Movies/TV category, Page 92
TV Talk: Former KDKA-TV reporter Julie Grant announces the National Spelling Bee; ‘Pistol’ premieres
Former KDKA-TV legal reporter Julie Grant, now a Court TV anchor, will be an announcer for live coverage of the “2022 Scripps National Spelling Bee” next week, a full-circle moment for the Steubenville, Ohio, native who once attended the Bee in Washington, D.C., as a competitor. Moving from its long-time...
TV Q&A: What’s going on with Pirates baseball TV coverage?
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen answers reader questions every Wednesday at TribLive.com in a column that also appears in the Sunday Tribune-Review. Question: I moved about 50 miles north of Pittsburgh to New Galilee, Pa. Where I live, there is only one network/cable system available in that area...
TV Talk: ‘This is Us’ ends quietly, poignantly; bloated ‘Stranger Things’ returnsVideo
This column contains spoilers for the series finale of NBC’s “This is Us,” which aired May 24, 2022. After last week’s episode about the death of Rebecca Pearson (Mandy Moore), viewers could have come into the series finale expecting a “Six Feet Under”-style, time-hopper that showed what became of each...
TV Talk: WTAE-TV hires new sports anchor
WTAE-TV has hired a new weekend sports anchor. Emily Giangreco, currently at KVUE-TV in Austin, Texas, tweeted that she’ll join Channel 4, with her last day on-air in Texas set for this weekend. A Washington, D.C., native who studied broadcast journalism and communications at West Virginia University, Giangreco got her...
Pittsburgh Pop podcast: Talking summer TV, ‘Stranger Things,’ Tom Brady, ‘Top Gun’ and ‘George Carlin’s American Dream’Video
In this episode of the “Pittsburgh Pop” podcast, host Tim Benz and TV Talk columnist Rob Owen discuss Pittsburgh pop culture news of the moment, including the Pirates on streaming. Owen reviews Netflix’s “Stranger Things 4” and talks about what else to expect from summer (and fall) TV, including “She-Hulk:...
Kate McKinnon, Pete Davidson departing from ‘SNL’
NEW YORK — Kate McKinnon and Pete Davidson are among those departing from “Saturday Night Live,” leaving the sketch institution without arguably its two most famous names after Saturday’s 47th season finale. Aidy Bryant and Kyle Mooney will also leave the cast after the episode hosted by Natasha Lyonne. The...
TV Talk: Broadcasters announce fall prime-time plans, renewals, cancellationsVideo
Managing the decline of a broadcast empire requires compromises as the Big Four networks made clear during this week’s “upfronts” in New York, an annual tradition where broadcasters try to entice advertisers to commit ad dollars to their new season lineup in advance. As media companies prioritize their streaming services,...
With sequel plans, Rob Reiner turns ‘Spinal Tap’ up to 11
CANNES, France — One of the most memorable lines — and Rob Reiner’s personal favorite — of “This Is Spinal Tap” goes: “There’s a fine line between stupid and clever.” You could say the same thing about the classic 1984 mockumentary. It could have so easily not panned out. No...
TV Talk: Partially Pittsburgh-set ‘This Is Us’ goes out on topVideo
W hile some viewers will be sad to see NBC’s family drama “This Is Us” conclude its six-year run at 9 p.m. May 24, it’s at least comforting to know the partially Pittsburgh-set series ends on its own terms with its initial quality largely intact. The show also ends on...
No more streaming-only debuts for Oscar hopefuls
The Oscars are getting back to normal, eligibility-wise. After two years of pandemic-related adjustments, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said Wednesday that Oscar hopefuls will once again have to launch their films in movie theaters. Qualifying films are allowed to premiere “day and date” in movie theaters...
Chris Wallace interview show to be featured on CNN Sundays
NEW YORK — Chris Wallace will host a Sunday night interview show for CNN starting this fall, the network said Wednesday in announcing a new home for the best-known personality from the since-imploded CNN+ streaming service. “Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace,” which will also air on HBO Max, was the...
TV Q&A: Why cover a water main break that affects few viewers?Video
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen answers reader questions every Wednesday at TribLive.com in a column that also appears in the Sunday Tribune-Review. Q: Breaking news! Water main break! With six hours of local news per day, it is amazing that reporters from KDKA-TV, WTAE-TV and WPXI-TV spend so...
Bill Cosby lawyers cry foul as civil sex assault trial looms
SANTA MONICA, Calif. — With jury selection less than a week away, attorneys scrambled to deal with shifting evidence Tuesday in Bill Cosby’s civil trial over allegations that he sexually assaulted a teenage girl at the Playboy mansion nearly 50 years ago. Plaintiff Judy Huth said in a recent court...
