Cee Lo Green chooses "Voice" over "X Factor"

Reuters, LOS ANGELES, April 16: Singer Cee Lo Green said on Friday he did not want to be a judge on upcoming new TV talent show "The X Factor" because he saw little fresh in the concept.

But the 36-year-old American soul and R&B singer of recent hit, "Forget You," said yes to a job as one of four celebrity coaches on rival new singing show "The Voice" because it felt fresh and positive, he told reporters.

"I knew the name and I knew the parties involved," Green said of "X Factor" the new U.S. venture by former "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell, which comes to Fox television in the fall of 2011.

"But as an enterprise, I didn't see what made it distinctive enough. It kind of seemed like shows like 'Idol' had run their course.

"And I liked this one better," Green said of "The Voice".

Green joins Christina Aguilera, country star Blake Shelton, and Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine as the mentor-judges on "The Voice, which comes to NBC on April 26.

It is the latest in a string of TV singing contests in a crowded market dominated by the Fox network's 10 year-old "American Idol" -- the most-watched show in the United States.

Cowell has yet to complete his much-discussed lineup of judges for "X Factor" but has said he and record producer Antonio "L.A." Reid will be part of the panel.

"The Voice" brings a twist to the genre by having the judges turn their backs on contestant in order to judge only their voices. The four then vie with each other to persuade talented contestants to adopt one of them as a coach for later rounds.

Green described the show as "a great, fresh idea and something very productive and proactive."

In an apparent reference to "American Idol", executive producer of "The Voice" Mark Burnett said his show would feature none of the hopeless wannabes seen on other talent shows.

"Other shows have made great television of the comedy of allowing people to sing, who clearly can't sing. We made a conscious choice to not do that at all. Not one person who stepped on that ("Voice") stage was not good. You will not be seeing people step up for a joke," Burnett said.

"The Voice" will also occasionally see the celebrity coaches performing on the show. Producers played a clip for TV reporters showing Aguilera, Green, Levine and Shelton performing a rousing cover version of the 2006 Gnarls Barkley hit song "Crazy".

B.A.D. days here again for Clash rocker Mick Jones

Reuters, LOS ANGELES, April 16: Mick Jones is turning the clock back to the '80s, the decade that saw his punk rock band the Clash become mainstream stars.

But the singer/songwriter/guitarist behind such hits as "Should I Stay Or Should I Go" and "Train in Vain" is looking past those glory days to focus on the cult band he formed after he was kicked out of the Clash in 1983.

Jones, 55, has reactivated Big Audio Dynamite, a groundbreaking fusion of his rock 'n' roll guitar and decidedly English vocal stylings with reggae bass lines and New York-influenced hip-hop beats.

B.A.D. also sampled movie dialogue in its songs, a process so innovative that no one thought to charge the band licensing fees or sue for copyright infringement. Songs such as "E=MC2" and "Medicine Show" contained snippets from old Clint Eastwood and Nicolas Roeg films.

Unfortunately, its albums did not exactly burn up the charts. While B.A.D. gained a loyal following among the cognoscenti and college kids, mainstream success was elusive. Record stores did not know what section to put the albums in, and radio stations were similarly vexed. The band, also dogged by many lineup changes, has been largely forgotten.

But Jones, true to his punk-rock outsider roots, sees the underappreciation as a positive thing.

"We remained underground and that's stood us in good stead ... We can do what like, almost, which we are," he told Reuters hours before the band's original lineup played its first American show in more than 20 years on Thursday.

As he sees it, reunited bands that peaked in the '80s are "chasing that illusion of the past," while Big Audio Dynamite's only crime was to be ahead of its time.

"WE DIDN'T FLOG A DEAD HORSE"

The band just finished a brief tour of Britain, while its American leg consists of one club show each in Los Angeles and New York bookending a 55-minute appearance at the Coachella music festival, 130 miles east of Los Angeles, on Saturday.

"We've been very good about our reformation, because we didn't flog a dead horse (by reuniting) every couple of years," Jones said. "It's just these shows and we don't even know what's gonna happen."

The band will likely return to North America in the summer, and new music is a possibility. But since the old songs will be unfamiliar to plenty of people, it's not a huge priority.

