Paul Simms, the writer behind ”Late Night With David Letterman” and the first three seasons of HBO’s “The Larry Sanders Show,” will receive the Herb Sargent Award for Comedy Excellence in recognition of his decades-long commitment to creating transformative content and mentoring budding screenwriters.
“Atlanta” creator Donald Glover is presenting the award to Simms at the 75th Annual Writers Guild Awards on March 5. The ceremony will be held at New York City’s Edison Ballroom.
“I’m deeply honored to receive the Herb Sargent Award and truly grateful to the writers I’ve worked with over the years,” Simms said. “Without their input, I’m not even capable of coming up with a funny quote, and I look forward to their assessments of all the various ways this quote you’re reading right now missed the mark and could have been better.”
The award is annually presented to a writer who embodies the spirit of the late Herb Sargent, former president of the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE). Sargent remained a fixture at WGAE for 14 years in addition to serving as a writer and producer on “Saturday Night Live.” Previous recipients include Tina Fey and Robert Carlock, Lorne Michaels and Judd Apatow.
Simms has similarly concreted his status in the television space since joining the Guild in 1990, with credits on the NBC sitcom “NewsRadio,” “Flight of the Conchords,” “Girls,” “Divorce” and “Boardwalk Empire.” More recently, Simms was an executive producer on “Atlanta” and is currently the showrunner of the Emmy award-winning series “What We Do in the Shadows.”
“Paul Simms has been a creative spark for many of this generation’s greatest comedic voices,” said WGAE president Michael Winship. “He brings out the best in those with whom he works and often has been the not-so-secret ingredient who takes a series and makes it a hit. Time and again, Simms has proven that he is more than deserving of the Sargent Award. We are pleased to honor him at this year’s ceremony in New York.”
Also in today’s TV news:
PARTNERSHIPS
Anchor Entertainment has officially partnered with Blumhouse Television on an all-new limited series titled “Look Into My Eyes.”
Brent Hodge, best known for directing 2021’s “Pharma Bro” and 2015’s “I Am Chris Farley,” is set to helm the four-part true crime show and will also executive produce the series for Anchor Entertainment alongside James Buddy Day, Mary Lisio, Eric Cook and Vince Dale. Jason Blum, Chris McCumber and Jeremy Gold will executive produce the project for Blumhouse Television.
The chilling narrative follows the fall from grace of Dr. George Kenney, a high school principal who is placed under scrutiny for practicing hypnosis on his students. The series serves to document both the allegations Kenney faced following the death of three students in 2011 as well as the prolonged trauma felt by the victims’ families.
“I’ve seen a number of wild stories over the course of my 20-year career, but nothing even remotely as crazy as this,” Ethan Goldman, founder and CEO of Anchor Entertainment, teased of the series. “The tale we unravel with a high school principal hypnotizing his students and the tragedy that ensues, is the ultimate “stranger than fiction” story. There were no better partners than director Brent Hodge and the brilliant minds at Blumhouse to help Anchor bring this story to the world.”
“Look into my Eyes” premieres May 4 on SundanceTV and AMC+.
GREENLIGHTS
Allen Media Group, founded by chairman and CEO Byron Allen, confirmed plans on Jan. 18 to create “Fast: Home Rescue,” a weekly one-hour series about families who rebuild their lives after natural disasters with the help of Reach Out Worldwide (ROWW).
The non-profit organization was created by the late actor Paul Walker, best known for starring in the “Fast & Furious” film franchise. Ten years after the performer’s death, ROWW remains active on a global scale providing disaster-relief assistance to devastated communities with a dedicated team of first-responders and professionals in fields like medicine and construction.
“Fast: Home Rescue” sees Cody Walker, the brother of Paul Walker, and his wife Felicia rebuild homes across America as the new faces of ROWW. Each episode features the husband-and-wife duo helping a different family get back on their feet following severe weather events.
In addition to educating viewers on the dangers of natural disasters like tornadoes, fires and floods, Allen emphasized the series is intended to shine light on how those affected have recovered in the wake of tragedy: “Viewers will experience many emotions during the one-hour episodes, from heartbreak, to surprise, and heart-warming moments of triumph.”
“Fast: Home Rescue” will enter broadcast syndication in fall 2023. The series is being produced by the Allen Media Group in partnership with Fight or Flight Studios, and will be distributed by Allen Media Group Television.
