NBC to Air Betty White 90th Birthday Tribute

Betty White NBC is celebrating Betty White's big 9-0 with a tribute and a sneak peek of her upcoming hidden camera series Betty White's Off Their Rockers, the network announced. Betty White's 90th Birthday: A Tribute to America's Golden Girl will tape live in Los Angeles and include special music performances, surprise appearances and birthday wishes from White's past and present co-stars. Check out more photos, news and videos of Betty White Following the tribute, NBC will show a preview of White's new series where she sends senior citizens to pull pranks on younger generations. The Betty White birthday block will air on Monday, Jan 16 at 8/7c on NBC.

'Winn-Dixie' aims for Broadway

A tuner version from the novel "Due to Winn Dixie" is incorporated in the works. Story also inspired a 2005 film. BenjaminSheikTartagliaA musical version of dog-centric tale "Due to Winn Dixie," with tunes by Duncan Sheik, has started mapping out Broadway plans which include a developmental reading through this spring.Nell Benjamin ("Legally Blonde") creates it and lyrics for that show, which is helmed by John Tartaglia, whose Rialto thesping credits include "Avenue Q" and "Shrek the Musical."The only real actor to sign onto the project to date is definitely an Irish Wolfhound named Taran, triggered board underneath the proper care of veteran Rialto animal trainer Bill Berloni, who'll function as animal director on the program.Dog assists because the lead character from the musical, in line with the 2000 Kate DiCamillo novel which inspired a 2005 pic. Story focuses on a stray dog who helps a youthful girl embrace existence and reunite together with her father.Producers estimate the show is going to be allocated between $six million and $7 million, having a cast around 15 stars. Team is shooting for any mid-size Rialto house around 1200 seats.Sheik, who acquired a Tony for his score to "Spring Awakening," can also be at the office on other stage projects which include the brewing legit version of "American Psycho."Gerald Goehring, Michael F. Mitri and Dorothy Berloni lead the creating team of "Winn-Dixie." Goehring and Mitri also make the tuner version of "A Christmas Story," presently playing a national tour throughout the holidays.Exact dates for that "Winn-Dixie" reading through haven't been set, having a production timeline, including an out-of-town tryout, still to become hammered out. Contact Gordon Cox at gordon.cox@variety.com

'New Girl's' Zooey Deschanel on her Globe Noms: 'There was a lot of Nerdy Love'

Madonna'snew album is finished and will be released in March 2012 on Interscope Records,the label and Live Nation Entertainment announced on Thursday morning.our editor recommendsMadonna Signs With Interscope, Source ConfirmsMadonna Performing at Super Bowl: What the Pundits are SayingNew Movie Reviews: 'New Year's Eve,' 'Young Adult,' Madonna's 'W.E.' Hitting Theaters Official: Van Halen Signs With Interscope Records In 2007, Live Nation signed the superstar to a 10-year deal reportedly worth $100 million -- this portion of the commitment is being valued at $40 million, sources tellThe Hollywood Reporter. PHOTOS: 20 Best and Worst Music to Movie Crossovers The Universal Music Group-owned label will release three albums by the Material Girl. Her first single, called "Gimme All Your Luvin," is due out the last week in January (a demo of the song leaked in early November) just ahead of Madonna's halftime performance at the Super Bowl on Feb. 5. Two days earlier, the film W.E., which Madonna directed and co-wrote, is scheduled to hit theaters. The as-yet-untitled album is her first in five years. Madonna had been signed to Warner Bros. since 1982. Van Halen, another Warners act, also recently signed with Interscope, adding to an increasingly healthy stable of rock and pop artists who launched their careers in the 80s, which includes U2.Lady Gaga, who is often compared to Madonna, is also on the Interscope roster. PHOTOS: 7 Music to Movie Directors The multi-faceted "360" deal includes studio albums, touring, merchandising, fan club/website, DVD's, music-related television and film projects and associated sponsorship agreements. "We anticipate a very bright future at our new home," says Madonna's longtime manager Guy Oseary in a statement issued Dec. 15. Adds Jimmy Iovine, Chairman of Interscope Geffen A&M: "Very rarely does an opportunity like this come around. We would like to thank Madonna, Guy and Live Nation for their belief in us." Twitter: @shirleyhalperin PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery Top 10 Highest Paid Music Artists Related Topics Interscope Madonna Jimmy Iovine W.E. Live Nation Entertainment Lucian Grainge Van Halen

