Sealed (and saran wrapped) with a kiss
Major funding for today's blog is provided by.......
https://youtu.be/97wpuQZO8Uw?si=s1y0KCmk3Fz2DfBk
This week......
(augmented TV shows a couple holding hands)
More about the merger that shook us to its knees....
(switches screen to a calendar)
Take 7......and.....
(switches screen to a spelling bee)
and N-I-G......oh nevermind.
Let's................ Get................... Lit!
Madison Brunoehler: From around the world....across the country....and in your neighborhoods, NOW......in its 9th consecutive year, this is.................................
And now, the (Nearly) world-famous contestant...Pierre Kelly!
Me: Welcome to Game Show Live! Let's get right into it with.......
The Tubi opening toss up story.
Paramount Skydance Corporation (NASDAQ: PSKY) ("Paramount") and Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (NASDAQ: WBD) ("WBD") today announced they have entered into a definitive merger agreement under which Paramount will acquire WBD, forming a premier global media and entertainment company focused on expanding consumer choice and empowering creative talent worldwide.
Under the terms of the agreement, Paramount will pay $31.00 per share in cash for all outstanding shares of WBD. The transaction has been unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies and is expected to close in Q3 2026, subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory clearances and approval by WBD shareholders, with a vote expected in the early spring of 2026. In the event the transaction has not closed by September 30, 2026, WBD shareholders will receive a $0.25 per share "ticking fee" for each quarter (measured daily) until closing.
The merger unlocks innovative and compelling storytelling opportunities across the combined company's best-in-class film and television studios, streaming and linear platforms. Together, Paramount and WBD will deliver greater choice for consumers through its leading streaming platforms with an exceptional intellectual property portfolio that has produced popular franchises such as Game of Thrones, Mission Impossible, Harry Potter, Top Gun, the DC Universe and SpongeBob SquarePants.
David Ellison, Chairman and CEO of Paramount, a Skydance Corporation, said: "From the very beginning, our pursuit of Warner Bros. Discovery has been guided by a clear purpose: to honor the legacy of two iconic companies while accelerating our vision of building a next-generation media and entertainment company. By bringing together these world-class studios, our complementary streaming platforms, and the extraordinary talent behind them, we will create even greater value for audiences, partners and shareholders - and we couldn't be more excited for what's ahead."
David Zaslav, President and CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery said: "I'm very pleased with the outcome we achieved for WBD shareholders and the entertainment industry. Our guiding principle throughout this process has been to secure a transaction that maximizes the value of our iconic assets and our century-old studio while delivering as much certainty as possible for our investors. We look forward to working with Paramount to complete this historic transaction."
There are a few consolations. Netflix stock is up today — investors disliked the deal, preferring the streamer as it has mostly been, a finally tuned precision tool, no big complications. Netflix will also walk away with a cool $2.8 billion breakup fee from WBD (but funded by Paramount). And it forced a rival studio to pony up more cash in what will be the biggest leveraged buyout in history.
The latest...
- Paramount has announced that it will merge its own streamer Paramount+ and that of Warner Bros. Discovery, HBO Max, into one entity. CEO David Ellison says the company's pending merger with Warner Bros. Discovery will give it the scale it needs to compete with Netflix, especially when Paramount+ and HBO Max come together. "We will combine the streaming portfolios of the two companies into one stronger platform over the coming years," Ellison told Wall Street analysts Monday on a conference call to discuss the $111 billion deal. On Paramount+ and HBO, he said, "there are more than 200 million [direct-to-consumer] subscribers today, and more than 100 countries and territories worldwide, positioning us to compete effectively with the leading streaming services in today's marketplace."
- Paramount executives stressed Monday that once merged with Warner Bros. Discovery, the company combined has no plans to unload any legacy cable networks. CEO David Ellison and COO and Chief Strategy Officer Andy Gordon were asked about that several times by analysts on a call. They have spoken frequently already about the logic of retaining cable after Ellison's Skydance acquired Paramount in August.
- Paramount president Jeff Shell, a key member of the management team during the company's pursuit of Warner Bros. Discovery, did not join Monday's conference call to discuss the merger. The exec's notable absence comes amid an internal probe of his dealings with Robert James "RJ" Cipriani. Deadline last month broke the news that Shell and his reps are ready to respond if Robert James "RJ" Cipriani makes good on his threat to sue him. The crux of the potential complaint is Cipriani's allegation that Shell leaked information about corporate doings like Paramount's $7.7 billion acquisition of UFC rights.
