Byron Allen Gets Into Cheap-and-Quick Sitcom Biz

[Mark Jeffries]

The former "Real People" host turned man behind those off-hour syndicated shows you would never admit to watching has sold a two-hour block of sitcoms (consisting of 2 eps each of two series:  "The First Family" and :"Mr. Box Office") to 85% of the nation for this fall--following the Tyler Perry model, each series has a 104-ep order, meaning that if they're not repeating, they could go into strip in fall 2013:

 

http://www.deadline.com/2012/05/byron-allens-entertainment-studios-clears-syndicated-sitcom-block-for-fall-12-launch/

 

For the record, "The First Family" is about a black President (how original!) and stars Gladys Knight, scenery chewers Jackee Harry and Marla Gibbs and surprisingly, John Witherspoon, long one of the most admired of black standups.  "Mr. Box Office" is about a movie star forced into teaching English at a South Central high school as community service and stars teabagger Jon Lovitz, Bill Bellamy, Vivica A. Fox, Keisha "Rudy Cosby" Knight-Pulliam, Tmi Meadows and--Gary Busey?

[Diner]

The difference between this and the Tyler Perry model is that this actually has people I've heard of and wouldn't mind seeing again.

-Tim