-age tale based on a graphic novel about a gay teen who falls in love with his classmate now has a better shot at winning than it would if it were still competing for a Primetime Emmy trophy. Entries were due earlier this month for the Children’s & Family Emmys, which will include around 50 categories. Some of those races have moved over from the Daytime Emmys, which New York-based NATAS also oversees, while others are new, to reflect the full scope of youth-oriented fare (including shows like “Heartstopper” that might have previously competed for the Primetime Emmy race, which is administered by the Los Angeles-based Television Academy).

The Chicago P.D. world won’t be the same. Tracy Spiridakos is weighing in on costar Jesse Lee Soffer‘s impending exit from the series.