Judge: Beyonc Video Game Lawsuit Can Move Forward

This article appeared in the Dec. 16 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine.our editor recommends10 TV Shows Canceled Faster Than 'The Playboy Club'Viacom CEO Talks Nickelodeon Ratings Issues, Ads, 'Paranormal Activity,' Shareholder ReturnsWall Street Weighs Viacom's Outlook Amid Ad, Nickelodeon Ratings Challenges A schoolyard brawl has broken out between kids TV powerhouse Nickelodeon and Nielsen, the company whose ratings determine advertising rates. Nick, long the leader in the space, has disputed what Nielsen says are double-digit ratings declines since September. Nielsen adjusted its audience sample in August, but it says it has conducted an internal review of the Nick data and found no errors. Still, Nick insiders hardly are satisfied with these assurances. During a November call with analysts, Philippe Dauman, CEO of parent Viacom, called the drop an "anomaly." PHOTOS: Nickelodeon's Kids' Choice Red Carpet At stake for Nickelodeon are millions of dollars from such popular shows as SpongeBob SquarePants and iCarly. Nick accounted for about 25 percent of Viacom's $1.39 billion in ad revenue in fourth-quarter 2010. Already the ratings shortfall has caused Nick to dole out so-called make-goods to advertisers. And the network is on track to surrender its ratings crown to rival Disney Channel for the year among the coveted demo of kids ages 6 to 11 for the first time since Disney Channel launched in 1983. "We're going to work with [Nielsen's] sample and program aggressively," says Nick spokesman Dan Martinsen. "We've had tough quarters before, and we always respond strongly." But network insiders hope an independent review by auditing agency the Media Rating Council, due in December, will correct the record. Nielsen didn't help its credibility when it admitted Dec. 5 that an earlier report claiming overall kids viewership was up -- which made the Nick decline seem even more ominous -- was wrong. STORY: Viacom CEO Talks Nickelodeon Ratings Issues, Ads, 'Paranormal Activity,' Shareholder Returns Still, no one is disputing Disney Channel's ascendant ratings. The Nick nemesis is up 8 percent in total day and 11 percent in primetime viewers among kids 6 to 11, though Nick still will win the year in kids 2 to 11. In addition, Disney Channel, home of Kim Possible and Wizards of Waverly Place, is now the leading network among girls, 40 percent of whom cite it as the "first channel I go to," according to Disney research. "The days of Nickelodeon being the only kids network are over," says Paul DeBenedittis, senior vp programming strategy at Disney Channels Worldwide, citing its diverse roster of series. "It's not one hit show, it's eight shows." WHAT THE KIDS ARE WATCHING: According to Nielsen's latest data, Disney has edged Nick for the first time in decades, with the other kids networks farther back. Disney Channel Target Demo: 6-14 Top-Rated Show/Viewers: A.N.T. Farm (2.4 million) Nickelodeon Target Demo: 2-11 Top-Rated Show/Viewers: SpongeBob, iCarly (2.3 million each) STORY: Viacom, Nielsen Investigating 'Inexplicable' Nickelodeon Ratings Drop Cartoon Network Target Demo: 6-11 Top-Rated Show/Viewers: Regular Show (631,000) Disney XD Target Demo: 6-14 Top-Rated Show/Viewers: Kickin'It (583,000) PHOTOS: 10 TV Shows Canceled Faster Than 'The Playboy Club' Sprout Target Demo: 2-11 Top-Rated Show/Viewers: Caillou (171,000) The Hub Target Demo: 2-11 Top-Rated Show/Viewers: Goosebumps (88,000) Top-rated show is in the channel's target demo. Source: Nielsen; season to date through Nov. 27 PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery 10 TV Shows Canceled Faster Than 'The Playboy Club' Related Topics TV Ratings Viacom Nickelodeon

Is 'Shame' the 'Black Swan' of 2011?

