‘Fairly OddParents’ Live-Action Series, ‘Blue’s Clues’ Movie Highlight Nickelodeon’s Global Push

In his first interview since taking over kids and family programming for Paramount+, Nickelodeon president and CEO Brian Robbins talked with The Hollywood Reporter about his strategy for streaming vs. linear, pushing further into features and YA programming (a LeBron James pic) and his former Head of the Class co-star/network hitmaker Dan Schneider: "We are not contemplating working together right now."

Brian Robbins is leaning hard into the franchise strategy he used to reinvigorate Nickelodeon as he takes formal oversight of kids and family content for Paramount+ as part of ViacomCBS’ global streaming push.

The Awesomeness TV exec who took over Nickelodeon in October 2018, filling the void created by the exit of three-decade veteran Cyma Zarghami in ViacomCBS CEO Bob Bakish’s first round of executive changes. In the three years since arriving at the kids-focused network, Robbins has revived key Nickelodeon franchises including SpongeBob SquarePants (spinoffs Kamp Koral on Paramount+ and The Patrick Star Show on linear), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (see the Seth Rogen-produced feature) and The Loud House Movie (due August 2021 on Netflix).

Now, Robbins is tasked with bringing the Nickelodeon brand to a global streaming audience as part of Bakish’s latest executive restructuring. Robbins is one of a handful of executives who recently received global stripes and greenlight power at Paramount+, the former CBS All Access that was rebranded in March as ViacomCBS — like every other media titan — looks to put its best foot forward in the streaming world. Bakish hopes the moves help bring the best of all of ViacomCBS’ brands to streaming, with Robbins having already spent much of the past year prepping a content pipeline that includes reboots and spinoffs of beloved (read: profitable) franchises like SpongeBob SquarePants and iCarly.

Robbins, in his first interview since gaining global and streaming oversight of Nickelodeon, tells The Hollywood Reporter that “Nick had lost its way for a while” in the years since the cabler parted ways with hit-maker Dan Schneider. Nickelodeon parted ways with the creator of lucrative shows as iCarly, Drake & Josh, All That and Victorious six months before Robbins — who once starred with Schneider on ABC’s late ’80s comedy Head of the Class — took over the network from Zarghami. Nickelodeon bought Schneider out of his contract following allegations of abusive behavior and a cloud of suspicion of other questionable behavior from its top creator.

Now, Robbins hopes to replicate the franchise strategy he employed to better position Nickelodeon to compete with Disney and Netflix in the ultra-competitive kids programming space. The exec, who developed Netflix’s To All the Boys franchise, Hulu’s PEN15, The CW’s Smallville and MTV YA pic Varsity Blues, plans to bring Nickelodeon back into the feature film business with new movies from LeBron James (Fantasy Football, starring Black-ish‘s Marsai Martin) and genre drama Hush, Hush set to bow in 2022 as part of a planned slate of a dozen features. While Fantasy Football and Hush, Hush are earmarked for Paramount+, Robbins says others — beyond the upcoming Paw Patrol and Seth Rogen’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles — will get a theatrical debut.

Building on his franchise strategy, former Nick hit The Fairly OddParents is coming back as a live-action series for Paramount+, where Robbins hopes it will also revive interest in the show’s library on the platform. (Don’t worry, some original stars from the animated original will return for the new take, which is already in production in L.A.) Also coming back is Blue’s Clues with an original animated movie — Blue’s Clues & You! — going into production this summer to mark the franchise’s 25th anniversary. While it’s unclear where the new Blue’s Clues film will live, Robbins does plan to play more with windowing between Paramount+ and the linear network. To that end, JoJo Siwa’s live-action musical The J Team will make the move from Nickelodeon to Paramount+ for its Sept. 3 bow.

Below, Robbins opens up about his YA and film push, how Nickelodeon will use competitors like Netflix to bolster its franchises and if his old friend Schneider — who recently told the New York Times that he’s plotting a return to kids programming — could ever return to ViacomCBS: “We are not contemplating working together right now.”

Lesley Goldberg: Now that you’re overseeing kids and family for Paramount+ and linear on a global scale, how does your mandate change?

Brian Robbins: At the beginning of the pandemic, Bob Bakish, myself, George Cheeks, David Nevins, Chris McCarthy and Jim Gianopulos dove in as the Paramount+ launch was looming. We’ve been working on the streaming strategy for well over a year now. But now with a global eye, it does change the eye that we had when we were only thinking linear first.

Do you have green light power to get shows on Paramount+? Are you the one to say you’re doing a Fairly OddParents show and it’s straight to series on the streamer?

That’s pretty much it. Bob’s relying on all of us who are the experts in our lanes to deliver not only the content, but hopefully the audience with the content to the service. Within our areas, we definitely have the authority to make what we think is right.

You’re charged with bringing the Nick brand fully into streaming. How do you do that without cannibalizing linear? Obviously, The J Team moving from Nick to Paramount+ is a great example.

Linear is still our biggest reach vehicle. And it is still extremely important to our business and most importantly, to our brand, but we’re going to play with how we window content. Some of our content, like The Patrick Star Show — the second spinoff of SpongeBob SquarePants — debuted on linear and down the line that will go to streaming. The first spinoff, Kamp Koral, premiered in March at the launch of Paramount+ but will arrive this fall on linear. We’ll definitely play pitch and catch between linear and streaming. That gives us the opportunity to have more programming in both places because now we’re dealing with two different budgets feeding these pipelines and it allows us to reach more audience. Ultimately, our goal at Nick is for our brand to be ubiquitous and to have our content be everywhere where kids and family are consuming. The lines are really blurred now.

How focused are you on keeping content internally, be it for Paramount+ or Nickelodeon versus selling elsewhere? Tyler Perry’s Madea Homecoming went to Netflix instead of Paramount+, which was a surprise given his ViacomCBS deal. What’s the right balance?

We’re focused on Nickelodeon and Paramount+ for our content. That doesn’t mean we still won’t license library content to different players here and there on a non-exclusive basis or a co-exclusive basis. But we’re focused on our own platforms right now.

[Lesley Goldberg] reported a story last year about how Bakish’s strategy was to license to third-party outlets in a bid to expose content to bigger audiences before ultimately taking it back as an exclusive. Is that your strategy as well? 

That’s been my strategy from the start. There’s two great examples of that. Avatar: The Last Airbender was a series that ran for three seasons on Nickelodeon and was never a huge show, but had an amazing following. We licensed that show to Netflix and it exploded. Then we put this spinoff of Avatar, The Legend of Korra, on Paramount+, and it crushed it. That led us to our new relationship and bringing the creators of Avatar back to Nickelodeon to form Avatar Studios. We are now on our way to a full-fledged franchise strategy, creating films and spinoffs out of Avatar.

The second example, which actually has paid off this month, is iCarly. We knew we were going to do a reboot of iCarly, it just took us a while to put it together. Once we knew we had it going, we licensed just a season or two of iCarly to Netflix and it exploded with new kids discovering it for the first time, and fans who grew up on it rediscovered it. The demand for the new show was at such a fever pitch by the time [the new show] launched that it propelled iCarly to be, if not the most successful show on Paramount+, one of the most successful shows.

In fact, what’s driving the success of iCarly is the young adult audience. It’s a white-hot space for us. Adjacent to the kids programming, YA is a sweet spot for me in my career — obviously in my previous life, founding Awesomeness and making things like To All the Boys franchise and PEN15 and bunch of stuff for streaming — or shows like Smallville and One Tree Hill and movies like Varsity Blues. It’s something I’m always interested in. Another film that we’re making for Paramount+ this year is called Hush, Hush, which was based on a New York Times best-seller. We’re going to lean heavily into YA to really propel streaming, not only domestically, but globally.

Eventually, I’d imagine, Avatar and iCarly will be taken off of Netflix and come home to Paramount+ as an exclusive.

Yes. And it’s not like this is some secret that we’re pulling the wool over anybody else’s eyes on other services. They’re happy to have the content and they understand the strategy. We’re very upfront about it.

How do you determine which content runs on which platform first? How much will Nick still get first window considering the streaming priority? The Blue’s Clues movie doesn’t have a home just yet.

It’s a balance; look at Kamp Koral and The Patrick Star Show. Driving new subscribers to Paramount+ is a huge priority for Nickelodeon and the company right now. And our kids’ content is a giant magnet and has been really successful in not only driving subscriptions, but retaining subscribers on the service. People are consuming our content at a great clip right now on Paramount+ so we are a big part of the strategy.

You mentioned iCarly has been a big breakout on Paramount+ since its launch last month. What have you learned about Paramount+ subscribers since it was rebranded in March?

Our content has really risen to the top. We have a lot of the top performing shows on the service from a stream, minutes watched and consumption point of view. Our shows have been a top acquisition driver. The franchise strategy is working. You launch iCarly and then the iCarly library also rises to the top, creating this one-two punch of new and old. The same with the SpongeBob universe. SpongeBob is probably the biggest franchise on the service. You launch the Sponge on the Run movie, Kamp Koral and then you have 12 seasons of SpongeBob library all being consumed graciously by the audience. The sneak peak of Kamp Koral on linear was the highest-rated show of the year for us on linear.

This pitch and catch is working by using the franchises with the library to get a ton of consumption happening. Same with Rugrats and the new Rugrats we launched. And we expect the same thing with Paw Patrol next month. It’s the No. 1 preschool show on linear, a big driver on Paramount+ and now we’ll have a theatrical feature in August that should light up both linear and streaming on a global basis.

And you’re going to do the same with this new Blue’s Clues feature. How many of these films are designed to be theatrical vs. made for streaming? 

