Watch: Panel Featuring Emmy-Nominated TV Directors Barry Jenkins, Zach Braff, Matt Shakman and More

For the SAG-AFTRA foundation, I conducted a Q&A with directors Barry Jenkins ("The Underground Railroad"), Zach Braff ("Ted Lasso"), Declan Lowney ("Ted Lasso"), Benjamin Caron ("The Crown") and Matt Shakman ("WandaVision"). The SAG-AFTRA Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing the most comprehensive, educational and state-of-the-art resources to SAG-AFTRA members.

'New Girl' Reunion: Watch as The Gang Gets Back Together for My Variety Panel

“New Girl” creator and showrunner Elizabeth Meriwether and cast members Zooey Deschanel, Max Greenfield, Jake Johnson, Lamorne Morris and Hannah Simone reunited in a panel moderated by me at Variety’s TVFest. We discussed the ways in which network television restrictions shaped the show; how Jess, Schmidt, Nick, Winston and Cece would have fared during the pandemic; whether a reboot will ever happen; and more. Watch below!

The Return to the Panel Stage, For the First Time in More Than a Year, Via 'Mythic Quest'

While TV Academy rules so far have limited FYC events to either online or via drive-in events, there’s no rule against throwing other gatherings that don’t include RSVPs through the official Academy membership list.

I know of one because, yes, I agreed to moderate it. On Monday I was live, on stage, in person at the Ford Amphitheater (outdoor, natch) with the cast and producers of Apple TV Plus’ “Mythic Quest”: Rob McElhenney, Ashly Burch, David Hornsby, Megan Ganz, Charlotte Nicdao, Danny Pudi, Imani Hakim and F. Murray Abraham.

On Saturday morning, someone came to my house to swab my nose, a COVID test to make sure I’m clean and ready to host Monday’s panel. (News flash: The test came back negative!) Listen, F. Murray Abraham is a national treasure, and I’m not about to hurt that, so I was more than happy to do the test. (As I’ve mentioned before, I’ve been vaxxed with the sweet one-dose J&J for months now, so all good.) Now, I have to admit, I was excited to actually moderate a panel in the flesh with other people, and not just inside Zoom boxes. It’s one of the reasons I quickly said yes — along with the fact that I’m a “Mythic Quest” fan.

And I'm so glad I did it, as it was a blast. Seeing people in person, rather in those Zoom boxes, and having an audience laugh and listen as we talk about Season 2 of "Mythic Quest"... it was great. But also surreal that after more than a year, we got so quick back into the old habits of shaking hands. Have we learned nothing?

Also, another shout out to F. Murray Abraham -- Maria and I told him that Nathan is a fan of his character, C.W. Longbottom, and he volunteered to record a message for him!

Between the Lines: Episodic Comedy Panel with 2021 Writers Guild Awards Nominees

For this panel I talked to the writers behind the TV scripts that are nominated for the 2021 Writers Guild Awards for Episodic Comedy. Pay no attention to the bizarre shape my head takes thanks to this Zoom background (sigh). Among the panelists:

Liz Feldman & Kelly Hutchinson - “It’s Not You, It’s Me” (Dead to Me)
Alex Kavallierou - “The Tank” (Grace & Frankie)
Kyle Lau - “Grandma & Chill” (Awkwafina Is Nora From Queens)
Bill Lawrence - “Pilot” (Ted Lasso)
Tony McNamara - “The Great” (The Great)
Isaac Oliver - “Trick” (High Maintenance)

'The Late Late Show' Host James Corden and Producers Talk About This Most Unusual Year (Panel Discussion)

I recently chatted with the creative team Behind "The Late Late Show with James Corden" for the Producers Guild of America. The panelists were host James Corden and executive producers Ben Winston and Rob Crabbe. We talked about producing the show in the age of COVID, their signature moments and much, much more. Watch above!

