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Australian satirist Barry Humphries, known for his onstage and TV drag persona Edna Everage and for his character Sir Les Patterson, has died. He was 89.

The BBC reported that Humphries had been in hospital in Sydney, Australia, and had been suffering from complications following surgery in March.

“A great wit, satirist, writer and an absolute one-of-kind, he was both gifted and a gift,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said following the news of Humphries’ death.

“Rip Barry Humphries – one of the greatest ever Australians – and a comic genius who used his exuberant alter egos, Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson, to say the otherwise unsayable. Also an infallibly brilliant Spectator contributor. What a loss,” said former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Twitter.

Rip Barry Humphries – one of the greatest ever Australians – and a comic genius who used his exuberant alter egos, Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson,...

From Oprah to Ellen, daytime TV has found its own array of talk-show stars. But clearly the format isn’t for everyone. Harry Connick Jr. is about to launch a syndicated daytime talk show produced by NBC. But the New Orleans crooner should careful. A lot of stars have fizzled in daytime TV. Jane Pauley was the widely admired cohost of “Today.” A natural fit for her own daytime show, right? Nope. “The Jane Pauley Show” premiered in 2004 and was canceled after just one season. Everyone loves Tony Danza, right? Maybe not. The irrepressible former “Taxi” star premiered “The Tony Danza Show...

In what's proving to be a surprisingly banner week for Tony Danza, Vince Vaughn, and sitcoms that feel time-warped in from the early '90s, Tony Danza and Vince Vaughn are partnering on a multi-camera comedy for ABC, with Danza potentially returning to the home of Taxi and Who's The Boss? to take on his first lead sitcom role since 1997's The Tony Danza Show. According to Variety, the premise dreamed up by Danza's manager—and "jokingly" titled The Guys, at least until it just is—concerns "three old friends whose lives have taken them down very ...

“one of the most sincere portraits of a creative genius…”

Being Elmo: A Puppeteer’s Journey (2011)

Directed by Constance Marks

2011, USA

To children of all ages around the world, Elmo is an international icon and a household name. The puppet who characteristically avoids pronouns, referring to himself in the third person and known as the “Little Red Menace” by Sesame Street traditionalists, has found fame in regular mainstream television and movies. He’s become a regular guest on The Rosie O’Donnell Show, appeared on Martha Stewart Living and Martha, The Tony Danza Show, and was even on a special episode of Oprah called The Faces Behind The Famous Names. He starred in the theatrically-released motion pictures Elmo in Grouchland, Elmo Saves Christmas and appeared in a fifth-season episode of The West Wing. He is so well known that Elmo is the only non-human or puppet ever to testify before the U.

After less than 16 months on the air, NBC has announced that they're shutting down production on their daytime information show, In the Loop with iVillage.

The weekday program was originally designed as an extension of NBC-Universal's iVillage website and was focused on issues and subjects primarily of interest to women. The series debuted on December 4, 2006 as iVillage Live and was initially produced out of Orlando, Florida. It was hosted by relative newcomers Molly Pesce, Stefani "Sissy" Schaefer, and Guy Yovan with Naamua Delaney and Bob Oschack as regular contributors.

iVillage Live wasn't living up to expectations so NBC News' in-house production group took control and moved it to Chicago. The show was relaunched on September 4, 2007 as In the Loop with iVillage. The five original hosts were dropped and replaced by The Apprentice season one winner, Bill Rancic; Apprentice contestant and The Tony Danza Show sidekick, Ereka Vetrini; and comedian/actress Kim Coles.

On a recent episode of ABC's The View, Sears sponsored a surprise dorm room makeover for two college freshmen that included a shopping spree at the department store for practically every new item that went into the room. Later this season on Martha Stewart's new syndicated daytime strip, Martha, GE is sponsoring a multiepisode dream kitchen makeover segment featuring major roles for its appliances. And on the day before Thanksgiving, The Tony Danza Show will feature Campbell's Soup in a holiday segment depicting 25 family members who win a Thanksgiving reunion trip to New York sponsored by the packaged-food manufacturer. When it comes to daytime TV, brand integration is on the rise, especially on talk shows. While the soap opera was born in the heyday of radio from the product-placement desires of detergent manufacturers, contemporary talk shows make product integration a much simpler proposition with their real-world environment. They also provide advertisers with a tremendous asset not available in soaps, primetime scripted series or even most reality shows -- a real-life celebrity appearing with or even possibly praising their products.

