ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Hold up... are Cara Delevingne and Amber Heard dating? We can't handle this news. The pair have been friends for years, but reports are coming in thick and fast that they could be more than just friends. Well, they are both single - Cara split with singer St. Vincent earlier this year, and Amber divorced Johnny Depp after it was alleged that he was abusive towards her. Could Cara be the girl who brought a smile back to her face? The Sun reports that the two have been staying at a London hotel together, even though Cara has her own place. Though to be fair, who doesn't love a hotel bed and free swish shampoo and conditioner. The pesky source said: "They have been seen at the hotel loads and are always very giggly and thick as thieves, out until the early hours." Or, y'know, they could be just friends who are dividing the free toiletries as we speak. (British Glamour)

Liev Schreiber and Naomi Watts Split After 11 Years Together. Say it ain't so! As fans continue to mourn the separation of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, E! News learns that another longtime Hollywood couple has decided to call it quits. Liev Schreiber and Naomi Watts announced earlier that they've decided to split after 11 years together. "Over the past few months we've come to the conclusion that the best way forward for us as a family is to separate as a couple. It is with great love, respect, and friendship in our hearts that we look forward to raising our children together and exploring this new phase of our relationship," the couple tells E! News in a joint statement. "While we appreciate your curiosity and support, we ask the press to be mindful of our children and respect their right to privacy." The couple, who never married, have two children together, Alexander "Sasha", 9, and Samuel, 7. Schreiber and Watts have recently been seen making the film festival rounds together to promote their upcoming film The Bleeder. The duo were spotted looking happy and in love at both the Venice Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival at the beginning of the month. Watts was, however, noticeably missing by Liev's side at the Emmy Awards last weekend. The Ray Donovan actor instead took their son Sasha, and showed his preparations for getting red carpet ready on Instagram. After enjoying some pool time with his son, the actor got dressed up in his suit and bow-tie with his boy by his side. "Sasha and me getting ready for the Emmy's @showtime," Liev shared on social media. "Thank you so much #CervandoMaldonado and #Fabiola!" Watts reposted the photo, writing, "Dapper duo here... #twinning #crushingit #goodluck #raydonovan @lievschreiber #proudbeyondwords." Entertainment Tonight was first to report the story. (Eonline)

Hilary Duff Says She's More Focused on Being a "Soccer Mom" Than Making Music: "My Life Is So Full." There's a whole lot to love when it comes to Hilary Duff. Perhaps it's her unforgettable hit singles including "Come Clean" and "So Yesterday." Maybe it's her hit TV Land series Younger that returns with new episodes this week. Or could it be all the love and admiration she has for her growing son Luca? "All of a sudden, he is real sassy. He's very dramatic like his mom and he definitely can put on a show," Hilary gushed to E! News in New York City. "But he's also very coordinated but I just don't know if he has the competitive factor for sports, but he's also four. He's driven but he's not competitive." She continued, "Honestly, I'm so pumped to be soccer mom and making lunches to pack to school and not being on anybody else's schedule for a minute." As Luca continues to grow up right in front of mom's eyes, Hilary also has her ex-husband Mike Comrie along for the ride. While they may no longer be together romantically, both parties have found a way to co-parent without any drama. "I think we both feel lucky that we're dealing with each other and we have a great kid so that makes it all the better," Hilary explained while supporting Visine's new #ScreenOn campaign. "That we both enjoy him to the fullest and it's great." As she prepares for a new season of Younger, Hilary remains focused on her acting career. And while she knows that many fans still love and adore her timeless hits, music just isn't the biggest priority right now. "I've also been very honest about this that I don't know how much time I have to put into [music]. I don't have dreams to go on a world tour anymore," she admitted. "Maybe somebody, but right now, my life is so full and busy enough with the show. I love music, it's in me, it's a part of me but I look at my kid and go you're a teenager already... It's scary to think time is going by so fast and I want to be present for all of that." And yes, she's also making some time to date. After photos surfaced of the actress holding hands with her personal trainer Jason Walsh, Hilary almost confirmed they were a thing. "We've known each other for a really long time and he's a great guy and we have a lot of fun together," she said on Good Day New York earlier. "It's nice to have that excitement in my life." Season three of Younger premieres Wednesday at 10 p.m. only on TV Land. (Eonline)

Kiefer Sutherland and Julia Roberts met on the set of the 1990 sci-fi medical thriller Flatliners, fell in love and soon became the hottest couple in Hollywood. But before their summer 1991 wedding, Roberts called. And it's something Sutherland has grown to appreciate in hindsight. "I think she was being realistic for herself. I think that's much better," he tells Jess Cagle during The Jess Cagle Interview on the People/Entertainment Weekly Network. The star of ABC's Designated Survivor details that the outside pressure around their relationship was inexplicable and wearing. "We were young and we were both very much in love, we had decided that we wanted to get married, but then this other thing kind of took over," explains Sutherland, now 49. "She was arguably the most famous woman in the world, and this wedding that was supposed to be something between the two of us became something so big." "Then, in the middle of that, I think she had the courage-it wasn't what she wanted to do, in the end," he continues. "I think it took a lot of courage, even amongst all of that other stuff, to be able to say, 'I can't do this.'" Sutherland went on to marry Elizabeth Kelly Winn in 1996, but the couple later divorced in 2004. Roberts and country singer Lyle Lovett were hitched from 1993 to 1995; in 2002, the Erin Brockovich Oscar-winner went on to marry cinematographer Danny Moder. Designated Survivor airs Wednesdays (10 p.m. ET) on ABC. (People)

Gigi Hadid Writes About Milan Attack for Lena Dunham's Lenny Letter: "I Do Have That Fighter in Me." Gigi Hadid wants to be an example for young women. When Vitalii Sediuk, a man who has gained notoriety for physically accosting a handful of Hollywood's most famous figures on red carpets, including Will Smith, Bradley Cooper and Leonardo DiCaprio, picked up Gigi as she exited Milan's MaxMara show, the model immediately fought back. Gigi started elbowing Vitalii until he let her go and she nearly chased him down the street until her bodyguard stopped her. Gigi's quick self-defense moves immediately earned her praise on social media from fellow celebs and fans, and now she's opening up about the scary experience in Lena Dunham's Lenny Letter. The 21-year-old model explains that what was happening didn't occur to her right away, but when she realized what was going on she channeled her instincts. "I played volleyball, and my coaches talked about muscle memory. I started boxing two years ago and I always remembered that. Since then, I hadn't been in a situation that forced me to fight back, but it just came out when he grabbed -- me it wasn't a choice. I do have that fighter in me," she writes. "Honestly, I felt I was in danger, and I had every right to react the way I did. If anything, I want girls to see the video and know that they have the right to fight back, too, if put in a similar situation." As soon as news of Gigi's attack broke, she turned to Twitter to call out a reporter who headlined the story in an offensive way. In Lena's Lenny Letter, she addresses the issue again. "The first article that was posted about the incident was headlined: 'Not model behavior. Gigi aggressively lashes out and elbows fan in the face after he tries to pick her up...' That's when I really got pissed. First of all, it was a woman who wrote the story with that headline," she continues. "What would you tell your daughter to do? If my behavior isn't model behavior, then what is? What would you have told your daughter to do in that situation? "When my mom first saw what had happened, she texted me the picture of me elbowing the guy and (among other messages of support) said, 'Good girl.' My mom has taught me the power of my instincts since I was a kid." Gigi tributes mom Yolanda Hadid for giving her the wherewithal to always pay attention in uncomfortable surroundings, so she wants to pay it forward to her fans. "It sounds cliche to say it, but in the moment, it wasn't heroic to me. It was just what I had to do. It's very touching to me that people see it that way," she writes. "I know people are put in much worse situations every day and don't have the cameras around that provoke social-media support. I just want to use what happened to me to show that it's everyone's right, and it can be empowering, to be able to defend yourself." (Eonline)

