"Castle" star Nathan Fillion to preside over Writers Guild Awards show

Pretend writer Nathan Fillion will help honor real writers on February 17, when he hosts the Writers Guild Awards West Coast show, the Writers Guild of America, West said Monday.Fillion, who plays a mystery novelist on ABC's "Castle," joked that he was "confused" when he was tapped for the hosting gig."When I first accepted the honor of hosting the Writers Guild Awards, I was confused and actually...

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"Best Funeral Ever" premiere delayed after Newtown school shootings

Fans of death-centric reality TV will have to wait a little longer to dig into TLC's "Best Funeral Ever."TLC has pushed back the premiere of the special to January 6 at 10/9c in light of the school shootings in Newtown, Conn. last week."Best Funeral Ever" was initially scheduled to premiere on December 26 at 8/7c."Best Funeral Ever" centers around the Golden Gate Funeral Home in Dallas, which specializes...

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Amazon adds episodes of alt-comedy show "UnCabaret"

 Amazon Instant Video has added four exclusive episodes of "UnCabaret," an alt-comedy showcase for the likes of Margaret Cho and Andy Dick, to its Prime Instant Video service.The show was created and hosted by comedian and entertainer Beth Lapides and features performances by such comedy stars as Sandra Bernhard, Garfunkle and Oates, Greg Fitzsimmons and Rob Delaney. Instead of punch-line driven...

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"The Playroom" lands distributor

Freestyle Releasing and Freestyle Digital Media have acquired the theatrical, DVD and VOD rights to "The Playroom," a drama directed by Julia Dyer ("Late Bloomers"), which stars John Hawkes ("Winter's Bone," "The Sessions") and Molly Parker ("Dexter," "The Firm").The film is slated for a day-and-date theatrical release and on DVD/VOD on February 8, 2013."The Playroom" premiered in the gala/spotlight...

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"The Office" head Greg Daniels sells tennis comedy to Fox

The Office" might be preparing to close up shop, but the series' creator is most definitely still open for business.Greg Daniels, who birthed the American version of "The Office" - which is preparing to wrap up its run at the end of this season - has sold a half-hour comedy to Fox via Universal Television and his own Deedle-Dee Productions.The project was sold through Daniels by Tom Gormican ("Are...

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Nobel literature winner says censorship necessary

STOCKHOLM (AP) — This year's Nobel literature winner Mo Yan, who has been criticized for his cozy relationship with China's Communist Party, defended censorship Thursday as something as necessary as airport security checks.He also suggested he has no plans to join an appeal calling for the release of the jailed 2010 Peace Prize laureate, Liu Xiaobo.Mo has been criticized by human rights activists...

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Chinese Nobel literature winner: censorship a must

STOCKHOLM (AP) — This year's Nobel Prize in literature winner, Mo Yan, who has been criticized for his membership in China's Communist Party  and reluctance to speak out against the country's government, defended censorship Thursday as something as necessary as airport security checks.He also suggested he won't join an appeal calling for the release of the jailed 2010 Peace Prize laureate, Liu...

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Belgian graphic artist breaks with comic tradition

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Comic artist Brecht Evens decided to break away from the traditional comic strip images of clear lines and pencil sketches developed in Belgium more than half a century ago.After surviving at first on government subsidies, in 2010 he produced a graphic novel featuring vibrant watercolours and smudged scenes of sexuality and riotous nightlife, with characters blurred into their...

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Russia's Hermitage Museum denounces blasphemy investigation

MOSCOW (Reuters) - The head of Russia's renowned Hermitage Museum accused Russian authorities on Monday of fostering "mob rule" in taking up complaints by Russian Orthodox Christians over a British exhibit they said injured religious feelings.The row coincides with a surge in religious, nationalist sentiment in Russia, with President Vladimir Putin moving closer to the Orthodox Church to consolidate...

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Van Gogh dazzles at Netherlands' Kroeller-Mueller

AMSTERDAM (AP) — With the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam closed for renovations until April, the world's second-largest collection of the tortured Dutch master's work is stepping into the limelight.The Kroeller-Mueller museum in the eastern Netherlands is not as well-known but is still considered a jewel among connoisseurs. It has revamped the layout of its central rooms, giving more space and more...

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