ABC Debuts Comedy Shorts From Taye Diggs, 'Dancing With the Stars' Judge (Videos)

ABC is adding a few more digital properties following its popular Halloween short inspired by Modern Family, Fizbo: The Clown.

In an effort to expand its offerings online, the network will debut pop culture- and show-related videos under its ABC.comedy umbrella. The first are Taye Diggs Destroys Hip Hop, featuring the former Private Practice star, and Bruno Tonioli's Writer's Room, with the Dancing With the Stars judge, both available for viewing Monday.

Taye Diggs Destroys Hip Hop finds Diggs -- also a Broadway star -- post-Private Practice, and teaming with YouTube's Destorm, as he ventures into the world of hip-hop.

How does Diggs deal with not having a steady TV gig? As he says in the five-minute video, he likes to keep "moving, moving, moving." He's done theater, TV and film, so what's next? Hip-hop. But when Diggs is tasked to get behind the mic and actually throw down some beats, his inability to de-Broadway himself proves a lot harder than originally imagined.

In Bruno Tonioli's Writer's Room, Tonioli -- known for his bombastic and crazy one-liners -- finds himself delivering the most over-the-top lines that a fictionalized pressure-filled room of writers think up.

Here's how Tonioli's head writer, the wonderfully named Geryld Babbage, puts it in the digital short: "It's like writing poetry, but instead of using a pen, you use a bedazzled stick of dynamite." The two-and-a-half-minute short also is filled with intercuts between Tonioli's unforgettable remarks, frazzled audience members and nervous laughter from Dancing With the Stars competitors.

Fizbo: The Clown is a horror-inspired trailer that takes a more macabre approach to Modern Family's beloved clown character Fizbo, played by Cameron (Eric Stonestreet).

The ABC comedy series began in fall 2011 with video recaps for the network's Wednesday comedies and grew the following year to include comedic rundowns of the network's dramas.

“Humor is a hallmark of the ABC network so it makes sense that we infuse our digital video content with as much comedy as possible,” said Chris Thomes, vp of Disney/ABC Television Group’s digital media studio, in a statement. “With these new web shorts almost anything goes as long as we’re true to the brand.”

The final season of Private Practice is available on DVD on May 7. Dancing With the Stars airs at 8 p.m. Mondays and 9 p.m. Tuesdays. Modern Family airs at 9 p.m. Wednesdays.

E-mail: Philiana.Ng@thr.com
Twitter: @insidethetube

View the original article here

ABC Debuts Comedy Shorts From Taye Diggs, 'Dancing With the Stars' Judge (Videos)

ABC is adding a few more digital properties following its popular Halloween short inspired by Modern Family, Fizbo: The Clown.

In an effort to expand its offerings online, the network will debut pop culture- and show-related videos under its ABC.comedy umbrella. The first are Taye Diggs Destroys Hip Hop, featuring the former Private Practice star, and Bruno Tonioli's Writer's Room, with the Dancing With the Stars judge, both available for viewing Monday.

Taye Diggs Destroys Hip Hop finds Diggs -- also a Broadway star -- post-Private Practice, and teaming with YouTube's Destorm, as he ventures into the world of hip-hop.

How does Diggs deal with not having a steady TV gig? As he says in the five-minute video, he likes to keep "moving, moving, moving." He's done theater, TV and film, so what's next? Hip-hop. But when Diggs is tasked to get behind the mic and actually throw down some beats, his inability to de-Broadway himself proves a lot harder than originally imagined.

In Bruno Tonioli's Writer's Room, Tonioli -- known for his bombastic and crazy one-liners -- finds himself delivering the most over-the-top lines that a fictionalized pressure-filled room of writers think up.

Here's how Tonioli's head writer, the wonderfully named Geryld Babbage, puts it in the digital short: "It's like writing poetry, but instead of using a pen, you use a bedazzled stick of dynamite." The two-and-a-half-minute short also is filled with intercuts between Tonioli's unforgettable remarks, frazzled audience members and nervous laughter from Dancing With the Stars competitors.

