Trade Round-Up: Someone Finally Claims Responsibility For "The Island"
· Screw Ovitz and his $140 million golden parachute: ABC and ESPN gives Disney's revenues a 16% boost. [Variety]
· Showtime's Weeds has a "modest" premiere, despite the fact that we've been barraged by publicity for the show. (Seriously, if we hear that ad that says the not-yet-aired series is "TV's most talked about comedy in ages," we're going to hurt a cute animal.) Guess you need a fat Scientologist to lampoon her cold career to make a debut on Showtime really pop. [THR]
· Adding legal insult to box office flop injury, The makers of 1979's Parts: The Clonus Horror are suing DreamWorks and Warner Bros, claiming The Island was based on their film. The litigants are seeking "unspecified damages and part of the proceeds" from the Michael Bay film. Will they take a settlement in rolls of pennies? [Variety]
· CBS's promotional wizards partner with Williams-Sonoma to target their fall schedule to upscale female viewers, offering promo DVDs and "original cooking segments with CBS stars" to W-S customers. The plan builds on a previous, hugely successful targeted marketing attempt involving CBS's biggest demo, CSI-branded bedpans distributed through selected retirement communities. Oh, their audience is so very old! [THR]
· More exciting CBS news: The net gives a mid-season order to the dramedy Love Monkey, starring Tom Cavanaugh and Jason Priestly. Did the twin Canadians test well with the upscale, espresso machine-buying ladies of Williams Sonoma? [Variety]