Smirnoff’s Master of the Mix has a Second Season

Smirnoff’s reality television show, Master of the Mix that was launched last fall for the first time. Season 2 is aimed at delivering the show on screens, the leading vodka brand is partnering with BET Networks. Master of the Mix is produced by GTM, a full cycle marketing and content development agency in partnership with Electus which is owned by Ben Silverman.

This year’s Master of the Mix varies from the first season with an expanded cast from all over the United States. This year’s cast members and judges include producer and host, Just Blaze, world famous DJ Kid Capri, model and actress Amber Rose, and Master of the Mix Season 1 runner-up DJ Vikter Duplaix, who will also help to decide the next mix master.

Viewers will be able to follow the casting and top contestants from Los Angeles to New York on a Master of the Mix tour bus, where the selected DJs will be judged on their technical ability, track selection, originality, and crowd response. Then the viewers and Facebook fans of the show will decide through online voting who joins DJ Scratch in carrying the Master of the Mix title. The crowned DJ will win $250,000 in cash and prizes.

See more about Master of the Mix here

5 Reasons Yahoo's New TV Lineup Could Save The Web Series

Written By: Megan Angelo

Eric Schmidt might be vowing to keep Google out of the television production game, but Yahoo is heading in the opposite direction.

The company just unveiled a legit programming slate -- eight shows, so you know they mean business -- and will start rolling out the content in October.

And it just might revive the tired, convoluted concept that is the web series. Here's why.

THEY'VE GOT STAR POWER.

Judy Greer (right), Niecy Nash and Morgan Spurlock (who just launched a show on Hulu) are all in the mix.

Plenty of sites have poured earnest capital into funny kids with cell phone cameras, only to find out the hard way: though you feel like you hear about a YouTube sensation going Hollywood every other day, the Internet is not the place to try to launch a star -- not if you actually have money to lose. For every Stevie Ryan, there are scores of unwatched talents.

THEY'RE THINKING LIKE A NETWORK.

Look at the loglines for these shows: getting-healthy adventures, love life dissections -- there's a whole show about the art of crafting a marriage proposal.

Yahoo isn't bothering with the experimental subjects and formats that often go hand-in-hand with web stars. They're aiming directly at women, and not trying to reinvent what a certain type of female viewer wants.

There's no "just give it a shot, you'll love it by episode three" factor.

NO WONDER, SINCE THEY'VE GOT A FORMER NETWORK BOY WONDER.

Three out of eight of the shows come from Electus, the ad-production hybrid agency run by Ben Silverman -- who once ran NBC.

THEY'RE NOT BOTHERING WITH SCRIPTED.

That aforementioned "give it a shot" factor? It's a hundred times more crucial when selling a drama or comedy. Online reality shows are one easy step away from your favorite YouTube channel -- they're just a more natural sell on the Internet.

THEY'VE GOT THE PLATFORMS.

Half the battle of getting users to watch a web series is getting them to remember, visit and return to the URL it calls home. Yahoo doesn't just have the profile and user numbers of producers' dreams; they also have the celebrity-focused omg! and women's-content Shine to help prop up the content.

And in the interest of not sounding too impressed:

We'll go ahead and issue our prediction for the first show cancellation Yahoo will ever have to make. Here's the synopsis for "Your Friends Will Never Believe You":

A high school couple is on a date somewhere in Middle America. When the boy gets up to use the restroom, the star of her favorite television show sits down, tells the girl she’s beautiful; then he says “your friends will never believe you” before he runs out of sight! It was an experience she will remember forever, but will her friends believe it happened? Each week, a new celebrity will surprise one of their fans in a unique manner that will literally never be believed.

Read original article on Business Insider.

“The Office” Receives Four Emmy Nominations

NBC’s hit comedy “The Office,” produced by Ben Silverman, received four Emmy nominations last week, marking the sixth year in a row the series was nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series. Though the show has been nominated every year since its US premiere, it has only won the award once in 2006, its first year.

Steve Carell was also nominated for an Emmy for his portrayal of Michael Scott, the inept, yet lovable boss at Dunder-Mifflin Paper Company’s Scranton branch. He’s up for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, also for the sixth year in a row. Unlike the show itself, Carell has yet to win the Emmy for his performance.

This past season on “The Office” was the last for Carell, who left the show to focus on his film career. He has a romantic comedy, “Crazy, Stupid, Love,” co-starring Julianne Moore, Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone coming out later this month. James Spader was signed as a permanent cast member, but will not fill Carell’s vacant role. He will play the CEO of Sabre, the parent company of Dunder-Mifflin, replacing Kathy Bates, who also left the show after this season.