We’re really excited about our movie strategy. The theatrical landscape has changed dramatically and what that looks like a year or three years from now isn’t clear. But the feature-length movie will exist forever and whether audiences will consume those in theaters or theaters and streaming at the same time or only streaming, I’m less concerned with than making sure our content is ubiquitous. Audiences want more of the things they love and that’s how you build brand loyalty. We’re really excited about Seth Rogen’s new Turtles film, which will be theatrical. It’s a new retelling of Turtles and that will reignite that franchise and that movie comes in August 2023. Paw Patrol is a theatrical release this summer and there’s several more theatrical films in the works. In addition, we’re probably going to make at least six to 10 films for Paramount+ next year. It’ll be a mix of young adult projects from the Awesomeness label that’s responsible for To All the Boys on Netflix and PEN15 on Hulu. And then some films will come from the kids and family side from Nickelodeon. We have our first project that we’re making for Paramount+ — Fantasy Football, which is a partnership between Nick and LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s SpringHill and Genius Entertainment.

Fairly OddParents is switching to live-action. Is that a model you’d like to employ for other Nick animated hits?

We are doing a live-action Loud House Christmas movie that will come to Nickelodeon linear this Christmas. But yes, the Fairly OddParents show is a hybrid so that the fairies are animated and all the humans are live actors. You can’t do it a hundred times but that’s it for right now.

Netflix and Disney have made great strides in the kids and family arena. How has the marketplace and deal-making changed as other streamers have moved aggressively into the genre?

It’s not easy. There is only a certain amount of A-list talent, whether that’s in animation or live-action, in the kids space and it’s a seller’s market. It’s not a buyer’s market. Ramsey Naito [president of Nickelodeon Animation] is really loved in the business. We’ve been fortunate that people want to come back home to Nick and work there. And to be honest, Nick had lost its way for a while. Ramsey and I have worked hard along with all the other executives to rebuild the culture and earn the trust back of the creative community. We hired 500 people during the pandemic so I’d say that’s a pretty good sign. And that was just at the animation studio.

Top creators like Chris Nee left Disney for lucrative pacts at Netflix, and both companies have been aggressive in the overall deals space. Is that an area that Nickelodeon plans on entering as an effort to keep top talent exclusive?

For sure. Our deal with the Avatar creators proves that. It’s a very lucrative, long-term pact with a lot of commitments to do a lot of great things together. That’s one example of how we’re competing with the Netflix’s the world. It’s not just about money anymore. Creators want to know that there’s a commitment to quality and culture. All of the hits and franchises that have come out of Nickelodeon in the past 20 years speaks for itself. Netflix and Amazon have yet to launch a franchise like a SpongeBob or Rugrats or a Dora or a Blue’s Clues or a Paw Patrol. It’s one thing to have your content consumed, but our franchises live in so many different ways. They are huge consumer products businesses. They show up on the shelf in a big way. There’s also live entertainment and tours and music and audio and books.

How are you thinking about diversity and inclusion when it comes to programming for such a prescient age group?

Half the audience is diverse. If you’re not serving the whole audience that just doesn’t make great business sense. And it’s the right thing to do, internally and externally. We’re very focused on it, on the live-action side, whether it’s our relationship with Tyler Perry who makes the show Young Dylan for us, or our new show that’s going to launch in September called That Girl Lay Lay starring a young girl who’s a rapper and social media star named Lay Lay and that’s being produced by Will Packer. It’s important to us that diversity is everywhere. And even on the animation side, whether that’s the The Casagrandes or other shows that we have and the casting that we have throughout all of our shows. Representation is really important now more than ever. I have three biracial children in my house so it’s extremely important to me that they see themselves in everything we make.

You’ve known and worked with Dan Schneider since Head of the Class. He recently told the New York Times that he has a desire to come back and has programming that he’s working on. Is there room for him at ViacomCBS?

I don’t think right now we’re looking to work with Dan. I don’t know what his plans are, quite frankly, but whatever they are, I wish him luck. I wasn’t here when he was dismissed and he and Nick went separate ways so it’s hard for me to comment on that relationship and I’d hate to speculate on rumors. I have no ill will but we are not contemplating working together right now.

Schneider created the original iCarly. Was he compensated for the revival?

I don’t know the specifics; I wasn’t here when he did his separation agreement. He definitely didn’t have anything to do with the new iCarly, so I don’t believe he was compensated, no.

Interview edited and condensed for clarity. Read on for more details about Fantasy Football; Hush, Hush; Fairly OddParents; and the Blue’s Clues movie.

Fantasy Football revolves around 15-year-old Carmen Coleman (Marsai Martin, Black-ish), who discovers she can control her professional football player dad’s prowess on the field through her video game. Zoe Marshall (Charmed) is writing, based on an original screenplay by Richard T. Jones & Jeremy Loethen and Tim Ogletree. Produced by Nickelodeon and Awesomeness Films Studio’s Syrinthia Studer.

Hush, Hush is based on the novels by Becca Fitzpatrick and follows 16-year-old high school student Nora Grey, who befriends new student, Patch, and finds herself drawn to his brooding charm against her better judgment. As Nora starts seeking answers about who Patch really is, she unwittingly gets caught in the crosshairs of an ancient battle between fallen angels and the immortal — a struggle that comes to threaten her life and reveals a shocking secret about her own identity. Monet Clayton (Every Note Played) is writing the script. Produced by Nickelodeon and Awesomeness Films Studio’s Syrinthia Studer, BCDF Pictures and Entertainment 360.

The Fairly OddParents is based on the Emmy-winning animated series and will combine live-action and animation. The 13-episode first season will pick up years after the original series ended and follow Timmy Turner’s cousin, Vivian “Viv” Turner (Audrey Grace Marshall, The Flight Attendant), and her new stepbrother, Roy Ragland (Tyler Wladis, Single Parents), as they navigate life in Dimmsdale with the help of their fairy godparents, Wanda and Cosmo. Susanne Blakeslee and Daran Norris return to the franchise to voice the iconic Wanda and Cosmo. Laura Bell Bundy (Perfect Harmony) plays Roy’s mom, Rachel; Ryan-James Hatanaka (Nancy Drew) is Viv’s dad, Ty; and Imogen Cohen plays their friend, Zina Zacarias. Production on the series is under way in Los Angeles with a debut slated for later this year on Paramount+.

Blue’s Clues & You will follow Josh and Blue as they head to New York City to audition for a Broadway musical. Matt Stawski (Side Effects) will direct the movie, which is being written by franchise veteran Angela Santomero and Liz Maccie (Siren). Production will begin this summer.

More Nick: Nickelodeon Announces 2021-22 Content Slate | Nick Upfront 2021!

Originally published: July 12, 2021.

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Nickelodeon Greenlights 'Warped!', All-New Live-Action Buddy Comedy Series

NICKELODEON GREENLIGHTS WARPED!, ALL-NEW LIVE-ACTION BUDDY COMEDY SERIES FROM CO-CREATORS 

KEVIN KOPELOW & HEATH SEIFERT

Share it: @Nickelodeon

HOLLYWOOD, Calif.–March. 18, 2021–Nickelodeon today announced the greenlight of Warped! (13 episodes), a brand-new live-action buddy comedy series from co-creators Kevin Kopelow & Heath Seifert (All That, Good Burger). The series follows Milo, the beloved head geek at popular comic book shop Warped!, who forms an unlikely alliance with his new quirky and excitable co-worker Ruby to create the world’s greatest graphic novel. Kevin Kay (All That, Lip Sync Battle Shorties) serves as executive producer and production on Warped! will begin later this year. 

“Kevin and Heath are wonderful collaborators and proven showrunners who truly understand Nickelodeon’s audience,” said Zack Olin, Senior Vice President, Live Action. “We are so excited to be working with them again on this new original comedy series that kids and families of all ages are sure to love.” 

The cast of Warped! includes: Kate Godfrey (All That) as Ruby, an outgoing and impulsive pop culture nerd whose encyclopedic knowledge of comic books makes her irreplaceable as the newest hire at Warped!; Anton Starkman (Storks) as Milo, the intelligent and responsible leader of the comic book shop who is constantly using his creativity to keep him and Ruby out of trouble; Ariana Molkara (Septembers of Shiraz) as Darby, who creates her own comic book character costumes in hopes of one day owning her own fashion line; and Christopher Martinez (Timmy Failure) as Hurley, a pizza shop employee and aspiring chef who is always coming up with concoctions for his friends to taste. 

Warped! is written and executive produced by Kevin Kopelow & Heath Seifert (All That, Good Burger) with Kevin Kay (All That, Lip Sync Battle Shorties) serving as executive producer. The pilot is directed by Jonathan Judge (All That, Punky Brewster, The Thundermans).  Production is overseen for Nickelodeon by Zack Olin, Senior Vice President, Live Action, and Shauna Phelan, Senior Vice President, Live-Action Scripted Content. Omar Camacho serves as Nickelodeon’s Executive in Charge of Production for Warped!

Nickelodeon, now in its 41st year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The brand includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, digital, location-based experiences, publishing and feature films. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of ViacomCBS Inc. (Nasdaq: VIACA, VIAC).

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Update (6/27) - Warped! will start shooting this summer; Cinematographer Emmy Award-winning cinematographer John Simmons (iCarly reboot) will be working on the series.

Update (3/27) - Kate Godfrey has given us a first look at the Warped! logo on Instagram!:

Kate captioned her Instagram post by saying "hi!! i am so excited to share what I have been up to!! 💞💙✨🎉💖💛🤍❣️I will be playing Ruby in Nickelodeon’s new comedy series, Warped!! (Thank you kevin and kevin and heath and jonathan and nickelodeon!! i love ruby so much!!) let’s sell some comics!!"

More Nick: Nickelodeon Announces 2021-22 Content Slate | Nick Upfront 2021!

Originally published: Thursday, March 18, 2021.

Additional source: Anime Superhero Forum /@toonmaster17.

