Hi hi hi, it’s Wednesday, and we’re very nearly to May. Here’s Kermit the Frog singing “Rainbow Connection” if you’re needing a cathartic little cry this morning.
In case you somehow missed this nonsense: Vice President White Bread went to the Mayo Clinic to do a photo op. He was asked to wear a mask but refused. Christ, what an asshole.
"Dude, what are you doing? Wear a mask": Mike Pence ripped for going barefaced at Mayo Clinic https://t.co/sdlIOnDFIm
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) April 29, 2020
David Letterman, for one, wasn’t having it:
Letterman, who noted the wife of his former musical director Paul Shaffer was hospitalized with COVID-19, lambasted Pence for the move.
“Now if you go to the Mayo Clinic because you have COVID-19, you really have it,” Letterman said. “[Pence] takes time off from his gig as a mannequin, and he’s walking around without a mask taunting these poor people who are bedridden and wearing a mask. To me, that is just taunting people who are ill, to see that guy walking around in his $40 suit walking around in the Mayo Clinic without a mask.”
Letterman joked that he had intel that Trump would not wear a mask because his aides couldn’t figure out how to attach it to his hair.
Related: I hope Ms. Vasapoli is better.
HMMM. This sounds … familiar.
Serving as one of several expert witnesses in the first public impeachment hearing in the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, Karlan said:
“Imagine living in a part of Louisiana or Texas that’s prone to devastating hurricanes and flooding. What would you think if you lived there and your governor asked for a meeting with the president to discuss getting disaster aid that Congress has provided for? What would you think if that president said, ‘I would like you to do us a favor? I’ll meet with you, and send the disaster relief, once you brand my opponent a criminal.’
Wouldn’t you know in your gut that such a president has abused his office? That he’d betrayed the national interest, and that he was trying to corrupt the electoral process? I believe the evidentiary record shows wrongful acts on those scale here.”
And I don’t really want to call attention to this and get us in trouble, but even though Texas is a “red” state and even though we “banned” sanctuary cities, Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and Austin don’t uphold “show your paper” laws because fuck that noise. So is President Quid Pro Quo going to withhold funds from Texas? LOL. SURE.
Social Distance, an anthology series from the creator of Orange is the New Black, has been ordered at Netflix. “The show, produced remotely, will focus on the “’new, bizarre, bewildering reality we are all experiencing.'”
No Mercy, No Malice with Professor Scott Galloway is coming to Vice TV. It’s a weekly business show that will explore Wall Street’s response to the virus. It debuts on May 7.
Snapchat is launching Frontline Heroes, a series about frontline workers.
Mike Schur spoke a bit about putting this Parks and Recreation special together, and how this is NOT the future of television. The whole thing took about three weeks to pull together, so basically they could have filmed one and a half Tyler Perry series in the same time.
BBC is trying to figure out how to start making TV again, and everyone is coming up with the same ideas: quarantines, no international travel, prayer. There will also be a lot more international programming heading our way in the next year or so.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong is getting its TV business back up and running.
TV viewing has increased for the first time in 8 years. HUH. WHY?
Troy Sneed, Grammy-nominated singer, producer, and label executive, has passed away from COVID-19.
Roy Horn of Siegfried and Roy has tested positive.
This probably won’t make theater owners happy, as they are already going to war with some studios (namely Universal) who have announced that premiering movies on VOD will be a thing they continue doing. AMC has declared that they will no longer screen Universal pictures as a result.
SXSW is being sued for not issuing refunds.
Good News:
Yeah, I don’t really have any good news today, except that we’re still here and things will eventually get better. Eventually.
So here are some puppies let loose in the Texas State Aquarium. They don’t actually seem all that interested in the fish, but OK.
All Other TV News
A couple of Tiger King bits of business: Sia, Maddie Ziegler, and Tonya Brewer have recorded a song devoted to Joe Exotic to the beat of Megan Thee Stallion’s “Savage” to raise funds for the Humane Society and is it wrong that I kind of love it? Or is it a sign that I’m starting to snap? Either answer is correct.
Meanwhile, Joaquin Phoenix, Rooney Mara, Glenn Close, Justin Theroux, and others have written an open letter to Congress urging them to pass the Big Cat Public Safety Act, which would “prohibits the private ownership of big cats, direct public contact, and dangerous public interactions with big cats such as cub petting.” Sadly, the letter includes zero twerking.
Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia Network is going to be a success if last week’s preview is any indication.
