‘Alex Edelman: Just for Us’ Critically Acclaimed Comedy Show Gets Max Premiere Date, First Look Trailer (TV News Roundup)
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
HBO has unveiled the official trailer and premiere date for Alex Edelman’s upcoming comedy special, “Alex Edelman: Just for Us.” The special, which was recorded live at the Hudson Theatre in New York, will debut on HBO and be available to stream on Max April 6 at 10 p.m. ET/ PT.
“Just for Us,” chronicles Edelman’s life as a Jewish man living on the east coast and revolves around how he once attended a meeting of White Nationalists after receiving antisemitic threats online. This is Edelman’s second comedy special, his first being “Alex Edelman: Live at the BBC,” which was an hour long set he performed for Netflix UK in 2016.
More from Variety
Edelman is currently on an encore tour of “Just for Us,” this week in New York. Later this month, he’ll be back at Los Angeles’ Mark Taper Forum, where his show earned raves last fall.
Alex Timbers serves as director while Edelman produced, and executive produced with Mike Birbiglia. Marc Lieberman and Ally Engelberg are also executive producers under the Above Average banner.
Watch the trailer below:
Also in this week’s TV news roundup:
FIRST LOOKS
Amazon’s Prime Video series “Outer Range,” starring Josh Brolin, will premiere its Season 2 on May 16 with the release of all seven episodes. The streamer has also unveiled first look images.
The official description for the series reads, “’Outer Range’ centers on Royal Abbott (Josh Brolin), a rancher fighting for his land and family, who discovers an unfathomable phenomenon at the edge of Wyoming’s wilderness, in the form of a dark void. The mystery surrounding the enigmatic void on the west pasture of the Abbott family ranch deepens in Season Two, as Royal and his wife Cecelia (Lili Taylor) struggle to keep their family together in the aftermath of their granddaughter’s sudden disappearance. The stakes have never been higher for the Abbotts, who now face threats on multiple fronts. ‘Outer Range’’s second season propels its characters deeper into the void with profound and unforeseen circumstances that could shake the very foundations of time itself.”
Additional cast members include Imogen Poots, Lily Taylor, Tamara Podemski, Lewis Pullman, Tom Pelphrey, Noah Reid, Shaun Sipos, Isabel Arraiza, Olive Abercrombie and Will Patton.
Charles Murray serves as showrunner and executive producer. Brolin also executive produces and helms the penultimate episode of Season 2 in his directorial debut. Additonal executive producers include Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Ernest McNealey, Tony Krantz, Heather Rae and Jon Paré.
View some of the first look images below:
*
Apple TV+ has unveiled a first look at its new limited drama series “The Big Cigar.” Based on an article of the same name by American journalist Joshuah Bearman, “The Big Cigar” tells the true story of how Black Panther founder Huey P. Newton narrowly escaped capture by the FBI by fleeing to Cuba and hatching an elaborate plan involving famed producer Bert Schneider and a phony movie production.
André Holland stars as the civil rights activist, leading an ensemble cast of Alessandro Nivola, Tiffany Boone, PJ Byrne, Marc Menchaca, Moses Ingram, Rebecca Dalton, Olli Haaskivi, Jordane Christie and Glynn Turman.
Actor Don Cheadle is set to direct, and he will also executive produce along with Jim Hecht and Janine Sherman Barrois under their Folding Chair banner. Bearman, Joshua Davis and Arthur Spector will also executive produce through their company Epic.
The first two episodes will debut May 17, with new episodes coming every Friday.
PARTNERSHIPS
BBC Studios has launched a new 24-hour live news channel that will be distributed by AMC Networks on CTV/Fast Platforms. Pluto TV, Samsung TV Plus, Xumo Play, Vizio WatchFree+, Sling Freestream and Plex will serve as the initial launch partners that will carry the BBC News free, ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channel.
“BBC News is the world’s most trusted international news broadcaster, carrying the best of the BBC’s journalism and storytelling from around the globe. Driven by its public service mission and commitment to impartiality, the BBC News channel delivers 24-7 coverage of breaking news and moments of global significance in a way that only the BBC can,” BBC said in a statement. “AMC Networks is the distribution and sales representative for BBC News in the U.S. through its BBC America joint venture.”
