The Osbournes to star in Fox Variety Show in 2009 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Mr. Television · 07-07-2008, 07:59 PM

http://www.tvweek.com/news/2008/07/o...ty_show_to.php

Osbournes' New Variety Show to Fox
Series Starring Family Bows in ’09
By Josef Adalian

The Osbournes are headed to Fox.

The network has won the rights to a new-style variety show that will star Ozzy Osbourne and his brood, to will be produced by FremantleMedia North America (“American Idol”). The project, first reported by TVWeek.com last month, attracted strong interest from all four major networks.

Fox will produce at least six episodes of the show, which likely will premiere in late winter or spring 2009 and could be paired with “American Idol.”

ABC, CBS and NBC also offered a six-episode commitment to the project, the first time that has happened since Mark Burnett’s “The Contender” and possibly the 2000 sale of “Big Brother,” according to a person familiar with the offers.

The show’s working title is “The Osbournes: Loud and Dangerous.” James Sunderland, a veteran of British variety shows, will executive produce.

Mr. Osbourne, wife Sharon and offspring Jack and Kelly will participate in the show, which will resemble modern-day European variety shows that mix elements of competition, stunts and performance. One person familiar with the pitch compared it to a combination of the popular Spanish-language series “Sabado Gigante” and the German game-show format “Wetten, dass?” (Wanna Bet?).

Neither FMNA nor Fox would discuss financial specifics of the deal. However, FMNA was asking in the vicinity of $225,000 to $275,000 per episode for the services of the Osbournes, according to executives who heard the pitch for the show.

Mrs. Osbourne remains in first position to NBC for the FMNA-produced competition series “America’s Got Talent.” That means Fox will have to schedule its Osbournes show around Mrs. Osbourne’s “Talent” production schedule.

That shouldn’t be a problem, however, since Fox likely will want to air the Osbournes project in the winter, when it can use its “Idol” platform to promote the new show.

FMNA Chief Creative Officer Eugene Young has been spearheading the Osbournes variety show, building on his relationship with Mrs. Osbourne on “Talent.” Mr. Young worked closely with the William Morris Agency’s Mark Itkin and John Ferriter, whose company represents FMNA and just recently began representing the Osbournes.

Mr. Television · 07-07-2008, 08:05 PM

http://www.variety.com/article/VR111...goryid=14&cs=1

Osbournes head to Fox
Rocker family to host variety show
By CYNTHIA LITTLETON, DANIEL FRANKEL

Fox has given a six-episode order to an hourlong variety show hosted by Ozzy Osbourne, Sharon Osbourne and their kids, Jack and Kelly. Untitled skein from FremantleMedia North America will be exec produced by James Sunderland, an exec producer on Fremantle's NBC series "America's Got Talent," on which Sharon serves as a judge.

Mike Darnell, Fox's prexy of alternative programming, envisions the show as something of a throwback to the heyday of variety skeins such as CBS' 1970s staple "The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour" and ABC's "Donny and Marie."

The plan is to blend musical perfs by the Osbournes and others with comedy sketches as well as gameshow, audience participation and out-of-studio taped elements. One idea being kicked around is for a segment dubbed "The Osbournes Meet the Osbournes," in which Ozzy and Co. spend time with another Osbourne clan, Darnell said.

"We've been talking about how to renew the variety show concept and make it feel new for years now," Darnell said. Deal came together quickly in the past two weeks as Fremantle circulated a DVD to major nets with comedy bits featuring the family and other prototype elements. Multiple nets bid on the show, but it landed at Fox in part because Sharon Osbourne and Darnell hit it off and had similar visions for the show.

Darnell hopes to launch the series, which will be shot in Los Angeles, with a Christmas special. The emphasis on music and performance would seem to make the show a natural companion for "American Idol," but Darnell said any skedding talk was premature.

Eugene Young, chief creative officer for FremantleMedia North America, said the show would "tap into what the Osbournes do best, which is be themselves."

Some segments will include the former Black Sabbath frontman "skewering pop culture," while others will "tap into the sibling rivalry" between 23-year-old Kelly and 22-year-old Jack, Young said.

Young noted the family's collective TV experience makes them well qualified for hosting duties. The Osbournes kickstarted cable's trend toward celeb-centric reality shows with "The Osbournes," which ran on MTV from 2002-05. Sharon Osbourne is a mainstay of British TV talk and variety shows, and she hosted a syndie daytime yakker in the U.S. for Telepictures Prods. in 2003-04.

Jack, meanwhile, is in his second season as host of the U.K. show "Jack Osbourne: Adrenaline Junkie."

