A beak into the future

Episode 100 of 'Robot Chicken''Robot Chicken' versions of Matthew Senreich and Seth GreenGreenSenreichFew shows are as suited to a modern attention span as "Robot Chicken." Its sketches -- often but a few seconds long -- are ideal online viewing and tap directly into the fanboy mind that enshrines "Star Wars" as gospel and led comicbook superheroes to box office glory this past decade.But is the show's rapid, ADD-style format a product of the culture's dwindling attention span or a leading contributor to it?"It's both, and that's actually something that we struggle with," says Seth Green, co-creator, executive producer, writer, director and voice actor for "Robot Chicken."Things have been moving toward shorter bursts of content for a long time, Green says, citing as precedent MTV's 1990s series "Liquid Television," short-film festivals and even a Comedy Central clip show called "Short Attention Span Theater." And with younger viewers increasingly turning to mobile phones for all their content, it's not going to change anytime soon."We just like telling jokes, and we like telling them quick," he says. "We don't like wasting time."Adds co-creator, executive producer, writer and director Matthew Senreich: "I would love to say that I had the foresight to know the Internet would have exploded the way it did and short-form content would be so easily accessible, so our show fits into that perfectly."We just knew we wanted to keep sketches short enough where someone wasn't rolling their eyes saying, 'I can't believe this sketch is still going on.'?"Adult Swim exec veep Keith Crofford says he thinks the rapid-fire format is a product of the short-attention span culture and stacks the deck in favor of the show finding an audience."You're churning through material so fast that you're bound to find a couple of things that you love even if there's a couple things that you hate," he says.Head writer and exec producer Doug Goldstein says the show had to wait for the right time to find its audience. "I think we've always wanted to be a short-attention-span society, it's just media had to catch up and give us what we wanted," he says.But there was never a conscious effort to make "Robot Chicken" fit such big-picture ideas."We had things to say and things to make fun of, but they weren't things that really needed a long time to talk about it," Goldstein says. "We wanted to talk about how, 'Hey, wouldn't it be funny if a Transformer got prostate cancer?' That's not exactly a joke that takes 20 minutes to tell."However, that is a joke that works on YouTube, which launched within days of the premiere of "Robot Chicken" and played a significant role in building its audience. The show is the top-rated original program on Adult Swim, as well as a hit on DVD with more than 1.3 million units sold.The show's true impact goes far beyond the numbers. Green, Senreich and crew are as popular as any actor or director at Comic-Con, and "Robot Chicken" has developed into the comedy voice of the fanboy generation."All of us growing up felt a little alienated, like misfits -- super-separated by the things we liked," says Green. "And as you get a little bit older, you realize that everyone growing up feels that way, and we had the same kind of experience with this show. We just felt this stuff was our personal musings, our private, super-nerdy thoughts, and yet, over time, that's grown exponentially."That helps explain why the show's fanboy-focused sense of humor has connected with so large an audience and charmed George Lucas into lending his voice to a sketch and granting "Robot Chicken" rare permission to make three "Star Wars"-themed specials. A similar special focused on the heroes of DC Comics is next on the "Robot Chicken" docket.Hitting the 100-episode marker without signs of slowing down has changed the perspective on how long the show could go on mining pop culture for comedy sketches."We're really trying to evolve it, not to become something different than it is, but to be come a better, more realized version of what it is," says Green."When we started the show, we all expected to be done in a couple years," adds Senreich. "But the more we do it and the more response we get, the more we realize we're a sketch comedy show -- and we can last as long as we're funny."'Robot Chicken' 100th EpisodeA beak into the future | Team reps rapid rise of nerd processors | Fandom fodder for film-flam | Initial production hurdles were nothing to cluck at Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

