Original Nickelodeon Press Release:




Share it: @nickelodeon @thecasagrandes


BURBANK, Calif.–Sept. 4, 2019–A new home in the city holds big adventures, laughs and love around every corner in Nickelodeon’s new original animated series The Casagrandes, premiering Monday, Oct. 14, at 1:30 p.m. (ET/PT). A spinoff of Nick’s animated hit The Loud House, The Casagrandes tells the story of 11-year-old Ronnie Anne who moves to the city with her mom and older brother to live with their big, loving family, the Casagrandes. Following its premiere, the series moves to its regular timeslot on Saturdays at 11:30 a.m. (ET/PT) beginning Saturday, Oct. 19, on Nickelodeon.

Starring Izabella Alvarez (Westworld) as 11-year-old Ronnie Annie, Carlos PenaVega (Big Time Rush) as her brother Bobby and Sumalee Montano (Nashville) as her mom Maria, the series showcases the culture, humor, and love that’s part of growing up in a multigenerational Mexican-American family. After moving in with their grandparents in Great Lakes City, Ronnie Anne adjusts to her new life living under one roof and over the family-run mercado (local market), which is a gathering place for everyone in the neighborhood.

Alvarez, PenaVega and Montano bring these characters to life, alongside: Carlos Alazraqui (The Fairly OddParents) as Carlos, “Tio;” Roxana Ortega (The League) as Frida, “Tia;” Alexa PenaVega (Spy Kids) as Carlota; Jared Kozak (Born this Way) as CJ; Alex Cazares (The Boss Baby: Back in Business) as Carl; Ruben Garfias (East Los High) as Hector, “Abuelo;” and Sonia Manzano (Sesame Street) as Rosa, “Abuela.” Additionally, Eugenio Derbez (Dora and the Lost City of Gold) gives voice to Dr. Santiago, a physician living and working in Peru, who is Ronnie Anne and Bobby’s father.


Ronnie Anne’s new apartment building holds new friends and neighbors, including: Ken Jeong (Dr. Ken) as Stanley Chang; Melissa Joan Hart (Sabrina the Teenage Witch) as Becca Chang; Leah Mei Gold (Legion) as 12-year-old Sid Chang, Ronnie Anne’s new friend; and Lexi Sexton as Adelaide Chang, Sid’s 6-year-old little sister.

In the first episode, “Going Overboard,” Ronnie Anne finds out her Tio Carlos was a famous skateboarder and she begs him to teach her some new moves. Then, in “Walk Don’t Run,” Ronnie Anne and Sid start a dog-walking business to save up for a new skateboard in a plan that quickly gets out of hand.

The Casagrandes premiere will encore at 3:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon. The Casagrande family was first introduced in the The Loud House special, “The Loudest Mission: Relative Chaos,” which premiered May 2017 and ranks as the highest-rated premiere for the series in Live+7 with both K2-11 (6.6/1.8M) and K6-11 (8.1/1.3M).


The Casagrandes is produced by Nickelodeon in Burbank, Calif. The series is executive produced by Michael Rubiner (The Loud House), with Karen Malach (The Loud House) serving as producer, Alan Foreman as supervising producer and Miguel Puga as supervising director. Award-winning cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz (Coco) serves as consulting producer and cultural consultant.

About Nickelodeon

Nickelodeon, now in its 40^th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon’s U.S. television network is seen in more than 90 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 20 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB).



From TV KIDS:

TV KIDS: And you have The Casagrandes, a spin-off of The Loud House, coming up.

ROBBINS: I can’t take credit for that. It was happening before I got here. But I must say I’m super proud of the show. First of all, it’s the first animated show starring a multigenerational Mexican-American family. And it couldn’t be a better time to have that show. Besides that, it is hilarious. It’s so well written and the characters are so good. And I can’t wait to share it with the world. I think the show is terrific.

###

From The San Diego Union-Tribune:

Cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz’s journey from Lemon Grove to Hollywood to improve Latino representation

Lemon Grove native Lalo Alcaraz has long been an advocate for better representation of Latinos in America. Now, it’s his day job.

A shy, but artistically-inclined kid from Lemon Grove has become a bold artist whose influence can be felt far outside Southern California — not just across the U.S. but around the world.

Lalo Alcaraz got his start as an editorial cartoonist at San Diego State University’s student newspaper The Daily Aztec before going on to create the first nationally-syndicated, politically-themed Latino daily comic strip, “La Cucaracha.” More recently, he’s worked as a cultural consultant on the Pixar film “Coco” and the upcoming animated Nickelodeon show, “The Casagrandes.”

“It’s a job I wish didn’t exist, you know, because if we had adequate representation, if we had culturally competent people that really knew their stuff, you wouldn’t need to drop me in from outer space on a project,” Alcaraz said at a panel at the L’ATTITUDE conference in San Diego last month. “To Pixar’s credit, they were like, ‘We want this done right.’”

He recently met with The Conversation podcast at The San Diego Union-Tribune to talk about growing up in the San Diego region, what inspires his art, the challenges of publishing an editorial cartoon in the politically charged climate of 2019 and how he’s taken all he’s learned to Hollywood.

Here are some excerpts of the interview. Listen to the entire conversation here.

What was growing up in the San Diego region like for you?

“I grew up a kind of typical Mexican border kid. My mom came through Tijuana. She lived there for 10 years in the ‘50s from 1948 to 1958 and then was undocumented for a bit and then got her papers as a nanny in La Mesa. My dad came, I think, through Texas from Zacatecas, Mexico. My mom came from Mazatlán, Sinaloa and they met at Helix High School, the high school I went to, in an English as a Second Language (ESL) class, sometime early 1961 or 1962. Their desire to assimilate and fit in and learn English — it only took my mom 50 years to learn English — got them together and created me. And then I eventually graduated from that high school. I’d like to find that class where they met and put a plaque... they’d remove it the next day. I grew up in Lemon Grove after living in various cities and back and forth — Logan Heights and Tijuana for a tiny bit — but I grew up basically in Lemon Grove. It was like Mayberry, but SoCal style. It was a time of, kind of a lot of racism and police profiling. We’d get pulled over on our bicycles by the sheriffs. My parents were treated pretty poorly and it made me the bitter old cholo that I am today.”

Would you say growing up here influences your art?

“It is everything. That’s what kind of sharpened my sense of injustice.”

How much of yourself do you put into the characters in ‘La Cucaracha?’

“They’re definitely me. Half of me is angry all the time, wants to tell everyone how they’re wrong constantly, never has an incorrect opinion, and the other half of me just wants to chill and sit on the couch and drink a beer and watch endless hours of crap TV. Preferably science fiction crap. ... I’m usually more of the angry cucaracha.”

How would you say life for Latinos in America has changed or not changed since you’ve started illustrating it?

“Sometimes I’ll see a cartoon from 1994 and all you have to do is change the date on it because obviously we’re living in a super, hyper anti-immigrant time — not everyone, I mean, where some people think it’s ok to be that way — so, you know, I think society goes in cycles instead of progressing forward sometimes, I feel. So things have changed, they haven’t changed. The thing that has changed is, you know, society’s catching up to the things that I was saying 25 years ago, especially stuff about show biz and representation and it’s just becoming a thing. That’s why I’m fully employed. I’m fully overemployed these days in Hollywood so, you know, we’re getting more representation, but it’s still not enough.”

What can you tell us about the show you’re working on now?

“I am a consulting producer, cultural consultant and gadfly and freelance writer on this show called “The Casagrandes,” and it’s on Nickelodeon. It’s for ages 6 to11, and it’s the first animated show about a big Mexican-American family. It’s a spin-off from a show called “The Loud House,” which is one of the top shows there at Nickelodeon. The character, Ronnie Anne, is a little Mexican-American girl who was a super popular character on the loud house so they decided to spin that off, move her, her brother and her mom from Royal Woods, this Michigan suburb where “The Loud House” is set, to Great Lakes City, which is like a fake Chicago kind of amalgam of a bunch of cities — to go live with the mom’s family. They live in a big apartment building. The abuela, the grandma, is the building supervisor and they have a market, a mercado, on the ground floor. ... We’re making it as authentic as possible.”

Is it funny? Serious?

“It is very funny and it’s a good co-viewing show. I watched 10 years of Nickelodeon shows when my kids were little, so if you are that parent, you can watch this show because we sneak in a lot of funny adult things that kind of get by everybody but not the grown ups watching.”

“The Casagrandes” premieres on Nickelodeon on Oct. 14.

###

More Nick:Culture & Comedy: LatinX Artists and Writers Tap Into Their Heritage for 'The Casagrandes'!

Originally published: Wednesday, September 4, 2019 at 17:09 BST.

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Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon, The Loud House and The Casagrandes News and Highlights!

Cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz’s journey from Lemon Grove to Hollywood to improve Latino representation


Cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz, a San Diego, California native, is the creator and author of "La Cucaracha", the first nationally syndicated, politically themed Latino daily comic strip. Photographed, September 26, 2019, in San Diego, California. (Howard Lipin/The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Lemon Grove native Lalo Alcaraz has long been an advocate for better representation of Latinos in America. Now, it’s his day job.

A shy, but artistically-inclined kid from Lemon Grove has become a bold artist whose influence can be felt far outside Southern California — not just across the U.S. but around the world.

Lalo Alcaraz got his start as an editorial cartoonist at San Diego State University’s student newspaper The Daily Aztec before going on to create the first nationally-syndicated, politically-themed Latino daily comic strip, La Cucaracha. More recently, he’s worked as a cultural consultant on the Pixar film Coco and the upcoming animated Nickelodeon show, The Casagrandes.


“It’s a job I wish didn’t exist, you know, because if we had adequate representation, if we had culturally competent people that really knew their stuff, you wouldn’t need to drop me in from outer space on a project,” Alcaraz said at a panel at the L’ATTITUDE conference in San Diego last month. “To Pixar’s credit, they were like, ‘We want this done right.’”

Cartoonist Lalo Alcaraz, a San Diego native, is the creator and author of “La Cucaracha,” the first nationally syndicated, politically themed Latino daily comic strip. Photographed, September 26, 2019, in San Diego, California. (Howard Lipin/The San Diego Union-Tribune)

He recently met with The Conversation podcast at The San Diego Union-Tribune to talk about growing up in the San Diego region, what inspires his art, the challenges of publishing an editorial cartoon in the politically charged climate of 2019 and how he’s taken all he’s learned to Hollywood.

Here are some excerpts of the interview. Listen to the entire conversation below.



What was growing up in the San Diego region like for you?

