HAMMOND: Time For Billy Crystal & Oscar Again? UPDATE: Brett Ratner Responds

MONDAY PM UPDATE: As you know Brett Ratner is producing the Oscar show with Don Mischer and emailed me tonight with his reaction to Billy Crystal's statements regarding possibly hosting the Oscars again.Ratner says: "I didn't see what Billy said. I'm really focused on finishing my film Tower Heist right now. [But] I was told by the Academy that I don't have to make a decisionuntil mid-September." PREVIOUS: So is Billy Crystal once again the answer to all of Oscar's woes? His statement in answer to a fan's query at an American Cinematheque screening of City Slickers on Friday night was that he might be open to hosting again "maybe one or two more times". But that's not even the first time he's dropped the hint this year. In March, shortly after he made his appearance on the 83rd Oscar show to honor Bob Hope, he was hosting a charity event and told a reporter, "I think the show needs to change. There's too many awards and it has to sort of freshen itself up, and if I can be a part of that, that would be great." Between that and Friday's encouraging words, what more do the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences and newly minted producers Brett Ratner and Don Mischer need to hear? Of course, if Crystal means he would host as long as there "were fewer awards" he can forget it. The Academy's Board (largely made up of below-the-line craftspeople) regularly balk at any attempt to limit the number of awards on the actual ABC broadcast itself, insisting that the producers and host/s canbasicallydo whatever they want creatively except try to eliminate any of those 24 categories. When Bill Condon and Larry Mark produced the show 3 years ago they even privatelysuggested at one point that perhaps some of the craftscategories (the shorts for instance?) might be handed outduring the Red Carpet pre-show. That way they would still be broadcast nationally, just notin the traditional wayas part of the big show itself. It was an instant no-go from Academy honchos. Gil Cates, who has produced the show 14 times, even tried handing out some of those awards from the audienceon the 2005 show inorder to move things along. But the idea wasn't well-received(some felt it belittled those awards)and wasn't attempted again.This filmorganization isn't called The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences for nothing. ButCrystal clearly was energized by the standing ovation he received at the 83rd Academy Awardsas well as all that flatteringpraise --as opposed to the critical drubbing for co-hosts James Franco and Anne Hathaway. Billy is getting his Oscarjuices flowing. The American Cinematheque appearance gave him another (unplanned?) opportunity to send a message to the Academy.And a high-profile full-blown Oscar hosting gig could be a win-win for Crystaland the Academy which is still reeling from some of the critical brickbats thrown at last year's hosts. After all, Billyhasn't starred in a major live action movie since 2002'ssequel Analyze That and hasn't starred in a critically well-received pic since 1999's Analyze This. Although he said he wasn't promising anything, the Academy and their producers would be crazy not to takeBilly's hint, particularly since Ratner saysone of the things the show needs is a lot more comedy. And Mischer co-produced and directed the show where Crystal's return was so warmly received. In the annals of Oscar hosts the golden comedytrio has been Hope (18 times), Johnny Carson (1979-82 and 1984) and Crystal (8 times between 1990 and 2004). Is Crystal's Oscar moment coming again? It should.

'Whitney' Books Jane Kaczmarek for Recurring Role

Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic/Getty ImagesJane Kaczmarek In recasting news, new NBC comedy Whitney has snagged television veteran Jane Kaczmarek to play Whitney's mother. Kaczmarek, best known for her stint on Malcolm in the Middle, will be replacing Beverly D'Angelo who played the role in the pilot, The Hollywood Reporter confirms. Those scenes will now be reshot. PHOTOS: NBC's New TV Shows: 'Playboy Club,' 'Prime Suspect' and More The multicamera comedy, starring comedian Whitney Cummings, revolves around a happily unmarried couple Whitney (Cummngs) and Alex (Chris D'Elia). In the series, Whitney's mother is opinionated and has had several unsuccessful marriages. Debuting Sept. 22, Whitney will air in the post-The Office time slot on Thursday nights and will serve as a lead-in to the U.S. version of Prime Suspect. STORY: Fall TV Preview: The Complete Broadcast Premiere Calendar After starring in Malcolm in the Middle, Kaczmarek appeared as a judge on TNT's Raising the Bar, FX's Wilfred and ABC's Help Me Help You. Showrunner Betsy Thomas said that the Whitney character was inspired by Cummings -- to a degree. "Her personality is a ball of energy and sometimes she can take things to the extreme. We've used that to inspire some of the things that she does," said Thomas during the Television Critics Assoc. press tour. Email: philiana.ng@thr.com Whitney Cummings NBC Whitney

