Television
May 16, 2000
The WB Picks Up “The Jamie Foxx Show” For Fifth Season
(May 16, 2000 – Burbank, CA) — The WB Network has made a strong commitment to the multi-talented Jamie Foxx by structuring a unique deal including a 12-episode extension of his popular Warner Bros. Television series and a deal for his next network television project, it was announced today by Susanne Daniels, President, Entertainment for The WB. The WB has ordered 12 episodes of “THE JAMIE FOXX SHOW” for the 2000-2001 season, which will bring the series to the 100-episode milestone. The network and studio have also commissioned a 10-episode order of an ensemble variety show to be executive produced by Foxx and Marcus King (executive producer of “The Jamie Foxx Show”) in which Foxx will also star.
“This is a great coup for us,” Ms. Daniels said. “We have stated time and again our commitment to building comedy programming for the upcoming season, including the phenomenal talent who helped build this network. On the heels of our pickup of ‘The Steve Harvey Show,’ the additional episodes of ‘Jamie Foxx’ give us two incredible building blocks. Equally as exciting is the variety show with Jamie, who I first met while at Fox when he starred on the groundbreaking sketch show ‘In Living Color.’ ”
Jamie Foxx says, “I am very excited to remain in business with The WB and Warner Bros. and equally excited to be doing sketch comedy television again. I truly miss the creative freedom it gives me.”
Marcus King, executive producer says, “We look forward to the challenge of re-establishing Jamie in the television format in which he was discovered. It’s a pleasure to be working with someone whose accomplishments have served him successfully in multiple mediums including television, film and his original forte stand-up comedy.”
The Jamie Foxx Show has been a solid performer for The WB, averaging 2.8 million viewers per episode to finish among the top 3 comedies on The WB this season. The show, which has been double-running on Fridays from 8:00-9:00pm, has delivered consistent numbers across the young women demos -- posting a 1.5/5 at both 8:00pm and 8:30pm among women 18-34. Recently, the show set a WB time period record at 8:00pm in that key demographic (2.2/9 - 4/14/00). That same episode at 8:00pm also achieved an all-time WB high in the time period among adults 18-34 (1.8/8). Jamie Foxx often ranks as the #3 network program in its time slot among teens 12-17, female teens and male teens.
"We are thrilled 'The Jamie Foxx Show' will return for a fifth season at The WB," said Peter Roth, President, Warner Bros. Television, "and we are particularly excited that the multi-talented Foxx will be returning to his sketch comedy roots. The characters he created on ‘In Living Color’ were some of the funniest and most memorable."
Foxx is a quadruple threat, excelling in television, movies, stand-up comedy and music. He recently earned universal acclaim and demonstrated a fierce dramatic talent alongside top Hollywood stars in the Warner Bros. theatrical hit “Any Given Sunday.” Foxx played back-up quarterback Willie Beaman, who stood his ground against his coach, played by Al Pacino, in the Oliver Stone-directed film, which opened at #1 at the box office and has grossed more than $75 million to date. Foxx also wrote and performed the theme song for “Any Given Sunday” and has two original songs on the soundtrack.
His prominent accomplishments on the big screen this winter propelled his scoring the second highest rating of the season when hosting “Saturday Night Live” on January 8. To that date, the only show that topped in the ratings occurred in “SNL’s” season debut hosted by Jerry Seinfeld.
Foxx has proven to be a popular comedian, winning the 1998 NAACP Image Award for “Best Actor in a Comedy Series” and continues to perfect his stand-up routine on his nationwide “Jamie Foxx Y2K Comedy Tour.” This year, he has performed to sold-out audiences in Las Vegas, Kansas City, Orlando, Indianapolis, Seattle, Sacramento and Phoenix. # # #