“I grew up a kind of typical Mexican border kid. My mom came through Tijuana. She lived there for 10 years in the ‘50s from 1948 to 1958 and then was undocumented for a bit and then got her papers as a nanny in La Mesa. My dad came, I think, through Texas from Zacatecas, Mexico. My mom came from Mazatlán, Sinaloa and they met at Helix High School, the high school I went to, in an English as a Second Language (ESL) class, sometime early 1961 or 1962. Their desire to assimilate and fit in and learn English — it only took my mom 50 years to learn English — got them together and created me. And then I eventually graduated from that high school. I’d like to find that class where they met and put a plaque... they’d remove it the next day. I grew up in Lemon Grove after living in various cities and back and forth — Logan Heights and Tijuana for a tiny bit — but I grew up basically in Lemon Grove. It was like Mayberry, but SoCal style. It was a time of, kind of a lot of racism and police profiling. We’d get pulled over on our bicycles by the sheriffs. My parents were treated pretty poorly and it made me the bitter old cholo that I am today.”

Would you say growing up here influences your art?

“It is everything. That’s what kind of sharpened my sense of injustice.”

How much of yourself do you put into the characters in La Cucaracha?

“They’re definitely me. Half of me is angry all the time, wants to tell everyone how they’re wrong constantly, never has an incorrect opinion, and the other half of me just wants to chill and sit on the couch and drink a beer and watch endless hours of crap TV. Preferably science fiction crap. ... I’m usually more of the angry cucaracha.”

How would you say life for Latinos in America has changed or not changed since you’ve started illustrating it?

“Sometimes I’ll see a cartoon from 1994 and all you have to do is change the date on it because obviously we’re living in a super, hyper anti-immigrant time — not everyone, I mean, where some people think it’s ok to be that way — so, you know, I think society goes in cycles instead of progressing forward sometimes, I feel. So things have changed, they haven’t changed. The thing that has changed is, you know, society’s catching up to the things that I was saying 25 years ago, especially stuff about show biz and representation and it’s just becoming a thing. That’s why I’m fully employed. I’m fully overemployed these days in Hollywood so, you know, we’re getting more representation, but it’s still not enough.”

What can you tell us about the show you’re working on now?

“I am a consulting producer, cultural consultant and gadfly and freelance writer on this show called The Casagrandes, and it’s on Nickelodeon. It’s for ages 6 to 11, and it’s the first animated show about a big Mexican-American family. It’s a spin-off from a show called The Loud House, which is one of the top shows there at Nickelodeon. The character, Ronnie Anne, is a little Mexican-American girl who was a super popular character on the loud house so they decided to spin that off, move her, her brother and her mom from Royal Woods, this Michigan suburb where The Loud House is set, to Great Lakes City, which is like a fake Chicago kind of amalgam of a bunch of cities — to go live with the mom’s family. They live in a big apartment building. The abuela, the grandma, is the building supervisor and they have a market, a mercado, on the ground floor. ... We’re making it as authentic as possible.”

Is it funny? Serious?

“It is very funny and it’s a good co-viewing show. I watched 10 years of Nickelodeon shows when my kids were little, so if you are that parent, you can watch this show because we sneak in a lot of funny adult things that kind of get by everybody but not the grown ups watching.”

The Casagrandes premieres Monday, October 14, 2019 at 1:30 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon. Click the following link for more details!: http://nickalive.blogspot.com/2019/09/nickelodeon-reveals-casagrandes-theme.html

Which Casagrande are you MOST looking forward to learning more about? I'll ❤️ some of my favorite responses!

More Nick:Nickelodeon Reveals 'The Casagrandes' Theme Song, Performed by Pop Star Ally Brooke!

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Nights Of The Jack, a Halloween jack o' lantern experience at King Gillette Ranch in the heart of Calabasas, California has announced the fangtastic news that they are partnering with Nickelodeon to host installations inspired by beloved series SpongeBob SquarePants and Are You Afraid of the Dark?, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the network's iconic animated series and the revival of the network's beloved horror anthology series!


Nights Of The Jack is more than your traditional Halloween attraction. Vast grounds of intricately hand-carved and illuminated pumpkins welcome visitors as they make their way through the half-mile trail around the ranch.

This year, in partnership with Nickelodeon, the event will feature a special SpongeBob SquarePants installation, which brings to life fan-favorite SpongeBob characters and iconic Bikini Bottom places through an illuminated pumpkin display, as well as an Are You Afraid of the Dark? pre-show tent space to include twisted surprises, along with an interactive augmented reality experience.

The grounds will also feature a live pumpkin carver, gift shop, food trucks from some of Los Angeles’ most popular dining destinations, "The Spookeasy Bar" @ Nights of the Jack, which will serve traditional alcoholic beverages as well as specially crafted Halloween cocktails, and tons of other “Instagrammable” moments for all to enjoy!

Dates: Nights of the Jack will be open to the public from Thursday, October 3 through Sunday, November 3, 2019
Times: Thursday, October 3 - Sunday, October 27: Thursday-Sunday, from 6:00pm – 11:00pm
Monday, October 28 – Sunday, November 3: Monday-Sunday, from 6:00pm – 11:00pm
Info and tickets: https://nightsofthejack.com/

Nickelodeon will premiere a brand-new SpongeBob SquarePants Halloween special and network's Are You Afraid of the Dark? revival in October 2019!

More from Patch:

OPENING: 'Nights of the Jack' - Halloween 2019: Calabasas

At King Gillette Ranch, 26800 Mulholland Hwy, Calabasas, CA. (Courtesy of “Nights of the Jack” )

Event Details
Thu, Oct. 3, 2019 at 6:00 PM
More Information
“Nights of the Jack”

Oct. 3 – Nov. 3, 2019

Oct. 3 - Oct. 27: Thursdays-Sundays, 6 p.m. – 11 p.m.
Oct. 28 – Nov. 3: Monday-Sunday, 6 p.m. – 11 p.m.
King Gillette Ranch, 26800 Mulholland Hwy, Calabasas, CA 91302

Hosted by Nights of the Jack:

“'Nights of the Jack' will return to King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas from October 3 – November 3.

"Angelenos will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in a Halloween wonderland, filled with thousands of hand-carved Jack O’Lanterns at this ranch, which is steeped in history.

"Legend has it that in 1824, at the top of the Calabasas grade on the original El Camino Real, a rancher from Oxnard spilled a wagonload of pumpkins while en route to Los Angeles. Sometime later, hundreds of pumpkin seeds sprouted alongside the road. As a result of the surprising event, the area was dubbed Las Calabasas—'the place where the pumpkins fell.'

"Tickets for the once-in-a-lifetime production are on sale now at https://nightsofthejack.com/. Guests who reserve tickets for opening weekend (October 3-6) will receive a 25% discount.

"Nights Of The Jack is more than your traditional Halloween attraction. Vast grounds of intricately hand-carved and illuminated pumpkins will welcome visitors as they make their way through the half-mile trail around the ranch.

"This year, in partnership with Nickelodeon, the event will feature a special SpongeBob SquarePants installation, which brings to life fan-favorite SpongeBob characters and iconic Bikini Bottom places through an illuminated pumpkin display, as well as an Are You Afraid of the Dark? pre-show tent space to include twisted surprises, along with an interactive augmented reality experience.

"The grounds will also feature a live pumpkin carver, gift shop, food trucks from some of Los Angeles’ most popular dining destinations, 'The Spookeasy Bar' @ Nights of the Jack, which will serve traditional alcoholic beverages as well as specially crafted Halloween cocktails, and tons of other 'Instagrammable' moments for all to enjoy!"

###

From The Blast:

'SpongeBob SquarePants' Bikini Bottom Recreated In Amazing Pumpkin Display


Forget a pineapple under the sea ... because right now it's all about the pumpkins!

Nickelodeon's "SpongeBob SquarePants" was just given the Halloween treatment by some skilled artists who recreated the famous city of Bikini Bottom with jack-o'-lanterns.


The exhibit is being featured at Nights of the Jack in Calabasas, CA.

Visitors to the event get to enjoy an interactive Halloween experience featuring intricately hand-carved and illuminated pumpkins spread throughout the sprawling King Gillette Ranch.

The half-mile trail features dinosaurs, sea life, and famous movie monsters, but the biggest attraction this year is definitely the SpongeBob scene.


Nights of the Jack teamed up with Nickelodeon and recreated the iconic Bikini Bottom, which even features the Krusty Krab ... with Mr. Krabs nearby keeping watch over his beloved Krabby Patty recipe while Plankton works on his latest evil plan.


Even Squidward got into the Halloween spirit, and can be seen near his tiki home.

View this post on Instagram

Bikini bottom!!! #nightofthejacks #spongebobsquarepants #bikinibottom

A post shared by michael waldron (@tvartboy) on Oct 3, 2019 at 11:05am PDT

SpongeBob's pet snail, Gary, is featured alongside Sandy the squirrel, who is fully clad in her diving suit.


A trip to Bikini Bottom wouldn't be complete without paying a visit to Patrick Star, and he can be seen jumping for joy among a giant cluster of pumpkins.


Are You Afraid of the Dark?


"SpongeBob SquarePants" isn't the only Nickelodeon show being celebrated at Nights of the Jack, as the classic horror show, "Are You Afraid of the Dark?" was also brought to life.

To celebrate the upcoming movie, Nickelodeon put together a spooky tent filled with "twisted surprises," and an interactive experience to make guests an official member of The Midnight Society.

Nights of the Jack runs from October 3 - November 3.

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More Nick:Nickelodeon to Host 'SpongeBob SquarePants' and 'Are You Afraid of the Dark?' Panels at New York Comic Con 2019!

Originally published: Friday, September 06, 2019.

Original source: Patch.

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Nickelodeon is preparing for the return of The Midnight Society with the all-new Are You Afraid of the Dark? three-part limited series event based on the ‘90s kids’ cult classic, reimagined for a new generation this October, and to celebrate, Mashable had the chance to go behind-the-scenes at the filming of the new trilogy! Check out what they discovered below!:

Fresh horrors from a classic: Behind-the-scenes of the new ‘Are You Afraid of the Dark'


Submitted for approval of the Midnight Society: Our story begins in a darkened Vancouver warehouse. Fog pours in, illuminated by eerie blue shafts of light escaping from the basement below. A ring master's stage lies at the end of the vast expanse, embroiled in flames. A girl runs past, dressed all in white, terror in her eyes.

This is what it's like behind the scenes of the Are You Afraid of the Dark reboot.