"It is thrilling that ‘The Office’ is recognized as the best show on TV year in and year out,” Executive Producer Ben Silverman said. “Our writers and actors deliver at the highest level, and continue to make America laugh and relate."

The show was also nominated for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for the episode "Goodbye, Michael" and Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) for the episode "Andy's Play."

James Spader Confirmed as new CEO on "The Office"

While rumors abounded over who would replace Steve Carell on NBC’s hit comedy “The Office,” produced by Ben Silverman, the network confirmed yesterday that James Spader will have a permanent role on the mockumentary as the CEO of Dunder-Mifflin paper company. Spader, who guest starred in a few episodes last season, will return as Robert California, the devious applicant who incensed office-weirdo Dwight Schrute and interviewed for Michael Scott’s job in the season finale.

Contrary to previous information, Spader will not replace Steve Carell, but will in fact replace Kathy Bates’ character, as the actress is leaving “The Office” to focus on “Harry’s Law,” where she plays the lead. This still leaves Carell’s manager position open, and NBC has yet to announce who will permanently take over the role.

In the eighth season, it is said that California, Spader’s character, will receive the position of manager of Dunder-Mifflin’s Scranton branch, Michael Scott’s old position. Within hours, though, he will be promoted to CEO of Sabre, Dunder-Mifflin’s parent company, and leave the manager position open once again.

Ben Silverman and the show’s other producers will not say whom they’ve chosen to replace Carell, who left the show to focus on his movie career.

Ben Silverman Praises "The Office" for Being a Place "Where TV and Film Stars Co-exist"

Despite Steve Carell’s — and the lovable loser Michael Scott’s — departure from “The Office,” Executive Producer Ben Silverman is confident that the show will continue to remain the hit comedy it has always been. Because Carell left the show to focus on his movie career, many have pondered the fate of other “Office” actors that have lately starred in hit movies.

Ed Helms, who plays dorky Andy Bernard on the show, recently starred in “The Hangover Part II,” a sequel to the raunchy frat comedy “The Hangover.” The sequel grossed $137 million in its first weekend, the best opening ever for a comedy. The actress behind “The Office’s” sweet, naïve secretary, Ellie Kemper, plays a supporting role in “Bridesmaids” as, you guessed it, one of the bridesmaids. The female-driven comedy is written by “Saturday Night Live’s” Kristen Wiig and produced by Judd Apatow of “Superbad” and “Knocked Up” fame. Phyllis Smith also nabbed a role in “Bad Teacher,” starring Cameron Diaz.

Although many “Office” stars have reached silver screen fame, Ben Silverman said that “The Office” is a place “where TV and film stars co-exist.” He pointed out that the “Office” actors’ roles in hit movies have helped the show, and vice versa.

Ben Silverman’s “Mob Wives” Gets Second Season

Still a relatively new show, Ben Silverman didn’t sell “Mob Wives” to VH1 until last November, and the network just announced its plans to produce a second season. Alongside Silverman’s Electus, JustJenn Productions works on the show’s production. The show focuses on four women who try to take care of their families and get their lives together while their husbands or fathers serve time in jail for Mob-related activity. The idea for the show came about when JustJenn’s Jennifer Graziano, who knew some of the women, invested money in making a video about them. Eventually, Ben Silverman got his hands on the footage.

“They were balancing all the issues of being a mom, a sister, a daughter, a friend, but they were also inside another world,” Silverman said to Hollywood Reporter. “TV is driven by characters. That’s what makes ‘The Office’ work, that’s what makes ‘American Idol’ work and that’s what makes ‘The Simpsons’ work. And when you find great characters in reality, you get galvanized.’”

The second season of “Mob Wives” will premiere this fall, featuring 12 episodes. Additionally, a reunion special will air Sunday, July 10.

What TV Upfront Week Means for Ben Silverman

Upfront week has the entertainment industry in a state of excitement and nerves as everyone anxiously waits to hear what’s going on with major networks—like NBC, where Ben Silverman used to be a producer. It looks like the network’s fall lineup is going to be heavily skewed toward the female demographic, as several of its new series are comedies led by females. Among the pilots announced is “Up All Night,” which will feature Christina Applegate and DumbDumb’s Will Arnett as lead characters. While Ben Silverman no longer works at NBC, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have any of his own news to release during upfront week.

