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UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. - June 9, 2011 - NBC and Columbia Records have agreed to a recording rights deal for the soundtrack of NBC's new musical series "Smash" and series star Katharine McPhee also signed a solo recording deal with Columbia Records. "Smash" -- starting mid-season on Mondays (10-11 p.m. ET) on NBC -- stars Debra Messing ("Will & Grace"), McPhee ("American Idol") and Oscar winner Anjelica Huston ("Prizzi's Honor"). The announcements were made by Robert Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment, and Rob Stringer, Chairman, Columbia/Epic Label Group.The arrangement guarantees worldwide, digital and physical rights to the first season of "Smash" with successive options to subsequent seasons."A musical series should naturally be accompanied by a soundtrack deal, and NBC is very excited to be working with the best. Our Columbia Records partners will guide the soundtrack of 'Smash' into a big component of the show's success," said Greenblatt. "The music will be a driving force of what promises to make a tremendous impact for NBC in January and we couldn't have asked for better expertise and strategy than this company will provide." "We are thrilled and proud to be chosen by NBC to work on their amazing new show," said Rob Stringer, Chairman, Columbia/Epic Label Group. "Music is at the heart of 'Smash,' and with our wonderfully creative broadcast partners, we will develop innovative strategies to present this music to a huge audience.""Smash" is a musical drama that celebrates the beauty and heartbreak of the Broadway theater as it follows a cross-section of dreamers and schemers who all have one common desire -- to be a "Smash." The soundtrack will be both original compositions by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, the Tony and Grammy Award-winning songwriters of Broadway blockbusters such as "Hairspray" and "Catch Me If You Can," as well as covers of a

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. - June 8, 2011 -- Josh Lucas ("The Lincoln Lawyer," "Sweet Home Alabama") is set to star in NBC's new legal drama series "The Firm," based on John Grisham's best-selling novel and executive-produced by Grisham and Lukas Reiter.Lucas, whose feature-film credits include Ron Howard's "A Beautiful Mind," Jerry Bruckheimer's "Glory Road," and Ang Lee's "Hulk," will star as attorney Mitchell McDeere (the role originated by Tom Cruise in the film) in the series, which picks up McDeere's story about a decade after the events of the novel and film. Lucas also stars as famed aviator Charles Lindbergh in Imagine Entertainment's upcoming 2011 film, "J. Edgar," directed by Oscar winner Clint Eastwood and starring Academy Award winner Leonardo DiCaprio as controversial FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover. Based on the blockbuster feature film and the best-selling novel of 1991, with seven million copies sold by world-renowned author Grisham ("The Pelican Brief," "The Client"), "The Firm" continues the story of attorney Mitchell McDeere (Lucas) who, as a young associate, brought down the prestigious Memphis law firm of Bendini, Lambert & Locke, which operated as a front for the Chicago mob. After a difficult decade, which included a stay in the Federal Witness Protection program, McDeere and his family now emerge from isolation to reclaim their lives and their future -- only to find that past dangers are still lurking and new threats are everywhere.Watch John Grisham Talk About The Firm: Lucas' other credits include hit Broadway and off-Broadway plays, and the feature films "American Psycho," "The Deep End," "You Can Count on Me," "Wonderland" and the recently released "Daydream Nation." Lucas produced and starred in "Death in Love" and the upcoming "A Year in Mooring." He recently finished Jack Kerouac's "Big Sur," playing Neal Cassady, and "Medallion" opposite Nicolas Cage."The Firm" is