David Perler and Jill Blackstone have been named executive producers for the second season of Buena Vista Television's The Tony Danza Show. Perler will oversee all celebrity and comedy segments of the talk/variety daytime strip. Blackstone will focus on human interest features and topical segments on the show, which begins its sophomore year Sept. 12. Perler and Blackstone succeed John Redmann, who helmed Danza in its first season and since has been tapped as executive producer of Telepictures Prods. upcoming daytime talker hosted by Tyra Banks.

Despite a vote of confidence from Buena Vista Television for a second season of The Tony Danza Show, sidekick Ereka Vetrini, executive producer John Redmann and supervising producer Shane Farley will not be returning in year two. Vetrini, whose claim to fame was competing on the first edition of NBC's The Apprentice, is certainly no stranger to being publicly axed. On February 26, 2004, she was the eighth person fired by Donald Trump on national television for failing to market a new product properly. Buena Vista, which confirmed the three departures, denies that anyone else, including the rumored Gloria Estefan, is being groomed to take over the show. According to the syndicator, "We are 100% behind Tony Danza and 'The Tony Danza Show.'" Based on data from Nielsen Media Research through June 19, Danza ranks No. 9 out of 15 syndicated talk shows with a 1.3 household rating. Clearances in season two represent over 90% of the country.

Although Buena Vista Television renewed syndicated daytime talker The Tony Danza Show for a second season despite lack of tune-in, sidekick Ereka Vetrini and two behind-the-scenes producers have been axed, and singer Gloria Estefan is rumored to be its replacement if ratings don't perk up next season. Vetrini, whose claim to fame was competing on the first edition of NBC's The Apprentice, is certainly no stranger to being publicly axed. On February 26, 2004, she was the eighth person fired by Donald Trump on national television for failing to market a new product properly. Buena Vista, which confirmed the firings but denied Gloria Estefan being groomed to replace Tony Danza, remained similarly mum two years ago when a talker with Danza was rumored as the replacement for the then-struggling The Wayne Brady Show. At the time, Brady was delivering a larger audience than Danza is now. Season to-date, The Tony Danza Show ranks ninth among all syndicated talkers with a 1.3 household rating.

Most syndicated shows were unchanged or down slightly during the week ending May 15 -- the second full week of the sweep -- with a few exceptions. Among talkers, three managed to show an uptick from the previous week, according to data from Nielsen Media Research: Dr. Phil was up 4% to average a 5.7 household rating, Maury (3.0) was up 3%, and The Montel Williams Show (2.4) was up 4%. Top-rated talker The Oprah Winfrey Show (8.0) was unchanged, while third-place talk strip Live With Regis and Kelly (3.4) was down 6%. The Jerry Springer Show and The Ellen DeGeneres Show were both down 5% to a 2.1, while The Tony Danza Show (1.2) was down 8%. Who Wants to Be a Millionaire (3.3) was the only game show to post week-to-week gains, rising 3%. Wheel of Fortune (8.1) fell 2% but still maintained its standing as the top syndicated show for the week, while "Jeopardy!" (7.1) also was down, by 1%.

Daylight-saving time continued to take its toll on the syndicated shows for the week ending April 17 as more viewers took advantage of the longer daylight hours. On average, HUT (households using television) levels were down by 634,000 for the week -- following a seven-day frame that already was down by an average of 2.8 million -- which caused most syndicated shows to see ratings that were either flat or down from the previous week. Among talkers, freshman The Tony Danza Show was the only series to show week-to-week improvement, jumping 9% to a 1.2 average household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research figures. The top three talk shows were down slightly from the week before: The Oprah Winfrey Show (6.2) fell 3%, Dr. Phil (4.9) dropped 4%, and Live With Regis and Kelly (3.4) was down 3%.

