Dueling Tees

My new Penn site: Penntertainment.com

2013-10-14T08:03:00.000-07:00

To my most loyal fans, after 7 years of running DT, I've now got a bigger and better Penn alumni entertainment site I've been working on for a while and it's ready for you to play with:

http://www.Penntertainment.com

Penn alumni can get the latest entertainment news and now create profiles, connect with other alumni, and add stories into their profile!

Get started by:

1) Visiting http://www.penntertainment.com/registration/

2) Checking out the new way you can submit stories directly to the site!

3) Signing up on our Penntertainment social media channels:

Thank to Jay Matsueda (W'95), Victoria Polubinska (W'12) and TJ Trapp (C'99) with helping to develop Penntertainment.com!

And thank all of you readers for all your support as I continue to strengthen and connect our Penntertainment community!

Finally, stay tuned to DT as we will be taking the site in a slightly different direction!

Matt

Bill Maher loves talking with this Wharton Alum

2013-09-27T09:20:00.001-07:00

Tonight (9/27), small business and finance expert Monica Mehta (W'97, Counterparts) will be appearing for a second time on the "Real Time with Bill Maher" panel.

Monica has actually been all over the media writing magazine columns (Bloomberg, Businessweek, INC Mag, and Entrepreneur Mag) and appearing regularly on business and political shows ("O’Reilly Factor", "The Adam Carolla Show", Fox News with Neil Cavuto, "Fox & Friends", "Fox Business", MSNBC, Bloomberg TV, ABC News).

Find out what Monica will be talking about with Bill after the jump!

If that weren't enough, Monica published her first book last fall, The Entrepreneurial Instinct: How Everyone Has the Innate Ability to Start a Successful Small Business (McGraw-Hill 2013) which explores the brain science behind entrepreneurial risk taking.

When I asked Monica what she thinks she'll be talking about tonight she told me,

"Topics get nailed down the day of, 10-12 discussions on current events, politics. Given my focus and Robert Reisch (Former Labor Secretary Clinton) will be on, I'm sure we'll discuss the economy (debt ceiling, fed tapering, unemployment, minimum wage). But since Maher is an entertainer, I'm sure we'll talk about a lot of other stuff too. Last time I was on we talked about religion, racism, gay rights and legalizing pot, with Snoop Lion on high as a kite and on the verge of getting uncomfortably homophobic."

More on Monica at her website: http://monicamehta.com

More Penn alumni on TV HERE

Share

Los Angelinos, join over 500 other Penn alumni at this huge event!

2013-09-24T13:59:00.005-07:00

Los Angelinos, have you registered for Penn's huge "Time to Shine" event on October 8?

There are already over 500 registrations!

If you haven't done so already, head on over to http://www.alumni.upenn.edu/timetoshine/la/ and register!

How can you not go with such a catchy theme song in the video above?!

Plus, it's a free event!

A Penn alum produced this comedy. Surprised?

2013-09-19T08:25:00.002-07:00

Would you be surprised that a Penn alum produced the soon-to-be released film Jewtopia? : )

Find out more after the jump!

Penn alum Courtney Mizel (W'95, Bloomers) produced the film adaptation of the L.A. stage production of Jewtopia and it is being released in theaters and on demand on 9/20.

The premise in a nutshell is the story of a gentile (non-Jew) who wants to marry a Jewish girl ...so that he'll never have to make another decision for as long as he lives. Love it!

Inspired from the international smash hit play seen by over a million people, Jewtopia's got lots of stars including Jennifer Love Hewitt, Jon Lovitz, Rita Wilson, Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Wendie Malick, Nicollette Sheridan, Tom Arnold, Phil Rosenthal, Peter Stormare, Camryn Manheim, Ivan Sergei, Joel David Moore, Christine Lakin, Hayes MacArthur and Lin Shaye.

The shpiel:
The story is about Christian O'Connell (Sergei) and Adam Lipschitz (Moore) — two childhood friends who reunite as adults to help each other land the women of their dreams. Chris wants to marry Allison (Hewitt), a Jewish girl, so that he'll never have to make another decision for as long as he lives. Adam is on the verge of getting married to Hannah (Sigler), a woman he is not content with. When Chris enlists Adam's help in pretending to be Jewish so that Allison will date him, cultures collide and chaos ensues!