The Loan companies Josh Lucas Is Engaged

First Launched: The month of the month of january 7, 2012 6:56 PM EST Credit: Getty Images La, Calif. -- Caption Josh Lucas reaches the J. Edgar opening evening gala throughout AFI FEST 2011 presented by Audi held at Graumans Chinese Theatre, Hollywood, on November 3, 2011Josh Lucas nabbed charge on NBCs new drama, The Firm, as well as the actor recently revealed hes set to battle another large role within the personal existence what husband! The 40-year-old star confirmed the happy news to Jay Leno within a feel and look round the Tonight Show with Jay Leno on Friday. Josh saved a lot of the engagement particulars private like the title of his now-girlfriend but referred to how he found realize she was the primary one. While filming a small-budget film in Large Sur, Calif., the actor and also the ladylove ended up remaining in the run-lower trailer (apparently recognized becoming an eco-retreat by its owner), found on the hill requiring a 20-minute muck road hike to attain it. Undertaking a extended day's filming, Josh hiked within the hill inside the wee several hours in the morning, sans torch, and experienced a mountain lion a hazard his now-girlfriend had informed him about (without results) yesterday. Because he came back to his girlfriend, Josh mentioned he recognized hed found his match for one another. I made a decision because moment, truly because moment, this lady was the woman personally, he told Jay, of because he returned for the trailer carrying out a close-call while using animal. As formerly reported on AccessHollywood.com, Josh is not the only real star about to dive right in Came Barrymore recently increased being engaged to Will Kopelman, while Justin Timberlake is rumored to own sprang the question to longtime girlfriend Jessica Biel. The Firm, which stars Juliette Lewis, features its own two-hour premiere on Sunday at 9 PM EST/PST on NBC, before moving towards the regular timeslot Thursdays at 10 PM. Copyright 2012 by NBC Universal, Corporation. All rights reserved. These elements is probably not launched, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Demi Moore to Play Gloria Steinem in Linda Lovelace Movie

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The Laying Game Star: Mads and Thayer Become Allies Against Their Shady Father

Alice Greczyn The Laying Game's Alec Ryback is searching progressively suspicious, and can his shady behavior cause his daughter Mads to show against him? "She does not trust her father [but] she does indeed want her family to obtain along," Alice Greczyn, who plays Mads, informs TVGuide.com. "She's playing the ostrich role, burying her mind within the sand [because] she does not have sufficient [yet!] proof to create waves otherwise." The Laying Game Exclusive Start Looking: Sutton's vehicle was discovered - without her Once the ABC Family series left off, Sutton Mercer (Alexandra Chando) came back home from searching out her and twin Emma's birth mother but was soon assaulted after which all of a sudden went missing. Who might be behind her disappearance? Well, Alec (Adrian Pasdar) is among the couple of people conscious that the twins even exist as well as compensated lots of money to help keep Sutton and Emma's real mother, Annie Hobbs, quiet. And also to complicate things further, another lady named Annie, also from Alec and Ted Mercer's past, returns on the identical evening that Sutton went missing. It is possible to connection? That continues to be to appear. "Charisma Carpenter's character occurs as Annie however it's rapidly established that they now passes Rebecca -- It's intended to be confusing." Greczyn states. "She turns into a love interest for Alec." Even though Alec will get nearer to Rebecca, the same is true Mads, who would go to her for assistance with her very own new love interest. "Once they introduce Ryan [Misha Crosby], she expresses to Rebecca that she's a bit reluctant to fall madly in love again because she's still guarded from Eduardo," Greczyn states. "She eventually takes a danger because he's awfully charming." And fortunately for Mads, this time around round her stern da father is sort of available to the connection. Greczyn adds, "There is a scene beside me and Adrian they cut, but where he's encouraging of her dating Ryan. He is removed as a result a villain, however i think Alec loves Mads." Exclusive: Charisma Contractor will get in around the Laying Game Although Mads is busy with Ryan and supporting her closest friend Char (Kirsten Prout), who also is actually the niece of Rebecca (we all know it's confusing!), eventually Mads will begin to suspect that something's track of Alec, because of her brother Thayer (Christian Alexander), whose arguments against their father are pretty convincing. "Following a certain point, Mads can't hide in the growing evidence against their father," Grezcyn states. "She and Thayer [become] allies." What secrets do you consider Alec is hiding? Watch Rebecca's awkward introduction scene, such as the reasons for altering her title, below: The Laying Game returns on Monday at 9/8c on ABC Family.