Michael Schneider Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large And this time I have some backing: McHale himself. I recently got the most unusual pitch in my email: With the SAG-AFTRA strike ongoing, McHale can’t talk about the upcoming “Community” movie, his Fox sitcom “Animal Control,” or really, almost anything. But he can talk about Klondike ice cream bars.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Kylie Jenner got up and worked: The mogul is a guest voice on this year’s “Treehouse of Horror” episode of “The Simpsons,” and Variety has a first look below. In the Season 35 edition, “Treehouse of Horror XXXIV,” Bart is turned into an NFT — and Marge travels through the blockchain to save her son. In the segment, Kylie Jenner is one of a handful of celebrities — also including Jimmy Fallon and Rob Gronskowski — who are the “illuminati of the crypto universe” and help Marge find Bart.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large SPOILER ALERT: Do not read ahead if you have not watched Season 10, Episode 6 of “The Masked Singer,” “Harry Potter Night,” which aired Oct. 25 on Fox. The timing couldn’t have been better: With Halloween approaching, it was a spooky “Harry Potter”-themed episode of “The Masked Singer” this week, so it was only appropriate that “Teen Wolf” star Tyler Posey would be the next celebrity to be unmasked in Season 10. Posey was revealed to be Hawk, after this week performing “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic,” by The Police.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large “The Masked Singer” goes whole Hogwarts on this week’s episode with a “Harry Potter” theme, and Variety has a first look. On the “Harry Potter Night,” tied to Halloween (of course), a new costumed Wildcard celebrity joins the competition: The Sea Queen.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large SPOILER ALERT: Do not read ahead if you have not watched Season 10, Episode 5 of “The Masked Singer,” “A Celebration of Elton John,” which aired Oct. 18 on Fox. Elton John and Bernie Taupin wrote the track “Philadelphia Freedom” in 1975 at the behest of tennis icon Billie Jean King (whose team was the Philadelphia Freedoms). So, it was wildly appropriate that King performed the song on Wednesday during “A Celebration of Elton John” on Fox’s “The Masked Singer.” King performed “Philadelphia Freedom” as the Royal Hen — and the fact that we know she was on the show means that, alas, she was also the next celebrity to be unmasked on “Singer.” “A true trail blazer, she is famous for championing equal opportunities for all, and has made it her royal mission to be a voice for the voiceless,” a “Masked Singer” voiceover shared in giving the hints to whom the Royal Hen might be.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Minutes before “Saturday Night Live” was set to kick off Season 49 inside Studio 8H at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, the show’s production team — led, of course, by executive producer Lorne Michaels — received word that two special guests were on their way. According to a source, that was when they learned that Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, who were in New York City, wanted to drop by the show.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large “Saturday Night Live” returned with host Pete Davidson on Saturday, and the first sketch of the night took on Taylor Swift/NFL mania, via a parody of Fox’s NFL Sunday team. As the anchors tried to outdo each other with their Swift fandom, the sketch ended with a cameo by Travis Kelce himself — the Kansas City Chiefs tight end at the center of the brouhaha.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large “Saturday Night Live” opened this week’s Season 49 premiere without a skit, but instead with host Pete Davidson discussing “the horrible images and stories from Israel and Gaza.” Said Davidson: “And I know what you’re thinking, Who better to comment on it than Pete Davidson? Well, in a lot of ways, I am a good person to talk about it because when I was seven years old, my dad was killed in a terrorist attack. So I know something about what that’s like. “I saw so many terrible pictures this week.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Fox will utilize its NFL doubleheader on Sunday, January 7, to help launch the network’s latest animated comedy, “Grimsburg.” The show, starring Jon Hamm (who also executive produces), will air immediately following the second game in all time zones. The scheduling strategy was set to be announced on Saturday at the New York Comic-Con, where Fox is holding panels for both “Grimsburg” and its most recent new animated comedy, the Dan Harmon-created “Krapopolis.” At the event, “Grimsburg” showrunner Chadd Gindin planned to discuss his new series and introduce an early screening of the show’s first episode. Both “Grimsburg” and “Krapopolis” are produced by Bento Box and are wholly owned by Fox.