The set list draws heavily on the first two albums, 1985's "This is Big Audio Dynamite" and 1986's "No. 10, Upping St.," and the film samples are reproduced in their original glory. The latter album was co-produced and co-written by Clash bandmate Joe Strummer, who reconciled with Jones after throwing him out during the Clash' chaotic denouement. Strummer's death in 2002 killed any chances of a band reunion, though.

For better or worse the Big Audio Dynamite song that gets the most enthusiastic recognition is "Rush," their biggest hit: It was recorded by a brand new version of the band that Jones assembled in the 1990s.

Getting the original lineup back together was not a major problem, even though it split on bad terms after four albums. Jones said he had become intolerable after emerging from a life-threatening combination of chicken pox and pneumonia with a messianic complex.

They all live in the same area of London and would hang out from time to time. Jones' recent band, Carbon/Silicon, included B.A.D. bassist Leo "E-Zee Kill" Williams. Don Letts, on vocals and effects, is a filmmaker and DJ who helps oversee Clash reissue projects. The group is rounded out by keyboardist Dan Donovan and drummer Greg Roberts.

"Musically and professionally we've come a long way, but personally who knows?," Jones said with laugh.

Ousted "Idol" Paul McDonald opens up about the show

Reuters, NEW YORK, April 16: Although he was eliminated from "American Idol's" season 10 competition Thursday night, Paul McDonald is still smiling a day later. After performing Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock 'N' Roll" on Wednesday's episode, the Nashville-based rock singer received the fewest votes of the eight contestants and bid farewell with a cover of Rod Stewart's "Maggie May."

While he will watch the season's Top 7 from the sidelines, Paul has a promising year ahead of him: aside from the upcoming "Idol" season 10 tour, the singer's unique voice will be heard in the rock outfit the Grand Magnolias, and he just began a relationship with "Twilight" actress Nikki Reed.

In a conference call today, Paul maintained his carefree attitude while talking about his new romance, his infamous white suit, and Scotty McCreery's many female fans.

Q: You've said that you wish you had done some things differently on the show. What regrets do you have?

A: Some of the song choices that I did weren't probably the best ones for me. When I first tried out, this whole thing was just kinda for fun, and I didn't even expect to get this far in the competition. So when I got up here, I kind of listened to some people when I probably should have stuck with my gut. But other than that, it was fun. I just maybe wish I had done some more of these obscure artists and stuff, more of the vibe of music that I was into. Because it came across onstage -- I didn't feel comfortable a whole lot of the time, just because I felt like it wasn't me all of the time.

Q: You have such a unique voice and style. Coming in, what were your expectations? What did you think America was gonna think of you?

A: In all honesty, I tried not to think of that at all. I never watched the show while I was on it, I never went back and read reviews of what people thought. I was doing exactly what I wanted to do coming in there, although it was tough picking all these different songs and trying to do them. But I was being me. I came in there, and it was funny because the hair and makeup team would be like, "Man, we don't need to do anything to you today." I was like, "All right, cool." And the stylist was like, "I like your clothes better than what we got!" So I just kinda did my own thing, and it worked out good enough for eighth place. So I'm pretty happy about it.

Q: In addition to your singing, you also became known for your flashy outfits. Can you take any of those home?

A: Actually, I got those outfits made for me before the show I broke my bank on that first white suit before I came out to Hollywood. So yeah, I get to keep all of those. They were custom-made for me; my friend back home made them for me. Now I got the white and the black one, so I'll get to keep them forever and wear them for my birthday and for New Year's.

Q: With five girls going home early in the competition, do you feel that the men have an advantage in the early rounds?

A: Oh, I definitely do. It's like the teenage girls are the ones who watch the show the most. I remember walking out on stage and I would look around, and people out in the audience have their posters and signs made. I was like, "Oh, there's one poster over there that says Paul." And then there's like a thousand screaming 14-year-old girls that have Scotty McCreery posters (laughs). So I think the guys definitely have an advantage. It's a shame for the girls, because they're so talented. I don't know too many guys that watch the show; I think it's mostly girls.

Q: There have been reports that you and Nikki Reed have been dating. Is that true?

A: Yes, me and Nikki Reed are dating. It's officially true. She's super smart and a super cool girl, so I'm happy with it. We've been hanging out here and there. We're both pretty busy, but it's been fun so far.

Q: Last night, you seemed to take being voted off so well. How did you stay so optimistic?

