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EXCLUSIVE: First Run Features is promising “a robust awards campaign” for The Quiet Epidemic, after acquiring U.S. distribution rights to the documentary about Chronic Lyme and tick-borne disease.

A cryptic tweet by Elon Musk and late-night purge of top executives closed Twitter’s takeover saga as chaotically as it began, with no formal announcement just a four-word post by the self-declared Chief Twit — “the bird is freed.”

Matthew Perry says ‘Friends’ fans can tell what drugs he was on by his changing appearance on the show. The 53-year-old actor, who was nearly killed by his drink and drug abuse, shared a jokey guide in his upcoming autobiography ‘Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing’ about how his addictions could be charted from his varying weight and beard while he played Chandler Bing on the 10-season run of the sitcom from 1994 to 2004. In an extract obtained by Page Six, he said: “You can track the trajectory for my addiction if you gauge my weight from season to season.

“Why is it that the original thinkers like River Phoenix and Heath Ledger die, but Keanu Reeves still walks among us?” Matthew Perry reportedly writes in his forthcoming memoir Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, which comes out Nov. 1. In the book, which is excerpted today in the New York Post, the Friends actor repeatedly expresses such sentiments about Reeves, who counted Phoenix among his closest friends.

Sunshine Sachs Morgan & Lylis has named five executives to new senior roles as the firm expands its leadership team across the company.

Matthew Perry‘s journey to sobriety wasn’t easy, and it has cost him a pretty penny.

A necessary expense. Matthew Perry opened up about the cost of battling drug and alcohol addiction for more than half of his life.

EXCLUSIVE: George Gallo (The Comeback Trail) is teaming with Green Book Oscar winner Nick Vallelonga to produce The Accidental Gangster, a new thriller based on reformed gangster Orlando ‘Ori’ Spado’s bestselling autobiography of the same name. The former will also direct from a script by the author’s son Anthony Spado and David Steenhoek.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Boat Rocker has hired veteran executive Dan Selig as its new senior vice president of content sales, Variety has learned. Selig joins Boat Rocker from Fifth Season (formerly known as Endeavor Content), where he was most recently the senior vice president of sales for the Americas. In his new role, Selig will be a major part of Boat Rocker’s sales strategy as well as distribution of content throughout the U.S. and Latin America. Selig will be based in the independent studio’s New York office and report to Jon Rutherford, the president of rights for Boat Rocker. “As Boat Rocker continues its growth as a leading supplier of premium global content, we’re excited to have Dan join the team,” said Rutherford. “With a deep understanding of the television landscape, Dan brings a wealth of experience and will be an invaluable asset to lead U.S. and Latin America sales for Boat Rocker’s owned and acquired series and documentaries.”

Morgan Hertzan and Cory Haik have been promoted at Vice Media as Jesse Angelo has re-upped his contract.

Brent Lang Executive Editor Briarcliff Entertainment has acquired domestic distribution rights to “Sweetwater,” a recently completed feature about Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton, the first African American to land an NBA contract. The drama is written and directed by Martín Guigui and stars newcomer Everett Osborne as Clifton. The ensemble includes veteran actors such as Kevin Pollak, Cary Elwes, Jeremy Piven, Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Ri’chard. There are also special appearances by Gary Clark Jr., Jim Caviezel and NBA champion Bobby Portis Jr.  The film follows Clifton (Osborn), who is the star attraction of the Harlem Globetrotters, led by owner/coach Abe Saperstein (Pollak). When New York Knicks executive Ned Irish (Elwes) and Knicks coach Joe Lapchick (Piven) decide it is time for the Knicks to integrate, with the support of NBA President Maurice Podoloff (Dreyfuss), they come together with the other team owners of the league to make history. Briarcliff will give the film a wide theatrical release on April 14, 2023. 

Manori Ravindran International Editor New York’s South Asian International Film Festival has appointed Chayan Sarkar as its new president. A filmmaker, entrepreneur and festival director, Sarkar is also the founder of the Indian International Film Festival of Queensland in Australia. He takes over from SAIFF founder Shilen Amin, who will step down as president, but will remain a member of the festival’s board of directors. Sarkar joins SAIFF as the festival enters its 19th year as a leading film festival in the U.S. for new cinema from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal, and within the Indian diaspora. In recent years, SAIFF has become increasingly influential as a platform for South Asian cinema, both in the U.S. and internationally. Fourteen of India’s submissions for the international feature film Oscar have had their North American premieres at the festival.

New York Magazine dismissed media concerns about Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman's health in a glossy profile piece that argued the Democratic Senate candidate's "vulnerability" was actually a strength.

The two teens shot outside Rep. Lee Zeldin’s home while the Republican candidate for governor of New York's twin daughters were home alone have been identified, according to a report.  The New York Post first identified the teen victims Monday as Joel Murphy and Elijah Robinson, both 17-year-olds from Mastic, on New York’s Long Island.The Suffolk County Police Department declined to confirm the identities of the victims to Fox News Digital when contacted by phone about the report.  Both teen victims suffered gunshot wounds to the chest in the shooting in Shirley, the Post said, citing police, noting that Murphy also reportedly suffered a lacerated liver while Robinson sustained an arm wound.  According to the report, a "high-ranking" law enforcement source said the teen victims were "known to the department" and had been at a recording studio on a reservation in Suffolk County that is known for gang activity.  New York GOP candidate for governor Rep.

Deadline Nikki Finke has died at age 68.According to her family, Finke died in Boca Raton, Fla. on Sunday morning after a prolonged illness, as confirmed by Deadline.Finke grew up in Sands Point on Long Island before graduating from Wellesley College.