When asked about her return to weekly television, Elvira said “All I can say is, IT’S ABOUT DAMN TIME!”

“Elvira will be every bit as relevant as the first day she burst onto the scene; a beautiful opinionated woman who always delivers just what her audience expects from her,”said Hank Cohen, CEO/Partner, Trifecta Entertainment. “At Trifecta, we take pride in bringing proven and trusted brands to the syndicated marketplace; Elvira is a time-tested and wildly successful brand unto herself and her new show perfectly exemplifies our strategy.”

Who would have imagined back in 1981 that the hostess of a local Hollywood horror movie show would grow to become a household name? Elvira was the first horror host ever to be syndicated nationally, and the Mistress of the Dark has remained one of the most original and outrageous characters in popular culture today. This fall, she returns to national syndication with 26 horror movies, accompanied by her one-of-a-kind commentary. B-movie actors and directors beware, because nothing escapes the keen eye and sharp tongue of Elvira, Mistress of the Dark.

Elvira’s reign as ‘Queen of Halloween’ has now spanned nearly three decades and includes two feature films, an IMAX film, long-running syndicated television series and 2 motion control rides. She has appeared in National ad campaigns for Pepsi and Coors, recorded 5 music CDs, published 4 books and licensed over 400 products, including three pinball machines, BC Rich guitars, three comic book series, Elvira’s ‘Night Brew’ beer, ‘Evil’ perfume and the best selling female Halloween costume of all time.
-Press Release

They rage against each other, just like Andie rages against judgmental yuppies in “16 Candles.” They try to defeat each other, just like Gary and Wyatt try to defeat their unpopularity and lack of girls in “Weird Science.” They battle, just like Alexis and Krystle battle from “Dynasty” battle in living rooms, in art studios, in bedrooms, on hillsides, in lily ponds….

Be sure to catch The Asylum’s “MEGA PYTHON VS. GATOROID” when it hits the SyFy channel in 2011!
-Press Release

Off and Running is an American coming-of-age story. But it is one shaped by the new realities of an increasingly diverse American population, especially as those realities affect family life. Brooklyn teen Avery Klein-Cloud is the African-American adoptive daughter of white Jewish lesbians. Her siblings, also adopted, are an older black and Puerto Rican boy and a young Korean-American boy. Avery has grown up loved, supported and happy. Off and Running opens with the popular high school track star in her junior year, looking forward to college and a successful life.
But the outside world, with its deep concerns about race and identity, begins to intrude upon this happy family. Avery’s upbringing in a Jewish household and her distance from black culture were not issues for her during childhood, but as she approaches adulthood, she grows more troubled by her ignorance of her own roots. With the support of her parents, she decides to learn about her past by writing to her birth mother. The result is a crisis whose depth takes Avery, her parents and the filmmakers by surprise — a crisis that threatens to sweep away the teen’s promising future.
Nicole Opper’s Off and Running has its national broadcast premiere on Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2010, at 10 p.m. on PBS during the 23rd season of POV (Point of View). The film will be shown with two StoryCorps short animations. Off and Running is one of the three-part POV Adoption Stories, which include Wo Ai Ni (I Love You) Mommy on Aug. 31 and In the Matter of Cha Jung Hee on Sept. 14. POV continues its regular schedule on Tuesdays through Sept. 21 and concludes with a special on Tuesday, Oct. 5. (Check local listings.) American television’s longest-running independent documentary series, POV is the recipient of a Special Emmy for Excellence in Television Documentary Filmmaking.
As a little girl, Avery was the only black child in Hebrew school. In high school, her black friends, including her boyfriend, also a track star, often tease her about how little she knows about African- American culture. It’s all in good fun and Avery, in turn, likes to tell her friends about Jewish culture and her family’s diversity. But at some point during her junior year, Avery’s distance from black life begins to eat at her. Her parents, Tova and Travis, support her efforts to contact her birth mother through the agency that handled her adoption, though they caution her that she may not get the answer she wants — or any answer at all. After three anxious months, a reply comes from Avery’s birth mother, Kay, in Austin, Texas. It’s a kind enough letter that asks for Avery’s forgiveness for giving her up and informs her that she has three brothers, a sister and a nephew. There is no indication, however, that Kay wants a relationship with Avery.
The effect on Avery is intense. The lack of connection she has always felt around other African- American culture becomes an issue of paramount importance. The question “Who am I and where did I come from?” obsesses her. Avery has numerous conversations with Tova and Travis about her doubts and questions. But no amount of love and understanding seems to help Avery or ease her turmoil. In fact, tensions in the household, and Avery’s anger, only increase. For Avery, “growing into my own person” means creating a complementary black identity. She begins to remodel herself with a new hairstyle, interests and circle of friends, but she sees no role for Tova and Travis in this effort.
The family member she remains closest to is her older brother, Rafi. As a mixed-race adoptee, he can understand and sympathize with Avery’s dilemmas and questions. Yet Rafi provides a dramatic counterpoint to Avery’s turmoil — and disproves the idea that cross-racial adoptees inevitably face identity crises. Rafi doesn’t share Avery’s angst. His birth mother, a crack addict, left his biological younger brother brain-damaged, and Rafi feels unambiguously lucky and grateful for the life he has been given by Tova and Travis. In fact, he wants to become a neurosurgeon so he can put his good fortune to work helping people like his brain-damaged brother.
Despite these differences, Rafi is Avery’s chief — and sometimes only — emotional support in the family. And when he leaves for college, Avery feels more alienated and confused than ever, and Off and Running takes a drastic turn. To the distress of Tova and Travis, Avery stops coming home. She stays at friends’ houses, begins skipping school and track practice and even misses her parents’ wedding in Massachusetts. In a very short time, this highly promising teenager has entered a downward spiral that seems poised to take away her future.
Only Avery’s boyfriend, Prince, is confident that she will regain her balance and the disciplined sports focus they previously shared. As dramatically chronicled in Off and Running, a changed and wiser Avery does ultimately rally to graduate, win a bronze medal at the state track championships and earn a scholarship to college in Delaware. She also realizes, in a roundabout way that no one could have predicted, that Tova and Travis — for all that they could not tell her about her African- American roots — nonetheless have given her the strength, determination and independence to meet her identity crisis and become, indeed, her own person.
“I wasn’t prepared for the complete meltdown that Avery had halfway through our filming together,” says director Opper. “But we made a pact. We had started this project together and we would finish it together. I began inviting her over to watch and respond to the scenes as we were cutting them. This was her story, and it was important that she feel ownership of the process.”
-Press Release

