Erin Burnett

Erin Burnett hosts several programs now for the Peacock. Besides being a regular guest on Meet the Press, Burnett is best loved for her CNBC work daily on Street Signs and Squawk on the Street. How well loved is she? Her numbers keep delivering! Reports say that since Burnett joined both shows in 2005, Squawk’s ratings are up 142% among young adults, Street Signs 57%. Other NBC shows she regularly guest appeared on include MSNBC’s Morning Joe and NBC Nightly News.

And her funniest nickname? Maria 2.0, a suggestion that she is the Maria Bartiromo of a new generation. Burnett doesn’t agree: “People always like to have rivalries. She and I get along, but we have different styles. I don’t know if the comparison is flattering [to either one of us].”

Francis Ford Coppola

This week Francis Ford Coppola’s Tetro hits theaters following its May debut at the Cannes Film Festival. I was among the first to see the film back at the end of April and recently had a chance to speak with the Oscar-winning writer and director over the phone from his office at American Zoetrope, his production house that is also set to distribute the film, but it wasn’t always planned that way.

“We sort of fell into self release without really wanting to,” Coppola tells me as the film hits theaters this Thursday, June 11. “It only happened because we didn’t particularly want to show the movie until it was finished and we didn’t want it to get suddenly released in late November with a bunch of independent films because they have this habit of all coming out at the end of the year so they can possibly be in the sweepstakes for awards. I wanted it to come early. So I decided to have it come out on June 11th, which is my father’s birthday.”

It’s only fitting Coppola’s first original screenplay in more than 30 years, and one he admits draws on memories of his own family, would hold even more personal significance all the way down to its release date. However, early discussion of the film around the entertainment community has people wondering if Tetro will be a “return to form” for the director of such films as The Godfather trilogy, The Conversation and Apocalypse Now. The idea of such speculation is to approach the film with a misunderstanding of the director’s intentions.

Tony Awards 2009 Winners

Tony Awards 2009 Winners were dominated in wins by Billy Elliot with 10 Tonys tonight, followed with God of Carnage, 3, Next to Normal, 3, and Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, 2. Best Musical Billy Elliot Best Actor in a MusicalDavid Alvarez, Kiril Kulish and Trent Kowalik, Billy Elliot Best Actress in a Musical Alice Ripley, Next to Normal Best Revival of a Musical Hair Best Actor in a Musical David Alvarez, Kiril Kulish and Trent Kowalik, Billy Elliot.

Best Actress in a Musical Alice Ripley, Next to Normal Best Revival of a Musical Hair Best Play God of Carnage Best Revival of a Play The Norman Conquests Best Actress in a Play Marica Gay Harden, God of Carnage Best Actor in a Play Geoffrey Rush, Exit the King Best Featured Actress in a Musical Karen Olivo, West Side Story Best Featured Actor in a Musical Gregory Jbara, Billy Elliot Best Special Theatrical Event Liza Minnelli, Liza’s at the Palace.

Best Direction of a Musical Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot Best Direction of a Play Matthew Warchus, God of Carnage Best Original Score Tom Kitt (music) and Brian Yorkey (lyrics), Next to Normal Best Featured Actress in a Play Angela Lansbury, Blithe Spirit Best Featured Actor in a Play Roger Robinson, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone Best Book of a Musical Lee Hall, Billy Elliot ©2009 Bruce Glikas/Broadway.com Tony winner Karen Olivo Best Choreography Peter Darling, Billy Elliot Best Sound Design of a Musical Paul Arditti, Billy Elliot Best Orchestrations (TIE) Michael Starobin and Tom Kitt, Next to Normaland Martin Koch, Billy Elliot Congrats to all the winners!