Someone find Lee Daniels, Kenya Barris, Shonda Rhimes and Jennie Snyder Urman and hug them: their television successes with Empire, Black-ish, How to Get Away with Murder and Jane the Virgin are opening doors for other diverse shows. Give thanks!
Today is Shonda Rhimes' birthday. The Empress of Shondaland recieved, I'm sure, many wonderful birthday gifts today but I am only interested in one. Kerry Washington has given Shonda some fabulous but mysterious gift which we know because Shonda posted this trolly-ass tweet:
Olivia has staged a PR coup and is now the…
As executive producer of a weekly lineup comprised of Grey's Anatomy, Scandal and How to Get Away with Murder, Shonda Rhimes had us glued to a couch (or whatever you sit on) every Thursday night—particularly impressive, given how much TV viewing is done via laptop or DVR. While some people criticize the soap opera…
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--oQoaK1S7--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_358,q_80,w_636/oiec5vkqzc3i4qzjrmhw.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--wBHiGD6b--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_180,q_80,w_320/oiec5vkqzc3i4qzjrmhw.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Wv7FbZSf--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/oiec5vkqzc3i4qzjrmhw.jpg, (large)])
In today's Tweet Beat, Quvenzhané Wallis is an eleven year-old Academy Award and Golden Globe nominee, Nicky Hilton is super excited about that cat cafe and Shonda Rhimes is not taking your shit.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--1djp7Rdi--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_358,q_80,w_636/agvxxtaj3vufquvj4uyx.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--HCz7a9yM--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_180,q_80,w_320/agvxxtaj3vufquvj4uyx.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--iRI2Kww6--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/agvxxtaj3vufquvj4uyx.jpg, (large)])
Shonda Rhimes was honored today with the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award at The Hollywood Reporter's Women In Entertainment Breakfast. Rhimes, who some people named Kara Brown believe to be an actual superhero, delivered an excellent speech about finding success as a black woman in field that has historically been…
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--G1rsSSGv--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_358,q_80,w_636/rrowqszydsn8mnavgpuf.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--UdR_NGiG--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_180,q_80,w_320/rrowqszydsn8mnavgpuf.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Sq_jQU4U--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/rrowqszydsn8mnavgpuf.jpg, (large)])
Not new news: Shonda Rhimes is winning and ABC couldn't be happier. The network's #TGIT-branded Thursday night lineup featuring Grey's Anatomy, Scandal and How to Get the Way with Murder broke a record in ratings during November sweeps.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--AKid5tbL--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_358,q_80,w_636/ufax5vd4iyuckqkdtkbl.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--kh-5skJT--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_180,q_80,w_320/ufax5vd4iyuckqkdtkbl.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--P57ffoVx--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/ufax5vd4iyuckqkdtkbl.jpg, (large)])
During an interview with Extra, Katherine Heigl discussed the bad blood that continues to exist between her and her former boss Shonda Rhimes. "I'm sorry [Rhimes] is left with such a crappy impression of me," she told Mario Lopez. Wait a minute! Is Katherine petitioning to reenter Shondaland?!
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--9Z3m1-fJ--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_358,q_80,w_636/xvd5geegbfx73hw1qv2d.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--QhvkSkOM--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_180,q_80,w_320/xvd5geegbfx73hw1qv2d.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--u7RXjkaf--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/xvd5geegbfx73hw1qv2d.jpg, (large)])
This is Episode 7 and it's lovingly titled "Baby Made a Mess." Which baby? Whose baby? Is it Jake? What will happen to Jake?