AWARDS
The National Academy of Television Arts (NATAS) announced today the recipients of the 74th Annual Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards, which are annually presented to individuals, companies and organizations developing or standardizing technology that transforms the television industry.
Honorees will be recognized at the 2023 National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show Centennial in Las Vegas. The award ceremony is scheduled for April 16, and the convention will run April 15-19.
“The Technology & Engineering Emmy Award was the first Emmy Award issued in 1949 and it laid the groundwork for all the other Emmys to come,” said Adam Sharp, CEO and president of NATAS. “We are extremely happy about honoring these prestigious individuals and companies, again in partnership with NAB, where the intersection of innovation, technology and excitement in the future of television can be found.”
This year’s winners include Nobukazu Teranishi and NEC for inventing and developing the photodiode used in the majority of modern image sensors; Cognitive Networks, Enswers and Turner Media Lab for gathering granular census level behavioral data by measuring albumin-to-creatine ratio; WSC, IBM, Comcast and Google for adopting artificial intelligence and machine learning solutions to generate sports highlights; MultiDyne and ARRI for creating the digital cinema camera mounted video extender for live audiences; and Harmonic, Comcast and Intel for developing and launching a virtualized cable modem.
Individuals who will receive tribute this year in the TV Pioneer Hall of Fame are Llewlyn Birchall Atkinson, Jean Lazare Weiller, Thomas Alva Edison, Jan Szczepanik and Constantin Dmitrievich Perskyi.
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Following today’s reveal of the nominees for this year’s Crunchyroll Anime Awards, voting is now open globally across more than 200 countries and territories.
Anime enthusiasts have until Wednesday, Jan. 25 at 5 p.m. PT to get their votes in for categories ranging from best opening sequence to best voice artist performance, and voters are encouraged to cast their ballots each day. Effective this year, Crunchyroll will also offer social media users the option of voting on Twitter for the Anime of the Year category by posting hashtags and sharing tweets. Official rules for participation can be found here.
Award recipients will be announced at the 2023 Anime Awards live ceremony on March 4, which will be held at the Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa in Tokyo. The event will also be available for viewing via a global livestream.
The ceremony is set to be hosted by voice actress Sally Amaki and television personality Jon Kabira. Kenichiro Yoshida, chairman, president and CEO of Sony Group Corporation will lead opening remarks before the festivities commence.
For a full list of this year’s Anime Awards nominees, check out the ballot here, or read below.
Anime of the Year
- Attack on Titan Final Season Part 2
- Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Entertainment District Arc
- Lycoris Recoil
- Ranking of Kings (Cour 2)
- SPY x FAMILY
Best Action
- Attack on Titan Final Season Part 2
- Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Entertainment District Arc
- JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Stone Ocean
- Lycoris Recoil
- SPY x FAMILY
Best Animation
- Akebi’s Sailor Uniform
- Attack on Titan Final Season Part 2
- Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Entertainment District Arc
- Ranking of Kings (Cour 2)
- SPY x FAMILY
Best Anime Song
- “Chikichiki Banban,” QUEENDOM, Ya Boy Kongming!
- “Comedy,” Gen Hoshino, SPY x FAMILY
- “My Nonfiction,” Miyuki Shirogane (CV: Makoto Furukawa) & Chika Fujiwara (CV: Konomi Kohara), Kaguya-sama: Love Is War -Ultra Romantic-
- “New Genesis,” Ado, One Piece Film Red
- “Shall We Dance?,” ReoNa, SHADOWS HOUSE -2nd Season-
- “The Rumbling,” SiM, Attack on Titan Final Season Part 2
Best Character Design
- Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Entertainment District Arc
- JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Stone Ocean
- My Dress-Up Darling
- Ranking of Kings (Cour 2)
- SPY x FAMILY
Best Comedy
- Kaguya-sama: Love Is War -Ultra Romantic-
- Kotaro Lives Alone
- My Dress-Up Darling
- SPY x FAMILY
- Uncle from Another World
- Ya Boy Kongming!