Brad Pitt Hasn't Seen His Children Since Angelina Jolie Filed for Divorce: How He Hopes to ''Work Things Out." It's been one week since Angelina Jolie filed for divorce from Brad Pitt, and news of the couple's split has only continued to raise more questions. Many have wondered how finances will play into the power couple's highly-publicized divorce, but E! News can confirm money is not the issue at this time. Rather, the two will continue to battle over custody of their six children, Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, and twins Knox and Vivienne. Jolie has asked for full custody of the kids while the Department of Children and Family Services in Los Angeles County continues conducting an inquiry into the allegations that Pitt was involved in an incident with a child aboard a private plane earlier this month. In fact, we're told the 52-year-old hasn't seen his children since Jolie filed for divorce -- something he hopes will change soon. "He really wants to see the kids and to work out an arrangement that is best for them," the insider tells us of Brad's biggest concern at the moment. "[He] wants to work things out privately and amicably." Meanwhile, reps for the actors have not commented on the reports regarding the incident on the plane, but a source close to the investigation told E! News he "takes the matter very seriously and says he did not commit any abuse of his children." Similarly, another insider noted that Pitt is "is cooperating fully." The source added, "He will continue to do what's in the best interest of the children... [He] is most concerned about his children and the best thing for them is to keep the situation private." We also learned that the 41-year-old actress doesn't intend for the custody situation to remain permanent. We're told she only believes it's what's necessary right now. Jolie knows she and Pitt will eventually need to co-parent together in the future. Jolie filed for divorce from Pitt on Monday, Sept. 19, according to court documents obtained by E! News, with news of their split hitting headlines and shocking the world on Tuesday, Sept. 20. The actress' manager, Geyer Kosinski, released a statement on her behalf, saying, "Angelina will always do what's in the best interest of taking care of her family. She appreciates everyone's understanding of their need for privacy at this time." Brad also broke his silence about the divorce in statement, saying, "I am very saddened by this, but what matters most now is the wellbeing of our kids. I kindly ask the press to give them the space they deserve during this challenging time." (Eonline)

Rob Kardashian Tweets Kylie Jenner's Real Cell Phone Number: Inside Their Latest Family. Rob Kardashian is not playing around. The reality star and famous Kardashian sibling took aim at his youngest sister, Kylie Jenner, Monday night when he tweeted her real cell phone number to his 6.65 million followers. Apparently, there's some behind-the-scenes beef about an upcoming baby shower. "Didn't invite the Mother of my child to a baby shower you all were trying to throw for me? You all must have lost your damn minds," he wrote after sharing Jenner's digits and clarifying his account had not been hacked. While we know his relationship with Kylie -- who has been dating Blac Chyna's ex Tyga for years -- has not been so smooth at times, what could have suddenly sparked such a brawl? A source tells E! News the drama boils down to a baby shower planned for Rob that Chyna was not invited to. In a potential moment of foreshadowing, Chyna confirmed on Snapchat earlier Monday that her baby shower is currently planned for Sunday. As a source told E! News, the event is being held by her friends and has been "in the works for a while now." "Kendall [Jenner] and Kylie were invited and had RSVP'd to attend," the source added. However, a second source tells E! News that Kendall will be in Paris until Oct. 6. As for a second "DILF" shower planned in Rob's honor, the source says Chyna was going to go in Rob's place and that's where the bickering began. "Rob couldn't attend, so Chyna was going to attend and Kim [Kardashian] said if Rob didn't go, then Chyna couldn't go. It sounds like that's what caused the argument." Kylie has privately reacted to the antics -- by changing her phone number. (Eonline)

Olivia Newton-John is refusing to believe tabloid reports that her ex-boyfriend, Patrick McDermott, faked his own death and is now living in Mexico in order to avoid paying debts. McDermott went missing in 2005 after going on an overnight fishing trip in San Pedro, California. The Coast Guard declared McDermott had "most likely drowned," but in March, two private investigators alleged to Woman's Day that McDermott is actually living and working in a remote area of Mexico. "It was very hard, he was lost at sea and nobody really knows what happened," Newton-John, 68, tells Australia's 60 Minutes in a new interview when asked about all the speculation. The Grease actress admits she still thinks about the circumstances of McDermott's disappearance. Newton-John dated the cameraman on and off for nine years, following her divorce from Matt Lattanzi in 1995. "It's human to wonder," she says. "But you know, those are the things in life you have to accept and let go. Because whenever you go through difficult times, there's always those concerns." "But, I live on," she adds. "And of course questions come up, always, it's human." Newton-John eventually remarried in 2008, when she tied the knot with John Easterling, founder and president of natural remedy firm, Amazon Herb Company. ET talked to the Australian superstar last October, when she scored a hit with "You Have to Believe," her first collaboration with her 30-year-old daughter, Chloe Lattanzi. The song is a reworking of her 1980 hit, "Magic," from the film Xanadu. "I think she has amazing talent -- a beautiful voice, a great songwriter -- I've been chomping at the bit so everyone could see her," Newton-John gushed "It's a great opportunity for me to say, 'Yay! Chloe, go!' And to do one of my songs is a real special treat." (ET)

Katy Perry Votes Naked, Then Gets Arrested. Katy Perry made a bold statement on Instagram Monday: "TOMORROW, I USE MY BODY AS CLICK BAIT TO HELP CHANGE THE WORLD." The pop star followed through, as she teamed up with Funny or Die and Rock the Vote on Voter Registration Day to get people to the polls Nov. 8. Perry wants people -- especially young people -- to get involved in the political process. With popcorn and candy in her hair, Perry shared some "great" news with viewers. "This year, you can look like s--t when you vote," the "Rise" singer said. "Yup, I've briefly scanned the Constitution, and nowhere does it say you can't just roll out of bed and come to the polls in whatever state you woke up in. In the name of democracy, any 'just out of bed' look is A-OK." To prove her point, Perry showed a woman wearing a onesie, a "hunk" in kids' briefs, a girl in a "free XL T-shirt you got from your bank" and more. "Did I mention the hunk in the kids' briefs?" Because Perry sleeps naked, she stripped out of her pajamas. "Yup, let those babies loose," she said, "'cause no one ever said -- " Before she could finish her sentence, two cops arrived on the scene and put Perry in handcuffs. "All right, ma'am," the male police officer said. "That's enough of that." Perry argued that she "read the constitution" and has a "right to vote naked," but the female police officer informed her that she had been misinformed. "Did you read it, or did you just briefly scan it?" she asked. The cops put Perry in the back of a squad car, where she sat beside a similarly nude Joel McHale. "You too?" he asked. "Scratch that. Gotta wear clothes," Perry realized. "My bad!" As the car drove off, Perry shouted, "See you at the polls Nov. 8!" (Eonline)