'The Amazing Race' Creators and Host Phil Keoghan on the Show's Most Dangerous Moments, COVID-19 Production Halt and More

I recently hosted a panel with the host and creators of CBS's "The Amazing Race" (Phil Keoghan, Elise Doganieri, and Bertram van Munster) at Paley Front Row 2020 to celebrate the show's long-awaited return. Topics include: Keoghan's marking his millionth mile traveled for the show and being too fatigued to celebrate; how the 32nd season was filmed in 2018, causing contestants to keep the outcome a secret for two years; the difficulties of finding new locales, new faces, and new challenges for each season; the shift to focus more heavily on contestants; if Keoghan and the producers get to spend "down time" in the exotic locales; how often van Munster and Doganieri must improvise the players' itinerary; and the hope that viewers will revel in "vicarious travel" while watching during the pandemic. Watch above!

"The Amazing Race" airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on CBS.

Watch: Eugene Levy Recounts His Career, and Gets Emotional When Friends and Family Pay Tribute

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to sit down with Eugene Levy -- virtually, of course -- and recap his career as part of the Newport Beach Film Festival's Lifetime Achievement Award. I didn't get a chance to tell him how much "SCTV" meant to be, but I was a big fan as a kid. "SCTV" was a parody of a TV network, and as a young TV geek, I was all in.

Of course, Levy has been a consistent part of popular culture for more than forty years, spanning multiple comedy franchises from “SCTV” in the 1970s and 1980s, all the way up to Pop TV’s “Schitt’s Creek,” the Emmy-nominated comedy hit that recently ended its run after six seasons.

Now, the accolades are following. Levy just earned his second consecutive Emmy nomination as lead actor in a comedy, for “Schitt’s Creek.” Last year brought him back into the Emmy race for the first time in 36 years.

“It’s always nice when people recognize what you do, and like what you do,” Levy tells me in this video as he accepts the Lifetime Achievement Award from home (due to the COVID-19 pandemic). “It’s rare to have a show like ‘Schitt’s Creek’ at this point in my career, in the so-called ‘twilight’ of one’s career. And to have created it with my son makes it even sweeter, certainly. It’s the show that I’m the most proud of, in anything that I’ve done and to have it come now is just fantastic.”

Comic-Con at Home: Mike Moderates the 'Phineas & Ferb The Movie' Panel

Well, it sure wasn't the same thing as being at the San Diego convention center, in front of fans, and braving the crowds of attendees in cosplay. But nonetheless, Comic-Con International went on this weekend, via an at-home edition. My small contribution this year was moderating the "Phineas & Ferb" panel, featuring reators and executive producers Dan Povenmire (also known as Prof. Doofenshmirtz) and Jeff "Swampy" Marsh (Major Monogram), director Bob Bowen and stars Ashley Tisdale (Candace), Vincent Martella (Phineas), Maulik Pancholy (Baljeet), and Dee Bradley Baker (Perry the Platypus). We shared an exclusive sneak peek of Disney Plus's upcoming "Phineas and Ferb The Movie: Candace Against the Universe" and discuss the origins of the animated series, plus a lot more. (You may recall I moderated and helped organize the "Phineas & Ferb" farewell panel in 2015.)

Watch this weekend's panel below:

'Community' Reunion: A Chat with Joel McHale, Donald Glover, Alison Brie, Dan Harmon and Everyone

On a recent Friday afternoon, I had the privilege of watching the cast of "Community," along with creator Dan Harmon and special guest star Pedro Pascal, as they read an episode of the show — and then answered a few questions from me, their friendly moderator. Very few, of course, because once this cast gets going, it's best to stay out of their way and let the chemistry roll.

As I wrote in my recap for Variety:

Fans hoping for a “Community” movie announcement are going to have to wait a little longer. The cast and creator Dan Harmon reunited recently for a table read, followed by a Q&A to reminisce about the show — but continue to tap dance around the notion that the second half of the show’s “Six Seasons and a Movie” prophecy might come true.

“We can’t make movies right now,” quipped Donald Glover, who was among the “Community” stars who gathered to read the Season 5 episode “Cooperative Polygraphy,” as part of an event to support COVID-19 relief charities. In particular, the reunion, which streamed on Monday on Sony Pictures TV’s “Community” YouTube page, was a benefit for Frontline Foods and José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen, two groups working to get means to frontline responders and vulnerable communities.

But here’s perhaps the breakthrough: During the Q&A, Glover said he would be game for such a film, joining his co-stars, all of whom have reiterated their desire for a “Community” movie. Star Joel McHale has suggested in various interviews that Glover — given his music career as Childish Gambino, his TV career with “Atlanta” and a film docket as well — might be too busy to join in.