For those who grew up on the original '90s run of Are You Afraid of the Dark, some of those stories remain still seared into our brains decades later: Skeletons jumping out of pools, getting trapped in a mirror, losing your ability to speak in a haunted library, a grinning monster that distorts your face forever.

Or just the sound of wind chimes in the opening credits, as the light from a flickering match goes out.


From what we saw on our set visit for the upcoming limited series premiering Oct. 11 on Nickelodeon, the reboot continues the original's beloved legacy with fresh horrors that new and older generations won't be forgetting any time soon.

"I wanted to capture exactly how terrifying it felt to watch it as a kid," said showrunner BenDavid Grabinski who was a huge fan himself growing up. "When you look back, it's the isolated moments, those images that are the most long-lasting."

Some of it is enough to make you ask, wait, is this still a kids show? But the reality is, in 2019, the threshold is higher, with access to hardcore adult horror just a button click away for anyone.

Some of it is enough to make you ask, wait, is this still a kids show?

"The general rule was not to put in anything that'd keep a kid up for weeks," said Grabinski, before adding mischievously, "But maybe it takes a little longer to sleep the first night."

Despite raising the bar to meet modern standards though, Are You Afraid of the Dark still serves as that "gateway drug" into the genre, giving kids a taste for more mature horror down the line.

It's exactly what happened for nearly every adult crew and cast member on set, who all grew up to go into the business of making horror.

Both the reboot and original were shot in Canada. So much of the Canadian crew feels like it's a literal return to the neck of the woods that spooked them as kids — like a scene we saw shot at a schoolyard with real kids playing in the background, right across from a cemetery.

It not all nostalgic reverence, though. The reboot doesn't retread the original's stories or characters.


"When you think of Are You Afraid of the Dark, what comes to mind is the Midnight Society, kids around a campfire telling stories. But after that, the beauty of the show is it's a blank slate," Grabinski said.

There's no explicit connection to the original group of kids, though Grabinski likes the idea of many Midnight Societies having existed forever all across the country, each operating independently.

The reboot's three-episode arc follows one in the small town of Argento, Oregon (horror aficionados will find many other easter egg references like that). When Rachel, a shy new girl played by Lyliana Wray, arrives at Herbert West Middle School, a member of the secret society sees her drawing nightmarish doodles and invites her to audition.

The reboot is, "much darker, much more dangerous."

Rachel tells the story of the Carnival of Doom. The next day, it comes to town, seemingly sprung into reality from her imagination, bringing with it a barrage of other metaphysical horrors.

But, Grabinski insisted, this isn't a straightforward stories-come-to-life situation like Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark or Goosebumps. A bigger twist is afoot. "Then the mystery becomes, well, then how is it happening? How is this real? Needless to say, you’ll find out."

At the center of the nightmarish carnival is Mr. Tophat, a villain described by Grabinski as "an evil Master of Ceremonies with a great costume and a little bit evil Willy Wonka."

The reboot is, "much darker, much more dangerous. It's right out of any great horror movie," agreed Rafael Casal, the talented multi-hyphenate writer-director-actor from Blindspotting that's now bringing Mr. Tophat to life.

As we talked on the warehouse set of a nightmare sequence, he excitedly ran his hands along the elaborate sequins of his flashy costume, remembering how the original show shook him to his core.

"You needed to stay up late for Nick at Night, the house would be dark, and that opening title sequence with the music," he grabbed his chest as if reliving it right then. "It reminded you of the collective horror from every past episode."


What made Are You Afraid of the Dark so effective wasn't jump scares, Casal said. It was bringing a Twilight Zone-like psychological horror to the everyday fears kids deal with at school and throughout this frighteningly transitional time in their lives.

Having identified with the horror as a kid, he's now itching to play the opposition, an embodiment of the fears the kids face — and ultimately conquer.

Both he and Grabinski joked they'd know they did their jobs right if, for the rest of his life, Casal walks down the street inspiring looks of gleeful terror from young people. He's still thinking of which line he'll whisper back at them to creep them out.

"It reminded you of the collective horror from every past episode."

What makes a great villain, Casal said, is "someone who's wildly unpredictable. You can't understand the origin of their behavior, why they are the way they are. And add a third layer of creepiness: being nice."

Mr. Tophat, who seems to share a twisted longstanding mental connection with Rachel, is as charismatic as he is unsettling. "It makes you ask, what happens when this niceness goes away? What's beneath it?" said Casal. "And the longer he's nice to you, the less you trust it."

It almost sounds like a metaphor for trying to figure out the often baffling rules and mysteries of the adult world as a kid. At that age, adults can seem alarmingly unpredictable, nice one minute, then punishing the next — and you don't even know what you did to cause that shift.

Aside from a perfectly cast and magnetic villain, the developing friendships in the Midnight Society members are as central to the new show as the horror.

Grabinski even required his young cast to watch classics like The Goonies and Monster Squad together, hoping to foster a similarly natural camaraderie on set that'd translate to the screen. Judging from how the five young actors were practically glued at the hip even during breaks, it seems to have worked.


"A big part of every project, especially with kids, is getting to know each other and building your chemistry before," said Jeremy Ray Taylor, who plays the nerdy germaphobe Graham. He knows this from experience, having been part of the losers club from It. "The movie nights bring us closer together, so you start learning how to make it a normal conversation in front of the camera too instead of just acting."

Making the kids feel real and relatable seemed essential to modernizing Are You Afraid of the Dark for 2019. Grabinski asked himself what kind of wonderfully weird teens would actually sneak off to tell scary stories around a campfire at midnight? So naturally, they all had to be horror-lovers themselves, like the sassy amateur zombie movie director Akiko (played by Miya Cech).

"I think kids want to see more realistic acting in shows today," said Sam Ashe Arnold, who's the group's jock, Gavin. "We're updating it by going for something more grounded than the original."

"What always stays the same no matter what is fear of the unknown."

Aside from cast bonding, they also did rehearsals where ad-libbing and improvisation was encouraged. They wanted the kids to sound like kids, rather than like adults writing kids.

"What goes on in the series is basically what we're like in real life," said Tamara Smart, who plays the popular cheerleader named Louise. "In some scenes they'll be like, 'Say whatever you want, make it weird, make it awkward.'"

Despite some updates for a 2019 audience, the limited series closely follows the original's mood and atmosphere. There was initially talk of doing a movie instead (still a possibility down the line).

But the network TV episodic format just felt right. Not only because it leaves you with cliffhangers each week, but like the '90s version, you can cut to commercial after a particularly tantalizing reveal, ramping up the anticipation and tension

"What always stays the same no matter what is fear of the unknown," said Grabinski. "What's around the corner? What's behind this mystery? Trying to solve it alongside the kids is as engaging as it is scary."

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From Bloody Disgusting:

How the “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” Revival Went from a Movie to a TV Show to a Mini-Series [Interview]

For young horror fans in the 1990s, there was only one show that invited them to sit around a campfire and share scary stories: Are You Afraid of the Dark?, a seminal Nickelodeon anthology about a secret teenaged cabal, “The Midnight Society,” who gathered every week to share their tales of terror.

Are You Afraid of the Dark?, like many other nostalgia properties, is returning decades after its cancelation. But unlike similar retro kids horror franchises like Goosebumps and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, it’s not going to theaters. It’s not even going to be a TV series. It’s a three-part TV mini-series, written by BenDavid Grabinski (Skiptrace) and directed by Dean Israelite (Power Rangers), with the first installment airing on Nickelodeon on Friday, October 11.

Bloody-Disgusting took BenDavid Grabinski aside at a press event in Los Angeles to talk about the reboot’s evolution from a movie, to a TV series, to the mini-series fans are about to see. And like everything else in Hollywood, it’s quite a journey.

“I’m a huge, huge, huge, super obsessed fan [of Are You Afraid of the Dark?],” Grabinski explains. “I grew up with it. It’s like one of things that’s a giant nostalgia button for me.”


“I was writing a movie for this producer, Matt Kaplan, in summer 2018. It was another horror movie. At the time they were doing an Are You Afraid of the Dark? movie and he needed a writer to come in and I wasn’t really on anyone’s radar, because I wasn’t… I’d been working consistently for a long time but I wasn’t like an A-list dude,” Grabinski adds.

“But I was like, ‘Guys, I really, really, really love this and I feel like I know exactly what this movie should be.’ I wrote a 20-page single-spaced document, writing down what I thought a movie should be of Are You Afraid of the Dark?. Everyone was seemingly blown away by it,” Grabinski says, before he decides to correct himself. “You know, it’s not for me to say but it was enough that I got the job.”

So it seemed pretty straightforward. Are You Afraid of the Dark? was destined for theaters! But only for a little while…

“I wrote a bunch of drafts of that, and then I was directing a movie and while I was doing that I got a call from Nickelodeon saying, ‘Hey, we really liked your script for the movie. Do you have any idea of what we should do if we wanted to make a new show?’ and I immediately said yes, a thousand times, and went in and pitched a show, basically saying what I thought it should be,” Grabinski reveals, enthusiastically.


Alas, it was not to be.

“I got hired and then they decided my initial pitch was probably not a right thing for a first introduction to it, so they wanted me to come up with a new concept,” Grabinski explains. “Because I wanted to come up with something that would work for ten-year-olds who’d never seen it and for someone like me who grew up with it.”

“And I texted the producer, Spencer Berman: ‘I want to do an evil carnival. I want Rafael Casal to play the bad guy, Mr. Top Hat, who’s like an evil Willy Wonka.’ That’s really all I had,” Grabinski confesses. “They really, really responded to that, and then I broke the story for it and then it was like a bullet train because they decided, ‘Oh, we want it to be out next October.’ So I wrote three episodes, we met a bunch of directors, hired Dean [Israelite] and here we are!”

But where, exactly, are we? BenDavid Grabinski explains that this new mini-series isn’t an alternate version of the originally-planned movie, or an extended version of the pilot for the series Grabinski was planning. It’s an all-new, standalone, reintroduction to The Midnight Society… and maybe more.


“The story that I wanted to do [in the reboot series that was originally planned] was not necessarily an introduction to the Midnight Society,” Grabinski says. “What I realized afterwards was like, that’s the wish-fulfillment thing that I always wanted to see when I saw the pilot, which is… the very first episode starts with a kid in the woods, he sits down on a tree stump and they pull a thing off his head and they say ‘Hey, you’re going to tell a scary story and if we like it we’re going to let you into the group.’

“So I’m like, who is this kid? What would it be like to be asked? What is the best story to go into this about a kid who would be invited to join the group, they tell a story to audition, and then where does that story go from there?” Grabinski explains. “And that led to the carnival thing and a lot of other stuff.