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ViacomCBS Underscores the Power of Partnership, Content and Capabilities During Virtual Upfront Presentation

ViacomCBS Underscores the Power of Partnership, Content and Capabilities During Virtual Upfront Presentation

Extensive Slate of Premium Content, Industry-Leading Advertising Solutions and Massive Footprint Across Linear and Digital Provide Unmatched Reach for Marketing Partners at Scale

NEW YORK-May 19, 2021--ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAC, VIACA) today showcased the strength of its content and capabilities with a special celebrity-casting Upfront edition of Survivor. Through a series of unique challenges, fan-favorite talent from ViacomCBS’ leading portfolio of entertainment, news and sports brands highlighted the company’s largest slate of premium programming, powerful suite of advertising solutions and massive reach to help marketing partners outplay, outwit and outlast in today’s increasingly complex marketplace.

“We’re giving marketers the ability to leverage the full scale and power of our brands and businesses with the broadest set of leading data-driven advertising capabilities and creative marketing solutions across every platform,” said Jo Ann Ross, President and Chief Advertising Revenue Office, ViacomCBS Domestic Advertising Sales. “We have exceptional content for everyone, everywhere across our expansive ecosystem — and this meaningful total reach in premium, brand-safe, high-engagement environments spanning broadcast, cable, streaming, experiential and social is second to none.”

ViacomCBS is providing more touch points than ever before to deliver true integration and alignment with its popular brands, premium IP and coveted audiences through simplified, unified and effective advertising solutions, including:

• ViacomCBS EyeQ Video, one of the biggest premium video ad platforms in digital media, with 60 million monthly full-episode viewers. Powered by ViacomCBS’ fast-growing ad-supported streaming properties, including Paramount+ and Pluto TV, the leading free streaming television service in the U.S., EyeQ provides marketers with unprecedented quality and scale for maximum reach and impact in one easy solution.
• Leading multicultural marketing solutions to help advertisers achieve their diversity, equity and inclusion goals as a trusted leader in the space, ensuring that marketers reach and engage ViacomCBS’ diverse audiences with authenticity and purpose.
• Award-winning custom creative, branded programming, live events, influencer and shopper marketing solutions, offering advertisers the opportunity to build affinity and convert passionate fans through distinctive, genuine storytelling.
• Vantage, the industry’s most sophisticated advanced advertising platform, which delivers relevance, optimization and results across every consumer touchpoint, including linear, digital and an addressable TV footprint of more than 40 million households.
• The company’s “InView” reporting platform, which provides a holistic overview of campaign performance and new levels of transparency, to help advertisers evaluate their multi-channel marketing investments across the ViacomCBS portfolio.

Today’s presentation concluded with a content showcase, unveiling the 2021-2022 CBS Fall Primetime schedule and previewing ViacomCBS’ most significant slate of original series to date spanning all genres, including drama, comedy, reality, kids and family, late night and daytime, major specials and tentpole events, as well as the best in sports and news.

Kids and Family

• Baby Shark’s Big Show! – Based on the world-famous pop culture phenomenon, the recently launched original series already ranks as the #2 preschool show on all of television, second only to PAW Patrol. The series centers on title character Baby Shark and his best friend William as they journey on fun-filled, musical and comedic adventures. Baby Shark’s Big Show! is co-produced by Nickelodeon Animation Studio and SmartStudy, the global entertainment company behind the beloved children’s brand Pinkfong.
• Big Nate (Premieres September 2021 on Nickelodeon) – Based on author/cartoonist Lincoln Peirce’s best-selling children’s book series, which has sold more than 20-million copies and spent more than 150 weeks on the New York Times Best Sellers list, Big Nate is a brand-new TV series featuring the known and loved cast of characters in all-new storylines, still centered on Nate, a precocious 11-year-old boy whose shenanigans usually result in disaster, detention, or both.
• Blue’s Clues & You! – A remake of the landmark, curriculum-driven interactive preschool series Blue’s Clues, has a new generation of preschoolers searching for clues with beloved puppy Blue and new live-action host Josh. The series features new CG-animation for Blue and Magenta, brand-new elements and refreshed iconic items from the original series, including an updated Handy Dandy Notebook equipped with smartphone technology, and the return of fan-favorite characters. Currently in its second season, Blue’s Clues & You! airs weekdays on Nickelodeon.
• Middlemost Post (Premieres July 2021 on Nickelodeon) – In the tradition of Nickelodeon’s commitment to original creator-driven animation, Middlemost Post plunges viewers into an entirely unique world of quirky characters, hilarious adventures and stories of unwavering friendship. From the mind of veteran SpongeBob SquarePants storyboard artist John Trabbic III, this 2D-animated series follows Parker, a former rain cloud; Angus, a brawny mailman; and Russell, their magical pet walrus, as they deliver packages to the unusual inhabitants of Mount Middlemost.
• Rugrats (Premieres May 27 on Paramount+) – This brand-new, CG-animated reimagining of Nickelodeon’s iconic ‘90s hit reunites members of the original voice cast and follows the iconic crew of toddlers – Tommy Pickles, Chuckie Finster, Angelica Pickles, Susie Carmichael, and twins Phil and Lil DeVille – throughout their day-to-day lives that become high-stakes adventures in their imaginations.
• That Girl Lay Lay (Working Title; Premieres Summer 2021 on Nickelodeon) – Teen sensation and hip-hop artist Alaya “That Girl Lay Lay” High stars in this new comedy series as Lay Lay, an avatar from a personal affirmation app that magically comes to life. The series follows Lay Lay and her best friend Sadie as they navigate life as teenagers and discover who they truly are. That Girl Lay Lay is produced by Will Packer Media (Little, Girls Trip, Ride Along, What Men Want), with Will Packer serving as executive producer.
• The Barbarian and the Troll – This all-new live-action puppet comedy series follows Evan, a bridge troll in search of adventure, and Brendar, a fierce female warrior on a quest to defeat the evil demon who has imprisoned her brother. Co-created and executive produced by Mike Mitchell (Trolls, The Lego Movie II: The Second Part) and Drew Massey (Mutt & Stuff, Sid the Science Kid), The Barbarian and the Troll is, as AV Club cites, “...fun, witty, charming, and can be enjoyed by kids, parents and – frankly – adults who have absolutely no intention of having kids ever.”
• The Smurfs TV Series (Premieres October 2021 on Nickelodeon) – Based on the globally iconic franchise, and in partnership with LAFIG Belgium and IMPS, The Smurfs is a brand-new original CG-animated TV series following Papa Smurf, Smurfette, Brainy, Hefty, Clumsy and others on a new set of adventures packed with humor, heart and high-stakes action.
• The Universe of SpongeBob SquarePants – Nickelodeon has expansive content plans for its major franchises, led by one of the company’s largest global properties, the top-rated SpongeBob SquarePants. Following its first-ever spin-off, Kamp Koral: SpongeBob’s Under Years, an original CG-animated series which successfully launched on Paramount+ in March, the franchise is readying its next series with the July premiere of The Patrick Star Show on Nickelodeon. The Patrick Star Show is a family sitcom starring Patrick (Bill Fagerbakke) and his relatives, who come together to navigate the constant comedic disruptions caused by Patrick’s wild whims and surreal imagination. The 2D-animated series offers a deeper dive into the beloved best friend’s life, with all the comedy and patented ‘Patrick-isms’ that have made the character an iconic part of the SpongeBob SquarePants Universe.