His multimedia production company Electus sold a non-scripted series to Spike TV, entitled “The Sherrif.” The show will follow a prominent law enforcement official and his team as they clean the streets of criminals and fight crime using modern techniques and technology. “The Sheriff” will fit perfectly into Spike TV’s lineup, which includes several other non-scripted shows that feature real men in extreme situations, perfect for the network’s expanding audience of men between the ages of 35 and 49.

Eden Gaha Named as New Reveille President

When Ben Silverman launched Reveille in 2002, he probably had no idea that the company would be making industry headlines nearly a decade later. Howard Owens, who was one of the first people Ben Silverman hired, announced in April he would be leaving the company. With Silverman and Owens both out of the picture, who’s taking over the Los Angeles-based production company? Eden Gaha, the mastermind behind “Celebrity Apprentice.” Gaha also worked as a supervising producer on 2003’s “Survivor,” and as co-executive producer of “The Condender,” “Pirate Master” and “Rock Star.”

Gaha is one of many recent hires at Reveille, including Heather Schuster as senior vice president of creative affairs and Matt O’Brien as vice president of creative affairs. As president, he will oversee the company’s unscripted, creative, development, digital and brand integration departments. Owens will continue consulting for Reveille, which currently produces “The Biggest Loser,” “MasterChef,” “The Office,” “Ugly Betty” and “The Tudors.”

Ben Silverman Represented at Entertainment & Technology Summit

Jordan Hoffner, the President of Digital at Ben Silverman’s Electus, represented the company at Variety’s Entertainment & Technology Summit, for which he was selected as a speaker. The event brings together entertainment executives to talk about the future of the industry and emerging trends, such as social networking popularity, exploding mobile platforms and new distribution strategies.

After the summit, Variety spoke to Hoffner about the challenges of making money with online content. He explained that profits tend to flow more in the direction of platform owners like Facebook or YouTube than to the content creators who utilize the platforms.

“The reality in digital is that it’s the platform that makes the most money,” he told the publication.

Previously, Hoffner was the director of content partnerships at YouTube, where he was responsible for establishing and managing content partnerships across all content verticals, with a specific focus on entertainment sectors. He joined Ben Silverman at Electus to oversee all of the company’s content and distribution deals in the digital market. Also on board with Silverman and Hoffner are Chief Operating Officer Drew Buckley, Executive Vice President of Advertising Laura Caraccioli, Executive Director of Media Sales Lori Gitomer and Chief Communications Officer Stacy Simpson.

The Sun Sentinel Talks Gaga and Reality TV

Ben Silverman was mentioned in a recent Sun Sentinel article about Lady Gaga’s latest venture as a monthly fashion columnist for V magazine. The pop star announced via Twitter that she will debut her column May 12^th. That’s not all she’s up to, though. Gaga has also started something she calls “The Masterpiece,” a project related to her Viva Glam campaign with MAC Cosmetics. Fans submit photos of themselves and Gaga will use them as part of her next costume, “The Masterpiece.” Not one to stray from outlandish outfits, we're sure Gaga will go all out with her latest project.

Gaga isn’t the only one going gaga over fashion, however. The article also mentions fashion reality shows such as “Project Runway” and “The Fashion Show: Ultimate Collection.” And who can forget the recent announcement of Ben Silverman’s “Fashion Star,” the reality show that NBC will air. Elle Macpherson will host the show, which will follow aspiring designers though ten episodes as they compete to win their own fashion line.

Read Rod Stafford Hagwood’s full article at the Sun Sentinel here.

Ben Silverman Makes Cameos in Spurlock’s Latest Film

Ben Silverman made his Sundance Film Festival debut over the weekend through appearances in Morgan Spurlock’s “The Greatest Movie Ever Sold.” Spurlock, a documentary filmmaker best known for “Super Size Me,” which followed him while he stuck to a 30-day McDonald’s-only diet, was this time around focusing on the world of advertising. More specifically, he examined product placement, marketing and branding by giving viewers an inside look at a film that was financed entirely by those exact things. In the movie, Ben Silverman and Morgan Spurlock discuss branded content related to Electus’ recent project, the “Always Open” web series for Denny’s restaurants.

POM, the makers of pomegranate juice, was the film’s title sponsor, and Spurlock documents the experience of getting the company to take on the film’s finances, along with the trials of getting other companies to tag along—such as Merrell Shoes and CARRERA Sunglasses and JetBlue, all also sponsors. In an ironic twist, the Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit against POM because of the film, accusing the company of making false and unsubstantiated claims for its product in advertising, according the Hollywood Reporter.

