Showtime is turning to Jamie Foxx for its next scripted comedy.
The premium cable network has handed out a pilot order to half-hour comedy White Famous, executive produced by Foxx, who also will have a recurring role. A co-production between Lionsgate Television and Showtime, the project focuses on a talented, young African-American comedian whose star is rising, forcing him to navigate the treacherous waters of maintaining his credibility as he begins to cross over toward becoming “white famous." Tom Kapinos will pen the script forWhite Famous, which is based on an original idea by Foxx. The comedy marks a return for Kapinos to Showtime following his seven-season run on the David Duchovny seriesCalifornication. Should White Famousmove to series, Kapinos would have two efforts on the air after Fox renewed freshman drama Lucifer for a second season. “I came up from stand-up comedy, so to be able to share that aspect of my life onscreen with a project like White Famous is incredibly exciting,” said Foxx. “We couldn’t have found better partners than Showtime, Lionsgate and Tom Kapinos to tell this story in the best possible way.” The potential series marks a return to TV for Foxx, who starred on In Living Color after breaking out as a stand-up comedian. In 1996, he starred on the then-WB Network series The Jamie Foxx Show. That was one of the network's top-rated series during its five-year run. For Showtime, White Famousbecomes its third pilot in the works. It joins drama The Chi from Common and Lena Waithe, as well as comedy Mating from Jason Katims. Netflix is developing the comedy Soul Soul Soul: The Murray Murray Story.
Chris Case, who previously worked on TV series Legit and co-created Yahoo's Sin City Saints, will write the script. The film is a fake documentary about an iconic '60s soul singer named Murray Murray. After a hot new artist samples his hit 1962 song, Murray attempts to get his old band back together in the hopes of taking down hip-hop. Eddie Murphy and Brett Ratner are negotiating to star and direct, respectively. Sources say they may wait to see the script before deals move forward. Murphy and Ratner would be reuniting after working on 2011’s Tower Heist together, and were at one time attached to collaborate on Beverly Hills Cop 4. Brian Grazer and Tyler Mitchell will produce. Case co-created Sin City Saints, the basketball-themed series for Yahoo, and has a single-camera comedy project about an ex-NFL player who marries his Bohemian girlfriend at Fox. He has previously written for Malibu Country, Retired at 35 and Reba. Case is repped by CAA, Management 360 and Morris Yorn. Ratner most recently directed Hercules, and is attached to helm The Libertine, starring Johnny Depp. Murphy’s recent films include A Thousand Words and Mr. Church opposite Britt Robertson. Bela Bajaria is departing her post as president of Universal Television.Sources with knowledge of the situation tellVariety that Pearlena Igbokwe, NBC Entertainment’s exec VP of drama development, is set to succeed Bajaria as the head of the studio. “I want to thank Bela personally for building a strong team and working so effectively to establish Universal Television as a competitive company that produces high quality scripted series for broadcast networks as well as cable and streaming services,” said NBC Entertainment chairman Bob Greenblatt. “We all wish her the very best as she takes on the next phase of her career.” The move comes as a surprise, as Bajaria was promoted to president last year. Bajaria had two years remaining on her contract. Piper Chapman is going gangsta in season four. "She’s becoming a little bit of a kingpin and has this swagger," Taylor Schilling teased Thursday during a Paley Center panel for the upcoming fourth season of Orange Is the New Black. "But the feeling I always have about Piper Chapman is that she tries on everything like a piece of clothing — she doesn’t quite fit the jacket, but she tries it on. And I love that about her." When fans last saw the Netflix series' leading inmate, Piper was calling herself "the Godfather" of Litchfield after sending new prison girlfriend Stella (Ruby Rose) to Max and inking herself with some new tattoos. With her prison panty business booming, Piper was, for once, craving power over on-and-off girlfriend Alex Vause (Laura Prepon). There's been a major paradigm shift on Daytime TV. First, Michael Strahan exits Live with Kelly and Michael, sooner than planned after a nasty week of drama.