Jewtopia is the directorial debut of Bryan Fogel who co-wrote the screenplay, the stage play, and the best-selling book, Jewtopia: The Chosen Book for the Chosen People, with Sam Wolfson. The film is produced by Courtney Mizel (Tortilla Heaven), Pavlina Hatoupis (Sassypants, Frankie Goes Boom), Andy Fickman, (director of The Game Plan, Race to Witch Mountain, and the Billy Crystal / Bette Midler comedy Parental Guidance), Tucker Tooley, (Immortals, The Fighter, We're the Millers), and Bryan Fogel.

...And check out the history of Jewtopia when it debuted first as a play:

More here

Penn alum is a "pretty cool" presenter at MTV's VMAs (VIDEO)

2013-08-26T11:37:00.001-07:00

Did you see Vanessa Bayer (C'04, Bloomers) present as her Miley Cyrus alter ego on last night's VMAs?

Check it out after the jump!

Unfortunately the clip was removed, but enjoy this animated gif:

I wonder if last night's cringe-worthy Miley performance will remain topical enough for a sketch on SNL's September 23 season premiere...?

Share

Penn alumni of the 90s finally get an answer to THIS question

2013-08-26T11:04:00.001-07:00

A couple of years ago we went around an asked alumni from the 90s what they thought was in a Skylab from Murphy's Tavern ("Murph's").

While we got many funny responses on video, I just got a response from Jim Cleary, a member of the Murphy's Tavern Alumni facebook group telling me that a bartender who made Skylabs has now revealed the secret.

After the jump, get the answer!

Per Jim Bean, here is the answer!:

"A generous helping of: vodka, southern comfort, tequila, and jack daniels. Then add some pineapple juice and cranberry juice - and a touch of grenadine (bartender's secret....when ever we ran out of something it was pot luck - as long as it looked red)"

Out of all the video responses we got, it seemed like our interviewer Noah Sferra (C'96) remembered the most!

Share

Another awesome Penn cake!

2013-08-15T12:02:00.004-07:00

For years now, we've seen some pretty impressive Penn cakes and I just spotted this equally impressive one on Instagram!

I do still think THIS piece of Penn branded food takes the cake.

More objects with unusually integrated Penn logos HERE

"We didn't go to Harvard. We went to Wharton"

2013-08-07T11:47:00.000-07:00

After the jump, check out a clip from this week's "Suits" TV show with a very special Wharton shoutout!

"We're not lawyers. We're investment bankers. We'll call you for the paperwork. We didn't go to Harvard. We went to Wharton and we saw you coming a mile away."

Ha!

More Penn mentions on TV HERE

Share

19 Signs You Went to Penn...plus the signs they left out

2013-08-02T09:44:00.002-07:00

Buzzfeed just released an article about the 19 Signs You Went to Penn.

Not all the signs listed in the article hold true for alumni who may have attended Penn let's say over 15 years ago, but my favorites of course center around this, this and this.

One sign not on the list that applied to a generation of Penn alumni centered around seeing a particular individual on campus "in Church".

What other signs would you add to that buzzfeed article? Comment below!

Share

It's time for a makeover

2013-08-01T14:59:00.002-07:00

Our namesake is getting a refresh!

Thanks to Scott Spitzer (Penn Staff) for providing this great photo!

Share

19 Penn Alumni you should know about: Vol. 8

2013-07-18T09:46:00.003-07:00

This may be the juiciest "Penn Alumni You Should Know About" edition yet!

After the jump, check out exciting news about the latest from 19 Penn alumni with projects in TV, film, stage, web, apps, and print.

Plus, more stories of Penn alumni working together on entertainment projects ....an alum who dishes on what happens backstage as a Jeopardy contestant ....and an alum who is body doubling for a major Hollywood star!

FILMMAKERS & WRITERS:

Meredith Stiehm (C'90) debuted her new FX series "The Bridge" to solid numbers!

Scott Neustadter's (C'98) new film The Spectacular Now (8/2/13) recently released a trailer. Rotten Tomatoes synopsis:

"With sly humor and an intensity of feeling, THE SPECTACULAR NOW (directed by James Ponsoldt) creates a vivid, three-dimensional portrait of youth confronting the funny, thrilling and perilous business of modern love and adulthood. This is the tale of Sutter Keely (Miles Teller), a high school senior and effortless charmer, and of how he unexpectedly falls in love with "the good girl" Aimee Finecky (Shailene Woodley). What starts as an unlikely romance becomes a sharp-eyed, straight-up snapshot of the heady confusion and haunting passion of youth - one that doesn't look for tidy truths."