- Fitch Ratings downgraded Paramount Skydance's long-term issuer default rating from "BBB-" to "BB+," putting it into speculative-grade investment territory (aka "junk"). In addition, Fitch downgraded Paramount Skydance's senior unsecured debt from "BBB-" to "BB+" — and placed all the ratings on "Rating Watch Negative," indicating that further downgrades may be in the offing.
- David Zaslav is selling 4,004,149 shares of Warner Bros. Discovery stock, with an aggregate market value of $114,118,246, per an SEC filing from the company Tuesday. The date of the stock sale was listed as March 3. The shares Zaslav sold were granted from January 2023 to February 2026 as part of his employment agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery.
- A coalition of 28 public interest groups have published an open letter to state attorneys general urging them to "expeditiously investigate" and use their full range of legal authority to block Paramount's pending $110 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery. "The combined corporate behemoth would likely result in higher consumer costs from anti-competitive consolidation, layoffs of American workers, and a sharp reduction in consumers' ability to access news and entertainment programming, streaming services, and other products," the letter states.
- Chinese tech giant Tencent is considering investing several hundred million dollars in Paramount's deal according to Bloomberg.
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Before we hit an ad break, somebody wanted an opinion on AGT. So........here you go.
https://youtu.be/EIIxvbonsrA?si=s49Qpu_YGfYi5XmJ
And now for your Twitch Clip of the day.
(canned applause)
And of course, she was here last year (And I wasn't unfortunately) and she's back here again (and I hope she may get a selfie with me this time. For realizes!)........
So all you Bartlett TN people, head on over to the Book Bonanza in just 2 weeks and 72 hours as of this writing. The Savannah Bananas will be there too......
SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP announced today that they have agreed to extend negotiations into next week, the week of March 9.
This is the final extension for the current block of talks between the two sides as they will be bumping against the planned April 16 start of negotiations between the AMPTP and the WGA. If the actors and the studios cannot reach an agreement next week, SAG-AFTRA will have to go to the back of the line and wait for its turn to resume talks with the AMPTP in June, after the studios have gone through their scheduled contract negotiations with the WGA and the DGA. SAG-AFTRA's current contract expired on June 30.
Both the AMPTP and SAG-AFTRA have adhered to a media blackout they imposed on their negotiations from the start. According to sources, the two sides have made progress, which would explain why they have agreed to extend talks into next week instead of putting a pin in them for now.
While there has been a good amount of movement, there are still some wide chasms on a few key issues, sources caution. We hear the two sides may be exchanging proposals today that could help bridge some of the outstanding gaps and determine whether next week could lead to a deal or not.
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'memba this on Livewire! not too long ago?
Well coming sooner than we all think is one viewer's gripe on Press Your Luck by the time the show turned 40 as written by the winner of the Game Show Live! honors "Stephen A. Smith Award of excellence" recipent. Here's a sneak peek of it.
Keep it on Live! for all the details. Oh and this came in too earlier this week.
But ABC and Fremantle make money to keep it. Now then, where to?
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Here comes the...........ready or not.....................
Keshet International has confirmed a new licensing agreement with the Brazilian production company Boxfish to adapt its hit gameshow format "Boom!" for RECORD. This 15-episode season, consisting of 90-minute installments, marks the 23rd international version of the high-stakes trivia show.
Hosted by renowned entertainer Tom Cavalcante, the Brazilian adaptation features a head-to-head competition between two teams. Each group is led by a celebrity contestant playing alongside friends or family members for a grand prize of R$100,000. The show is scheduled to premiere on RECORD on March 8.
Marcelo Silva, artistic vice-president at RECORD, states: "'BOOM!' is an international phenomenon, celebrated for blending knowledge, suspense, and entertainment in a thrilling and irresistible way for audiences. With the charismatic Tom Cavalcante leading the show, we are confident that this new adaptation will be one of the major highlights of our lineup and is set to captivate viewers across the entire country."
