It’s time to doff one’s cap, metaphorical or otherwise, again to that nice Mr. Murdoch and Sky Atlantic for bringing us what looks like another class HBO series.

We’re talking about The Newsroom, the new show from Aaron Sorkin, creator of The West Wing and screenwriter of The Social Network and Moneyball. Pedigree or what?
A “behind the scenes look at the people who make a nightly cable news program”, it premieres in the good ol’ US of A on June 24 with Emily Mortimer, John Gallagher Jr., Olivia Munn and Jeff Daniels among its stellar cast. There’s also what’s described as a “recurring cameo” from Jane Fonda, who lest we forget, used to be hitched to CNN supremo Ted Turner. In her first small-screen outing, the Workout Queen plays Leona Lancing, the hard-nosed – what else? – CEO of the cable network’s parent company.
“The series tracks their quixotic mission to do the news well in the face of corporate and commercial obstacles – not to mention their own personal entanglements,” continues the hbo.com/#/the-newsroom blurb. If the trailer’s anything to go by, Boardwalk Empire and Homeland had better start looking to their laurels.
Having laid low for the past few years, Creation Records founder Alan McGee has resurfaced with a new film company, Escalier 39, which makes its bow early in 2013 with Kubricks. The movie starts shooting this summer in his own stately Welsh pile and finds both him and Brian Jonestown Massacre mainman Anton Newcombe playing themselves.
“It’s the summer solstice and a film director invites his lead actors to a mansion in the countryside to get to know each other and prepare for the film,” reads the kubricks.yolasite.com/synopsis.php pitch. “The actors soon realise that the director is going through something of a spiritual awakening and is determined to take them along with him for the ride. Initially the actors are cautious of him, but eventually start to indulge him. What follows is three days of discovery that culminates in a phenomenal incident that will blow the minds of all involved.”
His Escalier 39 partner is Dean Cavanagh who’s worked extensively in the past with Irvine Welsh and made music as Pig and Narco Bear.
Which just leaves time for quick visits to catconverters.com (“pawn your pussy”); aroomforlondon.co.uk/hearts-of-darkness/feb-2012-david-byrne (David Byrne gets ever so arty in London); edibleunique.com (chocolate flavoured ant wafers anyone?); mayorjimlong.wordpress.com/2012/04/07/mayor-jim-interviewed-by-hot-press (what Limerick’s First Citizen didn’t say to Mr. T), and boilerroom.tv/james-murphy-50-min-mix (James Murphy mix); latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/video/pulp-like-a-friend/1395683 (Jarvis & Co. on American telly); youtube.com/watch?v=ZSYQ0IbNsBw&feature=g-vrec&context=G286cca6RVAAAAAAAAAA (ace looking Swedish comedy).