TV Talk: WTAE-TV hires 11 p.m. anchor; Netflix film seeks extras
WTAE-TV didn’t name an 11 p.m. co-anchor to sit alongside Mike Clark when the station announced an anchor realignment in February, but now they have with the hiring of Kristen Powers. She’ll join Clark, chief meteorologist Mike Harvey and sports director Andrew Stockey on Channel 4’s late newscast the last...
‘Lightning over Braddock’ screening at Carnegie Museum of Art
The first feature film made by legendary documentary filmmaker Tony Buba, “Lightning Over Braddock: A Rustbowl Fantasy,” will be shown for free Saturday at the Carnegie Museum of Art in Oakland. The 1:30 p.m. screening will be introduced by Edith Abeyta, artist and founder of Arts Excursions Unlimited. A discussion...
Pittsburgh Pop podcast: Talking NFL TV schedule, WTAE sports reporter, ‘Shark Tank,’ ‘Hacks’ and upfront week
In this episode of the “Pittsburgh Pop” podcast, host Tim Benz and TV Talk columnist Rob Owen discuss Pittsburgh pop culture news of the moment, including the Steelers’ 2022 NFL prime-time TV schedule and WTAE-TV fill-in sports reporter Ashley Liotus. Owen reviews HBO Max’s “Hacks” and talks about Jon Shanahan,...
‘Doctor Strange 2’ keeps hold on top spot in 2nd weekend
“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” stayed on top of the box office charts during its second weekend in theaters, earning an additional $61 million from North American theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday. With $688 million in global grosses, it’s already one of the highest grossing films of...
Manor Theatre celebrates a century in Squirrel Hill
You know a movie theater has been around for a long time when the first film it ever showed was a silent hit at the time. That’s a boast that the Manor Theatre in Squirrel Hill can make. When it opened on Murray Avenue exactly 100 years ago on May...
TV Talk: Broadcast networks mostly stick with game, competition shows in summerVideo
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen offers a viewing tip for the coming week. The summer broadcast TV season kicked off earlier this month with the return of “Holey Moley” and “The Chase” on Tuesday nights on ABC and continues this week with Fox’s “So You Think You Can...
Review: ‘Top Gun’ sequel a welcome trip to the danger zoneVideo
Early on in “Top Gun: Maverick,” Tom Cruise hops on his sleek motorcycle, wearing Aviator sunglasses and a leather jacket with patches, and speeds into a time machine. No, that’s not right. It’s actually us who take a trip back. More than 30 years after Cruise smirked his way to...
Summer Movie Calendar: From ‘Top Gun 2’ to ‘Thor 4’ and more
A rundown of notable films coming out this summer: May 6 “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” (Disney, theaters): After breaking open the multiverse in “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” Benedict Cumberbatch once again takes center stage as the brilliant Doctor Strange as he and Wong deal with new enemies...
TV Talk: ‘Hacks,’ ‘Lincoln Lawyer’ lead onslaught of summer cable, streaming premieresVideo
The summer TV season began on cable and streaming in late April as platforms debuted prestige programs in time for Emmy consideration. That was only the start. This week’s premieres include the return of “Hacks,” now streaming on HBO Max. Through the first six episodes of season two, “Hacks” remains...
TV Talk: Pittsburgh native enters ‘Shark Tank’ to pitch unique men’s productVideo
If you’re a “Shark Tank” viewer, you might expect Kevin “Mr. Wonderful” O’Leary to have something snarky to say when presented with the opportunity to invest in makeup for men. But 2009 Baldwin High School grad Jon Shanahan said the sharks were surprisingly receptive to the pitch he and Stryx...
TV Q&A: Where has KDKA-TV’s Josh Taylor been?
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen answers reader questions every Wednesday at TribLive.com in a column that also appears in the Sunday Tribune-Review. Q: I haven’t seen Josh Taylor on weekend sports on Channel 2 or heard him on 93.7 The Fan in a while. Where has he been?...
TV Talk: Billy Gardell back in town; Pitt history-maker featured in ‘Sky Blossom’
Swissvale native Billy Gardell (“Bob Hearts Abishola”) was back in Pittsburgh this past weekend to tape an episode for the upcoming second season of CBS’s “Secret Celebrity Renovation.” In its first season last year the show featured celebrities in sports, music and entertainment gifting a surprise home renovation to a...
