The entire ‘Power Rangers’ fandom is reeling over the death of star Jason David Frank, and we’ve learned about the sequence of events in the hours leading up to his suicide.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ Jason and his wife, Tammie, checked into a Texas hotel Friday. We’re told the two — who are in the middle of a divorce — got separate rooms, but at some point the estranged couple got into an argument in Tammie’s room. We’re told staffers were called to calm things down, and peace was restored.
Our law enforcement sources say at some point either late Friday night or early Saturday morning, the two got into another argument and Jason locked Tammie out of his room.
Our sources say Tammie was apparently concerned for his safety and called the cops around 5 AM Saturday morning. When officers couldn’t make contact with Jason, we’re told hotel management let them in and they discovered the actor hanged himself in the bathroom.
Dancing With the Stars Season 31 waltzed to a close Monday night on Disney+.
Shangela, Wayne Brady, Charli D’Amelio, and Gabbey Windey performed twice with their pro dancers during the finale season.
The finale kicked off with the pro dancers, including the departing Cheryl Burke, performing an incredible opening number.
Heading into the finale, Charli and Mark Ballas and Gabbey and Val Chmerkovskiy found themselves well ahead of the competition.
Each team has been consistently great, so there was a good chance they would comprise the final two.
But first. Let’s take a look at the scores.
Wayne Brady and Witney Carson
Redemption Quickstep: 36 out of 40
Freestyle: 40 out of 40
TOTAL: 76 out of 80
Charli D’Amelio and Mark Ballas
Redemption Jive: 40 out of 40
Freestyle: 40 out of 40
TOTAL: 80 out of 80
Shangela and Gleb Savchenko
Redemption Quickstep: 36 out of 40
Freestyle: 40 out of 40
TOTAL: 76 out of 80
Gabby Windey and Val Chmerkovskiy
Redemption Cha-Cha: 40 out of 40
Freestyle: 40 out of 40
TOTAL: 80 out of 80
Dancing With the Stars has been known for having over-stuffed finales, but without commercial breaks, this finale was on another level.
After an excruciatingly long episode, the results played out like this:
#4 Shangela and Gleb
#3 Wayne and Witney
#2 Gabby and Val
#1 Charli and Mark
Many people called those results heading into the finale, but the performances were all fantastic.
The move to Disney+ has reinvigorated the show, and it will be exciting to see how the former ABC reality series will be able to top that as we head into Season 32.
What are your thoughts on the winner?
Did you think Charli would steamroll the entire competition?
Hit the comments.
Dancing With the Stars returns next year on Disney+.
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.
Fremantle has acquired a majority stake in Israeli producer Silvio Productions and Fremantle-owned Shtiselindie Abot Hameiri’s Guy Hameiri will become Chair.
Alongside Fremantle Group COO/Continental Europe CEO Andrea Scrosati, Hameiri spearheaded the deal and Silvio Founders Yotam Guendelman and Mika Timor will report to him, with both indies working closely together.
The move is the latest in a flurry of Fremantle M&A activity and is the RTL-owned super-indie’s second in Israel, following the 2016 Abot Hameiri deal, which was extended to a 100% stake in 2021.
Silvio is best known for Hot8 true crime doc series Shadow of Truth, which was picked up by Netflix globally and examines the mysterious murder case of an Israeli girl found murdered in her high school toilets, along with Showtime’s Emmy-nominated Buried.A new season of Shadow of Truth is in production alongside Kan’s 1948 and Yes Docu’s Dunam and a Half.
The acquisition comes with Fremantle looking to “scale-up our global documentaries capabilities” under Mandy Chang, according to Scrosati, who hailed Silvio’s “proven track record and great pride in their filmmaking and storytelling.”
Hameiri said Silvio’s shows “not only connect with a local audience, but importantly globally, which has been recognized by international outlets,” while Silvio’s Guendelman and Timor described the move as a “unique opportunity.”
Fremantle has been averaging what feels like one acquisition a week over the past months as the company seeks to meet RTL’s €3B ($3.1B) revenue target by 2025.
