OWN is giving LaToya Jackson a reality show.
The network, which has struggled with a lineup that features mainly inspirational programming, is borrowing a page from other cable networks that have turned to following the day-to-day exploits of the famous and those famous for being related to the famous.
Also read: Jackson Family Meltdown: Who's Who in The Whole Mess [5]
"Life With LaToya" is one of three new series OWN announced Thursday. The others are "The Customer Is Always Right," in which customers get to be the boss, and "Neighborvention," which is exactly what it sounds like.
The network also unveiled the rest of its fall lineup, including another season of "Oprah's Next Chapter." Her upcoming guests include Jennifer Hudson, Kelsey Grammer, Stephen Colbert and Bette Midler.
Despite having a less notable musical output than her famous siblings, LaToya Jackson has remained in the public eye for a series of exploits, from posing with a snake for Playboy to being the sole member of her family to say brother Michael was a child molester. (She made the allegation in 1993.)
She spent much of the '90s split off from her family, and said she was in an abusive relationship at the time. Her and the other Jacksons reconciled, and when Michael Jackson was charged with child molestation in 2003, she defended him and recanted her early allegations.
Despite her past issues with her family, she has managed to stay out of the current Jackson family feud [5].
"Life With LaToya" is not her first reality show: She has previously appeared on "Armed and Famous" and the British version of "Celebrity Big Brother."
Here's the fall lineup, and details on upcoming shows, provided by OWN:
OWN FALL LINEUP (all times ET/PT)
SATURDAY
9:00 p.m. “Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s” (returns Sept. 15)
10:00 p.m. “Iyanla, Fix My Life” (premieres Sept. 15)
SUNDAY
11:00 a.m. “Super Soul Sunday”
9:00 p.m. “Oprah’s Next Chapter”
9:00 p.m. “Oprah’s Lifeclass” (special episodes on Sept. 2 & Sept. 23)
10:00 p.m. “Lovetown, USA” (premieres Aug. 19)
TUESDAY
10:00 p.m. “TV Guide Magazine’s Top 25 Best Oprah Show Moments” (premieres Aug. 28 with a 2-hour special from 9-11 p.m.)
10:00 p.m. “Oprah: Where Are They Now” (premieres Oct. 2 with a two-hour special from 9-11 p.m.)
Continuing Series
“Oprah’s Next Chapter” (Sundays, 9 p.m. ET/PT)
The primetime series features Oprah Winfrey as she steps outside of the studio for riveting, enlightening and in-depth conversations with newsmakers, celebrities, thought leaders and real-life families. The series has given OWN some of its highest ratings ever hitting #1 in its time period among Women 25-54 and Women 18-49. The series is produced by Harpo Studios. Follow on Twitter @Oprah [6] and @OWNTV [7] and join the conversation using #NextChapter.
“Oprah’s Lifeclass” (Special episodes Sunday, Sept. 2 & 23, 9 p.m. ET/PT)
Oprah Winfrey takes the stage as teacher in one of the world’s biggest classrooms to share advice and engage in inspiring conversations with fans worldwide about principles thatguide our lives. ThroughOprah.com [8], Facebook, Twitter and Skype, Winfrey takes questions from Lifeclassers around the world. The series is produced by Harpo Studios and recently won an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Talk Series. Follow @OprahsLifeclass [9] on Twitter and join the conversation using #OprahsLifeclass.
“Super Soul Sunday” (Sundays, 11 a.m. ET/PT)
The Emmy® Award-winning series “Super Soul Sunday" delivers a thought-provoking, eye-opening and inspiring block of programming designed to help viewers awaken to their best selves and discover a deeper connection to the world around them. With all-new conversations between Oprah Winfrey and top thinkers, authors, and spiritual leaders, “Super Soul Sunday" features exclusive interviews in studio and on locations as diverse as a serene oak grove at Winfrey’s California home, to a palace in India, and a garden terrace in Maui. Also featured is short-form content from SoulPancake, the production company co-founded by “The Office’s" Rainn Wilson. Exploring themes and issues including happiness, personal fulfillment, wellness, spirituality and conscious living, "Super Soul Sunday" presents an array of perspectives on what it means to be alive in today’s world.
“Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s” (Returns Saturday, Sept. 15, 9 p.m. ET/PT)
After former Ikette Robbie Montgomery [10] found out she could no longer sing, she took her mother’s soul food recipes passed down through the generations and created the empire known as "Sweetie Pie's," St. Louis’ iconic and wildly popular soul food restaurant run by Miss Robbie and her dynamic family. Now with two thriving locations, a third location recently underway, a wedding to plan for her son Tim and his fiancé Jenae, and two grandsons to tend to, Miss Robbie is struggling to keep up with the demandsbetween business and family. Meanwhile, her son Tim has his hands full juggling his new role as sole restaurant manager, aspiring rapper and life as a new dad. "Welcome to Sweetie Pie's" follows the loud, loving and still very musical Montgomery family as they struggle with expanding their family-owned business and creating a legacy to pass on to future generations, one soulful dish at a time. Produced by Pilgrim Studios, executive producers are Craig Piligian, Jenn Duncan, Jeff Keane, Tim Brietbach and Steve Luebbert.
New fall series
“Iyanla, Fix My Life” (Premieres Saturday, Sept. 15, 10 p.m. ET/PT)
Iyanla Vanzant is an accomplished author, inspirational speaker, talk show host, and living testament to the value in life's valleys and the power of acting on faith. Iyanla has had a unique life filled with many personal struggles that she has overcome and used to become stronger. Now Iyanla is back, fixing lives and using her past to help others’ futures. Secrets will be revealed, truths will be uncovered and emotions will come out as Iyanla teaches us how to pull back the curtain on what is broken in our lives. Produced by Harpo Studios. Executive producers are Jonathan Sinclair, Jill VanLokeren and Terry Goulder.
“Oprah: Where Are They Now?” (Premieres Tuesday, Oct. 2, 9-11 p.m. ET/PT, new episodes Tuesdays at 10 p.m.)
“Oprah: Where Are They Now?” unlocks “The Oprah Winfrey Show” vault and takes a look back at what happened to some of the biggest headline makers on the show. Updates include never-seen-before footage of Rodney King’s last interview and Mary Jo Buttafuoco twenty years after being shot by “the Long Island Lolita.” “Oprah: Where Are They Now?” is produced by Harpo Studios and executive producers are Jill Van Lokeren, Jonathan Sinclair and HeatherAldridge.
“TV Guide Magazine’s Top 25 Best Oprah Show Moments” (Premieres Tuesday, Aug. 28, 9-11 p.m., new episodes Tuesdays at 10 p.m.)
“TV Guide Magazine’s Top 25 Best Oprah Show Moments” counts down the most famous and memorable moments on “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” Featuring new commentary by Oprah Winfrey and an interview with TV Guide editor in chief Debra Birnbaum, the series revisits the most unforgettable interviews, guests, performances and occurrences of the history-making show. “TV Guide Magazine’s Top 25 Best Oprah Show Moments” is produced by Harpo Studios. Executive Producers are Jonathan Sinclair, Jill Van Lokeren and Heather Aldridge.
New Series for 2013
“The Customer is Always Right” (Premieres 2013)
On the new OWN series, “The Customer is Always Right,” some of America’s most recognizable companies turn to their customers for feedback and new ideas on improving their bottom lines. In an unprecedented experiment, two loyal customers are tapped by a company CEO to spend a week with the organization and to implement real improvements to its business model. Each one-hour episode follows theonce-in-a-lifetime challenge as both customers work alongside the company’s top executives to address the company’s biggest issues. In the end, the participants’ efforts are judged by a final focus group. If the group likes the changes that were made, the two will walk away with $10,000 and boasting rights that the customer is indeed always right. TLC will also air the program in a second run window. “The Customer is Always Right” is produced by Katalyst and executive produced by Jason Goldberg and Jenelle Lindsay.
“Life with La Toya” (Premieres 2013)
"Life With La Toya" gets up close and personal with La Toya Jackson as she juggles the many demands of her famous family, her life long friends, and her growing entertainment business empire. Known as the outspoken one, La Toya is so much more: the fun-loving aunt, devoted daughter, peacemakingsister and a woman looking for love, and maybe even a family of her own. "Life With La Toya" is produced by World of Wonder Productions and executive produced by Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato, Tom Campbell and Jeremy Simmons with Ja-Tail Television and executive producers, La Toya Jackson, Jeffré Phillips and Charles Cook.
“Neighborvention” (Premieres 2013)
"Neighborvention" is the new OWN series that makes you realize that the most amazing people might be living right next door. Each week, one desperate family in crisis opens their doors and reaches out to their neighbors for a helping hand. Viewers watch as communities unite to help families transform – tackling issues ranging from strained relationships to out of control teens to insurmountable financial woes. "Neighborvention" proves that it really does take a village. The series is produced for OWN by Studio Lambert and executive produced by Stephen Lambert, Eli Holzman and Domini Hofmann.