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. -- June 8, 2011 -- NBC announced that its new game show "It's Worth What?" will premiere on Tuesday, July 12 (8-9 p.m. ET) featuring host Cedric "The Entertainer" ("The Steve Harvey Show," "The Original Kings of Comedy"). "It's Worth What?" is a game show that taps into America's curiosity for cost and value, from the hidden gems found in one's attic to some of the most exotic valuables from around the globe. A pair of contestants are taken through a series of challenges that escalate in level of difficulty, tasking the contestants with discerning the price of the items in each round. If they successfully complete the challenges, contestants can win up to $1 million. Cedric "The Entertainer" is an award-winning standup comedian and actor who gained notoriety from his many crowd-pleasing film and TV performances including the comedy series "The Steve Harvey Show" and his own sketch-variety show "Cedric The Entertainer Presents." He currently co-stars in the upcoming Universal Pictures feature film "Larry Crowne" with Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts. Cedric began touring the country as one of "The Kings of Comedy Tour," along with fellow funnymen Harvey, Bernie Mac and D.L. Hughley. The record-breaking tour as later made into the hit feature film "The Original Kings of Comedy" directed by Spike Lee. His other film credits include "Barbershop," "Big Momma's House," "Ice Age (as the voice of Carl), "Dr. Dolittle 2," "Man of the House," "Madagascar" (voice of Maurice), "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa" and "Be Cool.""It's Worth What?" is produced by Merv Griffin Entertainment. The series is executive produced and created by Roy Bank ("Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?") and Lara Spencer ("Good Morning America"). Cedric "The Entertainer," Barry Poznick ("Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?), John Stevens ("Are You Smarter Than a

Kelly Osbourne joins co-hosts for skybox color commentary throughout the LIVE telecast New York, NY - June 8, 2011 - NBC, Donald J. Trump and Paula M. Shugart, president of the Miss Universe Organization, announced today that Andy Cohen, host of Bravo's "Watch What Happens: Live," and Giuliana Rancic, co-anchor of "E! News," will host the "2011 Miss USA Pageant" live from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas on June 19 (9 p.m. ET) on NBC. Joining them will be one of the hosts of E!'s "Fashion Police," Kelly Osbourne, who will provide skybox color commentary throughout the LIVE telecast."It's our 60th Anniversary, and what better way to add excitement to our show than with two of the most glamorous hosts on TV - Andy and Giuliana," said Paula Shugart. "Kelly's backstage commentary will surely take the energy of the show to another level!"Andy Cohen is the host and executive producer of "Watch What Happens: Live," Bravo's late night, interactive talk show that features guests from some of Bravo's most popular series, as well as from the world of entertainment, politics and pop culture. He is also the executive vice president of original programming and development for Bravo where he oversees the development and production of more than two dozen shows such as "Top Chef," "The Real Housewives" franchises and "The Millionaire Matchmaker."Giuliana Rancic is a co-anchor of "E! News" and host of E!'s hugely popular "Fashion Police." She is also the executive producer/star of her hit Style Network reality show, "Giuliana & Bill." Rancic can also be seen co-hosting red carpet events such as the Golden Globes.Kelly Osbourne made a name for herself in television, radio, musical theatre and fashion following the Emmy Award-winning "The Osbournes." The daughter of rocker Ozzy Osbourne and TV personality Sharon Osbourne, Kelly

Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton Team to Open Show by Singing "Bohemian Rhapsody," "We Will Rock You" and "We Are the Champions" UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. - June 6, 2011 - NBC's popular "The Voice" will open the first of its live episodes on Tuesday, June 7 (9-11 p.m. ET) with a lively medley of memorable Queen songs from musician coaches Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton.The announcement was made today by Paul Telegdy, Executive Vice President, Alternative Programming, NBC and Universal Media Studios. The four coaches will perform a three-song medley of such Queen standards as "Bohemian Rhapsody," "We Will Rock You" and "We Are the Champions."The event marks the first time that the coaches have collaborated on a song since they gained widespread positive reaction for their joint performance of "Crazy" on the premiere episode of "The Voice." "Kicking off the debut of the live episodes of 'The Voice' with these high energy renditions of classic Queen hits will set the tone for our live shows," said Telegdy. Catch up with the latest episode of The Voice: "The Voice" is an innovative vocal competition series modeled after Holland's top-rated vocal talent discovery show, "The Voice of Holland." The series is hosted by Carson Daly and features the musician coaches working through the various phases of the competition with only the most talented vocalists. The show's second season will air midseason Mondays, 8-10 p.m. ET."The Voice" is a presentation of Mark Burnett's One Three Inc., Talpa Content USA, Inc. and Warner Horizon Television. The series is created by John de Mol, who will executive-produce along with Burnett, Audrey Morrissey and Stijn Bakkers.Casting information for season two of "The Voice" is available online at http://www.nbcthevoice.com/register.php.For contestant blogs, embeddable clips and full episodes of "The Voice" please