Recent buys include highly-rated 9/11: One Day in America producer 72 Films, British natural history firm Wildstar Films, Normal People indie Element Pictures and veteran Italian outfit Lux Vide.
European M&A is moving at such a pace at present that last week three deals were announced within the space of one morning.
ABC has pulled out of its plans for Avalon. The series, from David E. Kelley, was given a straight-to-series order back in February and was intended to launch during the current 2022-23 season. Starring Neve Campbell, Demetrius Grosse, Alexa Mansour, Steven Pasquale, and Roslyn Ruff, the series is based on a short story by Michael Connelly.
The series takes place in the main city of Avalon on Catalina Island, where LA Sheriff Department Detective Nicole “Nic” Searcy (Campbell) heads up a small office. Catalina has a local population that serves more than 1 million tourists a year, and each day when the ferries arrive, hundreds of potential new stories enter the island. Detective Searcy is pulled into a career-defining mystery that will challenge everything she knows about herself and the island.
It is possible, however, that the series could land on another outlet. Variety reported the following about the ABC cancellation:
“According to an individual with knowledge of the situation, ABC opted not to move forward with the series order for “Avalon” after screening the pilot. A+E Studios is said to still be bullish about the project and are weighing options on how to proceed.”
What do you think? Did you plan to watch Avalon? Are you upset that ABC dropped its plans for the series?
Check out our ABC status sheet to track the alphabet network’s new series pickups, renewals, and cancellations. You can find lists of cancelled shows here.
Sinbad suffered a life-changing stroke 2 years ago … and in the first update since his medical emergency, the star’s family says he’s got a long road ahead of him on the way to recovery.
The family put out a lengthy release Monday, saying Sinbad was in the hospital for 9 months before his July release. They say he’s still “fighting for every inch,” and his limbs that were said to be “dead” are coming back to life. They say he’s taking all the steps he can to learn how to walk again.
Sinbad’s family says the survival rate from a stroke like his is around 30% … but they’re celebrating him beating those odds. His family also says they’re looking for some help in the process … noting the costs of his therapy have “far exceeded” what insurance covers.
They say it’s taken a financial toll on them, and they’ve set up a websitefor anyone looking to contribute in any way they can.
As we reported, the comedian was recovering from a stroke in November of 2020 … with his family saying they were “faithful and optimistic that he will bring laughter into our hearts soon.”
Turns out, it was caused by a blood clot that traveled from his heart to brain, and after the first, he got another clot — followed by brain swelling and a bleed.
Here is a wrap-up of all the news you need to know from Monday, November 21, 2022.
Bravo has canceled its Real Housewives of Atlanta spinoff Kandi & the Gang after a single season.
The series followed RHOA mainstay, Kandi Burruss, as she managed her Old Lady Gang restaurant.
While the ratings were soft, there was a glimmer of hope that it would get another chance on the cable network.
In an Amazon Live broadcast, Burruss revealed over the weekend that the show had been canceled.
“Definitely, it is not returning,” the Grammy Award winning artist shared.
“Bravo is not bringing it back. So sad and I am super upset about it.”
Burruss will continue on RHOA for its 15th season, and has various other projects in the works.
“I have been in so many arguments, since the summer, since we were filming the Xscape show all the way now filming Housewives,” she on the Amazon broadcast.
“I feel like I have argued with everybody. Like, almost had some crazy blowouts with some people.”
Meanwhile, NBC has announced it will round out the year with a two-week takeover of the UK’s game show The Wheel.
The all-new U.S. version showcases a colossal spinning wheel of celebrity guests who help everyday contestants win life-changing money.
The takeover begins Monday, Dec. 19 with new episodes airing nightly at 10 p.m. ET/PT, and continues the following week with new episodes airing at 8 p.m.
The series features suspenseful high-stakes trivia, laugh-out-loud moments and more than 50 all-star guests seated on a spectacular 42-foot-wide spinning wheel.
Meanwhile, Amazon Prime Video has announced a return to Middle Earth with The Making of the Rings of Power.