This additional CTV/FAST distribution of BBC News will complement its existing wide distribution on pay TV platforms, including DirecTV, Comcast’s Xfinity, Charter’s Spectrum, YouTube TV, Philo, Dish and others.
BBC News programming includes flagship shows like “Verified Live,” “BBC News America,” “Newsday,” “Influential with Katty Kay,” “World Business Report” and staples “The Travel Show,” “Click” and “BBC Documentaries.”
“This is a significant milestone for the BBC as this launch will more than double the current reach and availability of the BBC News channel in the U.S. at a time when access to independent news and information is more important than ever,” Tara Maitra, CCO, global media & streaming, BBC Studios, said in a statement. “We’re proud to launch this channel with the support of so many of the leading CTV/FAST platform partners as we continue to expand the footprint of BBC News and bring the BBC’s journalism to wider audiences in the region.”
*
Moonbug Entertainment and VaynerWatt — a production studio founded by Gary Vaynerchuk, Eric Wattenberg, and Matt Higgins — have formed a strategic partnership to produce a content franchise based on the VeeFriends universe.
Created by Vaynerchuk, VeeFriends combines collectibles, events, games and technology. The 2D-animated show “VeeFriends,” rated for children ages 6-11, will take viewers into the VeeFriends universe and feature a collection of VeeFriends characters who compete in the VeeDome, battling out the biggest issues facing tweendom.
“I built VeeFriends in order to help change the world through dynamic characters that were both virtuous and entertaining, engaging and enlightening,” Vaynerchuk said in a statement. “I am excited to work with Candle Media and Moonbug Entertainment, which share many of the same core values, to expand this franchise for new platforms and audiences.”
Episodes will be released in late summer 2024 as three-minute shorts on YouTube.
EXECUTIVE NEWS
Brad Dancer has been named the EVP of research and insights at Canela Media, a minority-owned OTT media company that delivers programming and content targeted at Hispanic audiences. In the new role, Dancer will oversee Canela Audience Solutions, the company’s data-first solution enabling advanced audience targeting. He will be based in New York and report to Isabel Rafferty Zavala, Founder and CEO of Canela Media.
Having held positions at WWE, Disney and National Geographic Partners, his work has “brought together some of the most iconic global brands with the largest advertisers in the world, through innovative data-led integrations,” reads the statement.
At WWE, Dancer spearheaded initiatives meant to grow sponsorship revenue. At National Geographic Partners, he oversaw content and data strategy, including advertising integrations with partners.
“I am thrilled to become part of Canela Media as the company reaches its five-year anniversary, a major milestone having achieved such significant growth in such a short amount of time,” Dancer said. “Isabel and the team at Canela Media have created an amazing product with a scalable and meaningful audience and set the stage for continued success. I’m eager to leverage my expertise in insights, data and strategy to propel this company even further on its growth trajectory.”
AWARD SHOWS
Nickelodeon has set the time and place for its annual Kids’ Choice Awards 2024, which is set to air live on July 13 at 8 p.m. ET. After more than a decade, the show will make its return to Pauley Pavilion at the UCLA campus in Los Angeles to celebrate the favorite movies, television shows and sports teams of the younger generation. This year, Nickelodeon will also honor the 25th anniversary of nautical icon “SpongeBob SquarePants.”
“This summer, Nickelodeon will celebrate two of its biggest and most beloved franchises–the ‘KCAs’ and ‘SpongeBob SquarePants,’” said Ashley Kaplan, executive vice president of Nickelodeon’s Unscripted and Digital Studio. “Celebrating both in July creates incredible opportunities for both properties that win on every platform. Get ready for some nautical nonsense on the KCAs… Slime included!”
Since its premiere on July 17, 1999, “SpongeBob SquarePants” has spawned three feature films, a Tony Award-winning musical and two spinoff series. “SpongeBob” has swum his way into more than 180 markets and has been translated into over 30 languages.
DATES
Marc Brown, creator of the children’s’ show “Arthur,” has announced that his latest project “Hop,” will debut on Max April 4 in the U.S. “Hop,” which follows an group of best friends whose comedic antics inspire preschoolers to celebrate the uniqueness of themselves and those around them, was co-created by Brown and fellow “Arthur” alums Tolon Brown and Peter K. Hirsch. Epic Story Media serves as producer while the animation was done by Loomi Animation.
