Netflix Orders Comedy Inspired by LA Lakers Front Office

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorDisney Streaming Services tapped Ajay Arora, previously Netflix’s director of product innovation for growth, as senior VP of product, commerce and experimentation.In the new role, Arora will oversee and build out the Disney Streaming group’s commerce and experimentation teams in San Francisco, where he will be based, as well as in New York and Los Angeles.

Fox Corp. Tuesday named Brian Nick Executive VP and Chief Communications Officer. He’ll be based in Los Angeles and report to chairman-CEO Lachlan Murdoch.

Screen Ireland has chosen Steven Davenport, who has headed up its Inward Production department since 2016, to lead its new U.S. office.

So, it lowkey looks like Alex Rodriguez shaded Jennifer Lopez‘s friend, Stevie Mackey, for not inviting him to a house party—even though the Hustlers star attended instead!

EXCLUSIVE: Dean Cain (Supergirl, Lady Dynamite) is directing and starring in Little Angels, a family sports comedy, which he also wrote.

Riley Keough joins director Janicza Bravo and A’Ziah King on the red carpet at the premiere of Zola held at DGA Theater Complex on Tuesday night (June 29) in Los Angeles

Just For Laughs Montreal on Tuesday took the wraps off its 2021 comedy festival, saying it will run July 26-31 and feature in-person stand-up shows in Montreal as well as for the first time shows in Los Angeles and New York City in a nod to travel restrictions due to the pandemic.

Zendaya looks so chic while stepping out to dinner at Nobu Malibu with a friend in Los Angeles on Saturday night (June 26).

Philip Anschutz, founder of sports and entertainment giant AEG, has reached an agreement to sell his stake in the Los Angeles Lakers, according to multiple people familiar with the deal.The identity of the buyer couldn’t be ascertained. The people were granted anonymity because the proposed sale hasn’t been approved by the NBA Board of Governors.

EXCLUSIVE:  Adam McKay’s HBO L.A. Lakers drama series is rounding out its cast. Mike Epps (The Upshaws), Carina Conti (The Last Tycoon), Max E. Williams (Dreamland) and Mariama Diallo (Random Acts of Flyness) will recur in the series based on Jeff Pearlman’s book Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s. McKay’s Hyperobject Industries is producing.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterNetflix has given a straight-to-series order to a comedy set in the front office of the Los Angeles Lakers from writer Elaine Ko and executive producer Mindy Kaling, Variety has learned.The untitled, half-hour series is inspired by the personal and professional dynamic between the family owners and front office team that together run one of the most iconic franchises in all of sports.

In a competitive situation, Netflix has given a 10-episode straight-to-series order to a half-hour workplace comedy inspired by the front office of the Los Angeles Lakers. The project hails from Mindy Kaling, former star/executive producer of one of the all-time great workplace comedy series, The Office; Modern Family alumna Elaine Ko; Lakers’ President and Governor Jeanie Buss and Warner Bros. TV.

After premiering at the 2021 SXSW Film Festival, the “How It Ends” trailer has arrived.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterThe “American Gigolo” series adaptation starring Jon Bernthal has been ordered to series at Showtime, Variety has learned.The project was ordered to pilot at Showtime in March 2020 after having been in development at the premium cabler since 2016.Bernthal will play Julian Kaye, the character played by Richard Gere in the film.