Seth Meyers named Emmy Awards host
Seth Meyers will go from late night to prime time in August: The funnyman will host this year’s Emmy Awards.
TV’s biggest night falls on Aug. 25 on NBC, and the network certainly has proved to have a pool of worthy hosts ( Amy Poehler, Tina Fey). Perhaps only a slightly less obvious choice than recently installed “Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon (who hosted in 2010), the selection of Meyers comes on the heels of the “Saturday Night Live” alum being named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world for 2014.
Recently tapped to replace Fallon as “Late Night” host, Meyers previously served as a writer and performer on “SNL” and as host of its “Weekend Update.” His ease in front of a crowd extends beyond that: He hosted the Espys for two consecutive years and served as ringleader of the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner in 2011.
Meyers replaces “How I Met Your Mother” star Neil Patrick Harris, who hosted the ceremony last year when it aired on CBS. They’re big shoes to fill – the telecast drew its largest audience in eight years with 17.6 million viewers.
‘Ben-Hur’ remake in the works
Mark Burnett and Roma Downey will produce a new version of the historical epic “Ben-Hur,” as the faith-based film revival continues on the big screen.
Paramount Pictures and MGM said they will co-produce “Ben-Hur” with Burnett and Downey, who also made the recent miniseries “The Bible.” The film is set for release in February 2016.
Lewis Wallace’s 1880 novel has been adapted several times, most notably the 1959 film starring Charlton Heston. Famous for its chariot race scene, the film won 11 Academy Awards, including best picture.
Paramount has helped drive Hollywood’s new attention to biblical epics with Darren Aronofsky’s “Noah.” It recently crossed $300 million in global box office.
Barker bringing pet cause to B&B
The cause is right for Bob Barker, whose love of animals is returning him to TV on Wednesday as a guest star on “The Bold and the Beautiful.”
Appearing as himself, the longtime animal rights activist will be interviewed by Liam Spencer, played by series regular Scott Clifton, for a feature article on control of the pet population.
Barker encourages Liam to visit the local animal shelter and see the work being done to save homeless animals. It’s part of a three-day story arc about animal rescue on the long-running CBS soap.
Barker, 90, was host of CBS’ “The Price is Right” for 35 years. He signed off daily with the words, “Help control the pet population. Have your pet spayed or neutered.”
The birthday bunch
Actress-comedian Carol Burnett is 81. Rock musician Roger Taylor (Duran Duran) is 54. Actor Jet Li is 51. Actor-comedian Kevin James is 49. United States Poet Laureate Natasha Trethewey is 48. Rapper T-Boz (TLC) is 44. Actor Channing Tatum is 34.