A: When I came into the whole "Idol" thing, I had no expectations whatsoever. I never thought about winning or anything -- I just came in and was doing my thing. If I had gotten kicked off months ago, I would have just gone back to doing my thing, and it just kept surprising me how far along I got This is a killer platform for me to get out my original music, which is what I'm better at anyway. So I was just happy to be there. A bunch of the kids, the contestants, they've been watching "Idol" forever and wanting to win this thing. It's one of their hugest dreams. So it's like, "Go get it, guys! Y'all are good, I'm okay, I'm a 26-year-old man."

Animated "Rio" eyeing weekend win, "Scream 4" strong

Reuters, NEW YORK, April 16: After a hiatus that lasted more than a decade, Dimension Films' hugely successful "Scream" franchise is back and looking good.

Opening alongside "Scream 4" on Friday is Fox's 3D toon "Rio," while Robert Redford's period courtroom drama "The Conspirator," distributed by Roadside Attractions, bows in a more limited run.

Tracking suggests "Rio" will win the weekend, although Fox cautions that Universal holdover "Hop" could take a bite out of its grosses. Fox expects "Rio," opening in 3,826 runs, to earn near $30 million in its opening weekend, while tracking suggests it will do more.

"Rio" also is poised to do strong midweek business next week, with kids being out of school for spring break. Last weekend, the toon stormed the international box office, grossing $55 million, the best opening of any film this year, anywhere.

"Scream 4," from Bob Weinstein's Dimension, is sparking strong interest among old and new fans and should gross in the mid-$20 million range, if tracking services are correct. The film heads out in 3,305 locations.

Wes Craven, who directed the first three films in the "Scream" franchise, returns to direct the fourth installment. Stars David Arquette, Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox return, while joining the series as a way to draw younger moviegoers are Emma Roberts and Hayden Panettiere. There's been a heavy public relations blitz for the film, with cast members making key television appearances.

If it performs as expected, "Scream 4" will mark another victory for Bob and Harvey Weinstein's revitalized Weinstein Co.

Likewise, a solid performance by "The Conspirator" starring Robin Wright and James McAvoy would continue Roadside's winning run following indie hit "Winter's Bone" and "Biutiful." "Conspirator" opens in only 706 locations, looking to get adults.

"Conspirator," about the only woman charged as part of the plot to assassinate Abraham Lincoln, was financed and produced by Joe Ricketts, founder of Ameritrade and owner of the Chicago Cubs. Roadside acquired the domestic rights to the film at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival.

Redford has been heavily promoting his film, appearing on numerous television news and talk shows, including "Piers Morgan Tonight" on CNN. An opening of $4 million would be considered a good start for "Conspirator," which could land it in the top 10.

Roadside hosted the premiere of the film last weekend at the Ford's Theater in Washington, the infamous site of Lincoln's murder. Numerous politicians and Obama administration officials attended.

Among holdovers, Focus Features' "Hanna," directed by Joe Wright, should stay high on the top 10 domestic box office chart. The action film came in No. 2 last weekend after "Hop" and retained its position during the week.

Critics chime in on Lady Gaga's latest single

Reuters, LOS ANGELES, April 16: Lady Gaga has done it again. The singer, whose lyrics like to toe the controversy line, released "Judas," the latest track off of her new album Born This Way on Friday -- a few days earlier than its originally scheduled April 19 drop date. And critics are already weighing in.

"The Red One-produced 'Judas' carries echoes of her biggest hits, 'Bad Romance' and 'Poker Face,' and finds Gaga pushing religious boundaries over a pummeling breakdown," said Billboard.

Rolling Stone also brought up the similarities in the song to Gaga's previous work. "Though 'Judas' certainly has its own charms and at least three insanely catchy hooks, it leans hard on Gaga's signature moves and basically sounds like a cross between 'Bad Romance' and 'Poker Face.'"

"After the second verse and chorus, the song breaks down into a churning house song as Gaga chants in much the same way she does in the middle of 'Born This Way.' 'I wanna love you/ But something's pulling me away from you/ Jesus is my virtue, Judas is the demon I cling to, I cling to,'" added MTV.

For her part, Gaga revealed in her latest YouTube video, titled Gagavision no. 42, that she continues to be hands on with her material. "I graphic-designed the 'Judas' single cover myself," she said. "I photographed the image with my cell phone for texture."

Report: "Three Cups of Tea" inaccurate

AP, NEW YORK, April 16: A "60 Minutes" investigation alleges that the inspirational multimillion seller "Three Cups of Tea" is filled with inaccuracies and that co-author Greg Mortenson's charitable organization has taken credit for building schools that don't exist.