Watch the full interview here:

'Live In Front of a Studio Audience': Norman Lear Tells Tales of the ABC Special (WATCH)

I recently had the honor of moderating a panel with Norman Lear and his production company partner Brent Miller that touched on their recent successes, including ABC's hit special "Live in Front of a Studio Audience" (which has now been picked up for two more editions), the Pop TV revival of "One Day at a Time," and much more. Held at the SAG-AFTRA Foundation on Aug. 6, 2019. Watch above!

'Superstore' Comic-Con Panel: What's Next for Mateo, Amy and Jonah, and Whether Dina Can Forgive Garrett (WATCH)

NBC's "Superstore" hit the San Diego Comic-Con stage for the first time last Thursday, and the reaction was electric. Much like last year's "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" panel, the fans couldn't contain their enthusiasm.

America Ferrera (AMY), Ben Feldman (JONAH), Mark McKinney (GLENN), Lauren Ash (DINA), Nico Santos (MATEO), Colton Dunn (GARRETT), Nichole Bloom (CHEYENNE), Kaliko Kauahi (SANDRA), and EPs Justin Spitzer, Gabe Miller and Jonathan Green discussed big questions, such as what happens to Mateo next, now that ICE has rounded him up for being undocumented. Serious subjects aside, there was room for plenty of antics as well.

Among the few revelations: The Mateo storyline will continue for some time, and not be easily wrapped up. But also, the march to unionization will continue, and there may be more conflict between Amy and Jonah.

Stay tuned... and watch a copy of the full panel above!

Scenes From Comic-Con 2019: 'Superstore,' 'DuckTales' and More

It was a quicker than usual Comic-Con for me, as I spent most of my time down in San Diego focused on moderating two panels: NBC's "Superstore," in its first time at SDCC; and Disney Channel's "DuckTales," a fan favorite with quite a few funny people in its voice cast.

Yes, that included getting to meet Lin-Manuel Miranda (who plays Gizmoduck/Fenton on "DuckTales") for the first time, and even taking an embarrassingly blurry selfie. I later had a wild sit-down video interview with the rest of the cast in town — Bobby Moynihan, Ben Schwartz, Kate Micucci and Paget Brewster — that involved a discussion of aliens and Area 51. (I'll post the video when it goes live.)

The "Superstore" panel was a huge treat, as the show's producers and stars visited Comic-Con for the first time and were overwhelmed by the fan response. That video is forthcoming as well. Check out some pics from the long weekend below:

Brooklyn Nine-Nine Celebrates Its Revival at Raucous Comic-Con Panel — Watch

The highlight of this year's Comic-Con is quite easy. I had the honor of moderating this year's "Brooklyn Nine-Nine" panel, which was a celebration of the show's revival on NBC after having been canceled by Fox. The cast came ready to play, and I knew the audience was ready to go the second I asked them for a "NINE NINE!"

Here's who participated:

o Luke Del Tredici (WRITER)
o Dan Goor (EP)
o Andy Samberg (JAKE PERALTA)
o Melissa Fumero (AMY SANTIAGO)
o Terry Crews (TERRY JEFFORDS)
o Stephanie Beatriz (ROSA DIAZ)
o Joe Lo Truglio (CHARLES BOYLE)
o Chelsea Peretti (GINA LINETTI)
o Dirk Blocker (HITCHCOCK)
o Joel McKinnon Miller (SCULLY)

NBC has uploaded the entire panel, watch below!



And a quick shot from the stage:

IndieWire's Fan Favorites Showrunners Panel: Top Producers on Getting Away with Salty Language, the Pros and Cons of Social Media, the Potential of a Writers Strike, and More

All of our producers managed to make the trek down -- and all the more amazing, "BoJack Horseman" creator Raphael Bob-Waksberg *literally* got to the convention center a minute before the panel, while "Mystery Science Theater 3000" producer/star Jonah Ray took the train down, was on the panel, then immediately took the train back to LA in time to perform a comedy set at the Shrine Auditorium for KROQ's annual "Kevin & Bean April Foolishness" comedy event.