Drama

• Blue Bloods – Stars Tom Selleck in a drama about a multi-generational family of cops dedicated to New York City law enforcement.
• Bull – Stars Michael Weatherly as Dr. Jason Bull, a brash, brilliant trial consultant who combines psychology, human intuition and high-tech data to learn what makes jurors, attorneys, witnesses and the accused tick. Inspired by the early career of Dr. Phil McGraw.
• CSI: Vegas – The sequel to the network’s global hit CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, opens a brand-new chapter in Las Vegas, the city where it all began where a brilliant new team of investigators led by Maxine Roby (Paula Newsome) must enlist the help of old friends - Gil Grissom, Sara Sidle, David Hodges, and Jim Brass - to do what they do best – follow the evidence.
• Equalizer – A reimagining of the classic series starring Academy Award® nominee and multi-hyphenate Queen Latifah (Chicago, Bessie) as Robyn McCall, an enigmatic woman with a mysterious background who uses her extensive skills as a former CIA operative to help those with nowhere else to turn.
• Evil – A psychological mystery that examines the origins of evil along the dividing line between science and religion. The series focuses on a skeptical female psychologist who joins a priest-in-training and a contractor as they investigate the Church’s backlog of unexplained mysteries, including supposed miracles, demonic possessions and hauntings. Their job is to assess if there is a logical explanation or if something truly supernatural is at work.
• FBI: International – From Emmy® Award-winning executive producer Dick Wolf, this fast-paced drama is the third iteration of the successful FBI brand that follows the elite operatives of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s International Fly Team.
• FBI – From Emmy® Award-winner Dick Wolf and the team behind the Law & Order brand, FBI stars Missy Peregrym and Zeeko Zaki in a fast-paced drama about the inner workings of the New York office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
• Games People Play – Based on the popular book by Angela Burt-Murray, Games Divas Play, Games People Play is a sexy, stylized drama about the L.A. high life, where everyone plays to win.
• Good Sam – Stars Sophia Bush and Jason Isaacs in a drama about a gifted heart surgeon who excels in her new leadership role as Chief of Surgery after her renowned boss falls into a coma. But when he wakes up months later demanding to resume his duties, Sam is tasked with supervising the man who never acknowledged her stellar talent, who also happens to be her father, Dr. Rob “Griff” Griffith.
• Land Man – Set in the proverbial boomtowns of West Texas, Land Man is a modern day tale of fortune seeking in the world of oil rigs. The series is an upstairs/downstairs story of roughnecks and wildcat billionaires fueling a boom so big, it’s reshaping our climate, our economy and our geopolitics.
• Mayor of Kingstown – Follows the McLusky family – power brokers in Kingstown, Michigan, where the business of incarceration is the only thriving industry. Tackling themes of systemic racism, corruption and inequality, the series provides a stark look at their attempt to bring order and justice to a town that has neither.
• NCIS: Hawai’i – The first female Special Agent in Charge of NCIS Pearl Harbor, Jane Tennant (Vanessa Lachey) and her unwavering team of specialists balance duty to family and country while investigating high-stakes crimes involving military personnel, national security and the mysteries of the sun-drenched island paradise itself.
• NCIS – Starring Mark Harmon, NCIS is more than just an action drama. With liberal doses of humor, it’s a show that focuses on the sometimes complex and always amusing dynamics of a team forced to work together in high-stress situations as they investigate all crimes with Navy or Marine Corps ties.
• SEAL Team – A military drama that follows the professional and personal lives of the most elite unit of Navy SEALs as they train, plan and execute the most dangerous, high-stakes missions our country can ask of them.
• Star Trek: Discovery – Season four of Star Trek: Discovery finds Captain Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) and the crew of the U.S.S. Discovery facing a threat unlike any they’ve ever encountered. With Federation and non-Federation worlds alike feeling the impact, they must confront the unknown and work together to ensure a hopeful future for all.
• The Good Fight – In the fifth season, Diane (Christine Baranski) is forced to question whether it’s appropriate for her to help run an African American law firm with Liz (Audra McDonald) when the firm loses two top lawyers. Meanwhile, Marissa (Sarah Steele) and the firm become entangled with Hal Wackner (Mandy Patinkin), a regular Chicagoan who decides to open his own courtroom in the back of a copy shop.
• Tyler Perry’s Ruthless – BET+ original series Tyler Perry’s Ruthless is the riveting story of a young woman who becomes entangled in a scandalous cult of powerful sex-crazed fanatics, who she must now play along with until she can find a way to free herself and her young daughter.
• Tyler Perry’s Sistas – In the new season of Tyler Perry’s Sistas, Tyler Perry takes viewers on an exhilarating ride of emotions and gut-busting predicaments that will test the ladies’ long-standing friendship. This band of women, intertwined with their newfound relationships, must navigate this new-age dating scene as they continue to search for love in their 30’s.
• Tyler Perry’s The Oval – The one-hour drama, Tyler Perry’s The Oval, lifts the veil of what can happen when the leader of the free world, his wife and family are crazed maniacs. The series also highlights the personal side and everyday lives of the staff who run the inner workings of the nation’s most iconic residence.
• Y: 1883 – Follows the Dutton family as they embark on a journey west through the Great Plains toward the last bastion of untamed America. It is a stark retelling of Western expansion, and an intense study of one family fleeing poverty to seek a better future in America’s promised land – Montana.
• Yellowstone – Chronicles the Dutton family, led by John Dutton, who controls the largest contiguous cattle ranch in the United States. Amid shifting alliances, unsolved murders, open wounds and hard-earned respect, the ranch is in constant conflict with those it borders – an expanding town, an Indian reservation and America’s first national park.
• Yellowstone Spinoff, 6666 (Working Title) – Founded when Comanches still ruled West Texas, no ranch in America is more steeped in the history of the West than the 6666. Still operating as it did two centuries before, and encompassing an entire county, the 6666 is where the rule of law and the laws of nature merge in a place where the most dangerous thing one does is the next thing… The 6666 is synonymous with the merciless endeavor to raise the finest horses and livestock in the world, and ultimately where world class cowboys are born and made.

Comedy

• B Positive – A comedy from Chuck Lorre and Marco Pennette that revolves around Drew (Thomas Middleditch), a therapist and newly divorced dad who is faced with finding a kidney donor when he runs into Gina (Annaleigh Ashford), a rough-around-the-edges woman from his past who volunteers her own.
• Beavis and Butt-Head – Emmy® Award-winning Mike Judge reimagines MTV’s seminal, Gen X-defining Beavis and Butt-Head, who return for another movie adventure to debut on Paramount+, and will then kick-off the new series on Comedy Central.
• Bigger – Hailed by ESSENCE as, “A love letter to the friendships Black women count on,” BET+ original series Bigger follows Layne, a single-black-woman and her close-knit group of 30-somethings as they navigate love, friendships, career ambitions and the journey to getting BIGGER, together. When a college acquaintance suddenly dies, the group is forced to take a deeper look at their messy lives, while asking themselves – is this it or is there something bigger and better?
• Bob ♥ Abishola – From award-winning creator, executive producer and writer Chuck Lorre, Bob ♥ Abishola is a love story about a middle-aged compression sock businessman from Detroit (Billy Gardell) who unexpectedly falls for his cardiac nurse, a Nigerian immigrant (Folake Olowofoyeku), while recovering from a heart attack and sets his sights on winning her over.
• First Wives Club – Hit BET+ original series First Wives Club, from Paramount Television Studios, follows best friends Ari, Hazel and Bree as they reunite to help each other through rough patches in their lives. Tired of always being the ones to make sacrifices, they vow to prioritize their friendship and have more fun. Along the way, the women learn that as long as they have each other, there's nothing they can't do. In season two, Ari, Hazel and Bree will continue to find strength in their sisterhood.
• Ghosts – Stars Rose McIver and Utkarsh Ambudkar in a distinctive new comedy about a cheerful freelance journalist and an up-and-coming chef from the city who throw both caution and money to the wind when they decide to convert a huge, rundown country estate they inherited into a bed & breakfast, only to find it’s inhabited by the many spirits of deceased residents who now call it home. Based on the critically acclaimed BBC series.
• Guilty Party – Starring Kate Beckinsale as Beth, a discredited journalist desperate to salvage her career by latching on to the story of a young mother sentenced to life in prison for maiming and murdering her husband — crimes she claims she didn’t commit. In trying to uncover the truth, Beth finds herself in over her head as she contends with Colorado gun smugglers, clickbait culture, the doldrums of marriage and her own tarnished past.
• iCarly – The new season picks up nearly 10 years after the original show ended, and finds Carly Shay, the original influencer, and her friends navigating work, love and their family in their twenties. Returning original series stars Miranda Cosgrove (Carly), Jerry Trainor (Spencer) and Nathan Kress (Freddie) are joined by newcomers Laci Mosley (Harper) and Jaidyn Triplett (Millicent).
• Smallwood – Based on professional bowler Tom Smallwood’s life, stars Pete Holmes and Chi McBride in a new comedy about a stoic Midwest husband and dad who gets laid off from a car assembly line and makes the extraordinary decision to provide for his family by following his dream of becoming a professional bowler.
• The Game – Relocating from San Diego to Sin City, the revival returns with a mix of original cast and new players to offer a modern-day examination of Black culture through the prism of pro football. The team will tackle racism, sexism, classism and more as they fight for fame, fortune, respect and love—all while trying to maintain their souls as they each play "The Game."
• The Harper House – The adult animated comedy series created by Brad Neely follows an overconfident female head of a household as she struggles to regain a higher status for herself and for her family of oddballs, after losing her job and moving from the rich side to the poor side of an Arkansas small town. To save money, they’ve moved into their inherited Victorian fixer-upper, the historic Harper House.
• The Neighborhood – Stars Cedric the Entertainer and Max Greenfield in a comedy about what happens when the friendliest guy in the Midwest moves his family to a neighborhood in Los Angeles where not everyone looks like him or appreciates his extreme neighborliness.
• Twenties – Ranked as the #1 new comedy series on cable for African Americans P18-49 in 2020, and premiered to critical acclaim with its first-time portrayal of a masculine-presenting Queer woman of color as the lead in a primetime show. The scripted series created and written by Lena Waithe and Hillman Grad Productions stars a queer black girl who is chasing her dreams of being a screenwriter in Los Angeles alongside her two best friends, Marie and Nia. While they live separate lives, the girls lean on each other for guidance as they navigate their twenties and test the limits of diversity, love and inclusion.
• Tyler Perry’s Assisted Living – In season two of comedy series Tyler Perry’s Assisted Living, Mr. Brown, Cora and the gang open their assisted living facility, and a hilarious variety of personalities come to live in the home, bringing with them a ton of laughs and experiences. Tyler Perry’s Assisted Living is the #1 new scripted series for African Americans P18-49, P25-54 and P2+ on cable for broadcast season 20-21.
• Tyler Perry’s House of Payne – The eighth season of the hilarious comedy features retired fire chief Curtis Payne and his lovely wife Ella. Together, the loving couple navigates the problems of life with their quirky modern-day family. Tyler Perry’s House of Payne is the #1 comedy series on cable for African Americans P2+ on Cable in the calendar year 2020.
• United States of Al – Stars Adhir Kalyan and Parker Young in a comedy about the friendship between Riley (Young), a Marine combat veteran struggling to readjust to civilian life in Ohio, and Awalmir (“Al”) Kalyan, the interpreter who served with his unit in Afghanistan, and has just arrived to start a new life in America.
• Younger – Darren Star’s critically acclaimed smash-hit, Younger, follows Liza Miller (Sutton Foster), a talented editor navigating the highly competitive world of publishing, while juggling the complications of mixing business with pleasure, and facing the lie she created about her age to land her dream job.
• Young Sheldon – For young Sheldon Cooper, it isn’t easy growing up in East Texas. Being a once-in-a-generation mind capable of advanced mathematics and science isn’t always helpful in a land where church and football are king. And while the vulnerable, gifted and somewhat naïve Sheldon deals with the world, his very normal family must find a way to deal with him.

