This New Emmy-Award Winning Entrepreneur Knows How to Get To (and On) Sesame Street

After working in children's television for nearly 10 years, most notably  creating, producing and writing for:

• an award-winning series of animated shorts for "Sesame Street"
• Bill Cosby's Emmy-winning Nick Jr. series "Little Bill," and "Whoopi's Littleburg," (as lyricist)
• a series of specials also seen on Nick Jr., last month

...Eric Weil (C'97. UTV-13 News, The Practical Penn (Restaurant Reviews) won an Emmy.

And just being nominated was a total surprise...

READ MORE - This New Emmy-Award Winning Entrepreneur Knows How to Get To (and On) Sesame Street

She's A FOX TV Producer By Day and a Jeweler By Night

There seems to be many Penn alumni with multiple careers.

Just a week ago, I posted a story about THESE former college roommate lawyers with a jewelry business.  Now news of another alum with a TV day job with a similar side passion for designing jewelry!

When she's not producing and writing for "On the Record with Greta Van Susteren" on Fox News, Kim Rittberg (C'02, UA, Kappa Alpha Theta) is a jewelry designer with her own jewelry line - k ritt jewelry.

The line has been featured in Women's Wear Daily, Life & Style, Playboy, NY Daily News, nymag.com, Scheckys, CW11, NY1, Newsday, NY Post, worn by Heidi Klum and Sarah Silverman and has been sold at Henri Bendel in New York and other boutiques in Manhattan.

Click HERE to find out more about:

• what inspired Kim to pursue her own dreams
• her attention-getting signature piece: the "Asymmeterical Necklace"
• her career working in television

And apparently juggling careers runs in Kim's family.  Check out the post I did on her Penn alum brother Matt Rittberg HERE.

See Kim's collection HERE

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READ MORE - She's A FOX TV Producer By Day and a Jeweler By Night

These Accomplished TV Writers Have a New Comedy at Fox

Moses Port (left) and David Guarascio (right)

Penn alumni and writing partners David Guarascio (C'91) and Moses Port (C'91), (former co-producers and writers of Just Shoot Me, last year's Aliens in America and 2001 "Penn in Pictures" panelists) are now developing a new single camera office sitcom for FOX.

Per Variety, their pilot is about

"a twentysomething man who starts taking a mood enhancer called Blisstilan. Snapped out of his funk by the drug, the lead character applies for a job at the pharmaceutical company.  Once there, he must navigate working for his new boss, a high-powered female exec who boasts the nickname "The Velvet Hammer."

More Penn Hollywood Writers here!

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READ MORE - These Accomplished TV Writers Have a New Comedy at Fox

DT Hollywood Bits & Pieces

Lots of Penn news happening this week on-campus and off!...

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Catch This Alum's Film on DVD!

Jon Hurwtitz's (W'00) Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay now on DVD

My past posts about Jon here

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He's On a New Show and He's Looking for an Agent

Tom Christensen (W'03, Mask and Wig) just landed a co-starring role on the new series, Leverage, an Ocean's-11-Meets-A-Team series set to air on TNT in the next 6 months. Tom will play a "sweet, corn fed" guy from the Midwest" He is marrying a mob-boss's daughter, and that wedding is the setting for the episode. 

When Tom arrived in LA five years ago, fellow Mask & Wig member Brian Appel (C '01) introduced him to the show's casting director. After cutting his teeth with M&W, Tom still performs sketch and improv several improv groups around LA. You can see his upcoming shows on his website, http://www.tom-christensen.com

He is currently looking for an agent. Any alumni agents out there who will take a meeting? Contact Tom via his website!

Tom's Headshot
More Penn Actor Headshots!

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Another Reality Show Debuts for This Alum

Mark Cronin's (Eng'86) next VH1 reality show, New York Goes to Hollywood premieres on Monday, 8/4.