The report, which airs Sunday night on CBS television, cites "Into the Wild" author Jon Krakauer as among the doubters of Mortenson's story of being lost in 1993 while mountain climbing in rural Pakistan and stumbling upon the village of Korphe, where the kindness of local residents inspired him to build a school. The "60 Minutes" story draws upon observations from the porters who joined Mortenson on his mountain trip in Pakistan and dispute his being lost. They say he only visited Korphe a year later.

The "60 Minutes" report alleges that numerous schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan that Mortenson's Central Asia Institute is said to have established either don't exist or were built by others. According to the CAI's website, the institute has "successfully established over 170 schools" and helped educate over 68,000 students, with an emphasis on girls' education."

In a statement issued Friday through the institute, Mortenson defended the book he co-authored with David Oliver Relinhis, and his humanitarian work.

"Afghanistan and Pakistan are fascinating, inspiring countries, full of wonderful people. They are also complex places, torn by conflicting loyalties, and some who do not want our mission of educating girls to succeed," Mortenson said.

"I stand by the information conveyed in my book and by the value of CAI's work in empowering local communities to build and operate schools that have educated more than 60,000 students. I continue to be heartened by the many messages of support I receive from our local partners in cities and villages across Afghanistan and Pakistan, who are determined not to let unjustified attacks stop the important work being done to create a better future for their children."

"Three Cups of Tea" was released by Penguin in 2006. Spokeswoman Carolyn Coleburn declined comment, saying the publisher had not seen the "60 Minutes" story. The book sold moderately in hardcover, but was a word-of-mouth hit as a paperback and became an international sensation, selling more than 3 million copies.

Mortenson has received numerous honors, including the Sitara-e-Pakistan (Star of Pakistan), a civilian award rarely given to foreigners.

Dick, Jerry Van Dyke team in 'Sunshine Boys'

AP, LOS ANGELES, April 16: Jerry Van Dyke had to push his older sibling, Dick, into joining him on stage in "The Sunshine Boys" but says the pair are making magic together.

"We have that chemistry just from being brothers," said Jerry Van Dyke. "It's our first time on stage together, and it's such a thrill at our age to do this."

In the Neil Simon comedy at a Malibu theater, the siblings play aged ex-vaudevillians who reunite for a TV special despite a longtime feud.

Opening night Wednesday "worked like magic" and drew big audience laughs, Jerry Van Dyke said. The scenes in which the bickering comedians tussle were crowd-pleasers, he said, especially given their ages: Jerry is 79 and Dick is 85.

They've only appeared together a handful of times on TV, including Jerry Van Dyke's guest appearances on the classic "The Dick Van Dyke Show" in the 1960s and on Dick Van Dyke's "Diagnosis Murder" in the 1990s.

Jerry Van Dyke already had played in "The Sunshine Boys," which he's also directing, when he decided to push his big brother into coming along.

"I bugged him to death. He knew the play but didn't know how great Neil Simon's writing was in it," Jerry Van Dyke said. "It's the highlight of my life ... to have something like this happen."

His brother also was thrilled, he said. The audience has included Craig T. Nelson ("Parenthood"), who starred in the 1989-97 sitcom "Coach" in which Jerry Van Dyke was an Emmy-nominated cast member.

The Malibu Stage Company production of "The Sunshine Boys," a limited-run fundraiser for the theater, ends Sunday.

There have been nibbles from New York about bringing the play to Broadway, Jerry Van Dyke said, but the trick is getting his brother to agree.

"I have the idea he'd say no, he couldn't do eight shows a week. But I think he's really getting into it," he said.

Dick Van Dyke gained fame with the 1960 musical "Bye Bye Birdie," for which he won a Tony Award. He was in the film version of the play and starred in other movies including "Mary Poppins" (1964) and "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" (1968). He has an upcoming memoir.

Michael Jackson's mom, estate, clash over charity

AP, LOS ANGELES, April 16: "Heal the world. Make it a better place for you and for me." So sang Michael Jackson in his mega-selling 1992 anthem for change.

Now the singer's estate and Jackson's mother could use a little healing themselves as they fight each other over the non-profit Heal the World Foundation, which claims it's the successor to the pop star's defunct charity inspired by the song. At stake in the skirmish are trademarks worth millions of dollars and a piece of Jackson's legacy.