Best Continuing Series
- Attack on Titan (Attack on Titan Final Season Part 2)
- “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Entertainment District Arc)
- JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Stone Ocean)
- “Kaguya-sama: Love Is War (Kaguya-sama: Love Is War -Ultra Romantic-)”
- “Made in Abyss (Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun)”
- One Piece
Best Director
- Haruo Sotozaki, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Entertainment District Arc
- Hiroyuki Imaishi, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
- Kazuhiro Furuhashi, SPY x FAMILY
- Shingo Adachi, Lycoris Recoil
- Yosuke Hatta, Ranking of Kings (Cour 2)
- Yuichiro Hayashi, Attack on Titan Final Season Part 2
Best Drama
- 86 EIGHTY-SIX Part 2
- Attack on Titan Final Season Part 2
- Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
- Dance Dance Danseur
- Kotaro Lives Alone
- Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun
Best Ending Sequence
- “Akuma no Ko,” Ai Higuchi, Attack on Titan Final Season Part 2
- “Comedy,” Gen Hoshino, Spy x Family
- “My Heart Has Surrendered,” Airi Suzuki, Kaguya-sama: Love Is War -Ultra Romantic-
- “Koi no yukue,” Akari Akase, My Dress-Up Darling
- “Koshaberibiyori,” FantasticYouth, Komi Can’t Communicate (2nd series)
- “Yofukashino Uta,” Creepy Nuts, Call of the Night
Best Fantasy
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Entertainment District Arc
- Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun
- Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation Season 1 Part 2
- Overlord IV
- Ranking of Kings (Cour 2)
- The Case Study of Vanitas (Cour 2)
Best Film
- Bubble
- Dragon Ball Super: SUPER HERO
- INU-OH
- JUJUTSU KAISEN 0
- One Piece Film Red
- The Deer King
Best Main Character
- Bojji, Ranking of Kings (Cour 2)
- Chisato Nishikigi, Lycoris Recoil
- David Martinez, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
- Eren Jaeger, Attack on Titan Final Season Part 2
- Loid Forger, SPY x FAMILY
- Marin Kitagawa, My Dress-Up Darling
Best New Series
- Call of the Night
- Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
- Lycoris Recoil
- My Dress-Up Darling
- SPY x FAMILY
- Ya Boy Kongming!
Best Opening Sequence
- “Chikichiki Banban,” QUEENDOM, Ya Boy Kongming!
- “Mixed Nuts,” Official HIGE DANdism, SPY x FAMILY
- “Naked Hero,” Vaundy, Ranking of Kings (Cour 2)
- “The Rumbling,” SiM, Attack on Titan Final Season Part 2
- “This Fffire,” Franz Ferdinand, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
- “Zankyousanka,” Aimer, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Entertainment District Arc
Best Original Anime
- BIRDIE WING -Golf Girls’ Story-
- Healer Girl
- Lycoris Recoil
- The Orbital Children
- Vampire in the Garden
- YUREI DECO
Best Romance
- Call of the Night
- Kaguya-sama: Love Is War -Ultra Romantic-
- Komi Can’t Communicate (2nd series)
- Love After World Domination
- My Dress-Up Darling
- Shikimori’s Not Just a Cutie
Best Score
- Attack on Titan Final Season Part 2
- Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Entertainment District Arc
- Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun
- SPY x FAMILY
- Ya Boy Kongming!
