Chicago is My Home

05
Jun

Chicago TV Station Receives Bomb Threat Related to Airing Gay Documentary

Author: Adam Fendelman, Category: Film, Television

CHICAGO – Chicago television station WTTW-Ch. 11 received a bomb threat on Tuesday night in relation to its airing of the gay documentary “Out & Proud in Chicago”.

The locally produced film documents the history of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community in Chicago. The threat shows that homophobia is still a dangerous reality, Chicago Commission on Human Rights Chairman Dana Starks in a Wednesday statement.

“It is shameful and disgusting that this is how our LGBT community can be treated in Chicago,” Starks said. “More than anything, this incident emphasizes the importance of providing education on the harmfulness of stereotypes [that] lead to discrimination – and even hate.”

The Chicago Police Department was notified of the threat on Tuesday night. Station employees were encouraged to report any unusual activity.

By Megan O’Neil

01
Apr

WBBM-Ch. 2 Television in Chicago Drops Job Axe in Dramatic Newsroom Purge

Author: Adam Fendelman, Category: Television

CHICAGO – The job cuts keep coming for those in the media. First it was print and now broadcast is getting hit, too. WBBM-Ch. 2 news anchor Diann Burns was told Monday that her $2 million TV contract would not be renewed in October. She is reported to be Chicago’s highest-paid anchor.

In part of what’s being coined the most dramatic single-day newsroom cleansing in Chicago television history, sportscaster Mark Malone, anchor and health correspondent Mary Ann Childers and reporter Katie McCall were also cut on Monday.

In total, the station laid off or would not renew contracts for about 18 of its 200 employees in all areas of the station.

By Stephanie Huls

25
Mar

Tribune Co. Says San Diego TV Affiliate to Switch to FOX, Names New CFO

Author: Adam Fendelman, Category: Television

CHICAGO – The Tribune Co. announced on Tuesday that San Diego television affiliate KSWB will become a FOX channel. The station will change from CW programming to FOX affiliate programs.

“This is a huge development for our television group. [It] makes it clear that the new Tribune is aggressive and willing to move quickly to upgrade our position in a market especially when we can improve our financial results almost immediately,” said Tribune Broadcasting President Ed Wilson in a Tuesday statement.

The Tribune Co. also announced on Monday that Chandler Bigelow will succeed Don Grenesko as the company’s CFO.

By Stephanie Huls

24
Mar

Woman Seeks $50,000 in Damages From Oprah Winfrey Taping in Chicago

Author: Adam Fendelman, Category: Television

CHICAGO – An Illinois woman is suing talk-show host and celebrity Oprah Winfrey and alleging that she was injured during a Winfrey show taping. Orit Greenberg is seeking $50,000 in damages after she was allegedly pushed down a flight of stairs in the studio.

Greenberg is claiming that Harpo Studios staff didn’t properly control the crowd after audience members were told they could sit anywhere. She alleges that this caused a mad dash for seating in the studio.

By Stephanie Huls

25
Jan

Podcast: Chicago’s ‘Check, Please!’ Extending Tech Arms

Author: Adam Fendelman, Category: Food, Podcast, Technology, Television

CHICAGO – In this podcast, Adam Fendelman and Brad Spirrison discuss Chicago TV show “Check, Please!” and how it’s extending its tech arms.

Listen now!

By Adam Fendelman

17
Jan

‘One Tree Hill’ Casting Call Coming to Chicago on Jan. 19

Author: Adam Fendelman, Category: Television

Audition for a walk-on role on the CW channel’s hit show “One Tree Hill” and meet actor Lee Norris (“Mouth” McFadden). Audition tapes are created on site in Macy’s video booths. Can’t make it? Online entries also are accepted.

When: January 19 : 2 p.m.
Price: Free. Questions and online submissions: http://cwtv.com/thecw/macys
Where: Macy’s, 111 N. State St., Chicago, 312-781-1000

19
Nov

Changes on Horizon For Chicago-Native Conan O’Brien Writer Kevin Dorff

Author: Adam Fendelman, Category: Comedy, Television

CHICAGO – Kevin Dorff spent his Sunday in Chicago kicking back and watching the Bears game.

Jim Zulevic and Kevin Dorff (on right) at Second City.
Photo credit: Second City

A Chicago native and Emmy Award-winning writer for “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” for seven years, the current WGA strike has shut down production and provided him something of a forced vacation.

For nearly a week, he has been back in the city that started his career when he first began taking classes in the early 1990s at what was then called Improv Olympic (now iO).

Within a few years, he was performing on Second City’s main stage.

On Tuesday night, Dorff will be performing alongside Horatio Sanz, Matt Walsh, Ed Furman and others at the Lakeshore Theater for “Horatio Sanz and the Kings of Improv,” which is presented by the Upright Citizens Brigade.

“These guys just love to play,” Dorff said – speaking of the ensemble – in an interview with HollywoodChicago.com.

He has performed with them all many times in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago over the last decade. Dorff added: “Matt and Horatio would just upend some milk cartons and perform on them. That might be a new show we’re working on. I don’t know.”
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14
Sep

Homer Simpson Voice Dan Castellaneta Coming to Chicago For Sketch Comedy

Author: Adam Fendelman, Category: Celebrity News, Television

Bill Zwecker of the Chicago Sun-Times and CBS 2 Chicago has the scoop on Thursday that Oak Park, Ill. native Dan Castellaneta – the voice of Homer Simpson in “The Simpsons” – will be coming back to Chicago. Zwecker writes:

Dan Castellaneta will be back home this winter [to join] original cast members Joe Liss, Mark Nutter and John Rubano to restage their hilarious “The Bicycle Men” sketch comedy show from Dec. 12 to 16 at the Lake Shore Theater.

The Dec. 16 performance will benefit the early detection ovarian cancer program at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

10
Sep

‘Top Chef,’ ‘ER’ to Film in Chicago in September

Author: Adam Fendelman, Category: Television

In addition to the independent thriller “Root of All Evil” filming now in Chicago, the Bravo TV series “Top Chef” is filming its fourth season in Chicago this month.

“We love moving the show from place to place. It gives it a completely different feel,” Bravo’s Frances Berwick told Maureen Ryan of the Chicago Tribune. “Chicago is a hotbed of great talent. It felt like the next logical step.”

Also, the NBC TV series “ER” will be filming in Chicago the weekend of Sept. 21. “Chicago Overcoat” is also filming locally from Oct. 1 to Nov. 30.