Originally created by Ido Rosenblum and Keshet Broadcasting for Keshet 12, the format requires contestants to solve trivia questions by cutting colored wires on a "bomb" before the clock runs out. To date, "Boom!" has seen successful runs in the United States, Spain, Italy, Colombia, and Vietnam, among other territories. Notably, the Spanish version produced for Antena 3 holds two Guinness World Records, including the largest prize pot in game show history.
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Two former contestants of The Amazing Race have filed a lawsuit against CBS and the show's producers, alleging that the series waged a "smear strategy" against them with its editing.
Jonathan and Ana Rivera Towns, a married couple who competed in season 37 of the globetrotting reality competition series, filed their lawsuit Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, according to Deadline.
The outlet reports that the pair are representing themselves against named defendants CBS, parent company Paramount, and producers ABC Signature and Jerry Bruckheimer Films.
CBS and Paramount did not immediately respond when Entertainment Weekly reached out for comment.
As viewers may remember, the couple was often shown bickering during their journey, with Jonathan, a software developer, seemingly unloading his frustrations on Ana, a stay-at-home mom. Jonathan was even reprimanded more than once for his name-calling and demeaning attitude towards Ana. The duo made it all the way to the finale, ultimately finishing in third place.
The suit alleges that the defendants presented "a constructed, false, and highly damaging portrayal" of Jonathan, in ways "that were applied to no other participant in the production."
It continues: "The resulting broadcast, disseminated to tens of millions of viewers on a nationally distributed television network, falsely portrayed Jonathan Towns, a private individual with no antecedent public profile, as a morally depraved, brutal and abusive spouse."
The suit also claims that, following a "meltdown" and "clear emotional anguish" by Jonathan during the 2024 shooting of the Phil Keoghan-hosted series, he was diagnosed as having autism spectrum disorder.
Instead of helping the contestant, the complaint alleges that show producers convinced the couple not to quit the show and assured them there was nothing underhanded occurring with their depiction. The filing claims show producers deliberately painted a portrait of Jonathan as someone engaging in "intentional emotional abuse toward his spouse."
The couple is seeking $8 million in damages, as well as a public apology and a re-edit of their season with "appropriate disclaimers" of Jonathan's diagnosis.
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Paramount+ announces MAKING LOVE (W/T), a new unscripted relationship series from Kinetic Content to debut on the service in 2027.
Can you find the person you've always dreamed of? From the producers of Love Is Blind and Married at First Sight comes a bold new relationship experiment, where singles take their destiny into their own hands and attempt to turn their desires into a lifetime of love.
Chris Coelen, CEO of Kinetic Content, created and will Executive Produce the series.
Kinetic Content is part of Peter Chernin's North Road Company, which is being acquired by Mediawan, the leading independent European studio.
"We are thrilled to add MAKING LOVE (W/T), a bold, modern take on relationship experimentation to our upcoming content slate." said Jane Wiseman, Head of Originals at Paramount+. "This series speaks to the kind of premium, pop culture-driving unscripted storytelling audiences love. As we continue to grow our reality offering, we're especially excited to reintroduce this format to Paramount+ in a fresh and unexpected way."
"MAKING LOVE (W/T) is an amazing and completely original opportunity for our participants to find the love they've longed for." said Chris Coelen, Executive Producer and CEO of Kinetic Content. "We're so excited to partner with the team at Paramount+ and can't wait to share this show, and some truly incredible love stories, with the world."
MAKING LOVE (W/T) joins a long enduring slate of original unscripted shows on Paramount+ including Survivor, The Challenge, Big Brother and many more.
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Roku is launching a new trivia game-like experience called "Roklue," which will give users an interactive offering for Oscar season with more iterations to come throughout the year — all aimed at spurring them to stream more content.
The company describes Roklue as "a new on-platform game designed to immerse users in the culture of the moment and help them discover new entertainment in an engaging way."
The first edition, "Roklue: Awards Season," will launch Saturday, March 7, and feature "clues inspired by Hollywood's biggest award show moments and celebrated films."
Future versions of Roklue rolling out this year will be tied to music festivals, the Emmys and holidays.
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The wait for Love is Blind: Sweden is almost over and this year fans can expect a new surprise for the third installment. Following the launch of each batch, Netflix will also release an extra episode rolling out on service. The episodes will feature six influencers talking about and reacting to the recorded episodes from the iconic pods - a brand new format for this show.