Best Supporting Character
- Ai Hayasaka, Kaguya-sama: Love Is War -Ultra Romantic-
- Anya Forger, SPY x FAMILY
- Kage, Ranking of Kings (Cour 2)
- Rebecca, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
- Tengen Uzui, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Entertainment District Arc
- Yor Forger, SPY x FAMILY
Best Voice Artist Performance (English)
- Amanda Lee (Ama Lee), Marin Kitagawa, My Dress-Up Darling
- Cherami Leigh, Kotaro Sato, Kotaro Lives Alone
- Natalie Van Sistine, Yor Forger, SPY x FAMILY
- SungWon Cho (AKA ProZD), Kage, Ranking of King (Cour 2)
- Zach Aguilar, David, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
- Zeno Robinson, Gamma 2, Dragon Ball Super: SUPER HERO
Best Voice Artist Performance (Japanese)
- Atsumi Tanezaki, Anya Forger, SPY x FAMILY
- Chika Anzai, Chisato Nishikigi, Lycoris Recoil
- Fairouz Ai, Jolyne Cujoh, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Stone Ocean
- Misaki Kuno, Faputa and Irumyuui, Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun
- Natsuki Hanae, Tanjiro Kamado, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Entertainment District Arc
- Yuki Kaji, Eren Jaeger, Attack on Titan Final Season Part 2
Best Voice Artist Performance (Arabic)
- Adel Abo Hassoon, Kage, Ranking of Kings (Cour 1)
- Amal Hawija, Gon, Hunter x Hunter
- Amal Saadalden, Conan, Detective Conan: The Bride of Shibuya (Movie)
- Mohja AlSheak, Izuku Midoriya, My Hero Academia (Season 1)
- Naji Makhoul, Ichigo, Bleach (Season 1)
- Ula Zidan, Marin Kitagawa, My Dress-Up Darling
Best Voice Artist Performance (Castilian)
- Jaime Pérez de Sevilla, Yuta Okkotsu, JUJUTSU KAISEN 0
- Lourdes Fabrés, Jolyne, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Stone Ocean
- Alejandro Albaiceta, Gohan, Dragon Ball Super: SUPER HERO
- Marc Gómez, Daida, Ranking of Kings (Cour 1)
- Masumi Mutsuda, Yatora Yaguchi, Blue Period
- Mónica Padrós, Hiling, Ranking of Kings (Cour 1)
Best Voice Artist Performance (French)
- Alexis Tomassian, Kage, Ranking of Kings (Cour 2)
- Brigitte Lecordier, Bojji, Ranking of Kings (Cour 2)
- Dorothée Pousséo, Lucy, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
- Geneviève Doang, Vladilena Milizé, 86 EIGHTY-SIX Part 2
- Laure Filiu, Jolyne Cujoh, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Stone Ocean
- Martin Faliu, Miyuki, Kaguya-sama: Love Is War -Ultra Romantic-
Best Voice Artist Performance (German)
- Gabrielle Pietermann, Marin Kitagawa, My Dress-Up Darling
- Jannik Endemann, Ritsuka Uenoyama, Given
- Lara Trautmann, Belle, Belle
- Nicolás Artajo, Yūta Okkotsu, JUJUTSU KAISEN 0
- Torsten Michaelis, Askeladd, Vinland Saga (Season 1)
- Uwe Thomsen, Jotaro Kujo, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure Diamond is Unbreakable
Best Voice Artist Performance (Italian)
- Andrea La Greca, Rengoku, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Mugen Train Arc
- Andrea Oldani, Daida, Ranking of Kings (Cour 1)
- Deborah Morese, Marin Kitagawa, My Dress-Up Darling
- Elisa Giorgio, Maki Zen’in, JUJUTSU KAISEN (Cour 1)
- Giulia Maniglio, Riku, Made in Abyss: The Golden City of the Scorching Sun
- Simone Lupinacci, Shoyo Hinata, Haikyu!! To the Top
Best Voice Artist Performance (Portuguese)
- Antônio Moreno, Heihachi Mishima, Tekken: Bloodline
- Charles Emmanuel, Kazuya, Rent-a-Girlfriend (Season 2)
- Mariana Dondi, Nagatoro, Don’t Toy With Me, Miss Nagatoro
- Nina Carvalho, Anya Forger, SPY x FAMILY
- Pedro Alcântara, Yuta Okkotsu, JUJUTSU KAISEN 0
- Yan Gesteira, Ashito Aoi, Aoashi
Best Voice Artist Performance (Spanish)
- Alejandro Orozco, Gyutaro, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Entertainment District Arc
- Diana Castañeda, Chisato Nishikigi, Lycoris Recoil
- Elizabeth Infante, Chika Fujiwara, Kaguya-sama: Love Is War -Ultra Romantic-
- Erika Langarica, Marin Kitagawa, My Dress-Up Darling
- Miguel de León, Loid Forger, SPY x FAMILY
- Víctor Hugo Aguilar, Ains Ooal Gown, Overlord IV
“Must Protect At All Costs” Character
- Anya Forger, SPY x FAMILY
- Bojji, Ranking of Kings (Cour 2)
- Kage, Ranking of Kings (Cour 2)
- Komi Shouko, Komi Can’t Communicate (2nd series)
- Kotaro Sato, Kotaro Lives Alone
- Marin Kitagawa, My Dress-Up Darling