More here
My past posts about Mark here

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This Alum Counterchecks Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus, star of the Disney Channel mega-hit, said in an interview the other day that the upcoming season of “Hannah Montana” could be the last one. “We’re thinking this is our last season,” she told E! Online.

Rich Ross (C'83), president of Disney Channels Worldwide, told the New York Post, “I fully expect we will continue production (beyond this season)—and I can stand by that.” Ross said Disney has a option for a fourth season of the show.

More here

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Wish They Had This When I Was an Undergrad!

The Kelly Writers House and the Fine Arts Department of the School of Design (at the University of Pennsylvania) are pleased to announce ArtsEdge, a new collaborative residency project to encourage the careers of emergent writers and artists.

Through ArtsEdge, the Kelly Writers House and the Fine Arts Department will subsidize the rent of a shared live/work space near Penn’s campus for an emergent writer and artist.

More here and here

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He's Giving Reality Contestants What They Really Want ...No, Not Love

Last week my Penn reality-TV based posts had been centered around Roy Bank (C'94). Now I've got some news from another Penn reality TV big time producer Mark Cronin (Eng'86)...

VH1 recently announced that they are prepping another spinoff to Flavor of Love called I Love Money.

Per Variety, the new show will feature "past contestants from "Flavor of Love," "Rock of Love" and "I Love New York" squaring off against one another in a series of reality show competitions. While "Flavor" and its past offspring were constructed to help celebrities such as Bret Michaels and Flavor Flav find "love," the new show will focus on the pursuit of cash prizes."

It seems Mark's contestants won't be the only ones loving money.

Speaking of Love, have you checked out my Penn "Love Series" here?

Mark's beginnings in showbiz

More posts about Mark's reality shows here

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READ MORE - He's Giving Reality Contestants What They Really Want ...No, Not Love

Pennalicious Profiles: His Hollywood Beginnings and His Biggest Piece of Advice

Over the past 2 days, we've been talking about Roy Bank (C'94), Reality head honcho over at Mark Burnett Productions and now President of Merv Griffin Television.

The big question many aspiring undergrads and alumni want to know is "how did Roy get his start in television and how did he get to do what he loves?"

The answer may surprise you and involves a career change at the age of 29 ....and being in the right place at the right time.

Read more about Roy's journey here and find out what #1 piece of advice he has for those who want to make it in Hollywood!

Check back on Friday to find out what new projects Roy has been working on.

Read Part 1: "He's Way Smarter Than a Fifth Grader"
Read Part 2: "He's Now Running This TV Empire"

Other Penn alumni who have made successful career changes

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READ MORE - Pennalicious Profiles: His Hollywood Beginnings and His Biggest Piece of Advice

Pennalicious Profiles: He's Now Running This TV Empire

Yesterday, I introduced all of you to reality TV guru Roy Bank (C'94).

After taking charge as the head of Development and Operations for Mark Burnett Productions, Roy has taken another step up and is running the TV Empire for a highly well-known worldwide company.

Click to find out which one!

Read Part 1: "He's Way Smarter Than a Fifth Grader"

Get the DT Scoop First!

As of a few months ago, Roy became the President of Merv Griffin Television.

Per Roy,

"I run the entire television empire of Merv Griffin, one of the true pioneers in the history of the entertainment business. I oversee both the creative and business sides of the business as we take the incredible legacy here and carry it into the future."

Check back tomorrow to find out:

• how Roy got his start in television
• how he got to do what he loves
  
• and what #1 piece of advice he has for undergrads and alumni

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READ MORE - Pennalicious Profiles: He's Now Running This TV Empire

Pennalicious Profiles: He's Way Smarter Than a Fifth Grader

If you're a fan of reality TV, you'll be happy to know that there's a Penn alum behind some of the biggest reality shows out there.

For the past 3 years Roy Bank (C'94, Intramural Football) took charge as the head of Development and Operations for Mark Burnett Productions, one of the most recognized television production companies in the world, overseeing such shows as Apprentice, Survivor, RockStar and Contender. Roy is widely known to have been the major force behind the enormous success of Hollywood’s top reality TV company.

