Saturday, November 16, 2024

Mike Tyson Loves Pigeons, Discovery Needs Shark Officer

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More from Randee Dawn‘s adventures in Pasadena:

Discovery Networks brought the weird to the pre-Oprah/OWN portion of the TCA afternoon, with some of the following useful tidbits: A press release is calling for a “chief shark officer” at the network (pay: “chump change”) and they appear earnest in wanting to have someone apply ….

…A press release passed around announced that Ridley Scott will be producing eight episodes of “Prophets of Science Fiction” for Science Channel, profiling “great minds of science fiction who later inspired ‘science fact.’” The series kicks off in late 2011 …

Mike Tyson revealed the depth of his world history knowledge while discussing pigeons and pigeon racing, which will be the topic of his new Animal Planet series “Taking on Tyson” (expert Vinnie Torre, Tyson’s pigeon trainer, called the flying rats “thoroughbreds of the air”) but neither of them had any advice for how to get them off of your fire escape.,,,,

…Science Channel newcomers Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant and Karl Pilkington beamed in via satellite from London (while quaffing beers) to discuss Pilkington’s trip around the world in “An Idiot Abroad”…

While Gervais answered a question, Pilkington’s ear bud came off inside his ear and hilarity ensued: “There’s your science, for Chrissakes,” said Gervais, responding to the dubious queries about the series’ scientific qualifications. “This was my gift to the world,” he said about sending the gullible and somewhat naïf-like Pilkington off on his own, adding: “He’s the most fascinating thing on the planet.”

Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.

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