Entertainment News from Eye On Weho

Eye on Entertainment
Nathaniel Grey
Entertainment Editor
December 15, 2011

Showtime Transcends Into Cross Dressing

Continuing to be a programing innovator, Showtime's new series House of Lies, introduces a new youth element in their lexicon of diverse characters. Series star Don Cheadle's character has an effeminate son who is a cross dresser, played by pre-teen Donis Leonard Jr. Cheadle is a management consultant firm exec supported by a team played by Kristen Bell (Burlesque), and Ben Schwatrz whose character on the short lived spy drama Undercovers, had a rather strong attraction to Boris Kodjoe. Who could blame him. House of Lies debuts on Jan. 8. ***

Chandler Massey, who plays closeted Gay teen Will Horton on Days of Our Lives, stars in the Jan. 20th release 16-Love. The romantic tale centers on a national teen tennis champ who finds the opportunity to experience her youth and a first love. The script comes from A Cinderella Story writer Leigh Dunlap and costars Baywatch vet Alexandra Paul. *** Glee star Matthew Morrison is but one of the notable names in the cast of What to Expect When Expecting. Nanny McPhee director Kirk Jones is making this comedy look at five couples who are heading into parenthood. The ensemble includes Anna Kendrick (Twilight), Rodrigo Santoro (Lost), Dennis Quaid (The Day After Tomorrow), Chace Crawford (Gossip Girl) plus cougars Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Lopez. *** Summer Heights High creator and star Chris Lilley has a new show coming to HBO on Jan. 1. It's called Angry Boys and like it's predecessor, is also shot in a mockumentary style. With Chris playing multiple roles again, the show looks at different men from a rap star in So Cal to teenage twin boys down under. ***

Celebrity Wife Swap sounds like a Herman Cain campaign promise but is actually a new reality series debuting on Jan. 3. The ABC show follows the same premise of Wife Swap but with celebrity spouses. Upcoming episodes which feature Gary Busey, Niecy Nash of Reno 911 and Antonio Sabato (Testosterone). Ok, maybe it should be called 'D-List Celebrity Wife Swap.' If it's a hit, maybe ABC will change the name to 'Celebrity Partner Swap'? Then they could use Dancing With The Stars cast offs Carson Kresley and Chaz Bono. *** Comedy variety shows died out on television many years ago.Yet, following the expression that everything old is new again, the big screen is the revival space for the comedy variety film. Started in the 70s with movies like The Groove Tube and Kentucky Fried Movie, projects consisting of funny short films evolved into works such as Vampires Suck, The Superhero Movie and the Scary Movie film series. The April release of Movie 43 brings back the original forgotten premise with contributions by 11 different directors. We're not talking about aspiring filmmakers who's resume lists only short film but well-known names which include Griffin Dunne, Peter Farrelly of the Farrelly Brothers, Bob Odenkirk, and recently canned from producing the Oscars, Brett Ratner. Unlike it's 70s predecessor, Movie 43 doesn't have a cast of relative unknowns from big city improv groups but some of today's biggest marquee names, including Hugh Jackman, Gerard Butler, Anna Faris & hubby Chris Pratt, Emma Stone, Kristen Bell, Kate Winslet, Josh Duhamel, Uma Thurman and Richard Gere. As an example of what to expect, Farrelly's segment features a group of DC superheroes at a speed dating event. The segment has Bobby Canavale (Will & Grace) playing Superman, Justin Long (The New Girl) as Robin, and Jason Sudeikis (Saturday Night Live) as Batman. If only Batman could meet the right date, we'll get to see 'The Dark Knight Rises Early.' ***

From the OMG file comes news that Michael Jackson's daughter Paris wants to be an actress and has been cast in her first movie. Before you assume it's a remake of Finding Neverland, I need to warn that it sounds like a comedy segment of the previously mentioned film. The moonwalker's child will star in the film version of the young adult novel Lundon's Bridge and The 3 Keys. Wasn't that a Hardy Boys mystery? Like the Chronicles of Narnia, producers are planning this to be the first of five films. Apparently their confidence was boosted by the cast which includes Love Boat vet Ted Lange, current Family Feud announcer Joey Fatone and the man who brought suspenders back in fashion, Larry King. I couldn't make this up if I tried. If Alan Carr were alive today, he'd be directing this future camp classic. *** In that same OMG file was found news that the current production partnership between STARZ and the BBC is developing a 6 hour miniseries about the Ottoman Empire. The odd element is that it comes from a an idea pitch made by Showgirls vet Gina Gershon. Makes sense to me, anytime someone mentions the Ottoman Empire my thoughts always go right to Gina Gershon. On second thought, didn't the Ottoman's invent the stripper pole? *** Big Bang Theory's Jim Parson's heads to Broadway to star in the revival of the 1945 play Harvey, best known from the Jimmy Stewart play. Parson has the lead as Elwood P. Dowd who's best friend is a the titled character who just happens to be a 6 foot tall invisible rabbit. Joining Parson are Jessica Hecht (J. Edgar) and Charles Kimbrough (Murphy Brown.) Previews begin in New York city on May 18 with the official opening on June 14. Get your tickets early cause these are going to go faster than those for the Book of Mormon.***