“A special look at previously unreleased behind-the-scenes content from Season One’s eight episodes – is now available exclusively on X-Ray, via a full-screen experience that can be launched anytime while watching the series.”
“The Making of The Rings of Power gives fans a special inside look at the creation of the unique realms that make up Middle-earth, including Númenor and Khazad-dûm, both shown on screen at the heights of their glory for the first time,” Amazon teases.
“These segments also reveal exciting details about the production design, set decoration, costumes, makeup, visual and special effects, stunts, sword fights, horseback riding, and so much more of the intricate preparation involved in creating this very special world.”
Sounds cool, right?
Check out the teaser below.
Meanwhile, NBC has announced it will ring in the new year with Miley’s New Years Eve Party, with the star being joined by global superstar Dolly Parton as co-host.
The star-studded event, to be executive produced by “Saturday Night Live” creator and EP Lorne Michaels, will feature an A-list lineup of musical performances and special guests to be announced.
“Miley’s New Year’s Eve Party” will air live on NBC from Miami on Saturday, Dec. 31 from 10:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. ET and will also stream live on Peacock.
Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter.
Graham Moore, the Oscar-winning writer behind Benedict Cumberbatch film The Imitation Game, has also thrown his hat in the ring.
Moore is set to write and direct an adaptation of New York Magazine’s deep dive into the subject.
The magazine cover story, which looks at Bankman-Fried’s rise from an honest crypto guy ready to spend his fortune to save the world, to FTX’s fall into Chapter 11 with him having to sell his property in the Bahamas.
Scoop Wasserstein will produce on behalf of Vox Media Studios and New York Magazine.
It marks Moore and Wasserstein’s latest project together as the pair were behind The Outfit, a psychological crime thriller feature starring Mark Rylance and Zoey Deutch, that Moore wrote and directed and premiered earlier this year.
Moore is considering the project as either a series or a feature film.
“Like everybody else on the planet, I’ve been unable to pry my eyes off of this story for weeks,” said Moore. “Thanks to New York Magazine’s peerless reporting, each new revelation is more shocking, fascinating, occasionally horrific and frequently hilarious than the last. I’m elated to partner with a team of world-class journalists as they report in real-time on a story that’s moving as fast as the internet. I’ve spent a lot of time writing about the complex and singular characters at the center of huge technological moments. In SBF, ‘complex’ and ‘singular’ sound like understatements. Whether or not he intended on changing the world — it looks like he just did.”
New York Magazine and Vox Media Studios are also developing a documentary on the topic with the companies working alongside its reporters and sources across the country and in the Bahamas.
It would be the latest documentary project on the topic, similar to the Fyre Festival and Gamestop saga with competing projects. Vice is working on a doc, as is XTR and David Darg.
In addition, Vox Media Studios and New York Magazine are currently in development on a documentary working alongside its reporters and sources across the country and in the Bahamas.
“The projects that we have put together around Sam Bankman-Fried and FTX are a model for how Vox Media Studios extends the storytelling of our incredible journalists,” added VMS’ Chief Creative Officer, Chad Mumm.
Vox Media Studios and New York Magazine are behind projects such as the forthcoming Sex Diaries docuseries adaptation for HBO, Razzlekhan: The Infamous Crocodile of Wall Street with Lily Collins at Hulu, and Who Killed Tulum? with Annapurna at Amazon Studios.
Moore is represented by CAA and Felker Toczek, New York Magazine and Vox Media Studios are represented by WME and Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks.
This Is Life with Lisa Ling is ending with its upcoming ninth season. The documentary series returns to CNN with a six-episode season on November 27th. Ling revealed to the Los Angeles Times that there wouldn’t be a 10th season of the series where she explores the fringes of society.
Ling said the following about the ending of the popular documentary series:
“I was hoping to get to 10 seasons, but we fell short of that. I would like to do many, many more seasons, especially right now, when we are existing in these bubbles and we follow people who espouse what we believe. In some ways, we’ve cut ourselves off from really getting to know people who might be different or think differently than we do.”