Ben Silverman and Wife Expecting a Baby

Friends and fans of Ben Silverman, you heard it here first! Ben Silverman's wife, Jennifer Cuoco, is pregnant with the couple's first child and due this fall. Cuoco, who works in real estate, and Silverman were married last December in Israel, according to an article from Sun-Productions.

There were 125 guests at the wedding, all treated to a tour of Jerusalem and the Dead Sea by the couple. Silverman wore a custom suit from Ozwald Boateng, while Cuoco took a traditional route and wore a classic cap-sleeved gown.

Cuoco began working in real estate in 2002 and earned her commercial real estate licence in 2004. She graduated from the San Diego State University College of Business. The Hollywood Reporter broke the news of Cuoco's pregnancy, and details of the baby's sex or the couple's plans for family life have not yet been revealed.

Media and Entertainment Industries Gear up for The Grill

Details are being finalized for The Grill conference, which takes place April 22, and is presented by TheWrap.com and The Tribeca Film Festival. The Grill is a premium conference brand of The Wrap News, which brings together journalists and entertainment executives, and last year’s event featured notable speakers such as Electus CEO Ben Silverman.

This year’s event is likely to have a similarly impressive lineup, and speakers will be addressing the state of the independent film business. The theme of the conference is “The No-Fear Future of Independent Film.” Ben Silverman’s appearance last year paved the way for a new selection of speakers to present their thoughts about the industry. Among them are Tom Bernard, Harvey Weinstein, Jane Rosenthal, Drake Doremus and Jonathan Schwartz.

Spike TV Picks Up New Original Series "InkMasters" and "Car Boss"

Sharon Levy, Spike TV's executive vice president, announced they are going to broaden their audience by showing "InkMasters" and "Car Boss." The network will pick up six one-hour episodes of "InkMasters" and eight one-hour episodes of "Car Boss." "InkMasters" goes into production this May and will air this summer while "Car Boss" will begin shooting this summer and will premiere in 2012.

"InkMasters" is the first-ever tattoo competition series featuring some of the nation's top tattoo artists on a quest to determine who is the best at their craft and win a huge cash prize. The stakes are high as the artists showcase their irrevocable artwork on real people's bodies.

"Car Boss" showcases renowned auto dealership 'doctor' Tom Stuker, whose innovative and brazen methods for selling cars has made him a venerable legend in the industry. In each episode, Stuker, along with his car-savvy team, travel to a different dealership in financial straits. "No one incorporates that more than the greatest car salesman of our time, Tom Stuker...And who better to develop this series than one of the industry's finest -- Ben Silverman's multimedia studio, Electus."

"Car Boss" is created and developed by Vem Miller in association with Vem's Sweatshop Media and produced by Ben Silverman's multimedia studio Electus, an operating business of IAC (Nasdaq: IACI), and 5x5 Media, a full service production company in an overall production and distribution agreement within the Electus studio system.

SOURCE: Spike TV

CMT's Next Superstar - Will It Make It?

Nigel Lythgoe, producer of "American Idol," will launch a country music competition series on CMT in April, coming after Ben Silverman's "Nashville Star" ended its run on NBC in 2008. "CMT's Next Superstar" will be much smaller than "American Idol," with 10 one-hour episodes. The show will look for contestants who can write songs and perform in music videos. Viewers will vote for the winner.

The CMT series will be executive produced in partnership with his son Simon, with the involvement of 19 Entertainment, which is part of CKX and owns the "American Idol" brand globally.

Ben Silverman launched the similar "Nashville Star" on NBC Universal's USA network in 2003, an attempt to capitalize on the "American Idol" excitement. The show aired for five seasons on USA before moving to NBC for its final season in 2008. CMT had re-run rights to the final season.

Click here for more information on Ben Silverman and CMT's Next Superstar.

Golden Globe Awards

The 68th Annual Golden Globe Awards were announced this past January. The host for this years Golden Globes was Ricky Gervais. Gervais is best known for his role as David Brent on the “The Office.”

Gervais also executive-produces the Emmy Award-winning American version of “The Office” with Greg Daniels, Ben Silverman, Stephen Merchant, Howard Klein and Paul Lieberstein. The NBC version of “The Office” is the most successful US remake of a show and recently went into syndication.