The drama surrounding Corey Haim's alleged sexual abuse at the hands of an A-list actor is nonstop. As we previously reported, Hollywood was hit with a shocking report by RadarOnline when the media outlet indicated that an unnamed MAJOR celeb was supposedly involved in sexually abusing The Lost Boys actor when he was a young star in the 1980s. While there has been a lot of back and forth on whether this report is true or not, a man named Greg Harrison has since accused actor and director Dominick Brascia as the late star's abuser. Harrison also claimed Corey Feldman was the person who helped orchestrate the whole thing. This accusation obviously didn't sit well with Brascia, whom EXCLUSIVELY commented on the troubling allegations with us! In a new statement, Dominick denied abusing his friend of "over 25 years" and shared: "Sure it's totally not true. I'm as shocked as anyone else he was one of my good friends, I knew him for over 25 years. I started [sic] to movies with him and as you know he was the store [sic] so he had to give approval. He actually asked the director if they give me a part in National Lampoon's Last Resort. And we work together on Busted, truth is he was really really stoned and couldn't finish the job." Hmm, very interesting. The Friday the 13th: A New Beginning alum goes on to defend that he would NEVER do anything to harm Corey and revealed he even helped the '80s icon get sober. On his long history with the Haim family, he shared: "... when he was in his twenties he lived with me and I got him clean and sober for 30 days, he even got a chip -- I'd like to name the other actors who got him back hooked on drugs. I knew his mom didn't like me and when I went to her when he was 15 and said he's got a drug problem she didn't believe. I did something terrible I recorded a conversation we had where he admitted to doing coke and all those drugs. I played it for his mother Judy, she said he was a Corey impersonator. I always thought When Corey finally did admit he had a drug problem people would call me up and apologize." Huh. In fact, Brascia is vehement that if Corey was alive today he'd defend him against these recent allegations. Dominick continued: "If he were alive he would talk to you and tell you no that never happened when he was a kid, instead of believing someone who says 'I was Corey friend'." Not to mention, Dominick also highlighted that Haim's alleged abuser was a grown man when Corey was a teen -- which he says should rule him out as a suspect. He defended: "He [Haim] was 14 or 15 and his abuser whose identity he never revealed was in his forties. I'm in my fifties, the guy would be 73 today. If you believe this 'friend of Corey' you must believe Corey Haim lied." Well, well! It'll be interesting to see how Harrison and the many others wrapped up in this story react to this statement. (Perez Hilton)

The public sniping against Brad Pitt has simmered down now that Angelina Jolie's political advisers have gone back to England. Lady Arminka Helic, a Bosnian-born member of the UK House of Lords and a former adviser to Britain's ex-foreign secretary William Hague, and fellow former Hague aide Chloe Dalton have been behind Jolie's campaign against Pitt after she filed for divorce, multiple sources tell Page Six. One source said, "They have been calling all the networks and news outlets, placing stories that he was cheating, drunk, on drugs, out of control and abusive, which Brad denies." A second source added, "Their last move was to urge news outlets to obtain the video of Brad allegedly losing his s?-?-?t on the tarmac. But that video didn't surface, or doesn't exist." The first source continued, "They were with Angelina in LA as she filed for divorce, and advised her how to handle things last week, which was basically a scorched-earth approach." The source added, "It's no coincidence that since they went back to London, things have calmed down." But other insiders insist that Helic and Dalton are focused on humanitarian work, which is how they met Jolie. Helic, who fled the Bosnian War as a refugee in the '90s, served as a special adviser to Hague and persuaded him to launch the UK's global sexual-violence initiative, which was backed by Jolie. Helic was nominated to the House of Lords in 2014, taking the title Baroness Helic, and also manages Jolie's charity. But while Helic and Dalton have been advising Jolie on her international humanitarian work, it has been claimed that their relationship goes beyond that, and the pair plays a prominent role in her life, counseling her on everything from child care to travel. Helic and Dalton could not be reached, and a rep for Jolie didn't get back to us. Pitt has hired divorce attorney Lance Spiegel, who recommends mediation in high-profile celebrity cases -- so perhaps he may bring some peace to the Jolie-Pitt hostilities. (Page Six)

Lil Wayne's record label is getting called out for stiffing rapper David Banner, and now has to hand him more than $160k. Banner won a default judgment in his lawsuit against Young Money Records -- he said the label owed him upwards of $150k for work he did on "Tha Carter III" and "We Are Young Money" ... specifically for three songs he produced. According to the docs, obtained by TMZ, Young Money failed to respond in the case ... so the judge entered the default of $164,303.19, which includes interest. We're guessing Wayne already has an idea about how to pay off that tab. (TMZ)

THE OTHER STUFF . . .

Kate Middleton Turns Heads in Red at Royal Reception in Canada. Kate Middleton looked ravishing in red Monday night. All eyes were on the 34-year-old Duchess of Cambridge as the province of British Columbia hosted a reception for the royal couple at the official Government House in Victoria's upscale Rockland neighborhood. Middleton, who attended the event with Prince William, modeled a $1,332 Preen cocktail dress and paired it with Queen Elizabeth II's diamond maple leaf brooch. Kate wore her hair in an elegant chignon, allowing her baroque pearl Soru earrings to stand out. Just before the reception, William added a fourth ring to the Black Rod staff, which symbolizes the First Nations in the province. The first three rings represent the Crown, Canada and British Columbia. The staff was created in 2012 to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, and since then, there have been requests for the fourth ring to signify the nation's link with indigenous peoples. Grand Chief Stewart Phillip, leader of 115 First Nation tribes in the province, declined to participate, as he felt the event was "yet another grandiose pomp and ceremony that would create the illusion that things in our communities are progressing forward." The decision was made after a three-day debate at the Union of B.C. Chiefs' annual general meeting. "With the deepening poverty of our communities, remembering the missing and murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and the ongoing negligence of Indigenous Child Welfare policies across this country, in good conscience, I cannot participate in the Black Rod Ceremony," Stewart argued. Kensington Palace officials declined to comment on the controversy. "We do not mean any disrespect," Stewart said. "It is a matter of principle." In Stewart's absence, Grand Chief Edward John of the Tl'azt'en Nation helped hold the Black Rod as Chief Shane Gottfriedson of the Tk'emlups te Secwepemc Nation gave William the ring. (Eonline)

Bono Invests in Cancer Testing Startup Color Genomics. The company has raised $45 million led by General Catalyst. U2 frontman Bono is among a group of investors backing healthcare startup Color Genomics. The company, which has developed a test to detect genes associated with common forms of hereditary cancer, has raised a $45 million round of funding led by General Catalyst with participation from Bono and existing investors including Susan L. Wagner, 8VC, Khosla Ventures and Emerson Collective. Color co-founder and CEO Elad Gil said the round will be put toward providing more access to its Color Test and building open databases to help further research and development around major diseases. "We're in the middle of one of the greatest shifts seen in health," he said. "Increased access to genetic information is enabling doctors and their patients to create personalized plans for better prevention, detection and treatment of hereditary disease." Color, which has raised $60 million since it launched in 2015, also is adding Wagner, the former vice chairman of BlackRock, and Hemant Taneja, managing director at General Catalyst, to its board. "Sue and Hemant are both pioneers in their respective industries," said Othman Laraki, Color co-founder and president. "Sue's strong experience in finance and building a global business will be of great value to Color as we continue to grow. Hemant's extensive experience in investments across healthcare and diagnostics as well as enterprise technology mirrors Color's foundation of intersecting medical information with computer science and machine learning." Color currently offers a $249 saliva test kit that detects genes that are connected to a higher risk of eight types of cancers, including breast, colorectal, melanoma, ovarian and prostate cancers. (Hollywood Reporter)