The influencers and celebrities participating in the extra episodes are Kaeli Abdi and Filip Dikmen, Carolina Gynning and Fanna Ndow Norrby, Emil Henrohn and Sofia Dalén.
Batch one and the first reaction episode of Love is Blind: Sweden launches on Thursday, March 12, only on Netflix. New format: 10 episodes + 3 extra episodes
- Batch 1 - March 12, 2026 at 08.00 CET (4 episodes) + 1 reaction episode
- Batch 2 - March 19, 2026 at 08.00 CET (3 episodes) + 1 reaction episode
- Batch 3 - March 26, 2026 at 08.00 CET (2 episodes) + 1 reaction episode
- Batch 4 - (Reunion) To be announced
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U.K. media giant ITV has posted full-year 2025 results the company said beat market expectations, with strong performances from its studios arm and streaming platform ITVX offsetting a decline in linear advertising revenues – even as talks continue with Sky over a possible sale of its Media & Entertainment business.
Group external revenue rose 1% to £3.511 billion ($4.68 billion) for the twelve months ended Dec. 31, 2025, while total group revenue was broadly flat at £4.121 billion ($5.49 billion). Group adjusted EBITA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, and Amortization) came in at £534 million ($711.1 million), down 1% year-on-year, with cost management largely absorbing the impact of softer advertising demand.
Chief executive Carolyn McCall said the results demonstrate the scale of ITV's transformation. "ITV delivered a good performance in 2025, ahead of current market expectations and against a challenging market backdrop," she said. "With a strong digital platform, we have successfully capitalised on growth opportunities, delivered resilient profits and generated good levels of cash."
McCall added that two-thirds of ITV's revenues now come from ITV Studios and its digital Media & Entertainment business – a milestone the company had set as a key strategic goal.
McCall also mentioned that Paramount and WBD are back in business as commissioners after agreeing their merger deal. Paramount-Skydance has been busy battling Netflix for Warner Bros. Discovery and having beaten Netflix to the punch is back in buying mode. "WB, and interestingly for us, Paramount, now that they have stability in terms of their ownership and their ambition, they've actually opened up business in a way they weren't open before."
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Rock the Block has officially been renewed for Season 7, and the new episodes will feature a brand new, star-studded twist.
Set in Las Vegas, the show's latest batch of episodes will see some of HGTV's biggest stars pair up with celebrities who share their passion for home renovation and design.
"With the stakes at an all-time high, each team will have just seven weeks and a budget of $275,000 to transform identical cul-de-sac builds boasting one-level living, private courtyards, multi-generational suites and RV garages into luxurious Sin City homes that reflect their signature vision and stunning design style," the season's description reads. "The lucky team who earns the highest appraised property value will hit the jackpot, winning Rock the Block bragging rights and a street named in their honor."
Ty Pennington will return as the show's host. "Rock the Block is back, and we're going all in Vegas style with a bold new lineup of teams," he said in a press release statement. "The stakes are higher than ever, and these duos are betting on great design in hopes of hitting the renovation jackpot."
The show will return with a two-hour season premiere on Monday, April 13, at 8/7c.
For the show's latest round of competition, Renovation Resort Showdown's Scott McGillivray will team up with singer, TV personality, and design firm owner Brooke Hogan. Battle on the Beach's Taniya Nayak will join forces with singer, actor, and TV star Drew Lachey, while Good Bones' Mina Starsiak Hawk will compete alongside Super Bowl champion and actor Vernon Davis. Season 7's final duo will be Why the Heck Did I Buy This House? host Kim Wolfe and her close friend, Survivor alum and Bravo star Chelsea Meissner.
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Coming to Prime Video on March 19 Amazon's Prime Video has released the trailer for the second series of Last One Laughing,
The series stars comedians Alan Carr, David Mitchell, Diane Morgan, Romesh Ranganathan, Amy Gledhill, Maisie Adam, Mel Giedroyc, Alan Carr, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Sam Campbell and returning champ Bob Mortimer all trying to make each other laugh while maintaining a straight face themselves.
Jimmy Carr returns as host with Roisin Conaty as his deputy.