Fizbo: The Clown is a horror-inspired trailer that takes a more macabre approach to Modern Family's beloved clown character Fizbo, played by Cameron (Eric Stonestreet).

The ABC comedy series began in fall 2011 with video recaps for the network's Wednesday comedies and grew the following year to include comedic rundowns of the network's dramas.

“Humor is a hallmark of the ABC network so it makes sense that we infuse our digital video content with as much comedy as possible,” said Chris Thomes, vp of Disney/ABC Television Group’s digital media studio, in a statement. “With these new web shorts almost anything goes as long as we’re true to the brand.”

The final season of Private Practice is available on DVD on May 7. Dancing With the Stars airs at 8 p.m. Mondays and 9 p.m. Tuesdays. Modern Family airs at 9 p.m. Wednesdays.

E-mail: Philiana.Ng@thr.com
Twitter: @insidethetube

View the original article here

Dancing With The Stars: New Pair Tops Leaderboard

First Published: April 2, 2013 9:36 AM EDT Credit: ABC

Caption Kellie Pickler and Derek Hough, Season 16, ‘Dancing with the Stars’ LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- “Dancing with the Stars” has a new pair at the top of the leaderboard.

Former “American Idol” contender Kellie Pickler and pro Derek Hough stormed their way to the top of the leaderboard on Monday night’s show.

PHOTOS: ‘Dancing With the Stars’ — Scenes & Moves From Week 2

After two weeks in the shadow of Zendaya and Valentin Chmerkovskiy, the twosome made their move with a hot jive to “Footloose.”

“There’s nothing loose about that performance,” judge Bruno Tonioli, who had a bit of a wild night in the ballroom during his commentary portion, raved. “Crisp! Tight! Precise! Actually, you’re sharper than a samurai sword.”

Carrie Ann Inaba was also floored by the pair’s energetic routine.

“That was ridiculously amazing,” she said.

WATCH IT NOW: Kellie Pickler Jazzes It Up On ‘Dancing With The Stars’

Kellie and Derek’s score – 25 out of 30 (including a 9 from Brit Len Goodman) — knocked Zendaya and Val, the previous pair at the top of the leaderboard, from the No. 1 slot.

But the Disney teen and her partner didn’t fall far. Performing the Viennese waltz for Zendaya’s grandmother, the actress and Val picked up 24 points.

“The emotional connection to every single move is beyond your years,” Carrie Ann said. “You are just fascinating to watch.”

PHOTOS: ‘Dancing’s’ Val Chmerkovskiy

Zendaya and Val actually shared second place with Jacoby Jones and Karina Smirnoff, who were in fourth just one week ago in the competition.

The football star and Karina rocked their rumba to the tune of 24 points.

“This had a refinement, it had a quality of movement,” Len said. “You did a good job there, Jacoby!”

The leaderboard on Monday night was:

Kellie Pickler & Derek Hough tackled the jive and were scored 25/30

Zendaya & Valentin Chmerkovskiy performed the Viennese waltz and earned 24/30

Jacoby Jones & Karina Smirnoff rocked the rumba and earned 24/30

WATCH IT NOW: Lisa Vanderpump Still Having ‘A Lot Of Fun’ On ‘Dancing With The Stars’

Aly Raisman & Mark Ballas performed the Viennese waltz and were scored 23/30

Victor Ortiz & Lyndsey Arnold tried contemporary and earned 23/30

Ingo Rademacher & Kym Johnson performed the paso doble and earned 21/30

Sean Lowe & Peta Murgatroyd tried the cha cha and earned 21/30

Lisa Vanderpump & Gleb Savchenko danced the Viennese waltz and were scored 21/30

Andy Dick & Sharna Burgess took on the cha cha and earned 18/30

D.L. Hughley & Cheryl Burke performed the salsa and earned 16/30

Wynonna Judd and Tony Dovolani tackled the samba and were scored 15/30

Copyright 2013 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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