VIDEO: Paul Rudd Gives Harvey Weinstein Some Hilariously Bad Marketing Ideas for Our Idiot Brother

Lest you think The Change-Up and this weekend’s 30 Minutes or Less are the final entrants in this summer of R-rated comedies, The Weinstein Company still has Our Idiot Brother scheduled for Aug. 26. The Sundance hit features Paul Rudd as the titular dullard, along with Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel and Emily Mortimer as his put-upon sisters. Should be an easy sell, right? (Especially to the indie hipster crowd.) Well, maybe not — provided this new Funny or Die video of Rudd pitching marketing ideas to Harvey Weinstein is legitimate. Wait, it’s not? It’s just a hilarious spoof? Oh, good. Click through to laugh. “How about a billboard with my face on it? My actual face. Live. You figure it out.” [via Deadline]

Such a Hulu Purchase Means for Apple, Google (Analysis)

With 26.7 million unique audiences per month, Hulu has momentum, a great logo and an excellent market chance. However the video site also finds itself inside a difficult position: Its possession structure -- Disney, News Corp. and Comcast contain the major portions -- produces an natural conflict of great interest that prevents the organization from making the most of its growth potential. Its proprietors have to balance Hulu's needs against individuals of the broadcast-station partners, distribution shops for example Time Warner Cable, Comcast and DirecTV and competing platforms for example Netflix and Amazon . com. Somewhat, Hulu intends its proprietors around it offers the need for disbursing studio content online. It's, at its core, an alternate distribution platform that may trigger rankings erosion and/or cord-cutting, thus reducing affiliate costs compensated by traditional satellite and cable companies. Nevertheless, the best buyer often see a sizable roi by getting rid of these conflicts, creating unique synergies and shaping the company to achieve share from Netflix, which rules the streaming market using more than 20 million clients. The current Netflix cost hike of 60 % for streaming and Dvd disks-by-mail -- and common backlash from customers -- produces an chance to reposition Hulu as dissatisfied customers seek other platforms. An offer wouldn't be cheap -- it may be listed at a lot more than $2 billion -- but Amazon . com, Apple and Google have an interest in building out a platform to develop or safeguard their legacy business. Amazon . com Purchasing Hulu would instantly help Amazon . com gain retail share of the market. As the $100 billion company has $7 billion in cash reserves along with a built-in users list, its Amazon . com Prime isn't well-known and it is a little confusing since it is bundled up using its premium shipping service. Still, at $79 annually it's less than the $7.99 per month that Hulu Plus (the subscription service) and Netflix charge for streaming only. Hulu, using its studio deals, would increase the content and immediate recognition from the streaming service it's building out. Amazon . com's This summer 28 deal to get streaming privileges to a lot more than 1,000 Universal films, which came about the heels of the similar deal for CBS shows, might suggest the internet giant isn't within the running for Hulu. But an offer nevertheless might be very valuable whether it provides exclusive content helping market the service. APPLE While Apple hasn't formally released a significant push in to the TV market (Apple TV is really a test product), it is simply dependent on time -- the organization is really large that it'll have to seek possibilities to sustain growth. While music is large, film/TV may be the world's biggest media segment. Televisions are primed to undergo a "wise" revolution, once we saw with mobile phones, and Apple may lead the charge. Its recent cloud product, an enormous New York data center and it is handles Rovi, which supplies next-generation TV technology, might be viewed as signs it's moving for the reason that direction. Hulu could provide Apple by having an immediate content portfolio along with a service that it's direct control. More to the point, Hulu allows Apple to monetize the interest in streaming it now passes along to Netflix. Apple already sells and rents game titles on iTunes Hulu would simply complete its media portfolio by supplying ad-supported and subscription-based items. Apple's strong relationship with Disney (Jobs sits on boards) may help maintain a regular flow of content to Hulu. But Hulu's other proprietors likely are wary about supporting the multimedia giant. GOOGLE The search behemoth can use Hulu to succeed its leading position within the ad-supported video market and as a way for entering the subscription-based video rental market. Google's YouTube rules its rivals with 149 million unique audiences per month, so a mixture with Hulu could solidify its lead within this market, which is constantly on the see rapid development in ad dollars. Hulu would offer Google having a greater quality of content along with a subscription-based prices model. But is Hulu well worth the cost when Google already is the owner of YouTube? OTHERS You should consider two other gamers: DirecTV and Liberty Media. DirecTV may need Hulu to determine a powerful streaming platform because its rivals have TV Everywhere streaming initiatives and it is nearest rival, Dish Network, lately acquired Blockbuster. Liberty may be a person. The money-wealthy company could fund Hulu's growth, and it is Starz network could be employed to improve the standard of Hulu's content. Liberty continues to be recognized to make the most of unique market possibilities and it has proven curiosity about digital distribution, depending on its bid for Barnes & Noble. No matter who eventually ends up possessing Hulu, my co-workers but it will likely be a significantly more powerful entity and may emerge like a strong competitor to Netflix. Tony Wible is definitely an analyst at Janney Montgomery Scott who covers the media and entertainment industries. Related Subjects Google Apple Netflix