The first three episodes will launch on March 19, with episodes four and five launching on March 26 and the final episode airing on April 2.
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Richard Osman's House of Games will be getting a new name after its current host announced he is leaving the BBC quiz show.
"It will no longer be Richard Osman's House of Games. It will be somebody else's House of Games," the presenter revealed on his podcast, The Rest is Entertainment. "And I gladly hand over the keys," he added, pointing out that he had done more 800 episodes since the show began in 2017, and confirming that the BBC had agreed to continue the program following his departure.
Osman, who met his wife Ingrid Oliver on the show when she appeared as a contestant in 2022, said he would do "one final week where I will hand over to the new host", but didn't say who his replacement would be.
The general knowledge quiz airs on BBC Two on weekdays.
Osman told his listeners: "I've loved it. And of course I met my wife through it as well."
He is otherwise best known for his best-selling books including the Thursday Murder Club, which was made into a Netflix series starring Dame Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan.
The presenter and novelist explained: "It's just with the writing, there comes a point, you know, where you have to hand it over. "I've loved doing it so much and I'll be gutted when I don't do it any more."
Osman also thanked "everyone for their kind words" in an Instagram post, saying it had been an "amazing nine years".
In a statement, Rob Unsworth, the BBC's head of daytime and early peak commissioning, said: "Richard Osman has established House of Games as one of our best-loved shows. His contribution to its success is impossible to overstate, and we couldn't be more grateful for his work over the last nine years.
"But as we wish him even more success in the future, we also look forward to sharing with viewers who the House of Games's next resident will be - and will have more on that soon."
The BBC said the current ninth series was attracting about 1.6 million viewers including catch-up and on-demand viewing over a seven-day period.
Osman was previously co-host of another popular BBC quiz show, Pointless, alongside Alexander Armstrong, who is still at the the helm.
As well as his career as a writer, Osman has been hosting his podcast alongside journalist Marina Hyde since 2023.
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And here's a game in the form of a Mistplay Game Break. What's this show I saw on Pluto TV yesterday?
- It was presented by a member of Red Dwarf
- The commentator was also heard on Match of the day
- This show was later inspired by another show on Comedy Central and later ABC
- Philippa Forrester was the sideline reporter
@madi2themax is this the most cringy thing I've ever done? probably do I care nope. when inspiration strikes at 11 at night you follow it #theatrekid #defyinggravity #wicked #broadway #monalogue ♬ original sound - Madi2theMax
(slow claps) Very...............well done. What's the show? It is.......................................
And I've yet to write an outro for Craig Charles.
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St Patrick's Day on most of these RTE America stations, The Late Late show which is shown in Ireland will be recorded and edited for 2 hours following the Six one News. After which will be The First 25 With Chris Moyles and a 5-minute BBC News Summary which for our show the next day comes on after us. On that day, it'll be Lyra Valkyria, LJ Cleary, Finn Balor, Debbie Keitel and JD McDonough play a special St Patrick's day edition of The All-New Luck Of The Draw with Greg Cherry and after which is............this.
After our show, Weeknight Update will be on the air. Tomorrow, he'll talk about mobile wallets and go out on the streets to see why people pay with phones.
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Awashed on the shore of the banks of the Be More Specific Ocean lied an array of treasure chests the pirates forgot. Game Show Live! is bringing you a special exclusive at shows that have never seen the light of day. prepare yourself for.....................
Ahoy, we found a discovery.
For no more than 20 years, Scrabble decided to challenge it with a spelling format. Contestants had to just spell out the word and say it for a building bank. although it was short lived, it led to an infamous moment in history.
Although Chuck also had this in common with the format...................
That Proves Chuck is longevity to game shows. Any questions?
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Don't forget to email me at kellypierre8@gmail.com, coppockonsports@yahoo.com, Pierre Kelly on FB and @Johnny_Arcade on X which is formerly Twitter. Also I'm on Snapchat as MisterGSN and Instagram as MrJackbox2. We will return next Wednesday, and until we return, Play on playas.
Madison: Pierre Kelly's wardrobe was dressed by Geek Fuel at geekfuel.com. Madison Brunoehler speaking for Game Show Live!, a presentation of Pacific Quay Entertainment, Local Now Productions and Jackbox Media Services which may or may not be responsible for the litter we made up.
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