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large “Kensday” may soon be everyday. “Community” star and “The Masked Singer” panelist Ken Jeong is eyeing a daytime talk strip for 2024, to be developed and produced by Lionsgate’s Debmar-Mercury shingle.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Former Electus CEO and Shine International prexy Chris Grant has launched a new distribution company, Osmosis Global, which he will unwrap in time for next week’s Mipcom conference. Investor and entrepreneur Marc Pierce is backing the new venture.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large SPOILER ALERT: Do not read ahead if you have not watched Season 10, Episode 4 of “The Masked Singer,” “2000s Night,” which aired Oct. 11 on Fox. Michael Rapaport had never sung in public until “The Masked Singer.” Now, he can’t stop. Rapaport was unmasked on Wednesday as the Pickle, the latest costumed celebrity to go home on the hit Fox unscripted series.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Public television has held separate collective bargaining agreements with the Writers Guild and SAG-AFTRA for years. So, while studios and networks this fall faced the ramifications of dual Hollywood strikes, it’s been mostly business as usual at PBS.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Wondering whether there will be more seasons or episodes of the Max animated series “Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake”? So is executive producer Adam Muto. “It’s in discussion,” Muto told Variety last week at the SCAD Animation Fest in Atlanta. “But the person who greenlit the first season is no longer at Max.” The future of “Fionna and Cake,” and the “Adventure Time” franchise as a whole, is still in the brainstorming phase, Muto said.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large SPOILER ALERT: Do not read ahead if you have not watched Season 10, Episode 3 of “The Masked Singer,” “NFL Night,” which aired Oct. 4 on Fox. “Vanderpump Rules” villain Tom Sandoval became perhaps the second-most hated person to be revealed in “The Masked Singer” history on Wednesday night. (The first, of course, will forever be American traitor and despicable human being Rudy Giuliani, who nearly destroyed “The Masked Singer” in Season 7.) Sandoval was unmasked as the Diver.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Late night was back in full force on Monday night, and the hosts of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live” and “Late Night with Seth Meyers” were all expected to have something to say about it in their opening monologues. “It feels good to be back,” Colbert said at the start of his October 2 monologue — his first since May 1, the last evening before the WGA strike commenced the following day. “It feels good to be with all of you again here in the Ed Sullivan Theatre.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large A lot can happen in 146 days. When the Writers Guild strike started in May, Drew Barrymore was one of its early folk heroes, when she stepped down as host of the MTV Movie & TV Awards in solidarity. But four months later, Barrymore became one of the strike’s most reviled public figures when she tried to rationalize the decision to bring back her daytime talk show in the midst of a work stoppage.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large The 44th Annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards kicked off the first of two nights on Wednesday in New York, with CNN, Vice and the New York Times as among the big winners. CNN led the news portion of the Emmys, with ten wins — followed closely by Vice, with nine, and then the NYT with five.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large SPOILER ALERT: Do not read ahead if you have not watched Season 10, Episode 2 of “The Masked Singer,” which aired Sept. 27 on Fox. “Black-ish” star Anthony Anderson was revealed as Rubbie Ducky on Wednesday night’s episode of “The Masked Singer.” The Fox competition show’s Season 10 was back to kick off regular season game play — following a special episode on Sept. 17 that featured the unmasking of Demi Lovato.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large “Reservation Dogs” ended its three-season run on Wednesday with a funeral — but also with a lot of joy. In bringing almost all of the show’s characters into one place for one final gathering, co-creator Sterlin Harjo said his goal was to show how “Reservation Dogs” was much bigger than just the kids at its heart. “It’s not just for kids on the rez,” Harjo told Variety.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large “Real Time with Bill Maher” is returning to HBO this Friday, a week later than originally planned. Maher delayed plans to bring back “Real Time” last week as the WGA and AMPTP resumed its negotiations — and rumblings of a resolution to the writers strike appeared to be in reach. Now, with the writers strike over and scribes able to return to work as of Wednesday, “Real Time” will become the first late night show to make the return after the daypart went silent in May (as the strike began).