In Another Lifetime (Vielleicht in Einem Anderen Leben)

An EPO Film, Mythberg Films and Filmline production. Created by Dieter Pochlatko, Nikolaus Wisiak, Jozsef Berger, Arno Ortmair. Directed by Elisabeth Scharang. Script, Silke Hassler, Peter Turrini, Scharang, in line with the stage play "Jedem das Seine" by Hassler and Turrini.With: Ursula Strauss, Johannes Krisch, Peter Vegh, Orsolya Toth, Franziska Singer, August Schmolzer, Rafael Goldwaser, Thomas Franzel, Rainer Egger, Laszlo Nadasi, Ildiko Dobos, Kalman Koblicska, Joachim Bissmeier, Alexander Meile. (German, Hungarian dialogue)Austrian docu/telepic helmer Elisabeth Scharang's first theatrical feature, microcosmic World war 2 drama "In Another Lifetime," targets several Hungarian Jews on the way to a dying camping, as well as their reluctant owners, who both have the ability to re-awaken the humanity in one another. With different play, the pic can't always escape a residual air of theatricality -- particularly since a lot of the experience happens in one interior -- yet it nonetheless constitutes a poignant, sometimes poetical impression. Exposure is going to be modest outdoors home areas, with quality tube sales likely. The film's most motion picture passages are in the beginning, as a number of sweeping aerial shots choose a bedraggled group being marched over the Austrian countryside. Whenever a military pilot above absently tosses a gum wrapper out his window, it floats lower to land beside one exhausted deportee, to whom its residual scent now comprises an uncommon luxury. A dazed, seniors captive hobbles off right into a nearby area, and it is delicately shot dead through the bored youthful SS officer (Alexander Meile) in command. That leaves 19 still alive within the quickly diminishing group. As the officer makes themself in your own home for a night or two within the manse of local gentry, he's the criminals located in the barn of villager Stefan (Johannes Krisch), who's been surly, and wife Traudl (Ursula Strauss) grimly quiet, since their only boy was wiped out in fight. Nonetheless, some residual empathy stirs in her own when she realizes their undesirable visitors are falling apart from insufficient water and food. Despite orders to not interfere, she and bubbly youthful hireling Poldi (Franziska Singer) go into the barn with your provisions as they possibly can scrounge up. Stunned with this simple kindness, operatic tenor Lou (Peter Vegh) -- still clad within the tatters from the stage costume he was putting on when arrested -- rashly proposes the criminals stage an operetta as because of their hosts. Let alone that no other medication is professional entertainers, or this grandiose notion never appears to encompass a lot more than testing of merely one waltz tune it is the believed that counts. Already on questionable ground using the Nazi-sympathizing townsmen for holding Jews (although against his will), Stefan is in the beginning angered by his wife's actions. But following a couple of swigs from the hidden beer stash, he's within the mood to provide fine accompaniment on accordion towards the prison band. Meanwhile, news ebbs using that Berlin continues to be taken, and also the war may finally be visiting an finish. But a cruelly sobering final twist is then a memorably stark single-shot epilogue (though one whose precise significance might escape some audiences). Scharang's directorial restraint sensibly downplays the maudlin "Let us placed on a show" uplift from the narrative by watching myriad small, everyday moments that take us outdoors the barn as frequently as you possibly can. Well-behaved pic is decently scaly but nicely crafted in most departments.Camera (color), Jean-Claude Larrieu editor, Alarich Lenz music, Thomas Jarmer production designer, Alexandra Maringer costume designer, Margit Salzinger seem (Dolby Digital), William Edouard Franck re-recording mixer, Rob Thiekkotter assistant director, Fritz Noltmann casting, Carmen Loley, Markus Schleinzer. Examined at Bay Area Jewish Film Festival, This summer 26, 2011. (Also in Munich Film Festival.)Running time: 92 MIN. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

