'Family Guy' episode pulled after shooting
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 15 (UPI) -- Fox says it is replacing Sunday's episodes of "Family Guy" and "American Dad" with repeats due to sensitive content after the Connecticut school shooting.
A network source, whose name was not reported, told The Hollywood Reporter "Family Guy's" "Jesus, Mary and Joseph!" and "American Dad's" "Minstrel Krampus" were pulled from the Sunday night lineup. The source said potentially sensitive content could have been offensive after the Friday shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., which left 26 people dead, including 20 children.
Repeat episodes of "Family Guy's" Grumpy Old Man" and "American Dad's" "Wheels & The Legman and The Case of Grandpa's Key" will air instead. Additionally, a repeat airing of "The Cleveland Show's" "Die Semi-Hard" will be replaced with a different episode, The Hollywood Reporter said.
'Reacher' premiere delayed for shooting
PITTSBURGH, Dec. 15 (UPI) -- The Pittsburgh premiere of thriller "Jack Reacher" was postponed out of deference to the victims of the Connecticut school shooting, the film's studio said.
Paramount Pictures released a statement Friday after the shooting at a Newtown, Conn., elementary school, which resulted in the deaths of 26 people, including 20 children, The Hollywood Reporter said.
"Due to the terrible tragedy in Newtown, Conn., and out of honor and respect for the families of the victims whose lives were senselessly taken, we are postponing [Saturday's] Pittsburgh premiere of 'Jack Reacher,' " the statement read. "Our hearts go out to all those who lost loved ones."
The film features Tom Cruise as a former police officer attempting to solve a case involving a hired Russian killer called "The Zec."
The Hollywood Reporter's review of the film described an opening scene that "shows a sniper position himself in a parking garage across the water from Pittsburgh's baseball stadium" and gun down "what looks to be five random targets on the riverfront promenade."
The film is scheduled to open Dec. 21 to wide release, The Hollywood Reporter said.
Electronic voting for Oscars this year
HOLLYWOOD, Dec. 15 (UPI) -- Members of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences will vote electronically for the Academy Awards nominations for the first time, the group said.
Voting for the 85th annual Academy Awards is scheduled to begin Monday morning, The Hollywood Reporter said Friday. The 5,856 voting members of the academy have until Jan. 3 to vote using electronic stations in Los Angeles, New York or London, or by paper ballot.
To ensure the electronic voting process goes smoothly, the academy will set up a 24-hour call center during the voting period, the entertainment industry publication reported.
The 2013 Oscar nominations will be announced Jan. 10, and the awards ceremony is scheduled to take place Feb. 24 at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland center. It will air on ABC.
ABC developing Bieber comedy
HOLLYWOOD, Dec. 15 (UPI) -- ABC is working with Justin Bieber to create an as-yet unnamed sitcom based on the Canadian pop star's upbringing, The Hollywood Reporter said.
The single-camera comedy has a script commitment from the network, the entertainment industry publication reported Friday.
Bieber and his manager, Scooter Braun, are counted as executive producers on the comedy. Matt Wolpert and Ben Nedivi will write the script.
Meanwhile, Bieber gave an unsuspecting fan his pet hamster Wednesday after the Jingle Ball at Philips Arena in Atlanta, TMZ reported.
The musician handed the animal in its cage to a girl saying, "That's all you."
Video footage of the incident shows Bieber telling the girl, "You gotta take care of PAC."
The girl yelled back, "I will take care of him."
