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Thiel-Hogan vs. Gawker saga to get the TV and movie treatment
Two production outfits are planning to make films tackling the Peter Thiel-backed Hulk Hogan case that brought down the once-thriving online media company Gawker. And one of them is exploring the idea of creating a miniseries instead. Modern Family director Jason Winer has just signed on to direct the one being by produced by Neil Meron and Craig Zadan (Chicago, Hairspray, Footloose). It's currently entitled Gawker v. Thiel, and will focus on players behind the scenes, including Gawker owner Nick Denton, the editor who published the Hulk Hogan sex tape that started it all (A.J. Daulerio) and PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel, who financed Hogan's legal battle against the website that outed him years ago.
iPad the star of Modern Family
Warning: This post contains spoilers about the latest episode of Modern Family. You have been warned. One of my favorite TV shows, Modern Family, was all about the iPad tonight, just days before the big release. The main character, Phil Dunphy, is thrilled at the prospect of receiving an iPad for his birthday, which coincides with the device's release. Of course, the show is a sitcom -- so it doesn't go as smoothly as he hoped. Throughout the episode, Phil's wife waits in line at an Apple Store while she has her kids asking everyone they know if they can get their hands one on via Twitter, Facebook and text. It all works out in the end when Phil's youngest son pulls an iPad out of a paper bag for his dad. It certainly was real and not a prop. After singing the happy birthday song, Phil blew out the "candles" atop an animated cake on the iPad's screen. Perhaps ABC's corporate parent's biggest stockholder was able to pull one off the production line in time for the show's filming several weeks ago. It sure was clever of Apple to have such thorough product placement on one of the season's most popular new shows. You'll see three more screenshots after the break (sorry they're blurry). You can watch the episode in its entirety here.
Screen Grabs: Phil Dunphy gets an iPad
Poor Phil Dunphy -- it might look like his life is an attractive and blissful TV family idyll, but all the man really wants is an iPad for his birthday. And all ABC really wants is a fat wad of product placement green. Video after the break. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
