The Biz: Could General Hospital Move to Primetime?

General Hospital There may be life after daytime for ABC's last remaining soap opera, General Hospital, which is likely to get the ax later this year to make room for Katie Couric's new syndicated talk show. One scenario being discussed has the drama continuing as a short-run prime-time summer series, similar to Spanish-language networks' telenovelas, says an ABC insider. Even if the cost of production doubled over the typical soap budget (around $200,000 per episode), a nighttime version of GH would still be inexpensive for an original scripted show. Meanwhile, GH is trying to stave off cancellation by adding several favorites from the now departed One Life to Live - Kassie DePaiva, Roger Howarth, Michael Easton and Kristen Alderson will bring their characters to Port Charles. Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!

Cinemax with sprinkles on top

Laura Dern and Mike White-colored celebrate her win. Peter Dinklage and Jason Momoa Idris Elba wins and Ough Gervais unwinds. Mila Kunis with Mark Wahlberg Rob Garlin, Judd Apatow and Steven Levitan party with Cinemax. Sue Naegle and Sarah Michelle Gellar Martin Scorsese Around 9 p.m., similar to the Golden Globe parties were striking their stride, the partygoers within the Bev Hilton received just a little surprise: rain. The sudden shower sent the hordes running inside within the Cinemax party, which offered shelter and protection inside the poolside space where the legendary hotel swimming hole happen to be drained for your occasion to produce room for additional tables and tents. Dressed in silver branches and twinkling two-story high drapes, the cabler's shindig quickly increased to become crowded affair of stars from Cinemax shows and special deals, past and provide: large individuals who win Peter Dinklage and Laura Dern (with mother Diane Ladd), nominees Guy Pearce and Evan Rachel Wood, Thomas Jane, Rob Garlin and "True Blood's" Alexander Skarsgard and Mike Trammell. Individuals that showed up in the rain incorporated nominees Michael Fassbender and Brendan Gleeson and individuals who win Idris Elba and Claire Danes. The shoulder-to-shoulder huddle within the party only made it some time, since the rain soon converted into apparent skies along with a method for people in floor-length dresses simply to walk without fear. Contact Erin Maxwell at erin.maxwell@variety.com

Buddies with funds

Mel Gibson, Sean Penn and Jennifer Aniston fund-raise in BevHills. Seth Rogen, Ty Burrell, David Krumholtz and Paul Rudd raise gold coin for that Alzheimer's disease Assn.Jack Black and Kyle GassRepresentative Dennis Kucinich and author Dustin Lance BlackBryan CranstonSeth Rogen spent the majority of Friday evening on Vibiana's back balcony with mic in hands, managing the Hilarity for Charitable organisation event, while Ty Burrell, Paul Rudd and David Krumholtz experienced various stages of the co-hosting love triangular, including a liplock between Burrell and Rudd."I didn't trust all of your capabilities to host individually, but together I believe you are making one excellent host," Rogen stated. Krumholtz quipped, "Not see, guy. Billy Crystal's likely to croak. You will see a huge Billy Very-formed void within the world, one which I plan to fill." On Saturday, the Hollywood fund-raiser circuit traveled to Hotel Montage. "I must refer to this as meeting from the 1% to buy. Isn't it time to redistribute some wealth?" emcee Bill Maher requested the Cinema for Peace crowd, there to aid Sean Penn and the Haitian relief agency J/P HRO.The famous host oprah Winfrey, speaking via video, guaranteed to complement $2.5 million, pushing the ultimate decide to try $5 million. Penn joked the aid org would certainly be known as J/R HROprah. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