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--_f_CHgby--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_358,q_80,w_636/qzzma58mjmfo4dirbuor.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--rQ1orBm4--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_180,q_80,w_320/qzzma58mjmfo4dirbuor.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--VyaIJYd9--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/qzzma58mjmfo4dirbuor.jpg, (large)])
Remember the olden days, when a strategically-shadowed butt appeared on your TV only on late night television on weekends? Well, now the networks are pushing all the limits, fighting for your ratings by featuring the only things that matter to you: Anal and butt punching.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s---bNwb9LO--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_358,q_80,w_636/rzz6kncxosutajd7zxwj.png, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--agXElgZd--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_180,q_80,w_320/rzz6kncxosutajd7zxwj.png, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--t4V80_aP--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/rzz6kncxosutajd7zxwj.png, (large)])
The Parents Television Council is upset that ABC aired an Olivia Pope sex scene a few minutes after the end of its October 30 Halloween special, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown. You would've had to flip the channel quickly or cover your kids' eyes to avoid the hotness, which involved Olivia getting it on…
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--y9Jv_6M0--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_358,q_80,w_636/nz5sxdsvmj0zmtjtrz07.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--s9RPBj20--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_180,q_80,w_320/nz5sxdsvmj0zmtjtrz07.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--Afe26AzX--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/nz5sxdsvmj0zmtjtrz07.jpg, (large)])
Important life lesson: Don't tell writers, actor or producers of shows you supposedly enjoy that you don't like the "gay"scenes they depict unless you really want them to tell you what's what. Especially don't try that shit with Shonda Rhimes.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--85KBYKkD--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_center,h_358,q_80,w_636/fucuapei1s5pys1lkhhv.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--YfeuDq4_--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_center,h_180,q_80,w_320/fucuapei1s5pys1lkhhv.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--kYtx3QRE--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_center,h_77,q_80,w_137/fucuapei1s5pys1lkhhv.jpg, (large)])
In Tuesday night's episode of The Mindy Project, Shonda Rhimes guest-starred as herself, a brilliant TV producer who also happens to be a beer pong specialist. Because why not.
We are three episodes into season four of Scandal and Scott Foley's Jake Ballard is all over the place. After playing tropical house with Olivia on a remote island for the past few months, he's back living in a DC hotel room, puttering around trying to solve problems that nobody asked him to fix.
Being a lawyer is probably somewhat of a challenge, what with the whole having a person's fate in your hands thing. But the way How to Get Away with Murder portrays the stressful act of attending law school, then actually being a lawyer seems like a cakewalk: Shonda Rhimes' new procedural drama makes law school look…
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--ovzuTL2H--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_358,q_80,w_636/qwtc7cjakqpgh8ldvvkq.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--wcv9qiQ3--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_180,q_80,w_320/qwtc7cjakqpgh8ldvvkq.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--ue5IcLVx--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/qwtc7cjakqpgh8ldvvkq.jpg, (large)])
There will be enough Viola Davis, Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross to go around at least until May sweeps, as both Black-ish and the Shonda Rhimes-produced How to Get Away with Murder have been been ordered for full seasons by ABC. Like Annalise Keating, I am glowering at an invisible camera in celebration.
In her fourth season on screen, Olivia Pope's legacy is already enduring. There's the giant goblet of wine, the assured strut, and that iconic white Burberry trench. For the clothes, which have taken on something of a side-fanship on their own, we have Emmy-winning costume designer Lyn Paolo to thank.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--UZ_5dHRW--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_358,q_80,w_636/vjahcozcwm6fnjwbxfqj.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--oLewWpia--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_180,q_80,w_320/vjahcozcwm6fnjwbxfqj.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--3fkbQ9NI--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/vjahcozcwm6fnjwbxfqj.jpg, (large)])
Shonda Rhimes didn’t have a mentor but she did learn how to make great TV from Twitter — her followers, actually. Every time her fans bemoaned or fell in love with one of her scenes or characters in a tweet, she honed her skills.
DANG, KATHERINE HEIGL. SHONDA RHIMES CALLED YOU OUT.
], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--w0nuE72Q--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_358,q_80,w_636/bm6plhtzp30vgbdipfc5.jpg, (small)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--QieTfPBy--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_180,q_80,w_320/bm6plhtzp30vgbdipfc5.jpg, (medium)], [http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--B8mLXLmK--/c_fill,fl_progressive,g_north,h_77,q_80,w_137/bm6plhtzp30vgbdipfc5.jpg, (large)])
In today's Tweet Beat, the former yet forever reigning queen of daytime television and the queen of Thursday nights meet together at Harvard University and rain blessings upon all who shall receive, Madonna and Miley Cyrus grind on each other and Kathie Lee and Hoda gloriously throw tact to the wind.
The Viola Davis-starring How to Get Away with Murder has been on for one episode and is already breaking TV records. According to The Hollywood Reporter, it "boasts the biggest DVR viewership increase in history." May the Shondaland empire continue to reign supreme.