The series has been on the air since 2014, and it is ending now due to budget cuts at CNN. The cable channel said the following about the series in a statement:
“We are extremely proud of the work we produced together and with our partners at Part2 Pictures. The important seeds planted by Lisa will continue to grow at CNN as we remain committed to shining a light on underreported stories and the people who make up the fabric of America.”
As for Ling, viewers could see her in another show at a later date. She said the following:
“I’m not done. I personally don’t want to live in a nonfiction world of cooking shows and true crime. I think there is an audience for depth.”
What do you think? Did you watch this CNN show? Are you sad to learn that This is Life with Lisa Ling is ending?
Check out our status sheets to track new TV series pickups, renewals, and cancellations. You can find lists of cancelled shows here.
Jay Leno is on to a new stage of his recovery after his horrifying car fire accident — he’s undergoing treatment in a hyperbaric chamber for his burns.
As you can see, the procedure requires Jay to lie down on his back in a tube-like chamber … with his arms and hands bandaged up.
The treatment helps with swelling and increases blood flow with good oxygenation to the burns on Jay’s arms, shoulders, neck and face. Dr. Peter Grossman of the Grossman Burn Center told Inside Edition the process will also decrease bacteria around the injuries.
TMZ broke the story, JL suffered second and third-degree burns when a car erupted into flames while working on his 1907 White Steam Car in his Burbank garage, fixing a clogged fuel line.
Earlier this week, Grossman said Jay had already had one surgery to repair his skin, and would undergo another one at some point this week.
Dr. Grossman said the patient remains in good condition and is up and moving … even finding time to make a few jokes and pass out cookies to other patients.
As far as the scars, Doc says they will most likely be visible in the foreseeable future, but the hope is they won’t remain apparent.
He has high hopes for Jay’s healing journey … saying he thinks the comedian could be back to work in no more than a couple months.
Days of Our Lives is usually pre-empted on Thanksgiving, but we can be grateful for an episode this year. Thanks to the move to Peacock, the soap will air a holiday-themed episode on Turkey Day itself!
No Devil will disrupt the proceedings on Days of Our Lives during the week of 11-21-22, though we may not be rid of Charlie’s ghost yet.
The leadup to Thanksgiving promises petty behavior, revenge plots, and a fiery car crash.
Days of Our Lives has been teasing a serious car accident since it migrated to Peacock, even going as far as deceptively editing clips together to make it appear that Jennifer was to blame.
We know now that’s not the case. This week, Ava and EJ’s war will come to a literally explosive end instead.
Instead of ending this idiotic plan to get revenge by kidnapping Susan, Ava will give in to ghost Charlie’s desires and threaten to kill Days of Our Lives’ kookiest character. EJ’ll chase Ava and Susan down, leading to the possibly fatal crash.
The special effects look fantastic. But will Susan survive?
We know Ava does because she’s featured in spoilers for the following week. Let’s hope Susan also pulls off a miraculous survival.
There’s been far too much death and destruction in Salem, and we only have about a month before the late John Aniston‘s final appearance as Victor Kiriakis airs.
While fan reaction to Susan’s over-the-top eccentricity is decidedly mixed, killing off EJ’s mother would go too far, especially considering how recently Abigail and Jake met grisly ends.
Should Days of Our Lives Kill Off Susan?
Besides, Susan is somewhat of a legacy character. Eileen Davidson became known for playing multiple roles; Susan is the only one who continues to appear regularly (though Davidson did resume the role of Thomas Banks during Beyond Salem 2!) despite a change of actress.
It doesn’t seem worth the drama to kill off Susan. EJ can be angry and vengeful without that. Besides, it would be more delicious revenge if Susan survived but Ava hid her somewhere.
And lately, no one in Salem stays dead permanently unless the actor passes away, so this shocking death wouldn’t have the impact it’s supposed to.
Please scroll down to check out all eight spoilers for Days of Our Lives during the week of 11-21-22.
Alex and Justin rescue Bonnie.
Thankfully, Bonnie’s family finds her in the shed. Since Alex and Justin’s discovery was off-screen on Friday, I feared they’d drag this out.
