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)




[06/02/26 - 08:30 AM]
Video: The Reign Ends Here - "All the Queen's Men" Reveals Trailer and First Look at Fifth and Final Season Premiering June 10 Only on Paramount+
The series will launch with two episodes, followed by a weekly rollout culminating in the mid-season finale on Wednesday, July 22.
[06/02/26 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Tony Hinchcliffe: Man of the People" - Sneak Peek - Netflix
Tony Hinchcliffe returns with another brutally unapologetic hour from comedy's favorite equal-opportunity offender.

[06/02/26 - 07:01 AM]
Video: Apple TV Unveils Trailer for Third Season of Its Globally Acclaimed Drama "Silo"
The 10-episode third season will premiere on Apple TV with the first episode on July 3, followed by one new episode every Friday through September 4, 2026.
[06/01/26 - 05:01 PM]
Video: "Husbands in Action" - Official Trailer - Netflix
A detective teams up with his ex-wife's new husband to chase down her kidnappers. Can this unlikely duo put aside their differences for one wild rescue?
[06/01/26 - 02:03 PM]
Exclusive Announcement Live From Crime Con 2026: Season 4 of the Hit Docuseries "Betrayal" to Stream on Hulu This August
In a room of thousands of fans of true crime and scandals, the team made a surprise exclusive announcement that Season 4 of the popular docuseries will stream on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for Bundle subscribers this August.

[06/01/26 - 02:02 PM]
"Squatters: Get the F*** Out of My House," A New Docuseries from Executive Producers Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos, Begins Streaming June 4 on Hulu
The six-part series follows ordinary people blindsided by manipulators who know exactly how to weaponize tenant protections and turn the legal system against the very people it's supposed to protect.
[06/01/26 - 01:00 PM]
Starz Sets September 18 Premiere Date for Epic Time-Traveling Romantic Drama "Outlander: Blood of My Blood"
Season one introduced viewers to the two different, but equally passionate, love stories of Claire's and Jamie's parents as they met and fought to be together against all odds.
[06/01/26 - 12:50 PM]
ESPN Announces June MLB Game of the Day Schedule
The Game of the Day schedule is an out-of-market offering and is subject to local blackout restrictions.
[06/01/26 - 12:06 PM]
2026-27 CFP Broadcast Schedule Revealed
The home of the CFP since its inception in 2015, ESPN is in the first year of its new expanded package, which includes five games sublicensed to TNT Sports.

[06/01/26 - 11:04 AM]
ESPN Scored Most-Watched NCAA Women's College World Series Opening Thursday on Record
Arkansas-Nebraska averaged 1.4 million viewers, with a peak of 1.6 million.
[06/01/26 - 11:00 AM]
Thor and Loki Join the Iron Friends in New "Marvel's Iron Man and His Awesome Friends" Episodes, Rolling Out June 11 on Disney Jr. and Next Day on Disney+
guest stars for the series were also announced today, including Dodgers superstar Mookie Betts as Dizzy Doubleday, a baseball player who loves to help young kids learn the game.
[06/01/26 - 10:01 AM]
Video: "Love Island UK" - Season 13 - Trailer
Stream the new season June 4 on Hulu.
[06/01/26 - 09:03 AM]
Paramount+ Sets Streaming Debut for Baz Luhrmann's "EPiC: Elvis Presley In Concert"
The film will make its streaming debut June 3, exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S. and in Canada on July 24.
[06/01/26 - 08:27 AM]
ESPN Scores Most-Viewed Stanley Cup Playoffs Western Conference Final Since 2015, The Latest Viewership Successes Headed Into the Stanley Cup Final
Across four games on ESPN, the series averaged 2.2 million viewers and was up 44% vs. the Western Conference Final last year (Edmonton vs. Dallas) which went five games on ESPN.

[06/01/26 - 07:15 AM]
ABC's Exclusive Coverage of the 2026 NBA Finals Begins June 3: New York Knicks vs. San Antonio Spurs
The matchup marks the Knicks' first NBA Finals appearance since 1999 - and their first ever on ABC - and the Spurs' sixth NBA Finals appearance on ABC.