'Brother' biggest on Sunday

''Big Brother'' was easily the top-rated broadcast program in key demos Sunday, lifting CBS to victory over Fox's all-repeat comedies and ABC's ''The Bachelorette'' special. According to preliminary national estimates from Nielsen, ''Big Brother'' averaged a big 2.8 rating/9 share in adults 18-49 and 8.1 million viewers overall in the 8 o'clock hour Sunday, dominating its timeslot and rising 12% week to week. Also for the Eye, ''60 Minutes'' (1.3/5 in 18-49, 8.8 million viewers overall) gained vs. last week as well, while 9 p.m. newcomer ''Same Name'' (1.4/4 in 18-49, 4.4 million viewers overall) was down slightly from its modest bow. A repeat of ''CSI: Miami'' capped the night (1.2/3 in 18-49, 5.2 million viewers overall). Fox ran a close second to CBS on the night among adults 18-49, getting good production from repeats of ''The Simpsons'' (1.6/5 in 18-49, 3.6 million viewers overall), ''The Cleveland Show'' (1.6/5 in 18-49, 3.3 million viewers overall), ''Family Guy'' (2.1/6 in 18-49, 4.2 million viewers overall) and ''American Dad'' (1.8/5 in 18-49, 3.7 million viewers overall). ABC opened with encores of ''America's Funniest Home Videos'' (1.1/4 in 18-49, 4.8 million viewers overall) and ''Extreme Makeover: Home Edition'' (1.1/3 in 18-49, 4.5 million viewers overall) before picking up some from 9 to 11 p.m. with the special ''The Bachelorette: The Men Tell All'' (1.6/4 in 18-49, 5.4 million viewers overall), airing in advance of tonight's season finale. Though it doubled the ratings performance of the repeat dramas that ABC aired in the 9-11 p.m. block last week, ''Men Tell All'' was down sharply from its performance of a year ago, when it aired in the show's regular Monday time period. NBC had another quiet Sunday with ''Dateline'' (0.7/2 in 18-49, 4.3 million viewers overall), a two-hour repeat of ''America's Got Talent'' (0.9/3 in 18-49, 4.0 million viewers overall) and closing things out with firstrun alternative series ''The Marriage Ref'' (0.9/3 in 18-49, 2.9 million viewers overall). Preliminary 18-49 averages for the night: CBS, 1.6/5; Fox, 1.5/5; Univision, 1.4/4; ABC, 1.3/4; NBC, 0.8/2. In total viewers: CBS, 6.6 million; ABC, 5.0 million; NBC, 3.8 million; Univision, 3.5 million; Fox, 3.1 million. Contact Rick Kissell at rick.kissell@variety.com