or


[01/15/10 - 09:01 AM]
MTV Continues to Diversify Slate with Two New Original Scripted Comedy Series
"The Hard Times of RJ Berger" and "Warren the Ape" will both premiere in June.

[via press release from MTV]

MTV CONTINUES TO DIVERSIFY SLATE WITH TWO NEW ORIGINAL SCRIPTED COMEDY SERIES

"The Hard Times of RJ Berger" and "Warren the Ape" To Premiere June 2010

PASADENA, CA (January 15, 2010) � MTV will premiere two new original scripted comedy series, "The Hard Times of RJ Berger" and "Warren the Ape," in June, dimensionalizing the network's programming slate of reality, movies, specials and documentaries. The new scripted series add to MTV's new roster of programming created around authentic and unexpected characters. "The Hard Times of RJ Berger" is a half-hour, single camera, scripted, coming-of-age comedy that follows the awkward life of RJ Berger, a late-blooming loser struggling to navigate the minefield of being fifteen, and provides a glimpse into classic teenage milestones. "Warren the Ape" is a parody of 'the life of a celebrity' reality show, surrounded around a D-grade celebrity puppet, Warren "The Ape" Demontague, who's character is a brash, cantankerous, out-of-work actor attempting to clean up his act, patch up his relationships and scramble his way back into the Hollywood limelight.

"Our viewers expect reinvention and creative diversity from MTV, and these new series give them a peek at the broad spectrum of new ideas, tones and formats we are focusing on to break beyond just reality TV," said Tony DiSanto, President of Programming for MTV. "Our commitment to the scripted genre has never been stronger. And with 'The Hard Times of RJ Berger' and 'Warren The Ape,' along with the many scripted projects in the development pipeline, we are focused on the right concepts coupled with the right execution and talent to define our brand in this arena."!

THE HARD TIMES OF RJ BERGER

The Hard Times of RJ Berger portrays the hilariously-hellish lives of a deeply unpopular 15 year-old named RJ Berger (Paul Iacono) and his scheming, sex-obsessed best friend, Miles Jenner (Jareb Dauplaise). For RJ, other than pining after the girl of his dreams, Jenny Swanson (Amber Lancaster), receiving daily beatings from the meanest jock in school, Max Owens (Jayson Blair), and evading the stalker-ish advances of Lily Miran (Kara Taitz), there really isn't much excitement in his life. That is, until his anatomical gift is accidentally exposed to the entire school. In a single moment, RJ goes from anonymous to infamous, and for the first time in his life, he feels a tiny sliver of confidence. A coming-of-age comedy about a high school sophomore, the series is a part "The Wonder Years" and part "Superbad."

The first season will consist of 12 episodes. Each episode will also incorporate a stylized animation sequence, identifying the show with pop culture and video games. The series was created by David Katzenberg and Seth Grahame-Smith.

The Hard Times of RJ Berger is executive produced by David Katzenberg and Seth Grahame-Smith. Tony DiSanto, Liz Gateley, Michelle Klepper and Justin Levy are the MTV executives in charge of production.

WARREN THE APE

Warren the Ape is a parody of "the life of a celebrity" reality show. Warren the Ape is about the trials and tribulations of a D-grade celebrity puppet who is attempting to clean up his act, patch up his relationships and scramble his way back into the Hollywood limelight.

Warren "The Ape" Demontague is a brash, cantankerous, out-of-work actor. Having had a brief taste of success on the former sitcom "Greg the Bunny", Warren's life has been in a downward spiral ever since the show got cancelled. Over the past few years, Warren has paid more attention to drugs, booze and women than his career, which as of late has mostly consisted of a series of seedy exploitation films, obscure industrials, low-rent theatre productions and a regrettable string of skin flicks.

The first season will consist of 12 episodes. The series was created by Sean Baker, Spencer Chinoy, and Dan Milano.

Warren the Ape is executive produced by Sean Baker, Spencer Chinoy, and Dan Milano; George Plamondon and Betsy Schechter for Picture Shack Entertainment; and Kevin Chinoy and Francesca Silvestri for Freestyle Entertainment. Liz Gateley, Brent Haynes and George McTeague are the MTV executives in charge of production. "The Hard Times of RJ Berger" and "Warren the Ape" were both showcased at the TCA conference in Pasadena today.

About MTV Network:

MTV is the dynamic, vibrant experiment at the intersection of music, creativity and youth culture. For over 28 years, MTV has evolved, challenged the norm, and detonated boundaries -- giving each new generation a creative outlet and voice that entertains, informs and unites on every platform and screen. On-air, MTV is the number one rated full-day ad-supported cable network for P12-24. Online, MTV.com averaged 8.5 million monthly unique visitors during the first quarter of 2009 -- up +6% from Q4/2008 and up +6% year-over-year. Total video streams for the first quarter of 2009 increased 21% over the same time period last year. And MTV's successful sibling networks MTV2, mtvU and MTV Tr3s each deliver unprecedented customized content, super-serving music fans, college students and young American Latinos like no one else. MTV is part of MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms.





