Showtime is turning to Jamie Foxx for its next scripted comedy.
The premium cable network has handed out a pilot order to half-hour comedy White Famous, executive produced by Foxx, who also will have a recurring role.
A co-production between Lionsgate Television and Showtime, the project focuses on a talented, young African-American comedian whose star is rising, forcing him to navigate the treacherous waters of maintaining his credibility as he begins to cross over toward becoming “white famous.”
Tom Kapinos will pen the script for White Famous, which is based on an original idea by Foxx. The comedy marks a return for Kapinos to Showtime following his seven-season run on the David Duchovny series Californication. Should White Famous move to series, Kapinos would have two efforts on the air after Fox renewed freshman drama Lucifer for a second season.
“I came up from stand-up comedy, so to be able to share that aspect of my life onscreen with a project like White Famous is incredibly exciting,” said Foxx. “We couldn’t have found better partners than Showtime, Lionsgate and Tom Kapinos to tell this story in the best possible way.”
The potential series marks a return to TV for Foxx, who starred on In Living Color after breaking out as a stand-up comedian. In 1996, he starred on the then-WB Network series The Jamie Foxx Show. That was one of the network’s top-rated series during its five-year run.
For Showtime,
White Famous becomes its third pilot in the works. It joins drama
The Chi from Common and Lena
Waithe, as well as comedy
Mating from Jason
Katims.