Inside the $2.4 Million Home Leonardo DiCaprio Just Put on the Market. Leonardo DiCaprio is saying goodbye to Studio City. Or his portfolio is, at least. A 3,407-square-foot home the 41-year-old actor snatched up in 2014 for $2.05 million is now on the market for $2.395 million, the second property in as many weeks that DiCaprio is looking to unload. Built in 1937, the ranch-style home boasts four bedrooms, three baths, a luxurious pool and open floor plan -- perfect for a single family, or a single guy, looking to plant some roots in the San Fernando Valley yet still be just a quick drive away from being smack in the middle of Los Angeles. Want to place an offer or just want to see what Leo's taste looks like? You can take a peek inside the house and schedule a tour here. Meanwhile, this is the second home the Oscar winner has put up for sale this month. Just last week it was announced that he had put his longtime Malibu beach house on the market for a whopping $10.95 million. But these sought-after transactions are likely more for business than any personal upheaval. In addition to his Hollywood Hills home base of many years, he has an eco-friendly (of course) condo in New York City and a spacious getaway in Palm Springs, Calif. (Eonline)

Ava Sambora's got a celeb dad of her own, but she got the star treatment from another famous pop over the weekend in Malibu ... Jessica Simpson's dad, Joe. Joe's taken up photography alongside his regular talent management 9 to 5, and Sunday combined both passions for a beach photo shoot with Ava and his client/model Jonathan Keith. Given Joe's track record ... Ava's in good hands. (TMZ)

Brody Jenner gave the Hulk a run for his money this week. The onetime "Hills" star, 33, launched into an expletive-laden tirade at the Laguna Hills Marriott on Sunday, TMZ reports. Jenner allegedly tried entering his manager's hotel room to retrieve personal items, which the hotel staff said wasn't allowed. Jenner was infuriated and a staffer called security to kick the former reality star out. Jenner's tantrum took a turn for the profane when the security guards allegedly entered his room without knocking. "I will press charges on your f -- king ass," he fumed at one employee. "I'm calling my lawyer right f–king now. How dare you come into my room?!" Orange County Sheriff's deputies were called to the scene to keep the peace. After Jenner spoke with officers, he calmly left the hotel at about 7 a.m. (Page Six)

Corey Feldman will no longer talk about his best friend Corey Haim after angering the late actor's mother Judy. "Corey Haim's mother .?.?. sees the edited version of this interview where it's 'Yeah, so Corey Haim blah blah blah' and she says 'You're bringing up my son again!'" Feldman said on Dr. Oz's show, set to air Tuesday. "I'm not bringing up your son OK, I'm just answering questions .?.?. I love Corey and I miss him to death," Feldman said. "But if me bringing up his name is affecting her life in any negative way then it has to stop .?.?. We can talk about the great times we had together. But as far as the personal stuff, I think I've said what needs to be said." (Page Six)

Garry Shandling's Brentwood, CA, home sold in mid-August for $10.65 million, says the Los Angeles Times. The comic, who lived in the home for more than 20 years, was residing there at the time of his death in March. The 6,076-square-foot home, built in 1992, includes five bedrooms, eight bathrooms, a living room with vaulted ceiling, central atrium, and a master suite with his-and-her bathrooms. The closing price on the Shandling estate ranks fourth in homes sold in the 90049 ZIP code over the past six months. It was topped by the April sale of a $19.7 million home a couple of miles away. The house sits on just over an acre of land with a courtyard, pool, and most importantly, outdoor basketball court where Shandling hosted weekly pickup games with writers, comedians, and assorted creative types. Here's a picture that director Judd Apatow posted of a final gathering in Shandling's backyard: Easily recognizable are a number of comedians, including Richard Lewis, Kathy Griffin, Kevin Nealon, and, of course, Apatow. Shandling was a brilliant standup comedian who parlayed his particular brand of humor into two groundbreaking TV shows: "It's Garry Shandling's Show" and "The Larry Sanders Show." The comedian died in March. He was 66. (Page Six)

Howard Dean punched below the belt Monday night, tweeting, "Notice Trump sniffing all the time. Coke user?" Dean, the 2004 failed Presidential candidate, made the comment mid-debate. Trump famously abstains from alcohol and drugs, in part because his older brother was an alcoholic who drank himself to death. (TMZ)

Incredibly Attractive Celebrity Kids Take Over Milan Fashion Week. See More Good-Looking Celebrity Offspring You can't sit with them! The cool kids took over Milan Fashion Week on Sunday night in Italy, after Dolce & Gabbana's flamboyant runway show. The iconic fashion house presented an exotic collection with the theme "Tropico Italiano," following it up with a dinner in the middle of the street to celebrate the grand opening of their new boutique. Designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana put a fresh spin on the customary star-studded front row and after-party, filling this year's events with a selection of social media tastemakers and progeny of Hollywood's finest. The late night soiree was the talk of the town, thanks to the genetically-gifted offspring who stole the show. Hailey Baldwin, the daughter of Stephen and Kennya Baldwin, ruled the runway earlier that day at the tropical affair, before attending the dinner in a fitted lace dress atop a simple white slip. She accessorized the look with a gold tiara detailed with flower buds. She was spotted at the event with Zoey Deutch, star of "Everybody Wants Some!" and daughter of actress Lea Thompson. Sofia Richie, daughter of Lionel and Diana Richie, wore a long-sleeve black lace dress and kept things simple by accessorizing with a purple velvet clutch and understated makeup. And model on the rise Sistine Stallone -- the oldest of Sylvester Stallone and Jenifer Flavin's children -- showed off her toned body in an edgier ensemble, pairing a black leather bustier with black lace see-through leggings. The event wasn't just about the lovely ladies though. Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee's two sons -- Brandon Thomas Lee, 20, and Dylan Jagger Lee, 18 both proved they inherited their parents' good genes ... while Rafferty Law, son of Jude Law and Sadie Frost, also looked dapper the bash. (Too Fab)

The son of Martin Luther King Jr. says his father would have been frustrated by both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, because neither seriously addressed the real reason many African-Americans are suffering and dying. Martin Luther King III told our photog at LAX Monday night, he thinks both Trump and Clinton did well ... to a point, but when it came to helping the African-American community they spent too much time talking cops and not enough on the fundamentals. (TMZ)

The protesters who bum-rushed Ryan Lochte on "Dancing With the Stars" could end up behind bars now that prosecutors are hitting them with 2 charges. We've learned the L.A. City Attorney's Office is charging Sam Sotoodeh and Barzeen Soroudi with leaving a spectator area and entering upon a stage, as well as interfering with a performance -- both are misdemeanors. As we first reported, the protesters went to 'DWTS' because they blamed Ryan for a family member getting arrested in Brazil. No one's going to San Quentin -- the ballroom floor got the worst of the protest -- but if convicted, they could get up to 6 months in county jail, and a $1,000 fine. (TMZ)