Short response to that scintillating headline: Not a way! However, both of these films convey more in keeping than you may initially think -- and not simply simply because they both range from same studio (Fox Searchlight). Ahead, five reasons the Steve McQueen-directed sex-addiction drama 'Shame' may be the 'Black Swan' from the 2011 gaggle. 1. Outstanding lead performances in not-so-outstanding movies As honours season pulled on in the finish of 2010 and into this season, the excitement on 'Black Swan' went from instant classic to camping classic. The Darren Aronofsky-directed film -- particularly the cuckoo bananas third act -- was more arch and hysterical than most honours-bait, this despite a committed performance from Natalie Portman, who appeared to increase concerning the fray whilst wallowing in 'Black Swan's' ridiculousness. 'Shame' is not as silly as 'Black Swan' -- just the opposite, it is so ... damn ... serious -- but it is similarly problematic. As Brandon, the sex addicted NYer at 'Shame's' center, Michael Fassbender is absolutely brilliant, however the film somewhat allows him lower with a little an excessive amount of repetition along with a not-as-shocking-as-it-wants-to-be third act. There's a great deal to as with 'Shame,' but it is a difficult movie to like. 2. Same-sex make-out periods A minimum of area of the reason 'Black Swan' made $329 million worldwide? That hug between Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis! 'Shame' includes a similarly bracing same-sex liplock (it is a spoiler, so you will get a maximum of that), though thinking about the participants and also the film's NC-17 rating, it's doubtful that can help tha harsh truth. 3. NY City subways fresh from 'Warriors' Pet peeve time: NY City subways no more seem like they did in 'The Players,' plastered with graffiti. Which is the reason why movies like 'Shame' and 'Black Swan' (and tv shows like '2 Broke Girls') so infuriating. When Brandon is riding the subway, your window behind him is included with scribble (see above). As somebody who takes that train line nearly every day (it is the N and R line), I'm able to attest it is not as untidy. This is not 1981, 'Shame'! Seriously now. 4. Rising ingenues playing second-fiddle In 'Black Swan,' Mila Kunis never really will get an opportunity to shine with Portman consuming the spotlight in 'Shame,' Carey Mulligan is worked an identical hands, though she comes with one show-preventing moment: a downcast version of "NY, NY" that breaks Brandon's heart, and most likely yours too. 5. Addiction Clearly and all sorts of, but nonetheless: 'Shame' is about sex addiction and just how it may eat away in a person's soul. 'Black Swan' is all about a dependancy perfectly, one compounded because Portman's Nina is certifiably crazy. (Still, nobody cuts their finger nails like Nina unless of course they've a-rooted perfectionist issues.) Possibly she and Brandon will make an excellent couple -- whether it wasn't for your annoying mortal wound in the finish of 'Black Swan.' [Photo: Fox Searchlight] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