Expanding on the hit feature film and best-selling book “Friday Night Lights,” the award-winning show centers on life in Dillon, Texas, where high school football brings the community together—and the drama of small town life threatens to tear it apart. Coach Eric Taylor must lead his Dillon Panthers through the highs and lows of high school football, as well as the curve balls that life outside of the game throws at them. Through it all, the Panthers try to achieve greatness on and off the field.

“Friday Night Lights” stars Kyle Chandler, Connie Britton, Aimee Teegarden, Zach Gilford, Brad Leland, Taylor Kitsch, Minka Kelly, Adrianne Palicki, Jesse Plemons, Gaius Charles and Scott Porter.
-Press Release

Q: I want to know what can you tell us about the Tears for Fears version or the Curt Smith version of the Psych theme song. Obviously it’s become a very popular theme song. It’s a very fun theme song. How did you sort of want to reinterpret it?

Curt Smith: Well taking cues from James primarily I made it as retro as I possibly could with some humor. So basically what we get is the visuals of the, you know, the closing credits and everything which the theme song goes over and then we play with that.

So rhythmically you’ve got to match that so that it all kind of fits in and there’s an explosion and different things. So basically it was a mixture of going back to very old synthesizers and adding some humor to that as well which, it was actually a really enjoyable experience I have to say.

Q: Now that you’ve done a little bit of acting I mean do you think that this is something you want to do again?

Curt Smith: It depends if I ever get asked. I mean the joy of doing the Psych thing I have to say, is that, you know, I’d met them beforehand, James and Tim specifically. I met Dule when I got up there. But they’re just, you know, a nice bunch of people.

So it actually makes the whole experience easy and enjoyable. And in that sense I didn’t find it particularly hard especially as you say, playing myself. But playing other people, who can tell? But, you know, I’m kind of game for things.

Q: Can you talk about how the guest spot came about for you and what it was like to work on set?

Curt Smith: It initially came about that James and Tim from the show came to a Tears for Fears show at the Wiltern theatre in Los Angeles and then somehow managed to wangle their way backstage. I have no idea but security was very lax that night.