Music

Green Day Kicks Off Tour With Live Debut of 'Revolution Radio' Singles. Green Day kicked off the first date of their tour in Columbus, Ohio, on Monday night (Sept. 26) by blasting out the first two singles from their upcoming album Revolution Radio (Oct. 7). The veteran punk trio played album's title track and "Bang Bang" for the 1,700-capacity crowd at Newport Music Hall before dropping into a 23-song set that leaned heavily on such classics as "Know Your Enemy," "Holiday," "Longview," "Welcome to Paradise," "Hitchin' a Ride," "When I Come Around," "Basket Case" and "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)." According to a set list and video posted by YouTube fan site Green Day Source, the show also featured a blitz medley of the Isley Brothers' "Shout," the Rolling Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" and the Beatles' "Hey Jude." The band also rescheduled a trio of North American dates they were forced to postpone last week due to an illness in the band and its crew. The dates in Chicago (Oct. 23), Detroit (Oct. 24) and St. Louis (Oct. 24) will not take place near the end of next month. (Billboard)

MTV Taps Vic Mensa, Ty Dolla $ign and 5H's Camila Cabello for "Total Registration Live". MTV is bringing back its beloved TRL franchise on Tuesday night (Sept. 27) for a one-hour election-year special entitled Total Registration Live in honor of National Voter Registration Day. The show will feature appearances by Ty Dolla $ign, Vic Mensa, Fifth Harmony's Camila Cabello and director Joss Whedon, as well as actress Natalia Dyer, singer/actor Mack Wilds and Kendall Jenner. Ty is slated to perform a trio of songs from his Campaign mixtape: "No Justice," "Campaign" and "Zaddy." The show -- aimed at getting Millennial voters to register to vote in November's presidential election -- will air at 6 p.m. E.T. live on MTV, MTV.com, the MTV app and the network's Facebook and YouTube pages. Among the issues slated to be tackled during the special are: sexual assault, national security, gender inequality, student debt, immigration reform, racial inequality and Islamophobia. The event will take place less than 24 hours after the first presidential debate between Democrat Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump. According to a release announcing the show, the special will feature profiles of the issues at stake in the election through the eyes of three Millennial voters taking action in their communities, including "24-year old rape survivor and legislative advocate Amanda Nguyen, Yale freshman and undocumented immigrant Larissa Martinez and 22-year old founder of the Georgia Muslim Voter Project Aisha Yaqoob." (Billboard)

John Carpenter Calls Rob Zombie a Liar, Says He Supported 'Halloween' Remakes (But Didn't Like Them). "He said that I was very cold to him when he told me that he was going to make ['Halloween']. Nothing could be further from the truth." Beloved filmmaker John Carpenter may not be a fan of Rob Zombie's Halloween remakes, but that doesn't mean he wasn't supportive of them. During a Q&A session with the New York Film Academy in April, the director and musician spoke on the subject, making statements that are now gaining attention online. And he felt the apparent need to respond to some comments Zombie had made about him, claiming he gave the rocker a chilly response when he heard he was going to reimagine Carpenter's 1978 flick. "He lied about me. He said that I was very cold to him when he told me that he was going to make [Halloween]. Nothing could be further from the truth. I said, 'Make it your own movie, man. This is yours now. Don't worry about me.' I was incredibly supportive. Why that piece of shit lied, I don't know. He had no reason to. Why did he do it?" Carpenter also gave his own review of Zombie's Halloween: "Frankly, that will color my response to the film. If I take that away, I did not -- I thought that he took away the mystique of the story by explaining too much about the guy. I don't care about that. It's supposed to be a force of nature, he's supposed to be almost supernatural. And he was too big. It wasn't normal." See Carpenter's response here: Coincidentally, Carpenter announced earlier this year he would be returning to the Halloween franchise as executive producer on its 10th film. Otherwise, on Monday (Sept. 26) Carpenter released a new music video for his song "Urban Facade" from his album Lost Theme II. (Billboard)

Movies

James Franco and Christian Slater's King Cobra Trailer Gives Us a Glimpse Into the Dramatic World of Gay Porn. James Franco and Christian Slater are giving us a sneak peak into a whole new world. The trailer for King Cobra has finally surfaced on the Internet, and we're telling you right now -- it's hard to look away. Franco and Slater star as two gay-porn moguls who go to war over the employment of the industry's newest star, Brent Corrigan (Garrett Clayton), and the fight is everything but clean. As conflict rises, the possible solution to the problem becomes serious. Yeah, we're talking blood and possible murder. Mix all that in with sex and lust, and you got yourself a movie, people! Pretty Little Liars star Keegan Allen also flaunts his nearly naked bod as Franco's lover in the film (and the cheerleader that continuously rants what seems to be the motto of the film, "No little bitches!"). Viewers will also get a taste of nostalgia with the appearance of Alicia Silverstone and Molly Ringwald in the Justin Kelly-helmed flick as concerned family members. As if all of that wasn't enough to get you hooked, here's the kicker -- this is based on a true story. SAY WHAT?! Yes, stop what you're doing, watch the trailer, mark the release date (Oct. 21) on your calendar, and then go on an intense Google search to find out all the details on who this film could be about. (Eonline)

The Girl On The Train hits our screens next month, and to celebrate, we interviewed the star of the movie - Emily Blunt. The British actress, who rose to fame in The Devil Wears Prada, plays Rachel, a rather unusual protagonist - described as an alcoholic who makes infuriatingly bad decisions, including getting fired from her job and still undergoing the daily mundane commute so that she can peek out of the window and obsess over a happy looking couple she sees every day. One day though, she sees something that will change her life forever. The film, directed by Tate Taylor (The Help, Get on Up), stars Emily Blunt, Rebecca Ferguson, Justin Theroux, Haley Bennett, Luke Evans, Edgar Ramirez and Allison Janney, and is based on Paula Hawkins' bestselling novel, The Girl on the Train. We grabbed (a whole) four minutes with Emily Blunt to discuss the movie, how she fan-girled over Lisa Kudrow (who also stars) and we couldn't resist asking her about her next movie, a live adaptation of fan-favorite, Mary Poppins. Is she nervous about stepping into Julie Andrews's booties and picking up her carpet bag? Watch our interview and find out... The Girl On The Train movie release date is set for 7 October 2016. (British Glamour)