“There’s some stuff I want to say and some stuff I don’t want to spoil because it has ‘twists and turns,’” Grabinski says, making air quotes with his hands to denote his self-effacing sarcasm. “Make sure you note that I had quotation marks on that, that I was being sarcastic.” [Editor’s Note: Done and done!]


“But what I realized was that the other idea I had would be like, a really good third season theory. So I put that in my back pocket and I still have that,” Grabinski teases.

BenDavid Grabinski added that the Are You Afraid of the Dark? mini-series could “ideally” lead to a new regular series. He’s quick to remind us that it’s not his decision to make, but that if it was, he’d green light it in a heartbeat.

“I’m not in charge of the purse-strings or the decision-making. I’m just a writer/executive producer person. But I would make a thousand episodes of the show, and I have a million ideas,” Grabinski concludes. “But this to me was the best way to meet the group and bring out this concept of The Midnight Society to a new generation of kids.”

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From Bloody Disgusting:

‘Are You Afraid of the Dark?’ Writer Promises Horror Nerd References Galore [Interview]

Everyone’s favorite 1990s Nickelodeon horror anthology Are You Afraid of the Dark? returns to television this month, with a three episode mini-series that reintroduces The Midnight Society – a secret cabal of teenaged horror authors – and pits them against a real-life nightmare. There’s a mysterious and wicked carnival coming to their town of Argento, Oregon… and yes, that is totally a reference to the master of ultraviolent Italian thrillers, Dario Argento.

And that’s just one of many references to horror classics, cult classics and even earlier episodes of Are You Afraid of the Dark? that screenwriter BenDavid Grabinski (Skiptrace) says savvy audience members are going to find in the new limited series.

“The school is Herbert West Middle School,” Grabinski cites as another example, referring to the antihero of H.P. Lovecraft’s original short story Herbert West: Re-Animator, as well as the gory horror comedy trilogy starring Jeffrey Combs. “It’s all very, very deeply nerdy but in a way that if you don’t know the references you won’t know [they’re] references.”

Grabinski is quick to point out that the references are “mostly mainstream,” but the screenwriter’s definition of “mainstream” may not necessarily apply to everyone in the audience for the family-friendly scary mini-series.

“The kids’ names are Rachel Carpenter, Graham Raimi, Gavin Coscarelli, Louise Fulci and then Akiko Yamato, and then her brother is Officer Hideo Yamato, which is [referencing] Hideo Kojima,” Grabinski explains, adding the creator of the ”Metal Gear Solid” video games to that list of cinematic Masters of Horror.

“So a bunch of just deeply nerdy stuff,” Grabinski says. “There’s a bad guy in the show, you’ll find out his real last name is Cochran because I really like Halloween III.”

“It’s one of those things where it’s like, it passed the smell test. I have a thousand references in it and no one on set knew they were references, which to me is the magical level,” Grabinski says. “It’s like some movies where it’s like, here’s Officer Spielberg and Romero, and I’m like, ‘Well, that’s a little too much.’ We all have our own internal barometer over what is too much and what is corny or too obscure.”

“I mean look, I have a kid talking about how his favorite composer is Wang Chung, so I don’t know how many people made a show with ten-year-olds where someone must really like the To Live and Die in L.A. score, but I’m also probably a crazy person,” Grabinski admits.

The references won’t stop with horror movies and video games and Wang Chung. Fans of Are You Afraid of the Dark? will notice shout outs to the original series, which may raise questions over whether this new limited series is technically a reboot, or set in the same continuity as the beloved 1990s show.

“The way that I view this show is that anything that happened before [in the original Are You Afraid of the Dark?] could have or might have happened,” Grabinski explains. “I’m trying to be a little vague about that. But there’s a lot of homages and Easter eggs to the other things, in a way that makes it seem like this is just a continuation as opposed to a reboot, per se.”

“I revisit a lot in this in some ways, direct and non-direct. Mostly non-direct,” Grabinski concludes.

But if you’re expecting Ryan Gosling to return in a homage to his first acting gig, an Are You Afraid of the Dark? episode called “The Tale of Station 109.1,” you MIGHT be disappointed.

“Here’s the thing: if we had Gosling I’m pretty sure he’d be a significant part of our marketing,” Grabinski laughs. “Or, we’re just so confident that we’re doing the Vin Diesel in Tokyo Drift thing, and at the end Ryan Gosling is just going to come up as like a headless horsemen, and he’s like, ‘Come on, kids! We have an adventure!’ and then leave.”

“And honestly I’d watch that,” Grabinski jokes. “Just, I called him, and he just didn’t call me back. I get it. I think Blade Runner 2049 is a masterpiece. But I understand that he probably wouldn’t want to do a Nickelodeon show.”

The new Are You Afraid of the Dark limited series premieres on Nickelodeon on Friday, October 11, 2019!

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From Den of Geek:

Inside the Return of Are You Afraid of the Dark?

The cast and crew of Nickelodeon's Are You Afraid of the Dark? reboot discuss bringing the beloved horror series back.

If you grew up in the '90s it's likely that one of your first brushes with horror was with the Canadian anthology horror show Are You Afraid of the Dark?. The cult hit aired on Nickelodeon for six years and scared a whole generation of kids silly. Now the great news for horror fans young and old is that the series is returning in a three part limited series on Nick. To celebrate the prestige reboot, Den of Geek was invited to Los Angeles' Haus of Creep to chat to some of the cast and creative team whilst trying not to get trapped in the immersive horror experience.

In the depths of ROW DTLA, Haus of Creep throws visitors into a dark world of influencers, twisted reflections, murder, and monsters. The scariest thing about the whole experience, however, is that you're an active part of the story. Once we'd battled through the harrowing hallways and strange storytimes -- one of which saw us being dragged into a closet and having the very hairs on our head threatened by a bald serial killer--we sat down with the new Midnight Society, which features some familiar faces you might know.

Rim of the World's Miya Cech takes on the role of Akiko, a passionate filmmaker who wants nothing more than to be a director. Sam Ashe Arnold from Best Worst Weekend Ever stars as Gavin, who seems to be the leader of the group. A burgeoning genre star in his own right, It's Jeremy Taylor plays deadpan joker, Gavin. And Black-ish's Lyliana Wray is the new girl, Rachel, whose test to become a member of the iconic scary story club is the inciting incident for the three episode miniseries.



Though in real life the things that scare the young cast are relatively normal --like heights, claustrophobia, and the dark-- the new series sees them face down a terrifying foe in the shape of Rafael Casal's Mr. Tophat, the ringmaster of a terrifying and possibly supernatural circus. Whilst that might sound like a narrative that's been done before, Are You Afraid of the Dark? aims to turn things on their head because the so-called Carnival of Doom appears only after a new member of the Midnight Society makes up a story featuring them.

Though in real life the things that scare the young cast are relatively normal --like heights, claustrophobia, and the dark-- the new series sees them face down a terrifying foe in the shape of Rafael Casal's Mr. Tophat, the ringmaster of a terrifying and possibly supernatural circus. Whilst that might sound like a narrative that's been done before, Are You Afraid of the Dark? aims to turn things on their head because the so-called Carnival of Doom appears only after a new member of the Midnight Society makes up a story featuring them.

“They go on an adventure, which I thought was the best of both worlds really because whenever I watched the show I always wanted to see what those kids did when they're away from the campfire. I wanted to see them live, I wanted to see their interests and all that stuff. But in the original pilot--which is perfect--it starts with a kid with the bag on their head and they get the chance to tell a campfire story and join the Midnight Society. But I always wanted to be like, 'Well, who is that person? How do they get chosen? What does it feel like? How do they maintain their secrecy?' All of that stuff to me felt really fun, like a wish fulfillment thing I hadn't necessarily seen yet."

With so many iconic episodes like "The Tale of the Dead Man's Float," and "The Tale of the Lonely Ghost", it's hard to pick a favorite. But writer Grabinski has appreciates the underdog and his tastes lean into the stranger offerings of the '90s classic.

"I really love the alien episodes, and our show, it's not a sci-fi but I do have a running gag where the kids are arguing about whether alien stories are horror or sci-fi,” he says. “It was also a way for me --if I'm lucky enough to do more of these-- to kind of set up and establish that we're at least dealing with sci-fi.”

The Midnight Society is made up of young actors who weren't even born when Are You Afraid of the Dark? first debuted, so it's unsurprising that most of them hadn't even heard of the series before getting the gig. But Cech did have a bit of a familial insight as her mom was a fan.

“My mom has watched the original version,” she says. “She's been telling me all about it and I've been able to see a couple of things. So that's pretty cool."

Ashe Arnold agrees and adds that the love for the original show has made taking on the job extra special.

"I didn't know what it was before I booked the job,” she says. “But upon being able to talk about it, everyone's reaction when they hear the name has been overwhelmingly positive. It's really cool to be a part of something that already has this, you know, gigantic, loyal fan base behind it and holding it up. It's exciting."

Wray was another Are You Afraid of the Dark? newbie when she got the job but she was shocked by how effective the classic series was.

"I had never heard about it before auditioning. But I've gotten to see a few episodes and it's a lot scarier than I expected it to be," she says.

Taylor was in a similar position despite his proven horror chops. "I didn't know it existed. And then I told my friends and family like, 'I just got this new role in a show called Are You Afraid of the Dark?' And they were like, 'Wait, that's coming back???' It's definitely like Sam said, it's really, really cool to be a part of something that already has a cult following."

Whereas the cast of Are You Afraid of the Dark? 2019 is just discovering the dark joys of the series, the people behind the camera are all huge fans of the show. Matt Kaplan--founder of ACE Entertainment (To All the Boys I Loved Before), which is producing both the show and the upcoming Are You Afraid of the Dark? movie, shared his excitement with us in the bustling bar.

"When we got approached to do both the movie and the show I think all of us were like this was one that was perfect for our company and we felt like it really represented our childhoods... and we wanted to scare some kids," Kaplan says. "We were really trying to do justice to the original series as we remade it. And hopefully we can build some stars as successful as Ryan Gosling."

For Grabinski, the joy came from creating a story for the young horror hounds who will get to enjoy the show this time around.

"The most fun thing to me is that you're making this show about kids who would watch the show,” he says. “If you're going to go out in the woods and tell scary stories then you love horror. And I just want it to feel like a love letter to the original show but also the genre. I'm such a big fan of both. Something that's very fun to me about having middle school kids who are really into, like, The Changeling and The Gate, and they read Lovecraft and talk about Tangerine Dream scores which is a little anachronistic in 2019, except this is about obsessives.