One of the beautiful things about Better Things is how real it is, and how it doesn’t adhere to tired and predictable tropes like heavy-handed foreshadowing. I know Adlon can’t think about the future right now, but here’s to hoping we all get out of this mess and that season five begins filming soon.
“When you’re doing a show, fans want you to decide what’s going to happen with a character. So after Season 2 when Phyl had these episodes, or like the ending of Season 1 with Max saying, ‘Frankie’s a boy,’ people were saying, ‘Well, she’s going to be trans now’ or, ‘Phyl’s going to be mentally incapacitated.’ So, she had a cardiac episode, she gets a little more ‘off’ in her head. I try to take care without making things be too symbolic or going, ‘Well, we have to do this, because we’ve already done this.’ That’s not the way life works.”
Congratulations to Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik!
headline: gigi hadid is pregnant!
me: omg yolanda’s gonna be a grandma!!!
— Ξvan Ross Katz (@evanrosskatz) April 28, 2020
zayn and gigi’s baby knowing their parents are one of the highest paid supermodels in the world and one of the best vocalists of this generation pic.twitter.com/QNPf36tPK0
— ⚡️ (@teenageparker) April 28, 2020
Cancellations
- The Greatest Dancer, a Simon Cowell produced show, has been canceled at BBC after two seasons.
In Development
- A Wipeout revival is coming to TBS.
- Borgen, the Danish political drama, is being revived at Netflix.
Casting News
- Julian Gant has been added to the cast of Call Me Kat on Fox.
Mark Your Calendars
- Homecoming will return on Amazon on May 22.
- The Last Narc will debut on Amazon on May 15.
- The Disney Family Singalong: Volume II will air on ABC on May 10.
- The Titan Games will return on NBC on May 25.
- Fuller House will return on Netflix for its final episodes on June 9.
- Beverly Hills Dog Show Presented by Purina will air on NBC on May 17.
- Kipo and the Age of Wonderbeasts returns on Netflix on June 12.
- Yum and Yummer will return on Cooking Channel on May 14.
R.I.P.
Irrfan Khan, Bollywood actor who is known in the States for Slumdog Millionaire and Life of Pi
Jill Gascoine, British actress
Peter H. Hunt, Tony-award winning director
WATCH THIS
Normal People: Based on the best-selling novel, Normal People follows the complicated and secret relationship of a young Irish couple. Series premiere. Hulu
Nadiya’s Time to Eat: Nadiya Hussain, winner of the sixth season of The Great British Bake Off, prepares fast and easy recipes for today’s busy families. Of course, we’re a lot less busy these days but you get the idea. Netflix
Dummy: Anna Faris and a sex doll. I don’t even know, man. Series finale. Quibi
Late Night:
- Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Shailene Woodley, Maluma
- Late Night with Seth Meyers: Rosie O’Donnell
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert: Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Pete Buttigieg, Haim
- The Late Late Show with James Corden: Allison Janney, 5 Seconds of Summer
- Jimmy Kimmel Live: Anthony Anderson
- The Daily Show: The Daily Social Distancing Show
- Conan: D’Arcy Carden
- Watch What Happens Live: Teddi Mellencamp, Kyle Richards
- A Little Late with Lily Singh: Adam Conover, Deon Cole
| WEDS. | 7:00 | 7:30 | 8:00 | 8:30 | 9:00 | 9:30 |
| ABC | Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (repeat) |
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (repeat) |
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (repeat) |
| CBS | Survivor (new) |
SEAL Team (new) |
S.W.A.T. (new) |
| CW | Riverdale (new) |
Bulletproof (repeat) |
Local |
| FOX | The Masked Singer (new) |
News/Local |
| NBC | Chicago Med (repeat) |
Chicago Fire (repeat) |
Chicago P.D. (repeat) |
My must-watch Wednesday shows are Motherland Fort Salem and What We Do in the Shadows. If you’ve watched them, I’d like to know your opinion.
“What We Do in the Shadows” is my favorite comedy that is broadcasting at the moment. Love love love it. Have you watched the movie?
As for “Motherland” — I missed the premiere and haven’t had a chance to catch up. If things continue the way they’re going, I’ll have plenty of time to give it a shot. But I remember thinking it sounded like a super cool concept when it was in development. Glad to hear you’re enjoying it!
-T
Yes, I’ve watched the movie and it’s funny as can be, but in this rare case I think the TV series is better than the movie. The “Superb Owl” episode had me rolling on the floor. It was the almost-British silly humor that I love.