The dispute, which is playing out in a federal court in Los Angeles, is the latest example of the sometimes strained relationship between Jackson's family and his estate, which has already earned hundreds of millions of dollars.

But the fight against the new incarnation of the Heal the World Foundation has also raised questions about which causes the singer would want to focus on if he hadn't abandoned his charity to fight off allegations of child sexual abuse.

His mother, Katherine Jackson, left little doubt about her sentiments in a recent court filing: "It is not my desire, nor would it be the desire of my son Michael, to continue this lawsuit against Heal the World Foundation."

Her attorney, Perry R. Sanders Jr., said Friday that Katherine Jackson supports the charity but hopes that a more civil relationship between her and the estate can be restored. Sanders was hired late Thursday after Katherine Jackson's former attorney publicly cast doubts about the authenticity of her filing.

"Bottom line — I am going to do anything in my power to try to tone down the rhetoric that has happened to date to the extent possible," Sanders said.

Last year, Jackson's mother and father joined Heal the World's board of directors and placed their three grandchildren on a youth board. Jackson's mother and his children were prominently featured on a recent "Good Morning America" story that also included footage of Heal the World giving a $10,000 donation to a shelter in Los Angeles.

It was a high-profile plug for an entity that according to tax filings reviewed by The Associated Press has done little fundraising or charitable giving, but has fought to stake its claim to several Jackson-related trademarks and likeness rights that the singer's estate maintains it should own.

Jackson's estate wrote in a statement to the AP that the new Heal the World Foundation "has no relations to Michael Jackson's charity that touched so many lives before becoming inactive several years before Michael's death."

The estate did not say whether Katherine Jackson's involvement with the charity was costing the estate money, but said the "costs would be far greater if the estate did nothing to protect (Michael Jackson's) name and his trademarks because others would be profiting from intellectual property that rightfully belongs to Michael's children."

The foundation's director, Melissa Johnson, claims the pop singer handed her control of Heal the World through intermediaries in 2005, when he was defending himself against child molestation accusations. Despite never having personally met the singer, Johnson's attorneys claim she has the right to manage the charity, use various trademarks and that the permission now comes from the Jackson family itself.

"Mrs. Jackson has been told that Ms. Johnson's foundation is Michael's but that is not the truth," Jackson's estate said in a statement. "The estate hopes Mrs. Jackson will eventually understand the true facts and cooperate with the estate executors in selecting worthy charities as Michael would have wished."

The singer's estate counters that even if Michael Jackson granted Johnson rights to the charity, which it denies, the estate has revoked the permission and Johnson should be barred from using rights it owns to Jackson's name and, likeness.

"People are saying I have been manipulated by Melissa Johnson and that we are exploiting my grandchildren because we joined Heal the World, all while the executors convince people they are only doing what Michael wanted or what is in my best interests by suing everyone who help (sic) us," states Katherine Jackson's declaration, which was offered as sworn testimony in the case. "Please do not believe them. It's not true."

Complicating Katherine Jackson's involvement with the foundation is her business relationship with Howard Mann, a businessman who obtained some of Jackson's recordings years ago. Mann, who is paying to defend Heal the World in court, is also being sued by the estate in a separate lawsuit that accuses him of infringing on estate copyrights.

The estate accused Mann of trying to secure Jackson copyrights for profit, which it said would deprive Jackson's children of money they are owed.

The estate won a preliminary injunction in April 2010, barring Heal the World Foundation from using Michael Jackson's name, likeness and trademarks on its website, but in recent weeks several of the pop singer's former confidantes and his mother have cast their support with Johnson.

In recent months, several former Jackson insiders have signed statements saying they were aware Michael Jackson had given Johnson authority to run his charity. Among those expected to testify are attorney Brian Oxman, who was fired from Jackson's criminal defense team and now represents Jackson family patriarch Joe Jackson, and the singer's former manager and spokeswoman Raymone Bain.

In written testimony, Oxman and Bain both said they were aware Michael Jackson handed Johnson the reigns to the foundation in 2005. Estate attorneys have cast doubt on Oxman's testimony, noting his name was never mentioned in years of correspondence from Johnson to Jackson's attorneys and representatives.

Johnson's attorney, Edgar Pease III, admits that there is no formal written agreement between Michael Jackson and Johnson regarding Heal the World. But he says the involvement of Jackson's mother and three children, who are entitled to 80 percent of the estate's earnings, means the foundation should have some legitimacy.