EOne financing savvy a good start for TV

Unlike most Canadian imports round the Large 3, "The Firm" was skedded for just about any regular-season slot. HalpernMoraynissBarely 3 years old, the La-based TV arm of indie Entertainment You've developed a mark inside the network and cable biz through getting for the table that lots of precious commodity: financing.EOne Television, headed by Boss John Morayniss, harnesses its heft just like a producer and distrib of film, TV and home theatre fare in Canada, the U.K. together with the areas to cobble together gold gold coin for TV series very much the same that numerous indie features are funded, using a combo of foreign pre-sales and advance obligations. It mines the lucrative Canadian system of production incentives and premium license costs presented to suggests that lense in Canada but furthermore air around the major U.S. network.This patchwork quilt of funding sources allows the business to supply some series to U.S. systems inside a steep discount, frequently in exchange for big upfront obligations. Its finest-profile series so far remains the variation of John Grisham novel "The Firm," which showed up at NBC getting a 22-episode order.The legal ensembler wasn't that the gamble for NBC inside a license fee mentioned to get along with $millions of, under what top cablers purchase original drama skeins. Involving the gold gold coin received from Canada's Global TV together with a sizable purchase to Sony's suite of AXN-high quality worldwide channels covering greater than 140 nations, eOne didn't need lots of money within the U.S. to cover its costs it needed the outlet to draw title thesps (particularly Josh Lucas and Molly Parker) and to be sure the premium license costs in the other partners. "There's a proliferation of channels that are hungry for American programming this is a particular genre and tone," Morayniss mentioned. "When an chance arrives obtain a high quality series like 'The Firm,' Sony's AXN showed up without the healthiness of a U.S. purchase since they understood i had been heavily in this market."People, "The Firm" will probably be an amazing test situation for when the eOne model can survive the big leagues of network primetime. The Big Three are actually experimentation with Canadian imports in the last few years, quite a few these shows are actually banished to summer season runs, as ABC is doing with eOne's cop drama "Rookie Blue.""The Firm," however, showed up an ordinary-season slot and was suggested at NBC's upfront presentation last May. Round the downside, "The Firm" remains mostly panned by domestic experts but got away and off to an insufficient start (a 3 participate grownups 18-49 weak) within the two-hour premiere Sunday. It'll face tough competish within the regular Thursday 10 p.m. berth.But even if "The Firm" doesn't go the space, the eOne model has spurred the attention in the creative community. Indeed, it absolutely was Grisham, scribe Lukas Reiter and also the reps at CAA that introduced the project to eOne getting seen exactly what the organization attempted with "Rookie Blue" as well as the Syfy drama "Haven."NBC, for starters, is settling with eOne for just about any multi-episode persistence for another drama, medical vehicle "Saving Hope," which has furthermore been bought by Canada's CTV. Filmmaker Paul W.S. Anderson found eOne last fall getting an idea for just about any supernatural procedural drama, "The Reel," which will be looked overseas extended before it seeks a U.S. home.Timing was everything for eOne's push to create its U.S. TV business. In fall 2008, the business bought Blueprint Entertainment, the expansion shingle run by worldwide TV vets Morayniss and Noreen Halpern, who's now eOne's prexy of drama programming. Morayniss and Halpern happen to be pursuing the Canadian content/foreign financing model on their own, nevertheless the backing of eOne gave them much much deeper pockets.In addition, eOne's rollup of Blueprint together with other TV companies came round the heels in the 2007-08 authors strike, which was the shock somewhere that spurred the primary nets to find new and cheaper reasons for programming."We'd always stood a more global approach," Halpern states. "Without warning that coincided by having an intention inside the U.S. of putting shows together diversely -- getting financing from worldwide areas, while using the help to be capable of bring lots of money from Canada together with other nations in order to do high-finish shows for lower license costs." Contact Cynthia Littleton at cynthia.littleton@variety.com

The Bachelor's Chris Harrison: We Thought Jenna Will be a Front-Runner!

The Bachelor, Jenna and Ben Every season from the Bachelor comes with an emotional wreck, so that as audiences saw around the premiere, Jenna is the fact that girl this time around. Host Chris Harrison states that both he and producers initially called the NY City blogger a front-runner until they saw her meltdown almost result in a skipped rose ceremony. Catch on The Bachelor with this recap of Week 1 We are back with this weekly chats with Harrison who shares his ideas around the women, which entrance he thought was the worst and just how Ben did on his first evening running the show. So have you arrive the crazy dial with this season's women?Chris Harrison: I believe we simply got lucky. It's like fitting the best bits of a puzzle together. By themselves Courtney, Jenna, Kacie B, they are not really that antagonistic, however you place individuals personas together and they are fighting for the similar guy. It isn't that they are all crazy, but together they do not mix also it creates a very combustible situation. Have you feel below par or embarrassed watching Jenna's fight with Monica and her breakdown?Harrison: So far as the Jenna and Monica stuff, Ben barely knows their own title [that evening] a smaller amount has the capacity to be attune towards the perspective of room or what's happening. I felt for Jenna that evening. She was, i believe, a front-runner. We thought, based in writing, she was somebody that would serve you for a very long time about this show. All of us though this girl is cute, wise, from NY, but that is how rapidly things can alter. It simply got the very best of her and she or he were built with a meltdown -also it does not improve in a few days. Grandmas and Girl Crushes: 7 good reasons to watch The Bachelor premiere What have you consider Monica and Blakely's teasing?Harrison: I'm not sure contrary is actually there, however it am bizarre. I believe it's most likely almost happened previously, but which was as blatant as it is have you been. I was within the control room like, "Wow." Ben was immediately drawn to Courtney, however it appears like she's this season's villain?Harrison: If you are a tall, gorgeous brunette who caught the attention immediately from the Bachelor you are likely to be a simple target. I wasn't sure how America would act, however it appears like they are just a little delay by her too. Courtney has clearly set herself aside [but] she's only some of the one that makes waves and it is an antagonist on the program. That which was your preferred (and least favorite) entrance from the evening?Harrison: The worst was Anna. It could've done another person, but he wasn't getting it. Following the limo empties I enter and speak with him and that he stated, "That which was that about? You receive one opportunity to make that first impression and you simply walk by me and never say anything?" ... He required it as being a snub. The very best was Lindzi. It had been classic, and her charisma and charm was perfect. Perform the producers decide one girl will ride a equine, another brings a grandmother, or perform the women request for your?Harrison: The producers say, "Have you got anything for you to do?Inch and we must be ready. Therefore if they are saying, "Hey, I am a chef I wish to prepare Ben a soufflé," we must make certain they've what they desire. Linzi assemble it and known as a buddy to gain access to a equine. What's should fans be most looking forward to with this approaching season?Harrison: There's nothing shy about Ben. You need to drop trou and begin the sea? Sure you wager I actually do. He's an anything goes guy, and simultaneously he really was available to doing everything. It designed for great TV. Watch our interview with Ben concerning the first evening: