‘Dance Moms’ Creator Jeff Collins Launches New Company, Partners With Sony Pictures TV’s Nonfiction Unit (EXCLUSIVE)

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large When Peabody holds its 84th awards ceremony on June 9, it will finally be in Los Angeles — after four years of trying. The org had decided in 2020 to move its annual event from New York to the West Coast. And then the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and the ceremony went virtual for three years.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large George Russell, one of the most prominent characters in HBO’s sprawling period ensemble “The Gilded Age,” is many things: a self-made man; a loving husband; a titan of industry. But Morgan Spector, the actor who plays George in Julian Fellowes’ fictionalized tale of 19th century New York City, is comfortable calling the character out for who he really is. “Robber baron,” Spector declares on Variety’s Awards Circuit podcast.

Great things goes to those who wait, it seems — especially for fans of White Collar.

EXCLUSIVE: Concord Originals, the production arm of Concord, has announced a partnership with NewFest to launch Sound & Scene: NewFest x Concord QTBIPOC Short Film Initiative, the next round of the short film financing and intellectual property licensing initiative to support up-and-coming LGBTQIA+ filmmakers of color.

Rebecca Rubin Senior Film and Media Reporter DDA has hired two new executives as it launches a new office in New York. The marketing and communications agency already operates out of dual London and Los Angeles headquarters.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large ABC series “High Potential” is getting a shift at the top, as showrunner Rob Thomas has departed the project, Variety has learned. The series, which stars Kaitlin Olson, is set to air Tuesdays at 10 p.m.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Public broadcaster KCET is once again the leader in Los Angeles Area Emmys nominations, landing 22 this year (down slightly from last year’s 24), thanks to expecially to the locally produced series “Artbound” and its “10 Days in Watts.” Cable news outlet Spectrum News 1 was in second, with 17 — up from 14 last year. Meanwhile, KABC-TV — aka ABC7 — saw a nice surge to 14 noms, up from 7 last year and good enough to top the commercial broadcast outlets. Nominees included the late Sam Rubin, who was nominated in the entertainment news story for his coverage of the SAG-AFTRA strike on KTLA.

Fans of the cold side of the pillow, your prayers have been answered! Marks and Spencer has just dropped a fabulous new cooling bedding range that promises to banish those nights of flipping your pillow in search of a chilly spot.The fresh collection boasts complete bedding sets crafted to dial down your body temperature and keep those sweaty sleepless nights at bay during the sizzling summer spells.The lineup is brimming with everything you need for a serene slumber from pillows and pillow protectors to duvets and mattress toppers. Plus, there are linen-rich bedding sets that wick away moisture, ensuring you stay cool as a cucumber even when it's baking outside.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Super Bowl LVIII on CBS and “Toy Story Funday Football” on Disney+ and ESPN+ led this year’s tally of Sports Emmys winners, with three each, as announced Tuesday evening by the New York-based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Hosted by The Kid Mero, the 45th annual Sports Emmy Awards featured the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Honor to sportscaster and three-time Emmy Award-winner James Brown, by Sean McManus (former Chairman, CBS Sports).

SPOILER ALERT: This article contains details of the winner of So You Think You Can Dance Season 18.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large SPOILER ALERT: Don’t read on if you haven’t watched “Tunnel Vision,” the final episode of “CSI: Vegas” that aired on Sunday, May 19. “Things are about to go kaboom.” That’s what Beau (Lex Medlin) says on Friday night’s series finale of “CSI: Vegas” as he prepares to detonate a series of bombs. But he might be describing everyone’s minds, as the show’s characters discover midway through the episode (“Tunnel Vision”) that they’ve been chasing the wrong villain all season.

Glassjaw’s Daryl Palumbo, have returned with their first new music since 2006 in the form of ‘Bear The Cross’.The band resurfaced after a long absence in 2023, playing a series of shows around the US. The current line-up features Palumbo alongside Richard Flesh (bass), Craig Bonich (guitar), Chad Hasty (drums) and Eric Mitchell (electronics).And now, they are back with new material.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” host Jimmy Kimmel once again shared the Disney upfronts stage on Tuesday, providing his zingers in person for advertisers and media buyers at the programming presentation for the first time in five years. That’s because last year Kimmel didn’t attend due to the Hollywood WGA strikes. And in 2022, he was in New York — but had to be beamed in to do his routine after testing positive for COVID.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Prime Video continues to expand its game show output, announcing two more new shows on Tuesday at Amazon’s upfronts presentation: “Buy It Now,” hosted by JB Smoove (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”) and the holiday-themed event “Wish List Games” hosted by Nick Cannon (“The Masked Singer”). Both feature tie ins to Amazon’s shopping portals.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large At the NBCUniversal upfronts, they saved the best for almost last: “Late Night with Seth Meyers” host Seth Meyers hit the Radio City Music Hall stage to throw out a few quips before introducing NBCUniversal ad sales chief Mark Marshall. Meyers came out swinging: “Hello and welcome to the NBC upfronts. If you’re looking for the Fox News upfronts, that’s happening outside a lower Manhattan courtroom,” he said to chuckles.

Anna Tingley If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. “I’m really busy.” This is the first thing Busy Philipps tells me as we sit down to chat. When I tell her I’m impressed with her jam-packed schedule, she immediately agrees: “I’m impressed as well.” Philipps and I are sitting in a bare-bones Chelsea loft on an early afternoon in March.

Selena Kuznikov How do Hollywood creators forge massive universes for their characters? For Ronald D. Moore, executive producer of “For All Mankind” and “Outlander,” it all began with the question: What if the Russians landed on the moon first? From this starting point, “For All Mankind” was born. Moore and his team explored their alternate timeline, weaving cultural, societal, and political shifts with historical events, crafting a rich universe for the Apple+ TV series.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans Editor Sony Pictures Entertainment has completed state-of-the-art upgrades to its mix stages. Among the soundstages that underwent substantial improvements are the Cary Grant, William Holden, Kim Novak, Burt Lancaster, Anthony Quinn and Jimmy Stewart theaters, as well as Dub Stage 17.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large “The Bear,” “Bluey,” “Reservation Dogs,” “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” “The Last of Us” and “Jury Duty” are among the series set to receive this year’s Peabody Award, the org was set to announce on Thursday morning. The Peabody Awards’ board of 32 jurors have selected 34 winners, all of which received unanimous vote from TV, podcast/radio and web/digital nominees in entertainment, news, documentary, arts, children’s/youth, public service, and interactive programming.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Sigh. Get ready to hear that a lot from civilian friends and family — if you haven’t already — as we get deeper into this Emmy season. And of course, they’re not wrong.