Ice-T is headed to daytime TV.
The Law & Order: SVU star and rapper will host a syndicated legal show called The Mediator. The half-hour series will get a four-week tryout on some Fox-owned stations, including those in New York and Los Angeles, in March 2021.
In each episode, Ice-T will hear arguments from two parties involved in a civil dispute. After they provide the facts, he’ll consult with experts for their perspective on the case and then offer his best recommendation about how to proceed. If the two sides accept his recommendation, the case is settled. If not, the case will go to court, and the show will provide updates on its resolution.
“Two things I really like are high-profile projects coming to local stations and short pitch meetings,” said Frank Cicha, executive vp programming for Fox Television Stations. “Truthfully, they had me at ‘Ice-T wants to …'”
Said Ice-T, “Finding a resolution between two hostile sides means finding someone levelheaded that not only has respect but can also analyze complex issues in different ways. I think my opinions are rooted in facts and fairness so I know I can help these people.”
Stuart Krasnow (Weakest Link) will serve as showrunner and executive produce alongside Andre Jetmir, Ice-T and Jorge Hinojosa via their companies Jetmir Entertainment and Final Level Entertainment.
“Ice-T has the credibility of an OG, the wisdom of Yoda, and the sense of humor of a stand-up comic,” said Krasnow. “Never has a voice like his been needed more in the marketplace.”
Fox TV Stations has done tryouts of a number of syndicated concepts in recent years, with game show 25 Words or Less making the leap to national syndication (it’s now in its second season). The station group has also featured short runs of talk shows starring RuPaul and Jerry O’Connell in the past couple of years.
