I’m told that financier and producer Media Rights Capital has canceled two of the four shows it put on The CW after being given the rare opportunity to program a network’s Sunday nights. Both Valentine and Easy Money had been put on hiatus with skeleton crews while more scripts were written. Now both series are on…

I’ve confirmed that Josh Friedman, who wrote the “Movie Projector” column covering the weekly box office, has been laid off. An insider told me the Los Angeles Times is now looking for a low-cost freelancer to do it. Latest Calendar Layoffs From LA…

During the next few weeks you’ll read and hear Jon Favreau’s name repeated by the Washington press corps. It’s because Barack Obama’s favorite speechwriter has the same name as Jon Favreau, the Hollywood director, writer, and actor. Today, a Time.com posting of possible personnel in an Obama administration…

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. DHD started up 32 months ago in March 2006 and it’s been gratifying to see people are reading it and responding to it. Your tips have never been better, and your comments have never been livelier. (Keep ’em coming!) I remain in awe.

I’ve just been told that Viacom’s MTV Networks is planning “a lot” of layoffs. And get this: it’s making the announcement on Tuesday hoping that the news will be overshadowed by Election Day. Dontcha just love Big Media’s sensitivity? Finke/LA Weekly: Who Hates Their MTV…

The Summit Entertainment vampire romance doesn't open for another three weeks, but fans are already scooping up advance tickets for the film. In a recent survey, Twilight was voted by Fandango.com moviegoers as the most anticipated film of the season. According to a current survey of more than 5,000 moviegoers…

As DHD readers know, I’ve been closely following the Al Franken vs Norm Coleman hotly contested U.S. Senate race in Minnesota because, while showbiz talents who are also Democrats routinely raise money and campaign for political candidates, they rarely run for public office themselves. For a while, Franken, the Saturd…

Endeavor’s Ari Emanuel may soon have a sibling in a higher place. Today’s political news is filled with speculation that Ari’s brother Rahm Emanuel, the U.S. representative who helped engineer the Democratic takeover of Congress, is Barack Obama’s first choice for White House chief of staff in the event of a win. Ari…

Isn’t this a nice surprise? Veteran film producer Philippe Rousselet and entertainment executive Fabrice Gianfermi announced today the formation of Vendome Pictures — described in the press release as a development, production and financing entity focused on producing internationally driven and commercially viable…

UPDATED: MovieTickets.com online sales for October 27-31 as of 12 PM ET today: Quantum of Solace (MGM/Sony) 39% High School Musical 3: Senior Year (Disney) 30% Twilight (Summit Entertainment) 8% Saw V (Lionsgate) 4% The rest are 2% or less

The host is actor and Democratic activist Ben Affleck.

Statement by the AMPTP: The AMPTP met this afternoon with federal mediator Juan Carlos Gonzalez. During the meeting AMPTP presented details of the AMPTP’s Final Offer to SAG, along with background information on the major labor agreements that AMPTP has reached this year with WGA, DGA and AFTRA, which served as the…