Now, Tamar Braxto has been fired from "The Real." Rumors began swirling after a cryptic message was posted on Instagram by Tamar with a pic of her and her sister Toni. I'm also hearing that Tamar is no longer following The Real on Twitter or any of the other girls from the show other than Tamera. A “reliable source” tells the site that, “She wasn’t reading too well with the audience and sales people didn’t find her to be ‘brand friendly.’ She was also too difficult on production.” That could be the case. We’ll obviously all know the real deal soon. But in the meantime, inquiring minds want to know just who did she “stupidly trust?” Well, the way her statement was written, it’s clear she’s not blaming her husband, Vince, or her sisters. So some folks concluded she may be pointing the finger at her close bud April Daniels, the wife of her friend and producer Lashawn Daniels. But, according to TheShadeRoom, LaShawn said it wasn’t him or April. Here’s Tamar’s full statement via Instagram: I love u all but I have been stabbed in the back by someone I stupidly trusted ( not my man or my sisters) I am not about to be tried and tested to snitch and it’s not in good taste to tell you who…… but as #tamartians you are very smart and can figure things out on your own. But know that every one who smiles in your face is NOT your friend and is NOT cheering for you and will LIE and try and tear u down to TRY and dim your light. Thank GOD HE HOLDS MY FUTURE AND MY HAND! (Remember who u are)….I am Tamar Braxton. And if you thought for 1 sec u played me…..In the late great prince and the amazing Beyoncé voice you PLAYED yourself.to God be the Glory and I will be taking a short break from ALL social media…until then love yourself and WATCH YOUR BACK ( I put this picture up cause this is the embrace I got from my sister and best friend that she ALWAYS gives when she knows I’ve been had) FX Networks has officially begun script development on long-rumored “Sons of Anarchy” spinoff “Mayans MC,” a drama project co-created and produced by “Sons” creator Kurt Sutter and Elgin James. James will pen the pilot script, which is intended to be a “dark, visceral family drama that takes a new look at the most American of icons, the 1% outlaw, this time reflected through a Latino lens.”
“I wanted to find a strong, unique Latino voice,” said Sutter of James, “Because I didn’t think a white guy from Jersey should be writing about Latin culture and traditions. Elgin is that voice.” The Mayans were pivotal recurring players on “Sons of Anarchy,” which ran for seven seasons and stands as the highest-rated drama series in FX Networks’ history. Sutter has a long history with the network, having began his television career as a staff writer on FX drama “The Shield,” eventually rising to the position of executive producer. Following the conclusion of “Sons,” he also created the shortlived FX period drama “The Bastard Executioner.” James, who was named one of Variety‘s 10 Directors to Watch for his debut feature, “Little Birds,” founded the anti-racist street gang FSU in Boston before moving to Los Angeles, honing his talent at the Sundance Institute Feature Film program. “Little Birds,” which stars Juno Temple and Leslie Mann, premiered in competition at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. A few months later, James began serving a prison sentence for a past gang-related charge of federal extortion. “Little Birds” was released in 2012 by Millennium Entertainment and the film went on to win a National Board of Review award. James is next slated to direct “A Million Little Pieces” for John Wells and Plan B Entertainment, and is developing a film on the tumultuous life of actress Jean Seberg for Electric City, adapted from the biography “Breathless” by Garry McGee. “Mayans MC” hails from Fox 21 Television Studios and FX Productions. Sutter is represented by WME; James is repped by WME, Electric City, and Gang, Tyre, Ramer & Brown. ABC has given a six-episode order to “Greatest Hits,” a new unscripted singing show hosted by Arsenio Hall and Kelsea Ballerini. The series will feature iconic music artists and current chart-toppers performing hits from the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. Each episode will focus on a five-year period in time and feature duets, tributes and solo performances. Produced by AEG Ehrlich Ventures, “Greatest Hits” will premiere June 30. Ken Ehrlich, James McKinlay and Raj Kapoor will serve as executive producers. “Greatest Hits” is the latest in a series of new unscripted series ordered by ABC for its summer schedule, joining “To Tell the Truth,” “The $100,000 Pyramid” and “Match Game.” Hall was the host of the pioneering late-night series “The Arsenio Hall Show,” which ran from 1989 to 1994. The series was briefly revived in 2013 after Hall appeared on the NBC reality competition series “The Celebrity Apprentice.” Ballerini is a country-music artist whose most recent single is the song “Peter Pan.” She recently won an ACM award for best new female vocalist of 2016. Her debut album from Black River Entertainment is titled “The First Time.” Leon Knoles will direct the show. David Wild will serve as a writer and producer. Channing Dungey has been announced as president of ABC Entertainment, making her the network’s first African American president.
via Indiewire: Formerly ABC executive VP, drama development, movies & miniseries, Dungey is a UCLA grad who began her career in entertainment as a development assistant for Davis Entertainment at 20th Century Fox. She then became story editor at Steamroller Productions, and followed that up by joining Warner Bros. as a production executive. In 1998, she became senior VP at film production company Material, and then then president in 2001. At ABC, Dungey is said to have played a key role in bringing hit diverse shows to the network, like “Scandal,” “How to Get Away with Murder” and “Quantico.” “Channing is a gifted leader and a proven magnet for top creative talent, with an impressive record of developing compelling, breakthrough programming that resonates with viewers,” said Ben Sherwood, co-chairman of Disney Media Networks, owner of ABC. Dungey added: “I’m thrilled and humbled that Ben has entrusted me with this tremendous opportunity… And I am truly grateful to Paul for being a valued mentor and friend. I’ve had the great honor of working alongside the talented team at ABC for many years and look forward to starting this exciting new chapter with them.” Dungey not only becomes the first black president of ABC, but also the first black president of a major broadcast TV network. I believe this is indeed PROGRESS. |