If that isn't impressive enough, Roy is also Creator and Executive Producer of Are You Smarter that a 5th Grader? It would seem everything he puts his mind to turns to gold.

I met Roy working on a mutual project with Mark Burnett Productions producing the Yahoo websites for seasons 2-6 of the Apprentice, The Contender and then a game-a-day promotional project for the Flushed Away movie. Roy’s zest for expanding traditional TV and film into new media lit up a new road for leveraging a content down multiple paths.

All eyes are on this guy to see what’s next. DT knows and is about to share with you how your fellow Penn alum broke through the thousands of wanna’-be players and is on a rise to the top of one of most difficult industries – show biz.

Stay tuned this week to find out what HUGE company he's heading up now and what new projects are on the horizon!

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READ MORE - Pennalicious Profiles: He's Way Smarter Than a Fifth Grader

Pennalicious Profile: Hollywood’s TV Golden Boy

He is a creative force in television. You’ve heard of every show he’s touched. And make no mistake, Hollywood is buzzing about him 24/7.

In my 12 years in L.A., I’ve met every major player in the business who matters and who shares our Penn pedigree. And now, you will too. As I launch the Pennalicious Profiles, at the same time I scoop the big trades Hollywood Reporter and Daily Variety on one of our own. DT gets it first again.

All next week, our exclusive sit down with your fellow alum now considered one of the most powerful men in Hollywood. What he says guaranteed his rapid rise to the top.

Stay tuned for my Pennalicious profile on him next week!

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READ MORE - Pennalicious Profile: Hollywood’s TV Golden Boy

This Penn Producer Just Sold His Company in a 200 Million Dollar Deal

Which alum just sold his production company in a deal valued at 200 million dollars(!) and said this?

"It's about exploiting our content and taking what we own and doing more with it ...We haven't done nearly enough with our shows."

Click here for the details!

Per today's Variety:
"In a deal valued at upward of $200 million, Endemol USA has acquired Cris Abrego and Mark Cronin's (Eng '86, Mask and Wig) 51 Minds Entertainment, the reality factory that perfected the celebreality genre with nonscripted comedies such as "Flavor of Love," "I Love New York" and "The Surreal Life."

Read the complete article here

More of my Mark Cronin posts here

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READ MORE - This Penn Producer Just Sold His Company in a 200 Million Dollar Deal

Love Week: His Unsatiable Flavor of Love

Is there a better way to kick off our Love Week than to promote one our alum’s shows about a man who despite two unsuccessful attempts at finding love will be going back for one final time?

Click here to find out more about this show which debuts tonight!


That’s right, your favorite bachelor, Flavor Flav is back for a final time to find a his love. The third and final season of "Flavor of Love", produced by mega-reality producer Mark Cronin (Eng’86, Mask and Wig) premieres on VH1 tonight (Monday, February 11) at 9:00 PM.

This time, the woman Flavor Flav's looking for will be all about sophistication…

Per Tradingmarkets.com:

“This season, every challenge Flav poses, from nursing his broken heart on a hospital gurney, to composing a hip-hopera about Flavor Flav's life, will be engineered to make those women, who truly have love for Flav, shine. Whether it's jumping out of a plane at 30,000 feet, or swimming with sharks, these women will constantly be put to the test. The last two remaining contestants will travel to the international city of love in a final showdown for Flav's heart. In the end, Flavor Flav will pick the girl he believes is the one true love that he can finally settle down with. Hopefully, this time it will stick.

To help Flav find true love, he enlisted the help of his fans. Last summer, women from across the country uploaded profiles to VH1's Flavor of Love casting site and five were chosen through online voting to vie for Flav's love.”

Check out all the other reality shows Mark Cronin has produced!

