Bender/Assistant teams for int'l PR network

PR consultants Bender/Assistant Impact and German-based Indigo Pearls have launched the Surround Group, an worldwide network for PR, social media and online marketing, the companies introduced Thursday. The venture will focus on entertainment, media and consumer tech. Services in local constituencies includes crisis management, video article promotion and Website design. Other participants includes Marketingworks, Argentina's Dixit Communicaciones, Australia's Red-colored-colored Agency, Brazil's Grupocasa, Canada's Webidiotz, Chile's HiLinks, India's Approach Communications and Mexico's Joint Communications and 3NMedia. Partners in Korea, China and Japan will rapidly be introduced. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Kress & McDuffie: Animation Writers Caucus Animation Award honorees

KressMcDuffie The Animation Writers Caucus honorees both died in 2011. AWC chair Craig Miller says: "Both were people I was glad to call friend and colleague, and whose efforts, it can truthfully be said, made all of us the better for them. They left us much too soon and too young."Earl Kress who died in September at age 60, worked for more than 30 years to help bring WGA benefits to animation writers. But he was more than an organizer; Spike Brandt, a WB producer who worked with Kress, remembers him as an "animation historian," whose specialty was visual gags.Brandt says Kress wasn't worried about being "hip" when it came to writing animation for Warner Bros. "He looked at who the characters were, and did what was right for them."Miller calls honoree Dwayne McDuffie, who died just under a year ago at age 49, "a talented writer and creator of comics and animation who worked hard for others, particularly for minority writers."AWC member Stan Berkowitz remembers when McDuffie came to L.A. to work on the animated adaptation of his own African-American comicbook, "Static Shock." "It wasn't long before he was one of the leading lights of superhero animation."WGA AWARDS 2012Truth elbows out gags | Good timing for WGA prexyHonoreesKress & McDuffie | Eric Roth | Tate Taylor | Patric Verrone | Zwick & Herskovitz Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Colbert Report Removed the atmosphere Due to "Unforeseen Conditions"

The CW finds its Beauty in Smallville's Kristin Kreuk. Kreuk may have charge role inside the network's pilot Beauty as well as the Animal, TVGuide.com has confirmed. The variation, loosely using the eighties CBS series of the title, may have an appreciation story getting a procedural twist. Discover More > Other Links From TVGuide.com SmallvilleKristin Kreuk

Diller backs digital broadcast venture

Craig Diller's IAC is probably the backers of the startup company that may face legal challenges regarding its delivery of live broadcast TV to digital platforms. Aereo TV was introduced Tuesday at IAC's Manhattan headquarters with a brand new round of funding amassing $20 million from traders including Diller, who'll join the business's board of company directors. The service charges customers $12 monthly for use of HD broadcast TV systems in live linear form in addition to recorded programming saved on cloud-based Digital recording device with no set-top box or wires. Aereo TV, that has released invitation-only in front of a larger deployment the following month, is going to be available only in NY to begin with. "Aereo may be the first potentially major technology which has the opportunity to give people use of broadcast television shipped on the internet to the device, small or large, they really want,Inch stated Diller. But Aereo TV hasn't compensated retransmission consent costs to the tv stations, a loophole the venture thinks it may exploit by implementing a small antenna for everybody sub as opposed to the traditional one-to-many transmission. Nevertheless, it can't function as the first service that thought it might sidestep the broadcast business simply to be stopped within the courts. Contact Andrew Wallenstein at andrew.wallenstein@variety.com

Amazon eyes laffers, kids content

Amazon may be following its rivals in the subscription VOD category into original programming. New job postings on the online retail giant's own website reveal Amazon is seeking execs capable of developing halfhour comedies and kids programming. The postings first came to light on tech blog GigaOm. The company did not respond to inquiry seeking comment. Just last week, Amazon declined to comment in an interview with Variety whether it had any interest in creating original programming for its SVOD product, Amazon Prime Instant Videos. The postings do not specify that the programming creation is specifically for Prime or its online storefront for a la carte transactions, Amazon Instant Video. The job is characterized as being under the auspices of Amazon Studios, a division that drew notice last year for optioning movie scripts. Amazon's search for a comedy exec specifies, "The ideal candidate knows the comedy genre, has development and production experience and wants to work with writers and artists to develop original series for the web and for traditional distribution channels." Job responsibilities associated with the position include assessing pilot proposals and working with writers and artists to develop series ideas. While Amazon Prime has subsisted to date on licensed catalog programming from an array of studios and networks, rivals including Netflix and Hulu have moved beyond library fare to developing their own original series as a means of differentiating their services. Contact Andrew Wallenstein at andrew.wallenstein@variety.com

