‘Lego Masters’ Host Will Arnett and Producers on How Season 2 Found More Intense, ‘Eccentric’ Builders

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large“Ted Lasso” and “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” are among the first batch of this year’s Peabody Award winners.

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Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeAs retail continues to reopen and consumers return to brick-and-mortar stores, “Rick and Morty” will be waiting for them. The Adult Swim animated series, which returns for Season 5 on June 20, has not only been a ratings juggernaut — it has turned into a merchandising machine.“Rick and Morty” now boasts more than 150 global licensees — spanning fashion, accessories, home, toys and games — that generate hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeComedian Bill Engvall has signed on to star as host of the new weekly Circle TV series “Blue Collar Auction.” The series, from Venture 10 Studio and Parallel Entertainment (which founded the Blue Collar Comedy Tour), “Blue Collar Auction” will feature Engvall as head auctioneer, engaging viewers in competition as various items are sold to the highest bidder.The series will auction off collectors’ items, such as celebrity memorabilia and automobiles, to

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeAnd yet, it was quite deflating to see the recent report “The Prevalence and Portrayal of Asian and Pacific Islanders Across 1,300 Films,” which found that just 44 of those films featured an API lead or co-star.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeThe Television Academy first expanded the short form categories in 2016, buoyed by the promise of original fare from Maker Studios, Fullscreen, AwesomenessTV, YouTube Red, Adult Swim and others. Maker and Fullscreen basically don’t exist anymore, and the excitement of the short form races has perhaps further cooled after the Quibi debacle.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeIt was one of Ted Danson’s daughters who gave him perhaps the best perspective on his “Cheers” role, Sam Malone. “He was the reformed alcoholic in a bar,” Danson says of his ironic character.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeThe anthology Emmy category only lasted a year, but a variation of “outstanding dramatic program,” which mostly recognized individual episodes of anthologies such as “Hallmark Hall of Fame,” continued until the 1970s.Now, we’re in a new age of anthologies, spurred by filmmakers eager to tell their stories in episodic fashion (yes, I know, I grit my teeth every time another director claims they’re actually making a series of movies, or one 10-hour film,

Kiely Williams is taking a trip down memory lane, to her days with 3LW.While speaking to ET via Zoom on Wednesday, the 34-year-old singer reflected on what it was like founding the girl group with Adrienne Bailon and Naturi Naughton in 1999 (Jessica Benson later replaced Naughton in 2003).

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeRob McElhenney and his fellow executive producers and writers had already mapped out a second season of “Mythic Quest,” and had written many of its episodes, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Suddenly, they realized the stories — which kicked off with the “Mythic Quest” officemates at the E3 conference — had to be revised.“We had to essentially throw all of those scripts out and start over,” McElhenney tells Variety’s Awards Circuit podcast.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeCBS is sticking with “The Talk” talent to host this year’s Daytime Emmy Awards, but with a twist: This year, Sheryl Underwood will handle solo duties. The Eye network announced on Tuesday that Underwood will host the 48th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, which airs on Friday, June 25 at 8 p.m.

Looking back. Pregnant Astrid Loch gave her Instagram followers an inside look at her “post-IVF transfer journey” on Wednesday, June 2.

NEW YORK -- Will Arnett’s playful sarcasm is serving him well these days as both the host of Fox’s “Lego Masters,” where his “dad jokes” kill, and on his podcast, ”Smartless,” where he banters with pals Jason Bateman and Sean Hayes.Teasing comes naturally to the actor, as does working with Legos. He’s been the voice of Batman in “The Lego Movie” franchise and is hosting and executive producing season two of “Lego Masters,” a reality brick building competition that premiered this week.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeWiip, the independent studio behind recent HBO hit “Mare of Easttown” and Apple TV Plus’ breakout “Dickinson,” has been acquired by South Korean TV drama production firm JTBC Studios.JTBC Studios will take a majority ownership in wiip, while CAA, which had previously been the majority owner of the company, will now move to a minority stake.

Kate Winslet is talking about the realistic portrayal of her character in HBO’s “Mare of Easttown”. 

Mare may have been the talk of Easttown these past few weeks, but now all anyone wants to know is if Kate Winslet is ready to return to the character.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeSPOILER ALERT: Do not read ahead if you have not watched Season 5, Episode 13 finale of “The Masked Singer,” which aired May 26 on Fox.Nick Lachey is hogging “The Masked Singer” spotlight. Disguised as the Piglet, the 98 Degrees star is taking home the bacon as Season 5’s big winner.Also revealed on Wednesday night’s finale, second place went to pop singer JoJo as the Black Swan.

It’s been the question on the lips of Friends fans ever since the much-loved US comedy came to an end in 2004 – could a reunion ever live up to the humongous hype? So, we’re pleased to report that Friends: The Reunion – the documentary that reunites the show’s mega stars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer – is a lovely, nostalgic ride.