Billy Crystal News

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.

Hugh Jackman, Back on Broadway broke The Broadhurst Theatre box office record last week with a gross of $1,210,974. Previous members of the Broadhurst's million dollar club are: 700 Sundays starring Billy Crystal (week ending 5/22/05): $1.061 million; Hamlet starring Jude Law week (week ending 12/6/09): $1.000 million; The Merchant of Venice starring Al Pacino (week ending 1/2/11): $1.175 million.

This October, the Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize salutes Will Ferrell. The program airs Monday, October 31 at 9 p.m. ET on PBS stations nationwide. Taped at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on October 23, the 90-minute special features a star-studded cast of Ferrell's friends and colleagues including top entertainers Billie Joe Armstrong of the band Green Day, Ed Asner, Jack Black, Matthew Broderick, Gwen Ifill, Adam McKay, Tim Meadows, Conan O'Brien, John C. Reilly, Paul Rudd, Andy Samberg, Molly Shannon and Ben Stiller. The evening pays tribute to the humor and accomplishments of the television icon and motion picture star.

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.

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.

La Jolla Playhouse announces its first production of the 2012/13 season: the world-premiere musical HANDS ON A HARDBODY, written by Pulitzer Prize winner and La Jolla Playhouse 2011 Gala Honoree Doug Wright (I AM MY OWN WIFE), Amanda Green (BRING IT ON: THE MUSICAL) and Trey Anastasio of the popular band Phish, with direction by Neil Pepe (SPEED-THE-PLOW) and choreography by Benjamin Millepied ('Black Swan'), running April 27 - June 10, 2012 in the Mandell Weiss Theatre.

La Jolla Playhouse announces its first production of the 2012/13 season: the world-premiere musical Hands on a Hardbody, written by Pulitzer Prize winner and La Jolla Playhouse 2011 Gala Honoree Doug Wright (I Am My Own Wife), Amanda Green (Bring It On: The Musical) and Trey Anastasio of the popular band Phish, with direction by Neil Pepe (Speed-the-Plow) and choreography by Benjamin Millepied (Black Swan), running April 27 - June 10, 2012 in the Mandell Weiss Theatre.

Steve Solomon's international hit comedy My Mother's Italian, My Father's Jewish & I'm in Therapy! starts performances next week starring Tony Award-winning stage and television star Paul Kreppel. The hilarious show has a 12-week run at the Bathurst St. Theatre from October 12, 2011-January 1, 2012. (The media performance is Wednesday, October 19 at 7pm.). Tickets are on sale through Ticketmaster or www.italianjewish.ca.

Tony Award-winning stage and television star Paul Kreppel will make his Toronto debut in the international hit comedy My Mother's Italian, My Father's Jewish & I'm in Therapy! at the Bathurst St. Theatre, October 12, 2011-January 1, 2012, the show's producers announced today.

The international hit comedy My Mother's Italian, My Father's Jewish & I'm in Therapy! is heading to Toronto's Bathurst St. Theatre for a 12-week engagement October 12, 2011-January 1, 2012, its producers announced today.

Steve Solomon's international hit comedy My Mother's Italian, My Father's Jewish & I'm in Therapy! starts performances next week starring Tony Award-winning stage and television star Paul Kreppel. The hilarious show has a 12-week run at the Bathurst St. Theatre from October 12, 2011-January 1, 2012. (The media performance is Wednesday, October 19 at 7pm.). Tickets are on sale through Ticketmaster or www.italianjewish.ca.

Oscar, Emmy, Tony and Grammy winner Whoopi Goldberg serves as a celebrity judge for American Humane Association's Hero Dog Awards™, presented by CESAR® Canine Cuisine, in Hollywood.

San Diego Musical Theatre has announced that Broadway star, Eric Kunze (Les Mirserables, Miss Saigon, Damn Yankees) will now play the title role of Joseph in the first production of its 2011-2012 season of shows, the San Diego premiere of the Megamix version of, the seven-time Tony nominated musical, JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Tim Rice, musical direction by Don LeMaster, choreography by Johnny Dean Harvey & Chad Everett Allen and directed by Ron Kellum (who starred on Broadway in JOSEPH).