MIKE ON RADIO: Bantering About Harvey, Mark Burnett and Garcetti on KCRW's "The Business"

It's always fun driving over to Santa Monica and visiting the basement studios of KCRW to record a banter session for the station's Hollywood news show "The Business." This week, I sit down with Kim Masters to chat about a few things hitting the industry. This edition even manages to work in a cross-section of my two passions: TV and Los Angeles! Take a listen below. Here's the logline for this edition:

Kim Masters and Michael Schneider, LA Bureau Chief for TV Guide Magazine, banter about this week's top entertainment news stories. (John Horn is away.)

- Harvey Weinstein and Warner Bros are embroiled in a legal battle over the title of the film, The Butler. Is this another Weinstein publicity stunt?
- Mark Burnett and Roma Downey sell their sequel to their History channel miniseries, The Bible, to NBC. Is NBC getting sloppy seconds for a big price tag?
- Eric Garcetti, LA's new mayor, calls runaway production out of the city "an emergency" and announces plans to create a "Film Czar."

Did "Political Animals" Name Its President After Eric Garcetti?

In USA Network's new Washingto-set drama "Political Animals," Adrian Pasdar plays the President of the United States, while Sigourney Weaver, whose character initially ran against him (shades of Hillary Clinton), is now his Secretary of State.

Pasdar's name on the show? "President Paul Garcetti."

Wait, "Garcetti"? As in city councilman Eric Garcetti, currently running for mayor of Los Angeles? I asked executive producer Laurence Mark if the character was indeed named after our Garcetti (or even his equally famous dad Gil) -- but Mark says it's a complete coincidence: "Oh gosh, seriously, literally it never crossed our mind," Mark told me. "But now that you say something, it should have." Mark says it's not meant to be either pro- or anti- our Garcetti. "We're not fans and we're not not fans," he says.

"Political Animals" premieres Sunday, July 15 at 10 p.m. on USA Network. Meanwhile, what's the deal with all of these Washington, D.C.-set shows suddenly showing up on television? Besides "Political Animals," there's HBO's "Veep," NBC's upcoming "1600 Penn," Showtime's "Homeland," and more. I talk about the trend in this week's TV Guide Magazine; read about it here.

Eric Garcetti on the 'All My Children' Cancellation

Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti was instrumental in securing an L.A. home for ABC's "All My Children," which moved from New York to Glassell Park's Andrita Studios just last year.

The move was meant as a cost-cutting way to keep "All My Children" alive. Even star Susan Lucci, not a fan of the move (none were) eventually agreed to switch coasts.

Of course, it was all for nothing. ABC announced today that both "All My Children" and "One Life to Live" would be canceled.

It was a bit of a blow for Garcetti, who celebrated the move just a year ago by appearing as himself on an episode (above, he played himself, visiting fictional Pine Valley and meeting with David Canary's character about environmentally friendly initiatives.)

Here's Garcetti's statement on the news:

While we are disappointed that the ratings just aren't there for the network to keep "All My Children" on the air, I am proud that we were able to move the show from New York and demonstrate to other productions the benefits -- whether financial, facilities or personnel -- of filming in Los Angeles. My office has worked diligently to attract and retain production in Los Angeles, and we're going to start looking for ways we can help fill the "All My Children" studio space when it becomes available.

"All My Children" airs its final episode in September.

In Honor of Tucson Victims, L.A. Flags at Half-Staff on Monday

The City of Los Angeles will join New York and other locales on Monday in lowering their flags to half-staff. Flags will be brought down as a tribute to the victims of Saturday's Tucson shooting.

City Council president Eric Garcetti confirmed earlier tonight via Twitter exchange with Sheigh Crabtree that L.A. would participate in the tribute.

The tragedy, of course, had an L.A. connection: Nine-year-old Christina Green, who died in the aftermath, was the daughter of Dodgers scout John Green.

City Council Celebrates Stan Chambers' Career

Friend of Franklin Avenue Tess Inman -- who's been chronicling the demise of the Ambassador Hotel (see her past pics here) was on hand last week as retiring KTLA staple Stan Chambers was honored by the L.A. City Council.


Stan and his wife, Gege.


Stan and Gege, along with City Council president Eric Garcetti.


Stan Chambers' family (including grandson Jamie, now a KTLA reporter) along with Garcetti.

