or


[06/20/16 - 01:30 PM]
Tavis Smiley Teams Up with J.J. Abrams' Bad Robot Productions for TV Adaptation of Smiley's Upcoming Michael Jackson Book Before You Judge Me, for Warner Bros. Television
The book is a taut novelistic rendering of the final months in the life of one of the most iconic figures in modern popular culture, Michael Jackson.
[via press release from Warner Bros. Television]

TAVIS SMILEY TEAMS UP WITH J.J. ABRAMS' BAD ROBOT PRODUCTIONS FOR TV ADAPTATION OF SMILEY'S UPCOMING MICHAEL JACKSON BOOK BEFORE YOU JUDGE ME, FOR WARNER BROS. TELEVISION

BURBANK, Calif. (June 20, 2016) - Broadcaster/author/producer Tavis Smiley and J.J. Abrams' Bad Robot Productions are joining forces to develop an event television series based on Smiley's upcoming book Before You Judge Me: The Triumph and Tragedy of Michael Jackson's Last Days, for Warner Bros. Television (WBTV), where both Smiley and Bad Robot have TV deals.

To be published June 21, 2016, by Little, Brown and Company, Before You Judge Me is a taut novelistic rendering of the final months in the life of one of the most iconic figures in modern popular culture, Michael Jackson. The book examines the soaring highs and deep lows faced by the late pop star - his constant hunt for privacy in a life that was more public than almost any other, and the pressures he endured as someone whose fame made him socially fragile and almost unable to live. The publication of Before You Judge Me will be supported by a nationwide book tour and media appearances by Smiley.

Smiley, Abrams, Ben Stephenson and David Brewington will serve as executive producers on Before You Judge Me, which will be produced by Bad Robot Productions and Tavis Smiley TV & Film in association with WBTV.

The deal for Bad Robot to board Before You Judge Me marks the latest collaboration between Smiley TV & Film, Bad Robot and WBTV. It was previously announced in April 2015 that the three companies are developing an event series based on Smiley's book Death of a King: The Real Story of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Final Year. Published in 2014, the book recounts the final 365 days of King's life and became a New York Times best seller.

It was subsequently announced in October 2015 that Smiley had signed an exclusive multi-year development and production pod deal with Warner Bros. Television Group, with Before You Judge Me and another Smiley book adaptation - My Journey with Maya, a memoir of the author's nearly 30-year friendship with the renowned poet Maya Angelou - earmarked as the first two projects to be developed under the deal.

Before You Judge Me, Death of a King and My Journey with Maya are all written by Tavis Smiley and David Ritz.

Smiley is currently the host of the late-night television talk show Tavis Smiley on PBS as well as The Tavis Smiley Show from Public Radio International (PRI).





  [june 2016]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
   


· SHOWATCH
(series past and present)
· DEVWATCH
(series in development)
· MOVIEWATCH
(tv movies and mini-series)




[04/19/24 - 07:04 AM]
Video: Prime Video Releases Official Trailer for "Maxton Hall - The World Between Us"
Produced by UFA Fiction, the German series tells the modern love story of James Beaufort and Ruby Bell, an upper-class boy and a working-class girl in a world of glamor, prestige, secrets, and drama.
[04/19/24 - 06:45 AM]
ESPN Delivered Top Two Most-Watched SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament Eastern Conference Games Ever on April 17
The 76ers 105-104 victory over the Heat averaged 3,403,000 viewers, peaking with 5,490,000 viewers at 9:30 p.m. ET.
[04/19/24 - 06:00 AM]
Video: "Welcome to Wrexham" - Season 3 Official Trailer - FX
The Emmy award-winning series returns May 2 on FX.

[04/18/24 - 05:01 PM]
Video: First Look at Season 2 of "Gordon Ramsay's Food Stars" Premiering Wednesday, May 22, on FOX
Gordon Ramsay and Lisa Vanderpump each bring their expert knowledge and unique leadership styles to the second season of the competition series.
[04/18/24 - 04:09 PM]
"Fallout" Has a Blast of a Debut: Amazon MGM Studios and Kilter Films' Hit Series to Return for Season Two
In its first four days, the high-octane fueled series has become a hit with its global audience, ranking among the service's top three most-watched titles ever and the most-watched season globally since "Rings of Power."
[04/18/24 - 04:01 PM]
Netflix Announces Production of "Last Samurai Standing": An Epic Battle Royale for Survival in Historic Japan
Based on the novel "Ikusagami" by Shogo Imamura, winner of the 166th Naoki Prize in 2021, the series features the multi-talented Junichi Okada in the lead role.
[04/18/24 - 01:31 PM]
"Call Me Country: Beyonce & Nashville's Renaissance" from CNN FlashDocs Comes to Max April 26
As Beyoncé recently became the first Black woman to ever top Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart, a larger conversation about what defines country music has exploded into the zeitgeist.
[04/18/24 - 11:59 AM]
Starz Releases First-Look Photos for the Highly Anticipated Fourth and Final Season of "Power Book II: Ghost"
Additionally, Golden Brooks will join the upcoming season in a recurring role as Janet Stewart, Monet Tejada's cousin.
[04/18/24 - 11:33 AM]
New TLC Medical Series "Botched Bariatrics" Premiering on Wednesday, May 15th
The new medical transformation series features patients whose lives have been turned upside down after suffering complications from their bariatric surgery.

[04/18/24 - 11:09 AM]
Lifetime Extends Relationship with Garcelle Beauvais
Following the critically acclaimed "Black Girl Missing" movie in which Beauvais starred in and executive produced in 2023, Lifetime extends the franchise with two new movies with Beauvais set to executive produce.

[04/18/24 - 11:00 AM]
CBS Renews Critically Acclaimed Hit "Elsbeth" for Second Season
"'Elsbeth' has charmed audiences with its singular blend of delightful humor, distinctive 'how-done-it' storytelling, and the inventive, brilliant quirkiness of Elsbeth Tascioni," said Amy Reisenbach, president of CBS Entertainment.
[04/18/24 - 10:11 AM]
ABC's "9-1-1" 100th Episode Propels Series to No. 1 Drama in Primetime in Adults 18-49
The milestone 100th episode was the top program of the night, scoring a season-high on linear after 7 days of viewing in Adults 18-49 (0.91 rating), marking the show's best L7 rating since its season finale last year.
[04/18/24 - 10:00 AM]
HBO Original Comedy Special "Nikki Glaser: Someday You'll Die" Debuts May 11
"I'm so grateful that once again, HBO has put their trust in me to say what I feel into a microphone while wearing a tiny dress," Glaser said. "Someday I'll die, and when I do, I hope I'm remembered for this performance (and this dress)."
[04/18/24 - 09:31 AM]
Video: Paramount+ with Showtime Releases the Official Trailer and Key Art for "The Chi"
The series recently wrapped production in Chicago on the remaining eight episodes of the supersized 16-episode season.
[04/18/24 - 09:07 AM]
TNT Sports Announces Commentators for 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs Presented by GEICO First Round Games on Saturday, April 20
TNT Sports will drop the puck on its coverage of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs with up to 28 First Round games, starting Saturday, April 20 with Game 1 of New York Islanders vs. Carolina Hurricanes on TBS, truTV and Max's B/R Sports Add-On.