Trade Round-Up: Schwarzenegger Lies, Promises To Kill Paparazzi Last
· Preparing for the day that a lucky photographer captures him changing into a bathing suit and sells the resulting photographic evidence of his shrunken testes to the Enquirer, Governor Schwarzenegger signs a bill that triples the amount of damages a celebrity can sue a photographer for and holds their employers responsible as well. [Variety]
· ABC and Kelsey Grammer's Grammnet Productions are developing a sitcom for American Idol also-ran Constantine Maroulis, representing ABC's best chance to ruin the momentum it's gained over the past season. Credit Maroulis' canny agent with turning down ABC's first offer of a short guest stint as Eva Longoria's hairdresser. [THR]
· Var confirms CAA's poaching of UTA partner Dan Aloni and many of his top-shelf director clients, but UTA saves a shred of dignity by retaining Judd Apatow. [Variety]
· The WB forces its comedy and alternative departments to mate, hoping the that evil, inbred offspring will produce funnier reality shows and non-traditional sitcoms. [THR]
· UPN stops production of Sex, Love and Secrets after just one aired episode, but it seems unclear on how many of the seven shows they've already shot will air. Our completely wild guess is one more, just to observe the early-cancellation benchmark set by Fox's Head Cases. [Variety]
· HBO continues to enable Bob Saget's comeback. After a whore-banging turn on Entourage last season, they're giving him his own show to co-write, direct, and star in, an R-rated remake of The Courtship of Eddie's Father. The best part: Sags will play a gynecologist. [Variety]