'The Awards Pundits' on Brad and Angie, Paramount's Woes and the New York Film Festival. Scott Feinberg and Stephen Galloway discuss the week's awards-related news and controversies. The Hollywood Reporter's awards analyst Scott Feinberg and executive features editor Stephen Galloway discuss the road to the Oscars. FEINBERG OK, Stephen. Team Brad or Team Angie? GALLOWAY I'd never delve into the craziness of any celebrity marriage, let alone divorce. But I will say this: I've had dealings with both stars, and Brad was a dream while Angie was -- well, more complicated. She has a half dozen reps, none of whom can give you a straight answer. Brad has a manager, Cynthia Pett Dante, but no clear PR team, which makes dealing with him almost as hard. FEINBERG That, along with the distraction of his domestic strife, could complicate things for Paramount when it releases his new movie, Allied, less than two months from now. Hollywood's oldest studio can't seem to catch a break lately. They've had a dismal run at the box office. They just lost their parent company's CEO Philippe Dauman and interim CEO Tom Dooley and their vice-chairman Rob Moore -- GALLOWAY And now they have to roll out four Oscar hopefuls within the last two months of the year: There's Allied. There's the Amy Adams sci-fi pic Arrival. There's Denzel Washington's Broadway adaptation Fences -- FEINBERG -- the emotional trailer of which began running ahead of The Magnificent Seven over the weekend -- GALLOWAY And there's Silence, the Martin Scorsese period piece, which seemed to be in hibernation for years and even decades, but which has just been dated for Dec. 23. I've got huge confidence in Paramount's distribution and marketing chief, Megan Colligan, but there are all sorts of issues that become unclear when a studio's leadership is changing: How much money will be spent on marketing and an Oscar push? Who has ultimate authority? Who's the point person when something goes wrong? And what happens if other heads roll, which seems all but inevitable at this point? FEINBERG I'm particularly excited to see this one because he's been trying to get it made for 25 years. GALLOWAY I'm dying to see Andrew Garfield's performance as a Jesuit priest -- he's an amazing actor. I just caught one of his early movies, 2007's Boy A, the story of a young man coming out of prison and hiding a horrific past, and I understand why so many directors want to work with him. I'm not sure Mel Gibson's Hacksaw Ridge will get him a nomination, but I'm going to take a bet on Silence. He spent a year just preparing for the film, even studying St. Ignatius Loyola. On the negative side, the movie's coming out after a whole lot of other awards hopefuls. Do you think that's too late? FEINBERG End-of-the-year releases of Oscar hopefuls can work out -- Million Dollar Baby swooped into the race in December 2004 and snatched best picture from The Aviator. But not since 2006's The Departed has a movie that skipped all the major fall film fests (Venice, Telluride, Toronto, New York) managed to win best picture. That would seem to bode well for the current frontrunner, La La Land, and for other films and individuals that have months to build up buzz. GALLOWAY Yes, but they may run the danger of peaking too soon. Voters can fall in love with you -- as many have fallen in love with La La Land -- and then fall out of love, or get distracted by some shiny new thing. I've always thought of films as being like love affairs: our passion can fizzle out, and also grow stronger. Sometimes, later on, we're reminded of all the things we fell in love with in the first place. At this point, though, I'm not sure that any clear-cut rival has emerged to take on La La Land. FEINBERG On Friday I'm headed to the New York Film Festival, which could produce one. It probably won't be the fest opener, which, for the first time, is a doc, Ava DuVernay's 13th. But it could be Mike Mills' 20th Century Women (the trailer of which hit the web), the mid-fest centerpiece screening; or the closing night screening of James Gray's The Lost City of Z, although that still is seeking U.S. distribution; or -- most likely, I suspect -- Ang Lee's Billy Lynn's Halftime Walk, which will receive a special screening at a Gotham venue not usually used by the fest. GALLOWAY When a film opens is one factor; another is who's around to campaign. MIA this season is Sully's Tom Hanks (he's a two-time winner and doesn't like to grovel) and La La Land's Ryan Gosling (he's shooting Blade Runner). You might be surprised to hear this, but I generally believe voters vote for the best -- at least in their minds- regardless of the campaign. But campaigning can do an awful lot to help nudge anyone on the borderline into the final five, or more in the case of best picture. Given what a competitive race this year is, I wonder where that leaves The Birth of a Nation? FEINBERG I doubt we'll be seeing much of Birth of a Nation's Nate Parker. But failure to glad-hand can be overcome -- see Steven Spielberg, Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Joaquin Phoenix, Christian Bale, Terrence Malick and Mo'Nique, to cite a few examples -- though it certainly doesn't make life any easier. Sometimes it's also a matter of geography. For instance, Isabelle Huppert gives two of the year's most acclaimed performances, in Elle and Things to Come, but she's based on the other side of the Atlantic, which means she can't be as omnipresent as, say, La La Land's Emma Stone. ALLOWAY France has accumulated more foreign-language Oscar noms than any other nation, by far, and it just named Elle as its 2016 submission, which has to give Huppert a boost, right? It's Paul Verhoeven's best film in years -- before I saw it, I kept hearing it described as a "rape comedy," but it's not that at all: it's an extraordinary study of a troubled woman. FEINBERG Other foreign-language entries came in over the past week from Canada (Xavier Dolan's divisive Cannes Grand Prix winner It's Only the End of the World), Italy (Fire at Sea, the documentary that won Berlin's Golden Bear), Russia (Venice Silver Lion winner Paradise) and Israel (Sand Storm). Elle and Fire at Sea are part of New York's lineup, as are the entries of Chile (Pablo Larrain's Neruda), Germany (Maren Ade's Toni Erdmann), Romania (Cristi Puiu's Sieranevada) and Spain (Pedro Almodovar's Julieta). GALLOWAY OK, Scott, so going back to how we began this chat, I'm going to throw the ball to you: If you had to name a foreign-language winner now, what would it be? Team Chile, Team Germany or Team Spain? FEINBERG I don't know what will win, but I do know which one I like the most: Finland's The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki. A black-and-white biopic about a boxer who fell in love while training for the biggest fight of his life, it won Cannes' Un Certain Regard prize and became a phenomenon back home, as I just witnessed first-hand during a week on the jury of the Helsinki International Film Festival. I don't think I've seen a better film this year. So, as we finish: Team Finland. (Hollywood Reporter)

'Fences' Trailer: Denzel Washington, Viola Davis Take a Hard Look at Life. "It's not easy for me to admit that I've been standing in the same place for 18 years." Paramount has released a teaser trailer for Fences, which shares an intense preview of Denzel Washington and Viola Davis in the film adaptation of the late August Wilson's 1983 Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play. Washington directs the drama, in which he stars as a promising baseball player turned garbage collector. Washington and Davis also starred in the 2010 Broadway revival of the drama, roles that earned both actors Tony Awards. Fences hits theaters Dec. 25. (Hollywood Reporter)

TV

Laurie Hernandez Reveals Her Dancing With the Stars Struggle...and Love of Law & Order: SVU. Laurie Hernandez has a lot to thank her lipstick for. The Olympian, who is competing on Dancing With the Stars season 23 with professional partner Val Chmerkovskiy, received a 31 out of 40 for her tango to Crystal Lake's "Into the Sunset" and she's feeling "great." "I feel great, girl," Hernandez told E! News' Sibley Scoles. "Wow. It was really hard to channel all the emotions that I was supposed to have during the tango, but once they put on this lipstick that was it. I was like, 'I am good now, I am this.'" Still, she said it takes some time to get her into the mindset for the dance. "Well, right before we even started I was just like, 'OK, got to focus, got to have my tango face on,'" she said. And then her package aired. "It's still a little hard for me to get into that serious character, but I'm working on it." Another thing she's working on? Extending her neck. "The only thing that's ever happened during dancing was I'm trying to extend my neck and the next day I wake up and I'm like oh man, my neck is sore 'cause I'm so little and he's so tall. Compared to me, he's a giant," she admitted. And then there are the heels. "The heels. Girl, my feet hurt," she said. Working on extending her neck, rehearsing and just living her life doesn't leave a lot of time for politics it seems. When asked if she's political and following the debates, Hernandez said no. "I watch Law & Order sometimes. Does that count? I just know Mariska Hargitay and Ice T right. I just know their regular names," she said. "There's Amanda and Amaro... " Hernandez has immunity, but find out who goes home on Dancing With the Stars on Tuesday, Sept. 27 at 8 p.m. on ABC. (Eonline)