A lot of voices have criticized the new season of Glee, while I've been impressed, the recent episode showing the return of Chord Overstreet was a big disappointment. Whoever chose the first number of Little Red Cup? Really? Ratings may be down but pursing a country audience for a show that promotes cultural diversity and equal rights is like putting tape over George Michael's favorite glory hole. On Jan. 24, Glee will air it's first and perhaps only tribute episode of the season, when New Directions perform 12 songs from the repretoire of the Michael Jackson. Among them are Darren Criss (Blaine) doing 'Wanna Be Startin Something' plus Lea Michele (Rachel) and Cory Monteith's (Finn) version of 'I Just Can't Stop Loving You.' I have hope they'll include an inspired version of 'Ebony and Ivory' between Principal Figgins and Coach Sylvester. *** Heather Morris (Brittany) joins Justin Bieber's girlfriend Selena Gomez in Spring Breakers. Though not a musical, for which Heather's talent's best shine, this crime drama follows 4 college students who get busted trying to rob a bank to pay for their Spring break vacation. This sounds right up Lindsay Lohan alley? The quartet's troubles escalate when they are bailed out by a weapons dealer who ropes them into even more criminal activity. Also in the cast are James Franco, Emmy Roberts and High School Musical vet Vanessa Hudgens. ***

Bravo airs the latest Kathy Griffin comedy special titled Kathy Griffin: Tired Hooker on 12/20. You can also catch the comedian and pal Anderson Cooper hosting CNN's New Year's Eve special from New York's Time Square at 11pm 12/31. Nominated for a 3rd straight years, Kathy is up for a Grammy for her comedy album 50 and Not Pregnant. Tune in to CBS on 2/12 when we find out if she's beat's fellow nominees Weird Al, Patton Oswalt and Louis CK. *** Oliver Jackson Cohen, the sexy Yoga practicing assassin in the Dwayne Johnson film Faster has joined the cast of The Raven. Not a remake of the Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi film of 1935, viewers will likely find similarities to Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes. This version follows author Edgar Allan Poe and his partner Detective Emmett Fields trying to stop a serial killer who is mimicking deaths found in Poe's novels. Set in 19th century Baltimore, The Raven features John Cusack as Poe, Immortals star Luke Evans plays Fields with Sex and the City 2 vet Alice Eve portrays Poe's wife. You can count on the film exhibiting a distinctive visual style as it comes from V for Vendetta director James McTeigue. ***

Priest star Paul Bettany plays James Masters of the research team Masters & Johnson in a Showtime pilot called Masters of Sex. Maybe I can sue the producers for idea thef. Master of Sex is the title of my repeating Craigslist ad. *** Director of the controversial 1980 film Cruising, William Friedkin, steps in front of the camera for Arbitrage. Set to premiere at Sundance next month, the film centers on a hedge fund magnate trying to sell off his assets before fraudulent actions bring his world crumbling down. Richard Gere plays the Bernie Madoff like character, costarring with Susan Sarandon and Tim Roth. Being listed on the Sundance slate is exciting for any filmmaker but in this financial bailout shadow of an economy, I have strong doubt that audiences will flock to see a motion picture that reminds them about their retirement losses. Even if it does star and an American Gigolo. *** Ellen Degeneres has been fishing to reprise her role of Dorie in a sequel to the animated hit Finding Nemo. While keeping her fingers crossed, she goes from marine life to canine life to voice one of the characters in the film Dog Show. This time it's live action with a group of stray mongrel dogs disrupting a high class dog show. It's no surprise that she got the role, DeGeneres is also a producer on the project. As a frugal producer DeGeneres chose to do her own stunts on the film, which includes running, jumping, scratching and rubbing her butt on the carpet.

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