-Rashida Jones and Robe Lowe are both leaving Parks and Recreation. Showrunner Mike Schur explained the decision was creative, not financial, and made sure to mention it’s a happy departure. Here’s a list of 8 Parks and Rec side characters worthy of replacing Jones and Lowe in the main cast.
-Also in Parks and Rec casting news, Sam Elliott will guest star this season as Ron Swanson’s rival.
-After airing exclusively on Fox for twenty-five years, The Simpsons nears a deal for cable syndication.
-Comedy Central is turning Rob Huebel and Paul Scheer’s live show Crash Test into a TV special.
-We interviewed Mitch Hurwitz about Arrested Development, Broad City’s Abbi Jacobson about her new web series Annie and a Side of Fries, writer/director Maggie Carey about her new movie The To Do List, and Henry Winkler about his recent resurgence in TV comedies like Parks and Rec, Arrested Development, and Childrens Hospital.
-Ellen DeGeneres announced she will be hosting the 2014 Academy Awards.
-Woody Allen’s forty-third movie, Blue Jasmine, debuted in theaters last week. In honor of this, we compiled our all-time favorite film offerings from the prolific writer/director/actor/comedian.
-The amazing trailer for Ben Stiller’s Secret Life of Walter Mitty debuted, as did the trailer for Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa, which looks fun too.
-We profiled up-and-coming Brooklyn comedian/writer/actor/producer/web-series-hosts The Lucas Brothers.
-The CW renewed the Whose Line Is It Anyway? reboot for another season.
-We recapped the most important events from this year’s Montreal Just For Laughs Festival, including Dave Chappelle’s return and an Andy Kindler/Adam Carolla feud.
-NBC wants to keep Jay Leno in the fold after he leaves The Tonight Show (again).
-The New York Knicks forward formerly known as Ron Artest, Metta World Peace, announced he’s doing a standup tour.
-We chronicled the rise and fall of Pauly Shore, the idiocy of Andy Dick’s Get Smart remake, and an old interview in which Bob Odenkirk and David Cross explain how they made Mr. Show.
-Dan Aykroyd received an amazing intro on his Jimmy Fallon debut, and Larry David made a rare (and super funny) appearance on Kimmel.
-One of the guys behind the “Modern Seinfeld†Twitter account got a TV writing job from it.
-We recommended the week’s best podcasts and the week’s best Vine videos.
And here are your Top Five Web Comedy Videos of the Week:
Dan Klein and Don Fanelli - “New York Car Guysâ€
The ArScheerio Paul Show (via JASH)
This Is Not Happening - “Tom Segura Overdoses†(via Comedy Central)
The Onion - “Nation Just Wants To Be Safe, Happy, Rich, Comfortable, Entertained At All Timesâ€
Funny Or Die - “The Top 10 Trips You’ll ACTUALLY take in Your 20sâ€