07-07-2008, 07:59 PM	#1
Mr. Television 22 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,127	The Osbournes to star in Fox Variety Show in 2009 http://www.tvweek.com/news/2008/07/o...ty_show_to.php Osbournes' New Variety Show to Fox Series Starring Family Bows in ’09 By Josef Adalian The Osbournes are headed to Fox. The network has won the rights to a new-style variety show that will star Ozzy Osbourne and his brood, to will be produced by FremantleMedia North America (“American Idol”). The project, first reported by TVWeek.com last month, attracted strong interest from all four major networks. Fox will produce at least six episodes of the show, which likely will premiere in late winter or spring 2009 and could be paired with “American Idol.” ABC, CBS and NBC also offered a six-episode commitment to the project, the first time that has happened since Mark Burnett’s “The Contender” and possibly the 2000 sale of “Big Brother,” according to a person familiar with the offers. The show’s working title is “The Osbournes: Loud and Dangerous.” James Sunderland, a veteran of British variety shows, will executive produce. Mr. Osbourne, wife Sharon and offspring Jack and Kelly will participate in the show, which will resemble modern-day European variety shows that mix elements of competition, stunts and performance. One person familiar with the pitch compared it to a combination of the popular Spanish-language series “Sabado Gigante” and the German game-show format “Wetten, dass?” (Wanna Bet?). Neither FMNA nor Fox would discuss financial specifics of the deal. However, FMNA was asking in the vicinity of $225,000 to $275,000 per episode for the services of the Osbournes, according to executives who heard the pitch for the show. Mrs. Osbourne remains in first position to NBC for the FMNA-produced competition series “America’s Got Talent.” That means Fox will have to schedule its Osbournes show around Mrs. Osbourne’s “Talent” production schedule. That shouldn’t be a problem, however, since Fox likely will want to air the Osbournes project in the winter, when it can use its “Idol” platform to promote the new show. FMNA Chief Creative Officer Eugene Young has been spearheading the Osbournes variety show, building on his relationship with Mrs. Osbourne on “Talent.” Mr. Young worked closely with the William Morris Agency’s Mark Itkin and John Ferriter, whose company represents FMNA and just recently began representing the Osbournes.
	__________________ Sonny

07-07-2008, 08:05 PM	#2
Mr. Television 22 Years at Sitcoms Online Forum Icon Join Date: Jun 06, 2003 Location: Somewhere you're Not Posts: 62,127	http://www.variety.com/article/VR111...goryid=14&cs=1 Osbournes head to Fox Rocker family to host variety show By CYNTHIA LITTLETON, DANIEL FRANKEL Fox has given a six-episode order to an hourlong variety show hosted by Ozzy Osbourne, Sharon Osbourne and their kids, Jack and Kelly. Untitled skein from FremantleMedia North America will be exec produced by James Sunderland, an exec producer on Fremantle's NBC series "America's Got Talent," on which Sharon serves as a judge. Mike Darnell, Fox's prexy of alternative programming, envisions the show as something of a throwback to the heyday of variety skeins such as CBS' 1970s staple "The Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour" and ABC's "Donny and Marie." The plan is to blend musical perfs by the Osbournes and others with comedy sketches as well as gameshow, audience participation and out-of-studio taped elements. One idea being kicked around is for a segment dubbed "The Osbournes Meet the Osbournes," in which Ozzy and Co. spend time with another Osbourne clan, Darnell said. "We've been talking about how to renew the variety show concept and make it feel new for years now," Darnell said. Deal came together quickly in the past two weeks as Fremantle circulated a DVD to major nets with comedy bits featuring the family and other prototype elements. Multiple nets bid on the show, but it landed at Fox in part because Sharon Osbourne and Darnell hit it off and had similar visions for the show. Darnell hopes to launch the series, which will be shot in Los Angeles, with a Christmas special. The emphasis on music and performance would seem to make the show a natural companion for "American Idol," but Darnell said any skedding talk was premature. Eugene Young, chief creative officer for FremantleMedia North America, said the show would "tap into what the Osbournes do best, which is be themselves." Some segments will include the former Black Sabbath frontman "skewering pop culture," while others will "tap into the sibling rivalry" between 23-year-old Kelly and 22-year-old Jack, Young said. Young noted the family's collective TV experience makes them well qualified for hosting duties. The Osbournes kickstarted cable's trend toward celeb-centric reality shows with "The Osbournes," which ran on MTV from 2002-05. Sharon Osbourne is a mainstay of British TV talk and variety shows, and she hosted a syndie daytime yakker in the U.S. for Telepictures Prods. in 2003-04. Jack, meanwhile, is in his second season as host of the U.K. show "Jack Osbourne: Adrenaline Junkie."