Pic of the Day: Dreaming of a White-Haired Politico

Total Recall: City Council president Eric Garcetti must have sat behind former Gov. Gray Davis during Obama's recent visit. He posted this pic via Twitter, and wrote: "Can't miss Gov. Gray's awesome head of hair!"

"All My Children" Star David Canary to Leave: The Eric Garcetti connection

Was it something Eric said?

Strange coincidence that "All My Children" star David Canary announced today that he was leaving the soap opera after 27 years. Today also happens to be the air date for Los Angeles City Council president Eric Garcetti's appearance on the show.

Garcetti was there to signify "AMC's" move out West, to the Andrita Studios in Glassell Park. He played himself, visiting fictional Pine Valley and meeting with Canary's character about environmentally friendly initiatives. (Yeah, perhaps a bit of a stretch.)

Here's the word on Canary's exit:

Mr. Canary joined the cast of "All My Children" in 1983, playing the powerful and mercurial Adam Chandler, as well as Adam's shy and gentle twin, Stuart, and was honored with Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor for his portrayal of these characters in 1988, 1989, 1993, 1995 and 2001. Mr. Canary will continue to be on air through the end of April, 2010. Fans can expect a scandalous end to his marriage to Annie (Melissa Claire Egan) and a reunion with one of his former ex-wives. In true standing with “All My Children” history, the aftermath of his departure will leave a fight for power within the Chandler household.

Mr. Canary said: "My career on 'All My Children' has given me more than words could ever covey, both professionally and personally. I have cherished each and every moment. I would like to thank all the fans who have tuned in throughout the years. Their love and support has meant the world to me. I truly feel that I will leave the show in great hands. Viewers will be happy with how Adam departs the canvas, and I know that leaving JR (Jacob Young) as head of the Chandler household will continue to provide the show with many great stories to come. This is not the last you've seen of Adam Chandler. I will be back to check up on the Chandler Clan."

Villaraigosa and Garcetti, Soap Opera Stars

The "All My Children" episodes featuring Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and City Council president Eric Garcetti are set to air next week.

According to ABC, "the Mayor will play himself, crossing paths with Erica Kane (Susan Lucci) at ConFusion, the local hotspot that's owned in part by Erica Kane. The two will have a back story of having met at a charity event in LA the year before." Still not sure how Villaraigosa just happens to wind up in the fictional town of Pine Valley.



Garcetti, meanwhile, will appear in a scene with David Canary (who plays the role of Adam Chandler). "His story will find him in Pine Valley, meeting Adam Chandler about the initiatives they are taking together to make Chandler Enterprises more environmentally friendly." How Garcetti's jurisdiction suddenly includes Pine Valley is also a mystery.

Garcetti's episode runs Feb. 16, while Villaraigosa will be seen Feb. 17. The duo, of course, were invited to be on the show as part of "All My Children's" big move to Andrita Studios in Glassell Park.

(Photos: ABC/Rick Rowell)

Christmas Tree Lighting Attracts Massive Crowd in Atwater Village

More than 1,000 people showed up to usher in the holidays Thursday night in Atwater Village.

The occasion: Atwater Village's 17th annual tree lighting ceremony. Yes, it's big -- and so is the tree, a natural one that sits on a Glendale Blvd. median all year round, waiting for its annual spotlight come December.

Not only is the Atwater Village tree lighting ceremony one of the biggest of any L.A. neighborhoods, but I'm guessing that it's the only one sponsored in part by the Black Eyed Peas. That's right, the group, which records in the neighborhood, was one of several donors who helped make the event possible.

Of course, the event dragged on a little too long for my taste -- light the tree, dammit! But the crowd wasn't just there for the tree; they were also there to catch their children and neighbors from various schools perform. And, perhaps, to feel the Eric Garcetti love.

By the end, Blogger Preschooler was falling asleep, but we managed to prop him up long enough to witness Santa roll in on his fire truck ride. A few more shots:

Disney Star Demi Lovato to Headline Hollywood's Santa Parade and Winterfest

Hollywood's Santa Parade -- last year's hastily-organized event launched to fill the void when the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce dropped the 75-year-old Hollywood Christmas Parade -- is coming back, and will now be a part of a day-long event dubbed "Hollywood Holiday."

Event -- sponsored by Radio Disney -- was announced Monday by Los Angeles City Council President Eric Garcetti and Councilmember Tom LaBonge. It'll take place on Sunday, Nov. 30. From the press release:

The 2008 Hollywood Holiday will include Winterfest, an all-day street festival that will include a free Radio Disney performance by Hollywood Records recording artist and Disney Channel actress Demi Lovato... The festivities will also include a parade featuring marching bands from across the country, equestrian units, floats, and Santa Claus.

