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The Funny Pit premieres November 4 on YTV

From a media release:

NEW COMEDY SERIES “THE FUNNY PIT” TO PREMIERE THIS NOVEMBER ON YTV

  • The new half-hour television program is helmed by comedian Roman Danylo

Corus Entertainment’s YTV kids and family channel has picked up a new gag-comedy series “The Funny Pit”. Helmed by comedian Roman Danylo (Comedy Inc.), produced by Thunderbird Films, in association with Great Pacific Television, this half-hour water cooler series premieres on Sunday, November 4th at 9:30pm ET/PT on YTV.

The Funny Pit is a laugh out loud mash up composed of hidden camera gags, video gags, pranks, bloopers, hilarious family portraits, wipe outs, talking pets, fake or for real video quizzes and man on the street social experiments, with outrageous results that can only be seen on this creative new show. Ring leader, Roman Danylo, guides viewers through these hilarious happenings and adds his own comedic flair to the mix. Stand-up comedians Ryan Steele, Amy Goodmurphy, Toby Hargrave, Paul Bae and Ivan Decker also guest star.

Viewers are encouraged to send in their own humorous homemade videos and photographs, which can feature children, adults or animals during their most spontaneous and hilarious moments. Videos can be submitted here: www.thefunnypittv.com

A must see for comedy fans, the series will provide viewers with the laughs they are craving, which will keep them coming back for more week after week.

About Roman Danylo

Roman Danylo has appeared in several TV series including The Debaters, Corner Gas, Just For Laughs, Made in Canada, and has taped two stand-up specials for Comedy Now. For five seasons, Roman starred in a sketch comedy series called Comedy Inc. for which he was nominated for two Gemini awards and in 2004 Roman won a Leo Award for his performance in CBC’s Western Alienation Comedy Hour. Roman has been an entertainer for more than 20 years, performing customized shows for Bill Gates, Glaxo Smith Kline, Canadian Tire, Kellogg’s and hundreds more.

Roman will be touring across the country in November 2012 as part of the JFL Comedy Tour and will provide the tour with a new opening element called THE IMPROVISERS, involving some of the best improvisers from across Canada. Roman enjoys water sports, raisins and some humans. For more information on Roman Danylo visit: www.romandanylo.com

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Orphan Black

More casting announced for Orphan Black

From a media release:

Additional Casting For SPACE Original Series ORPHAN BLACK Announced as Production Begins in Toronto

  • Gemini Award-winner Maria Doyle Kennedy, Dylan Bruce, and Jordan Gavaris among principal cast, and join previously announced lead Tatiana Maslany
  • From Temple Street Productions, ORPHAN BLACK is set to premiere in 2013 on SPACE and BBC America

Bell Media’s SPACE, BBC America, and Temple Street Productions announced today that production has begun in Toronto on the highly-anticipated original drama series ORPHAN BLACK, shooting on location and in studio through February 12, 2013. The enthralling new scripted series co-created by Graeme Manson (Cube, FLASHPOINT) and John Fawcett (SPARTACUS, THE SECRET CIRCLE), stars previously announced Tatiana Maslany (Cas & Dylan, Picture Day) in the lead role of Sarah, an outsider and orphan whose life changes dramatically after assuming the identity of a dead stranger who looks just like her. Additional principal casting for the series includes Gemini Award-winner Maria Doyle Kennedy (THE TUDORS, DOWNTON ABBEY), Dylan Bruce (AS THE WORLD TURNS, THE BAY), and Jordan Gavaris (DEGRASSI, UNNATURAL HISTORY). The 10-episode, one-hour series is produced by Temple Street Productions for SPACE and BBC America, and is set to premiere in 2013.

In ORPHAN BLACK, after witnessing a woman’s suicide, Sarah assumes her identity hoping that cleaning out the dead woman’s bank account will solve all of her problems. Instead, she’s thrust headlong into a kaleidoscopic mystery. She makes the dizzying discovery that she and the dead woman are clones – but are they the only ones? With an assassin hot on her trail, Sarah is racing for answers.

Rounding out the ORPHAN BLACK principal cast is: Kevin Hanchard (THE LISTENER, REPUBLIC OF DOYLE), Michael Mando (Territories, LES BLEUS DE RAMVILLE), Elizabeth Saunders (SAVING HOPE), and Ron Lea (SAVING HOPE, Saw IV).

“We are delighted to start production on this exciting new series,” said Corrie Coe, Senior Vice-President, Independent Production, Bell Media. “When we confirmed Tatiana as Sarah, we had one major piece of the puzzle, and now everything has fallen into place with the addition of this enthralling and passionate principal cast.”

“ORPHAN BLACK is a breakthrough show, creatively and technologically. We’re thrilled with the talented cast Temple Street Productions has assembled led by extraordinary young actress Tatiana Maslany. We can’t wait to launch this edge-of-your-seat thrill ride series,” said Perry Simon, General Manager, Channels, BBC Worldwide America.

“We’re very excited to be working with Graeme and John on bringing ORPHAN BLACK to the screen. Its become a passion project that just happens to touch upon the very timely topic of self-identity. When we began working on this series, we were driven by the quality of the writing and the scope of the themes,” said David Fortier, Executive Producer and Co-President, Temple Street Productions.