And I was introduced to James in – backstage. And then he said, you know, would you come and do a guest spot on the show? And I thought well why not? The show is amusing. The kind of humor is kind of right up my alley because it’s pretty much chock full of sarcasm.

So it seemed like a good thing to do. And shooting it was really – I actually was tweeting while I was up there and I think I summed it up in one sort of sentence when I said it was like being at a two day frat party which it pretty much was.

Q: Now so many years removed from the ’80s in what ways can you hear the impact of Tears for Fears in today’s music?

Curt Smith: Well I mean you hear it from newer bands. You obviously – I mean I can hear our influences of – over certain newer music. But, you know, it’s not something I’m sort of conscious of all the time. When you’re continuing to make music you don’t really think of, you know, the mark you’ve left.

You’re really looking for the next thing. So I’m not really one for looking back that much and seeing if we’ve left an indelible mark on the music industry. I’d rather move on and keep doing what I do.

Q: For you and Roland today what types of compromises do you have to strike in order to make it work?

Curt Smith: Well we don’t go on tour for long periods of time which is always a good thing. You know, we’ve been together for rather a long time now. So, you know, the idea of – at our age, doing very long tours is definitely not something that we’re into.

And I mean I think, you know, trying to make it enjoyable. I mean that – doing shorter tours makes it enjoyable for us. And, you know, changing some of the older songs so that they relate to us more now emotionally than they would have done when we were in our 20s.

You know, songs like Shout really don’t resonate with us the same way as it did back then when we were angry young men. So, you know, we change a few things and make it – we basically update things.

Q: Psych is really a show that puts so much of their writing talent into trying to create this sort of homage to the 1980s and the music, the films.

How comfortable was it for you going into this kind of setting where you already knew I mean your music was loved, it was respected and I mean you were basically surrounded by people who looked up to you?

Curt Smith: Yeah, I mean I think that made it enjoyable. Yes. I mean, you know, I don’t like – I don’t mind my ego being rubbed now and again. You know, I mean they – and, you know, they were a nice bunch of people as well. So filming it was really easy.

You know, I think also what sort of helps is with all of the people on the show, you know, maybe apart from Tim to a certain degree because he does play a character that’s not exactly like him but, you know, what you see on the show is pretty much the way these people are off the show.

So that made the whole experience a lot easier for me. I wasn’t dealing with, you know, seeing a bunch of actors act and then discovering they’re completely different people off the set. They’re really not. They’re pretty much the way you think they are.

Q: You really embraced social media and as we all are starting to do even more. You know, how do you see it affecting the culture I guess even for something you’re doing in music? Is it just an easier way to bring people together or what do you think the impact is then?

Curt Smith: Well it’s a far more direct way of bringing people together. It’s no longer having to go through, you know, seven layers of hell to get to an individual.

I mean, you know, it used to be in my case if we talk purely music, that you would have to go through, you know, you’d have to go through a record company which means the publicist. And then they’d have to talk to someone else and then they’d have to talk to the manager.

And then they’d work out exactly, you know, they’d spend time working out what your circulation was and everything else. And nowadays someone just tweets me a question and I answer it. It seems a lot simpler.

Q: So obviously you’re no stranger to being in front of the camera doing music in the video age. How different was this from just making a music video for you?

Curt Smith: Well you have to talk. That’s the biggest difference. You know, you don’t realize – and the thing is I think that, you know, obviously not being an actor. What’s hard is that you’re talking someone else’s lines, you know, someone else has written them for you.

I mean luckily in my case I could – because that bit’s so small that I can say well do you mind if I say it the way I would actually say it because it will be easier for me? But I can, you know, to try and put yourself in – and I was playing myself so that’s, you know, t hat’s not a stretch. Acting acting is a different. I’m not sure that I’d be able to do that but who knows.

Q: I was just hoping you could talk a little bit about just the overall experience and of doing Psych and just kind of what it means to you overall.

Curt Smith: I mean like I mentioned, the experience was great. You know, we – I mean I just flew up to Vancouver for two days because the shock/horror is it’s actually not really filmed in Santa Barbara. And, you know, it was just a couple of nights in Vancouver.

The filming side of it – I mean, you know, when you’re actually filming I’ve got to say it was a boiling hot day so that was – that was not that pleasurable that bit of it when you’re sitting in the sun trying not to sweat. But it was – it was kind of easy.

