ABC is jumping into the Kevin Hart business.
The network has made a put pilot commitment for a half-hour comedy project based on the red-hot comedian's stand-up act. The project, from Community's Neil Goldman and Garrett Donovan, takes a candid look at the post-divorce life of a couple trying to forge a friendship for the sake of their kids, despite their differences. Hart doesn't plan to star but likely will play a recurring role if the series goes forward.
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Goldman and Donovan will pen the script as well as executive produce the multicamera effort set up at 20th Century Fox TV, where the producing partners are under an overall deal. Joining them as EPs are Hart and his 3 Arts manager, Dave Becky (Louie).
The news follows a breakout couple of years for Hart, who has become one of the most successful stand-up acts working today. In addition to his comic timing, executives across both film and TV are drawn to his ability to connect with his fans, which includes 9 million Twitter followers. It is for that reason that Hart's name has found itself onto a shortlist of talent who can get a movie greenlighted today.
Hart is no stranger to the small screen either, getting his big break in a recurring role on Judd Apatow's short-lived cult darling Undeclared, which bowed on Fox in 2001. In the decade or so since, Hart has turned up on everything from ABC's Modern Family to BET's Real Husbands of Hollywood, for which he executive produces and stars. Additionally, his stand-up tours have sold out at arenas around the world, including The Staples Center in L.A., Madison Square Garden in New York and The O2 Arena in London. His recent stand-up doc, Let Me Explain, grossed more than $32 million.
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For their part, Garrett and Donovan have had ample experience in the TV comedy space, starting as writers on Fox's long-running Family Guy. More recently, they've written and produced half-hours such as Scrubs, Community and Fox's Ben and Kate.
Hart, whose other credits include Think Like a Man, This Is the End and upcoming films Ride Along and About Last Night, is repped by UTA, 3 Arts and Schreck Rose. Garrett and Donovan are repped by UTA.
E-mail: Lacey.Rose@THR.com
Twitter: @LaceyVRose