“The way I view it is that not all kids are gonna know these references, but the kids in the Midnight Society would. There's a fun feeling to have a kid watch it and go on their phone or their mom's phone and Google some sort of references they find. It's buried in references. That's not what I think that the appeal of the show is but I think it's sort of like a cherry on top."

And if young fans fall in love with horror through the lens of Are You Afraid of the Dark?, the cast and crew have some suggestions of other genre fare that they should explore. "Definitely Monster Squad, The Gate, and Poltergeist if their parents let them," Grabinski says. "It!" Cech adds. For Kaplan it’s all about the classics. "The Shining, and Scream... depending on how old they are," the producer says with a laugh.

Are You Afraid of the Dark? hits Nickelodeon on October 11.

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Are You Afraid of the Dark? will debut on Nickelodeon in the U.S. and YTV in Canada on Friday, Oct. 11, at 7:00 p.m. (ET/PT), with parts two and three to follow Oct. 18, and Oct. 25, respectively. Click the following link for more info: http://nickalive.blogspot.com/2019/09/nickelodeon-debuts-are-you-afraid-of.html

Originally published: Monday, September 30, 2019.

More Nick:Nickelodeon to Host 'SpongeBob SquarePants' and 'Are You Afraid of the Dark?' Panels at New York Comic Con 2019!

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Original Nickelodeon Press Release:


Share it: @Nickelodeon #TheSubstitute


Nickelodeon is preparing tricks and treats with its hidden camera prank show The Substitute, this time with John Cena going undercover at the Boys & Girls Club of the Foothills in Monrovia, CA. The debut episode airs on Friday, Oct. 4, at 7:00 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon.

Using a full costume and prosthetics to hide his identity, Cena is transformed into three completely unrecognizable camp counselors, pranking campers as a quirky environmentalist, a fearful fire safety expert and a CPR instructor with an unusual best friend.

The series features stars who are transformed by a team of Hollywood special effects artists to go undercover as professionals in various fields, surprising unsuspecting kids in schools, camps and other locations. During the reveal at the end of the day, each organization receives a $25,000 donation.


Following the premiere of The Substitute, a new episode of the hit family game show Are You Smarter Than A 5^th Grader will air at 7:30 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon, hosted and executive produced by Cena.

The premiere of The Substitute follows the strong performance of two specials that aired earlier this year, and has been picked up for a full 10-episode order. The Substitute’s first special debuted in April with guest star Jace Norman (Henry Danger), and the second special premiered in May, guest starring multitalented comedian Lilly Singh.

The Substitute is produced by Industrial Media’s The Intellectual Property Corporation. Eli Holzman, Aaron Saidman and Todd Hurvitz (Punk’d), serve as executive producers, with Hurvitz also serving as the showrunner. Jessica Brown, Nickelodeon’s Vice President of Current Series, also serves as an executive producer. Are You Smarter Than A 5^th Grader is executive produced by Mark Burnett, Chairman of Worldwide Television, MGM (Survivor, The Voice) and Barry Poznick, President, Unscripted Television, MGM (Beat Shazam,The World’s Best). Production of The Substitute and Are You Smarter Than A 5^th Grader for Nickelodeon is overseen by Rob Bagshaw, Executive Vice President, Unscripted Content.

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You can't see John Cena... when he transforms into The Substitute on Friday, Oct 4!

A post shared by Nickelodeon (@nickelodeon) on Sep 27, 2019 at 4:00am PDT

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John Cena's really **slipping** into character for The Substitute 😂

A post shared by Nickelodeon (@nickelodeon) on Sep 29, 2019 at 7:07am PDT

Additional images via E! News:


From TheWrap:

John Cena Eats Trash Off the Ground in Nickelodeon Hidden-Camera Prank Show ‘The Substitute’ (Exclusive Video)

U Can’t (un)C This

John Cena was “slaughtering stale competition” in his WWE entrance theme “My Time Is Now.” And now, he’s eating stale sandwiches out of the garbage can.

Welcome to Nickelodeon’s hidden-camera prank show “The Substitute.”

In the wrestler-turned-actor’s episode, which serves as the series premiere, the former Doctor of Thuganomics plays tricks on and treats kids at the Boys & Girls Club of the Foothills in Monrovia, Calif. He’s totally undercover the whole time.

Using a full costume and prosthetics to hide his identity, Cena is transformed into three completely unrecognizable camp counselors, pranking campers as a quirky environmentalist, a fearful fire safety expert and a CPR instructor with an unusual best friend.

TheWrap has your exclusive first look at Cena’s environmentalist character. Yeah, he gross.



Watch our sneak peek via the video above.

A pair of “Substitute” specials aired earlier this year. “Henry Danger” star Jace Norman was on the first, new NBC late (late) night host Lilly Singh did the second.

The 10-episode series features stars who are transformed by a team of Hollywood special effects artists to go undercover as professionals in various fields, surprising unsuspecting kids in schools, camps and other locations. During the reveal at the end of the day, each organization receives a $25,000 donation.

The Cena episode airs Friday, Oct. 4 at 7/6c on Nickelodeon.

A new episode of Cena’s family game show “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader” will air immediately after his “Substitute” episode.

“The Substitute” is produced by Industrial Media’s The Intellectual Property Corporation. Eli Holzman, Aaron Saidman, Todd Hurvitz and Jessica Brown serve as executive producers. Hurvitz is showrunner.

Rob Bagshaw, Nick’s executive vice president of unscripted content, oversees production for the kids’ cable channel.

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Things get messy on #NickSubstitute this Friday at 7p/6c!

A post shared by Nickelodeon (@nickelodeon) on Oct 2, 2019 at 1:47pm PDT

Alyson Stoner went undercover as The Substitute to teach kids Lysol Healthy Habits. #AD:


More Nick:Nickelodeon Greenlights Unscripted Holiday Series 'Top Elf'; Orders Full Series Pickup of 'The Substitute'!

Originally published: Wednesday, September 18, 2019 at 18:27 BST.

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JoJo Siwa & Pet Dog BowBow Have ABackpack Mishap In New Episode Of ‘JoJo& BowBow Show Show’


JoJo Siwa’s hit animated YouTube series The JoJo & BowBow Show Show is back for season 2 and HollywoodLife is treating fans by premiering the second episode ahead of its official release on Friday, October 4, 2019!

New episodes of The JoJo & BowBow Show Show are released every Friday on Nickelodeon’s YouTube channel but HollywoodLife is giving fans an awesome first look at the second episode of season 2, which you can watch right now on hollywoodlife.com!

In the episode, titled "Back to School Shopping!", JoJo Siwa and her pet dog, BowBow, are headed back to school and that means it’s time for school shopping. They head to their favorite store at the mall — Backpack Paradise — with JoJo’s new UBFFL (ultimate best friend for life) Miley and her miniature pony, Dusty. However, their trip to the mall quickly turns a bit stressful when BowBow accidentally falls asleep in a stranger’s backpack. Well, that’s a problem!

JoJo, Miley, and Dusty go on an adventure to get BowBow back. Meanwhile, BowBow is snoozing away and dreaming of chicken-flavored toothpaste again. He doesn’t realize a thing. Miley comes up with the idea to use JoJo’s tube of chicken-flavored toothpaste to get BowBow to wake up. Miley’s idea totally works and BowBow wakes up! BowBow jumps out of the backpack and starts running to reunite with JoJo, Miley, and Dusty.

But the adventure’s not over yet! As BowBow is running to JoJo, he gets caught by a cart full of backpacks! JoJo, Miley, and Dusty run after BowBow again! The cart is full of 37 backpacks and the customer thinks BowBow is actually a fuzzy squirrel backpack! BowBow bolts and reunites with JoJo! All is well again!

“I never want to fall asleep in another backpack again, JoJo,” BowBow tells JoJo. “Unless it belongs to you, of course!” There’s never a dull moment in the lives of JoJo and BowBow! In addition to the YouTube star, the episode also features the voices of Giselle Lomelino, Case Walker, Nia Sioux, and Rosie McClelland.

Missed Season 2, Episode 1? Watch it here!: http://nickalive.blogspot.com/2019/09/the-jojo-bowbow-show-show-season-2-ep-1.html

JoJo Siwa is currently in the midst of her first North American tour, Nickelodeon’s JoJo Siwa D.R.E.A.M. The Tour, and will be extending her tour to the UK during Autumn 2019 and Australia in January 2020. For more information and tickets to Nickelodeon’s JoJo Siwa D.R.E.A.M. The Tour, visit http://www.jojodreamtour.com.

More Nick:Nickelodeon Star JoJo Siwa Gets Her Own Dance-Tour Mobile Game, 'JoJo Siwa - Live to Dance'!

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Share it: @YTV #AreYouAfraidoftheDark


Canada - YTV is preparing for the return of The Midnight Society with Nickelodeon's all-new Are You Afraid of the Dark? three-part limited series event. Based on the ‘90s kids’ cult classic, and reimagined for a new generation, part one of Are You Afraid of the Dark? will debut on Friday, Oct. 11, at 7:00 p.m. (ET/PT), with parts two and three to follow Oct. 18, and Oct. 25, respectively.

Across the three hour-long episodes, Are You Afraid of the Dark? will follow members of an entirely new Midnight Society, who tell a terrifying tale of the Carnival of Doom and its evil ringmaster Mr. Tophat, only to witness the shocking story come frightfully to life. In the just-released trailer, viewers meet the new members of the Midnight Society, get a glimpse at the uncertainty that awaits and prepare for an adventure beyond their wildest nightmares.


So grab a seat and throw some midnight dust onto the fire, because Nickelodeon has a story to tell…

The new members of the Midnight Society are: Rachel, played by Lyliana Wray (Top Gun: Maverick); Gavin, played by Sam Ashe Arnold (Best.Worst.Weekend.Ever.); Akiko, played by Miya Cech (Rim of the World, Always Be My Maybe); Graham, played by Jeremy Taylor (IT: Chapter Two, Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween); and Louise, played by Tamara Smart (Artemis Fowl, The Worst Witch). The Carnival of Doom’s ringmaster, Mr. Tophat, is played by Rafael Casal (Blindspotting).

Are You Afraid of the Dark? is produced by ACE Entertainment (To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, The Perfect Date) with ACE founder Matt Kaplan and Spencer Berman serving as executive producers. The series is written by BenDavid Grabinski (Skiptrace, Happily) and directed by Dean Israelite (Power Rangers movie, Project Almanac), both of whom are also executive producers. Chris Foss is also an executive producer.

