or


[07/30/15 - 01:06 PM]
HBO and Russell Simmons Enter Into Overall Production and Development Deal
Simmons has five active projects with the world's leading premium television service, three of which are being developed through his media company, All Def Digital (ADD).

[via press release from HBO]

HBO AND RUSSELL SIMMONS ENTER INTO OVERALL PRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT DEAL

Network Developing Several New Series And Specials With Simmons For Premium Television; Pact Builds Upon Successful Producing Partnership Beginning With Hit Series "Def Comedy Jam" And "Def Poetry Jam"

LOS ANGELES, July 30, 2015 - HBO has made an overall first-look deal for premium television with visionary multi-platform producer Russell Simmons' new media company All Def Digital (ADD). Under the terms of the agreement, the Def Jam Records co-founder and his team will create and develop a wide range of television projects for HBO.

Simmons has five active projects with the world's leading premium television service, three of which are being developed through his media company, All Def Digital (ADD).

HBO and Simmons are collaborating on:

* A new series that curates the best acts from All Def Digital's weekly live comedy night. Every week, ADD produces a live event in Hollywood featuring the best new comedians in the country.

* HBO and ADD are also developing "These Are My Friends," a new comedy series created by independent filmmaker Shaka King that takes an original and authentic look at hip-hop culture. The series follows four real-life rap and hip-hop artists as they struggle to keep their dream alive. Real friends, real rappers, real comedy, real life.

* A comedy series through ADD with the Broken Lizard comedy troupe, which brought audiences cult classics like "Super Troopers" and "Beerfest." "The Broken Lizard Show" will take an innovative and comedic look at race when, hundreds of years in the future, a space ship exploring the galaxy discovers the last white man in the universe.

* Simmons is also executive producing the highly-anticipated HBO limited series "Codes of Conduct," directed and developed by Academy Award(R)-winner Steve McQueen ("12 Years a Slave"). The six-episode limited series is written by McQueen and screenwriter Matthew Michael Carnahan ("World War Z"), and executive produced by McQueen, Simmons, Iain Canning ("The King's Speech"), Emile Sherman ("The King's Speech") and Alan Poul (HBO's "The Newsroom"). "Codes of Conduct" stars newcomer Devon Terrell as a young man with a mysterious past who enters New York's high society. Paul Dano, Helena Bonham Carter and Rebecca Hall are also featured

* Simmons, alongside Stan Lathan, is producing a Def Comedy Jam 25th Anniversary Special that will feature an all-star lineup of comedians celebrating the longest-running and most influential comedy showcase on cable television.

"We always speak of having distinct voices at HBO, and few in the industry are as unique and intelligent as Russell," says Michael Lombardo, president, HBO Programming. "He's been a part of our family for a long time, and we are so pleased to be continuing our relationship."

"HBO has been like a home to me for a generation," says Simmons. "I am enormously proud of the broad range of programming they have nurtured. Together, we have discovered new voices and helped launch emerging artists that deserved a mainstream platform. I am even more excited by the next generation of talent and shows that we are developing through All Def Digital TV."

Simmons' relationship with HBO dates back to 1992, when he co-created "Def Comedy Jam," the landmark series that helped make household names of Jamie Foxx, Chris Tucker, Martin Lawrence, Bernie Mac, Dave Chappelle, Kevin Hart and many others. In 2002 Simmons launched the Peabody Award-winning "Def Poetry Jam." A Broadway version of the series earned Simmons a Tony Award.

As co-founder of Def Jam Recordings with producer Rick Rubin in 1984, Simmons oversaw the signing of seminal hip-hop acts, including Run-DMC, Beastie Boys, Public Enemy, LL Cool J, Jay Z and Kanye West. He also founded the iconic retail brands Phat Farm and Baby Phat and the trailblazing Rushcard debit card business. He has written three New York Times bestselling books on happiness and well-being, including 2014's "Success Through Stillness: Meditation Made Simple."

ABOUT HBO

Home Box Office, Inc. is the premium television programming subsidiary of Time Warner Inc. and the world's most successful pay TV service, providing the two television services - HBO(R) and Cinemax(R) - to approximately 122 million subscribers worldwide. The services offer the popular subscription video-on-demand products HBO On Demand(R) and Cinemax On Demand(R), as well as HBO GO(R) and MAX GO(R), HD feeds and multiplex channels. HBO NOWSM, the network's internet only premium streaming service, provides audiences with instant access to HBO's acclaimed programming in the U.S. Internationally, HBO branded television networks, along with the subscription video-on-demand products HBO On Demand and HBO GO, bring HBO services to over 60 countries. HBO and Cinemax programming is sold into over 150 countries worldwide.

ABOUT ALL DEF DIGITAL

All Def Digital (ADD) is the leading multi-platform media company for millennials focusing on urban youth culture through video programming across comedy, music, lifestyle and topical and timely social commentary. The company nurtures new and established artists and produces and incubates a broad spectrum of original content through an efficient and transformative media model leveraged across social video platforms, traditional and premium television and motion picture development, live events, and its own record label in partnership with Universal Music Group. ADD also includes a highly curated and growing network of talent - from traditional writers and stand up comics to social video stars, from poets to hip hop recording artists. ADD partners with global brands to create immersive and authentic social content experiences with unique talent voices. In its first year of operations, ADD is among the most subscribed-to and watched YouTube channels for urban comedy and music. The company is based in Los Angeles, California, with offices in New York. Its investors include Nu Horizons, Greycroft Partners, e.ventures and Advancit Capital.