“Now we have a formidable cast, led by the unbelievably talented Tatiana Maslany, as well as three terrific partners in SPACE, BBC AMERICA, and BBC Worldwide, and a fantastic crew, whose commitment and enthusiasm are confirming our long-held belief that we have something special on our hands,” said Ivan Schneeberg, Executive Producer and Co-President, Temple Street Productions. “We couldn’t be happier or more proud.”

ORPHAN BLACK is executive produced by Ivan Schneeberg and David Fortier (Being Erica), Graeme Manson (Cube, FLASHPOINT), and John Fawcett (SPARTACUS, THE SECRET CIRCLE). The series is co-created by Manson and Fawcett, with Manson also serving as writer and Fawcett as director. BBC Worldwide will distribute the series internationally.

ORPHAN BLACK is produced by Temple Street Productions in association with Bell Media and BBC America. Production Executives are Trish Williams and Gosia Kamela. Corrie Coe is Senior Vice-President, Independent Production, Bell Media. Catherine MacLeod is Vice-President, Specialty Channels, Bell Media. Rick Brace is President, Specialty Channels and CTV Production. Phil King is President, CTV Programming and Sports.

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Podcast

TV, eh? podcast episode 108 – “Gillers and Rockets and Guildys Oh My”

Anthony and Diane talk and talk about the Canadian news of the week:

Episode 108: Listen or download here or subscribe via iTunes or with any other program via the TV, Eh? feed.

Your hosts

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

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Reality, Lifestyle & Documentary

New tonight: The Big Decision, House Hazards

Arlene

The Big Decision, CBC
A Montreal business looks for help outside of the box and a Quebec tour operator dreams of smoother sailing.

House Hazards, HGTV Canada – “Party Peril” & “Reckless Abandon”
Just how much damage can a house endure? Enter the world of domestic disaster in House Hazards, a new series that puts potential home hazards to the test in a real house. Co-hosted by three wild characters with creative demolition on the brain, House Hazards is a super-sized look at every day household dangers.

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Uncategorized

Giller Prize airs October 30 on CBC

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From a media release:

RICK MERCER, KIM CATTRALL, MEASHA BRUEGGERGOSMAN and ALLAN HAWCO TO PRESENT AT THE 2012 SCOTIABANK GILLER PRIZE

  • The 2012 Scotiabank Giller Prize will be broadcast on CBC Television at 9:00 p.m. (9:30 NT) on Tuesday, October 30, 2012.

CBC is thrilled to announce the roster of esteemed presenters that will participate in the 2012 Scotiabank Giller Prize gala on Tuesday, October 30, 2012. The five finalists Will Ferguson, Alix Ohlin, Nancy Richler, Kim Thúy and Russell Wangersky will be introduced by the following special presenters: CBC Television’s host of The Rick Mercer Report, Canadian comedian, political satirist and blogger, Rick Mercer; Golden Globe Award winning actress Kim Cattrall; Juno Award winner Canadian soprano, Measha Brueggergosman; Television writer, producer and lead actor in CBC Television’s Republic of Doyle, Allan Hawco. A fifth presenter is still to be announced, as well as the musical performance for the evening, more details will follow shortly.

The Scotiabank Giller Prize gala will be hosted by Jian Ghomeshi (CBC Radio One and TV’s arts and culture program, Q), and be broadcast at 9:00 p.m. (9:30 NT) on CBC Television from the Ritz-Carlton in downtown Toronto. It will also be live-streamed on CBC Books with a concurrent live chat, so that many more Canadians can be part of the Giller experience. With a winner being crowned and awarded the prize that night, the presenters will join the authors on stage to celebrate the year’s biggest achievements in Canadian arts and letters. The winner’s interview on Q the following morning will be the first national broadcast feature interview for this year’s winner.

“The CBC has outdone itself again. I can’t think of a more fitting way of celebrating the Giller finalists and their books than pairing them with true fans that also happen to be Canadian icons”, says Jack Rabinovitch, founder of the Scotiabank Giller Prize. “I think they and Canadian audiences everywhere are in for quite a treat on October 30th.”

“It is an honour to be a part of such a prestigious celebration of the arts,” says Kim Cattrall. “It is so important to give recognition and praise to these talented writers and their gift of storytelling.”

The five presenters will introduce:

  • Rick Mercer will introduce Will Ferguson and his novel, 419
  • TBA will introduce Alix Ohlin and her novel, INSIDE
  • Kim Cattrall will introduce Nancy Richler and her novel, THE IMPOSTER BRIDE
  • Measha Brueggergosman will introduce Kim Thúy and her novel, RU
  • Allan Hawco will introduce Russell Wangersky and his collection of short stories, WHIRL AWAY

With a chance to win the $50,000 Scotiabank Giller Prize, the five authors were selected by a uniquely pedigreed jury made up of some of the finest writers in Europe and North America including: Irish author and screenwriter Roddy Doyle; writer and essayist Anna Porter; and American author and satirist Gary Shteyngart.

 

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