Are You Afraid of the Dark? will make its world premiere on Nickelodeon in the U.S. on Friday, Oct. 11, at 7:00 p.m. (ET/PT), with parts two and three to follow Oct. 18, and Oct. 25, respectively.

One of the Nickelodeon’s most iconic series from the ‘90s, the original Are You Afraid of the Dark? delivered riveting stories of horror to young audiences, all from a kid’s perspective. Are You Afraid of the Dark? is owned by DHX and was created by D.J. MacHale and Ned Kandel, who are also executive producers on the project.

Fans can visit ytv.com, follow YTV on Instagram and subscribe to the YTV YouTube channel for the latest YTV news, highlights, videos and games.

YTV - Fangtastic Promo (2019)



Celebrating over 25 years on the air, since its launch in 1988, YTV features high quality programming from entertaining live-action comedies and reality series for kids and their families, to night time drama for teens. With hosted dayparts such as the popular after-school block The Zone and weekend movies for the entire family in Big Fun Movies, there are plenty of entertaining options for viewers of all ages. For more information about YTV, please visit www.ytv.com.

Nickelodeon, now in its 40th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, digital, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon’s U.S. television network is seen in more than 90 million households and has been the number-one-rated kids’ basic cable network for 22 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB).

More YTV:Corus Announces Canadian Premiere Dates for 'The Casagrandes', 'All That', 'Hunter Street' and More!

Originally published: Wednesday, September 25, 2019.

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I Thunderman EPISODIO COMPLETO | I racconti di Halloween | Nickelodeon Italia



I Thunderman in versione Halloween!

Di Più Nick:Nickelodeon Italy Unveils Autumn/Winter 2019 Programming Highlights!

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GANZE FOLGE | Nieder mit dem Kranksein 🤒 | Aufstieg der TMNT | Nickelodeon Deutschland



Mehr Der Aufstieg der Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: http://www.nick.de/turtles

Mehr Nick:School is in Session at the Berlin School of Arts When 'Spotlight' Returns for Season 4!

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Nienke & KIRA KOSARIN gaan op jacht in MOVIE PARK GERMANY! 🕵️‍♀️ | Special | Nickelodeon Nederlands



Nienke van Dijk gaat samen met Kira Kosarin op jacht naar een geheime prijs in Movie Park Germany! Ze volgen verschillende hints en worden door heel Nick Land gestuurd. Hoe goed kennen deze dames onze Nickelodeon shows en kunnen ze de prijs vinden?

Meer Nick:'De Ludwigs' Returns with a Sixth and Final Season on Nickelodeon Benelux in October 2019!

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Thomas & Friends | Henry in The Dark - Halloween Special | Kids Cartoon



Thomas & Friends"Big World! Big Adventures!" is airing now on Milkshake! in the UK and on Nickelodeon USA!

Connect with Thomas & Friends Online: Official Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Looking for even more safe, fun, kid friendly activities and apps? Head over to http://www.thomasandfriends.com and shop for Thomas & Friends engines, games, and other products at http://fisher-price.mattel.com

More Thomas:Thomas & Friends Launches Collaboration With the United Nations to Inspire the Next Generation of Global Citizens!

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Joe n’ Fro | Wayside | FULL EPISODE | KEEP IT WEIRD



The kids shun a student named Joe when his giant hair becomes overwhelmingly large and messy. They eventually learn Joe has been hiding several displaced yard critters (squirrels, rabbits, etc.) in his afro to protect them from Kidswatter’s bizarre “yard beautification” plans.

Want to watch more full episodes of Wayside? You can find tons more here!: http://nickalive.blogspot.com/search/label/Wayside

Stay Weird & SUBSCRIBE! https://goo.gl/XHGzks

More YTV:YTV Asks Fans To "Keep It Weird" As Channel Fetes 30th Anniversary!

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Halloween Spooky Music Video! 🎃 w/ Blue's Clues & You, PAW Patrol & Bubble Guppies! | Nick Jr.



Happy Halloween from all of your Nick Jr. friends! Josh & Blue are having a Halloween party and everyone's invited! Enjoy the Halloween fun all month long, everywhere you find Nick Jr.

What are YOU dressing up as for Halloween this year?! 🎃

For more fangtastic Halloween content featuring your favorite Nickelodeon characters and stars, visit: http://nickalive.blogspot.com/search/label/Halloween%20On%20Nickelodeon

More Nick:Nickelodeon to Premiere 'Blue's Clues & You' in November 2019!

Kids can watch their favorite Nick Jr. shows weekdays on Nickelodeon and all week long on the Nick Jr. channel: http://nickjr.com/tvschedule/

Preschoolers can watch full episodes online, play games, and discover silly surprises in the free Nick Jr. App and at NickJr.com. Stream Nick Jr. for free in the Nick Jr. App on Roku and Apple TV or download full episodes for offline viewing on iTunes or Google Play.

You can also download premium apps featuring your child's favorite Nick Jr. shows on iTunes, Google Play, and Amazon, including Nick Jr. Draw and Play and Nick Jr. Let’s Learn!

Watch more Nick Jr. everyday for FREE on Nick Jr. Pluto TV!

More Nick:Nick Jr. Live! "Move To The Music" U.S. Theatrical Tour Dates!

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Cat’s Best Halloween Costumes! 😻 Ariana Grande Rocks Bo Peep & MORE! | NickRewind



Cat’s (Ariana Grande) talents are limitless! When she’s not singing or babysitting, she’s whipping up a new costume to try out! Watch more of your favorite shows on Nickelodeon!

What are you dressing up as for Halloween?! 🎃

Are You Afraid of the Dark? premieres Friday, October 11, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon!

Are You Afraid of the Dark? premieres Friday, October 11, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon!

Watch all your ‘80s, ‘90s, and ‘00s Nickelodeon favorites on NickRewind, your late-night destination for your favorite childhood Nickelodeon cartoons and live-action shows! NickSplat doesn't question football-shaped heads, but embrace them - along with Reptar bars, a Big Ear of Corn, orange soda, and even slime for Pete (and Pete's) sake. Make your slime-covered Nickelodeon childhood dreams come true every night at 11 PM ET/PT on TeenNick USA, and anytime you want on NickSplat on VRV AND NOW ON Nick Pluto TV!

Like NickRewind on Facebook, subscribe to the NickRewind YouTube channel and follow NickRewind on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive digital content from all of your throwback favorites like Rugrats, Hey Arnold!, iCarly, Victorious, Kenan & Kel, CatDog, Doug, Rocko’s Modern Life, The Amanda Show, Clarissa Explains It All, The Ren & Stimpy Show, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, and so much more!

Join Nickelodeon's official I Was A Nick Kid Facebook Group!: https://www.facebook.com/groups/IWasANickKid/

More Nick:Nickelodeon to Host 'SpongeBob SquarePants' and 'Are You Afraid of the Dark?' Panels at New York Comic Con 2019!

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Trick or Treat Taste Test Challenge 🎃 ft. Emily Skinner, Case Walker & More! | #FunniestFridayEver



One point for each treat that you pick, and none if you fall for a trick! 🎃 Unless you continue to chew— then you can earn up to two, but you can’t use the bucket to spit! Can these Nick stars keep their cool while tasting these unsavory snacks? 🍬 Check out this Trick or Treat Taste Test Challenge and catch more All That, Are You Afraid of the Dark? and more, only on Nickelodeon!

Are You Afraid of the Dark? premieres Friday, October 11, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon!

Join The Midnight Society!: https://www.instagram.com/The.Midnight.Society/ (shh..don't tell anybody about the society though!)

What is YOUR favorite candy to get while trick or treating?! 🍭🍬🍫

More Nick:Nickelodeon USA's October 2019 Premiere Highlights | Halloween | Nick or Treat!

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Fans at New York Comic Con 2019 today got the chance to take a closer look at Nickelodeon's Are You Afraid of the Dark? reboot, but even if you're not in NYC this week, IGN has unveiled a spooktacular look at the scene from the 2019 miniseries that debuted at NYCC, featuring the new Midnight Society members played by Sam Ashe Arnold, Miya Cech, Tamara Smart, Jeremy Taylor, and Lyliana Wray, as they try to escape the terrors of the Carnival of Doom, run by the villainous ringmaster Mr. Top Hat (Rafael Casal)! Watch the sneak peek from the new series below!:


Nickelodeon is preparing for the return of The Midnight Society with the all-new Are You Afraid of the Dark? three-part limited series event. Based on the ‘90s kids’ cult classic, and reimagined for a new generation, part one of Are You Afraid of the Dark? will debut on Friday, Oct. 11, at 7:00 p.m. (ET/PT), with parts two and three to follow Oct. 18, and Oct. 25, respectively.

Across the three hour-long episodes, Are You Afraid of the Dark? will follow members of an entirely new Midnight Society, who tell a terrifying tale of the Carnival of Doom and its evil ringmaster Mr. Tophat, only to witness the shocking story come frightfully to life. In the just-released trailer, viewers meet the new members of the Midnight Society, get a glimpse at the uncertainty that awaits and prepare for an adventure beyond their wildest nightmares.


The new members of the Midnight Society are: Rachel, played by Lyliana Wray (Top Gun: Maverick); Gavin, played by Sam Ashe Arnold (Best.Worst.Weekend.Ever.); Akiko, played by Miya Cech (Rim of the World, Always Be My Maybe); Graham, played by Jeremy Taylor (IT: Chapter Two, Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween); and Louise, played by Tamara Smart (Artemis Fowl, The Worst Witch). The Carnival of Doom’s ringmaster, Mr. Tophat, is played by Rafael Casal (Blindspotting).

Are You Afraid of the Dark? is produced by ACE Entertainment (To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before, The Perfect Date) with ACE founder Matt Kaplan and Spencer Berman serving as executive producers. The series is written by BenDavid Grabinski (Skiptrace, Happily) and directed by Dean Israelite (Power Rangers movie, Project Almanac), both of whom are also executive producers. Chris Foss is also an executive producer.

One of the Nickelodeon’s most iconic series from the ‘90s, the original Are You Afraid of the Dark? delivered riveting stories of horror to young audiences, all from a kid’s perspective. Are You Afraid of the Dark? is owned by DHX and was created by D.J. MacHale and Ned Kandel, who are also executive producers on the project.

Follow Are You Afraid of the Dark? on Facebook!

Visit the Carnival of Doom in Fortnite!

More Nick:Nickelodeon Hosts 'SpongeBob SquarePants' and 'Are You Afraid of the Dark?' Panels at New York Comic Con 2019!