Once Upon a Time Is Bringing Robin Hood Back -- But Not in the Way You Think. If all the Robin Hood talk in the season six premiere of Once Upon a Time had you think that we hadn't seen the last of Regina's dearly departed love, pat yourselves on the back. You were right. Despite the character's untimely demise at the hands of Hades at the end of last season, Sean Maguire is set to reprise the role for multiple episodes this season, E! News has confirmed. But before you get too excited, there's no big resurrection in store for Robin à la Hook's big return from the dead. How he'll be appearing, however, remains a mystery for the time being. "We're thrilled to have Sean back for this story arc and are excited for the audience to see what we have planned, which in the wake of his character's heartbreaking demise, is something we hope is unexpected and surprising," executive producers Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis told EW, who first broke the news. The show's co-creators began planting the seeds for Robin's return during the show's panel at Comic-Con this summer when Horowitz offered up some encouraging words about the character's ultimate fate. "Everything that was said about the Olympian Crystal was said by Hades, can we trust him?" he said. "That's a question some of our characters should and will ask." And ask they did. In the season premiere, Regina (Lana Parrilla) and Henry (Jared Gilmore) tackled the theory that Hades may have been full of it and Robin's soul might have actually moved on to a better place, rather than simply being obliterated, as advertised. Making major strides in processing her grief, Regina ultimately chose to take leap of faith and believe that Robin was OK. When questioned at a recent press screening about whether or not this all meant Robin might return from the dead, Kitis reiterated, "?'I don't see that happening,' would be the respectful answer to our fans." "We've had loss on this show, we've had people come back," he added. "We're not going to the Underworld this year, so I can tell you that a lot of this year is about Regina dealing with loss and moving on, because I think Regina has the most unfair luck of anybody, but that's what makes her Regina." However it happens, we've got a feeling that Robin's very appearance is going to make moving on even more difficult for Regina. Once Upon a Time airs Sundays at 8 p.m. on ABC. (Eonline)

Kym Johnson to Fill In for Erin Andrews as Dancing With the Stars Co-Host. Dancing With the Stars is keeping it in the family. Kym Johnson is set to fill in for Erin Andrews as the ABC reality hit's co-host for Monday and Tuesday night's shows, E! News has confirmed. Andrews is taking a break from her co-hosting duties to spend time with her boyfriend, NHL player Jarret Stoll, after the death of his nephew. Andrews will return next Monday, Oct. 3. "Thank you to my @DancingABC Family for supporting me while I take the week to be w/ family," she tweeted. "Can't wait to be back in the ballroom next week!" Kym Johnson, a DWTS pro who is not competing this season, currently co-hosts DWTS: All-Access, the show's live online interview series, and will serve as Tom Bergeron's co-host during the main show tonight and for tomorrow's elimination show. "My pal @ErinAndrews will be absent from @DancingABC this week to support @jarretstoll whose nephew passed away," Bergeron tweeted on Sunday. "Sending hugs and condolences." Johnson, who has won two mirrorball trophies, married her most recent partner, Shark Tank star Robert Herjavec, after they competed together in season 20. In the past, Andrews has had to take a few breaks from the ballroom to cover the World Series as Fox's MLB sideline reporter, and former DWTS competitor Leah Remini has filled in for her. Dancing With the Stars airs Monday and Tuesday at 8 p.m. on ABC. (Eonline)

Modern Family to Feature One of TV's First Openly Transgender Child Actors. Lily's making a landmark new friend on Modern Family. Eight year-old transgender actor Jackson Millarker will guest star in this week's episode of Modern Family as Lily's (Aubrey Anderson-Emmons) new friend, ABC confirms. According to the official episode description, Cam (Eric Stonestreet) and Mitchell (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) think they overhear Lily insulting her new pal, and have to take a "quick look in the mirror" before they teach her a lesson about acceptance. "So proud to have directed this amazing kid," the episode's director, Ryan Case, tweeted. She also posted a photo of herself with Millarker on Instagram. "This is Jackson Millarker," she wrote. "He's 8 years old, from Atlanta, and just happens to be transgender. He plays Lily's friend Tom in this week's Modern Family and he's wonderful. One of the many reasons I love being part of this show." NewNowNext was the first to report the news. Just last week, Transparent star Jeffrey Tambor used his Emmy acceptance speech for best actor in a comedy series to urge Hollywood to hire more transgender actors. "I would not be unhappy were I the last cisgender male to play a female transgender on television," he said. "We have work to do." The Modern Family episode, titled "A Stereotypical Day," also focuses on Jay (Ed O'Neill) trying to make a good impression on the neighbors, while Manny (Rico Rodriguez) tries to make a good impression on a girl and the Dunphys deal with Alex (Ariel Winter) having mono. Modern Family airs Wednesday at 9 p.m. on ABC. (Eonline)