Reality

• Amazing Race – A multiple Emmy® Award-winning reality series hosted by Emmy® Award-nominated host Phil Keoghan, where teams of two embark on a trek around the world and compete in a series of challenges at different destinations. Teams who fall the farthest behind are gradually eliminated, with the first team to arrive at the final destination winning The Amazing Race and the $1 million prize.
• Behind the Music – The groundbreaking and prolific music documentary series returns with several new episodes and the best of the vault remastered and updated for today’s audiences, with artist interviews, a creative refresh and reimagined visual style.
• Big Brother – Follows a group of people living together in a house outfitted with 94 HD cameras and 113 microphones, recording their every move 24 hours a day. Each week, someone will be voted out of the house, with the last remaining houseguest receiving the grand prize.
• Come Dance with Me – Exceptionally talented young dancers from across the country invite one inspirational (and untrained) family member, or other adult who has supported their dance dreams, to become their dance partner for a chance to strut their stuff for a grand prize. Hosted by Philip Lawrence with judges Jenna Dewan, Tricia Miranda and Dexter Mayfield.
• Infamy: When Fame Turns Deadly – In this groundbreaking new true crime series, GRAMMY® Award-winning singer, songwriter and actress Monica, who knows firsthand what being in the spotlight can bring, explores celebrity cases where notoriety and fame turn fatal. Each episode unravels the mystery and the motives behind the crimes, revealing a dark side to being in the public eye when betrayal, jealousy and greed lead to tragedy.
• Jersey Shore Family Vacation – Last trip brought the family back together following the infamous bridesmaids’ speech, and now, once again, the roommates are packing up and inviting their friends, family and loved ones for a Jersey-style family vacation. Between engagements, birthdays and gender reveals, there’s plenty to celebrate on this trip.
• Kids Say the Darndest Things – Tiffany Haddish hosts the reimagined variety show where she showcases her unparalleled comedic talents, her singular voice, humor and life perspective to interact with real kids from across the country in an honest, unpredictable and hilarious way.
• RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars – Premiering on Paramount+ for the first time, the highly anticipated new season is bringing back thirteen fabulous queens to vie for a spot in the “Drag Race Hall of Fame” and a cash prize of $100,000.
• RuPaul’s Drag Race – The Emmy® Award-winning competition series hosted by five-time Emmy® Award-winning Host and Executive Producer RuPaul, brings together fabulous queens as they vie for the title of “America’s Next Drag Superstar” and a cash prize of $100,000.
• Survivor – The groundbreaking reality series hosted by Jeff Probst challenges a group of castaways to compete against each other under difficult circumstances while sharing the same ultimate goal: to outwit, outplay and outlast in order to be named Sole Survivor and win the $1 million prize.
• Texas 6 – Emmy® Award-nominated docuseries following the Greyhounds, a high school 6-man football team under the direction of Coach Dewaine Lee, as they strive to win the 6-Man Football State Championship. While football remains the spine of Strawn, TEXAS 6 ultimately depicts the spirit of a small town and a team that shows up for one another on and off the field.
• The Hills: New Beginnings – After a year of lockdowns and lost time, the cast of Hollywood’s most iconic friend group is reuniting. This season finds them at a crossroads and their lives tested like never before. While some struggle with the financial strains from the global pandemic and rebuilding businesses, others are navigating through rocky relationships, struggling with addiction as well as their mental and physical health. From a highly-publicized divorce and rekindling former flames to starting new families and surprise pregnancies, all bets are off this season. Joined by a new Hollywood “it” girl on the scene and a long-awaited reunion with a former castmate, the group is writing their newest chapter once again.
• Tough as Nails – A competition series that celebrates everyday Americans who consider the calluses on their hands a badge of honor, hosted by Phil Keoghan.
• Yo! MTV Raps – MTV is bringing back its most storied hip-hop series and music franchise for Paramount+. Its return will include hosted segments, live performances, cyphers and lifestyle content, and will serve as a comprehensive deep dive into the current state of hip-hop. After its debut 33 years ago on August 6, 1988, Yo! MTV Raps became the premiere destination for all things hip-hop. The advent of the series was crucial to the rise of rap music worldwide, creating a global passion for the genre and greater hip-hop culture, which has since become the most dominant force in mainstream music and pop culture worldwide.
• 1000 Years of Slavery – This four-hour series follows celebrities and activists on personal journeys of discovery to confront the horrific legacy of slavery and its impact on the world.

Late Night and Daytime

• CBS Daytime – The #1 daypart for 35 consecutive seasons features the top program and longest-running game show, The Price is Right hosted by Drew Carey; Let’s Make A Deal, hosted by Wayne Brady; the top daytime drama, The Young and The Restless; the most-watched U.S.-produced daytime drama series in the world, The Bold and The Beautiful; and the daily talk show The Talk hosted by Sheryl Underwood, Carrie Ann Inaba, Amanda Kloots and Elaine Welteroth.
• The Daily Show with Trevor Noah – Comedy Central’s tentpole late-night franchise brings insightful humor to the day’s top headlines, providing coverage of and catharsis from daily events through a sharp, incisive lens. Noah’s coverage is deepened by his team of Correspondents and Contributors. The Daily Show with Trevor Noah airs weeknights at 11:00pm ET/PT on Comedy Central and is available the following morning on Paramount+, the streaming service from ViacomCBS.
• The Late Late Show with James Corden – Each weeknight, James Corden invites the audience to join in on the fun, as the Emmy® Award-winning The Late Late Show with James Corden features a mix of celebrity guests, musical acts, games and sketches.
• The Late Show with Stephen Colbert – Stephen Colbert brings his signature satire and comedy to The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the #1 show in late night, where he talks with an eclectic mix of guests about what is new and relevant in the worlds of politics, entertainment, business, music, technology and more.
• Unt. Charlamagne Tha God Project – Lenard “Charlamagne Tha God” McKelvey hosts a weekly, topical show on Comedy Central that gives his unfiltered take on relevant issues that are permeating within politics and culture. Unapologetically Black, nothing is off limits.

Specials and Events

• BET Awards – The biggest night in culture will celebrate the brightest stars across music, television, film, sports and social impact. The 2020 BET Awards broke ground as the first official award show to move forward during the COVID-19 pandemic, and claimed the top spot as the #1 Cable Awards Show among P18-49 for the 2020 broadcast season for the sixth consecutive calendar year (2015-2020).
• CMT Music Awards – Hosted by superstars Kelsea Ballerini and Kane Brown, country music’s only entirely fan-voted award show will celebrate music’s hottest stars, delivering two-and-a-half hours of nonstop performances and one-of-a-kind collaborations in and around Music City on June 9.
• The DAYTIME EMMY® Awards – Honors the best in daytime television and is produced by the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) and Associated Television International (ATI).
• The EMMY® Awards – Presented by the Television Academy, celebrates achievements in various sectors of the television industry.
• Hip Hop Awards – The annual celebration pays homage to a culture that changed the world while highlighting the best in hip-hop music. Year after year, BET Networks delivers the best in hip-hop for an unforgettable night of performances, cyphers and tributes honoring hip-hop legends that have and continue to make hip-hop culture a global force.
• MTV Video Music Awards – The MTV Video Music Awards annually delivers the definitive celebration of the year’s best music videos. With unparalleled performances and watershed moments, the telecast provides an open forum for artistry and expression that leaves an indelible mark on culture.
• Soul Train Awards – Recognizes the best in Soul, R&B and Hip-Hop from legends to the next generation.
• The GRAMMY Awards ® – Presented by the Recording Academy, recognizes exceptional achievements in the music industry.
• The TONY® Awards – Presented by the Broadway League and The American Theatre Wing, honors the outstanding shows, performances and artistry of each Broadway season.

Sports

• NFL ON CBS – Will present more than 100 games during its 62nd year of coverage of the NFL with the Network's strongest schedule and more Sunday afternoon games than ever before. Home to the AFC and many of the NFL's best young quarterbacks, the 2021 slate features 10 national doubleheader windows in the NFL's most-watched slot at 4:25 PM ET; the annual Thanksgiving showdown in Dallas; appearances from marquee NFC teams; and four playoff games, including the AFC Championship. Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, and Tracy Wolfson are the NFL ON CBS' lead announce team.
• CBS Sports Soccer – CBS Sports and Paramount+ have quickly become a leading destination for U.S. soccer fans, featuring multi-platform coverage of more than 1,400 live matches each year across an extensive portfolio of soccer properties, including UEFA club competitions; NWSL; Concacaf national team competitions (Men’s World Cup Qualifiers, Women’s World Cup Qualifiers, Men’s Nations League and Women’s Nations League); Italy's Serie A; Argentina's Liga Profesional de Fútbol; and Brazil's Campeonato Brasileirão Série A.
• GOLF ON CBS – CBS Sports has established CBS as the preeminent network for golf coverage, showcasing the biggest events and brightest stars in the sport on a weekly basis for a total of 20 events. The PGA TOUR ON CBS is the lead broadcast partner for the PGA TOUR. CBS Sports also serves as the broadcast home for two Major Championships, annually presenting THE MASTERS - the longest-running sporting event broadcast on one network and annually the most-watched golf tournament of the entire season - and the PGA CHAMPIONSHIP, this week for the 31st consecutive year.
• NCAA Men’s Basketball and March Madness – CBS Sports enters its 41st consecutive season broadcasting men's college basketball with coverage featuring top conferences, marquee teams, rivalry games and Conference Championships, including the Big Ten Championship. CBS will also broadcast the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship for the 40th time, including a partnership since 2011 with Turner Sports.
• SEC ON CBS – CBS Sports’ college football Saturday showcase is home to the SEC ON CBS, providing national coverage of the Southeastern Conference and the SEC Game of the Week. The schedule, which features the most-watched college football television package, has the majority of its games in the traditional 3:30 PM ET time slot, and is highlighted annually with a primetime game and the SEC Championship. Brad Nessler, Gary Danielson and Jamie Erdahl are CBS Sports’ lead college football announce team.

