By Romeo San Vicente
'Mockingbird Lane' gets its cast of munsters
It started with, "Huh? A reboot of "The Munsters"? We need this?"
And then we learned that Bryan Fuller, the wildly inventive creator of "Pushing Daisies," was behind it and extending trust to his left-of-center credentials was much easier. And now there's a cast so cool and so queer (and queer-adjacent) that NBC's dramatically different reimagining of the vintage sitcom, now titled "Mockingbird Lane" just became must-watch TV for the fall. Jerry O'Connell will star as Herman Munster and Portia De Rossi will play Lily, while Eddie Izzard will star as Grandpa. Daisies alum Beth Grant ("Sordid Lives") will play a suspicious neighbor and Cheyenne Jackson has just signed on to guest as a local Scout Master with eyes for Lily. Casting is ongoing, so expect more updates as the weeks roll on. But for now all you have to remember to do is set your DVR this fall and stop confusing them with the Addams Family.
'The Canyons' welcomes Lohan… for now
If her time shooting "Liz & Dick" is any indication, Lindsay Lohan might not yet be ready to return to work. Erratic behavior, car accidents, lateness, bouts of unconsciousness: all of it distracts from the project and the fact that this talented young woman is fully capable of good work. But assuming she makes it through this one and comes out the other side stronger and back on track, her next project could be fascinating, a genuine game-changer professionally. You may remember an earlier report where we said that "it doesn't get crazier" than the combination of "American Psycho" author Bret Easton Ellis, "Taxi Driver" screenwriter/"Cat People" director Paul Schrader and alt-porn star James Deen, but now that Lindsay Lohan has been added to the mix of what is now going to be called "The Canyons," it all just totally did. Ellis describes the upcoming feature as a story about people in their 20s chasing "power, love, sex and success in 2012 Hollywood," which sounds like the perfect vehicle for Lohan, even if her co-star is more known for focusing exclusively on the sex part of that equation. Nothing's set in stone yet, but this one is only going to get more interesting.
Janet Jackson produces trans doc 'Truth'
You knew you liked Janet Jackson, but did you know how much? Maybe it's because throughout her career, she's always been the most cautious of the Jackson clan, the least willing to turn her life into a public spectacle in between work projects. She acts, she sings, she dances, she does commercials for NutriSystem, but otherwise she keeps to herself. And alongside that wise approach to her personal life she's maintained an activist's stance as an ally to the LGBT community, a bond that will only deepen as she enters a new role: executive producer of "Truth." That's the title of an upcoming documentary about transgender people and their treatment around the world. New York's Brainchild Films and director Robert Jason are behind the feature, which will focus on the lives and struggles of transgender people in North America, Latin America, Europe and Australia. In a written statement, Jackson says that she attached herself to the project to help eradicate discrimination against the trans community. This calls for a YouTube transgender flash mob dance video set to "Rhythm Nation!"
Kevin Smith: The 'Groovy' Straight Bear gets animated
Kevin Smith was apparently kidding when he said he was quitting filmmaking. After last year's speaking tour where he also showed his horror film, "Red State," to audiences along the way, he said that his hockey comedy, the upcoming "Hit Somebody," would be his last film. But you can't keep the man away from his ardent fan base, and now it looks like "Jay and Silent Bob's Super Groovy Cartoon Movie" will be a reality in 2013. Not only is the hetero Smith an honorary gay bear by this point, having conducted hockey-themed same-sex weddings on his "Smodcast" podcast and produced documentaries like Malcolm Ingram's "Small Town Gay Bar," but there have never been two gayer Smith creations than the perpetually high, heterosexual life partners Jay and Silent Bob. We have no idea what the film is going to be about, but it's almost certain to be R-rated, raunchier than everything else in the multiplex, and filled to the brim with homosexuality. If not, "that" will be the most shocking thing he's ever done.
