Trade Round-Up: German Guy Scolds Hollywood
· Hollywood's out-of-work writers are given a ray of hope as scripted series seem to be selling at this year's Mip TV market in Cannes. Pull your heads out of the ovens and start wistfully browsing the WGA health plan brochure, boys, help may be on the way. [Variety]
· More Mip: "Not so fast, Yankees!" says some German media mogul we've never heard of. "Most of your puny American shows don't carry the market share that my powerful broadcasting company requires, and the DVD format has changed the game. Sprechen to the hand, Hollywood! I am so angry I've lost all command of my mother tongue!" [THR]
· Les Moonves brings to bear his infernal powers on the Masters, rigging it for an exciting Tiger Woods win, and boosting the ratings for CBS. [Variety]
· Riffling through the junk drawer of pilot casting, we discover that Shannen Doherty is in negotiations to star in the UPN comedy pilot Wingwoman. [THR]
· Alfre Woodard joins the cast of Desperate Housewives for next season, as a "seemingly normal" woman who eventually learns to despise Teri Hatcher for all of the media attention she receives as a stand-in for the show's fine ensemble cast. [Variety]