News

• CBS Sunday Morning – Anchored by Jane Pauley, CBS Sunday Morning is America’s #1 Sunday morning news program, featuring award-winning reporting on the arts, music, nature, entertainment, sports, history, science, Americana, and highlighting unique human accomplishments and achievements.
• CBS This Morning – Each weekday morning, Gayle King, Anthony Mason and Tony Dokoupil deliver two hours of original reporting, breaking news and top-level newsmaker interviews in an engaging and informative format that challenges the norm in network morning news programs.
• CBS This Morning: Saturday – Hosted by Jeff Glor, Michelle Miller and Dana Jacobson, CBS This Morning: Saturday presents a mix of stories and coverage of national and global news, as well as featured interviews with celebrated chefs, authors, celebrities and musicians.
• CBS Weekend News – Anchored by Adriana Diaz and Jericka Duncan, CBS Weekend News is a national broadcast featuring the latest headlines, original reporting and in-depth pieces that add context and perspective to the world’s events.
• Evening News with Norah O’Donnell – Anchor and Managing Editor Norah O’Donnell leads CBS News’ flagship evening news broadcast featuring breaking news reports, feature stories and interviews by CBS News correspondents and reporters covering events across the world.
• Face the Nation – In this interview and discussion broadcast, with the topics determined by news events of the week, Margaret Brennan interviews principal newsmaker guests. The program broadcasts from Washington, D.C. and features a roundtable discussion.
• 48 Hours – One of the most successful true crime docuseries in television history. Human drama at its most gripping – covering the crimes that stop your heart and test your conscience. The determined justice seekers versus the criminals who believe they are above the law. 48 Hours is an award-winning franchise that taps into our endless fascination with murder mysteries.
• 60 Minutes – The most influential program on television is still the #1 primetime news broadcast. With unparalleled reporting, 160 Emmy® Awards and a steady presence among Nielsen’s Top five programs – including as its #1 weekly broadcast among all programs five times last season – 60 Minutes has never been stronger.

About ViacomCBS

ViacomCBS Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAC; VIACA) is a leading global media and entertainment company that creates premium content and experiences for audiences worldwide. Driven by iconic consumer brands, its portfolio includes CBS, SHOWTIME, Paramount Pictures, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, Paramount+ and Pluto TV, among others. The company delivers the largest share of the television audience in the United States and one of the industry’s most extensive libraries of television and film titles. In addition to offering innovative streaming services and digital video products, ViacomCBS provides powerful capabilities in production, distribution and advertising solutions.

For more information about ViacomCBS, please visit www.viacomcbs.com and follow @ViacomCBS on social platforms.

VIAC-IR

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SpongeBob featured in ViacomCBS' Upfront 2021 presentation!:

TONY ROMO: “Jeff, in our house SpongeBob SquarePants is a Hall of Fame player”

SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS: “My lips are tingling from the spiciness of this conversation”

TONY ROMO: “As a Hall of Fame player, like SpongeBob, if you form an alliance with him, and you kinda get together with advertisers, you’re gonna win big in any demo in any field!

SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS: “First you do a zig, then you take a little zag, that’s how you find a shortcut”

TONY ROMO: “…Ill take that as a yes”

From Variety:

ViacomCBS Upfront Recap: More Emphasis on Mountain of Content, as Individual Networks Are Downplayed

ViacomCBS has spoken. The conglom leaned into what it deemed its “beautiful ecosystem” of “premium content” in a upfronts presentation that opened with “Survivor” host Jeff Probst leading ViacomCBS stars on a faux “Celebrity Survivor Casting Special.”

Leaning in on the idea of synergy inside the ViacomCBS, this year’s presentation made no real distinction between channel brands (except for a brief roundup of the CBS schedule at the very end — with a voiceover rushing through the lineup).

Unlike the CBS upfronts of old, when the network would highlight night-by-night strategy and programming initiatives in detail, the focus here was on hammering home the entire company’s library. ViacomCBS’ programming was promoted as one holistic slate, separated by genre: Dramas, comedies, reality/unscripted, kids and family, latenight/daytime, specials/events and sports/news.

“There’s something for everybody, giving our partners the largest possible audience,” Probst said.

The emphasis was on touting the reach of the entire company, which it says is “60 million monthly full-episode viewers.”

The “Celebrity Survivor Casting Special” bit ran about 20 minutes — nearly half the entire 45-minute presentation — and was broken up by faux advertisements (a gag that Fox employed with a more satirical edge earlier this week) promoting ViacomCBS’ “Eye Q” and “In-View Dashboard” advertising initiatives for media buyers.

In one brief mention of the various brands, and taking the “Mountain of Entertainment” launch campaign for Paramount Plus even further, a ViacomCBS map also included an “Isle of Partnership Possibilities.” That included “linear oasis” featuring CBS, a “Bakish Bay” where MTV and BET reside, and a “Sea of Transparency” where Nickelodeon and Comedy Central are. Then there was the “land of streams” with Pluto TV next to Paramount TV peak.

JoAnn Ross, the president and chief advertising revenue officer, ViacomCBS Domestic Advertising Sales, was the only exec on the program, and said she hoped next year’s upfront presentation would once again be in person.

“We hope we’ll all be face to face somewhere elegant eating and drinking and having a great time with you,” she said.

Later, “The Late Show” host Stephen Colbert did his part, sharing that “Viacom CBS is unleashing its biggest content slate ever. Yes, I said ‘unleashing’ and that’s not my word. That’s the company’s chosen word for what’s about to happen. They’re unleashing the content that will then maraud across the entertainment landscape like some ancient guardian beast awakened by an ill-conceived nuclear experiment.

“And the only way to appease the network Cthulhu is by selling off the branding rights, introducing the ‘Pineapple Fanta End of the World,’” he quipped. “We are number one, y’all, in viewership all across the important demos, diverse audiences and on social media. We are meme-ing all the TikToks and gram-tagging all the Venmos, hashtag on-fleek, fam! Facepalm, squad goals… You want to target left leaning tiny fedora-wearing ping pong enthusiasts with a pension for crime procedurals and strawberry lemonade popsicles but who have that thing where cilantro tastes like soap? We can do that.”

For specifics on CBS’ franchise-heavy fall lineup, including three different iterations of “FBI” (including newcomer “FBI: International”), three editions of “NCIS” (with the freshman “NCIS: Hawai’i” replacing the outgoing New Orleans series) and the return of the “CSI” universe, via “CSI: Vegas,” read on here.

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More Nick: Nickelodeon Announces 2021-22 Content Slate | Nick Upfront 2021!

Originally published: Wednesday, May 19, 2021.

Additional source: Kidscreen.

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Follow NickALive! on Twitter, Tumblr, Reddit, via RSS, on Instagram, and/or Facebook for the latest Nickelodeon Upfront 2021 News and Highlights!

ViacomCBS to Host Virtual Upfront Event on May 19, 2021

ViacomCBS and Disney have staked out familiar ground during mid-May for their upfront pitches to advertisers, but early signs indicate that 2021 will see continued rethinking of the annual ad-buying ritual, Deadline reports.

The ViacomCBS event will be held on Wednesday, May 19, 2021, in virtual form due to ongoing Covid-19 (coronavirus) restrictions on travel and public gatherings. The single-day event follows a two-day edition last year, which was held May 18 and 19. This year’s upfront will highlight the offerings of the full network portfolio, from CBS to cable networks like Nickelodeon and MTV as well as streaming platforms. CBS All Access will be rebranded next month to Paramount+.

Disney, meanwhile, is making some significant shifts even as it preserves its presence in the traditional broadcast upfront week, adding a tech showcase on February 23 and a “development event” on March 23. The company will host a virtual upfront on May 18, which has long been the date when an ABC-led event took place in New York’s Lincoln Center. But it has also added two lead-up events, creating three points of contact with advertisers and other partners, and also ending the involvement of Hulu in the NewFronts. Hulu, which was jointly run by Disney, Fox and NBCUniversal before Disney took full control of the streaming service, was among the early standard-bearers at the NewFronts since the showcase started in 2009.

The Hulu presentation will be folded into the May 18 event hosted by Disney Advertising Sales. In addition to Hulu, it will feature ABC, ABC News, Disney Channels Worldwide, Disney Digital, ESPN, ESPN+, Freeform, FX Networks and National Geographic.

The Disney Platform Technology Showcase on February 23 will aim to highlight Disney’s technology investments and approach to data, measurement, ad experiences and transactions with marketers. The March 23 event will focus purely on programming.

NBCUniversal has not identified a date as of yet for its conventional upfront. Its recently added what it plans to be an annual element in its approach, a tech-style event called “One21” that will showcase the full capabilities across Comcast, NBCU and Sky.

Fox and the CW, the other broadcast networks with a presence during the mid-May spate of presentations traditionally held in fabled New York, are still finalizing their plans. Especially coming off a turbulent 2020 and facing deep uncertainties about the  but they are increasingly looking to disrupt the traditional spring upfront timing and September-to-May programming emphasis. The pattern took shape decades ago in part due to automakers launching new car models each fall.

The TV ad business, which is collectively worth at least $60 billion a year, has been in flux due to rising streaming adoption, cord-cutting and declining ratings. Those trends have all accelerated during Covid-19, with ad dollars shifting to streaming. NBCU launched Peacock last year as an ad-focused entry into streaming, while Hulu’s ad business has added billions to the service’s subscription revenues. WarnerMedia plans to introduce an ad-supported tier of HBO Max this year.

Momentum has been building for the TV industry to formally adopt a calendar-year approach to upfront selling and TV ratings, which is a direction media sales teams have already been moving in recent years.