NBCUniversal CEO Calls Presidential Debate "Nerve-Racking," Lauds Moderator Lester Holt. Steve Burke also signals at the Royal Television Society Conference in London that the company may not be interested in buying ITV. Steve Burke, CEO of Comcast's NBCUniversal, on Tuesday discussed the first presidential TV debate, Donald Trump's past working for NBC, the company's opportunity to grow its international business and his interest in possibly acquiring U.K. TV giant ITV. In a keynote conversation with Tina Brown at the Royal Television Society Conference in London, which this year has the tagline "Full Stream Ahead: Commissioning, Producing and Distributing Content in an Age of On-Demand," he also discussed the partnership of content and the changing media landscape. Burke said more than 100 million people likely caught the first head-to-head debate between U.S. presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. "We have set-top-box data. At least inside the Comcast footprint, over 35 percent of the homes were turned on to the debate, which would extrapolate to over 100 million viewers," he said. Burke also acknowledged the debate caused him some concern. "It was nerve-racking for me, and I got a copy of the debate sent to me this morning 4 o'clock London time...because the anchor of the debate was Lester Holt, who is the anchor of NBC Nightly News," he said. "The environment is so tough right now for anybody moderating anything to try to make sure that it's a fair debate, we were very worried and concerned for Lester. He ended up doing a very good job." Some viewers, including Hollywood folks, criticized Holt on social media during the debate, but Trump himself was quoted by CNNMoney as saying after the event, "I thought Lester did a great job." The likely audience for the debate shows that "people will turn out for very large live events," even though it's more challenging to draw a big live crowd today, the NBCU CEO said, also pointing out that the Rio Olympics averaged 27.5 million live viewers. Brown joked that some people blame NBC for Trump's prominence. The Apprentice and Celebrity Apprentice, which Trump used to host, were on the air a long time "before we showed up," Burke said about his team and NBCU owner Comcast. "At the time, he was an entertainer and very good at what he did in that realm. I think NBC News has done a very good job handling the election and trying to get the right issues out. But it's a very interesting time." Discussing NBCU's U.K. business, which contributes about 20 percent of the company's international revenue, Burke said: "We have a huge investment profile in the United Kingdom.... This is a huge, huge market for us. We want to be the best place for talented people to bring their great ideas." That includes respecting creatives and marketing "the hell out of" projects. He added: "My prediction is more and more of that will be international. NBCUniversal and Comcast, we are less international than [Fox], the Walt Disney Company or Time Warner, and I look at that as an opportunity." Could that mean a bid for U.K. TV giant ITV, Brown asked? "No, nothing to say there," Burke answered. ITV does a lot of production, so wouldn't its business fit into NBCU? "Yes and no," he replied, emphasizing that NBCU was essentially a U.S. company. "We have a very healthy respect for how hard it is to program a [broadcast] network [back in the U.S. and more so abroad]...I think we would be more interested in distributing the product that we make and creatively making television shows and movies outside the United States." With the Brexit-driven decline in the value of the British pound this year, analysts have wondered if an American company could make a bid for ITV. Adam Crozier, CEO of ITV, has long said he sees the company more as a consolidator rather than a takeover target. Here's a look at some more highlights from Burke's appearance: - Discussing the way Comcast and NBCU look for synergy and cross-promotion, Burke said he believes in letting executives run their businesses in a decentralized way, but the company also stands for something, and "we basically say you must cooperate when a movie like Secret Life of Pets comes out.... It is not optionable." He also said he tells executives to "think like an owner, not a renter," meaning a focus on long-term success and not on self-aggrandizing posturing. "We don't tolerate bickering and fighting and wasting a lot of time." - How does he manage M&A? "The major growth engine has been acquisitions," Burke said. When there is a year to closing a deal, his team uses that time to make all plans to be able to hit the ground running once it gets completed. That can mean changing executives and strategies, but definitely not just sitting back and waiting, he said. - "Brian Roberts and I had always believed that content and distribution work well together," Burke said, but only if you manage things well. He pointed to successes that Rupert Murdoch and John Malone have had over the years with that approach. "Our dream was getting big in distribution...and then getting bigger in content." - Illumination Entertainment CEO Chris Meledandri is "this generation's Walt Disney," Burke said. Comcast chairman and CEO Roberts also recently touted the executive and his success. - Buying DreamWorks Animation was a great opportunity, Burke said. "We have had such a good experience in the animated film business." The deal allows the company to double its annual animated film output to four and add an animated TV business and consumer products business. Concluded Burke: "The animated film business is maybe the best part of the feature film business." - In the old days, "the least objectionable" show on TV would be a success, the NBCU CEO said. "Today, the middle of the market is just gone." People will look for and find the big hit, "finding those things that have the potential to really break through." - How are young viewers like his kids different in their viewing behavior? "They will never watch shows that they don't want to watch. They will never feel that they have to watch a show when it's on linear television. They have grown up with DVRs, and those changes are permanent. You can really draw a line. It's really right around the end of the millennial age cohort, right around 34- or 35-year-olds." Media companies must be Snapchat and Facebook and others where younger viewers spend more time. - Digital is a key focus for NBCU, he said. The acquisitions of stakes in BuzzFeed and Vox Media continue to let NBCU learn new things. BuzzFeed, for example, ran the company's Rio Olympics Snapchat Discover channel, which Burke said some saw as "heresy." He said he tries to get on Instagram and Snapchat with his kids but admitted that this will "never be second nature like for them." How do young audiences feel about the Olympics? Burke said millennials love them, as do advertisers. "Television is still a very good business" overall, he said, and will be for a long time. But he said it was "unlikely" that the TV business would in the next 10-20 years grow as much as in the last 10-20 years. - Asked about Comcast's recent deal to integrate Netflix into U.S. set-top boxes, Burke explained that many people in the U.S. subscribe to Neftlix. "To a degree, those Netflix customers are being inconvenienced," he said, but the vast majority of them enjoy the cable channels they get. The integration allows for "a happier customer," he concluded. Comcast first got a controlling stake in NBCU in early 2011 before in 2013 buying full control. It has since more than doubled the operating cash flow at NBCUniversal. Roberts recently said that the entertainment arm's performance across its businesses has been "beyond even my own highest expectations." Burke also said Tuesday that there was more upside ahead, touting the NBC network, the success of the film unit and the growth in theme parks. Among other successes, NBC just won the third U.S. TV season in a row in the 18-49 demographic, and Telemundo's ratings have been rising. (Hollywood Reporter)

Amazon Orders 'I Love Dick,' 'The Tick,' 'Jean-Claude Van Johnson' to Series. After debuting during Amazon's recent pilot season, the first seasons of these shows will premiere in 2017. Amazon Studios has announced series orders for three comedy pilots: I Love Dick, Jean-Claude Van Johnson and The Tick. The first seasons of those shows will premiere on Amazon Prime Video in 2017. Kevin Bacon stars in Jill Soloway's I Love Dick, adapted from the cult classic feminist novel about a couple's marital struggles in Marfa, Texas. Kathryn Hahn and Griffin Dunne co-star in the series, which is executive produced by Soloway, Andrea Sperling and Sarah Gubbins. Jean-Claude Van Johnson stars Jean-Claude Van Damme as the titular character, a martial arts and film star who's also a retired but dangerous, undercover private contractor. A chance encounter with a lost love brings him back into the game. Kat Foster, Moises Arias and Phylicia Rashad co-star in Jean-Claude Van Johnson. The show is executive produced by Van Damme, Peter Atencio, Ridley Scott and David W. Zucker. The Tick is based on the acclaimed comic about an accountant who realizes his city is owned by a global supervillain long thought to be dead. He falls in with a strange blue superhero as he uncovers the conspiracy. The Tick stars Peter Serafinowicz, Griffin Newman, Jackie Earle Haley, Valorie Curry, Yara Martinez and Brendan Hines. The series, a co-production with Sony Pictures Television, is executive produced by Ben Edlund, Barry Josephson and Barry Sonnenfeld. "These pilots were vast in scope, disruptive in tone, challenging in story and sometimes even funny," said Amazon Studios' head of half-hour series Joe Lewis. "It's rewarding to see customers embrace them in such a huge way. We can't wait to premiere these series next year on Prime Video." (Hollywood Reporter)

TV Ratings: Clinton-Trump Debate on Track for Record Highs in Early Numbers. That's for initial showings on ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox -- ahead of cable news, etc. Monday night's debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump was preordained to be one of the biggest TV events of 2016 -- and initial ratings have it on track to be a record-setter. Early numbers have the 90-minute showdown, simulcast on more than 10 different networks and umpteen streamers, easily top all recent debate coverage. Overnight ratings among Nielsen's metered markets have the Big Four networks pulling a total 31.2 rating among households. (The 2016 Super Bowl, which is the only real comparison for the year, pulled an early 49 rating for CBS and ultimately brought in more than 100 million viewers.) As overnight ratings go, that's also more than double last week's Sunday Night Football score. It nabbed a 13.7 rating that ultimately translated to 22.8 million viewers. Ahead of tallies from the main trio of cable news networks and the multitude of other broadcasters carrying the commercial-free stream, this puts the debate on track to smash that 2012 total and very likely approach an all-time high. A complete comparison won't arrive until later on Tuesday afternoon when all numbers are in across the many networks airing the debates, but the first look at viewership will come later in the morning when Fast Affiliate ratings come in for ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox. Unadjusted Fast Affiliate ratings for the broadcast networks in 2012, which saw the Big Four pull a cumulative 37.2 million viewers during 90 minutes of coverage. That block, which also did not yet reflect time zone adjustments, was not far off from the final broadcast tally. The first presidential debate of 2012, which grossed 67.2 million viewers across a multitude of networks, ultimately drew 39.8 million of that tally from the Big Four. Prognosticators, politicos and pundits spent much of the last week guessing how many would watch the Clinton-Trump debate. But the event stood to break a record even if it fell short of the Super Bowl sized numbers that had been floated around. The most-watched presidential debate on record is the first match-up between Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan in 1980. That debate pulled a whopping 80 million viewers in a time with considerably fewer channels. Digital audiences will likely account for a significant sum of viewers once all is said and done. A plethora of outlets streamed the event for free -- PBS, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook among them. Updates will come throughout Tuesday, the first of them from the cable news networks, but there should be a final TV tally by late afternoon. (Hollywood Reporter)

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