Check out all my posts from the DuelingTampons' "Love Week" series

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READ MORE - Love Week: His Unsatiable Flavor of Love

DuelingTampons.com helps alum win ABC News anchor position!

Back in early September, I encouraged DuelingTampons.com readers to help vote for Dara Cook (W'95) as a replacement anchor on ABC News Now's segment "What's the Buzz?".

Dara just emailed me to let me know that thanks to DuelingTampons.com and all your votes, she won (!) and that her first on-air interview is today (Tuesday, 12:30 pm) with 50 cent.

Click here to check your local listings to watch her!

Also, Dara tells me that Merry Miller is a guest on The View today (Tuesday), and The View hosts have been asked to plug Dara replacing Merry on What's the Buzz.

Click here to watch Dara's winning audition video

Click here to learn more about Dara's beginnings

READ MORE - DuelingTampons.com helps alum win ABC News anchor position!

Mark Cronin (Eng'86) at it again with Gotti's Way: OCTOBER 15

Lately, it seems like I'm posting new stories about the next Mark Cronin (Eng'86, Mask and Wig) reality show every week! Well, I guess it's that time again.

Last week I announced these 2 shows...

This week there's:
....a third that's coming out on Monday, October 15!
...and a fourth coming out in 2008!

Mark (pictured left) is the powerhouse of reality TV!

Click here to read more about Mark's 2 new shows

FYI, there's another Penn big wig in the reality TV world as well. Check back in the coming weeks for more about this mover and quaker...

Click here to check out the extended trailer from Mark's new show, Gotti's Way!

From the NationalLedger.com:

"Hip-hop mogul Irv Gotti spent years defending himself on charges that his music company was being used to launder drug money -- years that tore apart not only his business but also his family life. He tells us now he's a changed man since being acquitted in 2005, and he wants people to see he's a good guy. That's why he's done VH1's "Gotti's Way," which premieres Oct. 15. "You got to realize that I never was tried for anything in my life (before)," notes Gotti, who runs The Inc. -- which he tells us will slowly be going back to its original name, Murder Inc., for his rap artists.

'To go in there facing 20 years against the federal government, it was a very enlightening experience. It made me realize who is really with me in life. I don't want to have to go through that again to realize it, but at the same time, it made me open my eyes.'

He notes, "When I was going through it, it stripped me of working because no one would come near me with a 10-foot pole. It put like a cloud over my head, and no one would do business with me. Now that it's over, it's like I'm back in business."

Viewers will get a behind-the-scenes look at Gotti's business on his reality show, which features his artists Ja Rule, Lloyd and Vanessa Carlton. Cameras also follow him as he juggles his family life and works on his relationship with wife Debbie, from whom he's separated. "I let them shoot everything."

...As for the other show I reference above, VH1 has ordered a second season(!) of the Rock of Love with Bret Michaels to air sometime in early 2008. This show seemed to do very well in the ratings.

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READ MORE - Mark Cronin (Eng'86) at it again with Gotti's Way: OCTOBER 15

Reality is good to this Penn Alum...

Another season, another 2(!) Mark Cronin (Eng'86, Mask and Wig) VH1 Celebreality shows! (one previously covered here)

America loves to watch crazy and you'll find some of that in New York....aka Tiffany Pollard, the contestant who has been dumped twice on Mark's past shows Flavor of Love and I New York.

This time, in the upcoming I Love New York 2, from the press release, "A freshcrop of twenty men will compete for her heart and this time the selection process has a twist….some of the chosen contestants have been hand-pickedby online users and some have been chosen by Tiffany’s outspoken mother,Sister Patterson. Will the viewers’ choices for Tiffany be her perfectmatch or does mother know best?"

As with all reality shows, it's all about the casting. Click here to get a sneek peek at what promises to be another compelling season of VH1 reality!

Tune in to "I Love New York 2 Casting Preview″ running on October 3, 1:30 am (set your Tivos and also check your local listsings) and then catch the first episode on Monday, October 8 at 9:00 PM.

