Channel Changing: Versus Becomes NBC Sports Network

NBC Sports Network logo The new year brings a new identity for Versus, the cable sports network best known for hunting and fishing shows, the Tour de France and the National Hockey League. Now a part of the NBC Universal empire (following the merger with Comcast, which owned Versus), the channel - currently available in more than 75 million households - becomes the NBC Sports Network at 4 p.m. ET on Monday, January 2 and will undergo an extreme makeover throughout the year. "It's going to be radically different over time," says Jon Miller, the president of programming, who is building what he calls "a full-service sports network," that will include live events, news and talk shows and original programming. Versus, which was once known as the Outdoor Life Network, has slowly transitioned into a player in the TV sports world. But some unusual programming choices - like The T. Ocho Show, a train wreck of a talk show featuring flamboyant NFL stars Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco - undermined the network's credibility. "When we took over Versus, there was a lot of programming on the network that we didn't think was consistent with what NBC Sports was about," Miller says. "And so the first thing we did was we jettisoned some properties like Wacked Out Sports and T. Ocho and Sports Soup." But overhauling the network hasn't only been about getting rid of junk. "Right off the bat we made a long term deal to extend the NHL for 10 years, we acquired broadcast and cable rights for Major League Soccer and then we started to created some of our original programming," Miller says. (As for the hunting and fishing shows, "they will continue to have a role in this new channel going forward," Miller promises, "but they probably won't have a dominant as role as they've had in the past.") The NHL continues to be a major part of the schedule with games and studio shows several nights a week, as well as the All-Star Game on Jan. 29 and the Stanley Cup playoffs in the spring (along with NBC). Also staying on board are Mountain West Conference basketball games and the Tour de France. As for new acquisitions, soccer will become a prominent part of the line-up, starting with the championship game of the women's Olympic qualifying tournament for the CONCACAF region (including North and Central America) on Jan. 29. Other U.S. men's and women's national team games are planned, and the first of the network's roughly 40 MLS contests will be televised on March 11 (additional games will air on NBC). "It has all the markings of a sport that is on the rise," Miller says of MLS. "If you look at the attendance figures and the way it's growing, we think it was perfect for us. We made an aggressive bid for it. It's a good property that's sending a message to everybody that they're here and they're here to stay." This summer's London Olympics also provide the channel with a bounty of programming, including U.S. team trials and pre-Olympic competition in sports like swimming, diving, gymnastics, water polo, field hockey, track and field and volleyball. During the Games the network will cover a variety of events, including cycling, basketball and soccer. Original programming initiatives began last fall with NBC Sports Talk (weeknights at 6/5c). As the name implies, the emphasis is more on talk - and opinion. "There's a lot places where you can get highlights, but here we tell you what to make of the news," Miller says. Another show that premiered in the fall is CNBC Sports Biz (Fridays at 7/6c), hosted by CNBC's manic, Twitter-obsessed reporter Darren Rovell, who focuses on dollars and cents rather than X's and O's. And in perhaps the network's biggest statement, Bob Costas will host a monthly interview show, Costas Tonight, premiering in the spring, and quarterly town hall specials, beginning with Costas Tonight: Live From the Super Bowl, on Thursday, Feb. 2. Check out a promo for the NBC Sports Network: Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!

VIDEO: Top Chef's Hung Causes Us To Be His Favorite Holiday Meal

Hung Huynh The holidays is here now, and Top Chef Season 3 champion Hung helps TVGuide.com enter into the spirit by looking into making us his simple stuffed-lobster dish. Discover the shocking truth below to determine the NY chef break lower a lobster (it's even faster than Hung's famous chicken-butchering technique!) and show us the step-by-step process to make his favorite Christmas Eve dinner. Keep checking back for additional of TVGuide.com's Holiday Eats!

Rooney Mara Clarifies Her SVU Comments: That's Not What I Meant

Rooney Mara Rooney Mara says her recent statements about her role Law & Order: SVU role were taken out of context.Rooney Mara on Her Law & Order: SVU Role: "It Was So Awful"In an interview with Allure the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo star called her 2006 guest role "stupid" and "ridiculous." She also added: "People are obsessed with that show. I don't get it." Now, Mara is singing a different tune. "It's certainly not what I meant," she told the Huffington Post. "If anything, I didn't mean that the storyline was ridiculous; I meant that humanity is ridiculous. I know that Law & Order makes their episodes out of real things that are happening in the city, so to me, by 'ridiculous' I meant that humanity is ridiculous."Mara also said she's thankful for that role, which was her first real acting gig."It couldn't have been more exciting for me, she said. "It's an experience I hold very dear to my heart. People take things out of context, and that's just not the case. I was more nervous doing that job than I was doing [Dragon Tattoo]."What do you think?

Andrea Riseborough Tackles a Real Royal Romance in 'W.E.'

