Pop, previously known as TVGN, will officially rebrand on Jan.
14, 2015, and today announced four new projects in development
that embrace the network’s brand promise of celebrating the fun of being
a fan.
The projects include a comedic, candid interview series with celebrities
recounting how they lost their virginity, from executive producers
Morgan Spurlock and John Stamos; a docu-series starring top syndicated
and Z100 radio host Elvis Duran; a reality series pairing celebrities
and inventors to create and launch a product line; and a stage comedy
series with talent recounting their worst or most embarrassing life
moments.
“Our development reflects our programming mission of covering what’s
popping in culture and creating content around personalities or subjects
that have an inherent fan-base supporting them,” said Brad Schwartz,
President of Entertainment and Media, Pop. “We have aligned ourselves
with producers and talent known for delivering stand-out content that
‘pops,’ and our unique perspective will be telling these stories with a
fan-at-heart sensibility.”
Paul Adler, Senior Vice President, Original Programming and Development,
Pop, added, “The new brand direction of Pop has energized the creative
community to bring their best projects to us. We are thrilled to be in
business with some of the most innovative producers in the industry,
whose accolades include numerous Primetime and Daytime Emmy®
nominations, and even an Oscar® nomination.”
Pop’s development projects include (working titles listed below):
LOSING IT
Based on the popular Yahoo web series, this celebrity-hosted television
series will capture sit-down interviews with stars as they recount their
unforgettable and often hilarious real-life stories of losing their
virginity. Bits are recreated by puppets, animation, live action and
claymation leading up to and following the big event. LOSING IT is
produced by Warrior Poets and John Stamos Productions with executive
producers Morgan Spurlock, John Stamos, Ethan Goldman and Jeremy
Chilnick.
ELVIS DURAN PROJECT
Elvis Duran, one of the most listened-to syndicated radio personalities
in the U.S. and host of his own show on Z100 in New York (“Elvis Duran
and the Morning Show”), is the subject of a docu-series that follows
Elvis and his employees both at work and play. The series will feature
superstar guests and platinum selling artists who stop by the radio
show, road trips with fans, and best moments from fan-fueled music
festivals and live events. ELVIS DURAN PROJECT is produced by Left/Right
with executive producers Ken Druckerman, Banks Tarver, Elvis Duran,
David Katz and Mitchell Stewart.
CELEBRITY INC.
CELEBRITY INC. pairs celebrities with their dream product and an
aspiring inventor to showcase the ultimate product launch and illustrate
the power of celebrity endorsement. In each episode, a different
celebrity is featured while teaming up with top product development
company Edison Nation, LLC to identify the most talented aspiring
inventors. After spending a week in product development camp, the
inventors pitch their product to the celebrity, and one person is chosen
to have their product launched, with the celebrity’s name attached, in
stores nationwide and online. CELEBRITY INC. is executive produced by
Robert Friedman of Bungalow Media + Entertainment, LLC and Colby Gaines
of Back Roads Entertainment.
WORST EVER
A handful of celebrities take the stage in WORST EVER to recount their
hilarious, embarrassing and sometimes shocking “Worst Ever” scenarios
such as a date, audition, break-up, fight, family dinner, sexual
encounter or interview. Hosted by actress Christine Lakin (“Step by
Step”), and based on her and Alec Ledd’s live stage show in Los Angeles,
the series is a wry, candid and honest look at how celebrities aren’t
immune to life’s most awkward moments. WORST EVER is produced by Thank
You, Brain! with executive producers Krysia Plonka, Tracey Baird,
Christine Lakin and Alec Ledd.
ABOUT POP
Fans don’t sit at the outskirts of pop culture making snarky comments,
they live right smack in the middle of it, sharing, creating, and
connecting their passions with others. At Pop, fans finally have a
destination that celebrates the fun of being a fan. Fans aren’t even
fans anymore – they’re Gladiators, Tributes, Human Beings and
Blockheads. Launching on Jan. 14, 2015, Pop will give fans a dedicated
channel that loves being a fan as much as they do. A channel that
respects talent over celebrity. A channel filled with optimism, passion,
funny and excitement. A channel that understands the fun doesn’t stop
when the credits roll… it’s really just the beginning.
Pop is a joint venture of CBS Corporation (NYSE: CBS.A and CBS) and
Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF). The partnership combines CBS’s programming,
production and marketing assets with Lionsgate’s resources in motion
pictures, television and digitally delivered content. Pop’s ownership
structure is comprised of the company with the #1 broadcast network and
many of the top first-run syndication series (“Entertainment Tonight,”
“The Insider”) and the studio that produces and distributes the
blockbuster “Hunger Games,” “Twilight” and “Divergent” franchises and
produces such award-winning TV series as “Mad Men” and “Orange is the
New Black.”
Copyright Business Wire 2015