Cee Lo Green Inks First-Look Deal With NBC, Developing Semi-Autobiographical Scripted Comedy

Cee Lo Green is adding scripted TV to his repertoire.

"The Voice" coach has inked a first-look deal with NBC to develop, produce and potentially star in new projects -- scripted and unscripted -- for the network under his newly launched production company, Emerald Productions.
 

Cee Lo Green Signs On As Chief Creative Officer at Primary Wave Music

 

As part of the pact, NBC is circling a multicamera comedy loosely based on Green's life balancing his career and home life as a producer and recording artist from Sony Pictures Television and Happy Madison. "Everybody Hates Chris'" Ali Leroi will pen the project and executive produce alongside Green, and Primary Wave TV's Andrew Jameson, Primary Wave Music CEO Larry Mestel and Happy Madison's Doug Robinson.

Additionally, Jameson will oversee day-to-day operations of Green and his Primary Wave partner Mestel's Emerald shingle. Green's production company comes a month after the Grammy winner was named chief creative officer at Primary Wave Music, where he will develop and co-write music with artists.

The scripted comedy marks the latest in Primary Wave's relationship with Green. Last year, Jameson developed, sold and produced "Cee Lo Takes the U.K.: Christmas With All the Goodies," a Christmas TV special with Mark Burnett that starred Green. Mestel brought Jameson, former president of Maloof Productions, in to launch Primary Wave TV in February 2011.

"Cee Lo is one of the most unique artists that the entertainment world has ever seen," said Jameson, a partner at Emerald Productions. "I am excited to be his partner and look forward to extending his creative vision into the television world."

Beyond his work on "The Voice," Green has been pushing more into film of late, with roles in "Sparkle" and the upcoming animated feature "Hotel Transylvania," voicing Murray the Mummy. He's also producing his own Las Vegas residency show, "Loberace," launching in February at Planet Hollywood, and releasing a book and Goodie Mob album next year, in addition to a new album.

For NBC, the pact continues its relationship with top-tier recording artists for the small screen. Ricky Martin inked a talent holding deal in July with NBCUniversal to develop and star in his first network series, and John Legend inked a pod deal with Universal Cable Productions to develop projects for cable and broadcast.

Green is repped by WME, Primary Wave Talent Management and Stone Meyer.