Billy Crystal News

As the year comes to a close, TBS is ready to celebrate the most hilarious commercials to hit the television screen over the past 12 months in Funniest Commercials of the Year: 2011. Former professional football player, actor and ad sensation Isaiah Mustafa will return for his second year as host of the countdown special, which is set to premiere Wednesday, Dec. 14, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT), exclusively on TBS.

As the year comes to a close, TBS is ready to celebrate the most hilarious commercials to hit the television screen over the past 12 months in Funniest Commercials of the Year: 2011. Former professional football player, actor and ad sensation Isaiah Mustafa will return for his second year as host of the countdown special, which is set to premiere Wednesday, Dec. 14, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT), exclusively on TBS.

The National Yiddish Theatre - Folksbiene (now in its historic 97th consecutive season), celebrates the enduring influence of Yiddish on American popular culture at its annual Cabaret Dinner on Tuesday November 22, at the Bohemian National Hall, 321 East 73rd Street.

The producers of the international hit comedy My Mother's Italian, My Father's Jewish & I'm in Therapy! by Steve Solomon, currently running at Toronto's Bathurst St. Theatre, have announced that the show has been extended due to popular demand through to January 29, 2012.

The Muppets have just released a new music video from the soundtrack of their upcoming movie THE MUPPETS, opening on Wednesday, November 23rd.

La Jolla Playhouse announces two more productions for its 2012/13 season: An Iliad, a one-man adaptation of Homer's classic tale, adapted by Lisa Peterson (Surf Report, Be Aggressive) and Denis O'Hare (Take Me Out), from a translation by Robert Fagles, directed by Lisa Peterson. The production will run June 19 - July 15, 2012 in the Mandell Weiss Forum. The Playhouse will also present David Mamet's Pulitzer Prize-winning Glengarry Glen Ross, directed by Playhouse Artistic Director Christopher Ashley, running February 2 - March 3, 2013 in the Sheila and Hughes Potiker Theatre.

Modern-day master of musical theatre Stephen Sondheim is about to release the second book of his complete collected lyrics - covering mostly everything written in the last three decades and in this one so far - titled after a line from what may very well be his ultimate masterpiece, the Pulitzer Prize-winning SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE - LOOK, I MADE A HAT; Collected Lyrics (1981-2011) with Attendant Comments, Amplifications, Dogmas, Harangues, Digressions, Anecdotes and Miscellany. So, today, we are going to be taking a look at a litany of the finest moments from Sondheim's post-SWEENEY TODD musicals that are highlighted in LOOK, I MADE A HAT and perhaps discover a few of the many reasons why Sondheim's musicals - whether late-period or early on- are the best of the best Broadway has to offer - now or ever. And, what an absolutely mind-blowing list it is - and what a masterpiece of a book!

The Barns at Wolf Trap are set to welcome Back Comedian Steve Solomon with his Brand New One-Man Show, Steve Solomon's My Mother's Italian, My Father's Jewish & I'm Home for the Holidays.

INSIDE COMEDY, the new comedy documentary series from comedy forces comedian David Steinberg ('Curb Your Enthusiasm') and Steve Carell will premiere on Thursday, January 26th at 11 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME.

The Muppets have been a worldwide phenomena for more than 50 years. From their humble beginnings on local television and variety show appearances, through their incredible success in six theatrical motion pictures including the original 1979 'Muppet Movie', their Grammy-winning music career, and their Emmy-winning international television hit 'The Muppet Show', the Muppets have gone where no troupe of frogs, pigs, bears, and well, whatever, have ever gone before.

'Small Fry' is a new short film which will make its premiere before along with the debut of the highly anticipated Disney film THE MUPPETS. This Toy Story short tells the story of those Happy Meal toys that kids play with once or twice and then abandon.

Seattle Theatre Group (STG) announces the following concerts going on sale this week.

The premiere of the new movie from Disney THE MUPPETS was held at the El Capitan Theatre, on November 12, 2011, in Los Angeles. BroadwayWorld brings you photo coverage from the premiere below!

Following today'sannouncement that Brian Grazer wil be replacing former show producer Brett Ratner for the 2012 Academy Awards, it has just been announced that Broadway veteran Billy Crystal will take over as host. Crystal hosted the Academy Awards broadcast in 1990-1993, 1997, 1998, 2000, and 2004; and he reportedly turned down hosting the 2006 ceremony to concentrate on his one-man show, 700 Sundays. His eight times as the M.C. is second only to Bob Hope's 18 in most ceremonies hosted.

COMEDY CENTRAL, a division of Viacom Media Networks (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), announced today that the second annual 'The Comedy Awards' will return to New York City. The multi-platform, annual event dedicated to honoring and celebrating the world of comedy, will be taped at New York City's Hammerstein Ballroom on Saturday, April 28, 2012 and will premiere on COMEDY CENTRAL on Sunday, May 6, 2012.

Comedienne and television personality Joan Rivers comes to Austin's Paramount Theatre, according to the theatre's schedule. The show is set for Thursday, November 3rd; doors open at 7:00pm, and the show begins at 8:00pm.

Budd Friedman and Mark Lonow, co-owners of The Improv at Harrah's Las Vegas, are to introduce very special guest headliner Gary Gulman to The Improv November 1st- 6th, with supporting act Joe List.