I mean I suppose I’m – I was already used to it with videos before. Although, you know, in a short video you’re normally called upon a lot more often than you are doing one part in a show. So it was an awful lot of sitting around in a trailer waiting to get called.

But I guess that’s the nature and people are used to that. It was – that was a little sort of strange that you spent most of the time doing nothing. But, you know, the filming was great. And as I mentioned earlier, you know, the guys on the show are pretty much that way anyway.

So they’re very easy to deal with. And, you know, the whole thing was pretty pleasurable I have to say. Plus, you know, we all went to dinner afterwards which was nice.

Q: Mad World has been a great song for years and in the last few years it seems like it’s made kind of a comeback being in Donnie Darko and a couple of years ago on American Idol. I was just wondering what your thoughts were on the resurgence of that song.

Curt Smith: Well it’s going to get even bigger after tomorrow night when it’s in Psych also. But it will be the acoustic version of it, not to give the plot away or anything. But I mean it – it’s gratifying I guess. I mean it’s a testament to the strength of the song that it can be done in various different ways and it still has the same, you know, emotional draw.

You know, I like to hear other people’s versions of it providing they’re good. And I think that, you know, Gary Jules’ version was great, Gary and Michael Andrews.

And I think that Adam Lambert kind of did their version of it more than they – he did our version of it which I thought was, you know, pretty cool also. So, you know, I’m good with it.

Q: I was curious if there was a memorable moment or a favorite moment that you had during your time on the set of Psych.

Curt Smith: I guess that, you know, James – Mr. Roday who tends to adlib a lot had a few funny moments.

You know, when he’s looking at me and saying – I don’t know if this one made the cut by the way so, you know, I – whether it’s in the show or not but he’s supposed to be, you know, being the slobbery fan girl when he meets me.

And he said – I think he says it’s you, the fleshy you, which, you know, it’s very hard to keep a straight face when someone says that to you which, you know, was my job at that point in time. But yeah, I mean just it being amusing was the most memorable part of it.

Q: What does the rest of the year hold for you and Tears for Fears?

Curt Smith: Well we’re just finishing up this tour which ends next Sunday. And then I’m back to LA. I actually have a Web show that’s on every Wednesday night starting again next Wednesday called Stripped Down Live. It’s a music show that I host. So I’ll be doing that every week.

And I’ve got some solo things in LA. But that’s, you know, I’m probably going to be pretty much based back in Los Angeles for the rest of the year, until we probably go out on tour again next year.

Q: Why isn’t Roland participating on the show?

Curt Smith: Roland’s in England. He lives in England. So basically it’s – the timing and everything else kind of didn’t work. I mean it would have involved him having to come to us basically doing the recording trans-Atlantically which is not ever a good thing. Plus they were kind of – Psych were – had a very tight time schedule to deliver the song.

And him – he hates flying with a passion, my partner. So the idea of him flying just all the way from London to Vancouver for a day and a half probably wasn’t at the top of his list of things I need to do because he’s the world’s worst flier.

Q: Was this something you did just for fun or will you be pursuing acting?

Curt Smith: Who can tell? I mean I did it for fun. We’ll see what people think tomorrow. I won’t be watching but – I might but I don’t normally like to see myself talking because I’m used to seeing myself sing. I think I do that okay. The talking side I’m not – I guess it’s the same for anyone.

You know, if you ever listen to your voice on an answering machine everyone thinks we sound dreadful. That’s sort of the way I think when I hear myself speak. But – so and then – and in that sense I don’t know. But, you know, we’ll see. We’ll see how it goes and what the response is.

And I mean I did enjoy the experience I have to say. So if it means doing other things and never watching them then maybe that’s a route to go.

Q: What does acting do for you that music doesn’t?

Curt Smith: Well it’s just a chance to do something different. I mean I think the, you know, one of the other joys of social media is that a lot of these things come up. People, you know, get to you because they have direct contact with you and ask you to do things that are pretty much outside of your comfort zone.

And I think that for me I sit there and look and go well why not? Why not try it? You know, I mean I did – in LA a (Tedex) Hollywood Talk and, you know, me actually giving a talk with, you know, in front of a whole bunch of people as opposed to playing music, it was very alien to me.

But it was enjoyable because it’s something different. So I look at the sort of appearance on Psych tomorrow as the same kind of thing where it’s outside of my comfort zone but, you know, why not try it.