Andrea Riseborough Tackles a Real Royal Romance in 'W.E.' By Jamie Painter Young December 16, 2011 Andrea Riseborough has one of those faces that can meld into whomever she needs to portray, whether playing gal pal to Sally Hawkins' Poppy in Mike Leigh's "Happy-Go-Lucky," donning a beehive hairstyle to play a car plant worker protesting sexual discrimination in "Made in Dagenham," or appearing as one of the more-experienced grownups in the haunting "Never Let Me Go." Offscreen, she's a beauty, but the Brit doesn't see herself that way. "I've always thought of myself as pretty plain," says the humble Riseborough. "I don't bemoan that. I'm actually quite pleased that the symmetry of my two eyes, lips, and nose are fairly malleable in terms of who I can play. My face has always served me well. I have the capacity to look both truly ugly and fairly attractive, which is useful." For her latest role as Wallis Simpson in the new film "W.E.," co-written and directed by Madonna, Riseborough transforms into her most colorful role yet as the American divorce who famously stole Edward VIII's heart and the king from his throne, marrying him and becoming the Duchess of Windsor. Simpson made up for her plainsome say masculinelooks with high fashion, expensive jewels, and a gregarious personality and is played by Riseborough to the fullest. The standout role will certainly open up further opportunities for the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts graduate.Here are five things Riseborough realized from working on "W.E."1. Thank you, Margaret Thatcher. Riseborough believes she landed her "W.E." role in large part because of her portrayal of another historical character, Margaret Thatcher, in the 2008 TV movie "Margaret Thatcher: The Long Walk to Finchley." Impressed by Riseborough's performance as the future prime minister, as well as her work in other projects, Madonna sent Riseborough the script for "W.E." and requested a meeting. The actor was immediately intrigued, especially with Madonna's choice to tell Wallis' story through a series of flashbacks from the present day, in which a young admirer named Wally explores her idol's personal belongings before they are sold at auction. "I responded to the script very strongly. I felt that that was a brave, bold, and unique idea," says Riseborough, who was also intrigued by how Madonna had created scenes in which Wally and Wallis interact. 2. There was much more to Wallis Simpson than met the eye. Riseborough knew little about her character in "W.E." before she began researching her. What the actor found surprised her. "My perception was only of perhaps a still-monochrome image of androgyny and couture and this beguiling smile. But when I started to look into her, which happened as soon as I received the script, I found all sorts of vulnerability and flaws, fears, historical truths that didn't seem to match up, and really that the whole thing was almost like a ginormous and endless puzzle of people's perceptiona public perception of what a woman was, as opposed to who she actually was." 3. Madonna rocks as a filmmaker. Says Riseborough of her director, "She was very helpful, invaluable. There was no page unturned. She was so passionate about the story. She'd been working on it for 10 years. So it really was just a huge labor of love, and there were so many images, quotes, anecdotes from dinner parties, deeply personal letters that we had at our disposal. It was quite wonderful."Throughout the production, Madonna continued to impress Riseborough. Says the actor, "I could not have enjoyed more working with her, because she's so prepared, and every moment had to be vital and was, and that's exactly the way that I feel about my work. We met in a very artistically complicit place. It was a really truly fulfilling experience."4. She was stunned by the artistry of the costumes in "W.E." Riseborough estimates that during production there were nearly 80 costume changes, including pieces by Dior that were designed for the duchess but not made until now. At times, Riseborough found herself wearing some of the jewelry pieces that belonged to Simpson, which helped the actor channel her character. "I have a whole different respect for the architecture of couture and for how it affects those around," says Riseborough. "The impeccable turnout and some might have said at times garishbut always avant-gardetastes genuinely enabled [Simpson] to be noticeda woman who believed that she really didn't have much to show off physically perhaps." At one fitting, a seamstress working on the film wept at the actor's feet when she saw her creation worn by Riseborough. "It had hundreds of panels around it all sewn together in a truly complex pattern. It was the most complicated architectural feat. It was like rocket science."5. Learning is part of the job. "I'm always learning," says Riseborough. "I think that's the most fascinating part about the job, and the most fulfilling part is that, as with anything you're terribly passionate about, you can not only learn day to day but moment to moment." From her time spent on "W.E.," she says she appreciated the value of seeing life through Simpson's eyes. "When you stop having an objective relationship with the character, and you go past being subjectivebut really adopt, preempt, improvise their reactions to the world, their opinions, what they actually did, what they might do, how they would feel about any given thingyou gain a different perspective, as it were, because you harbor a different spirit, a different outlook. You adopt different priorities. It's not to say that you disappearbecause, by nature as actors, we are our own tools, and I only have the flesh, bones, experience, intellect, emotion that is within me as a tool to be able to express a character or transform into somebody else in part. But the two things coexistthem and you. So you are afforded the opportunity to see the world through different eyes with any character. And I certainly was afforded that opportunity with Wallis." Andrea