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One fine day there was a woof and a purr, two brothers - one cat and one dog, conjoined - were born, and they caused a little stir! That’s right, it’s CatDog!


Following the success of Jason Freeny’s XXray Rugrats and SpongeBob dissected vinyl figures, Mighty Jaxx has unveiled the artists newest addition to their XXRAY Plus line of figures: the iconic CatDog! The hit Nickelodeon animation show followed the lives of this unlikely conjoined pair and was a major part of the childhood of many kids. Take a nostalgic trip and revisit your childhood with the XXRAY Plus CatDog!

This limited edition 10-inch (25.4cm) Long Vinyl Art Designer Toy has an MSRP of $150 USD and is available for preorder right here. Mighty Jaxx is also offering free shipping worldwide, so don't be a Rancid Rabbit and pre-order today!

THE MYSTERY REMAINS

Although we can see their intestines in this superb figure, the answer to "so how do they poop?" is still a safely guarded secret.

Take a closer look at the XXRAY PLUS CATDOG vinyl figure below!:


Watch all your ‘80s, ‘90s, and ‘00s Nickelodeon favorites on NickRewind, your late-night destination for your favorite childhood Nickelodeon cartoons and live-action shows! NickSplat doesn't question football-shaped heads, but embrace them - along with Reptar bars, a Big Ear of Corn, orange soda, and even slime for Pete (and Pete's) sake. Make your slime-covered Nickelodeon childhood dreams come true every night at 11 PM ET/PT on TeenNick USA, and anytime you want on NickSplat on VRV AND NOW ON Nick Pluto TV!

Like NickRewind on Facebook, subscribe to the NickRewind YouTube channel and follow NickRewind on Twitter and Instagram for exclusive digital content from all of your throwback favorites like Rugrats, Hey Arnold!, iCarly, Victorious, Kenan & Kel, CatDog, Doug, Rocko’s Modern Life, The Amanda Show, Clarissa Explains It All, The Ren & Stimpy Show, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, and so much more!

Join Nickelodeon's official I Was A Nick Kid Facebook Group!: https://www.facebook.com/groups/IWasANickKid/

More Nick:Nickelodeon Hosts 'SpongeBob SquarePants' and 'Are You Afraid of the Dark?' Panels at New York Comic Con 2019!

H/T: SYFY WIRE; Additional source: Art Warehouse LA.

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Share it: @Nickelodeon


Red Tail Productions LLC and Charlie Blum Entertainment/CB Entertainment, in partnership with Nickelodeon, have announced new Fall/Winter 2019 tour dates for Double Dare Live, a multi-city live stage tour inspired by the iconic TV game show Double Dare!

Update (6/21) - Marc Summers has revealed that the Fall/Winter 2019 leg of the tour will serve as the Double Dare Live Farewell Tour, with the final performance being held in December 2019. This is your final chance to watch Marc perform the show LIVE! Make sure you get your tickets now at doubledarelivetour.com!

Coming off of successful fall 2018 and Spring 2019 tours, Double Dare Live– featuring original host Marc Summers and his beloved sidekick Robin Russo – will resume touring on Tuesday, October 15 in Oakland, CA and will tour North America travelling from the West Coast to the East Coast throughout Fall and Winter 2019, playing in 15 North American cities along the way!

Tickets go on sale to the general public Friday, April 5 at 10:00 a.m. Fans can visit doubledarelivetour.com for a list of upcoming Double Dare Live tour cities, times and ticket information.

Inspired by the iconic TV game show Double Dare, Double Dare Live features two teams comprised of selected audience members competing to win prizes by answering brain-bending trivia questions, completing messy physical challenges, and ultimately facing the legendary obstacle course.

Attendees can register to be a contestant on Double Dare Live by completing the Official Rules and Waiver Form on doubledarelivetour.com. Participants must be 10 years or older to be eligible to be Contestants. Only persons 18 years or older can complete the Waiver Form; a parent or legal guardian 18 years or older must complete the Official Rules and Waiver Form for children under 18 years of age. When you’ve read, completed and signed the Waiver Form, hit ‘Submit’ and it will be entered into the database for each city. When you arrive at the venue, go to the Registration Table to verify that you’ve completed Official Rules and Waiver form, and present a valid photo ID and you and any family members that you registered will be given wrist bands which indicate to the show’s host that you are eligible to be a contestant on stage. Please wear athletic shoes if you hope to be called on stage.

Fans can also upgrade their tickets to the DD VIP Experience, featuring premium show seating, a pre-show meet & greet photo opportunity with Marc Summers and Robin Russo, and an official Double Dare Live tour laminate souvenir. There are a limited number of DD VIP Experience tickets which must be purchased in advance. They are designated as ‘VIP Tickets’ in each city’s ticketing system. Purchasers should plan to arrive at the theatre approximately 90 minutes in advance of the show start time. (Check for exact details when you purchase tickets, since timing changes slightly from city to city.) Each adult and child in a group must have a DD VIP Ticket. Go to the check-in table and pick up your DD VIP laminate. Patrons will be directed to the meet & greet which ends approximately 30 minutes prior to show start time. Latecomers risk missing the opportunity.

The highly anticipated return of the Double Dare series premiered in the summer of 2018 on Nickelodeon and ranked as the year’s No. 1 new kids show with kids 6-11, while retaining the core adult audience who grew up with the original television show. The new Double Dare is hosted by digital creator and actress Liza Koshy, with original host Marc Summers providing color commentary on the challenges and lending his vast knowledge of the game and expertise to each episode. Season two is currently airing on Nickelodeon.


“Hosting the Double Dare Live tour couldn’t be any more exciting, and I look forward to continuing to bring the fun and messiness of ‘Double Dare’ to audiences across the country,” Summers said. “Doing the show again with my sidekick Robin will fulfill childhood dreams of the generation that grew up with us and introduce this classic show to the next generation.”






















More Nick:Broadway Smash Hit 'The SpongeBob Musical' to Tour the U.S.; Announces 2019-2020 Tour Dates!

Don't see your city?

The 2019 touring schedule will be updated regularly as dates are made public in each city. Stay tuned for more cities soon!

Fans can also purchase awesome Double Dare Live swag here on the official Double Dare Live store.

Double Dare premiered on Oct. 6, 1986 on Nickelodeon and ran from 1986-1993, making it the network’s longest running game show. Summers served as the show’s original host from 1986-1993. Shortly after its debut, Double Dare became one of the most popular original daily programs on cable television. The series went into syndication in 1988 and was later revived as Super Sloppy Double Dare in 1989. The show also ran on broadcast television as Family Double Dare in 1988, followed by new versions on Nickelodeon, including Double Dare 2000.

Follow Double Dare Live on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Double Dare Live is produced by Red Tail Productions, LLC and CB Entertainment.

Brick Wall Breakout | Photo: CWaits

Bucket Head | Photo: CWaits

Contestants to play the Obstacle Course | Photo: CWaits

Pancakes & Syrup | Photo: CWaits

Plunger Ball Swap | Photo: CWaits

Viking Ring Toss | Photo: CWaits

Red Tail Productions, LLC

View this post on Instagram

THE DOUBLE DARE LIVE FAREWELL TOUR INFO IS AT WWW.DOUBLEDARELIVETOUR.COM. WE START ON THE WEST COAST OCT AND NOV AND THEN MOVE EAST IN DEC. THIS IS THE LAST TIME TO SEE ME DO THIS SHOW LIVE. END OF DECEMBER IT IS OVER. NEW DATES SOON TO BE ANNOUNCED. FOXWOODS AND BOSTON ARE ANNOUNCED. STAND BY FOR MORE. SHARE THE MEMORIES. SHARE THE FUN.

A post shared by Marc Summers (@realmarcsummers) on Jun 21, 2019 at 7:51am PDT

CEO Phillip Drayer and President Marc Engel produce and present a wide variety of entertainment throughout North America, including the acclaimed Broadway hit A Night with Janis Joplin (Tony Nomination), the spectacular Do You Hear the People Sing, Cirque Musica, Scooby Doo Live! Musical Mysteries, Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo Live and Erth’s Prehistoric Aquarium Adventure. Through its division Red Tail-Live, the company has a tremendous track record of producing and presenting live entertainment in a variety of venues, theatres, performing arts centers and arenas throughout the U.S. and Canada presenting over a hundred events annually, spanning genres from Broadway Musicals to Country and Pop, to Classic Rock, Jazz and Comedy, and featuring heritage artists such as Tony Bennett, Alan Jackson, Norah Jones, Dolly Parton, Harry Connick, Jr., The Beach Boys, Bill Maher, and Martina McBride.

About CB Entertainment

Charlie Blum is a renowned entertainment industry executive with over 40 years of experience as a major concert promoter, talent buyer, theatre executive, television producer and artist manager. He served for almost three decades as President/CEO for Chicagoland’s premier concert facility, the Star Plaza Theatre, following more than ten years as a Vice President with the Nederlander Concerts. Charlie has worked with virtually every major artist in show business, presenting thousands of concerts featuring performers like Jerry Seinfeld, Garth Brooks, Frank Sinatra, Madonna, The Jackson Five, Christina Aguilera, The Grateful Dead, Rascal Flatts, Blake Shelton, Rod Stewart and Cher. He has executive-produced four nationally released PBS television shows, most recently, the groundbreaking “Harmonies 4 Healing” with partner Connecticut Public Broadcasting. Charlie is also the host of Lakeshore Classic Movies every weekend on PBS in Chicago.

About Nickelodeon

Nickelodeon, now in its 40^th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The brand includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, digital, location based experiences, publishing and feature films. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB).

From Broadway World Las Vegas:

DOUBLE DARE LIVE! Announces Host Marc Summers' Farewell Tour At The Smith Center

Following more than three decades at the helm of Double Dare's slime-soaked shenanigans, Charlie Blum Entertainment / CB Entertainment and Red Tail Productions LLC, in partnership with Nickelodeon are happy - and a bit sad - to announce that the show's legendary host, Marc Summers, will be saying goodbye to Double Dare and its live tour at the end of this year, marking the conclusion of thousands of pies, numerous chocolate-covered chickens and of course, tons of slime!

Double Dare Live! will play The Smith Center in Las Vegas on Sunday, Oct. 20. For tickets and more information, visit TheSmithCenter.com.

Marc Summers summed it up by saying, "Going out on top has always been my goal. I was able to revive the program, both on television and in theaters across the country. 'Double Dare' has been a once in a lifetime experience. For over 30 years, I have had an amazing time entertaining a couple of generations. It's always been important to me to know when to say farewell, and I believe now is that time. But this is not retirement! I have a new show launching on Discovery, a live one many show, a documentary on my life, and a few other tricks up my sleeve!"