'Graystone' builds up sales

Madrid-based 6 Sales has licensed Sean Stone's directorial feature debut, supernatural horror pic "Graystone," for the U.K. (Revolver) and Japan (Fine Films). Beyond these key areas, the ghost story has closed Mexico (Cien Films), India (WEG India Pictures), Chicken (Medyavizyon) and Peru (Eurofilms). A U.S. deal with XLrator Media remains introduced. Talks are saved to with Canuck distribs in Berlin. Inspired by true occasions, "Graystone" triggers a young trio of filmmakers exploring an abandoned asylum that's considered to become haunted. Cast includes Sean Stone, his father, helmer Oliver Stone, and Alexander Wraith. Pic is produced by Giulia Prenna at Mind the area Prods. and Headlong Entertainment's Kaila You'll be able to. In the separate move, Marina Fuentes' 6 Sales has inked Japanese (Doma) and Latin American (Swen) rights to Spaniard helmer-scribe Mateo Gil's Western "Blackthorn." Using these deals, "Blackthorn" is basically offered out, Fuentes mentioned. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

TBS greenlights 'Sullivan and Son'

TBS has ordered 10 episodes of comedy "Sullivan and Son," starring comedian Steve Byrne. Byrne and showrunner Rob Long co-wrote the pilot, set in a Pittsburgh bar that Byrne's character, a former corporate attorney, takes over. Vince Vaughn and Peter Billingsley are exec producing "Sullivan" with Long, with Dan Lauria, Jodi Long, Owen Benjamin, Brian Doyle Murray, Christine Ebersole, Vivian Bang and Valerie Azlynn co-starring. Show comes from Vaughn's Wild West Picture Show Prods. in association with Warner Horizon TV. Ted Wass willl direct. " 'Sullivan and Son' is a smart, funny, workplace comedy from the distinct comedy voices of Steve Byrne and Rob Long," said Michael Wright, exec veep and head of programming for TBS, TNT and Turner Classic Movies. Lauria and Long will play the parents of Byrne's character, Benjamin his best friend. Bang has the role of his sister, Azlynn is a former sweetheart and Murray and Ebersole (who worked together on "Saturday Night Live" three decades ago) will play bar regulars. "Sullivan" is slated for a summer premiere, to go with buddy comedy series "Men at Work" with Danny Masterson, James Lesure, Michael Cassidy and Adam Busch. Coming later this year for TBS will be "The Wedding Band," with Brian Austin Green, Harold Perrineau, Peter Cambor, Derek Miller, Melora Hardin, Jenny Wade and Kathryn Fiore. Contact Jon Weisman at jon.weisman@variety.com

VIDEO: Gisele Bundchen Defends Husband Tom Brady After Super Bowl Loss

Gisele Bundchen Nobody felt worse in comparison to NFL's leading receiver, Wes Welker, after he not successful capture an important pass late in Super Bowl XLVI. Without any one appeared more irked relating to this than Gisele Bundchen, particularly after taunting Leaders fans screamed at her: "Eli rules. Eli has your husband." "You [have] capture the ball when you're made to catch the ball," she states inside the video below. "My husband cannot f------ tennis ball so the ball and catch the ball concurrently. It's surprising they dropped the ball lots of occasions." Super Bowl Ads: X Factor champion demands respect! Plus: Howard Stern, Clint Eastwood Tom Brady developed a couple mistakes themselves, however, as some fans contended the ball was thrown behind Welker. Bundchen was making her approach to a good start after watching the Gambling lose the Super Bowl when she experienced the exuberant otherwise classy NY Leaders fans. What can you consider the supermodel sticking on her husband? Was she wrong accusing his teammates?