The Def Jam founder is making his return back to cable network television. We have the details for you after the break.
Russell Simmons is heading to HBO once again, as the prolific music and television producer has inked a two-year first-look deal with the premium cable network station. Under this new pact, Simmons will create and develop projects for HBO.
The deal reunites him with the place that served as home to his Def Comedy Jam series, which ran from 1992-97 and 2006-08, and is credited with launching the careers of several notable stand-up comedians. For his part, the co-founder of Def Jam also executive produced two stand-up comedy series on Comedy Central in the past few years. He was also an EP on MTV’s docuseries Daddy’s Girls and its spin-off, Run’s House.
HBO has the right of “first refusal” on projects Simmons proposes to develop. If they’re not interested and they decline to back it, then Simmons can offer it up to other networks. Simmons’ latest best-seller is Super Rich: A Guide to Having It All, and has been the EP behind features such as Waist Deep, Lemon and The House I Live In.
Props: Shadow & Act