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Access Hollywood
Title screen as of October 2007
Presented by	Billy Bush (2004-present)
Country of origin	United States
Language(s)	English
No. of episodes	3,265 (as of July 23, 2007)
Production
Running time	30 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel	Syndicated
Picture format	480i SDTV
Audio format	MTS stereo
First shown in	September 1996
Original run	September 9, 1996 – present
External links
Official website

Access Hollywood is a weekday television entertainment news program covering events and celebrities in the entertainment industry. It was created by former Entertainment Tonight executive producer Jim Van Messel, and is currently directed by Robert Silverstein (in previous years, Doug Dougherty and later Christopher A. Berry directed the program). Access Hollywood primarily focuses on news in the music, television, and film industries.

It began broadcasting on September 9, 1996, and is nationally syndicated in the United States. In 2003 a British version of the show began production and in an Irish version began in 2006 airing on the now defunct Channel 6, now known as 3e. In Canada, CTV airs this program since September 1, 2008.

Hosts and correspondents

In the United States, the current host is Billy Bush (who also serves as the show's announcer and an uncredited senior executive producer), with Tony Potts, Shaun Robinson and Maria Menounos as correspondents.

Previous hosts include Giselle Fernández, Larry Mendte, Pat O'Brien, who hosted the show alongside O'Dell until late 2004, when he left to host the Entertainment Tonight spin-off The Insider, and Nancy O'Dell, who hosted the show alongside Billy Bush until December 18, 2009, when she left to pursue other career interests. Giselle Fernandez and Larry Mendte were the shows original hosts when it debuted in 1996. Mendte also co-hosted the weekend edition with Nancy O'Dell. Previous correspondents include Amy Powell, Rawley Valverde, Tim Vincent, Jeff Probst and Steven "Cojo" Cojocaru.

In the United Kingdom, the show was hosted by Kate Garraway and Vincent. In the Republic of Ireland, the show was hosted by Jenny Buckley on Channel 6 Ireland.

Segments

• AH Nation: which will allow viewers the opportunity to help producers select what is in the nightly show
• In Case You Missed It: where the show's staff discusses unique moments on television, film, music and the web
• Watch This: which suggests television shows that "Access Hollywood's" team of experts recommend
• The Final 45: will be a recap at the end of the show about the day's most important entertainment news
• Access Express: will separate fact from fiction and dispute daily entertainment stories or news that might be false

Access Across America

In 2005, Access Hollywood went on a month-long roadtrip they called Access Across America while the studio underwent a major overhaul. The show's new set was done in pastel colors with a modern flair, separating its look from other similar shows, including rival Entertainment Tonight. The new look also included a brand-new graphics package. Access Hollywood is taped at Studio 1 at NBC Studios in Burbank, former home of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

Spin-offs

The program has had some short-lived spinoffs in the last few years, including AMC Access for the AMC channel, and Real Access (the first teen-oriented entertainment news program, and the only attempt so far at an entertainment news program aimed at teens on television) for The N and Nickelodeon. The network most recently produced the African-American oriented TV One Access for the TV One cable channel. The programs also does entertainment segments for NBC's cable news channel, which are titled Access MSNBC.

NBC Universal Television Distribution is planning a spinoff of Access Hollywood called Access Hollywood Live. The new series, slated for the 2010-11 television season, will feature entertainment news stories and in-studio guests. As of March 2010, the new series has already been picked up by NBC owned-and-operated stations in six markets ^[1] and Fox owned-and-operated stations in six other major markets ^[2], on stations that already carry the flagship series.

Distributors throughout the years

The program is produced by NBC and has changed distributors over the years, first with New World Television, then 20th Century Fox Television (after News Corporation bought New World), followed by Warner Bros. Television, and then to NBC Enterprises when the network started up their own syndication division. Today, what is now NBC Universal Television Distribution (although with the Universal Media Studios logo) is solely responsible for its production and distribution.

Personalities

Current anchors

• Billy Bush
• Tatyana Ali - co-host of TV One Access
• Quddus - co-host of TV One Access

Current correspondents

• Tony Potts - also weekday substitute and anchor of the weekend edition of Access Hollywood
• Maria Menounos - also weekday substitute
• Shaun Robinson - also weekday substitute and anchor of the weekend edition of Access Hollywood
• Laura Saltman - "Dish of Salt" segment

Past anchors

• Nancy O'Dell
• Pat O'Brien
• Larry Mendte
• Giselle Fernandez

Spoofs

• The show was parodied in the show Arthur in the special Arthur, It's Only Rock N' Roll when a spoof named Access Elwood interviewed the band U Stink.
• In the South Park episode "Free Hat", a show airs called "Excess Hollywood" with a look-alike of then host Pat O'Brien.
• Craig Ferguson often parodies Access Hollywood on The Late Late Show in a segment called "Access Extratainment Tonight" (a portmanteau of Access Hollywood, Entertainment Tonight, and Extra) with Ferguson as "Barney Slash".
• In The Simpsons Movie the show is mentioned in an argument between Homer and Marge.

References

External links

• Access Hollywood official site
• Access Hollywood at the Internet Movie Database
• Access Hollywood at TV.com
• Real Access at TV.com
• Jump The Shark - Access Hollywood