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large As late night prepares to return to the airwaves post-WGA strike, that includes NBC’s “Saturday Night Live.” Like “Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” the sketch show also falls under the SAG-AFTRA Network Code contract, which is not a part of the guild’s current strike. That means the show, cast and crew are all in the clear to return to work once the WGA deal is finalized — or, at least, the WGA gives the all-clear for the writers to return to work. “Saturday Night Live” has been dark since April, as the WGA strike began at the start of May.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large As the WGA strike draws to a close, first stop on the road to normalcy will be late night — where producers are already plotting a return to air within the next two to three weeks. “We want to come back ASAP,” said one late night insider.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large The Creative Coalition’s annual Humanitarian Awards takes place the week of the Primetime Emmys — but even though the big show was pushed to January, the benefit luncheon still took place on Thursday, Sept. 14 at the La Peer Hotel rooftop in West Hollywood, attracting a wide range of honorees and presenters. The Humanitarian Awards recognizes talent who donate their time, resources and their celebrity to promote worthy social causes.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Oxygen’s “911 Crisis Center” and A&E’s “Secrets of the Chippendales Murders” were among the winners Saturday night at the second annual Clue Awards, held at the CrimeCon event in Orlando, Fla. Hosted by ABC News legal analyst Matt Murphy, the event included presenters Nancy Grace, Kelly Siegler, Camille Vasquez and Paul Holes.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large As “Survivor” hits its 45th season this fall, CBS is building a new marketing campaign for the show inspired by its signature piece of clothing: The “Buff.” That versatile cloth that “Survivor” contestants have used as tube tops, bandanas and headbands since Season 1, will be seen at landmarks across the country over the next week, leading up to the series premiere on Wednesday, Sept. 27.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large The Golden Globes has found its production team for the 2024 ceremony: Glenn Weiss and Ricky Kirshner, of White Cherry Entertainment, will serve as executive producers and showrunners for the 81st Golden Globe Awards. The event, previously announced to take place live on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, does yet not have a broadcast home, having cut ties with NBC after the 2023 show.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Fox’s “The Masked Singer” is taking to the streets next Saturday, Sept. 23, in Los Angeles, offering up freebies throughout the city. Dubbed “Masked Mania,” the show has partnered with ten businesses to offer up free food and other items, as well as the opportunity to see some of the show’s costumes up close.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Better Call Georgia: AMC Networks has promoted longtime corp comm exec Georgia Juvelis to the role of chief communications officer. Juvelis, who had most recently served as exec VP of corporate communications, continues to report to AMC Networks CEO Kristin Dolan, who announced the news on Thursday.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large As “The Masked Singer” panelist Nicole Scherzinger returns to London’s West End this month, starring as Norma Desmond in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard, the show has found a suitable substitute: Singer/songwriter Rita Ora. Ora, who is no stranger to the format as a panelist for “The Masked Singer UK,” will take the U.S. “Masked Singer” panelist chair alongside Ken Jeong, Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg and Robin Thicke throughout Season 11, now shooting (and set to air in midseason).

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Here we are, just days away from the start of the 2023-24 television season… and the major networks still aren’t 100% sure what they’re doing. Just last week, several broadcasters scrambled to make even more last minute schedule changes — on top of other recently announced tweaks. The fall lineups that viewers tune into later this month will be remarkably different than the ones first announced in May.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Three of the “Strike Force Five” are taking their show on the road. Late night hosts Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel will host a one-night-only event, dubbed “Strike Force Three,” at the Dolby Live at Park MGM in Las Vegas on Saturday, September 23 — marking the first time the trio have been on stage together at the same time. Colbert, Fallon, Kimmel, John Oliver and Seth Meyers recently launched the podcast “Strike Force Five,” as a way to help support the staffs of their respective shows.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Strong Global Entertainment has acquired branded short form content company Unbounded Media Corporation, which will now operate as a part of Strong Studios. Under the deal, Strong Studios is aiming to get into the production services business in addition to its work developing content for film and TV (“Safehaven,” “Flagrant,” “Inside the Black Box”).

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Southern California Public Radio president/CEO Herb Scannell has announced his plans to retire after four years at the organization, which operates KPCC-FM (“LAist 89.3”), LAist.com and LAist Studios. Scannell, the Nickelodeon vet who later ran BBC Worldwide North America and Mitú, will remain in the role until a new successor is named. The SCPR board has started a search for Scannell’s replacement.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large “Dancing with the Stars” is waltzing permanently to Tuesday nights this fall, as the competition series makes its return to ABC (while continuing to simulcast on Disney+). The series’ Season 32 premiere airs on Tuesday, Sept. 26 at 8 p.m.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large SPOILER ALERT: Do not read ahead if you have not watched the Season 10 season premiere of “The Masked Singer,” which aired Sept. 10 on Fox. “The Masked Singer” kicked off its 10th season on Sunday night with a special episode — and a lotta Lovato. Demi Lovato as “Anonymouse” was the first celebrity unmasked this season — although there’s an asterisk there.