Sonny Lee (C'03, Penn Six, Full Measure, Penn Admissions) will be writing Holly DiMarco's iPhone for Universal. Per Deadline, "A couple of high school losers find themselves in wish-fulfillment mode after they find the iPhone belonging to the hottest and most popular girl in school." The film will be produced by Penn alum Hurwitz & Schlossberg Productions partners Penn alum Jon Hurwitz (C'00) and Hayden Schlossberg. ...More Penn alumni working together here

Jake Avnet (C'05) has teamed up with his father Jon Avnet (C'78) to produce WIGS, the #1 channel for scripted drama on YouTube, brings you high-end, original series, short films, and documentaries, all starring female leads. Below watch "Paloma" written and directed by Julia Stiles. Watch all episodes here

Lori White's (C'05) recently shot a short "48 hour film project" film, Fun Run starring Katie Foster (C'06). In the film that Lori wrote and directed, Lori had only 48 hours to make the film and incorporate the genre 'sports and competitions/games" and was required to include "character Cat dean, ad exec, the line "when do you expect her" and a trophy":

ACTORS:

Stephanie Lemelin's new web AOL series Playdate: New mom, Amy, is not only new to the suburban life, having left her high powered job in the city to focus her attention on raising her daughter, she’s also new to the mommy politics that come with it. More about Stephanie here

Katie Foster (C'06) appeared in US Weekly as Cameron Diaz's body double!:

Jonah Platt (C'08, Off the Beat) is about to lend his fantastic voice to the return of L.A.'s pop opera BARE beginning September 5. More here

AUTHORS:

Penn Alum Susan Orlins (CW '67) turned her blogposts about worrying into a new book called CONFESSIONS OF A WORRYWART. The shpiel:

"In her plucky new memoir, award-winning journalist Susan Orlins inspires you to embrace your worries. With wit and grit, Orlins takes you from her starter marriage in 1965 on a rocky, comical journey to 1979, when she moves with her second husband to Beijing (where she has her own personal spy). Her effort to adopt an infant in China provides a rare portrait of an era when "eating bitterness" was a way of life.

In the chapter "I May Have Ruined the Marriage, But You're Ruining the Divorce," Orlins portrays her separation with wry, wrenching self-awareness. She rebounds with a post-traumatic-divorce party, "family" vacations with her ex, and a cast of Mr. Wrongs, like one who--whenever he feels blue--swallows a pinch of his father's ashes. During a solo bicycle trip in Paris, Orlins tracks down a boyfriend from 42 years earlier. No one could have anticipated the crisis that occurs an hour into their reunion. With her knack for stumbling into drama, it's no wonder she worries. More recently, while exploring what young Susan would think of her present-day self, Orlins faces a life-changing realization. Readers will relate to this deeply personal story, told with a quirky sensibility by a startlingly honest mother, daughter, ex-wife, and dog lover, who--à la Nora Ephron--will feel like a dear friend. Confessions of a Worrywart: Husbands, Lovers, Mothers, and Others lingers long after you finish reading it."

More at www.SusanOrlins.com

Steve Bevilacqua (C'86, Mask and Wig, DP, Sphinx) just published Kafka at the Beach: A Layman's Handbook for Those Falsely Accused of Felonies, a book based on an unbelievable series of events that happened in his own life! The shpiel:

"Kafka at the Beach: A Layman's Handbook for Those Falsely Accused of Felonies is the hilarious and shocking tale of a most devastating ordeal. One sunny day in Venice Beach, Steve B- steps out of his apartment and finds himself in a surreal nightmare that will devour the next year of his life. Run down by a road rage maniac, attacked in the street, brutalized by gun-crazy cops, and harassed by police detectives, Steve is dragged through the courts for months, facing mandatory prison sentences for imaginary crimes. Shoved through a maze of court-ordered therapy, Steve ultimately finds himself navigating a new labyrinth on national TV at the mercy of the snarling, modern-day Solomon known as Judge J-. Is daytime TV the last bastion of true justice in America? KAFKA AT THE BEACH: A Layman's Handbook for Those Falsely Accused of Felonies is a surreal tour of America's court systems; criminal and civil, real and televised."