It was a wide-ranging conversation, and things got raucous early when we talked about what words you can and can't say on TV. We also touched on plenty of hot topics, including the potential writers' strike, and the impact Trump has had on storylines.

IndieWire staffers Steve Greene and Hanh Nguyen joined me down in Anaheim to provide support, including photos and coverage. Hanh has a great writeup of the proceedings here.

The producers who attended -- Marc Guggenheim ("Arrow," "DC's Legends of Tomorrow," "Trollhunters"), Aline Brosh McKenna ("Crazy Ex-Girlfriend"), Jessica Goldberg ("The Path"), Raphael Bob-Waksberg ("BoJack Horseman"), Jonah Ray ("Mystery Science Theater 3000," "The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail," "Hidden America with Jonah Ray") and Sera Gamble ("The Magicians") had great interaction -- some of the best I've ever seen of producers together on one stage -- and were all appreciative at being a part of the event.

This was the sixth annual panel I've helped organize for WonderCon, and the first at IndieWire; hopefully it's the sign of more to come! A few more pics:

'Orphan Black': Celebrating One Final Season of Clone Club at PaleyFest

"Orphan Black" returns this June for one final season, and I had the chance to interview the cast one last time on stage at this year's PaleyFest. Fans were given a bonus treat: An early screening of the show's Season 5 premiere.

One of the most innovative shows on television, "Orphan Black" earned an Emmy last year for star Tatiana Maslany, who has wowed audiences for her portrayal of multiple clones on the show, each with their own distinct personality. The entire cast was a joy to interview, and their tight bond made the conversation a pleasure to moderate. (They're mostly Canadian, after all!)

My pal Diane has a full roundup of Tweets and more from the panel here, while Hanh wrote up the panel for IndieWire; an excerpt:

In attendance were Emmy winner Tatiana Maslany, Jordan Gavaris, Kristian Bruun, Kevin Hanchard, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Ari Millen, Josh Vokey, Maslany’s acting double Kathryn Alexandre and co-creators and executive producers Graeme Manson and John Fawcett.

The panelists had literally finished their final day of shooting the morning before, and were therefore exhausted and not just a little emotional. Thrilled to be together again after wrapping, the cast and producers were game to share behind-the-scenes stories, their thoughts about being on the show and tiny hints of what’s to come.

Cast and Producers’ Favorite Clones: Rachel (1), Sarah (2), Katja Obinger (1), Helena (2), Crystal (1), MK (1), Cosima (2). Maslany couldn’t pick just one, so she picked Allison, Helena and Rachel.

A few pics from the stage:

End of Year Roundup: My Top 10 Panels of 2016

One of the perks of the gig? Sitting down with actors, producers and executives to discuss TV – sometimes in front of hundreds (or, at Comic-Con, thousands) of screaming fans... and sometimes in front of jaded industry audiences. Either way, it's a unique way to get a bit more insight into the personality and professionalism of some industry heavy hitters. Some come to play, some are a bit more introspective and some are... a bit crazy. Here were my fave panels to moderate in 2016:

10. "Salem" stars Janet Montgomery, Shane West, Seth Gabel, Iddo Goldberg, Elise Eberle and executive producers Brannon Braga and Adam Simon (San Diego Comic-Con, July 22); and "Salem" stars Shane West, Elise Eberle, Joe Doyle and executive producer Brannon Braga (Savannah Film Festival, October 28)

So nice, I did 'em twice. "Salem" isn't for everybody -- just ask the elderly couple that walked out of the "Salem" screening at the Savannah Film Festival. But the stars couldn't be friendlier.

READ MORE: ‘Salem’ Season 3 Trailer: Promise of More Death, Destruction

9. Endemol Shine's Charlie Corwin, Warner Bros.' Mike Darnell, FremantleMedia's Trish Kinane, NBC's Paul Telegdy and WME's Sean Perry (HRTS newsmaker luncheon featuring reality TV execs and producers, May 24)

We made some news with this one, getting Telegdy to admit on the record that "The Apprentice" was pretty much the launching pad for Donald Trump's presidential campaign. Trust me, he heard from Trump pretty quickly!