The 68th Annual Golden Globe will be seen in over 160 countries worldwide and is one of the few awards ceremonies that span both television and motion picture achievements.

Click here to read more about Ricky Gervais and Ben Silverman.

Rick Gervais: Golden Globe - The Office

Rick Gervais, the British comic and creator of "The Office", admits he was surprised when he was asked to headline the Golden Globe ceremony this year. He accepted because he wanted to see if he could do a better job this year. He claims he thought he was "a little too safe" last year. Gervais claims his comedy is not to offend anyone but to see if people who think they do not know how to laugh, laugh. His real enemy, he says, is "anodyne comedy," which seeks not to offend. "No one has the right not to be offended," he states.

Gervais states at the Globes ceremony in 2004, he transformed his life in ways he still can't quite fathom - it awarded him the Globe for lead actor in a TV comedy for "The Office," then a little-known British series. "Everyone says this, but we really thought we had no chance," Gervais recalls. "The next day, I filmed my first piece of acting that was not in 'The Office,' on 'Alias,' because J.J. Abrams was a fan. I've never seen it because I can't bear to look at myself trying to be cool.

"Later that week, I had an audience with Matt Groening and Al Jean, who asked me, 'Do you want to be in 'The Simpsons?' Also that week, I met with Ben Silverman and started work on the American remake of 'The Office.' " ("The Office" has inspired seven different remakes worldwide.)

To read more about Rick Gervais check out Variety.com.

Silverman's new film - “Hands of Stone"

Some of the actors that will be starring in the new film, “Hands of Stone,” produced by Ben Silverman and directed by Jonathan Jakubowicz are Gael Garcia Bernal, Al Pacino and Oscar Jaenada. Gael Garcia Bernal is going to star as the 5 time world boxing champ Roberto Duran, famously known for his ‘No Mas’ fight with Sugar Ray Leonard. Another famous actor, Al Pacino, is going to play the role of the trainer, Ray Arcel. And there are rumors that Spanish actor Oscar Jaenada, from The Losers, might play a role in this film as well.

Silverman and Jakubowicz will direct and produce this $15 million biopic, from his own screenplay which will focus on Duran’s life and career and it will also try to answer the enigma that happened in November 1980 when he shocked the world by quitting in the middle of his rematch with Sugar Ray Leonard. In the closing seconds of the 8th round, Duran turned his back and quit, saying ‘No Mas’, which means ‘no more’ in Spanish. They both fought again in a 1989 middleweight championship match in Las Vegas, the fight which Sugar Ray won in 12 rounds

The movie title is based on Duran’s nickname and production will mainly be shot in English language and it will take place in Panama, Duran’s birthplace and also New York next spring.

Source: Rama's Screen

"AOL Daybreak" Host Lindsay Campbell & Ben Silverman's Electus Set Out to Redefine Morning Show Format on Web

A new morning show that takes a relaxed look on recent news was just released this week, "AOL Daybreak." "AOL Daybreak" is partnered with Electus, Ben Silverman's company, and hosted by Lindsay Campbell.

"AOL Daybreak" joins new video hits, "You've Got" and "The One", on the recently relaunched AOL.com. These shows are part of AOL's strategy to create engaging, high-quality video experiences for its media-savvy users.

Electus founder and CEO, Ben Silverman stated, "We are thrilled to partner with AOL on the next generation of morning news. Lindsay Campbell's fun and contemporary point of view will resonate with approachable content in a dynamic medium. The show will deliver for the consumer who is seeking out more and more information and video online."

Lindsay Campbell, host of "AOL Daybreak" is best known for her work hosting the humorous financial web series Wallstrip (acquired by CBS in 2007) and for co-creating the groundbreaking news and politics web series MobLogic shortly thereafter.

"I am looking forward to taking a fresh approach to the morning show format, informing and entertaining our audience in equal measure," said Campbell. "AOL is essentially synonymous with the web for so many people and it's a pleasure and a privilege to reach such a large audience, right out of the gate."

MySpace and Silverman create a jerkin' dance contest

MySpace and Ben Silverman and MySpace have teamed up to produce a web series dance contests. The series is called Jerk All-Stars. There will be ten dance crews all focusing on jerkin’. Jerkin' is a dance style marked by fast dancing and loose knees, similar to rap.

Ben has other online projects too. His production company Electus is working with Facebook and Subway on another contest, “High School Heros.” This contest program is for students who are inspired by teachers, other students, scholars, coaches and family members.