"I want to thank my extremely loyal fan base who first discovered me on 'Double Dare,' followed me over to 'What Would You Do?,' and continue to follow me in my career and on social media."

"Double Dare" premiered on Oct. 6, 1986, on Nickelodeon, and ran from 1986-1993, making it the network's longest running game show. Marc Summers served as the show's original host from 1986-1993. Shortly after its debut, "Double Dare" became one of the most popular original daily programs on cable television. The series went into syndication in 1988 and was later revived as "Super Sloppy Double Dare" in 1989. The show also ran on broadcast television as "Family Double Dare" in 1988, followed by new versions on Nick, including "Double Dare 2000." Nickelodeon launched a successful revival of the show in the summer of 2018 to the great acclaim of the original super fans and a whole new generation of kids. All new "Double Dare" episodes will air on Nickelodeon in October and December of this year.

The Double Dare Live! national tour launched with the TV revival and has announced tour dates currently through the end of 2019. Inspired by the iconic TV game show, Double Dare Live! features two teams comprised of selected audience members competing to win prizes by answering brain-bending trivia questions, completing messy physical challenges and ultimately facing the legendary obstacle course.

One of the tour producers Charlie Blum said, "It has been a total joy connecting our live audiences across the country with their TV hero Marc Summers while touring Double Dare Live. His command of the audience and the messiest game show on tour is mind-boggling and he will be sorely missed."

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More Nick:Nick Jr. Live! "Move To The Music" U.S. Theatrical Tour To Debut Fall 2019!

Originally published: Monday, April 1, 2019 at 11:02pm GMT.

H/T: Broadway World Montana, Anime Superhero Forum /@Magitroopa.

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BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Oct. 04, 2019 -- As a result of the strong performance of Rainbow Rangers on Nick Jr. in the U.S., Genius Brands International “Genius Brands” (Nasdaq: GNUS) announced today that Nickelodeon, a Viacom Inc. company (Nasdaq: VIA, VIAB), has significantly increased the broadcasting of the Company’s original preschool series by tripling the daily broadcast.

Effective immediately, Nick Jr. will now go to airing Rainbow Rangers Monday – Friday, 3x per day, and on the weekends with a new episode premiering each Sunday. Since premiering on Nick Jr. in November 2018, the series has consistently achieved high ratings with its target demo of Girls 2 – 5-years-old.

“The increased broadcast run commitment in the premium 10 weeks leading up to Christmas underscores the success of the series. The exposure of Rainbow Rangers is now essentially tripled,” said Andy Heyward, Chairman & CEO, Genius Brands.

“As products are now rolling out into the marketplace, this huge increase in daily exposure will grow the awareness and appetite for the 375 SKUs of Rainbow Rangers’ licensed products beginning to be introduced now,” said Lloyd Mintz, SVP, Global Consumer Products, Genius Brands. “The licensed categories include toys, books, apparel, footwear, sleepwear, bedding, school supplies, party goods, costumes, novelty, vitamins, bathing suits, bicycles, among others.”

Heyward adds, “We are thrilled with the commitment that Nickelodeon continues to make to Rainbow Rangers by providing more opportunities for young audiences to watch throughout the week this special series that not only delivers fun, adventure and entertainment but important positive messaging of empowerment and diversity.”

In the international market, Rainbow Rangers season one debuted this summer across Latin America on Nickelodeon LatAm, and in its first major European territory, Italy, on Cartoonito. Genius Brands is currently in negotiations with a number of other leading broadcasters around the world, which will be announced in the coming days, as well as global licensing agents.

Rainbow Rangers is a rescue-based series that follows the adventures of seven girls who are Earth’s first responders, protecting people, animals, resources, and the natural beauty of our world. The series boasts a unique and highly-accomplished team of creators from the animated motion picture and television worlds, including Rob Minkoff (Disney’s The Lion King director), Shane Morris (Disney’s Frozen co-writer), Tim Mansfield, and New York Times Bestselling author and Emmy Award-nominated writer Elise Allen (Dinosaur Train, Lion Guard, Barbie specials), who serves as head writer and co-creator. Multiple Emmy Award-winning director Michael Maliani directs the series, and Genius Brands' Chairman and CEO and multiple Emmy Award-winning producer, Andy Heyward, serves as executive producer.

About Genius Brands International
Headquartered in Beverly Hills, Genius Brands International, Inc. (Nasdaq: GNUS) is a leading global kids media company developing, producing, marketing and licensing branded children’s entertainment properties and consumer products for media and retail distribution. The Company’s “content with a purpose” brand portfolio, which is led by award-winning creators and producers, includes preschool properties Rainbow Rangers for Nick Jr. and Llama Llama for Netflix; award-winning toddler brand, Baby Genius; adventure comedy STEM series, Thomas Edison's Secret Lab; and financial literacy and entrepreneurship series, Warren Buffett's Secret Millionaires Club. The Company’s content catalog also includes the animated series, Stan Lee's Cosmic Crusaders, created with Stan Lee's Pow! Entertainment. Seeing the need to provide kids and parents with a safe viewing environment that offers premium enriching and engaging programming, Genius Brands launched the Genius Brands Network – comprised of Kid Genius Cartoon Channel and Baby Genius TV, as well as an exclusive Kid Genius Cartoons Plus subscription channel on Amazon Prime.The Network channels are available in approximately 80 million U.S. households via a variety of distribution platforms, including cable with Comcast and Cox, OTT including Amazon Fire, DISH TV/Sling, set-top box, internet, and mobile. Through licensing agreements with category leading partners, characters from the Company’s properties also appear on a wide range of consumer products for retail. For additional information, please visit www.gnusbrands.com

Forward Looking Statements: Certain statements in this press release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Words such as "may,""might,""will,""should,""believe,""expect,""anticipate,""estimate,""continue,""predict,""forecast,""project,""plan,""intend" or similar expressions, or statements regarding intent, belief, or current expectations, are forward-looking statements. While the Company believes these forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on any such forward-looking statements, which are based on information available to us on the date of this release. These forward looking statements are based upon current estimates and assumptions and are subject to various risks and uncertainties, including without limitation those set forth in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), not limited to Risk Factors relating to its patent business contained therein. Thus, actual results could be materially different. The Company expressly disclaims any obligation to update or alter statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

More Nick:Genius Brands Enters Next Significant Phase of Growth With Launch of Branded 'Rainbow Rangers' Merchandise at Retail!

Original source: Globe Newswire.

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London, Friday 4th October 2019 – Professor Green has joined SLIMEFEST’s line up as a headliner, with Alice Chater featuring, on Saturday 19th October 2019 at The Arena, Blackpool Pleasure Beach, across both 1pm and 6pm shows.

Families can visit nick.co.uk/slimefest for more information on the music and slime-filled events.

With two weeks to go until Blackpool gets slimey, Professor Green featuring Alice Chater are the last acts to be confirmed for the star-studded line up of sold-out SLIMEFEST shows across the weekend.

Marking his second SLIMEFEST performance, Professor Green is firmly established as one of the crossover superstars of British music, the Hackney born and raised rapper has notched up two Top 3 albums and over 3.5 million combined sales in the UK alone. Professor Green has recently released his brand-new EP M.O.T.H with his latest single ‘Got It All’ ft. pop newcomer Alice Chater before embarking on a nationwide headline UK tour in November.

Professor Green said “I can’t wait to get slimey in Blackpool again! I had so much fun last time so Alice and I are excited to perform for you all very soon”


SLIMEFEST 2019 is hosted by Jordan Banjo and Perri Kiely from with 19th – 21st October. Professor Green and Alice Chater joining resident acts Diversity, Jess Folley, Max and Harvey, New Hope Club, Kira Kosarin and Road Trip. Raye headlines the Sunday 20th shows and Scouting for Girls perform on Monday 21st.

Tickets to SLIMEFEST UK 2019 have now SOLD OUT! The only way in is to win! Keep your eye out on Nick.co.uk and on Nickelodeon UK's Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for competitions where you could win tix to SLIMEFEST!

Over 100,000 people have attended related SLIMEFEST events across the globe in the US, Australia, Italy, UK, Germany and Spain.

Filled with SLIME, MUSIC and MAYHEM join Nickelodeon for the biggest and slimiest event of the year here in Blackpool! Packed full of top music acts, special guests, your favourite Nickelodeon stars and most importantly, SLIME!

Oh and shhh, Nick has a super slimy, big green secret to tell you. For children aged between 8-15 years old, a SLIME PIT ticket will get you up-close to your favourite stars, plus it’s the ONLY way to experience the SLIME! Accompanying parents/guardians & younger children can experience the fun with a seated ticket or a standing adult ticket (for adults and kids 15yrs +)

Slimefest 2019 line up:

Saturday 19 October1pm & 6pm	Sunday 20 October1pm & 6pm	Monday 21 October1pm & 6pm
Professor Green ft Alice Charter	Raye	Scouting for Girls
Hosts Jordan & Perri	Hosts Jordan & Perri	Hosts Jordan & Perri
Diversity	Diversity	Diversity
New Hope Club	New Hope Club	New Hope Club
Kira Kosarin	Kira Kosarin	Kira Kosarin
Jess Folley	Jess Folley	Jess Folley
Road Trip	Road Trip	Road Trip

Nickelodeon

The home of SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, PAW Patrol and Nella the Princess Knight, Nickelodeon UK & Ireland Network is available in over 13 million cable and satellite homes and now reaches more than 10 million viewers a month. Launched in 1993, the top-performing Nickelodeon network comprises seven dedicated entertainment channels for kids aged 4-15 and their families: Nickelodeon, Nickelodeon HD, Nickelodeon +1, Nicktoons, Nick Jr., Nick Jr. +1 and Nick Jr. Too. The entertainment company has built a diverse multi-platform business by putting kids first in everything it does – Kids Rule! Content is at the core of the business with critically-acclaimed and hugely-popular television programming from the UK and around the world.

In addition to the quality television programmes, Nickelodeon also produces bespoke content available online and on Nick Play, as well as consumer product and recreation opportunities such as the UK’s first-ever Nick theme park, Nickelodeon Land and the slimiest music festival for kids, SLIMEFEST UK.

Families can click here for more information on the music and slime-filled events.

Check out this aweslime photo gallery from SLIMEFEST 2018!: http://nickalive.blogspot.com/2019/06/new-hope-club-join-star-and-slime.html#more

More Nick:BRICKLIVE NEC to Host the Midlands First PAW Patrol Brick Models!

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