READ MORE: ‘The Apprentice’ Is Responsible for Donald Trump’s Success in Presidential Race, NBC Exec Says (Variety)

8. Katie Couric (Panel for Epix's documentary "Under the Gun," May 3)

This was a tough one, a difficult subject -- and this was before the controversy surrounding the doc. But it was a good conversation, and one that offered hope (well, before the election season really got under way) that perhaps the tide was turning in the gun debate.

READ MORE: Katie Couric Documentary Aims to Reignite the Gun Debate

7. Kris Jenner and Todd Chrisley (NATPE, January 20)

Yes. This happened.

WATCH: A Chat with Todd Chrisley and Kris Jenner (YouTube)

6. Damon Lindelof, Ali Adler, Melissa Rosenberg, Scott M. Gimple, Craig DiGregorio, Paul Scheer (Wondercon Showrunners Panel, March 26)

Nothing better than getting a bunch of chatty, amiable showrunners together to talk shop. The Wondercon Showrunners panel is always one of my favorites, because these folks rarely get to see each other and swap stories.

WATCH HERE: Wondercon Showrunners Panel (YouTube)

5. Pharrell Williams (Variety's Inclusion Summit, November 1)

Interesting, introspective and passionate. Pharrell Williams wasn't an easy interview, but when you get him going, he's got a lot to say.

READ MORE: Pharrell Williams Calls on Women to Vote for Clinton, ‘Save This Nation’ (Variety)

4. "The Simpsons" Matt Groening, James L. Brooks, Al Jean, David Silverman, Matt Selman (Google VR Event at YouTube space, October 14)

I could talk for hours about "The Simpsons" with "The Simpsons" crew. Always fun, and I'm still not sure if Matt Groening was mocking me when he said my hair looked like Bart's.

LISTEN HERE: "The Simpsons" Producers Celebrate the Show's Longevity -- IndieWire's TURN IT ON Podcast

3. Steve Harvey (NATPE, January 20)

Another fun one -- this came just weeks after Steve Harvey's infamous Miss Universe flub, and we had a ton of fun dissecting that and other things. A great way to kick off the year.

LISTEN HERE: Steve Harvey Talks Miss Universe, Family Feud and Faith (KCRW)

WATCH: A Chat With Steve Harvey (YouTube)

2. Christian Slater (SAG-AFTRA Foundation, October 6)

Fun, playful and willing to chat at length about "Mr. Robot" and the evolution of his career.

WATCH: Christian Slater Reveals ‘Mr. Robot’ Secrets and What It’s Like to Work With Alf

1. "The Good Place" Ted Danson, Kristen Bell, Mike Schur, Drew Goddard (San Diego Comic-Con, July 21)

What can I say, Ted Danson is a national treasure -- and I told him that, an embarrassingly several times. Kristen Bell was great, and Mike and Drew are always fun. This year's Comic-Con highlight.

LISTEN HERE: Ted Danson, Kristen Bell, Mike Schur and Drew Goddard on Creating ‘The Good Place’ – IndieWire’s TURN IT ON Podcast

An Afternoon with Pharrell, Talking Entertainment, Inclusion and -- Of Course -- Trump

Variety's first-ever Inclusion Summit brought together some heavy industry hitters to talk diversity and more in entertainment. I moderated the final panel of the day, a chat with Pharrell Williams. And although Pharrell is fairly soft spoken, he's got a lot to say. Most of the chat was about "Hidden Figures," the movie he produced about three African-American women who were instrumental in working on the early U.S. space program. (Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae star).

Variety's Dan Holloway wrote up the highlights:

“If all the women in this nation decided to vote and support the first female candidate, there’d be nothing to worry about,” Williams said in a conversation with Indiewire executive editor and Variety editor-at-large Michael Schneider. “It’s that easy.”

Of Clinton, he added, “Has she been dishonest about things? Sure. Have you?” Accusing Clinton’s opponents and Trump of “gender bias,” he said, “She don’t lie no more than any other politician does.”

At the end of a conversation that focused on Williams’ wide-ranging career in film, television, and music — including as a producer of the upcoming feature “Hidden Figures,” Schneider asked Williams how the social and political polarization of the day has impacted him and his work. Williams responded with a long period of quiet.