Click to check out Mark's past reality shows

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READ MORE - Reality is good to this Penn Alum...

Dara Cook (C'95) needs your vote to guest anchor for ABC News

In replacing one of its anchors, ABC News Now has decided to challenge America to send in audition videos to guest anchor on "What's the Buzz"!

And Penn alum producer Dara Cook (W'95) is in the final 3 ...and she needs your vote by September 30!

Click here to watch her audition video

Click here to vote for Dara!

Click here to learn more about Dara's beginnings

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READ MORE - Dara Cook (C'95) needs your vote to guest anchor for ABC News

Mark Cronin (Eng'86) brings "Himbos" and "Bimbos" to TV on October 9!

What do you get when you mix America’s Next Top Model and Beauty and the Geek?

You get Mark Cronin's (Eng '86, Mask and Wig) new VH1's celebreality show, America’s Most Smartest Model series to debut October 7, 9 pm ET/PT.

Per realityrumors.com: "The 14 contestants competing on America’s Most Smartest Model will consist of seven men and seven women. During each installment of the 10-episode series, the “himbos” and “bimbos” will have to pass a series challenges designed to test both their brains and beauty.

Only one will claim the show’s $100,000 grand prize as well as the grammatically incorrect title of “America’s Most Smartest Model.”

Fashion expert Mary Alice Stephenson and comedian Ben Stein will serve as hosts for America’s Most Smartest Model, which was one of several new reality shows VH1 ordered in June to help the network expand to a third night of original programming."

Click to see my other posts about Mark Cronin

Check out other alumni involved in the world of television!

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READ MORE - Mark Cronin (Eng'86) brings "Himbos" and "Bimbos" to TV on October 9!

Which Penn alum TV Producer is talking reality show contestant remorse?

"Why are you on a reality show if you're worried about your kids back home?' We're not afraid to hit that kind of stuff head on."

Click here to find out who said this!

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READ MORE - Which Penn alum TV Producer is talking reality show contestant remorse?

Mark Cronin's (Eng'86) Rock of Love debuts this Sunday night!

Tune in this Sunday, July 15 when Mark Cronin's (Eng'86, Mask and Wig) Rock of Love with Bret Michaels follows the lead singer of rock band Poison as he chooses a wife from a group of 25 young ("15 minutes of fame" craving) women. Check your local listings.

Click here to see a commercial for Rock of Love!

Click here to catch up on all of Mark's great "celebreality" shows

READ MORE - Mark Cronin's (Eng'86) Rock of Love debuts this Sunday night!

What happens when you combine beauty with smarts on TV?

...You're going to find out in late 2007 when Penn Alum Mark Cronin (Eng'86, Mask and Wig) debuts his next VH1 celebreality show!

On the heels of reporting last week about Mark Cronin's Rock of Love show, VH1 announced today that it will debut another one of Mark's shows: America's Most Smartest Model.

Add this notch to Mark's belt of other VH1 show successes including My Fair Brady, The Surreal Life, Flavor of Love, and Charm School to name a few.

READ MORE - What happens when you combine beauty with smarts on TV?

Mark Cronin (Eng'86, Mask and Wig) brings Rock of Love to VH1

Penn Alum Mark Cronin (Eng'86, Mask and Wig) has come up with another great VH1 celebreality show!

From vh1.com:
"This summer Poison's Bret Michaels will get his Flav on as the ladies pictured above vie for his attention in the Celebreality elimination-based dating show Rock of Love with Bret Michaels.

"We knew women vying to date a rock star would make great entertainment but Bret brought outrageousness and excitement to the show that exceeded our wildest expectations,” said show executive producers Mark Cronin and Cris Abrego. “From motorbike wrecks to Vegas rock concerts, it’s a show where you can’t miss a single moment.”

Tune in on July 15 at 9/8 c on VH1!

READ MORE - Mark Cronin (Eng'86, Mask and Wig) brings Rock of Love to VH1