Genre vehicles take high road

'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy''Drive''Girl with the Dragon Tattoo''Rampart''Moneyball'After adapting Stephen King's "The Shining," a defiant Stanley Kubrick told interviewers that he would not apologize for making a genre film.Nowadays, auteurs need to offer little justification for delving into the kind genre territory once dismissed as not exactly awards-worthy. If "The Godfather" films paved the way for another gangster film, "The Departed," to reap the most coveted Oscar gold, then couldn't serial killer movies, in the wake of "The Silence of the Lambs," reap similar dividends?In fact, a number of helmers in the hunt for this year's director honors tackled genres that once held negligible appeal for serious filmmakers. From David Fincher taking on the murder mystery ("The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo") to Bennett Miller breaking new ground with the sports pic ("Moneyball") to Tomas Alfredson breathing fresh life into the espionage thriller ("Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"), genre films are being reconfigured and redefined by helmers who refuse to be pigeonholed."My biggest challenge with this film was how do we justify our existence," says Oren Moverman, whose corrupt cop ode "Rampart" took shape from a first draft penned by genre master James Ellroy. "It's not exactly a fresh new genre that has not been explored. There are plenty of brilliant people who have attacked (it)."For the Israeli helmer, whose directorial debut "The Messenger" nabbed a pair of Oscar nominations two years ago, the most attractive aspect of the bad cop motif was the prospect of taking the genre and breaking it down. The result hearkens to Robert Altman, whose "The Long Goodbye" updated Raymond Chandler's jaded private dick, Philip Marlow, into a shaggy, disheveled Elliot Gould living amidst the hippy-dippy Hollywood Hills of the mid-'70s."Instead of going for what was expected, which is basically a heavily plotted story with twists and turns and conspiracies and duplicitous characters and all those wonderful things we love from the early days of moviemaking," Moverman says, "we wanted to see if there was another approach where we could actually go deeper and have our plot and narrative as an excuse to explore and really make it a character study. We kept thinking about genre all the time, but within that, we were thinking how can we mix it up and how do we avoid it at the same time."Likewise, "Bridesmaids'" Paul Feig managed to reinvent a subgenre -- the wedding comedy -- so thoroughly traversed that he avoided talking about it during pre-production. "When you say it's a movie about a wedding, people's eyes just glaze over because of that feeling, 'Oh it's another one of those movies,' " says Feig, whose romp featured the kind of gross-out humor associated with buddy comedies and turned it on its ear with an all-female cast."For us, the wedding was just the driver to tell a much more relatable story, which is a women at a terrible place in her life, having a bit of a breakdown because she's afraid she'll lose her best friend," he says.Similarly Miller saw "Moneyball" as a character journey first and foremost, rather than an inspirational sports movie. Though "Moneyball" weaves in such common sports themes as overcoming adversity and the triumph of the underdog, the director purposely avoided the trappings that are characteristic of the genre."It's not that it's not a baseball film, it's just that the film is more than what one would conventionally expect from a baseball movie or a sports film," says Miller, who received a director nomination for 2005's "Capote." "The movie climaxes and resolves itself in an unconventional way. You might think this is adding up to a baseball climax in a way that's obedient to the genre, but what does happen is the movie resolves on one final judgment call, one final value judgment, which is a decision about how (the protagonist) wants to live his life."Though the Academy has a long history of embracing certain genres, such as the Western and the musical, some filmmakers such as Alfredson bristle at the idea of genre altogether."I wasn't thinking about the genre at all," insists Alfredson, who is revered in his native Sweden for his work in comedy but is best known to American audiences for another genre film, the vampire/horror hit "Let the Right One In." "When I choose material, it's not a very intellectual thing. I choose material that I react physically to, like I laugh or cry."With 'Let the Right One In,' I never considered that a horror film or a vampire story. For me, it was just a touching story about a young kid. With 'Tinker Tailor,' as well, I saw it as a story of friendship and loyalty. The Cold War espionage theme was something of an interesting backdrop."Critics seem to agree. Time called "Tinker Tailor" "a film so determined to act as an antidote to spy capers that it fairly shrieks its subtlety."Meanwhile, other directors argue that their so-called genre films actually fall into another category altogether. Though Nicolas Winding Refn took home top directing honors at Cannes for the gasoline-fueled adrenaline rush "Drive," he says the film is, in fact, a love story told in the heightened reality of a fairy tale rather than a heist pic."I wasn't making a movie about cars because I don't have interest in cars," says the Copenhagen-born, NY-reared director. "There are a lot of great car movies out there that had much bigger budgets. I had an interest in making a movie about a man who owned a car, and the car was an extension of who he was."Ultimately, Alfredson says the whole genre concept is merely a salesman's construct."I don't think about how the marketing people will label it or what shelf it will end up in the video store," he says. "That's not my job."Eye on the Oscars: The Director PreviewArt springs eternal | Adaptability key when diving into the unknown | Sundance kids aim high and wide | Genre vehicles take high road Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com