All-American Chef and Popular Television Personality Guy Fieri Hosts  UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. -- June 3, 2011 -- NBC will kick off its 2011 summer season of the competition show "Minute to Win It" beginning Wednesday, June 8 (8-9 p.m. ET) in a special episode with "Jackass" stars Steve-O and Ryan Dunn. This summer, the show will air a mix of original and encore episodes through Wednesday, September 7 (8-9 p.m. ET). Steve-O and Dunn, will team up to play for their respective charities -- the National Down Syndrome Congress and The Teammates for Kids Foundation. On their way to the million-dollar prize, every amount earned at each round will go to Steve-O and Dunn's charities. Eager to start playing, they take on the "Mad Dog" challenge, where they must shake their heads to empty two breath mint boxes, which are attached to the end of a ruler. Preview: "Minute to Win It," hosted by All-American chef and television personality Guy Fieri ("Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives"), features competitors participating in a series of simple, yet nerve-wracking, games that can lead to a $1 million prize. In each one-hour episode, competitors face 10 challenges that escalate in level of difficulty using everyday household items. Each game has a one-minute time limit -- and failure to finish the task on time will eliminate the contestant. At various points throughout the game, the competitor can walk away with the money earned up to that point -- but it'll take nerves of steel to complete all 10 tasks to win $1 million. The competitors, who come from all walks of life, are shown over 60 games prior to the competition and are encouraged to practice these one-of-a-kind challenges at home. "Minute to Win It" is produced by Universal Media Studios with Friday Television. Craig Plestis, Tim Puntillo (NBC's "Identity"),

NBC's Thrilling New Game Show Will Pit Contestants Against One Another In Fast-Paced Trivia Battles  UNIVERSAL CITY, CA - June 3, 2011 - NBC announced today that acclaimed comedian and Emmy Award winning host Ben Bailey (Discovery Channel's "Cash Cab") will host the new NBC game series "Who's Still Standing?" The series will offer a single contestant the chance to win a cash prize of up to $1,000,000 by taking down each of their opponents in fast-paced trivia battles. This show combines the fun of a trivia competition with physical comedy, by dropping contestants through trapped doors if they answer a question incorrectly. "Who's Still Standing?" is based on the Israeli series "Still Standing," which has proven to be a hit with viewers overseas." The announcement was made today by Paul Telegdy, Executive Vice President, Alternative Programming, NBC and Universal Media Studios."Ben is clever, entertaining and a huge authority in the trivia world," said Telegdy. "Through its questions, this series taps into so many areas of knowledge and consistently builds to a drop, so everyone at home will enjoy playing along.""I am really psyched to be hosting this new show 'Who's Still Standing?' because it's totally unlike any other show," said Bailey. "Contestants can win up to a million bucks but they could also drop through the floor, literally. It's got great trivia, it's got big money prizes, and it's got real action and on top of all that, I don't have to deal with driving in any traffic. I am really excited and I can't wait for people to see it."At the start of the game, there is one main competitor and 10 other contestants. The main player chooses one of the 10 contestants to go head-to-head with in a trivia battle for a high-stakes pot of up to $1,000,000. The