Q: So I was wondering if rescoring the Psych theme – has that at all sparked any interest in you possibly doing any other scoring for shows or movies.

Curt Smith: No. I would love to I have to say. Yeah. I mean I – I’ve definitely had in the back of my mind that I would love to do that at some point. It’s a question of, you know, sort of finding the right avenues to do it. You know, we did thoroughly enjoy redoing this song and having the visuals there to work with.

It just adds that extra element to the music that you have to incorporate which made – again makes it something a bit different which is fun. So yeah, I would love to do that.

Q: The first two, I guess ,Twitter collaboration singles that you’ve released so far have been wonderful. And I’m just wondering what kind of timeline you’re working towards actually doing a complete album or even the next single on that.

Curt Smith: Yeah. I’m definitely going to continue in the same vein. You know, obviously I’m going to readdress it once I get back from touring. I had to take a break because of the tour.

But yeah, I definitely want to keep doing some collaborations and probably make an album where they’re a bit to release some kind of special edition of it at the end. But as I’m doing it which is, you know, another new thing for me, I’m just going to release it as, you know, as I finish a track I’ll release it.

And I’m going to do that for every song. And then if it seems like a wonderful cogent piece of work at the end then I’ll release it as some form of CD package.

Q: What did you think about James’ and Dule’s performance of Shout, an American Duo?

Curt Smith: It was fantastic. You know, I mean especially Dule doing Michael Jackson and as I mentioned earlier, the whole, you know, Shout, Shout, let it all out and the (sham on) was just – I was in hysterics at that bit. But, you know, and then James’ take on Roland was pretty amusing.

You know, and the whole American Duos/American Idol thing was funny.

Q: A lot of the time when celebrities play themselves they end up playing these sort of very exaggerated like larger than life kind of versions. So is that what you’re going to do or is it more of a down key true to you.

Curt Smith: I’m kind of playing more of a shrunken, smaller than life version of me. Because in real life I’m incredibly outgoing as you can tell. But in the show I’m kind of demure and quiet. No, I mean I think it’s, you know, I think that it’s a relatively fair representation of me I suppose.

But no, I mean I – the exaggerating and the sort of overt acting I don’t think I’d be so good at. I think the whole point of playing yourself is to try and be yourself, you know, otherwise it just kind of looks a bit strained. And hopefully I didn’t do that. I guess we’ll find out tomorrow night.

Hear from JJ Abrams, Skeet Ulrich, Jimmy Smits and a whole lot more as they give you a comprehensive look at the 2010 Fall slate for NBC!
-Press Release

One-Hour Emmy “Fashion Police” Special Airs Monday, August 30 at 10:00PM ET/PT and New Weekly “Fashion Police” Series Premieres Friday, September 10 at 10:30pm ET/PT only on E!

Red Carpet darling Kelly Osbourne joins E!’s popular series “Fashion Police,” to dish on all things couture alongside celebrated red carpet legend Joan Rivers, E!’s resident fashionista Giuliana Rancic and celebrity stylist George Kotsiopoulos. Known for her unique style, Kelly will bring a one-of-a-kind voice to this fashion forward group. These Hollywood insiders will critique their first red carpet together on August 30 at 10:00pm with E!’s “Emmy Fashion Police” special and continue their battle to right all the fashion wrongs beginning September 10th at 10:30ET/PT when “Fashion Police” premieres as a weekly series only on E!.

On Monday, August 30 at 10:00pm ET/PT, Joan, Kelly, Giuliana and George recap all of the Emmy red carpet fashions from the previous night with a special one-hour “Fashion Police.” From the best frocks to the biggest flops, this special will show viewers who got the look right, and who really missed the mark.

Then premiering Friday, September 10 at 10:30pm ET/PT, the “Fashion Police” franchise expands with Joan, Kelly, Giuliana and George bringing viewers their no-holds-barred celebrity fashion and pop culture commentary each and every week. From runway shows to the hottest red carpets to Hollywood style out and about, this fierce foursome gives viewers a complete recap of the week’s celebrity fashion, along with the latest Hollywood stories.

Modern Family Gone Mad
Messing with Modern Family’s Emmy-winning formula is a dangerous–and comical–idea.

Watch Joel McHale and the entire cast of Community as they take a journey to the Emmys.

The journey continues as the cast of Community plays “Emmy Seat Filler.”