Randi Schmelzer

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Documentaries, Celebrity Intervention Impact ‘West Memphis 3’ Case

Performance Marketing

Like everything else about the now-infamous and controversial West Memphis 3 murder case, today’s news that an Arkansas judge granted defendants Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelley immediate freedom [...]

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MTV Adds Social Activism to VMAs Mix

Performance Marketing

MTV’s annual Video Music Awards — the coveted Moonman presentations — are now in their 28th year, set to air Sunday, August 28. Among the network’s most popular features — [...]

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DJ’s Tweet Sparks Hollywood Riot

Performance Marketing

What should have been a low-key documentary premiere turned into a near-riot, sparked by a DJ’s ill-conceived tweet. Five hundred or so invited moviegoers were expected at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre [...]

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4 Comic-Con Efforts That Hit the Mark

Performance Marketing

Now in full swing: Comic-Con International, San Diego’s annual showcase of all things sci-fi-, fantasy-, superhero- and comics-related. Taking place over four packed days (it ends Sunday), it’s a chance for [...]

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L.A. Lawmakers Listen to the Bicycling Minority

Performance Marketing

Give Angelinos one weekend of potential Carmageddon, and suddenly everyone’s all bike-happy. Seriously. A new law passed Wednesday by Los Angeles City Council — described as “groundbreaking” by League of [...]

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Emmy Noms Feature a Few Real Surprises

Performance Marketing

With yesterday’s 63rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards nominations announcement came the usual frenzied follow-ups: TV critics’ listings of “snubs” and “shockers,” most of which weren’t. But there were a few [...]

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Chris Brown’s Rep Denies Tales of Recent Homophobic Temper Tantrum

Performance Marketing

At the BET Awards just three weeks ago, it seemed as if Chris Brown had truly found redemption: He won five trophies, thrilled the audience with a tracks-medley from his [...]

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U.S. Restaurants Say ‘Vive la Révolution!’

Performance Marketing

It could be connected to the Dominique Strauss-Kahn case, or the surprise success of Woody Allen’s Midnight in Paris. Or maybe it’s just that the French keep insisting their food and wine [...]

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How at Risk Is Rupert Murdoch’s Reputation?

Performance Marketing

Rupert Murdoch might like us to believe his decision to abruptly shutter Britain’s best-selling but scandal-plagued News of the World was solely a matter of journalism ethics, “to prevent a situation like [...]

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Martha Stewart Webtoons Aim to Endear Next Gen DIYers

Performance Marketing

Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia may never recover its pre-scandal market value, but the popularity of its domestic-diva founder only continues to strengthen. And now she’s got her eye on the [...]