Susan is probably already in the car or hidden somewhere else; otherwise, this story could end without the explosive car chase.
The guys will probably have a hell of a time getting Bonnie to tell them what happened. At least we won’t have any more of Susan and Bonnie’s telepathic conversation!
The war between EJ and Ava takes a stunning turn.
As discussed above, Ava’s car goes off a cliff. Ava would be wise to lay low after escaping the wreckage, but that’s not going to happen.
Spoilers say Ava eventually confronts EJ, but does she know what happened to Susan?
You’d think this near tragedy would get both sides of this war to stop, but it doesn’t seem like it will.
Xander prepares to confess to Sarah.
That’s not going to go over well. Sarah isn’t forgiving, and we’ve repeatedly had this story.
Xander coming clean on his own is an improvement over Sarah stumbling onto the truth, but there’s no positive way to spin this one.
Let’s hope Xander takes off the clown mask before he confesses.
Nicole and Rafe have an awkward encounter on Thanksgiving Day.
The spoiler video has Rafe letting Nicole bake a pie, only to throw it in the garbage as soon as she leaves.
Very mature, Rafe. He could at least donate it to a food bank.
While Rafe has the right to be angry, it doesn’t give him the right to abuse Nicole or to waste food to make his point.
Abe and Allie come up with a surprise for Chanel.
Please let the surprise be a lawyer with the ability and courage to get her out of jail.
Belle is doing very little to defend Chanel, and Trask continually violates Chanel’s rights, plus Sloan is weaponizing the courts to get revenge.
Sneaking a Thanksgiving turkey and apple pie into the interrogation room isn’t nearly enough, so let’s hope Allie and Abe give Chanel something real to be thankful for.
Rafe hosts Thanksgiving dinner for Gabi and Li.
After destroying Nicole’s pie, Rafe turns around and plays host to his sister and her scheming fiancé.
I hope Gabi helps him see things from another perspective.
It would be even better if she traps Li in a lie during the celebration, especially since Wendy and Johnny are in Rolf’s clutches now. Li’s deception contributed to the danger to his sister, and he needs to face that.
Nicole confronts Jada about Eric.
The writers are working overtime to make Nicole unsympathetic.
She shouldn’t be confronting Jada at all, and spoilers say she’ll try to convince Jada to get an abortion.
While Jada has every right to make that choice, it makes no sense for Nicole to push for it. Nicole lost two babies before realizing she couldn’t carry to term, so it’s difficult to buy that she’d be actively pushing out of jealousy for Jada to end her pregnancy.
Xander shares his guilt with Gwen.
If we didn’t know where this was going already, now there’s a neon sign.
Xander probably will stop short of telling Sarah the truth and confide in Gwen instead. When Sarah thinks Xander is having an affair, she’ll find out the truth and kick him to the curb, leaving the door wide open for Xander and Gwen to reconcile.
Can we stop this latest merry-go-ride before it begins, please?
What are you looking forward to now that you’ve read these spoilers? What are you dreading? Do you have any guesses about what will happen in the future?
Hit the big,blue SHOW COMMENTS button and let us know.
Founded in 1997, WIFTI has led the way in advocating for better representation and conditions for women working in the screen industries. The umbrella body encompasses 50 WIFT and WIFT partner chapters worldwide.
Liddy is a lecturer at the Department of Media and Communication Studies at the University of Limerick. She is also on the board of the Irish Film Institute, the Writers Guild of Ireland and Raising Films Ireland, the body set up to help parents and carers working in the screen sectors.
Her research papers have included Women in the Irish Film Industry: Stories and Storytellers (2020); Women in the International Film Industry: Policy, Practice and Power; (2020) and Media Work, Mothers and Motherhood: Negotiating the International Audio-Visual Industry (2021).
She has also co-authored two industry reports for the Broadcasting Authority Of Ireland and Raising Films Ireland, with fellow academic Fergal Rhatigan. They are also currently researching the working culture in the Irish Screen industries for a WFT research project, funded by Screen Ireland.
Her collection Women, Ageing and the Screen Industries: ‘Falling Off a Cliff’? will be published in February 2023.
