(AP) LeBron James joins forces with Starz for sitcom
By NEKESA MUMBI MOODY
AP Entertainment Writer
NEW YORK
After LeBron James won his second NBA championship this year, he talked about the improbability of his journey – ascending to world fame despite growing up with challenge after challenge in the inner city.
Now James plans to explore that theme as part of “Survivor’s Remorse,” a new show he’s developing with Starz. While he won’t star in the half-hour sitcom, he’ll be one of the executive producers of the show, which will explore the lives of two men from the streets who attain fame – one is an NBA star and one is not – and how they deal with friends and families in the wake of that success.
James is developing the show with his longtime friend and business partner, Maverick Carter; Tom Werner, the producer behind classic shows like “Roseanne” and “The Cosby Show”; and actor Mike O’Malley, who will be an executive producer and is the show’s writer. Paul Wachter will also be an executive producer.
The show is based in North Philadelphia instead of Akron, Ohio, where the two are from: “More people can relate to it,” explained Carter of Philadelphia.
Still, Werner said the inspiration for the series started in part with conversations he had with Carter, and later James, about their lives.
Werner, James and Carter have worked together since 2011. They are part of Fenway Sports Group, and Werner is the chairman of the organization, which combines sports, media and entertainment. Werner said they were “delighted” to bring the show, which is in development but has no firm timetable to air, to Starz.
Starz CEO Chris Albrecht said the show would be different for the channel, whose original programming includes the recently launched “The White Queen.”
However, there will be serious subjects tackled in the show. Werner compared “Survivor’s Remorse” to shows like “Roseanne,” which dealt with difficult situations with humor interspersed with serious moments.
James said though it’s been years, survivor’s remorse is still something he feels.
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