Lawyer and Author Elizabeth L Silver's (C'01, Kelly Writers House, Teatron) debut novel THE EXECUTION OF NOA P. SINGLETON was published by Crown/Random House in the US and Headline Review in the UK. The novel is set in Philadelphia with many scenes at Penn. ...Plus, her agent Richard Pine (C'77) and agent's assistant Eliza Rothstein (C'09) all went to Penn too! (more Penn alumni working together!) The shpiel:

"Noa P. Singleton never spoke a word in her own defense throughout a brief trial that ended with a jury finding her guilty of first-degree murder. Ten years later, having accepted her fate, she sits on death row in a maximum-security penitentiary, just six months away from her execution date.

Seemingly out of the blue, she is visited by Marlene Dixon, a high-powered Philadelphia attorney who is also the mother of the woman Noa was imprisoned for killing. Marlene tells Noa that she has changed her mind about the death penalty and Noa’s sentence, and will do everything in her considerable power to convince the governor to commute the sentence to life in prison, in return for the one thing Noa is unwilling to trade: her story.

Marlene desperately wants Noa to reveal the events that led to her daughter’s death – events that Noa has never shared with a soul. With death looming, Marlene believes that Noa may finally give her the answers she needs, though Noa is far from convinced that Marlene deserves the salvation she alone can deliver. Inextricably linked by murder but with very different goals, Noa and Marlene wrestle with the sentences life itself can impose while they confront the best and worst of what makes us human in this haunting tale of love, anguish, and deception."

An Excerpt:

More at www.ElizabethLSilver.com

DIGITAL:

Paul Shrater (W'95) celebrates his 10th year of his Minimus.biz business where you can get every"travel-sized" product you need!

...This Whartonite changed careers (like these alumni) away from his 9-year career as a film and television producer to co-found this company. Currently, minimus.biz boasts its third year in Internet Retailer’s list of the top 1000 grossing e-commerce businesses in the U.S. Beyond the retail business, Minimus operates a larger wholesale business that services corporations, non-profits, religious institutions, government agencies, educational institutions, and even the astronauts on the International Space Station (where Minimus has been the supplier of condiment packets to NASA for six years). Moving into the manufacturing side of it, Shrater launched Minimus Products, which has its own food and non-food production rooms and pouching machines to make small printed packets of items under their own brand, for other brands, or in partnership with other brands.

Katherine Myers (C'08) manages a new app for College Humor called "Bout" - "a [fun!] photo taking game you play with friends".

So far the app's been logged into over 1.2 million times with over half a million photos submitted. B.J. Novak, Ricky Van Veen, Kate Miucci and Riki Lindhome are all on the app, as well as Katy Perry and John Mayer. Katy and B.J. have both tweeted about it and John Mayer has posted on his Tumblr. More here

GAMESHOWS:

Jeff Wachs (C'97) appeared as a contestant this week on Jeopardy (video coming). He is yet another Penn alum gameshow contestant!

While he didn't win, Jeff provided us with some insider info:

"Here's how it works: Alex reads the clue, and then a guy at a table off-camera flips a switch that turns on some lights on the board that the TV audience doesn't see. If the contestant buzzes in before that switch has been thrown, he or she is locked out for a couple of a fractions of a second. So, the trick is buzzing in AFTER the invisible man flips the switch but BEFORE the lights come on.

Japinga [contestant] was on his fourth game in a row and had gotten really comfortable with that rhythm, as evidenced (for one example) by his sweep of a category about the Supreme effing Court. The guy was fast, and he had the edge, but ultimately I blame myself -- I should have seen "Red Baron" in "Rotte Whatever," but I was focused on and perplexed by the publishing year of 1917 in the clue, since WWI didn't end until 1918 (and so I didn't think famous WWI figures would be writing bios during the war). That mistake cost me, and from there on out I was only going to win if Japinga missed Final Jeopardy, which was a sugar pill. When I saw Japinga go for the pen as quickly as I did, I knew it was over."

Roy Bank (C'94) just debuted the premiere of his newest hidden camera comedy game show DEAL WITH IT, starring Howie Mandel (Wednesdays, 10:30 pm)

More Penn alumni on TV HERE

More Penn alumni working together HERE

Share

Watch this former Penn Club President "Make a Deal" with Wayne Brady

2013-06-12T11:08:00.000-07:00

Over the years, we've had an assortment of Penn alumni win big on gameshows.