“That silence in this room right now is often what I feel when you see some of the things that are being said, not just about my culture, but about women,” Williams said. He spoke of the need for women to wrest control of society from men. “I’m praying that women come together and save this nation,” he said. “You think about the destructive things that have come from mankind, it’s mostly men.”

Watch the video in this Variety tweet:

.@Pharrell Williams says he's praying for our nation #ElectionDay (Watch) pic.twitter.com/lswxZSKaIz

— Variety (@Variety) November 2, 2016

Meanwhile, Entertainment Tonight was also there, and filed this report:

When taking the stage with Variety's Editor-at-Large, Michael Schneider, Pharrell admitted he's "praying for the human condition." "I'm praying for women, I'm praying that we make better decisions," said the GRAMMY winner. "We're at a place and time where people say things -- and you'll see woman supporting that," adding "It ain't just men on that trail following that guy." Pharrell is of course referring to Trump and the leaked Access Hollywood video from 2005 where he can be heard making lewd comments about women, as well as the sexual assault allegations against the presidential candidate, which he has denied. "If all the woman in this nation decided to vote and support the first female candidate, there would be nothing to worry about," added the "Happy" singer. "It's that easy."

Hangin' With Mr. Robot: My Chat with Christian Slater

Last week I sat down with Christian Slater at the SAG-AFTRA Foundation for a wide-ranging chat about "Mr. Robot," his career and finally landing a big TV success. Along the way, "Pump Up the Volume" and "Heathers" were also mentioned. The SAG-AFTRA audience screened the Season 2 "Mr. Robot" episode that featured a "TGIF" sitcom parody and a cameo by ALF, so we talked a lot about that as well. Watch below!

Katie Couric on How She Hopes to Reignite the Gun Debate

A few weeks ago I had the privilege of moderating a panel with Katie Couric (watch above!), who's the executive producer behind "Under the Gun," a new documentary for Epix that dives deep into the struggle for sensible gun regulations. I wrote about it for Indiewire:

It may not be possible anymore to conduct civil discourse with Americans on guns. But Katie Couric hopes to change that.



The former "CBS Evening News" and "Today" anchor, now Yahoo's global news anchor, is behind the Epix documentary "Under the Gun," which aims at combating misconceptions about responsible gun ownership and background checks.

The film, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and has its TV debut on Sunday, comes during a presidential election season in which gun control hasn't been a major campaign issue — at least, not yet. "I've interviewed a number of the candidates, all 27,000 of them initially. The gun debate wasn't a part of the conversation," Couric told us recently, on stage at a panel discussion for "Under the Gun." "We've seen Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders talk about it, which is a welcome thing, it has its place in the conversation. It will be very interesting to see what will happen in the presidential debates. Each candidate will have to put their view on the line out there."

Couric and "Under the Gun" filmmaker Stephanie Soechtig previously collaborated on the 2014 documentary "Fed Up," about childhood obesity. Soechtig grew up near Newtown, Conn., the site of the 2012 shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School, which inspired them to make "Under the Gun."

"I said to Stephanie, 'I just don't understand the disconnect: 90 percent of people in this country support background checks and yet when it comes to the federal level, nothing is getting done,'" Couric said. "What is happening here? Usually the question 'why' leads me on these journeys. That's how we started doing this film."

Read more here.

KCRW's The Spin-Off: Steve Harvey on Cosby, #OscarsSoWhite, His TV Empire... And Yes, Miss Universe

On the latest special edition of KCRW's The Spin-Off, listen to my chat with Steve Harvey at last month's NATPE convention in Miami. We talked about Bill Cosby, #OscarsSoWhite, "Family Feud," his career... and yes, that Miss Universe moment:

After Steve Harvey accidentally named the wrong winner at this year’s Miss Universe pageant, it’s all anybody’s been wanting to talk to him about.

In this conversation with Michael Schneider, Harvey says he was devastated by the mistake, but still, in terms of mess-ups he’s made in his life, this one “ain’t even in the top 20.” The Miss Universe mix-up just happened to be the most public.

Harvey reflects on his decades-long career in the industry, the racism he’s experienced, and how his faith keeps him strong, even in the face of death threats following the Miss Universe pageant.

Listen below!