  [january 2010]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
     


· GREG THE BUNNY (FOX)
· HARD TIMES OF RJ BERGER, THE (MTV)
· WARREN THE APE (MTV)





[04/26/24 - 12:07 PM]
Oxygen True Crime's "Accident, Suicide or Murder" Returns for a Fifth Season on Saturday, May 18 at 8 P.M. ET/PT
The series explores the unbelievable true stories of suspicious deaths that either initially appear to be an accident, suicide or murder.

[04/26/24 - 12:00 PM]
The "2024 American Music Awards" to Air for the First Time on CBS, Sunday, Oct. 6
The AMAs celebrate the year's top achievements in music determined by the fans, for the fans.

[04/26/24 - 11:40 AM]
#1 and #2 Court Shows "Judge Judy" and "Hot Bench" Renewed Through 2025-26 in 95% of the Country
"Hot Bench" was reupped for two more years by CBS Stations in major markets, as well as stations owned by Sinclair, Nexstar, Tegna, Scripps, FOX Stations, Gray and Weigel.

[04/26/24 - 11:00 AM]
The Word-Twisting Game Show "Lingo," Hosted By RuPaul Charles, to Premiere Friday, May 24 on CBS
Host RuPaul Charles brings his one-of-a-kind personality to this clever, competitive and unpredictable game where teams of two face off in fast-paced puzzle rounds to guess letters that reveal seemingly simple words.

[04/26/24 - 09:33 AM]
Paramount+ Announces "Apartment 7A," A New Original Film Starring Golden Globe Winner Julia Garner, to Premiere This Fall
Set in 1965 New York City, the film tells the story prior to the legendary horror classic Rosemary's Baby, exploring what happened in the apartment before Rosemary moved in.

[04/26/24 - 09:00 AM]
Video: China Anne Mcclain & Kylie Cantrall Perform "What's My Name (Red Version)" from "Descendants: The Rise of Red" Soundtrack in New Music Video
"Descendants: The Rise of Red" premieres Friday, July 12 exclusively on Disney+, followed by a special encore on Friday, August 9, at 8:00 p.m. EDT/PDT on Disney Channel.

[04/26/24 - 06:31 AM]
Video: "Secrets of the Neanderthals" - Official Trailer - Netflix
The film takes viewers on a journey from their preconceptions of Neanderthals as a dim-witted creature to a complex and creative people, through the lens of a unique, ongoing excavation and a landmark new discovery - the best-preserved Neanderthal skeleton found in over a quarter century.

[04/25/24 - 02:31 PM]
On the Heels of "The Daily Show's" Huge Ratings Growth, The Emmy Award-Winning Franchise Expands Its All-Star News Team
The show enlists Troy Iwata, Josh Johnson, and Grace Kuhlenschmidt as Correspondents.

[04/25/24 - 01:01 PM]
Greed, Lust and Wrath Turn Deadly in New Oxygen True Crime Series "Sins of the South" Premiering Sunday, May 12th at 8:00 PM ET/PT
With a deliciously delightful Southern inflected narration, each of the 12-hour-long episodes unravel the twists and turns of a?real-life?murder, highlighting the disturbing crimes of the?South and the wickedness that led to it.

[04/25/24 - 11:31 AM]
Netflix Greenlights Leanne Morgan Scripted Comedy from Co-Creator Chuck Lorre
Additionally, Morgan will do two stand-up specials for Netflix.

[04/25/24 - 11:01 AM]
Netflix & Shondaland Announce New "Bridgerton" Season 3 Product Collections & Brand Collaborations
In celebration of its upcoming Season 3 premiere, Netflix and Shondaland are announcing new product collections with leading lifestyle brands that speak to the essence of the Bridgerton universe and the underpinnings of the romantic Regency era releasing this spring.

[04/25/24 - 10:37 AM]
ABC's "Will Trent" Continues Momentum as Series Logs Highest Total Viewer Audience to Date and Highest Adults 18-49 Rating in Over a Year
After 35 days of viewing on ABC, Hulu and digital platforms, "Will Trent" continues its ratings climb in episode three of season two, growing to 11.23 million Total Viewers and marking its highest multiplatform telecast to date.

[04/25/24 - 10:07 AM]
Video: "Prom Dates" - Official Trailer - Hulu
"Prom Dates" follows best friends Jess and Hannah, who made a pact at 13 to have the perfect senior prom.

[04/25/24 - 10:02 AM]
HGTV Picks-Up New Season of Popular Hawaii-Based Series "Renovation Aloha"
The new season is slated to premiere in 2025.

[04/25/24 - 10:01 AM]
Video: Paramount+ Debuts Official Trailer and Key Art for Third Season of "Mayor of Kingstown"
In season three, a series of explosions rock Kingstown and its citizens, as a new face of the Russian mob sets up shop in the city, and a drug war rages inside and outside prison walls.