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[03/25/10 - 02:45 PM]
2010 ABC Program Development Guide - Comedy Series
ABC details its 12 comedy pilots under consideration for next season.

[03/05/10 - 11:10 AM]
Development Update: Friday, March 5 (Part 2)
Updates include: ABC completes its "No Ordinary Family"; Hal Williams finds "True Love" for CBS; and Jimmi Simpson joins FOX's "Breakout Kings."

[01/11/10 - 06:16 PM]
Development Update: Monday, January 11
Updates include: trio headed for ABC's "Funny in Farsi"; Lifetimes axes "Rita Rocks"; and Dana Carvey, Spike Feresten team for sketch comedy at FOX.

[11/30/09 - 06:24 PM]
Development Update: Monday, November 30
Updates include: TNT cancels "Raising the Bar"; Aunjanue Ellis joins CBS's "The Mentalist"; and Barry Sonnenfeld to helm ABC's "Farsi."

[03/18/09 - 06:45 PM]
Development Update: Wednesday, March 18
Updates include: NBC orders "The Sing Off"; Kyle Bornheimer gets a "Threesome" at ABC; and Alfre Woodard joins FOX's "Maggie Hill."

[02/23/09 - 06:55 PM]
Development Update: Monday, February 23
Updates include: Adam Carolla to star in a comedy for CBS; Joel McHale heads to "Community" at NBC; and Jaime Ray Newman to star in ABC's "Eastwick" update.

[02/13/09 - 08:10 PM]
Development Update: Friday, February 13
Updates include: "NCIS" spin-off locks in trio; more pilots go at ABC and NBC; and "Jericho" alum Lennie James returns to CBS.







FUNNY IN FARSI (ABC)
DEVELOPMENT HISTORY:
2/13/09 - 3/25/10
STATUS:
previously in development (2010-2011 season)
DEVELOPMENT STAGE:
ordered to pilot
DESCRIPTION:
(from ABC's press release, March 2010) Funny is the universal language. Based on Firoozeh Dumas' best-selling novel, Funny in Farsi is a love letter to America that follows an Iranian family's hilarious attempts to assimilate into the tanned, blond world of early '70s Newport Beach, California. As if being 13 isn't hard enough, Firoozeh (Fur-ooze-ah) or Julie, as they call her in America has to deal with growing pains and culture shock all at the same time. Fresh from Iran (a place none of their neighbors can find on a map), her family learns everything they need to know about America from TV. Julie's Dad "Kaz" loves his adopted home, especially Denny's, where the bathrooms are always magically clean. Her mother has a harder time adjusting, although it helps when she switches her Americanized name from "Nazi" to "Nancy." Julie's older brother, "Chip" idolizes American sports stars. As for Julie... well, let's just say she's embracing capitalism for all it's worth. The Jazayeri family tries to keep up with the Jones' next door, but can they have their shish kabobs and their Kentucky Fried Chicken too? It's a challenge to maintain your cultural identity while adapting to a whole new world of an unfamiliar language, liberated women and LOTS of television. The nostalgia of The Wonder Years blends with the family fun of My Big Fat Greek Wedding in this exuberant coming-of-age-misfit-comedy. Barry Sonnenfeld directs the pilot co-written and executive produced by Nastaran Dibai (Rita Rocks) and Jeffrey Hodes (According to Jim). Funny in Farsi shows that it's okay to be different as long as you can laugh at what gets lost in translation.
PRINCIPAL CAST INFORMATION:
· David Gore as Chip (Farshid Jazayeri)
· Hrach Titizian as Mo (Mansoor Jazayeri)
· Kendra Jain as Julie (Firoozeh Jazayeri)
· Marjan Neshat as Nancy (Nazireh Jazayeri)
· Maz Jobrani as Kaz (Mohammed Sayed Kazem Jazayeri)
· Sarah Shahi as Adult Julie (Voice)
CREW INFORMATION:
· Barry Sonnenfeld as EP/DIR (Pilot)
· Firoozeh Dumas as BOOK
· Jeffrey Hodes as CRTR/EP
· Nastaran Dibai as CRTR/EP
GENRE(S):
· comedy (all)
· comedy (single-camera)
STUDIO INFORMATION:
· ABC Studios