Craig Expands Reach
Craig Ferguson has entered a new partnership with Lionsgate Television that could lead to future shows, the Hollywood trade publication Variety reports. This is one of those “inside the business of Hollywood” kinds of stories, so bear with us: Essentially it means Craig will be working to create future TV programs with Lionsgate.

They’re considered a very successful company in Hollywood with several big hits currently on the air including Mad Men, Nurse Jackie, Anger Management, Orange Is The New Black and more. They also own the television distribution firm Debmar-Mercury, which distributes Craig’s game show Celebrity Name Game to stations across the country. Some of the future shows may feature Craig on camera, others may not. Variety says both scripted (sitcoms, dramas) and unscripted (talk/variety, reality) programs could result. And importantly, it opens the door to a possible show on cable (including premium cable networks like HBO and Showtime), because of Lionsgate’s relationships. Producer Michael Naidus from The Late Late Show and Craig’s road manager-turned production company exec Phil Cottone will be on the team. We’ll be watching to see what the new partnership develops.

Show Added in Philly
Demand for tickets to Craig’s stand up show Hot and Grumpy Tour: Walking the Earth were so strong in Philadelphia, they added a second show. The first show is on February 12th, and the second will be on March 4th. You can find details and a link to tickets on our Live Comedy Tour page.

No Conan for Now
Craig was scheduled to appear on Conan O’Brien‘s show this week, but he is no longer listed on the show’s website. We’ll keep an eye out to see if and when he is rescheduled and let you know. In the meantime, if you just can’t get enough of talk show hosts interview talk show hosts, Regis Philbin is guest hosting this week on The Late Late Show and talked with David Letterman on Tuesday’s show.

Dream Delayed
Another big story in Hollywood this week has been layoffs of DreamWorks Animation. Despite having many successful films under its belt, some of its recent efforts have sold fewer tickets than expected, putting financial pressure on the company. As a result, they are laying off many staffers and reducing the studio’s output to just two films a year, one original and one sequel. That means How To Train Your Dragon 3, featuring the voice of Craig Ferguson, which had originally been scheduled for release in 2017, will not reach big screens until 2018, reports Entertainment Weekly.

Joshin’ Around
Josh Robert Thompson has officially re-branded his podcast the Joshin’ Around Show, and posted a new episode this week, in which he talks about taping a stand up routine to be broadcast on The Late Late Show March 4th, and some career advice he received.

Taking Notes
While Judd Apatow was delivering his monologue on The Late Late Show last week, he got an unexpected guest who popped in to take some notes.

Video courtesy: CBS

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