After the jump, watch former Los Angeles Penn Club President Melissa Wu (C'98) give her best "alluring" voice to Wayne Brady and make two (!) deals with "Let's Make a Deal" host Wayne Brady.

Find out what was behind the curtain she chose!

Watch from beginning until end, but highlight points are minute 7 and minute 9:54:

More Penn alumni on TV HERE

Share

Hollywood Penn Alumni you should know about: Vol. 7

2013-06-04T11:25:00.002-07:00

In this Penntertainment roundup, I've got some awesome projects and cameos from more Penn alumni you should know about!

Check it all out after the jump!

FILMS:

1) Read what Todd Lieberman (C'95, Mask and Wig, AEPi) had to say about producing Warm Bodies and its "universality" (out today on Blu-ray and DVD!) More here

2) Author Caren Lissner's book Carrie Pilby (Harlequin Teen) is being made into a movie!
The synopsis from Booklist:

"Carrie, 19, is a genius: she's already graduated from Harvard. But social success has always eluded her. She now lives alone in a New York apartment and every week sees a therapist who makes a list of goals for her, including going out on a date and joining an organization. Of course, Carrie goes about these things in her own quirky and hilarious way. The organization she picks is a church, which she is certain is cultlike and run by a minister who is fleecing the parishioners. She turns to the personal ads for a date, and picks Matt, an engaged man looking to cheat on his fiancee, and Carrie plans to rat on him. But even brilliant Carrie can't predict that she'll be attracted to Matt or that the minister is actually moral. Lissner's heroine is utterly charming and unique, and readers will eagerly turn the pages to find out how her search for happiness unfolds."

More here

NEW TV SHOWS

1) Looks like agent-turned-Executive Producer Rob Golenberg (W'87, ZBT) has two great tv series debuting this fall that I know I'll be season-passing!:

"Betrayal" (ABC):

"Hostages" (CBS):

2) Elizabeth Banks (C'96) and husband Max Handelman (C'95, AEPi) that is being developed for TBS called "Dream House" (working title). Synopsis: "When a young guy has the chance to buy the house of his dreams, he quickly discovers that the owner, a seemingly feeble old man, is actually a grifter who manages to sell the house and become his roommate."

3) TV Producer Jake Laufer (C'96, UTV, Ice Hockey, P.A.R.M.E.S.A.N) just kicked off another season of "Mountain Men" (Sundays, 9/8 C, History Channel)

TV CAMEOS:

1) Brian Appel (C'01, Mask and Wig) returned as "Agent Anderson" on an episode of "Criminal Minds".

2) Did you see Jonah Platt's (C'08, Off the Beat) cameo on the series finale of The Office? Check out minute 11:49 below:

MUSIC

James Houston White (C'04) has recently launched "Icons Unite" whose goal is to discover and promote the next generation of music Icons who want to be a symbol of freedom and inspire the world with their music.

Per James, "Now, more than ever, we believe the global community needs to rally together around basic human rights, such as Freedom of Belief, Speech, Internet, Press & the abolishment of human trafficking, including sex slavery, Illegal organ trafficking, child soldiers and forced labor." Check out his video below!

More here: www.Youtube.com/user/IconsUnite and www.Facebook.com/IconsUnite

More Penn alumni on TV HERE

Share

Biden Gives 2013 Penn Commencement Address (VIDEO)

2013-05-13T14:38:00.003-07:00

Today was the 257th Commencement and honorary speaker Vice President Joe Biden had lots of advice for the new graduates.

Some more fun highlights from his speech:

apparently Joe's son Beau went to Penn (C'91, Lightweight Football) and his granddaughter Naomi is a student there now.
On a more comical note, in his speech, Vice President Biden mentioned that The Washington Post said no man has entered the office of Vice President with fewer assets than Joe Biden.

...After the jump, watch the entire speech and find out why (minute 1:33). : )

Watch previous Penn commencements here

Penn 2013 Commencement photos (300+) here

Share

Studying for Finals never got more musical

2013-05-01T10:06:00.003-07:00

For a while, this form of expression was pretty popular all over Penn.

It's finals season now and Penn students are getting creative again.

In an unsuspecting study lounge at the University of Pennsylvania, two star-crossed studiers need someone to watch their stuff and they ~~interrupt~~ entertain all those around them.