Riseborough Tackles a Real Royal Romance in 'W.E.' By Jamie Painter Young December 16, 2011 Andrea Riseborough has one of those faces that can meld into whomever she needs to portray, whether playing gal pal to Sally Hawkins' Poppy in Mike Leigh's "Happy-Go-Lucky," donning a beehive hairstyle to play a car plant worker protesting sexual discrimination in "Made in Dagenham," or appearing as one of the more-experienced grownups in the haunting "Never Let Me Go." Offscreen, she's a beauty, but the Brit doesn't see herself that way. "I've always thought of myself as pretty plain," says the humble Riseborough. "I don't bemoan that. I'm actually quite pleased that the symmetry of my two eyes, lips, and nose are fairly malleable in terms of who I can play. My face has always served me well. I have the capacity to look both truly ugly and fairly attractive, which is useful." For her latest role as Wallis Simpson in the new film "W.E.," co-written and directed by Madonna, Riseborough transforms into her most colorful role yet as the American divorce who famously stole Edward VIII's heart and the king from his throne, marrying him and becoming the Duchess of Windsor. Simpson made up for her plainsome say masculinelooks with high fashion, expensive jewels, and a gregarious personality and is played by Riseborough to the fullest. The standout role will certainly open up further opportunities for the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts graduate.Here are five things Riseborough realized from working on "W.E."1. Thank you, Margaret Thatcher. Riseborough believes she landed her "W.E." role in large part because of her portrayal of another historical character, Margaret Thatcher, in the 2008 TV movie "Margaret Thatcher: The Long Walk to Finchley." Impressed by Riseborough's performance as the future prime minister, as well as her work in other projects, Madonna sent Riseborough the script for "W.E." and requested a meeting. The actor was immediately intrigued, especially with Madonna's choice to tell Wallis' story through a series of flashbacks from the present day, in which a young admirer named Wally explores her idol's personal belongings before they are sold at auction. "I responded to the script very strongly. I felt that that was a brave, bold, and unique idea," says Riseborough, who was also intrigued by how Madonna had created scenes in which Wally and Wallis interact. 2. There was much more to Wallis Simpson than met the eye. Riseborough knew little about her character in "W.E." before she began researching her. What the actor found surprised her. "My perception was only of perhaps a still-monochrome image of androgyny and couture and this beguiling smile. But when I started to look into her, which happened as soon as I received the script, I found all sorts of vulnerability and flaws, fears, historical truths that didn't seem to match up, and really that the whole thing was almost like a ginormous and endless puzzle of people's perceptiona public perception of what a woman was, as opposed to who she actually was." 3. Madonna rocks as a filmmaker. Says Riseborough of her director, "She was very helpful, invaluable. There was no page unturned. She was so passionate about the story. She'd been working on it for 10 years. So it really was just a huge labor of love, and there were so many images, quotes, anecdotes from dinner parties, deeply personal letters that we had at our disposal. It was quite wonderful."Throughout the production, Madonna continued to impress Riseborough. Says the actor, "I could not have enjoyed more working with her, because she's so prepared, and every moment had to be vital and was, and that's exactly the way that I feel about my work. We met in a very artistically complicit place. It was a really truly fulfilling experience."4. She was stunned by the artistry of the costumes in "W.E." Riseborough estimates that during production there were nearly 80 costume changes, including pieces by Dior that were designed for the duchess but not made until now. At times, Riseborough found herself wearing some of the jewelry pieces that belonged to Simpson, which helped the actor channel her character. "I have a whole different respect for the architecture of couture and for how it affects those around," says Riseborough. "The impeccable turnout and some might have said at times garishbut always avant-gardetastes genuinely enabled [Simpson] to be noticeda woman who believed that she really didn't have much to show off physically perhaps." At one fitting, a seamstress working on the film wept at the actor's feet when she saw her creation worn by Riseborough. "It had hundreds of panels around it all sewn together in a truly complex pattern. It was the most complicated architectural feat. It was like rocket science."5. Learning is part of the job. "I'm always learning," says Riseborough. "I think that's the most fascinating part about the job, and the most fulfilling part is that, as with anything you're terribly passionate about, you can not only learn day to day but moment to moment." From her time spent on "W.E.," she says she appreciated the value of seeing life through Simpson's eyes. "When you stop having an objective relationship with the character, and you go past being subjectivebut really adopt, preempt, improvise their reactions to the world, their opinions, what they actually did, what they might do, how they would feel about any given thingyou gain a different perspective, as it were, because you harbor a different spirit, a different outlook. You adopt different priorities. It's not to say that you disappearbecause, by nature as actors, we are our own tools, and I only have the flesh, bones, experience, intellect, emotion that is within me as a tool to be able to express a character or transform into somebody else in part. But the two things coexistthem and you. So you are afforded the opportunity to see the world through different eyes with any character. And I certainly was afforded that opportunity with Wallis."