Liddy is also the founder and director of the Catalyst International Film Festival, in Limerick, a festival that prioritises films from underrepresented groups, in front of and behind the camera.
She has led WFT Ireland as Chair since 2018.
Liddy and Granqvist will work together as co-presidents for the coming months, with the former taking the helm alone in August 2023.
“I’m looking forward to sharing the leadership of WIFTI with Dr. Liddy during the transition period. Susan is a researcher and I am a practitioner but we are both activists who work strategically for change. I couldn’t wish for someone better to take over the leadership for WIFTI!,” said Granqvist.
Liddy praised Granqvist’s work over the past four years.
“I salute Helen Granqvist who has worked tirelessly to build a global organisation that is united in a vision of female empowerment and advancement. Our goal remains firm: to promote equality, diversity and inclusion in the screen industries everywhere.”
The WFTI Board said in praise of Granqvist: “Since her election as President of WIFTI in 2018, Helene Granqvist has positioned WFTI as a global influencer. During her tenure, the organisation spread across six continents and has a diverse Board drawn from all the chapters and affiliate organisations”.
The WFTI board is currently made up of Sarah Inya Lawal (Africa), Ajoke Silva (Nigeria), Rubaiyat Hossain (Bangladesh), Tsiako Abezadze (Caucasus); Susan Brinton (Vancouver), Brigitte Monneau (Montreal), Nicole Ackermann (Germany); Patricia Watson (New Zealand); Katrina Graham (Australia), Nerissa Scott) (New England), Serena Mmifinyana (Botswana), Marjaana Mykkänen (Finland), Domizia De Rosa, (Italy), Katerina Kaskanioti (Greece); Osnat Bukofzer (Israel), Nadean Rawlins (Jamaica), Susana Campos (Brazil), Cynthia Lopez (New York) and Kirsten Schaffer (Los Angeles).
10:07 AM PT — Walter Jones, who played the black ranger in ‘MMPR,’ tells TMZ … “He was an inspiration to so many people. His presence will be dearly missed. It’s so sad to lose another member of our Ranger family.”
UPDATE
He adds, “Jason was one of the biggest pranksters on the show. He had a wild sense of humor. We had our shares of ups and downs but I stayed consistent about being an ear if he needed one. My prayers go out to his family and all that will miss him.”
Jason David Frank — one of the original “Power Rangers” — has died … TMZ has learned.
The actor and mixed martial artist died in Texas, according to his rep Justine Hunt. Sources with direct knowledge tell us his death was the result of suicide.
JDF is best known as Tommy Oliver from the original run of the “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” franchise, dating back to the kids series’ debut in 1993 … when he was introduced as one of six crime/monster-fighting superheroes, masked head to toe with kung-fu skills.
Fans will remember … he started out as the Green Ranger in Season 1, introduced at first as an enemy of the Power Rangers — only to do a 180 and become good. After his powers start to deteriorate, however, he’s turned into the White Ranger … and tapped as the new leader of the group. Frank starred as one of the leads for 3 seasons, totaling 123 episodes.
Frank went on to reprise his role as Tommy in several adaptions of ‘Power Rangers’ — including ‘Wild Force,’ ‘Turbo,’ ‘Zeo,’ ‘Dino Thunder,’ ‘Megaforce,’ ‘Ninja Steel,’ ‘HyperForce,’ and more. He’s been a Red Ranger, a Black Ranger and a Green Ranger anew. JDF is a fan favorite Power Ranger … which is why he’s returned to the franchise time and again.
His onscreen fighting abilities translated into the real world … Frank was a professionally trained MMA brawler, who was well-versed in everything from Taekwondo, Muay Thai, Judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and others. He fought professionally for a time from 2008 to 2010.
He’s survived by his four children.
Jason’s rep Justinetells TMZ … “Please respect the privacy of his family and friends during this horrible time as we come to terms with the loss of such a wonderful human being. He loved his family, friends and fans very much. He will truly be missed.”
Frank was 49.
RIP
If you or someone you know is thinking of suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.
