The Morning Fix: ‘Big Bang’ lifts TBS. ‘Hunger Games’ boosts N.C.

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After the coffee. Before getting my tickets for ‘The Hunger Games.’ Yes, you read that right.

The Skinny: Apparently I’m not the only one who keeps track of how many times the word ‘vagina’ is used on the CBS sitcom ‘Two Broke Girls.’ A media watchdog group has also been keeping tabs. Wednesday’s headlines also include how North Carolina is looking to capitalize on ‘The Hunger Games’ and how reruns of ‘The Big Bang Theory’ are paying off big time for TBS.

Daily Dose: Eagle-eyed watchers of the television spots for the upcoming ‘American Pie’ sequel ‘American Reunion’ have noticed that a bikini bottom in one of the commercials is actually a ‘green screen,’ which is Hollywood lingo for fake. Look closely at the girl with the red string top and green bottom that looks more like a piece of green cardboard hung over her backside. Now I’ll have to see the movie just to find out what she was really wearing. Yes, it’s a slow morning.

Hungry for more. With ‘The Hunger Games’ expected to do huge business when it opens this weekend, North Carolina, the state where the movie was shot, is hoping to benefit as well. “It shows the industry that North Carolina can handle these large films and that we have the talent and resources to make it work,’ said Aaron Syrett, director of the North Carolina Film Office. Before ‘The Hunger Games,’ North Carolina’s biggest movie credits included ‘Dirty Dancing’ and ‘The Last of the Mohicans.’ Currently, Showtime’s ‘Homeland’ shoots there and later this year ‘Iron Man 3’ will film there as well. More on North Carolina’s plans to woo Hollywood from the Los Angeles Times.

Even an iPad has its limits. The new version of Apple’s iPad apparently has a a big appetite when it comes to eating through wireless data. The Wall Street Journal said consumers may have to pay more to get larger data plans to watch a lot of video. The opening anecdote is about a guy named Brandon Wells who used up his monthly data plan after watching just two hours of the NCAA basketball tournament. That may sound disturbing to new iPad owners but even more disturbing was that Wells apparently attached the iPad to his car’s dashboard to watch the games. Yeah, that sounds safe.

‘Big Bang’ getting big results. When TBS shelled out $1.5 million per episode for reruns of the CBS comedy ‘The Big Bang Theory,’ some were shaking their heads. But now ‘The Big Bang Theory’ is helping to boost TBS’ ratings and has turned into a valuable promotional platform for the network’s other shows including Conan O’Brien’s late night program. Vulture looks at the amazing success of ‘The Big Bang Theory.’

Telling tales. Hollywood is embracing fairy tales. Besides the ABC series ‘Once Upon a Time’ and NBC’s ‘Grimm,’ new movies ‘Mirror, Mirror’ and “Snow White and the Huntsman’ are also looking to children’s classics for material. More on the trend from the New York Times.

Yahoo lands big fish. Internet web portal Yahoo continues to make splashy deals in its efforts to build a programming powerhouse. Anthony Zuiker, creator of CBS’ ‘CSI’ franchise, has signed on with Yahoo to create a crime drama called ‘Cybergeddon.’ Previously, Yahoo landed Tom Hanks to produce an animated series called ‘Electric City.’ More on the deal from Variety.

Ellen vs. JLo. Ellen DeGeneres and Jennifer Lopez have more in common than being judges on ‘American Idol.’ Both are featured in ad campaigns getting lots of play. DeGeneres is shilling for JCPenney while Lopez has been hawking Fiats and more recently a clothing line from Kohl’s. Ad Age compares the two women’s marketing prowess and decides that while Lopez may be better on ‘American Idol,’ DeGeneres is stronger on Madison Avenue.

Inside the Los Angeles Times: You’re not imagining things; the words penis and vagina are popping up more and more in prime time television.

-- Joe Flint

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