Barrymore On For Street Lights

She's mounted on a Black List scriptIt's that season again: no, not Christmas, time once the year's most promising unproduced scripts are smacked together around the Black List and that we all reach have a look at what Hollywood agents, studio professionals and so on happen to be going gaga about throughout the final 12 several weeks. Even though some of the game titles happen to be in active development (more about that in just a minute), you have just obtained a large talent injection, with Came Barrymore signing onto direct Once The Street Lights Continue.Created by Eddie O'Keefe and Chris Hutton, the 1980s set coming-of-age drama requires a leaf from Uphold Me, carrying out a teenage boy tripping over the physiques of the 17-year-old beauty and also the British teacher she was getting an affair with. The storyline is related by our hero, Charlie, who fancies themself like a youthful filmmaker (shades of Super 8 here, too), and because the suspect list develops, he tries to determine who may have committed the double murder.At this time, the script only will get put into Barrymore's growing pile of options. She's also mounted on Heist Society from Whip It's Shauna Mix and New Line's rom com How You Can Be Single, which is dependant on Liz Tuccillo's novel.The relaxation of the year's Black List creates interesting reading through: for those individuals already bubbling away in development saucepans (for example Matthew Aldrich's Father Daughter Time: An Account Of Armed Robbery And Eskimo Kisses), you will find the intriguing beginners including Evan Susser and Van Robichaux's Chewie, which recounts the behind-the-moments drama of The Exorcist with the eyes of Peter Mayhew and In Case Of A Moon Disaster by Mike Johnson, offering an alt-history undertake the Apollo 11 moon mission which has the astronauts crash land. You are able to have a look in the whole list the following.

'Heist' search finds 52,000 on Facebook

Tower Heist's "Heist It Back" Facebook game Since just about any film possesses its own Facebook page, art galleries are identifying the best way to harness social media better. For November's launch of "Tower Heist," Universal Pictures offered up millions of Facebook credits to clients for your Brett Ratner-helmed action comedy incorporated inside a web-based scavenger search named "Heist It Back." Concept attracted on to the pic's plot through which figures, carried out by Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy, seek revenge round the Wall Street swindler who stiffed them. Online players acquired Facebook credits by finding "Heist" buttons hidden within Facebook pages or getting pals to participate the sport. Greater than 52,000 Facebook clients carried out the sport through the three days right before the film's release on November. 4., according to Universal Pictures, which developed the sport with interactive agency the Branding Firm and digital goods developer ifeelgoods. Altogether, players completed 384,391 digital "heists," requested 94,062 pals to register and released 18,617 personal tales about the sport. People posts received 208,000 likes and comments, moving the game's total Facebook impressions to 4.millions of. Overall, the promotion created 157 million page impressions within the site. Players acquired two Facebook credits for undertaking a heist and three credits for mentioning a pal. The sport shown extremely popular that producers decreased the quantity of credits acquired for posting an account to avoid depleting the promotion's millions of credits. Clients can redeem Facebook Credits (worth 10) for digital movies or other games online. For example, Universal rents and sells "The Big Lebowski" on Facebook combined having a "Scarface" version of "FrontiervilleInch online. The key factor for the game's success was having the ability to reward players. "What (traditional campaigns) don't have might be the viral effect that you have options for people to have interaction and share," mentioned Scott Silverman, co-founder and V . p . of marketing at Ifeelgoods. "You are receiving 10-20 occasions more viral impact than you'd around the standard campaign. If you think about the capacity to make use of Facebook Credits, people are extremely attempting to receive them that merely getting 50 or possibly $ 1 of Facebook credits would be a motivation for people to have interaction.In . Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Movie Director Indicted in $4.7 Million Tax Rebate Fraud Case

Tom Pennington/Getty Images The NY Giants' nail-biting win over the Dallas Cowboys last night gave NBC's Sunday Night Football its strongest showing in weeks, pushing the network to an easy win for the night -- though CBS, boosted by nearly a half-hour of NFL overrun on the eastern half of the country, came in a strong second place. Fast affiliate ratings show the Giants and Cowboys game averaged a 8.5 among adults 18-49 during its broadcast and a total audience of 22.7 million. With a soft lead-in from NBC's Football Night in America, the network averaged a 6.9 rating in the key demo over the four-hour block and took in 18.6 million viewers. PHOTOS: Fall TV Death Pool: Which New Show Will Be Axed? CBS started its night with about 42 minutes of football overage, giving skewed showings from 60 Minutes (a 4.5 rating among 18-49-ers), the season finale of The Amazing Race (3.4), a new episode of The Good Wife (2.7) and CSI: Miami (2.2). The network averaged a 3.2 rating for the night, with an audience of 12.2 million. Fox's animation block suffered without the big draw NFL overrun it enjoyed last week. A softer football holdover audience at 7:00 p.m. lead into a repeat of The Cleveland Show (1.8 among adults 18-49), The Simpsons (3.0), another Cleveland repeat (2.3), Family Guy (3.1) and American Dad (2.5). Fox averaged a 2.7 for the night (with 5.99 million viewers), giving it a handsome lead over last place ABC. The big story on ABC is the continued decline of freshman fantasy drama Once Upon a Time. The winter finale brought more series lows, with a 2.9 rating among adults 18-49 (down three tenths of a point from last week's low) and an average audience of 8.9 million. In the show's defense, there was little in the way of destination viewing on ABC last night, with Once bookended by a repeat of America's Funniest Home Videos (1.6 in the demo) and an airing of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1.3). Together it gave ABC a 1.8 rating in the demo for the night, with 5.92 million viewers. Sunday, Dec. 11, Preliminary Overnight Ratings: 7 p.m. CBS: Football overage/60 Minutes (17 million viewers, 4.5 rating among adults 18-49) Fox: Football overage (9.4 million, 3.5) NBC: Football Night in America (9.8 million, 3.4) ABC: America's Funniest Home Videos (R) (7.4 million, 1.6) 7:30 p.m. Fox: The Cleveland Show (R) (4.1 million, 1.8) 8 p.m. NBC: Football Night in America (16.9 million, 6.2) CBS: The Amazing Race (13.7 million, 3.4) Fox: The Simpsons (6.4 million, 3.0) ABC: Once Upon a Time (8.9 million, 2.9) 8:30 p.m. NBC: Sunday Night Football - Giants at Cowboys (24.0 million, 8.7) Fox: The Cleveland Show (R) (4.98 million, 2.3) 9 p.m. NBC: Sunday Night Football - Giants at Cowboys (23.2 million, 8.7) Fox: Family Guy (6.05 million, 3.1) CBS: The Good Wife (11.1 million, 2.7) ABC: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (3.7 million, 1.2) 9:30 p.m. Fox: American Dad (4.99 million, 2.5) 10 p.m. NBC: Sunday Night Football - Giants at Cowboys (21 million, 8.2) CBS: CSI: Miami (11 million, 2.2) ABC: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (3.7 million, 1.4) TV Ratings