“This year’s Hollywood holiday festivities will bring family entertainment to the boulevard in a fresh, exciting format," said Council President Garcetti.

Winterfest will run from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and will be located on Hollywood Boulevard at Highland Avenue. The family event will feature games, food, and a stage where event-goers can watch performances by Radio Disney favorites, including Demi Lovato. The City of Los Angeles, Lift Up America, and the Hollywood Youth Foundation are presenting sponsors of Winterfest, which will include a special “VIP” area for more than 1,000 children who participate in Los Angeles-area programs for underprivileged youth.

At 5 p.m., the Hollywood Santa Parade will begin at the corner of Hollywood and Highland. Grandstand seats are available for $35 and discounts are available for groups of 25 or more. The City of Los Angeles has contracted with Hollywood’s Santa Parade LLC to produce this parade.

Garcetti first hinted at the lineup last night via his Facebook status.

Details on the fall and rebirth of the Hollywood parade here.

(Updated throughout.)

The LA City Nerd Is Back -- Sorta

It's been several months since the L.A. City Nerd went into self-imposed exile, yanking the plug on his popular, anonymous blog -- and virtually disappearing from view.

But the Nerd may be back. He's been aggressively bulking up a new Facebook page, sending out friend requests to Angelenos (bloggers and otherwise) around town. On the site, he also still lists his blog -- LACityNerd.blogspot.com -- even though access is still restricted.

So far, the Nerd isn't talking -- except for a brief comment after Brady Westwater left a message, asking where he's been. "I'm here. Keeping tabs on the City in a low-key manner," the Nerd wrote in reply.

The LACN's reappearance comes a week after MetBlogs L.A. broke the news that L.A. councilperson Eric Garcetti was the LA City Nerd. That announcement came... on April Fool's Day. No, Garcetti may know his city well, but he isn't the Nerd.

SAG Awards: Good Night for the Underdogs; and After-Partyin' with L.A. Politicos

It was the Screen Actors Guild's turn Sunday night to hand out trophies, as the winter awards season marches on. I was there at the Shrine Auditorium, clapping hard at several well-deserved wins ("Ugly Betty's" America Ferrara; the ensemble cast of "The Office") and wondering whether "Grey's Anatomy" star Ellen Pompeo should have rehearsed her speech (the answer: yeah, she should have) when the show won.

It was a good night for thesps who didn't represent the stereotypical Hollywood ideal. In her surprise win, "Grey's Anatomy" star Chandra Wilson touched on it: "Just to be able to take this thing home to my girls, in particular, and hold it in front of them and say, 'Look, with this skin and this nose, and this height, and these arms,' you know, 'I’m here!'"

It was a good night for the Brits too -- something Eddie Murphy alluded to, kicking off his acceptance speech with a British accent. ("It’s just when the British people come and get the awards, it’s so smooth with their stuff," he said. "And I feel goofy up here ‘cause I don’t be winning stuff.")

The SAG show is pretty no-frills: No host, no entertainment, no montages (other than the obits), and few memorable moments. A ballyhooed "Mary Tyler Moore Show" reunion lasted all of three minutes, as cast members did little more than present the award for this year's best comedic ensemble.

At the after party, saw "The Office" exec producer Greg Daniels, and proceeded to gush about certain episodes.

Also spotted: Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (hovering by the dessert table), City Council chair Eric Garcetti and council president pro tempore Wendy Greuel.

Garcetti told me it was his first-ever SAG awards as well; he earlier ran into "The Closer" star Kyra Sedgwick, who works with Garcetti's ex-D.A. dad Gil (who's a consulting producer on the show).

I also asked the very personable Garcetti about his stint in the Navy reserve. He still has at least another year of training, but after that could easily be called into active duty -- much of his unit has already been sent overseas. Originally, he would have been termed out of the City Council in 2009 -- but with the passage of Prop R, Garcetti can now run for a third term.

Garcetti was a firm supporter of Prop R -- so it would be ironic if he couldn't take advantage of the relaxation of term limits himself; being called up for active duty would complicate things, obviously. (But that's still at least a year down the road.) Nice to finally meet Garcetti in person -- his CD-13 blog has linked to Franklin Avenue in the past, and we emailed last year over L.A.'s plans (or, ultimately, lack of plans) for its 225th birthday.