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Posts tagged as “television comedy”

LeBron James-Produced Comedy Series Gets Picked Up by Starz

LeBron JamesStarz has given a series order to the basketball comedy from NBA star LeBron James.  The half-hour scripted series, Survivor’s Remorse, is set in the world of professional basketball and, according to the series description, “explores the comedy and drama of an experience that everyone reads about but few understand — what truly happens when you make it out.”  The comedy was announced last September and the shot clock is ticking fast, with a fall premiere being eyed. For the premium channel that has steadily crafted a brand of sweeping period dramas, Survivor’s Remorse marks a toe-dipping back into the comedy waters.

It centers on Cam Calloway, a basketball powerhouse in his early 20s who must navigate the limelight after inking a multimillion-dollar contract with a professional basketball team. Something the Miami Heat star might know something about.  James serves as an executive producer, alongside Tom Werner (RoseanneThat ’70s Show), Maverick Carter, Paul Wachter and Mike O’Malley (actor on Glee, writer on Shameless), who will also write.

“Ever since I got cut from the freshman hoop team at Bishop Guertin High School in 1980, I’ve wanted to write about my love and hatred of basketball,” O’Malley said in a statement. “Starz has given us great freedom to explore an authentic world inspired by Maverick and LeBron. Tom’s legendary TV career and his experiences as a professional sports owner combined with Paul’s wealth of business and entertainment industry relationships have given this team a truly strong foundation to build a successful series.”

Damon Wayans Jr. Sells Comedy Pilot to Fox Network

Damon Wayans Jr
Damon Wayans Jr. (Tommaso Boddi/WireImage)

Fox has landed “Man/Child,” a project from Damon Wayans Jr. with a pilot production commitment.  Comedy centers on two single dads who move in together and struggle to find the balance between being responsible parents and debaucherous bachelor.  “Wilfred” showrunners Reed Agnew and Eli Jorne will pen and executive produce “Man/Child,” with Wayans Jr. also executive producing.  “Modern Family” director Jason Winer will direct “Man/Child” and also receive an executive producer credit.  20th Century Fox TV and Small Dog Picture Company will produce the pilot.
“Man/Child” marks one of Wayans Jr.’s first forays behind the camera. The thesp, who hails from the comedic powerhouse Wayans family, appeared in Fox’s “New Girl” pilot before ankling the show and taking on a lead character on ABC’s “Happy Endings.” “Happy Endings” was cancelled after three seasons by ABC earlier this year.
article by AJ Marechal via Variety.com

HBO Developing Comedy Series From Larry Wilmore & Issa Rae To Star Rae

Larry Wilmore and Issa Rae have teamed to co-write a comedy series project for HBO, with Rae set to star. The project focuses on the awkward experiences and racy tribulations of a modern day African-American woman. These are also themes Rae has tackled in her successful webseries, The Misadventures Of Awkward Black Girl. Wilmore will executive produce with 3 Arts, which manages both him and Rae, while Rae will co-executive produce.
Rae, recently named to Forbes’ “30 under 30” list, is writing a memoir/collection of personal essays to be published by HarperCollins. Last season, she penned a comedy script for ABC and Shonda Rhimes’ Shondaland. The Bernie Mac Show creator Wilmore, repped by United Talent Agency and attorney Tom Hoberman, is a correspondent on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show and recently did two interview specials for Showtime entitled Larry Wilmore’s Race, Religion And Sex. Rae is represented by UTA and John Meigs Jr.
article by Nellie Andreeva via deadline.com

FX Orders Martin Lawrence-Kelsey Grammer Sitcom

kelsey-grammer-martin-lawrenceFX has given a 10-episode series order to a comedy starring Martin Lawrence and Kelsey Grammer. The series is produced by Lionsgate TV under distributor Debmar-Mercury’s “10/90″ deal format that calls for accelerated production of 100 episodes if the initial 10-episode test run fares well.  The untitled comedy is about two lawyer friends brought together under unusual circumstances was created and is exec produced by sitcom veterans Bob Boyett (Family Matters, Full House, Perfect Strangers) and Robert Horn (Designing Women, Living Single).
Lawrence, Grammer, Brian Sher, Stella Bulochnikov, Michael Green and Sam Maydew also executive produce.
This deal brings Lawrence back to a regular sitcom gig for the first time since his eponymous Fox series ended after five seasons in 1997. Grammer is no stranger to sitcoms (Cheers, Frasier) but was most recently seen in the Starz drama Boss, which earned him a Golden Globe award.
article by Cynthia Littleton via variety.com