Wed, 24 Feb 2010

1:45 AM - DREW S. LEVIN RETRACTS LANGUAGE IN PREVIOUS RELEASE REGARDING COMEDY SPECIAL

Executive Producer Drew S Levin today retracted the statement that his company Initiative Productions has "acquired" the completed 90-minute comedy special The Godfathers of Comedy, the Italian version of popular comedy formats such as Kings of Comedy and Latin Divas of Comedy.

The business arrangement with owners of this property is a sales agreement only, allowing Drew S Levin and his team to market the property for a limited time with no conveyance of primary or ancillary rights. There is no purchase, acquisition or any transfer of any ownership interest whatsoever in the property aside from this temporary marketing arrangement. Drew Levin and his organization regret the inaccurate and misleading impression that usage of the word "acquisition" created.

Says Levin, "I was drawn to the project because I recognized the extraordinary talents and achievements of the director, the producer and the comedians themselves. This is truly a dream team of comedy."

The Godfathers of Comedy was directed by Rocco Urbisci who is known at HBO's top comedy director, with credits including 11 mega-popular George Carlin specials. Urbisci also directed "40 Years of Laughter at the Improv" which was a primetime ratings winner for NBC.

The Godfathers of Comedy was produced by Neal Marshall, Showtime's leading comedy producer with over 25 credits on the cable net including Latin Divas of Comedy, Hot Tamales and next year's Green Collar Comedy.

The special features some of the Italian-American community's best stand up comics, including Rocky LaPorte who had his own Comedy Central special, former prosecutor Paul D'Angelo (Comedy All-Stars), John Caponera (Comics Unleashed, Drew Carey), Frank Santorelli from The Sopranos and Willie Fratto whose grandfather's bodyguard was Rocky Marciano - need we say more?

Says Drew Levin about his new marketing arrangement, "It's a real pleasure to be working with HBO's best comedy director and Showtime's best comedy producer on this hilarious 90 minute special that we're certain will be a big hit, no pun intended."

tags: drew levin

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2:08 AM - DREW S. LEVIN ANNOUNCES REALITY SLATE FOR 2010

Executive Producer Drew S Levin announced today that his company Initiative Productions has developed and is currently pitching five new unscripted series targeting the cable market to complement his company's strengths in the broadcast world.

Among the shows is National Lampoon's Amazing Tails that combines Drew Levin's tent pole Animal Planet franchise Amazing Tails with one of the top comedy brands in America. The show combines hilarious animal mashups with hilarious voice over from some of America's top comics.
Another hot new property pitched by Drew S Levin and company is So You Want to Be a Witch that stars an ensemble cast of three real witches and three women who want to learn "the craft." The show keys into women's universal aspirations to succeed in their personal and professional lives, but with a supernatural twist.

Pros and Cons brings four of America's top former hustlers to the task of working with law enforcement to bust con men that are currently preying on the public. Using spy and hidden cameras, the audience is with them as they con the cons.

Horse Chasers is a wild-west adventure that takes us into the world of men and women, who rescue wild mustangs, then help the horses to find new homes. But that's just the beginning. The horses and their new people have to be mentored and trained, using the latest "gentling" techniques.

Horse Sense is a competitive, serialized reality show that gives young couples the chance to own their own thoroughbred racing stable. Each couple is teamed up with a top trainer who helps them buy, race and even sell horses, with whoever makes the most money getting set up with their own stable! Says Drew Levin, who has just returned from pitching his new slate in New York and who is also pitching numerous Los Angeles networks, "We are already getting strong network interest on several of our properties, and anticipate airing at least two of them by Summer of 2010."

tags: levin drew

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