From WrapPro:

Upfront Week Lowdown: TV Networks Fight for Relevance as Streaming Dominance Grows

TV network chiefs prepare to sell themselves a year after streaming swallowed the bundle

For years during May’s Upfront Week, television network executives have trotted out stars to sell advertisers on why good old-fashioned linear TV is the best place to spend marketing dollars. That pitch has become harder to make as the number of linear viewers has dwindled and the companies that own those networks have reorganized to prioritize streaming.

But this year, they might not even try.          

What was once the enemy is now being welcomed as the roommate. Over the last year of pandemic-accelerated changes in the industry, there has been an explosion of streaming services, many owned by the same companies that run NBC, ABC, CBS and some of big cable networks that will take the virtual stage this week. Those companies (at least those with prized streaming services) are now the ones pushing the migration of ad dollars toward digital.

"What we're trying to do is persuade advertisers to bring more of their investments over to our streaming services," one network executive told TheWrap. "We feel like there is a lag in terms of the investment pattern."

Streaming is still dominated by the likes of Netflix and Amazon, along with the biggest newcomer in Disney+. All three of those services, plus Apple TV+ and HBO Max, do not feature advertising. But there has been a rise in ad-supported streaming, whether through free services like the Fox-owned Tubi or Pluto TV, which is owned by ViacomCBS. NBCUniversal launched Peacock, a streamer that has both free and paid ad-supported options, and ViacomCBS supersized CBS All Access into Paramount+. WarnerMedia is debuting an ad-supported version of HBO Max next month.

All told, there were 6 million fewer households subscribed to some sort of cable or satellite package by the end of 2020, representing a 7.3% loss. The percentage of U.S. homes subscribed to a cable package fell to around 60%, a level not seen since the early 1990s.

That shift from linear to streaming is happening quicker than many imagined. Disney now gets nearly as much ad revenue from Hulu as it does it from its broadcast and cable networks. In its most recent quarter, the company's direct-to-consumer business brought in $717 million in ad revenue, while its broadcasting segment (ABC plus its owned and operated local TV stations) drove $722 million and cable networks like ESPN and Freeform garnered $711 million.

"I would say the vast majority of marketers, either presently or will in the future, get to a place where they're making no meaningful distinction" between linear and digital TV content, said Brian Wieser, global president of business intelligence for GroupM, one of the biggest media buying firms. "At the end of the day, if it's premium professionally produced content, it's not any different whether it's delivered through a connected TV, or if it's delivered through a traditional linear environment."

However, Wieser noted that despite the decline of the bundle roughly 80 million homes still subscribe to cable or satellite. But the writing is definitely on the wall. "There's a consumer migration going on; viewing patterns are changing. And, yes, they have grown and that has very much accelerated," the executive said. "But the reality is that it's not yet at parity with broadcast television."

Wieser argues that parity will probably never come, in the sense that broadcast distribution will always have the widest reach. "To view content that's delivered through an internet-connected device will always require a subscription to some service, unless you're imagining a world of municipal Wi-Fi, where cities just give it away.”

A+E Networks is one of the larger media companies that isn't tied to some kind of streaming service, but Peter Olsen, the company's executive vice president of ad sales, argues that's not necessarily a bad thing. For one, it makes A+E a content arms dealer — ask Sony how profitable that business can be — with its shows carried on multiple platforms. "We have content on Peacock; we have content on Discovery+; we have content on Hulu," Olsen said. "We think, in the long term, we can win. Because we're not placing all of our bets on one platform or on one thing."

Few network executives are better primed to straddle the line between the old and new model than Nickelodeon president Brian Robbins, who founded AwesomenessTV, one of the first successful YouTube channels. Especially with Paramount+ and Pluto TV in house, he said it's more important for Nickelodeon to become a brand rather than a singular network.

"Linear cable television is still our biggest reach vehicle today - we reach more kids through linear than anyplace else. But the truth is, we also know that kids are consuming content in many different ways on many different platforms," Robbins told TheWrap. "The brand was bigger than just linear television.

Despite the subscription losses, Olsen said the pace of decline is starting to slow, giving hopes that some sort of equilibrium will soon be reached. “We actually are seeing, year-to-date, a slowing of the subscription decline," he said. "There’s been kind of a market slowing versus the last two years. So, yes, continued migration, continued disruption, but at a slower pace."

Last year's upfront season was hammered by the pandemic, which erased ad budgets and rendered sectors like movies and travel virtually nonexistent. Typically, around $8 billion to $10 billion in ad spending is committed for the five main broadcast networks during each upfront period. That final number can be lower, however, since the figure represents commitments and not spending, which can be deflated if ratings guarantees are not met.

At the same time, Nielsen is reeling from the disclosure that it may have been undercounting viewers during the COVID era, which has enraged the TV networks who have complained for years that their viewers were already being undercounted.

Discovery CEO David Zaslav blasted Nielsen earlier this week during the MoffettNathanson Media & Communications Summit. "We’re dealing with this antiquated system of measurement that advertisers love because they can rely on something that fundamentally undercounts all of us. As great as our industry is, we haven’t been able to get Nielsen to get their act together.”

The good news for 2021 is that, overall, ad revenue is going to bounce back, one top media buyer believes.

Magna Global predicts that overall ad revenue for media companies will rise 6.4% to $240 billion this year, an increase from projections at the end of 2020. Digital ad formats will take two-thirds of total advertising sales for the first time, though national TV advertising is set to increase 3.4%. Some of that will no doubt rely on NBCUniversal's broadcast of the Tokyo Olympics & assuming that they are still held.

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Más Nick: 2021 on Nickelodeon | New Shows, Specials, Podcasts, Events, Movies, Episodes, and More!

Originally published: Thursday, February 11, 2021.

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Nickelodeon Greenlights All-New Comedy Series Starring Alaya “That Girl Lay Lay” High

NICKELODEON GREENLIGHTS ALL-NEW COMEDY SERIES

STARRING TEEN SENSATION ALAYA “THAT GIRL LAY LAY” HIGH

Will Packer Media Set to Produce First Project from Overall Talent Deal

with That Girl Lay Lay

Share it: @Nickelodeon @thatgirllaylay #thatgirllaylay

HOLLYWOOD, Calif.–March 18, 2021–Nickelodeon today announced the greenlight of That Girl Lay Lay (working title), a new comedy series starring teen sensation and hip-hop artist Alaya “That Girl Lay Lay” High. The series (13 episodes) marks Nickelodeon’s first project under an overall deal with That Girl Lay Lay to develop original multiform programming and music initiatives, and build a cross-category consumer products business. Produced by record-breaking producer Will Packer (Little, Ride Along) and Will Packer Media (Bigger), the series is set to begin production this spring, with a premiere slated for this summer on Nickelodeon.

Created by David A. Arnold (Side Hustle, Fuller House, Bigger), That Girl Lay Lay follows Lay Lay (That Girl Lay Lay), an avatar from a personal affirmation app that magically comes to life, and her best friend Sadie as they navigate life as teenagers and discover who they truly are.

“We’re so excited to have That Girl Lay Lay star in a series that’s just as fierce and funny as she is,” said Zack Olin, Senior Vice President, Live Action. “At its heart, the show David A. Arnold created is about staying true to yourself, and with the immensely talented Will Packer producing, we just know that viewers are going to immediately fall in love with this series.”

“That Girl Lay Lay is a multitalented force of nature destined for mega stardom. I’m so excited about what she represents as a talented African-American girl with her own platform to showcase her unique abilities,” said Will Packer. “David A. Arnold has crafted the right show at the right time and Nickelodeon is the perfect partner.”

In That Girl Lay Lay, phone avatar Lay Lay is the perfect hype girl and best friend that anyone could ever want from their personal affirmation app.  Struggling to make her mark at school and needing a best friend to talk to, Sadie wishes upon a star that Lay Lay was real and could help teach her how to stand out.  When her wish comes true and Lay Lay is magically brought to life, the two friends learn that when they are together, they can accomplish anything.  

In addition to her new comedy series, Nickelodeon’s comprehensive strategy for That Girl Lay Lay includes supporting her music career and an exclusive line of consumer products, with merchandising agreements spanning categories such as fashion, accessories, publishing and more.

That Girl Lay Lay is a social media star and hip-hop prodigy who has taken the world by storm with her infectious energy and sharp rhymes.  She has been writing, producing, rapping and singing since the age of five, and at age 11 became the youngest female rapper to sign a recording deal and create her own imprint, Fresh Rebel Muzik/EMPIRE.  Her music videos garner millions of views, with her smash hits “Mama” and “Supersize XL” having amassed close to 90 million views on YouTube to date between the two.  

That Girl Lay Lay is produced by Will Packer Media (Bigger), with Will Packer (Little, Ride Along) and Carolyn Newman serving as executive producers and Toy Monique Hawkins overseeing.  The series is created and executive produced by David A. Arnold (Side Hustle, Fuller House, Bigger), who also serves as showrunner.  John Beck & Ron Hart (Side Hustle, Fuller House, Liv and Maddie) serve as executive producers.  Production of That Girl Lay Lay for Nickelodeon is overseen by Zack Olin, Senior Vice President, Live Action, and Shauna Phelan, Senior Vice President, Live-Action Scripted Content.

About Will Packer Media

Led by Hollywood producer Will Packer, Will Packer Media is a first-of-its-kind production and branded content company focused on the New American Mainstream audience. In partnership with Discovery, Inc. and Universal Pictures, the company produces episodic scripted and unscripted series across television and digital platforms, compelling content for brand clients, and short-form digital content for millennial audiences. Will Packer’s films have earned more than $1 billion, with ten openings at number one at the box office.