After the jump, watch the video!

Share

It Ain't Easy Being Conrad Bain (the Penn Six song you want to hear!)

2013-01-17T11:55:00.002-08:00

Earlier this week we lost the beloved actor Conrad Bain, aka Mr. Drummond from "Diff'rent Strokes".

Some Penn alumni encouraged me to post Penn Six's popular song "Conrad Bain" from their 1993 album "Jacket Off" album however I couldn't find it anywhere online.

After chatting with a Penn Six alum friend, I was able to locate the song ...and after the jump you can now listen to it!

Jason Downie (C'93) - lead singer
Ed Matz (C'93) - lyrics

Share

Hollywood Penn Alumni you should know about: Vol. 6

2013-01-07T10:29:00.002-08:00

I've got some more alumni who are blowing up in the world of entertainment that you should know about!

After the jump, learn about alumni who are appearing on, writing for and creating some great new TV shows.

...Plus one alum who is writing about his experience producing one very newsworthy Broadway show.

Happy new year everyone!

1) Mask and Wig alum Tom Christensen (W'03) is certainly on a hot streak! He was recently on "2 Broke Girls" and this coming week he's going to be on two hit shows!

"Happy Endings" last night, 1/6, 10 PM on ABC.
In Happy Endings, Tom plays "Jamie," the male version of Eliza Coupe's character, Jane. She tries to set her friend Max up with someone who turns out to be way too much like her.

"Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23" on Tuesday, 1/8, at 9:30, also on ABC.
In Don't Trust the B, he plays the Pear Vendor at the farmer's market. The two female leads are looking for a possible mate, they see Tom, and Dreama Walker's character imagines what I'm like to date.

2) DT correspondent Jess Garvey (C'09) booked a role on the upcoming CW show "The Carrie Diaries".

More about her appearance in the coming months!

3) We've covered comedian Matt Ritter (Penn Law '05) in the past and a few weeks ago, Matt debuted a new show he co-created and co-executive produced on MSNBC called "Chained to My Ex". As such, "Chained to My Ex" follows couples who find themselves living together and miserable but stuck for many reasons including emotional ties, children and financial limitations. Being married and living together can be tough. Being divorced and still living together… pure hell.

This show is based on Matt's deeply personal experience watching his parents live together for two whole years, though divorced and full of spite because they couldn't sell their Long Island house. This real-life "War of The Roses" inspired him to create a docuseries highlighting this growing trend.

Check out this clip:

And this segment from "The Today Show":

4) ER doctor and TV writer (and staff writer of "The Mob Doctor") Zach Lutsky's (C'97, AEPi) episode of "The Mob Doctor" aired this past Saturday night on Fox. Here is a synopsis of his episode titled "Resurrection":

Constantine decides to go to extremes to protect his estranged son Luke but...but at what cost?! Luke is deep in debt to the dangerous and ruthless Nogales Cartel. Constantine gets the help of his Chicago mob friend Al Trapani (played by Mike Starr from "Goodfellas"). In order to payback the favor Constantine asks Grace to check out Trapani’s girlfriend. This new patient has a shocking secret and is experiencing unexplainable pain. Grace also helps Olivia and Dr. White race against the clock to solve the mystery of a man's dying heart before it is too late.

Zach tells me that after having spent several years learning real medicine at medical school in Chicago, it was a surreal and incredible experience spending time back there to create a world of fake medicine for a TV show.

5) Reality producer Greg Goldman (C'96) just got an awesome new Hunger Games-like show greenlit on the CW called "The Hunt". Per Deadline, "The Hunt" is an intense wilderness competition taking place over one month, as 12 teams of two are provided no food, water, or shelter, but must compete in a game where they’ll rely on their physicality, survival skills, and hunting skills to endure their conditions, capture one another, and ultimately win a huge cash prize." Listen to Greg and other Penn alumni working in reality TV here.

6) Roy Bank (C'94) partnered with Logo to executive produce Logo's first live program "That Sex Show", a daily late-night relationship and sex advice show. The series debuts Monday, February 4. (more here)

7) Remember last fall when TV writer Meredith Stiehm (C'90) won an Emmy for Best Drama for "Homeland"? Well after this brilliant last season it is so very clear that "Homeland" will be winning another season next fall. If you haven't seen this, watch the clip below where Meredith discusses the personal story surrounding writing for a bipolar character.