'The Dark Dark evening Rises' IMAX Prologue: What Did Bane Just Say?

For those who have used the net today, the possibilities good you read one or more report in regards to the 'Dark Dark evening Rises' IMAX prologue screening that happened in La on Thursday evening. (Moviefone as well as the NY press corp will dsicover what Nolan must offer when the footage screens in Manhattan on Monday.) To quote 'Almost Famous': it's all regulated controlled happening! With news the new trailer might come soon, as well as the IMAX prologue premiering for everyone near an IMAX theater on 12 ,. 16, the once far-away threequel now seems within grasp. Meaning some backlash can start. Like, what is expires with Bane's voice? "Tom Hardy's sinister portrayal [of Bane] sticks out through," written Comics Alliance after screening the footage, "nevertheless it was confusing numerous Bane's dialogue in this particular sequence. It seems likely that you'll see many parody videos forthcoming." That opinion was echoed by many people people other La journalists who arrived at start to see the prologue. "'Dark Dark evening Rises' 6 minute opening in IMAX shows you another Nolan moment no time before positioned on film," written David Belgium. "Boo-yah. (But sometimes use subtitles.)" "Just saw 'The Dark Dark evening Rises' prologue. It absolutely was great but primary critique will probably be it's tough to know Bane using the mask," Variety reporter Rob Sneider added on Twitter. 'Dark Dark evening Rises' fans may remember hearing a snippet of Hardy's Bane voice-within the summer season, when video in the Christopher Nolan Batman shoot from Heinz Area in Pittsburgh leaked online. Because clip, Sturdy affected a greater-pitched whine that made him appear as being a cartoon villain. Written Peter Sciretta at Slashfilm, "One of the large complaints among participants maybe it was was confusing what Bane was saying. You know, the level of smoothness wears a mask, and also the voice is synthesized and muffled with techniques that's sometimes difficult to hear inside the score." According to Came McWeeny at HitFix, however, probably the Bane voice being confusing is exactly what Nolan wants. "I'll condition this mixture round the sequence we'd tonight may use some fine-tuning because when in my opinion Nolan's goal is making it confusing everything Bane states, it felt like I only acquired about 10% from the products he mentioned, including an emphatic "The Fire place Increases!" sooner or later.In . Much less Bane's vocalizations reduced the footage nearly everyone who saw the 'Dark Dark evening Rises' prologue seems to own leave with ideas much like eyeballs popping from heads. Go back to Moviefone inside a couple of days for that detailed report 'The Dark Dark evening Rises' prologue runs before IMAX tests of 'Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol' beginning on 12 ,. 16. [Photo: Warner Bros.] 'The Dark Dark evening Increases' Hits NY See All Moviefone Galleries » Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

'Grimm' First Look: It's the Pigs' Turn to Blow Houses Down (Video)

