LOGO FINDS LOVE, TRANSAMERICAN STYLE WITH UPCOMING REALITY SLATE
Reality dating show starring Calpernia Addams and Alec Mapa to premiere in February 2008; lesbian bar scene and gay basketball series to bow in summer 2008
NEW YORK, NY – November 29, 2007 – Logo, a division of Viacom Inc.’s (NYSE: VIA and VIA.B) MTV Networks, today announced it has greenlit a new competition dating series – Transamerican Love Story – centered on transgender activist, artist, actress and author Calpernia Addams. Logo also announced the greenlight of Gimme Sugar, which follows five women on the search for love in the L.A. lesbian nightlife and club scene as well as Rockdogs (working title), which chronicles San Francisco’s star gay basketball team as its new generation of players struggles to survive on and off the court.
“These shows advance Logo’s continuing mission to not only explore the diversity of people in our community, but also the diverse lives they lead,” said Brian Graden, President, MTV Networks Music Group Entertainment; and President, Logo.
Logo’s new eight episode dating reality series Transamerican Love Story follows Calpernia Addams as she whittles down a group of eight bachelors, living together in a Los Angeles-area home, with the help of her best friend and fellow transgender activist Andrea James. Calpernia is openly transgender to all the show’s suitors from the start of the series.
“Calpernia Addams proves that steely optimism and a genuine spirit are the universal keys to finding love,” added Graden.
The show is hosted by comedian and actor Alec Mapa (Ugly Betty, Desperate Housewives) and will also feature online voting at LOGOonline.com, allowing viewers to express who they think Calpernia should eliminate. Live voting results will air during the show, but the selections are Calpernia’s alone.
The hour-long show, which will premiere in February 2008, is executive produced by Randy Barbato, Fenton Bailey and Tom Campbell of World of Wonder Productions (Transgeneration, The Eyes Of Tammy Faye), Joe Del Hierro of Oh Really! Productions (The Big Gay Sketch Show) and co-executive produced by Julio Kollerbohm.
In Gimme Sugar’s six half-hour episodes, five hot young friends on the L.A. lesbian club scene bite off more than they can chew when they try to launch and promote their own club night. If they succeed, they’ll be the youngest female promoters in LA. The girls will fight, fall in love, break apart, and come back together as they struggle to make their dream come true.
The show, which will premiere in summer 2008, is executive produced by Scott A. Stone of Stone & Company (Tim Gunn’s Guide To Style, The Ride, Curl Girls), Michaline Babich (Million Dollar Listing, Welcome To The Parker) & Michelle Agnew.
A star gay basketball team in San Francisco lives together under one roof as they prepare to defend their national title in Rockdogs (working title). During six half-hour episodes, the team will try to bring back the glory of San Francisco’s three-generation, gold-medal winning legacy of the Rockdogs. While the competition on the court is fierce, the action will be found on the high drama off the court. Executive produced by Eddie October Productions (Bands Reunited, Tommy Lee Goes To College) and William Kendall, the show will premiere in summer 2008.
ABOUT LOGO
Logo is the ad-supported network targeting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) viewers, launched by MTV Networks. The network launched June 30, 2005 with more than one thousand hours of content and now has approximately 28 million subscribers across the United States. Logo provides LGBT audiences with a place where they can see themselves and be themselves through a mix of original and acquired entertainment programming that is authentic, smart and inclusive. Logo joins Viacom’s roster of popular and highly targeted cable networks which includes MTV, Comedy Central, BET and Spike TV.
ABOUT MTV NETWORKS
MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. MTV Networks, with more than 120 channels worldwide, owns and operates the following television programming services – MTV: MUSIC TELEVISION, MTV2, VH1, mtvU, NICKELODEON, NICK at NITE, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV LAND, SPIKE TV, CMT, NOGGIN, VH1 CLASSIC, LOGO, MTVN INTERNATIONAL and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital services, with all of these networks trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks connects with its audiences through its robust consumer products businesses and its more than 100 interactive properties worldwide, including online, broadband, wireless and interactive television services and also has licensing agreements, joint ventures, and syndication deals whereby all of its programming services can be seen worldwide.