8) If you recall, there was quite some hoopla around some of the problems surrounding the first iteration of the Broadway show "Spider-Man, Turn Off the Dark". Glen Berger (C'89, Mask and Wig) who wrote the book for the show will now be writing another book --this one a tell-all book called "Song of Spider-Man: The Inside Story of the most Controversial Musical in Broadway History". Look for it next year! (source) Should be a good read.

9) While this isn't airing on TV, I love this viral video that Aaron Karo (W'01) created called "Brutally Honest Answers to Teenage Girls' Questions". Just watch it!

More Penn alumni on TV HERE

Share

Check out this exclusive from Penn Producer's new zombie film!

2012-12-20T11:10:00.003-08:00

If you think you've seen all the Zombie film and TV premises, think again!

On February 1, Penn alum producer Todd Lieberman (C'95, Mask and Wig, AEPi) releases his film Warm Bodies and it looks awesome!

After the jump, check out the exclusive photo Todd supplied us with from the film, learn more about the film's unique premise ...and find out the big project Todd's about to start in a few weeks!

In the image above, (l to r) "M" (Rob Corddry) and "R" (Nicholas Hoult) are highly unusual zombies who are becoming increasingly more human in Warm Bodies. (By the way, if you're a fan of the TV show "Children's Hospital", you may not recognize Rob Corddry without his clown makeup)

Here's the shpiel about the film:

After a zombie epidemic, R (a highly unusual zombie) encounters Julie (a human survivor), and rescues her from a zombie attack. Julie sees that R is different from the other zombies, and as the two form a special relationship in their struggle for survival, R becomes increasingly more human setting off an exciting, romantic, and often comical chain of events that begins to transform the other zombies and maybe even the whole lifeless world.

Todd tells me they shot the film in Montreal and a big chunk of the movie in an abandoned airport there: "I love the way the movie turned out. It's very unique and blends many genres together."

More info about the movie here:
http://warmbodiesmovie.com/
https://www.facebook.com/WarmBodiesMovie
http://warmbodiesmovie.tumblr.com/

In a few weeks, Todd is about to start shooting Muppets 2 in London! (remember when Todd's muppet got cut from his last muppet movie?)

Follow Todd on Twitter here

Hurricane Sandy Hits UPenn (VIDEO)

2012-11-02T10:37:00.000-07:00

My thoughts and prayers go out to all those affected this week on the east coast by Hurricane Sandy.

Apparently, the storm didn't seem to keep the students at Penn down... '

After the jump, check out this video of Hurricane Sandy hitting the Penn campus and see what some students did in the Quad to pass the time!

Also, see what the windtunnel did to one girl's umbrella and check out the enormous amount of leaves I've probably ever seen at one time on Locust Walk.

Remember when Hurricane Irene did this to the Penn Campus?

Hollywood Penn Alumni you should know about: Vol. 5

2012-10-16T11:06:00.000-07:00

In our latest installment of Hollywood Penn alumni you should know about, this fall season has been a busy one for Hollywood Quakers...

After the jump, check out:

the animated episode a Penn alum wrote for a new children's cartoon
a new big studio deal for one Penn alum
Penn alumni with new TV shows and promising TV pilots
a Penn alum development exec makes a big move
a Penn alum writer's assistant gets promoted to staff writer!
a Penn alum appears on a popular TV drama

1) Writer Joelle Sellner's episode of "Samurai! Daycare" can now be seen online:

2) Warner Bros Inks 2 Year First-Look Deal with Mike Karz (C’89, W’89) (more here)

3) Josh Goldsmith (C’92) and wife Cathy Yuspa will be producing two(!) pilots for two different networks!:

a pilot for NBC called "Gates". Per Deadline, “Based on the British comedy of
the same name, which premiered on Sky Living two weeks ago, Gates is an adult ensemble comedy set at the front gates of an elementary school drop-off. It revolves around the parents,
the school staff and the 15-minute social minefield they have to navigate at
the beginning and end of each school day.”

a sitcom shot and aired live each week! (more here)

4) Casting director Lesley Wolff (C'93) casts, Lifetime's "Prank my Mom". Check out the preview below!