"The estate is suing their left foot," Pease said. "They're suing themselves."

He said Johnson's aim in applying for various trademarks was to preserve them for the charity and protect them from profiteers. Tax records show in recent years, Johnson has not received a salary for her work on Heal the World Foundation, and in court filings claims she has spent tens of thousands of her own money to develop it.

Since Jackson's June 2009 death, there at times has been an uneasy relationship between the Jackson family and the estate. Michael Jackson's 2002 will calls for his mother and three children to receive 80 percent of his estate, with the final 20 percent designated for an unnamed charity.

Katherine Jackson had sought to challenge attorney John Branca and co-administrator John McClain's authority to run the estate in 2009, but dropped the bid.

In the meantime the estate has worked to repair major financial damage incurred by Michael Jackson during his lifetime. The "Thriller" singer died more than $400 million in debt, but in the first 17 months after his death earned more than $310 million, court records show.

More than $9 million has been paid to and for Katherine Jackson and her son's children, nearly $4 million of which went to pay off the family's longtime home.

For its part, Johnson's Heal the World Foundation spending of $76,000 in 2009 has far outpaced its donations, which totaled roughly $5,000.

In court filings, Johnson states she registered 1,800 website domain names and dozens of trademarks, which Pease said would give the foundation the basis it needs to fulfill Johnson's vision for the charity.

Pease claims Johnson came up with the idea for a Cirque-du-Soleil-style show featuring Jackson's work, as well as a telethon, television show, board game and other merchandise that would elevate Heal the World to a major charitable organization.

Jackson's estate is hoping next week's trial before U.S. District Court Judge Dolly Gee will end Johnson's efforts.

Miley Cyrus says her family is fine

AP, LOS ANGELES, April 16: Miley Cyrus says she feels more at ease heading out on an international tour now that things are fine on the home front.

Earlier this year, her parents, Billy Ray and Tish Cyrus, were getting a divorce, and her father was critical of his daughter's behavior. But the Cyruses recently called off their divorce and the family is spending time together.

"I think it's good, especially when you go on the road. You have to make sure everyone is happy before you start traveling, you're away. My family is good. They are stoked for tour. As long as I'm happy they are happy," Cyrus said in an interview on Thursday.

The former "Hannah Montana" star is leaving for South America and Australia on April 27 for her Gypsy Heart Tour. It will be the first time Cyrus, whose most recent album is titled "Can't Be Tamed," has gone to South America, and she's excited — even though she won't be able to communicate with her fans in their language.

"I speak zero Spanish. I actually failed Spanish so I will have someone with me making sure I can get through my way," she said.

She recently released one of the album's songs, "Every Rose Has Its Thorn," in Australia, and said she's excited to sing the Poison cover (which featured Bret Michaels) there live.

But she won't be releasing that song in the United States, and right now, she has no plans to tour in her native country either.

"I just think right now America has gotten to a place where I don't know if they want me to tour or not. Right now I just want to go to the places where I am getting the most love and Australia and South America have done that for me," she said. "Kind of going to the places where I get the most love. Don't want to go anywhere where I don't feel completely comfortable with it."

AMC network is expanding into unscripted series

AP, NEW YORK, April 16: AMC has flourished with its lineup of feature films and original dramas like "Mad Men" and "The Walking Dead." Now the network is expanding into unscripted series with a show that tells the inside story of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Filming for "Inside the DHS" is set to begin this summer, with the cooperation of that agency and its boss, Secretary Janet Napolitano, according to AMC's head of original programming, Joel Stillerman. The eight-episode series will premiere in late 2011, Stillerman said Friday.

"This is not about presenting an expose, but to celebrate an absolutely massive effort that goes on day to day to keep us safe," Stillerman said.

"It's a huge coup for us to be able to launch our (unscripted) initiative with a show like this," he said. "We try to do programming that is inherently dramatic and culturally relevant, and it's not always easy to find projects where those two things overlap so clearly."

Next, AMC plans an unscripted series that will probe the advertising industry. Each episode of "The Pitch" will follow ad agencies as they pitch accounts and create new campaigns.

"As a culture, we're fascinated with the world of advertising, but we rarely get to see what really goes on behind the scenes of this high-stakes, cutthroat business," Stillerman said. "The Pitch" is scheduled to premiere next year.