the industry

Tom Arnold Yells at 19-Year-Old Boys Online

Alan Reid, The Gesture That Broke the Band (2008).

Hey, You Suck: CBS has given the green light to Heckle-U, a nineteen-episode Web series starring Tom Arnold that will coincide with the NCAA basketball tournament. Owen Benjamin of Punk’d fame also stars as a slacker whose only real talent is heckling during college basketball games. Arnold plays his bartender uncle and fellow heckler, which is really a lot more respectable than being an actor on the downside of his career who’s spending his time starring in Webisodes. [HR]

Presenting…: The Golden Globes continue to bring out presenters for its upcoming ostentatious display of wealth. Aaron Eckhart, Laurence Fishburne, and Blake Lively have been added to a list that includes Ricky Gervais, Jake Gyllenhaal, Salma Hayek, and Sacha Baron Cohen. Now the competition to see who gets to shake Brad Pitt’s hand begins. [Variety]

This Conversation Is Over: After three years on air, Michael Eisner is putting an end to his monthly CNBC series Conversations With Michael Eisner in March. The former Disney head is moving on to devote more time to the businesses within his Tornante Co., including Internet production company Vuguru. Conversations With Michael Eisner, which he started right after leaving Disney, regularly features one-on-one convos between Eisner and other boring, rich white guys. [Variety]

Seamless Transition: Andrew Rannells, who played Link in the Broadway production of Hairspray, is moving from Baltimore to Jersey as he prepares to step into the role of Bob Gaudio in Jersey Boys. This marks the first time someone has moved to Jersey and considered it an upgrade. [Playbill]

Apted to Make Someone Famous: Director Michael Apted has been chosen to co-chair the jury for the U.N.’s Democracy Video Challenge. The contest invites people from around the world to submit a three-minute video that defines the nature of democracy. Apted will oversee the selection of 21 finalists representing six parts of the world. “Film is a window into our common humanity — the challenges and joys that make up the universal human experience — no matter what language we speak or where we were born,” Apted said. Yep, we’ve heard that one before. [HR]

Tom Arnold Yells at 19-Year-Old Boys Online