“I believe we’ve created a safe, inviting show that will challenge our viewers to understand and appreciate people who are not like them, and to encourage children to act with tolerance and kindness,” Brown said. “This show is a labor of love, and I hope it brings joy and inspiration to children and families everywhere.”
“Working with Marc, Peter and Tolon has been an absolute pleasure. Their commitment to inclusive storytelling and their skill at leading our entire creative team has been inspiring for everyone. I am especially proud of the authentic casting and the diverse writers and creative team we brought together for this series,” said Ken Faier, founder of Epic Story Media. “Our goal has always been to make epic content for kids with the world’s best creators. It’s a wonderful achievement and we are thrilled to be working with the team at Max and Warner Bros. Discovery. More announcements from around the world to come!”
HONORS
Screenwriter Ron Nyswaner, who penned films like “Smithereens,” “Philadelphia” and “The Painted Veil,” will be honored with the Writers Guild of America East’s Walter Bernstein Award at the 76th Annual Writers Guild Awards.
Named in honor of one of the Writers Guild of America East’s most “distinguished and courageous members,” the Walter Bernstein Award honors writers who have “demonstrated with creativity, grace and bravery a willingness to confront social injustice in the face of adversity.”
Most recently, Nyswaner created and produced the Showtime miniseries “Fellow Travelers,” based on the novel by Thomas Mallon, which follows the volatile romance of two men who meet in 1950s Washington DC, just as Joseph McCarthy and Roy Cohn initiate the Lavender Scare, declaring war on “subversives and sexual deviants.”
“Philadephia” was the first major Hollywood film to focus on the discrimination suffered by people with AIDS and was among the first to feature a homosexual main character. The screenplay earned him a nod for best original screenplay at the Academy Awards and Writers Guild Awards.
“I’m incredibly honored by this award named after Walter Bernstein,” Nyswaner said. He was a brilliant writer who epitomized courage, integrity, and compassion. I’m grateful to my colleagues in the WGAE for giving it to me. I hope I can live up to it.”
The WGA East will return on April 14 and be held in New York’s Edison Ballroom.
*
Alex Borstein, an Emmy-winning actress known for “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” and “Family Guy,” will receive the next “Made in NY” award from the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment. MOME Commissioner Pat Swinney Kaufman will present Borstein with the award March 27 at the New York Women in Film & Television 44th Annual Muse Awards.
“While I can’t say I was made in New York, New York most certainly made me. It made me fall in love with its energy. It made me work harder than I’ve ever worked in my life. It made me feel its unique rhythm and understand the pull it still has over the masses that will forever flock to it. In 1956, my mother, and what was left of her family, fled to New York to build a life and now, sixty-eight years later, I am beyond honored to receive this award from the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment,” Borstein said in a statement.
The “Made in NY” award recognizes the achievements of people and organizations that have made significant contributions to New York City’s entertainment and digital media industries over the course of their careers. Previous recipients include Noah Baumbach, Danielle Brooks, Sheila Nevins, Robert De Niro and Jeffrey Wright.
DEALS
Allen Media Group announced a multiyear comprehensive portfolio renewal agreement with Charter Communications for continued carriage of AMG cable television networks, including The Weather Channel, TheGrio, Justice Central.TV, Pets.TV, Recipe.TV and Cars.TV. The deal also includes a retransmission renewal for Allen Media Broadcasting television stations on Charter’s Spectrum platforms.
“We are delighted to continue growing our relationship with Charter Communications,” said Byron Allen, founder, Chairman and CEO of Allen Media Group. “Charter and Spectrum have been phenomenal partners to our television networks and our broadcast television stations, and we look forward to prospering from this mutually-beneficial arrangement for years to come.”
*
Overtime, a sports media company geared to Gen Z audiences, expanded its partnership with the NFL in a pact under which Overtime’s football league, OT7, will now be distributed on the NFL Network and NFL+. Games will be broadcast on the NFL Network and NFL+ on Saturdays and Sundays from 4-6 p.m. ET during OT7’s regular season. Outside of that programming block, OT7 games will be available to stream on the Overtime SZN YouTube channel. The OT7 regular season kicks off April 6, with the championship series to be held June 6-9.
“OT7 is where you’ll find the future players of the NFL,” said Hunter Mandel, GM of Overtime Football, OT7. “The competition is elite for the players who participate, some becoming five-star prospects overnight, and for the fans who watch it.”
Best of Variety
Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
