Jeff Pfeiffer, Author at StayTuned Magazine

Brian Williams suspended from NBC News

February 11, 2015 Jeff Pfeiffer

Last night, NBC News announced that it is suspending NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams for six months without pay in the wake of the discovery that he had been exaggerating stories from his 2003 reporting during the Iraq War. This memo from NBC News president Deborah Turness was distributed Tuesday night: “We have decided today to suspend Brian Williams as Managing Editor and Anchor of NBC Nightly News for six months. The suspension will be without pay and is effective immediately. We let Brian know of our decision earlier today. Lester Holt will continue to substitute Anchor the NBC Nightly News. Our […]

Jon Stewart leaving “The Daily Show”

February 11, 2015 Jeff Pfeiffer

Jon Stewart stunned his fans, and media watchers in general, last night when he announced to his studio audience for that night’s taping of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show that he will be leaving as host. Stewart has hosted The Daily Show since 1999, when he replaced Craig Kilborn. He will be leaving later this year (plans are still being worked out exactly when, according to Stewart’s announcement. Stewart also indicated he has no immediate plans). Stewart’s departure comes in the wake of Comedy Central also saying goodbye recently to Stephen Colbert, who first became widely known on The Daily Show before spinning off into his […]

2015 BAFTA Film Awards to air in U.S. on BBC America

February 7, 2015 Jeff Pfeiffer

Stephen Fry will once again host The EE British Academy Film Awards (a.k.a. BAFTA Film Awards) when the 2015 installment is held Feb. 8, marking his 10th time as host. BBC America will have exclusive U.S. broadcast coverage of the ceremony held at London’s Royal Opera House beginning at 8pm ET. The Grand Budapest Hotel leads the field with 11 nominations. Films with multiple nominations include: Birdman (10), The Theory of Everything (10), The Imitation Game (9) Boyhood (5), Whiplash (5), Mr. Turner (4), Nightcrawler (4), Interstellar (4), and Pride (3). And note to the Oscars: The Lego Movie is nominated for Best Animated […]

“BattleBots” is back

February 6, 2015 Jeff Pfeiffer

BattleBots, the robot combat series that previously had a TV incarnation on Comedy Central from 2000-2002, will be back in a “reimagined take” on ABC, the network announced today. Ed Roski and Greg Munson, creators of the original franchise, are on hand for this new, six-episode incarnation featuring a single-elimination, tournament-style format. More from ABC: “The new series promises to wow viewers with next generation robots – bigger, faster and stronger than ever before. The show will have a greater emphasis on the design and build elements of each robot, the bot builder backstories, their intense pursuit of the championship and […]

Adaptation of Australian series “The Slap” comes to NBC

February 6, 2015 Jeff Pfeiffer

You may have found yourself, over the years, in situations where you have been tempted to reprimand another person’s misbehaving child. While most of us would keep such inclinations to ourselves, the premise behind the new NBC miniseries The Slap follows the fallout of what does happen in such a circumstance, and how it turns out to be about far more than a slap. Zachary Quinto is among the stars of the series, which is based on a 2011 Australian TV series of the same name (itself inspired by Christos Tsiolkas’ 2008 novel). Quinto plays Harry, who slaps another couple’s […]

“Teen Mom OG” features original “Teen Mom” girls Amber, Catelynn, Farrah and Maci

February 5, 2015 Jeff Pfeiffer

A new installment of MTV’s Teen Mom franchise called Teen Mom OG premieres March 23, and will feature original girls Amber, Catelynn, Farrah and Maci. The episodes pick up with the young women a few years after the original Teen Mom cameras were turned off and finds them at a new stage in their lives as parents. From MTV: “In a first for the Teen Mom franchise, Teen Mom OG will break the fourth wall, pulling back the curtain to reveal their relationships with the producers and crew, the challenges of raising children on camera, and how life in the public eye has shaped them as parents and […]

Baz Luhrmann music drama series “The Get Down” coming to Netflix

February 5, 2015 Jeff Pfeiffer

In what is touted as his first music-driven drama since the 2001 hit Moulin Rouge!, Baz Luhrmann will be bringing the 13-episode, one-hour drama The Get Down to Netflix in 2016. The series is set in 1970s New York City, and Luhrmann will be directing the first two episodes, and the season finale, while also serving as executive producer. From Netflix: “[The Get Down] will focus on 1970s New York City – broken down and beaten up, violent, cash strapped — dying. Consigned to rubble, a rag-tag crew of South Bronx teenagers are nothings and nobodies with no one to shelter them – except […]

Netflix releases teaser trailer for “Marvel’s Daredevil”

February 4, 2015 Jeff Pfeiffer

It’s becoming a golden age for superheroes not only on the big screen — with Marvel’s cinematic universe doing gangbusters at the box office in recent years, including this year’s Avengers: Age of Ultron poised to explode, and DC looking to emulate that starting next year with Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice — but also on the small screen, with hits like The Flash and Arrow on The CW, and CBS’ upcoming Supergirl. Netflix is also getting into the superhero game beginning with the original series Marvel’s Daredevil, with 13 one-hour episodes premiering on April 10 at 12:01am PT (in all territories where Netflix is available), streaming in 4K. Netflix released the teaser […]

TBS Seinfeld marathon focuses on Newman during “Thank a Mailman Day”

February 3, 2015 Jeff Pfeiffer

Wednesday, Feb. 4, is Thank a Mailman Day. Postal customers in the Midwest and East who have gotten their mail in the midst of a couple of blizzards might very well want to thank their mailman (or woman) on this day, but TBS is celebrating it in another way. On Feb. 4, the network will air a marathon of Seinfeld episodes focusing to some degree on one of television’s most memorable mail carriers: Jerry Seinfeld’s sworn enemy — the Lex Luthor to his Superman — Newman (Wayne Knight). TBS will allow you to say, “Hello, Newman,” to the character during four Seinfeld episodes that show […]

Beth Stern on Kitten Bowl II: “I pinch myself when I say I’m the host”

January 30, 2015 Jeff Pfeiffer

Even a cursory glance at Beth Stern’s background will show you how much of an animal lover she is, so she was a natural fit to host Hallmark Channel’s inaugural “Kitten Bowl” last year. The experience was so enjoyable for her that she is back again this year when “Kitten Bowl II” airs on Super Bowl Sunday. “I got such wonderful feedback,” Stern says of the fan response via social media last year. “As it was happening, I was getting immediate response and people were just melting over the cuteness. [Those fans] proved to be the majority, because [Hallmark Channel] […]