HOLLYWOOD - And who says traffic is bad?
USA Films has landed the best TV rights deal for a movie in its history, and it's got "Traffic" to thank.
The studio has sold the border-crossing drug flick to both NBC and its affiliated cable channel USA Network in a deal that would yield the studio up to about 17 percent of the film's eventual domestic gross in total license fees from both of the networks, Daily Variety says.
According to sources, NBC would pay 12 percent of the total gross of the film for its exclusive two-year deal, and USA Network would shell out 5 percent. In other words, if "Traffic" hits the $100 million mark, the Peacock Network would have to pay $12 million vs. USA Network's $5 million.
The flick is slated to go to NBC in September 2003, about 18 months after the movie begins its cable run on Showtime.
SURVIVING OVERSEAS: America continues to export its particular brand of low-brow culture to the rest of the world. According to Variety, CBS has sold "Survivor" to more than 40 countries, including Canada, Ireland, Australia and Japan.
SORRY FOR BEING AN IDIOT: "Politically Incorrect" host Bill Maher is very sorry for being politically incorrect.
A penitent Maher has apologized for making insensitive remarks about the mentally disabled, The Associated Press reports. The apology comes after several advocate groups complained to ABC about the show's Jan. 11 broadcast, wherein the verbally provocative host compared his pet dogs to "retarded children."