TCA Archives - Page 19 of 23 - StayTuned Magazine

TCA Summer Press Tour: CBS/Showtime/CW party is a moment of Zen

August 4, 2011 Jeff Pfeiffer

By Jeff Pfeiffer Follow @ChannelGuideJP Yesterday I made my way out to Beverly Hills to round out the relay team of Channel Guide TCA Press Tour coverage (see earlier posts from Barb Oates and Ryan Berenz for more TCA adventures and info). I’ve been doing this tour for over a decade now, and I always feel somewhat out of sorts on the first day I get here. Obviously, jet lag and a long travel day factor into this, but there is something more, I think. Something like the culture shock one may get when traveling to a foreign country, and […]

TCA Summer Press Tour: What’s wrong with being sexy?

August 1, 2011 Ryan Berenz

Monday was the first of two days of NBC Universal networks panels at the TCA Press Tour. The day started with Community star and The Soup host Joel McHale delivering a standup act (somewhat awkwardly reading from a teleprompter) that playfully ribbed NBC, its shows and the journalists in attendance. He called TCA “summer camp for shut-ins” and said that NBC’s strategy is to simply wait for CBS and ABC viewers to die. Not far from the truth on both points. Then followed an executive session with new NBC Entertainment Chairman Robert Greenblatt laying out his programming strategy and hopes […]

TCA Summer Press Tour: Elmo knows where you live

July 31, 2011 Ryan Berenz

I slid in to Los Angeles (which is Spanish for “The Angeles”) on Saturday night for the TCA Summer Press Tour. I am taking the place of our editor in chief Barb, who got to go to the Playboy Mansion and see boob. Things are a little more G-rated for me on my first day. First up, PBS continued its presentation featuring a breakfast with Sesame Street‘s beloved Elmo and the puppeteer who works him, Kevin Clash. PBS will air an Independent Lens documentary called Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey. It’s the inspiring story of a kid who wanted to […]

TCA Press Tour: Cast of “Entourage” make final appearance, plan Entourage movie

July 29, 2011 Barb Oates

By Barb Oates Follow @ChannelGuide Thursday, July 28 – The last panel for HBO was bittersweet as the cast of Entourage took the stage for the final time. While writer Doug Ellin said the series could have gone on forever, after eight seasons he felt it was a good time to end. “Mark [Wahlberg] and I sat down at the beginning of the year, before I started writing, just to talk about what kind of vibe we wanted for the show, and what was important to me more than any kind of story things was to leave it with an […]

TCA Summer Press Tour: Jeremy Piven, Mark Wahlberg, Mike White “Keep It Real.” Best quotes of day

July 29, 2011 Barb Oates

By Barb Oates Follow @ChannelGuide Thursday, July 28 – Day 2 of press tour featured AMC, BBC America, National Geographic Channel, Nat Geo Wild and one of the tour’s biggest draws, HBO. Some of the top talent of the day included the cast of Entourage in their final appearance as an ensemble cast (executive producer Mark Wahlberg was also along), Alan Ball, Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Gloria Steinem, Laura Dern, Luke Wilson, Mike White, Harry Belafonte and others. Taking home today’s honors of best quotes from the day are the following: 1. Jeremy Piven (Entourage, HBO) On fans who take […]

TCA Summer Press Tour: Chuck Wepner makes “Top 5 Best Quotes of The Day” list

July 28, 2011 Barb Oates

By Barb Oates Follow @ChannelGuide There was plenty of talent that graced the stages at the Television Critics Association (TCA) press tour yesterday. Below is our list of the top quotes of the day gathered from the panels and one-on-one interviews. 1. Chuck Wepner (The Real Rocky, ESPN) “Even though I was a 40:1 shot against Ali, I was I was ready for the fight, you know. I was always very sure of myself. Everybody always asked me, ‘Do you really think you can win?’ I always thought I could win. As a matter of fact, the night before the […]

TCA Summer Press Tour: Weather Channel and ESPN Kick Off TV Critics Press Tour

July 27, 2011 Barb Oates

By Barb Oates Follow @ChannelGuide The semiannual Television Critics Press Tour (TCA) kicked off this morning at the Beverly Hilton with a look at the weather and sports. Appropriately so given The Weather Channel’s ratings-record year and that weather continues to be a lead news story with devastating tornadoes, floods and heat waves. Execs spouted their stats, including the fact that 90 percent of our population checks the weather every day, which supports why 40 million people have already downloaded The Weather Channel’s app. Meteorologists Jim Cantore (pictured) and Stephanie Abrams were on hand, along with hurricane expert Dr. Rick […]

Hallmark Party Brings Out The Stars #TCA

January 9, 2011 Barb Oates

Hallmark Channel certainly knows how to throw a party (thank you Pam Slay). The network known for their family-focused original movies that feature popular stars of the past spared no expense as they gathered over 300 critics and talent at Pasadena’s prestigious Tournament House on Friday. The 18,500 square foot mansion was the winter home of chewing gum magnate William Wrigley and is now the official headquarters of the Tournament of Roses Association. Marion Ross (Happy Days) and Shelly Hack (Charlie’s Angels) were upstairs touring when we walked through, marveling at the ornate details of the rooms and the history […]

TCA: Oprah Introduces OWN To Critics

January 7, 2011 Barb Oates

(Pasadena, Calif.) The press tour ballroom was close to a record silence just before Oprah Winfrey took the stage at the TCA Winter Press Tour. It was, of course, the most anticipated event of the day. Oprah whisked on stage in a variety of purples, made herself comfy in a white plush chair and then, somewhat nervously, turned herself over to the critics. “It’s like being thrown to the wolves,” Oprah joked. Her nerves were short-lived, for she quickly commanded the room as she detailed her vision for OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, her network that was launched on Jan. 1, […]

Ed Asner Follows Betty White – TCA Press Tour Day 1

January 6, 2011 Barb Oates

By Barb Oates (Pasadena, Calif) Immediately following TV Land’s hilarious Hot in Cleveland Betty White panel was another revered TV icon – Ed Asner, who is starring in CMT’s first scripted sitcom Working Class. The series is scheduled to air on Fridays, beginning Jan. 28. Asner was quick to fill White’s shoes dishing plenty of his own candor. “Betty White’s in the building,” he muses. “Did you know that? I hope I get to touch her.” Co-star Melissa Peterman chimes back, ”You probably already have.” So begins the panel for Working Class, a series that follows single mom Carli Mitchell […]