About Nickelodeon

Nickelodeon, now in its 41st year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The brand includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, digital, location-based experiences, publishing and feature films. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of ViacomCBS Inc. (Nasdaq: VIACA, VIAC).

# # #

Update (4/21) - Alaya has revealed a first look at the logo of her brand new Nickelodeon show, That Girl Lay Lay on Instagram! According to the script Alaya is holding, one episode will be titled "Out The App":

From Houstonia Magazine:

Nickelodeon’s Next Superstar is a Houstonian

Here’s what you need to know about 13-year-old rapper Alaya “Lay Lay” High.

Image: Nickelodeon/Shutterstock

FROM THE PIONEERING SOUNDS OF Geto Boys and DJ Screw to current superstars like Travis Scott and Megan Thee Stallion, H-Town has gifted many-a-successful rappers to the world.

These days, it’s 13-year-old rapper and Pearland native Alaya High, better known as Lay Lay, rather, who youngsters are gravitating towards. And they just may be onto something.

Sure, Bayou City rappers of old have their share of Grammys, Gold and Platinum RIAA records—oh, and literally every aspect of Beyoncé’s career—but none, to our knowledge, had a TV show with Nickelodeon. 

That’s right. Earlier this summer, Lay Lay landed an overall deal with the children’s cable network to develop original content, and just a few weeks ago we learned that deal will include her very own show.

“When I first learned about my deal with Nickelodeon, I celebrated with donuts and Welch’s sparkling grape juice,” Lay Lay tells Houstonia, with so much enthusiasm you can’t help but share in her excitement. “I was just really excited because I always loved the shows on Nickelodeon.”

Called That Girl Lay Lay, the 13-episode comedy from Fuller House writer-producer David A. Arnold features our teenage viral sensation as an avatar from a “personal affirmation app” who manifests in the flesh after character Sadie wishes on a shooting star.

“It means a lot to me because I’m happy a bunch of young Black girls get to see another Black girl killing it in the industry,” Lay Lay shares. 

In addition to the show, Lay Lay, who now lives in Atlanta, will also release new merchandise and music through Nickelodeon. But this isn’t her first foray into the music biz.

A rapper through and through, the teenager has been creating music since the age of 5, when her father, rapper Acie High, inspired her to start creating everything from witty freestyles to catchy original songs. In 2018, she made her way onto the big stage when she inked a deal with Empire—becoming the youngest female rapper ever to sign with a label at the age of 11—and dropped her debut project, Tha Cheat Code, later that year.

Soon after, came the love from celebrities like 50 Cent and Mindy Kaling, a viral appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and even an impressive performance on MTV’s Wild ’N Out that left DC Young Fly speechless.

Through all of the fame and high praise from the industry, Lay Lay is a Houstonian at heart.

“I represent Houston in my work by always talking about it, and you can definitely hear the little bit of country in me in a lot of my songs,” Lay Lay says. “Anytime anybody hears me talk they’re like, ‘You’re from the south, aren’t you?’ and I’m like, ‘Yup, H-Town for life.’”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by That Girl Lay Lay (@thatgirllaylay)

And H-Town loves her back.

No, seriously, many Bayou City legends have shown their affection for the up-and-coming star over the years. She recently partnered with “Uncle″ Bun B for a ssong and they filmed the music video outside the popular Turkey Leg Hut, where she was visited by then-Houston Rockets superstar James Harden.

Doesn’t that sound like the most iconically Houston thing that could happen? We can’t disagree.

###

From CHRON.:

Houston rapper That Girl Lay Lay to star in new Nickelodeon comedy series

Houston's viral star and rapper That Girl Lay Lay is taking her talents to the big screen. The freestyle rapping sensation will have a new comedy series coming to Nickelodeon.

The self-titled "That Girl Lay Lay" will consist of 13 episodes, according to Peter White at Deadline.

The show was created by David A. Arnold, a writer-producer on Netflix’s "Fuller House." The new series follows Lay Lay, an avatar from an affirmation app that comes to life and helps her best friend Sadie navigate through the world.

"We’re so excited to have That Girl Lay Lay star in a series that's just as fierce and funny as she is. At its heart, the show David A. Arnold created is about staying true to yourself, and with the immensely talented Will Packer producing, we just know that viewers are going to immediately fall in love with this series," Zach Olin, senior vice president at Live Action and Nickelodeon, said in a statement.

Lay Lay is also excited to be moving into television. In a statement, she said that the opportunity is a dream come true and is excited to join the network she grew up watching.

"I have the best fans in the world, and I can’t wait to take them on this journey with me," Lay Lay said.

The new show marks another accomplishment for Lay Lay, who became the youngest female rapper to sign a record deal via her own label, Fresh Rebel Muzik/EMPIRE, at the age of 11. She released her debut album "Tha Cheat Code"  in 2018.

Packer also sang Lay Lay's praises, calling her a "multitalented force of nature" and "destined for mega-stardom."

"I’m so excited about what she represents as a talented African-American girl with her own platform to showcase her unique abilities," Packer said in a statement.

Deadline reports that the show will begin production in the spring to premiere in the summer.

###

From Datebook:

Teenage Houston rapper That Girl Lay Lay becomes a multimedia sensation

The viral rapper signed a huge deal with Nickelodeon that includes a sitcom, music and merchandising.

Alaya High — known to her rapidly expanding fan base as rapper That Girl Lay Lay — has seen her image plastered on backpacks, party supplies and hoodies. She has her own line of lip gloss. She’s appeared on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and long-running improv comedy series “Wild ’n Out.”

It’s all been a warmup for Lay Lay’s next act. The Houston native will star in her own Nickelodeon series, “That Girl Lay Lay,” set for a 13-episode summer run. She’ll also perform the theme song. It’s the first part of a larger deal that includes music and merchandise.

“I was just a regular girl, going to school, playing with my friends. Now, I’m very popular. I’m very famous. I can’t even go certain places by myself anymore,” Lay Lay says with a slight Southern drawl.

Oh, to have the confidence of a teenager. Lay Lay turned 14 in January and now lives in Atlanta. But she’s frequently back home.

“I’m very, very happy,” she says. “I’m just a Houston girl who took her dreams and went somewhere with it.”

Though she doesn’t remember it, Lay Lay started rapping at the age of 4. There are grainy YouTube videos of her freestyling about having no food in the refrigerator, vibing to the beat in her head. She recorded her first song at 5.

“I had, like, eight teeth in my mouth,” Lay Lay says. She giggles frequently between questions. “I literally was just rapping off the dome.”

She calls her parents her biggest influences because of their work ethic and positive attitudes. Lay Lay’s father is Acie High of rap duo Aqualeo, who made national headlines after a 2018 airport brawl with Tekashi 6ix9ine. Her mother, Antanique Landry, owns Fenixx Fitness in the Bellaire area.

Lay Lay would accompany her dad to the studio, often for hours, and kept a close watch on what he was doing. She eventually took over the microphone and, at age 11, convinced him to record her freestyling in the car and upload it to social media.

Two weeks later, the clips exploded on Instagram, racking up more than half a million views.

“I was at my friend’s house. We went outside to go play. I came back, and I looked at my phone, and I was like, ‘Why does my phone say 3,000 notifications? I was like, ‘Girl, I’m famous!’” Lay Lay recalls.

She was being reposted by everyone from 50 Cent to the entertainment site The Shade Room. Talk shows came calling. Major label were interested in meetings. Lay Lay eventually ended up at Empire Records, where she could have creative control, among other things.

“A lot of them weren’t trying to pay up. They were just trying to use me for my talent,” Lay Lay says. “I was like, ‘Oh, no, no, no.’”

She released her first album, “The Cheat Code,” in 2017; followed by 2019’s “All the Way Lit Up,” a holiday album; and last year’s “Recess Is Over.” Her music videos earn millions of views, and she’s collaborated with Lil Tr33zy, Young Dolph and Lil Duval. Her latest, with Bun B, called “Rich,” drops next month.

She’d like to work with female rappers but says one has yet to agree to collaborate with her. Maybe they can’t handle that Lay Lay fire.

“I do not know what it is. I hope that changes when I get older,” Lay Lay says. “But once I get to the top, I’m there. They better take it while they can.”

The window is quickly closing. (Megan Thee Stallion, if you’re reading this, here’s your chance.) Lay Lay’s Nickelodeon series is already in production. “That Girl Lay Lay” was created by David A. Arnold, a writer-producer on Netflix’s “Fuller House.” It follows Lay Lay, an avatar from a personal affirmation app that comes to life, and her best friend Sadie as they navigate life as teenagers.

Producer Will Packer, whose credits include “Girls Trip” and “Little,” calls his young star “a multitalented force of nature destined for mega stardom.” And she’s something of a rarity — a Black teenager headlining her own live-action series.

It doesn’t leave much time for hanging out with friends or watching movies at home. But Lay Lay knows all too well the grind doesn’t stop.

“I’m always tired. But I can’t really say, ‘Oh, I wish I could (rest),’ because this is what I wish for,” she says. “I wish I was this popular girl. I wish I was an inspiration for everyone. That’s what I manifested. I said I would do it, and I have it now.”

More Lay Lay

Must-see TV: My favorite show “SpongeBob” is on Nickelodeon. My favorite show “The Loud House” is on Nickelodeon. I used to always say, “I wish I was on Nickelodeon.”

Least favorite school subject: Social studies. They’re always like, “What did the Aztecs do in 1345?” Why do I have to know what they did? I wasn’t there!

H-town forever: “The Houston culture has inspired a lot of things that I do. I definitely learned most of the things I know how to do now from Houston. Bun B, Pimp C, Big Pokey, Beyoncé, Megan Thee Stallion. There’s something in the Houston water, I tell you.”

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More Nick: Nickelodeon Announces 2021-22 Content Slate | Nick Upfront 2021!

Originally published: Thursday, March 18, 2021.

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