Buena Vista Television is set to announce today that its syndicated talker The Tony Danza Show has just been cleared in Washington on the Fox owned-and-operated station WTTG starting in the fall. The show previously was not cleared in this market. In addition, the freshman strip has received an upgrade in Boston, where it's moving from 2:05 a.m. on ABC affiliate WCVB to noon on the Fox O&O WFXT in the fall. In addition, CBS affiliate WGCL in Atlanta has renewed the show for the 2005-06 season to continue airing in the 10 a.m. slot.

Buena Vista Television has officially given the green light to another season of the freshman talker The Tony Danza Show. The distributor said Tuesday that the daytime talk show, which is broadcast live from New York, has been renewed for a second season. Danza already has been renewed by stations in 115 markets and more than 80% of the country for the 2005-06 season.

The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday gave syndicated daytime shows a boost during the week ending Jan. 23. With many viewers enjoying a day off from work or school Jan. 17, HUT (households using television) levels were up by an average of 2 million for the week. Those shows benefiting from the holiday included several rookies, according to data from Nielsen Media Research. Talker The Jane Pauley Show was up 6% week-to-week to average a series-high 1.8 household rating, while fellow talk show The Tony Danza Show jumped 25% to a 1.5, tying its season-best performance. Another freshman strip, surprise-makeover show Ambush Makeover, spiked 30% to a 1.3, also tying its season-best rating. Talker The Larry Elder Show jumped 10% to a 1.1.

Roni Selig has been named to the newly created post of senior vp current programming and East Coast development at Buena Vista Prods. In her new role, Selig will focus on the East Coast development of new programming and the ongoing production of some of BVP's current shows, including the syndicated talk shows The Tony Danza Show and Live With Regis and Kelly and syndicated game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Selig will report to BVP executive vp programming Gwynne Thomas.

Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution on Tuesday announced the first clearance for The Tyra Banks Show, which is launching in syndication in fall 2005. The talker, hosted by supermodel-actress Tyra Banks, has been cleared on NBC affiliate KGW-TV in Portland, Ore., which is the nation's 24th-largest market. "We've had a terrific response from stations," said Jim Paratore, executive vp at WBDTD and president of Telepictures Prods. WBDTD said that Tyra will air at 10 a.m. on KGW's schedule, replacing The Tony Danza Show. Station reps were not available at press time. A Buena Vista Television spokesperson said the distributor is "completely confident" that it will find another station for Tony Danza in Portland and is rumored to be close to announcing many renewals for the freshman talk show. Tyra is produced by Bankable Inc. & Handprint Entertainment in association with Telepictures and distributed by WBDTD.

Three of the first-run rookies in syndication showed improvement during the week ending Oct. 3. Entertainment newsmagazine The Insider continues to lead the freshman pack, averaging a 2.4 household rating, according to Nielsen Media Research data. That's up 4% week-to-week. The Insider Weekend also was up, rising 31% to a 2.1. Freshman talker The Tony Danza Show (1.2) was up 9%. The show recently received upgrades in two markets: On Monday in Kansas City, Mo., Hearst-Argyle will move the show from a 1 p.m. slot on its UPN affiliate KCWE to a 9 a.m. slot on its ABC affiliate KMBC, and in Charlotte, N.C., it was moved this week from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Belo-owned NBC affiliate WCNC, becoming the lead-in to the station's afternoon newscast. Talk/reality/makeover strip Home Delivery averaged a 1.1, up 22%. That rating is the show's best in its three weeks on the air.

Paramount Domestic Television's entertainment newsmagazine The Insider led the pack of new shows premiering Monday in syndication. The strip, a spinoff of Paramount's syndicated Entertainment Tonight, averaged a 2.6 household rating/5 share Monday in Nielsen Media Research's overnight metered markets. That's down 7% from the year-ago time period average of a 2.8/6 for its station affiliates and down 16% from the lead-in average of a 3.1/7. All of the new shows premiering Monday were down from their lead-in average, and most were down from their year-ago time period average. The exception to the latter was Buena Vista Television's freshman talker The Tony Danza Show, whose premiere Monday averaged a 2.1/7 in the overnight metered markets. Tony's performance marks a 14% increase from the year-ago time period average of a 1.8/6, but the show was down 5% from the lead-in average of a 2.2/8.