5) Sherri Cooper Landsman (C’95) premiered her new show, "Beauty and the Beast" last Thursday night on the CW

6) Nina Wolarsky (C’97) leaves George Clooney’s production company and joins Netflix, heading up their original-series. (more here)

7) John Legend (C’99, Counterparts) is producing a comedy for Fox inspired by his life. I wonder if Penn will be featured in an episode... (more here)

8) Rob Forman (W'06) officially staffed as a writer on Lifetime's "Army Wives"

9) Last week, actress Laura Parker (C'03) appeared on "CSI:NY" playing the mother of the villian in an 80's flashback. (remember this other Penn alum who also appeared on a CSI?) Check out her clip below and also check out the commercials she has appeared on:

Laura Parker - CSI NY from Laura Parker on Vimeo.

Commercial Reel 2012 from Laura Parker on Vimeo.
More Penn alumni on TV HERE
-Penn alumni working on CBS
-Penn alumni working on NBC
-Penn alumni working on ABC
-Penn alumni working on FOX
-Penn alumni working on Lifetime

Mask and Wig alum holds up "2 Broke Girls"

2012-10-08T13:00:00.000-07:00

DT Favorite Tom Christensen (W'2003, Mask and Wig) appears as a guy in a trenchcoat holding up the diner on tonight's "2 Broke Girls".

After the jump watch the preview and tune in tonight at 9/8c on CBS!

More Penn alumni on TV HERE

Share

Penn Alum Hollywood power couple's Pitch Perfect film

2012-09-28T09:07:00.003-07:00

I'm sure you've heard all about it by now, but today, Pitch Perfect, the hot, rotten-tomatoes highly rated film by Penn film producers Elizabeth Banks (C'96) and husband Max Handelman (C'95, AEPi) comes out!

If you recall, in an interview she did promoting the film, Liz had referenced a Penn a capella group from her time at Penn that she thought was "the most amazing version" she's ever heard in her life.

On a related Penn alum note, Melisa Kirkup (C'01), Universal Pictures marketing director shared a 60-second lip-dub Pitch Perfect video her team produced, featuring the hit Nicki Minaj song “Starships”!

Check it out after the jump!

Here's the shpiel about the film:

"In the new out-loud comedy “Pitch Perfect,” Beca (Anna Kendrick) is that girl who’d rather listen to what’s coming out of her headphones than what’s coming out of anyone’s mouth. Arriving at Barden University, she finds herself not right for any clique but somehow is muscled into one that she would never have picked on her own: alongside mean girls, sweet girls and weird girls whose only thing in common is how good they sound when they sing together. The movie also stars Skylar Astin, Rebel Wilson, Adam DeVine, Anna Camp, Brittany Snow, Alexis Knapp, Ester Dean, Hana Mae Lee, with John Michael Higgins and Elizabeth Banks."

Penn a capella group performances

More Penn alumni working together HERE

Share

Lady Gaga tweeted about THIS Penn alum's video poem

2012-09-27T08:45:00.000-07:00

I've talked about my obsession with the talented and passionate Penn undergrads and alumni who specialize in spoken word. Specifically, over the years, the impassioned Caroline Rothstein (C'06, The Excelano Project) continues to wow.

And I'm not just noticing it, but today, so did Lady Gaga!

Yesterday, Lady Gaga tweeted about Caroline's performance of "Fat" to her 30 million followers!

Watch the electric video after the jump!

Keep up the great work, Caroline!

Check out more of Caroline's work on her website here

...And Gaga should know that Penn folks certainly love Lady Gaga!

Share

Gangnam Style Flash Mob Hits Penn

2012-09-24T22:55:00.002-07:00

I must say how impressed I've been seeing all of the organized Flash Mobs from the Penn undergrads through the years.

After the jump, check out the Gangnam Style Flash Mob that hit superblock this past weekend!

Share

Did you see this Penn alum win on the Emmy stage tonight?

2012-09-23T21:42:00.000-07:00

By the looks of my Facebook feed, just like previous year's Emmys, there were a bunch of Penn alumni at tonight's Emmy Ceremony.

If you caught the "Homeland" win for Best Drama tonight, you would have heard a thank you to writer and Penn alum Meredith Stiehm (C'90).

If you don't know about Meredith, she's had a great track record here in Hollywood. After the jump, find out more about the popular show that was her claim to fame.

Some more tidbits about Meredith: She was the creator and show runner for "Cold Case". Additionally she won an emmy award in 1998 for "Outstanding Writing For a Drama Sereies" on NYPD Blue.

More Penn alumni on TV HERE