Kino Lorber has acquired all North American rights to documentary Putin's Kiss.our editor recommendsPutin's Kiss: Film Review The acquisition was made at IDFA, where the Monday Production film had its world premiere in the IDFA feature documentary competition, and was negotiated by Kino Lorber vice president Elizabeth Sheldon and Helle Faber of Made in Copenhagen. Putin's Kiss will be released theatrically after its North American premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. It will be broadcast in late 2012 on ITVS. Directed by Lise Birk Pedersen, Putin's Kiss centers on middle-class, 19-year-old Russian girl Masha, who is a member of Nashi, a political youth organization connected with the Kremlin. The ambitious Marsha ascends to the top of Nashi, becoming the protege of the Minister of Youth and is given an apartment while attending school at the Moscow State University. However, she begins to question her involvement with Nashi when she discovers that a radical group within the Nashi may be responsible for the attacks against critics of Putin. She meets journalist Oleg Khasin, becoming fast friends despite their opposing views. "Her story and her moral dilemma illustrate the price of taking a political stand," says Sheldon, "We are proud to add this important film to the Kino Lorber library." Faber added, "I'm very excited to have the opportunity to bring the film out to an American audience. Thanks to Kino Lorber, Putin's Kiss will now premiere in NY and other major cities in the U.S." Related Topics

Top Chef's Whitney: My Thought Process Was Off

Whitney Otawka Steak-gate hit Top Chef when Lindsay fired Ty-Lor's steaks too early, but it was Whitney Otawka's undercooked potato gratin that sent her packing and bought Ty-Lor another day. Not she has any problem with that. "Ty should not have gone home for the steaks," Whitney tells TVGuide.com. "So many people were working on them and there was bad communication, and it wasn't his fault that they were fired early. I deserved to go." The Georgia-based chef knew the writing was on the wall as soon as Tom Colicchio said his potatoes were raw. So what went wrong? And how was she not aware they were undercooked? Read on.Top Chef's Chuy: I knew I was screwedTom said this was one of the easiest eliminations they've done. Was that hard to hear?Whitney: No, I was fine with that. It was one of those things where as soon as he told me what the problem was, I knew I was going to go home. I undercooked the potato. That's a pretty basic ingredient that we all use every single day. So I was like, "Oh, crap! I'm leaving." He's a chef, I'm a chef, so I get it. It's disappointing, of course, because I want to be there until the end. But I understand the show. I've seen it over nine seasons. I knew what was going to happen to me and it happened! You didn't think they might go after Ty for the steaks?Whitney: I didn't think so because I knew that that took a group effort. It wasn't just him. Those were, like, 300 steaks. He grilled them, but they went into so many hands, whereas with my dish, it was my dish. That was one of the problems too. I took ownership of the dish because I knew that it could be a good thing in the end or a really bad thing. It was solely my responsibility, so therefore it should be me to go home. A lot of people were telling you to cook the gratin the day before. Why didn't you?Whitney: It was a time constraint. We had three hours ahead of time and when you're prepping it for that many people - just getting it sliced and prepared - there was no way to cook it ahead of time. And then I put it all in one convection oven. You know when you're in those situations under so much pressure that your brain doesn't think linearly? [Laughs] My thought process was off. I threw it all in the convection oven and whenever you do that, it's not going to cook the same; it's going to cook longer. There's so much in [the dish], so it's working harder. So all the ones in the center, I'm assuming, just weren't as well done as the ones on the bottom or the top. All kitchen equipment is different and all ovens work differently. This was brand new equipment and I just shoved it all in there! When I got it out, I was thinking that I had to cool them because cutting a hot gratin is totally impossible. I knew from the beginning like, "What have I done to myself?"Top Chef's Richie: I wasn't thinking clearlyHow did you not tell that some of it was undercooked? Whitney: It's funny because we cooled it so fast since you don't cut it when it's hot, so you wouldn't be able to tell the difference. They were quizzing me at the Judges' Table, like, "Couldn't you tell with your knife?" It's like, "No, because when a potato is cooled down, it's basically cream and cheese with that dish and hen cream and cheese are cold, it's harder to cut, so it appears hot." The ones that I did try, I thought were overcooked, so it just goes to show that an oven doesn't necessarily cook everything evenly. That's why I was like, "What?! It's undercooked?!" You're saying you were pressed for time and the judges said six hours was too much time. Whitney: It's not enough! [Laughs] Just imagine planning a dinner party for, like, 40 people. Think about the time it would take for you to plan it, prepare it and then cook it. But you get to be in your own space. You have to imagine that you're not in your own kitchen, so you're totally not acclimated to everything around you. And then there are 13 of us running into each other. There's so much stress that it carries over into how you're cooking and I go back to that non-linear thought process. Your brain is just bouncing around in a million directions. You look back and you're like, "Oh my gosh! What was I doing?"The whole steak mishap was weird. Why did Lindsay fire them so early? How much did that affect your dish?Whitney: The whole thing was such a strange mess. I'm not even sure how it all went down. It affected all of us because we're all trying to make the food hot, so it could've cooled down more. That was one of the hard things, too, because our group made the only hot plate. We were very easily the target. Executing 300 hot plates is not the easiest thing in the world.Top Chef's Keith: I knew Sarah and Lindsay would throw me under the busHugh is your mentor. Did he say anything to you after you were eliminated?Whitney: He didn't say anything to me directly. He knows me as a chef and I know him. I've worked for him for so long. He's taught me all I know, so it's kind of good that he wasn't like, "You suck! What have you done?" I think he knows me better than that. I think also because he's been on Top Chef Masters, he realizes the stress level we're under, so maybe he didn't want to pile on. Maybe there's a soft spot in Hugh Acheson's heart we don't know about! [Laughs]What are you up to now?Whitney: I'm in Athens, Ga. I'm back where Hugh's original restaurant is and I'm at a restaurant called Farm 255. I took over this kitchen about three weeks ago, so it's been crazy busy. It's really amazing. We have our own farm and process our own meats. It's just a really great space. I'm off [Cumberland Island, where she used to work], which is sad, but I thought I should be more accessible because people see you on TV and they should be able to at least come and eat my food!