  [july 2015]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
   


· BROKEN LIZARD SHOW (HBO)
· CODES OF CONDUCT (HBO)
· RUSSELL SIMMONS PRESENTS: DEF COMEDY JAM (HBO)
· RUSSELL SIMMONS PRESENTS: DEF POETRY (HBO)
· THESE ARE MY FRIENDS (HBO)
· UNTITLED ALL DEF DIGITAL PROJECT (HBO)





[08/26/25 - 12:06 PM]
FOX Sports Launches New FS1 Daily Studio Show "Wake Up Barstool"
Debuting Tuesday, September 2, the two-hour daily studio show airs live weekdays on FS1 from 8:00-10:00 AM ET, bringing Barstool's signature mix of unfiltered voices, candid personalities and passionate sports talk to fans nationwide.

[08/26/25 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10 Week of August 18: "KPop Demon Hunters" Reigns as Netflix's Most Popular Film, Claims No. 1 in Top 10
"Wednesday" stayed on top of the English TV list for a third week with Wednesday Season 2, Part 1 claiming another 13.4 million views.

[08/26/25 - 11:04 AM]
Video: MGM+ Debuts Action-Packed Trailer and Premiere Date for "Billy the Kid" Season 3
The final season premieres Sunday, September 28 at 9:00 pm ET/PT.

[08/26/25 - 11:00 AM]
Golden Globe and Emmy Award-Winner Camryn Manheim, Tyler Posey, Jamie Chung, Noah Reid and Sara Canning to Guest Star in FOX's Returning Captivating Crime Series "Murder in a Small Town"
The series returns Tuesday, September 23 on FOX.

[08/26/25 - 10:30 AM]
It's Time to Get Down to Business When NBC's New Series "On Brand with Jimmy Fallon" Premieres Tuesday, Sept. 30 at 10 P.M. ET/PT
The 10 creatives working to disrupt the marketing profession in NBC's newest innovative business competition series have been revealed.

[08/26/25 - 10:04 AM]
Hulu's Critically Acclaimed Comedy Series "Deli Boys" Renewed for a Second Season
Fred Armisen will join the cast as a legendary gambling savant with an uncanny ability to read people like cards.

[08/26/25 - 09:00 AM]
HBO Original Comedy Series "I Love LA," From Creator and Star Rachel Sennott, Debuts November 2
An ambitious friend group navigates life and love in LA.

[08/26/25 - 09:00 AM]
CBS Presents the Official Emmy Awards Pre-Show, "ET: Live on the Emmys Red Carpet"
Kevin Frazier and Nischelle Turner will bring audiences up close with television's biggest names as they arrive, turn heads with red carpet looks and reflect on what it means to be part of TV's most prestigious night.

[08/26/25 - 08:43 AM]
Video: Peacock Releases Official Trailer & New Images for "Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy"
All eight episodes of the limited series will be available to stream October 16.

[08/26/25 - 08:24 AM]
"Sunday Night Baseball Presented by Capital One": Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees Draws ESPN's Second-Largest Audience of MLB Season: 2,572,000 Viewers
The game peaked with 2,889,000 viewers at 8:15 p.m. ET, according to Nielsen.

[08/26/25 - 08:01 AM]
Netflix's Upcoming Preschool Slate Featuring New "Ms. Rachel," The "Sesame Street" Date Announcement, New Games, and More!
Start the school year off with all of your kids' favorite friends on Netflix with all-new episodes from "Ms. Rachel" (September 1), "Sesame Street" (November 10), "Gabby's Dollhouse" (November 17) and so much more on Netflix.

[08/26/25 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "The Lowdown" - Official Trailer - Ethan Hawke, Kyle MacLachlan, Keith David - FX
The series follows the gritty exploits of citizen journalist Lee Raybon (Ethan Hawke), a self-proclaimed Tulsa "truthstorian" whose obsession with the truth is always getting him into trouble.

[08/26/25 - 07:33 AM]
BBC and Showtime Reveal First Look Images from Season Two of "Dreaming Whilst Black" from A24 and Big Deal Films
The new season finds Kwabena at the start of his professional career in a new era: the age of diversity, equity and inclusion, where empowering marginalized voices are seemingly at the top of everyone's agenda.

[08/26/25 - 07:10 AM]
ESPN Reveals 2025-26 College Football Commentator Roster; Top Teams Return for Another Season
The network will deploy more than two dozen teams of commentators, analysts and reporters to cover the season from August's Week 0 kickoff through the College Football Playoff National Championship in Miami in January 2026.

[08/26/25 - 07:01 AM]
Video: Apple TV+ Unveils Trailer for the Engrossing Investigative Thriller "The Savant"
The eight-episode thriller will make its global debut on Apple TV+ with the first two episodes on Friday, September 26 followed by one new episode every Friday through November 7.