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EXCLUSIVE: Comedy veteran Jeff Astrof (Grounded For Life) has come on board to write and executive produce ABC’s comedy pilot co-created and starring John Leguizamo as the project changes formats from single- to multi-camera. The untitled comedy is based on Leguizamo’s life as a husband, father and fish out of water on the upper West Side of New York as reflected in his one-person shows. Woven into this world are his privileged wife, his friends from his life back in the Bronx, his mother and grandfather who try to keep him grounded in his Latin roots, and his own kids who he worries are getting spoiled and losing touch with reality.
Leguizamo first signed a deal with ABC and ABC Studios last February with the intention to develop a single-camera comedy inspired by his life for him to star in and executive produce with Golenberg and Mandeville, the company he worked with on Edison. Days later, Leguizamo was cast in the ABC/ABC Studios multi-camera pilot The Kings Of Van Nuys (then Only Fools And Horses). This development season, former Family Guy executive producer/co-showrunner Chris Sheridan joined Leguizamo’s semi-autobiographical project while the actor was still attached to Kings Of Van Nuys, which was reworked and piloted again. The second pilot got a pass in early December, clearing the way for Leguizamo’s own project, a single-camera comedy written by Sheridan from a story by him and Leguizamo. But when ABC picked up the project to pilot earlier this month, it was ordered as a multi-camera and Sheridan was no longer part of it. Astrof will now write the multi-camera version and will executive produce the pilot with Leguizamo, the Collective’s Jeff Golenberg and Sam Maydew as well as Mandeville’s David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman and Maria Crenna. Astrof, repped by ICM Partners, 3 Arts and Michael Gendler, had his own multi-camera project at ABC this season, Fat, Forty And Fired, which had a put pilot commitment and was in serious contention for a pickup. It was produced by Warner Bros. TV.
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congrats to a true mensch! well deserved!
Will someone please explain to me why the networks want mulitcam so bad? It’s completely possible to keep costs down in the single cam format – but the networks pretend that this is not true. What gives?
What does it cost per episode of multicam? And can’t you produce a single cam for the same price?
I HATE laugh tracks and the multicam “feel” and most people I know hate it as well.
What the hell?????????
Look at the ratings – multicams like Big Bang do well. Whitney does better than many better-reviewed single cameras and costs about half as much basically because multicams have one day of taping, single cameras have five days.
I love good multicameras like Frasier, Seinfeld and Friends. The problem isn’t the format.
Most people don’t hate multicams. That’s why CBS is the number network with their comedies. Their ratings blow away single cams ratings. Modern family doesn’t even come close to big bang’s numbers. And the next single cam after modern family, their ratings all suck compared to every show on CBS.
So why multicams? Because people watch them and when they syndicate, they make the studios a fortune.
The real question is, given that multicams are more popular and cheaper, why do all the networks except CBS mostly do single?
Anyway, as the others have said, most people you know aren’t typical of most people. There is a lot of hatred of audience laughter and multicam lighting online, but in the broader TV audience, that makes a show more popular, not less. And at its best, like with “Seinfeld,” it can allow a show to do sophisticated and unusual humor while still having the mainstream appeal that comes from having to actually please an audience of strangers, not just insiders at the table read.
ABC/Fox tried for years to get multicams off the ground before finding some success with single cam, and now they’re trying to build around that success.
It’s much easier for CBS with their existing slate and demographics. Same reason why nobody but Fox can get animated shows off the ground.
NBC’s comedy development sucks regardless of format. The only half-decent show since Community is Bent, which they burnt off.
I think it’s arguable how much ABC and Fox really tried to get multicams off the ground. ABC in particular has been really dedicated to single-cam for a long time except for the occasional male-skewing family comedy (George Lopez then, Last Man Standing now). Fox made a brief push for multi-cam in 2007-8 with “Back To You” and “Jezebel James,” but the failure of those shows seemed to sour them on the form. Even if “New Girl” was the hit it’s cracked up to be I’d find it strange that their development slates are so weighted towards single-camera.
Multi-cam can be done for at least $500k cheaper an episode. Simple as that.
Go get him, Jeff. Great writer for NY cultural comedy. Latina secretary was funniest character on his last show. Should be a good match for John’s huge talents.
If the pilot is filmed before an audience I think it’s better for John as I think he plays well off an audience. He’s very funny & I hope this project goes well for him.
Translation: ABC has absolutely no intention of picking it up to series and wants the pilot made on the cheap.
Jeff Astrov is an excellent human being and relentlessly funny. True story!
Love this! Jeff is one of the good guys in TV. Way to go!
God forbid they should hire a Latino, right? Wouldn’t want to do that.
My mom’s South American. Trust me, Jeff is funnier.
Hahahaha. Touche.
GREAT news
This has great potential. John Leguizamo is beyond talented. He’s amazing on stage in his one man shows. Maybe he could get Yul Vasquez and Elizabeth Rodriguez from Motherfu**er with the Hat on Broadway to co-star with him. That’s a powerful and hilarious combination of NYC Latinos! Single cam or multi cam I don’t care. I just hope this one gets made.
Worked closely with Jeff last year on “Partners” where he was clearly the glue that kept it all together. Great guy, deserves the best and more. Congrats, from a self hating tribesman.
Yay Jeff!!!!!!! It’s going to be great!
Joe, Partners might not be the best example if you’re trying to make someone look good.
As others have noted…Multi-cams get better ratings and cost less, so this is a good call by ABC. If they did this with The Middle they would have a bigger hit show.
A show built around Leguizamo is weak though. His “comedy” has never translated to big screen success and he’s always been a bit player and not a star.
Jeff Astrof is an amazing writer. I was a fan since FRIENDS when he and writing partner Mike Sikowitz hit it out of the ballpark so to speak with the Dr. Amore episode duting FOOTBALL playoffs. It was the most watched episode at the time. I think with John Leguizamo’s talent and Jeff’s writing even if it takes a few weeks to establish characters, it should be a hit. Jeff Astrof was instumental in Julia Louis Dreyfus winning an EMMY for NEW ADVENTURES OF THE OLD CHRISTINE and breaking the so-called SEINFELD CURSE. I have the greatest confidence in him and his talent.