News Corp. President Discusses Hulu, Netflix, YouTube

Rod Blagojevich was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison Wednesday.our editor recommendsEx-'Celebrity Apprentice' Contestant Rod Blagojevich's Attorneys Ask Judge to Show Mercy in Sentencing HearingRod Blagojevich Verdict: Cable News Pundits Weigh In (Video)Rod Blagojevich Verdict: Donald Trump 'Feels Bad' for the 'Celebrity Apprentice' Alum (Video)'Oprah' Jury Excuse Gets Woman Out of Rod Blagojevich Retrial The former Illinois governor received 18 convictions, including political corruption for the attempt to sell the state's Senate seat after it was vacated by then-Presidential candidate Barack Obama in 2009. PHOTOS: Hollywood's Memorable Mea Culpas "When it is the governor who goes bad the fabric of Illinois is torn and disfigured and not easily repaired," JudgeJames Zagelsaid, reports the Associated Press."Whatever good things you did for people as governor, and you did some, I am more concerned with the occasions when you wanted to use your powers when you wanted to do things that were only good foryourself." Before the sentencing, Blagojevich issued a plea for leniency and an apology (a departure from his years of insisting he was innocent of the charges). PHOTOS:10 TV Trials That Shook The World: Casey Anthony, Rodney King "I'm here convicted of crimes ... ," Blagojevich said, "and I am accepting of it, I acknowledge it and I of course am unbelievably sorry forit." VIDEO:Rod Blagojevich Verdict: Cable News Pundits Weigh In The AP reports that it is unlikely the politician, who also appeared on Donald Trump's The Apprentice in 2010, will be taken into custody immediately. "In white-collar cases, convicted felons are usually given at least a few weeks to report to prison while federal authorities select a suitable facility. Blagojevich is expected to appeal his conviction, but it is unlikely to affect when he reports toprison," says the AP. PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery 10 TV Trials That Shook The World: Casey Anthony, OJ Simpson, Rodney King Related Topics Donald Trump Politics

Sienna Burns Is Tippi Hedrin, Toby Manley Is Hitchcock In BBC2 Drama In Regards To The Wild wild birds

Sienna Burns and Toby Manley is to play Tippi Hedren and Alfred Hitchcock in BBC Two drama, The Woman. The film will chronicle the organization company directors obsessive relationship along with his The Wild wild birds star. According to BBC Two, Hedren has cooperated by supplying interviews to author Gwyneth Hughes while Hitchcock biographer Jesse Spoto is attached just like a consultant. Burns and Hedren recently met to talk about the project and, states Hughes, got on as being a house burning. Becoming Jane types Julian Jarrold is pointing with Imelda Staunton and Penelope Wilton also inside the cast. Hitchcock is at the peak of his fame and creativity when, in 1962, he decided on a mystery fashion model to star within the most ambitious film The Wild wild birds. But while he sculpted Hedren to the perfect Hitchcock blonde of his imagination, he increased being passionate concerning the impossible imagine winning the particular womans love. His failure possibly destroyed all of their careers. In the statement, Hughes mentioned: “It’s been most likely probably the most enormous privilege to talk in greater detail to Tippi Hedren, the ultimate Hitchcock blonde within the presence of Britain’s most original and effective film director. In those days, at the begining of sixties, the American star experienced alone. However, at 81, her understanding and experience have aided me to put her real existence ordeal to the screen. The Permanent Television production will probably be produced by Amanda Jenks and executive produced by Leanne Klein for Permanent and Lucy Stronger within the BBC. Shooting starts now in Nigeria.

Comcast CFO: NBCUniversal Integration Continues to Go 'Really Well'

