BUSINESS
March 7, 2012 | By Jasmine Elist, Los Angeles Times
For a recent episode of the TV series "Modern Family," Raul Ojeda crafted a pair of shoes covered in red sequins for actor Jesse Tyler Ferguson. His character, Mitchell, shows off the shoes for a "Wizard of Oz"-themed birthday party he throws for his partner, Cam. A decade ago, Raul Ojeda was working as a shoe shiner. Now the 29-year-old is leaving his own footprint in Hollywood, supplying custom-made shoes to stars such as Steve Carell and Sally Field. Ojeda is the owner of Los Angeles-based Willie's Shoe Service, a shoe repair shop that has been providing footwear to the entertainment industry since 1956, when Willebaldo "Willie" Rivera opened a small business across from Paramount Pictures on Melrose Avenue.
ENTERTAINMENT
February 18, 2012 | By Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times Television Critic
In many ways, too many ways, HBO's new comedy "Life's Too Short" is "Extras" with a dwarf. If that sounds harsh and potentially offensive, well, "Life's Too Short" is that too. It is also, at times, extremely funny. A faux documentary starring the very talented Warwick Davis ("Willow," the "Harry Potter" series) as a down-market version of himself, "Life's Too Short" is another way for creators Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant to look at the reeking underbelly of the entertainment industry.
ENTERTAINMENT
February 15, 2012 | By Richard Verrier and Matea Gold, Los Angeles Times
Despite complaints about his failure to support Hollywood's position on online piracy, President Obama does not appear to have lost his fundraising base in the entertainment community. As Obama arrives in Los Angeles on Wednesday, local campaign fundraisers said there has been no drop-off in Hollywood donations to his reelection bid since the D.C. demise of long-sought anti-piracy legislation. Hollywood's chief lobbyist Chris Dodd suggested last month that Obama and his fellow Democrats could pay a price for not representing the industry's interests in Washington.
BUSINESS
February 12, 2012 | By Dawn C. Chmielewski, Los Angeles Times
The gig: Michael Palmer is co-founder and executive producer of Clevver Media, a nearly 6-year-old Hollywood company that has launched seven YouTube channels, including its flagship, ClevverTV, a teen version of TMZ or E! that provides entertainment and celebrity news for the "Twilight" generation. The intern: As a film production major at USC, Palmer interned for one of the most successful producers in Hollywood: Jerry Bruckheimer, whose credits include the popular "CSI" television series and "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie franchise.
BUSINESS
January 21, 2012 | By Richard Verrier, Los Angeles Times
After a week in which their anti-piracy legislation got derailed by the full force of the Internet lobby, the mood in Hollywood was one of anger, frustration and a growing resignation that the entertainment industry will be forced to accept a much weaker law than originally envisioned. A full-on counterattack by a tech industry opposed to the toughest elements in the congressional bills, including a well-publicized Wednesday shutdown by key Internet sites, halted the legislation.
BUSINESS
January 17, 2012 | By Joe Flint, Los Angeles Times
Looking to expand its foothold beyond the AM-FM dial, radio giant Clear Channel has tapped entertainment industry veteran John Sykes to lead a push into television, digital and live events. Clear Channel, the nation's biggest owner of stations with 850 outlets across the country including KIIS-FM, KOST-FM and KBIG-FM in Los Angeles, wants to leverage its strength in radio across a wide range of platforms. "We can use that horsepower to create new products," said Bob Pittman, chief executive of Clear Channel parent company CC Media Holdings Inc. The hiring of Sykes is the first major move by Pittman since becoming chief executive of CC Media last November.