Quince Will Train Contestants Along with Bob Harper and Anna Kournikova  UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. - June 2, 2011 - Dolvett Quince, an accomplished trainer who has been helping people get fit and healthy for 10 years, will bring his fitness expertise to "The Biggest Loser" as the show's newest trainer. Quince, whose clients have included teen superstar Justin Bieber, will train contestants along with "Biggest Loser" veteran Bob Harper and renowned tennis star and certified trainer Anna Kournikova. Season 12 begins shooting this week in southern California and will begin airing in September 2011 on NBC."I couldn't be more excited about joining 'The Biggest Loser' as their newest trainer," said Quince. "This amazing opportunity allows me to use my expertise to change lives one rep at a time, and encourage contestants -- and viewers -- to find strength beyond muscle." Quince founded a workout studio in Atlanta called Body Sculptor Inc., where he has been the city's "go to" master trainer for ten years. He grew up with three siblings in the foster care system in Stamford, Connecticut, where they were all adopted by a Jamaican couple who knew the four children needed to stay together. He says it was his difficult childhood that gave him his drive and strength to believe in himself and want to make a difference in the lives of others. Quince's passion for health and fitness has attracted the attention of entertainers as well. Janet Jackson has worked out at his Atlanta studio, and Quince recently went on tour for three months with pop superstar Justin Bieber, creating a workout and nutrition regimen designed to keep the in-demand entertainer in top shape. "The Biggest Loser" is a production of Reveille, 25/7 Productions and 3Ball Productions. Ben Silverman, Dave Broome, JD Roth, Todd A. Nelson and Todd Lubin serve as

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. -- June 2, 2011 - NBC announced that it has added an extra results show to its hit "The Voice" (Tuesdays, 9-11 p.m. ET) on Wednesday, June 22 (8-9 p.m. ET) and has scheduled the series' season finale for Wednesday, June 29 (8-9 p.m. ET). Both episodes will air live. "The Voice" is averaging a 5.5 rating, 14 share and 12.6 million viewers overall in "most current" results from Nielsen Media Research through May 31, making it the #1 new series of the 2010-11 television season in 18-49. Among all entertainment series on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and CW this season, "The Voice" ranks behind only "American Idol" in adults 18-49. With its May 31 telecast, "The Voice" jumped week to week by 29 percent in 18-49 rating to a 4.9 and by 69 percent in total viewers to 14.4 million persons. It was a four-week high in 18-49 rating and a new series record in total viewers.Watch the latest episode of The Voice: The series features musician coaches Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton. The program is an innovative vocal competition series modeled after Holland's top-rated vocal talent discovery show "The Voice of Holland." "The Voice" is hosted by Carson Daly and features the musician coaches working through the various phases of the competition with only the most talented vocalists. The show's second season will air on NBC in mid-season on Mondays (8-10 p.m. ET). "The Voice" is a presentation of Mark Burnett's One Three Inc., Talpa Content USA, Inc. and Warner Horizon Television. The series is created by John de Mol, who will executive-produce along with Burnett, Audrey Morrissey and Stijn Bakkers. For contestant blogs, embeddable clips and full episodes of "The Voice" please visit NBC.com's official show site: http://www.nbc.com/TheVoice. Please follow us on Facebook

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. - May 31, 2011 - NBC will broadcast a special hour-long episode of "The Voice" following the network's exclusive coverage of Super Bowl XLVI on Sunday, February 5 (10-11 p.m. ET; time approximate). The announcements were made today by Bob Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment."There is no better showcase on television than to follow the Super Bowl, and we believe 'The Voice' is deserving of such high-profile exposure," said Greenblatt. "The attention grabbing blind audition phase of 'The Voice' has mass appeal and will fittingly team up with the biggest sporting event of the year." Watch the latest episode of The Voice: "The Voice," featuring musician coaches Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton is the 2010-11 season's #1 new series in adults 18-49 and ranks behind only "American Idol" among all entertainment series on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and CW. To date, "The Voice" is averaging a 5.4 rating, 14 share in adults 18-49 and 12.0 million viewers overall. "The Voice" is an innovative vocal competition series modeled after Holland's top-rated vocal talent discovery show, "The Voice of Holland." The series is hosted by Carson Daly and features the musician coaches working through the various phases of the competition with only the most talented vocalists. The show's second season will air midseason Mondays, 8-10 p.m. ET. "The Voice" is a presentation of Mark Burnett's One Three Inc., Talpa Content USA, Inc. and Warner Horizon Television. The series is created by John de Mol, who will executive-produce along with Burnett, Audrey Morrissey and Stijn Bakkers. For contestant blogs, embeddable clips and full episodes of "The Voice" please visit NBC.com's official show site: http://www.nbc.com/TheVoice. Please follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/NBCTheVoice and on twitter at @NBCTheVoice and #TheVoice.