NY - Comcast's integration of NBCUniversal has continued to go "really well" and "according to plan," Comcast CFO Michael Angelakis told a Wall Street crowd here on Monday morning.our editor recommendsUnivision Vows to Remain Player in Soccer Despite Telemundo Winning World Cup RightsNBCUniversal Posts Mixed Third-Quarter Financials Speaking at the 39th annual UBS Global Media and Communications Conference in a fireside chat led by Aryeh Bourkoff, vice chairman, head of investment banking, Americas at the bank, he said that at the end of the year that saw Comcast buy a 51 percent stake in NBC Universal in January his company is "enthusiastic" about the entertainment company's business and its executives. "So far, so good," he said. Asked about the broadcast business, Angelakis reiterated that there are "some challenges" at NBC, but sees "great opportunities" and upside at the network and Spanish-language broadcaster Telemundo. "They got to put better shows on," Angelakis said, but expressed confidence that the respective management teams will "deliver results over time." Discussing sports, Angelakis said "we're not interested in losing money on sports." He cited the recent soccer World Cup rights deal signed by Telemundo as "a game changer for Telemundo" that made sense because "we are a distant number two - we should do better." Importantly though, "we think we can make some money on it," he added. Asked about other parts of NBCUniversal, Angelakis said Comcast understands that the film business is volatile and hit-driven. Meanwhile, the cable networks are "really the driver of profitability" for NBCUniversal, and management is "delighted" with their performance, Angelakis said. Just like at USA, which has been the leading cable network for five consecutive years, the goal is to use original programming to help boost ad rates, carriage and affiliate fees, he said. Angelakis also said that advertising is holding up well across NBCUniversal and that demand for the Super Bowl and Olympics is robust. Meanwhile, NBCUniversal's theme parks business is also doing well, the executive highlighted. Asked about potential addition of Harry Potter attractions in additional theme parks, he didn't comment. But he said: "Harry Potter Orlando has really been a reset mechanism for that park." Neil Smit, the head of Comcast's cable systems, joined Angelakis on stage. "There is no tension here," Angelakis quipped when asked about retransmission consent fees that broadcasters have been getting from cable operators. "I don't think NBC is going to drive the market here," Angelakis said, but acknowledged that retrans fees are now a reality and here to stay. Asked about last week's $3.6 billion wireless spectrum deal between telecom Verizon and a group of cable firms, including Comcast, Angelakis said the deal is "strategically terrific and financially terrific." On the financial side, he highlighted that Comcast is getting $2.3 billion in the deal - a gain of about $1 billion compared to what Comcast paid for the spectrum. Smit said among the likely innovations are allowing consumers the ability to start watching a video on a wireless device and continuing to do so at home. The integration aspect of developing new concepts together will be a key benefit of the deal, he said. The partners will start promoting new bundles under the commercial arrangements of the deal early in 2012, Smit said, suggesting a possible triple-play bundle with security aspects added, as well as a quad-play offer of four services. What will the company do with the $2.3 billion in proceeds from the deal, Angelakis said he expects the deal to close in the next year and any new cash will go to whatever Comcast's capital plan calls for then. Asked about his thinking on offering channels on an a la carte basis in the future, Smit said the company is more looking at offering "more choice" via a smaller content package, called My TV Choice, that is being tested in three markets with 55-60 channels. Sports, movies and kids theme packs on top of that cost $10 each, he said. "I wouldn't call that a la carte," he added. While some cable operators have focused on the increasing financial contribution and growth of broadband Internet services, Smit told the UBS gathering that "video is still a core offering" and provides 53 percent of revenue, even though Internet services are the biggest growth driver. Email: Georg.Szalai@thr.com Twitter: @georgszalai Related Topics

NBC's 'The Voice' Scores Music Cred With Coaches' 4 Grammy Noms

NBC NBC should be pretty happy about the results from Wednesday's Grammy nominations when it comes to its talent competition, The Voice. The show's coaches, Christina Aguilera, Adam Levine, Cee Lo Green, and Blake Shelton scored a total of four Grammy noms between them.our editor recommends'The Voice's' Dia Frampton Releases Music Video for 'The Broken Ones' (Video)'The Voice' Highlights Blind Auditions in First Season 2 Trailer (Video)'The Voice' Going Straight to Blind Auditions in Premiere Episode'The Voice' Names Christina Milian Season 2's Social Media Correspondent PHOTOS: The Hollywood Reporter Cover Stories Shelton scored the most nominations of the crew with one for Best Country Solo Performance for his single, "Honey Bee." The other nomination, Best Country Song, actually went to Dave Barnes who wrote "God Gave Me You," which Shelton covered on his album, Red River Blue (which also includes "Honey Bee"). Shelton performed "Honey Bee" on The Voice with his team members Dia Frampton and Xenia in June. And in March, NBC.com exclusively debuted the music video for the song. Levine (by way of his pop rock band, Maroon 5) and Aguilera also have a chance at a Best Pop Duo/Group Performance win with their collaboration, "Moves Like Jagger." They debuted the song on The Voice with a live performance in June. VIDEO: Behind the Scenes at The Voice Season 2 Auditions Not one to be left out of the fun, Green also got into the Grammy nom action with his song, "Fool For You," with Melanie Fiona in the Best Traditional R&B Performance category. As for Fox'sThe X Factor and American Idol, their judges didn't score any nominations this year. That's a point for The Voice for staying relevant, huh? The Voice returns for Season 2 after the Super Bowl on Feb. 5. And their stars will find out if they actually win their categories when the Grammy Awards air Feb. 12 on CBS. PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery The Hollywood Reporter Cover Stories Grammy Awards NBC Blake Shelton Christina Aguilera The Voice Adam Levine Cee Lo Green Grammys 2012